I was running a FitD game on Sunday, and I was looking at the standard Harm rules and I was finding myself a little confused.
Minor harm (less effect) seems much worse that moderate harm (-1d)
There are several ways of overcoming the loss of a die (aid from a friend, pushing yourself, devils bargain) but only one obvious way of overcoming ‘less effect’ (pushing yourself)
Normally a 6 is standard effect, 4-5 is reduced effect and 1-3 is fail… so doesn’t less effect mean that
6 = reduced effect, 4-5 = no effect, 1-3 is no effect.
I’m probably getting this wrong, and would value someone shining a clarifying light on this for me, but on the face of it losing a dice is almost always going to have less impact on your chances than a penalty to effect!
Help??
Hopefully this is right 
In this case, ‘effect’ is referring to when the GM sets ‘position’ and ‘effect’ BEFORE the dice are rolled. An example being the player says, “I’m going to smash that reinforced steel door down with my hand.” and the GM replies, “well, I am going to say that is a ‘limited’ effect.” If the player says they are going to use explosives to knock the door down then the GM sets the effect as ‘great’.
So the idea is the character is suffering some minor harm that is reducing the effect they have doing something. Maybe a character suffering from a minor harm headache has less effect when trying to Sway someone because they are distracted by their headache. Or a player with a sprained wrist has less effect trying to pick a lock. This is all determined BEFORE they roll the move.
Then after the Roll the GM can choose to reduce the effect further as a consequence but you can also do other things as a consequence you don’t have to reduce effect. I always saw reducing effect as a POSSIBILITY of the die result not a requirement.
https://bladesinthedark.com/action-roll
https://bladesinthedark.com/effect
I haven’t calculated the probabilities but I would think looing a die is more problematic than reducing effect. You can still accomplish a thing with reduced effect whereas loosing a die may prevent you from being successful at all.
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To build on what @Daniel_SoilBuilder said, when you have Level 1 Harm, you Effectiveness is reduced. This refers to the Position and Effect set by the GM for an Action Roll.
The GM starts at the Default Risky Position and alters (if needed) based on the terms the roll is on. If it is the PC’s Terms, it’s Controlled. If it’s the Opposition, it’s Desperate. If neither, it stays Risky.
The GM then sets the Effect Level, starting at the Default of Standard. The GM alters the Effect if there are any Dominant Effect Factors (Quality of Stuff, Scale of Opposing Forces, and/ or Potency) that would warrant deviating from Standard Effect.
When you roll the dice for an Action Roll, the results are:
- Crit (Two 6s): You do the thing with improved Effect (If it was Limited, it is now Standard. If it was Standard, it is Greater. If it was Greater, it is “Extreme”)
- 6: You do the thing according to your Effect Level (Limited, Standard, or Greater). There are minimal- if any- “Consequences.”
- 4/5: You do the thing according to your Effect Level (Limited, Standard, or Greater). There is also an associated Consequence whose severity is determined by your Effect Level. A Possible Consequence could be the Reduction of Effect if it is a fictionally appropriate Consequence (If it was Greater, it is now Standard. If it was Standard, it is now Limited. If it was Limited, this is an ill advised Consequence as giving the PC No Effect voids the “success” of a 4/5).
- 1-3: You don’t get your Effect Level, or- at the “most” you get some degree of Effect, but not the way you wanted.
Level 1 Harm is another Factor is to consider in whether or not Effect is impacted. Harm is Fiction First. Level 1 Harm (as with all harm) is fiction first. It will not reduce your Effect unless it would actually impact a given Action. Level 1 Harm “Concussed” will not likely impact your Effectiveness to tell someone to back off with a Command. It will impact you when trying to Survey for an escape route in time or Study some ledgers before the Magistrate arrives.
In addition, Effect can be boosted via the following:
- Using a different Action more suitable to what you are doing/ something that leverages an Effect Factor (Some Gang Bosses might not respond nicely to manipulation with Sway, but they’ll respect Intimidation with Command. That is a more Potent approach from the start.
- Using equipment that might place the situation on your terms and/ or make you more Effective. Wrecking through a wall with a Sledgehammer is already a good step. Doing it with Dynamite is even more Effective… even if you have Level 1 Harm “Exhausted”
- Push for Effect (as you mentioned)
- Have a Teammate Set you Up with a related Action. They may Study the wall you’re about to Wreck with your Sledgehammer to identify the best spot to strike.
- Trade Position for Effect. If you would have been Risky/ Standard, but Harm makes you Risky/ Limited… then find a way to act in a more Desperate fashion and improve your Effect back up to Standard Effect
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Thank you both for the detailed responses.
I’m still wrestling a bit with it though - because all the things that can boost Effect can be used whatever the circumstances (even if you have one less die).
Assuming the Harm comes into play, and all the various things that could be done to improve matters could be done whatever the circumstances to give benefits, and that this is all following on from the fiction which would lead to a standard effect.
Probabilities of various results are
|
No dice (roll 2 take worst) |
1 die |
2 dice |
3 dice |
| Critical |
0.00% |
0.00% |
2.78% |
6.94% |
| Full Success |
2.78% |
16.67% |
27.78% |
35.19% |
| Partial Success |
22.22% |
33.33% |
44.44% |
45.37% |
| Bad Outcome |
75.00% |
50.00% |
25.00% |
12.50% |
If I was on 1d, then losing 1d seems like it would definitely be worse.
If I was on 2d, would I rather have 50% of standard effect and 50% of no effect, or 3% of standard effect, 72% of limited effect and 25% of no effect.
If I was on 3d, it rather looks as though an effect penalty becomes worse for me?
Perhaps it is a matter of seeing it as level 2 harm makes it more likely that you face consequences as a result of an action, rather than necessarily making the action less effective?
I think I’m getting there 
Blockquote[quote=“PlaneSailingGames, post:4, topic:1725”]
Perhaps it is a matter of seeing it as level 2 harm makes it more likely that you face consequences as a result of an action, rather than necessarily making the action less effective?
[/quote]
That’s the idea. Your Dice Pool has nothing to do with Position and Effect for an Action Roll. It does relate to how likely it is that you’ll get your intended Effect or how likely it is you’ll suffer a given Consequence.
Reduced Effectiveness for Level 1 Harm is just that: Reduced Effectiveness. You may still roll with 2d and you would have been Standard, but now your Limited. You may still get the 6 and now you just have Limited Effect.
If you have Level 2 Harm, you’re more likely to get a Consequence by reducing your odds of getting a 6. That could mean:
- Harm
- Heat
- Ticks on a Clock working against you
- Reduced Effectiveness
- Complications
- Etc.
That is what makes -1d so impactful. It isn’t just a reduction of dice, it is an increased odds of Consequences!
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Splendid, thanks for helping me work through to that!
Normally a 6 is standard effect, 4-5 is reduced effect and 1-3 is fail… so doesn’t less effect mean that
6 = reduced effect, 4-5 = no effect, 1-3 is no effect.
No. Maybe this is the source of the confusion?
Yeah, that was a little part of it, but not the main bit (as discussed with Sully5443 above)