Having a dice pool of 'good' and 'bad' dice allows for a unique option when compared to simple D20 systems and similar.

The GM may frequently award fortune dice and expertise or penalize with misfortune and challenge dice. But he also has the option adding both good and bad dice to the pool creating the possibility of some interesting results.

For instance the Winds of Magic adventure suggests that channelling rolls add one Expertise die and one Challenge die. Higher risk with chance of extraordinary succes.

How often do you use this option in your campaigns if at all?

Cheers

-L

I haven't used it except in varying the already-using-it Intoxication condition (2 black + 1 white) to be the inverse (2 white + 1 black) when it's a fear, terror or intimidation matter.

I do like the "not +3 and -2 so net +1" approach of "broadening probability curve on both sides of success and failure" instead.

I see it most applicable in social situations where "trying something really out there" can be a dazzling success or a failure to be talked about around town for weeeks.

Yeah thats a good idea.

I can see some dandy orator saying his piece thinking he is delighting the people around him, yet not knowing that what he says is in fact very insulting to this particular culture which he knows nothing about.

-L

On the topic of social challenges, I must say I love the fact that this edition did not shirk in making certain socially inclined characters had as useful talents as the warrior types.

Me, I like the idea, as it can serve as a method to encourage people to take risks and try long shot ideas. Things like called shots combined with wild maneuvers would certainly fall into this sort of category; "I whip my chain out to entangle the fellow, then fling him into his companions".

An option might to be ask a player, when he suggests something dangerous and daring, "How much are you willing to risk?" Thus allowing him to decide, to a degree, how many of each dice type he is gambling with. (say, up to three of each - giving the individual a one for one ratio on the attempt) If luck is with him, he pulls it off ... if not, something catastrophic may just occur. Either way it is an exciting and tension building roll. (and since the dice tell you so much more in this system, you have a better idea of just how a chance failed or succeeded)

I've recently been converting a couple of v2 adventures to v3. And I've found that I note down ideas for when to put in these sort of extra dice. And it's allmost allways in relation to social situations. The Fortune and Misfortune dice are great ways to represent things like racial bigotry, attraction to the opposite sex, social elitism and similar factors that influence how a NPC reacts outside of just the PCs Fel characteristic.

By the way, Jack Of Tears, you sig is full of win.

And diamonds.