Rough Magic 3e EN:Actions
Now we come to the most complicated part of Rough Magic: actions! There are a lot of rules here because we tried to address the most common actions a character would attempt. However, just because we wrote it down doesn't mean you have to use it, nor should you feel constrained from making a call if a situation arises that we did not anticipate. You should treat these rules as examples, not as restrictions on your own sense of fun and fair play.
If you can play a fun game of Rough Magic without referring to these rules, you should. Applying your best judgement is often a better solution than trying to find a rule that applies to a specific situation. Remember that player choice, not the roll of the dice, drives the game.
Time And Distance
Time
Time is important. Without some way to keep track of time, everything would happen at once, and that would be terribly confusing.
Time in the game is usually divided into scenes. A scene typically starts when the characters arrive at a place, and ends when they leave. A scene could also be a period of time while the characters are together and moving toward a destination. In some cases, a scene might end even though the characters haven't moved at all, such as when they go to sleep, or when a fight ends and they begin talking about their plans for what to do next. Any time you feel would be a good time to "go to a commercial" or "start a new chapter", that's a good time to end the scene and start a new one.
If the characters are in combat or in some other tense situation, time seems to slow down. Every decision takes on a greater importance. A video game designer from the early 2000s might call this "bullet time", but we just call it combat time.
Combat time is divided into rounds. One combat round is six seconds, give or take, giving us ten rounds per minute. In a round, each character gets a turn. During their turn, a character can travel a distance up to their base movement (walking, typically) and still have time to do something useful (such as making an attack or using a skill) as well as engage in some banter with their teammates or anyone else nearby (such as telling one's lackeys to "run, you fools!"). We call these "movement actions", "task actions", and "roleplaying actions", respectively. A character can perform a task before, during, or after they move.
Example:
| Round 1 | Soraya's turn Virek-Kohl's turn Issvisk's turn Virek-Kohl's lackeys' turn |
| Round 2 | Soraya's turn Virek-Kohl's turn Issvisk's turn Virek-Kohl's lackeys' turn |
| Round 3 | Soraya's turn Virek-Kohl's turn Issvisk's turn Virek-Kohl's lackeys' turn |
Movement
In a round, a character can normally walk their base movement and still have time to take an action (such as attack). A character's running speed is double their walking speed, and their sprinting speed is six times their walking speed.
Swimming may be used to "run" (make a double move) or "sprint" (move all-out), but jumping may not. However, with a running long jump, the character's ground movement is added to their standing long jump distance.
|
|
| Rank | Standing Long Jump |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 m |
| 2 | 1 m |
| 3 | 2 m |
| 4 | 2 m |
| 5 | 3 m |
| 6 | 3 m |
| 7 | 4 m |
| 8 | 4 m |
| 9 | 5 m |
| 10 | 5 m |
A running character incurs a penalty (-3) on all non-Athletics skill rolls and ranged combat rolls. A sprinting character incurs a penalty (-3) on Athletics skill rolls and close combat combat rolls, and any non-Athletics skill rolls or ranged combat rolls made by a sprinting character automatically fail.
If the character is running or sprinting, they gain a defense bonus (+3).
Range Bands
There are five range bands: close, short, medium, long, and remote. Close range is the distance that a character can reach with their hands or with a hand-held weapon: anywhere from "in your face" up to about two meters. Short range is the distance that a character can easily reach with small hand-held weapons, or with thrown weapons with a bit of luck: up to ten meters. Medium range is too far for thrown weapons, but is within range of most small arms: up to fifty meters or so. Long range is too far for most handguns, but is within range of most rifles, with careful aim and a steady hand: up to 500 meters. A few weapons have even greater range, called "remote": these effectively have no maximum range.
Weapons and powers that are useful at a distance have an effective range given in their description. Attacking more distant targets is more difficult or impossible (at the GM's discretion). If the GM declares that the attack is possible, the attacker incurs an attack penalty (-3).
| Range | Typical weapons |
|---|---|
| Close | Fist, sword, psiblade |
| Short (10 m) | Blaster pistol, flamethrower, grenade |
| Medium (50 m) | Blaster rifle, wrist rocket |
| Long (500 m) | Sniper rifle, blaster cannon |
| Remote | Long-range artillery, guided missile |
Order Of Play
Everything that happens in a round is assumed to occur more or less simultaneously, but the players can't all speak at once. To keep the game orderly, we need a way to determine the order in which characters act when combat starts.
