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Getting the most from your Descriptors
Tue, 10/22/2013 - 6:55am | 
Kergillian
Getting the Most out of your Descriptors
Descriptors are one of the Most useful, yet I suspect, most underused character elements in the BareBones FRPG. I suspect that this is do in part to a misunderstanding of just what a descriptor is, and how they can be used. Probably the main reason players (and GMs) don't understand descriptors is that in the BareBones rulebook, they don't really say much about them, other than they are used for earning DPs. In truth, they are good for much more than that.
”Specify Descriptors – Descriptors are phrases or words that describe something prominent about your character. Some are negative such as “always irritable” or “drinks too much ale.” Others can be positive such as “likes to sing” or “smooth with the ladies.” Specify one positive/beneficial and one negative/hindering descriptor. Some examples: skilled woodsman, afraid of magic; sexy as hell, sucker for a pretty face; charming, speaks with slur. You’ll earn development points (DP) by demonstrating your character’s descriptors during a game session. “ -BBF pg5
Using Descriptors as Advantages and Disadvantages
As stated in step 5 of character creation, some descriptors can be negative and some can be positive. Although no actual game mechanics are given for the use of descriptors as such, a wise GM will take descriptors into consideration when calling for rolls. You don't need any new rules to cover using descriptors in this manner, simply take a quick look unde the GM Guidelines (BBF pg 32) under Ad-hoc Modifiers. “Simple Ad-hoc Modifiers – For each situation that would aid a character, grant a +10 to the chance of success. For each situation that would hinder a character, impose a -10 to the chance of success.” Using this rule the GM would be justified giving a character with the descriptor “Sings Well” +10 to any attempts to impress while singing. Likewise a descriptor such as “Bad Breath” would justify a -10 to any up close and personal social interactions. Sometimes a descriptor will have a larger effect. Take “Can't Swim” as an example. A GM might subtract 10 from any rolls to avoid drowning and declare the character disadvantaged on any STR roll to actually swim. (In the first instance the character keeps their head above water, in the second, they paddle to shore.)
Using Descriptors to Define your character
Some times a descriptor will negate the need for a roll altogether. “Illiterate” as a descriptor means your character can't read. No roll needed. These kinds of descriptors help to really define who your character is and how they see the world. This is the main motive behind descriptors, getting you to think about who your character is and what motivates them. It is also an opportunity for your GM to think about your character, and to tailor a bit of the adventure to play into your descriptors. Usually, these defining descriptors should simply be role played. It might be tempting to give a character with “Sucker for a pretty face” a -10 to resist the charms of a femme fatale, but you would be doing it wrong. PC should always get to chose their own actions (barring the use of magic). In this case if the character plays to their descriptor and succumbs to the lady's charms, they are rewarded with DP, if they resist temptation and play against character, they lose the reward.
Using Descriptors to Describe your character
In there simplest form a descriptor can simply describe you character. If order for a physical feature to qualify as a descriptor it needs to be significant enough to come into play. “Dark Hair” would be insufficient, but “Has long dark hair, always worn in a long braid” would. If the descriptor could be used to identify someone out of a line-up, or even better, be used to describe someone to a third person who has never seen them, then it would count. Any time that Descriptor is used to identify the PC, then it counts for DP.
Gaining and losing Descriptors
As characters advance, they grow and evolve. Sometimes it becomes necessary to lose or change a descriptor. Generally speaking, any descriptor that doesn't come into play at least once over six or seven sessions should probably be dropped. All you need to lose a descriptor is the GM's permission. If you do lose one (should your illiterate halfling ever learn to read) you'll most likely want something to replace it with. All you need to get a new descriptor is a plausible reason and the GM's okay. You should never have more than two (three if you are human) descriptors, and you should always try to keep at least two.
Let's take a look at a few hypothetical descriptors and see how we can handle them.
