Progress Clocks
A progress clock is a circle divided into segments. Draw a progress clock when you need to track ongoing effort against an obstacle or the approach of impending trouble.
Sneaking into the bandit camp? Make a clock to track the alert level of the patrolling guards. When the PCs suffer consequences from partial successes or missed rolls, fill in segments on the clock until the alarm is raised.
Generally, the more complex the problem, the more segments in the progress clock.
A complex obstacle is a 4-segment clock. A more complicated obstacle is a 6-clock. A daunting obstacle is an 8-segment clock.
The effect level of an action or circumstance is used to tick segments on a clock (see Effect Levels). It’s the GM’s job to tick a clock so it reflects the fictional situation. If the PCs are making a lot of progress, the clock should be ticked a lot. This comes with practice, by properly judging effect levels. But you should always feel free to adjust a clock in play to better reflect the situation.
You can’t usually fill a clock with the effect of a single action. This is by design. If a situation is simple enough for one action, don’t make a clock, just judge the outcome based on the effect level of the action.
When you create a clock, make it about the obstacle, not the method. The clocks for an infiltration should be “Interior Patrols” and “The Tower”, not “Sneak Past the Guards” or “Climb the Tower”. The patrols and the tower are the obstacles. The PCs can attempt to overcome them in a variety of ways.
Complex enemy threats can be broken into several “layers”, each with its own progress clock. For example, the Sarameian governor’s villa might have a “Perimeter Security” clock, an “Interior Guards” clock, and a “Governor’s Office Security” clock. The party would have to make their way through all three layers to reach the governor’s personal safe and the magical items within.
Remember that a clock tracks progress. It reflects the fictional situation, so the group can gauge how they’re doing. A clock is like a speedometer in a car. It shows the speed of the vehicle. It doesn’t determine the speed.