Choices and Actions
Playing World Saga is all about making choices. The GM will describe the current situation and then it is up to the players to determine what their character does next. Player will have to make a choice. Most of the time that choice will be harmless with no immediate consequence, such as choosing to speak with an NPC shopkeeper. Other times, choices can have drastic consequences, such as choosing to charge through a door instead of first listening for any signs of danger on the other side.
When a player proclaims what their character is doing, they are taking an
Whenever there is uncertainty in the result of an action, the GM will often ask for a Test. The types of Tests are described in detail in Chapter 1. This chapter outlines many Actions within the game with a predefined Test to adjudicate the Action. These codified Actions are provided as guidance and examples to help streamline the many possible occurrences during a typical game. However, these lists of Actions are not to be considered comprehensive, and they should not be considered a restrictive menu of what is possible in the game world.
World Saga is a roleplaying game. Imagination and creativity are cornerstones of such games. This means that the players will often surprise the GM by making a choice that is not governed by one of the Actions listed in this book. During these occurrences, it is up to the GM and the players to decide what happens in their story. Sometimes the GM and players must decide what Test (if any) would best adjudicate an unexpected action. While the GM always has the final say, they should also consider suggestions from the players.
There are three steps to choosing a Test:
1) Choose a Skill, Resistance, or Attribute.
First, you must choose what talents the Test is testing. Skills are the preferred option for Actions a character is actively choosing to perform. Resistances are best reserved for passive reactions to external events, such as a reaction. Finally, Attributes can be used if there are no obvious skills that are related to the action. When testing an Attribute, the GM should typically grant a +2 bonus to the roll (in addition to any appropriate difficulty modifiers).
2) Choose the type of Test.
If the action involves the character performing an activity on their own, choose a Basic or Complex Test. If the action involves doing something opposed to another character or NPC, then choose an Opposed or Conflict Test. If the action is expected to cause harm (physical, mental, or spiritual) to an aware opponent, then use an Attack Test.
3) Define success and failure.
If the action has a clear dichotomy of success or failure, a Basic or Opposed test will likely suffice. If there is an obvious gradation of success, a Complex or Conflict test might be appropriate. However, do not stress about defining all possible levels of success. In these cases, consider that a Success grants the player the outcome they want. With a Weak Success being a lesser version of that and a Strong Success or Great Success to be improved versions of that. If the GM decides that the player’s desired outcome would require great skill and luck to achieve, they might instead place the player’s desired outcome as requiring a Strong or Great Success instead. It is also perfectly acceptable for the GM to have the player roll a Basic Test but decide based afterwards that a high roll adds an additional positive outcome. Alternatively, the GM can apply a difficulty modifier to the roll.
When these unexpected Tests occur, it is important to keep the game moving along smoothly and not get bogged down in the minutiae of game mechanics. The player will roll the dice, and the GM will make the final call.
Unexpected Action Example: Olive’s character, Talidor Raven, faces off against some pirates in an old fort. Talidor’s nemesis, Captain Hallidon, stands in the center of the chamber barking orders to his men. Talidor is currently undetected, standing on a high balcony where a rope connects to a large chandelier hanging from a hook in the ceiling. In classic swashbuckler fashion, Olive tells her GM that she wants Talidor to cut the rope and use it to swing down and kick her nemesis to the ground. There is no Action in the book to adjudicate such a choice. The GM loves this idea and the narrative behind it; however, they must figure out a way to fairly resolve the action.
First, the GM chooses Athletics, as that Skill seems to be the most essential for swinging on a rope. The GM then decides that this will be a Conflict Test, since Talidor is directly opposing Captain Hallidon with this action and the GM can foresee a number of possible outcomes. Captain Hallidon will roll Reflexes for his defense since he has to react quickly to avoid being kicked. The GM decides that a Success will knock the Captain prone. A Weak Success will narrowly graze the Captain, but only enough to make him take a penalty to his Reflexes roll for initiative for the first round of combat. The GM warns Olive that a Failure will result in Talidor missing the Captain, and a Critical Failure will result in Talidor falling prone at the Captain’s feet. Olive agrees to this procedure and even spends 1 point of Courage to use
Envision the Outcome
For the sake of brevity, the descriptions for the outcomes of the Actions listed in this chapter are quite limited and brief. Players and GMs are encouraged to formulate a logical, narrative reason for the outcome of any Action. Envisioning a narrative for the outcome of an activity is a major source of fun when playing a roleplaying game. By adding and discussing these narrative elements as they occur, everyone gets a chance to contribute to the story of the game world. While the GM has the final say in what is “true” in the world, the players are encouraged to participate in the narration of events surrounding their characters.