This is Whining about Derp!

So, I have a player who picked This is Whining and Derp, and a problem very nearly arose.

The Derp Talent says that whenever she rolls a 2 or a 3, she treats it like a 1. Whining says that if she rolls a 1 on Cutie Mark Skill (Acrobatics, in her case) she can treat it like a 20.

So, can she activate Whining, or similar abilities against critical fails like Awesomeness, on a 2 or a 3? Or just on an "actual" 1?

It's meant to be a good combo Definitely works on 1,2 and 3.

I don't know about that. The verbage is "rolls a 1" not "rolls a critical failure". I think Whining only works on 1's, regardless of Derp.

The thing is, though, Derp says that 2&3 are treated as if they're a nat 1. So I think they'd count for This is Whining! and other similar talents.

It says "Rolling a 2 or 3 counts as a critical failure the same way rolling a 1 usually does." It doesn't change your roll to a 1; It remains a 2 or 3, but it then has the same outcome as rolling a 1. Whining explicitly works only on a Natural 1.

Hrm...I could have sworn it said they were treated as a 1. That'll teach me to read the description more carefull.

Snark aside, though, it makes things a little more questionable on my end.

Well, none of my games have ever had to deal with it, but if it were to come up in the game I'm running, that's how I'd rule it. Thankfully, this is one description that isn't hideously vague when it comes to these kinds of questions.

I am pretty sure that Stairc clarified this one... I'll go find the post...
Ahh, in the C-C-Combos thread

Here:

Stairc -Dan Felder wrote:

Masterweaver wrote:Let's talk about what happens when talents overlap.

Here's one: I'm working on a pegasus who has both Derp and Awesomeness. Does her Awesomeness Talent include 2 and 3 on her own rolls?

Awesomeness works with natural 1s and Derp turns things into natural 1s. They were intended to work together.

Oh good. It's not vague, or unclear, it's just quite clearly worded wrong.

Yeay improper wording! .....oh wait that's still bad.