Table Talk - Confidence/Fortune HR Proposal

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Light of Andorra
21

[strike]Confidence
[tab][/tab]Confidence Points are used as normal, but are gained differently. Characters begin each story with their full allotment of Confidence points, which equals one plus twice their score. If it is a long story, Confidence may be recovered with proper rest and nourishment, as if Long Term Fatigue. One night’s rest recovers one point of Confidence or a Long Term Fatigue, not both. Confidence may not recover faster than Fatigue. A full day and night will recover one of each though.

Fortune
[tab][/tab]At the end of Stories, Players are awarded with points of Fortune. This is in replacement of the confidence award and is based on similar criteria. It is the Player that receives this award, not the characters. In the spirit of Troupe Style play, the Storyguide is also a player and deserves an award for running the story. The way this works is that the SG awards the other players, and they select one amongst themselves to decide what to award the SG.

Gaining Fortune
[tab][/tab]Awards typically range from 2 to 3 points. Exceptional performance could earn up to five. With that in mind, the award can be arbitrary three or based on more exacting standards. Participants deserve points for any of the following reasons…

  • Achieving a personal goal and/or contributing to the success of a group goal
  • Overcoming adversity, such as succeeding in a difficult task, triumphing against arduous obstacles, and enduring a lengthy story
  • Entertaining Roleplaying, Good Gaming, Meaningful Participation, and basically Running/Playing a Fun Story
  • Bonus: Receive a point or more for any good reason not already covered. This could be for doing something cool, an exceptional and well timed roll, a clever idea employed with success, being exceptionally entertaining, or some-such.

The Simple Way
[tab][/tab]Or you can keep it simple. Award 2 points for a Good Story/Performance, 3 for a Great one, and 4 if Excellent. The storyguide may assign one bonus point, and the one chosen to decide the storyguide award may assign one bonus point. No one can receive more than one bonus point, and no one may give the point to themselves.

Fortune Score
[tab][/tab]Look at the pyramid value of your Fortune Points. That is, the Art Score they would buy if they were Experience Points. This is your Fortune Score. For example, if you have six Fortune points your Score is 3. If you have seventeen your score is 5.
[tab][/tab]This is the limit on how many points you can use in any one instance, as defined below. Your score will naturally fluctuate as you gain and use Fortune, altering the amount you can use for the next instance.

Using Fortune
[tab][/tab]Fortune Points can be used for several benefits. There are many minor uses that will quickly eat up points, making it difficult to save up for greater benefits. The number of Fortune points that can be spent in any one instance equals the players Fortune Score at the time of the expenditure. Players may use & spend Fortune on any character they are playing or controlling at the time of the expenditure.
[tab][/tab]Instances of the use of Fortune and the Benefits are as follow…

  • Gain a Bonus to Active Rolls: Add +1 per point spent to the results of any roll in active “on-stage” play. Like Confidence, this can be done with multiple rolls in the same round, but cannot benefit seasonal activities. Also, like Confidence, the bonus can be added after the roll is made. Those with the Luck Virtue get a matching bonus of up to +3 if they spend the points before the roll. This can be spent in addition to Confidence and other bonuses. (Instance = Roll)
  • Substitute for Vis when Spellcasting. This costs two points per pawn, and each “pawn” adds two botch dice instead of one. The roll is always stressful even if mastered. The “vis” may be used in whatever way desired with the spell, but is used up the instant casting is finished (or interrupted). This can be a Ritual Spell, a Boosted Spell, a simple Casting Bonus, or whatever. This can only be done once per spell. (Instance = Spell)
  • Recover Energy: Fortune can enhance Recovery of Fatigue & Confidence. (Instance = Recovery Period)[list]
    [*]Short-Term Fatigue: Fatigue recovery is discussed in core rules, with the time required to restore one Short-Term level depending on a variety of factors. Fortune can be spent to recover additional levels in this interval (instead of waiting for the next few successive intervals). In the time it takes to recover one level, recover a second by spending 1 Fortune point, a third by spending 3, a fourth for 6, etceteras. The Long-Winded halve the cost (round up).
  • Long-Term Fatigue: It takes a full night’s rest to recover a single Long Term Fatigue Level. Fortune can be spent to increase the amount recovered in that interval. It takes 1 point to recover a second Long-Term level, 3 points for a third, and etcetera. The Long-Winded halve the cost (round up).
    [*]Confidence: It takes a full night’s rest to recover a Confidence point. It costs 1 Fortune point to recover a second, 3 for a third, etcetera. The Self-Confident halve this cost (round up).

