Dresden Files v1.

0 Collin Terrell 2014

By Collin Terrell

A “System Six” Campaign Setting

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What is System Six?

System Six is a Role-Playing Game System that is entirely “Base 6” meaning that all rolls are resolved
using a number of six-sided dice (known as a Dice Pool). Most statistics are graded on a 6 point scale
representing the number of dice that are rolled when that skill or attribute is put to the test. Any roll of
5 or 6 on a single die counts as a success; successes are totaled up to determine whether or not a test is
passed.

This adaptation of the Dresden Files fictional universe utilizes System Six rules.

Setting:

The Dresden Files is a popular series of Urban Fantasy books written by Jim Butcher. It revolves around
the exploits of a wizard P.I. named Harry Dresden who solves supernatural crimes in Chicago. The
setting is dark and modern, with gothic, noir and fantasy elements.

Character Creation:

All characters in the Dresden Files universe start off as human but can be modified using Build Points to
occupy a wide assortment of different roles.

Characters are assigned 60 Build Points at creation and 1 Karma point. See “Leveling Up” for more
information about the Karma attribute.

All human characters have a base Movement Rate of 6 squares (on a standard battlemat).

The Character Sheet in Appendix E includes a hit location diagram. Use this to specify which hand is
considered to be the character’s “main” hand. This will be useful to know later on when calculating
battle damage.

1. Buy Attributes using Build Points

There are six primary Attributes in this game that define a character’s physical and mental properties.
They are:

Agility Body control, balance, grace, hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, quickness
Strength Brawn, muscle, physical force, lifting & carrying power, hand-to-hand damage
Body Health, vigor, tolerance, physical toughness, fitness, endurance, healing factor
Charisma Personal magnetism, charm, personality, leadership, social skill, persuasiveness
Willpower Mental toughness, determination, guts, poise, focus, nerves
Intellect Knowledge, memorization & recall, education, logic, reason, information processing

New characters start with a rating of 1 in each of these Attributes. They can spend Build Points (BPs) to
increase them at a cost of 2 BP per rank.

A new character cannot have an Attribute rating higher than 6 unless they possess Qualities (see below)
that specifically allow this. It is worth noting that most monsters and supernatural beings that the party
will encounter have Attribute ratings higher than 6. Nobody ever said taking on the Forces of Darkness
would be easy.

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2. Buy Qualities
Qualities describe a character’s background, where they came from and what type of person they are.
This is the closest you get to “Classes” from more traditional role-playing systems. Choose the Qualities
you want to make the sort of character you want to play. Feel free to mix Qualities as your BPs and the
rules allow.

It is also possible to take some negative Qualities in order to gain a few extra BPs, if you’re having
trouble making a particular build work out.

See the “Qualities” section below for more details.

3. Buy Skills
If Attributes define a character’s natural abilities, Skills define their learned talents. The cost of Skills is
indexed against the Attribute that a Skill is linked to. For every Skill Rank equal to or less than the value
of the Skill’s Linked Attribute, the cost per upgrade is 1 BP per rank. For Skill Ranks greater than the
value of the Skill’s Linked Attribute, the cost per upgrade is 3 BP per rank.

Example: Damian wants to make an Archery specialist with an Archery skill of 6. The attribute linked to
the Archery skill is Agility. Damian has an Agility rating of 3, so in order to buy six levels of Archery skill,
he’d have to spend 12 BPs (3 points for the first three ranks and 9 for the last three).

A new character cannot have a Skill rating higher than 6 unless they possess Qualities (see below) that
specifically allow this.

See the “Skills” section below for more details.

4. Buy Contacts
Contacts represent a character’s professional network. Each Contact has an influence rating that
determines the strength of the favors they can provide. Spend 1 BP per Contact rank. There is no upper
limit to a Contact’s rating. When purchasing a Contact, supply them with a name and a professional
background (i.e. professor, doctor, fence, cat burglar, etc.) A Contact can only provide favors that fit
within the context of their background. A character can have any number of Contacts.

See the “Contacts” section for more details on how favors work.

5. Convert Remaining Build Points to Cash and Buy Gear

At this point, convert your remaining BPs to cash on a $100 per point basis. Use this money to buy any
gear you want (see “Gear” for more details). You do not get to keep any leftover money from character
creation, so use it or lose it at this point.

6. Play
You should have enough basic character information to start playing right now. Characters begin play
with about $60 in walking-around money and a crappy apartment appointed with donated furnishings,
unless they have a Lifestyle Quality that grants them a higher standard of living.

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Qualities:
Qualities are special traits that define a character’s background. Listed below are the positive Qualities
that a character can select from.

Ambidextrous (4 Build Points) of the vampire’s heightened physical abilities

You no longer suffer a -2 dice pool modifier but also suffer some of a vampire’s weaknesses.
when using your off-hand (but still split your
dice pool when using two hands). Most Half-Vampires are members of the
Fellowship of St. Giles.
Aptitude (3 Build Points)
You are really, really excellent in a particular See “Appendix D: Monsters” for more
skill. Raise your maximum skill cap to 7 for one information on Half-Vampire statistics.
skill. For each additional application of this
quality you can continue to increment the Lifestyle: Middle Class (6 Build Points)
maximum skill cap of a single skill by 1 point. You have a nice little house in the suburbs and
Note: you still have to pay the usual cost to an economical car you use for getting around.
raise your Skill up to the new maximum. You begin play with $1000 in cash and make
about $2000 a month from some mid-level job.
Chosen (10 Build Points)
You have a supernatural benefactor who has Lifestyle: High Society (12 Build Points)
marked you out as a person of special interest. You definitely live well. You’ve got your very
Chosen characters receive special attention own McMansion or sleek urban condo and drive
when they are at death’s door (see the a luxury car. Begin play with $2500 in cash and
“Healing” section for more details). earn $5000 a month from your management gig
at WhateverCorp.
Exceptional Attribute (4 Build Points)
Increase the maximum attribute cap of one of
Lifestyle: Luxury (24 Build Points)
your attributes to 7. For each additional
You’re either a trust funder or have won the
application of this quality you can continue to
game and don’t really need to work anymore.
increment the maximum attribute cap of a
You own multiple cars and homes and do
single attribute by 1 point. You still have to pay
everything first class. Begin play with $10,000
the usual cost to raise your Attribute up to this
in cash and earn $20,000 a month from your
level.
investment portfolio.
Fast Healer (6 Build Points)
Lycanthrope (24 Build Points)
+4 to your Dice Pool for all natural healing
You have the ability to shapeshift into a
checks
Werewolf. See “Appendix D: Monsters” for
Favored (6 Build Points) statistical information.
A character who is Favored is owed some
Magic Resistance (2 Build Points)
service or duty from a supernatural being. This
For some mystical reason, this character can
favor can be called in once per game session at
ground out magical energies. When resisting a
a Contact rating of 12 (see “Contacts” for more
magical attack, add 1 die to your Dice Pool for
information).
each rank you possess in this Quality. This
Half-Vampire (12 Build Points) Quality can be taken up to 6 times.
Half-Vampires are individuals who have begun
Magically Sensitive (6 Build Points)
the transformation to full-blown vampirism but
Sensitives are people who have the knack to use
have not yet given in to their Hunger. They still
magic but haven’t unlocked their abilities yet.
retain their human souls and have gained some

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Their latent power often manifests itself in very Wizard (24 Build Points)
small ways – through Cantrips and parlor tricks. Wizards are magic-users affiliated with the
White Council. White Council Wizards are
Sensitives have a random magic specialization legally sanctioned by their order to practice
that remains unknown until they begin formal White Magic.
training. While they can’t take any Magic Skills
during character creation, they can train in When a character takes the Wizard quality, they
Magic Skills when “Leveling Up”. must choose one Magic Skill to specialize in and
one Magic Skill that they cannot practice.
Gain the Jinxed negative quality.
Wizards begin play with knowledge of 3 White
New Spell (6 Build Points) Magic Spells.
If you are a Magic-Using character, you can
learn 1 additional Spell during Character Gain the Jinxed negative quality.
Creation. This can be from any Spell group that
you hold Skill ranks in. Sorcerer (18 Build Points)
Sorcerers are raw magical talents who are
Private Investigator (12 Build Points) either self-trained in magic or have been taught
You are a professional snoop with a keen eye, a by an unlicensed Wizard.
sterling bullshit detector and a license to poke
around in other people’s business as long as When a character takes the Sorcerer quality,
you don’t break any laws. Add +2 to your Dice they must choose one Magic Skill to specialize
Pool for Detection checks. All “Law in and one Magic Skill that they cannot practice.
Enforcement” Contacts gain a +2 Rating for
free. Sorcerers being play with knowledge of 1 Spell.
Retainer of Faerie (24 Build Points)
Gain the Jinxed negative quality.
You are a Fae being sworn in the service of
either the Summer Court or the Winter Court Tough (4 Points)
(you decide). See the “Appendix D: Monsters” You are sturdier than you look. You have the
section for statistical information. benefit of +1 Armor even if you are stark naked.
This armor stacks with other forms of armor.
Ignore the Jinxed negative Quality. This Quality can be taken up to 3 times.

Retainers of Faerie gain access to Life Magic Untraceable (6 Build Points)

spells or Winter Magic spells depending on the Your psychic signature is difficult to read. If
Court they serve. anyone attempts to track you magically they
suffer a -4 penalty to their Dice Pool.
Vampire (24 Build Points)
Your character has been turned by a White Weapon Specialization (3 Build Points)
Court or Black Court Vampire (the Red Court When you take this quality, choose one of the
has been recently destroyed). See the following weapon classes to associate it with:
“Appendix D: Monsters” section for statistical Blades, Bows, Pistols, Rifles, Shotguns,
information. Unarmed, etc. You gain 1 extra damage die
when rolling damage for this particular weapon
type. This Quality can only be taken once per
weapon type.

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In addition to positive Qualities, a character can also voluntarily take negative Qualities to gain a few
extra BPs. They are listed below.

Addiction, Mild (+4 Build Points)

Your character has a substance abuse problem You cannot take the Chosen Quality.
of some kind (i.e. alcohol, cigarettes, speed,
etc.) The character can function normally as Elderly (+8 Build Points)
long as they have easy access to their substance The character suffers the effects of old age.
of choice. If the character is forced to go “cold Their maximum Strength, Body and Agility
turkey” for more than a day, they suffer a -1 to Attributes are reduced by 2. Movement rate is
all rolls until they get treated or fixed up. also reduced by 2 (4 squares instead of 6).

Addiction, Severe (+8 Build Points) You cannot take the Young Quality.
Your character has a serious addiction problem.
They need to fix up every day or suffer a -2 to Hunted (+4 Build Points)
all rolls. Every time the character indulges in Choose one of the Power Groups from Appendix
their substance of choice roll 1 die. On a result A. This group has it out for your character big
of 1 they overdose and suffer consequences time and will not pass up a chance to kill or
appropriate to their habit (i.e. passing out, capture them. Any time the character
throwing up, etc.) encounters a member of this Power Group,
they will be treated with hostility and singled
Allergy, Minor (+4 Build Points) out in combat.
Your character is allergic to something common
that provides minor discomfort. When in the Infirm (+12 Build Points)
presence of their allergen (i.e. the same room You seem to be always plagued by some minor
or general area), the character suffers a -1 illness or another. When opponents roll
penalty to all dice pools. damage against you, they gain +1 Damage die.
In addition, you suffer a -2 to your Dice Pool for
Allergy, Severe (+12 Build Points) all Natural Healing checks.
Your character is deathly allergic to something
Injured (+8 Build Points)
common. When in physical contact with their
You begin play with some physical ailment that
allergen the character is Stunned.
slows you down. Take 1 Permanent Wound in
the Hit Location of your choice. This Wound
All characters with a Severe Allergy also suffer
can never be healed.
the effects of a Minor Allergy.
Jinxed (+0 Build Points)
Creepy (+6 Build Points)
Electronic devices fail around you. Any time
Something about you just sets people on edge.
you attempt to use an electronic device roll 1
Whenever you attempt to use a Charisma skill
die. On a result of 1 or 2 the device short-
roll 1 die. On a result of 1 or 2 the Skill attempt
circuits and becomes useless.
automatically glitches.

