Totem builds, wanting more say

Totem points, and what powers a totem grants should be part of the negotiations when a pack buys a totem.

I'm disconnected from how it's actually happening, and think the game could benefit by having a sit down "totem power draft" where the pack decides on a power for the totem, and then the STs decide on one of similar points, and they go back and forth. The services a totem provide should not be arbitrary, but should be part of the negotiations between the totem and the pack, so that the totem can provide what the pack needs, and of course be empowered in the way it wishes to serve.

This is exactly what was done for Mongoose, don't worry.

Hooray!

My views on this as a player i dont think we should be able to cherry pick what the totems gifts are. I belive we should look at the basic write up IE: the discription and the general benifits thats all. Let the story tellers and the story dictate the rest of the gifts.

I know some folks what to be able to pick and choose how the exp is spent on a totem and gifts and neat little powers it can do. Heck if thats the only reason for takeing a totem then ask yourself are you playing for numbers or are you playing for the story.

Personally i play for the story not being able to creat a sidekick that is uber powerfull with neat powzors.

just my opinion

Garou sacrifice something in exchange for the aid of a spirit. If the spirit cannot render the aid the pack requires, then there is little reason to work with that spirit.

If your pack runs the pack formation ritual correctly and traditionally, you don't pick your totem, it picks you.

We didn't even consider the mechanics of what the totem would grant at the time because we didn't pick our totem, it picked us.

Part of what a totem provides should be handled through negotiation. remember, these are points on a PC's sheet, and the PC should be able to get some use out of those points. Obviously STs have final say over what is reasonable, but a level of give and take, including extra bans or sacrifices to the totem is perfectly reasonable to ensure that the totems can do what the pack needs.

Nobody is disagreeing. Let's pop over to the pack board and let's dish.