CONFLICT SCENES
The rules so far have been about freeform play. If the group feels like a situation calls for even more structured play, they can use the conflict rules. These rules are for playing out scenes that are exactly as they sound - a conflict scene, usually with two or more sides, such as a battle.
Conflicts are usually violent, but don’t necessarily have to be rely on violence - depending on context they could also be used to play out a chase, a stealth sequence, a friendly contest, or a trial.
Conflict scenes have slightly different rules to regular, freeform play:
- A conflict scene can be started when the stakes of the scene are high and there are two or more sides in opposition.
- Conflict scenes are always risky by default. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be conflict scenes!
- Tension never increases during a conflict scene, and tension doesn’t increase due to a conflict scene passing.
1. ESTABLISH STAKES
At the start of a conflict scene, both sides establish what they want out of the conflict. Sometime this is very simple (I want to escape, I want you to listen to me, I want you dead). These are the stakes of the scene. If the opposite side is willing to budge on the stakes, then there probably isn’t a conflict - or find out new stakes. You can use them as a good guide to how each side should act, and also as to when the scene should end or one side should give up.
2. ESTABLISH THE SCENE AND SET OUT TAGS
Where are the characters? Where are their opponents? What is the location and what resources are available?
Also set out any tags you expect to use during the scene.
These tags should represent important tasks, goals, or parameters for the scene. For a fight with an anomaly, you usually use the Execution tag, for example. If you’re just trying to escape it, however, you might use an ‘escape’ tag representing your ability to get away. You might set out tags representing obstacles, opponents, or time limits.
3. PLAYERS CHOOSE ACTIONS
The player characters (the executioners) always act first in a conflict scene. When a player acts, they can choose one of the following courses of action. The actions are descriptive, not proscriptive. Characters should generally think about what they want to do in a scene, then try and think about what action their activities fall under.
- Act: Take direct action against one of the goals, tags, or obstacles in a fight. In very simple terms, this could just be fighting your opponent. It could also be driving a car, launching a verbal assault, neutralizing poison, healing a dying person, or sneaking in through a vent.
- Defend: Prepare to defend an ally. Choose an ally. The next time that ally takes consequences while you are defending them, roll 1d6. On a 1-3, you reduce stress suffered by them by 1, but also take 1 stress. On a 4/5 you don’t take stress, and on a 6 reduce stress suffered by your target by 2 instead. This effect does not stack from multiple defenders.
- Set Up or Teamwork: Perform teamwork with an ally in another action, or take a set up action.
- Analyze: Gather information during the scene. This can progress a tag, create a new tag, or reveal the capabilities of opponents. Analyze can be used to change the parameters of the scene or create an opening or opportunity, like a new route in a chase, or a gap in an opponent’s fighting style. This is a more permanent change than a set up action and is typically more powerful. Tags created by Analyze can grant advantage dice, make a situation less hard, or make it less risky.
- Flee: Get out of the conflict scene. The Admin might require a tag for this if it’s hard to leave. Once out, a character is out for the rest of the scene but is considered safe.
4. CHARACTERS ACT
Characters can act one at a time, in any order. Characters that are performing teamwork or defending another character don’t trigger a risk roll from an opponent. Any other action does, including those that don’t normally make that roll, unless someone has specifically set up that action to be less risky. When all player characters have taken their action, a round passes. Some effects from abilities rely on rounds and the Admin might set a round time limit in order to keep things concise.
5. OPPONENETS REACT
Instead of taking their own actions, NPCs or obstacles the Admin controls in the scene will use the risk die to inform their reactions. Each time a player takes an action, such as attack, analyze, or set up, the Admin uses the risk die and reacts. These reactions can often be found as a list of suggestions, such as on an anomalies sheet. The Admin can only take one reaction at once it they have multiple to choose from or multiple opponents are present.
These reactions often inflict stress on the executioners, change the stakes of the situation with a complication, or threaten them with worse consequences. The Admin is always free to not use a proscribed reaction, but instead to improvise an outcome as normal based on the die result, fiction, and circumstances.
CONCLUDING A COMBAT SCENE
Play continues until one side has accomplished their goals or settled the stakes, or other parameters such as a time limit have been reached.