The Clock is Ticking: Using Tension Dice for Quests, Threats, and Twists
Using Tension Dice to Simulate a Living World
Is there anything more thrilling than creating organic randomness, a system so dynamic it surprises even you? That’s the magic of solo roleplaying: crafting an experience that unfolds mysteriously, where not even you know what happens next.
Lately, I’ve been immersed in Broken Shores by Alex T. of Blackoath Entertainment (creator of Disciples of Bone and Shadow, Across a Thousand Dead Worlds, and Ker Nethalas). After dusting off my printed PDF, I escaped a sinister cult… only to find myself adrift at sea on a stolen raft, clutching a few pilfered treasures. But I was free.
...and I was inspired by Alex's Usage Die mechanic as a possible way to track quest progress, answer yes or no questions, as an event trigger and possibly more that I'm still coming up with as I'm writing this weeks post. The core mechanical changes are in place, but I'm still exploring its full potential. That's where I, and hopefully you come in. I hope this inspires you to find new ways of exploring what's already in place not just here, but in other aspects of your playing.
What if I used Alex’s Usage Die mechanic to track quests, answer yes/no questions, or trigger events? The core idea is solid, but its potential feels limitless—and that’s where you come in. I hope this sparks your creativity, not just for this system but for all your gaming experiments.
We all eventually get stuck on certain ideas and concepts and become stagnant and comfortable to certain ideas. Keep rolling the dice, keep things moving by refreshing those ideas and comforts, even if it's in the same old direction. Movement, is movement, regardless of progress. What matters most is the effort, big or small.
If you've used this system before this will likely seem familiar. It’s the same idea, but from a different angle.
Core Mechanic:
The Tension Die
First we assign a die type (d12 → d10 → d8 → d6 → d4) to represent the "progress" or "certainty" of a quest/event. Each time a key moment occurs (meeting an NPC, uncovering a clue), roll the die against a probability threshold that is decided upon in the moment. Consider atmosphere, intuition, known details and then consider what it is you expect to happen. Then decide what the probabiltiy of this place being the entrance to the Sanctuary of the Dreaming Dead, an enchanted shrine that weaves the dreams of the departed into reality. Or perhaps you want to know something a bit less intense... Maybe you're just asking a random stranger if this is the house of the women who can speak to the dead?
How sure are you... really?
Decide, then roll to see the universes response to your question...
Probability Thresholds
Choose one of three scales for each roll:
Threshold Table
Roll within the given range for a successful check, or confirmation. Any value rolled outside this field simply means nothing happens, or it's a failure. Depending on what you are doing with it.
The Case for Quests: Probability Distribution
I think it's important to point out some variables at play, and make a case for this mechanic as a means for tracking quests. I do this by taking a look at some numbers. This way you can make call on your own. What I wanted to know was the probability of completing a quest too soon and taking on a quest that drags on for too long. I also wanted to know the general dead center, (18 in this case) so that I could present to you the numbers, and you can then say... '...well that's just too many steps to complete a quest for me.' or if you think the feels about right... you can jump right in an go for it as is.
...a bit of math and math help later...
Turns out most of the time, a quest will have (roughly) 11 to 25 steps to complete using this method, if you start with a d12; those two outer values being less common. If you're a sucker for long drawn out quests throw in a d20 for some real fun. I don't know that my attention span is wide enough to accommodate that large of a quest; unless it's something I'm working on in the background. For example, I'm also trying to find out where I came from, who I am... That could, and commonly would span several years if not decades. So you could very well top off something like that with a d100 if you're really not in a hurry.
What I'm saying is that you can shorten or lengthen the number of steps required for any given aspect of roleplaying by simply adding or subtracting dice. I personally like to get down to d3 and d2 in cases where I want to drag things on a bit longer, or simply want to up the drama; the math shifts to meet your needs.
So what happens if you end up on one of the unlikely results and you want to shorten or lengthen your quest because it's flying by so fast? Well, to speed things up, either kick a die or two off the bottom or the top. Cheat. I'm giving you some permission to cheat if things get a little too fast and need slowing down, or they've gone on too long and need resolved. Who's gonna punish you? There's nothing out there interested in that. If you're playing solo, there's no one there but you... And you certainly don't need to punish yourself for anything. Life is already pretty challenging. Don't sweat the small stuff. Seriously, most of life's issues are like passing weather. Everything is passing through, no need to cling to things because nothing is ever still enough to remain the thing you're trying to grab.
Tracking Quests with Tension Die.
Track quests by stepping down dice as you move closer to your objective. When you reach the d4, you are nearing the final moments. Will you succeed or is your role in this lifetime up for now?
