OOC discussion and questions.

[Stirling]

Okay I will try to answer some questions.

Spellcasting becomes easier as you advance experience levels or boost Arcane Background (your class).

The Detect Arcana cast didn't work so you only 'picked up' what was narrated.

Protection seems a bit 'nerfed' for me as the way it is written means you stand still and concentrate until eventually an opponent succeeds in their attack attempts. I would arbitrate that as long as you are holding forth the 'foci' of the Protection, (your Bible, crucifix, crystal skull, etc) then you can move your normal movement rate. Running additional distance would need a concentration check. I would also add for each raise you may shelter an ally within a radius equal to 10'ft x Faith skill dice type. Anyone under cover of a Protection, loses their blessing if they make attacks that could deal damage. So you could continue with defensive spells, tricks, intimidating and taunting, healing but not melee or range attacks or cast an offensive spell.

[Marullus]

That makes sense. Thanks!

Narratively, Wina, Bolt, and Malcom are established not in the copse. Pastor Flannigan is in the copse with Lt. Bailey and three troopers. It is unclear where LaGrange is - is he at the copse and within range for me? If so, I will call out to LaGrange and Lt. Bailey and protect them both.

Spellcasting becomes easier as you advance experience levels or boost Arcane Background (your class).

How are we doing this mechanically? Am I competent at my own level, or when casting below my level? It may impact now. Do I take a -2 for each level above my own? (Novice 0, Seasoned -2, Veteran -4) or for my level and above? (Novice -2, Seasoned -4, but when I get Seasoned then it is Novice 0, Seasoned -2?)

[Stirling]

Okay though retrospectively as Lieu Biley attacked and the skins dropped on the two troopers it makes sense for you to ward them. LaGrone is out of range.

After reading through the game mechanics, it is actually your investment into Faith skill points that increase die type and thus give you better chances of successfully petitioning for an answered prayer. As a 'Blessed' you have access to all powers available to your class and don't use power points. So we will have to look at how you can increase the effect of powers. For example Barrier costs 1pp but 3 sectionss costs 3pp. I am reticent about ruling Blessed can only cast powers at their base effect so I will think on it. (Maybe something like a basic success Faith rolling hitting TN 4 you cast the power at Base level, a Faith total of 5-7 gains you the effects of an extra 2pp, a raise of 8-11 equates to ×4pp effect, so on. Will have to study how the dynamics work).

[Marullus]

Okay, so we're saying retroactively that I'm protecting the two troopers they dropped on, because Lt. Bailey attacked? (I'm okay with that, just making sure I understand.)

Thanks for looking into the casting rules and explaining them. It is a good perk to be able to cast all Prayers and not need Power Points. Losing Die Size for every failure and getting the increasing risk of a Crisis of Faith that removes all powers is a potent consideration to balance it. I think being able to cast a Veteran spell at -6 as a Novice is hard as hell, but justified. What I don't see is how improving to be a Seasoned or Veteran character impacts it. Die size caps out at 1d12, and 1d12-6 never really gets better. (For example, I'm looking to do an Exorcism soon. It's not only going to be 1d10-6, but its a contested test against a Manitou WITH that much of a penalty. That's wild. But I like failure as much as success!) While I would certainly like to be proficient at Novice spells as a Novice, I think having a benefit kick in after leveling-up (Novice 0, Seasoned -2, Veteran -4) is probably more fair. As for "all powers at base level" I don't really understand the rules enough to really appreciate that, so I do appreciate your review of it.

[Gremlin]

I think it's to balance Blessed against the other Arcane types. Blessed get access to every power in the game and don't have any power points to worry about, all from buying one edge and a skill. So they have penalties for casting harder Blessings. Other Arcane types have to invest many, many edges into learning and improving their limited number of powers and have to worry about running out of gas. Blessed seem like the 'jack of all trades, master of none' version of the Arcane types.

[redwarrior]

For Malcolm. Yes your fate chip was used to re-roll and one of the shooting dice rolled a natural 1 which gives you an automatic Shaken backlash. On your action turn then you manage to become unshaken and escape the grapple of the skin.

Moving here to not interrupt game flow, but I want to follow up because I think I'm not getting something.
My reroll was
to hit Bolt 1 [1d10+2] = 1+2 = 3, Bolt 2 [1d10+2] = 9+2 = 11, Bolt 3 [1d10+2] = 8+2 = 10, Wild Card [1d6] = 4

If I understand how the Wild Card die works, wouldn't it have replaced the "1" I rolled?
On the pre-fate chip use I get why I was screwed, I had 2 busts... But I'm not getting it on the reroll.

Not trying to be a rules lawyer, just want to make sure I understand. Totally fine with whatever the adjudication is, I just want to make sure I'm getting the mechanics. Especially as I could be tempted to use a second fate point to fix my second round roll which ALSO had two busts.

