Version: 0.8

Chapter 1: Core Mechanics

This chapter introduces the core mechanics driving gameplay, focusing on the Success Check (SC) system for resolving skill checks, attacks, and other actions. The Success Check Workflow outlines setting Target Numbers (TN), calculating skill bonuses, and rolling dice to determine success or failure.

The chapter explains Advantage and Disadvantage, which modify dice rolls, and how players can use Edge to manipulate outcomes or gain powerful advantages. It also covers the Margin of Success (MoS) system and the Triumph/Despair Rule, adding depth to how success or failure impacts the game.

Additionally, mechanics for Variable Damage Rolls and the Armor System ensure combat is both tactical and impactful. The Edge system is explored in detail, providing ways for players to influence rolls, recover Edge through rest and play, and even avoid death with the costly Edge Burn mechanic.

Success check workflow

The game’s mechanic for resolving skill checks, attack rolls, and more is the Success Check (SC):

2d10 + skill (ranks + 2 governing attributes) vs. Target Number (TN) = Success if equal to or greater

1.       Determine the Target Number (TN):

The GM sets a Target Number based on the difficulty of the task. TN values typically range from 15 to 30, though higher TNs are possible for exceptionally difficult tasks. Lower TNs are rarely used; anything that easy is probably not worth making a check for.

2.       Advantage and Disadvantage:

·         Advantage:

o    Effect: If you have Advantage, you roll 3d10 instead of 2d10.

o    Procedure: After rolling, remove the lowest result, then add the dice roll result to your skill bonus.

o    Acquisition: Advantage can be granted by the GM based on favorable conditions, advantageous gear, or character talents. The most common way to gain Advantage is by spending a point of Edge (see below).

·         Disadvantage:

o    Effect: If you have Disadvantage, you roll 3d10 instead of 2d10.

o    Procedure: After rolling, remove the highest result, then add the dice roll result to your skill bonus.

o    Acquisition: Disadvantage can be imposed by the GM due to unfavorable conditions, lack of gear, or powerful adversaries.

3.       Edge

Edge can either be spent to gain Advantage if you do not already have it or remove Disadvantage, but it cannot be to do both for one check.

·         Spend for Advantage: If you spend Edge to gain Advantage, you may remove any dice, not just the lowest, from the dice pool, making you more likely to roll a double (see Triumph/Despair below).

o    If you already have Advantage, you may spend Edge to access the additional benefit (but there is no "double Edge" in the game, so you don’t roll additional dice).

4.       Roll Dice:

·         Without Advantage/Disadvantage: Roll 2d10 and add the results together.

·         With Advantage: Roll 3d10, add the results, then remove one die of your choice before adding the skill bonus.

·         With Disadvantage: Roll 3d10, add the results, then remove one die chosen by the GM before adding the skill bonus.

5.       Calculate the Skill Bonus:

·         Identify the relevant skill for the task.

·         The skill bonus is determined by adding together:

o    Two Primary Attributes: Combine the values of the two primary attributes most applicable to the skill.

o    Skill Ranks: Add the character’s ranks in the specific skill being used.

6.       Compute the Total:

Add the total from the dice roll to the skill bonus.

7.       Determine Success or Failure:

·         Compare to Target Number (TN): If the total meets or exceeds the TN, the check is successful.

·         Calculate Margin of Success (MoS): The Margin of Success is the total from the SC minus the TN. MoS indicates how well the check was performed.

o    Positive MoS: Represents how much the check exceeded the TN, influencing the quality or impact of success.

o    Negative MoS: If the total is below the TN, the MoS is negative, indicating the degree of failure.

8.       Triumph/Despair Rule:

·         Rolling Doubles:

o    If You Succeed: If you roll a double and succeed, add 5 to your Margin of Success (MoS). This represents an extraordinary performance.

o    If You Fail: If you roll a double and fail, subtract 5 from your Margin of Failure. This represents a significant mishap.

9.       Magnitude of Success/Failure:

·         Positive MoS:

o    0 to 4: Marginal (but still a success).

o    5 to 9: Significant Success.

§  Attack: Add 1d6 to your damage pool.

§  Non-attack: At the GM’s discretion, gain Advantage on your next related SC.

o    10 or more: Complete success.

§  Attack: Add 2d6 to your damage pool.

