Table of Contents

Originally posted on the Forge, but their html parser has mangled all older postings; so:

These are Scattershot's Mechanix isolated from the Techniques. (See glossary for the descriptions of italics items throughout.)

SOLO PLAY - Solitaire Play is anything you do separate from the Group. You then make decisions and changes to only the things you are the Proprietor for. Dice usage (other than to generate Detail) is avoided.

Creating/Evolving a Character - There are no limits on development points for initial Character creation. (Players may elect to set their own starting limits, either independently or by Group consensus. These include things like development-point challenge cut-offs, thematic bias, or et cetera. The Gamemaster is not allowed to place development point restrictions on anyone other than the Non-Player Characters.) Placement of concentrations of development points is an indicator to other Players of the Character's focus of design; efficacy overlap must be negotiated before Play begins. Later points are purchased using Experience Dice. It costs 1 development point to raise any Rating by 1. All the abilities a Character possesses will have Ratings costing at least 1 point. The Defaults for abilities 'not paid for' have specified Opportunity restrictions in their listings.

GENERAL PLAY - During General Play no Mechanix are used. Ratings are treated simply as guidelines used mostly when unusual or notable. Whatever the Speaker says is what happens in the Game. Play passes between Players in no formal order and at no specific time interval. The Speaker is the Proprietor for any element they introduce into the Game (unless they pass it to someone else, like the Gamemaster). A Speaker should be careful when affecting anything another Player is the Proprietor of (no permanent changes are allowed without at least the tacit approval of the Subject's Proprietor). Specific Play may be called for any time there is disagreement over the direction the Narrative is taking or to suggest Complications.

SPECIFIC PLAY - In Specific Play, the Mechanix are infrequently used, mostly to create Detail, to support tension (by the introduction of uncertainty), to negotiate contended Narrative direction, or for other Players to offer Complications. Play still passes between Players in no particular order or rate.

Ratings - These represent the capacities for Action.


• Statistics - Every Character in the Game has them and they begin with a base Rating of 10 (which is the same as 8 plus development points spent - 12 implied points are already spent here).
  
  
  • Strength - This is the Magnitude Stat of raw muscle power Action.
    
  • Agility - This is the Stat for Invoked, Immediate or Involved untrained physical prowess Actions.
    
  • Hit Points - Not a measure of a Character's health, this is actually the Resource Stat for the amount of 'fight left in ya.'
    
  • Reaction - An Invoked Reactive Stat Rating, this is the Character's effective 'response time.'
    
  • Observation - This is the Invoked Immediate or Involved Stat for gathering relevant information from sensible sources. How much may be 'searched' in once Action is indexed on the UE Chart.
    
  • Power - Power is the Magnitude Rating for most Special Abilities (and sometimes also functions as the Resource Rating powering the same, depending on the listing).
  
  
• Free Skills - Not fully counted as Ratings (for minimum cost purposes) because of their limited Opportunity and usability. These optional Invoked Ratings are listed as a 'laundry list,' that has a special cost of up to 5 Free Skills for each development point spent. The starting level of each Free Skill is given on that list. Any increases are at normal cost (+1 for each development point).
  
  
• Skills - These are also optional Invoked Ratings as listed. Easy Skills cost 11+development points spent on them, Intermediate cost 10+points, Difficult are 9+ (and so on for Exceptional, Renowned, Incredible, Nigh Impossible, and Legendary, which apply mostly to Special Ability listings). Each Skill listing gives predetermined Time/Quantity/Opportunity limits, Scope/Duration bases, and information on 'how to Default to the Skill.' Talent and training are purchased identically (after which they are combined) differing only in the Character's description and with the Detail created during the Application Phase of Resolution.
  
  
• Special Abilities - These are genre-specific, extra-normal abilities. They are generally tied to the Power Stat to determine 'how much' they may affect (indexed on the UE Chart during Character creation/evolution).
  
