Comments on: Mining Tropes for RPG Nuggets: Gravity? Pfaa! http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/ Like Hanging at the Cash Register of your Favorite Game Store Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:16:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Yan http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1030 Yan Thu, 13 Dec 2007 19:26:36 +0000 http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1030 I only had the time to read +20 on cool moves... Wow, well I already have this bonus... LOL! Historically I'm pretty bad with any dice roll unless it's some crazy maverick manoeuvre at which point I have the devil's luck... ;-) I only had the time to read +20 on cool moves…

Wow, well I already have this bonus… LOL!

Historically I’m pretty bad with any dice roll unless it’s some crazy maverick manoeuvre at which point I have the devil’s luck… ;-)

]]> By: ChattyDM http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1028 ChattyDM Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:51:12 +0000 http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1028 Damn, that's a cool concept... don't let Yan see it... Phil promptly deletes Greywulf's post and replaces with a rant about Furries.... :P Damn, that’s a cool concept… don’t let Yan see it…

Phil promptly deletes Greywulf’s post and replaces with a rant about Furries….

:P

]]> By: greywulf http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1027 greywulf Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:29:05 +0000 http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1027 The Rule of Cool always gets a +20 bonus. In other words, if you describe it ass-kickingly well, I (as GM) will darn well make sure you succeed, unless the Rule of Plot trumps it. The Rule of Plot beats everything, of course. But the Rule of Cool comes mighty close. When it comes to gravity-defying monks, few things beat a monk/sorcerer with a stupidly high Jump skill + Feather Fall. While the D&D FAQ says it's wrong, the Rule of Cool tosses that particular tome out the window. Said Monk could Jump 8 feet in the air(a move action, DC24), cast Feather Fall (free action) and become a whirling dervish of kicks, punches and knee jabs until they land gracefully. Just add Great Cleave for true Wuxia madness. OK, it's not a strict reading of Feather Fall, but it's DAMNED cool :) A 10th level Sorcerer could cast Feather Fall on 10 Monks hiding in tree tops with a single free action. As they drop, the Monks toss spears in the first round (whilie falling) then make a full attack on the next round before touching the ground. Nice. The Rule of Cool always gets a +20 bonus. In other words, if you describe it ass-kickingly well, I (as GM) will darn well make sure you succeed, unless the Rule of Plot trumps it. The Rule of Plot beats everything, of course. But the Rule of Cool comes mighty close.

When it comes to gravity-defying monks, few things beat a monk/sorcerer with a stupidly high Jump skill + Feather Fall. While the D&D FAQ says it’s wrong, the Rule of Cool tosses that particular tome out the window.
Said Monk could Jump 8 feet in the air(a move action, DC24), cast Feather Fall (free action) and become a whirling dervish of kicks, punches and knee jabs until they land gracefully. Just add Great Cleave for true Wuxia madness.

OK, it’s not a strict reading of Feather Fall, but it’s DAMNED cool :)

A 10th level Sorcerer could cast Feather Fall on 10 Monks hiding in tree tops with a single free action. As they drop, the Monks toss spears in the first round (whilie falling) then make a full attack on the next round before touching the ground.

Nice.

]]> By: ChattyDM http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1026 ChattyDM Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:17:16 +0000 http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1026 Oh and is it just me or is the FFVII Advent Children's Tunnel Chase scene the exact same one as I Robot and the Matrix' Highway Scene? Oh and is it just me or is the FFVII Advent Children’s Tunnel Chase scene the exact same one as I Robot and the Matrix’ Highway Scene?

]]> By: Alex Schröder http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1025 Alex Schröder Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:48:36 +0000 http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1025 I agree with the coolness goal. That's why I prefer to use skill checks to gain an advantage (and I specially love opposed skill checks) instead of using skill checks to prevent failure (you're just checking to avoid something uncool -- how uncool is that?). I agree with the coolness goal. That’s why I prefer to use skill checks to gain an advantage (and I specially love opposed skill checks) instead of using skill checks to prevent failure (you’re just checking to avoid something uncool — how uncool is that?).

