The content of the previous chapter contained every core rule needed to play Charge. With this, you are fully equipped to have a really fun time playing either just a quick one shot or a full-fledged year-spanning campaign.
Now, this next chapter is about **Extras**.
Extras are additional mechanics that you can add in your games to mimic certain types of gameplay or to tailor the game more to your liking.
## Making an Extra
Charge is open, which means anybody can submit additional extras to be added to the game.
To do so, submit your idea on [Charge’s Community Board](https://itch.io/category/1543442/new-topic) using the **extra-submission** tag.
We have a group of volunteers who will review it and provide feedback, comments and suggestions.
Once the extra is approved by the community, you can send a message to RPDeshaies to include it in the game.
You can contact RP on Discord (RPDeshaies#4116) or on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/RPDeshaies).
While markdown documents are preferred, we will accept and consider others types of documents such as google docs, word documents, PDFs, and ideas posted directly to the Community Board!
To make Charge has homogeneous as possible, you can find below a markdown template that you can use to design your extra.
We can’t wait to see what you will be creating!
```md
## {Name of the Extra} | Extras
{short description}
- By {author name}
——
{detailed description of the extra and what it should be used for}
### {Name of the Extra} Rule
{Bulk of the document explaining how to use the extra and all of its rules}
#### Example
_Example of a game using the extra_
### Credits
- {credit #1}
- {credit #2}
### Recap
{Abbreviated version of the extra to be used as a quick reference}
```
## Asset Extra
A Charge RPG Extra to make item discovery interesting
- By René-Pier Deshaies
---
Assets are an extra that you can use as an alternative to **pushing yourself** or **adding tension** to a scene to get a bonus die when making an action roll.
### Loot Assets Rule
The Loot Asset is an additional mechanic that gives you the chance to find good loot that will have a mechanical impact on the game when you scavenge a place.
After a conflict between multiple parties is resolved, or when the general tension in a scene is reduced, you can do a **fortune roll** of **1d6** to find loot or to search a location.
- On a **6**, you create **1 asset**.
- On a **66**, you create **2 assets**.
Take note of this asset on your character sheet, and use it when the time is right to get an extra **1d6** or **increased effect** on an action roll.
> #### Loot Roll
>
> - Roll **1d6**.
> - On a 1-5: nothing happens.
> - On a 6: you create one asset
> - On a critical (66): you create two assets.
> - If an asset was created, take note of it on someone’s character sheet.
#### Boon Asset Rule
It’s always amazing when a player loses themselves in their character, or has an amazing idea that is just too brilliant to ignore.
To make those moments shine even more, the GM can reward that player with an **asset**.
This is how the GM says: this was amazing, here’s **1d6** or **increased effect** for a future roll.
## Solo Extra
A Charge RPG Extra to make unfair fights more awesome
- By Valdy
---
Sometimes you want to play a game with only one Player Character, and other moments you are alone or your team was taken out.
This extra is for these moments.
### The Last Standing Rule
When you are alone, you are **the last standing**.
If this happens, **pushing yourself** will only cost **1 momentum per push**.
#### Why to use this?
This is intended to those moments when, you are by yourself, you are the last hope, and then you find a new flame that allows you to overcome the impossible odds stacked against you.
#### Design considerations
I have a tendency to make one to one games (one GM and one player), and Charge revolves around Momentum being gained and spent.
Almost all mechanics about spending Momentum relies on having someone else available to assist you. So, by reducing the cost of Pushing Yourself, you allow for a higher flow of Momentum, which is more fair since no one can Assist each other.
So, in short:
- If you are alone, you have fewer options to be awesome.
- So we reduce the cost of the remaining options.
- This allows Solo situations to be equally awesome.
## Attachment Extra
A Charge RPG Extra to bring more focus on certain character details.
- By René-Pier Deshaies, Nugat & Keita Creation
---
The Attachment Extra is an extra that you can use to make certain aspects of your characters more important to the game.
### Attachment Extra Rule
Characters are defined using **details** to represent who they are, what they are like and who they are linked to. By default, details don’t have any mechanical uses in the game apart from providing narrative liberties.
If you want some of those details to feel more important in your game, you can consider them as **attachments**.
An **attachment** could be an important piece of equipment (a sword, a shield, a staff, a book, an armor), a relationship (an ally, a tie), or even a familiar.
An **attachment** is a character **detail** that you can choose to temporarily lose to resist an incoming **consequence**.
Doing this is called “breaking” the **attachment** and cancels the **consequence** outright. That means that the player does not have to make a **determination roll**.
However, this can only be done when it makes sense narratively, and that particular **attachment** cannot be used until time is taken to repair or reacquire it.
Since they can be used to cancel consequences entirely, characters only have between **1-2 attachments** each.
> #### Example
>
> *Jean-Loup’s character is surrounded by a horde of monsters while inside his Mech. He just failed a **desperate** action rolls which will tick 3 segments of his character’s stress clock.*
>
> *To avoid this, Jean-Loup proposes to break his attachment **Mech’s Core Reactor** to trigger an explosion, kill some monsters and give his character an opportunity to escape.*
>
> *The GM agrees and ask Jean-Loup to start a new project progress clock if he wants to require a new core in the future*.
### Recovering an Attachment
Like character **details**, attachments provide narrative permissions to characters. When they are broken, those narrative permissions are lost.
To re-require or repair an attachment, the PC needs to start a **project progress clock** and track it on their character sheet.
The clocks starts at 4 segments, but may have more segments if the attachment is complicated to repair, if it was heavily damaged, or if it is difficult to reacquire.
To make progress on the project, a character may only roll to repair a “broken” attachment when they have the appropriate amount of downtime.
The amount of action rolls taken should be narratively related to the amount of downtime the character has. Pulling an all-nighter by a campfire may only be one roll, but if the character has a free week they may get three rolls or more.
Depending on what is being repaired, the player may have to make different **action rolls**, or may have multiple progress clocks at once. Repairing an armor may just require a **Tinker** action roll and some time at the forge, but contacting a demon and convincing them to work with you again may require first to **Focus** on a ritual, then try to **Bond** with them. The amount of segments ticked is usually tied to the **effect** rating of the **action roll**.
Once the project is completed, the character is permitted to use the attachment in the fiction, and is allowed to block a new consequence by breaking it once again.
### Attachment Condition
Maybe you want an attachment that degrades over time, with use or by soaking up consequences. You can do so by introducing the **Condition** mechanic from the character sheet on your attachment.
Then, the more damage your attachment takes (or the more you use it), the more this clock fills, and the attachment’s condition changes.
Once the clock is full, the item is either irredeemably lost or unusable until it is partially or fully repaired (Which can happen during downtime or through action rolls).
If using the aforementioned repairing mechanic, you can have the repair clock be used as the item’s stress clock, with each succesful repair clearing one (or multiple, your choice) segments.
### Credits
- Parts of this Extra were originally part of a work by **Keita Creations** which you can find on his [itch.io page](https://keitacreates.itch.io/repairs-and-restorations). Reprinted with permission.
- Thanks **Nugat** for the addition of Attachment Conditions
- Thanks **Lynn Jones** for finding the name **attachment** which is way better than the previous name this extra had.
> ## Recap
>
> - Each character has 1-2 **attachments**
> - **Attachments** are like character details. They give narrative liberties to the PCs.
> - If a PC wants, they can choose to **break their attachment** to outright cancel an incoming consequence. Doing so renders the attachment unusable in the narrative.
> - A PC can repair/require their attachment by creating a 4 segment **project progress clock** that they can work on in their downtime.
## World Extra
A Charge RPG Extra to make the world feel more alive
- By René-Pier Deshaies
---
The World Extra is a additional mechanic that is mostly useful if you want to make a custom Powered by Charge game that feels unique.
This extra also requires the GM to use a standard deck of playing cards.
### World Extra Rule
During sessions, the PCs will go on missions to accomplish objectives. They will then come back to their H.Q. to debrief, rest and recover.
At the start of a campaign, or **every time the PCs come back to their H.Q.**, the GM draws **3 hook cards** of a standard deck of playing cards.
- The first card tells us about something related to \[Theme #1\].
- The second card tells us about something related to \[Theme #2\].
- The third tells the GM what the PC’s next mission is going to be.
The GM can use those hooks to create narrative threads for the PCs to explore and bring life to the world.
> #### Designer Note
>
> Change the themes to match your game’s settings.
>
> - A game about a the crew of a space ship trying to make ends meet could have: **The Ship** / **The Crew** / **The Next Job**.
> - A game about a thieving crew could have: **The Crew** / **The Other Factions** / **The Next Score**.
