[OOC] Sudden Payback

@SavageBob What are your thoughts on allowing the Apothecary Talent from RoT. I'm thinking of taking Rank 1 & 2 as the resident healer of the group if so. Think Herbal Tea supplements and pungent salve rubs to put on the body Max has whipped up from herbs and household products... 'Why does this burn my eyes?' 'It's Ghetto Tigerbalm'.

I'm fine with it. We could also rename it "Physician" if you'd like. It's basically a buff to natural healing for the group, so it could be skinned however makes sense for you in the setting.

Painkiller Specialization is arguably more useful for the immediate benefit it provides, but that's Tier 3.

True I'll put it on the list and see how the story plays out.

Update: Also looking at Animal Companion later on cus every good cop needs a black German Sheperd named Duke...

Catfishing Petrovich is a fun idea that we can pursue. You could even use Lance's computer in his office if that's what you decide on.

Remember, too, that you still haven't established the identity of the masked-attacker group. That may or may not be necessary if you think Petrovich can get you closer to the warehouse, but thought I'd mention it in case that thread was forgotten. (You got a partial on their plate, and you presumably have images of them unmasked after the brawl at the gym.)

Some streetwise in the industrial district may get you closer to the warehouse, too.

My advice: Go with what seems the most fun. ;)

As the beat cop of the group I obvious vote for streetwise in Pillsville since that's where he grew up living out of a van on the street with his fam.

Is it time for a montage?

We could do a streetwise montage (looking for Victor and trying for an ID on the unmasked pictures) and an 80s/90s computer montage. Edited together with a sweet synth soundtrack.

I like a montage idea, cutting between the streets and somebody on a computer working on the catfishing. I was under the impression Petrovich was our lead on the masked group since he was buying the masks, but if you think we could run that partial plate into something bigger, maybe we lean on Max's buddy in the car pool? I'd be happy to perform or assist with a streetwise check (ygg from me) but am worthless on the computer

Well, leads can sometimes be intertwined, so it's possible Petrovich leads to the masked group, or vice-versa depending on how you want to pursue it.

As for the montage, I can see this going two ways:

Option 1) We do a "skill challenge." You all do something related to a single goal, using different skills to do so. You have to accumulate enough uncanceled successes to get the thing to happen. So, in this case, maybe the goal would be to lure Petrovich somewhere you'd have the upper hand over him. But it has to be a common goal.

Option 2) We split up and just run two or three things simultaneously. Catfish Petrovich, run the plates, hit the streets in Pillsville. The goal's not the same, so it would be separate checks, and a bit less montage-y.

What do y'all think?

What about option 2, followed by option 1? We get more info on who we're working with by running the plates and hitting the streets, which may give us boosts or something during our Luring Petrovich montage?

That works, too. Max can even call his buddy on the force to do the plate run for a Story Point.

(I'm wondering if for next session we don't adopt the Favor system from Shadow of the Beanstalk.)

As someone who built a riste with several favor talents favors are awesome but made the GM nervous of meh network.

Favors are only broken if they don't get called in inconveniently. Tbh the rules of it are so loose its barely a system at all once you move past recommended examples and char creation because it's all just narrative and fiat to determine size of favor. It's basically just the concept of owing favors mentioned in a rulebook.

So is it better to just keep it to the level of "I know a guy..." and a Story Point flip?

I dunno, I actually think the ideas of exchanging and owing favors is super cool, I just don't know that you have to invoke a system to use it. I reread thru the section and think maybe the only system specific aspect to use is the string them along mechanic. Unless I'm reading it wrong, there's not really a mechanism to start off with favors owed to the pc, which makes it hard for me to see where the system enables pre existing relationships to solve the issue we already have, I would think we might still need to invoke sp to say we know somebody we could ask a favor of even if we end up owing them one in return (which I think is a cool wrinkle, but is also just a part of general society, not like a specific system thing.)

I'm curious if I'm maybe missing an aspect of the system. I am 1000% on board to bring it in because I like the general idea. I don't really have a gripe beyond calling what is just part of social interaction a setting specific "system," which is honestly more observation than gripe.

To move things forward, who wants to hit the streets with Marv to see if they can do a bit of background work while (presumptively) Max runs the plates? Maybe we could also do the gone in 60 seconds thing where we just pay dmv for a list of plate registration data (if that's even possible)?

Hank's good with hitting the streets.

First, a head's up: Big welcome to nezzeraj, who is brand-new to Gamers Plane and requested to join us. Nezzeraj, please feel free to post here in the OOC thread if you need advice on your character build. We're nearing the end of a session, so I think it makes sense to introduce the new character at the start of Session 2, which I hope should be this week sometime.

So, sounds like Hank and Marv are hitting the streets in Pillsville, while Max will run the plates. (The DMV option sounds fun, too, but since he's a cop, it might just be easier for him to go through his guy or do it on his own and try to keep it quiet.) Is anyone doing the catfish thing? Or should we save that for later? Somebox, what is Red up to?

Hooray, welcome nezzeraj!

Seems like catfishing once we have the results of plates/streets/whatever tricks Red has up her sleeves may be a good start for session 2. Unless Red wants to try it at the same time...