Summary
Position and Effect is a procedure for establishing the stakes of an action before it is resolved. Position describes the danger a character faces, while Effect describes how much their action can accomplish. Together, they translate the fictional circumstances into explicit mechanical expectations.
Design Purpose
Position and Effect makes the relationship between fiction and resolution visible. It allows the group to agree on likely risk and impact before dice are rolled, giving players enough information to make meaningful decisions.
Problems Solved
- Clarifies what is at risk before an action is resolved.
- Distinguishes dangerous circumstances from difficult tasks.
- Makes fictional advantages and disadvantages mechanically relevant.
- Allows the same action rating to produce different results in different situations.
- Creates a shared language for negotiating stakes.
Core Loop
The player states their goal and chooses an Action. The facilitator evaluates the fictional situation and assigns a Position and an Effect level. The group may clarify details or change the approach, after which the roll determines whether the character achieves the stated effect and whether their position produces consequences.
Player Decision
Is this potential impact worth the danger, or should I change my approach to improve the terms of the action?
Narrative Effect
Position and Effect slows resolution briefly so that everyone understands why an action matters. It encourages players to seek leverage in the fiction, accept danger deliberately, and distinguish between succeeding at an action and accomplishing a larger goal.
Strengths
- Makes stakes transparent.
- Rewards fictional positioning and preparation.
- Supports informed risk-taking.
- Separates likelihood of success from magnitude of impact.
- Helps facilitators calibrate consequences consistently.
Weaknesses
- Adds negotiation to every significant action roll.
- Similar situations may be judged differently across groups.
- New players can struggle to distinguish Position from Effect.
- Mechanical modifiers can obscure the underlying fiction if applied too rigidly.
Variations
- Three-step Position scales such as Controlled, Risky, and Desperate.
- Effect scales such as Limited, Standard, and Great.
- Factors based on quality, scale, potency, or fictional advantage.
- Trading Position for Effect.
- Dominant factors that override the normal comparison.
- Informal stakes negotiation without named levels.
Related Patterns
- Actions
- Partial Success
- Resistance Rolls
- Fiction-First Play
- Consequence Severity
- Stakes Negotiation
Examples
Pattern Definition
Position and Effect is a pre-resolution procedure that establishes how dangerous an action is and how much it can accomplish, turning fictional circumstances into explicit stakes for an informed player decision.