Actions
Actions are, simply put, things your character can do. There are many different types of Actions, but every character is limited in the number and kind of Actions they can take in any given circumstance.
Standard Action: This is an Action taken during your turn. The number of Actions you can take during your turn is limited by your (appropriately named) Action stat. Anything that requires a normal amount of focus, attention, and time to accomplish can be described as a Standard Action.
- Making an attack
- Moving from point A to point B
- Rolling a Feat
- Climb up onto a mount
- Most special abilities are used as a standard Action
Half-Action: Still takes a moment of time, but doesn't require as much attention, focus, or effort to accomplish.
A Half-Action counts as half of a regular Action, meaning you can perform two Half-Actions at the cost of one Standard Action. You can perform one Half-Action during your turn for free.
A Half-Action counts as half of a regular Action, meaning you can perform two Half-Actions at the cost of one Standard Action. You can perform one Half-Action during your turn for free.
- Drink a potion or use an item
- Open/close an unlocked door, chest, etc.
- Draw a weapon or take/stow something from your pack
- Pick up a lightweight object within reach
Free Action: This type of Action requires almost no thought, effort, or time and can be performed instantaneously whenever you like, even if it isn't your turn.
- Talk (though lengthy soliloquies may require a Half-Action or more)
- Drop something into your current space
Reaction: Sometimes you'll need to respond to something that happens outside of your turn. When you do, you'll use a Reaction to do so. The number of Reactions you can take each Round is equal to the number of Actions you have and you recover all your Reactions when your turn ends.
- Defending against an incoming attack or Saving against an unforeseen threat are NOT Reactions.
- Reflex: The triggering Action is resolved, then your Reflex happens in response.
- Example: You step on a trap. The trap goes off and you can Save as a Reflex to get out of the way. Whether or not you Save, the Trap is triggered and you'll have to deal with the consequences.
- Interrupt: The triggering Action occurs and your Reaction interrupts it, potentially changing the outcome of the triggering Action.
- Example: You have a special ability that alerts you to danger just before you step on a trap. This Interrupt keeps you from tripping the trap and spares you from the trouble it would cause.
Sustain: You begin the Action normally, but must use Concentration to keep it going. You can only Concentrate on one such task at a time and the moment you lose Concentration, the Action you're Sustaining ends. You can voluntarily stop Concentrating any time. Alternatively, you can lose Concentration if you are knocked unconscious, Wounded, or otherwise become unable to perform Actions.
- Juggle, play an instrument, recite a long verse
- Some special abilities can keep their effect active through Concentration
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Narrative Actions
Some actions aren't achieved in a single moment or even a series of moments. Some actions are best played out as mini-Scenes all their own. Tasks like repairing a legendary weapon, conducting esoteric research, performing complex surgery, or tracking quarry across hill and dale require time and a sequential series of different, related actions to complete. These kinds of tasks are referred to as Narrative Actions. During the course of a Narrative Action, the GM should come up with at least two Milestones during which the character makes progress towards their goal. What takes place at each Milestone as well as how much time passes between Milestones is up to the GM to decide (the Milestones in disarming a ticking time-bomb should pass quicker than the Milestones for forging a sword, for example.) |
Difficulty for Narrative Actions
Impossible Average 5 Bumps per Milestone |
At each Milestone, the character will roll a Feat and tally their Bumps. Narrative Actions have a very high Difficulty, but the total number of Bumps from each Milestone accumulate towards the success of the entire task. Once all the Milestones have been passed and all the rolls have been made, the player compares their total to the action's Difficulty; if they've met or exceeded the threshold, the action succeeds. If not, it fails and any consequences associated with failure come to pass.
The son of a master smith, Graye has decided to reforge the sword of his family. Having gathered the materials in his workshop, he begins the daunting task. The GM decides there are three Milestones and that the entire task has a cumulative Difficulty of 8. Over the course of a week, Graye will complete the following tasks:
The son of a master smith, Graye has decided to reforge the sword of his family. Having gathered the materials in his workshop, he begins the daunting task. The GM decides there are three Milestones and that the entire task has a cumulative Difficulty of 8. Over the course of a week, Graye will complete the following tasks:
- The first Milestone is reforging the shattered pieces of the blade. Graye rolls 2 Bumps.
- The second Milestone is reattaching the blade to the hilt. Gray rolls 4 Bumps.
- The third Milestone is general repairs and final touches. Gray rolls a total of 3 Bumps.
