[Donjon] IRC, second session, part 1 [long]

[JamesDJIII]

Raven, Nathan, and I kicked up another Donjon session.

We had a couple of "I dunno" moments about dice and victories.
Issue 1: If I have 9 dice, and the other guys has 3... what's the maximum number of victories that I can have? 9 or 3?

Issue 2: What are the limits on related activites with bonus dice on Donjon? Scene to Scene? ANY action, across any time/place transition?

In any case, we had a lot of fun!

Transcript follows:

22:01:45 <GreyOrm> Anyways, yes. Let's get started!
22:01:56 <jjeffers> Ok... this is the railroady part.
22:02:19 <NytCrawlr> Ugh, hope it works out for you Raven and causes as little problems as possible.
22:02:34 <NytCrawlr> Railroad away.
22:03:04 <GreyOrm> Heh. Choochoo
22:03:25 <NytCrawlr> "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!"
22:03:33 <jjeffers> "You've been living the life of wandering adventurers in the blasted lands. You came across a small village named Pir-Anak. The name stirred a memory of a once great city state of Anak. Perhaps the people here are long decayed descendents."
22:04:23 <jjeffers> "Within a few hours in the village the elders reveal to you that for the last few weeks raiders have attacked and carried off
the people of the village. They are desperate."
22:05:30 <jjeffers> "They indicate that the raiders came from the direction of the deepest of the silt hills. Most of the violent attacks have historically come from the direction of the existing cities. Hence, this new set of attacks is even more troubling."
22:05:50 <jjeffers> "They appeal to you to track these attackers and determine where their kin were taken."
22:06:26 <jjeffers> "After many hours of tracking, you pick up enough evidence to follow the trail of the raiders."
22:07:36 <jjeffers> "After 2 days of blistering travel, you have crested another dune, and see a curious thing - a series of sandstone blocks, long wind bitten, larger than a house, lay in the valley below."
22:07:56 <jjeffers> "The tracks lead down from the dune and into what appears to be the ruins of a once mighty city..."
22:08:34 <jjeffers> That was my introduction - we can flash back to the village if you want to aquire your possesions and other sundries.
22:09:30 <jjeffers> What are you 2 doing?
22:09:49 <GreyOrm> Checking the rules on possessions
22:09:55 <NytCrawlr> Heh, yeah,
22:10:31 <jjeffers> Here is the layout for Pir-Anak, the village you just left:
22:10:38 <jjeffers> Weapons 2 (Markup 1)
22:10:38 <jjeffers> Armor 2 (Markup 1)
22:10:38 <jjeffers> Provisions 3 (Markup 1)
22:10:38 <jjeffers> Hospitality 1 (Markup 2)
22:12:06 <GreyOrm> Ok, I want my permanent weapon to be a simple wooden staff.
22:12:17 <GreyOrm> As for armor...just some robes.
22:13:22 <jjeffers> I'll assume that you already have your 3 possesions at start, unless you want somethign that is really exotic.
22:14:08 <GreyOrm> Yes, I'd like the Obsidian Man of Urik under my control... ;)
22:14:18 <jjeffers> I'll count that as exotic.
22:14:24 <jjeffers> ;)
22:14:36 <NytCrawlr> Ok, I want my perm weapon to be a composite long bow.
22:14:37 <GreyOrm> What?! It's only an artifact-level golem! Exotic! Sheesh ;)
22:15:24 <GreyOrm> Hrm, comp. lbow...large or huge weapon? (I'd figure huge? shortbow, longbow, comp. lbow.)
22:15:39 <GreyOrm> whoops, nevermind...I'm stupid :)
22:15:53 <jjeffers> It's listed as a 4 DR weapon
22:16:01 <GreyOrm> Yep.
22:16:33 <jjeffers> From what I read, metal alloys are rare on Athas.. did I get that right?
22:16:45 <GreyOrm> That is correct.
22:17:32 <jjeffers> So any items that uses things like steel or iron are probably going to be much, much harder to aquire.
22:17:44 <NytCrawlr> As for armor, something different, a silk blouse, leather jerkins, gloves, and boots, all a sandy color.
22:17:55 <NytCrawlr> Probably.
22:18:06 <NytCrawlr> Composite probably has some metal in it too, hmmmm.
