+1 benefits DM

[Velocinox]

When you referee YTU, do you allow the player to roll the benefit before choosing to add the DM, or do you have them make that choice before they roll?

I have seen referees use either method, and I thought I would come here and ask to get a larger sampling of techniques beyond just my anecdotal experiences.

 

[far-trader]

I've always taken the "may apply" to mean it is optional and the choice to add 1 to the roll or not is made after the roll.

 

[CosmicGamer]

Typically used as a +1DM on a cash benefit roll.

 

[Easterner]

I agree with Dan.

 

[Captain Jonah]

Its nice to see Far-Trader and Easterner agree with me on this one :wink:


Its a bonus, a reward for rank or achievement. Allow it to be used as such rather than just a random "+1 on this roll then, erm 1+1 is 2 .

After all depending on the chart you don't want to increase some item benefit rolls

 

[jwpacker]

After all depending on the chart you don't want to increase some item benefit rolls

Agreed - if the charts were universally better as you went up the list, that would be one thing, but only the money chart could be objectively better with each rung. It's much harder to place a value on TAS membership versus a +1 Edu versus a ship share.

A related question - do you make them roll one die at a time, or divvy the dice up into (up to three) Cash, and Other Benefits and roll them all at once, then decide where to apply bonuses?

 

[far-trader]

If sticking to the rules I usually roll and decide one die/roll at a time.

Player chooses a table, rolls a die, adds DM if applicable and desired.

Repeat.

 

[Captain Jonah]

After all depending on the chart you don't want to increase some item benefit rolls

Agreed - if the charts were universally better as you went up the list, that would be one thing, but only the money chart could be objectively better with each rung. It's much harder to place a value on TAS membership versus a +1 Edu versus a ship share.

A related question - do you make them roll one die at a time, or divvy the dice up into (up to three) Cash, and Other Benefits and roll them all at once, then decide where to apply bonuses?

Depends, mostly I say decide how many cash and how many benefit rolls and just roll them all. It’s not a huge difference. It gives the players a bit more choice as to where to use any plus to benefit rolls and since most games involve a ship the amount of money or items from start up quickly becomes a minor concern.

Even for non ship games it’s not much difference since you can start with hundreds of thousands of credits and spend it all on one item.

You can roll them one by one, this gives you a bit more control over getting cash as you could take another cash roll if the first was bad but generally starting money and items are only a concern for the first few games (unless playing New Era or something like Avalon/Veil where starting with a decent high tech item is very good since its hard to find another such later on).

 

[jwpacker]

Even for non ship games it’s not much difference since you can start with hundreds of thousands of credits and spend it all on one item.

Sounds to me like you don't use the rule [Core, p.34] that only the first two thousand of mustering out cash can be spent pre-game? I've wondered at how useful that particular restriction is, but can see where you'd want to make the players work a bit to spend that 200K on something big and potentially game-threatening, but if it's something like an augment that'll require surgery, you're just asking for an in-game "down time" to happen.

 

[Captain Jonah]

Even for non ship games it’s not much difference since you can start with hundreds of thousands of credits and spend it all on one item.

Sounds to me like you don't use the rule [Core, p.34] that only the first two thousand of mustering out cash can be spent pre-game? I've wondered at how useful that particular restriction is, but can see where you'd want to make the players work a bit to spend that 200K on something big and potentially game-threatening, but if it's something like an augment that'll require surgery, you're just asking for an in-game "down time" to happen.

Very much depends on the item. Cr2000 is nothing much at all, if the player has a good reason I let it happen before play starts. Just finished 5 terms as a Free Trader or in the navy, Ok I'll have a vacc suit them, erm nope sorry you cannot spend more than Cr2000 of the Cr150,000 you have saved so no vacc suit for you :roll:

A few people try it on but generally it’s a role playing game, if your role fits then I will consider it.

I prefer to see people start with all the items they have picked up from 20 years of doing careers than standing there at the games start with the clothes on their backs and a quarter million in cash.

Sort of: This is my old Vacc suit, it’s a bit patched up and still has my Imperial Naval rank stencilled on it, this is my porta comp, it’s a good model, same as we used on the flagship, I managed to buy one a few years ago when they were declared surplus and were going to be sent to the subsector fleets, oh and this is my Laser pistol, see that plaque on the butt, 3rd place in the laser pistol championships back in 1102.

It all comes out of the characters starting cash but fits with the role playing.

 

[Easterner]

The rule is nonsense because if you can't start with it, you go and buy it 5 minutes after game starts.

Only in special cases would such a rule be needed and that's up to GM.

 

[steelbrok]

I completely missed that rule!

 

[Captain Jonah]

I completely missed that rule!

Thats ok, I think most people completely ignore that rule :lol:

 

[BP]

Yeah - its should have been something along the lines of "Your Referee may decide how much of your mustering out benefits can be spent and on what..." rather than 'a rule'. :roll:

 

[jwpacker]

I'd have been okay with it being consistent. Either be tight with the starting gear rules, or be loose, but don't give me "you can only spend 2000 credits" and "you can choose any weapon" as options in the same rule set. You can only spend 2000, so that we can make sure to control what you start with, but feel free to lobby for starting with a PGMP.