Hi all, let me get right to it.

1. Dice Question One:
Player 1 and 2 are about to throw down.

Player 1 is rolling a d12 and a d6.
Player 2 is rolling a d8 and a d6.

If player 2 gets through the first round without getting knocked complete out of the contest, he goes on the We Owe list.

HOWEVER: Let's say Player 2 is already on the We Owe list and, prior to rolling dice at the start of the conflict, crosses his name off to give himself a "We Owe" advantage dice right from the start.  Now it's...

Player 1 is rolling a d12 and a d6.
Player 2 is rolling a d8 and a d6 and a +d6.

If player 2 gets through the first round without getting knocked out of the contest... does he still get on the We Owe list?

2. Dice Question Two:

Player 1 and Player 2 are throwing down.  Player 2 is now into his second story with this character, and he's picked up a second Particular Strength (give items 'luck'), which doesn't have much to do with his first Particular Strength (spirit touch), they're based on different Forms.

In the conflict, Player 2 picks his two forms, takes a look at his Particular Strengths, and realizes that they both apply to what he's doing in the scene (empowering an item to use against an attacking spirit).  Furthermore, the two Forms he's chosen are the two that the Particular Strengths require. (I mean that PS#1 needs "Directly" and PS#2 needs "For Others", and those are the two forms he's using.

In short, he meets all the requirements (both system-wise and story-wise) for invoking and rolling both of his Particular Strengths.  Is there any reason he CANNOT do that?  I don't really think so, but I'm curious.

3. ONYFD Question:

I was reading the "Social Conflicts in IAWA" thread, which was quite informative, and it reminded me of a sort-of problem I have right now in my game. I have a couple sneaky thief types in the game, and although it hadn't come up yet, I fully expect there to be a Conflict centered on:

"I'm going to steal this thing from you."
"ONYFD."

And perhaps I'm just being lazy about it, but I'd REALLY like to see if there's a decent way to run a 'picking your pocket' conflict without, of necessity, informing the target that it's going on.  Ditto burglary.  I realize that there is no stakes setting, so "without you noticing" can't be part of the implied goal that someone gets screwed out of... but I'm trying to see how I might go.  It's easy when the conflict goes one round and the victim gets knocked out... a lot harder when it doesn't.

Thoughts?

My take...

1. Dice Question One:
Basically, player 2 is now rolling d8, d6, +d6 and that's what you should use to determine the die sizes, not the earlier d8, d6. In other words, pretend as if player 2 was going to roll d8, d6, +d6 all along. Now, in my strict reading of the rules, this to me, looks like determing who has the higher dice is a bit ambiguous or confusing, so I wouldn't put ANYONE on the owe list for this conflict. Although I believe that Vincent said that you would treat this as d14, d6 instead, but I'd would just rule that any hard to figure out dice sizes would entitle no one to the owe list.

2. Dice Question Two:
That sounds fine, he can use any and all particular strengths, remembering to include them in the initial narration though. This only means that it's doubtful that he'll go on the owe list this time, and his opponent, if a player, probably will. The game has a way of balancing itself out in the long-term, or so I'm told.

3. ONYFD Question

Both the pickpocket and burglary conflicts sound like a ton of fun to do with IAWA, actually! The pickpocket one is easier.
thief: I steal your wallet
victim: ONYFD!!!
thief: covertly, directly
victim: for myself, directly
ROLL DICE

Now this is how it begins, but the narration will quickly spin things to different avenues of action. You gotta remember that there are no stakes setting: as in "Do I steal the wallet without him noticing?" The first narration that the victim has could be to notice what's going on and call the constable! That's if he wins. Of course even if he loses, he could narrate noticing the theft but being at a disadvantage, like the constable thinks he's lying, and sides with the thief.

The burglary would work in a similar fashion, although I would say that the owner of the house would have to have some type of "far-reaching" particular strength that would allow him to "defend" it.

1. I think the rules are rather clear regarding this (page 19, 3rd paragraph). You compare the bigger dice first, considering smaller dice only in case of a tie. There's not a word about advantage dice in the procedure (and they add to the result of your highest roll rather than modify the highest d-size in your pool anyway), so by the book you ignore them when determining who goes to the Woe List.

2. In this thread Vincent explains that you can't roll more than a single PS die in the same round.

Consider me corrected. I'd go with Filip's answers, since I don't have the book handy.

I may well be wrong about 1. The tricky thing about Vincent Baker's game texts is that despite a seemingly clear wording they tend towards ambiguity and the nuances are usually hidden here on the forum rather than in the book.

I'll save Vincent the trouble of reposting his own answer:

"But either way, and this rule is plain not in the book, buying an advantage die for the first round means you add its sides (6) to your biggest die's for deciding who's rolling bigger dice: d10+d6 d8 is WAY bigger than d12 d10 (although d6+d6 d4 isn't). For purposes of who goes on the owe list, d12 d10 +advantage counts as d18 d10.
-- Vincent"

(Sorry I don't have a link. I have it in my own notes, and it also appears on the "Grumpy Dwarf" IaWA FAQ page.)

It makes sense to me. After all, adding an advantage die means your likely roll outcome is way bigger. Why would you get to go on the Owe List for that?

I can see the other point of view as well, though--it's some kind of dramatic reversal in the story.

Paul