Rules Questions?

[Jedaii]

Please post any specific rules questions below.

[Neopopulas]

Question 1: Signature Weapon says: "When using this weapon, you receive a bonus die."

Is this bonus die for attack, damage, or both?

Question 2: Are you going to use static damage reduction from armour or rolled?

Edited May 20, 2023 by Neopopulas (see edit history)

[Jedaii]

Hi, how are you @Neopopulas? Doing well I hope. 

1. Both
2. Static

[Neopopulas]

Doing good with the opportunity to play a little more BoL.

I'm using a slightly adapted version of an old character i didn't get a chance to use so its already mostly finished but i wanted to ask a question about Trademark weapon.

Technically its one weapon, but for weapons that use ammunition or are ammunition, how would you rule it? I was hoping to have throwing knives as my trademark weapon, not ideal damage-wise but i feel like they would be a lot of fun, but i can't guarantee that i will be able to get back all the knives and they are technically more than one weapon. I think Trademark weapons when they are bows affect all the arrows but i'm not sure how you would rule throwing knives.

The goal is to basically just have her always covered in knives that she's hiding, the running joke being that she's just got an unreasonable about of knives on her at all times and never seems to run out. But they would have to interact with Trademark Weapon a little weirdly so i wanted to get your ruling on it before i invested in the idea too much.

[Jedaii]

3 minutes ago, Neopopulas said:

Doing good with the opportunity to play a little more BoL.

I'm using a slightly adapted version of an old character i didn't get a chance to use so its already mostly finished but i wanted to ask a question about Trademark weapon.

Technically its one weapon, but for weapons that use ammunition or are ammunition, how would you rule it? I was hoping to have throwing knives as my trademark weapon, not ideal damage-wise but i feel like they would be a lot of fun, but i can't guarantee that i will be able to get back all the knives and they are technically more than one weapon. I think Trademark weapons when they are bows affect all the arrows but i'm not sure how you would rule throwing knives.

The goal is to basically just have her always covered in knives that she's hiding, the running joke being that she's just got an unreasonable about of knives on her at all times and never seems to run out. But they would have to interact with Trademark Weapon a little weirdly so i wanted to get your ruling on it before i invested in the idea too much.

I'd rather the Kir was her TW and she carries a lot of daggers for throwing. The Boon is very specific about TW being one special weapon the character has mastered. 

A compromise I'd offer is Vahana only has daggers and she's always only used daggers, which is why she's a master using them. Thoughts?

[Neopopulas]

I would absolutely take Only Daggers. I'm happy to use daggers in and out of ranged combat. Daggers are easier to hide than the Kir (they are big and curvy and obvious) and Vahana's whole thing is that she doesn't look dangerous until its already too late.

I have another quick question. Boons and flaws. I was reading them and i wanted to make sure i understood it correctly because i was going over my sheet again and i realised i might not have. I believe its like this, but if you can confirm or deny that'd be great;

You get 1 boon for free. If you want more boons, you have to take a flaw to balance it OR you can pay a hero point and NOT have a flaw. So, it could look something like this;

Boon	Flaw
Trademark Weapon	No boon, this is free
Sneaky	Hunted
Escape Artist	Illiterate
Battle Harness	Distrust of Sorcery

Because i think i originally had one too few boon (or one too many Flaws), which i have now updated, but then i realised i wasn't postive, so i thought i would ask!

[Jedaii]

The first (free) Boon comes from your region/city. The second can come from your career or region, but costs a HP (permanently) or you must take a Flaw. The third can come from the master list, but costs a HP (permanently) or you must take a Flaw. So you can't have more than three Boons. 

[Neopopulas]

Okay that was going to be my next question, if there was a cap on boons, good to know!

[Jedaii]

I also added "Favorable Careers and Boons" to the CC forum.

[Neopopulas]

Good call, one thing i often find hard in games sometimes is knowing what will be useful, I can't count the amount of times i've made a character and not been able to use them to their fullest because their abilities didn't align with the game.

[Excior]

I cant start making my PC untill monday

I have never plsyed this game and will need some help during charscter creation. 

[Jedaii]

3 hours ago, Excior said:

I cant start making my PC untill monday

I have never plsyed this game and will need some help during charscter creation. 

No problem. It's pretty easy.

