jaydude
Five Thousand Club
General How-To-Play
Assess a Situation
When you assess a situation, roll with Creativity. On a 7–9, ask one question. On a 10+, ask two. Take +1 ongoing when acting on the answers.- What here can I use to _______?
- Who or what is the biggest threat?
- What should I be on the lookout for?
- What’s my best way out/in/through?
- Who or what is in the greatest danger?
Guide and Comfort
When you try to honestly guide and comfort another person, roll with Harmony. On a hit, they choose one:- They embrace your guidance and comfort. They may clear a condition or 2-fatigue, and you may ask one question; they must answer honestly.
- They shut you down. They inflict a condition on you, and you shift their balance in response.
Help
When you take appropriate action to help a companion, mark 1-fatigue to give them a +1 to their roll (after the roll). You cannot help in a combat exchange in this way.Intimidate
When you intimidate an NPC into backing off or giving in, roll with Passion. On a hit, they choose one. On a 10+, first, you pick one they cannot choose.- They run to escape or get backup.
- They back down but keep watch.
- They give in with a few stipulations.
- They attack you, but off-balance; the GM marks a condition on them.
Plead
When you plead with an NPC who cares what you think for help, support, or action, roll with Harmony. On a 7–9, they need something more—evidence that this is the right course, guidance in making the right choices, or resources to aid them—before they act; the GM tells you what they need. On a 10+, they act now and do their best until the situation changes.Push Your Luck
When you push your luck in a risky situation, say what you want to do and roll with Passion. On a hit, you do it, but it costs you to scrape by; the GM tells you what it costs you. On a 10+, your boldness pays off despite the cost; the GM tells you what other lucky opportunity falls in your lap.Rely on Your Skills & Training
When you rely on your skills and training to overcome an obstacle, gain new insight, or perform a familiar custom, roll with Focus. On a hit, you do it. On a 7–9, you do it imperfectly— the GM tells you how your approach might lead to unexpected consequences; accept those consequences or mark 1-fatigue.Trick
When you trick an NPC, roll with Creativity. On a hit, they fall for it and do what you want for the moment. On a 7–9, pick one. On a 10+, pick two.- They stumble; take +1 forward to acting against them.
- They act foolishly; the GM tells you what additional opportunity they give you.
- They overcommit; they are deceived for some time.
Live Up to Your Principle
When you take action in accordance with the values of a principle, mark 1-fatigue to roll with that principle instead of whatever stat you would normally roll.Call Someone Out
When you openly call on someone to live up to their principle, shift your balance away from center, then name and roll with their principle. On a hit, they are called to act as you say; they must either do it or mark a condition. On a 7–9, they challenge your view of the world in turn; mark 1-fatigue or they shift your balance as they choose. On a miss, they can demand you act in accordance with one of your principles instead; mark a condition or act as they request.Deny a Callout
When you deny an NPC calling on you to live up to your principle, roll with that principle. On a hit, act as they say or mark 1-fatigue. On a 10+, their words hit hard; you must also shift your balance towards the called-on principle. On a miss, you stand strong; clear a condition, clear 1-fatigue, or shift your balance, your choice.Resist Shifting Your Balance
When you resist an NPC shifting your balance, roll. On a hit, you maintain your current balance in spite of their words or deeds. On a 10+, choose two. On a 7–9, choose one.- Clear a condition or mark growth by immediately acting to prove them wrong
- Shift your balance towards the opposite principle
- Learn what their principle is (if they have one); if you already know, take +1 forward against them
Lose Your Balance
If your balance shifts past the end of the track, you lose your balance. You obsess over that principle to a degree that’s not healthy for you or anyone around you. Choose one of the following:- Give in or submit to your opposition
- Lose control of yourself in a destructive and harmful way
- Take an extreme action in line with the principle, then flee
- Afraid: Take -2 to intimidate and call someone out. Clear by running from danger or difficulty.
- Angry: Take -2 to guide and comfort and assess a situation. Clear by breaking something important or lashing out at a friend.
