Combat Exchanges

You may be heroes, and you may do your best to uphold balance,
and you may try to help people and solve problems with kind words
and generous action…but eventually, you’re going to be surrounded
by angry waterbending pirates uninterested in your kind words or
your generous actions. All they want is that silver boomerang on
your back. You can’t intimidate them—trying to intimidate them
and missing is how you got into this mess. So you pull that silver
boomerang off your back, lift it, and get ready. Time to fight!
Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game features a combat system
designed to represent the fluidity and push and pull of fights in the
Avatarverse. Combatants decide how they approach the conflict,
and then take action, using their trained techniques to pull off
impressive stunts. You and your foes trade blows in bouts of action
called exchanges, until someone runs, surrenders, or is defeated!

Exchanges vs. Basic Moves

Before you dive deeper into the system of exchanges, howev-
er, it’s important for you to know—you don’t have to use the
exchange system for literally every fight. When a fight pops
up—when one PC says, “I’m blasting those guys with wind!”
and “those guys” might fight back—then everyone in your game
considers whether or not you actually need to use exchanges and
the deeper combat system. The basic moves of the game don’t
include any moves specifically about fighting, but rely on your
skills and training and push your luck can together cover a lot of
ground for physical action—including some kinds of fighting! If all of the premises are true, then it’s a great time to use rely
The difference between using the basic moves to resolve a on your skills and training to resolve the fight. On a hit, the PCs
fight and using the exchange system is all about uncertainty handle the low-level enemies, taking them out or running them
and importance. If the fight isn’t uncertain at all—the enemy off. On a 7–9, the enemy combatants fight back, and the PC
combatants have no chance against the companions, whatsoev- might suffer a status or a condition, unless they can mark fatigue
er—then the moves don’t really trigger. The GM won’t call for to get past it. On a miss, the GM makes a move as hard as they
them, let alone the exchange system! There’s no uncertainty, like and uses that move to make interesting things happen—be
so the GM just says what happens! This situation is rare— it a much more dangerous enemy arriving (and likely spurring a
most combatants have a slim chance of making a dent, even if switch to the exchange system) or the fight accidentally knock-
they’re not particularly adept—but if it happens, just keep the ing over a torch and starting a massive fire! Even in situations
conversation moving. where the PCs might be outnumbered, you can still use push
Then, assuming that there is uncertainty—that the players your luck to resolve the fight quickly when the fight itself isn’t
and the GM aren’t entirely sure how this fight can go—use the actually of interest.
following ideas to think about whether or not the basic moves If, however, some of the premises aren’t true—the enemy
can handle the situation. The GM in particular thinks about the fighters are interesting, complex, named characters; the stakes of
following premises when a fight is on the horizon, examining the fight are interesting, and if the PCs lost, it would lead some-
whether each is true or not: where interesting; or the fight itself is the climactic moment of
the episode—then that’s a good sign you should switch over to
• The enemy fighters are just obstacles, not
the exchange system. In other words, as a quick rule of thumb:
interesting, complex, or difficult opponents.
• The stakes of the fight are boring—if the • If there is no uncertainty about the fight,
companions lost entirely, it would be frustrating keep the conversation moving.
and if they won, it would be lackluster. • If there is uncertainty but it’s not an interesting fight in
• This fight isn’t an interesting impact moment on any way—nobody at the table is interested in the actual
its own—it isn’t the climax of the episode, it isn’t fight—then resolve it with the appropriate basic moves.
the culmination of the companions’ plans and • If there is uncertainty and someone at the table is interested
actions, it isn’t a moment of confrontation with a in the actual fight, resolve it using the exchange system.
meaningful or interesting antagonist or villain.

