[Poison'd] I don't use NPC Brinkmanship

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Arturo G.:
Quote from: Eero Tuovinen on December 10, 2008, 07:13:59 PM

it combines defined procedures with significant GMing tasks. [...] In Poison'd any deviation from the rules reads differently - I'm not just finding my own ideal method of play when I mess about with the GM tasks in Poison'd; I'm actually breaking the rules. Thus the need to ask Vincent to confirm the sagacity of any changes in the GMing procedures we might wish to make, which is not something we usually do with other games with a strong GM.

I don't think this is what Vincent intended. I think he gave us clear procedures and rules that produce the kind of play he liked for this game. But he has not created a fixed system which clearly changes so much or get broken when we adapt it. I would say it is coming mainly from the tutorial tone of the rules, that make them feel a little like fixed stone-rules, as in a board game. It is highly instructional and easier to grasp for people not so used to play with this kind of games. It conveys a kind of old-times child-awesome feeling on me when reading them.

Quote from: Eero Tuovinen on December 10, 2008, 07:13:59 PM

If anything, making it a GM pregorative to determine whether to escalate should help the GM control the pacing of the game a little bit better. Makes for more sensible NPC action, too, as the NPCs escalate or fail to escalate with some tactical sense.

That's exactly my feeling. However, I can see that the game does not really need it, as it is not the focus of play. It is just a matter of taste on actual play.

Graham W:
I think "always escalate" would be a better rule than the one in the text.

Graham

watergoesred:
I'm with not having to decide when to escalate but I'm not keen on always escalating. Here's my one dice solution: escalate if you roll brinkmanship or less on a 1d6, but not rolling for Brinkmanship 1 of course.

I roughly worked out the probabilities of escalating using the method in the rules - roll the same number of dice as Brinkmanship and escalate if at least 2 dice are a 4, 5 or 6.
Brinkmanship 1 = 0%
Brinkmanship 2 = 25%
Brinkmanship 3 = 50%
Brinkmanship 4 = 69%
Brinkmanship 5 = 81%
Brinkmanship 6 = 89%

These percentages can be closely estimated on a 1d10 or 2d6 or 1d6. Here are their probabilities as I worked them out.
(escalate if you roll number or less:probability)
1d6 - 2:33% 3:50% 4:66% 5:83% 6:100%
2d6 - 3:25% 6:50% 8:66% 10:83% 11:92%
1d10 - 2:20% 5:50% 7:70% 8:80% 9:90%

I like the 1d6 method myself because it's easiest to remember and use. The 1d10 is statistically closest of the 3 but I'd probably need a table or to memorise. Avast!

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