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dm_s_guide_chapter_3 [2019/01/07 07:47]
triptycho [Improvised Actions]
dm_s_guide_chapter_3 [2019/05/01 12:58] (current)
triptycho [Improvised Reactions]
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 ===== Types of Enemies ===== ===== Types of Enemies =====
  
-Each type of scenario has a different name for the types of enemies the PCs will face.  In combat, enemies are known as [[adversary|Adversaries]]. ​ In exploration scenarios, enemies are called [[challenge|Challenges]]. ​ Finally, in interaction scenarios, enemies are known as [[opponent|Opponents]].+Each type of scenario has a different name for the types of enemies the PCs will face. In combat, enemies are known as [[adversary|Adversaries]]. In exploration scenarios, enemies are called [[challenge|Challenges]]. ​ Finally, in interaction scenarios, enemies are known as [[opponent|Opponents]].
  
-Each of these classifications are further divided into //roles//, which describe how the [[entity|entity]] functions and behaves, and //ranks//, which describe how difficult a given entity will be.  Since ranks are largely the same across all scenarioswe'll begin with those.+Each of these classifications are further divided into //types//, which describe how the [[entity|entity]] functions and behaves, and //ranks//, which describe how difficult a given entity will be. Ranks only apply to Adversaries and Opponentsas Challenge types have implied difficulty included in each.
  
 ==== Ranks ==== ==== Ranks ====
  
-Enemy cards have one of four ranks: [[mook|mook]],​ [[regular|regular]],​ [[mini-boss|mini-boss]],​ and [[boss|boss]]. ​ You use these ranks to determine how many enemies you should put into a scenario, as well as handling special rules like extra [[Action|Actions]] or hands of cards. ​ Let's go through each of them to explain.+Adversaries and Opponents ​have one of four ranks: [[mook|mook]],​ [[regular|regular]],​ [[mini-boss|mini-boss]],​ and [[boss|boss]]. You use these ranks to determine how many enemies you should put into a scenario, as well as handling special rules like extra [[Action|Actions]] or hands of cards. Let's go through each of them to explain.
  
 === Mooks === === Mooks ===
  
-Mooks represent minions, sidekicks, and minor challenges They are typically defeated quickly and have a small set of options to use within scenarios. ​ You can use these to have greater numbers of enemies for the players to face without the scenario becoming too difficult to win.+Mooks represent minions, sidekicks, and the like. They are typically defeated quickly and have a small set of options to use within scenarios. You can use these to have greater numbers of enemies for the players to face without the scenario becoming too difficult to win.
  
 Mooks do not draw cards; unless otherwise noted, they can only use options printed on their card. Mooks do not draw cards; unless otherwise noted, they can only use options printed on their card.
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 === Regulars === === Regulars ===
  
-Regulars represent a typical enemy to overcome. ​ Regulars are tougher than mooks and generally dish out more damage. ​ Sometimes they have an expanded set of options as well, but many regulars are as simple as mooks so the DM's job doesn'​t become unwieldy.+Regulars represent a typical enemy to overcome. Regulars are tougher than mooks and generally dish out more damage. Sometimes they have an expanded set of options as well, but many regulars are as simple as mooks so the DM's job doesn'​t become unwieldy.
  
 Regulars do not draw cards; unless otherwise noted, they can only use options printed on their card. Regulars do not draw cards; unless otherwise noted, they can only use options printed on their card.
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 === Mini-bosses === === Mini-bosses ===
  
-Mini-bosses represent notable difficulties to be overcome. ​ They could be ranking officers of the primary villain, particularly tough beasts, or sometimes could even be used as the primary villain itself. ​ Mini-bosses are substantially more complex to run than mooks or regulars, but their presence means a fewer number of enemies for the PCs to face.+Mini-bosses represent notable difficulties to be overcome. They could be ranking officers of the primary villain, particularly tough beasts, or sometimes could even be used as the primary villain itself. Mini-bosses are substantially more complex to run than mooks or regulars, but their presence means a fewer number of enemies for the PCs to face.
  
-Mini-bosses ​begin each battle with a hand of three cards. ​ They have a maximum hand size of five and must discard at the end of their turn if they have more cards in hand than this.  They draw one card at the start of each turn as normal.+Mini-bosses ​draw and play cards just like PCs.
  
-__Sometimes mini-bosses can take two Actions in a single Action Phase.__ ​ If your mini-boss has an Action entry on its card, you can play that Action as well as an Action card from your hand in a single Action phase. ​ ​You ​must be able to play an Action from your hand to do this; if your mini-boss has two Action entries on its card, you must choose between them rather than playing them both.  If you have no Action card in hand, you can only use a single Action entry on the mini-boss'​s ​card+__Sometimes mini-bosses can play two Actions in a single Action Phase.__ If mini-boss has an Action entry on its card, it can play that Action as well as an Action card from its hand in a single Action phase. ​It must be able to play an Action from its hand to do this; if the mini-boss has two Action entries on its card, it must choose between them rather than playing them both. If it has no Action card in hand, it can only play a single Action entry on its card.
- +
-Note that there are no mini-bosses in exploration scenarios.+
  
 === Bosses === === Bosses ===
  
-Bosses represent climactic challenges best used at the end of your adventure. ​ Bosses often make use of unique abilities to create unusual or thematic challenges for players to overcome. ​ Because of this, they require some additional preparation on the DM's part to understand the boss and put together a proper scenario.+Bosses represent climactic challenges best used at the end of your adventure. Bosses often make use of unique abilities to create unusual or thematic challenges for players to overcome. Because of this, they require some additional preparation on the DM's part to understand the boss and put together a proper scenario.
  
-A boss entity should roll its Initiative value three times, taking a full turn on each of these initiative results. ​ That means drawing cards three times in a round, having three Strategy Phases in a round, three Action Phases in a round, and so forth.  ​Because of this, bosses do not have the ability to play two Actions in a single Action Phase in the same manner as mini-bosses (unless otherwise noted).+A boss entity should roll its Initiative value three times, taking a full turn on each of these initiative results. Because of this, bosses do not have the ability to play two Actions in a single Action Phase in the same manner as mini-bosses (unless otherwise noted).
  
-Bosses ​begin a scenario by drawing five cards. ​ They have a maximum hand size of five and must discard at the end of each turn if they have more cards in hand than this.+Bosses ​draw and play cards just like PCs.
  
-Bosses can only [[Move|Move]] during one of their three turns each round. ​ ​Otherwisemost bosses would be able to simply run away from the PCspelting them endlessly from a safe distance!+Bosses can only [[Move|Move]] during one of their three turns each round. ​Generally speakingthey'​re substantially tougher and/or more skilledbut not three times faster than everything else.
  
-Note that there are no bosses in exploration scenarios.+==== Type ====
  
-==== Roles ====+In combat and interaction scenarios, the type is mostly there to tell the DM how the entity is intended to function, helping you to create an interesting scenario and to use proper tactics. In exploration scenarios, however, Challenge types have a much more substantial effect on rules. difficulty, and game flow.
  
