My Character Died. Now What?

[OldGuy59]

We won! 

But not before the Cult Leader charged my Face-down Character.  I used my Lucky Charm to save his removal from the game after taking a short-ranged Shotgun hit in the back.  So, My character had to roll on the Major Injury Table, again (his third time in six games), and I rolled 'Snake-eyes'!

The 2nd Ed rule book says something about 'persevere against the odds', and choosing the highest remaining Agent to take over leadership.  I'm not too clear on this, but it doesn't sound like too good of a deal.  If the highest value Agent assumes the lead role, he/she automatically gets 'Command', and is now able to earn up to 10 Skills.  However, when I look at this, the Character started with a better profile (higher Attacks and Wounds, lower Dex and Resolve).  Four stats were better than the Agent for two points.  I'm not seeing any other increases for the newly promoted Agent, and the ability to earn up to 10 Skills won't allow the new leader get anywhere close to the value of the now-dead Character.

I wanted to keep the developed Agents, and their skills, and bring in a replacement Agent, but I can't rationalize the loss of those four stat points.  Shouldn't the newly promoted Agent actually get the ability to earn up to 14 Skills, to enable you to build the Agent all the way up to a Character's maximum level?

Thoughts?

[Grumbling Grognard]

The big guy with tentacles won.   

You can "persevere" and you have pointed out the built in handicap (again, welcome to Cthulhu-land and thank you for playing.     ).

If that does not appeal to the role-player in you (i.e. you other chararters are not fleshed out enough, strong enough, you dont feel like it...    ), then you could "transfer" in another leader.  Make up a reason.  Go with it.

... or scrap it all and start over.  That is what I would do.  More fun to rebuild and do it again most of the time because there are too many different ways.

My over-valued 2 cents,
Scott

[Dezmond]

As I see it, you can relax and see where the rules take you, which may mean being less attached to characters and preconcived ideas of what 'should' happen. Or you can house rule it in to something you like more, or play something else.

I know I tend to avoid video games with 'permadeath' because, well, I don't like the impermanence of things at the best of times and so it isn't something I seek in my hobbies.

But anyway, the game is, I believe, supposed to be about seeing how much damage a character can do to the mythos before they fall to it. So it is probably worth approaching it with that mindset and just rolling up a new mans and watching how their story goes.

You may want to get used to recycling minis for other people mind. Takes me long enough to paint these chaps to crush them in a vice every time one 'dies'.

(Incidentally the advantage of the game using the Threshold agency framing device it that when one agent falls there is always going to be another coming fresh out of basic training)

--

So anyway, your dude survived five encounters with the dark forces who threaten our world and died in action in his sixth, and as you note, successful mission. That ain't nothing.

I suggest it would be in the spirit of the game to record his name in the memorial garden at Threshold headquarters and move forward with a new character.

[OldGuy59]

Thanks for the comments.

There is some strong reservations on 'promoting' either Agent on my list.  My highest PP Agent just took 'Lieutenant', and that actually helped a lot in the 'Free for All' scenario I just won.  Making that Agent the new Character means a further penalty in Skills, as Lieutenant becomes superfluous.

Hmmm...  Unless I make the 'Lieutenant' Skill an upgrade to 'Command', and disregard the previous Skill point addition.  This would be retconning the Agent, but sort of makes sense?

My other Agent has suffered a Major Injury, a Head Wound, and has a 5+ Resolve.  Not someone I want to make into the Character for my team, as no-one would want to use her Resolve in favour of their own.

Bringing in a new Character is probably the best option, leaving the Team intact, but I think I would wipe the promotion, and loose the Map Pieces as a penalty, and go back to 10 PP/10 EP.

Darn.  Can't do that.  Wiping the promotion, but not the Agents, only leaves 1 PP for a Character.  Can't do that.

Reconning it is.  It would be tight, as I wouldn't be able to take any skills until I won five games with the 'new' team.  I'm gonna try this, and see how this works out.

Note: The retconning is the only reason this might work, at all, as I get to have 2 PP to add the third Agent.

[Oldben1]

You could create an alternative universe where your character perserveared like in the new reboot of Star Trek.

Prequel?

[OldGuy59]

This is what I ended up with for a leader in my team:

Name:    Toby Coldwell   4 PP  5 EP
Type: Promoted  Agent

M 5 Dex 5+ Con 8 Att 2 W1 Res 4+

Major Injuries: Disfigured (Hideous)
Weapons/Gear:
Tommy Gun (3EP)
Axe: CCB+1, 1D+2, AP2 (1EP)
Clean Kit: Clear jam 1/Gm (.5EP)
Wolfsbane (.5EP)
Lucky Idol (Free)

Lucky Idol: Re-roll 1/gm, Spend to change to desired value

Skills: (Free: Tough)
Command (Promotion to Team Lead. -1PP for Lieutenant Skill)
Thick Skin (+1 Con +1PP)
Char Incr (+1 Con +1 PP)

Tough: 6+ Save against all hits, -2 on Injury Table
Lieutenant: Nominate 1 w/i 5“ (Refunded for Command)

Let's see what happens next...