2
The Game
In order to play this game, you need half a deck of normal playing cards per player. Two suits (of your choice) ace through king. Keep them in two separate piles, one will be called the choice pile, the other will be the chance pile. Whenever you need to make a check, you draw a card and add any modifiers that might apply. If the result is equal or more than the challenge rating (CR), you succeed. Drawing a card can be done either from the choice pile or the chance pile. Choice is reserved for anything you are proficient with, while chance can be used for anything including things you are proficient with. When you draw from the choice pile, you get to choose what card you want to use, while drawing from the chance pile needs to be random. Any used cards will be set aside and only once a pile is empty, are all the cards returned to that pile.
A CR can either be static or contested. Static ones are fixed numbers set by the GM, usually used for interactions with the world. Contested ones are made against an appropriate skill check made by another character. When a contested check results in equal numbers on both sides, the defender loses.
The value of the cards is equal to the number on them. For face cards, the number keeps counting up, 11 for Jacks, 12 for Queens, 13 for Kings, and 14 for Aces. Some mechanics may refer to high, mid, or low cards. Low cards are all the cards numbered 5 or lower. High cards are 11 or higher. Mid cards are all the cards in between.
Why would I ever pick a low card!?
Other than the obvious reason that you don't have any high cards left, you can use low cards to try and bait opponents into using their high cards. You also don't want to necessarily use all your good cards right away. So sometimes you perform actions using your low cards just to get rid of them. Some mechanics will have built in consequences for using low cards to make sure there's a proper penalty. In other cases, the GM should make sure that players don't take meaningless actions just to get rid of their low cards without consequences.
The narrative
Of course since this is a role playing game, you'll want some narrative for the mechanics to make some sense. The luck pile represents what the name suggests. The character would make a general attempt and hope luck is helping them out. The proficiency pile is an abstraction of many different ways a character could perform a skill. A low pick might represent them being tired, pacing themselves for later, just don't care about making an effort, or trying a feint against a contested skill check. A good pick might represent a character putting in some extra effort, being aggressive in combat, or just forcing luck to bend to their will.
Grids or Theater of the mind
Tabletop RPGs can generally be played in two ways. Grid based, or what's colloquially referred to as "Theater of the mind."
For Glorious Heretics, the grid is made up of squares representing the general unit of distance used for the game. Normally the unit size is 5ft or 1.5m. But depending on the scale and setting of the game, this unit may change. For example if everyone was playing ant sized characters, the unit size might be 5mm.
For Theater of the mind, there are no maps and everything is played out in your mind. Distances are estimated.
Combat
Combat is turn based. The turns alternate between the group of players and NPCs. During the player's turn, the players are allowed to freely perform their character's actions in any order they wish. The same goes for the NPCs during their turn. While there is no set time limit for the duration of a turn when it comes to the way the game is played, in the game world every group taking a single turn is perceived to happen in the same 6 seconds. For mechanics that have a duration measured in turns, only the turns in which the character would normally participate are counted.
Initiative
Combat starts with an initiative check. The GM will decide on the initiative CR, keeping things in mind like how sneaky the player characters were being and how good the senses of the NPCs are. Players will then draw a card and add the relevant modifiers. The players whose score beats the CR will get to take the first turn. After that, the NPCs take their turn. After that, turns will work as normal.
Actions
Each character normally has 4 action points that they can use on any of the actions described below. Note that sometimes an action may cost multiple points. A group's points are regained when that group's turn ends. You can take any action as often as you like, as long as you have the points for it.
Movement
Movement is calculated in squares. By default, each square on the grid costs 1 square of movement. Moving diagonally also costs 1 square of movement. You gain movement squares by taking the move action. You don't have to spend all movement squares at once, but any remaining ones are reset when you end your turn. Some effects may reduce a character's movement. These effects will reduce your total amount of movement squares, not the movement squares you gain per action. Your movement squares can go into the negative. This has no additional negative impact other than needing to replenish them before you can move again.
Actions you can use on your turn
- Move : 1 action point. You gain 4 squares of movement.
- Step : 1 action point. You can move your character 1 square in any direction. This movement will not trigger reactions.
