Clarifying Split Actions and Specialties

[Deleted]

Hi,

So I was contemplating Specialties and how they interact with Split Actions and I wanted to make sure what is in my head is the correct interpretation of the way they would interact:

Specialties add one additional die to applicable actions, so in combat that means someone with Dex 4 + Melee 5 (Katanas) who fights with a katana will have +1 die to all Melee rolls involving a katana.

So let's say they take that dice pool of nine dice and split it three ways. That's three dice for let's say three attacks.

If Specialties apply the way I think they do, then all three of those attacks get a +1 die to their pools before testing.

Correct?

[David Price]

Interesting. I'd been of the impression that it'd be 10 (9+1) dice split 3 ways, so 4/3/3. Clearly one of us is wrong.

[Thornstar]

Apr 29, 2013 16:38:29 GMT -8 Ascanio Giovanni said:

If you make a roll that you have a relevant Specialty in, you may roll one additional die. Multiple Specialties do not stack, even if the character has multiple that apply to the given situation. The Specialty bonus only applies to a dice pool that is actually rolled, not to dice pools that set difficulty or are used for any other purpose. In addition to the free specialty gained at the 4th and 5th dots of an Attribute or Ability, a Specialty may be bought in any Attribute or Ability at any rating for a cost of 3 xp.

I've highlighted the section that I think Phil is talking about specifically. That's how I read it as well. It indicates that it doesn't affect the un-rolled dice pool, but that each rolled action would be affected by it.

Sounds like Specialties are a very good investment.

[Ascanio Giovanni]

Interesting question and not one I've ever really considered. But on reflection I think I would agree with Phil's interpretation that they should apply to each split action.

[Kevin K]

I think the intention of the highlighted text is to avoid raising difficulties to impossible levels. This would, to my knowledge, be the only instance of a die pool modification applying after split.

I think we should avoid this needless complexity unless there's a reason not to.

[Sethron]

Since a split action is 'splitting your dice pool' and the split dice pool isn't referred to as another pool of dice, but the result of a split single pool, I think that it applies prior and not afterward...

[Ascanio Giovanni]

But that doesn't make sense if I'm splitting for different actions. Say I'm splitting to hit someone with my sword and use a power. I have Dex 4 and Melee 4 with a specialty in swords but I have a dice pool of 10 for my power. Normally I'd get my specialty to hit in this case. But if it applies before the split, since I am using my lower dice pool to split, why is my swords specialty applying to my power activation? It makes way more sense to apply after splitting. Each time you ROLL a relevant dice pool.

[Kevin K]

I'd think that it applies for the same reason any other additional die in your Dex/Melee pool applies to that power activation. Your prowess in that lower ability frees up some of your concentration for the rest of your actions.

[Ascanio Giovanni]

Can we get a call from staff on this one?

[Ikon]

Or maybe even a vote on it?

[Skir]

I don't know that something like this needs to be a vote. This is just an issue of unclear language, not a big change that would change the lives of most of the game.

[Shah-Khohr of Ventrue]

Agreed. Decide how it is, write a sentence to clarify it, and move on.

[Deleted]

That's all I was looking for. Either way, I just want to know how it's going to work.

[Katie Hester]

We're going to talk about this tonight and will get a clarification posted.

[Katie Hester]

Specialties will add the +1 die after the action split rather than before.

[Kevin K]

Thanks for the quick update. When you get a chance, would you elaborate on the staff's reasoning?

[Deleted]

Thanks for the clarification!

[Ascanio Giovanni]

Thanks for the quick response staff.