Handling Effects that use multiple Attributes.

As discussed previously on the blog, all Tests you make use one or more Attributes. The choice of which Attribute is applied is based on which Attribute governs a given Function.  For example, when you have an Effect that has a VOID Function, you add your FORCE Attribute to the final modifier that the Dice give you in order to determine whether you Win or Fail the Test.

This is straightforward for Effects that contain Functions that all use the same Attribute, but what about Effects that use different Attributes? Let's say you have the following Effect:

FOCUS [3d]: SHIELD "Body": { BLOCK ATTACK of "Body" [3]. ATTACK "Body": { VOID "Body" of "Attacker" on Contact via CHANNEL ("Fire") [2].} }

This is a flaming SHIELD Power that attempts to deal damage to anyone who comes in Contact with it.  BLOCK is governed by COUNTER, and VOID is governed by FORCE. 

To make a Test like this, you'd simply roll your FOCUS dice along with any BURDEN Dice the Test called for (a default of 1), and find your Attribute modifier as usual.  Then you'd apply this modifier to each Attribute used in the Effect separately to determine whether each set of Features using those Attributes went off properly. In this example, you'd apply the modifier to your COUNTER Attribute to determine whether the BLOCK worked, and then apply the same modifier to your FORCE Attribute to determine whether the VOID worked. 

Example:  Ardos has a spell up- the SHIELD described above. It's drawing on the COUNTER and FORCE of his mind. His mind's COUNTER is +1 and his mind FORCE is +3. When he is attacked by a club-wielding dwarf-troll, he rolls his 3 FOCUS dice against the Attack and gets (FOCUS 6,2,1 and BURDEN 2). This gives a +4 Attribute modifier and 1 Profit.  

The GM is delivering a simple VOID "Body" Effect, and the dwarf-troll rolls a modified +6 when he adds his FORCE in.

Adding his roll of +4 to his COUNTER of +1, Ardos gets a +5 for his BLOCK Feature. It isn't good enough to work. He then adds his roll to his FORCE of +3, for a result of +7 for the ATTACK Feature. 

The Troll has his own SHIELD in the form of his hide, so the GM rolls his defense- separately because it is the result of a separate Effect. He gets a +5, so the +7 VOID Effect gets through.  Ardos adds his Profit to the VOID Effect. 

The end result is that the SHIELD doesn't hinder the blow of the club, but the dwarf-troll pays a price for his aggression. 

To recap, when an Effect has Features that use different Attributes, roll once, and apply the same modifier to all of the Attributes being used. Then spread the Profit and Waste between the Effect's Feature's as desired. Only when Effects are truly separate should you roll separately.

I hope this is all clear, but if not, feel free to ask.