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The Messenger

A topic by HamyTNT created May 28, 2024 Views: 111 Replies: 9
Viewing posts 1 to 5
Submitted (1 edit) (+1)

This is a really last-minute class that's been buzzing around in my mind these past couple of days.  Is it balanced?  Probably not.

The idea behind this one is for a character who connects between individuals and different Kenn.  Basically they know everybody, and are always out and about.  They carry parcels, messages, mail etc for the various Kenn and occasionally for Tall-People.  They're determined, but their reliability is questionable.  Being curious they also occasionally might take a peek at the various notes and items they're conveying. This means they're remarkable well informed about what's going on and all the gossip.

Anyway, here's the draft description.

The Messenger

Speedy and Determined

Name

Gonza, Snazz, Kegal, Dram, Brumm, Camber, Jaybar, Voosh, Zoot

Hands: Fidgetty, Precise, Firm

Eyes: Darting, Innocent, Goggled

Frame:  Lean, Wirey, Tough

Legs: Rapid, Agile, Callused

Mouth: Quiet, Tumbling, Excited

Heart: Determined, Dutiful, Exploratory

Starting Feats

Unexpected Entry:  Spend the focus to pop up in another location within the same area that will surprise another character.  Shrug and make up a vague answer when anyone asks you how you managed to get there.

I read your mail: Spend the focus to gain intelligence about another character (NPCs).  The Tall Person will reveal some scurrilous or embarrassing fact about this character.

Speedy:  Add +1 to your Legs stat.

The Mail Must Get Through:  Spend the focus to force your way through a physical barrier.  Brush yourself off and explain what feature of the barrier or yourself you exploited to get through.

How do you carry your messages?

You have a vest with a huge number of pockets.  How do you keep track of which notes goes to who?


Advanced Feats

No Matter Where You Are:  Spend the focus to know exactly where another character can be found.

Delivery Error:  Spend the focus to deliver something that is bound to annoy or embarrass to a character within the same village or city district.  What was it you delivered?  Who sent it – if anyone?  What effect did it have on the recipient?

Just What’s Needed:  When you deliver an item of great use to a character you will gain a friend of Goblins.

Well Connected:  Once per errand you may remember that you know a goblin (or some other outsider to the world of the tall folk) who could help you out.  Describe them.  The TP will tell you how to call them or where to find them, right now.    [From original Playbooks – the Rambler]

Speed Sorter:  If faced with an unordered pile of stuff, you can quickly sort through it to find what you want.  Your sorting may not be accurate though,and so if you roll 1 on a D6 you will pull out something nobody needs.  Explain what it is you have extracted and what shape the “sorted” pile is now.

Wait!  I've Got That Somewhere Here:  Somewhere in your many vest pockets is just the right thing for the occasion.  Once per errand you can pull out just the item you need.  Roll D6, this is the number of other totally useless items you need to pull out before you find that right thing.  Describe the odds and ends you pull out and who ordered them.

Ideally there need to be a few other advanced feats but it's a start.


Host (1 edit)

Really nice! I love the idea of a postman/messnger/delivery boy playbook! A great fit for the game!

Here's some of my favorite points:

  • Zoot is a great name for the Messenger! Lovely!
  • Oh, I also love the dutiful heart! Definitely creates an image of a specific vibe of goblin!
  • I also love unexpected Entry. A great feat, but I think it would be better as an advanced feat though. It also overlaps a little with "The Mail Must Get Through".
  • No Matter Where You Are: Also great! Maybe useful to specify it as "a person you know"? Or maybe even better: "A person whose name you know". That has weird mystical implications!
  • Speed Sorter is also a great feat!

Here's some additional feedback, which you might want or not:

I Read Your Mail

I don't like the fact that the Messenger opens letters. While it fits the goblin mind I think it's intrusive in a way that might be squicky for some players. I wouldn't bake it into the playbook. Players can still opt for that, if they want.

Here's an alternative suggestion that gets you a similar in-game result: The Messenger is really good at reading cues and understanding people. Tells and mannerisms. Interpreting writing and words. So he gets a lot of information by just holding a letter, looking at the writing of the address, the way it smells. So a little sherlock-holmes-y.

