Actions in CQ StoryHammer games are resolved in order of speed. To sequence actions, each round is split into speed stages. These stages are labeled as Q (for Quick), R (for Regular), or S (for Slow). This is also known as QRS Sequencing.
When players announce their actions, the Narrator will categorize the action’s speed. All Quick actions are resolved first during the Q stage of a round. Regular actions are resolved next during the R stage and Slow actions are resolved last during the S stage of the round.
Actions are resolved simultaneously during their respective stage. For instance, all Quick actions are resolved at the same time, and their effects may impact characters who have yet to act.
Action Speeds
- Quick actions are those that typically have one movement.
Ex. “Quick jabbing with fist already in guard position,” “throwing one’s self to the ground,” “firing a weapon that has already been aimed,” etc. - Regular actions tend to have two movements or moving parts.
Ex. “winding up and punching,” “yelling something coherent,” “interacting with a display,” etc. - Slow actions require more than two movements.
Ex. “performing a kick sweep,” “running from immediate range to close range,” “drawing and firing a weapon,” etc.
Example of Sequencing Actions
This example looks at round 2 of a battle already in progress. Wilrow and Fjarva have been ambushed by two swamp monsters. On the first round, Wilrow withdrew his magic wand and backed up, Fjarva withdrew her sword, and the two swamp monsters have crept into immediate range of Fjarva.
Here are the actions that the characters have chosen for round 2:
Monster 1: Claw Fjavra
Monster 2: Jump and grab Fjarva
Wilrow: Paralyze blast Monster 2
Fjarva: Dodge all strikes
Here is how the narrator thought to classify the actions:
- Clawing is a two motion action (wind up and strike).
- Jump and Grab is a three motion action (cower, spring, and grab).
- Paralyze blast is a one motion action (the rod is already withdrawn and aimed).
- Dodge All Strikes is a special case. According to the sample actions, Dodge is a quick action that increases the difficulty by +1 for of all strikes against the defender (in this case, the defender is Fjarva).
Now the narrator will sort all the actions in order of Speed Stage:
Q Stage
- Wilrow’s Paralyze Blast (1 motion)
- Fjarva’s Dodge (special)
R Stage
- Monster 1’s Claw (2 motions)
S Stage
- Monster 2’s Jump and Grab (3 motions)
These actions would then be resolved in order (see Action Resolution for how to resolve actions):
- Wilrow draws cards to resolve the Paralyze Blast but it wasn’t successful – a miss!
- Fjarva’s draws cards for Dodge and it was successful, modifying the difficulties of Monster 1 and Monster 2’s attacks by +1.
- Monster 1 draws cards for the Claw attack and lands a partial success – Fjarva will have to draw cards for resistance.
- Monster 2 draws cards for the Jump and Grab attack but was unsuccessful – a miss.
A new round would now start with characters picking actions again.