The PCs must be Awesome

[Skjaldbakka]

Is it the most important thing in a game that the PCs should be awesome?

[Optimystik]

Define "awesome."

[Eloi]

Is it the most important thing in a game that the PCs should be awesome?

Yes, because they should be the main driving force of the story, the heroes, and if they aren't, you aren't DM-ing correctly.

[Foryn Gilnith]

In at least one game in existence it is most important that the PCs should be awesome.
As a generalization, I'm not sure I need to give examples of why this doesn't apply to every single game.

[Luzahn]

Well, in most campaigns, they are superhuman death machines, ripping through armies and bending reality. So...yes.

[Pink]

Well, it really depends on the type of game you're trying to run. Obviously a darker, grittier game may have the PCs be kicked around more often than not. A game like shadowrun should regularly have the PCs outwitted and backstabbed and in 'Oh $#*%" situations to keep the constant paranoia and smart thinking up instead of trying to coast a mission.

It's fair to say that each PC should be given a chance to have a moment of awesome. However should they be awesome all the time? I'd have to say no, not really. It's kinda like the whole cake thing. Eat too much cake, you get sick of it. You need contrast and such to keep things interesting IMO.

You will get some people that try to be awesome all the time, even when they aren't, and will expect you to blatently bend or break rules in order for them to have their awesome. This then becomes a situation of who's at the table and what they expect to get out of the game to have fun, DM included.

[valadil]

Yes, because they should be the main driving force of the story, the heroes, and if they aren't, you aren't DM-ing correctly.

They should ultimately come out on top, but I don't think they need to be the single most awesome force in the world from level 1 to 20. There should be other powerful entities in the world, if only to threaten the PCs.

Awesome should be relative. They should be awesome at what they set out to do. A bard who always makes witty comebacks is awesome. He doesn't need to be a level 15 gestalt bard/deity. A big part of DMing is figuring out what the players think is awesome about their characters and putting that trait in the spotlight.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

+1 for "Depends on the game".

In many games, the PCs are meant to be a cut above the average Joe Bloggs. In some other games, being ordinary in the face of powerful opponents is the whole point.

What the PCs do with their abilities is the bit where they are pretty well always meant to be awesome - the weak but smart guy who tricks the powerful enemy into a mundane trap is awesome in a totally different way to the arcane blaster who destroys whole regiments with a wiggle of his fingers or the muscular shieldmaiden who kicks the lich's bony butt.

[Saph]

I'm going to have to go with "no", on the whole.

The PCs should be awesome some of the time.

But awesomeness is relative. Awesome is only awesome if you have non-awesome to contrast it with. This means that some of the time, the PCs have to be non-awesome, otherwise the parts where they are awesome won't be sufficiently awesome.

[Friend Computer]

I'm reminded of that commoner game that was posted on the WotC forums way back when. It was just a solo with a commoner going about their daily life: hunting some noms, skinning them, selling the pelts, that sort of thing. Was the commoner awesome? Hell no, just a normal dude. Was the game awesome? Hells yeah!

Now, while some people are bound to say that the PCs should be awesome, and then come up with some sophistry about awesomeness being in the eye of the beholder, that is nonsense. A chatacter that you like to play as, and that your groups likes you playing as is not the same as Awesome McCool-Dude, sone of Badass McCool-Dude.

[Eldan]

Another one for "depends on the game".

D&D? As always, it depends on the DM, the players, the campaign and the level. D&D is perhaps one of the most flexible systems in terms of tone and style. You can make a gritty Sword&Sorcery game at level 1-3, or be super-awesome badasses flying around ripping the world to bits on level 15 or so.

But in other systems? In Paranoia, you will be blowing yourself up half the time. In other systems, a bullet to the head can still kill you at the highest levels.

Finally, it depends on what you mean by awesome. Awesome personal power? A perfectly crafted plan masterfully executed? Fabulous roleplaying? Thrilling heroics? And even heroics is relative: who's the greater hero after saving someone from a burning house, a fireman, or Superman?

It all depends.

[Another_Poet]

The PCs should be awesome some of the time.

