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Thatwarforged
2015-05-08, 04:21 PM
My GM came up to me and said he wanted to run a political and last one I played I hated it and it turned into a lets just destroy the country kind of game. So how do I play a political game well?

Honest Tiefling
2015-05-08, 06:20 PM
First step: Ask himthemw they envision it. Heck, ask them for help. Political games can go many different ways, so get a clear idea of what to expect.

Keltest
2015-05-08, 06:25 PM
What do you mean by "political" game? As in, politics play a heavy part in the moving of the plot?

Regardless, Mr Tiefling is correct. Ask the GM what theyre thinking of doing. Ask them to get specific. I would be extremely surprised if your prior GM did not at least partly contribute to the unpleasant feel of the game to you.

And of course, keep in mind that if you don't like it, you can always just stop playing.

Thatwarforged
2015-05-08, 06:35 PM
What do you mean by "political" game? As in, politics play a heavy part in the moving of the plot?

Its going to be heavy working with politics (Priests, Nobility and Kings). I don't think we will be doing laws and stuff but we will be swaying others. I also think he want to make it the beginning of the game (probably first 3-4 sessions). I guess I will ask him for more information on how its going to play and all.


And of course, keep in mind that if you don't like it, you can always just stop playing.
That actually wont be possible its one of my best friends and if I leave or say I don't want to play he will get upset.

Maglubiyet
2015-05-08, 06:46 PM
Sounds awesome!


Call for a subcommittee to investigate.
Promise reforms and campaign for progress.
Vote down legislation from the opposition party.
Filibuster.
Raise funds for election year.

LudicSavant
2015-05-08, 07:01 PM
The most important thing for making an interesting political game is to make an interesting political environment, teeming with compelling yet conflicting agendas.

Keltest
2015-05-08, 07:23 PM
That actually wont be possible its one of my best friends and if I leave or say I don't want to play he will get upset.

Well I cant speak for your friend, but if my friends invited me to something I was unsure of, I would just make it clear that I would try it for their sake, but reserved the right to dislike it, and that it wasn't a reflection on them or their campaign.

NichG
2015-05-08, 07:33 PM
I've found it difficult to do unless the players are prepped well in advance with a good instinct for what kinds of things work and what kind of things don't work. A player fresh off of D&D will come at it from the point of view of 'all that needs to happen for the bad things to resolve is to arrange for me and my friends to be in the physical presence of the boss of the badguys', but when it turns out that not only does physical force at the individual level not really solve things but also removing any single bad guy doesn't solve things, it can get frustrating.

That said, I'm currently running something which seems to be narrowing in on a workable dynamic. If I were to guess, I'd say the reason it's working is because in addition to the on-the-ground characters, there's a nation-building component to the game that takes place in the abstract. So long before the players encountered a really difficult political situation, they know vaguely the sorts of things that nation-level entities in the game care about. They know that e.g. bribing a king with a handful of gold isn't going to do anything because their characters, when acting on behalf of their nation, basically have access to what would seem like infinite wealth on an individual scale. So they can think 'I wouldn't respond to this bribe, why should he?'.

Instead, they start to think in terms of nation level resources and needs. 'If you let me settle in X province, I'll give you access to the technology to cure diseases and plagues' or even 'if you send soldiers to help me in this battle, I'll send workers to rebuild your capitol'.

Magatsu Izanagi
2015-05-09, 06:53 AM
Sounds awesome!


Call for a subcommittee to investigate.
Promise reforms and campaign for progress.
Vote down legislation from the opposition party.
Filibuster.
Raise funds for election year.

So, his character should max out Bluff and have a bard friend hook him up with a steady supply of potions of glibness?