- Brace : 1 action point. Until the start of your next turn, you can brace against a single attack, allowing you to pick an extra card when using a defend action.
- Hostile Actions : 1-4 action points. A hostile action is any action taken against an unwilling target. This includes abilities and skills as well as anything improvised. You can use multiple hostile actions on a single turn, but every additional hostile action will take a cumulative -4 accuracy penalty resulting in a -4 penalty for the second hostile action, a -8 for the third etc. A hostile action that uses multiple action points still only gives a -4 penalty.
- Standard Actions : 1-4 action points. Any action that doesn't fit in the above categories are standard actions. These do not inflict nor do they suffer from any penalties when used multiple times.
Actions you can take on someone else's turn.
- Any number of defend actions : No action point cost. Whenever your character is attacked, your can use a defend action unless a condition prevents it.
- Reactions : 1-4 action points. A reaction is an action taken in response to a specific trigger. Usually reactions require a feat or specific ability and those will decide what will trigger the action.
- Interrupt Action : 1-4 action points. An interrupt action is an improvised reaction. For the cost of an additional action point, you can perform any normal action as if it were a reaction.
- Intercept : 1 action point. When one of your allies is attacked, you can jump to their defense, taking the attack for them. This action needs to be taken before the attacker's card results are revealed and both the attacker and defender's cards will be spent. As part of this action, you can move up to half your current movement speed, or your full speed but you will land prone. The attack will automatically hit you and you can not defend against it. If the attack has an area of effect, and you are in the area after the movement, you will take the attack as normal in addition to the intercepted attack.
Blaze of glory
Generally, characters can not die unless the player wills it so. When a player character drops to 0 hit points, a player can decide for their character to go down in a blaze of glory. When a player chooses this option, their character gets back up, and will have 3 turns of total invulnerability and all their checks will have the highest possible result. When the 3 turns are over, the character dies, possibly while uttering some final words, and can not be brought back to life.
Option
Some people prefer a more punishing game where there is more risk to the characters. In this case the group can decide to either not use the blaze of glory option at all and just have the characters die, or have blaze of glory always trigger when a character reaches 0 HP.
Avenge the fallen
When a player character drops to 0 hit points, the player has the option to once per turn, boost another character's action. To do so, draw a card whenever another player has to make a check. Add the value of this card to the rest of the check. You can do this once per turn before or after the result of a check is made known.
Flavor and purpose
Avenge the fallen is meant to imitate the allies of a character gaining a small boost in strength in response to that character going down. While the flavor can be anything from rage to panic in the allies, the purpose of the mechanic is to keep a player in the loop when that player's character is down to 0 hit points.
The Character Sheet
For a player, the character is the gateway through which to experience and interact with the world and story that the GM created. For a GM, the characters you create are what makes the world feel alive. The character sheet is your main tool to keep track of what a character can do. The character sheet contains a number of sections, each the size of a playing card, so you can cut them out and neatly put them in a card box or card sleeves.
Hit Points
Hit points are a representation of your character's ability to stay in action. Hit points are decreased when a character takes damage. If a character's hit points drop to 0 the character is knocked out and can no longer participate until they recover at least 10 hit points in total. Every character starts off with 10 hit maximum points and this can be increased by 1 hit point for every 2 Exp.
Exp
The total and spent amount of experience points. These points can be used to improve your character.
Resources and Equipment
Default adventurer's gear
Any competent adventurer knows it's a bad idea to go out unprepared, and will under normal circumstances have everything required to have a good chance of survival. This includes for example food and water, a source of light, and something to sleep in.
Resources
Adventurers usually pack a number of other tools and items that might come in use. These are represented as Resources. During an adventure the characters each have a number of resources that they can use to represent items and equipment they might have bought or found. When they are in a situation where an item or tool might come in handy, they can, at any time, spend resource points in order to obtain that item. The GM decides if it is reasonable that this item has been in their possession all this time. Size, weight and value can all factor into this. When in doubt, consider having the player spend more resource points instead of not allowing it. If it fits the game/time, you may have a flashback to the moment where the character obtained the item and have them make some checks that may increase/decrease the resource cost. Some items may also have a limited number of uses. Others may last until the next time the players restock their items. Restocking is done in any major location where players might have access to a base, home, or shopping area. When doing so, every item that has been obtained by spending resources is removed and resources will be filled to the maximum.
