Q&A with the new BRP Author

[Jason Durall]

While chatting with a coworker about games and BRP (he's a Call of Cthulhu player), we both lamented that it's impossible to "spring" the Mythos on a player as he (usually) knows what he's getting into.

It struck me that BRP allows a GM to do "the switch" (not in the Seinfeldian sense), starting with a generic system and players who may have no idea what's in store during the campaign.

So a normal world BRP game might suddenly veer into horror or science-fiction.

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

During character creation, one stop says (essentially) "Stop here! Does your GM plan to use powers? If so, ask which ones are available." Some character professions state "this profession may have access to one of the power types". If the GM allows, then rules are presented in those power types for what level of power a starting character should have.

I'm a little puzzled then; if experience is simply done by distributing skill points, how does one define a profession within the rules?

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

While chatting with a coworker about games and BRP (he's a Call of Cthulhu player), we both lamented that it's impossible to "spring" the Mythos on a player as he (usually) knows what he's getting into.

It struck me that BRP allows a GM to do "the switch" (not in the Seinfeldian sense), starting with a generic system and players who may have no idea what's in store during the campaign.

So a normal world BRP game might suddenly veer into horror or science-fiction.

Though you've got to be careful to know your players there; some react very badly to that sort of bait-and-switch.

[Jason Durall]

Originally Posted by Nightshade

I'm a little puzzled then; if experience is simply done by distributing skill points, how does one define a profession within the rules?

As with Call of Cthulhu and Stormbringer.

You have a short skill description, a list of skills that are appropriate for someone of that profession, and a suggested wealth level. You get a lump of skill points to distribute across those skills.

Later, you get another lump of skill points for personal interests (skills outside those designated as professional skills).

If you have powers defined by skill points, you can spend skill points from an appropriate pool. For example, a priest with magic spells might spend professional skill points on spells, but a psychic police officer would spend personal interest points for psychic powers.

[Jason Durall]

Originally Posted by Nightshade

Though you've got to be careful to know your players there; some react very badly to that sort of bait-and-switch.

Of course.

But it should seem obvious that there is a tremendous amount of trust assumed between the GM and the players.

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

As with Call of Cthulhu and Stormbringer.

You have a short skill description, a list of skills that are appropriate for someone of that profession, and a suggested wealth level. You get a lump of skill points to distribute across those skills.

Later, you get another lump of skill points for personal interests (skills outside those designated as professional skills).

If you have powers defined by skill points, you can spend skill points from an appropriate pool. For example, a priest with magic spells might spend professional skill points on spells, but a psychic police officer would spend personal interest points for psychic powers.

Ah, I see. Its a bit more structured than I'd taken away from your earlier answer. I'd assumed it was just "spend on what seems appropriate."

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

Of course.

But it should seem obvious that there is a tremendous amount of trust assumed between the GM and the players.

I'm not sure that degree of trust is always warrented, to be honest; even a GM who means well can have lapses of judgment, and when it comes to something like this, that sort of lapse can be seriously off-putting.

[Simlasa]

I'd be more 'offput' if it went the other way... someone tells me we are playing Call Of Cthulhu but it turns out all the wierd stuff going on is just the greedy manipulations of old man Caruthers...
Back to the Mystery Van kids!

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by Simlasa

I'd be more 'offput' if it went the other way... someone tells me we are playing Call Of Cthulhu but it turns out all the wierd stuff going on is just the greedy manipulations of old man Caruthers...
Back to the Mystery Van kids!

Well, either way is bad, honestly, because its too easy to make character creation decisions that are suddenly pretty much senseless; the fact that the actual genre/campaign isn't the one you wanted to play is another layer.

[Atgxtg]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

While chatting with a coworker about games and BRP (he's a Call of Cthulhu player), we both lamented that it's impossible to "spring" the Mythos on a player as he (usually) knows what he's getting into.

It struck me that BRP allows a GM to do "the switch" (not in the Seinfeldian sense), starting with a generic system and players who may have no idea what's in store during the campaign.

So a normal world BRP game might suddenly veer into horror or science-fiction.

That's one of the big obstacles with all horror RPGs. Players have a sort of "shock absorber" by know what they are getting into, unlike the protagonists in 99% of horror stories. Instead of being surprised and scared, the players immediacy suspect supernatural involvement and go looking for it.

My most successful horror adventures were in campaigns that were not (supposedly) horror based. That "this isn't supposed to happen" feeling that goes along with that is perfect for setting the mood. THe old Juedges Guild "HEllpits of Nightfang" advenutre for RQ2 led to one of the best horror RPG scenes I've ever had. The PCs were holded up inside a building, and the Vampire was outside (I was running this before Cults of Terror, so I ran the Vamp with the traditional pwers and weaknesses rather than with teh Vivamort stuff). The Vamp couldn't enter the dwelling (wasn't invited, tradtional vamp weakness), and so had tried lthings like setting the building on fire and mesmersizing someone to get an invite. Standoff. THen the Vamp taunted one of the PCs ending the insults with "why do you come out here and face me light a man!"

THe PC replied "Oh yeah, well why don't YOU.....go away". We all got to see the player turn pale and his eyes open wide when he realized just how close he came to inviting the vamp inside.



The reverse holds true, too. My favorite CoC adventure was one where the GM threw us up against gangsters. We were all expecting Deep Ones and Mi-Go, and were surprised that we had to deal with something so mundane. They proved a tough foe, too, since most of the Mythos creatures don't call you up on the phone to set you up for a drive by shooting, or bribe the cops. Plus, you can get the chair for killing a gangster.

It the unexpected that makes horror work, and sadly, is why horror RPGs generally are not very scary.