22:18:20 <jjeffers> Ok, so I think that would be what... 1 DR rating for the armor for both of you?
22:18:24 <GreyOrm> They use stone, bone, shell, and chitin in place of metal.
22:18:33 <jjeffers> I think you can have a composite that uses layers of ...
22:18:39 <GreyOrm> Sure, I'll take a 1 DR from my lousy robes! :)
22:18:39 <jjeffers> yeah Raven has the right idea.
22:19:03 <jjeffers> And how about that last "other" perm item?
22:19:18 <GreyOrm> Metal doesn't break. The other items have a chance to. So I'm guessing you could always use your facts in narration to break one of our items.
22:19:27 <NytCrawlr> I'll use bone instead of metal, villichi don't like metal anyways.
22:20:04 <jjeffers> Facts - me use them to hurt you? No.
22:20:10 <jjeffers> I'd _never_ do that.
22:20:18 <GreyOrm> Hrm...other item. A spyglass? Yeah, that's what I want.
22:20:25 * NytCrawlr ponders
22:20:47 <jjeffers> What would this spyglass do? What sort o bonus does it give you?
22:20:52 <NytCrawlr> Can it be another weapon?
22:20:58 <GreyOrm> Like a 1 die bonus to my Discernment at Long Distances.
22:21:59 <jjeffers> ok
22:22:11 <jjeffers> Nathan, I don't think it can be another weapon.. but let me check
22:22:39 <NytCrawlr> Ooh I know, a camouflaged cloak that gives me a bonus to Adroitness for hiding and sneaking around. Is that limited to 1 die
or can it be higher?
22:22:46 <jjeffers> Rules don't specify - so a weapon is fine.
22:22:54 <NytCrawlr> Oh, hmmm.
22:23:18 <jjeffers> You can have that cloak if you make a spending test, how bout that?
22:23:52 <NytCrawlr> Can you do a provision roll for another weapon, like if the bow broke or I was stuck in melee and needed a melee weapon later?
22:24:16 <NytCrawlr> [21:34] <@jjeffers> You can have that cloak if you make a spending test, how bout that?  <--- Ok.
22:24:32 <jjeffers> If you are in town, yes. otherwise you have to pick up something and use it. or use a "loot" roll to "find" a new bow.
22:25:16 <NytCrawlr> Ok, cool, I'll go for the cloak then.
22:25:46 <GreyOrm> Cool
22:25:49 <NytCrawlr> I assume this is a wealth spending test?
22:26:51 <jjeffers> Nathan yes...
22:27:25 <jjeffers> Let me see... the cloak is worth 1 die to you...
22:27:54 <jjeffers> Moderate cost... 3 dice more...
22:28:37 <jjeffers> 4 dice you have to roll against to buy it
22:28:54 <jjeffers> So yu have to decide how many of your wealth you will spend to get it
22:29:05 <jjeffers> that will be added to your Socabilty
22:29:07 <NytCrawlr> I'll use 2 of my wealth dice plus my Soc,(2) which gives me a total of 4.
22:29:16 <jjeffers> Roll, then!
22:29:34 <jjeffers> 20 sided
22:29:39 <jjeffers> #roll 4d20
22:29:40 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for jjeffers [4d20]: 41>
22:29:43 <jjeffers> dang it
22:29:52 <jjeffers> #roll 4[1d20]
22:29:52 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for jjeffers [4[1d20]]: 2 19 17 4 >
22:30:01 <jjeffers> 19, 17, 4, 2
22:30:05 <NytCrawlr> #roll 4d6
22:30:05 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for NytCrawlr [4d6]: 12>
22:30:10 <NytCrawlr> ack
22:30:27 <NytCrawlr> #roll [4[1d6]]
22:30:38 <NytCrawlr> #roll 4[1d6]
22:30:38 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for NytCrawlr [4[1d6]]: 3 3 2 2 >
22:30:46 <jjeffers> You want to specify d20s...
22:30:51 <NytCrawlr> #roll 4[1d20]
22:30:51 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for NytCrawlr [4[1d20]]: 6 2 5 20 >
22:30:54 <NytCrawlr> My bad.
22:30:55 <jjeffers> wow
22:30:58 <jjeffers> he did it!
22:31:02 <NytCrawlr> :D
22:31:02 <GreyOrm> Just barely :)
22:31:05 <jjeffers> 20 6 5 2
22:31:13 <jjeffers> Ok, subtract 2 wealth and you have the cloak
22:31:24 <NytCrawlr> Sweet!
22:31:37 <jjeffers> So, we all set?
22:31:53 <NytCrawlr> Works for me.
22:32:29 <jjeffers> Ok, as I mentioned, you are both overlooking the valley.. etc.
22:33:08 -- GreyOrm changes nick to Granix
