The Skill Challenge

Posted on March 2, 2023 by First Age

I thought I’d set out some more thoughts on how I have approached the Skill Challenges to round off the Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition campaign. Skill Challenges, or linked Clocks as the Forged cool kids like to say, are great tools to progress and compress significant free flowing roleplay action with a mechanical underpinning.

The guidance for Skill Challenges in 4e developed a little over the lifetime of the books, though their essential nature and usefulness remained the same. I tend to gravitate to the Essentials Rules Compendium as my default reference, so I took the base structure from there.

To quote:

To deal with a typical skill challenge, a group of adventurers makes a series of skill checks, sometimes taking a few rounds and sometimes spread over days of game time. The DM either informs the players when the challenge begins or lets it begin quietly, when an adventurer makes a skill check that the DM counts as the first check of the challenge. As the challenge proceeds, the DM might prompt the players to make checks, let them choose when to make checks, or both. The DM can have the adventurers act in initiative order or in some other order of his or her choice. The DM might tell the players which skills to use, let them improvise which ones they use, or both.

The skill challenge is completed either when a specified number of successful skill checks is achieved or when three failures are reached.

If the adventurers complete the challenge through achieving a target number of successes, they succeed at the challenge. Otherwise, they fail the challenge.

Whether the adventurers succeed or fail, they complete the challenge, face its consequences, and receive experience points for it.

In my penultimate challenge the overall  goal was to recruit neutral factions to your side for the Great Battle to come. In general, I kept to the advice in the Compendium in all but one regard. My approach was to keep it loose and directed by the players. 

I had in mind a series of key scenes, with some additions due to the actions of the players. Each key scene had a base DC (in this example it was often ‘Recruit Faction X’). Then we play, with the skills and actions coming out through play. As such, and my slight deviation from the guidance, I allowed the players to define the skills they would use and why (Forged in the Dark style). The DCs were modified up and down depending on their approach to each scene (analagous to FitD Effect).

So, the Skill Challenge was there, provided structure, but only lightly intruded the flow of play and action. That’s as they were designed. This ‘Skill Challenge with soft hands’ provides an optimal blend of play with consequence, driven by player agency and inventiveness. The scenes and DCs could be a little flexible over time. Clever play and good dice rolls would also reverse failures to keep goal success viable. I was a little loose on this too. I telegraphed when a skill roll was coming, though the players were not sure of DCs, so the hint of success came through the way the scene played out.  I also included Group Rolls for at least one of the Challenge rolls, so that all involved had a chance to influence the outcome. In this particular example In this example, I also moved Faction tokens onto one side or another on a shared view in Role VTT. 

Perhaps the key advantage to this approach is that the Skill Challenge is much simpler to set up. List out some pivotal scenes. Consider an overall DC for each scene’s success, using the difficulty levels suggested in the rules as a guide. That’s about it. The rest emerges organically in play, with the Success and Failure tally being ticked off as play progresses.

This example was a large and ‘complex’ skill challenge, but very quick to setup. Creaing the faction tokens and shared display took  most of my time. I’m looking forward to using these techniques a lot more. I might like to try openly shared clock views of progress, to get everything out in view.

Good fun, and a welcome variation in style and pace from the rich combat encounters. 4e really does have tremendous breadth and depth to gameplay.

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The Threads are Woven – A last campfire before the Great Battle

Posted on February 26, 2023 by First Age

We are reaching the second season conclusion of our D&D 4th Edition campaign, and it will be a tumultuous finale! The allies and foes that have been encountered over two real-time years of roleplay are now marshelling onto the battlefield for a climactic battle that will seal the fate of Nentir Vale, with repercussions across all of the old lands of the lost Empire of Nareth.

One of ‘Sturm und Drang’, our adventuring company, has been revealed as of the line of the old emperors, thought lost in the wars that dismantled Nerath in blood and fire. The line, it seems is unbroken, the Sword Of Nerath has returned. Allies, bound by pacts and covenants of old, are assembling to the old banner.

