What does the Trivial Knowledge card add over providing Assistance (other than the minor side effect)?
When Winning Smile says, you get to influence the target, is there any guidance as to what that "influence" may entail. I assume not and that its left to narrative (which is cool).
Skywalker said:
What does the Trivial Knowledge card add over providing Assistance (other than the minor side effect)?
When Winning Smile says, you get to influence the target, is there any guidance as to what that "influence" may entail. I assume not and that its left to narrative (which is cool).
Trivial Knowledge doesn't add anything other than a an additional fortune die or two to any ally approximately every 3 rounds. Note that it is a Reaction card however, so happens on another player's turn and doesn't count as an action for you. And the bonus can be applied to any dice pool for any action they attempt. So you're just a free bonus generator.
As for Winning Smile, you are correct in that the GM has to decide what "influence" means. It may mean that your or your party's subsequent actions next turn get extra fortune dice as the NPC's disposition towards you improves. If using a progress tracker, it may mean that a token is advanced an additional space in a favorable direction.
Cheers for the response.
Talking to the fighter: "Ooh, I read up on the physiology of Orcs, and supposedly they have a weak spot THERE..." Fighter gains fortune dice on his next attack.
Talking to the thief: "Ooh, I read up on this form of Tilean architecture. You'll easily find hand holds every three feet because of the particular column headers..." Thief gains fortune dice on his next climb check up the building.
So many possibilities.
Necrozius said:
So many possibilities.
All of which can be done with an Assist Manuever. The big different is that Trivial Knowledge can be done as a reaction.
Skywalker said:
All of which can be done with an Assist Manuever. The big different is that Trivial Knowledge can be done as a reaction.
The point that I was making was that Trivial Knowledge, unlike Assist Maneuver, is wholly based on book smarts. It's a fun idea (for role playing) as well as a useful ability for intellectual characters.
No longer are they restricted to doing research to help a party out. Now they can jump in, mid-conflict (or combat) and apply their expertise.
Necrozius said:
The point that I was making was that Trivial Knowledge, unlike Assist Maneuver, is wholly based on book smarts. It's a fun idea (for role playing) as well as a useful ability for intellectual characters.
No longer are they restricted to doing research to help a party out. Now they can jump in, mid-conflict (or combat) and apply their expertise.
Whilst true, the Assist Manoeuvre also applies to uses of books smarts to assist another PC. As such, Trivial Knowledge would add little more. However, the ability to use it reactively is new.
You know, I'd be so tempted to run a character with Trivial Knowledge and give him the catchphrase 'You don't want to do it like that; you want to do it like this.'
As a GM, i limit "assist manoeuver" A LOT. A character must have something in game to be able to use it. And if this seems to rely only on numbers on the character's sheet but in a situation which may authorize some assist, PC has to be trained in a specific skill at least.
Then, without using a the special abilities there's usually few way to assist :
- a knowledge check, except if a character has a good reason to know something (background, etc...)
- a combat check. Without an "assisting manoeuver" talent, you can't upgrade someone's battle prowess. As there are at least 2 characters, they already have got an advantage because their adversary has to spent defenses against 2+ attacks each round.
- an Strengh or Agility check, except if there is something to help like getting someone on your shoulders to climb a high wall... or maybe for pure strengh check (push a heavy object, etc).
- a fellowship check can't be helped unless the ally has really got something good to say or to show.
Yes I agree there has to be SOME explanation for how people assist others. Even if it is only narrative.
Actually, in the first story that I ran, Player A wanted to slot a Talent card of his to the party sheet to help Player B in her task. Keep in mind that these two characters just met for the first time and Player A's character outright stated that he disliked Player B's character. So I told him "not so fast" and asked him to explain how his character actually approached the other and shared his expertise with her. Or at least role play it out.