Game Changelog

This page records rules text updates for the game. Each entry includes a brief summary and an exact text diff.

How to read the diffs:

Lines starting with - were removed from the rules text.
Lines starting with + were added to the rules text.
Unmarked lines provide surrounding context.

2026-01-vnext (v1.1)

Major Changes

Attributes: Adds point-buy option (distribute 4 points, max 3 per Attribute) as the primary method. Rolling is still an option.
Slots, Items, and Conditions: Renames section from “Items and Conditions” to “Slots, Items, and Conditions”. Rewrites section to introduce Slots first, then Items, then Conditions.
Conditions: Removes “While afflicted by a Condition, your character cannot recover Stamina, HP, or Attribute scores even if they rest.” Removes “If more than half are taken by Conditions, they fall unconscious.” Adds “Conditions always hinder characters and may affect their Position for certain actions.”
Position: Adds new section with five Positions (Controlled, Good, Standard, Bad, Dire) that affect how rolls are made. Includes probability table for web version and a Standard default.
Checks: Simplifies section. Removes risk assessment paragraph. Adds “Allies who help share the same risks as your character.”
Saves: Clarifies Saves are optional and reduce Stamina on Misses.
Critical Saves: Renames “Death Saves” to “Critical Saves”. Now uses a relevant Attribute score (e.g. Strength) instead of always Strength.
Attack: Rewrites rule. Now reads “Make a Check to attack a target. In a Controlled Position, the attack cannot miss. The Damage dealt is equal to the Weapon’s Damage Rating. If Damage is enhanced, impaired, or unclear, adjust the value.”
Defend: Rewrites rule. Now reads “Make a Save to avoid an Attack. In a Dire Position, the attack cannot be avoided. Attacks may deal Damage, inflict Conditions, or alter the fiction.”
Recovery Rolls: Replaces rest recovery with Recovery Rolls. Short rests roll 3D, long rests roll 6D, Position can affect the roll, Hits refill Stamina or HP, and each Hit restores 1 point to a below-maximum Attribute.
Experience Rolls: Replaces advancement rolls with Experience Rolls that spend Hits on HP increases or potential Attribute increases.
Spells: Rewrites section. Spells now always take effect. The Willpower Check resists magic strain or applies a fatigued Condition.
Pools: Adds 8D as a Pool size option alongside 2D, 4D, and 6D.
Luck: Moves the optional Luck rules out of the core rules into Extras.

Minor Changes

Adds links to the rules changelog and bestiary near the introduction.
Updates translation links to add Korean and point Brazilian Portuguese to the site.
Updates Hit Points description to say “avoid life-threatening outcomes” instead of “avoid life-threatening Damage”.
Changes movement description from “across a room” to “a short distance”.
Changes combat action example from “harm an enemy” to “attack”.
Clarifies that enemies can have attacks with effects, not just Damage Rating.
Rewords Attribute creation steps to emphasize point distribution and optional rolling.
Rewrites Slots section to focus on carrying capacity and Conditions.
Removes the optional Luck rules from the core rules.
Adds Oxford comma to Checks rule (“Strength, Dexterity, or Willpower”).
Updates Fortune Roll wording to use a yes-or-no question.
Adds a dice odds reference link under Position Probabilities.
Changes Encounter Roll result wording from “Hit” to “Hits”.
Renames “Guidelines” to “Play Guidelines”.

Diffs

  ### Attributes
-Roll 4D for each Attribute; each Hit adds 1 to the score. You may switch two Attribute scores of your choice. If the total across all Attribute scores is less than 3, start again.
+Start by distributing 4 points among all Attributes, with a maximum of 3 per Attribute.
+
+Alternatively, you may roll for your Attributes. Roll 4D for each Attribute; each Hit adds 1 to the score. You may swap two scores of your choice. If the total across all scores is less than 3, roll again.

-### Items and Conditions
-
-Items represent the gear your character carries. Start with 3 Items of your choice and a small keepsake for good luck.
-
-Your character has 10 **Slots**. Most Items take 1 Slot, petty ones none, and bulky ones 2.
-
-When afflicted by **Conditions** such as fatigue, sickness, deprivation, poison, etc., fill a Slot with the Condition's name. If no Slot is free, drop an Item to make room. Conditions may worsen and take more Slot over time. While afflicted by a Condition, your character cannot recover Stamina, HP, or Attribute scores even if they rest. Conditions can only be cleared through the fiction.
-
-If all Slots are filled, your character drops to 1 HP. If more than half are taken by Conditions, they fall unconscious.
+### Slots, Items, and Conditions
+
+Your character has 10 **Slots** used to hold Items and track Conditions. If at any point all Slots are filled, your character drops to 1 HP. Start with 3 Items of your choice and a small keepsake for good luck. Most Items take 1 Slot, petty ones none, and bulky ones 2.
+
+When afflicted by **Conditions** such as fatigue, sickness, deprivation, poison, etc., fill a Slot with the Condition's name. If no Slot is free, drop an Item to make room. Conditions always hinder characters and may affect their Position for certain actions. Certain types of Conditions can worsen, taking more Slots over time. Conditions can only be cleared through actions in the fiction.