The most important factor in determining who acts before whom is situational awareness. If a character is not aware of their opponent, then they don't have a reason to attack. For example, if a player character is lurking on a rooftop and observes a squad of Voyan troopers breaking into a storehouse, there is no need to roll to see who goes first. The Voyans are unaware that there is anyone to fight, so they continue carrying crates of supplies out of the storehouse. In the first round of combat, only the player character has an opportunity to act. Depending on what the player character does and how sneaky they are, it's possible that they might be the only one with an opportunity to act for several rounds. Only after the Voyans become aware of the player character do they get the opportunity to act. At that point, the order of action in each round is the player character first, and then the Voyans. If the combatants become aware of their adversaries in a set order, then that is the order in which they act in combat -- at least, until someone changes it.
Normally, characters take their actions in the same order that they have an opportunity to act. However, if the various combatants become aware of each other more or less simultaneously, or if you would prefer to roll dice to see who goes first, the players and the GM should each make a Perception roll at the beginning of the scene. Turns proceed each round from the highest roller to the lowest.
The environment always goes last in a round. Any falling objects (including characters) fall, and any uncontrolled vehicles move, after all characters have had the opportunity to use their actions. This does not include thrown projectiles or character-controlled vehicles. If any object or vehicle is under direct control by a character, then the object or vehicle will move when that character moves it. If a character chooses not to control a vehicle, then the vehicle will move at the end of the round.
If your character starts the scene by going last, either because your character was caught unaware or because you rolled poorly at the beginning of the scene, don't worry too much about it. Any character may delay their turn in a round, or force their next action to do something defensive.
Of course, this is all just an abstraction to make task resolution easier. In reality, everything that happens in a round occurs more or less simultaneously. The difference between going first in a round and going last in a round is less a matter of time and more a matter of who has the better awareness of the situation at that moment.
Delaying A Turn
If a player does not wish to use their character's turn when they have the opportunity, perhaps wanting to wait and see what an opponent does, the character may delay their turn, with the option of using it later in the round or on a successive round. The character may then interrupt another character's turn.
Delaying a turn does not alter the order of play. After the character has taken their turn, the order of play resumes its previous sequence.
Example:
Combat starts when Soraya runs around a corner and sees Virek-Kohl, who is giving commands to his lackeys. The GM declares that the order of play is Soraya, then Virek-Kohl, then Virek-Kohl's lackeys.
| Round 1 | Soraya's turn Virek-Kohl's turn Virek-Kohl's lackeys' turn |
On the second round, Issvisk runs around the corner, startling Virek-Kohl's lackeys because, wow, that guy is huge. The GM declares that the order of play is Soraya, then Virek-Kohl, then Issvisk, then Virek-Kohl's lackeys.
| Round 2 | Soraya's turn Virek-Kohl's turn Issvisk's turn Virek-Kohl's lackeys' turn |
On the third round, Soraya delays her turn, waiting to see what Issvisk does. When it is Issvisk's turn, he attempts to grapple with Virek-Kohl. Soraya uses her delayed turn to assist Issvisk by combining her attack with his.
| Round 3 | Virek-Kohl's turn Issvisk's turn Soraya's turn (delayed) Virek-Kohl's lackeys' turn |
On the fourth round, order of play returns to its previous sequence.
| Round 4 | Soraya's turn Virek-Kohl's turn Issvisk's turn Virek-Kohl's lackeys' turn |
Forcing An Action
Sometimes a character might need to take a desperate action before they have had the opportunity to take their turn in a round or after they have already taken their turn in a round. This is known as forcing the character's action. Forcing an action allows a character to sacrifice their next turn in order to block, dodge, dive clear, activate a defensive power, or take another purely defensive action. A forced action can also be used to take a defensive action on someone else's behalf, such as diving in front of an attack to protect an innocent bystander. The character may not force an action which the GM could construe as an attack, such as blocking a blaster bolt with an opponent's unconscious body or running into someone. When a character forces their action, they sacrifice their next available turn, whether that action would be in the current round or on the next round. A character may only force an action once per round.
Because a forced action is always defensive, it always takes place at the appropriate time, either before or during the attack which triggered it. The attacker does not have the opportunity to "take back" their attack.
Forcing an action does not alter the order of play. After the character's next available turn has passed (the turn they sacrificed in order to take a defensive action sooner), the order of play resumes its previous sequence.
