Types of Effects
This next section details all the effects in the game, and under which tier the effects fall. There are ten types of effects with tiers of effectiveness. Characters and monsters may have resistances or vulnerabilities to the effect types, which would increase or decrease their tier of effectiveness.
Charmed (Mental Effect)
The Charmed status represents an extreme feeling of comfort around something. Narratively, it is the mind telling the body, “This is nice!”. Charmed is a level of comfort that will have the creature wanting to stay a bit longer or interact a bit more in the interaction, they will remain civilian and still follow normal situation etiquette. Captivated is the state where a creature will begin to ignore that social etiquette to stay in the situation. Controlled is the state where the creature is no longer in control of their actions. They will not do anything to harm themselves or friends they hold dear but they will follow the directions of their charmer to the best of their ability.
Dealer Note: You can ban Controlled status effects from being used on other Players for your campaign.
Tier 1 -Charmed
The charmed character acts more favorably toward the charmer. The charmed character cannot attack the charmer. All Charisma-based Skills used by the charmer have advantage against a Charmed target.
Tier 2 – Captivated
The Captivated character acts very favorably toward the charmer. The character cannot use attack actions and can only move toward the charmer. All Charisma-based Skills used by the charmer have advantage against the Captivated target.
Tier 3 - Controlled
The Controlled character’s attack, movement and social actions are not completely their own. The character can only move toward the charmer. All Charisma-based Skills used by the charmer automatically succeed against the Controlled target.
Downed (Physical Effect)
Downed is a simple state tracking how upright a character is. It is also the only state that can be both good and bad depending on the situation. Players have the options of going Prone to reduce the chance they’ll be hit by ranged attacks for example. Narratively, this situation does not just represent being temporarily knocked out your feet but can also represent being knocked to the deck of a ship and scrambling to get up amidst the slippery water washed floor and the fighting. This can even be a character pinned underneath falling debris of a collapsing space station.
Tier 1 - Pushed
The target is moved away from the attacker.
4 meters
10 feet
two hexes
More powerful Pushed effects may move a character more distance away from the attacker. Pushed 2 would move a target back 20 feet, 8 meters, or four hexes.
Tier 2 – Prone
The character or monster is crouched or on their hands and knees. They are not quite laying down.
Melee attacks against a Prone character or monster have +2 Accuracy, while ranged attacks have -2 Accuracy.
A Prone character requires 1 movement or attack action to move from Prone to standing. This leaves an opening that can be Exploited. An attack action can be spent to do this safely.
Tier 3 – Downed
The character or monster is on their back, stomach, or side.
All melee attacks against the Downed character treat the character’s Avoidance as 2. All other attacks have -2 Accuracy.
All attacks performed by a laying down character have a -2 Accuracy.
1 movement action is required to move from Downed to Prone. This leaves an opening that can be Exploited. An attack action can be spent to do this safely.
Feared (Mental Effect)
The Feared status represents an extreme feeling of discomfort around something. Narratively, it is the mind telling the body, “No!” repeatedly and very loudly. Intimidated is a level of discomfort that will have the creature wanting to quickly resolve the interaction, they will remain civilian and still follow normal situation etiquette. Horrified is the state where a creature will ignore that social etiquette and get out of the situation by whatever means possible as quickly as possible.
Tier 1 - Intimidated
The Intimidated character is uncomfortable near the source of their fear. The Intimidated character moves at half speed toward the source of their fear.
All Presence-based skills used by the intimidator have advantage.
Tier 2 – Feared
The Feared character is afraid of the source of their fear. The feared creature has a -2 Accuracy/Influence to hit the source of their fear and cannot move toward the source.
All Presence-based skills used by the source of fear automatically succeed against the Feared target.
Tier 3 – Horrified
The Horrified character is terrified of the source of their fear. The horrified creature has a -4 Accuracy/Influence to hit the source of their fear and must move away from the source.
All Presence-based skills used by the source of Fear automatically succeed against the Horrified target.
Hobbled (Physical Effect)
The Hobbled status represents a temporary loss of ability to perform actions. Narratively this is a stiff or locked up leg, an arm caught in a trap, or a feet frozen to the ground.
Tier 1 - Hobbled Legs
The character has 1 less movement action per turn. If the character is Hasted, this removes Haste in addition to its effect.
Tier 1 - Hobbled Arms
The character has 1 less attack action per turn. The character can still use two-handed weapons.
