Thought Punks

Tag: RPG theory

Mastering the Art of Illusion: GM & Play Tips for Prophecies
This entry is part 5 of 6 in the series TTRPG Advice
Creating the Illusion of Omniscience and Prophecy

In the world of tabletop role-playing games, creating the illusion of omniscience or crafting seemingly accurate predictions can elevate the storytelling experience. But it’s also something a lot of players and GMs struggle with! Effectively conveying that aura of knowledge or creating a convincing prophecy can seem impossible! But there’s a lot of established methods out there that can help make it easier.

Whether you’re a GM weaving cryptic prophecies into your world or a player projecting the aura of a well-informed sage, psychological techniques like cold reading, symbolic ambiguity, and selective patterning can be powerful tools. This guide explores how these methods drawn from the practices of fortune-tellers, Nostradamus, and puzzle-makers can be adapted to enrich TTRPGs.

Crafting Seemingly Accurate Prophecies

Prophecies are a storytelling staple, especially in fantasy and science fiction. They add intrigue, guide narrative choices, and immerse players in the mystery of an unfolding world. Crafting effective prophecies, however, demands a nuanced approach, one that balances ambiguity with specificity. Drawing from the techniques of Nostradamus, psychic entertainment, and carnival routines, you can create prophecies that feel both enigmatic and eerily accurate. Here’s how:

Use Symbolic Ambiguity

Symbols are the lifeblood of prophecies. Vague yet evocative phrases like “a crimson tide” or “the lion’s fall” paint vivid mental images without locking you into a single interpretation. This deliberate vagueness mirrors the methods used by psychic performers, who rely on open-ended language to let the audience fill in the blanks with their own context.
- GM Tip: Anchor your symbols to the themes of your campaign. For example, in a political intrigue setting, “the broken crown” might allude to a dethroned monarch, the collapse of royal influence, or even a disgraced prince. Leave the interpretation flexible for players to explore.
Incorporate Open-Ended Timelines

Avoid constraining your prophecies with specific dates or conditions. Instead, follow the lead of Nostradamus and carnival soothsayers, who use broad, poetic markers like “when the moons align” or “in the age of withered trees”. This ensures the prophecy remains adaptable, regardless of how the players alter the storyline.
- Player Tip: As a character delivering a prophecy, use mystical or symbolic time markers that enhance the sense of mystery. Phrases like “when the flame meets the ocean’s edge” can be interpreted in myriad ways, from the tide washing over a bonfire to the Sun setting at dusk, keeping the story flexible while maintaining immersion.
Anchor with Universal Themes

Prophecies resonate most when they speak to universal human experiences: love, betrayal, triumph, despair. Nostradamus often crafted predictions around these timeless themes, making them relatable across generations. Similarly, carnival fortune-tellers focus on broad, shared fears or desires to make their readings compelling.
- GM Tip: Tie prophecies to the core emotional stakes of your story. If your campaign centers on a brewing war, a prophecy about “kin turned foe beneath the burning sky” can both elevate the tension and spark speculation.
- Player Tip: When portraying a prophetic character, blend universal themes with personal flair. For instance, “When steel sings its song, the betrayed will rise” hints at combat, revenge, or redemption, while leaving room for interpretation.
Layer Predictions with Dual Meanings

The most compelling prophecies allow for multiple interpretations, creating layers of meaning that reveal themselves over time. This technique, used by Nostradamus and modern psychics alike, ensures the prophecy feels dynamic and adaptable to unfolding events.
- GM Tip: Write predictions that can be read in several ways. For example, “the rising sun extinguished by shadow” could refer to an empire’s collapse, an eclipse, or even a main character’s internal struggles. Let players’ actions and interpretations shape how the prophecy manifests in the story.
- Player Tip: Embrace the duality of prophecy when delivering one. Infuse your words with dramatic weight and a hint of ambiguity. This lets other players speculate, debate, and ultimately influence how the prophecy integrates into the narrative.
Encouraging Player Engagement

A great prophecy isn’t just a riddle for players to solve, it’s a narrative tool that drives decision-making and sparks creativity. Encourage players to interpret, discuss, and act on the prophecy’s meaning. They more they look to fit the prophecy to events and interpret, the more they will see. We’re naturally pattern-finding creatures, even when they don’t actually intentionally exist! (Hello, Man in the Moon!) Whether they treat it as a divine roadmap, a cryptic warning, or a manipulative ploy, their engagement brings the prophecy to life.

