I’ve been brainstorming about a scene-level resolution mechanic for solo RP. I don’t have any of the finer points of character building worked out yet, but below is my first draft of a basic resolution mechanic. Is what I wrote below generally comprehensible?

Questions, requests for clarification, and critiques also welcome.

Retreat-at-a-cost mechanic in the works.

The goal of the mechanic is to, instead of asking whether the party succeeds or fails, to determine what it would cost them to succeed, and then see if they stay the course.

I’m also trying to avoid scene resolution that has simple results that outright kill a party member. Just for example, if a party member requires 6 points of consequences to be killed, no single consequence could off a PC. Deaths would instead be a result of the player running out of hit point tracks to place consequences in, and making the hard call about which PC takes the fall to ensure the party’s victory.

Draft Rules Text Below

Resolving a scene

Intro

1. Set the scene and describe the events leading up to the conflict.

2. Determine the party’s goal and general methods, and which party members are participating in the conflict.

Setup

3. Gather a d6 for each party member participating.

4. Gather additional d6s based on how difficult the plan is relative to the party’s competence. Easy = 0, Normal = 1, Hard = 2, Very Hard = 3.

5. Gather up to 3 additional d6s based on how many advantageous resources are spent (salvos of strong spells, belts of heavy ammo, grenades, taxing super powers, etc.). For each die gathered this way, grant yourself a Null to be used after the roll.

6. If you would roll more than 12 dice, only roll 12 dice. Each die beyond the 12th is considered to roll a 1.

7. Determine how dangerous the party’s plan is based on all factors described above. Low = 3, Medium = 4, High = 5, Crazy = 6.

Roll

8. Roll the dice pool and separate the dice into two piles:

(a) Dice greater than or equal to the danger number.

(b) Dice less than the danger number.

9. Null a number of dice from pool (b) by moving them to pool (a). You will want to null dice showing high numbers over ones showing low numbers.

Resolve

10. Narrate the conflict, generating one sentence for each die.

(a) Whenever you narrate a sentence using a die from pile (a), describe an action by a party member that succeeded at no cost, or a mistake made by the opposition.

(b) Whenever you narrate a sentence using a die from pile (b), describe an action by a party member that succeeded at a cost, or a success of the opposition, and then take a consequence with a value equal to the number shown.

11. Once all dice have been consumed, narrate the end of the conflict in the party’s favor. They have achieved their goal at the costs described above.