[Information] Competition rules and rules queries for Outplay 2022

[Bhelogan]

Originally Posted by rhaiber

If we are rolling for CN and Race, should we do that in our application post, or do you have a separate thread where you'd like us to roll?

And just for clarification, I know you said this is Shadowrun-inspired, not SR proper, right? For me, I'm familiar with generic dystopian near-future cyberpunk, but I know next to nothing about official SR canon. Do I have the liberty to invent corporation names and location flavor for my backstory? Will it be looked on negatively if I contradict established SR canon?

Roll in our application post.

You can invent locations/corps for your backstory. If something contradicts what we need storywise, we will let you know. Note, this is a continuation of the SR bracket story from 2020, so feel free to peruse that for inspiration.

[PapaHuck]

Thanks for looking into my last question.

Another item I wanted to raise for the good of the order:

If we have a vignette about what our character was doing when they got the transmission (presumably from Ju1c3) and how they reacted, should we be saving that for the first post of Round 1, rather than cramming it in our character backstory? . . . . And, on a related note, is there a word-count maximum on posts once we are in-game? (Sorry if that was in the rules already, and I just missed it.)

[Bhelogan]

@PapaHuck - I would save that for Round 1. There is not a word limit on game posts, but there is a time limit to get it posted.

[Imveros]

Originally Posted by PapaHuck

Thanks for looking into my last question.

Another item I wanted to raise for the good of the order:

If we have a vignette about what our character was doing when they got the transmission (presumably from Ju1c3) and how they reacted, should we be saving that for the first post of Round 1, rather than cramming it in our character backstory? . . . . And, on a related note, is there a word-count maximum on posts once we are in-game? (Sorry if that was in the rules already, and I just missed it.)

Originally Posted by Bhelogan

@PapaHuck - I would save that for Round 1. There is not a word limit on game posts, but there is a time limit to get it posted.

I would like to add that while there is no official wordlimit, that judges reacted quite poorly to a 15,000 word post last year. So while there's no hard rule, remember that your judges are humans reading a novel's worth of text each week. Make sure the bang per buck is there!

[Treble83]

Hello... I'm already confused. I'm new to the Shadowrun system (actually haven't played a game of it yet, just research thus far). For signature complex actions... Do we pick from the book or make them up and use the books as loose guidelines?

[Imveros]

Originally Posted by Treble83

Hello... I'm already confused. I'm new to the Shadowrun system (actually haven't played a game of it yet, just research thus far). For signature complex actions... Do we pick from the book or make them up and use the books as loose guidelines?

You make the up using one of the categories of moves listed at the top. Feel free to use a Shadowrun book for inspiration, but we aren't using anything even resembling official Shadowrun mechanics

[Treble83]

Originally Posted by Imveros

You make the up using one of the categories of moves listed at the top. Feel free to use a Shadowrun book for inspiration, but we aren't using anything even resembling official Shadowrun mechanics

Should we have one of each category or a mix of our choosing? (e.g. 1 attack and 2 utility)

[Imveros]

Originally Posted by Treble83

Should we have one of each category or a mix of our choosing? (e.g. 1 attack and 2 utility)

Depends on your character concept! What mix works best for the runner's story you wish to tell?

The challenges will be fairly open ended allowing for multiple ways to overcome them. It's more a test of creativity than of who has the most sick build

[Treble83]

Awesome. Thanks!

[PapaHuck]

Originally Posted by Bhelogan

We allow you to use Adventuring Gear however you normally would. Last year, we limited you to cast spells that were in your lists of known spells (we did have cantrips, but those couldn't not provide any mechanical benefit, and never had you roll die). Let me run this by the judges though, and see what the overall decision is on it for this year's event.

Following up on this. Are we still at that characters can use their Archetype gear die to do attempt anything that passes the laugh test, except (ironically compared to other rules systems) mages, who are basically stuck with their 3 known spells as the only things they can add their Archetype gear die to?

Another player mentioned to me they had a similar question, so interest may be out there for a clarification.

[Bhelogan]

Originally Posted by PapaHuck

Following up on this. Are we still at that characters can use their Archetype gear die to do attempt anything that passes the laugh test, except (ironically compared to other rules systems) mages, who are basically stuck with their 3 known spells as the only things they can add their Archetype gear die to?

Another player mentioned to me they had a similar question, so interest may be out there for a clarification.

I will follow up on this shortly, but I think we are leaning towards allowing you to use programs/cast spells, and so forth that are not on your Known list, using your adventuring gear, but you only get 2 die to roll when making such an attempt.

[Bhelogan]

Update - Moves/Programs/Drone Move/Complex Form/Spells that are not in your list (but fit your archetype, and performed using your adventuring gear) may be attempted, allowing you to roll 2d6.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by Bhelogan

Update - Moves/Programs/Drone Move/Complex Form/Spells that are not in your list (but fit your archetype, and performed using your adventuring gear) may be attempted, allowing you to roll 2d6.

That is very versatile!! I hope it comes up, because it will allow for some very ingenious problem-solving opportunities at high risk.

