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overheard_at_the_tavern [2012/04/07 08:48] – [Rounds] Mike Holmesoverheard_at_the_tavern [2025/03/12 22:59] (current) – [Risking Dice] mike_holmes
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-====== Set Up ======+====== Set Up (AKA the Tavern Phase) ======
  
 ===== Reward Pool ===== ===== Reward Pool =====
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   * Mental Attributes   * Mental Attributes
   * Magical Abilities   * Magical Abilities
-  * Relationships with NPCs+  * Relationships
   * Special Equipment   * Special Equipment
   * Wealth   * Wealth
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 ===== Telling Tales ===== ===== Telling Tales =====
  
-A player may, at any time, narrate something about his character's abilities. Perhaps they brag about them, or they can just think a thought regarding them; just so long as we get an idea of what the ability is. This narration must be linked to something in the game world that they create on the spot. When done with the narration, the player announces a name for the ability, and selects another player to judge who assigns a rating to the ability. +A player may, at any time, narrate something about his character's abilities. Perhaps they brag about them, or they can just think a thought regarding them; just so long as we get an idea of what the ability is. This narration must be linked to something in the game world that they create on the spot, or to something that has already been established, or preferably both. When done with the narration, the player announces a name for the ability, and selects another player to judge who assigns a rating to the ability. 
  
 ==== Selecting a Judge ==== ==== Selecting a Judge ====
  
 The narrating player may select any other player to be judge (including the GM), but may want to consider the dice that player has left to give. If a player doesn't have a high die in their pool, they can't give you one. Players may offer to be judge, even jumping ahead to doing a very fast judging (see below), and stating what die they're offering the player. This can often streamline the process quite a bit. If somebody offers a die, and the player accepts it, then the ability is written on the character sheet as it was stated, and the die of the ability that was assigned is noted.  The narrating player may select any other player to be judge (including the GM), but may want to consider the dice that player has left to give. If a player doesn't have a high die in their pool, they can't give you one. Players may offer to be judge, even jumping ahead to doing a very fast judging (see below), and stating what die they're offering the player. This can often streamline the process quite a bit. If somebody offers a die, and the player accepts it, then the ability is written on the character sheet as it was stated, and the die of the ability that was assigned is noted. 
 +
 +A player with no dice in their reward pool may not be selected as judge. 
  
 ==== Judging Narrations ==== ==== Judging Narrations ====
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 The player selected as judge decides on a rating for the ability in question. This player should score 1 point for each of the following: The player selected as judge decides on a rating for the ability in question. This player should score 1 point for each of the following:
  
-  * Was the ability suitably narrow in application? If the ability was applicable to a very broad set of circumstances (especially those seem like they can be used all the time), then the narrating player doesn't get this point. +  * Was the ability suitably narrow in application? If the ability was applicable to a very broad set of circumstances (especially those seem like they can be used all the time), then the narrating player doesn't get this point. Particularly broad sounding abilities might actually merit a reduction in points by 1. 
   * Did the player create an interesting part of the game world as part of their narration?   * Did the player create an interesting part of the game world as part of their narration?
   * Did the player link their new part of the world to a part that already exists in an interesting way?    * Did the player link their new part of the world to a part that already exists in an interesting way? 
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 ====== Resolution ====== ====== Resolution ======
  
-Generally works like my other Chronica hacks, including concessions. +Generally works like my other Chronica hacks, including concessions. The player only gets their most pertinent ability die for free in a contest. They also get any momentum dice free, if they're available (see below). There are other ways to get more dice into the pool, however.  
 + 
 +===== Stakes ===== 
 + 
 +Often there is an ability at stake, such as when somebody is trying to take an object from another character, or when trying to kill somebody. In that case, each success gained, lowers the opponent's pertinent ability by one die type. If the die type is lowered from d4, the die is lost to the opponent, and the conflict is over.  
 + 
 +Each concession gained can be used to lower some other ability than the staked ability.  
 + 
 +Such reductions are termed injuries, from which it takes some work to recover.  
 + 
 +==== Health ==== 
 + 
 +Each character has a generic health ability rated at d4 unless they've taken the time to get it rated higher through creating another ability that they've decided will replace the health ability. This is the ability that's staked when death is on the line in a contest. If this ability is reduced from a d4 the character dies. If the ability is reduced to d0 through fatigue (see below), then the character passes out. 
 ===== Fatiguing Dice ====== ===== Fatiguing Dice ======
  
-You can narrate doing something extra hard to get a re-roll of a die. This causes the die to temporarily go down by one die type. A d4 goes to a d0, and cannot be used until rested. +Players can narrate their characters putting in extra effort to achieve their goals, bringing to bear extra abilities, or the same abilities more than once. 
  
