Dramatic Systems

Summary of basic dice mechanics:

• Typical base difficulty for all rolls is 6. (+rules difficulties)
• Before rolling, you may (ST discretion) spend a Willpower to add an automatic success.
• Roll a number of d10's equal to your dice pool.
  • Every die greater than or equal to the difficulty is a success.
  • Every die showing 1 cancels a success. Even the auto-success from Willpower may be canceled this way.
  • If you roll a 1 and no successes (even before cancellation), then it's a botch.
  • If you have a relevant specialty, then re-roll 10s. (+rules specialties)
• In non-combat situations, trying the same thing again after a failure (not botch) is typically +1 difficulty (cumulative).
• Resisted rolls: Two characters roll, successes cancel 1:1, defender wins ties.

This is an attempt at a common set of rules suitable for situations involving characters from multiple game lines. Players can use different rules if they all agree (+policy hand waving).

• For combat situations, see the Combat page.
  • If a roll is stated in terms of a primary ability, then a relevant secondary ability can be substituted at -1 difficulty.
  • If a roll is stated in terms of a secondary ability, then a relevant primary ability can be substituted at +1 difficulty.
  • If you don't have the ability at all, then consult the Lack of Ability guidelines.
  • If a substitution is explicitly mentioned below, then it's reiterating these clauses, not stacking with them.
• Actions without a roll are automatically successful.
• "Reflex" rolls don't count as actions.
  • Spending from a pool is a reflex, unless otherwise noted.
• If multiple options for a stat are listed, then the ST decides which one is relevant, or may let the player do so.
• If you're trying to do multiple things in a single turn, see the Combat rules for multiple actions. Split actions (mundane) reduce your dice pools, extra actions (supernatural) don't.

Normally automatic

Vampires spending blood

• For healing, see the Combat rules on supernatural healing.
• Otherwise reflex.

Getting up from the ground

• If you spend a full turn doing it, then it succeeds automatically.
• Shifters in a form with four or more legs can do it as a reflex at the start of a turn.
• Otherwise, it takes an action slot and you must succeed at Dexterity + Athletics vs 4.

Moving

See Combat rules on movement.

Readying a weapon

• If you spend a full turn doing it, then it succeeds automatically.
• Otherwise, it takes an action slot and you must succeed at Dexterity + (Melee or Firearms as relevant) vs 4.
• Loading a gun with ammo and shooting it in the same turn requires an automatic gun or a revolver with a speedloader.
• Mages use same rules for grabbing a focus out of a pocket. Digging it out of a crowded rucksack may take a few turns to find it.

Starting a car

• Takes an action slot, but succeeds automatically unless you're hot-wiring it.

Physical feats

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Social feats

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Mental feats

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