Play Guide

Rounding

Unless otherwise specified, all fractions are rounded down.

Taking Action

Players choose the actions their characters take - both large and small. Character actions are most often taken through abilities.

Skill Rolls

The most basic way to determine if a character succeeds at what they are doing is through a skill roll. Skill rolls can be called by the Game Master for all sorts of activities, and skill rolls are often used when performing more complicated abilities.

See the section on character skills for details on how to "roll a skill."

Ability Time

Some actions take longer than others. Here's a list of time scales referenced throughout the rules:

• Round - Approximately three seconds. Often used when in combat or other turn-by-turn situations.
• Minute - 60 seconds, or 20 rounds.
• Hour - 60 minutes.
• Day - 24 hours.
• Week - Seven days.
• Month - Four weeks, or 28 days.
• Year - 12 months.

Ability Range/Distance

Some actions have a maximum range or affect a maximum distance.

• Range is always measured in squares, which can be used directly if an optional play mat or grid is being used.
• Squares are roughly equal to yards or meters- whichever you prefer.
• Actions without a range implicitly have zero squares of range, meaning they only affect the current square the ability is used from.

Ability Targets

Abilities can target various kinds of objects:

• Object - Ability can target any object but not specifically its component parts. For example a creature is an object and may be targeted, but not its individual body parts. Equipment/items/etc. that a creature is carrying are not counted as component objects, and are their own objects.
• Body - Ability can target any set of objects that commonly or reasonably constitute a single collective object. Effects applied to body targets only affect the 'primary' object of that collection. Importantly in the case of creatures this affects the creature but none of its equipment/items/etc.
• Creature - Ability can be used on any creature, but not inanimate objects like items.
• Body Area - Ability targets a chosen body area of a creature.
• Item - Ability must be used on an inanimate object like a piece of equipment, door, or all or part of a structure.
• Design - Ability targets an item's crafting design.
• Self - Ability only targets the creature that is performing the action.
• Location - Ability can be used on a chosen square of the terrain.
• Area - Ability can be used on a chosen contiguous set of squares. The area does not need to be square in whole.
• Aura - Ability can be used on a chosen contiguous set of squares. The area must be as square in whole as possible, and the area must be as centered as possible on the location the creature performing the action is in.
• Angle - Ability targets all squares up to some range in a given arc. The area starts from (and does not include) the square the creature performing the action is in.
• Ability - Ability targets another ability that has been declared, but has not yet begun to be resolved. If the target ability is a combo ability the combined ability is targeted, not an individual replacement/enhancement.
• Wound - Ability targets a specific wound that a creature within range has.
• Vehicle - Ability targets an object or creature that can be ridden.
• Vehicle Animal - Ability targets either a mount animal that can act as a vehicle by itself, or a draft animal that is pulling a vehicle.
• Spirit - Ability targets a celestial creature.
• Artifact - Ability targets an item infused with magical power that has at least one maximum MP.
• 8th Age: Augmentation - Ability targets a specific augmentation item that is installed in a creature.
• 8th Age: Network - Ability can be used on a specific computer network.
• 8th Age: System - Ability can be used on a specific system connected to a computer network, included networked creatures and computers.
• 8th Age: Process - Ability can be used on a specific program or process (i.e. an effect) running on a computer network.
• 8th Age: Magic Power - Ability can be used on a point of magic power owned by the creature performing the action.

Target Requirments

Sometimes abilities have additional requirements to determine whether a given target is valid. While the Game Master should always use best judgment to determine whether a target is valid or not, there are some formal keywords for target validity that have specific meanings.

Trivial Object Selection

While many abilities have users choose targets, some abilities choose targets based on some other criteria. For example an ability might apply some effect to the "nearest 3 bodies." For these selections the Game Master should take care not to include trivial, irrelevant, or uninteresting objects, and avoid getting bogged down in legalistic or metaphysical arguments. For example, a fire spell burning the "nearest 3 bodies" would be better suited to burn the nearby tree, bandit, and tent rather than burn the nearest set of pebbles on the ground or leaves floating in the air.

Attacks

For the purposes of effects, an attack occurs whenever an action targets an unwilling target, and has the opportunity to apply an effect to that unwilling target, regardless of what it actually does. Actions that target a willing target are not attacks.

For example, if an action targets an enemy and moves them if the ability user succeeds an opposed skill check, then that is considered an attack even if the opposed skill check fails. If the same action is used against an willing ally, then it is not an attack because the target was willing. If, instead, an action targets an enemy but allows the ability user to move themselves if they succeed an opposed skill check, then that is not considered an attack even if the skill check succeeds, because the unwilling target had no effect or change applied to them. Lastly, if an action is able to apply a beneficial magical condition to the target from a distance without a skill check but the target was unwilling, that still counts as an attack because the target was unwilling and could have an effect applied, even though it wasn't physical, couldn't be resisted, and was at a distance.

