Question: What makes a team leader?

[Lukeal]

Obviously, this is going to be a lot of opinion. But I recently got to thinking that most groups simply do not have a character made to be the team leader. Usually they fall into the role or developed because of situation or concensus. Even in cases where there is a clear leader, it usually isn't about game abilities or design but about the real world group dynamic. Some game systems I have played actually have mechanics that can strongly skew who is the leader (like giving everyone bonus dice if they are following the plan of a character).

So, with that in mind, several questions raised in my mind.

 

How has your groups decided on a team leader in the past? (GM Fiat, in character "work it out", by specific design before play, leadership roles (combat, PR, training), etc?)

Have you ever made a character specifically to be a team leader?

Has that character actually become the team leader?

Is the team leader more about the player's personalities/group dynamic?

Are there any abilities, skills, disadvantages, or powers that you would deem essential to being a team leader?

Are there any abilities, skills, disadvantages, or powers that you would deem prejudicial to being a team leader?

 

Even looking at some of the teams in the source books, the leaders tend to be that because the writer says so rather than any actual ability or skill at leadership.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

i would think having integrity makes for a good leader

[Martin2]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

I tend to find it is usually certain players get to be the leader even when the character is not a leader type.

 

It all depends on the player. Very few players will decide to be a leader unless they want to be in that position.

 

In some cases do you need a specific leader? My curent group has no leader and the group gets a long fine. Some groups survive without a specific leader.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

SKILLS

Bureacracy

Oratory

KS: The Superhuman World

PS: Public Relations

Tactics

Teamwork

 

PERKS

Reputation

 

POWERS

Some form of communications.

 

 

Hmmm... DIGITAL HERO #41, How to Lead a Superhero Team by Ross Watson; Page 31 to 35

 

 

QM

 

 

PS: Check out Simular Threads below.

[Vulcan]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

Really, the only quality a team leader needs is for the team to be willing to listen to him. Everything else is gravy.

[Balabanto]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

The real problem is that most groups have big egos. Roleplayers are prima donnas, and everyone wants their screen time.

[Sammael]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

The only time I've personally witnessed a formal assumption of leadership is when the GM has specifically demanded a leader be picked. Otherwise the various parties have each been more a band of heroic individuals working toward similar goals rather than a cohesive squad commanded by a squad leader. I don't recall any of those declared party leaders ever having any credentials for the position beyond accepting the position. Further, I would have to say that, in the main, the leaderless parties ran better than the ones with official leaders.

[Hermit]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

Some players get their PCs thrust into leadership roles over and over again whether it is due to 1) They're good at it They're the only ones willing to do the work in that department or 3) they tend to make those sorts of characters. 4) habit

 

I recall a campaign quote someone else posted "I'm not the leader, got it? Ok. Now here's what we're gonna do..."

 

Character wise, a leader has to have a strong mix of empathy, tactical knack, and above all he has to have earned the respect of his team. HOW he earns that respect may vary and it ain't always easy.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

"I am not the Leader damn it!" LOL, I have been chosen as Leader on a few occassions because I kept better notes then the rest of the gaming group combined. To avoid it I just kept notes for my characters.

 

My best advis to a GM is to play out a few sessions and have the Media chose a Team Leader. Suddenly every

[Zen Archer]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

I've never built a character with the idea of being a team leader. I tended to avoid being the leader in general, to the point of having a standard "If I'm leading, we're really in trouble" response. But some characters I played just gravitated to the role.

[Alverant]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

My group has two different superhero campaigns. Both started out with the same player being leader. In the first it was because she had the connections to the superhero community. In the second she had the connections to the city and she had the most public face (and richest so when the rest of us had a money issue she was there). As both campaigns continued someone else took over leadership in the first group who started as field leader due to combat skills and police contacts (and as players changed characters, the deputy leader was the only charter member who had the ability to lead).

 

So I'd put it up to the players mostly. Anyone can HAVE the skills a leader requires, but being a leader requires role playing. You either have it or you don't and a player needs to realize that.

[Nothere]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

Once or twice I've had secondary charecters hint that a team should pick a team leader. Each time they discussed it, and never actually chose. So if your going to impose a team leader you need to do it forcefully right fromtthe start. AS to what qualities they needBasically they neeed to be liked.

 

It's very hel-pful to have good orginizational skills , but it dosen't help if no one goes where you want them. The ability to come up with a plan would be good, but only ifyou can get people to go along with it. And it always helps to have good pr.

 

As for ingame sklills tactics, bueracratics, deduction, and persuasion would be my go tos. Teamwork depednding on how long the group had been together.

[Lukeal]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

What about making a character that just makes everyone better if they are following his plan (even if it is a crappy plan ) From what I see to date in the thread, people are more talking about the players than any sort of game mechanic (which is totally valid).

 

For example, making powers that have that as a limitation (-? "only if they are following my plan") hmmm, how to rate that limitation though...

Having Skill Levels usable by others

Aid to attacks, stats, etc (maybe with a "no improvisation" disad that causes all the points to fade immediately if they stop following the plan. maybe on a trigger...)

attacks with triggers

heck, defenses bought usable by others (yeah, range, blah-blah)

Maybe a little bit of "catnip" that gets the herd of cats to decide it is worth it.

[DusterBoy]

Re: Question: What makes a team leader?

 

Someone who will never ask someone to do something they wouldn't do themselves.

 

Someone who will back up their people come what may.

 

Someone who will lead from the front.

 

Someone who is lucky. (One of Napoleon's criteria for his generals, I believe )