Characters can aid one another to achieve the same goal. They might work together to assemble an engine, break down a door or break a crook’s will. Choose which character is the primary actor. A normal dice pool is assembled for him based on the action. Say, Dexterity + Medicine to administer first aid. The same roll is made for each secondary actor. Any successes collected from assistants are added to the primary actor’s dice pool as bonus dice. So, contributors’ rolls are made before that of the primary actor.
A dramatic failure on a secondary’s roll levies a -4 penalty to the primary actor’s roll — it hinders rather than helps his chances. The primary cannot decide to abandon his action if a contributor’s roll contributes few successes or a penalty. He must proceed.
The Storyteller decides how many secondary actors can participate in teamwork, and can limit the actors however he desires. Three people might find space around a patient in order to provide first aid, for example, while five people might be able to work together to build a house.
Example: Charles works on his broken-down car with the help of Devon. It’s a simple repair rather than a diagnostic situation, so the Storyteller decides that Dexterity + Crafts is called for. Charles has 2 Dexterity and 4 Crafts, while Devon has 2 Dexterity and 1 Crafts. Charles is the primary mechanic at work. The Storyteller decides that since the pair has only the ordinary tools kept in the trunk at their disposal, no bonus is gained. In fact, a -3 penalty is imposed because it’s late at night and there’s only one flashlight.
Devon’s dice pool starts at three but is reduced to a chance roll. A 1 is rolled — a dramatic failure. The Storyteller announces that Devon drops the flashlight and it breaks. That means another four dice are subtracted from Charles’ effort. Charles starts with a pool of six dice, loses three from darkness, and loses four more from Devon’s blundering. He is also reduced to a chance roll. Fortunately, his roll produces a 6, which is just a failure. The Storyteller decides that without light, the two are left stranded.
If Devon’s roll could have produced, say, two successes, two dice would have been added to Charles’ roll. His pool would have consisted of five dice (6 + 2 - 3).