Difference between revisions of "Noodling/Skill Checks"
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This is sort of an GM kata or something - first I'm going to generate a bunch of nano-scenarios requiring a skill check, then I'll figure out what skill gets tested, and then what the effects of a failure, partial, full, and extra success are. In theory there will be some heuristics that emerge for picking these. | This is sort of an GM kata or something - first I'm going to generate a bunch of nano-scenarios requiring a skill check, then I'll figure out what skill gets tested, and then what the effects of a failure, partial, full, and extra success are. In theory there will be some heuristics that emerge for picking these. | ||
==Parameters== | |||
This is the usual swashbuckling type setting. | |||
Skills we're using: Academics, Athletics, Brawn, Fingersmithery, Nature, Reflexes, Resolve, Science, Stealth, Talk Up, Talk Down. | Skills we're using: Academics, Athletics, Brawn, Fingersmithery, Nature, Reflexes, Resolve, Science, Stealth, Talk Up, Talk Down. | ||
===Marco climbs the rigging, grabs a rope, and swings onto the nearby ship | ==Scenarios== | ||
'''Marco climbs the rigging, grabs a rope, and swings onto the nearby ship''' | |||
* Skill: Athletics | * Skill: Athletics | ||
* Failure: Somebody shoots the rope (or the rope, weakened by earlier stuff, breaks), and Marco falls into the water between the two ships. | * Failure: Somebody shoots the rope (or the rope, weakened by earlier stuff, breaks), and Marco falls into the water between the two ships. | ||
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* Extra: Marco swings over to the other ship, knocking one of the enemy off the ship in the process. (Arguably this is a "fake" bonus, if there are an infinite number of enemies, but if the plan was always to give him a fight on landing, it could be an easier fight) | * Extra: Marco swings over to the other ship, knocking one of the enemy off the ship in the process. (Arguably this is a "fake" bonus, if there are an infinite number of enemies, but if the plan was always to give him a fight on landing, it could be an easier fight) | ||
'''Sophia jumps out a window, lands on a horse hanging out there, and rides off''' | |||
* Skill: Athletics | * Skill: Athletics | ||
* Failure: Sophia jumps out the window, lands on the horse, and is promptly grabbed by some guards ('''needs work''') | * Failure: Sophia jumps out the window, lands on the horse, and is promptly grabbed by some guards ('''needs work''') | ||
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* Extra: As before, but she gets some rollover bonus for the chase | * Extra: As before, but she gets some rollover bonus for the chase | ||
'''Marco holding a glass of wine is accosted; he throws it at his opponent's face, blinding her''' | |||
* Skill: Stealth (I think? It seems like this is more about the surprise of producing something essentially hidden than accuracy in aiming) | * Skill: Stealth (I think? It seems like this is more about the surprise of producing something essentially hidden than accuracy in aiming) | ||
* Failure: Marco throws the wine, blinds the guard, etc, then turns around to see a second guard ('''needs work''') | * Failure: Marco throws the wine, blinds the guard, etc, then turns around to see a second guard ('''needs work''') | ||
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* Extra: Marco throws the wine, blinds the guard, and then she's distracted and he takes her out without requiring another roll (assuming this is a minor character - if not, maybe he gets a free attack?) | * Extra: Marco throws the wine, blinds the guard, and then she's distracted and he takes her out without requiring another roll (assuming this is a minor character - if not, maybe he gets a free attack?) | ||
'''Sophia cuts the rope on a chandelier, sending it crashing down on someone's head''' | |||
* Skill: Reflexes (I think this is more about precise timing than anything else) | * Skill: Reflexes (I think this is more about precise timing than anything else) | ||
* Failure: The chandelier crashes down, misses the person, and starts a big fire | * Failure: The chandelier crashes down, misses the person, and starts a big fire | ||
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* Extra: The chandelier crashes down, hitting the person and trapping them for a bit | * Extra: The chandelier crashes down, hitting the person and trapping them for a bit | ||
'''Marco composes a poem on the spot to impress a lady he's just met in the garden to get an invite to her party''' | |||