But awesomeness is relative. Awesome is only awesome if you have non-awesome to contrast it with. This means that some of the time, the PCs have to be non-awesome, otherwise the parts where they are awesome won't be sufficiently awesome.

Ding ding ding!

[Pink]

I think there's another type of 'Awesome' confusion going on is this thread too. Is this refering to an action a character does within the game that is deemed awesome? ("Dude, you just invented golf by clubbing off a goblins head mid battle and sinking it into a rabbit hole!"), or are we talking about awesome fun in the players playing and enjoying the game and story.

In the first case, I think my original point holds true. In the second case, well, one must always try for an awesomely fun game, but that's more of a goal than something you can deliberately succeed on I think. Fun should be had though, yes.

[Jarawara]

Yes, because they should be the main driving force of the story, the heroes, and if they aren't, you aren't DM-ing correctly.

Well I pretty much disagree.

Are the PC's the main driving force of the story? Yes, within parameters.

Does that make them awesome? No.

It makes them important, but not 'awesome'. In fact, they can be rather normal, plain, even downright flawed and sometimes a bit inadequate. As long as the story is focused on them, the game still works, lack of awesomeness included.

Now I guess... if you look at ordinary, overwhelmed, flawed, morally-challenged, and generally unheroic PC's, and you say "AWESOME!!!", well, then I guess you have a self-fulfilling parameter. The PC's are awesome because you say they are awesome.

But if 'awesome' is defined by how they are viewed by others, and how they rank in power comparable to others... then 'awesomeness' is simply unneccesary to a good game. I'm not saying PC awesomeness can't make for a great game -- just that it's not necessary.

*~*

Edit: I have been so awesomely Ninja'd... :smallcool:

[Eldan]

Yeah.

My last post, shorter: the problem with this question is for me:
Awesomeness by Power level (Dude, you just blew up the planet!)
vs.
Awesomeness by Actions (I would never have thought of that! Who would have thought we would survive doing that!)

[kamikasei]

The PCs should be awesome some of the time.

Not even this is always true, though it usually applies. Call of Cthulhu, to give the obvious example, isn't about the PCs being awesome.

[Optimystik]

Not even this is always true, though it usually applies. Call of Cthulhu, to give the obvious example, isn't about the PCs being awesome.

From what I hear about that game, just surviving past character creation could be "awesome."

[Morty]

I'm going to have to go with "no", on the whole.

The PCs should be awesome some of the time.

But awesomeness is relative. Awesome is only awesome if you have non-awesome to contrast it with. This means that some of the time, the PCs have to be non-awesome, otherwise the parts where they are awesome won't be sufficiently awesome.

That's very true and bears repeating.
Also, I think that high power level dilutes the already vague "awesomeness factor". When you have the power of an epic-level D&D character, an Exalt or whatever, a lot of thing suddenly stop being "awesome" and start being a daily routine.

[Jarawara]

A further thought on being awesome...

There are moments in game where the PC's have an outright *Crowning Moment of Awesome*. This of course is to be encouraged, rewarded, highlighted, and basically talked about over soda and beer for years afterwards.

But that doesn't require the PC's to be uber-powerful or magnificently awesome. It requires that the *player* puts the clues together and at the precise moment dreams up the perfect move that would throw the enemy forces into complete disarray, winning the battle at the darkest moment, saving the day when all looked lost.

In short: Characters are never really awesome, as they are just stats on a piece of paper.

*Players* are awesome!

[DanReiv]

Ding ding ding!

Seconded.

Epic all the time is not epic, it's routine.

Level range should also be taken into consideration. Nothing I despise more than level 1 new-borns sent on a world-saving quest, no less, by the King of whatever.

[Eldariel]

They should ultimately come out on top, but I don't think they need to be the single most awesome force in the world from level 1 to 20. There should be other powerful entities in the world, if only to threaten the PCs.

I disagree that they should always come out on the top; if there's no chance of failure, I don't find the game very fulfilling. It's very much a matter of preference and game type, as is the whole topic of this thread, but generally when I'm DMing I ensure players have a very real chance of failure and/or death; if they do win, this makes it feel like they've earned something (and really enhances the natural enjoyment provided by victory) and if they lose...well, it's a direct consequence of their actions and as such, part of the game.

