Test Of Wills

Test of Wills
Sample specializations: None
Test
of wills, often
shortened to just test,
is
used to unbalance an opponent by pitting their confidence against the tester’s
confidence and resolve. A successful test causes the opponent
to doubt that his own determination or that his control of a situation is equal
to that of the testing character. Two drivers playing a game of “chicken”, for
example, are engaged in a test, In westerns, a gunfight always begins with the
two gunslingers staring each other down, trying to take each other’s measure.
This is an example of test
being
used in a combat situation, each gunslinger showing his resolve to see things
through and confidence in his own ability to draw and shoot first. Test is not the same as intimidation though sometimes the
line between the two is blurry. Intimidation is more often based
on an overt physical threat, such as pointing a weapon at someone, or a display
of violent emotion. Test
is
subtler, the character implying or creating an impression of being the one who
is calling the shots. Test
is
the defensive skill used against test, though in some situations
the willpower
may
be used to defend against test. Willpower cannot be used to perform a test though; characters
without the test
skill
must use their Mind
attribute.
The exact results of a test
attempt
are determined by using the Interaction Results Table found in Chapter Four.
When a character attempts to test someone, the player should specify to the
gamemaster the effect she wants it to have on her character’s opponent before
rolling the die. This is known as the player’s call and lets the
gamemaster better judge the results of the trick. The gamemaster, in relation
to circumstance and believability as well as the player’s roleplaying ability,
should modify test
skill
totals. If the character appears calm, cool and unruffled before and during the
test
attempt,
she should get a bonus to her skill total. If the character is nervous, panicky
and obviously not in control of a situation then a penalty should be applied.