* Skill: Talk Up (since this is basically flattery, and this is a "noble" situation) | * Skill: Talk Up (since this is basically flattery, and this is a "noble" situation) | ||
* Failure: Another lady emerges from the bushes, thinking he was talking to her, and swoons all over him. | * Failure: Another lady emerges from the bushes, thinking he was talking to her, and swoons all over him. | ||
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* Extra: She really digs the poem and offers him some useful tips about the party | * Extra: She really digs the poem and offers him some useful tips about the party | ||
'''Sophia intercepts a love letter containing a secret message and decodes it to identify the spy at court''' | |||
* Skill: Academics | * Skill: Academics | ||
* Failure: She makes a bad deduction from her partial decode and tips off the spy ('''needs work''') | * Failure: She makes a bad deduction from her partial decode and tips off the spy ('''needs work''') | ||
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* Extra: She decodes the message in time to modify it and send it on again, so she can change stuff a bit | * Extra: She decodes the message in time to modify it and send it on again, so she can change stuff a bit | ||
'''Marco rallies a group of villagers to get them to storm the church where the bad guy is holed up''' | |||
* Skill: Talk Down, since it's about leadership ('''needs work''') | * Skill: Talk Down, since it's about leadership ('''needs work''') | ||
* Failure: The villagers get freaked out Marco is going to make things worse and lock him in the basement. | * Failure: The villagers get freaked out Marco is going to make things worse and lock him in the basement. | ||
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* Extra: One of the villagers is inspired to pull out some crazy homemade siege weapon they made last year for the village games and bring that along. | * Extra: One of the villagers is inspired to pull out some crazy homemade siege weapon they made last year for the village games and bring that along. | ||
'''Sophia judges a duel where she thinks one of the people might cheat, and wants to ensure the duel is fair''' | |||
* Skill: Reflexes (if noticing the tiny movement is the most important thing), Resolve (if staying alert through the whole duel is the most important thing), Fingersmithery (if figuring out the tiny movement is the most important thing), Stealth (if detecting a hidden thing is the most important thing) ('''needs work''') | * Skill: Reflexes (if noticing the tiny movement is the most important thing), Resolve (if staying alert through the whole duel is the most important thing), Fingersmithery (if figuring out the tiny movement is the most important thing), Stealth (if detecting a hidden thing is the most important thing) ('''needs work''') | ||
* Failure: She calls a foul on something that, on inspection, is fine (thinks the blade is poisoned when it isn't or something); her reputation takes a hit and the duel dissolves into a feud ('''needs work''') | * Failure: She calls a foul on something that, on inspection, is fine (thinks the blade is poisoned when it isn't or something); her reputation takes a hit and the duel dissolves into a feud ('''needs work''') | ||
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* Extra: She catches someone's eye and dissuades them from cheating in a way that doesn't hurt their rep, which pleases their patron | * Extra: She catches someone's eye and dissuades them from cheating in a way that doesn't hurt their rep, which pleases their patron | ||
'''Marco gets involved in a high-stakes card game to win back a family heirloom his nephew lost''' | |||
* Skill: Academics if he's playing fair, Fingersmithery if he's cheating | * Skill: Academics if he's playing fair, Fingersmithery if he's cheating | ||
* Failure: He doesn't win the heirloom back, and has to give someone an IOU besides | * Failure: He doesn't win the heirloom back, and has to give someone an IOU besides | ||
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* Extra: He wins the heirloom back, and an IOU from somebody besides | * Extra: He wins the heirloom back, and an IOU from somebody besides | ||
'''Sophia is looking to find a smuggler who may have been involved in some art heist''' | |||
* Skill: Talk Down, I guess, since it involves talking to criminals | * Skill: Talk Down, I guess, since it involves talking to criminals | ||
* Failure: The smuggler is tipped off and gets the jump on her | * Failure: The smuggler is tipped off and gets the jump on her | ||