If abilities apply multiple effects to an unwilling target, that is considered only a single attack for the purposes of effects.

For example, if an ability allows making multiple 'attacks' using a weapon as a primary action, that terminology is used for convenience, and the target still only received one attack for the purposes of making counterattacks/etc.

Implicit Requirements

Some requirements are unstated - unless otherwise specified they always apply:

Detected

Unless otherwise specified, all abilities require targets to be detected, meaning the actor must be aware of the presence of the target. Some abilities (like stealth, etc.) can cause someone to be temporarily undetected, and thus cannot be targeted.

A major exception would be abilities that target areas or locations, as they usually include all objects in those locations. As always the Game Master should use their best judgment when determining detection. For example, a character might know that an enemy is somewhere on a nearby mountain, but that doesn't mean they have actually detected the enemy's position to cast a spell on them.

Explicit Requirements

Other requirement keywords only apply if they are stated:

Visible

Visible targets must be both detected and also in direct line-of-sight. Some abilities (like invisibility) can cause someone to be either temporarily undetected, and thus cannot be targeted. While the Game Master can use their best judgment, targets are in line of sight if you can draw a straight line from the actor's square to the target's that is free of line-of-sight-breaking obstructions.

Reachable

The target must be both detected and also the path to the target must be reasonably free of obstacles and other physical hindrances. Things like terrain or structures (walls, etc.) could prevent someone from being reachable, even if they are otherwise in range of an action, and thus cannot be targeted. In other words, the target must be detected and able to be physically interacted with given the context of the action. Reachability doesn't necessarily imply that it is within reach of an actor's hands, but for most physical actions that don't use tools it can be a handy short-hand. For example, when shooting a bow a target is reachable if a arrow can reach the target, not the shooter, but to be reachable for an unarmed attack the target would need to be within reach of a hand or foot. Unless otherwise specified (e.g. weapon ranges) creatures can reach 1 square with their hands, feet, or with items they're holding.

Containers can also prevent reachability. For example, a character can't reload a crossbow that is packed under the gear in his backpack without first removing it, making it reachable.

If items are being held or carried on another creature then the creature decides whether the item is reachable as a target.

Usable

Particularly in trade or crafting scenarios, various objects like tools will need to be "usable". Usable objects don't have to be equipped during the entire time an ability takes, but need to be generally reachable by traveling short distances, and accessible to use without significant delay. For example, ingredients in a locked container are not usable unless the character has a key, or a facility might only be usable with the owner's permission.

Communicable

The target must have the ability to perform rich communication with the actor, such as through spoken language, through written letters, through telepathy, etc. This presumes a commonly understood language between the parties, and the GM may modify, miscommunicate, obfuscate, or disallow certain communication based on difference in fluency level and the complexity of the communication.

8th Age: Connectable

For network interactions, such as connecting to networks, or using information systems, all actions require targets to be connectable. See the computers and networks section below for more general information. Networks are connectable if the actor has knowledge of the existence of the network, and has either the proper wired connections or wireless signal strength available. Processes and systems are not connectable if the actor is not connected to their network. Furthermore, systems require the actor to have discovered its network address before it is connectable. This is usually done through an ability like network mapping, and is comparable to detected in physical terms, except that when first connecting the addresses of other connected systems are not usually known. Network addresses for processes running on a network are always known to all connected systems, and thus are always connectable.

Action Ordering

Actions can be taken free-form (i.e. each player chooses when they take action) or on a more formal turn-by-turn basis.

• Turn-by-turn ordering is often used during combat and other quickly developing situations.
• When doing turn-by-turn ordering, each character gets one turn per round.
• When multiple characters are attempting to take action at the same time, such as during turn-by-turn situations, the order the actions occur is determined by their [initiative] skill rolls.
• Normally during turn-by-turn situations a single [initiative] skill roll is taken when the situation starts (See the take initiative ability). This result is used until the situation leaves turn-by-turn status.
• Initiative values can sometimes change through use of special abilities.
• When determining the next character to take action in a round - find the character with the highest initiative value that hasn't acted yet in the round. Repeat until all characters with initiative values have acted, then begin a new round.

Turn-by-Turn Actions

During turn-by-turn situations, such as during combat, a character will only be able to take a certain number of actions per turn.

