[DitV] More Questions

[THowell]

We played our first game this weekend (read about it herehttp://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?p=163100#163100).
and some questions came up:

(a) If the Dog wants to escalate during an Initiation, and you want the opposition to do so also, what/how many dice should you roll?  Or is what the GM gets to start with the whole enchilada?

(b) Group dynamics - one of the Dogs wanted to single out the ringleader.  Is it better to start a new conflict with just that one person, or to just have the conflict with the ringleader essentially be the form the conflict with the group takes (which is what we did)?  The reason I ask is because of escalation - it seems like the group shouldn't get to add all its dice to escalate unless everyone in the group chooses to.

(c) We had some trouble when multiple people got involved in a conflict.  There were several instances in which multiple Dogs were ganging up on one person.  Would anyone be willing to post some examples of some talking only conflicts between one opponent and 2+ Dogs working together?  We were uncertain sometimes just when each Dog was expected to see.  

Example from play:

Guy comes out and says "I don't want to talk to you; get off my land." (Raise).

All Dogs See (everyone's involved).

Dog #1 Raises ("We're Dogs - this can go easy or it can go hard.")
Guy has to see to stay in conflict - what about the Dogs?

Dog #2 Raises (says nothing but moves his coat back to reveal his gun).
Guy has to see again...

Seems like if it's played out this way, the Guy has no chance against the Dogs unless he escalates like mad, and maybe not even then.  Were we just doing this completely wrong?

[Lance D. Allen]

Question a) the Dog can escalate, the opposition cannot.

b) Not really sure. Someone else, Vincent perhaps, would be better able to help.

c) your example of play seems spot on; Generally when two Dogs team up, the opponent is going to lose. If that seems a little too easy, just phrase your raises so that both Dogs have to See; Your first raise did so nicely. Not all raises will, but if you take care, it will still be a tense and exciting conflict.

[Darren Hill]

I have a  question of my own.

In the Conflict Resolution chapter, under Demonic Influence, one of the three specific cases is:

When a Sorcerer calls upon the demons for help, I add roll the Demonic Influence into the sorcerer’s side of the conflict, as though it were a Trait or Thing.

Later, in the Creating Towns section, we are told how to create a sorcerer:

Give the sorcerer a Relationship to a demon at four dice of your choice, above and beyond the Relationships listed for the NPC.
A sorcerer can:-
Call on the demons. Add the current Demonic Influence to his preferred side of any conflict, as though it were a Trait, by introducing demonic special effects into a See or Raise.

Does this mean that the sorcerer will be getting xD10 for the demonic influence, and a further 4Dx, whenever he calls on the demons powers/help?
It looks like it, since a Relationship applies whenever the object of the relationship comes to your active aid.Relations

[Simon Kamber]

(a) If the Dog wants to escalate during an Initiation, and you want the opposition to do so also, what/how many dice should you roll?  Or is what the GM gets to start with the whole enchilada?

That's all he gets. Chance is, if the Dog is willing to escalate, the Dog will win.

(b) Group dynamics - one of the Dogs wanted to single out the ringleader.  Is it better to start a new conflict with just that one person, or to just have the conflict with the ringleader essentially be the form the conflict with the group takes (which is what we did)?  The reason I ask is because of escalation - it seems like the group shouldn't get to add all its dice to escalate unless everyone in the group chooses to.

That depends on stakes. If singling out the group leader wasn't a resolution of the stakes, then it's still the same conflict. And if that's the case, he is still part of "the group", stat-wise. So yes, I'd say the group gets escalation dice.

(c) We had some trouble when multiple people got involved in a conflict.  There were several instances in which multiple Dogs were ganging up on one person.  Would anyone be willing to post some examples of some talking only conflicts between one opponent and 2+ Dogs working together?  We were uncertain sometimes just when each Dog was expected to see.  

My general take on it is that you see if you can't ignore the raise. Thus, when the opponent raises (something the Dog(s) can't ignore), the first Dog determines if he can ignore it. If he can't, he sees. The second Dog then determines if he can ignore it (perhaps as a result of the first Dog's see), and if he can't, he sees it too.

Does this mean that the sorcerer will be getting xD10 for the demonic influence, and a further 4Dx, whenever he calls on the demons powers/help?
It looks like it, since a Relationship applies whenever the object of the relationship comes to your active aid.Relations

On page 40, where demon relationships are described, there's no point c). Demons don't give relationship dice when they come to your active aid. In fact, only people do.

[Darren Hill]

Does this mean that the sorcerer will be getting xD10 for the demonic influence, and a further 4Dx, whenever he calls on the demons powers/help?
It looks like it, since a Relationship applies whenever the object of the relationship comes to your active aid.Relations

On page 40, where demon relationships are described, there's no point c). Demons don't give relationship dice when they come to your active aid. In fact, only people do.[/quote]

An hour a go, I'd have said - "oh yes, you're right." But I've just noticed the very paragraph after the last one I quoted:
The Sorcerer's powers on page 87:

- Become possessed at will (getting access, thereby, to all the powers available to a possessed person).

Since they get 4 dice, they get all the possessed person's powers - and two of those powers are:

- Cunning: Apply the Relationship to every social conflict.
- Ferocity: Apply the Relationship to every physical conflict.

So it does look like they get both the relationship dice and the demon influence dice. Ulp!
(If they choose to become possessed anyway.)

[lumpley]

Good answers all around! Bingo on sorcerers and possession.

-Vincent

[Simon Kamber]

An hour a go, I'd have said - "oh yes, you're right." But I've just noticed the very paragraph after the last one I quoted:
The Sorcerer's powers on page 87:

- Become possessed at will (getting access, thereby, to all the powers available to a possessed person).

Since they get 4 dice, they get all the possessed person's powers - and two of those powers are:

- Cunning: Apply the Relationship to every social conflict.
- Ferocity: Apply the Relationship to every physical conflict.

True. So if they're possessed by a cunning or ferocious demon, they get both demonic influence and relationship. Which is just that much more incentive to go that bit further than simply calling on them :)