How to Play

The Band of Fools series makes use of various game mechanics established in the World of Darkness/Chronicle of Darkness games.

## Rolling Dice

If your character performs an action that has a chance of failing, its success is decided by a roll of a dice. A 10-sided die is always used.

* When performing an action, you roll a dice to determine the success of that action. Dice pools will either consist of **Attribute + Attribute** or **Attribute + Skill**, with additional dice added (bonus) or subtracted (penalty) by modifiers or equipment in certain situations.
* Performing a successful action requires at least one '**success**' (a die showing a value of 8, 9, or 10). If you roll a 10, you may re-roll it to attempt to gain further successes. Your character's action fails when you roll no successes.
	+ Most actions will require only one success to be successful as long as it is not contested by another character, with additional successes enhancing the quality of that action.
	+ If a character is actively opposing and rolling a dice pool against you, then whoever rolls the most successes wins.
* When achieving an **Exceptional Success**, the effect of your action is enhanced, or you gain a positive Condition. It is achieved by rolling 5 or more successes. When receiving a **Dramatic Failure**, you fail badly at your action, or you gain a negative Condition. It is attained by rolling a 1 on the Luck Die or turning a normal failure into a Dramatic Failure once per scene to gain 1 XP.
* If your dice pool drops below 1 die, you instead roll a '**Luck Die**'. The Luck Die will only count as a success if you roll a 10, which cannot be re-rolled. Any other result is a failure. If you roll a 1 on the Luck Die, you automatically suffer a Dramatic Failure.
* If your character is about to perform an action that involves a Skill that they have no dots in, the Storyteller may allow you to roll your Attribute as a dice pool, but you suffer a penalty for being untrained:
	+ Mental Skill penalties subtract -3 dice.
	+ Physical and Social Skill penalties subtract -1 die.

### Dice Pool Modifiers

* Some circumstances might affect your chance of success and apply a modifier ranging between -3 and +3, though in very rare cases it can range from -5 to +5.
* Bringing the right equipment for a task also gives you bonus dice rolls. Most equipment will offer a 1-3 dice bonus, while a premium or custom-made item may grant a 4-5 dice bonus.
* When a task is impossible without specific equipment, equipment bonuses indicate how good your tools are above the baseline standard.

### Dice Pool Permutations

* **9-Again**: When you get a 9 or 10, re-roll that die.
* **8-Again**: When you get an 8, 9, or 10, re-roll that die.
* **Extra Successes**: If your roll succeeds, you get a number of extra successes added to your total. This applies mainly to weapons, which add their damage bonus as extra successes on your attack roll.
* **Rote Actions**: With plenty of training and easy instructions, you can re-roll any dice that are not an 8, 9, or 10. If you're reduced to a Luck Die, don't re-roll a Dramatic Failure. You may only re-roll each die once.
* **Successive Attempts**: When you fail a roll, you may try again. If time and pressure are no issue, you may make successive attempts with your full dice pool. Otherwise, each subsequent attempts has a cumulative -1 penalty.
* **Teamwork**: When 2 or more people work together, one person takes the lead as the primary actor and uses their dice pool for the action as normal. Any characters assisting them rolls the same pool before the primary actor. Each success from a secondary actor gives the primary actor a bonus die. If one of the secondary actors suffers a Dramatic Failure, the primary actor takes a -4 penalty.

## Creating a Character

### Step One: Character Concept

First, develop a general idea of what and who your character is - their personality, their profession, their appearance, their goals, etc.

**NOTE:** Choose a Virtue and Vice for your character. Virtues are positive traits while Vices are negative traits - both act as a general guide when acting your character and also provide a way to regain lost Willpower.

### Step Two: Select Attributes

**Attributes** are your character's fundamental abilities. All Attributes start with one free dot. The Attributes are divided into three columns: Mental, Physical, and Social. Prioritize the three columns depending on how important they are to your character and distribute 5/4/3 points between the columns.

**NOTE:** Most simple actions have dice pools consisting of an Attribute + another Attribute.

### Step Three: Select Skills

**Skills** are areas where your character has had experience and training. The Skills are divided into three categories: Mental, Physical, and Social. Prioritize the three categories depending on how important they are to your character and distribute 11/7/4 points between the categories, selecting only the Skills you want.