Dark Bargain (+12 Build Points)

All Magic-Using characters automatically gain
You’ve made a deal with the devil, literally. In this Negative Quality. No other characters may
exchange for a nice pile of additional Build take it.
Points you have sold your soul. This character
Lifestyle: Homeless (+4 Build Points)
can never cheat death by using Karma points – Your character is destitute. They begin play
the moment they hit Death’s Door, their with no money, no personal possessions, no
infernal patron comes calling. transportation and no home.

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your actions, but it is constantly trying to

You cannot take any other Lifestyle Qualities. influence them. For each Rank of this Quality
that you take, increase the Willpower of the
Oath Bound (+6 Build Points)
possessing entity by 2 (up to a maximum of 12).
You made a solemn, magically-binding promise
At the Game Master’s discretion the entity can
to a powerful being and are magically
attempt to alter the character’s action by
compelled to honor it. Work with the Game
forcing a Contest of Wills (an Opposed
Master to determine the nature of the Oath and
Willpower check). Spending a Karma point will
who it was given to (consult “Appendix A” for
suppress the entity automatically. Once an
ideas). The Oath should be something
entity has been suppressed twice it will remain
persistent or complicated, not anything that can
silent for the remainder of the gaming session.
be fulfilled in a single gaming session.
As an alternative, the Game Master can have
One Trick Pony (+6 Build Points)
You only know how to cast 1 Spell, but you are the player to your right play the role of your
really good at casting it. Gain +4 dice when possessing entity.
casting this Spell. You are unable to learn any Warlock (+6 Build Points)
other Spells. Warlocks are Magic-Users who either actively
practice Black Magic or have done so in the
Gain the Jinxed negative quality. past.
Unlucky (+8 Build Points)
Whenever you use Karma to improve a die roll, Warlocks begin play with knowledge of 2 White
roll 1d6. If the result is a 1 or 2, the attempt or Black Magic Spells. They are actively hunted
automatically glitches. by the White Council.

Slow Learner (+8 Build Points) You cannot take this Negative Quality if you are
It takes you twice as long to learn and improve a Wizard, Sorcerer or Magically Sensitive.
skills. See “Leveling Up” for more details.
Gain the Jinxed negative quality.
Skill Ceiling (+8 Build Points)
Every time you improve a skill roll 1d6. If the Young (+6 Build Points)
result is a 1 or 2, you have reached your natural You are either still a child or have the emotional
limit in that skill and can increase it no further. development of one. The character’s maximum
Mark this down on your character sheet. Intelligence, Willpower and Charisma Attributes
are reduced by 2.
Possessed (+2 Build Points)
Some sort of demon or spirit has taken
residence inside your mind. It doesn’t control

It is possible for characters to acquire new Qualities as a result of story-related events (such as being
turned by a Vampire or picking up an unholy relic).

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Skills:

The tables below provide an overview of the Skills that are available. The description field includes
details of what sort of outcomes you can expect if you critically fail (Glitch) or critically succeed when
using the skill. Every skill is linked to an Attribute; when you perform a Skill Test, you add your Skill Rank
to the linked Attribute Rank to determine the number of dice you will roll.

For more details on how to resolve Skill Tests, see the “Skill Tests” section.

Agility Skills:

Skill Name Linked Description

Attribute
Acrobatics Agility A character skilled in gymnastics can perform feats of impressive agility
with ease. They can flip, tumble, balance and leap. This is also the skill
used to dodge physical attacks.
Glitch: You slip and fall Prone.
Glitch + Success: You complete your maneuver but stumble in the
process, losing a Combat Action.
Critical Success: You move so gracefully that you take everyone else by
surprise! Take a free Combat Action.
Archery Agility The character is skilled with all manner of bow weapons.
Glitch: Weapon malfunction. Armorer skill required to fix the weapon.
Glitch + Success: Grazing Hit (damage dice reduced by half, round down)
Critical Success: Automatic Called Shot
Escape Artist Agility The escape artist is skilled in contortion and can manipulate their joints in
such a way as to slip free from restraints such as handcuffs, ropes, strait
jackets, wrestling holds or confined spaces.
Glitch: You’ve managed to painfully dislocate your shoulder. One arm
(randomly determined) sustains a Rank 4 injury (Dislocation)
Glitch + Success: You break free of your restraints but are Stunned in the
process (for 1d6 rounds)
Critical Success: You slip your bonds so expertly that you would elude
detection even under direct observation.
Heavy Weapons Agility The character has received military training in the use of all heavy
weapon systems (i.e. Machine Guns, Grenade & Rocket Launchers)
Glitch: Misfire! Either your gun jams or the explosive round doesn’t
prime properly, resulting in a dud.
Glitch + Success: Grazing Hit (damage dice reduced by half, round down)
Critical Success: Automatic Called Shot
Lockpicking Agility A character skilled in Lockpicking is adept at opening all manner of
physical and electronic locks. When making a Lockpicking skill test, the
character adds their Lockpicking skill to the device rating of their
Lockpicks.
Glitch: Your Lockpicking device is broken.
Glitch + Success: The lock is opened but any secondary countermeasure
(i.e. alarm, trap, etc.) is triggered.
Critical Success: The lock is opened and any secondary countermeasures
are also thwarted.
Piloting Agility This skill encompasses all vehicle operation tasks (i.e. driving cars, flying
planes, piloting boats, etc.) Under normal circumstance a skill test isn’t

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required but if the pilot wants to pull off a stunt of some kind, they must
make a Piloting skill test. Attempting to pilot a more exotic vehicle will
incur a negative skill modifier.
Glitch: You crash!
Glitch + Success: You pull off your move but damage the vehicle in the
process, impairing its performance by 25%.
Critical Success: If you are in a chase, you gain 50% more distance on
your opponent.
Pistols Agility The character has received training in the use of all single-shot and semi-
automatic hand guns (i.e. Revolvers, Pistols, Hold-Outs and Sub-Machine
Guns)
Glitch: Weapon Jam. Armorer skill required to clear the weapon.
Glitch + Success: Grazing Hit (damage dice reduced by half, round down)
Critical Success: Automatic Called Shot
Rifles Agility The character has received training in the use of all long arms (i.e.
Hunting Rifles, Assault Rifles, Sniper Rifles and Shotguns)
Glitch: Weapon Jam. Armorer skill required to clear the weapon.
Glitch + Success: Grazing Hit (damage dice reduced by half, round down)
Critical Success: Automatic Called Shot
Sleight of Hand Agility Characters skilled in Sleight of Hand can pick pockets, palm objects and
draw hold-out weapons undetected.
Glitch: Oops! You drop whatever you were handling
Glitch + Success: You obtain whatever it was you were trying to get but
are caught in the act
Critical Success: You not only obtain what you were attempting to grab,
but could also plant another object at the same time if you wish.
Stealth Agility This skill generally encompasses all of the techniques involved in moving
silently and avoiding visual detection. When attempting to elude an alert
guard, this skill is Opposed by the guard’s Detection skill.
Glitch: You are detected and your opponent immediately gets the drop
on you.
Glitch + Success: You are heard but not seen. General security in the
area is heightened temporarily.
Critical Success: You are like a ghost. Gain a +2 modifier on a
subsequent Stealth check.

Body Skills:

Running Body The character likes to run for fun and fitness. Use this skill for running
marathon distances or sprinting for sustained periods. Characters
without this skill can only run at twice their Movement Rating for a
number of miles equal to their Body Rating.
Glitch: Pulled a hammy. Sustain a Rank 3 injury (Sprain) on a random
leg.
Glitch + Success: You complete your running feat but are exhausted
afterward. The character is Stunned for 1d6 rounds.
Critical Success: You are in the zone. Gain a +2 modifier on a subsequent
Running check.
Swimming Body The character is adept at drown-prevention. Characters without this skill
cannot move through deep water without assistance and can hold their
breath underwater for a number of rounds equal to their Body Rating.
Glitch: You’ve forgotten your swimming lessons. Start drowning.

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Glitch + Success: Doggy Paddle. You are able to swim at ½ your usual
Movement Rate
Critical Success: You are able to swim at your full Movement Rate and
can hold your breath twice as long.
Physical Tolerance Body Physical Tolerance measures the character’s ability to resist physical pain,
poisons, drugs and sickness. By taking measured doses of punishment in
a controlled setting, the character has trained themselves to “play
through” hardships that would disable a lesser person.
Glitch: You are so overwhelmed by pain/sickness that you are Stunned
for 1d6 combat rounds (in addition to suffering any secondary effects)
Glitch + Success: You manage to resist the secondary effects of your
condition (i.e. poisoning, sickness, etc.) but are Stunned for 1 round
Critical Success: Not only are you uninhibited by pain/sickness, but you
gain a +2 circumstantial bonus to your next Physical Tolerance check

Charisma Skills:

Con Artistry Charisma The con artist is a social chameleon who is adept at manipulating
people’s expectations. These tricksters are quintessential fast-talkers.
Con Artistry is resolved as an Opposed Skill Test against the target’s
Detection skill.
Glitch: Uh oh, you broke character! Your target is immediately Hostile
toward you.
Glitch + Success: Your target buys your story but something doesn’t smell
right. Local security is heightened.
Critical Success: The line of bull you produce is so smooth you could use
it to grease engines. Your target thinks the absolute best of you and
offers unsolicited aid.
Interrogation Charisma A skilled interrogator is familiar with all of the psychological techniques
used to extract information from an unwilling subject. This is resolved as
an Opposed Skill Test against a target’s Willpower. Each use of this skill
can be used to obtain 1 piece of information.
Glitch: The interrogation subject shuts down and will give you nothing.
Glitch + Success: You obtain the information you’re looking for but have
exhausted the subject. They cannot be interrogated again for 1 day.
Critical Success: The subject is broken. They will tell you everything you
want to know.
Leadership Charisma The Leadership skill enables characters to motivate others and to over-
awe the simple minded. This is resolved as an Opposed Skill Test against
a target’s Willpower. The Leader must issue a specific command when
using this skill (i.e. “Kill the infidels!”, “Flee for your lives!”, etc.) When
characters obey a command given by a Leader, they gain a +1 modifier to
their skill checks.
Glitch: Through a slip of the tongue, the Leader’s command is actually
demotivating. Characters obeying the command suffer a -1 modifier to
their skill checks.
Glitch + Success: The command succeeds but the Leader marks himself
out as a target. Anyone attacking the Leader gains a +1 modifier to their
combat rolls.
Critical Success: Your words are so inspirational, obeying characters gain
a +2 modifier to their skill checks.

