I’d like to share a playbook idea I’ve been mulling over for the last year or so.
I’d like to share a playbook idea I’ve been mulling over for the last year or so. Maybe there’s already something like it in Masks Unbound or Secrets of AEGIS. Discuss, comment, and help me flesh it out~
= THE WOUNDED or THE SCARRED =
// Concept
Once upon a time, you had everything; family and friends, luxury and wealth, and every other comfort you could name; life was perfect. But one day, tragedy struck, and something was lost. Now you’re willing to sacrifice everything in a unending pursuit for vengeance.
// Inspirations
Arsenal (Young Justice)
Robin (Teen Titans)
There are probably some Marvel heroes that fit into this concept as well. I’d appreciate some pointers.
// Playbook Feature – Comforts & Scars/Wounds
In the playbook is a list of nice things, called Comforts. Such as: a good home, a romantic relationship, parents, hobbies. Even more abstract things, such as: health, wealth, and so on. By crossing these things out, and turning them into Scars, The Scarred can gain new abilities, new moves, and upgrades for their existing moves.
For example, The Scarred’s playbook moves would have a basic effect, and this effect would be stronger if they take a Scar to upgrade it. There would also be a list of generic Upgrades that would let them upgrade moves from other playbooks, or even select new abilities and moves.
A final, big Scar is ‘Future’. If this Scar is taken, the current session may likely be The Scarred’s last. They die, are no longer remembered by the world as a hero (or at all), sell their soul, or something equally terrible. Taking this Scar at the very least bars them from ever becoming another playbook, paragoning, or retiring.
When and how they take Scars is something I haven’t figured out yet. Perhaps they are forced to take one once per session? Or maybe it’s totally up to them whenever they take a Scar. And if it’s the latter, I wonder what interesting consequences might come with a Playbook that essentially has a self-destruct button.
// Team Moves
The Scarred’s Team Moves focus around rebuilding and healing. They can choose between a mechanical benefit; clearing Conditions or gaining Potential; or a narrative choice to heal/rebuild one of their Scars. Effectively giving them something back, but at the cost of losing an upgrade.
// GM Moves
These are mostly focused around pushing and threatening Comforts. For example, pushing a comfort might be reminding The Scarred that they have very supportive and nice parents, and how wonderful and helpful it is to have people like that in their lives. Threatening a comfort might be reminding The Scarred that their parents could someday be in danger because of them, unless they cut ties, or that continuing to have a relationship with them hinders their mission. There may also be a move for tempting The Scarred to heal one of their Scars, effectively pushing them to ‘undo’ their work and backtrack on their mission for vengeance.
// In Summary
The Scarred can become a very powerful playbook/hero. They’re excellent at what they do, and they could potentially fill any role in the Team. However, those who know them can easily see how all-consuming and self-destructive their mission is. There should be worry, calls for them to give up their life of superheroing or take a vacation from it, but no matter what, that underlying need for vengeance should permeate every aspect of their life, beckoning them to pursue an endless struggle against evil.
