The other Conflict

[Haru]

Since I started to excessively read and work with the DFRPG, I often see some scenes in the novels unfolding by the rules of the RPG. Now I've been rereading Turn Coat, and when I came to the scene where Injun Joe is fighting the naagloshii, I was wondering. It doesn't really feel like a conflict, from a mechanical point of view. Yes, they fight, and yes, they both get injured, but by and large, I always felt, that a conflict didn't fit this scene very well. It looks much more like the "cat and mouse" conflict resolution to me, and reading that scene again with that in mind fits fairly neatly, I think. You wouldn't have to constantly figure out what the different forms the two fighters are assuming can do and such, it is just their way of fighting, a cool way to describe it, but ultimately, you'd have a fairly straight forward mechanic for them to resolve the conflict.

Now I have to say, I never really used the other conflict resolution rules suggested in the book. A lot of scenes might be a lot easier to handle or might run a lot smoother if you don't set them up as a conflict by default, but as one of the other solutions.

My question is, has anyone done that or is doing so frequently? What is your experience with those rules?

[Deadmanwalking]

See, that fight always read to me like exactly what two people with True Shapeshifting fighting should look like, as they shift again and again to raise certain skills and target their opponent's low ones.

But maybe that's just me.

[Haru]

Of course, I'm not saying that's the only way to do it, not even the only way to do it elegantly, but I found that for me it would remove a lot of hassle from that fight.

Regardless, that was mainly meant as an intro to the question, if I'd have another example, I'd supply it.

[Locnil]

See, that fight always read to me like exactly what two people with True Shapeshifting fighting should look like, as they shift again and again to raise certain skills and target their opponent's low ones.

But maybe that's just me.

Interesting. I never thought about it that way, since I don't play shapeshifters. Seems like it could be incredibly fun, for those who like tactical combat, even if it would probably be time consuming. Maybe a shapeshifter duel minigame, to speed things up?

[Sanctaphrax]

1. How does one target one's opponent's low skills?

2. I use the other conflict resolution mechanics from time to time. They work. All I've got to say about them, really.

[Deadmanwalking]

1. How does one target one's opponent's low skills?

Maneuvers of the right sort (often Mental or Social based ones while they're dropping mental stuff for physical). Attempts to grapple when their Might sucks. Hitting them particularly hard with direct attacks when their Endurance is low. That sort of thing.

I was also talking about 'skills' more generally if you're using Modular Abilities. Maneuvers when they have high Toughness, direct hits with as much strength as you can when it drops, raising Toughness when people attack you, suckering people into focusing on the wrong thing, all that stuff.

[Haru]

2. I use the other conflict resolution mechanics from time to time. They work. All I've got to say about them, really.

Do you have an example, or a rule of thumb, when you use those instead of the standard conflict rules?

[Sanctaphrax]

Whenever a standard conflict would be weird or too much effort.

For example, political maneuvering is often easiest to represent with extended rolls. There often aren't clearly defined parties that are actually conflicting with one another, and when there are they don't always know about each other's existence.

[Violet Rook]

1. How does one target one's opponent's low skills?

Assuming that a Shape-shifter has knowledge of animals, especially the ones she can shift into, in combat of the sort mentioned above, I would allow each being involved to roll Scholarship or Lore (creature type pending) to see if they know about the opponents form. That would grant significant insight into the skills the other is trying to not only take advantage, but where that animal might be lacking.

Example: Lisa takes the form of a rabbit to get advantage of not only small size, but speed, to get away from Shift-o-monster. So her athletics is improved as well as alertness.

Shift-o-monster rolls scholarship (bunnies are not supernatural creatures) and gets a Great result. It knows well about rabbits. The monster can then take on the form of a hawk, matching for size and speed, but also has a wonderful intimidate skill to take advantage of the rabbit's aspect: Panic-Heart. (What with the screeching and all). A Hawk would also gain a good endurance for its ability of patience during pursuits. So it could easily allow the rabbit to run itself out while gliding happily along behind it screeching as to not allow its foe a moment of rest.