I've just picked up the GM Toolkit and seen the optional rule suggesting a character could take a second manoeuvre for free instead of using an Action. However, seeems to me it's already more favourably covered by the Perform a Stunt or Assess the Situation actions.

1. Perform a Stunt - if the stunt is "sprinting", use Athletics skill, on success gain an extra manoeuvre, on 3 successes perform 2 extra manoeuvres. A single boon recovers 1 Fatigue, so you might as well pre-emptively spend it on another manoeuvre. Result = up to 4 manoeuvres in one round for zero fatigue outlay.

2. Assess the Situation - spend 1 extra Fatigue on 1 extra manoeuvre, use this action card to then recover that 1 Fatigue investment and gain the equivalent of 1 Defence as well. Result = 2 manoeuvres for zero fatigue outlay, plus 1 misfortune dice to incoming melee and ranged attacks.

With one option for Strength and one for Intelligence, it strikes me that there aren't going to be many characters who would need the option of Action=Manoeuvre. Though obviously, throw the odd challenge or misfortune die into the mix and things change slightly!

phild said:

Thinking about it, this is probably too generous for a stunt. Instead, the character should have to spend the fatigue on manoeuvres *first* and then roll, with a success recovering 1 fatigue, 3 successes recover a 2nd fatigue (if spent) and a single boon recovering a third fatigue. A minor difference, but one that requires the character to gamble by spending the fatigue up front. Also means if you use house rule to increase fatigue penalty for running heavy armour, this still hurts, which isn't the case for "free manoeuvre" results (unless you interpret this as being "may take manoeuvre for 1 Fatigue less than usual")

Generally I think the perform a stunt action card should just have a single success line and use the two boon/two bane lines and that's it. Since the card does everything some players will invariably use it to attempt other actions that are already covered by specific action cards. One way to reward taking the actual action cards is to limit the extra success lines to that card and not give them to the perform a stunt card as well.

I go beyond that with maneuvers.

In combat, the attack action is THE roll for the player and the success of the turn is determined eventually by the result of it.

To make maneuvers and many non-direct attack actions more meaningful, I allow to use any action card that is not directly causing damage as a maneuver.

This way player may both attack and "strategize" during the same turn, in any order. By strategize I mean those actions that allows a small boon on allies or bane on enemies, something that you would never spend your entire turn to do.