As I am done with the prose for the Player's Spielbook, I have started to edit the Director's Guidebook.
I recently had to help a new Director and he wanted guidance for how to create aspects for the characters for "zany" games. HiBRiD defines a "zany" game as one where the HiBRiD rules are followed, however characters start with blank character sheets and are created on the fly as the game proceeds.
For zany games, the genre values and skills are defined by the Director, and the Universal Aspects are used. Everything else is made up on the fly. These games are fun, especially with stripped down HiBRiD rules. As an example, here are the rules for creating physical and zany attack aspects on the fly:
Physical Attacks:
- Any attack that would not kill a person in the real world do 1+STR.
- Any 1-handed attacks that can kill do 1d6 (4) + STR.
- Any 2-handed attacks that can kill do 2d6 (7) + STR
- These attacks are considered nonballistic.
Examples:
- Plastic pointer (like the ones teachers used to have) 1+STR
- Throwing a beaver 1d6 (4) + STR
- Shield Bash 1d6 (4) + STR
- Slap 1+STR
- Cooking Pan 1d6 (4) + STR
- Rubber Chicken 1 + STR
- Glass Bottle 1d6 (4) + STR
- Vacuum Cleaner 2d6 (7) + STR Note: This will require 2 hands to use and precludes the character doing anything else with his hands.
Zany Attacks
Abstract effects as well as any sort of unrealistic, explainable, or magical attack are considered "Zany Attacks" in the game. Concepts like pain and death and others are great in novels, movies, and video games but need to be reflected in game terms. Examples include
- Pain like you have never imagined
- Flying Feathers
- 1000 years of death
- Lava Squirt Gun
To create a "Zany Attack", you will need to use the following steps.
Step 1: Define the Effect
To define the effects of the aspect, you will need to have the player explain the effects of the aspect. Often times, the player just wants to do something "cool"they saw in a video game, Youtube video, book, comic book, or cartoon and is living in the moment. As a result, they will often not have not thought that far in advance of how to reflect the effect in the game.
Whenever a player wishes to define a "zany" attack and create a "zany attack" aspect, then you will need to ask them to describe it in writing (one or two sentences should be fine) or in words so you can put it in writing. This will allow you can hold the player accountable to the rule made when it is crated, help everyone remember what it does, and let everyone know what to expect when it is used.
Step 2: Classify
Once the effect has been described and quickly documented, you will have to ask the player which of two types of effects they wish to have, either incapacitating or causing damage. IF the player can't decide, just think about the description and overall goal of using the power. The concept of death, for example is the result of taking damage so would be considered an attack that causes damage, while anything that causes pain would be considered an incapacitating attack.
Step 3: Assign Aspect Point Cost:
Once you have described and classified the aspect as either damaging or an incapacitating attack aspect, it can assigned a cost. To do so:
- Damaging attack aspects:
- Cost 7 points per grade
- Inflict 1d10 (5) of ballistic damage per grade.
- Incapacitating attack aspects:
- Cost 4 points per grade
- Add +1 to the DR per grade for performing any and all actions/task rolls while under their effects
- All zany aspects, when used, are considered involved actions unless the multitask aspect is used and the new "zany" aspect is selected as the mode for it.
- All "zany" Incapacitating aspects effects stop immediately once when the character's concentration stops by default.
- Permanent effects can be inflicted by a zany aspect, but adds 10 points to the cost of the aspect and require the player to spend 10 points of STUN for each grade of the aspect when used. This is a permanent loss of STUN and the character will never regain it.
