If I have Resources 0 (yeah, thanks for that Thor/Luke) and no treasure or stuff to sell can I still mount up Lifestyle Costs? Meaning can I amass a huge Obs come the end of the Town Phase with no hope of even getting a roll. Or can I only do things in town that equal the number of d6 I can bear to the table at Phase end?
For example I have no roll possible but go to the Guild Hall (work/use +2), Temple (pray +1), Inn (+3 full service), Haggle (+1), Do Research (+1) = Ob 8 Resources. Can I get all this done and just not come back to this town?
Let’s say I am staying in a Private Home, but then go Steal items (no cash you see, using Criminal; +1 Lifestyle ‘Other activity’). I succeed at the theft. At the end of the town Phase I have no Ob for staying at the Private Home, but +1 Ob for the ‘Other activity’. I have no Resources and no cash, so no way to make a roll, but a Ob 1 Resources test required. As a can’t make a roll due to having no dice, the GM then uses one of the bad things or makes the goods ‘marked’ or crap etc. Is that the right approach?
Sure! You won’t be able to buy any goods, but you can run up debts in other ways.
But see Bill Collectors on page 95. The more you run up your debts, the more likely they are to start nosing around. And if you really run up debts, I wouldn’t put it past some of the merchants or town officials to hire some mercenaries (i.e., other adventurers) to collect what’s owed. Maybe they’ll track down your family or friends and try to get what you owe out of them, one way or another. Maybe they get really nasty and convince a skald to write some really offensive poetry about you that starts to spread around the region.
Mechanically, assuming you can dodge the legbreakers on the way out of town, you can certainly do that. But expect a GM to see that license to give you a really nasty twist when you least expect it. Don’t be surprised if somewhere down the road you show up in a town, beat up and in desperate need of a good rest, only to find some legbreakers waiting for you. You’ll find yourself hiding out in the stables and hoping they don’t twig to the fact you’re in town!
Thanks Thor. Makes a lot of sense. Really liking the game and getting your direct comments on some of the moving parts is greatly appreciated. I am currently involved in to the longest actual game of TB I have played in (not GMing) so whenever I hit an area I’m not so sure of it is nice to have you (and Luke) to set me straight.
Not sure my Paladin will survive to reach the lofty heights of 5th level, but just in case get writing the Expert rules (Levels 6-10 I guess?). Then of course follow up with the Companion, Masters, and Immortals rule sets. Awaiting the Kickstarter projects, but no pressure dude
Cheers,
S.
Then put them altogether in the most glorious of tomes: Torchbearer Rules Cyclopedia
EDIT: Actually the Immortals set blew goats, perhaps skip that…
