From: [c--al--t] at [access.digex.net] (Lise Mendel)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.frp.advocacy
Subject: Designing a team, the Scooby Way!
Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 11:40:39 -0500

Follow ups set to .advocacy.


Here's one way to design a team of PCs (or NPCs) to work together,
concentrate on personality type and shared values. 

For those of us who grew up in the 70's (or those who are into 'retro'):
Designing a Group - the Scooby Way!*

In RPG every team needs at least one, and in some cases _only_ one, of
the following five character types: Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and
Scooby.

In smaller teams these functions can be doubled up, Fred-Velma,
Fred-Daphne, Daphne-Shaggy, Daphne-Scooby,Velma-Scooby and Shaggy-Scooby
are all viable examples.  Fred-Shaggy, Fred-Scooby and Velma-Daphne are
not - they would be serving contradictory functions in the team.  A team
with five or more characters should not have doubled functions.

Explanations follow,  For clarity's sake, gender follows source
material, but any gender works for any team function:

Fred - Every team _must_ have a Fred.  He's the team "straight man", and
is the foil for the rest of the team, who are somewhat screwball.  It
would be quite possible to have a team dominated of Freds, if no-one in
the group is interested in role-playing.  In practice this role is
usually filled by the token newbie or power gamer,  but can be played by
a hard-core role-player looking for a challenge.  He's usually the
leader of the group, but makes a good second in command, too.  He
exemplifies the values of the team.

Daphne - She can be skipped in an emergency, but is needed for long term
playability.  She's the team diplomat, the one everyone likes and
respects,who can smooth things over when the rest of the group blows up
at each other. A group dominated by Daphnes would be too 'sweet' for
playibility, but there can be more than one in a large group. She
doesn't usually make a good leader, but is an excellent
second-in-command.  Daphne shares the values of the group, but may have
her own agenda.

Velma - Every team needs a Velma. She's the team watchdog. She is
usually somewhat abrasive, and her function is to keep the team on
track, whipped into shape, eyes on target, and not side-tracked.  A team
dominated by Velmas would be ridiculously grim and intense. She can be a
good leader or second-in-command, if Fred is not suitable. She shares
the values of the group, sometimes to exclusion of all else.

Shaggy - He can be skipped in an emergency, but is recommended for long
term group survival.  Shaggy is the team rebel.  He is often a
good-timer or a free-spirit.  His function in the team is to shake
everything up now and then, keep the team from getting into a rut.
Multiple Shaggys can be exciting, but you need a really strong Fred
and/or Velma to counteract things.  Shaggy as the leader would be team
suicide.  He usually has some sympathy for the team values, but does not
abide by them all the time.

Scooby - Every team ends up with one, whether you want him there or not.
He is another species (literally or figuratively) from the rest of the
group.  His function is to force the rest of the team to examine their
position on things.  Multiple Scoobys will kill a team.  Scooby a
leader?! Get real, he's a DOG!  He has no clue what the team values are,
even though he may try to.



* Insert tongue in cheek, an smiley's all through post for the humor
impaired.


-- 
Lise Mendel
Mommy to Abigail (5/9/93) and Dorothy (10/19/95)
http://www.access.digex.net/~catalyst/
I reserve the right to repost e-mailed flames wherever it amuses me to