Monday, June 11, 2018

Terror!

"Run-a-way!"
I have always thought Terror is an interesting addition to the Original Adventure Game mechanics.  Currently, my favorite way to incorporate a bit of terror is simply to have some monsters, or situations trigger a Saving Throw - I use the Paralyzation column - and a fail results in all actions being at a -2 penalty. It isn't much of a penalty (10% on a d20 roll), just enough to perhaps make the player question whether running from this encounter might be wiser than sticking around. After-all if we return later and try another save verses Terror, we might succeed and avoid fighting the terrible what-ever with the dread "-2" penalty. It all kinda makes sense to me, which adds to the believably (and fun) of the game.
Misters Gygax and Arneson didn't include a save verses terror in their original LBBs, but in their day it may have been redundant. When the game is new and monsters are yet unfamiliar, they all are a bit more ominous - terrifying, if you will. Each encounter could be with something new and as-of-yet unknown. Peril was everywhere and nobody wants to be the first to lose their character...even if it only takes a few minutes to roll up another and be back in the game.
As the above cartoon from Strategic Review (vol. 2, no. 2) illustrates, a little table anxiety can be fun and making decisions about pushing one's luck is a big part of what we do while playing White Box. It's an adventure game, after-all!  And acting out the "terror" your character may be experiencing during the present encounter gives us the opportunity to do that other thing the game is known for - role playing.

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