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Core Rules

Core Resolution Mechanic

In gameplay, the basic flow of events is that

  1. the Game Master (GM) describes the scene and players ask questions if needed for clarification.
  2. the Players declare their actions by stating what they want to do and how they want to do it. ie "I want to distract the guard by going up to her and telling her off"
  3. the Game Master determines what happens as a result of the players' actions.
  4. the Game Master describes the results and how that has changed the scene, and the cycle repeats.

Step 3 is where the heart of gamplay happens, and where the rules can come into play. In this step, the GM evaluates the declared action with some criteria:

  • Is there uncertainty as to whether it succeeds or fails?
  • Are there meaningful consequences to success or failure?

If the answer to all three is "yes," then the GM determines what mechanics are best used to resolve the action, determines the difficulty of the action, and calls for the relevant rolls to answer the question of success or failure. Otherwise, the GM simply narrates the outcome directly.

For example, the player might be trying to pick a lock, and maybe they could fail the first try, but there is also no time pressure, and they can keep trying for a while. In that case, there's no real point in rolling the first try and the second and so on. There is not uncertainty there that matters.

All actions that fit the criteria are resolved through a single core mechanic: rolling a d10, adding relevant modifiers, and comparing the total to a target number (Difficulty Class or DC).

Skill Check

Roll: 1d10 + Skill Total plus any modifiers. Example: Climbing a slick wall (DC 20). You have Climb 6 + Strength 5, roll a d10 → 7. Total = 7 + 6 + 5 = 18 → you slip and fall to the ground.

Contests

Though it is rare that this would happen, in a contest, roll your Skill Total against the opponent's. Higher wins; ties go to the defender.

Difficulty Guidelines

  • Routine – DC 10
  • Average – DC 15
  • Hard – DC 20
  • Very Hard – DC 25
  • Nearly Impossible – DC 30+

GMs can adjust DCs up or down based on situational modifiers.