Task vs. Test - when to invoke the attribute bonus

[Streicher]

Hi everybody,

I struggle to find out if the following is true:

- I understand that after failed tasks, a character can spend hope to invoke an attribute bonus to be able to still succeed.
- Whereas a player about to do a test must commit BEFORE the roll if he wants to spend hope to invoke an attribute bonus.

Is that correct according to the official rules?
Cheers,


Streicher

[zedturtle]

The revised edition just states that when a roll is failed, a player may spend a point of Hope in order to add the relevant Attribute bonus. There's nothing about whether or not it matters that it is a Task or a Test. That said, the rules for that are within the section on resolving Tasks.

The way I do it, I allow Hope expenditure on both Tasks and Tests. I wonder if that's wrong?

[Falenthal]

The way I do it, I allow Hope expenditure on both Tasks and Tests.

Same here. Never saw anything that made me think it could work otherwise.

[Streicher]

Thanks for your replies.
I only own the first edition, and with the following 2nd edition rule clarification regarding tests, I became confused:

Loremaster’s Guide, p28, Modifiers
When the Loremaster is done making his declaration, the
players may employ a special ability or a pertinent Trait,
or choose to spend Hope to invoke an Attribute bonus.

The roll is actually only made AFTER that.
But if you say that the 2nd edition task rules overrule also the test rules regarding the timing of spending hope, it would make game-play much easier, respectively a bit more stream-lined.

Cheers,

Streicher

[Majestic]

My understanding of the difference between Tasks and Tests are simply who calls for them (player or LM). And I started a thread a long time ago (maybe on the old forum or rpg.net) about whether people even saw Tasks (actions called for by the player) very often. The consensus was that they were pretty rare.

I also have never seen anything that makes me think there is any difference with when you spend Hope.

[Also, I would think this thread would be more appropriate back in the main forum, rather than House Rules]

[Stormcrow]

The section after Modifiers is Consequences, in which the target number has already been reached or not. The book doesn't mention rolling the dice. Placing the text about spending Hope on a test alongside the text about special abilities and traits doesn't mean Hope is applied before rolling the dice, just that it can modify your roll.

Even with the "clarification," the text is vague. It's supposed to be telling you that after you roll, you can apply Hope if you need to, just like with tasks.

[Streicher]

Thanks guys, your replies really helped to see this topic clearer. The mechanics of tasks and tests should be the same, meaning hope shall be spend after the roll, it would be too confusing otherwise. Even differentiating between tasks and tests is a bit "artificially constructed", as the line between the two is difficult to draw - at least in my gameplay.

(And yes, next time I will post such a topic in the main forum. It was my first posting, I am still new to this forum.)

[Majestic]

(And yes, next time I will post such a topic in the main forum. It was my first posting, I am still new to this forum.)

No worries at all, Streicher (and btw, welcome!)