So I ran my first session of AW two weeks ago, and everyone liked it, but I know I fucked up running it during one particular situation.
One of the characters tries to manipulate an NPC (the deputy of the sheriff in the community named Balls) and I freaked out and panicked internally. I told my player that he couldn’t be swayed. It’s been a few weeks so its hard to remember what was said, but I don’t recall the player offering the NPC anything he wanted.
In the future, how should I handle the possibility that the players can manipulate the NPCs?
So, your NPCs are being led around by their body parts right? They want STUFF. They have needs.
If a PC offers them something that falls into that category, it might be leverage.
You know, I’m not sure. They seem to be following the sheriff because he is the big dick, but they are all part of a cult run by a mysterious leader. So fear maybe? Would that be the heart?
I need to think more of what each NPC wants.
Yeah, okay, so if the Deputy is motivated by Fear of the Big Dick, Balls (best sentence? Best sentence), then that’s the kind of leverage that’d work.
Hey, Deputy, you help me out, I’ll ease Balls off your back. I’ll stand up to him.
or something like that? It’ll all depend, of course, but boiling down what your NPCs want to its most simple element can really help.
That was brilliant advice and my mind started spinning off in several directions! Thank you!
I’m glad it helped! But I can’t take the credit for it! It’s totally Vincent Baker’s own advice.
There is no status quo and should be no plan for the future. The PCs can very easily end up spinning the heads of the NPCs. However, until they’ve got the advanced manipulation move an NPC that is manipulated once isn’t someone the PC can count on forever after. That particular thing happens—the NPC does what the PC wants, and if things go as the NPC expects due to the PCs promises they are probably not going to be pissed at the PC in the future. If the PC burns the NPC on it, that’s just gravy to push forward threats and fronts and future stories.
There’s no status quo, but there are plans for the future: the NPCs plans. Yes, the PCs can easily manipulate the NPCs, but the leverage aspect of manipulate has to be respected.
I mean there are no MC preset plots. Sure the NPCs have a straight forward agenda—so there is nothing to worry about getting messed up. That’s the joy of playing to find out. You can’t have your brilliant plot ruined, because it doesn’t exist yet.
For sure the leverage aspect has to be respected, but the PCs have so much stuff, connections, and power that there should always be something they have that the NPCs want. Not to mention the whole option to Read People to sort out what it is that is needed to get someone to do something.
Also, unless something concrete in that arena has been established about the NPC, seduction shouldn’t be denied flat out.
And then you could always seduce them, everyone want’s to tap you
I would say that every NPC should want something, but it is ok if that isn’t what the PC’s are offering. Just think of what the NPC is after. For instance, I once ran a sheriff that a PC tried seducing. I said that the PC couldn’t roll because the sheriff wasn’t interested. All the guy really wanted was an excuse to hurt people.
Also, there’s nothing wrong with having the NPC just tell the character what they want. “No way, not gonna happen, punk. The only way ill do this is if you get Balls off my back”
Good point Nathan Paoletta , though that can also be found out with a read a person roll. It’s kinda fun though when NPC’s want the PC’s to kill scary NPC’s. (It would also explain why said gun toting NPC’s won’t do it themselves)
If people really want to mess with the sheriff then let them make their moves, and then show them the results.
Maybe this guy is a total prick who keeps the lid on all manner of terrible nonsense on the part of the populace. If he starts to show favourites, or gets the chop, then people get uppity.
Everything is in the crosshairs, including the PCs hometown afterall.
One of my absolute favourite moments is when the PCs pull a shotgun on one of my beloved NPCs and go aggro… and you have them just suck it up. “So what do you do now you’ve shot the sheriff, as he stands unarmed, in the face?”
Alternatively, if the players turn the sheriff – who is famed for their loyalty – to their side then the holder just has to replace him: “Can’t be having divided loyalties now can we?”. As long as they are not transformed into allies they are still in the crosshairs. I like to have grudging acceptance be the form for announce future badness: “Okay I will do it, but Holder Grave ain’t gonna like it…”
I don’t think you really panicked. That was actually a gut call that the sheriff wasn’t having any of the player’s bullshit. All that is is “saying what your prep demands” and so the hell what if you weren’t consciously aware you’d already decided on that aspect of that particular NPC.