[list]Confidence may not be recovered faster than Fatigue, and only one level/point is recovered for free. So, it takes one night’s rest to recover one Long-Term Fatigue Level or Confidence Point for free. It costs 1 Fortune Point to recover one of each, 2 for two of one and one of the other, 4 for two of each, 6 for three and two, 9 for three of each, and etcetera. For those with half-costs for one or the other, the math is here before you.[/:m][/list:u][/:m]
[]Withstand Injury: Fortune can be used to lessen the severity of an Injury as it is being received. This is regardless of source; combat wound, poison, disease, magic, or whatever. It costs 1 point to turn a Light Wound into the loss of a Long-Term Fatigue Level. 3 points lessens a Medium Wound to a Light Wound, 6 reduces Heavy to Medium, and 10 to lower Incapacitated to Heavy. If the player is able to spend it, injury can be reduced several steps, with a minimum result of Fatigue Loss. (Interval = Injury as Received)[/:m]
[]Survive Death: This depends on how dead the character should be. It takes 15 points to survive Probable Death, 21 for Apparent Death, 28 for Certain Death, and etcetera for magnitudes of severity beyond. This can be very harsh. So if you spend all your points and other players match that amount, the character survives even if the total falls short. (Instance = Survival of Death)[/:m]
[]Helping Others: Players may spend their own points for the benefit of others, provided they are willing. This can be in addition to or instead of what that player is using in an instance[/:m]
[]Awarding Others: A player may give out Fortune points to another player for any reason that strikes their fancy. This can be an award for doing something cool, a token of appreciation, bribery, or whatever. The award must take place during an receive story, and both players must be participants in that story. The fortune scores of both the giver and receiver limit how many points may be transferred (no more than the lowest score). A player may only gift a specific other player once per story, though one may give them out to and/or receive them from multiple players Personal award gifts are usually given out at the end of a story.[/:m]
[*]Personal Development: Fortune can be saved up for personal development. This can only be done once per year. (Instance = Year)

  • Accelerate Advancement: A player may spend Fortune to grant additional experience points to characters they control. This must be alongside a primary source of study, and neither the Fortune points spent nor the bonus gained may exceed the Source Quality or the Fortune score, whichever is lower. It cost one point of Fortune per additional experience point gained.
  • Improve a Characteristic: A player may spend Fortune to improve a Characteristic of a character they control. This costs 5 Fortune points per Characteristic point. The player must spend enough to increase the score of that Characteristic by one, and can increase it by no more than that. The maximum improvement is +3, and the lowest that can be improved is -3. It may take a season to a year for the increase to show. A characteristic can only be improved once this way.
  • Increase Confidence: Players can spend Fortune to improve the Confidence of a character. It takes 5 points for a character with no Confidence to gain Ferocity, and it takes 10 to change Ferocity into a Confidence Score of 1. It takes 15 points to increase from 1 to a 2, another 20 to take that up to 3, and etceteras. Only one point at a time may be improved, and it may take up to a year for the improvement to manifest. Those with Low Self Esteem must buy off that Flaw before increasing Confidence.
  • Gain a new General Virtue or Buy off a General Flaw: The cost is 15 points for Minor, and 30 for Major.
    [/*:m][/list:u]

Posting Fortune

[/strike]

22

For clarification:
improving a characteristic: is this 5 points regardless of level or 5 points x the relative level cost? So for example to go from -3 to -2 would cost 5 points or 15?

gaining general virtues or losing general flaws: is this exempt from the usual limit of the fortune score or would you need to have 120 fortune points to gain a minor virtue?

23

There's already a minor virtue of Improved and Great Characteristics, which makes it redundant.

I'd just scrap that: You want to improve your stats, buy the appropriate virtue. Keep it simple.

24

A question on spending Fortune:

The rules say you can only spend points of fortune up to your score at the time of expenditure (calculated as you would calculate the Arts). This applies to all spending, correct? So if you wanted to buy a minor virtue, you would need to have at least 120 confidence points - to get your score to 15 so you can spend the 15 needed to buy the minor virtue. And to buy a major virtue listed at 30 points you'd need...I'm not sure: the book caps out at 20.

That sounds like it will be very difficult to get to the point where you're able to, e.g., get new virtues. But once you've cleard the threhshold, it would be very easy to buy almost as many as you want.

25

To get a major with this you would have to have 465 points, and of course once you spend them you will be at a score of 29, but could still get a lot of minor virtues...

26

Yes, though my main point was once you get to 465 to spend your 30 points~ you'd then only need to get 30 more points before getting your second major virtue. So the first major requires you to accure 465 confidence points, but getting two only requires you to get 495.

Given what a large amount 465 points is, I don't see anyone getting there...at all, actually. But the minor virutes I could see. And you run into the same problem: grinding up to 120 points is hard. Getting a further 15 after that to get another is much less so.

