Promotor's Handbook Ideas

[Matt Gwinn]

Well, I've finally gotten started on the promotor's
handbook and I have a few ideas I'd like to run past
everyone to kind of gauge interest.

I'm working on adding a new kind of character called a
Lackey.  Lackeys include corporate stooges, promotion
and TV execs, standards and practices and so on.  they
would generally be created with the same rules as a
wrestler with a few of the following exceptions:

Their wrestling and workrate scores would be
restricted to zero or 1 unless an as of yet unwritten
asset is taken.

They would have a new Trait called Management which
covers all the basic money and corporate skills
required to run a business.

Lackeys exist outside the roster and thus do not count
towards your promotion's Heat unless they for some
reason get added to the roster during the game.

As the game stands there wouldn't be a whole lot for
such a character to do, but I am in the process of
creating a new portion of the game called "the
Business Section" in which these characters would play
a primary role in aquiring advertisers, booking
special guests, negotiating contracts, setting up
promotional appearances for wrestlers and spending
advancement points.

Would any of you have any interest in playing these
types of characters alongside the existing structure
of the game?  If so, do you think the Business Section
should be a postion or every game session or a game
session all to itself which takes place at some point
during a series?

,Matt G.

[cerebralassassin]

Matt,

Overall I like the idea.

Lackeys

As far as the wrestling and workrate skills needing an asset - perhaps they could have an asset like Former Wrestler. This asset allows you to have a wrestling and work rate trait equal to 1/2 of each trait when you were last active (i.e. a stooge who had a wrestle trait of 6 when he was active, would have a trait of 3). This asset could also be used for commentators and as a way to reward players who have long used wrestlers that have remained loyal to the federation (by making them road agents or trainers, etc.).

Special Guest appearances could make the clout trait more useful to the "suit" type of NPC. The higher the clout trait the better level of guest they can sign.

Perhaps instead of giving them a primary role in Negotiating Contracts and Advancement Points, they could assign the organization bonuses. An extra advancement point or two per Lackey with a management trait of X or greater may make them useful to players who could see the point of having them in real life, but don't wish to roleplay those aspects in the game.

As far as how oftwen to use the business section I think that at least once a series is good, but it could be better to have the Business Section pop up whenever the Booker feels it could add something to the game.

I just got Kayfabe (after reading about it at ENWorld's messageboards) and I'm really looking forward to playing with some of my friends soon.

Nathan "Cerebral Assassin" Hawks

[mahoux]

Cerebralassassin has a great idea.  Just look at Pat Patterson and Gerald Briso from WWE programming.  Stooge segments were some great ways for the anti-Vince faces to get more Heat.  No one expected Austin to lose in a handicap match against them, but it was fun to watch him beat both of them down.

The Lackey is cool.  I wish I had people to play Kayfabe with.  My group is not wrestling fan material, except for my wife. *Sigh* (Hits self over head with steel chair)

[Matt Gwinn]

First,I'd like to say that I do have ideas for the kinds of Assets a Lackey would need to have a higher Wrestling or Workrate score, I just hadn't asigned names to them.  Former Wrestlers would indeed be one possibility.

This asset allows you to have a wrestling and work rate trait equal to 1/2 of each trait when you were last active (i.e. a stooge who had a wrestle trait of 6 when he was active, would have a trait of 3).

Since Lackeys are created as Lackey's and not wrestlers, this is already factored in during character creation.  If you give your Lackey a 6 Wrestling trait you could easily argue that in his prime he was at a 12.  Plus, not all Lackey's are old guys like Gerald Brisco.  Dean Malenko is a fine example of a possible Lackey that still has exceptional skills.

I honestly don't see anyone playing a long enough campaign for a wrestler to end up retiring for any other reason than a serious injury.  What I likely do though, is come up with rules for converting a wrestler into a Lackey.  It's likely to be a rather simple task of asigning a few new assets and flaws which the Booker can do anyway.

Special Guest appearances could make the clout trait more useful to the "suit" type of NPC. The higher the clout trait the better level of guest they can sign.

A character's Clout trait is strictly for wrestling politics and is not meant for use in dealing with people outside the promotion.  The new Management Trait will be used in such cases.

Perhaps instead of giving them a primary role in Negotiating Contracts and Advancement Points, they could assign the organization bonuses. An extra advancement point or two per Lackey with a management trait of X or greater may make them useful to players who could see the point of having them in real life, but don't wish to roleplay those aspects in the game.

I'm not too keen on the promotion getting advancement points for a character just existing.  What I have planned is for various tasks of the lackey to increase a promotion's traits.  For example, an advertising Lackey could negotiate the sale of some commercial time, thus increasing the promotion's Resource trait.  Or, having a skilled Trainer might improve a wrestler's chance of increasing one of his traits by enhancing his Facilities roll during charcter advancement.

Of course, this stuff is all still in the development stages.

,Matt

[hardcoremoose]

I'm reading through this thing and thinking "Man, where's the fun in negotiating commercial time?

And then I remembered the whole deal with the PTC from a few years back.  For those who don't know, they were a strange group of vocal "parents" (with some connections in high place), who managed to convincce a few advertisers to pull their commercials off of WWE (then WWF) shows.  I personally spent time - considerable time - on the phone with representatives of MCI explaining to them how I was not going to change back to their company until they ended their wrestling boycott.

Matt wil remember of those conversations, since we were roomies at the time.

- Scott