-The role entry serves three purposes. ​ Firstit (along with level) defines the dice used by the entity's Actions and [[Reaction|Reactions]]. ​ Second, some abilities function differently depending on the entity'​s role; it is common in exploration scenarios, for instance, for players to have cards that only function against certain enemy roles. ​ Third, roles tell the DM how the entity is intended to function, helping you to create an interesting ​scenario ​and to use proper tactics.+Each type of scenario contains its own set of typesso we'll go through each scenario ​one at a time.
  
-Each type of scenario contains its own set of roles, so we'll go through each scenario one at a time.+=== Combat Types ===
  
-=== Combat Roles ===+Available combat types include Artillery, Blaster, Brawler, Defender, and Support.
  
-Available combat roles include ​Artillery, ​Blaster, Brawler, Defender, and Support.+The Artillery ​type focuses primarily on single-target damage at range. These Adversaries are generally in trouble if a PC is able to get close to them in battle. As suchArtillery must be protected by Defenders or given terrain advantages that makes it difficult for PCs to close in.
  
-The Artillery role focuses primarily on single-target damage ​at range These Adversaries are generally in trouble if a PC is able to get close to them in battle. ​ As such, Artillery ​must be protected ​by Defenders or given terrain advantages that makes it difficult for PCs to close in.+The Blaster type typically offers multi-target damage, most commonly by targeting an entire [[section|section]] instead of individual entitiesMost Blasters ​must be protected ​like Artillery, but some are capable of closing in and taking on groups of PCs at close range.
  
-The Blaster role typically offers multi-target ​damage, most commonly by targeting an entire [[section|section]] instead of individual entities Most Blasters must be protected like Artillery, but some are capable of closing ​in and taking on groups of PCs at close range.+The Brawler type concentrates on close-range damage. ​They have fairly good survivability on their own, but they'​re even more dangerous when paired with a Defender. Since Brawlers must close in to deal damage, they should generally begin battle fairly ​close to the PCs (perhaps as a result of an ambush) unless they have good movement abilities.
  
-The Brawler role concentrates on close-range damage They have fairly good survivability on their own, but they're even more dangerous when paired ​with a Defender Since Brawlers must close in to deal damage, they should generally begin battle fairly close to the PCs (perhaps as result of an ambush) unless they have good movement abilities ​on their cards.+The Defender type serves to protect the other Adversaries from the PCs. They either force PCs to target them or punish PCs that choose not to target them. Defenders generally don't offer as much offensive power and thus should typically be grouped ​with other roles to form balanced approachIf you're running ​scenario without any Defenders, you'll probably ​have to rely on terrain advantages or particularly potent Support abilities to make up for it.
  
-The Defender role serves ​to protect the other Adversaries ​from the PCs.  They either force PCs to target them or punish ​PCs that choose not to target them.  Defenders generally don't offer much offensive power and thus should typically be grouped with other roles to form balanced approach. ​ If you're running ​scenario without ​any Defenders, you'll probably have to rely on terrain advantages or particularly potent ​Support ​abilities ​to make up for it.+The Support type offers boosts ​to other Adversaries, penalties ​to PCs, and often healing ​and other expanded tactical options. Weaker mook and regular Support types generally need to be protected, but mini-boss Support often functions as leader and may not need any protection at all. Be sure to study each Support ​Adversary'​s entries ​to see how to use them in battle.
  
-The Support role offers boosts to other Adversaries,​ penalties to PCs, and often healing and other expanded tactical options. ​ Weaker mook and regular Support types generally need to be protected, but a mini-boss Support often functions as a leader and may not need any protection at all.  Be sure to study each Support'​s card entries to see how to use them in battle.+=== Interaction Types ===
  
-=== Exploration Roles ===+There are four available types for Opponents in interaction scenarios: Antagonists,​ Debaters, Leaders, and Tricksters.
  
-Available exploration roles include ​[[creature|Creatures]], [[environ|Environs]][[obstacle|Obstacles]],​ [[trap|Traps]],​ and [[seeker|Seekers]]. ​ Most of these roles have special rules for how they operate ​in a scenario. ​ These rules are described in detail in the [[player_s_guide_chapter_5#​challenges|Player'​s Guide]]. ​ Here, we will focus on how the DM should portray and play these roles.+Antagonists focus on dealing damage to player WP. Many don't interact with the [[debate_axis|Debate Axis]] at allor if they doit'​s ​in a fairly unreliable manner.
  
-The Creature role can represent swarms of insects or vermin, stealthy villains operating from the shadows, or dangerous mobile threats that are particularly difficult to fight They are generally self-sufficient challenges that fit well in any scenario. ​ Remember that exploration scenarios are distinct from combat scenarios; Creatures should be interpreted as nuisances that bother the PCs but are rarely life-threatening or easy to engage in battle. ​ Creature EP reduction is not necessarily representative of killing the entity; more broadly, it models the PCs figuring out some way to neutralize the threat. ​ This could be anything from locking a beast or swarm inside a room, scaring or luring it away, or finding a path that causes the Creature to lose the PCs and wander off.+Debaters focus on manipulating ​the Debate Axis. They typically deal reduced damage.
  
-The Environ ​role represents weather conditionstoxic surroundingsmagical effects, and the like.  Some Environs may occupy multiple regions, though ​in other cases the same Environ entry can be used to represent multiple distinct entities within a scenario. ​ The distinction is primarily one of whether conditions and other imposed effects apply across the map or just to one region.+Leaders take on a defensive ​role by limiting PC movementforcing PCs to target themor jumping ​in if the PCs target an ally.
  
-The Obstacle role represents an obstruction or series of obstructions that PCs must overcome to be able to cross a region exit.  PCs cannot cross an exit blocked by an Obstacle until the Obstacle is defeated. ​ This is most commonly done by reducing its EP to 0, though some Obstacles may be defeated through ​other means, such as picking a lock, finding a key, or activating some mechanism within ​the scenario ​Interpreting what EP loss means for an Obstacle is very situational. ​ Sometimes it might represent a PC making direct forward progress, particularly in the case of persisting Obstacles. ​ However, remember that a PC is not actually required to move through an area containing an Obstacle they have defeated. ​ It can be more generally useful to interpret the reduction as progress toward solving a problem, whether that's finding ​the right way to go or figuring out the best way to safely cross a hazard.+Tricksters buff other Opponents and penalize ​the PCsThey often don't interact with the Debate Axis or deal as much damage as some other types.
  
-The Trap role generally makes surprise attacks against PCs in response to some activitysuch as movement, playing Actions, or [[search|Searching]] Most Traps can be sprung repeatedly, while some are removed from play after a single Action Many Traps can be avoided through ​the use of certain Actions or by Searching ​to discover them beforehand and avoiding their Interrupt'​s Trigger.+Some interaction scenarios are set up in a balanced manneroffering a variety of types to oppose the PCsOthers ​are weighted heavily toward victory by damage or victory by counter movementPay close attention to the set of Opponents ​to get a sense of what tactics to use.
  
