Hello! I am getting ready to run my first session, but I cannot wrap my head around when to use nature or beginner’s luck during a test.
For 2e, in the DH it mentions under Beginner’s Luck “If you dont have the appropriate skill for a test, you may…” and under Nature it says “when overcoming an obstacle in the game involes one of your nature descriptiors and you do not have the skill in question…” for within, and if acting against it says, “… that is not covered by one of your Nature descriptors and you odnt have the proper skill, you can use your nature…”
Does the player choose between Beginner’s luck and Nature? There must be something I’m missing. If someone can clarify when to use what, I would be grateful. Thank you!
I’m not super familiar with Torchbearer, so grain of salt here, but my understanding is that, yes, the player can choose between testing Nature and using Beginner’s Luck when either would apply. A benefit of Beginner’s Luck is that the player can make progress toward learning the skill in question.
Players can choose and both choices have their benefits. Nature may give you more dice and you may want to test Nature to advance it, but you’ll never open new skills that way.
Rules aside, the decision is - do I rely on my instincts or do I learn those cultural techniques? It’s a little bit “nature versus nurture” as the sociologists term it.