22:34:11 -- NytCrawlr changes nick to Vereeana
22:34:12 * Granix says "I wonder if that could be the ruins of Anak..." draws out his spyglass and searches the ruins for signs that it might be the ancient city, as well as for guards.
22:34:22 <Vereeana> Good idea.  :)
22:34:27 <jjeffers> What are you guys doing now? I leave the time of day up to you, as I figured you might have a preference for what time you started...
22:34:38 <jjeffers> Unless you object, it's still day.
22:34:57 <Vereeana> Granix: How about a few hours till dusk?
22:34:57 <jjeffers> Granix, you wish to make a Discernment roll on the valley below?
22:35:08 <Granix> That's fine. Won't be able to see much at night. Figure we're on a dune overlooking the ruins, staring down at them without trying to be noticed.
22:35:20 <Granix> ooc: I roll Dis + Spyglass, right? So 7 dice.
22:35:43 <jjeffers> ooc: that's corrent, 7 dice... calculating the task now...
22:35:52 <Granix> roll 7[1d20]
22:36:01 <Granix> #roll 7[1d20]
22:36:01 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for Granix [7[1d20]]: 11 10 11 4 10 16 5 >
22:36:20 <Granix> Errr...eh? Two rolls?
22:36:39 <Granix> Should I just take the first set?
22:36:55 <jjeffers> I only see one results
22:36:57 <Vereeana> I only see one.
22:37:01 <Granix> ooc: or nevermind...they're both the same. Hrm, ok.
22:37:16 <Vereeana> Heh, damn status window.
22:37:18 <jjeffers> 16, 11, 11,10, 10, 5, 4
22:37:39 <jjeffers> It's an easy task.
22:37:47 <jjeffers> 0 dice + 1 ...
22:37:53 <jjeffers> Cause it's level 1
22:37:56 <jjeffers> #roll 1d20
22:37:56 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for jjeffers [1d20]: 2>
22:38:03 <jjeffers> 7 victories for you
22:38:16 <Vereeana> ooc: Dayum
22:38:22 <jjeffers> Granix sees all...
22:38:43 <Granix> All-seeing, all knowing!
22:38:51 <Granix> So I get seven facts, right?
22:38:56 <jjeffers> checking that now
22:39:16 <Granix> Or I can save them for related bonus dice later?
22:40:02 <jjeffers> Sorry - thats 1 victory
22:40:16 <jjeffers> Since you had only 1 die in opposition... I think thats the way it works
22:40:22 <jjeffers> And you can elect to save the die for later
22:41:16 <Vereeana> ooc: Awww
22:41:24 <jjeffers> ooc: heh
22:41:47 <jjeffers> Ok, so what would you like to do Granix, get the fact or take a die?
22:41:59 <Vereeana> ooc: the sinister cat steals my chair!
22:42:23 <Granix> ooc: hrm, where do you get the idea that only the number of dice rolled in opposition count for determining successes?
22:42:58 <jjeffers> Granix: from the text - in that you only count sucesses by comparing dice rolled.
22:43:04 <Granix> ooc: I can't find mention of that, though page 26 seems to indicate otherwise to me: "...When a player requests a test based on
a perception-based uncontested action..." etc.
22:43:18 <jjeffers> page 26... let me see..
22:43:57 <Granix> Basically, that the GM should set difficulty based on how much control they want over a scene, since the description is then coming from the player. Easy means the player has lots of control over describing the scene.
22:44:12 <jjeffers> I stand corrected!
22:44:22 <jjeffers> 7 victories stands!
22:44:27 <jjeffers> <crowd noise>
22:44:36 * jjeffers blushes
22:44:37 <Vereeana> ooc: !
22:44:40 <Granix> Heh...ok. If I hadn't seen that, I would have agreed with you about the # successes thing :)
22:44:42 <Vereeana> ooc: hehe
22:44:58 <jjeffers> Ok, so, 7 victories... what are you doing with them?
22:45:55 <Granix> Ok, here are my facts: There are two bandits on guard. They appear to be asleep on the job. They are lightly armed. There is a worn statue half-buried nearby.
22:46:12 <Granix> ooc: go to town with that! :)
22:46:26 <Granix> ooc: I'm saving the other three as bonuses for later.
22:46:28 <Vereeana> ooc: Muwhahahaha!
22:46:36 <jjeffers> 4 facts .. leaving you with 3 victories to carry over
22:46:40 <jjeffers> Done and done.

