Quest Worlds
Quest Worlds
Quest Worlds
Contents
0.0 Credits & Legal Information 4
1.0 Introduction 8
1.1 Why QuestWorlds? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.2 Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.3 Who Is This Document For . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.4 Numbering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.5 Participants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.5.1 Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.5.2 Game Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.0 Mechanics 10
2.1 Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.1.1 Keywords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.1.2 Flaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.1.3 Ratings and Masteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.1.4 No Relevant Ability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.1.5 Understanding Ratings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.2 Possessions and Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.2.1 Wealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.3 Contest Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.3.1 Framing the Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.3.2 Target Number, Bonuses and Penalties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.3.3 Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.3.4 Resolution Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.3.5 Die Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.3.6 Additional Successes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.3.7 Outcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.4 Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.4.1 MODIFIERS SCALE TABLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.5 Bonuses and Penalties from Tactics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.5.1 Stretches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.5.2 Situational Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.6 Augments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.6.1 Augment Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.7 Triggering Flaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.7.1 Hindrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.7.2 Act according to your flaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
4.0 Contests 34
4.1 Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4.1.1 Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4.2 Group Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4.2.1 Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4.3 Multiple Contestants, One Prize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4.3.1 Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
5.0 Sequences 37
5.1 Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
5.1.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
5.1.2 Group Sequence Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
5.1.3 No Nesting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
5.1.4 Switching Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
5.1.5 Asymmetrical Round . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.1.6 Disengaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.1.7 Unrelated Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.1.8 Parting Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.1.9 Joining an In-Progress Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
5.1.10 Assists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
5.1.11 Outcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
5.2 Scored Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
5.2.1 Resolution Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
5.2.2 Scored Sequence Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
5.2.3 Parting Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
5.2.4 Risky Gambits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
5.2.5 Defensive Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
5.2.6 Assists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
5.2.7 Joining an In-Progress Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.3 Wagered sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.3.1 Advantage Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.3.2 Wagered Sequence Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
5.3.3 Parting Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
5.3.4 Desperation Stake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
5.3.5 Second Chance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
5.3.6 Assists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
5.3.7 Joining an In-Progress Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
5.4 Chained Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
5.4.1 Resolve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
5.4.1.1 RESOLVE LOSS TABLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
5.4.2 Chained Sequence Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
5.4.3 PC Resolve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
5.4.4 Followers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
5.4.5 NPC Resolve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
5.4.6 Resolve for Impersonal Opposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
5.4.7 Group Chained Sequence Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
5.4.8 Parting Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
5.4.9 Assists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
5.4.10 Joining an In-Progress Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
5.4.11 Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
5.5 Wagered Sequences vs Scored Sequences vs Chained Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
5.7 Lengthy Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
6.0 Relationships 56
6.1 Supporting Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
6.2 Allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
6.3 Patrons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
6.4 Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
6.4.1 Occupational Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
6.5 Followers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
6.5.1 Sidekick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
6.5.2 Retainers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
6.6 Relationships as Flaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
6.6.1 Dependents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
6.6.2 Adversaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
8.0 Experience 61
8.1 Earning Experience Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
8.1.1 Experience on Defeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
8.2 Improving Your Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
8.2.1 Rate of Advancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
8.2.2 Directed Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
8.2.3 Timing of Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
8.3 Milestone Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
10.0 Appendix 66
10.1 Glossary of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
10.2 Version Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Version 3.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
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This work created using the QuestWorlds Open Game License.
QuestWorlds Open Game License v 1.0 © copyright 2020 Moon Design Publications LLC.
QuestWorlds © copyright 2019–2021 Moon Design Publications LLC; Author, original rules: Robin
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0.2 Credits
Original Rules: Robin D. Laws
Lead System Development: Ian Cooper
Development Assistance: David Scott
Further Development Assistance: Paul Abertella, Shawn Carpenter, Ludovic Chabant, Rickard Elimää,
Martin Helsdon, Jonathan Laufersweiler, James Lowder, Michael O’Brien, Jeff Richard, Adam RKitch
A modified version of Chained Contests and Plot Edits from Mythic Russia © copyright 2006, 2010 Mark
Galeotti; developed by Graham Robinson (for “Chained Contests”) appears in this game and is added
1.0 Introduction
QuestWorlds is a roleplaying rules engine suitable for you to play in any genre.
It is a traditional roleplaying game in that there is a GM and players. The players play characters, each
guided by the internal thoughts of their character as to what decisions they make, and the GM plays the
world, including non-player characters (NPCs) and abstract threats.
It features an abstract, conflict-based, resolution method and scalable, customizable, character
descriptions. Designed to emulate the way characters in fiction face and overcome challenges, it is
suitable for a wide variety of genres and play styles. It is particularly suited to pulp genres (including
their descendants comic books) and cinematic, larger-than-life, action.
It is a rules-light system that facilitates beginning play easily, and resolving conflicts in play quickly.
We refer to a rules-light but traditional roleplaying game as a storytelling game, after Greg Stafford’s
definition in Prince Valiant.
1.2 Version
The first version of these rules Hero Wars was published in 2000 (ISBN 978-1-929052-01-1)
The second version HeroQuest was published in 2003 (ISBN 978-1-929052-12-7). We refer to this as
HeroQuest 1e to disambiguate.
The third version HeroQuest: Core Rules was published in 2009 (ISBN 978-0-977785-32-2). We refer to
this as HeroQuest 2e.
HeroQuest Glorantha was published in 2015 (ISBN 978-1-943223-01-5). It is the version of the rules in
HeroQuest 2e, presented for playing in Glorantha. We refer to this as HeroQuest 2.1e.
QuestWorlds was published as a System Reference Document (SRD) (this document) in 2020. The version
of the rules here is slightly updated, mainly to clarify ambiguities, from the version presented in HeroQuest
2e and HeroQuest 2.1e. This makes this ruleset HeroQuest 2.2e, despite the name change. However, to
simplify we identify this version as QuestWorlds 1e.
An Appendix lists changes in this version. As the SRD is updated we will continue to track version
changes there.
1.4 Numbering
Sections within this document are numbered. This is for the benefit of game designers and reviewers.
This does not imply that game designers need number the rules in their own games.
Numbering however makes it easy to refer to rules in this document when page numbers may vary
by presentation format for the purposes of error trapping or tracking changes. If you need to give us
feedback about this document, that will assist us.
1.5 Participants
1.5.1 Players
You and your fellow players each create a Player Character (PC) to be the “avatar” or “persona” whose
role you will play in the game. The PCs pursue various goals in an imaginary world, using their abilities,
motivations, connections, and more to solve problems and overcome story obstacles that stand in their
way.
When we say ‘you’ in this document we may mean either the player or their PC. Which of these we’re
addressing should be clear from the context or explicitly noted.
2.0 Mechanics
In a QuestWorlds game, stories develop dynamically as you and your GM work together to role-play
the dramatic conflict between your group’s PCs in pursuit of their goals and the challenges, or threats
that your GM presents to stand in your way. Stories advance by two methods: conflict, where your
PC is prevented from achieving their goals because there is something that must be overcome, a story
obstacle, to gain a desired person, thing, or even status: the prize; or there is something that must be
understood, a story question, to learn a secret, the past, or comprehend: a different prize.
Over the course of play, your GM will present various story obstacles and revelations as conflicts to
the PCs, resulting in either victory or defeat for your character, which determines whether or not you
gain the prize you sought. These conflicts can represent any sort of challenge you might face: fighting,
a trial or debate, survival in a harsh environment, out-wooing rival suitors, and so on.
Rather than mechanically addressing the individual tasks that make up these conflicts, QuestWorlds usually
assesses your overall victory or defeat in a single contest where you and your GM make an opposed
roll pitting your characters ability vs the resistance the story obstacle or story question presents to
you achieving the prize.
Whenever the GM presents a story obstacle or story question for you to overcome, you should frame
the contest by describing what you are trying to accomplish, the prize, and which of your abilities (see
below) you want to use to achieve that prize, and how.
Based on that framing and other factors, your GM will assess what resistance the characters face.
You roll a twenty-sided die (D20) against your PC’s ability, and your GM rolls a D20 against the
resistance. Your GM will assess your overall victory or defeat in the contest based on the success or
failure of both rolls, and narrates the results of your attempt to overcome the story obstacle or answer
the story question and gain the prize accordingly. The direction of the story changes, in either a big
or small way, depending on whether you gain the prize or not.
We encourage your GM to work with your suggestions when narrating the victory or defeat, but the
final decision rests with them.