  • Emperor Aldoran (d -183)
  • Uhon Nerika last of the Ghost Blades took the emperors daughter far from the conflict – Adala daughter to the last emperor (d -123)
  • Seela daughter (b -153 d -90)
  • Dalorad (b -123 d -73)
  • Edrun (b -100 d -50)
  • Ygrath (b -70 d -20)
  • Haldin (b -45 d -0)
  • Marc – of the line of Nerath
Nothing is as straightforward as that may seem. Old allies have their own agendas, and an alliance is brokered as much on what is at risk and at stake, as to promises of old. The fireside tales of the old Nerath are mixed, with a rose tinged look back to a time of plenty and relative safety, but also to the sacrifices and tyrannies that ensued. This has been heightened by the return of the first emperor of Nerath, the lich, Magroth the Mad. As a representation of all that is bad about the old times, it has cast the news of a return of the true line in a more favourable light. If the battle is won, there will be a peace to keep.
On a more personal note, this will resolve or unravel a series of personal stories. Some more surprises are yet to come. Sturm und Drang may well continue, but unlikely the same.
The forces in play

I have been delighted to run ‘The Control of Nentir Vale’ as a complex Skill Challenge. Free flowing roleplay, as Sturm und Drang recruit allies (or not), and prepare for an impending battle. Arcane forces are also at play, with linked portals between sites and a growing school of magic that echoes the great places of learning of the past. Interspersed with key scenes have been skill rolls to determine progress with varying Difficulty Classes, influenced by the relationships forged in the game, and the nature and desires of the faction in question.
Over two sessions we have been able to compress a huge amount of action, and reached a satisfying setup through a blend of planning, in character roleplaying, and some engaging out of character chat. The Skill Challenge has simply provided a structure to track progress, sitting close to the surface of play, without intruding too much. The outcome achieved feels properly earned.
I have switched to a milestone award for these sessions, with Sturm und Drang ascending to 9th level. Next time there will be a battle that will decide not only their fate, but also that of the Vale and the lands of old Nerath. I can’t wait to find out what happens!

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2300AD Comae Engine – conversion thoughts

Posted on February 20, 2023 by First Age

North Star SF TTRPG ,convention is coming in May. With that in mind, I have returned to the possibility of using the Comae Engine to power my ‘old’ GDW 2300AD game. A light and quick application of the Comae Engine on top of GDW’s skill structure has given me something to work with. The 2300AD skills have become Focus, grouped under the main Comae skills. You could, of course, simplify it further, by just sticking with the core skills, but I wanted to bring in the big list in a  manageable way, and this seemed the most elegant way of doing it.

I expect that the 2300AD Career Paths, will provide recommendations for Core Skills and a number of Focus equal to Terms in service (or some such). Body Type will also affect Resource pools and maybe starting skill levels with core skills. I’ll work that out when I get to create the player characters.

Here’s the skill list.

Awareness. Sight, hearing, scent, taste – anything related to our senses are collected under this skill, as well as tracking.

Forward Observer, Reconnaisance, Sensors, Tracking

Combat. The Combat skill is used for any situations featuring physical violence: swashbuckling, bar brawls, demolitions or firing a gun.

Combat Rifleman, Demolitions, Gunner, Heavy Weapons, Melee, Sidearm, Thrown Weapon

Deception. Covers sneaking and hiding, but also typical thievery crafts, like lockpicking, pick pocketing, forgery and sleight of hand.

Disguise, Forgery, Hunting, Security Systems, Stealth, Streetwise

Knowledge. This broad skill covers various knowledge-based proficiencies, like languages, research and bureaucracy.

Bureaucracy, Computer, First Aid, History, Information Gathering, Linguistics, Tactics

Move. This skill covers all physical skills, like climbing, jumping, running, swimming and dancing.

Riding, P-Suit

Science. Science, like Knowledge, is a broad skill, covering all natural sciences, including Medicine.

Anthropology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Geology, Medical, Physics, Psychology, Ship Drive Engineering, Theoretical Sciences

Social. All social activities are collected here. If you need to tell a convincing lie or entertain at a cocktail party, this is the skill to use. Also, bribery, acting and oratory fall under Social.

Appraisal, Bargain, Leader, Trader 

Tech. The character understands how mechanical and electronic objects work and knows how to hot-wire, repair and build them. Also covers the handling of vehicles.

Aircraft Pilot, Combat Walker, Electronic, Ground Vehicle, Hover Vehicle, LTA Vehicle, Mechanical, Pilot, Prospecting, Remote Pilot, Sea Vehicle

Willpower. Any time your grit and mental resilience comes into play, Willpower is used. Examples include resisting the influence of a charismatic speaker or stay cool in frightening situations.

Coolness Under Fire, Survival

I had wondered about giving each Focus a level of 1-4, with each level proivding a cumulative +10%, but that’s further elaborating, so I kept my Coolness Under Fire.

