Quick Reference
Dice & Symbols at a Glance
# Quick Reference: Dice & Symbols ### The Six Symbols Symbols cancel within their pair. Breakthrough and Calamity **effects always trigger**, their contributed Success or Failure may still be cancelled normally. | Symbol | Name | Cancels | |:------:|:-----|:--------| | | **Success** | Failure | | | **Failure** | Success | | | **Boon** | Bane | | | **Bane** | Boon | | | **Breakthrough** | Effect never cancelled; contributes 1 | | | **Calamity** | Effect never cancelled; contributes 1 | ### Reading the Roll 1. Set aside and before cancellation. Add for each and for each . 2. Cancel vs , then vs . 3. Net remaining? **Success.** Otherwise **Failure.** 4. Count net or ; these are secondary effects. 5. Apply and effects. They trigger **regardless of whether the check succeeds or fails.** ### Boon & Bane Guide | Count | Boon | Bane | |:-----:|:------|:------| | 1 | Minor benefit; or recover 1 Strain with no stronger use | Minor setback; lose position | | 2 | Assist an ally; gain information | Lose resource; expose weakness | | 3+ | Alter the scene; lasting benefit | New threat; escalate danger | ### The Six Dice | Die | Shape | Role | |:----|:-----:|:-----| | **Boon Die** | d6 | Add for advantage | | **Bane Die** | d6 | Add for disadvantage | | **Ability Die** | d8 | Base positive pool | | **Trial Die** | d8 | Base difficulty | | **Mastery Die** | d12 | Trained positive pool | | **Crisis Die** | d12 | Upgraded difficulty | ### Building Your Pool Identify your **characteristic** and **skill** (characteristics are rated 1–5; skills are rated 0–5). During character creation, characteristics cannot begin above 4, and skills cannot begin above rank 2 unless the Universe allows one profession skill to begin at rank 3. Start with **Ability Dice** equal to the **higher** of the two. Upgrade a number of those equal to the **lower** rating, replacing Ability with Mastery . Add **Boon** or **Bane** dice for conditions. The GM adds difficulty dice.
##### Example Characteristic 3 / Skill 2 → vs
### Difficulty | Level | Dice | |:------|:-----| | Simple | — No roll needed | | Easy | | | Average | | | Hard | | | Severe | | | Extreme | | Upgrade a Trial to Crisis for especially volatile situations. ---
Quick Reference
Combat & Recovery at a Glance
# Quick Reference: Combat & Recovery ### Action Economy Each turn: **1 Action + up to 2 Maneuvers**, with the second Maneuver costing the Action *or* 2 Strain. - **Action**: an attack, a skill check under pressure, an ability activation, an assist, or a complex interaction - **Maneuver**: move a band, draw or stow gear, take cover, drop prone, aim, or interact briefly - **Quick Action**: speak briefly, drop an item, glance, free, but cannot replace an Action or Maneuver ### Range Bands Engaged → Short → Medium → Long → Extreme. - Engaged ↔ Short ↔ Medium: **1 Maneuver per band** - Medium ↔ Long ↔ Extreme: **2 Maneuvers per band** - Light cover: +1 Ranged Defense; heavy cover: +2 Ranged Defense ### Damage and Resistance **Damage − Resistance = Wounds suffered** (minimum 0) Resistance = half Might (rounded up) + armor or protection. Each Success beyond the first on an attack adds **+1 damage** before Resistance. Deals damage = incoming amount before Resistance. Takes damage = apply Resistance. Suffers Wounds/Strain = direct track loss unless stated otherwise. ### Attack Difficulty | Attack | Difficulty | |:-------|:-----------| | Melee/Unarmed at Engaged | Average | | Ranged at Engaged | Easy + 1 Bane | | Ranged at Short | Easy | | Ranged at Medium | Average | | Ranged at Long | Hard | | Ranged at Extreme | Severe | Defense and cover add Bane Dice after base difficulty is set. ### Critical Injury Triggers A Critical Injury is inflicted when: - An attacker spends a **Breakthrough** on an attack against the target - An attacker spends net Boons equal to the weapon's **Crit** rating (default 3 if no rating is listed) - The target is hit while