[JamesDJIII]

22:47:30 <Granix> Can you give bonus dice to companions?
22:47:57 <jjeffers> The blocks, upon further inspection, seem worn with time. They are pitted and cracked as well. Beyond the guards, in the shadow of the rubble, you can also make out darker recessess.
22:48:14 <jjeffers> I believe you can pass on the dice.
22:48:22 <jjeffers> For related activities
22:49:44 <jjeffers> I'm sure if that's not right, follow up posts will correct it.
22:50:10 <Granix> Yeah :)
22:50:14 <Granix> Ok.
22:50:30 <jjeffers> The guards are asleep in whatever shade they can find.
22:50:36 <Vereeana> Alright, I think I'm going to take a shot at both guards in succession, aiming for the voice box (throat).
22:50:56 * Granix says "Vereeana...see those two guards? Let us remove them as an obstacle...and punish them for their lack of vigilance."
22:50:57 <jjeffers> Granix also can make out that the area from here to the statue and beyond is well trafficed.
22:51:27 * Vereeana "Granix, great minds think alike it seems."
22:51:47 * Granix grins and watches Vereena's shots through the spyglass
22:52:13 <Granix> ooc: i'm giving Nathan the three dice to use in shooting the sleeping guards
22:52:52 <jjeffers> ok, add up your attack dice
22:54:22 <Vereeana> Weapon + Vir + Granix's dice?
22:54:23 <jjeffers> defenders dice... 3 for range (2 actions away), no dodge (obviously),
22:54:26 <jjeffers> yes
22:54:39 <jjeffers> Guard #1 defense... 3 dice (for range)
22:54:46 <jjeffers> #roll 3[1d20]
22:54:46 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for jjeffers [3[1d20]]: 4 12 3 >
22:54:52 <jjeffers> 12, 4, 3
22:54:57 <Granix> ooc: hehehe...no initiative for those guards!
22:55:03 <jjeffers> Oh no, they are sleeping
22:55:06 <jjeffers> helpless
22:55:20 <Vereeana> #roll [11[1d20]]
22:55:28 <Vereeana> #roll 11[1d20]
22:55:28 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for Vereeana [11[1d20]]: 19 16 11 1 19 13 6 16 2 12 10 >
22:55:34 <jjeffers> ooc: nice
22:55:42 <Granix> ooc: wow
22:55:48 <Vereeana> ooc: :)
22:56:23 <jjeffers> 11 victories on guard 1?
22:56:40 <Vereeana> ooc: I see what Raven is talking about now on the duplication roll thing, it did the same to me.
22:57:20 <Vereeana> ooc: Looks like 9, or am I doing it wrong?
22:57:21 <jjeffers> 11 victories, which you can use as either Damage test, bonus on a related roll (like the next attack), or facts
22:57:51 <jjeffers> 19 beats 12, 19 beats 4, 16 beats 3... and he's out of dice
22:58:00 <Vereeana> Ah.
22:58:05 <Vereeana> Now I get it.
22:58:19 <jjeffers> No matter how many times I read it, it still catches me.
22:58:30 <jjeffers> In any case... thats a lot of dice!
22:59:11 <Vereeana> ooc: Alright, I will use 5 on damage, 3 on bonus, and 3 on facts.
22:59:40 <jjeffers> Ok do your damage test first...
23:00:02 <jjeffers> They just have Wherwithal of 4
23:00:18 <jjeffers> And you pretty much negated their armor, etc,...
23:00:34 <jjeffers> Guard 1 damage resistance #roll 4[1d20]
23:00:41 <jjeffers> #roll 4[1d20]
23:00:41 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for jjeffers [4[1d20]]: 8 2 5 6 >
23:00:52 <jjeffers> 8, 6, 5, 2
23:00:58 <jjeffers> Not good.
23:01:01 -- Granix (~Raven@Magicstar-14639.dynamic.accessmn.com) has parted #indie-rpgs
23:01:13 <Vereeana> Ok, help me out here, can I do flesh wound damage?
23:01:24 -- Granix (~Raven@Magicstar-14639.dynamic.accessmn.com) has joined #indie-rpgs
23:01:35 <Granix> Oops. Wrong buttong. erg.
23:01:59 <jjeffers> Yes, roll your Virtilty plus weapon damage plus any sort of extra damage abiilty
23:02:11 <jjeffers> any sucesses in the damage test are flesh wounds the guard will lose
23:02:22 <Vereeana> #roll 13[1d20]
23:02:22 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for Vereeana [13[1d20]]: 12 20 14 10 1 7 14 4 4 17 16 12 10 >
23:02:32 <jjeffers> Natural 20! (joking)
23:02:40 <Vereeana> Heh
23:02:45 <jjeffers> He's dead Jim.
23:02:47 <Vereeana> Lady luck is with me tonight.
23:02:47 <Granix> ooc: Heh...yeah, I think that takes care of him <G>
23:03:00 <jjeffers> Solid hit. What about those facts?
23:04:44 <Vereeana> Facts: These guys are lazy. These guys are not well trained. There is discension among the ranks.
23:04:51 <Vereeana> I think I spelled that right.
23:05:36 <jjeffers> Ok, not sure how I'm gonna narrate that at the moment... but they are now facts.
23:05:45 <jjeffers> Next attack, with 3 bonus dice?
23:05:46 <Vereeana> Heh, sorry.
23:06:04 <Vereeana> Still getting the hang of things.
23:06:12 <jjeffers> Me too, Nathan.
23:06:49 <Granix> ooc: I would say you just write it down as traits for the bandits as a group? (I'm assuming that's what Nathan's intentions were)
23:07:02 <Vereeana> yeah, partly.
23:07:23 <jjeffers> ooc: Yes, these are now lazy, ill-trained  bandits with poor morale.
23:07:31 <Granix> ooc: hehehe
23:07:40 <Vereeana> ooc: Muwhahaha!
23:08:07 <jjeffers> Defense for second guard, also 3 dice due to range.
23:08:10 <Granix> ooc: That's SOOOO stereotypical! I'm going to call the UNION and DEMAND you stop portraying bandits as lazy loaf-abouts!
