So, I'm looking forward to running my first session of EOTE Beginner Game, and with "A New Hope in Mind", I'm working up some set-pieces and encounters I can toss in to flesh out Mos Shuuta, and being a fan of the theory that Han shot first, I wanted to come up with a way to have a pistol duel. I was thinking he setting could either be in the street, "Wild West"-style, or in a more secluded setting, such as at a cantina table.

But I'm drawing a blank on how to do it mechanically. An opposed check on Ranged(light) seems to make sense, but is there another way anyone can think of?

Cool for Initiative, Ranged Light for the attack. Note that while Rapid Reaction makes a difference - it can boost initiative rolled on Cool - Quick Draw doesn't. This is because, if you have better initiative, you can always draw your weapon as a Maneuver and then shoot as an Action in one turn. The guy with Quick Draw doesn't have to spend that Maneuver, but that's not really a big help (unless he wants to Quick Draw, Aim as a Maneuver and then fire - which makes his shot more accurate, but not really any faster). To remedy this, I might suggest giving the guy with Quick Draw a free upgrade on his Cool check for initiative in a duel situation.

If you're worried about the lethality, don't be. A Ranged-Light check at Short Range, likely with no or minimal negative conditions, is going to be pretty nasty, and it'd be fair to say that Aim Maneuvers upgrade dice instead of adding Boosts (since everyone's likely standing still).

As far as setting up the situation though, think about what the players might try ahead of time. What are the permissible weapons, armor, etc., and how will the locals react if these customs are questioned or infringed. How will the bulkiness of the weapons affect the draw? (One Setback on the Cool check per point of Encumberance, perhaps.)

To first blood?

To satisfied honor?

To the death?

To the pain?

if you wanted to handle it all in one narrative roll. I would say opposed Range (Light) check.

if you wanted to handle it all in one narrative roll. I would say opposed Range (Light) check.

Or a competitive check..............queue the Good, the Bad and the Ugly music.................

if you wanted to handle it all in one narrative roll. I would say opposed Range (Light) check.

Or a competitive check..............queue the Good, the Bad and the Ugly music.................

That was poor word choice on my part. This was what I meant.

Thanks guys, this is great - I think I'm going to keep the idea of the Opposed Check for Han-Greedo style moments(Or at least until I try it out), but the rolling for initiative with the competitive check is really interesting for facing off in the street, so I'll definitely be holding onto that aswell.

So how do these duels work socially anyway? Is it first-to-draw is the murderer, second is self-defense? You could have a lot of fun with Deception/Coercion/Discipline, as well. Assuming the PC doesn't want to be branded a criminal...

"I make a twitch for my gun and hope he takes the bait." Roll Deception against Discipline. Failure, with Despair!

"You twitch too far and hit your gun, any witnesses will call that drawing first. He draws and shoots..."

So how do these duels work socially anyway? Is it first-to-draw is the murderer, second is self-defense? You could have a lot of fun with Deception/Coercion/Discipline, as well. Assuming the PC doesn't want to be branded a criminal...

"I make a twitch for my gun and hope he takes the bait." Roll Deception against Discipline. Failure, with Despair!

"You twitch too far and hit your gun, any witnesses will call that drawing first. He draws and shoots..."

If you wanted to expand it from more than just a single roll, I would make it a skill challenge. While there are no rules for skill challenges in EotE, the idea is simple enough.

Wow whafrog, I like your thinking - I was looking at this purely as a bit of flavour for Mos Shutaa(Whenever this game starts, it will be not only my first GM of any system, but also my first tabletop RPG involvement of any kind, so I feel like I'm a bit of an amateur when someone comes up with something like what you said), with maybe a d100 roll to determine whether a peasant mob or a law enforcement issue comes up, but I was only thinking of then-and-there, with no further implications.

Thanks for that, good stuff.

So how do these duels work socially anyway? Is it first-to-draw is the murderer, second is self-defense? You could have a lot of fun with Deception/Coercion/Discipline, as well. Assuming the PC doesn't want to be branded a criminal...

"I make a twitch for my gun and hope he takes the bait." Roll Deception against Discipline. Failure, with Despair!

"You twitch too far and hit your gun, any witnesses will call that drawing first. He draws and shoots..."

As your legal advisor, I suggest you not answer any questions.............

For the interested, turns out he who draws first often shoots last:

http://scienceblogs.com/notrocketscience/2010/02/02/why-does-the-gunslinger-who-draws-first-always-get-shot/

"People do indeed have a “reactive advantage”, where they execute a movement about 10% more quickly if they’re reacting to an opponent."

So how do these duels work socially anyway? Is it first-to-draw is the murderer, second is self-defense? You could have a lot of fun with Deception/Coercion/Discipline, as well. Assuming the PC doesn't want to be branded a criminal...

The Straight Dope to the Rescue !

And from Netorama :

Wild Bill Hickok had a bad quarrel with Davis Tutt in Springfield, Missouri. The fight was over a debt. At around 6PM, the two advanced on each other in the town square. The men drew guns at a distance of around 50 yards and blasted away. Tutt missed. Wild Bill didn't. Tutt fell with a bullet through his heart. Hickok was tried for manslaughter and acquitted.

But honestly, this is MUCH cooler than manslaughter trials:

... and being a fan of the theory that Han shot first...

Han shot first. I remember it clearly in all the 30 times I saw him do it back in 77' (it was a favourite for mothers of 8-10 year old boys for birthdays or an afternoon off, just drop the whole bunch at the theatre and spend a couple of quiet hours catching up with their friends across the street). It's one of the many things Lucas truly screwed up when he made the updated version. When you first meet Han he's only a bit of a shifty secondary character but when he kills Greedo he becomes dangerous and shifts solidly into a main character role. People who already knew about SW before they saw it didn't need this but it was part of a more subtle story telling that is rare in adventure films today.

So how do these duels work socially anyway? Is it first-to-draw is the murderer, second is self-defense? You could have a lot of fun with Deception/Coercion/Discipline, as well. Assuming the PC doesn't want to be branded a criminal...

"I make a twitch for my gun and hope he takes the bait." Roll Deception against Discipline. Failure, with Despair!

"You twitch too far and hit your gun, any witnesses will call that drawing first. He draws and shoots..."

So how do these duels work socially anyway? Is it first-to-draw is the murderer, second is self-defense? You could have a lot of fun with Deception/Coercion/Discipline, as well. Assuming the PC doesn't want to be branded a criminal...

"I make a twitch for my gun and hope he takes the bait." Roll Deception against Discipline. Failure, with Despair!

"You twitch too far and hit your gun, any witnesses will call that drawing first. He draws and shoots..."

I don't know about the laws of the wild west, but currently in Texas, just reaching for your gun is provocation and, if you get shot, the other guy can claim self defense. You don't actually have to touch it or draw it. In fact, just pulling back your coat to show someone you have a gun is considered provocation. There will still be Coercion and Discipline involved in baiting your opponent to reach for his weapon.

As goes in Texas, so too goes in AGFFA!

AGFFA?

A Galaxy Far Far Away.