ASK THE FATES
When the GM decides to let the Fates answer a question in his instead, define the odds – Likely/Unlikely (+1/-1), Very Likely/ Very Unlikely (+2/2) – and roll+odds.
12+: Yes, and…
10+: Yes.
7-9: Yes, but..
3-6: No, but…
2-: No, and…
This will help the action flow smoothly (there’s no simple”no” answer) and spark the creative juices. For example:
The thief reaches the treasure room and asks if there are guards there. The GM decides to trust the fates but believes there’s no change to the odds. If he rolls. . .
12+: Yes, there are 2 knights and more: the Vizir is overseeing them.
10+: Yes, you see two knights.
7-9: Yes, but there’s only one guard there.
3-6: No, but you overhear footsteps coming your way.
2-: Not a single one, and it seems the big chest on the corner is opened.
That’s interesting
I’ll steal that.
I feel like this codifies something that I have done in my games. I can remember sometimes asking my players “make a roll, no modifier. we let the dice decide.” Though in our case the higher result is good for the players, not always yes. 10+ it goes like they want, 7-9 works out OK but I complicate things and 6- as usual I make a move. I always find myself making exceptional results on boxcars and snake eyes.
Reminds me of Fortune Rolls from Blades in the Dark.
Can you give an example of how this would come up in the fiction? Or is it more like a random hidden roll the GM does? Die of fate style.
Yochai Gal Of course! The answer must consider the fiction as a whole. So, in my example, we have established the setting as medieval-like with a dash of Arabian flavor (that’s why we have knights and a vizir here).
This shouldn’t be used in lieu of asking the players, but as a new “play to find what happens” in a large scale, since no one at the table knows beforehand what may happen.
You may even ask the players to add to the fates’ answer: in the example above, if I roll a 11, I could say: “Fighter, you are used to see similar garrisons. How many guards should be here?”
Is this a bit more clear?
Hey, I’m planning on running something soon that is middle-east inspired as well!
Do you have any novel/RPG supplement/zine suggestions for good inspiration? I’m middle-eastern myself, but I’d still love to see what other people find useful.
I’ve published an Egyptian-flavored RPG here in Brazil, so while not exactly middle-east, it has some minor overlapping. But as I suppose you don’t know Portuguese, I suggest Ad&D Al Qadim setting.
How about good old decision dice
1d6:
1 yes
2 yes and…
3 yes but…
4 no but…
5 no and…
6 no
Try not to overuse it. Most of the time you should be able to tell if something is possible or not.
Aleksander Wojtal It works, but not with “unified mechanic” feel. 😉
Marcelo Paschoalin well it uses six sided dice at least 😀
I played FU rpg way back and I’ve made custom d6 with essentially Aleksander Wojtalresults on the dice. Way easier than having to rely on essentially a table of results.
I also don’t like it doesn’t follow standard pbta results of 6-, 7-9, 10+
Plus GM rolling? Heresy! (lol. Kidding I don’t mind that 😛)
How about DM decides if it’s likely or unlikely then player rolls+nothing or +1/-1.
10+ yes and
7-9 yes but
6- no and
You’d needs to phrase it so that a 7+ is positive to the player.
Addramyr Palinor The GM doesn’t roll. Ever. I’m sorry if my wording was not clear enough.
But the pbta standard results are there, just adding something special with box cars and snake eyes. There are a few moves already that do something special on 12+, so I just borrowed the concept. 🙂