Jump to content

Active/Passive Resistance Table Question


Recommended Posts

Hi guys,

First time poster here.

I’ve just got a quick question about the resistance table, I’d be grateful if anyone could help me with.

In the quick start rules it says: ‘To make a resistance roll, cross-index the active characteristic to the passive characteristic on the resistance table.’

Then under the examples of the resistance tables uses, it mentions a drinking contest and an arm wrestling match. My question is: In those circumstances how do you know who’s got the active characteristic and who’s got the passive characteristic?

I’m sure it’s something simple but as I’m a bit simple myself I can’t really work it out lol.

Also, I just wanna say I love BRP. Man is this a cool system!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Howdy, and welcome aboard!

The way I understand it is... you have two different things going on here.

In the alcohol example the Potency of the alcohol is Active and the players Con is Passive (the alcohol is attacking the player), this is the same way poison works. Easy.

In the arm wrestling example both wrestlers would probably make a roll as Active (while the opponent is treated as Passive) and the one who succeeds by the most wins the arm wrestle.

Mr Jealousy has returned to reality!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Think of it as who is doing what to who.

If I am pushing you off a cliff then I am Active and you are Passive.

If I am drinking alcohol then what is happeneing is that the alcohol is trying to get me drunk, so Alcohol is Active and I am Passive.

In the arm-wrestling match, it would take turns. One presses down (active) and one resists (passive) then vice versa until one fails and the other succeeds.

Unfortunately, you have to make judgement calls with the Resistance Table, which is why some people don't like it.

Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. 

www.soltakss.com/index.html

Jonstown Compendium author. Find my contributions here

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Usually you can tell what is active, as it is the element of change, where as the other is trying to maintain the status quo.

When id dobut, I susally let the PC be active, so he can make the roll. In fact, sometimes I let the PC roll even when he is the "passive" one.

THe good thing is that either way the math is the same, so no one gets cheated if you do it the other way.

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i always let the player roll. I don't care if the player is passive, they usually feel better when failing to resist sever spirit than when they die without rolling the dice.

"It seems I'm destined not to move ahead in time faster than my usual rate of one second per second"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys,

That pretty much clears it up for me.

It does say under the drinking someone under the table example that it’s CON vs. CON.

So it would be a test of if my active CON is better than his ?active? CON.

I guess you could also run it as each of us vs. the active alcohol to see who does best.

They both sound fun to me.

Also its taken the pressure off me understanding this 100% knowing that it doesn’t effect the math either way (whether you get the passive or the active wrong.)

Cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I7d probably go with each rolling against the alcohol. IT is quite possible to tie in a drinking contest.

Note that it is also possi8ble to do some contrests in stages in you prefer, to make a contrest more dramtatic. FOr example, for a arm wresting contest, you could use aa "clock" idea with the arms starting off at "12 o'clock" and each degress of succcess moving the arms by 1 on the clock face until winning when thhe arms are at 3 or 9 o'clock.

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

what i would do for arm wrestling is: both roll STR vs STR.

both succeed or no successes mean no progress; if one succeeds and the other fails the one who passed the check gains an advantage.

I would also use 12 o'clock as a starting point, then you get "half way", "almost lost" and "defeat" as levels (a critical vs failure would win instantly!!!)

"It seems I'm destined not to move ahead in time faster than my usual rate of one second per second"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...