Forge Engine - Universal Role-Playing System - Printer Friendly

Copyright 2019 Justin Halliday ” Some Rights Reserved
FOREWORD
There are lots of role-playing systems that do lots of things really well. And yet, there
The text of Forge Engine ” Universal Role-Playing System are still some things that no systems do really well.
by Justin Halliday is licensed under a For players, Forge Engine does one thing really well. Forge Engine gives you, the player,
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License complete control of every aspect of your character and your character’s actions.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ For game masters, Forge Engine allows you to use the same system and content for
historical, fantasy, modern, and sci-fi campaigns, and even those that combine all four.
That is all.
Forge Engine and Hero Forge Games

are trademarks of Justin Halliday
Printing Authorization:
This PDF document may be printed for personal use.
Version 1.1 (Build 489)
Change Log
• 489: Errata, fixed Dazzling Word effects, added PD penalties to Dazed and Stunned
• 488: Updated to v1.1 for PDF and POD versions
• 487: Aligned finesse weapons across Historical, Modern and Sci-Fi
• 486: Included Explosions in Environmental Hazards, and refined Short Rests
• 485: Revised Venomous trait to include Stamina test to end Poisoned condition
• 484: Added heavy handgun/blaster weapons with ▓/▔ cost
• 483: Revised Armor Training specialized martial skill and armor equipment
• 482: Revised Shield Training specialized martial skill and shield ratings
Contributors
• Interior art by James Shields • Forge Engine logo by Lincoln Flynn
• Cover art by Simon Lissaman • Aver font by Lauren Thompson
Special thanks to these playtesters for support, feedback, and adventures:

• Mal Woods • Michael Garde • Luc Le Quiniat • Sue McArthur
• Mark Heath • James Hamilton • Jules Le Quiniat • Jade Ross
• Matthew Pohlen • Scott Collumbine • Stuart Donaldson • Drew Pass
• Scott Horsley • Matt Lindus • Greg Buresch • Rob Sturtz
• Chris Jacobs
Forge Engine Universal Role-Playing System Page 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS Game Mastering
Genres and Worlds
97
98
Core Rules 4 Encounter Types 103
Introduction 4 Combat Encounter Design 104
Fundamentals 5 Running Combat Encounters 106
Character Creation 8 Rewards and Progression 108
Character Sheet 10 Running Attribute Tests 109
Character Build Samples 11 Environmental Hazards 111
Character Development 14 Resolving Influence Tests 112
Attributes 15 Resolving Attacks 113
Traits 16 Dice Pool Probabilities 115
Skills 17 Critical Failures 116
Energy 18 Externalities 117
Attacks 22 Custom Content 118
Defenses 23 Custom Traits 119
Attribute Tests 24 Custom General Skills 120
Health 26 Custom Martial Skills 121
Damage 27 Custom Magic Traits and Skills 122
Death and Dying 27 Custom Equipment 123
Healing 28 Custom Adversaries 124
Resting 28 Adversary Templates 125
Movement 29 Appendices 136
Travel 30 Change Log 137
Equipment 32 RPG Skill Lists Comparison 139
Conditions 34
Character Sheet 142
Combat Encounters 37
Combat Actions 43
Glossary 45
Game Content 47
Traits 48
General Skills 58
Martial Skills 64
Magic Skills 76
Equipment Overview 85
Equipment ” Historical 85
Equipment ” Modern 88
Equipment ” Sci-Fi 93

INTRODUCTION
When modern soldiers are transported to ancient Rome, law enforcement officers fight
inter-dimensional intruders, post-collapse humans scavenge for alien technologies, or
heroic warriors and wizards battle monstrous evil, Forge Engine is there to quickly and
seamlessly support your stories.
CORE RULES The Forge Engine universal RPG system puts full control of your character and your
game into your hands. The system supports fantasy, sci-fi, historical, and modern
settings, and delivers tactical play while remaining streamlined and fast.
Forge Engine's innovative energy system lets you channel your combat effort. You can
make multiple attacks, hold energy to boost your defenses, move into better position, or
make your attacks even stronger.
Forge Engine has the following features:
• Attribute and skill system gives players freedom to build their characters
• Support for medieval fantasy, historical, modern, and sci-fi play
• Opposed d10 dice pools for attacks with degrees of success
• Attribute tests against static difficulty numbers for simplicity
• Energy system gives players control of number and strength of characters’ actions
• Increased power gives larger dice pools with higher chance of multiple successes
• Combat rolls combine attribute, skill, weapon, evasion, and armor in one step
• Tactical combat system with meaningful decisions in critical situations
• Concurrent combat turns allow fluid and dynamic battles
What’s in this Book?

Core Rules
The first section covers the core principles of the Forge Engine, then character creation
and development, and then rules for skills and attribute tests, adventuring, and combat.
Game Content
The Forge Engine character content is collected in the game content section.
This stand-alone section includes all the content that players need to create, develop,
and run their characters: traits, general skills, martial skills, magic skills, and equipment.
Game Mastering
The final section of this book includes instruction for game mastering Forge Engine
games, advice for creating custom Forge Engine content, and adversary templates.

FUNDAMENTALS Energy Pool
Characters have an energy pool that reflects how much effort they can use in a short
This section covers the fundamental elements of the Forge Engine system. period of time, such as in combat. This is their capacity for action.
Energy is expressed in diamonds ▛, which are often the equivalent of dice.
Diamonds Each character’s maximum energy is equal to the ratings of their three highest
Forge Engine uses diamonds ” ▛ ” to represent dice, attribute and skill ratings, energy, attributes. This gives a range for the maximum energy of ▔ to «▖ or higher.
action and defense pools, and equipment costs and ratings. Physically and mentally taxing actions use energy. In strenuous situations, the effort
For brevity, diamonds are abbreviated: ▒ ▓ ▔ ▕ ▖ ▗ ▘ ▙ ▚ «░ «▒ «▓, etc. required for a character’s actions is ‘paid’ for from the energy pool. This energy is all
replenished from round to round.
Dice You can find more about Energy on page 18.
The Forge Engine uses d10 dice for attacks, defenses, and attribute tests. Each die is Variable Energy Costs
numbered from 1 to 10 (if your dice have 0, then this is counted as 10, not 0).
Simple physical actions, like moving 5’ or using an object, use just ▛ energy. More
Ratings strenuous actions (like physical or magic attacks) allow the player to choose how much
energy they can add to their action pools.
Attributes, skills, and equipment have ratings, represented with ▛. Low ratings are
By adding more energy, characters have a larger chance of success, but energy is
cheap or easy to acquire, while higher ratings require significant investment.
depleted and regained from round to round, so high-energy actions can leave
Attributes characters unable to react to their enemies’ actions and attacks.
Attributes represent a character’s underlying physical and mental capabilities: Using Energy
• Physical attributes: Strength, Agility, and Stamina (STR, AGI, STA) When an action or reaction includes instructions to use energy, it is underlined. When
characters take actions, they spend energy (keyword: spend) to pay costs, add energy
• Mental attributes: Influence, Intelligence, and Acuity (INF, INT, ACU) (keyword: add) to their action or defense pools for extra effort, or expend energy
Attributes have a minimum rating of ▛ and increase to ▛▛▛▛▛ or more. A (keyword: expend) for extraordinary actions.
character’s attribute ratings are initially determined by spending character points at • Spend: Spent energy represents the initial effort that is required to start the action
character creation and then developed during the course of a game. (attack, defense, or spell). Spent energy is set aside instead of going into a pool.
You can find more about Attributes on page 15. • Add: Added energy is the variable additional effort that the character can employ to
make the action stronger. This energy goes into a dice pool.
Traits • Expend: Energy that is expended is extraordinary effort that is used in the action
Traits are the inherent capabilities of characters that fall outside of the normal six and cannot be recovered until the character rests.
attributes and aren’t learnable skills. Spent or added energy is all regained at the start of each round. Expended energy is set
For example, traits include unusual types of vision (low-light), abnormal hearing (acute aside until the character rests, and is not regained at the start of each round.
hearing), additional senses (tremor sense), different physical shapes and sizes.
Additionally, each school of magic requires a trait before learning that school’s spells.
You can find more about Traits on page 16.
Skills
Skills are expertise that characters can learn and practice over time. Most skills are
related to an underlying attribute, and those skills cannot be higher than that attribute.
As with attributes, skills are first purchased with character points at character creation
and then developed in the course of a game. Characters can also learn new skills
during play by spending character points. The number of skills a character can develop
is only limited by their character points.
By default, characters are untrained in all skills, and simply rely on their attributes.
Skills all have ratings from ▛ (novice) to ▛▛▛▛▛ (master) and higher.
You can find more about Skills on page 17.

Action Pools Dice Pools
Action pools are dynamic dice pools that are built when a character performs an action, In Forge Engine games, these pools are used to determine the outcome of character’s
such as an attribute test, an attack, or a spell. actions. There are two types of tests:
The size of the action pool is based on the character’s attributes, skills, equipment, and • Opposed pools: Used when an action is opposed by another character. In this
the amount of energy that is used, and follows the S.A.G.E. mnemonic below. As the situation, the action pool and defense pool are rolled against each other.
SAGE steps are followed, the pool is built. At each stage of the process, dice are added
• Fixed challenges: Used when an action needs to overcome a static difficulty. Here,
or removed from the pool.
the action pool is rolled against a static difficulty target.
You can find more about using action pools for Attacks on page 22, or for Attribute
Tests on page 24. Opposed Pools
In normal combat and magic the action pool and defense pool are rolled as opposed
Defense Pools pools. Both the attacker and the defender roll their pools against each other: action
Characters have defense pools that are used when they are targeted with attacks. Again, pool versus defense pool.
the number of dice in the defense pool is based on the character’s attributes, skills, The attacker gains a success (or hit) for each of their dice that is equal to or higher than
equipment, and available energy, and uses the same SAGE mnemonic (below). the defender’s single highest dice.
Defense pools reflect the character’s ability to resist physical or mental attacks. Both
the physical defense (PD) and mental defense (MD) pools can be improved by skills and Action Pool Defense Pool Successes
equipment that give flat bonuses or allow characters to add dice to those pools.
[3] [3] [6] [7] [9] [9] [10] [1] [6] [9] 3
You can find more about Defenses on page 23.
[8] [9] [9] [9] [1] [10] None (miss)
Physical Defense [9] [9] 1
A character’s physical defense (PD) begins at ▛, and then armor and other bonuses are
added. The PD pool is augmented through reactions like Dodge, and skills such as [10] [6] [7] [10] 1
Brace and Shield Training. Finally, modifiers from externalities, like cover, are applied. [1] [2] [2] [3] [3] Critical fail (optional rule)
Mental Defense
The character’s mental defense (MD) is based on the middle value of their Intelligence, In combat, each success translates directly into 1 damage. In an opposed attribute test,
Acuity, or Influence attributes. Additional dice can be added to the MD pool through multiple successes mean the character achieved the task better or more quickly.
skills like Iron Will and Empty Vessel.
Fixed Challenges
Constructing Action and Defense Pools In attempting actions against fixed challenges, such as climbing a rope, balancing, or
The S.A.G.E. (spend, add, gain, externalities) mnemonic is used for constructing both deciphering a code, the player rolls their character’s action pool against a set difficulty
action and defense pools: target, which is usually between 7 and 10.
• Spend or Expend the energy cost of the action, reaction, or equipment and gain the Once again, the character gains a success for each of their dice that is equal to or
equipment’s rating as bonus dice into the character’s action or defense pool. higher than the difficulty target.
• Add extra energy up to the relevant attribute rating into the action or defense pool.
Action Pool Difficulty Target Successes
• Gain bonus dice from the relevant skills into the character’s action or defense pool.
[3] [4] [7] None
• Externalities adjust the pool based on any external factors (e.g. positioning and
conditions for action pools, and range, visibility, and obstructions for defense [1] [8] [9] [9] [8] 3
pools). Advantageous externalities add dice to the action and defense pools, while
disadvantageous externalities remove dice from the pools. [7] [7] [8] [9] None
[10] [10] 1
[1] [1] [6] [7] [8] Critical fail (optional rule)
For each of these successes, the character achieved the task better or more quickly.

Equipment Health
Equipment is the physical weapons, armor, and implements through which characters A character’s maximum health is derived from their physical size (tiny, small, normal,
channel their attributes, skills, and effort. large, huge, and gargantuan), their Stamina, and any other relevant traits.
Maximum health ranges from 5 to 13 for a normal human.
Items
The simplest category of equipment is items. These have endless variety, and may give
bonuses to attribute tests or improve other actions.
Character Points
Character points (CP) are the currency of character development; they are used in
Armor character creation and later earned through play and spent on improving attributes and
Armor provides bonus dice to the character’s PD. However, armor can impose penalties skills, and to learn new skills. The player can choose when and how to spend CP to
if the character doesn’t have the required skills. improve their character.
You can find more about Character Creation on page 8 and Character Development on
Weapons page 14.
Weapons have a cost and a rating. The equipment’s cost represents the effort required
to use the equipment (such as a pistol that requires minimal effort, compared to a heavy
sword), while the equipment’s rating represents the force that it imparts when used.
Weak weapons have ratings of ▜, ▛, or ▛▛, while powerful weapons (sniper rifles or
crossbows) have ratings higher than ▛▛▛▛▛.
With this in mind, the equipment’s cost is the energy that must be spent to use it, and its
rating is the number of dice that go into the action pool for the attack.
Equipment costs and ratings are represented with diamonds: ▛. A simple club is
represented like this, ▛▛▛/▛▛, and abbreviated like this: ▔/▓. For example, our
club costs ▔ and has a rating of ▓, while a massive two-handed greatsword has a cost
of ▕ and rating of ▘. This ratio between the cost of the equipment’s use and the
number of dice that it grants reflects the weapon’s effectiveness.
While powerful weapons are inherently effective, lightweight weapons allow characters
to use their energy to add extra effort, which rewards them with bonus dice from their
skills. For best effect, combine an effective weapon with a high-rating skill.

CHARACTER CREATION Step 2: Traits
Rule: Traits are bought with CP.
Making Your Character Rule: CP are shared between attributes and traits.
Your first step in playing a Forge Engine game is to create your character.
Rule: Traits are usually only chosen at character creation.
When creating a character, you first determine the character concept, and then build out
the character’s three main aspects: Rule: All characters start with a species trait.
• Traits Traits are purchased with character points shared with the character’s attribute ratings:
• Attributes • Characters have 15 CP shared between traits and attributes
• Skills Each trait has a CP cost, which reflects the relative value of the trait. Highly beneficial
And then you go on to determine the character’s extra details: traits have higher costs, while comparative mundane traits have lower CP costs. The
GM can also include or exclude any traits that don’t fit in the game’s setting.
• Energy
By default, characters have the Human species, which means they have the Medium size
• Defense Pools trait and a free trait from this list: Muscular, Lithe, Fit, Sensitive, Incisive, or Astute.
• Health If the game’s setting supports varying character species, like elves, orcs, and dwarves,
• Movement Speed these are selected as traits. The selected species then includes traits that reflect that
species’ unique characteristics.
• Starting Equipment
A description of the types of traits is included on page 16 and full list of traits is in the
Finally, you can bring your character to life by developing their unique aspects, Traits section on page 48.
including their personality, background, moral code, and life goals.
Character Creation Steps Step 3: Attributes

Character creation follows these steps: Rule: All characters have six attributes with a starting rating of ▛.
• Step 1: Character Concept • Step 6: Defense Pools Rule: Attributes are determined by spending CP.
• Step 2: Traits • Step 7: Health Rule: Each attribute rating increase costs CP equal to the rating,
• Step 3: Attributes • Step 8: Movement Speed Rule: Each attribute rating increase is purchased separately,
• Step 4: Skills • Step 9: Starting Equipment Rule: CP are shared between attributes and traits.
• Step 5: Energy Pool • Step 10: Final Details Rule: The GM sets the CP budget for a character’s attributes and traits.
Most character aspects are purchased with character points (CP), split between: Attribute ratings are purchased with character points shared with the character’s traits:
• Attributes and traits: 15 CP • Characters have 15 CP shared between traits and attributes
• Skills: 30 CP Characters begin with ▛ in each attribute, and rating increases are purchased with CP.
The GM can increase or decrease the CP budget for these areas, restrict trait choices, or Each attribute increase costs CP equal to the rating that is being purchased; so
limit the maximum rating of attributes. Furthermore, the GM can allow unspent increasing an attribute from ▛ to ▛▛ costs 2 CP and increasing an attribute from
attribute and trait CP to be spent on skills or held over into play. ▛▛▛▛ to ▛▛▛▛▛ costs 5 CP. These increases are purchased separately, so
increasing an attribute from ▛ to ▛▛▛▛▛ costs 14 CP (2+3+4+5).
Step 1: Character Concept Note that most species traits come bundled with traits that affect the cost of attribute
Before diving in to the mechanical aspects of your character, it is important to have an increases. For example, the Human species trait allows the player to select a trait that
idea of the sort of character you wish to play and how that character fits in with your reduces the improvement cost of one of the character’s six attributes.
adventuring group and the game world where they exist. The full description of each attribute is in the Attributes section on page 15.
A little forethought and planning here will save you the embarrassment of showing up
to a post-apocalyptic wasteland with your halfling tinker1.
1
On second thoughts, that post-apocalyptic halfling tinker could be awesome...
Step 4: Skills Step 7: Health
Rule: Skills are purchased and increased by spending CP. Rule: Maximum health is based on the character’s size trait and Stamina attribute.
Rule: Each skill rating increase (or new skill) costs 1 CP. The character’s maximum health is based on their Stamina and their size trait, which is
normally bundled with their species. For example, the Human trait means a character is
Rule: The GM sets the number of CP for a starting character’s skills. Medium size. Other traits and species choices affect the character’s maximum health.
Rule: Skills cannot have ratings higher than the underlying attribute.
Size Maximum Health
Rule: There is no limit in the number of skills that characters can train.
Rule: The GM may limit the maximum rating for each skill. Small 2 + twice Stamina
The first ▛ for a new skill costs 1 CP, and each subsequent skill rating also costs 1 CP. Medium 3 + twice Stamina
• Characters have 30 CP to spend on skills Large 5 + twice Stamina

• At least 15 CP must be spent on General skills
More character sizes are listed in the Size Traits
Furthermore, characters are assumed to know their own language and have basic
common knowledge without spending CP: section on page 50.
• Characters have Knowledge (Language: Native) equal to their Intelligence rating
• Characters have Knowledge (Common) equal to their Intelligence rating
Step 9: Equipment
At their discretion, GMs can adjust the characters’ CP budget for skills, they can further The GM may determine starting equipment
separate the CP budget between general, martial, specialized, and magic skills, and they a character has, and whether he or she has
can set a maximum rating for the purchased skills. As with attributes, the GM can allow money to spend on additional items.
unspent CP to be held over into play. Equipment lists are included in the
General skills are listed in the General Skills section on page 58, martial skills are listed Equipment sections, starting on page 85.
in the Martial Skills section on page 64 and the Basic Martial Skills ” Modern section
on page 66, and magic skills are listed in the Magic Skills section on page 76. Step 10: Final Details
The finishing touches for a character are
Step 5: Energy to work out what makes them tick, where
they’re from, what they’ve experienced,
Rule: Maximum energy is the sum of the character’s three highest attributes. and what drives them:
The character’s maximum energy is calculated by adding up the ratings of the • Personality
character’s three highest attributes. If the character is created with the standard
• Background
budgets, then they will likely have 8 energy. A low power character (or a character with
a lot of traits) could have 6 or 7 energy while a character that is developed through • Moral code
campaign play ” or a powerful game character ” could have 15 or more energy. • Life goals
Step 6: Defense Pools

Rule: Physical defense (PD) pool is ▛ + equipment.
Rule: Mental defense (MD) pool is the middle rating of Influence, Intelligence, or
Acuity.
The character’s defense pools are:
• PD: ▛ plus equipment (such as worn armor) plus any optional skills
• MD: Middle rating of Influence, Intelligence, or Acuity, plus any optional skills
The defense pools can be augmented by reactions like Dodge (which requires energy) or
with optional skills that the player has bought for their character; such as Iron Will to
increase their mental defense.

• Attributes, traits, general skills
CHARACTER SHEET • Martial/magic skills (including space for descriptions), and equipment
The Forge Engine character sheet has sections for: • Energy pool (maximum and expended)
• Player and character details • Defense pools (physical and mental)
• Earned (or unspent) character points • Health (maximum and current)

CHARACTER BUILD SAMPLES
Wasteland Scavenger Human Gunslinger Human
The Wasteland Scavenger scours the Across the open prairies, in unincorporated
blasted wastes looking for items to use territories, and in bustling frontier towns,
or trade. fortunes are made and lost, reputations are
forged by good deeds or ill, and lives are
The wastelands are dangerous, even for
saved or spent at the barrel of a gun.
the strongest and most cunning. But
this scavenger has faced most of its The chaotic years of the newcomers’ rapid
natural hazards, not that anything in expansion to the west of North America are
the wastes is natural any more. a time of great opportunity, and of great
The true dangers are the roaming tragedy. The rule of law is slow to catch up
bands of humans and mutes who prey with the great crushing wave of progress.
on anyone weaker than themselves. To Whether motivated by greed or virtue, some
these monsters, a man’s only worth is at manage to impose order in the midst of the
the trigger of a gun, the clothes on his maelstrom.
back, the food in his pack, and the Lawful stewardship creates islands of order
weapons on his hip. Without these, he where thriving towns and societies grow.
is a burden and a risk. Greedy and selfish leaders hold nascent
The lucky ones are left alive, the communities hostage, ruling by the threat of
unlucky ones are served for dinner. violence.
Strength: ▓ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▔ Strength: ▓ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▔ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▒
Energy: ▙ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛ Energy: ▙ Health: 7 PD: ▛ MD: ▛▛
Long Guns (AGI): ▛▛▛ Initiative (AGI): ▛▛▛ Hand Guns: ▛▛▛ Persuasion: ▛▛▛
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛▛ Brawling: ▛▛ Initiative: ▛▛
Armor Training (STR): ▛▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛ Survival: ▛ Language (Native): ▛▛
▞ Machete ▔/▔ slashing, Melee Weapons, max attack ▖/▘ ▞ Punch ▓/▜ bludgeoning, Brawling, max attack ▕/▕
┐ .308 rifle ▓/▔ piercing, 10-50’, Long Guns, max attack ▖/▚ ┐ Colt agent .38 ▒/▒ piercing, 10-30’, Hand Guns, max attack ▕/▗
Precision Shot: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action) First Strike: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)
Spend energy up to your Precision Shot rating, your next martial attack gains ▛ When you are the first to deal damage in a combat encounter, the attack deals
bonus die for each spent energy. You do not gain these bonus dice if you are the additional damage. Your attack deals 1 extra damage for each damage dealt, up to
target of an attack or if you use another action or reaction before you make the attack. your First Strike rating.
Surprise Attack: ▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)
Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Lithe
When you start an encounter without a wielded weapon, the first martial attack you
Radiation Resistant: Damage you take from radiation is halved (round up) make gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Surprise Attack rating.
Machete .308 rifle Body armor (▛▛ PD) Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Sensitive
.308 bullets (8) Dog food (4 cans) Water (3.8l)
.308 bullets (8) .38 bullets (15) Colt agent .38
Note, these example characters do not use the full CP budget of starting characters.
Skirmisher Cyborg Firefly Tengu
Later, she learned that it was six months. But to Greedy opportunists venture into the soaring
Verona, it seemed like an eternity of reaches of the Druinhowe mountains in search of
nightmarishly real dreams. ancient treasures.
When she finally woke, the nightmares Perhaps they ignore the warnings of the common
continued. folk in the lower villages.
From the doctors, she learned that she’d taken a And in their climb, perhaps they missed the
direct hit from an ion grenade. Her weavesuit shattered boulders and bleached bones.
had saved her life, what was left of it. Even with As the weather closes in, they miss the shadows
the suit, most of her body was broken beyond that flash through the roiling clouds.
repair. Luckily, the doctors were able to salvage
her brain and nervous system. In their single-mindedness, in their haste, in their
obliviousness, in their greed, they condemn
From the company, she learned that the medical themselves.
help and the new body added five more years to
her contract. With a screech, the tengu fireflies erupt from the
clouds, dropping cannonball sized rocks, blasting
Five more years trapped in this metal shell. flaming bolts, and raining razor-sharp arrows.
Five more years killing for the company.
Strength: ▒ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▔ Acuity: ▒
Five more years before Verona would be free of
the company, and could even start saving for a Energy: ▙ Health: 5 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛
real body.
Strength: ▒ Agility: ▕ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▒
Ranged Weapons: ▛▛ Initiative: ▛▛
Energy: ▙ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛

Armor Training: ▛ Language (Native): ▛▛
Finesse Weapons: ▛▛▛ Initiative: ▛▛ ▟ Longbow ▔/▕ piercing, 10-300’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▖/▙
Language (Trade): ▛▛ Language (Native): ▛▛ Pinning Attack: ▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
Knowledge (Hacking): ▛ Investigation: ▛▛ When you declare a melee or ranged attack, you can choose to have the attack hamper
the target’s movement instead of dealing damage. If you achieve 1 or 2 successes, the
▞ Claws ▓/▓ piercing, Finesse Weapons, max attack ▗/▚ target is Slowed (they must spend ▛ extra energy for each segment of movement). If
you achieve 3 or more successes, the target is Immobilized (they cannot intentionally
Surprise Attack: ▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus) move, but you can be pushed or pulled). The maximum number of successes is your
Pinning Attack rating. The target must use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
make gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Surprise Attack rating. Fiery Bolt: ▛▛ Arcane Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Twist The Blade: ▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and gain ▛ bonus die
for each added energy, up to your Fiery Bolt rating. Make a fire ranged attack (action
When you make a melee attack and the dice have been rolled, you can spend ▛ and pool vs PD) at a target within 25’. The attack deals half damage.
then add energy to your action pool, up to your Twist The Blade rating. These
additional dice are rolled immediately. Tengu: Medium Size 5-6’ (Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Lean. Obtuse,
Flyer
Cyborg: Medium Size 5-6’ (Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Carapace,
Lean, Insensitive Pyromancy Casting: You can train Pyromancy Magic and Cantrip Magic skills.
Claws: You can make an unarmed melee attack with your claws for ▛▛/▛▛. Longbow (▔/▕) Flightcloak armor (▛) Arrows

Hospiter Human Field Agent Human
Aged just 3, Lex Hammerfist was found in Lina Alvarez had always prided herself on
the ruined remains of her tribe’s village. her ability to work hard and overcome any
Wailing amidst the brutalized remains of her challenge in her way.
kinfolk, she was inexplicitly unharmed, Through high school and college she
although she bore fresh-healed scars of worked long and hard, and got the scores
horrific wounds. she needed to qualify for recruitment into
Without a name, the child was taken as a the bureau.
ward by the sacred Order of the Knights After training at the FBI academy at
Hospiter. Quantico, Lina’s first placement as an agent
The members of the order are recruited and was a field office in El Paso.
trained for their unique blend of martial With two years of chasing down fraud and
prowess and healing magic. These powerful tax evasion cases, Lina’s just scored her
knights pledge themselves to the protection first big case; the disappearance of a group
of the sick and poor, those who cannot of teenagers in a dusty border town.
protect themselves. She arrives in a black town car, armed only
With years of toil and training behind her, with her pistol and her first lead.
Lex leaves the confines of the order’s Now she’s a dame in black.
cloister, to seek her revenge.
Strength: ▔ Agility: ▒ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▔ Strength: ▓ Agility: ▓ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▔ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▔
Energy: ▙ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛ Energy: ▙ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛
Melee Weapons: ▛▛▛ Initiative: ▛ Hand Guns: ▛▛ Initiative: ▛

Armor Training: ▛▛ Language (Native): ▛▛ Armor Training: ▛▛ Language (Native): ▛▛▛
▞ Warhammer ▕/▘ bludgeoning, Melee Weapons, max attack ▘/«▔ ┐ Glock 17 9mm ▒/▓ piercing, 10-30’, Hand Guns, max attack ▔/▖
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus) Leader’s Pledge: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
When you make a martial attack at a target within the reach of an ally, you gain ▛ When an ally within 25’ can perceive you, you can spend energy equal to your
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Engaged Attack rating. Influence, up to your Leader’s Pledge rating. That ally gains ▛ bonus energy for each
energy spent. This bonus energy lasts until the end of the target’s next turn.
Healing Touch: ▛▛▛ Animist Magic Acuity Skill (Action)
Sidestep: ▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)
Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain ▛
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Healing Touch rating. When you are the target of an attack against your PD and the dice have been rolled,
Assign all of the dice to yourself or an adjacent ally. The target recovers 1 heath for you can spend ▛ and then add energy to your PD pool, up to your Sidestep rating.
each allocated die. These additional dice are rolled immediately.
Human: Medium Size 5-6’ (Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Muscular Human: Medium Size 5-6’ (Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Astute
Animist Casting: You can train Animist Magic skills and Cantrip Magic skills. Glock 17 9mm (▒/▓) Kevlar vest (▛) Sunglasses
Warhammer (▕/▘) Chainmail Armor (▛▛) Knights Hospiter symbol

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Rule: Attribute and skill ratings can be increased after character creation.
Rule: Traits can be bought after character creation if allowed by the GM.
Rule: The GM can specify when players can spend Character Points.
Characters earn character points through play, and can spend these points on attribute
ratings, traits, and skill ratings
As in character creation (detailed on page 8), the cost of increasing an attribute rating is
progressively more expensive, each skill rating increase has the same cost, and the
acquisition of a new trait is based on the fixed cost of the trait.
The GM can specify when players can spend their character’s character points. For
example, the GM could allow CP to be spent at a short or long rest, or at the end or start
of a session. Furthermore, the GM may also make other requirements, such as only
allowing a skill to be increased (or acquired) if the character has used it.
Increasing Attribute Ratings

Rule: Each attribute rating increase costs CP equal to the rating.
Rule: Changes to attribute ratings can affect maximum health or maximum energy.
Each attribute rating increase costs CP equal to the rating that is being bought; so
increasing an attribute from ▛ to ▛▛ costs 2 CP and increasing an attribute from
▛▛▛▛ to ▛▛▛▛▛ costs 5 CP.
When attribute ratings increase, the player will also need to review and update any of
their character’s derived characteristics, such as health or their energy pool.
Buying New Traits

Rule: The GM may allow characters to acquire new traits during play.
Rule: The GM may allow or limit the acquisition of any specific trait.
Rule: If allowed, each new trait is acquired by paying its normal cost.
Because traits usually reflect the inherent characteristics of a character (such as their
size or senses), they cannot normally be acquired after character creation. However, the
GM has the ability to allow or limit the acquisition of any new traits.
For example, the GM may allow new traits to be acquired through exposure to a
powerful mutagen or may allow characters to acquire magic traits at any time.
When a new trait is bought, the cost is that trait’s normal cost.
Increasing Skill Ratings

Rule: Each skill rating increase or new skill costs 1 CP.
The first and each subsequent skill rating costs 1 CP. As previously mentioned, the GM
may decide that players can only increase their character’s skills or acquire a new skill
if that character has used (or tried to use) the skill, or found appropriate training.

ATTRIBUTES Influence
Characters have three physical attributes and three mental attributes. Influence is the character’s appearance, communication skills, and their ability to
influence the actions of others.
Strength ▛▜▜▜▜ Curt
Strength is the physical strength and conditioning of the character.
▛▛▜▜▜ Typical
▛▜▜▜▜ Weak ▛▛▛▜▜ Convincing
▛▛▜▜▜ Natural ▛▛▛▛▜ Persuasive
▛▛▛▜▜ Sturdy ▛▛▛▛▛ Powerful
▛▛▛▛▜ Robust
▛▛▛▛▛ Tough
Intelligence
Intelligence is the character’s ability to think and reason, as well as their control over
Agility arcane forces.
Agility is the character’s ability to move quickly and control their body with precision. ▛▜▜▜▜ Slow
▛▛▜▜▜ Common
▛▜▜▜▜ Clumsy
▛▛▛▜▜ Quick
▛▛▜▜▜ Average
▛▛▛▛▜ Astute
▛▛▛▜▜ Deft
▛▛▛▛▛ Incisive
▛▛▛▛▜ Agile
▛▛▛▛▛ Precise Acuity
Stamina Acuity is a character’s awareness, intuition, and their spiritual connection to the world
of the divine.
Stamina is the character’s physical resilience, including their ability to withstand
trauma and their endurance. ▛▜▜▜▜ Rash
▛▛▜▜▜ Usual
▛▜▜▜▜ Sickly
▛▛▛▜▜ Prudent
▛▛▜▜▜ Healthy
▛▛▛▛▜ Perceptive
▛▛▛▜▜ Fit
▛▛▛▛▛ Wise
▛▛▛▛▜ Robust
▛▛▛▛▛ Vigorous

TRAITS Species
Species traits gather collections of traits into bundles that reflect the differences
Rule: Traits are inherent aspects of characters. between different species, be they normal humans, fantasy races like elves and dwarves,
or more peculiar alien species. These bundles always include the size of the character,
Rule: Traits give characters abilities, bonuses, or penalties in specific areas.
and then may include attribute traits (such as robust dwarves or lithe elves) and any
Traits are inherent aspects of a character that are outside of the normal human ideal: other characteristics common to the species.
two legs, two arms, 5-6’ tall, two eyes, two ears, constrained by the laws of the physical
world, all of the usual stuff. Traits, as distinct from skills, cannot be learned or Size
developed through effort, they are inherent to the character.
Size traits reflect different sizes of characters, relative to a normal 5-6’ human; are they
Through some misfortune or misadventure however, a character might acquire a new tiny like a cat, gigantic like an elephant, or even bigger?
trait during play; perhaps losing an arm or an eye in a duel, or falling into a radioactive
pool and becoming inordinately sensitive to others’ thoughts. Attributes
Additionally, if the game’s setting includes magic, characters can purchase magic traits
after character creation to expand their repertoire of magic schools. Attribute traits represent the propensity that characters have towards specific
attributes. For example, traditional fantasy dwarves are characterized by their robust
Traits can be beneficial or detrimental, and their impact on a character can be minor or physique. Others species, such as fantasy elves, are graceful and lithe.
significant. These factors determine the character point cost of the trait, whether it is
cheap or expensive and ” for detrimental traits ” whether it gives the player extra CP to
spend on the character.
Damage
Traits are categorized: Damage resistance traits apply to characters that are resilient to specific types of
damage. Damage immunity traits are absolute versions of resistances, protecting
• Species characters from all damage of a specific type.
• Size For example, a character with a hardened carapace might be resistant to piercing
• Attributes damage, a rad-scorpion. One example of damage immunity is humans, who are immune
to electro-magnetic pulses (while robots and electronics are vulnerable to this damage).
• Magic
• Movement Magic
• Mental
Magic traits encompass abilities that are outside of our normal ‘natural’ world, whether
• Physical they are magic, supernatural, psychic, telekinesis, ESP, or even augury. These traits
• Sensory allow characters to train skills from specific magic schools.
• Damage If supported by the setting, magic traits can be purchased after character creation.
Mental
Mental traits cover cognitive abilities that are not magic and are not sensory.
Movement
Movement traits include forms of movement other than locomotion; burrowing, flying,
climbing, teleporting, phasing, slithering, jumping, swimming, even immaterial.
Physical
Physical traits define areas of the character’s physical body. Perhaps the character has
extra arms or legs (or some variation in these areas) or is abnormally healthy or sickly.
Sensory
Sensory traits cover the ways that characters absorb input from the world around them.
Perhaps they only have monocular vision, or asymmetrical ears to aid depth perception,
or heightened sense of smell, or sensitivity to a wider range of the light spectrum.

SKILLS Basic Martial Skills
Basic martial skills give benefits in specific situations or when using equipment. They
Rule: General skills give bonus dice to attribute tests. usually hook into the standard combat actions and give bonuses to those actions:
Rule: Martial skills give bonus dice to combat actions and reactions. • The Melee Weapons skill gives bonus dice when adding energy to a melee attack
using an appropriate melee weapon.
Rule: Martial action skills give characters additional combat actions.
• The Finesse Weapons skill gives bonus dice when adding energy to a melee attack
Rule: Martial reaction skills give characters additional combat reactions. using an appropriate finesse weapon.
Rule: Spell action skills give characters additional spell actions. • The Long Guns skill gives bonus dice when making a ranged attack with an
appropriate firearm, such as a shotgun, rifle, or assault rifle.
Rule: Spell reaction skills give characters additional spell reactions.
Other basic martial skills give additional actions or allow the effective use of armor:
Rule: The number of bonus dice gained from a skill cannot be higher than the
rating of the underlying attribute. • Armor Training allows characters to use armor without it impairing their actions.
• Shield Training skill allows a character to effectively use their shield.
Skills are character abilities that can be learned and developed through effort and
application. Skills have ratings from ▛ to ▛▛▛▛▛ (or higher), and the benefits of
skills can only be gained when characters have invested CP in the skill. Specialized Martial Skills
Mechanically, skills come into play in a number of ways: Specialized martial action skills give circumstantial bonuses and allow characters to
perform new actions in combat, while specialized martial reaction skills allow
• Attribute test bonuses • Combat actions and reactions characters to perform reactions when triggered by specific events:
• Martial skill bonuses • Magic spell actions and reactions • Engaged Attack allows characters to gain bonus dice to attacks when the
character’s allies threaten the target.
General Skills • Retaliation grants bonus energy when the character takes damage.
General skills allow characters to gain bonus dice when making attribute tests where the • Twist The Blade gives the character the opportunity to spend additional energy to
skill applies. The skill’s rating is the number of bonus dice that you gain. However, the deal extra damage when their attack hits its target.
character cannot gain more dice from the skill than the underlying attribute rating. • Enraged Attacker allows the character to enter a raging stance where all of their
For example, having a Perception rating of ▛▛ gives two bonus dice when making an attacks gain bonus dice.
Acuity (Perception) test to detect a hidden hazard or enemy. That hidden enemy, by the • Last Gasp allows the character to expend energy to gain bonus energy.
way, is opposing with its Agility and Stealth (with a rating of ▛▛▛▛) to avoid being
spotted.
Alternatively, a Seduction rating of ▛ gives one bonus die when making an Influence
Magic Skills
(Seduction) test to ply charms on a lady who is betrothed to a rival. That lady can Magic actions and reactions are only available when the character has the relevant
oppose with her Influence, and perhaps combine that with her Persuasion skill (with a magic casting trait and has trained additional spell actions or reactions.
rating of ▛▛). A character with the Divine Casting trait and the Divine Protection skill can use an
There are a limited number of skills and a huge number of situations where they can be action to create a pool of dice that they can use to defend against subsequent attacks.
applied, so creative (but reasonable) application of a character’s skills is encouraged. In another example, that same character may also have the Retributive Strike skill, and
can use a reaction to lash out at an enemy when they are attacked.
Example:
Jager Broadbough crouches in the crook of a large and gnarled tree, waiting for the Pre-Requisite Traits
small raiding party to pass beneath his hide. Some skills, including all spell skills, have underlying traits that characters must have
Jager has Agility of ▛▛▛▛, and is highly trained in Stealth, with ▛▛▛▛. before they can spend CP on the skill.
Jager also wears a camouflage cloak, and is hiding amongst thick foliage. These For example, all magical skills require a casting trait from the relevant magical school.
externalities each give Jager ▛▛ extra dice for an Agility (Stealth) test, giving a total So, a character training Draining Touch must first take the Necromancy Casting trait.
die pool of «▓.
Skill Development
Skill acquisition and development is covered in the Character Development section
back on page 14.

