How Rolling Works
One mechanic runs the entire game.
Roll d20, add the relevant ability, and meet or beat the Difficulty Rating.
| DR | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | Routine | Simple | Normal | Difficult | Really hard | Nigh impossible |
DR12 is the default. Your GM will only ask for a roll when failing would be interesting — you do not test to walk across a deck unless the deck is on fire.
Combat: you roll everything
This is the part that surprises people. You roll to attack, and you roll to defend. The GM never rolls a die against you.
| Action | Test |
|---|---|
| Melee attack | STRENGTH DR12 |
| Ranged attack | PRESENCE DR12 |
| Defense | AGILITY DR12 |
If you fail a defense test, the enemy hits you. That is the whole of it.
Natural 20 is a Crit. Attacking, you deal double damage and strip a tier of the target's armor. Defending, you get an immediate free attack.
Natural 1 is a Fumble. Attacking, your weapon breaks or is lost. Defending, you take double damage and lose a tier of armor. Fumbling a firearm sends you to the black powder table, where the good outcome is that it only backfires.
Armor is a die
When you take damage, roll your armor die and subtract it. Tier 1 is -d2, tier 2 is -d4, tier 3 is -d6.
But almost nobody wears armor, for three excellent reasons: black powder ignores it completely, heavier armor raises the DR of everything you do with Agility, and going in the water in a chain shirt is a decision you make once.
Tier 2 and 3 armor also shuts off Relics and Rituals entirely.
Other things you will test
- Carrying capacity is 8 + Strength items. Past that, Strength and Agility DRs go up by 2.
- Holding your breath is 1 + Toughness minutes, halved if you are doing anything strenuous. Then Toughness DR12 each round, +2 each round after, or lose 1 HP. You drown at 0.
- Drinking grog is Toughness DR8 + however many you have already had this hour, to heal d4 HP. Fail and you vomit. Every drink is -1 Agility for an hour.