• No action or ability of the same name can be used more than once per round by a single character.
• Each turn grants a primary action and a secondary action. They may be used in any order, and you may choose not to use one or all one of them.
• A primary action can replaced by a secondary action, but a secondary action cannot be replaced by a primary action. In other words, a character can take 2 secondary actions during a turn in place of the normal primary/secondary action.
• Any number of minor actions can be used anytime during a character's turn, but cannot be used while other actions are being resolved.
• A free action can be used anytime, even on other character's turns. It can be used after other actions have been declared, but not after it has started being resolved. Unless specified, free actions are resolved before any other actions are resolved.
• A full action takes a character's entire turn. No other actions can be made during the turn, including minor or free actions.
• Full actions can take more than one turn. For example, a "2 full" action takes two entire turns. Multiple full turn actions must use consecutive turns, but can be canceled after the first full turn- in which case the effect does not occur and any ability cost is not paid.

Dice Bonuses & Penalties

Sometimes characters receive bonus or penalty dice as part of a roll.

• A dice bonus is simply added to the roll. For example, if you receive +1D6 to a skill roll, you would roll 3D6 (2D6 for skill roll + 1D6).
• A dice penalty first removes dice that would be rolled. For example, if you receive -1D6 to a skill roll, you would roll 1D6. If you receive -2D6 to a skill roll, you would roll no dice.
• If dice penalties outnumber the dice that would be rolled, then the remainder is rolled but the results are subtracted from the total. For example, if you receive -3D6 to a skill roll, you would roll 1D6 but subtract it from the skill value instead of adding it.

Dangers

In their adventures, characters will likely encounter many dangers to their body, mind, and soul. Characters can quickly find themselves injured, dead, or worse- however, with preparation, cunning, and a bit of luck they can avoid this fate.

Conditions

Conditions are effects a character is currently under. They may be physical or supernatural in nature, and can be helpful, hurtful, or a combination of both.

• All conditions affect a character at once- that is their effects are cumulative.
• Conditions can sometimes be removed, but are removed one at a time.
• Conditions have tags, and some abilities can only remove conditions with certain tags.
• Some conditions are temporary and will end on their own after a certain length of time, usually a number of turns.
• Some conditions last "until removed"- these conditions do not automatically end. Certain categories of conditions can be removed by abilities.
• Some conditions are applied from causes like wounds, afflictions, aspects, etc. These conditions cannot normally be removed, but are removed automatically when the cause that applied them are removed. If these conditions are somehow removed without the underlying cause also being removed, the conditions are re-added as soon as the effect that removed the condition ends.
• Some conditions last while they are "sustained"- meaning they last until the character that caused them ends it. These conditions can be removed at any time that character wishes, but also end if that character fall unconscious for any reason (ex: sleep). There is no limit to how many conditions a character can sustain.
• Conditions take effect immediately. That is, if an ability adds a condition, it may also be considered during other effects from that ability.
• Effects that happen "per round" take their effect at the beginning that character's turn if available, otherwise they take effect every three seconds.
• Conditions may have a "condition level", a higher condition level might mean a condition lasts longer or has a higher magnitude. For example, a condition level three might last three turns, while a condition of level two might last only two turns.
• Some conditions, like stances, are mutually exclusive - they remove any conditions tagged or specified at the time they are added.

Field Conditions

Some conditions are added to characters simply based on the location they are in. For example, a character entering a shadowy corner may have the 'low light' condition added, but have it removed when they exit. The GM determines what locations have field conditions.

Wounds

Wounds are (hopefully) short-term physical effects a character suffers from.

• Wounds often cause conditions, which usually cannot be removed until the wound has healed.
• Wounds have tags, and some abilities can remove wounds with certain tags.
• Wounds can affect a character's entire body (ex: diseases), but also may affect only a specific area of a body. Their effect may only come into play when using that body part.
• 24 hours after receiving a wound, and every 24 hours after that the character rolls an [endurance] skill to see if the body can heal the wound.
• If the [endurance] skill roll is low a wound may get worse, or not improve.
• Wounds may have a maximum duration, if a wound is not removed by this time it automatically heals.
• Some effects apply an unknown wound. Unknown wounds are revealed later by inspecting the wound.
• When an unknown wound is revealed, roll 3D6 and consult the unknown wound reveal result list for what action to take.
• If the attack that caused an unknown wound targeted a specific body area the wound will be for that body area, otherwise the wound will be applied to a random body area when it is identified.
• Some wounds are applied from causes like failed body areas, afflictions, etc. These wounds cannot normally be removed, but are removed automatically when cause that applied them are removed. If these wounds are somehow removed without the underlying cause also being removed, the wounds are re-added 24 hours after the effect that removed the wound ends.

