Sometimes the right moment to act is **someone else's turn**: a shield raised as the axe falls, a ward that flares as a spell lands, a dash to a friend's side. These are **Reactions** (and other off-turn actions). MyRPG uses **one economy** for all of them: **[Action Load](/rules/actions/)**. --- ## The Core Rule - A Reaction **costs Action Load**, exactly like an action on your turn. - Use the one "can I act?" rule: you can take a Reaction if **(Aspect − current Action Load) ≥ its Action Cost** (see [Dice Pool](/rules/dice-pool/)). - Action Load you spend off-turn is still spent—choosing to react now means less to do later in the round. - There are **no free, unlimited Reactions**. If a Feature says "once per round" or "costs 0," that is the Feature's exception, written on its card. ::: wrap tip 💡 Holding Action Load back on your turn is a real choice. A character who spends little on their own turn has more room to protect friends on everyone else's. ::: --- ## 🃏 Reactive Feature Cards Every Feature Card tagged **Reactive** lists: - Its **trigger** (*"When an ally within 5 feet is targeted…"*) - Its **Action Load** cost - Any **once per round / scene** limit Your limit is simply what you can afford in Action Load. Domains never add a separate reaction-count cap. Reactive cards are marked **⚡** in their heading. ## Reaction Attacks A **reaction attack** is any attack you make on someone else's turn. There are **no automatic "attacks of opportunity"**: moving away from an enemy is safe unless that enemy has a Feature or spell that gives them a trigger. This keeps movement simple for most tables—nobody has to track who is threatening whom. Domains and spells that want to feel "sticky" opt in instead. Common triggers: - **Leaving reach:** *Punish Withdrawal* (Weapon Master), *Challenge Step* (Aegis), *No Retreat* (Fury), *Parting Shot* (Warden), *Companion Snap* (Beastbond), *Rail Guard* (Seafarer), *Stinging Aside* (Skald), *Thorn Lash* (Warding) - **Reaction cantrips:** *Parting Spark* (Arcane), *Chastening Light* (Divine), *Snapping Vine* (Nature; the same cantrip cast as a Reaction) - **A miss:** *Opening Strike* (Aegis and Weapon Master) triggers when an enemy in your reach **misses** someone—not on movement. - **Stronger punishers:** *Forced Exposure* (Skirmish) can also stop the mover, and *Zone Denial* (Aegis) punishes movement anywhere within your reach. Every reaction attack still costs Action Load as normal; you can make one only if your Aspect − Load ≥ the cost. When a Feature says you move "without provoking reaction attacks", none of these triggers can fire on that movement. --- ## Converting Other Resources Some Features let you trade a different resource for **Action Load relief**. These conversions are always written on the Feature that allows them. Examples: - *"You may mark 1 Stress to reduce the Action Load cost of **Opening Strike** by 1."* - *"Once per scene, **Reinforce** costs 0 Action Load."* ::: wrap important Conversions only apply to the Feature that names them. You cannot mark Stress to lower Action Load in general unless a Feature says so (for example Fury's *Frenzy*). ::: --- ## Reaction Domains Two Domains are built around acting on other people's turns: - **[Aegis](/rules/domains/aegis/)** — martial responses: shield walls, interposing, striking at openings - **[Warding](/rules/domains/warding/)** — magical responses: reinforcing allies' spells, barrier shells, counterpulses Characters in these Domains can still act normally on their turn. Their Base Cards simply **reward** keeping Action Load in reserve. ::: wrap notice ⚖️ **GM tip:** If reactions start making every attack miss, use enemies with feints, multiple attacks, or area effects. Pressure on Action Load is the natural counter. :::