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Offline Quickman

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Welcome to Wushu!  This has been discussed in various other topics, and after some planning, it's finally getting off the ground!  So, we're kicking it off with the rules and character signups for your first learn-as-you-play campaign!  Oh my god, exclamatory sentences are awesome, I can't stop using them!

INDEX

This is going to be a long introductory post, as this is RPM's first Wushu campaign.  Thus, everything needs to be explained, and I will attempt to be as concise as possible.  So, here's the golden rules of Wushu, the ancient art of roleplaying:
[spoiler=Basic description and rules!]
PRINCIPLE OF NARRATIVE TRUTH
“Everything the players describe happens exactly as they describe it, when they describe it.”

Basically, what you say happens.  All narrative and authoritative power is the player's.  You don't ask the DM if you can do something, and then role to see if you succeed.  You do it.  You do that something, and the dice merely determine how much you progress the scene.

And speaking of dice...  That's the DM's job.  Don't worry about pilfering a handful of dice from Monopoly or something.

Now, of course, there are exceptions.  Everyone should more or less be on the same page as the other players.  You don't bring forcefields to a Cops and Robbers game.  If your character pulls something out of their ass that comes straight out of nowhere and has nothing to do with the game or scene or anything, the DM (and other players) have the option to veto this.

Veto: If the description doesn't feel right, veto it.  This basically keeps god-moding in check.  If a character does something out of line with their character description, veto it.  If Jabba rushes from one end of the room to another so he can body-check some mook, veto the hell out of that!  Jabba doesn't walk-- he bounces.

COUP DE GRACE
“You can’t narrate complete victory without first resolving a scene’s mechanical component.”

You can't narrate blowing away everything and the entire challenge in your first turn.  For example, you're a bounty hunter after a wily smuggler.  You can't narrate hauling the smuggler in and getting paid in your first scene.  First, you need to find that smuggler.  Then, you need to apprehend him.  But, that smuggler has friends!  You need to get passed those friends.  There are mechanical story points and challenges that need to be met before a scene is over.  This rule also prevents blatant god-moding.

EVERYTHING IS A DETAIL
Basically, the devil is in the details.  We're using a modified version in which the DM awards dice to players depending on their narrative and how well it progresses a scene.  If you give us a really good narrative that describes you ass-kicking your way through a platoon of mooks with such finesse and flair, so you can fight your way across the room and disarm the locks to the door that has trapped your fellow players in a garbage masher, you'd get more dice.  If you give us a narrative of filler that does nothing but describe how awesome your bicycle kicks are, you don't get any additional dice, as you had not progressed the narrative.

Go nuts.  Describe stuff in detail.  But, avoid mindless filler.  Progress the scene and do it with style!

...CHOOSE THE RIGHT DETAILS FOR THE GAME
Continuing... make sure your details make sense within the context of the campaign.  If you're playing a Star Wars campaign, keep it Star Wars related.[/spoiler]

CORE MECHANICS
More rules!  This is going to be long.
[spoiler=Core mechanics]
Description
Wushu uses a dice pool.  Basically, a handful of d6.  Each item of your description is a die, and for this campaign, there is a cap of five dice.  By all means, go nuts with your description, but keep in mind that it won't earn you additional dice.  Also keep in mind that the dice are awarded by the DM.  You need to impress us (Ringman and I).

Basically, a description would go something like this:  "Fett steps into the room (1) and eyes the competition. (2)  He pulls out his blaster (3) and fires off a round of shots in quick succession (4), which topple the unsuspecting faceless mercenaries like dominoes. (5)"  (Note: You don't need to add the numbers.  Those were to show what equals to a die.)

Resolution
After your description, the DM rolls your dice (default is three) and they tell you how effective your narration was in bringing the scene closer to a resolution.  Keep in mind, everything happens how you describe it.  If you kick down a door, you kick down a door.

Yin and Yang (Defense and Offense)
When faced with opposition, the dice would be split into two separate pools, which would be rolled against each other and your character's traits.  This is where it gets complicated, the main reason why the DM would be handling all of this.  Yang dice are offensive dice.  Yin dice are defensive dice.  Your successful Yin rolls cancel out someone else's successful Yang rolls.

