Characteristics, Limit Breaks, Refreshes
There are five Characteristics that a character possesses. These determine not how the character can act, but with what style they can act. They are:
They are rated by a value. This value determines how many dice you roll in a situation. This rating will go down temporarily when you are attacked. I expect these values to start low and grow over time. I love rolling huge handfuls of dice.
When a Characteristic is reduced to zero from damage, it will erupt into a Limit Break. See Aspects for more information.
Limit Breaks
So I'm imagining that these will be fun retorts to some badass attack, or the result of being worn down over time. When you Limit Break, you get to take the spotlight for a while. You'll get back the maximum amount of dice you have for your Characteristic plus some more equal to your Level. I'm not sure what your Level will be right now, but I may use a tickmark system that counts how many times you've spent XP to upgrade something on your character (e.g. if you've bought 7 things with XP on your character, your level might increase by 1, 2, 3, or 7 depending on how often a 'level' is acquired). Also, the big part of this is that your dice will be exploding dice in this situation as well. So, not only will you have tons of dice, but every time they roll a '1' you'll get to roll again.
Broken
So, the limit break will give you monstrous power for one round, but then the Characteristic will die away until Refreshed. This is called Broken. You can't act in the style of the Characteristic when Broken, and Aspects based on that Characteristic won't work. I imagine that characters will become Broken in more than one Characteristic in a big combat. If a character is Broken on three Characteristics, a special scenario begins. This will allow the player to stop having so much spotlight actions or bring their character to an end.
Truly Broken Scenario
When a character has had their third Characteristic Broken without Refresh (and performed three Limit Breaks), they can choose to have their character fall unconscious from the exhaustion. This will allow anyone who has a Connection with this character to get powered up as well. They will get extra dice based on their Connection rating to you until you are safe. Note, it doesn't have to be a good relationship, just a relationship worth putting down as an Aspect.
However, if the player needs to keep their character up and running (maybe everyone else is unconscious, or they have to be there to affect the situation), they can remain awake through sheer tenacity. However, if another Characteristic is Broken, they have suffered a much more dire fate. The Character has to be retired at the end of the session being played. Use what the character was fighting for and the Characteristics that were Broken to help determine how and why this character leaves the story.
Don't feel that this has to be death! This could be the ultimate transcendence of power for the character! Just realize that this is possible when you remain standing from being Truly Broken.
Of course, in any of these situations, you could become victorious and live to become Refreshed. Your time wasn't up, but you got close to ending it all.
Refreshes
You can Refresh any Characteristic by calling for a scene to do so within the guidelines given. These scenes are light hearted and shouldn't be focused on a conflict. When completed, any applicable Characteristics are Refreshed. A Characteristic does not have to be Broken to be Refreshed.
Guidelines
Refresh Scenes can either be ones that change your character (even if a minor bit) or reinforce something about your character.
Scenes called for should fit into one of the following molds:
- Interactions with PCs and NPCs in a non-hostile way. Slice of life interactions or discussions. Campfire discussions.
- Flashbacks, revealing something important about your character or possibly other characters.
- Side quests. Adventures where the success is not in doubt, but that involve some sort of fun distraction for the group (even if it isn't a fun distraction for the character).
Don't be afraid to roleplay the scene without picking up any dice.
Passion
Have your character explore something that he or she is passionate about, or be overcome by someone else's passion.
Suggestions:
- Take that boy or girl out for a date. You know, the one you've been blushing when you think about them.
- Finally talk to your dad about the Great War and why he left mom.
- Gather a crowd and try to make them agree with your political platform.
Cunning
Involve your character in something that tests his or her cunning, or find yourself out-witted.
Suggestions:
- Find that old trap maker and see if she'll take you as an apprentice - after a few, easy tests.
- Talk to one of the theologians in the temple and see if you can make them slip up.
- Flashback to that instance where you were trapped behind enemy lines, in the arms of your now dead lover - unarmed, trying to find your escape.
Resolve
Demonstrate that inner peace that guides your actions, or find yourself frustrated at another's more insistent resolve.
Suggestions:
- Blank
Grace
Invoke your grace in a scene of unquiet or dire consequences, or witness a grace far beyond your own.
Suggestions:
- Blank
Xen
Explore a situation where your weirdness is highlighted, for good or ill.
Suggestions:
- Blank
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