**NOTE:** Actions that are more difficult and/or specific have dice pools consisting of an Attribute + a relevant Skill.

### Step Four: Add Skill Specialties

**Skill Specialties** represent your character's particular areas of expertise. Start with 3 Specialties in the Skills you have chosen - these Specialties may be distributed among the Skills evenly, or they may all be in one Skill. You may only have one instance of a Specialty at a time.

**NOTE:** Skill Specialties add +1 die to the dice pool if your character's current action involves that Specialty and the Skill it's connected to.

### Step Five: Select Merits

**Merits** are your character's unique abilities. Start with 7 points to spend in Merits.

**NOTE:** You may spend them freely, as long as you meet the prerequisites for each Merit purchased.

### Step Six: Determine Advantages

Depending on your character's species, they will possess advantages unique to them. For normal human characters, they only have the most basic statistics.

* **Willpower** is your character's will to see things through. It is equal to your character's Resolve + Composure. In dire need, a point of Willpower may be spent to give your next roll a bonus of +3 dice.
* **Integrity** is your character's morality and sanity. Characters often start with an Integrity of 7 (average human morality), but may vary. If your character commits atrocious acts or experiences a traumatic event, their Integrity may lower.
* **Size** is your character's size (duh). All adult human characters are 5, unless modified by a Merit.
* **Speed** is how many meters your character can move in one turn. It is equal to your character's Strength + Dexterity + 5.
* **Health** is how much damage your character can take before succumbing. It is equal to your character's Size + Stamina.
* **Initiative Modifier** affects your character's placement in a turn order in combat. It is equal to your character's Dexterity + Composure.
* **Defense** is your character's ability to defend against or dodge an attack. It is equal to the lower of your character's Wits or Dexterity.

Apply finishing touches, and congratulations! You have created a mortal human character! For guides on how to create other character types (vampires, werewolves, mages, etc.) refer to their specific page here.

## Actions

* **Instant**: A majority of actions are instant actions, taking only a few seconds. In combat, an instant action uses up your turn.
* **Reflexive**: A reflexive action needs little thought to perform and can be done at any time. It will not use up your turn in combat, but characters are limited to 5 reflexive actions per turn.
* **Contested**: When two or more characters fight over a specific goal, they engage in a contested action. One player rolls their dice pool while the other (or Storyteller) rolls their own. Whoever rolls the most successes becomes the victor. A contested action uses up the turn of the character initiating the action, while resisting it is a reflexive action.
* **Extended**: An extended action is an attempt to complete a complex task. Roll your dice pool multiple times, depending on how many dice the Storyteller says are required. Most actions require between 5 and 20 successes. Each roll represents a certain amount of time taken to complete the task as your character either makes significant progress or experiences a setback. The Storyteller also determines the time interval between rolls.
	+ Dramatic Failure - Your character suffers the effects of Failure, and the first roll on further attempts suffers a -2 penalty.
	+ Failure - Take a bad Condition presented by the Storyteller or abandon the action altogether. If you refuse or cannot agree on a Condition, you lose all accumulated successes.
	+ Success - Add the successes scored on the roll to the running total.
	+ Exceptional Success - Either reduce the time on each following roll or apply the 'Exceptional Success' result of the action when you complete your goal.

### Resistance

* Some of your character's actions are resisted by others, requiring you to apply one of your opponent's Resistance Attributes (Resolve, Stamina, or Composure) or Defense.
* In situations where the number of successes on a roll is important, apply Resistance. If it only matters whether the roll succeeds or not, use a contested action.
* **Supernatural Tolerance** is a value added to dice pools to resist supernatural effects. It differs for each creature - however, mortal humans do not have this quality.

## Time

* **Turn**: Lasts for 3 seconds. A single instant action may be performed. Turns only matter in combat or dramatic/stressful situations.
* **Scene**: Lasts for a single, specific event. Can be played out in turns, progress in real time, or skipped forward.
* **Session**: A collection of scenes that happen in one playthrough.
* **Campaign**: An entire tale.
* **Chronicle**: A collection of interlinked stories.

## Skill Specialties

While Skills describe broad knowledge and training, Skill Specialties describe particular areas of expertise.

* Characters begin play with three Skill Specialties, but may purchase more with XP.
* Characters may have any number of Specialties for a given Skill, but only one instance of each Specialty.
* Whenever a Specialty applies to a player's roll with the relevant Skill, they add +1 die to the pool. Multiple Specialties may apply to a single roll with Storyteller approval.