Without much worry of playtest(!) I will probably just go with some guts on simple conversions.

Guns

Sidearms 1d, Rifles 2d, Heavy weapons 3d

Close range +1d Far away -1d

Heart hits +1d6 to any damage caused.

Area Fire Value (In range 1-5) wil give additional targets that can be endangered with area fire. Each burst a cumulative -10% to hit (or perhaps a flat -20%).

Armour Piercing (n) = number of armour ignored at Close Range.

Armour will absorb in standard BRP fashion.

Here’s a simple Google Doc character sheet.

If one of my slots is to be a Comae 2300, then the conversion will be light touch. I’m not looking to rebuild vehicle and starship combat for a convention one shot. Instead, the Comae Engine can sit on top of GDW’s Task System in the game and the fire outcomes can use 2300AD values. Unless, of course, I get carried away.
This is probably enough to make this a North Star convention contender.
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Infinity 2D20 is underway

Posted on February 17, 2023 by First Age

A quick run-through of the Cost of Greed is now underway, with our first session under our belts. I say ‘quick’, but really I have to allow for us all fumbling towards the game and unlocking it’s deep chambers of crunch. We also need to all become familiar with  Role, which although simple enough is unfamiliar, not only in layout but as to what it thinks is important.

The Role VTT in Tactical Map Mode

Everytime I return to this big cruncher I remember why I love it. Although heavily laden with compatible sub systems, the whole is a thing of intricate beauty. It is underpinned by an early iteration of the 2D20 system, so is on solid, if heavy, ground. We are playing with the basic rules to start and they are fairly straightforward, though it quickly became clear that knowing your Talents and how they improve your odds was to be an early necessity. Good stuff, that’s why they are there. 

Finding the initial location was a straightforward D1 Test, but of course the PC rolled double 20 creating two complications, making them so late that they missed their rendezvous, and giving me a couple more Heat to play with.

The scene in the bar provided me with a further highlight as the encroaching gang members, distracted from the 50th Birthday Party they had been enjoying, were just boiling up for a fight. Our Dogface Caledonian pulled out a huge Claymore and used it as a PsyWar attack, demolishing the gang member’s Resolve in one flourish of the blade. “You call that a knife!”. It was enough to cool heads, get the information needed, and move on to the full rendezvous.

A nice start-up and some more fun to be had as we unravel things.

The character sheets on Role are very light on detail. Most everything is stored on the actual physical sheet/form fillable PDF. I could make a sheet on Role, but it would be sizable and probably unweildy. Instead, the sheet tracks replenishable resources and has a place to enter the Target Number to click and roll dice. We can thus share the dice rolling experience, without having to detail all the skills on the sheet. Rolling multiple D20 against a Target Number is simply supported from the sheet, and the dice roller allows you to remove or add D20s, so fits the rules well.

There’s plenty more I’d like to see from Role, but the basics are all there. In particular we really need a way of defining custom dice. The ‘Combat Dice’ in 2D20 games uses a D6 but where the 1,2, and 6 faces are used, whereas the 3,4,5 faces are not. You can eyeball it, but it would be sweet to define and let it properly calculate the Total and number of Effects. 
There are infinite books of MOAR stuff, including chase rules, starship combat, and a gazillion pieces of gear and lore. We may even explore some of the peripheries of that. It really is a game that would reward a long form weekly play, to really dive deep into setting and mechanics. As it is we will have fun surfing the investigative wave.

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Role VTT continues to develop

Posted on January 31, 2023 by First Age

It’s been fun watching the Role VTT (https://www.playrole.com/) develop over the past few years. It has become my online place of choice to play RPGs, though acknowledging it has a way to go to fully meet my needs. The roadmap for 2023 looks promising, though I am impatient for the new features to come.

The interface continues to improve. A basic music playing capability has recently been added, including a feature to set a signature music to play when first arriving into a Room lobby before playing. 

Auto Clear now available in the Dice Roller

In the most recent update an Auto Clear switch has been added to the Dice Roller. So, once dice in the roller have been rolled and produced a result, they will clear out of the way when you then add other dice for a new roll. I have long wanted this feature as it simplifies the dice rolling flow significantly. It’s a small step, but changes like this show that the team are continuing to add good value. 

Next up we have Role on a mobile device, and further dice improvements, particularly in the way they are displayed to everyone, when a roll is made. Dashboard improvements and more flexible sheet controls are upcoming.

