32. more on highlighted stats

We are wrapping up the chapter on Character Creation today with a quick look at “Highlighting Stats” (page 78).

Go around the table one last time. Every player finds the character her character knows best, the one with the highest Hx on her own sheet (resolving ties by whim). That other player says which of the character’s stats is most interesting to her, to highlight.

Then, MC, you choose a second stat to highlight. It’s your choice; choose the stat you find most interesting for that character yourself.

So: Marie, whom does she know best? She knows Keeler with Hx+3, so, “Keeler, which of my stats is most interesting to you?” Keeler’s player chooses Marie’s Weird, because sometimes the obvious choice is the good choice. As MC, I choose Marie’s cool, because I like to see characters act under fire. Marie’s player marks both on her character sheet.

Whom does Keeler know best? Bran, with Hx+3. “Bran, you get to highlight one of my stats, which one?” Bran’s player chooses Keeler’s hard, I suppose hoping to see Keeler in fights. As MC, I choose Keeler’s weird, and Keeler’s player marks both on her sheet.

This is our third time around the table. The first time we each played the role of actor and talked in detail about the personal history of that character. The second time we played authors and created pasts that were intertwined with each other, explosive events that will fuel our relationships in the future. This third time we are reminded that we have an audience and that we are ourselves the audience for the other players.

The rule is to pick that stat that “is most interesting” to you because we assume the roles of not just audience members, but fans. As the fan of a series, we know what we want to see. In this upcoming episode, do I want to see sexy Tyrion wielding his charisma with lovers and friends? Do I want to see clever Tyrion talking shit to his sister and pulling strings behind everyone’s back? Or do I want to see Tyrion on the battlefield even as I shudder for his safety? By our choices we signal what we hope to see. By others’ choices we are told what our audience most wants to witness.

Having both the MC and a player choose a stat reminds us that even though we they only have one really strong stat, we play multifaceted characters who are hot, weird, hard, cool, and sharp in interesting ways. Play up two sides of your characters for the reward of experience and be mindful that the fiction you create is both for yourself and for your audience.

And for the last time (for now) I will note that the social interaction is guided by yet another question: which of my stats is most interesting to you?

All the way around, everybody gets their hightlighted stats, and that’s it. Character creation’s done, time to play.

Joke's on us. We’ve been playing this whole time.