Quick character creation
Players working as a team is the foundation on which exciting and vibrant characters are built.
- Take the printed character sheets (that’s right, one sheet for each Protagonist!) and a differently coloured pen or crayon per player. Write down all the information about your Protagonist in your specific color, so that it won’t get mixed up.
- Decide who’s going to be a ‘Cocky’ Protagonist and who’s going to be a ‘Charming’ one. Also, choose between being ‘Resilient’ or ‘Nimble’ and being ‘Lucky’ or ‘Wealthy’.
- After that, choose or come up with your own Motto and a Significant Item for your Protagonists. All of that will help you to better portray your characters and their motivations.
- Play through a couple of initial scenes and describe your characters, allow them to get acquainted and get to know them yourselves. Try not to get caught up in lengthy descriptions – the most crucial details will appear further along the road.
- Take five dice per each player and set them aside – these will count as Life Dice.
- Each player should draw two cards from the Aspirations deck and read through them.
- That’s it, you’re ready to play!
Personality
Motto
Character’s creed; one phrase expressing his or her concept and essence. Once per game, you may use the character’s Motto to reroll all dice used in one roll.
EXAMPLES:
- The truth is worth it;
- Never lose face;
- Everyone deserves happiness;
- Life is too short to play by the rules;
- I always keep my word;
- I laugh in the face of danger;
- Freedom until the end.
Significant Item
Something memorable that ties the character to their past. A character may be unable to get rid of it, may draw strength from it or carry it for the sake of someone else. Once per game, this item may be used as an Element (giving +1d to one roll), if a player would describe how this Significant Item is relevant to the situation at hand.
EXAMPLES:
- An ugly handmade plush toy;
- A dusty bottle of alcohol that you are keeping for a special occasion;
- An old game cartridge for an outdated console;
- A signed polaroid;
- A wedding ring with the diamond taken out;
- A wristwatch that’s stopped at 7.33 p.m.;
- A cord necklace with a shell casing pendant.
Approaches
Instead of numerical characteristics as used in many other games, characters in Our Bucket List will intentionally use opposing approaches. Meaning that if one Protagonist gravitates to one extreme, another is bound to gravitate to the opposite (or middle, if you are playing with three players). Thus, the Protagonists are nothing alike, but they are able to complement one another. An inclination towards a certain approach allows you to roll two dice when applying it, and when you need to use the opposing approach, you roll one die.
Cocky or Charming. This determines how a character usually gets what they want.
- Cocky Protagonists press on towards their goal through aggression, pressure, and provocation. Their speech is often overflowing with jibes and sarcasm, and most of their actions are bold and insolent. However, this does not always mean that such characters are prone to resort to violence in every situation.
- Charming characters, on the other hand, choose gentler ways to achieve their goals. Persuasion, flattery, seduction – are just a few elements in their toolkit. At the same time, it is not mandatory to be a devious manipulator – kindness and politeness can open a lot of doors.
Resilient or Nimble. This contraposition reflects how directly the Protagonist faces arising problems.
- Resilient characters demonstrate the ability to face the danger head-on, overcoming obstacles by their sheer force of will, endurance and strength; this approach also defines the character’s physical endurance.
- Nimble characters prefer avoiding their problems through guile, swiftness, quick response and cunning, rather than solving them.
Lucky or Wealthy. This determines what the characters fall back on in situations where nothing else is of use – money or sheer luck.
- During an attempt to get something in exchange for money, test your Wealth. If you would fail your roll the required item wouldn’t be available at that specific time, or your funds wouldn’t cover the exorbitant price, or the seller would be unwilling to part with the goods at all.
- If the character springs rashly into action while relying on sheer luck, if the outcome does not depend on the character alone, or if all other approaches fall short – it’s time to test your Luck.
Characters and their mechanics: actions, aspirations, life dice, elements, episodes.