Okay, Tavernites! Who’d like to give me a QuickPinion on this? Our heroes may find themselves hurriedly scrambling upwards through the branches whilst fending off forest guardians.
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Ascending the Forest Defiant
When you make a move in the Forest Defiant , on a 12+, you may climb an additional row beyond the 10+ result. On a 7-9, choose one:
* Fall one row
* Disturb the guardians
When you deal damage in the Forest Defiant, you may forfeit the damage to choose one:
* Gain the Forceful tag for this attack
* Remove the Forceful tag from an attack against you
* Climb one row higher
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I am trying to keep it simple, and keep the forest dynamic in terms of constant movement of all combatants, both upwards and downwards. Action Scene! Impending Doom! Music! BAM!
might be a bit fiddly but should work.
I’m assuming a 10+ just climbs another row?
Damian Jankowski Only if climbing is the primary move you are trying to make with that roll. To phrase it differently:
Example [a]: If the move is to climb, 10+ is climb a row, 12 to climb another. 7-9 could be climb a row AND disturb a guardian, if your GM likes quandries.
Example [b]: If the move is to defend/spout lore/etc, 7+ is success of some kind, 12+ lets you climb a row as well.
Example [c]: If the move is to hack/slash/volley, 7+ is either deal damage, knock your opponent down, hold your position, or climb. 12+ is climb one more than you have already.
I just wanted to whittle it down to the fewest words.
Tim Franzke How would you do it? I love seeing everyone else’s approach.
For climbing, try something like the “pick X” moves from Class Warfare. Like maybe…
When you make a move while climbing the branches of the Forest Defiant, before you roll, choose up to your DEX from the list below (minimum 1) that you intend to avoid.
– Falling down a tier
– Attracting (more) attention from the guardians
– Dropping or losing anything
If you hit your move with a 10+, you avoid the options you chose. On a 7-9, you avoid one fewer than the one you chose. On a 12+, you have the opportunity to scamper (back) up to the next tier.
(Doesn’t feel quite right, but I’m not sure I’m picturing the same situation you are.)
I don’t think I’d change anything with damage, mechanically. Just take their tags and fictional circumstances into account in your narration. “I stab the guardian with my sword as he comes close, H&S 10+ and 4 damage!” OK, it gasps in pain and slashes at you but misses. But another one leaps towards you from behind. What you do? “I brace myself with my free hand and kick back at it. H&S? I get another 10.” Don’t roll damage. You knock off the branches and it goes falling like a Plinko game. “Awesome!”
Jeremy Strandberg Yeah! I might play with that a bit.
The reasoning behind trading damage for forceful/balance/ascent is that I want the PCs to struggle to decide (in the heat of the moment) whether gaining altitude, distance or combat victory is the best choice for them at each step. I want them to wrestle with the choice as much as the enemy, and strategise…
I’m not sure if I’m hoping for too much.