This essay outlines some tools and tips on how to promote diegetic advancement. It presents a broad view that is relevant with most TTRPG’s. I hope to soon present longer essays that focus on specific genres of Role Playing Games like Fantasy and Science Fiction.
What is Diegetic Advancement?
What can it do?
How can I use it to improve my games?
Diegetic: especially : existing or occurring within the world of a narrative rather than as something external to that world.
-Merriam Webster Dictionary
Non-Diegetic advancement is any way that characters in an rpg improve that is not tied to the in-game world. E.G. Leveling up, increasing stats, getting a +2 to certain rolls.
Diegetic advancement is how characters improve within the game’s fiction. E.G. Finding a new, more dangerous weapon, buying a horse, befriending a mayor or studying a new magic spell.
Diegetic advancement is useful, because it gives your game world a feeling of verisimilitude and increases player immersion. When the world presents problems, players will feel motivated to solve the problems in-world.
Weapons
Weapons are designed to do damage. Basic weapons are usually light and flexible but deal little damage.
Advanced Weapons deal more damage and/or have longer range, but are often bulky, requiring two hands and are very difficult to conceal.
Expert Weapons are very destructive and will often have special properties such as setting fires or having a large area of effect. However, they come with a large range of drawbacks such as being heavy, very expensive, often illegal, slow to reload and consuming a large amount of ammunition.
Armor
This equipment keeps characters safe from attack. Basic Armor is cheap, discrete and light, but provides little protection.
Advanced Armor is more expensive and heavy, but provides good protection.
Expert Armor is tremendously expensive, often made to order. It provides amazing protection, but at a serious cost to mobility. Often it has extra features, hidden compartments, integrated weapons or complete immunity to a type of damage, such as fire or electricity.
Transportation
Being able to move quickly and/or carry a large amount of cargo can be extremely useful to your characters.
Basic Transport can carry twice as much weight as a character and allow faster movement over good terrain.
Advanced Transport can carry ten times as much weight as a character and/or carry multiple characters quickly over good terrain. It is often heavy and expensive.
Expert Transport is specialized. It can haul enormous amounts of materiel at high speeds, often through the air. Enormously expensive and often requiring trained crews to operate. Military models may mount heavy weapons and have reinforced armor.
Followers
Followers are Non-Player Characters (NPC’s) run by the Game Master.
Basic characters may hire one or two Followers, who will provide basic services for them, but will rarely enter combat or risk their lives for their employer. They ask for very reasonable wages.
Advanced characters may hire a full dozen npc’s. They may hire specialists with advanced skills, or military types willing to risk their lives in battle. However these specialist Followers require substantial payments for their services.
Expert characters may hire entire regiments of Followers and world-renowned experts in certain fields. This is of course tremendously expensive, but the Followers will be quite reasonable, as their employers are famous and powerful persons.
Strongholds
Characters will rarely take control of a stronghold until they are at least Advanced. A Basic stronghold would be a simple shelter or small business.
Advanced Strongholds are often subservient to local authorities, but they are a safe place for characters to rest and recover. They provide room for a few followers and can be improved with simple additions such as a workshop or cellar.
Expert Strongholds are large complexes. They often exert control over the local population, who pay taxes or other compensation in exchange for security guarantees and assistance. These taxes normally provide for the upkeep of the Stronghold. A regiment of Followers may be garrisoned here, and work stations built for all manner of experts and craftsmen.
Influence
A Character’s fame, reputation and wealth change how they are generally treated. Those with Basic Influence are largely ignored. People in their home town or group of associates will generally show them respect.
Advanced Characters may receive discounts from merchants. The Rich and Wealthy are more likely to grant them audience and common folk within the city or county will treat them respectfully. However fame will get them attention from unsavory individuals such as criminals or warlords. Advanced Characters are eligible to establish a Faction, uniting their followers in a particular cause or goal.
Expert Characters are known all over the known world(s). The wealthy and powerful treat them as equals. However, many people will ask for their help or favor, and they will be expected to bear responsibility for those in their service. If they have a Faction, it will generally become very influential and generate additional income and power.
Psionics, Magic, Kung Fu etc.
Some characters have access to strange powers. Normally your game rules will explain how these powers work, but when in doubt, you can follow this guide.
Basic Powers should have temporary effects (lasting a few seconds) and be focused on utility. Mobility, to reach a difficult area, Advantage, to get a tactical edge in combat or Communication, sending and receiving messages further or faster than normal.
Advanced Powers have effects that can last up to a few hours. Some focuses include Damage, concentrated on one target or in an area. Illusion, fooling the senses of targets. Force, moving objects to far away or heavy for normal manipulation and _____
Expert Powers can sometimes last indefinitely. They have Focuses such as Transformation, turning one thing into another. Annihilation, destroying an entire city or stronghold. Control, manipulating a creature or object and _____
*Always remember that special powers are made more interesting when they have Drawbacks. Constraints on powers such as Can only be used X times per day, Takes X amount of time to use or Consumes X rare resources make the game more interesting and make game balance easier.
Consumables
These are extremely useful when you want to give your players a boost of power without seriously changing the power level of your game.
Food, water and light are all common consumables that most characters will need to survive.
Some Basic Consumables include, but are not limited too.
Healing items
Poison+alcohol
Lockpicks
Smoke Grenades
Light Sources
Basic Tools and equipment
Advanced Consumables include…
Explosives
Complex Tools
Expert Consumables may include…
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Masterwork/Specialist Tools
Skills and Training
Characters may meet or seek out specialists who can train them in a variety of skills.
Basic skills can be taught by ordinary craftsmen. This takes a short amount of time and is often simply paid for in unskilled labor. This will allow characters to attempt complex tasks that would be impossible without training.
Advanced skills can be learned from specialists. A Character will often need to pay the specialist a substantial amount of money or have an impressive enough reputation to secure training. The training takes a considerable amount of time and dedication to master. This training can make some complex tasks easy to accomplish and may even give a Bonus to a character trying to accomplish a difficult task in hazardous conditions.
Expert skills can only be learned from Masters of their trade. These professionals will require either a considerable reputation or a great amount of money in return for their services. Often, you must make certain social connections to even meet these persons.
This training does not normally take long, as it assumes you have the baseline skills to learn these advanced lessons.
Masters will refuse to even try teaching a character, if they have no previous training in the field.
For example, a Famed Surgeon will not teach heart transplant techniques to a character who has never studied medicine. An Elite Swordsmaster will not teach their special Twin-Sword Technique to a character who has never studied swordsmanship or tactics.
*Skills are often learned during the “off screen” time between adventures.
*If a character trained as a craftsman, then at Basic level they can repair relevant items. At Advanced they can build these items from basic materials and conduct repairs easily. As Experts they can invent new and cutting edge versions of common items, or even entirely new technologies. They still need access to all the relevant materials.
