Rippers Reason question

[xarchiangku]

I think I've been doing Fear checks wrong in Rippers.
Do characters add their Reason score as a bonus to their roll? (Modified by the Fright level and any monster's fear modifier.)

Example, Vicar Brown encounters a Horned God while investigating a cult. He has a Spirit of d12 and a Reason of 8. The Fear penalty of the campaign is currently at -3. The Horned God has an additional fear penalty of -2. Is his Spirit roll at a -5, or a +3, or other?

Taking this one step farther, his companion Oliver the Monster Hunter, who also has Spirit of d12 is also there. Because Oliver has 4 Rippertech implants, his Reason is only a 4. Is his Spirit Roll at -1, or also at -5? Or other?

Thanks in advance!

[ValhallaGH]

Do characters add their Reason score as a bonus to their roll?

No, they do not.
First, because it would make Fear trivial - adding (2 + half Spirit) is a minimum +4 on Spirit rolls trying to reach TN 4.
Second, because nothing in the rules state or imply that Reason is a bonus on Fear checks.

Example, ... Is his Spirit roll at a -5, or a +3, or other?

-5, before Brave or similar abilities. For both Brown and Oliver.

Thanks in advance!

You are welcome.

[xarchiangku]

No, they do not.
First, because it would make Fear trivial - adding (2 + half Spirit) is a minimum +4 on Spirit rolls trying to reach TN 4.
Second, because nothing in the rules state or imply that Reason is a bonus on Fear checks.

It sure did make it trivial in play, which felt totally against theme! I don't know why I thought that, except I probably read the footnote of the fright table, "A character with rippertech makes a Spirit roll at –2, with a bonus equal to their current Reason" and interpreted it to apply to the fear roll.

[ValhallaGH]

Yeah, I can see how that sentence could worm into a brain and cause confusion. Glad I could help clear it up.
Good luck!