Taking Turns, Initiative
Play takes place as a conversation, with everyone acting in character, and describing what their characters intend to do. We call this, “telling Neutral Tales”. Speak up whenever it makes sense to do so. Sometimes, the GM will call on a player explicitly.
GM: “The Dragon rears back its head and opens its mouth, you can smell the brimstone as it clears its throat. Warrior, you’re closest. What do you do?”
If you’re used to other RPGs with strict initiative rules, the lack of an initiative system might seem unusual. Work with your group to make sure everyone gets a turn to shine. Sometimes obvious teamwork opportunities will emerge. Players can pass the initiative to each other and coordinate their activities.
Approaches
Anytime you’re facing an obstacle, you have options in how you approach it.
- Bolstering (aiding, assisting, orchestrating)
- Normal Actions (typically require normal rolls)
- Audacious Actions (Hail Marys)
Movement is free.
Bolstering
When you’re helping someone else or actively working to improve your own odds without directly pushing towards the goal, you are Bolstering. Bolsters are one-step easier than normal actions and they make a subsequent action one-step easier as well.
For example: If you’re attempting to climb a mountain, you might describe your character plotting a different trajectory which has an easier grade and more frequent handholds. Or you might describe yourself digging your heels in and helping someone else make the climb. This action doesn’t get you any closer to the goal, but it improves the odds when you continue your ascent.
If you’re the recipient of a bolster action, you are considered “bolstered”. The bolster goes away after you spend it on a related uncertain action.
Normal Actions
When you’re pushing directly towards a goal, with a pretty obvious direct approach, you’re performing a “normal” action which requires a “normal” dice roll. Most of your actions will likely be normal actions.
Audacious Actions
Sometimes you need a hail mary. Players may choose to make their action more difficult, in exchange for following an undiscovered “shortcut” in a challenge. They’ll roll “decreased”: If successful, their Good Tale will be worth triple effect on a challenge track.
Here’s an example:
Player: “I’m nearly out of health, and we’re not even close to the top of this mountain yet. I need a Hail Mary: I see there’s another path, where the cliff face ends lower and a gentler trail leads up from there. Only problem is, it’s across a chasm. I want to leap across that chasm to get to the shorter path.”
GM: “Ok. Sounds like an audacious action. You’re taking a big risk in order to get a shortcut. Roll with disadvantage. If you succeed, I’ll mark three obstacle boxes on the challenge track.”
Note that players can generally invent things about the world. The player above invented a shortcut. Fantastic! GM’s should observe the first rule of Improv and say yes. In TT-CC-Smooth, GMs do not own the world.
Movement
Movement is generally free as part of some other action. Unless there are some mitigating circumstances, you can run across the battlefield and stab someone in a single action. If that path of movement seems particularly dangerous, your GM might rule that just getting there is an uncertain Action, and as such, requires a dice roll.
In combat, your opponents on the battlefield are not static pawns. You may utilize your wits and abilities to move them into positions to your advantage. Orchestrating an opponent’s movements like that might be considered a bolster action, since it works to improve the odds for a subsequent action.
Note: Movement distances are intentionally vague. If you need more clarity, consider allowing close movement while facing opposition, or near movement if there is no immediate pressure. See keywords
Teamwork and Helping Out
When you want to help your teammate, choose the bolster approach above.
Smooth RPG 