Successes
Characters are defined by traits (more later), which are rated from 1-5.  When it's time to roll your dice, pick a trait that's relevant to the actions you described.  If you don't have one, the default rating is 2.  Every dice that rolls above that trait's rating is a failure.  Rolls under that rating are a success.  If there are any Yang successes that have not been canceled out by your Yin rolls, you take a hit.

Chi
Chi could basically be seen as energy.  Default Chi rating is usually 3.  If your Yin does not cancel out the opposing Yang, your Chi takes a hit.  For example, if there is a remaining Yang die, your Chi takes 1 hit.  Keep in mind, though, that you can still play and kick ass just as fine as you did before.  The Chi is your narrative power.  If it reaches 0, you become incapacitated and unable to narrate.  At the DM's discretion, Chi points can be awarded after a round or so.  Until then, though, your incapacitated character is at the mercy of the DM's whims.

CONFLICTS
Mook conflicts
These nameless, faceless NPCs are as the player describes, in any number as the player describes.  The scene will be assigned a threat rating (general number on how many mooks there are), but the description of these NPCs are all left to the player.  Go nuts.  They can be cloned as needed.

The threat rating will be determined by the DM.  The easy equation we plan to use would be the dice cap minus 2, times the number of rounds (DC-2xRN=TR).  So, the dice cap is 5, minus 2, times, say, ten rounds, which gives us a threat rating of 30.  Now that you're confused, keep in mind that this is the DM's job.  So, if you want to DM a Wushu campaign, I hope that you're taking notes!

Each Yang success by the player reduces the Threat Rating by 1.  When the rating reaches 0, the player who knocked it out gets to describe the coup de grace and resolve the scene.  Basically, if your turn eliminates the threat rating, you get to describe the killing blow.

Mooks don't roll any dice, so each player facing mooks must get 1 Yin success per round, or lose 1 point of Chi. 

Nemesis conflicts
Basically, the boss.  These guys (usually one, but they can have mini-bosses on their side!) are treated as a player.  They have a character sheet, traits, weaknesses, they describe their actions and they roll.  The DM will handle these.  These are NPCs with attitude.

The coup de grace rule still applies here.  When the boss's Chi is knocked down to 0, the boss is essentially defeated and the player who delivered the final blow gets to describe the scene resolution.  Keep in mind that since the boss is a character, they can also do the same to you!

Scab rolls
This is for when you want to roll against something without making a big production out of it.  Say, stumbling across the room to find a light switch.  Grab dice equal to the relevant trait and roll them, comparing them to the following scale:
1- Good work!  You succeeded without fail!
2- Good success, but mission (barely) accomplished.
3- You succeed, but there are some consequences.
4- Garden variety failure.
5- Really bad, embarrassing failure.
6- Failing so hard that it defies comprehension. 

These types of rolls can also work for sneaking past guards.[/spoiler]

CHARACTER CREATION
[spoiler=Character creation basics]
Traits
These can be anything from a profession to an adjective.  It's good to have a nice balance of physical (fighting) and mental traits.  Traits start at 2 and you can have 8 points to raise them.  A maximum of 3 traits is usually a good amount.  And it's good to have some generic and catch-all traits to make up for anything that might come up in the narrative.  Otherwise, if your traits are far too specific, you'd be rolling against a 2 for most of the game.

Weaknesses
These are traits with a rating of 1.  They can be anything.  These are to balance out your character and keep the god-moding in check.  These will not come into play often, as normally, your character would try to avoid their weaknesses, whatever they may be.  Your character sheet will have two weaknesses, both rating a 1.  If you attempt to act against your weakness, you need to roll a 1.  Only a 1 is a success.[/spoiler]

Time limit
Players will have twenty-four (24) hours to submit a narrative during their turn.  After that point, if the player has not submitted a narrative, the DM will commandeer that player's character for that turn.  This time limit is mainly to keep the game moving along.