> - A game about super heroes fighting crime in a metropolis could have: **The City** / **The News** / **The Next Crime**
**1st Card: \[Theme #1\]** - **Ace**: \[prompt\] - **2**: \[prompt\] - **3**: \[prompt\]
- **4**: \[prompt\] - **5**: \[prompt\] - **6**: \[prompt\] - **7**: \[prompt\] - **8**: \[prompt\] - **9**: \[prompt\] - **10**: \[prompt\] - **Jack**: \[prompt\] - **Queen**: \[prompt\] - **King**: \[prompt\]
**2nd Card: \[Theme #2\]** - **Ace**: \[prompt\] - **2**: \[prompt\] - **3**: \[prompt\]
- **4**: \[prompt\] - **5**: \[prompt\] - **6**: \[prompt\] - **7**: \[prompt\] - **8**: \[prompt\] - **9**: \[prompt\] - **10**: \[prompt\] - **Jack**: \[prompt\] - **Queen**: \[prompt\] - **King**: \[prompt\]
**3rd Card: The Mission** - **Ace**: \[prompt\] - **2**: \[prompt\] - **3**: \[prompt\] - **4**: \[prompt\] - **5**: \[prompt\] - **6**: \[prompt\] - **7**: \[prompt\] - **8**: \[prompt\]
- **9**: \[prompt\] - **10**: \[prompt\] - **Jack**: \[prompt\] - **Queen**: \[prompt\] - **King**: \[prompt\]
Once the 3 cards are drawn, the GM uses the prompts on the first two to explain what happened while the PCs were away. The PCs can then spend time exploring those threads as they see fit.
When the PCs are ready for their next mission, the GM makes a **mission roll**.
To do so, the GM looks at the 3 cards they’ve drawn, and builds a dice pool of **1d6** for each red card (♥ ♦).
If there’s no red card, roll **2d6**, and select the lowest number.
The result of this roll tells us what is going to be the initial **risk** the PCs will find themselves in when starting their next mission.
- On a **1-3**, the PCs start in a **high risk** situation.
- On a **4-5**, the PCs start in a **moderate risk** situation.
- On a **6**, the PCs start in a **low risk** situation.
- On a **66**, the PCs start in a **low risk** situation, and gain some additional benefit.
The GM introduces the mission to the PCs, and they decide how they will approach the situation.
Once they’ve decided on a strategy, the GM cuts to the first scene of the mission using the result of the mission roll to describe the PCs current risk level.
Once the mission is over, the PCs go back to their H.Q., and the loop starts anew.
> #### Example
>
> *The PCs just got back to their space ship after pulling a very successful heist. As they come back, the GM draws 3 cards from a deck of cards.*
>
> *The GM then reads the 3 prompts associated with the cards*
>
> - ***The AI**: The AI of the ship just discovered sarcasm. (**Red Card**)*
> - ***The Ship**: There are no more food-tubes in the kitchen. (**Black Card**)*
> - ***The Next Score**: A bounty was just put on a group of crazy pirates near the asteroid belt. (**Red Card**)*
>
> *The GM then gradually reveals those narrative hooks to the players as they interact with their ship.*
>
> *When the PCs are ready to start their next mission, the GM rolls **2d6** (one for each red card). They get a **4**, so the mission will start with a **moderate risk** situation.*
>
> *The GM then thinks about a way to make the bounty on the pirates more complicated. They decide that when the PCs arrive, there will already be another crew of scoundrels there trying to catch the bounty as well.*
> ## Recap
>
> When the PCs go back to their HQ, the GM draws 3 card from a standard deck of playing cards.
>
> Each card gives a new story prompt to the GM to make the world feel more alive.
>
> To determine how the PC’s next mission is going to start, roll **1d6** for each red card that was drawn. The result of this roll tells us what is going to be the initial **risk** level the PCs will find themselves in when starting their next mission.
>
> - On a **1-3**, the PCs start in a **high risk** situation.
> - On a **4-5**, the PCs start in a **moderate risk** situation.
> - On a **6**, the PCs start in a **low risk** situation.
> - On a **66**, the PCs start in a **low risk** situation, and gain some additional benefit.
## Quick Charge Extra
A Charge RPG Extra that simplifies the game for a reduced “time to table”
- By René-Pier Deshaies
---
Quick Charge is an extra that simplifies the core rules of Charge so that it’s easier to pick-up and play.
Use it for a quick one-shot, to introduce the Charge to new players, or simply because you prefer those streamlined rules.
Some text was copied over from the rest of the game to make this Extra stand on its own, but here’s a quick rundown of the modifications for the Charge veterans reading this:
- There’s only 2 character details: the **concept** and the **appearance**.
- The action list was reduced to 6 actions. Start with 4 action dots at character creation:
- **Muscle**: you your force to move, overcome or wreck the obstacle in front of you.
- **Finesse**: you employ dexterous manipulation or subtle misdirection.
- **Move**: you quickly shift to a new position or get out of danger.
- **Study**: you scrutinize details and interpret evidence.
- **Talk**: you reassure, socialize or influence with kindness, guile, charm or argument.
- **Focus**: you concentrate to accomplish a task that requires great strength of mind.
- The **effect** rating is determined by the action roll’s result:
- A **66** gives a **+3 effect**.
- A **6** gives a **+2 effect**.
- A **4-5** gives a **+1 effect**.
- The consequence rating is determined by the action roll’s result:
- A **1-3** creates a **+2 consequence**
- A **4-5** creates a **+1 consequence**
- Progress clocks are filled using the **effect rating** of an action roll.
- Danger clocks are filled using the **consequence rating** of an action roll.
- The stress clock is also filled using the **consequence rating** of an action roll.
---
### Quick Charge
#### Character Creation
Characters are defined by descriptive traits called **details**. These highlight who they are, and what is important about them. Those details aren’t just information to give the character color, but should be the aspects of the character that we pay attention to in the story. They are also used as a guide to know the different narrative liberties that a character has in the fiction.
When creating a new character, write down their:
- **Concept**: an elevator-pitch version of who the character is.
- **Appearance**: what the character looks like, what they wear, etc.
##### Actions
When a PC needs to overcome an obstacle and there is a risk, they use one of their **actions**.
At character creation, players assign **4 action dots** among the following action list:
Assign **4 action dots** in:
- **Muscle**: you your force to move, overcome or wreck the obstacle in front of you.
- **Finesse**: you employ dexterous manipulation or subtle misdirection.
- **Move**: you quickly shift to a new position or get out of danger.
- **Think**: you scrutinize details and interpret evidence.
- **Talk**: you reassure, socialize or influence with kindness, guile, charm or argument.
- **Focus**: you concentrate to accomplish a task that requires great strength of mind.
##### Condition
A character’s condition is tracked using a clock divided in 4 segments called the **stress clock ⨁**.
When they get hurt, that clock gets filled.
When the 4 segments of the **stress clock** are filled, the PC is taken out for the scene, and their stress clock is cleared. Because they were taken out, the next scenes should handle how the character’s recovery is going to happen in the fiction.
#### Rolling Dice
The game uses six-sided dice. You roll several at once, which we call a dice pool, and read the **single highest result**.
- If the highest die is a **6**, it’s a **full success**. Things go well. If you roll more than one **6**, it’s a **critical success** and you gain some additional advantage.
- If the highest die is a **4 or 5**, that’s a **partial success**. You do what you were trying to do, but there is a consequence.
- If the highest die is **1-3**, it’s a **bad outcome**. Things go poorly. You don’t achieve your goal, and suffer a consequence.
*If you ever need to roll but you have zero (or negative) dice, roll two dice and take the single lowest result. You can’t roll a critical when you have zero dice.*
Most of the game’s mechanics revolve around this basic format.
#### Action Rolls
When there’s a challenge that needs to be overcome, and there’s a risk of failure, a player makes an **action roll**.
The number of dice to roll depends on the **action** the character is doing.
The action roll acts as double duty. Which means that it resolves what the PC is doing, as well as the NPC.
Here’s what happens when a player makes an action roll:
##### 1\. Player Sets Their Goal
The player states their goal and, which **action** they are using.
##### 2\. The GM explains the risk
You would not be rolling if there were no risks. So the GM should explain to the player what they are getting themselves into.
##### 3\. Player Evens the Odds
The player decides if they want to even the odds.
They can either
- **Push themselves**: Consume **2 momentum** to get **+1d6** or an improved effect rating.
- **Add tension** to the scene, to get **+1d6**.
They can also receive assistance from another PC for an additional **1d6**.
##### 4\. Roll the Dice
Finally, the player rolls the dice, and the group judges the result.
- On a **66** it’s a critical success. You *greatly* achieve your goal with a **+3 effect**
- On a **6** it’s a full success. You achieve your goal with a **+2 effect**
- On a **4-5** it’s a partial success. You achieve your goal with a **+1 effect**, but there’s a **+1 consequence**.
- On a **1-3** it’s a bad outcome. Things go badly, and there’s a **+1 consequence**.
If the result of the dice is higher than **3**, the PC gains **momentum** from their action except if they pushed themselves.
#### Momentum
When a player makes an action roll, that roll has a chance generating **momentum**.
You start every session with **2**, and generate more **momentum** when making successful action rolls.
- On a **4-5**, you gain **+1 momentum**.
- On a **6**, you gain **+2 momentum**.
- On a **66**, you gain **+3 momentum**.
PCs consume their **momentum** to boost their actions, assist an ally or resist a **consequence**.
**When momentum is spent for a roll, that roll cannot in turn generate momentum.**
#### Boosting Action Rolls
If you want, you can add bonus dice to your action roll by using **one** of the following methods.
##### Push Yourself
When you **push yourself**, you consume **2 momentum** per push to gain one of the following bonuses.
- Add **+1d6** to your dice pool.
- Gain **+1 effect rating** for your roll.
- Take action even if you were taken out.
##### Add Tension
When you **add tension** to an action roll, you can ask the GM *“What would adding tension would look like here?”*. The GM then offers a **consequence**, like ticking segments on a danger clock, inflicting stress on your character, or adding more drama to the narrative.