To Start, assign the quest a d12 for a quest that will have roughly, 11-22 steps to complete. There's not way of knowing just how many, and that's what we want right? Is that not the pinnacle of solitaire play? Finding ways to create natural randomness that is hidden even from us? That's been one of my personal goals since I started in this hobby. Finding a way create a dynamic experience that unfolds in front of me, without me knowing exactly what's going on at all times.
Now, while you're playing, Key Moments are going to arise, and you're gonna think to yourself, 'Hey, does seem important?' -- When you believe you’ve hit a milestone (found an NPC who remembers my parents), pick a probability scale. Is it Likely that they are telling the truth, or are the lying to me in order to gain my trust? Perhaps we're not sure and the answer is Unclear. Or, what if we overheard them earlier, quite obviously running a scam on someone else; it's certainly Unlikely that they are telling the truth.
Let's for example, say we did overhear them scamming someone earlier. We could ask them a fake question and check their response against a dice roll, using the current Tension Die.
Next, Roll to see if the result is less than the threshold value (see table). Success happens when the assumption is correct; the quest progresses and you step down to the next smallest die (d8, d6, d4). Failure occurs when a complication arises (NPC is an impostor, or just the wrong person) and you continue using the current die.
Climax occurs when you achieve a successful roll on the lowest die; the quest resolves successfully or catastrophically.
Triggering Events (with, Scalable Thresholds)
What if we shift things a bit and use the same mechanic, only instead of tracking quests, we track event triggers? We all know that boring games lead to less enjoyable time right? We want to trigger events; turns and twists in our stories are what make up the really important bits, am I right? How many core memories do you have that revolve around boring events?
Roll the die, if the result falls in the range given on the following table, an event triggers. But frequency is up to you. You like options, I provide options. If you want, or feel that events need to happen more frequently, use the Frequent results. Had too much for one evening and want to slow things down? Roll on the Rare results.
How to:
Pick a Scale based on narrative tension:
Frequent (75%): "The cult’s spies are everywhere—every alley roll could mean a tail."
Standard (50%): "The rebel faction is cautious; contacts are trust-but-verify."
Rare (25%): "The legendary sword is said to be in this ruin... but so are a thousand fakes."
Modify Thresholds On the Fly:
Needing more action? Shift to Frequent.
Event is cryptic or high-stakes? Use Rare.
Die Step-Down for Escalation:
Start with a d12 (broad uncertainty), then step down to a d6 as the threat becomes imminent.
Example Scenarios:
Tracking a Rumor (d10, Standard 50% = 1-5):
Roll 1-5: The lead pans out (a tavern patron knows something).
Roll 6+: Dead end (but maybe next time).
Avoiding a Disaster (d6, Rare 25% = 1):
Roll 1: The bridge collapses mid-crossing!
Roll 2-6: It holds... for now.
Speeding Up a Quest (Shift to Frequent 75%):
Change a d8 "Unclear" trigger (1-4) to 1-6—now clues arrive twice as fast.
3. Examples
Quest: Find the Lost Shrine
d12 Start: Roll Likely (1-9) to confirm a rumor.
Roll 7: Rumor is true! Step down to d10.
d10: Roll Unclear (1-5) to decode a map.
Roll 6: Misinterpretation! Step down to d8.
d8: Roll Unlikely (1-2) to avoid bandits.
Roll 1: Escape! Step down to d6.
d4 Climax: Confront the shrine’s guardian.
Dramatic Tension: Impending Hurricane
d12: After each hex traveled, roll to see if the storm gains strength.
Roll 2 → Steps to d10.
d10: Roll 1 → Steps to d8. Sky darkens.
d4: Storm strikes! Roll for survival (p.74-75).
Deescalation Mechanic (Optional)
When the players mitigate a threat (negotiate peace, destroy a villain’s resources, or flee danger), step the die up one size (e.g., d6 → d8). Feel free to incorporate this directly for best results. I'm simply providing this as an optional mechanic, but truly one would want to throw it all together right? Not always. In fact there are certainly situations where we are only interested in deescalation or only escalation.
When to Use ESCALATION Only?
The threat grows worse over time, with no way to stop it, only delay. I've had an idea in my head for years about an underground threat, a rot that creeps ever closer across the land, towards the town, towards the mountains where an ancient oak tree sits, creator and maintainer of this land. It's not a matter of stopping it, more like preparing for what comes after...
We’ve all faced moments where hope runs thin—where plans crumble despite our best efforts. It’s easy to see these as misfortunes, aberrations in an otherwise orderly world. But what if they’re not? What if every setback, every misunderstood event, even the smallest grain of dust out of place, is exactly where it’s meant to be? Not as punishment, but as purpose, hidden threads in a pattern we can’t yet see.
You can also time an impending event in the background. For example, you found a door earlier, it was locked, but had no keyhole, no way to open it. Above the doorway it is written...
