Applying Penalties

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Jaracove
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Applying Penalties

Postby Jaracove » Mon Sep 05, 2016 9:09 am

Is it possible to have this clarified:

Page 33 "Test results may be modified by a bonus or a penalty, indicated in the rules where appropriate. As a general rule, the modifier is applied to the Step number of the test before the dice are rolled."

It's confusing because the first sentence says test results are modified but the second sentence says the modifier is applied to Step numbers of the test before the dice are rolled, and test results come from step numbers for the most part. Which is it?

Both? I understand physical and mystic armour can be modified just as step numbers can be modified. But the way the second sentence follows on from the first sentence, it makes the entire rule look like a contradiction.

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Tattered Rags
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Re: Applying Penalties

Postby Tattered Rags » Mon Sep 05, 2016 10:46 am

One way to think of it is the test results are modified before you roll by changing what you roll, but it is a bit confusing the way it's worded.


Regardless, you have two options. If a modifier is to be applied, either change the Step number before the roll or change the result of the roll. Both result in roughly the same thing due to how the probability distributions work in Earthdawn's step system. It's not exactly, but it's close enough (Mataxes can verify this).

For temporary modifications (wounds, Talent effects, etc.), many suggest modifying the result directly so players aren't constantly recalculating their Step dice. Permanent modifiers can use that, too, but it's probably simpler to just indirectly modify the result by recalculating the step dice once.

Jaracove
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Re: Applying Penalties

Postby Jaracove » Mon Sep 05, 2016 11:09 am

Thanks for clarifying TR

EDIT: In other words, it means the same thing. Reason being, the test results are modified because the step numbers that generated those test results had themselves been modified.

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Re: Applying Penalties

Postby Tattered Rags » Mon Sep 05, 2016 11:34 am



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