After action questions

[Angaros]

So we finished another session in our campaign today. The game went fine, but I went home with some questions I'd like to share with you (and hopefully get some answers to :)).


Do you get to script movement in volleys where you have no actions? When you're injured (have lost dice) and want to get away from your opponent can you still script "withdraw" in all volleys? It seems reasonable that you get to do so.
If you fail your Steel test and is forced to Hesitate for a number of actions and choose "Run away screaming", what happens if you fail your Speed test. Let's say your opponent scripted "close", you scripted "withdraw" due to your "Run away screaming", will your opponent still close the distance if he gets more successes than you?
How is sprinting handled with the new positioning system? Is movement only considered in relation to an opponent? If you've scripted "close" and he runs like hell, you're considered to run like hell as well. How are Ob modifications handled in such a case?
How large dice-pools are considered "normal" for a 5 LP pure-bred fighter character? How many FoRK dice on average? 1-2? 4-5? Personally I feel that more than one or two seems unlikely and overly generous, but I get the impression that the NYC people allow for far more than that, or have I just misinterpreted things?
Has anyone implemented a "full retreat/run your bloody legs off" option? Something like the Dodge: Full retreat action in TRoS where you use your normal Dodge pool but get a very low TN (4 IIRC) since you're basically trying to get out of the action. It seems a bit difficult to "run away, run away, run away". Fighting is a lot about controlling your opponent's movment options, but if you're in a fairly open field, it's not that difficult to just turn around and run. Unless movement scripting is relative, but then the attacker ought to get some sort of modification since it's not especially easy to sprint and wield a sword simultaneously.

[luke]

Hi Jocke,

Do you have a copy of the new positioning rules?

1: You may only move in volleys where you have no actions if you choose RUN and SCREAM for your hesitation option.

2: If you choose Run and Scream and your opponent scripts Close -- he's still coming after you -- you're pretty much fucked. Run and Scream is simply a Withdraw positioning action. You've got to beat him to get away. Of course, your opponent can always let you run and turn to other more pressing matters.

3: Sprinting is abstracted into the current positioning mechanics. Characters are assumed to move as fast as they need to and are able in order to get where they are going.

4: 5-8 dice is common. 10 dice isn't terribly rare, but neither is it encouraged. If you have someone dedicating too much of their character to combat, ask them to back off a bit. Doubly and especially if your game isn't going to be about killing trolls and fully armored knights. If you're going to have lots of plated leather, swords and NPCs with B4 and B5 sword skills, there's no reason for your players to munch out a B6 Sword, B6 Axe, B6 Spear, B6 Knives, B6 Brawling character. Tell them one B6 is enough and to distribute the other points elsewhere.

5: RnC has a +2D Speed-based Withdraw bonus. Melee positioning doesn't have such a rule. I'm unsympathetic to failed Steel tests.

-L

[Angaros]

Thanks for the answers! It helps a lot as always. :)


Do you have a copy of the new positioning rules?I have what I've read in the "No more counting paces" thread. But I know nothing concrete about modifiers due to weapon length, terrain and Range and Cover that you've (the NYC people) mentioned but not spelled out in other threads.


4: 5-8 dice is common. 10 dice isn't terribly rare, but neither is it encouraged. If you have someone dedicating too much of their character to combat, ask them to back off a bit. Doubly and especially if your game isn't going to be about killing trolls and fully armored knights. If you're going to have lots of plated leather, swords and NPCs with B4 and B5 sword skills, there's no reason for your players to munch out a B6 Sword, B6 Axe, B6 Spear, B6 Knives, B6 Brawling character. Tell them one B6 is enough and to distribute the other points elsewhere.
So far, the PCs have met everything from cannon-fodder (goblins) to hardened but poory equipped warriors (B4/5s with 3D armor). I limited their skills to 5s since it's a low fantasy setting and when looking at sample NPCs I saw virtually none with 6s. Wouldn't feel right if they at the beginning of the campaign matched or outskilled veteran knights from religious fighting orders. Right now I don't allow Spear and Sword as FoRKs to each other. I only let them FoRK Brawling to their ordinary weapon skills if caught on the inside (thinking some headbutts and elbows help out f.ex.). Am I evil or just? What sort of skills do you allow as FoRKs to weapon skills?


