The West That Wasnt 3.0 - Action Resolution
Foreword
The West That Wasn't (TWTW) is a game with a mission. The mechanics are crafted to deliver a particular type of action. What type is that? With TWTW, we, the designers, attempt to achieve the optimal intersection of speed and detail. We want a game that plays fast, but also has interesting underlying mechanics, with plenty of detail. The goal is tactical verisimilitude over realism.
To achieve tactical verisimilitude, we wanted to provide the player with interesting, meaningful decisions during many types of action. The underlying mechanics are simple and consistent across physical, social and psychological combat. Care was taken to ensure that there is no optimal path for all situations. As the scenario evolves, the player will be faced with new choices, providing a rich depth of game play.
Lastly, in TWTW, differences matter. There is a discernible difference between single and double action revolvers. A saber is more than just extra damage versus a knife. These details allow players to make interesting tactical decisions. And decisions are what make the game.
How to Play The West That Wasn't
TWTW is a tabletop roleplaying game. It is played by a group of friends with one player taking the role of game master, what we call the Judge, and the other players each taking the role of a character they have created. The Judge narrates a scene and the other players interact with their characters. Together a story is crafted, and these stories continue from session to session, often linked into campaigns (a series of connected stories).
This chapter and those that follow describe how to perform actions, engage in combat, and socialize using character traits, dice and Action Cards. Chapter 8 describes how the Judge oversees and narrates the action.
Dice
TWTW uses 6, 8 and 10 sided dice. The game plays best when a handful of each are readily available.
Action Cards
TWTW also uses Action Cards to determine certain results as needed. These cards are described fully in the sections that follow. The cards are organized into 54 card decks.
And now we present to you, The West That Wasn't.
Actions
Stories, and games, happen because characters do things. Not just everyday, mundane things, but exciting, dangerous, interesting things. The things characters do in a game are represented by Actions. The mechanical resolution of an action is a Check (simple or complex).
In the real world, as well as in great fiction (and games), some things are pretty simple, while others are more complicated undertakings. To this end, The West That Wasnt classifies some Actions as 'Easy'.
Easy Checks
Easy checks include any action that, given the circumstances, is close to a sure thing. It could be shooting the side of a house at close range, or convincing an NPC of something they are predisposed to already believe. When the Judge declares a task to be Easy, the player may choose to automatically succeed, with standard results.
Example
Alternatively, if the player wishes to attempt to do better than normal results, they may attempt the check as if it were standard.
Other Checks
Checks come in three levels: Standard (5), Challenging (6) and Difficult (7). Some checks also require extra effort. These checks are called complex, and they will be discussed later.
The number in parentheses is the Target Number (TN) of the action. The result of the check must equal or exceed that number to achieve some measure of success.
Making Checks
To make a check, locate the appropriate Skill and Trait, and choose a number of dice equal to the level in that Trait to create your dice pool. Dice pools always begin with d8s. These dice may be upgraded and downgraded (discussed later) due to Trait level, environmental conditions or other situations. Once all of the adjustments are made, add a final d8 that is a different color, or otherwise distinguishable from, the other dice. This is the Heroic die. We will discuss its purpose in a later section.
Once the dice are rolled, choose one die from the pool (not the Heroic die) to be the Primary die. Generally, this is the one with the highest number showing on its face. The other dice are secondary. If the Primary die shows a number equal to or greater than the TN, the action has succeeded.
Results and Effect
If a check generates a value equal to or greater than the given TN, there is some measure of success. Most actions have a normal effect number (E). For each multiple of the victory threshold, 6 (see the advanced rules section for optional rules on adjusting the victory threshold), in the effect, one victory is generated. Partial victories are not possible, any amount above a multiple of the victory threshold is truncated.
Example
Victories are handled differently depending on the situation. For example, victories in physical combat are converted to wounds, more on this in the Conflict section. Victories when performing an extended action will be discussed later.
Unskilled Checks
There comes a time in the life of a Hero where something just has to be done, and yet, the Hero has never done it before. In TWTW, a Hero can attempt any task the player can devise, but without the appropriate skill, success is much less likely.
When attempting a task where the Hero lacks the appropriate skill, create the dice pool as normal, with a number of dice equal to the rank of the associated Trait skill. Roll the Heroic die first. If it succeeds, roll the rest of the pool as normal and resolve the action. If it fails, the action fails with the Heroic die as the result.
Example
Bumps
Heroes are by their nature exceptional, and exceptional people do exceptional things. Bumps help us simulate that at the table. Players can use bumps they generate in several ways. In some circumstances they can even save them for later use!
But what is a bump? When making any check (except initiative, discussed later), one bump is generated for each two that the result exceeds the TN. This includes all dice in the pool, even the Heroic die.
Example
Exceptional Success
Sometimes a single d8 (or even a d10) is not big enough to hold the magnitude of a Heros ability. In these circumstances TWTW introduces exceptional success. Each Trait has an explosion threshold associated with it, anywhere from 4-8. This can come into play when a Hero does something special.
How do we know if something is special? Glad you asked. If the Primary die shows an 8 (or more) on its face, the result is potentially exceptional. Check the Heroic die. If the number on its face is greater than or equal to the explosion threshold, the primary die explodes! Roll another die of the same type and add it to the Primary die. If that die also shows an 8+, you may be able do it again!
But there is a limit. No result may explode more times than the rank of the associated Trait plus 1.
Example
Calamities
As with exceptional successes, entertaining stories often include spectacular failures. At times even the most skilled individual encounters a set of circumstances that cannot be resolved satisfactorily. Calamities are results that lead to failure no matter the situation, and often can lead to the most dramatic result possible.
Calamities can potentially occur when the Heroic die shows a 1 on its face. When this occurs, check the Action Card (if one has not yet been drawn, draw one) upper right result. If that is also a 1, there is a calamity.
The Heroic Die
The Heroic die is always a d8. It determines when exceptional results can occur, as well as calamities. It can also trigger special abilities.
Upgrading and Downgrading Dice
Dice pools begin with a number of d8 equal to the appropriate skill. Sometimes, factors can change the composition of the dice in the pool. When this occurs, follow these steps.
First, subtract the number of downgrades from the number of upgrades. If there are net upgrades remaining, upgrade one die to d10 for each upgrade. If upgrades still remain, each extra upgrade adds +1 to any effect generated (but not to the result). If there are net downgrades, downgrade one die in the pool from d8 to d6 for each downgrade. The Heroic die and one other die in the pool must always be d8 (or greater). If downgrades still remain, subtract one from the result for each remaining downgrade.
EXAMPLE
Complex Actions
Some types of actions require more effort than others, or need to be completed over a period of time. These are complex actions. Complex actions not only have a TN, but also a victory threshold, which is the number of victories necessary to successfully complete the action. Each success and bump generates one victory. Victories may be achieved by multiple characters and/or over multiple rounds and actions.
EXAMPLE
Action Cards
TBD
