Skill Complement Examples

[Valheru]

So my google-fu returned a little information on this topic but not as much as I would like. Apologies if I've missed something obvious.

While skills restricting each other seems fairly straight-forward I'm having a difficult time imagining scenarios where skills complement each other. The physical example (Weapons/Athletics) from YS213 even spells out that it would only restrict the roll and not complement it. However I don't think the social example (Scholarship/Discipline) is really any different. While gibbering in fear could definitely restrict your ability to explain germ theory to a dragon I don't see how not being scared actually makes you more knowledgeable.

Would someone be so kind as to provide some examples?

The Might skill mentions a shoving contest and wrestling on YS 135. What is this shoving match, a "non-conflict action" and/or a maneuver? And how is wrestling different from a grapple (which directly uses Might, not Fists/Weapons modified by Might)?

[Taran]

Re: the wrestling match:

WWE:  Maybe performance Complemented by Might, or vice versa.

Or it could be an extended test.  You are wrestling someone and the GM calls for an Endurance, athletics and Might check.  Athletics could be complemented by Might.

Social:  You want to do a resource roll to gain access to some funds - maybe a loan or getting access to stocks that are tied up.  Using contacts to complement resources might work if you know a banker or a broker who can pull some strings.

Contacts complementing rapport or deceit when dealing with criminals.

Presence to complement Rapport when reputation is the main factor.

Scholarship complementing rapport when speaking to a scientist or researcher.

Intimidate complementing rapport when trying to convince someone not to do something and you list the disastrous consequences of those actions (could also just be an intimidate roll)

Conviction complementing discipline when trying to resist a compulsion that is diametrically opposed to your faith or belief system.  (depending on the situation, this could be a straight conviction roll)


- really, you can just call for it any time.  In any of those circumstances, the player could roll a maneuver to create an aspect to boost the main roll, or the GM could save the extra rolling and just say the skill compliments.

[Sanctaphrax]

You can run the game just fine without ever using a modified skill; if I remember right, they got rid of those rules in a later version of Fate and few people cared.

Still, it's a good option to have for ambiguous cases. A while ago I had a player flying very fast when a cage was conjured around them; I wasn't sure whether Athletics or Alertness was the most appropriate defence skill, so I had them roll Athletics modified by Alertness.

Anyway, there are three skills for which the corebook offers modification-specific stunts/Powers. Might, Discipline, and Endurance. Not coincidentally, those are the three skills most likely to modify another. Might for any physical action you take while weighed down, Discipline for any challenge that's at least partially about keeping your cool, and Endurance for anything you do continuously for a long time or while very tired.

As I recall, the corebook says long-distance running uses Athletics modified by Endurance.

[Mr. Death]

While skills restricting each other seems fairly straight-forward I'm having a difficult time imagining scenarios where skills complement each other. The physical example (Weapons/Athletics) from YS213 even spells out that it would only restrict the roll and not complement it. However I don't think the social example (Scholarship/Discipline) is really any different. While gibbering in fear could definitely restrict your ability to explain germ theory to a dragon I don't see how not being scared actually makes you more knowledgeable.

Remember that a skill roll is an abstract, and a Scholarship roll is not necessarily declaring that you know something.

Perhaps modifying the Scholarship roll with Discipline means you're just better able to explain it to the dragon because you have confidence. Or, because the dragon is impressed by your level of coherence, it listens more intently and is more willing to hear you out.

[Valheru]

Thanks for the responses.

- really, you can just call for it any time.  In any of those circumstances, the player could roll a maneuver to create an aspect to boost the main roll, or the GM could save the extra rolling and just say the skill compliments.

That's an interesting way to put it. Though it seems like you'd be better off creating the aspect if you're not pressed for time while in a conflict action economy makes compliments far better.

You can run the game just fine without ever using a modified skill; if I remember right, they got rid of those rules in a later version of Fate and few people cared.

I think I would lean towards this.

Remember that a skill roll is an abstract, and a Scholarship roll is not necessarily declaring that you know something.

Perhaps modifying the Scholarship roll with Discipline means you're just better able to explain it to the dragon because you have confidence. Or, because the dragon is impressed by your level of coherence, it listens more intently and is more willing to hear you out.

I get that it's abstract (or at least I'm trying to!). This just seems like a slippery slope to me. I mean aren't most things "better" when you're confident and coherent? So just about any check could be complimented all the time.