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 Running Exchanges Explaining who is fighting—and their positions—clarifies
In the full combat system of Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game, the size and importance of the combatants and gives the PCs
combat takes place in exchanges, sets of blows, blocks, and dodges one last chance to try to avoid a fight (if that’s even possible).
that combine into a single fluid sequence. Imagine two foes circling Just like with the environment, no player should say, “Wait, I
each other then closing , one throwing a fireball and then a leg didn’t realize there were sixty guys standing in the open, ready to
sweep, the other dodging both attacks before throwing a blast of fight us!” What’s more, if someone is present but not participat-
air into the first fighter, flattening them against a wall. That whole ing at all in the fight, that’s just as important to note.
series of blows covers one exchange. An exchange isn’t “You get one Explaining who engages with whom is a critical step in start-
punch, and I get one kick”—an exchange covers several individual ing a combat. One fighter is engaged with another if they are in
strikes, dodges, blocks, and moves that you can envision in a flurry reach of each other’s skills, training, and techniques, and if they
of bending, weaponry, and martial skill. actively focus on each other. The GM is the primary arbiter of
An exchange begins when the two combatants start moving who engages with whom, but every combatant is almost never
and striking at each other more than anything else, and it ends engaged with every other combatant. Different fighters face
right as they break apart, even just for a moment, before diving off against different foes, saying, “I’ll hold them off,” or “Don’t
into a new exchange! Don’t think of exchanges in terms of actual worry, I’ve got this guy.” Each set of engaged fighters has its own
time. Think of them in terms of cinematic tension; a series of exchanges, and changing who you’re engaged with in a fight is
attacks back and forth between two foes might be one to three ex- only worth noting if you specified who you were fighting from
changes or so, before the camera turns to a different set of fighters. the start for a fictionally appropriate reason.
Combat exchanges also don’t have to happen in immediate
succession—characters can talk to one other or take other actions Exchange Combatants
between exchanges. Imagine two combatants coming together, Every exchange requires at least two combatants engaged
exchanging blows—a fireball, a wind-blade, a twisting block and with each other. It’s not an exchange if one person is punch-
counterstrike—before they are hurled apart and rise to their feet, ing, but the other person refuses to fight, dodge, block, or
breathing heavily. At that moment, if one of them charges the other, respond physically in any way! Both combatants have to be
and the other meets the charge, then a new exchange begins. But if involved in the fight, each responding and reacting in kind;
one of them starts talking, that might trigger plead, or intimidate, if someone insists on just taking each blow on the chin, com-
or call out. If one of them tries to subtly freeze the floor between pletely refusing to meet the attacker…then the consequences
them, that might be rely on skills and training; if one of them tries to of those blows just happen in full!
distract the other to create an opportunity, that might be trick. When a combat starts, however, the GM should split engaged
Always remember that the next exchange only starts when the fighters up into their own individual exchanges instead of lumping
two of them directly physically engage each other. Even if they everyone together into one giant exchange. The Airbender focuses
both focus on defense and maneuvering, or evasion and obser- on the Fire Nation guards, while the Earthbender takes on the Fire
vation, they’re still taking physical actions that you can imagine Nation general herself, and the Waterbender doesn’t participate in
in and around the other—one of them trying to get on top of the an exchange at all—he’s busy dousing the fires on the village! The
building nearby while the other lifts an earth shield. As soon as Airbender vs. Fire Nation guards is one exchange, while the Earth-
they both recommit to the fight, a new exchange has begun. bender vs. Fire Nation general is a second, separate exchange; the
Waterbender isn’t even in an exchange since they aren’t engaged
Beginning a Combat with anyone, making moves when appropriate and joining an
You’re interested in this combat, you are uncertain, and you exchange only if they jump into the fight!
don’t want to resolve it with the basic moves. Excellent! Now, If the PCs want to gang up on one enemy, they can do that…
how do you start your fight? just so long as there aren’t other enemies who might divert them
First things first—the GM makes sure everyone in the fight and peel them off. If three PCs go up against a squad of guards,
is clear on the situation. Who is involved in the fight? Where their lieutenant, and a rampaging spirit, the GM should ask which
exactly are you fighting? What are the surroundings like? Players characters attend to which enemies. Think of it this way: if no PC
ask questions of the GM to help clarify the situation as the GM specifically addresses and focuses on a particular threat, then that’s
fills in the details. The most important things to note: a golden opportunity for the GM to make a hard move to show
what that threat actually does while no one stops them! The more
• What is the environment like?
that you can break up exchanges into bouts of three or fewer com-
• Who all is fighting?
batants, the more effective your combat exchanges will be.
• Who is engaged with whom?
Regardless, every player in the game, the GM especially,
Describing the environment isn’t about clearly stating advantageous should make sure everyone understands who is involved in any
features to use in the fight—that’s closer to answering assess a situ- given exchange, so the companions know exactly who they’re
ation questions, although if someone does assess the situation then fighting. “Surprise attacks,” which involve one party attacking
that explains the environment pretty well all on its own. The key someone unable to defend themselves, aren’t a part of exchang-
here is to ensure that no one in the fight is surprised by an obvious es, so combat—an exchange of strikes, dodges, blocks, and so
feature. You don’t want a Waterbender to say, “I didn’t know there on—isn’t really happening yet.
was a canal running along the road!” halfway through the fight!

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 Approaches & Techniques NPCs, Techniques, and
When an exchange begins, every combatant chooses one ap-
proach to use. Their approach signifies the overarching way they Changing Balance
act throughout the exchange. There are only three approaches in
the game: The number of techniques an NPC can use for their
approach is determined by 1 + their current balance
• Defend and maneuver—you are blocking incoming strikes at the start of that approach. In other words, if an
with a strong guard, tiring out your opponents, shifting NPC defends and maneuvers and has a principle of
position, knocking down blasts of fire or air sent at you +1 at the start of the resolution of the defend and
without giving up ground, but seizing opportunities to maneuver approach, they get to use two techniques.
change your standing or retreat.
• Advance and attack—you are throwing punches, fireballs, An NPC who shifts their balance before resolving their
water whips, etc. at your opponent, pressing them and trying approach might get a different number of techniques.
to inflict harm, sticking close to your foes to ensure you can If a PC uses Strike against that same NPC during ad-
strike at them. vance and attack, thereby shifting the NPC’s balance
• Evade and observe—you are slipping around blows, twisting and increasing their principle to +2, the NPC gets to
just out of reach of your enemy, all the while taking in your use three techniques during evade and observe.
opponent, watching them, learning about how they fight, and The NPC’s balance at the start of their chosen
perhaps even exchanging verbal barbs. approach is all that matters. Whatever their balance
Your approach determines the overall style you apply to this was at the start of the exchange is irrelevant!
exchange in terms of what you’re actually doing—if you’re evad-
ing and observing, you’re not charging and pummeling your foe.
What’s more, your chosen approach determines the techniques
available to you within the exchange. In every exchange, each
combatant can use one or more techniques, which represent The Stance Move
individual moves or actions within the exchange. Techniques Choosing an approach only declares the basic style a combatant
allow you to directly affect the other combatants or the envi- uses during an exchange—each combatant still has to choose
ronment around you, perhaps inflicting fatigue or conditions, specific techniques to use. An NPC can always use a number of
inflicting or clearing statuses, or even shifting your foe’s balance. techniques equal to their balance rating +1. To determine how
Every trained combatant in Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying many techniques a PC combatant can use, they make the stance
Game has access to the basic techniques, the core tactics tied to move when resolving approaches: each player rolls with the
each approach. Each approach has three basic techniques tied to appropriate stat, based on the approach they chose.
it, to represent the general set of actions most combatants could
undertake when using that approach. If a character isn’t trained • Defend and maneuver rolls with Focus
well enough to easily and consistently use those basic tech- • Advance and attack rolls with Passion
niques, there’s a good chance they aren’t trained well enough to • Evade and observe rolls with Creativity
even be a combatant in a real exchange—there’s no uncertainty or Harmony, the PC’s choice
when a trained Firebender goes up against a kid who can’t yet
consistently create a tiny flame in their palm.
There are also advanced techniques, techniques that represent On a 7–9, use one basic or mastered technique. On a 10+,
greater training and require time to master. PCs can have advanced choose one from this list instead:
techniques at learned, practiced, or mastered levels. • Mark 1-fatigue to use a learned technique
• Use one practiced technique
• A learned technique is one that the PC has been taught
• Use two different basic or mastered techniques
but hasn’t yet successfully employed in combat.
On a miss, you stumble, but you can shift your balance away
• A practiced technique is one that the PC has
from center to use one basic technique.
been taught and has used in combat.
• A mastered technique is one that the PC has
fully mastered by completing a special mastery
Keep in mind that this means on a miss, you can almost always
condition set to them by their teacher.
use one basic technique, but only a basic technique—you can’t
If an NPC knows an advanced technique, they have it mastered— use any advanced techniques on a miss, even mastered ones.
the GM doesn’t track learned or practiced techniques for NPCs. The disadvantage of using a learned or practiced technique is that
You can find more on advanced techniques and learned, prac- you must roll a 10+ on the stance move, and for a learned technique
ticed, and mastered levels on page 211. For now, what’s most im- you must pay an additional cost. But because you don’t choose tech-
portant to know is that characters use mastered techniques the same niques until after you have rolled the stance move, you can always
way they use basic techniques—with ease and facility. But learned choose to use a basic or mastered technique on a 7–9, even if you
or practiced techniques are harder to use, with greater costs. were hoping to get to use your learned or practiced technique.