Which is also interesting because it's in some ways a trauma response. If you grow up in a highly unstable environment, many people learn to be very observant in the hope to avoid instability. And since mental health is an undercurrent in the game, that feels like a good fit, for me :)

The Mail Must Get Through

Interesting move! I feel it overlaps a little with the Rascal though. I think unexpected entry might be a better core move. Or instead doing the whole "I Read Your Mail" thing from above as the core feat.

How do you carry your messages?

The feat question is remarkably important to help people come up with a character. I think it should be as open ended as possible and allow for as many different interpretations of the character as possible, without leaving the core idea behind. As such, I think always assuming the goblin has a vest might be too contained.

Here's some suggestions for different questions:

  • Why are you so passionate about delivering messages? (one answer could be: Because I'd be bored otherwise)
  • Where does your duty as a messenger come from? (I like the idea of "duty" being a thing for this goblin)
  • What do you deliver? (Opening it up into a wider delivery boy idea: Parcels, paper route, everything, magical ingredients, food?)

Just What's Needed

I like the idea of delivering something that will turn the recipient into a friend to goblins. However this feels like it can't come up very often because how likely are you to have the perfect thing? Unless you have the feat that gives you that, and then it's trivial. (Also that feat kind of infringes on the Rascal a little, I think).

Advanced Feats

Advanced feats are a really important part of the playbook. All regular playbooks have 7 complex and 2 simple ones. That's a pretty good number to hit. You're a little short of that so maybe by putting Harebrained Schemes back into the Starting Feats you can move one down to fill out the lineup a little.

Also here's some ideas:

  • The ability to produce some authentic/official/important looking document
  • The ability to lob something precisely on target without damaging it (paper delivery)
  • The ability to pilot/operate/ride any kind of vehicle/beast (but it might not come out unscuffed)
  • The ability to find a mode of transport anywhere?
  • The ability to (once per errand) deliver an important piece of news to someone. Come up with the news, as strange as they may be. Good news? Bad news? Your call. (Might be a replacement for Just what's needed and rewards creativity)

Feat Capitalization

Your feat capitalization is a little inconsistent. "I ready your mail" should probably be "I Read Your Mail" (here's a tool that helps: https://capitalizemytitle.com/)

Submitted

Hi Martin and All

Thanks for the great suggestions and rebalancing tweaks.  I have run with these and come up with the following.  See how this takes your fancy.  Personally, I'm really liking this character class.  I feel they have a lot of good fun play.


The Messenger: Speedy and Determined


Name: Gonza, Snazz, Kegal, Dram, Brumm, Camber, Jaybar, Voosh, Zoot


Hands: Fidgetty, Precise, Firm

Eyes: Darting, Innocent, Goggled

Frame:  Lean, Wiry, Tough

Legs:  Rapid, Agile, Callused

Mouth:  Quiet, Tumbling, Excited

Heart:  Determined, Dutiful, Exploratory


Starting Feats

This is Interesting: You have picked up a letter, note, or parcel; give is a shake, a sniff, look at it.  What shape is it in?  What’s the address handwriting like?  You gain some insight about the sender or the recipient or the circumstances.  The Tall Person will be able to help you out with what this may be.

Hairbrained Scheme:  Harebrained Schemes: Spend the Focus and explain your plan. If it sounds plausible, you can roll with +2 dice. Otherwise, it can still be attempted at normal difficulty, no matter how impossible.  [From original Playbooks]

Speedy:  Add +1 to your Legs stat.

Wow!  You’re a Messenger?  That’s So Cool!

* How do you keep track of which notes or parcel goes to who?

* Why are you so passionate about delivering messages?

* What are you delivering today?

* What’s driving you to do such a good job delivering messages, letters, and parcels across the whole region?


Advanced Feats

No Matter Where You Are:  Spend the focus to know exactly where another character you know the name of can be found.

Delivery Error:  Spend the focus to deliver something that is bound to annoy or embarrass to a character within the same village or city district.  What was it you delivered?  Who sent it – if anyone?  What effect did it have on the recipient?