[Satyr]

Is it the most important thing in a game that the PCs should be awesome?

If they honestly deserve it. PCs who made loads and loads of sacrifices, waded through blood, sweat and tears, and have went to their limits and beyond it, might deserve to be awesome. But even then only as one crowning, potential last scene. The magnitude of awesomeness is directly proportional to the effort required to achieve it and anything else is both devaluating the moment of greatness and just spoils the players.

[valadil]

I disagree that they should always come out on the top; if there's no chance of failure, I don't find the game very fulfilling. It's very much a matter of preference and game type, as is the whole topic of this thread, but generally when I'm DMing I ensure players have a very real chance of failure and/or death; if they do win, this makes it feel like they've earned something (and really enhances the natural enjoyment provided by victory) and if they lose...well, it's a direct consequence of their actions and as such, part of the game.

Rereading my post, I'm inclined to agree with you. Let me rephrase a bit...

The PC's victories should be awesome. They should be hard fought and meaningful, but also earned. Awesome isn't free. If you give it out without making them earn it, you're only diminishing their awesomeness. The world should have entities that are more powerful than the PCs. The PCs should know those things are more powerful. And if they manage to defeat those things, that puts them on whole new levels of awesome.

[the humanity]

I like to play immensely stupid characters who get drunk with the BBEG and other poorly thought out shenanigans.

[Jarawara]

I like to play immensely stupid characters who get drunk with the BBEG and other poorly thought out shenanigans.

AWESOME!!! :smallcool:

[Frozen_Feet]

From my own experience I'd say that how "awesome" the characters are or become depends mostly on the players, and often a DM has jack squat to say about it. Overall, I'd say cool factor, as I call it, is relatively unimportant for having a fun game. Some of the most enjoying sessions I've had have consisted of the PCs making utter fools of themselves. Nobody complained. They were too busy laughing.

[Bharg]

At least the rivals and enemies of your heros must be awesome.

[the humanity]

AWESOME!!! :smallcool:

we were supposed to have a fight, but I didn't realize he wasn't much more powerful than me at the time. I probably could have offed him by myself. as it was, he passed out first.

the rest of the party found us passed out, threw him in jail and vigorously made sure we weren't in cahoots.

[Jarawara]

At least the rivals and enemies of your heros must be awesome.

Again I disagree. Unless you substitute 'memorable' for 'awesome'.

If awesome is defined as awe-inspiring, powerful, large-and-in-charge, then some of my most memorable enemies were in no way awesome.

Smiley, aka 'The Dark One', was the BBEG of my just now completed campaign. He was persuasive and helpful, and for most of the campaign they couldn't tell if he was a good guy or a bad guy, (and even when it was confirmed he was the BBEG he was still able to manipulate the PC's and get them to accept his help from time to time).

They went from being inspired and awe-struck by his ability to show up at just the right moment, and provide just the right kind of aid... to being fearful of his all-powerful, all-knowing presence... to finally realizing that in fact, he as all talk, no action. In fact, Smiley was utterly unable to directly lift a finger; he could take no direct action. He could only persuade others to do his bidding.

And once the cat was out of the bag... he became pathetic in the eyes of the PC's. They mocked him, they spurned his advances, they knocked him around alot. They knew they couldn't just kill him (they had to find a way to imprison him), but they enjoyed beating the crap out him.

The crowning moment of un-awesomeness for him was a fight scene where his minions were getting trashed left and right, and the PC's starting chasing down Smiley himself. He ran, got knocked off the balcony, tried to climb back up, got his hand cut off, got hit so hard he was thrown across the room, got to his feet and running again, and then grabbed a child as a hostage, putting his knife to the little girl's throat.

The PCs all came to a stop, stunned by this development. They knew to exactly what depths this being would stoop to - slitting a girl's throat was nothing to some of the vile things he's done in the past. The PC's were powerless, unwilling to advance, afraid for the life of the girl....

...except for Allis, who most intimately knew the workings of the Dark One. She knew what he was capable of - and what he was utterly incapable of. He could get a minion to slit the girl's throat, but he had none more left. She strode forward as he protested in vain, and then she bent down and picked up an object (I swear, I seem to remember it was a spoon!). She threw it and bonked it off the little man's forehead.

