Player Initative

In narrative play, players always have the benefit of initiative – the chance to act first. This means that the GM can’t ask for rolls until prompted by player action. To initiate a skill check, players must name a goal – what they hope to achieve – then the GM can ask for a roll and decide if it’s ordinary, Difficult Roll, Risky Roll, or Heroic Roll. After the roll is made and any consequences enacted, the players have the opportunity to act (or not) once more, probably with a ‘What do you do?’ from the GM.

In practice, this lets players decide the course of action and ensures that each roll has clearly established stakes and parameters – it helps the game feel fairer and prevents unnecessary rolling.

If the players fail to take action, stall, or pass off responsibility, then they are effectively turning initiative over to the GM. Any time the players look to the GM to see what happens next, the GM can move the story forward without player action.

Similarly, NPCs don’t take action or make rolls in narrative play. Their behaviors are based on the outcome of player rolls. For example, if a player character lies to an NPC, the NPC doesn’t get to make a roll to figure out if they’re being lied to. As long as the player is successful, the NPC doesn’t see through the deception; if the player does fail, the NPC notices the obvious lies. If the GM feels like the NPC is particularly astute or insightful, able to easily see through lies, they might decide the skill check is Difficult Roll, Risky Roll, or both