If you accept the **consequence**, add **+1d6** to your current dice pool.
#### Team work
The PCs can help one another in different ways to assure that the teams overcome the different challenges that are facing them.
##### Assist
When you **assist** a PC, you consume **1 momentum**, to give **+1d6** to their roll. When doing this, you also expose yourself to possible danger.
##### Protect
When you protect a PC, you step in to confront a consequence they would otherwise face. Describe how you intervene, and suffer the consequence for them.
You can make a **determination roll** to try to reduce or cancel the consequence.
##### Set up
When you perform a setup action, you make an **action roll** to have an indirect effect on an obstacle. If your action has its intended result, any member of the team who follows through on your maneuver gets **+1 effect** level for their roll.
You choose the benefit, based on the nature of your setup action.
#### Determination Roll
If a character suffers a **consequence** that you, as a player, don’t like, you can try to resist it.
You do so by calling for a **determination roll** to see how well you resist the consequence.
Build a pool of d6s by adding **+1d6** for each charge of momentum you are willing to consume for the roll.
Once you’ve decided how many charges you want to consume, roll and interpret the results:
- On a **1-3**, the **consequence** still happens.
- On a **4-5**, the **consequence** is reduced.
- On a **6**, the **consequence** is avoided.
- On a **66**, the **consequence** is avoided, and you get some other benefit.
#### Clocks
Clocks are circles divided in either 4, 6 or 8 segments.
Use those to track a task’s **progress** or escalating **danger** in scenes.
- When a PC succeeds an action roll, you can tick 1 segment of a **progress clock** for each **effect** rating.
- When a PC suffers a **consequence** from an action roll, you can tick 1 segment of a **danger clock** for each **consequence** rating.
When a clock is filled, a narrative element in the story is now resolved. Either the PCs got closer to their goal, or danger has come to fruition and makes the situation more complicated.
#### Recovery
As time passes, PCs will get better, and their condition will improve.
If the fiction allows it, once per session clear 1 segment off a PC’s **stress clock**.
#### Fortune Rolls
When the outcome of a situation isn’t certain, and the players aren’t involved, the GM makes a **fortune roll** to see what happens.
Add **+1d6** per likeliness level of that thing happening.
- On a **critical success**, great results, and something exceptional happens.
- On a **full success**, great results.
- On a **partial success**, mixed results.
- On a **bad outcome**, bad results.
#### Flashbacks
Players can call for a **flashback** scene if they want to declare that their character tried to prepare for a certain situation even though it hasn’t been discussed at the table yet. That being said, a flashback scene isn’t like time travel and can’t undo what was already established in the narrative.
When a player calls for a **flashback**, the GM looks at the fiction and sets a cost in **momentum** (from 0 to 2) that the player needs to pay before moving forward.
Afterwards, the player narrates a short scene of what their character attempted to accomplish in the flashback. Depending on the narrative and the character’s actions, the GM decides between one of the following:
- The flashback happens and the character’s actions have a impact on the narrative.
- The flashback happens, but a **action roll** is required to determine if the character’s actions were successful or not.
- The result of the character’s actions are left to chance and determined by a **fortune roll**.
## Magic Extra
A Charge RPG Extra to guide you on how to introduce magic in your game
- By Nugat
---
This extra is meant to emulate low-level magic, so it may not be the best to use in high-powered settings, or setting where magic is everywhere.
### The Magic Dial
First, you want to decide **which action to use**, though you are not restricted in how many you select in the same setting or for a single spell:
Is magic made of drawn-out rituals that require you to spend a long time gathering some amount of magic power? Then you need **Focus**
Does magic require careful movements or even danses that you have to execute perfectly? That would require some amount of **Finesse**
Is magic made of alchemy and enchanting? This sounds like **Tinkering**
Is magic something made out of a runic language that you have to decipher, arias you need to know by heart or complex drawings? I hope you’re a good **Study** (but **Focus** could work, especially if you have a book in hand!)
Do you use Hypnosis or Kototama (japanese word magic)? It might be **Sway** or **Command**
Maybe you need to use your **Bond** with a specific god to call upon their particular powers.
Be creative with magic! Maybe one spell requires multiple actions, maybe one spell can be cast in multiple different ways.
> *For her specific game about mages with books and incantations, Alice has decided that magic can be done in two ways: Either the character can **Focus** on reading from the book, or they could simply remember a prior **Study** if the character doesn’t have their book on hand. But, for a ritual to summon a being from another world, she has decided that the spell require a clock to be filled. Half of it must be filled with **Focus** as the character reads incantations from the book, but the other half has to be done with **Command**, as they must bind the being to their will.*
### The Cost of Magic
Depending on the tone of your game, magic can have different costs and have different effects:
For a cost, magic could require any of:
- Some amount of **momentum**.
- Time (require a **clock** to be filled).
- Risk (put you in a certain **position** by default).
- Danger (a **clock** to tick on consequences that is in your character’s **complications** on their sheet).
- Materials (no need to keep an inventory, use common sense).
- Casting Prerequisites (at night; on-site; with a spell tome).
- Casting Limits (once per day; once per session; once in the whole campaign).
- Drawbacks (create collateral damage; take stress).
- Long-term effects on the caster (maybe it takes a toll on their health, maybe it even corrupts them \[if someone makes a corruption extra, add it here\].).
Just be sure the effect that you’re giving magic fits the cost, so that your players will always be tempted to use it.
> *For the summoning ritual from before, alice decides it should be a time-consuming process with a lot of care put into it. She decides that the spell is an eight-segment clock, and that each segment represents one hour of game time where the character has to conclude the ritual. Obviously, it’s also going to require an entire empty room dedicated to the summon. If the character fails at any point, she could make the entire spell fail, but she decides on something else: for every consequence, she ticks a segment from a four-segment clock. When it is filled, the being is summoned, but they are hostile to the player who summoned them.*
### The Effect(s) of Magic
#### Magic with Multiple Uses and Magic Items
When creating a magic item, or when using magic that may be used multiple times in the same cast, you should likely define limits to the spell:
- Either use the [Attachment extra](https://fari.games/creators/fari-rpgs/projects/charge/attachment-extra) for a protective item.
- Use a “magic charge” clock that depletes with use (may or may not be replenished by the caster) that can be tracked on the character sheet, using **projects**.
- For both of the aforementioned items, you may use [Keita Creation’s repairs and restoration rules](https://keitacreates.itch.io/repairs-and-restorations)
- Make the spell much harder to cast and more dangerous on further uses in the same scene.
- Make further uses of the effect have a cost (see above).
- For an item, allow the character wearing the item to roll for the spell in lieu of the caster (give them narrative permission to do something).
- You may treat the item as an [Asset](https://fari.games/creators/fari-rpgs/projects/charge/asset-extra) for spells with delayed effect
- You may also treat them as an [Asset](https://fari.games/creators/fari-rpgs/projects/charge/asset-extra) for spells multiple uses using a clock, either with fixed effect, or with different effects depending on the number of segments ticked (see below)
#### The effect of magic
Use the effect rating of the spell, or empty segments (if the spell is a clock), to determine its effect. When ticking clocks, follow the normal rules. If the spell is meant to help an ally or hinder the enemy, it applies a bonus (only on rolls where the effect might be relevant):
A spell with **limited** effect (1 segment) will only have a small impact on whatever you’re doing: it only provides a better effect or a better position
A spell with **normal** effect (2 segments) is stronger: it gives you an extra d6 when rolling
A spell with **great** effect (3 segments) is powerful: it gives you both better effect or position and gives you an extra d6 when rolling.
Critical successes on spells raise the effect by one level for every additionnal d6 besides the first. A critical success on a spell that already had a **great** effect can have two effect: either it provides better effect, position and an extra d6, or it simply lets the character automatically succeed on a roll where the effect applies (in that case, the effect rating stays the same).
> *The being has been summoned succesfully, and it is now represented by a post-it that has a name and a clock. She decides that the spirit is a **normal** spiritual being that may be commanded any time the summoner wants to provide an extra d6 when rolling a dice when it would make sense that the spirit could act on behalf of the character. Since it acts instead of the character, Alice decides that the being has its own stress clock to tick on consequences.*
>
> *But, since this is a powerful effect, it also has a powerful drawback: Using the spiritual being is taxing on both body and mind, and any uses of the being tick one segment of the character’s condition clocck. Furthermore, as soon as the character is taken out, the being breaks free of the spell and turns hostile to the party.*
## Scars Extra
This extra introduces new a type of **detail** that permanently changes your character when the stress clock fills up.
- By Krister Svanlund
---
*CW: This Extra handles topics of graphic bodily harm and touches on subjects that can be associated with mental health.*
This extra is intended to replace the simple default rule of *“When your stress clock reaches **4 filled segments**, you clear it, and are taken out for the scene.”* in a way that makes putting yourself in risky situations have an actual permanent effect.
Games that could benefit from these rules are primarily those going for a grittier tone where the hero doesn’t just bounce back, but rather where they are forced to deal with the consequences of their actions.
This extra adds a few concepts to the basis of Charge RPG, namely;
- **scars** – A new type of character **detail** that indicates a permanent change to your character, either physically or mentally.
