Warning: Pre-Alpha
This game is currently in pre-alpha, and at this time, I do not recommend running a game in it yet. Every single game mechanic and piece of lore is subject to potentially breaking changes.
Thank you for your interest in this game! You can follow its development at https://www.youtube.com/@trekiros
-Trek
Actions in Combat
During your turn, you can spend Action Points to perform some of the actions below.
Reactions. Unlike regular actions, reactions can be used during another creature's turn, if the trigger for that reaction occurs. Since you regain AP at the end of each of your turns, any AP you spend on a reaction won't be available on your next turn.
Attribute Thresholds. Some actions are tied to an attribute, and can only be used effectively by characters whose score for the corresponding attribute is greater than or equal to the action's attribute threshold.
A character who doesn't meet the threshold may still attempt the action, but must make a medium (DC 10) check of that attribute, or they fail and their Action Points are wasted in the attempt.
If the action already involves an attribute roll, such as the grapple or notice actions, the character instead has disadvantage on that roll if they don't meet the attribute threshold.
Actions without attribute thresholds: Move, Attack*, Improvise, Use an Object
| Threshold | Vigor | Speed | Technique | Presence | Luck |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | Taunt*, Shove, Grapple | Sprint | Aim, Hack | Assist* | Lucky Shot* |
| 4 | Brace, Interpose* | Hide | Called Shot*, Analyze | Distract* | - |
| 5 | - | Sidestep | - | Motivate* | - |
*: Actions marked with an asterisk reveal you if you use them while hidden
Giving players an out
Due to the improvisational nature of this game, it is possible that a player accidentally describes something which would be a good fit for an action they do not meet the attribute threshold for.
If that happens, as with all player-initiated attribute rolls, the Plot Twister should give their player an out: ask the player if they would like to make the check, or use an action they do have access to instead.
Game Example:
In this example, the player's character has a very low Presence
- Player: I look at my friends and tell them "It's alright guys, we've got this"
- Plot Twister: "That could be an Assist action if you'd like. You'll need to make a Presence check to attempt it. Do you want to try?"
- Player: "Ah, no thanks, I was just doing a cool description."
Any character can use these actions.
You walk 1 meter. Being focused, crawling, climbing & difficult terrain cost an extra 1 AP (this penalty can stack).
As part of your movement, you can jump up to 2m horizontally, and move past small obstacles, spending AP as if you were moving normally on the ground. But if you attempt to jump further or get past a larger obstacle, the Plot Twister can ask you to make a speed roll as part of your movement.
Loud: reveals you if used while hidden
You deal damage with one of the weapons you are currently holding. The amount Action Points you need to spend depends on the type of weapon used. Roll your weapon's damage dice, and if you roll the maximum value for a die, it explodes: you roll it again, and add the new result to the total.
Each creature or object has a damage threshold - every time it takes that amount of damage over the course of a turn, it loses 1 hit point.
Example:
Let's say you attack with a shotgun (5 AP, 2d4! damage) against a target with a damage threshold of 10.
First Attack:
You pushed it off-balance!
Second Attack:
Your attack went through!
At this point, let's say you still have 5 AP left. Do you attack again, or do something else? If your third attack fails to deal 8 or more damage, it will be wasted!
Sometimes, an enemy will have an armor so tough that you won't be able to reliably pierce it by yourself - so use other actions like distract or grapple to help your allies deal more damage.
Make an attribute roll of your choice. The outcome could be, for example, to give an ally advantage on their next roll. Or, it could instead be something which depends on the attribute used, such as:
- Vigor: push, lift, break or throw a heavy object, intimidate someone, remember something about your old military service from before the Flare, etc...
- Speed: balance on a thin ledge, vault past an obstacle, steal an object from an unsuspecting enemy, etc...
- Technique: activate/disable a machine, pilot a vehicle, analyze some strange machine, etc...
- Presence: convince enemies to surrender, lie to someone, determine if someone is lying to you, etc...
- Luck: notice that something you desperately needed just happens to be present nearby, or that something an enemy needs just happens to not be where they thought it should be, etc...
Rules Tip
This roll follows the usual guidelines for how to design attribute rolls, so the Plot Twister might decide this roll is either trivial or impossible, in which case you do not spend any AP.
The Plot Twister should give you an out by telling you the DC and giving you an opportunity to cancel taking this action, without spending any AP.
Use an object that is either within reach, or that you are holding. You cannot use this action while holding a two-handed weapon.
e.g. use a healing salve, open/close a door, pull on a lever, etc
Attribute Threshold: Vigor 3
Roll Vigor contested by the Vigor or Speed of a creature within 1 meter of you. If you win, the creature is Restrained until you lose Focus, or the creature is pushed more than 1 meter away from you. You can only grapple one creature at a time.
Attribute Threshold: Vigor 4
Until the start of your next turn, your damage threshold is increased by X.
X can't be higher than your Vigor, and you can only use this action once per turn.
Attribute Threshold: Vigor 4
Loud: reveals you if used while hidden
Trigger: An ally is attacked, and moving 2m or less would allow you to be between the ally and the attacker.
Effect: You move up to 2m to a space between the ally and the attacker, and become the target of the attack instead of your ally.
Attribute Threshold: Speed 4
You become hidden. If a hostile creature can see you when you take this Action, this action fails: you aren't hidden, but the Action Points are spent.
Attribute Threshold: Speed 5
Trigger: You are attacked.
Effect: Make a contested Speed roll against the attacker. If you win, the attack has disadvantage.
Attribute Threshold: Technique 3
Choose one robot or electronic device within 1m of you and make a medium Technique with a DC determined by the target's stat block. On a success, you can choose one Hack and produce the associated effect.
Hacks have tiers. By default, you can only choose tier 1 hacks. However, there are abilities you can get which can let you use higher tier hacks.
Attribute Threshold: Technique 4
Loud: reveals you if used while hidden
When you make an attack which doesn't have the Area of Effect property against a creature which is not behind cover, before you roll the attack's damage, you can choose to roll Technique and select one limb or part of the anatomy of the target. If you have advantages or disadvantages on the attack, you also have them on this Technique roll.
If the chosen limb is a called shot option for that creature, and you succeed on the roll, you produce the associated effect. Otherwise, your attack misses and deals no damage.
Note
Enemies might use called shots... on you! You have the following Called Shot Options:
- Legs (DC 8): moving costs you 1 extra Action Point, and you can't sprint. You can spend 5 AP to end the effect.
- Arms (DC 10): you attack with disadvantage. You can spend 5 AP to end the effect.
- Head (DC 12): the damage roll automatically gains 1 extra critical success
Attribute Threshold: Technique 4
Choose one:
- Choose a creature or device you can see You learn all of the possible Called Shots and hacks for that target.
- Until you lose focus, you can see in darkness up to 20m away from you, and you can see double the normal distance into fog.
Attribute Threshold: Luck 3
Loud: reveals you if used while hidden
As part of the attack, make a contested Luck roll with the target. The loser has to roll on the combat fumble table and suffer the associated effect.