Tim's Position on Stuff

The "Stuff" Controversy

Sooner or later everyone likes to know about stuff and how it affects the game. As we all probably know in ADRPG bad stuff characters are vile backstabbing scoundrels, and good stuff characters suffer from, as one person put it, "happy-puppy cluelessness".
Here is my simple take on stuff. It is a handicap for role-playing. A player with good stuff will be successful despite inaction or make mistakes. A player with bad stuff may fail even when they did everything right.
So good stuff doesn't make you a 'clueless puppy' however, you may find that you are treated as such. People will like you and things will go your way for no good reason. Elders and players being not stupid, will attribute your good fortune to what it is - luck not skill.
Likewise bad stuff doesn't make you evil. You just don't get any breaks. People don't instantly become your best buddy, and despite good planning things will go wrong.
My take on lots of good stuff, is that it is just the thing for players new to the game, or who want to play a 'clueless puppy' or total innocent. It ensures that despite their lack of brains and treachery that they live.
However, good stuff can be frustrating for more experienced players. Good players tend to be motivated be a desire to play their character well, and to overcome obstacles placed before them. Good stuff leaves a sour taste in their mouth. It raises the question - "Did I succeed because what I did was clever and courageous, or was I successful because I had lots of good stuff."
Similarly lots of bad stuff is really only good for people who want to play a character who never gets a break, who fails everytime he seems to be on the right track. Spiderman is my classic example of a bad stuff character.
I much prefer moderate quanties of stuff in the 1 to 5 point range. I'll listen to a character with more, but you have been warned.
One last note on stuff. Unlike ADRPG I don't like stuff changing overnight. For the most part you can only raise or lower your stuff by one point each advancement and no more. Life changing events or blood curses can of course dramaticaly alter your stuff ratio.