GENRE has one simple game mechanic for resolving any action the characters may perform, it is called the Action Roll. Whenever a character attempts an action, the DM will then set a difficulty level for the task. The character will then roll a number of dice (d6) equal to the appropriate Attribute or Power he is using to accomplish the task. The DM will roll a number of dice equal to the level of difficulty he has decided upon. The highest scoring total scores a success, with ties going against the challenger. Attempting actions against other characters might require Attribute vs. Attribute contests. Combat actions are covered under the COMBAT section in detail.

If a roll is equal to twice the total of the opposing side, this is counted as two successes, if three times then three successes. Each additional success after the first will mean that the challenger has had outstanding fortune and may receive further benefits than he expected from the feat. He might receive more information from a computer search or take no damage from a fall. Then, of course, is the case of multiple successes AGAINST the challenger, these as known as Critical Failures. Whenever the opposing die roll has scored more than one success against the character attempting a feat, he will suffer more than just failure. He might set off a silent alarm, trip a trap or drop his weapon! The final result of a Critical Failure is up to the DM.

Some feats will require more than one success to attain the level of effect that the challenger wishes. A character with Mind Control could use one success to cause his victim to keep quiet and stand still, but would need two or more successes to cause that victim to attack or even kill his friends!

Skill Modifiers are added to the total of the dice rolled, they are not the number of additional dice added to the Attribute or Power! If a character must make a Agility roll and he has an Agility of 3, he rolls just three dice. Any Modifiers that would add to this, such as Acrobatics +4, would be added to the total of the three dice.

SITUATIONAL MODIFIERS:

Of course there are such things as Situational Modifiers that will make the use of a Skill or Power easier or harder, depending on the circumstances under which the Action Roll is attempted. As a rule the Situational Modifier will range from –5 to +5. Keep in mind that a –5 would represent the WORST possible circumstances for the attempt of an Action Roll, while +5 would be the most FAVORABLE. (Personally I see no problem whatsoever with allowing a player a +5 Modifier in exchange for a $50 contribution to the Beer Fund… other DMs may not prove as generous.)

GRUNTING:

There are times characters exceed their normal abilities temporarily, this is called Grunting. When a character Grunts, he chooses a Modifier from +1 to +3 and adds this to his Action Roll, he then receives a penalty for his next action, and possibly a penalty for further actions. If a character Grunts for +3, his next action receives a –3, then a –2 for the next action after that and finally a –1 for the action following that. A character can not Grunt again until he is clear of any prior Grunting penalties. A character may Grunt a number of times up to his Stamina Attribute, after that he must rest for one game hour before attempting to Grunt again. Use common sense when applying the Grunt rule. You can Grunt when attempting to hit someone, but you can’t Grunt when you are breaking into an encrypted computer program. You would take extra time when doing that for the Situational Modifier.

BUSTING A NUT:

It is possible for characters to perform actions that are not supported by their current power levels. If a character with Strength 3, a lifting capacity of about a ton, wished to lift a helicopter which weighed several tons (Strength 4) he would have to Bust A Nut. (The choice of this maneuver’s name becomes glaringly obvious as to why it was chosen.) Busting A Nut allows a character to temporarily raise his Attribute or Power by one Power Factor level. The character may then perform one action at this heightened level, after which he will drop by –1 Power Factor in all of his abilities for the next two rounds. The character's level is also the number of times he may Bust A Nut during an adventure. He may not attempt to do so again until the next adventure. The DM is the final judge of who can Bust A Nut in his campaign. A normal human can not perform superhuman feats unless it is possible in the campaign genre he is in. You may NOT combine Grunting with Busting A Nut! A character may spend 1 Point of Glory to perform this maneuver if he has already used up his number of 'Nuts' for the adventure.

USING GLORY POINTS:

Spending a Glory Point counts as one automatic success. Each additional Glory Point spent on the same feat will count as an additional success. The opposing side may be allowed to spend their own Glory Points to negate any successes against them. One Glory Point negates one success or one Glory Point spent for a success against them. A character may roll his dice and add a Glory Point to increase the number of successes he scores. It is possible to combine Glory Points with Busting A Nut and Grunting, but this is up to each individual DM.

THE SUCCESS/FAILURE EFFECTS TABLE

+4 or more successes     Critical Success
+3 successes             Unbelievable Success
+2 successes             Outstanding Success
+1 success               The character succeeds at the feat
+0 failure               Failure
-1 failure               Bad Failure, counts as 1 success AGAINST character   
-2 failures              Outstanding Failure, counts as 2
-3 failures              Unbelievable Failure, counts as 3
-4 or more failures      Critical Failure


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