-Hit Points (HP) are a measure of your character's ability to avoid life-threatening Damage.
+Hit Points (HP) are a measure of your character's ability to avoid life-threatening outcomes.

  ### Checks
-When your character does something challenging, assess if their action carries risk. A clever plan, the right Item, or an ally's help may remove that risk, allowing your character to succeed outright by spending enough time or resources.
-
-If the action is still considered risky, make a Check by rolling a number of dice equal to a relevant Attribute score (Strength, Dexterity, Willpower). You may also spend any number of Stamina; each point adding 1D to the roll.
-
-> _If you would roll 0D, roll 1D, counting only 6s as Hits._
-
-- **1+ Hits**: Your character succeeds at their action.
-- **0 Hits**: Your character fails their action.
-
-More difficult tasks may raise the number of Hits required to succeed a Check depending on the situation.
+When your character attempts something challenging, make a **Check** by rolling a number of dice equal to a relevant Attribute score (Strength, Dexterity, or Willpower). You or an ally may spend any number of Stamina; each point adding 1D to the roll. Allies who help share the same risks as your character.
+
+- **1+ Hits**: Your character succeeds at their action.
+- **0 Hits**: Your character fails their action.

-### Saves
-
-Failing a Check or other events in the fiction may trigger consequences such as taking Damage, suffering a Condition, or even dying when death is on the line.
-
-If avoiding the consequence is still possible, make a **Save** by rolling a number of dice equal to your character's current amount of Stamina.
-
-> _If you would roll 0D, roll 1D, counting only 6s as Hits._
-
-- **1+ Hits**: Your character avoids the consequence.
-- **0 Hits**: Your character suffers the consequence.
-
-After the roll, reduce your character's Stamina by 1 for every Miss, up to a maximum of 2. More dangerous consequences may raise the number of Hits required to succeed a Save depending on the situation.
+### Saves
+
+When your character faces consequences from failing a Check or other events in the fiction, you may choose to make a **Save** by rolling a number of dice equal to your character's current amount of Stamina to try to avoid it.
+
+- **1+ Hits**: Your character avoids the consequence.
+- **0 Hits**: Your character suffers the consequence.
+
+After the roll, reduce your character's Stamina by 1 for every Miss, up to a maximum of 2. If you choose not to Save, your character automatically suffers the consequence.

 -- **Attack**: Make a Check to harm an enemy. If it succeeds, deal Damage equal to the Weapon's Damage Rating. For hazards or spells without a set Damage Rating, assign a fair amount based on the situation.
 -- **Defend**: Make a Save to defend against an Attack. If it fails, take Damage equal to the Attack's Damage Rating.
-+-- **Attack**: Make a Check to attack a target. In a Controlled Position, the attack cannot miss. The Damage dealt is equal to the Weapon's Damage Rating. If an attack's Damage is enhanced, impaired, or unclear, assign a fair value as needed.
-+-- **Defend**: Make a Save to avoid an Attack. In a Dire Position, the attack cannot be avoided. Attacks may deal Damage, inflict Conditions, or alter the fiction.
+-- **Attack**: Make a Check to attack a target. In a Controlled Position, the attack cannot miss. The Damage dealt is equal to the Weapon's Damage Rating. If Damage is enhanced, impaired, or unclear, adjust the value.
+-- **Defend**: Make a Save to avoid an Attack. In a Dire Position, the attack cannot be avoided. Attacks may deal Damage, inflict Conditions, or alter the fiction.

-### Recovery
-
-- **Short Rest**: A few minutes of respite restores all Stamina and HP. Resting may waste time or attract danger.
-- **Full Rest**: A week of safety and shelter restores all Stamina, HP, and Attribute scores.
+### Recovery Rolls
+
+When your character rests, make a Recovery Roll by rolling 3D for a short rest or 6D for a long rest. Your character's Position may affect this roll. Spend each Hit to either refill Stamina or HP. In addition, each Hit rolled restores 1 point to an Attribute that is below its maximum.

