Infiltration

[Alrik Vas]

One of my all-time favorite types of games to play, a game about infiltrating a town, region or instillation is as easy or as tough as your GM wants it to be (as with most things, clearly). I've played in several of these and over the years i've seen a lot of different ways to get things done; from disabling electronic security to mundanely sneaking past sentries there are a lot of options.

So, taking magic and psionics out of the toolbox so to speak, how would you like to run these kinds of adventures?

As a player

As a GM

Do you find it to be easier as a group or a single PC?

When running/playing a game like this, how have you dealt with players getting caught?

[Nekira Sudacne]

it really depends more on the party level than the number of party members. if everyone is first level and only has 30% on their prowl skill...yea it's not likely to happen.

[Alrik Vas]

Pretty sure gear (like naruni stealth armor), skill bonuses (OCC and IQ) and environment (distance, cover of darkness) can all affect a Prowl roll and make it better than 30%.

[Nekira Sudacne]

Pretty sure gear (like naruni stealth armor), skill bonuses (OCC and IQ) and environment (distance, cover of darkness) can all affect a Prowl roll and make it better than 30%.

They sure do. IF the enitre party takes those OCC's and has that gear. in my experiance, there's never been more than one PC in a group that does.

[Alrik Vas]

Well...it's a game revolving around the idea...if you've ever done it before you know you make characters who have a chance of pulling it off, right?

If the game style isn't interesting, that's one thing. Though if you agree to play, wouldn't you make a character that could pull it off?

[flatline]

So, taking magic and psionics out of the toolbox so to speak, how would you like to run these kinds of adventures?

Well, without magic and psionics, there are really only two options:
1. be sneaky (use prowl or disguise or whatever else is appropriate)
2. cause a distraction and then be sneaky.

Once you allow magic and/or psionics, your options become greatly increased.

--flatline

[Nekira Sudacne]

Well...it's a game revolving around the idea...if you've ever done it before you know you make characters who have a chance of pulling it off, right?

If the game style isn't interesting, that's one thing. Though if you agree to play, wouldn't you make a character that could pull it off?

I would, sure, but i've known plenty of players who make whatever they feel like then expect the GM to make it work anyway

[Giant2005]

I really hate those adventures - too dependent on dice rolls.
I played a N&SS game last week where I had to infiltrate a complex and regardless of how well we planned everything, the dice gods screwed us over. Virtually every skill check I attempted to make (which was over 30 skills that game) resulted in a roll of the high 90s. It made my character look like a chump and was more frustrating than fun.

[sirkermittsg]

I love skill based games. so infiltration sounds fun. I try to taylor my character to the game and to fit with the group. I often create chars that are tech kind of guys as a result (a safe cracker would be up my alley). for some reason lots of folks pick mages or psionics....neither of which really appeals to me.

[glitterboy2098]

note that inflitration doesn't have to mean prowl and such..

'roleplay', as in the characters pretending to be something innocuous like traders or refugees, or what have could also work. this could be as simple as just using false names to as complex building entire false backgrounds.

[Eashamahel]

I actually DISLIKE skill based games more than almost anything, because skill based games are actual skill-check based games, nearly entirely dependent on the roll, and considering 50% is a good skill percentage for most 'hard' skills in Palladium at early levels, it tends to just be a lot of unnecessary failure.

[flatline]

I actually DISLIKE skill based games more than almost anything, because skill based games are actual skill-check based games, nearly entirely dependent on the roll, and considering 50% is a good skill percentage for most 'hard' skills in Palladium at early levels, it tends to just be a lot of unnecessary failure.

It depends on how the GM plays it. Most GM's that I've played with would usually decide how successful you were by your description of what you were doing. No dice were involved. Of course, you had to have the required skill, otherwise you were very likely to fail. But the actual skill level almost never made a difference.

More often, skills would come into play like this:
GM: that's what you're going to do?
Player: yup.
GM: do you have skill X?
Player: yes, why?
GM: since you have skill X, you'd know that *something pertinent*. Do you still what to do it?
Player: oh. hmm...no I guess I'll do this instead...

Of course if you didn't have the pertinent skill, then you wouldn't get any warning from the GM if you were about to do something stupid.

--flatline

[Killer Cyborg]

I actually DISLIKE skill based games more than almost anything, because skill based games are actual skill-check based games, nearly entirely dependent on the roll, and considering 50% is a good skill percentage for most 'hard' skills in Palladium at early levels, it tends to just be a lot of unnecessary failure.

You don't actually have to roll the dice every time you use a skill.

[Eashamahel]

Indeed, and I most often do not have people rolling their skill checks in simple situations (ie. I take the weekend and fix the truck), but I have certainly played with people in the past who just used the system, so roll for a skill whenever you want to use it.

[Icefalcon]

Well...it's a game revolving around the idea...if you've ever done it before you know you make characters who have a chance of pulling it off, right?

If the game style isn't interesting, that's one thing. Though if you agree to play, wouldn't you make a character that could pull it off?

Not always. I have seen players make characters that have no stealth at all when the whole concept of the game is based around it. Sometimes it is because they think they can force the game into the direction they want rather than the GM's grand idea. Other times, they do it to specifically break the game.

[Icefalcon]

note that inflitration doesn't have to mean prowl and such..

'roleplay', as in the characters pretending to be something innocuous like traders or refugees, or what have could also work. this could be as simple as just using false names to as complex building entire false backgrounds.

This exactly. As they say, there is more than one way to accomplish a goal.