On page 37 of BWRG, it mentions…
“When using expendable tools, roll a Die of Fate each time they are used after the first. A result of 1 indicates the tools have been used up and must be replenished by the appropriate means.”
Then on page 204…
“A toolkit that has finite supplies—like medicine for Herbalism—can run dry. Each use after the first, roll a d6. If a 1 comes up, the kit is empty.”
But then on page 559…
“Gear and tool kits are depleted with the roll of a Die of Fate roll of 1. After you roll that 1, you only get one last use of that kit. Make it count.”
I believe the first two quotes contradict the third. The way I see it there are now three ways to interpret the rules:
Tool kits are free on first use, but DoF is rolled for subsequent uses and a roll of 1 uses up the kit. Minimum of 2 uses for kit. (This interpretation would mean that the last quote I provided is an error)
DoF is rolled for all uses of a tool kit (even the first), but a roll of 1 indicates that the kit only has one use left. Minimum of 2 uses for kit. (This interpretation would mean that the first two quotes I’ve provided are errors)
Combine interpretations 1 and 2. First use is free, roll DoF for subsequent uses, roll of 1 means the kit has one last use. In this interpretation the kit has a minimum of 3 uses. (This interpretation means nothing is erroneous)
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Which interpretation is the correct one?
I’d say it really doesn’t matter. The point is you get one use for free, then you’re at the mercy of the DoF. I personally like the players to know they’ve got one shot left (Don’t waste it!). And so prefer the roll-the-DoF on the first use variant. Maybe you prefer the tension of having your stuff run dry at any moment. Pick whichever you like best, then run it that way; the point, though, is that you get one use before you’re subject to fate.
All three can be unified if one treats the DoF roll as occurring at the point a player decides they will undertake a test: i.e. the player states intent and action, GM states the consequences of failure, the player decides to go ahead and rolls the DoF to determine if the action expends the kit, either way the player makes the test.
Under this interpretation, the kit gives a minimum of two uses.
However, as @Gnosego says, there’s little difference in terms of “balance” (which BW doesn’t really concern itself with anyway), so choose between (1) someone with a skill can estimate how much they can get from a part used kit so will know they have one use left, or (2) a task might turn out to need more material than predicted so a character won’t know if they’ll exhaust a necessary component until after they’ve tried the action.