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TN: Hidden or Public Knowledge


ezramantis

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In most of the rpgs I've played there are certain rolls where the TN is not known to the players. Most notably things like perception checks, surprise checks, detect traps, or sense motive work better if the players aren't sure if they could have gotten more or better information or don't know the TN since the info they're trying to aquire is hidden.

But with TTB players aren't stuck with the results of their "roll". They have the opportunity to cheat fate after seeing the result of their flip.

I'm just sort of taking a poll here and trying to get a feel for what people who've had more experience with this system have learned.  Do you prefer making all of your TNs public? Only certain ones? Do players get annoyed if they spend a card to cheat fate on a hidden TN and still get an unsatisfactory result?  Are there some situations where a hidden TN is detrimental (like for ongoing challenges)?

Even with a hidden TN players can still recognize a bad flip and determine when they really want to hedge their bets.  For those of you who use hidden TNs: do you allow a card to be cheated in after success or failure is revealed? 

How 'bout attack and defense flips?  I've always liked having to learn your opponents strengths and weaknesses in battle. A roll of x doesn`t hit?!  This must be a tougher bunch of mooks than the last ones we faced!

 

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I think it should depend on the kind of game you want to play.

  1. If you players want it to be more difficult hide TN's
  2. If you want your player to be heros who can more easily or strategically overcome things then tell them everything and see what they come up with.
  3. A more realistic but more diffcult to use system might be to allow skilled players to know their TN's. EG if you have skill 3 in Martial Arts, the character is more likley to be able to just how good their opponent is than someone with skill 1 or 0. Skill 5 would be very profficient character and would certainly know how difficult a given situation is.
     

Personally I would probably go with 2.

It's not really letting players 'cheat' unless they succeed :D

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  • 2 weeks later...

I will tell my players most of their TN's however there is sometimes I won't. Example one of my players wanted to gamble to make some script, I didnt not tell them the TN they needed win, its called Gambling for a reason. TN's for things like asking for information and the minion's defenses are things I will give them. The Enforcers or Henchmen have had hidden TN's but they are getting a feel for how I describe them as to how High those numbers are.

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