In case you haven’t read it: Nefertiti Overdrive: What Does it Do?
You know what Nefertiti Overdrive does, but how does it do this? Some of that is related in the earlier post, but let’s talk about the mechanics and how they motivate cinematic action.
Each character in Nefertiti Overdrive has four Atttributes: Concept, Elements, Traits, and Drivers. Each of these Attributes provides one die for conflict resolution – called Tests. The GM also has dice, and these dice are rolled and compared for Initiative (who is the active character), Target (what result does the active character need to score a success or Triumph against the passive character), and Effect (the character with the lowest Effect die endure a Condition, which incurs a penalty).
Simple enough. So how does this motivate cool scenes?
Each Attribute is represented by two die-types: the basic die and the max die. If you indicate that your character is using a particular Attribute and explain how it is applicable in the Test, you get the base die. Boring. If you jazz it up, providing a detailed, exciting, or even hilarious description of your character’s action, then you can use the max die.
What is important is that Nefertiti Overdrive continues in the tradition of Sword Noir, Kiss My Axe, and Centurion: don’t ask me, tell me. Players have almost total narrative control. Yes, there is a bridge too far even for Nefertiti Overdrive (a very small circle of people will understand this but . . . no nipple lasers), but in general it is left to the player to make the character’s actions as awesome and exciting as possible. Killing three bad guys with one arrow? No problem: ricocheting arrow. Grabbing an Assyrian enemy by the feet and using him as a club to plow through his squad mates? Fill your boots . . . or his. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop following the traitor escaping in a chariot? Oh yeah!
And you are rewarded for your character (and thereby your) awesomeness with Luck. Whenever you do something another player appreciates, that player can give you Luck, which you can cash in for re-rolls, extra dice, or healing.
So, sure, you can be boring in Nefertiti Overdrive. I’m not going to come to your place of gaming and stare at you sternly (or will I?), but how can you pass up both better dice and the adoration (or at least grudging approval) of your cohorts? The answer to that is: you can’t.
You can find the free Nefertiti Overdrive Quickstart rules here.
You can learn more about Nefertiti Overdrive here and here.
You can find the Nefertiti Overdrive G+ community here.