These are Scattershot's
Mechanix isolated from its
Techniques.
(See glossary for the descriptions of italics items throughout.) The basic idea is the
Techniques explain how to use the
Mechanix.
SOLO PLAY - Solitaire
Play is anything you do separate from the
Group. You then make decisions and changes to only the things you are the
Proprietor for. Dice usage (other than to generate
Detail) is avoided.
Creating/Evolving a Character - There are no limits on
Development Points for initial
Persona creation.
Players may elect to set their own starting limits, either independently or by
Group Consensus. These can include things like development-point challenges, thematic bias, limitations arising from
Genre Expectations, or et cetera. The
Gamemaster is not allowed to place starting point restrictions on anyone other than their
Regular Characters. Later points are purchased using
Experience Dice. When joining the
Group, relevant activities that occurred during Solo Play will be shared. Any efficacy overlap created during this
Play should be negotiated before shared
Play begins.[/list:u]
GENERAL PLAY - During General
Play no
Mechanics are used. Ratings are treated simply as guidelines used mostly when unusual or notable. Whatever the
Speaker says is what happens in the
Game at the moment they say it.
Play passes between
Players in no formal order and at no specific time interval. The
Speaker is the
Proprietor for any element they introduce into the
Game (unless they pass it to someone else, like the
Gamemaster). A
Speaker should be careful when affecting anything another
Player is the
Proprietor of (no permanent changes are allowed without at least the tacit approval of the
Subject's Proprietor). Specific
Play may be called for any time there is disagreement over the direction the
Narrative is taking or to suggest
Challenges.
©2002 Fang Langford and Impswitch
SPECIFIC PLAY - In Specific
Play, the
Mechanics are infrequently used, mostly to create
Detail, to support tension (by the introduction of uncertainty), to negotiate contended
Narrative direction, or for other
Players to offer
Challenges.
Play still passes between
Players in no particular order or rate.
Ratings - These represent the capacities for Action.
- Statistics - Every Character in the Game has them and they begin with a base Rating of 10 (which is the same as 8 plus development points spent - 12 implied points are already spent here).
- Strength - This is the Magnitude Stat of raw muscle power Action.
- Agility - This is the Stat for Invoked Immediate or Involved untrained physical prowess Actions.
- Hit Points - Not a measure of a Character's health, this is actually the Resource Stat managed during battle and represents the collection of any physical hindrances of one's ability to fight. When they're gone, you don't have 'any fight in ya.'
- Reaction - An Invoked Reactive Stat Rating, this is the Character's effective 'response time.'
- Observation - This is the Invoked Immediate or Involved Stat for gathering relevant information from sensible sources. How much may be 'searched' in once Action is indexed on the UE Chart.
- Power - Power is the Magnitude Rating for most Special Abilities (and sometimes also functions as the Resource Rating powering the same, depending on the listing).[/list:u]
- Free Skills - Not fully counted as Ratings (for minimum cost purposes) because of their limited Opportunity and usability. These optional Invoked Ratings are listed as a 'laundry list,' that has a special cost of up to 5 Free Skills for each development point spent. The starting level of each Free Skill is given on that list. Any increases are at normal cost (+1 for each development point).
- Skills - These are also optional Invoked Ratings as listed. Easy Skills cost 11+development points spent on them, Intermediate cost 10+points, Difficult are 9+ (and so on for Exceptional, Renowned, Incredible, Nigh Impossible, and Legendary, which apply mostly to Special Ability listings). Each Skill listing gives predetermined Time/Quantity/Opportunity limits, Scope/Duration bases, and information on 'how to Default to the Skill.' Talent and training are purchased identically (after which they are combined) differing only in the Character's description and with the Detail created during the Application Phase of Resolution.
- Special Abilities - These are genre-specific, extra-normal abilities. They are generally tied to the Power Stat to determine 'how much' they may affect (indexed on the UE Chart during Persona creation/evolution).
- Superpowers - These flashy inhuman abilities are used mostly beyond hand's reach. Each power's narrowly defined effects are determined at time of the Persona's creation/evolution. They don't normally require Power expenditure.
- Magic - This is the ability of producing nearly any effect imaginable made possible by expending Power (in its Resource facility). Their practice is usually thematically restricted.
- Spells - These narrow-use, discrete abilities are set during Persona creation/evolution and rarely require expending Power. They are most often 'purchased' from schedules using a simple cost incentive system.
- Please ask for further samples from other genres of interest.[/list:u]
- Advantages/Disadvantages/'Character' - These frequently offer Residual modifiers in situations that they relate to. They also may function as a specialization of efficacy or deficiency (For example; 'Dexterity' is +1 Agility with the hands; 'Can't Cook' eliminates food preparation Defaults). They are also used as Characterization guidelines for post-Session Experience Dice Rewards.