Smiley was startled, letting out an "Ooohhhhh!!", and dropped his knife. Then the party grinned from ear to ear as the child darted away. Then Smiley said "Oh, crap.", and throwing up his hands over his head, turned and ran haphazardly to the exit, the PC's in full pursuit. "Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!"

One of my players said she never had more fun than beating the crap out of this pathetic little weasel.


Smiley was in no way 'awesome', certainly not in the definition of powerful or awe-inspiring. But he made for the most memorable of villians.

*~*

For those who prefer to have a more satisfying final challenge, (as opposed to a grande finale that is won by bonking a spoon off the BBEG's forhead), then yes, I suggest you have more awesome villians than Smiley. But beware - if all your villians are awesome, fearful, and powerful, it will get old. Change it up from time to time, put in some variety. Have a merchant who schemes against the PC's, but when finally caught, is only a 3rd level expert. Have a corrupt politician, present a big finale battle with his troops, but when they finally confront him he can be simply led away by the police. And then have them face someone who's really powerful, just to remind them that only some of your villians are pathetic losers. It'll make that last guy stand out more than if he were just another BBEG in a long line of awesome villians.

Remember: When everyone is awesome... nobody is.

[Draz74]

The most important things in the game are:

that the story is Awesome
that the PCs are the main characters


However, literature is rife with examples of how both of these conditions can be met without the main characters being awesome. I'm not just talking about despicable anti-heroes, either; I'm also talking about the simplicity of coming-of-age protagonists who have not yet come of age. (That's what very low levels should be like IMO.)

[Dairun Cates]

Is it the most important thing in a game that the PCs should be awesome?

Only in Pirates vs. Ninjas where its one of the expressed rules that "everyone in the known universe is awesome at something".

Otherwise, there's ways to have interesting campaigns without having "awesome" PCs. Examples provided above.



Boss Smiley Long Story = Gaiman Reference?

Had a similar thing with one of my more memorable villains, Hexmaster. Guy shows up and shows an unnatural talent for manipulation and being in the right place at the right time. He can predict completely impossible to predict events. Torments the players and constantly humiliates them. It gets worse when they find out that he's the human embodiment of bad luck itself and is completely immortal (no really. Nothing short of destroying the entire multiverse itself will get rid of this guy.

Then they find out the backlash to being an avatar of bad luck.

He can't actually conquer the world or use his amazing powers in any way meaningful to his own causes. Doing so essentially backfires on him and usually ends up shooting him into space or burying him for century. He can get away with a bit of self-gain here and there, but he always has to suffer a setback of equal value.

So, his entire role is delegated as a side villain, screwing with the players. Still, he messed with them something fierce until he went too far, and, as explained, got shot into space.

So yes. I made a villain that, in cannon, can never win, because fate has convened against him. Mind you, the Good luck avatar had it just as bad (dies at the age of 25 every incarnation, suffers a life of catastrophic luck while giving good luck to those around her, and ultimately being forced to deal with Hexmaster in most incarnations).

[Skaven]

Define "awesome."

On a scale of Dancing Hobo (1) to Awakened Velociraptor Dreadpirate (10)

[Dairun Cates]

On a scale of Dancing Hobo (1) to Awakened Velociraptor Dreadpirate (10)

Not gonna lie. Best Risus boss ever.

Of course, that obviously wasn't your intent, but still.

[Frozen_Feet]

The most important things in the game are:

that the PCs are the main characters



Not really a requisite either. One of the earliest adventures I GMed had the group following in the foot-steps of Fellowship of the Ring, playing at the edges of the big events of LotR. Everyone knew they weren't really going to change anything and the big stuff was happening elsewhere, yet we all had loads of fun. Similarly, I've seen an RPG with the carrying idea of PCs being followers of Paul of Tarsos, and that game functioned perfectly well too.

As long as the players have some say in things, like (an illusion of) control over their own characters, and are interested in what the GM will throw on their way, a game will go smoothly. Similarly, no matter how hyped the characters are as the big movers of things, if the players don't feel like acting the part, a game will fall flat.

[Bharg]

Again I disagree. Unless you substitute 'memorable' for 'awesome'.

