An insightful article about opposed tests

[Runeblogger]

By Ludo:
https://godlearners.com/runic-rants-opposed-rolls-ties/

[jajagappa]

1 hour ago, Runeblogger said:

By Ludo:
https://godlearners.com/runic-rants-opposed-rolls-ties/

Very good thoughts.  I like the ideas about raising the stakes in the Unresolved Contest.

[Lordabdul]

Aw thanks @Runeblogger 🙂 

We discussed this earlier today on the unofficial Chaosium Discord server, and as is often the case, RB has some relevant existing blog posts from several years ago 😄   If you're interested in going further with so-called "extended contests" (scene with multiple opposed rolls), check these two articles out:

• Non-violent conflicts in RuneQuest and other D100 games
• Social Combat in RuneQuest 6 and Mythras

Use the "translate" button at the top unless you want to practice your Spanish 😜

[Squaredeal Sten]

Good thoughts there, thanks.

 

[DreadDomain]

7 hours ago, Runeblogger said:

By Ludo:
https://godlearners.com/runic-rants-opposed-rolls-ties/

 

4 hours ago, lordabdul said:

Aw thanks @Runeblogger 🙂 

We discussed this earlier today on the unofficial Chaosium Discord server, and as is often the case, RB has some relevant existing blog posts from several years ago 😄   If you're interested in going further with so-called "extended contests" (scene with multiple opposed rolls), check these two articles out:

• Non-violent conflicts in RuneQuest and other D100 games
• Social Combat in RuneQuest 6 and Mythras

Use the "translate" button at the top unless you want to practice your Spanish 😜

Thanks guys, these are very good articles. Very different approaches but both equally valid depending on what style you prefer. The Runic Rant article seems more in line with the philosophy in RQG and a bit more guidance on what to do with unresolved or ties results would have been good. Maybe something for the Gamemaster guide?

[Martin Dick]

One of the things that I liked about Hero Wars/HeroQuest was using extended contests to model conflicts that took place over a lengthy period of time. One example was the wooing of an NPC over several seasons, with an action taken every season. It fits in well with the seasonal cycle of RQG. Something like one of the systems mentioned above would be good in RQG2 🙂

 

[StephenMcG]

I am inclined, when not interested in investing more time in the contest that has similar result outcomes, to adjudicate who wins a contest by either who succeeded by most, or failed by least.

In all cases, the lower the roll the better.

I do like the advice on making a tie a feature rather than a bug though. 🙂

After all, contests are often at the heart of a game and the more interesting these can be, the better.

[skulldixon]

I have in the past used two fails (ties) as an opportunity for a comedic scene.

For instance, in the situation where Rurik is sneaking past Earwax - when they both fail (and maybe this example would be more if they both fumbled); Earwax thinks they hear something is looking in the wrong direct all while Rurik is knocking over every pot/vase, steps on the cats tail, etc while thinking they are being super stealthy.

[Martin Dick]

I've always thought that RQG should have adopted the Hard level of success from CoC, which would reduce the number of ties a fair bit, so you would have Critical (5%), Special (20%), Hard (50%), Normal (51%-100%), Fail and Fumble. Doesn't resolve the ties completely, but then you can go with one of the solutions above

[PhilHibbs]

This is certainly insightful, particularly in the context of switching to another skill:

Quote

By diversifying rolls like this, the Gamemaster can not only greatly reduce the chances of a continued need to keep rolling, but also make the outcome much greater than the players’ original goals.

The players' original goals, of course, are always to get more skill ticks.