Discussion
So, there you have it!  That's the basics of Wushu.  Ringman and I will DM the play-as-you-learn game, and we have pre-built character sheets already.  There will be a period of signups, which I may start either later this weekend, or wait until Monday.  But, until then... after you slogged through the tl;dr, you guys up for Wushu? :D
« Last Edit: May 29, 2015, 04:25:29 AM by Quickman »



Offline Dr. Wily II

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Reply #1 on: February 23, 2013, 09:33:26 AM
Oh my god, you sure weren't kidding about all that detailing. XD

I think I'mma need more time to digest the details, I'll get back to you. XD


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Offline Quickman

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Reply #2 on: February 23, 2013, 09:45:14 AM
They may look confusing, but once you get into the gameplay, it's really not that hard of a system to get accustomed to.  Particularly if the DM is handling all of the dice rolls.  It's basically playing Pretend with rules and dice.  Really.  That's what it amounts to.


Offline Mr. Haxwell

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Reply #3 on: February 23, 2013, 04:40:19 PM
Damn, I'm eager to join, but like Wily, taking in all that, is going to take time getting used to.


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Offline Fxeni

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Reply #4 on: February 23, 2013, 05:35:23 PM
I'm up for it. There's a few things I'm not 100% sure about, but I figure I'd pick it up quickly enough.



Offline Quickman

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Reply #5 on: February 24, 2013, 06:54:23 AM
Okay, well Ringman and I did a play test this evening to hammer out the rules a bit more, as they still confused us (well, they still confused me).  I may redo the first post at a later date, but here's the skinny on the dice rolls and Threat Rating.

On your turn, you are attacking the scene and the scene is attacking you with the power of 1.  Let's say you roll against Trait 2, which has a rating of 4.  You divide your pool to three Yang dice and two Yin dice.  The results are as follows:

Yang: 3,2,2
Yin: 1,5

You have three Yang successes and one Yin success.  You have attacked the scene three times (Yang), and defended against the scene's attack (Yin).  You therefore reduce the Threat Rating by 3, and you don't lose any Chi.

On each turn, the scene is always attacking you with a rating of one die.  You should reasonably have at least one Yin die to defend yourself against the scene.  Let's see the above rolls again with different results:

Yang: 1,4,6
Yin: 5,6

You rolled against a 4 and attacked the scene with three dice, but only with two successes.  You reduce the Threat Rating by 2.  But, wait!  You did not roll any successes against the scene's attack!  Thus, you lose one point of Chi.  

Let's see the scenario a third time with the same pool of Yin and Yang dice:

Yang: 5,6,5
Yin: 3,4

You rolled against a four and had no successes.  Thus, you do not advance the scene or lower the Threat Rating.  However, you did roll two successes for your Yin dice.  Thus, you easily defend yourself from the scene's attack and get to keep your Chi.

The rolls are about advancing the scene.  Yang advances the scene, as you attack the scene and lower the Threat Rating.  Yin defends yourself from the scene's attack on you (metaphorical attack, it doesn't actually do anything).  The scene is always threatening you with a rating of 1.  Your Yin dice defend that attack, should you roll a success.

Here's a sample of play:

DM: You guys find yourself overlooking the compound.  The rocky outcropping can be climbed, but there is also a path that winds down to the base.  There are guards milling about.  This scene has a Threat Rating of 10.

Player: All right, I'm using the Bounty Hunter trait.  Anyway, so Dengar hefts his blaster up to aim and picks off a guard in the distance.  The other guards notice that their comrade had fallen, so they start looking around for where the shot came from.  Dengar uses this distraction to pick off two more guards before someone points at the cliff.  A blaster bolt hits the rocks near where Dengar is crouching. "Uh oh...  Think we been spotted..."

DM: You're rolling against a three...  Two Yang, plus one Yin.  That's two ones and a four.  You lower the Threat Rating by two and advance the scene.

Player2: Okay, I'm using Toolbox for this one.  Fett shakes his head at Dengar's stupidity because he blew their cover.  So Fett takes out a small rocket-propelled smoke grenade and slips down into the winding path.  Hiding behind an outcropping, he fires the grenade down into a parked open-top speeder.  The grenade smokes and it billows out of the speeder, and the guards rush to deal with it.  Fett looks at Dengar and says, "Now, while they're distracted..." and he slips farther down the path, taking care to be unnoticed.