- Modifiers - These bonuses (or penalties) are added (or subtracted, respectively) to a Rating at the end of the Opportunity Phase of Resolution when unraveling Question. They represent variations of difficulty due to the situation in Play.[/list:u]
Resolution - Resolve Question with Actions. In the following three Phases, an Action is begun in the Opportunity Phase, impartially concluded in the Decision Phase, and becomes a part of the Narrative during the Application Phase.
Choose - Pick an Action for your Persona during the Opportunity Phase of your Persona's Opportunity. When you indicate this Action, the Persona is actually starting to do it in the Narrative. This Action cannot imply any kind of response on its Subject's part. (You could throw a 'boot to the head,' but you cannot 'kick their teeth in' because it implies their teeth will be there, waiting.) Choose the Rating that most suits this Action and combine that Rating with the appropriate modifiers to best approximate the chosen Action.
MIB numbers - Uncertainty and impartiality are introduced in the Decision Phase of resolution by rolling dice. From the above modified Rating, subtract the sum of 2d10 to get the Made-It-By (or Missed-It-By, when the difference is negative) number. This is the numeric measure of the quality of success of an Action and is used to determine the impact of the Resolution on the Narrative.
Adding/Subtracting Experience Dice - You may alter any MIB number by applying Experience Dice to it. Anyone who observes a MIB roll may contribute, regardless if they have a Persona who is a party to the Action or not (even by preempting the actual MIB roll with their Experience Dice). Experience Dice are rolled and their face value is added or subtracted to the MIB as the die roller sees fit. If you don't do well enough, go ahead and roll another; this may lead to 'bidding wars' where one Player adds an Experience Dice then another subtracts one and then the first adds another, and so on. Once all the dice have landed and been totaled, the Decision Phase ends; this is how the basic MIB number is determined.
'Rules of Engagement' - When your Persona performs an Action that includes another, you are Engaging them. You can't do something to someone else's Persona unless you do it with their Player, and their Persona is called the Resistor (even when they offer no resistance). You decide only your Persona's portion of the interaction, the other Player decides their Persona's reaction, at times a contested MIB roll is needed to resolve whose Action takes precedence and 'defines' the resulting interaction.
Contested rolls - During the Opportunity Phase, the active Resistor may decide to oppose the Action being resolved (when their Persona can and does perform another Action to Complicate or counter this Action) and thus also rolls a MIB number. Both parties have stated their Actions during the Opportunity Phase, now the rolls and MIB totals (including any Experience Dice) of both are done simultaneously during the Decision Phase so that the basic MIB numbers may be called out at roughly the same time. After that, subtract the Resistor's MIB number from Actor's to get the Resultant MIB (RMIB) number. An RMIB is treated exactly like any other MIB during the Application Phase. Note; if the Resistor's MIB is negative, do not subtract! Instead, simply take the Actor's MIB for the RMIB.
Buy a Success/Spend a Success - During Application Phase, you may alter the results by adding or subtracting to the 'raw' MIB total based on how it relates to the Narrative. Both sides in a Contested roll may do this.- You may buy a MIB up to 0 (minimal success) or higher by introducing Challenges for your Persona. Each Challenge taken adds 1 to the MIB. The maximum number of Challenges is equal to the Epic Index* number.
- If you have a high enough success, you may 'spend' MIB points on Benefits, 1 Benefit per point spent. Every point the MIB number is higher than the Critical Juncture number is automatically taken as Benefits, see below.[/list:u]
Deciphering MIB numbers - Following all the adjustments, the remaining MIB number defines the amount of impact the Action has upon the Narrative. Consider the range of possibilities between the greatest degree of success and the worst failure. The Critical Juncture threshold affects all exceptional rolls; if the positive MIB number equals or exceeds Critical Juncture, it is called a Telling Blow. If the Missed-It-By number is lower than minus the Critical Juncture number it is a Catastrophic Failure. Between those are a number of degrees of success and failure as created by Mechanical results and Proprietor Narrative descriptions.
Interpreting Contested Actions or RMIB numbers - Once the RMIB has been settled, the Actions of the two (or more) participants in the contest are commingled. A positive RMIB means the Action that initiated the Contest determines the result; the more positive it is, the more the Actor's Action overshadows the whole interaction. The more negative the RMIB is, the more the Resistor's Action characterizes the result; neither is completely ignored, but their portion of the synthesis is determined by the RMIB. An RMIB of 0 means the Action succeeded by only the tiniest of margins, possibly a pyrrhic victory; this result usually has little Mechanical impact on the Narrative (except the Challenges taken by both sides). Contested Actions are also affected by Critical Junctures only when one of the initial MIB numbers succeeds the Critical Juncture threshold in the first place.
