One of the options in Rites of Battle for a custom chapter's solo mode is to allow rerolls for any failed tests based on one characteristic. It occurs to me that this could get quite powerful or nigh on broken in certain cases but I haven't playtested this enough to know for sure. I'm starting a new DW campaign and have been asked about this.

My initial thoughts:

Highly suspect, not currently allowing: WS, BS

Suspect: Ag, WP

Acceptable: S, T, Int, Per, Fel

My reasoning being that WS and BS rerolls are extremely valuable and usually hard to obtain outside of a limited number from spending fate points. Agility and willpower rerolls seem quite powerful but not necessarily gamebreaking. The others seem acceptable.

If anyone would be happy to share play accounts for any of these or opinions, I'm all ears.

Well, you are talking about a solo mode ability. Only a few solo mode abilities are passive ones. I.e. always on. And these abilities aren't as awsome as characteristic re-rolls.

What I'm saying is: Have it work like, and follow a similar format, as the other active solo mode abilities.

1. It can't be used in Squad Mode unless you pay the cohesion cost to do so.
2. The ability can only be used once a combat, day, or game session (I'd go with once a day myself).
3. The ability only lasts for a set number of turns: Either half or equal to the PC's Rank rounded up (I'd go with half).

When activated the ability functions as the description states.

The Space Wolf Perception-based reroll Solo Mode is passive-type. That's implied precedent that all Solo Mode Characteristic-based rerolls are passive-type.

Comparing Wolf Senses and Favoured Son to the Rites of Battle characteristic reroll ability, I notice that both offer other abilities outside of a straight reroll for failed tests. Wolf Senses gives dark sight and eventually Unnatural Perception, Favoured Son gives extra cohesion. The RoB ability eventually gives some bonuses to the tests but nothing else. So I'm inclined to leave it as a passive ability and keep an eye on what abilities I allow as candidates for the ability. That said, a customised version with different abilities thrown in could be great as an active ability, tapping into a reserve of strength for a crucial moment.

I would also look at restricting these types of re-roll abilities to specific situations, to help tone them down.

For instance a chapter that hunts ork almost exclusively might get to re-roll a failed Fel test once-per day, but only when engaged in combat with orks. Representing their leaderships confidence in their anti-ork tactics.

Kshatriya said:

Yes, but it is a specific characteristic and has a specific requirement, i.e. no helmet.

The Ultramarine solo mode is, also, about a specific characteristic, this time, usable only in specific situations.

The OP's solo mode is none of these. The player chooses any characteristic he wishes and gets full up re-rolls for any situation in any circumstance for any tests made with the characteristic.

Additionally the ability in question from rights of battle also includes improvements with rank. Including a +10 to tests and an extra degree of success.

I'd suggest either going with my first reply above, or coming up with some (fairly specific) limitations on use if you are dead set on making it a passive ability.

herichimo said:

Obviously a specific Characteristic roll is the limitation, but I feel like the Ultramarine secondary limitation was well done, while the Space Wolf one was dumb and clunky.

I disagree that the "no helmet" requirement was an appropriate limitation on the Space Wolf Solo Mode, especially given how relatively dumb it is to go around without a helmet and how even SMs generally know this. I fell that the Wolf-pattern helmet released later was an attempt to fix the problem, especially given how it has no Req requirement and it's implied that you can just get it without taking Signature Wargear. I don't think Solo Mode applicability should be tied to something like wearing a helmet. Tie it to a specific type of roll or make it take time/effort to use, but don't put an equipment limitation on its use..

herichimo said:

In fairness, it's not a reroll under *any* circumstance but on a failed roll for the given characteristic. So on a bare success, the ability does not kick in (unless you're at a high enough rank to get that extra DoS). The idea of a modified active version has merit and it could suit some character concepts better.

As it stands, the question is currently theoretical for me since each of my players has gone for other solo mode abilities. I'm still looking at the ideas coming up on this thread. Has anyone actually tried that ability in a game by the way?