DM:  Rolling against a 4.  That's three Yang dice and two Yin.  Rolling them bones... 2, 4, 1... 1 and 3.  You reduce the Threat Rating by three and advance the scene.


Offline Dr. Wily II

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Reply #6 on: February 24, 2013, 08:30:43 AM
OK, I think I'm game. XD


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Offline White-Jet

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Reply #7 on: February 24, 2013, 08:45:47 AM
I might use this for my Magical Dash RP once I find the time to get to know the mechanics better and flesh out a more believable storyline.



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Offline Quickman

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Reply #8 on: February 24, 2013, 08:51:06 AM
Yeah, Wushu is pretty simple and can be customized heavily.  What threw me was the Threat Rating.  It's more of a Mook Rating, or The Tally that You Need to Bring Down to Complete the Scene.  It's not the actual number of mooks, as that's arbitrary and left up to the player.  Seriously.

You could describe blowing away fifty mooks and roll one success and knock the rating down by 1.  You could knock off one mook and knock the rating down by 3.  The number of mooks, unless otherwise specified, is determined by the players.  The threat rating is That Tally that You Need to Bring Down to Complete the Scene.


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Reply #9 on: February 25, 2013, 07:26:44 AM
You know what?  I'm impatient.  Let's get this damn thing underway!  I have my dice ready and the story went through a revision, and the campaign was play-tested.  Let's open the signups!

Wushu Signups!

There are seven characters and five available slots.  The signup period will last a week, or until all slots are filled, whichever comes first.  When signing up, please indicate which character you would like to portray.  For this play-as-you-learn, we have supplied you with pre-built character sheets.  

The Characters

Bossk
Chi- 3
[spoiler=Character sheet]
BOSSK
TRAITS
  • Strongman - “Strong am I with the Force ...”5 –This character is tough.  He can punch, and kick harder than a jackhammer, and is able to lift most heavy objects with ease.
  • Intimidating - “It's not wise to upset a Wookiee.” - 4 – This character can scare the pants off of most    people, with sheer looks alone. Can be used to scare opponents, or manipulate others.
  • Bounty Hunter - "Bounty hunters, we don't need their scum." - 3 - Adequately skilled in most bounty-hunting related feats including handling most weapons, piloting, tracking, and managing accounts on the blood market.

WEAKNESSES
  • Temperamental - “Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they.” - 1 – This character has some serious temper problems.  In situations of extreme pressure, they will act in rage often getting  them in trouble.
  • Racist (Wookiees) - “Hate leads to suffering.” - 1 – This character has an extreme hatred or prejudice against a certain species.  They will not work with these characters and will most often attack  them outright.
[/spoiler]

Dengar
Chi-3
[spoiler=Character sheet]
DENGAR
TRAITS
  • Ace "I'm not such a bad pilot myself" -5 – Is able to fly/pilot almost any standard vehicle with skill, as well as handle basic maintenance.
  • Strongman - “Strong am I with the Force ...”4 –This character is tough.  He can punch, and kick harder than a jackhammer, and is able to lift most heavy objects with ease.
  • Bounty Hunter - "Bounty hunters, we don't need their scum." - 3 - Adequately skilled in most bounty-hunting related feats including handling most weapons, piloting, tracking, and managing accounts on the blood market.

WEAKNESSES
  • Temperamental - “Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they.” - 1 – This character has some serious temper problems.  In situations of extreme pressure, they will act in rage often getting  them in trouble.
  • Idiot - “The ability to speak does not make you intelligent.”- 1 – Beyond his specialties, this character    is dumb as dirt.  He has serious trouble in any situations that require significant mental capacity.
[/spoiler]

Boba Fett
Chi-3
[spoiler=Character sheet]
BOBA FETT
TRAITS
  • Toolbox - “Sir, if any of my circuits or gears will help” - 4- This character has an unfathomable array of gadgets on their person. Whether mini-weapons, or utilities they always seem to have a tool for any situation.
  • Rocketman - “Where can I get rocket boots?” - 4 – This character can fly, no ship required.  They have a jet-pack, rocket boots, or even just wings that enable them to take flight and perform stunning aerial maneuvers with ease.
  • Bounty Hunter - "Bounty hunters, we don't need their scum." - 4 - Adequately skilled in most bounty-hunting related feats including handling most weapons, piloting, tracking, and managing accounts on the blood market.