Example:
Continuing from the previous example, on the fifth round, the order of play is Soraya, then Virek-Kohl, then Issvisk, then Virek-Kohl's lackeys.
| Round 5 | Soraya's turn Virek-Kohl's turn Issvisk's turn Virek-Kohl's lackeys' turn |
On the sixth round, Soraya makes short work of two of Virek-Kohl's lackeys with a sweep attack. Virek-Kohl then pulls out a sinister-looking weapon, aims it at Issvisk, and fires. Soraya forces her next action to leap between Virek-Kohl and Issvisk, taking the full brunt of Virek-Kohl's attack.
| Round 6 | Soraya's turn Virek-Kohl's turn Soraya's turn (forced from round 7) Issvisk's turn Virek-Kohl's lackeys' turn |
On the seventh round, Soraya loses her turn because she forced it in the previous round.
| Round 7 | Virek-Kohl's turn Issvisk's turn Virek-Kohl's lackeys' turn |
On the eighth round, order of play returns to its previous sequence.
| Round 8 | Soraya's turn Virek-Kohl's turn Issvisk's turn Virek-Kohl's lackeys' turn |
Actions
There are four kinds of actions a character may perform during their turn in a round: free actions, movement actions, task actions, and roleplay actions. Under normal circumstances, a character can perform one movement action and one task action during their turn. In addition, a character can perform as many free actions and roleplay actions as the GM deems reasonable.
When it is not a character's turn, they can still react to events around them. Reactions can be attempted at any time, as often as the GM deems reasonable.
Free Action
A free action takes essentially no time. A character can't perform free actions until it is their turn to act in the round, but during their turn, they can perform as many free actions as the GM deems reasonable (perhaps as many as a half dozen). Typical free actions include activating a power (but not attacking with it), deactivating a power, dropping a weapon, crouching behind cover, and so on.
Movement Action
With a movement action, a character may stand up from a prone or seated position, they may move the distance permitted by their Agility and/or Brawn rank (depending on whether they are running, swimming, jumping, or running and jumping), or they may use a movement power to move up to the distance that the power allows. With the GM's permission, the character may instead perform any equivalent action: opening an access hatch, squeezing the acceleration lever on a hoverbike, or what have you.
Movement does not generally require a roll, although the GM may require an Athletics roll if there is some obstacle to the character's free movement (distractions, inclement weather, injury, etc.).
Task Action
With a task action, a character may attempt to perform one task. This could be attempting a skill roll, attempting to attack an opponent in combat, activating a power and attacking someone with it, or a similar activity. Under normal circumstances, a character may perform a task action before, during, or after a movement action.
Roleplay Action
Like a free action, a roleplay action takes essentially no time. During their turn, the character can perform as many roleplay actions as the GM deems reasonable (perhaps as many as a half dozen). Typical roleplay actions include banter with the character's teammates, making fun of an enemy's name or uniform, or declaring that the opponent "shall not pass".
Unlike free actions, a character can usually perform roleplay actions at any time, whether it is their turn or not. Rough Magic makes roleplaying an explicit action during combat to encourage players to roleplay. In the heat of combat, it can be easy to forget that roleplaying is an essential part of the game.
Reaction
Reactions are usually responses to something another character does, and are usually made at the request of the GM. A character can perform reactions at any time, as often as the GM deems reasonable.
Rolling Dice
When a character attempts a task, and the outcome is either contested or there is some random element involved, the player rolls 2d6, counts the dots, and adds the result to the character's action value (AV), plus an optional bonus (+3) or penalty (-3). This roll is compared to 8 plus a difficulty value (DV), plus an optional bonus (+3) or penalty (-3). If the player's roll equals or exceeds the target number, the character's attempt succeeds.
Action Value
A character's action value (AV) is usually equal to the attribute they are using to accomplish the task at hand, plus the rank of the equipment being used, if any. For example, if a character is attempting to climb a sheer cliff, the character's action value is usually equal to their Brawn plus the rank of their climbing equipment. However, the relevant attribute might change depending on the circumstances. For example, using Stealth to follow someone through a crowded marketplace might depend on a character's Agility, while moving silently through a darkened building might call for extraordinary Perception.
In combat, the character's action value is often called their "attack value" -- the two terms are functionally interchangeable. In close combat, the attack value (AV) of a character is equal to their Brawn plus the rank of their weapon. In ranged combat, the attack value (AV) of a character is equal to their Agility plus the rank of their weapon.
Multiple layers of action value do not stack -- only the highest action value applies.
Difficulty Value
The difficulty value (DV) depends on whether or not the task at hand is opposed by another character: whether someone or something is actively working against the character.