5: RnC has a +2D Speed-based Withdraw bonus. Melee positioning doesn't have such a rule. I'm unsympathetic to failed Steel tests.
I see. Can you explain RnC here or will I have to take a tranquilizer and wait for the revision? ;)

Hmm. When I started writing this reply I had more questions, but I've forgotten them over the course of 3 minutes. Sigh. I'll get back to them later.

[Kaare Berg]

Hi Jocke,

I'd just like to pipe in a bit on exponents and number of dice.

Do you have the MonBu, if so read the exponents and shades chapter. I would dare to say that these chapters redefined the way I see BW. If you do not have it yet, what are you waiting for? (http://www.key20direct.com/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=11)

A skill with an exponent of 6 is a Master.
If he goes agressive he is rolling 9 dice.
This means that if a player can't explain in his backstory why he is a swords-master you are perfectly right in denying him a B6 swordskill. But thanks to the lifepaths a character isn't fresh of the farm (unless that is his lifepaths) he has lived a life before your game begins.

I generally do not allow any Forks to weapon-skills. At least not with other weapon skills. Off course if anyone of my players had, say B6 (Master level) Troll-wise I might let them fork with this if they are fighting trolls.

Alternativly you can say anyone with rudementary knowledge of trolls (replace with enemy of choice), say B3, gets to fork against wood trolls, you need to be competent, B4, before you get to fork against Grey troll, and only an expert , B5 (you guessed it), would know how to best fight stone trolls. And only a man dedicated to the Torognaergon, a master of Troll-wise, would know enough to fight the other kinds of trolls.

In addition to Forking in combat, stances drastically affect dice pools. even a competent, B4, level swordman has a B6 when in a stance (for that type of actions mind you.)
Pop som Fate Artha and he'll be rerolling sixes. Add a persona and there is that extra dice you might just need.

[eruditus]

:lol: i feel like such a geezer... all this fancy positioning stuff! :)

Anyway, the speed the combatant moves is based on the motion of the winning Speed test and how far behind the losing character is.

Now its all in the interpretation (which i love).

I suppose you could get someone who says "I close carefully" and the second player says "I run like a bat out of hell!" Then I suspect there might be a situational modifier - increased ob to the careful guy or bonus dice to the running guy - the former is probably best.

The question would be where the two are in relation to object around them. If there is established cover (like the tower of Isengard, for instance) some 20 meters away would the GM say "okay you need 10 withdrawls to reach the tower." Hmmm, i will have to post my own questions as I look into positioning further.

[luke]

I suppose you could get someone who says "I close carefully" and the second player says "I run like a bat out of hell!" Then I suspect there might be a situational modifier - increased ob to the careful guy or bonus dice to the running guy - the former is probably best.

Yes. This is exactly the mechanic of the new Advantage Die rule.

As for 10 Withdraws to move 20 paces... I dunno. I think two or three should do it. I dunno about you, but it only takes me a few seconds to clear 60 feet.

-L

[eruditus]

My rule of thumb for FoRK's and helping dice has everything to do with description.

What you will never hear in my game:
"I roll 4 dice for my sword, +2D cause my buddy with the B6 is helping me, +1D for my cooking skill, +1D for Anatomy, +1D for soothing platitudes..."

however if my player says this:
"I roll 4 dice for my sword. He says he's going to try to try to knock the baddies hammer to the side as i swing, I have my cooking knife in my off hand and i plan on harrying his side with it while i press with the sword. I am doing a called shot to the dorsal aorta, and I know where it is due to my time as a field medic and in the past week I had been setting him up for this, making him think he could trust me and all was going to work out. Do I get any sorta bonus for him being a little rattled by my betrayal?"

I say "roll 9 dice"