WEAKNESSES
  • Blindsided - “Boba Fett? Boba Fett? Where?”-1 – While this character can be dangerous if encountered on his terms, he's very easy to get the drop on.  Sneaky opponents, hidden, or just out of the character's view have no trouble getting in the first hit.
  • Scoundrel - “Scoundrel?  I like the sound of that.” - 1 – This character has a bad reputation for being rotten.  He's not good at dealing with authorities, and most people just don't trust him.  Likewise, this character rarely trusts anyone else.
[/spoiler]

Greedo
Chi-3
[spoiler=Character sheet]
GREEDO
TRAITS
  • Sneaky - “You cannot hide forever.” - 5 - This guy is a ninja.  He easily blends in with a crowd and hangs around unnoticed.  He can hide around corners and jump on people when they least expect it.
  • Sniper "Only Imperial stormtroopers are so precise." - 4 - With careful aim, this character can hit anything with his/her ranged weapon of choice.
  • Bounty Hunter - "Bounty hunters, we don't need their scum." - 3 - Adequately skilled in most bounty-hunting related feats including handling most weapons, piloting, tracking, and managing accounts on the blood market.

WEAKNESSES
  • Cowardice - “The Sand People are easily startled ...”1 -  While by no means any less dangerous, this character prefers more dirty tactics in fighting and will run or avoid situations where he/she    doesn't clearly have the upper edge.
  • Greedy - “Greed can be a very powerful ally.” - 1 – This character will do anything for a quick buck, and is easily tempted by offers of fortune.  Will likely sell out his own friends if given the chance.
[/spoiler]

IG-88
Chi-3
[spoiler=Character sheet]
IG-88
TRAITS
  • Weapons Master - “a weapon capable of destroying a planet” -5- This character is extremely adept at using almost any weapon imaginable and is capable of improvising new weapons on the fly.
  • Droid Brain - “Don't call me a mindless philosopher” -  4 – This character possesses great analytic capabilities, and can remember large amounts of information and details.
  • Bounty Hunter - "Bounty hunters, we don't need their scum." - 3 - Adequately skilled in most bounty-hunting related feats including handling most weapons, piloting, tracking, and managing accounts on the blood market.

WEAKNESSES
  • Socially Inept - "I just don't understand human behavior." - 1 – Not particularly skilled in sensing the motives and habits of living beings, despite being well-versed in various customs.
  • Stiff Joints -  " ... my joints are freezing up." - 1 – Droids are not typically built for acrobatics and agility.
[/spoiler]

For your reference, here are the DM characters.  For this play-as-you-learn, I chose Zuckuss and Ringman chose 4-LOM.

4-LOM (Played by Ringman)
Chi-3
[spoiler=Character sheet]
4-LOM

TRAITS
  • Sniper "Only Imperial stormtroopers are so precise." - 5 - With careful aim, this character can hit anything with his/her ranged weapon of choice.
  • Droid Brain - “Don't call me a mindless philosopher” -  4 – This character possesses great analytic capabilities, and can remember large amounts of information and details.
  • Protocol Droid - "Human-cyborg relations" - 3 - Can speak or translate almost any known language, and, with some effort, is capable of extrapolating unknown languages.

WEAKNESSES
  • Socially Inept - "I just don't understand human behavior." - 1 – Not particularly skilled in sensing the motives and habits of living beings, despite being well-versed in various customs.
  • Stiff Joints -  " ... my joints are freezing up." - 1 – Droids are not typically built for acrobatics and agility.
[/spoiler]

Zuckuss (Played by Quickman)
Chi-3
[spoiler=Character sheet]
ZUCKUSS
TRAITS
  • Martial Arts Master - “Ohhh. Great warrior." - 5 – Well versed in hand-to-hand combat, and is able best most attackers using his just his fists and feet.
  • Findsman - “You can run, but you can't hide. Not from me!” - 4 – Possesses uncanny tracking abilities and can find anything.  This extends to retrieving any needed tools as long as they'd be expected to be in that location.
  • Bounty Hunter - "Bounty hunters, we don't need their scum." - 3 - Adequately skilled in most bounty-hunting related feats including handling most weapons, piloting, tracking, and managing accounts on the blood market.

