Encouraging Minor Twists

[degausser]

Something I’ve been working on recently are encouraging minor twists by not making them wholey negative. Things like introducing a challenge, fail it and the PCs get hindered, succeed and the PCs get a bit of a boost (like reducing one environment die one step, or introducing some minions on the PCs side like cops.). DEPENDING ON THE SCENE maybe even some minor healing.

Other options include revealing extra plot info,
Giving the PCs a boost
Undoing the effects of a previous minor twist (like a power that has been reduced a die step and then returns to normal.)

All of these should require challenges to complete or at least be not-automatic, and maybe only have one per zone, per scene (like, one green zone minor twist has one of these and the others are pure negative for the party.). Otherwise I find that parties tend to be risk-adverse and try not to trigger minor twists and things get boring. Thoughts?

[Chief_Lackey_Rich]

Huh, I didn’t know edits pulled posts back to the top of the queue.

Well, assuming the OP is “listening” after almost two years, maybe pointing out the many things a PC can gain by accepting a minor twist would help. I’ve talked about it at some length over on my blog but the standouts are probably the ability to access an ability one step earlier in the GYRO progression (which is pretty huge for using Reds while in Yellow) and getting a second use out of a particularly big mod. My players do both of those pretty regularly to very good effect. Looking at twists as a voluntary cost for very strong effects rather than a punishment for (say) rolling average on an Overcome really helps get people to loosen up.

I find it also helps if you use a lot of non-mechanical twists, choosing things that change the story going forward and add future complications rather than just penalizing the twistee in the current scene. Deferred payment (or punishment if you want to look at it that way) feels better than paying the bill right on the spot, as the entire credit card industry demonstrates.

[dprcooke]

@Chief_Lackey_Rich

I find it also helps if you use a lot of non-mechanical twists, choosing things that change the story going forward and add future complications rather than just penalizing the twistee in the current scene.

I had a lot of fun with my players in a recent session I ran using non-mechanical twists. The heroes needed to sneak into a prison to speak with one of the prisoners (in the high security section, to which they did not have access). A major twist on their overcome roll to convince the entry gate guard to let them in (to visit “John Johnson”) resulted in them having being granted access, but having to escort Mr Johnson’s 8-year daughter to visit him, since she was also there to see him.

A series of twists ensured that the young girl continued to follow them through the prison, and another twist meant that, after they had briefly left her unattended in a supply closet holding a tray of 30 Christmas cookies, she ate all 30 cookies and they now had a very hyper and sick-to-her-stomach child who they had to make feel better. All while convincing Major Twist, a guard, that it was okay for them all to be there.

My plans for the mission included no 8-year-old girls being escorted safely through the prison… it was glorious! And I think my players are less afraid of twists now, which is a lot more fun.

[Chief_Lackey_Rich]

That’s great! And I really think that’s what the designers intend twists to be. Not wholly or even primarily a mechanical cost, but an opportunity to move the story in a direction no one expected.