Needing some help with the TSOY mechanics

[thurak]

Hello everyone,

I'm not sure if this is the proper forum for this discussion, so if I've placed it in the wrong place,  please forgive me.

I've been reading through the Ability checks section in the TSOY main rulebook and, on the surface (and without having actually been able to play it) the unnoposed and competitive ability checks seem fairly straightforward and easy to use.

However, when I get to the resisted checks, alarm bells start ringing. Perhaps I'm not understanding it properly, but in theory, a character can walk up to any other character (including npc's) and kill them with one roll.

Indeed, it seems like, unless someone "Brings Down the Pain," all that is needed, is for the player to declare his intention is to "Kill  character X," and score at least a mediocre success.

Am I correct in this assumption?

Also, If Someone does bring down the pain, are there only 2 damage levels (bloodied and broken) a character can sustain before being at the complete mercy of her attacker?

Thank you for your time.

[Clinton R. Nixon]

Hello everyone,

I'm not sure if this is the proper forum for this discussion, so if I've placed it in the wrong place,  please forgive me.

I've been reading through the Ability checks section in the TSOY main rulebook and, on the surface (and without having actually been able to play it) the unnoposed and competitive ability checks seem fairly straightforward and easy to use.

However, when I get to the resisted checks, alarm bells start ringing. Perhaps I'm not understanding it properly, but in theory, a character can walk up to any other character (including npc's) and kill them with one roll.

Indeed, it seems like, unless someone "Brings Down the Pain," all that is needed, is for the player to declare his intention is to "Kill  character X," and score at least a mediocre success.

Am I correct in this assumption?

Also, If Someone does bring down the pain, are there only 2 damage levels (bloodied and broken) a character can sustain before being at the complete mercy of her attacker?

Thank you for your time.

Thurak,

You're correct in all above assumptions. I'm really going to enjoy it if you ask "Why?" The "holy crap" tone I got off your post is making my day.

Let me go further and lay it out. Any character can do whatever the players wants, with the following caveats:

a) The GM and players agree it's slightly possible it could happen.
b) The GM can give one, or in rare cases, two penalty dice at a maximum.
c) The player makes a successful ability check.

[thurak]

You're correct in all above assumptions. I'm really going to enjoy it if you ask "Why?" The "holy crap" tone I got off your post is making my day.

Let me go further and lay it out. Any character can do whatever the players wants, with the following caveats:

a) The GM and players agree it's slightly possible it could happen.
b) The GM can give one, or in rare cases, two penalty dice at a maximum.
c) The player makes a successful ability check.

Holy Crap! :)

Ok, I'll Bite. Why?

[thurak]

I expect though, that The Story Guide is still free to assign a Difficulty to a given task?

Example:

If, Billy, a character of fairly low ability tries to assassinate Arken, a  notorious villian of great ability, it would presumably be much harder to accomplish than if Billy were, say, trying to kill someone of no real importance, or challenge, or would it?

[Clinton R. Nixon]

I expect though, that The Story Guide is still free to assign a Difficulty to a given task?

Example:

If, Billy, a character of fairly low ability tries to assassinate Arken, a  notorious villian of great ability, it would presumably be much harder to accomplish than if Billy were, say, trying to kill someone of no real importance, or challenge, or would it?

Um, half of that is right.

The Story Guide cannot assign difficulty. Caveat: if and only if the task requires special knowledge or training the character does not have can the difficulty be set. Tasks of this nature require a Good result as opposed to mediocre.

In your example, you are right, only because Arken has abilities to use to try and stop Billy. Opposed checks require you to beat an opponent; otherwise, you just need a Mediocre result to do anything.

---

As for "why," why not? I mean, if I'm going to try and do something to an NPC, and it's cool with everyone, why don't I just roll and see if that happens? If anyone doesn't want it to, they can Bring Down the Pain. BDtP is there to resolve arguments about who decides.

[thurak]

Okie Dokie.

That makes sense to me. Thanks so much for your input.

Great game system!