Boost/Hinder questions

We ran into some questions in the PBF that don't have clear answers at all.  I'm hoping a developer can chime in here.

• When a character uses an ability that has multiple effects that trigger off different dice, like Tachyon's Hypersonic Assault, and also has a Boost or a Hinder, does the modifier apply to all dice/effects, just one of their choice, just the first one described in the ability, or what?
• Do Boosts and Hinders apply to Minion Saves?
• If they do apply to minion saves, and an ability like Quick Insight both applies a Hinder to a target and then attacks it, does the Hinder immediately apply to that save?
• When a roll is modified by a Boost or Hinder and also triggers a Twist based on the roll, are the effects of the Twist also modified?

Edit: Oh, and a Unity-specific question:

• "Volatile Parts" triggers on "one of your bonuses, penalties, or minions is destroyed."  This is clear for minions, but I'm assuming that "destroyed" specifically means by other abilities that say "destroy" and not being consumed or canceled by an opposite penalty or bonus.  But what does "your" mean?  Usually "your" bonus means a bonus you have available for yourself, but that doesn't make sense in this context.  I'm guessing it means "bonus or penalty you created," but I'd like to see that officially stated.

Why is the question limited to just Christopher or Dave? I know you want "a developer to chime in", MindWanderer, but there are a lot of folks who know these rules well enough to provide you an answer without requiring the time of the developers. (Not that they can't chime in, just that I don't understand why it has to be Christopher or Dave.)

That's why we have a community forum! 

• When a character uses an ability that has multiple effects that trigger off different dice, like Tachyon's Hypersonic Assault, and also has a Boost or a Hinder, does the modifier apply to all dice/effects, just one of their choice, just the first one described in the ability, or what?

Just one of the dice used, your choice.

• Do Boosts and Hinders apply to Minion Saves?

Yes.

• If they do apply to minion saves, and an ability like Quick Insight both applies a Hinder to a target and then attacks it, does the Hinder immediately apply to that save?

If it goes Hinder, then Attack, yes. If the ability says Attack, then Hinder, no.

• When a roll is modified by a Boost or Hinder and also triggers a Twist based on the roll, are the effects of the Twist also modified?

I don't know what this means. 

• "Volatile Parts" triggers on "one of your bonuses, penalties, or minions is destroyed."  This is clear for minions, but I'm assuming that "destroyed" specifically means by other abilities that say "destroy" and not being consumed or canceled by an opposite penalty or bonus.  But what does "your" mean?  Usually "your" bonus means a bonus you have available for yourself, but that doesn't make sense in this context.  I'm guessing it means "bonus or penalty you created," but I'd like to see that officially stated.

Bonus or penalty you created. 

Because only they know the intent of the rules, and not just what's on the pages.  I know a lot of people know the rules as written very well, but I also know that this happens a lot:

• Someone plays several games with the developers and feels like they know the rules, despite certain situations never coming up.
• Someone then plays games with these "tier-2" GM's and then feel like they know the rules, but some of them are wrong.
• Someone plays games with these "tier 3" GM's and feel like they know the rules, and answer them, but are now quite wrong.

If something isn't explicitly written in the rulebook, I want clarification from an authoritative source before considering it correct.  Otherwise, I can read the rules as well as anyone else.

Thanks, Dave, this is really helpful!

Whoa… that's very different from the way I've seen it played in any game so far.  It affects one die, not the outcome?  So if you're Hindered -3 during Hypersonic Assault and roll 10, 5, 2, you can apply the Hinder effect to the 10–effectively taking no penalty at all?  That's huge, and really weakens the power of Hinders used on the heroes.

Say you're taking the "lose health equal to the Max die" twist and you used a boost on a "Principle of X" ability (and thus, you boosted the Max die).  Do you take more damage?

Not sure we're talking about the same thing then. Whoever made the bonus/penalty chooses what it applies to, as also defined by what the bonus or penalty actually is in the game world. It's applied to one effect die - a bonus or penalty isn't ever going to be used on a non-effect die. See page 9 of the gameplay guide.

However, if you have a bonus that you use on an attack that affects multiple targets with your Min die, that bonus is only applying to that die, so the damage to each is increased accordingly. 

Ah, I see. Largely this would be the GM's call based on what the boost was and how the twist was created because they're the one choosing the twist, though in general, I'd say losing health equal to Max die from a twist isn't an effect die and so mods don't really apply. 

Ah, I think I get it now.  You roll, determine min/mid/max based on the rolls, which dictates which die is responsible for which effect, and then whoever created the mod decides which die to apply it to.  So if, for Tachyon were to roll 2, 4, 5 on Hypersonic Assault and Unity was giving her a +4 bonus, Unity could opt to modify the "damage" effect die and make it 6 damage (even though that would make it higher than what the Mid roll, used to Hinder, was).

Do you have to declare that you intend to use a boost before you roll? Or can you decide to use it or not to use it after you've rolled and seen what you got?

Definitely before: https://greaterthangames.com/forum/topic/boosting-and-hindering-10926

Great, thanks!

Next question-- is the persistent boost conferred by Wraith's "Favorite Knife" ability also exclusive? It doesn't explicitly say so, but the Rulebook implies that it might be (Page 7-- "Most abilities that make mods persistent also make them exclusive.")

It sure doesn’t say so, but on the other hand, as written, Wraith can have multiple favorite knives, and attack with them all at once. Does seem silly.

It might be silly, but I won’t be the one to tell Wraith that. Definitely not to her face. And certainly not while she’s holding any of her favorite knives.

For a gameplay perspective, I think I told my player that I could believe 3 favorite knives, but no more. He stuck with the one.

From a theme perspective, I love the idea that Wraith has multiple favorite knives. “V here is my #1 favorite, but SWiTPE* is a very close 2nd”. It’s both adorable and mildly terrifying at the same time.

*SWiTPE: Stick’em With The Pointy End. It’s pronounced as “sweet pea”.

Wraith definitely has multple favorite knives. Hell, I have multiple favorite knives, and she's WAY more into knives than I am.

From what I've read, a true knife nut always has at least one more knife on their person.

I agree with mind wanderer (First post, I am way late). We think a thing should work one way only to have Dave come in a correct us.

I started to compile what he said but been slacking, anyone else has it all if not I will to that today.

I've already started such a list here.  Happy to add anything you point out.

And I don't care how many favorite knives you have--it's pretty darn tough to make a single attack that uses them all.

"I used this knife to take down a squad of Voss's Gene Bound Soldiers, this is the one I pinned The Operative's arm to the wall with, and this beauty is the electro-knife I used to short circuit Omni-Reaper."

You clearly aren't that familiar with Hearthstone. XD

Well, sure, if you don't want them back again afterwards.