- Guilty: Take -2 to push your luck and deny a callout. Clear by making a personal sacrifice to absolve your guilt.
- Insecure: Take -2 to trick and resist shifting your balance. Clear by taking foolhardy action without talking to your companions.
- Troubled: take -2 to plead and rely on your skills or training. Clear by seeking guidance from a mentor or powerful figure.
At the end of each session, each player answers the following questions:
- Did you learn something challenging, exciting, or complicated about the world?
- Did you stop a dangerous threat or solve a community problem?
- Did you guide a companion towards balance or end the session at your center?
Combat
- The GM chooses an approach for each NPC or group of NPCs in the exchange; the GM keeps their choice secret.
- Each player of a PC in the exchange chooses an approach for their character. If multiple players have PCs in the exchange, they can talk and coordinate. Their choices can be public, but if the PCs oppose each other, they keep their choices secret and reveal in the next step.
- The GM reveals what they chose for each NPC, and PCs opposing each other reveal their previously secret approaches.
- All combatants who chose defend and maneuver resolve their approach.
- All combatants who chose advance and attack resolve their approach.
- All combatants who chose evade and observe resolve their approach.
- All characters who lost their balance or were taken out now resolve those results.
FOR PCs
When you resolve your approach, roll with the appropriate stat:- Defend and maneuver rolls with Focus
- Advance and attack rolls with Passion
- Evade and observe rolls with Creativity or Harmony, the PC’s choice
- Mark 1-fatigue to use a learned technique
- Use one practiced technique
- Use two basic or mastered techniques
FOR NPCs
NPCs always use a number of techniques equal to 1+ their balance rating, chosen by the GM.- The full effects of a character being taken out or losing their balance resolve outside of fight exchanges.
- When a PC is taken out, they are unable to act any more. The exact details of how they are taken out can be set up outside of fight exchanges—but almost always, a PC being taken out is a golden opportunity for the GM to make another move.
- After an exchange ends, there is no requirement to go right into another exchange.
- If multiple combatants want to keep fighting, then another exchange ensues. This also covers situations in which one side wants to only defend or evade.
- If only one combatant (or one side of combatants) wants to keep fighting—to the extent that their targets won’t even resist incoming blows—then no exchange is needed; the attackers simply inflict fatigue or conditions on their targets.
- If no combatants are engaging each other, then there’s no need for an exchange at all!
- If all combatants on one side of the conflict are defeated, unable to continue fighting in any way, then no more exchanges are needed!
Some techniques within a combat exchange assign statuses to characters based on the fiction, such as a character getting Trapped by ice or metal. Techniques may assign the following:
Negative Statuses
- Doomed: You’re in grave danger—mark 1-fatigue every few seconds (or each exchange) until you free yourself.
- Impaired: You’re slowed or off-balance—mark 1-fatigue or take a -2 to all physical actions (PCs) / choose one fewer technique (NPCs).
- Trapped: You’re completely helpless— you must mark a combination of 3-fatigue or conditions to escape.
- Stunned: You’re caught off-guard—you can’t act or respond for a few seconds until you steady yourself.
Positive Statuses
- Empowered: Your abilities are naturally stronger in this moment—clear 1-fatigue at the end of each exchange.
- Favored: You’re buoyed by circumstance— choose an additional basic or mastered technique in the next exchange, even on a miss.
- Inspired: You’re ready to stand for something—clear Inspired to shift your balance toward a principle of your choice.
- Prepared: You’re ready for what’s coming— clear Prepared to take +1 to an appropriate roll (after the roll) or avoid marking a condition.
