Intentions
Contents
Intentions#
When a PC uses a sword, we know that the player can use that sword to either pierce, slash or bash (with the pommel) the target with the sword. They could also use their combat knowledge to disarm their opponent.
These are examples of intentions within the Nemron system. The system allows players to come up with interesting ways to use their skills, without needing to “bend the rules”.
Damage#
Acoustic Damage (E)#
Damage caused by sound waves.
Ballistic Damage (E)#
Anything fired at extreme speeds.
Cold Damage (E)#
Extreme cold damage.
Corrosive Damage (E)#
Damage caused by corrosive elements.
Crushing Damage (E)#
Physical crushing damage.
Holy Damage (E)#
Holy damage from some kind of divine source.
Kinetic Damage (E)#
Deal kinetic, force, or bludgeoning damage to the target.
Neural Damage (E)#
Inflict neural or energy damage to the target. Target loses
Energy (E,R) equal to the damage dealt.
Piercing Damage (E)#
Arrows, bullets, daggers, rapiers.
Psychic Damage (E)#
Inflict Stress (E, R) damage to the target.
Toxic Damage (E)#
Damage caused by toxins or poisons.
Slashing Damage (E)#
This is a cut across the target from weapons such as swords, and axes.
Heat Damage (E)#
Heat or fire damage to the target.
Electric Damage (E)#
Electric or lightning damage to the target.
Boons#
Boons are effect nodes, that can affect characters, skills, objects or areas in a positive way. These effects can be temporary or permanent, depending on narrative or setting.
To gain or apply a boon, the character applying the boon will makes the roll for applying the boon. Unless otherwise specified, the number of boon ranks gained is equal to the resulting roll.
Boons decay by one rank per round. This could change based on the narrative or special rules set by the GM.
If you have a boon as a character trait, that boon will be rank 1 and
will not decay below this rank.
List of Boons#
Agile Striker (E)#
You may use Agility instead of Power when making unarmed and one-handed attack rolls.
Alert (E)#
Effect: Lesser boon to Awareness and Sense rolls.
Ambidexterous (E)#
You favour no limb over the other and can use items left or right handed without incurring any penalty.
Blur (E)#
You are difficult to target and hit with any attack. This can be because you have a magical effect on you blurring visual boudary, or it could be more mundane and physical, like using irregular movement or steps to make it hard to predict how you will move next.
Sci-Fi example: Light particles around you vibrate and distort rapidly, making it unclear what your precise position is.
Modern day: Your movement is irregular or erratic making it hard to predict how you will move at any one moment.
Camouflage (E)#
Charming (E)#
Combat Awareness (E)#
When this boon is applied, pick a number of opponents equal to your
Focus rank. While this boon is active, you have a lesser boon to all
attack and defence rolls against those opponents.
If this boon is chosen as a trait, then the character may choose the opponents the moment they enter combat.
Note that the focus can be shifted to new opponents during combat, but the character must use an action to “re-focus” on the new opponent.
Combat Ready (E)#
You have a keen sense of danger and quickly to respond to combat scenarios.
Dark Sight (E)#
You can see in the dark. You are unable to make out fine detail or colour, but your vision is good enough to navigate dark spaces and distinguish obstacles, objects or other actors.
Deadeye (E)#
You have exceptional aim with all ranged weapons.
Empath (E)#
You are naturally able to understand how someone else feel. You find it easy to think of yourself in their position, and you know how hardships can affect people emotionally.
Empowered (E)#
Endurance (E)#
Effect: Lesser boon to any Constitution rolls.
Point Blank (E)#
Farsight (E)#
You have good vision and can see longer distances.
Ferocity (E)#
Fleet Foot (E)#
Lesser boon to all agility based attack, defence and resistance rolls.
Additionally, whenever you use an action like dodge, block or attack, you can
move up to 3 meters as part of your action.
Immunity (E)#
Inner Monologue (E)#
You rapidly mumble or discuss with yourself, either silently or out loud, a problem, how it manifests, and potential solutions.
Inspired (E)#
You are temporarily inspired.
Invisible (E)#
While invisible you cannot be seen. But you still make noise, leave footprints and emit smell etc.
Keen Sense (E)#
Luck (E,R)#
Decay: Never
Consume a number of ranks in this resource, to gain the following benefits, based on the number of ranks you consumed:
Unlike Motivated (E,R), this condition does not
have a duration, so it wont diminish over time. It only diminishes when you
actually spend the resource.