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Negotiation Charisma The negotiation skill comes into play any time a character is trying to
bargain for better prices. It is also the skill that is used to source hard-to-
find gear.
Glitch: Your crude negotiation tactics have caused offence. No deals can
be made.
Glitch + Success: You are able to find what you’re looking for but at
increased cost (25%-50% greater than normal)
Critical Success: You find a supplier for what you’re looking for in a
fraction of the time (100% faster than expected)

Intellect Skills:

Arcane Lore Intellect This knowledge skill covers all topics relating to Magic and enables the
character to identify spell effects (from their residues or from direct
observation), foci, reagents and rituals. Characters with Arcane Lore can
also decipher magical texts.
Glitch: Your mind is overwhelmed by Things Man Was Not Meant To
Know. Suffer 2 Mental Wounds.
Glitch + Success: You gain knowledge at a cost. Your skill test is
successful but you gain 1 Mental Wound.
Critical Success: You know every last detail of the effect or item you are
inspecting, including ways to counter it
Armorer Intellect An Armorer is essentially a Weapon-smith. With a successful Skill Test an
Armorer can unjam guns, repair broken weapons or add after-market
mods to a weapon. Normally the use of this skill requires an extended
period of uninterrupted time (15 minutes).
Glitch: The weapon becomes irreparably broken.
Glitch + Success: The weapon is fixed but loses some of its effectiveness
(a permanent -1 modifier to all skill tests with this weapon)
Critical Success: You are able to make a repair as a standard action
(instead of 15 minutes)
Appraise Intellect The character possesses a broad-based foundation in the arts and is an
astute critic of music, literature, sculpture and painting. In high society
circles, the character’s observations would fetch praise. With a skill test
you can appraise the value of artwork or jewelry.
Glitch: Game Master secretly determines whether the piece is, in your
opinion, worthless or priceless (50% chance of either)
Glitch + Success: You are able to guess the piece’s true value within 25%
Critical Success: Not only is your appraisal spot on, but you are able to
convince a buyer it is worth up to 25% more than it is.
Computers Intellect This skill covers all basic computer use scenarios, including data searches,
application use, navigating operating systems, etc. Under normal
circumstances a skill test isn’t required unless the character is attempting
to compromise a secured system or retrieve sensitive data.
Glitch: You manage to crash the system. Call tech support.
Glitch + Success: Your task is a success but you’ve left fingerprints all over
the place. Anyone making a Computer skill check would know you’ve
been in the system.
Critical Success: You’ve managed to backdoor the system. You can
access it remotely any time you like.

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Demolition Intellect Characters skilled in demolition know how to safely handle, set, disarm
and detonate explosives. They can also use this knowledge forensically
to piece together clues at a blast site.
Glitch: Whoops! Guess those wires weren’t supposed to touch! BOOM!
Glitch + Success: Something went wrong with the device and it either
explodes at the wrong time or for half-damage.
Critical Success: The device is so cunningly prepared that anyone
attempting to disarm it suffers a -4 penalty
Detection Intellect This skill covers all basic investigative abilities and is generally used to
measure how good someone is at “noticing stuff”. This skill is also used
to detect the activities of thieves and con artists.
Glitch: Game Master secretly determines whether or not the character’s
investigation is a success (50% chance) and tells them what they think
they see.
Glitch + Success: The character succeeds in their detection but is missing
out on some key piece of important information.
Critical Success: The character not only succeeds but finds an extra
relevant clue.
First Aid Intellect The character understands the basic elements of emergency medicine.
When armed with a First Aid Kit they can stabilize wounded patients and
treat regular battlefield injuries. First Aid is used to stop bleeding,
prevent shock and restore limited function to injured limbs.
Glitch: Thanks for nothing! The patient’s injury is upgraded by 1 injury
rank.
Glitch + Success: The patient requires more attention than usual.
Treatment takes two rounds instead of one.
Critical Success: The timely and heroic application of First Aid stabilizes
the patient and downgrades an injury by 1 rank
History Intellect The character is well versed in ancient history and is able to recall
important facts about civilizations, major events and important people
from long ago.
Glitch: You’re convinced it was the Assyrians… Or was it the
Babylonians?
Glitch + Success: You are able to find the answer you seek, but you need
to consult your books first. The skill test requires 30 minutes of
uninterrupted study.
Critical Success: You know the answer right off the top of your head.
Language Intellect When the character obtains this skill, they must specify which language
they speak. This skill can be taken multiple times for multiple languages.
Under normal circumstances the character doesn’t need to make a Skill
Test to translate known languages but a roll may be required to
understand fragmentary, colloquial or figurative speech.
Glitch: Game Master secretly determines whether or not the character’s
translation is correct (50% chance) and tells them what they think they
hear or read.
Glitch + Success: The character gets the general gist of what is being
communicated but misses out on some key term that is contextually
important
Critical Success: The character perfectly understands what is being
communicated and earns a +2 modifier to any subsequent Charisma
based roll
Mechanic Intellect The character is generally skilled in repairing vehicles and devices, but

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not weapons. This includes the ability to fabricate parts, wire electrical
circuits and build motors.
Glitch: The device the character is “repairing” becomes irretrievably
broken.
Glitch + Success: The repair is a success but the device loses 25% of its
effectiveness
Critical Success: Better than new! The device operates 25% better than
normal.
Medicine Intellect Unlike First Aid, Medicine covers all of the skills that a Medical Doctor
would have including surgery, pharmacology, clinical diagnosis and
medical imaging. When equipped with hospital supplies, a character
trained in medicine can heal serious injuries. Each success rolled heals 1
injury point. Using Medicine requires 30 uninterrupted minutes per
injury point healed and requires the patient to take 1d6 hours of
recovery time per point healed.
Glitch: The procedure doesn’t go well. One of the patient’s injuries
(determined by the Game Master) is upgraded by 1 injury rank.
Glitch + Success: The procedure is a success but the patient’s recovery
time is doubled.
Critical Success: Procedure time and recovery time is cut in half.
Psychiatry Intellect A Psychiatrist is skilled in healing mental trauma through the use of
counseling techniques, hypnotic therapies and drugs. When equipped
with a stocked pharmacy, a character trained in psychiatry can heal
mental wounds. Each success rolled heals 1 mental injury point. Using
Psychiatry requires 30 uninterrupted minutes per injury point healed and
requires the patient to take 1d6 hours of recovery time per point healed.
Glitch: The procedure doesn’t go well. The patient gains 1 mental
wound.
Glitch + Success: The procedure is a success but the patient’s recovery
time is doubled.
Critical Success: Procedure time and recovery time is cut in half.
Science Intellect This catch-all skill reflects the character’s general knowledge in the
academic sciences (i.e. Chemistry, Biology and Physics). With a successful
skill test, the character can recall specific scientific facts and perform
detailed analysis of physical evidence. Each use of this skill requires 30
uninterrupted minutes of study.
Glitch: Your analysis is flawed. You draw an incorrect conclusion from
the data.
Glitch + Success: Your analysis is successful but it takes you twice the
normal amount of time.
Critical Success: You’ve seen this before. You are able to produce a
conclusion as a standard action (instead of taking 30 minutes)
Zoology Intellect A Zoologist is an expert in animal biology and physiology. With a
successful Skill Test, a Zoologist can identify an animal by its appearance,
calls, spoor or tracks.
Glitch: You completely mis-identify the animal
Glitch + Success: You are able to generally identify the type of animal
you’re dealing with, but nothing specific
Critical Success: Not only do you know exactly what this animal is, but
you know very specific information about its strengths and weaknesses.

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Strength Skills:

Climbing Strength The character probably has a membership at a rock gym or something.
Typically when scaling a tall surface, the climber will have to make an
Extended Skill Test (in 5 minute intervals) for every 10’ climbed.
Glitch: You fall
Glitch + Success: You manage to reach your next rest point but your grip
is weakening. Suffer a -1 penalty to your next Climb check.
Critical Success: You climb at double speed (20’)
Melee Weapons Strength The character is trained in the art of hitting things very hard with bladed
and hafted things (i.e. knives, swords, batons, staves, axes, etc.)
Glitch: You lose your feet. Place your figure prone.
Glitch + Success: Grazing Hit (half damage, rounded down)
Critical Success: Automatic Called Shot
Thrown Weapons Strength The character has a great arm and is skilled at using all manner of thrown
weapons, such as throwing knives, hatchets and shuriken. They can also
improvise with just about any rock they can put their hands on.
Glitch: Duck! Your attack scatters to a randomly determined adjacent
space, hitting any friend or foe that may be standing there.
Glitch + Success: Grazing Hit (half damage, rounded down)
Critical Success: Automatic Called Shot
Unarmed Combat Strength The character practices some form of the martial arts and is good at
punching, kicking and wrestling.
Glitch: You lose your feet. Place your figure prone.
Glitch + Success: Grazing Hit (half damage, rounded down)
Critical Success: Automatic Called Shot

Willpower Skills:

Air Magic* Willpower An Air Mage learns to harness the winds as ably as a bird on the wing.
With dedication and practice, the mage can control storms and float like
a feather.
Glitch: Burnout! You suffer a “magical short circuit” and can’t cast spells
for 1d6 rounds
Glitch + Success: You cast your spell successfully but the Drain Value is
increased by 2
Critical Success: Reduce the Drain Value of your Spell by 2
Blood Magic* Willpower Blood magic has a well-earned dark reputation, but in the hands of a
responsible mage, this art can be used to perform miraculous feats of
healing and divination.
Glitch: Burnout! You suffer a “magical short circuit” and can’t cast spells
for 1d6 rounds
Glitch + Success: You cast your spell successfully but the Drain Value is
increased by 2
Critical Success: Reduce the Drain Value of your Spell by 2
Meditation Willpower The Meditation skill is used by spell-casters to resist the effects of Drain.
By conditioning the mind it is possible to learn how to safely channel
negative energies away from your body that would otherwise cause
harm.
Glitch: You lose control of the Drain and channel it into yourself instead
of away. Sustain 1 additional Wound.
Glitch + Success: You successfully manage the Drain but are left feeling

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empty. You are Stunned for 1 Round.

Critical Success: Gain a +2 circumstantial bonus to your next Drain
Resistance roll.
Mental Tolerance Willpower The mind can be trained to resist psychological torment that would break
a regular person. Mental Tolerance techniques are what a highly trained
operative would use to resist questioning under torture. This skill also
encompasses all of the methods one would use to overcome mind-
affecting magic (illusions, compulsions, charms, mind reading, etc.)
Glitch: Not only do you fail to resist, but you are Stunned for 1d6 rounds
Glitch + Success: You manage to resist mental compulsion but are
Stunned for 1 round
Critical Success: You are unbreakable! Gain a +2 circumstantial bonus to
your next Mental Tolerance roll.
Earth Magic* Willpower As solid and immutable as the Earth itself, the Earth Mage draws upon
the vast reservoirs of ley-line energy contained in nature to become as
tough as an oak and as irresistible as an avalanche.
Glitch: Burnout! You suffer a “magical short circuit” and can’t cast spells
for 1d6 rounds
Glitch + Success: You cast your spell successfully but the Drain Value is
increased by 2
Critical Success: Reduce the Drain Value of your Spell by 2
Fire Magic* Willpower Considered by many to be the most primordial form of magic, Fire magic
is an expression of pure power and wrath given form. Pyromancers make
natural Battle Mages and are highly valued (and feared) for their
destructive gifts.
Glitch: Burnout! You suffer a “magical short circuit” and can’t cast spells
for 1d6 rounds
Glitch + Success: You cast your spell successfully but the Drain Value is
increased by 2
Critical Success: Reduce the Drain Value of your Spell by 2
Force Magic* Willpower Force magic deals with shaping and projecting raw energy. In many ways
it is the crudest form of magic, but a skilled Force Mage can learn to bend
energy as confidently as a master smith.
Glitch: Burnout! You suffer a “magical short circuit” and can’t cast spells
for 1d6 rounds
Glitch + Success: You cast your spell successfully but the Drain Value is
increased by 2
Critical Success: Reduce the Drain Value of your Spell by 2
Illusion Magic* Willpower Illusion magic, as the name suggests, deals with the manipulation of the
senses, but it also includes all other forms of mind-affecting spells, such
as charms and compulsions.
Glitch: Burnout! You suffer a “magical short circuit” and can’t cast spells
for 1d6 rounds
Glitch + Success: You cast your spell successfully but the Drain Value is
increased by 2
Critical Success: Reduce the Drain Value of your Spell by 2
Ritual Magic* Willpower Ritual magic descends from the shamanic traditions of the disparate
tribal cultures of the world. Though the techniques of this sort of magic
are strange and demanding, they produce magical effects of tremendous
duration and efficacy. NOTE: All Ritual spells have Extended Casting
Times.
Glitch: Burnout! You suffer a “magical short circuit” and can’t cast spells

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for 1d6 rounds

Glitch + Success: You cast your spell successfully but the Drain Value is
increased by 2
Critical Success: Reduce the Drain Value of your Spell by 2
Spirit Magic* Willpower Thaumaturgy, or Spirit Magic, grants the magic-user a measure of power
over the Realm of the Dead. Practitioners can speak with the souls of the
departed, summon ghosts and abjure extra-planar beings.
Glitch: Burnout! You suffer a “magical short circuit” and can’t cast spells
for 1d6 rounds
Glitch + Success: You cast your spell successfully but the Drain Value is
increased by 2
Critical Success: Reduce the Drain Value of your Spell by 2
Water Magic* Willpower Water magic is tricky to work with, since this element naturally negates
magical energy. A skilled Water Wizard can learn to heal wounds, deflect
spells and remotely view distant locations.
Glitch: Burnout! You suffer a “magical short circuit” and can’t cast spells
for 1d6 rounds
Glitch + Success: You cast your spell successfully but the Drain Value is
increased by 2
Critical Success: Reduce the Drain Value of your Spell by 2
* = these denote magical skills that only a Magic-Using character can obtain

Regular humans can only have a maximum of 6 ranks in a skill. Truly extraordinary beings have the
ability to exceed this limit. The table below provides some descriptive text to help differentiate the
different skill levels

Rank Title Description

1 Beginner Can handle easy tasks but frequently depends on instruction or examples to make sure
the task is “being done right”
2 Novice Has a solid grasp of the fundamentals but is still shaky when performing more complex
operations
3 Professional Generally competent and can perform the skill in a journeyman capacity. The
character knows the skill well enough to get paid for using it.
4 Veteran Typically a professional with several years of practical experience under their belt. Can
handle complex tasks with relative ease.
5 Expert Someone who is considered a “star” in their field and is sought out as a mentor and
instructor.
6 Elite Among the best in the world. Globally renowned as a special talent.

