Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision		Previous revision
rules:core:action-system:action-sequence [2024/08/23 01:36] – jobrules:core:action-system:action-sequence [2024/09/12 23:32] (current) – removed job
Line 1: Line 1:
-====== Action Sequence ====== 
- 
-Action Sequences break down [[:rules:core:gameplay:time#Scenes|Scenes]] into smaller increments of [[rules:core:gameplay:time|Relative Time]] called Phases. Outside of combat, Action Sequences are used when there are NPC Actors taking actions and/or events that the GM intends to take place in a specific order within a Scene. When used to organize combat, refer to the [[rules:core:combat:sequence:|Combat Action Sequence]] article, rather than this page, as it provides more detailed rules necessary to resolve combat.  
- 
-Outside of combat, it is not necessary for the GM to start an Action Sequence if the Scene is simply resolved, like the PC Actors passing time in a village for a few days.  In that case, the Scene itself becomes the time limit on how the PC Actor's Point Pools may be bid: they may bid any and all Stat Points toward any action(s) they intend to take during the scene time period, however, their Stat Point Pools do not refresh until the end of the scene. 
- 
-For more complex scenes where NPC Actors may be attempting to thwart players, or game events will take place that the PC Actors must respond to in a timely manner, it is recommended that the GM start a Non-Combat Action Sequence.  To do that, the GM simply announces that an Action Sequence has started, sets up the Timeline, and calls for PC Actions, while the GM begins planning NPC actions or events in the same ways as takes place during a Combat Action Sequence.  
- 
-===== The Timeline ===== 
- 
-Unlike other game systems that use rounds to determine how many actions an Actor can take and what priority they have, ND1 uses an open-ended Timeline that begins at 0 at the beginning of the Action Sequence, and increases incrementally until the Action Sequence is resolved.  Each increment on the timeline is called a Phase.   
- 
-For play around the table with Card Props, it is recommended to use graph paper or a battle mat with ascending numbers on each square, beginning with 1 in the top left corner square, where each square represents a Phase number. Tokens are placed on Phase squares to represent when planned Actions by PCs or NPCs will take place.  Matching tokens are placed on an Actor's [[:rules:core:gameplay:cards#Card_Stacks|Action Card Stack]] so that all declared Action tokens on the Timeline can be matched to a corresponding Action Card Stack of one of the Actors involved.  
-The GM keeps record of the current Phase with a unique token on the Timeline, and advances this token as Actions are resolved in order of the Phases they go on.   
- 
-===== Procedure ===== 
- 
-//**Summary:**// Action Sequences start on Phase 0.  Actors secretly decide what they intend to do after the GM has described the circumstance the Actors find themselves in, and has announced that an Action Sequence has begun. Players bid Stat Points on the actions they intend to take, in the same way that the GM does so for the Actions of NPC Actors. Players and the GM form stacks of cards for each Action an Actor declares; these are called Action Card Stacks.  Action Card Stacks are made up of a card for the Action to be performed, Stat Points bid on that action, and sometimes other cards like an Equipment Item used, or an Ability. Action Card Stacks are placed face down on the table in front of the player controlling the Actor performing an Action. All players and the GM do this simultaneously, and once they are finished declaring at least one action, everyone announces when their action will take place by calculating the number of Stat Points that were bid, and a token is placed on the Timeline for each Actino on the corresponding Phase number.  After the first Actions are declared by all Actors involved, and placed on the Timeline, additional Actions may be declared.  To calculate when Additional Actions will be resolved on the Timeline, add the number of Phases the additional action will take to the Phase number that the last action that Actor declared went on. For example, if an Actor's first action in the Sequence will be resolved on Phase 3, and the additional action will take 5 Phases, the additional action will be resolved on Phase 8.  Players may declare any number of Actions on the Timeline up to their ability to continue bidding their Stat Points on Actions.  Note that these Stat Point Pools do not refresh until an Actor takes a Pause Action, or another Action type that returns spent Stat Points to their Point Pools. 
- 
-__**Step-byStep Procedure:**__  
- 
-  - **Begin the Action Sequence (GM):** inform the players that an Action Sequence has begun, and describe the circumstance, environment, NPC Actors involved, and optionally, put figures on a battle mat if positions in relation to other Actors will be important to resolving the Scene and how Actions can effect others. 
-  - **Setup the Phase Timeline (GM):** place the Action Sequence Timeline prop on the gaming table and provide one or more unique tokens in matching pairs to each player, keeping 1-2 pairs for each NPC Actor involved.  These will be used to match Action card stacks to their Phase number on the Timeline (see below). 
-  - **Draw Actor Card Stacks (Players):** draw cards from the various stacks on the table for each Stat, Ability, and Skilled Action on their Actor's sheet, if this step wasn't already done at the beginning of the game session. For example, if the Actor has 5 STR, they should draw STR cards totaling 5 in whatever increments they desire.  Repeat this for all Stats in The Trine.  When done with this step, you should have your Actor's character sheet represented in card piles of different types before you on the table. 
