Observation checks. Individual rolls or one for each player?

[plutonick 0]

I am reading EfaE and it states many times that players need to roll for observation checks, one check for each player.

 

Isn't this overkill? I mean if there are 4 PCs, and the check is easy, is there a reason for all of them to roll? It's nearly impossible to miss. Is any of you using just one player's roll? Which player, the one with the higher characteristic, other things being equal (all PCs are together, all are alert, all are in same proximity to target, etc)?

[apelite 1]

 Yeah, if the party are all together and they all have a chance of seeing the same thing then I ask for one roll, with extra characters contributing white assist dice. If they have chances of seeing different things, then individual rolls work.

[dvang 10]

What monkeylite suggested is perhaps the best method.

[Silverwave 0]

You may want to check out this thread :

www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp

[dvang 10]

I will also mention, in the new Journey to Black Fire Pass, that many of the checks, for things such as travel and tracking, have a single individual, chosen by the party, make the roll (checks like Observation, or Nature Lore, etc).

[pumpkin 0]

dvang said:

I will also mention, in the new Journey to Black Fire Pass, that many of the checks, for things such as travel and tracking, have a single individual, chosen by the party, make the roll (checks like Observation, or Nature Lore, etc).

 

Oh, that sounds interesting... any more details in that?

 

Is the GM basically supposed to ask for a check and the players decide amongst themselves who can make the check (the one with the biggest pool presumably) does it suggest others can assist in the action or is it just against a single players pool?

 

 

[dvang 10]

I don't want to spoil anything ... but from what I recall, it just says "have one player make an Easy (1d) Nature Lore check to ..." .  I would assume players could decide amongst themselves, although I suppose a GM could decide too.  As an example, traveling through the wilderness from Point A to Point B, whomever is "leading" the group and navigating would make the roll.  Whether the group decides this, or the GM says that the Hunter is the one to do so, it probably boils down to the same person. I don't believe that it says anything about assisting in the roll, so it seems that it is purely based on the individuals ability in these cases.

[valvorik 271]

A simple approach is to borrow from the henchmen rules, when being a group is helpful (such as more eyes to see something) one character checks with a fortune die for each helpful ally (in this case perhaps each ally with Observation trained). 

If letting everyone, I find not everyone will want to roll actually, as poor stats in relevant ability mean they're at greater risk of stress etc.  (that is if you make everyone declare whether they are rolling before anyone rolls).

[plutonick 0]

valvorik said:

A simple approach is to borrow from the henchmen rules, when being a group is helpful (such as more eyes to see something) one character checks with a fortune die for each helpful ally (in this case perhaps each ally with Observation trained). 

That's the assist rule, actually

 

If letting everyone, I find not everyone will want to roll actually, as poor stats in relevant ability mean they're at greater risk of stress etc.  (that is if you make everyone declare whether they are rolling before anyone rolls).

 

Most of these rolls, are in story mode, so there is no stance dice, ie no stress. However, it's tempting.

[larin2 0]

 You can get stress from rolls without stance dice.  Many actions have stress results, plus any roll that generates two banes may generate stress (or fatigue, as appropriate)