doubling on moves?

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bpm

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doubling on moves?
« on: November 20, 2012, 12:25:33 PM »
Hi all,

We kicked off a campaign this past weekend and everyone had a blast.  We had a few areas where the thief wanted to do some pretty cinematic stuff, and I may have messed up how to handle it. 

Example:  He cut himself out of an ork slaver's net, no problem.  As the slobbering ork is running towards him, the thief wanted to duck and roll into the ork, sinking his dagger in his tendons to immobilize him.  In the heat of the moment and to keep the game moving, I went with two rolls for him:  a Defy Danger + DEX to roll up to the ork accurately, then Hack and Slash to cut through the slavers Kickin' Boots. 

Thoughts?  Should I just have used one or the other?  In this case in the fiction there definitely needed to be some kind of gap-closing for the thief to get his dagger into range. 

Many thanks on any tips!

Re: doubling on moves?
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2012, 01:09:53 PM »
There aren't hard and fast rules about it, but here is a way you could have done it:

On the defy danger (the danger being the orc will get him while he rolls)
On a 10+, he's in good position and can just deal damage.
On a 7-9, give a choice:  he's got the orc's tendons and he's immobilized now but the orc got a solid kick in beforehand (he rolls the orc's damage, then "What do you do now?") or he can defend against the kick but he's tangled up fighting with the orc now, then "What do you do now?"

Basically you (generally) should avoid a call for two rolls in a row, as the results of defy danger can really change the circumstances to where the player won't necessarily narrate a hack and slash directly out of it.  Sometimes the situation will just let them deal damage w/o rolling hack & slash out of the situation too.  Basically, ask "What do you do?" after the results for each roll are completed.

Re: doubling on moves?
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2012, 02:46:27 PM »
Often, Defy Danger comes into play when you are ignoring some clear and present threat to accomplish something else instead.  In that case, definitely okay to "double up" because the fiction is calling for it.  If you want to engage your enemy in melee, first you have to deal with the advantage he has over you.  Defy Danger is a gate that you have to pass through first.

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noofy

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Re: doubling on moves?
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2012, 05:50:43 PM »
Oh the GM fun to be had when the thief misses his Defy Danger roll :)

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noclue

  • 609
Re: doubling on moves?
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2012, 12:18:45 PM »
One trap to avoid is calling for Defy Danger any time someone makes there move sound cool. If its always Defy Danger to duck and roll and then Hack and Slash to hit, your players will soon be trained not to do any ducking and rolling. And then you'll be left with just rolling to hit.

Instead, unless there's some other threat present to defy (he's going to be tackling the Orc threat in the Hack and Slash move anyway), why not use the duck and roll as an opportunity for you to Be a Fan of the Characters and Give Every Monster Life.
James R.

    "There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which can not fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
     --HERBERT SPENCER

Re: doubling on moves?
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2012, 01:38:58 PM »
One trap to avoid is calling for Defy Danger any time someone makes there move sound cool. If its always Defy Danger to duck and roll and then Hack and Slash to hit, your players will soon be trained not to do any ducking and rolling. And then you'll be left with just rolling to hit.

Instead, unless there's some other threat present to defy (he's going to be tackling the Orc threat in the Hack and Slash move anyway), why not use the duck and roll as an opportunity for you to Be a Fan of the Characters and Give Every Monster Life.

Yes!  Take the trigger for Defy Danger very seriously. 

Are you ignoring a present danger to do something else?  Defy it.  Did something really bad just happen to you?  Defy it.  Otherwise, just let the moves happen.