Mortal/CheatSheets
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Instant: Takes one round of time to perform
Reflexive: Takes no effort or time, rolled when called for
Contested: When two go after one goal
Extended: When attempting a long and/or complex task
Resisted: When an action is resisted
(p. 69 Chronicles of Darkness)
When doing something that does not require a particular Skill, combine two Attributes together. Common uses include:
Remembering something specific (Intelligence + Composure)
Perception (Wits + Composure)
Meditation (Wits + Composure, extended, four successes)
Holding in your lunch (Resolve + Stamina)
Suffering a breaking point (Resolve + Composure)
Lifting something heavy (Strength + Stamina)
(p. 69 Chronicles of Darkness)
In an investigation, Clues represent hard evidence that can have a measurable impact on events.
Each investigation has a certain number of Clues needed to fully uncover the truth, set by the ST before investigation starts.
CLUE ELEMENTS
Each Clue is composed of at least one element. Each element provides a one-time +1 bonus to actions related to the investigation.
Characters may use one element per roll by default, or as many in the same roll as their Investigation dots.
The following circumstances grant a Clue bonus elements:
- Exceptional success
- Investigator has 4+ dots in Skill used
- the Investigative Aide Merit
UNCOVERING CLUES
ST and players establish characters' approach to finding their next Clue (in a research lab, archives, an enemy stronghold, etc).
ST establishes the dice pool depending on approach, with a -1 to subsequent uses of a particular Skill after the first.
- Dramatic Fail: Gain negative Condition from ST, Clue gains the Tainted tag
- Failure: Clue gains Incomplete tag
- Success: Clue gained with a single element, plus others as described in Clue Elements
- Exceptional Success: Clue gained with two elements, character gains a beneficial Condition
CONDITION TAGS
Incomplete: Clue does not contribute to target needed to uncover the truth
Tainted: Clue cancels the first success on any roll in the investigation, elements give -2 instead of +1
1: INTENT
"I want _______" statement from each participant.
"I want to remove Jackie from my car." "I want to get out of here before the monster can kill me." "I want to kill these zombies before they can hurt Jeff."
The goal has to be achievable through violence in the scene.
1a: SURRENDER
You can just surrender and do what the instigator wants. If you do, take the Beaten Down Tilt and a beat.
2: QUICK AND DIRTY
Contested roll, dice pools as appropriate to fighting, running, what have you.
Dramatic Failure: The opposite of what you want happens, and it hurts
Failure: If opponent ran, they run. If the opponent fought, they do their successes in damage.
Success: Do damage equal to successes. Kill opponent if desired
Exceptional Success: As success but gain a Willpower point
1: INTENT
"I want _______" statement from each participant.
"I want to remove Jackie from my car." "I want to get out of here before the monster can kill me." "I want to kill these zombies before they can hurt Jeff."
The goal has to be achievable through violence in the scene.
1a: SURRENDER
You can just surrender and do what the instigator wants. If you do, take the Beaten Down Tilt and a beat.
2: QUICK AND DIRTY
Contested roll, dice pools as appropriate to fighting, running, what have you.
Dramatic Failure: The opposite of what you want happens, and it hurts
Failure: If opponent ran, they run. If the opponent fought, they do their successes in damage.
Success: Do damage equal to successes. Kill opponent if desired
Exceptional Success: As success but gain a Willpower point
1: INTENT
"I want _______" statement from each participant.
"I want to remove Jackie from my car." "I want to get out of here before the monster can kill me." "I want to kill these zombies before they can hurt Jeff."
The goal has to be achievable through violence in the scene.
1a: SURRENDER
You can just surrender and do what the instigator wants. If you do, take the Beaten Down Tilt and a beat.
2: QUICK AND DIRTY
Contested roll, dice pools as appropriate to fighting, running, what have you.
Dramatic Failure: The opposite of what you want happens, and it hurts
Failure: If opponent ran, they run. If the opponent fought, they do their successes in damage.
Success: Do damage equal to successes. Kill opponent if desired
Exceptional Success: As success but gain a Willpower point
BREAKING POINTS
Breaking point questions:
- What is the worst thing your character has ever done?
- What is the worst thing your character could imagine themselves doing?
- What is the worst thing your character could imagine someone else doing?
- What (glimpse of the supernatural) has your character forgotten?
- What is the most traumatic thing to ever happen to your character?
A character can have any number of breaking points beyond these, simply include them in the note. They must be one of these three things:
- Committing an atrocity
- Witnessing a horror
- Being victimized
TRIGGERS
When suffering a breaking point, roll
Resolve + Composure.
For modifiers, see p. 74 "Chronicles of Darkness"
(pp. 30, 73 Chronicles of Darkness)
To build a dice pool, add together the following ratings on your sheet:
Attribute + Skill(.Specialty - optional) + Modifiers
Skills suffer a penalty to use if character has no dice in them, -3 for Mental skills, -1 for Physical/Social.
Specialties apply if relevant to the roll, ST decides. Specialties stack up to +3.
Modifiers apply from Conditions or as the ST decides, max out at +5/-5.
If modifiers reduce dice pools to 0, roll a chance die. Chance dice only succeed on a roll of 10, but can explode repeatedly on 10.
RESULTS
Success: Works as planned.
Failure: Complications. May take a beat to downgrade to dramatic failure.
Exceptional Success (5+): Better than planned, gain Inspired or Informed Condition related to roll.
Dramatic Failure (1 on chance die): More severe complications, take a beat.
(p. 68-69 Chronicles of Darkness)
Social combat is primarily meant for use against NPCs. PCs must consent to social combat.
When initiating social combat, use the steps below.
1: GOAL
Determine what do you want the subject to do, and how will you make it happen. ST determines what is plausible.
2: DOORS
Base Doors = lower of Resolve or Composure
Goal involves a breaking point: +2 Doors
Goal blocks an aspiration: +1 Door
Goal opposes a Virtue: +1 Door
3: IMPRESSIONS
| Impression | Time per roll |
|---|---|
| Perfect | One Turn |
| Excellent | One Hour |
| Good | One Day |
| Average | One Week |
| Hostile | One Year |
ST sets initial impressions.
Gifts, offerings or bribes can step the impression up by one if their offer is accepted.
Making an offering or bribe which allows a character to regain Willpower steps up impression by one additional step.
4: OPENING DOORS
Make a roll per impression interval to open a Door. Each roll opens one Door only.
ST works with player to determine dice pool.
Success opens the Door. Failure imposes a -1 to subsequent attempts. If a roll fails, player may opt to worsen impression by one step and take a beat.
The whole thing can totally fail if:
- Dramatic failure on Door opening roll
- Target realizes they are being manipulated
- Impression level reaches hostile
4a: FORCING DOORS
Extreme, always threatening, often violent. Determine dice pool with ST, each unopened Door gives a -1 modifier to the roll.
If forcing the doors would cause the character a breaking point, remove one Door at -2 modifier or less, two doors at -3 or more.
Success proceeds to resolution. Failure immunizes subject to all social maneuvering from that character.
5: RESOLUTION
If all Doors are opened, the NPC must act according to the goal. stuff
stuff
Adapted for MUSH play
Turn: About three seconds
Scene: Up to three hours
Session: One day
Chapter: One week
Story: One month
stuff