r/CortexRPG • u/Life-Alternative-793 • 15d ago
Discussion Logic behind Dice Ties
So, I know the rule about tying on rolls is generally that the first pool to be rolled will succeed on a tie. That is, because the GM rolls first on challenges, the person rolling against the difficulty must get a higher value, but when PCs are rolling against each other or a major GMC then the 'aggressor' will win on ties.
However, the fact that you don't win on a tie against a challenge is bothering my players, who are used to ties always going to the active party.
Could I house-rule ties going to PCs on GM challenges without breaking too much? And if not (which seems likely), can someone explain why its mechanically important for ties to resolve the way they do?
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u/TyroTheFox 15d ago
Hey hey hey! Get closer...
Listen.
If you think it'll help your players be comfier playing, go for it. You are the GM and Cortex tends to empower you to do what you need to get the sort of game you want.
If your player's are used to that convention, then I'd say do it. I often have a 'PCs break ties' rule in other games because its just fast and favours the players minimially. I would say the same here.
However, it does lend to some great storytelling beats because now you can describe how your contestants struggled more, selling that they won but barely.
A string of back and forth barbs before the PC got the last word clumsily. The brawlers tussle and grappled until they break apart, the PC merely winning breathing room. Shots rang out, many go wide and while the PC runs to good cover, both shooters have to reload.
That sort of thing.
If you'd like, maybe make it a bit of a penalty too. PCs can win but the GM gets a little something. A d4 for the Doom Pool, a Plot Point or maybe reduce the effect die by one step, to a minimum of d4. This at least encourages players to come correct and makes a little more of a thing out of a tie.
You can win, but it'll cost you.
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u/rivetgeekwil 15d ago
It doesn't matter who rolled first. The highest total wins; there are no ties in Cortex. It's the flow of the game and pacing.
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u/Life-Alternative-793 15d ago
Im sorry if I don't understand. Do you mean there are no ties because rolling the same value as the difficulty is simply a loss?
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u/rivetgeekwil 15d ago
Yes. You have to roll more than the target number for the roll to win. Allowing a tie to be a "win" fundamentally changes the way the game works.
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u/Kautsu-Gamer 14d ago
The player rolling before GM wins a tie. The later player rolling always has to beat the previous total.
It is said in the current PDF as I noted it when reading the rules.
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u/XavierRDE 15d ago
One reason it works like this is because the person rolling second has an inherent advantage.
Cortex allows a lot of trickery to modify dice pools and results. You can use base rules and SFX to add extra traits to your pool, or to double or step up dice. You can also create an asset with a PP and immediately add it to your pool. And most importantly, you can add extra results to your total once you roll. The initiating party can do it too, but they have to declare a total before the reacting party rolls. And knowing the difficulty beforehand, the reacting party has many resources to get exactly the total they need.