23:08:16 <jjeffers> #roll 3[1d20]
23:08:16 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for jjeffers [3[1d20]]: 19 3 12 >
23:08:27 <Vereeana> ooc: LOL!
23:08:29 <jjeffers> ooc: At least they are not Orcs.
23:08:43 <jjeffers> ooc: Then we'd have the Ocr Anti-Defimation League on my case.
23:09:02 * Granix grunts, "Good shot, that's one down. Hah. Other one is still asleep."
23:09:21 <jjeffers> Guard #2 defense (at this range) is 19, 12, 3
23:09:30 * Vereeana smiles and points to the other guard "If you liked that, you'll love this!"
23:09:43 <jjeffers> ooc: Sorry - I just assumed you would attack now.
23:10:09 <Vereeana> #roll 11[1d20]
23:10:09 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for Vereeana [11[1d20]]: 17 19 3 17 18 16 3 13 17 14 3 >
23:10:18 <jjeffers> ooc: *crunch*
23:10:26 <jjeffers> 19 is tossed out, it's a tie
23:10:35 <jjeffers> the rest are victories
23:10:39 <Granix> ooc: heheh...like it matters <G>
23:10:40 <jjeffers> 10 victories
23:11:03 <Vereeana> ooc: He's dead too Jim.
23:11:43 <jjeffers> ooc: How do yoou want them victories?
23:12:00 <jjeffers> Damage Test resistance will again be 4 dice (for his Wherewhithal).
23:12:47 <Vereeana> ooc: 4 on damage, 3 on bonus, 3 on facts
23:13:01 <jjeffers> Ok, roll the damage test then.
23:13:08 <Vereeana> #roll 12[1d20]
23:13:09 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for Vereeana [12[1d20]]: 4 16 8 10 8 8 4 18 8 10 11 12 >
23:13:12 <jjeffers> #roll 4[1d20]
23:13:12 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for jjeffers [4[1d20]]: 14 7 7 5 >
23:13:30 <jjeffers> Another swift death.
23:13:36 <Vereeana> ooc: heh
23:14:04 <jjeffers> And how bout them facts?
23:15:10 <Vereeana> Facts: Apparently these guys are collecting sacrifices for an unknown source. Said unknown source pays them somewhat well. Unknown source also doesn't care how they get the sacrifices, as long as they get them.
23:15:24 * Granix says "And two. Since I see no one else down there, let us go see what we may."
23:15:47 <jjeffers> Vareeana: noted.
23:16:04 <Granix> Unfortunately, I have to get going or I'm going to be exhausted in the morning.
23:16:21 * Vereeana smiles and blushes "I'm too good for own good *wink*. I'll sneak down and scout ahead for us to make sure the coast is clear if you want."
23:16:27 <jjeffers> Raven... good luck.
23:16:38 <Vereeana> yeah, good luck Raven.
23:16:42 <jjeffers> Raven, let us know when you can game again.
23:16:50 <Vereeana> Indeed.
23:17:01 * Granix nods "Sounds good. Don't get yourself killed. I'll watch your back."
23:17:29 <Granix> I will definitely do so! I will have my schedule tomorrow, so I'll be able to let you know tomorrow night or the day after.
23:18:12 * Vereeana grins and says "Oh I'm sure that won't be all you be watching..."
23:18:20 <jjeffers> Nathan would you like to play for a bit longer as you scout the valley?
23:18:21 <Vereeana> you/you'll
23:18:28 <Vereeana> Sure, if that's cool.
23:18:42 <jjeffers> Fine with me. Raven I will post the log later on.
23:18:49 * Granix cocks an eyebrow at Vareeana
23:19:44 <jjeffers> Where are you going to look, Vareeana?
23:19:45 * Vereeana grins
23:20:29 <Vereeana> ooc: I'm going to sneak down to the entrance, and as quietly as possible just kind of do a quick scan around the ruins.
23:20:31 <Granix> Sounds good...I'll leave you then with that euphemistic note <G>
23:20:43 <Granix> Night!
23:20:46 -- Granix (~Raven@Magicstar-14639.dynamic.accessmn.com) has parted #indie-rpgs
23:20:47 <jjeffers> Ngiht!
23:21:05 <jjeffers> This is a medium difficulty test... it's still daylight out...
23:21:34 <jjeffers> 3 dice + 1 for the level
23:21:42 <jjeffers> #roll 4[1d20]
23:21:42 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for jjeffers [4[1d20]]: 16 6 8 8 >
23:21:48 <jjeffers> 16, 8, 8, 6
23:22:13 <Vereeana> So just an Adroitness check?
23:22:20 <Vereeana> With cloak bonus?
23:22:28 <jjeffers> Your roll would be  your Adroitness plus your cloak plus an sneak ability
23:22:34 <jjeffers> er..
23:23:01 <jjeffers> yes, that's it: Adroitness, plus sneak ability, plus cloak
23:23:03 <Vereeana> Stalk Prey Without Being Heard  <--- That wouldn't count would it?
23:23:08 <jjeffers> That would be it!
23:23:11 <Vereeana> Oh, ok.
23:23:16 <jjeffers> No, ...
23:23:22 <jjeffers> There is no prey...
23:23:22 <jjeffers> yet
23:23:26 <jjeffers> The prey is dead
23:23:27 <Vereeana> Ok, didn't think so.
23:23:33 <jjeffers> Still Adoitness plus cloak
23:23:37 <Vereeana> #roll 7[1d20]
23:23:38 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for Vereeana [7[1d20]]: 2 7 11 19 4 6 1 >
23:23:51 <jjeffers> 2 victories
23:24:19 <jjeffers> 19 beats 16, 11 beats 8, my 8 beats your 7
23:24:20 <Vereeana> How long can I save those bonus die for?
23:24:30 * Vereeana nods
23:24:31 <jjeffers> As long as you have a related action to use them on
23:24:36 <Vereeana> Ok, cool.
23:24:38 <jjeffers> Could be, conceptually, until you use it.
23:24:55 <Vereeana> Ok, so when I attack again I can use it then?
23:25:13 <jjeffers> If it's related to what's been happening right now, yes
