So – you want to run a political intrigue session or campaign. It can be very intimidating to jump into this kind of game because it implies very complex political systems the party will have to face. It can make Game Masters feel like they have to crack the history tomes just to figure out how it all works.
However, you shouldn’t need to know everything about world history to know how to run a political game. It may look like chess, but I promise it isn’t. Let’s go over all the stuff you really need to keep in mind as you start preparing your sessions.
Political games are, above all things, stories about relationships. It’s about getting allies, determining who your enemies are, and cutting them out of the equation before they do the same to you.
Start with the context. What is the problem? Don’t go into the minutiae of every little thing, broad strokes are key here. Is there war? Is there economic strife in the country? A new religion popped up that people are concerned about?
Establish who the players are. Just include the people who would get involved in the issue, both publicly and secretly. Create a little bit of context about who they are and what they do.
There are two very important things to establish when defining characters. The first is: what does each character want? Most characters should want subtly different things. Allies might united under a common cause, but each ally might have a different idea about what happens after the alliance is completed. This offers possibility for betrayal or secret dealings.
The second thing to keep in mind is not a question, but a philosophy: if you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself. Someone may not be pulling the trigger when assassinating a key figure, but they better be the one writing the order. Everyone knows that bureaucracy is the death of efficiency, and obtaining power is the most dangerous game you can play. It needs to be done carefully. Also, it offers a paper trail for your players so they don’t become lost or confused about what lead to follow next.
Political games are all about obtaining power. Everyone wants a piece to achieve their own goals. Goals can range from: money, social currency, religious influence, political influence, economic influence, military influence, reputation/regard, authority, etc. Control or social mobility is the name of the game.
How can people achieve these things? You will first need to clarify whether this game is micro or macro scale. Micro scale is focused on individuals in a city, town, or region using their own tactics to achieve power. Think of a general attempting to become emperor, or a small cult trying to become the dominate religion in a country. Macro scale is when large groups and communities attempt to obtain power on a global scale. This could include war, revolution, etc.
By differentiating the scale, you can clarify what kind of tactics your NPCs or groups could be using. Would they use something outright aggressive or something subtle? Here are a list of common tactics that could be useful:
Micro:
Macro:
Many of these tactics require a ruthless lack of regard for human life and suffering. Why are the characters willing to allow this to happen? Consider the old saying: the road to hell was paved with good intentions. How far are the NPCs willing to go in order to achieve their goal?
If you take nothing else away from this article, I want to leave you with some inspiration that you can read or watch on your own. These works will help you see political intrigue plots in action, and offer unexpected ways to build conflict and find solutions.
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So: your players are entering the final act of your campaign guide. They are on their way to the big bad, but decide to take a pit stop on the way to rest and power up.
Then, suddenly, it all falls apart. They try to complete a side quest, but it goes horribly wrong. Not only have they awakened an ancient evil, they have failed to defeat the real big bad, and now you have a TPK on your hands.
What now? Do you start over? The whole story is a mess now.
This is every GMs worst nightmare. But there is always a solution to your gaming troubles, no matter the difficulty. This kind of challenge actually has some great benefits, as it offers you a chance to stretch your storytelling muscles, and make something beautiful. You do not have to stress about building a full world like homebrew, nor are you limited to in book restrictions.
So, where do you start?
The first big question is what do your players want to play? Do they want to make new characters? Or do they want to keep playing the characters who tragically fell? If new characters are the way to go, then you just need to find a way to get them in the world.
If the players want to continue playing the characters they have been growing over the course of the campaign, what ways could they be brought back to life? Could it be to make a dark bargain with one of the dark forces they were fighting against? Or perhaps a source of divinity was able to step in, turning one of the party into a cleric or paladin. There are plenty of options to explore, so take a bit of time to figure out what makes sense for the party and the world at large.
So, the side mission didn’t go as planned. What are the consequences of that failure? Does a new baddie start to make moves in the campaign world? Is a nearby town destroyed or plundered?
The possible events will vary depending on the mission that failed when the party died. Determine what the new baddies wanted to accomplish and let them succeed. This will give your players a sense of continuity as well as a sense that their choices matter. It will also make it that much more satisfying when they take their revenge.
Finally, consider the big bad. What is their reaction to the party’s failings? Was the party on their radar? If they did know about the party, perhaps the big bad is relieved and continues on their business. Perhaps the big bad is the one to resurrect them in order to kill a new player on the political field. Or, if all else fails, the big bad could simply get stronger, getting closer to their goals one step at a time.
It is always interesting to consider how the big bad will react if the side quest that the players failed results in a new enemy. This can build a lot of opportunities for your players to play both sides of the field. Opportunity and challenge are the birth of innovation.
In the end, make sure that the new story is going to be satisfying to the players. They lost their characters in a dire situation, experienced heartbreak. Let them take back their power and show the world their might once again. They will be all the more grateful for it.
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Board games can have a reputation to be strictly competitive. A lot of the games we are introduced to when we are young are very competition heavy. Whether it be Monopoly, Scrabble, even Magic, the list goes on and on.
However, after multiple competitive board games, it can be refreshing to have everyone work as a team. While they may be a bit unfamiliar to your group, these team games will have you all cheering together in victory, or singing songs of sorrow at your defeat.
So, let’s reveal some games where you can build friendships instead of break them – shall we?
You can’t hide from the undead here…
Dead of Winter is a survival board game where you work together to save your home and yourselves. You are given an objective card to complete within a certain amount of rounds, fighting against zombies, hunger, garbage, and the unexpected. For an added twist, you can have everyone draw their own private objective card that everyone will need to complete separately. Some of these cards are harmless, but some of these cards are betrayals to the entire colony, resulting in failure.
If you are looking for something to peak your undead fighting spirit, check out Dead of Winter here!
Ah, so you consider yourselves adventurers, huh? Think you can handle anything? We’ll see about that.
Gloomhaven is a team combat strategy game where you face numerous monsters, minions, and evil men alike. Each in box character gives you unique abilities to explore and learn, such as the magecraft of the Spellweaver, or the obliterating power of the Cragheart. But don’t think this game will let you off easy. You are going to have to face tough enemies in tough environments. Running in guns blazing isn’t going to work every time. Or any time. Strategy is key and without it, your team will left for dead.
If your group is the heroic type, and you think you all will be able to survive in the town of Gloomhaven, pick it up here!
If you want to give the game a bit more of a test run as opposed to jumping into the full version, then check out Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion! This version will give you everything you need in a smaller, cheaper package. Pick it up here!
Investigators, huh? The inquisitive sort? Got a groovy looking green and blue van, ascot at the ready?
Well, there is no better place to get your start than with Betrayal at House on the Hill. This is a cooperative game about fighting and investigating supernatural dangers in a large house on… well, a hill. This is a randomly generated house and scenario, so every time you play the supernatural situation and house will be different. Each player will have a pre-determined character to play out the box, each with their own stats to help discover more about the house.
As opposed to Dead of Winter, this game does have a betrayer requirement. One of the group shall be overcome by the darkness in the house, turning them into a minion of madness. The rest of the party will be required to stop this possessed player from enacting their evil plan, and potentially killing the rest of the group!
If you are ready to channel your inner Mystery Inc., then pick up your copy of Betraya at House on the Hill here!
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