RULES REFERENCE

TAKING ACTION
■■ The gamemaster and player determine the relevant ■■ A roll equal to or under the SKILL FOCUS is worth two
SKILL and the DIFFICULTY. successes.

■■ Difficulty determines the number of SUCCESSES ■■ Any extra successes become MOMENTUM.
required to perform the action.
■■ No more than three additional d20s may be rolled for
■■ SKILL EXPERTISE is added to the base ATTRIBUTE to one test.
determine the TARGET NUMBER (TN).
■■ Some TALENTS allow additional dice, or re-rolls,
■■ Roll 2d20, counting each die rolled separately. automatic successes, or generate additional
Momentum.
■■ Each roll equal to or less than the TN is a success.
■■ Results of 20 cause COMPLICATIONS. A skill test for an
■■ Players can roll additional d20s by generating DOOM,
untrained skill becomes a Complication on a 19 or 20.
spending MOMENTUM, or using RESOURCES.

TEST DIFFICULTY
Name Successes Examples
Opening a slightly stuck door.
Simple (D0) 0 Researching a widely known subject.
Hitting a stationary archery target during practice.
Overcoming a simple lock.
Average (D1) 1 Researching a specialist subject.
Shooting an enemy at optimal (medium) range.
Overcoming a complex lock.
Challenging (D2) 2 Researching obscure information.
Shooting an enemy at optimal range in poor light.
Overcoming a complex lock in a hurry.
Daunting (D3) 3 Researching basic historical information.
Shooting an enemy at long range in poor light
Overcoming a complex lock in a hurry, without the proper tools.
Dire (D4) 4 Researching esoteric historical information.
Shooting an enemy at long range, in poor light and heavy rain.
Overcoming a complex lock in a hurry, without the proper tools, in the middle of battle.
Epic (D5) 5 Researching purposefully obscured historical information.
Shooting an enemy at extreme range in poor light and heavy rain.

EXAMPLE USES OF MOMENTUM

Desired Effect Cost Conditions
Perform a task in half the normal time 1
Add +1 damage on a successful attack 1 per +1 Repeatable
Disarm an opponent 2
Add an additional d20 to a skill test, before the roll is made 1 per d20 Immediate, Repeatable
Increase an opponent’s skill test Difficulty by +1 2 per +1 Immediate, Repeatable
Ask the gamemaster a pertinent question about the situation, the charac-
1 per piece of
ters present, or something else that the player character might be able to Repeatable
info
discern with that skill test
 FORTUNE POINTS MAKING AN ATTACK
Player characters begin with 2 or 3 FORTUNE points The process for making an attack is as follows:
each session, which can be spent for any of the following:
1. Declare the attack:
■■ BONUS DIE: Add 1d20 to a skill test, up to the maxi-
mum. The extra die counts as if it rolled a 1. a. Choose the type of attack being made: MELEE,
RANGED, or THREATEN.
■■ BONUS ACTION: Perform an additional Standard
Action per turn. b. Choose a TARGET for the attack. The target
chosen must be a viable type of target for the
■■ SECOND WIND: Recover all lost Vigor or Resolve
(choose one). type of attack.

■■ OVERCOME WEAKNESS: Ignore effects of c. Choose a WEAPON (for Melee and Ranged
Wounds or Trauma (choose one) until the end of attack) or a METHOD of scaring the target (for a
the current scene. Threaten attack).

■■ STORY DECLARATION: Introduce a fact or add a d. The target chooses whether or not to make a
detail to the current scene, with the gamemas- DEFENSE Reaction.
ter’s approval.
2. The attacker makes a SKILL TEST to attack. This is
an AVERAGE (D1) test, or a STRUGGLE if the target
is taking a Defense Reaction.

3. If the attacker fails the skill test or is defeated in

the Struggle, the attack ends. If the attacker suc-
TURN SEQUENCE
ceeds, then the attacker rolls DAMAGE:
A ROUND has no fixed length, and each character’s combi-
nation of actions is their turn. Once per TURN, a character a. The attacker rolls a number of COMBAT DICE
can make each of the following: (§ ) determined by the weapon/attack used
■■ One STANDARD ACTION and the associated attribute scores. Each 1 or
2 rolled applies that much damage. Each 5 or
■■ One MINOR ACTION
6 rolled creates an EFFECT, which applies 1
■■ As many FREE ACTIONS as can be reasonably damage and triggers certain attack qualities,
accomplished. such as Piercing or Vicious. Add up all the
A Standard Action can be exchanged for a Minor damage applied: this is the TOTAL DAMAGE.
Action, and a Minor Action can be exchanged for any b. The defender determines their total SOAK at
number of Free Actions.
the same time. This is a combination of fixed
Player characters usually act first each round, deter-
value (from Armor or Courage) and dice (cover
mining who goes in what order. Each character must
complete the actions on their turn before the next can and morale). Roll the and add the total rolled
begin. Outside a character’s turn, only REACTIONS (1s, 2s, and Effects) to the fixed value. The result
can be attempted. is the character’s total Soak.
Once all the player character can act, non-players
c. Subtract the defender’s total Soak from the
can act, unless the gamemaster spends Doom to SEIZE
attacker’s total damage. If one or more damage
THE INITIATIVE.
The round ends when everyone has taken their turn. remains, this removes a number of points
Any shared Momentum is depleted by 1 at the end of STRESS equal to the number of points of
of the round. remaining damage.