ENERGY
Each character’s energy pool is their capacity for action at any given moment. In
strenuous situations ” such as combat ” energy is depleted and replenished from
round to round.
Energy Pool
Rule: The character’s maximum energy is the sum of their three highest attributes.
Rule: The character’s energy pool contains their current available energy.
Rule: Characters use energy from their energy pool to perform actions.
The character’s maximum energy is equal to their three highest attribute ratings, and
the character’s energy pool holds their currently available energy.
Characters draw from their energy pool to perform actions, reactions, attacks, move, or
even augment their defenses. Their energy pool depletes as that character performs
actions from moment to moment, and refills at the start of the character’s turns.
The best way to visualize and manage a character’s energy pool is with dice. So at the
start of combat, the player lays one d10 die for each die in their character’s energy pool.
During combat these dice are spent and moved to a discard pile, added into an action or
defense pool, or expended.
Example:
Jager Broadbough, our stealthy tree-dweller, has Agility ▛▛▛▛, Acuity ▛▛▛,
and Influence ▛▛▛. This gives him a maximum energy of «░.
Starting Energy in Combat

Rule: The character’s energy pool is full at the start of combat.
Rule: The character’s starting energy pool can be modified.
When combat begins, characters normally start with a full energy pool. However, this
can be reduced or increased depending on circumstances or previous activity.
Bonus energy can be added in the energy pool at the start of combat. For example, a
character can gain bonus energy if have a condition that grants them additional energy.
Alternatively, a character’s starting energy can be reduced if the character is surprised,
if they are subject to an ongoing condition (such as being Enervated), by strenuous
activity immediately before the combat, or if they have expended some of their energy.
More details about surprise are in the Combat Encounters section on page 37.
Example:
The three raiders, unaware of Jager’s presence in the trees above them, are surprised
when he launches his attack. Jager begins combat with a full energy pool: «░.
Surprised, the hapless raiders are placed below Jager in the initiative order, and they
only have energy equal to their two highest attributes, rather than their three highest.

Using Energy Spending Energy
When an action or reaction has the keyword spend, the player must spend energy from
Rule: Energy can be spent, added, or expended from the character’s energy pool. their character’s energy pool to pay the cost of an action or reaction. Spent energy is
Rule: Spent energy is discarded to pay the cost of an action or reaction. recovered when the character next regains energy (details in the following section:
Regaining Energy on page 20).
Rule: Added energy goes into an action or defense pool. If the action, reaction, or used equipment specifies it, the character immediately gains
Rule: Expended energy is discarded to pay the cost of an action or reaction or as bonus dice to the appropriate action or defense pool.
the result of another character’s actions.
Example:
Rule: Expending energy temporarily reduces the character’s maximum energy.
Hans Gruber, armed with a .38 revolver, makes a ranged attack. He spends ▛ energy
Rule: Bonus energy cannot be expended. to fire the gun, and immediately gains ▛▛ bonus dice to his action pool.
Energy is used in one of three ways:
• Spend Adding Energy
• Add In addition to the dice gained from the action, reaction, or equipment, characters can
• Expend also use more energy when the add keyword is present. Energy added goes from the
character’s energy pool into the action or defense pool. When adding energy,
characters can add energy up to the rating of the attribute being used for the action.
For example, in the previous example of firing the .38, the player can choose to add
additional energy to the action to increase the number of dice in the action pool.
Example:
As Hans Gruber falls toward the ground far below, he spends ▛ energy to make a
ranged attack with the revolver (immediately gaining ▛▛ bonus dice) and also adds
▛▛ energy to better aim the gun, giving an action pool of ▛▛▛▛.
Expending Energy
In certain strenuous situations, characters can choose ” or be forced ” to expend
energy (keyword: expend). Expended energy is only recovered through proper rest, so
expending energy reduces the character’s maximum energy until they rest.
For example, as in the previous example, the player can use one their character’s skills
to expend energy, which immediately grants them bonus energy.
Example:
Poor Hans Gruber, falling to his death… But like all good villains, he has one last
trick: the Last Gasp skill. Low on energy and likely to soon die, Hans expends ▝
energy and gains ▛▛▛ bonus energy (Hans’ Last Gasp rating is ▛▛▛).
As before, Hans spends ▛ energy to make a ranged attack with the revolver
(immediately gaining ▛▛ bonus dice) and also adds ▛▛ energy to better aim the
gun, giving an action pool of ▛▛▛▛. BLAM! The shot misses!
But now Hans still has ▛▛▛ left in his pool, so he chooses to repeat the previous
ranged attack in the hope of exacting some cruel revenge…
Using Bonus Energy

Bonus energy can be spent or added, but it cannot be expended.

Regaining Energy Recovering Expended Energy
Rule: Starting from the second combat round, characters regain energy equal to Rule: Expended energy is recovered when the character rests.
their three highest attributes at the start of their turn.
Expended energy is not recovered until characters take a short or a long rest.
Rule: Characters cannot regain energy that exceeds their maximum energy. At a short rest, characters recover expended energy equal to their Stamina rating. At a
Rule: The amount of energy that characters regain each turn can be modified by long rest characters recover all of their expended energy.
the effects of actions, reactions, or conditions. For details about recovering expended energy, see the Resting section on page 28.
Rule: A character’s energy pool can exceed its maximum if they gain bonus energy.
Expending All Energy
Beginning with the second combat round, at the start of each character’s combat turn
their energy pool regains energy equal to their three highest attribute ratings. If this Rule: Characters that expend all energy fall unconscious at the resolution of their
would exceed the character’s maximum energy, then the extra energy is discarded. current action or reaction.
In some circumstances, the amount of energy characters regain is modified, such as If a character expends all of their energy, they fall unconscious immediately after their
through magic that grants you bonus energy or a condition that reduces the energy current action resolves.
regain. Furthermore, dead, dying, or unconscious characters do not regain energy.
Expended energy is not recovered during combat or strenuous situations. Energy Pool Usage Examples
This first example demonstrates a simple attack/defense sequence.
Example:
This character starts with a full energy pool, and acts first in combat:
Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛
The first thing the character does is walk 10’ (costing ▛▛):
Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▜▜
The character makes an attack, spending ▛▛ and then adding a further ▛▛▛
energy to the attack:
Energy Pool: ▛▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜
The player elects to pass priority turn at this point, saving ▛ for reactions.
During the GM’s turn, a monster attacks the character. The player chooses to add ▛
energy (their last energy) to their character’s Dodge reaction, which increases the
character’s physical defense (PD) pool by one die:
Energy Pool: ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜
The character now has no energy. At the start of the character’s next turn, they
regain their energy:
Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛

Let’s try something a little bit In this final example, the character acquires a condition that reduces the amount of
more sophisticated for this energy that they regain each turn.
next example.
In this case, the character Example:
starts combat having Again, the character starts with full energy:
previously expended some
energy and ” for extra credit ” Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛
is acting second in the combat.
This example is important The character’s turn is first, and they use all of their energy on attacks:
because it demonstrates the
cost and considerations of Energy Pool: ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜
acting later in the initiative
order, and energy regaining The enemy attacks the character, and this attack leaves the character Enervated (they
when the character has only regain energy equal to their two highest attributes). The enemy ends their turn.
expended some energy. The character regains energy equal to their two highest attributes, which is not
Note that this character does enough to refill their energy pool:
not regain energy at the start
of their first turn. Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▜▜
The character attacks, using only ▛▛ energy, and then passes the priority.
Example:
The character starts with full energy, except for the expended energy: Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▜ ▜▜▜
Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▝▝ During the enemy’s attack, the character uses another ▛▛ to defend:
The enemy has higher initiative than the character. The enemy immediately launches Energy Pool: ▛▛▜▜▜ ▜▜▜
an attack at the character. The player adds ▛ to their character’s Dodge reaction:
When the character next regains energy, they regain energy equal to their two highest
Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▜▝▝ attributes (due to the Enervated condition), enough to refill their energy pool:
The enemy ends its turn at this point, passing play to our character. Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛
Because this is our character’s first turn in combat, they do not regain energy. The
character makes an attack, spending ▛▛ to use a handgun and then adding an
additional ▛ energy:
Energy Pool: ▛▛▜▜▜ ▜▝▝
The player elects to finish their character’s turn, mindful that the enemy has another
turn before the character regains energy.
The enemy attacks again, and the character uses the last of their energy (▛▛) to aid
their defense:
Energy Pool: ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▝▝
The character now has no energy, and must wait for their next turn when they regain
energy. However, because they have two energy expended, the character’s energy
pool only regains six energy:
Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▝▝

ATTACKS Example Attack: Melee Attack
In the previous energy pool examples, the attack process was illustrated in a single step.
Rule: Attacks are made using attack actions. In this example, the process is shown with each of the steps that constructs the action
pool, so let’s take a closer look.
Rule: Each target of an attack defends with their defense pool.
Rule: Attack actions are instigated during a character’s turn. Example:
While combat is covered in depth in Combat section on page 37, basic attack mechanics Before the attack, the character has six energy in their energy pool:
are covered here, and basic defense mechanics are covered in the Defenses section on
page 23. Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▜▜
Attacks use opposed rolls, where the attacker rolls their action pool against the target’s
defense pool. First, the player makes their character perform a melee attack with a machete,
spending ▛▛▛ and gaining ▛▛▛ into their action pool:
S.A.G.E. Steps Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▜▜ ▜▜▜ Action pool: ▛▛▛
Action pools are constructed using the S.A.G.E. process and take into account the
character’s attributes, skills, equipment, and any external factors. The key to this
process is that the player is free to choose whether to commit more or less of their Second, the player decides to add ▛▛ extra energy to bolster the attack:
character’s energy to an attack.
Energy Pool: ▛▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜ Action pool: ▛▛▛▛▛
Step 1: Spend
First, the attack’s cost is paid by spending or expending energy and if the attacker is Third, the character has a rating ▛▛▛ in Melee Weapons, so gains ▛▛ bonus
using a weapon, the action pool gains dice equal to the weapon’s rating. dice for the attack. The character doesn’t gain the full ▛▛▛ bonus dice for their
Melee Weapons rating because they only added ▛▛ energy:
Step 2: Add
Second, the player can choose to add more energy to the attack, up to their rating in the Energy Pool: ▛▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜ Action pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛
attribute that is being used.
Step 3: Gain The attack is a melee attack and the character has no advantages, disadvantages, or
conditions, so there are no externalities to modify the action pool.
Third, if the player has a skill that applies to the attack (such as Melee Weapons for an
attack with a sword), then they gain bonus dice into the action pool equal to their skill Ultimately, the character has used ▛▛▛▛▛ energy and has ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛
rating, but not higher than the amount of extra energy they added in the second step. dice in their action pool (▛▛▛ from the weapon’s rating, ▛▛ from the added
energy, and ▛▛ from the character’s Melee Weapons skill).
Step 4: Externalities
Finally, with the pool constructed, the pool is modified to take into account any
externalities, such as situational advantages or disadvantages, or ongoing conditions
that the character has accumulated.
Making the Attack

Once the attack the defense pools are constructed, these are rolled against each other.
Ordinarily, attacks deal 1 damage for each success in the opposed rolls. However, the
damage may be adjusted by specialized martial skills, conditions, or traits.

DEFENSES Mental Defense
When the defender is the target of an attack against their mind and psyche, they defend
Rule: Defenses are used when a character is attacked. with their mental defense (MD).
Rule: Physical defense is used for physical attacks. Characters’ MD pool starts with dice equal to the middle rating of their Influence,
Intelligence, or Acuity attributes.
Rule: Mental defense is used for attacks against the mind.
For example, if a character has ratings of Influence ▛, Intelligence ▛▛▛, and Acuity
While combat is covered in depth in the Combat Encounters section on page 37, basic ▛, then their MD is ▛.
defense details are included here.
Alternatively, if a character has Influence ▛▛▛▛▛, Intelligence ▛▛▛, and
Opposed rolls require the attacker and the defender to each roll their respective pools; Acuity ▛ then their MD is ▛▛▛.
Action pool versus defense pool. Depending on the type of attack, the defender will use
In addition to their base MD pool, players can use their character’s skills or reactions to
their appropriate defenses:
add to their MD pool.
• Physical defense (PD)
• Mental defense (MD) Example:
While both defense pools start with at least one die, characters need to balance their During combat a character is targeted with a psionic attack against their mental
energy between making strong attacks and keeping some energy in reserve to defense (MD). Normally, the defender’s defense pool would be the middle rating of
supplement their defenses. their Intelligence, Influence, or Acuity attributes, but this character also has the Iron
Will skill (rating ▛▛▛▛). The skill allows the player to add up to ▛▛▛▛
Physical Defense energy to increase the character’s MD pool.
When a defender is the target of an attack against their physical defense (PD), their
defense pool starts with one die (▛), plus extra dice for the character’s armor, and
finally player can use their character’s skills, reactions, or equipment to add more dice.
All characters can use Dodge to add energy to their defense pool.
Example:
When targeted with a melee attack in combat, the player decides to use Dodge (a
default reaction that all characters have) to add ▛▛ energy to the character’s
defense pool, on top of the character’s physical defense (PD) of ▛▛, giving a
defense pool of ▛▛▛▛.
In addition to Dodge, characters can train in skills that grant them bonuses to their
defense pool or allow them to use equipment that can augment their defenses.
Example:
A character with Shield Training and holding a light shield is the target of a ranged
attack. The player chooses for the character to spend ▛ to use the shield to fend off
the attack, which allows the character to gain ▛▛ bonus dice to their defense pool.

ATTRIBUTE TESTS Fixed Tests
Rule: Fixed tests are used against static obstacles.
Rule: Attribute tests determine success in physical and mental tests.
Rule: In fixed tests, the character rolls their pool against a difficulty number.
Over the hours, days, and weeks of an adventure or mission, characters’ capabilities are
tested. Rule: Each die that is equal to or higher than the difficulty number is a success.
Characters’ bodies are challenged by the world around them, their minds tested by Fixed tests are against static obstacles that do not vary as characters interact with them.
puzzles and intellectual trials, and their socialization stretched when trying to convince, These tests are made against a static difficulty number.
charm, or manipulate others.
Here are some examples of fixed tests:
These situations are resolved through attribute tests, where a character’s underlying
attributes and any related skills are tested against the task. • Climb a wall: Strength (Athletics)
In these tests, the most appropriate of the character’s six attributes is selected, along • Pick a lock: Agility (Thievery)
with an appropriate skill. When a character is balancing on a narrow ledge, the
challenge is expressed as: Agility (Acrobatics). • Escape rope bindings: Agility (Acrobatics)
• Decipher a code:
Types of Attribute Tests Intelligence (Knowledge: Cryptology)
• Notice a hidden threat: Acuity (Perception)
Rule: Attribute tests are either fixed or opposed.
• Search for a clue: Intelligence (Investigation)
Attribute tests come in two forms:
• Fixed tests
Example:
• Opposed tests
‚The rough stone wall is almost sheer, but there a good number of hand-holds. Make
Fixed tests are made against unvarying obstacles, while opposed tests are used when the an Agility (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) test at difficulty 9. If you have a rope
obstacles are trying to actively and variably oppose the attempt or where the difficulty or something else to help, you can gain ▛▛ bonus dice.‛
of a challenge fluctuates. For example, kicking open a door is a fixed test while
wrestling an alligator is an opposed test.
There are some instances where the choice of a fixed or opposed test is not immediately
clear, such as in the example of calming a riotous mob. While the mob could be treated
as an opposed test, it’s more appropriate to treat these as fixed test and for the GM to
assign an appropriate difficulty target for the attempt.
In these cases, it’s up to the GM to determine whether there is a significant level of
variability in the opposition to the test, in which case an opposed test would be used
instead of a fixed test.

Opposed Tests Resolving Attribute Tests
Rule: Opposed tests are used when the attempt is opposed or variable. Rule: The dice pool for an attribute test is the attribute rating plus the relevant skill
Rule: In opposed tests, all involved participants roll their pools against each other. rating (but no higher than the underlying attribute).
Rule: The instigator gains successes for each die that is equal to or higher than the Rule: The dice pool for an attribute test in combat is the added energy (up to the
highest die of all other participants. attribute rating) plus bonus dice equal to the skill rating (up to the amount of
energy that they’ve added).
Rule: When the participants are attempting to achieve the same goal, successes are
only granted for dice that are higher than those of all other participants. Rule: If a character is the target of an opposed attribute test, they can oppose the
test with dice equal to their attribute without spending energy. However, if
Dynamic tests are against obstacles that actively oppose the character. For these they add energy, they gain bonus dice from any relevant skills.
attribute tests, both the character and their opposition roll attribute tests, and the
winner (and loser) is determined using the normal opposed roll mechanics. Fixed Attribute Tests
Furthermore, some examples of opposed tests involve the resolution of actions where When attempting a fixed attribute test, the dice pool of the character attempting the
multiple characters are seeking to achieve the same goal in opposition to each other. In challenge is equal to their attribute rating and their relevant skill rating. This pool is
these situations, the normal opposed mechanics are used, but any character can win the rolled against the difficult target of the challenge, which is normally from 7 to 10
test. (determined by the GM, based on the difficulty of the task at hand).
Some examples include:
Opposed Attribute Tests
• Grapple another person: Strength (Athletics) vs Agility (Acrobatics)
When attempting an opposed attribute test, the dice pool of each character attempting
• Dodge past a guard: Agility (Acrobatics) vs Strength (Athletics) the challenge is equal to their attribute rating and their relevant skill rating. These
pools are rolled against each other to determine the winner of the challenge.
• Convince a lady to dance: Influence (Seduction/Perform) vs Acuity (Insight)
Which Attribute and Which Skill?
• Calm down an angry drunk: Influence (Persuasion) vs Stamina (Resist)
An attribute test will always specify an attribute and skill that can be used for the test.
• Win a poker game: Intelligence (Deception) vs Intelligence (Insight) However, the GM and players can substitute the specified attribute and skill for others
that make sense for the task.
Example: For example, climbing a rope might list Strength (Athletics) as the relevant combination
of attribute and skill, but with the GM’s approval the player may use Agility (Acrobatics)
‚I don’t think you understand. I came here to die. And it don’t matter much to me instead. Similarly, when a character tries to blend in with a crowd, instead of Agility
whether I die here, or I die yonder. But I guarantee that you’ll die face down in the (Stealth), a player may suggest the character uses Influence (Deception) to change their
dirt right here, one way or another…‛ appearance.
The GM speaks, ‚So you’re trying to intimidate the rustler. Okay, make an opposed
Agility (Intimidation) test against the rustler’s Influence (Insight).‛ Assisting Attribute Tests
The player, ‚Agility? Isn’t Intimidation based on Strength?‛ When several characters want to work together to attempt an attribute test, but only one
‚Yeah, usually,‛ the GM replies, ‚but you’ve got a revolver pointed at him, so Agility’s can perform the action, the other characters can assist. In this situation, one character
more appropriate than Strength. Now fill your hand, you son of a bitch!‛ attempts the attribute test, and their action pool gains dice equal to the relevant skill
ratings of the characters who are assisting.
Attribute Tests Using Energy

When attempting an attribute test in combat, the attempt requires the characters to use
their energy and the task must be one that can be achieved in just a few seconds, not
minutes. As with other combat actions, the character can spend energy up to the
relevant attribute, and then they gain bonus dice up to the rating of the relevant skill,
but not higher than the amount of energy they’ve spent.
Finally, if a character is the target of an opposed attribute test (such as a grapple
attempt), then they can oppose the test with dice equal to their appropriate attribute
without spending energy. However, they only gain energy from their relevant skill if
they add energy to their action pool.

HEALTH Changing Maximum Health
Rule: Maximum health is automatically adjusted if the character’s Stamina, size, or
Rule: Each character has health that determines whether they are alive, other traits change.
unconscious, dying, or dead.
Rule: When a character’s maximum health increases, their health does not change
The character’s health represents the soundness of their physical body and their ability until they rest.
to keep moving and fighting, whereas moment to moment effort and fatigue are handled
through the energy system. These two factors combine to determine how much effort Rule: If a character’s maximum health decreases, their health cannot be higher
characters can expend in any one moment as well as how much of a beating they can than their new maximum health.
endure.
A character’s maximum health is automatically changed when the character’s Stamina
Maximum Health changes (such as when a player spends Character Points to increase the character’s
Stamina rating).
Rule: A character’s maximum health is determined by their size and Stamina and As mentioned in the Traits section on page 16, it is unusual but not impossible for a
any other relevant traits. character to gain a trait during play that will also adjust their maximum health.
If a character’s maximum health changes, then they must wait until they next take a rest
The maximum health of all characters is determined by a combination of traits and the
to increase their health up to its new value. Conversely, if a character’s maximum
character’s Stamina attribute. For a normal humanoid, their maximum health is 3 plus
health is somehow reduced, then their health cannot be higher than their new maximum
twice their Stamina rating. This base value (3) is different for characters that are larger
health and must be immediately reduced.
or smaller, or those that have physical traits ” such as Tough or Scrawny ” that adjust
their health.
The relevant traits are detailed in the Traits section on page 43.
Example:
Jesse is creating a new character, a dwarf called Carlos. Dwarves have three key
traits; Small, Sturdy, and Dark Vision.
When working out Carlos’ maximum health, Jesse uses a few bits of information:
• Carlos’ Stamina is ▛▛▛
• A Sturdy character’s Stamina is effectively 1 higher when calculating maximum
health
• Maximum health for Small characters is 2 + twice their Stamina
So, Carlos the dwarf’s maximum health is 2 + (2 x ▛▛▛▛), giving 10.
Current Health
Rule: The player’s health changes dynamically as they take damage or recover lost
health through healing or rest.
The character’s maximum health defines them at their most robust. The character’s
health tracks their current status, and fluctuates with damage, rest, and healing.
Damage reduces a character’s heath, as detailed in the Damage section on page 27.
Rest and healing increases the character’s health, as described in the Healing section on
page 28.

DAMAGE DEATH AND DYING
Heroic characters routinely face dangerous situations, such as marauding enemies or
an environmental challenge, where they are likely to take damage. Unconscious
Taking Damage Rule: Characters are unconscious at 0 or less health.
When a character is reduced to 0 health or less, they immediately become unconscious,
Rule: Damage is immediately subtracted from a character’s health. fall Prone to the ground (assuming gravity), and can no longer take actions or reactions.
When an attack or attribute test damages a character, the damage is immediately If a character is reduced to exactly 0 health, they are unconscious and stabilized,
subtracted from the character’s health. When the character’s health is 0 or less: otherwise, they are unconscious and dying.
• 0 health: Character is unconscious and stabilized
• Negative health: Character is dying and unconscious
Dying (and Unconscious)
• Negative maximum health: Character is dead Rule: Characters are dying when on negative health (unless stabilized).
Rule: Dying characters can stabilize automatically or by another character.
Resistance, Immunity, or Vulnerability When a character takes damage that reduces them to a negative health value, then they
Rule: Characters can be resistant, immune, or vulnerable to types of damage. are unconscious and dying. Dying characters lose 1 health at the start of each turn.
Rule: Damage resistance reduces damage by half (round up). Dying characters need to be stabilized before they die, which happens when their health
is reduced to their negative maximum health. Another character can stabilize a dying
Rule: Damage immunity reduces damage to 0. character if they succeed at an Acuity (First Aid) or Intelligence (Medicine) test at
difficulty 8. Additionally, during their turn, the dying character can make a Stamina
Rule: Damage vulnerability doubles damage.
(Endurance) test at difficulty 10. If they succeed, they are stabilized.
Different characters may have traits that grant them vulnerability or resistance to
specific types of damage. For example, a character with a unique robust carapace could Stabilized (and Unconscious)
be resistant to slashing damage but vulnerable to bludgeoning damage, while a robot
could be immune to radiation but vulnerable to electro-magnetic damage. Rule: Stabilized characters remain at their current health.
When a character is vulnerable to damage they take, that damage is doubled. When a Rule: Stabilized characters return to dying if they take further damage.
character is resistant to damage they take, that damage is halved (round up). When a
character is immune to damage they take, damage is reduced to 0. A stabilized character does not lose health at the start of their turn. However, they
return to dying if they take any damage while in this state.
Damage Types If a character is unconscious and stabilized, then each minute they can make a Stamina
(Endurance) test at difficulty 10. The character recovers 1 health for each success, and
Rule: All damage has a type. if their health is 1 or higher they are no longer unconscious.
All damage has a type which is used to determine whether characters are vulnerable,
resistant, or immune to that specific type of damage. Damage types include: Dead
Physical: • Piercing • Bludgeoning • Slashing Rule: Characters die when their health reaches their negative maximum health.
Elemental: • Fire • Cold • Electricity Rule: Dead characters can be saved by medical or magical intervention.
• Sonic • Acid • Electromagnetic If a character takes enough damage to reach a negative health value equal to their
maximum health, then that character dies. This could be dealt by a single significant
Physiological: • Poison • Radiation • Hypoxia attack in combat, or it could be incurred progressively when a character is dying.
• Drowning • Dehydration • Starvation Dead characters can be bought back to dying if another character succeeds an Acuity
Magical: • Force • Radiant • Arcane (First Aid) or Intelligence (Medicine) test at difficulty 10, requiring one success for each
minute that the character has been dead. If this test is successful, the character
• Profane • Necrotic recovers 1 health and is dying (but not stabilized). Each attempt takes one minute.
Mental: • Psychic • Sanity

HEALING RESTING
Rule: Health is recovered through healing. Rule: Health is recovered through rest.
The trials of a character’s adventuring test their physical bodies and their reserves of Rule: Expended energy is recovered through rest.
energy, so it is critical that characters take time to recover when they can, otherwise
they will soon find themselves unable to stand and fight any longer. The challenges that characters face test their physical bodies and their reserves of
energy, so characters must rest when they can.
Physical injuries can be addressed through periods of rest, or through specific healing
interventions, whether they are medical or magical.
Short Rest
Healing Rule: Characters can take a short rest after a strenuous encounter.
Rule: Healing can occur physically or magically. Rule: At the end of a short rest, characters recover health and expended energy
equal to their Stamina rating.
Rule: Physical healing is via resting, first aid, or medical attribute tests.
Rule: Unconscious or stabilized characters automatically recover to 1 health and
Rule: Magical healing is via healing skills. recover at least 1 expended energy at a short rest.
While resting offers characters the opportunity to heal damage, they can also use Rule: Short rests are 30 minutes.
physical and ” if the game allows it ” magical means to heal damage.
After strenuous encounters, such as combat or other perilous situations, characters can
To physically heal a character, another character takes several minutes to attempt an
Intelligence (Medicine) or Acuity (First Aid) attribute test at difficulty 8. For each rest. Short rests are generally 30 minutes, and may include light activity. When a
success, the target recovers 1 health. A character can attempt to heal themself, but the character takes a short rest, they recover health and expended energy equal to their
Stamina rating.
difficult is increased to 9. Equipment such as a medical kit or a first-aid kit grants
bonus dice to these challenges. The GM may require a shorter or longer duration for short rests. Characters may have
Multiple attempts can be made to heal a character. However, once one of these attempts traits or skills that adjust the amount of health or expended energy recovered, or the
duration of the rest.
succeeds (regardless of how many successes were achieved), that character cannot be
physically healed again until after the next encounter. The recovery of the health and energy occurs at the end of the short rest, so it is not
effective if the characters are interrupted during their rest.
Characters with magical traits and the corresponding healing skills can use these skills’
spell actions to heal themselves and others. During this short rest the characters’ recovery involves:
When healing is performed on an unconscious character, then the recovered health is • Recovering and recharging from exertion and fatigue
added to that character’s current health. If this additional health takes the character’s • Cleaning, repairing, bandaging, or stitching wounds and damage
current health to 1 or higher, the character regains consciousness.
• Maintaining and cleaning weapons and armor
• Using healing medicines, poultices, elixirs, salves, or herbs
• Meditating, centering, communing, calibrating, or praying
Long Rest
Rule: Once per day characters can take a long rest.
Rule: At a long rest, characters recover all health and expended energy.
Rule: Long rests are 8 hours, unless otherwise determined by the GM.
Once per day characters can take a long rest. This long rest usually takes the form of a
good night’s sleep, during which the characters recover all of the health that they have
lost and all of the energy they have expended.
Long rests are generally 8 hours, but the GM may require a shorter or longer duration
and characters may have traits or skills that adjust the duration of the rest period.
If characters are interrupted during a long rest, they partially recover their lost health
and expended energy.

MOVEMENT Combat Movement
Rule: The Move and Run actions detail movement in combat.
Rule: The speed of movement on foot, mounted, or by vehicle varies depending on
effort, duration, armor, encumbrance, terrain, weather and conditions. Rule: Characters can move through allies.
The speed of a character’s movement is important in three main situations: Rule: Characters can only move through enemies by succeeding at an opposed
Strength (Athletics) or Agility (Acrobatics) attribute test.
• Combat
• Dangerous situations Rule: Characters can move diagonally between enemies (if using a grid).
• Extended travel Rule: Characters cannot move diagonally around corners (if using a grid).
Outside of these three areas, the speed at which characters move only requires precise In combat, characters’ movement distance is governed by their movement speed, which
measurement if the characters are in a time-critical situation. depends on their size.
Measurement Units Movement requires energy, usually ▛ for each 5’ of movement, and uses the Move
action. Characters can also run in combat using the Run action, which doubles the
Although all of the combat measurements in Forge Engine games are in feet (usually 5’ distance that they cover. While running gets the destination faster, characters can’t use
increments) and miles, these can easily be adjusted to metric measures: reactions during these actions, so they are very vulnerable to attack when running.
• Convert each 5’ measure into 2 meters or 2 yards In the hurly burly of combat, characters can move among and around other combatants.
In these situations characters can move through their allies, but in order to push past or
• Convert each mile into 1.5 kilometers (or 1.6 if you want to be even more precise, slip past an enemy they need to succeed an opposed Strength (Athletics) or Agility
but who’s got the time for that…)
(Acrobatics) attribute test.
Movement Speed If using a grid for combat, characters (C) can move diagonally between allies (A) or
enemies (E), but they cannot move diagonally around corners, as shown below:
Rule: A character’s movement speed is based on their size trait.
Each character’s movement speed (abbreviated to move) is derived from their size trait.
Normal humans are Medium size, and other species or traits can change a character’s
movement speed:
Character Size Combat Movement

Tiny 20’
Small 25’
Medium, Large 30’
Huge 35’
Titanic 40’
Skills or traits can increase or decrease these movement speeds.

TRAVEL Water Vehicles
There are several broad types of boats, including rowboats, sailboats, and motorboats.
Rule: Parties travel on foot or mounted for up to 10 hours per day.
All types of boats (other than pure sailboats) can travel at double speed for short
Rule: Groups travel at the speed of the slowest member. periods. Obviously, this will tire the rowers, so this fatigue must be managed.
A full day’s travel for fit adventurous types is 10 hours. For normal people, this is more
like 8 hours, once rest and fatigue is taken into account. Normal Double Est. 10H
Water Vehicle
Speed Speed Distance
On Foot Rowboat (15’) 1 ½ MPH 5 MPH 15 miles
Rule: A character’s walking speed is 1 MPH plus 1 MPH for each Stamina rating. Sail Boat (40’) 4 MPH 8 MPH 40 miles
Rule: Worn armor reduces Movement Speed for extended foot travel by 1 MPH for Sailing Ship (60’) 6 MPH 10 MPH 60 miles
every ▛ of the armor’s rating (minimum 1 MPH).
Longship (75’) 7 MPH 15 MPH 70 miles
Rule: Running and sprinting durations are based on Stamina.
Motorboat (20-40’) 20 MPH 40 MPH 300 miles
As with any group, adventuring groups undertaking extended travel move at the speed
Speedboat (20-50’) 45 MPH 90 MPH 600 miles
of the slowest member. Furthermore, wearing armor reduces the Movement Speed of
characters who travel on foot over long distances. For every rating of the armor, the Cruise or Cargo Ship 20 MPH 25 MPH 200 miles
character’s speed is reduced by 1 MPH.
Stamina Walking Running Running Est. 10H

Modern Vehicles
Rating Speed Speed Duration Distance The invention of simple and complex machines greatly expanded people’s ability to
cover large distances. Bicycles require parts and maintenance, but other vehicles
▛▜▜▜▜ 2 MPH 4 MPH 1 mins 20 miles require infrastructure for roads and rails, fuel, and maintenance.
▛▛▜▜▜ 3 MPH 6 MPH 5 mins 30 miles
Normal Double Est. 10H
▛▛▛▜▜ 4 MPH 8 MPH 15 mins 40 miles Vehicle
Speed Speed Distance
▛▛▛▛▜ 5 MPH 10 MPH 1 hour 50 miles Bicycle 10 MPH 20 MPH 150 miles
▛▛▛▛▛ 6 MPH 12 MPH 4 hours 60 miles Road Bike 20 MPH 40 MPH 200 miles
Motorbike 75 MPH 150 MPH 1000 miles
Mounted Car 50 MPH 100 MPH 750 miles
The domestication of horses and other mounts expanded people’s range. Generally, Bus 35 MPH 50 MPH 400 miles
horses can trot for an hour, canter for 30 minutes, and gallop just a few miles.
Train 50 MPH 100 MPH 750 miles
Walking Trot Canter Gallop Est. 10H
Mount
Speed Speed Speed Speed Distance
Mule 3 MPH 5 MPH 7 MPH 10 MPH 30 miles
Nag 4 MPH 8 MPH 12 MPH 16 MPH 40 miles
Warhorse 5 MPH 10 MPH 15 MPH 20 MPH 50 miles
Riding Horse 6 MPH 12 MPH 18 MPH 24 MPH 60 miles
Thoroughbred 7 MPH 14 MPH 22 MPH 28 MPH 70 miles
Cart 4 MPH 6 MPH 7 MPH 8 MPH 40 miles
Wagon 3 MPH 4 MPH 5 MPH 6 MPH 30 miles

Terrain and Conditions
The movement speeds and distances given for each of the modes is based on good
travel conditions; flat, made ground and fine weather.
Terrain Effects
Terrain On Foot Mounted Vehicle
Road or open track Normal Normal Normal
Hilly road or track ¾ speed ¾ speed ¾ speed
Mountain path or track ½ speed ½ speed ¼ speed
Mountain off track ¼ speed Impassable Impassable
Jungle path ½ speed ¼ speed Impassable
Jungle off path ¼ speed Impassable Impassable
Swamp ¼ speed Impassable Impassable
Weather Effects on Animals and Motorized Vehicles

Weather Animal Motorized
Scorching ½ speed Normal
Hot ¾ speed Normal
Mild Normal Normal
Raining ¾ speed ¾ speed
Torrential ½ speed ½ speed
Blizzard ¼ speed ¼ speed
Weather Effects on Water Vehicles

Weather Rowboat Sailboat Motorized
Becalmed Normal 0 speed Normal
Ideal Normal Double speed Normal
Favorable Normal Normal Normal
Calm Normal ½ speed Normal
Gale ½ speed ¾ speed ¾ speed
Stormy ¼ speed ½ speed ½ speed
Upstream ½ speed ½ speed ¾ speed
Downstream Double speed Double speed Normal

EQUIPMENT Weapons
Equipment runs the full spectrum from mundane, through necessary, to practical. For Rule: Weapons are required for some melee attacks, and all ranged and thrown
the sake of this overview, equipment is grouped into specific categories: attacks.
• Tools • Armor and shields • Accessories Weapons are straightforward, these are pieces of equipment that, when used, are
designed to do harm to other characters. Examples include:
• Weapons • Consumables • Clothing
• Swords • Guns
The carrying around of all of this stuff is detailed under Encumbrance below.
Additionally, the manner in which the equipment is held by the character is covered in • Bows • Explosives
Carrying Equipment below. Weapons usually have an energy cost that must be spent, and then the ‘power’ of the
piece of equipment is reflected in its rating (which are the dice added to the attack pool).
Tools The difference between the weapon’s cost and its rating is its effectiveness. So a heavy
and clumsy club has a large cost but a relatively low rating, a spiked club has the same
Rule: Tools give bonus dice to appropriate attribute tests. large cost but a better rating, a small caliber handgun has a low cost (to reflect the effort
Tools are those pieces of equipment that have a direct impact on the character’s of pulling a trigger) and a matching low rating, and a large caliber handgun has a
attribute tests by adding additional bonus dice to the tests, such as these examples: slightly higher cost (because of the heavier recoil) and a much higher rating.
• Crowbar for Strength (Athletics) Basic weapons for fantasy and modern games are in the Equipment and Equipment ”
Modern sections starting on page 85.
• Lock-picks for Agility (Thievery)
• Stimpacks for Stamina (Endurance) Armor and Shields
• Excalibur for Influence (Leadership) Rule: Armor is worn to provide protection from physical attacks.
• Binoculars for Acuity (Perception)
Rule: Shields are wielded to provide protection from physical attacks.
• Computer Manuals for Intelligence (Knowledge: Technology)
Armor is equipment that is worn
to protect against physical
attacks.
Worn armor automatically gives
characters bonus dice to their
physical defense pool, but their
attributes may be reduced and if
the character does not have a
corresponding skill, they incur
energy penalties when
performing actions.
Shields are equipment that is
wielded to intercede between
weapons and their target’s soft
parts.
Unlike armor, shields do not work
automatically, they require skill
training to use correctly, and
each warded attack requires an
expenditure of energy.

Consumables Carrying Equipment
Rule: Consumables are used up in the exercise of an action or activity. Rule: Equipment can be worn, wielded, slung, or stowed.
Food and drink to power bodies, petrol to power vehicles, ammunition to power guns, While GMs and players might decide not to care how much equipment a character
bows and crossbows (although these can be recovered), and healing herbs and medical carries, it is often important to know where the equipment is on a character’s body.
supplies to supply healers and doctors. True to their name, these items of equipment Clothing or armor can be worn; weapons, tools, or shields are wielded (in the
are used, consumed, in the course of their utilization. character’s main hand or their off-hand), ammunition or items could be slung on a
In some cases, such as ammunition and petrol, the consumables are required for the bandolier, belt, or quiver; food and other items could be stowed in a pack or sack.
operation of their matching items at all. In other cases, the consumables aid in the • Worn • Slung
operation of a thing, such as a human body, and without the consumable the vessel’s
effectiveness is progressively reduces. Finally, some consumables work like tools, the • Wielded • Stowed
assist in an attribute test but are used up in the process. • Wielded (Off-Hand)
• Food and water • Ammunition
• Petrol • Healing and medical supplies
Improvised Equipment
Rule: Equipment can be improvised from specific or mundane items, and can be
Accessories equally or less effective that the ideal item.
Rule: Accessories work in conjunction with another item. Most equipment is built for purpose, but there are situations where creative (or
desperate) players will improvise equipment, whether it’s by picking up a trashcan lid
Rule: Accessories may work in a limited capacity when used independently. and using it as a shield, crafting their own crossbow bolts out of wood, fashioning a
lock pick from a bent nail, or even creating an improvised ballista out of the leaf
Accessories are pieces of equipment that operate in concert with another piece of
springs from a truck’s suspension.
equipment, and on their own are useless (or differently useful). Some examples include:
• Crossbow lever • Under-slung grenade launcher
• Rifle scope
Clothing
Rule: Clothing can aid attribute tests.
Clothing’s pretty boring, except when it matters, such as wearing the right clothes to a
society function ” Influence (Perform) ” or enduring extreme climates without
appropriate clothes for hot or cold weather ” Stamina (Endurance). In such cases the
right clothing is worth bonus dice for these attribute tests.
Encumbrance
Optional Rule: Encumbrance can be used at the discretion of the GM and players.
Optional Rule: Encumbrance is based on the character’s Strength.
Some groups track characters’ encumbrance, others apply a simple reasonableness test,
and others ignore the whole issue entirely. If tracking encumbrance, it should be based
on the character’s Strength, and encumbered characters are Slowed.
Buying Equipment
The Equipment section does not include prices for each item. To determine the cost of
an item, compare the item’s rating to its spend cost, giving a ratio (e.g. 0, 1, 2.5, etc). For
items with special features, like variable fire modes, an additional weighting is added to
its rating. This ratio is then multiplied, such as by $1,000, to determine the item’s cost.
CONDITIONS Action Conditions
Rule: Characters can have multiple conditions simultaneously. Dazed Condition
Rule: Characters can enter and leave situational conditions at will. You are dazed.
Rule: Ongoing conditions result from attacks, and are removed with Shake It Off. • You must spend ▛ extra energy for each action or reaction (except for Shake It
Off)
Rule: Enforced conditions are instigated and ended with attribute tests. • When defending attacks against your PD, your defense pool loses ▛ (min. ▛ die)
Rule: Area conditions are location features, and are escaped by leaving the area.
Rule: Some conditions can be removed using the Shake It Off action. Stunned Condition
Conditions describe a situational effect on a character, for better or for worse. You are stunned.
Each condition has one or more mechanical effects that it imposes, and comes with • You must spend ▛▛ extra energy for each action or reaction (except for Shake
instructions for ending the condition. It Off)
Situational Conditions • When defending attacks against your PD, your defense pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛
die)
Situational conditions are straightforward; characters can get themselves into these
conditions, and get themselves out of them. Prone is such a condition. A character can
drop Prone as a minor action, and that same character can stand up by spending the
required energy.
Energy Conditions
Ongoing Conditions Enervated Condition
Your energy replenishment is reduced.
Ongoing conditions are usually imposed on a character as a result of magical spells or
martial abilities, and can be removed. These conditions are attached to a target as part • When you regain energy, you get energy equal to your two highest attributes
of a successful attack, and they remain on the target until their duration elapses or the
target removes them by successfully using the Shake It Off action.
Exhausted Condition
Enforced Conditions Your energy replenishment is further reduced.
Enforced conditions are imposed on a target by another character or a similar • When you regain energy, you get energy equal to your single highest attribute
mechanism, and the target can only escape from the condition by overcoming its
originator. For example, a character is Grappled (or Restrained) when another
character beats them with an attribute test. That target remains Grappled until they Empowered Condition
break free of the initiating character, or that character lets them go.
You are physically and mentally vigorous.
Area Conditions • When you regain energy, you gain bonus energy equal to your highest attribute
Area conditions affect a location or area. For example, areas filled with smoke, fog, or
magical darkness are obscured, and cause characters to be Blinded. Alternatively,
physical obstacles (such as quicksand) can cause a character to be Slowed when
attempting to move through them. In these examples, the conditions cannot be removed
other than by escaping their area. However, in some circumstances these conditions
can be mitigated, such as by a character holding their breath when moving through a
poisonous fog.

