Test Modifiers

while most tests are pretty straightforward, there are situations that can modify the way tests play out.

S

peCializationS

Specializations are described on p. 92. Basically, they give you a +1 die bonus to specific areas within a skill. You can only ever use one of your specializations for a test – choose the one that makes the most sense.

C

ritiCal

S

uCCeSS

If you ever beat a Test by 9 or more, for a result of 22+, you’ve Critically Succeeded. The exact effects of a Critical success are left up to your GM. in some cases, a Critical success may not net any sort of tangible benefit. At other times, a Critical Success can get you additional information, allow you to complete a task faster than usual, or provide some other sort of cool benefit.

You can’t Critically Succeed at Easy Tests – they’re too routine for something amazing to happen. If you’re engaged in a non-combat Contest, you Critically Succeed when you beat your opponent’s total by 9 or more.

C

ritiCal

F

ailure

Sometimes, you’ll blow it in a way that is spectacular. If you ever roll your dice and all of them come up 1’s, you’ve Critically Failed. The exact effects of a Critical Failure are left to your GM. There are times when a Critical Failure may have no significant or relevant effects, or the effects of Critically Failing may also not be immediately apparent.

You may use Drama points to add dice to your pool, in an attempt to eliminate a Critical Failure (see p. XX). Also, Easy Tests can’t be Critically Failed – they’re too simple.

C

roSS

-m

atChing

a

ttributeS

& S

killS

sometimes it will make sense for you to use a different attribute for a test than the one normally associated with the skill in question. as long as your GM approves, you can cross match attributes and skills as appropriate.

C

omplementary

S

killS

Sometimes you’ll need to try doing something that your Character isn’t specifically skilled at doing, but she’s got a skill that’s close. Your GM will allow you to use that complimentary Skill as if you had a rating of one lower in it (with a minimum of one). Your GM will ultimately determine if the skill you want to use instead will work – sometimes they will and sometimes they won’t.

187 then you’ll make a different type of Test. You’ll really

only be able to succeed at fairly easy or routine things, but sometimes you’ve got to try.

to go for the unskilled test, roll a d5 and add it to your Attribute. Unless you have an Attribute of 8+, you’re go- ing to fail. Drama points are the only way out of this (see p. XX).

some skills are noted as being professional skills. these require too much specialized knowledge for the layman to even really attempt. You can’t use them unskilled, unless you spend Drama points (see p. XX).

r

eaCtion

S

killS

When it doesn’t seem like a learned and practiced Skill applies, or in situations where a Character need to react to something in her environment, you’ll use one of the reaction skills. each attribute is paired with a single reaction skill.

attribute reaCtion Skill

agility Coordination strength brawn tenacity wellness intellect insight perception intuition presence Charisma

As a player, your GM will let you know when to use Reaction Skills, since you don’t voluntarily use them. see p. XX for more details.

S

eCond

C

hanCeS

Sometimes, you have the space to try again when you’ve failed a Test. Each time you try again, the Difficulty goes up a level. Once the increasing Difficulty has wiped out your dice pool, you can make no more attempts.

e

xtended

t

eStS

When you need to take some time to get something done, you’ll need to make an Extended Test. When doing so, make three of the appropriate Test. If you succeed at two out of three, you’re suc- cessful at the extended test. Critical successes count as two successful tests, while even one Critical Failure causes the whole extended test to fail.

a

ta

g

lanCe

: tbd

t

eamwork

if friends can help you, have the skills required, and are at least as equally skilled as you, you get one bonus die for your Extended Test. If two qualified people can help you, you get two bonus dice instead. this is usually the most people that can help with an individual task and be effective.

t

aking

e

xtra

t

ime

taking a little extra time for important tests can help, if you have the luxury. if so, take twice the usual time required and add one bonus die for your test. if you take three times the required time, add two bonus dice. This is maximum benefit you can gain from taking your time.

p

uShingthe

l

imit

You can push yourself to the limit, causing yourself harm in order to get more dice for the test. every bonus die you want for the test causes two dice of damage – you roll for damage after you roll for the test. You can succeed and die in the attempt.

You’ll have to work out how this makes sense in the narrative. Physical strain is easy, suffering illness or blowing out your blood pressure with stress might be another couple options.

You can’t take both Extra Time and Push the Limit for one Test – it’s one or the other. You’re either recklessly plowing towards your goal, or methodically working it out.

e

nVironmental

& C

irCumStantial

m

odiFierS

sometimes things get in the way of Contests, like distractions or adverse conditions in your environ- ment. Your GM will determine if such things incur a Minor, Major, or Severe penalty to the sides negatively affected. sometimes only one side of the Contest will be affected, sometimes both will be.

hindranCe teSt penalty

Minor -1 die

Major -2 dice

severe -4 dice

In document CthulhuTech Shadow War V2_Open Beta_1.2 (Page 151-153)