Bleeding

Bleeding conditions cause damage that can spread to harm other body areas, and can easily become fatal if it is not dealt with quickly.

• When a body area with a bleeding condition is already at minimum vitality (i.e. 1 for non-vital or 0 for vital) when its effect occurs, the condition instead spreads to affect all adjacent body areas, and will begin damaging them the following turn.
• When a bleeding condition is 'reset' it returns to only affecting the original body area it began on and does not affect body areas it previously spread to.
• A body area that is bandaged will reset any bleeding conditions that began on that body area.
• If a bandage condition ends on a body area, the bleeding effect starts again at the original body area.
• Bleeding conditions are also reset when a vital wound resolves. However without bandaging the bleeding condition may quickly spread to cause another vital wound - make sure and bandage to avoid this fate of 'bleeding out'!

Afflictions

Afflictions are long-term or permanent disabilities a character suffers from.

• Afflictions are normally permanent and do not end naturally.
• Afflictions can cause wounds of the same name to be applied, or may have other long-term effects.
• Some afflictions are applied from causes like aspects. If these afflictions are somehow removed without the underlying cause also being removed, the afflictions are re-added a week after the effect that removed the affliction ends.
• Afflictions can stack - meaning a character can suffer from multiple afflictions of the same name.
• Some afflictions target specific body areas, while other affect the entire body or mind of a character.

Fatigue

Not all injuries are from lethal damage- some come from simple exhaustion. Fatigue, if not managed, will cause severe problems.

• A character's fatigue value is the total of the fatigue points of all wounds a character currently suffers from.
• When a character's fatigue total is equal to or greater than certain thresholds they receive fatigue conditions.
• Fatigue conditions are cumulative- meaning if a character has eight fatigue they are affected by fatigue conditions for both the four and eight point thresholds.

Fatigue comes from a character's wounds, but its worst effects are staved off by a character's focus or stamina.

• When a character has zero FP or SP they receive the mental fatigue or physical fatigue condition.
• These conditions add fatigue wounds at the beginning of each turn, so can add up quickly.

Thankfully, fatigue wounds are relatively easy to remove.

• Characters can rest- each round spent resting heals one SP.
• Relaxing for an hour will remove a single wound marked with the fatigue tag. You also gain the normal SP healing while doing this (one hour of relaxing heals up to 1,200 SP!).
• You must complete the entire hour of relaxing to remove a fatigue wound, but you still heal the SP you have already gained even if you are interrupted or cancel an hour-long rest.
• During relaxation your character cannot take much action, though the Game Master may allow certain light activities such as talking or snacking.
• Sleeping also counts as relaxing/resting, and also heals one FP per hour.

Stress

The worries and woes of life are a burden that, left unchecked, can spiral out of control and lead to consequences both personal and social.

• Characters usually start with one or more [corruption] afflictions that add stress to the character when they have to act in a manner they find difficult. The Game Master may also assign stress when difficulties or hardships present themselves in the story.
• The current number of stress points is tracked as part of the character's status.
• The discipline standard ability can be used by a character to overcome their temptations and avoid taking stress.
• When a character's stress point total is equal to or greater than certain thresholds they receive stress conditions. These conditions are cumulative.
• For the final stress condition, the character suffers an emotional breakdown, resetting their stress but suffering an additional [corruption] affliction.
• Stress can be lost by indulging a character's [corruption] afflictions, or can be lost at the Game Master's discretion for story reasons.

Stealth & Detection

While many adventures call for direct (and violent) action, there are also times when discretion is the better part of valor or when violence might cause more problems than it solves. In those instances stealth can be a vital tool. Conversely, trying to detect hidden objects (traps, creatures, etc.) is a common task to avoid ambushes.

• Objects (including creatures) with the hidden condition are, until detected, not able to be named as the target of abilities. See "Detected" above.
• There are two main ways to hide: sneaking is suitable for creatures trying to hide their presence such that they can move about; camouflage can hide objects and creatures in place.
• Creatures do not passively detect hidden objects, though there are several standard abilities (such as search area, etc.) that a creature can use to actively detect hidden objects.
• Barring extenuating circumstances, creatures actively trying to detect hidden objects use all their senses (sight, smell, hearing, etc.) and occasionally look around such that they effectively do not have any blind spots.
• In general, the GM is encouraged to give bonuses or penalties appropriate to the situation. This is usually given to a hidden object's detection defense or a searcher's stealth defense. This could take the form of field conditions (e.g. a hidden switch is in a dark room) or a temporary modifier (e.g. a guard is distracted into looking the other way, or there is a large crowd to blend into).

