Shadowmen system II (split)

[signoftheserpent]

[signoftheserpent]

Stat pool should be (stat + Momentum).

[kouato_terra]

Do the characters roll the struggle dice, or does the GM.  If the players roll the struggle dice and you compare odds and evens, it could work out.  But if the GM rolls the struggle dice I would suggest counting his evens too, instead of odd.  If you are looking for simple (i.e. intuitive) resolution I would suggest counting 4,5,6 as success, instead of evens. Higher being better is intuitive.  I would also suggest that what ever you count for the players as success (evens, or highs) count the same things for the GM it will be much easier compare results.

[signoftheserpent]

Sorry not to answer, but I think I'm going to revamp it. This seems, on closer inspection, rather more convoluted than is perhaps required.

[Ron Edwards]

The above posts were split from the older thread Shadowmen system ideas. We can carry on the discussion here.

Best, Ron

[Ken]

Hi-

The split thread was created while I was composing my thoughts. I didn't see it until I posted, so I'm going to add them here.

Sorry not to answer, but I think I'm going to revamp it. This seems, on closer inspection, rather more convoluted than is perhaps required.

While you're thinking, I had some thoughts on possible directions for changes here:

Maybe have your pool equal the stat at hand, counting each die with a result equal to or less than your current momentum score as a success. If you have as many successes as your current momentum (plus succeed at your action) then you can advance up the scale as you wish: if you don't get as many successes as your current momentum rating you start to slide towards exhaustion.

This would favor the character with high scores since everything is rated 1-5 only; someone with a max stat could have a chance of keeping their edge at 5 for any length of time. The cool thing is that everyone would get to the top of the momentum scale, but less competent characters would slide off of it faster. This also allows for momentum to effect the chances of success without adding a lot of extra dice and math.

I don't know if this interferes with other aspects of your game, but hope maybe this inspires you in the right direction. Thoughts?

Take care,

Ken

[signoftheserpent]

I was thinking of changing the scale, and having Momentum just work from high to low and using it as the dice pool with the stat value as the target number. If Momentum works from 1-5 and stats are rated to 10 then the dice pool can be made frm d10's.

On reflection, the original idea is somewhat convoluted.

[signoftheserpent]

[signoftheserpent]

[Ken]

My concern here is that characters can get beat up till kingdom come, but will only show the effects (ie KO) if they fail to make a roll and get more odds on their struggle dice. SO if they  have to roll to search the interweb for some evidence and thus fail, they collapse. That does strike me as incongruous for some reason.

That does sound a little funny, but considering that a character can only have struggle dice when they are injured this makes a bit of sense; you never know when you are going to succumb to your injuries. Your example seems to be more on the dramatic side; character gets roughed up, they make it back to the office do some research and pass out with a drink in their hand. Sounds good to me.

When you're injured, I could see any type of exertion pushing a character over the edge. I kind of like that actually; it adds an uncertainty that you don't get in other rpgs. Other games let you operate until your Hit Point tank is empty, but here, you never know when your wounds are going to get the better of you. Dramatically, it strikes me at very Noir-ish. I'd roll with that.

Keep it up,

Ken

[signoftheserpent]

I have started to work on this again. Aren't I consistent.

The system, from above, I have clarified thus:

Actions are either tense or normal. Only tense actions make use of struggle dice. To succeed an action, the player must generate at least as many succeses as the target number. Successes are generated from even numbers rolled from dice pool built from the relevant stat score.

Struggle dice, when used, are rolled in a similar fashion, however they do not generate successes. Instead the player counts every odd result. Regardless of the outcome of the action, if the player rolls more odds here than successes he is KO'd after the action is completed. The number of Struggle dice rolled is equal to the character's current Fatigue level.

Fatigue starts at 0, which represents a hale and hearty state of being, and accrues, with no upper limit, as the player takes damage. Fatigue encompasses mental and physical trauma. Players can spend Grit points (and independent pool of points to beneift the character's actions) to reduce the number of Struggle dice that will be rolled. Fatigue can accrue without upper limit.

The line between tense and normal actions isn't intended to be strictly enforced; it's just a way of reinforcing common sense so that characters needn't KO while doing something simple and mundane and not dramatically appropriate.