Well Connected:  Once per errand you may remember that you know a goblin (or some other outsider to the world of the tall folk) who could help you out.  Describe them.  The TP will tell you how to call them or where to find them, right now.    [From original Playbooks – the Rambler]

The Mail Must Get Through:  Spend the focus to force your way through a physical barrier.  Brush yourself off and explain what feature of the barrier or yourself you exploited to get through.

Speed Sorter:  If faced with an unordered pile of stuff, you can quickly sort through it to find what you want.  Your sorting may not be accurate though,and so if you roll 1 on a D6 you will pull out something nobody needs.  Explain what it is you have extracted and what shape the “sorted” pile is now.

Wait!  I've Got That Somewhere Here:  Somewhere in your many vest pockets is just the right thing for the occasion.  Once per errand you can pull out just the item you need.  Roll D6, this is the number of other totally useless items you need to pull out before you find that right thing.  Describe the odds and ends you pull out and who ordered them.

Unexpected Entry:  Spend the focus to pop up in another location within the same area that will surprise another character.  Shrug and make up a vague answer when anyone asks you how you managed to get there.

Official Papers:  Somewhere on your person you have just the right paperwork.  This adds +2 to any task success where officious looking documents will help.  How did you obtain these?  Are they genuine?

It’s in the Air!  Goal!  How do you do it?  You can throw with spectacular precision most of the time.  Add +2 to any rolls where precision throwing is required.  What’s more, the item thrown will not be damaged.  Blow on your fingertips and polish them on your chest.  Look smug.

News in a Flash.  Once per errand you can an important piece of news to someone. What is the news?  Good News?  Bad News?  We must know.  Explain how you delivered it and how it was received.

Better Than Walking.  You can spend the focus to find a mode of transport that may or may not suit your current need.  Roll 1D6.  If you roll 1 or 2, the mode you have found is not all that useful.  Explain how you came across the transport solution and how confident you are driving it.

There are enough advanced feats here to do a bit of pruning.  It this stage I'll see if I have enough time to whip up some quick illustrations in the same style as the official playbooks.

I look forward to your thoughts and comments.

Host (3 edits)

I am just now noticing the "goggled" eyes and I love it. I think the tweaks are pretty good, here's a few more thoughts and ideas:

This is Interesting: Maybe rephrase this? "When you pick up a letter, note or package; give it a...". This makes it seem less like the feat gives you a letter note or package? Alternatively you could turn it into one of the "ask the TP" moves: "When you shake, sniff or look at a note, or package, you may ask the TP: What's it contain? Gain +1 dice when you act on the insight."

Apart from that it's looking great. I agree that you may have a few too many advanced feats. You got 11, not counting any extra stat Advanced feats. The usual number is 7+2. That said, I think what I'd scratch in order of "scratchworthyness"

  1. Wait I've Got That Somewhere Here (because it encroaches on the Rowdy's gadget skills)
  2. The Mail Must get Through (because it encroaches on the Rascal's squeeze skill AND Unexpected entry is essentially the same, just funnier.
  3. Well Connected: Because it's a Rambler move and adding more new stuff is always cool. People can always mix and match if they want anyway.
  4. Delivery Error: Because it overlaps with News in a Flash, but the News seems like it has more potential to be useful and/or funny.

Also you are missing a Starting Feat that helps cement the idea at the moment. I think moving one of the Advanced Feats up might help with that. My candidates for that in order of "startingness" would be:

  1. Official Papers because it puts a focus on the "official business" and duty aspects of the messenger. Gives them an air of importance I think that might be fun. In this case the question could be about the form and/or origin of these papers?
  2. It’s in the Air!  Goal! because throwing things probably comes in quite handy. (Oh "Air Mail" would be another fun name for the feat!)
  3. Better Than Walking because they are all about covering large distances and that gives you access to fun shenangians

Hope that helps!

Submitted

Thanks Martin

I was hoping you'd give me some guidance on which to drop and how to balance the feats between starting and advanced.  Thanks heaps for that.

"Air Mail" is a great name for the "It's in the air!  Goal!" feat.  I've gotta get that one in there.

I'll do a shift around, make up some quick sketches, and drop it into Inkscape for a pretty document.

