Players manipulating other players?

[Gothic_Pepsi]

hey guys, ive been lurking the forums for a few months now and finally decided to create an account, im currently in a game with alot of new players and ive found that they are way too trusting, ive used this to my advantage, my character is a manipulator and has done a decent job so far, ive betrayed all my fellow players and yet they continue to trust me. my characters overall goal is alot like brands, obtaining ultimate power, any means neccicary. basically what im trying to get at is how can i use this to my advantage, im not a natural manipulator in real life and im having a hard time actually manipulating characters to further me. ive had them do some things for me but nothing major.

what im trying to get at is, any of you guys ever done things like this, and if so any tips?

[KrakaJak]

Ummm...don't assume they are 'way too trusting.' You may be the fool in the end.

[jibbajibba]

It really depends on what games they have played before doesn't it. If the other players are mainly D&D guys who are used to parties that work together for common goals and actually mesh their character development to help improve the overall team then as Amberites they will get eaten alive.
As a Gm I allow players to set  personal objectives which get xp. So in that system it is easy for manipulators to prosper because each sucessful thing gains them xp.
I have to say though that one sure way to make sure none of the other PCs trust you is to post the fact that you are manipulating them all the time on an open forum

[Gothic_Pepsi]

well they havent had any real roleplaying experience, and are new to amber. but they play alot like dnd players, wanting to team up all the time. so i try and use this to my advantage by whispering things about the player i want out of the way etc.

[RPGPundit]

The question is: what are your goals?

RPGPundit

[Gothic_Pepsi]

well just gaining power in general, both political, yet mainly things like logrus, shape shift and the fount of power.

[RPGPundit]

Ok, so can any of the other PCs help you to get any of these things?
Or are any of them particularly acting as obstacles to these goals?

RPGPundit

[Gothic_Pepsi]

well i just found out that one of the pc's has a special power, the gm bended some rules for the sake of plot develpoment and he can now cast spells on a whim and doesnt have any of the magic powers. and one i need out of the way, well atleast his pet, its a dragon that immensly powerful and have no idea on who or how to ask for help in taking it out. and i can semi-manipulate one person, but she is usually using me in return... and one hardly ever plays so he is only just in the loop.

[scottishstorm]

well i just found out that one of the pc's has a special power, the gm bended some rules for the sake of plot develpoment and he can now cast spells on a whim and doesnt have any of the magic powers. and one i need out of the way, well atleast his pet, its a dragon that immensly powerful and have no idea on who or how to ask for help in taking it out. and i can semi-manipulate one person, but she is usually using me in return... and one hardly ever plays so he is only just in the loop.

A bit of flippant advice re the dragon: find or make yourself a rabbit(*)!  Y'know, something yummy-looking, but fast and evasive.  Sink points into it if need be.  Dead rabbit = eventually the points will be refunded.  So, it's be a decoy and target for pet dragon while you deal with its master?

(*) 'rabbit' could be anything: taunting 'dragon-killer' knight or even a flying cow.  Something designed to be attacked by -and ultimately lose against- the dragon... but not only distracting it in the meantime, but potentially causing the beast to use any limited-use abilities (flame break once a day, anyone?).

Such an encounter may be staged as a joke.  Pit your rediculous creature against the mighty dragon.  Better yet, get the other player a little ticked that their pet doesn't so easily dispatch it.  This re-doubled the distraction effect while your spell/knife/logrus tendril/whatever is poised for attack.

[Gothic_Pepsi]

'rabbit' could be anything: taunting 'dragon-killer' knight or even a flying cow.

Lmfao, good idea, i hadn't even considered that! and seeing as i have 'found' myself a pattern dagger (i think the gm bended the rules abit but all i know is i can make pattern weapons ) i can help kill this half chaosian wow now i have about one thousand ideas on how to kill him swirling around in my head

[jibbajibba]

right this is going about things all the wrong way. To get rid of the dragon wander through shadow find one exactly the same then ship it into the shadow/living space/rooms etc of wizardy one having frenzied it in some way.
Either it kills the wizard or the wizard kills it and thinks the other guy sent it or you step in hit it with some sort of banishment then you can plant the seed that the other guy was responsible. Simple use player A's cool powerz to eliminate player Bs cool powerz.
Didn't Oberon teach you guys anything?
Divide and conquer

[Gothic_Pepsi]

hmm good thinking. this dragon is immensly powerful and i need it out of the way, in saying that i dont need it after me, i may sound alot like a newby in saying this but would all this be possible in chaos? because currently i just entered chaos and saw the dragon in the sky, this has what sparked the whole, how the hell do i get rid of this thing? i will have to talk to the gm and see if he can bend some rules to allow some improve banishing or even using the pattern to uncreate it or somthing like that, dont know if its even possible to uncreate a shadow being...

[jibbajibba]

hmm good thinking. this dragon is immensly powerful and i need it out of the way, in saying that i dont need it after me, i may sound alot like a newby in saying this but would all this be possible in chaos? because currently i just entered chaos and saw the dragon in the sky, this has what sparked the whole, how the hell do i get rid of this thing? i will have to talk to the gm and see if he can bend some rules to allow some improve banishing or even using the pattern to uncreate it or somthing like that, dont know if its even possible to uncreate a shadow being...

Possible you can edit reality with higher levels of pattern but sounds like you are not quite ready for that yet
 If you use a base pattern you will not remove the dragon what you will do is move yourself to an identical shadow where there is no dragon. This means that if the reason you awere in the first shadow is "real" ie involves another Amberite or a construct or some real thing then it won't be in the new shadow (the one wihtout the dragon).
And you must get away from this concept of the GM bending the rules to do x or y as the rules for all of this are there and the GM seems to be totally acting with in the correct parameters (even if he isn't its his game his rules so he can do wha the fuck he wants with them ).
Oh using pattern so close to Chaos might attract some unwanted attention.

[Gothic_Pepsi]

hmm very true. i will have to make up some sort of lie, he is currently hunting caine so i suppose i can find a shadow caine have him captive and tell him i have him, when he comes to collect him i can do what you suggest.

[Gothic_Pepsi]

Alright this is my plan that i have put into place, We are all about to go into Tirag'Noth because corwin has reason to believe that Caine has somehow aquired power from there, so the plan is that the players Dragon is to await outside to gaurd the place, so i searched shadow for some dragon killing demons and told them what to do, if they were still around when we returned they are to say "Caine attacked us with some men, your dragon didnt make" etc etc. so now i have to wait until the next session for when we head into Tirag'Noth. any ideas on how to keep this under control if someone is to say find out about this incident? also think this is a good idea etc? i did rush it a bit but as soon as i found out i got excited and wanted to get this thorn out of my side asap.