After encountering a particular type of
creature, the character shouldn’t have to
Cold dread seizes the heroine as she enters
the lost tomb. A dragon emerges from
the cave, belching smoke and fire at the
adventurers who threaten its hoard. An
investigator stumbles upon a scene of grisly,
ritualistic carnage.
These rules reflect the horror of these
terrible situations upon your heroes’ psyches.
Characters in
realistic, horror, or “dark” games should
fear and terror. Fear in high fantasy or super
of a creature ability or arcane power.
The Basics: Characters make a Spirit roll
when confronted by creatures or situations
that cause Fear.
The heroes make a Fear check (a Spirit roll as
with the Fear ability.
Success means a character manages to
overcome the situation and carry on. A failed
Fear check means the unfortunate soul faces
the consequences below, depending on
whether the source of fear was grotesque or
terrifying in nature:
If the scene was grotesque or
horrific, such as a grisly discovery or
to Know,” the character is Shaken and
Fatigued. Critical Failure means the victim
must roll on the Fear Table as well.
A terrifying trigger, such as a
monstrous creature or unknowable evil,
is much more intense. Extras are typically
Panicked. Wild Cards must roll on the
Fear Table (at +2 with a Critical Failure
on the Fear check). Roll a d20 and add the
monster’s Fear penalty, if any, to the roll (a
make Fear checks every time he sees another
in that particular scenario. If the party clears
out an asylum full of spectral inmates, for
example, they should only have to roll the
room. The Game Master might require a
roll if the heroes encounter such horrors
in a particularly different or frightening
situation, however.
Adrenaline Surge:
response takes over. He acts as if he
had a Joker this action!
Distracted: The hero is Distracted
until the end of his next turn.
Vulnerable: The target is Vulnerable
until the end of his next turn.
Shaken: The character is Shaken.
The Mark of Fear: The hero is Stunned
alteration — a white streak forms in
13
his hair, his eyes twitch constantly, or
some other minor physical alteration
manifests.
Frightened: The character gains the
Hesitant Hindrance for the remainder
of the encounter. If he already has it,
he’s Panicked instead.
Panicked: The character immediately
moves his full Pace plus running die
away from the danger and is Shaken.
Minor Phobia: The character gains a
Minor Phobia Hindrance somehow
associated with the trauma.
Major Phobia: The character gains
The hero is so over-
whelmed with fear that his heart
22+ Stunned. If he fails, he’s Incapacitated
but he remains Incapacitated. He may
be treated normally thereafter.