Hello!
My question addresses the mechanic of Street Tournament, namely the tokens of Earth and Lightning. Me and my friends got a little bit confused over this three sentences:
1. "On a 10+, flip one of your Tokens after all Tokens are declared in the next Scuffle." - Earth token.
2. "On a miss you’ve left yourself open. Your opponent either gains an opportunity or may switch one of your tokens in the next Scuffle." - Earth token.
3. "On a miss they’re prepared, they may change one of your Tokens next Scuffle." - Lightning token.
With earth token we are not really sure, what's the point of flipping your own token, when all of them have already been declared. With second sentence and the Lightning one... we are not certain, if "flip", "switch" and "change" mean the same action, or not. So, basically we can't really wrap our heads around how this two tokens work in practice.
Also a more of a narrative-point-of-view question about the Wood token.
On a 10+ it allows you to avoid the next Scuffle entirely, but... why would anyone want to do that in a tournament? Or is it more of a "avoid the Scuffle, to prepare an ambush" type of move?
At last, I would be very grateful, if you could help me understand the mechanical usage and benefits of Earth and Wood tokens in general. Some examples would have been very nice.
Thank you very much for your response and help in advance!
I wish you a very nice day!
The point to Earth and Wood Tokens is you can change your choices once you know what your opponent chooses. Since both sides declare at once, and you flip them, it allows you to either not take a loss or to change a choice to a win.
You need to win two out of three scuffles. If you're already down one, cutting a second means it's a draw. If you're up one and confident you can win the second, it's a victory.
I'm not sure what you're looking for for the last question.
Good evening!
Thank you very much for such a rapid answer! It actually helped to clarify a lot of misunderstandings. Though some new questions have arisen:
1. If I understand correctly, "flip" and "change" used for Earth and Lightning tokens respectively mean the same action, right?
2. What are the mechanical consequences on a 10+ of a Fire Token's "your opponent must give ground or flee for the moment".
3. When do you consider the tournament won by one side or another? When one of the sides win the majority of the three rounds (scuffles), or when one of the sides has made the most moves?
4. What does it mean to win a Scuffle? Do you consider a scuffle won, when you make a token move, or does your opponent have to mark a condition?
5. When you gain an opportunity, does it mean that you can use another token's move right here and now, in the same scuffle (tournament round)? If yes, is this move taken in account, when the winner of the Street Tournament is declared?
6. The last one is about Tag Team. Do you need to roll +Superior in the beginning of each scuffle (tournament round) or only in the first one?
Thank you very much for your help in advance!
1. Yes, flip and change are the same.
2. Whatever feels right for the fiction. I know that's sort of a hinky answer but it's really dependent on the narrative like a lot of PbtA stuff. Running from the fight for a better position, having to fall back from a powerful assault. That sort of thing.
3. Whenever the GM says it's over. We did three rounds, fourth for a tie breaker and it was over during playtests.
4. Again, this depends on the GM and the fiction. As the book says, the GM sets the prizes for winning.
5. The former.
6. Also the former.