Tie-Breaking via Narrative Edge

[Clay]

I’ve been thinking about “ties” in HQ, mainly because I have noticed that my players find the current higher-roll tie-breaking mechanics unsatisfying or underwhelming.
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Rather than rely on the lower (HQ2) or higher (HQG) tie-rolls to decide who gains the marginal victory, I have been thinking I should let the story decide via a mechanic called “the Edge”.
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First, if the level of success AND the rolls are the same, it is always a tie. So, Success 10 vs Success 10 is still a tie, regardless of which side possess “the Edge”.
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When the sides have matched their level of success (crit v crib, success v success, etc…) and the rolls are mismatched, the tie is broken by the side with “the Edge” – a narrative construct represented physically at the table by some object or token that can be passed around and seen by everyone.
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During Rising Action, the Heroes usually have “the Edge”. Important obstacles may have “the Edge” during Rising Action as the story or pass/fail cycle dictates (e.g., at major story pinches).
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During Climatic Action, the obstacles always have “the Edge”.
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I’m going to try it out in our next session.
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Comments?

[Phil Nicholls]

Hi Clay,

As with all House Rules, if it works at your table and the Players are happy, then it is a good rule.

I have been playing with the high roll wins rule for at least a year, and the Players were happy with it when I explained my reasoning. Which just goes to show how you cannot please all the people all the time.

Take care
Phil

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