Unopposed Tasks
If no one is actively working against the character, the GM simply sets a difficulty. In most cases, if the GM requires the player to roll dice to accomplish an unopposed task, it's because the GM has deemed that task "challenging". Challenging tasks have a difficulty value of 3. More difficult tasks have a higher difficulty value, requiring a higher roll in order to perform the task successfully.
| Difficulty value | Examples | |
|---|---|---|
| -- | Routine | Understand and modify simple machines, operate familiar technology |
| 3 | Challenging | Understand and modify familiar technology, operate advanced technology |
| 6 | Demanding | Design and build familiar technology, understand and modify advanced technology |
| 9 | Frustrating | Design and build advanced technology, operate advanced alien technology |
| 12 | Nigh-impossible | Understand and modify advanced alien technology |
Opposed Tasks
If the character is actively competing against an opponent, the difficulty value (DV) is usually equal to the opponent's relevant attribute plus the rank of their equipment, if any. For example, a computer hacker may be trying to penetrate a system while the system administrator is trying to close the back door and locate the hacker. In this case, the difficulty value would be equal to the system administrator's Reason plus the rank of their counter-intrusion software. As with the action value, the attribute used for the difficulty value might change depending on the circumstances.
A defender with a higher defense value is harder to hit, more resistant to injury, or both. In close combat, the defense value (DV) of the target is equal to their relevant defense attribute (Brawn for close combat, Agility for ranged combat) plus the rank of their armor or energy shields.
Multiple layers of defense value do not stack -- only the highest defense value applies.
Bonuses And Penalties
A character's action value (AV) may have a bonus (+3) or a penalty (-3). Any bonuses or penalties after the first are disregarded. If the action value has one or more bonuses and one or more penalties, they cancel each other out and are all disregarded.
Similarly, a difficulty value (DV) may have a bonus (+3) or a penalty (-3). Any bonuses or penalties after the first are disregarded. If the difficulty value has one or more bonuses and one or more penalties, they cancel each other out and are all disregarded.
It is possible to have a bonus (or a penalty) on an action value and also have a bonus (or a penalty) on the difficulty value. For example, a running character incurs a penalty (-3) on all non-Athletics skill rolls and ranged combat rolls, but they also gain a defense bonus (+3). If two characters are both running and trying to shoot each other, they will probably both miss.
| Modifier | Circumstance |
|---|---|
| Attempt automatically fails | Character attempts a non-Athletics skill roll while sprinting |
| GM deems the task impossible | |
| Action penalty (-3) | Character attempts an Athletics skill roll while sprinting |
| Character attempts a non-Athletics skill roll while running | |
| Character attempts a task while distracted1 | |
| No bonus or penalty (+0) | Character attempts an Athletics skill roll while running |
| Character attempts a task in which they have the general skill | |
| Action bonus (+3) | Character attempts a task in which they have expertise2 |
| Attempt automatically succeeds | Character attempts a routine task |
| Modifier | Circumstance |
|---|---|
| Attack automatically fails | Attacker can't perceive defender2 |
| Attacker is sprinting; attack is ranged | |
| Defense bonus (+3) | Defender has cover3 |
| Defender is prone; attack is ranged1 | |
| Defender is running or sprinting | |
| Attack penalty (-3) | Attacker is distracted4 |
| Attacker is restrained5 | |
| Attacker is running; attack is ranged | |
| Attacker is sprinting; attack is close combat | |
| Attacker is surprised | |
| Attacker is using a sweep attack7 | |
| Attacker is using a two-handed weapon with one hand | |
| Target is beyond effective range of the weapon | |
| Underwater combat8 | |
| Zero-G combat9 | |
| No bonus or penalty (+0) | Attacker is running; attack is close combat |
| Attack bonus (+3) | Attacker is ramming the defender6 |
| Defender is distracted4 | |
| Defender is prone; attack is close combat1 | |
| Defender is restrained5 | |
| Defender is surprised | |
| Defender can't perceive attacker2 | |
| Attack automatically succeeds | Defender is helpless or unconscious |
- Being prone
- Blindfighting
- Cover
- Distraction
- Grappling
- Ramming
- Sweep Attack
- Underwater Combat
- Zero-G Combat
Being Prone
A prone character is easier for adjacent attackers to hit, but harder to hit with non-adjacent attacks. If the defender is prone and the attacker is adjacent or engaging in close combat, the attacker receives an attack bonus (+3) on their roll to hit the defender. If the defender is prone and the attacker is non-adjacent and using a ranged attack, the defender gains a defense bonus (+3).
Cover
A character hiding behind an obstruction is more difficult to hit. The defender gains a defense bonus (+3).
Distraction
Distraction can be used by a character to mislead an enemy into dropping their guard. Distracting an opponent requires using a task action to make a Will roll against the Will of the opponent. If the distraction is successful, the next attack against the distracted opponent receives an attack bonus (+3), or the distracted character suffers a attack penalty (-3) on the next attack they make, whichever comes first.
Ramming
A ramming attack involves using the velocity of the attacker to increase the damage inflicted. Ramming requires the attacker to use their movement action to travel directly toward the target, followed by a close combat attack. The ramming attack itself is a close combat attack, as usual, and the attacker gains an attack bonus (-3) on the roll. Ramming may be called by various names depending on the technique the attacker uses, such as "flying tackle", "charge", or "pounce".
