Ok, I thought about Common Bond edge in this period.
Long story short, I think it's a bad edge. Bad because the player that choose it is moved by noble sentiments, and he wants his character to be a teammate pal. However, his character "lose power" (I know, Savage Worlds isn't obsessed with balance, however follow me about this one), 'cause he invest 1 Advancement for the chance to give HIS bennies to the other players/heroes. Sure, in game this is cool and so kind, but SOMETIME it turns that character into a "benny bank", with other players beggin' him to have his bennies, so they can save themselves or they can shine in their action. I know, this isn't the perfect behavior at the game table, nonetheless it isn't so uncommon (at least, in the groups I've been with).
So, how to change it, if we have to?
I have two ideas, and probably I'll choose one or both, soon:
- The character with Common Bond receive a special benny that can be used only for his allies. Of course, he can also give his standard ones, if he want. This mitigates the sacrifice he had to do (spent 1 Advancement, AND "forced" to share his bennies). So, it's a special kind of Lucky edge, that encourage roleplaying too).
- The character with Common Bond can share his bennies, as the vanilla version, AND he can receive** bennies from all the other characters (of course, if they can justify in game how they help you). I think this is genius. With the Advancement you bought the ability to give your benny to others, 'cause they mean something for you, so you try to help them whenever you can, AND you become a special character that the other characters love, and try to protect in game, when you are in dire situations (ie. probably you finished your bennies, and now you need your group to stay near to you).
What do you think? I think this could be a great improvement for SWADE too.
** NOTE: receive bennies here is intended as "he can spend the Benny in place of the other character". Actually, re-reading the vanilla Common Bond rules, they are at least misleading: ie. they say "A character with this Edge may freely give her Bennies to any other character she can communicate with." But I think it's pretty "stupid" to GIVE bennies when there's no need for them. So, PROBABLY, even the Pinnacle crew was thinking to "spending the benny in place of the other character". On the contrary, I feel that it makes no sense to do the "support scene" in fiction, just to transfer the benny, with no contextual expenditure.
Long story short, I think it's a bad edge. Bad because the player that choose it is moved by noble sentiments, and he wants his character to be a teammate pal. However, his character "lose power" (I know, Savage Worlds isn't obsessed with balance, however follow me about this one), 'cause he invest 1 Advancement for the chance to give HIS bennies to the other players/heroes. Sure, in game this is cool and so kind, but SOMETIME it turns that character into a "benny bank", with other players beggin' him to have his bennies, so they can save themselves or they can shine in their action. I know, this isn't the perfect behavior at the game table, nonetheless it isn't so uncommon (at least, in the groups I've been with).
So, how to change it, if we have to?
I have two ideas, and probably I'll choose one or both, soon:
- The character with Common Bond receive a special benny that can be used only for his allies. Of course, he can also give his standard ones, if he want. This mitigates the sacrifice he had to do (spent 1 Advancement, AND "forced" to share his bennies). So, it's a special kind of Lucky edge, that encourage roleplaying too).
- The character with Common Bond can share his bennies, as the vanilla version, AND he can receive** bennies from all the other characters (of course, if they can justify in game how they help you). I think this is genius. With the Advancement you bought the ability to give your benny to others, 'cause they mean something for you, so you try to help them whenever you can, AND you become a special character that the other characters love, and try to protect in game, when you are in dire situations (ie. probably you finished your bennies, and now you need your group to stay near to you).
What do you think? I think this could be a great improvement for SWADE too.
** NOTE: receive bennies here is intended as "he can spend the Benny in place of the other character". Actually, re-reading the vanilla Common Bond rules, they are at least misleading: ie. they say "A character with this Edge may freely give her Bennies to any other character she can communicate with." But I think it's pretty "stupid" to GIVE bennies when there's no need for them. So, PROBABLY, even the Pinnacle crew was thinking to "spending the benny in place of the other character". On the contrary, I feel that it makes no sense to do the "support scene" in fiction, just to transfer the benny, with no contextual expenditure.
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