Defend & maneuver (Roll with Focus)
Ready
Mark 1-fatigue to ready yourself or your environment, assigning or clearing a fictionally appropriate status of nearby characters or yourself.Retaliate
Steel yourself for their blows. Each time a foe inflicts fatigue, a condition, or shifts your balance in this exchange, inflict 1-fatigue on that foe.Seize a Position
Move to a new location. Engage/disengage with a foe, overcome a negative status or danger, establish an advantageous position, or escape the scene. Any foe engaged with you can mark 1-fatigue to block this technique.Advance & Attack (Roll with Passion)
Strike
Strike a foe in reach, forcing them to mark 2-fatigue, mark a condition, or shift their balance away from center, their choice. Mark 1-fatigue to instead choose to hammer them with your blows, forcing them to mark 2-fatigue, or strike where they are weak, inflicting a condition.Pressure
Impress or intimidate a foe. Choose an approach—your foe cannot choose to use that approach in the next exchange.Smash
Mark 1-fatigue to destroy or destabilize something in the environment—possibly inflicting or overcoming a fictionally appropriate positive or negative status.Evade & Observe (Clear 1-Fatigue & Roll with Creativity or Harmony)
Test Balance
Mark 1-fatigue to challenge an engaged foe’s balance. Ask what their principle is; they must answer honestly. If you already know their principle, instead shift their balance away from center by questioning or challenging their beliefs or perspective.Bolster or Hinder
Aid or impede a nearby character, inflicting an appropriate status.Commit
Recenter yourself amidst the fray. Shift your balance toward one of your principles; the next time you live up to that principle, do not mark fatigue.Advanced Techniques
Attack Weakness (Advance and Attack)
Strike an enemy at a weak point where they’ve already been injured. Mark fatigue to target an engaged, Impaired enemy in reach; they suffer fatigue equal to however many conditions they already have marked.Charge (Advance and Attack)
Advance straight at an enemy to strike them full force. Mark fatigue to close the distance and engage with an enemy you aren’t currently engaged with, inflicting one condition or 2-fatigue (their choice). Become Favored for next exchange.Duck and Twist (Evade and Observe)
Rely on your fast movement to help keep you out of the worst of harm’s way. Mark fatigue to clear one condition and become Favored.Forceful Blow (Advance and Attack)
Swing at an enemy with all your might, sending them flying. Mark fatigue and inflict 2-fatigue or one condition on your target (your choice). Then push them to a new position of your choice unless they mark 2-fatigue.Furious Assault* (Advance and Attack)
Make an unbalanced, impassioned strike. Become Impaired due to your overwhelming passion, shift your balance away from center, and inflict conditions equal to your Passion on an enemy; NPCs instead inflict conditions equal to their current balance. You may only remove Impaired when your balance is at your center.Pounce* (Advance and Attack)
Press the advantage against an enemy who is off-balance. Mark fatigue to inflict Impaired on a foe, or inflict Stunned on an Impaired foe, or inflict 5-fatigue on a Stunned foe.Protect (Defend and Maneuver)
Protect an ally within reach. Mark fatigue to intercept and stop an attack made against them in this exchange; if no attack is made against them in this exchange, you both become Inspired.Rapid Assessment (Evade and Observe)
Quickly take in your situation far faster than normal. Ask one question about the situation at hand. Become Prepared to act on the answer, and you may call out your plan to an ally to make them Prepared as well.Seek Vulnerabilities (Evade and Observe)
Examine your foe for weak points. The next time you inflict a condition or fatigue on them, you may also shift their balance. If you know what their principle is, then you may mark fatigue to shift their balance a second time.Sense Environment (Evade and Observe)
Look for opportunities to usefully reshape your environment. The next time you advance and attack or defend and maneuver, you may use Smash or Ready, as appropriate, in addition to any other techniques you use, even on a miss. When you use Smash or Ready this way, do not mark fatigue.Stand Strong (Defend and Maneuver)
Plant your feet and prepare yourself for incoming blows. Become Prepared, and you automatically block or avoid any negative statuses inflicted on you this exchange.Suck It Up (Defend and Maneuver)
