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Describing Sorcerer

Started by Peter Nordstrand, June 23, 2004, 07:48:20 AM

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Peter Nordstrand

Hi,

How would you describe Sorcerer to potential players? I'm talking about that first conversation about the game, pre-first session, pre character generation, pre any kind of seriuos prep. Let's assume that the potential players have played rpgs before.

Thanx!
Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.
     —Grey's Law

Judd

It is essentially a role-playing game about the dysfunctional sorcerer-demon relationship that can be mean different things in different settings.

There is an interesting statistic called Humanity whose definition also changes in each setting and a character generation idea called kickers that allows the player to determine the starting point of the adventure.

For example if we played the game set in the Matrix, demons could be programs and Humanity could be our ability to know that there is no spoon...or in ancient Japan demons could be ancestors and Humanity is honor...or in a vanilla fantasy world, demons could be fantasy creatures while Humanity could be the acceptance of strangers from different lands.

The setting is variable and we could play X, Y or Z that I have ready to roll or sit down together to make one together.

sirogit

I describe it to people I know who think of structured RPGS as "You mean Dungeons and Dragons?" as:

"It's a game about protagonization... you sacrifice something really important to get what you want. "

It usually clicks pretty well.

Clinton R. Nixon

Because the potential players have played RPGs before, I'd take a different approach. I might say:

"It's a game where every character has access to the same power, the control of demons - which can be defined however we like - and you're not limited in how much power your character can take. However, more power equals more risk, so you have to decide what your character will risk to achieve his goals."
Clinton R. Nixon
CRN Games

Bret Gillan

I've told people it's a game about calling upon dark powers in order to pursue your desires. I would also give them some setting-specific information.

Ron Edwards

Hiya,

I typically point out the text on the back of the dust jacket and say, "It's not lying. This really is what's it's like, from the first moment of play onward. There's no waiting to get to this stuff."

Best,
Ron

Peter Nordstrand

Thank you. You are all very helpful.

Cheers,
Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.
     —Grey's Law