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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: JGray on July 26, 2014, 01:45:51 AM
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As I mentioned in another thread, I ran a sample combat for my group to help them get used to the system. I'm posting a summary of it here, hoping that I can get a critique from more experienced GMs.
Participants
- Pippa Cavallo, descendant of the goddess Epona. Armed with a gladius.
- Sophia Rodriguez, agent of the Furies. Armed with a magic revolver.
- Lucia Marie Santos, reporter with a necklace that turns her into a cat
- Two ghouls
The Scenario: Two ghouls have been hired by Winter to steal Walt Disney's first ink brush. The team has been tasked by Summer to retrieve it. They've tracked the ghouls down to a graveyard. The ink brush rests on a stone coffin. One ghoul stands near the ink brush and the other is near the entrance. The graveyard is divided into two zones - zone #1 is the entrance to the graveyard. The characters and ghoul #1 are there. Zone #2 is the far side of the graveyard, where ghoul #2 and the ink brush are.
Initiative Order: Ghoul #1, Ghoul #2, Pippa Cavallo, Sophia Rodriguez, Lucia Marie Santos
First Exchange
- I start with Compelling Sophia's "Agent of the Furies" Aspect. She's Marked by Power and the ghouls can sense this as a threat. The Compel means that Sophia will be attacking first. She chooses not to spend a fate point to avoid this and is awarded a fate point.
- The ghoul slashes at Sophia with his claws. He rolls O + O + and has no Fists so his total is 2. Sophia rolls Athletics (+1) to dodge and gets + O O +. With her Athletics she has a 3. She dodges. Barely.
- Ghoul #2, standing near the ink brush, sets up a Block. He'll intercept away anyone who comes near, preventing them from reaching the brush. He rolls Athletics (+4) to set up the Block and gets + O + -. A total of 5.
- Pippa decides to run over and grab Disney's brush. Since she is changing zones the movement would be a supplemental action and would impose a -1 difficulty on her Athletics check. However, she has Inhuman Speed which negates this penalty. Unfortunately, her Athletics is Mediocre. She rolls O + O -. Her grand total is 0. This does not beat Ghoul #2's block and she's stopped from reaching the pen and now facing a slobbering ghoul.
- Sophia has her gun, a present from the Furies, out. When she is acting in accordance with her mission she has True Aim. She levels the revolver on Ghoul #1 and pulls the trigger. She rolls O - + +. Add to that her Guns of (+3) and the True Aim Bonus of +1 and the total is 5. The Ghoul rolls Athletics (+4) with an Inhuman Speed bonus (+1). - O O - for a total of 3. The bullet hits. The Ghoul takes 2 stress from the attack result plus 2 stress for the revolver's Weapon rating. The Ghoul decides to take a Moderate Consequence (Big Hole in Chest) instead of the stress. Sophia passes the tag for the Consequence on to Lucia.
- Lucia decides combat is not her forte. She shifts from human form to house cat form. That's a Supplemental Action so her main action this round will be at -1. Her intent is to stealthfully run across the graveyard and grab Disney's brush. She has Inhuman Speed in cat form so that will allow her to change zones and still take the action. She also has Diminutive Size, which gives her a +4 to Stealth checks and Cloak of Shadows, which gives her a +2 when in darkness (like a graveyard at night). Finally, her Inhuman Speed negates the +2 penalty I assigned for going Stealth while running. Lucia rolls + + O O. Her Stealth is +2. The final total is 9 (2 + 4 + 2 + 2 - 1). That more than beats Ghoul #2's Block of 5. She has no problem getting to Disney's brush and picking it up. Because she didn't use it, her Tag on Ghoul #1's Moderate Consequence is lost.
Second Exchange
- Ghoul #1 has no idea that Lucia has grabbed the brush so he tries to take revenge on Sophia for shooting him. He attempts to use his claws to make her insides come outside. The Ghoul makes a Fists (+0) roll. + O + + for a 3. Sophia rolls Athletics (+1) to dodge. She rolls O + + - for a total of +2. Deciding she likes her organs inside her body, she spends a Fate Point to tag the graveyard's "Swampy Ground" Aspect. Ghoul #1, she decides, has unsure footing and this throws his attack off. She comes out unharmed. Barely.