Larry decides to play a pirate, and he wants the pirate to have a peg leg. If we want, we could impose a small movement penalty, or we could simply define it as cosmetic. With a movement penalty, Larry can expect to get DP almost every session, as movement almost always comes into play. If it's a cosmetic thing, and having no real game effect, he would only get DP when the peg leg comes into play. (“Go my minions! Find the man with the per leg and bring him to me!”; “Why, yes, I can describe him. He had a peg leg, you can't miss him!”; “We must put an end to this vampire, one and for all! Hand me your leg!”)
Picking your descriptors
Every character picks one “good” and one “bad” descriptor. Humans get a third that can be either. Personality traits make some of the best descriptors because they come into play whenever you want them too.
Just role play them and they earn you DP. When choosing a descriptor, keep in mind how often you want it to come into play and how it come's into play. As a general rule, a descriptor cannot give you a combat bonus, though it might give you a limited role play bonus. If you want to take “Really good with a sword” you would still use your Warrior skill to attack with a sword. However, hit or miss, you'll look good doing it. If looking good with a sword somehow comes into play, you'll get DP, otherwise all you get is the satisfaction of knowing the goblin's you killed were real impressed as you killed them.
When picking descriptors, start with your character in mind. What things stand out? What do you want others to notice about your character? Having a Dark Secret might make for some great role playing, but keep in mind you'll only get DP when that dark secret comes to haunt you. Of course, if your dark secret inspires your GM it may become the focus of a series of adventures. In that case you would be getting plenty of DP and a great set of adventures centered around your character, which is win/win for everybody.
Things to Avoid
You should avoid descriptors that drive your character away from group play. Descriptors that are annoying or otherwise detrimental to party cohesion should be avoided. RPGs are a group activity, and you should strive to make the experience fun for every one. Having Loner as a descriptor might make sense, but it make it difficult for the GM to keep you involved with the rest of the party. Likewise destructive and disruptive descriptors might be fun or funny to play, they can quickly get out of hand. It might be funny to have your Pyromaniac dwarf burn down the village, but it will also bring a campaign to a screeching halt.
Putting a little thought into your descriptors can go a long way to fleshing out your character, but it can do more than that. It can help drive adventures, create drama and opportunities. BareBones Fantasy is a group game, one where everyone works together to create a fun, exciting experience. Choosing and using your descriptors can go a long way towards making a character memorable, and a campaign epic.
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This is a really useful article Kergillian. Could you edit it and put in some paragraph breaks? They didn't come through when you pasted this.
Posted it from my phone. I'll fix it when I get a chance.
Hey Kergillian, I really dug your write up and decided to take the time to edit your initial post using your doc as a guideline. Hope that's alright with you!
Have you had a Player try to 'game the system' on DP yet?
I have.
ME- So sorry about your last character...so any thoughts about a replacement yet?
Player 1- Already rolled him up during that wild drunken wake the others played through. Since my poor Scout/Enchanter met such a tragic end I thought my next PC would be a little more lighthearted..
ME-Ummm, you single-handedly saved the party by ramming the Giant in the groin with a levitating coracle, hurling a Baby Velociraptor familiar down his throat, setting off a bandolier of Kaboomite while wearing it and leaving a molten glass memorial! I wouldn't call it tragic so much as Badass-
P1- Even so, even so. Here's the new guy.
ME- Dead average Abilities, highest only a 57 in LOG...Scholar/Enchanter, Primary in Scholar, Secondary in Thief and NO combat skills at all, 1/2 of 42...wow. And you're going on adventures because?
P1- Weeel, a little 'I Quit!' prank by my former apprentice resulted in some property damage to the Guildhall, and some, er, minor but inconvenient injuries to myself that won't heal on their own.The reagents have intermingled in my blood you see, and normal cures seem to be of no avail..
ME- Wait, WAIT. Your Descriptors are 'Blind as a Bat', 'Deaf as a Post' and 'Horribly Burned'? This-this is going to affect almost every...roll ...you...make!
P1- And until I find my cure, i'll be getting 3 DP per session, enabling me to 'catch up' to the party!
