Oct 19, 2023 1:10 am
# The Impact System
##### A Light, Narrative System For Tabletop Role-Playing
## 1 - Introduction
The Impact System RPG is a light, narrative, universal system. At its core are three specific mechanics which work together to outline the world, its characters, and determine success and failure during role-playing sessions and adventures:
+ Details, which are stated facts that help shape and drive the story. Details outline aspects of characters, the environment around them, and can even reference moments in time.
+ Action Resolution, which is how a player and the Game Master determine a character's success or failure while attempting specific actions.
+ Impact, which is the ability of a character or element contained within the story to alter and drive the narrative. Characters, their foes, and other challenges are given an Impact rating (measured via an Impact Die) that determines its strength or duration.
## 2 - Core Mechanics
### Details
Players and the Game Master will help define various aspects of the world using Details. A Detail is a simple statement of fact that helps to open up or limit what is possible at any given moment, and so, a Detail may be either a permanent or temporary fact that is true *in the moment.*
Most often, Details will be established to fit in one of three categories:
+ Character Details: These are stated facts about a character, either outlining their abilities, their personality, equipment they have access to, existing relationships with others, their reach in the world that surrounds them, or any other facet that is true about that specific character. While it is possible to focus on an excruciating level of facts for any given character, players are encouraged to think of a Character Detail as a thing that is a notable trait for the character as opposed to something exceedingly specific. For example, "Troubled Detective With A Fatalistic Streak" is an appropriate Character Detail because it helps define the character's motivations, his approach to his life, and the actions he might take on an ongoing basis. "Has A Cousin Named Barry" might also be accurate, but it doesn't help outline an aspects that helps define the character's core attributes. It helps to think of a Character Detail as a part of the character that remains true in *all* of their stories, rather than a fact that comes up once or twice in their extended arc.
+ Scene Details: A given Scene or fact about the world could also be defined using Details. Typically these kinds of Scene Details may be environmental in their focus, such as "A Dark, Foreboding Alleyway" or "A Tricky, Massive Maze of Tunnels," but Scene Details may also outline specific aspects related to time, such as "Sunrise Approaches." Unlike Character Details, which are often specific and lasting, Scene details tend to be limited and define facts about a given moment ("Hurricane winds batter the coast") or relate to a specific condition ("Micro-gravity while in orbit").
+ Temporary Details: Temporary Details will most often be used to define momentary or short-term facts that impact a character or the world around them. Temporary Details will often focus on momentary setbacks that can be overcome with a Success, such as "Over-burdened," "Twisted ankle," or "Tied to railroad tracks." Often, Temporary Details will expire after being used, such as when wealth or information is traded to advance an adventure. A piece of equipment might also be defined via a Temporary Detail, such as "Battered Shield" or "The Sniper Rifle That Saved Stalingrad," because they can be taken away, as opposed to a Character Detail that are nearly always true or innate to a character.
There may be times when a specific Detail seems to straddle the line between two different types of Details. For example, the characters might be on a rocket that has just launched and is racing toward low orbit. Is the Detail "Pinned Down By Tremendous G-Forces" a Scene Detail or a Temporary Detail, given that it will only last for a short time? Ultimately, that distinction between Scene Detail and Temporary is unimportant, so long as everyone at the table undrestands what the Detail means and how it will be resolved. Mechanically a Scene Detail and a Temporary Detail function identically, with the exception of how that Detail expires. Common sense will be a useful guide, rather than focusing too closely on labels.
#### Character Detail Examples
Some example Character Details, specific to characters found in fiction, movies, and comics are provided below to serve as examples for players attempting to define appropriate Details for their own characters. This list is not exhaustive in any way, but is provided to help inspire similar Character Details for new and unique characters:
+ Best Pilot In The Galaxy
+ I Never Miss
+ More Charming Than He Is Smart
+ Taught by the Finest Dwarvish Blacksmiths
+ The Smartest Person In Every Room
+ I Know Kung Fu
+ Naive Chosen One On The Cusp Of Greatness
+ Has Style To Spare
+ Keen Intuition
+ Master of Disguise
+ Never Forgets A Face
+ Photographic Memory
+ Trusted Confidant of the Mysterious Doctor Unknown
+ Enjoys The Favor of the Gods
+ Years of Antivenom Treatment Made Me Immune To Most Poisons
+ Once Killed A Guy With A @!*#% Pencil
+ Talented Swordsman
+ Terrifying Reputation That Wins Most Fights Before They Start
+ Just Installed The New Nuero-Lynk 4800
+ Talented Escape Artist
+ Unbreakable Spirit
+ Always A Leader... Even For Those Who Don't Like Him
+ It Takes More Than A Simple Beating To Stop Me
As described above, Character Details are a statement of fact about the character and help to describe in broad terms what they are capable of doing in various situations. Character Details should rarely be so specific that they end up limiting a character's actions, but sometimes it will be appropriate to define a Detail about a character that will limit them more than it will help them. These are negative Character Traits and will function a bit differently in play, providing the character with an opportunity to adjust their Impact Die when faced with their weaknesses (see "Impact Die" below for details).
Some examples of negative Character Traits include:
+ Sworn Enemy of the Prince
+ Abrasive And Nasty, Even To His Friends
Other times a Detail might list a quality that could be used against a hero in specific circumstances. For example, Thor may have the Character Detail "Only Those Who Are Worthy May Wield The Mighty Mjionir." When wielding his hammer Thor will gain a +1 bonus to appropriate actions, but may find himself unable to use Mjionir if he acts in a selfish or reckless manner and is no longer worthy of it.