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 Step-By-Step Exchange EXCHANGE STEPS SUMMARY
Once you know who the combatants are in the exchange, follow

1
these steps to resolve the exchange: The GM chooses an approach for each
NPC or group of NPCs in the exchange;
The GM chooses approaches
STEP 1

the GM keeps their choice secret.

For each non-player combatant in the exchange, the GM choos-

2
es an approach. The GM should note these approaches down Each player of a PC in the exchange chooses
but keep them secret—the players don’t get to know what an approach for their character. If multiple
approaches the NPCs chose when they decide what to do. The players have PCs in the exchange, they can
GM doesn’t choose any techniques yet. talk and coordinate. Their choices can be public, but
if the PCs oppose each other, they keep their choices
Each player chooses approaches
STEP 2

secret and reveal in the next step.

For each PC in the exchange, their player chooses their ap-

3
proach. Players should feel free to discuss what approaches The GM reveals what they chose for each
they’re choosing, and don’t have to keep it secret. Players don’t NPC, and PCs opposing each other reveal
choose any techniques yet. If the PCs are fighting each other their previously secret approaches.
for some reason—a rare occurrence, but possible—then they

4
choose approaches secretly. All combatants who chose
defend and maneuver
The GM reveals what they chose for each NPC
STEP 3

resolve their approach.

The GM reveals their chosen approaches, and any other un-

5
revealed approaches are now revealed, so every combatant’s All combatants who chose
chosen approach is public. advance and attack
resolve their approach.
Resolve each approach
STEPS 4-6

6
Resolve the approaches in order, starting with all defend and All combatants who chose
maneuver approaches, followed by all advance and attack evade and observe
approaches, followed by all evade and observe approaches. resolve their approach.
When resolving each approach, PCs who chose that approach

7
roll the stance move to see how many techniques they may All characters who lost their
use. NPCs use techniques equal to 1 + their current balance as it balance or were taken out
stands specifically at the start of that approach. now resolve those results.
PCs choose their techniques first, and then the NPCs choose
their techniques to use. All techniques within an approach are
functionally resolved simultaneously.
If anyone is taken out or loses their balance, they don’t suffer
those consequences yet, even if their approach hasn’t been re-
solved yet. The same goes for statuses (page 151)—the effect
of the status doesn’t kick in until the exchange ends.

Resolve being taken out or losing your balance

STEP 7

Now, whoever has been taken out or lost their balance resolves
those effects. If necessary, PCs resolve first, and NPCs second.
Remember that because you don’t resolve losing your balance
until this step, then before this step, your balance still counts as
its highest possible extreme (+3 for PCs, and +1, +2, +3, or higher
for NPCs depending upon their status). That means even if a PC
loses their balance, they might be able to live up to their prin-
ciple one last time with it at +3 before the end of the exchange.
Similarly, an NPC still gets the benefit of their high balance in
one last exchange before they lose their balance.

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 After the Exchange If multiple combatants want to keep fighting, then another
The full effects of a character being taken out or losing their balance exchange ensues. This also covers situations in which one side
resolve outside of fight exchanges. While a character might know wants to only defend or evade—they’re still “fighting,” still actively
they are taken out during the advance and attack approach phase participating in the exchange, even if it’s only to protect themselves.
or lose their balance during the evade and observe approach phase, If only one combatant (or one side of combatants) wants to keep
they don’t actually get taken out until the exchange is over. fighting—to the extent that their targets won’t even resist incoming
When a PC loses their balance, their player chooses options, blows—then no exchange is needed; the attackers simply inflict
and the GM says what happens without uncertainty—everyone fatigue or conditions on their targets. And if no combatants are
at the table knows that a character lost their balance, and the full engaging each other, then there’s no need for an exchange at all!
effect of that move must come into play. A character losing their This also helps sort out when a fight’s fully over. If all
balance is at an inflection point for their story! combatants on one side of the conflict are defeated, unable
Similarly, when a PC is taken out, they are unable to act any to continue fighting in any way, then no more exchanges are
more. The exact details of how they are taken out can be set up needed! The GM uses the drives and balance principles of
outside of fight exchanges—but almost always, a PC being taken involved NPCs to determine how they react, as well. If a group
out is a golden opportunity for the GM to make another move. of soldiers have their leader knocked out by the PCs, then sol-
That might lead to the PC getting captured or the NPCs acting with diers with a drive “To survive” are going to run! Similarly, if all
impunity to take what they were after or otherwise win the day. the PCs are defeated or flee, the GM can decide how the NPCs
Remember that after an exchange ends, there is no require- react—capturing the PCs, fleeing themselves, etc.—based on
ment to go right into another exchange. The combatants break their drives and balance principles.
apart after their exchange of blows, and maybe they decide to For the most part, long combats that run for many exchanges
throw words at each other as they breathe heavily and circle each until both sides are totally exhausted are quite rare in Avatar Leg-
other, looking for a better position. Maybe no combatants want ends: The Roleplaying Game. Instead, both PCs and NPCs usually
to fight anymore. Maybe a combatant has decided that fighting take the chance offered by the end of an exchange to pursue new
directly is a losing strategy, so they quickly set fire to their sur- tactics, offer a truce, or get away from the fight!
roundings, hoping to distract the companions with danger.

