The Roll

When a Character wants to use an Ability, their Player makes a roll based on the Character’s Talent, their Training with the Ability, and modified by the appropriate Quality Modifier. The Player will try to roll so that each of their dice come up with results equal to or better than a Target Number set by the GM based on the kind of Challenge they’re facing. Each die result that’s greater than or equal to that Target Number is counted as a Success.

THE TALENT DIE

Your Character’s Talent Roll is determined by the Species of your Character, and represents the natural talent a Species exhibits when engaging in an Ability Category. The Talent Roll die can range from 1d2 to 1d12, though the “normal” range is from 1d4 to 1d8.

THE TRAINING DICE

Each level of Proficiency your Character has in an Ability grants a better Training Roll. A Neophyte with only one level will only roll 2d4, while a Master with five levels will roll 2d12. Characters without training in an Ability may sometimes (Referee’s decision) be able to try to use an Ability without training, but they will only roll their Talent Die - which means the best possible result is generally success at a cost.

THE QUALITY MODIFIER

Every Challenge Roll is influenced by the Modifier for the Ability’s associated Aspect and Quality:

• Once Talent and Training dice are rolled, the Player may add the Quality Modifier for the appropriate Quality to one of the dice.

Aspect tends to be hard-wired into an Ability (BODY, for instance, always influences the Athlete Skill), but Quality may vary depending on the use of the Ability. This should be a quick but reasonable negotiation between Player and Referee - Qualities are associated with Power, Precision, and Persistence, and the specific result the Character is looking for will inform the Quality used.

Examples for Athleticism, for instance:

EXAMPLE

Sneeky Peet, Brett’s Kâlindival rogue with a 6 Body/Agility (and a +1 modifier), has purchased the Lockpicking Skill at the Apprentice level. He’s now on a busy city sidestreet, faced with a locked door between him and a clean getaway from some guards he may have somehow annoyed.

When Peet wants to try to pick a lock, Brett will roll Peet’s Challenge Roll:

• 1d10 Talent die (for being a Kâlindival using a Skilled Ability)
• 2d6 Training dice (for Apprentice level with Lockpicking)
• and add his Body/Agility Modifier of +1 to one of the dice rolled

Andy, his Referee, tells him that Peet is facing a tricky lock, and his Target Number for the roll is going to be a 6. This is going to be tough - his 2d6 roll has to give him at least one 6, or the best he can do is succeed at a cost - probably breaking his pick or unlocking the door only to find more guards waiting for him!

Despite the odds, Brett decides to go for it. He rolls a 7 on Peet’s Talent Die, and a 3 and a 5 on his Training Dice. This looks bad, it’s only one success – but his BODY/Agility Quality lets him add +1 to any one die result. Brett adds the +1 to the 5 he rolled and winds up with a 6 - which gives him two successes! The result of the Challenge is a straightforward success.

In game, Peet leans forward, peers into the keyhole with a practiced eye, and pops the lock expertly.