Wednesday, July 1, 2015

GUMSHOE Investigative Spend Example Benefits

These are some sample benefits you can get from spending Investigative Pool Points. Find the GUMSHOE SRD here.



  • Optional Clues
    • A 0 pt Spend, simply using the Ability after any Core Clues have been found will reveal a flavor clue.
    • A 1 pt Spend might reveal a minor optional clue that sheds light on the bigger picture.
    • A 2 pt Spend might reveal a major optional clue that reveals much more about the case.
    • A clue has to actually be present, you can suggest a spend to find a clue, but if there are none to be had, the Keeper will tell you and you keep your points.
  • Gain an Advantage in a future contest of General Abilities 
    • By using Oral History to get some of the town stories, you might learn of the habits of some townsfolk that make getting into a place unnoticed easier later.
    • You might notice that a particular wall seems a bit unsteady and uncover there's a small hole in the base of the building that a smaller person could get through.
  • Make a favorable impression on supporting characters
    • You chat up the cops and share work stories, making them more inclined to help you out.
    • You might make friends with a local.
  •  Can lead to a flashback scene.
    • This can provide related clues that couldn't be found with the physical evidence present. Such as to remember a defensive tactic you saw in the war.
    • You might recall a lecture from a mentor that relates to what is in front of you.
    • The Keeper will determine specifics.
  •  Resolve a moral dilemma
    • Flashing a badge, a warrant and Intimidating people into cooperation might get you info for free. But a 1 pt Reassurance spend will do it with annoying people or engaging in behavior you don't want your character performing.
    • Using Flattery to chat up a secretary at the county registrar and spending the night with her might get you some information, but if you're uncomfortable with that, maybe a Credit Rating spend to show her an innocent good time (or out right bribe her) will get you the same information.
  • Speed up an Investigation
    • A Credit Rating spend might allow you to get together all the equipment you need to get out of the town today rather than tomorrow.
  •  Get you some dedicated pool points.
    • Use Library Use to create a dedicated pool of information related to local geology.
    • Use Reassurance with some fellow soldiers to create a dedicated pool of information related to knowing local army movements.
    • Most of the characters have acquired a dedicated pool of some kind via their occupational specials. Use these as guidelines.
  • Once per Case, an impressively roleplayed Investigative Spend might allow an Investigator to recover 1d6 Stability.
    • This is up to table consensus. Generally any roleplayed description of a spend that gets a "that's awesome" or similar such response should get this reward. But only once per case per Investigator. Also, as a Keeper, you may want to wait until Investigators are down some Stability first.

Back to Loss of Life prep page.

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