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 Statuses
Negative Statuses
Throughout Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game, but especially • Doomed: You’re in grave danger—mark 1-fatigue every
in combat exchanges, characters might find themselves suffering few seconds (or each exchange) until you free yourself.
ill effects or benefitting from positive effects as a result of their • Impaired: You’re slowed or off-balance—mark
environment. They might be lit on fire or caught under a fallen 1-fatigue or take -2 to all physical actions (PCs)
beam. They might be trapped in the earth or be slipping and / choose one fewer technique (NPCs).
sliding around on a surface covered in ice. They might be well- • Trapped: You’re completely helpless—you must mark a
equipped and supported for an upcoming challenge or might combination of three conditions or fatigue to escape.
draw extra strength from the full moon in the sky. • Stunned: You’re caught off-guard—you can’t act or
All of these effects are covered by statuses, specific states that respond for a few seconds until you steady yourself.
apply mechanical effects to reflect the way the character’s envi-
ronment affects them. Many combat techniques assign or remove Positive Statuses
statuses, but other moves might inflict or bestow statuses as well. • Empowered: Your abilities are naturally stronger in this
Statuses are always based on something true in the fiction. moment—clear 1-fatigue at the end of each exchange.
No character is ever just Trapped without any further explana- • Favored: You’re buoyed by circumstance—
tion—they’re caught by something, be it ice or earth or a fallen choose an additional basic or mastered technique
building. No character is ever just Empowered without any fur- in the next exchange, even on a miss.
ther explanation—something empowers them, be it the potency • Inspired: You’re ready to stand for
of the place they stand upon in the Spirit World, or the pure something—clear Inspired to shift your balance
intensity of the fire around them enhancing their firebending. toward a principle of your choice.
That means that a status can be removed from a character • Prepared: You’re ready for what’s coming—
if the fiction changes. If someone’s on fire, but they dive into a clear Prepared to take +1 to an appropriate roll
lake—they’re not on fire anymore! And they probably aren’t (after the roll) or avoid marking a condition.
Doomed anymore, as a result. Players and the GM always work
together to get on the same page about the cause of a status and
its meaning in the fiction. That way, everybody understands how
to remove the status, and why a given character might have a hard Empowered positive

time with that. An Airbender might not be able to easily clear the
ice surrounding them, but a Firebender would have an easy time Your abilities are naturally stronger in this moment—
extinguishing a flaming sleeve! clear 1-fatigue at the end of each exchange.
NPCs can suffer or benefit from statuses just like PCs and
can escape from or lose statuses just as PCs can—as long as the
fiction changes, meaning they or others take appropriate action. Empowered is the status for when a Waterbender fights under a full
moon, or a Firebender draws on the strength of Sozin’s Comet, or
a swordswoman has been filled with the invigorating power of a
Doomed negative friendly spirit—those moments when you are made far stronger
than normal, almost always by something external to yourself.
You’re in grave danger—mark 1-fatigue every few You aren’t Empowered just because you have the high ground
seconds (or each exchange) until you free yourself. (which is closer to Favored) or because you set up some valuable
defenses (which is closer to Prepared); you’re Empowered when you
are strengthened far beyond your usual abilities. You usually can’t re-
Doomed is the status for when you’re drowning, or when you’re ally pursue this status with a technique during combat—it isn’t the
on fire, or when the stone around you isn’t simply immobilizing kind of status that a quick tweak to your environment can provide.
you—it’s crushing you. It represents a constant, ongoing pres- The GM adjudicates Empowered more than any other status,
sure upon you, causing you to mark fatigue at a steady rate until but they’re encouraged, as always, to be a fan of the PCs. If
you are free. The GM decides exactly how often you mark fa- there’s an interesting, believable reason why someone is Empow-
tigue during play, unless you’re in exchanges—then, you should ered in this moment—for example, a Firebender standing in the
mark 1-fatigue at the beginning of each exchange. Remember middle of a raging forest fire—then the GM honors that reason
that if you can’t mark more fatigue, you mark conditions instead. by bestowing Empowered upon the character. Similarly, once that
Much of the time, you can’t be Doomed unless you’re first Im- believable reason goes away—the forest fire is put out, or the
paired, or Impaired and Trapped. You won’t be drowning unless Firebender moves away—then the status also goes away.
something holds you in the water; you won’t be slowly crushed Empowered clears 1-fatigue at the end of each exchange,
by rock without first being trapped in rock. But sometimes it’s meaning after all approaches and techniques have been resolved.
appropriate—your entire outfit, head to toe, can be set on fire by If you’re not in exchanges, then you clear 1-fatigue every few
an angry firebending master without warning! seconds, like an inversion of Doomed.

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 Impaired negative

You’re slowed or off-balance—mark 1-fatigue or take -2 to all

physical actions (PCs) / choose one fewer technique (NPCs).

