On Chargen, does starting Obligation add to starting XP totals, or has the starting obligation amount (being 10 or 20 points depending on PC numbers) already been factored into each races starting XP amount.

If this amount has already been factored in, then isnt it a bit unfair to penalise a lower PC count with greater obligation without offsetting it somehow? eg; with only 2 PC's, each would start off with 20 points in obligation, 10 more than a PC group of four. Would each of the two PC's get an extra 10 starting XP (human would now equal 120) ?

Thoughts?

Starting obligation doesn't contribute to XP. Also there is nothing unfair about a group of 2 PCs having more indvidual obligation then a group of 4 PCs. Obligation isn't a mechanical "burden" it's just a goldmine of story hooks to use. You have to change your mindset of looking at it as if it's a penalty.

Starting obligation doesn't contribute to XP. Also there is nothing unfair about a group of 2 PCs having more indvidual obligation then a group of 4 PCs. Obligation isn't a mechanical "burden" it's just a goldmine of story hooks to use. You have to change your mindset of looking at it as if it's a penalty.

Let me try to rephrase that:

Obligation isn't ^ ^just a mechanical "burden" it's just ^ ^also a goldmine of story hooks to use.

Total party Obligation is designed to be about the same regardless of party size. It's fair since individual PCs in a smaller party get more RP "screen time" than those in a larger party -- Obligation is something one often works-through in RP thus individual Obligation should match that.

If Obligation were independent of party size, you'd be overwhelmed in a large group and underwhelmed in a smaller group.

Starting Obligation can be considered to be used for obtaining things like the group ship (which they wouldn't be able to afford otherwise). How the party owns (or in some cases "owns") their ship is probably going to be involved a lot in where they got their obligation.

The concepts behind Obligation can be difficult for players familiar with systems that don't posess these types of mechanics. Obligation, as well as many other systems, is designed to represent the debts, favors, consequences, and relationships that any "real" person would have. Most of the systems I have played have some sort of Feat/Flaw mechanic built into them, outside of the D&D 3.0 etc systems I beileve. Their purpose isn't to penalize a character, but to incorporate mechanical support for their past/present.

As to why it scales, this is mostly to help the narrative of the GM, in regards to the Obligation roll made at the begining of a session. A party of 2 starting at 10 obligation wouldn't really feel burdened by it unless they opted for additional perks. however, a party of 4 starting at 15 would probably be forced to immediately start settling their debts. It scales per number of players in order to provide a consistant balance of pressure in regard to obligation, without becoming crippling.

In simpilest terms it is an abstraction used to make the game more enjoyable.