Shawn Tomkin, reading your most recent release and it is, I think, really coming together for me now, thanks to the...
Shawn Tomkin, reading your most recent release and it is, I think, really coming together for me now, thanks to the example play write ups everyone seems to be doing.
Anyway, a question came to mind as I was reading, so I figured I'd ask, what inspired the change in dice mechanic? The PbtA influence is evident, but what caused the divergence from the PbtA dice mechanic? I don't know a lot about that mechanic, but I recall it being 2d6+bonus <6. 7-9, 10+, why the change to the Challenge die and Action die rolls?
Anyway, a question came to mind as I was reading, so I figured I'd ask, what inspired the change in dice mechanic? The PbtA influence is evident, but what caused the divergence from the PbtA dice mechanic? I don't know a lot about that mechanic, but I recall it being 2d6+bonus <6. 7-9, 10+, why the change to the Challenge die and Action die rolls?
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ReplyDeleteHi, John Risus. Thanks for asking. A few reasons...
ReplyDelete1) I needed a slightly larger range of results than 2d6+stat allows for. This is to keep weak hits a bit more active (thus encouraging momentum burning), and to support bonuses through moves and assets. In AW/DW, a +1 is a pretty big deal. Less so here. It's OK to stack a couple of bonuses via assets, for example, which is a bit contrary to the AW/DW ethos but can be fun all the same.
2) The wider result curve and topping the user move score at +10 provides for diminishing returns (so as not to reward too much bonus stacking).
3) There is always a decent chance of a weak hit (20%) no matter what the player is bringing to the roll. This helps push the story forward (misses and weak hits tend to be interesting).
4) The match mechanic! A match on 2d6 is a bit too common for my tastes. Matches on D10 are perfect.
5) No subtraction! Don't ask me why. I'm not sure. It just feels a bit elegant and rewarding to never subtract.
5) GM's have an opportunity to roll dice if they like by simply taking over the challenge roll. Or, they can keep it all player-centric.
6) There's a lot bundled into the roll. Was the challenge too tough or your action too weak? Does something else interesting occur? It all integrates nicely with momentum, burning momentum, and suffering negative momentum.
7) There's just something about the mechanic that I find tactile and fun.
8) It's pretty fast to resolve!
9) I like the elegance of the challenge dice using the same dice as oracle rolls (though interpreted differently of course)
There you go! More than you ever wanted to know. I actually had many, many failed precursors to this final mechanic.
Not at all more than I ever wanted to know. Thanks for the information! It all sounds rather interesting from a game design standpoint. I did notice (#3) the 20% Weak Hit was intentional considering the recent discussions of Weak Hit... spirals during combat when Momentum is depleted. All-in-all though, very interesting. Thanks for taking the time to share all that.
ReplyDeleteJust a personal note, I also like that I can use a standard polyhedral set and don’t have to worry about stealing a d6 from Monopoly or something. Plus I like that this way all the dice I’m rolling match colour-wise; minor aesthetic thing, but it’s nice.
ReplyDeleteZack MacDonald coincidentally my challenge and action dice are all different colors from different sets, maybe that's why the dice keep wrecking me XD
ReplyDelete#5 & 8 are the main reason why I liked it at first glance.
ReplyDeleteThat is one thing I really dislike about the Cypher System. (d20/3 rounded down...)
Something I really like about the Cypher System Shawn Tomkin added (his version) is the Effort system. Choosing to burn Momentum, or deplete Spirit/Supply, instead of only losing HP.
I really like the dice mechanic. It allows for some neat plays with re-rolls and the momentum mechanic. As you state, it does give you at least a 20% chance of success on pretty much any roll. Is that a little high for some things? A character who's really not good at say, athletic feats, still has a 20% chance of making a long jump as long as it's possible. For some challenges, I think you can mitigate it by making it a progress track. You note that no subtraction is a feature, but for challenges that don't have a progress track, how else would you indicate exceptional difficulty?
ReplyDeletejoseph deckert As I've discovered from a few plays, I don't know that I would call a weak hit "success" per se, as they usually come with a nasty downside, whether mechanically or narratively (or most often both)
ReplyDeleteAs far as the risk that someone not necessarily skilled succeeding, I let the narrative handle that. You can TRY anything you want, but the consequences of failure are probably worse for you because you have no idea what's up.
Shawn Tomkin this method of die rolling is definitely fun, I don't know why but I've always loved d100 systems because i love rolling 2d10.
joseph deckert don't forget Debilities (page 34).
ReplyDeleteAs for attempting something difficult once without making it a side quest or change to your character, you can RP a reason the character should have a negative mod to the Action Die.
I like the idea of the mechanic, at least from reading the rules, was just wondering how it came to fruition. I really like, at least in practice from reading Justin Gordon's write ups, of how gritty it is. Which is my preferred genre, and now I can do it solo. It was hard, at least IMHO, to get a gritty feel I like with other systems and a party of adventurers.
ReplyDeleteJustin mentioned a Weak Hit really, again based on reading only, doesn't appear in the narrative to be much of a success. Which is good, IMHO. "Marginal Success" is the adjective that comes to mind for me. Though a subtle change from "Weak Hit" it just registers much more succinctly in my mind.
Two ways to represent difficulty:
ReplyDelete1) You just can't do it. Is your character a big, lumbering guy in heavy armor? No way he's jumping over that wide chasm. 'Gotta find some other way around/across. Look to the fiction first, the make moves as appropriate.
2) Narratively, one move won't do it. You'll have to make multiple moves. Secure an Advantage for your leap by running toward the chasm like a bat out of hell. Then, Face Danger as you send yourself skyward. Either of those moves becomes a potential failure point.