How are you using Boon/Bane rolls in your games?

[GuernseyMan]

You said your group are expert at accounting or some such

Actuaries spend their working lives calculating probabilities for insurance companies and the like! I can hold my own at statistics, as an accounts lecturer, but I can't keep up with these guys. Dice probabilities for them is like adding up for the rest of us.

Just keep your eye on the Effect, which is all a Referee is really concerned with for skill checks. Nothing else.

Good point. I understand that a straight +1/+2 will add the effect but I can't imagine a situation where it would be easier to succeed but not easier to succeed well.

There are two points in which effect really matters:

Combat damage. If the shot is easier, for any reason, then it will probably inflict more damage. I think that's common sense. If you see more of a target you can hit a more vital spot. If the target is moving faster you can't place the attack so easily so the effect will be lower.

Skill chain. Not really a deal breaker if you get an additional +1 on the next roll because of a DM rather than boon/bane.

Other skills have various effects for effect! Again a quick scan through and I can't see any dealbreakers for an extra effect, especially as it maxes at +6.

The one surprise for me is that effect is not used for the timing of skills. Rather than "1D rounds to perform a task" I would expect to see "6 rounds minus the effect of the roll". Alternatively, to build up suspense allocate a "effect number" to a task and then make rolls each round until you succeed.

"It will take 20 effect points at a difficulty of 8+ to hack the door panel while your buddies cover you from the guards. Make a roll on your initiative each round and accumulate effect. Once you reach 20 the door opens. Obviously negative effect would be a setback and two failures in a row fails the whole attempt!"

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I don't think of Effect as a number. I use it to narrate the results of something. I try to avoid as much math as possible when role-playing. Keeps the pace fast and the players in character. Just like in movies.

 

[CosmicGamer]

Good point. I understand that a straight +1/+2 will add the effect but I can't imagine a situation where it would be easier to succeed but not easier to succeed well.

There are two points in which effect really matters:

Combat damage. If the shot is easier, for any reason, then it will probably inflict more damage. I think that's common sense. If you see more of a target you can hit a more vital spot. If the target is moving faster you can't place the attack so easily so the effect will be lower.

If you are melee fighting and circumstances are such that you have a greater chance to hit you are not stronger or suddenly more skilled at finding a vital spot - no reason for effect and damage to go up too.

I can't see any dealbreakers for an extra effect, especially as it maxes at +6.

I only argue that there are circumstances. I certainly don't think these circumstances are reason enough to have a bane/boon rule.

For me the strongest reason for bane/boon over DMs is the fact that the overall target number does not change. A boon/bane increases or decreases the chance of something without making it automatic or impossible.

The one surprise for me is that effect is not used for the timing of skills.

Agreed. From early on I thought such.

 

[allanimal]

The one surprise for me is that effect is not used for the timing of skills.

Agreed. From early on I thought such.

I always either forget to do timing rolls or decide based on what would be the most fun at the time.
I like the idea of the timing based on the effect. Fair and only a single die roll.
Maybe 6-effect of the skill roll replaces the timing roll?

 

[CosmicGamer]

Perhaps a topic worthy of it's own thread?

 

[GuernseyMan]

We already use 7-effect.

This means that if you succeed by 0 then it takes you longer than normal. An effect of 6 will take you down to one unit as opposed to no time at all if 6-effect is used.

 

[allanimal]

Perhaps a topic worthy of it's own thread?

Good idea.
I just did, right here.