Movement Conditions Physical Conditions
Slowed Condition Poisoned Condition
Your movement is hampered. You are poisoned.
• For each segment of movement (5’ walk, 10’ run), you must spend ▛ extra energy • At the start of each turn you must expend ▝ energy
Immobilized Condition Incorporeal Condition

You cannot move. You are incorporeal (your body is not solid).
• You cannot intentionally move, but you can be pushed or pulled • You can move through solid objects as if you were Slowed
• When defending martial attacks, you gain ▛▛ bonus dice to your defense pool
Grappled Condition • When making melee attacks, your attack pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die)
You are partially restricted, such as by being physically held onto by another
character. Weakened Condition
• Your movement is restricted as if you were Immobilized You are physically and mentally weak.
• When making attacks, your action pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die) • Your attacks and attribute tests have 1 fewer successes (min. 1 success)
• When defending attacks against your PD, your defense pool loses ▛ (min. ▛ die)
Enfeebled Condition
Restrained Condition
You are physically and mentally drained.
You are fully restricted, such as by being heavily bound. • Your attacks deal half damage (round up)
• Your movement is restricted as if you were Immobilized • Your attribute tests have half the number of successes (round up)
• You cannot perform actions or reactions except to try to remove this condition
• When defending attacks against your PD, your defense pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛
die) Sensory Conditions
Blinded Condition
Prone Condition
You cannot see.
You are lying on the ground or similarly vulnerable. • You automatically fail Acuity (Perception) tests that rely wholly on vision
• For each 5’ of movement you must spend ▛ extra energy • When making attribute tests that include vision (including attacks), your action
• You cannot run pool loses ▛▛▛▛ (min. ▛ die)
• To get up you must spend ▛▛ energy • When defending attacks, your defense pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die)
• When making melee attacks, your action pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die)
• When defending melee attacks against your PD, your defense pool loses ▛▛ Deafened Condition
(min. ▛ die)
You cannot hear.
• When defending ranged attacks by non-adjacent targets, your defense pool gains
▛▛ bonus dice • You automatically fail Acuity (Perception) tests that rely on wholly hearing
• When making Acuity (Perception) tests that include hearing, your action pool
loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die)

Visibility Conditions
Obscured Condition
You are obscured, such as by foliage, low light, or light fog.
• When making Agility (Stealth) tests, you gain ▛ bonus die
• When defending non-area attacks, you gain ▛ bonus die to your defense pool
Faint Condition
You are heavily obscured, such as by thick brush, dim light, or heavy fog.
• When making Agility (Stealth) tests, you gain ▛▛ bonus die
• When defending non-area attacks, you gain ▛▛ bonus die to your defense pool
Invisible Condition
You are invisible.
• You can only be targeted if your attacker is aware of your location.
• When making Agility (Stealth) tests, you gain ▛▛▛ bonus dice
• When defending non-area attacks, you gain ▛▛▛ bonus dice to your defense
pool

COMBAT ENCOUNTERS Combat Basics
Rule: Combat occurs when multiple groups seek to resolve their differences
Ahmed, ‚Merciful Father, I have squandered my days with plans of many things. This through physical (or magical) force.
was not among them. But at this moment, I beg only to live the next few minutes well.
Rule: Combat continues until only one allied group prevails.
For all we ought to have thought, and have not thought; all we ought to have said, and
have not said; all we ought to have done, and have not done; I pray thee God for During combat, time is divided into rounds of around 6 seconds. The characters’ turns
forgiveness.‛ run concurrently during the round, with the character with the highest initiative having
priority at each moment. Any character can take action after the start of their first
Combat is the most mechanical area of Forge Engine games. It’s the place where there combat turn, as long as they have priority and the energy to pay for the action.
is the greatest interaction between many different aspects of the characters; including The combat proceeds in rounds until only one allied group remains.
their health, energy, equipment, attacks, defenses, movement, and reactions.
Depending on each game’s genre and the specific circumstances of the adventure, Terminology
combat takes many different forms. It could be two pugilists fighting a boxing match, a These terms are the most important for tracking combat encounters:
running gun battle in the streets of Mogadishu, a cavalry charge between a group of
• Combat Encounter: A single combat encounter, which is split into rounds.
Templar knights and their Saracen foes, a bumper to bumper road battle in a scorched
wasteland, or a bloody fight between a raiding party and a group of ferocious orcs. • Initiative: The order that characters act at the start of combat, the order of priority,
The combat mechanics of the Forge Engine provide a framework for the resolution of and the order that characters have their turn and regain energy.
dangerous confrontations, where the participants seek to overcome each through • Round: Rounds are approximately 6 seconds. All player characters, game
combat, physical, magical, or otherwise. This framework simulates (or approximates) characters, and monsters take their turns concurrently during a round.
the conditioning and skill level of the combatants, their equipment and inherent • Turn: The time in which a character can use their energy to take actions. Each
capabilities, their movement and tactical positioning, their awareness, and finally the character’s turn overlaps that of the other characters in the combat.
size of each force.
• Priority: The character with the highest initiative has priority at any moment.
Design Note: • Action: A physical action of a character, including attacks, movement, general
actions, improvised actions, and reactions.
The design of the Forge Engine’s core mechanic means that no combat is ever
impossible. That’s not to say that such a victory is not improbable, perhaps • Reaction: An action that is triggered by some external event or action and can
devastatingly so, but there’s always a chance that a weaker character’s high attack happen outside of the character’s turn or during another character’s action.
pool roll will beat their fearsome opponent’s low defense roll and conversely there is
always a chance that that opponent’s many attack dice will not beat the weaker Order of Action
character’s lucky defense roll. This also means that combat in Forge Engine is also The high-level order of combat encounters is:
swift, and tends to stay swift with higher energy characters. • Determine Surprise
So be prepared.
• Roll for Initiative
• Establish Positions
• Normal Rounds
• Combat Resolution

Combat Initiation Initiative
Rule: All characters take an Agility (Initiative) test to determine initiative.
Surprise
Rule: Characters have priority and regain energy in initiative order.
Rule: Surprise is determined if one group of combatants could be caught unaware
by another. Initiative is determined by each character rolling an Agility (Initiative) attribute test.
Their highest single die is their position in the initiative order. If there are ties, then
Rule: Characters who fail an Acuity (Perception) test to spot or react to concealed count back to their second highest die, and so on. If any of the characters are
or unexpected attackers are surprised. surprised, then they are dropped down the initiative order to after their opponents.
Rule: Characters who are surprised are dropped down the initiative order behind Once combat begins, each character acts, regains energy, and has priority in order of
other characters. highest initiative to lowest initiative.
Rule: Characters who are surprised may have their starting energy reduced.
Rule: Characters who are surprised cannot take reactions until their first turn.
Often in combat encounters one group of combatants will seek, or gain, advantage by
ambushing their opponents. This is referred to as ‘surprise’.
The first step is to determine whether surprise is actually required. If one group is not
aware of the other, then surprise should be resolved, with each character rolling
individually. Depending on the situation, the GM may grant one side or the other bonus
dice (or apply penalties as externalities).
If one group is actively hiding from the other, then surprise is resolved as an opposed
attribute test; Acuity (Perception) versus Agility (Stealth). For example, a group could be
walking along a path, unaware that ambushers are stealthily hiding in rocks ahead. If
the ambushers successfully hide, then the ambushed group is surprised.
Alternatively, if a prepared group comes unexpectedly upon an unprepared group, this
is also an opposed attribute test: Acuity (Perception) versus Acuity (Perception), but
with penalties or bonuses applied to one or the other of the groups depending on their
awareness or preparedness. For example, a group could be walking along a path, an in
this case they instead come upon an enemy group at rest in their camp. In this case, the
unprepared group could be surprised, but the prepared group could not.
Finally, if two groups come upon each other where they are both unprepared, then
again this is an opposed attribute test: Acuity (Perception) versus Acuity (Perception).
In this example, the group on the path round a corner and come face-to-face with an
enemy group coming the other way. Unlike the previous examples, in this case
members of either group could be surprised.
Example:
‚Julie, your ghilli-suited sniper lies prone in the undergrowth, sighting along the Establish Positions
road at the approaching vehicle. I need you to make opposed Agility (Stealth) tests
against the vehicle’s driver’s Acuity (Perception).‛ Rule: The location of all combatants must be established before combat.
Julie; ‚I’ve got ▛▛▛▛ Agility, plus ▛▛▛▛ Stealth. What about my ghilli suit?‛ Once surprise and initiative have been established, the GM and players should
GM ‚That’s ▛▛▛▛ bonus dice for the excellent camouflage.‛ determine the positions of all characters.
Julie, ‚What about being prone in the bushes?‛ If using tokens or miniatures, these are placed in position on the grid, hex map or tiles.
If playing with purely descriptive combat (as opposed to a grid or tiles), the GM must
GM ‚▛▛▛ bonus dice for being prone, and ▛▛ more dice for the thick bushes.‛ ensure the party’s marching order or formation is clearly established, and that all
Julie, ‚So my spotter’s got 17 dice. How many does the driver have?‛ players are aware of the geography of the combat area and the position of their
GM; ‚He’s got ▛▛▛ Acuity and ▛▛▛ Perception. But he’s concentrating on the character relative to friendly and enemy characters.
road, so he has disadvantage and his pool loses ▛▛.‛

Combat Turn Overview
Forge Engine combat runs in rounds and turns, and the energy and action/reaction
Character #1 Character #2 Character #3 Character #4
systems allow each character’s combat turn to run concurrently with those of the other
combatants. This structure is illustrated in the adjacent diagram, which shows a combat Initiative 9 Initiative 8 Initiative 3 Surprised!
involving four combatants, one of who has been surprised. Each character’s energy
Start of combat, all characters start with full energy (unless otherwise modified)
regulates their actions, so once their first initiative has passed, characters can use their
energy as they wish. Turn #1
Reactions Only
Actions and Reactions Actions Allowed
Reactions Only
When combat begins the character with the highest initiative immediately starts their Turn #1
first turn, and each other non-surprised character can only use reactions. As each No Reactions
character’s first turn begins, they can use actions as well as reactions. Characters who Actions Allowed
are surprised cannot take actions or reactions until the start of their first turn, which
Turn #1
will be at the end of the initiative order.
Actions Allowed
One Character’s Turn
Turn #1
Characters can take actions at any time during their combat turns, as long as they have
energy to pay for the action. This means that each character’s combat turn runs Actions Allowed
concurrently with the combat turns of each other character, as shown in the diagram.
In practice, this also means that a player will often declare the end of their character’s Turn #2
actions while they still have energy remaining. When the player declares the end of Regains energy
their character’s actions, the priority passes on to the character with the next highest
initiative. Any character who has passed priority can then jump back into the combat Turn #2
cycle whenever they want, as long as another character is not in the middle of an action,
Regains energy
and as long as they have energy to pay for the action they want to make.
A character could conceivably use all of their energy before any other characters get a Turn #2
chance to take any actions at all. This strategy is high risk, as it leaves that character
Regains energy
totally exposed, relying only on their base defenses until they next regain energy.
Turn #2
Energy and Turns
Regains energy
Characters usually start combat with full energy, and then they first regain energy at the
start of their second turn and then at the start of each subsequent turn. In some cases, Turn #3
characters might start combat with more or less energy than normal, whether it is
through a condition or effect, a magical bonus or penalty, a trained skill, or a simply Regains energy
through some circumstance of play. Turn #3
While it might seem that characters should regain energy at the start of their first turn,
this would allow characters who are lower in the initiative order to double-dip their Regains energy
energy by using all of their energy on reactions before the start of their first turn, Turn #3
knowing that their energy will refill when their first turn comes around.
Regains energy
Ultimately, the Forge Engine combat system means that the energy levels of the
combatants rise and fall dynamically throughout the combat. Turn #3
Regains energy
Turn #4 (etc)
Regains energy ↓ (cont.) ↓ (cont.)

Combat Rounds and Turns Taking Turns
Each character’s turn is divided into discrete phases:
Rounds • Start of turn
Rule: Characters set out their starting energy at the start of combat. • Actions
Rule: Combat is divided into rounds. • End of turn
Rule: During each round, each character’s turn runs concurrently. Start of Turn
Rule: Rounds continue until combat is resolved. The start of each turn is dedicated to housekeeping tasks:
Each round encompasses the turns of each individual character, starting with the • Remove effects ending at start of turn
character with the highest initiative, and proceeding through the subsequent characters. • Ongoing healing/damage: Adjust health for ongoing healing or damage
All characters set out their starting energy at the start of the first round, and then from
the second round characters regain their energy on their turn during the round. • Dying: Reduce health for dying characters
Rounds then continue until the combat has resolved, either through the defeat of all but • Other effects: Apply regeneration or other effects
one group or the flight and escape of all opposition.
• Regain energy (from their second round)
Turns Actions
Rule: Characters have priority to take actions in initiative order. Each turn, characters use their energy to take actions:
Rule: Characters can use reactions during another character’s actions. • Attack actions
Rule: From the second round, characters regain energy at the start of their turn. • General actions
Rule: Characters pass priority when they have finished taking actions. • Movement
• Improvised actions
Rule: Characters can take actions at any time after their first turn, but not during
the resolution of another character’s action. End of Turn
As play proceeds down the initiative order, each character takes their turn. During the As with the start of turn, the end of turn is for updating effects:
first round of combat characters do not regain energy, as they have already set out their • Apply any effects triggering at end of turn
starting energy at the beginning of the combat encounter. At the start of each
character’s turn after the first, their energy is replenished. • Remove effects ending at end of turn
During their turn characters can take actions, including attacks, general actions, • Remove effects ending after multiple turns
movement, and improvised actions.
There is no requirement that characters spend all of their available energy immediately
after their initiative. In fact, this can leave the character unable to respond to the flow
of the battle or to use reactions during the turns of other characters.
Characters can use actions at any time after their initiative on the first round.
Characters have priority in their initiative order. Each action is carried to its
resolution, unless interrupted by an appropriately triggered reaction. Once each action
is completed by the character with priority, other players can choose to have their
characters perform an action.

Actions Reactions
Rule: Default actions are common to all characters and include attacks, general Rule: Reactions can only be used when a certain condition or event occurs, and can
actions, and movement. be used outside of a character’s turn.
Rule: Characters take actions after their initiative in the first round. Rule: Reactions can be taken before a character’s first turn, unless they are
surprised.
Rule: Characters use their energy to pay for their actions.
Rule: All characters have default reactions, Dodge and Attribute Test (Reaction).
Rule: Players can improvise actions, GMs determine the energy cost.
Rule: Skills or traits may grant characters additional reactions.
Rule: Skills or traits may grant characters additional actions.
Reactions are special types of actions that are triggered off a specific event or
Rule: Each time a character’s action resolves, all characters higher in the initiative condition, such as:
order have the opportunity to take an action.
• You declare an attack
Actions are the mechanism by which characters interact with the world around them
• An adjacent ally is attacked
during combat, whether it’s to attack an enemy, to change weapons, to move through the
world, or even to leap from a balcony and swing on a chandelier. All of these are • An attack against you resolves
examples of the different types of default actions; attacks, general actions, movement, Reactions have a variety of effects, allowing triggered actions or attacks, modifying dice
and improvised actions. pools, giving opportunities to increase or decrease damage, or granting bonus energy.
Each character’s turn is their opportunity to use their available energy to complete their The default reactions are Dodge and Attribute Test (Reaction) and skills can grant
desired actions. A character might move 10’, attack an enemy with their weapon, and characters more reactions.
then move another 15’ into cover. These actions would be broken down into 10’ of
movement (costing ▛▛), followed by a melee attack (costing ▛▛▛), and then a
further 15’ of movement (costing ▛▛▛), for a total cost of eight energy.
The example given above has three discrete actions, and at the resolution of each of
those actions all other characters higher in the initiative order have the opportunity to
take an action. When multiple characters want to take an action at the same time, the
character with the highest initiative has priority, and their action is resolved first. The
cycle then repeats at the end of that action, with all higher initiative characters again
having the opportunity to take actions. As each character ‘passes’ their opportunity,
priority falls through the initiative order until a character chooses to take an action.
Players who elect for their characters to forgo their actions usually do so when they
have no energy left, or when they are saving some energy in case of a subsequent
enemy attack.
While the first three kinds of default actions (attacks, general actions, and movement)
cover most situations, sometimes characters attempt actions that don’t fall neatly into a
defined action. In these cases of improvised actions, the DM simply has to determine an
appropriate energy cost or attribute test and difficulty.
In addition to the default actions, some skills and traits offer characters additional
actions that increase their versatility and capabilities in specific situations.

Attack Actions Attribute Tests in Combat
Rule: Attack actions provide instructions for making an attack. Rule: Characters can make attribute tests in combat if the task can be completed
quickly.
Rule: Default attacks include Melee and Ranged attacks.
Rule: Attribute tests in combat require energy.
Rule: Skills and traits can grant characters additional attack actions.
As covered in the Attribute Tests section on page 24, characters can attempt attribute
Rule: Skills and traits can allow characters to make attacks as reactions. tests in combat if the task is one that can be carried out in the short timeframe of a
While attacks are covered in detail in the Attacks section on page 22, a few aspects of combat round. For example, performing an Acuity (Perception) test to look around can
these actions are covered here. be performed in a combat situation, but replacing the engine block in a ‘55 Chevy is not
possible.
First, default attack actions include:
When attempting these tests in combat, the amount of added energy represents the
• Melee attacks: A character hits their target with a physical object
effort exerted. As with normal attribute tests, if a character has a matching skill, they
• Ranged attacks: A character aims or throws a launched projectile at their target gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy (but no higher than the rating of the skill).
Furthermore, skills and traits can grant characters the ability to make other kinds of
attacks, such as by casting spells to attack. Example:
Attacks are normally made as actions, but again skills and traits can allow attacks as ‘Lightning’ Jake McCreed looses two shots from his revolver, dropping the two
reactions to specific triggers. banditos on the saloon balcony. He pauses to scan the street for further signs of
danger.
Defending McCreed has Acuity of ▛▛▛▛ and Perception of ▛▛▛▛. This is an Acuity
(Perception) attribute test, so McCreed’s player spends ▛▛ energy and gains ▛▛
Rule: Characters can augment their defenses using reactions and skills.
bonus dice from his Perception skill, giving a total pool of ▛▛▛▛.
As with attack actions, defenses are covered in detail in the Defenses section on page The player could have spent up to ▛▛▛▛ energy, which is the maximum allowed
23, but some additional information is covered here. by his Acuity, and would have gained the full ▛▛▛▛ bonus dice from his
There are two defenses ” physical and mental ” and each of these can be augmented Perception, which is rated ▛▛▛▛. This would give an action pool of
through skills, traits, equipment, and actions. ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛.
Physical defense (PD), for example, can be improved through the use of armor and
shields, by spending energy to Dodge as a reaction, creating a character with a trait that
reduces the character’s size (making them harder to hit), and by training in skills that Combat Resolution
grant benefits against specific types of attacks or in specific situations.
Rule: Combat is resolved when only one allied group remains.
Similarly, mental defense (MD) can be improved through improved attributes, training
skills that allow characters to add energy to their defense pool when defending attacks Eventually, one of the groups of combatants will prevail. Perhaps they’ll have defeated
against their MD, and equipment that bolsters their mental defense. their enemies, or maybe their opponents will have fled. Either way, combat is resolved
when the prevailing group’s opposition has been neutralized, one way or another.
Ultimately, these different elements funnel through into the character’s defense pool,
usually adding dice to the pool, but sometimes even giving the player the ability to In the event that the player’s characters are defeated, then they are at the mercy of their
interact with their defense pool in interesting ways. enemies. They could be dead, left for dead, captured, or perhaps even mercifully
released by their bettors. In these situations the result is up to the GM to determine
based on the predisposition of the opponents and the type of game that they are
running.

COMBAT ACTIONS Minor Action
You open your hand and drop your shield, then take your sword with both hands.
Action
All characters have a default set of combat actions, moves, reactions, and attacks.
Make one minor action without any energy cost. For each further minor action, you
General Actions: Attack Actions: must spend ▛. Minor actions include:
• Minor Action • Melee Attack
• Drop a weapon or shield • Drop Prone
• Attribute Test • Ranged Attack
• Use a held item or drink a potion • Draw or sheathe a weapon
• Grapple
• Sling a wielded item (shield, bow, etc) • Retrieve or pick up an item
• Shake It Off
• Reload a ranged weapon (with ▛ cost) • Open or close a normal door
Movement Actions: Reactions: • Quick attribute test (▛ cost)
• Move • Dodge
• Run • Attribute Test (Reaction)
Attribute Test Action
Players can also improvise actions that aren’t covered by these default actions.
You glance around ” as briefly as possible ” to locate the source of the incoming fire.
Add energy to your action pool up to your relevant attribute rating and gain ▛ bonus
die for each added energy, up to the rating of a relevant skill.
Grapple Action
You grab the puny human. It struggles, but soon you will feast on its flesh.
When you have a free hand, add energy to your action pool up to your Strength rating
and gain ▛ bonus die for each Athletics rating. Then make an opposed attribute test
against a target within your reach. The target defends with dice equal to their Strength
or Agility rating without spending energy. If the target chooses to spend energy to
defend (up to the rating of either their Strength or Agility), they also gain the benefit of
any relevant skills, such as Athletics or Acrobatics.
If the attribute test achieves 1 or 2 successes, the target is Grappled (they are
Immobilized, action pool loses ▛▛ for attacks (min. ▛ die), defense pool loses ▛
(min. ▛ die) when defending attacks against their PD). If the test achieves 3 or more
successes, the target is instead Restrained (they are Immobilized, can only perform
actions to remove this condition, and their defense pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die) when
defending attacks against their PD).
When you have a target Grappled or Restrained, you use one hand to maintain the
hold, you are Slowed, and the target moves with you. You can release the grapple as a
minor action. The target can use an opposed Strength (Athletics) or Agility
(Acrobatics) attribute test to escape the grapple.
Shake It Off Action

General Actions With a mighty effort you break free of the spell’s debilitating effect.
The types of general actions include Minor Action, Attribute Test, Grapple, and Shake It
Off. Minor Action is used for actions that require a small (but measurable) expenditure Add energy to your action pool make an attribute test at difficulty 8 to remove a single
of energy. Attribute Test actions are for tests in combat. Grapple shows how to ongoing condition. There is no maximum amount of energy you can spend on this
adjudicate opposed tests in combat, and can be used as a model for other contests, such attempt to remove a condition.
as shoving or tripping. Finally, Shake It Off is used to break the effects of an ongoing Shake It Off can only be used once per round (these uses reset when you regain
condition, such as when Slowed or Immobilized. energy at the start of a turn).

Attack Actions Movement Actions
Characters’ default attacks use either the Melee Attack or Ranged Attack actions. Other In the case of movement in combat, energy is channeled through character’s Move and
specialized attack actions are added through skills. Run actions to achieve the total distance that the player needs their character to move.
The character’s movement speed applies across an entire round, so characters can split
their movement around other actions.
Melee Attack Martial Attack Action
You scramble to find a weapon, your hand closes on the heavy shaft of a rusty tire
iron. As the first of the horde shambles closer, you swing down the socket, staving the Move Action
decrepit creature’s brain. Years of formwork flow as you step through the mass of enemies. You cut left, step
Attack with a melee weapon at a single target that is within your reach. step, slice right, forward again, slice upwards, and finally step clear of the falling foes.
• Spend the attack or weapon’s energy cost, and your action pool gains bonus dice Spend ▛ to move 5’. Standing from Prone is 10’ of movement (▛▛). Obstacles,
equal to the weapon’s rating. rough terrain, and moving while Prone require you to spend an extra ▛ for each 5’.
• Add additional energy to your action pool up to your Strength rating for melee
weapons (swords, spears, lances, etc) or up to your Agility rating for finesse
weapons (daggers, rapiers, etc). Unarmed melee attacks may use either your Run Action
Strength or Agility rating to determine the additional energy you can add to your You sprint through the melee, desperately hoping to avoid the flashing swords,
action pool. splashing blood, and flying limbs.
• Gain bonus dice to your action pool if you have any relevant skills. Spend ▛ to run 10’. While running, you cannot use reactions (such as Dodge) until
• Externalities are applied to the action pool. you next take an action, and you cannot run through obstacles or rough terrain.
Make a martial melee attack (action pool vs PD) at a target within your reach. The Running extends your movement speed by 5’ for each ▛ you spend running.
attack deals 1 damage for each success. The damage type depends on the weapon:
slashing, bludgeoning, or piercing.
Reactions
Ranged Attack Martial Attack Action Characters also have reactions that they can use to react to another’s action:
A strangled scream reaches you- your companion struggles to hold back another of
the creatures as it claws and bites at him. Desperate, you throw the tire iron. It Dodge Reaction
tumbles awkwardly through the air. The spinning chisel end punches through brittle You dodge aside, turning a certain fatal blow into a glancing one instead.
bone, skewering the creature’s skull against the wall.
When defending an attack against your PD by an attacker you can perceive, add
Attack with a ranged weapon at a single target that is within your weapon’s range and energy to your PD pool, up to your Agility rating.
that you have line of sight to.
• Spend the attack or weapon’s energy cost, and your action pool gains bonus dice
equal to the weapon’s rating. Attribute Test (Reaction) Reaction
• Add additional energy to your action pool up to your Agility rating for projectile The brute’s arms clinch you. Immediately, you drop down to escape the grasp.
weapons (bow, slings, crossbows, or firearms) or up to your Strength rating for
thrown weapons (spears, javelins, or grenades). When you are the target of an opposed attribute test, such as a grapple or trip, you can
defend with dice equal to your Strength or Agility rating without spending energy.
• Gain bonus dice to your action pool if you have any relevant skills.
Alternatively, if you spend energy to defend (up to the rating of your relevant
• Externalities are applied to the action pool.
attribute), you gain the benefit of any relevant skills, such as Athletics or Acrobatics.
Make a martial ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at a target within range of your
ranged weapon. The attack deals 1 damage for each success. The damage type
depends on the weapon: bludgeoning or piercing.

• Critical Fail: An attack or attribute test roll that is unsuccessful (none of the dice
GLOSSARY are equal or higher than the highest die rolled in the defense pool or the difficult
target) and where at least half of the dice roll 1s.
• Action: Actions include attacks, minor actions, reactions, movement, and attribute • Damage: Physical or mental trauma that is deducted from the target’s health.
tests. • Day: The period of time between long rests, usually starting at dawn.
• Action Pool: The group of dice built for an attack, magic spell or attribute test. • Dealer: The character that has made the attack.
• Add: Move dice to an energy pool to an action or defense pool. • Defense: The specific defense being targeted (PD or MD).
• Adjacent (two targets): Standing within 5’ of each other. • Defense Pool: The group of 10-sided dice built to roll in defense of an attack.
• Adjacent (three or more targets): Without gaps between the targets (i.e. an unbroken • Defenses: Both of the character’s defenses (PD, MD).
line can be traced between all of the targets). • Distribute: To allocate dice to one or more targets, not necessarily evenly.
• Adventure: A series of encounters that are linked together into a continuous story. • Effect: A condition or spell effect.
• Ally/Allies: Allies are the other creatures, adventurers or game characters who fight • Encounter: A single challenge in the game; combat, trap, adversarial game
on the same side as the character (but not the character itself). character, puzzle, or non-trivial attribute test.
• Arc (90˚): Effect area, which extends from the character out to the radius or range, • End of Turn: A character’s end of turn occurs when the player declares an end of
but its angle is constrained to 90˚. all of their actions. This triggers any end of turn effects, and is immediately
• Arc (180˚): Effect area, which extends from the character out to the radius or range, followed by their next Start of Turn, where they regain energy.
but its angle is constrained to 180˚. • Energy: Each character’s capacity for action.
• Assign: To allocate dice to a single target. • Energy Pool: The character’s pool of energy, from which they draw to perform
• Attack: A melee, ranged, thrown, or magic attack action. actions and reactions.
• Attacker: The character that has made the attack. • Enemy/Enemies: Monsters, adversaries, creatures, adventurers, villains, or game
• Attribute Test: An attribute test, including the relevant attribute and difficulty. characters who fight in opposition to the character.
• Aura: Ongoing radial effect area that is centered on a character. A character can • Engaged: A character is engaged if they within the reach of an enemy other than the
only have one active aura. attacker and that enemy can take actions.
• Aware Of: Your senses are able to clearly perceive an object or character. • Equipment: Equipment grants extra abilities or extra advantages in specific
situations.
• Bloodied: When a character’s current health is at or below half its maximum health.
• Expend: Set aside energy from an energy pool to activate an action or reaction.
• Bludgeoning: A type of damage caused by a weapon or projectile that causes blunt- This energy is not recovered until rest.
force trauma to a target.
• Externalities: Situational advantages and disadvantages that affect attack and
• Bonus: Any modifier that adds dice to a pool. defense pools by increasing or decreasing the dice pool.
• Caster: The character who is using the spell. • Gain: Bonus dice from skills, equipment, and externalities are ‘gained’ to an action
• Character: Any entity, including all player characters and game characters. or defense pool.
• Combat Encounter: A single combat engagement. • Game Character: Allies, enemies, and bystanders who inhabit the game world and
are controlled by the GM.
• Combatant: Anyone in the combat, including allies, enemies, and unaligned.
• Game Master (GM): The game master, responsible for running the game, narrative
• Condition: Adverse or beneficial effects that impose penalties or advantages on
scenes, challenging the players.
characters.
• Health: The character’s ability to absorb physical and mental trauma.
• Contiguous: Without gaps between the targets (i.e. an unbroken line can be traced
between all of the targets). • Healing: Special skills, equipment, and rest can recover a character’s lost health.
• Cover: A target has cover if there is an obstacle between them and their attacker but • Hit: An attack roll that is successful (at least one of its dice is equal or higher than
line of sight is not totally obstructed (such as by a solid wall). Cover grants bonus the highest die rolled in the target’s defense pool).
dice to the target’s defense pool. • Initiative: The order that player characters act in each round and have priority for
• Creature: Another term for a character, usually refers to a non-human character. their actions, from highest to lowest.
• Line of Sight: Ranged and magic attacks require the attacker to be able to see their
target. If the target is partially obstructed, they may have cover.

• Long Rest: A long rest that recovers all health and expended energy. • Rest: Short and long rests allow characters to recover health and expended energy.
• Magic: Meta-physical abilities that require a trait and a trained skill. • Round: 5-10 seconds. All player characters, game characters and monsters have a
• Martial: Physical skills and actions. turn during a round.
• Melee: Hand-to-hand combat, and the type of weapons designed for such combat. • Self: The character casting the spell.
• Melee Range: Within the melee range of the character’s weapon. • Short Rest: A short rest that recovers some health and expended energy.
• Miss: An attack roll that is unsuccessful (none of the attacker’s dice are equal or • Slashing: A type of damage caused by a weapon or projectile that cuts laterally
higher than the highest die rolled in the defense pool). across a target.
• Monster: Another term for a character, usually a non-human character. • Slung: The character’s easily accessible equipment.
• Obstacle: Terrain features that hinder movement and may provide cover. • Spend: Use dice from an energy pool to utilize equipment or instigate an action.
• Off-Hand: Character’s secondary hand, used for shield, two-handed weapons, • Split: To evenly share dice among multiple targets.
alternate weapons, or equipment. • Start of Turn: A character’s start of turn occurs at the start of combat and
• Once Per Turn: Actions that can be used once per turn reset at the start of the immediately after the player declares their end of turn during combat. This triggers
character’s turn. any start of turn effects, including regaining energy.
• Other: Anyone except for the character using the power or spell. • Success: An attribute test roll that is successful (one or more of its dice is equal or
higher than the test’s difficulty or the highest die rolled in the target’s defense
• Origin: The starting location of an action or effect. If using a grid, this is the centre pool).
of a 5’x5’ square.
• Target: A valid target, such as a location, a physical object, or a character.
• Overlap: Character’s line of sight must pass through the closest target and all
subsequent targets. • Target(s): The target or targets of an attack or magic spell. Usually allies or
enemies, but creative players might try to target non-combatants or inanimate
• Penalty: Any externality that decreases the number of dice in a pool. objects (GM discretion applies here).
• Perceive: The character can see, hear, or otherwise clearly sense (such as with • Touch: A target close enough to be touched (usually within 5’).
blindsight or tremor-sense) their target.
• Turn: The time between character’s initiative in each round and their initiative on
• Piercing: A type of damage caused by a weapon or projectile that can enter and the following round.
pass through the body of a target.
• Unaware: The target is not aware of the position of the character, such as through
• Player Character: A character in the game that is controlled by a player. invisibility or stealth.
• Pool: The group of 10-sided dice built for an action or defense. • Undead: Character’s with the trait ‘Undead’.
• Position: The area occupied by a character. • Wield: The character’s currently held weapon or equipment.
• Prone: The character is lying on the ground (or otherwise vulnerable). • Wield (off-hand): Equipment held in the character’s non-dominant hand.
• Pull: Target is moved in a straight line toward the originating character (including • Worn: A piece of clothing or equipment (other than armor) currently worn by the
diagonally if using a grid). character.
• Push: Target is moved in a straight line away from the originating character • You: The character who is using the action or reaction.
(including diagonally if using a grid).
• Radius: Area of a spell’s effect, counted in 5’ increments from the caster, but not
including the spell’s origin. Thus, a 5’ radius spell has a diameter of 15’.
• Range: The distance at which a spell can reach a target or where the effect area can
be centered.
• Ranged: Projectile combat, and the type of weapons designed for such combat.
• Ranged Weapon Range: Within the furthest range increment of the character’s
ranged weapon (penalties may apply).
• Reach: The distance that characters can touch or attack a target with a melee attack.
• Recover: Remove damage or expended energy to increase your current health or
energy pool.
• Regain (Energy): Replenish the energy in your energy pool.

GAME CONTENT

TRAITS
The traits divided into multiple categories. The first categories cover the standard traits
required for all characters:
• Species traits
• Size traits
Following those are further trait categories covering characters’ other inherent aspects:
• Attribute traits • Movement traits
• Damage traits • Physical traits
• Magic traits • Sensory traits
• Mental traits
Species Trait - Default

Human Trait: 0 CP
You are a human. You have this trait:
• Medium
Additionally, you have one of these traits (select one during character creation):
• Muscular • Sensitive
• Lithe • Incisive
• Vigorous • Astute

Species Traits – Fantasy
Dwarf Trait: 0 CP
You are a dwarf. You have these traits:
• Small
• Sturdy • Dark Vision
Elf Trait: 0 CP
You are an elf. You have these traits:
• Medium
• Lean • Dark Vision • Acute Vision
Halfling Trait: 0 CP
You are a halfling. You have these traits:
• Small
• Lithe
Half-Elf Trait: 0 CP
You are a half-elf. You have these traits:
• Medium
• Lean • Lithe • Low-Light Vision
Orc Trait: 0 CP
Half-Orc Trait: 0 CP You are an orc. You have these traits:
You are a half-orc. You have these traits: • Large
• Medium • Dark Vision • Uncoordinated
• Sturdy • Uncoordinated • Low-Light Vision Additionally, you have one of these traits (select one during character creation):
• Insensitive • Obtuse • Dull
Lizard-Kin Trait: 0 CP
You are a lizard-kin. You have these traits: Tengu Trait: 0 CP
• Medium You are a tengu. You have these traits:
• Hide • Tail • Uncoordinated • Obtuse • Medium
• Lean • Obtuse • Flyer

Species Traits – Sci-Fi
Kurgian Trait: 0 CP
Android Trait: 0 CP
You are a kurgian (humanoid warrior alien species). You have these traits:
You are an android (artificial human). You have these traits: • Medium
• Medium
• Muscular • Sturdy
• Insensitive • Incisive • Sturdy
Additionally, you have two of these traits (select two during character creation):
Bot Trait: 0 CP
You are a bot (small hoverdroid). You have these traits:
Pandian Trait: 0 CP
• Tiny
You are a pandian (humanoid bear-like alien species). You have these traits:
• Lean • Feeble • Repulsor
• Large
• Insensitive • Dull • Hide
Cyborg Trait: 0 CP
You are a cyborg (human/robot hybrid). You have these traits:
Robot Trait: 0 CP
• Medium
You are a robot (humanoid electronic/mechanical construct). You have these traits:
• Carapace
• Medium
You have one of these traits (select one during character creation):
• Uncoordinated • Insensitive • Hide
• Lean • Uncoordinated • Feeble
• Heat-Vision
And you have one of these traits (select one during character creation):
Titanian Trait: 0 CP
You are a titanian (humanoid large alien species). You have these traits:
Felinian Trait: 0 CP • Large
You are a felinian (humanoid cat-like alien species). You have these traits: • Uncoordinated
• Medium
• Lean • Lithe • Claws Vulusian Trait: 0 CP
You are a vulusian (humanoid analytical alien species). You have these traits:
Insectoid Trait: 0 CP • Medium
You are an insectoid (humanoid insect-like alien species). You have these traits: • Astute
• Medium
• Carapace • Scrawny • Dull
Xin Trait: 0 CP
You are a xin (sentient energy field alien species). You have these traits:
• Tiny
• Lean • Feeble • Obtuse
• Particulate

Size Traits
Fine Trait: 6 CP
Large Trait: 4 CP
You are 7-10’ tall (2.1-3m).
You are 6-12‛ tall (15-30cm).
Your maximum health is 5 plus twice your Stamina rating. Your movement speed is
Your maximum health is 1 plus your Stamina rating. Your movement speed is 20’. 30’. Your reach is 5’.
Your reach is 5’.
You gain ▛ bonus die to Strength-based actions and attacks.
You gain ▛▛▛ bonus dice to your PD when defending physical non-area attacks
and to Agility (Stealth) tests. However, your Strength and Stamina ratings cannot be
higher than ▛▛. Armor adds a maximum of ▛ to your PD.
Huge Trait: 8 CP
You are 10-20’ tall (3-6m).
Diminutive Trait: 4 CP Your maximum health is 10 plus twice your Stamina rating. Your movement speed is
You are 1-2’ tall (30-60cm). 35’. Your reach is 10’. You occupy a 10x10’ space.
Your maximum health is 2 plus your Stamina rating. Your movement speed is 20’. You gain ▛▛ bonus dice to Strength-based actions and attacks.
Your reach is 5’. When you take a short rest, you recover health equal to 5 + your Stamina rating.
You gain ▛▛ bonus dice to your PD when defending physical non-area attacks and
to Agility (Stealth) tests. However, your Strength and Stamina ratings cannot be higher
than ▛▛▛. Armor adds a maximum of ▛▛ to your PD. Gargantuan Trait: 12 CP
You are 20-30’ tall (6-9m).
Tiny Trait: 2 CP
40’. Your reach is 10’. You occupy a 10x10’ space.
You are 2-3’ tall (60-90cm). You gain ▛▛▛ bonus dice to Strength-based actions and attacks.
Your maximum health is 3 plus your Stamina rating. Your movement speed is 25’. When you take a short rest, you recover health equal to 10 + your Stamina rating.
Your reach is 5’.
You gain ▛ bonus dice to your PD when defending physical non-area attacks and to
Agility (Stealth) tests. However, your Strength and Stamina ratings cannot be higher Colossal Trait: 16 CP
than ▛▛▛▛. Armor adds a maximum of ▛▛▛ to your PD.
You are 30-50’ tall (9-15m).
Your maximum health is 20 plus three times your Stamina rating. Your movement
Small Trait: 0 CP speed is 45’. Your reach is 15’. You occupy a 15x15’ space.
You gain ▛▛▛▛ bonus dice to Strength-based actions and attacks.
You are 3-5’ tall (90cm-1.5m).
When you take a short rest, you recover health equal to 10 + twice your Stamina
rating.
25’. Your reach is 5’.
You gain ▛ bonus dice to Agility (Stealth) tests.
Titanic Trait: 20 CP
Medium Trait: Default You are 50-100’ tall (15-30m).

