Re: Edges, Augments and AP

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2000 14:27:50 -0700

> 1. From the synopsis..." Augmentation is a target number bonus from
> magic or mundane abilities..." (my italics), and "An edge is a
> situational modifier, whether from magic, possession, or other
> abilities. An edge is a number added to the stake when your opponent
> must forfeit or transfer APs"
>
> This appears to suggest that magic and mundane abilities can be
> either a bonus or an edge (or both?). Is this the case? Can they be

Yes.

> either, in which case how do you decide which to apply? Or, if they
> are seperate, which are target number bonuses and which are AP stake
> modifiers.

A Bonus means that it is easier to hit the target (think of RQ's +5% mechanic)
A Edge makes your hit do more damage, but you have to hit first (Think RQ's +1 Damage)

So RQ's old Bladesharp spell was a Bonus *and* an Edge combined in one.

Use the player's description of what he wants to do as a guide - if it seems that he wants to make the skill better able to "hit", then it's a Bonus, while if the attack does more "damage" it's an Edge.

As a *very* simplistic example, Dexterity *usually* equates to a Bonus, while Strength *usually* equates to an Edge

> 2. In a group extended contest, where the AP of a group are combined,
> what happens if one person withdraws from the contest before its
> conclusion? Are their AP pulled from the kitty?

The group's AP are not combined in a group extended, each Hero has his own AP pool (including followers). If you order a Follower to do an unrelated action ("Bob, go get my my saddlebags"), then you suffer -3 AP as Bob stops defending you and goes to the horses. It's assumed that Bob will be returning shortly (but you don't get the 3 AP back when he returns). If you order him out of the contest entirely ("Bob, go get the cavalry from town") then the narrator could simply remove "Bob's AP" from the hero's total.

> 3. A suggestion has been made that an attempt to hit a target with a
> bow might be settled by a simple contest or even an Ability test
> depending on the circumstances. If the AP mechanic isn't in use, how
> is any damage to the target determined? The ability test chart and
> the consequences chart don't seem to mesh too well.

Check the Degree of Success of the contest: Marginal=Dazed/-0
Minor=Hurt/-1
Major=Injured/x-1/2
Complete=Dying/no actions

(For an ability test, Critical=Complete Victory, Success is Minor Victory, Failure is Minor Defeat, and Fumble is Complete Defeat)

This allows the Narrator to run an encounter as any sort of contest, from Simple to Group extended, depending on the degree of dramatic weight it has. All contests ultimately produce a Degree of Success.

Roderick