2.1 Abilities
Characters in QuestWorlds are defined by the abilities they use to face the challenges that arise in the
course of their story. Rather than having a standard list of attributes, skills, powers, etc. for all characters,
anything that you can apply overcome a story obstacle or answer a story question could be one of
your abilities. While your GM may provide some example abilities to choose from that connect your
PC to a particular story or game world (whether created by your GM or by the designer of a particular
game), you get to make up and describe most or all of your abilities.
Some abilities might be broad descriptions of your background or expertise, like “Dwarf of the Chalk
Hills” or “Private Detective” - implying a variety of related capabilities. Others might represent specific
capabilities or assets such as “Lore of the Ancients,” “Captain of the Fencing Team,” or “The Jade Eye
Medallion.”
Ultimately, abilities are names for the interesting things your character can do.
2.1.1 Keywords
A keyword is a broad ability that often represents an occupation, a heritage, a belief system or
participation in a community. The simplest way to use a keyword is as an ability that represents the
competencies of an occupation, knowledge and attitudes passed down via a heritage, values of a belief
system, or relationships from a community. In the kinds of fiction that QuestWorlds emulates it is usually
enough to know that someone has a particular occupation or heritage to know what they can do.
A keyword reduces the number of abilities your PC needs to track, and is a simplification to help you
easily create archetypical characters for a genre without excessive bookkeeping.
Your GM’s genre pack should have a text description, which hints at the credible uses of a keyword.
Any broad concept you come up with for an ability, may be better presented as a keyword.
2.1.1.1 Breakouts
A breakout allows you to track a competency within the keyword individually, as an ability.
If your character is renowned for a skill that credibly falls under one of your keywords, you create a
breakout ability under the keyword at a bonus from the rating of the keyword. You write these
specialized breakout abilities under the keyword, along with how much they’ve improved from the
keyword:
Detective 15
• Deduction +5
• Hard Drinking +5
In this example, whilst the rating for most contests in which Detective was an appropriate tactic would
be 15, for contests involving Deduction it would be 20.
A breakout begins at +5 when purchased during character creation or improvement. A distinguishing
characteristic (see §3.0) under a keyword begins at +10.
The list of breakout abilities in a keyword is open-ended, but your GM’s genre pack description of the
keyword will provide inspiration, and might include a list of suggested abilities for unfamiliar settings,
where it is less clear what a keyword encompasses.
Even if there is a suggested list, the potential uses of the keyword are always open-ended, provided
they are credible. As the genre pack description tends to be assumed in the keyword, which is already
treated as an ability, it can be more interesting to have them differentiate your PC from the archetype.
2.1.2 Flaws
Your character may have one or more flaws. Unlike an ability, you do not use a flaw to accomplish
something; instead the GM uses your flaw to hinder you from accomplishing something, or invokes
your flaw to force you to act a certain way. Flaws are used to enrich your character and provide story
obstacles to be overcome.
Flaws may be psychological challenges such as “Addict”, fears or compulsive behaviors such
as “Afraid of Snakes” or “Needs Lucky Rabbit’s Foot”, physical challenges such as “One-Eyed,”
“Wheelchair-Bound” or “Asthmatic.” A flaw might also be a philosophy such as “Code Against
Killing,” “Pacifist,” or “Radical Candor” that limit your freedom of action. A flaw might be a
relationship that creates obligations such as a “Frail Aunt,” “Single Dad,” or “Blackmailed”.
Many flaws describe attributes that can be viewed positively. By making it a flaw and not an ability
you are inviting your GM to use it to make your life more difficult, not easier.
You should not use your flaw to accomplish something; if you feel that is likely, use an ability and flag
to your GM when you want them to treat it as a flaw at an appropriate moment.
Ultimately, in QuestWorlds a flaw is simply something that you invite the GM to use to hinder or prevent
your character doing something. In return for the GM exercising the flaw you gain experience points
(see §8.1).
In play your PC may work to overcome a flaw and you may reach the point that you agree with your GM
that story events mean that it is no longer relevant. You can then drop that flaw from your character
sheet when you receive an advance (see §8.2).
You can add a new flaw if play suggests one might emerge, with discussion with the GM, when you
receive an advance (see §8.2).
Specific QuestWorlds games or genre packs may use other symbols relevant to their setting or genre to
denote mastery instead of M. If so, this should be clearly noted by their designers.
For how masteries work in play, see §2.3.6.
2.2.1 Wealth
In QuestWorlds, wealth is treated as just another way to overcome story obstacles. Many characters
may not even have an explicit wealth ability, with their wealth or assets instead implied by abilities
representing their background, profession, or status. Whether explicit or implied, the relevant rating is
not an objective measure of the size of your fortune, but instead indicates how well you solve problems
with money and resources.
describe the actions of the NPCs or forces on the other side of the conflict.
down to the spaceport to secure a ship, meeting the captain and crew of your vessel, and traveling to
the next world. Your GM encourages you to summarize what happens quickly so you can get to the
meeting with the old rebel. Your GM knows their story question to convince the old rebel to part with
their secrets is the real drama.
2.3.1.4 Tactics
You either choose an ability that represents any ‘key moment’ in overcoming that story obstacle or
answering that story question, or a broad ability that lets you overcome the whole story obstacle or
solve the mystery of the story question. We call this choosing a tactic.
Your tactic might describe your using an ability that helps you overcome a task within the story
obstacle or story question: sneaking past the guards, picking the locks, choosing the right jury or
skewering your opponent with your foil. Or, your tactics might describe using a broad ability like
“Ninja”, “Lawyer”, or “Fencer” to overcome all those challenges that might form part of the story
obstacle or story question.
Either way, if you succeed at that roll, you overcome the whole story obstacle or learn the answer to
the story question. Or by failing at that roll, you fail to overcome the story obstacle or reveal the
answer to the story question, not just fail at one task.
When deciding on your tactic, focus on how your unique abilities would help you overcome the story
obstacle or reveal the answer to the story question. This as the “key moment” where we focus on
your PC. Use this moment to reveal your PC’s strengths to the group.
Your GM will determine if your tactic passes a credibility test. Credibility depends on the genre, as
what is not credible in a gritty police procedural might be in pulp. If in dispute, your GM should discuss
with the group whether they consider your tactic credible for the genre. If your action is not credible,
your GM will ask you to choose a different tactic.
Incredible abilities in some genres give you the capability to do the incredible. For example in a
superhero genre you might fly or be invulnerable to bullets, in a fantasy genre hurl magical lightning
bolts. A genre pack for the game should help define what incredible tactics are allowed for that game
as part of an Incredible Powers Framework.
The GM can narrate the remaining tasks that make sense of the story depending on your success with
that roll, or have them occur ‘off-stage’ for speed. Think of the way TV or Cinema often cuts to the
key moment of drama in a break-in, over showing us the whole heist from beginning to end.
2.3.3 Resistance
Your GM chooses a resistance to represent the difficulty of the story obstacle or story question. By
default, the base resistance starts at 10.
When setting resistances it is important to understand that whilst traditional roleplaying games simulate
an imaginary reality, QuestWorlds emulates the techniques of fictional storytelling.
Understanding this distinction will help you to play the game in a natural, seamless manner.
For example, let’s say that your GM is playing a game inspired by fast-paced, non-fantastic, martial arts
movies in a contemporary setting. You are running along a bridge, pacing a hovercraft, piloted by the
main bad guy. You want your character, Joey Chun, to jump onto the hovercraft and punch the villain’s
lights out.
Your GM starts with the proposed action’s position in the storyline. They consider a range of narrative
factors, from how entertaining it would be for you to have a succeed, how much failure would slow
the pacing of the current sequence, and how long it has been since you last scored a thrilling victory.
If, after this, they need further reference points, your GM can draw inspiration more from martial arts
movies than the physics of real-life jumps from bridges onto moving hovercraft. Having decided how
difficult the task ought to be dramatically,your GM will then supply the physical details as color, to justify
their choice and create suspension of disbelief, the illusion of authenticity that makes us accept fictional
incidents as credible on their own terms. If they want Joey to have a high chance of success, your GM
describes the distance between bridge and vehicle as impressive (so it feels exciting if you make it) but
not insurmountable (so it seems believable if you make it).
In QuestWorlds your GM will pick a resistance based on dramatic needs and then justify it by adding
details into the story.
Your GM determines the resistance from a base resistance. If your GM feels that it is hard then they
will increase the resistance by a modifier depending on their view of how difficult the obstacle is for
you (see Modifiers in §2.4). Increasing modifiers make it harder to succeed, and decreasing modifiers
easier.
The modifier never reduces the resistance value below 0. If the GM assesses a modifier for the
resistance that would take the target number below 0, it becomes an assured contest (see below).
All contests use the base resistance + optional modifier, except for contests to determine augments.
