I have a hard time getting comfortable with spending experience on elements outside the character, unless there is a way to recycle that experience if something happens to the external element.
What happens if a Hound invests special abilities in a pet, and it dies? Is the upgrade about learning how to invest this power in a pet, so the Hound can start with a new one and add the ability? Can the Hound sell it, and then invest the power in a new animal for free as a down time project to make some extra coin?
Or does the character just lose the experience and special ability until it is purchased with Coin by getting a similarly gifted animal? Is it impossible for a Hound to buy an animal with special qualities because it requires experience and a playbook special ability?
If a Lurk wants to buy a pet with a special ghost ability, does the Lurk need to get the Veteran special ability and take this off the Hound’s playbook to do it? Is that in addition to coin?
Because experience is involved, there is this abstract cost that is added to the potential concrete cost of having to pay coin (which you don’t have to do in picking up other special abilities.) Or you just get lucky and find one, or conduct a heist to steal one.
Just something I’m reflecting on as I review the playbooks.
My recommendation: give the Hound the ability to BOND with animals who have special abilities. That’s entirely within the character, who can choose to get an animal it will work with.
Having not played this yet (I’m trying to get a group started), my thought is that the Hound is able to invest those powers into its hunting companion… and also keep it under control.
If the Hound wants to sell it, I’d make it a “downtime project” of some sort – finding a buyer willing and able to pay for such a beast, vetting their ability to control it once the Hound hands it over, that kind of thing. If the Hound doesn’t want to put that much effort into finding an ideal buyer, have it come up as a complication down the road.
If the Lurk wants to buy a pet with a special ghost ability, taking the Hound’s ability via Veteran ensures they can control their new acquisition. if they just buy it outright, maybe increase the cost – and make them roll Attune/Invoke when it would make sense that the beast would turn on its owner.
Just spitballing, and again, no experience with actual play yet, but I think that’s how I’d try to handle it (to start, anyway).
Kelly Dawson There are lots of ways to interpret it. The actual special ability doesn’t say anything at all about control. That could be your spin on it.
Focusing on an ability to connect either with a special animal or by infusing it with spirit ability would get to the same place but be clearer.
Maybe clarity is not a goal. Ambiguity has its place. Still, I’m not comfortable with it how it stands.
I like that the rule is amorphous Andrew. You could find a new pet if one dies (of a species of your choice) – Sure it could be downtime or a heist to acquire it, but that’s fun no and sends the story in unexpected directions?
Nathan Roberts Some ambiguity is fine, other ambiguity causes problems. I think it would be unfortunate for the player to take a character with one expectation, and find out from the GM that the world won’t work that way. So you can’t do what you thought you could do.
I am fine with all the players sharing power, but I also think it is important to provide some clear sense of what kind of power the special ability represents. I know every group will make Duskwall their own, but this doesn’t feel like an intentional looseness so much as an unhelpful laxness, to me.
It’s just a piece of gear like any other.
You are not taking these people into account, Ben Jarvis.
http://ih1.redbubble.net/image.39971695.9432/fc,550×550,black.u2.jpg
Gotta be hard, most dogs are there to die.
For those players I would threaten the Dog mercilessly. Not ‘take away their stuff’ per se, but try and involve their prized pet in every Devil’s bargain I could come with. Make their Pet lusted after by some highly prominent NPC / Faction.
Get all Burning Wheel on their precious little scoundrel arses.
Oh so your pet Eagle is your heart and soul huh? What about NOW? (insert some extremely tempting difficult choice that threatens the sanctity of the pet).
Play styles vary.
Ben Jarvis Dungeon crawlers with war dogs should expect their dogs to die, sure. I get the impression Hounds are more aristocratic, with prize animals they value more than their servants.
Nathan Roberts Sometimes players see that you’re focusing on the pet as an interesting aspect of play. And sometimes they feel if they attach themselves to anything it is a vulnerability that will be punished. Your plan works pretty well with players who are excited about being at the center of complications. It’s not a good plan for engaging people who are excited about getting to play cool characters who are good at their jobs.
Your mileage may vary.
Nathan Roberts has nailed it, my players have called me the scambler for years because I dangle hard/double edged choices and have gunned after the “things” they acquired.
Some players just want the rule of cool and if they pay for it, it is sacrosanct