Action!/System/Actions

Action Value
An Action Value is generated when an Action is important, using a [ Skill ] rolling a positive and a negative d10 and adding the results.

Outcome
The Action Value is compared to a Defense (or Difficulty when no opposing force is present). Any margin is called Outcome. Action Value - Defense = Outcome

Defense
The value compared to the Action Value. The GM decides which Defense is applicable at which time.

Passive Defense
The normal Defense, without any modification to either Defense or Shot Count. Normally, the same Skill as the one used to create the Action Value, and often Dodge or Willpower may be used to perform a Passive Defense.

Active Defense
When you really, really want to get out of the way. Lower your Shot Count by 1 and use any applicable Skill Value+5 as your Defense until your next Action. Applicable Skills include any Skill you can get the GM to accept.

Effect Value
When the degree of success of an Action is in question, an Effect Value is created.

Offense is an Attribute and its modifiers or a static Value. Resistance is an Attribute and its modifiers or a static Value.

Augment and Diminish cancel eachother out.

Offense-Resistance = Effect Value. For every point of positive Effect Value, a point of Outcome is doubled (+1 multiple per point of Augment active). For every point of negative Effect Value, a point of Outcome is halved (worsen to 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, etc per point of Diminish active). The normal syntax for this is Skill"+"Offense/Skill"+"Resistance.

Result
Result often provides a minor bonus per point of Outcome, but it also provides Success levels when a Threshold is reached (often called Wound Threshold or Success Threshold). There are eight degrees of success:
 * Fumble. This occurs if the AV of an Action drops below 0, or a double-0 is rolled, followed by a Failure or worse.
 * Total Failure. AV is Defense-5 or lower. The Action now counts as Hazardous.
 * Failure. This occurs if an Action's AV is strictly lower than the Defense, but higher than Defense-5. The Action fails, but does not cause any problems, and becomes One-Shot.
 * Minor Success. Less than Threshold EV. No effect, but allows the player to continue without penalties.
 * Success. Threshold EV but less than Threshold x 2. One short-term gain (Player is Inspired on her next Action as standard), and opponent loses a Pool point (Shot or Shock as standard).
 * Negotiated Victory. Threshold x 2 EV but less than Threshold x 3. One long-term gain (Player is Inspired this Encounter as standard), and opponent loses two Pool points (Shot or Shock as standard).
 * Victory. Threshold x 3 but less than Threshold x 4 EV. As Negotiated Victory, and opponent loses Outcome Pool points.
 * Total Victory: Threshold x 4+ EV or double-0 followed by any positive degree of success: You win! Opponent loses all Pool points of a single kind.

These are not absolute rules, but are often tweaked depending on the situation.

Hazardous
This Action causes a Fumble on a Failure.

Experimental
This Action causes a Critical effect on all doubles.

Routine
This Action always get at least 0 on the AV roll.

Static
This Action uses Static Skill Value as AV.

One-Shot
This Action may not be retried.

Stymied
This Action causes positive d10's to be closed. The first extra positive die is ignored, and all d10's are opened.

Inspired
This Action is rolled with an extra positive die.

Hindered
If this Action is successful, it gains -Threshold EV. This is not doubled by Promising.

Boosted
If this Action is successful, it gains +Threshold EV. This is not doubled by Promising.

Promising
If this Action is successful, it gains double Outcome.