I like the name, Background Options. However, for a revision, I think that I would make them be very much different from what Backgorund Options in RMC currently look like. I don’t like that they include a benefit and a flaw both, and I also dislike the somewhat haphazard way in which a player may spend background points to make a random roll on one of several tables.
I would prefer something that works better for helping a player design the character how he would like.
Background Options
First off, I would divide Background Options into several categories. Things like Special Training, Physical Abilities, Magical Abilities, Mental Abilities and perhaps Special Abilties. Background Options would fall into the categories as follows:
- Special Training – This category would include all Background Options which could be gained through receiving direct, specific training. It would include things that provide bonuses to specific skills and thing that maybe change the costs of such skills for the character. Most of these options would actually include “Training” in their name.
- Physical Abilities - This category would contain Background Options that result in physical, or quasi-physical changes to the character; things like being shorter or bigger than normal or having tougher skin than normal.
- Magical Abilities – This category covers Background Options that involve the use of magic or spells. This includes things like the extension of certain spell attributes, or the learning of a list that isn’t normally allowed to be learned.
- Mental Abilties – This category would include all Background options that affect the mental capabilities of the character. Things such having a strong will or being able to use capabilities that involve the mind, such as telepathy, and so forth.
- Special Abilities – This would be the catch-all category. It would contain any abilties that seem to cross into more than one of the above categories or that didn’t fit into any of them.
It may be required to include certain manifestations in some of the Background Options, but these shoul dbe kept to a bare minimum whenever possible.
Manifestations
This is how the Background Option manifests, or appears or takes form for a given character. It also includes the source of the ability, where it comes from and how the character acquired it.
For example, if two character takes a Background Option that gives them a Ranged Attack, one of them might decide that they can shoot bolts of electricity and that it was an ancient technique taught by an isolated Monk. The second character might decide that his ranged attack might allow him to shoot sharp spines from his wrists, and that he is able to do it because of a mutation caused by a magical storm that his mother was caught in before he was born.
In both instances, the actual Background Option was the same, but it took form in different ways, and the explanation for where they came from and how the characters acquired them is vastly different. That is because we are dealing with two major factors, System Effect (what the Background Option does) and Setting Effect (how it does it and where it comes from).
Options for Options
Not all Background Options will be simple. Some may include aspects that require the player to select options that are specific to the individual options.
For example, take the Background Option of Flight. The idea would be to present the basics of Flight, your base speed, your maximum speed, your carrying capacity, etc. Then perhaps give options for it. One such Option would be Physical Wings. This option would include both bonuses and drawbacks. For example, with Wings, you get the Background Option of Gliding for free, but it also gives a liability of impaired flight if the wings are damaged.
Powering Background Options
We would want to keep this relatively simple as well. I would say to limit the choices to Magical, Mental, or Physical. If a Background Option is magical in nature, then it uses Power Points as normally determined. Mental and Physical would have their own set of Power Points based on Self Discipline or Constitution respectively. Other usuage options might include Constant, At Will, and X Uses Per Day.
Gaining Background Options
Personally, and after experience with HARP, I feel that there are only three times that Background Options should be able to be gained.
- Character Creation - Players should be given a number of extra points, possibly based on race, in which to acquire Background Options. If the races are fairly balanced against one another, then this could be the same for all characters. These points are then spent during character creation on the various Background Options. These points work just like regular Development Points (DPs) and thus can be spent on skills, or regular DPs may be spent on Background Options, reducing the number of ranks purchasable by the character.
- Adventure Rewards - In the second issue of Express Additions, we introduced the concept of Adventure Rewards, special abilities that are gained at the end of an adventure. Such rewards require a catalyst event and can often have a profound effect upon the character. The character usually has to pay for these, however, he does so only when they are offered. When used, they would grant something like an extra 5 DP per level, DP which can then be saved until later.
- GM Fiat – As always, the GM is free to gift a character with a special ability as the result of some sort of catalyst event such as drinking from a magic fountain, or being given a crash course in how to sail a ship. These are things that the character is not required to pay for in some manner.
I think that covers the basics for this musing…
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