....A Quick Recap of Challenges....
If you want, you can download the Quick Recap of Challenges by clicking here. They're a 33KB file in *.RTF format. Enjoy!
Now, as stated earlier, we are using the Mind's Eye Theatre rules straight out of Laws of the Night - Revised. There are three types of challenges under this system. In increasing order of complexity, there are Simple Tests, Static Challenges and what I am calling "Dynamic" Challenges (which Laws of the Night - Revised refers to only as "challenges"). We'll quickly review these, from the hardest cases to the simplest.
Dynamic Challenges:
Dynamic Challenges are the most common challenges in Mind's Eye Theatre. Essentially, when two or more players attempt to do something that cannot be resolved by pure role-playing (such as using certain Disciplines, combat, things like that), they engage in a dynamic challenge. In a dynamic challenge, on player starts the whole ball rolling by bidding an applicable Trait and setting their terms of the challenge. The other player bids a trait and sets their half of the terms. The two players then perform a "test" by playing Rock-Paper-Scissors. Whoever wins the game of Rock-Paper-Scissors wins the Challenge. Whoever loses the test loses the Trait they bid, and the winner's "terms" happen.
If the players tie when playing Rock-Paper-Scissors, then each player reveals the number of appropriate Traits they have (i.e., in a Physical challenge, they would reveal Physical Traits). The player who initiated the Challenge reveals their number of Traits first. You do not have to reveal the total amount of Traits you have - you can always claim to have fewer Traits than you actually do, and keep people in the dark as to your true strength. You cannot claim to have more traits than you do - that's cheating. Whichever character has more traits win the Challenge. It's that simple. If both characters have the exact same number of Traits, then both characters lose the Challenge, and each loses the traits they bid. Also, either player can relent the challenge before the game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. Doing so means that they lose the test (and therefore their opponent's terms happened), but they don't lose the trait they bid. {example}
Complications:
There are a few things that can change how a Dynamic Challenge works. Here is a quick overview of those complications.
Retests. A player can call for a retest by expending an appropriate Ability, using a Discipline (if appropriate to the Challenge) and using Merits. You can call for multiple retests, but a different thing must power each retest. You cannot use multiple levels of the same Ability to get retests on a single Challenge! For example, a person with Brawl x5 can only expend one level of Brawl in order to get a retest on a single challenge. They could not use Brawl once, lose, and then use Brawl again. Each retest must come from a different source. A player could, for instance, use an Ability, a Merit, a Discipline and then a different Ability in order to gain retests.... {example}
Weapons/Items. Weapons and Items usually grant bonus traits and sometimes have negative traits. Those Bonus Traits apply to the total number of traits a character has, and therefore only matter when it comes down to comparing traits in cases of ties or overbids or things like that. Weapons and Items also have special abilities, but they usually do not affect the challenge itself, just the results of the challenge. {example}
Negative Traits. These can be called out after the bid, but before the test. If you are correct when you name someone's Negative Traits (or their weapon/item's Negative Traits), they must be an additional Trait for each correct Negative Trait you named. If you are wrong, you must bid an additional Trait for each incorrect Negative Trait named. If someone is unable to bid enough additional Traits, their opponent has that many additional Traits for tie and overbid purposes. (Quick reminder: you can use someone's Nature as a Negative Trait, if appropriate to the situation. You cannot use someone's Demeanor as a Negative Trait, however.) {example}
Overbidding. If you lose a challenge, you can call for an Overbid. If you wish to do so, you must bid a Trait (i.e., a second Trait after the one you lost in the first challenge). The defending player doesn't need to bid a trait, just the person calling for the overbid. Then, both players reveal their total number of applicable traits. If you have double the amount of traits your opponent has, you test again. The second test is performed as normal, except your opponent doesn't have to bid a second trait. If you lose, you lose that trait. You can keep overbidding as long as you have double the traits of your opponent. {example}
Boosting Traits. You can, for a single challenge, effectively boost some of your character's Traits. For example, you can spend Blood Traits to boost your Physical Traits for a single challenge (each Blood Trait spend is one temporary Physical Trait); you can boost your Traits beyond your generational limits this way (but only for a single challenge). And yes, you can boost your Physical Traits during the Challenge by spending blood. Additionally, you can add your Status Traits to your total number of Social Traits for a non-Discipline-related Social Challenge. This only applies if both you and the other person in the Challenge are in the same Sect (i.e., both of you are Camarilla). In both of these cases, the increased Traits can only be used for tie resolution or overbidding; you cannot bid a Status Trait or a Blood Trait instead of a Social or Physical Trait.