Skills
Skills are general actions that a character can take in order to interact with the world, like when a GM presents the characters with an obstacle, perhaps a locked chest or an uncooperative NPC. When a character performs an action they may need to make a skill check. The GM may ask or suggest a specific skill, or the players may chose a skill that's appropriate for the situation. The GM will decide which skills are appropriate and some skills may need to beat a higher CR. For example a locked chest might be opened with Sleight of hand, but a player might ask to use Strength instead. Potential consequences of this might be breaking what's inside the chest, and/or alerting every one in the area. Increasing a skill rank can be done with experience points. The number of points required is equal to the current rank + 1. A new character gets proficiency in 5 skills of your choice.
Strength
A character's raw muscle power. Used for things like pushing and pulling, jumping and lifting.
Stamina
A character's ability to do long physical activities like running, swimming
Tolerance
A character's ability to deal with pain, uncomfortable temperatures and other environmental factors.
Stealth
A character's ability to hide and move silently or camouflage creatures and objects.
Acrobatics
A character's ability to climb, jump or move through small spaces.
Sleight of hand
A character's ability to perform tasks that require either unseen or nimble hand movements like lock picking or pick pocketing.
Learning
A character's ability to learn new information from things like reading or being taught by other creatures.
Logic
A character's ability to infer new information based on clues or figure out the workings of contraptions.
Knowledge
A character's accumulated knowledge on everything like languages, religion and history.
Perception
A character's ability to see, smell, taste, listen, and all the other 20+ senses.
Investigation
A character's ability to find hidden objects and creatures.
Insight
A character's ability to understand creatures, whether it's their abilities, emotions or secrets.
Persuasion
A character's ability to make other creatures do what they want, whether through intimidation or reasonable arguments.
Deception
A character's ability to make other creatures believe something that isn't true. This includes things like lying, forging documents, or disguises.
Entertainment
A character's ability to influence the mood of a creature with an inspiring speech, a sad song, or a scary story.
Abilities
Abilities are actions with very specific effects. Some of them are simply used to attack or defend, others are meant for enhancing (buffs) or hindering (debuffs), but there are also more complex abilities like summoning, shapeshifting, or creating illusions. All characters have access to some default abilities. The other abilities can be accessed and enhanced by spending Character points. You can create multiple versions of the same ability.
Flavor
The names of these abilities are based on the game mechanics associated with them. The way your character actually performs these abilities is completely up to the players, as long as it fits the world that the GM created. For example the "Physical Attack" ability, while not mechanically making use of a weapon, can still be flavored as if being performed with a weapon.
Obtaining or modifying abilities
In order to obtain an ability, all you need to do is invest a rank into it. Improving and modifying abilities is also done by increasing the rank of an ability. The cost of increasing an ability's rank is equal to the next rank, so fort an ability that is at rank 6, increasing it to rank 7 will require 7 points. You can not skip ranks, so increasing an ability from rank 1 to 5 will cost 14 points in total. When you increase the rank of an ability, you can use that rank to improve one of the ability's properties or save it for later (some properties may require multiple ranks). The abilities all have different properties to enhance, all with their own default values, costs and results per rank. Once improved, these properties are optional to use. This can come in handy when you have invested into Area of Effect but you only want to target one creature without harming anyone around it.
Ability properties explained
Action
The default action type and number of action points required to perform this ability.
Type
The type of defense that this ability targets, physical, elemental or mind. Usually physical is easier to defend against because of equipment. If the type is elemental, the exact element can be chosen whenever you use this ability, giving it some extra versatility. Elemental resistances tend to be more common, but so do weaknesses. Mind attacks tend to be powerful because of the limited ways to defend against them. Changing the type to elemental or mind requires 1 rank.