Please note that sometimes Character Details will be complimentary, but outline different aspects of a character. For example, Robin might have the Character Detail "Acrobat," which describes his physical skills as an athlete, and the Character Detail "Swashbuckling Sidekick to the Dark Knight," which focuses more on his approach to various situations. In many cases both of these details will be important in a given scene or action, but only when Robin is behaving in a flashy manner. If he is hiding in the shadows, trying to get a drop on a dangerous criminal, he might only be able to use his "Acrobat" detail given that he is acting in a way that is contrary to his "Swashbuckling" persona.
#### Scene Detail Examples
As the architect of the story, the Game Master will set up encounters that connect the player characters to the story, providing them with opportunities to influence events and direct the outcome of specific circumstances. This includes creating advesaries who will challenge the PCs, which will be created using Character Details (see above), but Game Masters should also work to create interesting locations and encounters for each encounter in the form of Scene Details.
Scene Details should not only describe the area in a snappy, artistic way, but provide the characters in that scene with opportunties to use or exploit their surroundings as they take actions. Some Scene Details to consider could include:
+ Sweltering Heat
+ Burnt Out And Shattered Bulbs Make The Lighting Inconsistant And Unreliable
+ A Crowd So Thick It Is Almost Impossible To Move
+ Massive Wooden Crates Stacked To The Warehouse Ceiling
+ Pouring Rain That Can Drench A Person To Their Bones In Minutes
+ What Is That Smell? Is That... Gas?
+ Extreme Cold That Could Kill A Man In Just Minutes
+ Stacks Of Books, Some Waist High, Fill Every Nook And Crowd Every Walkway
+ Murky Water Could Be Hiding Almost Anything
+ The Stalks Of The Silent Tree Grove Stand Like Soldiers At Attention
+ The Wounded Cry Out Constantly
+ Neon Light Casts Unnaturally Over Smiling Faces
+ Conveyour Belts Move Things Through Dangerous Looking Machines
+ Rusty Barrels Containing Liquids Long Forgotten
An effort should be made to give the locations the characters visit their own *character.* In some ways, Game Masters should try to think of a Scenes like they might think of foes or advesaries, brainstorming a series of Details and situations for how those could be used in play. What do the characters see or hear? What can they smell? Is it cold or hot? Dry or humid? Can the characters feel anything, such as a charge in the air or the hum of distant machines? Outline those sensations and the landmarks of the scene and include it in the game by writing up a Scene Detail.
### Action Resolution: Determining Success and Difficulty Levels
When a character attempts an action to alter the world in a meaningful way, his/her player will roll a single die to determine whether or not he/she is successful. The die the player rolls is determined by the difficulty of their action, and is then modified by any Character, Scene, or Temporary Details which may influence their chances for success or failure.
Each step of this simple process are described below.
##### Difficulty Tests and Levels
Each action a character takes is given a set Difficulty Level which determines the die he/she rolls to determine their success or failure. These dice are based on a traditional set of role-playing polyhedral dice with the easiest tasks requiring players to roll multi-sided dice with more sides while more challenging or difficult tasks will require them to roll dice with fewer sides.
For example, catching up to a speeding getaway car in downtown Manhattan is a Tricky task and may require a roll of D10 to determine success. Catching a speeding fighter jet would be significantly more difficult and maybe instead be an Unlikely (D6) or even Impossible (D4) task.
D20 Simple
D12 Routine
D10 Tricky
D8 Difficult
D6 Unlikely
D4 Impossible
Most Task Difficulties should be set keeping in mind the complexity of a task or the probability of success for a specific maneuver, regardless of the characters involved. For example, cracking a complex safe would be a Difficult task for anyone. If a character has special skills or abilities that make them better suited for unlocking a complex lock, they will receive a bonus or several bonuses that help them overcome the challenge., improving their chances. The task isn't any easier, they are simply better equipped to tackle it.
##### Using Details To Determine Success
Actions are influenced by the Details impacting them, so a player can point to any Detail that may give their action an edge, receiving a bonus to their die roll. A player receives a +1 bonus for every Detail that can impact their character's action in a positive way. This is true for any Detail about their individual Character, but is also true of any Scene or Temporary Detail that could help, as well as the Details of other Characters who are helping them, creating a cumulative +1 bonus to their Difficulty Test rolls for every Detail that might influence their chance for success.
For example, revisiting the Difficult safe cracking task described above, undercover spy Algernon Pierce is trying to open a safe containing the plans for a nefarious doomsday machine. The player decides that Agent Pierce is helped by his "Expert At Getting Into Places and Into Trouble" Detail. This gives the player a +1 to their Difficulty Test, so the player will roll D8 + 1 to determine success. Additionally, the player might also reference the Scene Detail "Tidy And Quiet Office With Bauhaus Styling," reasoning that the room is so quiet and secluded that Algernon should have no trouble listening for the lock mechanisms inside of the safe, able to operate without any danger of interruption. This gives the player a bonus of +2 to his Difficult Task (D8) to determine success or D8 +2.
If Algernon Pierce was also on his multi-frequency communicator and speaking with the home office, his normally inimical Quartermaster Ellis, who has the Detail "Access To Every Mechanical Design Known To Man," could be talking Agent Maxwell through the process after pulling up the safe plans. With this additional help, Agent Pierce he would receive a +3 bonus to his Difficult (D8) Task. Quartermaster Ellis' player is not required to roll anything, just required to announce that he is helping.