Focus and absorb a blow, readying yourself to act immediately after. For each attack that inflicts fatigue, conditions, or balance shifts on you this exchange, choose one additional technique next exchange (even if you roll a miss on the stance move).Take Cover (Defend and Maneuver)
Swerve and maneuver into cover. The first attack on you this exchange strikes your cover, damaging or destroying it, but leaving you unharmed.Blood Twisting* (Advance and Attack, Bloodbending)
Use bloodbending to move and twist a foe’s body in painful ways. You must be Empowered to use this technique. Inflict a condition on your foe. If they are already Impaired, Trapped, or Doomed, inflict an additional condition. If this is your first, second, or third time ever using this technique, mark a condition.Breath of Ice (Defend and Maneuver)
Become ready to breathe shivering cold upon any foe who gets close to you. Any foe engaged with you at any point in this exchange becomes Impaired until they clear the ice from their limbs.Creeping Ice (Evade and Observe)
Carefully and stealthily extend a sheet of ice out beneath foes of your choice; they become Impaired as long as they remain on the ice, and you become Prepared to engage with them.Crushing Grip of Seas* (Advance and Attack)
Throw a tendril of water that wraps around a foe’s limb and holds it in place. Mark fatigue and inflict Impaired on an foe; mark an additional 2-fatigue to inflict Trapped on that foe with a second tendril. If the foe is already Impaired, you only need to pay 2-fatigue for Trapped.Flow as Water (Defend and Maneuver)
Use a jet of water to propel you smoothly around obstacles. Mark 1-fatigue and move to a new location. If you engage with or disengage from a foe, they are Impaired.Freeze Blood* (Advance and Attack, Bloodbending)
Use bloodbending to seize a target and hold them in place. You must be Empowered to use this technique. Mark 1-fatigue; your target becomes Trapped and/or Doomed, your choice. If this is your first, second, or third time ever using this technique, mark a condition.Ice Gauntlet (Defend and Maneuver)
Cover your hand with a sheathe of ice. Become Prepared. When you next make an attack, inflict an additional 1-fatigue.Ice Prison* (Advance and Attack)
Aggressively wrap a foe in ice. Mark 2-fatigue to inflict Trapped on a foe standing in water or on ice.Refresh (Evade and Observe, Healing)
Apply water to reinvigorate and close wounds on a willing target. Mark fatigue to heal an ally in reach who is evading and observing. Clear an appropriate status from them, and clear 3-fatigue or two conditions.Stream the Water (Advance and Attack)
Push a high-powered stream of water from a significant source. Mark fatigue to inflict a condition on a foe within reach of the water source; they are pinned against something and cannot shift positions or engage foes other than you until they break the stream or you drop it. Mark 1-fatigue at the end of each exchange to continue the stream.Slip Over Ice (Evade and Observe)
Use ice and water to slip around your environment with ease while putting foes off-balance. Clear 1-fatigue (in addition to clearing 1-fatigue via evade and observe) and reposition foes within reach, deciding who is engaged with whom unless they are willing to mark 1-fatigue and become Impaired to remain where they are.Water Cloak* (Defend and Maneuver)
Surround yourself with water; mark fatigue and hold 3. Spend your hold 1-for-1 to reduce the 1-fatigue or conditions inflicted by an incoming attack by 1; to become Favored for the next exchange, as long as you use waterbending techniques; or to throw water into the environment, affecting it and possibly inflicting a status. Mark 1-fatigue at the end of each exchange to maintain the hold to the next exchange.Water Whip (Defend and Maneuver)
Lash out with a tendril of water. Mark fatigue to inflict a condition or 2-fatigue, target’s choice.Detect the Heavy Step* (Defend and Maneuver, Seismic Sense)
Use seismic sense to detect the instant an enemy is about to move against you. Become Prepared, and at any time during this exchange, you may lose your Prepared status and mark fatigue to interrupt an enemy as they use a technique; they must mark an additional 3-fatigue or you disrupt their attempt to act, canceling the technique.Dust Stepping (Defend and Maneuver)
