Grokking MHR Dice

[Veilheim]

Hi all,

I had a chance today to flip through the MHR rulebook... and I guess I'm struggling to understand exactly how the dice rolls are interpreted. Wondering if someone could lend a hand?

I more or less get how the elements add up to create a dice pool for the things I might choose to do... but what I don't understand is how to interpret the results. Can someone explain to this neophyte exactly how I tease apart the roll and turn that into information I can use as part of the narrative? E.g., let's say superperson punches evil villian off a building... what roll was performed? How might I know EV got knocked off the building? What about the pesky 1 that showed up on two dice? What's an effect die?

I apologize in advance for my need for further clarification, particularly since so many pages in the rulebook describe it, but I just wasn't able to understand.

Thanks,

-V

[Reinhardt75]

First thing, is the narration runs backward.

Instead of saying "just roll and see how well it goes and we will then determine what happens" you say "this is what I want to happen with my roll, now lets see if I succeed".

Straight damage (aka stress) is the easiest thing to determine.

After you roll, add two dice that are not showing 1's to get a total. Pick the largest die type you didn't use for that total (the number that comes up doesn't matter, as long as it isn't a one) as your effect.

The bigger the die type the bigger the effect.

Success happens if your two die total is better than your opponent's two die total (or the doom pool's two die total).

The effect then occurs with a magnitude of the effect die.

For stress, you deal that amount of stress.

If you are trying to "punch the guy off the building so that he falls and is out of combat" than you need an effect to go past d12 as a "complication" as opposed to straight stress.

Any help?

[adam]

Check out the example of play!
http://www.margaretweis.com/images/stor ... ofplay.pdf

[CarnageRules]

It took me a couple reads to understand too - Reinhardt's explanation would have been a tremendous help when I was first reading.

But while people are asking questions, how exactly does dealing stress work out?

The way I understand it (through a made up scenario) is a hero takes stress, let's say a d8, and from that point on, if a lesser die of stress (a d4) is dealt, the stress is stepped up one, and if a higher die of stress is dealt, (a d10), then the stress moves up to said die (d10).

...That hurt my head.

[Loxly]

The way I understand it (through a made up scenario) is a hero takes stress, let's say a d8, and from that point on, if a lesser OR EQUAL TO die of stress (a d4) is dealt, the stress is stepped up one, and if a higher die of stress is dealt, (a d10), then the stress moves up to said die (d10).

...That hurt my head.

With that one minor correction. Otherwise correct.

[Newtsy]

If you are trying to "punch the guy off the building so that he falls and is out of combat" than you need an effect to go past d12 as a "complication" as opposed to straight stress.

You can't go past d12 one a single roll without some serious dice in the dice pool, correct? So, if your stated intent is to knock someone off the top of a building is the only way to do that going to be getting successful subsequent action rolls and stepping up the Complication die a shot or two at a time until d12+ is achieved? Do I have that right?

[Johnny Awesome]

You need a D12 Effect die + an exceptional success (rolling 5 higher).

[Mystrich]

A d12 + a second effect die would also work I believe. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but:

Thor (given he's free bonus content, I'll use his stats) tries knocking someone off a building by slamming into them with Mjolnir. He adds:
Solo d10 + Godlike Strength d12 + Weapon d10 (Activating I Say Thee Nay! +d10) + Combat Expert 2d6
Rolls:
8/10, 6/12, 4/10, 5/10, 3/6, 2/6

He adds 8+5 for 13 and chooses d12 for the effect. He spends a plot point and adds the second d10 as an effect.

Piledriver (from the same PDF) resists
Team d6 + Huge Hands d8 + Superhuman Strength d10 + Combat Expert 2d6 + Doom Pool d6
2/6, 3/8, 7/10, 4/6, 3/6, 5/6
5+7 = 12 and chooses the d8 as his effect die.

Thor wins, inflicting the d12 Complication (One the Edge) and pushing it to a d12+ complication with his second effect die (d10) all in one action.

[Newtsy]

A d12 + a second effect die would also work I believe. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but:

Thor (given he's free bonus content, I'll use his stats) tries knocking someone off a building by slamming into them with Mjolnir. He adds:
Solo d10 + Godlike Strength d12 + Weapon d10 (Activating I Say Thee Nay! +d10) + Combat Expert 2d6
Rolls:
8/10, 6/12, 4/10, 5/10, 3/6, 2/6

He adds 8+5 for 13 and chooses d12 for the effect. He spends a plot point and adds the second d10 as an effect.

Piledriver (from the same PDF) resists
Team d6 + Huge Hands d8 + Superhuman Strength d10 + Combat Expert 2d6 + Doom Pool d6
2/6, 3/8, 7/10, 4/6, 3/6, 5/6
5+7 = 12 and chooses the d8 as his effect die.

Thor wins, inflicting the d12 Complication (One the Edge) and pushing it to a d12+ complication with his second effect die (d10) all in one action.

Interesting! So, Complications don't fall under the same rule as Stress regarding the addition of more than one of the same Stress type (Physical, Emotional, or Mental) die per target per action, correct?

[Mystrich]

Hmm, they may. I'd have to check actually. Like I said, I may very well be wrong on that matter!

EDIT: I can't even find where it mentions the 1 stress thing.