TTB FAQ (Old Thread)

[Mason]

Here's the new FAQ and Errata Document for Through the Breach.

 

[Link Removed]

 

If you have any questions that aren't covered in this document, please post them here and I'll take a look at them when it's time to update the FAQ.  Thanks!

 

 

Update: A new FAQ has been posted as of 1/5/16.

[zeeblee]

Huh, I did not see the saddlegun cuddle coming.

[Mason]

Huh, I did not see the saddlegun nerf coming.

 

There have been a few complaints about Custom Grip here and there since the book was released, and while I generally don't have a problem with that particular modification, it does tend to be a bit too much when combined with a Carbine.

 

This adjustment should allow Carbines and Custom Grips to continue to be strong choices on their own, without making a Custom Grip Carbine completely overshadow the other ranged weapon options.

[zeeblee]

Oh, I totally understand the change as I currently have a player with a custom carbine. They are ridiculously efficient weapons even without the custom grip.

Though this reminds me: where are the rules for damaging weapons with corrosive materials? The Blued upgrade is built for that specific purpose, but I couldn't find rules anywhere, so I've ended up just making up TNs on the fly.

[Claymore65]

This is more of a clarification question, but here we go:

 

Does an Ally, such as a Zombie or Robot, activate without a Fated using the Order action?

 

For example, if a turn goes by and the Tinkerer doesn't take the "Order" action, does the robot still get to activate normally?

 

[Mason]

No, the controller has to use a (1) Order action every time they wish for a subordinate to activate.

[Claymore65]

No, the controller has to use a (1) Order action every time they wish for a subordinate to activate.

 

Thanks, I appreciate it. That's how I've always played it, but I've had players ask me about it multiple times, so I thought it might be nice to add it to the FAQ.

[Ad1]

1) Does taking a manifest power require a character to have a magical theory to support it?

 

Question arises based on the answer to the FAQ question "Q: How do characters that do not start the game as a Dabbler, Tinker, or Graverobber gain a personal Magical Theory?" and the fact the fated book does not imply any theory is required.

 

2) If a character is using Telekinetic Movement (Fated Almanac p. 231) to attack with a weapon are they permiited to use triggers, talents and equipment customisations applicable when undertaking the duel? eg Scrapper/Guard Pursuit able to draw a twist card on a miss; Trigger critical damage if a rams is in the value; use Skill specialisation to add a suit to the duel total; receive a bonus flip for Skill Mastery - Melee; Bonus damage flips and extra damage for folded steel?

 

Also is a weapon used/controlled in such a manner able to 'engage' targets it is in melee range with and as such permit disengaging strikes? If so would any talents that activate or apply to disengaging strikes also be useable?

 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Regards,

 

Ad.

[Mason]

1) Does taking a manifest power require a character to have a magical theory to support it?

 

Question arises based on the answer to the FAQ question "Q: How do characters that do not start the game as a Dabbler, Tinker, or Graverobber gain a personal Magical Theory?" and the fact the fated book does not imply any theory is required.

 

This is covered a bit more in Into the Steam, but basically, as soon as a character is able to use magic (whether spell or manifested power), they should gain a Magical Theory as well.

 

That could be either something that happens right away (The Whisper), something encoded into a Grimoire ("it says there's this really big ritual needed to cast the spell..."), or something a character learned between sessions ("My bro taught me how to use magic").

 

 

2) If a character is using Telekinetic Movement (Fated Almanac p. 231) to attack with a weapon are they permiited to use triggers, talents and equipment customisations applicable when undertaking the duel? eg Scrapper/Guard Pursuit able to draw a twist card on a miss; Trigger critical damage if a rams is in the value; use Skill specialisation to add a suit to the duel total; receive a bonus flip for Skill Mastery - Melee; Bonus damage flips and extra damage for folded steel?

 

Yup.

 

 

 

Also is a weapon used/controlled in such a manner able to 'engage' targets it is in melee range with and as such permit disengaging strikes? If so would any talents that activate or apply to disengaging strikes also be useable?

 

In general, said weapon still has an engagement range, so enemies would still have to disengage from your floating close combat weapon, and any applicable talents and such would apply.

 

However, because this is a broad question, there's a caveat that your GM is allowed to waive that rule if it doesn't make much sense in the current situation.

[Ad1]

Thanks for the quick response and the caveat

 

Supplementary question based on above, could a fated use Telekinetic Movement to control a shield for defense using same weight/movement restrictions and apply any relevant talents/equipment bonuses? FM call is fine as an answer

 

Either way some interesting Manifest Powers and character concepts have just been born

 

regards,

 

Ad

[Mason]

That's probably up to your Fatemaster. I probably wouldn't allow it in my games unless the Fated uses an AP each turn to keep the shield animated.

[Sparksman]

The Fated Almanac (p.195) states that "A Fated is always treated as a Master when defending against other Fated (Rank value 11)", however a Master's Rank value starts at 12 in The Fatemaster's Almanac (p.7).

Which is right?

My Scrip's on the Fatemaster's but that might send some of the maths a bit wonkey.

[zeeblee]

I'd go with the Fatemaster since the same table found in the Fated Almanac (p. 248) agrees with it.