Order of Operations. If multiple characters want to do things in a single action, check the applicable number of traits. Consider this a form of "Initiative," in that characters with more traits go before characters with less traits. Actions that require no traits or challenges (using Earth Meld, for example) go dead last. The type of action (Physical, Social or Mental) doesn't matter - a character with 12 Physical Traits goes before a character with 11 Social Traits. Characters with equal amounts of traits go simultaneously.
Mob Scenes. Mob Scenes are situations in which multiple characters try to affect a single person. Up to five people can effect one person; if a sixth person tries to get involved, they are unable to. Each "attacker" bids a single trait to start their challenge. The defender must bid a trait against each attacker; if they are unable to (i.e., they don't have enough traits), they must relent on the challenges that they can't defend against (although they get to pick and choose which attacks they relent on). The challenges are then tested and retested as normal, following the order of operations (see above).
It should also be noted that a character could expend an appropriate Ability in order not to lose the Trait bid in a challenge (i.e, in a hand-to-hand fight, a character could expend their Brawl Ability in order not to lose the Trait they bid). However, you cannot expend an Ability in order to not lose a Trait and can a Retest at the same time - you can only do one or the other. You can, however, expend one level of an Ability for a Retest and then expend another level to keep the bidded trait (in case you still lose).
Oh, and in case you were wondering, you regain Traits one of three ways. You can regain Physical Traits by expending Blood Points, on a one-for-one basis (i.e, one Blood Point per Physical Trait regained). You can regain all Traits lost in a single "trait class" (Physical, Social, Mental) by spending a Willpower Trait - but you can only do this one per night. Finally, you can regain Traits with time and rest (the same for Abilities and Willpower Traits - they can only be regained by resting and the passage of time).
And that, in a nutshell, is the World of Dynamic Challenges!
Static Challenges:
Static Challenges usually occur when a player is attempt to perform a task that does not directly involve another person (such as hacking into a computer, picking a lock, breaking down a door, trying to recall a piece of knowledge). As a result, Static Challenges usually involve a player and a GM only. The player will bid an applicable trait for the situation. The GM will determine the difficulty of the task; this difficulty is the total number of traits that the GM will have for purposes of tie resolution. The test is then done as normal, and the player can retest and overbid as normal. Please note that the GM cannot retest or overbid during a Static Challenge, only the player can.
Traits that are bid are not always lost during a Static Challenge. For instance, when trying to remember something, a character might have to make a Static Mental Challenge, but not worry about losing the Trait they bid if they fail. However, this is not the normal case - assume that you will lose traits as normal during a Static Challenge. The GM will let you know if you don't lose the traits as a result of losing the test. {example}
Simple Tests:
Simple Tests are just that - a simple game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. Usually, Simple Tests are performed with a GM, but certain Disciplines require the use of Simple Tests to determine how long the Discipline affects the victim.
In a Simple Test, no traits are bid. Therefore, there are no retests or overbidding allowed; it's an "do it or not" situation. Usually, the player wins a simple test with a win or tie on the Rock-Paper-Scissors. In some cases, however, the player only wins with a clear victory in the Rock-Paper-Scissors. The GM will usually inform the player if they will only win on a clear victory.
And that's all, folks! A Quick Recap of challenges! Still go get the Laws of the Night - Revised and read it, but hopefully this quick recap will help....