- **bowing out** – The act of leaving your friends to deal with a conflict to avoid more severe consequences to yourself.
- being **hardened** – The beneficial aspects of having a **scar** detail; allows you to take more stress in some circumstances.
---
> ## Scars disclaimer
> *The topics of this Extra have a complicated relationship to both real life and tropes in popular media. Therefore when you use these rules, keep that in mind that pop culture generally hasn’t treated disabilities kindly but that we, collectively, have an awesome chance to change that. These rules are not meant to make your character broken or unplayable, they are meant to create a permanent record on your character sheet and how you portray your character of the adventures you have been on. But always; be mindful and listen to what other people you share the table with have to say about it, and always respect those that want you to stay away from certain conditions or disabilities.*
>
> *These rules give you a chance to embrace the changes to your characters and show how it doesn’t make them less competent even if they have their struggles due to the scars they have. The purpose of this isn’t to cause a death spiral but to make the world have an impression on the character similar to how the characters make an impression on the world.*
### Scars Rule
When your stress clock reaches **4 filled segments**, you do not clear it but instead, add a **scar** to your character details and update the condition to something that represents you being **incapacitated**. When you come to from being incapacitated, either by getting help from a friend or from just crawling back on the scene, you clear half of the stress clock and update your **condition** accordingly.
An incapacitated character can not take more **scars** but further harm to the body can change the nature of the **scar**, such as a burn having a wider reach, or instead of having a deep scar you get an intricate net of deep scars.
> ### Overlapping scars
>
> *In some cases **scars** end up overlapping in what it affects, such as losing your left arm after leaving your left hand, and in those cases, it is perfectly acceptable to merge those **scars** into a single scar. If a **scar** doesn’t change anything about your character it has no use on the character sheet either.*
Remember to also update your looks if necessary as you add **scars**.
> ### Optional dial setting: Bleeding out
>
> *For some games, a fresh **scar** should require some kind of **action** from another character to get the scared character back in the game. This can be being “talked down from the ledge”, “staunch the bleeding”, or “taking care of the burns”. This rule, in particular, can be a bit too much for some groups, so make extra sure to include this with consent, as with all rules dealing with bodily or mental harm.*
#### Definition of a scar
A **scar** is a character detail that is based on the **condition** you got from filling up the stress clock. Similar to conditions, physical and mental **scars** aren’t kept separated but rather tracked as the same list of details. The important part is that the **scar** isn’t the **condition** itself but rather what stays behind after some time.
> ##### Examples of scars
>
> - “a deep scar across the abdomen”
> - “missing left hand and underarm”
> - “intrusive thoughts of the scarred non-blinking eye of Gazh”.
Similar to **conditions** certain **scars** may restrict the narrative liberties you are allowed. *For example, you normally can’t hold two weapons if you only have one hand.*
#### Being hardened
When you have a **scar** it also means that you are **hardened** to some extent, this means that whenever any of your **scars** cause you or your friends’ real trouble you are allowed to **clear one tick on the stress clock** by consuming **1 momentum**. What defines as “real trouble” is up to the GM but it should be consequential to what your purpose as a character, or group, is.
> #### Examples of real trouble
>
> - Being chased out of the small town because the burn scars are seen as a sign of evil.
> - Forgetting about the missing hand and using it to try and catch the weapon thrown at you.
> - Cowering in fear, unable to come to your friends’ aid, from hearing the cursed bells tolling.
> #### Note Scars as slapstick
>
> *An important note here is that **scars** causing you “trouble” aren’t intended for comedic effect. This will naturally vary between groups but remember to treat **scars** with the same level of respect as any other character **detail**.*
#### Optional dial setting: Compensating
In some cases, and for certain settings, it can make sense to allow for some way to “compensate” for a **scar**, this doesn’t remove or negate it but rather compensate some part of the loss of ability. Examples of this can be buying a clockwork prosthesis, getting a skin graft, or just receiving therapy. This doesn’t block you from utilizing being **hardened** but it does lessen the chances of the **scar** causing problems.
*An important balance issue for the GM to have in mind for this is that a **compensation** shouldn’t, by default, allow for anything a character without the scar can do, nor should it be held against the character as a weakness. But it can be used as an in-character target for future improvement, depending on the type of setting and tone.*
#### Bowing out
*This rule might not be suitable for all groups. Don’t use this if it risks creating interpersonal conflicts among the players. The purpose of the rule is to allow players some agency when it comes to getting a **scar** or not. If leaving your friends in trouble isn’t seen as **a cost**, this rule isn’t for your group.*
As you get closer to filling up the stress clock you have the option to **bow out** instead of taking a **consequence** that would fill up your stress clock. You do this by telling the GM before you roll for your final action that risks filling up your stress clock, that you wish to **bow out**. This means that you narrate how the result of the action causes you to leave the scene or be **incapacitated**, and you can’t rejoin the group during the same scene. If this ends up leaving at least one friend in trouble you also get to clear 2 ticks of your stress clock.
> #### Example: Bowing out
>
> *Player 1s character is at 3 stress, with the condition “overwhelmed and stabbed through the right shoulder”.“*
>
> ***GM:** The Brute rushes towards you as the bullets fly through the air, it looks to go in for tackling you into the wall behind you, you’re in a **desperate position**.*
>
> ***Player 1:** Ok, so I want to **move** out of the way but since I’m at 3 stress I also want to **bow out**.*
>
> ***GM:** Yeah, sure that’s fine, you have **standard effect** for that, but it will leave Player 2 in pretty deep shit with you gone and having to deal with both the Brute and the Slice. How do you leave the fight?*
>
> ***Player 1:** \[Rolling dice\] Ok, I actually succeed at the **move** without complications, so I move out of the way and use my effect to cause 2 stress damage to the Brute as it smashes into the wall. But my only way to move out of the way was to throw myself over the edge to the right so I fall into the river below and get carried away.*
>
> ***GM:** Ok, so clear 2 ticks from your stress clock and you get to come back when the fight is over.*
#### Optional dial setting: Starting the game with scars
**Scars** are the character’s history etched into their body, mind, and soul. For that reason there is *no* option to take **scars** to gain extra **talents**, **action dots**, or similar, if you want your character to start out with **scars** there needs to be a story that goes along with that scar. A story that has fundamentally shaped them into who they are at the start of the game. Preferably each **scar** should have a story that could be told around a campfire, even the **scars** that get added during play.
But naturally, not all scars need to be **scars** in the mechanical sense, a purely decorative scar is just part of your character’s looks and personality.
> ### Example of taking a scar
>
> *Player 2s character has only taken 1 stress so far and is “winded”.*
>
> ***GM:** The Slice has gotten up and as you wipe your face shield clear you see how it’s stalking towards you.*
>
> ***Player 2:** Ok, but I saw that Player 1 got over the railing, right? So I start circling the Slice to get to where I can look down and see if Player 1 survived.*
>
> ***GM:** Sure, but that will also mean that you come closer to the Brute, even tho you know it’s pretty inattentive and, at the moment, looks pretty out of it after going face-first into the wall.*
>
> ***Player 2:** Yeah, that’s fine. But I want to take a chance and look over the edge for Player 1, that’s a **notice** action right?*
>
> ***GM:** Sure, that works. You have a **risky position** and **standard effect** on that roll.*
>
> ***Player 2:** \[Rolling dice\] I got a 4?*
>
> ***GM:** So you look over the railing and see Player 1 floating in the river, being kept afloat by the auto-inflated vests you both are wearing. But while you’re looking over the edge the Slice sees an opportunity and makes a lunge towards you, putting you in a **desperate position**.*
>
> ***Player 2:** I try to **move** out of the way. \[Rolling dice\] my highest is a 2 so I guess not! And I’m out of armor from the earlier attack.*
>
> ***GM:** Ouch, as you try to move out of the way you feel the burning sensation of the blade gliding in between your ribs on the right side and the speed of the Slice causes both of you to go over the railing. You’re at **4 stress** now right?*
>
> ***Player 2:** Sure am, I guess the hit knocks the wind out of me and I barely notice as we fall towards the river, at least until the cold water hits me.*
>
> ***GM:** You come to as you feel the vest inflate around you but you have distinct trouble breathing and your right side hurts like nothing before. You don’t see a trace of the Slice after that and manage to crawl to shore a bit further downstream where you fall into unconsiousness until Player 1 finds you barely patched up by the auto-doctor in the vest. You can clear half of your **stress clock** and write down a new **scar** that’s called “badly healed scar tissue, right lung”. What do you do now?*
### Credits
- #charge-rpg-talk at the Fari Discord
- Blades in the dark by John Harper – This is heavily inspired by the **trauma** mechanics.
> ## Recap
>
> - **Scar:** When you **fill-up your stress clock**, clear **half of it** and turn your condition into a **scar**.
> - **Hardened:** If the scar causes you problems, **consume 1 momentum** to **clear one tick** of the stress clock.
> - **Optional – Bow Out:** Announce **before your final action** that you wish to leave the scene. If your friends end up in a **worse situation** from it you get to **clear 2 ticks** of stress.
## Goals Extra
**An alternate way to think about progression in Charge**
- By othelarian
---
It’s sometimes easier to grasp how a character progresses by declaring goals and see if they manage to reach them. Here you, dear reader, will find a way to simulate this.