Step up into the air on thin pillars of dust and stone. Advance to a higher position and become Favored and Prepared. Any foe engaged with you can mark 2-fatigue to block this effect.Earth Armor (Defend and Maneuver)
Gather earth, crystal, or other available material around you to create armor. Hold 3. Spend one hold to negate one condition or 2-fatigue inflicted upon you. While you have hold, you are Favored. You must spend hold—at least one—whenever an incoming attack would inflict fatigue or conditions.Earth Gauntlet (Advance and Attack)
Wrap your arm or fist in rock and strike! Mark fatigue; inflict one condition or 2-fatigue. You can also knock your foe out of reach and disengage; they must mark an additional fatigue to resist.Earth Launch (Defend and Maneuver)
Throw yourself into the air with a massive burst of force. Mark 1-fatigue and become Favored. You disengage with all foes who can’t reach you high in the air for the rest of this exchange, but you come right back down into their midst at the end of this exchange.Earth Sinking* (Advance and Attack)
Sink a foe into the earth itself. Mark 2-fatigue to trap an enemy standing on the ground in the earth; they become Trapped.Eat Dirt (Evade and Observe)
Even the smallest pebble can cause a gator-phant to stumble. Cause a foe to lose their footing. Your target is Impaired and unable to choose defend and maneuver in the next exchange.Ground Shift (Evade and Observe)
Twist the ground itself to displace or unbalance foes. Target an individual foe or an area. If you target an area, mark 1-fatigue. All affected foes become Impaired for an exchange, or Stunned if they are already Impaired.Lava Star* (Defend and Maneuver, Lavabending)
Create a floating, spinning star of lava that can cut through nearly anything. Mark fatigue and become Favored as long as the star is active. Every time you use the star as part of an attack, you can also cut through or destroy part of the scenery as if you had used the Smash basic technique, at no additional cost. You may mark fatigue at the end of each exchange to keep the star active.Metal Bindings (Evade and Observe, Metalbending)
Catch an enemy’s limbs in metal you control. They become Impaired and cannot remove the status unless they are able to metalbend or the fight ends. While they are Impaired and you are engaged with them, you are Favored.Rock Column (Advance and Attack)
Pin a foe with a column of earth. Inflict Impaired on a single combatant. If they are already Impaired, inflict Trapped. If they are already Trapped, inflict Doomed.Stone Shield* (Defend and Maneuver)
Raise a defensive shield of stone that protects you or someone else. Mark 1-fatigue to raise the shield. Anyone protected by the Stone Shield gains Impaired—it’s tough to move inside. This shield blocks the first attack directed toward it each exchange. The Stone Shield cannot move and is not destroyed by an attack—it remains in place until you decide it comes down. You can elect to use the raw material in the wall for an earthbending technique, reducing its cost by 1-fatigue and removing the Stone Shield.Thick Mud (Evade and Observe)
Transform the earth and stone around you into sticky, sucking mud. Any foes engaged with and acting against you in this exchange become stuck and Impaired; you may use Strike against each stuck foe in the next exchange, regardless of your chosen approach and in addition to your normal techniques.A Single Spark (Evade and Observe)
Unleash your emotions into the flames around you. Mark 1-fatigue to hold 1 for each condition you have marked. Spend your hold 1-for-1 in the next exchange to pay the costs of techniques as if it was fatigue, to inflict Doomed on a foe you target with firebending, or to use Seize a Position—no matter what approach you used—in addition to your other techniques.Arc Lightning* (Evade and Observe, Lightningbending)
Channel lightning through your body against a closely engaged foe. Mark 1-fatigue to inflict a condition on an engaged foe who used an advance and attack technique against you this exchange; if they already have two conditions marked, they are also Stunned.Breath of Fire (Advance and Attack)
Breathe fire in a massive gout. Mark fatigue to set alight as much or as little of your surroundings as you choose and try to set aflame any foes within reach. Those foes must either retreat and disengage with you, becoming Impaired, or suffer 2-fatigue and become Doomed as they catch fire.Explosive Blast* (Advance and Attack, Combustionbending)