If this boon is chosen as a Trait, and you consume the final stack of
this boon, then it will recharge back up to Rank 1 after a long rest.
Note
This node serves as a generic example of how you can implement a special luck-based mechanic. Use the same method to add your own custom boon for your world or setting.
Mobility (E)#
Effect: Lesser boon to all Agility rolls.
Motivated (E,R)#
Motivated to do your best no matter what.
Consume a number of ranks in this resource, to gain the following benefits, based on the number of ranks you consumed:
Natural Defender (E)#
Effect: Lesser boon to any defensive action
Regeneration (E)#
Effect: Every limb will heal 1 HP
per round.
While the regen boon affect entire character, the healing effect will only happen on a single limb per round. The PC may choose which limb to heal.
Resilience (E)#
You get temporary bonus armour to one target limb, while this boon is active.
The armour rank is equal to the highest dice rank in your dice pool using this intention.
The source of this boon can specify that the armour spread over more than one limb, but you have to divide the total up between those limbs.
For example, if you get 3 ranks of this boon, you can spread them so
that you have 2 armour on your head, and 1 armour on your torso.
Todo
What if this is chosen as a trait? Add notes for this case.
Resolve (E)#
Talented (E)#
You have natural talent for a specific skill. Choose the skill when you gain this boon/trait.
Valour (E)#
Strength of mind in regard to danger; that quality which enables a person to encounter danger with firmness.
Vigilant (E)#
You are hyper alert to everything happening around you, and you can rapidly observe and react to actions targeting your awareness.
You have lesser boon to Agility, Awareness or Sense resistance rolls.
The condition Flanked (E) has no effect on you.
Conditions#
Conditions are effect nodes, that can affect characters, skills, objects or areas in a negative way. These effects can be temporary or permanent, depending on narrative or setting.
Every condition has a resistance pool. This is the opposing dice pool that PC’s can roll to resist the effects of a specific condition applied to them.
The DC for the resistance roll can be a set difficulty or, as is the case in most scenarios, the DC is against an opposing roll.
The number of “stacks/ranks” of the condition that the player receives, is the difference between the resistance roll and the DC.
If for example, a character needs to make a Constitution » DC6 resistance
roll against poison, and they roll 4, then they will only receive
2 stacks of poison.
Conditions decay one rank every five minutes, unless otherwise specified. This could change based on the narrative or special rules set by the GM.
Conditions can affect individual limbs. A leg or arm can be poisoned for example. In some cases (based on the narrative or GM ruling), the condition can spread to adjacent limbs.
All this means that it is possible to “stun” or “paralyse” a single limb.
List of Conditions#
Bleeding (E)#
Constitution1 Damage per roundIf a limb is bleeding but already have 4 wounds, then the remaining bleeding ranks will pass up to the next limb, in the direction of the nearest major limb.
Burning (E)#
Constitution1 Damage per roundCharmed (E)#
Control › WillpowerCharmed by someone, you find them interesting and alluring in ways that you cannot describe. It becomes hard to take any negative actions towards the charmer.
Note
If the charmer takes any action towards the charmed individual that could
be interpreted as “betrayal”, then the charmed individual will immediately
lose 2 ranks of Charm, and get the condition
Confusion (E), as they attempt to mentally
struggle why the charmer is betraying them.
Confusion (E)#
FocusCorrosion (E)#
ConstitutionEvery round, all affected limbs will receive 1 damage, as well as
1 point of damage to any armour on the affected limbs.
Remove this condition by washing the corrosive substance off or, removing the armour or clothing.
Crippled (E)#
Agility › ConstitutionDowned (E)#
ControlThis condition is a indicator that the character received critical damage, and is on the verge of death.
Once per round, the character must make a Control resistance roll in
an attempt to stabilise. The difficulty is the
fixed-medium for the resistance roll.
Succeeding the roll, the character will stabilise, and the character no longer need to make resistance rolls every round. (Unless they take more damage again)
Failing the roll, this condition will increase by one rank.
If this condition reaches rank 4, then the character will be dead.
Tip
The First-Aid skill can also help stabilise a dying character.
Encumbered (E)#
PowerYou have a greater penalty to all Agility rolls and, your movement speed is halved.
Flanked (E)#
While flanked you have a lesser penalty to any defensive action against the flanking opponents.
Dazed (E)#
FocusWhile dazed you can only take simple actions.
