Just finished my first session of Rhapsody of Blood at the table with a couple of friends.
I love the way the playbooks created this palpable world around us, it was great!
I just have a couple of questions.
1. When it comes to defensive quality reactions like:
”deflect a blow” – it feels wierd to triggee that. On a 6- it’s kind of already established that the blow probably does not connect. Using it at any other time feels like misusing golden opportunities.
2. Do we use the exploration moves even in battles with acolytes and regents?
Yeah, exploration moves are still usable in battle. They’re more peripheral than the core confrontation moves, but if there’s something that’s best resolved using them then go ahead!
Quality reactions like Deflect a Blow are more about setting up what counts as an Opening or a successful Strike. If someone tries to set up an opening by harrying the adversary with light blows, don’t even trigger Confront – just describe the blows harmlessly deflecting away and make a reaction. Qualities like this and, like, ‘burrow underground’ or ‘take to the air’ and more about restricting the player’s options than reacting post-fact to their attacks. Though now I think about it maybe those reactions would have been better phrased as eg ‘adopt a guarded stance ready to parry any blow’ or ‘hunker down behind a shield’ or ‘retract flesh behind armour plates’. Set up the defence rather than it being a surprise, y’know?
Cool! Thank you yet again James Iles! Now it feels more clear. Yeah, moves that is possible to signal in advance is probably better. 🙂