-Sometimes Traps may have specific additional countermeasures built into the scenario. ​ Often they don'thowever, and this is one area where it may be beneficial to your game to allow PCs to come up with clever solutions a bit outside of the normal mechanics. ​ For instance, if a Trap can be sprung repeatedly, it might be reasonable to allow PC to perform ​fairly simple activity to prevent their allies from blundering in and springing ​the same Trap, like standing in front of a pressure plate and pointing out where another PC shouldn'​t step If you find that this weakens one of your Traps too muchyou can of course render this activity ineffective by interpreting the Trap as having multiple potential activation plates, so new arrivals are simply finding new ways to endanger everyone.+When roleplaying an Opponent, the type can be a guideline ​to give you sense of how you might portray ​the Opponent'​s dialogue ​and communication styleHowever, remember ​that each is an individualand adding some unique personality quirks ​can help make your interaction scenarios memorable and entertaining.
  
-Finally, the Seeker role is used exclusively in stealth scenarios and represents any entity that's capable of discovering the sneaking PCs.  While Seekers typically have a strictly-defined and regular patrol route at the start of the scenario, [[Player'​s Guide Appendix A|Alerted]] Seekers are entirely at your disposal to control. ​ Alerted Seekers should smartly investigate areas where PCs have flubbed things and behave in a reasonable and intelligent manner. ​ However, a Seeker doesn'​t know precisely where the PCs are just because they'​ve been Alerted (this only occurs when the scenario ends in failure from loss of Stealth Tokens). ​ As such, it may not be fair to have a Seeker follow the hidden PCs around perfectly unless the PCs continue to make noise or otherwise err.+=== Exploration Types ===
  
-Loss of Stealth Tokens should be interpreted as Seekers ​becoming suspicious rather than them seeing the PCs ​Remember that as long as the PCs have a single Stealth Token remaining at the end of the scenario, they are victorious, concluding their activities with none the wiser.  ​Seekers might realize that something is upparticularly if they come across ​the bodies of other defeated Seekers, but they won't be able to identify the PCs or engage them in battle until the PCs have completely given away their presence through loss of all Stealth Tokens.+Available exploration types include [[creature|Creatures]],​ [[environ|Environs]],​ [[obstacle|Obstacles]],​ [[trap|Traps]],​ and [[seeker|Seekers]]Most of these types have special rules for how they operate in a scenario. These rules are described in detail in the [[player_s_guide_chapter_5#​challenges|Player'​s Guide]].  ​Herewe will focus on how the DM should portray and play these types.
  
-=== Interaction Roles ===+The Creature type can represent swarms of insects or vermin, stealthy villains operating from the shadows, or dangerous mobile threats that are particularly difficult to fight. They are generally self-sufficient Challenges that fit well in any scenario. Remember that exploration scenarios are distinct from combat scenarios; Creatures should be interpreted as nuisances that bother the PCs but are rarely life-threatening or easy to engage in battle. Creature EP reduction is not necessarily representative of killing the entity; more broadly, it models the PCs figuring out some way to neutralize the threat. This could be anything from locking a beast or swarm inside a room, scaring or luring it away, or finding a path that causes the Creature to lose the PCs and wander off.
  
-There are four available roles for Opponents in interaction scenarios: AntagonistsDebatersLeaders, and Tricksters.+The Environ type represents weather conditionstoxic surroundingsmagical effects, and the like. These rarely involve much in the way of tactics, but some of them do provide multiple Actions to play. A good option here is to swap back and forth between themor flip a coin if you don't think it's going to get a second attack. You might also choose to play just one of them if the other is niche and doesn'​t apply as well to your scenario'​s mechanical structure.
  
-Antagonists focus on dealing damage ​to player WP Many don't interact with the [[debate_axis|Debate Axis]] at all, or if they doit'​s ​in fairly unreliable manner.+The Obstacle type represents an obstruction or series of obstructions that PCs must overcome ​to be able to cross a region exitPCs cannot cross an exit blocked by an Obstacle until the Obstacle is defeated. This is most commonly done by reducing its EP to 0, though some Obstacles may be defeated through other means, such as picking a lock, finding a key, or activating some mechanism within the scenario. Interpreting what EP loss means for an Obstacle is very situational. Sometimes it might represent a PC making direct forward progress, particularly in the case of persisting Obstacles. However, remember that a PC is not actually required to move through an area containing an Obstacle ​they have defeated. It can be more generally useful to interpret the reduction as progress toward solving a problemwhether that'​s ​finding the right way to go or figuring out the best way to safely cross hazard.
  
-Debaters focus on manipulating the Debate Axis.  Many don't deal damage at all, or if they doit's often a fairly small amount.+The Trap type generally makes surprise attacks against PCs in response to some activity, such as movement, playing Actions, or [[search|Searching]]. Most Traps can be sprung repeatedlywhile some are removed from play after a single Action. Many Traps can be avoided through the use of certain Actions or by Searching to discover them beforehand and avoiding their Interrupt'​s ​Trigger. Because most Traps start out [[hidden|Hidden]],​ PCs often take penalty to the first Endure roll performed against a Trap as it is revealed.
  
-Leaders take on a defensive role by limiting PC movementforcing ​PCs to target themor jumping in if the PCs target an ally.+Sometimes Traps may have specific additional countermeasures built into the scenario. Often they don'thowever, and this is one area where it may be beneficial to your game to allow PCs to come up with clever solutions a bit outside of the normal mechanics. For instance, if a Trap can be sprung repeatedly, it might be reasonable to allow a PC to perform a fairly simple activity to prevent their allies from blundering in and springing ​the same Trap, like standing in front of a pressure plate and pointing out where another PC shouldn'​t step. If you find that this weakens one of your Traps too much, you can of course render this activity ineffective by interpreting the Trap as having multiple potential activation plates, so new arrivals are simply finding exciting additional ways to endanger everyone.
  
-Tricksters impose ​[[Player'​s Guide Appendix A|conditions]], buff other Opponents, and penalize the PCs.  They often don'​t ​interact with the Debate Axis or inflict as much damage as some other roles.+Finally, the Seeker type is used exclusively in stealth scenarios and represents any entity that's capable of discovering the sneaking PCs. While Seekers typically have a strictly-defined and regular patrol route at the start of the scenario, ​[[Player'​s Guide Appendix A|Alerted]] Seekers are entirely at your disposal to control. Alerted Seekers should smartly investigate areas where PCs have flubbed things and behave in a reasonable and intelligent mannerHowever, a Seeker doesn'​t ​know precisely where the PCs are just because they'​ve been Alerted (this only occurs when the scenario ends in failure from loss of Stealth Tokens ​or some other situation such as lighting a torch in front of a Seeker in an otherwise dark room). As such, it may not be fair to have a Seeker follow the hidden PCs around perfectly unless the PCs continue to make noise or otherwise err.
  