In most cases, a single Difficulty Test will likely receive a bonus of +1 to +3 based on available Details. A bonus of +4 or more will require a perfect mix of conditions or teamwork between multiple characters to achieve. It in only in these circumstances when a character is able to achieve something that seems completely Impossible: D4 + 4, for example, could become a Success with a little luck!
Not all Details will have a positive effect on a character's actions. The Game Master can, should the circumstances permit, assign a penalty equal to the number of Details that might hinder a specific task, keeping in mind that those hinderences should be specific to that character. A fantasy knight who is usually described as "Virtuous To A Fault" may find himself at a -1 penalty when trying to barter with a group of local theives and con men, because his trusting, absolute nature works against him in detecting lies or falsehoods. The difficulty of getting information from this group of criminials hasn't changed, but because of the knight's trusting nature *he* is less likely to be successful to get them to tell him the information he needs.
##### Success
Regardless of the die rolled, any result of 8 or more is considered a successful action:
8 or greater = Success
7 or less = Failure
##### What A Success Achieves
When a character manages to meet or exceed 8 on their Task Roll, their Success allows them to choose one of four possible effects:
1. Establish a new Temporary Detail. Newly established Details will often be erased due to the passage of time or through other actions, but will affect what is and isn't possible in that moment.
2. Remove, disrupt, or alter an existing Scene or Temporary Detail.
3. Reduce the Impact Die of another Character or Scene by one die.
4. Increase the Impact Die of another Character or Scene by one die.
These outcomes of Success should always reference the Character and Scene Details involved in acheiving that success and must make narrative sense for the scene. Often, with the establishment of new or altered Details, character choice will be influenced or changed.
For example, building on the previous scenario, Agent Algernon Pierce has retrieved secret plans from the safe and is making his escape in a sleek getaway car. Pursued by a collection of armed goons, Pierce bumps his car into an open moving van, spilling furniture and boxes into the road behind him. The player rolls a success and establishes the Temporary Detail "The Road Is Blocked." In order to continue their pursuit, the henchmen will need to establish a new Temporary Detail ("I know a shortcut! Turn down that alley!") or remove "The Road Is Blocked" with a Success of their own as they smash through it and continue the chase (see "Foiling Plans" below, for details.
##### Dealing With Failure
In many cases, a character's inability to roll a Success in their Difficulty Test will mean that they are simply unsuccessful, miss their target, or some other outcome that has no lasting effect on the scene. Returning to the example listed above, Pierce being unsuccessful in causing the road to be blocked with clutter simply means that his pursuers are still close behind him.
There will be other outcomes of a missed Success, however, that will have longer term effects that hinder the character's future successes. In these cases, the Game Master determines a Complication that may occur, due to the failure. If the player accepts, the failure Complication becomes a Temporary Detail, and the player's character receives a positive Impact Die shift (see below).
For example, Algernon Pierce knocks his getaway car into the moving truck in an attempt to cause its contents to spill out and fill the road. The Game Master decides it will take Tricky (D10) Difficulty Test to knock enough of the truck's contents into the road to block it completely. Pierce's player rolls, and despite any potential bonuses for citing his "I'm At My Best When I'm Under Pressure" Detail, fails to achieve a Success. The Game Master proposes that while bumping the van, Algernon may have blown out one of his car's tires. If Algernon's player agrees to the Temporary Detail "Blown Out Tire Is Going To Make Speed And Maneuverability Tricky" he earns an Impact Die, but will receive a -1 penalty to all future actions in his car that require quick turns or acceleration.
##### Avoiding Harm
There will be times when external forces are working against the player-characters to hurt them. This will come in the form of villains who attack the heroes, environmental aspects that might burn or freeze the PCs, and other risks. When a PC is attacked or faces the potential of being harmed by external forces the player should roll to defend him or herself from attack, leaving the Game Master out of the result check. Usually this will require the Player to roll a Difficulty Test equal to the Impact Die of the threat with the appropriate enemy Details serving as penalties to their roll.
For example, Captain Archambeau's galleon is under cannon fire by pirates. The pirate frigate's Impact Die rate is currently D6. Captain Archambeau's player will roll a Difficulty Test of D6 with a Successful result meaning that she has avoided taking any damage. Archambeau's player can use any of the Captain's own Character Details and any appropriate Scene Details to gain bonuses, but will subtract -1 from her bonuses because the pirate vessel has "The Cruelest Gunners In The Carribean" firing on her and her ship.
Failure to defend against an external attack will often result in a change to the character's Impact Die (see below), but might instead cause a new Temporary Detail to be created. For example, if Captain Archambeau is unable to dodge cannon fire from the pirate frigate, she may lose an Impact Die or instead be affected by the Temporary Detail "My Swift Galleon Is Taking On Water" or "Pirate Chain-shot Has Broken My Mast." The Game Master will announce his/her intentions before the player rolls to avoid harm, whether it is to lower the player character's Impact Die or create a Temporary Detail, but the player is invited to offer input in the final outcome of a failed result.
When rolling to Avoid Harm, a Success will mean that the character has avoided potential harm, and will not suffer any other effect as with a typical Success. However, if a character manages a Great Success while rolling to Avoid Harm, the character has Avoided Harm and the player may also choose one Success Result that will affect his/her foe.
