Should “Strain” be a viable option for consequences for failure in intent and task? (By “Strain” I mean causing injury to the characters)
The obvious example would be in a character forcing themself to lift a heavy weight even if he has to strain himself to do so (take a superficial wound for failure, increasing the wound one level per extra success needed to achieve task obstacle).
Strain could be caused by other circumstances and applied in other ways (mental strain of resisting interrogation, physical strain of running a marathon, ect) But it would all come down to an agreement between the player and the gm, not unlike the optional rule: Persona Point Complications ( pgs 67 - 68 ) with the exceptions that it is decided upon before the dice are rolled, and as such, does not require a persona point to achieve.
The only question I actually have about it is that it allows the players to set up their own complications (usually the gm’s job)
What agreement is required? Injury is a legitimate consequence of failure. Obviously so if you fail a roll representing combat or a roll whose failure means you fall off a cliff or get run over by a wagon. Less so if you fail other rolls, but there’s no reason not to.
The bigger argument that’s come up is whether such injury should be measured in penalty (Superficial, Light, Midi, etc.) or PTGS (B3, B4, B5…). They’re slightly different when different characters have different tolerances, and I’ll admit to having gone both ways.
I’ve used it. And I think we should use it more.
That works for me.
Thanks Guys!
Yeah, just used it for failed Health tests for fatigue.
In our current BWG game, the valiant watchmen have been awake for 3 days now while the district burns around them. A couple are carrying wounds and now have the “dead-tired” Superficial wound as well. Spend another 24-hours up and about, and that’ll get worse I’m sure.
Injuries certainly don’t have to be just physical.
John