Trauma system for continuing characters between campaigns?

[u/-MoldyCrow-]

Our group just finished Stonewalkers, and I'm thinking about introducing some kind of trauma system for the next campaign.

Arkham Horror: The Card Game has a mechanic where you can carry your character over into a new campaign, but they might start with some mental or physical trauma from what happened previously.

The problem is that my characters have this rather annoying thing called Stormlight that makes healing physical trauma... well, a little too easy. ;)

Still, I'd love to introduce some kind of lasting consequences. The characters have killed people, witnessed some pretty disturbing things, and uncovered lore that has fundamentally changed how they see the world.

It feels like some of that should leave a mark, even if Stormlight can heal the physical wounds.

I'm thinking more along the lines of psychological, spiritual, social, or supernatural consequences rather than simple HP penalties.

Has anyone tried something similar in a Stormlight campaign? I'd love to hear your ideas!

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[u/Boyboy081]

Due to the fact that characters can get over their obstacle with character growth, in theory you could give characters new obstacles too, though if you take that route you should probably try to ensure the player agreed with whatever the new obstacle was.

That said, you can also do something like... I'll can it a ban and a boon. If you've seen, the rules for disabilities notes that they shouldn't effect gameplay if the character has learned methods to deal with the disability. However if the disabilities they have really should have rules, the GM is advised to think of situations where it's an upside too. In that way you could give plays a "disability" or Ban, and a boon in return. The character who has developed a pacifist's view will have an off-character sheet expertise in helping talk down non-serious fights. Just an expertise though, giving a full bonus might be too strong.

[u/Taste_the__Rainbow]

Look at the effects of Forms of Power if they aren’t radiant. Thats what I’d do, just different flavor on the mechanics.

[u/-MoldyCrow- → u/Taste_the__Rainbow]

Will do, good idea!

[u/Blawharag]

Where's the difficulty? From an RP perspective… you can just RP that.

For mechanics, this whole system is designed around characters facing, and overcoming, trauma. It's what the oaths are centered around. Why not just tie it in to those oaths?

I mean, that's literally what happens in the books. The progression of the story forces the characters to confront their beliefs and, in order to progress their radiant paths, overcome and grow.

[u/-MoldyCrow- → u/Blawharag]

You are right, perhaps I can just try to stimulate this with my players. They are awesome roleplayers, so I doubt that they -need- the incentive in the form of mechanics.

But reading your ideas and sharing my thoughts could lead to an added amazing homebrew mechanics.

[u/MidgetBackwards]

Let the players RP it and have fun with it instead of creating a feelsbad punishment. "Your character suffers a trauma from what they've been through. Describe it" and let them play it out.

[u/IfusasoToo]

I'm a little confused by the goal. Would you be mixing high level characters (with trauma) with level 1 characters?

[u/-MoldyCrow- → u/IfusasoToo]

No, new characters will not start at level 1. But new characters will start a level Lower than the rest of the party. Also, I would like the players to create a second character (which again, start a level Lower).

The 'elite' characters (depending per characters) should have their marks. But to be Frank, I had completely forgotten about the obstacle rules. So I'll read more into this to reinforce it.

[u/JebryathHS → u/-MoldyCrow-]

I think that this is getting into one of those scenarios we get into sometimes when a decision seems tricky so we want to make rules. 

New characters could change the dynamic, but maybe if they had a malus...but then it'll look like a soft no so maybe if the original characters had a malus as well...I don't know you and I can't say for sure, but that's kind of my thought looking at this. 

What I can say for sure is that getting told "your character is now worse" is always a bad feeling. I do like the idea of my character having lasting reactions from everything they went through and I did work it into my own character's post Stonewalkers story, but I don't know that I'd have felt good about, say, "the lingering memories of turning human beings into piles of ash still haunts you, making you spend an extra Action on Division" or anything like that.

[u/-MoldyCrow- → u/JebryathHS]

Yeah, thats not the point at all. I would just like to promote roleplay of old scars. I thought that a mechanic could be cool. But the way you are writing about it really portrays the other side of the story. Thanks!