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====== Chapter 3: Scenarios ====== Prev: [[Player's Guide Chapter 2|Chapter 2: Roles and Levels]] Most of Triptycho's rules are devoted to playing within [[scenario|scenarios]], the mechanical framework the game revolves around. Once you learn the general rules for scenarios, it's fairly easy to play any of the three types. This chapter will give an overview of the scenario structure and details for how to handle each element. ===== Starting a Scenario ===== Scenarios comprise the core gameplay of Triptycho. It is here that you make use of your cards, dice, and wits to overcome challenges. The [[DM|DM]] determines when to run a scenario as well as how the scenario's parameters are configured. The scenario might be designed ahead of time as part of a prepared adventure arc, or it could be an ad-hoc scenario enacted as a result of player choices and actions. The DM will announce that a scenario is beginning with a line such as "Draw hands for [[exploration|exploration]]." It's now time to perform basic setup for the scenario. ==== Basic Setup ==== Collect your deck for the matching scenario type (setting the other two decks aside for now) along with the deck's [[role|Role]] card. If the DM announces to draw hands for exploration, for instance, and your exploration Role is the Hunter, then you will collect (and shuffle, if necessary) your Hunter deck as well as your Hunter Role card. You should have all [[Gear|Gear]] cards previously collected and arranged in the play area before you begin. Once you have drawn your initial hand of cards, you cannot change your [[equip|equipped]] Gear without spending your [[Strategy Phase|Strategy Phase]] to do so (more on this later). Next, set up your [[stat track|Stat Tracks]]; each Track has a base value of 0 modified by your Role, [[background|Background]], and any Gear having such effects. Unless otherwise stated, base values cannot go below -2 or above +2. If you're using a Stat Track mat, place counters in the base value positions and more counters in the corresponding slots to track current values. If this is a [[combat|combat]] or [[interaction|interaction]] scenario, it's time to roll [[initiative|Initiative]]. Exploration scenarios don't use Initiative; for those, skip ahead to Round Sequence. ==== Rolling Initiative ==== At the bottom of your role card is an Initiative entry. This entry will read in the form of #d#, or XdY. This specifies the number and type of dice to roll, where X is the number of dice and Y is the number of sides on the dice. For example, 1d8 would require that you roll one eight-sided die, while 2d4 would instead require rolling two four-sided dice. Roll the appropriate dice according to the Initiative entry on your role card and report the result to the DM. You may voluntarily set your Initiative value to any positive number less than or equal to the actual Initiative rolled; in this manner, players may choose to start later than their roll would otherwise indicate. This must be done before the first entity takes their turn, however. NPCs cannot change their Initiative results in this manner unless otherwise specified. ===== Round Sequence ===== Each round in a scenario plays out in the following sequence: - [[draw phase|Draw Phase]] - [[turn phase|Turn Phase]] - [[discard phase|Discard Phase]] ==== Draw Phase ==== In the first round, each [[entity|entity]] that draws cards draws to their [[hand limit|Hand Limit]]. This value is typically 5 but may be modified by your starting Mind value and other effects. In subsequent rounds, you and each other entity that draws cards draw 1 card; if you have no cards remaining to draw, instead shuffle your discard pile to reform your deck and do not draw a card. Mind and other effects may increase or decrease this amount (which may allow you to then draw a card after shuffling your discard pile). After drawing, you and each other entity moves each Stat Track counter //that did not move during the previous round// 1 slot closer to the base value. This is easiest to track by using 2 different counters for Stat Tracks. When a Track is moved during around, swap the counter to denote this. Then, in this phase, after moving all the other tracks, swap the counters for any that moved back to the original. For instance, let's say you have black and green counters for tracking stat positions. At the beginning of the scenario, you place black counters in your initial positions. During the first round, your Power and Skill both go up 1, so you swap those counters with the green ones. On the next Draw Phase, you have no stat tracks to move, so you simply swap