Ironsworn G+ Archive

A post in which I discuss the statistics of Progress, Progress Moves and Challenge Ranks in the context of that wonderful optional rule, Scene Challenges. I used a Python script to run a crude Monte Carlo analysis to simulate 10,000,000 scene challenges, 40% of which were randomised by trait, and the others using a fixed trait. Because, geek. TL;DR - The borderline between Dangerous and Formidable is pretty much the point at which you're more likely to failure than succeed. Proceed with caution. https://phophosolo.home.blog/2019/01/21/the-statistics-of-progress-in-ironsworn-scene-challenges/

A shortish post about basic probabilities in Ironsworn. TL;DR - you always have at least a 50% chance of some kind of success. If you want to meta-game, and can't use your best stats, make moves to build momentum. At the end I talk briefly about the "fail forward" principle. If your fiction suggests sub-optimal moves, take it! Failure is definitely the most interesting way to drive the fiction forward (and especially, especially in solo campaigns). https://phophosolo.home.blog/2019/01/10/basic-probability-in-ironsworn/

Solo campaign - A Thrall of Lostwater Kilda's quests to break the yoke of thralldom, and defeat the sea raiders who keep the island of Lostwater in check, continues. This latest scene, following on from earlier ones, is framed as a scene challenge . I feel a future comment post about this. Kilda and an ally, the aged herbalist Rhian, try to keep the sojourning sea raiders sick with plants and fungi from around the island. And Kilda finds that her master's son, Vigo, is infatuated with her. But attempting to use this information for leverage has unforeseen consequences... http://phophosolo.home.blog/2019/01/07/a-thrall-of-lostwater-x/

I was going to post my thoughts about combat in Ironsworn, but they got a little long, so I put them on my blog instead (apologies for the shameless self-promotion). I hope they're of interest to others. The TL;DR is this: I love Initiative, and I like Harm/Progress. I'm scared of lethal weapons. I find it a little hard to break out of a linear combat cycle for my character, but it might be that my style needs work. Balancing initiative, resources and the desperate desire to make Progress is something I should improve. I should probably point out, if it's not previously been made obvious, that I am very much from the narrativist camp of RPG design. This probably colours my opinion of structured narrative scenes like combat. https://phophosolo.home.blog/2019/01/02/combat-in-ironsworn/

Kilda's vows to rid Lostwater of Talan and the raiders continue in the latest three parts of A Thrall of Lostwater. The narrative is a little slower than perhaps it ought to be - this is closer to long form fiction with the occasional interceding mechanic than to an actual play. Nonetheless I'm having a blast (and we may get some actual action soon). Enormous kudos for the Journeying moves. I had a lot of fun with these (shouldn't have planned things out in advance, but I'm glad I did in the end). http://phophosolo.home.blog/2018/12/24/a-thrall-of-lostwater-v/

Came to this game following a recommendation on my favourite play-by-post hub, and I am totally hooked. A brilliantly balanced system that appeals to my desire for narrative rich play that's meaningful in solo mode. With that in mind, I've started a solo campaign in blog format at phophosolo.home.blog, which I'd be honoured to let you check out. http://phophosolo.home.blog/