Reflexive Questing

Reflexive Questing

Reflexive Questing 

#PaladinWeek  

With Paladin Quests there are 2 extremes. Big-longass quests that dedicated what the game will be about for the whole group or reflexive/instant questing. 

The first is a problem because it dictates a lot of things for the other characters, the second one breaks the quest move. 

Here is an example of what might happen.

GM: there is a patrol of Dark-Elves approaching you on Lizard Mounts!

Wizard: spouts lore

GM: *tells something about extremly wicked and deadly Dark-Elf poison

Paladin: “In the name of Anor! I will slay these Dark Elves, a great blight of the land. And i want immunity to their poison and a sense of dircetion to them so that i can find them even in darkness.” 

This is basically for 1 fight. The restrictions of holy vows won’t hit you as much. You will use mostly honorable tactics anyway i think and the others aren’t of much use either. 

So just declaring Quests for a short instant bonus is a really cheap trick. 

Nothing in the game says what is needed to dedicate yourself on a Quest. It could be a short Prayer between Paladin and God or a big ceremony requiring the Archduke of Canterbury (a sentient Owl-Bear that became one of Anors most holy crusaders).

Make sure you ask questions about these things in your first session to clear it up and create a precedent.  

5 thoughts on “Reflexive Questing”

  1. Yeah. I would say, to do it, do it. Just as shaking your fist menacingly wouldn’t trigger hack and slash, at least in any game I run “In the name of Anor!” wouldn’t trigger the Quest move. It takes a LITTLE more “prayer and ritual cleansing” for that.

    It’s also arguable that your quest goal needs to be legit: are these dark elves really a great blight upon the land?

    Or, how does Anor react to being asked continually for blessings for even the smallest of deeds? “In the name of Anor! I will discover the truth of this sandwich recipe! Senses that pierce lies and a mark of divine authority before I ask the chef!” You can show signs of the god’s displeasure if you feel that the Paladin is abusing his holy gift. And if he doesn’t correct his ways, well, that sounds like being handed a golden opportunity to me…

  2. In light of the first point… big ass quests CAN dictate what the game is about, but no more or less than the wizard going “Well, I don’t know about you fools, but I’M going off to find the fabled Tower of the Arcanodaemons! What do I know of its location (Spout Lore Spout Lore Spout Lore)?” or anything like that.

  3. It doesn’t feel like a quest to me. Surely the required prayer and ritual cleansing should stop the insta-quest. I mean, the first time she quested she didn’t just say “I dedicate my quest to Arnor” and wipe her forehead with a tissue, did she?

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