[Malkavian Grin]

14 hours ago, Jedaii said:

I also added "Favorable Careers and Boons" to the CC forum.

Yes, I see there are some sea-related things on there. I took Landlubber thinking "nah, you'll be fine, most of the adventure will be land!" but  uh... I may have to change that haha

Edited May 21, 2023 by Malkavian Grin
I'm stupid (see edit history)

[Neopopulas]

On 5/21/2023 at 12:25 AM, Excior said:

I cant start making my PC untill monday

I have never plsyed this game and will need some help during charscter creation. 

Having made a few now i think the biggest hint to building characters and how they play is the Careers/Combat attributes split.

Careers: What you can do out of combat. If you are a barbarian you could argue you are good at hunting for food or surviving in the wilderness or tracking or even maybe resisting fear when fighting overwhelming odds. If you're an assassin or a thief you could argue you are good at sneaking or hiding or climbing or things like that.

Attributes: These are used in combat but also whenever you want to do something physically. If you want to be able to force open a gate to an ancient castle you want strength but if you want to be really sexy you want appeal.

Combat: You combine these with attributes but these are entirely combat related and pretty simple. Melee for hitting things, ranged for shooting things, initiative for going first, defense for dodging.

The key thing people sometimes mistake when first making characters is that careers don't do anything in combat and most attributes don't do anything out of combat.

And.. thats literally it. The steps to building a character are very short.

1) Pick Careers. Pick four careers, then divide 4 points between them (a career can be at 0). Careers are your out-of-combat skills, so pick things you want to be good at and you can build a backstory around.

2) Pick attributes. Divide 4 points between the 4 attributes. 0 is average. 3 is almost superhuman (3 is max). You can drop one to -1 but i don't suggest it. (I like to specialise in one heavily because it is very iconically S&S. Conan would have put a LOT into strength, which is why he's big and muscly)

3) Pick Combat abilities. Divide 4 points between the four (initiative, melee, ranged, defense).

4) Pick Boons and Flaws. Boons are what really make your character, i think. They basically all give you one bonus die (roll extra, drop lowest). Want to be huge and strong? Giant-Strength and Strength Feat. Want to be very a fast-talking, rich noble? Silver Tongue and Great Wealth. 1 boon free (from your starting city). +1 boon for every Flaw or Hero Point you give up (max 3 boons)

As a tip i would suggest not giving up hero points. They are insanely powerful and i can't think of a single boon i would want that would be worth it. Hero Points can make you capable of killing 8 rabble in a round, they can literally save your life, they can make you deal double damage, they can ensure critical hits.. They are worth too much to give up.

Edited May 22, 2023 by Neopopulas (see edit history)

[Jedaii]

@Neopopulas great breakdown!

The key with BoL is "roll 2d6 + relevant trait(s)" with a target number of 9:

• Initiative                                                   2d6 + Mind + Initiative
• Close Combat                                            2d6 + Agility (or Strength if unarmed) + Melee
• Ranged Combat                                         2d6 + Agility + Ranged & Ranged weapons have distance increments that affect accuracy
• Damage                                                    1d3, 1d6 or 2d6 (keeping the lowest for "d6L" or highest for "d6H") & add Strength for Melee weapons and 1/2 Strength (rounded-down) for Ranged weapons
• Perception/Insight                                       2d6 + Mind 
• Knowledge/Technical skills                            2d6 + Mind + relevant Career
• Athletics                                                     2d6 + Strength + relevant Career
• Acrobatics/Gymnastics                                 2d6 + Agility + relevant Career
• Persuasion/Deception/Intimidation                2d6 + Appeal + relevant Career
• Stealth/Sleight of Hand                                2d6 + Agility + relevant Career
• Performance                                               2d6 + Appeal + relevant Career

Protection deducts from inflicted damage: 

• Shield (+1 Defense)
• Light Armor (-1 damage)
• Medium Armor (-2 damage, -1 Agility)
• Heavy Armor (-3 damage, -2 Agility)
• Helmet (-1 damage, -1 Initiative)

Review "Combat Options" on pg. 67 to gain advantages and add cool maneuvers during battle.

Equipment is abstract with PCs having the gear normally carried by adventurers to include transport (horse/wagon).

Movement is more "Theater of the Mind"/abstract instead of using grids (but I'll provide combat maps for positioning).