[Other] The Troubleshooters: The U-Boat Mystery

[Anael]

Are the abilities and complications more for flavor or do they have mechanics behind them?

[MisterKidder]

They have mechanics behind them. As I don't have a requirement that everyone owns the book, I have a decision to make: I can start the rules discussion (and typing out things like Advantages and Complications), or I can wait until I have a game thread to do it. I'm fine with either!

[Anael]

I would say wait. This was more for me fleshing out the idea in my head. No rush.

[MisterKidder]

I guess I can give a rules preview now.

The skills are percentages, so that's straight forward - roll d100 and if your result is equal to or less, it is a success.

Modifiers
Modifiers measure circumstances beyond your personal aptitude that affect the chance of success. Equipment may make a task easier, bad weather conditions may make it harder - these are typical kinds of modifiers. Up modifiers makes a task easier and Down modifiers make them harder. Both are measured in "pips".

If a check has a modifier, you first compare the Ones of the d% roll to the modifier. This takes precedence over the comparison to the Skill value.

Up modifiers: When a task is easier than normal, you apply an Up modifier, written as "+X pips".
- Check if the Ones of the d% roll is between 1 and X. If so, the task succeeds, regardless of the rest of the outcome.
- if the One is not between 1 and X, check if the outcome is equal to or lower than the Skill value as usual.

Down modifiers: When a task is harder than normal, you apply a Down modifier, written as "-X pips".
- Check if the Ones of the d% roll is between 1 and X. If so, the task fails, regardless of the rest of the outcome.
- if the One is not between 1 and X, check if the outcome is equal to or lower than the Skill value as usual.

Examples
- You have Vehicles 45%, driving a sports car that gives you +2 pips because of handling in the chase you're in. You roll to avoid a food cart and get a 92. Normally this would be fail, but because of the +2 pip modifier, the ones digit of 2 turns this into an automatic pass.
- You have Search at 65% trying to look for footprints where there was a recent rain. The Director (GM) gives the task -2 pips. You roll 21. Normally this would be an easy success, but because the ones digit is 1, the -2 pips modifier means this is a fail.

[MisterKidder]

Story Points
Story Points are a meta-currency in the game. You get Story Points for choosing to allow things to not go your way (like allowing your Complications to mess with you or getting captured), or for rolling doubles. You spend Story Points to activating your Abilities, getting a clue, adding something beneficial to a scene, or flipping a check.

Flipping a Check
For 2 Story Points, you can swap the ones and tens values of a roll. For example, if you rolled 92 and needed 45 or less, you can spend 2 Story Points to change the 92 into a 29.

[MisterKidder]

I went ahead on this, not expecting you to have responded so quickly. I will leave these bare bones rules here, but leave the details of Abilities and Complications for the game.

[Talissen70]

It sounds like a cool mechanic where you get story points for activating your complications to better the story and then use story points to adjust things in your favour as i understand it.

[MisterKidder]

@Talissen70 that seems to hit the concept right on the nose.

[MisterKidder]

The Game Thread is up.

Do you need to give posting privileges?

[MisterKidder]

I'm going to close recruitment soon. Four or five characters are fine with me. If you want in, speak up now!