WEAKNESSES
  • Cowardice - “The Sand People are easily startled ...”1 -  While by no means any less dangerous, this character prefers more dirty tactics in fighting and will run or avoid situations where he/she    doesn't clearly have the upper edge.
  • Crackpot  - “ ... but I ain't crazy.”1 – This character is defined by their eccentric behavior and can act unpredictable in chaotic situations.  They are also not well received by most social circles.
[/spoiler]

Now, onto the signup sheet.  Please post the entire list in your reply, with your name and character of choice listed.  This way, I can better keep track of who signs up.

SIGNUPS
1. Quickman (Zuckuss) (DM)
2. Ringman (4-LOM) (co-DM)
3. Protoman Blues (IG-88)
4. Maine Coon Hazard (Boba Fett)
5. Dr. Wily II (Bossk)
6. Pyro (Greedo)


If you have any questions, feel free to ask!  The signups will last a week, or until all available slots are filled.
« Last Edit: March 05, 2013, 02:53:02 AM by Quickman »



Offline Protoman Blues

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Reply #10 on: February 25, 2013, 07:36:51 AM
PB calls IG-88

Also, did you make Greedo adept at sniping just to stick it to Lucas for the Han Shot First thing?  8D



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Reply #11 on: February 25, 2013, 07:44:37 AM
Yep!  I mean, look at those eyes.  There would be no way he'd miss.  And his ninja trait is because he got the drop on Han.  Greedo practically came out of nowhere.  He makes a good rogue.


Offline Mr. Haxwell

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Reply #12 on: February 25, 2013, 10:57:53 AM
I think I'll choose Boba Fett.


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Offline Dr. Wily II

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Reply #13 on: February 25, 2013, 12:52:56 PM
Might as well try to learn, and learn to try!

Bossk! I choose you! *looks up*


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Reply #14 on: February 25, 2013, 04:02:47 PM
Y'know it might be fun to play an avaricious coward (if the character sheet is any indication) like Greedo and try to sell my "friends" out at every opportunity. Just keep keep me away from Han. :P

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Reply #15 on: February 25, 2013, 05:53:31 PM
Just letting you know I'm here.  Since this is a first time for most of us, the rules may change to adjust the group. 

I'd like to clarify some of the rules:

The GM determines the number and type of dice you get per turn, by YOUR NARRATIVE.  The more details/actions you describe the more dice you'll be awarded.  This is typically capped at 5 total.  The kinds of actions you describe will determine what kind of dice.  For example, if you describe your character doing something to bring the scene to a resolution (like killing bad guys, defusing a bomb, or plotting the best route between planets), you will be awarded Yang dice which, if successful, will reduce the Threat Rating.  If you describe you're character doing anything reactive or defensive like your character getting hurt, running, or putting himself in a defensive position, that gets a Yin dice.  If the type of action can't really be put in either context, it will typically default to Yin. 

As a courtesy the DM will always award you at least 1 free Yin dice to be used for defence against the scenes attack of 1 per round.  The more Yin dice you get, the less likely your character will end up losing chi, and ultimately losing their narrative power for that scene.  This provides an incentive to prevent people from constantly describing their character as always kicking ass.

Example:

The scene is a hallway firefight between Imperial Storm Troopers and 4-LOM.

4-LOM's narrative:
"4-LOM strafes out from behind the wall, into the corridor, and shoots one of the troopers in the gap of the armor on their left shoulder, effectively forcing him to drop his blaster.  The Stormtrooper behind him fires a return shot, that narrowly misses 4-LOM's head.  4-LOM, dives back into his safe spot behind the wall, just before the hallway becomes flooded with a cloud of blaster bolts.  4-LOM, now safe in the alcove, runs a diagnostics on himself to check for damage, and finding none, prepares for the next shot."

DM's interpretation:
The relevant trait, which is typically stated by the player, but can be overridden by the DM, is Sniper.
The DM assigns the player 4 dice for 4 actions: 4 LOM shoots/has a near miss/hides/runs diagnostics.  Your mileage may very. 