Sweep Attack
A sweep attack permits a character to make a close combat attack against everyone within reach. A sweep attack requires a separate close combat attack roll against each of the intended targets. The attacker incurs an attack penalty (-3) on each roll.
Combining Effort
Multiple characters can work together on a problem to increase their effectiveness. All of the characters working on the problem make a skill roll as usual. The total number of characters working on the problem is added to the highest roll (all other rolls are discarded).
In combat, all of the characters ganging up on an opponent must strike simultaneously (meaning every attacker but one must delay their attack). The the total number of attackers is added to the highest attacker roll (all other rolls are discarded).
Some tasks might benefit from a multidisciplinary approach. For example, disabling an alien doomsday weapon would obviously benefit from engineering expertise, but a keen understanding of alien psychology or linguistics could also be helpful. This allows characters with different skills to combine their efforts to accomplish the task.
Extended Tasks
Some tasks are more complex or time-consuming than can reasonably be resolved with a single skill roll. For example, constructing a starship or racing through a city would both be extended tasks. When attempting an extended task, the GM sets a difficulty value and the required number of successes. The GM might also set a maximum number of attempts, to indicate tasks which have a time limit or a penalty for failure, such as disarming a bomb before it explodes. If a character attempting an extended task rolls an extreme success, this counts as two successes toward accomplishing the extended task. In extended opposed tasks, such as a competition between rival scientists to create a cure for a disease, the first person or team to achieve the required number of successful rolls succeeds at the task.
Consequences
Success
If the player's roll equals or exceeds the target number, the character succeeds in a completely satisfactory manner: the clue is found, the hyperspace engine is repaired, or the blaster bolt finds its target, inflicting one endurance level of damage. However, rolling higher than the required target number may grant additional benefits.
Extreme Success
If the player rolls three or more over the target number, the character achieves an extreme success. So if a character attempted a challenging task (difficulty value 3), and the player rolled 14 or more, this would be an extreme success (8 + 3 + 3 = 14).
If the player rolls an extreme success when making a skill roll, perhaps the character has a "eureka!" moment, or perhaps they have found answers to questions they didn't even know they should ask. If the player rolls an extreme success in combat, the defender loses an additional endurance level for each 3 that the attacker rolled over the target number (one endurance level at 0-2, two endurance levels at 3-5, etc.).
| Attack Roll Succeeded By |
Endurance Levels Lost |
|---|---|
| 0-2 | 1 |
| 3-5 | 2 |
| 6-8 | 3 |
| 9-11 | 4 |
Endurance And Recovery
Endurance represents a character's determination and ability to shrug off physical and mental abuse. Each character has five endurance levels: fresh, winded, weakened, exhausted, and defeated. A character who is well rested and hasn't been injured begins at "fresh". When a character is successfully attacked, they lose one or more endurance levels. A character who loses four endurance levels is "defeated", and out of the fight.
Exploding, penetrating, and stunning attacks modify how damage is caused or how a character defends against it.
Sensory and terrifying attacks have additional effects on the target, which the target may resist by making a challenging roll (difficulty 3).
| Endurance | Effects |
|---|---|
| Fresh | The character is well rested and hasn't been injured: they are alert and ready for trouble. |
| Winded | The character has exerted themselves: they have met the opponent blow for blow, and they are ready for more. |
| Weakened | The character is suffering. They have given the fight their all, but they have a little more to give. |
| Exhausted | The character is at the limits of their endurance: they can speak and take roleplaying actions, but any other action, including combat, incurs a penalty (-3). |
| Defeated | The character is beaten: they are unable to move or take actions. If they are conscious at all, they can respond (slowly) only if another character engages them in conversation. Furthermore, the character may have lasting reminders of the battle. They may be scarred by burns, they may have lost a limb, or they may have suffered some other disfiguring injury. |
When the conflict has ended, the combatants may rest and recover. Recovery from injury is much faster with appropriate medical care. Normally, an injured character recovers one endurance level they have recently lost after they have had a chance to rest and recuperate for half an hour or so. After that, a character taking an extended rest with medical care will regain one endurance level per day; without extended rest with medical care, they will regain one endurance level per week.
