Introduction

As this is the first time that will be using the Burning Wheel rules for a campaign, we should probably stick as closely to the book as possible.

However, there are some procedural points on which the rules, as written, aren't entirely clear. For some of these, the game's makers and playtesters have posted definitive clarifications on the Burning Wheel Forum. For others, the answers are not always so clear, and it is necessary to develop our own interpretations of what the rules should be.

There are also some fairly common 'traditions' of limiting or varying the rules to help prevent ridiculous situations that have been posted on the Burning Wheel Forum. (For example, limiting how many people can 'help' another on a test so that, say, you can't have 20 peasants with a Resources exponent of 1 all help each other to buy castles.)

Moreover, there are some rules that the game's creator, Luke Crane, has proposed, which, though not yet included in any errata sheet, that may be worth adopting. And finally, it's possible that we may wish to introduce some house rules of our own as we start playing and seeing what works for us as a group and what does not.

This page will list house rules and interpretations that I am proposing for use in this game.

Please note that this page is only for house rules for Burning Wheel mechanics, generally speaking. Specific suggestions for adapting Burning Wheel rules for the Hârnic setting are found on the Adapting Burning Wheel for Hârn pages.

Rolls & Tests

Experienced players on the Burning Wheel Forum have related that the following are the proper guidelines to handle for specific rolling situations:

  1. Disadvantages on open tests. When a character has a +1 Ob. penalty (due to poor light, a superficial wound, or whatever) on an open test (i.e. a test on which there's there's no fixed target obstacle) the player rolls per normal, counts successes, and then subtracts one from that number.
  2. Disadvantages on versus tests. When a character has a +1 or higher Ob. penalty on a versus test (i.e. one in which he counts his successes and compares them against the number of successes by his opponent), he rolls the dice as per normal, counts successes, and then subtracts one from that total.
  3. Beginner's Luck on open tests. When using the “Beginner' Luck” rules on an open test, the player rolls per normal, counts successes, and then divides that number in half, rounding down.
  4. Beginner's Luck on versus tests. When using the “Beginner' Luck” rules on a versus test, the player rolls per normal, counts successes, and then divides that number in half, rounding down.

I suggest we plan to use both of these four interpretations in our game.

Helping Others

A bunch of ideas have been put forth on the Burning Wheel Forum regarding limiting how many characters can help another on a test (per the help rules). Three of the most promising seem to be:

  1. A character canot receive help from more people than his/her Will exponent. In other words, someone with a Will of B5 can only receive help from 5 others.
  2. A character canot receive help from more people than his/her exponent in the skill/stat being tested. In other words, someone with a Resources of B5 can only receive help from 5 others in Resources test.
  3. The total number of dice rolled in a 'helping situation, cannot be greater than twice the exponent of the least competent helper. In other words, if a the least competent helper has a skill of B2, the most dice that could be rolled when s/he helps another is 4.

Although I'm not sure that this will really be a problem in practice in the game, it may be worth discussing whether we wish to adopt one of these rules in case it does crop up.

Duel of Wits

Experienced players on the Burning Wheel Forum have provided the following clarifications and/or amendmentsto the Duel of Wits rules.

  1. Rebuttal vs. Rebuttal. If Rebuttal is scripted by both characters at the same time, nothing happens.
  2. Rebuttal vs. Hesitating Character. If Rebuttal is scripted by someone who is hesitating, nothing happens.
  3. Making a Good Point. If a player who scripts a Point or Rebuttal makes a really good point (in view of the GM and/or other players), an advantage die can be given.
  4. Repeating yourself. If a player who scripts a Point repeats the same argument made in a prior as before, it is rolled at an Ob +1 penalty The next time the same point is made, it is at an Ob+2 penalty, etc.

I suggest we plan to use these two clarifications/interpretations in our game.

Fight!

Experienced players on the Burning Wheel Forum have provided the following clarifications to the Fight! rules.

  1. Counterstrike vs. Counterstrike. If 'Counterstrike' is scripted for both characters, nothing happens.
  2. Counterstrike vs. Hesitating Character. If Counterstrike is scripted against someone who is hesitating, nothing happens. Counterstrike is a defensive move and is can only affect individuals who are trying to Strike, Push, Disarm, or perform a similar offensive move.
  3. Disarm vs. Hesitating Character If a character scripts Disarm against a character who is hesitating, the target obstacle is 1, rather than the target character's weapon skill..

I suggest we plan to use all three interpretations in our game.

Mortal Wound

In a post on the Burning Wheel Forum, the game's designer, Luke Crane, indicated a belief that the rules for Mortal Wounds are 'broken', being extremely penalizing and tedious. Specifically, he complains:

As it stands, you get whacked and you go down. Period. Down and out. Then you have to spend a persona point to buy a chance at an Ob 6 Health test. Ouch. Then you have to make the Health test. Then you have to get treatment. Then you have to recover from each stage of the wound. Many high obstacle Health tests.... I don't think it really serves any purpose.

Instead, he proposes the following optional/rule tweak:

If a player spends a persona point for the Will to Live, then his character is guaranteed of recovering from the Mortal Wound. The wounds will close over time and he will wake up. If he doesn't spend the point, then he bleeds out or is killed instantly or whatever. He's unrecoverable if no point is spent.

Treatment and Heath tests for Recovery are still necessary, though. Obstacles remain as described on pages 201 and 203 of the Burning Wheel. Successful treatment grants advantage dice equal to margin of success to the Health test for recovery. Failed treatment grants disadvantage equal to the margin of failure.

Successful Health test for recovery reduces time for recovery by 10% per extra success. A failed Health test for recovery indicates maximum time for recovery -- two years -- and the character earns a trait whose point cost is 1 plus the margin of failure. In addition, the character earns the Mortally Wounded in the Gut (or Head or Ass or whatever). This trait reduces the maximum for one stat by 3 -- from 8 to 5 for Humans, for example. The GM may determine the stat to be capped.

Essentially, this means that if one spends a personal point of Artha on The Will to Live, survival is guaranteed— rather than simpy having a 'chance' of survival. However, one will still need to go through a very long convalescence and may be out of action for quite som time.

I personally think this is is an improvement and would encourage us to use this— although, of course, I hope there aren't going to be too many mortal wounds among the PCs!