your Power and Skill counters back to the black ones. In the next round, your Power goes up again, so you swap that counter back to green; however, your Skill does not move. So, in the following Draw Phase, you move the black Skill counter back to the base value, then swap the green Power counter with a black one. In this manner, you never have to worry about trying to remember which Tracks did or didn't move within the previous round. ==== Turn Phase ==== If initiative was rolled, turns proceed in order according to the Initiative values. The entity with the highest result goes first. Players win ties for Initiative. If multiple players tie, they can decide among them who will go first; if there is disagreement that is not quickly resolved, the DM will decide for them. In exploration scenarios, certain DM [[Challenge|Challenges]] act first, followed by the players in whichever order they choose, then the remainder of the DM's Challenges at the end of the round. As before, if there is disagreement among players for turn sequence that isn't quickly resolved, the DM will determine the order. ==== Discard Phase ==== First, if there are any effects that occur at the end of the round (other than ones that explicitly affect discarding), they happen now. After all such effects are resolved, each entity with cards must discard down to their Hand Limit (if over), simultaneously resolving any effects that occur during the discard. The round is now over; the next round (if any) begins with a new Draw Phase. ===== Turn Sequence ===== Each entity's turn consists of the following phases, which must be performed in this order: - Start of Turn - [[Strategy Phase|Strategy Phase]] - [[Action Phase|Action Phase]] - End of Turn ==== Start of Turn ==== There are two steps that may occur at the start of your turn. These steps are skipped if they don't apply. - Resolve [[incantation|Incantations]]. Skip this step if you are not incanting. This will be explained further in the combat chapter. - Resolve effects that occur or end at the beginning of your turn. Unless otherwise specified, effects are resolved in the order they were bestowed. ==== The Strategy Phase ==== The Strategy Phase is used for taking various tactical activites. Specifically, you can perform any **one** of the following operations: - Draw another card. If you have no cards left to draw, shuffle your discard pile back into your deck, but do not draw a card. - Play a [[Strategy|Strategy]] card or use a Strategy entry on Gear you have equipped. - Change equipment. You can swap any one Gear card for another of the same slot, equip a Gear card into an empty slot, or remove Gear without equipping something new in its place. If you have equipped two one-handed pieces of Gear, you can remove them both, and you can equip two one-handed pieces of Gear if you have the hands available to hold them. You cannot change your [[armor|Armor]] or [[clothing|Clothing]] within a scenario unless otherwise specified (most commonly allowed in exploration). In combat or exploration, you can also pick up an object from the ground as a part of this operation. In combat or exploration, you can drop Gear on the ground or hand it to an ally even if it is equipped; doing so is free and **does not** require spending your Strategy Phase (unless you wish to equip something new in its place). - Combat only: you can [[Block|Block]] borders in your occupied section (more on this later). ==== The Action Phase ==== During your Action Phase, you can play an [[Action|Action]] card or play an Action entry on a Gear card you have equipped. This is generally where you [[attack|attack]] enemy targets, though other Actions exist as well. Hostile Actions are considered attacks and permit a [[Reaction|Reaction]] play from the target. Reactions include means of defense or countering, often played in an attempt to cause the Action to fail. If the target cannot play a Reaction for whatever reason (such as if they have none available or as a result of Resilience penalties), the Action automatically succeeds. ==== End of Turn ==== Resolve effects that occur or end at the end of your turn. Unless otherwise specified, effects are resolved in the order they were bestowed. ==== Assists & Interrupts ==== [[Assist|Assists]] and [[Interrupt|Interrupts]] are additional types of cards that you can play when it is not your turn. Each of these has a Trigger entry with conditions that must be met in order for you to be able to play the card. Assists trigger off of ally activities while Interrupts trigger off of enemy activities. You can only play one Assist per turn and one Interrupt per turn; outside of the Turn