Quick Start (One-Page Cheat Sheet)
Print this page. It covers almost everything you need at the table.
Your Character
- Two Domains (e.g. Fury + Skirmish). Each has a Domain Aspect, a Base Card, and Feature Cards. See Domains and Recipes.
- Aspects are pairs of Attributes (e.g. Agility = STR + DEX). An Aspect’s value is how many d4s you can roll.
- HP about 5. Stress about 5. Evasion about 10. Serious Threshold (Critical = 2×).
Rolling
- Pick the Aspect. Your pool is Aspect − current Action Load d4s.
- Add +1d4 per Advantage (one per source). −1d4 per Disadvantage (one per source); different sources stack and net out. Minimum 1d4.
- Add the total; beat the DC or the opposing roll.
The One “Can I Act?” Rule
You can take an action if (Aspect − current Action Load) ≥ the action’s Action Cost. Then add its cost to your Action Load. Reactions use the same rule and the same Load (no free reactions). Load resets at the start of your turn (to Exhaustion − Load Buffer, i.e. 0 − Load Buffer with no Exhaustion; a new character’s Load Buffer is 1, so Load starts at −1). Advantage and Disadvantage never change whether you can act—only the size of the dice pool once the action is allowed. (This keeps the gate short and matches Load-then-dice: Disadvantage can’t take an action away, and Help still matters on the roll.)
Attacks and Damage
- Attack total (Aspect dice + weapon/spell damage dice) − target Evasion = damage.
- Damage > 0: lose 1 HP. ≥ Serious: 2 HP. ≥ Critical: 3 HP. Shields can drop one step.
- At 0 HP choose: Blaze of Glory, Risk Fate (d4), or Live but Scarred. Healing before you choose skips the choice.
Spells
Roll your Domain Aspect. An Aspect named on a spell is the target’s Resistance. No slots: you are limited by Action Load. No Force damage (it is magical Bludgeoning).
Stress
Mark Stress to fuel Features (e.g. Frenzy). Full Stress + more = lose HP. Rests clear it (Resting).
Conditions (one effect each)
Deafened · Distracted (next roll Disadvantage) · Dying · Frightened · Hidden · Prone (−2 Evasion in melee) · Restrained (speed 0) · Sightless · Silenced · Slowed (half speed) · Stable · Stunned · Unconscious · Exhaustion (+1 starting Load per level). Details: Conditions.
Card Icons
⚡ Reactive card (costs Action Load) · 💢 Incantor Blood Surge card. Every card shows Name (Pillar – Type) and an Action Load line.
Growing
Complete 3 / 4 / 4 Tier requirements (one may be a Shared Milestone) and play the minimum sessions (2 / 3 / 4) to advance a Domain.