Performing

Rule changes and additions for this game.
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SavageBob
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Performing

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Post by SavageBob » Fri Sep 21, 2018 1:47 am

Band performances take place over several rounds. Each round represents a single song. During a song, each PC rolls a Performance Check using a performance skill; the precise skill may vary from roll to roll and character to character. The difficulty of this check is variable and must be declared before rolling, from Easy (Image) to Formidable (ImageImageImageImageImage). This difficulty represents the complexity of that band member's portion of the current number (interpreted narratively as the player wishes: e.g., a standard baseline, a complex dance break, a virtuoso solo, etc.). Thus, each band member can roll a different difficulty even for the same song.

The difficulty of a performance check determines how much strain the check costs the PC and how much potential reward the PC can reap from a successful check, as per the PERFORMANCE DIFFICULTY chart below. These rolls are subject to Image and Image based on situational circumstances, including those on the PERFORMANCE MODIFIERS chart below.

PERFORMANCE DIFFICULTY
DIFFICULTY STRAIN COST Image MULTIPLIER
Image 1 × 1
ImageImage 2 × 2
ImageImageImage 3 × 3
ImageImageImageImage 4 × 4
ImageImageImageImageImage 5 × 5
PERFORMANCE MODIFIERS
CONDITION ImageImage Image No Modifier Image ImageImage
Venue Type busking dive bar respectable establishment concert venue major stadium
Crowd Density nearly empty sparse feels like a crowd mostly full sold out
Lighting dark dim daylight spotlight light show
Sound too soft feedback; distortion standard speakers or acoustic professional grade feel the bass
Opening Act total flop off day decent act good performance stellar stuff
After resolving the Performance check, the player will be left with a number of uncanceled Image. These may be used to whittle away at the strain thresholds of audience members. In general, any Nemeses or Rivals in the crowd maintain their individual strain thresholds. The rest of the crowd is treated as a single Minion group with a strain threshold determined per the table below. Talents that upgrade incoming social checks, such as Intimidating and Nobody's Fool, do not affect performance checks in most situations.

STRAIN THRESHOLDS BASED ON CROWD SIZE
SIZE OF CROWD COMBINED STRAIN THRESHOLD
2–5 10
6–15 20
16–50 50
51–100 85
101–500 175
501+ 300
Note that PCs may also make non-performance checks on their turns (such as using an ability like Inspiring Rhetoric); in such cases, the PC is assumed to still be playing, but the performance is not sufficient to wow audience members (as represented by reducing strain thresholds). A full band set (several songs) is considered a success if all audience member strain thresholds are reduced below 0.

PERFORMANCE MANEUVERS

During structured performance encounters, characters may perform one maneuver and one action each turn. Performing a second maneuver in a single turn costs two strain. Characters are limited to a maximum of two maneuvers per turn.

Maneuvers that may prove useful during performances include Move, Drop Prone, Stand from Prone, Assist, and Manage Gear. The Mount or Dismount maneuver may apply to large instruments, such as full drum sets and ball organs (meaning that talents such as Let’s Ride do apply).

Generally, any point on a stage is Short range from any other. Interacting with an instrument or piece of equipment requires the character to be a Engaged range from the target item. Assisting an engaged ally is often the best use of a maneuver for characters during performance encounters; this maneuver may represent setting up an ally for a solo, harmonizing, or any number of other musical effects.

SPENDING Image, Image, Image, and Image DURING PERFORMANCES
Image or Image Recover 1 strain.

Add Image to the next allied character's check.

Notice a single important point in the performance, such as the presence of an important person in the crowd.

The character learns something valuable and gains Image on any future checks to perform the same song until the end of the session.

Activate an item quality (Image cost may vary).
ImageImage or Image Perform an immediate free maneuver that does not exceed the two maneuver per turn limit.

Add Image to an enemy character’s next check.

Add Image to any allied character's next check, including that of the active character.

The performer does something particularly memorable; after the performance, they may upgrade their first check against a member of the audience.

The active character finds a way to overcome some shortcoming in the performance, such as bad lighting, and may ignore that penalty on the next check.
ImageImageImage or Image Negate an enemy’s performance bonuses (such as bonuses from equipment or assists) until the end of the current round.

Learn a musical like of someone or some group in the audience. Add Image to further Performance checks against that target as long as that musical taste is being pandered to.

Learn the musical dislike of someone or some group in the audience.

The active character gets into a groove; they can continue playing next turn without making a new check (but without gaining new success to spend either).

Equipment fluctuation results in a particularly agreeable sound; reduce the difficulty of the active character's next check but gain the benefits of the original difficulty.

Ignore all penalizing environmental effects, such as poor lighting, sparse crowd, or similar performance modifiers until the end of the active character's next turn.

