Playing in small groups

[Maese Mateo]

I recently got my backer's copy of LoG&S, which is my first experience with diceless game so far. Problem is, I'm probably going to be able to play this game with only 1-3 other people for now, and the game seems to be designed with bigger groups in mind. I'm particularly worried about how to handle character creation with only 1 or 2 players (since the Attribute Auction seems pointless).

Do you have any advice for this kind of situation?

[Artifacts of Amber]

I assume LoG&S, runs a lot like Amber. so my advice mostly comes from that.

Small groups work out well in diceless mainly, I think, to not needing to necessarily fulfill the roles in a traditional adventure game. It can be more like a buddy film or a movie with two main characters compare to an ensemble piece having to deal with shining the spot light on several players/characters.

As far as an Auction goes I did one for a small group but have NPC's in bidding as well, so Someone is looking to be on top. I did a silent bidding which keeps over bidding under control and allows the other NPC's to compete since they spend X amount and spend no more than that setting up a rank structure before the players actually get started. This also keeps the players from knowing what the other has bid on as well.

So I think It will work fine with some small adjustments.

just my thoughts

[Panjumanju]

One of the other problems with running Amber with only a few people: the action runs very, very quickly. With a few people you are going to go through about four times the material you would in a more traditional setting.

You have a *tremendous* amount of planning to do to keep 3 people occupied. In larger groups, people section off and have in-character conversations and scheme, but with only 3 - they'll need you as NPCs to fill that role. Not necessarily a bad thing, but...a lot of work.

Good luck,

//Panjumanju

[Arref]

As far as an Auction goes I did one for a small group but have NPC's in bidding as well, so Someone is looking to be on top.

This works pretty well. I've done it a couple times.
It also has the advantage of you start playing the cousins as NPCs in the auction. This gives the PCs some flavor for Their own generation right away.

I recommend about six to eight amberites of the same generation. If you only get two players, you setup five others yourself, etc.

You should not pass up "playing them at the auction" but let the Players understand what you are doing.  It gives them a preview for some key NPCs if some of them are competing in auction.

[daniel_ream]

The entire purpose of the Attribute Auction is to generate conflict between the players before the game starts, so you have an initial game state similar to the first Chronicles.  If conflict between the PCs isn't in the offing, there's no point in having the Auction.  Have them blind bid once for every Attribute, then move on.

I'm still working through my copy of LoGaS, but the original Amber falls apart if conflicts can't generally be reduced to "this PC vs. that PC".  If the campaign is going to be entirely PCs vs. NPCs, you may as well throw out the whole system and freeform it.

[Panjumanju]

I'm still working through my copy of LoGaS, but the original Amber falls apart if conflicts can't generally be reduced to "this PC vs. that PC".  If the campaign is going to be entirely PCs vs. NPCs, you may as well throw out the whole system and freeform it.

I very much disagree with this. Especially if several NPCs are included in the auction, you can still generate lots of in-family excitement. The GM just has to be careful that it is not defaulted to a rigid players vs. NPC game, because that is not using the system to it's best.


//Panjumanju

[RPGPundit]

The entire purpose of the Attribute Auction is to generate conflict between the players before the game starts, so you have an initial game state similar to the first Chronicles.  If conflict between the PCs isn't in the offing, there's no point in having the Auction.  Have them blind bid once for every Attribute, then move on.

I don't agree. Conflict/rivalry-promotion is one of the reasons for the auction, but not the only one.  Its also more unpredictable than other methods, and that adds something to the game.

I'm still working through my copy of LoGaS, but the original Amber falls apart if conflicts can't generally be reduced to "this PC vs. that PC".  If the campaign is going to be entirely PCs vs. NPCs, you may as well throw out the whole system and freeform it.

I disagree with this too. Amber can certainly work as PC vs. NPCs.

RPGPundit

[Croaker]

I disagree with this too. Amber can certainly work as PC vs. NPCs.

It does nicely.
I've had very little PC vs PC, or at least less that vs NPC, and never had any problem.

[Skywalker]

FWIW here is a relatively cool and detailed AP of a LoGaS game with just two players (both GMing and playing): http://www.ritepublishing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=84&t=2090. It may give you some confidence that the game seems to do exceedingly well in small groups.

[RPGPundit]

FWIW here is a relatively cool and detailed AP of a LoGaS game with just two players (both GMing and playing): http://www.ritepublishing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=84&t=2090. It may give you some confidence that the game seems to do exceedingly well in small groups.

Cool!

[Croaker]

Yes, this is an awesome thread