Opportunities & Complications

 

As mentioned in my latest video, I'm trying out this new "narrative die" game mechanic in our upcoming session (Cha'alt 3.12).  

Well, it's new to me.  Apparently, this has been around for a long time and is used by several RPGs already.

Basically, you roll a d6 along with your d20.  If the d6 results in a 1, there's a complication.  If it's a 6, there's an opportunity.  And the d20 decides if you (crit) succeed or (crit) fail, as usual.

As the GM, I'll be rolling this narrative die, as well, for monsters, NPCs, and whatever else.

After this trial session, the opportunity / complication d6 - I need to come up with a catchy name for it; ironically, "narrative die" doesn't really tell any kind of a story - will become optional for whoever wants to continue the practice.  I'll probably award a bonus Divine Favor for those who keep up with it each session, to mitigate the potential downside the game mechanic yields.

In preparation, I thought it would be handy to come up with a few default suggestions for both opportunities and complications.  Obviously, these things are situational and depend on the condition, context, and present circumstances.  But in the moment, it's also nice to have a go-to narrative detail.

Opportunity

• Some sort of feat, mighty deed, or stunt is possible.
• An additional 6 points of damage during an attack.
• If the attack was unsuccessful, a mere 6 points of damage is done via glancing blow or skin-deep cut.
• You have a moment of clarity, and are able to see things for what they really are.
• You notice your opponent is standing under a precarious stalactite. 
• If already successful, the attack becomes a crit.
• You get an attack of opportunity.
• If a saving throw is required, it's rolled with Advantage for you or Disadvantage for your opponent.
• Advantage on your next action.
• A PC or NPC is able to provide support, help, or aid.
• A weakness, flaw, tell, or new understanding appears.
• "A plan comes together" - if the PCs have a plan in place, the necessary missing piece of the puzzle suddenly falls into place.
• A resource renews or becomes available for the first time.
• Massive hit knocks opponent unconscious.
• If it's a weaker opponent, the attack outright kills them.
• PC's ferocity makes one or more opponents run away.
• You make it look easy.
• Someone watching becomes enamored of you.
• Your grace, skill, or ridicule unsteadies an opponent, giving them Disadvantage.
• You happen to be at a ley-line crossroads that rejuvenate, heal, or strengthen magic.
• Opponent's weapon, device, instrument, or whatever breaks, runs out of ammo, juice, charges, etc.
• There's a substantial crystal within view.
• They planned to spring a trap, but you either saw right through it or it failed.
• The Gods smile on you once again... that Orion whore you laid with did not have space herpes.
• Your belt is slashed and your pants fall down - red heart underwear activated!

Complication

• Reinforcements enter the fray.
• An ally runs away.
• If a saving throw is required, it's rolled at a Disadvantage to you or Advantage to your opponent.
• Your fazed by the sheer strength of their attack and get Disadvantage on your next action.
• You drop something.
• You have an allergic reaction to something nearby.
• You suddenly realize this isn't your enemy's final form.
• The enemy gets an attack of opportunity on you.
• One of your companions pulls a "wild card" on your group.
• Ammo, energy, fuel, juice, magic, or mojo runs out.
• Your war-scream has lured a wandering monster into environment.
• Just before dealing the killing-blow, your opponent uses his "one time," get out of jail free card, ring of teleportation, cloak of invisibility, or Predator camouflage armor to slip away and fight another day.
• Your opponent is immune to that form of attack, or has learned how to counter it, or adapted in order to make such attacks ineffective.
• Your mind plays tricks, you have a moment of confusion, or you're just getting old.
• An environmental hazard like a Cha'alt-quake, volcanic eruption, cave-in, or poisonous gas happens.
• Your opponent somehow knows something about you, an important detail that could lead to your undoing.
• Your bad back, knee, hip, elbow, or fractured tibula is flaring up again.  You're gonna need to sit out for a few minutes.
• You happen to be your opponent's favored enemy - they get Advantage when attacking you.
• The thing you need to protect is (almost) destroyed.
• A random NPC appears through a portal and smacks you across the face with a fish.  You're dazed for one round.
• Your weapon, device, or whatever you're carrying vibrates, ricochets, recoils, spits, chirps, reverbs, glistens, pulses, explodes, echoes, thrums, or belches fire and it somehow negatively impacts you.
• Whoops, that blade is poisoned... make your save or nighty-night.
• A trap was laid for you, and now it has sprung. 
• That three-breasted hooker has a dead-eye pimp who walks around with a thermal detonator.

____________

So, yeah... those are just some things that occurred to me as I sat down to type this blog post out.  I tried to come up with both in-combat and out-of-combat ideas.

You can use Divine Favor or say the phrase "By His loathsome tentacles" to reroll or bump your d6 narrative die, respectively.  Speaking of "By His loathsome tentacle," I'll allow players to shout "Cha'alt!" instead, if they'd rather say that in order to get a +1 on a die result.

If your a Daggerheart or Genesys RPG player and get some use out of this, remember to support small-time, independent content creators.

Enjoy,

VS

p.s. Want the hardcover Cha'alt trilogy?  Here's how (and they're currently on sale!)!!  Want to join the Kort'thalis mailing list to stay up-to-date on what's going on in the skinematic Vengerverse?  This is it!!  Last but not least, I'm organizing a based-as-fuck RPG convention in Madison, WI this July (Sandy Petersen will be joining us as VENGER CON's Guest of Honor).  Grab your weekend badge for VENGER CON IV: Post-Modern Apocalypse!!!