Critical Junctures - When a Telling Blow is scored, the Proprietor of the Subject (or recipient Persona) is compelled to improvise additional colorful and long-term consequences (lasting at least to the end of the Session). This may include adding additional disadvantages to a Persona (accounted for indexing the MIB on UE Chart facet of 'Points,' which is usually 1), accounting for each additional point as either Residual Challenge for the Subject, Benefits for the Actor (one of the customary uses is turning them into Combat Advantage against the Subject), or other in-Play effects. For a Catastrophic Failure, the Player of the Actor must do the same for themselves.
Results - In order to determine the Mechanical result, a number of different choices are available. The MIB (or RMIB) number may be multiplied by a Factor before subtracting it from a Resource Rating (the Factor is indexed from UE Chart using the Magnitude Rating for that Action). The Action may create a Residual modifier (equal to the index of the MIB on UE Chart facet of 'Bonus,' most often this is just a 1). It may be used simply as a numerical scalar of results. Or any combination of these, as the Player of the Actor decides. Results are applied in the Narrative at the end of the Application Phase. Calculated penalties for reduced Resource Ratings do not take affect until the next 'lull' (like the return of Specific or General Play at the end of Mechanical Turn Sequencing).
Damage - If you're simply using fists, the RMIB is the damage, pure and simple. If you have unusual Strength (outside of the 9-11 range, see the UE Chart elsewhere in this forum), you will multiply the RMIB by the Multiplier indexed on the UE Chart. (This isn't as calculation intensive as it might first seem; because you know the Critical Juncture Threshold ahead of time you can precalculate your damages. For example, in pulp fantasy novel style play, I'd suggest a Critical Juncture of 6 or 7; a 13 Strength yields damages of 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, or 9, Scattershot rounds everything normally. Note this on your Persona Sheet.) Weapons offer a straight addition to the RMIB prior to multiplication. (For now use dagger +1, short sword +2, long sword +3, and similar.)
What about wounds? Well, in Advanced Scattershot, wounds are a Detail tracked by notation and there are guidelines based on hit location, protection, and attack. In Intermediate Scattershot, you simply suffer from generally whatever was thrown at you; a sword fight means cut wounds. In Basic, you're just hurt.
Protection - If you spent Development Points on armor or the like (such as a power based on your Persona's Power), you can look up the rating of it in the Bonus column on the UE Chart; otherwise each piece (or suit in the Basic game) was given a static Rating during Persona Solo play. This is simply subtracted from the Multiplied RMIB (so far).[/list:u][/list:u]* These are in dire need of renaming; any advice is greatly appreciated. Advice on renaming any of the items in the glossary is also greatly appreciated.
©2002 Fang Langford and Impswitch
MECHANICAL PLAY - This is the most rigidly formalized type of
Play. It is most often used for combat, but not always, other possible uses include things like generating
Detail with the strict timing of events, for tension, and the ever popular chase scene.
Turn Sequencing - One of the main features of
Mechanical Play is rigid sequencing of how
Players take their turns.
Scope/Duration - always keep in mind that
Mechanical turn sequencing is most appropriate for
Immediate Durations on the
Individual Scope level. Shift the
Scope up at least one level if the number of
Characters equals or exceeds twice the number of
Players.
Combat Initiative -
Melee does not begin with the first 'swing.' Whichever
Player makes the decision (during General or Specific
Play) that
Melee is unavoidable calls for the shift to
Mechanical Turn Sequencing, and their
Persona takes the first Turn (even the
Gamemaster. This often precipitates hasty in-game battle preparations and the like, but these then occur during the early parts of
Mechanical Play. Whoever seizes this initiative might be ready first.
Rounds/Turns - Each
Player may conduct 2
Immediate Actions (or some
Involved Actions) for each Turn of every
Persona they have. After the each
Player finishes all of the Actions that they wish for all their
Personae's Turns,
Play passes to that
Player's right. After every
Persona has had their turn,
Play 'completes' the circle and returns to the initial
Player who takes their
Personae's next turns. Once around the circle of the entire
Group is called a Round.
Immediate Actions - These are the units of activity for the
Characters during
Mechanical play. Each listing for a Rating defines what kinds of Actions may be performed with it. Most
Characters may move up to 7 yards running as an Action. Other Actions are usually resolved with
MIB rolls.
