Magnitude

Status Conditions & Magnitude Characters may suffer from, or inflict Status Conditions like damage over time effects (Poison, Burn), or ones that affect how they can act (Mind-Control, Rage, Fear). Some conditions are beneficial as well, or are used to track the use of powers and abilities. Status conditions work on a point system known as Magnitude (Mag), which targets a character’s Core-Value Status Threshold, which is based on their Core Values (Body, Reflex, Mind). Different effects can trigger depending on the difference between Magnitude and Threshold, the difference is expressed in terms of a Status Severity. Characters can also attempt to avoid being affected rolling a Status Saves, often in the form of a 'Body Save', 'Reflex Save' and 'Mind Save' respectively. Status Severity Status Severity denotes varying levels of intensity, based on the condition itself. The main severity states are Partial, Full, and Severe. Conditions must have at least one state in order for its effect to function. A state called Suppressed can occur when a character has a status magnitude, but resisted its effects via a Save. Partial occurs when a Status condition has effects on a target but the Magnitude is less than or equal to the target's affected Status Threshold. This can happen when a character fails to save against an effect below their threshold. Full occurs when Magnitude exceeds their threshold. This occurs when the character fails to Save against a condition on or above their Status Threshold. Severe occurs when the Magnitude exceeds 10 points over the target's status threshold. Resisting Status Magnitude Status Save Whenever a character is subjected to status magnitude they want to resist, a character can attempt a Status Save, the bonus applied differs from condition to condition, but the defender always rolls a d12 and adds the total. d12 + appropiate bonus (usually Attribute) + other bonuses = Status Save If the defender rolls equal or greater than the Magnitude, the magnitude is halved and then Suppressed. This suppressed effect does nothing to the character but become relevant for repeated exposure to the same condition. Generally suppressed conditions go away on their own unless specified. Magnitude stacking Even though a character may resist a Status, the condition can still leave points of magnitude on the character. This makes the defender more susceptible to being afflicted consecutive times as the defender must then roll to resist the newly applied magnitude plus the remaining magnitude. New Magnitude + Suppressed Magnitude = Target Number to Save against condition Furthermore, even if the defender has exceptionally high resistances, if Magnitude exceeds the defender's Core value for that condition, they automatically fail the save. Saving against a condition is always better as it does half the incoming Magnitude regardless of whether it is suppressed or not. Total Magnitude >= Status Threshold = Status inflicted, not suppressed Appropriate Bonuses Status conditions often target a Core value, but resisting them is based on an Attribute score or relevant defensive Metaphor (Fitness, Discipline-Willpower). Generally physiological conditions that affect Body, resist with Endurance, psychological conditions that affect the Mind use Charisma. Other forms like being set on fire or being trapped in a net may require other Attributes, such as Agility for batting out flames, or Strength to break out of containment. Break Checks Occasionally there will be status conditions that are maintained manually through concentration and/or physically being applied, like a Grapple. When this happens, instead of rolling to resist the condition, the defender will be rolling to break out of conditions instead. The break TN will be the same as the magnitude affecting the user. Roll a d12, add appropriate Metaphor and Attribute bonuses, if the value is high enough, the condition is broken. If it isn't, the Break Magnitude created is halved. To break out of conditions like this often requires at least one Action Frame of time to complete, and can only be performed once per turn. Rounding Rule When rounding Magnitudes for the purposes of 'halving magnitude', you round down. Components of a Status condition Status conditions can be broken down into Effect, Affected Core, Resist Attribute, Magnitude and Persistence. Effect (Minor/Full/Severe) Effect is what the status condition does when a character is affected by it. There is always a version that occurs for Full severity, but optionally Partial and Severe can be provided here as well. Suppressed effects do nothing. Example Condition Effects ♦ Poison: Deals X poison damage to target every 6 seconds (one round) or 1 minute outside of combat, where X is half Magnitude of the condition. ♦ Ignite/Burn: Deals X fire damage to target every 6 seconds, where X is the Magnitude of the condition. Full Effect: If Target fails a save at Status threshold, they suffer a 'Burn Injury' equal to this condition's highest magnitude, user takes 1.5x more damage (rounded down) from attacks to the affected area. ♦ Fear: Partial: Character suffers one stage of Disadvantage to approach take actions that involve approaching the Fear target. Full: Character will be unable