Playing the Game
Playing the Game
Resting
All characters need some form of rest in order to heal and recover. Some abilities require a rest before they can be used again.
Long Rest
A long rest occurs after 8 hours of sleep and a meal. At the end of a long rest, a creature regains all expended mana. If a creature goes 24 hours without a long rest, it must succeed a difficulty 20 Stamina check or gain one level of Exhaustion.
Short Rest
A short rest occurs after 4 hours of light activity or rest and a drink. At the end of a short rest, a creature regains up to half their expended mana.
Traveling
A group can travel by foot for up to 6 hours each day at one of the following paces:
| Pace | Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hasty | 6 miles per hour | Disadvantage on Observation and Stealth checks |
| Normal | 4 miles per hour | Disadvantage on Stealth checks |
| Cautious | 2 miles per hour | — |
Difficult Terrain
Not all travel is through flat or solid ground. When traveling through more hazardous terrain such as a swamp, snowy mountain peaks, or a dense jungle, the speed of traveling is halved.
Travel by Flight
If a group of characters all have a flying speed, an additional travel pace becomes available to them. A group can only travel at this pace for 1 hour each day.
| Pace | Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flying | 25 miles per hour | Automatically fail Stealth checks; disadvantage on Observation checks |
Forced March
A group of characters can travel for more than 6 hours in a day, but at the risk of straining themselves. At the beginning of each hour traveled past 6, each member of the group must succeed a Stamina check or gain one level of Exhaustion. The difficulty of this check is equal to 10 + 1 for each hour traveled past 6.
Environment
Fall Damage
When a creature falls from a hazardous height, it receives 1 wound for every 15 feet it fell, and must succeed on a Reflex check with difficulty equal to the distance it fell in feet or become prone.
Suffocating
A creature can hold its breath for a number of seconds equal to 120 + its Vitality score × 5. When a creature runs out of breath, it immediately begins Dying until it reaches air.
In combat, there isn't always time to take a breath before suffocation begins. In combat, a creature can only hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 2 + half its Vitality score.
Encounters
When a situation arises where every second counts, an encounter begins. Common examples of encounters are combat and chases.
Initiative
Once an encounter begins, all creatures involved must roll for initiative. Initiative is a temporary score that determines in what order everyone takes their turns. Initiative for each creature is determined by a d20 roll. Ties in initiative are resolved by the two tied parties making the same roll again as a contest, with the winner going first.
Surprise
Certain circumstances may leave one side of an encounter surprised. If the Storyteller determines that an individual or group are surprised, the surprised creatures skip their first turn in combat.
Rounds & Turns
Encounters are fast-paced and chaotic. In order to manage this, time is divided into rounds and turns. A round represents about 5–10 seconds of in-game time. Within each round, each participant takes their turn. Turns are taken in order of highest to lowest initiative. When everybody has taken their turn, the next round begins, and the cycle begins again. This organization of time continues until the Storyteller decides that the encounter has ended.
A turn has the following options, which can be executed in any order:
- An action, the main activity a character attempts during the turn
- A bonus action, an additional activity a character attempts
- Movement
A turn also includes a reaction, which is taken during other participant's turns when certain triggers are met.
Movement
Each turn, each participant in an encounter can move up to an amount equal to their speed (use walking, swimming, or flying speed as applicable). If multiple kinds of movement are used during a turn, the total amount traveled must be less than or equal to the greatest speed used. Movement does not have to be continuous, and can be broken up between other events during a turn.
You can move through space occupied by another creature, but you cannot end your movement in a space occupied by another creature. In addition, spaces occupied by hostile creatures count as difficult terrain.
Difficult Terrain
Some terrain is more difficult to move through than others. Every foot of movement in difficult terrain costs 1 extra foot. Some kinds of difficult terrain may be ignored by certain speeds, such as flying over briers or swimming through water rather than wading. The Storyteller decides what kinds of terrain are difficult, and what movement types are affected by them.
Common Actions
Attack
Make one attack with a readied weapon.
Cast a Spell
Certain spells have a casting time of 1 action and can be cast as an action.
Dash
Move up to your full movement speed (in addition to your normal movement).
Dodge
Gain a +1 bonus on all Reflex checks until the beginning of your next turn.
Equip
Ready one of your weapons or items for use.
Hide
Interact
Focus
Gain a +1 bonus on your next check.
Use Item
Use one item you have readied.
Wait
During any creature's turn until the beginning of your next turn, you may expend your reaction take an action then.
Common Bonus Actions
Cast a Spell
Certain spells have a casting time of 1 bonus action and can be cast as a bonus action.
Equip
Ready one of your weapons or items for use. You can have one readied item per hand. If you have two items readied already, you can put one away as part of the same bonus action.