Your maximum health is 30 plus four times your Stamina rating. Your movement
You are 5-7’ tall (1.5-2.1m).
speed is 50’. Your reach is 15’. You occupy a 20x20’ space.
You gain ▛▛▛▛▛ bonus dice to Strength-based actions and attacks.
30’. Your reach is 5’.
When you take a short rest, you recover health equal to 15 + twice your Stamina
rating.

Attribute Traits
Strength Influence
Muscular Trait: 3 CP Sensitive Trait: 3 CP
You gain muscle quickly. You are very sensitive

The CP cost of each Strength rating improvement is reduced by 1. The CP cost of each Influence rating improvement is reduced by 1.
Lean Trait: -1 CP Insensitive Trait: -1 CP
You gain muscle slowly. You are insensitive.

The CP cost of each Strength rating improvement is increased by 1. The CP cost of each Influence rating improvement is increased by 1.
Agility Intelligence
Lithe Trait: 3 CP Astute Trait: 3 CP
You are flexible. You are a fast learner.

The CP cost of each Agility rating improvement is reduced by 1. The CP cost of each Intelligence rating improvement is reduced by 1.
Uncoordinated Trait: -1 CP Obtuse Trait: -1 CP
You are uncoordinated. You are a slow learner.

The CP cost of each Agility rating improvement is increased by 1. The CP cost of each Intelligence rating improvement is increased by 1.
Stamina Acuity
Vigorous Trait: 3 CP Incisive Trait: 3 CP
You are physically fit. You are attuned to the world around you.
The CP cost of each Stamina rating improvement is reduced by 1. The CP cost of each Acuity rating improvement is reduced by 1.
Feeble Trait: -1 CP Dull Trait: -1 CP
You are physically unfit. You are not well attuned to the world around you.
The CP cost of each Stamina rating improvement is increased by 1. The CP cost of each Acuity rating improvement is increased by 1.

Damage Traits
Damage Resistance Damage Immunity
Acid Resistant Trait: 4 CP Acid Proof Trait: 10 CP
You are unusually resistant to acid damage. You are completely immune to acid damage.
You take half damage from acid (round up). You take no damage from acid.
Bludgeoning Resistant Trait: 4 CP Bludgeoning Proof Trait: 10 CP
You are unusually resistant to bludgeoning damage. You are completely immune to bludgeoning damage.
You take half damage from bludgeoning (round up). You take no damage from bludgeoning.
Cold Resistant Trait: 4 CP Cold Proof Trait: 10 CP
You are unusually resistant to cold damage. You are completely immune to cold damage.
You take half damage from cold (round up). You take no damage from cold.
Fire Resistant Trait: 4 CP Fire Proof Trait: 10 CP
You are unusually resistant to fire damage. You are completely immune to fire damage.
You take half damage from fire (round up). You take no damage from fire.
Piercing Resistant Trait: 4 CP Piercing Proof Trait: 10 CP
You are unusually resistant to piercing damage. You are completely immune to piercing damage.
You take half damage from piercing (round up). You take no damage from piercing.
Poison Resistant Trait: 4 CP Poison Proof Trait: 10 CP
You are unusually resistant to poison damage. You are completely immune to poison damage.
You take half damage from poison (round up). You take no damage from poison.
Shock Resistant Trait: 4 CP Shock Proof Trait: 10 CP
You are unusually resistant to electricity damage. You are completely immune to electricity damage.
You take half damage from electricity (round up). You take no damage from electricity.
Slashing Resistant Trait: 4 CP Slashing Proof Trait: 10 CP
You are unusually resistant to slashing damage. You are completely immune to slashing damage.
You take half damage from slashing (round up). You take no damage from slashing.

Magic Traits Mental Traits
These traits each represent a school of magic, and give access to magic skills of that These mental traits each represent an inherent aspect of the character’s three mental
school as well as cantrip magic skills. attributes. Note, mental traits are separate from the sensory traits, and magic traits and
skills.
Anima Caster Trait: 2 CP
You are an animist who can train Animist Magic and Cantrip Magic skills.
Eidetic Memory Trait: 2 CP
You must have a free hand to use a magic skill. You can recall and visualize small details from memory.
You gain ▛▛ bonus dice when making Intelligence tests where this trait is beneficial.
Arcane Caster Trait: 2 CP

You are an arcanist who can train Arcanist Magic and Cantrip Magic skills.
Empathic Trait: 5 CP
You must have a free hand to use a magic skill. You are sensitive to the thoughts and intentions of sentient characters within 30’.
You gain ▛▛ bonus dice to Acuity (Perception) or Acuity (Insight) tests where this
trait is beneficial.
Divine Caster Trait: 2 CP
You are a divinist who can train Divine Magic and Cantrip Magic skills. Hive-Mind Trait: -1 CP
You must have a free hand to use a magic skill.
You have collective consciousness.
Your Intelligence rating cannot be higher than ▛. You can connect to other Hive-
Mystical Caster Trait: 2 CP Mind consciousnesses that are within 10’ of you. When making attribute tests based
on Intelligence, your Intelligence rating is effectively ▛ higher for each other
You are a mystic who can train Mystical Magic and Cantrip Magic skills. consciousness that you are connected to.
Telepathy Trait: 5 CP
Necromancy Caster Trait: 2 CP
You can communicate telepathically with other sentient characters within 30’.
You are a necromancer who can train Necromancy Magic and Cantrip Magic skills. You must share a language to communicate, the target must be willing, and you must
You must have a free hand to use a magic skill. have made physical contact with the target before attempting telepathic
communication.
Pyromancy Caster Trait: 2 CP

You are a pyromancer who can train Pyromancy Magic and Cantrip Magic skills.
Summoner Caster Trait: 2 CP

You are a summoner who can train Summoning Magic and Cantrip Magic skills.
Telekinesis Caster Trait: 2 CP

You are a telekineticist who can train Telekinesis Magic and Cantrip Magic skills.

Movement Traits Physical Traits
These traits reflect ways of moving other than bipedal locomotion. These traits represent the character’s physical aspects that are not covered by the
standard physical attributes (Strength, Stamina, and Agility).
Climber Trait: 3 CP
You can climb. Ambidextrous Trait: 2 CP
You can climb vertical and overhanging surfaces using your normal Move and Run You are able to use your left and right hands equally well.
actions at your normal movement speed. You can ignore any penalties that apply when using equipment in your off-hand.
Flyer Trait: 7 CP Bite Trait: 3 CP

You can fly. You have sharp teeth.
Your movement speed becomes flying speed. When flying, you can spend ▛▛ You do not need arms to make an unarmed melee attack. You can make an unarmed
energy to gain 5’, of altitude or ▛ energy to hover. Each turn you are above the melee attack with your bite for ▛▛/▛.
ground and do not hover or gain height, you fall. When falling, you lose 5’ of altitude
in the first round, then 10’, then 15’, etc.
Carapace Trait: 7 CP
Jumper Trait: 3 CP You have hard keratin scales, an armored shell, or a carapace.
You can leap long distances. You gain ▛▛ to your PD. When you wear armor with a rating equal or lower than the
PD benefit of this trait, the armor instead grants ▛ to your PD. When you wear armor
Spend ▛ energy for each 5’ you jump. You can jump 5’ for each Strength rating. with a rating higher than the PD benefit of this trait, the armor grants ▛ fewer dice.
Phaser Trait: 10 CP Claws Trait: 2 CP

You can teleport. You have claws or talons growing from your hands.
Spend ▛ energy for each 5’ to teleport to a location you can see and your path is You can make an unarmed melee attack with your claws for ▛▛/▛▛.
unobstructed.
Exoskeleton Trait: 12 CP
Quadruped Trait: 3 CP
You have a hard armor exoskeleton.
You move on four legs.
You gain ▛▛▛ to your PD. When you wear armor with a rating equal or lower than
You can traverse rough terrain without penalty. the PD benefit of this trait, the armor instead grants ▛ to your PD. When you wear
armor with a rating higher than the PD benefit of this trait, the armor grants ▛ fewer
dice.
Repulsor Trait: 5 CP
You hover above the ground.
You can hover above rough terrain without penalty.
Hide Trait: 3 CP
You have hardened skin, protective plates, resistant scales, or thick hide.
You gain ▛ to your PD. When you wear armor with a rating higher than the PD
benefit of this trait, the armor grants ▛ fewer dice.
Horns Trait: 0 CP
You have horns, tusks, or bone ridges growing from your head.

Particulate Trait: 8 CP
You are made of tiny discrete particles (energy, magic, plasma, ether, nano-bots,
swarms, etc).
“You can squeeze through small spaces. When defending non-area martial attacks, you
gain ▛▛ bonus dice to your PD. You cannot wear, wield, sling, or carry equipment.
Scrawny Trait: -1 CP
You are weak.
Your Stamina rating is effectively 1 less when calculating your maximum health.
Sturdy Trait: 3 CP
You are tough.
Your Stamina rating is effectively 1 more when calculating your maximum health.
Tail Trait: 4 CP
You have a tail.
You can make an unarmed melee attack with your tail for ▛▛▛/▛▛▛.
Venomous Trait: 3 CP
Your attacks can poison targets.
When you deal damage with an unarmed melee attack, the target must make a Stamina
(Resist) test at difficulty 7 or become Poisoned. If your attack deals 3 or more damage,
then the difficulty increases to 8.
Once each turn, the Poisoned character can make a Stamina (Resist) test at difficulty
10 without spending energy. If they succeed, they are no longer Poisoned.

Sensory Traits
Acute Hearing Trait: 2 CP
You can hear very well.
You gain ▛▛ bonus dice to Acuity (Perception) tests where this trait is beneficial.
Acute Smell Trait: 2 CP

You can smell very well.
Acute Taste Trait: 1 CP

You can taste very well.
Acute Vision Trait: 3 CP

You can see very well.
Dark Vision Trait: 3 CP

You can see equally well in lit, low-light, and dark conditions within 30’.
You can ignore penalties for darkness or low-light situations as long as there are no
Low-Light Vision Trait: 2 CP
sources of light (such as a lantern or bulb) nearby. You can see equally well in lit and in low-light conditions within 60’.
You can ignore penalties for low-light situations as long as there are no sources of
light (such as a lantern or bulb) nearby.
Echo-Sense Trait: 3 CP
You can use echo-location to determine location of solid objects within 30’.
Tremor-Sense Trait: 3 CP
You can detect vibrations within 30’.
Heat Vision Trait: 4 CP
You can see into the infra-red spectrum, allowing you to see heat from living
characters and residual heat on objects and surfaces within 30’.

GENERAL SKILLS
General Skill Rules
As described in the Skills section on page 17, all skills have a number of common rules
that ” for the sake of brevity ” are not duplicated in each skill description:
• You gain bonus dice equal to your attribute rating, up to the skill’s rating.
• In combat situations where energy is employed, the number of dice gained also
cannot be higher than the added energy (which, in turn, can’t be higher than the
underlying attribute).
Skills Summary
This list represents a core set of skills.
Strength: Influence:
• Athletics • Deception
• Intimidation • Leadership
• Perform
• Persuasion
• Seduction
Agility: Intelligence:
• Acrobatics • Arcane
• Crafting • Engineering
• Drive • History
• Ride • Investigation
• Stealth • Knowledge
• Thievery • Language
• Medicine
Stamina: Acuity:
• Endurance • Animal Handling
• Resist • First Aid
• Insight
• Perception
• Survival

Strength Skills Agility Skills
Athletics Skill Acrobatics Skill
You crash through the makeshift fences, splintering rotten wood and scattering You sprint through the maze of shanty buildings, following the crashing and thumping
corrugated iron. Behind you, you hear the heavy footfalls of the newcomer, and the of the native. You flick your hand at your hunting hound, and it breaks to the right.
thing with it, pursuing you. You bound over low fences, assisted by the low gravity of this dismal planet.
Gain bonus dice when making Strength (Athletics) tests to run, jump, swim, climb, or Gain bonus dice when making Agility (Acrobatics) tests to make acrobatic maneuvers
force your way through obstacles for a short period of time. Longer challenges that rely on maneuverability, avoidance, balance, and manual dexterity.
require a Stamina (Endurance) test.
Crafting Skill
Intimidation Skill
The wooden box is beautiful. The lid is inlaid with slivers of precious metals, shells,
You step toe-to-toe with the greedy slaver and loom over him… painted porcelain. The box rattles as you move it, some hidden mechanism is broken
inside. You pull down your magnifying glass and get to work to unlock its secrets.
Gain bonus dice when making Strength (Intimidation) tests to convince another
character to bend to your will through the implied threat of force. Gain bonus dice when making Agility (Crafting) tests to create or repair a craft item.
Strength (Intimidation) tests are opposed with Strength (Intimidation), or subverted
with Influence (Deception).
Drive Skill
You clamber into the tight driver’s seat of the huge M1. The controls are unfamiliar,
but you soon find the transmission and throttle controls, and get the beast moving.
Gain bonus dice when making Agility (Drive) tests to ride, drive, pilot, or fly a bike, car,
cart, boat, airplane, or similar vehicle.
Ride Skill
You run from the saloon to the wide verandah. In the distance, a train whistle shrieks.
You grab the reins of the nearest horse ” a bright-eyed palomino ” and leap onto it.
Gain bonus dice when making Agility (Ride) tests to ride an animal mount.

Stamina Skills
Stealth Skill Endurance Skill
You press up against the stone wall as the noise and vibration grows. Your lips curl The stranded explorers and indigenous fauna run, en mass, from the ravenous beast.
into a snarl. Girl’s hand touches you, reassuring, and you relax and stay quiet. Their only chance at survival is to outlast the giant worm’s appetite.
Gain bonus dice when making Agility (Stealth) tests to avoid detection. Gain bonus dice when making Stamina (Endurance) tests to undertake physical
Agility (Stealth) tests are opposed with Acuity (Perception). exertion for an extended time, such as running, swimming, or holding your breath.
For longer time periods, this also covers sleep deprivation, dehydration, or starvation.
Thievery Skill
The parlor magician gives a wide grin, his empty hands outstretched. With a flick of
his wrists, a fan of cards miraculously appears in each of his hands. Resist Skill
Gain bonus dice when making Agility (Thievery) tests to overcome mundane physical She pauses, unsteady, then slams the shot glass down onto the table with a smile.
security, palm a small item, pick a pocket, or bypass a mechanical lock.
Agility (Thievery) tests are opposed with Acuity (Perception). Gain bonus dice when making Stamina (Resist) tests to imbibe alcohol (or similar
intoxicants), survive poison, defy tear gas, or overcome illness or disease.

Influence Skills
Deception Skill Persuasion Skill
‚Of course I love you,‛ she murmured. ‚The price is the price,‛ she growls.
Gain bonus dice when making Influence (Deception) tests to lie, deceive, or alter your Gain bonus dice when making Influence (Persuasion) tests to reach an agreement with
appearance. another character, where your goals are not aligned with theirs.
Influence (Deception) tests are opposed with Acuity (Insight). Influence (Persuasion) tests can be opposed with Influence (Persuasion) or Strength
(Intimidation).
Leadership Skill
Seduction Skill
‚Today, my kin, will reveal our true selves. The spirits of our ancestors watch over us.
And if we are brave, and we fall, we will join them in the halls of Valhalla.‛ ‚Of course I love you,‛ he mumbled.
Gain bonus dice when making Influence (Leadership) tests to influence the actions of Gain bonus dice when making Influence (Seduction) tests to seduce another character.
a group of characters. Influence (Seduction) tests can be subverted with Acuity (Insight), or opposed with
Influence (Leadership) tests can be subverted with Acuity (Insight), or opposed with Influence (Perform) or Influence (Persuasion).
Influence (Persuasion) or Strength (Intimidation).
Perform Skill
A glance confirmed that her accomplices were ready, so she struck her opening chord.
Gain bonus dice when making Influence (Perform) tests to entertain, deport, or appeal
with storytelling, oratory, song, antics, dance, dress, manners, style, or acting.

Intelligence Skills
Arcane Skill History Skill
You blow the dust from the heavy book. The binding is thick, slightly pliable, maybe ‚The fortress is not well-documented,‛ he mumbles, ‚but its earliest castlelain kept a
leather. The spine creaks as you open it, revealing pages packed with dense symbols. diary, of sorts, and in it he made reference to a secret postern gate, hidden from all.‛
Gain bonus dice when making Intelligence (Arcana) tests to understand the arcane or Gain bonus dice when making Intelligence (History) tests to know the history of a
occult, to discern a magical effect, or to know the uses of magical components. particular location, people, or era.
Investigation Skill
The stolen data-cube reveals years of records. You get to work sifting through them,
searching for the proverbial needle in the haystack.
Gain bonus dice when making Intelligence (Investigation) tests to work out the
relationship between disparate pieces of information, to notice small details, or to
search a location.
Knowledge Skill
You tear open the flimsy cabinet door, and examine the bottles and other items. You
grab what you need, gloves, bleach, drain cleaner, a plastic tub.
Gain bonus dice when making Intelligence (Knowledge) tests about a specific subject.
This skill can be trained for common knowledge or multiple discrete specialties, such
as agriculture, architecture, bureaucracy, electronics, law, law enforcement,
mathematics, military strategy, science, technology, etc:
• Intelligence (Knowledge: Common)
• Intelligence (Knowledge: Law Enforcement)
• Intelligence (Knowledge: Cryptography)
Language Skill
‚Donde esta la biblioteca?‛
Gain bonus dice when making Intelligence (Language) tests to read, write, or speak in a
specific language.
This skill can be taken multiple times for separate languages:
• Intelligence (Language: Native)
Engineering Skill
• Intelligence (Language: Latin)
The enginner supervised the work, first selecting the tallest and straightest trees, then
the sawing and preparing beams, then forming and constructing the massive weapon. • Intelligence (Language: Orcish)
Gain bonus dice when making Intelligence (Engineering) tests to understand the
strengths and weaknesses of a structure and to design a robust structure. Medicine Skill
‚Bite down on this,‛ says the blood-soaked doctor, offering a stout piece of wood.
Gain bonus dice when making Intelligence (Medicine) tests to treat wounds or injuries.

Acuity Skills
Animal Handling Skill Insight Skill
The horse whines, digs clods of earth with agitated hooves. You approach cautiously, The gambler’s grip on his cards tightens. Opposite, the card sharp smirks.
holding out your hand, and speak to calm the animal. Gain bonus dice when making Acuity (Insight) tests to understand the motivations,
Gain bonus dice when making Acuity (Animal Handling) tests to control the behavior intent, emotions, and needs of another character.
of an animal. Acuity (Insight) tests are opposed with Influence (Deception).
First-Aid Skill Perception Skill

‚MEDIC!‛ In the cacophony of the bombardment, a solider leaps into the foxhole. You catch a flicker of movement deep in the shadows inside the decrepit building.
You slow, as casually as possible. Without looking, you try to confirm the threat.
Gain bonus dice when making Acuity (First-Aid) tests to treat wounds or injuries.
Gain bonus dice when making Acuity (Perception) tests to perceive the world around
you, including large details, threats, and opportunities.
Acuity (Perception) tests are opposed with Agility (Stealth).
Survival Skill
The mountaineer gazes toward the darkening horizon. ‚Weather’s coming in, best find
somewhere to bed down.‛ He scans the terrain, points off to a craggy escarpment.
Gain bonus dice when making Acuity (Survival) tests to find food, locate shelter, cover
your tracks, navigate treacherous routes, find and follow another’s trail.

MARTIAL SKILLS
Martial skills are divided into basic martial skills and specialized martial skills. Basic Armor Training Basic Martial Strength Skill (Bonus)
martial skills are fundamental weapon and equipment skills. Specialized martial skills
include alternate attacks, circumstantial bonuses, and new martial techniques.
The basic and specialized martial skills are grouped:
• Basic Martial Skills ” Historical
• Basic Martial Skills ” Modern/Sci-Fi
• Specialized Martial Skills
You thank the gods as the sword blade clangs off your sturdy armor.
When wearing armor, your Strength rating and Armor Training rating must be equal to
or higher than your armor’s rating, or you incur the penalties of your worn armor
(including additional energy costs for actions and reactions, and reduction to your
Agility rating). These penalties are detailed in the relevant equipment section.
Brawling Basic Martial Strength Skill (Bonus)
Wading through the frenzied melee, you instinctively snap your arm up to deflect an
approaching fist, then respond with a crunching right hook.
When you make an unarmed melee attack using your Strength, your action pool gains
▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Brawling rating.
Finesse Weapons Basic Martial Agility Skill (Bonus)
Basic Martial Skills – Historical

The basic martial skills include:
• Brawling • Melee Weapons • Reach Weapons
• Finesse Weapons • Ranged Weapons • Thrown Weapons
• Martial Arts Your blade flashes, darting in past the brute’s heavy axe, sneaking between the plates
of his heavy armor, and skewering some important organ.
There are also skills to utilize armor and shields to best effect:
When you make a melee attack with a finesse weapon using your Agility, your action
• Armor Training • Shield Training
pool gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Finesse Weapons rating.

Martial Arts Basic Martial Agility Skill (Bonus)
Reach Weapons Basic Martial Strength Skill (Bonus)
You thrust the pike into the roiling mass; it punctures something fleshy. You push
You slide sideways and deflect the incoming blow with a raised forearm, before forwards, forcing the weapon deeper into the mass.
responding with a knife-hand to the pugilist’s face, drawing a cascade of blood.
When you make a melee attack with a reach weapon using your Strength, your action
When you make an unarmed melee attack using your Agility, your action pool gains pool gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Reach Weapons rating.
▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Martial Arts rating.
Shield Training Basic Martial Strength Skill (Reaction)

Melee Weapons Basic Martial Strength Skill (Bonus)
The first attack glances off your shield, and you have a just moment to raise it again
before another blow strikes the cracked wood and bent metal.
You throw your shattered longsword aside and draw your back-up weapon; a short When defending an attack against your PD, you can spend energy to pay the cost of a
mace with a fearsome spiked head… shield you wield, and your PD pool gains bonus dice equal to your shield’s rating.
When you make a melee attack with a melee weapon using your Strength, your action Additionally, your PD pool gains bonus dice equal to the shield’s rating each
pool gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Melee Weapons rating. subsequent time you are attacked until the start of your next turn.
Ranged Weapons Basic Martial Agility Skill (Bonus) Thrown Weapons Basic Martial Strength Skill (Bonus)
Your hands blur as you snatch weighted daggers from the bandolier that crosses your
chest. In the space of two breaths, three of the daggers have spun flat through the air
and sunk to their hilts into the straw target.
The rider urges his mount, clods of earth spraying in the beast’s wake. You raise your When you make a ranged attack with a thrown weapon using your Strength, your
bow, pull back the string, account for the wind and the target’s speed, breathe, release. action pool gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Thrown Weapons
The arrow soars skyward, plunges down, and strikes the rider who tumbles to the dirt. rating.
Range penalties and reload costs are detailed in the equipment section.
When you make a ranged attack with a ranged weapon using your Agility, your action
pool gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Ranged Weapons rating.
Range penalties and reload costs are detailed in the equipment section.

Basic Martial Skills – Modern/Sci-Fi
Building on the historical martial skills, these modern and sci-fi martial skills reflect Heavy Weapons Basic Martial Agility Skill (Bonus)
training required to use modern firearms and futuristic energy weapons, and the
unique ways of using those weapons.
• Small guns • Long guns • Heavy weapons
Depending on the specific gun, they offer one or more fire modes:
• Single Shot • Semi-Auto • Burst Fire • Full-Auto The velocraft banks between the gravity-defying rock skylands. The pirate base comes
into view, its platforms and hangers excavated into the vertical rock-face. ‚Light ‘em
up‛ shouts the pilot. The gunner brings the heavy gun to bear, and pulls the triggers.
When you make a ranged attack with a heavy weapon using your Agility, your action
pool gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Heavy Weapons rating.
Range penalties, reload costs, and additional specific costs and bonuses (such as
weapon fire modes), are detailed in the equipment section.
Long Guns Basic Martial Agility Skill (Bonus)
The clatter of the distant gunfire is immediately recognizable. You swivel your rifle,
sighting through the scope as its aim passes mud-daub buildings and shanties.
When you make a ranged attack with a long gun using your Agility, your action pool
gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Long Guns rating.
Small Guns Basic Martial Agility Skill (Bonus)
You spin around, unholstering your sidearm, and squeeze off three quick shots, each
of which finds its mark on your would-be ambusher.
When you make a ranged attack with a small gun using your Agility, your action pool
gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Small Guns rating.

Specialized Martial Skills
Aggravated Strike Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus) Bodyguard’s Stance Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
Your blade cuts through the air uselessly as the vile apparition becomes incoherent Standing in the midst of your allies, you grunt warnings, and shove them from the path
for a single moment. You snarl, then redouble your effort to attack again. of incoming attacks.
Your attack strengthens when you attack a target you missed with your last attack. You automatically assist adjacent allies who are the target of melee attacks.
When you miss an enemy with a martial attack that only targets that enemy, your next You can activate Bodyguard’s Stance as a minor action.
martial attack against that enemy gains ▛ bonus die. Each consecutive time that you
While the stance is active, when an enemy attacks an adjacent ally’s PD, that ally gains
miss that enemy, you gain an additional bonus die, up to your Aggravated Strike
▛ bonus die to their PD pool. This reaction triggers once per round for each
rating.
Bodyguard’s Stance rating (these uses reset when you regain energy at the start of a
turn). While in this stance, you cannot gain the benefits of other specialized martial
skills.
You can deactivate this stance as a minor action, and the stance deactivates if you
leave combat, fall unconscious, or are otherwise unable to perform actions.
Bodyguard’s Ward Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)

The snap of the bowstring catches your eye. The arrow streaks toward Morton, who
stands flatfooted. You grab him and pull him from the path of the missile.
You can help adjacent allies to defend against attacks.
When an adjacent ally is the target of an attack that does not include you in its targets,
you can use a reaction that would add dice to your PD pool (such as Dodge or Shield
Training) to instead assign those dice to the PD pool of that adjacent ally. You can
assign ▛ die for each Bodyguard’s Ward rating.
Brace Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)

You see the incoming axe and brace yourself, lessening its impact.
You can use your Strength to add energy to your PD instead of your Agility.
When using your Dodge action, you can use your Strength instead of your Agility to
determine how much energy you can add, up to your Brace rating.
Charging Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)

You raise your axe, let loose the battlecry of your clan, and charge into battle.
You charge at your target to strengthen your attack.
When you start your turn without an adjacent enemy, you can run in a straight line
(paying the normal costs associated with this action) and then make a melee attack.
The attack gains ▛ bonus die for each 5’ you have run, up to your Charging Attack
rating.

Cleaving Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Debilitating Blow Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)
The curved blade slices through the decrepit flesh of the first shambler, then As the blow lands, you force it deeper, sending your quarry staggering backwards.
continues its arcing sweep to bite into the second grasping horror.
When you hit an enemy with a melee attack, you can force the target to expend energy.
Your melee attack carries through to strike another enemy. When you damage a target with a melee attack, you can spend energy, and for each
When a melee attack you make resolves, you can immediately make a melee attack ▛▛ you spend, the target expends ▝. You can force the target to expend energy
using the same weapon against another target within your reach. This second attack equal to the damage that was dealt, up to your Debilitating Blow rating. The target can
uses ▛ die for each energy added to the first attack, up to your Cleaving Attack rating. expend spent energy instead of energy from their energy pool.
Defensive Stance Specialized Martial Skill (Action)

You set yourself against the attacks, hoping to ride out the fusillade.
You automatically defend attacks against your PD.
You can activate Defensive Stance as a minor action.
While the stance is active, when an enemy attacks your PD, you gain ▛ bonus die to
your PD pool. This bonus triggers once per round for each Defensive Stance rating
(these uses reset when you regain energy at the start of a turn). While in this stance,
you cannot gain the benefits of other specialized martial skills.
leave combat, fall unconscious, or are otherwise unable to perform actions.
Deft Movement Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)

You burst from cover, and veer left and right to dodge the rain of burning debris.
You can use your Dodge reaction while running.
When you are attacked while running, you can add energy to use your Dodge reaction.
You can add energy equal to your Agility rating, up to your Deft Movement rating.
Disarming Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Action)

You lean forward, gripping the railing, and lean over to get a better look. Below, the
two gladiators shuffle across the blood-soaked sand. The lithe combatant, tired of
Coherent Mind Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) battering the other’s buckler, hooks his curved blade under the lip of the shield and
sends it flipping through the air.
You force out the voices before their maddening screams overwhelm your senses.
Your melee attack can disarm its target instead of dealing damage.
You can add energy to defend attacks against your mental defense.
When you declare a melee attack, you can choose to have the attack disarm the target
When defending an attack against your MD by a target you are aware of, you can add
instead of dealing damage. If the target is holding their weapon or shield with two (or
▛ energy to your MD pool for each Influence rating, up to your Coherent Mind
more) hands, then your action pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die). If the attack succeeds,
rating.
the target’s weapon or shield is thrown away 5’ for each success. The maximum
number of successes is your Disarming Attack rating.

Disengaging Step Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)
You quickly slip out of the fray, ducking under swinging metal and crashing shields.
You gain extra dice to your PD pool when moving away from enemies.
When you are the target of a melee attack while moving out of an enemy’s reach, your
PD pool gains ▛ bonus dice up to your Disengaging Step rating.
Distracting Taunt Specialized Martial Skill (Action)

Their eyes lock across the blood-soaked field. ‚Coward!‛ the accusation strikes home,
its target staggers backwards.
You can taunt enemies to deplete their energy.
Add energy to your action pool up to your Influence rating, and you then gain bonus
dice equal to your Distracting Taunt rating. You can then use these dice to make an
attack against the MD of a target within 50’. If you achieve 1 or 2 successes, the target
is Enervated (they only regain energy equal to their two highest attributes). If you
achieve 3 or more successes, the target is Exhausted (they only regain energy equal to
their single highest attribute). The target must use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
Dual Wield Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)

Engaged Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)
The battle-scarred weapon mistress holds a wooden gladius in each hand. As the Distracted by the marauder’s relentless attacks, you fail to notice that another of his
volunteers approach, she attacks quickly, striking separate targets with each sword. band has circled behind you, leaving you vulnerable to his opportunistic attack.
You attack with a second martial weapon each time you make a martial attack.
You gain extra dice to your martial attacks when your target is distracted.
When you are wielding two martial weapons that can be used with one hand, and the
When you make a martial attack at a target that is within the reach of an ally of yours
energy cost of the weapon in your off-hand is equal to or lower than the energy cost
and that ally can take actions, your action pool gains ▛ bonus die for each added
of your main hand weapon, you can make a dual attack. When you make a normal
energy, up to your Engaged Attack rating.
martial attack with your main hand weapon, you can then immediately make a second
attack with your off-hand weapon, and the cost of this second attack is reduced by the
energy cost of the main hand attack, up to your Dual Wield Attack rating. The energy
cost of this second attack cannot be reduced to less than ▛. Enraged Attacker Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
Additionally, dual attacks made with weapons wielded in your off-hand do not suffer The berserker wades into the fray, slashing left and right, sending gouts of blood and
normal penalties associated with off-hand attacks. viscera spraying. The warrior shakes off a multitude of wounds in his crazed state.
You enter a ferocious rage that strengthens your attacks.
Empty Vessel Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) You can activate Enraged Attacker as a minor action.
While enraged, when you make a physical attack based on your Strength (such as
You pour your magical energy into the attack; yet he simply looks back at you with melee or thrown attacks), your action pool gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy,
calm tranquil eyes. up to your Enraged Attacker rating. While enraged, you cannot use reactions nor can
You can add energy to defend attacks against your MD. you gain the benefits of other specialized martial skills.
When defending an attack against your MD by a target you are aware of, you can add You can deactivate this state as a minor action, and the state deactivates if you fall
energy to your MD pool equal to your Acuity rating, up to your Empty Vessel rating. unconscious or are otherwise unable to perform actions. When the enraged state ends
you must immediately expend ▝▝ energy.

First Strike Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus) Killing Blow Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)
Your brutal attack catches the conquistador by surprise, to his immediate demise. Summoning last of your energy, you pour everything into a final attack.
You deal additional damage if you are the first to land an attack. You can expend energy to gain bonus dice to a melee attack.
When you are the first to deal damage in a combat encounter, the attack deals When you declare a melee attack, you can expend ▝ energy and you gain ▛ bonus
additional damage. Your attack deals 1 extra damage for each damage dealt, up to die for each Strength rating, up to your Killing Blow rating.
your First Strike rating.
Last Gasp Specialized Martial Skill (Action)

Following Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)
You stagger forward, almost spent. With your last reserves of energy, you launch a
The vandal’s shuddering blow sends you reeling backwards, and before you regain final attack.
your footing, he follows with another attack.
You can expend energy to gain bonus energy.
You follow up a martial attack with another attack against your target’s same defenses. Once per encounter, you can expend ▝ energy, and you gain bonus energy equal to
When a martial attack you make resolves, you can then immediately make a second your Stamina rating, up to your Last Gasp rating.
attack against the same rolled PD pool of the same target. The cost of this second
attack must be equal to lower than your Following Attack rating.
Last Resolve Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)
Hard To Kill Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Your blow staggers the barbarian. The blood-soaked northerner shakes off the fresh
injury and launches at you.
Exhausted, you somehow manage to land a solid blow ” surely a killing blow. Before
you can even take a breath, the cur has shaken off the blow and redoubled his attack. You can expend energy to recover health.
When you are damaged, you can expend energy up your Stamina, and also up to your
You reduce the damage of an attack that would knock you out or kill you. Last Resolve rating, and you recover 1 health for each expended energy.
The first time in each encounter that you are damaged by an attack that would reduce
your health to 0 or less, you can reduce that damage by your Stamina rating, up to
your Hard To Kill rating. Leader’s Pledge Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
You hear the voice of your liege-lord, inspiring you to action.
Initiative Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus) You can spend energy to grant bonus energy to a nearby ally.
The squint of an eye, the tightening of her hand, the subtle shift of her foot. These When an ally within 25’ can perceive you, you can spend energy equal to your
signs warn you of her dangerous intent, and prepare you for her attack. Influence, up to your Leader’s Pledge rating. That ally gains ▛ bonus energy for each
You gain bonus dice when determining initiative.
Leader’s Pledge can be used once per round for each Leader’s Pledge rating, and can
When determining initiative at the start of a combat encounter, you gain ▛ bonus only be used on a target once during a round (these uses reset when you regain
dice for Agility rating, up to your Initiative rating. energy at the start of a turn).
Iron Will Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Mounted Combat Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)
The armor-clad warrior steels himself, and the streaking arcane forces crash into him From your vantage atop your mount, you see another rider. The rider sits awkwardly,
and scatter into trailing embers. bouncing off the saddle with each gait. Sensing an easy scalp, you urge your beast on.
You can add energy to defend attacks against your MD. You can ignore the penalties of using weapons while mounted.
When defending an attack against your MD by a target you are aware of, you can add When riding a mount, you can ignore the energy and attribute penalties of mounted
energy to your MD pool equal to your Intelligence rating, up to your Iron Will rating. combat for weapons with a rating up to your Mounted Combat rating.

Nimble Defense Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus) Passing Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)
The hulking Cimmerian’s thews tighten as he dives from the serpent’s whipping tail. The Bedouin warrior slashes with his curved sword, then carries the momentum of the
attack to close on his next target.
You dodge more effectively when wearing light armor.
When you are wearing light armor or have no armor (your PD pool is ▛ or ▛▛) and You can move 5’ immediately after making a melee attack.
you spend energy to use your Dodge action, your PD pool gains ▛ bonus die for each When a melee attack you make resolves, as a reaction you can move 5’ for free. You
added energy, up to your Nimble Defense rating. can use this reaction once per round for reach Passing Attack rating (these uses reset
when you regain energy at the start of a turn).
Offensive Stance Specialized Martial Skill (Action)

Watching you carefully, your opponent crosses his blade across his body defensively.
Phalanx Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)
You instinctively switch to the high guard, maximizing your attacks. The front line warriors crouch down and interlock their massive shields.
Your martial attacks automatically gain bonus dice. You can lock shields with adjacent allies to increase your PD pool.
You can activate Offensive Stance as a minor action. When you spend energy to use a shield to increase your PD, you gain ▛ bonus die to
While the stance is active, when you make a martial attack you gain ▛ bonus die to your PD for each adjacent ally holding a shield, up to your Phalanx rating.
your action pool for each added energy, up to your Offensive Stance rating. While in
this stance, you cannot gain the benefits of other specialized martial skills.
Pinning Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
leave combat, fall unconscious, or are otherwise unable to perform actions. Each time you move, the nimble warrior cuts off your passage with a well-timed feint.
Your martial attack can Slow or Immobilize its target instead of dealing damage.
Opportunity Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) When you declare a melee or ranged attack, you can choose to have the attack hamper
the target’s movement instead of dealing damage. If you achieve 1 or 2 successes, the
As the vile creature turns to run, you instinctively strike it down. target is Slowed (they must spend ▛ extra energy for each segment of movement). If
You can make a melee attack at a target that moves out of your reach. you achieve 3 or more successes, the target is Immobilized (they cannot intentionally
move, but you can be pushed or pulled). The maximum number of successes is your
When an enemy uses an action that moves them out of your reach, you can Pinning Attack rating. The target must use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
immediately make a melee attack at that target. The attack’s energy cost is reduced by
your Opportunity Attack rating.
Precision Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
Parry Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Breathing in, out, in, out, you steady yourself for the shot…
Dripping with sweat, she tosses away her shattered shield. She stumbles back into the You can spend energy to gain bonus dice for your next martial attack.
fight, using her sword to fend off her opponent’s attacks. Spend energy up to your Precision Shot rating, your next martial attack gains ▛
You can use your wielded weapon to increase your PD pool. bonus die for each spent energy. You do not gain these bonus dice if you are the
target of an attack or if you use another action or reaction before you make the attack.
When you are wielding a melee weapon and you defend an attack against your PD by a
target you are aware of, you can spend energy equal to the weapon’s energy cost and
you gain bonus dice to your PD pool equal to the weapon’s rating, up to your Parry
rating.
Pressing Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)
The shrouded warrior slashes, driving his target into the midst of his waiting allies.
You can move your target 5’ immediately after you make a melee attack.
When a melee attack you make against a target no more than one size larger than you
resolves, as a reaction you can immediately move your target 5’ into unobstructed
space. You can use this reaction once per round for reach Pressing Attack rating
(these uses reset when you regain energy at the start of a turn).