### My Words, My Goals
#### What is a Goal?
A **goal** is something a character wants to accomplish, like a mission or a quest. It’s also a way to define what the character has to do, what they up for.
A character can have a single important **goal**, or multiple small ones. These can be set at creation or emerge during play.
When defining a **goal** for their character, a player has to think about two things:
- The **goal** ’s name
- The **goal** ’s difficulty
The name must be detailed enough for everyone, leaving little room about if the **goal** is progressing or not.
The difficulty can be **easy**, **medium** or **hard**.
#### Advancing a Goal
A **goal** has an associated clock with 8 segments (see options later for more ideas on this point). When a character makes progress towards one of their **goals** it’s time to tick segments, depending on the **goal** ’s difficulty:
| Difficulty | Number of segments ticked |
| --- | --- |
| Easy | 3 |
| Medium | 2 |
| Hard | 1 |
Note: to follow the chassic Charge progression, a good guideline is to ask for the progression at the end of a session.
#### Finishing a Goal
When a **goal** ’s clock is full, the **goal** is complete, and the character receives a number of **talent dots** based on the difficulty.
| Difficulty | Number of talent dots gained |
| --- | --- |
| Easy | 1 |
| Medium | 2 |
| Hard | 3 |
The character can apply their freshly acquired **talent dots** immediately, but must keep it thematic to the **goal**. For example, it may not be a good choice to put a dot into Muscle if the **goal** is “writing a delicate recipe with flowers as main ingredient”.
### Dial: Rolling to Advance
Instead of automatically ticking a number of segments when a **goal** progresses, it’s possible to roll to see if it advances even partially, or not.
As Charge is a narrative game at its heart, to determine the dice pool follow this guideline:
- Did the character take a risk just to advance their **goal**?
- Did working on the **goal** impact the character (condition related, etc)?
If it’s complicated, here a fast and simple rule: *use 2 dice*.
The number of segments ticked depends on the result and the difficulty.
| Result | Name | What it means |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-3 | Bad Outcome | No segments ticked |
| 4-5 | Partial Success | \-1 segment ticked (so no tick at all for **easy**) |
| 6 | Full Success | Tick segments normally |
| 66 | Critical Success | +1 segment ticked (so 4 segments for **easy**) |
### Dial: Rolling to Resolve
Another option is to roll to resolve the **goal**. The 2 ideas behind rolling to resolve are:
- Add a way to create more narrative around the **goal** ’s resolution
- Authorize a player to test their luck and try to finish a **goal** earlier
The roll is similar to an Action Roll, with the number of dice rolled related to the **goal** clock’s status:
| Clock’s status | Number of segments ticked | equivalent in action dot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Less than 1/4 of the clock | 0-2 | No roll, it’s too soon |
| Between 1/4 and 1/2 | 3-4 | Like having **0** dot |
| Between 1/2 and 3/4 | 5-6 | 1 dot |
| More than 3/4 | 7 | 2 dot |
| Full clock | 8 | 3 dot |
Note: “number of segments ticked” is for a 8 segment clock.
Time to discover how to read the result:
| Result | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| 1-3 | The **goal** is lost, it’s a failure |
| 4-5 | Partial success, one less talent dot or suffer a consequence |
| 6 | Success! Get your talent dots! |
| 66 | Critical Success! Get one more talent dots than expected! |
### Dial: Changing the Clock
It’s totally possible to change the default clock, to accelarate how often players obtain milestones. A good idea before doing so is to reread the [clock chapter](https://fari.games/creators/fari-rpgs/projects/charge/clocks).
Also, if you want to character progression harder, try a new clock: **the 12 segment clock**!
### Credits
The original idea comes from [Ironsworn](https://ironswornrpg.com/) ’s vows. **Goals** are a humble adaptation of them for Charge.
Special thanks to LynnJones who enhance the readibility, RP for the useful feedback to make it more Charge, and therabidbanana for the progression guideline.
## Party Extra
An Extra for Charge to add both narrative structure and mechanical benefits to the group of characters represented by the players.
- By David Haslem
### Overview
The group of players is referred to in this extra as a **party**. This group has a separate **party sheet** which tracks **details** of how they are perceived by the world around them, as well as maintaining party-level **danger** and **progress** clocks.
The **party sheet** can represent things such as their “HQ” or “Ship”. It can also be used to represent relationships with important factions or specific NPCs.
> #### Example
>
> The play group wants to tell the story of a small band of resistance fighters that want to rebel against an evil space empire. They decide they want to start their story with a stolen prototype spaceship and not much else. They have some ideas for characters and they know they want to start on an out-of-the-way space station.
#### Party Details
The **party sheet** tracks **details** about the party, in much the same way as character sheets have **details** about the character. Much like with the character sheet, these details might offer narrative liberties to allow the party to take certain actions. Additionally these details have a **disposition** which might be positive, negative, or neutral. The **disposition** impacts any rolls related with the detail on the **party sheet**.
**Supporting details** are collected into four categories, summarized under four broader **details** called **key concepts**. If the majority of details under the **key concept** are positive (or negative), the **disposition** of the **key concept** also becomes positive (or negative). The **disposition** of the **key concept** works the same as **supporting details**, but at a broader scope, impacting all rolls related to the category.
> #### Example
>
> The party decides on the following to start their **party sheet** to represent the story they came up with:
>
> Authority, representing the evil empire, with a **key concept** of “Enemies of the Kabraxian Empire”, and two negative **supporting details** of “thorn in the side of the regional governor” and “falsified spacecraft registration”
>
> Assets, with a **key concept** of “scrappy band of fighters ready to fight” and positive **supporting detail** of “recently ‘liberated’ state-of-the-art spacecraft”.
>
> Allies, with a **key concept** of “nobody likes the Empire”, a positive **supporting detail** of “Maven, a bar owner friendly to rebels” and a neutral **supporting detail** of “dock workers tired of Empire soldiers pushing them around”.
>
> Adversaries, with a **key concept** of “enemies of my enemies are my friends?” and a single neutral **supporting detail** of “Jebralt, the sketchy arms dealer”.
>
> Because all of these **key concepts** are still neutral in **disposition**, the party will only receive advantages or disadvantages to rolls when dealing with the specific **supporting details** listed. Authority will become negative if it gains one more negative **supporting detail** - the team will have to keep a low profile and take care of that “falsified spacecraft registration” if they want to prevent being put into **desparate** situations every time they roll against the Empire.
#### Party Danger and Progress Clocks
In addition to **key concepts** and their related **supporting details**, the **party sheet** also has a **progress** and **danger** clock.
If an action roll results in a **consequence**, the GM can evaluate marking the **danger** clock on the **party sheet** to represent a complication that might affect the group later. This clock tracks a generally deteriorating position in society - loss of assets, adversaries growing more hostile, or alliances shifting. Similarly, the **progress** clock is available for when significant events happen in a session that might improve the party’s position.
When any of these clocks are filled, they are cleared and one of the **supporting detail** changes. If the **danger** clock fills, this change is generally for the worse. If the **progress** clock fills, the change is generally for the better.
#### How the Party Sheet Impacts Rolls
Details on the party sheet can offer mechanical support in addition to their narrative impact.
When **key concepts** or **supporting details** have a positive disposition, any rolls related to them can receive a bonus to **effect** or **position**. Negative disposition impacts rolls in a similar way.
In a pinch, the ticks on the progress clock can also be used as a substitute for momentum.
### Concepts and Details
> #### Designer Note
>
> **Key Concepts** and **Supporting details** can be a way for game designers to help drive the kinds of stories that make sense in their setting. The categories provided below are intended to be a generic starting point that can be made setting specific - renaming them per setting is an easy customization to set the right mood!
>
> Further structure can be added to the supporting details to drive home key points in the setting, for example, asking players to choose a specific adversary and ally from a list of available world forces.
>
> Starting positions for these key details can help further drive a story for the group of players to build on. A crew looking for their first big score might not have a lot of assets or allies, but they probably aren’t big enough to be on anyone’s radar as an adversary either. A resistance group against a repressive regime might start in a horrible position against authority, but have a larger list of allies to lean on.
Both **supporting details** and **key concepts** are **details** as described in Charge’s [Character Creation rules](https://fari.games/creators/fari-rpgs/projects/charge/creating-your-character#details). **Supporting details** should be specific people, places or things, such as specific **world forces**, while **key concepts** are more wide-reaching.
Like with character creation, **details** on the **party sheet** are facts about the party that can be used for story telling. They also offer narrative liberties, potentially giving players permission to take certain actions. While the GM will have the final say, the entire party should have a chance to help develop and decide on these details at character creation. Much like character details, there will also have the chance to change these over time through play.
#### Zooming in and out
Each **key concept** is a **detail** that focuses broadly on the position of the **party** in an important category. Narratively they zoom out and share more of the big picture. **Key concepts** are wide-reaching - they create an assumed default for anything related to that category that isn’t already a **supporting detail**.
**Supporting details** add color to **key concepts** by zooming in on specific people, places, or things related to the party in some way (for example, a relationship with a specific **world force**).
The four **key concepts** describe the party’s standing in the following categories:
- **Assets** - This represents the available resources of the party, including money and any available equipment.
- **Allies** - This represents allies to the party, which might be specific key contacts or whole organizations ready to back the party.