Grab the attention of an audience member who is otherwise distracted.

Helping hand: An important member of the crowd is won over and starts to sway the rest of the crowd in the band's favor; for the remainder of the concert, add ImageImage to checks the active character makes.
ImageImageImageImage or Image Force an enemy character to drop an instrument or other piece of gear they are holding.

Learn the Strength or Flaw of the targeted character.

Learn the favorite song of an audience member or group. Add ImageImage to Performance checks against that target when playing their favorite song.

Learn the least favorite song of an audience member or group.

Critical jam: The active character gives a virtuoso performance that equates to 5 additional strain that may be distributed among audience targets.
Image Learn the Desire or Fear of the targeted character.

Upgrade the difficulty of an enemy character’s next check.

Upgrade the ability of any allied character's next check, including that of the current active character.

A particularly hostile member of the audience leaves the room and no longer needs to be entertained.

The active character performs a particularly memorable solo or demonstrates musical virtuosity; they receive some tangible benefit or reputation boost or their work.

The crowd gets so into the performance that they start to sing along, wave cigarra lighters, etc.; gain +?? boosts to all checks for the remainder of the concert.

A new fan: A Rival or Nemesis in the crowd becomes a fan of the group; all future attempts to perform for the character gain Image.

Round of Applause: The crowd is so wowed that the PCs may add ImageImage to their roll to recover strain at the end of the concert.
ImageImage One for the ages: The active character doubles their successes this turn.

Sponsor: The performance is so impressive that some bigwig is impressed and offers the characters some benefit after the performance
Image or Image The active character suffers 1 strain.

The active character loses the benefits of a prior maneuver (such as assisting an ally) until they perform the maneuver again.

The active character gets distracted or sidetracked momentarily. This can result in their being unable to activate an ability that requires spending a maneuver on their next turn.

Minor fumble: The active character makes a mistake; the crowd recovers 1 strain per Image.
ImageImage or Image The active character accidentally reveals their own Strength or Flaw.

An opponent may immediately perform a free maneuver in response to the active character’s check.

Add Image to an enemy character’s next check.

The active character or an allied character suffers Image on their next action.

The active character suffers a mishap with their instrument or voice and suffers 1 Wound.

A piece of equipment malfunctions and requires an Average (ImageImage) Mechanics check to get operational again.

The active character loses the benefit of any bonuses (such as passed Image or Inspiring Rhetoric).

Musical dislike: The current style of music is not to at least one audience member or group’s tastes. Add Image to any further rolls in this same style versus this same target.

Mild stage fright: The active character gets a case of butterflies and must pass an immediate Easy (Image) Discipline check or face the effects of Fear as per the Fear Check rules.

The active character notices that a piece of equipment or wardrobe is about to fail; they must spend 2 strain each turn to keep it working or else it fails.
ImageImageImage or Image The active character accidentally reveals their own Desire or Fear.

The active character accidentally reveals their true goal in the encounter.

The active character is forced to move from their position or to even fall prone.

The active character's instrument malfunctions and must be repaired by an Average (ImageImage) Mechanics check to get going again.

Tough crowd: An important member of the crowd turns on the band and starts to turn the crowd against them; for the remainder of the concert, add ImageImage to checks by the active character.

Standard stage fright: The active character gets a case of butterflies and must pass an immediate Average (ImageImage) Discipline check or face the effects of Fear as per the Fear Check rules.

Wardrobe Malfunction: The active character suffers a wardrobe malfunction and loses the benefit of any worn items until they can be fixed with an Average (ImageImage) Deception check.

Feedback: The active character inadvertently causes ear-bleeding feedback over the amplifiers; all PCs suffer 2 strain, and the active character receives ImageImage on the next check.
Image The active character accidentally reveals a Motivational facet of one of their allies.

The active character believes they learn a Motivational facet of a character in the audience, but they are wrong.

Upgrade the difficulty of an allied character's next check or the next check of the current active character.

The active character becomes so embroiled in irrelevant minutiae that they cannot do anything important during the next round.

Musical hatred: The current song is the personal pet peeve of at least one audience member or group. Add ImageImage to any further rolls to perform this song.

An essential piece of equipment blows out.

The active character suffers a serious stage mishap, falling or getting tangled in equipment and suffering a Critical Injury.

A surly group of new audience members shows up and doesn't look impressed.

The employer paying the band gets angry about a blunder and cuts the promised pay by 20%.

Severe stage fright: The active character gets a case of butterflies and must pass an immediate Hard (ImageImageImage) Discipline check or face the effects of Fear as per the Fear Check rules.

Faux-pas: The active character makes some major blunder in the performance and riles up the crowd, with some angry members waiting for the character after the show.

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