If I'm not mistaken, you can take relationships (at d4) as minor fallout from conflicts.  Most other fallout seems to be negative...taking injuries, lowering stats, etc.  How is getting additional dice a "bad" thing?  Sure, you increase the chances of rolling fallout, but you also increase your options for seeing/raising.  I don't see how that's really a bad thing.

Forgive me if I'm missing something obvious...I haven't actually played the game yet.

Simplest answer is that you get to add complicated relationships to your character.

Such complications are both negative in their outlook to the character (reflected in low dice and more scope for taking the blow) and positive in terms of added investment in the town for the player (reflected in dice usefulness).

Or possibly more simply any added relationship is a good thing story wise whether it be positive or negative to the character.

And so, to play devils advocate to your question, all negative fallout can be positive not just d4 relationships, it just depends on how you look at it.

If the game punished the players for taking the blow, they wouldn't take the blow!

-Vincent

I think it's helpful also to consider that the game isn't about "my guy has lots of dice" it's "what does it mean that my guy has all these dice in these various traits and relationships."

Frank

That makes sense.  Once I see it in play, I imagine it'll all click a little better.  Thanks, guys!