Cheat Sheet (v0.1.6)

Results and Successes

A result is the number on the face of any single die after rolling. It may be greater than 6 or lower than 1 after modifiers.

• A result of 5 or 6 counts as one success.
• A result of 7 or 8 is a “critical” and counts as two successes.
• A result of 9 is a “major critical” and counts as three successes.
• A result of 1 or 0 is considered a “botch” and removes a success.
• A result of -1 or -2 is a “major botch” and removes two successes.
• No successes and at least one botch for a round is a “disaster” and has consequences beyond simply not succeeding.

Cohort Dice Pool Maximum

3 x number of PCs facing that Challenge.

Modifiers

The three types of modifiers are Add Dice (± #d6), Auto Result (#A / #d), and Simple (± # / #d).

• Add Dice modifiers add dice to create the dice pool.
  • Example: +2d6 means add two dice to the dice pool; -1d6 means remove one die from the dice pool.
• Auto Result modifiers set the result of one die to the value before rolling the dice pool. Dice changed in this way are not rolled.
  • Example: A5 / 1d means change one die to a 5 before rolling; A1 / 2d means change two dice to 1 before rolling.
• Simple modifiers apply the first number to the result of one die.
  • Example: +1 / 2d means add one to the result of two different dice that have been rolled; - 2 / 1d means subtract two from the result of one die that has beenn rolled.
• Beneficial(+) modifiers are usually applied to one’s own dice pool during one’s turn (Cohort or Challenge).
• Hindering(-) modifiers are usually applied to the opposition’s dice pool during the opposition’s turn (Cohort or Challenge).
• Beneficial(+) modifiers are always applied before Hindering(-) modifiers. That is, you apply your own Beneficial(+) modifiers to your pool before the opposition applies Hindering(-) modifiers to your pool.

Ranked Modifiers

Ranked Modifiers are used under a variety of circumstances. They are always Simple modifiers, but may be Beneficial(+) or Hindering(-) depending on context.

• Rank 1: ±1 / 1
• Rank 2: ±1 / 2
• Rank 3: ±2 / 2
• Rank 4: ±2 / 3
• Rank 5: ±3 / 3

Destiny and Doom

Destiny Pool

• Cohorts may add to the Destiny Pool by using the Create an Opportunity Tactic, “buying” a Challenge botch, or as the consequence of activating certain traits.
• A Cohort adds one Destiny Point to the Destiny Pool when a Challenge turn ends in Disaster.
• Maximum Destiny Pool size is 3 x number of PCs.

Doom Pool

• Cohort Disaster adds one to the Doom Pool.
• Certain Challenge traits may add to the Doom Pool.
• The Doom Pool has no maximum size.

Destiny or Doom

Some traits offer the choice of Destiny or Doom to activate them. If you take this choice, you may either spend a Destiny Point or add a Doom point to the Doom Pool to activate the associated trait.

Challenges and Events

• An Event is composed of one or more Challenges faced at the same time.
• A single Leader must be chosen for each Challenge.
• With the GM’s approval, the Cohort may Split a Challenge for the next round by spending one success.
• A Cohort may Buy Time for a timed Challenge by spending a Destiny Point.

Tests

• Tests are a special type of Challenge that must be completed in one round.
• Tests usually target a single PC and are simple success/failure but may cause Stress.

Building and Resolving a Cohort Pool

Set the Action

• Choose a Leader, usually based on the Challenge Type.
• The PC acting as Leader remains Leader until the Challenge is resolved.
• Describe what each PC is doing, and note what traits each is using.
• There is no specific turn order for individual PCs on the Cohort turn. Instead, the narrative generated by the players as a whole implies any such order.
• Spend any Destiny Points necessary to activate the traits used.

Add Dice

• Each PC contributes their Beneficial(+) Add Dice modifiers from Expertise and other traits.
• Each PC then contributes any Hindering(-) Add Dice modifiers from traits that affect the Cohort dice pool.
• The Challenge then contributes any Hindering(-) Add Dice modifiers from traits that affect the Cohort dice pool.

