Demon: the Fallen - Design choices and mechanics that empower players
50In this episode I'm going over a list (that is in no way complete or exhaustive) of awesome little ways in which Demon: the Fallen empowers players.
While it does have shortcomings and flaws, this game still finds ways to innovate and make things interesting in ways that encourage player creativity, teamwork, and allow for varied character concepts and archetypes.
I could have added more items, but I think these are the ones that immediately pop up, by comparison with other WoD games:
1) Evocations have a high chance of success, so players can count on their character's powers to work like a charm (because of the guaranteed success by spending a temporary faith point, the lowered difficulty that comes with assuming the Apocalyptic Form, and the Paragon background.
2) No oppressive societal rules or laws that dictate how to interact with mortals. You can do whatever, just be smart about it.
3) Degeneration occurs very slowly and the character can recover from a high torment rating fairly easily. Players are very much in control of their character's degeneration.
4) House flaws aren't quantified mechanically, but are, instead, treated as narrative guidelines/suggestions. Players can decide how light or how severe their characters' flaws are.
5) Allows for a varied cast of characters, which can be part of any culture, and can be from anywhere in the world. The protagonists have access to supernatural means of communication, which transcend mortal languages and allow for good team work.
6) Team work is very rewarding and it can lead to impressive creations and powerful effects. Each House is relevant and important to the society of the Fallen, because each House addresses specific needs that all demons have. Makes the politics of the Fallen run like clockwork.
7) All characters can be very destructive in combat. There is no such thing as an unintentionally harmless or underpowered character. All of the Fallen fought in a great Celestial War... it shows!
8) The game isn't balanced and can easy be broken. Just because you can come up with a super-build that will destroy every living being within a certain radius (or other similar shenanigans), doesn't mean you should do it, and it doesn't mean it's going to tell a good story.
With great power comes great responsibility!
Enjoy!