[Gingivitis]

I was looking at another game system called Open Legend RPG. In it, when a character fails a roll, there is the concept of failing...but the story moves on (e.g. you fail to pick the lock but you remember seeing a key somewhere) OR succeeding...but with a twist (e.g. you fail to hit but you graze the enemy doing 1 damage).

I, because I am always thinking about stealing, am thinking about stealing this idea and adapting it to Anarchy. It feels right, somehow. It would be more satisfying to the player, and the story wouldn't come to a halt when the decker fails to open the mag-lock.

Plot Point: "Fail Forward" or "Passing Hits" or "Something Else"

If you fail a Test, you can spend a Plot Point to use your hits as a Teamwork Test. You can then use the Teamwork Test hits as extra dice on your next attempt OR you can pass those Teamwork Test hits to a subsequent player doing substantially the same thing.

Benefits: You don't waste time redoing the same thing over and over and failing; you would make progress incrementally.

Cost: Since it costs a Plot Point each time you do this, no player can simply roll ad nauseum until success. Also, since it is a Teamwork Test, those hits do not automatically convert to hits, they convert to dice, so not broken.

Cinematics: This works like aiding fire or when tag-teaming a powerful opponent. A set 'em up/knock 'em down kind of action. It might simulate bracketing an enemy, or a performing a magical ritual, or something akin to an extended test.

What do you think? What do we call it?

Edit: It should be noted that while I am on the SR:Anarchy Errata Team, nothing I do or say or think is official (nor may it ever be); these are just my shenanigans to share...

[Carmody]

I use this kind of mechanism more and more, but only at GM discretion: when a player fail on a test, and having his character simply fail the action brings nothing interesting to the story, then the GM can decide that the character has actually suceeded, but with consequences (or a twist).

Your proposal looks very similar to post-roll edge. I do not think we need a new similar mechanic

[Tecumseh]

I'm a month late to the party here but whatever. I'm catching up now that the site has had a modest stretch of stability, which I probably just jinxed.

I like the "Fail Forward" name.

I agree that we should be cautious with uses for Plot Points that potentially overlap with Edge. That said, I don't mind if they work in parallel.

I'm going to be honest that my players are tightwads with the plot points to the point where they horde them in their cold, bony fingers like a dragon clutching its gold. I'm always trying to think of new, intriguing ways to use plot points the incentivize them to spend one occasionally.

With that preface, I would consider something along the lines of a "successful glitch" functionality. The specifics are that you have to spend it before the "roll" (not after), and that your "roll" generates 1 hit (not a net hit) that also qualifies as a Glitch.

The idea is that this wouldn't be useful in combat, or opposed situations, because 1 hit is pretty easy to beat, but that it could be used at cinematic points where a character just has to make it through that door or has to make that jump, consequences be damned. Maybe they dislocate their shoulder plowing through the door, or drop their weapon as they dangle from the helicopter's landing skids, or any of the other fun consequences that result from glitches, but at least the consequences aren't as grim as not succeeding in the first place. Or are they?

There should be some limitations around what's feasible. Prying a bullet out of someone without having the Biotech skill is possible, but trepanning is out. Or so I assume; any doctor-GMs out there can correct me.