Augmenting always faces the base resistance.
Resistance TN Modifier
Simple 0 -20
Easy 0 -15
Routine 0 -10
Straightforward 5 -5
Base 10 -
Challenging 15 5
Hard 20 10
Punishing 5M 15
Exceptional 10M 20
Although a TN of 0 is treated as an assured contest (see below), further modifiers (see §2.4) may
adjust that value so that there is a TN above 0.
We show the target number for the base resistance of 10, and the modifier value to use if you are
using Resistance Progression (see §2.13) to figure this from the new base resistance.
2.3.4.1 Contest
The contest is QuestWorlds’ primary resolution mechanic for overcoming story obstacles, and is used
the most often where the outcome is uncertain. It also provides the foundation for other types of
uncertain contest, including several sequences (see §5.0). As such, it receives both an overview of key
concepts here as well as a more detailed treatment in §4.
A contest can be summarized as follows:
1. You and your GM agree upon the terms of the contest.
2. Your target number (TN) is your rating, adding any augments (see §2.6), hindrances (see
§2.7), stretches and situational modifiers (see §2.5), consequences and benefits (see §2.8).
3. You roll a D20 vs your relevant target number, while your GM rolls a D20 vs the resistance.
4. Your GM determines the difference in the successes between the two rolls to assesses the
outcome (see §2.3.6).
5. Your GM then narrates the outcome of the conflict as appropriate and assesses any benefits or
consequences that arose (see §2.8).
If you enter into conflict with another player rather than a story obstacle or story question presented
by your GM, you both roll your relevant abilities for the contest instead of against a GM-set resistance,
and your GM interprets the results, as described above.
Compare your rolled number with your target number (TN) to determine the result. Remember that
bonuses and penalties may mean your TN gains or loses a mastery.
• Big Success: If the die roll is equal to the TN, you succeed brilliantly, and gain two successes.
This is the best result possible.
• Success: If the die roll is less than the TN, you succeed, but there is nothing remarkable about
the success. You gain one success.
• Failure: If the die roll is greater than the TN, you fail. Things do not happen as hoped. You
gain zero successes
2.3.7 Outcome
Your successes and the resistance’s successes are compared to determine your overall outcome which
will be either victory or defeat for the contest as a whole.
For a contest:
• If you have a more successes than the GM, then you have a victory and you gain the prize.
• If you have a fewer successes than the GM, then you are defeated and do not gain the prize.
• If you both have the same number successes, including if you both have zero successes, then the
higher roll has a victory and gains the prize. If your rolls tie, then there is a standoff with neither
side able to take control of the prize.
For an assured contest:
• You have a victory and you gain the prize set out when the contest was framed.
A lot of the time your GM won’t need to figure out the degrees as knowing you won or lost is enough.
may use consequences to represent a ‘price’ and benefits to represent a ‘boon’, see §2.8. Your GM
may also decide that the ‘price’ or ‘boon’ is represented by the narration.
• PC one success vs. Ath’Zul one success, the PC has the higher roll, zero successes difference,
and zero degree of victory: Ath’Zul tries to shake the PCs, his hover bike, weaving in and out
of traffic, but the PCs are always on his tail, and catch him at the lights on Bradbury Junction, by
ramming their pursuit car into Ath’Zul’s bike, damaging both vehicles. The GM may award a consequence
(see §2.8) to represent the damage to the PC’s car, injuries from the crash, or displeasure from
their commander for damaging more police property.
2.4 Modifiers
Your GM uses modifiers throughout the game. Modifiers increment by 5. See Table 2.4.1, Modifiers,
for details of the scale.
A positive modifier is a bonus and a negative modifier is a penalty.
Modifiers represent:
• The modifier to apply to the base resistance when determining the resistance’s TN; harder
challenges have a bonus added to the base resistance; easier challenges have penalty subtracted
from the base resistance (see $2.3.3).
• A stretch based on a lack of credible abilities to overcome an obstacle (see §2.5)
• A situational modifier based on the tactics chosen by a PC (see §2.5)
• The outcome of an augment (see §2.6) or hindrance (see §2.7)
• The bonus of a benefit or penalty of consequences (see §2.8).
Penalty Bonus
-20 -
-15 -
-10 -
-5 -
- -
- 5
- 10
- 15
Penalty Bonus
- 20
2.5.1 Stretches
When you propose an action using an ability that seems completely inappropriate, your GM rules it
impossible. If you went ahead and tried it anyway, you’d automatically fail—but you won’t, because that
would be silly.
In some cases, though, your proposed match-up of action and ability is only somewhat implausible. A
successful attempt with it wouldn’t completely break the illusion of fictional reality—just stretch it a bit.
Using a somewhat implausible ability is known as a stretch. If your GM deems an attempt to be a
stretch, the PC suffers a -5 or –10 penalty to their target number, depending on how incredible the
stretch seems to the GM and other players. Your GM should penalize players who try to create a ‘do
anything’ ability that they then stretch to gain from raising fewer abilities in advancement to ensure
balance with other PCs.
The definition of stretch is elastic, depending on genre.
Your GM should not impose stretch penalties on action descriptions that add flavor and variety to a
scene, but do not fundamentally change what you can do with your ability. These make the scene more
fun but don’t really gain any advantage.
2.6 Augments
You may sometimes face contests where more than one ability may be applicable to the conflict at hand.
In such cases, you may attempt to use one ability to give a supporting bonus to the main ability you are
using to frame the contest. This is called an augment. It results in a bonus to your target number.
For example, if your character has the abilities “The Queen’s Intelligencer” and “Master of Disguise”,
you might use the latter to augment the former when infiltrating a rival nation’s capitol. Similarly, a
character with “Knight Errant” and “My Word is my Bond” abilities might use one to augment the
other when in conflict with a story obstacle the character has sworn to overcome.
Abilities that represent special items, weapons, armor, or other noteworthy equipment can be a common
source of augments. However, this grows tired if over-used and you should try and restrict repeated
use of equipment in this way to contests where they are particularly interesting or apropos.
Augments can also come from other characters’ abilities if one character uses an ability to support
another’s efforts rather than directly engaging in the contest. Augments can even come from outside
resources like support from a community, see §8, or other circumstantial help.
If you have a good idea for an augment, propose it to your GM while the contest is being framed.
When making your proposal, describe how the augmenting ability supports the main one in a way
that is both entertaining and memorable. Don’t just hunt for mechanical advantage, show your group more
about your PC when you augment, their attitudes, passions, or lesser known abilities. If you are
augmenting with a broad ability like “Fool’s Luck”, be prepared to describe the unlikely events that
tilt the scales in your favor. Your GM will decide whether the augment is justified and can refuse boring
and uninspired attempts to augment, where you are just looking for a bonus to your roll and not adding
to the story.
You may only use one of your own abilities to augment the ability you are using in the contest, and
you may not use an ability to augment itself. You may not use a breakout to augment it’s parent
keyword (see §2.1.1), or another breakout from the parent keyword. Another player character may
also augment you, however, augments from other player characters supporting you, only give you one
bonus to add to your target number, regardless of the number of supporters you have.
Your GM should bear in mind the credibility of more than one PC helping you. When persuading
someone a cacophony of voices may not help, unless you are trying to intimidate; when fighting someone,
only so much backup helps you take your opponent down; when flying a starship into the cave on the
asteroid, only some crew activities provide credible help. The GM may thus decide to limit the number
of augments from other PCs. Consider a group contest (see §4.2) instead if many PCs want to act against
the resistance.
If your GM accepts your augment proposal, it will be resolved by the method below. The main contest
then proceeds as normal, with any bonus from the augment added onto the rating of the ability chosen
when framing the contest. The augment remains in effect for the duration of the contest.
providing the augment, or that more variation in bonuses is possible (such as the augmenting ability
having several masteries).
On a victory base the bonus of the augment off the degree of the victory (see §2.3). So zero degrees
of victory yields +5 bonus. On a defeat still award a +5 bonus, but apply a penalty related to degree
of the defeat to the tactic used to augment, as described above.
2.7.1 Hindrance
If you describe a tactic that is in conflict with a flaw, your GM may decide to impose a penalty called
a hindrance against you in the upcoming contest. You should choose to remind your GM when you
feel a flaw might be triggered. Your GM may also use an ability on your character sheet against you in
this way too, if appropriate. This may be the case for relationships you have, philosophies you espouse,
or groups you belong to.
Your GM should follow a similar approach to augments when applying a hindrance. They should ask
themselves if it is fresh, interesting or illuminates character. In a movie of book would your flaw be prominent
here?
