Crib sheet on basic mechanics?

[Paul B]

My current cheat sheet draft. Thanks for the prompt Sydney; I've been intending to give this to my own group as well.

Basic Mechanics Cheat Sheet


All Skills

• Basic formula: skill exponent + FoRK a Wise + FoRK a non-Wise + help + Artha
• Fields of Related Knowledge must tie into narrative
• Mark your roll’s difficulty so you can advance your skill!
• GM may grant a single +1D advantage, and/or multiple +1Ob disadvantages
• Default independent Ob is 3
• In a versus test, players may agree to root stat tiebreaker roll

Help

• Help can come from any other character (player, GM, NPC)
• Help comes from a single relevant Wise or non-Wise
• +1D to the test if exponent 1-4, +2D to the test if exponent 5+
• Granting help dice counts toward advancement as if the helper had made the roll.

Linked Tests

• Prior skill tests can grant +1D to a future roll.
• Failure of a linked test grants +1Ob to a future roll.

Infection

• Use the basic skill formula
• Most prominent character makes roll
• Non-Wise FoRK allowed only from the Maneuver’s skill list. Regular Wise FoRK also allowed
• Players who granted help dice may help with Infection

Resources

• Resources formula: Resources exponent + linked test + help + Artha
• Linked test only from relevant Wises
• May Bargain for –1 to Resources cost (p 368 )
• Characters who help are taxed along with the character making the roll
• Failure causes tax (p. 361). GM may grant Gift of Kindness
• Advantage dice: +1D if item is your Primary Export
• Obstacles: +1Ob if off-world or item is quarantined; various Ob increases per regulations (p 364, ignored if purchased through Black Market)
• Advance Resources only on a successful roll!

Circles

• Circles formula: Circles exponent + Reputations + Affiliations + linked tests + help + Artha
• Linked tests only from Resources, Finance, Administration, Estate Management, Bureaucracy, relevant Wises
• Help may come only from other characters’ base Circles
• Count Reputation only if using Circles in your home area. Count Affiliation only if using Circles to find someone with the same Affiliation
• Obstacle based on a table. See p 348.
• On 1 or more MoS, name character to gain +1D to find him again.
• On failure, GM may invoke Enmity Clause
• Infamous Reputation: +1Ob within that faction/group, or apply without penalty to opposed factions/groups.

Duel of Wits

• Use the basic skill formula
• Non-Wise FoRK may come only from the chosen action’s skill list, as well as the following list: Etiquette, Falsehood, Ugly Truth, Seduction, Soothing Platitudes, Conspicuous, and Intimidation. Wise FoRKs are normal.
• Unless winner loses no disposition, loser gains a compromise

Firefight

• Use the basic skill formula
• Non-Wise FoRK may come only from the chosen action’s skill list
• Help is limited to one 2iC or specialist, or any number of named characters. Units can also help one another in some cases.
• Unless winner loses no disposition, loser gains a compromise

Die of Fate (damage!)

• Roll a d6
• +1 to DoF if roll exceeded Ob by 1, +2 if roll is double the shot’s Ob, +3 if roll is triple the shot’s Ob.
• Compare total to weapon’s IMS

[luke]

coolio! I love you guys.

[Paul B]

Given enough time, we can have your entire creation gutted, deconstructed, reverse-engineered and posted online for free! Take that, you capitalist-at-heart.

p.

[luke]

Hah!

I am totally Working Class, Sullen, with Bruised Eyes and Crushing Boredom.

[Z-Dog]

Hey Paul, thanks for the sheet!

One note on the All Skills bullets:

"GM may grant a single +1 advantage, and/or multiple -1D disadvantages"

I skimmed all the sections on disadvantages in BE. Don't disadvantages raise the Ob, not the number of dice you allow?
----
EDIT/PS: I only noticed this because I thought it was one of the best and most elegant aspects of the mechanics: no headaches calculating pluses/minuses. Want an advantage? Add dice. Want a disadvantage? Increase the obstacle. Simple, easy to remember, and sweet!

[Paul B]

It's Z-Dog FTW!

Yup, absolutely. Thanks for the spot!

p.

[Sydney Freedberg]

Thanks for the advice, all. Since for at least two of my players, this crib sheet is what they'll read instead of the rules -- they're not fond of crunch -- I think I'll err on the side of including more detail.

I need the detail myself, too, since I found myself fumbling awkwardly with the book at key moments in our first Maneuver, which contributed to players zoning out. The book is much better organized than any other RPG book I've even seen, but that's still not quite enough to make it easy to use in mid-session when I've never played, let alone GM'd, BW/BE before.

And if, despite everything, my group and I just can't hack it with this system after several sessions of trying, well.... [sigh]... I'll chalk it up to experience and port the whole planet to something simple like The Shadow of Yesterday (though TSOY has its own awkward patches). The structured, collaborative situation and character generation rocked for us, and we'll keep the results of that no matter what. I can always get my Firefight! fix online.

[luke]

Play through the hard stuff! It's worth it. Trust me. (Really).

Anyway, who's going to post this stuff on the wiki?