Projecting the Appearance of Knowledge

Both GMs and players can employ techniques from cold reading, psychic routines, and even the methods of charlatans to project the illusion of insight. These methods are especially useful for characters claiming supernatural foresight, divine knowledge, or advanced intellect. By mastering these techniques, you can create memorable interactions that leave players wondering whether their characters truly encountered someone with extraordinary knowledge or just someone skilled in persuasion and presentation.

Start with Barnum Statements

Barnum statements are vague, universally applicable phrases designed to feel personally significant. Scammers and performers alike often rely on these to build an initial sense of credibility, tapping into the natural tendency of people to interpret general statements in ways that feel specific to their own experiences. Examples include:
- “You’ve faced hardship recently, but your resilience has carried you through.”
- “Someone close to you has been withholding the truth, but their intentions may not be malicious.”
Using qualifiers like “sometimes” or “in part” to allow partial matches, mixing positive and negative statements, and intentional gaps (like jumping to a conclusion, but on purpose to leave an opening for interpretation) are also all part these Barnum techniques. The overall idea is to prime the audience to find similarities or meanings between the lines and in partial fits, while still conveying confidence and surety.
- Player Tip: As a “seer” or “oracle” character, use these statements to captivate others and draw them into your narrative. Pay attention to how other players react—if someone leans into the idea, subtly shift your focus to them, building on their responses to create an even stronger illusion of knowledge.
- GM Tip: Use Barnum statements when introducing enigmatic NPCs. For instance, a village mystic might say, “I see loss in your past and a great decision in your future,” sparking intrigue while leaving the specifics open-ended.
Apply the Shotgunning Technique

Shotgunning involves presenting multiple possibilities in rapid succession, ensuring that at least one will resonate with the audience. This technique mimics how fraudsters appear to “hit the mark” while allowing flexibility to adapt their narrative. Example:
- “I sense danger to the north… no, wait, it could be to the east… bandits perhaps? Or perhaps something darker, like a brewing war.”
This can be easily overdone and render an attempted show of insight or prophecy into meaningless mush. Stick to just a couple of possibilities for each point and make them closely related in fact or theme. Also mix in other techniques to space out the shotgunning to prevent it from sounding repetitive or obvious.
- Player Tip: Use this technique to portray characters who seem to have access to vast but imprecise information. A character claiming divine visions might rattle off possibilities, appearing overwhelmed by their influx of knowledge.
- GM Tip: When NPCs employ this approach, they can appear omniscient or deeply attuned to the world’s mysteries, even if they’re simply making educated guesses based on campaign details.
Use Pacing and Leading

Pacing and leading involve making general observations (pacing) and gradually steering the conversation toward more specific predictions or insights (leading). Entertainment psychics use this to build trust and manipulate interactions, responding dynamically to their audience’s reactions.
- Example: Start with a broad statement like, “Your path has been fraught with challenges,” and gauge the player’s response. If they mention a recent in-game event, build on that thread: “Yes, I see the shadow of betrayal… it grows darker still.”
- GM Tip: When portraying NPCs with “insight,” carefully observe player reactions to adjust your narrative. This creates a feedback loop where the players unknowingly shape the illusion of the NPC’s knowledge.
Leverage Archetypes and Familiar Motifs

Archetypes and motifs (storms, wolves, flames, crossroads) are culturally and narratively rich symbols that feel significant and profound. Performers and would-be prophets use these universal touchstones to give their statements weight and relatability.
- Player Tip: As a prophetic character, invoke archetypes to cloak your statements in mystery. Instead of saying, “Danger is ahead,” try, “Beware the howling wind that carries whispers of ruin.”
- GM Tip: Integrate archetypes into NPCs’ warnings or visions. For example, an oracle might speak of “the serpent devouring its own tail,” suggesting cyclical destruction, betrayal, or renewal. These symbols leave room for interpretation and encourage players to speculate.
Create an Aura of Authority

