Resources

There are two kinds of Resources: Extras (minor NPCs) and Locations.

If two Leads link to the same Extra, it gets upgraded to a Feature (major NPC).

Ratings

Unlike pretty much everything else in the game, Resources are always rated in pairs of dice: 2d4, or 2d10, etc. This is because Resources can only be called upon to contribute their dice twice per episode. Imagine that each Resource has two checkboxes on it; when anyone calls on it for Aid, you roll two dice, and check off a box (see "Aiding" below for details). The second time it's called upon, only one die is rolled, and another die is checked off. After both are checked off, well, that guy is busy right now, or the library doesn't have that book in, or the store is jam-packed and you can't get in. (Next episode the checkboxes clear.)

Different Leads can have different ratings for the same Resource; the rating is subjective. The Local Library can be listed at 2d10 on Bob's sheet and 2d6 on Carol's; that just means Bob gets more use out of it.

Aiding

Here's how Resources actually work: When you make a roll, you can bring in a Resource to Aid you. If that Resources hasn't been used before, roll both of its dice, and add the higher die to your result. (This dies does not become part of your pool.) This knocks the Resource down to one die; the next time it's called upon, only one die will be rolled for its Aid.

Or you can add both of the Resource's dice to your result! But this uses up the Resource for the rest of the episode, as if it'd been called upon twice. (Page 118)

Specialties

In addition to their die rating, each Resource also has two specialties which determine the kinds things they can Aid you with. These don't have to be the same two specialties on each person's sheet! Bob's sheet might list his roommate as Dave Douglas 2d10 (Wingman, Rumors) while Dave's girlfriend Carol lists him as Dave Douglas 2d8 (Therapy, Public Image). (Actually, that's a bad example, because if two Leads linked to the same Extra, it got upgraded to a Feature. No, that only happens during Pathways. One Lead can gain a link to another's existing Extra in play, and the Extra doesn't get upgraded to a Feature.) Maybe the library is Local Library 2d10 (Flirt, Information) for Bob and Local Library 2d8 (Research, Quiet) for Carol.

In The Watchtower Report, it suggests (pages 100-101) rules for changing Resources as play goes on, so don't worry about being stuck forever with the stuff you come up with at the beginning.

Using Resources

Anyone with the Resource listed on their sheet can call on that Resource for free. There has to be a reasonable way of representing this in the story, of course. You can spend a Plot Point to bring an Extra into a scene, by having him show up coincidentally, or calling him on the phone.

Anyone without the Resource listed can spend a Plot Point and call on it. They get to spend a die as if they had the Resource listed at 2d6, and then can keep it on their sheet at 2d4 until the end of the episode. You can use tag scenes and Growth to keep it on your sheet permanently.

If you pay a Plot Point to use a Resource from another player's sheet, that player gets the Plot Point. If the Resource is owned by more than one player, the Plot Point goes to the one who most recently used or interacted with the Resource.

Advance Preparation

Y'know that thing where we see a character doing a whole bunch of preparation work (research, building something, etc), but don't know exactly what they're doing? And then later on, in another scene, they're all "Aha, I had this thing ready!" and pull out a tool or bit of useful knowledge? You can do that by spending an entire scene in a Location, narrating some preparation, and then later on you can call on that Location's dice for Aid, just like normal, even though you're not in that Location right then. (Page 122, right column)

Examples

These are the examples given in the Core rulebook for Extras and Locations (without the descriptive text). The specialties listed are just suggestions, in case you can't come up with something. If you use one of these, make it specific. Don't write "Politician" or "Street" or "Private Security"; instead write "Senator Vargas" or "Schuster Avenue" or "Aegis Inc Rent-a-Cops".

Example Extras

• Bartender: Brawl, Contacts, Rumors, Therapy, Wingman
• Club Hopper/Socialite: Attractive, Flirt, Public Image, Socialize, Wingman
• Criminal: Connected, Liar, Safecracker, Sneaky, Thievery
• Doctor: Forensics, Medicine, Research, Resources, Science, Technology
• EMT: Driving, Medicine, Mental Map, Retrieval, Unflappable
• Government Agent: Investigation, Kidnapping, Security, Unflappable, Weapons
• Hacker: Hacking, Rumors, Technology
• Inventor: Fixer, Gearhead, Knowledge (Science), Resources, Technobabble, Technology
• Lawyer: Contacts, Law, Red Tape, Resources, Silver Tongue
• Mage: Lore, Magic, Research
• Motivator: Courage, Inspiration, Tenacity, Training, Vengeance
• Ninja: Sneaky, Weapons
• Nurse: Medicine, Red Tape, Rumors, Therapy
• Police Officer: Crowd Control, Investigation, Law, Security, Weapons
• Politician: Contacts, Law, Publicity, Red Tape, Silver Tongue
• Private Security: Crowd Control, Intimidation, Retrieval, Security, Weapons
• Professor: Contacts, Knowledge (pick a subject), Red Tape, Research, Resources
• Reporter: Contacts, Investigation, Photography, Publicity, Research, Silver Tongue
• Scientist: Forensics, Resources, Science, Technobabble, Technology
• Soldier: Brawl, Intimidation, Security, Tactics, Weapons
• Student: Investigation, Knowledge (pick a subject), Research, Socialize, Technology
• Thug: Brawl, Intimidation, Kidnapping, Vicious, Weapons

Example Locations

• Alley at Night: Crime, Dark, Dumpster, Isolated, Rumors
• Bar: Crowded, Friendly, Loud, Regular Clientele, Shady
• Caves, Lairs, Hidden Spaces: Concealed, Damp, Dark, Isolated, Security
• Coffee Shop: Contacts, Public, Rumors, Socialize, Therapy
• Crime Scene: Crowded, Chaotic, Dark, Investigation, Red Tape
• Elevator: Confined, Private, Rumors, Unreliable, Vulnerable
• Headquarters: Glass Furniture, Planning, Security, Tactics
• Homebase: Comfort, Protect, Restore, Safe
• Hospital: Chaotic, Crowded, Medicine, Resources, Vulnerable
• IT: Breakables, Hacking, High Voltage, Information, Technology
• Laboratory: Breakables, Experiment, High Voltage, Resources, Science!
• Library: Librarian, Quiet, Research, The Stacks
• Newspaper Archives: Musty, Private, Quiet, Research
• Night Club: Anonymity, Crowded, Loud, Publicity, Seduction
• Restaurant: Contacts, Quiet, Socialize
• Shopping Mall: Crowded, Holiday Shopping, Public
• Street: Crowded, Deserted, Dirty, Loud, Under Construction
• Top of a Building: Contacts, High, Isolated, Romantic, Windy
• Transportation (Car, Bus, Train, Plane, etc.): Confined, Crowded, Elevated, Fast, Subterranean
• Uninhabited Home: Deserted, Private, Quiet, Restore
• Waterfront: Crime, Dilapidated, Isolated, Resources, Water