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[House Rule] Extra Threads

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 5:02 pm
by Tattered Rags
Typically, one must declare extra threads prior to the first Thread Weaving test and is stuck with the decision or just abandon all already woven threads.

Use of the Improvised Pattern knack for Patterncraft allows an exception to this.

Each success on a Thread Weaving test weaves 1 thread.

Borrowing from the knack and the extra success mechanic, I propose the following house rule in the hope that it neither removes Improvised Pattern's usefulness nor unbalanced spellcasting significantly.

Rule:
Extra successes beyond those required for a spell based on the initially declared number of threads can be spent to add more extra threads up to the maximum allowed by the character's normal thread maximum. Each extra thread added in this way requires 3 extra successes and 2 strain, and this must be done in the same round as the Thread Weaving test that completed the initially declared threads.

Purpose:
Allow something to be done with those rare exploding Thread Weaving rolls when they happen to not coincide with declared extra threads.

Example 1:
Fred the Wizard (Circle 1) weaves threads for Flame Flash declaring no extra threads, as he's not that great at Thread Weaving yet. He rolls an impressive number and gets 7 total successes. One success is enough to weave the spell's single required thread. He can only have a maximum of 1 extra thread, so he uses 3 of the successes and pays 2 strain to add a thread that increases the duration. The remaining 3 successes are lost.

Example 2:
Fredwena the Elementalist (Circle 15) uses Spliced Weave to make 3 Thread Weaving tests for Metal Wings, declaring 2 extra threads for extra targets to guarantee it gets done the next round (she and her friends are falling off an air ship!). She rolls an amazing 5 successes on the first Thread Weaving roll. Since it's the same round and she has to spend the strain for Spliced Weave anyway, she rolls again and gets 3 successes on the second roll. She decides to add another extra thread so the falling random crewmember also gets wings, spending the 3 successes and 2 strain to do so.

Re: [House Rule] Extra Threads

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 5:05 pm
by etherial
You could just move Thread Declaration from before the roll to after. IP would still be useful because circumstances could change from turn to turn.

Re: [House Rule] Extra Threads

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 6:06 pm
by Tattered Rags
etherial wrote:
Fri Oct 12, 2018 5:05 pm
You could just move Thread Declaration from before the roll to after. IP would still be useful because circumstances could change from turn to turn.
That's a balance upsetter, I think (which might be fine for some tables). The idea of the way the rules currently have it set up is to force you to decide if that extra thread is worth the risk of having to spend an extra turn weaving.

"I know I'll likely get 1 success, but 2? Man, I need it to go off next round more than I need that extra duration, so I won't risk it."
"Crap! I got an extra success! Oh well, at least it didn't gothe other way."

That internal monologue changes to "I'll just roll and see what I get, then decide." If those sorts of choices are too much or not fun for your magicians, then I'd say move the thread declaration.

This house rule is meant to keep that sort of trade-off decisions while still rewarding high rolls/steps.

Re: [House Rule] Extra Threads

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 6:03 pm
by Dougansf
Tattered Rags wrote:
Fri Oct 12, 2018 6:06 pm
That internal monologue changes to "I'll just roll and see what I get, then decide."
You mean like almost all other rolls in the system?

Re: [House Rule] Extra Threads

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 8:14 pm
by Tattered Rags
Dougansf wrote:
Sat Oct 13, 2018 6:03 pm
Tattered Rags wrote:
Fri Oct 12, 2018 6:06 pm
That internal monologue changes to "I'll just roll and see what I get, then decide."
You mean like almost all other rolls in the system?
Yes and no. The magic analogue to Melee Weapons (etc.) is Spellcasting. Now that I think about, Spellcasting deserves more maneuvers and such that you can use extra successes on.

Thread Weaving is a bit of an odd duck.

But I do see your point.

Re: [House Rule] Extra Threads

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 8:43 pm
by Slimcreeper
Have you seen all of the new Threadweaving Knacks in the Companion?

Re: [House Rule] Extra Threads

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 12:51 am
by Tattered Rags
Slimcreeper wrote:
Mon Oct 15, 2018 8:43 pm
Have you seen all of the new Threadweaving Knacks in the Companion?
Yes. None of them address this issue. Only the patterncraft knack does.

Re: [House Rule] Extra Threads

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 3:54 am
by Slimcreeper
In my games, whenever someone rolls up on Threadweaving, the character grows one inch taller per extra success.