Tier 2 - Crippled
The character has 1 less attack action and movement action per turn. If the character is Hasted, this removes Haste in addition to its effect. The character can still use two-handed weapons.
Tier 3 – Immobilized
An Immobilized character has no movement actions available on their turn.
Tier 3 – Disarmed
A Disarmed character has no attack actions available on their turn.
Paralyzed (Physical Effect)
The Paralyzed status represents a creature’s the complete loss of control of their body. Slowed creatures move slower in all aspects, not just movement, while restrained creatures struggle to move at all. Paralyzed creatures are completely locked in position. Paralyzed is also the effect used to apply grapples to an enemy with Slowed being a light grip on a grapple and restrained to be the maximum effective grapple.
Tier 1 – Slowed
A character or monster moves 2 fewer meters, or one less hex, with every movement action. Any attacks they perform have -2 Accuracy/Influence.
Slowed characters have 1 less Avoidance, Resist Mental, and Resist Physical.
Tier 2 – Restrained
A character or monster moves 2 fewer meters, or one less hex, with every movement action. Any attacks they perform have -2 Accuracy/Influence.
Slowed characters have 1 less Avoidance, Resist Mental, and Resist Physical.
Tier 3 – Paralyzed
The character cannot move. No attack, movement, or social actions can be taken.
The character’s Avoidance is considered 1. All attacks against a Paralyzed target have +2 Accuracy or Influence.
Poisoned (Physical Effect)
The Poisoned status is damage regularly taken over a period of time. The wound can be a literal bleeding wound, being sit ablaze, a poison in your body, or frostbite. While poisons and diseases are different, this effect can be a deadly mechanical component of a disease.
Tier 1 - Wounded
A character or monster has an injury that is causing them consistent pain and loss of health.
A Wounded character takes 2 damage at the start of their turn until they are unconscious, or the wound is cured. Any healing removes this wound.
Tier 2 – Wounded X
A character or monster has an injury that is causing them consistent pain and loss of health.
A Wounded character takes X damage at the start of their turn until they are unconscious, or the wound is cured. Any healing removes this wound.
Tier 2 – Poisoned
The character is Poisoned. They either have poison or another deadly substance coursing through their body.
A Poisoned character takes 2 damage at the start of their turn until they are unconscious or the poison is cured.
If a Poisoned character is healed the poison is removed. The character is not healed any of the Health.
Tier 3 – Poisoned X
The character is Poisoned. They either have poison or another deadly substance coursing through their body.
A Poisoned character takes X damage at the start of their turn until they are unconscious, or the poison is cured.
If a Poisoned character is healed the Poison status is removed. The character is not healed any of the Health.
Mad (Physical Effect)
A Mad character is affected by a mental muddling. A madness overtakes them, and their actions do not always come out rational. This can come from something as simple as too much drink to consequences of delving too deeply into what you do not understand. In the narrative, a confused creature may wander aimlessly or just loose themselves standing still. A Mad or Insane creature will start to regard everything else as suspicious and will be prove to utterly insane actions controlled by the Dealer but could be suggestions made by anyone at the table.
Tier 1 - Confused
A Confused creature’s movement is random.
The suits of each of cards drawn at the start of their turn determines their movement for the turn.
Hearts: 1 Move action acts normally
Diamonds: 1 Move action to stand still
Spades: 1 Move action towards closest enemy
Clubs: 1 Move action away from closest enemy
Out of combat a Confused character loses control over some of their movement. For each duration of the confusion, the Dealer can spend one of the character’s movement actions to move the confused character in a direction. If the Dealer decides they can also delegate this task to another player at the table.
Tier 2 – Mad
The creature follows the Confused rules in addition to the following. Both actions must be spent targeting the closest creature in some way.
All creatures are considered enemies for the sake of Confusion movement rules.
Out of combat a Mad character loses control over some of their movement and follows the same rules as a Confused character. In addition, they begin to regard all creatures as suspicious.
Tier 3 – Insane
The creature follows the Confused rules in addition to the following. The creature must spend at least one of their actions to attack the closest creature. The other action can only be used to target that same creature.
All creatures are considered Enemies for the sake of Confusion movement rules.
Out of combat a Insane character loses control over some of their movement and follows the same rules as a confused character. In addition, they begin to regard all creatures as suspicious. For each duration of the Insane, the Dealer can spend one of the character’s attack actions to have the character lash out at another creature. This does not need to be an attack with a weapon, it can be verbally but it must be something that is considered insane for the current situation.
