Hello,
I own Urban Shadows, but I have never played it before. I am trying to figure out Factions. In the text I see 3 places where it talks about factions. The stats, the moves and the MC moves, and I missing any place else?
I get that the stats represent your level of understanding of the faction, so does “0” mean no knowledge of the faction and a negative number represent a misunderstanding?
In the stat section is says that these numbers will change, but in my admittedly light skimming of the material I failed to see how that happens. Can your understanding of a faction decrease? Maybe that happens as you are fed disinformation?
Before I started reading this over I thought faction was going to represent your standing and influence within that faction, which was wrong. How to you represent that with the players?
(Full disclosure, while I do have a strong interest in playing Urban Shadows the game I am currently running is based on Star Wars World by Andrew Medeiros, and my focus is there until that game finishes. Richard McNutt just shared a hack of the SWW hack that included factions and I am trying to understand them better so that I can take full advantage of the new material.
I am here raiding your hacks, shuffling through your pockets for any loose moves. )
Faction represents both knowledge and sway. As for how much the stats reflect what you know, I look at the numbers as a very general measure. Don’t forget that even with a 0, you’ll succeed most of the time, and even with a +3 you can miss a roll. To me, -1 means disconnection rather than disinformation.
At the end if a session, you may increase a faction score and decrease another, as a sign that you’re becoming more embroiled in one at the expense of your connection to another. You can also increase a faction score with an advance.
So if you are basically at war with a faction, and you know them pretty well (like you used to be part of it) would you go with a higher score because you know them well or a lower score as your sway?
sub, as i am also stealing liberally from Andrew’s various hacks.
Also: Ryan Good I think it is like Hx: a higher number represents understanding them well. You could loathe someone but keep an eye on them at all times, so have a high Hx. Similar with factions.
Your own faction will rarely change. There a re a few advancements that allow it but for the most part you will will remain your starting faction.
You could use either approach. Keep in mind, your factions might be at war but that has nothing to do with your personal stat. Power and Night clashing, you’re a werewolf in Night with a +2 in Power. Maybe you know it all started over a love spat and are working to reconcile the lovers. A wizard on the other side of it with a -1 might buy into the propaganda that it’s a power grab by the Vampires.
Ok that makes sense William Nichols. I am just having a lil trouble getting over my own preconceived notions of what faction meant. If its like Hx, that would preclude sway, and I really sort of want there to be sway.
Misha B Ok that makes sense as well. I just really need to let go of the influence/sway idea. Maybe that’s where debts need to come in.
Ryan Good – Yup! If Faction represents “sway” then Debts are minimally important. That said, you could add a new move to the game:
Sway
When you go to an important member of a Faction for help, roll with their Faction. On a 10+, they’ll offer you a path forward; choose a price you’re willing to pay. On a 7-9, the price is doubled; choose two from the list:
– owe them a personal Debt
– reveal an important secret
– agree to a limitation or ban
On a miss, the person you were coming to for help is mixed up in this far deeper than you expected. The MC will tell you how you’re in over your head.