## Willpower

* In dire situations, you may choose to spend a point of Willpower. Doing so will grant you a +3 to the current action's dice pool, giving you more chances to succeed.
* You can only spend one Willpower point per action.
* Willpower can be regained when your character gets a full night's sleep after a session (1 point) or indulging in your Vice (1 point), or refilled completely after acting according to your Virtue in a difficult situation. You may regain Willpower up to twice per game session in this way.

## Integrity

Human characters encountering traumatic or supernatural events or performing atrocious acts suffer strain to their Integrity. Human characters start with a 7 in Integrity, signifying the average person's sanity and morality.

### Breaking Points

* Breaking points are events where characters endure experiences or perform actions that cause psychological stress. Characters lose Integrity when experiencing a 'breaking point'.
* When a character suffers a breaking point, they must roll Resolve + Composure with a modifier based on their Integrity, ranging from +2 to -2.
	+ Dramatic Failure - Your character loses 1 dot of Integrity and suffers from one of the following Conditions: Broken, Fugue, or Madness. Gain 1 XP.
	+ Failure - Your character loses 1 dot of Integrity and suffers from one of the following Conditions: Guilty, Shaken, or Spooked.
	+ Success - Your character suffers from one of the following Conditions: Guilty, Shaken, or Spooked.
	+ Exceptional Success - Gain 1 XP and regain 1 Willpower point.

### Meditation

* Meditation can be done to improve chances of resisting a breaking point. It is an extended action with a dice pool of Wits + Composure, target success of 4, and an interval of 30 mins between each roll.
* If successful, your character gets a +1 bonus to their next breaking point roll. Once the bonus is used up or the character sleeps, it disappears and meditation must be done again to regain the effect.
* Certain equipment, environmental factors, or circumstances can apply modifiers ranging from +3 to -3.

## Conditions

* Conditions represent ways in which a character is affected by story events and what they can do to move past said events. They are applied according to in-game events (exceptional successes, dramatic failures, breaking points, supernatural powers, etc.). and remain until they are resolved by meeting certain criteria.
* Conditions typically consist of modifiers ranging from +2 to -2 to a certain type of action or to any action taken with a certain motivation.
* A character may only have one instance of a particular Condition.
* When a character resolves a Condition, they gain 1 XP. However, if the Condition has a time limit and expires, the character does not gain XP as waiting it out isn't enough to resolve it.
* A Persistent Condition lasts for a long time and requires specific and impressive efforts to be resolved. Once per session, a character can gain 1 XP when a Persistent Condition impacts their life.

### Positive Conditions

* **Bonded:** Gain +2 on any rolls influencing an animal. The animal may add your Animal Ken to any one die roll. Resolved by the animal's death.
* **Connected:** Gain +2 on any rolls relating to a group. Can be shed to gain a one-time +3 bonus to any rolls relating to said group. Resolved by leaving the group.
* **Informed:** In the relevant Skill, failed rolls become a single success, while a success becomes an exceptional success. Resolved by using the Condition for its benefit.
* **Inspired:** Gain a Willpower point and gain an exceptional success on 3 successes instead of 5. Resolved by using the Condition for its benefit.
* **Obsession:** When pursuing the obsession, all rolls are 9-again.
* **Steadfast:** If you failed a roll, the action becomes a single success. Luck die are rolled as a single die.

### Negative Conditions

* **Blind:** Actions requiring sight use a Luck Die. If another sense can be substituted, rolls instead suffer -3. Resolved by being in danger due to the disability.
* **Broken:** All Social rolls and rolls using Resolve suffer -2 and rolls using Intimidation suffer -5. Resolved by backing down or failing a roll.
* **Crippled:** Your Speed becomes 1 and your character must rely on devices to travel. Resolved by being in danger due to the disability.
* **Deprived:** Stamina, Resolve, and Composure dice pools suffer -1. Resolved by therapy or indulging in the vice.
* **Fugue:** Roll Resolve+Composure. If you fail, the Storyteller controls your character for the next scene. Resolved by suffering the effects of this Condition.
* **Guilty:** Resolve or Composure rolls suffer -2 against Subterfuge, Empathy, Intimidation rolls. Resolved by atoning for your actions.
* **Madness:** Storyteller applies a dice pool of (10-the character's Integrity) to any Mental or Social roll. Resolved by failing a roll due to this Condition.
* **Notoriety:** All Social rolls suffer -2 against those who know of your notoriety. Resolved by clearing your name.
* **Shaken:** May be shed by opting to fail a roll for an action hindered by fear. Resolved by failing a roll.
* **Swooned:** All rolls that harm the subject suffer -2, while the subject gains +2 on any Social rolls against you. Resolved by risking your life for the subject or failing a roll to resist the subject's social action.