Charlatans and scammers excel at projecting confidence and authority, making people more likely to believe their claims. This is accomplished through a combination of body language, tone, and contextual cues:
- Confidence: Speak with unwavering conviction, even when improvising. Players will be more inclined to take vague or ambiguous statements seriously if they’re delivered confidently.
- Contextual Setup: Frame the prophecy or insight with a ritual, such as reading bones, gazing into a crystal ball, or communing with unseen forces. These theatrics distract from the vagueness of the information and add an air of authenticity.
- Authority by Association: Link your statements to established in-game lore, divine entities, or historical events. For instance, an NPC might say, “The stars whisper the same warning they gave before the Great Calamity.”
Think about authority cues in popular fiction and your everyday life. There are various symbols, routines, and appearances to authority. Those in a position of expertise or authority also tend to speak in certain ways and certain patterns. Observing these can help inform how to convey that aura.
- GM Tip: Use subtle environmental details to enhance the illusion of authority. An NPC seer living in a crumbling tower surrounded by strange relics will seem more credible than one in a simple cottage.
- Player Tip: As a prophetic character, adopt a commanding presence. Small details like deliberate gestures, a calm demeanor, or enigmatic smiles can make even improvised predictions feel planned and credible.
Integrate Into Gameplay

Encouraging the illusion of knowledge isn’t just about performance. It’s a tool for enhancing gameplay! Players might act on prophecies, even if they’re vague or deliberately misleading, creating story opportunities and unexpected consequences. Similarly, NPCs who appear insightful can guide, deceive, or challenge players in ways that deepen the narrative.

By applying these techniques, both GMs and players can craft richer, more immersive interactions, building a sense of wonder, mystery, and intrigue that keeps everyone engaged.

Brief Aside: Psychology of Astrology and Horoscopes

Astrology and horoscopes are prime examples of how these psychological principles can create the illusion of personal insight. While horoscopes are often vague, they rely on certain techniques to convince readers that they are accurate and relevant to their lives. This section explores how these methods work without any mention of spiritual or metaphysical beliefs.

The Barnum Effect: One of the most powerful psychological tricks used in astrology is the Barnum effect, a phenomenon where people believe vague, general statements about themselves are highly accurate. Statements like “You have a great deal of unused potential” or “You sometimes doubt yourself” are applicable to nearly everyone, yet they create a sense of personal relevance. By including universally true statements that feel tailored, astrologers make readers believe they’re gaining deep insight into their lives.

Vagueness and Ambiguity: Horoscopes are often worded in ways that make them applicable to a wide range of situations. Phrases like “A big change is coming your way” or “Someone close to you may need your help” can be interpreted in countless ways, making them feel true regardless of what actually happens. This ambiguity allows people to project their own experiences and expectations onto the reading, reinforcing the illusion that the horoscope was accurate and specific.

Confirmation Bias: People tend to remember the hits and forget the misses, which plays into the way horoscopes seem to predict the future. If a horoscope includes a vague statement like “You will face a challenging decision this week,” and the reader happens to face a decision, they’ll likely credit the horoscope for being accurate. On the other hand, if the prediction doesn’t apply, it’s quickly forgotten or dismissed as irrelevant. This tendency to seek and remember confirming evidence is called confirmation bias.

Personalization Through Language: Many horoscopes use language that feels intimate or personal, such as addressing the reader directly with “you” or making reference to specific personality traits. This creates a feeling of a one-on-one interaction, making it easier for the reader to believe the message is specifically meant for them. The more personalized the language, the more the reader will feel that the horoscope was meant to guide them.

These psychological tricks help make astrology and horoscopes seem accurate and applicable to the individual, even when the information is general and could apply to anyone. Understanding these techniques can also enhance a GM’s ability to craft prophecies, riddles, and other narrative elements that engage and convince players of their relevance, all while maintaining an air of mystery and intrigue.

Practical Example: Crafting a Prophecy with Depth

Prophecy: “When the silver tower crumbles beneath the weight of the unseen hand, the sun shall bleed black, and the beast will be crowned in iron.”

