Rules: Action Points and Rolling

Here is why you need dice to play this game and how that works.

Unchallenged Actions

At most times, the actions you ask to perform are simply granted by the game master because they are simple tasks. If you want to walk to the other side of the room or grab a piece of paper off of a table, you don't need to roll for that unless there is a chasm in the middle of the room or a trap under the piece of paper. But many contested actions require players to roll to see whether or not their attempts succeed. Rolling dice adds a randomness to the game, making it less predictable and more entertaining. All players at the table should have one six-sided die (known as a d6).

Action Points and Round Order

Combat occurs across multiple rounds. At the start of each round, two things happen:

1. each character gets two (2) action points -- a currency that may be spent during the round to attempt an action.
2. the game master and the players roll dice to determine the round order -- which character(s) gets to spend their first action point first

Keep in mind, while a character's first action point must be spent once their number comes up, the second action point can be spent at any time prior to the end of the round. Also, a player can choose not to spend any action points (for instance, if their character is camouflaged).

Victory Check

Whether during amity or while exploring, most actions that challenge another character (such as an enemy or NPC) require a victory check -- a roll of the die -- to see if your character succeeds at an action or not. The number you have to beat with your die depends on the complexity of your action as determined by the game master. For instance:

• If you cast a simple prefix spell, you have to beat a one
• If you add a suffix to your prefix spell, you now have to beat a two
• If your target is in cover, you have to beat a three
• If your target has a natural resistance to your spell, you have to beat a four
• If you are disarmed, you have to beat a five
• If you are prone, you have to beat a six (not possible, by the way, unless...)
• You are blessed by a party member, now you have to beat a five again

Once the die is rolled, the player cannot change their action. Thus a player cannot decide that, having just rolled a four when they only needed a three, that they also want to dive into cover after they cut the chandelier loose.

Time

All parties have a currency of sorts called time -- which they can spend to attempt a bypass of a failed victory check (when not engaged in combat). Spending time prevents players from casting the same spell over and over again until they get the result they desire. Spent time reduces the amount and value of loot found at the end of the exploration phase.

Gameplay Examples

Here are some examples of how these mechanics would work in the game:

1. Mary, Jack, and Jamal are three players with three characters. Their characters find two trolls robbing a merchant and they intercede. Jamal rolls a three but both Mary and Jack roll a five. The first troll rolls a four and the other rolls a three. The order is this: Mary and Jack go first (either together doing an entwinement or separately by deciding among themselves which will go first, troll one goes next, and the last two (Jamal and Troll #2) then try to