-A player can also fatigue a die to roll it.+==== Extra Dice ==== 
 +A player can fatigue an ability die to roll it in a contest where it is not the primary ability. This causes the die to temporarily go down by one die type. A d4 goes to a d0 (always rolls a zero if used), and cannot be further fatigued from this point. This lowering of the die takes effect after the conflict round is over (mark the ability with an asterisk to remember to reduce it).  
 + 
 +==== Extra Effort ==== 
 + 
 +Further, if a player does not like the result of a die rolled, they can narrate redoubling their efforts in that area, to get a re-roll of a die. This fatigues the die as above, and may be done repeatedly. However, the lowering of the die takes place immediately after using it, so this results in diminishing returns.  
 + 
 +==== Reserves ==== 
 + 
 +If the narration makes sense, a player may fatigue a different ability than the one used. They can always fatigue the health die, if they prefer (though see the effect of this under Health). 
  
 ===== Risking Dice ===== ===== Risking Dice =====
  
-A player may burn a die at any time to win a contest. The player has to narrate very desperate action, and rolls the die. If the result would have been a failure, the results of the action are narrated in a way that describes how the ability is permanently lost.  +A player may burn a die at any time to automatically win a contest. The player has to narrate very desperate action, and does roll the die at it's current level, along with any other dice in the pool. If the result would have been a failure with the actual roll, the results of the action are narrated in a way that describes how the ability is permanently lost in the process of gaining the win.  
 + 
 +===== Resting ===== 
 + 
 +Players may narrate their characters taking a break from the action to rest and recuperate. This has several mechanical results. First, each fatigued die goes up by one die type back towards it's normal value. Further, each player can do one resolution towards trying to heal or fix injuries, or toward finding somebody to heal or fix injuries. On a successful resolution roll to deal with an injury, the injury is repaired by one die type.  
 + 
 +Resting has a cost with respect to Opposition dice and Momentum dice.  
 + 
 +===== Opposition ===== 
 + 
 +As mentioned under rounds in the tavern phase rules, the more time left for the bad guys to plot and plan and generally prepare, the more dangerous they become. The reasons for this time sensitivity are set out in the tavern phase of play. The effects are represented by a pool of opposition dice that the GM can use whenever he narrates some way in which the dangers in question have increased due to the delays in question.  
 + 
 +==== Increasing Opposition ==== 
 + 
 +The opposition dice pool starts out empty, and goes up any time there is a delay:  
 + 
 +  * At the end of each round in the tavern 
 +  * The party stops to rest (per round of rest) 
 +  * The party detours from the most direct path to the goal 
 + 
 +The GM gets a d4 for the opposition pool at the end of the first tavern round, or any time something causes a gain in the pool when it's empty. At the end of the next round it becomes a d6. A d8 at the end of the third. And so on until it becomes a d12. If they characters still haven't gotten out of the Tavern when there's a d12 in the pool, then the GM gets another d4 at the end of the round, and this then starts to increase as before, one die size per round. 
 + 
 +==== Decreasing Opposition ==== 
 + 
 +Each time the GM uses the Opposition dice, they go down by one die type. He may choose to lower any one die rolled by one type. A d4 reduced is discarded (and a new die may not be gained again until a d12 is obtained, or when starting from nothing). 
  
 ===== Momentum =====  ===== Momentum ===== 
  
-The quest has a momentum to it that's interrupted if the characters take too much time doing things unrelated directly to it's success. Morale goes up with success, and then falls when the goal is not in sight. This is represented by a momentum die or dice. Momentum dice can be used by every member of the party at any time. +On the other end of things, the quest has a momentum to it which can be interrupted if the characters take too much time doing things unrelated directly to it's success. Morale goes up with success, and then falls when the goal is not in sight. This is represented by a momentum die or dice. Momentum dice can be used by every member of the party at any time.  
 + 
 +==== Increasing Momentum ====
  
 After facing one danger successfully, this die becomes a d4 that can be used in any roll. After the second, it goes to d6. And so on and so forth, just like opposition dice.  After facing one danger successfully, this die becomes a d4 that can be used in any roll. After the second, it goes to d6. And so on and so forth, just like opposition dice. 
  
 +==== Decreasing Momentum ====
 If any of the following occur, the momentum die goes down by one for each occurrence: If any of the following occur, the momentum die goes down by one for each occurrence:
  
-  * the party stops to rest (per round of rest) 
   * the party fails a to successfully face a danger (even if they get concessions)   * the party fails a to successfully face a danger (even if they get concessions)
 +  * the party stops to rest (per round of rest)
   * the party detours from the most direct path to the goal   * the party detours from the most direct path to the goal
  
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 How to give setting details impact? How to give setting details impact?
 +
 +Add rules for helping (and general resolution). 
overheard_at_the_tavern.1333813737.txt.gz · Last modified: 2012/04/07 08:48 by Mike Holmes

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