# The Dice
Exodus NDS uses a custom set of polyhedral dice. Each die face shows one or more **symbols**. At the end of a roll, symbols are read together to determine the outcome of an action.
### The Six Symbols
There are three opposing pairs of symbols. Symbols within a pair **cancel each other out**, except where noted.
##### Success and Failure
The primary result of any check. Net Successes mean the task is accomplished. Net Failures mean it is not. A check with zero net Successes or Failures is still a failure. You need at least one Success to succeed.
##### Boon and Bane
Secondary effects that layer onto the primary result. Boons represent things going unexpectedly well, even a failed check can generate Boons. Banes represent complications, even a successful check can generate Banes. Universes and the GM define what Boons and Banes mean in specific situations.
##### Breakthrough and Calamity
Exceptional results. A **Breakthrough** contributes one Success to the pool and triggers a significant positive effect. A **Calamity** contributes one Failure to the pool and triggers a significant negative effect. The contributed Success or Failure may be cancelled by opposing symbols in the normal way, but the special effect always triggers regardless of whether the check succeeds or fails. Each appears on only one face of the highest-tier dice.
##### Designer Note
Boons and Banes do **not** determine success or failure, only Success and Failure symbols do that. Boons on a failed check and Banes on a successful check are both common and intended.
### The Six Dice
Dice come in three size pairs. Each pair shares a die shape, distinguished by color and symbol distribution. Positive dice build your pool. Negative dice represent difficulty and opposition.
| Die | Type | Shape | Role |
|:----|:-----|:-----:|:-----|
| **Boon Die** | Positive | d6 | Situational advantage |
| **Bane Die** | Negative | d6 | Situational disadvantage |
| **Ability Die** | Positive | d8 | Base characteristic pool |
| **Trial Die** | Negative | d8 | Base difficulty |
| **Mastery Die** | Positive | d12 | Trained skill pool |
| **Crisis Die** | Negative | d12 | Upgraded difficulty |
### Die Face Reference
##### Boon Die (d6)
| Faces | Result |
|:-----:|:-------|
| 1–2 | Blank |
| 3 | Boon |
| 4 | Boon + Boon |
| 5 | Success + Boon |
| 6 | Success |
##### Bane Die (d6)
| Faces | Result |
|:-----:|:-------|
| 1–2 | Blank |
| 3–4 | Bane |
| 5–6 | Failure |
##### Ability Die (d8)
| Faces | Result |
|:-----:|:-------|
| 1 | Blank |
| 2–3 | Success |
| 4 | Success + Success |
| 5–6 | Boon |
| 7 | Success + Boon |
| 8 | Boon + Boon |
##### Trial Die (d8)
| Faces | Result |
|:-----:|:-------|
| 1 | Blank |
| 2–3 | Failure |
| 4 | Failure + Failure |
| 5–6 | Bane |
| 7 | Failure + Bane |
| 8 | Bane + Bane |
Mastery Die (d12)
| Faces | Result |
|:-----:|:-------|
| 1 | Blank |
| 2–3 | Success |
| 4–5 | Success + Success |
| 6–8 | Success + Boon |
| 9 | Boon |
| 10–11 | Boon + Boon |
| 12 | Breakthrough |
##### Crisis Die (d12)
| Faces | Result |
|:-----:|:-------|
| 1 | Blank |
| 2–3 | Failure |
| 4–5 | Failure + Failure |
| 6–7 | Failure + Bane |
| 8–9 | Bane |
| 10–11 | Bane + Bane |
| 12 | Calamity |
A Breakthrough or Calamity should always produce an effect that is **meaningfully stronger than standard Boons or Banes**. These results represent turning points, sudden reversals, or decisive moments in the narrative.
##### Designer Note: The Dice Lean Hopeful
The positive dice are intentionally a touch stronger than their negative counterparts. The Boon Die carries more Boon symbols than the Bane Die carries Banes, and the Mastery Die yields marginally more Successes than the Crisis Die yields Failures; only the Ability and Trial dice mirror exactly. This is deliberate: Exodus NDS tilts fractionally toward the story moving forward. These distributions are correct as written and should not be "balanced" into perfect symmetry.