New Rules, New Conspiracy

[Mayuran]

I'm about to start running a new CoS campaign using the new Apocalypse rules that Keith has been posting on the wiki.

We'll be running a 5-6 session episodic campaign, taking advantage of the advice given for a "Cat & Mouse" campaign. Since we have a finite number of sessions, we'll have to figure out how to make sure to hit all the milestones, probably with a lower number of destiny points per milestone.

The new rules provide more structure about developing the campaign. They give the GM more tools to create a Conspiracy that plays off of the players triggers.

My questions are about the order we should go about setting up the campaign:

With the Cat & Mouse set up, is it true that we start with Cell Creation, then Characters, then Conspiracy (by the GM based on player cues) in that order?

[Keith Senkowski]

Close.  Characters, then Cell ending with the Group Kicker, Milestones, then Conspiracy cause at that point you will have all the Markers/Cues you could possibly need.  You also have all you need to bust out the relationship web (which is the new stuff posted to the wiki).

To speed shit up you could also change the ratio of Doom to Steps instead of taking away steps.  So instead of:

1Doom:2Steps

go with

Doom Rank = Number of Steps (ie Doom 3 = 3 Steps)

One thing I would point out from our playtesting is that be careful with who you push as the GM.  You can easily push someone into a sixth Doom way early if you push one person too hard.

Silent K

[Mayuran]

Close.  Characters, then Cell ending with the Group Kicker, Milestones, then Conspiracy cause at that point you will have all the Markers/Cues you could possibly need.  You also have all you need to bust out the relationship web (which is the new stuff posted to the wiki).

Thanks, Keith. Any thoughts about how to focus the pre-character creation part of the session, where we talk about situation, so that the players don't end up creating characters with completely different ideas of what the cell/conspiracy is supposed to be? What conversations can we have to structure the creation session before we make the characters?

To speed shit up you could also change the ratio of Doom to Steps instead of taking away steps.  So instead of:

1Doom:2Steps

go with

Doom Rank = Number of Steps (ie Doom 3 = 3 Steps)

That's a great way of playing it.

I'll have four players (total doom of 24). We'll be doing five episodes. Taking your suggestion, if I pace the five milestones at 4,4,5,5,5 (with destiny points = 1 step), do you think we'll hit one per session, or am I encouraging the players to play too suicidally (or waste their destiny points)?

One thing I would point out from our playtesting is that be careful with who you push as the GM.  You can easily push someone into a sixth Doom way early if you push one person too hard.

Interesting. Why do you say that? What would be the problem if a player hits their doom early? I think it would be awesome for someone to go down (by their own choice) in the first few sessions, especially if they are the primary character for that episode. The character is out of the game, but they can create a new one, right?

[Keith Senkowski]

Thanks, Keith. Any thoughts about how to focus the pre-character creation part of the session, where we talk about situation, so that the players don't end up creating characters with completely different ideas of what the cell/conspiracy is supposed to be? What conversations can we have to structure the creation session before we make the characters?

Good questions.  I'm under the gun at work, but let me think about this a bit and get back to you with a list of questions pulled from past play experience.  It would be a good thing for me to have on the wiki... ')

I'll have four players (total doom of 24). We'll be doing five episodes. Taking your suggestion, if I pace the five milestones at 4,4,5,5,5 (with destiny points = 1 step), do you think we'll hit one per session, or am I encouraging the players to play too suicidally (or waste their destiny points)?

I think you will with that set up so long as you push them into situations where using that Doom seems like a good idea.

Interesting. Why do you say that? What would be the problem if a player hits their doom early? I think it would be awesome for someone to go down (by their own choice) in the first few sessions, especially if they are the primary character for that episode. The character is out of the game, but they can create a new one, right?

I guess my only concern would be player investment in the new character for short form game.  I agree it is fucking cool when a guy goes out mid game.  Plus there are always plenty of supporting characters to jump into the skin of so ignore me... ;)

Silent K