Anything above Elite is considered “Legendary”. Characters with skills of rank 7 or above are figures of
historical merit in their chosen field. Myths are formed around the character’s exploits.

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Contacts:

Contacts are friends, accomplices and associates of the character who don’t take an active part in their
adventures but assist them from the sidelines. They can be called upon to provide favors during the
game session, including such things as:

 Providing intelligence on the whereabouts of a person or place of interest

 Obtaining rare or hard to find Gear
 Providing medical services
 Giving characters a safe place to hide out and rest
 Providing transportation
 Guarding a location or keeping an eye on a suspect
 Looking the other way or concealing wrong-doing

To measure how well a Contact does these things, each Contact has a Rating that is determined during
Character Creation. When a Contact is called upon to provide a favor, roll a Dice Pool equal to their
Rating and measure the number of successes against a threshold set by the Game Master.

Each additional time a Contact is called upon during the same game session incurs a cumulative -2
penalty to their Dice Pool.

If a Glitch is rolled, the Contact cannot be consulted again until the next game session.

When a Contact is created, they must be given a professional background that describes their aptitudes,
capabilities and resources. A Contact cannot grant favors that fall outside the thematic limits of their
background.

Here are some sample backgrounds you can use to describe Contacts:
Contact Background Description
Criminal Crooks are exceptionally well connected with the sorts of people that sell guns,
drugs and illegal magical relics. They also know how to lay-low better than anyone.
Investigator Either a P.I. or a reporter, Investigators are great at digging up dirt, tailing people
and generally keeping an eye out for unusual news.
Law Enforcement Being friendly with the cops is always helpful. They can grant you special access to
crime scenes and will help you slip out of legal entanglements should they arise.
Magic Someone with a magical background has their finger on the pulse of what’s going on
in the Supernatural world. Magical contacts can invoke the Accords to act as neutral
mediators between disputing signatories.
Medical Anyone who has worked in an “off the books” capacity knows the value of having
friends who can patch them up no questions asked when their jobs get dangerous. A
Medical contact may also be able to arrange long-term care for a seriously injured
character.
Military Military contacts can get their hands on high-grade weaponry and, if their rank is
sufficient, effectively cover up things that make the news when they shouldn’t.
Researcher Typically someone who is in a scholarly field. A Researcher will have access to lots of
information and usually has laboratory and/or computer lab resources close at hand.
Wealthy Wealthy contacts operate in high-society circles and can make introductions to lots
of other influential people. Also, they don’t mind sharing their luxurious homes and
fancy toys with trusted friends.

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Gear:

This isn’t a fantasy setting where you can just keep all of your possessions in your bottomless backpack.
Unless an item is wearable or pocketable it’s assumed that you are carrying it in your hands. This makes
having a home or a car to stash stuff particularly useful.

If you need to obtain rare or illegal items, you will have to work through your network of Contacts. The
Availability Rating of an item is listed in parenthesis in its Cost section. This is the number of successes a
Contact needs to roll to source the item.

Armor:
Item Cost/Avail. Armor Location Special
Value
Leather Jacket $200 1 Arms, Torso
Leather Duster $400 1 Arms, Torso, Legs
Motorcycle Helmet $200 2 Head
Tactical Head Cover $300 (2) 3 Head
Ballistic Vest $350 2/4 Torso 2x vs. Bullets, Concealable
Riot Shield $200 (2) 2 Full Body Front-Facing; One-Handed
Chain Mail Hauberk $700 (4) 2 Arms, Torso, Legs
Plate Mail $2500 (6) 3 Full Body -2 Movement Rate

Bow & Thrown Weapons:

Item Cost/Avail. Range Damage/AP Special
(S/M/L/E)
Bow $400 6/24/60/120 2+STR Dice Two-handed
Light Crossbow $400 6/24/60/120 3 Dice One-handed; Slow Reload
Heavy Crossbow $600 15/45/120/180 7 Dice/AP: 1 Two-handed; Slow Reload
Shuriken $20 (2) 3/6/9/12 STR/2 Dice
Throwing Knife/Hatchet $40 3/6/9/12 1+STR/2 Dice

Heavy Weapons:
Damage from explosives is equal to its Rating times the square root of the amount of kilograms used.

Item Cost/ Range (S/M/L/E) Damage/AP Clip Special

Avail.
Light Machine Gun $6000 (6) 75/200/400/800 7 Dice/AP: 1 100 Full Auto.; Stationary
Heavy Machine Gun $20000 (6) 80/250/750/1200 8 Dice/AP: 3 100 Full Auto.; Stationary
Grenade $100 (6) 6/12/18/24 10 Dice Large AoE; Spread Dam.
Commercial Explosive $200/kg (4) Special Damage is 3*√kg
Plastic Explosive $1600/kg (6) Special Damage is 8*√kg

Melee Weapons:
Item Cost/Avail. Damage/AP Special
Axe $150 2+STR/AP:1 Two-handed
Katana $1000 (4) 3+STR/AP:1 Two-handed
Knife $50 1+STR Dice
Sword $500 (4) 3+STR Dice One-handed
Baton $30 1+STR Dice
Sap $30 1+STR Dice Non-Lethal; Inflicts 2x damage on Head Shots

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Staff $40 1+STR Dice Two-handed; Reach

Pole Arm $500 (4) 2+STR/AP:2 Two-handed; Reach

Miscellaneous Gear:
A vehicle can sustain 6 Wounds before being totaled.
Item Cost/Avail. Special
First Aid Kit (Rank 1-6) $50*Rank One-handed
Ammo (50 shots) $10
Lockpicks (Rank 1-6) $50*Rank Pocket-sized
Economy Car $10000 Movement (48); Armor (1); Cargo (2-seater w/ trunk)
Mid-Sized Car $20000 Movement (60); Armor (1); Cargo (4-seater w/ trunk)
Luxury Car $40000 Movement (66); Armor (1); Cargo (5-seater w/ trunk)
Van/SUV $20000 Movement (54); Armor (2); Cargo (6-seater w/ trunk)
Truck $25000 Movement (54); Armor (2); Cargo (1000 lbs)
Motorcycle $8000 Movement (72); No Armor; Cargo (2 Passengers)

Pistols:
Item Cost/Avail. Range Damage/AP Clip Special
(S/M/L/E)
Taser $400 5/10/15/20 5 Dice 1 Non-Lethal
9mm Pistol $500 5/15/30/50 6 Dice 15
Revolver $350 5/15/30/50 6 Dice/AP: 1 6
Sub-Machine Gun $1200 6/24/48/90 6 Dice 32 Burst Fire
Desert Eagle $850 5/20/40/60 7 Dice/AP: 1 7

Rifles:
Item Cost/Avail. Range (S/M/L/E) Damage/ Clip Special
AP
Hunting Rifle $1000 100/250/500/750 7 Dice/AP: 1 5 Two-Handed
Sniper Rifle $5000 (6) 150/350/800/1500 8 Dice/AP: 3 15 Inverted range penalty; 2H
Shotgun $800 10/35/40/60 6 Dice 8 Spread Damage; 2H
Assault Rifle $3000 (4) 50/150/350/550 7 Dice/AP: 1 30 Burst Fire; Two-Handed

All Ranges are measured in board squares

AP: Armor Piercing. This is the number deducted from a target’s armor value when damage is being calculated.
Burst Fire: Weapon can fire 3 times per Shooting action
Full Auto: Weapon fires 3 times per Shooting action and inflicts Spread Damage on all hits. Uses twice the amount
of ammo (6 shots)
Non-Lethal: This weapon doesn’t inflict Wounds, but Stuns the target instead
Spread Damage: A Spread Damage weapon always hits the Torso in addition to whichever Hit Location it strikes
(both locations take full damage; target decides which hits to soak). If the result of the Hit Location Roll is Torso
there is no additional effect.
Stationary: This weapon must be fired from a static, braced position

Magic Gear:
There are magical items available in this setting but very few are ever for sale. Most relics are created
by Wizards for their specific use (see “Leveling Up”). To give you an idea of the sorts of magical items a
character may come across, consult the table below.

The item’s Force Rating determines how many times/how long it can be used. Once a magical item runs
out of charges, it becomes useless. There are no Permanent magic items.

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Item Cost/Avail. Special

Force Staff $250*Force Staff can fire Force Blasts up to its rated limit
Ring of Warding $100*Force Ring stores an active Ward spell
Cloak of Veils $250*Force Renders the wearer invisible for a number of minutes equal to its
Force Rating
Potion of Haste $50*Force Boosts the drinker’s next Initiative roll by the Potion’s Force
Rating; One-Shot
Amulet of Anonymity $500*Force Wearer is protected from a number of magical detection spells,
regardless of strength, equal to the Amulet’s Force Rating.
Shifter’s Belt $500*Force Wearer can turn into a Werewolf for a number of Combat Rounds
equal to the Belt’s Force Rating.
Pendant of Ways $100*Force Gives the wearer the ability to re-roll a number of Nevernever
Encounters equal to its Force Rating
Bloodstone Pendant $5000 If the wearer sustains Wounds that would kill them, the
Bloodstone shatters and the wearer is stabilized with 5 Wounds.
Cloak of Alacrity $100*Force Wearer can Sprint as a regular Move Action for a number of times
equal to the Cloak’s Force Rating
Shroud of Disguise $250*Force Allows the wearer to change their appearance for a number of
hours equal to the Shroud’s Force Rating
Lodestone $50*Force Causes all small metal objects in a Large Area of Effect to be
drawn forcefully toward the Lodestone; One-Shot
Phantom Bottle $500*Force When uncorked, this bottle attempts to suck in and trap an extra-
planar being; One-Shot
Enchanted Map $1000*Force Can be used a number of times equal to its Force Rating to locate
any individual in a city-wide area

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Skill Tests:

The primary game mechanic of this setting is the Skill Test. Virtually every action you take in-game will
be tied to a Skill Test roll.

All rolls in System Six are resolved using a Dice Pool of 6-sided dice. For every test you will roll a certain
number of 6-sided dice (usually equal to your Skill Rating plus the rating of its linked Attribute) and
count every 5 or 6 as a “success”. If the number of successes rolled is equal to or greater than the
Threshold set for that test (somewhere between 1 and 6 depending on the difficulty), you have passed
the challenge.

