Adventuring Hazards
Adventuring is rife with special hazards. Often, these hazards confront a character without warning, though he can weather the effects with a Resistance Roll. When Resisting a hazard, add your AR modifier in the appropriate Ability to the Resistance Roll.
Unless otherwise noted, a successful Resistance Roll cuts a hazard’s effect in half (round fractions down), while a Critical Success negates the effect completely.
Burns (Athletics): Any substance that damages tissue on contact (e.g., acid, electricity, fire, frost). Burns are noted by intensity and effect. For example, Acid (RR: TN 16, Dmg 1d8) means Resistance Rolls vs. acid are against TN 16, and that failure causes 1d8 points of damage. When a damage roll is the maximum value for the die (e.g., “8” on a d8), any exposed equipment must make a Gear Check. If the check fails, the item loses 1 point of quality. If the Gear Check is a Critical Failure, the item is destroyed.
Disease (First Aid): Any microbe, virus, or bacterium that makes your character sick is a disease. Diseases are noted by virulence and effect. For example, Influenza (RR: TN 16, Fatigue 2) means Resistance Rolls vs. influenza are against TN 16, and that failure imposes a Fatigue Penalty of –2. A Critical Failure on the Resistance Roll doubles the effect. Each week the character is sick requires another Resistance Roll against the original TN, with cumulative effects as above; if the effect is completely removed, the character is cured.
Falling (Athletics): Your character suffers Dmg 1d6 for every 1” fallen or thrown (a softened impact reduces this to Dmg 1d4/1”). The Target Number is 12 and normal DF applies.
Fatigue (Athletics): Any non-lethal damage (excessive activity without rest, a failed Wield roll, or prolonged exposure) is represented by Fatigue. The GM decides when characters Resist Fatigue; the Target Number is always 12. If the Resistance Roll fails, you suffer a cumulative Fatigue Penalty (FP) of –1 to all rolls and your Movement Rate. If your Fatigue Penalty exceeds your Wound Limit, each subsequently failed attempt to Resist Fatigue counts as a severity 1 wound. Each full hour of complete rest reduces your Fatigue Penalty by 1, though recovery is effective only in the absence of the fatigue’s source (e.g., you must get out of the heat, in from the cold, or halt your forced march).
Poison (First Aid): Any toxic substance is poison, which can cause a variety of detrimental effects. Poisons are noted by their toxicity and effect. For example, Hemlock (RR: TN 20, Dmg 1d12) means that Resistance Rolls vs. hemlock are against TN 20, and that failure causes 1d12 points of damage. When poison causes damage, your character’s base DF applies, but he gets no bonus from armour. Unless otherwise noted, onset time (i.e., when the effect manifests) is the victim’s level in rounds.
Powers (variable): Unwilling targets may halve the damage or duration of a power with a successful Resistance Roll (a Critical Success negates the effect). The Ability used to modify power Resistance is noted in the power’s description.
Traps (Athletics): Any device or obstacle designed to capture or damage your character is a trap. Traps are noted with their complexity and effect. For example, Pit (RR: TN 8, Dmg 1d6) means that Resistance Rolls to avoid a pit are against TN 8, and that falling in causes 1d6 points of damage. Traps may be found and disarmed or avoided with a Tinker roll against the trap’s TN, but a Critical Failure springs the trap.
