Surprise periodic checks

Stormcrow · 08-14-2016, 03:37 PM

Traveling and camping is a fairly common thing to do in role-playing games, especially in the fantasy genre. In GURPS, someone in the party needs to roll against Survival skill every day to prevent the members of the group from taking hit point damage. (Its counterpart Urban Survival doesn't list any negative result for failure.) I've seen players get surprised and indignant when they couldn't "just camp for the night" like they do in other games, and had to risk damage.

Are there any other skills or situations with "gotcha" effects that are commonly seen by adventurers like the one with Survival? I don't mean things like taking the lower of Vacc Suit or a DX skill when in a spacesuit; I mean things you commonly need to roll on adventures that players would not necessarily know about unless they already had the skill or ability needed.

Refplace · 08-14-2016, 05:10 PM

Traveling skills like Hiking, Swimming and possibly Job rolls are the only ones I can think of at the moment.
If they object to not being able to travel the wilderness without rolls like "those other games" then tell them either they assume you have the skills as part of your class, or there just not very realistic.
They can also buy up skill high enough and get a Nuisance roll perk.

Stormcrow · 08-14-2016, 06:26 PM

I wasn't considering job rolls because those aren't things that happen during adventures. Hiking is a skill players will choose to use or not; you don't need to make Hiking rolls unless you're trying to go faster. Swimming isn't a gotcha roll; no one would reasonably object to periodic Swimming (or Climbing, or Lifting, etc.) rolls when going beyond one's Move score.

trooper6 · 08-14-2016, 06:53 PM

I don't know if "traveling and camping" is the same thing as "living off the land." Basic says the survival skill, "is the ability to 'live off the land,' find safe food and water, avoid hazards, build shelter, etc. You may look after up to 10 other people. To live safely in a wilderness situation, you must make a successful Survival roll once per day. Failure inflicts 2d-4 injury on you and anyone in your care; roll separately for each victim."

This sounds more like that reality show Survivor or people stuck in the Andes after a plane crash than it does an adventuring party with full gear and rations stopping to sleep for the night, or family goes camping at a camp site. As a GM, I don't think I'd make them roll when they aren't actually trying to survive, but just spend the night. The roll also seems to me to be an abstraction in lieu of gaming out the encounter for the day. I'd also be happy to, rather than have them use one roll, game out the entire day if they are so inclined.

Also, if as a GM, you plan on having campers and people spending the night with all their gear make these rolls or suffer damage, then just tell your players ahead of time so they know to get the skill, and then it is no gotcha.

~~evileeyore~~ · 08-14-2016, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trooper6

Also, if as a GM, you plan on having campers and people spending the night with all their gear make these rolls or suffer damage, then just tell your players ahead of time so they know to get the skill, and then it is no gotcha.

This is basically it. I make a "Must Have" list of skills that I hand out to the Players before chargen so they know what to expect and what the penalties for skipping those skills are.

Refplace · 08-14-2016, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evileeyore

This is basically it. I make a "Must Have" list of skills that I hand out to the Players before chargen so they know what to expect and what the penalties for skipping those skills are.

And if you forget to mention one (as I have) let those inclined buy it retroactively with saved points.

Stormcrow · 08-14-2016, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trooper6

I don't know if "traveling and camping" is the same thing as "living off the land."

How To Be a GURPS GM treats them as the same. The party of three characters are riding around a wilderness and need to make daily Survival rolls. Their food appears to be treated as part of the basic equipment for the Survival skill. Is this wrong?

At what point do travelers switch from camping to living off the land?

Quote:

Also, if as a GM, you plan on having campers and people spending the night with all their gear make these rolls or suffer damage, then just tell your players ahead of time so they know to get the skill, and then it is no gotcha.

Hence the need to identify the gotcha rolls.

Refplace · 08-14-2016, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

How To Be a GURPS GM treats them as the same. The party of three characters are riding around a wilderness and need to make daily Survival rolls. Their food appears to be treated as part of the basic equipment for the Survival skill. Is this wrong?

At what point do travelers switch from camping to living off the land?

Hence the need to identify the gotcha rolls.

I would say Camping is when your well supplied and any hunting or foraging you do is for variety and fun. Or even to stretch your supplies.
Living off the land means all your food and water come from your rolls.

08-14-2016, 03:37 PM	#1
Stormcrow Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ronkonkoma, NY	Surprise periodic checks Traveling and camping is a fairly common thing to do in role-playing games, especially in the fantasy genre. In GURPS, someone in the party needs to roll against Survival skill every day to prevent the members of the group from taking hit point damage. (Its counterpart Urban Survival doesn't list any negative result for failure.) I've seen players get surprised and indignant when they couldn't "just camp for the night" like they do in other games, and had to risk damage. Are there any other skills or situations with "gotcha" effects that are commonly seen by adventurers like the one with Survival? I don't mean things like taking the lower of Vacc Suit or a DX skill when in a spacesuit; I mean things you commonly need to roll on adventures that players would not necessarily know about unless they already had the skill or ability needed.

08-14-2016, 05:10 PM	#2
Refplace Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Yukon, OK	Re: Surprise periodic checks Traveling skills like Hiking, Swimming and possibly Job rolls are the only ones I can think of at the moment. If they object to not being able to travel the wilderness without rolls like "those other games" then tell them either they assume you have the skills as part of your class, or there just not very realistic. They can also buy up skill high enough and get a Nuisance roll perk. __________________ My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more! My GURPS fan contribution and blog: REFPLace GURPS Landing Page My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items) My GURPS Wiki entries

08-14-2016, 06:26 PM	#3
Stormcrow Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ronkonkoma, NY	Re: Surprise periodic checks I wasn't considering job rolls because those aren't things that happen during adventures. Hiking is a skill players will choose to use or not; you don't need to make Hiking rolls unless you're trying to go faster. Swimming isn't a gotcha roll; no one would reasonably object to periodic Swimming (or Climbing, or Lifting, etc.) rolls when going beyond one's Move score.

08-14-2016, 06:53 PM	#4
trooper6 Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Medford, MA	Re: Surprise periodic checks I don't know if "traveling and camping" is the same thing as "living off the land." Basic says the survival skill, "is the ability to 'live off the land,' find safe food and water, avoid hazards, build shelter, etc. You may look after up to 10 other people. To live safely in a wilderness situation, you must make a successful Survival roll once per day. Failure inflicts 2d-4 injury on you and anyone in your care; roll separately for each victim." This sounds more like that reality show Survivor or people stuck in the Andes after a plane crash than it does an adventuring party with full gear and rations stopping to sleep for the night, or family goes camping at a camp site. As a GM, I don't think I'd make them roll when they aren't actually trying to survive, but just spend the night. The roll also seems to me to be an abstraction in lieu of gaming out the encounter for the day. I'd also be happy to, rather than have them use one roll, game out the entire day if they are so inclined. Also, if as a GM, you plan on having campers and people spending the night with all their gear make these rolls or suffer damage, then just tell your players ahead of time so they know to get the skill, and then it is no gotcha. Last edited by trooper6; 08-14-2016 at 06:59 PM.