Fire a sparking, spitting beam of focused energy that explodes when it reaches its target. Your target must either dive for cover or take the blow. If they dive for cover, they mark 2-fatigue and become Impaired; if they are already Impaired, they cannot dive for cover. If they take the blow, they mark 4-fatigue.Fire Blade (Advance and Attack)
Swipe your surroundings with a blade of flame. Mark 1-fatigue to slice through a piece of your surroundings and destabilize your foe’s footing, inflicting 2-fatigue and Impaired on them.Fire Pinwheel* (Advance and Attack)
Throw a spinning disc of pure flame. Mark 1-fatigue; your target must either mark 2 conditions, or mark 1-fatigue and dodge the disc and allow it to set everything around them aflame (possibly inflicting negative statuses).Fire Stream (Defend and Maneuver)
Pour fire upon a target. Mark fatigue to inflict Impaired on them. Mark 3-fatigue to inflict Doomed and Impaired. Mark 5-fatigue to inflict Trapped, Doomed, and Impaired.Fire Whip (Defend and Maneuver)
Lash out from a distance. Inflict 2-fatigue or a condition (target’s choice), and enemies must mark fatigue to get close enough to attack you this exchange.Flame Knives (Advance and Attack)
Mark up to 3-fatigue. Hold an equal number of flames. Lose 1-flame at the end of each exchange after this one. When you inflict fatigue or conditions on a foe, inflict an additional 1-fatigue for each remaining flame.Jet Stepping (Evade and Observe)
Advance to a higher position and become Favored and Prepared for the next exchange. Any foe engaged with you can mark 2-fatigue to block this technique.Lightning Blast* (Advance and Attack, Lightningbending)
Hurl a bolt of lightning at a target. Mark up to 3-fatigue. For each fatigue you mark, your target must mark 2-fatigue.Spiral Flare Kick* (Advance and Attack)
Spin skyward on jets of flame as you lash out with your legs. Mark 1-fatigue to target two individual foes or one group with this attack. Individual foes must each mark 2-fatigue or one condition, their choice; the group must mark 4-fatigue or two conditions, their choice.Wall of Fiery Breath (Defend and Maneuver)
Breathe a gout of flame that keeps foes back as you maneuver away from them. Mark one condition and move to a new position. Foes must keep their distance and become disengaged, or push through the flame and suffer 4-fatigue.Air Cushion (Evade and Observe)
Soften the blows an ally takes and get them back on their feet faster. Mark fatigue to clear 2-fatigue, one condition, or any one status from an ally within reach who was struck by an attack this exchange.Air Scooter (Evade and Observe)
Summon a ball or ring of air under yourself. While riding it, you are Favored. You can sacrifice your air scooter to avoid marking fatigue or conditions when you are struck by an attack.Air Swipe (Defend and Maneuver)
Prepare to cast an arc of pressurized air to knock away incoming attacks and throw enemies off-balance. If any enemy attacks you, you may mark fatigue to cast the arc and block or divert the strike. If no enemy has attacked you by the end of the exchange, you may cast the arc to inflict 2-fatigue on up to three enemies.Breath of Wind (Advance and Attack)
Exhale mightily through pursed lips. Knock down a single target and inflict Stunned on them, unless they choose to mark 4-fatigue.Cannonball (Advance and Attack)
Rush forward with the might of the wind behind you and crash into a foe. Mark 1-fatigue to target a foe you aren’t currently engaged with and rush at them. You become engaged with them (disengaging with other current foes) and inflict a condition on them.Cushion the Forceful Fist* (Evade and Observe)
Put a cushion of twisting air around your body that keeps physical strikes at bay. Mark 2-fatigue to become Favored; you are immune to hard, physical, forceful attacks and blows (a hurled rock, a direct and forceful blast of flame, a jet of water) until the end of the next exchange.Directed Funnel (Advance and Attack)
Create a spinning funnel of air that can fire objects at high speed. Mark fatigue; each ally in reach can mark 1-fatigue to toss an appropriate small object into the funnel—inflict 2-fatigue on a target within reach for each ally who does.Reed in the Wind* (Evade and Observe)