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* Extra: She finds the smuggler, and it turns out he owes her a favor | * Extra: She finds the smuggler, and it turns out he owes her a favor | ||
'''Marco duels a pirate on a gargoyle-studded rooftop''' | |||
* Skill: Reflexes (the main thing is not falling off) | * Skill: Reflexes (the main thing is not falling off) | ||
* Failure: Marco takes a tumble and is dangling from a gargoyle | * Failure: Marco takes a tumble and is dangling from a gargoyle | ||
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* Extra: If the pirate is minor, she falls silently; if she's major, she falls (but is maybe not dead) | * Extra: If the pirate is minor, she falls silently; if she's major, she falls (but is maybe not dead) | ||
'''Sophia tries to start a rumor about another courtier that can't be traced back to her''' | |||
* Skill: Talk Up (gossip is a high-class thing) ('''needs work''') | * Skill: Talk Up (gossip is a high-class thing) ('''needs work''') | ||
* Failure: Sophia ends up the butt of a rumor instead | * Failure: Sophia ends up the butt of a rumor instead | ||
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* Extra: The rumor starts, and then it snowballs | * Extra: The rumor starts, and then it snowballs | ||
'''Marco shoots somebody across the deck of a pirate ship while the ship is on fire''' | |||
* Skill: Resolve (it seems like this is mostly about sort of staying doggedly on target) | * Skill: Resolve (it seems like this is mostly about sort of staying doggedly on target) | ||
* Failure: Marco misses as the deck collapses under him | * Failure: Marco misses as the deck collapses under him | ||
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* Extra: Marco shoots the guy more | * Extra: Marco shoots the guy more | ||
'''Sophia, in the crow's nest at night, keeps an eye out for enemy ships''' | |||
* Skill: Resolve (the ships aren't hiding as such, you just need to stay focused) | * Skill: Resolve (the ships aren't hiding as such, you just need to stay focused) | ||
* Failure: Sophia doesn't notice the ship until it's firing at them | * Failure: Sophia doesn't notice the ship until it's firing at them | ||
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* Extra: Sophia sees the ship early, and a small island that could be used for maneuvering or hiding or whatever | * Extra: Sophia sees the ship early, and a small island that could be used for maneuvering or hiding or whatever | ||
'''Marco incites two duelists to fight over him to discredit them in front of the king''' | |||
* Skill: Talk Down (this is inciting) or Talk Up (flirting) ('''needs work''') | * Skill: Talk Down (this is inciting) or Talk Up (flirting) ('''needs work''') | ||
* Failure: He says the wrong thing and ends up getting called out himself by one of the duelists | * Failure: He says the wrong thing and ends up getting called out himself by one of the duelists | ||
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* Extra: They start the fight and one is badly hurt; the other gets a serious reprimand | * Extra: They start the fight and one is badly hurt; the other gets a serious reprimand | ||
'''Sophia tries to help out the badly-wounded survivor of a duel''' | |||
* Skill: Academics, or maybe Science since it's "applied" | * Skill: Academics, or maybe Science since it's "applied" | ||
* Failure: She can't stop the bleeding, he dies (or is unconscious or whatever) | * Failure: She can't stop the bleeding, he dies (or is unconscious or whatever) | ||
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* Extra: She patches him up, enough for him to get up and act a bit if needed | * Extra: She patches him up, enough for him to get up and act a bit if needed | ||
'''Marco drives a wagon down a street and through a (closed) city gate''' | |||
* Skill: Brawn (arguably, but it seems like you're sort of fighting for control of the wagon as it goes) | * Skill: Brawn (arguably, but it seems like you're sort of fighting for control of the wagon as it goes) | ||
* Failure: Big smash-up at the gate, and Marco is trapped in the wreckage | * Failure: Big smash-up at the gate, and Marco is trapped in the wreckage | ||
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* Extra: Marco smashes through the gate, and the wagon is still patched together enough to be used to flee in | * Extra: Marco smashes through the gate, and the wagon is still patched together enough to be used to flee in | ||
'''Sophia tries to out-drink a sailor to get him out of the way''' | |||
* Skill: Brawn (could be Resolve, but this seems mostly about physical capacity than willpower) | * Skill: Brawn (could be Resolve, but this seems mostly about physical capacity than willpower) | ||
