Rpg

                                                                              My GM's version of role playing

My GM stresses character development. He encourages character to grow by making things happen, both good and, mostly, bad. The PC's have to decide how they are going to deal with emotions they've never felt before.   Thus the characters has to develop new ascpects of themselves. And once a new aspect of the character has been established, the player becomes more connected to the character. I've played a character for almost 3 years, and when an oppertunity came to retire him, I seriously consdiered it, but ultimately decided not to.

Sessions usualy went like this. I would have a plan on what I want to do, but something new would happen that would take me off track.   So at any given time I would have at least 10 things I wanted to do, but would never accomplish. Other characters, especialy the elders, all had their own plans going on, and mine weren't going to interfere. I would try and quell one threat so i could refocus on my original goal, but just as quick something errgent would come up. Every time I always vowed to myself, that I was gonna find out who it was that was constantly getting me off track. However, becuase I had no time to investigate I would always lose track. Looking back, its probably what the elders wanted.

When our characters first came to Amber we clueless. The elders had us on a string. Go do this. Be scared of us. I know more than you will ever know! We can do whatever we want! Little did we realize what we could of done to stop them. This is how it goes. It is never cut and dry. You have to look hard to find what is really going on. If you don't you'll be lead around like cattle. That is the way our GM does things.

                                                                                             Secrets, infromation

Everthing is secret. Even our stats our kept secret. Secrets can get out, but, usualy, only if you let them. Would you give infromation that you worked so hard for away so easily? No. Even if you didn't work for it, being that careless is not recomended. Information is to powerful to give away so easily. Sometimes infromation does get out. Through either a slip-up or something overheard. But don't just accept it for fact, it might not be the truth. Some one could be trying to decive you, to lead you in the direction that they want you to go. So no information is easy to come by and if it does, be suspicious. It is this way because control of infromation is ohh so power. Never let your defences down. And remember there is a reason that secrets are keep secret.

However, if you keep secrets forever they may not be as valueble to you as they could be. Holding some infromation over some one's head is only half the fun. Keep in mind people want information, and will give you something (Perhaps more information) for it. So knowing when to trade it and to who to trade it with is vital. Infromation is the unoficial currency of the Princes of Amber. And the more you have the more powerful you are. They exchange it like goods. "I'll tell you this little secret of pattern if you tell me that about trump." Or It could even be something like: "I'll tell you who your Father/mother is if you tell me who is doing this to me." Even things like that are valueble. Knowing your father can be more valueble than you may realize. Then again it could not matter at all. You have got to know what a person wants. That is why knowing what infromation a person wants is also important. Esspecaily if you want something from that person. So knowing when to use it, how to use it, and who wants it is just as valueble as having it in the first place. But don't just start lying about things. If you tell people false information too much, you can get burned. You will lose your reputation and be outcast from the information stream. Branded as a lier. People may never trade with you again. You are a running a bussiness. Public relations is important. People won't come to you if they think you are a lier or if they think you don't have the information that they want. Getting people in the door is vital. One other thing, don't forget about training. If you don't have anything in the realm of information that a person wants, you could help train them in a certian area. Help some one develop, teach uses for their psyche, for a bit of information. Or teach them how to use strategy, or a sword. Skills can be just as valueble as information.

                                                                                              Having a focus

I have seen people in Amber try to be a king of all trades and kill themself's in the process. If you are just starting out this is espeacialy important. One example: Zhantar--> he started out with 15 points in each attribute, no first place, 50 points in pattern an 10 in powerwords, and some points in a sword.   He tried to be a warrior but didn't have a high enough warfare to back it. To make up for his lack of skill with a sword he tried to use power words. But that just wasn't enough. He, as if need be said, got his ass kicked time and agian. On the other end is: when you have a focus know how to use it. This is evident in my character (Only at the begining) and Walkers. Walker: He had had 60 points in pattern, 50 in psyche, 60 in warfare, 45 in trump. He was not a great character to begin with but he could have still tried (that is a whole other story--see Amber castle link for his story). He never, I mean never, used pattern. Wasted points. He never went anywhere on his own, and never used it to manipulate the odds. They could have been used if put in warfare, or psyche. A better example is my character Neon: The problem came from the intense biding. I had bid 105 points, winning first place in psyche. A first place is valueble (I get into that latter) but I had no way to really use it. The only power he had was sorcery, 15 points, but no where to hang spells. And he had no other powers. He could sense when he was in danger but couldn't do much about it except run or teleport away. He could have talked his way out using his psyche to hit on everthing they wanted to hear, but wasn't skilled in that yet. What's worse he is he thought he was a warrior (only Amber warefare). That didn't last long, he caught on quickly. To add to the problem I had no way to psyche battle the other person. If they trumped him he would kick there ass, but why would anyone when they are about to fight him (in the younger generation, I know Fiona could kick his ass)? He could try to make contact for a psyche battle but not likely. The points in sorcery was just about wasted, he would have to take about an hour to cast a spell. He had only teleport ready. Having a focus is important. If you have chaos warfare, stay out of battles! If you do get into one, cheat like hell! If you have 100 warfare, don't just stand back, use it!!! Keep one thing in mind also, being good in a few areas can be powerfull also as long as you have the points. Even then try to have one stand out stat.
                                                                                                   Taking risks