-Some interaction scenarios ​are set up in a balanced manneroffering a variety ​of roles to oppose ​the PCs.  Others are weighted heavily toward victory by damage ​or victory by counter movement. ​ Pay close attention to the set of Opponents to get a sense of what tactics to use.+Loss of Stealth Tokens should be interpreted as Seekers becoming suspicious rather than them seeing the PCs. Remember that as long as the PCs have a single Stealth Token remaining at the end of the scenario, they are victorious, concluding their activities with none the wiser. Seekers might realize that something is up, particularly if they come across the bodies ​of other defeated Seekers, but they won't be able to identify ​the PCs or engage them in battle until the PCs have completely given away their presence through loss of all Stealth Tokens.
  
-When roleplaying an Opponent, the role can be a guideline ​to give you a sense of how you might portray ​the Opponent'​s dialogue and communication style ​Howeverremember that each is an individualand adding some unique personality quirks can help make your interaction scenarios memorable and entertaining.+You may choose to have Alerted Seekers ​be able to sound some kind of alarm, which either drastically changes ​the scenario or results in failure if they pull it offThis substantially increases the difficultyso either reduce the number of Seekersgive the players counter-measures,​ or substantially soften ​your fail-forward outcomes.
  
 ===== Tactics ===== ===== Tactics =====
  
-Generally speaking, your available tactics are informed by the entity'​s ​role and card entries. ​ Simply using the provided abilities whenever possible is usually enough to run a scenario as intended. ​ For new DMs, it's generally best to start with scenarios consisting entirely of regulars and mooks; this reduces the number of decisions to make and prevents you from having to deal with the added complication of a hand of cards.+Generally speaking, your available tactics are informed by the entity'​s ​type and entries. Simply using the provided abilities whenever possible is usually enough to run a scenario as intended. For new DMs, it's generally best to start with scenarios consisting entirely of regulars and mooks; this reduces the number of decisions to make and prevents you from having to deal with the added complication of a hand of cards.
  
-By running numerous scenarios, you'll acquire a sense of how things tend to play out, how various enemy cards function, and so on.  Then you can move on to running more complex scenarios using mini-bosses,​ special rules, and even bosses.+By running numerous scenarios, you'll acquire a sense of how things tend to play out, how various enemy cards function, and so on. Then you can move on to running more complex scenarios using mini-bosses,​ special rules, and even bosses.
  
 ==== Targeting ==== ==== Targeting ====
  
-It's usually best to avoid piling all of your damage onto a single PC.  This might be the most tactically sound decision to make in many cases; in fact, your players are likely to do this to their enemies whenever they can get away with it.  However, focusing fire on a single player can create frustration and boredom. ​ If the PC is knocked out early as a result of this, they may wind up sitting through the rest of the scenario without being able to meaningfully contribute! ​ Plus, the other players don't get to play Reactions, which means they'​re rolling fewer dice and using fewer cool abilities.+It's usually best to avoid piling all of your damage onto a single PC. This might be the most tactically sound decision to make in many cases; in fact, your players are likely to do this to their enemies whenever they can get away with it. However, focusing fire on a single player can create frustration and boredom. If the PC is knocked out early as a result of this, they may wind up sitting through the rest of the scenario without being able to meaningfully contribute! Plus, the other players don't get to play Reactions, which means they'​re rolling fewer dice and using fewer cool abilities.
  
-The game provides some natural mitigation of this behavior; for instance, in combat, the Defender ​role (and equivalent PC abilities) and good use of terrain can encourage spreading out and targeting different foes.  Interaction scenes are similar with the Leader ​role (and equivalent PC abilities). ​ When running with a smaller number of players, however, don't assume that the players have these roles filled. ​ If they don't, simply spread your attacks around even if this isn't the most tactically optimal choice. ​ This way you avoid picking on any one player within a scene, which can damage that player'​s enjoyment of the game.+The game provides some natural mitigation of this behavior; for instance, in combat, the Defender ​type (and equivalent PC abilities) and good use of terrain can encourage spreading out and targeting different foes. Interaction scenes are similar with the Leader ​type (and equivalent PC abilities). When running with a smaller number of players, however, don't assume that the players have these roles filled. If they don't, simply spread your attacks around even if this isn't the most tactically optimal choice. This way you avoid picking on any one player within a scene, which can damage that player'​s enjoyment of the game.
  
-As player levels rise, however, so do their array of options. ​ It's more feasible to focus fire on individual players at high levels whenever a tactical error permits such plays. ​ This can also serve as an additional method of increasing the game's difficulty at higher levels, which is generally advised.+As player levels rise, however, so too do their array of options. It's more feasible to focus fire on individual players at high levels whenever a tactical error permits such plays. This can also serve as an additional method of increasing the game's difficulty at higher levels, which is generally advised. Further, it rewards players for investing in options that give them greater control over your targeting.
  
 ===== Improvisation ===== ===== Improvisation =====
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 The answer is: they can! You can use the rules and tables in this section to handle any sort of improvised activity that players attempt and you allow. The tables provide baseline dice entries by level, assuming a standard improvisation situation. Then, apply whatever modifiers are needed according to the specifics of the improvised activity. When modifiers give choices regarding changes to make (such as which dice to change in level), the DM should make the choices, not the player making the play. Don't feel restricted by the list of modifiers provided; these are common effects, but feel free to add more, such as forced or granted Moves and the like. Inform the players of the mechanics of the improvised play before they are committed to making it; a player may decline the play if the dice wind up unfavorable. The answer is: they can! You can use the rules and tables in this section to handle any sort of improvised activity that players attempt and you allow. The tables provide baseline dice entries by level, assuming a standard improvisation situation. Then, apply whatever modifiers are needed according to the specifics of the improvised activity. When modifiers give choices regarding changes to make (such as which dice to change in level), the DM should make the choices, not the player making the play. Don't feel restricted by the list of modifiers provided; these are common effects, but feel free to add more, such as forced or granted Moves and the like. Inform the players of the mechanics of the improvised play before they are committed to making it; a player may decline the play if the dice wind up unfavorable.
  
-Note that, generally speaking, improvised activities are less effective than playing level-appropriate cards from hand. That's because it's important not to de-emphasize actual character abilities, resulting in players looking for excuses to improvise in every scenario instead of using their character'​s hard-earned skills and talents. These should mostly be situational,​ where a character who is in trouble (such as being out of cards, ill-equipped,​ and/​or ​Confused or similarly affected ​by conditions) is desperate for a tactically viable option, or when traits of enemies and terrain happen to combine in a great manner for the clever player.+Note that, generally speaking, improvised activities are less effective than playing level-appropriate cards from hand. That's because it's important not to de-emphasize actual character abilities, resulting in players looking for excuses to improvise in every scenario instead of using their character'​s hard-earned skills and talents. These should mostly be situational,​ where a character who is in trouble (such as being out of cards, ill-equipped,​ and/​or ​penalized ​by certain [[stat track|Stat Tracks]]) is desperate for a tactically viable option, or when traits of enemies and terrain happen to combine in a great manner for the clever player.
  
