So, I am thinking about Roll to Priest again - so much so that I would have started it tonight if I hadn't spent the time updating Magnificent Timelord instead.
Inspired by the re-occurrence of the anonymous deathmatch, I thought I would start it with an anonymous priestmatch, and THEN whittle the numbers down to 4 using an initial non-anonymous team priest-off where the priests, in three teams, have to complete an identical task in three difference villages, and the losers go onto the waitlist.
I think I even have a storyline, which mostly abandons my previous episode idea, which, unfortunately, I can't remember enough about, four month later...
(I was black, Theodolus was red, I replied in purple)
Roll to Priest
Priestly Objective:
Each priest has an objective to complete over the episode. I haven’t decided yet if that should be public or PM based. Probably public for simplicity. But then PMs would mean more/better potential conflict. Tying this in with the Lead Priest idea, how about having a Public Objective given by Father X and a Private Objective (given via PM) that each of the priests have to fulfill? So Father B's Private Objective would be to see the wet t-shirt contest. He must somehow manage to achieve this while also fulfilling Father X's command to show a group of children around the fair (for instance). I quite like a variant of this idea kind of mixed with what monk suggests below.
Priestly Character Classes:
Each priest has to have something of the stereotype about him. Thus, although character classes can also be proposed, there will be a selection of classes to choose from: the Ditz, the Bore, the Novice, the Embezzler, the Drunk, the Womaniser, the Drunk-Womaniser. Or I may give set classes for each episode, or from the beginning, and then players can choose on a first come first served basis (this would be because perhaps certain storylines need certain character types. Hmm).Not a lot to suggest here other than it could work either way. I suppose it really depends on how much control you want the players to have over their possible Private Objectives. If you limit them to pre-determined stereotypes you would already have a decent idea of what sort of Objectives they would be pursuing. Yes, it would be easier for the GM.
Priest Points:
These are awarded primarily for accomplishing your priestly objective for the episode. They can also be awarded at the GM’s discretion for priestliness. At the end of the episode, the priest with the least Priest Points is replaced by the leading waitlister.
Shame Points:
These are awarded for causing priestly embarrassment. I can’t remember their purpose right now though. They did have one last night.
Priest/Shame Points: It seems to me that it would be easiest to just have a Piety score or something like that and have Priest points be a positive modifier to that score and Shame points be a negative modifier. At least in my brain that makes logical sense, but you may have been shooting for something else with it. This does sound simpler than what I've thought of. The problem is I can't quite remember the eureka moment of when I thought of Shame Points and what they were for. Blast.
Lead Priest:
I haven’t decided about this yet, but there may be a lead priest in each episode – the X in the title Father X. Certain things may be written from his perspective but I am unsure about any game mechanics aside from this. Other than handing out Objectives it seems this character would really just be the GM character/narrator. Good to inject humor or unexpected elements in to the game when you feel like it might be getting a little stale. Hmm, I don't know if I want such an important NPC, and here I think I prefer monk's idea. There is a Lead Priest who must get his gaggle of priests to be priestly, but they are busy thinking about wet tshirts and the like.
Waitlist:
Each episode will of course have many minor characters. Waitlisters will be encouraged to suggest actions for these NPCs, and the most successful suggester each turn will get a waitlister point. At the end of the episode, the waitlister with the most waitlister points will be the leading waitlister, and will replace the evicted priest. Perhaps this interaction will result in further Priest or Shame Points being made available. I like the idea of giving waitlisters a way to participate, but there should probably be some sort of rule like a 'generation' rule. So all gen 1 waitlisters would be rotated in before a gen 2 waitlister could play. Gen 1 would be anyone who hadn't had a turn yet. Gen 2 (or 3, 4, etc) would be someone who had already had one or more turns to play. That way even if a Gen 2 person has a higher waitlist score someone who may not have had as good luck with suggestions will still get to play. That might be fairer, I guess. I hadn't given it enough thought, and certainly wasn't presumptuous enough to think I'd have layers of waitlisters...
Character Sheet:
Name:
Class:
Bio: (optional: includes either why the character is a priest, or why he has been exiled to Rolly Island)
Example Storyline:
There is a village fair this weekend. Father A wants to go on the ferris wheel, but he has priestly obligations (he has his first funeral to hold) and is scared of heights. Father B wants to see the wet tshirt competition. Father C wants the tv crew documenting his work as a rural priest to see him (and his fellow priests) in a good light. Father D needs to steal the village fair raffle takings to pay off the money he owes.
In any case, I'd be interested in playing in this if you ever do get it up and running. 
Thank you. Interesting.
Note- I have no knowledge of the source material.
Shame Points seem like they'd be the analog of HP- suffering too much Shame would cause the character to retreat to their rectory. Each Priest runs the risk of being shamed for their actions, either from screaming like a little girl on the Ferris Wheel or getting caught stealing or whatever. Priest actions are based on trying to accomplish their objectives while minimizing risk of Shame.
I do like the Lead Priest idea- personally, I'd run it where he's the only one with an altruistic/noble goal. His role is more difficult because he needs to coordinate the other Priests to accomplish it (and we all know how well RTDers work together,) and he suffers Shame if he has to directly help the other Priests with their sinful work. This gives him the difficult choice of getting Shamed and also getting a Priest to help him, or staying pure and having their main task made much more difficult.
Which leads to my argument for secret objectives- the Lead Priest has a public objective he gets lots of Priest Points from accomplishing, and ostensibly all the other priests have the same objective. However, they get many more points from completing their secret objective(s), so they'll volunteer for tasks that make it easier to complete said objectives or even abandon their assigned task in an attempt to complete the secret goal.
Thanks, very good. What would be the incentive then for normal Priests to go along with the episode's main storyline i.e. the Lead Priest's main objective?
Also, maybe the Shame Points could have a certain threshold, say, 5 Points of Shame, at which point the Priest in question would have to er... yes, why not, retreat to the rectory or for each point he doesn't receive minus one Priest Point. Hmm.
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Topic: Roller's Block (RTD Brainstorming Thread) (HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY) (Derm is 5k) (Read 740096 times)