Skull and Shackles Combat Example

[KalevTait]

On page 13 of the skull and shackles rulebook, there is an example of a combat encounter where it states the following "Combat checks use Strenght or Melee; Merisiel's Strength skill is d6, and since she doesn't have the Melee skill, she would roll a d4 for that".

This confuses me, as I thought that if a check could use the attribute OR the skill, you didn't have to have the skill in order to use your atrribute value as written. Is this an error in the example, or am I missunderstanding the rules?

Cheers,
-Kalev

[iMonkey]

Hi Kalev,

I think in this example "attribute" and "skill" are the same thing. The wording might be slightly confusing; Merisiel could use her Strength skill and roll a d6, or if for some reason she was attempting a Melee check, she would roll a d4, as that skill isn't listed on her character card.

You can use your Strength or Melee skill to attempt a combat check (although generally speaking, using a weapon or attack spell is probably better).

[Andrew L Klein]

I'm not entirely sure what you're saying. It sounds to me like you understand it perfectly, and that your understanding matches the rules.

You can use any skill, written on your card or not. Keep in mind there aren't skills and attributes. Everything is skills, period. If it's on your card, it's an option using whatever die is written, as long as the check allows it. If it isn't written in your card, it's a d4, as long as the check allows it.

Hopefully what I just explained clarified whatever it was you were looking for.

If you're saying it sounds like the rules are saying she'd have to use her Melee d4, it is not. It's just adding if she used Melee, it'd be a d4 since that skill isn't written on her card.

[Hawkmoon269]

Merisiel is just considering her options. She has to make a combat check. She can do one of 3 things:

Option 1 Use her Strength skill. Merisiel's Strength is d6.

Option 2 User her Melee skill. Merisiel doesn't have Melee printed in her skill list, so her Melee is a d4.

Option 3 Play a card that determines what skill to use for her combat check. Probably a weapon in Merisiel's case.

As to your question about the skill or attribute, I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "attribute". Are you calling "Strength" an attribute and "Melee" a skill? If so, that isn't quite how it works in the card game. Strength and Melee are both skills. In some cases, like Valeros, a character's Melee skill is based on his Strength skill. In other cases, like Merisiel, it isn't. If Valeros plays a card that adds to his Strength, or gains a Strength skill feat, he has also effectively increased his Melee skill. If Merisiel plays a card that adds to her Strength or gains a Strength skill feat, her Melee skill is NOT affected (it is still just a d4).

I hope that helps.

[KalevTait]

Andrew L Klein wrote:

If you're saying it sounds like the rules are saying she'd have to use her Melee d4, it is not. It's just adding if she used Melee, it'd be a d4 since that skill isn't written on her card.

Oh! Right... yes I see now. Thanks!