Quick Load Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus) Repel Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)
The archery master glances at you, raises her bow, looses her first arrow. In a flash, The sarissa warriors lower their long pikes, slowing the advance of their opponents
she draws another from the quiver and launches it after the first. By the time your and preventing them from using their shorter weapons.
eyes return to her, the third arrow is away after the first two, which are still in flight.
You harass and impede enemies as they approach you.
You can quickly reload a ranged weapon. When a target moves into your reach, or a target within your reach moves closer to
When you reload a ranged weapon (such as with a bullet, bolt, arrow, round, magazine, you, you can spend energy up to your Repel rating. For each energy you spend, the
pack, or shell), the cost of loading a single piece of ammo or swapping an ammo pack target must spend an additional ▛▛ energy, or they are pushed back out of your
is reduced by ▛. If you can load multiple pieces of ammo in a single round, then this reach.
bonus can be applied once per round for each Quick Load rating (these uses reset
when you regain energy at the start of a turn).
Shadow Lurker Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)
Retaliation Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)

‚There is danger in the shadows, stay close to the light, my child.‛
Although your attack strikes hard, it seems to only embolden the towering monstrosity. You gain bonus dice when you attack a target that isn’t aware of you.
When you make a martial attack against a target that is not aware of you, your action
You gain bonus energy when you are damaged. pool gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Shadow Lurker rating.
When you are damaged by an enemy attack, you gain ▛ bonus energy for each
damage your take, up to your Retaliation rating. This bonus energy lasts until the end
of your next turn.
Reaping Blow Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)

The huge warrior wades through your allies, striking them down like a farmer reaping
wheat. With each that falls, then warrior builds momentum.
You gain bonus energy when you kill an enemy.
When you kill an enemy with a melee attack, you gain ▛ bonus energy for each
damage that you dealt, up to your Reaping Blow rating. This bonus energy lasts until
the end of your next turn.
Reflex Strike Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)

Your ally slumps down next to you under the force of an enemy’s attack; you seize the
moment to strike that enemy, while he is off-balance and overextended.
You make a melee attack at an enemy within your reach when it attacks an ally.
When an enemy within your reach resolves an attack that does include you in its
targets, you can immediately make a melee attack at that target. The attack’s cost is
reduced by your Reflex Strike rating.

Shield Bash Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
You brace yourself against their charge. As you feel the crash against your shield, you
push back, sending someone ” or something ” sprawling to the ground.
You can push an adjacent target with your shield.
When you are wielding a shield in your off-hand, you can make a melee attack at an
adjacent target. Spend ▛ and then add energy, up to your Shield Bash rating. If the
attack is successful, the target is pushed back 5’ for each success and knocked Prone
(each 5’ of movement costs ▛ extra energy, you cannot run, getting up costs ▛▛,
action pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die) when making melee attacks, PD pool loses ▛▛
(min. ▛ die) when defending melee attacks, PD pool gains ▛▛ when defending
ranged attacks by non-adjacent attackers).
Shrouding Strike Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)

The brawler ducks and weaves, sending quick jabs at your face. Strike after strike, and
your blood streams into your swollen eyes.
You gain bonus PD dice when you damage a target.
Each time you damage a target with a martial attack, you cumulatively gain ▛ die to
your PD pool when defending that target’s attacks, up to your Shrouding Strike rating.
Sidestep Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)

Your training saves you when you notice the telltale deviation of the attack, giving you
the chance to defend yourself.
You can add dice to your PD pool after the attack and defense dice had been rolled.
When you are the target of an attack against your PD and the dice have been rolled,
you can spend ▛ and then add energy to your PD pool, up to your Sidestep rating.
These additional dice are rolled immediately.
Split-Tongue Shot Specialized Martial Skill (Action)

The elf lays three arrows across his carved bow, draws the bowstring, straining the
wood, and looses the three arrows like a flock of arcing birds.
You can attack multiple targets with your ranged attack. Strikeback Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)
If you are wielding a weapon that can hold two or more pieces of ammunition (such as Their ferocious blows rain down on you. But with each blow, the strength of your
a bow or a sling), you can make a ranged attack at multiple targets that are adjacent to strike back builds.
each other. You can add one extra target for each Split-Tongue Shot rating.
You must pay the normal energy costs of the ranged attack, and you gain the benefits When you are attacked, you gain bonus dice for your next martial attack.
of the associated basic martial skill (Ranged Weapons). You then split the action pool Each time you are the target of an attack against your PD, you cumulatively gain ▛
as evenly as possible between the targets, and each pool gains ▛ bonus die for each bonus die to next martial attack, up to your Strikeback Attack rating. You do not gain
energy added to the original attack, up your Split-Tongue Shot rating. Each pool then these bonus dice if you use another action or reaction before you make the attack.
resolves against its target separately.

Stunning Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)
The metallic clang resounds across the battlefield. The armor-clad giant staggers,
clutching his head.
Your martial attack can Daze or Stun its target instead of dealing damage.
When you declare a martial attack, you can choose to have the attack hamper the
target’s actions instead of dealing damage. If you achieve 1 or 2 successes, the target
is Dazed (they must spend ▛ extra energy for each action or reaction). If you achieve
3 or more successes, the target is Stunned (they must spend ▛▛ extra energy for
each action or reaction). The maximum number of successes is your Stunning Blow
rating. The target must use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
Suck It Up Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)

Blow after blow rain on you. You raise your arms beside your head, and keep your
elbows tight to protect your sides.
You can use your Stamina to add energy to your PD instead of your Agility.
When using your Dodge action, you can use your Stamina instead of your Agility to
determine how much energy you can add, up to your Suck It Up rating.
Surprise Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)

The ronin saunters into the middle of the street, idly scratching his stubble. He pauses,
squinting, as an unkempt rabble file out of the gambling house. The ronin’s hand
drops to rest on the hilt of his katana.
You can surprise your enemies by starting an encounter without a wielded weapon.
make gains ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Surprise Attack rating.
Take The Initiative Specialized Martial Skill (Action)

You step backwards, once, twice, thrice, dodging attacks, until your back presses
against a cold stone wall. You take a moment to regroup, then push off the wall and
impose yourself back into the fight.
You can spend energy to attempt to improve your initiative.
Add energy to your action pool up to your Agility rating, and gain ▛ bonus die for
each added energy, up to your Take The Initiative rating. Roll these dice and choose to
use this roll as your initiative roll instead of your existing initiative roll. Take The
Initiative cannot be used again until you next regain energy at the start of a turn.

Trip Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus) Weakpoint Strike Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)
The second-last thing you see is the world tipping as you tumble to the ground. The The warrior’s armor deflects the blow, but a cracking sound tells a deeper story.
last thing you see is a sword-point driving towards the narrow eye-slit of your helmet. Pressing the advantage, the barbarian pounds at the armor, crunching bones beneath.
You gain bonus dice when you try to trip an adjacent target. Your attack strengthens when you attack a target you hit with your last attack.
When you attempt a Strength or Agility test to trip an adjacent target, you gain ▛ When you hit an enemy with an attack that only targets that enemy, your next attack
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Trip rating. If the attribute test is against that enemy gains ▛ bonus die. Each consecutive time that you hit that enemy,
successful, the target is knocked Prone (each 5’ of movement costs ▛ extra energy, you gain an additional bonus die, up to your Weakpoint Strike rating.
you cannot run, getting up costs ▛▛, action pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die) when
making melee attacks, PD pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die) when defending melee attacks,
PD pool gains ▛▛ when defending ranged attacks by non-adjacent attackers). Whirlwind Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
The razor-sharp blade flashes, barely disturbing the fragile flames that burn atop each
Twist The Blade Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) of the four candles. The swordswoman, blade already sheathed, nudges the table,
toppling the neatly bisected tops of each of the candles.
You duck under the great wyrm’s raking claw, and drive the point of your sword
upwards. The sword point strikes a hard scale, slides, catches, then sinks into giving You can make a melee attack at multiple targets that are adjacent to each other.
flesh. Sensing opportunity, you put your palm to the pommel and force it deeper. When there are multiple targets within your reach that are also adjacent to each other,
You can add dice to your action pool after the attack and defense dice had been rolled. you can make a melee attack at them. You can add one extra target for each Whirlwind
Attack rating.
When you make a melee attack and the dice have been rolled, you can spend ▛ and
then add energy to your action pool, up to your Twist The Blade rating. These You must pay the normal energy costs of the melee attack, and you gain the benefits of
additional dice are rolled immediately. the associated basic martial skill (such as Melee Weapons or Finesse Weapons). You
then split the action pool as evenly as possible between the targets, and each pool
gains ▛ bonus die for each energy added to the original attack, up your Whirlwind
Attack rating. Each pool then resolves against its target separately.
Unarmored Defense Specialized Martial Skill (Bonus)
The lithe duelist ducks and slips aside from the wild slashes.
Your dodge action increases your PD when not wearing armor.
When you are not wearing armor (your PD pool is ▛) and you spend energy to use
your Dodge action, your PD pool gains bonus dice equal to the added energy each
subsequent time you are attacked, up to your Unarmored Defense rating. This bonus
lasts until the start of your next turn.
Weakening Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction)

You batter and harry, trying not to injure, but to tire.
Your martial attack can Weaken or Enfeeble its target instead of dealing damage.
When you declare a melee or ranged attack, you can choose to have the attack hamper
the target’s attacks instead of dealing damage. If you achieve 1 or 2 successes, the
target is Weakened (their attacks deal 1 less damage). If you achieve 3 or more
successes, the target is Enfeebled (their attacks deal half damage). The maximum
number of successes is your Weakening Attack rating. The target must use Shake It
Off to remove the effect.

MAGIC SKILLS Cantrip Magic Skills
You must have a magic casting trait to train these skills.
The use of magic in Forge Engine games has two elements:
• Magic casting traits Detect Magic Cantrip Magic Skill (Action)
• Individual spell skills The last words of the incantation are spoken. They hang in the air, as if visible. And
To use magic, a character needs a magic casting trait from at least one of the schools of then bluish glows emanate from the ancient books that cover the desk.
magic, and then one or more skills for the individual spells they want to use.
You detect nearby magical energy.
Schools of Magic:
Expend ▝; then add energy to your action pool up to your Influence, Intelligence, or
• Animist (Acuity) Acuity rating and gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Detect Magic
• Arcane (Intelligence) rating.
• Divine (Acuity) Make an Influence/Intelligence/Acuity (Detect Magic) attribute test at difficulty 9 to
determine the source and type of any magical enchantments within 25’. If you achieve
• Mystic (Influence) 1 or 2 successes, you detect the location of magic within range. If you achieve 3 or
• Necromancy (Intelligence) more successes, you also determine the spell and its effects.
• Pyromancy (Intelligence)
• Summoner (Acuity) Light Cantrip Magic Skill (Action)
• Telekinesis (Intelligence)
In the distance, a mote flickers, and grows, and grows, and pushes back the darkness.
You create a light source on an inanimate object.
Add energy to your action pool up to your Influence, Intelligence, or Acuity rating and
gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Light rating.
Create a light source on an object that illuminates an area with a radius of 25’. The
light persists for 10 minutes for each die in your action pool.

Animist Magic Skills
You must have the Anima Casting trait to train these skills.
Armored Army Animist Magic Acuity Skill (Action)
The ragged horde begins its charge. You draw the warriors to you and chant the
Cleanse Animist Magic Acuity Skill (Action) ancient words that will harden them against the coming onslaught.
Your bodyguard staggers under a heavy blow, stunned. You mutter an incantation, You improve the PD of yourself and your allies.
and flow your power into him to shake the fog from his eyes. Expend ▝▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain
You attempt to remove ongoing conditions from yourself or an ally. ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Armored Army rating.
Add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain ▛ bonus die for Distribute the dice among yourself or allies within 25’ of you. For the next minute,
each added energy, up to your Cleanse rating. these allies gain bonus dice to their PD equal to the number of dice assigned to them.
Assign all of the dice yourself or an adjacent ally. The target immediately uses the dice
to attempt to remove an effect that can be ended with Shake It Off.
Body Hammer Animist Magic Acuity Skill (Action)
Ser Gale’s muscles bulge from the magister’s ensorcellment, He whips his great sword
Strengthened Hide Animist Magic Acuity Skill (Action) easily, testing its weight.
Your skin tightens beneath her hand, and then a scaly greyness spreads. You bolster the physical strength of yourself or an ally.
You improve the PD of yourself or an ally. Expend ▝▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain
▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Body Hammer rating.
Add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain ▛ bonus die for
each added energy, up to your Strengthened Hide rating. Assign all of the dice to yourself or an adjacent ally. For the next minute, when the
target makes an attack based on their Strength attribute (such as a melee or thrown
Assign all of the dice to yourself or an adjacent ally. For the next minute, each time the weapon attack), in addition to gaining bonus dice for their matching basic (such as
target’s PD is attacked, they add ▛ of these dice to their PD. Melee Weapons or Thrown Weapons) and specialized skills (such as Engaged Attack),
they also gain bonus dice equal to your accumulated dice.
Healing Touch Animist Magic Acuity Skill (Action)
Ser Gale’s wounds close as you channel magic into his body. Drained, you slump back Healing Wave Animist Magic Acuity Skill (Action)
and heave deep breaths. Around you, your friends are tired and battered. ‚Whatever magic you have left, let us
You heal yourself or an ally. have it now,‛ you implore her.
Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain You heal yourself and nearby allies.
▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Healing Touch rating. Expend ▝▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain
Assign all of the dice to yourself or an adjacent ally. The target recovers 1 heath for ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Healing Wave rating.
each assigned die. Distribute the dice among yourself and allies within 25’ of you. The targets recover 1
heath for each assigned die.

Arcane Magic Skills
You must have the Arcane Casting trait to train these skills.
Arcane Burst Arcane Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
As the enemies close in, you unleash an explosion arcane energy.
Arcane Retribution Arcane Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
You attack all nearby enemies.
You swathe yourself in crackling energy, daring your enemies to strike. Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and
You cover yourself in arcane forces that attack an enemy that attacks you. gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Arcane Burst rating.
Add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and gain ▛ bonus die Make an arcane magic attack (action pool vs PD) at all targets within 25’ of you.
for each added energy, up to your Arcane Retribution rating.
The next time an adjacent character’s attack against you resolves, make an arcane
melee attack (action pool vs PD) at that character.
Arcane Vortex Arcane Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Arcane retribution dissipates after 1 minute or when used. The distant flash of arcane power sees friend and foe topple like dolls.
You attack all characters close to a point you choose.
Expend ▝▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and
Arcane Spark Arcane Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Arcane Vortex rating.
The sizzling streak leaps from the mage’s outstretched hand. You barely manage to Make an arcane magic attack (action pool vs PD) at all targets within 25’ of a point up
dive aside as it blasts the wall behind you. to 100’ away.
You attack a nearby enemy.
Add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and gain ▛ bonus die
for each added energy, up to your Arcane Spark rating.
Arcane Maelstrom Arcane Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Make an arcane ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at a target within 25’. The attack You tear the raw arcane power from your body and direct it at your enemies,
deals half damage (round up). enveloping them in a chaotic tumult of primal forces.
You create a persistent area that attacks all nearby characters.
Expend ▝▝▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating
Arcane Touch Arcane Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
and gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Arcane Maelstrom rating.
You strike the beast as it reaches you, sending a surge of arcane energy into the Make an arcane magic attack (action pool vs PD) of all targets within 25’ of a point up
fearsome creature’s body. to 100’ away.
You attack an adjacent enemy. The effect lasts for one round for each Arcane Maelstrom rating, and concludes at the
Add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and gain ▛ bonus die end of your round. Each time a target ends its turn in the effect area or enters the
for each added energy, up to your Arcane Touch rating. effect area, make an arcane magic attack (action pool vs PD) at the target.
Make an arcane melee attack (action pool vs PD) at an adjacent target.
Arcane Bolts Arcane Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)

Crackling bolts flash from your hands and slam into the distant foes.
You attack multiple nearby enemies.
Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and
gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Arcane Bolts rating.
Distribute the dice among one or more targets up to 100’ away, then make arcane
ranged attacks (action pool vs PD) at each target.

Divine Magic Skills Divine Word Divine Magic Acuity Skill (Action)
You must have the Divine Casting trait to train these skills.
‚Breghar, I call on your power and majesty, and I give from my body, that you strike!‛
Divine Guidance Divine Magic Acuity Skill (Action) You attack a nearby enemy.
The wizened priest catches your arm, ‚Breghar’s strength goes with you,‛ he mutters. Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain ▛
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Divine Word rating.
You aid your own or an ally’s attacks.
Make a divine ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at an enemy within 25’.
each added energy, up to your Divine Guidance rating.
Assign all of the dice to yourself or an adjacent ally. For the next minute, each time the Divine Armor Divine Magic Acuity Skill (Action)
target makes an attack, they can add ▛ of these dice to their action pool.
An old man ” robed and oblivious ” crosses the blood-slicked deck below you. You
choose your moment, then drop, sword-plunging at his back. As the point strikes, a
Divine Protection Divine Magic Acuity Skill (Action) resonant chime rings out, and it inexplicably glances off his skin.
The page stands in front of you, close enough to see her tremble in fear. ‚Girl, You boost your physical defense.
Breghar favors you with his protection,‛ you utter as you squeeze her shoulder. Expend ▝▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain
▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Divine Armor rating.
You aid your own or an ally’s physical defense.
You gain bonus dice to your PD equal to the number of dice in your action pool.
each added energy, up to your Divine Protection rating. Divine armor dissipates after 1 minute.
Assign all of the dice to yourself or an adjacent ally. Each time the target’s PD is
attacked, they can add ▛ of these dice to their defense pool.
Divine Might Divine Magic Acuity Skill (Action)
Divine protection dissipates after 1 minute or when depleted.
You look up from the ground, where you cower prostrate. Your gaze crawls up an old
man’s sandaled feet, his coarse robe, to his sallow-cheeked face. He completes his
Retributive Strike Divine Magic Acuity Skill (Reaction) prayer, ‚Breghar’s strength fills you. Go with his strength.‛
The crude sword pierces you; you lock eyes with the slick-haired pirate, ‚Feel You boost your own or an ally’s physical attacks.
Breghar’s retribution,‛ you gasp. Expend ▝▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain
▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Divine Might rating.
You strike back at an enemy that attacks you.
Assign all of the dice to yourself or an adjacent ally. For the next minute, when the
When you are attacked by an adjacent enemy, add energy to your action pool up to target makes an attack based on their Strength or Agility attributes (such as a melee,
your Acuity rating and gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your ranged, or thrown weapon attack), in addition to gaining bonus dice for their matching
Retributive Strike rating. basic (such as Melee Weapons, Ranged Weapons or Thrown Weapons) and specialized
Make a divine melee attack (action pool vs PD) at that enemy. skills (such as Engaged Attack), they also gain bonus dice equal to the assigned dice.
Divine Blessing Divine Magic Acuity Skill (Action)

You feel the strange tingle of pent up energy as you wade into the battle. When your
first blow strikes, the energy leaps off you and envelopes your attacker.
You aid your own or an ally’s next attack.
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Divine Blessing rating.
Assign all of the dice to yourself or an adjacent ally. The target then gains these dice
to their next attack.
Divine blessing dissipates after 1 minute.

Mystical Magic Skills
You must have the Mystical Casting trait to train these skills.
Miring Word Mystical Magic Influence Skill (Action)
You mutter an ancient hex, leadening the warrior’s movement, and scamper away.
Baneful Word Mystical Magic Influence Skill (Action)
You Slow or Immobilize a nearby enemy.
The dark-eyed witch is within striking distance, yet you can barely bring yourself to Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Influence rating and gain
raise your sword against her. ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Miring Word rating.
You make a nearby enemy’s attacks against you more expensive. Make a ranged attack (action pool vs MD) at a target within 25’. If you achieve 1 or 2
Add energy to your action pool up to your Influence rating and gain ▛ bonus die for successes, the target is Slowed (they must spend ▛ extra energy for each segment of
each added energy, up to your Baneful Word rating. movement). If you achieve 3 or more successes, the target is Immobilized (they cannot
intentionally move, but you can be pushed or pulled). The target can use Shake It Off
Make a ranged attack (action pool vs MD) at a target within 25’. For the next minute, to remove the effect.
for each success the target must spend ▛ additional energy for any attack that
includes you in its targets. The target can use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
Exhausting Word Mystical Magic Influence Skill (Action)
Deflecting Word Mystical Magic Influence Skill (Reaction) Before you can reach her, she hisses a curse at you. You stagger, your legs suddenly
frail, and barely enough strength to lift your sword.
Your gaze drills into the distant archer. His arm trembles as he tries to draw his bow.
You Enervate or Exhaust a nearby enemy.
You distract a nearby enemy from attacking you.
Expend ▝▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Influence rating and
When you are declared the target of an attack by an enemy within 25’, add energy to gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Exhausting Word rating.
your action pool up to your Influence rating and gain ▛ bonus die for each added
energy, up to your Deflecting Word rating. Make a ranged attack (action pool vs MD) at a target within 25’. If you achieve 1 or 2
successes, the target is Enervated (they only regain energy equal to their two highest
Make a ranged attack (action pool vs MD) at your attacker. For each success, the attributes each turn). If you achieve 3 or more successes, the target is Exhausted (they
target must spend ▛ additional energy or their attack fails. only regain energy equal to their single highest attribute each turn). The target can
use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
Dazzling Word Mystical Magic Influence Skill (Action)
The sell-sword beside you staggers under the crone’s gaze. You leap forward alone. Word of Command Mystical Magic Influence Skill (Action)
You Daze or Stun a nearby enemy. Summoning the last of your power, you command the warrior, ‚Kill your friend!‛
Slowly, he turns toward his dazed ally and raises his sword.
Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Influence rating and gain
▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Dazzling Word rating. You command a nearby enemy.
Make a ranged attack (action pool vs MD) at a target within 25’. If you achieve 1 or 2 Expend ▝▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Influence rating and
successes, the target is Dazed (they must spend ▛ extra energy for each action or gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Word of Command rating.
reaction, defense pool reduced by ▛). If you achieve 3 or more successes, the target Write down a verbal command of one or more words. Make a ranged attack (action
is Stunned (they must spend ▛▛ extra energy for each action or reaction, defense pool vs MD) at a target within 25’. For each success, the target will execute one word
pool reduced by ▛▛). The target can use Shake It Off to remove the effect. of your written command to the best of its ability, starting with the first word, and then
adding the next word for each additional success. The target must be able to
understand the command to follow it. At the start of each turn, the target uses energy
equal to its MD to use Shake It Off to remove the effect.

Necromancy Magic Skills
You must have the Necromancy Casting trait to train these skills.
Revitalizing Touch Necromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
You release what remains of the henchman, it falls to the ground like kindling. You
Compel Undead Necromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action) gently touch the wraith, and revitalize its dark energy with our own strength.
You slap away the intruder’s flaming torch, and slam him to the floor. You loom over You heal an adjacent undead character.
him, ‚Take him to the crypt, my child.‛ Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and
From the darkness comes a shuffling figure, eager to do your bidding. gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Revitalizing Touch rating.
You command a nearby undead character. An adjacent undead target recovers 1 heath for each die in your action pool.
for each added energy, up to your Compel Undead rating.
Devouring Touch Necromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Write down a verbal command of one or more words. Make a ranged attack (action
pool vs MD) at an undead target within 25’. For each success, the target will execute The graverobber scrambles backwards across the flagstones, and he slams hard into
one word of your written command to the best of its ability, starting with the first the heavy sarcophagus. He screams as the wraith’s defiling hand reaches for him.
word, and then adding the next word for each additional success. The target must be The scream quiets, heartbeat by heartbeat, as his life force passes to the wraith.
able to understand the command to follow it. At the start of each turn, the target uses You drain health from an adjacent living character.
energy equal to its MD to use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Devouring Touch rating.
Draining Touch Necromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action) Make a necrotic melee attack (action pool vs PD) at an adjacent living target. The
target takes damage equal to the number of successes and you recover health equal to
You peer into the darkness, scanning for valuables by the weak light of your flaming the damage.
torch. The stale crypt air becomes acrid.
You turn in time to see a withered black hand slash from the darkness.
You attack an adjacent target.
Dominate Undead Necromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and gain ▛ bonus die ‚Come to me, my child.‛
for each added energy, up to your Draining Touch rating. Your eyes open. Your vision milky. You shuffle, puppet-like, to your new master.
Make a necrotic melee attack (action pool vs PD) at an adjacent target. You assert temporary control of a distant undead character.
gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Dominate Undead rating.
Necrotic Touch Necromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Make a ranged attack (action pool vs MD) at an undead target within 100’. If the attack
The intruder’s henchman leaps out of the shadows, swinging a flaming torch. The is successful, you control the actions of the target. At the start of each turn, the target
black-robed wraith surges toward the henchman, and holds him fast. You grasp the uses energy equal to its MD to use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
man’s screaming face and drain his life force, leaving a desiccated husk.
You drain health from an adjacent living character if you reduce it to 0 health.
Hasten Death Necromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Necrotic Touch rating. The intruder scrambles backwards, ‚I will feast on your soul,‛ you exhale.
Make a necrotic melee attack (action pool vs PD) at an adjacent living target. If the Your target takes additional damage from attacks.
attack achieves more successes than the target has remaining health, then the target
takes the damage and you gain health equal to the amount of damage dealt. If the Expend ▝▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and
attack does not achieve enough successes to reduce the target’s health to 0 or less, gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Hasten Death rating.
then it deals no damage. Make a ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at a target within 100’. For each success, the
target takes additional damage each time it takes damage. The additional damage is
equal to the number of successes, up to the damage from the triggering attack.
Hasten death dissipates after 1 minute.

Pyromancy Magic Skills Flame Wave Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
You must have the Pyromancer Casting trait to train these skills.
The townsfolk are repelled for just a moment. A shout comes from behind them, ‚It’s
Fiery Bolt Arcane Magic Intelligence Skill (Action) just one woman, you cowardly curs!‛ The people close in slowly.
The red wizard twists a smile, and punches the ground to send bursting from her an
Flames burn around your hand. You savor their majesty for a moment, then throw exploding wave immolates the mob’s remaining resolve.
them across the town square at the frenzied townsfolk.
You send a flaming wave that attacks all nearby targets.
You attack a nearby target.
Add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and gain ▛ bonus die gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Flame Wave rating.
for each added energy, up to your Fiery Bolt rating.
Make a fire ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at all targets within 25’.
Make a fire ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at a target within 25’. The attack deals
half damage.
Pillar of Flame Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Flame Armor Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action) A great burning flame erupts from the ground, scattering the screaming lynch mob.
The red wizard pauses to intone ancient words. She is immediately wreathed in flames You attack a distant target.
that ” inexplicitly ” do not injure her. Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and
You cover yourself in flames that can damage an enemy that attacks you. gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Pillar of Flame rating.
Add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and gain ▛ bonus die Make a fire ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at a target within 100’.
for each added energy, up to your Flame Armor rating.
The next time you are attacked by an adjacent character, make a fire melee attack
(action pool vs PD) at that character.
Enflame Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Flame armor dissipates after 1 minute. From amidst the burning and screaming mob, comes striding the town’s champion.
Mid-step he is encoiled in flames. He staggers for a moment, his skin blistering.
You cover a nearby target in persistent flames.
Flaming Touch Arcane Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Townsfolk tumble, their rags aflame, as the red wizard strides through them. gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Enflame rating.
You attack an adjacent target. Make a fire magic attack (action pool vs PD) at a target within 100’. Continue this
attack on each turn, with one fewer dice until no dice remain in your action pool. The
Add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and gain ▛ bonus die target can use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
for each added energy, up to your Flaming Touch rating.
Make a fire melee attack (action pool vs PD) at an adjacent target.
Fireball Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Flame Spray Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Skill (Action) ‚Strike me down, but your village will burn to the ground, your people with it!‛
A spark streaks overhead and plunges into the middle of the distant houses. A white-
The red wizard spreads her hands, and sheet of red flame gouts from her fingers. hot explosion blooms above the silhouetted houses, rending them to ash.
You spray flames that attack multiple nearby targets. You cause a fiery explosion in the distance.
Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and Expend ▝▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and
gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Flame Spray rating. gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Fireball rating.
Make a fire ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at all targets inside a 90° arc within 15’. Make a fire ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at all targets within 25’ of a point within
100’.

Summoner Magic Skills Summon Creature Summoner Magic Acuity Skill (Action)
You must have the Summoner Casting trait to train these skills.
In a quiet forest glade, surrounded by intricately carved standing stones, the bearded
Armor Summoned Creature Summoner Magic Acuity Skill (Action) summoner prepares to perform the summoning ritual.
The summoner lays his hand on the beast’s muscled back. The animal’s hide hardens. You summon a creature.
Expend energy up to your Acuity rating, then gain ▛▛ bonus dice to your action
You improve the physical defense of a summoned creature. pool for each expended energy, up to twice your Summon Creature rating.
Add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain ▛ bonus die for At a rest, you call into existence a creature with maximum energy equal or lower than
each added energy, up to your Armor Summoned Creature rating. the number of dice in your action pool. Use the Adversary Templates on page 125 as
Assign all of the dice to an adjacent summoned creature. Each time the target’s PD is a guide for this creature.
attacked, they add ▛ of these dice to their PD. The summoned creature appears in an empty space adjacent to you. The creature is
Armor summoned creature dissipates after 1 minute. an ally of yours, understands your commands, and is under your control.
While the summoned creature is alive, you cannot regain the energy you expended to
cast this spell. The creature is dispelled if it falls unconscious, and you can dispel the
Life Bind Summoner Magic Acuity Skill (Action) creature during a short rest.
The beast rushes into the battle, through sword slashes and piercing feints. With each
wound, a matching cut and rent tears open on the bearded man.
You share damage with a summoned creature.
each added energy, up to your Life Bind rating.
Assign all of the dice to an adjacent summoned creature. Each time the target creature
takes damage, that damage is split evenly between you and the summoned creature.
Any leftover damage is taken by the summoned creature.
Armor summoned creature triggers once for each assigned die, and dissipates after 1
minute.
Heal Summoned Creature Summoner Magic Acuity Skill (Action)

Bloodied and disheveled, the beast limps from the front line. The bearded summoner
kneels in front of the animal, and with a magical incantation, the animal’s wounds knit
together. With a snarl, the beast leaps back into the battle.
You heal a summoned creature.
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Heal Summoned Creature rating.
Assign all of the dice to an adjacent summoned creature. The target recovers 1 heath
for each assigned die.

Telekinetic Magic Skills
You must have the Telekinesis Casting trait to train these skills.
Crush Telekinesis Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Kayo steals a glance from behind the crate, confirming that the droid continues its
Bind Telekinesis Magic Intelligence Skill (Action) mechanical calculations. Kayo reaches out and crushes the droid’s metal skull.
‚Intruder Alert!‛ flashes the droid’s command processor. It steps from its home bay. It You crush a nearby enemy.
scans back and forth, immediately sighting and confirming the rogue binder, Kayo. Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and
The binder turns to the droid. ‚Error: Motor Drive Failure.‛ gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Crush rating.
You Slow or Immobilize a nearby enemy. Make a bludgeoning ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at a target within 25’.
for each added energy, up to your Bind rating.
Make a ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at a target within 25’. If you achieve 1 or 2
Fly Telekinesis Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
successes, the target is Slowed (they must spend ▛ extra energy for each segment of The binder slips over the railing, and drops slowly down to land gently on the floor of
movement). If you achieve 3 or more successes, the target is Immobilized (they cannot the flight deck, in cover of a menacing starfighter.
intentionally move, but you can be pushed or pulled). The target can use Shake It Off
to remove the effect. You or an ally gain the ability to fly.
gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Fly rating.
Finesse Telekinesis Magic Intelligence Skill (Action) Assign all of the dice in your action pool to yourself or an adjacent ally. The target’s
move speed becomes fly speed for 1 minute for each die.
Kayo gestures toward the sleeping guard, twisting his hand. The guard’s key ring
twitches, lifts from his belt and hangs in the air, as if held by an invisible hand.
You carefully manipulate small objects. Move Telekinesis Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and gain ▛ bonus die The droid switches to thermal mode and scans the hangar deck for any signs of heat
for each added energy, up to your Finesse rating. from the binder. It scans sector by sector. Unseen by the droid, a large crate skims
Target an object within 25’. Make an attribute test using your action pool (up to .5kg, across the hangar floor, the binder sneaking behind it.
difficulty 7; up to 1kg, difficulty 8; up to 5kg, difficulty 9; up to 15kg, difficult 10). For
each success, the target is pushed or pulled 5’. You push, pull, or slide a nearby target.
gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Move rating.
Force Telekinesis Magic Intelligence Skill (Action) Target an object or character within 25’. If the target is a character, make an opposed
attribute test using your action pool against the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Agility
The hallways echo with footsteps and distant voices. The robed binder steals from
bulkhead to bulkhead. Rounding a corner, he bounces off a hulking droid. (Acrobatics). If the target is an object, make an attribute test using your action pool
(up to 5kg, difficulty 7; up to 15kg, difficulty 8; up to 50kg, difficulty 9; up to 150kg,
Instinctively, he throws out his arms and sends the droid careening into the far wall.
difficult 10). For each success, the target is pushed, pulled, or slid 5’ in a straight line.
You push away a nearby target.
for each added energy, up to your Force rating. Repulse Telekinesis Magic Intelligence Skill (Action)
Target an object or character within 25’. If the target is a character, make an opposed The binder stands, surrounded. The droids encircle him and move closer. Kayo waits
attribute test using your action pool against the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Agility a moment and then sends the droids scattering across the hangar floor.
(Acrobatics). If the target is an object, make an attribute test using your action pool
(up to 5kg, difficulty 7; up to 15kg, difficulty 8; up to 50kg, difficulty 9; up to 150kg, You push back all nearby targets.
difficult 10). For each success, the target is pushed 5’ in a straight line. Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Intelligence rating and
gain ▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Repulse rating.
Make a ranged attack (action pool vs PD) at all targets within 25’. For each success,
the target is pushed back 5’ in a straight line.

EQUIPMENT OVERVIEW EQUIPMENT – HISTORICAL
The following sections detail equipment for various historical periods:
• Historical
Armor and Shields
• Modern Armor Equipment (Armor Training)
• Sci-Fi
Energy Cost Rating
Armor
Equipment Compatibility (Spent) (Defense Dice Gained)
N/A • Leather Armor ▛
These sets of equipment are forward compatible, so historical equipment is usable with
modern and sci-fi settings, and modern equipment is also usable in sci-fi settings. For • Brigandine ▛▛
example, a historical sword is usable and useful at any time in history.
Additionally, these different eras of equipment are also backwards compatible for • Chainmail ▛▛▛
genre-mashing games, so sci-fi equipment can be used in historical settings, if the • Breastplate ▛▛▛▛
campaign calls for such a mash-up.
• Full Plate ▛▛▛▛▛
Equipment Details When wearing armor, your PD pool is ▛ plus the armor’s rating.
Each equipment block includes key details about the equipment: When you wear armor, your Agility rating is capped due to the armor’s bulk (this
affects your energy pool, adding dice to attacks, using the Dodge action, etc):
Equipment Type Equipment Identifier (Matching Martial Skills) • Leather armor limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
Equipment • Brigandine limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛▛▛
Equipment Rating
Energy Cost Equipment Type
(Defense Dice Gained) • Chainmail limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛▛
(Spent)
Equipment • Breastplate limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛
• Equipment Piece (Min-Max Range) Characteristic Equipment Rating
Energy Cost
• Full plate limits your Agility to: ▛▛
Characteristic Characteristic Characteristic Characteristic
If your Strength rating or Armor Training rating is lower than the rating of your worn
Equipment type description and usage instructions. armor, then for each action or reaction you must spend ▛ extra energy and your
Agility rating is effectively 1 less than its rating.
Equipment actions and externalities.
Action: Action description
Shields Equipment (Shield Training)
Externality: Externality description
Energy Cost Rating
Shield
(Spent) (Defense Dice Gained)
▛ • Buckler ▛
▛▛ • Kite Shield ▛▛▛
▛▛▛ • Tower Shield ▛▛▛▛
If your Strength rating or Shield Training rating is lower than the rating of your
wielded shield, then the energy cost of using your shield is increased by ▛.
Actions and externalities:
Wield Shield: When defending an attack against your PD, you can spend energy to
pay the cost of a shield you wield, and your PD pool gains bonus dice
equal to your shield’s rating

Melee, Finesse, and Unarmed Weapons Reach Weapons Equipment (Reach Weapons)
Finesse Weapons Equipment (Finesse Weapons) Energy Cost
Weapon
Rating
(Spent) (Attack Dice Gained)
Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
(Spent) (Attack Dice Gained) ▛▛▛ • Staff/Pole 2H, +5’ ▛
▛▛ • Shiv/Stiletto/Dagger/Knife ▛ • Hunting Spear/Pike 2H, +5’ ▛▛
▛▛▛ • Rapier/Bayonet/Saber/Scimitar ▛▛▛ ▛▛▛▛ • Trident/War Spear 2H, +5’ ▛▛▛▛

Finesse weapons require one hand to use.
▛▛▛▛▛ • Halberd/Lance 2H, +5’ ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
2H: Two-Handed +5’: Reach
Melee Weapons Equipment (Melee Weapons)
Reach weapons require two hands to use and extend your immediate range by 5’.
Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
(Spent) (Attack Dice Gained) Actions and externalities:
▛▛ • Blackjack ▜ (none) Reach Range: Target’s defense pool gains ▛▛ when inside weapon’s range
• Dagger/Knife/Hand Axe/Shiv/Stiletto ▛
Unarmed Weapons Equipment (Brawling, Martial Arts)
▛▛▛ • Club/Cudgel/Bo Staff ▛▛
Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
• Mace/Spiked Club ▛▛▛ (Spent) (Attack Dice Gained)
• Gladius/Shortsword/Scimitar ▛▛▛ ▛▛ • Punch/Kick ▜ (none)
• Bo Staff 2H ▛▛▛ • Tiger Claws/Gauntlets ▛

• War Axe 1H ▛▛▛
• War Axe 2H ▛▛▛▛
▛▛▛▛ • Morningstar/Heavy Mace ▛▛▛▛▛

• Longsword ▛▛▛▛▛
• Katana/Bastard Sword 1H
▛▛▛▛▛
• Great Club 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
• Katana/Bastard Sword 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
• Great Axe/Warhammer 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛
• Tulwar/Greatsword 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛
2H: Two-Handed 1H: One handed
Melee weapons require one or two hands to use.
Some weapons, such as bastard swords and katana, can be used with either one hand
or two hands.

Ranged and Thrown Weapons
Crossbows Equipment (Ranged Weapons)
Bows and Slings Equipment (Ranged Weapons) Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
Energy Cost Rating (Spent) (Attack Dice Gained)
Weapon
(Spent) (Attack Dice Gained) ▛ • Hand Crossbow (10-30’) ▛
▛▛▛ • Shortbow (10-200’) 2H
▛▛ ▛▛ • Light Crossbow (10-50’) 2H ▛▛▛
• Short Sling (10-50’) ▛▛ ▛▛▛ • Crossbow (10-100’) 2H
▛▛▛▛▛
• Longbow Bow (10-300’) 2H
▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛▛ • Heavy Crossbow (15-200’) 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
▛▛▛▛▛ • Arbalest (20-300’) 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛
▛▛▛▛ • Composite Bow (10-400’) 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
2H: Two-Handed
• Long Sling (10-200’) ▛▛▛▛
Crossbow weapons require two hands to wield and reload, except for hand crossbows,
2H: Two-Handed which can be wielded single-handed, but still require two hands to reload.
All bows require two hands to load and to fire. Crossbows must be reloaded with a fresh bolt for each shot. If bolts are at hand, such
Slings require one hand to launch, and are ideally loaded using two hands. However, as in a worn bandolier, reloading a crossbow requires you to spend energy equal to
they can be loaded one handed but this doubles the energy cost for the reload action. the rating of the crossbow.
Crossbows can be held ready to fire.
Bows and slings must be reloaded with an arrow or bullet for each shot. If arrows or
bullets are at hand, such as in a slung quiver or a worn pouch, reloading these Crossbow weapons can attack targets up to five times their range.
weapons requires you to spend ▛▛ energy.
Arrows and bullets can be held ready on the bowstring or in the sling’s pouch.
Reload: Spend energy equal to the crossbow’s rating to reload
Bow and sling weapons can attack targets up to four times their range.
Range: Target’s defense pool gains ▛▛ when inside weapon’s range and
gains ▛▛ for each range increment beyond the weapon’s range
Reload: Spend ▛▛ to load an arrow or bullet using two hands
Spend ▛▛▛▛ to load a bullet using one hand
Thrown Weapons Equipment (Thrown Weapons)
gains ▛▛ for each range increment beyond the weapon’s range Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
▛▛ • Rock (10-30’) ▜ (none)
• Dagger/Hand Axe (10-30’) ▛
▛▛▛ • Javelin/Hunting Spear (10-50’) ▛▛
▛▛▛▛ • War Spear (10-100’) ▛▛▛

Thrown weapons are wielded in the main hand, and it is a minor action to draw
another thrown weapon.
Thrown weapons can attack targets up to twice their range.