If your GM feels that there is no uncertainty as to whether the flaw applies to your tactic in the contest
they apply a penalty of -5 or a penalty of -10 depending on how serious a handicap the flaw is. (In
effect an assured contest for the flaw).
If your GM feels that it is uncertain as to whether the flaw hinders you, or you are able to overcome
it, and you agree that you wish to try, treat it as a contest. Roll the rating of your flaw against the
base resistance. On a victory, you receive a penalty from the degree of your victory (see §2.3). For
example, if you get zero successes use a penalty of -5, on one success, use a penalty of -10 and so on.
On a defeat, you overcome the flaw.
When you experience a penalty due to a flaw, you gain an experience point (see §8.1).
If you wish to act against your flaw, your tactic must pass a credibility test as to how you try overcome
your flaw in this instance. In effect, pick an ability to resist the flaw with. Then you must obtain a
victory in a contest against your flaw. On a victory you may act in a way that contradicts your flaw.
If you submit to your flaw, your GM might impose a hindrance on further actions (see §2.6.1). You
should not contest this hindrance unless the situation is not related to the one which triggered your
flaw in this instance, or significant time has now passed.
Your GM may impose a penalty against an ability if you gain the victory against your flaw representing
your struggle against your inner nature, violating dearly held principles, or letting down dependents. This
is often true where the GM invokes a flaw from a keyword. For example, if you had they keyword
“Gangster” and decide to inform on a fellow mobster, your GM might invoke the flaw of “Code of
Silence” even if it is not a breakout under you keyword; this is particularly appropriate where facts
such as the “Code of Silence” have been established in game. Even if you overcome your flaw, and
inform on your fellow mobster, the GM might still impose a penalty on use of the keyword to interact
with your crime family for having breached the “Code of Silence.”
Similarly, your GM might give you a bonus for acting according to your flaw, representing the sacrifices
you have made for dependents or a temporary boost from satisfying your inner demons. For example, if
your superhero “Speedster” goes to see the premiere of his partner’s new play, instead of heading to the
docks to stop Dr. Squid’s shipment of Vibrium, your GM might award you a bonus to your relationship
to your partner.
If you choose to, or your GM compels you to, act according to a flaw, you gain an experience point
(see §8.1).
2.8.1 Consequences
After a contest, you may suffer consequences: literal or metaphorical injuries.
• In a fight or test of physical mettle, you wind up literally wounded.
2.8.2 Benefits
Just as when you can experience ongoing ill effects from a contest, you can gain ongoing benefits from
a contest.
• In a fight or test of physical mettle, surging adrenaline leaves you sharp for the next encounter.
• In a social contest, you gain confidence and admiration from your triumph.
• If commanding a war, you gain strategic advantage over your enemy.
• In an economic struggle, your profits can be re-invested, or you drive competitors into the ground.
• In a morale crisis, you are buoyed up by success, nothing can stop you now.
Remember that the benefit does not have to be directly related to the ability used. Look to the goal
of the contest. The abilities or situation should reflect the story obstacle that was overcome, story
question that was answered, or the tactic used to overcome it.
• In a fight or test of physical mettle, your triumph has everyone rallying to your cause.
• In a social contest, you win powerful allies who will strengthen you in your fight against your
enemies.
• If commanding a war, you pillage the enemy city and enrich your army.
• In an economic struggle, you gain status as one of the wealthy elite.
• In a morale crisis, your rallied troops strengthen your army.
Your GM may assign a bonus to reflect this benefit. If you win the prize, your GM may choose to use
the degree of your outcome to determine the bonus (see §2.3). Whilst this is a good ‘rule of thumb’
a GM can use their discretion as to the story needs and assign a different bonus.
If you lost the prize, your GM may still decide that you gain a benefit, representing learning, gratitude,
or resolve developed from losing the prize.
• In a fight or test of physical mettle, you learn your opponent’s weaknesses.
• In a social contest, many feel sympathy for you though they cannot support you.
• If commanding a war, you win the trust of your soldiers through shared suffering.
• In an economic struggle, your organization becomes leaner and fitter.
• In a morale crisis, you reflect on your failure and gain new inner strength.
On zero degrees of defeat your GM might assign a bonus of +5 or +10 to represent a glimmer of hope
for the PC despite the defeat, such as gaining an insight into the resistance’s weakness. If you have one
degree of defeat your GM may assign a bonus of +10, for similar reasons, if it makes dramatic sense.
2.8.3 Recovery
Consequences lapse on their own with the passage of time. Your GM will determine when the
consequences have faded, and you should ask about whether they still apply at each new game session.
The worse the consequence, the longer it may last, though the GM may reduce the penalty in
increments of -5 as you recover, reflecting the passage of time. However, you’ll often want to remove
them ahead of schedule, with the use of abilities.
• You can remove mental traumas, including those of confidence and morale, with mundane
psychology abilities or through incredible abilities such as telepathy. You might also remove
them through a dramatic confrontation between the victim and the source of the psychic injury.
• You can remove social injury through social abilities or incredible social abilities such as charm
spells, love potions, or mind control. You probably have to make a public apology of some sort,
often including a negotiation with the offended parties and the payment of compensation, either
in disposable wealth or something more symbolic.
• You can fix damage to items and equipment with some sort of repair ability. If you want to fix
an incredible item, you may require genre-specific expertise: a broken magic ring may require a
ritual to reforge.
moment of shame can erase your previous triumphs, or your confidence eroded by a failure. Physical
benefits may cancel out, flushed with victory you may be able to ignore pain, but it may defy credibility
for wounds to be healed by an athletic performance.
Your GM may simply rule that benefits and consequences cancel out, or they may take the difference
between the two benefits and create a new one. For example if you have a +10 benefit from impressing
the crowd with your previous performance in the dance contest, but then suffer an injured ankle with
a consequence of -5, your GM may rule that your twisted ankle cancels out your energy from the last
performance, or your GM might rule that your success sees you through the pain, but you are now only
+5 benefit to impress the crowd.
Although your GM is at liberty to assign any bonus or penalty they believe is credible, this table offers
suggested modifiers for different degrees of victory and defeat.
should give the player the choice of which goals they wish to choose. This goes to the heart of character
- what is more important to you?
On a defeat you normally get nothing, but when there are graduated goals on zero degrees of defeat,
your GM may choose to pick one of your goals to give you. The GM may choose to go against the PC’s
likely preference here - the PC doesn’t get the choice they would have made given they had to sacrifice
something.
The nurse has graduated goals: escape the huntsman and save the children. On a zero degree of victory
she will have to decide between capture and the safety of the children. On one degrees of victory, she
can have both.
2.11 Ganging Up
Sometimes you may outnumber your opponent. As above, the GM should alter the resistance
depending on how significantly you outnumber them and depending on whether numbers provide
advantage.
• Contributors: The outcome of the battle hangs in the balance and your efforts may tip the
balance in favor of your side. You roll against a resistance determined by the GM, either in a
contest (see §4.0) or sequence (see §5.0) representing the odds of your shifting the odds in your
favor. If a PC leads the effort your GM should award them a bonus or penalty reflecting the
outcome of the contest. They should then roll as described in Directing above. If an NPC leads
the effort the outcome is that of the contest or sequence, and the PCs effort is assumed to tip
the scale either way.
• Participants: You have little influence over the outcome, but must struggle to prosper within the
conflict. The GM predetermines the outcome of the overall competition on dramatic grounds.
To determine your fate in the battle, you roll against a resistance determined by the GM from
the overall battle outcome, in a contest (see §4.0) or sequence (see §5.0).
2.13.1 No Progression
Your GM may also decide that the resistances do not get harder as the campaign progresses, reflecting
the PCs ability to disregard minor challenges, and simply choose harder resistances to challenge the
players and allow them to earn experience points.
In addition, you will want to give your character a name, and provide a physical description. We
recommend focusing on three physical things about your PC that others would immediately notice,
over anything more detailed.
Your GM should not use this method for creating NPCs. NPCs do not require definition via abilities
and keywords. Instead, your GM simply describes the NPC, and picks an appropriate resistance in
any contest with them, based on their feeling for what would be credible for that NPC. If in doubt the
GM just uses the base resistance for a mook, with a suitably higher resistance for a boss. The design
intent is to remove the need for the GM to prepare stat blocks, making improvisation of NPCs easier,
and shifting focus to the NPCs personality or role in the story instead.
3.2 Keywords
We recommend that you build your PC around one or more keywords (see §2.1.1).
Keywords are best suited for use as the PC’s occupation, heritage, beliefs, or memberships of a
community.
In certain genres, your GM may require that your PC has multiple keywords: for example, one for
occupation, another for species or culture, and perhaps a third for religious affiliation.
