This reference card will help you better understand the information provided for each bane.

Description

This section provides a general idea of what the bane could look like in the story.

Duration

A bane typically remains in effect until the target resists it using a resist action, hence most banes have a duration of "resist ends". If a target fails three resist rolls against a bane, the bane can no longer be resisted. It persists for an extended duration indicated in parentheses.

Power Level

This number indicates the required attribute score needed to inflict the bane. If multiple power levels are listed (such as 2 / 4 / 6), then the bane can be inflicted at multiple tiers of power. The Persistent Damage bane, for example, deals increased damage as you inflict it at higher power levels.

Attack Attributes

This is a list of the attribute or attributes that can be used to inflict the bane. As long as you possess at least one of the listed attributes at a score greater than or equal to the Power Level, then you can inflict the bane.

Attack

This list indicates what type of attack roll to make when inflicting the bane. Each entry consists of an attribute that the attacking player should roll and the defense score targeted by the attack. If the attacker's roll equals or exceeds the target's defense score, then the bane is inflicted.

Effect

This entry indicates the mechanical effects of the bane on the rules of the game.

Special (optional)

This optional entry describes any effects that fall out of the normal rule set.

Description

You blind your foe with anything from a massive explosion, to a handful of sand, to an arctic blast, to a dazzling flash of light. Pirates, snipers, rogues, and necromancers often make use of this bane in combat.

Duration

Resist ends (Fail x 3 = 1 minute)

Power Level

5

Attack Attributes

Agility Creation Energy Entropy

Attack

Agility vs. Guard
Creation vs. Guard
Energy vs. Guard
Entropy vs. Toughness

Effect

The target cannot see as long as the effect persists. The target automatically fails any Perception rolls based solely on normal sight. Attack rolls and Perception rolls based partially on sight that can be supplemented by another sense suffer disadvantage 5. The target's Guard defense is reduced by 3.

Description

You deafen your foe with a crash of thunder, a deft strike to their ears, or a dark energy that disables their hearing. This bane is common to storm mages, mad scientists, and assassins.

Duration

Resist ends (Fail x 3 = 1 minute)

Power Level

4

Attack Attributes

Agility Energy Entropy

Attack

Agility vs. Guard
Energy vs. Toughness
Entropy vs. Toughness

Effect

The target cannot hear as long as the effect persists. The target automatically fails any Perception rolls based solely on hearing. Perception rolls based partially on hearing that can be supplemented by another sense suffer disadvantage 3.

Description

Using your quick wit, intimidating presence, or even a strong display of magical power, you cause your enemies to doubt themselves. A berserker might achieve this effect by foaming at the mouth while a swashbuckling space captain might dishearten his foes simply with intimidating words.

Duration

Resist (minor) ends (Fail x 3 = 1 minute)

Power Level

3 6 8

Attack Attributes

Agility Energy Entropy Influence Might Persuasion Presence

Attack

Agility vs. Resolve
Energy vs. Resolve
Entropy vs. Resolve
Influence vs. Resolve
Might vs. Resolve
Persuasion vs. Resolve
Presence vs. Resolve

Effect

The affected target has disadvantage on all action rolls.

• Power Level 3 - Disadvantage 1.
• Power Level 6 - Disadvantage 2.
• Power Level 8 - Disadvantage 3.

Special

Resisting this bane is a minor action. When inflicting this bane using Agility or Might, you may determine range using the Non-Physical Attack Range table (see Chapter 7: Combat).

Description

You force an opponent to lose control of an object they are holding, whether through brute force, mental compulsion, a skillful parry, heating the item to unbearable temperatures, shooting it from their hands, or some other means.

Duration

Instantaneous

Power Level

3 6

Attack Attributes

Agility Alteration Energy Entropy Influence Might Movement

Attack

Agility vs. Guard
Alteration vs. Guard
Energy vs. Guard
Entropy vs. Toughness
Influence vs. Resolve
Might vs. Guard
Movement vs. Guard

Effect

• Power Level 3 - The target drops an object they are holding in a space of your choosing within 15' of the target.
• Power Level 6 - As an alternative to moving the item, you can choose to assume control of it. If you do, you are now the wielder. For the wielder to regain control, they can react with a Disarmed bane of their own to counter the effect or make an attribute roll (typically Might) with a Challenge Rating equal to 10 + 2 x the attribute score you used to disarm the item.

