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A complication is more involved than a [[Check]], but not as elaborate as an [[Encounter]]. A complication uses [[check]]s, and your success margin accumulates between each round until you either achieve a total or yield. At the same time failure margin will deal a consequence. Like an encounter, a complication is split into [[round]]s. During each round each participant may attempt one check, and the order in which participants attempt checks is determined by '''reflex'''.
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A complication uses a series of [[check]]s, and your success level accumulates until you either achieve a total, called the threshold, or yield. Each failure deals a consequence. A complication is split into rounds. Each round a participant may attempt one check, in order of reflex.
  
==Reflex==
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===Reflex===
{{Main|Reflex}}
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Each participant is dealt a hand of 5 cards. For the next 5 rounds, called an exchange, you pick a card to play. The highest card acts first each round, and wins ties in contests. When your card is the highest you must act. If you want to wait, play a low card from your hand instead. Cards are revealed simultaneously, but you may reveal your card early. This can help other players time their actions around yours, but also allows opponents to see your reflex before choosing their own.
During a [[Complication]] or an [[Encounter]] each individual acts in order of [[reflex]]. All participants make a check against their [[reason]] score. The highest success margin goes first, and the largest failure margin goes last. On ties the character with the higher score goes first, or roll a new contest if the scores are the same. Once established, this reflex order remains the same for the rest of the complication or encounter. You can't change your reflex, but you may [[hesitate]] to act later in the round. Reflex is also used to settle ties during a [[contest]].
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==Consequence==
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The referee draws a hand for each group of opponents. Personalities and their followers have a single hand, and choose cards like a player. Other opponents simply get five cards dealt face down and reveal them in order. At the end of the exchange all cards are shuffled, conditions change, and each participant is dealt a new hand of 5 cards if a new exchange begins. Changing conditions is important, and may change the consequences, alter the modifiers, or even end the complication.
A complication always has a default effect for a failure margin, usually losing hits if lasting damage is involved or grit if failure will merely make you yield. If you fail a check, you suffer the effect equal to your failure margin. If you are knocked [[out]] during a complication you yield and may not participate further. If participation is forced (see below) but you are out you suffer a failure margin of 10 each round and the consequence changes to hits. Common consequences include (but are not limited to):
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*Losing grit
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*Losing hits
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*Losing sway
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*Losing victory
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*Losing allies
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*Adding opponents
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==Participation==
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*If you don’t have a number deck, you may use a deck of standard playing cards in the same manner. Only use 1 Joker so there are no ties possible.
When your reflex is reached you must decide if you are participating or yielding. If you are participating you roll a check. How you attempt to resolve the complication determines which check you use. If you switch approaches and end up checking against different skills your success margin continues to accumulate toward a single total. Different approaches may have unique [[modifier]]s. By default, you do not have to participate in a complication, and you may yield at any point. Once you yield any accumulated success margin is lost. Certain dangerous complications (such as a [[storm]]) may force your participation. If you are unable to check at all then you suffer a 10 failure margin (but not [[interference]]).
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==Threshold==
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===Participation===
A complication has a threshold number, which is the total success margin needed to win the complication. The first individual to reach this threshold wins any reward and usually ends the complication. Special complications may require each participant to either win or yield. It is also possible for a complication to have a duration in place of a threshold. Duration is the number of checks you must attempt (whether you succeed or fail), and after that number of checks you count as though you reached threshold regardless of your total margin.
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If you are participating, you roll a check based on your approach. If you change approaches your success level keeps  accumulating toward a single total. Different approaches may have unique modifiers. You may yield at the end of a round, after any consequences (see below). If you are knocked out you immediately yield. Once you yield any accumulated success levels are lost and you can’t rejoin the complication. Some dangerous complications (such as a storm) force participation for a full exchange. If you yield or are knocked out you automatically fail any checks for the rest of the exchange, and continue suffering consequences.  
  
==Cooperation==
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===Threshold===
You may cooperate with another individual during a complication, but you suffer a penalty (-2) for doing so. If you fail you suffer consequences normally. If you succeed you may contribute any amount of your success margin to the individual you cooperated with. You may also take the same penalty to 'cooperate' with an opponent, in which case you subtract your contributed success margin from that opponent's total instead of adding it.
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Each complication requires a number of success levels to complete, called the threshold. The default threshold for complications is 5. The first character to reach the threshold resolves the problem and wins any reward. Special complications may require each participant to beat the threshold. You can cooperate with someone to add to their success level instead of your own. Failure still subtracts a success level and consequences and interference are shared with each check.
  
