Let's Talk About Core Game Mechanics

Thomas Shey · 2026-03-04T18:11:24+0000

pemerton said:
I think the notion that the dice represent unspecified elements of the fiction - which I've heard a bit, certainly not just from @Thomas Shey - pushes strongly towards a "task resolution" approach to action resolution. For the reasons I gave upthread, it is a confusing issue even within super-simulationist RPGs like RQ and RM. (And that is based on experience, not just analysis.)

I don't think so. I think it can apply just as much to systems not focused on task resolution; it just applies to a much broader amount of elements. I see no reason it can't apply to conflict resolution, for example.

pemerton · 2026-03-05T12:02:21+0000

Thomas Shey said:
I don't think so. I think it can apply just as much to systems not focused on task resolution; it just applies to a much broader amount of elements. I see no reason it can't apply to conflict resolution, for example.

Here's an instance of play, from Torchbearer 2e:

pemerton said:
Fea-bella decided to purchase some holy water for battling the undead. I've been following the gear availability rules from the LMM pretty closely, which has limited what the PCs can buy in the Wizard's Tower without going to the black market (which in this context I'm construing as buying directly from townsfolk or peasants). Holy water is listed as availability 3, ie in Wizards' Towers, Religious Bastions and Forgotten Temple Complexes. I toyed with being a mean GM and saying that, for holy water, one of those is not like the other two. But then I reviewed my list of town facilities for a Wizard's Tower and allowed that there was a shrine, where holy water might be acquired. Golin offered help. But the Resources test (5 dice against Ob 3) failed - the shrine attendant sold Fea-bella the holy water, but only after berating her for her lack of regular attendance or offerings (ie her and Golin both had their Resources taxed down to 1).

Fea-bella also bought some wine, food and candles.

Golin used his 2nd level Outcast ability to haggle for free. The test failed, but the Failed Haggling Events roll didn't hurt him. He also bought some candles and food, but had some trouble with other purchases. He failed an attempt to buy rope, and I introduced a twist - a constable of the Tower, who wanted to learn more about Golin's involvement in an explosion at the hedge wizard's establishment, and its subsequent burning down. Golin decided to turn the gathered crowd against the constable and in his favour - opposed Oratory tests! Fea-bella helped with her Manipulator ("He's an innocent Dwarf, just trying to buy some rope!" called a heckler from the crowd), and Golin succeeded. So the constable backed off, but not without giving a look to the rope vendor that made it clear no rope was to be vended (ie the failed Resources test was to stand).

Golin then decided to buy a small shovel (pack 1 compared to the standard pack 2) - I asked whether he wanted wooden (Ob 1) or metal (Ob 2) and his player replied "Wooden, of course!" - it can also be used as fuel if necessary. But the three dice (Resources back up to 2 by this stage, plus +1D from a stimulated economy) yielded not a single success, and who should Golin see coming towards him once again but the constable! I told him to note down his new enemy, and that the town phase was now done. Both players succeeded on their Lifestyle checks, and so returned Fresh to Megloss's house to begin the adventure proper.

So there are three failures here:

* The failed test to purchase the holy water;

* The failed test to buy the rope;

* The failed test to buy the shovel.

On the first failure, I (as GM) opt for success (ie the holy water is acquired) with a condition (ie taxing of Resources). In the fiction, the shrine attendant asks for more than they might have (which runs down the PCs' cash) and berates them (which runs down the PCs' credit). The taxing of Resources correlates to this.

On the second failure, I (as GM) opt for a twist - ie instead of being able to buy the rope, the PC is confronted with another obstacle (the constable).

On the third failure, I (as GM) again opt for a twist, and this time I push things harder: the town phase is over, and the mechanical consequences of that (Lifestyle test) are worked out.

This is the sort of thing I have in mind. The player's failed roll prompts the need for a decision on my part, as GM - to allow success, but with a condition imposed; or to introduce a twist. But I think it's obvious that the dice don't represent the shrine attendant's attitude towards the PC (or the PC's failure to have attended and made offerings at the shrine); nor the constable and the constable's attitude towards the PC.