Hi all, I love the mechanics of Push but while playing it I encountered an issue and I would like your opinion, how do you handle fantasy fights, which are usually longer and more granular? With a 2 in 3 chance of receiving a setback for each roll, three or four rounds of actions, attacks and parries turn the heroes knocked down, disarmed, blinded, broken. It seems to me that a classic roll to attack and then roll to defend is very difficult to manage, how do you do it? I understand that the ideal would be a single roll, do I kill the goblins? Strong hit yes, like a fury you defeat the bad guys, weak hit yes you beat them but some run away ready to come back angrier or you were injured in the fight etc. But what if you want a little more action?
Hi, there!
Great question!
I myself actually prefer more action as well. I usually roll multiple times during combat scenes too, I like it to be more intense and dramatic.
What I do is I play with the complications. You see, "knocked down, disarmed, blinded, broken" are quite harsh setbacks that would make more sense if it were for a single roll resolution. You may want to try to "dilute" the severity of the complications when you roll more often.
Think of it as a movie scene. Consequences don't need to take your character out of the scene. I hit them, but... they punch me back. And I just get back and hit again. I hit them, but... they grab me and throw me. I drop something. The sun is now against their back. A crack on the floor widens. They reveal a secret weapon. A minion appears. Our swords clash and we stare at each other, exchanging insults. Think Thorin vs Azog kind of deal.
Don't be afraid to get creative (and permissive) with complications. That way, you can have a long and colorful battle scene without punishing your character too much.
Thanks for your kind reply! In fact you made me think that setbacks could be used as third party actions, for example a floor collapsing or a rope bridge fraying one strand at a time, not necessarily negative but equal parts neutral and adverse to all parties. Or you can switch to the action of the next enemy instead of a setback, for example you kill the first zombie but with a weak hit the other is on you, will you be able to dodge it? I watched the latest Indiana Jones last night and there is a masterful use of complications. I think this is the spirit to bring into the scene, the problem and that when we say complication we mainly think of something directly negative for the character, instead it should be understood as the environment or the enemies do this action (not necessarily directly negative). They shoot the character on the rope bridge, I dodge with a 3 on the die, the bullet passes close to me but cuts one of the ropes, the bridge tilts for everyone, on the next weak hit the last rope starts to fray etc... Thanks again for your games Mr. Cezar, I find push and Kismet just brilliant.