Jirelle combat example and power question

[vectordream]

Hey All,

New to the Pathfinder Card game. I bought Skull & Shackles as my first set and am loving it. I learned much from reading these message boards here so thank you for that. I can’t find the exact answer to my question for this one.

My question is about Jirelle’s base card power. “For your check that has or is against a card that has the Finesse trait, you gain the skill Melee: Dexterity +2.” I think the question could be answered by making sure I am doing her checks correctly.

So for example, say I am up against a monster that has a combat check. At this point I need to determine which skill to use and I am allowed to play 1 card or 1 power that could change that skill. I decide to reveal the Rapier card that gives me +2d4 for Jirelle’s Strength or Melee skill. Her Strength skill is a d6 but since Jirelle does not have a Melee skill her die for a Melee check would be a d4.

So with the Rapier card I declare I am using strength for the check since I would rather have a d6. Since The Rapier has the Finesse trait I also gain the skill Melee: Dexterity +2 for her power. This references the Melee skill but I am using Strength. I still get this +2 anyways because the Rapier I am using added the Melee trait to the check.

In addition, since I have gained the Melee trait I decided to play my Master-At-Arms ally as well. I recharge that card to get 1d4 since I am not on a ship as stated on the card.

In summary my roll would be:

1d6 for my Strength skill that I declared in the “Determine the Skill You’re Using “ step
2d4 for the Rapier weapon reveal. I gained traits from the Rapier that included the Finesse and Melee traits at this point.
+2 for the power Melee: Dexterity +2 from her card power
1d4 for Master-At-Arms ally

All total: 1d6 + 3d4 +2

Alternatively, if I had declared the Melee skill instead of Strength in the “Determine the Skill You’re Using “ step this would be 4d4 + 2?

This look correct? Sorry for the long post.

[RoyalCoat]

Not quite.

The Melee: DEX +2 only applies if you are using the *skill* for the check, not adding that trait. However, you will can do slightly better with your rolls.

If you choose to use the Melee skill for your rapier, you are correct that it will only roll you a d4 initially. However, because it has finesse, you gain the Melee: DEX +2 skill.

Now instead of a d4, you roll your DEX die +2, because the power has made Melee a DEX skill for you. So you would be rolling:

DEX die
2d4 : Rapier
1d4 : Master at Arms
+2 : Melee skill bonus

For a total of DEX die + 3d4 + 2

[vectordream]

Ahhhhhhh. So what the power on Jirelle's card is saying is to change your Melee skill in to a Dex skill so you can use your Dex +2. Makes more sense.

I think what threw me off is the syntax on the card of Melee: Dexterity +2. The other skills on these cards use the same syntax so it confused me. For example under wisdom for Jirelle:

Wisdom d8
Survival: Wisdom +3

In the the above example I know that I only get that d8 +3 if I am making a Survival check. If I am just making a widsom check I only get the d8.

Correct me if I am wrong on that.

Thanks!

[elcoderdude]

vectordream wrote:

In the the above example I know that I only get that +3 if I am making a Survival check. If I am just making a widsom check I only get the d8.

This is true.

Just like in the original case you cited, in which you only get the +2 bonus if you are making a Melee check.

[vectordream]

It really seams like the way Jirelle's power is worded is confusing. I just did not pickup on the "you gain the skill Melee: Dexterity +2" as instructing me to change my Melee skill into a Dex skill for the check. I thought of it more as you are gaing the Melee skill that when used will get a +2. Thanks for the clarification I just over thought it a bit.

[Calthaer]

You should imagine it as if you had that skill printed under the "Skills" section of the card. But also imagine that it magically appears only when you're playing or encountering a "Finesse" weapon card.

[vectordream]

Calthaer wrote:

You should imagine it as if you had that skill printed under the "Skills" section of the card. But also imagine that it magically appears only when you're playing or encountering a "Finesse" weapon card.

Thanks! I think I was ignoring the Dexterity part of it all and just concentrating on that +2 for Melee. Thanks for all the replies, I hesitated on making this thread but figured it was a halfway decent question. Love this game and all the little nuances! Simple on the surface but deceptively more complex as you play :)