So, I just got to thinking about the Dwarf’s Nature descriptors. One of these is “Avenging Grudges”. In addition, one of the uses of Nature is rolling it in place of a skill when one of your Nature descriptors is involved in the action.
So let’s say our Dwarf got cheated by a merchant, and thus has a big grudge to avenge. They need to use Pathfinder because the merchant skipped town through the wilderness, aiming to lose the Dwarf, who doesn’t have the skill.
But since the Dwarf is acting within their Nature, does this mean they could roll Nature instead of the Pathfinder skill that they don’t have? Because…that’s kinda awesome. “I don’t care how you try to get away from me, and I don’t care that I don’t know a thing about this! You’re gonna pay!” (as the Dwarf blazes new trails through the sheer fury of their coming vengeance)
I think that’s my favorite Nature descriptor. I’m gonna have fun with that one.
Yes! The only caveat is that you have to write a Belief or Goal related to your grudge. You can’t just declare a grudge willy-nilly. See Avenging Grudges on page 119.
Dwarves are pretty great. Though every stock has neat tricks it can pull with its descriptors. Humans, with their Boasting and Demanding descriptors, can be monsters in Convince conflicts, for instance.
I’m trying to understand this. So, if my dwarven player wants to use their “Avenging Grudges” descriptor, the ONLY way she can use it is:
-She can’t have the skill that would normally be used
-The action has to relate to either her written belief or goal
So, “Avenging Grudges” is a very broad descriptor, but it’s narrowed down mechanically? Do I have that correct?
GM: “You can’t use your nature for just any grudge, it has to be something you, um really believe (subtle hint).”
PLAYER: “Oh, that doesn’t seem fair. The halfling doesn’t have to believe in something to sneak around it, or for me to craft it.”
GM: “Avenging Grudges could be used for anything, there has to be a way to limit it…”
Also a side thing, is there really any mechanical difference between a human’s boasting and demanding and running? It seems that elves get some bonus mechanical rules with both singing and remembering, halflings get something similar with merrymaking, and dwarves and their mechanical limitation with grudges. Everything else is standard nature rules?
I think the thing that’s tripping me up is that I’m wondering why the humans even have a secret nature rules section. It doesn’t seem any different than the normal nature rules.
You can’t use your Nature in place of a skill unless you don’t have the skill in question. You can always Tap Nature if you have a Persona point, even if you have the skill. That’s the most potent way to use Nature, and it helps a great deal when you can use it for something within your Nature.
And yes, the dwarf has to actually declare a grudge before they can use their Nature to avenge it.