So I was thinking about how my group runs their delving band.
My group is:
Pick-Up - Only the players who are there make a given delve. There is a large, amorphous "party" that includes something like a dozen adventurers who have adventured with the group. However, the acting band for a given adventure only includes a selection from the ones who are there.
Close Allies - No intra-party sniping or troublemaking is tolerated. This includes NPCs. No stealing, no running out on the party, no backstabbing.
Piratical - That is, all loot is divided evenly by predetermined shares. Generally this is very even - full and half shares are the only common splits. They are also piratical in the "anarchic commune" kind of sense. No one is really in charge, but if they put someone in nominal lead (Vryce in combat, say, or Galen when scouting) they follow them until that specific situation is done. Otherwise, do what you like.
Practical - the person best able to use a piece of gear is given that gear, if they are around. It's extremely common for, say, someone to be given the lion's share of the magical/special treasure if that person can make the best use of it. However, if you're a mace-master and miss the session with the magic mace, well, we sold it. Sorry. NPCs sometimes get the shaft, if they're hireling types, but not always.
The best person to do a given job does that job, too, for the benefit of all. If they also gain some side benefit from that (the Wealthy guy taking a commission, the door-kicker claiming the best armored boots, the mage getting extra mage-only items) then that's fine, just as long as it's perceived to be a reasonable benefit.
Motto: All For One and One For All - If they had a motto, this would be it. The group splits up the loot, sticks to their friends thick and thin, and prizes fairness and success as a group over success as individuals.
How about your groups? How do they run things?
My group is:
ReplyDeleteGuild: We have separated into 2 groups with a total of 12 players, give or take. Each player has at least 2 characters. Only 1 character may be played per session, and each player may only play in 1 session every 2 weeks. Characters must miss one session when leveling up.
Acquaintances: some characters have alliances, but most are just in it for the cash. There is a high casualty rate.
Piratical: This is written into the game rules, as well as the group rules.
Selfish: They pretty much stick to even shares, no matter what.
Motto: "Give me money. Everything is worth something, if we can find a buyer."
Cojoined-swordsmen, they all go shopping together, they all go to the privy together.
ReplyDeleteIn full armor, while fully alert? I've GMed for that group.
DeleteI have to shame them into acting normal every now and again.
DeleteMy groups were like this, except that they weren't pick-up campaigns; if we couldn't get all the players together, we wouldn't have an adventure. Miss too many chances for adventure and the campaign quietly dies. That's why most of our parties didn't last past being first-level characters; the one group that we grew all the way to level 8 (via having seven adventures!) felt like a major accomplishment.
ReplyDelete