23:25:19 <Vereeana> Ok, cool.
23:25:27 <jjeffers> like say you stumble across a bad guy while scouting, right now
23:25:56 <jjeffers> I'll get clarification on it, but I think that's the gist
23:26:20 <jjeffers> 2 victories... facts or carry them on?
23:26:50 <Vereeana> Works for me.
23:26:55 <Vereeana> Carry them on.
23:27:44 <jjeffers> You can see that the guards were sloppy in their duties. They have trash and personal effects scattered about them, as if they fell asleep during lunch.
23:28:06 <jjeffers> The gound bears the marks of many feet, some sandaled, others bare.
23:29:11 <jjeffers> The blocks are almost uniform in size, but part of them have fallen off, leaving many and varied bits on the ground. Against the side of the hill behind the guards is a gaping maw of inky black. there is no sound save for the whistling, hot winds.
23:30:14 <jjeffers> One guard is a powerfully built (but very dead) - bald with a huge 2-handed club beside him. The other is a human, with a wooden bow. Both look sand-blasted and swarthy.
23:31:24 <Vereeana> I want to loot the 2-handed club and wooden bow.
23:31:40 <jjeffers> I gotta stop talking.
23:31:47 <jjeffers> Ok, darn it, you have free loot!
23:31:59 <Vereeana> Heh
23:32:04 <jjeffers> I have to learn to abuse the players.
23:32:09 <jjeffers> As it was suggested to me.
23:32:26 <Vereeana> Can I try and loot for a short sword instead and drop the two-handed club?
23:32:36 <jjeffers> Yes you can!
23:33:42 <jjeffers> Short sword is a 1 DR weapon...
23:34:19 <jjeffers> The dead guard is a Level 1 opponent
he side of the hill behind the guards is a gaping maw of inky black. there is no sound save for the whistling, hot winds.
23:30:14 <jjeffers> One guard is a powerfully built (but very dead) - bald with a huge 2-handed club beside him. The other is a human, with a wooden bow. Both look sand-blasted and swarthy.
23:31:24 <Vereeana> I want to loot the 2-handed club and wooden bow.
23:31:40 <jjeffers> I gotta stop talking.
23:31:47 <jjeffers> Ok, darn it, you have free loot!
23:31:59 <Vereeana> Heh
23:32:04 <jjeffers> I have to learn to abuse the players.
23:32:09 <jjeffers> As it was suggested to me.
23:32:26 <Vereeana> Can I try and loot for a short sword instead and drop the two-handed club?
23:32:36 <jjeffers> Yes you can!
23:33:42 <jjeffers> Short sword is a 1 DR weapon...
23:34:19 <jjeffers> The dead guard is a Level 1 opponent
23:34:25 <jjeffers> So you roll 1 die, and I roll 1 die
23:34:40 <jjeffers> #roll 1d20
23:34:40 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for jjeffers [1d20]: 17>
23:34:59 <Vereeana> #roll 1d20
23:34:59 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for Vereeana [1d20]: 2>
23:35:01 <jjeffers> You may, if you like, use any bonus dice
23:35:03 <Vereeana> Boo!
23:35:13 <Vereeana> Nah, not that important.
23:35:43 <jjeffers> No short sword on these guys.
23:35:53 <jjeffers> Ok, let's cut here.
23:36:04 <Vereeana> Ok.
23:36:12 <jjeffers> Hopefully Raven will be able to play again sooner rather than later.
23:36:13 <Vereeana> I'm starting to really enjoy this.
23:36:17 <jjeffers> I am just starting to dig this!
23:36:18 <Vereeana> Yeah.
23:36:19 <jjeffers> Yeah!
23:36:22 <jjeffers> STOP IT
23:36:24 <jjeffers> :)
23:36:25 <Vereeana> LOL
23:36:52 <jjeffers> PLaying certainly helps to solifidy the rules I have been reading and re-reading.
23:36:54 <Vereeana> So I've got 3 bonus die that I need to jot down.
23:37:02 <jjeffers> Yes, 3 dice bonus.
23:37:20 <jjeffers> I also was afraid that the guards would be too strong. HA!
23:37:21 <Vereeana> yeah, I definately need to read the book again and go over a few things I didn't have time to go over, but I get the gist of it now.
23:37:26 <Vereeana> LMAO!
23:37:30 <Vereeana> I rule I guess.
23:37:40 <jjeffers> 7 victories to start off didn't hurt
23:37:51 <Vereeana> WAsn't expecting the extra die from Raven, that helped alot.
23:38:03 <jjeffers> But you can see how the gambling aspect comes in, trying to figure out how to allocate the victories.
23:38:09 <Vereeana> Yeah.
23:38:21 <Vereeana> This is an awesome system, I'm buying the book now.
23:38:43 <jjeffers> If you want to see the logs posted for this game, check out www.indie-rpgs.com and look under "Actual Play" and then "Donjon IRC".
23:39:03 <jjeffers> Yes, rocks this system does.
23:39:13 <jjeffers> I've been waiting to play for weeks and weeks.
23:40:00 <Vereeana> Ok, cool.
23:40:17 <Vereeana> I just hope we can get another player or two and get Raven back in.
23:40:44 <jjeffers> Why don't I send out some feelers and see if there are any other Donjoneers out there who are into some IRC Donjon?
23:41:06 <Vereeana> That might be cool.
23:41:09 <jjeffers> In the meantime, I'm gonna log off and post this.
23:41:24 <jjeffers> I'll email you with any potential newcomers. Sound good?
23:41:37 <Vereeana> That works, thanks.
23:41:45 <Vereeana> Great game, have a good night.  :)
23:41:58 <jjeffers> Ok, good night Nathan. Great game == great participants.
23:42:04 <Vereeana> \m/
23:42:11 <jjeffers> Exactly.

