XP each roll, even in "a sequence"?

  • 6 Replies
  • 4945 Views
XP each roll, even in "a sequence"?
« on: December 05, 2013, 05:36:17 PM »
So I play Burning Wheel, where you only got one test for sword (the best one) even if there's a long, drawn out fight (you can get tests for other skills/abilities). I believe Monsterhearts have a "one XP per scene", but I don't have my powered-by-ApW or even ApW for this (long)weekend and we're gaming monday.

Do I get an XP every time I roll a highlighted stat, even if it's just the same one?


Example:

Doberman, my gunlugger, assaults a factory with some bad guys to rescue a his pet dog or whatever. First Doberman captures the entry with a grenade, a couple of rounds and a Seize by force-move. Then he stealthily takes up a new position up high with an act under fire-move. There he's spotted, and as some bullet whistles past he opens his brain with the battle-hardened-move and learns that there's heated water in the pipes. Then Doberman begins the assault of the main part of the dog-nappers' gang with shooting up the steam pipes and rolls seize by force. While the last few stand amidst gusting bodies and shot up steam-pipes and threathens his dog, doberman shouts out threaths that involves both his guns and the slow removal of limbs and organs. The Go Aggro-move is successful, so he's the hero and makes his own day.

The question:

Assuming his Hard is highlighted, do he get 4 XP (or just one? ... or even 3?)


Re: XP each roll, even in "a sequence"?
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2013, 06:35:35 PM »
I think it is 4 XP, though if you are doing so many rolls, I expect this scene to be pretty important (the way you describe it, it is only a little dialog short of an action movie plot).  If it bothers you, you could run the entire fight with a single Seize by Force.

Re: XP each roll, even in "a sequence"?
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2013, 10:56:38 PM »
Highlighting a stat is basically telling them "do this as much as possible"; Highlighting their good stats is telling them that tonight will be their night to shine.

Re: XP each roll, even in "a sequence"?
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2013, 03:54:20 AM »

Yep, it's every time you roll it.

Re: XP each roll, even in "a sequence"?
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2013, 03:03:46 PM »
Thank you, all! "This is your night to shine" is a phrase I will remember.

*

Ebok

  • 415
Re: XP each roll, even in "a sequence"?
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2014, 08:51:30 PM »
Our group handled this differently.

Due to the fact that a character of the right class can convert virtually all of their basic essential moves into one or two stats, and then keep those stats high. The gunlugger for example can convert both ACT UNDER FIRE and OPEN YOUR BRAIN into hard rolls. Granted it's during battle, however it's hardly the only class capable of doing this. This has the downside that in some instances would mean a character with a highlighted stat might not have ANY move they'd roll for that stat. ex: The Hocus has Charisma and someone highlights his Hot. He'll roll weird, not hot. So it's a wasted highlight in that instance.

We decided collectively that it made more sense to highlight the stats that are SUPPOSE to be rolled for a given move. So the gunlugger would not gain exp for an ACT UNDER FIRE roll if their hard was highlighted, but would if their cool was highlighted. Regardless of whether they had the battlehardened ability or not. This leveled the playing field and made everyone a bit more comfortable when looking to incite a certain behavior from a character that week. Its much more fair and comes relatively easy.

My two cents.

*

Munin

  • 417
Re: XP each roll, even in "a sequence"?
« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2014, 01:07:58 PM »
We tend to limit gaining XP from a highlighted stat to once per scene, though the goal is to keep scenes pretty short such that this isn't too much of an issue.  But we found that some characters (especially the Brainer, who uses Weird for basically everything) were advancing really really quickly if their Weird was highlighted.

As for using stat-substitution moves, I would be inclined to only allow XP if the highlighted stat is rolled.  So if I'm playing a Brainer with Unnatural Lust Transfixion and my Hot is highlighted, what that is telling me is that if I want to turn this person into a meat-puppet through seduction, sure, I can use my Weird and I will likely be successful.  But if I want to learn something (i.e. gain experience), maybe I should try it the old fashioned way and actually connect with the person on a more human level.  Just because you have a stat-substitution move doesn't mean you have to use it.

And remember, to do it, do it.  You can't just say, "Oh, yeah, I totally Go Aggro on this guy to get him out of my way."  You have to describe your actions, you have to add to the fiction.  And if you do have a stat substitution move, I want you to actually describe how you are doing what it is that you are doing that uses the substituted stat.  Playing a Battlebabe with Ice Cold?  Tell me what it is that you're doing that's so Cool when you Go Aggro on someone.  If the answer is, "Uh, I stick my gun in his face and tell him to do what I want," then I'm likely to argue that you're doing it using Hard, not Cool.  But if the answer is, "Without a word I draw my katana using flawless iai, cut the belt of his holster straight through the buckle, then perform a perfect flourish of chiburi and noto, returning my sword to its scabbard before his gunbelt hits the floor.  With my hand still on the hilt I say, 'We will be entering this establishment without further interference'," then hells yeah you can use your Cool!  And if it is your Cool that's highlighted, then mark experience because you actually did something Cool.

What stat highlighting means to me is not that someone wants to see you do a certain thing, but rather that they want to see you be a certain way.  They want to see that aspect of your character.  By highlighting your Cool, they want to see how you rise above stress, how you are graceful under pressure, or how you impress people.  By highlighting your Hard, they want to see you be aggressive or strong-willed.  Hitting your Hot means they want to see you connect with people, to see you as a social animal.  Highlighting your Sharp means they want to see your introspective side, or see you think before you act.  And by pegging your Weird they want to see your spiritual side, want you to reveal just a little bit of your soul.