Power
This is what determines the general strength of the ability. In many cases, the actual effect can be modified as long as it stays within the power. For example, weapon and innate attacks can use this power to either deal damage or inflict a debuff. How the power is spent can be chosen when the check is successful. If a creature is resistant to the type of damage, the power is halved (rounded up). If a creature has a weakness, the power is doubled.
Accuracy
Hostile abilities require a contested CR check against one of the 3 defend actions. The Accuracy value determines the bonus the attacker gets on this check. You are considered to be proficient with these checks.
CR
Neutral abilities are treated as static CR check. This number determines the static CR. You are considered to be proficient with these checks.
Range
- Rank 0 : Melee range. You can hit anyone in a square adjacent to yours.
- Rank 1 : You can hit anyone in a 2 square range.
- Rank 2 : You can hit anyone in a 6 square range.
- Rank 3 : From this point, range doubles for each additional rank.
Rank 0 and 1 are considered melee attacks. Anything above that is considered a ranged attack. By default, you always need to have a line of sight to your target in order to make an attack. If an enemy is adjacent to you while you make a ranged attack you get a -2 penalty to accuracy.
Area of Effect
There are 4 types of Area of Effect (AoE).
- Line : A line affects a number of squares equal to the rank * 4. The line can curve but it can't be split up.
- Cone : A cone starts with one square, and gets 2 additional rows of squares per rank, each row having 2 more squares than the previous one.
- Area : An area will affect a square area with sides of 1 + 2 per rank. An area AoE used in melee range is a special case where the attacker's square is not included in the attack.
- Multi Target : Multi Target is particularly useful because of its versatility. That's why it requires at least rank 2 to have an effect. You can chose a number of creatures in range equal to the rank.
For helpful actions, you can pick which targets in the area will be affected. Hostile actions by default will affect everyone in their area even allies. You can combine Area of Effect with range. The origin of the area of effect can be anywhere within range. The rest of the area is not limited by range.
Duration
The default duration is one turn (from the moment of starting it, until the end of your next turn). This property increases the number of turns by 1. These effects can also be sustained for longer periods of time. To do so, you can chose to sustain any number of actions at the end of your turn. When doing so, you can choose a card for each effect that you want to sustain. A high card will add 2 turns to the effect. A mid card will add 1 turn. A low card will immediately end the effect regardless of how many turns were left. You can sustain an effect on the turn you activated it.
Improvements and Restrictions
Some abilities can have improvements that alter the way an ability can be used on a more fundamental level. In most cases these modifications are limited to certain types of abilities. You can also add restrictions onto an ability. Doing so will give you free ranks. A free rank can be used to improve an ability just like normal ranks, but will neither cost any character points nor will it increase the cost of additional ranks. Restrictions limit the way in which an ability can be used.
Mechanics should suit the fantasy
This system is very open and can be used to create both very strict or very versatile abilities. The intention here is to allow you to create a character and mechanics that fit a certain fantasy. It is not meant to try and squeeze every single mechanical advantage out of the system that you can think of. This is especially the case with restrictions. A restriction "Requires the light of a full moon" might make sense for a werewolf, while "Can not be used on the moon" can be seen as cheating if there is no chance for the character to ever be on the moon in the first place. A GM always has the last say when deciding what's allowed. However instead of straight up declining it, consider changing or increasing the penalty instead if there is a chance to make it reasonable.
Difficulty and Power
As characters go on adventures, they become more powerful. The difficulty of the game will depend on a lot of things, including but not limited to the teamwork between the players, the efficiency of how the characters are built, and the choices people make and luck they have when picking cards. The GM's job is to create fun encounters for the players. But what the players find fun differs from player to player. The following tables are meant to give some guidance to what ranks and challanges might fit your game and characters, but should not be taken as gospel.
The following table indicates some ranks and how their expected power might be in relation to the world.
Ability/Skill Rank
| Rank | Expected power |
|---|---|
| 0 | You don't know what you're doing. You may get by on pure luck now and then, but don't expect much. |
| 1-5 | You are a beginner. You know what you're doing, but you also know you still have a long way to go. |
| 6-10 | You are talented. You are getting pretty good at what you're doing. |
| 11-15 | You are an expert. You have reached the point most people will peak. |
| 16-20 | You are a master. Expect to succeed with ease where beginners have no chance of success. |
| 21+ | You are legendary. You have no equals. |
The following table indicates some CRs and their expected difficulty for a completely untrained character.