Description

You cause the target's body to wither and weaken, gradually losing its ability to function until the victim finally succumbs to death. Fatigue may be the result of a necromancer's curse, an assassin's poison, a radiation ray, or similar life sapping effects.

Duration

Special

Power Level

5

Attack Attributes

Entropy

Attack

Entropy vs. Toughness

Effect

This bane has multiple tiers which are applied in succession. Each time this bane is inflicted, if it is already in effect on the target, the severity escalates by one level.

• Level 1 - The target has disadvantage 1 on all non-attack action rolls.
• Level 2 - The target is affected by the slowed bane, reducing its speed by half. This instance of the slowed bane cannot be resisted as normal. It persists until the fatigue is removed.
• Level 3 - The target has disadvantage 1 on all attack rolls.
• Level 4 - The target loses their attribute bonuses to their defense scores (Agility and Might for Guard, Fortitude and Will for Toughness, Will and Presence for Resolve). They retain any armor, extraordinary, or feat bonuses.
• Level 5 - The target loses consciousness and is helpless. Being forced into a state of rest, one level of fatigue will be removed automatically after 24 hours, unless circumstances prevent the target from resting peacefully.
• Level 6 - The target dies.

Special

Unlike other banes, canceling this bane takes time and rest. Each 24 hour period of rest with little or no exertion removes one level of fatigue. If the restoration boon is successfully invoked to dispel this bane, only one level of fatigue is removed (in addition to that removed by natural rest). If the restoration boon's invoker has an attribute score of 7 or greater, all levels of fatigue are removed instead of just one. A target may only benefit from one invocation of the restoration boon to remove fatigue within a 24 hour period.

Description

Through an overwhelming force of physical might or extraordinary power, you strike terror into the hearts of enemies, causing them to flee from your presence. A warrior might invoke this bane by hurling a boulder while a cyber hacker might achieve the same effect by uploading a hallucinatory virus into an opponent's neuro jack.

Duration

Special

Power Level

5

Attack Attributes

Creation Entropy Influence Might

Attack

Creation vs. Resolve
Entropy vs. Resolve
Influence vs. Resolve
Might vs. Resolve

Effect

On its turn, the afflicted target must use its entire turn to get as far away as possible from you. It cannot use its actions to do anything other than retreat, and it cannot willingly move closer to you while the bane persists.

Special

While most banes last until the target actively attempts to resist them, this bane prevents the target from thinking clearly. However, the target's logical mind fights to regain control. As such, at the end of each of its turns, the target receives a resist roll as a free action to break free from this effect. When your target succeeds at a resist roll against this bane, they become immune to all subsequent attempts by you to inflict the bane for the next hour. When inflicting this bane using Might, you may determine range using the Non-Physical Attack Range table (see Chapter 7: Combat).

Description

With a forceful blow, magical gust of wind, or telekinetic push, you move your target against its will. This bane is favored among ogres, telekinetisists, wind mages, super soldiers, and other characters built to reshape the battlefield to their advantage.

Duration

Instantaneous

Power Level

2 4 6 8

Attack Attributes

Agility Energy Might Movement

Attack

Agility vs. Guard
Energy vs. Guard
Might vs. Guard
Movement vs. Guard

Effect

The target is moved a distance against their will, as determined by the bane's power level. The ending location is chosen by the attacker.

• Power Level 2 - The target is moved 5'.
• Power Level 4 - The target is moved 10'.
• Power Level 6 - The target is moved 15'.
• Power Level 8 - The target is moved 20'.

Description

Whether through grappling, a precise nerve strike, entangling vines, mental compulsion, or a bone-numbing blast of cold, you render your foe incapable of movement. This bane is typical among martial artists, special ops agents, enchanters, and wrestlers.

Duration

Resist ends (special) (Fail x 3 = 1 minute)

Power Level

1

Attack Attributes

Agility Alteration Creation Energy Entropy Influence Might Movement

Attack

Agility vs. Guard
Alteration vs. Guard
Creation vs. Toughness
Energy vs. Toughness
Entropy vs. Toughness
Influence vs. Resolve
Might vs. Guard
Movement vs. Guard

Effect

Your target cannot move from its current space. If you invoked the bane with a Might roll and are within 5' of the target, then both you and the target are immobile in your current space for the duration of the bane (locked in a grapple). While grappling in this manner, you can attempt to inflict this bane again upon the target. If successful, you can move your speed and take the target with you. If this attack fails, you can only move by first releasing the target and ending the bane. If you invoked the bane with any attribute other than Might, you can move freely while the target remains affected. You can choose to release the target as a free action, immediately ending the bane.