§  Non-attack: At the GM’s discretion, gain Advantage on your next SC (of any kind). Alternatively, the GM might offer another benefit.

·         Negative MoS:

o    -1 to -5: Marginal failure.

o    -6 to -10: Significant failure. You gain Disadvantage on your next related SC.

o    Below -10: Complete failure. You gain Disadvantage on your next SC and additional penalties at the GM’s discretion.

10.    Note on Simplicity:

Some checks may require only a simple success or failure. The detailed MoS breakdown applies when the extent of the outcome matters for the narrative or situation.

Example:

Task: Tricking someone in a conversation.

·         Relevant Attributes: Cunning + Presence

·         Skill: Deception

·         Skill Bonus Calculation: Cunning + Presence + Deception ranks.

·         Advantage Scenario: Suppose you have Advantage. Roll 3d10 (e.g., 7, 4, and 3), add them for a total of 14. You choose to remove the 3, resulting in a total of 11 + skill bonus.

·         Disadvantage Scenario: Suppose you have Disadvantage. Roll 3d10 (e.g., 8, 5, and 2), add them for a total of 15. The GM removes the 8, leaving a total of 7 + skill bonus.

Understanding the probability curve of 2d10

Rolling 2d10 creates a bell-shaped probability distribution. Unlike a single d20 or d100, 2d10 clusters results around the middle, making mid-range results more common.

Probability breakdown for 2d10:

1.       Probability of Rolling 5 or Higher: Approximately 94% (compared to 75% for 1d20)

2.       Probability of Rolling 10 or Higher: Approximately 64% (compared to 55% for 1d20)

3.       Probability of Rolling 15 or Higher: Approximately 21% (compared to 25% for 1d20)

4.       Probability of Rolling 20: Approximately 1% (compared to 5% for 1d20)

This distribution helps design challenges with a predictable range of results, allowing for a balance between variability and success.

Difficulty levels

Some challenges and tasks may be assigned intermediate TNs. For example, if something is slightly more complex than Moderate but not quite Challenging, a TN of 22 could be appropriate.

If the difficulty level is pretty obvious, like a check being Very Difficult (i.e., beyond what most people can achieve), he’ll just say Very Difficult. The GM may hint (or straight-up lie) if the difficulty is less obvious.

The default difficulty is Moderate, with a TN of 20. Assuming a +15 skill bonus, a professional in the field should succeed approximately 95% of the time, while a less skilled but still trained person (+10 skill bonus) will get it right about 2/3 of the time.

10 (Very Easy)

This task is straightforward and requires minimal effort. Most people, even without specialized training, should be able to accomplish it easily. It’s typically not worth rolling unless under significant pressure or Disadvantage.

15 (Easy)

A task that might require some attention but is well within the capabilities of most people with a basic understanding or some relevant experience.

20 (Moderate – Default)

The standard difficulty for tasks that present a challenge but should be manageable for someone with relevant skills or experience. A professional in the field should succeed most of the time.

25 (Challenging)

A more difficult task requiring a higher level of skill or expertise. Success is not guaranteed, even for a professional, and may require some level of preparation or focus.

30 (Difficult)

A task requiring significant skill or expertise. Only those highly trained or experienced can regularly succeed.

35 (Very Difficult)

A challenge only the most skilled individuals can achieve. Even for experts, success is far from guaranteed.

40+ (Near Impossible)

A task almost beyond the reach of even the most skilled experts. Success requires exceptional skill, luck, perfect conditions, or extraordinary effort. Failure is highly likely.

Advantage/Disadvantage explained

While some situations may apply flat bonuses or penalties to success checks (usually when your skill is directly impacted rather than the circumstances of the check), the system more commonly utilizes the Advantage/Disadvantage mechanic to represent dynamic changes in a situation.

Advantage means you roll an extra die (3d10 instead of 2d10) and then remove the lowest roll, while Disadvantage works in the opposite way: you roll 3d10 and must remove the highest roll.

How Advantage and Disadvantage Affect Rolls

·         Advantage and Disadvantage are roughly equivalent to a +2.5 or -2.5 modifier on your success check. This is comparable to the more traditional +2/-2 modifier system, but with a key difference: the probability distribution changes rather than just adding a flat modifier.

o    Advantage: Shifts the likelihood of rolling higher numbers, without changing the maximum or minimum possible roll.

o    Disadvantage: Similarly shifts the likelihood of rolling lower numbers, without changing the max/min outcomes.

