Doom Pool: D12 ever ?

[Udo Femi]

Hi there

I've been playing (not GMing) Smallville for a long time and I've given MHR a try and GMed a short session before holding a full-length "Breakout" session next Friday.

2 quick questions about the Doom Pool

- how do you ever get a D12 in the DP ?
Wait for a player to get 4 "1s" at a roll ?
If I understand correctly, you can only step up +1 the lowest dice already in the DP - it will take forever to get only D10s as lowest dice

- is it possible for a Watcher NPC to use extra Traits from a Trait group (like the PCs who pay 1 PP to add another power from a Power Set, for example) ? Can I use any dice (mostly D6) to do the same ?

thx !

[MidnightBlue]

Qualifier...I'm just getting ready to start an online demo of MHR today. So I have no experience as a Watcher.

That said, it really looks like it would be pretty easy to get a D12 in the DP.

If you start with 2D6, instead of adding D6's, you can step up the smallest die (as you've said). It would only take five "1's" from all of the players to have a DP of D10 & D12.

If someone DOES get unlucky enough to roll four "1's" in a single roll, there's your D12.

A lot of SFX/Limits also have characters add to or step up the DP. If you keep getting small dice, spend those for your DP effects and leave the big dice in there.

Just some thoughts.

I'll be finding out soon enough if it is that difficult.

[Supplanter]

As MidnightBlue says, if you play toward D12s you can get them, with the trade-off being you'll have a smaller pool with bigger dice.

IMHO, it's not generally important to get D12s into the Doom Pool. It might even be a bad idea!


Jim

[babel2uk]

There are so many different ways to add to or step up dice to the Doom Pool it shouldn't be a problem.

As has been mentioned there are SFXs that borrow a die from the Doom Pool and then step it up by one when they return it. There are others that simply add in a die from the player's roll (I think it's the highest rolling one in most cases).

You can also spend your villains effect die and directly add it to the doom pool. Representing the villain grandstanding and causing general chaos and mayhem.

Anytime your villains use their Distinctions at a d4 rather than a d8 you add to the doom pool or step up the lowest die too.

Also bear in mind that you can spend the lower types of dice to augment rolls/jump in initiative order etc, so you can quite easily end up with a situation where your lowest die is a d8 or d10. It's only a short step from that to get a d12.

[Udo Femi]

Thx guys, I'll keep in mind the "strategic DP building towards a d12": bring my 2d6 to d10d12 in a few 1's rolls and/or NPCs Distinction used at d4. And then buy 1's as d6 to populate my DP.

You can also spend your villains effect die and directly add it to the doom pool. Representing the villain grandstanding and causing general chaos and mayhem.

This ! I can't wait to see the face of my players when the Big Baddie gets a d12 as Effect and instea of hitting hard them hard, transfers the die to the DP. They should sigh of relief then realize that this d12 may now drop at them from the sky at any moment.

Apocalypse World's Announce Future Badness -style !

so, concerning this:

- is it possible for a Watcher NPC to use extra Traits from a Trait group (like the PCs who pay 1 PP to add another power from a Power Set, for example) ? Can I use any dice (mostly D6) to do the same ?

any thought ?

[chaosnet]

Generally anything that a hero can do by spending 1PP, a villain can do by spending 1 DP, so if a villain needed to add another trait to a pool and it made sense narratively, then they should be able to spend a DP die.

[Mouse]

The quickest way toward a d12 is by spending down to a d6 in the DP and then activating 3 Opportunities.

Of course, that's really artificial. It certainly gets the job done, but I'm not sure why you'd want to. You can very likely accomplish all that you'd want to do with the DP by adding more smaller dice.

[Supplanter]

I'll note that when I'm playing a hero and I see a Watcher clearly aiming to get 2D12 in the Doom Pool, I "shut down" a bit. It tells me the Watcher can't wait to get this scene over, probably in a "hosing me" way. (I know that by the RAW the 2D12 option is not a hose as such, but it drifts that way at the table.) It's like a giant blinking LOSS OF AGENCY AHEAD sign. So I'm not going to invest in creating assets, because they're not going to hang around; or spend a lot of PPs on stunts, because I expect to need them on the other side of the hose; and moreover, if the Watcher isn't invested in this scene right here, why should I be?

When I'm a Watcher, I try to keep the DP spent down somewhat, so players find it worthwhile to take action vs. the Doom Pool, can actually succeed at the occasional healing roll etc. I haven't been a Watcher as much as I've been a player yet, so I'm not confident I've hit the right balance point there.


Jim

[Cam]

The 2d12 spend isn't the only reason to have those large dice in the pool. Spending them gives the players XP, so that's a big thank you right there. But I agree, if your Watcher is being a jerk at the table, mechanics like this are going to seem like agency-stripping mechanics.

So, my advice: make sure you come to an agreement at the table that you're all trying to have a great time, remember that the dice are all out there for everyone to see and that the Watcher is himself restrained by certain mechanics (rather than given free rein GM fiat), and if you think things are drifting toward no fun, make a point of saying so.

For myself, the 2d12 scene-ending rule is there for when a fight's dragging on, and I want to end it and move to something more interesting for the table, or drop a dramatic comic-book style scene cutaway (and probably have the bad guy escape). I have better things to do than hose players. If you can manage without it, that's terrific.

Cheers,
Cam

[Udo Femi]

As for me, having d12 in the DP is a way to keep the players on their toes: a d12 Stress could happen anytime, as well as party split (knowing that a d10 is enough)

2d12 to end a scene would be used as Cam said to cut the scene when thinngs start to drag (we have a long history of Smallville playing, where you can basically do that for free)

@Cam: concerning that:

Generally anything that a hero can do by spending 1PP, a villain can do by spending 1 DP, so if a villain needed to add another trait to a pool and it made sense narratively, then they should be able to spend a DP die.

I would also go for that option.
Kosher or not ?