Conflict Resolution

Now that your character is complete, it’s time to learn how they interact with the game world.

When your turn comes around, you tell your GM what you want to accomplish. If there’s no risk or reward, the GM will probably let you succeed automatically.

However, if your character wants to attempt something risky or dangerous, the Game Master may ask you to roll dice to determine the outcome. This is called making a check, and it’s the heart of all role-playing games.

In Exterminis: Reign of Destruction, there are two types of checks: opposed and unopposed. When someone (or something) is actively trying to prevent your character’s success, the GM will call for an opposed check. If the check is meant to reflect the character’s own abilities or skills (and only their own abilities), then the GM will call for an unopposed check.

To make an unopposed check, roll 1d12 and add the relevant characteristic score. If the result is 12 or greater, the character succeeds in whatever task they were trying to perform. For example, if your character is trying to cross a raging river by running across a slippery log, the GM might ask you to make an Agility check. Roll 1d12 and add your Agility score. If you roll 12 or higher, your character crosses safely. Roll any lower, and your character is in for a nasty fall. A roll of 1 is automatically a failure, regardless of modifiers, and any roll of 18 or higher is a critical success, which might have fun or exciting consequences associated with it.

To make an opposed check, roll a number of d6s equal to your level. At level 1, you roll 1d6, at level 2 you roll 2d6, and so on until you reach a maximum of 5d6 at level 5. In most cases, you will add one or more of your characteristic scores to the total. There might be other modifiers as well, which the GM will give to you at the time of the check.

The GM will also roll several d6s for your opponent and add modifiers to that roll as well. The highest total “wins” the opposed check. That is to say, if your total is higher, then your character succeeds at whatever they were trying to do, but if the GM rolls higher, then your adversary has successfully stopped your character.

If one total is twice the other, then it is considered a critical success, which might have fun or exciting consequences associated with it.

The prime example of an opposed check is combat. When you swing a sword at an opponent, you will roll 1d6 (for now, since you are 1st level) and add your Strength score. If your opponent is 2nd level and they want to dodge out of the way, they’ll roll 2d6 and add their Agility score. If you roll higher than they do, you’ll cause one wound. Good luck!

Areas of Conflict

Most of the action in Exterminis: Reign of Destruction happens in four Areas of Conflict: Combat, Spellcasting, Stealth, and Persuasion. Observant players will notice that these are taken from the areas of focus chosen during character creation.

All Characters start with a 1d6 in each Area of Conflict. Whenever a character gains a level, all of these go up by 1d6, to a maximum of 5d6 at fifth level, at 6th level and beyond, characters receive a cumulative +1 bonus rather than an additional d6.

In addition to these d6, each conflict code is modified by a governing characteristic. Add the corresponding characteristic’s score to the dice roll.

So, if a 2nd level (2d6) hero with an Agility score of 2 is trying to skulk through the shadows unseen, he would roll 2d6 + 2 to determine success on a stealth check. If a 1st level city guard (1d6) with a Wisdom score of 4 wanted to find the rogue, he would roll 1d6 + 4. The highest total “wins.” In this example, if the rogue rolls higher than the guard, he remains hidden. However, if the guard rolls higher than the rogue, he notices the rogue and can sound the alarm or give chase.

• Physical Attack is used to attack an opponent with a weapon or with your bare hands. It is modified by Strength or Agility, depending on what type of weapon is used.
• Spellcasting is used to affect a target with a spell or magical effect. It is modified by Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (player’s choice).
• Stealth determines how sneaky a character is. It is modified by Agility.
• Social Influence measures a character’s ability to charm, intimidate, impress, or deceive another person. It is modified by charisma.
• Physical Defense is used to defend against physical attacks. It is modified by Endurance or Agility, depending on what type of armor is worn.
• Magic Resistance is used to defend against spells and other magical effects. It is modified by Willpower. Magic Resistance can be lowered voluntarily (to accept healing magic, for example)
• Perception represents characters’ ability to notice things that are hidden or secret. It is modified by Wisdom.
• Insight measures a character’s ability to resist the charms and deceptions of others. It is modified by Wisdom.

*When attacking with a small or ranged weapon, use Agility. When attacking with a medium or large weapon, use Strength.

**Characters use Agility (to represent dodging attacks) when unarmored or using Light Armor. Characters use Endurance (to represent a physically tough body) when wearing Medium or Heavy Armor.

***Characters may choose any of these three characteristics to generate Akasha and cast spells.