[Larry L.]

I'm thinking a summary of these sessions would do just fine for me.

[Mike D.]

I like reading the actual IRC logs, very interesting to see this game in action. I bought this game months ago, but have yet to convince anyone to play it.

-Mike D.

[Christopher Weeks]

22:54:39 <jjeffers> Guard #1 defense... 3 dice (for range)
22:54:46 <jjeffers> #roll 3[1d20]
22:54:46 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for jjeffers [3[1d20]]: 4 12 3 >
22:54:52 <jjeffers> 12, 4, 3
22:54:57 <Granix> ooc: hehehe...no initiative for those guards!
22:55:03 <jjeffers> Oh no, they are sleeping
22:55:06 <jjeffers> helpless
22:55:20 <Vereeana> #roll [11[1d20]]
22:55:28 <Vereeana> #roll 11[1d20]
22:55:28 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for Vereeana [11[1d20]]: 19 16 11 1 19 13 6 16 2 12 10 >
22:55:34 <jjeffers> ooc: nice
22:55:42 <Granix> ooc: wow
22:55:48 <Vereeana> ooc: :)
22:56:23 <jjeffers> 11 victories on guard 1?
22:56:40 <Vereeana> ooc: I see what Raven is talking about now on the duplication roll thing, it did the same to me.
22:57:20 <Vereeana> ooc: Looks like 9, or am I doing it wrong?
22:57:21 <jjeffers> 11 victories, which you can use as either Damage test, bonus on a related roll (like the next attack), or facts
22:57:51 <jjeffers> 19 beats 12, 19 beats 4, 16 beats 3... and he's out of dice

Y'all did it wrong.

Guard rolled: 12, 4, 3
Vereeana rolled: 19, 19, 16, 16, 13, 12, 11, 10, 6, 2, 1

The two rolls are then compared for successes.  Each player looks at his highest die.  The player with the lower roll loses, and all dice that the winner has higher than the loser's highest die are called successes."

19 is higher than 12 so Vereenana wins.  V's 19, 19, 16, 16 and 13 are higher than Guard's 12.  So V wins with five victories not 11.  This obviously carries to all your conflicts. (E.g. the second guard to be murdered from afar only took two wounds(!) and the adroitness plus cloak roll only had one victory.)

Oh and...

I just hope we can get another player or two and get Raven back in.

So, when is this game taking place?  I played Donjon f2f twice and decided that it wasn't quite working because of the Slooowness of things, but I wonder if you're expecting it to be slow because of IRC, it makes it better.

[JamesDJIII]

Big "aha!" for me.

Thanks Christopher. I knew I did not have it right.

Note to any and all game designers - more examples in the text, please. Make it obnoxious.

We play every Wednesday at 10pm EST/9pm CST.

New players welcome! And yes, IRC is much slower, for a lot of reasons. The biggest one is the lack of non-verbal communication, such as little cues for "Your turn."

[NytCrawlr]

Y'all did it wrong.

Guard rolled: 12, 4, 3
Vereeana rolled: 19, 19, 16, 16, 13, 12, 11, 10, 6, 2, 1

The two rolls are then compared for successes.  Each player looks at his highest die.  The player with the lower roll loses, and all dice that the winner has higher than the loser's highest die are called successes."

19 is higher than 12 so Vereenana wins.  V's 19, 19, 16, 16 and 13 are higher than Guard's 12.  So V wins with five victories not 11.  This obviously carries to all your conflicts. (E.g. the second guard to be murdered from afar only took two wounds(!) and the adroitness plus cloak roll only had one victory.)

Ok, cool. I had a feeling I had killed those guards way too easily.

Thanks Chris.

[JamesDJIII]

Tarnation!

Right there in the text (donjon_screen.pdf), page 6, "all dice that the winner has higher than the loser's highest die are called successes."

Well, now we know.

[JamesDJIII]

Specifically, what is the scope that successes can take?

At one point Nathan used his victories to lay out some facts about the (now dead) foes. I didn't have a problem with this, but is this normal Donjoneering? Are we doing it right?

What are the limits and scope that the player provided facts can take (other than "related to the action")?

I'm looking for guidelines here - and any practical advice.

Thanks in advance!

