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Project Pageturners: Game Mechanic Sneak-Peek - Dice and Word Tiles
🕑 Added 2025-01-29 09:57:42 +0000 UTCI figured I'd start off this series of sneak peek previews by showing how exactly the game mechanics are working in this early stage, so that it can be available to feedback and revision.
Using Powered by the Apocalypse, general moves played by characters will be done with a 2d6 system and bonuses applied by their main stats. These stats are chosen from an array in their Playbook(s).
+FLIT
INITIATE (Thinking Fast, Acting Quick)
5 or less: You freeze up and leave yourself open for an action against you
6-9: While stumbling, you manage to act while another has an action against you.
10+: You manage to seize the initiative and act before someone else.
12+: You give +1 Glyph to each allied player you move before, then you are able to act twice at once.
ELUDE (Slipping through, sneaking around)
5 or less: You've been spotted and now everyone's eyes are on you.
6-9: You risk being noticed, unless you leave something behind or a trace that you were there.
10+: You slip past unnoticed. Choose one:
You move into an advantageous position. Take +1 forward.
You maintain your cover over a deception or obfuscation.
You manage to "borrow" an item for later and quickly stow it away
12+: Advanced success options.
+HIT
AGGRESS (basic battle move)
5 or less: You take 1 extra harm as you leave yourself open.
6 to 9: You and whomever you're fighting inflict harm on each other.
10+: Choose one extra effect:
You move someone where you want them to be.
You create an opening. The next Spell Check against them takes +1 Blank Glyph
You inflict greater harm. Add 1 extra harm to your attack
You temporarily disarm your opponent, giving you an opportunity to act unopposed
12+: Advanced success options
You leave quite the impression. Take +2 Glyphs forward to MENACE or GLIB someone who is a witness to your fight
You inflict terrible harm. Add 2 harm to your attack
You permanently disarm your opponent for the encounter. Remove one of their moves from play, or take +2 Glyphs ongoing against them.
You do two of the effects from the 10+ list instead of only one.
MENACE (Coercing someone to assist)
5 or less: Your intimidation backfires and you take a Hard Choice or a Price to Pay.
6 to 9: They'll do it, but they are not loyal to you and will quickly turn on you should the opportunity arise.
10+: You make a convincing threat and they will not dare cross you, so long as you keep an eye on them.
12+: You have intimidated your target into service, surrender or immediate retreat. This character will be afraid of you going forward and will make every effort not to cross you. If they are a player, they may take +2 forward to not get in your way.
+WIT
GLEAN (Reading a person or situation for your advantage)
5 or less: Your attempts to GLEAN information are fruitless
6 to 9: You may ask the Storyteller a question, though the information you gain may be vague or unreliable.
10+: You may ask the Storyteller a yes-or-no question of your own or a question from the following list:
Who are the characters at play?
What are their methods?
When did this happen?
Where might it happen again?
Why did they do it?
How do we fix this?
12+: You may ask the Storyteller up to three questions from the list
GLIB (Convincing a person to assist you)
5 or less: Your persuasion backfires and you take a Hard Choice or a Price to Pay.
6 to 9: They'll do it, but only if you do something for them in return and soon. If they're unwilling or unable, they'll tell you what would get them to do it or who else would be willing to do it.
10+: They'll do it for you, and you choose one extra effect:
They'll give or lend something that will help with what you'll do next
If anyone asks, they'll cover for you
They'll put you in touch with someone else who will also be able to help
12+: Not only will they do it, they'll come along with you as an ally to make sure it's done right for the rest of the chapter. If you do enough for them in return, they may even join you permanently.
+GRIT
ABIDE (Enduring through something)
5 or less: The threat finds its way past your defenses. You take an additional harm included with its effects.
6 to 9: You reduce the harm you take by 1 and suffer no 0-harm effects, but you have drawn all impending danger to yourself.
10+: Choose an extra effect:
You significantly mitigate the harm you would have received (-2 harm)
You strike back at your attacker, dealing back half of the harm you have taken.
You temporarily disarm your attacker, giving them -1 going forward.
12+: You are unmoved, unshaken, and miraculously unharmed.
GUARD (Protecting yourself or someone else)
5 or less: You fail to protect someone and now both of you are in more danger than before. You both take 1 harm.
6 to 9: You guard them well, but you suffer some or all of the harm they were going to receive.
10+: Choose one extra effect:
You mitigate the harm you took for someone (-1 harm)
All impending danger is now focused on you
You inflict harm back on the attacker
You push the attacker away, giving an opportunity for the character you're protecting
12+: You manage to get yourself and the one you're guarding out of danger's path. If you were guarding a non-Player, they also want to repay their gratitude.
IMPEL (Physical exertion and acting under pressure)
5 or less: You seriously fumble and injure yourself or someone around you for 1 harm.
6 to 9: You aren't in good form for this feat. If you choose to push to 10, take 1 harm.
10+: You execute your task adequately. Choose 1:
You move where you want to be
You take your target where it needs to go
You throw at a target with great distance or accuracy
You are able to work effectively under pressure
12+: Your athleticism brings additional benefits outside of what you were trying to achieve. Choose 2:
You pull off a heroic feat that would be considered superhuman (leaping from one building to another, holding up a collapsing tunnel, warping metal bare-handed, etc)
You are able to carry another person while performing a different Basic Move. You must still make the Spell Check to succeed on the second Basic Move.
Choose two effects from the 10+ success to add to your success.
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Say the Magic Word
During play, each Reader will have 7 letter glyphs randomly pulled from a pool. These letters are used in the supernatural resolution mechanic called Spell Checks. Each letter of the alphabet has a corresponding number of points assigned to it. When a Reader does a Move, they must spell a Magic Word to attempt the action they are trying to do with the glyphs in their pool with a value equal or greater than the target number they are trying to reach.
When glyphs are used in a Spell Check, they are returned to the communal letter pool and the Reader resupplies themselves with up to 7 letters; regardless of whether a Move succeeds or fails.
The Magic Word you play doesn’t need to be an actual word! When you count up the total number that each glyph contributes towards, you must see if it will meet the target number. If you succeed with a Magic Word of 10 or more points, that Magic Word is written in the group LEXICON, which stores all Magic Words, what letters they use and what they are used for. For example:
A Wizard might have used the Magic Word “A(1)M(3)E(1)D(2)H(4)” (with a score of 11, which is a full success) for a +FLIT Spell Check involving a flying spell. “AMEDH” would then be used as the Magic Word for checks involving the magic of flight; meaning that Readers can spell “AMEDH” for a guaranteed total success when it comes to flying.
A Smith might then inscribe the Magic Word “AMEDH” from the LEXICON when creating a magic ring that causes the wearer to fly.
