System

Core System
1) Roll Pool
- Attribute + Skill (if any)
- modifiers may be applied. (see that section)
- Roll the dice

2) Find the ‘Hits’

- 5’s and 6’s = Hits as standard. (5’s if the character is skilled)

3) Figure out results

- hit’s =/+ Difficulty are needed to succeed
- Potential Boons, Twists and Criticals

Difficulty and Modifiers

- Difficulty rare and simplified
- 1 to 5 (above 3 very rare)
- taken from pool before rolling.

Difficulty

The Difficulty Penalty (DP.) represents the measure of challenge that the action posses to the
character(s). These are things such as the complexity of the lock, the willpower of the
conversationalist, defences of the combatant, awareness of the lookout etc. It also represents
more ‘static’ and mechanical affects on the action being attempted, such as a characters wounds
and injuries or cover and distance to the target during combat.

When making a test, hit’s equal to or exceeding the Difficulty mean the test is a success. Difficulty
is measured on a range of 1 to 5 to represent the different level of complexity or challenge a
character might face. Difficulty is represented in the rules as Diff. 1, Diff. 3 etc. Occasionally,
Difficulty may be higher than 5 if there are other considerations affecting the action being taken
(injuries, cover etc.) These sorts of considerations will be represented in the rules as +1 Diff., +2
Diff., ‘When the character is wounded, they take +1 Diff. to all actions.’ etc. Add any additional
penalties to the base difficulty when calculating what level of Difficulty to use when making a test.
They are described quickly below:
1) Straightforward
2) Challenging
3) Hard
4) Dangerous
5) Deadly

Contextual Modifiers

Advantage and Disadvantage

Where as Base Modifiers tend to be more static and mechanical in nature and always a
consideration involved in a test, Contextual Modifiers tend to be fluid and more narratively based.
They represent something that is affecting this particular instance of that particular action. If the
GM (or you as the GM) says something like;

‘Well that’s quite difficult to do and you … only have one hand on the reigns, don’t have the right
equipment, made a poor case for your argument’ etc.

The ‘and you...’, or something like it, will generally indicate that a contextual modifier is in action.
Contextual Modifiers are dealt with quickly and simple by the use of Advantage (adv.) and
Disadvantage (dis.), which are explained below. There are no hard and fast rules for these sorts of
modifiers, what counts for them or when exactly they should be used, so just do what feels best
and most fitting for the situation in your game.

Advantage (adv.): Add 2 dice to the pool when making the test.

Disadvantage (dis.): Subtract 2 dice from the pool when making the test.

Multiple Advantage and Disadvantage

Sometimes, multiple instance of Advantage and Disadvantage may affect the same action. In these
cases they stack and counteract. For example; A character that takes an action with with both a
level of adv. and dis. makes the test as if neither are affecting them. They counteract each other. If
a character takes an action with with 2 levels of advantage (for instance) they would roll +4d. They
stack. If a character takes an action with with a level of adv. and two levels of dis. (for instance),
they make the test as if at disadvantage. They stack and counter act.

Momentum
- can gain positive or negative momentum from boons/twists (if using that rule)
- 1 level adv. / dis. going forward
Bonuses and Penalties
- add or take dice (a bit like advantage/disadvantage)
- Skill Levels (certain levels add dice)
- Equipment
- wound level
- +/- Xd

Narrative Mechanics

Boons and Twists

When taking tests, boons and twists add extra granularity to the results. They represent some part
of an action going particularly well or providing some sort of complication. They can occur whether
the action was a success or failure. This means you can have results that are ‘success at a cost’ or
‘failure with a silver lining’ etc. They are potentially generated on each dice used to make the test.
For each dice, any that show a 6 on there face have generated a boon. Any that show a 1 have
generated a twist.

You can only have up to one of each of boons or twists on a test. Discount any rolls of double 1’s or
6’s and count them as a single boon or twist, this is to help simplify and speed up the system
during play. If a test result include both a Boon and a Twist then you are free to either have them
cancel each other out or play out both of them, which every seem best for the game. The
Storyteller is the final arbiter of how Boons and Twist should be dealt with when this happens.
Below is a list of generally applicable Boons and Twist to use in your games. There are also further
suggestions along with each skill in the Skills Chapter (pg. xxx) and in the Combat and Actions
section (pg. Xxx). The suggestions tend to be quite mechanical, Storytellers are also encouraged to
come up with more narrative outcomes for boons and twists that suit their game.

- Twists = 1 on dice
- Boons = 6 on dice
- Both = either cancel each other or play out both, but don’t count doubles.

Boons: 6’s on the d6

- The action was particularly emboldening. The character rejuvenates a point of stress damage.

- The character gains positive momentum (see below.)

Twists: 1’s on the d6

- The character has been hurt in some way while attempting the action. Take d3 HP damage, this
damage can’t be moved to equipment or stress.

- The action was particularly tense or taxing. The character takes d3 points of stress damage.
- The equipment the character was using is damaged. Take 1 point of ware on the relevant
equipment piece.

- The character has to apply themselves. Spend 1 focus point to achieve their aim. This is in
addition to any focus already being spent on the action.

- The character gains negative momentum (see below.)

- The action takes more time than expected

Criticals
- The action has exceeded expectations, for better or worse.
- Success = +2 Hit’s over difficulty
- Failure = no hit’s in roll and at least 1 twist

Story Points
- Pool of points for narrative interventions
- Split by sides, GM and PC's
- Narrative points that are spent as a group to introduce new plot elements (items,
contacts/characters, opportunities etc.)
- 1 points per player, split between ‘two sides’, GM and PC’s.
- can be spent at any time. When spent, the point is transferred to the other ‘side’.

Boons and Twists

- When taking tests boons and twists add extra narrative granularity. They represent some part of an
action going particularly well or providing some sort of complication. They can occur whether the
action was a success or failure. This means you can have results that are ‘success at a cost’ or
‘failure with a silver lining’ etc.
- Twists = 1’s on the d6
- The character has been hurt in some way while attempting the action. Take d3 HP damage, this
damage can’t be moved to equipment or stress.
- The action was particularly tense or taxing. The character takes a point of stress damage.
- The equipment the character was using is damaged. Take 1 point of ware on the relevant
equipment piece.
- The character has to apply themselves. Spend 1 (additional) focus to achieve their aim.
- The action takes more time than expected

- Boons = 6’s on the d6

- The action was particularly emboldening. The character rejuvinates a point of stress damage.

Resounding Failure and Success

- Theses are the equivalent of critical results, the action exceeded expectations, for better or worse.
- resounding failure: no hits and at least one twist (1) on a dice in the roll.
- resounding success: 2 excess hits of the required difficulty ie 3 hits for Diff.1 or 4 hits for Diff.2
etc.

Focus Points
- A pool of spendable points per character
- represent the PC as a protagonist
- When the PC enters ‘try-hard’ mode.
- Used as an expendable resource for some talents

- Can only be spent once a turn (unless stated otherwise), but can be in any number
- Unless stated, focus options don’t take and action to ‘use’
- can use multiple different options at the same time

- d6 re-rolls (cost 1 per)

- exploding 6’s
- +2d6 to pool (cost 1 per)
- recover 1d6 Hp (cost 2)
- +1 AP this turn (cost 2)
- Other options from character talents (psionics etc.)

(New list)
- use 4’s
- gain advantage
- 6’s explode
- 1d6 re-roll
- recover HP
- +1AP
- Other options