Techniques in Use

Symbolic Ambiguity
- Silver tower: This could represent an actual building, a powerful entity, or a place of authority. Its destruction is vague enough to have many interpretations.
- Unseen hand: Could refer to hidden political forces, magical influence, or an internal betrayal, leaving room for various explanations.
- Sun shall bleed black: This suggests an ominous event, but doesn’t specify whether it’s a literal eclipse, a metaphor for corruption, or a future plague.
Effect: The prophecy gives just enough detail for players to start theorizing. It makes the prophecy feel ominous, but flexible, without locking them into one fixed outcome.

Shotgunning

The oracle might add more possibilities, as they reflect on their own prophecy:
- “The silver tower could fall because of a magical war, a betrayal, or even an internal collapse.”
- “The unseen hand… could be a sorcerer, or perhaps a secret faction pulling the strings.”
- “The black sun may herald death, or a great transformation… what if it’s not an eclipse at all, but something far worse?”
Effect: By offering multiple interpretations in rapid succession, the GM can not only leverage the technique but also make the experience feel like the oracle is drawing on real-time reflection and insights. The ambiguity heightens intrigue and fuels player curiosity.

Pacing and Leading

If players start to fixate on a “dark sorcerer” interpretation of the prophecy, the GM can adapt and have the clairvoyant respond:
- “The unseen hand is not what you think… it seems to come from a place you cannot see.” This deepens the mystery and encourages the players to think about the prophecy more deeply.
- “You’re closer than you realize, the silver tower might already be crumbling under its own weight.” This encourages that line of thinking, while leaving some room for further interpretation and adding dramatic pressure.
Effect: The GM reads the players’ interest and adjusts to reinforce or redirect their thoughts, subtly guiding them while keeping the feeling of mystery intact.

Overview

This prophecy uses ambiguity and layered meanings to keep players engaged and guessing. The symbols are flexible, so players are drawn into interpreting them based on their own actions and knowledge, which makes the prophecy feel alive and integrated into the story. By using shotgunning and pacing techniques, the GM has room to adapt and build a growing mystery without ever fully explaining it upfront. This is how you craft a prophecy that feels like it has weight, complexity, and relevance to your campaign.

Bringing Prophecies to Life

By adapting techniques from cold reading, symbolic ambiguity, and human psychology, GMs and players can elevate their storytelling and puzzle-solving to new heights. These methods don’t just create the illusion of insight, they deepen the narrative, making every interaction, prophecy, and riddle feel weightier and more meaningful. The blending of these techniques adds layers of mystery and intrigue, creating a dynamic and immersive experience that lingers long after the game ends.

Whether you’re crafting a cryptic prophecy, dazzling your party with riddles, or portraying a character who seems to possess uncanny foresight, these approaches offer a powerful toolkit to enhance your game. Through symbolic language, careful pacing, and a touch of psychological insight, you can shape the story in ways that feel personal, tailored, and unpredictable, while still maintaining a sense of structure.

What techniques have you found most effective in crafting prophecies, riddles, or puzzles in your games? Do you prefer creating mysteries that leave room for player interpretation, or do you enjoy revealing answers in surprising ways? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! Or come scream at Rev on Bluesky about it. Let’s explore these methods together and keep the conversation going!
Also on:
- dice.camp
- Bluesky
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December 22, 2024
Dice Labels: The Heart of the Motif Approach
This entry is part 1 of 3 in the series Motif Thoughts
Thinking About Dice Labels and Narrative Dice in Motif

Also check out the free RPG I was inspired to share from my slushpile by this post!

When it comes to TTRPGs, rolling dice is often about success and failure. But what if the dice could do more? What if they could weave a rich, story-driven narrative with every roll? Enter Motif, a narrative dice system that transforms the simple act of rolling dice into a powerful tool for storytelling. Motif provides answers to questions as an oracle system. Motif’s magic lies in its use of labeled dice, each one offering a different aspect of the story.

Rather than being limited to basic success/failure metrics, Motif turns each die into a question about the world, the characters, or the situation. It’s this layered, dynamic approach that sets Motif apart and gives it such powerful potential, whether you’re a seasoned GM or flying solo on an adventure. Let’s take a deep dive into the core dice labels that make this system tick.