already **incapacitated** Roll d100 + 10 per existing Critical Injury on the target. | d100 Result | Severity | |:-----------:|:---------| | 01-30 | Minor | | 31-60 | Moderate | | 61-85 | Severe | | 86-100+ | Deadly | ### Combat Boon Spends Common Boon spends during combat. Spending Boons does not require GM approval if a listed effect fits the situation. | Cost | Effect | |:----:|:-------| | 1 Boon | Recover 1 Strain | | 1 Boon | Activate a weapon quality with no listed cost (where applicable) | | 2 Boons | Inflict a status (Disoriented, Prone, etc., per weapon or fiction) | | 2 Boons | Activate Blast, Burn, Burst, or Stun (where the weapon has the quality) | | 2 Boons | Notice an additional detail or warning | | Crit Boons | Inflict a Critical Injury (see weapon's Crit rating) | | Breakthrough | Inflict a Critical Injury automatically when spent on the attack | ### Recovery at the Table **Strain** - End of structured encounter: recover Strain equal to **Willpower** - Full rest: recover **all** Strain unless incapacitated by Strain - Catch Breath (Maneuver, once per encounter): recover **1 Strain** or **2 Strain** with the Catch Breath talent - Spend 1 Boon with no stronger use: recover 1 Strain **Wounds** - Full night's rest: recover Wounds equal to **Might** - Medicine check: each net Success restores 1 additional Wound; 2 Boons can restore 1 extra Wound, preserve supplies, or shorten time - Field Treatment (Action, structured play): Average Medicine check by default **Critical Injuries** - Removed by Medicine check; difficulty by severity (Easy / Average / Hard / Severe) - Untreated, each adds +10 to future Critical Injury rolls ---
Quick Reference
Reading Results at a Glance
# Quick Reference: Reading Results ### Resolution Order 1. **Did it succeed or fail?** Net after cancellation = success. 2. **What side effects landed?** Read net or . 3. **Did anything exceptional happen?** and trigger regardless of success or failure. ### The Spending Ladder | Result | Scope | |:------:|:------| | 1 / | Minor texture | | 2 / | Named effect | | 3+ / | Scene-shifting | | | Exceptional positive | | | Exceptional negative |
##### The Anti-Duplication Rule Side effects should never duplicate the main result. Ask **"what else?"** not **"how much?"**
### Who Spends What - **Players** propose Boon and Breakthrough spends. - **GM** applies Bane and Calamity effects. - Both sides build the same scene. ### Floor Rules | Unspent Symbol | Default Effect | |:--------------:|:---------------| | 1 | Recover 1 Strain | | 2+ | +1 Boon Die to next ally's check | | | Next ally +1 Boon Die; GM grants a beat of relief | | | Suffer 1 Strain per net Bane | | | GM gains 1 Peril Point; the scene tilts | ### Eight Axes of Change When stuck, change one of these: | Axis | Boon | Bane | |:-----|:------|:------| | **Time** | Faster | Slower | | **Position** | Better footing, cover | Exposed, off-balance | | **Information** | Learn more | Misread, miss a clue | | **Resources** | Conserve supplies | Lose, spend, damage | | **Attention** | Stay unseen | Draw notice | | **Condition** | Inflict / clear | Suffer condition | | **Future Rolls** | +1 on next check | +1 on next check | | **Scene** | Open opportunity | Introduce hazard | ### Mixed Results | Main | + Breakthrough | + Calamity | |:----|:----|:----| | **Success** | Clean win + major upside | Win at serious cost | | **Failure** | Fail, but a major break in your favor | Fail and the situation worsens | ### Quick Skill Cues - **Combat** — 2 : condition or shove. on hit: weapon breaks, ally hit, worse threat notices. - **Search** — on failure: you find something *more* important. on success: you trigger the ward. - **Social** — 2 on failure: they refuse, but reveal what would work. - **Stealth** — 2 : leave no trace; learn the patrol pattern. - **Craft** — on failure: you can't fix it, but you know what you need. - **Spell** — on success: it works, but warps, drains, or attracts attention.