Player Two/Dwarf Bodyguard- Either that or you'll trip on the nearest tree-root and DIE! Still, we owe the Guild a favor, this should be fun!
ME- Wait, the rest of you are okay with this?
Player Three/Elven Scout/Cleric: Our PCs will likely hate his guts for being such an anchor-but OOC? Let's give Mr Suicide Solution a try-out!
ME- Sigh.
(Later)
P1- Ah, the Post Office at last...excuse me little boy, my vision isn't what it once was, i'll give you two copper hounds to guide me to the Crow's Wing Inn, I know it's nearby-
P2-(Sputters) Boy? BOY? This IS the Crow' Wing you decrepit zombie!
P1- ZOMBIE!! (whirls, catches sleeve on coat rack) NOT ON MY WATCH! Here Boy, take my cat and get behind your Mother over there! (points to MALE Elf)
P3- I'm not his Mother! This is a KILT! And that is a DWARF! Holding....a...skunk...Oh Burning Sky, tell me he's not-
P1-AHHHHGGGHH!!!! (wrestles coat rack to the ground and hits it with his walking stick until it is dead)
P3-Aye, the Guildie we're ta find a cure for. Aye told 'em to double our fee, favor or no'..
P1-Hah, hah, huh...I..may be no...warrior, but, but no Zombie will harm a child while Llarren Magu still breathes!
ME-OH MY GOD Mr Magoo! You heartless SOB I LOVED that show! (Falls out of chair laughing)
P1-Madam, madam I implore you-this town is under attack by the Undead! You must help me find the Adventurers known as the Hand of Urishor, we need reinforcements, NOW!
P3-IT IS A KILT!!!
(later that night)
P1- Porter! Yes, Porter I say! Hold my Dagger and backpack for a moment while I unsling this map, can't see a thing in this blasted mist-
Ghoul-(looks at backpack, then at Dagger piercing cold dead heart-yes, Magu rolled an 11 out of 21!) Noooo Braainsss? (expires for second time)
P1- Yes, yes I know it's raining, we'll negotiate your salary in a moment...taking a break ALREADY? You're FIRED!
(Much, much later, early False Dawn)
P1- See, what did I tell you? I may be no warrior, nor woodsman, but I CAN be useful once in a while! You just let me handle negotiations and the financial end of things-nothing wrong with my nose, and I can sniff out a bargain, can't I?
P2-But that's-
P3-Shh. Let him have this.
P1-On Lightning! Giddyap!
Lightning-Mooooo?
So, be careful with those Descriptors!
Oh, Magu, you've done it again!
LMAO!
My son's dwarf had a descriptor "Doesn't believe in Halflings." He claimed they are just skinny dwarves who call themselves something else to avoid being made fun of by dwarves like HIM (>flexes muscles<). I almost rejected it until I thought it through... it was FUN!
Now that! is really really funny!
The amazing thing is that Llarren Magu still hasn't died yet-the other PCs keep intervening every time Darwin tries to claim the poor guy! The PCs are alternating between making fun of Magu behind his back and giving him help when he needs it-while Magu sails on obliviously, playing 'fetch' with mountain lions, writing in his journal with an empty inkwell and setting up camp less than 40 feet from a nearby village. Every moment with LLarren Magu has been sheer comedic genius...
Until this past Saturday, when suddenly it was not funny at all...because Magu's player is an utterly brilliant SOB.
After a long, exhausting slog through a mire and a lackluster meal, the party settled down to sleep-and even though both the Dwarf Surna Cutter and Elf Llanwe Rohhn had agreed in advance that Magu was incapable of taking watch, still there was a bit of jealousy that the Scholar could sleep the entire night. Rather than dwell on bitter truths, they decided to raise their spirits with a lighthearted prank-ransack Magu's backpack, substitute some milkweed for his Goldleaf tea and rearrange a few things to make life even more interesting for him. To their surprise they found:
A latticework of braces inside, holding everything securely with leather straps. Each strap had a different pattern made of tiny bronze tacks. With practice, you could locate anything in the pack by touch...
