By WIlliam Parker, aka theauthor13.
You can find him around Discord, Twitch and YouTube under that name. He runs a weekly game in the Shackleton Expanse.
Threat and Momentum are key mechanics of 2d20 systems, alongside the namesake of two d20s. Every table experiences the ebb and flow of Threat. Many new players are hesitant to give the GM a token that can be used against them later. However, as the game progresses, players often become bolder, sometimes so bold that the GM accumulates more Threat than they know how to use. When this happens, Threat loses its bite and can unbalance the game. Constantly spamming “Send reinforcements” can create a Threat treadmill where the GM spends Threat, and the players generate more to deal with it. This cycle can drag the game out and make combat last forever.
In this blog, I’ll provide some guidelines and reference points on how to think of Threat beyond the antagonistic “beat the players down” mentality. These suggestions aim to encourage collaborative storytelling and control the pacing of the game. Some methods will slow things down, while others will speed them up. The best way to think of Threat is as the Director controlling the camera and music of the Star Trek episode you’re creating. Whether it’s a dramatic sting when something is revealed or a close-up reaction shot of a character, these are narrative tricks used to manipulate the pace of the story. Now, let’s show you the control panel.
Consequences of Your Own Actions
This is the first and most obvious use of Threat. It comes into play when a player spends a lot of Threat on a particular action. They cut corners, ignore safety regulations, or bypass fuses, for example. They still complete the task, but there are knock-on effects.
It’s important to remember that they succeeded in their intended task. If the conn officer wanted to move to an advantageous position, they managed to do so. This spend is an extension of the “Yes, but” improvisation technique: “Yes, you completed the task as intended, but there are other effects.” It’s crucial that the effects of this Threat spend are related to the task but don’t overshadow the player’s success. For example, the conn officer spends Threat to perform a daring maneuver to break the enemy’s line of sight. The good news is they succeeded, and now the enemy can’t see them. The bad news is they had to dive deep into the atmosphere, causing the hull to heat up. This can be used to enhance the excitement of a perilous situation, speeding up the pacing.
Highlight Other Players
You can use Threat spends to create problems that other characters are uniquely qualified to solve. This can bring quieter players into the spotlight or shift focus to someone who hasn’t been featured in a while. This works particularly well with Medical or Engineering characters, as you can break something—or someone—as a consequence of another’s actions. Suddenly, these characters must jump in and save the day. This is similar to a Consequence of Your Own Actions, but instead of the same player dealing with it, the chain reaction involves another player. This keeps the entire group engaged and allows you to shift focus between different PCs. This technique is highly recommended in combat scenes. If you can put a favorite supporting character in mortal peril, your players will likely drop everything to save them, keeping the pace up and moving between players, which keeps everyone invested.
Random Grenade Clause
This is where you throw a curveball that reframes everything and shifts priorities quickly. This is often the 4 Threat spend, “The Reversal,” mentioned in the GM sections of the core rulebooks, but it can be other things. Examples include the ship, station, or outpost they’re fighting over becoming unstable and about to explode. Instead of fighting to secure a computer core with vital information, they now have to grab what they can and run. Another example could be space or ground weather forcing them to either escape or bunker down. This raises the tension and usually breaks combat, speeding up the pacing. It can also be used to light a fuse and prevent the players from dithering. The time to talk is over—now it’s time to act.
Personal Log, Supplemental
Near the end of an adventure, or after a major reveal, spend two Threat and focus on the most affected character, asking them to give a Personal Log on the spot. If, for example, the Security officer’s brother is revealed to be working for the pirates, pause the game and zoom in on the character’s thoughts. Ask the player to narrate or explain how their character feels, going beyond roleplay and facial expressions. This doesn’t have to be diegetic; just let them express their character’s emotions from an omniscient perspective. Other good times to use this technique include after narrow escapes, Determination spends, or dramatic reveals. This slows the pacing considerably but offers a great moment to break away from dice rolls and focus on the emotional aspects of the story.
“Um, Actually”
This is best used during conference room scenes or similar situations where the players are discussing their plans. As the players discuss the situation, spend two Threat and poke one of them to remind them of a contrary objective or a counterpoint no one else is bringing up. This works great with Security or Medical officers, where you can prompt them to consider the dangers of the operation and its human cost. Frame it as, “You consider this option,” and let the player decide how to handle it. They may or may not raise the issue during the scene, but it will still be on their mind. This technique adds drama to otherwise mundane scenes and allows you to remind your players of key complications you’ve introduced into the plot. It slows down the story but raises the stakes.
Emotional Traits
After dangerous scenes with high emotional stakes, you can add Traits to characters for them to resolve later. This could be a new phobia or suspicion of another character. It’s a fine line to tread, so it’s something you should discuss with your players. You might want to collaborate with the player and ask, “How does your character feel right now?” and then amplify that feeling. But remind your players—and yourself—that emotions don’t control your character; they are just states your character is experiencing. These Traits can also be invoked as complications in future tasks, providing opportunities for two PCs to talk things out, encouraging roleplay.
In conclusion, Threat should be spent as it’s earned unless you’re saving it for a very specific scene. It’s a useful meta-tool for controlling the plot and pacing. You can use it to slow down the story and focus on emotional aspects, or to ignite action and keep things moving. By using Threat in this way, you can make the game less adversarial and foster a collaborative storytelling experience.
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