When a player character does something with some inherent level of difficulty and risk where chance plays a factor, they make an Action Check to determine the outcomes of the task. The player rolls dice, notes the results, and determines with the GM the final outcome of the check based on the highest result.
Players should make an action check only when needed; many tasks may have no inherent risks, while in other cases a specific item or merit may completely nullify the need for a check. For example, a tall wall might be hard to scale alone, requiring an action check for a character to attempt to maneuver up it, but a rope or a ladder might make the obstacle trivial.
Describe the Action and Discuss Position and Effect
The first step to prepare for an action check is to ensure all players are on the same page about the action about to be performed. The player should describe their intended goal and their character’s approach towards that outcome. These details determine how to play out the outcome of a action check, as discussed below. It’s in this phase where players confirm whether or not an action check is even needed.
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 character’s action.
Effect represents the potential impact a character’s action can have; how good the outcome can 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.
Building an Action Pool
An Action Pool represent the number of 6-sided dice a player can roll for an action check (for mobile, live-action role-playing, see the LARP variation to the rules). Players should consider several questions when preparing to take an action:
- What skills might apply for this check?
- Is there anything in the scene which can help me?
- Can I risk utilizing one of my esoterics to help me?
- Do I have a merit which can help me?
- Do I or an ally have any miss-fortune that can help?
- Do I have any injuries that might hamper me?
With those questions considered, the player then builds their action pool as follows:
1) Pick a skill or attribute
(Add up to 3 dice based on the skill/attribute level)
2) Utilize a scene aspect
(Add up to 1 die)
3) Risk an esoteric or lost word
(Add up to 1 die but lose the esoteric if your highest result is a miss)
4) Utilize a merit or a temporary merit
(Add up to 1 die if a merit’s title or ability can be justified as useful for the check)
(Note, any ability granted by a merit does not have to apply in order to use a merit to assist an action check. The drop down on the merit page explains this in further detail.)
5) Use a miss-fortune
(Add up to 1 die)
If a player has a pool size of 0 they can still attempt an action with 2 dice, but they must take the lowest result.
When to use a skill vs an attribute?
Most of the time, players should use skills for their action checks, with attributes only used at the GM’s request due to an inherent or natural reaction a character might have. (See the page for attributes in the character components section for further details).
Skill Use Examples
Player Goal: “I would like to picklock the door to access the room beyond, but I don’t want to open it yet.”
GM Adjudication: “Unless you have another suggestion, I think this best fits the Finesse skill. Are you planning to use anything else to your advantage?
Player: “I’d like my ‘metal detection’ merit to gain 1 die, helping me see the tumblers as I pick the lock. Can I also use the nearby spilled oil to coat the lockpicks to minimize noise and gain an additional die from using a scene aspect?”
GM Adjudication: “That makes sense to me. So roll dice equal to your Finesse skill plus 2 additional dice.”
Attribute Use Example
GM Call: “As you leave the house, there’s a slight mental tug distracting your attention; give me either a perception check – to notice what’s causing the effect – or a resolve check to resist the effect outright”
Player: “I’m not very perceptive and easily distracted; I’ll make the resolve check. However, I do have a lost word ‘nagging whispers.’ Would that help me resist the distraction? If so I’d like to risk it for an extra die on my roll.”
Adjusting for Difficulty with Cuts
Once a player has their action pool determined, they should also check to see if any cuts apply. A Cut simply takes one or more dice from the action pool.
Cuts will most often appear at a Game Master’s request or as described by a specific ability. For example a rushed action or actions made on difficult terrain may take a cut of 1. Cuts may also be called for when a tool is used outside of its intended purpose, such as when throwing a melee weapon at range, or shooting a ranged weapon in close combat.
Lastly, players can cut against themselves to attempt a more explicit effect, but to do so they must declare the cut before they make the action check itself.
- Cut 1 for precision, such as to injure a monster’s specific body part or to target a creature at a very far distance. This can also be used against other players to attempt to target a specific merit. Players can always redirect a precision attack towards a different merit at the cost of taking an additional 2 marks of harm to that merit.
- Cut 1 to increase the effect of the action to do more than what would normally be possible. For example, someone attacking an armored beast would normally have reduced effect due to the armor, but can cut against themselves to make a more reckless but powerful attack that can break through the armor
- Cut to invoke an injury against the person making the action check. If the character has an injury which could justifiably make the check more difficult, then they cut equal to that injury’s level. If a player invokes an injury against themselves and still succeeds they can acquire a lost word.
Cut Examples
- Player Goal: “I’d like to use my pistol to shoot the gun out of the thug’s hands.”
GM: “Ok, you can roll Finesse or even Performance, since you are trying to make a show of your skill. Take a cut of 1 for the extra precision needed though.”
Player: “Ok, I have 3 in performance and am not using any merits or anything else for the roll. With the cut I’ll have to roll 2 dice instead. - Payer Goal: “I’d like to flirt with the guards and persuade them to go outside with me.”
GM: “The guards are open for some distracting flirting, but your not the first flirt they’ve met at this club, and they won’t normally leave their post without good reason.”
Player A: “But they haven’t met Bolba before. I have 2 in Negotiation and 1 for my ‘Smooth Talking’ merit and another +1 with Toot as my wingman. Can I take 1 cut to get them to leave with me? Bolba’s pulling out all the stops.”
GM: “Sure, I suppose Bolba knows that their normal routine isn’t quite enough to get the guards off-guard, so they are risking some new seductive techniques. I’ll let you cut for effect – making your total 3 dice; let’s see if it pays off.” - GM Call: “As the sudden gale pushes against you, give me a physique check to avoid falling off the ledge.”
