Quick Racing Rules - My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: the Role Playing Game

## My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: the Role Playing Game

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### Quick Racing Rules

There are two sets of racing rules. Both rule sets can be used for pegasus races or hoof races. The quick race rules are intended for spur of the moment races during the course of an adventure, when one pony character or NPC challenges another pony to a contest and the challenge is accepted. They can be used anytime the storyteller doesn’t want to interrupt the adventure to set up the race track, especially when the race in question is just a quick side line and not a main part of the plot.

The advanced race rules use cut-out track sections to plot out the race course, and each player uses one of the paper pony pieces to represent his or her pony character. Using the advanced race rules takes a little bit of preparation and a little longer to play through, but the advanced race rules are ideal when you’re planning a major race event as part of the story, or if a race has a large number of participants.

The Quick Race Rules:

When a spur of the moment race begins the storyteller will divide the race course into a number of lengths. Each length of the race represents the distance from marker to the next. A marker can be the starting line, finish line, or any landmark or obstacle that is part of the race course. Each obstacle, such as a jump over a stream, counts as a length as well. The actual distance of each length does not matter.

A short race may have only one length, like when one pony challenges “I’ll race you to that tree over there!” The length of this race would be from here (the start) to the tree. The quick rules work best if there are at least two to four lengths and no more than two to four racers. If the course is ten lengths or longer, or if you have more than 4 contestants, you might consider using the full rules.

Example: Two ponies decide to have race. The race starts at the first fence post, along the fence to the end, then across the corn field, around the barn, then back across the field to the fence again, then along the fence again to finish at the same point where it started. The storyteller decides to break the race into five lengths:

Length 1: From the start line to the end of the fence.

Length 2: From the fence across the field to the barn.

Length 3: Around the barn.

Length 4: Across the field back to the fence.

Length 5: Along the fence back to the start/finish line.

The storyteller may assign difficulty factors to each length, depending on different terrain conditions like mud or a steep hill. Individual obstacles may have difficulty factors as well. If an obstacle involves one or more flying stunts, or if there is a rodeo event that is appropriate for the obstacle, use the difficulty levels described in the flying or rodeo chapters. Some rodeo events, like cross country or stadium jumping, can also be played using the quick rules but it’s not recommended.

Example: Having decided on the number of lengths, the storyteller assigns each length a difficulty level as follows:

The storyteller informs the players that the length along the fence is on the road, so the difficulty level for the first and last lengths will be average 0. The path through the corn field is uneven and a little muddy from yesterday’s shower, so the storyteller assigns it a difficulty level of sort of hard +1. The barn is technically still in the corn field, so the quick turn around the barn has the same difficulty level of sort of hard +1.

Once the race course lengths are defined and the difficulty factors set, we’re ready to race! The race is played out by keeping track of the number of points each pony character earns on each length. On any length, the pony with the highest number of accumulated points is considered to be in the lead, the second highest in second, and so on. The pony with the highest total points at the end of the last length wins. Use a piece of scratch paper to tally the points for each length.

Each length of the course is played as an individual turn, with each player making an attribute check. If the pony character has a running or flying talent, factor the talent level into the character’s base chance. If a race contestant has a rodeo or flying sub-talent that applies on a specific length of the race, modify the difficulty level for that pony accordingly.

Points are scored by each pony based on how much lower or higher their die roll is compared to their base chance. If the player rolls a number that is exactly equal to the base chance, the player earns a number of points equal to their agility score. If the die roll is less than the base chance, the player earns one extra point for every number the die roll is below their base score. If the die roll is higher than the base chance, the pony loses one point for every number above the base score. Add or subtract the difficulty level from the die roll before comparing it to the base score when calculating earned points.

EXAMPLE: Pinwheel Daisy has running talent of level 1, so her base chance for each length of the race is 6, (agility score of 5 plus her running talent level 1). At the start, Pinwheel Daisy is in good form. The player rolls a 3, and since the difficulty level is average, the die roll is not modified. This is three points below her base score, so she earns 3 points more than her agility score for a total of 8. During the first length through the corn field, Pinwheel Daisy rolls a 6 on the dice. Since the difficulty level is sort of hard, one is added to the die roll for a result of 7. Since this is one point higher than her base score, Pinwheel Daisy earns one point less than her agility score, or 4 points. She also expends one point of fatigue because the die roll on the second length was a “failure.” Her total point tally after the second length is 12 points. Pinwheel Daisy and each of her competitors will continue to tally points for each length until they reach the finish.

Fatigue While Racing

During each length of the race, one fatigue point is used for each failed attribute check on any length. Any length that has an obstacle or stunt of some sort also uses one point of fatigue. “Straight” lengths that do not have obstacles or stunts do not use fatigue as long as the pony’s attribute check is a success. Once the racer’s fatigue reaches 0, she will be unable to use any additional speed burst, and the difficulty level of each remaining length is increased by one level.

What about Speed?

A pony character with a sub-talent of speed in flying, rodeo or running may choose to push themselves to their full potential by using their speed talent. The player chooses how many points of speed he wants to use, so a pony with a speed talent level 4 could choose to use 1, 2, 3 or 4 points of speed on each length of the race. The player can also choose to take it easy and not use the speed talent on a particular length. The decision to use a speed burst must be declared before the dice are rolled for that lengths attribute check.

Each level of speed used on a length involving a stunt or obstacle adds one to the point total earned for that length. However each level of speed used also adds one to the difficulty level for that stunt or obstacle, and also cost the pony one point of fatigue. Using speed on a straight length (one that does not involve a stunt or obstacle) does not add to the difficulty level, but cost one fatigue point per level used.

Catastrophe in Racing

A catastrophe results in the pony tripping, slipping, falling or otherwise suffering a setback that results in 0 points for that length of the race. If the pony was using her speed talent, she does not earn the extra points, but still loses a number of fatigue points equal to the number of speed levels she was attempting to use.

Brilliant Deeds in Racing

A pony that scores a brilliant deed during a race length is in great form. If the pony used a speed talent, she will not use any fatigue points for that length. In addition, the difficulty level of the next length in the course will be reduced by one level. Calculate the number of points scored normally.

The Advance Race Rules:

In order to give the advanced rules the full attention they deserve, the advanced rules will be released with the “The Seashore Sprint Trophy Race.”

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