You may only use a single attribute dice in your dice pool. No other dice may contribute to your dice pool while you are dazed.
Demoralised (E)#
Willpower.Dull (E)#
Todo
Not sure about the name “Dull” here, rename?
Awareness › Sense.This condition will target a specific sense, sight, sound, touch etc.
Exhaustion (E)#
Constitution.While a character has this condition, any further actions can potentially increase the rank of this condition. It’s up to the GM to determine if the action warrants this increase.
Fear (E)#
WillpowerOvercome with fear, you get a lesser penalty to all actions, unless the action is an attempt to get away from the source of fear.
Frozen (E)#
Constitution1 damage
per round to the affected limbYour body suffer from severe cold. Muscles cramp up, blood struggle to flow and your skin cracks.
Marked (E)#
ControlWhen marked, there is a invisible “mark” on the target. Only the character that applied the mark is able to sense or see the mark.
In most cases only the individual that applied this condition will have the bonuses below.
All skill and ability rolls have a lesser boon against the marked target.
This condition can also mark the target to later Sense where they are, or
keep track of their movement etc.
Paralysis (E)#
Constitution › ControlWhile you have this condition, you cannot make any actions that use the body. You can still hear and see, but you cannot feel touch or move your body in any way.
Poisoned (E)#
ConstitutionDifferent poisons can have different effects depending on settings, game, enemies etc. What-ever the effect the following rules apply.
Every round, the character must make a resistance roll to prevent the poison spreading. The attribute depends on the type of poison.
Failing the resistance roll, the poison effect will spread to the limb(s) immediately adjacent to the effected limb.
Prone (E)#
Power.You are prone. This condition ends if you stand up, or an ally helps you up.
While prone, you have a lesser penalty to all Agility rolls and, ranged attacks against you also have a lesser penalty.
Restrained (E)#
Power or Agility, depending on how the
condition source.Slow (E)#
Power.Staggered (E)#
AgilityYou don’t have good footing or balance.
You have a lesser penalty to Power and Agility rolls, due to the imbalance, frustration and distraction caused by this condition.
Stress (E, R)#
Note
Disclaimer
Real world mental trauma is serious and, should never be treated jokingly, or haphazardly.
If you decide to use the stress rules in your games, then make sure your players are OK with using these rules. Also make sure that they are aware that certain sensitive topics may come up during play.
Tools
It may be handy to have tools in your game to help deal with sensitive topics. I personally like the X-, and O-Card System.
Stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure.
Whenever a character take stress, they need to write down on the character sheet, the source that caused that stress.
Every subsequent exposure to the same scenario, the character need to make a Willpower Resistance Roll vs. their willpower fixed-medium.
Failing the resistance roll, the character will receive
ranks of Torment equal to the amount
of stress originally suffered for that source (as written down on the
character sheet).
Healing Stress
Stress cannot instantly recover with items or skills. It takes at least 3 successful counselling sessions with a qualified therapist.
Each session will require a different dice check at the end of a counselling session, and a character cannot make more than one of these checks per day.
Awareness to identify the mental trauma accurately.
Intellect to rationalize and work through the trauma.
Willpower to utilize the insight gained in an attempt to heal the trauma.
The difficulty for each of the rolls is the fixed-medium for the attribute used.
When one of the rolls fail, the character can retry that roll again the end of the next therapy session.
Once the final roll succeeds, the character will heal 1 point of stress.
Stunned (E)#
Resistance Pool: Constitution › Control
While stunned, you cannot take any action(s).
Taunted (E)#
WillpowerTaunted by someone (or something), you have a lesser penalty to any actions against targets other than the source taunting you.
Torment (E)#
WillpowerNightmarish memories plague and torment your every thought, causing you to second-guess every action.
While tormented, you cannot take any actions. You may only make a single re-action per round, and this action will have a lesser penalty.
Weakness (E)#
ConstitutionYour muscles weaken and is unable to produce it’s full capacity. You get a lesser penalty to all Power rolls.
Abilities#
Using Abilities#
When activating or using an ability, you do not add the ability rank dice to the dice pool unless the ability explicitly asks for it. This is because abilities change the behaviour of another skill, domain, ability or intention.
For example; Control › Fire Domain › Pulse (AB) can create a pulse of fire
energy to do fire damage, while Control › Water Domain › Pulse (AB) can
create a pulse of water energy to do water damage.