==Stage==
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===Consequences===
Although a complication has a single threshold, it may be composed of multiple stages in reaching that threshold. Each stage always requires 10 success margin, and has at least one unique property such as a penalty, a different skill option, or a different consequence. Once you gain 10 success margin you transition to the next stage, but any excess success margin is lost. A series of stages is called a track, and some tracks may offer you choices between parallel stages with different properties.
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A complication has a consequence dealt for each failed check, at the end of each round, or both. The consequence doesn’t have to be the same for each. If you participate in the complication you suffer consequences for the round. Common consequences include (but are not limited to):
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*Suffer 1 grit.
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*Suffer 1 hit.
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*Suffer 1 wits.
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*Threshold increases by 1.
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*Lose an ally.
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*Add an opponent.
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
 
*[[Check]]
 
*[[Check]]
 
*[[Encounter]]
 
*[[Encounter]]
*[[Reflex]]
 
 
*[[Chase]]
 
*[[Chase]]
*[[Storm]]
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*[[Hazard]]
  
{{v250}}
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{{v252}}
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[[Category:Game Play]]

Latest revision as of 06:44, 24 April 2016

Checks, Complications, and Encounters
When is it best to use a check instead of a complication or an encounter? It depends on the level of emphasis you want to place on the events that are unfolding. Checks matter, but the tension of a check is resolved almost immediately. Complications are fast paced but draw that tension out a little more. Encounters offer detail and options, but also must be engaging to justify the extra time they take to resolve.

A check is best when the action attempted is simple, and the results are straightforward. If there isn't a consequence for failure, don't even bother with a check, just allow the success. Otherwise call out the effects of a success and failure, any modifiers that apply, and let the player choose whether or not to roll the check. Always try to allow an informed decision. If there could be unexpected consequences you don't have to detail what they are, but you should alert the player that a failure could have hidden risks.

A complication is best when the effort and attention warrants more than a simple check, but should still unfold and resolve relatively quickly to keep the game from slowing down. Complications don't offer many decision points beyond whether to participate or yield unless they have stages. Like with the check, make it clear what skills appropriate, if there are modifiers, and what the consequences are when you have failure margin.

An Encounter is an emphasized set piece for the adventure. It allows many tactical options, and your character's abilities have the greatest effect on encounters. Encounters also take the most real time, and if the outcome is no longer in doubt you may switch down to a complication or even a check to quickly finish an encounter is starting to drag on.

Use the resolution mechanism that has the right level of emphasis and drama for the situation. And remember that each type can transition into the others as situations escalate or defuse. A bar room brawl could be played as an encounter to give the band a chance to show off a bit or practice a battle encounter. A second random bar room brawl in the same game session though probably doesn't warrant an encounter, and could be resolved as a complication or even a single fight check. Likewise a chase that started off as a complication might quickly turn into a battle encounter if one side decides to stop running and fight.

A complication uses a series of checks, and your success level accumulates until you either achieve a total, called the threshold, or yield. Each failure deals a consequence. A complication is split into rounds. Each round a participant may attempt one check, in order of reflex.

Reflex

Each participant is dealt a hand of 5 cards. For the next 5 rounds, called an exchange, you pick a card to play. The highest card acts first each round, and wins ties in contests. When your card is the highest you must act. If you want to wait, play a low card from your hand instead. Cards are revealed simultaneously, but you may reveal your card early. This can help other players time their actions around yours, but also allows opponents to see your reflex before choosing their own.

The referee draws a hand for each group of opponents. Personalities and their followers have a single hand, and choose cards like a player. Other opponents simply get five cards dealt face down and reveal them in order. At the end of the exchange all cards are shuffled, conditions change, and each participant is dealt a new hand of 5 cards if a new exchange begins. Changing conditions is important, and may change the consequences, alter the modifiers, or even end the complication.

  • If you don’t have a number deck, you may use a deck of standard playing cards in the same manner. Only use 1 Joker so there are no ties possible.

Participation

If you are participating, you roll a check based on your approach. If you change approaches your success level keeps accumulating toward a single total. Different approaches may have unique modifiers. You may yield at the end of a round, after any consequences (see below). If you are knocked out you immediately yield. Once you yield any accumulated success levels are lost and you can’t rejoin the complication. Some dangerous complications (such as a storm) force participation for a full exchange. If you yield or are knocked out you automatically fail any checks for the rest of the exchange, and continue suffering consequences.

Threshold

Each complication requires a number of success levels to complete, called the threshold. The default threshold for complications is 5. The first character to reach the threshold resolves the problem and wins any reward. Special complications may require each participant to beat the threshold. You can cooperate with someone to add to their success level instead of your own. Failure still subtracts a success level and consequences and interference are shared with each check.

Consequences

A complication has a consequence dealt for each failed check, at the end of each round, or both. The consequence doesn’t have to be the same for each. If you participate in the complication you suffer consequences for the round. Common consequences include (but are not limited to):

  • Suffer 1 grit.
  • Suffer 1 hit.
  • Suffer 1 wits.
  • Threshold increases by 1.
  • Lose an ally.
  • Add an opponent.

See Also


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