]]> By: ChattyDM http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1024 ChattyDM Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:37:52 +0000 http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1024 Graham: Well at least the point got across... Tommi and Alex: I too would want to make skilled character better than the others. In D&D I would probably just lower DCs to allow really awesome jumps and ludicrous balance checks... and I would ignore the 'fail by 5' rule. But those skills would also still shine in the actions against other characters. My point is (oddly enough for a crunch junky) just don't let mechanics constrain the coolness of the scene.. but I think you both got that since no one suggested falling on a failed roll. Graham: Well at least the point got across…

Tommi and Alex:
I too would want to make skilled character better than the others.

In D&D I would probably just lower DCs to allow really awesome jumps and ludicrous balance checks… and I would ignore the ‘fail by 5′ rule. But those skills would also still shine in the actions against other characters.

My point is (oddly enough for a crunch junky) just don’t let mechanics constrain the coolness of the scene.. but I think you both got that since no one suggested falling on a failed roll.

]]> By: Alex Schröder http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1023 Alex Schröder Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:36:31 +0000 http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1023 What you could do is the following: Roll opposed Balance or Jump checks once per round. Whoever wins gets a plus 2 to hit this round because you managed to take advantage of the situation. If a party of four fights a single opponent, have everybody roll. Assume results of 12, 14, 16, 18, and 15 for the opponent. Then two players have plus 2 against the opponent and the opponent has plus 2 against the other two players. Or: Assign a DC, have everyone make a skill check and those who fail take a -2 to hit. (I think this seems less cool...) I usually like to make sequences of opposed skill checks for non-combat encounters like a chase over roof-tops. This rewards players for investing in skills that have no obvious combat application. (Weird, when I edit the comment and save, my plus characters get replaced by a space -- looks like an encoding bug.) What you could do is the following: Roll opposed Balance or Jump checks once per round. Whoever wins gets a plus 2 to hit this round because you managed to take advantage of the situation. If a party of four fights a single opponent, have everybody roll. Assume results of 12, 14, 16, 18, and 15 for the opponent. Then two players have plus 2 against the opponent and the opponent has plus 2 against the other two players.

Or: Assign a DC, have everyone make a skill check and those who fail take a -2 to hit. (I think this seems less cool…)

I usually like to make sequences of opposed skill checks for non-combat encounters like a chase over roof-tops. This rewards players for investing in skills that have no obvious combat application.

(Weird, when I edit the comment and save, my plus characters get replaced by a space — looks like an encoding bug.)

]]> By: Tommi http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1022 Tommi Thu, 13 Dec 2007 07:22:55 +0000 http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1022 I'd make people make jump checks as normal. Failure would mean something like the character having to take standard action to attempt a balance check and be flatfooted (and at -4 on jumping) until that happens, in D&D's case. If my character is great at jumping and balancing, I want to benefit from those skill point investments. I’d make people make jump checks as normal. Failure would mean something like the character having to take standard action to attempt a balance check and be flatfooted (and at -4 on jumping) until that happens, in D&D’s case.

If my character is great at jumping and balancing, I want to benefit from those skill point investments.

]]> By: Yax http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1021 Yax Thu, 13 Dec 2007 04:39:45 +0000 http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1021 "A red dragon on an icy ledge"! Now that's something I'd like to see! I use this trope for D&D monks. Their weightless freefall + jumping abilities morph into near-flying acrobatics. I always enjoy it. “A red dragon on an icy ledge”! Now that’s something I’d like to see!

I use this trope for D&D monks. Their weightless freefall + jumping abilities morph into near-flying acrobatics. I always enjoy it.

]]> By: Graham|ve4grm http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1020 Graham|ve4grm Thu, 13 Dec 2007 04:34:48 +0000 http://chattydm.net/2007/12/12/mining-tropes-for-rpg-nuggets-gravity-pfaa/#comment-1020 Hmm... I can't not post this. http://flickr.com/photos/solidstate76/477920201/ http://www.amcgltd.com/archives/010086.html#010086 and of course http://www.myconfinedspace.com/watermark.php?src=wp-content/uploads/2007/03/fuck-gravity.jpg Hmm…

I can’t not post this.

http://flickr.com/photos/solidstate76/477920201/

http://www.amcgltd.com/archives/010086.html#010086

and of course

http://www.myconfinedspace.com/watermark.php?src=wp-content/uploads/2007/03/fuck-gravity.jpg

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