thread: 2006-04-13 : T equals Zero
On 2006-05-16, colin roald wrote:
I have some questions re: Conflict Resolution. The playtest rules say:
:: Maybe my reroll is half of your roll or less.
a) My character totally sucks it up. Whatever you said your character does, that's exactly what happens.
b) Consequently, your character exhausts or injures my character. I lose two die sizes from a stat - the stat I use when my character exerts herself or the stat I use when my character endures duress. You choose which two die sizes (two sizes from which die, or one size each from both?) and which stat, if there's a choice.
Or else the two of us agree to some other outcome. It can include die penalties if we choose, or it can be entirely what happens to our characters.
But either of us can, at any time, fall back on the standard: your character exhausts or injures mine.
These consequences are in addition to the challenge coming true.
c) Either way, the conflict's over.
Question 1: So suppose the challenge was "I totally chop your head off." How do we simultaneously resolve (a) "whatever you said your character does, that's exactly what happens," and (b) "consequently your character exhausts or injures my character." If my character's head is actually chopped off, then he's off to join the choir invisible, to become one with the Flashback Repertory Theatre. Or if my character only takes two sides of damage, then his head can't possibly have been chopped off.
My inclination is to rule that, no matter what you *say* is the challenge, the only way something worse than 2 sides of damage can be done to a PC is if the player agrees to it in negotiation. And the losing player always has the right to say, "No, I'll take the two sides. Narrate around that, monkey boy."
:: Maybe my reroll is less than yours, but greater than half yours.
I have to choose:
a) My character sucks it up but hangs in. I say how my character blocks or dodges the worst of your challenge, but takes some of it anyway. Consequently, your character goes forward with an advantage. The conflict continues into a new round. We both pick up and reroll our dice, but because of your character's advantage, you get to add a d6 with pips - an advantage die - to the stat dice in your hand.
Or else:
b) My character totally sucks up your challenge and the conflict ends, without going to a next round. However, unlike when your roll doubles mine, your character doesn't exhaust or injure mine, nor do we negotiate any other consequences. This is called giving, as in "I give."
Question 2: Option (b) here confuses me. The challenge was, "I totally chop your head off, John Parker." If I suck that up, I'm taking some damage. How much? Is that damage supposed to be any different from the "you doubled me" case, or is the difference just supposed to be that I get the option of giving you an advantage die and trying again? Is there anything mechanically to discourage me from saying screw it and forcing us to keep re-rolling until you really do double me?
Question 3: What happens if I "suck it up but hang in" twice in a row? Do you now have two advantage dice for the third roll?