Adjust your movements to perfectly match and avoid the movements of a foe. Mark 2-fatigue and secretly name the approach you believe your foe will use in the next exchange; reveal it after approaches are chosen in the next exchange. If you were incorrect, you may shift your chosen approach. If you were correct, you become immediately Favored for that exchange, and they cannot target you with any techniques.Shockwave* (Evade and Observe)
Leap into the air and hurtle back to the ground, sending a massive burst of pressurized air all around you. Mark 2-fatigue; everyone in the area, including allies, is thrown away, disengaging and becoming Stunned unless they mark 4-fatigue.Small Vortex (Evade and Observe)
Spin a single enemy off the ground on a small vortex. Mark 3-fatigue; your target becomes Impaired and Stunned.Suction (Evade and Observe)
Snatch a small object off the ground or from a foe’s hand with a sucking wind. The object snaps to your hand unless someone marks 2-fatigue to hold it or block its movement.Twisting Wind (Defend and Maneuver)
Effortlessly flow around blows like the wind itself. For each foe engaged with you who chose an advance and attack approach, clear 1-fatigue and hold 1-momentum. If you advance and attack next exchange, you may spend your momentum instead of fatigue.Wind Run (Defend and Maneuver)
Race at high speeds, dodging attacks and seeking escape. Mark 1-fatigue to slip to a particular point of escape, disengaging from foes; you don’t engage any new foes. If no one re-engages with you or blocks your retreat by the end of the exchange, you escape the scene.Bludgeon (Advance and Attack)
Using a blunt weapon or hand-to-hand combat, attempt to rapidly subdue your foe. Mark 1-fatigue and cause your foe to shift their balance away from center; if their balance is now +2 or higher, they mark Stunned. Mark an additional 1-fatigue to move your foe to a different position within reach.Boom!* (Advance and Attack)
Throw a small prepared explosive into the midst of your foes. Mark 2-fatigue or clear Prepared to toss the explosive into your enemies’ midst. Everyone in range (including allies in the area) must either mark 3-fatigue to dive away, or mark a condition and become Stunned, their choice.Chart a Course* (Evade and Observe)
Plan a clear and perfect path of action. Secretly choose your approach and up to two techniques you plan to use in the next exchange (noting them in advance). If you use those techniques in the next exchange, reveal your planning; those techniques cost no fatigue and cannot be cancelled or blocked. Anyone engaged with you can mark fatigue to look at the note.Counterstrike (Defend and Maneuver)
Using impeccable timing, read your foe’s movement and lash out with blinding speed. Execute a Strike as if you had marked 1-fatigue against an engaged foe who chose advance and attack as their approach. You cannot use this technique if you have any negative statuses.Disarm (Defend and Maneuver)
Target your foe’s ability to fight by breaking, removing, or limiting a particular style. Mark 2-fatigue to name any advanced advance and attack technique your foe has—they are unable to use that technique for the remainder of this encounter.Feint (Evade and Observe)
Trick your foes into overextending themselves against you. If you were targeted by any attacks this exchange, you may mark fatigue to immediately inflict a condition on each of your attackers.Parry (Defend and Maneuver)
Stop a foe’s attack before it connects. Choose a foe who used advance and attack this exchange; during advance and attack, mark fatigue—1-for-1—to cancel an attack they use against you after they pay the costs.Pin a Fly to a Tree* (Advance and Attack)
Fire arrows with perfect accuracy to pin a foe in place. Mark 1-fatigue to inflict Impaired on a target, or 3-fatigue to inflict Impaired and Trapped.Pinpoint Thrust (Advance and Attack)
Using a thrusting or stabbing weapon, go straight for the target with precision and accuracy. Mark 1-fatigue and inflict 2-fatigue and Impaired on your foe. You may mark an additional 1-fatigue to move yourself to a new position within reach immediately; any foes engaged with you may mark 1-fatigue to block this movement.Switch It Up (Evade and Observe)
Switch up your style, footwork, weapon, or bearing, causing your foe to second-guess your next move. Mark 1-fatigue to become Prepared and force an engaged foe to reveal their choice of approach before you choose yours during the next exchange.Take the High Ground (Defend and Maneuver)
Move to an advantageous position above your foe. Mark 1-fatigue, become Favored, and ignore the harm and negative statues from any attacks they make against you this exchange.Turn the Tables* (Advance and Attack)
