Birthright-L
10-02-2003, 09:19 AM
I recently purchased a game called Armegeddon 2089, a game by Mongoose
Publishing detailing battletech-like futuristic combat between giant walking
war machines in a backdrop of international worldwar. So of course, one of
my first questions about the main rulebook is, "How can this stuff be
applied to Birthright?"
Since all of the rules are OGL, I`m posting the negotiation rules from
memory. If anyone wants more details, I`ll post it in detail once I get the
book back but otherwise you may want to wait for my official Diplomacy
Action conversion.
---
In Armegeddon, player characters negotiate the contracts that their
mercenary company recieves. It`s not just, "Will you do this for this
much?" Basically, each "term" of the contract is negotiated for with each
side placing their arguments on that term until one side wins. Thus, each
term is an opposed diplomacy check. (don`t roll your eyes yet, it gets
good...)
First, you start off with the pre-negotiation. Decide any applicable skills
such as knowledge skills. Roll a DC 10 for each of these; each success gets
you a +2 bonus to the next pre-negotiation checks. (up to +10) The
pre-negotiation checks are a Gather Information check to find information
about your employer and his current situations and also an applicable
profession or knowledge skill you may have. You can also hire an accountant
to go over the initial offer first. Succeeding in these checks gives you
bargaining chips to work with, in the form of negotiation bonuses for use
later.
Next, we have the initial meeting. This is a basic diplomacy check (DC
around 15). Success gives you a +1 negotiation bonus. Failure gives you a
-1 negotiation penalty.
Next, comes the actual negotiation.
You and the employer can both introduce terms into the contract. The terms
are free-form and can be about anything you want, but there are some common
examples in the book. You can introduce terms that are beneficial to you
and terms that are harmful to you.
Each term you introduce has a negotiation bonus or penalty. This is added
or subtract to your diplomacy checks once the term is introduced. Good
terms (for the PCs) give penalties, bad terms give bonuses.
For example, if you introduce a bad term, say a secondary objective that you
have to complete in addition to the primary mission, you recieve a bonus on
future terms that you negotiate on (such as better pay). If you negotiate
for better pay (each 10% increase is -1 to future negotiation checks), it
becomes harder to get other things you may want (discounts, travel
compensation, free repair, salvage rights, etc.),
Each term is negotiated on with an opposed diplomacy check. The winner of
the check has the term negotiated in their favor. Roleplaying bonuses
apply, as well as other bonuses from feats and/or the pre-negotiation
checks. You can re-negotiate a term if you lost the diplomacy check, but
the opponent gets a comulative +5 bonus to their roll.
A common tactic for employers is to bring up all the secondary objectives
and "bad terms" later on in the negotiation process. This way, PCs get
bonuses to diplomacy checks only after everything`s already been negotiated
on and established, thus negating the benefit. Players who do their
homework beforehand will know about these "bad terms" early on and will
introduce them first, granting the benefits early, making it easier for them
to negotiate for better pay, intel, support, and benefits.
"We already know that this simple `recon mission` will involve an assault on
a listening post. We found out already about the land mines in the area.
And we know they`re expecting you to send in someone and they`ll be waiting
for us. So now that we`ve got that out on the table, let`s talk about our
payment..."
Finally, one last diplomacy check is made for final impressions, which
determines the likelihood of you getting a contract with that employer again
and any bonuses that may apply next time.
---
What do you think? Birthright-ey enough?
Is this helpful to anyone`s campaign?
-Lord Rahvin
Publishing detailing battletech-like futuristic combat between giant walking
war machines in a backdrop of international worldwar. So of course, one of
my first questions about the main rulebook is, "How can this stuff be
applied to Birthright?"
Since all of the rules are OGL, I`m posting the negotiation rules from
memory. If anyone wants more details, I`ll post it in detail once I get the
book back but otherwise you may want to wait for my official Diplomacy
Action conversion.
---
In Armegeddon, player characters negotiate the contracts that their
mercenary company recieves. It`s not just, "Will you do this for this
much?" Basically, each "term" of the contract is negotiated for with each
side placing their arguments on that term until one side wins. Thus, each
term is an opposed diplomacy check. (don`t roll your eyes yet, it gets
good...)
First, you start off with the pre-negotiation. Decide any applicable skills
such as knowledge skills. Roll a DC 10 for each of these; each success gets
you a +2 bonus to the next pre-negotiation checks. (up to +10) The
pre-negotiation checks are a Gather Information check to find information
about your employer and his current situations and also an applicable
profession or knowledge skill you may have. You can also hire an accountant
to go over the initial offer first. Succeeding in these checks gives you
bargaining chips to work with, in the form of negotiation bonuses for use
later.
Next, we have the initial meeting. This is a basic diplomacy check (DC
around 15). Success gives you a +1 negotiation bonus. Failure gives you a
-1 negotiation penalty.
Next, comes the actual negotiation.
You and the employer can both introduce terms into the contract. The terms
are free-form and can be about anything you want, but there are some common
examples in the book. You can introduce terms that are beneficial to you
and terms that are harmful to you.
Each term you introduce has a negotiation bonus or penalty. This is added
or subtract to your diplomacy checks once the term is introduced. Good
terms (for the PCs) give penalties, bad terms give bonuses.
For example, if you introduce a bad term, say a secondary objective that you
have to complete in addition to the primary mission, you recieve a bonus on
future terms that you negotiate on (such as better pay). If you negotiate
for better pay (each 10% increase is -1 to future negotiation checks), it
becomes harder to get other things you may want (discounts, travel
compensation, free repair, salvage rights, etc.),
Each term is negotiated on with an opposed diplomacy check. The winner of
the check has the term negotiated in their favor. Roleplaying bonuses
apply, as well as other bonuses from feats and/or the pre-negotiation
checks. You can re-negotiate a term if you lost the diplomacy check, but
the opponent gets a comulative +5 bonus to their roll.
A common tactic for employers is to bring up all the secondary objectives
and "bad terms" later on in the negotiation process. This way, PCs get
bonuses to diplomacy checks only after everything`s already been negotiated
on and established, thus negating the benefit. Players who do their
homework beforehand will know about these "bad terms" early on and will
introduce them first, granting the benefits early, making it easier for them
to negotiate for better pay, intel, support, and benefits.
"We already know that this simple `recon mission` will involve an assault on
a listening post. We found out already about the land mines in the area.
And we know they`re expecting you to send in someone and they`ll be waiting
for us. So now that we`ve got that out on the table, let`s talk about our
payment..."
Finally, one last diplomacy check is made for final impressions, which
determines the likelihood of you getting a contract with that employer again
and any bonuses that may apply next time.
---
What do you think? Birthright-ey enough?
Is this helpful to anyone`s campaign?
-Lord Rahvin