1)Starting a Quest
Someone makes the request to do a Quest in a Hub thread. If you say you step up to DM, ask if the quester wants to do this solo or if it's okay for others to join. People don't have to join in instantly, but can also drop into a quest at a later time(they can't act on the first round they enter battle, but can be targeted during that time). Once you have the participants, check their Character Sheet to see if they have it completely filled in.
Check Warrior of Darkness's post at the top of the page to see what it should look like:
https://uponherlips.forumotion.com/t1262p45-open-rpg-character-hub#10670Also check if they haven't made any errors with assigning the stats(a common mistake, for example, is to forget that every attribute point invested into Stamina or Willpower nets a +3 gain.
Check this post for the info on character creation and what each attribute does:
https://uponherlips.forumotion.com/t1262-open-rpg-character-hub2)DM'ing a Quest.
The opening post of a new or restarted quest should look something like this:
https://uponherlips.forumotion.com/t1266-open-rpg-quest-who-hunts-whomYou have flavour text as an introduction, followed by posting both the party member's and the midara's stats and abilities. Most of the time the midara goes first, and then the adventurer can pick a move. A round is over when both the midara and the player characters have acted.
We'll now discuss all the actions that can be taken. These are roughly the same for both the midara and the adventurer.
*Attack-Power-a basic attack using the basic Power stat and any bonuses/penalties from weapons and abilities.
At the start, you make an Aim roll for the attacker and a Reflex roll for the target using this site:
http://www.roll-dice-online.com/
You add the rolls to the respective Aim score of the attacker(plus any bonuses and penalties from equipment and abilities) and do the same with the Reflex score of the target.
The Aim score on attacks also gets a bonus depending on how well the action is described, ranging from none, to good(+1), to superb(+2). I'll leave it up to you what you consider a good description and a superb description: my guideline is that a show of the thoughts and feelings of the character and a motivation for the character is good, and if it is expanded into 3 or 4 lines of narration it is superb.
Anyway, on to the total Aim score vs. total Reflex score.
If the former is higher, the attack succeeds.
If the latter is higher, the attack fails.
If they're equal, the attack Glances the target and the attack's Power score is halved(rounded upwards).
If the attack succeeds, it does Stamina damage equal to the difference between the attack's total Power score and the total Toughness score(basic Toughness plus any bonuses and penalties from equipment and abilities).
Detract the number from the current Stamina of the target. If the Stamina of a target reaches zero, he or she faints from wounds/exhaustion or disappears. Generally speaking, midara don't die gruesome deaths: instead they poof out of existence, flee, dissolve into an element, etcetera, etcetera.
For Sensual attacks, replace Power with Sensuality, Toughness with Focus and Stamina with Willpower in the above description. Characters whose Willpower is exhausted generally get seduced or collapse in post-orgasmic bliss. If a midara loses due to loss of Willpower, she will become available as a Summon. More on Summons later.
*Use Ability:
The user uses one of his or her available Abilities. You post the description of what the ability does during the first use, and follow the instructions in the description. Abilities can't be used if the Stamina or Willpower cost would knock the target out. Passive abilities are always on, so pay attention to keep track of multiple effects at the same time. After the ability has been used, deduct the Stamina/Willpower cost from the user's pool.
*Use Summon:
Works much the same as using an ability, only this time a conquered midara will be summoned using a Calling Card, and use her signature ability. However, in return she'll want some sugar from the hero, draining his Willpower.
*Use Item:
Use a consumable item. Items can also be used on the enemy/other party members.
*Defend:
If you defend, your basic Toughness and basic Focus get doubled that round. Pay attention this when calculating damage.
*Flee:
If an adventurer or midara is almost defeated, he or she can try fleeing. She'll have to make Flee rolls against all other opposing party members, and if her Flee roll is lower than even one of them, the escape fails. Also look at any ability modifiers on the Flee rolls.
Once everyone has had their turns, it's time for the Recovery rolls on Ailments.
The Recovery score+Recovery roll must be higher than the Ailment score in order to get rid off it.
After this his been done, briefly list how many rounds ability effects will last.
(F. ex., Field Effect lasts 3 more rounds,
Ailment on Player X has dissipated,
and so forth)
Then, post the menu with turn options again(leave out any options that are prevented due to ability effects)
3)Finishing A Quest
If the quest goals have been reached(all midara defeated, key midara defeated, survived for X number of turns), list the Quest rewards and finish with some flavour text about the resolution.
The characters return to the Hub thread to update their character sheets, go shopping and pick the next quest.
4)General Advice On Battle Flow
As a DM, your task is to balance narrative with player choice: in general, midara like to toy with their opponents until things get serious. Whereas a midara might hold back with her abilities when fighting a single adventurer, she'll start fighting dirty when more arrive, or when she is in danger of losing. The idea is to give the player a challenge, to always keep him on the edge of being defeated by the wiles of the temptress.
This thread will be updated as questions on game mechanics or other aspects of DMing appear. For starters, it's probably the handiest to copypaste sections of a previous Quest iteration when coming to grips with DMing, just switching the flavour text and the numbers of the post structure.
Hope this helps the quest flow go smoother!