Special

When an affected target succeeds at a resist roll to end this effect, they can move 15' as a free action.

Description

Incapacitation is a catch-all bane for a variety of effects, including total paralysis, sleep, petrification, poison, being knocked out, fainting, or similar conditions that render a character completely helpless. Examples of possible causes of this bane include a martial artist's paralyzing strike, an enchanter's magical song of sleep, paralysis by poison, fainting from extreme heat, suffocation, and the gaze of a medusa.

Duration

Resist ends (Fail x 3 = 1 minute)

Power Level

5 7 9

Attack Attributes

Agility Entropy Influence

Attack

Agility vs. Toughness
Entropy vs. Toughness
Influence vs. Resolve

Effect

The target is immobile (can't move from their current space) and unconscious. They have disadvantage 5 on all perception rolls and are incapable of moving. As a result of being completely incapable of movement, an incapacitated character can be the victim of a finishing blow.

• Power Level 5 - The effect can be broken by a moderate disruption, such as a firm shove, a kick, glass of water, loud bang, etc.
• Power Level 7 - The effect can only be broken if the target takes 1 point of damage or more.
• Power Level 9 - The effect cannot be disrupted by external forces. Only the afflicted character's successful resist roll can end the effect.

Special

While most banes last until the target actively attempts to resist it, this bane prevents the target from being aware of their affliction and thus prevents them from actively attempting to break free. However, the target's body fights to regain consciousness. As such, at the end of each of its turns, the target receives a resist roll as a free action to break free from the effect. When your target succeeds at a resist roll against this bane, they become immune to all subsequent attempts by you to inflict the bane for the next hour.

Description

Whether via a thunderous blow from a great axe, an earth shattering bolt of supernatural energy, or a well aimed shove in a direction where the enemy's balance is weak, you knock the target off their feet. Knockdown is a favorite of hulking brutes, telekinetisists, martial artists, and earth elementalists.

Duration

Instantaneous

Power Level

1

Attack Attributes

Agility Energy Might Movement

Attack

Agility vs. Guard
Energy vs. Guard
Might vs. Guard
Movement vs. Guard

Effect

The target falls prone. Prone targets have disadvantage 1 on all attacks they make. Characters that are prone due to the knockdown bane (or any other reason) get +2 to Guard versus Ranged attacks and -2 Guard versus Melee attacks. Standing up from prone requires a move action and costs a character half (round down) of their speed for the round.

Description

Whether by setting the target ablaze, covering them in acid, slicing an artery, or cursing them with a wasting disease, you inflict your foe with a lasting and recurring source of damage. Persistent damage is a favorite among assassins, mad scientists, and elementalists.

Duration

Resist ends (Fail x 3 = 1 minute)

Power Level

2 4 6 8 9

Attack Attributes

Agility Energy Entropy

Attack

Agility vs. Guard
Energy vs. Guard
Entropy vs. Toughness

Effect

At the beginning of the target's turn, before they take any actions, they suffer damage determined by the power level of the bane. This damage automatically bypasses the afflicted character's defenses but it can be reduced by any resistance to damage of a certain type (see the resistance boon). Like all dice rolls, these dice explode.

• Power Level 2 - 1d4 damage per round.
• Power Level 4 - 1d6 damage per round.
• Power Level 6 - 1d8 damage per round.
• Power Level 8 - 1d10 damage per round.
• Power Level 9 - 2d6 damage per round.

Special

Persistent damage comes in a number of different variations: physical damage (bleeding from a vital strike), energy damage (lightning, fire, cold, acid, etc.) and entropic damage (necromantic energy), among others. Each variation has its own cure. When that cure is applied with a major action (either by the afflicted character or another), the target receives a resist roll (as a free action) with advantage 1 to end the effect. The GM has the final word on whether a proposed cure can help a given type of persistent damage, but the following examples can help with arbitration:

• Bleeding damage is cured with a successful roll using Learning, Logic, or Creation.
• Lightning damage is cured by a discharge or grounding of the current.
• Cold damage is countered with warmth, heat, or fire.
• Acid damage is neutralized with alkalizing agents (powder, milk, etc.).
• Fire damage is neutralized with water or smothering.
• Entropic damage is neutralized with extraordinary or magical healing.

This bane may still be resisted in the usual way of using the resist banes action.