3.2.2 Doubling Up
In some settings, an ability may be listed in more than one of a PC’s keywords. You should choose
only one to list it under.
If your distinguishing characteristic is an ability that fits under a keyword then you can make it a
breakout there.
3.3 Flaws
You may assign up to three flaws to their PC. Common flaws include:
• Personality traits: surly, petty, compulsive.
• Physical challenges: blindness, lameness, diabetes.
• Social hurdles: outcast, ill-mannered, hated by United supporters.
Certain keywords include flaws. Flaws gained through keywords do not count against the limit of
three chosen flaws.
Now, you get 20 improvement points to spend to improve your abilities. Each improvement point
increases an ability by +1. You cannot increase a breakout with improvement points. The maximum
starting ability rating is 5M; the maximum starting breakout rating is +5, or +10 for a distinguishing
characteristic (see §3.0) agreed with your GM to be under a keyword.
You can modify an ability using improvement points after a roll. This may allow you to succeed and
not fail.
Some genre packs may require you to have additional keywords that reflect the setting. These additional
keywords come from the 12 abilities allowance, so in many genres you will have fewer wildcard
abilities but better fit the setting.
4.0 Contests
A contest is the default resolution method for story obstacles or story question where there is a
dramatic branch from uncertainty. If the branch does not lead to new story, just use an assured contest.
A contest is conflict resolution, we don’t resolve the individual tasks that form part of the story obstacle
or story question instead we resolve the whole story obstacle or story question in one roll. When
you pick your tactic it may encompass your approach to the whole, or be a spotlight moment, where
the part stands for the whole. In the latter case your chosen tactic is the focus of the key moment. It
all comes down to this moment, where you win the prize or your plans go awry. Your GM will narrate
your passage through the other obstacles once the outcome is known, but the focus of win and lose
always hinges on this moment.
Using contest as the default speeds up play, and keeps the story hitting major events, reinforcing the
sense of adventure.
4.1 Contest
4.1.1 Procedure
A contest can be summarized as follows:
1. You and your GM agree upon the terms of the contest.
2. You choose a tactic. Your target number (TN) is your rating, adding any augments (see
§2.6), hindrances (see §2.7), stretches and situational modifiers (see §2.5), consequences
and benefits (see §2.8).
3. Your GM determines the resistance. If two PCs contend, your opponent figures their TN as
described in step 2.
4. You roll a D20 vs your relevant ability, while your GM rolls a D20 vs the resistance.
5. Your GM compares the difference successes between the two rolls to assesses the outcome (see
§2.3.7).
6. Your GM then narrates the outcome of the conflict as appropriate and assesses any benefits or
consequences that arose (see §2.8).
7. Award experience points if appropriate (see §8.1).
4.2.1 Procedure
A group contest can be summarized as follows:
1. Your GM frames the contest.
2. You choose a tactic. Your target number (TN) is your rating, adding any augments (see
§2.6), hindrances (see §2.7), stretches and situational modifiers (see §2.5), consequences
and benefits (see §2.8).
3. Your GM determines the resistance. If two PCs contend, your opponent figures their TN as
described in step 2.
4. For each of your group
1. Roll a D20 vs your relevant ability, while your GM rolls a D20 vs the resistance. Determine
the degree of victory or defeat for the individual PC from the outcome (see §2.3.7).
2. Add the number of successes scored in the contest to a running total of successes for
each group, regardless of the individual outcome. Victory or defeat, successes count
towards the group outcome.
3. Award experience points if appropriate (see §8.1).
5. The side with the highest number of successes is the overall victor in the contest. Award
experience points if appropriate (see §8.1). If the number of successes is tied the contest ends
in a stalemate, with neither side gaining control of the prize.
6. Determine degree of victory from the difference between the successes scored by each side.
7. Describe the outcome based on the agreed prize.
If the result is a tie, but it does not make sense for there to be no outcome, then award the PCs group
a zero degree victory
It is possible that you suffer a defeat, even though your side gains the victory. It is possible that, as a
result, that your PC will suffer a consequence (see §2.8) related to your defeat, even though your side
won. If your side loses, then you may suffer both a consequence for your own individual contest, and
a consequence for the overall contest.
It is possible that you gain a victory, even though your side suffers a defeat. It is possible that, as a
result, that your PC will obtain a benefit (see §2.8) related to your victory, even though your side lost.
If your side won, then you may gain both a benefit for your own individual contest, and a benefit for
the overall contest.
Use a contest when you have multiple contenders for a single prize over a sequence (see §5.0).
4.3.1 Procedure
Multiple contestants and one prize can be summarized as follows:
1. Find the highest number of successes amongst the participants.
2. If only one contestant has that number of successes amongst the players, award them the prize.
3. If multiple contestants share that number of successes the contestant with the highest roll wins
the prize.
4. If two or more contestants match on the highest roll, there is a tie and the contestants with the
matching roll share the prize.
5. If the prize cannot be shared then award to in order: highest ability, a PC over an NPC, GM’s
choice.
5.0 Sequences
Most conflicts should be resolved simply and quickly, using the contest rules. However, every so often,
your GM wants to draw out the resolution, breaking it down into a series of smaller actions, increasing
the suspense you feel as you wait to see if they triumph or fail.
Think of the different ways a film director can choose to portray a given moment, depending on how
important it is to the story, and how invested they want us to feel in its outcome. For example, there are
two ways to shoot a scene in which a thief breaks into the bank to steal the contents of the safe.
• The action can be portrayed quickly, cutting to a moment with the thief, their ear pressed against
the safe trying to get the tumblers to fall into place. Then they sigh with relief, open the safe, and
get whatever is inside. In this instance, the story is about what happens after the thief gets what’s
in the safe, not about what might happen to them if they fail.
• Another film might instead choose to make the bank robbery a pivotal turning point in the story, if
not its climactic moment. It would spend many scenes building up to the safe-cracking sequence:
obtaining the plans of the bank, learning the movements of the guards, crawling through the air
conditioning ducts, sliding past the motion sensors and pressure plates, and finally cracking the
safe itself.
A contest mirrors the first approach. A sequence mirrors the second. If your GM wants to focus on
how you complete a sequence of tasks to overcome the story obstacles or story questions then then
use a sequence.
Even a movie driven by action and suspense will typically include only a handful of these set-piece
sequences. They need the rest of their running time to build up to their big moments, to make us care
about the characters, and to give us quiet moments to contrast with the white-knuckle parts.
So pacing may always trump your desire to work through the sequence of tasks, as your GM may wish
to resolve this conflict quickly. This is especially true if only one player is involved.
Your GM may be tempted, to adjudicate every fight with a sequence, because fights seem like they
should be played out blow-by-blow. They should resist this temptation, as fights are often repetitive
trading of blows that can drag when everyone repeats actions from round to round. Only use
sequences for fights where the PCs want to do more than slug it out toe-to-toe with their opponents
until only one is left standing.
5.1 Sequence
5.1.1 Overview
A sequence is a succession of contests. It represents a set of tasks required for the PC to overcome
an obstacle.
A sequence is played out in rounds. Each round represents an attempt by the PC to wear down the
resistance by succeeding at a task, that makes up part of the goal. In a sequence where a PC thief tries
to break into a bank to steal from the safe, individual rounds might represent:
• Obtaining the plans of the bank
• Surveillance to learn the movements of the guards
• Crawling through the air conditioning ducts
• Sliding past the motion sensors and pressure plates
• Cracking the safe itself.
The GM needs to be aware of pacing during this, skipping potential obstacles to try and time the final
roll to be as the thief cracks open the safe (or fails triggering more complications).
Sequences are longer and more dramatic than contests. Your GM uses sequences when the drama
of the conflict is as important as the outcome to the story. A sequence generates suspense with a
back-and-forth struggle. It is something you and your GM should visualize and describe.
A sequence consists of one or more rounds, which you resolve as contests. However an individual
round does not decide the outcome of the whole sequence, only who has momentum at that time.
Different types of sequence change how we record who has the upper hand at any one time, based on
the degrees of the contest outcome.
• In a scored sequence, the first contestant to have five ‘strikes’ against them loses. We tally
resolution points (RP).
• In a wagered sequence, we tally advantage points (AP), which represent momentum and
position. The contenders trade APs until one of them runs out.
• In chained sequence we tally resolve, which represents willingness to continue. If you choose
chained sequence all contests become a chained sequence.
Your GM uses this record, either tallying or applying consequences, to determine when to trigger the
end of the sequence and the outcome for the victor.
