Table Reference¶
The rules you reach for mid-encounter — each entry links to the full rule. Print this page for a one-sheet GM screen. (One-liners are paraphrases — click through for the exact rule text.)
Your Turn¶
On your turn you get one main action, one maneuver, and one move action — in any order, and you can trade your main action for an extra maneuver or move action. Free maneuvers are unlimited. Triggered actions happen off-turn — one per round, though free triggered actions are unlimited. Your heroic resource builds every turn — spend it.
The Power Roll¶
2d10 + characteristic → three tiers:
| Roll | Tier |
|---|---|
| ≤ 11 | Tier 1 (weakest) |
| 12–16 | Tier 2 |
| 17 + | Tier 3 (strongest) |
- An edge adds +2; a bane −2.
- A double edge / double bane moves the result one tier up/down instead.
- Mixing them: an edge and a bane (or double edge and double bane) cancel out; a double edge with one bane leaves an edge; a double bane with one edge leaves a bane.
- A natural 19–20 is a critical: automatic tier 3 and you can take an extra main action.
- Tests use the same roll — see test difficulty. Having an applicable skill gives a test (not an ability roll) a +2.
Common Actions¶
| Action | In one line |
|---|---|
| Charge | Straight-line move up to speed (no shifting, no difficult terrain), then a melee free strike or a Charge-keyword ability. |
| Defend | Ability rolls against you take a double bane until your next turn starts (no effect while someone is taunted by you). |
| Free Strike | Make a free strike as your main action. |
| Heal | An adjacent creature spends a Recovery or makes a saving throw. |
| Advance | Move up to your speed; split it around your other actions freely. |
| Disengage | Shift 1 square. |
| Ride | Your mount takes the Advance action (once per round per mount). |
Hero Tokens & Surges¶
Hero tokens are a shared pool — one per hero at session start, gone at session end. One token benefit per turn (or per test):
- 1 token → gain 2 surges.
- 1 token → turn a failed saving throw into a success.
- 1 token → reroll a test (keep the new roll).
- 2 tokens → on your turn or when damaged (no action), regain Stamina equal to your Recovery value — applied before the damage.
Surges: when you deal rolled damage, spend up to 3 — each adds your highest characteristic in damage to one target; or spend 2 to raise one of the ability's potencies by 1 for one target (never more than +1 each, but you can pay again for other targets). Unspent surges vanish when combat ends.
Conditions¶
| Condition | In one line |
|---|---|
| Bleeding | Lose 1d6 + level Stamina after each main action, triggered action, or Might/Agility roll. |
| Dazed | One thing per turn (main action or maneuver or move); no triggered actions. |
| Frightened | Bane vs the source; the source has edge vs you; can't willingly move closer to it. |
| Grabbed | Speed 0; only the grabber can force-move you; bane on abilities that don't target the grabber. |
| Prone | Your strikes take a bane; melee vs you has edge; crawl (+1 square per square). |
| Restrained | Speed 0, no Stand Up, can't be force-moved; bane on ability rolls and M/A tests; abilities vs you have edge. |
| Slowed | Speed 2; can't shift. |
| Taunted | Double bane on abilities that don't target the taunter (while you have line of effect to them). |
| Weakened | Bane on power rolls. |
Ending effects: (save ends) → roll a d10 at the end of your turn, 6+ clears it (saving throw); (EoT) → ends at the end of the affected creature's next turn.
Potency notation: "M < 2" means a target whose Might is 2 or higher shrugs off the effect — the letter is the resisting characteristic, the number is your potency.
Common Maneuvers¶
Aid Attack · Catch Breath · Escape Grab · Grab · Hide · Knockback · Make or Assist a Test · Search for Hidden Creatures · Stand Up · Use Consumable
Movement¶
- Every adjacent square costs 1 — diagonals too, but you can't cut a corner past a wall.
- A move never exceeds your speed unless an effect says so.
- Difficult terrain +1 square per square · climb / swim (2 per square without a climb/swim speed) · crawl (+1 per square, while prone) · fly · falling
- Jump: long-jump up to Might or Agility squares (min 1), 1 square high, free during any move; a Might/Agility test stretches it (12–16: +1, 17+: +2 length and height). No jumping out of difficult or damaging terrain.
- Shifting: no opportunity attacks; can't shift into difficult terrain.
- Teleport: ignores obstacles and opportunity attacks; needs line of effect to an unoccupied destination; ends grabbed / restrained; you can stand on arrival.
- Size: squares occupied; size-1 creatures are 1T < 1S < 1M < 1L, all in one square.
Forced Movement¶
- Push = away from you · pull = toward you · slide = any direction; none move the target vertically unless marked vertical. You may always move the target fewer squares.
- Stability subtracts its value from every forced move against you.
- Bigger attacker, smaller target (melee weapon ability): distance +1; the reverse changes nothing.
- Slam into a creature: movement stops, both take 1 damage per unspent square. Into an object (their size+): movement stops, target takes 2 + 1 per unspent square.
- Through objects — squares of forced movement spent / damage taken: glass 1 / 3 · wood 3 / 5 · stone 6 / 8 · metal 9 / 11; leftover movement keeps going.
Areas of Effect¶
Full rule → — "within X" is how far the origin square can be; you need line of effect to that square only.
| Shape | In one line |
|---|---|
| Aura | Radius X around you; moves with you for the ability's duration. |
| Burst | Radius X around you; instantaneous. |
| Cube | X-square sides, placed at range. |
| Line | A × B straight corridor. |
| Wall | X stackable squares, each sharing a side; blocks line of effect; not into occupied squares. |
Stamina, Dying & Recovery¶
- Damage reduces Stamina; when a non-hero hits 0, you choose death or unconsciousness.
- Damage immunity subtracts its value from that damage type (to 0 = no rider effects); weakness adds its value.
- Winded: at or below half Stamina.
- Dying: Stamina 0 or below — you keep acting, but you're bleeding and can't Catch Breath; you die at the negative of your winded value.
- Spend a Recovery to regain your recovery value (Catch Breath maneuver); a respite (24h safe rest) restores everything and converts Victories to XP.
Combat Modifiers¶
- Flanking: you + ally adjacent on opposite sides → edge on your melee strikes.
- Cover: half the target behind something solid → bane on damage-dealing abilities against them.
- Concealment: obscured but not blocked (darkness, fog, invisibility) → strikes take a bane; a hidden target can't be targeted at all.
- High ground: fully above the target → edge on the power roll.
- Line of effect: fully blocked by solid obstruction = no targeting.
- Opportunity attacks: leaving a creature's reach without shifting → they get a melee free strike (free triggered action).
- Surprised
Director Quick Numbers¶
- Hero encounter strength = 4 + 2 × level (encounter building).
- Encounter Value (EV): a creature's budget cost; minions are bought 4 at a time.
- Hero tokens · Victories (every 2 average Victories ≈ one extra hero of encounter strength).