Quick Start Rules 2

 

When taking an unopposed action based on a Skill or Attribute use the Check procedure against a Target Number 10. If the Check is an “All or Nothing” type, you’ll need an 11 or better result since a 10 is a Partial Success (not an All).

Challenge Procedure

·       Draw and Select Step: Both challengers draw one to four cards from the top of their Draw Deck, forming their Draw Hand. Do not mix these cards with your Buff Hand. Select one of your draw cards as your opening play. Place your full draw hand face-down in view of your opponent with your select card on top. When both players are ready, flip the selected top card face-up to activate.

A draw hand card total in excess of four cards replaces the extra cards with a +2 modifier for a bonus hand or ─2 modifier for a penalty hand. Add this total to or subtract it from the relevant Combat Trait for each card that you will not be drawing.

Example: During a Fight Challenge, your figure scores a Draw total of five cards, one Neutral card and four bonus cards. However, you draw only the maximum four cards and add +2 to the figure’s Fight Combat Trait for the card that was not drawn.

·       Buff Step: Both players declare their starting totals by adding their card value to the figure’s appropriate Combat Trait. The player losing the Challenge (or the Reactive figure in a tied score situation) may declare and place a Buff Hand card face down atop his revealed draw card or may pass. The opposing player may do the same or pass. If either player buffs, then their opponent has a chance to do the same even if they previously passed. Afterwards Buff cards are revealed, and the updated scores declared.

·       Push Step: The player now losing the Challenge (or the Reactive figure in a tied score situation) may declare one Push token expenditure and take the top card from their Draw Deck placed face-down. The opposing player may do the same or pass. If either player pushes, then their opponent has a chance to do the same even if they previously passed. Push cards are revealed, and the final scores declared.

·       Discard Step: After a Challenge is resolved, a Caster may Morph (page 14) a single unused (face down) draw card, revealing both cards when they do so. Both players discard all their remaining draw cards, active and inactive, and any used buff cards, to end the challenge.

Check Procedure

·       Draw and Select Step: The checking player draws one to four cards from the top of their Draw Deck and selects one to compare against the Target Number. Add the card value to the relevant Combat Trait to determine your total.

A draw hand card total in excess of four cards replaces the extra cards with a +2 modifier for a bonus hand or ─2 for a penalty hand. Add this total to or subtract it from the relevant Combat Trait for each card that you will not be drawing.

If the Check is an “All or Nothing” type, you must exceed the Target Number; a Partial Success (equal to the TN) does not meet the “All” requirement.

·       Push Step: The player may expend one Push token and take the top card from their Draw Deck to add to their final score.

·       Discard Step: The player discards all their remaining draw cards, active and inactive, to end the check.

During Challenges and Checks, all Draw, Buff or Push Step effects are resolved within their own step and in the order described before moving on to the next step.

Challenge Outcomes

If the scores of the active and reactive figures are equal; both achieve a Partial Success. A defender will be affected by an attack, but the attack Severity shifts left ◄ one column. Partial Success is considered a failure in an “All or Nothing” (AoN) situation.

If the Active Margin of Success (MoS) is 1 or 2 points higher than the reactive score the active figure achieves a primary Success for the action being taken.

If the Active Margin of Success (MoS) is 3 or higher than the reactive score the active figure achieves a primary Success and one or more Edges (one for every 3 MoS).

If the Reactive Margin of Success (MoS) is 1 or 2 points higher than the active score the reactive figure achieves a primary Success for the action being taken (e.g. defending).

If the Reactive Margin of Success (MoS) is 3 or higher than the active score the reactive figure achieves a primary Success and one or more Edges (one for every 3 MoS).

The following general modifiers apply to Skill or Attribute-based Checks or Challenges.

·       Skill: Specialist [+], Expert [+ +] or Master [+ + +]; as listed on the Crew Card

·       Attribute Modifier: the notation that follows the skill rank symbol on the figure’s Crew Card or basic Cast, Def, Fight, Manv or Shoot modifiers

·       Special Abilities: any Special Abilities that modify the skill or Attribute

·       Injury: Draw penalty [‒] for a figure with less than ½ ╬ or @

·       Condition Effects C[─]: Draw card penalties and/or trait reductions that are currently on a figure

Detection Challenge or Check

A figure may not directly charge or target a hidden figure until that figure is successfully detected through a detection Challenge or a power effect. If the hidden figure attacks in the Line of Sight of opponents, they are revealed by the attack action to those opponents.

If an observer can trace a Line of Sight (LoS) to a hidden figure without crossing any Blocking terrain, you may take an “All-or-Nothing” Notice or Alertness detection Check. Notice is a compatible action (Cp). Alertness is a Free Action (‒). Other senses than vision may be used under conditions described on a figure’s Crew Card for that ability. 

