I'm puzzled about the talent Resolve....

I think I understand most of it... So you reduce strain suffered equal to ranks in Resolve when it is not volunteraly inflicted. So you cant reduce the strain cost for an extra manoeuver or when activating talents like Dodge or Frenzied Attack.

What about the Talent Stim Application ??
Take the Stim Application action : make an average medecine check. If successful, 1 engaged ally increases 1 characteristic by 1 for the remainder of the encounter and suffers 4 strain.

Now... if I used this talent on an ally, then I think Resolve would lower the strain suffered by Stim Application since it is not volunteraly inflicted.

But... if you use this talent on yourself, would Resolve still lower the strain suffered by Stim Applicatoin ??? I guess it would still lower it since the strain suffered isn't the activation cost but a setback of the stim's effect.

Thanks

That is a very good question.

I think there is a very good case that applying the Stim to someone else (who has Resolve) would be covered, but applying it to yourself (if you have Resolve) would not be covered.

However, rather than worry too much about questions of character consent, preparedness, or what constitutes "voluntarily," in my own games I would rule that Stim use by anyone has the Strain cost reduced by Resolve.

You can only use Stim Application on a willing (voluntary) target. The strain from the talent is taken voluntarily and Resolve is no help.

I think that the answer to OP's question and "If I hit myself with a Stun Glove, does Resolve protect me?" should be the same.

Voluntary strain suffered is prohibited if this would take you above your strain threshold (the way I remember it anyway, AFB ATM). (I assume this criteria alone is enough to determine if the strain suffered should be considered voluntary or not.) And since a stim application could potentially render yourself unconscious Resolve's strain reduction should apply.

So I'm standing there, punching myself in the crotch with my shock gloves when all of a sudden I realise that the next hit will knock me out, so at that point I decide to brace myself for a jolt of pain?

This game is hilarious, BTW.

Not at all! Resolve will reduce the strain suffered each punch, not just the time you pass your strain threshold. If you need to check how much strain you've suffered so far in order to determine whether you can suffer more, it is voluntary. If you don't need to check, it is not. Simpler put; if the strain suffered potentially can make you pass out it is involuntary - voluntary strain cannot make you pass out.

I deliberately used an absurd example to illustrate that it quickly gets very complicated if it depends on who is administrating the stims.

Do whatever makes sense for your game. This game is more fast and loose and not a game of rules for everything.

Both yes and no. Sometimes it's very comforting to have some solid guidelines in order to avoid confusion mid-game. Other times you choose to ignore those guidelines.

i think this operates the same way the "you lose your Aim if if you take damage" rule works. if you are voluntarily submitting yourself to strain (like taking an extra maneuver), your resolve doesn't help you, because you decided to take the strain. i think the same goes for Stim App. However, if you get hit from a stun blast, it works because your resolve is going against strain you didn't accept/decide to take.

Resolve also shouldn't help against self-inflicted damage like "accidentally" shooting yourself while sucking on the barrel of a blaster set on stun or masturbating with shock gloves.

I was cleaning the barrel with my tongue while checking the sensitivity of trigger. Can't get more accidental than multi-tasking.

Resolve also shouldn't help against self-inflicted damage like "accidentally" shooting yourself while sucking on the barrel of a blaster set on stun or masturbating with shock gloves.

Why not? Surely a character with Resolve is going to "last" much longer.

If you chose to let "voluntary" be based situational parameters then you inevitably will be forced to decide each and every time the issue comes up. In the examples given above the situations are quite extreme and very easy to deem as one or the other, but sooner or later they won't. You also run the risk of being inconsistent with previous decisions.

I like to consider any strain suffered that potentially can knock you out as involuntary. Involuntary strain interrupts your Aim (voluntary does not). Stim application should interrupt your Aim (because it hurts). Stim application inflicts involuntary strain. Simple, consistent and easy to remember. I don't mind if Resolve benefits from this.

Asking, "Did I cause this Strain to myself or accept it voluntarily from another?" is pretty consistent.

Not for us. Many times each player will have a different answers to that question. (And no, the GM does not need call all the shots, the less the better.) What if someone forced your hand? Or if you only think that your hand was forced? You opt to take strain damage due to threat results from a skill check. (Plus a numerous more examples but I think you get the point.) It quickly becomes a grey area, at least for me and my group. For us, that question is not enough to determine if it was voluntary or not. We need something more tangible.

Boy, this issue was hard to resolve

The Order 66 podcast has covered this and what was decided is that stim application is considered involuntary strain for both parties. Using it on yourself was more of a grey area, but still can reasonably be considered involuntary.

You opt to take strain damage due to threat results from a skill check.

To me the words "You opt" make it voluntary, but it sounds like you think it is gray? I understand that you were not trying to roll threat, but there are other options you could take (boost or setback dies, etc). For the stim application, I would imagine that you are not opting/choosing to take strain, but it is an unintended side effect? Does that mean that any time you choose to activate a talent that you could use resolve to minimize the strain? Just asking, not trying to say what is right* or wrong.

Reading all that you guys have wrote, I think I mostly got it the first time...

Resolve just doesn't work on Strain used for talents activation costs and extra manoeuvers. Strain from Stun Damage, or from rolled Threat, or from Stim Application does get reduced by Resolve.

Remember that Resolve reduces it to a minimum of 1, so you have to roll a few Threat (at least 2) to use Resolve.

Treats