Percy and Co-Pilot need to stabilize the ship (take it out of the tailspin) by removing the Complication 2: Shuttle Tailspin d6 (See Raising the Stakes below). If it can’t be removed, this task will roll into Beat 2
The GM set the stakes at: 11
- Difficulty Die: Challenging d8
- Trait Die: Ambush d8
- Complication 1: Starboard Ion Drive Malfunction d6
- Complication 2: Shuttle Tailspin d6
Stakes: 5 + 6 = 11
The Starboard Ion Drive Malfunction complication can’t be addressed until the Shuttle Tailspin complication has been fixed. To do this the pilot, using the shuttle stats (I created an example Service Shuttle below based on the pic (LINK) I provided previously). Considering the assets (both assumed and obvious) a co-pilot should be able to lend a die for the stabilizing process (removing the Shuttle Tailspin complication).
Raising the Stakes
i.e. Making a Recovery Roll (see below) for the Shuttle Tailspin complication.
Using the Landing Your Boat scenario from pg 45 (see below), as this was the closest scenario I could find, we get the following Dice Pool:
- Engines d10
- Fly skill (Percy) d10
- Protect Friends (Percy) specialty d6 (Focus specialty)
- Ship’s Captain (Percy) d8
- Proudhon signature asset (Percy) d8
- Fly d8 (Bosco or Milly) co-pilot assist d8
Percy (nor anyone else) has a Ship’s Pilot Distinction. So I substituted Percy’s Ship’s Captain distinction because it was the closest to a Pilot distinction he has and it accounts for the sudden emergency that kicks his captain/leadership skills into gear. Then, because he “Protects the crew” as the captain and will feel pressure to perform, I added in his Focus specialty Protect Friends, giving him extra focus to perform. Then I felt having a co-pilot, as the ship I chose has two pilot seats, would be extremely valuable in assisting the pilot gain control. I think the rest are obvious.
So what does everyone else do?
That’s a good question, I’m glad you asked…
- Gideon (Lawyer)
Edmund (Bounty Hunter)
Bosco (Mechanic)
Milly (Investigator)
Jesse (er…Special)
Percy (Captain)
Anyone with a Fly of d6 or more, I would think, would be able to lend a die to Percy and the Co-Pilot, such as advice, support, readout from system information, stuff to assist the pilots in making adjustments. Other players would just role play out whatever they think would be helpful. Be careful though, you don’t want to trigger a flashback or bad memory for the pilots, they might loose concentration and crash.
Simply add the d# roll in your post for that Beat, in this case Beat 1, spelling out how your roll helps the pilots, along with the normal role playing stuff.
2) Gideon & Edmund
They might not have much else they can do except hold on for dear life, and curse. However, if those players come up with something, then by all means give'er a try. I’m all for creativity. Just make sure you’re creative, spell’er out good and pretty.
3) Milly & Jesse
Being intelligent, investigative types, they might try to ascertain the source of that stray flash of light, using ship sensors and whatnot. This is where Jesse could track where the flash of light comes from, as long as sensors are on line (haven’t been taken out by a complication). Milly and/or Jesse might notice something distinct about the flash, it’s direction, size, color, etc.
The GM set the stakes at: 14
- Difficulty Die: Challenging d8
- Trait Die: World’s a’spinnin’ d10
- Complication 2: Shuttle Tailspin d6
Raising the Stakes
Using the Landing Your Boat scenario from pg 45 (see below), as this was the closest scenario I could find, we get the following Dice Pool:
Jesse
- Mental d10
- Operate d8 (Jesse)
- Veteran of the Unification War d8 (Alliance Navy, Special Forces, he’s seen one or two firefights, not likely to miss something like a laser being fired at him)
- Mental d8
- Notice d10
- Not Your average Detective d8 (she has an eye for noticing things others might miss)
He’s likely to be pretty pissed if something happened to his shuttle. But in this case he’s busy relivin’ his past. But he could create a “I don't want to burn!” complication using his trigger and receive a PP. I read this as his choice. And the GM could call for a Flashback (as the book states), which I did:
Call for Flashback: Bosco Farwell – on account of the ship being hit and going down, possibly in a fiery ball that explodes on impact with the surface, certain as he’s strapped in, he’s relivin’ that day from his past today.
Flashbacks
So the question is, what asset would Bosco get? I was having difficulty coming up with one. I need to poke around in the book some and see if I can find a similar example.
Additionally: I like the Flashback idea, and feel it would work well in other situations that don’t involve an asset. I am willing to not do this if some folks don’t want to. I’m happy to stick to the rules as they are.
MECHANICS/ROLLING DICE
Success & Failure (PG 266)
- Ties go to those who Set the Stakes
- An Extraordinary Success happens when a crewmember raises the stakes by 5 or more. The GM gives them a Big Damn Hero Die equal to the highest rolling die in the crewmember’s dice pool for that roll.
- GM Sets the Stakes by rolling the opposition’s dice pool and adding the two highest dice.
- Crewmembers Raise the Stakes by rolling their dice pool and adding the two highest dice.
- If the Crewmember exceeds the GM, the player Raised the Stakes and the Action succeeds.
- If the result is a tie or lower than the GM the Action fails.
Complications tell the Bad Luck part of your crewmember’s story. Complications add an extra die to your opponents dice pool. They typically come into play when you roll a Jinx (a 1 on one of your dice). A roll of all 1’s is called a Botch. During a Botch the GM can add Complications without spending Plot Points. There is no limit to the number of Complications that can be added and used at one time.