Here's how the DM might assign the dice:
 - Shooting - Yang (4-LOM tried to kill the bad guys)
 - Near miss - Yin (4-LOM played a passive role in this action)
 - Hiding - Yin (4-LOM attempted to gain a better defensive position)
 - Diagnostics - Yin ( This is mostly a passive action, as 4-LOM is not currently trying to eliminate the threat )

The DM would then roll for the player.   At least 1 successful Yin roll is needed to defend the player from the attack of 1 from the scene.  4-LOM has 3 chances at this.  If his 1 Yang dice is successful it will reduce the threat rating by 1.

Now here's a contrasting narrative:
"4-LOM goes full offensive, and takes out multiple troopers with his blaster.  3 of them drop from head shots. As fourth trooper comes charging at him, 4-LOM drops the man with a body shot.  4-LOM lets out a disturbing synthetic laugh as he lobs a thermal detonator at the leftovers. The explosion is massive, sending 5 more storm troopers flying into nearby walls, dying instantly. 4-LOM reloads his blaster and shouts "Hasta Salami, got nothing on me!"."

The DM interprets as this:
Trait : Sniper
 - Shoots troopers the first 3 - Yang
 - Shoots troopers the fourth trooper - Yang
 - Lobs detonator at troopers - Yang
 - Taunts the enemy - Yin*  (This one would be counted as a Yang, since taunts are considered an offensive tactic to demoralize the enemy, but the DM gives the player a Yin as a courtesy.)

So that's 3 Yang, and 1 Yin.  The plus-side of having more Yang, is that 4-LOM could potentially remove up to 3 points from the scene's threat rating.  The downside is, if that one Yin roll fails, 4-LOM will lose a point of chi.  If 4-LOM loses all of his chi, he doesn't get to do any more narration for this scene.

To reiterate - BALANCE IS IMPORTANT.  Describe your character constantly acting cool and always on the offence, and you may see your narration get cut-short.  Describe your character constantly running from everything, and always on the defensive, and you won't be reducing the threat-rating which will drag the scene out. 

My advice:
At the beginning of the scene, play it safe. Try to describe an equal amount of defence and reaction as offence and action.  As the scene finally begins wearing to a close, if you've still got plenty of chi to spare, narrate your character performing more risky, ass-kicking actions.  It will make for a more dramatic sequence to see characters that are clearly out-gunned in the beginning, but start gain the upper-hand in the end.

@Quickman: Sorry if this post was a bit wordy, feel free to trim it down to be more concise, and add it to the main rules post.  Also let me know if you disagree with anything.



Offline Quickman

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Reply #16 on: February 26, 2013, 08:34:03 AM
It looks good to me.  That's pretty much how I was going to assign the rolls.  Regardless of their narrative, everyone was going to get a free Yin die up to the dice cap.  So, you could have four Yangs and one Yin, if your narrative was entirely offensive play.  Otherwise, without that single Yin, you would lose a point of Chi, regardless of how you advance the scene.  This is because you didn't defend yourself from the scene's threat.

Remember:  The scene is always threatening you.  You should thus have at least one defensive roll to defend yourself from it.

Player sheet updated.  There is one slot left and one character left (Dengar).  Once all slots are filled or the signup period ends (whichever comes first), I'll determine player order (rolling a d8, the NPCs will always go last) and then begin play.  If anyone has any questions or needs things cleared up, now's the time to start asking!  Once play begins, all non-play-related discussion and non-narrative posts should be presented in brackets.


Offline Ringman

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Reply #17 on: February 26, 2013, 02:39:04 PM
Well, if we don't get Dengar, then I nominate Boba Fett as our pilot!  I remember our play test with Zuckuss piloting using only a 3!  :o



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Reply #18 on: February 27, 2013, 04:00:56 AM
It's a good thing that Zuckuss's voices were really encouraging that day! XD


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Reply #19 on: March 05, 2013, 03:06:11 AM
Alrighty!  Signups are closed.  I have determined player order via d6.  The player order is as follows:

1. Protoman Blues
2. Pyro
3. Maine Coon Hazard
4. Dr. Wily II
5. Ringman
6. Quickman

All players have twenty-four (24) hours to submit a narrative on their turn!  If they do not submit a narrative after the time limit, the DM will commandeer their character for that turn, in order to progress the game!