A figure with the Stealth ability is skilled at remaining hidden on the field. This skill requires cover and concealment that a figure may move through or behind. Figures without the Stealth skill may hide but are automatically seen when they move.

•          Apply the general modifiers (above) plus specific Skill modifiers for Notice, Alertness or Stealth and the following special modifiers

•  ± Size modifier: Larger subject subtracts and smaller adds relative size
•   Opposition Difficulty: An opponent’s skill at hiding an item or arming a trap increases the TN by +1 per Success or Edge achieved. A random difficulty may be assigned for pre-existing items by drawing a card and adding the F° value of the card.
•    Concealment or Cover: [+] for a subject that is within or behind concealing terrain or behind hard cover but at least partially detectable

Note: Concealment (soft) and Cover (hard) will provide a [+] to a figure’s Defense. Hard Cover also adds a [+] to their Protection Check as well.

Hidden 

A “Hide” token is a marker used to designate a hidden figure on the field. Until detected, that figure may not be targeted for attacks or other effects of any kind requiring a Line of Sight (LoS). An Area of Effect attack will require another legitimate unhidden target within the Area of Effect (AoE) before it may be used indirectly against a hidden figure.

If players wish to add additional uncertainty to a figure’s hidden status, use decoy tokens to conceal the figure’s actual location. A sample set of tokens is included that has HIDE on one side and neither a blank face or ʘ on the reverse (two blanks and one ʘ makes a set). A token is subject to all the LoS and detection rules that apply to figures. When detected, flip the marker over to reveal the blank (then remove that token from the field) or ʘ side (then replace the token with the detected figure at the token’s location).

Once detected the figure loses the hidden designation against the detecting opponent but may remain hidden to other figures. This does not apply to attack actions that will reveal a figure to other figures that have Line of Sight to the attacker. Also note that LoS may be gained by a figure using power effects or senses other than vision.

Maneuver Challenge or Check

Use the Challenge procedure for two opposed Attribute or Maneuver traits; such as avoiding contact or dodging past an opponent. Success means the figure is free to move past the restraining figure.

Use the Check procedure against a fixed Target Number when trying to avoid a trap or an Area of Effect (AoE) attack. 

If the Maneuver succeeds take a ≥ 2” Move away from the Area of Effect center; gain +1” Move for each Edge (¢E) up to your basic Move rate or use an Edge to duck behind cover for a [+] Protection modifier.

Combat Challenge

Figures have the following actions to choose from in combat; Fight in hand-to-hand combat and Shoot at a target from a distance (right and far right columns). The target of an attack may use a Defense or Maneuver reaction to Challenge the attack (far left column). Challenge Draw Modifiers are integrated into one reference table since many of these are used repeatedly.

These modifiers apply to all figures on the field that can meet their prerequisites. These modifiers are not limited by the Stacking rule that applies to Crew Card effects. 

The card limit for all figures is one neutral card plus up to 3 bonus or penalty cards. Any bonus or penalty over 3 cards converts to a plus or minus 2 modifier to the relevant Combat Trait for each card above the 3-card maximum. Not every modifier applies to every Defense, Maneuver, Fight or Shoot action; only use the ones that affect a figure's declared action.

• Size Comparison: The difference in figure sizes adds a bonus to smaller defenders and penalizes larger defenders but cannot be reduced below “0”.
• Defender is Concealed: If the defender is within or behind concealing terrain gain a Draw card [+]. Hard Cover also grants a Protection [+]
• Focused attack: If you swap your Move action for this action you gain a Draw card [+] and Effect shift ▼ but must remain stationary during the attack.   
• Quick attack: If you use a Quick action or any attack while moving you lose a Draw card [‒]. Whenever Quick Shooting your maximum range is 12” or less if your effective range is less than 12”.
• Damage loss exceeds ½ ╬ or  total: An across the board condition impairment for a [‒] Draw card
• Condition Effect: A directly affected Combat Trait loses the specified Draw cards for that condition level on the Effects Table.
• Maintaining a Sustained (∞) Effect: A caster that must sustain an ongoing power effect loses one Draw card [‒] per ongoing effect being maintained.
• Target is Beyond 4” and a Shooter’s Mid-Range: When a target is at a distance beyond 4” and beyond ½ the shooter’s effective range, lose a Draw card [‒].
• Defender is an Easy Target: A defender is at a Fight disadvantage if
• the attacker has Reach but the defender doesn’t
• the attacker is in an opponent’s “blind side” behind them
• the attacker has a Touch effect weapon or power
• the attacker is afoot above a prone defender
• {•±} Teamwork: gain a Draw card [+] for each active ally ≤ [+ + +] or