Kind of Missing the Point?

[Prime_Evil]

But I don't like using social mechanics for non-combat situations. I prefer role-play and improvisation, specially so in high action games.

It depends on the level of abstraction that you want - in some situations it is fun to roleplay the interactions with NPCs in detail, but on other occasions you need to move through a scene quickly to keep the game going. I tend to pace games based upon feedback from the players - if half of them are looking bored while one player spends ages haggling with merchants at the bazaar, it's time to use an abstract method of resolving the shopping expedition. But if everyone is engaged in interaction with various shady merchants, I'll let the scene run on for some time. I suppose that this is where GMing is more of an art than an exact science.

 

[Loz]

I'm wondering if people have any thoughts on how to investigation-based adventures in Legend? Also, does anybody have any thoughts on how to use the skill system to perform an "investigation montage" as part of a larger adventure - in those situations where I don't want to play out every step of the investigation, I've been thinking of using a variant of the Extended Task rules where characters use different skills to contribute towards revealing clues - one character interviews the witnesses, another searches the 'crime scene", and a third hits the streets to pick up leads, etc. Does this sound reasonable?

We have an investigation sub-system option for RQ6. It doesn't work in quite the way you outline above, but is there to help vital clues from being missed due to poor dice rolls.

 

[Prime_Evil]

We have an investigation sub-system option for RQ6. It doesn't work in quite the way you outline above, but is there to help vital clues from being missed due to poor dice rolls.

You're teasing us far too much! :lol:

It's always difficult to decide when to roleplay an investigation in detail and when to break out the dice, but I'm glad that I'm not the only person who thinks that having some rules in this area might be helpful.

 

[Simulacrum]

Using Extended Task rules in an investigative scenario is a good idea - so long as the players have come up with a plausible plan of action and the dice rolls are there to see how their characters get on with putting it into action. Why I like the Extended Task in this situation is that it gives you partial successes - if you make two or three out of the four rolls the GM can feel justified in passing on some information - perhaps enough to get them started down a new track or trying out a new plan. If it's a simple succeed/fail, that's more awkward. It is also possible to build narrative around it in a more memorable way.

The key scenario in the forthcoming AoT Companion is an investigative one, where both these situations would probably apply.

 

[hanszurcher]

... - if half of them are looking bored while one player spends ages haggling with merchants at the bazaar, it's time to use an abstract method of resolving the shopping expedition. ...

Funny you should mention that. I swapped out Legends Influence Skill with a narrower Haggle Skill.

 

[hanszurcher]

...It's always difficult to decide when to roleplay an investigation in detail and when to break out the dice, ...

I like building investigative scenes with the Trail of Cthulhu/Gumshoe method. When looking for clues the important ones are always found, no roll required. The fun part is interpreting the clues not finding them.

 

[FailTruck]

If he is dead, why shouldnt I take all his money/goods/shiny diamond teeth?

Well, because it by law (depending on the setting) probably should be inherited by children or other family.
But the point is more, was the sole reason you killed him to get his stuff?

- Dan

In all the years I've been roleplaying, with all of the different characters, I can honestly say that I've never killed anything just to get its stuff. Thats always been a side benefit.

 

[rust]

I'm wondering if people have any thoughts on how to investigation-based adventures in Legend?

While our campaigns rarely have investigation scenarios of the "find the killer"
type, they often have research scenarios where the characters try to find an
explanation for some kind of strange phenomenon or a solution for a problem
caused by such a phenomenon.

We normally use a modification of the research rules of the old Ringworld RPG
for this. The entire research process is divided into a sequence of steps of diffe-
rent types of character activities (e.g. armchair, field, laboratory, library), with
each of the steps requiring some time as well as the successful use of a specific
skill or of a specific combination of skills.

For example, a search for a specific artefact could start with a step of library re-
search to find out what is known about the artefact's location (= some knowled-
ge or research skill), followed by a step of field research to explore the region in
question and ask the locals (= wilderness skills, social skills). A step of armchair
research to discuss and interpret the informations already gathered can lead to
another step of field research to recover the artefact, and finally to a step of la-
boratory research required to find out how to use the artefact.

I think it would not be difficult to structure an investigation scenario in a similar
way, with a sequence (or several different possible sequences) of different sub-
tasks which require different approaches and skills.

 

[Prime_Evil]

Interesting. I'll have to pull out my old copy of the Ringworld RPG. I'm curious about how people do this in order to identify some of the areas in the game system where there are opportunities for some creative new design work.

 

[DamonJynx]

I did this very thing in my Canadian Elric game, but using the character's Combat Style. Being eyed-up by a bunch of drunk sailors, the Half Melnibonean made a roll against his CS opposed by their Persistence, won, and they backed down simply by seeing that he'd be handy with his two blades, if he could be bothered to draw them.

That is an exceptional example of how to creatively use skills. I need to re-focus my D&D brain!

 

[Redcrow]

I like building investigative scenes with the Trail of Cthulhu/Gumshoe method. When looking for clues the important ones are always found, no roll required. The fun part is interpreting the clues not finding them.

Thats how I prefer to handle it. I just use dice rolls for additional non-essential clues that may make piecing things together easier.

 

[hanszurcher]

Thats how I prefer to handle it. I just use dice rolls for additional non-essential clues that may make piecing things together easier.

Appear we're birds of a feather.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the investigation option RQ6 adds to the game.

 

[Prime_Evil]

I'm really looking forward to seeing the investigation option RQ6 adds to the game.

Me too.

Recently I've been converting across the Reputation and Political Influence rules from the short-lived Game of Thrones RPG from (the now-defunct) Guardians of Order. These are all OGC and will hopefull be useful for campaigns that focus on political intrigue.

 

[jux]

GoT setting book for legend could be very awesome.

 

[strega]

Recently I've been converting across the Reputation and Political Influence rules from the short-lived Game of Thrones RPG from (the now-defunct) Guardians of Order. These are all OGC and will hopefull be useful for campaigns that focus on political intrigue.

I'd love to see how you've integrated these rules into Legend.