Re: [hw-rules] Re: flaws; Initiates & Devotees summary

At 07:24 AM 09/27/2000 -0700, David Dunham wrote:
>> > That's about 60% devotee, 40% initiate
>>
>> I think a lot of this is due to expectation. Since you get nothing
>> back from choosing Initiate rather than Devotee during character
>> creation, players may feel cheated having Improv Mods.
>
>I didn't get as much feedback about the requirements question, but my
>impression was that most narrators are being pretty lenient about the
>extra time and resources needed to be a devotee. In fact, it was more
>of a reward than a penalty: "Here's an important mission you have to
>go on" rather than "I guess you're too busy to do that."

Just to throw out some ideas on time penalties from recent games (two players have devotees, one has a shaman, and two have initiates, though one has recently become a devotee):

1. During some "off" time back at the clan stead, the players wanted their characters to learn some new skills. I ruled that the devotees and the shaman (60% commitment) had their hands full and could only start to learn one new thing during the time period, while the initiates could learn two (going on a 30% of time per new skill assumption).
2. The niece of a character wandered off right before an Odaylan holy day and the Odaylan devotee had to stay home and participate in the great holy hunt instead of helping. She felt bad about it, but there was really no choice.
3. I often chide the devotees more for deviating from emulation of their deities. A side trip to help the Vendref (playing on the sympathies of the OA devotee) cut short a planned trading journey (and aided the clan in gaining a new enemy).
4. I plan on doubling penalties for inappropriate behavior and planning for devotees for heroquests, though I also give initiates a -5 (don't believe in -3) penalty for crossing over.

Thanks,
Andy             Received on Thu 28 Sep 2000 - 20:20:29 EEST