It didn't work? I do it again!!!

[ryanshowseason2]

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure the answer would be; "I slap another clip into my gun and continue fireing."  

At this point it is also within your bounds to start compelling the character into doing something else. look at his aspects and figure one that can make him do something anything else and it may jump start him into a different mindset.

Player: I fire the gun.... AGAIN!.... HARDER!... AND MORE EXTREME LIKE!... WHILE SCREAMING!.. AND PLAYING METAL MUSIC!.. WITH A MEAN LOOK ON MY FACE!
Me: Does your high aspect contain the phrase "Mentally handicapped"? No then I compel you to do something not mentally handicapped.

[devonapple]

So…  Two player characters encounter an unknown threat and engage in combat.  The opponent appears able to shrug off their initial attacks.  One player then begins to vary his approach while still relying on the same ability. The other, proceeds to repeat the same action, over and over, evidently convinced that all he needs is the right roll and grows frustrated when this is not met with success.   What should I do? 
I don’t want to stop the game to suggest that he try something else.  There is a lot of tension at this point and the other players are all caught up in the action.  Also, I don’t really feel that I should have to explain the opponent’s abilities and defenses.  I want the PC’s to figure them out on their own.   

Is the monster explicitly immune to bullets? Or could the player possibly line up enough targeting Aspects to get past its Armor?

[Oriande]

Through Contacts, Resources, Burglary, Craftmanship, and other possibly-applicable skills, a gunman can buy/steal/make something to let them use their apex skill on a beastie.  At least they SHOULD be able to.

Can I ask what you expected the shooter to do once he emptied his mag on the monster?  Would any Weapon rating be enough to harm it (ie, did it have Physical Immunity)?  Because enough stacked maneuvers and the right ammo will fuck up anyone's day.  Ask Kincaid.

You are right, of coarse. However, in this case just fireing more rounds of the same ammunition, with the same guns skill, using the same semi-automatic pistol wasn't going to change anything.  Would it matter if a hired hitter fired two or even twelve rounds into Harry's leather duster?


As for what I expected him to do... I'm not sure. I guess I was hoping for; "What IS that thing?" and "Why could my friend take out an eye with a jagged piece of flint?"  or maybe just that he would act more like a True Believer  -- he had Holy Water, time to pray etc. -- and less like a GTM.

[TheMouse]

I'm not sure this is always appropriate, but I might be inclined to start "reframing" those Gun rolls into Maneuvers - on behalf of the player - and narrate the effect of the gunfire in terms of the distraction it is causing. I also liked the suggestion of simply reframing those Guns checks into Assessment actions. It may be seen as good guidance, or be mistaken for tactical railroading, depending on the player's attitude.

I'm always leery about subverting the players' intentions. If the player is choosing to make Guns based attacks, that player clearly wants to inflect Stress and eventually Take Out the target (or perhaps stop at an acceptable Concession). I might offer to change the action to a Maneuver or the like, but I'd never just do it. That strikes me as disrespectful of the player's right to make their own decisions.

[devonapple]

I'm always leery about subverting the players' intentions. If the player is choosing to make Guns based attacks, that player clearly wants to inflect Stress and eventually Take Out the target (or perhaps stop at an acceptable Concession). I might offer to change the action to a Maneuver or the like, but I'd never just do it. That strikes me as disrespectful of the player's right to make their own decisions.

I certainly appreciate that - there is one textual example, though, when Harry and Billy are chatting in the sidebar, and Harry complains about a Fists attack that only hits, but not enough to cause Stress. Billy suggests that it instead be retroactively converted to a Maneuver.

Perhaps a compromise would be something like "You hit, but deal no damage. May I offer you the option to convert your action into a Maneuver? It's not getting hurt, but you could opt to be 'Distracting' it, or 'Drawing its Attention to You'?"

[Tedronai]

Offering options is almost always preferable to mandating results.

[LDSman]

Go the route of the Gazebo story.

[devonapple]

Go the route of the Gazebo story.

Could the Gazebo Concede and get some Fate Points?

[Tedronai]

The Gazebo fights to the death!

[LDSman]

Nah, it distracts you till the flying buttress attacks from above.

[TheMouse]

Offering options is almost always preferable to mandating results.

*ding!* We have a winner!

[Oriande]

Go the route of the Gazebo story.

Tempting.... although I would then need to define the equivalent of a “fire casting mage”.  Remember, I didn’t want to just tell them “Reptile Man’s” catch/defenses.

[devonapple]

Tempting.... although I would then need to define the equivalent of a “fire casting mage”.  Remember, I didn’t want to just tell them “Reptile Man’s” catch/defenses.

One option: see if there is an Aspect that you can Compel to "accidentally" introduce some sort of fire to the scene. Maybe take a failed spell roll as an opportunity to Compel the spellcaster to cause Fallout instead of taking Backlash, and light up that battlefield. Then you can have the monster shy away from it or give some other tell.

[sinker]

Another thing to consider is that unlike other games the options in DFRPG are not limited to win or die. It is perfectly acceptable as a GM in Dresden to have the players struggle futilely against something for a bit, then ask for a concession and have the players come back to it from a different angle with more preparation. You don't have to hand the players the solution, just so that they don't die.

[hank the ancient]

The phrase "quit it, that tickles!" as spoken by the baddie comes to mind.

or have the enemy call time out to the bewildered guy actually varrying his attack then saunter over and say "seriously, it didn't work the first four dozen times you did it why the hell would it work the next four billion. TIME IN !" if possible deliver the line in stewie griffin speak.