Inanimate Objects
Inanimate objects also have endurance levels, reflecting the structural integrity of the object. In the case of an inanimate object, "winded" would indicate that the object is scuffed up a bit, while "defeated" would indicate that the object is destroyed beyond repair. If you would rather use non-anthropomorphic terms, you can.
| Characters | Objects |
|---|---|
| Fresh | Intact |
| Winded | Scuffed |
| Weakened | Damaged |
| Exhausted | Broken |
| Defeated | Destroyed |
Unnamed Characters
Unnamed characters are never winded, weakened, or exhausted: an unnamed character is defeated on any successful attack roll. They make up for this by vastly outnumbering the player characters.
Death
You may have noticed that there is no endurance level indicating "death".
In the source material which Rough Magic seeks to emulate, main characters very rarely die -- and even when they do, they tend to be replaced by rapidly-grown clones or time-displaced alternate versions of themselves. That being said, if the GM and the player both agree that the game would be best served by the character taking the final bow, then so be it. It should never be merely the result of a dice roll, though.
Failure
Failing a roll is not the end of the world. A failed attempt may not give the character the result they wanted, but it should not mean the game grinds to a halt. Rather than having a failed skill attempt be a dead-end, it should mean that the desired outcome has a greater cost, or perhaps the desired outcome has undesirable side effects. Remember that success and failure are both paths to the same goal: to make the game more fun. Failure is okay. Boredom is not.
For example, Virek-Kohl is trying to intimidate a low-level G'Dri technician into revealing details about the organization's plans to distribute a new, highly addictive psychoactive chemical disguised as a nutritional supplement. The GM sets the difficulty value of this task to 3, but Virek-Kohl's player rolls a total of 9 (which is less than 8 + 3, sadly). Rather than having this be the end of this line of inquiry, the GM has several options.
- Quid pro quo: The technician will give Virek-Kohl the information, but only if Virek-Kohl gives the technician something in exchange. This could be something as prosaic as credits, but with a G'Dri the cost is more likely to be something rare or unique, such as blueprints for an experimental device or a sample of Virek-Kohl's DNA.
- Red herring: The technician tells Virek-Kohl what he wants to hear, but the information is not true or it leads Virek-Kohl off on a wild goose chase. If the technician is clever, he may send Virek-Kohl after a local Voyan installation that has been causing problems for the G'Dri.
- Stirring the pot: Virek-Kohl gets the information, but his activities attract attention. A rival alien interest, the Dreen, learns of the G'Dri psychoactive energy drink as a result of Virek-Kohl's activities, and they try to beat him to the prize. Alternately, the rival organization might use Virek-Kohl as a stalking horse, allowing Virek-Kohl and the G'Dri to fight each other so that the Dreen will have an easier time taking the spoils from the winner.
- Alerting the enemy: Virek-Kohl gets the information, but the G'Dri learn of Virek-Kohl's interest in their activities and they begin to make preparations against him. It could even be that the technician was intended to be captured by Virek-Kohl all along in order to set him up for an ambush!
Special Actions
Blocking
During their turn, or as a forced action, a character may use a task action to block a close combat attack against them. A block might entail using brute force to withstand the attack, or it might involve using finesse to harmlessly divert an attack away: the choice is up to the player. Blocking reduces the attacker's margin of success by 3 (which will usually reduce the endurance damage by one level). A character who is using their action to block continues to receive this benefit until they take their next turn.
Normally, only close combat attacks which inflict endurance damage may be blocked. However, if the defender has the same esoteric power as the attacker, they may use that esoteric power to attempt to block. For example, a defender with Telepathy may attempt to block the Telepathy of an attacker, reducing the attacker's margin of success by 3. With the GM's permission, a character may attempt to block with a power that has a similar theme or power source. For example, a GM might permit a character with Telepathy to block an attacker's Torment power.
A character may choose to block after the attacker has determined that the attack will successfully hit: there is no need to block an attack that misses.
Diving Clear
Attacks which are particularly large, such as explosions and crashing starships, are much more difficult to avoid. The only way to avoid such attacks is to not be under them when they land. If a character is about to be hit by a large attack, they can take a forced action to dive clear. When diving clear, the character moves to the nearest open ground beyond the area of the attack or behind the nearest cover, and ends up on the ground prone. A character may perform a forced action to dive clear from an ordinary attack, if they want, but since it leaves the character prone and vulnerable, and it sacrifices their next action, doing so is probably unwise.
If the nearest safe area or cover is too far away for the character to reach it with an all-out move, then diving clear isn't possible. Sorry.
Dodging
During their turn, or as a forced action, a character may use a task action to dodge a ranged attack against them. Dodging reduces the attacker's margin of success by 3 (which will usually reduce the endurance damage by one level). A character who is using their action to dodge continues to receive this benefit until they take their next turn.
A character may choose to dodge after the attacker has determined that the attack will successfully hit: there is no need to dodge an attack that misses.