* Failure: Sophia's out herself | * Failure: Sophia's out herself | ||
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* Extra: Sophia gets the sailor drunk, and in the process he lets something important slip | * Extra: Sophia gets the sailor drunk, and in the process he lets something important slip | ||
'''Marco and his companion set off a blade trap; Marco tries to push his companion out of the way''' | |||
* Skill: Reflexes (or I suppose Brawn if the most important thing is the speed of pushing) | * Skill: Reflexes (or I suppose Brawn if the most important thing is the speed of pushing) | ||
* Failure: Both Marco and companion get hit normally | * Failure: Both Marco and companion get hit normally | ||
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* Extra: Marco takes reduced damage, companion takes none | * Extra: Marco takes reduced damage, companion takes none | ||
'''Sophia and her companion hold up a merchant in an alley''' | |||
* Skill: Talk Down (this is basically intimidate) | * Skill: Talk Down (this is basically intimidate) | ||
* Failure: The merchant's shouting attracts a guard | * Failure: The merchant's shouting attracts a guard | ||
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* Extra: The merchant faints, Sophie can rifle his pockets freely | * Extra: The merchant faints, Sophie can rifle his pockets freely | ||
'''Marco, in disguise as a guard, tries to bluff his way past some other guards''' | |||
* Skill: Talk Down (if he's intimidating them) or Talk Up (flattering) ('''needs work''') | * Skill: Talk Down (if he's intimidating them) or Talk Up (flattering) ('''needs work''') | ||
* Failure: Marco says the wrong thing and blows his disguise | * Failure: Marco says the wrong thing and blows his disguise | ||
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* Full: Marco talks his way past, but they'll file a report on it | * Full: Marco talks his way past, but they'll file a report on it | ||
* Extra: Marco talks his way past, and convinces them not to let anyone else know | * Extra: Marco talks his way past, and convinces them not to let anyone else know | ||
==Analysis== | |||
Revision as of 17:34, 13 May 2016
This is sort of an GM kata or something - first I'm going to generate a bunch of nano-scenarios requiring a skill check, then I'll figure out what skill gets tested, and then what the effects of a failure, partial, full, and extra success are. In theory there will be some heuristics that emerge for picking these.
Parameters
This is the usual swashbuckling type setting.
Skills we're using: Academics, Athletics, Brawn, Fingersmithery, Nature, Reflexes, Resolve, Science, Stealth, Talk Up, Talk Down.
Scenarios
Marco climbs the rigging, grabs a rope, and swings onto the nearby ship
- Skill: Athletics
- Failure: Somebody shoots the rope (or the rope, weakened by earlier stuff, breaks), and Marco falls into the water between the two ships.
- Partial: Marco swings over to the other ship but stumbles on landing and is prone.
- Full: Marco swings over to the other ship and lands on his feet.
- Extra: Marco swings over to the other ship, knocking one of the enemy off the ship in the process. (Arguably this is a "fake" bonus, if there are an infinite number of enemies, but if the plan was always to give him a fight on landing, it could be an easier fight)
Sophia jumps out a window, lands on a horse hanging out there, and rides off
- Skill: Athletics
- Failure: Sophia jumps out the window, lands on the horse, and is promptly grabbed by some guards (needs work)
- Partial: Sophia jumps out the window etc, but her sword snags on the window sill and is left behind
- Full: Sophia jumps out the window, lands on the horse, and rides off, with some guards in hot pursuit
- Extra: As before, but she gets some rollover bonus for the chase
Marco holding a glass of wine is accosted; he throws it at his opponent's face, blinding her
- Skill: Stealth (I think? It seems like this is more about the surprise of producing something essentially hidden than accuracy in aiming)
- Failure: Marco throws the wine, blinds the guard, etc, then turns around to see a second guard (needs work)
- Partial: Marco throws the wine, and the guard is blinded briefly (one round, or one attack or whatever)
- Full: Marco throws the wine, and the guard is blinded for the duration of combat
- Extra: Marco throws the wine, blinds the guard, and then she's distracted and he takes her out without requiring another roll (assuming this is a minor character - if not, maybe he gets a free attack?)