Persuasion & Attitude

When trying to persuade or deceive people in social situations, a large factor before the persuasion even starts is the reputation of the speaker. A character may have attitude modifiers towards individuals or groups of people. For example, a serf may have negative attitude modifiers with members of the aristocracy.

The GM may use a variety of factors when determining attitude modifiers for NPCs, but there are some ways (e.g. clothing) that may give explicit attitude modifiers. These explicit attitude modifiers are cumulative, though the GM may tweak, invert, or ignore them depending on the situation. For example, consider a feathered helmet that gives +2 attitude towards "military." A GM might have the full modifier apply when persuading a fellow solider, but only apply +1 when persuading a nobleman, or apply -3 when persuading an anti-war peasant.

Restricted Items

In many social situations the items a character wears and carries can bring consequences, though the rules are always heavily contextual, and often there are exceptions. For example, it could be considered overly militaristic or barbaric to wear weapons and armor to a king's feast, but everyone expects the old Colonel to wear his polished helmet from when he won the jousting tournament. If characters do not obey the social rules around clothing and items the GM might apply attitude modifiers or simply disallow access to certain areas.

Some items have tags (e.g. military, civilian, tool, magic, etc.) to help the GM guide broad rules on restricted items. Particularly in one's home culture the characters should normally be able to know rules on restricted items before entering a social situation without a skill roll. In a foreign culture or inexperienced situation a character can attempt a community, commerce, or similar knowledge skill roll.

Damage

During adventures of derring-do it's very likely that someone will get hurt. Hopefully it's not your character, but you should be ready to both deal and receive damage.

Damage Types

• All damage has a damage type. A few examples are slashing damage, and heat damage.
• The weapon or ability you use to attack with will determine the type of damage you can deal.
• Some weapons allow more than one damage type. You must choose which damage type you will use for that attack, and you must choose before any action begins being resolved.
• Damage types can determine what measure is affected by damage. For example, "bashing (stamina)" affects stamina, not vitality.
• If not specified, a damage type affects vitality. For example, "bashing" damage affects vitality since it does not specify a measure.
• Some situations degrade damage of a given type, meaning it changes the damage type's measure from a more lethal measure to a less lethal one.
• Vitality damage types degrade to stamina damage types.
• Stamina damage types degrade to focus damage types.
• Focus damage types degrade into nothing - i.e. no damage is dealt.
• For example, "bashing" damage would degrade to "bashing (stamina)"; "bashing (stamina)" damage would degrade to "bashing (focus)"; "bashing (focus)" damage degraded simply does not apply any damage.

Damage Points

• The ability you are using will tell you how much damage you do. Often you will need to first succeed some other roll before you get to deal damage.
• If an ability specifies you deal "weapon damage" it means a 1D6 roll, with the weapon's damage modifier added in. Use the total damage modifier for the damage type you are using.
• Unless otherwise specified, when you receive damage points you subtract them from the vitality of the body area that was hit.
• If an ability targets a creature instead of a body area, then a random body area takes the damage. For example, a human has 12 body areas, so for an attack that deals damage to the entire creature you could roll 1D12 and use that to determine which body area actually takes the damage.

Critical Damage Points

• When dealing a large amount of damage, attackers can gain critical damage points that can be spent to attempt to turn the tide of battle.
• The threshold for critical damage starts at every 3 damage points, but can be modified by abilities and other effects.
• The total damage dealt (before armor or other reductions) is used to calculate critical damage points, and multiple critical damage points can be gained from a single attack. For example, if 8 total damage is dealt, then 2 critical damage points are gained.
• Critical damage points can each be spent for a single effect with the target of the effect chosen by the attacker, but the target should be relevant to the attack made (e.g. targeting the damaged body area). The GM can determine what targets are considered relevant.
• Damage applied indirectly (e.g. a burning condition that causes damage each turn) is still eligible for gaining critical damage points, and the original attacker that indirectly caused the damage can choose how to spend them. The GM decides how to spend critical damage points if no attacker can be determined.
• Damage that is applied over time (e.g. a burning condition that causes damage each turn) only gains critical damage points based on each time damage is dealt - the damage is not totaled over time.
• The effects that critical damage points can be spent on can be added to by abilities or other effects, but by default the effects include:
  • Apply a single unknown wound.
  • Apply 2 fatigue wounds.
  • 2 critical points may be spent to add daze condition level 1.

8th Age: High Impact Armor

Damage can sometimes be reduced or negated through the use of armor.

