Taking action produced results. Results are measured with conditions. Elements within the game are understood to function and respond in the game setting in the same way as their real-world counterparts. It would be exhausting to try and detail all possible circumstances and assign them game mechanics. Instead, conditions are used to describe ways in which results restrict or enable game elements.
Conditions are single words or short phrases that describe an element within the game. Conditions must be understood to be used in their common and ordinary meaning. All elements within the game (characters, objects, or locations) are in a normal or neutral condition unless something changes. In the normal condition, an element behaves in the same manner as its real-world counterpart, with the same abilities and restrictions.
Conditions have two effects: the narrative effect, and the mechanical effect. The narrative effect restricts or enables abilities, and influences actions, according to the commonly understood definition of the condition. The mechanical effect applies a specific game mechanic as long as the condition is in place.
Creating, Modifying, and Removing Conditions
Conditions are created, modified, or removed through the use of skills, abilities, powers, or game effects. Creating, modifying, or removing a condition is accomplished by an ability check that generates enough result points to affect the condition. The result points generate value points that add or remove mechanical effects to a condition. Creating a more severe condition requires a larger difference between the result points and the resistance value. Conditions are either cumulative or discrete. Some conditions are tracked; tracked conditions are either progressive or measured.
Cumulative conditions may be created multiple times. Each instance of the condition is created and removed individually, and all of the effects are added together, even if some of them cancel out others.
Discrete conditions are not created multiple times. If a character already possesses a discrete condition, and the same condition would be created again, the second creation is ignored.
Condition tracks describe a variable’s progress or current state.
Progressive conditions describe a variable along a continuum, and each stage of the track must be passed through (or over) in order to reach the next state. Each condition on a progressive track replaces the previous condition.
Measured conditions describe a variable in its current state. Each condition on a measured track combines with the other conditions on the track. A new condition does not replace a previous condition, and each condition must be dealt with individually.
Conditions govern the types of actions a character is willing or able to take. A character’s reaction track describes the types of actions a character is willing to take. Attitude, Willpower, and Sanity are reaction condition tracks. A character’s capability track describes the types of actions a character is able to take. Health, Composure, and Body are capability condition tracks. A character’s or object’s status track measures an ability by describing the current state of a given ability. Ammo, Energy, and Duration are status condition tracks.
Conditions last until they expire or they are recovered. An expired condition is automatically removed at the end of its duration. Conditions may be recovered with an ability check. Recovering, or removing, a condition requires the same number of result points as needed to create it.
All elements in the game use conditions and condition tracks to measure their ability, effectiveness, and persistence.
Condition Severity
A condition either restricts an existing ability or imparts a new ability. The severity of the condition describes the scale and scope of the condition, while the number of mechanical effects affects the roll of the dice or the numerical value of a skill, ability, or attribute. The result points of an ability check to create a condition generate the severity and duration of the condition, along with a number of pips to be spend on mechanical effects.
Some ability checks generate an effect roll, such as damage in combat. When an effect roll (damage) is generated, the ability check (roll to hit) still has the opportunity to generate additional effects. If the ability check generated more than 5 result points, subtract 5 from the total and use the remaining result points to create a condition and effect in addition to the condition created by the effect roll.
In general: ability checks against a difficulty will generate result points used to create a condition; ability checks against a resistance will generate an effect roll using the first five result points, and leftover points may be used to create a condition. Effect rolls always generate result points used to create a condition.
| Result Points | Pips Generated | Condition Severity | Condition Duration |
| 1-5 | 1 pip | minimal | end of the next action |
| 6-10 | 2 pips | adequate | end of the next round |
| 11-15 | 3 pips | moderate | end of the current encounter |
| 16-20 | 4 pips | complete | end of the current scene |
| 21-25 | 5 pips | excessive | until recovered |
| 26+ | 6 pips | overwhelming | permanent |
When creating or modifying a condition, value points are spent to apply one or more of the following mechanical effects.
| Pip Value | Effect |
| 1 pip each | B1: a single ability check is made with Boost-1 |
| P1: a single ability check is made with Penalty-1 | |
| F3: a single ability check is made with Flip-3 | |
| F4: a single ability check is made with Flip-4 | |
| +/-1WD: a single ability check gains +/- 1 Wild Die | |
| +/- 1 bonus action | |
| +/- 1 position on a reaction track | |
| 2 pips each | +/- 1: a single fixed value or resistance roll gains +/- 1 |
| F2: a single ability check is made with Flip-2 | |
| F5: a single ability check is made with Flip-5 | |
| +/- 1 full action | |
| 3 pips each | +/- 1D: a single ability check gains +/- 1D |
| Advantage: a single ability check is made with Advantage | |
| Disadvantage: a single ability check is made with Disadvantage | |
| F1: a single ability check is made with Flip-1 | |
| F6: a single ability check is made with Flip-6 | |
| Increase or decrease duration by 1 step. | |
| 4 pips each | +/- 1 Action point |
| 5 pips each | +/- 1 ability |
Condition Tracks as Health and Composure
Health and composure are capability conditions that track the ability of characters to participate in conflicts. Characters usually begin a conflict in a normal or neutral condition. The goal of a conflict is to move the opponent’s condition to one where they no longer desire, or are no longer able, to participate in the conflict.