- **Adversaries** - This represents the adversaries of the party, which could be specific powerful enemies or a whole civilization bent on your destruction.
- **Authority** - This represents the party’s relationship with authority - how much they have, or how much those who have it like (or dislike) the party.
Examples for each **key concept** and related **supporting details** are available further on in this document.
#### Dispositions
**Supporting details** have either a positive disposition (good for players, +1 to key concept), or a neutral disposition (+0 to key concept), or a negative disposition (bad for players, -1 to key concept). These dispositions can be used to alter the **position** of a roll. **Disposition** can alter the consequence rating of a **position**, and might be directly used by the GM to help set the **position** of a roll when it makes sense.
| Disposition | Default Position | Consequence Rating |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Positive (+) | Controlled | \-1 Consequence Rating |
| Neutral (0) | Risky | No change to Consequence Rating |
| Negative (-) | Desperate | +1 Consequence Rating |
The collection of **supporting details** for a **key concept** can be converted to a numeric score between -4 and +4. The overarching **key concept** is considered neutral until the *majority* of **supporting details** are negative (score less than -2), or positive (score greater than 2) - changing the **disposition** of the **key concept** to match. When the **key concept** changes disposition it should be rewritten to represent the change in fortunes for the party.
In cases where **supporting details** or **key concepts** have conflicting **dispositions** that both might impact a roll, they will end up cancelling each other out to a neutral **disposition**.
#### Party Creation
At the start of a campaign, the party should generally start with each **key concept** at -1, 0, or +1 with one or two **supporting details** written for each concept. This keeps the play group from having to do too much planning up front and offers room to expand as the story goes. This can be pushed further to create interesting balances that fit the story the play group wants to tell.
#### More Examples
##### 1\. Assets
This represents the available resources of the party, including money and any available equipment. A positive **key concept** might be something like “a well funded and equipped organization”, while a negative one might be something like “a ragtag group that’s always behind on their rent and looking for a big score”.
**Positive (+) Supporting Details**
Positive **supporting details** for assets might include a fancy ship with the latest equipment, access to large banking accounts, or a secret stash of gold doubloons.
**Neutral (0) Supporting Details**
Neutral **supporting details** for assets might be equipment or assets that come with drawbacks - the party might have a ship that’s constantly in need of repair or have access to a loan that will definitely come with strings attached if the party tries to use it.
**Negative (-) Supporting Details**
Negative **supporting details** for assets might be a big loan that the party can never quite pay off, or a broken down ship that will cost more than it’s worth to repair.
##### 2\. Authority
This represents how people in power feel about the party, or, depending on the game how much power the party has. A positive **key concept** might be something like “leaders of a thriving business empire”, while a negative one might be something like “considered enemies of the kingdom”.
**Positive (+) Supporting Details**
Positive **supporting details** for authority might include a group of freedom fighters ready to follow your lead or a being the king’s go-to problem solvers.
**Neutral (0) Supporting Details**
Neutral **supporting details** for authority might be an easily bribed bureaucrat willing to look the other way for now, or a legal decree that could end up causing trouble for the party.
**Negative (-) Supporting Details**
Negative **supporting details** for authority might be the captain of the watch out to get you or a bounty on everyone’s heads for their latest crime.
##### 3\. Allies
This represents people that might be willing to help the party, or who have reason to be connected with the party in some way. While typically positive sounding, negative **dispositions** could be used to represent obligations or relationships turned sour. A positive **key concept** might be something like “lots of powerful allies”, while a negative one might be something like “everyone expects our help whether they deserve it or not”.
**Positive (+) Supporting Details**
Positive **supporting details** for allies could be people or groups that are both friendly to the party and have the means to be helpful.
**Neutral (0) Supporting Details**
Neutral **supporting details** for allies could be people that are willing to help but don’t have the means or maybe a group that hasn’t decided for sure whether the party is worthy of being helped.
**Negative (-) Supporting Details**
Negative **supporting details** for allies could be people that you’re connected to that cause more trouble for the party than they might be worth, or estranged relationships.
##### 4\. Adversaries
This represents people or groups that are against the party, or possibly even harsh conditions & impending doom. While typically negative sounding, positive leaning **dispositions** could represent friendly competition or forces of nature that can be treated as both friend and foe. A positive **key concept** might be something like “with friends like these, who needs enemies?”, while a negative one might be something like “hunted by nearly everyone”.
**Positive (+) Supporting Details**
Positive **supporting details** for adversaries could be people or groups that might still help the party if they were in mortal danger, sworn enemies that are comically bad at their jobs, or maybe enemies that don’t yet realize the party exists.
**Neutral (0) Supporting Details**
Neutral **supporting details** for adversaries could be enemies that have bigger fish to fry and consider the party beneath them, or powerful desert sandstorms that can be used to the party’s advantage if they can survive.
**Negative (-) Supporting Details**
Negative **supporting details** for adversaries might include powerful enemies sworn to destroy the party, or impending doom of an inbound asteroid.
### Danger and Progress
> #### Designer Notes
>
> The pace at which the **supporting details** of the party change can be a dial for changing the feel of the game, especially in games where additional mechanical benefits are offered for building up positive **supporting details**. By default, the intended pace is an average of no more than one detail changing per session.
The **party sheet** holds two clocks which fight against each other, one dragging the party down, and the other pulling the party up. By default, both of these clocks have eight segments.
#### Ticking the Danger Clock
As the PCs take risky or even desperate actions, there will be times when those actions will result in big consequences. When that happens, the party can evaluate if that consequence should be applied to the **danger clock** of the party sheet. As it has long-term implications, this option should not be taken lightly - no more than a couple of times per session is probably a good rule of thumb. Marking the **danger** clock as a consequence adds segments to the equal to the consequence rating.
> #### Example
>
> The party is in a spaceship being chased by multiple authorities (**supporting detail** “falsified spacecraft registration”). They need to make a quick, clean getaway to get medical equipment to a dying friend. They are in a desperate position - their pilot rolls a 5, indicating success with a consequence. The play group suggests they get away but they’ve pushed their ship to its limits (**supporting detail** “state-of-the-art spacecraft”). The GM agrees - they can take the consequence on their **party sheet** instead of risking the life of their friend.
#### Filling the Danger Clock
When the danger clock fills up the players should decide, based on recent events, what makes the most sense in the storyline:
- Add a new **supporting detail** - the **disposition** of this detail should generally start at **neutral**. Note **supporting details** should all be specific, unique details that tie back into the fiction that are expected to show up again.
- Downgrade the **disposition** of an existing **supporting detail** (moving from **positive** to **neutral** to \*\* negative\*\*).
- Remove or replace an existing neutral **supporting detail**. If all the spaces that make sense are taken or negative, consider whether recent events might have completely supplanted an existing **supporting detail**. This could be a good fit for story elements that have served their purpose or didn’t really get much play.
- Create a new immediate threat - the GM exposes a danger and threatens the players with a negative **supporting detail** *unless* they complete a mission to prevent it.
> #### Example
>
> The danger clock fills from the strain placed on the starship engines racing to help a dying friend.
>
> The party decides it makes the most sense to downgrade the Assets **supporting detail** “state-of-the-art ship” (+) to “damaged ship” (0).
#### Ticking the Progress Clock
Generally players should be given a chance to advance the progress clock a couple of times per session - this can be as the result of completing a project and/or as a reward for successful completion of a mission.
> #### Example
>
> Saving a person in need has completed a story arc for the players. The GM grants them a milestone and two progress on the **party sheet**. One player has a long term project to find allies and rolls successfully during downtime, adding two more.
#### Burning Progress
The segments of the progress clock can be used as a shared pool of momentum. Players may decide to sacrifice their long term goals for a short term boost and spend filled segments of the progress clock as momentum, on a one-for-one basis.
> #### Example
>
> The party is running from an enemy in their spaceship. It’s not fully repaired yet (**supporting detail** “damaged ship” (0), but they have been working toward that goal. The pilot says they’re going to have to give it everything they’ve got - the mechanic curses under his breath and agrees - they erase one progress from the progress clock as momentum to allow the mechanic to assist and add an extra die to the pilot’s roll.
#### Filling the Progress Clock
When the progress clock fills up the players should decide, based on recent events, what makes the most sense in the storyline:
- Add a new **supporting detail** - the **disposition** of this detail should generally start at **neutral**. Note **supporting details** should all be specific, unique details that tie back into the fiction, so this is a good chance to promote NPCs to recurring characters, or lean into interesting bits of the story.
- Upgrade the **disposition** of an existing **supporting detail** (moving from **negative** to **neutral** to **positive**).
- Remove or replace an existing neutral **supporting detail**. If all the spaces that make sense are taken or positive, consider whether recent events might have completely supplanted an existing **supporting detail**. This could be a good fit for story elements that have served their purpose or didn’t really get much play.
- Create a new immediate opportunity - the GM exposes an opportunity and offers the players with a positive **supporting detail** *if* they complete a mission to obtain it.
> #### Example
>
> The party is back at spacedock and has gathered enough progress to fill the progress clock. They collectively decide they would like to get the target off their back. They choose to improve the authority **supporting detail** “falsified spacecraft registration” (-), and rewrite it as “overhauled ship hides stolen past” (0). They haven’t completely gotten rid of the mysterious origin of the ship, but it won’t put them in such disadvantageous **positions** any more.
