The are two broad types of roll: Decision Rolls and Conflict Rolls.
A Decision Roll, sometimes called a test or just Skill Roll, is one-and-done: we just need to know if you succeed or fail (and the degree of success might sometimes be important), but once that roll is made, something is decided and we move on from there.
A Conflict on the other hand, represents a struggle between at least two opposing forces. The classic example of a conflict roll is a fight. It can last several rounds, you might make several rolls, and other people might be involved on the same side. You might fail multiple times before the end, and may even get beat up during it.
We’ll look at Conflict rolls in more detail in the post Threat and the GM. For now, let’s look at Decisions.
What Is A Decision Roll?
When the player wants an answer to a question, and the GM thinks it would be a good idea to leave it to the dice. “Can I intimidate him into helping us?” “Can I sneak into this compound?” “Does this vendor have the item I want?” “Can I find what killed the murder victim?” “Can I find the clue I want in this Library?”
The GM can ask for a roll to find out if the player knows the right answer, or can roll to decide the right answer. In other words, rolls can be made to reveal information the GM already knows, or can be made to discover information the GM hasn’t yet decided but wants to let the dice (and the player’s skills) decide.
How To Make a Decision Roll
This is the basic procedure of a roll. You have a numeric rank equal to 1 + 1 per rank (Terrible = 2, Poor =3, Fair = 4, Good = 5, Great = 6, Superb = 7, Spectacular = 8, and the we get into the impossible or mythical ranks.)
Roll the challenge dice, 2d10, and compare you rank against each die. If you equal or beat both dice, it is a Decisive Success, perhaps a critical in some game’s terminology. If you draw or beast only one die, it is a Contested Hit aka Ordinary Success. If you fail to draw or beat any die (both dice are higher than your rank), it is Decisive Miss.
On a Contested Hit, it is a success, but not a perfect one. You get what you want but the GM should include a complication, the equivalent of a Soft Move. Sometimes you’ll be able to reject the success (and the complication), and sometimes you won’t. But there are no rerolls- accept it or not!
On a Decisive Hit, you get what you want, and there are no drawbacks. This is a perfect success.
One a Decisive Miss, the GM gets to make a Soft Move of their choice, and it doesn’t have to relate to your action. It is something that interrupts your intended action, and may make it impossible.
I try to climb the wall up to the battlements, and sneak in while the guards are sleeping.
It’s a Decisive Miss, so the GM says, the ground shakes with an earthquake, and that entire wall collapses. Do you get away or into the castle without being hurt? (new rolls.)
So, now, anyone can enter or leave the castle freely once the rocks have settled, and the castle staff are all awake and looking around. This illustrates that a miss doesn’t always have to be entirely negative, but it changes the situation dramatically.
Types of Decision Roll
Choosing which skill is rolled when making a Decision Roll can be as much an art as a science. There are six very broad skills, and together they should cover everything. Otherwise, just assign a rating (probably Fair).
- Audacity: Use for situations where strong will, stubbornness, or pure toughness are the deciding factor. This might appear to be the least important skill, ut when it’s important (like facing a mental attack), it’s really important.
- Daring: Use for overcoming or voiding an obstacle, or navigating a tightrope (walking a tightrope, for example).
- Ferocity: Use whenever you are threatening or doing harm or violence. Intimidating some, firing a cannon, etc.
- Flair: Use in any social situation, especially in matters of showiness, celebrity, or prestige. Characters with Flair are more respected.
- Shenanigans: Use when the goal is to avoid being seen or noticed, like doing something sneaky or cunning.
- Tinkering: Use when the goal is to figure something out, or draw on educated knowledge. This is your academic skill and perception rolled into one, as well as general problem-solving.
We’ll see how conflicts work in the Post, Threat and the GM.
