Is tribal diversity necessary for W:tA?
In the podcast there was some discussion about tribal diversity for game purpose. I disagree that you can't have one tribe games. I am running one now, and it would not be the same if there were members of other tribes in the pack. While multi tribe packs are common enough at this point in the timeline, and are cannon, I feel they are not always necessary. While there is a lot to be said for the mix and the synergy it creates. But not enough attention is payed to the conflict it creates, especially between tribes that do not get along. In my own head canon I see something like 70% of Septs are 90% (effectively) one tribe; 20% are 2-3 ( 1 tribe 60% dominant )tribes of "allied" or more compatible groups. 10% of Caerns might be 3+ tribe and there for true Multi tribal. My own game involves a pack of Silver Fangs trying to redeem the tribe and coordinate the other tribes in the region. This opens the door for those really tough social situations, like them trying to convince a Sept of Shadow Lords to go along with their plan. This is lost with multi tribal-pack. I wont say, there is no place for multi tribal packs. I only point out that they loose their potency when the background is as mixed as they are.
I have only been involved in a handful of chronicles, and in almost all of them the packs were of a single tribe. The lone chronicle that had multiple tribes represented definitely felt different, but I wouldn't say whether it was better or worse. I think it really just boils down to the story teller and the players.
I could definitely see where having multiple tribes might lack a cohesive "world view" for the pack, and divide the team at times, but I also see a great benefit in exploring that dissonance at the pack level. I think it makes the tension much more personal and grounded, but I could also see that with the wrong group, that could quickly derail the game.
And while having a single tribe game might lack that diversity, it allows better exploration of more tribe specific issues without feeling like anyone gets left to the wayside. But again, with the right group, you can make damn near anything work.
That said, looking back , I think the chronicle that had the most impact on me personally was the multi-tribe one. It wasn't more fun, it was just different. It allowed our Storyteller to really explore what the pack meant to us. And that was something that stuck with me.