If awesome is defined as awe-inspiring, powerful, large-and-in-charge, then some of my most memorable enemies were in no way awesome.
[...]

Combo breaker. No, I wouldn't even consider a powerful and perhaps in combat challenging ready-made rival or enemy as awesome. Memorability is, of course, important.
I was refering to the kind of perfect villain that at a first glance creates a positive outward impression, has a good reputation and always seems to hold all the aces...No obvious weaknesses or bad traits - other than being evil... Provocative, always in reach, but untouchable for you... Link him with the story of a character, a personal relationship maybe... voila... A good recipe if you ask me.

[Jarawara]

I was refering to the kind of perfect villain that at a first glance creates a positive outward impression, has a good reputation and always seems to hold all the aces...No obvious weaknesses or bad traits - other than being evil... Provocative, always in reach, but untouchable for you... Link him with the story of a character, a personal relationship maybe... voila... A good recipe if you ask me.

Well then, I approve. :smallsmile:

[Tengu_temp]

Not really a requisite either. One of the earliest adventures I GMed had the group following in the foot-steps of Fellowship of the Ring, playing at the edges of the big events of LotR. Everyone knew they weren't really going to change anything and the big stuff was happening elsewhere, yet we all had loads of fun. Similarly, I've seen an RPG with the carrying idea of PCs being followers of Paul of Tarsos, and that game functioned perfectly well too.


They might not be the main characters of the epic conflict around them, but they're the main characters of their own story. If it doesn't feel like your actions make any difference, then the game becomes quite boring quickly.

[Dairun Cates]

They might not be the main characters of the epic conflict around them, but they're the main characters of their own story. If it doesn't feel like your actions make any difference, then the game becomes quite boring quickly.

I will agree on this sentiment to an extent. There are ways to make players not main characters but still have fun, but they still need to feel SOME impact for their actions. Even when the whole campaign is a tricky timeloop that means the players were fated to do the ending from the beginning, the players should decide how they get there.

Furthermore, if one PC is given "MAIN main character" status (something you should avoid, but is occasionally unavoidable), you should always give it to a player/character that will share the spotlight. Nothing's worse than a player that constantly hogs the spotlight.

But even in some campaigns, I've played the "watcher" type. Which is to say, my character's purpose is to follow and watch the players. You're DEFINITELY not a main character in this role, but it can be fun.

[Totally Guy]

The spoilered text is the first session of one of the most awesome campaigns I've read. But it's so mundane. The lone character is such a bumbler, but he really makes an interesting main character who affects his own life in interesting ways.


Background/Concept: As an orphan, Castor had been taken in by a well-enough-to-do farming clan (extended family, matriarchal structure) as a ward/hired hand (sans payment). After listened to a wandering minstrel (eavesdropping from where he hid outside under a window), a desire was stoked to strike out on his own and forge his own place in the world.

Beliefs: 1) I will leave this farm and do great things: First, I need supplies and that old sword in the cellar... 2) I will learn about my parents; the midwife in Tyndale might know something. 3) To survive, I'll need to seek out a weaponmaster willing to teach me.

Instincts: 1) Always hum when walking or working. 2) Always stare dumbly at Elise, the head of the household's niece. 3) Never let anyone know I'm thinking of running away.

Traits: Hoarding, Cry Wolf, Unlucky, Lost

Most of session 1 catered to Belief 1.

Session 1

Knowing the head of the household (HoH) would be heading to market (10 miles away in Tyndale), Castor had to bring in the sheep from pasture. [On an Ob 2 Sheep Husbandry test, I got 1 success.] The HoH looked the small flock over and cursed. "Blast it, boy! You've let some wander astray! There'll be no food for you until you return 'em all to their fold."

Castor, seeing missing sheep for the first time, quickly high-tailed it back to the grassy slope. Thinking quickly, he climbed a tree [Climbing + Countryside-wise = success] and managed to spot a downtrodden swath of grasses leading from the grasses into the small forest nearby. [Beginner's Luck Tracking success linked from Climbing].