  
  • Superpowers - These flashy inhuman abilities are used mostly beyond hand's reach. Each power's narrowly defined effects are determined at time of the Character's creation/evolution. They don't normally require Power expenditure.
    
  • Magic - This is the ability of producing nearly any effect imaginable made possible by expending Power (in its Resource facility). Their practice is usually thematically restricted.
    
  • Spells - These narrow-use, discrete abilities are set during Character creation/evolution and rarely require expending Power. They are most often 'purchased' from schedules using a simple cost incentive system.
    
  • Please ask for further samples from other genres of interest.
  
  
• Advantages/Disadvantages/'Character' - These frequently offer Residual modifiers in situations that they relate to. They also may function as a specialization of efficacy or deficiency (For example; 'Dexterity' is +1 Agility with the hands; 'Can't Cook' eliminates food preparation Defaults). They are also used as Characterization guidelines for post-Session Experience Dice Rewards.
  
  
• Modifiers - These bonuses (or penalties) are added (or subtracted, respectively) to a Rating at the end of the Opportunity Phase of Resolution when unraveling Question. They represent variations of difficulty due to the situation in Play.

Resolution - Resolve Question with Actions. In the following three Phases, an Action is begun in the Opportunity Phase, impartially concluded in the Decision Phase, and becomes a part of the Narrative during the Application Phase.


Choose - Pick an Action for your Character during the Opportunity Phase of your Character's Opportunity. When you indicate this Action, the Character is actually starting to do it in the Narrative. This Action cannot imply any kind of response on its Subject's part. (You could throw a 'boot to the head,' but you cannot 'kick their teeth in' because it implies their teeth will be there, waiting.) Choose the Rating that most suits this Action and combine that Rating with the appropriate modifiers to best approximate the chosen Action.

MIB numbers - Uncertainty and impartiality are introduced in the Decision Phase of resolution by rolling dice. From the above modified Rating, subtract the sum of 2d10 to get the Made-It-By (or Missed-It-By, when the difference is negative) number. This is the numeric measure of the quality of success of an Action and is used to determine the impact of the Resolution on the Narrative.

Adding/Subtracting Experience Dice - You may alter any MIB number by applying Experience Dice to it. Anyone who observes a MIB roll may contribute, regardless if they have a Character who is a party to the Action or not (even by preempting the actual MIB roll with their Experience Dice). Experience Dice are rolled and their face value is added or subtracted to the MIB as the die roller sees fit. If you don't do well enough, go ahead and roll another; this may lead to 'bidding wars' where one Player adds an Experience Dice then another subtracts one and then the first adds another, and so on. Once all the dice have landed and been totaled, the Decision Phase ends; this is how the basic MIB number is determined.

'Rules of Engagement' - When your Character performs an Action that includes another, you are Engaging them. You can't do something to someone else's Character unless you do it with their Player, and their Character becomes the Resistor. You decide only your Character's portion of the interaction, the other Player decides their Character's reaction, at times a contested MIB roll is needed to resolve whose Action takes precedence and 'defines' the resulting interaction.

Contested rolls - During the Opportunity Phase, the active Resistor may decide to oppose the Action being resolved (when their Character can and does perform another Action to Complicate or counter this Action) and thus also rolls a MIB number. Both parties have stated their Actions during the Opportunity Phase, now the rolls and MIB totals (including any Experience Dice) of both are done simultaneously during the Decision Phase so that the basic MIB numbers may be called out at roughly the same time. After that, subtract the Resistor's MIB number from Actor's to get the Resultant MIB (RMIB) number. An RMIB is treated exactly like any other MIB during the Application Phase.

Buy a Success/Spend a Success - During Application Phase, you may alter the results by adding or subtracting to MIB total based on how it related to the Narrative. Both sides in a Contested roll may do this.


• You may buy a MIB up to 0 (minimal success) by introducing Complications for your Character. Each Complication taken adds 1 to the MIB. The maximum number of Complications is equal to the Epic Index* number.
  