Impaired is the status for when you’re standing on slippery ice or

coughing on the smoke filling the air or sinking slowly into mud.
It represents you being thrown off, your footing made unsteady,
your strength being sapped. You’re not out of the fight yet, not
knocked out…but you’re weakened or held back in some way.
PCs and NPCs both can ignore the effects of being Impaired at
the cost of 1-fatigue. For PCs, Impaired forces them to roll at -2 for
any physical action—which includes the stance move in combat
exchanges. A PC might be able to get away with pleading or guiding
and comforting, without taking a -2 from Impaired, but sometimes
it’s still hard to plead through a cloud of smoke! Marking fatigue
to ignore the -2 represents expending extra energy to temporarily
Favored positive overcome the impairment…but it’s still present, and still affects
you the next time you try a physical action—you mark fatigue to
You’re buoyed by circumstance—choose an additional basic or push your way through the smoke, coughing and wheezing, but still
mastered technique in the next exchange, even on a miss. functional. If you wanted to airbend the smoke cloud away, though,
you might be better off using Ready (page 154).
That said, Impaired is usually the first and easiest negative
Favored is the status for when a Firebender jet-steps to the top status to inflict on anyone. In turn, it’s usually the easiest status
of the building for a clear vantage on the Earthbenders below, effect to remove. Get off the ice sheet and you’re no longer Im-
or when an Airbender has accelerated themselves with a gale paired; clear the smoke with a gust of wind and you’re no longer
force wind at their back, or when the Technologist flips on the Impaired; dry out the mud and you’re no longer Impaired.
hyper-charge setting on their electric gauntlet. It represents those For an NPC, the GM makes moves as appropriate to represent
moments when you have a temporary, situational advantage, how they are Impaired, perhaps creating opportunities in the fiction
whether due to your position in the environment, a quick trick for a PC to act without an NPC interfering. In combat, an NPC may
you’ve pulled, or some other fleeting edge. Favored is different use one fewer technique (to a minimum of 0) as long as they are
from Prepared because Prepared represents real set-up or resourc- Impaired, unless they mark 1-fatigue to push past the impairment.
es, now being deployed, while Favored doesn’t require any of that
set-up, planning, or preparation. In the middle of a fight, if a Wa-
terbender smashes a dam and fills the area with water, they might Inspired positive

become Favored—it’s not enough of a shift to make them Empow-

ered, and too haphazard and immediate to make them Prepared. You’re ready to stand for something—clear Inspired to
Favored allows you to choose an additional basic or mastered shift your balance toward a principle of your choice.
technique in the next exchange, but you cannot use Favored to
use the same technique twice. You must also choose a technique
from the appropriate approach. Inspired is the status for when a dear friend has given you the
Usually, Favored only affects the single exchange after you confidence to keep fighting onward, or when you’re invigorated
earn the status. If there is no immediate exchange after you earn after seeing an ally fighting against impossible odds but some-
the status, but a new exchange picks up within a relatively close how winning, or when you see the people you’re fighting for
amount of time, then the status affects that new exchange. If there and your resolve becomes steely. Inspired covers those moments
is no exchange at all after you earn the status, it dissipates with no when your character is bolstered emotionally, almost like a pos-
effect—but often, an enemy who realizes their foe is Favored may itive condition—they’re made more determined or bolder, not
surrender instead of facing the full force of their foe’s strength. physically Empowered or situationally Favored.
You can also lose Favored if something happens in the fiction You can choose when you want to clear Inspired to shift your
that takes away your temporary advantage before you get to use balance toward a principle of your choice. You can clear it the
it—for example, an Earthbender advances and attacks and uses moment you take Inspired, or you can hold onto it and use the
Smash against the building you’re standing atop before you can status later. Inspired dissipates either when enough time has
evade and observe from a higher vantage point. passed that the extra excitement and energy similarly dissipates,
A small set of techniques, such as Lava Star (page 283) or something happens that robs you of your internal inspira-
allow you to extend the duration of Favored for multiple ex- tion—be it the harsh words of a mentor (or even a foe), or the
changes, but usually require great skill and concentration! sight of an ally being defeated.