Core Dice Build: A Flexible Narrative Tool

At the heart of a core Motif build is a simple but incredibly versatile system of three dice. These dice don’t just measure success or failure, they bring your narrative to life layer by layer with each roll. While the standard Motif build uses the following labels, what’s great about Motif is that you can totally tweak these labels to suit your game. But let’s first look at how the system works with the classic three-label approach:
- 1st Die: Answer
  The first die is all about answering the question. It gives you the basic “yes/no” or “success/failure” outcome. Depending on how you set it up, this die will give you the simplest answer to your query.
  - 1-3: No
  - 4-6: Yes
  - Example: Let’s say your party is looking for shelter. You roll a 5, and you find a cabin nearby. Success!
- 2nd Die: Wrinkle
  The wrinkle die is where things get spicy. It adds depth and complexity to your simple answer. It doesn’t just let you say “Yes” or “No”; it modifies that response and makes the outcome more interesting. This die determines whether your success has an extra twist or your failure is worse than expected.
  - 1-2: But… (the outcome has a twist, alleviating or complicating things).
  - 3-4: Plain answer (straightforward and no complications).
  - 5-6: And… (the answer is strong, with an additional benefit or complication).
  - Example: The group rolls to see if they can find shelter. The answer die gives them a yes, but the wrinkle die adds a 6 (And). They find a cabin, and it turns out to be fully stocked with supplies. Bonus!
- 3rd Die: Flavor
  Ah, the flavor die. This is where things get really fun. The flavor die brings the thematic richness to your roll, adding more context or tone based on what’s important for the moment. Think of it as an extra dimension, highlighting what’s most crucial for the scene. Whether it’s Safety, Advantage, Favorability, or even Weirdness, the flavor die gives your answer a distinct personality.
  - Low rolls indicate a lack of that flavor (or the opposite of it).
  - High rolls emphasize that flavor in a big way.
  - Example: Imagine you’re in a survival situation, trying to find shelter in a post-apocalyptic world. The flavor die is set to Safety. A roll of 1 means the shelter is unsafe (maybe it’s crawling with threats), but a roll of 6 means the shelter is perfectly secure and safe.
Beyond the Standard Build: Customizing Dice Labels

Now, here’s where Motif really shines… flexibility. Sure, you can use the standard Answer, Wrinkle, and Flavor setup, but why stop there? Motif allows you to completely customize the dice labels to match whatever’s happening in your game. This means you can use the dice for anything, from treasure hoards to NPC interactions to world-building elements. The sky’s the limit!

For example, let’s say your group stumbles upon an ancient treasure chest hidden in a ruined temple. You can assign dice labels like this:
- 1st Die: Value (How valuable is the loot?)
- 2nd Die: Condition (What’s the condition of the items?)
- 3rd Die: Danger (How dangerous is it to get to this treasure?)
Let’s roll:
- 1st Die: 6 (High Value) – This is treasure worth fighting for!
- 2nd Die: 1 (Poor Condition) – Most of the loot is in bad shape, so it might not be worth the trouble.
- 3rd Die: 5 (High Danger) – Traps abound! You’ll have to be cautious, or you’re toast.
So, there something truly valuable deep in there, but most of the hoard has been ruined and the danger is real. That means the players have a tough choice: go for the gold and risk their lives, or walk away empty-handed?

You could easily change this up to use in other situations, such as for NPC encounters or scene setting. Here’s a few examples:
- NPC Interaction:
  - 1st Die: Relationship (How strong is the NPC’s bond with the group?)
  - 2nd Die: Mood (How good or bad is the NPC feeling?)
  - 3rd Die: Reaction (How well does the NPC respond to the party?)
- Scene Setting:
  - 1st Die: Atmosphere (What’s the tone of the scene, dark or bright?)
  - 2nd Die: Obstacles (How difficult are the problems or barriers here?)
  - 3rd Die: Opportunity (What are the chances like to find resources and treasure?)
Adding Narrative Dice Layers to Other Systems

But wait, there’s more! You don’t have to play a Motif game to use Motif’s labeled narrative dice. One of the most exciting features is how easily it can integrate into other systems, acting as an add-on to your favorite RPGs or solo games. Whether you’re playing a dungeon crawl or running a one-shot, you can use Motif dice labels to spice up your game.

