Is It Possible That I'm Over-thinking Risus?

Dr Rotwang! · August 08, 2007, 10:09:39 AM

I'm looking at the game again (following the suggestion that it'd be good for Futurama, but I'm not looking to use it for Futurama), and I think I'm thinking about it too hard.

Mainly, it's this: I keep coming up with single cliches that define the character too well. Then I'm left with 6 dice that I don't know what to do with.

I'm sure the Companion has answers to my questions, but Ross hasn't got back to me on how to buy it from him without using PayPal (which my wife doesn't trust) or HyperBooks (whose security certificate seems to have expired).

The book is sold, no matter what. I want it and I'll buy it. But if anyone who knows the Mysteries of Risus could shine a light for me...I'd be right thanksome.

jrients · August 08, 2007, 10:14:21 AM

Could you give me an example of a one cliche PC? Not an NPC that you would use as a GM, but a PC.

Dr Rotwang! · August 08, 2007, 10:17:09 AM

Samurai Jack
Forlorn, misplaced samurai badass (4)

Maybe I just need to expand the concepts...?

JamesV · August 08, 2007, 10:30:57 AM

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!Samurai Jack
Forlorn, misplaced samurai badass (4)

Hmm.

I took a moment to look at the example cliches from the rules on page 2 and I think it helps to follow their format. Think of a few activites that directly related to that cliche. So Forlorn, misplaced samurai badass (4) becomes:

Samurai (4) - Quick and deadly swordplay, flower arranging, calm determination

Now that you have a better idea of the cliche's coverage, you can pick the others.

ghost rat · August 08, 2007, 10:35:21 AM

I have encountered this also, and I think it's one of the things that pushes it towards being a comedic game. It's easier to stat up characters with wildly disparate abilities, and even then, I have to "cheat" and make double-pump Clichés sometimes. Frex:

Erin Esurance
Saccharine Secret Agent [4]
Online Insurance Salesperson (2)

If Samurai Jack, in addition to being a forlorn, misplaced samurai badass, was an insurance claims adjuster or a plumber, that would merit another Cliché, but takes him from solid awesome closer to comedy. (Not great comedy, but still...)

Sosthenes · August 08, 2007, 10:40:40 AM

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!Samurai Jack
Forlorn, misplaced samurai badass (4)

Samurai (4)
Badass (3)
Misplaced (3)

is one possible solution. On the other hand, "Samurai" as a cliche is almost all-encompassing enough to double-pump it.

Dr Rotwang! · August 08, 2007, 10:41:58 AM

On t'other hand, if you look at this excerpt from the Comapnion, you get stuff like

A Surly Northern Barbarian Woman Eager to Taste the Blood of the Coastlanders (3) isn’t any more or less “powerful” than a Barbarian (3), but we get a clearer picture of what she’s capable of, and what she’s like.

and that's what throws me for a loop.

Nicephorus · August 08, 2007, 10:45:53 AM

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!Samurai Jack
Forlorn, misplaced samurai badass (4)

Maybe I just need to expand the concepts...?

Maybe you need to break it into two or more cliches. Not all samurai are forlorn and misplaced.

Start with either samurai(4) or samurai badass(4). The second cliche would be misplaced and forlorn or ancient powers or something like that. Then I'd throw in a couple of dice into some feature I want to accentuate, like anime movement ability or cool sandals.

This is an example but whenever something is really 2+ cliches sandwiched together, I'd break them into components if I had the dice for it, trying to keep it to 2+ words for each cliche .

JamesV · August 08, 2007, 10:52:34 AM

Ooh, I like that article, it's so meaty. Okay, how's about this?

Badass Samurai Sworn to Defeat Aku (3) Covers the deadly swordsman who lets nothing get in the way of his enemy.

Glorious, Bushido Anarchronism from Japan (3) Covers the quiet, kind and dignified spirit of Jack.

Sosthenes · August 08, 2007, 10:55:34 AM

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!On t'other hand, if you look at this excerpt from the Comapnion, you get stuff like

A Surly Northern Barbarian Woman Eager to Taste the Blood of the Coastlanders (3) isn't any more or less "powerful" than a Barbarian (3), but we get a clearer picture of what she's capable of, and what she's like.

and that's what throws me for a loop.

Yes, but then such Risus characters usually have lots of weird cliches added on top of that. If you have a rather simple-minded Cliche, then your deconstruction will end up with rather short descriptions. I'm not familiar with this Jack you're speaking of, so I can't help you there.

Bugs Bunny certainly would have this:
Albuquerque (2)

jrients · August 08, 2007, 11:23:04 AM

My wife sometimes complains that Samurai Jack is a one-dimensional show about a one dimensional character, so I wonder if maybe we've got too hard an example to work with. Here's how I would do IG-666, the guy depicted in my avatar.

Demon-Summoning Warlock [4] Kitbashed Robodroid (2) Heavy Metal Enthusiast (1)

When building Risus characters I usually go for the comedy triple. I set up a relatively normal character with the first two cliches, then throw in something totally stupid at the end.

Pierce Inverarity · August 08, 2007, 12:36:17 PM

Samurai Jack is tough. But e.g. Bender is eminently doable--you pretty much did it already, Doc.

Bender
Bender Unit (4)
"Kiss My Shiny, Metal Ass" (4)*
Entrepreneur (2)**

*Like Fast Talk in CoC, sorta.
**Deliberately few dice, because of hare-brainedness of B's schemes

One possible formula for doing this: Following SJR's example of the Viking on p.1 of RISUS, let the first cliche be the PC's class/occupation (Viking, Bender Unit), and let the rest be individual character traits.

Ronin · August 08, 2007, 12:49:36 PM

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!Samurai Jack
Forlorn, misplaced samurai badass (4)

Maybe I just need to expand the concepts...?

Yep, thats all you need to do.
Heres my roomates character from the feudal japanese steam punk game I ran

Hiro, Bad Ass Ronin
Bad Ass Ronin 4
Kenjutsu (sword) 3
Kyojutsu (bow) 2
Drunk 1
Hook: can nevver pass up a dmesel in distress

In actual play he used the Kenjutsu for sword fighting (I know obvious) but he used Bad Ass Ronin for dirty fighting moves. If remember correctly he headbutted a guy, and kicked another in the nuts.

Kyle Aaron · August 08, 2007, 06:05:24 PM

Remember that each cliche is meant to cover three things your guy can do. If you have only one cliche, then they can only do three things. Do you imagine your character being able to do only three things? Or are there more things they can do?

So you can do it backwards - write down the things they can do, then draw those things together into triples which fit together in a cliche. For example,
Samurai Jack
looking pitiably lonely, looking lost, able to lose people - Forlorn, misplaced (3)
quick with his sword, flips acrobatically, majestic sweep of hakama and gi - Samurai badarse (3)

Tyberious Funk · August 08, 2007, 10:57:51 PM

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!I'm sure the Companion has answers to my questions

It does.

It's worth every cent.