Any time you roll 6 successes on a Skill Test, you manage to score a Critical Hit. The benefits associated
with a Critical Hit vary depending on the Skill and the situation. Roughly speaking, if someone rolls 12
dice, they have around a 17% chance of generating a Critical Hit.

If at any point you roll a number of 1’s equal to or greater than ½ the number of dice in your dice pool
(i.e. 3 out of 6 dice rolled show a “1”), you have generated a Glitch (Critical Failure). Glitches, like Critical
Hits, have an outcome that varies depending on the Skill being used and the circumstance of the skill’s
use, but in this case the result is never good.

It is possible to both pass a test and glitch at the same time. This just means your success may come
with some strings attached.

During any roll, you can spend Karma points to generate free successes one a 1 for 1 basis (in case the
dice are unkind).

Other types of Skill Tests are Opposed Tests and Extended Tests (see below for more details).

Skill Thresholds:
Here are some guidelines you can follow when deciding what Threshold to set for a Skill Test:

Skill Threshold Type of Task

(target # of successes)
1 A simple attribute test or use of a physical skill
2 Use of a professional or mental skill
3 A simple task performed under pressure
4 A complex task requiring concentration, finesse and technical ability
5 A complex task that requires finesse, performed under pressure
6 An extremely difficult task that requires a critical hit to succeed. An attempt to “Shoot
the Moon”

Another way to control the difficulty of a Skill Test is to assign a modifier. Modifiers reflect the number
of dice added to or subtracted from a player’s Skill roll based on environmental or circumstantial
conditions. Consult the table below for some common Skill modifiers:

Condition Modifier
Untrained: The character is attempting to use a Skill they are not trained in -2 Dice
Hostile Reaction: Attempting to influence someone who doesn’t like you -4 Dice
Improvisation: Performing a task using improvised, primitive or sub-standard tools -1/-2 Dice

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Inclement Conditions: Attempting a task in bad weather or poor visibility conditions -2/-4 Dice
Obscure Topic: Researching a subject that is completely new, very esoteric or woefully under- -4/-6 Dice
documented

A character always rolls a minimum of 1 die no matter what.

The ultimate rule of System Six is this: when in doubt, roll a six-sider. If you need to resolve something
that isn’t specifically covered in the rules, assign a target number, roll a number of dice you feel is right
and go with it.

Opposed Skill Tests:

An Opposed Skill Test results when a character is being actively resisted or challenged by another
character. Examples of this would be combat (an attacker trying to hit an evasive target), stealth
(attempting to sneak past an alert guard) and resisting mind control.

The notation for an Opposed Skill Test is <>. For example, an Opposed Skill Test might call for
AGI+Stealth <> INT+Detection; this would indicate an opposed roll between a sneaking character’s
Agility Trait and Stealth Skill versus a guarding character’s Intelligence Trait and Detection Skill. The
character that rolls the highest number of successes wins the contest. If either side rolls 6 or more
successes, they score a Critical Success whether or not they win.

In the event of a tie, the attacking or aggressing character wins.

Extended Skill Tests:

Extended Skill Tests involve activities that take place over a long span of time instead of a single round.
A character makes multiple Skill Tests, pooling the number of successes from each test, until they
achieve the Skill Threshold. Each test in an Extended Skill Test takes place over a certain unit of time
depending on the situation. For example, if the character is trying to learn a new skill, each roll in the
Extended Skill Test covers 1 week of time; if the character is doing library research to uncover clues
pertaining to an adventure, the interval might be days instead. The time interval is left to the Game
Master’s judgment.

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Combat:
Combat is the central form of conflict resolution in the game. It is composed of three major Phases
(detailed below): Roll Initiative, Take Actions & Calculate Damage. These Phases collectively constitute a
Round. Rounds are repeated until the conflict is resolved.

1. Roll Initiative
To start off the Round, every player rolls Initiative for their character. The Initiative dice pool is based on
the character’s Intelligence and Agility ratings combined (mental speed and physical speed).

The number of successes rolled during Initiative determines the turn order for the Round. If there is a
tie, then those character actions occur simultaneously.

If a character scores a Critical Success on their Initiative roll (6+ successes), they gain a second Action
Phase this Round. Additional Actions are taken, in Initiative order, after everyone has a chance to
execute their first Actions.

2. Take Actions
During a character turn they may take 1 Move Action and 1 Combat Action. A Move Action involves
moving a number of squares equal to the character’s Movement Rating; a Combat Action can constitute
a number of different things (see below).

Standing from a Prone position counts as a Move Action and generates Attacks of Opportunity (see
below).

Here is a list of common Combat Actions and the Skill Test used to resolve them:
Combat Action Skill Test
Firing a Pistol Pistols +Agility
Firing a Rifle Rifles + Agility
Shooting a Bow Archery + Agility
Swinging a Sword Melee Weapons + Strength
Punching a Guy Unarmed Combat + Strength
Casting a Spell Magic Skill + Willpower
Sprinting (using your Combat Action to make a Second Move Action) N/A

When making an attack, the Attacker’s Skill Test is opposed by the Defender’s Dodge Test. A Dodge Test
is based off the Defender’s Agility + Acrobatics. The Attacker must roll a number of successes equal to
or greater than the Defender in order for their attack to hit and cause damage. For every success that
the Attacker rolls in excess of the Defender’s roll, they add a die to their subsequent Damage Roll. If the
Attacker rolls 6 successes, they score a Critical Hit and can choose their Hit Location.

Spells that are targeted, physical attacks, such as a Force Blast or Fire Blast, can be dodged normally.
Mental and Area of Effect attacks cannot.

See below for a list of modifiers that may affect Attack and Dodge Tests.

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Combat Modifiers
Condition Modifier
Aim: If a character spends an entire Combat Action aiming, they gain a bonus on their next +2 Dice to Attack
attack.
Off Hand: Character attempts to attack using their non-dominant hand. Negated if the -2 Dice to Attack
character has the Ambidextrous Quality.
Soft Cover: Characters that are crouched or behind screening cover, such as foliage, are +2 to Dodge
considered to be in Soft Cover.
Hard Cover: Characters that are tucked behind a wall or some other solid obstacle are +4 to Dodge
considered to be in Hard Cover.
Obscured Vision: Trying to see through low-light or excessively foggy conditions -2 Dice to Attack
Pitch Darkness: Normal humans are unable to see in Pitch Darkness -6 Dice to Attack
Medium Range -1 Dice to Attack
Long Range -2 Dice to Attack
Extreme Range -3 Dice to Attack
Sprinting: Any character that makes a double move action is considered to be Sprinting and is +2 Dice to Dodge
a bit harder than normal to hit.
Prone: Trying to fight from a Prone position is tough. Use Acrobatics to get up quick. -4 Dice to Attack
-4 Dice to Dodge
Burst Firing: Used when firing a 3-round burst with an automatic weapon. You must make a -1 Dice to Attack
separate Skill Test for each shot.
Full Auto: When firing a Machine Gun wide open, the barrel jumps like water droplets in a -2 Dice to Attack
pan of hot oil
Ganged Up: If more than one opponent has you engaged in melee combat, it is more difficult -1 Die to Dodge
to Dodge their blows per additional
Attacker
Stunned: Stunned targets are barely responsive to stimuli. This makes them really bad at -4 Dice to Dodge
dodging stuff.

A character always rolls a minimum of 1 die no matter what

Characters that pass and do nothing at all gain a +2 bonus to their next Initiative check.

Attacks of Opportunity:
Any time two opponents are adjacent to each other they are considered to be Engaged with one
another. If one of the two combatants attempts to move away, breaking Engagement, they open
themselves up to a free Attack of Opportunity by their opponent.

Charge Attack:
A character that wants to Sprint and Attack in the same Action can do so by making a Charge Attack. To
do this, the attacking character completes a Sprint Action in a straight line toward their target and
finishes with a Melee Attack. However, before the Charging character rolls their attack, their target gets
a free Attack of Opportunity against them (unless the target is taken by surprise).

Dual-Wielding:
It is possible to dual wield weapons in combat and make an attack with each weapon during a single
Combat Action. When doing this, the player must divide their dice pool across both hands and make
separate rolls for each attack.

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3. Calculate Damage
When an Attacker strikes their target, they must determine the Hit Location of the attack, its intensity
and how much of the damage that the target is able to shrug off.

Hit Locations:
When a target takes physical damage, they take it on a specific part of their body. If an attack was not
the result of a Critical Hit, the damage location is random.

When a character takes Mental damage this is tracked separately in its own Hit Location box.

Die Roll Location

1 Left Leg
2 Right Leg
3 Left Arm
4 Right Arm
5 Torso
6 Head

Inflicting Damage:
Once the Hit Location is determined, the Attacker rolls Damage dice for the weapon type they are using
(see “Gear” for details) and adds dice for any extra successes they generated during the Attack Roll.
Each success rolled in the Damage Dice Pool adds 1 Wound to the target.

If no Wounds are rolled, the attack is ineffectual (a mere flesh wound).

Wounds are additive, so new Wounds count above and beyond any untreated Wounds the target
already has.

Soaking Damage:
Finally, once the total number of Wounds is tallied, the Defender gets a chance to try and Soak the
damage. To do this, the Defender makes a Trait Test using their Body rating. Add to this any Armor
value associated with the affected Hit Location. This is the total number of Wounds that can be ignored
by the Defender. Any Wounds in excess of this are marked on the Hit Location Record of the character’s
sheet. See the next section to learn more about Wound effects.

Mental Wounds are soaked using the Defender’s Willpower rating.

If the Attacker’s weapon has an Armor Piercing rating, it ignores that many points of Armor value when
calculating damage.

If the Soaking character rolls a Critical Success, they roll with the punch exceptionally well and gain a +2
bonus to their next Initiative dice pool.

Here’s an example of how it all comes together…

Victor has finally cornered his arch-nemesis Katrina and wants to take her down! Victor makes a
Pistols+Agility roll opposed by Katrina’s Agility+Acrobatics. Victor has a Pistol Skill Rating of 4 and an
Agility Rating of 4 so he rolls 8 dice; Katrina has an Agility of 3 and an Acrobatics rating of 2 so she rolls 5
dice. Victor rolls 3 successes and Katrina rolls 2. This means Victor’s attack is successful and he gets to
add 1 die to his subsequent damage roll. Since he didn’t score a Critical Hit, Victor rolls one die to

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determine the hit location. He rolls a 4 and hits Katrina in the Right Arm. Now he needs to calculate the
number of Wounds that his attack inflicts. Victor rolls 6 damage dice for his pistol and adds 1 die from
his attack roll for a total dice pool of 7. He rolls 3 successes which will result in Katrina suffering a
moderately serious injury, taking a -4 penalty to all subsequent attack rolls unless she can soak the
damage. Katrina has a Body rating of 3 and wears no armor; she rolls 1 success, downgrading the
Wound to a moderate injury that imparts a -2 penalty to her rolls instead of a -4. Victor now has to
brace himself for a counter-attack from a very pissed off Katrina…

Non-Lethal Damage:
Weapons that inflict Non-Lethal damage do not Wound the target. Instead, they Stun the target for a
number of rounds equal to the number of Wounds that would have been inflicted. Stun damage cannot
be blocked by Armor (but can still be soaked).

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Head Wounds:
# of Wounds Description
1 Rang your Bell: Stunned for 1 round
2 It’s a Bleeder: You receive a nasty scalp cut. There’s blood everywhere. Suffer a -1 to all
rolls until you receive First Aid. You are Stunned for 1 round.
3 Concussion: You’re seeing double and feel like throwing up. You are Stunned for 1d6
rounds.
4 KO’d: You’re knocked out cold. Better hope the bad guys don’t go for a Coup de Grace. If
you receive First Aid, you can be revived – otherwise you’re out until the fight ends.
5 Disfigured: You are knocked out and will require cosmetic surgery if you ever want to look
like you again. Gain the Creepy Negative Quality.
6+ Boom, Headshot!: You’ve come down with a nasty case of Cranial Leakage. You’re Dying.