27

I must admit that I totay got carried away. The bits with the bonus to rolls, substituting for vis, and repenishment. Those are the important ones. The rest is gravy and too much extra sauce.
I had wanted to create a mechanic to increase the confidence score. The invariabiity of characteristics nagged me, and Virtues seeemed too fit so natural at the time. I can totally just drop al that.

28

I don't actually mind their inclusion at all! I just wonder about the implementation. In that it's extremely expensive to get the ability to acquire them the first time, and then comparatively cheap to get them again. Where it seems to me the price should be uniform...?

Like...a flat 50/60/70 or something for, e.g., a minor virtue. Just a large - but not impossibly large to acquire - outlay of points. Making such things expensive (but not impossible!) to acquire, and mkaing subsequent purchases also expensive. Instead of making the first super, super expensive, and all subsequent ones quite cheap by comparison.

29

or simply eliminate the score limitation on spending for virtues and/or stats.

30

I support the idea of buying stats and virtues outside the pyramid scheme, but the costs may need to be a little higher.

Where do you want us to post our fortune total posts?

31

I made a player page on the wiki for me. (There are spoilers there).

32

Whence I next make it to the library, prolly Monday, I will create a thread in the Announcements section (up in the top box, where HRs and stuff are contained). PB's wiki page is also good, as is right here for now.

33

Ah. I see now it is an entry on Peregrine himself. I dig that idea. We should all do that (eventually, maybe).
I can be found n Facebook as Mark Faulkner, or maybe Marko Markoko.
Things I think you should add &/or need corecction...

  • Add all of Vibria's horded and unspent Confidence as Fortune points
  • Mention all the characters you play and/or have created in this saga.
  • Also, I know it is in your gaming history, but I have never witnessed you paying a Bjornaer. The closest so far is Guiverna.
  • A photo would be cool. I know what you and Xavi look like from FB. In my minds eye, Fixer looks like Cyborg from Teen Titans (because of his old icon from years ago).
  • Would you dare to share your real name?

...

34

Would that be on a 1:1 basis (e.g. 31 Confidence Points = 31 Fortune Points)?

35

minus three to fill your confidence pool, but yes.

36

Confidence
[tab][/tab]Confidence Points are used as normal, but are gained differently. Characters begin each story with their full allotment of Confidence points, which equals one plus twice their score. If it is a long story, Confidence may be recovered with proper rest and nourishment, as if Long Term Fatigue. One night’s rest recovers one point of Confidence or a Long Term Fatigue, not both. Confidence may not recover faster than Fatigue. A full day and night will recover one of each though.

Fortune
[tab][/tab]At the end of Stories, Players are awarded with points of Fortune. This is in replacement of the confidence award and is based on similar criteria. It is the Player that receives this award, not the characters. In the spirit of Troupe Style play, the Storyguide is also a player and deserves an award for running the story. The way this works is that the SG awards the other players, and they select one amongst themselves to decide what to award the SG.

Gaining Fortune
[tab][/tab]Awards typically range from 2 to 3 points. Exceptional performance could earn up to five. With that in mind, the award can be arbitrary three or based on more exacting standards. Participants deserve points for any of the following reasons…

  • Achieving a personal goal and/or contributing to the success of a group goal
  • Overcoming adversity, such as succeeding in a difficult task, triumphing against arduous obstacles, and enduring a lengthy story
  • Entertaining Roleplaying, Good Gaming, Meaningful Participation, and basically Running/Playing a Fun Story
  • Bonus: Receive a point or more for any good reason not already covered. This could be for doing something cool, an exceptional and well timed roll, a clever idea employed with success, being exceptionally entertaining, or some-such.

The Simple Way
[tab][/tab]Or you can keep it simple. Award 2 points for a Good Story/Performance, 3 for a Great one, and 4 if Excellent. The storyguide may assign one bonus point, and the one chosen to decide the storyguide award may assign one bonus point. No one can receive more than one bonus point, and no one may give the point to themselves.

Fortune Score
[tab][/tab]Look at the pyramid value of your Fortune Points. That is, the Art Score they would buy if they were Experience Points. This is your Fortune Score. For example, if you have six Fortune points your Score is 3. If you have seventeen your score is 5.
[tab][/tab]This is the limit on how many points you can use in any one instance, as defined below. Your score will naturally fluctuate as you gain and use Fortune, altering the amount you can use for the next instance.