Now this one should be obvious. I include it becuase in some cases it has not been so obvious. "Nothing ventured nothing gained." that is so true in just about ever aspect. This is more-less saying BE ACTIVE. If you risk nothing you will never get anything good; unless the GM is leaniant Even small risks are good, work your way up. Have you ever considered becoming King? Go for it, it can be done. But also plan for if the risk fails. They fail alot. Don't take risks that are an obvious trap or are pointless (people do you know). Cover your ass going in and you should come out ahead. This is how you earn points, challanging yourslef!
                                                                                                   Cheating

If you do not cheat in Amber (In gameplay as your character, not something like lying about you warfare to the GM!) you will lose. This is the bottom line. Cheating is how things are done in Amber. Amberites cheat all the time. Corwin did it in the novels. Throwing his cape over Borel and taking the cheap shot is an example. Cheating can be anything; as simple as a hidden knife, or as complicated as having half a dosen people working in unison agaisnt your oppenet. As always be careful when you cheat.

                                                                                            Manipulate others

This is the meat of Amber, manipulation. It can be so rewarding as you watch the warfare champ killing your enemy because he thinks they killed his wife. This is how sorcerers (People who focus on psyche and powers) do there dirty work, they have others do it for them. If you want something that you can not get on your own have some else do it for you. This way you keep yourself from being the murderer and suffering the consiquenses. And if you also hate the person who did the killing you just got two birds with one stone! It also works on other things besides killing. Try it, it is very fun.

                                                                                                          Allies

You can't take over the Amber by yourself (There is of course excepetions to this or any rule, but for now let's assume you are not god yet). It takes allies. They can also be helpful when you are in truoble, or want to learn something. They can also help with the lying, cheating, and manipulation. You can even make peolpe belive you are their friends just long enough to ues them in you plan. Very useful.

                                                                                                      Distrust

This should be an obvious one with all that I have mentioned before. With all that cheating, manipulating, secretive actions going on, you have to be careful. Some one is probably doing it agianst you. It is best to assume that you are being afected in some way. It may be directly and it may not. You could just have gotten in the way, you never know. This stuff happens, and it can kill you while you remain totally niave. People you even think are friend can be out to get you. However there is another side to this. If you reamin so parnoid that you are frozen in fear or it affects realtions in negitave ways, it is a good bet that you are overdoing it. Being so paraniod that it shows can destroy your reputation. It is a very delicate balance. There is no easy answer to this one. Just beware, and be careful.

                                                                                                 Reputation

This one is the foundaton of everthing (Ok, not EVERTHING ,but you get the point) in Amber. A good rep can get you out of deep shit; if you are a known nobleman, you would "never do such a thing!". A bad rep can get you accused of murder more quickly, whether or not you did it. You can have people scared of you, think you are an idiot when you are not (this can be good for sneaking around behind people's backs). If you are percived a certian way you will be treated as such. You can get alies more easily this way. It can help you get your foot in the door, or have it slamed shut. Just think of all the beautiful posibilties!

                                                                                                 Battles(luck)

These are not all that common, Amberites are usualy never this forward. When they do occur they are sometimes duels for honor, those type are harder to cheat in becuase there is usualy an audience. The other kinds are free game. If you have a lower warfare you are gonna lose; unless you do something creative. I have seen point and shoot battles and types where all a person does is: "I go defensive, ok now I will go offensive."   That is not a battle that is a losing battle. Most of the time you won't know who is better, and how much better than the other. So you have to insure your victory (unless you want to lose in which some cases can actually be good). You got to grab a chair and throw it at they guy/gal, hit him/her with a spell, distract him, in some way stack the odds, back them off a ledge, drink some alcohal (If the shadow permits it burning) hold a match up and breath fire, there are so many option. Why are you just standing there?!!! It is some much fun outsmarting the other guy/gal!

                                                                                                    Stuff(luck)

It can make your life easier if you are in the positves. Also if you want to earn points faster, negative stuff can help. If you have negative stuff you can earn more points quicker becuase you'll be getting into alot of crap that you'll have to fight your way out of. In adition you get to use the points somewhere else. But be careful if you are not prepared it can get you killed.

                                                                                                          Skills

Skills are free, take them!!! Being a Medical Doctor can be very useful when some one is dying and screaming for help. Fix them while getting info from them, and if they refuse, let them think about it as the bleed to death. The are many others examples but to many to mention. Try to figure a few out for youself.

                                                                            Turn a negitive into a postive

This on sounds corny, I know, but it is very helpful. If something doesn't go your way, don't hastle the GM, use it to your advantage. I spent allot time arguing, it gets you no where, and if the GM holds a grudge (GM's shouldn't) you could be worse off. There is usualy some way you can use what you have learned. For example,

                                                                                                     Conclusion

Don't just use each item in this paper sepreataly. Combine them. That is when they are most powerful, when they are combined. I have palyed Amber for over a year and what I have learned in that time is contained in this paper. If you are new to the game and have not noticed the stuff I mentioned above, you are not looking hard enough. This is what Amber is all about, get on the train, or die trying, there is no way around it. Amber is a mature role-playing game made to challenge your mind, not your dice rolling abillity.