my group will likely be running with 4 players, so the advice above is useful. Just wondered if you recommend increasing the limits for number of attempts at extended tasks, so total attempts remain the same or let the NPC member of the party attempt their share too?
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If you have 4 players you should be able to get away with it for most of the extended tasks. It would increase the effective difficulty, but not by enough to shift things dramatically. You might want to remind players about the option to spend a momentum to add an extra success. (See page 26)
For 2 or 3 players I’d half the extended task difficulties as the method of resolving it instead of having people roll multiple times each.
Having the NPC character take a roll as well could also sort it. Normally I’m not a fan of having NPCs hanging around so much, but given they are clearly there in the pre-gens having them present in the background for essentially granting the extra rolls would be fine.
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Cheers, sounds sensible, I can always switch it up if the players are struggling
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Has anyone had any difficulties with convincing their players to trust the Harkonnen at all? I know there is guidance in the book about this, but it still feels a stretch given that everyone knows what happens to Atreides when they take over all spice production. I was considering adapting the set up a little to say the Emperor was handing just a minority % production to Nagara, with bonuses to The Harkonnen for high production
When I ran my group through the playtest they immediately had the same thought.
Not if we are going to be betrayed, but when.
Didn’t stop them running with it, but they were always waiting for when they would be proved right.
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At the start of the campaign the players are instructed to a ‘powerful and unique piece of technology which will become important in the second act of the adventure’. I am reading ahead through the second act in preparation for our next session, and whilst I can see that you trade in Nagaran Wares with CHOAM I can’t see anywhere where it matters what the choice of item actually was.
Am I missing something? Or is the intro text slightly misleading and the actual item and description is just to help form the House background and narrative flavour?
Really looking forward to running ACT 2 though - loads of good scenes
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It is essentially a narrative choice to help determine the type of House you are playing.
Within the Box set it doesn’t make a difference which technology you choose. Though a cunning player group could find ways to leverage the technology during the 3rd Act on Arrakis.
The original playtest had the option to hold back some merchandise during negotiations, though this seems to have gone from the published version.
I can think of several ways a crate of maula rifles could prove useful in Act 3. 
Arguably it can be more important if you expand the campaign out later and start using the House management rules as the type of House you are has mechanical effects there.
Ok, thanks. My group has chosen the Omnigenerator, so perhaps not quite as useful as a maula rifle for act 3! Although they could always try and bludgeon someone with it I guess.
I will look to build it into the narrative in my own way. House management rules sound interesting, does Masters of Dune include these at all? Would be good to get into those as the campaign continues
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Well you also get several teams of craftsmen that could prove useful.
Also if you are going for a Hearts & Minds approach on Arrakis being able to instantly power a host of pyon villages could certainly generate some goodwill.
As for House Management it is mainly in The Great Game: Houses of the Landsraad.
There is a little bit in Masters, but nowhere near the same and focused on use within that campaign.
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Yup, Thalim is correct, the choice is mainly to set a style for your House.
Then you get diving into the negotiations.
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The group is progressing well throught the campaign now, thoroughly enjoying it. Reading ahead to the Spice Harvesting section I just wanted to check I am interpreting correctly the Spice Production step as there isn’t an example provided and I’m not sure I understand the logic. If a +2 token is in play this represents an area rich in spice (and more likely to attract the worm attack as per step 5)
Step 7 states “The difficulty is modified by the number on the spice blow token”.
As i read it, a character would need to take a discipline test at Difficulty 5 (standard 3 plus 2 for the spice token). Only if they succeed with 5 passes would they get the 1 investment and 1 spice point. Surely this doesn’t make sense if it is a good place to harvest.
Therefore, is it correct that what I should be doing is adding the spice token value to the number of successes, for example in a +2 zone only 1 success is needed to meet the 3 required?
thanks
You are correct, but the + or - is really best interpreted as ‘bonus or penalty’
So a +2 means a bonus of two, which would reduce a difficulty to harvest.
The idea was to make it easier for new gamers (“but its a +, shouldn’t that be a bonus?” But in retrospect it may have complicated it 
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Thanks Andy, it makes total sense when you actually walkthrough a spice session, but just reading from the text did confuse me initially.
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Hi. First post. Started running this today? Saying the pcs can take assets but unsure where they are in AOD .
What is the purpose of them in the pre-gens ( a notebook for example).
Swordmaster PC little card is very different to the big card player sheet, and things like it says he has short blades but a kardjal card is long blades.
Ta
Assets are kind of ‘what you make of them’
When they apply to a test they grant a bonus to either let you roll when you might otherwise not, or gain a reduction in the difficulty.
When they apply is up to the GM based on what you are doing and how they might be used.
So a notebook might help with a science roll as you have taken notes, or even a roll to remember something as you might have written it down. It might even let you communicate secretly, passing a note to someone. Its all about player inventiveness and what the GM thinks is fine.
So you might use a blade with a House crest to help in a fight, but also to show your allegiance in a social conflict. Nothing has only one specific use.
As to the Kindjal, they are kind of ‘medium blades’ so you can probably count them as either long or short. Certain the swordmaster should have a focus for them.
The small cards are mainly to use as ‘figures’ in conflicts when put on a stand. But the useful stat reminder should be helpful.
I recently picked up Agents of Dune and am finding it a great introduction to not only the game, but the hobby in general. When Adventures in the Imperium first released, I found it rather overwhelming, but I’m finding this a much more newbie-friendly way into a game I was wanting to love.
Just to confirm, are the sandworm icon tokens for Momentum and eye for Threat?
Also, I’ve been enjoying Captain’s Log and was wondering if we might see a solo equivalent for Dune?
Thanks for making the most accessible gateway to the Dune universe since the old Cryo adventure game on the PC/Amiga!
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I am also someone who recently picked up Agents of Dune, purely as a solo player these days, my days of GMing group RPGs are long past, and I am enjoying it so far. Something I thought may have added to the box set is some details of how the PC characters feel about one another (unless this gets developed further on). For example, how does Shizu view her brother, does the Bene Gesserit have over-arching plans for the Nagara house etc. I guess experienced players would probably come up with this themselves but as a starter set I think it would be a great help for new players.
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That is a good point. Its tricky as we didn’t want to burden beginners with how they should play the characters. But at the same time some basic guidance would have been a good call. We might write up more about House Nagara sometime and add to them then.
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Yes, that is correct. Although you can use anything as long as you know what they mean.
But we did put fewer sandworm momentum counters in as that pool is limited (there are more than 6 in case you lose any! )
Very glad to hear Agents is working well for you. It was very much a gear change for us to make, so it is always wonderful to hear we got it right!
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My group had a great run through Act 1 of Agents of Dune and can’t wait to dive into Act 2! We’re really enjoying House Nagara and I hope that more scenarios etc. come for them down the line.
Having read ahead a little further now, I have a query - Is there any way to replace ‘spoiled’ cards or suggestions for reprinting to a similar quality if required?
I feel like if I use home-printed cards now it might hint to things that might happen.