Turn order of Opposed tests, Fortune limit to buy d20s

Conan: Adventures In an Age Undreamed Of
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  1. How does turn order work for Opposed tests? Do they both decide how to many d20s to buy at the same time and roll at the same time? If so, do the players in a skill test decide in secret how many d20s to buy before they roll their dice?

If not, what is the turn order? Attacker decides # of dice, defender decides # of dice; attacker rolls, defender rolls? Or attacker decides # of dice, attacker rolls dice; defender decides # of dice, defender rolls dice? Or defender decides # of dice, attacker decides # of dice; defender rolls, attacker rolls? Or defender decides # of dice, defender rolls dice; attacker decides # of dice, attacker rolls dice?

  1. Can you buy more than one d20 with Fortune in a single test? E.g. Buying three d20s with three Fortune points in a single skill test.
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Assuming your question is about a PC versus an NPC: the PC goes first. I would say that if the GM wants to buy extra dice for the NPC he should say so to the player and let him adjust his expenditure accordingly. This game is PC oriented, they are the heroes but, occasionally the GM might deem that the NPC is sneaking and that the PC is unaware of his extra dice (for instance because it’s a sneak attack) this might require an extra Doom or a skill check for the NPC (for e.g. a Struggle between the NPC’ Stealth and the PC’s Observation).
Fortune points are rare and hard to come by, let them do it, let them rock the boat and describe the whole thing epically.

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Assuming your question is about a PC opposing another PC. I would say, be clear about it: it’s not player versus player but PC versus PC. I would tell this to my players very plainly and probably advise them not to spend valuable resources on this Struggle (and certainly NOT using the common pool -I would forbid it). Let’s just roll the dice and go with it.

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I believe the intention is for the player to spend all momentum, fortune, doom, (resources) first, then, afterwards, the gm spends, for PC vs NPC conflict. See Opposed Tests section for insights.

Anything of what would make sense building a cool sword n sorcery yarn.

HtH