Game Flow

For the most part, a game of Sphere alternates between the GM describing a scenario and the players reacting to it. The GM then describes how the world or NPCs react to the players' actions and the players in turn describe their reaction and so on until the story concludes.
This symbiotic process is divided into several interdependent Scenes, similar to what you might see in a movie or TV show; the overall story is broken up into smaller, interconnecting pieces that help form the narrative arc.

Scenes, Rounds, and Turns

Just like a movie, TV show, or stage play, in-game action is broken into several bite-sized portions called Scenes. A Scene consists of all the action relevant to a single plot point like negotiating with a stingy merchant, fighting a monster, or tracking a gang of thieves to their lair. Though comprised of several individual actions, a Scene unites all these actions with a common purpose and direction.
A Scene can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to several days, months, or even years depending on the needs of the narrative (compare a fast and furious battle scene to a lengthy training montage). And within Scenes, there are smaller measures of time.

A Turn is the smallest measure of time, consisting of all the Actions of a single character. During their turn, a character uses their Actions to achieve their goals, ending their turn either when they chose to or when they run out of Actions. If translated into real world time, a turn would last from 5 to 10 seconds. 

Rounds consist of all the turns of all the characters participating in the Scene. Once every character has taken a turn, the round ends and a new one begins. Characters recover all their Action Dice at the start of their turn each round. If acted out in the real world, a round would last from 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Initiative: The Order of Turns

During Scenes where role-playing, problem-solving, story, and exposition are featured, players may take their turns in any order without the need to establish who goes first (so long as everyone gets a chance to act and contribute). When lives are on the line, when battle is eminent, when time is a factor and the success of the mission is on the line, the rule of turns should be enforced through Initiative.

Initiative is a way of establishing the order in which characters take their turns during a Scene. Every participant in the scenario rolls 1d20 and adds their Speed stat to the total. Turns are taken in order from highest Initiative to lowest Initiative. If they so choose, a character with a higher Initiative is free to delay taking their turn when the time comes, jumping back into the order of Initiative at a lower point in the order when they choose to do so.
Milli, Roan, and Pau are surrounded by goblins. Everyone rolls Initiative, establishing the following order: Milli, Pau, Goblin Archer 1, Goblin Warrior 1, Goblin Archer 2, Roan, Goblin Warrior 2. Milli takes her turn, charging the enemy's front line and attacking. Pau decides to wait until later in the fray to see who needs healing. The Goblins and Roan take their turns and sure enough, Roan is in trouble right as Goblin Warrior 2 is about to take its turn. Pau steps back into the order of Initiative here, using his turn to heal Roan and weaken the Goblins. The order of Initiative is now: Milli, Goblin Archer 1, Goblin Warrior 1, Goblin Archer 2, Roan, Pau, Goblin Warrior 2.
In case of a tie:
  • The character with the highest Speed goes first. If there is still a tie...
  • Tied combatants roll a d6 (the highest number goes first)

Taking Your Turn

There are a number of things that happen as your turn starts, during your turn, and as your turn ends. These things always happen in the same sequence: 

Negative Effects
  • Any pervasive negative effects on your character such as poison or a magical curse take their toll.
Upkeep
  • Any costs you're required to pay in order to keep any special effects or powers active are paid at this point. If you don't pay for them, they immediately end at this stage during your turn.
  • Any effect that ends "at the start of your turn" ends at this point.
Positive Effects
  • Any pervasive positive effects that benefit or strengthen your character happen next.
Character Actions
  • Now you take your turn, using your Actions and rolling dice to do what you wish to see done.
  • This phase of your turn ends when you run out of Actions or voluntarily end your turn.
Off-Turn
  • Sometimes you'll need to react to something that happens when it isn't your turn.
  • The number of Reactions you can take off-turn is the same as the number of Actions you can take during your turn.
  • You can also perform any Free Actions you're capable of when it's not your turn.

Rest & Downtime

Every person needs rest and heroes are no exception. There are two kinds of rest that take place during the course of gameplay: 
  • Short Rests are a breather of at least 15 minutes where characters take a quick break to catch their breath and collect themselves between Scenes. Typically, Short Rests are taken after combat. There are many things a character can do during a Short Rest such as: 
    • Loot the bodies
    • Identify an item
    • Spend Resolve to recover lost HP
    • At the end of a Short Rest, everyone who rested recovers all the Focus they've spent so far.
  • Full Rests consist of at least 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep (characters who don't need to sleep can meditate or relax in other ways). When a Full Rest is finished, a character's reserves of Hit Points, Resolve, and Focus are all completely restored along with any Mana, special abilities, or other effects that can only be used a limited number of times each day.