Ability/Skill Rank
| CR | Expected Difficulty |
|---|---|
| 0-2 | No challenge at all. Don't even ask for a check unless people have heavy negative debuffs. |
| 2-5 | Easy. You can fail, but you almost have to try. |
| 6-10 | Medium. Most people succeed as long as they spend some effort. |
| 11-15 | Hard. You have to try your best to succeed, and may even need some help. |
| 16-20 | Extreme. Impossible without any help. |
| 21+ | Impossible. Even the best help might fall short here. |
Attack
Attack
- Action : 1 Hostile
- Accuracy = 0 (2 per rank)
- Type = Physical
- Power = 1 (2 per rank)
- Area of Effect = 0 (1 per rank)
- Range : Adjacent (1 per rank)
Effect
Make an innate attack. Innate attacks are attacks that require no equipment. This could be a spell, a weapon built into/hidden on your person.
Defenses
Cover
When being attacked cover may apply. There are 2 types of cover, full and partial.
- Full cover : The attacker can not see you, though the area may be small enough that your position can be deduced. A normal ranged attack or AoE attack can not hit you as long as the originating point is from the other side of the cover. AoE attacks that originate from your side of the cover are not affected.
- Partial Cover : The attacker can see you, and you can be hit by ranged and AoE attacks, but you get a +2 bonus on your defense against them. This bonus does not stack if it's both a ranged and AoE attack.
Guard (Default)
- Action : Defend
- Power = 0 (2 per rank)
Effect
Defend from a physical attack
Endure (Default)
- Action : Defend
- Power = 0 (2 per rank)
Effect
Defend from an elemental attack
Inhibit (Default)
- Action : Defend
- Power = 0 (2 per rank)
Effect
Defend from a mind attack
Buffs
Buffs are used to create effects that are positive to the user and/or their allies. If a buff requires a sentient target, it can only be used on a willing one. The check for these abilities depends on the ability itself rather than the target. The ability will have a CR based on it's configuration. When making the attempt, if the card is equal or higher than the CR, the buff takes effect, otherwise the buff fails. If the buff fails, the action is still spent. You are allowed to make an attempt even if you know you will not be able to beat the CR.
Heal
- Action : 1 Standard
- CR = 14 (-2 per rank)
- Power = 1 (1 per rank)
- Area of Effect = 0 (1 per rank)
- Range : Adjacent (1 per rank)
Effect
Restore the target's hitpoints by an amount equal to this ability's power.
Damage Boost
- Action : 1 Standard
- CR = 14 (-2 per rank)
- Power = 1 (1 per rank)
- Duration = 1 (1 per 2 ranks)
- Area of Effect = 0 (1 per rank)
- Range : Adjacent (1 per rank)
Effect
Whenever the target deals damage with an attack, they deal additional damage equal to this ability's power.
Shield
- Action : 1 Standard
- CR = 14 (-2 per rank)
- Power = 1 (1 per rank)
- Duration = 1 (1 per 2 ranks)
- Area of Effect = 0 (1 per rank)
- Range : Adjacent (1 per rank)
Effect
Grants temporary hitpoints to a target by an amount equal to this ability's power.
Help
- Action : 1 Standard
- CR = 14 (-2 per rank)
- Power = 1 (1 per rank)
- Duration = 1 (1 per 2 ranks)
- Area of Effect = 0 (1 per rank)
- Range : Adjacent (1 per rank)
Effect
While the duration lasts, a single check of choice by the targeted character can be increased by an amount equal to this ability's power. After that, this ability ends on the character. When used on multiple characters, each get their own use. You can chose to use this increase at any point, including after the result is known.
