Storypath Cards

In general, play proceeds by the Storyguide and the players narrating what occurs. The players have absolute control over their characters, and use their Descriptors to affect other parts of the world. The Storyguide not only has authority over the rest of the world (including all of the Guest and Diceless characters), but over reality itself. She is allowed to decide what happens in any contested situation, which means she effectively has veto power over even a player's use of her character's Descriptors.

Doesn't sound very fair, does it?

Well, if your SG is fair-minded, and concerned primarily with everyone having a good time, it'll work out just fine. For the most part. But, this is supposed to be a collaborative storytelling game, and giving one person final say over almost everything doesn't really aid collaboration. So, there is a tool for giving the players more control over the story, beyond their characters. Each of the players has some Storypath Cards (initially equal to the number of diced Planets).

Playing Cards

If the Storyguide declares a result that you dislike, you may overrule it with the use of a Storypath Card. They may be used to alter any part of the story, regardless of whether or not the player's character could have affected the change, or is even involved. In effect, the play of a card gives the player (almost) complete authorial control over a small portion of the story, just as the SG generally has.

How a Storypath card is used is completely up to the player. The suggestions on them may be used or ignored, and the title may be taken literally or metaphorically (or both) -- though the title or primary meaning of the card does need to be used. There are only a couple of concrete rules governing their use. First, any player gets veto power over a card used directly on her character. She doesn't need a reason, and is encouraged to veto card plays that would violate the spirit of her character. Second, the SG gets final veto over all card plays, though she is advised not to use that power unless absolutely necessary. Third, the player of the card gets complete authorial control over the outcome. Others may contribute suggestions, but, except for veto of undesired effects on their characters, the player is not required to use those suggestions. Likewise, the SG shouldn't rewrite a use of a card, but should instead veto its use and give the player a chance to do the rewrite herself; the whole point is to give the player authorial control.

Gaining and Losing Cards

Every player starts out with as many cards as her character has diced Planets. When a card is spent, the SG should look at how it was spent. If it is, on balance, to the detriment of that player's character, the player gets to immediately draw another card. If it is, on balance, to the advantage of the character, the card is not replaced. Cards are maintained from session to session, until spent. In addition to replacing cards spent as a detriment, the SG may hand out more cards as rewards for success and/or good roleplaying.

In addition to players having Storypath Cards, Titles also can have Storypath cards. Any Main character of that Title can spend these cards, but only during an Issue that takes place in that Title. The section on Titles and Issues has more on the rules governing this use of Storypath cards.

New Traits

There is one further use for Storypath cards. Blank cards, as you might guess, function as a "wild card" -- the player may use them to do whatever she wishes. However, a blank card can also be used in a special way. If the player so desires, a blank Storypath card may be played to give a character (usually her own) a new Trait. This new Trait may be explained either with retcon or as a newly-acquired Trait, depending on what works the best for the story.

When To Use Storypath

The balance of power in this game is between the Storyguide, the players, and the Storypath Cards. Under normal circumstances, all of the participants have agreed to abide by the Storyguide's decisions, and the Storyguide has implicitly agreed to be as fair as possible, to both the players and the story. Usually, the gentle give and take of simple discussion will resolve any disagreements about the capabilities of a character or the outcome of an action -- there will be no need to use anything beyond the Descriptors of a character and the circumstances she is in to decide the outcome. At worst, the player may have to explain to the SG how a Descriptor is relevant, or the SG may have to rule that a Descriptor isn't relevant in this situation. At no point should the Storyguide take away the players' control over their characters²⁵.

But sometimes a player may simply have a different vision of how to steer the story. That is why the Storypath Cards exist. Not as a means to trump or "beat" the Storyguide, but to have a mechanism to give the player authorial power without stepping on the SG's toes. By using the cards, you clearly delineate who is in charge when, eliminating arguments that stem from each side believing their decision should hold sway.