So I have a player who’s role is an Executioner, and is naturally quite skilled as a sniper. However, his cool isn’t the best. How do I handle determining initiative if he is say at long range from his target and assassinating / sniping them? Is it reasonable that his bad cool versus their decent vigilance gives them the ability to act first, when they would otherwise have no real reason to know he’s sniping them?

It’s time for him to increase his Cool skill rank.

In the movies, what happens when you have a marksman who is unskilled at ambushes? He loses his cool, gives away his position somehow, maybe accidentally fires off a shot because his gun has a hair trigger.

On the other hand, maybe his low Initiative roll means he did get a shot off, but missed his intended target and hit someone inconsequential, thereby giving his enemies time to react.

But yeah, time to upgrade your skills man. Sniping is about more than just aiming and shooting. You’ve gotta keep your Cool, be patient & unflappable.

I think if story-wise the enemies can't tell he's sniping at them or going to snipe at them, it is reasonable to allow his stealth to come into effect.

I would use one of two three solutions:

1. If he is planing the ambush carefully you could allow a stealth check against the enemies' perception. If he is successful, he gets the chance to fire a shot before initiative is determined.
2. Alternatively, you could start initiative as normal, but as long as the sniper is hidden, anyone trying to shoot at them must spot them first (their vigilance against the snipers stealth, plus setbacks for concealment through environment). Once the sniper starts shooting, he either gives away his position completely (no perception check necessary) or the perception checks become easier (e.g. boost dice). This could be decided by advantages,, disadvantages, triumphs or despairs. (E.g. despair on the snipers roll: All enemies spot where the blasterfire came from)
3. Add setback dice to the initiative roll of the enemies, because they can't see him.

Just remember it always works in both directions. If the player can hide and snipe, so your the adversaries. 😉

And don't let him set up an ambush/sniper situation for every encounter. The player should still be encouraged to improve his coolness or get some ranks in Rapid Reaction.

3 hours ago, GM Fred said:

I think if story-wise the enemies can't tell he's sniping at them or going to snipe at them, it is reasonable to allow his stealth to come into effect.

I would use one of two three solutions:

1. If he is planing the ambush carefully you could allow a stealth check against the enemies' perception. If he is successful, he gets the chance to fire a shot before initiative is determined.
2. Alternatively, you could start initiative as normal, but as long as the sniper is hidden, anyone trying to shoot at them must spot them first (their vigilance against the snipers stealth, plus setbacks for concealment through environment). Once the sniper starts shooting, he either gives away his position completely (no perception check necessary) or the perception checks become easier (e.g. boost dice). This could be decided by advantages,, disadvantages, triumphs or despairs. (E.g. despair on the snipers roll: All enemies spot where the blasterfire came from)
3. Add setback dice to the initiative roll of the enemies, because they can't see him.

Just remember it always works in both directions. If the player can hide and snipe, so your the adversaries. 😉

And don't let him set up an ambush/sniper situation for every encounter. The player should still be encouraged to improve his coolness or get some ranks in Rapid Reaction.

It would be cool vs vigilance. Sniper cool. Victim vigilance. I would give boost die to cool from a stealth check.

Here's how I've handled what is essentially a surprise situation.

Step 1. You're in Narrative Gameplay. Story is going along. Executioner finds a target and wants to snipe them.

Step 2. Still Narrative Gameplay. Executioner must get into position. Stealth check v. targets Perception (if they're actively looking for enemies), or Vigilance if they're only passively aware.

Step 3. IF the Executioner succeeds in their Stealth check, you're still in Narrative Gameplay, and they therefore get to take their first shot in Narrative Gameplay. They (and the GM) may spend the narrative symbols from the Stealth check as normal to improve/hinder the first shot.

Step 4. You roll initiative/enter Structured Gameplay as normal after the first shot.

IF the Executioner failed their Stealth check in Step 3, then you roll initiative as normal, and yea, they're using their Cool.

Even if the NPC vigilance won initiative, his first action should make sense... he has no reason to suspect something so for him to attack wouldn’t make thematic sense...

2 hours ago, OtterJethro said:

Even if the NPC vigilance won initiative, his first action should make sense... he has no reason to suspect something so for him to attack wouldn’t make thematic sense...

If the target won initiative, something triggered their vigilance. Seeing the little red dot on someone's shirt, seeing a reflection of the sniper somewhere, etc.

3 hours ago, Stan Fresh said:

If the target won initiative, something triggered their vigilance. Seeing the little red dot on someone's shirt, seeing a reflection of the sniper somewhere, etc.

Which is why advan onstealth could give boost to your cool and threat could give you setback

On 2/1/2020 at 6:00 AM, Silverburst3 said:

So I have a player who’s role is an Executioner, and is naturally quite skilled as a sniper. However, his cool isn’t the best. How do I handle determining initiative if he is say at long range from his target and assassinating / sniping them? Is it reasonable that his bad cool versus their decent vigilance gives them the ability to act first, when they would otherwise have no real reason to know he’s sniping them?

If his cool is poor then he isn't skilled as a sniper. He's only skilled at shooting with a ranged weapon. If the player doesn't say he's using stealth to get in position for sniping the target, then yes it's reasonable that his bad cool gives that target the possibility to act first. The PC's lack of cool made him do something that warned the target. If you can see a target then that target can see you too.

But if the player says his character is using stealth to get in position, then he'll use advantages to get boost dice or threats to get setback dice for his cool versus vigilance roll. For a triumph I'll let him make the first shoot without rolling for initiative and use advantages / threats for boost / setback dice dices on the ranged attack roll. For a despair the target act first without an initiative roll but the player can still use advantages / threats for boost / setback dice. Of course if the target use his / her action to take some cover, the defence provided by the cover will add to any setback dice already in the dice pool, even if that means more than four black dice.

It's more or less how I do when the players in my SW FFG games set ambushes. I can, eventually, give boost dice or, more rarely, setback dice on the stealth roll if the environment where the ambush is set justifies boost or setback.

Keep in mind you can just ask a player to give up a superior slot since you don't have to go on what you rolled.

Had a Gunslinger do that a lot when he rolled badly so he could go first.

I'd say there are some factors that need to be addressed in setting up the shot before you can think about taking the shot. Perhaps set it up as a bit of a skill challenge using an array of skills.

1) Choose the target - where do you think he will be when you want to take the shot? When will he be there? How does he get there? Will there be circumstances that impede the difficulty of your shot (such as cover from a vehicle, bodyguards, etc)?

2) Choose the shot location - Does your location provide you cover and concealment? Will incidental contact with others impede your ability to make the shot? Is there a tech advantage/disadvantage that needs to be taken into consideration?

3) Maneuver to the shot location - Will you be observed as to make your way to the chosen location? Does it matter? Will you be spotted/tracked by tech/npc's? Is the environment going to hinder your movement? What can you do to mitigate the environmental challenges?

4) Take the shot

All this can be determined with a single roll in this game. Each step of the way is explained by your successes, failures, advantages, disadvantages, boosts, setbacks and so on.