Deck Builder Resolution System

Largely inspired by Levi Kornelsen's resolution system Schema along with deck resolution mechanics by Dave Michalak

Original version (with actual deck building) here: original_deck_builder_resolution_system

Overview

When a conflict begins, the player whose character is involved builds a deck comprised of one card per asset level that they bring to bear, drawn randomly and secretly from the “benefits deck,” to which GM adds cards from the “danger deck,” the number of which are based on how dangerous the situation is rated. Once built, the player then draws a number of cards each round of resolution, and resolve all of the drawn cards. The player and the opposition player should narrate the their interpretation of the results of the draw. The player may then proceed to another round, or declare the resolution to be complete.

Pace

The pace of a conflict is decided by the GM, but is normally 3, unless the characters involved are all agreeing to go much more cautiously or recklessly than normal, and the situation would allow for this. This determines how many cards will be drawn from the resolution deck each round, though this may vary due to some cards drawn.

If the resolution deck is depleted when drawing, put the discarded cards back into their respective decks, and then draw up a new resolution deck using the same method as the first deck was drawn up, and continue drawing from the new deck until a number of cards equal to the pace has been drawn for the round.

Alternate rule to try: If not enough cards can be drawn, treat this as if an Interrupt card has been drawn.

PvP

If more than one PC is involved in a conflict, they each draw up a deck in the same fashion. The GM will determine the number of Danger cards to add to each deck based not on the quality of the opponents, but on other external factors that make the situation dangerous… it's possible that the GM will add no dangers to reflect that the only danger in the situation comes from the opponents inflicting consequences on each other, or preventing each other from reaching their goals.

Card Types

Below are the various cards that are in each of the decks.

Benefit Deck Card Types

When any benefit card type is drawn that is not an Advance, if the player chooses to use any of it's functions instead of turning it into an Advance (which costs one energy), the player gains one energy.

Continuity

The effects of your actions last longer, or create ongoing trouble for your opposition. This can pertain to an effect placed on a target, or to the goal, if the character eventually succeeds in achieving it. What it affects is determined by the fiction generated.

Defense

This card can be used to cancel any active danger, or held to cancel a future danger drawn, or it can be used to slow the pace of the resolution by one.

Impression

Your actions create a stir, aggravating or impressing some subject of your choice that is observing the goings on, or creating an impression of themselves on themselves.

Impetus

Things are going your way for some reason. If the contest goes additional rounds, the pace increases by one, and the player may discard one danger drawn per round.

Observation

You are especially observant in your action, learning something of importance that can be discerned during the conflict, usually as a result of some event that has occurred during the conflict.

Scope

Your action will affect more subjects, a wider area, or is otherwise undertaken more grandly. This can pertain to an effect placed on a target, or to the goal, if the character eventually succeeds in achieving it. What it affects is determined by the fiction generated.

Speed

Your actions take place in a much shorter span than others would expect, or use to counter a delay card in play this round, or one drawn later.

Subtlety

Your actions appear other than they are, whether by being hidden or disguised in some way. If there are no observers, this card may be used as an advance instead without paying the usual energy cost of one.

Toughness

This card can be used to resist any consequence from the same draw, or held to cancel a consequence from a later draw. Only those consequences that a character is fictionally positioned to avoid may be resisted this way.

Advance

The character takes a stride towards their goal. Advance cards may also be used as a Consequence card to inflict a conseuqence on the opposition, instead of advancing towards one's goal.

Note that any other benefit card type may be used as an Advance instead of it's regular action, if the character expends an energy point.

Danger Card Types

The GM may either use the effect of a Danger card, or use it as an Advance for opposition goals, or may use it to drain the character of one energy instead.

Chaos

Draw additional cards until a danger card is drawn. If the player draws any positive cards, determine randomly which one of them applies and the others have no effect.

Delay

More time is used up than might be expected. Cancels a Speed card in play.

Displacement

Something (you, your target, or your aim) winds up somewhere other than planned.

Exhaustion

Cancels the effect of the next positive card drawn. Can be cleared out by resting between conflicts, but otherwise are retained if drawn, and added to every following deck.

Expense

A gear or resource asset you have is broken or lost or used up entirely. If a resource was in use in the conflict as part of the resolution, that is likely the resource lost.

Helplessness

You are out of the action, and may need assistance to continue. The GM decides if further rounds occur, rather than the player. If they do, the player must discard all benefits drawn until they are no longer helpless, but dangers continue to affect them as normal.

Consequence

The character gains one level of a Consequence. If the consequence is dangerous in the context of the current conflict, add one danger card to the deck and reshuffle. Future consequences are likely to exacerbate (add a level to) the original Consequence if drawn in the same conlfict.

Interruption

Something happens to cause the conflict to cease immediately, and it cannot resume until the interruption can be dealt with.

Peril

A new threat appears! Add danger cards to the deck to represent the new danger, and reshuffle.

Runaway

The player may not quit after a round during which this is drawn, another round must occur, and the pace increases by one.

Strangeness

Something odd or unpredictable happens, which is a detriment. When relatively wild assets like magic or untested technology are being employed, the strangeness will usually be as a result of the asset behaving outside normal parameters.

Danger Advances

The opposition's goal comes nearer.

Goal Resolution

Orthogonal Goals

If the goals of each side are opposing and mutually exclusive, then this is an orthogonal goal. This will be the case most of the time. In this case, once no side wishes to continue the resolution, compare the number of Advances each side has (Danger Advances for general dangers). If the character has more Advances than the opposition, then they have achieved their goal. The level of the success is equal to the number of surpluss advantages they have over the opposition.

Parallel Goals

If both sides are able to accomplish their goals, then each side may choose to use their Advances to cancel the other side's when they are drawn, but gains all of their Advances still present at resolution as successes.

Other Deck Building Options

Preparation and Aid

Gain cards to be added to the resolution deck associated with the resolution for which preparations are being made. Occasionally a contest may be required to gain the cards.

Pushing

A character may attempt to do better by pushing hard to get it done. Add one benefit card to the deck, and one Exhaustion card to the deck.

Recklessness

A character may approach the contest recklessly. They may add up to three benefit cards, and for each they add, the opposition adds two danger cards.