##### Foiling Plans
Advisaries will often need to create or remove Temporary Details through actions that do not directly affect the player characters. As the focus of the story is on the actions of player characters and player facing rolls is the norm for the Impact System, the players will still be responsible for rolling the success of failure of external forces, potentially influencing the outcome through their own Character Details.
For example, the player characters are trying to deal with a tentacled horror that has been summoned by a cultist sorcerer. The player characters are busy freeing one of their allies from the constricting grasp of one of the creature's tentacles as the dark sorcerer in the next room tries to read from the forbidden tome to further his evil schemes. The player characters are unable to directly interfere with the sorcerer's efforts, but the players will still be called on to roll for the sorcerer's attempt to break the protective spells that keep the book closed. A Success by the players will allow them to announce that the book remains closed, buying them time as they struggle nearby.
In these situations, the Character Details of their advesaries will provide a penalty to the character roll. So, the cultist's Detail "Privy To Many Dark Secrets" will present a -1 to the Difficult Task Roll by the players.
### Impact Die
A character's ability to succeed and affect the story will be influenced by their Impact Die, a rating that can be thought of as the character's available resources, their energy, their endurance, or willpower. More broadly, Impact Dice measure their ability to *affect the story.*
The Impact Die will change, moving up and down the full range of dice, depending on the character's actions and how the story unfolds. By default, every character starts an adventure with their D12 serving as their Impact Die. As they are dealt blows by their rivals, achieve personal successes, or accept complications by staying true to their character's beliefs and ideals, the Impact Die moves up and down the range of available dice.
D4
D6
D8
D10
D12 <- Starting Impact Die
D20
A character that suffers damage while fighting an enemy will lower their Impact Die to the next lowest die:
D4
D6
D8
D10 <- New Impact Die
D12 <- Starting Impact Die
D20
When a character's Impact Die is lowered below D4, they are rendered ineffectual to the story. This can mean they have been knocked unconscious, had their will to fight broken, were sent into exile by their rulers, or some other outcome that makes them unable to affect events in the story. The manner in which a character is no longer able to Impact the story is determined by the player and may result in the character still participating as a spectator or trusted voice, but that character is no longer able to make *rolls* to affect the story's outcome. Importantly, a character who has expended all of their Impact Dice can still assist their teammates by allowing them to use their Character Details, but otherwise cannot affect the story on their own.
If the character participates in an epic, multi-session adventure, they will continue to the use their ongoing Impact Die from session to session, representing their overall success in that specific story. If there is a break in that longer adventure, when the characters are able to rest, the Game Master may allow players to reset their character Impact Die to D12 again.
The wizard Torek Barrow engages in a magical clash with his corrupted mentor Valnis and loses his last Impact Die. The player decides that Torek is worn down and disillusioned by his loss to his oldest friend and is now unable to summon arcane forces. Torek is unable to act in a meaningful way during the rest of the story, but Torek's Character Detail "Knows The Lore Of Many Lands" can still be used to assist other characters, should it be useful.
In addition to serving as a kind of "health bar," a character's Impact Die also determines the highest die the player can roll for their character, regardless of the circumstance or Difficulty Test assigned by the Game Master. For example, a down on his luck gladiator who has been hassled by a series of brutal fights in the arena finds himself with an Impact Die of D8. He will only be able to roll a D8 when attempting Tasks, even if the Difficulty of any given Task presented to him is easier (a D10, D12, or D20 Task), until he is able to rest or find some other way to reinvigorate himself.
Tracking a character's Impact Die can happen in the player's notes or an Impact Die can be a single, differently colored die that takes the place of its identical die in the player's dice pool. For example, a player's role-playing dice set might be white, but she will mix in a green die to replace individual dice, designating one as her Impact Die.
##### Spending and Earning Impact Dice
As mentioned above, if a character receives a blow by an enemy, he or she will lose an Impact Die, but the current Impact Die of a character can be raised or lowered based on a number of additional choices:
- Spend an Impact Die to turn any Failure result into a Success
- Earn an Impact Die by accepting a Temporary Detail/Complication related to a Failure
- Earn an Impact Die by creating a Temporary Detail/Complication for your character, relating to one of their Details
- Earn an Impact Die by performing an action that is classically heroic in nature or highlights the character's most noble qualities
The method "Earn an Impact Die by creating a Temporary Detail/Complication for your character, relating to one of their Details" can be used in multiple ways and may be suggested by the player or the Game Master, but will eventually need approval by the player controlling the character. For example, the Game Master might suggest that a swashbuckling hero could have his blade broken while in combat against a bitter foe (Temporary Detail: My Blade Is Shattered), giving him an Impact Die if he accepts the Complication. This kind of Complication/Reward will be useful for many gadget using characters and could simulate things like running out of a hard-to-acquire fuel, temporarily breaking a device, etc.
##### Starting An Adventure With A D20 Impact Die
As described above, every character starts an adventure with their D12 serving as their starting Impact Die. Some Game Masters may allow players to write an "opening scene" for their character that address one of their character details in a meaningful way, letting them earn an Impact Die at the start of the game. For example, a down on his luck private detective who has the Detail "Life Seems To Always Be A Struggle," might start a adventure trying to figure out how he is going to pay for his office space. He may need to be less selective about taking jobs, calling on favors from NPCs that he knows are up to no good, even know he knows it'll make things harder for him later, and so on. This initial struggle created by the player will allow his private eye to start with a D20 Impact Die for the adventure.
