So I was listening to the second episode of the Roll20 Burning Wheel game being run by Adam Cobol, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0diZTMAv670. There’s a bit near the end where one of the players wants to make a Strategy Games test with the help of his companion, who doesn’t have the appropriate skill.
I hate to feel like a rules lawyer, but I’m not sure how help worked in this case. I feel like the narration on what skill was being used wasn’t really provided. I thought it might be a stat thing, but apparently stats can’t help skills.
If anybody could give insight to what might have been going on here it would be appreciated. Apparently the helper was able to mark down a test for learning the Strategy Games skill, but I’m at a loss as to how.
Yeah, you’re right it’s a little weird. Adam’s first instinct to give Agnes a test towards opening Strategy Games from playing the game with the other character is probably a slight drift, but not a big one. I believe that the other player would probably have tested Instruction at that point (I’m assuming that’s a Beginner’s luck test for him). Or Agnes could have logged the time towards practice. But, giving her a quick test toward opening Strategy Games would not have been a terrible idea and keeps things moving.
When someone suggests Agnes is actually helping the other player, everyone gets excited, but you get this odd situation where Agnes is helping someone with a skill she doesn’t have at the same time that person is “teaching” her the skill she’s helping. It gets a bit confusing at that point. Once Agnes’ intent switches from just playing for fun to helping the next question should probably have been “What related skill are you using to help?” Since the other player’s intent is to gain insight into the duke, that’s where I would be looking at Agnes’ relevant skills. And then she gets her test in that instead. However, that doesn’t preclude the possibility of an Instruction test towards opening Strategy Games as well.
But, it’s very easy to parse the situation while watching it on Youtube. It’s not so easy while play is happening.
Adam Koebel (not Cobol) seems making it easy for Agnes - there is also instance (in second actual play episode) where he let’s her throw knife with Knives skill instead of Throwing. (those was even previously mentioned as “not throwing knives”)
added correction: maybe going rules easy for all beginners.
Darn phonetics That’s what I get for typing things late at night and forgetting to double check spelling. Thanks for the explanations, I’m glad I wasn’t totally off base.
I think this is slightly off the rules. She is still learning the skill, and her intent is to just play and have fun. So I don’t think she is necessarily helping, and since she does not have the skill she shouldn’t be able to. But I can see the reasoning of letting her help here, since despite her learning and being bad, her playing the duke, still lets the other guy use his skill to get his intent of getting insight into the Duke’s strategy. It is going off of the rules, but I think it makes sense depending on how you look at it.
That’s what I get for typing things late at night and forgetting to double check spelling. Thanks for the explanations, I’m glad I wasn’t totally off base.