[Sunspotter]

I feel like this has been asked before, but I can't find it for the life of me

is the chesterfield carbine supposed to be worse than the other carbines? I feel like I'm going crazy trying to understand the appeal of this weapon, or am I over-analyzing it,and it's all just for fluff reasons?

[Mason]

I feel like this has been asked before, but I can't find it for the life of me

is the chesterfield carbine supposed to be worse than the other carbines? I feel like I'm going crazy trying to understand the appeal of this weapon, or am I over-analyzing it,and it's all just for fluff reasons?

 

It's just a different type of gun. The high capacity and severe damage of 5 might be valuable to some characters, or perhaps simply as a conversation piece ("Lookee my expensive gun!").

 

There's no hidden special powers, though, so don't spend too long trying to figure it out.

[Sparksman]

All the links are broken now, including the Monday Preview images

[Mason]

All the links are broken now, including the Monday Preview images

 

There's a new FAQ on the horizon to combat this problem.

[Aryxbez]

Is there a Max level in Through the Breach? is it possible PC's can go to 10th step in their Pursuit, and start taking another Pursuit? This is mentioned on the notion of how 5 sessions per player, and avg people of 4 is 20 sessions, does this also mean the PC's technically will level up 20 times before the campaigns end?

 

[solkan]

Is there a Max level in Through the Breach? is it possible PC's can go to 10th step in their Pursuit, and start taking another Pursuit? This is mentioned on the notion of how 5 sessions per player, and avg people of 4 is 20 sessions, does this also mean the PC's technically will level up 20 times before the campaigns end?

 

Player characters don't have to wait until 10th to change pursuits, and can switch back and forth between pursuits without losing their advancement steps.  There are 10 advancement steps to each pursuit, but fated can change pursuits as many times as they like, so they could reach the 10th advancement step in an unlimited number of pursuits given an unlimited number of sessions.

Note that each pursuit has an advantage that is only granted to the character while it is their current pursuit, and there's only going to be one current pursuit at a time.

Edited November 29, 2015 by solkan

[Aryxbez]

While Pursuit Talents are only accessible while you're in that pursuit, do you still keep the General Talents you gained from those Pursuit(s)? So if I had 10 levels in two Pursuits, I'd then have 10 General Talents I always have "on"? I know you still keep a General talent if you later no longer quality, but wanted to make sure here in this case as well.

[Omenbringer]

Is there a Max level in Through the Breach? is it possible PC's can go to 10th step in their Pursuit, and start taking another Pursuit? This is mentioned on the notion of how 5 sessions per player, and avg people of 4 is 20 sessions, does this also mean the PC's technically will level up 20 times before the campaigns end?

 

The Max level thing isn't really tied to the pursuits in TtB (as mentioned by the other posters above), it is tied to a Fated's destiny. Each Fated has five destiny steps, which is where the 20 sessions (for a party of 4) is coming from, however you can extend this a bit via the Advanced Pursuits (different than normal pursuits). Each advanced Pursuit can add another 5 sessions per Fated that chooses to take them.

[Mason]

While Pursuit Talents are only accessible while you're in that pursuit, do you still keep the General Talents you gained from those Pursuit(s)? So if I had 10 levels in two Pursuits, I'd then have 10 General Talents I always have "on"? I know you still keep a General talent if you later no longer quality, but wanted to make sure here in this case as well.

Yes, with the exception of the "On the Pursuit" Talents that let you draw cards for failing some sort of action, you always keep Talents learned from Pursuits, whether general or specific to that Pursuit. With the "On the Pursuit" Talents, you always have one for your current Pursuit, and then you trade it out for a new one when you switch to a different Pursuit.

[horvagab]

How long does a Gamin/Golem last if we summon one in Narrative time? Same for Summon Beast.

[Mason]

How long does a Gamin/Golem last if we summon one in Narrative time? Same for Summon Beast.

Since Narrative time is a bit flexible, there's really not a fixed time to it, though I'd definitely keep the Dramatic Time duration in mind.

Both spells last for around 18 seconds or so in Dramatic Time, so I'd generally say that they shouldn't stay around for too much longer than that in Narrative Time, unless duration-extending Immuto are involved.

 

For example, if Gregory Dunshire, Master of Example Situations and burgeoning Arcanist, found himself imprisoned in a Contract Town jail, he could summon a Frost Gamin beyond the bars of his cell, have it walk over to the sheriff's desk, and search through it for the key. Does that take longer than 18 seconds? Probably, but it "feels" right for a short task, and I'd probably let the gamin walk the key back to the door before it dissipated.

However, if he wanted to summon a Frost Gamin to run across the street and warn his Arcanist friends in the diner that the sheriff is on to them, it probably wouldn't work because doing so is pretty well outside his "window of plausible activity."

 

Hopefully that makes sense. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[horvagab]

Well, that explains why Gamin are not used en masse to work in the mines

 

Soo it can be more than 18 seconds, but only as long as it's a relatively short, simple and straightforward task. Like summoning a fire gamin to melt the lock somewhere, or a spirit gamin to phase through a wall and grab something.