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Re: (TFT) Jobs table
On Sep 12, 2011, at 7:12 PM, K Peterson wrote:
So, if you don't mind me asking, how do you handle 'economics' when
you play
TFT? Do you just give out a base amount of cash to starting
characters? Do you
have players just pick out the equipment they want for their
characters?
Perhaps this really has more to do with a groups or GMs playing style.
If you play TFT weekly, in a running campaign style, then I could
perhaps see you wanting to use the jobs table or a table like it, if
you feel that you have to fill in the dead spots between adventures
for some reason. But even that seems too mechanical for my tastes.
If you play one shot adventures then the jobs table is really not
needed at all.
As for a running game my problem with campaigning TFT is how deadly
the combat system is. In the games I run most characters just don't
last long enough to worry about things like jobs. When I want to play
an RPG that has character development in it I'll simply pick a
different RPG that allows that kinda thing. When I want carnage I'll
play TFT.
That doesn't mean that I'll abandon loosely linking adventures
together, sort of like a campaign. It is pretty cool when a player's
character happens to survive for a length of time through several
adventures. At the start of an adventure a player may choose to play a
pre-existing character or start a new character. They may also
voluntarily retire a character at anytime. But we don't worry about
things like what job they may have or how much money they need for
their retirement that a chart attempts to provide to me. Personally
that's too real world for my tastes and I play TFT to escape the real
world. We simply assume that the character goes on to other
adventures, leaves the current narrative, and the player brings in a
new persona.
What happens between adventures is of no concern. I just assume they
they've been trying to live with what resources they have, say a
certain amount of time has gone by, and pick up the story from there.
To me it's kinda like what happens to Conan between his stories. How
does he life? Well, he finds a way. Next story please.
But you did ask a question so I'll attempt an answer:
In a one shot adventure if the story dictates that the PCs start dirt
poor then that's how they'll start. If the story starts with wealthy
PCs then they begin wealthy.
If I just need fairly generic characters I'll keep it simple. Typical
Death Test stuff such as every character starts with two weapons of
choice, shield counts as a weapon. Everyone has a dagger (except
wizards). No fine plate. Perhaps a 100 silver pieces per character.
That kinda thing.
Money is (usually) acquired during the course of the game in the form
of payment for services rendered or treasure found. Players usually
get enough to squeak by, replacing broken swords, perhaps upgrading
their armor. It doesn't really matter to me. The bigger the armor the
slower they are. And all it takes is a triple damage hit from that
goblin with the short sword to lay them low. Who cares how much money
they have? It's not going to save them.
I know many players that play this way and it's very similar to what
Dark City games adapted in their adventure modules. Make the
characters, equip them in some reasonable fashion and get on with the
adventure.
Hope that answers your question!
David O. Miller
www.meleewizards.com
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