How to handle fumbles

[Sletchman]

I'd like something in the middle of the table in SC

Heh. Remember this phrase when we start talking about Spycraft Third. (Note: It doesn't at all mean what you intended, or won't. You'll see.)

Until then, thanks for the comments everyone!

If that is you referring to our physical gaming table, then I'd like to take this opportunity to request that you reduce the number of battlegrid references in SC3.  Fantasy Craft has quite a number, and it's kinda annoying for anyone who doesn't use a grid - Reach 1 and Blast 2 don't actually mean anything until you find that "1 = 5 ft square" hidden away in a single spot in the book (no where near where those two points are).  It's something a lot of my non-D20 friends have mentioned several times as the only downside of your book (to the point that I've been asked literally dozens of times exactly what the hell "Reach 2" means).  It's made worse by the fact that you mix and match throughout - range is in feet, but explosive range is in squares, and you can throw something 15 ft but hit something 3 squares away.

Just stick with measurement in actual physical distances.  People with a grid can easily decide what their squares / hexes / whatevers represent in the distance you stick with.

Probably not the right spot for it, but your post made me think of it (as did walking an FC newbie through Chargen - during which they made this exact complaint, and gave it as one of the reasons they wanted assistance).

[Deral]

I use a really general table for combat fumbles that isn't a stop-and-look-up sort of thing as it is a GM guide- the players can see it so they know generally what to expect but the end result, as Andersen suggested, is always skinned (by me, unless the player activating the error has a specific intention) and it's laid out like this:

1 Die - Victim loses 1 half action (maybe due to having to pick up a weapon, take a move to return to combat, stand from sprawled).
2 Die - Victim loses 1 full-round action and is flat-footed.
3 Die - Attacker loses some functionality and gains a minor condition (Bleeding, fatigued, shaken, etc) or gains a stronger condition for a round or two (Blinded, Entangled, Slowed, etc).
4 Die - Typically as 3-die plus some unique/situational detriment of about the same strength.

Of course there are always more options based on the situation, but those are usually built into the encounter or introduced by the players (like Gaze attacks or spiking an enemy's liquor supply with a cleverly disguised alchemical mixture unfortunately susceptible to sudden shock), and I'm pretty heavy handed with higher cost criticals- spending 2 dice on an enemy for something that doesn't kill that enemy seems fairly expensive already.

[Crafty_Pat]

Just stick with measurement in actual physical distances.  People with a grid can easily decide what their squares / hexes / whatevers represent in the distance you stick with.

That's not what I was referring to, but it's great feedback nonetheless. Thanks!

[TheVastator]

I use a really general table for combat fumbles that isn't a stop-and-look-up sort of thing as it is a GM guide- the players can see it so they know generally what to expect but the end result, as Andersen suggested, is always skinned (by me, unless the player activating the error has a specific intention) and it's laid out like this:

1 Die - Victim loses 1 half action (maybe due to having to pick up a weapon, take a move to return to combat, stand from sprawled).
2 Die - Victim loses 1 full-round action and is flat-footed.
3 Die - Attacker loses some functionality and gains a minor condition (Bleeding, fatigued, shaken, etc) or gains a stronger condition for a round or two (Blinded, Entangled, Slowed, etc).
4 Die - Typically as 3-die plus some unique/situational detriment of about the same strength.

Of course there are always more options based on the situation, but those are usually built into the encounter or introduced by the players (like Gaze attacks or spiking an enemy's liquor supply with a cleverly disguised alchemical mixture unfortunately susceptible to sudden shock), and I'm pretty heavy handed with higher cost criticals- spending 2 dice on an enemy for something that doesn't kill that enemy seems fairly expensive already.

Something like this is what I mean as for general examples! I'll try them out during the next session.

[Wireless]

Deral do you use a similar thing for criticals ?

[Deral]

Deral do you use a similar thing for criticals ?

I use a modified version of the critical hit tables that have been put up on this forum in the past- hell if I can find them right this second- but players (or at least my players) rarely opt to do something other than the standard critical effect. I leave the table available to my players because it gets used when they want to do something other than kill their opponents, when certain moves specifically fit a particular character concept, or there is a crit-focused character.

The table is unfortunately quite a bit longer because it's more specific and broken down to give weapons with a lower base threat range a greater variety of options, it looks like this though I take absolutely no credit for the tables themselves- I have no idea whose original concept they were based upon, and whose work has gone into modifying them, I know at least some of the tinkering was mine, but since I can't find the original, I have no idea how much. Still, I'll go ahead and put it up here, even though it isn't especially similar (being far more specific)- but someone might be interested regardless:

Any Base Threat Range Weapon:
1 Die - Inflict Damage Straight to Wounds, ignoring DR but not Resistances
1 Die - Immediately gain 3 Reputation
1 Die - Inflict the Bleeding condition or increase the die size of a bleeding condition by 1 step
1 Die - Inflict 1 grade of fatigued or shaken
1 Die - Roll and Inflict a Critical Injury as normal, but without a save
1 Die - Ignore Damage Resistance, Defiance, and similar qualities

Base Threat Range of 19-20, 20, or --
1 Die - Drop 1 of the target's skill bonuses to 0 (Spellcasting costs 2 dice)
1 Die - Automatically trigger 1 action keyed to an upgrade or quality the attack has (trip, hook, spike, etc)
1 Die - Target automatically fails a save prompted by the attack (poison, bleed, massive, etc)
2 Die - Inflict 1 Critical Injury of your choice (roll only to determine specifics of the chosen injury)
2 Die - Drop Target's Vitality to 0
2 Die - Any two 1-die effects

Base Threat Range of 20 or --
1 Die - Recover 4 x Career Level Vitality
1 Die - 1 Piece of worn or carried gear fails 1 damage save
2 Die - Target becomes Flanked or Flat-footed until the end of combat
3 Die - Roll and Inflict a Mortal Wound (Critical Injury-like variant on Massive Damage)
3 Die - One 2-Die and One 1-Die effect


So yeah- far less neat and concise.
The thing I like most about having a table this specific for Critical Hits is that it gives me, as the GM, more flexibility on what I can have a critical do to a player without causing any upset (and without simply more "you take wound damage), as all these same options are available to the players.

[Takeru]

 

That

is

AMAZING!

I am totally stealing that for my game, I hate having to ask my players "How many wounds do you have left?" when my NPCs roll a threat and Cheating Death would be stupid in the current situation.

[Valentina]

Yeah.
At first blush I love that chart.
Gives some good strategic crit usage for particularly grueling fights, or for when being creative is called for.
Nice work!

[Deral]

Finally found the original, looks like my version is based on glimmerrat's modification of sletchman's idea here's the thread: http://www.crafty-games.com/forum/index.php?topic=5445.msg99139#msg99139