5.1.1.1 Procedure
1. Your GM frames the sequence.
2. You choose a tactic. Your target number (TN) is your rating, adding any augments (see
§2.6), hindrances (see §2.7), stretches and situational modifiers (see §2.5), consequences
and benefits (see §2.8.
3. Your GM determines the resistance (see §2.3.3). (If two PCs contend, your opponent figures
their TN as described in step 2.)
4. Carry out one or more rounds, repeating as necessary.
1. Your GM decides which contender has the initiative, the ‘aggressor’, and describes what
they are trying to do to achieve the prize. The ‘defender’ describes how they counter the
aggressor’s attempt to seize the prize. If it is not obvious from the unfolding narrative, your
GM should choose your PC as the ‘aggressor’.
2. Resolve the round as described for the sequence type.
3. The outcome determines the new tally or applies consequences. Tied results leave the
score unchanged.
4. Determine if an opponent is knocked out of the contest from their tally or consequences,
according to the rules for that contest type.
5. The winner has an opportunity to perform a parting shot (see §5.1.8).
5. Determine the outcome according to the sequence type. Award or deny the prize, and give
experience points if appropriate (see §8.1).
6. Determine benefits or consequences.
7. Describe the outcome based on the story obstacle or story question
5. Establish an order of the paired sequences. The narrative may indicate who should go first but
use your group’s TNs from highest to lowest if no other option presents itself.
6. For each pairing your GM carries out one round. Then they repeat by carrying out more rounds
in order, as necessary.
1. Your GM decides which contender has the initiative, the ‘aggressor’, and describes what
they are trying to do to achieve the prize. The ‘defender’ describes how they counter the
aggressor’s attempt to seize the prize. If it is not obvious from the unfolding narrative, your
GM should choose your PC as the ‘aggressor’.
2. Resolve the round as described for the sequence type.
3. The outcome determines the new tally or applies consequences. Tied results leave the
score unchanged.
4. Determine if an opponent is knocked out of the contest, according to the rules for that
contest type.
5. The winner has an opportunity to perform a parting shot (see §5.1.8).
7. As one of a pair is eliminated from the group sequence, their victorious opponents may then
move on to engage new targets, either starting new contests with an unengaged opponent or joining
an existing contest (see §5.1.9). These new contest are added to the end of the existing roster.
Alternatively, unengaged contests may assist (see §5.1.10) those who are engaged.
8. The group with the last undefeated contestant wins.
9. Award experience points if appropriate (see §8.1).
10. If necessary, your GM can determine your group’s degree of victory or defeat.
11. Describe the outcome based on the story obstacle or story question.
5.1.3 No Nesting
Your GM should never “nest” one sequence inside another. If a sequence is in progress and you
want to perform an action your GM should treat it as an unrelated action (see §5.1.8), or disallow it
completely during the current sequence.
5.1.6 Disengaging
You can always abandon a sequence, but, in addition to failing at the story obstacle, you may also
suffer negative consequences as your opponent may take a parting shot against you, as though you had
suffered a defeat. Likewise, your opponent might seek to disengage before being defeated, entitling you
to a parting shot. Taking the parting shot is always optional as it may worsen the attacker’s position.
5.1.10 Assists
You may take an unrelated action to grant an assist to a teammate enmeshed in a round. Describe
what your character is trying to do to improve the position of the target. For example, your PC might
throw them a weapon, jeer at an opponent, or simply shout words of encouragement. Assists are subject
to the same restrictions as augments: they must be both credible and interesting.
The mechanics for a assist differ for each sequence type, reflecting the tally or consequences.
5.1.11 Outcome
Your GM may wish to determine the overall outcome, beyond the prize and individual outcomes.
If your group has the “last contestant”, your GM should use the outcome for the contest in which your
group defeated the opponent with the highest ability rating.
If the opposition has the “last contestant”, your GM should use the outcome for the contest in which
the PC with the highest ability rating was defeated.
In the event of a tie for ability rating pick the outcome that has the second highest degree of victory
or defeat.
should defer to you over your opponent to describe what you do in the round, and describe the NPC
reacting to that.
Degree Value
0 1
1 2
2 3
3 4
4 5
5.2.1.3 Followers
You may choose to have your followers take part in scored sequences in one of three ways: as full
contestants, as secondary contestants, or as supporters.
Contestant: The follower takes part in the contest as any other PC would. You roll for your followers
as you would their main characters. However, your followers are removed from the contest whenever
3 resolution points are scored against them in a given round.
Secondary contestant: To act as a secondary contestant, your follower must have an ability relevant
to the contest. The follower sticks by your side, contributing directly to the effort: fighting in a battle,
tossing in arguments in a legal dispute, acting as the ship’s navigator, or whatever. Although you describe
this, you do not roll for the follower. Instead, you may, at any point, shift any number of resolution
points to a follower acting as a secondary contestant. Followers with 3 or more resource points lodged
against them are removed from the scene.
Supporter: Your follower is present in the scene, but does not directly engage your opponents. Instead
they may perform assists and other unrelated actions.
Followers acting in any of these three capacities may be removed from the contest by otherwise
unengaged opponents. To remove a follower from a scene, an opponent engages your follower in
a contest. Your GM sets the resistance, or if it is another PC’s follower they determine the relevant
ability of the follower engaging yours. On any failure, your follower is taken out of the contest.
Your GM determines any long-term implications for the follower being removed from the contest.
Whilst your GM should not end your character’s story without consent, such as via death, they may
choose to end the story of a follower in such circumstances, viscerally demonstrating the threat that the
PCs face.
Difference Degree
1-2 0
3-4 1
5-6 2
7-8 3
Difference Degree
9+ 4
Your GM applies results as described in §2.3.7.2, including assigning benefits and consequences.
5.2.6 Assists
The assist alters the score against your teammate according to the outcome of a contest.
Your first assist faces the base resistance. Each subsequent assist attempt to the same beneficiary
increases the resistance by +5. The resistance escalation occurs even when another PC steps in to
make a subsequent assist. This escalation allows the occasional dramatic rescue but makes it difficult
for players to prolong losing battles to excruciating length. Your GM should make it seem credible by
justifying the increasing resistances with descriptions of ever-escalating countermeasures on the part
of the opposition.
Your GM may adjust the starting resistance up or down to account for campaign credibility or other
dramatic factors. If an assist as proposed seems too improbable or insufficiently useful, your GM
should collaborate with you to propose alternate suggestions.
On a victory, you reduce the number of resolution points by one more than the degree of the victory.
On a defeat, you increase the number of resolution points by one more than the degree of the
resistance’s victory. See table §5.2.2.1.
Scores can never be reduced below 0.
If the victor rolled a big success, the APs lost by the loser are gained by the winner - a transfer.
Your GM may apply consequences and benefits for your PC as they see fit, based on this outcome.
5.3.6 Assists
You can transfer some or all of your advantage points to another contestant engaged in a wagered
sequence on your side. With more advantage points, they can stay in the sequence for longer, or
make larger wagers without driving themselves to defeat.
State the number of AP you are trying to transfer. (The GM may suggest a higher or lower wager based
on the action you describe.) The number of APs you are attempting to transfer is the resistance you
face in a contest. You lost the APs whether or not you succeed in the contest.
You cannot transfer advantage points to yourself.
If a follower’s AP are already included in your AP total, the follower cannot transfer them to you.
5.4.1 Resolve
Resolve represents your resistance to the exhaustion of your mental, physical, emotional or social
reserves. Once your resolve is gone, you quit.
The loser of a round in a sequence, loses resolve equal to their opponent’s degrees of victory plus
one, see §5.4.1.1.
When your resolve hits zero it initiates a crisis, your desire to struggle on is gone: you collapse into
exhaustion; you give in to despair; you succumb to your wounds; you flee in fear… depending on what
harmed you. You cannot continue with the sequence and lose the prize. Until you recover positive
resolve, you must rest and may not initiate a sequence.
Your resolve may become negative due to losses from a round. You cannot return to play until your
resolve becomes positive.
Loss Degree
1 0
2-3 1
4-5 2
6-7 3
8+ 4
Your GM applies results as described in §2.3.7.2, including assigning benefits and consequences.
5.4.3 PC Resolve
A PC begins with a starting resolve of five. On your PC’s sheet record your current resolve. You can use
check boxes to visually represent resolve.
Your GM should create a consequence which should be appropriate to the source of harm. A
consequence only negates resolve losses from the most recent round; a consequence cannot negate
resolve losses from earlier rounds. If you accept that consequence you do not lose resolve for this
round but instead take the consequence.
• Instead of marking 1 point of resolve, the GM offers a penalty -5.
• Instead of marking 2 points of resolve, the GM offers a penalty of -10.
