When a player character takes an action that has some inherent risk or chance of failure, the GM works with them to agree on the character’s position and effect.

Position and Effect are concepts used to ensure an action is understood by a player and GM before a character takes it. While position and effect do not alter the number dice a player rolls for an action, they do clarify the potential outcomes of that roll. A player may decide to change their action for a better position or effect, but the GM determines the final position and effect of the chosen action.

Position represents a character’s current level of control over a situation and how bad a consequence can be. Here the GM sets the stakes before the roll. The GM doesn’t need to outline the exact consequences of the roll, but can clarify the more obvious risks of a PC’s action.

• Controlled: The PC has time and safety on their side, is in a dominant advantage, and/or is well aware of the situation around them. The PC an act in a calm manner, taking their time to get the action done. The PC has an enemy surrounded or caught unawares. The consequences of failure are minimal. The GM will apply only a minor consequence.
• Risky: The PC is rushed while taking the action and might not be aware of the full situation. An opponent faces the PC on even footing. Failure means dealing with more immediate repercussions. The GM might apply 1 medium consequence or multiple minor consequences.
• Desperate: The PC has only a brief moment to act against overwhelming odds. Opponents have a great advantage over the PC, such as having them surrounded or greatly outclassed in skill. Even a success may result with a minor consequence, and failure comes with serious trouble. The GM might apply multiple medium consequences or 1 major consequence.

Effect represents the potential impact a character’s action can have; how good the outcome can be. Here the player explains the intended outcome of their action and the GM determines just how effective that action might be. Just like with position, the GM doesn’t need to outline exactly how effective the action will be, but can clarify the more obvious limitations or benefits of a PC’s action.

• Great Effect: The outcome goes above and beyond expectations. The PC used a monster’s weakness against it, or outclassed a challenge by such a margin that it was barely a challenge at all. A clock moves up 3 tics or a character deals additional damage on top of their high damage.
• Standard Effect: The outcome meets expected, normal results. A clock moves up 2 tics or a character deals high damage against a target.
• Limited Effect: Success has minimal results or is somehow diminished. Perhaps an opponent’s armor is reducing your damage, or your tools are ineffective for the task.  A clock moves up only 1 tic or a character only deals low damage.
• Zero Effect: Nothing happens as a result of the action. This may reveal that there is some unknown factor preventing success. However, if a roll’s maximum effect is zero, there is generally no need for a roll at all.

The GM then uses the character’s position and effect along side the player’s final die roll to help determine the narrative that follows the action.

The 2 Steps to Narrate the Outcome

Step 1: Determine the negative Consequences of player actions

Using the character’s Position, the GM and player have an idea of how bad the negative consequences of the action might be. Essentially, the less control a character has over a scenario, the worse the consequences might be. However, a consequence only occurs if the player’s highest die failed or was a glance, or if they rolled a Trouble (half the dice are 1s) If the player succeeded with a hit, skip to step 2. Troubles can create an additional minor consequence.

Potential Consequence Severity determined by Position:

Character’s Position	Consequence Severity
Controlled	1 minor consequence
Risky	2 minor consequences or 1 medium consequence
Desperate	2 medium consequences or 1 major consequence.

GM Choices / Optional Consequences:

Consequence	Severity Variations	Narrative Examples
Harm The PC takes damage from their attempt at the task.	minor: no damage or 1 bashing damage medium: a character is dealt low damage major: a character is dealt high damage	A monster hits the PC with it’s claws; the PC falls from a great height; the PC gets burned by the spreading wildfire
Complication Something is added to or taken from the scene that might make future tasks more difficult and rushed.	minor: create a 6 or greater segmented clock for the potential issue. medium: create a 5-4 segmented clock for the potential issue. major: create a 3-2 segmented clock for the potential issue.	Guards have arrived and ar monitoring the area; one of the escape routes is getting closed off; an important document has gotten wet and will soon be unreadable.
Escalation or Road Block An event causes a timer to either speed up a countdown timer, or slow down progression towards a positive objective.	minor: fill 1 segment of an antagonistic clock or erase 1 tic on a player-side clock medium: fill 2 segment of an antagonistic clock or erase 2 tic on a player-side clock major: fill 3 segment of an antagonistic clock or erase 3 tic on a player-side clock	Guards are alerted that something is off, or that an intruder has been spotted;  the path to the finish line has been blocked off and a detour must be found/taken; a researcher lost their place in a book or lost their notes, and must now spend time catching back up to where they were.
Reduced Effect The PC is able to make progress towards their goal, but not as much as they had hoped for.	minor or medium: Reduce the Effect by 1 major: Reduce the Effect by 2	The character deals less damage than intended, negotiates a deal under heavy suspicion and wariness,  or finds less evidence left behind than they expected.
Worsened Position An action settles with you in a more dangerous position than before, meaning future consequences against you may become more severe.	minor or medium: lower the character’s Position by 1 major: lower the character’s Position by 2	A sneaking character is revealed to a bystander or puts the guards on alert. A fighter is surrounded. An acrobat lands on slippery ground
Use Resources A character’s resource, such as supplies and equipment, is lost either temporarily or permanently.	minor: a mundane item is removed but quickly retrievable medium: a mundane item is lost for good, or valuable item is lost but retrievable major: any item is lost for good (very hard to retrieve)	A weapon is tossed to the other side of a room; a rope snaps and drops into a chasm below; armored is weakened and chipped away, etc.
Lost Opportunity The character misses out on the chance to do or get something they wanted. To try again they will need a new approach or additional time.	Create a clock that represents the complete loss of the opportunity. minor: fill 1 segment on the clock medium: fill 2 segment on the clock major: fill 3 segment on the clock	An opponent takes the lead in a race; a pickpocket attempts to flee with their new goods; a hushed conversation is nearing its end

