GM-Run "Looseform" Adventure Guide

[Evaleigh]

In any great epic the hero must overcome obstacles.  A great story inherently needs conflict.  In role-play there are many different methods for which a storyteller or “Game Master” (GM) may try and organize both a fair and compelling way to introduce conflict.  The following is the way that I handle such needs in events that I personally run and explains a little about my style and methodology.  This may change overtime as I adapt to feedback and learn better ways of handling things.  A combat system should just be a framework to make fun easier.

There are many different combat systems.  This is just one of them.

 

Characters Come First

At the heart of the "looseform" combat style is a central focus on the individual characters.  Since it is based off a freeform style the creativity of the writers should always be showcased and the GM should discuss constraints of power levels ahead of time to make certain everyone is on the same page and understands the expectations.  There is no rigidity in the style that demands that characters even participate in combat and all rolls may be degraded or ignored for a less ideal outcome based on how they feel the character should or would react in a situation.  Participants are the gods of their muses not the RNG except in cases where it is necessary to add randomness or settle potential disputes where luck or equality are a factor.  This means that dice can be completely ignored for the sake of character integrity whenever the players are in agreement.  There are times that in a GM-event the GM might just "give" a character information based on their character's abilities.

Example:

The armored titan of a man reached down to grab the child by the scruff of her tiny neck. 
The puny girl had no defenses, frightened by the ominous present as she was hoisted up.
No need for dice, the player accepts the attempt without question.

 

Dice for determining Success/Fail

Things do not always go as planned and dice help to determine on whose side the luck falls in a situation.  Dice should be utilized to determine the success or failure of a specific action and to a lesser degree how far on that scale it lands.  Dice should be used to provide context and emphasis on the creative writing not take the place of it or undermine the character choices.  A player can always choose to take a worse outcome than the dice state.  A player is not rolling merely to overcome another player (or the GM's) roll they are rolling against a difficulty modifier to determine if their intended action succeeds or fails.

Example:

The brave hero faces a mighty coeurl, the beast might be massive and dangerous but he has no real natural armor.  True it was no spriggan but our mighty hunter was clearly not going to be outmatched by it.  [Coeurl, difficulty 400]

The Hero rolls 567.  Success.
Our brave hero attacks the Coeurl, swinging its mighty sword at the beast, slashing at its chest.

Non-Combat Abilities

The use of success/fail rolls may also be utilized in circumstances outside of combat to help influence the plotline or to try and figure things out.  These may be called for by the GM or requested by the player.

Example of a GM Call:

GM:  “Everyone give me a perception check, difficulty 600.  500 for the Miqo’te”
Tells are then sent to people who have succeeded in the check with things that their character perceives.  E.g. to a Miqo’te might state “You smell something horrible, decaying to the East.” Or “You feel a cold chill, like death is nearby”.

Example of a Player Call:

“My character knows a LOT about the Shroud, maybe she’d notice something unique or different about the area.”
The GM will then make the decision to allow it and state a difficulty level allowing the player to make their hero shine for the character choices.

GM-Led Combat (Man vs Enemy)

When it comes to combat versus a GM-led NPC there will be two factors when it comes to each NPC the heroes will face.  One will be the difficulty-rating based on the enemy’s toughness and the health of that enemy that is not communicated.

Example:

The brave hero faces a mighty coeurl.  [Difficulty 400]

The GM will keep track of the Coeurl's health (800 points) for the duration of combat.

When the Hero strikes the coeurl for 567 the GM will quietly reduce their HP by that much (800-567) leaving the Coeurl with 233 HP going into the next round. 
The rounds will continue until the Player is exhausted or the Coeurl is defeated. 

If a player takes an enemy to 0 the GM will let them know they can write in the Killing Blow into their next emote.