Phase of a round, you can play one each in the Draw Phase and one each in the Discard Phase. You can play both an Assist and an Interrupt in the same turn or Phase, and you can play Assists and Interrupts on subsequent turns within the same round. You cannot play Assists or Interrupts when it is your turn (unless otherwise specified). Some Interrupts have the Automatic keyword. Automatic Interrupts fire immediately when the trigger condition is met, even if the entity is unable to play Interrupts for any reason or would prefer not to play the Interrupt. Automatic Interrupts do not count against the one-per-turn limit. Typically, Automatic Interrupts are found on [[Adversary|Adversary]], [[Challenge|Challenge]], and [[Opponent|Opponent]] cards. Such Interrupts do not fire after the entity is defeated unless otherwise specified. ===== Dice ===== ==== Dice Number and Level ==== Many cards require the rolling of dice to determine the outcome of playing the card. Such an entry will read in the form of #d#, or XdY. This specifies the number and type of dice to roll, where X is the [[dice number|dice number]] and Y is the number of sides on the dice, or the [[dice level|dice level]]. Dice level follows a scaling progression. Some cards may specify increasing or decreasing the dice level of a roll, which changes the type of dice to be rolled. The following list describes the dice levels in order: * d2 * d4 * d6 * d8 * d10 * d12 Assume you play a card that requires rolling 1d6. A friend plays a card that boosts your roll two dice levels; you would then roll 1d10. Say that the DM then played a card that reduces the roll one dice level; at that point it would drop to 1d8. Dice levels cannot be reduced below 1d2 (a coin flip) or increased beyond 1d12 unless otherwise specified. A d20 cannot be increased or decreased in levels unless otherwise specified. For rolls with a dice number greater than one, change the level of all dice rolled. For example, if a card provides a roll of 3d6, and the dice level is increased by 1, then the new roll becomes 3d8. Dice number can be increased or decreased as well, following a much simpler numeric progression. Simply increase or decrease the number of dice as specified. For instance, if dice number of 1d8 is increased by one, the new roll is 2d8. Dice number cannot be decreased below 1 unless otherwise specified. ==== Opposed Rolls ==== Opposed rolls are used primarily to resolve Actions and Reactions. Typically, a dice entry on an Action card played by the attacker is opposed by a dice entry on a Reaction card played by the defender. If either the Action or Reaction card lacks an entry for the opposed roll, then there is no opposed roll, and the effects of both the Action and Reaction cards are applied automatically. Opposed roll entries on Action cards are collectively called [[accuracy dice|Accuracy Dice]], though they have different names in each scenario. Similarly, opposed roll entries on Reaction cards are collectively called [[evasion dice|Evasion Dice]]; these also differ in specific name in each scenario. Refer to the table below for a summary of the scenario-specific names. SCENARIO ACTION REACTION Combat Hit vs. Miss Exploration Inflict vs. Endure Interaction Argue vs. Rebuttal If both the Action and Reaction cards have opposed roll entries, then the opposed roll takes place. Each player rolls the dice according to the entry on their card; the highest result wins, with ties going in favor of the attacker (the entity playing the Action). For example, say you attack an enemy using a [[weapon|Weapon]]. The Weapon's Action has a Hit entry of 1d8. Your target plays a Reaction card from their hand with a Miss entry of 1d4. Assuming no modifications to dice number or levels occurs, you roll 1d8 and your target rolls 1d4. Your result is a 5 while your opponent gets a 3, so your attack hits. Note that some Assist and Interrupt cards specify that a particular entity wins or loses an opposed roll as part of the Trigger. In these cases, an opposed roll must actually occur. If there is no opposed roll because either the Action or Reaction lack an opposed roll entry, then these Triggers are not met. There exist other opposed rolls in the game beyond that of Actions and Reactions. These are known as [[skill dice|Skill Dice]] and include [[Search|Searching]] (opposed by [[hidden|Hidden]] entries), [[Lockpick|Lockpicking]] (opposed by [[lock|Lock]] entries), [[charisma|Charisma]] (opposed by other Charisma), and [[Acrobatics|Acrobatics]] (opposed by other Acrobatics or various difficulty dice). These will be detailed in future sections, but the mechanism functions the same as for other