[Stirling]

Redwarrior

Backlash

If a huckster opts for the standard method of casting spells, he makes his Spellcasting roll as usual. If the spellslinger rolls a 1 on his Spellcasting die, (regardless of the result of his Wild Die), he suffers backlash and is Shaken.

So you cast Bolt. One also criticallunch failed but with poor results you used a fate chip to re-roll the entire string and though obtained better damage, still critted a 1 on a skill dice which causes the Shaken backlash effect. Knowing that at the time you could have immediately spent a fare chip to alleviate the condition but since you didn't know I halted any effect of the skin grappling until the issue was resolved.

Doc Bolt you may want to re-roll your bolt gun attack as it follows a very similar class penalty for Weird Scientists.

The bad news is that whenever someone using a scientist’s gizmo rolls a 1 on their trait die (regardless of the result of their Wild Die), it explodes, erupts, or otherwise breaks in the most spectacular and injurious manner possible. (Remember, this ghost rock is volatile stuff). This causes 2d6 damage in a Medium Burst Template centered on the user. The gizmo is ruined until repaired, which requires 2d6 hours and a Repair roll by someone with Arcane Background (Weird Science).

[redwarrior]

Redwarrior

Backlash

If a huckster opts for the standard method of casting spells, he makes his Spellcasting roll as usual. If the spellslinger rolls a 1 on his Spellcasting die, (regardless of the result of his Wild Die), he suffers backlash and is Shaken.

So you cast Bolt. One also criticallunch failed but with poor results you used a fate chip to re-roll the entire string and though obtained better damage, still critted a 1 on a skill dice which causes the Shaken backlash effect. Knowing that at the time you could have immediately spent a fare chip to alleviate the condition but since you didn't know I halted any effect of the skin grappling until the issue was resolved.

Ah, ok that makes sense. I didn't catch that bit. Now I know, and as G.I. Joe says, knowing is half the battle.
Appreciate the patience.

[Gremlin]

One thing I noticed about the Unseen Servant character sheets is when you add or subtract money, it just updates the total instead of adding a line to indicate each entry. Should we be keeping a running total someplace else so we have a record of each transaction?

Also, the Deadlands book didn't have pricing on horse feed so I just charged myself $4 for a day's worth of forage. That's eight times a day's rations. I picked it just to make my total even, so if it should be more or less let me know. I may need to buy more rations/forage for Alice and Copper if Rourke thinks we need more anyway.

Edit: Oh by the way, I've been meaning to ask but I keep forgetting. How are experience points being handled?

[Stirling]

Just update your $ balance and cents. Dollars are in silver pieces SP and cents as CP. If you get any gold dust, gold value you can record that. Just add to your inventory and take off the appropriate cost rounded up in SP.

XP will be awarded at the conclusion of various missions and adventures and shared equally between participants.

[Gremlin]

The next morning you breakfast and see Mr Bartlett in his office. He has an official contract for you which authorises you to work and investigate on behalf of the Denver-Pacific.

Moving this here so the IC thread doesn't get sidetracked with OOC questions.

I saw the official contract, I was just wondering if we were given an official identifying card or even Denver-Pacific badge or something of that nature. Typewriters were starting to be a thing by the mid/late 1880s in the real world (and with mad science gizmos they might have been even more widespread in Deadlands) so making official credentials of some kind seems like it might be possible.

[Stirling]

Apologies for slow posting in the Fort forum. I had an issue at work which took a lot of my free time to put right. I will get the draft finished and posted tomorrow Friday. (I am overseeing some studentdoing Uni exam papers which with lockdown still need invigilator supervision).

To answer Alice. You and Rourke are equipped with a DP logo badge which can keep in a wallet with the written credentials.

[Rex]

No problem, real life stuff comes up.

[Gremlin]

Wow, poor Mrs Lineacre.

[Stirling]

Fate of the dice roller. Got a 1 on the weird science use roll which equates to a failure and rolled high damage. It plays well into the narrative instead of me using a Fate chip to negate the result.

Personally I think it was a great result for role play.

[Gremlin]

Just another reminder of how fragile non-wildcards are. Still have to get used to that.

And yes, it should prompt some pretty good roleplaying.

[Marullus]

We're within the "golden hour." Let me know if healing prayers are possible and needed.[/ooc]

It looks like the Healing spell could save lives unless the GM rules that they're mooks, in which case it can't be attempted. I'd like to try and save Bram's Mom - is it feasible?

[Gremlin]

Just FYI, typically Guts rolls are made with a penalty equal to the local Fear Level but with a bonus equal to the character's Grit.

[Stirling]

Yes it should be set at -1 but I think a couple of folk have a true grit edge which negates the current Fear level -2.

Thank you for the reminder.

[redwarrior]

So how would guts work in this situation? Malcom failed, so he's shaken (only 1 fate chip left, don't want to use it yet in case I need to soak some damage) with the transformation. Does he remain so for the duration? Or is it a Spirit roll an hour, or some other model?