PencilBoy99
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Joined: Fri 05 Oct 2018, 18:21

Rolling for Lore

Sat 09 Nov 2019, 23:14

My understanding of the rules is that you should only roll
  • when there is a chance of failure (no skill, time pressure)
  • an interesting outcome for failure
This is because
  • Players get WP from being injured by pushing failed rolls (so rolling all the time like in a non-year-zero game would generate lots of WP)
  • The dice mechanic doesn't produce a ton of successes, so it assumes the 2 items above
Also
  • You should give players as much information as possible because this is a sandbox
Given all the above, why would you roll Lore? I know the skill exists but it seems like you should just give people the legends and stuff. 
What would be the failure result from a bad lore role (just not knowing it)? It can't be bad information since 75% of the bits of lore in the official material have falsehoods in them anyway.
What's the point anyway since nearly everyone in the party will roll for it (so one of them will get it anyway)?
 
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Fenhorn
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Re: Rolling for Lore

Sat 09 Nov 2019, 23:22

Lore is a skill that probably works best as a group roll where one player rolls and the rest can help.

This is what I do. I also only allow people to roll or help if their character's backstory (we use L&A to create characters) can be somewhat related to whatever they are rolling a Lore check for. I will provide one interesting fact for every success (if there are any) they roll.
“Thanks for noticin' me.” - Eeyore
 
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Ebrim
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Re: Rolling for Lore

Sun 10 Nov 2019, 02:58

Yeah, so (surprise surprise) I largely agree with Fenhorn. I would do a single lore roll for the party. If I think character backgrounds support it, they could help the one taking the test. With successes I give useful information, perhaps it's a clue that'll make an adventure site easier or give a more concrete idea of what they'll find there. if it's a monster it's something about that monster which might be useful to know, Gryphons really liking horse meat for example. If they fail, they'll still give information but probably vague and at least partially misleading. I have also in the past just said "you have a lore skill x and have y background so you know z".
 
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MegaMagus
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Re: Rolling for Lore

Sun 10 Nov 2019, 03:04

This works but the issue I see of only allowing them to roll of it's in their backstory is that they can't develop their backstory more. I like being able to ask "How do you know this?" when they succeed a Lore Roll and I tell them something so they have an opportunity to develop their backstory and what experience their character might have with this.
 
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Ebrim
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Re: Rolling for Lore

Sun 10 Nov 2019, 04:57

To be clear: I'd let the party roll for lore whatever their background is. I'm saying that for helping dice I might not allow it if it's say a Wolfkin trying to recall something about Alderlander heraldry from across the divide.

I'm also talking more about background than backstory. I like my characters to come from the lifepaths so all characters have a background which isn't a story per se. The story is how they link together the background events and I'm happy for that to be a flexible process that is worked out as we play. I'm of the opinion that too much of a detailed backstory can often get in the way of emergent story-telling, it's nice to leave some narrative wiggle-room.
 
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Fenhorn
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Re: Rolling for Lore

Sun 10 Nov 2019, 08:12

Each character has a backstory, namely his kin, his home region, his childhood, his profession, and his formative events. Furthermore, the player adventure, he travels. If any of these things, according to my judgement, fits what the player is rolling for, then they can help with the roll. When it comes to who can roll. I only allow people to roll for things that fits whatever story they are currently involved in or can be connected to what his character has experienced. This means that I am somewhat less restrictive about who can roll than who can help.
“Thanks for noticin' me.” - Eeyore
 
PencilBoy99
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Re: Rolling for Lore

Sat 14 Dec 2019, 23:42

Thanks for the idea but I still have trouble figuring out what to do with the Lore skill.

1. you have to give players the Lore handouts or the game doesn't proceed. That's how you get them to the adventure sites and have them learn about the artifacts
2. most of the Lore handouts already HAVE at least one falsehood or something slightly wrong about them
3. In most cases I can't think of something false to tell the players on failure AND that's silly anyway since they KNOW they failed the roll.

I like the idea of only allowing group helping roles or rolls within / modified by their background.

Can you think of some kind of house rule that might help me?
 
Simpa
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Re: Rolling for Lore

Sun 15 Dec 2019, 11:54

My players always roll for lore (as a group- anyone that can give story why they could help can do so) when they meet new monsters. If they succeed they get to read the text on the monster, very fun for anyone and often some tactic yo use-weakness to exploit!
 
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Ebrim
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Re: Rolling for Lore

Sun 15 Dec 2019, 22:55

You could also use lore for storytelling contests. :D
 
PencilBoy99
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Re: Rolling for Lore

Sun 15 Dec 2019, 23:21

Great thanks

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