Extended Tasks Queries

Dune: The Roleplaying Game
1

I’ve read the other Extended tasks questions and also had a look at Agents of Dune, the Core book, and the FAQ/Errata but I’ve still got a few questions.

#1 Core book p159 (Extended tasks) says:
As a rule of thumb, each passed skill test should score 2 points towards the requirement, which can be reduced by complications and increased by spending Momentum. If an extended task is based on overcoming something set in place by an opponent, then using one of their skill ratings is a good basis for the task’s requirement. In either case, appropriate traits may increase these scores further. If an asset has a Quality rating of 1 or above, this also adds to the points scored towards the requirement.

#2 Core book p166 (Use an Asset) says:
Some outcomes may not be possible to achieve in a single action. These turn into extended tasks, where the character makes progress toward their goal bit by bit over several actions. The requirement for the extended test is usually based on the defender’s skill.

The number of points made toward the requirement of the extended task is equal to 2 plus the Quality of the asset used: more potent assets make progress faster.

Agents of Dune p26 says:
#3 Agents of Dune p26 [sidebar] says: When the gamemaster decides that a situation is an extended task, they choose how big the extended task will be. This is called the requirement. Each passed test made towards completing an extended task scores one or more points, and when a total number of points have been scored equal to the requirement, then the extended task is complete, and whatever event or activity the task represented is resolved. As a rule of thumb, each passed test should score two successes towards the requirement, which can be reduced by complications and increased by spending Momentum.

#4 Agents of Dune p26 [main body]says: In an extended test, just beating the Difficulty once is not enough. To succeed in the test you must collect points towards a ’Requirement’ over several consecutive tests. Time will also play a factor, limiting how many tests you can make. Each successful test adds 2 points towards the requirement, unless a Complication is rolled, in which case it adds only 1 point. A point of Momentum can also be spent to add another point towards the requirement. However, the gamemaster can spend a point of Threat to increase the requirement by one.

I wanted to check that I am understanding this right and seek some clarification if that’s okay:

My understanding is that the requirement number is set by the GM. It will often (especially in conflicts) be the skill rating of the opponent.

  • Ref #4 suggests that the GM can spend a point of threat to increase the requirement as things progress - is this correct? If this is correct, can the GM spend multiple threat to boost the requirement on the fly?

Typically, a successful test will add 2 points to the target as a baseline. This is increased by the quality of the asset being used.

  • Ref #4 suggests that a complication being rolled will reduce the base points to 1. What is the impact of multiple complications being rolled? Does the points reduction stack until you can get 0 points? Can it reduce posts already scored? Or is it just 1 point off no matter how many complications you roll.

You can spend momentum to increase the number of points that you score towards the requirement.

  • Ref #1, Ref #2 and Ref #3 are silent on how much the momentum spend is.
  • Ref #4 says a point on momentum can be spent to add another point towards the requirement. Is this a single point of momentum or is it stackable (eg 3 momentum gives you 3 points towards the objective)?

Ref #1 says ‘In either case, appropriate traits may increase these scores further.’ The two cases immediate before this talk about setting the requirement number and scoring points against it.

  • Do appropriate traits (for example in a zone in a conflict) increase the requirement number?
  • Do appropriate traits that benefit the person succeeding at the task increase the number of points scored towards the requirement?

Thanks for any help you can give on this!

2

Assuming extend tasks work the same way they do in Star Trek, they’re just the same as regular combat but with different terms.

combat and extended task explainer_v2_top only_by Felderburg
combat and extended task explainer_v2_top only_by Felderburg2552×1037 260 KB

(Of course, if the two 2d20 systems are so different that this is not the case, go ahead and ignore me. I know that Dune has a lot of other stuff that STA doesn’t.)

3

Thanks for the reply - the systems are pretty different. Dune doesn’t have a stress track as such (a skill value is used) and there are no d6 involved (so a fixed damage value is used). I’m trying to get some understanding around some of the ways the system is different to the 2d20 take seen in STA and A!C.

4

The big trick for extended tasks is to give them a limit.
If you have as many tests as you like they will always succeed.
So there are two ways of framing such a test.

1- You will succeed, but we need to see how quickly. For instance, you will convince the Count to offer you a space deal, but will it take all the party or just part of it.

2- There is a time limit to limit the amount of tests you can make. For instance, the Duke is only at the party for the time it makes to try to convince him to make a deal four times. So if after 4 tests you haven’t made the requirement the deal is off.