• Instead of marking 3 points of resolve, the GM offers a penalty of -15.
• Instead of marking 4 points of resolve, the GM offers a penalty of -20.
You can’t buy off 5 points of resolve, instead your resolve is immediately reduced to zero and you yield
the sequence.
5.4.4 Followers
You may choose to have your followers take part in chained sequence in one of three ways: as full
contestants, as secondary contestants, or as supporters. You track resolve for followers as you do for
a PC, but a follower begins the game with three resolve. Retainers are treated as a group for tracking
resolve but sidekicks are handled individually.
Contestant: The follower takes part in the contest as any other PC would. You roll for your followers
as you would their main characters.
Secondary contestant: To act as a secondary contestant, your follower must have an ability relevant
to the contest. The follower provides an augment to your character in a chained sequence. In
addition, if you suffer a defeat in a round of a chained sequence you may transfer that resolve loss
to a follower. Doing so takes that follower out of further rounds of the chained sequence, even if
they still have remaining resolve. Any augment your follower provided is lost.
Supporter: Your follower is present in the scene, but does not directly engage your opponents. Instead
they may perform assists and other unrelated actions.
If a follower checks off three or more resolve they leave your service immediately - they may be dead,
exhausted, or in despair - and must be replaced.
5.4.5.1 Mooks
A mook is a faceless, nameless NPC who exists to allow your PC to impress us with their competency.
A mook yields a sequence after suffering one point of resolve loss.
overreaching has somehow granted them an advantage allowing them to recover from their previous
misfortune.
Where it makes sense, unengaged PCs may attempt parting shots against opponents taken out of the
sequence by someone else. You may not revive your teammates by using your lamest abilities to make
parting shots on them; this, by definition, does not pass a credibility test.
5.4.9 Assists
An unengaged PC or follower may attempt to help another PC recover resolve.
5.4.11 Recovery
Without intervention, your PC will recover, given time. Your GM should decide at what point your
character recovers their resolve and can return to play. As a guideline: one or two points of resolve
heal with a short rest, good meal, or time spent relaxing with friends; three or four points of resolve
requires a longer period of recuperation, therapy or medical assistance; five points of resolve requires a
long period of peaceful rest, away from conflict, to heal.
You may decide that you cannot wait for time to restore your PC, and instead want to use abilities to
accelerate your recovery.
On a victory you restore recovery equal to the degrees of victory plus one (see 5.4.11.2).
On a defeat your GM has the following options:
• Lost time is the only penalty - use this when there is little risk to helping others.
• The helping PC loses resolve - use this when there is a risk of the helping PC becoming exhausted
or otherwise drained by their efforts.
• The PC being helped loses further resolve - use this when any intervention carries a risk of
worsening the position such as when attempting to fix losses to relationships or mental health.
As with all resolve losses the PC losing resolve may opt to take a consequence instead, and the recovery
sequence ends immediately. If it is credible, then resolve losses during recovery may also be transferred
to followers.
The resistance for a recovery roll is always the default resistance.
When nested within another sequence the first recovery roll faces the base resistance. Each
subsequent recovery attempt to the same beneficiary increases the resistance by +5. The resistance
escalation occurs even when another PC steps in to make a subsequent recovery. This escalation
allows the occasional dramatic rescue but makes it difficult for players to prolong losing battles to
excruciating length. Increasing attempts to bring someone back from exhaustion become harder.
5.4.11.3 Exhaustion
If your resolve becomes exhausted (reaches zero resolve), you return to play with your starting resolve
permanently reduced by one. This is the impact of trauma on your reserves to cope with further stresses.
When your starting resolve becomes zero your PC succumbs to the strains of an adventurous life and
must retire from play, perhaps dead, perhaps in exile, perhaps incapacitated. It is time to create a new
character.
You might decide to retire your PC earlier - as your starting resolve lowers your PC’s ability to cope with
a life of adventure diminishes.
drama of wagering and tend to encourage high-octane stunts, but can take longer to resolve. Chained
sequences make all contests a sequence, where resolve is slowly worn down.
You can think of this as a continuum. At one end are gritty genres where you want to use a chained
sequence to reflect how punishing conflict is. At the other end are gonzo, larger-than-life genres where
you want to use a wagered sequence to encourage crazy stunts and outrageous action. In the middle
is the scored sequence which lets you focus in on tasks to add suspense and drama, without being too
grim or too over-the-top.
If in doubt, use a scored sequence by default.
6.0 Relationships
Abilities may represent your relationship to NPCs.
GM should feel more at liberty to frame a contest with supporting character death, exile, or breakdown
as an outcome than with a PC. If the character dies or otherwise suffers a change of status that renders
them useless to you, you lose use of the relationship ability until your next advance (see §8.2) where
you can replace them. Your GM should work with you to introduce a replacement at an appropriate
moment in the fiction. Before putting supporting characters at serious risk, your GM should make
sure the players understand the magnitude of the possible consequences.
6.2 Allies
An ally is a character of roughly the same level of accomplishment as you, often in the same or a similar
line of work. For every favor you ask of them they’ll ask one of you. These reciprocal favors will be
roughly equivalent in terms of risk, time commitment, resistance class, and inconvenience.
6.3 Patrons
Patrons enjoy greater access to assets than you, either through personal ownership (as in a wealthy
entrepreneur or rich aristocrat) or authority (as in the governor of a state or province or the head of
an organization). They may lend you advice or provide you with assets but are too busy and important
to personally perform tasks for you. They may hire you to do jobs, or issue orders within a command
structure to which you both belong.
When you roll your patron relationship, your GM adjusts the resistance depending on what you have
done for them lately.
6.4 Contacts
A contact is a specialist in an occupation, skill, or area of expertise. Contacts provide you information
and perform minor favors, but will expect information or small favors from you in return.
You can describe a contact as being a particular individual, or as a group of similar individuals.
6.5 Followers
A follower is a supporting character that travels with you and contributes on a regular basis to your
success.
There are two types of followers: sidekicks and retainers.
Followers need not be people, or even sentient beings: you can write up a spirit guardian, trusty robot,
or companion animal as a follower.
6.5.1 Sidekick
A sidekick is a supporting character under your control. Most of the time they stay at your side to
render assistance, but they can also go off and perform errands or missions on their own.
You should give your sidekick a name. You should, when asked, explain how the sidekick came to be
your follower, and why they continue in that role.
Sidekicks start with three abilities, one rated at 15 and the others at 10. Any of these abilities may be
a keyword. At least one of them should indicate a distinguishing characteristic.
If the sidekick is nonhuman or a member of an unusual culture, one of its three starting abilities must
be its species or culture keyword.
Once you have determined the sidekick’s base abilities, you can allocate 10 improvement points
amongst them, as described in Assigning Ability Ratings (see $3.4).
You can improve these abilities through the expenditure of experience points.
You may use any of your sidekick’s abilities as your own. The sidekick can go off and do things
without you.
6.5.2 Retainers
A retainer is a more or less anonymous servant or helper. You may specify a single retainer, or, where
appropriate to your character concept, an entire staff of them.
Like any other ability, a retainer ability allows you to overcome relevant story obstacles by engaging in
a contest. To model the contribution of retainers, when you are acting, you can use them to augment
your ability. Your GM can rule that consequences apply to retainers.
Retainers generally regard you with all the affection and loyalty due to an employer or master. If you
treat them more poorly than is expected for their culture, your GM should increase the resistance of
attempts to make use of their talents.
6.6.1 Dependents
A dependent is a person, usually a family member or loved one, who requires your aid and protection.
Your GM should periodically create storylines in which your dependent is endangered.
Rather than taking a dependent as a flaw, you may find it more fruitful to specify the nature of your
relationship as an ability, such as Love for Wife or Love for Son.
6.6.2 Adversaries
An adversary is a rival, enemy or other individual who can be relied upon to periodically disrupt your
plans.
The adversary’s goals are probably the opposite of yours, although they could be a bitter rival within
the same community, organization, or movement.
To treat an adversary as an ability, rather than a flaw, describe your emotional response to them.
Examples: Hates Leonard Crisp, Fears the Electronaut, Sworn Vengeance Against Heimdall. That way, you still
inspire your GM to add the plot elements you desire, but can use your antipathy toward the enemy to
augment your target numbers against them.
• The story point pool refreshes whenever your PCs engage in genre-appropriate downtime.
Usually the GM plays this out as a montage, asking your character to describe genre appropriate
activities in this time period. For example: in a police procedural series, the PCs might gather at a
cop bar to drink and talk about their personal problems; in a series about high-school paranormal
investigators they might gather in the school library to chill with their mentor, the librarian, and
talk about teenage problems.