[Christopher Weeks]

Ok, here are my facts: There are two bandits on guard. They appear to be asleep on the job. They are lightly armed. There is a worn statue half-buried nearby.

This is from a spying roll, right?  These four facts are fine.  Then you narrate the two guards (pretending to be -- he sayd "appear!") asleep in their heavy armor, but wimpy 1d clubs and the ancient demonic statue (that just might come to life when they approach if they take the guards out too easily).

Facts: These guys are lazy. These guys are not well trained. There is discension among the ranks.

This is from an attack, right?  I don't think any of these are really appropriate to the kind of roll made.  Appropriate facts include: "I break his weapon," "I back him into a hole," "the guy in front stumbles into the guy behind him and they fall (two facts?)," "my opponent is in awe," etc.  But even then, I think generally, those facts convert back into one die effects of some kind or open a gateway for the expenditure of successes on other kinds of effects.

See:
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=10945.0
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=5329.0

And I'm sure there were other threads, but I'm not finding them right now.

[greyorm]

We had this discussion during the game, too. The "number of successes depends on the number of dice rolled against" conflicts with the intentions of the text on page 26: "When a player requests a test based on a perception-based uncontested action, the difficulty of the Test is determined a bit differently...the GM should set the difficulty according to how much control she wants over the scene. If she wants little control, set the diffculty to Easy."

This means that in order to control a scene, you as GM would want to set as low a difficulty as possible, because then you limit the player's input to a lousy fact (or two) at best.

Given that getting 11 successes is a rather insane thing, too, I don't know what the "real" answer should be. Obviously, I can't control much a Scene where the gamemaster sets the perception task to Easy (1 die). I beat the 1 die with my 7 dice and I get...a lousy one fact. That's not exactly giving me loads of control over the Scene, as the text indicates an Easy perception difficulty should.

Two other things:

I agree, session summaries are better, MUCH better, than logs. Logs are...well, eye-glaze. People look at them and go, "Uh, yeah, maybe I'll get around to reading that sometime. Maybe." I know I always have...and that maybe always ends up a "never". Plus all the important bits get lost in the reams of text the reader has to scroll through.

The uses to which Nathan put his facts was something I fell asleep thinking about later that night. Didn't think much about it during the game, but as I lay there I realized, "Wait? What did any of that stuff have to do with his attacking the bandits? Donjon allows narration, but not that broad -- it does limit the scope to things actually affected by or in the scope of the action...that way you can't declare what the end of the adventure is at the beginning."

[JamesDJIII]

Given that getting 11 successes is a rather insane thing, too, I don't know what the "real" answer should be. Obviously, I can't control much a Scene where the gamemaster sets the perception task to Easy (1 die). I beat the 1 die with my 7 dice and I get...a lousy one fact. That's not exactly giving me loads of control over the Scene, as the text indicates an Easy perception difficulty should.

I'm pretty sure you can, given the correction on dice and victories.

Given this...

22:36:01 <Granix> #roll 7[1d20]
22:36:01 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for Granix [7[1d20]]: 11 10 11 4 10 16 5 >
...
22:37:18 <jjeffers> 16, 11, 11,10, 10, 5, 4
22:37:39 <jjeffers> It's an easy task.
...
22:37:56 -- NOTICE RPGServ (to #indie-rpgs): <Roll for jjeffers [1d20]: 2>

That's still 7 victories, because all of your dice are greater the opposed, losing "2". If I said, it's a harder task, I get more dice in opposition, and a better than at winning or reducing your victories if you win.

If this isn't a point we disagree on then ... then.. all is fine. Is there any confusion on this mechanic, by me or Raven?

[Christopher Weeks]

It does sound like Raven's confused about part of it.  The number of successes is linked to the number of opposed dice in that as that number increases your successes are likely to decrease.  But that's all.  It's not like they're limited to that number.  And that's how setting an easy contest give the GM less control, not more.  On the other hand, a single die can still be a 20.  (And now, I'm trying to remember what happens if you tie all the dice out on one side...my gut says that the person with the higher number of dice wins with all victories.)

[Clinton R. Nixon]

It does sound like Raven's confused about part of it.  The number of successes is linked to the number of opposed dice in that as that number increases your successes are likely to decrease.  But that's all.  It's not like they're limited to that number.  And that's how setting an easy contest give the GM less control, not more.  On the other hand, a single die can still be a 20.  (And now, I'm trying to remember what happens if you tie all the dice out on one side...my gut says that the person with the higher number of dice wins with all victories.)

Christopher,

You're right, higher number of dice wins if all tie. Think of it as smaller number of dice means next die is 0.

And that other reading of the dice mechanics - who was stoned? Seriously?

Something to check out, if you think it might help:
Possible Donjon 2e mechanics

[Mike D.]

(And now, I'm trying to remember what happens if you tie all the dice out on one side...my gut says that the person with the higher number of dice wins with all victories.)

Clinton, did I misread the rules about all dice tying? I was under the impression that you added a die to each dice pool and compared successes, the below is from the rulebook:

If by chance, all dice are tied, both people add an additional die to their pool, and compare successes. If by far chance, this results in another tie, repeat until there is a clear winner.