### Uses for Party Details
> #### Designer Note
>
> Certain games may pick and choose between the following options - while they do not add a large amount of complexity, using the full set of rules grants the players many additional options to see them through tough spots.
#### Details Affect Position
When dealing with a situation that directly relates to a **supporting detail** or more broadly relates to a **key concept**, the **disposition** of the **detail** (positive or negative) may be impact the **position** of the roll. In cases where **supporting details** or **key concepts** have conflicting **dispositions** that might impact a roll, they cancel each other out.
#### Improved Effect
When dealing with a situation for which a **supporting detail** or **key concept** could be a useful advantage, players may opt for +1 effect rather than an improved position. Which option is being used must be decided before the roll.
#### Losing Progress via Add Tension
Progress toward improving details can be burned as momentum. Taking this concept a step further - if it makes sense, the players might suggest downgrading the **disposition** of a supporting detail as a consequence to **add tension** if they don’t have progress to spare.
### Dials
These rules can be adapted in a few different ways. Below are some ways to tweak them to better fit how the play group wants to use them.
#### No Clocks
Rather than track progress and danger on abstract clocks, the party might decide to update the **party sheet** whenever it makes sense narratively. Rather than keep track of additional clocks, the players can decide to update details
This works best with the Attachment extra rules (for absorbing consequences) and Losing Progress via Add Tension (for offering benefits to rolls). The players can use long term projects to improve specific details on the **party sheet** directly.
#### More Clocks
Progress and danger are kept as abstract clocks to prevent the bookkeeping load of tracking a variety of complications and projects on the **party sheet**. If the play group wants to have more direct narrative ties to improvements and complications, they can track them individually as clocks and follow the same rules for danger and progress - damaging **supporting details** with consequences and taking on projects to improve others.
#### Detailed Disposition
To avoid getting too complicated, **disposition** is either positive, negative or neutral. It’d be possible to allow a range of values for **disposition** (for example from -4 to +4) to allow more nuance on given **supporting details**. If using this approach, you’d probably want to allow players to gain progress and danger more quickly, and only treat >+2 / < -2 as “positive” / “negative” for purposes of changing effect or position on rolls.
#### No Neutral Disposition
Neutral **supporting details** are often a mix of positive and negative traits and have no direct impact on rolls. You could avoid using them completely by:
1. Clearing negative **supporting details** rather than upgrading them to **neutral**.
2. Clearing positive **supporting details** rather than downgrading them to **neutral**.
3. Adding new details from **progress** and **danger** clocks directly as positive and negative, respectively, or by presenting opportunities and threats which will add **supporting details** based on how the party reacts.
### Combining with other Rules
#### Attachment Extra
For some supporting details it may make sense to take damage directly to a supporting detail rather than mark a consequence on the party’s danger clock. In this case you might drop the danger clock completely and do damage directly to the details on the **party sheet**.
#### World Forces
An straightforward way for Powered by Charge games to make the **party sheet** easier to fill out is to define some world forces and allow players to pick some as allies or adversaries.
#### World Extra
The World extra offers options to help the GM plan the next mission. One of the three cards drawn could refer to a specific **supporting detail** to tie the adventure into the existing fiction found in the **party sheet**.
To help tie to a specific **key concept**, Hearts are Allies, Diamonds are Assets, Spades are Adversaries and Clubs are Authority.
#### Goals Extra
Granting progress on the **party sheet** could happen when milestones or long-term projects are completed. Goals are another way to offer progress to players - allowing them to focus on specific **supporting details** to upgrade. In this case, no more than a few goals should be available at once.
> ## Recap
>
> **Supporting details** are party level details that offer narrative liberties and altered position or effect (if they are **positive** or **negative**). They relate to specific people, groups, places or assets that hold narrative weight for the party.
>
> **Key concepts** are 4 higher level details that **supporting details** are grouped into. Having three or more positive (or negative) **supporting details** makes the **key concept** positive (or negative), and can alter positions of all rolls related to that category.
>
> **Supporting details** can be upgraded or downgraded based on filling the **progress** and **danger** clocks, respectively. The **danger** clock might be filled as a consequence, while the **progress** clock is filled each milestone and as the result of **long-term projects**. Ticks on the **progress** clock can be burned as momentum on a one-for-one basis.
## Threat Level Extra
**An alternate way to think adversity in Charge**
- By othelarian
Sometimes, enemies are so specific they have a special effect over characters, hindering their ability to fight back.
Threat Level is an extra about how adversityit can affect the character’s actions.
### What is a Threat Level?
**Threat Level** is a way to represent a special type opposition, affecting the characters capacity while let it’s position untouched. It can be seen as a passive way to alter character’s chances of success.
### How to define a Threat Level?
A Threat Level has two main components:
- A defined source of the **Threat Level**
- A rating associated with the source
The source must be clearly identified so that there’s no room for players’ interpretation. Also, the source must define how it generates the **Threat Level**.
> #### Threat Level example: the mist
>
> The **mist** wraps the characters in its damp texture, overwhelming their every move, hindering their perception, and blunting their dexterity.
>
> A heavy **mist** is a simple threat, with a rating of 1, just enough to slightly affect the characters. A poisonous **mist** can be lethal, and more than just a hindrance. The protection needed to survive it is a reason in and of itself to raise the **Threat Level** to a 2.
> #### Threat Level example: the hexer
>
> More than a simple witcher, the **hexer** is a real issue for a group of intrepid adventurers, plaguing them with curses, slowing them.
>
> Spells made by **hexers** can be seen as a **Threat Level** applied to a single character or the entire group, depending on the **hexer** ’s power.
#### Is there a limit to the Threat Level rating?
Depends on the group, but a good range would be between 1 and 3. Keep in mind that a higher rating means a greater chance to totally cancel a character’s roll and make them fail really hard.
### Rolling with the Threat Dice
Now that the **Threat Level** is clearly defined, let’s go over how it has an impact on the mechanics.
When a player makes a roll and the threat can be tied to a reason why that roll might be impacted (e.g. perception with the mist example), the player also rolls the number of dice equal to the **Threat Level** rating at the same time.
Let’s call the character’s dice pool the action pool, and the dice roll for the **Threat Level** the threat pool.
Once the two pools are rolled, each die from the threat pool cancels **a single die of the same value** in the action pool.
For example:
> #### Example #1
>
> The action pool contains 2d6, and since the **Threat Level** has a rating of 3, the threat pool is made of 3d6 (let say a poisonous mist (2) with a little curse from the hexer (1)).
>
> Then, the player rolls the action pool and gets a 3 and a 5. In the same time, they rolls threat dice and gets a 2, a 3 and a 6. Because both the threat pool and the action pool contain a 3, the 3 from the action pool is canceled.
>
> The result is 5.
> #### Example #2
>
> Like in the example #1, the action pool contains 2d6, and with a rating of 3, the threat pool is made of 3d6. With the action pool the players gets a 3 and a 5. But this time for the threat pool the player gets a 2, a 3 and a 5. Because both threat pool and the action pool contain a 3 and a 5, then all the action pool is canceled.
>
> The result is 0, a critical fail!
### Tune it to make it deadlier
One way to customize this is to turn the extra so that it hits a bit harder. This can be done this way: each 6 of the threat pool automatically cancels one of the highest die on the action pool, no matter its value.
> #### Example #3, with this dial
>
> The action pool contains 3d6, and since the **Threat Level** has a rating of 2, the threat pool is made of 2d6 (only the poisonous mist here).
>
> The player gets a 2, a 3 and a 5 on the action pool, and a 3 and a 6 on the threat pool. The 3 from the threat pool cancels the 3 from the action pool, and the 6 from the threat pool cancels the 5 (the highest die of the character’s dice pool).
>
> The result is 2.
Another way to change this mechanic could be that each die from the threat pool cancels one die from the action pool that is equal or inferior.
> #### Example #3, harsher
>
> The action pool contains 3d6, and since the **Threat Level** has a rating of 2, the threat pool is made of 2d6.
>
> The player gets a 2, a 3 and a 5 on the action pool, and a 4 and a 6 on the threat pool. From the threat pool over the action pool, the 6 cancels the 5 and the 4 cancel the 3.
>
> The result is 2.
### GM rolling the threat
Instead of letting players rolling the threat pool, it can be the GM who roll it. If so, it can do that in the same time, or after the player’s roll to add some intensity.
> ## Recap
>
> A **Threat Level** is a threat source with an associated rating. This rating turns into a dice pool. Each die of the threat pool cancels a die of the same value from the action pool.
### Credits
This extra is a direct inspiration of Neon City Overdrive.
Corrected and enhanced by RP Deshaies and David Haslem.
## Resource Pool Extra
A Charge RPG meta-extra that helps you build your own **Resource** extra.
- By Logan Bowyer
---
This meta-extra helps you create a **Resource** extra to supplement **Momentum** and refine your playstyle.
### Resource Pool Rule
1. The first step is to determine what kind of resource fits your genre. Are you playing an Old West game that uses **Grit**? Does your game take place in a wizarding college where **Mana** would be more appropriate?
> It’s important to limit the number of **Resource Pools** you create so you don’t give your players too much to keep track of.
2. Next, determine whether the resource is *Shared* or *Personal*. Something like **Expedition Funds** might belong to party, while something like your Android’s **Battery Power** might be personal. As a general rule, either all players have a personal pool, or none do. Note that not all players have to use the same personal pool.
