Hi Fraser Simons,
I have some doubts regarding advantage. Why having advantage (3d6 keep best 2) instead of plain +1 ??
Is there any rationale behind? Math? Flavour? GM can give you advantage if the circumstances apply, and you can get +1 from moves. Do both things stack?
Traditionally in PbtA you cannot go above +1 no matter how much help you get. Can you get +1 and advantage at the same time in The Veil?
I’ve seen games using advantage and games using +1, but having both is a little wierd to me.
Thematically appropriate, since you’re doing way more in the fiction a +1 forward isn’t much incentive. You only get advantage when you inflict humanity harm, which is a lot more that say, surveying a room. Or if certain playbook moves are triggered which is a lot more fiction as well and again, feels like it’s driving the story a lot more in the kind of tone I reinforce with those moves.
Prioritizing heavy emotional play through the playbook moves, or the overall theme net advantage. While analyzing and other such more tactical? Type options, lend you the increased chance of success.
Also, in general players have no idea what emotional state they’re rolling with from one move to the next right, so that’s also a factor. The MC is the fiction so could put them in circumstances that can effect what state they move with as well… so if they are really trying to game the system that much to accrue these bonuses the fiction is going to be great anyways. I’m down with it but never seen anyone attempt it.
Statistically, 3d6 keep 2 is better than 2d6+1
I felt like doing vastly different things in the fiction warranted a different mechanic and settled on advantage. The difference would be The Apparatus viewing emotion and attempting to learn more and unlock it themselves being the same as if you analyzed a situation. Or telling someone an emotional truth that rocked their very core, was the same as surveying a room for tactical exploitation.
So advantage is a bigger reward than +1.
Ok to that.
Do they ever stack? Should I use only advantage if the come together for some reason?
I’d stack them sure, never had a situation where that would happen but I wouldn’t take something away from a player. It’s extremely unlikely, though.
I’ve been looking for more detail on what triggers Advantage/Disadvantage, Fraser Simons and found this post. Above you say you only get Advantage when you “when you inflict humanity harm, which is a lot more that say, surveying a room.” Is that the only time, other than in certain playbook moves?
What about Disadvantage? Only when you take Humanity Harm? No other situations unless spelled out by moves?
Yeah I have it as only when moves trigger it, specifically. But, it’s a thing. If you think a situation deserves it then do so. Like if someone was surveying a crime scene and their Jam is a homicide detective, granting advantage wouldn’t be unreasonable. But rules wise I only bring it into effect in the fiction when specific moves say so, yeah!