Make careful strikes to undermine your foe’s advantageous position. Mark 1-fatigue to knock your foe from their position to a new, disadvantageous location, inflicting 1-fatigue. If your foe was Favored or Prepared at the start of the exchange, you do not mark fatigue, you inflict an additional 1-fatigue, and they lose all appropriate positive statuses. These costs and consequences cannot be canceled or avoided by another techniqueBetter, Faster, Stronger (Defend and Maneuver)
You push your equipment to its limits to move fast and charge up. Mark 1-fatigue to use Seize a Position, but no foe can block you. You may mark an additional 1-fatigue to gain Empowered for as long as you maintain the new position, or to move to an unsafe, unstable area and make it safe.Blinded By Science (Advance and Attack)
Use your gadgets and gizmos in a way that confuses and dazzles even the most tech-savvy foe. Mark up to 3-fatigue as you throw out your devices. If you mark 1-fatigue, inflict 1-fatigue and Impaired on your foe. If you mark 2-fatigue, inflict Trapped or Stunned on your foe, as well. If you mark 3-fatigue, inflict both Trapped and Stunned in addition to the 1-fatigue effects.Collect Material (Evade and Observe)
Scrounge up bits and bobs from the area around you that you can use to your advantage. Take 3-gears and become Prepared. Spend gears 1-for-1 instead of fatigue on technology techniques or basic techniques using technology training.Entangler (Advance and Attack)
Entangle a foe with a weapon or device. Mark 1-fatigue to wrap the entangling object around your foe; they are Trapped. They break free automatically after they are Trapped for two full exchanges.Full-Power Attack* (Advance and Attack)
Discharge your batteries, release the high-tension coils, and otherwise unleash the full charge of your equipment! Become Impaired and inflict 2-fatigue on a targeted foe. Spend all gears you currently hold 1-for-1 to inflict 1 additional fatigue. If you spend 3 or more gears in this way, inflict 2 additional fatigue. You cannot earn gears for the rest of this scene—your equipment is too damaged, depleted, or otherwise used up.Jolt (Advance and Attack)
Launch a disruptive attack on a target within reach in an attempt to control or slow them. Mark 1-fatigue to target a person or object. If you target a person, they must shift their balance away from center; if they are a technology user or covered in metal, they become Stunned; if you target an object, it is temporarily slowed or shut down.Jury Rig* (Advance and Attack)
Create a new device on the fly. You gain Favored, hold 1-gear, and name one basic technique from any approach. As long as you hold this device, you can use that technique as if it was part of your current approach by spending 1-gear. Otherwise, spend gears 1-for-1 instead of fatigue on technology techniques or basic techniques using technology training.Pinpoint Flaws (Evade and Observe)
Identify weak points in your environment. Name a status you wish to inflict on a foe next exchange; the GM will tell you what you need to break in your environment to inflict that status. Next exchange, you may use Smash for free no matter what approach you use.Plant Trap (Evade and Observe)
Place a snare or triggered explosive into your environment. Mark 1-fatigue; the next enemy who enters the trapped area must mark a condition and shift their balance away from center.Rebuild (Defend and Maneuver)
Using your technological know-how, you improve your situation by quickly tuning, repairing, and adjusting your available equipment. Mark 1-fatigue, clear a condition, and gain 3-gears. Spend gears 1-for-1 instead of fatigue on technology techniques or basic techniques using technology training.Smoke Bomb (Defend and Maneuver)
Throw a smoke bomb to cover your escape from the combat. Mark 1-fatigue to immediately Impair any foes engaged with you. You escape at the end of this exchange. Any foe who is engaged with you and not Impaired may mark 1-fatigue to block your escape.Wind Up* (Defend and Maneuver)
Wind up a technological device to build tension and charge! Gain 1-gear and become Favored; then, mark up to 2-fatigue, and hold 2 additional gears for each fatigue you mark. Spend gears 1-for-1 instead of fatigue on technology techniques or basic techniques using technology training.
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