Skills in Encounters

[James Harrison]

I'm trying to get get a rundown of how encounters work... I think we have been doing it wrong... but it this it:

0. Set tolerance.

1. All players Roll insight for bonus dice
Is this the right place? Can one spokesperson be given insight dice by other players? I assume yes.

2. Choose spokesperson or Individuals

3. Introductions
a. If spokesperson they make an Awe or Riddle roll to introduce the group
could they use courtesy?
b. If individuals they make courtesy rolls: Failures preclude taking part in the rest of the encounter
Could another skill be used? Do failures reduce tolerence

4. Interactions
The spokesperson or those who passed courtesy tests can interacrt using inspire, persuade, riddle, song

5. Encounter ends when tolerance = 0, successes are tallied (great s.=2, extraordinary s.=3); greater success = better outcome (alternatively encounter ends when greatest success achieved.)

Is this correct?

[Angelalex242]

My view is it depends on culture.

Why would elves, with 0 courtesy dice, EVER use courtesy to try to interact with each other?

It'd be song or awe, all the time. Cause that's all they've got.

[Robin Smallburrow]

The only part you had correct was 0. Set tolerance

I recommend that u read over what is said about Encounters in Tales of Wilderland, or u could check out what I have in my Umbar adventure in my sig.

The key thing to remember about Encounters is that they are a special type of Prolonged Tests, how many rolls, by whom and what skills used really depends on the situation, so each Encounter should be treated differently. However, to give u some more guidelines:

1. Players may if they choose roll Insight when first meeting ( just like Lore with Journeys and Battle for Combat), the idea here being that success will indicate whether a spokesman is a good idea and what skill will work best (usually Courtesy)

2. Decide on a spokesperson

3 &4. With the actual encounter I have found it best to do all the dice rolls at the start and then actually role play the encounter, keeping in mind that Tolerance = no.of failures, so a Tolerance of1 means only one Failure is allowed! But the LM must always consider what the Encounter is for: if the PC' s are meant to get information etc. to further the plot, then they get it even if an Eye was rolled!

The encounter ends either when Tolerance has been reached, or the PC's have obtained what they wanted

Robin S

[James Harrison]

Unfortunately tales from the wilder-land is in England, and I am not... I will not get a chance to read it for a couple of months.

On the plus side our Loremaster has read it at least twice, so I shoulden't worry; he can clear everything up

if anyone feels inclined to write an encounter summary, in the vane of the session summary and combat summary's recently written up that would be much appreciated.

PS and thank you very much for your summary, it was helpful - and I think we are doing it right... my realisation we were doing it wrong was simply from the AB description - but there is more to it than that I now see

As for elves - they may have fair spoken or another trait, or have spent points on courtesy... just because people are bad at something doesn't mean it's never used. Woodmen done get Lore but they still use lore for planning journeys, and knowing things... they simply rely on a few skilled individuals and traits more often ... that is to say elves will often use Courtesy, but not all the time; sometimes through traits, sometimes through spokesmen and etc.

[Stormcrow]

Here is the correct sequence as given in the rulebooks. It does not include optional additions from other sources, which I'm not too keen on anyway.* Note that the lists of suggested skills for use in encounters are not limiting; for instance, if a spokesman thinks he can use Courtesy to introduce the company, let him try. (Think of Gandalf introducing the dwarves to Beorn. Heck, that might be considered using Song to introduce a party.)

1. Loremaster sets encounter Tolerance.
2. Players decide on encounter goal.
3. Introduction
   1. Heroes decide whether to elect a spokesman or introduce themselves individually.
   2. If heroes have learned about those they are encountering or have observed them, they may perform Lore or Insight tasks to learn how best to conduct the introduction.
   3. Spokesman or individuals perform tasks to introduce the company or themselves. Failure means the encounter has ended or the individual may not participate in the encounter.
4. Interaction: Heroes perform tasks to further the encounter goal. If the number of failed tasks equals the Tolerance of the encounter, no further tasks may be performed and the encounter is effectively over.

*I don't like the idea of "winning" an encounter. You can steer an encounter anywhere you like, so long as you have the goodwill of the other side. The benefits come directly from the individual tasks rolled, not from an accumulated number of successes.

[James Harrison]

I'm a fan of the number of successes as a guideline for some encounters. But either way the layout is very helpful thank you - and the bit about non-limiting skills! Thank you ... I will add it to my document of your other guides

you may want to "edit" your initial guide; the combat one and this one have now got sub sections in bold - which is very clear. Not that your original one wasn't; it's just you have got even better with these two (this all assumes I haven't got muddled and it was you who posted the other two guidelines )

[Stormcrow]

you may want to "edit" your initial guide; the combat one and this one have now got sub sections in bold - which is very clear. Not that your original one wasn't; it's just you have got even better with these two (this all assumes I haven't got muddled and it was you who posted the other two guidelines )

Yes, I've been waffling on my personal style guide.

[helghast]

Interaction: Heroes perform tasks to further the encounter goal. If the number of failed tasks equals the Tolerance of the encounter, no further tasks may be performed and the encounter is effectively over.

Wrong. The LMB says: When the company fails a number of rolls in excess of,the tolerance rating set for the encounter, the meeting is essentially over (source: LMB Page 52)

IMO a significant difference

[Stormcrow]

Your quotation is correct, but I think it leads to a contradiction. In the previous paragraph, Tolerance is described as being "the maximum number of rolls that the companions may collectively fail before their behaviour puts an end to their chances of getting further assistance or cooperation." This means if Tolerance is 1 the encounter ends when you have failed once. By your quotation, if Tolerance is 1 the encounter ends when you have failed twice.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Tolerance can never be lower than 1. By your quotation, that would mean it always takes at least two failures to end an encounter. Why cut off Tolerance at 1? If your quotation is correct, why not let it go to 0, where the encounter would end after one failure?

I wonder if the word exceed, both here and in Tales from Wilderland, is being misused.

By the way, it's rude to reply to someone by saying the single-word sentence "wrong."

[Otaku-sempai]

Unfortunately tales from the wilder-land is in England, and I am not... I will not get a chance to read it for a couple of months.

Are you in the U.S.? I've seen Tales from Wilderland at Barnes & Noble; any friendly local gaming stores that support TOR should have it or be able to get it.