-  - **Plan 1st Actions:** Players & GM begin secretly planning the Actions(s) their Actors will take.  Remember: actions take place in the order they are declared if an Actor will have more than one Action on the Timeline.  The Phase when any subsequent actions will be resolved is counted from whatever the current Phase number is when the Action is declared, and must be After any actions already declared for the same Actor. 
-    - **Choose Action:** Decide on the first action an Actor will take and draw the corresponding Action Card secretly to begin to form your hand of cards.  Consult that Action description on this wiki or on the corresponding card face to discover what Stat Point Pools may be bid on any given Action Card. 
-    - **Ante Action Points:** draw from your character card piles created in Step 3 above the required number of Action Points into your hand of cards in front of the Action card (FIT for physical Actions, or QUI for mental Actions).  Usually this is a 1 point Ante to entitle the Actor to take the chosen action but not always. Consult the Action Card to be sure.  
-    - **Bid Stat Points:** decide how many Stat Points will be bid on the Action.  Usually Actions will call for two opposing Stats, like WIL that makes a Spell more powerful but also makes it take longer, and QUI that offsets WIL by making the spell take place more quickly.  Decide the right balance of these two stats to bid for the Actor's strategy and draw that many Stat Point cards from your character card piles into your hand.  This is the Actor's Stat Bid and completes the process of secretly planning an action.  When done, your hand of cards should be in the exact order shown on the [[rules:core:combat:card-layout|Card Layout]] page. 
-    - **Calculate Phase Number:** now calculate the Phase number when the action will be resolved.  By way of example, let's assume the Action was casting a spell, and 1 AP(QUI) was bid, along with 3 WIL Stat Points, so the Spell Action will be resolved on Phase 4 since the Action Sequence started on Phase 0. 
-    - **Place 1st Action Stacks:** place your hand of cards face down on the table to make an "Action Stack." Once Action Stacks are placed face down on the table, no further changes can be made.  This is to prevent Actors from changing what they intend to do after they realize what Phase opponent's actions go on. Wait for all other players and the GM to also complete making one Action Stack.   
-  - **Declare NPC Actions (GM):** once all participants have completed their Action Stacks, place one of the unique tokens of a pair on top of the Action Stack of one of the NPC actors the GM is controlling, or an Event Card Stack, and the matching token on the Action Sequence Timeline, thereby revealing the Phase number that NPC Actor's Unknown Action, or the Unknown Event, will be resolved.  Repeat this step for the first Action Stacks of all NPCs or Events in the combat.  
-  - **Declare PC Actions (Players):** in any order declare the Phase their action will go on to the GM by placing one of the tokens of a unique pair on top of their Actor's first Action Stack and it's matching token on the Action Sequence Timeline on the corresponding Phase square (Phase 4 using the Spell Action example above). 
-  - **Declare Additional Actions (optional):** now that all participants have chosen one Action and the order all actions will be resolved in is visible to all on the Action Sequence Timeline, participants may repeat the steps above to select 2nd actions, 3rd actions, and so on, up to the limit of their [[rules:core:action-system:action-points|Action Point]] and [[rules:core:point-system|Stat Point Pools]] to bid on actions.  Each successive action Phase is added to the Phase of the last action an Actor took.  So, continuing the example of an Phase 4 Spell first action, if that same Actor chose to declare a 3 Phase Movement 2nd Action, and had enough AP & Stat Points to do that, their 2nd Action would be resolved on Phase 7 (4+3) 
-  - **Resolve DBCs (GM):** when no one chooses to declare any more Actions the GM begins adjudicating the [[rules:core:action-system:dbc|DBC]] [[rules:core:action-system:outcomes|Outcomes]] of each Action that has been declared in the order they appear on the Timeline, beginning with the lowest Phase.  If two or more Actions take place on the same Phase, the action with the most AGI or QUI points bid on it goes before others with a lower bid of these Stats.  If there is still a tie, flip a coin... 
-  - **Declare Additional Actions:** at any time after all Actions on the current Phase have been resolved, but before the GM begins to adjudicate Actions already declared on the next consecutive Phase, any participant in the Action Sequence may declare one or more new Actions provided that they have the AP & Stat Points to do so, either because: 
-    - They held those points in reserve 
-    - They resolved a [[rules:core:action-system:actions:pause|Pause Action]] 
-    - They [[rules:core:action-system:actions:abort-action|Aborted]] Actions as a result of NPC Actions or game Events, and now have more AP & Stat Points to bid 
-  - **Continue Repeating Steps 8-9 until the Action Sequence is resolved** 
- 
----- 
- 
-== Links to this page: == 
-{{backlinks>.}}  
-