EQUIPMENT – MODERN Firearms and Thrown Weapons (Modern)
Armor and Shields (Modern) Assault Rifle Weapons Equipment (Long Guns)
Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
Armor Equipment (Armor Training) (Spent) (Attack Dice Gained)
Energy Cost Rating ▛▛ • H&K HK416 (4.73mm) (10-100’) 2H, SA, BF, FA ▛
Armor
• AK-74 (5.45mm) (10-100’) 2H, SA, BF, FA ▛▛
N/A • Type I Body Armor (or thick leather) ▛
• M16/AR-15/M4 (5.56mm) (10-100’) 2H, SA, BF, FA
▛▛
• Type II Body Armor (or reinforced leather) ▛▛
• Styer AUG (5.56mm) (10-100’) 2H, SA, BF, FA
▛▛
• Type III-A Body Armor ▛▛▛
• M14/M1 (7.62mm) (10-100’) 2H, SA, BF, FA ▛▛▛
• Type III Body Armor ▛▛▛▛
• H&K G3 (7.62mm) (10-100’) 2H, SA, BF, FA ▛▛▛
• Type IV Body Armor ▛▛▛▛▛
• AK-47 (7.62mm) (10-100’) 2H, SA, BF, FA
▛▛▛
When wearing armor your PD pool is ▛ plus the armor’s rating.
2H: Two-Handed SA: Semi-Auto BF: Burst Fire FA: Full Auto
When you wear armor, your Agility rating is capped due to the armor’s bulk (this
affects your energy pool, adding dice to attacks, using the Dodge action, etc): All assault rifles require two hands to use.
All assault rifles support the semi-automatic fire mode, SA, where a single shot is fired
• Type I Body Armor limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
with each trigger pull. Some also support three-round bursts, BF, where three bullets
• Type II Body Armor limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛▛▛ are discharged for each trigger pull. Finally, some offer full-automatic mode, FA,
where the rifle will continue firing while the trigger is held and it still has ammunition.
• Type III-A Body Armor limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛▛
Burst fire generally uses three bullets, while full-automatic uses around 15 rounds,
• Type III Body Armor limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛ which is usually half of a magazine, depending on the gun’s magazine size.
Assault rifles gain further bonus dice when used braced or on a bipod/tripod, or when
• Type IV Body Armor limits your Agility to: ▛▛ augmented with a scope or laser sight (or both).
If your Strength rating or Armor Training rating is lower than the rating of your worn Assault rifle weapons can attack targets up to five times their range.
armor, then for each action or reaction you must spend ▛ extra energy and your
Agility rating is effectively 1 less than its rating. Actions and externalities:
Braced: Gain ▛ bonus dice when braced (Prone or on a support)
Energy Cost Rating
Shield Tripod: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice when using a bipod or tripod
▛ • Light Shield or Improvised Shield ▛ Scope: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice when using a scope (SA/BF only)
Laser Sight: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice for a laser sight (SA/BF only)
▛▛ • Riot Shield ▛▛▛
Burst Fire: Spend ▛ extra energy and gain ▛▛▛ bonus dice
▛▛▛ • Ballistic Shield ▛▛▛▛
Full-Auto: Spend ▛▛▛ extra energy, gain ▛▛▛▛ bonus dice, and attack
If your Strength rating or Shield Training rating is lower than the rating of your all targets within a 15-45º lateral arc
Swap Mag: Spend ▛▛▛ to change magazines
Load Mag: Spend ▛▛▛ to load each bullet into the magazine

Explosive Weapons Equipment (Thrown Weapons) Handgun Weapons Equipment (Small Guns)
Energy Cost Rating Energy Cost Rating

Weapon Weapon
(Spent) (Attack Dice Gained) (Spent) (Attack Dice Gained)
▛▛▛ • Molotov Cocktail (0-30’) LF ▛▛ ▛ • Zip gun (10-15’) SS ▛
• Stun Grenade (0-30’) PP, CC ▛▛ • Firestorm (.22 pistol) (10-15’) SA

▛
• Pipe Bomb (0-30’) LF ▛▛▛ • Colt Agent .38 (10-20’) RV ▛
• Cluster Bomblet (0-50’) PP ▛▛▛▛ • Walther PPK (.32 cal.) (10-20’) SA ▛
• Dynamite (Military) Stick (0-50’) LF ▛▛▛▛ • Ruger .357 Magnum (10-25’) RV

▛▛
• F1 Pineapple Frag Grenade (0-50’) PP ▛▛▛▛▛ • Glock 17/20 (9/10mm) (10-25’) SA BF ▛▛
• RG42 Can Frag Grenade (0-50’) PP ▛▛▛▛▛ • M1911/S&W 625.45 (10-30’) SA ▛▛
• TNT Stick (0-50’) LF
▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
▛▛ • Super Redhawk .480 Ruger (10-35’) RV ▛▛▛
• M67 Apple Frag Grenade (0-50’) PP ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛
• Anaconda .44 Magnum (10-35’) 2H, RV ▛▛▛▛
• Dynamite (True) Stick (0-50’) LF ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛
• Desert Eagle (.50 cal.) (10-40’) 2H, SA
▛▛▛▛▛
▛▛▛▛▛ • Keg of black-powder (0-25’) 2H, LF ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛▛▛
• S&W 500 .50 Magnum (10-40’) 2H, RV ▛▛▛▛▛
LF: Light Fuze PP: Pull Pin IT: Impact Trigger CC: Concussion
SA: Semi-Auto RV: Revolver SS: Single Shot BF: Burst Fire 2H: Two-Handed
Explosive weapons are wielded in the main hand, and it is a minor action to draw
another explosive weapon (except for 2H explosive weapons, which require two Handguns generally require a single hand to wield. However, heavier examples
hands). require two hands to fire effectively.
Explosive weapons are thrown at a target or a 5’x5’ space where they explode, making Depending on the specific gun, they offer single-shot, semi-automatic, and burst fire
martial ranged attacks all targets within the blast radius. The blast radius for modes. Again depending on the gun, these weapons require reloading after a number
explosive weapons is 5’ for each rating. of shots;
Explosive weapons can attack targets up to twice their range. • Single shot weapons must be reloaded after each bullet is fired
Actions and externalities: • Revolvers must be reloaded after firing 5-6 bullets
• Pistols have magazines that hold 8-20 bullets
Range: Target’s defense pool gains ▛▛ for each range increment beyond
the weapon’s range Handgun weapons can attack targets up to three times their range.
Light Fuze: Spend ▛▛▛ to light a Molotov cocktail cloth or burning fuze Actions and externalities:
Pull Pin: Spend ▛ to pull a grenade’s firing pin Range: Target’s defense pool gains ▛▛ when inside weapon’s range and
Load Revolver: Spend ▛▛ to load each bullet into a revolver

Machinegun Weapons Equipment (Heavy Guns) Rifle Weapons Equipment (Long Guns)
Weapon Weapon
▛▛* • FN Minimi (5.56mm) (10-100’) 2H, FA ▛▛▛* ▛▛ • Winchester .22 BB (15-200’) 2H, LA ▜
• MG4 (5.56mm) (10-100’) 2H, FA ▛▛▛▛* • Winchester .22 CB (15-200’) 2H, LA ▛
• Winchester .22 (15-200’) 2H, LA ▛▛
▛▛▛* • HK21 (7.62mm) (10-100’) 2H, FA ▛▛▛▛▛*
• Voere 6mm Caseless (15-200’) 2H, BA
▛▛
• M60 (7.62mm) (10-100’) 2H, FA ▛▛▛▛▛*
• Remington .308 (15-200’) 2H, BA ▛▛▛
▛▛▛▛* • M1914 (8mm) (10-100’) 2H, FA ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛* • FN 1949 .30-06 (15-200’) 2H, BA ▛▛▛▛
• M240 (7.62mm) (10-100’) 2H, FA
▛▛▛▛▛ ▛* BA: Bolt Action LA: Lever Action SS: Single Shot SA: Semi-Auto
All rifles require two hands to use.
▛▛▛▛▛* • M1917 (.30-06) (10-100’) 2H, FA ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛*
Rifle weapons can attack targets up to five times their range.
• M2 (.50 cal) (10-100’) 2H, FA ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛*
FA: Full Auto 2H: Two-Handed
All machineguns require two hands to use. gains ▛▛ for each range increment beyond the weapon’s range
Machine guns can only fire full-automatic mode, FA, where the gun continues firing Tripod: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice when using a bipod or tripod
while the trigger is held and it still has ammunition. The energy costs marked with *
are the base cost for these weapons, and to operate these weapons the Full-Auto spend Braced: Gain ▛ bonus dice when properly braced against a solid surface
cost must also be paid. The rating of these weapons marked with * also indicates the
Scope: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice when using a scope
base dice gained, as additional Full-Auto dice are also gained to the attack pool.
Machine guns generally fire at around 750 rounds per minute, and use magazines, Laser Sight: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice for a laser sight
boxes, or belt feeds. Reload BA: Spend ▛▛ to reload a bolt action rifle
Machinegun weapons can attack targets up to five times their range.
Reload LA: Spend ▛▛ to reload a lever action rifle
Reload SS: Spend ▛▛▛▛▛ to reload a single shot rifle
gains ▛▛ for each range increment beyond the weapon’s range Swap Mag.: Spend ▛▛▛ to change magazines for BA, LA, SA rifles
Full-Auto: Spend ▛▛▛ extra energy, gain ▛▛▛▛ bonus dice, and attack Load Bullet Spend ▛▛▛ to load each bullet into the magazine
all targets within a 15-45º lateral arc
Tripod: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice when using a bipod/tripod
Swap Mag.: Spend ▛▛▛▛▛ to change magazine, box, or feed
Load Mag.: Spend ▛▛▛▛▛ to load each bullet into the magazine

Shotgun Weapons Equipment (Long Guns) Sniper Rifle Weapons Equipment (Long Guns)

Weapon Weapon
▛▛ • 12-Gauge Buckshot (5-15’) 2H ▛

▛▛▛ • Barrett M82 .50 (20-500’) 2H, SA ▛▛▛▛▛
• 20-Gauge Training Shot (5-15’) 2H ▛▛ • Barrett M99 .50 (20-500’) 2H, SS ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
• 12-Gauge Normal Shot (5-15’) 2H ▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛▛▛ • Denel NTW-20 (20-500’) 2H, BA ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛
▛▛▛ • 10-Gauge (5-15’) 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ • Barrett XM109 25mm (20-500’) 2H, SA ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛
BA: Bolt Action LA: Lever Action SS: Single Shot SA: Semi-Auto
• 8-Gauge (5-15’) 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛
All sniper rifles require two hands to use, and should be fired Prone.
• 6-Gauge Riot Shotgun (5-15’) 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛▛▛
If a sniper or anti-materiel rifle is used handheld (such as unbraced or without a
BR: Break Action PA: Pump Action LA: Lever Action 2H: Two-Handed tripod or bipod) then you must spend double the energy cost for each shot.
All shotguns require two hands to use. Sniper weapons can attack targets up to five times their range, and up to 10 times
their range with appropriate equipment (scope, support, etc).
There are many types of shotgun actions: break action (single or double-barreled),
pump action (holding 4-8 shells), lever action (holding 4-8 shells), semi-automatic Actions and externalities:
(holding 8 12-gauge shells), automatic (using magazines that hold 10 12-gauge shell
magazines or drums holding 20 or 32 shells). Range: Target’s defense pool gains ▛▛ when inside weapon’s range and
Shotgun weapons can attack targets up to two times their range.
Tripod: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice when using a bipod or tripod
gains ▛▛ for each range increment beyond the weapon’s range Laser Sight: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice for a laser sight
Both Barrels: Gain ▛▛▛▛ when firing both barrels of a double-barrel shotgun Reload BA: Spend ▛▛ to reload a bolt action rifle
Reload BA: Spend ▛▛▛▛▛ to reload a single barrel break action shotgun Reload LA: Spend ▛▛ to reload a lever action rifle
Spend ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛ to reload a double-barrel break action Reload SS: Spend ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ to reload a single shot rifle
shotgun
Swap Mag.: Spend ▛▛▛ to change magazines for BA, LA, SA rifles
Reload PA: Spend ▛▛ to reload a pump action shotgun or to load a shell
Load Mag.: Spend ▛▛▛ to load each bullet into the magazine
Reload LA: Spend ▛▛ to reload a lever action shotgun or to load a shell
Swap Mag.: Spend ▛▛▛ to change magazines for SA shotguns
Load Shell: Spend ▛▛ to load each shell

Submachine Gun Weapons Equipment (Long Guns) Melee, Finesse, and Unarmed Weapons
Energy Cost
Weapon
Rating (Modern)
▛▛* • Thompson M1921 (.45) (10-50’) 2H, FA ▛ Finesse Weapons Equipment (Finesse Weapons)
Energy Cost Rating
(* see below) • MP40 (9mm) (10-50’) 2H, FA ▛▛ Weapon
• Sten (9mm) (10-50’) 2H, FA ▛▛
▛▛ • Shiv/Dagger ▛
• Uzi (9mm) (10-50’) 2H, FA ▛▛
▛▛▛ • Rapier/Bayonet/Saber/Scimitar ▛▛▛
▛▛ • H&K MP5 (9mm) (10-50’) 2H, SA, BF, FA ▛▛
• FPN P90 (5.7mm) (10-50’) 2H, SA, BF, FA ▛▛▛
Melee Weapons Equipment (Melee Weapons)
• UMP45 (.45) (10-50’) 2H, SA, BF, FA
▛▛▛ Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
2H: Two-Handed SA: Semi-Auto BF: Burst Fire FA: Full Auto (Spent) (Attack Dice Gained)
All submachine guns require two hands to use. ▛▛ • Blackjack ▜

Early submachine guns can only fire full-automatic mode, FA, where the gun • Shiv/Knife/Hand Axe ▛
continues firing while the trigger is held and it still has ammunition. Full-automatic
attacks use around 15 bullets from the gun’s magazine.
▛▛▛ • Pole/2x4/Baseball Bat 1H ▛▛
Submachine guns gain further bonus dice when used braced or when augmented with
a scope or laser sight (or both). • Pole/2x4/Baseball Bat 2H
▛▛▛
Submachine gun weapons can attack targets up to three times their range.
• Machete/Trucker’s Friend ▛▛▛
• Fire Axe 1H ▛▛▛
gains ▛▛ for each range increment beyond the weapon’s range • Fire Axe 2H ▛▛▛▛
Braced: Gain ▛ bonus dice when braced (Prone or on a support) ▛▛▛▛ • Katana 1H ▛▛▛▛▛
Scope: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice when using a scope (SA/BF only)
• Katana 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
Laser Sight: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice for a laser sight (SA/BF only)
• Nodachi/Great Club 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛
1H: One-Handed 2H: Two-Handed
Full-Auto: Spend ▛▛ extra energy, gain ▛▛▛ bonus dice, and attack all
targets within a roughly 15-45º lateral arc Melee weapons require one or two hands to wield. Some weapons, such as katanas,
can be used one or two handed, with different ratings.
Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
▛▛ • Punch/Kick ▜
• Tiger Claws/Knuckle Dusters ▛
▛▛▛ • Boxing Gloves ▜

EQUIPMENT – SCI-FI Firearms and Thrown Weapons (Sci-Fi)
Armor and Shields (Sci-Fi) Assault Rifle Weapons Equipment (Long Guns)
Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
Armor Equipment (Armor Training) (Spent) (Attack Dice Gained)
Energy Cost Rating ▛▛ • Laser Assault Rifle (10-100’) 2H, SA, BF, FA ▛
Armor
• Plasma Assault Rifle (10-50’) 2H, SA, BF, FA ▛▛
N/A • Body Armor: Type I Weave ▛
▛▛▛ • Ion Assault Rifle (10-100’) 2H, SA, BF, FA ▛▛▛▛▛
• Body Armor: Type II Mesh ▛▛
2H: Two-Handed SA: Semi-Auto BF: Burst Fire FA: Full Auto
• Body Armor: Type III Composite ▛▛▛
All assault rifles require two hands to use.
• Body Armor: Type IV Polymer ▛▛▛▛
Assault rifle battery packs hold approximately:
• Body Armor: Type V Nano-Weave ▛▛▛▛▛
• Laser assault rifle: 30 charges
When wearing armor your PD pool is ▛ plus the armor’s rating. • Plasma assault rifle: 24 charges
When you wear armor, your Agility rating is capped due to the armor’s bulk (this • Ion assault rifle: 20 charges
affects your energy pool, adding dice to attacks, using the Dodge action, etc):
All assault rifles support the semi-automatic fire mode, SA, where a single shot is fired
• Body Armor: Type I Weave limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ with each trigger pull. Some also support three-round bursts, BF, where three shots
are discharged for each trigger pull. Finally, some offer full-automatic mode, FA,
• Body Armor: Type II Mesh limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛▛▛ where the rifle will continue firing while the trigger is held and it still has charge.
• Body Armor: Type III Composite limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛▛ Burst fire generally uses three charges, while full-automatic uses around 10 charges.
Assault rifles gain further bonus dice when used braced or on a bipod/tripod, or when
• Body Armor: Type IV Polymer limits your Agility to: ▛▛▛
augmented with a scope or laser sight (or both).
• Body Armor: Type V Nano-Weave limits your Agility to: ▛▛ Assault rifle weapons can attack targets up to five times their range.
If your Strength rating or Armor Training rating is lower than the rating of your worn Actions and externalities:
armor, then for each action or reaction you must spend ▛ extra energy and your
Agility rating is effectively 1 less than its rating. Range: Target’s defense pool gains ▛▛ when inside weapon’s range and
Braced: Gain ▛ bonus dice when braced (Prone or on a support)
Energy Cost Rating
Shield Scope: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice when using a scope (SA/BF only)
▛ • Deflection Shield ▛ Laser Sight: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice for a laser sight (SA/BF only)
▛▛ • Kinetic Shield ▛▛▛
▛▛▛ • Plasma Shield ▛▛▛▛
all targets within a 15-45º lateral arc
If your Strength rating or Shield Training rating is lower than the rating of your
Swap Pack: Spend ▛▛▛ to change battery packs

Blaster Weapons Equipment (Small Guns) Explosive Weapons Equipment (Thrown Weapons)
Weapon Weapon
▛ • Laser Blaster (10-30’) SA ▛ ▛▛▛ • Nano-Swarm Grenade (0-30’) PP ▛▛
• Plasma Blaster (10-20’) SA
▛▛ • Stun Grenade (0-30’) PP, CC
▛▛
• Plasma Grenade (0-50’) PP ▛▛▛▛
▛▛ • Proton Blaster (10-30’) SA ▛▛▛
• Ion Grenade (0-50’) PP
▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
• Ion Blaster (10-35’) 2H, SA ▛▛▛▛▛
• Anti-Matter Grenade (0-50’) PP ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛
2H: Two-Handed SA: Semi-Auto BF: Burst Fire
LF: Light Fuze PP: Primer Pin IT: Impact Trigger CC: Concussion
Blasters generally require a single hand to wield. However, heavier examples require
two hands to fire effectively. Explosive weapons are wielded in the main hand, and it is a minor action to draw
another explosive weapon.
Depending on the specific gun, they may offer single-shot, semi-automatic, and burst
fire modes. Explosive weapons are thrown at a target or a 5’x5’ space where they explode, making
martial ranged attacks all targets within the blast radius. The blast radius for
Blaster battery packs hold approximately: explosive weapons is 5’ for each rating.
• Laser blaster: 12 charges Explosive weapons can attack targets up to twice their range.
• Plasma blaster: 10 charges
• Proton blaster: 8 charges
• Ion blaster: 6 charges the weapon’s range
Blaster weapons can attack targets up to three times their range.
Light Fuze: Spend ▛▛▛ to light a Molotov cocktail cloth or burning fuze
Priming Pin: Spend ▛ to press a grenade’s priming pin

Machinegun Weapons Equipment (Heavy Guns) Rifle Weapons Equipment (Long Guns)
Weapon Weapon
▛▛* • Laser Machinegun (10-100’) 2H, FA ▛▛▛* ▛▛ • Light Laser Rifle (15-200’) 2H, SA ▛
▛▛▛* • Plasma Machinegun (10-100’) 2H, FA ▛▛▛▛▛* • Light Plasma Rifle (15-200’) 2H, SA ▛▛
▛▛▛▛* • Ion Machinegun (10-100’) 2H, FA ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛* ▛▛▛ • Light Ion Rifle (15-200’) 2H, SA ▛▛▛▛
FA: Full Auto 2H: Two-Handed • Heavy Laser Rifle (20-500’) 2H, SA ▛▛▛▛▛
All machineguns require two hands to use. ▛▛▛▛ • Heavy Plasma Rifle (20-500’) 2H, SA ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛
Machine guns can only fire full-automatic mode, FA, where the gun continues firing
while the trigger is held and it still has charge. The energy costs marked with * are the
▛▛▛▛▛ • Heavy Ion Rifle (20-500’) 2H, SA ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛▛
base cost for these weapons, and to operate these weapons the full-auto spend cost
must also be paid. The rating of these weapons marked with * also indicates the base SA: Semi-Auto 2H: Two-Handed
dice gained, as additional full-auto dice are also gained to the attack pool.
All rifles require two hands to use.
Machine guns use high-capacity battery packs that are not compatible with normal
battery packs. These packs hold charges for approximately 4-6 full-auto bursts. Each rifle weapon uses varying amounts of charge from the battery pack:
Machinegun weapons can attack targets up to five times their range. • Light laser rifle battery packs: 12 charges
• Light plasma rifle packs: 8 charges
• Light ion rifle packs: 6 charges
gains ▛▛ for each range increment beyond the weapon’s range • Heavy laser rifle battery packs: 8 charges
• Heavy plasma rifle packs: 6 charges
all targets within a 15-45º lateral arc • Heavy ion rifle packs: 4 charges
Rifle weapons can attack targets up to five times their range, and up to 10 times their
Tripod: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice when using a bipod/tripod
range with appropriate equipment (scope, support, etc).
Swap Hi=Pack: Spend ▛▛▛▛▛ to change high-capacity battery packs
Braced: Gain ▛ bonus dice when properly braced against a solid surface
Laser Sight: Gain ▛▛ bonus dice for a laser sight

Melee, Finesse, and Unarmed Weapons
Scatter Weapons Equipment (Long Guns)
Energy Cost Rating
(Sci-Fi)
Weapon
Finesse Weapons Equipment (Finesse Weapons)
▛▛ • Plasma Scattergun (5-15’) 2H, BL ▛▛
Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
• Disruptor Scattergun (5-15’) 2H, BL ▛▛ (Spent) (Attack Dice Gained)
• Sonic Scattergun (5-15’) 2H, BL ▛▛ ▛▛ • Vibro-Knife ▛
▛▛▛ • Ion Scattergun (5-15’) 2H, BL ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛ • Monofilament Whip/Ion Seax ▛▛▛
2H: Two-Handed
All scatterguns require two hands to use. Melee Weapons Equipment (Melee Weapons)
Scatterguns use normal battery packs: Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
• Plasma, Disruptor and Sonic scattergun battery packs: 8 charges (Spent) (Attack Dice Gained)
• Ion scattergun battery packs: 6 charges ▛▛ • Vibro-Knife ▛
Blast fire uses two charges, and then sends a wide blast of energy at all targets in its
attack arc. ▛▛▛ • Riot Baton ▛▛
Scatterguns often come in special energy types, such as:
• Stun-Baton/Ion Axe 1H ▛▛▛
• Disruptor: Deals electromagnetic damage
• Ion Axe 2H ▛▛▛▛
• Sonic: Deals sonic damage
Scattergun weapons can attack targets up to two times their range.
▛▛▛▛ • Ion Sword 1H ▛▛▛▛▛
• Ion Sword 2H
▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
the weapon’s range • Ion Greatsword 2H ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛
Blast Fire: Spend ▛ extra energy, use two charges, and attack all targets within a 1H: One-Handed 2H: Two-Handed
roughly 15-30º lateral arc Melee weapons require one or two hands to wield. Some weapons, such as ion swords,
Swap Pack: Spend ▛▛▛ to change battery packs can be used one or two handed, with different ratings.

Energy Cost Rating
Weapon
▛▛ • Punch/Kick ▜
• Plasma Gauntlets ▛
▛▛▛ • Sparring Gloves ▜

GAME MASTERING

GENRES AND WORLDS High Fantasy
The Forge Engine role-playing system supports multiple game genres, including High fantasy is the genre of floating castles, dueling wizards, ferocious monsters, and
fantasy, modern, and even sci-fi. valiant heroes. Such adventures are usually set in idealized pastoral societies in
The system also allows you to mix and match the elements that typify each of these medieval worlds.
genres, for example by combining magic and modern weapons for a warped take on
Vietnam, or by using historical equipment and sci-fi weapons for a Princess of Mars No high fantasy story is complete
pulp romp. without a glimpse of the
wonderful, whether it’s magic
For the sake of simplicity, the possibility space of role-playing game genres can be used for mundane ends, flying
mapped across two axes, one continuum from realistic to fantasy, and the second a carpets, or the crumbling relics
timeline from the past through the present to the future. of lost civilizations.
Fantasy Hybrid Realistic
Key Themes
Past: • High Fantasy • Low Fantasy • Historical Medieval • Order versus chaos
• Historical Renaissance • Good versus evil
• Weird West • Western • Heroism
Present: • Supers • Urban Fantasy • Modern • Wonder
• Zombie Apocalypse • Post-Apocalyptic
Abundant
Future: • Space Opera • Hard Sci-Fi • Magic
The following pages provide overviews of just a few of the massive range of genres • Monsters
supported by the Forge Engine. • Non-human races
Rare
• Poverty and scarcity
• Absolute death
Absent
• Firearms
Inspiration
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Game of Thrones
Genre-Specific Tweaks
High Fantasy games are close to the default for Forge Engine. However, a few tweaks to
the system may emphasize the key characteristics of this genre.
• Magic trait cost reduced (such as to 1 CP)
• Health increased (all characters have the Sturdy trait for free)

Low Fantasy and Historical Medieval Renaissance
Low fantasy and historical medieval games are very similar, with the key difference Renaissance games are set in a golden age of sail, where dashing heroes live out tales of
being the setting and the presence or absence of magic. derring-do. Our swashbuckling heroes are as often as not operating afoul of the law, or
Low fantasy stories explore alternate worlds and may have some magical elements, are themselves agents of the law who may be on the run from corrupt superiors.
while historical medieval games take place in our world and have very little (if any) Adventures set in this era also include some of the earliest black powder firearms;
magic. Where magic is present, it is often closely linked with corruption and evil. flintlock pistols and rifles, fused bombs, and devastating canons.
Renaissance stories sometimes
Key Themes incorporate magical or fantasy
• Changing world elements in the midst of their
• Battle of cultures historically-inspired tales.
• Heroic sacrifice Key Themes
• Moral relativism • Corrupt authorities
Abundant • Honor and valor
• War and conflict • Romance
Rare Abundant
• Magic • Rip-roaring action
Absent Rare
• Non-human races • Magic
• Firearms Absent
Inspiration • Nothing really (we’re all in here)
• Conan Inspiration
• Fafhrd and the Grey • Master and Commander
Mouser
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• King Arthur
• The Three Musketeers
• Robin Hood
• Black Sails
• The 13th Warrior
• Temeraire
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Vikings Genre-Specific Tweaks
The inclusion of early firearms in renaissance games is a great opportunity to use a
Genre-Specific Tweaks single all-encompassing skill for all such weapons:
Low and historical fantasy stories require only minor tweaks to Forge Engine:
• Increase cost of magic traits (e.g. to 5 CP) Firearms Basic Martial Skill (Bonus)
• Human characters only When you make a ranged attack with a firearm, your action pool gains ▛ bonus die
for each added energy, up to your Firearms rating.

Modern Urban Fantasy
The modern or contemporary role-playing genre encompasses modern-day technology The urban fantasy or modern fantasy setting brings fantastic elements into the modern
and weapons. The genre is time bounded, with a fuzzy emergence from historical role- world. These fantasy elements might be magic, aliens, or the supernatural.
playing somewhere around the middle of the 20th century, and then blending seamlessly This crossover peels back the thin veneer of modern life to expose the weirdness hiding
into hard sci-fi or cyberpunk in the decades ahead. underneath. This weirdness might be aliens, such as in Men In Black, supernatural
Modern games occur in our contemporary terrors, Supernatural, Delta Green, or Stranger Things, or even vampires, True Blood.
age (or another clearly defined time Despite the name, the genre is not strictly city-bound. Urban fantasy games work
period) and use the period’s technology, effectively in small town or rural settings, where the themes of the genre resonate.
politics, and physical geography.
Much like modern life, the antagonists in Key Themes
modern games are human, robbing the • Unnatural in the shadows
genre of the easy evil of fantasy monsters.
Except for Nazis. Fuck Nazis. • Underlying horror of modern life
• Alienation from modern society
Key Themes
• Terrorist or freedom fighter?
Abundant
• Western meddling broke this • Modern technology
• Making things better or worse? • Fantasy (magic, supernatural)

• Collateral damage Rare
Abundant • Mundane adventures
• Firearms Absent
• Terrorists, radicals, and zealots • Nothing
Rare Inspiration
• Absolute good or evil • The Dresden Files
Absent • Delta Green
• Magic • Stranger Things

• The X-Files
Inspiration • The Light and Darkness War
• Black Hawk Down
• First Blood
• Shooter Characters in urban fantasy games often work with police or government agencies:
• Lone Survivor
• The Unit Bureaucracy Skill
• Red Dawn Gain bonus dice when making Intelligence (Bureaucracy) tests to understand or
navigate bureaucratic processes.
Modern games are heavy on tactical military fetishism. The suite of skills, modern
firearms, and equipment are the primary genre-specific additions for these games. Law Enforcement Skill
Additionally, some skills require additional thought for modern games. For example, the Gain bonus dice when making Influence (Law Enforcement) or Intelligence (Law
difficult of piloting a modern airliner is significantly higher than driving a horse cart. Enforcement) tests to interact with law enforcement officers or understand law
enforcement processes.

Post-Apocalypse Zombie Apocalypse
Post-apocalyptic games explore the aftermath of a civilization-destroying event. The zombie apocalypse is a very specific type of apocalypse; one where the dead don’t
The event might be a cataclysm (meteor strike or a volcanic eruption), climatologically stay dead.
(global warning or shutdown of the thermohaline circulation), or man-made (runaway Whether it’s because hell is full or a due to a post-mortem neurological virus (the ‘rage’
nanomachines, nuclear winter, bio-weapons, or chemical warfare). Regardless of the virus), the world is overrun by shambling (or sprinting) zombies.
cause, a large percentage of the human race is killed, the means of production are And it’s only a matter of time before they win.
destroyed, society collapses, and the survivors roam the land trying to survive.
Zombie apocalypse games are similar in
In the midst of this destruction, the survivors are challenged to question the lengths to
which they will go to survive and whether a community can rebuild from the ashes. theme and setting to a standard post-
apocalyptic game, but with the added
ingredient of an endless supply of
Key Themes mindless guilt-free fodder.
• Physical and moral decay
• Nature of humanity
Key Themes
• Humanity
• Humans are the real monsters
• Community
Abundant • Humans are the real monsters
• Useless artifacts of modern life
• Crazed humans
Abundant
• Zombies
Rare
• Resources (food, ammunition)
Rare
• Resources (food, ammunition)
• Moments of happiness and levity
Absent Absent
• Magic
• Magic
• Bicycles  Inspiration
Inspiration • The Walking Dead
• World War Z
• The Road
• Zombieland
• Mad Max
• Dawn of the Dead
• A Canticle For Leibowitz
• Fallout Genre-Specific Tweaks
Genre-Specific Tweaks Genres like this give GMs the opportunity to introduce cool new mechanics to the game:
The unique themes of scarcity and decay in post-apocalypse games make it ideal to
incorporate skills that emphasize a character’s ability to scrounge for useful items Infection Resistance
amongst the decaying ruins of the lost society: Each character has an Infection Resistance rating (▛ to ▛▛▛▛▛ and higher).
When the character is created this rating is equal to the character’s Stamina rating.
Scavenge Skill When the character takes melee damage from an infected, they must make a Stamina
(Infection Resistance) test at difficulty 8. If they fail this test, their Infection Resistance
Gain bonus dice when making Acuity (Scavenge) tests to find useful or valuable items rating decreases by ▛. If this would reduce their rating to 0, the character ‘turns’ and
amongst debris and disorder. becomes infected; a mindless zombie with a ravenous craving for human flesh.
When the character takes a long rest, their Infection Resistance rating increases by ▛,
up to their Stamina rating.

Space Opera Hard Sci-Fi
A long time ago… or maybe it’s the far future. Either way, somewhere in the future or Hard sci-fi projects the characters into the future, and then binds them within the
past, or possibly the present, in the distant reaches of space (although not necessarily in physics-based universe of gravity, momentum, and reactions.
our universe), there is a great war between good and evil. These future universes might be futuristic gleaming utopias of Star Trek, the gritty
There are also space ships, death planets, and laser swords. And anthropomorphized street level of Blade Runner, or the solar-system-spanning intrigue of The Expanse.
animals. And scoundrels. And some kind of magical power.
In these stories, the characters might
Pretty much the only thing missing is explore worlds just making first contact
adherence to the physical laws of the with aliens. Or worlds struggling to
universe. Spaceships fly like airplanes, reconcile the power imbalance of
presumably through invisible aether, colonized planets. Or desolate planets
and shoot snail-slow laser bolts. where colonists find new dangers.
In hard sci-fi games, these worlds are
Key Themes real. They obey our universal laws of
• Good versus evil physics. They react to our actions.
• Tyranny versus freedom
Key Themes
• Pulpy adventure in space
• Geopolitical
Abundant • Clash of cultures
• Technology • Alien contact
• Cannon fodder ‘stormtroopers’ • Realistic depiction of science
• Magic-like powers (the Force)
Abundant
Rare • Technology
• Adherence to science
Rare
• Moral ambiguity
• Moral absolutism
Absent Absent
• Gravity
• Magic and fantasy
Inspiration Inspiration
• Star Wars
• The Expanse
• John Carter of Mars
• Aliens
• The Fifth Element
• Blade Runner
• Firefly
• District 9
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• Avatar
Genre-Specific Skills
Genre-Specific Skills
Let’s do this:
Energy Weapons Basic Martial Skill (Bonus)
When you make a ranged attack with an energy weapon, your action pool gains ▛ Zero-G Skill
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Energy Weapons rating.
Range penalties, reload costs, and additional specific costs and bonuses (such as Gain bonus dice when making Agility (Zero-G) tests to perform actions in zero or
weapon fire modes), are detailed in the equipment section. micro-gravity environments.

ENCOUNTER TYPES Rewards from Encounters
Part of the GM’s job is to design and offer rewards from encounters.
The GM’s tool-box includes five major types of encounters, each with different
engagement, challenges, and rewards. Achievement
Types of Encounters It takes an extraordinary GM to reward players with a sense of achievement. Having
said that, a sense of achievement is something that players get when they overcome an
The main types of encounters in the GM’s repertoire are: encounter where they think there is a chance of failure.
• Exploration Resources
• Puzzles The distribution of wealth, equipment, or special items is something that players often
• Traps anticipate at the end of encounters.
• Role-playing Information
• Combat Role-playing encounters and even combat encounters can reward players with
information that is valuable to their goals or quests.
Exploration Favor
At the highest level, exploration reflects the players’ decisions about how their
characters interact with the world. These choices guide and drive the story. Depending on the cause and outcome of the encounter, the characters could find
themselves with the passing or eternal gratitude of a game character.
Do they take the road to the distant crumbling city, strike off the road into the
foreboding forest, or enter the saloon, or follow up on a dangling plot hook. Perhaps the characters were hired by a noble to rescue his comely daughter from a
handsome rake before he can despoil her?
Exploration is the scaffolding of the entire story, from which all of the other types of
encounters hang. Character’s choices may take them into a puzzle, or combat, or a trap. Alternatively, perhaps the characters (with no great intent) managed to thwart a robbery,
abduction, swindle, or assassination and gained the appreciation of the target.
Puzzles Passage
Puzzles provide GMs with an encounter that’s an interesting alternative to straight Often the encounter is a literal or figurative obstacle for the characters’ progress.
combat. Usually a puzzle encounter must be solved to offer progress, but sometimes
Sometimes the ravine is blocked by an orcish encampment, the dungeon door is held
players will be totally stumped by the puzzle, so alternative routes need to be available.
fast by a complicated lock or finally, there are times when the way is blocked by a
However, some gaming groups find it hard to engage with puzzles, and these encounters mischievous spirit who challenges the party to solve a riddle. In each of these cases the
can be hard to design effectively. reward for the encounter is continued progress.
Traps
It’s important here to make a distinction between incidental traps that players encounter
in the course of normal exploration and traps that are an encounter in themselves.
Trap encounters are similar to puzzles, except they’re trying to kill the players. Having
said that, these encounters have many of the same problems as puzzle encounters (such
as players not getting how to ‘solve’ them), but the addition of life-threatening danger
makes them doubly-risky.
Role-Playing
In role-playing encounters, the players play out their characters’ interactions with game
characters. These encounters ideally offer players alternate possible outcomes,
depending on the result of the interactions.
Combat
Combat encounters are the bread and butter of RPGs, and it’s the GM’s job to ensure
these encounters are interesting, meaningful, and grounded.

COMBAT ENCOUNTER DESIGN
The combat encounter is one of the foundational elements of role-playing games.
Unlike other encounter types, combat allows players to experience danger and
excitement and victory that we don’t get in everyday life.
As such, there will likely be many calls for combat encounters, and each of these has a
different context, motivations, locations, and adversaries.
Why We Fight?
No two campaigns are the same and not two gaming groups are the same. Between
these, there are infinite reasons for adventuring parties to get into fights, such as:
• Characters want something the adversaries’ have
• The adversaries are blocking the characters’ path
• The adversaries have something the characters need (key, item, shelter, etc)
• The adversaries have ambushed the party
• The adversaries are endangering common folk
• It’s a cruel and hateful world overflowing with the vile denizens of chaos
What’s At Stake?
One thing to consider for a combat encounter is what’s at stake, other than the lives of
the combatants. Are the groups fighting just for the sake of it, or is there something in
play? One way ensure a combat encounter is meaningful is to add another element that
raises the stakes, such as:
• Rescue a prisoner the adversaries are trying to evacuate
• Protecting a target that assassins are trying to kill
• Changing or deteriorating topography
• Preventing the adversaries from completing a ritual, project, or activity
• Fighting to gain (or keep) possession of an object (such as a key or any artifact)
• Trying to perform a specific action in the midst of a larger combat, such as to gain
or hold a position
Number of Adversaries
When creating a combat encounter, the GM’s first consideration is often the number of
adversaries that the players face. In considering this, the GM may have a particular type
of encounter in mind, such as a fight against one powerful adversary, a large battle
against lots of easily-defeated minions, or a band of enemies that the characters can’t
hope to defeat in normal combat.