For example:

·         Rolling 2d10 + 2 gives an average result of 13, with a floor/ceiling of 4 to 22.

·         Rolling 2d10 with Advantage (3d10, remove lowest) gives an average result of around 13.5, but the floor/ceiling remains at 2 to 20.

Key Differences

·         Advantage/Disadvantage doesn't stack:
No matter how many sources of Advantage you have, you only roll one extra die and remove one (similarly for Disadvantage). Multiple sources of Advantage won’t increase the number of dice rolled.

·         Flat Modifier vs. Advantage:
While a flat modifier like +2 always shifts the total result, Advantage shifts the distribution of results, which means it affects your overall chances of success differently. Advantage increases your odds of higher results without directly changing the highest or lowest possible roll.

Using Edge with Advantage

·         Edge interacts directly with Advantage, but not Disadvantage. When you spend Edge to gain Advantage, you can choose which die to remove from your roll, rather than automatically removing the lowest one. This gives you much greater control over the outcome.

·         Maximizing Triumph/Avoiding Despair:
Spending Edge to manipulate the die removal lets you strategically aim for better outcomes, particularly by increasing your chances of rolling a double and triggering a Triumph (or avoiding a Despair if you suspect a failure). For instance, if you roll a set of dice that includes doubles, you can use Edge to keep those doubles, triggering a stronger success. Similarly, if the roll seems doomed, you can remove a die to limit your failure.

Summary of Edge Impact on Advantage

·         Advantage with Edge: Roll 3d10 and choose which die to remove.

·         Normal Advantage: Roll 3d10 and remove the lowest die.

·         Disadvantage: Roll 3d10 and remove the highest die (cannot be modified by Edge).

Variable damage rolls

Damage, whether from weapons, spells, or environmental effects, is determined by rolling a number of d6 and adding a modifier based on the weapon’s Strength attribute (melee weapons use the wielder’s Strength, ranged weapons use their own).

The equipment chapter has details on weapon damage, the magic chapter on astral and spell damage, the matrix chapter on matrix combat, and anything that doesn’t fit those categories in the gameplay chapter.

Examples:

1.       Street Samurai: ST 6 attacks a thug with a sword, doing 2d6+6 damage (2d6 for the sword, +6 for ST).

2.       Guard: Shoots a runner with a burst from his SMG, doing 3d6+4 damage (2d6 base for the SMG, +1d6 from burst, +4 for the weapon’s ST).

The bell curve created by multiple d6 rolls means that the more dice rolled, the more likely you are to get average results. This system provides consistency in damage while still allowing for extreme highs and lows.

Weapon examples:

While the Equipment chapter has all the details, it’s worth mentioning that for firearms, 2d6+4 is considered the "standard" damage of a light firearm, such as a light pistol or Ingram Smartgun (ignoring the burst and smart-gun features for now), heavy pistols (such as the Ares Predator) does 3d6+5 damage, 4d6+6 is assault rifle damage, 6d6+8 is a typical sniper rifle, while your trusted assault cannon does 8d6+10 damage.

Melee damage is less varied, with 2d6+ST being the standard damage for many weapons, but a troll attacking you with a two-handed fractal-serrated glaive will do a lot more damage than that. Punching someone with the intent to harm them does 1d6+ST stun damage, which is kind of bad but not as terrible as being stabbed or shot.

Magic spells, Matrix combat, environmental hazards, and vehicle combat follow a similar pattern but with unique quirks, so once you learn the base system, you’re well-equipped to handle more exotic forms of combat.

Armor system

If you get hit, be it in the physical world, Astral, or Matrix, you will take damage. Armor can help mitigate damage entirely or partially. All forms of armor are rated for Penetration Threshold (PT) and Damage Reduction (DR).

·         Damage below the PT is ntirely negated (although the armor itself can become degraded after multiple hits).

·         Damage that’s at least equal to PT has penetrated and do FULL damage, adjusted as follows:

o    Penetrating damage is reduced by the armor DR as a percentage (don’t worry, there’s a table for this that greatly simplifies calculation).