to do any actions towards the source of its fear and flee as far away from it as possible. Severe: Each round that a target is in the presence of their Fear target, they lose health equal to their Fear Magnitude. ♦ Mind Control / Charm: Partial: Character suffers one stage of Disadvantage against a target that has Mind-controlled/Charmed them. Full: A Controlled/Charmed character is compelled to act in the interest of their master and will be unable to act otherwise unless they break free of control through Break checks. Severe: Character can't roll Break checks to escape Mind-Control or Charm effect unless disrupted externally. ♦ Trapped (Escape): Character is stuck inside a trap or in the clutches of a larger creature. They will be unable to move or act normally (with exception) until they break free. Target must roll Break checks to build up Break Magnitude and escape the trap. ♦ 'Buff': As an example, a character may cast a beneficial spell or effect upon another and gain a Magnitude. For instance, a Magnitude of 3 would mean the buff gives +3 to a bonus, or it could mean it gives a fixed bonus for 3 turns and its Magnitude is reduced each time a round passes. Beneficial status effects are not normally resisted unless the player/character really wants to (for some reason). Affected Core Affected Core indicates which of the target's character’s Core Values or Status Threshold is affected by this condition. Generally physiological conditions are Body-affecting and psychological conditions are Mind-based. Some special states like being caught inside a trap or grappled by an enemy can also be Reflex-affecting. Magnitude Magnitude is a numerical value that states how many Status points are applied when an attack or ability inflicts it, and depending on the condition's Persistence property, may also stay on the affected target for a period of time. An attack or ability that inflicts status conditions is usually determined by rolls made and Metaphors or Features used to inflict it. Magnitudes may also be dealt as side-effects to attacks that do not innately create them, such as dealing knockback to a concussive attack that normally only deals damage. Certain effects can't be resisted with Status resistance rolls. Knockback for example. In these cases, a special resistance is required or circumstances that reduce or negate the magnitude entirely. A character whose size and weight makes it difficult to move them might resist Knockback in this way. Examples ♦ A character with +2 Strength (md6) spending an action to bolster an attack's Strength so that it may inflict d12 + md6 (3 to 18 pts) of Knockback Magnitude with a blunt weapon. ♦ A character with +3 Agility (md8) spending an action to inflict d12 + md8 (4 to 20) Bleed magnitude against a foe with their sharp weapon. Resist Attribute Resist Attribute indicates the Attribute to which a target may resist Magnitude points applied. Body usually uses Endurance. Mind uses Charisma. Reflex tends to vary. Always check the status condition for the correct Resist Attribute. If the status condition can be recovered/cleansed naturally, then the appropriate attribute can be used to remove status points during each interval of rest. This uses the character's Attribute modifier to reduce Magnitude taken by its result, to a minimum of 1. Persistence (Persist / Flash) Persistence is how long a status condition’s magnitude remains after being inflicted upon a character. By default, Status conditions persist indefinitely (Persist), removed over time as part of recovery or until cleansed by an item or ability. Part of a Status condition’s effect will describe how points are added or removed whenever it triggers. Flash Status Conditions are extremely temporary conditions that wear off by the next round of an encounter. Flash conditions often allow the one who used it to roll a die in order to boost the magnitude of their status-inflicting effect. An example of a Flash condition would be a Stun effect that causes a character to be unable to perform any action other than try to Break the effect via Break checks. If the defender rolls a Save and succeeds, no magnitude persists from this Stun effect. Exertion / Stamina Status points can be used to track a character’s status, such as Exertion. There are a few ways characters can accrue and cleanse Exertion during a game. Exertion is a special condition that affects both Mind and Body cores, but only inflicts its strongest penalties when both cores are exceeded. When Exertion exceeds either Body or Mind, the character becomes Exhausted and loses Advantage on all skill and ToHit checks (prevents Advantage). When both cores are exceeded, all checks (including Saves) are rolled at Disadvantage. Exertion can be accrued after an Encounter completes, whenever a character uses a strenuous ability or power, or after long periods of travel or without rest. Exertion is then cleansed through Rest and tending to a character's needs. If Exertion goes beyond 10 points of a character's lowest Core value between Body and Mind, they will fall unconscious. They can only be roused to consciousness after their Fatigue is 10 or less than their lowest affected Core value. You can keep track of Exertion easily on the Character Sheet.