Re: (TFT) Critical Spell Failures

[Peter von Kleinsmid <pvk@oz.net>]

Erol, it's pretty clear that you and your pals have very different tastes 
from me and mine, and that's ok. If you think even occasional dropped and 
broken weapons make things feel like slapstick, then clearly you don't want 
to use such rules. I can see how some might feel that way.

Personally, chances for things to go wrong seem much closer to reality. 
Sometimes, reality is a comedy of errors, and those tend to be moments of 
interest, challenge, and yes, humor.

Real weapons do get dropped and broken in combat. Even devices like modern 
firearms and flashlights and cars and computers and ... practically 
everything ... can and do fail and behave unpredictably at times. Just the 
other day, a pal was demonstrating a handy mallet by waving it back and 
forth a few times, and the handle separated and flew across the room! 
Reading actual detailed accounts of combat, honest reports generally 
include many cases of unexpected problems with equipment and other huge 
blunders, which are just part of life, particularly when people are under 
stress of combat, being interfered with by enemies, and having to get 
everything right the first time or suffer consequences.

It's not always easy to get both simple and statistically correct game 
rules. A straight 17 = drop, 18 = break rule isn't statistically good 
because it doesn't take skill or weapon quality into account. The GURPS 
rules do take both into account, and a similar or even more accurate 
mechanic could be used in TFT too, if you can stand the complexity. It's 
also a good way to add meaning to equipment quality, and to high skill.

As far as spells, one can limit the effects as well as the chances, so that 
you get the kinds of flubs you want. Apparently you only want 1-fatigue 
flubs (which is ok). Personally I think it's more interesting if there can 
be some unexpected side-effects, as long as they're appropriate. No matter 
how badly a typical caster flubs a 1-ST Light spell, it's generally not 
going to do anything awful unless they're already in a situation where they 
need it to go exactly right the first time. If you give a small chance that 
it'll light the wrong thing or the wrong color or that the caster will get 
confused about that spell for a little while, the effects are entirely 
under control, especially if you use a two-roll system that takes skill 
into account, and/or a good GM taking them into account.

For those who play FRPG for successful and dry heroics, I can see wanting 
everything mundane to go as planned, though. Fans of Batman don't want any 
chance his Bat-grapnel cord will catch on his pointy ears as he twirls it 
overhead, or have any chance to actually slip and fall.

By way of example, I'm a huge fan of Bungie's Myth computer games, and one 
of the most enjoyable parts for me is the tracking of details which can go 
wrong, which leads to calculated risks, great challenges of trying to make 
the most of a situation even after something unexpected happens. The 
clearest example of which would be one of the most powerful character 
types, which are dwarves who use gunpowder about as effective as TFT 
grenades and petards, but with less predictable effects. Fuses fall out or 
snuff but might relight if a fire spreads their way, grenades are 
mis-thrown or mis-timed and bounce and roll in unpredictable ways, and go 
off at unpredictable times, and when they do, shrapnel and all nearby 
battlefield and environmental objects will be tossed around in logical but 
unpredictable ways, the results of which are interesting, rational, 
powerful, and yes, often extremely amusing. Moreover, my Myth mod makes the 
game more like TFT mechanics, which means making things even more 
unpredictable.

PvK
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