Contests, Opposed Rolls, and Tasks -- Feedback, Please?

Steve Jackson · 06-22-2018, 03:44 PM

We absolutely need to add a mechanic to do this - thanks for raising the issue, zot. GURPS has a mechanic, but I don't want to import it wholesale.

Here is an attempt to write a VERY simple mechanic. You will note zot's influence in the example in the last paragraph :)

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There will be situations where two players, or a player and an NPC, are in a “contest.” This might be a literal contest, like arm-wrestling, or a metaphorical one.

Each figure rolls dice – normally 3 dice against the relevant stat, but see below. The winner is the one who makes their roll by the greatest amount. In case of a tie, the GM provides a bit of narration: “The two of you strain, but neither of you budges a bit.” Then roll again.

Appropriate talents, as judged by the GM, could let you roll on fewer dice, but to keep things interesting, no one should roll fewer than two dice.

The two sides also don’t have to roll against the same stat. To hold onto a greased pig, you might roll your ST versus the pig’s DX.

The GM can use this mechanic in other ways:
• Multi-player contests (who gets a thrown dagger closest to the mark?)
• Multi-round contests, where you have to be ahead by two or more victories to settle the matter (a race through an obstacle course).
• “Player vs. world” contests (can your speech sway the crowd? Roll your IQ, modified by appropriate talents, against the crowd’s average IQ of 10).

06-22-2018, 03:44 PM	#12
Steve Jackson President and EIC Join Date: Jul 2004	Re: Contests, Opposed Rolls, and Tasks -- Feedback, Please? We absolutely need to add a mechanic to do this - thanks for raising the issue, zot. GURPS has a mechanic, but I don't want to import it wholesale. Here is an attempt to write a VERY simple mechanic. You will note zot's influence in the example in the last paragraph :) --- There will be situations where two players, or a player and an NPC, are in a “contest.” This might be a literal contest, like arm-wrestling, or a metaphorical one. Each figure rolls dice – normally 3 dice against the relevant stat, but see below. The winner is the one who makes their roll by the greatest amount. In case of a tie, the GM provides a bit of narration: “The two of you strain, but neither of you budges a bit.” Then roll again. Appropriate talents, as judged by the GM, could let you roll on fewer dice, but to keep things interesting, no one should roll fewer than two dice. The two sides also don’t have to roll against the same stat. To hold onto a greased pig, you might roll your ST versus the pig’s DX. The GM can use this mechanic in other ways: • Multi-player contests (who gets a thrown dagger closest to the mark?) • Multi-round contests, where you have to be ahead by two or more victories to settle the matter (a race through an obstacle course). • “Player vs. world” contests (can your speech sway the crowd? Roll your IQ, modified by appropriate talents, against the crowd’s average IQ of 10).