• Only armor that is equipped/worn applies to incoming damage. Armor that is simply carried does not apply.
• Armor applies to one or more body areas, and is only considered for incoming damage to those body areas.
• All damage has a damage rating. It represents the ability to defeat armor that protects against that damage type.
• Armor has resistance ratings for certain damage types.
• Armor resistance ratings apply to a specific measure. For example, armor with a rating against "kinetic" damage type does not apply to "kinetic (stamina)" damage.
• If the damage rating is higher than the resistance rating of a piece of armor, then that armor provides no significant protection and does not apply to the incoming damage.
• If the damage rating is lower than or equal the resistance rating of a piece of armor, then that armor is said to be effective and applies to the incoming damage.
• Armor has an armor value, which represents the thickness or durability of the armor.
• When armor is effective, damage is subtracted from the armor value before it is applied to the character wearing it. For example, if a character is hit for two damage and has three armor value from effective armor, then the character takes no damage and the new armor value is one. Alternatively if the character was hit for four damage, then the character takes one damage and the armor then has zero armor value left and will not protect against another attack.
• Armor value is shared between all the damage types a piece of armor has resistance to.
• A specific armor piece cannot be reduced to less than zero armor value.
• Armor rarely works by completely nullify the forces involved in an attack - it usually redirects or dampens the effects of those forces, so secondary damage can still occur. For example armor may protect against the lethal injury of a bullet, but the kinetic energy may be simply be spread out and still cause blunt force damage.
• Unless otherwise specified, half the damage subtracted from the armor value is dealt back to the character. This is called armor damage, and degrades the original damage type. Remember to round down. For example, if a character's armor absorbs three points of "kinetic" damage using armor value, the character takes one point of "kinetic (stamina)" armor damage.
• Armor damage is applied at the same body area the original damage was applied.
• Armor damage, while using a degraded damage type, uses the same damage rating as the original damage.
• Armor damage only occurs when the armor value is lowered; it does not occur when the armor is not effective (because of the wrong damage type, too low a resistance rating, etc.).
• Armor damage is applied like normal, meaning an armor piece could also provide protection against the armor damage it caused.
• The only exception to this is that armor damage does not cause another "round" of armor damage. In other words armor damage does not cause any additional armor damage when applied. For example, if a character's armor has ten armor value and blocks six "kinetic" damage, the new armor value is four and the character takes three points of "kinetic (stamina)" damage. If the armor is also effective against the "kinetic (stamina)" armor damage, the new armor value would be one, but "kinetic (focus)" armor damage would not be taken.

8th Age: Concealment & Cover

Due to the high effectiveness of firearms in 8th Age combat, most combatants will use terrain and other objects to gain concealment or cover as often as they are able.

• Characters can use the find cover ability to discover specifics on where concealment and cover bonuses apply and from what direction(s).
• Benefits of concealment and cover are gained by using the take cover ability.
• Concealment grants a bonus to [firearm defense] rolls, and is based on how much of the creature's silhouette is blocked from sight.
• Quarter concealment (i.e. 25% concealed) grants +1 [firearm defense] rolls, half concealment grants +2, and total concealment grants +4.
• Cover is able to nullify damage received to protected body areas, depending on the hardness and durability of the object.
• The GM determines which body areas are 'in cover' for a given attack, and whether the damage is sufficient to overcome the hardness or durability of the cover, but a recommendation is that body areas that lie at least over half-way blocked by the piece of cover are protected.
• The angle of attack used may change the bonuses granted. For example if someone partially flanks a character behind total concealment so that only half his silhouette is concealed, only the half concealment bonus applies.
• Due to the dynamic nature of combat characters must actively ensure they are using cover effectively, meaning the bonuses from taking cover are lost the next turn unless the take cover ability is used again.

8th Age: Computers and Networks

People in the 8th Age live in a world filled with computers and information networks. While most people use them only for basic mundane tasks like banking, some individuals specialize in fighting to secure or break into these systems. Whether for civilian or military purposes this is commonly referred to as information warfare, or IWAR.

Systems and Devices

There are an astounding variety of computer systems (or just systems for short) in the 8th Age that fulfill a myriad of functions for modern life.