d. If there are five or more points of damage

remaining, or the defender is reduced to 0
Stress of that type, or the defender had no
stress of that type remaining, the defender
suffers a point of HARM.
 ATTACK
Attack Skill Damage Type Defense Reaction
Melee Melee Physical Parry
Ranged Ranged Weapons Physical Acrobatics
Threaten Persuade Mental Discipline

HIT LOCATION TABLE SUMMARY OF ACTIONS

Roll Location Action Effect
1-2 Head FREE ACTIONS
3-5 Right arm Adjust Moving within Close range or in and out of Reach.
6-8 Left arm Drop Item Dropping an item held in one or two hands.
9-14 Torso Drop Prone Dropping prone to the ground.
15-17 Right leg Simple Task Any small task requiring no skill test or a Simple (D0) test.
18-20 Left leg Speak Speaking without using a communication skill.
MINOR ACTIONS
BONUS DAMAGE
Clear Ridding self or an item from an ongoing condition.
Attribute Bonus
Draw Item Drawing an item or weapon.
8 or less None
Movement Moving within Medium range.
9 +1§ Regain Guard Stepping back and defending, requiring a Parry test.
10 or 11 +2§ Stand Standing from prone position.
12 or 13 +3§ STANDARD ACTIONS
14 or 15 +4§ Assist Granting an ally an advantage.
16 or more +5§ Attack Attacking a foe.
Brace Steadying an Unwieldy weapon for an attack.
TYPE OF DAMAGE BONUS
Exploit Observing foe to discover a weakness, to exploit immediately.
Type of Associated
Attack Attribute Pass Doing nothing.

Melee Brawn Ready Holding another Action to perform later.

Ranged Awareness Recover Attempting to recover lost Vigor or Resolve.

Threaten Personality Skill Test Attempting a skill test.

Sprint Moving to any point in Long range.

COMBAT DIE Treatment Treating an ally within Reach to recover Vigor or Resolve.

Roll Value Withdraw Withdrawing to Close range to avoid a Retaliate Action.

1 1 REACTIONS
2 2 Defend Parrying, blocking, or otherwise avoiding an attack.
3,4 0 Protect Defending an ally from an attack.
5,6 1, plus an Effect Retaliate Attacking a nearby foe when an opportunity is presented.

DAMAGE TYPES
Damage Recovery Recovery
Stress Soak Harm
Type (Self) (Other)
Physical Vigor Armor (static) + Wound
Resistance Healing
(Creature) (Brawn + Resistance) Cover (dice) (Agility, Brawn, Coordination)
Physical Armor (static) + Break
Structure — Crafts
(Object) Cover (dice) (Any test involving structure)
Trauma
Resolve Courage (static) +
Mental (Awareness, Intelligence, Discipline Counsel
(Willpower + Discipline) Morale (dice)
Personality, Willpower)
 MOMENTUM SPENDS
Momentum Cost Effect

Bonus Damage 1R
Each Momentum spent adds +1 to damage (not +1
the attack type.
§ ) on a successful attack, regardless of

Break Guard 2 May only be used on an attack or a Defend Reaction. The target loses Guard.
Called Shot 2 The character can choose the hit location struck by a physical attack.
Change Stance 1 The character either goes prone or stands up.

Confidence 1R
The character gains 1
of the next turn.
§ Morale Soak per Momentum spent (maximum 4 § ) until the start

One weapon held by the target is knocked away and falls to the ground within Reach. This
Disarm 2-3 costs 2 points of Momentum if the target is holding the weapon in one hand or 3 points of
Momentum if the weapon is braced or held in two hands.
The damage inflicted by the current attack ignores an amount of Soak equal to twice the
Penetration 1R
Momentum spent.
Re-roll Damage 1 The player may re-roll any number of damage dice from the character’s current attack.
The character chooses a type of damage and recovers 1 point for each Momentum spent in
Second Wind 1 I,R
the associated capability.
A second target within Reach suffers half an attack’s damage (rounding up). A physical
Secondary Target 2
attack hits a random hit location.
Subdue 1 The attack gains the Nonlethal Quality.
The character gains an additional Standard Action, increasing the Difficulty by one step on any
Swift Action 2
skill test that action requires.
Withdraw 1 The character leaves the Reach of an enemy without triggering any Retaliate Reactions.

DISTANCES
■■ REACH: Within arm’s length. Characters can move ■■ LONG RANGE : Any point two zones away from the
within Reach of a target as part of any movement character’s current zone. Moving to a point within
action that ends in the same zone as the target. Moving Long range is a Standard Action, but the Difficulty of
out of an enemy’s Reach leaves characters open to the all tests increases by one step until the start of the
Retaliate Reaction unless they take a Withdraw Action. next turn.

■■ CLOSE RANGE: The character’s current zone. Moving ■■ EXTREME RANGE: Any point three or more zones
within Close range is a Free Action. away from the character’s current zone. A character
cannot move to Extreme range in a single action.
■■ MEDIUM RANGE: Any zone adjacent to the charac-
ter’s current zone. Moving to a point within Medium
range is a Minor Action.