Sophia cuts the rope on a chandelier, sending it crashing down on someone's head
- Skill: Reflexes (I think this is more about precise timing than anything else)
- Failure: The chandelier crashes down, misses the person, and starts a big fire
- Partial: The chandelier crashes down, providing an obstacle but missing the person
- Full: The chandelier crashes down, hitting the person sidewise (but I guess not killing them unless they're minor)
- Extra: The chandelier crashes down, hitting the person and trapping them for a bit
Marco composes a poem on the spot to impress a lady he's just met in the garden to get an invite to her party
- Skill: Talk Up (since this is basically flattery, and this is a "noble" situation)
- Failure: Another lady emerges from the bushes, thinking he was talking to her, and swoons all over him.
- Partial: The poem doesn't woo her, but she thinks Marco will be a perfect date for her cousin - he'll be expected to stay by her side all party, of course
- Full: She digs the poem and invites him to come
- Extra: She really digs the poem and offers him some useful tips about the party
Sophia intercepts a love letter containing a secret message and decodes it to identify the spy at court
- Skill: Academics
- Failure: She makes a bad deduction from her partial decode and tips off the spy (needs work)
- Partial: By the time she has it decoded, the spy will have realized it got intercepted; she does identify him though
- Full: She decodes the message in time to send it on again, so the spy shouldn't know who she is
- Extra: She decodes the message in time to modify it and send it on again, so she can change stuff a bit
Marco rallies a group of villagers to get them to storm the church where the bad guy is holed up
- Skill: Talk Down, since it's about leadership (needs work)
- Failure: The villagers get freaked out Marco is going to make things worse and lock him in the basement.
- Partial: The villagers go along with Marco, but insist he go at the front, and if he stumbles, they'll leave.
- Full: The villagers grab torches and go for the church.
- Extra: One of the villagers is inspired to pull out some crazy homemade siege weapon they made last year for the village games and bring that along.
Sophia judges a duel where she thinks one of the people might cheat, and wants to ensure the duel is fair
- Skill: Reflexes (if noticing the tiny movement is the most important thing), Resolve (if staying alert through the whole duel is the most important thing), Fingersmithery (if figuring out the tiny movement is the most important thing), Stealth (if detecting a hidden thing is the most important thing) (needs work)
- Failure: She calls a foul on something that, on inspection, is fine (thinks the blade is poisoned when it isn't or something); her reputation takes a hit and the duel dissolves into a feud (needs work)
- Partial: Somebody wins the duel and then commits a violation after it's won; she has to decide whether to call it (needs work)
- Full: She calls out a cheat, the duel proceeds fairly
- Extra: She catches someone's eye and dissuades them from cheating in a way that doesn't hurt their rep, which pleases their patron
Marco gets involved in a high-stakes card game to win back a family heirloom his nephew lost
- Skill: Academics if he's playing fair, Fingersmithery if he's cheating
- Failure: He doesn't win the heirloom back, and has to give someone an IOU besides
- Partial: He loses his horse but does win the heirloom
- Full: He wins the heirloom back as planned
- Extra: He wins the heirloom back, and an IOU from somebody besides
Sophia is looking to find a smuggler who may have been involved in some art heist
- Skill: Talk Down, I guess, since it involves talking to criminals
- Failure: The smuggler is tipped off and gets the jump on her
- Partial: She finds the smuggler, but he's gone to ground somewhere dangerous
- Full: She finds the smuggler at home
- Extra: She finds the smuggler, and it turns out he owes her a favor
Marco duels a pirate on a gargoyle-studded rooftop
- Skill: Reflexes (the main thing is not falling off)
- Failure: Marco takes a tumble and is dangling from a gargoyle
- Partial: Marco and the pirate both end up on the gargoyle
- Full: If the pirate is minor, she falls with a scream; if she's major, she ends up on the gargoyle
