Investigation

Type of Skill Game: Option
Number Skills Chosen per Action Round: 1
Maximum Number of Actions per Action Round: 1 per player
Skill List: Varies

When trying to play games laced with social and political complexities, and especially games with actual detective work and investigations, the disconnect between a character's detailed in-game knowledge and its player's knowledge can make it difficult for the party to proceed. The Investigation skill game helps to solve this problem by presenting players with tools to learn about, involve themselves with, and define the setting in which their characters operate. Unlike most Skill Games, which resolve over the course of a single [Encounter] and are fought out between multiple interested parties, Investigation serves as the backdrop for an entire [Quest] and provides the players with opportunity for discovery rather than a particular contest to win. It is intended to structure a story arc rather than serve as a symmetrical way for good guys and bad guys to strike at one another.

Investigation works well for all sorts of plots but is designed particularly with mysteries in mind: the players want to find something or someone; and they are willing to put an entirely unreasonable amount of effort into doing so. They advance the plot of this effort via Investigation. Each [Action round] in an Investigation encompasses an entire [Scene], during which players accumulate tokens. Victory in an [Encounter] during the skill game, whether the [Encounter] is a combat, a social encounter, or even another skill game, is typically worth a single token. GMs may also choose to award a single token per [Scene] for good roleplaying. Additionally, each [Scene], the GM should offer the party a special skill check at a critical moment — a chance to win a single extra token. Each character should make this check, and the party uses the highest result, as in any other skill game.

Once the party has tokens to spend, they may purchase up to a single action per player at the end of each [Scene], following the rules for Option games. The party can also save tokens if it wishes. A party typically accumulates three to five tokens per [Scene]. Actions in Investigation allow players to advance the plot in desired directions and are divided into Advantages, which represent tools or contacts, and Opportunities, which allow them to make discoveries and pursue clues and events.

The Advantages and Opportunities presented below are suggestions and guidelines. GMs are encouraged to create additional choices that are relevant to their campaign and to carefully moderate what Advantages and Opportunities are available at any given time. Adding choices or taking them away can help to control the pace and tone of a [Quest] while still affording the players agency in the narrative. Greater access to Opportunities allows players to directly assert control over the plot, while a broader set of Advantages gives access to extra tactical and logistical resources. In either case, you can gradually increase the players' access to Advantages and Opportunities over the course of the skill game, creating a sense of achievement and, ideally, reflecting the players' actual in-game accomplishments.

At the same time, the Investigation skill game should never be the only way to complete a [Quest] or solve a mystery. For many parties, the Investigation game offers a clean, straightforward method of problem solving. For others, it offers options like safe-houses and help from law enforcement, or even the occasional escape route instead of plot advancement. Either way, it offers a chance to explore a genre that might otherwise not fit with their normal playstyle.

Investigation Action Set

Opportunities

Small Lead (1 token)

The party stumbles onto an obvious clue or avenue of inquiry that is interesting and directly relevant to the plot, a small but significant step forward in the pursuit of the truth/bomb/genie/deathray at the narrative's heart. The Small Lead action helps preserve a game's momentum, and should always be available.

A Snitching Prisoner! (2 tokens)

The party or the organization it represents have obtained a prisoner worth interrogating. The party begins an Interrogation skill game with the DC set to 15 + the player characters' level.

A Few Witnesses! (2 tokens)

These poor people have seen... something, and the truth is out there. The party begins a Negotiation skill game with the DC set to 15 + the player characters' level.

A Desperate Chase! (2 tokens)

A villain is about to get away, and with him a delicious and critical clue! The party begins a Parkour skill game with the DC set to 15 + the player characters' level.

A Great Escape! (3 tokens)

Until the end of the [Quest], the party can opt to interrupt a single combat encounter with a Parkour skill game with the party as the pursued party in the Parkour skill game. This allows the party members to retreat safely from the encounter and gain the effects of the Small Lead action if they win the Parkour skill game. This decision can be made during any of the party members' turns during an [Encounter], but the entire party must agree on the decision. If the party interrupts the combat encounter this way, the party is considered to have won the encounter, and is awarded a token as normal for the rules of the Investigation skill game.

