Age Of Dragons: Conflict Resolution
Age Of Dragons: Main Page -> Conflict Resolution
Overview: Narrative based conflict
A Conflict occurs when one or more characters is placed in opposition to each other. The Age of Dragons game treats conflicts with a high degree of abstraction, in order to make the system as flexible as possible and to allow breadth of narrative possibilities. Almost any opposed action can be defined as a conflict.
For example, all of the following can be treated as Conflicts:
- A brutal sky melee where dragons and wyverns are trying to defeat each other in battle.
- A clash of vast armies, commanded by talented and opposed generals.
- A legal battle between advocates that speak to condemn or exonerate a defendant.
- A formal debate between politicians in the symposium.
- An attempt by a seductress to woo a recalcitrant victim.
- A struggle between two merchant companies to dominate the tea-trade routes.
- A contest of dance and song, where aerobatic and talented dragonbards compare their art.
The list is not exhaustive, of course, and exploring the options for interesting and novel conflicts is part of the joy of playing the game.
Energy Pools
A key concept in conflicts is Energy Pool. A conflict deals with one of the three energy pools: Physical Energy, Mental Energy or Soul Energy.
This energy pool is key, as it is used to power your actions, and to measure how far you are from being defeated and to determine who gets to act next.
By default, at the start of a conflict your Energy Pool is equal to your sphere rating (Soma for Physical Energy, Sophia for Mental Energy and Pneuma for Soul Energy).
Generally, a single Conflict will only track a single Energy pool, the choice of which depends on the conflict type. For example, a melee combat would track Physical Energy.
Exertion
In Conflicts, each action is attributed a different level of Exertion. This represents how much effort an action takes.
- A Mild Exertion is resolved with a single D6 roll.
- A Moderate Exertion is resolved with a 2D6 roll.
- A Full Exertion is resolved with a 3D6 roll.
Each has its pros and cons, of course. Larger exertions are more likely to succeed, and will tend to have greater effect than a combination of lesser exertions on average. However, lesser exertions often carry less risk of surrendering the initiative, and you can attempt more of them with the same resource expenditure.
Additionally, exertion level is a useful guide to narrative and as to how you should describe your action.
Technique
Technique measures how effective you are at conducting yourself in a conflict, whether it be in attack or defence.
The base amount for your Technique is a Sphere rating (i.e. Pneuma, Soma or Sophis), with a Skill bonus equal to your Arete in a relevant lifepath if you have an appropriate Skill Edge.
Technique level needs to be determined for both the acting character and the targeted character.
For example, in a physical conflict a Dragon that makes a furious assault of biting and clawing might calculate his Technique for the attack as follows:
- Soma (55) + Warmaster Arete from Combat Training skill (45) = Total Technique (100).
Whereas his target might calculate his defensive Technique as follows:
- Soma (50) + Skydancer Arete from Aerobatics skill (20) = Total Technique (70).
Different actions in a single Conflict may be based on different Spheres and use different skills, and this have different Technique ratings.
Aside from Skill Edges, several other factors may increase (or even decrease) Technique, including certain Birthrights, as well as Buffs and Defbuffs.
Effect
The Effect rating of an action determines the magnitude of any outcome. For example, with a flurry of wing-strikes designed to keep an enemy on the defensive, the Effect rating would determine how much Energy Pool the target loses.
By default, the Effect rating of a successful action is equal to the total of all dice rolled.
Some factors, however, may increase (or even decrease) Effect, including certain Birthrights, as well as Buffs and Defbuffs. Note that Skill Edges specifically do not directly affect Effect ratings.
Action Cost
The Action Cost rating of an action determines how much Energy it costs you to carry out.
By default, the Action Cost rating of a successful action is equal to the total of all dice rolled.
Some factors, however, may decrease (or even increase) Action Cost, including certain Birthrights, as well as Buffs and Defbuffs. Note that Skill Edges specifically do not directly affect Action Cost ratings.
It's also worth noting that Action Costs are always paid from the active Energy Pool being used in the conflict. For example, in a physical conflict, all action costs are paid from Physical Energy Pool, even if that action was a non-physical one (such as spellcasting or combat leadership).
Resolving Conflicts
The overview for this process is as follows:
- 1. Determine Conflict Type
- 2. Set Defeat Conditions
- 3. Determine Initiative
- 4. Select Action Type
- 5. Determine Technique
- 6. Roll the Dice
- 7. Resolve Effect (if successful)
- 8. Resolve Energy Cost
- 9. End or continue conflict
1. Determine Conflict Type
First, its important to decide what sort of conflict this is. This is a decision to be made ultimately by the GM, though optionally with player opinions. The type of conflict will determine what Energy Pool is used, and will also set the narrative context for what sort of actions can be used.
- Soma Conflicts are those where physical interaction is the core. Examples might include melee combats, aerobatic displays, races and aerial pursuits. These conflicts use the Physical Energy Pool.
- Sophia Conflicts are those where mental interaction is the core. Examples might include competing research, commanding armies, games of strategy and battles of will. These conflicts use the Mental Energy Pool.
- Pneuma Conflicts are those where social, creative or arcane interaction is the core. Examples might include singing competitions, diplomacy, persuasion, seduction or battles of arcane force. These conflicts use the Soul Energy Pool.
