In the thread TSOY: Bringing Down the Pain Question at The Forge, James_Nostack had some good questions. After showing him how Bringing Down the Pain works, he gave the funniest example I've ever read.
Round One
Player A: I am the best. I intend to win the cook-off.
Player B: I am competitive, so I'll cook stuff too.
(rolls are made as the players compete to gather herbs and spices)
Round Two
Player A: Man, I'm definitely gonna win this cook off now!
Player B: I'm gonna change my action! Ha ha, you don't know what's coming next!
(rolls are made, but since B's action is indeterminate he can only defend.)
Round Three
Player A: Yessir, gonna win that cook-off!
Player B: I sleep with A's girlfriend.
Wilhelm Fitzpatrick, an early playtester, clarified this example to make it more usable, but not as funny:
Player A has challenged Player B to a cook off.
Opposed Test
Roll.
Player A: My roll + complex crafts is higher than yours. My omelet is the tastiest! Taste defeat!
Player B: Not so fast bucko! let the pain be brought!
Start of Pain-Bringing
Player B takes damage equals to Player A's success level
Declaration of Intention
Player A: I will cook an omelet so tasty that more people say mine is best
Player B: No! more people will like my omelet
Round One
Player A: I'm going to add special herbs I gathered in the woods to make my omelet better so I can use my Woodscraft skill.
Player B: I'm going to talk about how tasty my omelet is going to be so that everybody watching will get excited. I'll use my Sway.
Player A's intention is to cook an omelet more people like
Player B's intention is to cook an omelet more people like
Roll: Player A wins again
Round Two
Player A: I'm simmering over a low heat -- complex crafts
Player B: I'm changing intention -- defending w/complex crafts
Player A's intention is to cook an omelet more people like
Player B's intention is in flux
Roll: Player B wins with a great roll, but does no damage
Round Three
Player A: Now I'm tossing my omelet skillfully in the pan -- complex crafts
Player B: Hah, I've added hassa flowers to my omelet, which I know your girlfriend is crazy for. When she eats this, she'll be putty in my hands. My intention is now to seduce your girlfriend. I'm rolling my seduce skill of 8!
Player A's intention is to cook an omelet more people like
Player B's intention is to seduce Player A's girlfriend
Roll: Player B wins again, and this time does damage
