Zones

Zones are an easy way for the Game Master to keep track of players, enemies and figure out how many enemies a **Fireball** or other area of effect ability hits without needing to resort to using a battle grid with miniatures. All you need is a scrap of paper and a pencil.

Zones represent an area containing players and/or enemies during a battle. If a Skill Gem or effect says it hits all enemies in a Zone, all enemies in that area get hit by it, unless the GM makes a special ruling due to cover or terrain.

The strength of the Zone system is the lack of specifics. You don’t worry about whether a character is 1 meter out of range, or the exact **Fireball** radius size compared to a group of enemies, with this system you can make combat cinematic, simple to understand and most importantly descriptive and fun. You don’t even need to show the players your sheet of paper if you don’t want.

*For example:*

*A group of four exiles, Bob, Jill, Jerry and Sarah encounter a mass of tribal savages who charge at them with reckless abandon. Bob and Jill say they are standing together, and Jerry and Sarah say they are both standing alone. The GM draws a circle for Bob and Jill and writes their name in it. For Jerry and Sarah, he draws their own separate circles. These represent the general location their players are standing.*

*There are 18 savages in total, and one Fire Priestess. At this point, the GM decides to split the savages into 3 groups of 6 each, drawing a circle of each group, and leaves the Fire Priestess in her own Zone.*

*Once combat commences, **Bob** declares he's going to cast **Fireball**. The GM says he can hit one of the groups of 6 guys, or target the Fire Priestess. **Bob** decides to fire at one of the groups of 6 savages. He does a solid amount of damage, and all 6 savages get consumed in the blast of fire, bits of gibbed arms and legs flying violently all over the place. Bob cackles with glee.*

*The GM scribbles out one of the circles of 6 savages, since they’re dead. Now it's the savages turn. He decides the remaining 2 groups of savages (12 in total) rush towards **Bob’s** Zone and attack him and **Jill** (who is in the Zone with him). The GM notes that now **Bob** and **Jill’s** Zone has the 12 savages in it, he links his two circled groups of 6 savages to **Bob** and **Jill’s** Zone.*
 ***Bob** and **Jill** both get attacked by the savages, suffering significant damage. The GM describes the savages smashing into them with rusty hatchets and spears. Some of the savages leap on their backs, or grab and bite their legs. Because the savages have attacked **Bob** and **Jill** in melee, **Bob** and **Jill** are Engaged, which means they cannot leave this Zone unless they kill the savages or succeed in a **Maneuver** check to escape.*
*The Fire Priestess screams ‘For the Fire God!’ and hurls a **Fireball** at **Bob** and **Jill**. **Bob** and **Jill** are both in the same Zone, so they both take damage from the **Fireball**. They’re now both badly hurt, and in a tough spot because they’re Engaged.*

 ***Sarah** decides to take on the Fire Priestess. She runs towards the Priestess and attacks her with dual swords. The GM notes that **Sarah** has moved into the Fire Priestesses Zone, putting their circles together on his sheet of paper. Not only this, the Fire Priestess is now Engaged and cannot leave this Zone unless she succeeds on a **Maneuver** check because of **Sarah’s** melee attack. In addition, Engaged means the Fire Priestess can only target enemies in her current Zone. **Sarah** is cleverly protecting her friends from the ranged **Fireball**s of the Priestess by attacking her in melee and getting in her face.*

 ***Jerry** notches an arrow, as it starts to glow and hum with lightning he says ‘Don’t worry guys, I got this’ as he fires a **Lightning Arrow**, targeting **Bob** and **Jill’s** Zone. **Lightning Arrow** hits all enemies in a Zone, and there are currently 12 savages engaged there! He rolls and gets a critical strike! Whoah, all 12 savages explode as lightning courses through them. **Bob** and **Jill** are spattered from head to toe in gore, surrounded by smoking corpses.*
*‘I like this **Lightning Arrow** skill’ says **Jerry** with a smirk.*