Weather Watcher

[pseudoidiot (Jeremiah Frye)]

I have a hard time wrapping my head around Weather Watcher to change the weather.

I think it’d help if some people had some examples to illustrate how they’ve seen it used in games before.

Since the weather change doesn’t take effect until the next session, it seems that it’s generally going to be used during the Player’s Turn. Does this seem to be the case?

[Daniel_H]

@wanderer

This is how I use this skill. So far, I’ve only played one-season-per-session, so that may be affecting things.

When the mice set out at the beginning at the GM’s Turn, I ask them to make a Weather Watcher test. If the fail, I hit them with a planned weather-based complication after a later, failed Mission Obstacle test. If they pass, they basically have a “Get Out of Weather Free” card if I want to use a weather-based complication.

Earlier today, I decided I didn’t like this. My new thought is to ask for the Weather Watcher check in response to the failed Obstacle test that would bring the bad weather, as in “You failed your Pathfinder role. You’re going to get stuck out in the freezing rain unless you make an Ob 6 Weather Watcher test,” rather than have them make Health rolls to avoid getting Sick or whatever. If they fail the Weather Watcher roll, I can hit them with conditions anyway.

This seems to sync-up better with the Mouse Guard mechanics, but at the moment I’m thinking Weather Watcher might simply work better in longer campaigns.

From here. My players haven’t tried using Weather Watcher during their turn, but that’s a good idea.

[Aramis]

J: “I hope that storm hits and washes out our tracks”
Roll made. Party hunkers down during storm, tracks wiped out by rain.

S:“I think it’s going to be cool and sunny tomorrow.”
Roll failed. Tomorrow is hot and sunny, and first mission obstacle is the heat he wasn’t prepared for.

[Rafe]

I.e., it essentially acts like a wise, but has a lot of power due to the fact that seasons change (or can change) based on weather twists and using Weather Watcher.

[pseudoidiot (Jeremiah Frye)]

@Aramis

J: “I hope that storm hits and washes out our tracks”
Roll made. Party hunkers down during storm, tracks wiped out by rain.

S:“I think it’s going to be cool and sunny tomorrow.”
Roll failed. Tomorrow is hot and sunny, and first mission obstacle is the heat he wasn’t prepared for.

Those are cool examples, but I have a hard time fitting them with the text on page 254:

“The predicted weather takes hold at the start of the next session, or due to a weather-based complication this session.”

So if no weather-based complications occur, there’s no real immediate effect until the beginning of the next session, right?

It also feels kind of strange that a PC could have a successful Weather Watching test where the results come in because of a weather-based complication – that the GM brings in. Doesn’t feel like much of a complication if a PC had previously used Weather Watching to set the outcome.

I guess there’s a disconnect I’m just having a hard time seeing.

[Aramis]

The first one bends it a bit; the weather was alread cool, cloudy, and damp. They used the weather in place of scout to hide their tracks from the complication; it’s more of a wises kind of use.

THe second is EXACTLY what the rules do… note that the roll was failed; had he made it, obstacle 1 would have been something else, but it being cool and sunny, that’s good travelling weather; since he failed, he go nasty weather as a complication held over from the player turn.

Also, keep in mind: Most weather watcher rolls will be player turn… It’s the player telling you what the next weather obstacle will be, but only if they make the roll.

[luke (Luke Wheel)]

@pseudoidiot

It also feels kind of strange that a PC could have a successful Weather Watching test where the results come in because of a weather-based complication – that the GM brings in. Doesn’t feel like much of a complication if a PC had previously used Weather Watching to set the outcome.
.

It’s a very powerful skill, perhaps one of the most powerful in the game. It takes power reserved for the GM and hands it to the player.

Instead of the GM stating the weather in a weather-based complication, the player gets to dictate it.

-L

[Daniel_H]

@luke

Instead of the GM stating the weather in a weather-based complication, the player gets to dictate it.

What’s to keep the GM from not imposing weather-based complications once the player makes his roll–the don’t-be-a-dick rule?

Also, technically, weather-based complications are necessary to advance the seasons, right?

[Thor]

@wanderer

What’s to keep the GM from not imposing weather-based complications once the player makes his roll–the don’t-be-a-dick rule?

I don’t understand this question. Here are the things that could happen:

• By default, the GM picks what the weather is at the start of each session.

• The player makes a Weather Watcher test and succeeds with a margin of 1. He (rather than the GM) gets to dictate the weather at the start of the next session. It must be seasonable weather.

• The player makes a Weather Watcher test and succeeds with a margin of 2 or more. He (rather than the GM) gets to dictate the weather at the start of the next session. The weather selected may be unseasonable.

• The player makes a Weather Watcher test and fails. The GM may choose to apply a Twist, as with any other failed test. The Twist may be a weather-based complication that changes the weather in the current session and counts as one tick toward the end of the current season and the beginning of the next.

• The player makes a Weather Watcher test and fails. The GM may choose to give the character a Condition. The weather the player wanted to impose starts at the beginning of the next session.

[luke (Luke Wheel)]

@wanderer

What’s to keep the GM from not imposing weather-based complications once the player makes his roll–the don’t-be-a-dick rule?

Also, technically, weather-based complications are necessary to advance the seasons, right?

The GM doesn’t have to impose weather-based complications. He can leave the successful weather watcher test until the start of the next session.

But yes, as you point out, there is incentive to use them as weather-based complications are needed to advance the seasons.

[Daniel_H]

@Thor Olavsrud

I don’t understand this question.

Allow me to step back for a moment to make sure I understand the terminology. I can’t look at my book for clarification right now, but this has tripped me up previously. Is a weather-based complication a mission obstacle, a twist, or something else?

[luke (Luke Wheel)]

Twist.

[pseudoidiot (Jeremiah Frye)]

@Thor Olavsrud

I don’t understand this question. Here are the things that could happen:

• By default, the GM picks what the weather is at the start of each session.

• The player makes a Weather Watcher test and succeeds with a margin of 1. He (rather than the GM) gets to dictate the weather at the start of the next session. It must be seasonable weather.

• The player makes a Weather Watcher test and succeeds with a margin of 2 or more. He (rather than the GM) gets to dictate the weather at the start of the next session. The weather selected may be unseasonable.

• The player makes a Weather Watcher test and fails. The GM may choose to apply a Twist, as with any other failed test. The Twist may be a weather-based complication that changes the weather in the current session and counts as one tick toward the end of the current season and the beginning of the next.

• The player makes a Weather Watcher test and fails. The GM may choose to give the character a Condition. The weather the player wanted to impose starts at the beginning of the next session.

This! This is exactly what I needed! I just heard a click in my head and this makes a lot more sense to me now.