 Most of what your players improvise will resolve as Actions. Expect it most frequently in combat as players look to use various terrain features (or in some cases, monster features) to some sort of extra advantage. Additionally,​ the other scenarios tend to be a bit more open-ended in how plays are interpreted (and essentially assume constant PC improvisation). Because of this, the tables are labeled with combat terminology,​ such as Hit. However, if you do come across a situation where improvisation is appropriate in exploration or interaction,​ you can use the same table and rules. Just swap the terms, such as Hit for Inflict. Most of what your players improvise will resolve as Actions. Expect it most frequently in combat as players look to use various terrain features (or in some cases, monster features) to some sort of extra advantage. Additionally,​ the other scenarios tend to be a bit more open-ended in how plays are interpreted (and essentially assume constant PC improvisation). Because of this, the tables are labeled with combat terminology,​ such as Hit. However, if you do come across a situation where improvisation is appropriate in exploration or interaction,​ you can use the same table and rules. Just swap the terms, such as Hit for Inflict.
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 Finally, generally avoid using improvisation with NPCs. This is a good mechanism for enhancing player storytelling options, but as the DM, you have plenty of capability without relying on this. Alter the abilities of your enemies or add specific scenario Actions and Reactions for yourself if you want to do this. Feel free to use the tables and modifiers below as a baseline for such edits (but reference them against the plays on the enemy cards). Finally, generally avoid using improvisation with NPCs. This is a good mechanism for enhancing player storytelling options, but as the DM, you have plenty of capability without relying on this. Alter the abilities of your enemies or add specific scenario Actions and Reactions for yourself if you want to do this. Feel free to use the tables and modifiers below as a baseline for such edits (but reference them against the plays on the enemy cards).
  
-**Important Note:** Some of the modifiers below increase or decrease dice levels. When the dice number is greater ​than 1, this might be too large of an effectIn these cases, you should consider going up or down a row in the table instead. For instance, you might reduce 2d6 to 1d12 instead of 2d4.+The modifiers ​listed ​below affect the table row you should pull the dice from rather ​than the more typical direct editing ​of the dice level or numberThat's to keep the curve more gentle so things don't get erratic at certain levels. Soif you apply modifier that's +1 Hit row to a level 2 Improvised Action, use the Hit entry for a level 3 Improvised Action ​instead.
  
 ==== Improvised Actions ==== ==== Improvised Actions ====
  
 ^  Level  ^  Hit  ^  Damage ​ ^ ^  Level  ^  Hit  ^  Damage ​ ^
-^  ​ ​| ​ 1d6  |  1d6  | +^  ​0*  |  1d4  ​| ​ 1d6  | 
-^  2  |  1d8  |  ​1d6  | +^  1  ​| ​ 1d6  ​| ​ 1d8  | 
-^  3  |  1d10  |  ​1d8  | +^  2  |  1d8  |  ​1d10  | 
-^  4  |  1d12  |  ​1d8  | +^  3  |  1d10  |  ​1d12  | 
-^  5  |  2d6  |  ​1d10  | +^  4  |  1d12  |  ​2d6  | 
-^  6  |  ​3d4  ​|  ​1d12  | +^  5  |  2d6  |  ​3d4  | 
-^  7  |  ​2d8  ​|  ​2d6  | +^  6  |  ​2d8  ​|  ​2d8  | 
-^  8  |  ​4d4  ​|  ​2d6  | +^  7  |  ​3d6  ​|  ​3d6  | 
-^  9  |  ​3d6  ​|  ​2d8  | +^  8  |  ​3d8  ​|  ​3d8  | 
-^  10  |  ​2d10  ​|  ​2d8  |+^  9  |  ​4d6  ​|  ​4d6  | 
 +^  10  |  ​5d6  ​|  ​5d6  | 
 +^  11*  |  6d6  |  6d6  | 
 +//* For modifiers or optional rules//
  
 === Modifiers === === Modifiers ===
 __Repeatable__\\ __Repeatable__\\
-The table values assume single-use Actions, such as knocking over a single stack of barrels. If the Action can be repeated endlessly, much like a Returning card, decrease either the Hit or Damage ​dice level by 1.+The table values assume single-use Actions, such as knocking over a single stack of barrels. If the Action can be repeated endlessly, much like a Returning card, decrease either the Hit or Damage ​row by 1.
  
 __Clever__\\ __Clever__\\
-If a player comes up with a particularly clever idea, you may want to reward this by making the improvised Action even better. Increase either the Hit or Damage ​dice level by 1. Use this more often if you want to encourage more improvisation,​ but use it sparingly if you want to make sure the players stay focused on their deck composition and Gear choices.+If a player comes up with a particularly clever idea, you may want to reward this by making the improvised Action even better. Increase either the Hit or Damage ​row by 1. Use this more often if you want to encourage more improvisation,​ but use it sparingly if you want to make sure the players stay focused on their deck composition and Gear choices.
  
 __Card Play__\\ __Card Play__\\
-Sometimes players might try to improvise a particular card they want to play, using it in some manner other than the standard or expected method. Take care in allowing this, but when it makes sense, go for it. If the PC improvises with a card played from their hand that lacks the Returning property, increase the Hit and Damage ​dice levels ​by 1 (but don't use the effects on the card). If the improvisation is done with equipped Gear or a card with the Returning property, increase either the Hit or Damage ​dice level by 1. Don't apply this modifier for something mundane like a PC trying to aim for a weak spot with their weapon; it's assumed that their highly-capable PC hero is generally doing such things every time they attack. Save this for specific unique ideas (and even then, avoid also applying the Clever modifier). This modifier is not available to deckless characters (though they may still spend Skill Points to boost improvised Actions).+Sometimes players might try to improvise a particular card they want to play, using it in some manner other than the standard or expected method. Take care in allowing this, but when it makes sense, go for it. If the PC improvises with a card played from their hand that lacks the Returning property, increase the Hit and Damage ​rows by 1 (but don't use the effects on the card). If the improvisation is done with equipped Gear or a card with the Returning property, increase either the Hit or Damage ​row by 1. Don't apply this modifier for something mundane like a PC trying to aim for a weak spot with their weapon; it's assumed that their highly-capable PC hero is generally doing such things every time they attack. Save this for specific unique ideas (and even then, avoid also applying the Clever modifier). This modifier is not available to deckless characters (though they may still spend [[tactical points|Tactical ​Points]] to boost improvised Actions).
  
 __Accurate__\\ __Accurate__\\
-Some improvised Actions should be particularly hard to dodge. For these, increase the Hit dice level by 1, but decrease the Damage ​dice level by 1.+Some improvised Actions should be particularly hard to dodge. For these, increase the Hit row by 1, but decrease the Damage ​row by 1.
  
 __Auto Hit__\\ __Auto Hit__\\
-Some terrain-based Actions may be impossible to dodge, much like many spells. In these cases, eliminate the Hit entry and decrease the Damage ​dice level by 1. Since the Hit entry is eliminated, any other modifiers that affect either Hit or Damage must affect Damage.+Some terrain-based Actions may be impossible to dodge, much like many spells. In these cases, eliminate the Hit entry and decrease the Damage ​row by 1. Since the Hit entry is eliminated, any other modifiers that affect either Hit or Damage must affect Damage.
  
