Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide


Chapter 1: Running the Game / Running a Session / Stakes and Consequences / Improvisation

Special Circumstances

Source GM Core pg. 12
The player characters in your group will at times attempt tasks that should be easier or harder than the rules or adventure would otherwise lead you to expect, such as a PC Gathering Information in their hometown. In these cases, you can just apply a circumstance bonus or penalty. Usually, this is +1 or –1 for a minor but significant circumstance, but you can adjust this bonus or penalty to +2 or –2 for a major circumstance. The maximum bonus or penalty, +4 or –4, should apply only if someone has an overwhelming advantage or is trying something extremely unlikely but not quite impossible.

You can also add traits to actions. Let's say that during a fight against a fire elemental, Seelah Interacts to pour water from her waterskin on her sword. You could add the water trait to her next Strike so Seelah can take advantage of the fire elemental's weakness to water. A PC getting an advantage in this way should usually have to use an action to do so, so Seelah would get the benefit for one attack, but to do it again she'd need to use her waterskin once more.