Summon
- Action : 1 Standard
- CR = 14 (-2 per rank)
- Power = 1 (1 per rank)
- Duration = 1 (1 per 2 ranks)
- Number of Creatures = 1 (1 per 2 ranks)
- Range : Adjacent (1 per rank)
Effect
Creates temporary allies that are under your control. The creature's hit points are equal to this ability's power times 2. They also have an attack with a rank equal to this ability's power, and the 3 defend actions with a shared total of ranks equal to this ability's power. Controlling a summon requires you to spend your action points. At any moment, you can command your summons (1 action point) and divide 2 action points among them. Summons can not control other summons.
Illusion
- Action : 1 Standard
- CR = 14 (-2 per rank)
- Power = 1 (1 per rank)
- Duration = 1 (1 per 2 ranks)
- Range : Adjacent (1 per rank)
Effect
Creates an illusion. The illusion can either be a sound, a visual effect, a smell and taste or a subtle feeling like a breeze or temperature change. The maximum size of the visual effect is a cube with dimensions equal to the power. For smell and taste, the size is 10 times larger. For sound, the size is 100 times larger. Creatures who perceive the effect can use an action to make an investigation check to determine if it's fake. The check is equal to 10 + power.
Notes
When used by players, the power of illusions really depend on the creativity of the user and the GM's generosity on how the NPCs react since the GM will be aware that it is an illusion.
Counter
- Action : 1 Prepared
- CR = 14 (-2 per rank)
- Power = 1 (1 per rank)
- Range : Adjacent (1 per rank)
Effect
When someone in range uses an ability, you can counter the ability which will prevent it from taking effect. When countered, the target can choose a card and if the card is equal or higher than the counter's power, the counter fails.
Notes
Preventing an ability from working is a very powerful effect. That's why Counter allows for a method to prevent it which is also an opportunity to ditch low cards.
Improvements
Defend Other
- Cost : 1 per rank
- Type : Defenses
- Effect : You can use your reaction to defend one of your allies with this ability. The ally needs to be adjacent to you and you can choose to do this before or after the ally has attempted their own defend action. Higher ranks increase the range at which you can use this starting with 2 squares at rank 2 and with additional increments equal to the range property.
Riposte
- Cost : 1
- Type : Defenses
- Effect : If you succeed with this defense, your next attack against the attacker will get a +2 bonus.
Redirect
- Cost : 2
- Type : Defenses
- Effect : If you succeed with this defense, you redirect the attack to any hostile target in range of the attack.
Improved Sustain
- Cost : 2 per rank
- Type : Actions with a sustainable duration.
- Effect : When you sustain this ability, the number of turns sustained increases by 1 per rank.
Commander
- Cost : 3 per rank
- Type : Summon
- Effect : When you command you have 1 additional action point per rank to divide between them.
Ignore Walls
- Cost : 2
- Type : Innate Attack
- Effect : This attack ignores any kind of cover.
Restrictions
Locked Range
- Gain : 1
- Type : Attack with at least a rank 2 range
- Effect : This ability can no longer be used as a melee ability.
Locked Area of Effect Size
- Gain : 1
- Type : Attack with at least a rank 1 Area of Effect
- Effect : This ability must always be used at the maximum area of effect.
Locked Area of Effect Shape
- Gain : 1
- Type : Ability with at least a rank 1 Area of Effect
- Effect : Choose a shape. This ability must always be used with the chosen shape.
Damage Only
- Gain : 4
- Type : Attack
- Effect : This attack can not be used to inflict debuffs.
Debuff Only (type)
- Gain : 4
- Type : Attack
- Effect : Pick a debuff, this attack can only inflict this debuff. However the debuff limit no longer applies.
Debuff Only (any)
- Gain : 2
- Type : Attack
- Effect : This attack can only inflict debuffs, However the debuff limit no longer applies.
No Duration
- Gain : 1
- Type : Any sustainable buff
- Effect : This buff always ends at the beginning of your next turn and can not be sustained.
Slow
- Gain : 4
- Type : Any standard action
- Effect : The number of action points required for this ability increases by 1.
Target Requires Debuff
- Gain : 4
- Type : Any hostile ability
- Effect : Pick a debuff. This ability can only be used on targets that are under the effect of the chosen debuff.