opposed rolls. ==== Damage Rolls ==== If an Action has a Damage entry, and the attack hits (either because of a successful opposed roll or because there was no opposed roll), then roll the dice specified in the Damage entry. The total is the amount of damage you inflict on your target's points. Each entity has a certain number of points that determines their ability to continue in the scenario. In combat, these are known as Hit Points (HP); in exploration, they are known as Endurance Points (EP); and in interaction, they are known as Will Points (WP). They work the same in each scenario; you typically begin with your maximum amount of points. When you suffer damage, you subtract the damage total from the number of points. An entity with 0 points remaining is defeated and can no longer contribute to the scenario; it cannot play cards or be targeted by attacks (though it can still draw and discard as normal). Attacks that would reduce an entity's points to less than 0 instead reduce to 0 unless otherwise specified (negative points is not generally allowed). A Reaction with a Defense entry can reduce the Damage from an Action that hits. In this case, roll the Defense dice and subtract the result from the Damage roll to generate the new damage total. It is possible for damage to be reduced to 0 in this way, but never less than 0. This is not considered to be an opposed roll. For example, let's say you play the following Action against a target in combat: Hit: 1d8 Damage: 1d10 The target then plays the following Reaction: Defense: 1d6 Because there is no Miss entry on the Reaction, the attack automatically hits. You roll 1d10 for damage and get a 6; the target rolls 1d6 for defense and gets a 2. The new damage total is 6 - 2 = 4, so four damage is dealt to the target. If the target had rolled a 6 or higher for defense, then you would have dealt no damage. Reactions can also have Damage entries. A Reaction with both Evasion Dice and Damage entries can only deal damage if the opposed roll is won (or if there is no opposed roll). A Reaction with a Damage entry and no Evasion Dice entry automatically deals the damage back to the attacker. If both the Action and Reaction have Damage entries, and both apply (either because there was no opposed roll or because of other effects), resolve the Damage simultaneously. ==== Damage Modifiers ==== In addition to typical dice number and level adjustments, there exist additional properties that can affect the damage rolls. A [[Piercing|Piercing]] attack reduces the dice level of any Defense dice by the specified number. For instance, a Piercing 2 attack would reduce any Defense on the Reaction by two dice levels. Defense dice that include a level reduction from Piercing can be reduced below d2; if the dice level is reduced beyond d2, then no Defense dice are rolled. Some attacks specify a damage type. For instance, a fire spell probably deals Fire damage, while a venomous creature's bite attack may deal Poison damage. Generally this damage works the same as untyped damage. However, if the target possesses [[Resistance|Resistance]] or [[Weakness|Weakness]] to the specified damage type, then the damage can be decreased or increased respectively. Resistance decreases the dice level of any Damage entry of the matching type by the specified number. For instance, if you have Fire Resistance 2, and an enemy's attack does Fire damage, then that attack would have its Damage dice reduced 2 levels. Weakness, on the other hand, increases the dice level of any Damage entry of the matching type by the specified number. For instance, if you have Ice Weakness 2, and an enemy's attack does Ice damage, then that attack would have its Damage dice increased 2 levels. Some effects specify that an entity gains a Resistance or Weakness. Such entries are specified in the following manner: "gains (Type) Resistance/Weakness #", for example "gains Fire Resistance 2." The largest value always takes precedence for Resistances and Weaknesses. So if an entity already had Fire Resistance 1 and then gains Fire Resistance 2, the Resistance 2 is the one that takes effect. Other effects may specify an increase to Resistance or Weakness. Such entries read as follows: "gains +# (Type) Resistance/Weakness", for example "gains +1 Fire Weakness." In this case, the highest applicable Resistance or Weakness is increased by the specified amount for the provided duration. If the entity has no existing Resistance or Weakness to the described type, the entity is assumed to have a value of 0. So, an entity without Fire Weakness that receives +1 Fire Weakness until the end of its next turn would then have Fire Weakness 