You play one person in a world that was moving before you arrived and will keep moving after you leave. You describe what your character says, wants, notices, and attempts. The GM describes the world’s answer: people with their own motives, places with history, and consequences that do not politely wait for you.
You do not need to memorize every rule before play. Start with your character, your immediate situation, and a clear intention. Say what you are trying to do and, when it matters, what you are willing to risk.
Intent is part of the action
Before a dangerous action, be clear about the outcome you want:
- Kill — end the threat permanently.
- Subdue — stop or capture someone without killing them.
- Disarm — remove a weapon or resource.
- Warn — make a threat or create an opening.
- Escape — break contact and survive.
The GM resolves the action toward your stated intent. If the stakes are lethal and your intent is unclear, you may be asked to clarify once. You are never expected to guess which of your actions secretly meant death.
One exchange at a time
A combat exchange is one complete round of action. You give one input; every active combatant gets one meaningful action, reaction, or explicit hold; the situation changes; then the GM stops and waits for you. You may act quickly, but nobody gains extra turns simply because their action was narrated first.
This boundary matters. It gives you room to read the battlefield and make a decision. A response should not silently advance through several rounds while you watch helplessly. Standing events and clearly telegraphed threats resolve first, then the new exchange plays out.
A beat is only a paragraph of description. An exchange is the rules unit. A dramatic paragraph is not permission to skip the next decision.
What you can rely on
The game is dangerous, but it is not meant to be unreadable. Important changes are shown through physical tells: a thinning gas hiss, a hand closing around a wire, steam thickening from a shifter’s shoulders, a rifle’s reload clatter, or birds leaving a roofline before something arrives.
The GM should show you the tactical situation, not hide it behind unexplained numbers. Ask questions when you need them: “How much gas do I have?” “Am I inside its reach?” “What cover is hard enough to stop the shot?” “What is the Titan watching?”
You may also correct a drift in the fiction out of character. Say what seems wrong plainly, such as “You forgot that I am out of gas,” or use [OOC: GM Read Rule #67] to request a rules check.
A good action has three parts
- Goal: what you want to accomplish.
- Method: what your character actually does.
- Risk: what you accept if it goes badly.
“I dive from the roof, anchor behind the Titan’s shoulder, and cut for the nape; I am trying to kill it, not pass through it” gives the table something honest to resolve. It also gives you permission to be clever. The system rewards position, preparation, and judgment more than vague declarations of competence.
You are allowed to retreat, surrender, negotiate, refuse a fight, redefine victory, or let another person take the lead. Surviving an impossible encounter can be the success condition. The world does not require every problem to end with an extermination.
