RPG Thoughts: Sometimes You Have to Go Back

. . . to go forward.

I’m working on a robust or complex TTRPG system right now—more complex than my usual ‘story-forward’ games but not to the level of D&D or GURPS—and I thought I faced an intractable problem. I have once again returned to trying to go with a “roll under” system, using successively smaller dice to replicate increased capabilities. I’ve done that before in simple systems—like Starship Commandos and Riggers—but in this one, damage was a problem. If smaller dice are used for higher capabilities, how does one then deal with damage?

At first, it seemed a no-brainer to use the difference between the successful roll and the target as the amount of damage. That works fine for low- or even medium-powered Challenges (the mechanical things the PCs are working against), but with high-powered Challenges—in which the target number is quite low—this wouldn’t work. Yes, one could chip away slowly and surely, but I always want the possibility for an amazing “one shot remove” for the Challenges, which also then remains a threat for the PCs as well.

I hadn’t really reviewed my previous work on this problem until recently. In writing about Aliens and TTRPGs, I mentioned Starship Commandos. That led me back there to look at the game—“pretty sure the ideas and hooks included this scenario, but I better make sure.” And out of curiosity, I checked the mechanics. There was my solution.

I had been going fully numerical with this latest game—as in each character had Stress which successful actions against the character increased. At a certain numerical amount of Stress, the character would reach an “intensity” that included penalties. Upon reaching a certain number of Stress, the character was removed from the scene.

Starship Commandos, a much simpler game, did not have numerical Stress, only levels. A successful action against a character increased their Stress level.

So far, so simple. But what about the “one shot remove”?

In Starship Commandos, if the player rolls a 1, they can spend a Fortune Point to roll again. If that roll is under the target, the Stress Level is increased another level. Another 1 allows another roll at the cost of a Fortune Point.

That won’t make exactly to the game I’m developing as the Fortune Point mechanic is less . . . generous. However, there is a mechanic called “Concept” that provides some minor mechanical benefits, that could allow an automatic extra roll if the player rolls a natural one. If Concept doesn’t apply, then the character can spend a Fortune Point to gain an extra roll and a chance to increase the Stress Level.

This means that I will need to re-approach how armour and weapons work, but I think that’s doable. At the very least, it is shaking up my approach to the problem, widening my aperture, so that I can come at the problem fresh.

Pity my poor playtesters who will find that—once again—the rules have changed when they weren’t looking.