MIRIN SCASSELLATI
Designer, Maker, Student
Game Mechanics
In all of our games, each player has their own system for using magic. We find it adds interesting flavor and dimension to a story-based RPG. Each character sheet goes through extensive workshopping and (when possible) play-testing to find mechanics that allow for cool spotlight moments and good balance within the party/game. Here are two of my favorites:
Melodie (Resurrection)
Sirens are often portrayed in two different ways--the alluring temptress with beautiful feminine features, or the monstrous sea creature with a mouth full of sharp teeth.
For Melodie, we wanted to capture both. Her mechanic, Monstrosity, forces her to balance being skilled societally and using her magic.
I always love mechanics that give players an excuse to do things that are cool or fun, even if they're not the smartest option--the game is a lot more interesting that way! It was really important to me that all of Melodie's "handicaps" were things that would make things harder for the characters but more fun for the players. Sure, Melodie loosing her restraint and flirting with the wizard they're supposed to be attacking may not be good for the characters, but it is a really fun player moment!
Sir Theodore (Revelation)
If Melodie's mechanic was intended to help the character inhabit the deviousness of a siren, Theodore's character sheet was the opposite.
Theodore had a strict code of honor. Every time he upheld one of them, the box got checked; if he failed to do something, we removed the check. However many checks was how many "honor" he had.
The simplicity of this character sheet worked really nicely--it was easy to track and uphold--but my favorite part of it is the way it built up the character. It became a recurring joke in the party--they'd arrive somewhere, and wait for Ted to run around and open up all the car doors. It also helped keep the pace of the game moving, since the rest of the party's desire to carefully deliberate was countered by Ted's "this is a challenge! I never refuse a challenge!"
Plus, I'm always a fan of a little foreshadowing. Before our last session, one of our Theodore's mentioned "I've spent the whole game with "suffer not a dragon to live" unchecked. That's either some great foreshadowing, or a fun piece of character building." I'll never forget his fact when they realized that the evil mayor--the one named Drago--was a shapeshifter...