Setting Position & Effect

The GM sets position and effect for an action roll at the same time, after the player says what they’re doing and chooses their action. Usually, Risky/Standard is the default combination, modified by the action being used, the strength of the opposition, and the effect factors.

When you first start learning the game, you might step through the process with some deliberation, but after a bit of practice, you’ll be able to set position and effect with a quick “gut feeling” that can then be tweaked if a PC has a particular ability or item or some other element to consider as a special case.

The ability to set position and effect as independent variables gives you nine combinations to choose from, to help you convey a wide array of fictional circumstances.

For example, if an adventurer is facing off alone against a small band of goblins, the situation might be:

• The adventurer fights the goblins straight up, rushing into their midst and hacking away in a wild Skirmish. In this case, being threatened by the larger force lowers the adventurer’s position to indicate greater risk, and the scale of the band reduces the effect (Desperate/Limited).

• The adventurer fights the goblins from a choke-point, like a narrow alleyway where the band’s numbers can’t overwhelm them all at once. The adventurer isn’t threatened by several goblins at once, so their risk is similar to a one-on-one fight, but there’s still a lot of enemies to deal with, so the effect is reduced (Risky/Limited).

• The adventurer doesn’t fight the goblins, instead trying to maneuver their way past the band and escape. The adventurer is still under threat from many enemy attacks, so their position is worse, but if the ground is open and the goblins can’t easily corral them, then the adventurer’s effect for escaping isn’t reduced (Desperate/Standard). If they had some immediate means of escape (like leaping onto a speeding carriage), then the adventurer’s effect might even be increased (Desperate/Great).

• The goblins aren’t yet aware of the adventurer set up in a sniper position on a nearby roof. They take a shot against one of the goblins. The band’s greater numbers aren’t a factor, so the effect isn’t reduced, and the adventurer isn’t immediately in any danger (Controlled/Great). Maybe, instead, they want to fire off a salvo of suppressing shots against the whole band, in which case scale applies (Controlled/Limited). If the goblins are on guard for potential trouble, the adventurer’s position is more dangerous (Risky/Great). If the goblins are alerted to a sniper, then the effect may be reduced further, as they scatter and take cover (Risky/Limited). If the goblins are able to muster covering fire while they fall back to a safe position, then things are even worse for our adventurer (Desperate/Limited).