150. PC vs PC

This is our second section titled “PC vs PC.” The first one is on pages 132-133, and I cover that passage in post no. 104. Whereas the first PC vs PC section was about general opposition between PCs, this one is specifically concerned with two PCs attempting to seize the same thing by force. Everything here is straightforward, so I just want to make two quick observations concerning the example.

Here’s the example:

Bran’s trying to kill Birdie but he’ll have to get through Keeler first. Bran’s armed with his 9mm (2-harm close loud) and is wearing his 1-armor welder’s jacket. Keeler’s wearing her 2-armor body armor, but she’s still not in a killing mood, so she’s armed only with her bare hands.

Both roll. Bran hits the move with a 7, so he gets to choose 2. Keeler hits it with a 12, so she gets to choose 3. They commit to their choices before revealing them. Bran chooses to inflict terrible harm and to take definite control of Birdie. Keeler chooses to inflict terrible harm, suffer little harm, and protect Birdie from harm.

In the exchange of harm, Bran inflicts 2-harm for his 9mm, plus 1 because he chose to inflict terrible harm, minus 2 for Keeler’s armor, minus 1 because Keeler chose to suffer little harm, for a total of 0-harm. Keeler inflicts 1-harm with her fists and boots, plus 1 because she chose to inflict terrible harm, minus 1 for Bran’s armor, for a total of 1-harm. Furthermore, they’ve chosen contradictory fates for Birdie, so those cancel out too.

“It’s a standoff,” I say. “Bran, you shoot Keeler, but her armor takes it. Keeler, you land a couple satisfyingly crunchy body blows, but Bran’s not down or anything. Birdie’s still cowering behind you, but maybe she’s about to make a stupid run for it or something. What do you both do?” (169-170).

The first observation is how little progress is made in the PC vs PC exchange. Even if one or both players missed their roll, they can still opt to get definite and undeniable control of Birdie, so as long as the goal is really what the fighting it over, it’s going to end in a standoff some huge percentage of the time. The only thing to be determined then is who is willing to get closest to killing the other. In the end of this exchange, Bran and Keeler are in the exact same situation as before, only Bran is down one harm.

This example, then, serves to demonstrate not only how PC vs PC works by the rules, but also how the move doesn’t work to actively settle the matter. I like that.

The second observation is that the MC makes a neat move when resolving the dice rolls by adding this detail: “Birdie’s still cowering behind you, but maybe she’s about to make a stupid run for it or something.” That little detail applies pressure to the conflict between Bran and Keeler. As the two of them are fighting each other, Birdie isn’t a thing to be simply fought over, but a character with decisions and impulses of her own. That simple statement makes the players have to keep one eye on Birdie going forward, complicating their decision tree for their next move. This keeps the players from simply rolling and rerolling rounds of seize by force combat.