Progress Clocks

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What is a progress clock?

A progress clock is a visual tool used to track ongoing effort against a complex obstacle or impending danger in a game. It is typically represented as a circle divided into segments, similar to a pie chart. The obstacle's complexity or the danger's distance determines the number of segments in the clock. More segments indicate a more complex task or a more distant threat.

NOTE

While the progress clock can be divided into any number of segments, the most common configurations are 4, 6, and 8 segments.

Each time significant progress is made against the obstacle or towards impending danger, a segment of the clock is filled in. The clock provides an at a glance indication of how close the players are to overcoming the obstacle or how imminent the danger is.

Once all segments of the clock are filled, the obstacle has been overcome or the danger has arrived. Progress clocks can add tension and excitement to a game, as they provide a clear visual representation of looming threats or difficult tasks.

Acknowledgement

Progress clocks are not new, in fact, many games use them. Many gamemasters probably used boxes, slides or other similar methods that work identically to a progress clock. Blades in the Dark RPG most recently popularised them again.

How do you use a progress clock?

1. Define the goal or danger: Establish what the clock represents, whether it's a complicated task your characters are trying to complete, a mystery they're unravelling, or an impending threat they're working to prevent.

2. Determine the number of segments: Decide how many segments the clock should have based on the complexity of the goal or the distance of the danger. More segments mean a more complicated task or a more distant threat.

3. Fill in segments based on the outcome of rolls: When a character makes a roll to advance towards the goal or away from the danger, the outcome of that roll determines how many segments you fill.

   a. Success rolled for a complicated task, fill in 1 segment.

   b. Critical rolled for a complicated task, fill in 1 segment per Critical.

   c. Failed roll, fill in 1 segment on a detection clock.

   d. Critical failure roll, fill in 2 segments on a detection clock.

4. Track the progress: As segments are filled, the clock visually represents how close the characters are to achieving their goal or how imminent the danger is becoming.

5. Completion: When all segments of the clock are filled, the characters have either reached their goal or the danger has come to pass.

Example: Define the goal Players are attempting to break into a highly secure facility.

Determine the segments The facilities security system has Cameras, Noise, Motion, and Vibration Sensors so bypassing, overcoming these 4 sensor types of detection gives us 4 segments on the security progress clock.

Because this is a highly secure facility and we want to add tension, we’ll add a detection clock with 3 segments. Each failed Skill check will fill in a segment, if the detection clock is completed first the player's characters will have been detected by the security system before gaining access.

Fill in segments on the outcome of rolls One of the players is a Hacktivist, using their Computer Hacking Skill they start attempting to disable the security system. On their first roll, they achieve one (1) Critical, 2 segments of the progress clock are filled in. This could represent the Hacktivist has disabled both the Noise & Vibration sensors, leaving the Cameras & Motion sensors active.

Track progress While the Hacktivist works to disable the last 2 sensors, another player decides their character will attempt to help, Critical failing their Skill check fills in 2 segments on the Detection progress clock.

Tension is now building as 1 more failed Skill check will mean the detection clock is completed and the security system will detect the players.

Completion The Hacktivist on their second Skill check manages another Critical Success, this fills in the 2 remaining segments. The players have successfully disabled the security system.

Types of progress clocks

Don’t create clocks with fewer than three or four segments. If a situation is simple enough for only an action or two to complete, you don’t need a clock to track it. Just use position and effect to determine what happens with an action roll.

Not every obstacle requires a clock, only particularly complex ones. Some example clocks are listed below, but the GM can use clocks for any situation they can think of.

Challenge Clock A Challenge Clock is a type of progress clock that represents an ongoing challenge or obstacle that isn't likely to be overcome with a single action. This could be anything from winning someone's trust to hacking a complex security system.

For example, you might be trying to convince Sargent Farah the leader of a local militia, a rather cautious and stubborn individual, to lend their support to your cause; taking out an outlander gang terrorising the region. The Game Master might create two Challenge Clocks in this case:

Sargent Farah's Resolve (6 segments): This clock represents Farah's resistance to your arguments. Every time you make a compelling argument (GM’s discretion if a Skill check is required) that appeals to Farah's interests or ideals, you fill in one or more segments on this clock. When all segments are filled, it means you've successfully worn down Farah's resolve and they've agreed to help you.

Sargent Farah's Patience (4 segments): This clock represents Farah's patience with you. Every time you do something that annoys or offends Farah, you fill in one or more segments on this clock. If all segments are filled, it means Farah has lost their patience and is no longer willing to listen to the players or help them in any way.

These Challenge Clocks create a dynamic interaction where you're trying to fill one clock while avoiding filling the other. This adds tension to the game and allows for complex, multi-step challenges that can't be resolved with a single roll.