TO WIN OUR HARPS AND GOLD FROM HIM: When an opposing character is assigned a resource, modify Thorin Oakenshield's attack and defense value by +1.

The wording on Thorin's power is correct above, per the Dwarven king's card.

I am assuming that this is merely a "yes/no," once and done check--i.e. that Thorin does NOT get multiple boosts if multiple opposing characters are assigned a resource.

Is this correct, or is Thorin a WHOLE lot better than I gave him credit for?

It should happen every time an opposing character is assigned a resource as it is a triggered effect. If it was only once it would be "If an opposing character has a resource assigned--".

I'd REALLY like that (several players of my local playgroup enjoy running Power Batteries) if that's the case.

If that's the case, then what happens with Resources that assign to the entire force? Would that simply be a +1 to values, a bonus for every character on the opposing force, or nothing?

RELATED ISSUE:

How long do these modifiers stay in effect? The turn the Resource is assigned? The game? Until the Resource is no longer assigned to that character?

EDIT #2:

The way I'm reading this, by the way, is that the Triggered Effect ("When....", p. 9 of the Core Rulebook) sets up what amounts to a one-man Aura (no listed duration in the trait, see Comprehensive Rules, p. 9). Am I correct?

Otherwise, the big concern is whether it can keep triggering each time a Resource is assigned.

Well, as written, the modifiers don't stick around at all. There's no given duration, so they go away as soon as the trigger resolves. Technically, the trait is completely useless.

This is something you'll have to talk to your judge about. Given that he was made before triggers were really a defined thing, I'd lean towards the intent of the effect being a passive, yes/no condition. Essentially the "when" should probably just say "while".

Ok. That's how I ran it Tuesday night. Just wanted to make sure.

This feels like it's a victim of dial designers not communicating with each other all the time, so wording varies at times leaving it up to the player to extrapolate design intent.

I'd say this was intended to be simply as long as an opposing character has a resource, Thorin has the bonus, but the intent got lost in weak wording.

I think this is a casualty of the rules change. As LJ points out, triggers weren't a defined thing until the 2017 rules, so it is likely that it wasn't intended as a trigger.

When one considers that many resources are assigned during force construction, either to an individual or to a team, the confusion becomes more clear. If it had been written as a trigger, then it would be useless on any resource that isn't assigned during the game (so just the batteries, if memory serves).

The likely way it was intended is as a passive condition. So, while a resource is assigned, the effect is on. On the flip side, those resources that KO when no characters are left on the map that are assigned it, the condition would no longer met.