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 Trainings in Combat
Whenever you engage someone in
combat, you’re using your training. The
skills that allow you to toss out strikes, dodge
or block incoming attacks, or easily move across
complicated battlegrounds—those all tie to your
training. The baseline understanding for any PC in
Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game is that they are
skilled enough to participate in combats against other skilled
opponents, regularly. In game terms, that means you have all
the basic techniques completely mastered, and that you can use
your training in nearly any way that isn’t a specialized bending
form—maybe your Firebender character can’t lightningbend,
but they can definitely throw fireballs, ignite fires, inflame or
quench existing fires, etc.
That means whenever you choose your stance,
use your techniques, and think about combat,
you always couch it in terms of your own
training. Just like with any other portion
of Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game,
the fictional world takes precedence. If
you’re an Earthbender, then your Strike uses your
earthbending—maybe you throw a big rock, maybe a per-
fectly targeted pebble. If you’re an Airbender, then your Seize
a Position uses your airbending—maybe with some kind of air
scooter, maybe with just a rushing wind giving you speed. So when you participate in exchanges, make sure you always
Use your fighting style to add particular shading and spec- say what your character actually does in the fiction! Remember
ificity to whatever you do in combat, too. If your fighting style that to do it, you have to do it! That way, your whole group can
involves using fans to channel your airbending, then describe always get on the same page about what the actual environment
how your Retaliate has you standing at the ready, fans unfolded, looks like, who does what, and why certain statuses come into
prepared to hurl a burst of wind at any foe who gets too close. If play. For example, when someone uses Ready, they “assign or
your fighting style involves your sash, soaked in water and thus clear a fictionally appropriate status from nearby characters (ex:
controllable by your waterbending, then describe how your Impaired) or yourself (ex: Prepared).” The only way to know
Smash involves the water-drenched sash snapping out from your what’s fictionally appropriate is to play to your training, and say
hand to wrap around the scaffold’s support and rip it away. what, exactly, you’re doing to use Ready!
Your fighting style doesn’t have to be involved in every blow That’s just as true for Test Balance—you still have to say what
you strike—sometimes, even though your Firebender’s style is exactly you’re doing or saying to your opponent in order to test
“swinging a chain with a flaming censer at each end,” you just their balance and figure out their principle. And the other char-
want to toss a fireball at someone! That’s okay, but the more acter’s player (most often the GM) has to do the same, making
you can weave your fighting style into your attacks, blocks, and clear what they say or do in response that reveals their principle
dodges, the better. Think of fighting style in this context as a way or shows how their balance shifts!
for you to distinguish your character from all the other fighters Try not to just say, “I advance and attack, and I choose
who share the same training, and a way to add additional capa- Strike.” Say, “I take up my fighting stance, before hurling myself
bilities to your moves—if you’re whipping that chain around, at the Earthbender. I advance and attack. And when I get close
maybe you can tangle someone up, and that’s not normally enough, I sweep my hands through the air and send a crisscross
something a Firebender could do! of fire arcs at his feet—I use Strike!”
The nature of your training influences what makes sense, what
you can and can’t do, and how it ultimately affects other characters
and the environment. The GM is the final arbiter of this, ensuring
that the world remains believable while honoring the PCs and
their awesomeness. But an Airbender trying to break ice will
always have a harder time than an Earthbender hurling a rock at it,
or a Firebender melting it away, or a Waterbender turning it back
to liquid and pulling it into a bottle. A swordswoman trying to put
out a fire is always going to have a harder time than a Firebender
simply extinguishing it, or a Waterbender pulling a torrent from
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 Weaving it
All Together
Extended example of play
This chapter presented all the different core mechanics of the
game, from basic moves to balance moves to combat exchanges,
as if they are disparate, separate elements. But whether you’re This is an extended example of actual play. It spe-
running or playing Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game, what cifically does not include a combat exchange—if
you’re doing in your game is weaving everything together into you want to see an example of a combat exchange,
one coherent tapestry, one ongoing conversation. check out page 240. This example is about the flow
While you’re playing, you and the other players just talk of moves, the conversation, and the way the GM
about what you do and think and say, until a move is triggered; thinks about the fiction and responds to the PCs.
that move then resolves, players make necessary choices and the
GM connects it all together, and the game picks up again. If you The PCs in this example are:
get into a fight, you may go into a combat exchange to resolve
a series of blows back and forth, and then immediately go right • Iris (she/her), the Adamant, an Earthbender who
into one of the balance moves as your PC cries out to their op- deserted the Earth Empire military after she saw
ponent to stop fighting. Everything connects into a whole, and Kuvira’s spirit cannon. Now she wants to remove
all of the tools are, to some extent, available all together. those weapons from the world. Played by Izzy.
If you’re a player, it’s your job to help weave it all together
• Nokahhak (she/her), the Bold, an Airbender
by continuing to think as your character, to describe what they
originally from the Northern Water Tribe, now
do, how they react, and so on. You can always choose to angle
trained at a recovered Air Temple and ready to
toward a move of some kind, trying to trigger it specifically—
prove herself! Played by Nadja.
and you can even call out to the GM that you’re trying to trigger
it—but you always have to include the framing of your charac- • Ren Tsuji (they/them), the Prodigy, a master
ter’s actions in the fiction. If you focus on what your character archer of the Fire Nation, taking a leave of absence
does and thinks and says, then you’ll help create the connective from the Yuyan Archers to see Republic City.
tissue to tie the whole game together. You won’t flow from Played by Ruhan.
one combat exchange into another just because that’s what’s
• Shihan (he/him), the Pillar, a Republic City
“supposed” to happen; instead, you might make another move
Earthbender and leader of a specialized squad of
that makes more sense for what your character is doing in the
United Military urban-combat experts called “The
moment, or you might go into a new combat exchange because
Street Soldiers.” Played by Seiji.
that’s what your character chooses. The more you emphasize the
things your character says, does, and thinks, the more you’ll help • Teru Jinno (he/him), the Hammer, a formerly
connect the whole game into one coherent story. criminal technologist who flies a salvaged/stolen
If you’re the GM, it’s your job to help weave it all together by hummingbird mech. Played by Tyrelle.
filling in the gaps between the moves and mechanics. When the
conversation of the game flows into a basic move and then back
into the normal conversation and fiction, the GM helps to bring
all the mechanical results of the move back into something in the
story. For example, a character marking 1-fatigue appears tired
or breathless, or a character marking Angry shows it on their
face, and so on. Sometimes that means asking questions of the
PCs to help go from the mechanics of the move back to what’s
actually happening in the fiction; sometimes that means just
saying what happens, especially on a miss. In combat exchanges,
the GM helps to string together the disparate techniques and
approaches into an actual scene in the fiction, with characters
moving around, speaking to each other, acting and responding.
In every case, the key to weaving the game together, to mak-
ing it more than just the sum of its parts, is to make as much as
possible exist within the fiction itself. The game mechanics refer
to the in-fiction world—they’re never just numbers on a page!

