Stat gem question

[Caldiren]

When using a stat gem(such as a Ruby of Charisma) to change the skill a check uses, do you add the card's traits to the check? This came up in a game last night, when someone encountered a Shadow and needed the magic trait to defeat it.

[skizzerz]

No. The only time you add a card's traits to a check is if that card defines what skill you are using, e.g. the card says "For your X check, use your Y skill". Weapons and Attack spells have examples of these types of powers, and some Items do as well.

The stat gems do NOT change what skill you are using, they change the DIE used. Let's look at an example:

I have a Strength skill of d6 + 1 and a Charisma skill of d12 + 3. Therefore, my Strength die is a d6 and my Charisma die is a d12. The +1 and +3 are from skill feats I've checked off.

Let's say I'm making a noncombat Strength check. Normally I would roll d6 + 1, however I play Ruby of Charisma. I replace my Strength die with my Charisma die, so now I roll d12 + 1. I can then play a blessing that adds 2 dice to a noncombat Strength check to roll 3d12 + 1. I cannot play an Ally that adds 1d4 to my Charisma check because I'm not making a Charisma check.

To recap:
- The stat gems replace the die, not the skill.
- You do not get the skill feats from your Charisma skill; you stay with the same skill feats of whatever skill you are using
- The type of check doesn't change. It does not become a Charisma check, so blessings and powers that affect Charisma checks don't affect this.
- In my example above, it stayed a Strength check, so blessings and powers that affect Strength checks can affect this.
- The stat gems do not determine which skill you're using, so their traits are not added to the check.

[Zhayne]

Well, we've been screwing that one up ... whoops.

[Calthaer]

Yeah...the stat gem doesn't add the Magic trait so that you can exorcise ghosts using divine with your Dexterity skill.

Still, though, I love those stat gems; they're great.