My wife and I just got the game. We've run across a question that doesn't seem to have a clear cut answer in the rule book. I've checked the forums and the FAQ for this and it still isn't completely clear.
What die do you use for a skill check? For example say Lem is exploring and comes across a barrier that has Dexterity Disable listed to defeat it. I'm thinking that since Disable isn't listed under his Dexterity that he doesn't have it and should roll a d4. My wife thinks he should roll a d8 since it is Dexterity.
The FAQ says "For example, if a check lists Dexterity, Disable, Strength, and Melee, you may use any one of those skills to attempt your check." Is that a potential Dexterity check, Disable check, Strength check, or Melee check? Or is it a potential "Disable check (Dex based) or Melee check (Str based)?
Thanks for any answers.
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Disable device is a skill under Dexterity.
So when you encounter a skill, use the main stat you have ( in this case the Dex die of d8). If you were trained in Dexterity, it would give you a bonus to some rolls. If you have a combat heavy character they will have something like
Strength d10
Melee +3
So if you encounter a monster and use a sword that says "roll melee + 1d8" you would roll d10 (strength bonus) + d8 (sword) + 3 (melee bonus).
If the same character encountered a door that had these checks.
Strength
10
Dexterity
Disable Device
8
If they wanted to use strength they would only roll a d10.
Hope that helps.
PS In the end, I have to say it to you, your wife was right(I am a married man have too).
The exception is recharge checks. If you don't have the skill required for a recharge check on your card, you may not attempt to recharge.Is this an edit in the new rules versions? I don't recall ever seeing this in the printed book.
It's definitely in the newest version of the rulebook, and I'm pretty sure it's been there since the original version:
Recharge: This explains circumstances under which you may recharge the card—put it on the bottom of your deck—after playing it; it usually appears on cards that you would otherwise be required to discard. Usually, recharging requires a skill check; if you don’t have at least one of the skills listed for the check, you cannot attempt to recharge the card.
csouth154 is correct. Look at the list of skills you can roll against and pick one - if that skill is not listed on your character card then you are rolling a d4 on that skill. Just because some other character has disable listed as based on their dexterity means nothing for a character that does not have that.
A good example of this is Arcane. Ezren has it as an intelligence skill and Lem and Seoni have it as a Charisma skill. If all skills were supposed to be subsets of a certain skill this would be a big problem because if, say, Harsk needed to make an Arcane skill what would he roll against?
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The exception is recharge checks. If you don't have the skill required for a recharge check on your card, you may not attempt to recharge.Is this an edit in the new rules versions? I don't recall ever seeing this in the printed book.It's definitely in the newest version of the rulebook, and I'm pretty sure it's been there since the original version:
Recharge: This explains circumstances under which you may recharge the card—put it on the bottom of your deck—after playing it; it usually appears on cards that you would otherwise be required to discard. Usually, recharging requires a skill check; if you don’t have at least one of the skills listed for the check, you cannot attempt to recharge the card.
It's definitely in the first version. Same page, same section, same exact text.
Ok so setting up an example here. Card to acquire is Ilsoari Gandethus and the character I'm playing is Harsk.
I have a choice of either Arcane or Diplomacy to acquire. Since I don't have either of those, do I roll 1d4 OR do I roll a flat intelligence and attempt with a 1d6 since my charisma is already a d4?
I ask this cause the answers so far are confusing, sorry guys, and the rules do state that if you don't have a skill then roll a d4. I have yet to run into a card that doesn't have some kind of ability associated with it and every single character will have every single ability (str, dex, con, int, wis, cha) but not every character will have a particular skill (such as Harsk not having Disable).
Assume that there is an "or" between the skills listed as an option for the check. You can choose any ONE skill that's listed. THERE ARE NO SUBSKILLS IN THIS GAME. If your options are Dexterity or Disable, you can choose either. IF DISABLE WAS YOUR ONLY CHOICE, AND IT'S NOT LISTED ON YOUR CHARACTER CARD, YOU MAY NOT USE DEXTERITY.
Any character can attempt a check with any skill that is not listed on their card, but they must use a d4 as their base die. The exception is recharge checks. If you don't have the skill required for a recharge check on your card, you may not attempt to recharge.
You either have a skill on your character card or you don't. If you don't you must use a d4. It makes no difference that something like Disable would traditionally fall under Dexterity in other RPGs. Throw the idea of subskills out the window when you play this game.
Those closest thing to the concept of subskills this game has goes like this...and this is important! If, on YOUR card, one skill refers to another (Disable: Dexterity + 2, for example), then any check made with that skill can be modified by cards that modify either skill.
Please see my most recent post as I may not have been clear in my first post.
In the scenario you describe, you have 4 choices to make:
-Attempt to roll 7 or higher on an Intelligence check. Harsk's Intelligence is d6, so you would roll a d6.
-Attempt to roll 7 or higher on an Arcane check. Harsk doesn't have the Arcane skill, so you would roll a d4.
-Attempt to roll 6 or higher on a Charisma check. Harsk's Charisma is d4, so you would roll a d4.
-Attempt to roll 6 or higher on a Diplomacy check. Harsk doesn't have the Diplomacy skill, so you would roll a d4.
Then why even list the "if you don't have a skill, roll a d4"? Can someone show me a card that says that the only way to defeat it is say Disable and not Dexterity or Disable. So far in the base set I haven't run across a card like that once and I've sleeved every card so I've looked at them all. Is there one in an adventure in RotRL that is only Disable (or any other skill)?
Wait! With Ilsoari, you don't just have Arcane Or Diplo as you choices! You also have Intelligence or Charisma.
Ok so my wife is right (naturally, and cue all jokes about wives always being right).
Then why even list the "if you don't have a skill, roll a d4"? Can someone show me a card that says that the only way to defeat it is say Disable and not Dexterity or Disable. So far in the base set I haven't run across a card like that once and I've sleeved every card so I've looked at them all. Is there one in an adventure in RotRL that is only Disable (or any other skill)?
Without going through all the cards right now, there's at least one instance that I can think of. Barl Breakbones is a Villain in Hook Mountain Massacre (Set 3) that has a straight Fortitude check, instead of the common Constitution/Fortitude combo.
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Ripnugget and Stickfoot from Burnt Offerings ask you to make a Stealth check before the encounter. If you're not playing Merisiel, you have to use a d4 for that check.
Now, most checks are of the form "Specific skill/Skill usually associated with the specific skill" like "Stealth/Dexterity", but that doesn't mean that every time you need to do a Stealth check you could substitute a Dexterity Check. That's why most cards are worded like that: to let you do and "untrained" check so to speak using your base dice instead of d4