A fully-stocked Alchemist's Kit, with each reagent wrapped in leather and Dwarven runes carved deep into the parchment, again for ID by touch...
Two jars of honey/aloe burn salve (both nearly empty)and a bottle of seawater to rinse the eyes...
A silver shaving mirror in a bronze frame-bent,scratched and twisted almost beyond recognition, as if beaten against stones..
An empty inkwell and a quill, the tip replaced with a tiny blade...and a journal.The pages were parchment as thick as a bull's hide, and the writing(Dwarven Runes again) had been cut into the pages so as to be read by sight or touch.
To their credit, the Dwarf and Elf felt a twinge of remorse-but they read the journal anyway. Here are a few of the excerpts that Magu's player read to the rest of us in a flat, dead voice:
'The fog in my eye is lighter as we reach noon, but the spots brighter, so just as useless to me...still, I smell the brine air that indicates the Urlote pass, and then only another week of hard travel before the mountainous region. I fear those fancy horses of theirs will lame themselves upon the rocky trail, and then my companions will wish for as surefooted a mount as my Westcote Steer. Perhaps Waystead will have some mules to spare...'
'The unguents are of no use, save to prevent sepsis-the fog and the roaring will not abate. Sometimes I pretend I am journeying by the Seaside in a storm rather than alone in the twinkling fog that turns men into ghosts-a conceit that may yet claim my life if I ever forget that the rest of the world is not so inconvenienced...As for the marks on my face, I only pray they continue to knit.Those who have remarked upon them have been somewhat-charitable-of late as to my looks, but I can feel the thick leathery beardless ruin quite well enough with my fingers.Most telling is that my companions, who have no qualms against calling my mount a Stallion (as if my Wits were as damaged as my senses)or trying to slip Evergreen leaves into my food(nothing wrong with my Nose you clods) have not once brought up my face for mockery. If pity stills their tongues I know that the burns are not mending...'
'I divorce you.
I divorce you.
I divorce you.
There, I have said it-in my heart, where I have married us already though our Vows not yet witnessed. I swear that if I do not return whole I shall release you-and if I fail to return you will be released regardless. Be happy Brynna, and it will be enough for me that you live and love...'
'I can't stop shaking, I can't breathe...did I really try to pull our Elven guide to safety with a gigantic Swamp Adder? It CAN'T be true...if it is true why are they laughing about it rather than drowning me in the mire? No, they are having some joke at my expense-but surely two of the Hand of Urishor would not be so cruel-are they of the Hand? For all I know that Writ could have been a piece of Butcher's wrap...No, no if they were bandits I would have been robbed and slain before a single night's travel. I must have faith...'
'Oh great Eleroth I have dwelt by your oceans from boyhood and slept with your tides murmuring in my veins...I am well inland now but wherever there is even a brook or marsh there is a piece of you near. I am lost in a fog that deadens sound and eats light, as lost as any sailor in a Southwater gale, and I long for your comforting coolness..
I beg of you, please don't let them leave me.
I beg of you, please don't let me get them killed.
Please don't let me die alone, far from shore, without seeing the brilliant emeralds of your seas, and hearing the subtle hiss of your spray...'
The next morning, Surna Cutter and Llanwe Rohhn had sewn shiny brass buckles across their jackets to twinkle in the sun, and took care to project their voices while not actually shouting...and upon reaching Waystead, the Dwarven bodyguard painted the tips of blunted practice weapons with bright shiny white paint and began to teach Magu such weaponcraft as he could master.
I am going to have to have a long talk with my Players about how much DP i'm handing out for Moments of Awesome-maybe substitute some of those extra DP with free Story Bones instead? Otherwise Magu's player and I will have to discuss when we change some or all of his Descriptors lest the PC either die a horrible senseless death or eventually earn enough DP to become Daredevil. Oh well, worse problems to have, right? :)