- Extra: If the pirate is minor, she falls silently; if she's major, she falls (but is maybe not dead)
Sophia tries to start a rumor about another courtier that can't be traced back to her
- Skill: Talk Up (gossip is a high-class thing) (needs work)
- Failure: Sophia ends up the butt of a rumor instead
- Partial: The rumor starts, but the rival is able to trace it back
- Full: The rumor starts, and it can't be traced back
- Extra: The rumor starts, and then it snowballs
Marco shoots somebody across the deck of a pirate ship while the ship is on fire
- Skill: Resolve (it seems like this is mostly about sort of staying doggedly on target)
- Failure: Marco misses as the deck collapses under him
- Partial: Marco hits, but then notices his cloak's on fire
- Full: Marco shoots the guy
- Extra: Marco shoots the guy more
Sophia, in the crow's nest at night, keeps an eye out for enemy ships
- Skill: Resolve (the ships aren't hiding as such, you just need to stay focused)
- Failure: Sophia doesn't notice the ship until it's firing at them
- Partial: Sophia sees the ship, but not until it's in a bad position relative to her
- Full: Sophia sees the ship in time to react
- Extra: Sophia sees the ship early, and a small island that could be used for maneuvering or hiding or whatever
Marco incites two duelists to fight over him to discredit them in front of the king
- Skill: Talk Down (this is inciting) or Talk Up (flirting) (needs work)
- Failure: He says the wrong thing and ends up getting called out himself by one of the duelists
- Partial: They do start the duel, but the king doesn't see it and only hears a rumor
- Full: They start the fight in front of the king and get a reprimand
- Extra: They start the fight and one is badly hurt; the other gets a serious reprimand
Sophia tries to help out the badly-wounded survivor of a duel
- Skill: Academics, or maybe Science since it's "applied"
- Failure: She can't stop the bleeding, he dies (or is unconscious or whatever)
- Partial: She stops the bleeding, but it uses up her last thing of herbs or whatever and can't help anyone else until she gets more
- Full: She patches him up
- Extra: She patches him up, enough for him to get up and act a bit if needed
Marco drives a wagon down a street and through a (closed) city gate
- Skill: Brawn (arguably, but it seems like you're sort of fighting for control of the wagon as it goes)
- Failure: Big smash-up at the gate, and Marco is trapped in the wreckage
- Partial: Marco is thrown free at the last minute; the wagon smashes the gate but now the area's swarming with guards
- Full: Marco smashes through the gate, huzzah
- Extra: Marco smashes through the gate, and the wagon is still patched together enough to be used to flee in
Sophia tries to out-drink a sailor to get him out of the way
- Skill: Brawn (could be Resolve, but this seems mostly about physical capacity than willpower)
- Failure: Sophia's out herself
- Partial: Sophia gets the sailor drunk finally, but she is also pretty drunk herself
- Full: Sophia gets the sailor drunk and she shrugs off most of the liquor
- Extra: Sophia gets the sailor drunk, and in the process he lets something important slip
Marco and his companion set off a blade trap; Marco tries to push his companion out of the way
- Skill: Reflexes (or I suppose Brawn if the most important thing is the speed of pushing)
- Failure: Both Marco and companion get hit normally
- Partial: Marco and companion each take half
- Full: Marco takes the damage, companion takes none
- Extra: Marco takes reduced damage, companion takes none
Sophia and her companion hold up a merchant in an alley
- Skill: Talk Down (this is basically intimidate)
- Failure: The merchant's shouting attracts a guard
- Partial: The merchant hands over the stuff, and then the guard arrives
- Full: The merchant forks over the stuff
- Extra: The merchant faints, Sophie can rifle his pockets freely
Marco, in disguise as a guard, tries to bluff his way past some other guards
- Skill: Talk Down (if he's intimidating them) or Talk Up (flattering) (needs work)
- Failure: Marco says the wrong thing and blows his disguise
- Partial: Marco talks his way past, but another guard is coming with him as an escort
- Full: Marco talks his way past, but they'll file a report on it
- Extra: Marco talks his way past, and convinces them not to let anyone else know
