Encounters
PDF p.290 / Book p.282
Start of an Encounter
The SG decides when an Encounter begins. Encounters happen when two or more characters choose to make Skill Checks, or when the order of actions matters.
Ending Encounters
Encounters end then the SG decides, usually when all parties involved choose not to take a Primary Actions, or are incapacitated.
Initiative
Each PC has an Initiative Score equal to AGI + PER + CHA. At the beginning of an encounter each Player chooses when in the Initiative they take their turn. You cannot choose an Initiative higher than your Initiative Score.
Rounds
In a round, each Character takes one Primary Action and some Secondary Actions in Initiative order.
Primary Actions
The main thing a Character attempts.
- Make a Skill Check
- Activate an Ability
- Perform a Secondary Action
- See Secondary Actions below
- Delay your Action
- On your turn you can choose to delay an action until a criteria is met. For example; waiting for someone to run forward to attack them.
- Change Initiative
- You may choose to change your Initiative
Secondary Actions
You can do multiple Secondary Actions in a turn as long as they don't contradict, and you can only perform one of each Secondary Action in a Round.
- Reload or draw a weapon
- Check a computer screen
- Flip a switch
- Speak to an ally
- Move
- Move can be used as both a Primary and a Secondary Action in one Round. Movement is about changing your Range & Chase.
- Defend
- You can choose to Defend yourself from an opponent using the Unarmed Combat or Melee Weapons Skills by declaring who you are defending yourself from. You will add an appropriate Stat to your Physical Defense (PD) for the Round
- Unarmed Combat: Add either your STR or your Unarmed Combat Skill Rank to your PD.
- Melee Weapons: If you have your own melee weapon, add your Melee Weapons Skill Rank to your PD. If you don't, add your Agility to your PD.
- You can choose to Defend yourself from an opponent using the Unarmed Combat or Melee Weapons Skills by declaring who you are defending yourself from. You will add an appropriate Stat to your Physical Defense (PD) for the Round
- Take Cover
- When you Take Cover you receive a temporary increase to your PD. If you remain covered you receive +4 to PD. If you attack or expose yourself in the Round you only receive +2 to PD. The SG can adjust this bonus based on the situation.
- Dodge
- Dodging makes you a difficult target to hit with a Ranged Attack. Choose a Range and add your Athletics Rank to your PD against attacks from that Range.
- Reaction Rolls
- These are in response to a Skill or Ability being used against a Character. The Reaction Roll is taken outside of Initiative order. Players do not initiate Reaction Rolls.
Types of Encounters
PDF p.302 / Book p.294
Social Encounters
Social Encounters use Skills like Charm, Coercion or Language. These rules are optional.
- Wining: Some Social Encounters can be won, like ones with a goal. If a Social encounter is won, the Character receives one point of Mind, which is added at the end of the Encounter.
- Losing: If the Social Encounter was a Contested Skill Check than the loser loses a point of Mind and a point of Soul.
Contested Skill Checks
A Contested Skill Check is used when two Characters are attempting to achieve the same goal.
- Starting a Contested Skill Check: contested Skill Checks still happen in Initiative order. If a Character declares a Contested Skill Check, the results of the first party are set aside until the second party acts.
- Conducting a Contested Skill Check: Compare the number of Successes for each party. To win the Contested Skill Check, one party must receive a number of Successes equal to the opponent's Dice Pool.
- Ending a Contested Skill Check: It ends when one player wins, or one backs out.
Combat
Combat is a pretty basic concept, but here are some additional Combat concepts.
- Surprise: Surprise can only happen at the beginning of an Encounter. You may roll a Stealth Skill Check again an unaware opponent's Mental Defense (MD). For groups, use the lowest Stealth Skill Dice Pool for the group attempting to Surprise, and the highest MD from the group being surprised. If they are successfully surprised they do not act during the first round.
- Range: Range is basically how far away things are. Range is described in detail on it's own page.
- Short Range: Within 1 Move Action, melee range, close
- Medium Range: Within 2 Move Actions, Ranged Weapons, near
- Long Range: Within 4 Move Actions, ranged weapons, far
Vehicles
Vehicles have AGI and END as well as Physical Defense (PD) and Body. When a Character is making a Piloting Skill Check they cannot add more dice to the Dice Pool than then Agility of the vehicle. Vehicles may also have weapons or technology. When attacking another vehicle, the default target is the vehicle. To attack a person or object on a vehicle the target is considered to have cover.
Animals and Pets
Animals have all the same Stats as Characters and Skill Checks work the same.
Machines and Robots
Machines and Robots have varying Stats. They cannot use Focus.
Inanimate Objects
The Story Guide (SG) decides the PD and the Body of an object.
Spirits and Gods
No physical attack against an incorporeal being deals Damage.
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