During 2023 I hope to see some long awaited enhancements to the map and token capability, including a basic Fog of War. Although I appreciate that Role isn’t focused on tactical map play, it has a partial implementation now that needs some further polish and core features. There is talk of pop out sheets and better condensed sheet controls to fit more information on screen or in the pop out. That would be ace.  

Long usage of Role, as a GM, has taught me that light minimal sheets are the way to go, and not many of them. Mostly, dice roller supporting sheets are sufficient for the GM, and PC Resource and dice rolling for players.

A continuing journey in 2023 and one I am looking forward to.

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Dane Lovrick

Posted on January 30, 2023 by First Age

I’m delighted to be playing in some Mongoose 2e Traveller. Character generation was a blast as usual for this lifepath system. Here’s my character:

Force Commander Dane Lovrick (Imperial Marine)  (Night Wraiths Black Ops Unit – no formal records of their existence)

7B7786 Marines (5terms) Athletics  (Dexterity) – 2, Electronics (Computers) – 1, Explosives – 1, Gambler – 1, Gunner (Turret) – 1, Gun Combat (Slug) – 2, Heavy Weapons – 0, Leadership – 1, Mechanic – 0, Medic – 1,  Melee (unarmed) – 1, Pilot (Spacecraft) – 1, Science – 0, Stealth – 1,  Tactics (Military) – 1,  Vacc Suit – 0

(I have added two skill levels in anticipation of contacts)

Dane was born to a lower echelon family of industrial workers in the over-populated crime infested hellworld of Albe ( Albe/Sindal (Trojan Reach 2211) ). He always had the smog clouded stars to look at and the prospect of exploring new and better vistas. His application for the Scouts was categorically turned down, crushing his hopes of escape, leaving him afraid that he would be consigned, like his family, to the brutalised environment and monotony of the heavy industry that Albe had to offer, living side by side with the tireless robotic workers that repaid their limited consciousness with the most dangerous of work.
The draft seemed to be his only option, so he eagerly went for it. Fate, rather than ability,  took him to the Marines and the starship troopers. He might get away to see the Sector after all, but through a drop capsule with a gun in his hand, projecting Imperial might as required in this fringe between major polities. Unexpectedly, he was propelled to an early commission, despite his unpreposessing record and his low status. Dane really didn’t fit in the officers’ mess at all, finding himself awkwardly inbetween the recruits and the officers.
His early term was in security detail on Asterix V station. It wasn’t the most exciting of assignments but it proved simple enough, and didn’t involve any drop combat. He found places in the station that he could go that kept his spirits high and preserved a sense of hope and humanity. A foiled robbery on station brought him some good luck. His security detail did the work and he was given future options and connections when he moves on from the Marines. It was a rare positive step at a time when he was continually passed over for advancement. [Anyone contact me through the station?]
With a dead end career beckoning and little warmth in the steel and plasma of his life, it seemed time for him to be dispensed with. The route for this was unexpected. He got promotion to Captain and, finally, Force Commander. His unit? ‘Night Wraiths’ an Imperial  black ops section, given the dirtiest and disclaimable missions. The section was full of hardened veterans with unstable career profiles. They were, however, ruthlessly efficient at what they did and for 8 years Dane Lovrick, call sign ‘Shroud’, undertook dangerous and deadly missions against a variety of targets, few of which were probably deserving. [Bio weapons thanks to the good doctor? Other contact due to the operations]
The killing sickened Dane and, before he lost what vestiges of humanity he had left, he opted for mustering out, having gained a Marine reputation, high rank, and a dark history of operations. Those very few targets that survived are unlikely to forget the ruthless Imperial Marines and their grim,  blank faced, commander.
Now demobilised with some tools of his trade, and a TAS membership in recognition for ‘services to the Imperium’, he’s looking for a simpler life and a chance to explore the stars on his own terms.

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My Dad

Posted on January 28, 2023 by First Age

Superintendent for The Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen

My beautiful Dad died today, in the early hours. It was an honour to be with him in the last hours he was with us. He was the most amazing gentle man, full of compassion and action for those who were less fortunate. Family was at the heart of everything he did. His example has enriched all of us and he will always be my role model and hero.
The picture is of him around the time of my birth as a Superintendent for The Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen, up in Scrabster and Oban.
Love you Dad. XX

 

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The Comae Engine 2300AD

Posted on January 20, 2023 by First Age

 A recent Bundle of Holding reaquainted me with GDW’s 2300AD second edition, a game I enjoyed the heck out of in the late 80s and early 90s. It’s a very complete and enthralling setting, based on the best understood star astrography at the time, out to a 50LY sphere around Sol. An affirmingly factional future, where humankind reaches for the stars, whilst we continue to subvert and kill each other jealously. That feels about right.

