Tag Scenes Example for Smallville RPG
Over on the RPGnet threads about the Smallville RPG ([print] [PDF]), somebody asked for an example of Tag Scenes and the Growth Mechanic. Here’s an example using the characters from the book:
After an evening of emotional carnage peppered with laser-eyes, hypertech hacking, and travelling by blur, it’s time for Cam and Bobbi to have their Tag Scenes for Clark and Chloe.
Over the course of the episode, Clark challenged his relationship with Chloe (”I need to be there for Chloe”) twice - once when he encouraged her to act on her own, and the second when he refused to help her because of her stockpile of kryptonite weapons. The trait started at d10, so the Growth Pool picked up a d10 for the first challenge and a d8 for the second challenge. The relationship in question presently has a rating of d6. Clark has also been hit with the Stress stick a few times: he has a d6 Insecure and a d8 Angry. The d8 is added to his Growth Pool. That gives him 2d8 and a d10. Not bad.
Cam deals with his challenged relationship first. He decides to rewrite the statement, which will restore the die rating to d10. He erases “I need to be there for Chloe d6″ and writes in “I need to keep an eye on Chloe d10.”
Cam describes his Tag Scene where Clark finds the shipping container full of Chloe’s kryptonite weapons, squares off across the trucking lot, and burns it all to slag.
With such a sizable pool, Cam decides to try to boost Clark’s Heat Vision, presently at d6. That’s an Ability, so Watchtower grabs a d12, and it’s being raised to d8, so Watchtower adds a d8. She rolls them both and gets a 7 and an 8, for a total of 15. He’s stepping up one of his Kryptonian Heritage abilities, so he adds a d8 to his Growth Pool. He rolls it all and comes up with a 3, a 5, an 8, and a 9. The highest two total to 17, which beats Watchtower’s 15. Cam strikes ‘Heat Vision d6′ from his sheet and writes in ‘Heat Vision d8.’
Bobbi asks Cam if she minds Chloe turning up in his Tag Scene, which he has no problem with. Chloe has challenged two values: Love (”I have my friends and that’s what matters d8″) and Truth (”Nobody keeps secrets from me d8″). She also had a d6 Injured, which got patched up via Stress Relief; that dunked a d6 into her Growth Pool, which now stands at 2d8 1d6.
Bobbi describes Chloe walking up behind Clark, saying, “You know I moved the stockpile already. That was just an empty shipping container.” Cam describes Clark turning to face her, and they have words. Since this is a Tag Scene, the exchange isn’t a Contest; nobody’s going to have their mind changed right now. No dice are rolled, and things wrap up pretty quickly.
Given the events of the episode, Bobbi doesn’t think she needs to rewrite Chloe’s Love value. Chloe still values her friends, just not as much as before the episode. She leaves it at its stepped down rating of d6 and steps up Truth to d10. She does want to rewrite Truth, however, and she replaces the statement with “I decide who knows what d10″.
What with Chloe moving contraband around the globe, Bobbi would like to step up her Fixer rating to d6. The Watchtower picks up a d10 (Fixer is a Distinction) and a d6 (the rating Chloe’s shooting for), and rolls them for a total of 15 again. Bobbi rolls her Growth Pool of 2d8 1d6 and adds the highest two together, but only comes up with a 12. She still wants Fixer to get bumped up, though, so she decides to step down something else on her sheet. She hasn’t had a scene in the Talon for ages, so she decides to step down that Resource. It’s rated at 2d4, so stepping it down removes it from her sheet entirely. “That’s alright,” Bobbi says, “Chloe’s Watchtower now. She’s moving on.”
Mirrored from Kallisti Press.