• If you have a high enough success, you may 'spend' MIB points on Benefits, 1 Benefit per point spent. Every point the MIB number is higher than the Critical Juncture number is automatically taken as Benefits, see below.

Deciphering MIB numbers - Following all the adjustments, the remaining MIB number defines the amount of impact the Action has upon the Narrative. Consider the range of possibilities between the greatest degree of success and the worst failure. The Critical Juncture threshold affects all exceptional rolls; if the positive MIB number equals or exceeds Critical Juncture, it is called a Telling Blow. If the Missed-It-By number is lower than minus the Critical Juncture number it is a Catastrophic Failure. Between those are a number of degrees of success and failure as created by Mechanical results and Proprietor Narrative descriptions.

Interpreting Contested Actions or RMIB numbers - Once the RMIB has been settled, the Actions of the two (or more) participants in the contest are commingled. A positive RMIB means the Action that initiated the Contest determines the result; the more positive it is, the more the Actor's Action overshadows the whole interaction. The more negative the RMIB is, the more the Resistor's Action characterizes the result; neither is completely ignored, but their portion of the synthesis is determined by the RMIB. An RMIB of 0 means the Action succeeded by only the tiniest of margins, possibly a pyrrhic victory; this result usually has little Mechanical impact on the Narrative (except the Complications taken by both sides). Contested Actions are also affected by Critical Junctures only when one of the initial MIB numbers succeeds the Critical Juncture threshold in the first place.

Critical Junctures - When a Telling Blow is scored, the Proprietor of the Subject or recipient Character is compelled to improvise additional colorful and long-term consequences (lasting at least to the end of the Session). This may include adding additional disadvantages to the Character (accounted for indexing the MIB on UE Chart facet of 'Points,' which is usually 1), accounting for each additional point as either Complications for the Subject or Benefits for the Actor, or other in-Play effects. For a Catastrophic Failure, the Player of the Actor must do the same for themselves.

Results - In order to determine the Mechanical result, a number of different choices are available. The MIB (or RMIB) number may be multiplied by a Factor before subtracting it from a Resource Rating (the Factor is indexed from UE Chart using the Magnitude Rating for that Action). The Action may create a Residual modifier (equal to the index of the MIB on UE Chart facet of 'Bonus,' most often this is just a 1). It may be used simply as a numerical scalar of results. Or any combination of these, as the Player of the Actor decides. Results are applied to the Narrative at the end of the Application Phase. Calculated penalties for reduced Resource Ratings do not take affect until the next 'lull' (like the return of Specific or General Play at the end of Mechanical Turn Sequencing).

MECHANICAL PLAY - This is the most rigidly formalized type of Play. It is most often used for combat, but not always, other possible uses include things like generating Detail with the strict timing of events, for tension.

Turn Sequencing - One of the main features of Mechanical Play is rigid sequencing of how Players take their turns.

Scope/Duration - always keep in mind that Mechanical turn sequencing is most appropriate for Immediate Durations on the Individual Scope level. Shift the Scope up at least one level if the number of Non-Player Characters equals or exceeds the number of Players.

Combat Initiative - Melee does not begin with the first 'swing.' Whichever Player makes the decision (during General or Specific Play) that Melee is unavoidable calls for the shift to Mechanical Turn Sequencing, and their Character takes the first Turn. This often precipitates hasty battle preparations and the like, but these then occur during the early parts of Mechanical Play. Whoever seizes this initiative might be ready first.

Rounds/Turns - Each Player may conduct 2 Immediate Actions (and a few Involved) for each Turn of every Character they have. After the each Player finishes all of the Actions that they wish for all their Characters' Turns, Play passes to that Player's right. After every Character has had their turn, Play 'completes' the circle and returns to the initial Player who takes their Characters' next turns. Once around the circle of the entire Group is called a Round.

Immediate Actions - These are the units of activity for the Characters during Mechanical play. Each listing for a Rating defines what kinds of Actions may be performed with it. Most Characters may move up to 7 yards running as an Action. Other Actions are usually resolved with MIB rolls.

