SKILLS RULES
SKILL RULES
How to Use Skills
When a character enters combat or an encounter, they have a limited number of skills they can use based on their core stat. Fighters use Strength, Mages use Intelligence, and Clerics use Wisdom. The higher the core stat, the more skills they may use during that encounter. For example, a score of 9–12 allows two skill uses, while 13–15 allows three, and so on.
At the start of your turn, you decide which learned skill you want to activate. You can only use skills that your class has already gained through leveling. Each skill lists the type of action it requires: an Action, a Bonus, or a Reaction. If you cannot pay that cost, you cannot use the skill.
Once you choose the skill, you roll a D20 against your core stat. If the result is equal to or under your stat (after applying any modifiers), the skill succeeds. A roll of 1 is always an automatic success, and a roll of 20 is always an automatic failure.
Situational modifiers may apply to the roll depending on the difficulty of what you are attempting. Easy situations might make success more likely, while extremely difficult ones will penalize the roll. These modifiers adjust your chance of success but do not change how many skills you may use in the encounter.
If the roll succeeds, the effect of the skill is applied immediately. This might mean extra damage, healing an ally, creating a defensive formation, casting a modified spell, or another tactical advantage. If the roll fails, the skill has no effect, but the use is still consumed unless the skill’s description says otherwise.
Some skills have cooldowns or may only be used once per encounter. If a skill requires sustaining, you must continue to pay its cost each round, usually a Bonus action, or its effect will end.
At the end of the encounter, all skill uses refresh. Cooldowns also reset unless otherwise specified. You begin the next encounter with your full allotment of skills, ready to use again.
SKILL USAGE PROCEDURE
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Choose one learned skill your class knows. You may only activate learned skills. |
| 2 | Confirm you have a remaining skill use for this encounter based on your core stat. |
| 3 | Pay the action cost listed on the skill (Action, Bonus, or Reaction). |
| 4 | Roll a D20 equal to or under your core stat (Fighter uses Strength; Mage uses Intelligence; Cleric uses Wisdom). Apply situational modifiers from the Difficulty Modifiers chart. |
| 5 | On success, apply the listed effect and duration. On failure, no effect; uses are still consumed unless the skill text says otherwise. |
| 6 | Respect any cooldown or once-per-encounter limits shown in the skill’s entry. |
| 7 | Skill uses refresh at the end of the encounter. Long-duration effects end when the encounter ends unless noted. |
CLASS CORE STATS AND SCOPE
| Class | Core Stat | Skill Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Fighter | Strength | Combat maneuvers, weapon charges, formation tactics, control and mitigation |
| Mage | Intelligence | Spellcraft upgrades, metamagic-style controls, counters, shaping and amplification |
| Cleric | Wisdom | Healing, protection, blessings, interdiction, condition removal, morale and auras |
SKILLS PER ENCOUNTER BY STAT SCORE
| Stat Score | Skills per Encounter |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | 0 |
| 4–5 | 0 |
| 6–8 | 1 |
| 9–12 | 2 |
| 13–15 | 3 |
| 16–17 | 4 |
| 18–19 | 5 |
| 20 | 6 |
ROLL RESOLUTION AND DIFFICULTY MODIFIERS
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Standard Check | Roll D20 ≤ core stat after modifiers to succeed |
| Opposed Check | Both sides roll vs their core stat; higher success margin wins |
| Critical 1 | Automatic success; apply listed bonus rider if present |
| Critical 20 | Automatic failure; DM applies a reasonable setback |
| Easy | +4 to core stat for the roll |
| Moderate | +2 to core stat for the roll |
| Hard | −2 to core stat for the roll |
| Extreme | −4 to core stat for the roll |
STANDARD SKILL TAGS
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Action Cost | Action, Bonus, or Reaction |
| Target | Self, Ally, Enemy, Area, Formation |
| Duration | Instant, 1 round, sustain (costs a Bonus each round), encounter |
| Cooldown | Uses before you can activate again this encounter |
| Notes | Special limits or riders (e.g., cannot stack with X) |
EXAMPLES OF SKILL USE FLOW
| Example | Sequence |
|---|---|
| Fighter opener | Spend a Bonus on Weapon Charge, then Action for Combat Charge; roll STR vs target; on success apply bonus damage and shove |
| Mage control | Bonus for Shape Impact, Action to cast an area control spell, Reaction for Counter Window if the enemy responds |
| Cleric support | Bonus for Blessing on the striker, Reaction Ward to blunt an incoming hit, Action Lay on Hands to keep an ally standing |
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