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The basic rule in the AG states at p.79:

"Usually, a character’s Damage rating is equal to his basic Body score, both for attacks made with a close
combat weapon or a ranged weapon."

This suggests that the Damage rating rule use of the basic attribute score is not absolute and merely represents the "usual" position.

But at p.152 the rules state:

"Players always take into consideration the basic value of an Attribute, unless the action is making use of a favoured skill. When this is the case, the bonus is equal to the favoured Attribute rating instead."

How do others play this out? No difference for Damage Rating with a favoured weapon or Favoured attribute applies as Damage Rating with a favoured weapon?

cheers
Mark

Actually I believe the reason the 'Usually' is used as a qualifier is that the Damage rating can be altered by a Virtue.

Dour-handed raises Ranged DR by 1
Fell-handed raise Close Combat DR by 1
Fierce shot use favoured body score as Ranged DR

I've been playing that using a favoured weapon skill allows the hero to use the favoured body score when spending a point of Hope.

Your second quote (pg 152) is in reference to the Attribute Bonus you gain on rolls when spending a Hope point. Hermes is right that "usually" is referring to modifiers that can change the Damage Rating.

The Damage Rating doesn't change based on the skill being Favored or not – though you are free to play how you want at your table.

I'm thinking of letting my players use their favoured body ratings for favoured weapon damage. Base attributes are supposed to be raw talent, with favoured attributes representing honing that natural ability. It makes sense to me that someone who trains long and hard with a specific weapon is going to learn to maximise its effectiveness.

My only thought for that change is that it makes the choice at character creation between a weapon group and a single, favored weapon much more favorable towards taking the favored weapon. Right now they are both a small benefit either way.

doctheweasel wrote:My only thought for that change is that it makes the choice at character creation between a weapon group and a single, favored weapon much more favorable towards taking the favored weapon. Right now they are both a small benefit either way.

Ditto. While I agree that favoured weapons might need a little bit more punch, I think that pushing their damage bonus up to 3 points more might not be the way.

It was our groups understanding that when you use a favored weapon you would use your favored score. So for example whenever using a hope point you would use your favored body score to damage instead of base body score. Also whenever rolling a great success or extraordinary success you would add your favored score once or twice respectively. Is this too much because we would have struggled greatly to fight some of the larger Orcs unless that was the case.

Valdur wrote:It was our groups understanding that when you use a favored weapon you would use your favored score. So for example whenever using a hope point you would use your favored body score to damage instead of base body score.

Correct for the rules as written.

Valdur wrote:Also whenever rolling a great success or extraordinary success you would add your favored score once or twice respectively. Is this too much because we would have struggled greatly to fight some of the larger Orcs unless that was the case.

You only add the favoured score when using a Hope point under the current rules. So should you get a great or better success then it's certainly worth spending a Hope point to use the favoured score instead. If it saves your Focus from harm then you get the point back anyway.

If you find it hard killing some of the creatures that need two wounds then look at the rules for Prepare shot taking an aimed shot that gives your archer a Called Shot.

"If the player succeeds in a ranged attack during the
following round, he is considered to have successfully
achieved a Called shot."

A Called Shot with a bow is an auto Piercing Blow forcing a Protection test and if the target is Weary it loses the 1, 2's and 3's on it's success dice when testing.

Hermes Serpent wrote:

Valdur wrote:It was our groups understanding that when you use a favored weapon you would use your favored score. So for example whenever using a hope point you would use your favored body score to damage instead of base body score.

Correct for the rules as written.

Can you please point me to page were this is explained?

I don't have the Italian language book so can't tell you where it is in that but in the English version.
ABpage 26 Attributes
"When a player fails at a roll, he may spend one point of
Hope to receive a bonus equal to the Attribute score that
is considered most pertinent for the action. Apply the
favoured Attribute rating if the character is making use of
a favoured skill, or the basic value otherwise."

Covers the use of a Hope point when using any skill. However it seems that like a lot of my fellow LM's I've been unknowingly using a House Rule. From an exhaustive search through both core books I read that the Attribute
Bonus is only used when rolling dice so if no dice are rolled (as for damage) then an Attribute Bonus is not applied and my use of the Favoured Attribute Bonus as the Damage Bonus when using a Hope point is incorrect as per the rules.