[Sorcerer] Boost and fast, who's faster.

[Moreno R.]

Hi!

Situation: a parasite demon give the power "fast" to the sorcerer (the sorcerer is the user)
The same demon has "boost will". (the demon, as always, is the user of boost)

Usually when a demon try to use boost in combat there is the risk of the Sorcerer rolling higher, acting without the boost. But what happen when boost and fast combine?

The first question is: when the demon power goes to 1? When it start to try to boost (at the start of the round) or when the boost is done as a (rolled) action?

The second question:  the description of "fast" in the book says: "The user uses the demon's Power instead of his or her own Stamina
for determining actions in a combat round. .
So, what happen when the demon has power lower that the Sorcerer's stamina? What if the demon is boosting and its power became 1?

And in the situation where the demon is boosting a sorcerer that is using fast from the same demon...  what are they rolling at the start of the round?

[Ron Edwards]

None of these are anything but what the rules say outright. The answers are all embedded in your questions.

The Boost hits as an action, not at the start of a round. It's not like the Armor or Protection abilities, which are best understood as "activated when hit" unless the demon is deliberately withholding them.

Therefore the Power-based effect of Fast depends completely upon the timing of the Boost. At the start of the round, let's say the Fast is operating already. The sorcerer therefore rolls the Fast dice along with his or her own; the demon's intended Boost has nothing to do with it.

Let's say during the round everything went fine - the demon's action occurred before the sorcerer's, so the sorcerer's action was Boosted. Hooray! But after the demon's action, its Power decreased to 1.

Beginning of the second round: now, the sorcerer would like to benefit from Fast again, but he or she is completely out of luck. The rule for Fast is explicit: you only get additional dice equal to the difference between your score and the demon's Power. Fast cannot benefit a character whose Stamina is higher than the demon's Power. (I have to double-check, but I'm pretty sure that not even penalties to Stamina offset this - the rule is plain Stamina, not current dice. I think.) *

If the demon Boosts again, its Power is 1, so that's the value by which the Boosted score increases.

I think I covered all your questions. I can't distinguish the final question from the prior ones.

Best, Ron

* Given a default demon build of Stamina and Lore being X, and Will and Power being X+1, a demon who uses Fast for itself only gains a single die from it.

[Moreno R.]

Fast cannot benefit a character whose Stamina is higher than the demon's Power.

From the text of the rules it could be implied that the Sorcerer is even slowed down ("substitute" power to stamina...): Can it happen or the power has simply no effect if the demon power is lower that the sorcerer's stamina?

If the demon Boosts again, its Power is 1, so that's the value by which the Boosted score increases.

Ah, this is interesting...  I always assumed that a demon could boost a sorcerer's score for a number of actions (a single one every "use") because I simply assumed that the demon's power would "reset" to its normal value at the start of the following round...

So if the demon continue to boost every round, only the first round the sorcerer is boosted by the full demon's power, and from the second round ongoing, the boost is reduced to 1...

If the demon boost a single time, it still roll a single die if it uses a demonic power next round? When does the Demon's Power return to the normal value?

Plus, another question: if the sorcerer want to act after the demon (let's say that they practiced together for this action), can decide to "act slower"? Deciding to roll less dice at the beginning of the round? (for example, a sorcerer with Will 4 that want to give an order to a demon, can roll a single die at the start, and roll the rest of the dice only when it's his turn in the round? Or at least can he roll a single die, period?

[Ron Edwards]

From the text of the rules it could be implied that the Sorcerer is even slowed down ("substitute" power to stamina...): Can it happen or the power has simply no effect if the demon power is lower that the sorcerer's stamina?

I play it according to the latter, not that the sorcerer must use the lower value.

If the demon Boosts again, its Power is 1, so that's the value by which the Boosted score increases.

Ah, this is interesting...  I always assumed that a demon could boost a sorcerer's score for a number of actions (a single one every "use") because I simply assumed that the demon's power would "reset" to its normal value at the start of the following round...

NO. Boost is not the ability you are looking for! It is definitely not the easy augment, dice-from-nowhere, all-the-time completely broken ability everyone wants. It injures the demon, in terms of Power, and drives it into savage Need.

So if the demon continue to boost every round, only the first round the sorcerer is boosted by the full demon's power, and from the second round ongoing, the boost is reduced to 1...

If the demon boost a single time, it still roll a single die if it uses a demonic power next round? When does the Demon's Power return to the normal value?

Yes. I'm puzzled. Yes, obviously. That's what the rule means, I can't imagine any other way to read it.

... if the sorcerer want to act after the demon (let's say that they practiced together for this action), can decide to "act slower"? Deciding to roll less dice at the beginning of the round? (for example, a sorcerer with Will 4 that want to give an order to a demon, can roll a single die at the start, and roll the rest of the dice only when it's his turn in the round? Or at least can he roll a single die, period?

NO. All of that is an abomination.

[Moreno R.]

So, when does the demon's power return to the normal value?

[Ron Edwards]

The rule says that the Boost reduces the demon's Power to 1 while the Boost is maintained - i.e., as long as the recipient's score is being increased.

This point alters my previous answers slightly depending on what else is going on. I'd assumed the Boost was being maintained. If the demon gave the sorcerer Fast in the second round without continuing to Boost, then it'd use the full Power value.

Best, Ron

[Moreno R.]

Ah, so the following round AFTER the one where the Sorcerer was "boosted", the Demon can:

1) Continue to boost the Sorcerer AND do something else, but the demon's power is at 1, so the boost is reduced to a "+1" and if the demon is using another power it rolls only one die.

OR

2) Stop boosting the Sorcerer, and in this case the demon return to full power and can roll its normal number of dice.

But the demon CAN'T
3) Stop boosting the Sorcerer, and then... boost him again this round, at full power, as a new action (following the normal rules for when the boost will happen in the round)
Or it can?

Another question:
The book says "Also, receiving two Boosts of any kind in rapid succession results in the recipient being Confused"
"In rapid succession" means
A) in the same round (but if it hapen the next round, no problem)
2) in consecutive rounds
3) in the same fight?

[Ron Edwards]

But the demon CAN'T
3) Stop boosting the Sorcerer, and then... boost him again this round, at full power, as a new action (following the normal rules for when the boost will happen in the round)
Or it can?

It can't. That's sustaining the Boost, even if you or some other player tries to grin and say "well, it stops for a microsecond."

The book says "Also, receiving two Boosts of any kind in rapid succession results in the recipient being Confused"
"In rapid succession" means
A) in the same round (but if it hapen the next round, no problem)
2) in consecutive rounds
3) in the same fight?

Both (1) in the same round presumably from different demons, and (2), in consecutive rounds. The necessary memory-in-the-moment for (3) is impossible in practice, and there's no point to it anyway.