Spending Checks to Help

My players always hoard their checks for camp phase so this has never come up, but looking at the rule for spending checks when helping has me a bit confused: it “allows you to log a test for advancement for that roll.” This is a tad ambiguous to me. Based on the wording I would say the skill being tested is what the helper marks, but logically I’m inclined to think that the skill being used to help is what they would mark, unless using a wise, since that’s what the helper is actually practicing during the test. Unless the intent of the rule is a ‘learning by helping’ approach, which would follow with the former.

The former is the good answer. And it is a good way to learn skills you don’t have!

That is incorrect. You mark it for the skill or ability you help with. See Thor’s comment in this thread: https://plus.google.com/113352021170067315594/posts/e4kRdntjPUS

Thanks for the info! I miss that one…

Cool, thanks. The rules are super ambiguous there and aside from Thor providing the intent it could easily be ruled either way. The real question then is what happens when someone tries spending a check when helping with a wise, as no distinction is given between helping with a skill or a wise in that rule. In such a circumstance I would probably award the helper a check in the tested skill.

I haven’t seen an official ruling on this, but I probably wouldn’t allow a player to spend the checks when helping with a wise. Doing so is a “safe” option (no risk of conditions). They are aiding with what they are deeply familiar with. There’s nothing they can learn from the test. Helping with a skill, however, has a risk of gaining a condition and skills can be improved upon, so spending the checks would gain a pass or fail in the skill they helped with. (Of course, this wouldn’t be my first time being wrong.)

I Am Wise (page 21) is not help. It grants a die in place of help.

“Grant +1D to any test related to your wise that is made by your friend or ally. You can grant this aid in place of help (and thus insulate yourself from conditions, but not twists). You cannot help and use I Am Wise on the same test.

Help Checks (page 23) are only used with help.

“You can spend a check when you help another character.”

I keep forgetting about that distinction. Good call.