The youth gathered up the handful of wayward sheep and frowns. It had gotten late already. [It would have been an Ob 8 Beginner's Luck Orienteering test to find my way back. Go go Lost trait! Love it!] Feeling hunger pangs, Castor looked about for some edible berries or roots. Thinking some looked the right sort to eat, he dug in... only to realize it made his stomach upset and gave him sharp cramps.

With things looking bleak, Castor was determined not to mess things up any further. He'd have to stay out in the woods til daybreak, but first he needed a way to keep the sheep corralled. [Carpentry + Sheep Husbandry FoRK... success!] He jury-rigged a makeshift pen and then set to building a fire to ward off the chill. [Open test, with Ob 1 allowing him to start a fire and Ob 2 allowing him to feed a fire throughout the night. Firebuilding + Countryside-wise = 2 successes!]

Trying to force himself to wake up early, Castor rolled up in his cloak by the fire and fell asleep.

[DaGreatJL and I figured it'd be a Will test to force oneself awake at a particular time, and he set the Ob at 3. I rolled... and got 2 successes. Linked to Speed to get back to the farm in time, I failed pretty miserably.]

Castor, driving the sheep before him with his walking staff/crook, arrived too late -- the HoH had already left for Tyndale with his goods. Elise, the HoH's niece appeared and Castor went into wonderment mode, staring doe-eyed at the pretty young woman.

"Mmph," he sniffed at him. "You're too late. My uncle has already gone to market. As punishment, you're not to break your fast until the stables have been mucked out."

"But... it... I..." Castor sputtered futilely. Angry at himself for arriving late and, more importantly, looking a blundering fool in front of the young woman, Castor drives the sheep into their pen and goes to muck out the stables. Little did anyone know that recent events and treatments had already steeled his resolve to depart that very evening. He knew the HoH and others who went to Tyndale always stayed the night in the town, so the night was perfect. [Beginner's Luck Farm-wise failure! Hahaha! I rolled Farm-wise to know that they'd stay overnight...]

Castor mucked out the barn quickly, with little regard to doing the job properly. He only wanted it to appear as though his task was done. [Power test Ob 3... failed! Yeah... my dice betrayed me this whole in-game day. It gets worse...]

It being almost noon when he finished, and being utterly ravenous by this point, Castor got it into his head to sneak into the kitchen to nab some bread or anything laying out, unattended, for the noon meal. [Climbing linked to Beginner's Luck Stealthy vs Matriarch Ogra's (Elder) Observation successes. (Yup, ode to Dark Crystal) Climbing success but Stealthy failure!]

"What in the blazes are you doing, boy?!"

Castor went rigid in the middle of the kitchen. [I wanted a Steel test but no go. hee hee!] The Crone had heard him from the other room and hobbled in to investigate. The twisted, old woman glared at the youth from the doorway into the main living area. "I finished the uhhh... finished my chores. I was told I could eat once I'd done them."

"You've tracked all manner of filth into this kitchen, you whelp!" she cried, pointing at the tracks of manure and dirt that went from the window to where Castor stood.

"I'll clean it, I swear it!"

"Get you gone, vermin! You've caused enough troubles already. I don't trust you to do well by even a simple task."

Castor raced out of the kitchen, still hungry. [All tests since and including bringing in the sheep have been made with a disadvantage due to hunger.] "I know," thought Castor. "Rast may have squirreled away some food. I'll see if he has and if I can get something from him."

[Circles test to find Rast, an older, more experienced hired hand on the farm. Circles 2 against Ob 2... failure. Rast is jealous of the attention I've been getting from Elise, the HoH's niece... and he's tossing an apple idly in the air.] "Rast, could I have that apple if you aren't eating it?"

"Eh?" the weaselly fellow muttered. "Why should I give it to you? Saw you talkin' with Elise out in the yard. Did she favour you with sweet words, Castor?"

"What? No! She despises me. Today more than usual. Rast, I'll give you my beer portions for the next two days in exchange for that apple." After squinting warily at Castor, Rast grins and tosses him the apple. "Two days it is!"

[To see if the apple would do anything for my hunger issues, DaGreatJL had me roll a Forte test, Ob 2. 4 successes! Hunger sated.]