Adversary Mix Individual Adversary Strength
The Forge Engine makes it easy for the GM to mix up the type of adversaries that the Take care when using adversaries with significantly more energy than the player
characters face. characters, especially when the characters have lower amounts of energy (e.g. less than
These adversaries, whether they’re normal humans, mystical creatures, or exotic aliens, 10). These adversaries hit more often and deal comparatively high damage; just a
can be easily scaled in power and role to present characters with a range of threats and couple of attacks from a strong adversary can KO a low-power character outright.
tactics even within a single type of adversary. This combination of high hit probabilities, high damage, and lower chance of the
When combining multiple types of adversaries, the GM needs to keep in mind the characters landing a strike in return, makes these adversaries very dangerous.
practicalities and motivations for the alliance.
• Is one adversary type subordinate to the other?
• Are these all intelligent adversaries working together?
• Do the groups normally work together?
• Have they been temporarily thrown together by circumstances?
So by all means mix up the adversaries, but make the alliance make sense.
Encounter Difficulty
The difficulty of an encounter is easily established in Forge Engine.
First, add up the maximum energy of the player characters, and then compare this to the
total maximum energy to the adversaries. The comparison of these numbers tells the
GM the difficult of an encounter.
For example, if four player characters with 10 energy (40 energy) face six adversaries
each with 8 energy (48 energy), then this will be a difficult encounter.
By following the described steps, the GM can create encounters that are:
• Easy relative to the characters’ strength
• Balanced relative to the characters’ strength
• Hard relative to the characters’ strength
• Fixed difficulty
Easy, balanced, and hard encounters allow the GM to control the pace of the character’s
adventures and to increase the tension of the session or story.
Using fixed difficulty encounters is an old-school technique. This is especially useful
in sandbox style adventures where the players can tackle encounters at their own pace.
In this style of play, the GM may want certain of those encounters to be too hard for the
characters and others to be potentially easy or balanced, depending on the order that
the players choose to have their characters tackle them.
Encounters for Low Power Characters

Encounters for characters with low power are more susceptible to the vagaries of
random dice rolls. When this is combined with inexperienced players (who aren’t
familiar with the rules and their character’s capabilities), it’s a recipe for unpredictable
or disastrous outcomes.
In this situation it’s best to make sure that the encounter is slightly lower difficulty than
normal or that it’s apparent to the players that they are outclassed and should consider
alternate approaches.

RUNNING COMBAT ENCOUNTERS Adjusting Difficulty on the Fly
It’s not too late to adjust the difficulty of an encounter until all of the characters are
Getting Into Combat dead on the ground (and even then…).
Once the encounter is in progress, you can progressively adjust the difficulty up or
The transition from ‘adventuring’ to combat can happen in many ways. Sometimes it’s down to take into account unexpected situations:
planned as part of a story or adventure, other times it happens when the players do
something unexpected. • Exceptionally good or bad rolls
• Characters kick in the door of a room where they have heard noises • Exceptionally good or bad tactics
• Players set their characters in ambush of approaching adversaries • Miscalculated difficulty
• GM rolls a random encounter for characters travelling overland or in a city Here are a few ideas to make encounters harder:
• Characters overpower the guards of a shop or temple that they want to loot • Introduce another wave of adversaries (if possible)
• A character’s pick-pocketing attempt on a game character fails badly • Concentrate the adversaries’ attacks on key characters, like the coordinating
commanders, fantasy healers, or powerful fighters
• Adversaries come across the party, potentially surprising everyone
And a few to make encounters easier:
• The characters botch an attribute test, drawing nearby adversaries to their location
• Spread adversaries’ attacks amongst multiple player and game characters
Determining Surprise • Make the adversaries’ leaders flee when threatened or significantly damaged
Surprise can occur when one of the groups of combatants is not immediately expecting • Give the adversaries morale tests (Intelligence (Insight) vs difficulty target) if the
to be attacked. This can even mean that a character who is ‘on guard’ can be surprised leader dies or flees
by a sufficiently stealthy or unexpected attack. • Don’t use the adversaries’ specialized combat skills
Surprise is generally determined with an opposed attribute test, but the GM may decide
a fixed difficult is more appropriate:
• Opposed test: Acuity (Perception) vs Agility (Stealth)
• Set difficulty: Acuity (Perception) vs difficulty
The opposed test introduces some variability into the determination of surprise, but the
Forge Engine’s opposed dice pools mean that the larger dice pool will usually prevail.
The second method allows the GM to set the difficult directly.
Tactics
Depending on their experience, a party’s tactics can range from effective to ineffective.
This also extends to individual players, who can play optimally or sub-optimally. The
single most effective player tactic is to pick off adversaries one at a time, aiming to
reduce the number of enemies as quickly as possible.
Depending on how difficult the GM is aiming for the encounter to be, they may need to
support, negate, or counter the players’ tactics.

Ending the Combat Total Party Kill
Not all combats should run to the total death of one of the groups (especially if it’s the Sometimes a combat goes very badly for the characters, and you might not want to wipe
player characters’ party). them out entirely. First, ask these questions:
To the Death • If it looks like a TPK is coming, can the enemies demand they surrender?
Some groups will fight to the death; humans defending their families, animals defending • Are the characters dead-dead, or just unconscious or dying, for easy capture?
their territory or lairs. • Did anyone escape who could attempt a rescue?
Morale • Do they have allies nearby who could help?
Intelligent characters ” generally humans and humanoids, but also creatures like • If there are surviving enemies, would/could they keep the characters alive?
dragons ” will be mindful of their strategic position in combat. If they are losing • Are there other characters/spirits/enemies/allies that could save the characters?
(outnumbered, outskilled, or outwitted), then there is a chance that they will flee to save
• What would the adversaries do with the characters; ransom them, force them to
their own lives. This chance of fleeing is increased if their leader is killed or has fled.
undertake some task for their lives?
Fleeing • Do they have the favor of their gods, benefactors, or higher powers?
Natural animals are usually looking for a quick and easy meal, so they prefer to flee if • Do the dead-dead characters want to start new characters?
the combat is going bad for them.
• Do the surviving characters have enough resources or the capability themselves to
Surrender magically resurrect the dead characters or rush them to a nearby hospital?
In some cases, characters will surrender rather than flee in combat. This can be a risky
proposition when the player characters are merciless.
Capture
In rare cases, the player characters or their opponents will be striving to capture, rather
than kill, the other.
Running Away In Combat

In many cases player characters or game characters will try to vacate the combat area,
pronto. Although there are no specific rules for how to handle combatants who try to
flee, here are a few ideas for how a GM can rule these attempts.
If characters in melee range want to stop the other combatant from fleeing, then the GM
could run an opposed attribute test for the attempted escape. The prospective escapee
rolls a Strength or Agility attribute test. The characters trying to stop the escapee all
then attempt to match or beat that roll with their own Strength or Agility tests. If the
escapee’s roll is matched or beaten, then the move is stopped, and the escape is
prevented.
Depending on initiative order, the escapee might attempt to break away when the
surrounding characters have used their energy. In this instance, the GM could resolve
the retreat first as an opposed Strength (Athletics) or Agility (Acrobatics) attribute test.
Pursuits
If the characters or adversaries attempt to pursue their opponents, then it’s best to use
an opposed Stamina (Endurance) attribute test, rather than attempting to adjudicate a 5’
by 5’ move by move situation.
When resolving these opposed tests, then pursuit ties are adjudicated as the status quo
(i.e. both groups move the same distance), outright successes mean that individual or
group moves some distance closer or further from the other.

REWARDS AND PROGRESSION Bonus Character Points
Bonus character points can be awarded by the GM to reward specific ‘meta’ player
Character points (CP) are used to track the progress of characters through their actions in the game, such as overcoming multiple combat encounters in a single game
adventures. Character points allow players to develop their characters’ attributes and day or exceptional role-playing interactions with game characters or other player
skills, which in turn increase the characters’ energy pool, increase their health, and characters.
increase the effectiveness of their actions as well as broadening the situations in which
they can use their actions. Bonus Combat CP
Character points are gained by overcoming enemies in combat, solving puzzles, To encourage players to press on with their adventures (and discourage them from
negotiating with adversarial game characters, and completing missions or quests. taking a full day rest after each combat encounter), bonus character points can be
Bonus character points are also available to players for exceptional role-playing and awarded for subsequent combat encounters after the first on a single day.
for having their characters tackle multiple encounters in a game day. Example bonus combat CP:
• For tackling multiple hazardous combat encounters in a single game day
Gaining Character Points • Engage in risky combat encounters when injured or with expended energy
Generally speaking, character points are awarded at the end of each session to reward
players for defeating (or otherwise overcoming) adversaries, for solving puzzles, for Bonus Role-Playing CP
escaping or disarming traps, for negotiating with or overcoming adversarial game Sometimes a player will go above and beyond in the role-playing of their character
characters, for completing quests or missions, and just plain showing up. when interacting with game characters or the other player characters.
Character points are normally awarded at the end of the session:
This may include really living out the character’s individual traits, background and
• 2 CP per character per session goals to bring the adventurer to life. Good role-playing should be rewarded, and a good
Alternatively, if you wish to accelerate the development of the player characters: reward is bonus character points.
• 3 CP per character per session By its nature, bonus character points are given to reinforce player behaviors that
should be encouraged. Here are some examples of behaviors to reward:
Furthermore, if the characters achieve a significant milestone, such as completing a
quest or mission, they could also gain further CP: • Role-playing character and racial traits
• 2 CP per character for completing a minor quest or mission • Role-playing a character’s background
• 4 CP per character for completing a major quest or mission • Role-playing a character’s rights and wrongs
• 6 CP per character for completing a complete campaign • Utilizing a character’s unique skills to achieve goals
Example bonus role-playing character points include:
• 1 CP awarded to players who role-play their characters exceptionally well
When to Award Bonus XP

When giving bonus character points, try to do the following:
• Award the character points as quickly as possible after the behavior
• First reward the behavior consistently (every time)
• Transition from consistent rewards to random rewards
For example, for each encounter, roll a d10 for each player exhibiting the behavior
reward them on a 6 or higher. Then increase the difficulty target to 7 after a few
encounters. Finally, settle on a difficulty target of 8 for each player to determine
whether to reward them.

RUNNING ATTRIBUTE TESTS Influence Tests
• Calm frightened person (Leadership/Persuasion)
When running attribute tests, there are a number of steps: • Negotiate with a hostile game character (Persuasion)
• Determine the type of test (fixed or opposed) • Bluff or deceive (Deception)
• Determine the appropriate attribute(s) • Etiquette to blend into in high society (Deception/Perform)
• Set the difficulty number (for fixed tests) • Disguise yourself or impersonate someone (Deception)
• Resolve the test • Lead a group of characters (Leadership)
Fixed or Opposed Tests • Gather information from strangers (Persuasion)

• Perform in front of an audience (Perform)
Fixed attribute tests are those where the challenge is against a static challenge, such as
to climb a wall. Whereas opposed attribute tests are those where two game characters • Secure the favors of a handsome rake (Persuasion)
are opposed to each other.
Intelligence Tests
Appropriate Attributes • Knowledge of science, lore, religion, or the arcane (Knowledge: Field)
• Knowledge of lore or history (History)
Strength Tests • Discern the source of a magic effect (Arcana)
• Jump over a gap (Athletics)
• Understand languages (Language)
• Lift or throw something heavy (Athletics)
• Research a topic (Investigation)
• Climb up a rope (Athletics)
• Search for a secret door or hidden treasure (Investigation)
• Smash through a door (Athletics)
• Solve a spatial, mathematic, or relationship puzzle (Investigation)
• Swim across a river (Athletics)
• Work out relationships between seemingly unrelated events (Investigation)
• Get information from someone through threats (Intimidation)
Acuity Tests
Agility Tests • Calm a spooked horse (Animal Handling)
• Move silently or stealthily (Stealth)
• Notice a hidden trap or ambush (Perception)
• Disable a mechanical trap or pick a lock (Thievery)
• Know direction (Survival)
• Escape from bonds (Thievery/Acrobatics)
• Spot a character moving stealthily (Perception)
• Dodge a deadfall trap (Acrobatics)
• Scan an area for threats or opportunities (Perception)
• Run quickly through a crowd (Acrobatics)
• Heal or treat a wound (First Aid)
• Hit a small target with a throw or shot (Ranged Weapons/Thrown Weapons) • Track an enemy in dense woods (Survival)
• Pick a pocket or cut a purse (Thievery) • Determine whether a game character is lying (Insight)
• Ride a horse (Ride)
Stamina Tests
• Run for several hours (Endurance)
• Drink competitively (Resist)
• Survive a short time in an inferno or freezing location (Endurance)
• Overcome poison (Resist)
• Endure tear gas (Resist)
• Recover from an illness or disease (Resist)
• Survive a prolonged time in a desert or frozen tundra (Endurance)

Setting Difficulty
All fixed attribute tests require a difficulty target number, determined by the GM. These
target numbers give a guide for the appropriate numbers to use for tasks:
Difficult Target
Easy ▘
Normal ▙
Hard ▚
Formidable «░
And for situations where the test needs to be challenging for even the most advanced
character, you may require difficulty ratings in excess of the normal ▘ to «░ range.
In these extreme situations you can require two or more successes:
Difficult Target
Severe ▚▚
Extreme «░ «░
Resolving Attribute Tests

Fixed
Fixed attribute tests, those against static obstacles, are straightforward to adjudicate for
their absolute success or failure. However, the interpretation of degrees of success for
these tests offers some challenge. In these tests, one success may indicate the barest of
success, while additional successes indicate that the character overcame the test more
quickly or more comprehensively (such as by gaining more information).
Opposed
Opposed attribute tests are most simple when two characters are in opposition, and
only the active character can succeed or ‘win’ the test. In this simple situation, the
‘instigator’ of the test is the only character that can achieve their desired outcome.
For example, let’s imagine two characters on opposite sides of a perfectly normal door.
One character tries to open the door, and the other tries to stop them. In this case, we
have an opposed attribute test, probably Strength (Athletics) vs Strength (Athletics).
Here, if the character trying to open the door achieves one or more successes, then that
character succeeds in opening the door, and the other fails to stop them.
The more elaborate version of the opposed attribute test occurs when two characters
are trying to achieve an outcome that either of them can succeed. Both characters, the
‘instigator’ and the ‘reacter’, can achieve their outcome.
So let’s imagine an arm wrestle between two characters. In such an arm wrestle, either
character can win, or, possibly, there could even be a stalemate. In adjudicating an
opposed attribute test like this, the character that has one or more dice higher than the
other’s highest die achieves that number of successes. If the character’s highest dice
are tied, then the GM can call a tie, or favor the instigator of the test (ties go to the
instigator), or perform a count-back to each character’s next highest die.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS Fire
Damage from fire is based on the intensity of the fire; moderate, high, very high.
Interesting adventures take characters to unique locations, and challenge them with
unusual and dangerous terrain features. While the characters can overcome these Characters entering fire, or who stay in fire for more than a few seconds, take 1, 2, or 3
terrain features with simple attribute tests, the characteristics of these terrain features damage, based on the intensity of the fire. Characters can make a Stamina (Endurance)
and hazards call for more nuanced use of attribute tests. test at difficulty 8 to reduce this damage. The damage is reduced by 1 for each success.
Climbing Jumping
When the terrain becomes too steep, characters must climb instead of walking. The environments that characters explore often include chasms, rooftops, tunnels,
parapets, balconies, walkways, gantries, cave-ins, and towers. To jump across larger
To climb a wall, characters make an Agility (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) attribute gaps, characters must succeed an attribute test.
test. The difficulty of this test is determined by the incline and smoothness of the
surface. For example, a vertical wall with some handholds may be difficult 9, an When trying to jump across a gap, characters make an Agility (Acrobatics) or Strength
overhanging wall with some handholds is difficult 10, and an overhanging wall with (Athletics) attribute test at difficulty 8. If the characters have no room to get a run up
scarce handholds is difficulty 10/10 (requires two 10s to succeed). When making these and instead make standing jump, the difficulty is increased to 10. Additionally, if their
attribute tests, characters climb 5’ for each success. destination is higher than their origin, the difficulty is further increased. Similarly, if
the destination is lower, the difficulty is reduced. The character jumps 5’ for each
Cold and Heat success, up to the rating of their Agility or Strength attribute (whichever they used).
If the character falls short by just 5’, then they have hit the edge of their destination.
When characters are exposed to extreme heat or cold, their bodies rapidly fail. When this happens, they can make another attribute test, Agility (Acrobatics) or Strength
Each time characters spend an hour in extreme heat or cold, they must make a Stamina (Athletics) at difficulty 8, to prevent themselves from falling.
(Endurance) test at difficulty 8 (this can be adjusted for the intensity of the conditions).
If the character fails the test, they first become both Enervated and Weakened. This test Suffocating and Drowning
is repeated each hour the character is in the extreme conditions. The second time the
character fails the test, they become both Exhausted and Enfeebled. The third time the Suffocation and downing do not damage characters like physical damage. Instead,
character fails the test, their current health is reduced to -1 (if it is 0 or higher) and they these first render the characters weak, then unconscious, and then rapidly dead.
are Dying (and Unconscious). Each time characters spend 30 seconds without oxygen, they must made a Stamina
(Endurance) test at difficulty 8. If the character fails the test, they first become both
Difficult Terrain Enervated and Weakened. This test is repeated each 30 seconds the character is
without oxygen. The second time the character fails the test, they become both
Thick undergrowth, jagged rubble, or sucking mud are difficult terrain that hamper Exhausted and Enfeebled. The third time the character fails the test, their current health
characters’ movement. is reduced to -1 (if it is 0 or higher) and they are Dying (and Unconscious),
The easiest way to handle these situations is to determine that characters are Slowed in Obviously, characters cannot be Stabilized while still without oxygen.
difficult terrain. Alternatively, quick movement through difficult terrain can be
determined by an Agility (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) attribute test. Water and Food
Explosions When characters are travelling over longer periods, they need food and water to keep
their bodies in good working condition. When a character doesn’t have access to food
Explosions are resolved as area attacks against all characters in their range. or water for more than 24 hours, they first become Enervated and Weakened, and then
Characters caught in an explosion must make a standard PD defense roll against the Exhausted and Enfeebled.
explosion’s attack roll. The explosion’s attack roll will range from ▖, «░, or «▖ (or Each time characters spend 24 hours without food or water, they must made a Stamina
more) dice, depending on the force of the explosion. When characters are at the fringe (Endurance) test at difficulty 8. If the character fails the test, they first become both
of the explosion, their defense pool gains ▛▛. Enervated and Weakened. This test is repeated each 24 hours the character is without
hydration and nourishment. The second time the character fails the test, they become
Falling both Exhausted and Enfeebled. The third time the character fails the test, their current
Inevitably, characters will fall from some great height. This is one of the main hazards health is reduced to -1 (if it is 0 or higher) and they are Dying (and Unconscious),
for brave but careless adventurers. Falling damage is based on the height that a If the character spends 4 days without water, they are automatically fail the first test.
character falls, and can be reduced with a successful attribute test. After 6 days without water, they are automatically fail the second test. After 8 days
without water, they automatically fail the third test.
Characters take 1 damage for each 10’ they fall. Characters can make an Agility
(Acrobatics) test at difficulty 8 to reduce this damage. Each success reduces the Characters cannot remove these conditions until they have eaten and rehydrated.
damage by 1.

RESOLVING INFLUENCE TESTS Required Successes for Influence Tests
Having established both the disposition of the target and the magnitude of the task, the
It can be difficult to judge the number of successes required for an opposed Influence following table gives an idea of the number of successes that the instigating character
test, so it helps to break down the challenge into three different factors: needs to achieve on their opposed Influence test to succeed in convincing the target to
• The disposition of the target to the instigating character perform the task.
• The magnitude of the task
Disposition Magnitude of Task:
• The required number of successes for the opposed test to succeed
(below) Trivial Easy Normal Hard Impossible
Disposition of Target Friendly None None 1 3 5
The first factor to consider, and hopefully the easiest, is the disposition of the target.
Their disposition is simply their attitude to the character; are they friendly, are they just Familiar None 1 3 5 7
newly acquainted, are they rivals or perhaps enemies? Neutral 1 3 5 7 9
• Aligned: The target is very well known to the character, they share a common bond Rival 3 5 7 9 11
of trust and understanding. They go out of their way to support and progress the
character’s goals. Enemy 5 7 9 11 13
• Associated: The target is associated with the character, and they are familiar, but
not friend-friends. They support the character’s goals, especially when they align For example, convincing a friendly dragon (Friendly) to raze a village (Impossible)
with their own. would require 5 successes, whereas convincing a hostile dragon (Enemy) to raze that
same village (Impossible) would require 13 successes!
• Neutral: The target is neutral towards the character, they are neither opposed or
aligned with the character. Similarly, (and all other things being equal) it is as easy to convince a friend (Friendly)
to murder or treason (Impossible) as it is to convince a sworn enemy (Enemy) to lend a
• Rival: The target is a rival of the character, they are antagonistic towards the
helping hand (Trivial), each requiring 5 successes.
character when their goals are in opposition.
• Enemy: The target is aggressively hostile towards the character, and will go out of
their way to oppose and thwart the character’s goals and desires.
Magnitude of Task
• Trivial: The task is trivially achieved by the target, requiring minimal effort or cost,
or involving an action that they are undertaking or plan to undertake; such as
asking a small favor.
• Easy: The task is achieved with some reasonable effort, time, loss, or imposition on
the target; such as performing or assisting in an errand, chore, or task, or lending a
reasonable amount of money.
• Normal: The task requires a major effort, time commitment, loss, or imposition;
such as lending a large amount of money, accompanying or someone for an
extended period, or performing or assisting in a complicated, arduous, or
prolonged task.
• Hard: The task requires significant effort or loss, or the possibility of real risk,
danger, or loss of wealth or liberty; such as activities like robbery, blackmail,
kidnapping, bribery, or extortion.
• Impossible: The task is risky, dangerous, and involves a significant risk of loss of
life or liberty; such as murder, treason, mutiny, revolt, or insurgency.

RESOLVING ATTACKS Bystanders Resolve Reactions
Example reaction trigger wording: ‚When an adjacent ally is the target of an attack that
Because attacks use opposed rolls, it is important that the attacker, the defender, and does not include you.‛
each of their allies have opportunities to use their reactions (which they gain from Following the attacker’s reaction resolution, everyone else except for the defender(s) get
skills) to influence the outcome of the exchange. their turn to resolve their reactions. For example, a character trained in the Defender
The attack progresses through four main steps (declare attack, roll dice, determine skill would react here to augment the defender’s defenses, even though that character is
successes/hits, and determine damage), each of which is followed by opportunities for not one of the targets of the attack. As ever, the character must pay the costs of their
reactions for each of the participants (and also the bystanders): reaction.
In a more complicated example, a character with Reflex Strike could react to an attack
• Declare attack
with an attack of their own! In this situation, the Reflex Strike attack then resolves
• Resolve reactions completely before the triggering attack resumes.
• Roll dice Defender Resolves Reactions

• Resolve reactions Example reaction trigger wording: ‚When you are the target of a melee attack‛
Finally, the defender(s) has their opportunity to react to the attack to use skills. For
• Determine successes/hits example, a defender might react to use Dodge, Shield Training, or Brace to increase the
• Resolve reactions number of dice in their relevant defense pool.
• Determine damage Roll Dice

Once everyone has had one opportunity to react to the attack, the dice pools should be
• Resolve reactions ready for the attacker and the defender(s).
Declare Attack With the dice pools ready, everyone rolls their pools simultaneously.
The first step in resolving an attack is for the active player to declare an attack. In Resolve Reactions
declaring an attack, the attacker does the following: Example reaction trigger wording: ‚When you roll a melee attack...‛
• Announce the attack (and any relevant skills) With the dice rolled, the attacker, bystanders, and the defender(s) each have another
• Specify the target(s) opportunity to resolve reactions. These reactions are usually used to modify the
• Spend or expend the energy required to initiate the attack (and then gain dice for outcome of the rolled pools, such as adding, removing, or re-rolling dice from the pools.
the weapon or attack) For example, Twist the Blade allows an attacker to add additional dice to their action
pool after the dice have been rolled. Conversely, Sidestep allows the defender to add
• Add energy dice to the action pool, if required
additional dice to their defense pool.
• Gain bonus dice into the action pool, if required
And then the defender has their opportunity to: Determine Successes/Hits
• Spend or expend the energy required to defend against the attack Now that the action pool and the defense pool(s) have been rolled (and resolved), the
players can compare the pools to see how many successes/hits the attacker has made.
• Add energy dice to the defense pool, if required As usual, the successes are the attacker’s dice that equal or better the defender’s single
• Gain bonus dice into the defense pool, if required highest die.
Attacker Resolves Reactions

Example reaction trigger wording: ‚When you declare a melee attack…‛
Immediately after the declaration of the attack, the attacker resolves any triggered
reactions that they want to use or have to use. For example, the attacker may have a
trained skill that allows them to change the damage type of an attack, or a spell-caster
could adjust the range or effect area of their spell as a reaction. Any additional costs
must be paid to activate this reaction.

Resolve Reactions
Example reaction trigger wording: ‚When you hit a target with a melee attack.‛
As ever, the attacker, bystanders, and defender(s) each have their opportunity to react to
stage of the combat resolution.
For example, with Debilitating Blow, a character can use the trigger of a successful
attack to spend additional energy and force the target to expend energy.
Determine Damage
The final step of combat resolution is to determine and apply damage to the target(s). In
this stage the number of successes/hits is translated into damage, which is then
modified for each of the targets. For example, targets may have vulnerabilities or
resistances that increase or decrease the damage from certain types of attack.
In another example, the Stunning Blow skill would have been used as a reaction at the
declaration of the attack, but its effects are applied here to negate any damage and
instead to apply a condition to the target.
Resolve Reactions
Example reaction trigger wording: ‚When you take damage from an attack.‛
Finally, all the participants ” attacker, bystanders, and defender(s) ” get one last chance
to resolve any reactions to the damage.
As an example, a character with Retaliation skill gains bonus energy to the energy pool
for each damage they take. Alternatively, the First Strike skill doubles the damage if the
damage is the first that has been dealt in a combat encounter.

DICE POOL PROBABILITIES This table shows the mean number of successes for dice pools vs difficult targets.
Dice Pool Difficulty Target:

The table below shows the chances of achieving 1 success for combinations of dice
pools and various fixed difficulty targets. (below) 7 8 9 10 99 10 10
1d10 0 0 0 0 0 0
Action Pool Difficulty Target:
2d10 1 1 0 0 0 0
(below) 7 8 9 10 99 10 10
3d10 1 1 0 0 0 0
1d10 40% 30% 20% 10% - -
4d10 2 1 1 0 0 0
2d10 64% 51% 36% 19% 4% 1%
5d10 2 1 1 0 0 0
3d10 78% 66% 49% 27% 10% 3%
6d10 2 2 1 0 0 0
4d10 87% 76% 59% 34% 18% 5%
7d10 3 2 1 1 0 0
5d10 92% 83% 67% 41% 26% 8%
8d10 3 2 1 1 0 0
6d10 95% 88% 74% 47% 34% 11%
9d10 4 3 2 1 (1) 0
7d10 97% 92% 79% 52% 42% 15%
10d10 4 3 2 1 (1) 0
8d10 98% 94% 83% 57% 49% 19%
9d10 99% 96% 87% 61% 56% 23% And this shows the mean number of successes for opposed dice pools.
10d10 99% 97% 89% 65% 62% 26%
Action Pool Defense Pool:
This table shows the chances of gaining at least 1 success for opposed dice pools. (below) 1d10 2d10 3d10 4d10 5d10
1d10 1 0 0 0 0
(below) 2d10 1 1 1 0 0
1d10 2d10 3d10 4d10 5d10
3d10 2 1 1 1 0
1d10 55% 39% 30% 25% 22%
4d10 2 1 1 1 1
2d10 72% 57% 48% 42% 37%
5d10 3 2 1 1 1
3d10 80% 67% 59% 53% 49%
6d10 3 2 2 1 1
4d10 85% 74% 67% 61% 57%
7d10 4 2 2 1 1
5d10 88% 79% 73% 68% 64%
8d10 4 3 2 2 1
6d10 90% 83% 77% 73% 69%
9d10 5 3 2 2 2
7d10 92% 86% 81% 77% 73%
10d10 6 3 3 2 2
8d10 93% 88% 83% 80% 77%
11d10 6 4 3 2 2
9d10 94% 90% 86% 83% 80%
12d10 7 4 3 3 2
10d10 95% 91% 88% 85% 82%
13d10 7 5 3 3 2
14d10 8 5 4 3 3
15d10 8 5 4 3 3

CRITICAL FAILURES
Some groups play critical fail or botch rules. This can be implemented in Forge Engine
games by using this optional rule:
Optional Rule: If an attack or attribute test has no successes and at least half of
dice (rounded up) are 1s, then the test is a critical failure.
When using this rule, the chance of incurring a critical fail is highest when the attacker
has just a few dice and the defender has more dice. To ensure the rule is fair, the
critical failure only occurs when the attack achieves no successes, and the 1s do not
negate successes.
This table shows the chances of the attacker rolling a critical failure for various
combinations of opposed dice pools.

(below) 1d10 2d10 3d10 4d10 5d10
1d10 9% 10% 10% 10% 10%
2d10 8% 11% 13% 14% 14.6%
3d10 1.2% 1.6% 1.9% 2% 2.1%
4d10 1.4% 2.1% 2.6% 2.9% 3.2%
5d10 0.2% 0.35% 0.42% 0.48% 0.52%
6d10 0.3% 0.48% 0.61% 0.7% 0.77%
7d10 0.05% 0.08% 0.1% 0.12% 0.13%
8d10 0.07% 0.12% 0.15% 0.18% 0.2%
9d10 0.01% 0.02% 0.03% 0.03% 0.04%
10d10 0.02% 0.03% 0.04% 0.05% 0.05%

EXTERNALITIES
Externalities are the situational and circumstantial factors that affect a character’s
ability to perform an action.
General guidelines for applying externalities:
• Modify the pool of the character that has the advantage or disadvantage
• Apply bonuses for advantageous situations, such as ‘gains ▛▛’
• Apply penalty for unfavorable situations, such as ‘pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die)’
• Apply multiple bonuses and penalties
Melee Attacks
• Advantageous position (e.g. from height): Action pool gains ▛▛
• Unfavorable position (e.g. obstructed): Action pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die)
• Unstable (e.g. mounted): Action pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die)
Ranged Attacks
• Into melee: Defender gains ▛ to their PD
• Beyond weapon range: Defender gains ▛▛ to their PD for each range increment
• Inside weapon range (e.g. adjacent to attacker): Defender gains ▛▛ to their PD
• Unstable (e.g. mounted): Action pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die)
Cover
• Partial Cover: Defender gains ▛ to their PD
• Half Cover: Defender gains ▛▛ to their PD
• Three-Quarters Cover: Defender gains ▛▛▛ to their PD
• Total Cover: Cannot be a target of a non-area attack or effect
Visibility
These externalities can apply to effects like magical invisibility or mundane situations
like low light situations or fog.
• Obscure: Defender gains ▛ to their PD
• Faint: Defender gains ▛▛ to their PD
• Invisible: Defender gains ▛▛▛ to their PD
Handedness
• Using weapon or a tool in off-hand: Action pool loses ▛▛ (min. ▛ die)

CUSTOM CONTENT Expended Energy is Sacrosanct
Forge Engine has two dynamic resource pools; energy and health. Various skills allow
The Forge Engine is a framework for RPG play, and that framework is there for you to resources to move between these pools, or even create additional resources in one or
modify and expand as you like. The content provided here is thorough, but not all- the other of these pools.
encompassing. There are deliberate gaps and wide open design frontiers ripe for
exploration and colonization. • Healers can expend energy to recover health
The content in Forge Engine falls into these broad categories: • Leaders can expend energy to create bonus energy
In order to prevent infinite resource loops, it is vital that no skills or traits ever allow a
• Traits • Martial skills • Equipment character to recover expended energy. If any skill allowed a character to recover
• General skills • Magic traits and skills • Adversaries expended energy, then one or more characters could combine several skills to create
infinite energy or health.
When creating custom content, it’s important to consider the design forms of each of
the types of content, and a couple of general design rules:
• No prerequisites for skills (with an exception for magic traits and skills)
Custom Traits
Traits have a fixed CP cost and can only be purchased once, usually at character
• Each purchased rating must have a meaningful impact creation. Some rare traits are liabilities, which have negative CP costs.
• Skills cannot be higher than the underlying attribute rating
Custom General Skills
No Prerequisites Custom general skills cost 1 CP for each rating, and their ratings must be able to go to
The first rule for custom content is that there must not be prerequisites; skills and traits ▛▛▛▛▛ (and higher).
cannot depend on characters having other underlying skills. This rule exists to ensure
a wide range of viable character builds, rather than a shrinking set of ‘optimal’ builds. Custom Combat Skills
The magic trait prerequisites are an exception to the rule to ensure that players do not Custom martial skills cost 1 CP for each rating, and their ratings must be able to go to
simply cherry-pick a scattering of powerful magic skills for their characters. The magic ▛▛▛▛▛ (and higher).
trait buy-in ensures that players are actually committed to their characters’ builds.
Meaningful Skill Ratings Custom Magic Traits and Skills

Each school of magic has a casting trait and a set of corresponding magic skills.
All skills have ratings, and each rating needs to have a meaningful benefit for the
character. When designing new custom skills, it can be difficult to immediately come up Custom casting traits cost 2 CP for each new school of magic. Each separate magic
with a benefit for each rating, but they must. Additionally, all skills and attributes must skill costs 1 CP for each rating, and their ratings must be able to go to ▛▛▛▛▛
be functional at all possible ratings (from ▛ to ▛▛▛▛▛ and higher). (and higher).
In most cases the skills give additional bonus dice, usually limited by the amount of
energy spent. However, there a multiple examples where the skill cannot or does not
Custom Equipment
neatly fit into this paradigm. Some examples include Armor Training, which removes Equipment has an energy cost that represents the time and effort required to use the
penalties instead of giving bonuses, and Offensive Stance which uses the rating to equipment and then its rating that reflects its ultimate effectiveness.
determine how many times each round it gives a small bonus. Here are some ideas:
• Each rating adds an additional die to the pool (up to the added energy) Custom Adversaries
• Skill can be activated once per turn for each rating The easiest way to make custom adversaries is to re-skin the templates, balancing their
• Target one character for each rating energy with the challenge you want for your players.
• Ignore inherent penalties of equipment of equal or lower rating

• Each rating allows you to add, spend, or expend ▛ energy for an effect
• Benefits that accumulate with use (per turn or encounter), up to the rating

CUSTOM TRAITS Example Custom Traits
Traits are bought for a fixed CP cost. They can only be purchased once, usually at Size Traits and Attribute Traits
character creation. The cost of each trait reflects the benefit that it grants the character.
The size traits and attribute traits sections cover most required sizes and attribute
Hindrances modifiers, so there is little need for custom content here.
Some rare traits are liabilities, and they have negative CP costs, which give the character
Damage Traits
additional CP to spend elsewhere. The damage traits section covers resistance and immunity to each damage type. For
It is important that traits with negative costs apply meaningful liabilities to the each new damage type, they need damage resistance and immunity traits. Alternatively,
character, not just superficial liabilities, and that their liability is disproportionately you could include damage vulnerability traits into your game. In this case, each of the
large compared to their CP benefit. Furthermore, it is also important that these traits damage types would gain a corresponding vulnerability trait:
are not just ‘spotlight’ traits, such as the character having a powerful enemy, that detract
from the attention that other player characters receive at the table. Acid Vulnerable Trait: -1 CP
You are unusually vulnerable to acid.
Types of Traits You take double damage from acid.
The different categories of traits are:
• Species Traits • Damage Traits • Movement Traits
Magic Traits
Custom magic traits and skills are covered Custom Magic Traits and Skills on page 118.
• Size Traits • Magic Traits • Physical Traits
• Attribute Traits • Mental Traits • Sensory Traits Mental Traits
Custom mental traits are challenging to differentiate from sensory traits and magic.
Example Custom Species Traits Dissociative Identity Trait: 2 CP
Species traits balance the choice of species, particularly in fantasy and sci-fi games, so
that all choices are fair. Species traits combine beneficial and detrimental traits. You have multiple discrete personalities.
All species choices include underlying traits that add up to approximately 3 CP.
Movement Traits
If we extrapolate to a space-opera game, we might attempt to create a custom lion alien:
The movement traits section offers scope for custom movement types, such as:
Pantherian Trait: 0 CP Burrower Trait: 5 CP

You are a pantherian (humanoid lion-like alien species). You have these traits: You can burrow through solid rock or soil.
• Medium When you burrow, each 5’ of movement uses 10’ of your movement speed.
• Claws • Acute Smell Physical Traits

The physical traits section offers the most room for expansion:
Alternatively, if we wanted to make some kind of intergalactic killing machine:
Quatro-Mand Trait: 3 CP
Xenomorph Trait: 21 CP You have four arms, including two main hands and two off hands.
You are a xenomorph (alien killing machine). You have these traits:
Sensory Traits
• Medium
As with movement traits, the sensory traits offer some scope for new senses, such as:
• Climber • Jumper • Bite True Sight Trait: 5 CP
• Claws • Exoskeleton • Sturdy You can see in circumstances that would otherwise impair your vision.
• Tail Your vision is not impaired by darkness, obscurement, and illusions within 60’.

CUSTOM GENERAL SKILLS
Another example of general skills that could be useful in modern and hard-sci-fi games
are ones that separate the Drive skill into Drive, Pilot, and Astro-Pilot.
To reiterate, for general skills:

• Learnable or trainable skills
Drive Skill
• Add bonus dice to attribute tests where that skill applies Gain bonus dice when making Agility (Drive) tests to ride, drive, or pilot a bike, car,
cart, boat, or similar terrestrial vehicle.
• Ratings from ▛ to ▛▛▛▛▛ (and higher)
• Each rating increase costs 1 CP
• Each rating increase gives a meaningful benefit
Pilot Skill
By their nature, there is some overlap in the scope of these general skills. For example, Gain bonus dice when making Agility (Pilot) tests to fly or pilot a helicopter, hang-
Intelligence (Investigation) and Intelligence (Knowledge: Cryptography) might both be glider, gyrocopter, airplane, or similar aerial vehicle.
used to decode a secret message.
Example Custom General Skills Astro-Pilot Skill
The Genres and Worlds section on page 98 includes a number of example general skills Gain bonus dice when making Agility (Astro-Pilot) tests to pilot a shuttle, spacecraft,
for different genres. One such example for post-apocalyptic games is the Scavenge starship, gunship, or similar zero-g vehicle.
skill, which reflects the deterioration of our structured world.
Scavenge Skill
Gain bonus dice when making Acuity (Scavenge) tests to find useful or valuable items
amongst debris and disorder.

CUSTOM MARTIAL SKILLS Example Custom Basic Martial Skills
If, for example, you decide to split the Melee Weapons skill up into separate
Martial skills are divided into basic martial skills and specialized martial skills. bludgeoning, slashing, and stabbing skills, then that requires three separate skills and
then splitting the melee weapons into each of the categories.
Both of these kinds of skills cost 1 CP for each rating, and their ratings must be able to
go to ▛▛▛▛▛ and higher.
Bludgeoning Weapons Basic Martial Strength Skill (Bonus)
Basic Martial Skills When you make a melee attack with a bludgeoning weapon, your action pool gains ▛
The basic martial skills cover the different classes of weapons and equipment that bonus die for each added energy, up to your Bludgeoning Weapons rating.
character might need:
; Historical: Modern: Sci-Fi: Alternatively, if you decided to combine all of the separate firearms into a single
Firearms Weapons skill, it would look like this:
• Melee Weapons • Hand Guns • Power Armor Training
• Ranged Weapons • Long Guns
Firearms Weapons Basic Martial Agility Skill (Bonus)
• Finesse Weapons • Heavy Guns When you make a ranged attack with a firearm, your action pool gains ▛ bonus die
• Throw Weapons for each added energy, up to your Firearms Weapons rating.
• Brawling
Specialized Martial Skills
• Martial Arts Specialized martial skills are distinct from, and build upon, basic martial skills. While
• Reach Weapons the basic martial skills encompass large categories (melee weapons, reach weapons,
ranged weapons, finesse weapons, etc), Specialized martial skills pinpoint tight, isolated,
• Armor Training and unique situations. Thus, these skills either trigger or are most effective in unusual
situations, there should be a cost paid, or a risk involved.
• Shield Training
Situational: Cost:
These skills represent all of the types of weapons and equipment that a character can
use in combat, thus any possible weapon and equipment must be covered by one of • First attack of the encounter • Expend energy
these skills. • An ally attacked the enemy • Just took damage
The Forge Engine’s list of martial skills encompasses all types of weapons with very • Attacked by an enemy • Forgo actions or types of actions
little overlap. Where there is overlap, such as Reach Weapons and Finesse Weapons Risk:
which are both subsets of Melee Weapons, it is because these weapons require more
specialized training than the more broad skill. • Adjacent to multiple enemies
When creating an additional basic martial skill, it must be sufficiently different from the • Forgo reactions or types of reactions
basic skills to require additional training, and to warrant the player investing their
As an example, this Whirlwind Attack specialized martial skill is available when the
character’s hard-earned character points. Obviously, there is a balance between
character has two or more adjacent targets, which is a risk. The skill becomes more
splitting the skills into too many or too few separate skills. For example, Melee effective as the risk increases.
Weapons could be split into different types of bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing
weapons. Alternatively, the separate firearms skills (Hand Guns, Long Guns, etc) could
be combined into a generic Firearms Weapons skill. Whirlwind Attack Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
Once you’ve decided to create a new basic martial skill, it’s straightforward enough to
You can make a melee attack at two or more targets that are adjacent to you and
actually create the skill. The skill must either piggyback onto a type of martial attack
adjacent to each other. For each rating you have in Whirlwind Attack you can add one
action (melee attack or ranged attack) or it must enable the use of a specific piece or
extra target to your melee attack.
category of equipment (armor or shields).
You must pay the normal energy costs of the melee attack, and you gain the benefits of
the associated basic martial skill (Melee Weapons). You then split the action pool as
evenly as possible between the targets, and each pool gains bonus dice equal to your
Whirlwind Attack rating, but no higher than the energy you added to the attack action.
Each pool then resolves against its target separately.