• A system is any entity that can manipulate data with computer instructions.
• Examples include: an office workstation, a network connected watch, or a person that is using cybernetic network implants.
• Some systems are multi-purpose, like a home laptop computer, others are very specialized.
• All systems can store information, and can usually be aware of which other systems have access to that information. The information in a system may not be particularly interesting, however. For example, a refrigerator may keep logs of spoiled food, but not the access codes to a secret vault.
• Devices are systems that also have actions that can be performed. For example, a refrigerator may have actions like raising or lowering the target temperature.
• Devices can sometimes be operated manually, but generally allow all actions to be taken remotely over a network the device is connected to (see networks below).
• Devices can sometimes be items that can be equipped or worn (see personal networks below).
• If a device doesn't give specific actions it can perform, it can in general activate and deactivate - turning on or off, and producing some effect when turned on.

Networks

• A networks is a collection of systems that can communicate with one another.
• A system can (and almost always will) connect to multiple networks at a time.
• It is common in the 8th Age to have many layers of networks and create lots of networks ad hoc, destroying them when they're usefulness has passed.

Examples of Networks

• A city's local network, where things like traffic reports and job postings might be held.
• A province's network, where relatives in different cities might communicate, or election results might be posted.
• The global network, where people can exchange information and play games with others across the world.
• A network created during an office meeting for friends to gossip in, which is torn down as soon as the conversation ends.
• A personal network to manage equipped cybernetics and other personal devices.

Network Administration

• When a person creates a network, they also gain administrative control for that network.
• Certain network tasks, like choosing who can connect to a network, can only be performed by those with administrator control.
• Systems with administrator control that are not connected to a network cannot administrate the network, but will have administrator control if they ever reconnect.

Network Connectability

• To be connectable, networks generally need to be known (i.e. the character knows they exist) and either have sufficient wireless signal or a direct wired feed.
• The GM always has the final say on whether a network is connectable.
• For wireless signals, in general most networks operate over long distances, but this does vary based on the size of the transmitters involved. A good rule of thumb is: personal networks (detailed below) operate within 5 squares away, basic ad hoc networks operate within roughly a city block, city networks operate mostly within a city's limits, and regional/national networks operate everywhere except the most remote of wildernesses.
• For wired connections, in general if you plug into a system you can connect to any network it is connected to. The main exception is systems that are unwilling or otherwise secured against relaying wired network signals through their ports.

Connecting to Networks

• There are two ways to access a network: to connect to it through normal means as a member, or to hack into it.
• Systems can only connect to a network as a member if they have authorization, decided by the administrator(s).
• When a system tries to connect as a member, network administrators can decide whether they will allow it.
• You can hack into a network even if you do not have authorization, but you are not considered a regular member of the network.
• Generally, all effects gained when connected to a network end when you disconnect from that network.
• Some networks are public, meaning they have no authorization rules and anyone can connect. In free nations, things like the national and global network are public.
• If a system loses all connectivity, for example if a person's network implants malfunction, they immediately disconnect from any networks they have connections with.

Processes

• Processes are programs running on a system that has access to a network.
• Processes run on the system that created it.
• Unless otherwise specified, the effect of a process applies to all members of the network.
• All processes on a network apply at the same time, meaning their effects stack.
• Processes generally do not apply their effect to systems hacking into a network, as they are not members who connected normally.
• If a system disconnects from a network for whatever reason, the processes on that network no longer affect that system.
• If a system disconnects from a network, the processes it is running no longer affect the network.
• All processes on a network are known to all systems connected to that network.
• You must know about a system to know what processes it is running.

Personal Networks

• Many people in the 8th Age use network-enabled devices in their day-to-day life. Things like smart-home appliances, etc. are most easily manipulated through a personal network.
• All creatures with the networked aspect automatically operate a separate short-range network that is always-on. This is their personal network.
• Personal networks operate exactly like any other network, except: -- Personal networks are never destroyed; they are always on. -- Personal networks need not be explicitly created; they are implicitly created. -- Personal networks do not require any ability to create, and the creature automatically starts as an administrator of their personal network. -- Personal networks act as a proxy network, meaning any device/hacker/etc. connected to the personal network is connectable with all the networks the creature is a member of (but not hacked into).
• Personal network devices (items with the [personal network] tag) make use of these personal networks to allow for remote operation and integration into a user's unified interface.
• Personal network devices have an owner. Ownership can be assigned/re-assigned through the pair device ability.
• Whenever the owner's personal network is in range personal network devices attempt to connect to that network. This is a passive feature and occurs even if the device is not activated.
• For example, if a user has a new out-of-box cloaking shroud equipped, he can pair the device to himself and it joins his personal network. It then automatically connects to all other networks he is a member of. Through abilities, he can then remotely (i.e. without use of a hand) activate the cloaking shroud, but a hacker could remotely deactivate it.

8th Age: Automotive Vehicles

With advanced industry and technology, people of the 8th Age commonly experience a variety of mechanical vehicles. While the GM and players are never required to track details about these vehicles, if desired vehicle characteristics can be listed, or detailed module layout can be used.