- Ghoul #2 is also unaware of Lucia's snagging the brush because of her very high Stealth check. He decides Pippa needs a haircut and swipes for her head. He rolls Fists (+0): + O - - for a total of -1. Pippa rolls Athletics (+0) and adds in her Inhuman Speed bonus of +1. Her roll is O + - +. Grand total of 2. The ghouls claws slice the air but not her.
- Pippa thinks one good turn deserves another. She uses her gladius, which is in hand, in an attempt to behead Ghoul #2. She rolls Weapons (+3) for - + O O. Total is 3. The Ghoul scrambles back to avoid the weapon, rolling Athletics (+4) with an Inhuman Speed bonus of +1. The roll is + + + -. A total of 7. Ghoul #2 doesn't just scramble back but backflips out of the way.
- Sophia takes a step back, points her magic revolver, and fires. These ghouls killed a security guard while they were getting Disney's brush and the Furies are whispering in her ear, demanding dark vengeance. She rolls Guns (+3) with her True Aim bonus (+1). Her roll is O + O - for a total of +4. The Ghoul rolls Athletics (+4) plus his Inhuman Speed bonus of +1. His roll: O + + -. His grand total is 6. Ghoul #1 ducks down as the bullet wizzes over his head.
- Lucia has the brush in her little kitty jaws and she decides to run for the car.
At this point it was late. We decided to break and called it there. The team had the brush. They got in the car and they drove away. Had this been part of an actual adventure I would have done a chase sequence.
So... how bad did I mess it up?
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Looks good. Here's what I noticed:
The Ghoul takes 2 stress from the attack result plus 2 stress for the revolver's Weapon rating. The Ghoul decides to take a Moderate Consequence (Big Hole in Chest) instead of the stress. Sophia passes the tag for the Consequence on to Lucia.
The ghoul can separate his stress. So, if he took 4 stress, he can take a mild consequence (which soaks up 2 stress) and then fill his second stress box. Stress boxes clear at the end of a conflict, so it's usually better to use those up before you use your consequences. 0X00
She has no problem getting to Disney's brush and picking it up. Because she didn't use it, her Tag on Ghoul #1's Moderate Consequence is lost.
There's nothing wrong with this. I generally let the players decide when and who tags are available to.
I just let players announce, "If anyone wants to use that tag, go for it!" Or I let them be as specific as they want to be.
Tags on consequences usually last the whole scene, so if they player gives permission, anyone can use it. Of course, once someone tags it for free, the tag is gone and you need to pay FP's to invoke the consequence again.
•Ghoul #2, standing near the ink brush, sets up a Block. He'll intercept away anyone who comes near, preventing them from reaching the brush.
and
Her Stealth is +2. The final total is 9 (2 + 4 + 2 + 2 - 1). That more than beats Ghoul #2's Block of 5.
-regarding stealth: It's a 'block' vs perception
You could adjudicate that, since the ghoul did not notice Lucia, she was not subject to the ghoul's block.
I'd have made the ghoul make a perception check versus her stealth. If he succeeded, she'd need to try to overcome the block, if he failed, she could just ignore it.
The way you did it works fine too and might be a bit more efficient. But, when doing a block, make sure you mention what you are blocking against: movements/attacks/perception.
Just because the ghoul is blocking people from getting at the pen, it doesn't mean he's blocking people from slugging him in the face.
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Looks good! Looks like a fun little mini scene!
Only thing I'd point out is
Because she didn't use it, her Tag on Ghoul #1's Moderate Consequence is lost.
While YS says that most tags have to be used almost immediately, I'd say that something like a Big Hole In Chest wouldn't be transitory enough for it to make a difference if that tag didn't get used right away. I'd have let that tag hang around for a while.
Otherwise, looks like happy good funtime! :D
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Looks good! Looks like a fun little mini scene!
Only thing I'd point out is
While YS says that most tags have to be used almost immediately, I'd say that something like a Big Hole In Chest wouldn't be transitory enough for it to make a difference if that tag didn't get used right away. I'd have let that tag hang around for a while.
Otherwise, looks like happy good funtime! :D
Yeah, normally I'd let it hang around for a while too. Although I think on a ghoul with supernatural recovery, it'd be gone next scene from healing.
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One thing I personally like to do when I'm throwing ghouls or other things with Supernatural Recovery at my players is to take Mild consequences but narrate and word it as damage normally taken as a Moderate. For instance instead of having the ghoul take "Bruised arm", early in the fight it'll take "Broken arm" and the PCs get to watch it reset before their eyes.