You've found the door. Soon the door will open and the hunt will began.
Start with a d8 and roll every time you enter a new room. When you roll a 1-2 (Rare) step down to the next die. When you've run out of dice, the door opens and whatever creature it holds is released. The hunt has begun and you are the pray. If you're interested in allowing such a thing to wander about on it's own, or even towards you, take a look at my Hunting with Lucy post from last year. That tracking system, needs some work, but it's functional enough to give NPC's and monsters a basic sense of intelligence. I'll have to update that sometime soon.
If you don't want to use a tracking mechanic, you can simply roll an additional set of Tension Die for the this creature and place it randomly closer to you every time you step down on the dice.
Impending Natural Disaster
For Example, a volcano’s eruption die (d12 → d4) steps down every session. Players can’t stop it—only flee or mitigate damage. This is great way of introducing impending doom in your roleplaying and storytelling. You can setup a set of Tension Die and trigger stepping down in a variety of ways. For example, after a given number of actions, say 3, you roll to see if an event triggers a shift in the impending doom; the volcano rumbles, the earth quakes reminding you of your fate should you fail.
Why? Some forces are beyond mortal intervention.
Inevitable Curse
Example: A lycanthropy infection die (d10) steps down weekly. On d4, the first transformation occurs.
Why? The curse’s progression is the drama—finding a cure is the quest, not die manipulation.
Ticking Clock for Villain’s Plan
Example: A cult’s ritual die (d20 → d4) steps down as they gather sacrifices. Players must disrupt the cult to pause it, not reverse it.
Why? The villain’s momentum should feel inexorable.
When to Use DEESCALATION Only
When the threat lessens through effort—but won’t get worse on its own. Or when you want something to settle down on it's own without much interference from you.
Healing a Wound
Example: A mortal injury starts at d4. Each successful medicine check steps it up (d4 → d6 → d8). At d12, the wound heals.
Why? No backsliding—progress feels earned.
Rebuilding Trust
Example: A betrayed NPC’s "anger die" (d6) steps up to d12 as players make amends. On d12, they’re forgiven.
Why? Trust isn’t a yo-yo; it’s a one-way climb.
Cleansing Corruption
Example: A haunted forest’s "blight die" (d4) steps up to d12 as players purify shrines. No rolls—it only improves.
Why? The focus is on incremental victory.
When to COMBINE Both
Most of the time I'd say. For dynamic threats that ebb and flow there's no other way to mimic real life.
War Campaign:
Escalation: Enemy reinforcements arrive (die steps down).
Deescalation: You sabotage supply lines (die steps up).
Political Intrigue:
A noble’s "suspicion die" steps down if players act recklessly, but up if they plant false evidence.
Rules:
Trigger Thresholds Remain the Same (use your 25%/50%/75% table).
Example: A d8 threat at Standard (50%) triggers on 1-4. After deescalation to d10, it now triggers on 1-5—still 50%, but the larger die spreads out the rolls.
Max Die = d20 (represents a dormant/neutralized threat).
If stepped above d20, the threat is resolved entirely.
Player-Driven Costs:
Require a cost to deescalate (e.g., expended resources, a sacrifice, or a hard choice).
"You burn the cult’s ledger—step the pursuit die up to d10, but now they’re desperate and more violent on triggers."
Example Uses:
Fleeing a Pursuit:
Start: Cultists hunt the party (d12, Frequent 75% = 1-9).
Deescalate: The party sabotages the cult’s horses (step up to d20). Now triggers only on 1-15—fewer encounters as the cult regroups.
Negotiating a Truce:
Start: A duke’s assassin rolls d6 (Rare 25% = 1) to strike.
Deescalate: The party saves his daughter. Step up to d8—now triggers on 1-2, and the duke hesitates.
Long-Term Campaign Threat:
A demon’s "corruption die" (d4) escalates when players fail. After a holy ritual, step it up to d6, buying time before the next crisis.
Tracking Multiple Situations
I bet by now, you're starting to think about how you would go about tracking all these different situations without using a ton of dice. Honestly, you just need one set to track everything. I write it all down, other times I use Notepad for similar and track them as seen below.
Notepad template:
ACTIVE TENSION DICE
[ ] Faction War (d8) | Threshold: 1-5
[ ] Vendetta (d6) | Threshold: 1-3
[ ] Storm (d10) | Threshold: 1-7 And that's it for this week, but certainly not everything I wanted to cover. I'd like to come back to this again and explore some other ideas. However, time restraints mean I don't have the ability go through every idea I have lingering in my brain. Either way, I hope you've found this weeks post to be useful and a starting point for your own ideas and concepts. Stay curious everyone; I appreciate you all, please take care of yourselves and one another. We're all we've got. See you next week on the Solo Roleplaying Buddha.