+### Experience Rolls
-
-After a major milestone in the story, roll 3D; each Hit increases your character’s maximum HP by 1. Then roll 2D; if you rolled at least 1 Hit, raise one Attribute score of your choice by 1, up to a maximum of 6.
+When your character reaches a milestone, make an Experience Roll by rolling a number of dice based on the scale of the achievement. If unsure, roll 4D. Spend each Hit to either increase your character's maximum HP by 2 or attempt to increase an Attribute score, rolling 1D and increasing it by 1 if the roll is higher than its current score.

   ### Spells
-Your character can cast a number of spells per day equal to their current Willpower score given they already know the spell or have the appropriate scroll or book.
+Your character can cast a number of spells per day equal to their current Willpower score.

-### Damage & Death Saves
-
-When your character takes Damage, they lose that many HP. When they reach 0 HP, they are in critical danger and you must make a **Death Save** by rolling a number of dice equal to your character's current Strength score.
-
-> _If you would roll 0D, roll 1D, counting only 6s as Hits._
-
-- **1+ Hits**: Your character is wounded but endures.
-- **0 Hits**: Your character is out and will die unless helped.
-
-After the roll, reduce your character's Strength score by 1 for every Miss, up to a maximum of 2. Attribute scores cannot drop below 0. Taking Damage while at 0 HP immediately triggers another Death Save.
+### Damage & Critical Saves
+
+When your character takes Damage, they lose that many HP. When they reach 0 HP, they are in critical danger and you must make a **Critical Save** by rolling a number of dice equal to a relevant Attribute score (e.g. Strength).
+
+- **1+ Hits**: Your character is wounded but endures.
+- **0 Hits**: Your character will perish unless helped soon.
+
+After the roll, reduce your character's Attribute score by 1 for every Miss, up to a maximum of 2.
+
+Attribute scores cannot drop below 0. Taking Damage while at 0 HP immediately triggers another Critical Save.

+### Position (NEW SECTION)
+
+When the fiction places your character at an advantage or disadvantage for a roll, establish your character's **Position** and adjust how the roll is made as such:
+
+- **Controlled**: Without risks, the action succeeds outright.
+- **Good**: With advantages, a 4, 5, or 6 counts as a Hit.
+- **Standard**: By default, a 5 or 6 counts as a Hit.
+- **Bad**: With disadvantages, only a 6 counts as a Hit.
+- **Dire**: With overwhelming odds, the action is impossible.
+
+> Assume a Standard Position as the default for most rolls.

 -- **Enemies**: Each enemy has a number of HP and a set of Attacks, each with its own Damage Rating. At 0 HP, they are taken out.
+- **Enemies**: Each enemy has a number of HP and a set of Attacks, each with its own Damage Rating or effect. At 0 HP, they are taken out.

-A round lasts long enough to perform **one action** (harm an enemy, cast a spell, retreat, etc.) **and move** across a room.
+A round lasts long enough to perform **one action** (attack, cast a spell, retreat, etc.) **and move** a short distance.

-- **Attack**: Make a Check to harm an enemy. If it succeeds, deal Damage equal to the Weapon's Damage Rating. For hazards or spells without a set Damage Rating, assign a fair amount based on the situation.
-- **Defend**: Make a Save to defend against an Attack. If it fails, take Damage equal to the Attack's Damage Rating.
+- **Attack**: Make a Check to attack a target. In a Controlled Position, the attack cannot miss. The Damage dealt is equal to the Weapon's Damage Rating. If Damage is enhanced, impaired, or unclear, adjust the value.
+- **Defend**: Make a Save to avoid an Attack. In a Dire Position, the attack cannot be avoided. Attacks may deal Damage, inflict Conditions, or alter the fiction.

  ### Spells
-Your character can cast a number of spells per day equal to their current Willpower score given they already know the spell or have the appropriate scroll or book.
-
-To cast a spell, make a Willpower Check.
-
-- **1+ Hits**: The spell takes shape and its effect is unleashed.
-- **0 Hits**: The spell slips from your control. Make a Save to contain it; if it fails, add a fatigued Condition in a Slot.
+Your character can cast a number of spells per day equal to their current Willpower score. Spells always take effect. After casting, make a Willpower Check to resist the strain of magic or gain a fatigued Condition.
+
+- **1+ Hits**: Your character endures the strain.
+- **0 Hits**: Your character gains a "fatigued" Condition.

-### Recovery
-
-- **Short Rest**: A few minutes of respite restores all Stamina and HP. Resting may waste time or attract danger.
-- **Full Rest**: A week of safety and shelter restores all Stamina, HP, and Attribute scores.
+### Recovery Rolls
+
+When your character rests, make a Recovery Roll by rolling 3D for a short rest or 6D for a long rest. Your character's Position may affect this roll. Spend each Hit to either refill Stamina or HP. In addition, each Hit rolled restores 1 point to an Attribute that is below its maximum.

