I need help, my group abused teleportation. every single problem they faced, was solved with teleporting. And it was used as almost like superspeed. How do you guys deal with potentially story breaking abilities?
In the meantime, my group played selfishly They sacrificed a lot of innocent lives. It was kinda miserable.
Sounds like they’re not playing in the spirit of the game to me. I can’t remember what the defy danger move is in Masks, but I would use that when they spam their move, saying they’ll get a condition, since it’s probably draining to use the power repeatedly. Or the bad guys are catching on and they’re becoming predictable, something like that.
And give some heavy weight to the lives they didn’t care about with people influencing them. Punish them like they’re teens, because they are.
Well if they sacrificed innocent lives let that get out … start painting them as villains or cowards… make sure someone got them ditching on video and trash them in the news.
Maybe people spit on them, or start reacting with anger or fear. Maybe the local news is paying bounties on exposing their secret identity.
Maybe adult super heros take notice and put them in their place.
Also put them against a nega villain who can interfere with teleportation.
Fraser Simons yeah, the adventure involved big stakes. one character lost both his parents. and their citywide approval sunk.
i figure ill just use ur recommendation, as well as start them as kids looking for safety. And a group of older heroes from the golden or silver age takes them in.
I’m with John Henry here; lots of folks talking about how to use the game rules to get it back into a space you want, but honestly, this isn’t about rules. I’d have the conversation with them: there are two ways in which you feel like they were not playing the game you wanted to be playing, and so that’s worth talking about with them. Maybe there’s another game that’ll work better for everyone? Maybe getting everyone on the same page about this one will work?
Are you still making them roll for all the things they do with teleportation that W also moves? After all, if they’re teleporting past an obstacle, that’s Unleashing, or if they’re using it to scout, that’s assessing, etc.
It’s player behavior that you have a problem with, and you need to address that by having a frank and honest conversation with your players. Rules advice won’t help much until you do that.
The part where they are playing selfishly and letting innocents die and such, that does require you to talk to them and have a discussion about if you’re all playing the right game or not.
In terms of dealing with potentially game breaking abilities, you can always just throw a villain at them that can nullify that power.
Superman villains bring kryptonite. If a hero team is known for constantly teleporting, the villains that fight them are going to be prepared for that.
And if you can’t have a villain prepared for it, make them start rolling for it or paying for it with conditions. Rapidly teleporting everywhere is going to get difficult, so they might have to end up Unleashing their Powers to keep it up if they’re avoiding something. If they’re just teleporting around a villain and hitting him, eventually he’ll catch on and it will be a Direct Engage.
But yeah, the most important part is to discuss this issue with your players. It’s very much an out of game issue that they’re purposefully abusing something and being selfish.
Taking it out on them in game by having an all powerful villain, or even a hero since they let innocents die, coming in and beating them to a pulp can be fun, but is likely to cause more problems than anything.
We had a teleporter in our game and yeah it was powerful but also useful. Characters can always be where they need to be so that is cool.
And yes that can sitll trigger Directly Engage, Defend or Unleash your powers.
I’m a bit baffled by responses in the thread which seem to be about punitive responses or controlling behavior and the default assumption that your players are playing wrong. I’m not sure they are? They’re for sure not playing the game you were thinking of, but that might be a calibration thing. If as others suggest that they’re teleporting to avoid rolls, then for sure ensure you understand how the moves interact with Teleportation, but if they’re playing thematically different but not outside of the game, that’s a different issue.
It’s not about correcting behaviour, it’s about making the choices they are making meaningful and carry weight. Create balance in the team by driving their influences. Who sees themselves as a Savior? Who’s opinion matters to that character? How can their relationship with the world and each other change with the actions they enact?
I am with Mo Jave. It’s not really possible to tell from your question what the actual problem is. “Solving” things with teleportation is fine if they can always hit 10+ on unleashing their powers but I suspect they can’t. So what’s actually wrong?
Jason Corley the actual problem probably is that I misunderstood the rules.
Like, I assumed that since powers seemed to have no limitations, but the stakes were what mattered, that teleporting or using super strength or other stuff was essentially just something you can do.
Well, yes and no. You can say “lead blocks your teleportation” if you want and have the bad guy put a bomb in a puppy shelter in a lead box. That’s legit.
But the “limitation” on powers is primarily that when you use them if you only get 7-10 then you create new complications for yourself.
Turn it sideways. If they’re going to act like villains, have the world start treating them that way.
News reports talking about an investigation of their actions. Suspension from the local super club, pending a review. An invite to dinner with the local crime boss (those allegations are totally unfounded) to talk business. Fan club cancellations.
This gives them a choice: get back to being good, or go bad all the way.
Edit:Typo
Jeff Eppenbach my players have topically chosen evil their first run through. So yeah, I let them be villains. Running away from Aegis and stuff.
Jason Corley I really wish the weaknesses we’re a thing. This system seemingly had no expressed limitations but as a cat wrangler– err be– GM, I need some hard and fast way to decide on things. But I forgot that I should be using the rule that what the GM says is law. And to just take it as that.
I’m sorry but that one night ruined my vibe for DMing. But the advice here is groovy.
You can also try shifting their labels so they’re bad at unleashing their powers.
I think when you’re playing teenagers and Masks, it’s reasonable to show them what the game is about using the system. Like using influence to show them that in this game their parents dying and playing selfishly has mechanical weight to it, I don’t think of it as being punitive to the players, I think punishing the characters fits with the type of fiction the system wants you to make.
If they can use their powers frivolously and everyone dies, showing the repercussions aren’t just that mom and dad are dead, but that you feel like more of a freak then ever is a good way to show what the game is about.
Mo Jave I don’t think having the characters face consequences for decisions is a punitive response. Maybe that’s the story they trying to get the GM to embrace. In any event it sounds like there needs to be a frank discussion about what everyone wants to play and what direction they want things to go.
Aaron Arnold there is benefit to reading the GM objectives and player objectives before sessions too
There’s CAPERS!, the teen supervillain variant. I know it’s posted on SomethingAwful’s forums.
Agreed, it sounds like you & players want different games. You can’t legislate that with GM moves, you gotta have a talk and maybe some Retcons.
Steffi Kyle yeah, I killed both his parents in moments where he could be a hero.
In the Bible study afterwards, we realized that his ideas of Justice was based on selfishness.
Ummm after the Bible study he’s been really aware of at least his language. I’m patient.
His character, we just didn’t play that character again. He shows up to my D&D 5e games as basically evil. But he’s becoming more of a team player.
His biggest problem, saying NO.
So have you talked about why he wants to play evil? I feel like there is something he wants to explore and perhaps help cope with or deal with.