Grappling
A grapple is a special form of close combat attack that does not inflict damage, but instead restrains the target's limbs and prevents them from moving freely. Grappling requires a Brawn roll against the Brawn of the intended target.
If the attacker's roll is successful, the defender is restrained. A restrained character is not helpless, but they can't use normal movement until they break free of the grapple. Attacking a restrained character is easier: attackers gain an attack bonus (+3) when attacking a restrained character. A restrained character's attacks are also easier to avoid: a restrained attacker incurs a penalty (-3) on any attacks they attempt while restrained.
If the attacker wishes to move or throw the grappled character, the distance an attacker may move the defender is based on the Brawn of the attacker and the mass of the defender. First, look up the mass of the defender or object to be moved in the "Lifts" column of the Brawn table (rounding to the nearest mass value), and find the corresponding rank for that mass. Subtract that rank from the Brawn of the attacker, and look up that resulting rank in the "Throws" column of the Brawn table. This is how far the attacker could move or throw an object of that mass in one round.
If the attacker wishes to exert strength or leverage in an attempt to hurt the restrained character, they must use a task action to make a close combat attack against the restrained character, as usual.
To break free of the grapple, the restrained character must use a task action to make a successful roll using their Brawn or Agility (whichever is greater) against the attacker's Brawn or Agility (whichever is greater).
If the restrained character succeeds at the roll to break free, they may use their remaining movement action. If the restrained character gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break free as a free action instead of a task action. For example, if a character is being grappled by an attacker with rank 6 Brawn, they would need to make a Brawn (or Agility) roll against target number 14 (8 + 6). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking free is a free action. If the restrained character has Telekinesis, they may use the rank of their Will + Power in lieu of their Brawn or Agility to break free.
The maximum mass a character can effectively grapple is the same as the maximum mass they can lift, based on the rank of their Brawn.
Slamming
A slam or takedown involves using a target's mass and velocity against them so that they fall to the ground. A slam can represent an aikido throw, a leg sweep, a judo hip toss, or even tripping someone with an umbrella, depending on the attacker's fighting style.
A slam requires a close combat attack against the intended target, but the attack value of this attack is based on the attacker's Agility, rather than on their Brawn. If the slam attack is successful, the defender falls to the ground (or is hurled against a nearby flat surface, in zero-G), in addition to being injured by the attack.
A character who has been slammed is prone and must use a movement action to get back up.
Taunting
Taunts can be used to goad an opponent into attacking. Taunting requires a Will roll against the Will of the character being taunted. If the taunt is successful, then the target of the taunt will use their next available action to attack the taunting character. If that attack misses the taunting character, the attack will instead strike whatever or whomever is directly behind the taunting character.
Special Attack Types
Exploding
Normally, a defender loses an endurance level for each 3 that the attacker rolled over the target number (one endurance level at 0-2, two endurance levels at 3-5, etc.). Exploding weapons are a special case: an exploding attack is a ranged attack that causes its damage to everyone within a certain distance of the center of the explosion (no attack roll is necessary). The radius of an exploding attack is usually equal to its rank in meters. The defense value of each target in the affected area is subtracted from the rank of the explosion: each target in the affected area loses one Endurance level for each three points of remaining damage (one Endurance level at 1-3, two Endurance levels at 4-6, etc.).
The rank of the explosion diminishes with distance from the center. The explosion is at its full rank within half of the total radius, and at one-half of its rank in the remainder of the explosion. For example, a typical rank 12 fragmentation grenade would be rank 12 from the center out to a radius of 6 meters (half its total radius), and rank 6 from 6 meters out to the limit of its radius of 12 meters.
Penetrating
If an attack is penetrating, the defense value (DV) of the defender is reduced by one-half (round in defender's favor).
Sensory
A successful sensory attack renders the target unable to see and unable to hear. An attack against a blinded and deafened character receives an attack bonus (+3).
To recover from a sensory attack, the target must use a task action to make a challenging Perception roll (difficulty value 3).
If the character has not recovered from the sensory attack by the end of the scene, then they recover their senses shortly thereafter.
Stunning
Damage from a stunning attack is temporary. Record it separately; it all comes back after the fight is over, when the character has had a chance to rest and recuperate.
Terrifying
A successful terrifying attack causes the target to involuntarily cower or flee (attacker's choice). Attacking a cowering character provides an attack bonus (+3), while a fleeing character is granted a defense bonus (+3).
To recover from a terrifying attack, the target must make a challenging Will roll (difficulty value 3).
If the character has not recovered from the terrifying attack by the end of the scene, then they recover their composure shortly thereafter.