Player Response: “I have 3 physique, but ever since that harpy fight my character’s afraid of heights. I’ll take a cut of 2 due to my level 2 injury ‘fear of heights.'”
GM: “Go ahead and roll 2 dice. If you succeed I’ll give you the lost word ‘lost to the winds’ in your desperation.”
Reading Results: Hits, Glances, and Misses
With the action pool and any cuts determined, a player finally rolls their dice. After removing the highest results due to any cuts, the remaining highest result determines the character’s success. While action checks only care about the highest result to determine the outcome, each individual dice is labeled as a hit, glance, or miss depending on it’s value. Some abilities allow characters to utilize these additional results for further effects.
- Hit : The best result a character can get is called a Hit, meaning that they’ve succeeded in the best way possible, often with no negative consequences.
- Dice: Roll a 6
- Glance: The next best result a character can get is called a Glance, meaning that they’ve succeeded with their goal, but not as cleanly as possible, with some troublesome consequence.
- Dice: Roll a 4 or 5
- Miss: The worse result a character can get is called a Miss, meaning that they’ve failed their goal and now have to face the negative consequences and trouble it caused. If the highest result of an action check is a miss, then the character also gains a miss-fortune.
- Dice: Roll a 1, 2, or 3
- Twist: A twist does not change the successfulness of an action check, but instead adds an additional element to a scene, as determined by any other player in the group and agreed up with the GM and other players. A Twist can only happen when at least 3 dice are rolled.
- Dice: Half or more of the dice have the same value.
When the highest result of an action check is a hit, the players narrate the outcome and proceed with the story. However, when the highest result is a glance or miss, then the players refer back to the character’s position to determine what degree of trouble they are in as the GM narrates the outcomes.
Notes on PvP (Player vs Player)
- When a player wants to make a contested check against another player, the highest result between both player’s checks wins, with ties forcing a secondary check if the situation doesn’t allow both characters to succeed. Consequences apply as per normal. To keep ties interesting, the GM should narrate how a tie changes the scene.
For example, if two players make a dash to grab an item before the other does, but they tie on their action checks, maybe they both grab it and are now in a tug-o-war, or maybe they knock it further away into a precarious position. - Players can always choose to “Forfeit” a contest to intentionally lose.
- When players are acting against each other, it is more important to fairly share the spotlight. To prevent “overloaded” actions where a single player attempts to do many different things while they are in the spotlight, allow other players to interrupt with their own actions after the first action (verb) performed by the current character.
- For example: If player A wants to throw a smoke bomb and tackle the enemy, allow other players to interrupt with their own action between the smoke bomb’s detonation and the tackle attempt.
Playing the Outcome
FThe GM narrates the outcome of a character’s action based on the highest result of that character’s action check and their position and effect determined earlier.
Position | how bad a consequence can be
A character’s position determines what type of trouble a character faces should an action go south. Position generally falls into one of the following three categories:
- 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. Failure only creates medium trouble if any.
The character can act in a calm manner, taking their time to get the action done.
The character has an enemy surrounded or caught unawares. - Risky: The PC is rushed while taking the action and might not be aware of the full situation. Failure might have multiple medium troubles or one high trouble.
An opponent faces the PC on even footing.
Failure means dealing with more immediate repercussions. - Desperate: The PC has only a brief moment to act against overwhelming odds. Even a successful roll may not fully avoid trouble. On a failure, the GM might apply multiple high troubles or even major trouble.
Opponents have a great advantage over the PC, such as having them surrounded or greatly outclassed in skill.
The character face a gargantuan beast or city-threatening event.
Effect | how good the outcome can be
A character’s Effect determines what potential impact a successful action might have. Different scales of effect include:
- Limited Effect: Success has minimal results or is somehow diminished. This might reduce the number of boxes you can mark (potentially to zero) or cause an action to result in a smaller result than intended. Although a limited effect may reduce a result to zero, discovery of this knowledge may still be useful to players. Unless otherwise declared, when dealing harm, limited effects deal 1 less mark of harm.
- An opponent’s armor or natural resistances is reducing harm
- The tools used for a task are ineffective or are actively hampering the user.
- Medium Effect: The outcome meets expected, medium results. Unless stated otherwise, this is the default effect level. Medium effect levels mark or clear 1 box from tracks.
- Most player vs player actions assume medium effect levels unless all characters involved in the action agree otherwise.
- High Effect: The action a higher potency and has a larger impact in this specific situation. Mark or clear an extra box in a track.
- A fighter utilizes a monster’s vulnerabilities against it
- A character has the perfect item to handle the situation
- Major Effect: The outcome goes above and beyond expectations to terrifying proportions. Mark every box in a track.
- A soldier shoots a person with a cannon
- A thief blows up a wooden door with some dynamite
- A Fae attempts to gain the favor of a demonic lord by offering it a treasured companion.
- A gargantuan beasts takes a bite out of someone.
Trouble | the negative consequences
Troubles represent the bad outcomes of an event and actions. It is similar to effect in that it describes the impact of events within a scene. Troubles detail the negative effects caused by the actions of non-player characters and monsters and the consequences of a character’s actions. There are several different forms trouble may appear in, but across each form the severity is measured in three types as determined by the character’s position: Major, High, and Medium. Trouble is directly tied to a character’s position. Essentially, the less control a character has over a scenario, the worse the consequences might be.
| Character’s Position | Trouble Severity |
| Controlled | 1 medium trouble |
| Risky | 2 medium troubles or 1 high trouble |
| Desperate | 2 high troubles or 1 major trouble. |
When used to mark and clear tracks:
- Major Trouble: Mark/clear all boxes in a track
- High Trouble: Mark/clear 2-4 boxes depending on the scenario
- Medium Trouble: Mark/clear one box in a track