Vehicle Components

• Vehicles are, essentially, a chassis and a collection of modules installed on a chassis.
• A chassis defines the shape of a vehicle (a footprint of a collection of squares), what modules can be installed, and where.
• Vehicle modules help define the combined characteristics of a vehicle, but also define the characteristics of an individual square in a vehicle.

8th Age: Combat Spheres

Warfare in the 8th Age often operates at a terrifying and incomprehensible scale. Artillery shells fly with pinpoint accuracy from over the horizon to kill hundreds of men in an instant; Armored machines weighing thousands of tons move easily across craggy terrain faster than any horse; Forces spread over many miles coordinate simultaneous attacks using real-time, high-resolution video and audio. While many battle do not require dealing with such scale, the GM may decide to use the following combat spheres to help track large-scale warfare: contact, battle, and support.

Contact Sphere

• The contact sphere represents forces in the immediate area, and is used mostly for close-quarter and infantry combat.
• Unless your GM has other plans, the contact sphere usually has 25x25 squares.
• Vehicles can enter the contact sphere if they have the [contact sphere] tag, which some vehicles (ex: fighter jets) do not have.
• It's recommended that vehicles in the contact sphere use a module layout.

Combat Spheres

• The battle sphere represents approximately the 5,000 squares in each direction beyond the contact sphere, in other words 10,000x10,000 squares. This corresponds roughly to an area five square kilometer, and can be thought of as everything to the horizon from the center of the contact sphere.
• The battle sphere is used for general combined arms combat, and is divided into quadrants: north, south, east, and west.
• Units in the battle sphere are assigned to a quadrant, but usually do not occupy an exact square. In other words, in the battle sphere direction is tracked but exact distances, unless the GM wishes, are not tracked.
• Abilities can assign targets between the contact and battle sphere, but the range is measured by the distance in the contact sphere to its edge, plus 100 squares. For example, a tank in the east quadrant can attack a soldier 13 squares inside the eastern edge of the contact sphere (or visa-versa) with a range of 113.
• Vehicles don't have to use a module layout when they are in the battle sphere, since all modules will be at the same range.
• Vehicles can remain in the battle sphere in they have the [battle sphere] tag, which some vehicles (ex: fighter jets) do not have.
• Vehicles with the [visit battle sphere] tag may enter the battle sphere, but must make all attempts to leave back into the support sphere the next turn. For example, a bomber may enter the northern battle sphere quadrant, but is moving so fast it must move on next turn.
• A unit can move from the edge of the contact sphere to the matching quadrant in the battle sphere (ex: eastern edge to the eastern quadrant). Similarly, a unit can move from a quadrant in the battle sphere to the matching edge of the contact sphere, choosing any square on that edge to start in.
• To move from an edge of the contact sphere to a quadrant of the battle sphere (or visa-versa), 10 squares worth of movement is needed. For example, if a soldier can move two squares a turn it would take five turns of movement to move from the eastern edge of the contact sphere to the eastern quadrant of the battle sphere.
• In the same manner, to move from one quadrant of the battle sphere to an adjacent quadrant (ex: the eastern quadrant is adjacent to the northern and southern quadrants) 10 squares worth of movement is needed.

Support Sphere

• The support sphere represents approximately 50,000 squares in each direction beyond the battle sphere, in other words 100,000x100,000 squares. This corresponds roughly to an area of 100 square kilometers, and can be thought of as everything able to respond to battle network requests in a reasonably short time frame.
• The support sphere is generally used for things like logistical support, staging areas, or indirect fire weapons.
• Units in the support sphere do not normally track their position or direction in detail.
• Abilities can assign targets between the support and battle sphere, but the range is 1000 squares. For example, a cannon in the support sphere can attack a tank in the east quadrant of the battle sphere (or visa-versa) with a range of 1000.
• Abilities can assign targets between the support and contact sphere in the same way range is calculated between the battle and contact sphere, but with an additional 1000 squares. For example, an artillery cannon in the support sphere can attack a soldier 13 squares inside the eastern edge of the contact sphere (or visa-versa) with a range of 1113.
• A unit can move from any quadrant in the battle sphere to the support sphere. Similarly, a unit can move from the support sphere to the battle sphere, choosing any quadrant to start in.
• To move from a quadrant of the battle sphere to the support sphere (or visa-versa), 100 squares worth of movement is needed. For example, if a tank can move 25 squares a turn it would take four turns of movement to move from the eastern quadrant of the battle sphere to the support sphere.