Battle Dice

[Majestic]

Yeah, I like the strategy of choosing how and when to use them beforehand. Remember too that players can give them to others. My group often does this when somebody who is really lacking in a skill might need one.

[Deadmanwalking]

Yeah, I like the strategy of choosing how and when to use them beforehand. Remember too that players can give them to others. My group often does this when somebody who is really lacking in a skill might need one.

Indeed!

In my group, we're just starting to get to the point where my Beorning (who has Parry 9 including his shield) can play bodyguard from Defensive Stance to the Great Spear wielding Shadow-Bane using Elf who is his Fellowship Focus. We didn't actually plan this tactic at all in advance when making characters or anything, but using Protect Companions on every attack is getting to be a good plan and fits thematically to boot.

However, my Beorning is also the Elf's Fellowship Focus, so he definitely doesn't want me to get Wounded doing this, and he has much better Battle than I do...so he's gonna be saving his Battle dice for me to use on Protection tests (at least some of the time). Which is a very cool visual, as our characters work together in concert like some kind of well-oiled machine, and works very well mechanically as well.

[Majestic]

I love stuff like that, Deadmanwalking. One of the beauties of Fellowship Focuses, too, is that these character can spend Hope to defend each other in battle and then have it instantly replenished!

[Rich H]

One of the beauties of Fellowship Focuses, too, is that these character can spend Hope to defend each other in battle and then have it instantly replenished!

If you're talking explicitly about Protect Companion and getting the point of Hope spent on this immediately back if using it to protect your Fellowship Focus then that isn't how the RAW works strictly by the wording (p134):

If a player spends a Hope point to invoke an Attribute bonus to accomplish an action that can be considered to directly protect or favour his Fellowship focus and succeeds, he immediately recovers the Hope point he just spent

... So, Hope can only be immediately recovered when the Hope point is spent to invoke an Attribute bonus.

[Deadmanwalking]

One of the beauties of Fellowship Focuses, too, is that these character can spend Hope to defend each other in battle and then have it instantly replenished!

If you're talking explicitly about Protect Companion and getting the point of Hope spent on this immediately back if using it to protect your Fellowship Focus then that isn't how the RAW works strictly by the wording (p134):

If a player spends a Hope point to invoke an Attribute bonus to accomplish an action that can be considered to directly protect or favour his Fellowship focus and succeeds, he immediately recovers the Hope point he just spent

... So, Hope can only be immediately recovered when the Hope point is spent to invoke an Attribute bonus.

Huh. Missed that entirely. Good to know.

[Majestic]

I was meaning just protecting the Fellowship Focus in general, but it's good you clarified that, Rich. My players, for whatever reason, have used a few of the Tasks (Rally Comrades mainly, and some Intimidate Foe) more than others, and have not used Protect Companion much.

[Angelalex242]

Probably because the famous 'protect companion' trick of getting your hope back isn't RAW, and your players knew that, so they don't bother.

[zedturtle]

Yeah, we had a goodly discussion on it a while back and it came down to:

• Some folks say No on the protect, but Yes on the armour test, if it ends up a piercing blow
• Some folks say Yes on the protect, but No on the armour test, since it's personal at that point.
• Some folks say Yes to both, the whole action fits the spirit of the rules.
• Some folks say No to it all.

That list is in roughly the order of prevalence of opinion that I've seen.

[Angelalex242]

...I believe the first is correct. Invoking an attribute bonus on your armor test during protect companion is RAW. As is an archer shooting the orc attacking him, or the melee fighter stabbing the orc attacking him.

I think RAW is more 'if they attacked your focus last round, feel free to spend hope on whoever did it, you get it right back.'

Good time for elves to use deadly archery (It's an attribute bonus!) on the guy that attacked their focus, for that matter.

You can also always hope up Inspire Allies, provided your focus is in range.

[Majestic]

You can also always hope up Inspire Allies, provided your focus is in range.

If you're talking Rally Comrades, that's a good idea. But our PC who usually has no problem succeeding at the task. The tough thing is getting tengwars, and spending Hope doesn't really net you any more of those.