Torso Wounds:
# of Wounds Description
1 Flesh Wounds: You pick up a couple of scrapes but are otherwise fine.
2 Battered and Bruised: That’ll leave a mark, but you’ll pull through. Tomorrow morning
won’t be pleasant.
3 Dropped: You are smacked down to the ground and lose your wind. Stunned for 1 round
and Prone.
4 Broken Ribs: You hear the tell-tale crack of something breaking inside of you. You are
Stunned for 1d6 rounds and knocked Prone. Movement Rate is reduced by 2 (make a
Physical Tolerance roll to override the effect).
5 Massive Internal Bleeding: You suffer internal organ damage and arterial bleeding. You are
knocked unconscious and must receive First Aid in the next 1d6 rounds or you will start
Dying.
6+ Sucking Chest Wound: You go down in a gory mess. You are Dying.

Arm Wounds:
Any Wounds sustained on an amputated arm are transferred to the target’s Torso.
Unless otherwise stated, assume all targets are right handed.
# of Wounds Description
1 Contusion: Your arm is bruised. Suffer a -1 to all rolls involving this arm.
2 Gashed: Suffer a -2 to all rolls involving this arm.
3 Torn Muscles: Suffer a -4 to all rolls involving this arm. Drop whatever you were holding
unless you can pass a Physical Tolerance check.
4 Dislocated Arm: You are unable to use this arm at all. Drop whatever you were holding
unless you can pass a Physical Tolerance check.
5 Broken Arm: You hear a tell-tale snap and are Stunned for 1d6 rounds. You are unable to
use this arm and drop whatever you were holding.
6+ Amputation: Your arm is shredded past the point of recognition. You permanently lose the
use of this arm and begin Dying.

Leg Wounds:
Note: if you’ve sustained enough leg wounds to reduce your Movement Rate to zero, you are
immobilized until you receive medical treatment.
Any Wounds sustained on an amputated leg are transferred to the target’s Torso.
# of Wounds Description
1 Contusion: Your leg is bruised. Movement Rate is reduced by 1 (make a Physical Tolerance
roll to override the effect)
2 Gashed: Your leg is gashed and bloody. Movement Rate is reduced by 2 (make a Physical

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Tolerance roll to override the effect). You are knocked Prone.

3 Blown Ligaments: It feels like some joints or ligaments are torn. Movement Rate is reduced
by 4 (make a Physical Tolerance roll to override the effect). You are knocked Prone.
4 Dislocated Leg: You feel something pop and suddenly your leg goes dead numb. Movement
Rate is reduced by 6 (make a Physical Tolerance roll to override the effect). You are knocked
Prone.
5 Broken Leg: Crack! A bone in your leg snaps. You are knocked Prone and are unable to
move.
6+ Amputation: Your leg has been ground into hamburger meat and begins pulsing thick
femoral blood all over the ground. You permanently lose the use of this leg and begin
Dying. You are knocked Prone.

Mental Wounds:
# of Wounds Description
1 Dizzy: You feel like your head is packed full of wool. Suffer a -1 to all rolls.
2 Dazed: You are Stunned for 1d6 rounds, after which you suffer the effects of being Dizzy.
3 Confused: In addition to feeling the effects of Dizziness, you’re also having trouble
recognizing friend from foe. Whenever you make an attack roll 1 die; on a result of 1 you
attack the closest friendly target to your intended target.
4 Panic: All rational thought ceases. Your lizard brain takes over and all you can do is run as
fast as you can away from all perceived danger. You may only take Sprint actions in Combat
until you are treated (make a Mental Tolerance roll to override the effect). You also suffer
the effects of Dizziness and Confusion.
5 Psychotic Break: You and reality are no longer on speaking terms.
6+ Coma: You have fallen into a Coma from which you may never awaken. Make a threshold 6
Willpower + Mental Tolerance check once each week to see if you wake up. Characters that
wake from a Coma have all their Mental Wounds healed.

Wound conditions persist until they are treated (see “Healing” below). Mental wounds are treated
using the Psychology skill.

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Healing:
This section describes the different Wound conditions that a character can sustain and the methods
used to mitigate them.

First Aid:
First Aid is urgent care applied in the field to stabilize injured patients. On some occasions, an excellent
emergency medical technician can even heal some injuries on the spot. The Skill Threshold for a First
Aid check is equal to the Wound Rating of the body part that the medic is attempting to treat.

Unlike most Skill Tests, First Aid checks are made using the character’s First Aid skill plus the rating of
their First-Aid Kit (see “Gear”)

Medics skilled in First Aid can stop the following conditions with a successful Skill Test: Dying, Stunned,
Poisoned, Bleeding, Knocked Out.

If an emergency responder rolls a Critical Success on their First Aid check, the can heal 1 Wound on the
spot, otherwise Medical or Magical Healing is required to actually heal Wounds.

Magical Healing:
Magical Healing is the best sort of healing you can get because it is instantly effective. The Force rating
of the Healing spell determines how many Wound points it can heal. Even a single point of Magical
Healing provides the same benefits as First Aid (to the targeted hit location). Magical Healing can target
the whole patient’s body, not just a single injury.

Mental Wounds cannot be healed magically, but the Mind Wipe spell can override the negative effects
of the Confused, Psychotic and Panicked conditions. A word of caution however: the White Council
considers any use of compulsion magic to be illegal, even if it is used for benevolent purposes.

Magical Healing cannot restore the function of lost limbs or repair disfiguring injuries.

Medical Healing:
Characters with the Medicine skill can provide long-term care for an injured patient and permanently
heal their Wounds. Medical Healing requires the use of a fully stocked clinic. The character
administering the treatment makes a Skill Test using their Medicine skill plus the Clinic’s Rating. For
each success rolled, the medic can heal 1 Wound. Each Wound treated in this manner requires 30
minutes of uninterrupted work time and 1d6 hours of absolute bed rest for the patient.

Medical Healing, through the use of cosmetic surgery and prosthetics, can repair debilitating or
disfiguring injuries.

Natural Healing:
Characters that are injured but stable can eventually heal most injuries given sufficient bed rest, food
and water. For every week of complete rest that a character receives, they can make a Body check
against each separate injury they have sustained to try and heal them. Characters with the Fast Healer
Quality gain a +4 bonus to this check. If the number of successes rolled on the Body check equals or
exceeds the Wound Rating of the injury, it is downgraded by 1 point. If a Critical Success is rolled, the
Wound is downgraded by 2 points. It can take many weeks to naturally heal serious injuries in this way,
but it is possible.

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Natural Healing cannot restore the function of lost limbs or repair disfiguring injuries.

Psychotherapy:
Characters that sustain Mental Wounds need to seek psychiatric help to remove their Wounds.
Unfortunately there is no First Aid treatment for Mental Wounds. Conditions such as Dizziness persist
until the affected character receives psychotherapy.

In radical cases, it sometimes makes sense to induce a coma to treat severe mental injuries. The patient
makes a Willpower+Mental Toughness check once a week; if they roll at least 6 successes they emerge
from the Coma fully healed.

Dying:
Characters that are dying are mortally wounded and bleeding out. If not treated promptly, they will die.
The period of time during which a mortally wounded character can still be rescued by emergency
medicine or magic is known as the “Golden Minute”. The Golden Minute lasts for 10 Combat Rounds.

Stunned:
When a character becomes Stunned, they are unable to move and act independently for a certain
number of combat rounds. Receiving any amount of First Aid or Magic Healing will break the Stunned
condition. Stunned characters are not completely helpless; they can still attempt to Dodge attacks, but
do so at a steep penalty (-4).

Death:
Death isn’t necessarily the end of the road for characters in the Dresden Files. Characters can choose to
use unspent Karma in an attempt to Cheat Death. For every point of Karma the character spends, they
can roll 1 die. The character must roll at least 1 success, plus one more success for each previous time
they have cheated death. Thus, a character that had successfully cheated death 2 previous times would
need to roll 3 successes.

Characters who roll the required number of successes miraculously manage to stabilize and can make a
full recovery if they receive intensive medical care. If a character rolls a Critical Success on this check (6
Successes), they attract the attention of a supernatural power who is willing to raise the character in
exchange for accepting a special bargain (see below).

Characters with the Chosen Quality automatically Cheat Death with a Critical Success the first time they
visit Death’s Door.

Here are some examples of special interventions that may occur when a character is on Death’s Door:

Die Roll Description

1 Summer Court: One of the great powers of the Summer Court offers to raise you as
a Retainer of Faerie in exchange for your eternal obedience. Your physical
appearance is altered, taking on a robust, healthy and radiant appearance. It is not
uncommon for a Retainer of Summer to develop some very slight animal traits such
as cat’s eyes, sharp teeth, pointed ears or vestigial horns. The character gains the
Retainer of Faerie Quality and the Oath Bound Negative Quality.
2 Winter Court: One of the great powers of the Winter Court offers to raise you as a
Retainer of Faerie in exchange for your eternal obedience. Retainers of Winter are
generally elfin in appearance, with slightly pointed ears, oddly colored hair and eyes

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and a pale complexion. The character gains the Retainer of Faerie Quality and the
Oath Bound Negative Quality.
3 Vampire: A vampire of the White or Black Court discovers your ailing body and
decides to turn you. You become a Vampire and begin regenerating rapidly (see the
“Monsters” section for more details).
4 Ghost: Your character becomes a free-willed Spirit trapped between the Mortal
Realm and the Afterlife. By exercising your Willpower you are able to create
manifestations in the physical world for a number of rounds equal to the number of
successes you roll. See the “Monsters” section for more details on playing a Ghost.
5 Denarian: A Fallen Angel finds your body on death’s door and tempts you to take up
one of the Blackened Denarii, the coins paid to Judas for betraying Christ. If the
character accepts, they become Possessed by a Fallen Angel, gaining tremendous
powers in the process while also becoming enslaved to the demon’s will. Any
decision the possessed character makes will be challenged by their demon master,
forcing a contest of wills. Also, once the character’s true nature is revealed, the
Knights of the Cross will begin to actively hunt them. Consult “Appendix D:
Monsters” for Denarian statistics. Denarians gain the ability to access Hellfire (see
“Magic”).
6 Archangel: One of the Angels of the Holy Host offers to return your soul to its body
in exchange for completing a holy errand. Your body will be made whole and you
will have the ability to access Soulfire powers (see “Magic”). Any abuse of Soulfire
will cause this boon to be rescinded. The character gains the Oath Bound Negative
Quality.

Death Curse:
When a Spellcaster dies, they have the opportunity to lay a Death Curse on their killer instead of
attempting to Cheat Death. This is a decision the mage has to make before attempting to Cheat Death.

To invoke a Death Curse, the mage spends the remainder of their Karma. They must have at least 1
unspent Karma point to attempt the Curse. The Karma value spent determines the strength of the
Curse, which the mage is free to define in any manner they wish (i.e. “you will die the next time you’re
alone!”, “you will die of fright!” etc.) The mage’s killer must then make a Willpower + Charisma Trait
Test that equals or exceeds the Curse strength. If they fail, the Curse lands and at some point in the
near future (at the Game Master’s discretion) the killer will be faced with a lethal situation that
conforms to the parameters of the curse.

Death Curses are not guaranteed to succeed, but they will subject the recipient to some form of very
real mortal peril in the near future.

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Leveling Up:

Characters gain power by accumulating Karma (Experience Points). Karma can be spent on a variety of
benefits, detailed below.

In general, characters should receive between 4-5 Karma points per game session but can earn as much
as 10-12 for exceptional play. When handing out Karma rewards, consider the following guidelines:

Event Karma Reward

Surviving the Adventure 1
Completing at least 66% of the mission objectives 1-2
Completing all of the mission objectives 2-3
Adventure was tough (characters were killed or went down with serious injuries) 2-3
Character did something clever that circumvented a minor/major challenge 1-2
Good role-playing or banter between characters 1
Character actively propelled the story forward without Game Master prompts 1
Character exhibited great individual bravery, risking injury and death 1

Make sure you hand out Karma throughout the session so that characters have a chance to spend it on
in-session benefits if they wish.

