Q: As a follow-up to a previous ruling that cleared up how modifiers behave for Circle tests (basically saying they don't get doubled or quadrupled because they apply to a "cumulative 'skill value'", which makes sense when Circle tests don't test any single skill and thus inherently possesss a non-specific skill value [see FAQ under Historical Society, last bullet]), I'd like to ask about Word of Weal. Word of Weal instructs the player to "Add your will to your skill value for this test". This is notably distinct from a Circle test, which inherently changes the nature of the test to one that tests multiple skills at once. So, if Amina uses Word of Weal on a will test (from say, Rite of Seeking that has a doom on her from her play ability), she tests at 3 + 3 = 6 by default. What happens if: 1) She commits Guts to the test. Does she test at (3+2) + (3+2) = 10? Or (3+3) + 2 = 8? 2) She uses High Roller on the test (it could be Teamwork'd over). Again, does she test at 10 or 8? 3) She commits nothing to the test and does not modify her skill value in any way before drawing a token, testing at 6, and then draws a -1 token. Is her result (3 - 1) + (3 - 1) = 4? Or is her result (3 + 3) - 1 = 5? A: To answer your question(s):

• Yes, Rite of Seeking + Word of Weal would have Amina testing at 6.
• 1) Adding Guts would only add +2 Willpower one time. She’d test at 8.
• 2) Adding High Roller’s bonus would only add +2 Willpower one time. She’d still test at 8.
• 3) Drawing a -1 token (when she started at 6) would only affect the test once, putting her at 5.
• If it helps: your “skill value” for a test is determined by totaling (your investigator’s printed stat value) + (modifiers to that printed stat) + (modifiers to “your skill value” for that test, including tokens). Modifiers that affect “skill value” for a test do not affect your “printed stat.” Anima’s Willpower is 3 by default; Word of Weal, Rite of Seeking, Guts, and High Roller do not change that.

Q: I have a a couple questions about the timing and resolution of Amina Zidane's signature events Word of Weal and Word of Woe. Word of Weal states "Fast. Play when you perform a skill test on an asset with 1 or more doom on it." Is this to be interpreted as "play during a skill test on an asset with 1 or more doom on it" and as such is played during one of the two player windows before and after committing skills? Or is it to be interpreted as "when a skill test on an asset with 1 or more doom on it begins" since the word "when" indicates the moment when something would happen but before resolving its impact on the game state. Additionally for both Word of Weal and Word of Woe, when do we resolve the clause that shuffles the other into your deck if it is present in your discard pile? For Word of Woe it's not clear to me whether you shuffle Word of Weal into your deck after completing the action triggered ability in full, or in between placing the doom and resolving the action triggered ability. For Word of Weal, it's likewise not clear to me whether you shuffle Word of Woe into your deck immediately (or rather after creating the lasting/delayed effect to add your Willpower to the skill test being performed), or after completing the skill test being performed. A: Word of Weal can be played during either free player window of a skill test, so long as there is doom on the chosen asset by the time of playing. Once you’ve used its ability to add willpower to your skill value, you can shuffle Word of Woe into your deck if able; you do not wait until after you’ve resolved the test. Word of Woe can shuffle Word of Weal into your deck after you’ve fully resolved the ability on the chosen asset. (Rules Forum Answer, October 2024)