CUSTOM MAGIC TRAITS AND SKILLS Costing Spells
For simplicity, spells do not include spend costs, only expend costs. This means that the
Magic mechanics in Forge Engine games have two components, traits and skills. The variable cost of Forge Engine spells is the expend cost.
traits represent the ‘buy-in’ cost for each school of magic. The skills are the individual
spells that belong to one of the schools, or are cantrips that are available to all schools. Each of the components of a spell ” its range, effects, duration, etc ” contributes to the
cost of the spell.
Schools of Magic To calculate the cost of a custom spell, its individual components are determined and
then summed. If the expend cost has a ½ die, then this is rounded down.
There are lots of possible types of magic, only a few covered in the core of the Forge
Engine, giving many opportunities for custom expansion:
Cost -½ -No cost ▝ ▝▝
• Elemental • Alchemy • Telekinesis
Range - 5’ (touch) 25’ 100’
• Summoning • Wizardry • Ritualism
Area of Effect - -- 15’ radius 25’ radius
• Arcanery • Warmage • Artificery
Damage ½ damage - Damage/success Damage/die
• Pyromancy • Enchanter • Mysticism
• Divinity • Runemastery • Shapeshifting Healing - - Single target Multiple targets
• Elementalism • Evangelism • Shamanism Targets - All Allies or Selected targets only
• Geomancy • Vitality • Conjury enemies only (or divided amongst
targets)
• Spellsinger • Animus • Necromancy
• Thaumaturgy • Chronomancy • Sorcery Taking the example of a basic healing spell:
Custom Magic Traits Healing Touch Animist Magic Acuity Action

Each new magic school requires a trait that allows a character to train the spells of that
school. For example, to create a new Enchanter school: You heal yourself or an ally.
Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your Acuity rating and gain
▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Healing Touch rating.
Enchantment Caster Trait: 2 CP Assign all of the dice to yourself or an adjacent ally. The target recovers 1 heath for
You are an enchanter who can train Enchantment Magic and Cantrip Magic skills. each allocated die.
Custom Magic Spell Skills For this Healing Touch spell, we have the following components:
• Range: Touch (no cost)
Custom magic skills are necessary when creating a new magic school, and when
expanding the selection of spells available to an existing magic school. • Healing: Single target (▝ energy)
Magic skills follow a fairly straightforward format: • Targets: All (no cost)
This gives us a total expend cost of ▝ energy.
Spell Name Magic School Attribute Action/Reaction
Short summary of the spell.
Expend ▝, then add energy to your action pool up to your attribute rating and gain
▛ bonus die for each added energy, up to your Spell Name rating.
Further instructions about the spell’s targets and affects of the spell.

CUSTOM EQUIPMENT Historical, Modern, and Sci-Fi Balance
Generally speaking, the relative ‘power’ of the equivalent equipment in Forge Engine
Equipment in Forge Engine games has a number of characteristics, depending on its does not escalate dramatically between historical, modern, and sci-fi play.
function. Equipment may:
For example, the various types of armor available in each era of play are functionally
• Aid ability tests, such as binoculars the same. Similarly, melee weapons in historical play are the same as those available in
• Grant characters new actions, such as shields modern play.
• Allow combat actions and the associated skills This general power curve has a couple of notable ‘steps’. The first of these is firearms,
which introduce significant stored energy into the equipment, and thus have
Custom Weapons significantly higher ratings than historical weapons that relied on the power imparted
by their wielder.
Weapons have the following characteristics:
A notable comparison here is between firearms and crossbows/bows, where the
• Hands required to hold and use • Attack dice gained weapons can be roughly the same rating, but historical crossbows and bows are less
effective due to their reload times. The weapon’s spend cost and its reload time is the
• Effective range • Energy cost to reload time that it takes the weapon’s wielder to impart the stored energy into the weapon.
• Energy cost to use • Type of damage Looking to the future, we have sci-fi settings that introduce melee weapons that are
The stats for the equipment listed in the Equipment section on page 85 are designed to ‘powered’ like lightsabers or otherwise extraordinarily effective, like cyberpunk’s
reflect the effort to use each type of weapon (its cost), and then to reflect its monofilament whips. These sorts of weapons may be comparable to the firearms or
effectiveness (its rating). energy weapons of those settings, offering players a real choice between melee and
ranged weapons.
For example, a wooden beam and a metal sword require approximately the same effort
to wield (and thus have the same energy cost), but the metal sword is more effective at
injuring its target (and thus gains more bonus dice). Magic Weapons
In any fantasy game there is an easy expectation of ‘magic’ weapons with increasing
Costing and Rating Custom Weapons effectiveness, +1 sword, +2 sword, etc. This sort of magical effectiveness is easy
enough to implement in Forge Engine by simply increasing the rating of the weapon
When working out costs and ratings for weapons, these rough rules of thumb may help:
while maintaining its cost. When trying to reflect these epic weapons while also
Martial Weapons restraining power creep, instead of offering simple rating increases, the weapon can
instead offer a special triggered ability. For example:
Weight Cost Characteristics Rating
Slight (up to 1kg) ▛ Blunt (e.g. fists, club, pole) Cost - ▛ Giant Slayer Equipment (Greatsword)
Light (~1kg) ▛▛ Sharp (e.g. sword, mace) Cost When this weapon is used to make a melee attack at a character whose size is Large or
Moderate (~2kg) ▛▛▛ Light or Slight -▛ bigger, the action pool gains ▛▛.
Heavy (~3kg) ▛▛▛▛ Heavy or V. Heavy +▛

Approximating Verisimilitude
V. Heavy (~4+kg) ▛▛▛▛▛ 1/2H weapon used two handed +▛
In order to streamline play, Forge Engine does not try to simulate every aspect of each
Thrown/Drawn +▛ Ranged -▛ action or piece of equipment, rather it approximates these.
Triggered -▛ Reach - ▛▛ For example, a .22 pistol, a .38 revolver and a .32 pistol all have the same energy cost to
fire (▛), and all gain the same number of attack dice (▛), but their varying
Two-handed only weapon + ▛▛ effectiveness is represented in their effective range. If the target of these weapons is
standing 10’ from the wielder, then they are equally effective, but as the distance
Held energy (e.g. crossbow) Variable
increases the .22 rapidly loses effectiveness.
Avoiding Power Creep

It can be tempting to try to reflect slightly better weapons and equipment with increases
in their rating, and therefore a meaningful increase in their power. This incremental
power creep needs to be avoided, even if some variance between weapons is lost.

CUSTOM ADVERSARIES Modified Adversary Template
Alternatively, when you’re running a game and quickly need an adversary to drop into
Custom adversaries ” be they normal humans, aliens, animals, or literal monsters ” can play, there’s a simple method to achieve this:
be created in several ways:
• Choose a adversary template (based on your desired energy level)
• Standard character build
• Apply one or more traits, specialized martial skills, or magic skills
• Modified adversary template
For example, let’s say I want a super-sexy vampire:
• Reskinned adversary template
Commander Human
Standard Character Build Strength: ▔ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▕ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▒
Many types of adversaries can be built by combining the standard character building
rules with non-standard traits. This option is best used with adversaries that require Energy: «░ Health: 8 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛
careful design and crafting.
For example, an adversary could be put together using the following traits: Melee Weapons: ▛▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛
• Colossal • Burrower • Carapace Armor Training: ▛▛ Language (Native): ▛▛

• Bite • Tremorsense
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▗/▚
You might recognize this sort of creature.
Distracting Taunt: ▛▛▛▛ Action
Add energy to your action pool up to your INF rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
added energy, up to your Distracting Taunt rating. Attack the MD of a target up to 50’
away. If you achieve 1 or 2 successes, the target is Enervated (they only regain energy
equal to their two highest attributes). If you achieve 3 or more successes, the target is
Exhausted (they only regain energy equal to their single highest attribute). The target
must use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Sensitive
Melee weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛▛)
And let’s add a sexy bite:
Bite Trait: 3 CP
You have sharp teeth.
You do not need arms to make an unarmed melee attack. You can make an unarmed
melee attack with your bite for ▛▛/▛.
Reskinned Adversary Template

The final method is a GM-only super-secret:
• Choose an adversary template (based on your desired energy level)
• Describe to the players what sort of adversary their characters see
• Run it (that’s it, we’re done…)

ADVERSARY TEMPLATES Caster Human
Fantasy Adversaries – 6 Energy Strength: ▒ Agility: ▒ Stamina: ▒ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▔ Acuity: ▓

Energy: ▗ Health: 5 PD: ▛ MD: ▛▛
Grunt Human
Strength: ▓ Agility: ▒ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▓
Perception (ACU): ▛▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛
Energy: ▗ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛ Fiery Bolt: ▛▛▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
Add energy to your action pool up to your INT rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛▛
added energy, up to your Fiery Bolt rating. Attack the PD of a target up to 25’ away.
Armor Training (STR): ▛▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛ The target takes fire damage equal to the half the number of hits (rounded up).
Flaming Touch: ▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▖/▘
▟ Ranged weapon ▔/▔ piercing, 10-50’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▕/▕ added energy, up to your Flaming Touch rating. Attack the PD of a target within your
reach. The target takes fire damage equal to the number of hits.
Offensive Stance: ▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
Activate Offensive Stance as a minor action. While the stance is active, when you Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Astute
make a martial attack you gain ▛ bonus die to your action pool for each added Pyromancer Casting: You can train Pyromancy Magic skills
energy, up to your Offensive Stance rating. While in this stance, you cannot gain the
benefits of other specialized martial skills.
Commander Human
Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Muscular
Strength: ▒ Agility: ▒ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▔ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▒
Melee weapon (▔/▔) Ranged weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛▛) Energy: ▗ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛ Perception (ACU): ▛

Striker Human
Armor Training (STR): ▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛
Strength: ▒ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▒ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▒
Energy: ▗ Health: 5 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛ ▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▕/▗
Ranged Weapons (AGI): ▛▛▛ Initiative (AGI): ▛▛▛ Distracting Taunt: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
Armor Training (STR): ▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛ Add energy to your action pool up to your INF rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
added energy, up to your Distracting Taunt rating. Attack the MD of a target up to 50’
▟ Ranged weapon ▔/▔ piercing, 10-50’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▗/▚ away. If you achieve 1 or 2 successes, the target is Enervated (they only regain energy
equal to their two highest attributes). If you achieve 3 or more successes, the target is
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Passive Bonus) must use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
When you make a martial attack at a target within the reach of an ally, you gain ▛
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Engaged Attack rating. Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Sensitive
Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Lithe Melee weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛)
Ranged weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛)

Fantasy Adversaries – 8 Energy Caster Human
Grunt Human Strength: ▒ Agility: ▓ Stamina: ▒ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▕ Acuity: ▓
Strength: ▔ Agility: ▓ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▓ Energy: ▙ Health: 5 PD: ▛ MD: ▛▛
Energy: ▙ Health: 9 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛▛
Fiery Bolt: ▛▛▛▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
Armor Training (STR): ▛▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▗/▚ The target takes fire damage equal to the half the number of hits (rounded up).
▟ Ranged weapon ▔/▓ piercing, 10-50’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▖/▕ Flaming Touch: ▛▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action) Add energy to your action pool up to your INT rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
added energy, up to your Flaming Touch rating. Attack the PD of a target within your
When you make a martial attack at a target within the reach of an ally, you gain ▛ reach. The target takes fire damage equal to the number of hits.
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Engaged Attack rating.
Opportunity Attack: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Astute
When a character uses an action that moves them out of your reach, you can Pyromancer Casting: You can train Pyromancy Magic skills
Commander Human
Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Muscular Strength: ▓ Agility: ▓ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▕ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▒
Energy: ▙ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Melee weapon (▔/▔) Ranged weapon (▔/▓) Armor (▛▛)
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛
Striker Human Armor Training (STR): ▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛
Strength: ▒ Agility: ▕ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▓
Distracting Taunt: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
Ranged Weapons (AGI): ▛▛▛▛ Initiative (AGI): ▛▛▛▛
Armor Training (STR): ▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛ added energy, up to your Distracting Taunt rating. Attack the MD of a target up to 50’
▟ Ranged weapon ▔/▔ piercing, 10-200’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▘/«▒ equal to their two highest attributes). If you achieve 3 or more successes, the target is
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Passive Bonus) must use Shake It Off to remove the effect.
Melee weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛)

Ranged weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛)

Grunt Human Strength: ▒ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▓ Intelligence: ▕ Acuity: ▔
Strength: ▕ Agility: ▓ Stamina: ▕ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▓ Energy: «░ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛
Energy: «░ Health: 11 PD: ▛▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛▛
Armor Training (STR): ▛▛▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▘/«▒ The target takes fire damage equal to the half the number of hits (rounded up).
▟ Ranged weapon ▔/▓ piercing, 10-50’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▖/▕ Flaming Touch: ▛▛▛▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action) Add energy to your action pool up to your INT rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
Opportunity Attack: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Astute
your Opportunity Attack rating. Armor (▛)
Commander Human
Melee weapon (▔/▔) Ranged weapon (▔/▓) Armor (▛▛▛) Strength: ▔ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▕ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▒
Energy: «░ Health: 9 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Striker Human
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛
Strength: ▓ Agility: ▕ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▔
Armor Training (STR): ▛▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛ Distracting Taunt: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
▟ Ranged weapon ▔/▔ piercing, 10-200’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▘/«▒ added energy, up to your Distracting Taunt rating. Attack the MD of a target up to 50’
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Passive Bonus) equal to their two highest attributes). If you achieve 3 or more successes, the target is

Ranged weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛▛)

Grunt Human Strength: ▒ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▓ Intelligence: ▖ Acuity: ▕
Strength: ▖ Agility: ▓ Stamina: ▕ Influence: ▓ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▔ Energy: «▓ Health: 9 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛
Energy: «▓ Health: 11 PD: ▛▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛▛▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛▛▛
Fiery Bolt: ▛▛▛▛▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▙/«▔ The target takes fire damage equal to the half the number of hits (rounded up).
▟ Ranged weapon ▔/▓ piercing, 10-50’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▖/▕ Flaming Touch: ▛▛▛▛▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action) Add energy to your action pool up to your INT rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
Opportunity Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Astute
Commander Human
Melee weapon (▔/▔) Ranged weapon (▔/▓) Armor (▛▛▛) Strength: ▕ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▖ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▓
Energy: «▓ Health: 9 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Striker Human
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛
Strength: ▓ Agility: ▖ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▓ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▕
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▘/«▒
Ranged Weapons (AGI): ▛▛▛▛▛ Initiative (AGI): ▛▛▛▛
Armor Training (STR): ▛▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛ Distracting Taunt: ▛▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
▟ Ranged weapon ▔/▔ piercing, 10-200’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▙/«▔ added energy, up to your Distracting Taunt rating. Attack the MD of a target up to 50’
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Passive Bonus) equal to their two highest attributes). If you achieve 3 or more successes, the target is


Grunt Human Strength: ▓ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▕ Intelligence: ▗ Acuity: ▖
Strength: ▗ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▖ Influence: ▔ Intelligence: ▔ Acuity: ▕ Energy: «▖ Health: 9 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛▛▛
Energy: «▖ Health: 13 PD: ▛▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Perception (ACU): ▛▛
Fiery Bolt: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack: ▚/«▖ The target takes fire damage equal to the half the number of hits (rounded up).
▟ Ranged weapon ▔/▓ piercing, 10-50’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▖/▕ Flaming Touch: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action) Add energy to your action pool up to your INT rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
Opportunity Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Astute
Commander Human
Melee weapon (▔/▔) Ranged weapon (▔/▓) Armor (▛▛▛) Strength: ▖ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▕ Influence: ▗ Intelligence: ▕ Acuity: ▔
Energy: «▖ Health: 11 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛▛
Striker Human
Strength: ▓ Agility: ▗ Stamina: ▕ Influence: ▔ Intelligence: ▔ Acuity: ▖
Armor Training (STR): ▛▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛▛
Energy: «▖ Health: 11 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▙/«▔
Ranged Weapons (AGI): ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Initiative (AGI): ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
Armor Training (STR): ▛▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛ Distracting Taunt: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
▟ Ranged weapon ▔/▔ piercing, 10-200’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▚/«▖ added energy, up to your Distracting Taunt rating. Attack the MD of a target up to 50’
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Passive Bonus) equal to their two highest attributes). If you achieve 3 or more successes, the target is


Modern/Sci-Fi Adversaries – 6 Energy Caster Human
Grunt Human Strength: ▒ Agility: ▒ Stamina: ▒ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▔ Acuity: ▓
Strength: ▓ Agility: ▒ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▓ Energy: ▗ Health: 5 PD: ▛ MD: ▛▛
Energy: ▗ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Perception (ACU): ▛▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛▛
Fiery Bolt: ▛▛▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▖/▘ The target takes fire damage equal to the half the number of hits (rounded up).
┐ Ranged weapon ▒/▓ piercing, 10-20’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▓/▔ Flaming Touch: ▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
Offensive Stance: ▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action) Add energy to your action pool up to your INT rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
Activate Offensive Stance as a minor action. While the stance is active, when you reach. The target takes fire damage equal to the number of hits.
make a martial attack you gain ▛ bonus die to your action pool for each added
energy, up to your Offensive Stance rating. While in this stance, you cannot gain the Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Astute
benefits of other specialized martial skills.
Pyromancer Casting: You can train Pyromancy Magic skills
Ranged weapon (▒/▓) 2H, SA Melee weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛▛)

Commander Human
Strength: ▒ Agility: ▒ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▔ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▒
Energy: ▗ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Striker Human
Strength: ▒ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▒ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▒ Melee Weapons (STR): ▛ Perception (ACU): ▛
Energy: ▗ Health: 5 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛ Ranged Weapons (AGI): ▛ Knowledge (Military) (INT): ▛▛
Ranged Weapons (AGI): ▛▛▛ Initiative (AGI): ▛▛▛ Armor Training (STR): ▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛
Armor Training (STR): ▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛ ▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▕/▗
┐ Ranged weapon ▓/▔ piercing, 10-100’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▖/▚ ┐ Ranged weapon ▒/▓ piercing, 10-20’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▓/▕
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Passive Bonus)

Leader’s Pledge: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
When you make a martial attack at a target within the reach of an ally, you gain ▛ When an ally within 25’ can perceive you, you can spend energy equal to your
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Engaged Attack rating. Influence, up to your Leader’s Pledge rating. That ally gains ▛ bonus energy for each
Ranged weapon (▓/▔) 2H, SA, BF, FA Armor (▛)
Ranged weapon (▒/▓) 2H, SA Melee weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛)

Grunt Human Strength: ▒ Agility: ▓ Stamina: ▒ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▕ Acuity: ▓
Strength: ▔ Agility: ▓ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▓ Energy: ▙ Health: 5 PD: ▛ MD: ▛▛
Energy: ▙ Health: 9 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛▛
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▗/▚ The target takes fire damage equal to the half the number of hits (rounded up).
┐ Ranged weapon ▒/▓ piercing, 10-20’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▔/▕ Flaming Touch: ▛▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action) Add energy to your action pool up to your INT rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
Opportunity Attack: ▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Astute
Commander Human
Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Muscular Strength: ▓ Agility: ▓ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▕ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▒
Ranged weapon (▒/▓) 2H, SA Melee weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛▛)
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛
Striker Human Ranged Weapons (AGI): ▛▛ Knowledge (Military) (INT): ▛▛
Strength: ▒ Agility: ▕ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▓ Armor Training (STR): ▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛
Ranged Weapons (AGI): ▛▛▛▛ Initiative (AGI): ▛▛▛▛ ┐ Ranged weapon ▒/▓ piercing, 10-20’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▔/▗
Leader’s Pledge: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
┐ Ranged weapon ▓/▔ piercing, 10-100’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▗/«▒ When an ally within 25’ can perceive you, you can spend energy equal to your
Influence, up to your Leader’s Pledge rating. That ally gains ▛ bonus energy for each
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Passive Bonus) energy spent. This bonus energy lasts until the end of the target’s next turn.
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Engaged Attack rating. Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Sensitive
Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Lithe Ranged weapon (▒/▓) 2H, SA Melee weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛)
Ranged weapon (▓/▔) 2H, SA, BF, FA Armor (▛)

Grunt Human Strength: ▒ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▓ Influence: ▓ Intelligence: ▕ Acuity: ▔
Strength: ▕ Agility: ▓ Stamina: ▕ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▓ Energy: «░ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛
Energy: «░ Health: 11 PD: ▛▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛▛
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▘/«▒ The target takes fire damage equal to the half the number of hits (rounded up).
┐ Ranged weapon ▒/▓ piercing, 10-20’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▔/▕ Flaming Touch: ▛▛▛▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action) Add energy to your action pool up to your INT rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
Opportunity Attack: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Astute
Commander Human
Ranged weapon (▒/▓) 2H, SA Melee weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛▛) Strength: ▔ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▕ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▒
Striker Human
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛
Strength: ▓ Agility: ▕ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▒ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▔
Ranged Weapons (AGI): ▛▛▛ Knowledge (Military) (INT): ▛▛
┐ Ranged weapon ▒/▓ piercing, 10-20’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▕/▙
┐ Ranged weapon ▓/▔ piercing, 10-100’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▗/«▒
Leader’s Pledge: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Passive Bonus) When an ally within 25’ can perceive you, you can spend energy equal to your
When you make a martial attack at a target within the reach of an ally, you gain ▛ Influence, up to your Leader’s Pledge rating. That ally gains ▛ bonus energy for each
bonus die for each added energy, up to your Engaged Attack rating. energy spent. This bonus energy lasts until the end of the target’s next turn.
Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Lithe Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Sensitive
Ranged weapon (▓/▔) 2H, SA, BF, FA Armor (▛) Ranged weapon (▒/▓) 2H, SA Melee weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛)

Grunt Human Strength: ▒ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▓ Intelligence: ▖ Acuity: ▕
Strength: ▖ Agility: ▓ Stamina: ▕ Influence: ▓ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▔ Energy: «▓ Health: 9 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛
Energy: «▓ Health: 11 PD: ▛▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛
Fiery Bolt: ▛▛▛▛▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▙/«▔ The target takes fire damage equal to the half the number of hits (rounded up).
┐ Ranged weapon ▒/▓ piercing, 10-20’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▔/▕ Flaming Touch: ▛▛▛▛▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action) Add energy to your action pool up to your INT rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
Opportunity Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Astute
Commander Human
Ranged weapon (▒/▓) 2H, SA Melee weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛▛) Strength: ▕ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▖ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▓
Striker Human
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛▛▛ Perception (ACU): ▛
Strength: ▓ Agility: ▖ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▓ Intelligence: ▓ Acuity: ▕
Ranged Weapons (AGI): ▛▛▛▛▛ Initiative (AGI): ▛▛▛▛
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▘/«▒
┐ Ranged weapon ▓/▔ piercing, 10-100’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▘/«▔
Leader’s Pledge: ▛▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Passive Bonus) When an ally within 25’ can perceive you, you can spend energy equal to your

Grunt Human Strength: ▓ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▔ Influence: ▕ Intelligence: ▗ Acuity: ▖
Strength: ▗ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▖ Influence: ▔ Intelligence: ▔ Acuity: ▕ Energy: «▖ Health: 9 PD: ▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛▛▛
Energy: «▖ Health: 13 PD: ▛▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛
Melee Weapons (STR): ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Perception (ACU): ▛▛
Fiery Bolt: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack: ▚/«▖ The target takes fire damage equal to the half the number of hits (rounded up).
┐ Ranged weapon ▒/▓ piercing, 10-20’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▕/▖ Flaming Touch: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Pyromancy Magic Intelligence Action
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action) Add energy to your action pool up to your INT rating, gain ▛ bonus die for each
Opportunity Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Reaction) Human: Medium (Size 5-6’, Move 30’, Health 3 + twice Stamina, Reach 5’), Astute
Commander Human
Ranged weapon (▒/▓) 2H, SA Melee weapon (▔/▔) Armor (▛▛) Strength: ▖ Agility: ▔ Stamina: ▕ Influence: ▗ Intelligence: ▕ Acuity: ▔
Energy: «▖ Health: 11 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛▛
Striker Human
Strength: ▓ Agility: ▗ Stamina: ▕ Influence: ▔ Intelligence: ▔ Acuity: ▖
Energy: «▖ Health: 11 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛▛▛
Armor Training (STR): ▛▛ Language (Native) (INT): ▛▛▛
Ranged Weapons (AGI): ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Initiative (AGI): ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛
▞ Melee weapon ▔/▔ piercing, Melee Weapons; max attack ▙/«▔
┐ Ranged weapon ▓/▔ piercing, 10-100’, Ranged Weapons, max attack ▙/«▖
Leader’s Pledge: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Action)
Engaged Attack: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛ Specialized Martial Skill (Passive Bonus) When an ally within 25’ can perceive you, you can spend energy equal to your

APPENDICES

• New artwork, revisions to existing artwork
CHANGE LOG • Revised Encounters, Combat Encounters, Adversary Templates sections
• 488: Updated to v1.1 for PDF and POD versions • Revised Fundamentals section to incorporate core mechanics
• 487: Aligned finesse weapons across Historical, Modern and Sci-Fi • Revised negative externalities to ‘lose’ dice from pools
• 486: Included Explosions in Environmental Hazards, and refined Short Rests • Added Opportunity Attack to Grunt monster templates
• 485: Revised Venomous trait to include Stamina test to end Poisoned condition • Added Strikeback Attack specialized martial skill
• 484: Added heavy handgun/blaster weapons with ▓/▔ cost • Added Pressing Attack specialized martial skill
• 483: Revised Armor Training specialized martial skill and armor equipment • Revised order of Character Creation
• 482: Revised Shield Training specialized martial skill and shield ratings • Added templates for 12 and 15 Energy monsters
• 481: Added Following Attack specialized martial skill • Updated cover with cover art and logo
• 480: Added Buying Equipment section • Added Summoner flavor text
• 479: Added Intelligence (Knowledge: Common) skill • Refined Offensive Stance and Defensive Stance martial skills
• 478: Added Assisting Attribute Tests section in Attribute Tests • Added new background texture image
• 477: Revised Unarmored Defense skill and added Nimble Defense skill • Refined Damage and Death and Dying sections
• 476: Fixed Nano-Swarm grenade activation • Updated Traits section
• 475: Refined attack actions and Attacks section • Refactored melee and ranged weapon energy costs and ratings
• 474: Bumped to version 1.0 • Added Custom Monsters section
• 473: Tweaked Unarmored Defense and Dual Wield Attack • Expanded Custom Equipment section
• 472: Updated Introduction • Expanded Custom Martial Skills section
• 471: Updated character sheet • Added Custom General Skills section
• Added Environmental Hazards section • Added Custom Traits section
• Refined Leader’s Pledge specialized martial skill • Added Summoner school of magic
• Refined Grapple action • Reduced difficult of Shake It Off to 8
• Added modern and sci-fi adversaries for casters and commanders • Changed Drinking to Resist
• Adjusted Necromancy skills to require living targets for healing • Added more examples
• New foreword • Added Creative Commons licensing
• Added modern and sci-fi adversaries for grunts and strikers • Revised traits for different species
• Added sci-fi species traits • Added Dual Shot Attack skill
• Refactored fantasy species traits • Adjusted health recovery at short rests for larger characters
• Added Mental Traits • Adjusted Dual Wield Attack mechanics
• Added two more Character Build Samples • Moved Traits section to start of Game Content
• Reorganized the Martial Skills section • Added explosive weapons
• Further proofing and editing • Revised weapon range modifiers
• Added Equipment Overview section • Added Contributors section
• Proofing and editing pass • Completed Movement and Travel section
• Editing, style, and cleanup • Updated Conditions section
• Minor fixes for digest format • Changed combat skills to martial skills
• Added Equipment - Sci-Fi to the Game Content section • Added descriptions of example Genres and Worlds

• Added flavor descriptions to magic skills • Added Shrouding Strike Specialized Martial Skill
• Added flavor descriptions to general skills • Added example difficult ratings to the Running attribute Tests section
• Added flavor descriptions to martial skills • Updated Dice Pool Probabilities with more statistics
• Reorganized healing and resting sections • Updated Externalities section with example bonuses and penalties
• Added reload ranged weapon to Minor Actions • Added sections for Custom Content
• Reorganized death and dying rules • Added Encounter Type section
• Revised format of magic skills • Added Combat Encounter Design section
• Revised martial skills (again) • Added Running Combat Encounters section
• Revised magic skills • Formatted comparison of skill lists from other RPGs
• Updated monsters templates • Added links to trait and skill pages in character creation section
• Adjusted healing difficulty numbers • Removed explicit limit on the maximum ratings of attributes and skills
• Added Telekinesis magic • Added Movement Speed to character creation
• Added some arts • Updated format of ranged weapon equipment to simplify range penalties
• Many small fixes • Updated armor to limit Agility when using heavy armor types
• Adjusted armor to require Strength rating • Changed appearance of boxes; rules, examples, conditions, equipment, etc
• Revised monster stat blocks • Refined appearance of monster stat blocks
• Added additional font glyphs • Added some soldier ‘monsters’
• Revisions of all martial skills • Work on format of monster stat block
• Changed column width to 12cm • Yet more work on format of character builds
• Replaced ‘attack pool’ with ‘action pool’ • Updated Movement and Travel section
• Adjusted terminology for gained dice • Added Wind-Up Attack specialized martial skill
• Multitude of small fixes • More work on format of character builds
• Fixed some incorrect skills in weapon listings • Added Rewards and Progression
• Added clarification for PD in defenses examples • Updated Combat Turns description
• Clarified terminology: Health is recovered • Updated Resolving Influence Tests
• Clarified terminology: Expended energy is recovered • Updated Character Build template
• Clarified terminology: Spent energy is regained • Updated Combat Turns description
• Added Distracting Taunt specialized martial skill • Added diagram showing flow of combat turns and rounds
• Rearranged combat section to include concurrent turn description
• Added ranges for crossbow weapons
• Adjusted Prone condition
• Specified that reach weapons extend immediate range
• Added Coherent Mind specialized martial skill
• Added Dual Wield Attack specialized martial skill
• Added Suck It Up specialized martial skill
• Added Take The Initiative specialized martial skill
• Added Gunslinger character build sample
• Added character sheet (it’s in the back)

RPG SKILL LISTS COMPARISON Cortex – Supernatural
Cortex ” Supernatural has 23 basic skills:
Atomic Highway • Animals • Heavy Weapons • Performance
Atomic Highway has 20 basic skills: • Artistry • Influence • Pilot
• Athletics • Lore • Shoot • Athletics • Knowledge • Ranged Weapons
• Boat • Melee • Sleight • Covert • Lore • Science
• Brawl • Notice • Stealth • Craft • Mechanic • Survival
• Criminal • Persuade • Survive • Discipline • Medicine • Tech
• Drive • Pilot • Tech • Drive • Melee Weapons • Unarmed Combat
• Heal • Ride • Zoofinity • Guns • Perception
• Intimidate • Scavenge
Diaspora
Blue Planet's Synergy Diaspora has 37 skills:
Blue Planet has 20 basic skills: • Agility • Computer • Oratory
• Administration • Fine Arts • Stealth • Aircraft • Culture/Tech • Pilot
• Agriculture • Firearms • Subterfuge • Alertness • Demolitions • Profession (Type)
• Athletics • Human Sciences • Survival • Animal Handler • EVA • Repair
• Combat • Life Sciences • Tech • Archaeology • Energy Weapons • Resolve
• Command • Medicine • Vehicles • Arts • Engineering • Science
• Communication • Military Weapons • Assets • Gunnery • Slug Throwers
• Culture • Physical Sciences • Brawling • Intimidation • Stamina
• Brokerage • Languages • Stealth
Bulldogs! • Bureaucracy • Medical • Survival
Bulldogs! has 28 basic skills: • Charm • MicroG • Tactics
• Academics • Fists • Psychic • Close Combat • Navigation • Vehicle
• Alertness • Gambling • Rapport • Communications
• Artillery • Guns • Resolve
• Athletics • Intimidation • Sleight of Hand Dr. Who
• Burglary • Investigation • Stealth Dr. Who has 12 basic skills:
• Contacting • Leadership • Survival • Athletics • Knowledge • Subterfuge
• Deceit • Medicine • Systems • Convince • Marksman • Survival
• Empathy • Might • Trading • Craft • Medicine • Technology
• Endurance • Pilot • Weapons • Fighting • Science • Transport
• Engineering

Dresden Files RPG Legends of Anglerre
The Dresden Files RPG has 25 basic skills: Legends of Andlerre has 27 basic skills:
• Alertness • Empathy • Performance • Academics • Empathy • Pilot
• Athletics • Endurance • Presence • Alertness • Endurance • Ranged Weapons
• Burglary • Fists • Rapport • Art • Fists • Rapport
• Contacts • Guns • Resources • Artificer • Gambling • Resolve
• Conviction • Intimidation • Scholarship • Athletics • Intimidation • Resources
• Craftsmanship • Investigation • Stealth • Burglary • Investigation • Science
• Deceit • Lore • Survival • Contacting • Leadership • Sleight of Hand
• Discipline • Might • Weapons • Deceit • Melee Weapons • Stealth
• Driving • Drive • Might • Survival
Plus 18 Power skills for its magic system:
Fireborn • Alchemy • Elements • Time
Fireborn has 18 basic skills:
• Creatures • Fate • Transmutation
• Athletics • Medicine • Stamina • Death • Glamour • War
• Casting • Melee • Stealth • Dimensions • Life • Warding
• Craft • Quickness • Tech • Divination • Nature • Weather
• Interaction • Ranged • Travel • Domination • Telekinesis • Wild Magic
• Ka • Research • Trickery
• Knowledge • Senses • Will Savage Worlds
Savage Worlds has 23 skills, associated with 4 attributes:
The Kerberos Club • Boating (Agility) • Knowledge (Smarts) • Stealth (Agility)
The Kerberos Club has 28 basic skills
• Climbing (Strength) • Lockpicking (Agility) • Streetwise (Smarts)
• Academics • Deceit • Occultism • Driving (Agility) • Notice (Smarts) • Survival (Smarts)
• Alertness • Drive • Pilot • Fighting (Agility) • Persuasion (Spirit) • Swimming (Agility)
• Arms • Empathy • Presence • Gambling (Smarts) • Piloting (Agility) • Taunt (Smarts)
• Art • Endurance • Resolve • Healing (Smarts) • Repair (Smarts) • Throwing (Agility)
• Athletics • Fisticuffs • Resources • Intimidation (Spirit) • Riding (Agility) • Tracking (Smarts)
• Brawn • Horsemanship • Science • Investigation (Smarts) • Shooting (Agility)
• Bureaucracy • Intimidation • Seamanship
• Burglary • Investigation • Stealth
• Contacting • Marksmanship • Survival
• Craftsmanship

Spirit of the Century Storytelling
Spirit of the Century has 28 skills: The Storytelling system has 24 basic skills:
• Academics • Engineering • Rapport • Academics • Expression • Politics
• Alertness • Fists • Resolve • Animal Ken • Firearms • Science
• Art • Gambling • Resources • Athletics • Intimidation • Socialize
• Athletics • Guns • Science • Brawl • Investigation • Stealth
• Burglary • Intimidation • Sleight of Hand • Computer • Larceny • Streetwise
• Contacting • Investigation • Stealth • Crafts • Medicine • Subterfuge
• Deceit • Leadership • Survival • Drive • Occult • Survival
• Drive • Might • Weapons. • Empathy • Persuasion • Weaponry
• Empathy • Mysteries
• Endurance • Pilot Cinematic Unisystem
Cinematic Unisystem has 18 basic skills:
Starblazer Adventures • Acrobatics • Getting Medieval • Mr. Fix-It
Starblazer Adventures has 31 basic skills: • Art • Gun Fu • Notice
• Academics • Fists • Resolve • Computers • Influence • Occultism
• Alertness • Gambling • Resources • Crime • Knowledge • Science
• Art • Guns • Science • Doctor • Kung Fu • Sports
• Athletics • Intimidation • Sleight of Hand • Driving • Languages • Wild Card
• Burglary • Investigation • Starship Gunnery
• Contacting • Leadership • Starship Pilot Wild Talents
• Deceit • Might • Starship Systems Wild Talents has 29 basic skills:
• Drive • Mysteries • Stealth • Athletics • Intimidation • Ranged Weapon (Type)
• Empathy • Pilot • Survival • Block • Language (Type) • Research
• Endurance • Rapport • Weapons • Brawling • Leadership • Security Systems
• Engineering • Dodge • Lie • Scrutiny
Plus 9 Special Ability skills: • Driving (Type) • Medicine • Stability
• Absorb energy • Fly • Pheromones • Empathy • Melee Weapon [Type] • Stealth
• Barb Thrower • Mimic • Stretchy • Endurance • Navigation • Streetwise
• Exude energy • Ooze • Toxic; • First Aid • Perception • Survival
• Knowledge (Type) • Performance [Type] • Tactics
And 6 Psionic skills:
• Interrogation • Persuasion
• Empathic Talent • Mind Control • Telekinesis
• Mental Bolt • Postcognition • Telepathy

CHARACTER SHEET

Player Name: Character Name: Archetype: Character Points:
Attributes Martial/Magic Skills Martial/Magic Skills Equipment
Strength ▛▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ¬ ▜▜▜▜▜
Agility ▛▜▜▜▜ ¬ ▜▜▜▜▜
Stamina ▛▜▜▜▜ ¬ ▜▜▜▜▜
Influence ▛▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ¬ ▜▜▜▜▜
Intelligence ▛▜▜▜▜ ¬ ▜▜▜▜▜
Acuity ▛▜▜▜▜ ¬ ▜▜▜▜▜
Traits ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜
General Skills
▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜ Energy Pool
▜▜▜▜▜ Maximum Expended
▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▛▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜ ▛▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜ ▛▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ Physical Defense (PD)
▜▜▜▜▜ ▛ ▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜ ▛+ Armor
▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ Mental Defense (MD)
▜▜▜▜▜ ▛▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ Middle rating of INF/INT/ACU
▜▜▜▜▜ Health
▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ Maximum Current
▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜▜▜
▜▜▜▜▜

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Copyright 2019 Justin Halliday ” Some Rights Reserved

Forge Engine and Hero Forge Games

Version 1.1 (Build 489)

Special thanks to these playtesters for support, feedback, and adventures:

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What’s in this Book?

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Character Creation Steps Step 3: Attributes

• Characters have 30 CP to spend on skills Large 5 + twice Stamina

Step 6: Defense Pools

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Energy: ▙ Health: 7 PD: ▛▛▛ MD: ▛

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Melee Weapons: ▛▛▛ Initiative: ▛ Hand Guns: ▛▛ Initiative: ▛

Warhammer (▕/▘) Chainmail Armor (▛▛) Knights Hospiter symbol

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Increasing Attribute Ratings

Buying New Traits

Increasing Skill Ratings

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Starting Energy in Combat

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Using Bonus Energy

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Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛

Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▜▜

Energy Pool: ▛▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜

Energy Pool: ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▜▜

Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▛▛

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Energy Pool: ▛▛▜▜▜ ▜▝▝

Energy Pool: ▜▜▜▜▜ ▜▝▝

Energy Pool: ▛▛▛▛▛ ▛▝▝

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Making the Attack

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Attribute Tests Using Energy

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Character Size Combat Movement

Skills or traits can increase or decrease these movement speeds.

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Stamina Walking Running Running Est. 10H

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Weather Effects on Animals and Motorized Vehicles

Weather Effects on Water Vehicles

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