User Requires Debuff
- Gain : 4
- Type : Any hostile ability
- Effect : Choose a debuff. This ability can only be used if you are under the effect of the chosen debuff.
Self Damage
- Gain : 1 per 2 hit points
- Type : Any
- Effect : Using this ability deals damage to yourself. Can not be used if the damage would reduce your hit points to 0.
Self Debuff
- Gain : 1
- Type : Any
- Effect : Choose a debuff. Using this ability inflicts this debuff on yourself.
Allies Only
- Gain : 2
- Type : Any buff
- Effect : You can only use this ability on others.
Self Only
- Gain : 1
- Type : Any buff
- Effect : You can only use this ability on yourself.
Feats
Multi-Attack
- Cost : 15 per rank (Max 4)
- Effect : When taking multiple hostile actions, reduce the penalty for each additional attack by 1.
Attack of Opportunity
- Cost : 20 per rank
- Effect : When a creature is moves in any way, takes any action while prone, or makes a ranged attack when you are within melee range, you can use your reaction to make an attack against this creature. This attack must be a melee attack. This attack does not suffer or inflict any penalties for taking multiple hostile actions.
- Rank 2 : If the attack hits, it will also prevent the action that triggered it from happening.
Feint
- Cost : 20 per rank (Max 3)
- Effect : When you miss with an attack and your card's value is at least 6 less than the value of the defender's card, until the end of your next turn, your next attack against the defender has an accuracy bonus equal to the defense card minus your attack card. For each additional rank the required difference decreases by 2.
Focused Area Attack
- Cost : 30
- Effect : When you choose to reduce the Area of Effect on an attack, the power is increased by +1 for each rank you reduced the area by.
Versatile Attack
- Cost : 30 per rank (Max 3)
- Effect : When you hit with an attack and you use the power to inflict a debuff, the leftover points can be used to inflict an additional debuff or deal damage. Each additional rank allows for an additional debuff to a maximum of 4 debuffs or 3 debuffs and leftover damage.
Flying
- Cost : 40 per rank
- Effect : Your character can fly at a speed equal to half their normal movement speed rounded up.
- Rank 2 : Your character can fly at a speed equal to their normal movement speed.
- Rank 3 : Your character can fly at a speed equal to twice their normal movement speed.
Burrowing
- Cost : 40 per rank
- Effect : Your character can Burrow through soft material at a speed equal to a third their normal movement speed rounded up.
- Rank 2 : Your character can Burrow through soft material at a speed equal to half their normal movement speed.
- Rank 3 : Your character can Burrow through soft material at a speed equal to their normal movement speed.
Heavy Digger
- Cost : 60 per rank
- Effect : Your character can Burrow through tough material at a speed equal to half their burrow speed.
- Rank 2 : Your character can Burrow through tough material at a speed equal to their burrow speed.
- Note : The ability to burrow through tough material can be quite game breaking if used without limit. That's why there should be a conversation with the GM if a player wants this feat in order to set reasonable expectations about its use.
Skill Specialization
- Cost : 5 per rank
- Effect : Pick a skill and decide on a specialization, for example Sleight of hand and Lock picking. Every check you make where this specialization would help, you get a +1 bonus for each rank in this feat.
- Note : Not all specializations might make sense for the game that the GM is planning on running. In order to prevent wasting points here, talk to the GM to make sure it's worth it.
Dash
- Cost : 20
- Effect : Your first move action grants you 2 extra movement points.
Debuff Specialization (type)
- Cost : 30
- Effect : Pick a debuff. The debuff limit no longer applies for any of your attacks.
Debuffs
Debuffs are conditions that hinder your character in various possible ways. Unless stated otherwise, debuffs last until you resist them. Resisting a debuff is done by spending action points to perform the resist action or using the free resist action at the end of your turn. By default a debuff starts out with a value of 10. For each resist action taken, you pick a card and subtract the card's value from the debuff value. When the debuff value reaches 0, it is resisted. If you have multiple debuffs, you can choose which debuffs are reduced and by how much for each individual card. This is not considered a check and the value of the cards can not be lowered for this purpose by any means.
