Questions about Haggler, Circles and Resources

Mouse Guard Getting Started with Mouse Guard
1

Since my group is going to spend some time doing urban adventures, after a long time in the wilds, I haven’t had any chance to give them opportunities to test Haggler, Circles or Resources yet. I’m unsure how these things work;

  1. When trying to purchase items during Player’s Turn, players can spend a single check to test Resources to acquire it. According to the description of Haggler, does this mean they must spend another check prior to try and lower the Resource obstacle by only 1 (with chances of failure, to boot!)? This seems rather expensive on the checks economy.

  2. Can you also use Haggler to try and exchange goods, acquiring items without rolling Resources? If yes, how does that work?

  3. Haggler tests in the GM’s turn could be any acts of bargain with exchanges of services and goods on the line, right? Or are they much better left used during Player’s Turn.

  4. “If Nature, Will, Health, Resources or Circles is being tested, anyone can help.” - Page 93. Does this follow the rules that “-your assistance must add additional insight to the process.” - Page 94? Also, can you Help Circles and Resources with Skills and Wises? i.e; Helping Circles with Persuader, Orator, Scout, Guard-Wise ect.

  5. In case you just want to help someone spend money (Resources helping Resources), how can you provide additional insight into the process?

Thanks for the help in advance!

2

  1. You give him some of your own money to spend.

  2. You have to spend the check to Haggle

  3. I don’t think so

  4. You can help with Skills and Wises yes

3

  1. The GM can create Haggler obstacles if he likes.

  2. YES. All help must add “additional insight.” No help can be just a die and a grunt.

  3. Be creative.

4

2/3. this sounds like an excellent consideration of Haggler. It might not apply to all games, but could make a good candidate for GM turn mice obstacles. You could have a merchant which normally offers goods to the Guard get upset about some perceived slight, and the patrol needs to Haggle out an exchange of goods and services. You might have a few apiarists disagreeing about an area of flowers that both want full access to (I doubt they could convince their bees to behave about property lines), and the patrol needs to Haggle over property lines or time shared use of the resource.

In contrast, I wouldn’t allow players to gain items for themselves in this manner during the GM turn. If they have a resource (product or service) which they want to trade for another resource by way of Haggler, that might be appropriate for a Player turn check.

5

This can not be stressed enough!

If you want to encourage it even more, give a bonus die when the help narrative is not only relevant, but also both short and cool.