 __Risky__\\ __Risky__\\
-Many improvised Actions are a bit of a long shot to work, but if they do it can be incredibly effective. For such Actions, decrease the Hit dice level by 1, but increase the Damage ​dice level by 1 (and consider adding Piercing 1).+Many improvised Actions are a bit of a long shot to work, but if they do it can be incredibly effective. For such Actions, decrease the Hit row by 1, but increase the Damage ​row by 1 (and consider adding Piercing 1).
  
 __Penetrating__\\ __Penetrating__\\
-Some improvised Actions can more effectively penetrate sturdy enemy defenses. For these, ​decrease either the Hit or Damage ​dice level by 1but add Piercing ​2. You may choose to give even higher Piercing values if particularly appropriate.+Some improvised Actions can more effectively penetrate sturdy enemy defenses. For these, ​add Piercing. Every 2 points of Piercing (rounded down) is worth 1 row of Hit or Damage. Since this is rounded downyou can boost effectiveness a bit by giving away Piercing ​1 or otherwise going with an odd number.
  
 __Distant__\\ __Distant__\\
-If the improvised Action gains a Range entry greater than 1, or any Reach or Thrown entry, decrease the Hit or Damage ​dice level by 1.+If the improvised Action gains a Range entry greater than 1, or any Reach or Thrown entry, decrease the Hit or Damage ​row by 1. Especially long-distance entries may give further penalties.
  
 __Area Attack__\\ __Area Attack__\\
-Clever use of terrain might result in an improvised attack against one or more entire sections. In these cases, the Action gains the Area Attack property. If the Action will affect the entity performing the Action (requiring them to play a Reaction against their own Action), no futher changes are needed. If they will not be affected, decrease the Damage ​dice level by 1.+Clever use of terrain might result in an improvised attack against one or more entire sections. In these cases, the Action gains the Area Attack property. If the Action will affect the entity performing the Action (requiring them to play a Reaction against their own Action), no futher changes are needed. If they will not be affected, decrease the Damage ​row by 1.
  
-__Condition__\\ +__Stat Track__\\ 
-You may find it reasonable to allow an improvised Action to impose a condition on targets if it's successfulIn this casethe condition ​should ​generally last until the end of the entity'​s next turn. Decrease ​the Hit or Damage ​dice level by 1.+You may find it reasonable to allow an improvised Action to boost self or ally Stat Tracks or reduce target Stat TracksEvery +/- 2 Track levels, rounded down, should ​result in decreasing ​the Hit or Damage ​row by 1. Since it's rounded down, that means +/- 1 is free if you want to give it. That (or using another odd number) a pretty good way to slightly bump the effectiveness of improvisation without edging too much on reducing the usefulness of cards.
  
 __Typed__\\ __Typed__\\
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 __Harmless__\\ __Harmless__\\
-Some improvised Actions may not actually deal any damage to affected entities. In these cases, eliminate the Damage entry (and any dice level changes from other modifiers must affect Hit). If this is used paired with something like the Condition ​modifier, increase the Hit dice level by 1. Otherwise, you may have some custom Special entry as appropriate,​ such as granting movement, opening or closing an exit, or advancing the Debate Counter toward victory.+Some improvised Actions may not actually deal any damage to affected entities. In these cases, eliminate the Damage entry (and any changes from other modifiers must affect Hit). If this is used paired with something like the Stat Track modifier, increase the Hit row by 1. Otherwise, you may have some custom Special entry as appropriate,​ such as granting movement, opening or closing an exit, or advancing the Debate Counter toward victory. In these cases, the power of that effect determines if you need to adjust Hit.
  
 === Example === === Example ===
-Let's go back to our original example of knocking over a stack of barrels. Let's say a level 1 PC is performing this Action. According to the table, this gives a baseline Hit of 1d6 and Damage of 1d6. Which modifiers are appropriate?​+Let's go back to our original example of knocking over a stack of barrels. Let's say a level 1 PC is performing this Action. According to the table, this gives a baseline Hit of 1d6 and Damage of 1d8. Which modifiers are appropriate?​
  
-Let's assume the barrels are empty. They'​re relatively easy to push over, but they won't have a huge impact. This Action isn't Repeatable unless your scenario is in a warehouse with many such stacks everywhere. If there'​s lots of barrels, you might decide that this is Accurate, but if the top stacks only have a few, it's probably not too hard to get out of the way. If the player wanted to knock them over with something like a two-handed hammer, or an //Assault// card played from hand (which is Returning), you could maybe increase the Hit dice level by 1 with the Card Play modifier. Finally, with a broad-enough stack, you might decide that this is an Area Attack against an adjacent section (Range 1), resulting in a Damage ​dice level decrease of 1.+Let's assume the barrels are empty. They'​re relatively easy to push over, but they won't have a huge impact. This Action isn't Repeatable unless your scenario is in a warehouse with many such stacks everywhere. If there'​s lots of barrels, you might decide that this is Accurate, but if the top stacks only have a few, it's probably not too hard to get out of the way. If the player wanted to knock them over with something like a two-handed hammer, or an //Assault// card played from hand (which is Returning), you could maybe increase the Hit row by 1 with the Card Play modifier. Finally, with a broad-enough stack, you might decide that this is an Area Attack against an adjacent section (Reach 1), resulting in a Damage ​row decrease of 1.
  
-Now imagine that the barrels are filled with a sand-like substance that erupts into a dust cloud once knocked over. These will be heavier, making them harder to knock over but provide a greater wallop; the Risky modifier is appropriate. We keep Range 1 and Area Attack. You could rule that the dust messes with targets'​ eyes, imposing Debilitated until the start of their next turn, so Condition ​is needed. Finally, you could call this a Clever act since the PC is knocking over barrels that can be particularly effective.+Now imagine that the barrels are filled with a sand-like substance that erupts into a dust cloud once knocked over. These will be heavier, making them harder to knock over but provide a greater wallop; the Risky modifier is appropriate. We keep Range 1 and Area Attack. You could rule that the dust messes with targets'​ eyes, giving -1 Power and -1 Resilience, so Stat Track is needed. Finally, you could call this a Clever act since the PC is knocking over barrels that can be particularly effective.
  
-To sum up these modifiers, we get -1 Hit and +1 Damage from Risky, -1 Damage from Area Attack, -1 Hit from Condition, and +1 Hit from Clever. The result is a level 1 Action with Area Attack, ​Range: 1, Hit: 1d4, Damage: ​1d6, and Special: The target ​is Debilitated until the end of its next turn.+To sum up these modifiers, we get -1 Hit and +1 Damage from Risky, -1 Damage from Area Attack, -1 Hit from Condition, and +1 Hit from Clever. The result is a level 1 Action with Area Attack, ​Reach: 1, Hit: 1d4, Damage: ​1d8, and Special: The target ​suffers -1 Power and -1 Resilience.
  
 === Usage Advice === === Usage Advice ===
-It's important to consider the relative value of Improvised Actions to Gear to give a better idea of when to allow them and how to best apply modifiers. Since these will probably be used most frequently in combat, we'll discuss considerations relative to weapons; however, similar comparisons work for expertise ​as well.+It's important to consider the relative value of Improvised Actions to Gear to give a better idea of when to allow them and how to best apply modifiers. Since these will probably be used most frequently in combat, we'll discuss considerations relative to Weapons; however, similar comparisons work for Expertise ​as well.
  
