John Harper Question about Not to be Trifled With, and Sharpshooter.
How long are these types of abilities supposed to last once activated?
It seems inferred that it only occurs when the player pushed themselves meaning for any given roll where it would be applicable the player would have to pay the 2 stress cost to get the benefit.
However it also seems likely it could be a grammar wording error and the ability is supposed to last for up to the entire scene.
Or is it something in between?
Pushing Yourself is good for one roll. It follows that the abovementioned abilities work the same way.
I like to think that actions, while probably not what’s generally considered “scene length”, aren’t cookie-cutter mini-segments of time and can stretch and shrink to cover the fiction.
I’d probably only apply it for one action, but I could see situations where having it carry forward makes sense. Summoning great strength to lift up a portcullis while your allies slip under it, for instance…
Depending on how long they’re taking to slip under said portcullis, I’d consider holding it up one action. Am I looking at that wrong?
For example, the Hound wants to snipe and kill one Blue Coat officer and it’s considered Controlled with Great effect. If the same Hound wanted to shoot and kill the officer and his squad, I’d call it Desperate with Limited effect. I’d still consider both actions even though the latter clearly takes more time and opens up the possibility of return fire, a jam, etc. Does this make sense?
Ben Liepis, yeah, I think that makes sense. Given that, I’m not coming up with any instances where I think it makes sense to last more than one action.
Sean Nittner , in that we agree. I don’t feel it’s OK to lift and toss carriages over and over, all with one action. Is that kind of where you’re going? It really boils down to how much the group feels can be crammed into one roll of the dice, me thinks.
The special effect can last as long as it’s sensible in the fiction. (maybe you can fight as a small gang for the whole battle). The +1d or extra effect applies to one roll.
John Harper , good point, thanks. I totally love the idea of a crew who all bought The Devil’s Footsteps wuxia leaping across Duskwall!