Re: [HoE] Row,Row,Row yer Boat?

[Matthew Steflik <grifflik@stny.rr.com>]

Peter Berard wrote:

> Well, something simple. Like some really really hard drivin'-boat
> rolls. give
> the player some bonuses if he has drivin'-white water raftin'. That's
> how I'd
> do it at least, but then again, I'm somewhat of a minimalist (or a
> surrealist. I play surrealist chess!).

Surrealist chess, hmm?  We used to play "Exquisite Corpse" back in
college for laughs when we were bored - generated some wonderfully
bizarre stuff.  Anyway.  My thinking was to go a *bit* more complicated
than that, but thanks for the input (you're the only one who's taken me
up on it so far).  Just FYI, here's what I did so far (the raft is large
an holds eight people and their gear):
The raft is controlled ultimately by the current and severity of the
rapids (Type I to IV, each raising TN a step - no rapid no mod).  The
"driver" seated at the rear of the raft gives commands to the rest of
the paddlers in assisting to steer.  Each time the driver wants to
perform a specific maneuver, she must give a specific command and have
each paddler make their "drivin' raft/boat" roll (default to
nimbleness/2).  The target number for this is a base 3, modified by the
severity of the rapid.  The driver then must make their steering roll
modified by the severity of the rapid and each success/failure of each
paddler (success: -1 to TN, raise: additional -1, failure: +1 to TN,
bust: raise TN a step).

For example, while in a Type I rapid, the driver wants to steer around a
big rock ahead and calls out to the group that they're going to go to
the right of it.  The group each makes their rolls (TN base 3 +2 (rapid
mod) = 5).  Four make the TN, three don't, but no busts (+4, -3 = +1 mod
to the driver's TN).  Driver then tries to make their steering roll [(TN
base 3+2 (rapid mod)-1(steering mod)=4] and gets a 6, as the raft drifts
quickly by the rock.  At times in severe rapids, an additional strength
roll by the driver might be required, and on busts, nimbleness checks
might be required to maintain a hold on paddles.  If multiple busts
occur, something bad might happen.  If the driver busts, something bad
WILL happen (you do NOT want a Jinx on a raft).

This didn't work bad so far - forced the group to really work as a team
(especially considering only about half of them have swimming skills...I
wonder where they're going to want to assign some bounty next week...).
At the rate I'm going (BMX, rollerblade and now rafting rules) I'm going
to have to put up a HoE Extreme Sports section up over at the Shelter
(hmmm....bungee jumping....).  Any input on this is of course welcome
and appreciated.

Matt Steflik
Master of Wahoo
Gimme Shelter - http://www.geocities.com/grifflik/