Help a trump newbie?

[jibbajibba]

How is this possible?

Unless you have a GM who's willing to hand you the keys to the kingdom, I don't see how that can work.  The "rules" for advanced powers are very sketchy and usually dependent upon the GM's personal take on the cosmic forces.

If I play an advanced power in an Amber game I have a conversation with the DM, we determine the basis of how the power works. Yes there may be things I can not do because someone else has more in the power than I do but we argee on the power's fundamental process. Amber is a construction of multiple imaginations and as I am sure you, of all people, would agree the DMs opinion is just once voice in the many voices. The important thing is that you get the basics decided up front.

[gabriel_ss4u]

:ditto:

[Uncle Twitchy]

Yeah. And, for that matter, you learn the basics before you get the advanced version -- I never let starting characters buy Advanced powers unless the players themselves have paid their dues in other campaigns... and even then, they have to convince me to let them.

[Otha]

Hm.  Sounds like you let your friends have opportunities (even if it's just opportunities to convince you) you don't give to others.

[gabriel_ss4u]

Remember Otha...
It's not what you know...
it's who you drink with...
:toast:

don't be a hater!

[Nihilistic Mind]

Personally, speaking as a GM, advanced powers and exalted powers will function differently from campaign to campaign, depending largely on the emphasis of the auction and the theme of the game. If your character is the only one with advanced trump, I would be more likely to make it more full of awesome... (it's not the most popular power to begin with, at least it hasn't been for my players).

I like to think of advanced and exalted powers as 'the potential of [insert attribute]'. If you're the only one with an advanced power, you are likely to find a use that will put you on the map (like an expert, the way Benedict is a weapon/strategy expert). Results may vary based on the GM/setting/power itself.

As a trump artist, you can really push the enveloppe and test your GM's boundaries when it comes to Power rules. If there is a general understanding to be had of what the power can and cannot do, then you know exactly where you stand as a player with said power.
If not, be as creative as possible.

Creative players make things happen in the game. As a GM, I tend to reward that.

More to the point, Eniko, try the following: have your character offer to tell their fortune via trump, have the GM tell you what comes up in the reading, use that information, manipulate the 'results' to suit your need. You could essentially 'reinterpret' the outcome to suit your needs. With a bit of practice, you can tell which cards are which by touching their backs etc, make things appear a certain way to the other PCs or even NPCs by making certain cards come up...

Influence how and when your card appears in other people's readings by concentrating on your own trump and things like that...

Spy on trump... A lot! Especially if your character is stumped when it comes to a certain part of the plot.

Combine the power of trump with your other powers. Conjuration was mentionned. Try to pick up sorcery and come up with crazy items that use trump power to power sorcerous lynchpins and spells etc... Make trump that blow up when activated etc...

Leave trump traps everywhere. Other PCs (and even NPCs, depending on your game and your GM) can't resist trying a mysterious trump.

If you like the trapped PC, 'save them' from certain doom. If you don't, keep them there until they can be useful or disposed of.

It'll probably be a nice break for your GM to deal with a trump artist for once. It's a nice break from the usual pattern imprint, you know what I mean? So, have fun with it!

[gabriel_ss4u]

:ditto:

yeah, I agree

reach into the depths of your imagination.... how do you want your effects to come off?

I had a Trump artist that (one of my players) that learned from Martin, and he went with the 'urban' factor, his trumps were akin to graffiti tags and were posted everywhere in Texorami.
spray cans and shoe ink-brushes.

a trump to a fast-time shadow/room where you can accomplish quick trumps is helpful too.