Yet Another ‘Which Playbooks To Use for a One-Shot’ Question
MC’d AW for the first time last week. The players chose Battlebabe, Hocus, and Savvyhead. The Savvyhead didn’t enjoy the game as much given that his moves tie him in mostly with tech, not people.
I could forsee similar problems with the Driver: too mobile, too ‘crap’ dependent.
I’m going to MC AW again with a different group, next week. So, what mix of Playbooks do you recommend for a one-shot with AW newbies?
I know the facile answer is, “Any mix of playbooks works! Do a better job MCing!” But that’s not an interesting answer. What mixes have worked the best, for you?
If I don’t have anything specific planned, the mix I bring to cons is:
Brainer
Chopper
Gunlugger
Skinner
Plus 1-3 of
Angel
Battlebabe
Faceless
Hardholder
Hocus
Maestro D
Depending on my mood.
For newbies I’d still offer the full compliment of basic play books. It is important they get to pick something that interests them. No need to limit their options.
I’ve had great one shots using all the “problem” play books you mention. Sounds like you’re not interested in that discussion though am I correct?
I have found Savvyhead players don’t really get into their characters until 3-4 sessions in. Drivers are great if you plan to be mobile or have a hard reason to tie them to the location (that does not nueter them, like being out of gas or needing a new engine/fucking with their ride).
I always suggest that at least one of my players take the Brainer, Angel, Hocus and either the hardholder or Maestro D. That said, I tend to push for heavy Maelstrom games and will suggest the Quarintine as well.
I personally think the savyhead can swing either way for one shots. If they engage with the group, then their strange tech can be coveted or feared. If they retreat, then they’ll just be isolated all game. There are some stuff that can help encourage interactions, such as other PC’s having materials or parts the savyhead needs, but with unknown players, there are no garuntees. Otherwise, I like Vincent Baker’s list, but I’d also say the quarantine can do well, especially if someone wants to play the straight man.
Vincent Baker I appreciate a response from The Man himself! I notice that your default list includes primarily Weird (Brainer), Hard (Chopper), Hard (Gunlugger), and Hot (Skinner)… not much Cool and Sharp (although those can be secondary stats for several of the characters you list). Is this a deliberate choice, or am I reading too much into it?
Ross Cowman It’s not that I don’t want to have the conversation, but ‘let players pick whatever they want’ is an obvious (and good!) answer and thus little more needs to be said about it. To make the conversation friendly and specific: when you MC’d, what mixes of playbooks worked the best, for you?
Cool. For me it works best when the players pick play books they are interested in. The books are all really strong IMHO and I’m stoked I mc a game with any combo of them.
While picking to ensure every Stat is coverd seems like a no-brainer, this can both be difficult, and unnecessary — imho.
I think I’d pick for the tone of the social dynamics game I’d like to see play out:- and I usually want about twice the options as I expect to have in players… so, for me that is about 8 to 12 playbooks to choose from.
Operator, Chopper, Maestro D’, Hardholder, Hocus — sets up a dynamic that is all about the poor unfortunate souls, in pain, with greed.
Angel, Gunlugger, Skinner, Savvyhead, Brainer — A very manipulative group of mercs and troubleshooters.
Battlebabe, Driver, Touchstone, Quarantine, Hoarder — This dynamic really gets into a tropish feel of most post-apocalyptic scenarios… but, with enough variety not to be too cliche.
Of the Extended-Main playbooks; the Marmot & Faceless are the only two I’d drop to the side as wild cards… I can take ’em or leave ’em, with any of the above.
Feeling like going for a really different mood?
Ruin Runner, Spectacle, Coot, Scholar,
& Wrangler or Beast Master or Boy and Dog,
& The Kid or Feral Kid or Orphan or The Rat Pack
Toss on The Witch, Radio, and The (Psychic) Dog, to spice up with optional weirdness. This could be interesting, and as long as the MC is familiar with the playbooks… all of these are easy introductions for new players in a one-shot, too.