Thanks again for the excellent suggestions and guidance.

Submitted

Hi Martin

Phew!  Starting to squeak close to the close-off but here is the latest edition of the Messenger class.  I've taken the liberty of coming up with a new advanced feat to make up the numbers after removing the feats that were close to others.  The new feat "Job Well Done" is intended to work with the whole duty idea, and also link it to helping others.  I feel it may be a bit over-powered.  See what you think.  Otherwise it's all looking pretty good and well balanced thanks to your recommendations.

The Messenger - Speedy and Determined

Name: Gonza, Snazz, Kegal, Dram, Brumm, Camber, Jaybar, Voosh, Zoot

Hands: Fidgetty, Precise, Firm

Eyes: Darting, Innocent, Goggled

Frame: Lean, Wiry, Tough

Legs: Rapid, Agile, Callused

Mouth: Quiet, Tumbling, Excited

Heart: Determined, Dutiful, Exploratory

Starting Feats

This is Interesting:  When you shake, sniff, chew, or examine a note, or package, you may ask the TP for an insight about the package or its contents.  Gain +1 dice when you act on the insight.

Hairbrained Scheme:  Harebrained Schemes: Spend the Focus and explain your plan. If it sounds plausible, you can roll with +2 dice. Otherwise, it can still be attempted at normal difficulty, no matter how impossible.  [From original Playbooks]

Official Papers:  Somewhere on your person you have just the right paperwork.  This adds +2 to any task success where officious looking documents will help.  How did you obtain these?  Are they genuine?

Speedy:  Add +1 to your Legs stat.


Wow!  You’re a Messenger?  That’s So Cool!

* How do you keep track of which notes or parcel goes to who?

* Why are you so passionate about delivering messages?

* What are you delivering today?

* What’s driving you to do such a good job delivering messages, letters, and parcels across the whole region?


Advanced Feats

No Matter Where You Are:  Spend the focus to know exactly where another character you know the name of can be found.

Speed Sorter:  If faced with an unordered pile of stuff, you can quickly sort through it to find what you want.  Your sorting may not be accurate though,and so if you roll 1 on a D6 you will pull out something nobody needs.  Explain what it is you have extracted and what shape the “sorted” pile is now.

Unexpected Entry:  Spend the focus to pop up in another location within the same area that will surprise another character.  Shrug and make up a vague answer when anyone asks you how you managed to get there.

Air Mail:  How do you do it?  You can throw with spectacular precision most of the time.  Add +2 to any rolls where precision throwing is required.  What’s more, the item thrown will not be damaged.  Blow on your fingertips and polish them on your chest.  Look smug.

News in a Flash:  Once per errand you can give an important piece of news to someone. What is the news?  Good News?  Bad News?  We must know.  Explain how you delivered it and how it was received.

Better Than Walking:  You can spend the focus to find a mode of transport that may or may not suit your current need.  Roll 1D6.  If you roll 1 or 2, the mode you have found is not all that useful.  Explain how you came across the transport solution and how confident you are driving it.

Job Well Done:  Whenever you deliver an unbroken item to the right recipient, roll D6.  On a 6 you get the happy glow knowing you’ve done a good job.  Remove an impairment if you have one, and the next time you help someone, they can add +2 to their risk roll.

Like Lightning: Add +1 to your Legs stat.

Pin Point Accuracy: Add +1 to your Hands stat.


Submitted(+1)

Hi Martin

Your suggestions and tweaks are fantastic.  Thanks for these.  I'll have a crack at working them in and rejigging some of the originals.

Cheers

Hamish

Host

A great new draft! I like it! I have only one question about the "Official Papers" Feat: What is +2 to a task success? Is the level of success of a risk roll always two levels higher, so you can't fail? Or does it grant you extra dice? I like the idea of changing at least one success into 3 successes. If you succeed with your papers it's at least a profound success, even if you roll only one success.

Submitted(+1)

Phew!  7 minutes to go and it's submitted.

Admittedly it still needs some refinement.

Thanks Martin for your guidance and expertise in balancing this character.

Host

Absolutely happy to! Thank you for contributing! I really appreciate it!