The examples above use the Pulse Ability,
but with different elemental domains. The first will result in a classic “fire
bolt”, while the second could create the same effect, but with water.
In both examples above, the player only adds the Control and
Fire domain dice to their dice pool.
Combo Abilities#
Todo
Explain how abilities can combine with skills, and intentions to change the intended outcome.
- Use Aura as an example:
This template is actually an example of how to create a custom ability by combining other abilities into a new “recipe”. This ability was created with the following recipe:
Amplify (2) › Shape (2) » 4 EnergyIt uses
Shape (AB)(sphere) on rank 2 so that a sphere can covers the area around the user.Shape is
amplifiedto last 2 rounds longer than normal.
List of Abilities#
Amplify (AB)#
Energy Cost: Depends on the kind of amplification. See below.
When using this ability, you need to specify which skill, ability, boon or condition you’d like to amplify. The amplified node must be part of the current action that you use amplify on.
Skill or Ability (1 Energy per Rank): Increase the rank of the skill or ability. You have to use the amplified skill immediately, or you will lose the amplification. This will only last for a single use of the skill.
Boon or Condition (1 Energy per Rank): Increase the rank of the boon or condition that you apply to allies or opponents.
Upgrade (4 Energy): Change a lesser boon into a greater boon.
Downgrade (4 Energy): Change a lesser penalty into a greater penalty.
Other: You can always negotiate a different kind of amplification with the GM. Like, for example, increasing the duration that another ability or it’s behaviour, shape or size.
Aura (AB)#
Channel energy into an area around you. The aura will affect either all enemy or allied characters that enter your melee zone.
Beam (AB)#
A beam of energy stream out from the source to the target (or direction). Affects anything the beam touches.
During the round that the beam is active, the user can choose to use their reaction to redirect the beam. This change in direction can pass through other targets. The difficulty to evade or dodge the beam during this time is the same as the original roll for the beam.
Cleanse (AB)#
Cure a number of condition stacks/ranks equal to the amount rolled.
The kind of conditions cleansed may depend on the domain, item or energy source used with this intention.
NOTE: This ability cannot be used to cleanse the
Stress (E, R) condition.
Detection (AB)#
Find or detect something. The nature of what you can detect with this ability depend on the combination of skills, domains or other abilities used with this ability.
Disarm (AB)#
Power › AgilityFailing the resistance roll, the target will drop or lose their weapon.
Enchant (AB)#
Energy Cost: 1 per target
Enchant the target with a boon, condition or ability. You need access in some way to the intention that you want to enchant the character or object with.
Todo
Expand on this ability.
What is the enchantment duration for Boons
What is the enchantment duration for Conditions
If the enchantment is an ability, then the energy requirement is based on the ability?
The “enchanter” should be able to “imbue” Energy directly into the item. In this way some items have their own energy, or can function as a “battery” for other abilities.
Lastly, we should also consider renaming this ability. “Enchant” works for a magical or supernatural setting, but doesn’t work in settings that doesn’t have any notion of the supernatural or magic. We should use a name for this ability that is more universal, no matter the setting.
Evasive Movement (AB)#
Energy Cost: 1
You disengage from your current position and move as far as your movement speed allows, in a direction of your choosing.
This counts as an evasive action, so any opponents using reactions to strike you while doing this movement, need to beat your disengage roll.
Explode (AB)#
Energy Cost: 3
The energy source explode outwards. This can create effects where things need to expand and scatter in random directions in a manner that is slow, fast, gentle or violent.
The radius of this explosion depend on the ability rank: \({Rank} \times 2\)
Using this template as-is will result in the point of origin on the
“caster”. If you want to have this effect happen a distance away from you,
then you can combine it with Pulse (AB) (or another
ability) to shoot a pulse to where you want the epicentre to be.
Feign (AB)#
Attribute: Control
Create a false impression related in some way to the skills, domain, abilities used together with this ability.
The total roll determine the difficulty for an opponent to notice that you are attempting to create a false impression.
Heal (AB)#
Energy Cost: 1 Energy per point of Healing
Instantly heal HP equal to the amount of
energy spent with this skill.
The target can choose how to distribute the healing for the different limbs.
Illusion (AB)#
Create a illusion of some sort. The amount rolled when creating the illusion determine how difficult it is to see through the illusion with either Sense or Awareness.
Implode (AB)#
Energy Cost: 3
The reverse of Explode (AB). All other rules remain
the same.
Manifest (AB)#
Note: You need to use this with another template like
Shape (AB). On it’s own this cannot do much.