Example:

Pistol vs. Light Armor: 2d6+4 vs. PT 15/DR 30. The attacker must roll at least 15 damage, so he needs 11 total on 2d6 to penetrate. Anything less is entirely stopped by the armor. But for the sake of argument, let’s say he rolled a 12, so 16 total. The armor soaks 30% of that, or 4 points, leaving 12 damage.

This is a straightforward example of using a semi-auto pistol against light armor protection. If the shooter got a high MoS, he’d get extra dice, burst fire does more damage, there are special ammo types, etc. If the defender had more serious armor protection (assault armor PT35/DR60), the attacker would need a much more powerful weapon to penetrate. This and much more are covered in relevant chapters (combat, equipment, magic, etc.).

As a rule of thumb, light armor is PT15/DR20, medium armor is PT25/DR40, and heavy armor is PT35/DR60, but there is considerable variation between armor types and models. Anything heavier than light armor will slow the wearer and reduce their Dodge defense. All armor follows the same general rules, be it manufactured armor, natural armor, magical armor, Matrix armor, vehicle armor, or whatever.

Edge

Edge is a fluid and powerful resource that players can use to influence the outcome of rolls, increase damage, and avoid catastrophic injuries. It’s designed to be spent frequently, with the knowledge that it can be regained through rest, success, or even failure.

Using Edge

1.       Gain or Remove Advantage/Disadvantage:

·         Gain Advantage: Spend 1 Edge to roll 3d10 and choose which die to remove.

·         Remove Disadvantage: Spend 1 Edge to negate Disadvantage and roll 2d10 normally.

2.       Boost Damage:

·         Add +1d6 to a Damage Roll: Spend 1 Edge to roll an additional 1d6 and add it to your damage total.

3.       Reduce Injury Severity:

·         Lessen Injury: Spend 1 Edge to reduce the severity of an injury by 1 step (to a minimum of minor). This can prevent a serious injury from becoming critical or life-threatening.

Edge Recovery

Edge is designed to be a fluid resource, encouraging players to spend it freely, knowing it can be regained through rest or during gameplay.

·         Short Rest: Regain 1 Edge point after a short rest.

·         Long Rest: Regain all spent Edge points after a long rest.

Edge Regained During Play

In addition to rest, players can regain Edge during gameplay based on their actions, achievements, and setbacks. However, the ease with which Edge is regained is influenced by both the character’s current Edge and their maximum Edge.

1.       Achievements and Success:

·         Characters regain Edge after achieving significant objectives, such as reaching key milestones, completing missions, defeating major enemies (bosses), or coming up with clever solutions.

·         GM Discretion and Edge Influence: The difference between a character’s current Edge and maximum Edge will influence how often the GM rewards Edge for these successes.

o    Characters who have fewer Edge points remaining compared to their maximum (e.g., 1 of 7) will more likely regain Edge for a notable success.

o    Characters closer to their maximum Edge (e.g., 5 of 7) may find it harder to regain Edge as they haven’t yet been pushed to their limits.

2.       Failures and Setbacks:

·         Edge is also regained when the team faces significant failures or setbacks, reflecting the characters’ resilience in the face of adversity.

·         Current Edge Influence: Characters with lower Edge (e.g., 0 or 1 Edge) will find it easier to regain Edge in these situations. Players who are running low on Edge are seen as needing to regain their "fighting spirit" more quickly when things go wrong.

·         Conversely, characters who still have a high amount of Edge remaining (e.g., 5 or more) may not regain Edge as easily from setbacks, as their reserves haven’t yet been depleted.

Edge Burn

Edge Burn is a last-resort mechanic used to prevent a character’s death. By permanently sacrificing a portion of their Edge, a character can avoid immediate death but still require urgent medical attention and a long recovery period.

·         Effect of Edge Burn:

o    The character avoids immediate death but still needs immediate medical attention and long-term recovery.

o    Cost: Edge Burn reduces the character’s current Edge by 1 and permanently reduces their maximum Edge score by 1. This means they can no longer regain that point of Edge, limiting how often they can use this feature.

o    Restrictions: Edge Burn is only used to prevent outright death—it cannot be used to avoid other forms of harm or failure.

This mechanic provides players with a safety net in extreme situations, but at a cost that grows heavier over time, ensuring that Edge Burn is only used in truly life-or-death moments.