There are two Endurance Condition tracks that describe a character’s ability to participate in a conflict. Physical Endurance is also called the Health track; it describes a character’s ability to take action. Mental Endurance is also called the Composure track; it describes a character’s ability to make decisions. Vehicles and gear measure their ability to function using Hull Integrity; this is also called the Body track.
Endurance Conditions are measured. For example, if a character is Stunned, and becomes Stunned again, they are not automatically Wounded. Endurance conditions are cumulative. For example, if a character is Wounded and becomes Wounded again, the condition is applied twice.
| Result Points | Mechanical Effect | Health | Composure | Body |
| RP <= Resistance | No effect. | Normal | Normal | Normal |
| RP > Resistance (1-5) | -1 bonus action | Stunned | Startled | Defaced |
| RP > Resistance +5 (6-10) | -1 to actions and fixed values for one round | Hurt | Disoriented | Disrupted |
| RP > Resistance +10 (11-15) | -1D to ability checks until recovered | Wounded | Discouraged | Damaged |
| RP > Resistance +15 (16-20) | 1 ability cannot be used | Incapacitated | Demoralized | Broken |
| RP > Resistance +20 (21+) | no ability to take action or make decisions | Out of Action | Out of Action | Out of Action |
Condition Tracks as Attitude and Willpower
Attitude and Willpower are reaction conditions that determine the types of actions a character is willing to take. An NPC’s initial reaction to another character may be a function of their background or it may be randomly determined. An NPC’s reaction condition also modifies the difficulty to influence or coerce that NPC. The difficulty of an interaction roll may be adjusted by temporarily modifying the reaction to a more favorable condition.
Reaction Conditions are progressive. For example, to move a condition from Neutral to Helpful, the condition must first be made Cooperative, and then Friendly. Reaction Conditions are mutually exclusive. For example, an NPC cannot be both Cooperative and Friendly toward the same character, the Friendly condition supersedes the Cooperative condition.
| Modifier | Attitude | Willpower | Sanity |
| +15 | Helpful | Broken | Hysterical |
| +10 | Friendly | Stressed | Manic |
| +5 | Cooperative | Excited | Confused |
| +/- 0 | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| -5 | Uncooperative | Engaged | Lucid |
| -10 | Unfriendly | Focused | Rational |
| -15 | Hostile | Centered | Analytical |
Condition Tracks as Measurements
Status tracks are used to measure game elements that have a limited use. Conditions always have a narrative description, but do not necessarily have a narrative or mechanical effect. In this way, a condition track is used to measure quantity or duration without requiring the players or Game Master to keep track of individual units.
Each Status Track is specific to an individual ability; the description of the ability will include the description of the Status Track and which skill or ability is used to test it. When a track is tested, a failed check moves the track to the next condition; a successful check means the track stays on the same condition. A check that is failed by 5 or more points does not necessarily move the condition more than one place down the track.
All Status Tracks are progressive. Each condition on a track is related to both the previous and following conditions. As the track grows more difficult to test, a failed check becomes more likely, causing the track to deplete more quickly. Status tracks are also used to time a scene with an unknown duration; as the situation comes closer to resolution, the difficulty of a test becomes greater and failure becomes more likely.
| Difficulty | Effect | Quantity | Duration | Coverage |
| 12 | Full Effect | Full | Full | Full |
| 15 | 3/4 Effect | Heavy | Waning | Covered |
| 18 | 1/2 Effect | Light | Fading | Partial |
| 21 | 1/4 Effect | Depleted | Diminished | Exposed |
| — | No Effect | Empty | Expired | Vanished |
Other Condition Tracks
Tracked conditions are not limited to Health, Willpower, or Quantity, and tracks are not unique to characters. Tracked conditions are used to measure the status of every element within the game, depending on the particular game’s genre and emphasis.
A condition track always has at least two conditions: normal, and out of action. The normal condition means the track has no effect on the character or game element. The out of action condition means the character or game element can no longer take action or make decisions. A condition track with only these two conditions is essentially a pass/fail skill check.
A condition track may have any number of conditions. Longer condition tracks means that conflicts involving that track will have a greater emphasis in the game and take longer to play out. Shorter condition tracks will have less emphasis and play out very quickly.
Because a track usually begins in the normal condition and ends in the out of action condition, it is the number of conditions in between the beginning and the end that determines the length of the track. Additional condition tracks include examples such as Composure or Sanity.
| Conditions | Difficulty | Length of Encounter |
| 1 | Easy | Brief |
| 3 | Moderate | Moderate |
| 5 | Difficult | Lengthy |
