What is the starting Effect, and how does it change?
The Effect of the various Outcomes decided by a roll is usually set by your level of Peril. If you're in No Peril, you're getting No Effect. In Lesser Peril, you're getting Lesser Effect. Standard Peril is Standard Effect. With Great PowerPeril comes Great ResponsibilityEffect. And Extreme Peril is...not somewhere you want to be, but if you are there, you're accomplishing a hell of a lot.
But the Effect might change from the default based on three things. Some of these might change just one Outcome in a roll, some might change all of them.
- A character trait, the most common is Aptitude, which gives you increase Effect on one Outcome if you're doing that thing, or Knowledge, which gives you increased Effect on gathering information. There's also some various Special Abilities that can alter Effect. You can also do a Devil's Bargain and asking for this.
- The Potency of what you're doing, which is a fancy word for 'Are there any circumstances that make what you're doing easier or harder?'. This is also what at Setup Action does, increases the Potency, because you created better circumstances. Which is why if the GM has already decided to increase the Potency of an Outcome by a level, sometimes they will not let you do a Setup Action for that Outcome, because you're basically at the ideal situation. It's their choice, though, they can allow it if they want.
- Just sheer mismatch of Scope between your skills and what you're trying to do. Like you're a professional safecracker trying to crack a $2 padlock. Or you're one person trying to fight ten other people. The GM can just their judgement and just change it.The GM can even decide that the the Effect is so trivial compared to your skill that you do not even have to roll anything and can just do it, and what you should be rolling is things that might happen during...or maybe you roll nothing at all, even if other players had to roll for the same thing. You're just a lot better at that thing.
| Level | Effect | Default Harm | Clock Segments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser | Lesser | 1 |
| 2 | Standard | Standard | 2 |
| 3 | Great | Great | 3 |
| 4 | Extreme | Extreme | 4 |
Automatic Benefits still are Outcomes
Even when you you're making a roll but don't have to roll for benefits, just roll to avoid negative consequences, the benefits are still technically an Outcome and thus have an Effect level, you just are magically going to get a 6 in it without having to assign a result dice to it.
This means you still can alter the Effect.
For a practical example, if you have a Aptitude in in that thing, you can put that Aptitude, and hence increased Effect, on either the 'how long it takes' Outcome that you are actually rolling for, or the 'how well do I do this' automatic Outcome that you are getting a 6 in. Same with someone doing a Setup Action.
Although ask the GM before doing this, because often times there will not be a way to increase the Effect of something that the GM says 'you're just able to do that, no roll', the GM is likely assuming you're doing it perfectly, that's why they're letting you do it automatically. They likely have already taking your Aptitudes into consideration when figuring the Outcome.
This is even technically true when the GM makes you not roll at all, not even for possible consequences. There was an Outcome, and thus an Effect. However, at that point they definitely already took into consideration how good you are.
No Effect, aka, challenging them to a dance off
The GM might sometimes tell you that something isn't going to have an Effect, aka the secret 0 level of Effect, called 'No Effect'. Sometimes, you will be be able to increase Effect from No Effect to at least Lesser Effect.
Alternately the GM will say you can't increase it. They have decided that what you're trying to do will not accomplish what you want it to, at all, no matter how well it is done. Don't take that as a rebuttal, take that as 'The GM is very nicely telling you that before you waste time and effort and possible resources on something that will accomplish literally nothing'. This game does not generally have secrets with regard to player actions, and thus you learn that advance.
And sometimes they will say 'And you absolutely should not try to do it, that would be very bad'.
But sometimes the GM will instead say 'But you want to try anyway.'.
Because there's weird technical fact: When the GM is telling you how much Effect you're going to have, at least for the benefit, it's Effect in the thing you said you are trying to do.
Sometimes, it's going to have some other effect. And sometime, that effect would be good.
Note that the GM can't trick you into negative Outcomes. If you Succeed in an Outcome, that Success cannot be to your detriment, unless very explicitly said in advance 'This will be a bad thing if you succeed at it'.
So if they are hinting 'Well, it's not going to do that, but maybe it might do something', that thing is probably going to be useful or at least interesting, and can't be harmful. So you might want to try it anyway.
Someone can maybe even roll an Understanding Setup Action to piece things together.
Example
GM: Price is about to put his plan into action. Last chance here.
Reuben: Well, I'm out of options here, can I just plea with him to stop? Using Connect? Maybe get him to delay it until everyone reports in?