@edit:
I also think this is a very healthy ruling for the system in general, and if it works out well during this competition it should be signified in the core system rules in future years!

@2nd edit:
If I understand correctly this allows everybody to mechanically do everything as long as it passes the sanity check, just at different odds. Considering that the "sanity check" will be judged and possibly penalized if too much freedom is taken with this method of using adventuring gear, I think this is a great way to increase system balance.

[jbear]

Originally Posted by PapaHuck

So for a dice-rolling post, players should (in a spoiler):

• ID the generic effect they are going for (damage, buff, debuff, healing, or utility - with a general description of what that utility is)
• ID who/what that effect intends to affect
• Calculate how many dice to roll (maybe even correctly. . . )
• Make the roll

After that, players make a narrative post. Narrative post has a 1-hour revision window. The clock starts when narrative first posted.

Is that more-or-less the idea?

I find PapaHuck's question/statement to clarify understanding very helpful as I have similar doubts that I have correctly understood everything. Since kick-off nears, I would like to copy PapaHuck's question/statement to ensure I have understood how things work in terms of mechanics. A quick confirmation or correction would be warmly appreciated.

Generic Effects:
If I use my adventuring gear (commlink (communication or interaction with tech-systems like an information hack?), weapon (physical attacks) or my LIVING PERSONA: E-Nano Simbiote (Stuff I invent body-related as it is a system installed throughout my body): I roll 2d6
If I use one of my known spells: I roll 2d6
If I use one of my known spells with my gear: I roll 3d6 (Is this always the case because my moves come from my LIVING PERSONA?)
- QUESTION: If I channel my Midas Virus from my Living Persona into my Nano Tech Nunchucks to bust a system, are the dice of two pieces of gear cumulative ie. roll 4d6?

If I use my signature move: roll 3d6
If I use my signature move with my LIVING PERSONA: roll 4d6 (is this always the case as it is the source of my powers?)

NEW RULES Addition: Make up any other cool shite: Roll 2d6
QUESTION: It looks like using 'non known moves' has the same chance as using adventuring gear. Is this intentional? Or is the intention for this to be a cumulative base for everything as in using adventuring gear would be 3d6, Known spells+ adventuring gear 4d6 and SM 5d6?

Success depends on type of action: Magic stuff = higher than your number is good, Physical stuff = lower than your number is good. Rolling exactly your number is best > counts for 2 sucesses.
Fail = 0 successes
To have some success with some badness: 1 success needed
To have a clean success: 2 successes needed
To hit it out the park: 3+ successes

So if my CN is 3, I use my signature move and roll 4d6 and get 1,2,3,5 > I hit it out the park, and if I try to break someone's knee cap with my nunchucks (2d6) and roll 2,6 , (success but with set back) hit the guys knee and give him a nasty limp, but the nunchucks rebound and break my nose kind of thing?

These numbers for success will be moderated by penalties or bonuses given by the DM which basically increase or decrease the DC. So a THUG might be wearing padded armour and give a -1 to physical attacks so my 2d6=3,3 are moderated to a 2,2 and my nunchucks basically whack myself in the dingle dangle - or because my number is 3, this is basically a crit and ignore penalty modifiers? Or is 4 my new 'crit target' ie 4-1 = 3 which is my CN > 2 successes?

SO I realise there are a few areas where I am not certain if I understand how it works. Am I on the right track? Where did I get it wrong?

Thank you for the clarification or confirmation!!

[Mindsiege]

@jbear:
There are a few examples of how this system plays in last year's competition, and this year should be pretty similar. I imagine it goes something like this:

4 Outplay dice <=> perform your signature move (designated as such on your character sheet) to cause the designed effect of the move
3 Outplay dice <=> perform a known move that's not your signature move to cause the designed effect of the move
2 Outplay dice <=> perform any action that's within the flavour of your adventuring gear (AG) to cause any effect within the flavour of your AG
1 Outplay dice <=> perform any action for which you have no adventuring gear to support you with

In regards to your questions, I believe the following statements to be true, maybe Bhelogan can confirm:

• All your moves as you have designed them apply your adventuring gear.
• Any effect outside your designed moves (for example a damaging effect instead of a debuff effect) will automatically default to a simple action using just your adventuring gear, so 2d.
• Rolling High or Rolling Low depends on the flavour of what you're doing. So for example doing physical damage with nunchucks as Rolling Low will be more difficult than doing virtual damage with Midas Touch nunchucks as Rolling High.
• There are no 5d rolls without active buffs or help actions that give you extra Outplay dice.
• Penalties and Boni are usually active as part of a scene and apply to either Rolling High or Rolling Low in general, rather than targeting any specific actions a character might take. So more like "a sandstorm makes all Rolling High more difficult by -1" instead of "this entity has this and that characteristic that interferes with this and that behaviour".
• The reason that 'non-known moves' have the same chance as using adventuring gear is because that's exactly what it is. Any spell that wasn't designed as a known move is basically just using your spell focus (or matrix equivalent) as your adventuring gear.