Here’s how Motif can enhance other systems:
- Solo Play: Use the dice as oracles to answer questions, generate plot twists, or decide on story outcomes without needing a GM.
- Loot Generators: You could roll for value, condition, and danger or other appropriate labels to generate interesting treasure hoards.
- World-Building: Need to define a new region? Assign thematic labels (like Hospitality, Danger, Wealth) and roll to quickly determine the flavor of a new area.
You can also layer Motif onto or in-between existing mechanics to add flavor and important details, which can be especially useful in low prep GMing and solo RPG situations. Let’s use an illustrative example! Imagine you’re running a traditional dungeon crawl. Instead of just having players roll to “disarm trap,” use the dice labels to flesh out the trap mechanics. Maybe you assign labels like:
- 1st Die: Visibility (How hard is it to detect?)
- 2nd Die: Severity (How bad is the trap?)
- 3rd Die: Effectiveness (How hard is it to avoid the trap?)
A roll of 1, 6, 3 could mean it’s a hard-to-detect trap and very dangerous if triggered, though reasonable to avoid with the right skill.

Try Letting Your Dice Tell the Story

The dice labels in Motif aren’t just random numbers on a die, they’re powerful storytelling tools. By giving each die a distinct role in your game, you’re creating a world that responds to the choices your players make in dynamic, unpredictable ways. Whether you’re deep in the heart of a Motif game or using these dice as a supplement to your favorite system, the possibilities are endless. You’re not just rolling dice, you’re crafting stories.

If this kind of thing interests you, be sure to check out the free duo TTRPG about a dying immortal I’m sharing from my slushpile because of this post!

So, what are you waiting for? How will you label your dice? What new stories are you going to tell? Let’s get rolling! If this spurred any thoughts, come scream at me on Bluesky about it.

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December 18, 2024
Getting in the (Dice) Swing of Things
This entry is part 3 of 3 in the series Motif Thoughts
On Swingy Dice: The Design of Motif

Dice systems play a key role in shaping the dynamics of tabletop RPGs. They not only determine the mechanics of success or failure but also create the emotional backbone of tension, excitement, and consequence in gameplay. In Motif, swingy dice (those that produce wide variations in outcomes) are a deliberate feature that enhances the game both as an oracle and a game engine. Let’s dive into why this choice is central to Motif’s design and how it contributes to the overall experience.

Why Swingy Dice?

Motif is meant to be swingy despite being 2d6/3d6. Because each die is counted individually, so they’re swingy. This swinginess creates excitement and uncertainty, a perfect fit for an oracle system. Here’s why:
- Small Range, High Impact
  The dice in Motif (d6) stay within a small range, reducing the risk of extreme streaks. The range is small (limiting/mitigating streaks) and it’s an answer oracle, so you want it weighted random. This limitation prevents outcomes from becoming overwhelming while still allowing for significant swings that can drive the narrative forward.
  - The combination of small numerical values (1-6) and independent rolls means that variability remains dynamic yet manageable, unlike systems with broader ranges like d20. This balance ensures that the game’s mechanics feel lively without derailing play.
- Individual Randomness
  Because each die is counted individually, each one represents a unique factor or aspect of the answer. With each die being swingy, this creates a complex random pattern of answers. The outcome isn’t a smooth progression but rather a series of varied shifts, where each die’s result contributes to the overall response in unpredictable and dynamic ways.
  - In practical terms, this design choice mirrors the chaos of real-life decision-making, where multiple variables can pull in different directions. This keeps players engaged and reactive, adapting to each roll as the narrative unfolds.
- Impactful Modifiers
  The small scale makes simple +/-1 and 2 modifiers meaningful. The small range of the dice ensures that even small shifts in modifiers can dramatically influence the outcome, keeping the stakes high and the decisions weighty.
  - This contrasts with systems like d20, where a +1 modifier might have a subtler impact, or percentile systems, where slight adjustments can feel almost negligible. In Motif, every modifier directly affects the narrative’s momentum, making every choice resonate more strongly with players.
Distribution and Narrative Impact

Dice distributions directly shape the flow and tone of a narrative by controlling how predictable outcomes are and where results tend to cluster. Swingy systems, such as Motif, create a wide range of outcomes that amplify uncertainty and tension, whereas bell-curved systems lean toward predictability and realism.