Stunned (Mental Effect)
Stunned is the temporary loss of the ability to use their senses. This can be from a physical effect like a strike to the head or from a sensory effect like a piercing screech. In the narrative, the stunned character is collecting themselves or at minimum operating with an impairment.
Tier 1 – Dulled
A character or monster’s natural sense do not work as they should.
Dulled inflicts:
-1 Awareness
-1 Avoidance
-1 Accuracy/Influence
Tier 2 –Blinded
A Blinded character or monster cannot see. If the character or monster already cannot see, this has no effect on them.
Blinded inflicts:
Cannot see
-3 Awareness
-2 Accuracy/Influence
-1 Avoidance
Tier 2 –Deafened
A Deafened character or monster cannot hear. If the character or monster does use sound to hear, this has no effect on them.
Deafened inflicts:
Cannot hear
-3 Awareness
-2 Avoidance
-1 Accuracy/Influence
Tier 2 –Downgrade from Stunned
Inflicts:
Cannot hear or see
-3 Awareness
-2 Avoidance
-2 Accuracy/Influence
Tier 3 – Stunned
The character is incapacitated due to a blow to the head or a sensory overload. They spend the turn collecting their thoughts and regaining their bearings.
A Stunned character has no attack actions, and no movement actions. They have a -4 to their Avoidance.
If Stun is downgraded to a Tier 2 effect, the character or monster is temporarily Blinded and Deafened. The Avoidance and Awareness penalties do not stack but the higher value of each is used.
Taunted (Mental Effect)
A taunted character is like moving along an annoyance track. Being Distracted is a minor annoyance, preventing them from completely staying focused, like a loud patron or a gaudy outfit. The tier 2 level causes the character to desire to act on solving their annoyance, while the enraged character is fully devoted to stopping whatever is annoying them.
Tier 1 – Distracted
A character or monster’s focus was temporarily pulled away. Their loss of focus causes them to be less aware of their surroundings.
Distracted inflicts:
-2 Awareness
-2 Avoidance
Tier 2 –Taunted
A Taunted character or monster’s focus is solely occupied by a target. They have penalty interacting with anything other than that target.
A Taunted character has:
-2 Awareness
-2 Avoidance
A Taunted character has -2 Accuracy/Influence when attacking anything other than their focus. They may not move in any direction other than toward their focus.
Tier 3 –Enraged
An Enraged character or monster’s focus is solely occupied by a target. All attacks actions against that target have a +4 damage bonus. The character or monster can only move toward their target while enraged. Enraged ends when the target dies, in addition to its normal.
An Enraged character has:
-4 Awareness
-4 Avoidance
Weakened (Physical Effect)
A weakened creature’s body does not operate at full strength. Narratively this can represent anything from being sore, to a nasty disease, to a magical curse that steals strength. If the weakened effect was not due to a curse, disease, or something similar, a long rest will cure the effect.
Tier 1 – Weakened
The creature’s body does not perform as it normally does.
Weakened inflicts:
-2 damage per attack
-2 natural Armor
Tier 2 – Fatigued
A character is fatigued when they have overexerted themselves.
Fatigued inflicts:
-2 damage per attack
-2 natural Armor
Diamonds and spades-based Skills are performed with disadvantage.
Tier 3 – Exhausted
A character is more than just fatigued. Their movement is reduced to 2 meters, 5 feet, or 1 hex.
Exhaustion inflicts:
-2 damage per attack
-2 natural Armor
All Skill checks are performed with disadvantage.
Obscured (Beneficial Effect)
A creature is obscured when at least 50% of their body is blocked from sight. This can be a chest high wall but can also be the result of a smoke cloud or even extreme darkness. Invisible creatures mechanically have Full Cover.
Tier 1 – Half Cover
At least 50% of the creature’s body is blocked from view.
They do not take damage from attacks whose Accuracy is lower than their Avoidance.
Tier 2 – Major Cover
Over 75% of the creature’s body is blocked from view.
The creature’s Avoidance is increased by 2 and they do not take damage from attacks whose Accuracy/Influence is lower than their Avoidance.
Their Physical Resist and Mental Resist increase by 2.
Tier 3 – Full Cover
The creature’s entire body is blocked from view.
The creature’s Avoidance is increased by 5. They do not take damage from attacks whose Accuracy/Influence is lower than their Avoidance.
Their Physical Resist and Mental Resist increase by 2 and they are immune to spells and powers that require line of sight.