Individual Conflict Resolution in Sorcerer

[Christopher Kubasik]

Okay.  I've read all the threads I could find on this matter, and I think I understand the concepts.  However, I'm having trouble wrapping it around application.

(Note for new folks learning the lingo -- these threads will explain a lot of the task/conflict resolution terms used below: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=774 & http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=773 )

Questions:

With Individual Conflict Resolution the individual PC rolls to resolve a conflict "I'm gonna nail the fuckin' alien queen's head to the wall so everyone can get out!"

Now....  The posts I read suggested that in Individual Conflict Resolution the roll is made, and then the effects retro-actively described.  (Fortune in the Middle, yes?)  

Q1: Right?

But the bonus dice for a Sorcerer PC are accumulate with colorful description before the diece are rolled.  So, first we set up a colorful description which is the "Intention"; then we roll dice and resolve "Initiation" and "Completion" (or whatever friggin' words they turned out to be), and then we count up Victories for the Effect.

Q2: Should the GM hold back the bonus dice until everyone's given their Intention, or give them out as Players talk, perhaps having to adjust bonus dice up and down as the players negotiate and adjust their intentions?

Q3: Are the after the effect descriptions put into effect in the order of resolution, or once all outcomes are decided, sort of like the group Intention phase, but at the end?  (I'm assuming the latter, but I'll check with more experienced folks.)

Thanks,

Christopher

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Christopher,

This question gets brought up again and again, because it's a good one. My main comments are found here:
FitM and bonus dice for role-playing

It ain't the best imaginable answer, but the bottom line is that a given group has a lot of "play" in just how much is getting established, in terms of before vs. after dice results are determined, within a given Sorcerer combat round.

Best,
Ron

[Christopher Kubasik]

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the answer.

One more question: do you hand out bonus dice (or penalties) for declared intent as each person declares, one when the group has negotiated out their "collective" intent?

Thanks,
Christopher

[Zak Arntson]

That's an excellent question! Ron, you mention in the previous thread that "Part of the problem is verbiage from 1995."

You say that on a group level a conceptual rewrite happens. So is the bonus for a colorful action then a reward for good roleplaying, rather a concrete event that is _bound_ to happen (a concrete event = FitB)?

My question is then, using 2002 verbiage, how would you handle Sorcerer's conflict resolution?

[Christopher Kubasik]

Zak,

Just to keep my question clear, I think the bonus is for the role playing, before the dice are rolled.  The outcome might provide different results than the intention.  My questino is, in the experience of other Sorcerer GMs, do the bonuses get applied as each player declares intention, or are they assigned to each player after the group's worked out the whole intention "phase."

Thanks,
Christopher

[Ron Edwards]

Christopher,

I find that the bonus dice assignments get all wrapped up and around the negotiations in any old order. Someone says a cool thing, I say, "Hey! That's worth a bonus die." It kind of flows in during the dialogue and propositions; I don't have everyone state everything and then dole out bonus die as a separate step or phase. Although if it occurs to me that a certain action might deserve a bonus die or two, and I hadn't thought of it until that final, almost-done-with-choreography-proposals phase, then I'll toss it in.

In other words, total chaos. Sue me, it's fun.

Best,
Ron

[Christopher Kubasik]

Ah,

Thanks.

Christopher