Rules Questions and Errata

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AOR Rules FAQ and Errata

          Frequently Asked Questions

     The Effect Die
     What, exactly, is the Effect Die for?

     Luck
     Does a point of Luck make your failed Target Roll even to the TN or give you a +1 DoS?


 

     What, exactly, is the Effect Die for?
     We've found that the Effect Die can be a bit confusing, especially to veteran roleplayers who are accustomed to more traditional multi-phase combat resolutions.
     Its primary, and most common, purpose is to determine the base damage from a successful attack. When you look at a weapon's damage rating you use the Effect Die as the base dice value (the capital D) in the equation. It is treated as either a 2, 3, or 6-sided die and is combined with any modifiers to determine the total damage.
     Thus, if you rolled a 4 on the Effect Die when you scored a 1 Degree of Success hit with a D6,1 weapon, you would do a total of 5 points of damage (4 for the "D6" portion + 1 for the DoS).
     The secondary, and more esoteric, use for the Effect Die is as a general guide for how fruitful a given action ends up being. It indicates that random element of chance that is totally beyond the character's control. Often thought of as "the will of the gods," "blind luck," or "fortune's blessing," the Effect Die shows that ever-important bit of serendipity that's present in almost everything we do--which, when combined with the character's Degree of Success, gives an incredibly detailed picture of an action.
     It tells us (with a high DoS but low Effect Die roll) that, though the gunshot was perfectly on target, the bullet happened to miss any vital organs and so did only superficial damage. Or, conversely (with a low DoS but high Effect Die roll), that the shot only grazed the target's arm but managed to nick an artery and cause excessive bleeding. It could also help determine the how much total knowledge an interrogated NPC has to offer, or whether or not stray bullets hit surrounding bystanders, or if a cache of buried food the players find ends up being edible, or if a map snatched out of a fire is still legible.
     Of course, the Effect Roll is never meant to supercede the skill a character puts into any action (a low Effect Die Roll should never trump a good Degree of Success), but it can determine what the character ends up geting out of their effort. After all, as the old saying goes, "It is better to be good than lucky, but fortune most favors the man who is both."

     Does a point of Luck make your failed Target Roll even to the TN or give you a +1 DoS?

     Each point of Luck you spend gives you a net +1 Degree of Success result. That means that if you were going to fail the action otherwise, but decide to spend 1 point of Luck, you automatically jump to +1 DoS. This, of course, also stacks with each additional point of Luck you spend, as well as any normal Degrees of Success from a good Target Roll.


          Errata
     As of yet there have been no rules erratas issued.
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D20 Rules FAQ and Errata

          Frequently Asked Questions
     As of yet there have been no frequently asked questions.
     Have a question you need answered? Ask the Rules Monkey.

          Errata
     As of yet there have been no rules erratas issued.
     Have a question you need answered? Ask the Rules Monkey.


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