##### A Light, Narrative System For Tabletop Role-Playing
## 1 - Introduction
The Impact System RPG is a light, narrative, universal system. At its core are three specific mechanics which work together to outline the world, its characters, and determine success and failure during role-playing sessions and adventures:
+ Details, which are stated facts that help shape and drive the story. Details outline aspects of characters, the environment around them, and can even reference moments in time.
+ Action Resolution, which is how a player and the Game Master determine a character's success or failure while attempting specific actions.
+ Impact, which is the ability of a character or element contained within the story to alter and drive the narrative. Characters, their foes, and other challenges are given an Impact rating (measured via an Impact Die) that determines its strength or duration.
## 2 - Core Mechanics
### Details
Players and the Game Master will help define various aspects of the world using Details. A Detail is a simple statement of fact that helps to open up or limit what is possible at any given moment, and so, a Detail may be either a permanent or temporary fact that is true *in the moment.*
Most often, Details will be established to fit in one of three categories:
+ Character Details: These are stated facts about a character, either outlining their abilities, their personality, equipment they have access to, existing relationships with others, their reach in the world that surrounds them, or any other facet that is true about that specific character. While it is possible to focus on an excruciating level of facts for any given character, players are encouraged to think of a Character Detail as a thing that is a notable trait for the character as opposed to something exceedingly specific. For example, "Troubled Detective With A Fatalistic Streak" is an appropriate Character Detail because it helps define the character's motivations, his approach to his life, and the actions he might take on an ongoing basis. "Has A Cousin Named Barry" might also be accurate, but it doesn't help outline an aspects that helps define the character's core attributes. It helps to think of a Character Detail as a part of the character that remains true in *all* of their stories, rather than a fact that comes up once or twice in their extended arc.
+ Scene Details: A given Scene or fact about the world could also be defined using Details. Typically these kinds of Scene Details may be environmental in their focus, such as "A Dark, Foreboding Alleyway" or "A Tricky, Massive Maze of Tunnels," but Scene Details may also outline specific aspects related to time, such as "Sunrise Approaches." Unlike Character Details, which are often specific and lasting, Scene details tend to be limited and define facts about a given moment ("Hurricane winds batter the coast") or relate to a specific condition ("Micro-gravity while in orbit").
+ Temporary Details: Temporary Details will most often be used to define momentary or short-term facts that impact a character or the world around them. Temporary Details will often focus on momentary setbacks that can be overcome with a Success, such as "Over-burdened," "Twisted ankle," or "Tied to railroad tracks." Often, Temporary Details will expire after being used, such as when wealth or information is traded to advance an adventure. A piece of equipment might also be defined via a Temporary Detail, such as "Battered Shield" or "The Sniper Rifle That Saved Stalingrad," because they can be taken away, as opposed to a Character Detail that are nearly always true or innate to a character.
There may be times when a specific Detail seems to straddle the line between two different types of Details. For example, the characters might be on a rocket that has just launched and is racing toward low orbit. Is the Detail "Pinned Down By Tremendous G-Forces" a Scene Detail or a Temporary Detail, given that it will only last for a short time? Ultimately, that distinction between Scene Detail and Temporary is unimportant, so long as everyone at the table undrestands what the Detail means and how it will be resolved. Mechanically a Scene Detail and a Temporary Detail function identically, with the exception of how that Detail expires. Common sense will be a useful guide, rather than focusing too closely on labels.
#### Character Detail Examples
Some example Character Details, specific to characters found in fiction, movies, and comics are provided below to serve as examples for players attempting to define appropriate Details for their own characters. This list is not exhaustive in any way, but is provided to help inspire similar Character Details for new and unique characters:
+ Best Pilot In The Galaxy
+ I Never Miss
+ More Charming Than He Is Smart
+ Taught by the Finest Dwarvish Blacksmiths
+ The Smartest Person In Every Room
+ I Know Kung Fu
+ Naive Chosen One On The Cusp Of Greatness
+ Has Style To Spare
+ Keen Intuition
+ Master of Disguise
+ Never Forgets A Face
+ Photographic Memory
+ Trusted Confidant of the Mysterious Doctor Unknown
+ Enjoys The Favor of the Gods
+ Years of Antivenom Treatment Made Me Immune To Most Poisons
+ Once Killed A Guy With A @!*#% Pencil
+ Talented Swordsman
+ Terrifying Reputation That Wins Most Fights Before They Start
+ Just Installed The New Nuero-Lynk 4800
+ Talented Escape Artist
+ Unbreakable Spirit
+ Always A Leader... Even For Those Who Don't Like Him
+ It Takes More Than A Simple Beating To Stop Me
As described above, Character Details are a statement of fact about the character and help to describe in broad terms what they are capable of doing in various situations. Character Details should rarely be so specific that they end up limiting a character's actions, but sometimes it will be appropriate to define a Detail about a character that will limit them more than it will help them. These are negative Character Traits and will function a bit differently in play, providing the character with an opportunity to adjust their Impact Die when faced with their weaknesses (see "Impact Die" below for details).
Some examples of negative Character Traits include:
+ Sworn Enemy of the Prince
+ Abrasive And Nasty, Even To His Friends
Other times a Detail might list a quality that could be used against a hero in specific circumstances. For example, Thor may have the Character Detail "Only Those Who Are Worthy May Wield The Mighty Mjionir." When wielding his hammer Thor will gain a +1 bonus to appropriate actions, but may find himself unable to use Mjionir if he acts in a selfish or reckless manner and is no longer worthy of it.