The in-session uses of Karma include:

Benefit Karma Cost

Adding a “success” to any die roll 1
Going first on initiative 1
Cheating Death 1*# of attempts

Every time a character uses Karma to “Cheat Death” the cost increases permanently by 1 point for the
next use. First use costs 1 point; second use costs 2 points, etc.

Karma is primarily spent between game sessions to purchase character enhancements. Here is a list of
the different enhancements that can be purchased out of session:

Enhancement Karma Cost

Learning a New Skill 3
Improving a Skill New Skill Rating x2
Improving an Attribute New Att. Rating x3
Learning a Spell 5
Developing a New Contact Contact Rating (1-12)
Researching New Spells Special
Crafting Magical Gear Special

Any time a character learns a new Skill or improves an existing one, they must undergo Training.

Training:
Improving a Skill requires a training skill roll, which is equal to your Intellect plus the current skill rank of
the skill you are training in.

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The target number is 2x the skill rank you are trying to achieve. Each roll simulates 1 week of training
time and you keep rolling until you finally hit your target number. Once this is done, you may increase
your skill rank to the next level.

Example:
Darius wants to improve his skill with Pistols. His current skill rank with Pistols is 3. He spends 8 Karma
between game sessions to increase his skill rank to 4. Then, Darius makes his training roll: his Intellect is
2, so his total dice pool is 5 (2 for Intellect + 3 for current Pistols skill). Darius only rolls 2 successes on his
first roll – that’s ok, it just means training is going to take longer. His second roll (representing the
second week of training) generates 3 successes, for a total of 5 and his third roll generates the final 3
successes he needs. All told, it took Darius 3 weeks to master rank 4 Pistols.

In general there should be sufficient time between sessions for a character to learn what they need to
learn, but in some cases in-game events may trigger before someone has a chance to complete a
difficult training session, or the rest of the party is delayed while a slow poke finishes hitting the books.

Learning a Spell:
Spellcasters can spend 5 Karma points to learn a new magic spell. Learning a new spell takes 1 week of
practice time.

Researching New Spells:

If a character wishes to create a new spell not contained within the existing spell lists, the Game Master
should consider the following:

 Does a boosted version of an existing spell already do what the new spell would do?
 Would the spell “break the game” or be powerful enough to trivialize encounters?
 Does the spell make the caster indestructible
 Would the spell thematically fall outside of the existing magic schools (fire, water, force, etc.)?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, the spell concept will need to be revised. Ultimately, it is
the Game Master’s decision whether or not to allow the new spell and to set the threshold for how
difficult the spell will be to research. At a minimum, a new spell should have a Research Threshold of 6
(essentially requiring a Critical Success) modified by the following factors:

Research Factor Modifier

Spell can be boosted +1 per boost
Spell has personal range 0
Spell has a touch range +1
Spell has line of sight range +2
Spell inflicts “direct” damage (can be dodged) +2
Spell inflicts “indirect” damage (cannot be dodged) +4
Spell has an instant duration 0
Spell has a Sustained duration +2
Spell summons extra-planar beings +6
Spell alters statistics and/or qualities +2

Creating a new spell from scratch is a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. The researcher
first needs to construct a Laboratory. For every $10,000 spent, the Rating of the Laboratory increases by
1 (up to a maximum of 6). Then, the researcher makes an extended Skill Test using a relevant Magic Skill

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plus the Laboratory Rating. Each roll covers a week of time; the researcher continues rolling until they
roll a number of successes equal to the Research Threshold of the new spell. Once this is done, the
researcher must spend a number of Karma points equal to the spell’s Threshold Rating. Having
accomplished all of this, the researcher has finally mastered their new spell and can cast it whenever
they wish.

Example:
Malachi is researching a new spell called Water Breathing. The Game Master has determined that this
spell is allowable and that it has a Threshold Rating of 9 (Touch range spell in the Water School that
alters qualities) Malachi has saved up as much money as he could and spends $30,000 to set up his
Laboratory, giving it a rating of 3. His skill in Water Magic is 6 so he gets to roll 9 dice on his research
check. On his first roll he rolls 3 successes – he needs 6 more to complete the research. In week 2 he
rolls 3 more, in week 3 he rolls two and, finally, in week 4 he rolls the final success that was required.
Malachi then spends 9 Karma points to complete his research. He can now cast Water Breathing on
himself and his friends.

The resources of the Laboratory are used up during the research and must be fully replenished in the
future. The researcher must at least have a Rating 1 Laboratory to attempt spell research.

Researched spells can be taught to other magic-users who possess the appropriate Magic Skill, but
secrets this valuable are only ever shared for extraordinary compensation.

Crafting Magical Gear:

Characters that possess Magic Skills can spend Karma to produce magical items – enchanted gear that
provides a temporary or permanent benefit. The difficulty of producing a piece of Magical Gear is
dependent upon the Force value of the enchantment being placed on it. A piece of Magical Gear can
only contain a single enchantment and it must be a spell the crafter knows how to cast.

To craft Magical Gear, the character first needs to build a Workshop. For every $2,000 spent, the Rating
of the Workshop increases by 1 (up to a maximum of 6). Then the crafter makes an extended Skill Test
using the relevant Magic Skill plus the Workshop Rating. Each roll covers a week of time; the crafter
continues rolling until they roll a number of successes equal to the Force Rating of the enchantment
being woven. Once this is done, the crafter must then spend a number of Karma points equal to the
enchantment’s Force Rating to complete the crafting process.

Example:
Morgana wants to create a Force Staff in preparation for an upcoming showdown with an evil wizard.
She wants the staff to have a Force Rating of 6 and knows how to cast Force Blast (which satisfies the
Spell Requirement for a Force Staff). Time is short so she wants to try and complete the project quickly.
She spends $12,000 on a fully stocked, Rating 6 Workshop. Her skill with Force Magic is only 3, so she
gets to roll a total of 9 dice to make her crafting attempt. She manages to roll 5 successes – nearly
enough to complete the project! – and decides to spend 1 extra Karma point to produce the final
success required so that the crafting won’t stretch into a second week. This brings the total Karma cost
of her project to 7 (6 to cover the Force Rating of her staff, plus the 1 extra point).

The resources of the Workshop are used up during the crafting and must be fully replenished in the
future. The crafter must at least have a Rating 1 Workshop to attempt creating Magical Gear.

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Here are some examples of Magical Gear that a magic-user could create. This list is not intended to be
exhaustive. If players want to try and create Magical Gear not listed here, work out the details with the
Game Master using these examples as a guide.

Item Spell Requirement

Force Staff Force Blast
Ring of Warding Ward
Cloak of Veils Veil
Potion of Haste Inner Flame
Amulet of Anonymity Tracking
Shifter’s Belt Shapechange
Pendant of Ways Open Rift
Bloodstone Pendant Lifegift
Cloak of Alacrity Gust of Wind
Shroud of Disguise Illusion
Lodestone Magnetism
Phantom Bottle Binding
Enchanted Map Scry

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Magic:
The process of casting a spell is summarized by the following 5 steps:

1. Select a Spell
Choose any spell you have learned.

2. Choose a Force Level

Indicate the Force Level you’d like to cast the spell at. Normally you can cast spells at a Force equal to
your Skill Rating without serious consequences, but at your option you can choose Overcast a spell by as
much as 2x your Skill Rating. Naturally, you can also cast a weaker version of a spell if you wish.

Example:
You want to a Fire Blast spell. Your Fire Magic skill is 4 so you could either choose to cast it at Force 4
for a balanced effect, Force 1 for a weakened version (maybe you don’t want to hurt your target too
bad) or as much as Force 8 if you really want to pour the damage on.

Overcasting is dangerous because it can greatly inflate the Drain Value of a spell. See Step 5 for dealing
with the effects of Drain.

3. Make a Spellcasting Test

Roll a Spellcasting Skill Test using the appropriate skill (Fire Magic for Fire Spells; Spirit Magic for Spirit
Spells, etc.) Don’t forget to add your Willpower rating to your dice pool.

Add up the number of successes you roll (5’s and 6’s), factoring in any modifiers that the Game Master
may have set for the task. In a typical test, if you roll 1 success you pass and if you roll 6 successes you
get a Critical Success.

4. Resolve the Spell

If the spell was cast successfully, resolve its effect on the target. Read the description of the spell you
are casting for more details (full spell descriptions are in Appendix C).

When a character casts a spell that has a sustained duration, they can maintain the spell effect as long
as they continue to concentrate on it. However, they suffer a cumulative -2 penalty to all other
Spellcasting Tests they attempt while they sustain another effect.

Controlling a Spirit or other Summoned creature counts as a sustained effect.

If a spell caster is knocked out or killed, their sustained effects automatically end.

5. Resist Drain
Finally you need to pay the piper. Every spell has a certain Drain Value associated with it that is based
on the spell’s Force rating (see the “Spell Lists” below for more details). Calculate the Drain Value for
the spell you just cast and then make a Drain Resistance roll to mitigate its effect.

A Drain Resistance roll is based on a combination of the caster’s Meditation skill and their Willpower
attribute.

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Count up the number of successes on your Drain Resistance roll and subtract this from the Drain Value
of the spell you cast. This is the number of Wounds you suffer as a result of casting the spell. These
Wounds can be taken as Mental Damage or as Physical Damage and can be spread across multiple Hit
Locations at the Spell Caster’s discretion.

Example:
Investigator-Mage Extraordinaire John Belisarius is in a tight spot and needs to cast a Force 8 Fire Blast
to take down a pack of foes. He makes his Fire Magic check successfully and calculates his damage but
now he needs to make his Drain Resistance check. His Meditation skill is a measly 1 and his Willpower
Rating is 3. The total Drain Value of his spell is 7 (Force/2+3). He needs to try and roll 7 successes on 4
dice to resist the Drain – frankly an impossible task. The best he can hope for is to take the edge off.
Belisarius rolls no successes so he has to eat the full Drain Value! Fortunately he was fully healed to
begin with so he chooses to spread the pain around, taking 1 Wound as Mental Damage and 1 Wound to
each physical hit location. The net impact of this is that he’s Stunned for 1 round, takes a -2 penalty to
all rolls and suffers a -1 Movement penalty.

Spell List:
For full spell descriptions, refer to “Appendix C: Spells”.

Air Magic:
Spell Template Drain Cost Description
Gust of Wind Force / 2 - 1 Produces a powerful gale that can knock targets prone.
Aerial Servant Force Summons an invisible Elemental that can perform simple, non-combat
tasks such as carrying loads & delivering messages. Sustained.
Levitate Force / 2 + 1 Uses carefully controlled air currents to raise a target person or object
into the air. Sustained.
Call Lightning Force / 2 + 3 Channels a bolt of electricity toward a target. Can only be cast
outdoors.
Cyclone Force / 2 + 5 Create a howling tornado that inflicts damage over a wide area.
Sustained.
Summon Fog Force / 2 + 1 Produce a dense cloud of fog that obscures all vision. Sustained.

Blood Magic:
Spell Template Drain Cost Description
Lifetap† Force / 2 - 2 Inflicts injury on a target to heal the caster’s wounds. Touch
range.
Create Undead† Force Summons an undead creature to do the caster’s bidding.
Sustained.
Tracking Force / 2 – 1 Requires a piece of organic material from the target (i.e. hair, skin,
blood, etc.)
Entrail Reading† Force / 2 Divine the location and identity of a killer from the victim’s
remains
Stabilize Force / 2 + 2 Performs magical First Aid, stabilizing a target’s wounds
Lifegift Force / 2 Inflicts injury on the caster to heal a target’s wounds.