 

Step 2: Determine the positive Effect of the player character’s action

Using the character’s Effect level, the GM and player also have an idea of how successful the outcome of the action can be, though the GM may have additional hidden knowledge that changes the effect level (which will likely be revealed by the outcome). If the player succeeds, with a glance (4-5) or a hit (6), then the GM narrates the outcome based on the character’s action and the player’s intention.

The title of effect levels is solely for GM and mechanical guidance. The point of discussing the Effect level isn’t to rely on the terminology, but to ensure that the GM and the player have the same general expectations towards what a character’s success means. Although you CAN say “that sounds like a standard effect if you succeed. Do you agree?” it is often better to describe the effect level in terms of the narrative, like: “so a success will get you through the first layer of the door’s security. Does that sound good to you?”

Character’s Effect Level	Examples
Great The outcome goes above and beyond expectations	The PC used a monster’s weakness against it, or outclassed a challenge by such a margin that it was barely a challenge at all. A clock moves up 3 tics; a character deals additional damage on top of their high damage; while picking the lock they learn a trick that lets them bypass all other locks of the same type in the house.
Standard The outcome meets expected results	A clock moves up 2 tics; a character deals high damage against an enemy; a character successfully picks a lock.
Limited Success has minimal results or is somehow diminished.	Perhaps an opponent’s armor is reducing your damage or your tools are ineffective for the task. A clock moves up only 1 tic; a character deals low damage; eavesdropping only picks up snippets of useful information.
No Effect Nothing happens as a result of the action.	This may reveal that there is some unknown factor preventing success. Otherwise, if a roll’s maximum effect is zero, there is generally no need for a roll at all.

Not all Effect levels make since for every action. For example, picking a lock often has a binary outcome (success or failure / standard effect). A limited success lock picking may not make sense. There may be many times where you do not realize that the effect you and the player agreed on doesn’t actually make sense until you attempt to describe the narrative. That’s OK! Simply talk to the player and try to agree on the new effect level. Likewise, sometimes a player may think something is a standard effect due to limited knowledge. In cases where the effect is less than expected, ensure that the player gains new knowledge in compensation. For example, they thought the old lock was simple, but after trying to pick it they learn that the inside is nearly rusted shut, and no one has used this entrance in a long time.

 

WIP: Example Scenario for Practice

The following scenario is mean to help the GM and players quickly get used to the core resolution mechanics. Assume all roles have three dice.

“Each kid sits at the top of the hill in their home-made buggy, a misshaped and shambled together cart of whatever scraps they could collect over the past year. The windy road goes through parks, storefronts, and apartment back alleys, making it the longest route yet. To the winner, their pick of one part from each other kid’s cart, and leniency in the next race.

Tomson’s trophy cart looks as streamlined and quick as a toddler’s toybox, but you’ve each seen it win year after year. You each see parts you once used, wasted as mere decoration. But this year…

The fireworks crack! Tomson’s already ahead.”

This scenario is tracked with several clocks, some to track the overarching scene, some to track when specific events may occur, and some to represent the success of PCs and other racers.

First, the scenario has 4 distinct locations (or 5 counting the finish-line). Each location has a 5 tic clock

1. The Starting Hill: A long, steep main street road surrounded by apartments with kids on the sidewalk all the way down and cheering. The road itself is simple to navigate and not as windy as the park it leads to, but many racers never pass this section.
   • This section is marked with a simple 5 tiered clock for each player