Hi all,

we started to play Sorcerer and met the following issues:

1. If a NPC/monster has more total penalties than, let's say, its Stamina, is it allowed to act? Or how is it limited? Is the 1 die in "defence" still rolled? Is it able to use the Will mechanics to gain dice?

2. In one of the previous posts there was something like this: If you are hit in a round before you act, your roll stands but the penalty gained is added to opposing dice. How does that work in the next round? And if the total penalties lower your opponent's dice to zero or below - is there 1 opposing dice and do you gain the rest as bonus dice?

3. The "saving victories" mechanics: I see the 2 options for using it in order to ensure a Total Victory. But how is it used in order to avoid Total Victory (as there are no "non-victory" dice)?

BTW: How many dice do you actually use during a session? Last session we had a combat between 2 strong characters and one beast, no demons. If we wanted the rolls to stay on the table, there was a situation where ca. 25 dice wasn't enough.

Thanks,
Michal

Hello,

I love Sorcerer questions.

1. If a NPC/monster has more total penalties than, let's say, its Stamina, is it allowed to act? Or how is it limited? Is the 1 die in "defence" still rolled? Is it able to use the Will mechanics to gain dice?

2. In one of the previous posts there was something like this: If you are hit in a round before you act, your roll stands but the penalty gained is added to opposing dice. How does that work in the next round?

And if the total penalties lower your opponent's dice to zero or below - is there 1 opposing dice and do you gain the rest as bonus dice?

3. The "saving victories" mechanics: I see the 2 options for using it in order to ensure a Total Victory. But how is it used in order to avoid Total Victory (as there are no "non-victory" dice)?

BTW: How many dice do you actually use during a session? Last session we had a combat between 2 strong characters and one beast, no demons. If we wanted the rolls to stay on the table, there was a situation where ca. 25 dice wasn't enough.

Ron,

Thanks for your answers.

I found this: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=588&highlight=sorcerer

However, it doesn't answer how to avoid Total Victory being scored against you since there are no "non-victory" dice you might cancel (and even if you did you would make it a Total Victory). My players intuitively understood it as either ensuring Total Victory for their characters or cancelling opponent's success dice.

Best,
Michal

Hello,

Ah! A quick look at the book and I'm all set.

If the opponent scores a Total Victory against you with X dice, and if you have X or more saved victories from a previous successful roll, then you may cancel all of his victorious dice (i.e. his whole roll).

Technically, he still succeeds against you with 1 victory, but he does not get a Total Victory (or even the effects of all those dice).

Oh look! I noticed something else in your first post.

You asked, whether a monster/NPC could utilize Will dice to overcome overwhelming penalties. Although it was embedded in a more important issue about the dice themselves, it's worth answering on its own.

Only sorcerer characters (PC or NPC) may make use of the rules which permit a character to roll Will against a desired number of dice, when they want to take action under otherwise-whelmingly-impaired conditions.

Best,
Ron

Ron Edwards wrote: Only sorcerer characters (PC or NPC) may make use of the rules which permit a character to roll Will against a desired number of dice, when they want to take action under otherwise-whelmingly-impaired conditions.

Hiya,

That's not a house rule, that is the rule. You can gain dice back up to the score's value, not more. (Bonuses can add to that, but not the primary Will roll.) You guys just missed the text about that and fixed it "back" on your own.

Best,
Ron

OK, so we're on the track. Thanks again Ron, take care.
M

Can I piggyback a related question on this question?

When a sorcerer succeeds in their Will roll to temporarily regain Stamina (or some other score) do they then gain a number of dice equal to the Victories they rolled on the Will roll or do they automatically get the amount of dice they were going for by rolling any degree of Victory?

Rob

Hi Rob,

The latter. If my character is carrying five current (temporary + lasting) penalties and his Stamina is 3, and I successfully roll his Will (5) vs. all 3 Stamina, and if I succeed, then I have 3 Stamina now. The victories from that roll are irrelevant to the value of the "restored" score.

Conceivably, they may be brought in as some kind of roll-over for later rolls if the circumstances work for it.

Also, that Stamina score is not affected by any damage for the next action, and subsequently, all the temporary penalties are gone (they never actually had any effect in play either).

Best,
Ron

Gotcha. Thanks!
Rob

Damn, reading my post, I realize that someone might misunderstand something.

It is as follows: the restored score is merely ignoring the damage that previously assigned the penalties. It is not "immune" to damage that's delivered later, nor to lasting penalties following the next action.

Best,
Ron

Right. So the sorcerer gets one action at the restored score, then goes back to suffering whatever lasting penalties they were suffering - but the "next action" penalties on that action have now elapsed. And if they're still in the hole Stamina-wise, there's no reason the Sorcerer can't do the Will thing again next round, right?

Rob

Hi,

Right on all counts, Rob.

Best,
Ron