Fudgified Mortal Coil - the Experience
We've been using our fudgified version of the Mortal Coil rules for two game sessions now and so far it's been good. I've been using the following rules:
1. Action tokens and conflict resolution
Action tokens are completely replaced by Fudge dice (4dF).
In a conflict the opponents no longer secretly bid action tokens, but instead simply add their aptitude and faculty and add 4dF. The results are compared and the difference is read on the following table (technical results in parentheses):
0 : Draw
1-2 : Qualified success/failure (loser fatigued, i.e. -1 on next roll)
3-4 : Clear Success/Failure (Loser wounded: -1 per wound on all actions)
5-6 : Decisive Success/Failure (Loser heavily wounded/taken out)
7+ : Triumph/Catastrophe (Loser dead or maimed)
Generally actions are not chosen secretly. Every character has one action he can do per round, and opponents can generally always react (exceptions possible). Intended goals are still negotiated before the roll, dice are thrown openly by the GM and the result is binding.
Actions outside conflict work the same way, only against a fixed difficulty (same as rulebook).
3: Routine
4: Easy
5: Harder
6: Difficult
7: Challenging
8: Knotty Problem
9: Not for the faint-hearted
10: Near the limit
Help: If someone wants to help another character, he needs to make a roll against a fixed difficulty (set by GM, recommendation: 1 or 2 less than main task). If it succeeds, he gives the other character a helping die.
(Helping die: The helped character rolls 5dF and may drop 1 die.)
Tools: Tools made precisely for the task at hand give +2 to the roll. Other (useful) tools give +1).
Aptitude advantage: The side with the better-suited aptitude gains +1 on the roll.
2. Power Tokens
Power tokens remain and have their normal uses in the game (buy magic tokens, increase aptitudes, set scenes, general influence)
They may also be used to give +1 to the roll after the fact.
3. Passion Tokens
Passion tokens are used before the conflict roll and give +1 per level of passion.
4. Magic Tokens
Magic tokens are used as always. Some magical fact backed with rules may have to be adjusted during the game (general rule: an action token equals +1 on the 4dF).
These quick and dirty rules have not resulted in any problem during the game yet. Instead they are very intuitive for us and let us put the focus on the magic rules part of the game and the character interaction.
A slight drawback is that I have to be careful not to slip back in the old "roll to notice" habit and make rolls at each and every corner just for the sake of rolling dice. Each die roll should be something significant and carry some tension.
1. Action tokens and conflict resolution
Action tokens are completely replaced by Fudge dice (4dF).
In a conflict the opponents no longer secretly bid action tokens, but instead simply add their aptitude and faculty and add 4dF. The results are compared and the difference is read on the following table (technical results in parentheses):
0 : Draw
1-2 : Qualified success/failure (loser fatigued, i.e. -1 on next roll)
3-4 : Clear Success/Failure (Loser wounded: -1 per wound on all actions)
5-6 : Decisive Success/Failure (Loser heavily wounded/taken out)
7+ : Triumph/Catastrophe (Loser dead or maimed)
Generally actions are not chosen secretly. Every character has one action he can do per round, and opponents can generally always react (exceptions possible). Intended goals are still negotiated before the roll, dice are thrown openly by the GM and the result is binding.
Actions outside conflict work the same way, only against a fixed difficulty (same as rulebook).
3: Routine
4: Easy
5: Harder
6: Difficult
7: Challenging
8: Knotty Problem
9: Not for the faint-hearted
10: Near the limit
Help: If someone wants to help another character, he needs to make a roll against a fixed difficulty (set by GM, recommendation: 1 or 2 less than main task). If it succeeds, he gives the other character a helping die.
(Helping die: The helped character rolls 5dF and may drop 1 die.)
Tools: Tools made precisely for the task at hand give +2 to the roll. Other (useful) tools give +1).
Aptitude advantage: The side with the better-suited aptitude gains +1 on the roll.
2. Power Tokens
Power tokens remain and have their normal uses in the game (buy magic tokens, increase aptitudes, set scenes, general influence)
They may also be used to give +1 to the roll after the fact.
3. Passion Tokens
Passion tokens are used before the conflict roll and give +1 per level of passion.
4. Magic Tokens
Magic tokens are used as always. Some magical fact backed with rules may have to be adjusted during the game (general rule: an action token equals +1 on the 4dF).
These quick and dirty rules have not resulted in any problem during the game yet. Instead they are very intuitive for us and let us put the focus on the magic rules part of the game and the character interaction.
A slight drawback is that I have to be careful not to slip back in the old "roll to notice" habit and make rolls at each and every corner just for the sake of rolling dice. Each die roll should be something significant and carry some tension.