Advanced Stage Business (Tactical Enhancement Optional)

It is hoped that in most cases the desired stage business will easily fall within the number of Beats a character can use and the DN merely smiles and nods to proceed.  The advanced system is to help forestall conflict and confusion for complex stage business.  It is not meant to turn the process into a counting contest.

While a player will have a Base Beats total of 14 that total can change through interaction and effects, and particularly the wearing of armor.  Base Beats are “spent” to perform actions.  Costs for actions is determined by DN or by the Action Chart where common actions are provided with suggested costs.  (Special Actions are where a more tactical aspect of stage business can be introduced but should be considered optional.)

Total Beats can be temporarily increased with skills, buffs, and magic, but are maxed at plus 100% of the base total beats number per Moment.  A haste potion that doubles beats would turn 12 beats into 24 thus allowing 2 attacks for duration of the potion.  Beats can also be decreased.  A magically held person has Zero Beats for affected Moment or perhaps several moments. Armor will also affect the number of Beats a player has to spend.

Beats can be used for specified actions like movement or combat but might be needed for such things as drinking a potion, Finding a scroll etc.  Beat system is not meant to be draconian.  Mostly what a player wants to do will be done within reason and logic. One Stage Moment is about 1 minute and much can happen in a minute or very little.

Movement / Actions Tactical

The list is not meant to be an exhaustive limit but a guide for determination for movement related actions.  The list expands options from All Base Beats to more granular beat costs allowing for more complex and longer battles.

Beats / General Action

Beat Cost / Action

• 1 / Move 1 hex
• 2 / Sneak 1 hex *
• 4 / Vault Obstacle up to half the height of player 1 hex
• 6 / Clamber above half height up to arms reach 1 hex
• 1/2  Total Beats / Drop Prone
• All total beats / Rise from prone
• 1 / Up or Down Rope or Ladder (10 feet)

Combat Actions

Beats Cost / Action

Melee Combat (adjacent foe)

• ½ Total Beats / Melee Adjacent foe
• All Beats / Reckless Strike +4 damage (If target survives, next attack is at -4 to die roll)
• ½ Beats / Kill incapacitated Foe  (no roll needed)
• All Beats / Defend/Parry +2 to attacker die in lieu of player attack
• Move at least 3 Hexes / Shield Rush Strike  Knock-back and 1-6 dam. This is the only Movement Attack and must roll a strike to achieve as any normal strike.

Missile Combat (distant foe)

• ½ Total Beats / Standard shoot or throw
• All Beats / Well Aimed -1 to strike Die
• All Beats / Snap Shot  2 shots, +2 to each Stike Die.
• All Beats / Cripple Shot +4 Strike Die (on success foe cannot move until healed)

Magic Actions

Beats Cost/ Action

• All Beats / Cast Magic incantation
• ½ Beats /Cast a Cantrip
• ½ Beats /Discharge arcane device  (Staff, Wand, orb that does damage)
• ½ Beats /Read Ready Scroll
• ½ Beats / Ready a Scroll (From quick slot)
• ½ Beats / Ready Wand (From quick slot)

General Stage Business

• ½ Beats / Light a wick with flint
• ¼ Beats / Light a wick with smoldering punk
• ¼ Beats Drink a potion  (Potion may not be instantaneous)
• ½ Beats / Envenom a weapon
• ½ Beats / Search Pack for item
• ¼ Beats / Access Quick Slot Item
• ¼ Beats / Kick over a table, etc.

Summary

Any game mechanic should be used to prevent abuse not to turn the game into a counting contest.  Rule of thumb is that a player needs half their available Beats to make a simple attack and all to take a special action.

The point of the Beats breakdown is to allow more actions in a round.  DN encouraged to put their own spin on Beat cost.  It would be possible to assign actual numbers to the values rather than sliding scale like: all, ½, ¼.

For example: drinking a potion (1/4 Beats) would require 3 beats not merely ¼ of player total beats.  Of course, doing so would be a penalty to heavily armored players since they have fewer beats to spend and many actions might fall outside their range of action.