I didn't really proofread this, so apologies in advance.

I didn't really proofread this, so apologies in advance. :) I am eager to know if I've handled combat correctly, if anyone has the time to review. Also, watch out for them wyverns, ya'll.
https://wispsoftime.com/content/the-iron-vow-of-ulthor-chapter-3/

Comments

  1. Shawn TomkinAugust 29, 2018 at 7:28 AM

    Oof, that was rough Spencer Salyer. A wyvern is an alpha predator in the worlds of the Ironlands, and is generally going to be too much (especially for a single PC) unless you can bring some narrative potential to bear to reduce its rank.

    Of course, it doesn't help when you roll 9 and 10 on your challenge dice when you Turn the Tide.

    Your handling of the mechanics looks good to me, except for one instance where you scored a weak hit and followed that with a Strike (when you actually wouldn't have had initiative).

    Don't forget the option to flee or otherwise avoid a fight with a clearly ovewhelming foe, though obviously in this case Ulthor was invested in the fight. Also, consider narrative costs and your other tracks as a way to help resolve failures to ensure not every outcome ends in Endure Harm. The discovery that Kerihu was dead, for example, could have been handled as an outcome of a failed move, with a resultant Endure Stress.

    All that said, really cool write-up! Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Spencer SalyerAugust 29, 2018 at 8:28 AM

    Thanks for reading and for the analysis and suggestions, Shawn Tomkin ! Despite the outcome, I enjoyed the heck out of the game and I'm already invested in the next story (see my other thread on "verbal jousting"... haha).

    I tried to position Ulthor for a narrative advantage to at least cause the wyvern to flee or provide enough distraction to escape, but yeah... those tough rolls I felt funnelled him towards disaster. I see now where I went wrong with the Strike after a weak hit on Secure an Advantage. Not that it did him much good!

    I've always tended towards heavy narrative, so I find this game fits me well. I also find heavy narrative to be problematic as it's too time consuming! Haha... So, I try to tone it down and be summaritive (is that a word?!) but I think I still struggle to find a balance there. That's no fault of Ironsworn, of course. ;-)

    Thanks again for reading.

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  3. Shawn TomkinAugust 29, 2018 at 8:56 AM

    Doing it in narrative form can certainly take some time. If you enjoy writing it can be its own reward, but -- speaking for myself -- it can also stifle some inertia. That's why my game records are half-assed scribbles ;)

    I really like the format you used, though.

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  4. Spencer SalyerAugust 29, 2018 at 9:10 AM

    It actually was half-assed scribbles in a notebook, so it wasn't too time-consuming this time. I think I'm finding a rhythm that works.

    Writing them up on the blog is a tad laborious, though, but I really wanted feedback on these. :-)

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