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Post by CRTaylor on May 23, 2014 15:15:06 GMT
I think we're not as far apart as you believe. You're trying to tell everyone here you've never fudged a die roll because it would ruin the fun of a player or make things miesrable? That you're unable to think of a situation where a bad die roll would result in a miserable experience for the players and the GM?
See my philosophy is that we're playing a game, and that game is for entertainment; its meant to be fun. So as much as possible, we should avoid situations and events that make people feel awful and ruin the fun. I expect you are not at all opposed to that concept either.
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kravenkor
Double Digit Master
"We're making a better world; all of them. Better worlds."
Posts: 92
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Post by kravenkor on May 23, 2014 18:27:28 GMT
See, I actually prefer the possibility that a bad roll will eff things up for the characters. I've had many games change utterly in fantastic ways as a result of a lousy roll at an important juncture. Maybe I'm just old-school. Or something. Yeah, but my Lostorum campaign would see people making new characters every week if I went for that level of realism and letting the dice fall where they may.
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kravenkor
Double Digit Master
"We're making a better world; all of them. Better worlds."
Posts: 92
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Post by kravenkor on May 23, 2014 18:35:05 GMT
Hero points won't negate the possibility of something bad happening, just the possibility of something really bad ruining the game or the scene because of a lame die roll. Its not like you give these things out by the handful as a GM, I am very stingy with them. And really, every GM worth their salt will fudge a roll if its going to ruin the game, this just puts it in the players' hands and gives them a choice of using their hero point now or saving it for another time they can't forsee. We have different approaches to games. I don't believe a game can be ruined or a scene can be ruined by a bad roll. I think you get a different result than you expected. I don't think that's bad. Also, the "story" to me shouldn't be predetermined: "At this point Aquaman successfully summons whales to smash the trawler." I think the GM needs to be prepared for what happens if Aquaman fails to smash the trawler because he rolls poorly and no whales are in the area. Are players today so coddled they can't accept their characters failing due to an unlucky roll? Are GMs so set on their "story" that they can't accept a divergent outcome? Why use dice at all? Why not just narrate what happens? If my Hero dies due to rolling an 18 on a riding check and dashing his head open on a rock, I think that is "not the kind of game I want to play." If he dies trying to stop Darth Cheney from taking over the Republic, due to that same 18 and having spent all his HAP's... that's a good death.
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Lou Goncey
Double Digit Master
Read more. Write more. Whine less.
Posts: 20
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Post by Lou Goncey on Jan 11, 2017 14:04:38 GMT
How do I handle HAPs? Easy. Just don't use them. Hero System is not the kind of game system that benefits from such meta-currency.
If I was worried about something like that, I would give each PC 3d6 of Luck for free...
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Post by rduneil on Mar 6, 2018 20:24:21 GMT
I have a "Chit" system that I derived from Deadlands, that I use as a NAR mechanic on top of Hero's excellent task resolution system.
Players draw "chits" at the beginning of the game (glass beads of different colors) based on how much luck they have. (Because of this system, everyone buys luck, and it is essentially a defining characteristic of named characters and PCs.)
The chits have different abilities based on the color. White chits are lowest, most prevalent. and you can spend them for a reroll, an auto-recovery, taking a defensive abort action without a held move.
Black chits are next, allow all things a white could do, allow for a power stunt, automatic hit, or you may make a Narrative addition to a scene, effectively giving limited Director Stance to the player, but the GM draws a chit to add to GM pile, to use against players/for the antagonists. (You get something good now, but things can go wrong later.) Example: "As I speed away, a car pulls out in front of the cops, delaying their pursuit!"
Blue chits are next level, do all that a black would, but no extra chit pull for the GM.
Gold Chit/Red Chit... only one of each. Allows the player all benefits of below, or you may make a Significant Narrative addition (full Director Stance) that can have impact beyond just the current scene, and even affect the course of the campaign. Example: "While infiltrating the bad guy's base, I find an open terminal and am able to access secret financial files. I dump them on the internet, directed to several news outlets, who will expose these criminal financial streams." (This was actually one that a PC used, that was really cool, and totally changed the shape of the campaign, as it forced the hidden villains into the light and overt action, rather than behind the scenes manipulation.)
Red Chit is brand new, just trying it out. Basically does same as Gold, but you get "bad Karma" with it, which means the GM takes the Red Chit when spent and holds it for a particular twist/setback, etc., later in the game.
All chits are use 'em or lose 'em during the game except the Red, which sticks with the player until spent.
All narrative additions basically get a vote from the table. Nothing formal, but everyone gets as "yeah, that sounds cool" or "ehhh... doesn't feel right, let's try..." type of thing.
Players love it. It provides for really dramatic moments and a sense that the players have real influence over the direction of the game.
I'd never play a game without this kind of mechanic.
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