How To Play

This section will explain the basics of Metaforce gameplay and the types of encounters and scenarios one might face in a typical game. We will also go over the types of checks that may be called and how to process them. It is important that you have a Character Sheet for your character, as all values and stats required to play will be recorded there. For an explanation of the Character sheet, check out the wiki article "Character Sheet". At minimum, the character sheet should have the Attributes filled out to allow for improvised checks. For best results, the sheet should also contain a list of completed Metaphors to give that character the best chance in a real game. Don't forget to apply any other relevant traits and qualities depending on the character's concept as they may be applicable in various circumstances in a real game. The Game-Master should inform you of any divergences from the base rules while playing their game, the Metaforce core rules are a good guide for most things, but your Game-Master has ultimate authority over how and what rules are applied in their game. Types of Checks Skill Check A Skill Check is called upon to the player character to determine whether a risky task or action undertaken will be successful, creating a desired or positive outcome, or failure, in which case the outcome is undesirable. Skill checks have a Target-Number (TN) which the player must meet or exceed in order to be considered 'Successful', or 'Pass the check'. This TN could be set as per any rulings for routine tasks and scenarios, or it could be improvised by the Game-Master depending on how difficult the check is. Skill checks occur in two types, an Improvised/Attribute check, or a Metaphor check, with Metaphor checks often being referred to by name. When a character has a Metaphor that they can use in a skill check, the Ability and any applicable Sub-Ability score bonuses and dice are added along with the appropriate Attribute modifier and the result of the d12. But when a character does not possess a relevant Metaphor for a skill check, they instead have to roll their relevant Attribute dice with their d12 instead. In most cases, a character will get a larger overall bonus by having a Metaphor with applicable Sub-Ability than relying on just their Attribute die. When a character does have a relevant Metaphor, they do not benefit from their Attribute die unless allowed by the Game-Master, or some other mechanic. Quick Reference Improvised or Attribute checks are: d12 + relevant Attribute die Metaphors used in Skill checks are: d12 + relevant Metaphor Ability + Metaphor Sub Ability + Attribute modifier ToHit Check A ToHit Check works similarly to a Skill check, however the target-number isn't an arbitrary number created by the Game-Master nor a set number like a predictable obstacle. Instead the numbers to beat are related to a target's stats. Common target stats include a foe's Evasion and Deflection, which need to be beaten to hit a target and hit them with full force respectively. Uncommonly, a target stat could involve one or more of the target's Core Values (Body, Reflex, Mind) or their Status Thresholds. For Evasion, the character must roll at least equal to or greater than the target's Evasion to even affect them, else they will evade the attack harmlessly. For Deflection, the character must roll higher than the foe's Deflection or some damage/effects will be lessened by a varying amount. For any other uncommon stats, it likely that the character must roll equal to or greater than the value in order to affect the target fully. Quick Reference ♦ ToHit check (with Metaphor): d12 + relevant Metaphor Ability + applicable Metaphor Sub Ability + relevant Attribute modifier ♦ ToHit check (Improvised): d12 + relevant Attribute die ♦ Evasion: Result must equal or exceed target's Evasion to 'hit' ♦ Deflection: Result must exceed target's Deflection to hit without reduced damage/effects. ♦ Status: see Status Point for a clearer explanation. 'Explosive' Dice A feature built into every d12 rolled in a Skill or ToHit check is that the die will 'explode' when rolling its highest value. This means rolling a 12 on these dice will result in a Meta-d12 being rolled and added to the result. If the check was rolled with Advantage, then the value of the other die is added to the result and treated as a Meta-d12 instead. Only the original die/dice rolled in a check may have the explosive property, dice created from explosions lose the ability to explode. In an Advantage roll, both dice rolled are considered original (explosive) and even if both roll 12s, the two Meta-dice created will never explode. In addition, Meta-dice do not have the explosive property. Bonus Effect The Bonus Effect is related to the Meta-d12 generated from an die explosion. Typically, a exploding d12 in a Skill check will grant as Skill Bonus as the Bonus effect, improving the Skill check result. But in more complex situations such as a ToHit check for an attack, more options open up on how to use the Bonus effect value. Bonus Effects used to provide anything but a Skill/ToHit bonus is only available if the result before adding a Bonus effect would be successful (Skill check passes before Bonus effect, ToHit check does not miss its target). Alternative uses for the Bonus effect include increasing damage dealt by an attack, increasing magnitude of an existing or improvised effect, increasing healing/recovery amount of a power and more. As long as the bonus effect makes sense for the action undertaken and the Game-master permits it. There is still a benefit to overachieving on a Skill/ToHit check for the following mechanic. Critical Effect The Critical Effect is a result of