Wednesday 24 June 2015

More on the Reaction Roll


I've been clear that the Reaction Roll is one of most valuable bits of Classic D&D. I'm not that fussed about how you resolve combat, tasks, character advancement etc., but I do think that having a simple means of freeing the DM from determining NPC reactions is something that every game could benefit from.

While browsing the other day I found this post, from late last year, by Alex Chalk of To Distant Lands, in which he breaks down the procedure for determining reactions into the Reaction Roll, a consideration of Interests, and modifiers for Disposition.

I need to get myself my own header. Well, in fact, my blogs need a total design overhaul.

Rather than repeat his work, you should check it out HERE. It is very likely to make it onto my GM summary sheets.

3 comments:

  1. Let me point you to http://rolesrules.blogspot.com/
    and have you look at his 52 Pages (download from the sidebar) and look at page 34 "First Meetings". There is a very nice chart comparing the 2d6 reaction roll to the 2d6 morale roll, with advice for modifiers as well.

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    1. Point away, point away!

      I do like the two 'axis' table utilising both 2d6 rolls, creating a 3 by 3 table of possible reaction 'types'. That certainly is something to adopt. I have used the Morale Roll in an ad hoc way to determine what an NPC will do - how bold will they be - when a 'hostile' reaction is rolled. But I like this systemisation of that kind of idea.

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  2. Thanks for this - I missed Alex's original post and this is really helpful. I've also always liked the Reaction role, for no other reason that it can keep you on your toes as a DM because even you aren't sure what will happen next...

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