GM: You can, but I'm going to tell you, straight up, that will have no effect on him. But...go ahead and do it.
Reuben: Hmm. Alright. I'm making an impassioned plea for him to think about the lives he's ending. That's a 6.
GM: Well, that did nothing to Price, but your heartfelt plea actually does seem to have caused his henchman to look a little dubious.
Reuben: Hmm. Well then. I'll continue to plea with Price, or at least speaking like I'm talking to him, but then I'll actually be looking at the henchman.
GM: I'll let you do that, but Price is getting impatient, so you can try that again, but you're have to simultaneously convince him while coming up with ways to get Price to keep listening. I'm starting two clocks here...
Sometimes you can figure the situation out yourself, but if you can't, you or someone else can always try do some sort of gather information 'Setup Action'. Either with Understanding or the Action you were about to use.
This is one of the few cases you can almost do your own Setup Action, and that works because it's not technically a Setup Action, because you're not making 'that specific Effect better', you were about to do an Effect accidentally, which meant the Potency was likely decreased, and if you can figure out what it's going to do and aim for Effect on purpose, Potency won't be decreased.
Example
GM: You've made it to the wiring closet, what are you going to do here?
Minerva: I want to plug into the secure network jacks and at least try to get in, even if you said that's not going to work until Reuben gets them to authorize a login in the security office. I'll be ready.
GM: *long pause* So that's not going to work, and you know it's not going to work, but intuitively wonder, at some level, if it might not be a good idea anyway.
Minerva: Why do I think that?
GM: Roll me either Understanding or Modify to gather information...it's about Computers, so you have Aptitude in it.
Minerva: I got a 6.
GM: The second you start doing that, they're going to track your computer. Unfortunantly for them, you're in the wiring closet, which means you can just disconnect an existing network wire to another computer, and plug into that jack, and the alert will point them to whatever computer you unplugged. I'm not even sure if they'll even think of checking here, and even if they do, it won't be for a bit. And as this is a properly organized wiring closet, all the wiring is labeled with clear diagrams. You can disconnect any computer you want.
Rueben: Does that include the computers in here?
GM: That's an idea. It does indeed include the computers in the security office. You probably shouldn't disconnect the actual authorization computer that you need them to use, because it can't authorize anything if you disconnect it, but the other computers are fair game.
Minerva: So I can make it look like one of them is trying to break into their own secure network?
GM: Yup. It's going to be pretty easy, they'll notice it regardless, the roll would be mostly to see how skilled the attacker looks, if that even matters.
Reuben: Gimme a second to prep these guys...I want to do a quick check to see which of these three is a least trusted...
Extreme effect, aka, oh crap
And there's extreme effect, which means it is absurdly effect, or absurdly bad. Notice that extreme harm is level 4, which is death. Try not to be in a position where you're making that roll to start with, if you do have to, try to not be filled up on Stress so you can resist it if you fail, because that is basically the only way you will die.
Example
GM: You're standing there looking at a man holding a gun on you from ten feet away, and he's about to pull the trigger. You're looking at level three harm here if he get a shot off. What are you doing?
Lucas: I'm going to jump out the window and aim for the pool.
GM: ...you do remember this is the fourth floor? Missing the pool and smashing into the ground from here would be extreme harm.
Lucas: Um, sure. Still doing it.
GM: You do know you're full up on Stress, right?
Lucas: Ah. Well. Nevertheless. Here we go.
GM: Okay, this is extremely dangerous, and if you miss you will die. But it's up to you. Assault?
Lucas: Sounds right. And that's a...3. Um.
Sal: I'm going to spend my Edge to reduce his Stress!
Lucas: Whew.
GM: Let's...um...maybe try not to do that in the future.
Lucas: That's an idea. Alright, I'm obviously going to resist that outcome.
GM: I would hope so! Partial success, that reduces it to third level harm, you do land entirely in the pool, however, you slam into the water hard enough that you barely make it back to the surface, your head is spinning so badly. Make level three harm 'Serious concussion', Luckily, there's a lifeguard on duty and they leap in and help you out of the pool. And have called an ambulance for you. Let's hope the guys don't come down to the pool and try to finish you off, cause you are in no state to do much of anything. Roll your Body resistance roll to see how much stress you took on top of all that, although you do only have one free, so...unless you crit, you'll full again.