## Tilts

Tilts are similar to Conditions, but characters do not gain XP from resolving Tilts.

### Personal Tilts

* **Arm Wrack:** If on one arm, drop held item and suffer off-hand penalties for most rolls. If both arms, roll a Luck Die on rolls using both arms and -3 to other physical actions.
* **Beaten Down:** Cannot perform violent action without spending Willpower.
* **Blinded:** If one eye, -3 to vision-related rolls. If both eyes, -5 to vision-related rolls and lose all Defense.
* **Deafened:** If one ear, -3 to perception rolls. If both ears, roll a Luck Die on perception rolls, -2 to combat rolls.
* **Drugged:** -2 Speed, -3 to combat rolls (including Defense and perception). Ignore wound penalties.
* **Immobilized:** No combat actions. Can't move or apply Defense.
* **Insane:** +1 to combat rolls, act last. -3 to Social rolls and can't spend Willpower.
* **Knocked Down:** Lose action this turn, knocked prone. Can apply Defense. -2 when attacking from ground.
* **Leg Wrack:** If one leg, half Speed and -2 on movement-related rolls. If both legs, you are Knocked Down, give up action to move at Speed 1, roll a Luck Die for movement-related rolls.
* **Poisoned:** If moderate, 1 bashing damage per turn. If grave, 1 lethal damage per turn.
* **Sick:** If moderate, -1 to all actions, increasing by -1 every 2 turns. If grave, it also inflicts 1 bashing damage per turn.
* **Stunned:** Lose next action. Half Defense until your next turn.

### Environmental Tilts

* **Blizzard:** -1 to perception and ranged attack rolls, increased by -1 per 10m. -1 to physical rolls per 4 inches of snow.
* **Earthquake:** penalty to Dexterity rolls depending on severity. Suffer 1-3 lethal damage per turn. Stamina+Athletics roll turns the damage into bashing.
* **Extreme Cold/Heat:** Bashing damage doesn't heal. -1 penalty to all rolls, increasing by -1 per hour. At -5, further hours deal 1 lethal damage.
* **Flooded:** -2 to physical dice pools per 1m of flooding. Once water is overhead, you must swim or hold breath.
* **Heavy Rain:** -3 to perception rolls.
* **Heavy Winds:** -3 to perception rolls. Suffer -1 to -5 to physical rolls, deals that much bashing damage per turn. Dexterity+Athletics roll to avoid.
* **Ice:** -2 Speed, -2 to physical actions. Can move at normal speed but -4 to physical actions. Dramatic failure causes Knocked Down. Drive rolls suffer -5 and half acceleration.

## Experience

* Characters gain XP when they fulfill one of the criteria below:
	+ Fulfilling an Aspiration - at the end of the session, replace the Aspiration.
	+ Resolving a Condition
	+ Some Conditions provide XP for actions other than resolution
	+ Turning a failed roll into a dramatic failure
	+ Taking lethal damage
	+ Completing a session
	+ Any time you risk a breaking point
	+ Completing Silver, Gold, or Platinum Achievements
* Before the beginning of a campaign or session, players may use XP that they have earned from the previous session to purchase additional traits for their characters. The enhancement of certain traits costs the following:
	+ One Attribute dot = 4 XP
	+ One Merit dot = 1 XP
	+ One Skill dot = 2 XP
	+ One Skill Specialty = 1 XP
	+ One Integrity dot = 2 XP

### Achievements

Notable accomplishments in a campaign will grant players achievements and XP. There are four ranks of achievements:

* **Bronze** (trivial tasks that award no XP)
* **Silver** (acts that signify progress in the story and award 1 XP each)
* **Gold** (acts that show significant progress in the story or impressive feats and award 2 XP each)
* **Platinum** (awarded after achieving a certain percentage of achievements after a campaign - usually 80% - and awards 5 XP to use in the next campaign)

## Investigation

All campaigns are based around a mystery or multiple mysteries, and gathering clues to solve that mystery is key to completing the campaign.

* Clues can either take the form of a specific object or a fact that the characters find out.