> You might also determine whether the resource can be *taken* or *given*, like siphoning off a tank’s **Petrol Reserves**.
3. Ask yourself, how will your players get it and how much will they get? Does your Cowboy get one point of **Grit** when he takes damage? Maybe your Android has a solar panel it uses to recharge. Are there multiple ways to get it, like drinking a **Mana** potion or resting for eight hours?
> Do you want getting it to require a roll, like filing a university funding proposal for **Expedition Funds** using a **Sway** roll? If it does, how much do you want your players to get? A good rule of thumb is to let your players roll for resources with their best actions and reward a single serving of resources on a partial success, a double serving on a full success, and a triple serving on a overwhelming success. If players feel like they don’t have enough of a resource or they can’t get enough of it they’ll start hoarding it and never use it.
4. Most importantly, what happens when your players consume it? Maybe your Cowboy can spend 2 points of **Grit** to ignore a consequence for one turn. What if Mana is used to power a special action like **Burn** or **Transmute**? Can your tank’s **Petrol Reserves** be put into your flamethrower instead?
> Does your resource replace an established mechanic? Maybe your group doesn’t like tracking items and spending **Expedition Funds** lets them have what they need.
5. When can your players get it back? Maybe **Expedition Funds** can only be replaced between expeditions. What if some of the treasure you find can be sold and converted to **Expedition Funds**? What’s the conversion rate? Can a mage drink more than one mana potion a day or does it give them *mana sickness*?
> Do you want your players to be able to retain a resource? Maybe rolling a full success on a **Transmute** action doesn’t use **Mana**. This is a good idea to help your players stretch their resources further if they can’t get them back right away. On the other hand, maybe your players are hoarding a resource. A good solution to that is to let all or part of a **Resource Pool** expire after a certain condition is met.
6. Lastly, It’s important to clarify if your **Resource** has any special qualifiers. We’ve already touched on a few ideas, like how **Expedition Funds** might replace item management. What if each point of **Mana** lets you add a d6 to your **Transmute** action dice pool? Should you cap the rolls at 3d6 (3 points of **Mana**?)
> Feeling generous? Fortune dice rolls can be used to give out **Resources** at opportune times. Maybe a mysterious benefactor chose to donate to your upcoming expedition (1 point for every full success on a 3d6 roll.) Or what if instead your android found a spare battery with 4 charges?
---
Here are a few of the examples we already talked about in greater detail along with a new one:
> #### Grit Example
>
> Each Cowboy has a personal pool of **Grit**. Each time you take damage, gain 1 point of **Grit**. Spend 2 points of **Grit** to ignore the narrative restrictions of a consequence for 1 turn reflecting your tough “shrug it off” demeanor.
> #### Expedition Funds Example
>
> Everyone in the party helps draft a **University Funding Proposal** by rolling **Sway**. For each partial success gain 1 point in a shared resource pool called **Expedition Funds**. For each full success gain 2. For each overwhelming success, gain 3. Spend 1 point whenever an action would require a specific, notable or unique item. **Expedition Funds** can only be recovered between expeditions.
> #### Mutagen Example
>
> Mad Scientists can **Tinker** during their downtime to create a **Mutagen**. **Mutagens** are tied to a biosignature, and can only affect the creature they are made for. Consuming a **Mutagen** changes your biological makeup permanently, allowing you to move two action dots and rendering subsequent doses fatal. Crafting a **Mutagen** requires an incredibly rare catalyst unique to each individual.
> #### Mana Example
>
> Each Mage gains 4 points of **Mana** after 8 hours of uninterrupted rest. Mana can be used to fuel your **Magic** action. For each point of **Mana** you spend that turn, add a d6 to your **Magic** action dice pool. Rolls are capped at 3d6. Mana potions can be consumed on your turn to restore 2 points of Mana. Consuming more than 1 mana potion between rests inflicts the consequence *Mana Sickness* which causes intense headaches and nausea until you get 8 hours of uninterrupted rest.
---
> ### Recap
>
> - Name your **Resource**. Avoid making too many.
> - Determine if it’s *shared* or *personal*. Can it be *taken* or *given*?
> - Ask yourself how your players get it. Does it require a roll? Can they get enough that they won’t feel the need to hoard it?
> - Figure out what it’s used for. Does it replace an existing mechanic?
> - When can your players get it back? Can they retain it? Or will it expire?
> - Don’t be afraid to add any special qualifiers.
## Economy Extra
**An abstracted form of economic interaction that models a fluctuating market system**
- By Dylan Greene
This is a genericized version of the Marketplace and Shard system that I designed for No\_Stalgia. It’s meant to be an abstracted form of economic interaction that models a fluctuating market system. In No\_Stalgia, interacting with the Marketplace is a core gameplay function, which combined with its hacking rules makes for a highly exploitable economy. It may be tempting to include this extra for the sake of being comprehensive, but remember that it should add to whatever you’re designing.
### The Market Clock
When players buy and sell goods on the market, they need to make a market roll. Every market roll starts with 1d6 but the economy ebbs and flows over a day which might add or remove dice to the roll. Players can also spend money to add 1d6 to a roll per money spent.
- Empty: Equilibrium
- One segment: Low (+1d6 when buying, -1d6 when selling )
- Two segments: High (-1d6 when buying, +1d6 when selling)
- Three segments: Low (+1d6 when buying, -1d6 when selling)
- Full clock: High (-1d6 when buying, +1d6 when selling)
The market clock automatically ticks forward once per scene and automatically resets after filling up.
### Money
Money is represented in a ten-point scale that’s abstracted for the sake of gameplay. This is very similar to how Blades in the Dark handles money. Design for price points at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. A very basic commodity like an average week’s wage can represent 1, while massive expenditures like property can represent 10.
It’s helpful to conceptualize your pricing tiers by what players will have to do to earn that amount of money. For example, your basic 1 money tier may be a purse of gold pieces in a high fantasy game that would be a simple quest reward. By contrast, making 10 money would require doing lots of favors for a kingdom or acquiring an extremely valuable treasure.
## Narrative Gear Extra
A Charge RPG Extra to make the gear you have matter
- By Groov
---
Narrative Gear is an extra that lets a character use their equipment to get a bonus die when making an **action roll**, or avoid the worst of a **consequence**.
### Gear Rule
Gear is a mechanic that lets you bring a number of pieces of equipment into a scene to have a mechanical and narrative impact.
When you leave your home base or equipment stash, you decide your **loadout** and have a number of significant items based on which you choose. If you want a **normal loadout**, you can declare up to 4 items; with a **heavy loadout**, you have up to 8, though characters with a heavy load are slower and stand out in a crowd.
Declaring Gear
You don’t decide what items are in your **loadout** before you leave. Instead, you **declare** you have an item on the fly as long as it makes narrative sense based on your **details**. When you do so, you may also spend 1 **momentum** and choose for that item to be **assisting gear** or **defensive gear** to gain the mechanical benefit listed below. Once declared, write down the gear on your character sheet. You still have the item, if it isn’t lost or consumed, but it gives no more mechanical benefit.
You may still push yourself or be assisted when you **declare** gear.
**Assisting gear** may include a particularly nasty knife, a local map, or anything else that might help in a specific situation. When you declare you have **assisting gear**, you either make an **action roll** with **+1d6**, or choose to increase your **effect rating**.
**Defensive gear** represents defensive preparation the character may have done, such as wearing reinforced armor or carrying a shield. When you declare you have **defensive gear** you reduce **stress** taken by the number of **loadout** “slots” you’re willing to use for this item. You may only get this benefit once if you have a **normal loadout**, or twice if you have a **heavy loadout**.
> #### Example
>
> *Jaden’s character Oza, a goblin thief, is looking to scale a wall into a noble’s estate. To help get over, they declare they have a grappling hook, spending 1 charge of momentum and adding +1d6 to their action roll. Jaden marks that they have a grappling hook on their sheet, so if they need it in the future, they can pull it out again (though they won’t get the +1d6 bonus). After landing on the other side of the wall, Oza finds themselves face to face with a patiently waiting mercenary, who stabs them in the chest. Instead of taking two stress, Jaden declares that Oza was wearing a reinforced plate just in case, marking off another momentum and two more gear slots on their loadout.*
> ## GM Notes
>
> If your game has more of a focus on equipment, you may want to allow the mechanical benefit when you declare an item to be free, but keep in mind this will make characters a good deal more powerful. Alternatively, you can decrease the **loadout** to 3 and 6 respectively, giving the players a tough decision to make when they want their gear in the spotlight.
>
> As GM, don’t forget you can always reflavor mechanics for your game. Maybe instead of gear, this represents remaining magic or battery power.
### Credits
- This system is adapted from Blades in the Dark by Groov for use with Charge RPG
> ## Recap
>
> - Pick a **normal loadout** (4 slots) or a **heavy loadout** (8 slots)
> - **Declare** gear, and spend 1 **momentum** for **assisting gear** or **defensive gear**
> - **Assisting gear** adds **+1d6** or improved **effect rating** on an **action roll**
> - **Defensive gear** prevents **stress equal** to the slots of gear used. You can only do this once with a **normal loadout**, or twice with a **heavy loadout**
> - **Gear always provides narrative freedom**