Please note that sometimes Character Details will be complimentary, but outline different aspects of a character. For example, Robin might have the Character Detail "Acrobat," which describes his physical skills as an athlete, and the Character Detail "Swashbuckling Sidekick to the Dark Knight," which focuses more on his approach to various situations. In many cases both of these details will be important in a given scene or action, but only when Robin is behaving in a flashy manner. If he is hiding in the shadows, trying to get a drop on a dangerous criminal, he might only be able to use his "Acrobat" detail given that he is acting in a way that is contrary to his "Swashbuckling" persona.
#### Scene Detail Examples
As the architect of the story, the Game Master will set up encounters that connect the player characters to the story, providing them with opportunities to influence events and direct the outcome of specific circumstances. This includes creating advesaries who will challenge the PCs, which will be created using Character Details (see above), but Game Masters should also work to create interesting locations and encounters for each encounter in the form of Scene Details.
Scene Details should not only describe the area in a snappy, artistic way, but provide the characters in that scene with opportunties to use or exploit their surroundings as they take actions. Some Scene Details to consider could include:
+ Sweltering Heat
+ Burnt Out And Shattered Bulbs Make The Lighting Inconsistant And Unreliable
+ A Crowd So Thick It Is Almost Impossible To Move
+ Massive Wooden Crates Stacked To The Warehouse Ceiling
+ Pouring Rain That Can Drench A Person To Their Bones In Minutes
+ What Is That Smell? Is That... Gas?
+ Extreme Cold That Could Kill A Man In Just Minutes
+ Stacks Of Books, Some Waist High, Fill Every Nook And Crowd Every Walkway
+ Murky Water Could Be Hiding Almost Anything
+ The Stalks Of The Silent Tree Grove Stand Like Soldiers At Attention
+ The Wounded Cry Out Constantly
+ Neon Light Casts Unnaturally Over Smiling Faces
+ Conveyour Belts Move Things Through Dangerous Looking Machines
+ Rusty Barrels Containing Liquids Long Forgotten
An effort should be made to give the locations the characters visit their own *character.* In some ways, Game Masters should try to think of a Scenes like they might think of foes or advesaries, brainstorming a series of Details and situations for how those could be used in play. What do the characters see or hear? What can they smell? Is it cold or hot? Dry or humid? Can the characters feel anything, such as a charge in the air or the hum of distant machines? Outline those sensations and the landmarks of the scene and include it in the game by writing up a Scene Detail.
### Action Resolution: Determining Success and Difficulty Levels
When a character attempts an action to alter the world in a meaningful way, his/her player will roll a single die to determine whether or not he/she is successful. The die the player rolls is determined by the difficulty of their action, and is then modified by any Character, Scene, or Temporary Details which may influence their chances for success or failure.
Each step of this simple process are described below.
##### Difficulty Tests and Levels
Each action a character takes is given a set Difficulty Level which determines the die he/she rolls to determine their success or failure. These dice are based on a traditional set of role-playing polyhedral dice with the easiest tasks requiring players to roll multi-sided dice with more sides while more challenging or difficult tasks will require them to roll dice with fewer sides.
For example, catching up to a speeding getaway car in downtown Manhattan is a Tricky task and may require a roll of D10 to determine success. Catching a speeding fighter jet would be significantly more difficult and maybe instead be an Unlikely (D6) or even Impossible (D4) task.
D20 Simple
D12 Routine
D10 Tricky
D8 Difficult
D6 Unlikely
D4 Impossible
Most Task Difficulties should be set keeping in mind the complexity of a task or the probability of success for a specific maneuver, regardless of the characters involved. For example, cracking a complex safe would be a Difficult task for anyone. If a character has special skills or abilities that make them better suited for unlocking a complex lock, they will receive a bonus or several bonuses that help them overcome the challenge., improving their chances. The task isn't any easier, they are simply better equipped to tackle it.
##### Using Details To Determine Success
Actions are influenced by the Details impacting them, so a player can point to any Detail that may give their action an edge, receiving a bonus to their die roll. A player receives a +1 bonus for every Detail that can impact their character's action in a positive way. This is true for any Detail about their individual Character, but is also true of any Scene or Temporary Detail that could help, as well as the Details of other Characters who are helping them, creating a cumulative +1 bonus to their Difficulty Test rolls for every Detail that might influence their chance for success.
For example, revisiting the Difficult safe cracking task described above, undercover spy Algernon Pierce is trying to open a safe containing the plans for a nefarious doomsday machine. The player decides that Agent Pierce is helped by his "Expert At Getting Into Places and Into Trouble" Detail. This gives the player a +1 to their Difficulty Test, so the player will roll D8 + 1 to determine success. Additionally, the player might also reference the Scene Detail "Tidy And Quiet Office With Bauhaus Styling," reasoning that the room is so quiet and secluded that Algernon should have no trouble listening for the lock mechanisms inside of the safe, able to operate without any danger of interruption. This gives the player a bonus of +2 to his Difficult Task (D8) to determine success or D8 +2.
If Algernon Pierce was also on his multi-frequency communicator and speaking with the home office, his normally inimical Quartermaster Ellis, who has the Detail "Access To Every Mechanical Design Known To Man," could be talking Agent Maxwell through the process after pulling up the safe plans. With this additional help, Agent Pierce he would receive a +3 bonus to his Difficult (D8) Task. Quartermaster Ellis' player is not required to roll anything, just required to announce that he is helping.
