In Bob's comment on the last post, he brought up the idea of running multiple characters in the campaign, and how he was sort of on the fence about it. Well, you don't know how close I was to telling you guys to run multiple characters on Sunday. I ended up just letting you share Jimmy Saxobeat. Near the end, I did give you the opportunity to use your other characters, but you ended up using the two pre-gens instead.
I am really torn about the whole multiple-character question. On the one hand, a variety of skills and talents is very helpful in Traveller, and the characters are pretty fragile. Everyone is only a snub pistol shot away from death. On the other hand, running multiple characters is injurious to the role-play across the board.
If everyone is really interested in running multiples, let's give this a try. Next session we'll let everyone play their three characters and see how it goes. That way all 9 characters will be connected and part of the same team. If it works just fine, we'll keep going, if not, we'll find a way to return to a single character. We could even work out some sort of compromise where you can "tag in" and "tag out."
In the long run, having a PC and "employees" (i.e., henchmen) works out better than multiple characters, because the players don't forget who the story is about, where the focus lies. Nevertheless, your characters are sufficiently distinct to at least give it a try.
I'm all for this, seeing as we don't have any XP to split up or anything like that.
ReplyDeleteMy one suggestion is to have everybody roll up a combat oriented character, like a soldier or a marine. I mean, I have that pilot, a doctor, and a diplomat. I like the characters, but in a fight they're rather lacking. So I'm going to make up at least one, and possibly two or three others.
I have enough trouble getting any character though the generation process.
DeleteDo we need to jump into three? It'll probably end up two soon enough. Maybe use the third like we did last week, and give them a chance to boost a skill, or get some cash, or get gut-shot and left to die on the street.
ReplyDeleteI'm cool with multiple characters. I love role playing my NPCs as much as the next guy. Let me propose this though. Could we share PCs? If Jason is out one week, may I borrow one of his guys to clear up a diplomatic issue? How possessive are we of these characters? Could they become NPCs in a certain case?
ReplyDeleteIf we go with multiples, whioh I'm assuming we are, then Bob's hunter should be picking up his Safari Ship next session. That'll give some structure to the adventurers, being in the crew etc. I've actually got several adventures for which a Safari ship is more or less perfect. A couple will involve being chartered, and the patron could be more or less insufferable depending on which way you jump.
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