-The baseline values for a one-handed ​light weapon ​are 1d8 for both Hit and Damage. Heavy weapons ​get an additional dice level added, and two-handed ​weapons ​also add a dice level.+The baseline values for a one-handed ​Light Weapon ​are 1d8 for both Hit and Damage. Heavy Weapons ​get an additional dice level added, and two-handed ​Weapons ​also add a dice level.
  
-Comparing this to the table above, you can see that Improvised Actions are generally weak choices at levels ​and 2, though potentially effective starting at level 3. On the other hand, powerful new cards at level 3 can make weapons ​substantially more effective, and enchantments ​enter the game at level 4.+Comparing this to the table above, you can see that Improvised Actions are generally weak choices at level 1, though potentially effective starting at level 2. On the other hand, powerful new cards at level 3 can make Weapons ​substantially more effective, and Enchantments ​enter the game at level 4.
  
-Therefore, in order for a player to get much mileage out of improvisation,​ it is key to try things that would apply useful modifiers that result in an Action most beneficial for the current situation. For instance, a player faced with a high Defense opponent while wielding a weapon ​inferior against such targets may choose to improvise. A Clever, Risky, Penetrating Improvised Action might wind up being better than their weapon ​even at awkward levels, especially if they also manage to make it Typed against a foe having a relevant weakness.+Therefore, in order for a player to get much mileage out of improvisation,​ it is key to try things that would apply useful modifiers that result in an Action most beneficial for the current situation. For instance, a player faced with a high Defense opponent while wielding a Weapon ​inferior against such targets may choose to improvise. A Clever, Risky, Penetrating Improvised Action might wind up being better than their Weapon ​even at awkward levels, especially if they also manage to make it Typed against a foe having a relevant weakness.
  
-For example, consider a level 1 PC facing off against a [[analects_book_4_part_1_chapter_1#​blue_slime|Blue Slime]] while wielding a [[analects_book_1_chapter_1#​rapier|Rapier]]. The 1d6 Damage entry of the rapier ​fares poorly against the slime'​s 1d4 Defense, especially when considering the Weakened condition ​the slime'​s Reaction imposes. The PC has an [[analects_book_1_chapter_6#​oil_lantern|Oil Lantern]] equipped in their other hand. They realize the slime is weak to fire, so they come up with an idea to pour reserve lantern oil onto / around the slime and light it on fire.+For example, consider a level 1 PC facing off against a [[analects_book_4_part_1_chapter_1#​blue_slime|Blue Slime]] while wielding a [[analects_book_1_chapter_1#​short_flail|Short Flail]]. The 1d6 Damage entry of the Short Flail fares poorly against the slime'​s 1d4 Defense, especially when considering the -1 Power the slime'​s Reaction imposes ​against melee attacks. The PC has an [[analects_book_1_chapter_6#​oil_lantern|Oil Lantern]] equipped in their other hand. They realize the slime is weak to fire, so they come up with an idea to pour reserve lantern oil onto / around the slime and light it on fire.
  
-The typical level 1 Improvised Action entry isn't particularly effective against the Blue Slime without modifiers. However, in this case, you could add modifiers ​Clever, Risky, ​Penetrating,​ Repeatable, Card Play (Gear), and Typed (Fire). Here we violate our advice on not pairing Clever and Card Play because the particular Gear (lantern) was used in an unconventional manner and because this is the player'​s first time using a cool trick. This results in an Improvised Action having an extraneous Hit entry of 1d2 (because the Blue Slime'​s Reaction lacks a Miss entry) and a whopping ​Damage entry of 1d10 (Piercing 2) Fire, which boosts further to 1d12 because of the slime'​s weakness to fire. You might even judge that this doesn'​t count as a melee attack, avoiding the imposed Weakened condition. Of course, the player is hoping the Blue Slime lacks a good alternate Reaction in hand to play to avoid the ploy.+The typical level 1 Improvised Action entry isn't particularly effective against the Blue Slime without modifiers. However, in this case, you could add modifiers Penetrating,​ Repeatable, Card Play (Gear), and Typed (Fire). This results in an Improvised Action having an extraneous Hit entry of 1d4 (because the Blue Slime'​s Reaction lacks a Miss entry) and a Damage entry of 1d8 (Piercing 2) Fire, which boosts further to 1d10 because of the slime'​s weakness to fire. You could also determine that it imposes -1 Resilience on the slime as a freebie. You might even judge that this doesn'​t count as a melee attack, avoiding the -1 Power effect on the slime'​s Reaction. Of course, the player is hoping the Blue Slime lacks a good alternate Reaction in hand to play to avoid the ploy.
  
-In this case the optional negative modifier from Repeatable was applied to the Hit entry because the player didn't need accuracy against the lumbering slime. If the PC decides to try to use this trick regularly, you might apply it to the Damage entry instead. You'd also probably skip the Clever trait in most other circumstances because a trick like this really works best against this specific type of foe (and you may skip applying it to all uses after the first, both because it's really only clever when the player first comes up with the idea and because Card Play in general shouldn'​t be used with Clever). You might also require the player to spend their Strategy to set up the oil and make the Action available, further limiting its usefulness.+In this case the optional negative modifier from Repeatable was applied to the Hit entry because the player didn't need accuracy against the lumbering slime. If the PC decides to try to use this trick regularly, you might apply it to the Damage entry instead. You might also require the player to spend their Strategy to set up the oil and make the Action available, further limiting its usefulness.
  
