Question: S-harm and NPCs
Question: S-harm and NPCs
How do you deal with PCs dealing S-harm to NPCs. Obviously if the NPC would normally be able to very little damage you can just have them incapacitated, but if you’re dealing with cybered up PriSec goons they should presumably be able to take multiple instances of S-harm. Should I just give S-harm harm a number when PCs use them?
Sorry if this is covered in the book. I read the Harm sections looking for an answer but may have missed it.
Hoping for some feedback on custom moves
Hoping for some feedback on custom moves
I’ve read a lot of PBA stuff and played a decent amount, but I’ve never tried to write custom moves before. I was hoping for some feedback.
The first relates to one of the Corps in our game, a company that breeds and manufactures animals. I wanted a move to introduce the uncertainty and potential for mishap anytime your mission brings you into contact with an animal.
When an animal is getting in your way, roll +Cool
On a 10+, you deal with it without complication
On a 7-9 choose 1:
• There’s a commotion (advance the Legwork/Mission clock)
• You’re forced to take lethal action
• An ally must assist you
• It harries you, take -1 ongoing until you’re rid of it
I like the choices I’ve given here, but I’m not sure if this move is too generic or dry for players to be excited to roll it. Given there’s something a little alien about animals in any cyberpunk setting I wonder if there’s something I can do to ratchet up that feeling of uncertainty? Also I wonder if in practice the ‘It harries you’ choice will be the most commonly taken by a fair way
The second relates to another Corp, a private security firm. I wanted to give them a custom move to make them inherently more threatening than most combatants the players might encounter. I think they’re better trained and more coordinated, which is why a Move feels more appropriate than having them do more harm to characters.
When Argus Security attempt to detain, restrain or assault you, roll +Meat
On a 10+, they fail to gain the upper hand
On a 7-9, choose one:
• They relay info about you up the chain (advance the Legwork/Mission clock)
• They gain info about you for their database (advance the Argus Corporate clock)
• They bring their force to bear on you (take harm as established by the fiction)
• You’re cornered, pinned down or trapped
I think I’ve achieved my goal of making Argus Security more threatening, and I like the fact that the players get to choose an interesting variety of ways for them to be screwed. My only reservation is that this maybe looks a bit too similar to the Mix It Up basic move?