<p>Improvement tokens are neither a "skill bonus", nor "additional dice", they provide dice in a separate step.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>When an investigator resolves a test, he performs the following steps:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li><strong>Determine Dice Pool</strong>: The investigator determines the number of
  dice he will roll. This number is his <strong>DICE POOL</strong>.</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>•  He starts with a number equal to the skill being tested.<br>
  •  He adds or subtracts the test modifier (the number that follows
  the skill icon on the effect).<br>
  •  If he has an Improvement token for the skill being tested, he
  adds the Improvement token’s modifier.<br>
  •  He may use <strong>one</strong> effect that provides a bonus (for example “Gain
  +3 Will”). If multiple effects provide a bonus, he uses only the
  highest bonus.<br>
  •  He adds any “additional dice” he gains from effects that apply.
  Additional dice are cumulative and are in addition to other
  effects</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Source: <a href="https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/eldritch-horror/EH01%20Reference%20Guide.pdf" rel="nofollow">Reference Guide</a>, "Tests" (page 11)</p>

<p><strong>Everything</strong>, except "skill bonuses" stacks.<br>
Only the effects worded as "gain +X [some skill]" are skill bonuses.<br>
All other effects are not skill bonuses, and stack.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-30T08:55:24.897Z
2016-04-30T08:55:24.897Z
tsuma534
<p>When one has an asset that grants +2 skill and one that grants +1, the effective bonus is not additive. Rather, we apply the highest bonus. My questions is: do the bonuses from improvement tokens count as similar "+" bonuses or are they separately added as "additional die rolls" are. Namely, if I have a +1 improvement token on my strength and I hold an asset that grants me +1 to strength, is my effective bonus +2 or merely the best "+" bonus (ie +1 in this case)?</p>

<eldritch-horror>
Do improvement token bonuses count as skill bonuses when determining the highest bonus to apply to a test?
Joey
# Do improvement token bonuses count as skill bonuses when determining the highest bonus to apply to a test?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-30)

When one has an asset that grants +2 skill and one that grants +1, the effective bonus is not additive. Rather, we apply the highest bonus. My questions is: do the bonuses from improvement tokens count as similar "+" bonuses or are they separately added as "additional die rolls" are. Namely, if I have a +1 improvement token on my strength and I hold an asset that grants me +1 to strength, is my effective bonus +2 or merely the best "+" bonus (ie +1 in this case)?

**Tags:** eldritch-horror


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-04-30. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

Improvement tokens are neither a "skill bonus", nor "additional dice", they provide dice in a separate step.

> When an investigator resolves a test, he performs the following steps:
>
> 1. **Determine Dice Pool**: The investigator determines the number of
>    dice he will roll. This number is his **DICE POOL**.
>
> •  He starts with a number equal to the skill being tested.  
> •  He adds or subtracts the test modifier (the number that follows
> the skill icon on the effect).  
> •  If he has an Improvement token for the skill being tested, he
> adds the Improvement token’s modifier.  
> •  He may use **one** effect that provides a bonus (for example “Gain
> +3 Will”). If multiple effects provide a bonus, he uses only the
> highest bonus.  
> •  He adds any “additional dice” he gains from effects that apply.
> Additional dice are cumulative and are in addition to other
> effects

Source: [Reference Guide](https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/eldritch-horror/EH01%20Reference%20Guide.pdf), "Tests" (page 11)

**Everything**, except "skill bonuses" stacks.  
Only the effects worded as "gain +X [some skill]" are skill bonuses.  
All other effects are not skill bonuses, and stack.


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