A Big Shoot-out! (4 tokens)

The players get to go on the offensive. The party may propose a combat encounter to the GM and work with the GM to determine the specifics of the encounter, including the enemies it faces. If the party wins the combat encounter, the party gains the effects of the Small Lead action and is awarded a token.

A Meeting at the Crossroads! (5 tokens)

The party has something that an antagonist wants. The party makes contact with the antagonist, who offers a major concession as part of a trade. It may be that the players find the trade undesirable, but if that's the case, the offer itself should be sufficiently telling, providing the party with the effects of two Small Lead actions.

An Abandoned Lair! (6 tokens)

It's too late to catch the mysterious big boss this time, but by forcing the heretofore nameless foe to abandon this facility, the players have revealed their enemy's identity, dealt them a major setback, and recovered enough evidence to reveal at least some portion of the grim plan behind all these events. This should provide a clear course of action moving into the next scene, with plenty of information and new leads to follow.

A Wicked Something! (8 tokens)

The players have learned enough to make life dangerous — for themselves. Their adversary sends an assassin or group of assassins to eliminate the pesky heroes. The party faces a combat encounter with an EL equal to the party members' level. If the party members survive this encounter, the party is awarded one token and gains the effects of two Small Lead actions. If the party wins the encounter, it is awarded an additional token per the rules of the Investigation skill game. If the party takes one of the assassins alive, the party gains the effects of the A Snitching Prison! action.

A Deadly Boss! (10 tokens)

The players catch up with their target, or at least the highest-ranked target that they know about. This kicks off what the players should certainly think of as the final battle of their adventure, but feel free to reveal a new and more terrible enemy as the old one falls.

A Roaring Finale! (15 tokens)

This is it — curtains are pulled back, myths unveiled, and the true enemy is ready for the Big Fight At the End. This will go down in the history books, as long as there's someone left to write them.

Advantages

Much Needed Rest (1 token)

Party members have a chance to return to base, heal up, regroup, and pursue other matters without threatening any of their deadlines or disrupting their ongoing missions. During this respite, each character in the party has the chance to exchange one consumable in their possession for another consumable of the same tier.

Advance Man (2 tokens)

Explosives get set, tool caches sequestered, doors jimmied open, and getaway vehicles placed. Party members get everything they need to perform miracles that would be perfectly at home in a heist movie.

Goon Squad (2 tokens)

The party gains the support of a mook of its members' level with the myriad archetype for a single [Encounter]. This myriad obeys their orders unquestioningly and leaves after the [Encounter] is over.

Can't Touch This (2 tokens)

The characters hire an expert to remove evidence of a single [Encounter] after the fact. The party cannot be linked to the events of that [Encounter], nor can it credibly claim responsibility for what transpired.

License To Kill (3 tokens)

A relevant governing authority grants the characters full sanction. For the next [Scene], the characters faces no legal repercussions for property damage, mayhem, killing, or whatever other destruction the characters can dream up in pursuit of their goals. Of course, this does not protect them from any injured parties seeking revenge or from the governing authority's own enemies.

Potion Cache (3 tokens)

Each character in the party gains an allowance of consumables as if it were the beginning of a [Quest] plus one additional consumable of any tier they are normally granted at the beginning of a [Quest].

Friendly Guild Mage (5 tokens)

Until the end of the [Quest] as a swift action any member of the party may cast each of the following spells once, at which point it becomes unavailable to the party: dimensional lock, legend lore, major image, and teleport. As always, you don’t have to offer this advantage if it's going to bust your plot or setting down the middle.

Wealthy Friend (5 tokens)

Each party member gains a Greater item and the ability to attune and use it in addition to his or her normal allotment of items until the end of the [Quest]. In general, only three Wealthy Friend Advantages should be available per [Quest].

Invisibility Cloak (7 tokens)

The characters get the chance to be sure no one sees them coming. Until the end of the [Quest], the party may choose to gain a surprise [Round] in any one combat [Encounter]. This choice must be made before initiative is rolled.

What Feats They Did That Day (9 tokens)

This story shall the good man teach his son, from this day to the ending of the world. A powerful moment steels the party for the fight ahead. Until the end of the [Quest], the party may choose to have all damage its members deal be doubled in any one combat encounter. This choice must be made before initiative is rolled.