Doing Things¶

During a game session, players generally interact with the game world by asking the GM questions and describing the actions their adventurers carry out. Straight forward actions happen automatically, like opening most doors or talking to NPCs, and impossible actions are generally vetoed by the GM on the spot.

In between these are actions that are reasonably possible but have significant uncertainty attached to them. In such a case, the GM makes a ruling about how the uncertainty will be resolved (using the existing rules as a guide), and dice are rolled to determine the outcome.

Common uncertain actions include making attacks, resisting hazardous effects such as poison, or negotiating with a merchant.

Kinds of Checks¶

Most uncertain actions are resolved through one of the following rolls:

1. Attribute check (eg: a Strength check).
2. Attack roll (see Combat).
3. Luck save or Luck check (see Luck).
4. Party Challenge (a series of actions over time in montage style), or
5. Percentile check (outlined below).

Attribute Checks¶

All attribute checks (Str, Dex, etc) are made with a 1d20 roll. If the roll is equal to or under the attribute the action is successful (do not apply attribute modifiers to this roll). A natural 20 always fails, even if the character's attribute is 20+ (eg some monsters have 20 Str).

The GM might apply miscellaneous modifiers depending on the circumstances. Attribute checks are most commonly used when an adventurer proactively attempts to do something, like climb a wall, swim across a lake, or sneak up on a foe. Attribute checks are sometimes also used to represent struggling with another character to achieve a contested purpose (see Contests below). Resisting minor external forces might also call for an attribute check (eg: avoiding a falling tree branch). More serious external threats (most magic, poison, disease, special monster attacks, and so on) require a Luck save to resist (see Luck).

Skills grant an adventurer a +1 bonus on relevant attribute checks, and also allow access to the adventurer's Reroll Pool after a failed roll.

Modifiers¶

Modifiers are at the GM's discretion. Minor beneficial or adverse circumstances typically apply a 1 or 2 point modifier to an attribute. Modified attributes are capped at a maximum of 18.

Major beneficial circumstances allow the player to roll 2d20 instead of 1d20 and use the best result (this is called rolling with "advantage"). Similarly, for major adverse circumstances, the player rolls 2d20 and uses the worst result ("disadvantage"). A combination of minor and major circumstances might involve a mix of static modifiers and advantage or disadvantage. GMs are encouraged to use as many or as few modifiers as they like.

Degrees of Success or Failure¶

From time to time it may be useful to know how greatly an adventurer succeeds or fails at an action. In such a case, rolling equal to or less than half the attribute (round down), represents a great success as opposed to an ordinary success. The GM may rule that in certain situations, having the right skill or background is required to qualify for a great success.

Similarly, rolling more than 1.5 times the attribute (round down) is a terrible failure instead of an ordinary failure. A natural 20 is usually a terrible failure, regardless of the character's attribute. The GM might rule that having the right skill or background automatically negates a terrible failure.

If there are any situational modifiers, these are added to the attribute before halving/multiplying.

Contests¶

If two characters are in direct contest, both characters roll and whoever succeeds by the greatest margin wins. Ties mean the status quo remains, or might require a reroll at the GM's discretion. Contests might involve the same kind of attribute roll (eg: opposed Str checks when arm wrestling), or different attribute rolls (eg: a Dex vs Perc check when a beastman tries to hide from an adventurer).

Representative & Group Checks¶

Sometimes GMs prefer to make a single check to represent a group of monsters (to save time), or allow the whole party to succeed in a task as long as more than half the group succeeds. If half succeed and half fail, the GM might require one of the failing characters to make a Luck save for the group to succeed. Representative and Group checks are commonly used for stealth and observation.

Retries¶

Sometimes a player fails an attribute check and wants to know if they can try again. The GM decides this on a case by case basis. Generally speaking, a retry is permitted only if the situation changes in a favourable way. For example, if an adventurer fails to remember some obscure lore, she might need to access a library to earn a retry. On the other hand, a GM might allow retries to break down a door, reasoning that the door grows weaker with each attempt.

Party Challenges¶

In some cases the GM might employ a Party Challenge to resolve time consuming or ongoing tasks, adjudicating what occurs in a summary montage. Example scenarios that might suit Party Challenges include wilderness exploration, gathering information in a city, sneaking about inside a warehouse avoiding guard patrols, etc.

The process is outlined below:

• GM rolls 2d6 or decides (moderate 5, difficult 8, hard 11) how many successes are needed to conquer the challenge.
• Players suggest courses of action working towards the goal. The GM decides which checks if any might be required.
• Subject to GM discretion, a PC cannot use the same attribute, skill or ability twice in a row. This is intended to encourage variety in approach, rather than repeating the same high percentage tactic over and over (which whilst statistically prudent, tends to make for a dull session).
• If checks are required, Great Successes count as two successes, and Terrible Failures count as two fails.
• If the PCs fail a total of 3 checks or activities, the undertaking is unsuccessful. Depending on the scenario, and number of successes, the GM might allow for some form of partial or secondary success.

Percentile Check¶

From time to time the GM may rule that a simple percentile check will resolve the uncertainty of a situation. For example, a GM might decide there is a 40% chance of a wandering monster crossing paths with the party in a dungeon every hour, or a 30% chance that a wandering bard recognizes one of the adventurers from his home town.

In combat, percentile checks can sometimes be helpful to decide which adventurer a monster targets next. Certain powerful monsters also have percentile based abilities, such as magic resistance or a dragon's breath weapon recharge chance.