Manifest the energy in a way that resemble a specific shape or form used for this intention.
If the domain and purpose is to create something solid, then the density (armour) of the manifestation is equal highest rank in your dice pool.
For example, if you use Earth Domain (A) earth domain with a
Shape (AB) template, to create a wall of earth.
Opportune Striker (A)#
Energy Cost: 1
When moving past an opponent, you get one free attack action against that opponent.
This is the case for any kind of movement. So if someone shoves you past another opponent, you can take a free attack on that opponent.
Pulse (AB)#
Energy Cost: 2
A single pulse of energy shoot towards the target.
The maximum distance the pulse can travel depend on the template rank.
Shape (AB)#
Shape the energy into a specific form like a Sphere, Wall, Cone etc. The shape complexity and size depend on the ability rank.
Using this template as-is will result in the centre-point being on the
“caster”. To change the center point location, you will have to combine this
template with another like Pulse (AB).
The kind of shape created depends on the amount of energy you use.
1 Energy: You can create simple 2 dimensional shapes like a circle, triangle, rectangle etc.)
2 Energy: You can now create simple 3 dimensional geometric shapes like a sphere, cube, cone, cylinder etc.
3 Energy: You can now also have more mathematically complex shapes that can have multiple angles, curves and corners. These will still look geometric to the observer.
4 Energy: You can now create shapes complex enough to mimic the randomness in nature etc. You can for example shape energy to look like a human statue etc.
Shape-Shift (AB)#
Use this to shape-shift into a different form.
When using this ability, transform into a new frame. Depending on what you are transforming into, your Body and Mind attributes values will change to those of the shape-shifted frame.
Additionally, you get two predetermined traits related to the new frame you transformed into.
All attributes and traits will revert back once you transform back into your original frame.
Note however, transforming takes a toll on the body. When you transform
back into your original frame, you must make a Constitution resistance
roll vs. the fixed-medium of your Control
attribute.
Failing the roll, you will get
1 rank of Exhaustion due to the
strain on the body.
Shift (AB)#
Energy Cost: 1 Energy
Resistance Pool: Power › Agility
Push, pull or shift energy or matter 1 meters per rank, based on the
total roll for this intention.
This can be in any direction of your choosing, so long as the game setting and abilities allow for the outcome.
For example:
Using this with a unarmed combat (push kick), you can only shift them in the direction of the kick.
If you are using telekinetic shove, then the shift can happen in any direction of your choosing, since you can mentally control where the shove is coming from.
Shout (AB)#
Infuse energy into a battle cry or shout.
The maximum number of targets that you can affect, is \({Domain/Item Rank} + 1\).
This ability should combine with other domain features, or skills. So the effect for the shout depend on the skill/ability combination.
For example, use it with Control › Brawler (Shout) › Intimidation
would create a shout meant to intimidate everyone around you.
Split (AB)#
1 Energy per splitRank + 1You can split energy output into multiple parts.
A Pulse (AB) can, for example, become 2 or more
separate pulses heading to different targets. In a similar way, a
Beam (AB) can split into multiple beams.
Tether (AB)#
Todo
Revision/Refactor Required
I’m not 100% happy with the rules for this ability. I may re-visit and refactor it in the near future. Maybe the rules are actually ok, it’s mainly the description that is a bit ambiguous.
Upcoming changes: We’ll create a “Tethered” condition that can track the duration of the tether based on the number of stacks.
Shoot an energy tether from yourself towards your target. Energy can flow back and forth between yourself and the tethered target, so long as the target is within the tether range.
The tether range depend on the tether rank:
Timer (AB)#
Energy Cost: 1 or more
Use this ability to either extend the duration of a skill so that it lasts longer or, set a timer that will only activate once the time ran out.
The duration of the timer depend on the amount of energy and rank used with this ability.
5 Rounds per energy used1 Minute per energy used5 Minutes per energy used10 Minutes per energy usedTip
You don’t have to use the exact timings above. You can for example spend
only 1 energy and set the timer for 1 round instead of 5
rounds.
Or you can spend 3 energy to set it for 4 minutes.
Wave (AB)#
This template will cause multiple waves of energy to emanate from the source.
The amount of energy used will determine the number of waves that will affect the target or area.
At the end of every TURN, a wave of energy will affect the target or area.
Every ripple will be 1 rank lower than the previous. This ability ends
when the rank reaches zero.