The history was based on a 1980s strategy game to extrapolate out from Twilight 2000 nuclear tragedy, to see where and how the nations of the world develop. Vive La France! The technology rumbles forward with certain incredible advances but other area are slow, or simply not imagined or projected by the mid 1980s design team. This provides one of those delicious retro SF settings seen through a particular lens.

The particular development to get us out there is Stutterwarp, with high cycle engines that propel ships through micro warp tunneling to very high apparant speeds. FTL whilst not moving.  Starship combat is pin point missile strikes in the cold vacuum of space, refreshingly distinct from a more space operatic game.

The system is a developemnt of the GDW house system, rolling a D10, adding a skill value and trying to beat a difficulty number. Retries are possible with determination and luck. Combat is lethal, with weapons at close range scoring damage that can instant kill if hitting the right locations, almost regardless of personal combat armour. It is, as one might expect, a bit fiddly, but works well enough. I have a few dot matrix printed house rules in the box, from back in the day.

It may have been a wash of warm nostalgia, but I really wanted to pick this game up and run it. Immediate instincts were to run the game Rules As Written (RAW), embracing the foibles, and the decimal combat damage. However, this seems like a neat opportunity to see how seamlessly one could apply The Comae Engine over the top, to give a modern lightweight d100 system to an old GDW clunker. The combo would make a somewhat different game for North Star.

I’ve done some light meshing. 2300AD skills have become Focus for the Comae skill categories. Careers provide the top skills in the tree and all initial skills are Focus additions. This doesn’t conform to the Comae suggestions, but I expect they will work just fine to get you started. I have considered having four Focus Levels that provide 10-40% bonus, further accentuating the more detailed skills, on top of the base provided by Comae. ‘Coolness Under Fire’ becomes a Willpower Focus, with the ten digit providing the Initiative points.

Weapon damage and armour, at least at the personal scale, will depend on how much I emulate the ‘blown away’ nature of 2300. I’ll blend in the simple hit location table of 2300AD and give a damage bonus for ‘Heart’ locations, Lens might provide an add as might ranging. Weapon chatracteristics will be lightly modelled to give a reasonable effect and preserve their differences.Without looking, I may well just leave Vehicle and Starship scale combat as they are, but using Comae for hit resolution in the Conflict.

As with any such meshing, I think it is important to do just enough to make it give the feel of the original game, without slavishly trying to retrofit all mechanical elements. The Comae Engine provides a fresh and modern engine right over the top, assimilating comfortably thanks to not obsessing about detail. There probably is more detail to consider, but with just an hour of tomfoolery Comae 2300AD looks to be a comfortable flyer.

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Hope Valley Line Fantasy

Posted on January 11, 2023 by First Age

The journey from my local station, Dore and Totley, to Manchester Picaddily, along the Hope Valley line is my favourite train ride. Travelling off-peak and through Peaks is quiet, giving me a table to myself on the newer Northern trains. Here I can write (Fedora on the go) and look up and enjoy the lovely scenery.

It seems that there is plenty of room for more edits on Heroic Fantasy 2e. Although none of the changes are dramatic, it looks as though the game is set for playtest, they all seem to be minor enhancements, either to wording or rule tweaking.

The new version of the game uses an ascending dice ladder more intrinsically throughout the rules. Current edits are finding extra places where it can be used, unifying to a more consistent design. Bonuses here and there are being increased to sharpen the benefits.
I shall be bolstering the text in both the spells and monster section a little more, and finding some additional spells to augment the lists.
Meanwhile I am heading towards Hope, so hope that the game will function well in the playtest. Given recent OGL drama, I am especially happy to be setting the game in Kobold Press’ Midgard. 

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Sturm und Drang

Posted on January 9, 2023 by First Age

 The adventures of our Nentir Vale heroes, ‘Sturm und Drang’, continue for a while into 2023. One of my players has very kindly commissioned some art, depicting the group in an anime style.

Sturm und Drang

The original image is very high resolution, so just might be a canvas print for my game den. An enduring  memory of our D&D 4e campaign.

Chuffed to bits.

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