MichaelSomething
Legend
Let's talk procedure(s) of play! What procedures do you like to use??? Which ones do you hate???
Let's talk Procedure of Play
- Thread starter MichaelSomething
- Start date
dbm
Savage!
One of the reasons Savage Worlds is my favourite RPG is that it has some great procedures which cover scenarios that come up often in gaming, beyond combat.
I really like the Dramatic Task system, which is an evolution of various skill challenge systems that other systems also have. There are three main things I personally think put it a step-above some other implementations.
The first, most simple perhaps, is that you can generate multiple successes per roll based on achieving raises (every 4 point you beat the skill target number by is another success after the first). This means that any challenge can potentially be overcome on the final roll, irrespective of how well the party has done up to that point. This keeps things interesting when things are going poorly for the party in the early stages of a challenge.
The second grows out of that effect. Dramatic challenges create an evolving narrative through the course of the test with potential set backs and moments of success. When a player rolls poorly and does. It achieve any successes the GM (or group, however you want to play it) can narrate the difficulties being experienced and how these thwart your gambit at that moment. This can also put pressure on the later steps of the challenge which then results in feelings of dramatic success (no pun intended) when the final player has to get a couple of raises to finish the challenge and they pull it off.
Finally, the integration of the card system is the icing on the cake. This brings more variability into the challenge in a number of ways. It can influence the sequence of attempts (though if there are no external pressures the party can basically go in any order by holding their action to allow a certain sequence of play) and, more importantly, if your initiative card is a club suit this introduces a complication where, if you want to roll, you will have a penalty which is quite big in Savage Worlds terms. Even more impactful, if you fail that roll then the whole Dramatic Task is failed right there, regardless of the total number of successes up to that point. This forces some tough decisions - should I risk it and roll, or should I do something else with my turn instead, leaving the rest of the party to pick up the load? This also integrates with all the edges that relate to the card system in Savage Worlds, meaning that your character is still getting the benefit of those.
The Dramatic Task system is great for putting detail and spotlight on a range of non-combat challenges, and I really love it personally.
I really like the Dramatic Task system, which is an evolution of various skill challenge systems that other systems also have. There are three main things I personally think put it a step-above some other implementations.
The first, most simple perhaps, is that you can generate multiple successes per roll based on achieving raises (every 4 point you beat the skill target number by is another success after the first). This means that any challenge can potentially be overcome on the final roll, irrespective of how well the party has done up to that point. This keeps things interesting when things are going poorly for the party in the early stages of a challenge.
The second grows out of that effect. Dramatic challenges create an evolving narrative through the course of the test with potential set backs and moments of success. When a player rolls poorly and does. It achieve any successes the GM (or group, however you want to play it) can narrate the difficulties being experienced and how these thwart your gambit at that moment. This can also put pressure on the later steps of the challenge which then results in feelings of dramatic success (no pun intended) when the final player has to get a couple of raises to finish the challenge and they pull it off.
Finally, the integration of the card system is the icing on the cake. This brings more variability into the challenge in a number of ways. It can influence the sequence of attempts (though if there are no external pressures the party can basically go in any order by holding their action to allow a certain sequence of play) and, more importantly, if your initiative card is a club suit this introduces a complication where, if you want to roll, you will have a penalty which is quite big in Savage Worlds terms. Even more impactful, if you fail that roll then the whole Dramatic Task is failed right there, regardless of the total number of successes up to that point. This forces some tough decisions - should I risk it and roll, or should I do something else with my turn instead, leaving the rest of the party to pick up the load? This also integrates with all the edges that relate to the card system in Savage Worlds, meaning that your character is still getting the benefit of those.
The Dramatic Task system is great for putting detail and spotlight on a range of non-combat challenges, and I really love it personally.
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