I've taken to being stricter on two things:
- To use an augment you must narrate how it helps in that roll. i.e. want to augment with brave, narrate what your bravery helps you to do. Don't just say 'I augment with Brave', say 'the sheildwall is a terrifying place, but Gudny remembers his oaths to his chieftain in the mead hall and stands his ground'. Thinking up the narration tends to dissuade people from augmenting too many times.
- In an extended contest we figure out what augments you have each round. So if you want to use strong, you describe how your strength enables you to overcome your obstacle and you get it for that action. I wouldn't let you repeat too often. So Gudny can be brave once by remembering his oaths, but after that, think of something else.
I guess they could be summed up as the 'be interesting' law of augments.
Ian Cooper