Now that we've got that out of the way, let's get this game rolling!  Any non-gameplay discussion should be in parentheses.  Narratives can be submitted in any format, but please include a trait that you're rolling against.  The trait could be included before the narrative, with your actions based around the trait, or after the narrative, after deciding what trait best fits your narrative.  

Story so far:

Kouskareaux, the arrogant son of the king Khijana, has decided that he can no longer wait until his turn has rightfully come up for the throne.  Thus, he has contracted the services of a number of the top bounty hunters in the galaxy to eliminate King Khijana.  The hit is to look like an assassination, as the hunters were told that King Khijana is a corrupt and evil man, with his fingers in the pockets of the poor.  This is a risky business offer, as should the bounty hunters fail, they will find themselves earning the ire of Kouskareaux, a very powerful man indeed.  Should they succeed... Well, let's just say that royal assassination never looks very pretty on one's résumé.  But, the price is right, and if Kouskareaux's credits shine, they're in.

Ship lands on asteroid, but it tripped perimeter alarm.  Khijana's thugs know that there are intruders on the asteroid base!  The bounty hunters, armed to the teeth, prepare themselves to infiltrate the base via the sewers.  Fortunately, 4-LOM had downloaded a floor plan of the sewer system after downloading them from the electronically-locked door.

The sewers have no atmosphere.  The bounty hunters are equipped with vacuum suits and the droids are immune.  Low gravity in the sewer.  Sewer tunnel has four branching paths.  Closest to left is higher, smaller, and with water coming out of it.  Second to right is larger, closer to the ground, dark, with slime and weird smells.  Beyond that, the tunnel comes to a dead end which branches off to the right and left, like a T.  You can see flickers of light reflected on the walls.  Zuckuss hears distant sirens.  You hear distant splashing that is coming closer.

Mook rating is 50 for ten rounds.

(Take it away, PB!  You get to kick this off.)


Offline Protoman Blues

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(Here's hoping I do this right! XD)

IG-88 rolls for Droid Brain

"QUIET. FROIDS." IG-88 said to the other hunters, still upset that the ship he was on tripped the perimeter alarm. What was suppose to be a stealthy assassination attempt was already in jeopardy due to working with feeble minded froids (flesh-roids). IG-88 hated Froids. He hated working with them. He hated being around them. If he didn't need them right now he'd just kill them all right here.

"PREPARE. YOURSELVES." IG-88 said as he began to analyze the situation.


(Trying to keep it short for the first entry.)



Offline Quickman

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(Okay, two Yins and one Yang (I'll count the alerting of the other characters as an action, rather than a defense), so...

Yang- 5
Yin- 3, 1

The mook rating remains the same, and it is now...

Pyro's turn!)

(Keep in mind: You guys decide on how many enemies there are, how they act, how they look, what they do, and how you beat the crap out of them.  The enemies are not the DM's job.  They're yours to play with.)


Offline Pyro

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(I guess I roll for Sneaky?)

"Don't tell me what to do, you glorified protocol droid," Greedo grumbled before his attention turned to the splashing noise in the distance.

He quietly broke off and moved towards the source of the noise. The last thing he needed now was for guard or a custodian to stumble upon their little operation so he took his blaster out from its holster and stayed close to the walls and waited for the noise to get closer.

Come and read some Thoughts of a Platypus


Offline Quickman

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QuickEdit: Recalculated roll, your Chi is fine.  My bad!

(Alrighty, four dice: Two Yins and two Yangs, rolling against a 5... Roll them bones!
 
Yin: 5, 5
Yang: 3, 1

Mook rating reduced by four.)

(Maine Coon Hazard is up, and the mook rating is 46.)

(Feel free to go nuts with your narrations and take out some mooks!  Remember, you control the mooks, the DM does not.  You control the mook numbers and actions.  If you want to bring in a bunch and start kicking their asses, go for it!)


Offline Protoman Blues

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(So did I do it right? XD)