I need some input for the latest version of A NOCTURNE, and since it shares a lot of DNA with Blades (I consider it a kind of side-hack – it uses different dice, but still has pushing, stress, a crew-like shared sheet, etc.), this is probably the best place for it. I’m heavily reworking the playbooks, but I’ve only got 4 fleshed out so far and could use some general ideas for more.
To recap: in A NOCTURNE, the players are the crew of the spitter craft, an old and weird interstellar spacecraft. You only ever crew up on a spitter craft if you’ve left common society behind. Common society is the Panhuman Diaspora, the scattered worlds of our unevenly transhuman future. The idea of each playbook is that it not only suggests your capabilities, but also the reason why you left common society behind (or were forced to leave).
So far, I’ve got The Killer (driven out because they committed some violent act, or left so they could do their dark deeds without consequence – special abilities are all about violence and intimidation), The Forgotten (a blank, considered a non-person by regular society, or someone who’s willingly fallen through the cracks – special abilities are all about stealth and manipulating others’ perceptions), The Broken (a shattered individual, closer to machines than their fellow panhumans – special abilities are all about systems and technical stuff), and The Explorer (left of their own volition to seek out new worlds and new civilisations – sort of the Captain Kirk archetype – special abilities are all about taking fast and decisive action, exploration, and being an agent of change).
So essentially, what are some more cool or interesting reasons for someone leaving the Panhuman Diaspora behind and joining the wretched motley of a spitter crew?
What about a Changeling type? Either mixed heritage or wholly alien, but ended up far from home, trying to find “my people.”
Andrew Shields I like it. I had an Alien playbook in the last few versions, but it always lacked some focus. Being of strange or unknown heritage in an unfamiliar and frightening society is rich with possibilities.
You could also have “the Overloaded” who has too much cybernetic or mutation meddling and doesn’t work right; they aimed at optimization, but something went wrong, and it’s too expensive or difficult to fix the experiment, so you get written off. Yeah, some unusual abilities, but is it worth it for the problems?
If there is “magic” or an equivalent like the ghost field to make rolling attune or something similar relevant, then make a class about it! “The Occultist” was shunned from society for studying dark rituals, and now searches the black for deeper knowledge or connection to some sinister power.
Also, make a charismatic social manipulator character like the slide, maybe “the Charlatan”, kicked out for running cons on the gullible saps still in the diaspora, out there searching for a quick buck.
Basically, each class in blades has one “primary” stat to start with, that might be a good place to start.
Alexander Speirs There’s no magic, but there’s certainly room for a playbook that’s all about playing around with the tech that makes physics cry, like counter-causal computing, teleportation, and the like, or is into weird practices around said technology. That said, the Broken and Forgotten already fill similar niches.
The Charlatan is a good catch. I’d already been workshopping two playbooks (Criminal and Despot) that could easily be melded into one under that title to clean things up a bit.
Sounds good, techno-wizardry is awesome.
Continuing in my stats based rant, you may want an alternative combat-ish class to the killer, like the Hound. Perhaps “the Hunter” is a fringe-element bounty hunter or gunslinger, fighting the powers that be, or just looking for some revenge.
Oh and because I’m currently playing the scum and villainy hack (you should check it out), I’d be remiss if I didn’t say you should have a mechanic class to keep the ship flying, though you might be able to combine that with your tech dude you just mentioned.
Alexander Speirs I’ve definitely been eyeing Scum & Villainy for inspiration. Yeah, the mechanic thing is already covered by The Broken and whatever the techno-wizard is gonna be called (I might combine it with Andrew’s idea for The Overloaded). The Hunter is another great one, though, sneak a bit of that space western flavour in there – I’m even tempted to name it The Outlaw, actually.
I really like the idea of your driving force being your playbook and the variety between the playbooks you have so far. Seems like it’ll feel quite different from Blades in the way. Great job.
Someone whose beliefs are anathema or dangerous? Maybe The Heretic? They could have some Charisma/cult leader type moves, maybe something about surviving the approbation of others. The Playbook could cover a spectrum from the ultra-religious to political dissidents to those who reject transhumanism.
David Harrison Digging it. I was trying to think about how to do a playbook around dissidents and rejecting Panhuman society, but you nicely encapsulated a good angle for it.
Glad you like it! I’ve looked over your A Nocturne stuff a couple of times and I like it – I look forward to seeing more!
For the explorer, I suggest the explorer did not obey lines about what we can experience and investigate, and what must remain a mystery. So how was the explorer crossing taboo lines? The explorer could represent a failure to respect secrets and mystery.