"Flaws" in DITV or Afraid.

[PlatonicPimp]

First off, Hello, this would be my first post here.

Secondly, in DITV and afriad, D4 traits are typically considered "flaws" because their small size makes it easy to acheive a reverse off them. They are, however, still dice, and therefore quite useful. I like this, I am most definately not complaining.

My players are the sort who like to find an opponents weakness, however, and I am the sort who likes exploiting the weaknesses of my characters as well. So I'm considering adding a house rule to the game the next time I play dogs. The text of my house rules is below, with the most relative part highlighted.

"D4 Traits: Because most of your character's opponent's dice are going to be d6s and better, rolling d4s makes it more likely that your character will suffer consequences in conflicts. The most straightforward approach to d4 Traits is to take them as disadvantages: "I'm scared of horses" or "I get winded easily" or "my eyesight isn't too good."
But consider taking them as seeming strengths, too. "I'm a good shot 2d4" means that yes, your character's a good shot, but when guns come out, your character's life gets even more complicated than usual.

Your opponents in a conflict have a special option in regards to D4 traits. If an opponent describes their bid or match so as to evoke your characters D4 ranked trait, they get the bonus dice as a reward for playing to your weaknesses. They can only do this if you haven't used the trait yet this conflict. Even a seeming strength, like "I'm a good shot," can be played against. "Of course, you wouldn't mind settling this with a duel, being such a good shot and all..." Of course, that D4 has the same mechanical disadvantage for them as it did for you. Sometimes pressing your opponent's buttons isn't the wisest thing. "

What do you fine folks think of this? Sadly, it will be a while before DITV comes back into the game rotation here, so it will be a while before I can playtest it.

[The Mule]

In character terms, I consider d4s more "complications" than flaws.  As a player, I consider d4s cash money for earning experience.

I'd ask the players if they like having their characters find the weaknesses of the fictional characters, or if, rather, the players like finding mechanical weaknesses in the mechanical opposition.

The difference is this: The fictional characters can have any weakness you want, really.  As my raise I can say "You're way too overconfident in yourself, and I take advantage of that with XXX".  I don't need to look at your sheet at all to do this, and my character has just found and taken advantage of your character's flaw.

This doesn't work so well against other PCs, because they can veto if the flaw doesn't seem appropriate, but still then I get to look at your sheet and see what flaws you *do* think are appropriate, and just use those in my raises.

But why bother, when there's no mechanical advantage to doing all that work while raising?  I'll tell you why!  Because how I raise is what's really important here.  If I want my character to be somebody who finds flaws in his opponents, Dogs is one of the best systems for it, because I'll be able to narrate my character finding flaws all the time.

Now!  On the other hand, we have the possibility that it's not about the characters finding flaws, it's about the players finding mechanical advantages!  That case I can't speak so strongly on, but I think Dog's system is set up to directly relate the mechanical strength of a narration with the narrative strength (die size) of the trait involved.

Your house rule initially seems dangerous, but possibly interesting.

[WildElf]

What happens if someone takes "I'm a terrible shot 2d10" and get challenged to a duel?  I think defining d4 traits as flaws and restricting them in that way is selling it short.  And whether or not its restricted, using an opponent's dice in your pool is a major win.  And having a flaw is a major downside, so I think you'd quickly find players (maybe even yourself in making NPCs) trying to avoid "flaws" at all cost.

I think if your players like sussing out a weakness, you're making an unnecessary mechanic to allow for that.  They can simply make discovering a weakness as a part of their raise.  They could say "That bum leg hurtin'? I'm gonna catch you easy." Raise 14.  If they can block "Naw, that healed over just fine" or they might have to take the blow, "Bum leg or no, I can still out run you!"

Although, I think The Mule hit upon something.  What probably interests them in flaws is finding mechanical tricks to use to their advantage.