I’ve some problem thinkin about the possible danger of an obstacle.
If the players have to deal with a complex lock to enter in a room (and not a trap, like the one in the example of play), which kind of danger can I create?
It can’t be “the lock brokes” because it will be to negate their victory.
It has to be directly connected with the obstacle or can be something else?
It doesn’t have to be connected. Directly: The tool can break or jam, Indirectly: a surprise patrol can be heard coming the PCs way. It can also cost them time.
As some spontaneous ideas:
Guards are coming by.
A ghost is alerted by the ruckus and informs who ever is behind.
A magical/ghostly trap is triggered and puts on hazard while the lock is only halfway done.
The pin breaks deep into the lock mechanism and will reveal who picked it.
The breaking of the lock is actually very loud and screechy.
Thanks. If it doesn’t have to be directly connected with the lock, the options are a lot!
Yep. Also, if there’s no danger, just an obstacle, it can be a controlled roll. There isn’t always a danger (just usually).
I suggest that if there’s no danger related to opening the lock, then there’s no need to roll at all. If the PC has sufficient time available to pick the lock and the only consequence (that you can think of at the time) is that they would need to try again, then just assume they succeed.
As yourself the question, “What would prevent them from from standing around, trying over and over until they get the lock open?” That’s your danger.
The “don’t roll at all” case, to me, is when you take the chest back to the lair and work on the lock there.
In the field, the best case you can manage is a controlled roll (which can snowball on a 4/5 or 1-3).
That’s is how I run it, anyway. The application of the game system is designed to be customized by the group.
Time could be a problem…you only have X minutes to open the door before the patrol comes back…
John Harper
” Also, if there’s no danger, just an obstacle, it can be a controlled roll. There isn’t always a danger (just usually)”.
So, if there’s no danger, the player make a controlled roll. And, only if he rolls a 1-3, then this reveal a flaw in his approach that will expose him to a danger.
So: there isn’t an immediate danger but he fails so hard that he has to face a danger. But a possible danger, not the effect of a danger as if it was a risky roll. Right?
Example: The player fail to pick the lock, so I can tell him that a guard is coming (he doesn’t think there was a guard – and originally there isn’t – but because he failed the roll, now I show him a danger. But the guard is only a future danger (I expose him to the danger; I’m not applying the effect of a danger; so he can still avoid it, maybe with another action roll that now is risky?).
Yes, that’s it exactly. Also, the player has the option to withdraw and try a different approach, instead.
Also Martino Gasparella, this is your chance to re-incorporate like crazy! Its the same as a player handing you a golden opportunity in ‘world games.
Ask yourself what are the people / places / things that the players are interested in? What are your clocks about? What details of the fiction are you tantalised about? What Devil’s Bargains have set up interesting possibilities?
Expose those things into danger. Is the player on point as part of a team action? Expose the teams’s interests to danger.
Threaten what they love / hate / desire. Make it a HARD choice.