1 (0+1=1) until the end of its next turn. If an entity has both Resistance and Weakness to the same type of damage, use whichever is larger but subtract the difference between them. So, an entity with Fire Resistance 3 and Fire Weakness 1 would have Fire Resistance, but the value would be reduced to 2 (3-1). An entity with the same value for both Resistance and Weakness would thus have them cancel out and be treated as if it had neither. ==== Enhancement Dice ==== Some effects, such as enchantments, provide enhancement dice to entries. These additional dice, specified as +XdY, are added to the base roll. Effects that modify dice number or damage directly do not modify the dice number or level of enhancement dice. The Piercing attribute does reduce dice level for Defense enhancement dice, however; Piercing values are first applied to enhancement dice, with any leftover Piercing applying to the base Defense. Enhancement dice on Damage entries have their own damage type separately from that of the base entry. If no type is listed, the enhancement damage is untyped even if the base damage is typed. Effects that fire based on the minimum or maximum roll result apply only to the base entry before any enhancement dice are applied. Enhancement dice have no effect if there is no base entry. ==== Special Entries ==== Many Actions and Reactions have a Special entry below the Damage entry. As with Damage, these entries apply only if the opposed roll is won, if there was no opposed roll, or if the Special entry otherwise specifies conditions that are met. Special entries are essentially their own rules; follow the instructions provided to resolve them. Unless otherwise specified, Special entries are resolved after Damage entries. In cases where both the Action and Reaction's Special entries apply and order matters, resolve the Action's Special entry first, then the Reaction's Special entry. ==== Recovery ==== Some card entries specify recovering lost points (HP, EP, or WP). When recovering lost points, note that you can never go over your maximum value. Defeated targets (those with no points remaining) are valid targets for recovery and always heal from 0; do not track negative points. When dice are rolled for recovery, the entity that is recovering points rolls the dice (rather than the entity that caused the recovery). Note that after scenarios complete, points are always restored to their current maximum value, taking into account any [[injury|Injuries]] suffered and other modifiers. ===== Finishing a Scenario ===== After a scenario is resolved, it's time for cleanup. Decks should be put back together, with remaining cards, discard piles, and hands combined and reshuffled. Item cards may be flipped back over for reuse in future scenarios, and unless the game is immediately starting another scenario, players are generally free to swap any equipped Gear. HP/EP/WP are restored to their maximum, though there is no automatic recovery of [[karma|Karma]]. Stat Tracks are removed until the next scenario. If the scenario ended in victory, PCs may receive a reward. This can be in the form of Wealth, Gear, Karma, or story consequenes. The DM will detail any such reward received. On the other hand, scenarios ending in defeat may result in negative consequences. The PCs may simply miss out on a reward or have negative story consequences. In life-or-death scenarios, the consequence of failure means the end of the game as the characters are killed. A common consequence of failure is acquisition of injuries. ==== Injuries ==== When an entity obtains an Injury, the entity's maximum HP, EP, and WP are reduced by 5. If an entity ever obtains enough Injuries to reduce their base HP, EP, or WP to 0 or less, the entity dies. Base values refers to the raw numbers on a PC's role card or an NPC's card, prior to any modifiers such as from Gear. PCs may recover from Injuries by spending 1 Valuable per Injury within a properly-equipped town or city to heal. The cost and time required may change depending on narrative circumstances as determined by the DM. Recovery from Injuries may also be offered as an occasional reward or bonus effect, either within a scenario or upon attaining victory. While Injuries can sometimes be obtained within a scenario, they're commonly acquired as a consequence of failing a scenario. For instance, PCs may be wounded while fleeing a losing battle. Injuries are also frequently obtained in exploration scenarios, detailed further in chapter 5. Next: [[Player's Guide Chapter 4|Chapter 4: Combat]]

player_s_guide_chapter_3.1557429371.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/05/09 12:16 by triptycho