This one's been nagging me and I'd appreciate getting set straight. Say my Dog is in a conflict and I want to threaten to shoot someone. We've either been Just Talking or Physical Not Fighting, or maybe I'm initiating a brand-new conflict by whipping out my gun and telling someone to raise 'em high?

a) Does that count as an escalation to gunplay? (IOW, roll acuity and will, but my opponent doesn't roll d10s for fallout so long as I don't pull the trigger.)

b) Are we still Just Talking (or whatever) but I get to roll my gun dice? Gun dice plus any shooting-trait dice?

c) Do I roll no extra dice until I pull the trigger? (Assuming I don't have a trait like "real good at threatening people with guns.")

d) My choice among some subset of the above (maybe depending on circumstances).

e) GM's choice among some subset of the above (maybe depending on circumstances).

Thanks,

Jim

Yay, I get to answer your question, Jim.

(b) is correect. When you brandish a belonging, or incorporate it in your Raise or See in any way, you get to roll its dice. It's not an escalation as long as the described action itself isn't an escalation.

To also answer a related question. (I know because I've asked exactly these questions.)
You could be talking to someone, persuading them to do something for you, and show off your shiny gun and tell them you'll let them use it down on the range if they agree. That would be a Talking Raise, and you'd get to use your gun dice.

Or you could bash someone over the head with it, using it as a club, and you'd still get whatever it's dice give.

A Belonging always gives its full dice, even when used for something it's clearly not designed for. If you have Big Excellent glasses, and say as a See, "the bullet glances off my glasses, sending them to the floor, and narrowly missing my temple", you get to roll the 2d8 for those glasses.

Hope this helps.

Darren's right on.

-Vincent

Thanks, guys. Makes perfect sense re the equipment. What about a gun trait in that situation, roll it or not? Does it depend on the trait? Frex, between

"I'm a fearsome shot"

"The whole territory knows I'm a fearsome shot"

Either or neither?

Thanks,

Jim

Either, but only if the player brings it concretely into the raise.

I don't think I managed to nail down in the text - and probably not in discussion here, either - that you don't get your dice when the trait would be helpful, but when you actually use it. I'm probably still not nailing that down.

So if I have "I'm the best shot in the territory" on my character sheet, and I raise "I threaten to shoot him, I'm like 'shut up or I'm'a shoot you!'" then I don't get the dice, but if I raise "I threaten to shoot him, I'm like 'shut up or I'm'a put this bullet right into your left eye, and you know I can do it if I want to!'" then maybe I do get the dice.

For borderline cases, like this latter, always go with the opinion of the most discriminating player. I'll be reaching for the dice, but if Mitch is like, "dude, I want to see you SHOOT HIM IN THE EYE before you get those dice," as GM you back Mitch.

If I know Mitch, though, he'll be into it and I'll get the dice.

-Vincent
The Mitch in this post is fictional. Any resemblance to any real Mitch is the responsibility of the reader. Lumpley games disclaims liability.

I have never had a problem, running Dogs, with letting players have the dice any time they say they deserve them.  If they're winning conflicts too easily then I just put them up against angry mobs.

There's nothing like an angry mob of ten Faithful townsfolk to put the fear of god into a player.  "20d6?"  "Yeah.  And I haven't pulled in any traits yet."

Thanks, everyone. This was a great help.

Best,

Jim