Aid or Interfere Questions
“When you help or hinder someone you have a bond with, roll+Bond with them. On a 10+ they take +1 or -2, your choice. On a 7–9 you also expose yourself to danger, retribution, or cost.
So on a 7-9 do they not get the +1 or -2?
I can see how it could be interpreted that way. All depends on what the “also” is referring to, either the failed roll or the +/-.
Is there an official ruling on this from Sage LaTorra or Adam Koebel ?
On page 70 in my book, the wording is different: “On a 7-9, they still get a modifier, but you also expose yourself to danger, retribution, or cost.” And the get modifier on a hit follows the Apocalypse World structure.
On a hit (7+) you get to give them +1 or -2.
On a 7-9, you also get a downside.
7-9 is not a failed roll, first and foremost. That’s central to the whole PbA structure.
Yeah I was looking at the Aid/Interfere from the character sheets PDF.
One thing I’ve always wondered is what to do when a Aid roll pushes a 9 to a 10, but the Aider rolls a 7-9?
The Aid made it a full success so there is no retribution or danger but the Aider still rolled a partial success. It’s an odd call to make as a GM.
I think it would make sense that by aiding the other person, on a 7-9, you have basically put yourself in harms way instead, or taken the brunt of whatever was coming, allowing them to succeed in their goal.
See to me that would seem like less motivation to aid other players. The move would be used less often.
Possibly, but there needs to be a consequence on 7-9. I mean, it’s right in the move language. It doesn’t have to be a large cost. You could also split the danger among both of them. That way, you get done what you were hoping to achieve, but there is some other complication to both of them, or the group.
There is only a cost or consequence if the aided character gets less than 10.
But you don’t know that until he rolls, so there is the suspense.
Not every 7-9 have to be given a consequence. There’s going to be so many of them, you can let some slide.
If the person aiding/interfering rolls a 7-9, they open themselves up no matter what the person they help rolled.
If their help changed a 9 to a 10, the easy thing to do is shift whatever consequences to the helper, as fits the fiction.
“Aw crap, I got a 9, he’s going to deal his damage to me, that’ll probably kill me.”
“Well, I help, I dive in and try to knock the flumph off balance to make sure his blow doesn’t land… 7!”
“Okay, so the flumph sees you coming and rounds out his swing at the last moment to hit you instead. You protected Avon, and the flumph’s blow is lessened a little by redirecting. Take d6 damage.”
Wow. Help move AFTER have sought what your friend has rolled. I never let that thing happen to my table (until now, of course).
Morten wrote: “Not every 7-9 have to be given a consequence. There’s going to be so many of them, you can let some slide.” Well, as Master, you should. You have to stay true with principles and moves. However, you don’t have to PUNISH them every time.
You have moves like:
– Give an opportunity that fits a class’ abilities
– Offer an opportunity, with or without cost
Those can be actually positive things, even with a 7-9 or a 6-.
Life can offer candies and nice surprises, sometime 😀