The Attribute Auction

This is where the players bid against each other to be the best in each of four Attributes.

There are three broad stages to the Auction.

Point Plan

Everyone gets 100 points to spend on their character. There are many ways to spend the points.

If you have a well-defined character concept, you'll know what to spend the points on. Don't allow the points to dominate your character - make sure your character dominates the points.

Skim through the mechanics again and figure out how you'd like to spend your points. Remember that you can get bonus points for Stuff, Contributions Credit, and Enemies.

The reason for making a rough plan for your point expenditure is the Auction.

You need a plan, because otherwise you can spend all your points in the Auction and not have left over for the other things you need for your character.

The plan needs to be rough because the results of the Auction can't be predicted.

Remember that you can't get everything. Maybe some things will have to wait until you get more points from advancement.

At this stage you'll also have to consider the relative balance in your character of Attributes and Powers. Which aspect does your design emphasise? About how many points should you allocate to Attributes all together?

Also, don't forget to consider the two things you can't add on to your character later: Blood Inheritance and Shape Change Basic Forms. Remember to account for them in your point plan.

Auction

With a strong character concept, a rough plan for point expenditure, and a knowledge of how the bidding works, you are ready for the Auction.

This is the focal point of character design. As the first formal point of character interaction, it defines how the characters relate to one another.

If your character wants to be the best in Strength, Gérard's favourite student, you'll know whether or not there's any opposition because they'll bid against you in the Auction.

Based on your character design, there are three approaches to take in the Auction.

First, your character might be striving to be the best, or close to it, in one or more particular Attributes. In this case, the number of points you spend on that Attribute depends on the opposition.
You'll have to figure out some sort of maximum in the relevant Attributes, and what you'll do if the bidding goes over it. Is that magic sword really important? How about just making it a favourite sword? You can always try to make it magical later on in the campaign.
Second, your character might be a secretive type, or an outsider who didn't grow up in Amber. As a bidder, you might decide to represent this by not giving anything away.
This makes your plan for the Auction pretty simple - don't bid. The drawback of this approach is that because you're not speaking up for your character, it may be harder to feel strongly about their relative ranking in the Attributes. And the results of Attribute rankings are the most frequent way characters are compared in the family.
Third, your character if isn't defined strongly by their Attributes, they'll come low or middling in each Attribute. In this case you don't much care what others bid, and you can just bid once, exactly the amount that you choose.
However, don't be trapped by this attitude. If an opening appears with little opposition, you might be able to go for a much better ranking with little extra point expenditure.

Take notes during the auction. See which characters are going to be the opposition for you. After the Auction, go over to them and try to build up some reasons and background for that competitive aspect of their relationship.

Are they friends, or hated enemies? Do they have similar reasons for being strong in that Attribute, or do they have totally different goals? How have the two characters clashed in the past? Describe some events involving the two characters involving their competition in this Attribute.

Spend Points

After the Auction, you know (or can choose) exactly how many points you've spent on Attributes.

Here you can balance up variables like Contribution Credit, Stuff, Enemies, and exactly how many points to spend on Items, Artefacts, Followers, Creatures, Companions and Shadows.

Which Powers your character has should be a fairly simple decision, effectively made earlier in the design process. If you find yourself having difficulty deciding which Powers you should have, go back and look at some of the more important aspects of the character.

That should help you decide where the points should lie. Don't let considerations of cheaper Powers interfere with your conception of the character. The character is more important, every time.

The SG will want to make a record of how you've spent the points. They can give advice on how best your plan will fit into the campaign.

Tuesday, August 19, 1997
Suhuy
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