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 L
ast session, the heroes found clear evidence of “I don’t want to mark a condition,” says Nadja. “I
hand-held spirit vine weapons in the hands of say, ‘Okay, yeah. We’ve got to be careful—that’s the
Triad members. Now, they want to do some- smart play.’ Then I look apologetically at Teru Jinno.”
thing about it. The GM picks up with the he- “Don’t forget, you get to shift Ren’s balance
roes’ planning to uncover more information about the unless Ren marks 1-fatigue,” says the GM.
underground spirit-vine-weapon trade by attending “Right, yeah. I want to shift Ren back toward
Uncle Guzai’s Temple of Fortune—a seedy gambling Community—definitely down from Excellence!
den known to be a hub for local triad members. The ‘Good call, Ren,’ I say to them. I want them to feel
PCs are in Iris’s apartment in the city—a small place, like I listened, like they’re a part of something, not
but cozy, with haphazard couches for everybody to just the outsider who’s smarter than everybody!”
crash on—and they’re arguing about exactly what to says Nadja.
do. Iris and Teru Jinno think they should just smash Ruhan decides not to mark 1-fatigue and shifts
down the door, but Ren and Shihan think watching Ren’s balance back to Excellence +1.
the enemy is very important, and Nokahhak actually “‘I still think we should just blow down the
agrees with Ren but wants to impress Teru… door!’” says Tyrelle as Teru Jinno. “‘I’m not ready to
“I look very indecisive,” says Nokahhak’s player, go along with this plan!’”
Nadja. “My eyes are flicking back and forth between The PCs could try to persuade Teru Jinno much
Ren and Teru.” as Ren persuaded Nokahhak—by calling out Teru’s
“‘Nok, come on,’ I say,” says Ren’s player, Ruhan. Care principle, for example—but the GM thinks the
“‘Throwing yourself into a pit of Triad members to game needs to move on to some new conflicts and
try to shake answers loose from them…that’s not decides to introduce something new to the scene.
brave. That’s just dumb. You’re smarter than that. “There’s a knock on the door. Iris, you recognize
Be the Airbender Tenzin would be proud to call his the voice on the other side when it says, ‘Hey!
student.’ Can I guide and comfort Nokahhak?” Open up! We know you’re in there!’ It’s Kehan,
“I can kinda see it,” says the GM. “But it’s way your former Earth Empire comrade in your squad.
closer to openly calling on someone to live up to Have you talked at all since you’ve come to Repub-
their principle. You’re playing on Nokahhak’s Confi- lic City?” the GM says. They’re turning attention
dence, right?” on Iris, who hasn’t really gotten to participate in
“Yes! That’s even better!” Ruhan shifts Ren Tsu- the argument for a bit, to share the spotlight and
ji’s balance one step away from center—now Ren is get everyone involved.
at Excellence +2—and then Ruhan rolls 2d6, add- “Oh, no, I think I was trying to steer clear of my
ing in Nokahhak’s Confidence principle, currently at old life,” says Izzy. “I haven’t talked to Kehan in ages.”
+1. Ruhan gets a 6—not quite enough! “Great. Well, that’s definitely his voice on the
“Can I help?” asks Seiji. “I really want Nokahhak other side of the door. What do you do?”
to buy into what Ren Tsuji is saying. ” “I’m not sure,” says Izzy. “I think I’m frozen after
“Yeah,” says the GM. “What do you do?” recognizing Kehan’s voice.”
“I step forward and put my hand on Ren’s shoul- “Yeah, that’s fine,” says the GM. “Teru? What do
der, looking at Nokahhak seriously. ‘Yeah, you’re you do?” Again, the GM tries to share the spotlight
better than that. You’re a Water Tribe warrior and with someone who was less engaged earlier.
an Air Nation Airbender!’ I really want to sell how “I react immediately,” says Tyrelle. “I leap up, tear
awesome Nokahhak is,” says Seiji. open the door, and say, ‘What?’ to whoever is on the
“Great! Mark fatigue!” Seiji marks one of Shi- other side.”
han’s fatigue, and Ruhan’s roll is now a 7—a hit! “Awesome! So, Iris, why don’t you tell us what
Nokahhak must act as Ren Tsuji says or mark a you remember Kehan looking like?” asks the GM.
condition, and Ren must mark 1-fatigue or let No- “Oh, I remember that he looked young, full of ener-
kahhak shift Ren’s balance once in either direction. gy and patriotic fire. He was clean shaven,” says Tyrelle.
Ren’s plea works on Nokahhak, but it leaves Ren “Was he powerfully built? Lanky?”
open to Nokahhak’s words. “I think he didn’t seem big enough to fill out his
“Okay, Nok? What do you do?” asks the GM. uniform,” says Izzy.

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 “Yeah, great. Iris, he doesn’t look the same at “Kehan's eyes flick to your device, and he says ‘Fine.
all. Now he’s got a chinstrap beard, and a few burn Be that way. We heard you all were asking questions,
scars along his cheek. His head is now half-shaved, and we decided to be polite, introduce ourselves, and
half not, and the hair he does have is long and hangs offer our help as friendly neighborhood representa-
over the side of his face. He looks tougher, maybe tives. Uncle Guzai’s Temple of Fortune is a pillar of
not super-muscly, exactly, but definitely like the the community, and you should only go there in good
smaller guy you remember was hardened in the time faith, to lose your money and spend time in good com-
since last you’ve seen him. He’s wearing a green suit pany. There certainly aren’t any illegal weapons there.’ ”
with silver accents, and it’s a pretty nice suit. He’s “‘And what, I’m supposed to just believe that?’”
also got two other people behind him, one of them says Tyrelle, speaking as Teru.
wearing a brownish red suit with a truncheon in her “‘Most certainly. Both because it’s true, and be-
hand and a scar running over her lips, and the other cause it’s good for your health.’ Kehan then makes a
with a blue jacket and a long braided beard. motion to the other two, and they start to shift away.
“Teru, the guy in front—Kehan—looks a smidge ‘Be seeing you,’” says the GM.
startled as you tear open the door and face him, “Wait!” says Izzy. “Before they go, I want to pop
but you’re not a big person, and in no time Kehan my head around Teru. ‘Kehan, wait,’ I say.”
is scowling at you and looking at you like you’re “Kehan freezes at the sound of your voice, Izzy,
nothing. ‘That’s not a good way to greet guests,’ he and slowly turns to look at you. ‘Iris?’ he says.”
says. ‘You gonna invite us in?’” “‘Kehan, we’re trying to get rid of the spirit vine
“Wait a sec,” says Seiji. “These guys sound like weapons. You know they’re too dangerous. You
triad members. Would I recognize them from my know they shouldn’t be in the hands of…people
work with the Street Soldiers?” who might use them. Please…help us. Help me. Tell
“Yes,” says the GM. “You’ve seen them all before, us where the weapons are…”
though you’ve probably never tangled with them or “Oh, that definitely sounds like you’re pleading
arrested them outright. They’re Triple Threats.” with him,” says the GM. “Roll with Harmony!”
“Okay, cool,” says Seiji. “I get up then, and I hiss “Oh, crud, I’m at -1 Harmony,” says Izzy. “Wait,
to Teru, ‘Play this cool.’ I don’t want to get into a can I live up to my principle? I’m being restrained, I’m
fight with the Triads in Iris’s apartment.” trying to talk to someone instead of barging ahead!
“Pfft,” says Tyrelle. “I can take them. ‘No, you My Restraint is +0, a little better than -1 Harmony.”
don’t get invited in. Say what you came here for and “Yeah, that makes sense. Roll it!”
then leave us alone.’ Can I intimidate them?” Izzy marks a fatigue to live up to her Restraint
“Sure—you want them to back off so they just and rolls…and gets a 3!
stay out here in the hall and then leave, instead of “Oof,” says the GM. “Your friends could help you
coming in?” Tyrelle nods in response. “What do you get to a 7 if all four of them each marked 1-fatigue,
actually do to frighten them?” the GM asks. but your appeal here is so personal, I don’t think
“I pull out one of my little two-pronged taser they can help in the fiction.” The GM considers
devices and flick the button so electricity crackles what move to make and decides to keep it fairly sim-
across it,” Tyrelle says. Teru Jinno’s fighting style ple—inflict a condition will do the trick (page 230).
uses a hummingbird mech, but he often has all man- “There’s this moment where you think Kehan’s
ner of devices on his person, so it makes sense that face is clearing, like he might actually listen…but then
Teru Jinno has the device on hand. he hardens: ‘I don’t owe you anything,’ he says. ‘You
“Excellent,” says the GM. “Roll with Passion!” always said the Earth Empire was right, that it was the
Tyrelle rolls and gets a 12! only way to fix the world. You said it took courage to
“I pick that they can’t attack us; like I said, I don’t do what was necessary. And then one day, you just
want to get in a fight right here.” The GM looks abandoned us. And now, you’re here trying to tell me
at the other options for the Triad members, and that the weapons are too dangerous? I’m not going to
chooses that they back down but keep watch— tell you anything, and you can’t make me. You don’t
they’re fine staying in the hall and keeping things to have it in you anymore.’ Mark a condition, Iris—I think
a discussion, but they’re still ready if things escalate. Insecure, right? He’s making you doubt yourself., right?

