Action Chart
The Action Chart determines the outcome of your action dice roll result.
| RESULT | BASIC | CLASH | COMPEL | CHASE | CONTACT | PREPARE | REACTION |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONFLICT | CONFLICT | CONFLICT | DOWNTIME | DOWNTIME | |||
| Perfect two 6s |
You do it, plus: See a new opportunity, gain a greater effect, or gain +1M. |
Inflict 2 harm, plus: gain a better position or +1M. |
They are persuaded, plus: you learn something about them or gain +1M. |
Ahead and gaining. PC progress by 2 ticks, plus: opponent gains a condition. |
Has Expertise, willing to help. | Moving forward. Gain +2M, take -1t on your next roll. | Find an opportunity and redirect. Gain +1M. |
| Good 6 |
You do it cleanly. | Inflict harm. | They are persuaded as much as they can be, if it's not the wrong approach. | You advance. PC progress by 2 ticks. |
Has Expertise, willing to help for a price. | You're ready. Gain +2M. | You avoid the danger. |
| Messy 4, 5 |
You do it, but not well. GM Reaction. |
Inflict harm, take harm. | They are hesitantly persuaded. They want assurance or something in return. GM Reaction. | Maintaining pace. PC & opponent progress, 1 tick each. |
Has Expertise, but you owe them something substantial. | Tradeoffs. Gain +1M. GM Reaction. | You take some consequences. Take stress. |
| Botched 1, 2, 3 |
You fail, and there's a bad outcome. GM Action. |
Take harm. | They refuse. Social consequences if wrong approach. | Falling behind. Opponent progress by 2 ticks. |
Has Expertise, you owe them, and not willing to help. | You wasted time. GM ticks a clock. |
You take full consequences. Take harm. |
| Dire cut botched |
Things go terribly wrong. GM Action & Reaction. |
Take 2 harm or make a Reaction. | They get upset. Social consequences & GM Action. | Delayed and lagging. Opponent progress by 2 ticks, PC gains a condition. |
Doesn't have Expertise (but you thought they did). GM ticks a clock. | Your assumptions betray you. -1M. GM ticks a clock 2 times. |
You take full consequences and get unlucky. Take worse harm. |
Design notes
The point is to have the main Action roll to be similar to Grimwild or The Wildsea (aka a simplified Blades In The Dark), but bring the good parts of specific narrative direction from Moves in Powered By The Apocalypse games.
So for many actions you'll just roll a dice pool based on your Approach and follow the Basic Action outcomes. But for specific actions (Clashes, Chases, Compels, Prepares, and Reactions), your outcome is more distinct and directed, just like the outcomes in PBTA Moves.
Harm Reaction table
Specific effects could call directly for Exhausted/Panicked, Wounded/Unstable, Maimed, or Death. Skip the levels and go for something directly.
Or have different tables. Like:
| RESULT | BASIC | IRKSOME | FRUSTRATING | DESTABILIZING | PAINFUL | DANGEROUS | HAZARDOUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APPROACH: | ANY | MENTAL | MENTAL | MENTAL | PHYSICAL | PHYSICAL | PHYSICAL |
| Perfect two 6s |
Find an opportunity and redirect. Gain +1M. |
+1M | -2M | -1M | +1M | +1M | -2M |
| Good 6 |
You avoid the problem or danger. | -1M | 1 Fog | 2 Fog | Nothing | -1M | 1 Fatigue |
| Messy 4, 5 |
You take some consequences. Take stress. | 1 Fog | 1 Mental Harm | 2 Mental Harm | -1M | 1 Fatigue | 1 Physical Harm |
| Botched 1, 2, 3 |
You take full consequences. Take harm. | 1 Mental Harm | 2 Mental Harm | Panicked | -3M | 1 Physical Harm | 2 Physical Harm |
| Dire cut botched |
You take full consequences and get unlucky. Take worse harm. | 2 Mental Harm | 3 Mental Harm | Unstable | 2 Fatigue | 2 Physical Harm | 3 Physical Harm |