Split/Rejoin the Party - Responding To It

[Supplanter]

The rule - a fun one - lets you spend an appropriately large doom die to separate or rejoin heroes during an action scene.

* My survey is, if you're the Watcher, once you've done that, and the player(s) want(s) to restore the status quo ante, what actions are sufficient to do that, in your game?
* My question is, is there any official guidance on this that I've missed?

Semi-typical example: Breakout heroes fighting in the Savage Land. You spend a doom die and announce that the tide of battle has carried Ms. Marvel & Sauron away from the Mutates & Carol's pals. Carol wants to rejoin her pals: a) while Sauron is actively hostile; b) after he's stressed out. What suffices?

Semi-typical bonus example: Avengers fighting the Wrecking Crew. You spend a doom die and announce that the Wrecker and Hercules have just fallen deep into NYC's infrastructure, separating them from the rest of the fight. Hercules wins a couple turns later and wants to rejoin his buddies topside, but he forgot his powered armor* so he's not very mobile. On the other hand, having to sit around for several turns would be boring to Herc's player. What suffices?


Jim

[EldritchFire]

From what I remember, the only guidance on rejoining the party is found on OM41, regrouping. It happens during transition scenes. I am unaware of any rules for during action scenes.

-EF

[Dunlaing]

Dude, didn't you just get out of surgery? Take a break.

I think that I'd let Carol rejoin the others by letting Sauron go (assuming he wants to escape) or by winning a roll against him (assuming he wants to keep fighting her)

For Hercules, I'd ask the players for help thinking of a cool way for Herc to rejoin the fray or (possibly more likely) to have the fray rejoin Hercules. I don't think I'd charge anything for it, as the splitting he party die already achieved its aim of having Hercules and Wrecker have a one on one fight.

Good luck and get well soon.

[Supplanter]

Dude, didn't you just get out of surgery? Take a break.

Hey, it was outpatient. And even I can only play so much sudoku. Plus I have this weird response to Percocet where I sleep an hour at a time and am wide awake for the next hour. Then it starts all over. But thanks for the good wishes!

EF: Wow! Thanks for the pointer. Not sure how I feel about the rule, but glad to know it's there.


Jim

[basspunk66]

I think that the narrative should also play a part.

"Oh, hey, a building collapses, separating Cannonball from the group."

"Is there open sky above me?"

"Well, yes..."

"Okay, I fly back over."

I know, really simplistic version, but the point remains that if there is a logical narrative explanation to get the group back together during an action scene, then figure it out from there.

[blaster219]

I think that the narrative should also play a part.

"Oh, hey, a building collapses, separating Cannonball from the group."

"Is there open sky above me?"

"Well, yes..."

"Okay, I fly back over."

I know, really simplistic version, but the point remains that if there is a logical narrative explanation to get the group back together during an action scene, then figure it out from there.

If that was the circumstances in my game,, and if it were that quick and easy to regroup, I'd feel fully justified in putting the Doom Die back in the pool. But like you said, simplistic.

One thing that could be useful is to have the players come up with a reason why they cannot regroup at this time. Also, if you've split the group and have a player left thumb twiddling for an extended period, it might be an idea to temporarily cede limited control of one of the bad guys over to him/her. I say limited as the Watcher should have final say over whether any actions are "in character" for the NPC. You don't the player intentionally going easy or overcompensating and going beyond what the NPC would normally do.

Thankfully, I've not had to spend any dice to split the party since my player's seem to have never heard of, or are actively seeking to refute, the old RPG adage of "Never Split The Party".

[Doc_Nova]

I have neither tested this nor given this tremendous thought, so this might not work, but...

What if the group separation Doom Die was, in essence, creating a Complication?

Then, if the hero in question wanted to rejoin their allies it could be a roll opposed by either their opponent (standard die pool + separation Complication die), against the Doom Die (standard Doom die pool + separation Complication die), or if there is little resistance other than narrative circumstances, a PP to rejoin immediately, or wait until a Transition scene.

[babel2uk]

The OM simply says the players have to steer the story towards them regrouping. Which says to me that they just have to try to regroup - whether that's via a roll vs the doom pool, or vs a Watcher Character who's trying to prevent them regrouping.

I probably wouldn't allow them to regroup without spending at least an action to do so - more if a single action wouldn't make sense. But I don't really see the need to bring in complications - which would probably be more effective coming from a Watcher Character's action rather than a Doom Pool spend. Otherwise what you're doing is essentially adding a scene complication without adding a scene distinction for it first. And if you're not using scene complications then you're essentially telling your players 'I can put a complication on you almost any time I like, and you have no defence against it, ever.'

[basspunk66]

I think that the narrative should also play a part.

"Oh, hey, a building collapses, separating Cannonball from the group."

"Is there open sky above me?"

"Well, yes..."

"Okay, I fly back over."

I know, really simplistic version, but the point remains that if there is a logical narrative explanation to get the group back together during an action scene, then figure it out from there.

If that was the circumstances in my game,, and if it were that quick and easy to regroup, I'd feel fully justified in putting the Doom Die back in the pool. But like you said, simplistic.

One thing that could be useful is to have the players come up with a reason why they cannot regroup at this time. Also, if you've split the group and have a player left thumb twiddling for an extended period, it might be an idea to temporarily cede limited control of one of the bad guys over to him/her. I say limited as the Watcher should have final say over whether any actions are "in character" for the NPC. You don't the player intentionally going easy or overcompensating and going beyond what the NPC would normally do.

Thankfully, I've not had to spend any dice to split the party since my player's seem to have never heard of, or are actively seeking to refute, the old RPG adage of "Never Split The Party".

Perhaps, but if I were playing Cannonball in that scene, I'd laugh at you for not being clever enough to "bury" me. Just because you spent the die doesn't mean it was a good idea, and in that case, the narrative fully supports the "I'll just fly over answer. Lesson to be learn? Apparently, Cannonball is a douche.

[Gorion1928]

I have neither tested this nor given this tremendous thought, so this might not work, but...

What if the group separation Doom Die was, in essence, creating a Complication?

Then, if the hero in question wanted to rejoin their allies it could be a roll opposed by either their opponent (standard die pool + separation Complication die), against the Doom Die (standard Doom die pool + separation Complication die), or if there is little resistance other than narrative circumstances, a PP to rejoin immediately, or wait until a Transition scene.

I've tried that method out and it worked pretty well. Sometimes the narrative gap makes rejoining make no sense (interdimensional, can't fly, can't breathe underwater, etc) but the idea itself sat well with me and players. I got no screams of 'No fair!' at least.