 Why limit its use in this manner? Because the whole point of Improvised Actions is to give players the opportunity to do something cool and unexpected that fits the scene in an exciting and narratively-appropriate way. If an improvisation starts becoming a typical activity, it might be best to have the player start using a card for it instead. For instance, if a player has great luck improvising a Molotov cocktail in a situation like the one described above and starts wanting to use that as a main method of attacking in combat, you should switch from Improvised Actions to something more standard. Direct them to [[analects_book_1_chapter_9#​alchemical_fire|Alchemical Fire]] (or make a cheaper custom version based off the [[analects_book_1_chapter_9#​volatile_vial|Volatile Vial]]). Or, have them include the Throw Stone card in their decks and reflavor it appropriately,​ giving it typed Fire damage instead when played. Why limit its use in this manner? Because the whole point of Improvised Actions is to give players the opportunity to do something cool and unexpected that fits the scene in an exciting and narratively-appropriate way. If an improvisation starts becoming a typical activity, it might be best to have the player start using a card for it instead. For instance, if a player has great luck improvising a Molotov cocktail in a situation like the one described above and starts wanting to use that as a main method of attacking in combat, you should switch from Improvised Actions to something more standard. Direct them to [[analects_book_1_chapter_9#​alchemical_fire|Alchemical Fire]] (or make a cheaper custom version based off the [[analects_book_1_chapter_9#​volatile_vial|Volatile Vial]]). Or, have them include the Throw Stone card in their decks and reflavor it appropriately,​ giving it typed Fire damage instead when played.
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 Remember that Improvised Actions are always performed with your explicit permission, and you have the final say in what modifiers apply. Make rulings to ensure that Improvised Actions add to the excitement of the scene and encourage out-of-the-box thinking by applying modifiers appropriately,​ but don't allow players to use them uncreatively to gain an inappropriate power advantage. The balance can be delicate with certain groups of players, so don't be afraid to make changes in your rulings as you proceed through a campaign. Above all else, Improvised Actions are situational,​ so the same basic plan doesn'​t have to result in the same defined Action from scenario to scenario or even from turn to turn. Remember that Improvised Actions are always performed with your explicit permission, and you have the final say in what modifiers apply. Make rulings to ensure that Improvised Actions add to the excitement of the scene and encourage out-of-the-box thinking by applying modifiers appropriately,​ but don't allow players to use them uncreatively to gain an inappropriate power advantage. The balance can be delicate with certain groups of players, so don't be afraid to make changes in your rulings as you proceed through a campaign. Above all else, Improvised Actions are situational,​ so the same basic plan doesn'​t have to result in the same defined Action from scenario to scenario or even from turn to turn.
 ==== Improvised Reactions ==== ==== Improvised Reactions ====
-Improvised Reactions should be quite rare. In most cases they'​ll ​involve terrain features, and these should tend toward having custom Reactions or other defensive effects listed. However, if you're putting ​scenario together quickly, ​or a player comes up with something not predicted with the scenario setupuse the following table and rules to craft an appropriate Improvised Reaction. When using this table, select //either// the Miss or Defense entry, not both.+Improvised Reactions ​apply almost exclusively to combat scenarios. Essentially,​ they involve finding novel and situational ways to temporarily boost the base Reaction. Because these are straight bonuses, these should be used very rarely so your players aren't constantly fishing for bonuses by trying random stuff. In most cases, you'​ll ​want to predetermine ​these bonuses in your scenario layoutbut if you missed ​cool idea or find yourself ad-libbing, this list of modifiers can help.
  
-^  Level  ^  Miss  ^  Defense ​ ^ +Since there'​s no table here, these modifiers affect the dice levels of the base Reaction'​s entries.
-^  1  |  1d6  |  1d2  | +
-^  2  |  1d8  |  1d4  | +
-^  3  |  1d10  |  1d4  | +
-^  4  |  1d10  |  1d6  | +
-^  5  |  1d12  |  1d8  | +
-^  6  |  2d6  |  1d8  | +
-^  7  |  2d6  |  1d10  | +
-^  8  |  2d8  |  1d10  | +
-^  9  |  2d8  |  1d12  | +
-^  10  |  2d10  |  1d12  |+
  
 === Modifiers === === Modifiers ===
-__Repeatable__\\ +__One-time__\\ 
-The table values assume single-use Reactions, such as ducking behind ​destructable terrain features. If the Reaction can be repeated endlesslydecrease ​the chosen entry'​s ​dice level by 1.+If the player figures out a way to boost defenses that only works once, such as making use of destructable ​objects or terrain features, ​increase ​the Miss or Defense ​dice level by 1.
  
 __Clever__\\ __Clever__\\
-If a player comes up with a particularly clever idea, you may want to reward this by making ​the improvised ​Reaction even better. Increase the chosen entry'​s ​dice level by 1. Use this more often if you want to encourage more improvisation,​ but use it sparingly if you want to make sure the players stay focused on their deck composition and Gear choices.+If a player comes up with a particularly clever idea, you may want to reward this by making ​their base Reaction even better. Increase the Miss or Defense ​dice level by 1. Use this more often if you want to encourage more improvisation,​ but use it sparingly if you want to make sure the players stay focused on their deck composition and Gear choices.
  
 __Card Play__\\ __Card Play__\\
-Sometimes players might try to improvise a particular card they want to play, using it in some manner other than the standard or expected method. Take care in allowing this, but when it makes sense, go for it. If the PC improvises with card played from their hand that lacks the Returning property, increase the chosen entry'​s dice level by 2 (but don't use the effects on the card). If the improvisation ​is done with equipped Gear or a card with the Returning property, increase the chosen entry'​s dice level by 1. Don't apply this modifier for something mundane like a player trying to fight from just out of the enemy'​s reachit's assumed that their highly-capable PC hero is generally doing such things every time they fight. Save this for specific unique ideas (and even then, avoid also applying the Clever modifier). +Sometimes players might try to improvise a particular card they want to play, using it in some manner other than the standard or expected method. Take care in allowing this, but when it makes sense, go for it. Only give bonus if this improvisation ​involves discarding ​a card; the PC is already assumed to be making their best use of equipped Gear. Increase the Miss or Defense dice level by 1.
- +
-__Deckless__\\ +
-If the PC is deckless, improvised Reactions should ​be more effective. Increase the chosen entry'​s dice level by 1. +
- +
-__Defensive Options__\\ +
-Some improvised Reactions should include both a Miss and Defense ​entry. For these, apply both, but decrease the dice levels of each by 1.+
  
 __Sturdy__\\ __Sturdy__\\
 The use of especially sturdy terrain features as defenses may make it difficult even for penetrating attacks to work at full effectiveness. Decrease the Defense dice level by 1, but decrease any Piercing property on the target'​s Action by 2. The use of especially sturdy terrain features as defenses may make it difficult even for penetrating attacks to work at full effectiveness. Decrease the Defense dice level by 1, but decrease any Piercing property on the target'​s Action by 2.
- 
-__Limited Application__\\ 
-Some Reactions can only be played against Actions that have or lack certain properties, such as ranged or Area Attacks, or even typed Damage. For such improvised Reactions, increase the chosen dice level by 1. This is most likely to occur together with the Repeatable modifier with respect to specific (and generally unique) terrain features. You'll usually want to provide specific write-ups for terrain effects and Reactions prior to combat, but if you're having to craft scenarios on-the-fly or are caught off-guard by player ideas, this is a sufficient replacement. 
  
 __Counter__\\ __Counter__\\
-Some Reactions may prove to be potentially dangerous to the attacker. In this case, you could add Damage entry equivalent to the Defense column in the table, then decrease ​the chosen entry'​s dice level by 1. If the counter needs to be more elaborate, craft an appropriate ​improvised ​Action and add a Special entry to the Reaction that permits its use after the Action is resolved.+A player might come up with a situational way to punish an attacker, such as by using terrain features or nearby objects. In this case, you could add the Damage entry from the Improvised Action row of the appropriate ​level (applying any further modifiers as needed). If the counter needs to be more elaborate, craft an appropriate ​Improvised ​Action and add a Special entry to the Reaction that permits its use after the Action is resolved. This can be rather powerful, so you might require the PC to invest some resources on their turn preparing their counter, such as spending a Strategy.
  
 Next: [[dm_s_guide_chapter_4|Chapter 4: Building Scenarios]] Next: [[dm_s_guide_chapter_4|Chapter 4: Building Scenarios]]
dm_s_guide_chapter_3.1546876062.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/01/07 07:47 by triptycho