Using Fortune
[tab][/tab]Fortune Points can be used for several benefits. There are many minor uses that will quickly eat up points, making it difficult to save up for greater benefits. The number of Fortune points that can be spent in any one instance equals the players Fortune Score at the time of the expenditure. Players may use & spend Fortune on any character they are playing or controlling at the time of the expenditure.
[tab][/tab]Instances of the use of Fortune and the Benefits are as follow…

  • Gain a Bonus to Active Rolls: Add +1 per point spent to the results of any roll in active “on-stage” play. Like Confidence, this can be done with multiple rolls in the same round, but cannot benefit seasonal activities. Also, like Confidence, the bonus can be added after the roll is made. Those with the Luck Virtue get a matching bonus of up to +3 if they spend the points before the roll. This can be spent in addition to Confidence and other bonuses. (Instance = Roll)
  • Substitute for Vis when Spellcasting. This costs two points per pawn, and each “pawn” adds two botch dice instead of one. The roll is always stressful even if mastered. The “vis” may be used in whatever way desired with the spell, but is used up the instant casting is finished (or interrupted). This can be a Ritual Spell, a Boosted Spell, a simple Casting Bonus, or whatever. This can only be done once per spell. (Instance = Spell)
  • Recover Energy: Fortune can enhance Recovery of Fatigue & Confidence. (Instance = Recovery Period)[list]
    [*]Short-Term Fatigue: Fatigue recovery is discussed in core rules, with the time required to restore one Short-Term level depending on a variety of factors. Fortune can be spent to recover additional levels in this interval (instead of waiting for the next few successive intervals). In the time it takes to recover one level, recover a second by spending 1 Fortune point, a third by spending 3, a fourth for 6, etceteras. The Long-Winded halve the cost (round up).
  • Long-Term Fatigue: It takes a full night’s rest to recover a single Long Term Fatigue Level. Fortune can be spent to increase the amount recovered in that interval. It takes 1 point to recover a second Long-Term level, 3 points for a third, and etcetera. The Long-Winded halve the cost (round up).
    []Confidence: It takes a full night’s rest to recover a Confidence point. It costs 1 Fortune point to recover a second, 3 for a third, etcetera. The Self-Confident halve this cost (round up).
    [list]Confidence may not be recovered faster than Fatigue, and only one level/point is recovered for free. So, it takes one night’s rest to recover one Long-Term Fatigue Level or Confidence Point for free. It costs 1 Fortune Point to recover one of each, 2 for two of one and one of the other, 4 for two of each, 6 for three and two, 9 for three of each, and etcetera. For those with half-costs for one or the other, the math is here before you.[/    :m][/list:u][/:m]
    [    ]Withstand Injury: Fortune can be used to lessen the severity of an Injury as it is being received. This is regardless of source; combat wound, poison, disease, magic, or whatever. It costs 1 point to turn a Light Wound into the loss of a Long-Term Fatigue Level. 3 points lessens a Medium Wound to a Light Wound, 6 reduces Heavy to Medium, and 10 to lower Incapacitated to Heavy. If the player is able to spend it, injury can be reduced several steps, with a minimum result of Fatigue Loss. (Interval = Injury as Received)[/:m]
    [    ]Survive Death: This depends on how dead the character should be. It takes 15 points to survive Probable Death, 21 for Apparent Death, 28 for Certain Death, and etcetera for magnitudes of severity beyond. This can be very harsh. So if you spend all your points and other players match that amount, the character survives even if the total falls short. (Instance = Survival of Death)[/:m]
    [    ]Helping Others: Players may spend their own points for the benefit of others, provided they are willing. This can be in addition to or instead of what that player is using in an instance[/:m]
    [    ]Awarding Others: A player may give out Fortune points to another player for any reason that strikes their fancy. This can be an award for doing something cool, a token of appreciation, bribery, or whatever. The award must take place during an receive story, and both players must be participants in that story. The fortune scores of both the giver and receiver limit how many points may be transferred (no more than the lowest score). A player may only gift a specific other player once per story, though one may give them out to and/or receive them from multiple players Personal award gifts are usually given out at the end of a story.[/*:m][/list:u][/list]
37

Okay, so Fleur had 8 confidence, Donna had 5 confidence, and I have gained 14 fortune since we started the fortune system, so that would be 14+5+2=21 fortune points for a score of 6, but where should I post that?

38

The numbers are correct and I see you found the proper spot. For others, it is the very top spot, the first post in the Announcements section which is at the head of our forum page.
Found HERE.

39

...and added myself. I wouldn't swear my count is correct because I'm not sure I've tracked confidence correctly. Antoine had 5, meaning 2 become Fortune points; then I gained 4, 4 and 2 from Doppelgangers, CoB and Into the Levant. 12 points, score of 4.

40

did we remove the ability of fortune points to add to SQ for one season? The stats and virtues/flaws part was a bit complicated but I really liked the idea of learning faster with fortune points...