• The story point pool refreshes whenever the GM deems it necessary, based on their desire to
allow you to edit the upcoming story.
Ultimately your GM is always the arbiter of when and how the story point pool refreshes. On a refresh
your story points pool resets to one story point per PC.
game’s entertainment. The plot edit should, by contrast, be something that enhances the story for all
the players.
The cost, in story points, of a plot edit, is given by the following table.
8.0 Experience
During a session of play your character will have the chance to learn from experience or overcoming
personal obstacles. When your character learns, they gain a experience points. Experience points
can be used to improve your character.
• You do not gain an experience point from an assured contest, even if you roll to determine
benefits or consequences.
You can gain a maximum of five experience points in any one session. Once you have earned five
experience points, you cannot gain further experience points in that session.
with those rules. Your GM should pick the level of community that provides the greatest dramatic
potential from its competition for resources, friendly or otherwise, with its rivals.
Some campaigns do not center on a community, with the adventurers being footloose wanderers. In
that case, even if you have community abilities, your GM will not track any community. Before your
GM decides this, they should consider where your PCs might turn for help, succor, or aid. Is there
somewhere in the campaign defined as a place of refuge and safety for you? It may well be that is a
community. For example, the bar where other footloose adventurers all meet, who will help each other
out in a tight spot.
points to a score for each resource type. Points are awarded according to what the answer reveals
about the community’s relative priorities. An answer may give points to more than one resource.
You can choose your answers by consensus, majority vote, or take turns.
When you’re done, rank the resources in the order of the scores. Assign the high bonuses to the
highest scores and the lowest to the low.
A questionnaire also introduces your setting in a punchy, interactive format, and tailors the community
to the players’ desires, increasing their investment in it.
10.0 Appendix
10.1 Glossary of Terms
Ability Anything you can apply to solve a problem or overcome an obstacle.
Advance A package of improvements to your abilities and keywords earned through experience
points or milestone advancement.
Advantage Point (AP) A measure of advantage in a wagered sequence.
Ally A supporting character of roughly equal ability to your own.
AP Abbreviation for Advantage Point.
AP Gifting When you help another character, whilst uninvolved in a contest, by giving them
advantage points in a wagered sequence.
AP Lending When you help another character, whilst engaged in a contest, by lending them
advantage points, in a wagered sequence.
Asymmetrical Exchange In a wagered sequence, where you are pressed by an opponent, but want
to do something other than contend directly for the prize.
Asymmetrical Round In a scored sequence, where you are pressed by an opponent, but want to do
something other than contend directly for the prize.
Assist In a scored sequence, if you are unengaged you may use an assist to reduce the resolution
points scored against another character.
Augment Using one ability to help another ability.
Assured Contest You have an appropriate ability and the GM feels failure is not interesting, or makes
the PC looks un-heroic.
Background Event An off-stage bonus or penalty applied to a resource.
Base resistance The TN for a moderate resistance class, from which all other resistance classes
are figured as a bonus or penalty.
Benefit of Victory Long term positive bonus, because you won a contest, against a challenging
opponent (not -6 or less than your ability). Usually a state of fortune.
Bolster A story obstacle to apply a bonus to a community resource
Bonus A positive modifier.
Burn Using a story point as a bump. The story point is lost after burning.
Catch-Up When you cross a mastery threshold you can increase lesser used abilities to ensure they
keep pace.
Contact A supporting character who shares an occupation or interest with your character.
Contest Where there is uncertainty as to whether a PC can overcome a story obstacle or discover a
secret, then your GM can call for a contest to determine if the PC succeeds or fails.
Consequences Long term negative modifier, because you lost a contest. Usually a state of adversity.
Contest Framing Setting the stakes of the contest, what is this conflict about. Often not the
immediate aftermath of victory.
Credibility Test Is it possible to perform the action without an ability, with an ordinary ability, or
only with a incredible ability?
Crisis Test Used to determine if a resource that has a penalty creates a crisis.
Defeat Your result is worse than the resistance’s result.
Defensive Response In a scored sequence you can choose a defensive tactic which reduces the
resolution points you lose on a negative result.
Degree The difference between the successes of the victor and the loser in a contest.
Dependent A supporting character who depends on your PC.
Depletion Use of a community resource leads to its depletion.
Directed Improvement When your GM grants you a new ability, or an increase to an existing one,
to recognize a story event.
Distinguishing Characteristic The dominant personality ability that others recognize in a character.
Exchange In a wagered sequence a round is divided into two exchanges where both aggressor and
defender act. In a group wagered sequence a round consists of a sequence of exchanges
where everyone acts in turn. The GM determines the order of action.
Experience Points (XP) When you experience defeat, or a flaw you may gain an experience point,
which accumulate between sessions.
Incredible ability Certain genres allow player characters to have abilities that exceed human norms,
these are incredible abilities. A genre pack normally outlines what is possible as part of its
incredible powers framework.
victory.
Round A sequence is broken into a series of rounds, each of which is an attempt to obtain the prize.
In a wagered sequence a round is further broken into a number of exchanges in which all
participants have the chance to act. Resolution is via a contest that affects the tally used for that
sequence type, or applies immediate consequences.
Scored Sequence A sequence where we track the relative advantage one contestant has over another
using resolution points
Second Chance An attempt by defeated, but unengaged, PCs to re-enter a wagered sequence.
Sequence A contest where we drill-down to the individual exchanges that resolve the conflict. We
support scored, extended, and chained sequences
Sidekick A fleshed out follower of your PC who can act independently.
Situational Modifier A bonus or penalty modifying a target number due to notably clever or foolish
tactics.
Supporting Characters Additional characters under the player’s control that play a supporting role to
their PC.
Contest A one roll resolution method, the default contest type, used when learning the outcome
matters more than the breakdown of how you achieved it.
Stand Alone Ability An ability raised separately to a keyword. It may have been added to the
character as part of a package keyword, or on its own.
Story Obstacle Something that prevents you from getting what you want, the prize. A story obstacle
is the trigger for a contest.
Story Question Something that you need to understand before you can move forward in a story, the
prize. A story question is the trigger for a question.
Stretch A penalty applied to an ability because it stretches credibility that it is a reasonable tactic.
Success Rolling under your target number. It can be a big success or just a plain success.
Tactic How you intend to use one of your abilities to overcome a story obstacle
Target Number (TN) The number, either an ability rating, or a resistance, to roll under or equal
to in order to succeed.
TN Abbreviation for Target Number
Unrelated Action An action when you are disengaged in a sequence that does not relate to your
attempt to win the prize.
Victory Your result is a better roll than the resistance.
Wager Also an AP Wager or advantage point wager is your wager in a wagered sequence.
Wagered sequence A type of sequence in which you track the relative advantage one opponent has
over another using advantage points.
• Changed degree of success and failure, to degree of victory and defeat, as success and failure are
for individual rolls, victory and defeat once compared.
• Made degrees codify the +5, +10, +15, … progression used throughout, for example degrees of
resistance.
• For outcomes clarified that contest results are only reciprocal between PCs. When the contest is
against a resistance set by the GM, the results indicate whether the PC gains the prize, and the
GM narrates the result for the resistance based on this.
• Changed outcomes to emphasize degrees. This change is designed to dissuade GMs from
misunderstanding that the prize is obtained on a marginal victory, one of the most common
result types, and instead encourage GMs to allow PCs to fail forward on a zero degree victory by
introducing downstream complications or consequences.
• Provided clarity that consequences of defeat and benefit of victory are optional and the GM
should focus on using the prize to narrate the outcome of a contest, only applying mechanical
benefits or penalties if they make sense.
• Specific Ability Bonuses are dropped. They were hard for the GM to adjudicate and the same
intent is better served by using a stretch on a broad ability when contesting against a PC with a
more specific ability.
• Made it clear that only a PC should use a parting shot, not the resistance.
• Sequences replace all ‘long’ contest types. Between version 1 and version 2 extended contests
switched to scored contests, this approach restores both variants, but changes the name to a
sequence generically, factoring out commonality, and to scored and wagerding respectively. Goal
is to show contest as the atomic unit within a sequence.
• Dropped edges and handicaps - we use a resistance not stats, so makes no sense to have edges
and handicaps
• Added Mythic Russia’s Plot Edits
• Simplified how multiple opponents are handled.
• Clarified contest outcomes for sequences, and how to determine the overall winner in a sequence.
• Do not allow transfers in a wagered sequence where the abilities differ by 6 or more. Consistent
with benefits of victory and prevents ‘loading up on mooks’ as a strategy.