I have one final playbook for James Mullen’s Troublemakers.

I have one final playbook for James Mullen’s Troublemakers.

I have one final playbook for James Mullen’s Troublemakers. The Medium is the classic trope of a kid seeing dead people like in the 6th sense and ParaNorman. As always feedback is appreciated.

Edit: Finally got around to editing this one and updating it per feedback.

7 thoughts on “I have one final playbook for James Mullen’s Troublemakers.”

  1. Hey there, been out of the loop for a week or two, so just catching up with things now,

    I just had a quick read through this playbook and I really like it; there are some tweaks I might think of, but my main stumbling block is this question: what type of kid does this describe? I’m comparing them in my head to The Goth and The Kook, who both have subtly supernatural gifts, and also to The Newcomer and The Changeling, who are overtly supernatural. Where do you see The Medium falling on that spectrum and how would you sum up their role within a group of friends?

    Keep up the good work, I really appreciate the interest you’ve taken in the game: drop me a line if you ever fancy a game via Hangouts. 😀

  2. OK, on to feedback on The Medium, starting with the fact that I really like The Sixth Sense and ParaNorman, so good idea for a playbook!

    I see dead people: I think this could be strengthened by associating it with one specific dead person they can see who helps them, instead of seeing all dead people. There’s precedent for this in The Changeling’s compulsory move, which creates a mentor for them, but playing this kid I can pick any dead person I like to be my guide! Albert Einstein! Abraham Lincoln! Attila the Hun! 😀

    Glimpse the future: I’m a bit worried by this move; prediction and prophecy is always a thorny issue in games, leading to debates about how the future is decided within the story. Also, there’s no price for the move and the only trigger is “I want to,” so there’s nothing to stop someone from spamming it to break the game. On the flip side, would you want a move that at best gives you a vague, hazy answer and at worst foreshadows some great harm occurring that wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t made the move? I like the idea of a prophecy move in principle, but I honestly can’t see this one working well in the game. Sorry 🙁

    Last Moments: I like the idea, but I’m worried about the utility; how often are the kids going to be near the corpse of someone who has recently died? Perhaps this could be expanded to include all the spirits of the dead? The playbook needs a move for talking to the dead, so perhaps this could be it? Even something simple like “You can see the spirits of the restless dead all around you and make basic moves against them,” might be enough.

    Posession: Great move! Maybe take this one even further, so you get some tangible benefit from sharing your body with a spirit, such as access to a unique move or just +1 in a stat? Also, the outcomes could be simplified into “On a 10+, you’re in full control; on a 7-9, the spirit can take control, you take +1 trouble if you resist it.”? And what about an escape clause, so the possession ends when the spirit has completed it’s business and moves on?

    Spiritual Healing: good move, but what’s the limit on it? Can it be used two or three times in a row to take 2 or 3 trouble from another kid?

    Positive Energy: great move! Wonderful idea, simple & elegant execution! 😀

  3. James Mullen Thanks for the feedback!

    I have an idea. What about strengthening I See Dead People another way and using the idea of a specific spirit as a move called Spirit Guide to replace glimpse the future?

    Maybe take Last Moments and fold it into I See Dead People. Then create a move called Speak With Spirits that allows the kid make the basic moves against spirits.

    All good ideas for Possession, I’ll make the changes when I’m able to (I’m about to travel for Thanksgiving, this is just something I’m dashing off).

    Spiritual Healing could either cost one will or only be used on per scene or day. Whatever you think is best.

  4. Have a great thanksgiving! Thanks for taking the time to give feedback on my feedback; I’ll take a look at your ideas, but I like the direction the playbook is going in.

  5. Glad to hear it! I don’t know if it showed up for you, but I did respond on the private post about the other three playbook and posted The Psychic playbook.

    Oh and missed the first comment about their place. I imagine them as more mystical than the other playbooks. The other ones border on magical realism, where as the medium crosses that line, much like the Changling.

  6. Yes, I saw the other posts but have been rather out of sorts recently and am just getting back on top of things in no particular order. Could you put the five new playbooks (Butterfly, Wallflower, Ditz, Psychic and Medium) in one folder, to save me tracking different links in different posts? That would be great!

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