Game Master Handbook

The values in this book are a starting calibration. Testing decides which ones stay.

This chapter is a protocol, not a rule of play. Nothing here applies at the table.

What to record

Per character

The MP and PP granted and the Threat that follows, the Vitality, MemoryRule wordMemoryThe number of Skills you can have Memorised at the same time. and EnergyRule wordEnergyThe reserve that pays the cost of Skills. levels, maximum and remaining HPRule wordHPHit Points, what a creature can take. At 0, it falls into Agonie. and Energy, Memory used, ACRule wordACArmour Class, the total an Attack has to reach to hit you., the usual RollRule wordRoll2d12 + one Characteristic + one Aptitude, measured against a DC, an AC or an Opposed Roll. modifiers and DCs, the damage, healing and control produced, and the KarmaRule wordKarmaPoints granted by the GM. By default, a point can add an Advantage or a Disadvantage to the Roll of your choice. received then spent.

Per monster

The same, plus the number of ActionsRule wordActionThe main action of your turn. You have one per turn., Bonus ActionsRule wordBonus ActionA quick action taken during your turn. You have one per turn. Usually reserved for Skills that say so. and ReactionsRule wordReactionAn action played outside your turn, in response to a trigger. You have one per turn. actually used, and which resistances or special defences fired.

Per encounter

Both Threats and the announced ratio, the number of participants on each side, the number of rounds, the resources spent, the characters who fell into AgonieStatesAgonieDebuff · ×3Une créature tombée à 0 PdV gagne Agonie 3. Ses PdV ne descendent pas sous 0. Tant qu'elle subit Agonie, elle est À terre et ne peut pas se relever. Elle ne peut jouer aucune Action, Action Bonus ni Réaction qui coûte de l'Énergie. À la… or died, the Actions or turns removed, the decisive interactions of terrain or information, and the felt difficulty against the announced one.

That last gap is the measurement that matters. The rest is there to explain it.

The builds to compare

At equal Threat, run at least one build that concentrates its Energy, one versatile build that spends Memory, one enduring build that invests in Vitality, one support or control build, and one hybrid.

The scenarios have to let varied CharacteristicsRule wordCharacteristicOne of a character's six core scores. It makes up half of every Roll. and AptitudesRule wordAptitudeA field of know-how. It makes up half of every Roll. bear on the outcome. A damage exchange in an empty room tests one thing and always validates the same build.

The series

PP spread

Same MP and PP, different splits between Vitality, Memory and Energy.

MP spread

Same totals, different Characteristics and Aptitudes. Check each one gets real chances to matter.

Concentration and versatility

Cheap Skills, expensive Skills and versatile sets, over one encounter and then over a full resource cycle.

Composition

At equal ratio, compare a lone opponent, a few powerful ones, several ordinary ones, and a large number of weak ones.

Equipment

The objects that add directly to Rolls, DCs, Characteristics, Aptitudes or resources. Their contribution has to convert into equivalent MP or PP, or it needs reviewing by hand.

The open questions

1. Does the sum of MP and PP correctly predict the power of different spreads?
2. Do the three Potential paths stay comparable across varied encounters and a full cycle?
3. Do MP spreads produce distinct roles without creating dead values?
4. Do the effect budgets hold Skills to a comparable value despite very different uses?
5. Does the Threat ratio predict the announced difficulties?
6. Does one ratio stay meaningful as the number of opponents changes?
7. Does a lone opponent have enough interactions without exceeding its resource economy?
8. Which Skills, passives, equipment or combinations regularly exceed their expected value?

Do not adjust a constant on isolated throws. It takes repeated encounters, different compositions, and complete resource cycles.