[OWBN-Council] [PROPOSAL][Bylaw Revision] Changes to Character By-Laws: Reduced Cost Backgrounds and Influences

I, Aziel Burton, Council Member for Stolen Hours, propose the following change to the OWbN Character By-Laws,

BEFORE

d. The standard baseline for OWbN XP costs are the ones detailed in the most recent printing of the classic MET material published by White Wolf. In general, this means revised classic MET, though in the cases of games that did not get a revised printing (Changeling, Wraith, etc) the previous edition is used.
          i. Increases to the standard XP costs are allowable for all items.
          ii. Reductions to the standard XP cost are allowable for the following items:
                    1. Backgrounds (including Influences)
                    2. Rotes
                    3. Investments
                    4. Morality Traits

AFTER (Changes denoted as BOLD)

d. The standard baseline for OWbN XP costs are the ones detailed in the most recent printing of the classic MET material published by White Wolf. In general, this means revised classic MET, though in the cases of games that did not get a revised printing (Changeling, Wraith, etc) the previous edition is used.
          i. Increases to the standard XP costs are allowable for all items.
          ii. Reductions to the standard XP cost are allowable for the following items:
                    1. Backgrounds (including Influences)
                              a. Reduction in the cost of Backgrounds (including Influences) must be denoted in the Notes field or equally convenient location on the character sheet for a sheet to be qualified for non-local play (including Coordinator run scenes). This does not require a fully auditable trail, simply a denotation of the number of the total reduction. Example: This character has received 25 additional influences at no cost.
                    2. Rotes
                    3. Investments
                    4. Morality Traits

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Reasoning: The differences allowed by the By-Laws as they currently stand can create massive disparities between same-genre sheets which some games would feel is unfair. We do not want to eliminate a Storyteller from rewarding good roleplay withe reduced cost or free Backgrounds (including Influences), but over reward might lead to systemic balance issues. The lack of immediate and easy to access information on the character sheet can create a potentially unfair advantage to those PCs who have strongly benefited from this By-Law. The requirement for additional information of cases of benefit from this By-Law seems a logical compromise. Storytellers can use their prerogative to evaluate visiting sheets to define whether they feel adjustments need to be made to allow the sheet to play in their game and how to play in their game. This does not affect local play or the control a game has over their local game.

This will not affect local-only sheets and is only a requirement for play in sheets which visit other games where such a potential disparity can manifest.

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This proposal will require a second.

Aziel "Axl" Burton
Anarch Sub-Coordinator
Head Storyteller, Whispers of Atlanta
Stolen Hours Council Member