K.I.C.K. is staffed by a wide variety of weird and wonderful people and beings.
My idea was, originally, to mix the World of Darkness "splats" together, but with a system as flexible as Risus, you can have an urban wizard, a time-travelling refugee, a "normal" agent, a mad scientist, an ogre and a psychic flying alien monkey/bear hybrid all in the same team - and not only will the system be able to handle all these, they will all be pretty well playable in the same group.
It also allows all the players to shine - those who take non-combat powers and cliches, like Psychic Empath or Mad Scientist to shine - a psychic battle or working to make the right gadget IN A CAVE, WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS can be easily modelled using the system. And, of course, if they can figure out a way to use them in combat (and provide a hilarious explanation), even better!
I envision it as my "fallback" game - when player's don't turn up, or we have an extra last-minute game, or to wind down after a serious campaign. The idea of each session being a "mission" really helps, but it also opens up the campaign ideas - either a series of unconnected missions, or maybe a full-on plot, like an alien invasion or zombie apocalypse.
Also, I want to work out a few cliches the group can use as inspiration, or to stich together to form a character if they're lacking time or creativity.
Agent - weaponry, fighting, investigation, being the "normal" one of the group
Alien - weird tech, crazy accent, being out of place, crazy "alien" psychic powers
Demonically Possessed - speaking backwards, a knowledge of the arcane, putting on the Game Face, creepy powers
Everyman Hero - scraping through no matter the odds, thinking outside the box, having little knowledge about the "weird", Weapon Proficiency: Half Brick
Post-Modern Magician - "modern" magic with cellphones, computers etc, weird new-age philosophy, knowing about "consenus reality" (whatever that is)
Time Traveller - crazy future tech (that might as well be magic), knowing things that haven't happened yet, laughing at "old superstitions" like religion and "gravity"
Vampire (old) - seduction, turning into a bat/wolf/mist, being hard to kill, wearing capes and full dinner jackets, not drinking... wine, shrieking at holy symbols
Vampire (modern) - looking hot, being forever young, being strong and fast, attracting teenage girls, sparkling in sunlight (rumours of turning into unicorns unsupported)
Zombie - being dead, connecting to the spirit world, not needing to eat, breathe, feel pain
Remember, these are just a sample of what you can use in Risus - it's that easy and simple. None of these are exhaustive either - if he can explain it, the Everyman Hero can use his cliche to disbelieve the supernatural, win a drinking contest (if he's that kind of everyman), whatever he (and I) think would be appropriate.
Just a small sample, but seriously - I'll take everyone from Rambo to Gandalf to Jesus to Mork. So long as the character makes me laugh, it's all good.
I remember you talking about this game a while back. It sounded interesting, but I was worried that such a diverse group would lack focus. This new concepts sounds a lot better.
ReplyDeleteTechnically, it's the same concept, but I've got a bit better at explaining it!
ReplyDeleteI wrote it up as a submission for the MiniSix game, but it never came to fruition - perhaps having it all written down help to solidify and bind the concept together...