Re: stretches and credibility checks - anyone else having difficulty?

From: Jeff <richaje_at_...>
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:08:00 -0000

> [Trouble with running Garhound contest]
> The first was matching the PCs with the contests in a "no standard skills" game. The riding contest requires riding a horse. A PC who is a "Orlanthi exile farmer" at 1M - how well can he ride? One the one hand, no training (6). On the other, maybe he would have ridden at least a little? Can everyone ride decently, because they live in wide open Prax? So there was that issue. It was a major problem, because everyone was used to PCs with lists of skills (RQ, CoC).

I don't think all Orlanthi farmers can ride (certainly it is not implied in the description on page 15-16 of Sartar). I'm not sure what the player's Exile concept is - did he learn to ride as an exile in Prax (worth asking him since it gives you potential hooks for future games). Or allow the ability as a stretch off his keyword.

When it is not obvious that an ability is within the keyword, either disallow it (that's the credibility test in action) or call it a stretch.

> The other was the wall of death. This contest was a mess. Players kept trying to use their PCs special abilities to help them, but some were really reaching - there was some frustration about GM fiat being the determinant of what was an acceptable augment and what was a stretch. There was some issue about how likely it should be to fall off the wall after being hit with one arrow or more, etc. No mechanics - just GM judgment.

The Wall of Death was an RQ rules construct (like some of the goofy traps in Big Rubble or Snake Pipe Hollow). To be honest it really doesn't make much sense outside of the confines of the RQ rules. I'd just have the players say how they plan to dodge or catch the arrows and set the resistance accordingly. Then figure out the consequences of success or failure.  

Jeff