D10 Pool Narrative

The Basics
Introduction
- what is the game
- what you’ll need
- basic terms

Systems
Task Tests Basics
- assess task
- all of these are a discussion, brackets are who has final say.
----- what is success? (what is trying to be achieved) (the players)
----- what are the potential costs/twists? (the gm)
----- what are the potential boons? (the gm)
----- what are the impacts? (the gm)

----- always at least one boon + cost associated with the task being attempted. Also always has a
challenge impact rating (even when challenge 0)
(----- assessing ‘on the fly’ (mainly extra boons, shouldn’t be needed often if at all)
(----- gm advice: have a couple of extra boons ready)
(----- unknown costs: they’re fine, but be careful with them)

- task tests/checks
----- roll pool of d10’s (attribute edge + skill + mods) + challenge impact
----- each dice generates hit by rolling equal or under tn (attribute score + mods)
----- spend hits for effects: success, gain boons, resist twists (player chooses)
----- apply choices of effect as outcome

----- choose to fail (don’t have to take success effect)

(- box: straight failure/success at a cost option)
(- box: choosing to fail, possibly as cost)
(possibly combine both boxes into: Choosing to fail and weak failure.???)

- maximums (box?)
----- 10 attribute score
----- 10 dice
----- extras (after impacts) are lost

- zero dice (box?)

----- automatic failure and cost incurred
----- try to avoid whenever possible
Outcomes and Narrative results
- come from outcomes and any 1’s or 10’s.
(box: dealing with multiple results)
(box: narrative results guiding description)
- Twists
- Boons (extra effect, positive momentum, counter twist

Success and Failure

- what success and failure are
- lack of ‘critical’ results

Costs
- gain negative momentum
- narrative complication
----- takes more time than expected
----- give away something about yourself
----- the activity is only partially successful
- lose spirit or health points
- lose hold(s) (data point, favour or wealth): usually just one hold lost

- move to disadvantageous position (see below)

- only pure damage

Boons
- associated boons of move to choose from
- gain positive momentum
- move to advantageous position (or to neutral)
- gain spirit or health points

- +d3 damage
- You don’t take damage

- not all are always applicable

- can choose to fail

Impacts
- Challenge
- Circumstance
- Statics
- Threat
----- challenge (difficulty, 0-5, above 3 is rare)
----- threat (additional cost (threat) or 2 (critical threat))
----- circumstance (+/- dice??? assets and drawbacks)
----- statics (+Xd, +X. Mainly +/-X, + add to attribute score, - add to challenge)

Impacts represent the various ways in which the circumstances of the fiction may be affecting the
PC’s. If you’re familiar with rpg’s or other similar types of game, they are the equivalent of
modifiers or difficulty in Monster Hunters. They help to represent situations that are more complex
or potentially more costly, or when the circumstance is easier or in the characters favour.
Impacts are applied to the move check when a character makes moves, potentially affecting which
sort of outcome is generated by the check. The MC will let you know which Impacts are being
applied to any given move check. Other sources can be, bestiary entries for monsters or various
rules and character talents that tell you when to apply Impacts.

There are four different kinds of Impacts that cover different eventualities, they are Challenge,
Threat, Advantage/Disadvantage and Static Effects. They are described in more detail below. These
impacts can be used independently or together when making move checks. For instance, an action
could be Challenging but not Threatening, Threatening but not Challenging or both Challenging and
Threatening. What Impacts to apply, and when to apply them, should always be led by what makes
sense or seem reasonable in The Fiction of your game.

Challenge
- challenge
--- difficulty and complexity
--- critical challenge

Challenge Ratings
+0. +3.
+1. +4.
+2. +5.

Challenge is a measure of the complexity or difficulty that an action posses. In Monster Hunters,
moves and move checks are only made when something meaningful or interesting is at stake.
+0: Standard
+1:
+2:
+3:

Circumstance: Advantage and Disadvantage

Advantage and Disadvantage act as circumstantial modifiers to move checks. They represent when
a situation is particularly, or particularly not, in your favour; a considered and compelling argument
being put forward, an obviously rushed or poor disguise etc. For instance, your being chased by
grav-bike riders of The Seven Seas Bandits, the turn you’re taking isn’t particularly tricky but you
only have one hand on your horses reigns. The MC says there’s no Challenge Impact but you have
to take the Face Adversity move at disadvantage. They can also be used to quickly account for
weather or time considerations etc.
Circumstances
Assets Assess and Drawbacks counteract each other, +2 dice (max. 10)
Drawbacks but don’t stack with themselves. -2 dice (min. 0)

---- multiples (oppose, don’t stack)

---- momentum (going forward)

Threat
- cost and danger
--- critical threat
Threat Conditions
 Threatening Dangerous, Costly etc. +1 cost on the action
Critical Threat Unavoidable, Deadly etc. +2 costs on the action

Where as Challenge represents complexity or difficulty, Threat represents an action that is

particularly dangerous or potentially costly. This threat could come from a variety of sources. A
physical source could be the danger inherent to escaping from a burning building, a non-physical
source might be a particularly alert or determined guard or potentially any high risk/reward
situation. Threat covers situations where you’re unlikely to come out of it unscathed or without
having to give something up, even if things go relatively well.

There are two tiers of Threat that can be applied to tests, Threat and Critical Threat. If Threat
applies to a test, every outcome of the test, apart from Strong Success, incurs an addition cost.
If Critical Threat applies to a test, every outcome of the test, including Strong Success, incurs
an addition cost.

This cost incurred from Threats are chosen in line with the normal rules for choosing costs for that
move, i.e. The MC chooses combat move costs, most costs can only be applied once per test and
cost should be chosen in line with the situation and intended effect of the test.

Static Effects: Bonus and Penalties

ongoing effects (statics)
--- bonus and penalties to dice pool
+1 bonus/penalty (equipment, injuries etc.) (help and hindrance)
Static Modifiers
Bonuses Bonuses add to the characters Attribute Score.
+1 to 3
Penalties Penalties add to the Challenge Rating of the action.

Other Systems
Focus
- mark out the PC’s as protagonists
-- second wind: gain 1d6 health points
- focus: gain positive momentum
- apply yourself: act as if skilled 3, don’t gain skill ability.
- shrug it off: ignore one cost
- gain boon
- some abilities/moves

Scenes
- help structure the game and the use of some talents
- Action
- Exploration
- Downtime
----- scenes are sub-sections of phases
----- scenes can be inexact and will flow naturally. Be guided by the fiction.
----- a phase will contain at least one scene, but can be made up of many.
----- differences between one-off games and extended games/campaigns.

Fronts and Clocks

- a way of tracking the development of issues
- a way of doing extended tests/actions
- short and long term fronts

- fronts
- clocks
Fronts and Clocks
- can be used along side arc’s but can also be used separately.
- Can be visible or invisible to players.
– Name: Give the Front a name.
– Issue: What the Front is about.
– Trigger: What makes the front’s clock tick.
– Frequency: How often the clock ticks over.
– Dial: How many ‘hours’ there are on the clock.
– Effect/Outcome: What happens when the clock strikes midnight.