(x-posted to RPGnet)

The other day I went to one of the gaming stores in town to check and see if, by some miniscule chance, they had any Pirates od the Spanish Main stuff in stock. No luck. However, I was perceptive enough to notice something hidden away deep in one of the bookshelves... something I had assumed I would never see: a copy of The Burning Wheel (#924). I've heard it talked up around RPGnet, so I figured I might as well snatch up this 1st printing, 1st edition. Plus it was two books for $15. BOUGHTEN!

Anyway, I've read through both books, and a few questions came to mind that I'm hoping some of the BW fans can help with:


1) If a character is a sorcerer, how do you know what spells they are able to cast? I would assume that the spells a sorcerer knows are limited (i.e. you know X number of spells), but I can't find a limit in the book.


2) How do you know what tests are "Open-ended." Is there just a list somewhere, or is there a pattern to it? There is a short list of examples in BW when the open-ended test is first described, but I can't find another list. It does seem that tests are open-ended whenever extra successes have an effect on the action (i.e. Perception and Steel tests), but that's just a pattern I noted. I didn't read it anywhere that I remember.


3) It seems that ganging up on someone is a very deadly strategy in BW. I'll give an example: Let's say there is a fight going on, with two people trying to take down a third. Even if the third scripts an Avoid for the first round, if the others both script strikes, then the avoider is VERY likely to be hit. Or would the avoid apply to both attacks? I guess I'm just a little confused on that bit.


Does anybody have some help they can provide? I'm coming up with these questions on my second read-through, so I may have more down the line.

Just sos everyone knows, I answered these questions here:

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=140228

-L