Free Actions - These do not really count as Actions. They don't weigh heavily enough on the time requirements for Actions and often occur simultaneously with them. These include things like Looking Around (Invoking an Observation roll), Dropping an Item, Falling Down, Moving a few steps (about a yard), making a Soliloquy, Changing the application of a Special Abilities already in use, the Last-Ditch Dodge (at a -2 penalty), or any other act accepted as 'Free' by the Group during Play. A Character may perform as many Free Actions as the Epic Index* number during each round. Except in Cinematic Games, no more than one of each kind may be performed each round by a Character. These may even be performed during another Character's turn. If desired, an Action may be expended specifically to restore the full capacity to perform these Free Actions a second 'cycle' during the round.

Forfeiting - When another Character Engages yours on their turn (and your Character hasn't done this twice already), you may forfeit one of their upcoming Actions and perform a Reactive Action. This may lead into a series of Following Actions.

Following Actions - During Melee an Engaged Character may perform an Involved Action that works like a series of attacks, defenses, and movements but only count as one Action. Each included attack is treated as a separate Engaging Action where necessary. Such a Flurry of Actions continues (along the lines predetermined by the ability 'scripting' it) until an attack 'hits' (from either Engaged combatant) or there is an Interruption. A Flurry can last for no more 'Actions' than as many as the Epic Index* number of the Game.

Combat Advantage - The Detail of some Actions (and some Free Actions) may create an Advantage for one combatant in Melee. Because these are too diverse to list, we divide them into three categories: you can Seize, Hold or Check an Advantage. Each significant Advantage you hold against your foe (up to a maximum of the Epic Index* in number) is a continual Residual penalty (after the Action that resulted in it) of 1 to all of the Subject's rolls. Each Advantage Checked by foe eliminates 1 point of this penalty. Changing who you have Engaged in combat with erases any Advantage you hold against others.


Here are some examples to get you started:


Seizing the Advantage (where none was had before):

• Having the foe Yield it to you.
  
• Take the Lead when foe seriously falters.
  
• Having (and using) better Reach.
  
• Take the Upper Hand after a good hit or when foe must Dodge as the Last Resort.
  
• For an All-Out Attack (with no thought for defense).
  
• By Finding an Opening when foe's defense versus Feint is poor enough (less than 0).

Holding the Advantage (when you already have some):

• Cornering your foe.
  
• Focusing on them (you are thus Off-Guard to all else).
  
• Pressing Your Attack by 'advancing' into it.
  
• Take the High Ground.

Checking the Advantage (that is held against you):

• An Upset happens when a foe makes a crucial mistake and it erases all previous Advantage (such as a Catastrophic Failure).
  
• Backing Off (good against Pressed Attacks).
  
• Focusing on your foe (thus you are Off-Guard to all else).
  
• All-Out Defense (leaving the only Actions possible as defense or movement)
  
• Take the High Ground.
  
• Trick your foe into Yielding it to you (like the old 'sand in the eyes' trick); this also erases all previous Advantage.

Rewards - Characters receive Rewards for what they do as consequence of their actions within the context of the Game. Players receive Rewards of Experience Dice for things that make the Game enjoyable for much of the Group (whether during Play or not). Infrequently the separation between these will blur for explicit reasons described in the Techniques section. The enjoyment Players give themselves is its own reward. Experience Dice are awarded either after the Session consistent with the overall enjoyment of the Session for most of the Group (equal for all Players plus bonuses for exceptional contributors) or by vote for something like 'most valuable Player.' There are also on-the-spot Rewards for well-Played Detail that clearly increases the enjoyment of Play. Either Gamemasters or the Players may make these awards (Players out of their own stock of Experience Dice which the Gamemaster usually replaces out of the 'common stock'). Some post-Session Rewards will be withheld when a Player Plays significantly outside of their Character's description (usually on the Character Sheet), as this is their 'contract' of Characterization expectation with the Group.