When a Jinx is rolled by a crewmember the GM can spend a plot point to add a complications to that crewmember or ship. Complications can be scenario or crewmember specific and disappear when something causes the complication to disappear. Complications can also be removed by using an Opportunity. An Opportunity is when the GM rolls a 1. Spend a Plot Point and step back one of your Complications. You can also reduce or remove a complication by making a Recovery roll (see below).
Plot Points (PG 239)
Plot Points give a crewmember more control over their story, in effect to change the outcome of the story.
Use Plot Points To
- Keep an additional die from your pool and add it to your total after you roll
- Activate a Distinction trigger that requires a Plot Point
- Create an Asset at a d6 that lasts until the end of the scene
- Make an existing Asset last until the end of the Episode
- Roll a Big Damn Hero Die and add it to your total after you roll
- Stay in the fight when a high stakes roll results in you being Taken Out
- You activate a Distinction trigger that gives you a Plot Point. For example, rolling a Distinction as a d4 instead of a d8
- The GM buys a Complication after you’ve rolled a jinx.
- The GM decides you deserve one for great play, a snappy one-liner, or a scene description that impresses your Crew.
Sometimes an Action roll comes up short. When this happens you can:
- Add a Big Damn Hero Die
- Activate a relevant Distinction trigger
- Spend Plot Points to keep extra dice in your roll
You can use as many Distinction triggers as you like, as long as you’re willing to pay the price. Each trigger lists its price, read them carefully. Triggers allow you to step up, double, keep extra dice, create assets, help crewmembers, etc. Most triggers require you to spend Plot Points.
Lending a Skill Die (PG 242)
Any crewmember can lend another crewmember Skill dice if they can describe how their Skill will help accomplish a certain task. Keep in mind the lending crewmember may also put themselves at risk, suffering the same or similar consequences, as the primary acting crewmember. In this scenario the GM may create multiple complications, without spending additional Plot Points, as a result of a single roll.
Big Damn Hero Dice (PG 238)
When taking an Action, and the total rolled is 5 more than your opponent, it’s called an Extraordinary Success. When this happens you get ot bank one die for a future roll called a Big Damn Hero Die. The Big Damn Hero Die is equal to the highest die type of your opponents dice pool (d6, d8, etc). Add the die to your character sheet.
To use a Big Damn Hero Die, spend one Plot Point for each die banked, roll the die after your normal Action roll, and add it to the total.
Using Big Damn Hero Dice (PG 242)
Big Damn Hero Dice allow a crewmember to do something heroic. When a roll comes up short, or the stakes are high, a player can spend a Plot Point and add one of their Big Damn Hero dice. In some cases a crewmember might even earn an additional Big Damn Hero Die as a result of an extraordinary success. There is no limit to the number of Big Damn Hero Dice you use during a roll, so long as you have the Plot Points to spend.
Losing Big Damn Hero Dice (pg 243)
Big Damn Hero Dice are normally kept until used or an Episode ends. If the GM’s roll total exceeds a crewmembers total by 5 or more, that crewmember will loose one Big Damn Hero Die equal to or smaller than the highest rolling die in the GM’s dice pool. Normally, if one of the Dice Pool dice comes up on a 1, a Jinx has been rolled. However, if a 1 is rolled on a Bid Damn Hero Die, the crewmember can revoke the Big Damn Hero Die adn regain the spent Plot Point.
Assets in Action (PG 244)
Normally assets a crewmember creates stay at a d6 rating unless there are Distinctions or Signature Asset triggers that say otherwise. A crewmember can spend as many Plot Points as they like and use as many Assets as they need to accomplish some goal during a single roll.
Flashbacks
Any time a crewmember creates an Asset, and that Asset has a specific experiential tie to the crewmember’s past, the GM may call for a flashback scene. Only one Flashback scene can be called per character, per Episode. The specific experience is played out in a miniscene by the characters previously involved. The Asset is stepped up by one die type, and if the miniscene is re-visited by the crewmember in vivid detail, the GM may give that crewmember a Plot Point.
COMPLICATIONS IN PLAY (PG 245)
The Jinx (pg 245)
When a 1 comes up in a crewmember’s dice pool the GM can give the crewmember a Plot Point to create a Complication to reflect the Crewmember’s bad luck. Complication die start out at d6 and increase by one die type for every Jinx in that die pool. A Jinx roll also does not count toward the dice pool total, can’t be added to additional rolls, and cannot be used for Triggers. Jinx die are effectively Dead! Complications can also be incurred by Distinction triggers or by staying in a fight after having been taken out.
Big, Fat Nothing (pg 245)
When every Dice Pool die comes up as a 1, you’ve rolled a Botch, and the effective die pool score is 0. The GM gives the player a free complication and 0 Plot Points. The die starts at a d6 and steps up once for each 1 rolled in the dice pool.
Taking Opportunities (pg 246)
Opportunities can be taken by crewmembers when the GM rolls a 1 in their dice pool (GM Jinx). For every 1 rolled by the GM, a crewmember can spend a Plot Point and step back their Complication die by as many steps as needed, provided there are sufficient 1’s in the GM’s dice pool. When the Complication die steps below d6 the Complications is removed. Opportunities can be used on any Complication in play, not just those involving crewmembers. The crewmember that rolls against the GM gets to use the GM’s Jinx’s first.
Making A Recovery Roll (pg 247)
Crewmembers can attempt to remove a Complication by making a Recovery roll once per scene, provided there are sufficient resources to warrant the roll. The crewmember builds a dice pool with the appropriate Attribute, Skill, etc and rolls against the Difficulty dice pool which includes the Complication die total and a Difficulty die. If the crewmember’s roll is successful the Complication is removed, if it fails the crewmembers Complication die is stepped back once. A Jinx during a Recovery roll can further complicate a Complication.