Goals of Heroic vs Dramatic models.

There are two opposing ideals of gameplay that I work towards. The first is the Heroic model, as exemplified in D&D. Your characters sally forth to gain in power or die trying. If they survive they grow more powerful in capability and gain more powers to command. The goal is to get more powers and numerically better, by which to contrast the Storyteller numerically advances the opponents.

Contrasted by the Dramatic model where your character may become somewhat more capable over time, or possibly less so, the drive for ability growth is not there.  The drive is refocused to a broadening of intangibles; contacts, influence, plot, etc.

I find that running a game is a balancing act between these two ideals, that are often at odds with each other.  In the end you need to pick one to be the primary model and one that supports it.  A good Heroic game in my opinion is greatly improved by taking aspects of the Dramatic model and using them to complement the Heroic system.

I have not run or played a lot of Dramatic model systems, Whitewolf being the closest I have gotten.  And I feel  than what really improves a Dramatic system is a solid mechanical basis.  On of the problems of the Whitewolf systems, in my opinion, is that they really don't have a consistent rule base.  They have gotten better over the years, but they are nowhere near the consistency and compact nature of game such as Houses of the Blooded, which have a very tight system, that allow for a lot of creativity on the part of the players.

So why all this esoteric talk of models and systems and whatnot.  Well I, as any long time game master will do he will try and tweak the system.  And the most foolish of all are the game masters who decide that they can create a gaming system.  And yes I am that sort of fool.

My plan is to develop a Heroic system with some Dramatic sensibilities to replace d20 in my current gaming group. It will have much of it's system influenced by design decisions from d20, cyberpunk2020, white wolf, Savage worlds, 4th ed, and anything else that comes across my desk.  Should be fun, possibly maddening, probably foolhardy.  Sounds like fun!