Any attack can inflict any debuff as long as the attack's power is equal or higher to the power of the debuff. Instead of dealing any damage, the attack will inflict the debuff instead. You can chose to do this after knowing your attack hits. If your attack hits multiple targets, this choice applies to all targets at once. Every debuff does have a limit on how strong it can get for regular attacks. To reach the unlimited potential of a debuff, the restriction [Debuff Only] is required.
Blinded
- Power : 1+4 per rank
- limit : Normal attacks can not go higher than rank 2.
- Effect : You have a -2 penalty per rank to guard and accuracy in addition to the following
- Rank 1 : Your vision is only slightly impaired. No additional effect.
- Rank 2 : Your vision is moderately impaired. You see creatures and objects but only as vaguely colored blobs.
- Rank 3 : Your vision is very impaired. You can barely see the general shape of the room you are in.
- Rank 4+ : Your are completely blind. You see nothing.
Grappled
- Power : 1+2 per rank
- limit : Normal attacks can not go higher than rank 2. Requires a melee attack.
- Effect : You are being held in place by the grappler. You are unable to move and every check you make gets a -2 penalty per rank. If the grappler's moves, their speed is reduced by 3 squares and you are forced to move with the grappler (does not cost an action). The grappler can also use a move action to force you to move to any square in range of the initial melee attack.
Sickened
- Power : 1+4 per rank
- limit : Normal attacks can not go higher than rank 2.
- Effect : You have a -2 penalty per rank on every check.
Command
- Power : 1+4 per rank.
- limit : Normal attacks can not go higher than rank 2.
- Effect : You are forced to perform a simple command. On your next turn, you must spend a number of action points equal to the rank performing the command to the best of your abilities. The leftover action points can be spent as normal or spend to try and prevent the action from happening, giving a -5 penalty on any action taken that requires a card or reduce the possible movement of a single action by 3 squares. Any checks you might need to make will be done using the attacker's cards. At the end of the turn, the effect automatically ends.
Persistent Damage (Damage Type)
- Power : X
- Effect : You are afflicted with a persistent source of damage. Until this debuff ends, you continue to automatically take damage at the start of your turn. The damage is equal to half the power spent on this debuff (rounded down) and of a chosen damage type. Each damage type is treated as its own debuff type for the purpose of stacking, but it can only be a type of damage that the initiating attack can cause.
Grievous Wounds
- Power : 5
- Effect : You can not be healed while afflicted with this debuff.
Disarmed
- Power : 3
- Effect : You drop your weapon which lands within 2 squares of you (chosen by attacker).
Weakened Defenses
- Power : 1 + 2 per rank
- limit : Normal attacks can not go higher than rank 4.
- Effect : You have a -1 per rank to a single defense of the attacker's choice.
Forced Move
- Power : 1 + 2 per rank
- limit : Normal attacks can not go higher than rank 2.
- Effect : You are shoved up to a number of squares equal to the rank. You can also spend one rank to shove someone prone or make them stand up.
Feared
- Power : 1 + 2 per rank
- limit : Normal attacks can not go higher than rank 2.
- Effect
- Rank 1 : You are slightly cautious, moving towards the attacker requires twice as many movement squares.
- Rank 2 : You are afraid, you can not move towards the attacker.
- Rank 3 : You are very afraid, you must spend 1 action point running away from the attacker, plus one more for each rank above this one.
Stunned
- Power : 1 + 4 per rank.
- limit : Normal attacks can not go higher than rank 2.
- Effect : You have one less action point per rank of this debuff. If you are afflicted with this debuff while you still have action points, immediately reduce the number of points by one for each rank.
Slowed
- Power : 1 + 2 per rank.
- limit : Normal attacks can not go higher than rank 4.
- Effect : Your movement squares are reduced by 2 per rank when your action points reset.
Disruption
- Power : 1 + 6 per rank.
- limit : Normal attacks can not go higher than rank 1.
- Effect : You immediately stop sustaining all abilities and can no longer sustain anything while this debuff is in effect. Abilities that have a duration can still be used, but their effect ends the moment your turn is over, regardless of how many turns it would normally start with.