With two pretty solid choices under my belt, it’s time to try Choice #3…
Step 1: Green Zone
Our Green Twist options are:
- Minor: Overcome (Mid), Attack All (Min), Boost All (Min), and Create a Simple Challenge.
- Major: Hinder One (Max), All Target Action (Min)
This immediately gives me an idea, so I’m going to go with Create a Simple Challenge and Overcome. You can see where this is going, probably – the environment will create challenges, and then if the players don’t resolve them, the environment will do it and it’ll be bad.
For our Major Twist, I’m going to take an All Target Hinder (Min); the environment makes everything worse for a bit.
Step 2: Yellow Zone
In Yellow, we’re looking at the following options:
- Minor: Attack One (Max), Defend One (Max), Attack All (Min), Add Mid Minions
- Major: Persistent Exclusive All-Target Action (Min), Add Lieutenant
So the question becomes, is this a minion-based environment? I think I have a shape that makes the answer no, so let’s take an Attack One (Max) or Attack All (Min) for our Minor Twists, and then an All-Target Hinder for our Major.
Step 3: Red Zone
So, our Green Zone set things up and our Yellow Zone mostly attacks and Hinders. What’s going on in Red?
- Minor: Action One (Max + Min), Two Actions Vs One (One Max, One Mid Boost), 2 Actions Mid (both PE), Add stronger lieutenant
- Major: All Targets (Two Actions with Mid die, both P/E), heal all minions/lieutenants
So, we’ll take one big Action (Max + Min) and one two-target persistent-exclusive for our Minor Twists, and the big confusing one for our Major. I’ll have to decide what that looks like, I guess.
Step 4: Where Are We?
Welcome to the Kincaid Oil Rig! This rig is a major operation located in the Pacific Ocean – that is, until The Recycler (or another villain in need of oil) attacks the platform in search of resources. Now the rig is in danger of exploding, and the heroes have to navigate that problem while also dealing with whatever villain has caused the disaster!
The oil rig has the three traits “Oil Fires d10, Damaged Superstructure d8, Panicking Crew d6”.
Step 5: What Do We Do?
The rig goes through three phases as things get worse. In Green, it has a simple approach – each turn, it creates a simple challenge as the oil reserves and machinery threaten to explode. If the heroes resolve the challenge, the Oil Fire die decreases, and if they don’t resolve it, the environment’s next action is to Overcome the challenge and increase the Oil Fires die. Then, the entire superstructure shudders and buckles, Hindering everyone who isn’t flying.
In Yellow, fires start to spread out of control. Exploding pipes can target single heroes, or flaming oil can splash over a large area. At one point, panicking workers get in everyone’s way (also a good target for a minor twist – civilians in danger!) If the heroes have reduced the power of the oil fires this probably isn’t too bad, but if they let them get out of control these will be some nasty attacks!
Finally, in Red, there’s still blasts of flame, oil splashing over individual people and making their lives difficult, and the whole structure starting to come down in a way that becomes persistent unless someone can find a way to stabilize it. Better wrap things up before the whole platform sinks in the sea and sets it on fire!
The Kincaid Oil Rig
Traits: Oil Fires d10, Damaged Superstructure d8, Panicking Crew d6
Green Zone
Minor Twist: Pressure Vales. The oil rig’s safety features are trying to hold back cascading problems, but it’s going poorly. Create a simple challenge; if the heroes resolve it, decrease the size of Oil Fires. (If Oil Fires is at a d6, don’t create this Twist.)
Minor Twist: Spreading Flame. The situation gets worse! Roll the environment’s pool, and Overcome the Pressure Valves challenge with the Mid die. The Overcome will fail rather than take a Major Twist; if it succeeds with a Minor Twist, Hinder the Environment’s next action with the Max die; the burst of pressure actually calms things down for a minute. (If there are no Pressure Valves in play, don’t create this Twist.)
Major Twist: Buckling Superstructure. The rig bucks as one of the support pillars buckles. Roll the environment’s die pool and Hinder everyone on the Rig with the Min die.
Yellow Zone:
Minor Twist: Exploding Panels. An electrical panel overheats and explodes. Roll the environment’s die pool, and Attack one target with the Max die.
Minor Twist: Burst of Flame. A pool of flaming oil spreads across an area. Choose a section of the rig and roll the environment’s die pool, Attacking every target in the area with the Min die.
Major Twist: Failed Evacuation. The rig’s crew attempt to reach the lifeboats, but wander into the line of fire! Roll the environment’s pool, and Hinder every target in the area with the Mid die as the crew get in the way of the fight.
Red Zone:
Minor Twist: Gouts of Flame. Terrible, roaring fires are raging. Roll the Environment’s pool, and Attack one target with the Max + Mid dice.
Minor Twist: Superstructure Collapse. A section of the rig falls on top of a character. Roll the environment’s die pool, and Hinder a target twice with the Mid die. Both Hinders are Persistent and Exclusive; they won’t stack, but have to be dealt with separately.
Major Twist: The Rig Fails. An entire support structure collapses, and the rig begins to fall into the sea. Roll the Environment’s die pool, and Hinder all targets twice. Both Hinders are Persistent and Exclusive; if a Hinder is removed by dealing with the underlying problem, it is removed for everyone.
Aftermath:
I think I can call this one a success!
I still find the “take two actions against one person and they’re both persistent and exclusive” to be a very odd option, but I think I see how it can work. It makes it a lot harder to shake it off, without actually being much worse until then.