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 “I think it might be Guilty, but I’ve already got “Again, there’s this moment that reads like Kehan is
that marked. So yeah, Insecure fits,” says Izzy, and trying to get there, trying to forgive you…but then he
she marks Insecure on her sheet. “And it kind of can’t. He pulls his arm away from you and says, ‘Your
sounds like he’s shifting my balance, calling back lame apologies aren’t worth anything.’ And then he
how much I was about doing what was necessary.” and the other two move away down the hall. He shut
“Oh, sure!” says the GM. They hadn’t planned you down, Iris, so go ahead and mark a condition—
on Kehan shifting Iris’s balance, but it makes sense. Troubled, I think, for what you see happening to him.
“He’s shifting your balance away from Restraint. Do But you do get to shift his balance, too. You probably
you accept it?” don’t quite know yet what his principle is, though you
“No, I don’t want to let this moment define me. I might have some guesses, but you can still tell me if
want to resist it, but I’ve got Insecure marked now, you want to shift his balance up or down—do you
so I’m rolling at a -2, right?” The GM nods, and Izzy want to make him more or less extreme?”
rolls. She gets a total of a 7! “Down! Definitely down,” says Izzy.
“Great! So I don’t shift my balance at all! And I “Great. So the three of them leave, and you’re left
actually want to clear a condition by proving him alone again. What do you do?”
wrong immediately—can I clear Insecure even “As they go,” says Seiji. “I want to slip out of the
though I just marked it?” asks Izzy. apartment and track them. I just go, I don’t wait for
“I think that depends on what you do. How do anyone else. I’ve got an Urban background—can
you try to prove him wrong?” asks the GM. I follow them, move through the city to see where
“I move over to him and I put an arm on him, and they’re going?”
I say, ‘I was wrong back then. The Earth Empire was “Oh, definitely!” says the GM. “I do think it’s risky,
wrong. It wasn’t the only way to fix the world, and it though—they might catch you following them. Why
takes way more courage to admit you’re wrong and to don’t you roll to rely on your skills and training?”
try to do better. And for what it’s worth…I’m sorry Seiji rolls and gets a total of a 7, so the GM has
for what I did to you.’ Is that enough?” asks Izzy. to tell Seiji what unexpected consequences Shihan
The GM considers for a moment—what Iris said might face. “You do it,” say the GM. “You follow them
was meaningful. There’s an uncertainty to whether through the city. What does that look like, Shihan?”
or not Iris’s words would reach Kehan, but the GM “Oh, I use my earthbending to move slowly,
thinks she is proving him wrong to herself. “Yeah, I cautiously, silently through alleys, making the streets
think you should clear a condition or mark growth, themselves ripple and flow like water as I go,” say Seiji.
but I also think you’re guiding and comforting “Very cool! Yeah, you ripple through alleys
him—you want to guide him to forgiveness because to keep an eye on them, but you’re leaving the
it’ll help him too, right?” Izzy nods. “So why don’t alleyways a mess. You’re going to draw the attention
you roll with Harmony again.” Izzy clears Guilty, of a local spirit who takes pride in maintaining the
groans because she’s rolling on her -1 again, and streets unless you mark fatigue to control the mess,”
rolls. She manages to get an 8 this time! says the GM.
But does Kehan embrace Iris’s guidance or shut “Shoot. Well, I don’t have much fatigue to mark,
her down? The GM created Kehan just now, so they so I guess I accept it,” says Seiji.
haven’t assigned him a drive or a balance principle yet. “Perfect. So you see the Triad guys actually
The GM does both right now—Kehan has a drive to going into a derelict building—one with a spirit
take over the Triple Threat Triad and his principle is vine shooting through it from bottom to top—but
Dominance. The GM thinks Kehan has just skyrocket- just as you’re about to get a closer look, you hear a
ed from a minor NPC to a major NPC, thanks to Iris’s voice yell at you. ‘Hey! Stop ruining my alley! I just
interest in him, so Kehan has a balance track of 0 to fixed that!’ And then you see this six-legged bunny
+2. The GM sets Kehan’s initial balance to +2 Domi- spirit with a flat tail, frantically trying to flatten out
nance—Kehan was already pretty far down that track the ground of the alleys that you’ve left askew, and
by the time he showed up at the apartment today. With glaring at you. What do you do?”
that in mind, the GM decides that Kehan wouldn’t
embrace Iris’s guidance—not yet.

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