In most cases, a single Difficulty Test will likely receive a bonus of +1 to +3 based on available Details. A bonus of +4 or more will require a perfect mix of conditions or teamwork between multiple characters to achieve. It in only in these circumstances when a character is able to achieve something that seems completely Impossible: D4 + 4, for example, could become a Success with a little luck!
Not all Details will have a positive effect on a character's actions. The Game Master can, should the circumstances permit, assign a penalty equal to the number of Details that might hinder a specific task, keeping in mind that those hinderences should be specific to that character. A fantasy knight who is usually described as "Virtuous To A Fault" may find himself at a -1 penalty when trying to barter with a group of local theives and con men, because his trusting, absolute nature works against him in detecting lies or falsehoods. The difficulty of getting information from this group of criminials hasn't changed, but because of the knight's trusting nature *he* is less likely to be successful to get them to tell him the information he needs.
##### Success
Regardless of the die rolled, any result of 8 or more is considered a successful action:
8 or greater = Success
7 or less = Failure
##### What A Success Achieves
When a character manages to meet or exceed 8 on their Task Roll, their Success allows them to choose one of four possible effects:
1. Establish a new Temporary Detail. Newly established Details will often be erased due to the passage of time or through other actions, but will affect what is and isn't possible in that moment.
2. Remove, disrupt, or alter an existing Scene or Temporary Detail.
3. Reduce the Impact Die of another Character or Scene by one die.
4. Increase the Impact Die of another Character or Scene by one die.
These outcomes of Success should always reference the Character and Scene Details involved in acheiving that success and must make narrative sense for the scene. Often, with the establishment of new or altered Details, character choice will be influenced or changed.
For example, building on the previous scenario, Agent Algernon Pierce has retrieved secret plans from the safe and is making his escape in a sleek getaway car. Pursued by a collection of armed goons, Pierce bumps his car into an open moving van, spilling furniture and boxes into the road behind him. The player rolls a success and establishes the Temporary Detail "The Road Is Blocked." In order to continue their pursuit, the henchmen will need to establish a new Temporary Detail ("I know a shortcut! Turn down that alley!") or remove "The Road Is Blocked" with a Success of their own as they smash through it and continue the chase (see "Foiling Plans" below, for details.
##### Dealing With Failure
In many cases, a character's inability to roll a Success in their Difficulty Test will mean that they are simply unsuccessful, miss their target, or some other outcome that has no lasting effect on the scene. Returning to the example listed above, Pierce being unsuccessful in causing the road to be blocked with clutter simply means that his pursuers are still close behind him.
There will be other outcomes of a missed Success, however, that will have longer term effects that hinder the character's future successes. In these cases, the Game Master determines a Complication that may occur, due to the failure. If the player accepts, the failure Complication becomes a Temporary Detail, and the player's character receives a positive Impact Die shift (see below).
For example, Algernon Pierce knocks his getaway car into the moving truck in an attempt to cause its contents to spill out and fill the road. The Game Master decides it will take Tricky (D10) Difficulty Test to knock enough of the truck's contents into the road to block it completely. Pierce's player rolls, and despite any potential bonuses for citing his "I'm At My Best When I'm Under Pressure" Detail, fails to achieve a Success. The Game Master proposes that while bumping the van, Algernon may have blown out one of his car's tires. If Algernon's player agrees to the Temporary Detail "Blown Out Tire Is Going To Make Speed And Maneuverability Tricky" he earns an Impact Die, but will receive a -1 penalty to all future actions in his car that require quick turns or acceleration.
##### Avoiding Harm
There will be times when external forces are working against the player-characters to hurt them. This will come in the form of villains who attack the heroes, environmental aspects that might burn or freeze the PCs, and other risks. When a PC is attacked or faces the potential of being harmed by external forces the player should roll to defend him or herself from attack, leaving the Game Master out of the result check. Usually this will require the Player to roll a Difficulty Test equal to the Impact Die of the threat with the appropriate enemy Details serving as penalties to their roll.
For example, Captain Archambeau's galleon is under cannon fire by pirates. The pirate frigate's Impact Die rate is currently D6. Captain Archambeau's player will roll a Difficulty Test of D6 with a Successful result meaning that she has avoided taking any damage. Archambeau's player can use any of the Captain's own Character Details and any appropriate Scene Details to gain bonuses, but will subtract -1 from her bonuses because the pirate vessel has "The Cruelest Gunners In The Carribean" firing on her and her ship.
Failure to defend against an external attack will often result in a change to the character's Impact Die (see below), but might instead cause a new Temporary Detail to be created. For example, if Captain Archambeau is unable to dodge cannon fire from the pirate frigate, she may lose an Impact Die or instead be affected by the Temporary Detail "My Swift Galleon Is Taking On Water" or "Pirate Chain-shot Has Broken My Mast." The Game Master will announce his/her intentions before the player rolls to avoid harm, whether it is to lower the player character's Impact Die or create a Temporary Detail, but the player is invited to offer input in the final outcome of a failed result.
When rolling to Avoid Harm, a Success will mean that the character has avoided potential harm, and will not suffer any other effect as with a typical Success. However, if a character manages a Great Success while rolling to Avoid Harm, the character has Avoided Harm and the player may also choose one Success Result that will affect his/her foe.
