Routine Faith Check loop-hole

[agony]

Our group has a character with the Faithful trait with a rating of B3. He needs a routine check to advance the skill but there appears to be no way to achieve a routine check with a B3. We discussed the use of Helping dice and utilizing other believers (with bonus dice for combined will exceeding 20) but both of these solutions to boost Faith are likely not compatible with our campaign world.

The PC in question is one of the few people in the world who possess the Faith skill. Additionally, the religion he practices (worship of the Sorcerous God Kings of Old) has faded from public knowledge and is even outlawed by the vile Demoness who is attempting to establish rule on the lands.

Our only solution thus appears to be allowing the character to perform some minor effect with a low obstacle. Is this advisable? Any better suggestions?

[noofy]

Hey Agony,
I have the exact same situation with one of my players, her character has 'awakened' her Faith via a trait vote in an ancient, Gaia-based druidic Religion whom everyone else in the world ridicules or doesn't even recognise as a pro bono 'Faith'.

Fern's starting Faith was B2, and as in your situation required only a routine test (Ob 1) to grant a check. She also has the 'Driven' trait tied into her Faith to achieve a Belief about driving the trolls from her homeland. As her Faith is constantly being 'tested' in the pursuit of her Beliefs, we were able to generate routine Faith tests often as 'Linked' tests in extented actions. One example that springs to mind is that she performed a careful ritual over a few hours to Bless her rag tag bunch of wanderers in their tracking / hunting / culling pursuits of the wily troll rumpus.

Note that every prayer need not be in dire situations. As long as the roll has the potential to send the story in a different direction (a tough decision is being made), and tied to BITs then it is an acceptable roll (even if the obstacle is low).

I like to make the complication of failure (following Paul B's excellent advice) tied to her Traits / Instincts too. Thus failure (even of a routine test) leads down an interesting failure path related to another aspect of the character, that if embraced, is a potential Artha mine.

Hope that helps?

[luke]

Maybe use the rules for taking your time. Also, linked tests from Rituals work well. And there's always practice!

[Dwight]

There is also the option that if the player really wants to advance the Faith it'll require they face those obstacles head on. For the Gaia-based Druid they create a Belief about spreading the word and developing a worshiper to Help. Similar option for agony's player with the extra alternative of a [dangerous] quest to seek out other Faithful.

Of course you have to make sure to scale/pace each of these little personal Beliefs so they don't overwhelm the group. But they seem doable. The later you should be able to manage to distill it down to a single Circles Test. The former could get more involved but you should be able to intersperse the required Tests (DoW?) within some given session.

[agony]

There is also the option that if the player really wants to advance the Faith it'll require they face those obstacles head on. For the Gaia-based Druid they create a Belief about spreading the word and developing a worshiper to Help. Similar option for agony's player with the extra alternative of a [dangerous] quest to seek out other Faithful.

Of course you have to make sure to scale/pace each of these little personal Beliefs so they don't overwhelm the group. But they seem doable. The later you should be able to manage to distill it down to a single Circles Test. The former could get more involved but you should be able to intersperse the required Tests (DoW?) within some given session.

Yeah, we thought about going the preachy converter route but we've done that before and that would feel forced for this character.

Linked tests are a pretty good idea, will have to bring that up and create opportunity in our upcoming game.

[Dwight]

Yeah, we thought about going the preachy converter route but we've done that before and that would feel forced for this character.

Linked tests are a pretty good idea, will have to bring that up and create opportunity in our upcoming game.

If you don't want it to be a big part of the game, and I fully sympathize with what you are saying, but want the player to still have it feel "earned" then quick 3 minutes for a Linked Test could be good. Colour it as needing a group of three Faithful for some particular ceremony or something like that.

I suggest giving failure outcome a little thought before hand so you can have a nice twist that feels fresh and at home in your game. For example maybe they find a like-minded and receptive individual anyway but improperly vette them for, you know, sanity. :) Now there is this crazy going around making Gaia, and indirectly the PC, even more of a laughing stock. So the PC needs to either tamp that down or live with the consequences. Does that fit as a challenge for a BIT?

EDIT: Or you mean the Ritual Linked? Yeah, that's definitely solid. Really lots of ways for the player to work in a description of Intent for a single roll to try +1D via a Linked Test.

[stormsweeper]

Are you using vanilla Faith or the ' in Dead Gods' variant, specifically with the new stuff in the MagBu?

[christoffer]

Maybe a quest for The Tome of the God Kings of Old, when the tome is used in a prayer for the first time, let it give an advantage die or two? That's what I would do, instant adventure. Together with a linked test to set up the ritual and taking your time it should be no problem.

[agony]

We're using vanilla faith.

That's a pretty good idea christoffer, the mid-term objective of the campaign is already locating the island where the God Kings of Old were buried before shit hit the fan.