Resources describes your character’s general level of material wealth in the game world and ability to apply it. This might not always reflect cash on hand, given the different ways you can represent wealth in a particular setting—in a medieval game, it might be tied to land or vassals as much as gold; in the modern day, it might mean a number of good lines of credit.
This skill is in the default list to give you a basic, easy way to handle wealth as an abstraction without getting into minutiae or bookkeeping. Some people might consider it odd to give a static skill rating for something that we’re used to seeing as a finite resource.
Overcome:
You can use Resources to get yourself out of or past any situation where throwing money at the problem will help, such as committing bribery or acquiring rare and expensive things. Challenges or contests might involve auctions or bidding wars.
Create an Advantage:
You might use Resources to grease the wheels and make people more friendly, whether that represents an actual bribe (I Scratch Your Back…) or simply buying drinks for people (In Vino Veritas). You can also use Resources to declare that you have something you need on hand, or can quickly acquire it, which could give you an aspect representing the object.
Attack:
Resources isn’t used for attacks.
Defend:
Resources isn’t used to defend.
Special:
Inheritance Gambit makes use of a resources stress track. Everyone starts with a single box of Resources stress. Having Average (+1) or Fair (+2) gives you second Resources stress box. Good (+3) or Great (+4) gives you a third Resources stress box. Superb (+5) and above gives you a fourth Resources stress box.
Resources stress is used in several situations. Any time your character fails a resources roll, you may mark off a Resources stress to succeed instead. Resources stress is also used to repair vehicle damage and may also be marked off to justify the onset of physical or mental consequence recovery in which case it represents paying for some kind of medical care. Finally Resources stress may be required at a DM or scene runner’s option to justify acquiring something particularly rare, expensive or hard to get. If a player cannot take resources stress, he may take a consequence involving some kind of financial hardship.
Resources stress does recover on its own, but very slowly. Every 2 sessions (2 weeks) you may recover one resource stress or clear a resource related consequence. It can be recovered more quickly by taking jobs (RP and plots). A typical job will pay enough to clear a single box of stress for all involved, though at the DM’s option it may be more (or less) lucrative.
Finally, keep in mind that the system above is implemented to help drive RP rather than hinder it or make it an exercise in book keeping. We may alter it as time goes on, but even if we don’t use it as much or as little as suits you and your role play.
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