Another reason to limit the playbooks “in play” is to have some say in what moves are “in play” when crossover moves are picked, or what kind of playbooks are ‘out there’ when choosing a multiple character improvement… again this is all about having some control over tone and other such aesthetics… but, isn’t very relevant to a one-shot, mini-series, or short-run introductory scenario, where such improvements are unlikely to happen
One scenario I would like to try, or see tried (as in, watch or listen to actual play) is to choose from all the children based playbooks; The Kid, Feral Kid, Orphan, The Rat Pack, The Afterborn, The Last Born…
apocalyptic mashup:
Jeremiah of the Damned Corn.
Which is another way to do it; most fiction has three or four obvious playbook equivalents in the main cast. So, pick two or three fictions that seem interesting to you, then you’ll easily have six to twelve playbooks to drop in the grab basket… and a handful of fiction everyone can reference as the shared mythology.
I’m taking the risk of quoting myself here, but this works out well for me.
I’ve run demos for AW at GenCon several times two different years now. I pulled the method I used from the following thread on Story Games
http://story-games.com/forums/discussion/13941/aw-convention-demo-advice
From the post by Mcdaldno about halfway down the page.
The only thing that isn’t in that setup is having a flavor of the apocalypse. I prepped two basic backgrounds last time.
1.) a sci-fi AW set on a rotting cargo ship that had become a space prison dependent on random automated shuttles. Think Arkham City in space. Based on “Perdition” by Ann Aguirre.
2.) a post-apocalyptic NASCAR track where they hold death races and the nearby shopping center. (Based on a local Nascar track from my hometown.)
I do use the Driver for the death race one, as champion of the track.
I just realized that hidden quandary was even there. (feeling blind.)
Sometimes your Savvyhead uses that workshop to fix stuff for people, and this often requires rare scrounge and educated assistance; who, what, where, why, and how often?
Your hotshot Driver has reliable transportation, a much needed resource, but also needs minor repairs and a fuel stash in trade from someone; who, what, where, why, and how often?
No playbook is an island; always an angle, always a catch… always a connection.
Battlebabe & Savvyhead… just like the Driver, there is a trade in resources and skills here, but; weapons and protection are the main focus. Simple, but sweetly effective.
Hocus & Savvyhead… prime real-estate in reliable shelter is scarce; share a roof over the workshop and followers. The workshop comes with a couple hang-abouts with minor tech-knowledge, and the Hocus has a group of mundanely skilled followers; these shop-heads could mix in with a clique of technophiles amongst the followers, even if the Savvyhead & Hocus aren’t personally under the same roof, their lackeys might be mutually filial. Not everything that breaks in a community can be transported back to a workshop… how often would the Savvyhead make house-calls for mundane maintenance and emergency repairs?
Hocus & Driver… several of those followers might have afforded themselves as squatters in a split-level townhouse over a garage, they could be motorheads themselves, but most of those followers will likely have need for transport at some point — does the driver need a safe and secure space to park any prized vehicles? How about a day-job as a taxi service… everyone likes a volunteer friendly neighborhood cabbie, right?
Battlebabe & Driver… the instant combo whenever trouble kicks up; Someone has to drive, and when someone calls shotgun… usually it’s the person with the shotgun. Going on a scavenge-run or resource-raid? These are the two that are guaranteed… everyone else is either the tag-along, or the hands doing all the heavy grabbing.
Thanks to everyone for the advice, some mixture of which will inform my next MC’ing attempt on Wednesday.
Back to Vincent Baker ‘s list of what he takes to cons, the 3 Basic playbooks not on that list are:
Driver
Operator
Savvyhead
Are these ‘problem’ playbooks, for conventions / one-shots?
In others’ hands, probably not. I know that some people swear by the operator in con games, for instance.
I find that they put a little more burden on me as MC than the others. With a driver in play, as MC I’d better think of someplace to go in addition to the place we are. With an operator, I’d better think of some NPC employers, in addition to the rest of the NPCs. With a savvyhead, I’d better think of some tech problems to solve.
MC’d last night for two players. I asked the first player, ‘Who’s in charge here?’ and offered Hardholder / Chopper / Operator. Then I asked the other player, ‘Why are you a thorn in his side?’ and offered Brainer / Battlebabe / Gunlugger.
So of course we ended up with a game of Driver (!) and Gunlugger who were best buds (no thorns in sides) and functioned as a well oiled machine.
Contemplating a more detailed writeup for my own and the players’ amusement.