Influence questions

How do influences/allies/contacts/commerce used at session relate to downtime expenditures? This question has 2 parts, keeping in mind that sessions may span multiple days sometimes.

1) If I spend any levels of an influence at session are they available for use in the downtime. Does it matter how I spent them?

2) If I spend levels of influence at session on an action that carries on through the month and thus requires my downtime influence do I need to spend an action point to manage them as I would if I did it in my downtime report? Or is that already done by having started the action at session?

Thanks!

Downtime and at session are different, you can spend at session up to your maximum amount, and then respend during your downtime.

If you start an action during play, and it needs to carry over into downtime you will need to then spend your downtime actions to ensure they are done to completion, or have a ghoul do it...

I am guessing we are using Dark Epic influence, but is this correct?

I believe so:

"Influence: As per the rules of Dark Epics, PC's may not have more than 2 points in any one Influence at creation, the exception being any influence given to them by clan benefits."

https://buffaloavalon.rpg-board.net/t11-backgrounds-new-and-old

Yep there it is, my bad.

Do you get Resources twice a month? Can I grow my influences at session and then again between months? How about attacks?

Do we get a complete and total new set of backgrounds at session or are their restrictions?

As a note, with pooled influences we do not have a shortage of influence. We also have a fairly large player base. In the past people have allowed two sets of influences uses because resources were so limited and people had to choose between growing their influences or resolving plot. We don't really have that problem, and as the game continues with 5 XP per session this may let the power creep up too quickly.

That being said, I will more than happily use all my influences both at session and between session if it is allowed. There are always things to do.

Ultimately the STs are in charge of it of course. But I would think the answer is no to the first three questions you posed. (Also resources are given in annual amounts, so you just collect that fraction monthly)

I am given the understanding that you can use your influences at session in ways that make sense given the time constraints. As such growing your influence, which takes a significant period of time, would not be possible. However if you wanted to pull your transportation influence to secure safe travel to a site out in the country, that should work fine. Or if you wanted to use court to arrange a visit with a noble during session.

Basically, keeping in mind how fast messages can travel and how long it takes to do something, you can use influences at session. If it isn't something that you could get done that night, you can start it but it would need to carry over into the monthly uses to be successful.

Also, as a note. Some things that may seem simple (such as using occult to acquire rare components) are not actually. You may need to talk to several people to figure out who peddles that thing, and then arrange a meeting with them, and so forth. Many of the actions laid out in the book aren't feasible at session, but can be at a lesser extent.

Influences reset the night before session. So they go from Session to night before every month, if you use them you use them. However at session things can be done that are not limited by time this is up to ST discretion and should make sense for what you're trying to do. Use an influence to stop a wagon from leaving that night would be at session, blocking all travel for more than one night would be a downtime

Ok check, this tells me to avoid using my influences at session like the plague if I plan to do anything at all with them in downtime such as growth.

I will add I find it ridiculous that in a game where some people can buy level 6+7 powers that there aren't at session influence actions. So if you stop one wagon from leaving town that night you are boned on influence the whole month, because influence is too powerful I am guessing? This makes the game lean heavy towards that powers are the only thing to invest XP into.

As a side note not allowing reasonable at session influence only hinders plot. People won’t investigate things that require influence nearly as much if they want to do anything else in downtime.

That is my influence rant, LOL.

Kable said the opposite of what you're ranting about. He said there ARE at session influence uses, but that they have to be things that can reasonably be done in a night, that's all. You can also start downtime influence actions at session, getting an action started and then following it up with a detailed description in your downtime report.

The only influence actions that can't be done at session are things that take too long or are too complicated to be accomplished or orchestrated in one evening.

I didn't take that from the ST response, even reading back. It was said you could do things at session as long as it don't take too long, but if you use them you use them and refresh the night before session (how I read his reponse). Perhaps the ST can clarify?

Yes, you can't use them twice. That doesn't mean that you can't start an action at session and finish during the downtime, or that if your action only takes a night you can't do it at game.

I have had no problem building enough influence to use at session and still grow them appropriately. If you feel differently it is of course your choice to do what you wish, but most of the player base seems to agree that backgrounds are far more useful in Dark Ages than modern nights.
We have almost 30 players as of last session. There is more than enough influence to handle plot, and there are quite a few characters built entirely around a background concept.

Yep it's my opinion of course most may not agree, as it was my opinion. I don't see why influence would be more powerful in DA as opposed to modern nights.

OK allow me to clarify, you can use influence at session that doesn't affect your downtime influence. However at session influence is less powerful than downtime influence, it has to be a "need it here need it now" type of action as opposed to a long drawn out monthly thing. You get both, but the immediate use is less powerful than the lengthy use.

Thank you for the clarification.