Description

Through a display of awe-inspiring force, intimidation, or leadership, you command attention as the greatest threat, causing others to fear attacking your allies. Examples include a brute smashing the skull of a lesser foe, a gunslinger hurling insults, or a space captain diving into the middle of a swirling melee with plasma blades flashing.

Duration

Resist (minor) ends (Fail x 3 = 1 minute)

Power Level

4 5 6 7 8 9

Attack Attributes

Agility Creation Deception Energy Influence Might Persuasion Presence

Attack

Agility vs. Resolve
Creation vs. Resolve
Deception vs. Resolve
Energy vs. Resolve
Influence vs. Resolve
Might vs. Resolve
Persuasion vs. Resolve
Presence vs. Resolve

Effect

Any attacks made by the target that do not include you as a target suffer disadvantage. If the same target is affected by this bane from multiple sources, as long as their attack includes one of those who targeted them, they are not affected by the penalty. Unlike other banes, your damaging attack against one target can trigger this bane in a different target, provided your roll is greater than or equal to their Resolve defense (that is, by striking one foe, you can provoke another).

• Power Level 4 - The target suffers disadvantage 1 on attacks that do not include you.
• Power Level 5 - The target suffers disadvantage 2 on attacks that do not include you.
• Power Level 6 - The target suffers disadvantage 3 on attacks that do not include you.
• Power Level 7 - The target suffers disadvantage 4 on attacks that do not include you.
• Power Level 8 - The target suffers disadvantage 5 on attacks that do not include you.
• Power Level 9 - The target suffers disadvantage 6 on attacks that do not include you.

Special

Resisting this bane is a minor action. When inflicting this bane using Agility or Might, you may determine range using the Non-Physical Attack Range table (see Chapter 7: Combat).

Description

Entropic energy overcomes the target, bombarding their system and inducing nausea that makes self-defense and any kind of action difficult. This bane might stem from a witch's curse, chemical warfare, a powerful poison, or exposure to alien toxins.

Duration

Resist ends (Fail x 3 = 1 minute)

Power Level

5

Attack Attributes

Entropy

Attack

Entropy vs. Toughness

Effect

The target has disadvantage 1 on all action rolls and -1 to all defenses.

Description

Silence overcomes the target, whether from the warping of sound around the target, or from a physical effect like strangulation or suffocation. The silence bane is a favorite among assassins, sorcerers, engineers, and mad scientists.

Duration

Resist ends (Fail x 3 = 1 minute)

Power Level

2

Attack Attributes

Agility Alteration Entropy Might

Attack

Agility vs. Toughness
Alteration vs. Toughness
Entropy vs. Toughness
Might vs. Toughness

Effect

If Might, Agility, or Entropy is used to inflict this bane, then the character is suffering strangulation and unable to speak. If the bane is inflicted using Alteration, then all sound within 5' of the target is suppressed through extraordinary means, making their footsteps and the usual clank of belongings they are carrying inaudible.

Description

The target's movement is impaired, either by extreme cold, prolonged heat, poison, or injury to one or both legs. This bane is a favored attack among rogues, ice mages, telekinetisists, and gunslingers.

Duration

Resist ends (Fail x 3 = 1 minute)

Power Level

1

Attack Attributes

Agility Energy Entropy Might Movement

Attack

Agility vs. Guard
Energy vs. Guard
Entropy vs. Toughness
Might vs. Guard
Movement vs. Guard

Effect

The afflicted target's speed is reduced to half its current speed, rounded down to the nearest 5' increment. This applies to all movement that is physical (flight, walking, climbing, etc.). If the target is currently under a magical effect that increases speed, the two effects are canceled for the duration that both affect the target.

Description

You disorient the target's senses, causing them to act much less efficiently. Stunning an enemy can be caused by attacks such as a pistol whip to the back of the head, a kick in the groin, and a deafening thunderclap.

Duration

Resist ends (Fail x 3 = 1 minute)

Power Level

4

Attack Attributes

Agility Energy Entropy Might

Attack

Agility vs. Toughness
Energy vs. Toughness
Entropy vs. Toughness
Might vs. Toughness

Effect

During the target's turn, they are limited to either a single major action, a single move action, or a single minor action. Effects that grant additional actions do not circumvent this unless they grant a free action. Note that a target expending its move action to resist this bane will receive the remainder of their usual actions if the resist roll succeeds.

Special

This bane has special rules for boss NPCs (See Chapter 8: Running the Game). A boss is only affected by the stunned bane during its normal initiative turn. It may still take all of its boss actions as usual.