It being mid afternoon at this point, Castor decided to get his things ready for his imminent departure. He'd have the last laugh! With his simple rucksack all packed with his meagre possessions, Castor crafted a plan to gain access to the cellar where the sword was kept: He'd unobtrusively grab a bucket, break it and, with the need to replace the broken bucket as his excuse, he'd go down into the cellar for another. Also, he'd have garden staking poles wrapped in his cloak to take down, and swap those for the sword. Fool-proof!

[Beginner's Luck Inconspicuous to grab the bucket without it seeming odd. Failure!] As Castor walked away with the bucket, humming to himself, the HoH's son (a Lazy Stayabout) decided to badger to youth. "Hey, boy. What are you doing going towards the house with that bucket? You up to more mischief?"

"Oh, no no. I got turned around. I've not eaten since midday yesterday. I'm a little addled."

"We'll see how addled you are after I get the truth out of you!" [Bloody versus: Power vs Speed (I wanted to avoid him, not injure the son of Mr. Soon To Be Extremely Pissed Off HoH). Success!] Castor dodged away and raced to the stables, going around the sheep pen. Being Lazy and a bit fat, the HoH's son didn't pursue.

Castor decided to continue with his plan. However, to cover his odd behaviour, he went to water the sheep, then get water for the horses. In the stables, he broke the bucket, spilling water all over the ground, which was a part of his alibi.

With the broken bucket in hand and vegetable poles wrapped in his cloak under his arm, we went to the kitchen door and knocked, so as not to cast suspicion on himself. No one answered, so he entered and called out that he was headed to the cellar to replace the bucket and some bent trestle poles.

Into the cellar he went. He found the old, dusty sword where he'd last seen it and took it up, his heart beating quickly. Wrapping it in his cloak and taking up a new bucket, he started back up the stairs, assured of his success.

... the HoH, the HoH's son and the family matriarch were standing at the top of the earthen cellar stairs. [The Unlucky trait is pure awesome. This circumstance was a mix of failing the roll to know when the HoH would return and Unlucky.]

"What in the hell are you about, boy?!" the HoH roars. "Not only did you fail to bring the sheep in so some could be taken to market but you mucked up the stables instead of mucking it out! Now what buffoonery are you up to?!"

Recovering from the surprise, Castor said, "The bucket was broken when your son went to beat me. I came down to replace it." Castor holds up the new bucket as proof. "There's wet in the stables where the water spilt. Also, some of the trestle poles for the garden were bent so I was fetching some new ones. I want to make up for my earlier failings."

"You can't even muck out a stable. I'd sooner let a pig in the garden than you! Give me those poles, boy," he demanded.

[This was my major "Oh crap" moment. I'm pretty sure I cursed DaGreatJL for playing this scene too perfectly. I decided to bid for a fake fall down the stairs, during which the bundled cloak goes flying out of my hands. DaGreatJL was totally cool with that, and made it a Speed test (Ob 3) linked to an Agility (Ob3). With flying colours, I passed the Speed test to make a controlled fall (5 successes on 5 dice), and also made the Agility test.]

[We decided this was the perfect moment to turn triumph into a horrendous failure, and thus I could remove Unlucky and gain 1 Fate and Persona.]

In Castor's bid to look a fool but not get beaten for taking the sword, he gave a short yelp and tumbled backwards as he was reaching to give the bundled cloak to the HoH. Thinking fast, he hurled the cloak back towards the corner where the sword had been (and where the trestles were). The cloak flew out well enough... but the sword twirled out from it and clattered to the ground near the base of the earthen stairs, Castor a pace or two from it.

[My next move was utter desperation, and made with the agreed assumption between DaGreatJL and I that Castor was right and properly pooched at this point.]

In desperation and filled with anger, Castor swept up his cloak... and the sword. He charged the stairs, sword first. "Make way and let me go. There'll be less trouble for all if you just let me be." [Beginner's Luck Intimidation check, Ob 4 for the HoH's son + 1 Ob for my lower station, +1D advantage for having a weapon. Failure. LOL]

Seeing them unmoved by his menacing threat, Castor broke for the top of the stairs, hoping to shoulder and speed his way through them. [My Power 4 vs HoH's son's Power 5 + 1 help die... failure.] The HoH and his Lazy Stayabout son grab the youth and easily strip him of the weapon. The crone shook her cane at Castor: "You ingrate! You had nothing! We gave you clothing, food, shelter! And you try to steal this family's heirloom, my own grandfather's sword -- used during the War of Flowers!"