For example, the Motif system’s use of individual d6 results means every roll offers a spread of possibilities, contributing to a dynamic and fluid narrative structure. Each roll feels less like a calculation and more like a narrative catalyst. In contrast, systems like 3d6 summed create a bell curve, where middle-range results dominate. This design favors games where outcomes need to reflect consistent skill levels or controlled probabilities, such as simulationist RPGs.

Tension and Stakes in Dice Systems

One of the most critical elements of a dice system is its ability to manage player tension and stakes. Swingy dice systems like Motif excel in this area by creating outcomes that are unpredictable yet significant. Players can never fully anticipate results, keeping the stakes high and the narrative alive.

Modifiers interact differently across dice systems and can drastically alter tension. In Motif, where small changes to a d6’s outcome have a profound impact, a +1 modifier could entirely shift the narrative’s direction. In bell-curved systems or large scale die systems (like d20), modifiers often produce more subtle shifts, with their impact most pronounced at the extreme ends of the probability curve.

Dice pools, like those found in systems such as Blades in the Dark, emphasize the number of successes over individual rolls, creating another form of tension. Adding a single die to a pool can significantly improve odds, making even small adjustments feel meaningful. These systems, however, trade the swinginess of individual rolls for the aggregated predictability of multiple dice.

Embracing Uncertainty

While great for detailed mechanical gameplay and reliability, bell curved systems can lack the dramatic unpredictability that swingy dice provide. In Motif, the swinginess serves to amplify the storytelling aspect, ensuring that every roll feels significant and emotionally charged. This approach captures the chaotic and improvisational spirit central to the approach’s design.

The uncertainty and excitement are great. Swingy dice encourage unpredictable outcomes, which create tension and drama. Unlike bell-curved dice systems, which tend to cluster results around the average, Motif’s dice allow for more variance, giving every roll a feeling of consequence and unpredictability.

Ultimately, each approach tailors the level of tension and the stakes players experience. Swingy systems like Motif excel at delivering dramatic highs and lows, while bell-curved systems smooth out the experience, favoring consistency over chaos.

Reflect on Your Dice System

Take some time to think about your chosen dice system. Is it swingy? Bell curved? What is the range like? How do the modifiers interact with the odds? What is the general feel? These questions are key when designing or choosing a dice system, as each system influences the tone and pacing of the game. Consider these examples:
- Bell Curves (3d6 Summed or Dice Pools)
  Bell curves produce more predictable outcomes, ideal for games focused on consistency or skill-based challenges. They reduce uncertainty but sometimes may not generate the same high tension. This makes them excellent for simulating realistic systems where skill or practice governs success.
- Percentile Systems (d100)
  Percentile systems offer high precision, which is perfect for games where exact outcomes matter. % systems are great for high-stakes or high-tension games where that exacting, unforgiving vibe works. While these systems can feel cold or overly mechanical, they shine in contexts where specificity is vital.
- Swingy Dice (Motif or d20)
  Swingy dice systems like Motif fuel tension and surprise. With unpredictable results, every roll feels consequential, and players are always kept on edge. The resulting emotional intensity complements games emphasizing improvisation and narrative twists.
Final Thoughts

Motif’s use of swingy dice enhances the game’s unpredictability, creating excitement and meaningful choices in a compact system. Whether you’re designing your own game or playing with others, understanding how dice mechanics affect the overall experience is crucial. Are your dice systems swingy or predictable? How do they affect the tension and stakes of your game? By reflecting on these factors, you can better align your mechanics with the experience you want to deliver.

What’s your take on swingy dice? Share your thoughts and let’s discuss how different dice systems shape gameplay! Shout at us over on Bluesky.

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December 14, 2024