+### Experience Rolls
-
-After a major milestone in the story, roll 3D; each Hit increases your character’s maximum HP by 1. Then roll 2D; if you rolled at least 1 Hit, raise one Attribute score of your choice by 1, up to a maximum of 6.
+When your character reaches a milestone, make an Experience Roll by rolling a number of dice based on the scale of the achievement. If unsure, roll 4D. Spend each Hit to either increase your character's maximum HP by 2 or attempt to increase an Attribute score, rolling 1D and increasing it by 1 if the roll is higher than its current score.

-A **Pool** is a set of dice (2D, 4D, or 6D) which is rolled over time...
+A **Pool** is a set of dice (2D, 4D, 6D, or 8D) which is rolled over time...

-### Encounter Rolls
-
-- **1+ Hit**: Your character spots signs of a nearby presence. Create a 2D Pool, and roll it as events unfold. When the Pool is emptied, your character runs into an encounter.
+### Encounter Rolls
+
+- **1+ Hits**: Your character spots signs of a nearby presence. Create a 2D Pool, and roll it as events unfold. When the Pool is emptied, your character runs into an encounter.

-## Guidelines
+## Play Guidelines

From 2026-01-06

Clarifies how Conditions hinder actions.
Removes that Conditions prevent recovery of Stamina, HP, or Attributes (see comment)
Expands risk assessment guidance for Checks.
Changes language for Checks and Saves to say that “extremely” difficulty cases may raise the number of Hits required.

Comments (from Discord)

In the original text it says:

While afflicted by a Condition, your character cannot recover Stamina, HP, or Attribute scores even if they rest

But there are two big problems with this. First, it’s super harsh and too generic since getting a single condition like “cold” means you can’t recover HP or Stamina and its been feeling really intense when playing. Also, if you get a fatigued condition, how do you get rid of it since the text says you can’t recover things even if you rest. It’s a bit of a weird wording.

So instead, I’m thinking of using this phrasing instead (i’ve bolded the most important changes)

When afflicted by Conditions such as fatigue, sickness, deprivation, poison, etc., fill a Slot with the Condition’s name. If no Slot is free, drop an Item to make room. Conditions always hinder characters and can make certain actions more difficult or outright impossible. Certain types of Conditions can worsen, taking more Slots over time. If all Slots are filled, your character drops to 1 HP. If more than half are taken by Conditions, they fall unconscious. Conditions are only cleared through actions in the fiction.

I feel like this is way more useful to use as a rule and to interpret. For example I could rule as a GM that a character with a “cold” condition may have an lesser effect when performing actions that requires dexterity and things like that.

-When afflicted by **Conditions** such as fatigue, sickness, deprivation, poison, etc., fill a Slot with the Condition's name. If no Slot is free, drop an Item to make room. Conditions may worsen and take more Slot over time. While afflicted by a Condition, your character cannot recover Stamina, HP, or Attribute scores even if they rest. Conditions can only be cleared through the fiction.
-
-If all Slots are filled, your character drops to 1 HP. If more than half are taken by Conditions, they fall unconscious.
+When afflicted by **Conditions** such as fatigue, sickness, deprivation, poison, etc., fill a Slot with the Condition's name. If no Slot is free, drop an Item to make room.
+Conditions always hinder characters and can make certain actions more difficult or outright impossible. Certain types of Conditions can worsen, taking more Slots over time. If all Slots are filled, your character drops to 1 HP. If more than half are taken by Conditions, they fall unconscious. Conditions are only cleared through actions in the fiction.

-When your character does something challenging, assess if their action carries risk. A clever plan, the right Item, or an ally's help may remove that risk, allowing your character to succeed outright by spending enough time or resources.
+When your character does something challenging, assess the risk. A clever plan, the right Item, an ally’s help, or the fiction may increase the action’s impact, lessen the severity of consequences, or remove the need for a Check entirely.

-More difficult tasks may raise the number of Hits required to succeed a Check depending on the situation.
+Extremely difficult tasks may raise the number of Hits required to succeed a Check depending on the situation.

-After the roll, reduce your character's Stamina by 1 for every Miss, up to a maximum of 2. More dangerous consequences may raise the number of Hits required to succeed a Save depending on the situation.
+After the roll, reduce your character's Stamina by 1 for every Miss, up to a maximum of 2. Extremely dangerous consequences may raise the number of Hits required to succeed a Save depending on the situation.

–