The Resource Skill. How does it work?

[JediDresden2]

There are 2 different thoughts in our game about the resource skill.

On the one hand there are some who believe that as long as you make the skill roll to buy something- and it is available for purchased then that character has that item and it becomes part of their equipment/ things. Which seems pretty clear from Your Story.

The other camp thinks of the skill much more abstract and used to overcome a challenge, like other skills do, and not that it becomes part of your inventory of stuff.  Which I think they got from Fate Core.

SO which is it.  Please help!

[Sanctaphrax]

It's the former. If you buy something, you then have that thing.

You can also use Resources as a challenge-overcoming skill, though. For example, you can roll it for a bribery-based social action.

[JediDresden2]

Thanks.  That is what I thought from reading the rules.  I think something might have changed when Fate Core came out, because the person who put forward the other view quoted the Fate Core Forums, and that did not make sense to the rest of us as we read Our Story.  I know DFRPG is based on a former version of Fate from before Fate Core.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Taran]

I've used resources for having access to equipment, making declarations and as a social attack skill and as a maneuver skill.  It works the same as any other skill in the game.

For instance, 'dressed to the nines' maneuver could be a social Resource maneuver which you could tag for a presence skill check.

[JediDresden2]

Thanks.  I have seen it work like any other skill for maneuvers, skill checks, and the like.  The question came up about specifically buying equipment, i.e. if I make a resource roll and it is available then I can buy equipment and add to my possessions.  one person said no, and some of us said yes.  The individual who disagreed had read some of the Fate Core forums and basically said you had the item to overcome a challenge and then if you want to use it again the next session  you need to make a roll to use it again.  Some of the rest of us said yeah, but I bought it - so I have it. 

I think he just did not want us to make lots of resource rolls to have lots of stuff.  I think the GM can control that by controlling access to equipment.  'No, you cannot buy illegal automatic weapons.  You are a university professor.  Now if you want to make a contacts roll to see if you know someone who could help, you could try that.'  Or something like that.

We need a consensus all are happy with, because there are a number of us who take turns being GM during the campaign.  I am fine with a house rule if need be - as long as we all agree on it.

[Sanctaphrax]

As the sidebar on YS323 explains, there's a limit to how often you can buy things. And honestly, there's a limit to how often you'd want to. It's not that hard to get everything you'd normally need. And given the exciting life of a PC, possessions don't always last.

If having a lot of random stuff is important to you, it would make a lot more sense to just get a good Resources skill and the Lush Lifestyle stunt.

[JediDresden2]

Thanks for the page number, I knew I had read something about a limit.

It is not that I want a lot of stuff - I just want the option to buy something and have it part of my equipment instead of always rolling to see if I have it available. 

The way he explained it and they way I read it, just did not mesh.  I just wanted some clarification. 

Thanks Gentlemen.