Castor was beaten severely [Yay auto Ob 3 (Challenging) Steel test. hee hee! I took a Midi wound, it was decided.] and tossed off of the farm property, with all family members (easily 15-20 of them) and hired hands watching. "Never return, you ungrateful thieving knave," the HoH snarled.

In the fading daylight, the youth stood painfully and, turning his back to the farm, staggered away.

----
Flippin' awesome first session. Leads right into my second Belief (midwife in Tyndale) since Castor's busted up pretty good and that was to be his first stop, anyway.

So no sword, no food, no supplies... just his meagre possessions, the wonders of the road, and a Midi wound to keep him company.

DaGreatJL awarded me with 2 Fate and 2 Persona. I'd also used up my starting 1 F and P, and the 1 F and P I'd gotten from getting rid of Unlucky.

[Satyr]

Wha is considered awesome is entirely dependent on the campaign; there is no such thng as general awesomeness. Beating up a single goblin in a D&D campaign is not awesome; it is actually quite the opposite when a single goblin's appearance cannot solved in any other way than violence. Beating up a single game in a Little Fears campaign however is a completely different matter.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

I'm going to have to go with "no", on the whole.

The PCs should be awesome some of the time.

But awesomeness is relative. Awesome is only awesome if you have non-awesome to contrast it with. This means that some of the time, the PCs have to be non-awesome, otherwise the parts where they are awesome won't be sufficiently awesome.

Tell that to someone like Kamina.:smalltongue:

Seriously though, this is pretty solid advice, least you start a path of ever increasing awesomeness such that each moment is mindblowing better than the last. Also, certain games are better done with a more mundane feel to them. Call of Cthuhlu comes to mind on that front: you are not playing action heroes!

[TurtleKing]

Awesome is subjective to lots of different conditions. Here is an example of awesomeness.

One of my first characters was an Adept in a low magic/ low wealth world. His backstory is where he was a Norse champion that died gloriously thousands of years ago and went to Valhalla/ Asgard. From there he became an Einherjar- Odin's personal warriors- serving for six thousand years. In response to the humans nearly wiping themselves out that even destroyed a lot of the human deities was sent on a quest by Frigga to help a person. After giving up my divinity to become an Aasimar, and help this person who happens to be a time lord I die twice in the first session. The next session sees me returning as a prinny- immortal embodiment of failure- where I promptly start by prinnyness. After much shenanigans I get sent to the Abyss where I remember who I used to be. From there I manage to get followers (DM rules where don't need Leadership feat to have followers). When coming out of the portal from the Abyss to stop a BBEG I have a gnoll and five ogres plus I am riding a Purple Wurm! From there we manage to defeat an Elf Psion 16 Rogue 2 with the highest PC level in the party is level five.

Shortly after that me and another Adept manage to RP our way through the last remaining human Deities three that are evil plus Yondalla, Darun Thaun, and even Death himself into saving/ restoring the human race. This ascends the party into becoming Quasi-Deities.:smallbiggrin:

Sorry if I rambled a little there.

[Sindri]

Yes, the PCs should be awesome. However, this does not mean that they should be powerful. Would you really have thought Malcolm Reynolds was more awesome if he'd been in control of an Alliance cruiser? Power and Awesomeness are occasionally the same thing, but as a general rule good roleplaying and an interesting concept make a much more awesome character than power gaming and god-killing weapons. Thus, if you're doing it right, the PCs will be awesome, even (especially?) when they lose.

[Wolf Warhead]

No, the most important thing is that the players have FUN. I recently finally had a full session without a single fight. For all my character optimization, all that was rolled was a few spot checks (Which I fail at) and knowledge checks (Which I'm decent at) and some non-rolled diplomacy (AKA, player must make a logical argument) There was no room for awesome, I could've done it with a level 1 commoner, but it was still great fun.

Besides, when the PCs are weak, but still manage to do amazing things it's all the better. Because it means that it's not the PCs who are awesome; it's the players. Much more satisfying.