one-hit kills

By User, in Game Masters

Posted at


Well as you wrote it it seemed that no matter how well or poorly you succeeded on a stealth check you'd give the same flat bonus to the stealth check. That just seems as a binary interpretaion in relation to something that is actually dependant on how well he sneaks up on the guy - how close can he get, how much time does he have etc. could easily influence how easily he can kill the guy. Plus although he manages to sneak up on the guy a threath may indicate him kicking a stone the very moment he strikes, so the guy moves a bit (a black die to the melee check).

Adding two boost dice regardless of how he succeeds his stealth checks just seems binary, when the success of the first logically influence the success of the second directly

This is similar to the argument I was trying to make, rolls aren't binary. Keep in mind the roll isn't just the sneaking but everything surrounding the action including getting in a good position for an attack once you get there. In the case of a simple Stealth Success with no Advantages you only get up there without any mishap but you didn't quite do it in such a way as to get into a good position or whatever to gain any bonus. Your opponent doesn't see you yet but you notice that there is broken glass or dried leaves in the last couple of meters behind your target that will give your attack away or during the time it took to get there (rounds are around a minute after all) he shifted position and now he's leaning against a wall making a clean kill that much more difficult, or he moved in such a way that once you go for the kill you will be exposed and so you get no advantage.

So a simple success doesn't gain you any Bonus dice but you are still hidden and can delay your attack and attempt another Stealth roll, or not attack and do something else (maybe you notice this isn't a minion but a stronger opponent or whatever), or just go ahead with your attack anyway. The point is a simple success with Stealth gives you exactly what it should and no more = you successfully moved without being seen, you just didn't quite set yourself up for that video game kill.

This is the whole point of the narrative roll system, that you are describing the whole scene not just an action.

Edited by FuriousGreg
Posted at

If I roll stealth and succeed but still can't attempt a sneak attack, I'm looking for a new GM. I completely disagree with the FuriousGreg system. But different GM's do stuff different.

As to the binary success, the rules are binary in most situations. Are you behind cover? Yup! Great, add a boost to stealth! Did you aim? Yup! Great, add a Boost to shoot! In my personal opinion, if you are stealthed, you are stealthed, and should add a bonus of some sort automatically.

Here is how I personally would play out the roll (other GM's can feel free to disagree, but you won't change my mind)

Roll Stealth vs a Guard standing by an alarm to sneak up close enough to get a sneak attack.

Fail = The guard hears or sees you coming, start combat at range or run.

Fail w/ Threat = The guard sees you and pushes the alarm, or the guard buddy you didn't see puts a blaster to your back.

Fail w/ Advantage = The guard notices something, but maybe a bird flies off at that moment and he thinks it was "nothing". OR he sees you, but mistakes you for another guard long enough for you to close the range.

Succeed = You are stealthed and move up to the guard. Attack with surprise! (a Boost or two)

Succeed w/ Advantage = You sneak up to the guard AND he turns to look at something in the opposite direction (add +1 extra boost, OR he moves away from the alarm so if you fail to kill him, he can't set it off as easily.)

Succeed w/ Threat = You get up there, but the guard turns on a light to try to find something he dropped. Take strain from the stress of it all, or add a Setback die to the attack.

Edited by Grimmshade
Posted at

The big advantage to 2 separate rolls is the possibility of getting a lot of Advantage which you can then use to buff yourself or debuff your target.

It does increase the risk of failure though, but I don't find that to be inappropriate.

Posted at

double post

Edited by FuriousGreg
Posted at

Here is how I personally would play out the roll (other GM's can feel free to disagree, but you won't change my mind)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbTUTNenvCY

:)

Posted at

Great argument. Really good points.

:rolleyes:

I'd say, if anything, rolling a successful stealth and still not being able to perform the action I stealthed for is 2-D thinking.

Edited by Grimmshade