exceeding the necessary Target-Number of a Skill check, or appropriate defensive stat of a target (Evasion, Evasion, any affected Core Value) by 10 or more, provided the check is a result of a singular, instant check and not an accumulation (like a Status Condition). Critical Skill check successes will vary by circumstance, but Critical ToHit checks often grant additional bonuses for attacks. An attack that deals damage will deal double the maximum possible damage that attack can deal (as such, any dice used is treated as being maximized before multiplication). Actions will deal the maximum amount of Effect Magnitude as well. Modes of Play Throughout a game, there will be different modes of play, these are fairly standard for most TTRPGs but they are listed here to give new players an idea of how games are structured. Roleplay / Exploration Roleplay scenes are generally when characters are permitted to act and speak in a more relaxed pace, whether players engaged in actual roleplay is irrelevant, the key aspect here is that the pacing of play is not as strict as in other modes and that characters often get a choice of where they wish to go, or by who or what they interact with. It is the Game-Master's job to present a scene for a player to understand their options, and to answer any questions about the scene and its contents for more clarity and take action when desired. Roleplay and Exploration scenes are also where most Skill checks are used and called upon. It can occur in mostly a few ways: Either the character's actions trigger an even the Game-Master acts upon, the Game-Master may call a check as a product of moving the story along, or the player may ask the Game-Master to use a Skill or Metaphor to aid in an action they want to take. A Game-Master should always call for a check if a player causes an event to happen, but it up to the player to actively use their skills/metaphors as the Game-Master isn't required to call checks for optional events. In short: Roleplay and Exploration is about problem-solving and using whatever is around you to your advantage. You can ask the Game-Master questions if you're unsure of anything and what options you have beyond the basic description. You can even simply tell the Game-Master you don't know what to do next, and they should advance the story (so long as you are willing to go along for the ride). Combat / Encounter In games that feature the concept, conflict may arise and the character may have to defend themselves from hostile entities, or simply from dangerous events that threaten their life. In Combat and Encounter modes, the game becomes more mechanical in nature and less free-form like Roleplay and Exploration would have been. Combat is usually measured in rounds of time (approximately 6 seconds each), Encounters differ slightly from Combat in that there may be a more linear set of events that endanger the player character but aren't in direct conflict with something else. For more information about how Combat rounds transpire, look over at the Combat article for deeper instructions. For Encounters, the Game-Master will instruct the player on what their options are to clear a phase or encounter. The player must choose which Metaphor(s) they can use to best overcome the challenge and roll for the best. A player may choose to use Meta-Abilities to shift the odds into their favor, but they will only have so many Meta-Points, so they have to choose carefully on what checks they wish to modify artificially throughout an entire game. In short: While Combat and Encounters are more strict than other modes of play, they emphasize more intense and mechanical play in the game where it's important to make use of a character's resource and talents to succeed. You still have the time to think of your next move but your character may be temporarily led down a path of checks and choices that could decide their fate. Fortunately, Metaforce provides a mechanic that can help you out of unwinnable states a limited amount of times, just make sure to keep Meta-points in reserve when you actually need them. Downtime / Rest Downtime and Rest scenes work differently from the other modes of play in that it is the most distant and hands-off play that more serves like a time-skip or recap than it is actively playing characters. If it does not serve the story or game to go into deeper detail, a Game-Master can simply allow players and their characters to simply tell them what they want to do and how they spend non-trivial amounts of time to work on projects or rest. Downtime and Rest scenes are similar in that players do not have portray their characters as they do in Roleplay and Exploration in order to do upkeep on their characters status and needs. Although, the difference between Downtime and Rest is that Rest is often a shorter span of time, sometimes in the minutes and hours, while Downtime can imply periods of days, weeks or more. a Rest scene is about recovering lost energy during an adventure while Downtime is spending time in the safety of a town to do something productive that wouldn't make for compelling tabletop gaming content, even if its rewards for the character definitely would. In short: Downtime / Rest is a faster way to deal with multiple character upkeep issues without slowing the game down. This is a time where characters can do shopping, work on a talent or craft, address any self-care and so forth. Short and Long Rests are even simpler, by limiting activities to just recovering resources to continue a journey while minimizing risk. Proper Downtime would be for long periods of time for a character to reasonably learn and train to gain and improve their Metaphors outside of using experience points.