Auto Results

• Each PC contributes their Beneficial(+) Auto Result modifiers from traits.
• Each PC then contributes any Hindering(-) Auto Result modifiers from traits that affect the Cohort dice pool.
• The Challenge then contributes any Hindering(-) Auto Result modifiers from traits that affect the Cohort dice pool.

Roll the Dice Pool

• Who rolls for the Cohort each round is by consensus. If consensus cannot be reached, the Leader rolls.

Simple Modifiers

• Each PC contributes their Beneficial(+) Simple modifiers from traits.
• Each PC then contributes any Hindering(-) Simple modifiers from traits.
• The Challenge then contributes any Hindering(-) Simple modifiers from traits.

Resolution

• Each success resolves one Challenge die.
• If there are no successes, the turn has no consequences other than not resolving the Challenge.
• If there are no (or negative) successes and at least one botch, the turn is considered a Disaster. A point is added to the Doom Pool and a temporary negative trait is usually applied to a PC or the Cohort as a whole.

Facing a Challenge

• A Challenge is described by Threat, Type, and Rating (Threat Type #).
• The Threat is a description of relative power and is used to convert resolved dice into Auto Results.
• The Type is determined by the circumstances and corresponds to the four types of Expertise.
• The Rating is the starting and maximum size of the Challenge pool.

Threat

• Common: No conversion
• Minor: A5
• Major: A6
• Extreme: A7
• Ultimate: A8

Set the Reaction

• The GM describes what the Challenge is doing.
• Describe what each PC is doing, and note what traits each is using. These will be Hindering(-) traits aimed at the Challenge.
• Spend any Destiny Points necessary to activate the traits used.

Add Dice

• Challenges do not generally have Beneficial(+) Add Dice modifiers. The Rating takes care of this.
• The Challenge may spend Doom Points at the beginning of its turn to convert resolved Challenge dice into free dice.

Auto Results

• Threat level converts resolved Challenge dice into Auto Results.
• The Challenge may apply Beneficial(+) Auto Results from traits.
• The Cohort may apply Hindering(-) Auto Results from traits that affect the Challenge pool.

Roll the Dice Pool

• Unlike the PC dice pool, the Challenge pool is not reset and remains each round until the Challenge is resolved.

Simple Modifiers

• The Challenge contributes its Beneficial(+) Simple modifiers from traits.
• The Challenge then contributes any Hindering(-) Simple modifiers from traits that affect the Challenge pool.
• Each PC then contributes any Hindering(-) Simple modifiers from traits that affect the Challenge pool.

Resolution

• Each success becomes one Stress for the Cohort group facing that Challenge. This stress may be distributed between the PCs in that group however the Cohort would like. If consensus cannot be reached, the Leader decides how the stress will be distributed.
• The Cohort may “buy” one botch from the Challenge final results. To do so, they exchange the botch for a 3 (no success) and add a Destiny Point to the Destiny Pool.
• The Cohort may not buy a botch when a Challenge pool ends in Disaster. Instead, one Destiny Point is autmatically added to the Destiny Pool.

Stress and Agony

• Stress from a Challenge is distributed by consensus each round by the group facing the Challenge. If consensus cannot be reached, the Leader distributes Stress.
• When an individual PC reaches ten (10) Stress, they are Stressed Out and receive one (1) Agony. A Stressed Out PC is withdrawn from the remainder of the scene and does not contribute any modifiers.
• If an individual PC reaches five (5) Agony, they are permanently taken out of the game.
• Each Agony contributes a semi-permanent negative trait but also adds a Beneficial(+) Add Dice modifier to Growth Tests.

Removing Stress

• At the end of an event of one or more Challenges, every Cohort member lowers their Stress by one (1) for each PC that has Stallion Expertise (Primary or Secondary).
• Extended downtime (such as a good night’s rest) will lower Stress by an additional three (3).
• A variety of traits may lower Stress under different circumstances.

Removing Agony

• Recoverying Agony requires a narrative quest and a Growth Test.