Free Actions - These do not really count as Actions. They don't weigh heavily enough on the time requirements for Actions and often occur simultaneously with them. These include things like Looking Around (
Invoking an Observation roll), Dropping an Item, Falling Down, Moving a few steps (about a yard), making a Soliloquy, Changing the application of a Special Abilities already in use, the Last-Ditch Dodge (at a -2 penalty), or any other act accepted as 'Free' by the
Group during
Play. A
Character may perform as many Free Actions as the
Epic Index* number during each round. Except in
Cinematic Games, no more than one of each kind may be performed each round by a
Character. These may even be performed during another
Character's turn. If desired, an Action may be expended specifically to restore the full capacity to perform these Free Actions a second 'cycle' during the round.
Forfeiting - When another
Persona Engages yours on their turn (and your
Persona hasn't done this twice already), you may forfeit one of their upcoming Actions and perform a
Reactive Action. This may lead into a series of Following Actions.
Following Actions - During
Melee an
Engaged Persona may perform an
Involved Action that works like a series of attacks, defenses, and movements but only count as one Action. Each included attack is treated as a separate
Engaging Action where necessary. Such a
Flurry of Actions continues (along the lines predetermined by the ability 'scripting' it) until an attack 'hits' (from either
Engaged combatant) or there is an
Interruption. A
Flurry can last for no more 'Actions' than as many as the
Epic Index* number of the
Game.
Combat Advantage - The
Detail of some Actions (and some Free Actions) may create an Advantage for one combatant in
Melee. Because these are too diverse to list, we divide them into three categories: you can Seize, Hold or Check an Advantage. Each significant Advantage you hold against your foe (up to a maximum of the
Epic Index* in number) is a continual
Residual penalty (after the Action that resulted in it) of 1 to all of the
Subject's rolls. Each Advantage Checked by foe eliminates 1 point of this penalty. Changing who you have
Engaged in combat with erases any Advantage you hold against others.
Here are some examples to get you started:
Seizing the Advantage (where none was had before):- Having the foe Yield it to you.
- Take the Lead when foe seriously falters.
- Having (and using) better Reach.
- Take the Upper Hand after a good hit or when foe must Dodge as the Last Resort.
- For an All-Out Attack (with no thought for defense).
- By Finding an Opening when foe's defense versus Feint is poor enough (less than 0).[/list:u]
Holding the Advantage (when you already have some):- Cornering your foe.
- Focusing on them (you are thus Off-Guard to all else).
- Pressing Your Attack by 'advancing' into it.
- Take the High Ground.[/list:u]
Checking the Advantage (that is held against you):- An Upset happens when a foe makes a crucial mistake and it erases all previous Advantage (such as a Catastrophic Failure).
- Backing Off (good against Pressed Attacks).
- Focusing on your foe (thus you are Off-Guard to all else).
- All-Out Defense (leaving the only Actions possible as defense or movement)
- Take the High Ground.
- Trick your foe into Yielding it to you (like the old 'sand in the eyes' trick); this also erases all previous Advantage.[/list:u][/list:u][/list:u][/list:u]
REWARDS - Personae receive Rewards for what they do as consequence of their actions within the context of the Game. Players receive Rewards of Experience Dice for things that make the Game enjoyable for much of the Group (whether during Play or not). Infrequently the separation between these will blur for explicit reasons described in the Techniques section. The enjoyment Players give themselves is its own reward.
These rewards follow the set listed in a Game's Genre Expectations. There are four basic ways these come about:Instant Rewards happen any time, all the time.- 'Cool beans' awards for doing stuff that's...well, cool.
- Gimmes for a (personal or global) Genre Expectations 'out to get you.'[/list:u]
Genre Expectations can also get used 'As a Hammer.'- Get them for 'counting coup' on the gamemaster's forgetfulness.
- Plot Devices (Payback for when you create them for the sake of the Genre Expectations)
- Deus ex machina (again, Payback)
- "Anyway..." ('cutting to the chase' when the game wanders away from the Genre Expectations)[/list:u]
Payback Time: when you spend 'em to get 'em.- Refunds (with interest for getting things 'back on track' with the Genre Expectations)
- Payback for properly cuing parts (plus the Keepers)[/list:u]
You also get rewards for having 'aspirations' to the Genre Expectations- Use Gimmes when 'playing into them.'
- Payback for withdrawing a 'question that must not be asked.'[/list:u][/list:u]
©2002 Fang Langford and Impswitch
I have deleted references to Ron's essay on the GNS.
Fang Langford
I've changed some of the terminology based on playtest results. Now a player character is known as a Persona and a non-player character is known as a Regular Character. I've also added the Damage and Armor Mechanix and modified some of the text on Squad Level Scope.
Fang Langford
I finally got around to adding the revised rewards and Experience Dice text. I hope it becomes clearer how they are actually the 'heart of the game.'
Fang Langford