From:	Todd Montgomery <tmont@****.WVU.EDU>
Subject:	Question 2: Diceless SR
Date:	Tue, 26 Oct 1993 11:16:09 -0400

First off, I have never played Amber, but I know a bit (very little) about
how the diceless concept works.

The concept, for SR Diceless, might work something like this:

When the players or GM have a need to roll dice, they can, instead,
draw points out of a refreshing pool. These points translate directly
into dice results. Ex: Say every 1 on a die is a point, except a 1
which is free. So to get a 4 on a die I have to take 4 points out
of the pool. (The actually numbers should be based on probabilities
with the average roll being some fixed number). Each players point pool
would be actually a combination of Karma Pool and experience. The GMs
pool for NPCs and Critters would be a combination of threat and professional
ratings. The pool should refresh in the same way as the Karma Pool, but
for everyone, including the NPCs and Critters. Perhaps even additional
dice could be bought with points.

The actual points and methodologies are still in development in my head.
Great care must be taken to assure that the munchkins can not rape this.

The advantages: As with Amber, this allows the GM and players to have
the ultimate control over their characters and to actually allow the story
to unfold the way they want it. Almost like interactive storytelling, with
the GM and the players, working to make it all come out balanced. (Because
running out of points in the pool means you fail at everything.)

The disadvtantages: For the GM determining when the pool refreshes would
be critical. Great care would have to be taken. Too often and the scene
is way too easy. Too slowly and the scene is way too hard. Also knowing
before the test if the test succeeds is may not work with all players.
So some more thought must go into how to work this, so that these players
can still have the sense of not knowing. (Can be done by changing Target
Numbers around and/or not telling them final Target Numbers).

The whole thing that motivates the diceless concept is the idea that the
story is really already told and that all the characters do is live it. For
SR, a game where Magic flows through everything and effects everything,
this concept may work.

Any constructive comments welcome and encouraged.

-- Quiktek
-- Todd Montgomery
tmont@****.wvu.edu
tmont@***.wvu.edu
un032507@*******.wvnet.edu