Every Cosmere RPG party needs to have this conversation first

The Cosmere RPG is right around the corner and players and GM alike are preparing themselves for a new adventure set in Roshar. For those of us who have already torn through Wind and Truth, this is going to be the only Roshar-bound story we’ll be able to sink our teeth into for quite some time. 

There is a problem however: how to handle canon. Like any TTRPG, everyone will come to the table with their own expectations and aspirations about how they’ll make their mark on Roshar. But what happens when your 2nd ideal Skybreaker gets to take a shot at Amaram? Will the party break canon and go on a Warcamp killing spree, enacting premature vengeance for Kaladin? Where does that take the story? Is that even what the GM or other players at the table want?

I expect that uneven expectations of how to handle the canon story playing out around the characters will be a topic of fierce debate amongst players of the Cosmere RPG. Here are some tips for adventuring parties looking to navigate these tough conversations.

Have the conversation before the first session

Duh.

While this advice seems simple, I have participated in plenty of games where a player held secret plans to derail and undermine their fellow players. It would come as no surprise that a player, if given the appropriate opportunity, would attempt to off a character like Moash or Sadeas. While fun, this can really derail the story. What if Moash is dead by Rhythm of War? A happier story, yes, but the journey is what gave us the destination we all know and love. It gets complicated.

Having an open and honest conversation about what everyone at the table wants will help curve these issues from coming up out of nowhere. 

This is an area where leadership from the GM is key: setting the tone for where you planned your campaign to go would be a great start to getting a feel for your party’s dark passenger, if any. Reminding your players that there will be scenes with mainline characters, and that attempting to mess with those characters doing their thing might have unplanned expectations on the campaign may be enough to keep passions in check when Sadeas rolls in.

Make compromises

Maybe your players really do want to take part in some of the action. So long as there are boundaries in play, there are plenty of ways to set up your party to have a meaningful role in the storyline.

Let’s say the party REALLY doesn’t like Amaram. There are plenty of ways you can provide them with an outlet for that passion. Here are a few:

• You set up a group that is led by Amaram’s second in command, and set them up as an adversary of the group.
• Put your party on the beach during the Battle of Thaylen Field, and have them fight Amaram directly during the downtime in his fight with Kaladin while he is off fighting the Fused.
• Create a slightly adjusted timeline where your party actually deals the killing blow, but Rock and Kaladin just think they were the ones to finish it.

The number rule of table top RPGs is the rule of cool: if it’s fun and makes everyone at the table (including the GM) happy, then grip it and rip it.

Another compromise GMs may have to endure is to their own plans. If your party doesn’t want to mess with the canon at all, you may need to steer clear of it. There are so many blank places on the map that get little to no detail, you have plenty of space to make it your own.

Be open minded

The desire to buck or stick to the canon can come naturally from either side of the table: players may want to play out their own “what if…” scenario, and GMs may want to retell the books from a new perspective. One of the best skills to have at the table is to go into every session with an open mind, and collaborate to make the most fun and interesting story you can while playing.

This doesn’t mean you have to curb your expectations and roll over to every decision someone else makes, it goes both ways. Talk it out, go in with a plan and the party will be better for it.

Journey before destination

So what are you planning for your session? Will you play it by the book or truly make Roshar your own. If you’re not already subscribed to Invested in the Cosmere, feel free to stick around! We have a free newsletter and YouTube channel where we’ll be sharing tons of Cosmere RPG resources and tips like this one.