Author Topic: DRAFT Rules for using NPC spies to gather intel  (Read 1169 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Druss_the_Legend

  • Senior Adept
  • **
  • Posts: 537
  • OIC Points +0/-0
DRAFT Rules for using NPC spies to gather intel
« on: November 10, 2017, 03:36:35 PM »
These are DRAFT rules for sending out NPC spies/agents/contacts to gather information.

Difficulty level/chance of discovery (subtract skill ranks in hide or disguise. May use level. whichever is highest)
GM rolls d100. add any mods. if range or lower is rolled the spy is discovered.

DIFFICULTY/CHANCE OF DISCOVERY
routine/05% (simple surveillance, no formal security, no counter spy activity eg. Bazaar, Wharf)
medium/10% (simple surveillance from a distance, informal security eg. tavern)
hard/20% (contact and interaction with people at the location, 1-2 guards in place. eg public shops/temple)
very hard/30% (high security, disguise and deception needed to gather info, 3-4 guards on high alert. eg. private residence or estate)
extremely hard/40% (secret base/hard to reach location eg. the Palace, well guarded, counter spies, 3-4 visible guards present/ plus additional some guards in disguise)
sheer folly/60% (secret base eg. assassin's guild, magical protection, counter spies, 2 elite guards, animals with tracking, 6+ visible guards/plus additional guards in disguise)

if the agent is discovered they may make an escape check. This is a static action.
Roll 1d100 and add level bonus for subterfuge skills (or level of NPC if they have no subterfuge level bonus)
01-10 agent killed
11-20 agent captured and changes sides
21-40 agent captured and interrogated
41-60 agent escapes but is badly wounded (bleeding out or unable to fight until healed)
61-100 agent escapes but is wounded
101+ escape

If the agent avoids discovery or escapes they have can make a GATHER INTEL roll.

The agent has a 5% chance of success per level +20 if they have a useful contact in the specific location being spied on.

Simple gathering of information or seeking specific information is possible within 24hrs (shorter if the job involves merely surveillance.
Secret information will take longer and has a negative modifier (-10, -20, -30)

Infiltrating an organisation will take months of planning and require false identities and more than likely help from an ex-member or current member of the group being infiltrated.

Offline Peter R

  • Navigator
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,850
  • OIC Points +480/-480
    • Rolemaster Blog
Re: DRAFT Rules for using NPC spies to gather intel
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2017, 04:03:47 PM »
Do you actually want or need the characters to find out the information?

If you do, you could skip all the dice rolling and calculations and just role play a clandestine meeting with their contact who tells them what you want them to know.
Rolemasterblog http://www.rolemasterblog.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/RolemasterBlog
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rolemasterblog/

Spectre771 A couple of weeks ago, I disemboweled one of my PCs with a...

Offline Druss_the_Legend

  • Senior Adept
  • **
  • Posts: 537
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: DRAFT Rules for using NPC spies to gather intel
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2017, 04:31:20 PM »
Do you actually want or need the characters to find out the information?

If you do, you could skip all the dice rolling and calculations and just role play a clandestine meeting with their contact who tells them what you want them to know.

This system is for NPC vs NPC interactions.
For PC vs NPC's i would roleplay the encounter.

m pcs are a larger guild where they have NPCs under their command. Due to the short length game sessions (3hrs at a time) i allow them to use npcs they command to gather intel. I am high on intrigue and betrayal. it is a theme of the campaign. enemy factions have agents which can impact on intel in a number of ways, including giving false information or using counter spies. I was just wanting a system that gave an 'unbiased' chance of success/failure. I could easily just decide what happends but sometimes using die is a neccessary evil and the fairest way to decide the outcome of NPC vs NPC missions.

Offline jdale

  • RMU Dev Team
  • ****
  • Posts: 7,103
  • OIC Points +25/-25
Re: DRAFT Rules for using NPC spies to gather intel
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2017, 07:51:52 PM »
It's also helpful to have a system when the interactions are PC vs PC, which seems like it is potentially possible in your campaign.

You might also contemplate how to handle more than one contact being assigned to the same job. Two guys both sneaking inside a building is not necessarily easier than one, but if they are working together one can be standing watch, running a distraction, etc.
System and Line Editor for Rolemaster