Plot Points
Each player begins each game session with one plot point. A player gains a plot point when one of their character's complications causes a serious problem for them during the game, or as a reward when they do something particularly entertaining or interesting, or when they cooperate with the GM to make things more harrowing for the characters. Plot points are spent for an automatic success, to gain a temporary increase in power, to gain a temporary power, or to alter the game world in some way.
Gaining Plot Points
Players receive plot points for helping make the game more fun, and they spend them to make their character more effective. Each player starts each game session with one plot point, and should get one or two more during each game session. It's in the players' best interests to spend these plot points before the end of the game session, because any unspent plot points do not carry over to the next game (unless the GM makes an exception).
Plot points shouldn't be given to a player just for roleplaying their character -- they should be doing that anyway. The GM should give out a plot point when the player does something really exceptional or inventive, or when the player volunteers for their character to suffer some dramatic setback. For example, if a character upholds their ideals rather than choosing the easy or expedient solution, and this causes serious problems for the players, this would earn the player a plot point -- and if the consequences are serious enough, it might earn all of the players a plot point. The player might even suggest ways that their character's complications can come into play, giving the GM an opportunity to ramp up the tension.
It's important for the GM to remember that while plot points are a reward for making the game fun, they also make the characters more powerful. A game in which plots points are handed out by the handful will have a much different feel than one in which they are given out sparingly. It's probably reasonable for each player to receive one or two plot points over the course of a typical three or four hour game session.
Spending Plot Points
The examples listed here are the most common uses for plot points, but they aren't the only ones. If a player wants to spend a plot point to make something fun happen, and it has about the same impact on the game as these examples, the GM should consider permitting it. For example, let's say an explosion has collapsed the roof of a cavern, dropping tons of rock on the characters. If a character with Telekinesis wanted to spend a plot point to protect herself and her allies from being crushed, should the GM permit it? Sure! It's fun, and it doesn't unbalance the game.
Automatic Success
An automatic success is just that: the player spends a plot point, and their character succeeds at the current roll. This can be a skill roll, or it can be an attempt to hit in combat. If the player wants to check for extreme success, the player should roll as usual: anything less than extreme success is treated as a normal successful roll. The GM may forbid the use of a plot point to achieve an automatic success if the task is simply impossible (unless it would make the game more fun!).
An automatic success lasts as long as the effects of the roll would normally last.
Inspiration
Despite the best intentions of the GM, sometimes players get stuck. All of the leads have been followed, all of the witnesses have been interviewed, and the players are oblivious to the obvious solution the GM has given them to their dilemma. When all else fails, a player can spend a plot point to make an intuitive leap and receive a hint from the GM on what to do next.
If the GM finds this happening with any regularity, it might be worthwhile for them to make their plots a bit less mysterious.
Power Boost
A power boost increases one of the character's attributes or powers by one rank. A character with Brawn 5 could gain a temporary boost to Brawn 6, or a character with Will 7 could gain a temporary boost to Will 8.
Power boosts usually only last for one round, but they might last as long as a scene if that seems to make sense and the GM agrees.
Power Stunt
A power stunt permits a character to use their current powers in new and creative ways. For example, a character with Stasis might use a power stunt to hack into a computer by freezing its memory core, giving them a roll bonus (+3) to their Computing for that purpose. A character with Telekinesis might use a power stunt to affect a small group of targets rather than a single target. The outcome of a power stunt is not automatically successful: the player still needs to roll to determine the outcome, if the outcome is contested or subject to some uncontrolled factor. A character who used a power stunt to gain a roll bonus (+3) to their Computing would still need to make a Computing roll in order to hack the computer.
Power stunts usually only last for one round, but they might last as long as a scene if that seems to make sense and the GM agrees.
Rally
Under normal circumstances, an injured character recovers one endurance level they have recently lost after they have had a chance to rest and recuperate for half an hour or so. Spending a plot point allows a character to rally and immediately recover one endurance level they have recently lost, as though they'd had a half-hour's worth of rest. If they rest for real later, they will recover another endurance level, as usual.
Retcon
"Retcon" is short for "retroactive continuity": changing the past in some way that supports the current needs of the plot. This can involve the realization that a needed resource is available, but had previously been overlooked ("Oh, what I wouldn't give for a holocaust cloak"), or it can take the form of a character revealing a previously unknown era in their history, thus giving them new background skills ("As a matter of fact, I spent a full year studying the somatic language of Oculan"). A retcon could also be used to apply a character's skills and abilities in a way that makes it seem they planned ahead in a particularly cunning way, such as having already established a false identity as a caterer in order to sneak into an exclusive banquet.
A good retcon should not overtly violate what has been established in the game: it should build on what has been established in a fun and inventive way.
Retcons are essentially permanent.