##### Foiling Plans
Advisaries will often need to create or remove Temporary Details through actions that do not directly affect the player characters. As the focus of the story is on the actions of player characters and player facing rolls is the norm for the Impact System, the players will still be responsible for rolling the success of failure of external forces, potentially influencing the outcome through their own Character Details.
For example, the player characters are trying to deal with a tentacled horror that has been summoned by a cultist sorcerer. The player characters are busy freeing one of their allies from the constricting grasp of one of the creature's tentacles as the dark sorcerer in the next room tries to read from the forbidden tome to further his evil schemes. The player characters are unable to directly interfere with the sorcerer's efforts, but the players will still be called on to roll for the sorcerer's attempt to break the protective spells that keep the book closed. A Success by the players will allow them to announce that the book remains closed, buying them time as they struggle nearby.
In these situations, the Character Details of their advesaries will provide a penalty to the character roll. So, the cultist's Detail "Privy To Many Dark Secrets" will present a -1 to the Difficult Task Roll by the players.
### Impact Die
A character's ability to succeed and affect the story will be influenced by their Impact Die, a rating that can be thought of as the character's available resources, their energy, their endurance, or willpower. More broadly, Impact Dice measure their ability to *affect the story.*
The Impact Die will change, moving up and down the full range of dice, depending on the character's actions and how the story unfolds. By default, every character starts an adventure with their D12 serving as their Impact Die. As they are dealt blows by their rivals, achieve personal successes, or accept complications by staying true to their character's beliefs and ideals, the Impact Die moves up and down the range of available dice.
D4
D6
D8
D10
D12 <- Starting Impact Die
D20
A character that suffers damage while fighting an enemy will lower their Impact Die to the next lowest die:
D4
D6
D8
D10 <- New Impact Die
D12 <- Starting Impact Die
D20
When a character's Impact Die is lowered below D4, they are rendered ineffectual to the story. This can mean they have been knocked unconscious, had their will to fight broken, were sent into exile by their rulers, or some other outcome that makes them unable to affect events in the story. The manner in which a character is no longer able to Impact the story is determined by the player and may result in the character still participating as a spectator or trusted voice, but that character is no longer able to make *rolls* to affect the story's outcome. Importantly, a character who has expended all of their Impact Dice can still assist their teammates by allowing them to use their Character Details, but otherwise cannot affect the story on their own.
If the character participates in an epic, multi-session adventure, they will continue to the use their ongoing Impact Die from session to session, representing their overall success in that specific story. If there is a break in that longer adventure, when the characters are able to rest, the Game Master may allow players to reset their character Impact Die to D12 again.
The wizard Torek Barrow engages in a magical clash with his corrupted mentor Valnis and loses his last Impact Die. The player decides that Torek is worn down and disillusioned by his loss to his oldest friend and is now unable to summon arcane forces. Torek is unable to act in a meaningful way during the rest of the story, but Torek's Character Detail "Knows The Lore Of Many Lands" can still be used to assist other characters, should it be useful.
In addition to serving as a kind of "health bar," a character's Impact Die also determines the highest die the player can roll for their character, regardless of the circumstance or Difficulty Test assigned by the Game Master. For example, a down on his luck gladiator who has been hassled by a series of brutal fights in the arena finds himself with an Impact Die of D8. He will only be able to roll a D8 when attempting Tasks, even if the Difficulty of any given Task presented to him is easier (a D10, D12, or D20 Task), until he is able to rest or find some other way to reinvigorate himself.
Tracking a character's Impact Die can happen in the player's notes or an Impact Die can be a single, differently colored die that takes the place of its identical die in the player's dice pool. For example, a player's role-playing dice set might be white, but she will mix in a green die to replace individual dice, designating one as her Impact Die.
##### Spending and Earning Impact Dice
As mentioned above, if a character receives a blow by an enemy, he or she will lose an Impact Die, but the current Impact Die of a character can be raised or lowered based on a number of additional choices:
- Spend an Impact Die to turn any Failure result into a Success
- Earn an Impact Die by accepting a Temporary Detail/Complication related to a Failure
- Earn an Impact Die by creating a Temporary Detail/Complication for your character, relating to one of their Details
- Earn an Impact Die by performing an action that is classically heroic in nature or highlights the character's most noble qualities
The method "Earn an Impact Die by creating a Temporary Detail/Complication for your character, relating to one of their Details" can be used in multiple ways and may be suggested by the player or the Game Master, but will eventually need approval by the player controlling the character. For example, the Game Master might suggest that a swashbuckling hero could have his blade broken while in combat against a bitter foe (Temporary Detail: My Blade Is Shattered), giving him an Impact Die if he accepts the Complication. This kind of Complication/Reward will be useful for many gadget using characters and could simulate things like running out of a hard-to-acquire fuel, temporarily breaking a device, etc.
##### Starting An Adventure With A D20 Impact Die
As described above, every character starts an adventure with their D12 serving as their starting Impact Die. Some Game Masters may allow players to write an "opening scene" for their character that address one of their character details in a meaningful way, letting them earn an Impact Die at the start of the game. For example, a down on his luck private detective who has the Detail "Life Seems To Always Be A Struggle," might start a adventure trying to figure out how he is going to pay for his office space. He may need to be less selective about taking jobs, calling on favors from NPCs that he knows are up to no good, even know he knows it'll make things harder for him later, and so on. This initial struggle created by the player will allow his private eye to start with a D20 Impact Die for the adventure.