Actions and Opportunities

"Well," The stealthy spy on my team shrugged, "Looks like I'll be sitting this one out." Facing down a pack of ravenous monsters on the bed of a moving truck, it certainly didn't seem like circumstances in which a sneaky-type character would come in handy. But moments later that same player discovered a pheromone attractant that could lure and incite the monsters upon activation. Soon they were throwing canisters of monster bait at any other enemy types who tried to strike at them.

The lesson I would like to be taken away from this is that there are two different kinds of action that a player character has available to take in any scene. These actions are character specific and context specific.

A character specific action would be any move that is suggested by the character being played. It could be a basic move, that is available to any player character, like attacking or opening a door. Or it could be something from their character sheet, something their class is specialized for. Like the spy picking a lock, or a wizard casting a spell.

But not every scene has an obvious opportunity for every character class. Sometimes the party diplomat can't talk their way out of a fight, or the barbarian can't fight his way out of a royal dance. In these cases, players might get frustrated because they feel disengaged or uninvolved with the action.

That's when it becomes important to offer them alternatives that will make them a part of the encounter. The first kind of opportunity you can offer is one that exploits their secondary role. What else is the character adequately skilled at? It might not be their primary specialization, but if they have at least moderate ability in a particular area, they can bring that skill to bear in the encounter.

The other thing you can do is offer context specific actions. These are opportunities that are created by the circumstances of the encounter. They come from the environment, the enemies, and the particular situation  the players find themselves in. Some of these actions might not even require a die roll, but they give players an active way to contribute rather than sitting and twiddling their thumbs.

The canisters of monster attractant are an example of how to create a context specific action. By throwing or breaking these canisters, a character can influence the actions of the monsters in this particular encounter. This tool may not help them outside of this encounter, but for the purposes of this scene it introduces a new way for a player to get involved. Other examples include:

• A control panel that moves a giant crane across the map.
• Frightened bystanders that could be easily convinced to join a fight.
• A key that stops a trap once it is placed into a lock.
• A puzzle that any player may solve to break a spell.
• A spotlight that illuminates targets for airstrikes.

Any number of options are available! The point is, these are actions that could be fulfilled by just about anybody. They require easy die rolls, or no rolls at all. They are simple actions that can have significant overall effect on the circumstances of the encounter. These catch-all opportunities ensure you don't leave any players with nothing to do in a scene. If you ever notice a player contributing very little, you might be able to devise such an opportunity on the fly. Encourage your players to keep an eye out themselves, they might suggest an idea you hadn't even considered initially. If they can't solve a problem head on, they might need to think creatively, considering a new and inventive approach.

Keeping everybody involved in the game is important, and while it may not be possible one hundred percent of the time, a combination of character specific and context specific opportunities are a sure way to maximize your players participation in an adventure.

Happy ventures!