Earth Magic:
Spell Template Drain Cost Description
Magnetism Force / 2 + 1 Makes metallic object powerfully magnetic, pulling all smaller
metal objects toward it.
Anti-Gravity Slam Force / 2 + 3 Briefly negates the pull of gravity on a target, hurling them into

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the air and then back to the ground forcefully.

Earth Grab Force / 2 + 1 Animates the ground beneath the target’s feet, causing them to
be physically restrained.
Petrify† Force / 2 + 2 Turns a target to stone. Reversible. Permanent.
Absorb Impact Force / 2 Caster gains an increase to their Body attribute. Sustained.
Earth Punch Force / 2 - 2 Channels the strength of the Earth into the caster’s fists, granting
them tremendous unarmed damage.

Fire Magic:
Spell Template Drain Cost Description
Fire Blast Force / 2 + 1 Launches a jet of fire at a target
Wall of Fire Force / 2 + 1 Produces a wall of flame that burns anything passing through it.
Sustained.
Control Fire Force / 2 + 2 Gives the caster the ability to shape and manipulate existing
sources of fire.
Inner Flame Force / 2 Fills the target with a burst of vigor that grants them enhanced
Initiative.
Mage Light Force / 2 - 1 Summons a small, floating light source. Sustained.
Fire Shield Force / 2 + 2 Surrounds the caster with a ring of flame that harms all melee
attackers. Sustained.

Force Magic:
Spell Template Drain Cost Description
Force Blast Force / 2 + 1 Hurls a bolt of pure force at a target.
Stun Blast Force / 2 Launches a blast of non-lethal energy at a target, causing them to
become Stunned.
Hex Force / 2 + 1 Causes the targeted jinxing of a mechanical or electronic device.
Ward Force / 2 + 3 Caster gains the ability to negate a certain amount of damage.
Until Discharged.
Kinetic Absorption Force / 2 + 2 Caster stores a portion of the damage they receive and can
expend it in a single charge.
Open Rift Force / 2 + 2 Forcibly opens a gateway into the Nevernever.

Illusion Magic:
Spell Template Drain Cost Description
Illusion Force / 2 + 2 Induce visual and auditory hallucinations. Sustained.
Charm† Force / 2 Plant suggestions in the target’s mind
Mind Reading† Force / 2 + 1 Listen to the surface thoughts of a sentient being. Sustained.
Veil Force / 2 Turn yourself or anything you target invisible. Sustained.
Psychic Blast Force / 2 + 3 Assail the mind of a target with painful psychic feedback
Mind Wipe† Force / 2 + 2 Erases a target’s memory of recent events

Life Magic:
Only mages who are Retainers of Summer can learn Life Magic
Spell Template Drain Cost Description
Viridian Blast Force / 2 + 1 Blast of refreshing life
Summon Summerfae Force Summons a being of Summer to serve the caster’s will
Regeneration Force / 2 + 2 Super Natural Healing
Fecundity Force / 2 + 3 Rampant plant growth
Stabilize Force / 2 + 2 Performs magical First Aid, stabilizing a target’s wounds
Summertime Force / 2 + 3 Turns local weather awesome

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Spirit Magic:
Spell Template Drain Cost Description
Mage Sight Force / 2 View the auras of magic-using beings. Mage Sight can also be
used to locate entrances to the Nevernever. Sustained.
Commune with Spirits Force / 2 + 1 Talk to the dead
Banish Force Forcibly return an extra-planar being to their home plane
Binding Force Trap an extra-planar being
Spirit Walk Force / 2 Magic-User is able to travel out of body
Detect Residual Energy Force / 2 - 1 Read the psychic impressions left by living beings on a location or
object. Detect the presence of spirits. Sustained.

Ritual Magic
This special form of magic has much more stringent casting requirements. See below for details.
Spell Template Drain Cost Description
Location Ward Force / 2 + 1 Magically defends a location against unlawful entry
Curse† Force / 2 + 1 Inflicts a malediction against an individual. Can be reactive or
proactive.
Shapechange Force / 2 + 2 Polymorphs the magic-user into another form
Eternal Slumber† Force / 2 + 2 A magically induced coma
Geas† Force An advanced form of mind control that implants irresistible
compulsions in a victim’s mind
Attunement Force / 2 Spiritually binds the magic-user to a location, granting them
hyper-awareness

Water Magic:
Spell Template Drain Cost Description
Dispel Magic Force / 2 Negate a persistent magical effect
Spell Deflection Force / 2 + 2 Deflect an incoming spell back on its caster. Sustained until
Discharged.
Call Rainstorm Force / 2 + 1 Summon a rain storm outdoors
Rejuvenation Force / 2 Replenish a living target’s vital essence
Dessicate† Force / 2 + 3 Suck the moisture out of a living target
Scry Force / 2 - 1 Can use any still pool of water to view remote subjects

Winter Magic:
Only mages who are Retainers of Winter can learn Winter Magic
Spell Template Drain Cost Description
Winter Blast Force / 2 + 1 Cold damage with chance to freeze
Wall of Ice Force / 2 + 3 Impassable barrier
Sheet of Ice Force / 2 Slippery Ground
Summon Winterfae Force Summons a being of Winter to serve the caster’s will
Ice Armor Force / 2 + 3 Encases the caster in protective ice and grants them a claw attack
Blizzard Force / 2 + 3 Low viz + cold damage

Black Magic:
Some spells are considered to be “black magic” because they violate the Seven Laws of Magic put
forward by the White Council, the governing body of all law-abiding Wizards. Any spell indicated with a
† is proscribed by the Council; anyone caught casting proscribed magic will gain the Hunted quality and

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be actively pursued by Wardens until they are subdued and brought to trial. Trials of this sort usually
end with execution.

Hellfire:
Denarians and other demon-possessed mages can use Hellfire to strengthen their destructive spells.
When augmenting a spell with Hellfire, you can add an extra die of damage for each Karma point you
spend.

Performing Ritual Magic:

Ritual Magic is a special type of magic that requires a tremendous expenditure of energy and time.
Casting times are 1 hour per Force point during which the spell caster cannot be interrupted.

Magic-Users and Technology:

Technological devices don’t do so well in the presence of magic. Something about magical energy
causes electrical currents to fluctuate erratically. In extreme cases, it can cause delicate devices to
overload and break. For this reason, most Wizards eschew modern devices and content themselves
with using analog technology where possible. If you were wondering where all the old Chevrolets and
rotary phones have gone, they were probably snatched up by Wizards second hand. To reflect this,
Magic-Using characters are forced to take the Jinx negative quality during creation.

Magic-Users and Water:

In general, water has a neutralizing effect on magical energies, grounding them out. Whenever a Magic-
User attempts to cast a spell near water, consult the table below and apply the appropriate modifier to
their Spellcasting dice pool.

Condition Modifier
Casting spells in rainy weather -1
Casting spells in a boat -2
Projecting spells over a large body of water -2
Casting spells while immersed in water -4

Cantrips:
Cantrips are simple, little magical parlor tricks that any spellcaster can do without spending any magical
energy. The Cantrip effects vary depending on the types of magic that the spellcaster knows.

Magic Type Cantrip Examples

Air Magic Summon a ghostly breeze; levitate a small object in your palm
Blood Magic Reanimate a dead insect; make a corpse twitch
Earth Magic Palm a metallic object; make the floor jump
Fire Magic Light candles with a snap of your fingers; conjure a tiny flame in the palm of your hand
Force Magic Push or pull small objects a short distance; close a door with a wave of your hand
Illusion Magic Throw your voice; make small objects disappear (into your pockets)
Spirit Magic Conjure phantom whispers, ghostly knocking, cold spots, etc.
Water Magic Generate condensation; chill or warm a beverage

Soulfire:
The forces of the Holy Host have the ability to use Soulfire to power their magical abilities. Characters
who have access to Soulfire can pay Drain Costs using Karma instead of Wounds.

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Spell Boosting:
Most spells can be boosted to increase their range, area of effect, number of bolts, etc. To boost a spell,
the magic-user increases the Drain Value of the spell they are casting, putting themselves at greater risk
of burning out. Boost effects are described in “Appendix C: Spells”.

Summoning:
Summoning magic operates a little bit differently than other spells. The number of successes rolled in a
summoning spell determines the number of Favors that the summoned being must render before being
released from service.

Examples of Favors include:

 Participating in a battle
 Carrying a heavy load to a specified destination
 Using a special ability, skill or talent on the caster’s behalf
 Delivering/Retrieving an item or message
 Standing watch for a night while the caster rests

A Summoner can command their servant to perform a single Remote Service outside of the caster’s line-
of-sight at the cost of all remaining Favors.

The summoned creature will hang around until it has completed all of its duties, but the caster does
suffer a concentration penalty as long as a summoned being is bent to their will. When the creature has
completed its term of service, it instantly teleports back to its Plane of Origin.

Thresholds:
Magic inhabits most of the world around us without people being aware of it. One of the most common
forms of magic is the sanctification of spaces. Churches, of course, are highly sanctified and holy ground
is known to be safe from demonically-possessed beings. Sanctification extends to more common
settings as well, including people’s homes. Certain supernatural beings cannot bypass a home’s
threshold without being invited in by the home’s resident first.

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Appendix A: Power Groups

There are many different factions vying for power in the world of the Dresden Files. A few of the more
prominent groups are outlined below:

The Black Court

The Black Court is one of the few remaining Vampire Courts left in the world (the Red Court having been
recently destroyed in the White Council War). Black Court Vampires are the iconic sort of vampires
written about in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Over the centuries, they have been mercilessly hunted by
various organizations and now their numbers are very few, but those that remain are the strongest and
most resourceful of their kind.

Since the fall of the Red Court, the Black Court has been scrambling to consolidate as many of their
former holdings as possible. More than nearly any other group, they have prospered from the White
Council War and could one day re-emerge as a serious force to be reckoned with on the world stage.
Rumors persist that the Black Court is connected with a group of Warlocks who are attempting to
undermine the White Council from within. The existence of this so called “Black Council” is vehemently
(some might say foolishly) denied by the White Council.

The Denarians
The Order of the Blackened Denarius is an organization comprised of Fallen Angels and their mortal
thralls. They are quite simply one of the most dangerous groups in the world. Each Denarian holds one
of the “thirty pieces of silver” originally paid to Judas for betraying Christ. Contained within each coin is
the spirit of a powerful demon that immediately will attempt to possess the coin’s owner, imbuing them
with supernatural strength in exchange for their soul. In this way the Denarians are essentially
immortal; killing one merely releases their coin until the next person takes it up. Only by safely storing
the coins on hallowed ground can the threat of the Denarians be contained.

The Denarians are directly opposed by the Knights of the Cross, whose holy mission is to return the
Fallen to God’s fold. These two groups pursue each other across the globe as they play out their parts in
an eternal drama between the forces of light and darkness.

Denarians know the secret of Hellfire.

The Fellowship of St. Giles

The Fellowship of St. Giles, named after the patron saint of lepers and outcasts, was formed in the
Middle Ages as a charitable organization that offered sanctuary to society’s undesirable elements. It
was not long thereafter that this mission broadened to include poor souls who had been cursed by
demonic possession, vampirism and lycanthropy. The Fellowship developed a treatment involving the
application of sacred tattoos which, in essence, ward the afflicted person’s skin so that the demon
contained within stays suppressed. Through meditation and these sacred wards, the afflicted members
of the Fellowship are able to lead somewhat normal lives.

In modern times, the Fellowship has taken on a more militaristic mandate, seeking to destroy vampires,
demons and werebeasts wherever they may be found.

At least a third of the members of the Fellowship are believed to be dead following the destruction of
the Red Court at the hands of Harry Dresden. A vicious Blood Curse was reversed, slaying all Red Court
vampires and half-vampires, many of whom had gone to the Fellowship to seek treatment for their
condition.

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The Fomor
Once denizens of the Nevernever, the Fomor have been forced to live secretly in the Realms of Men
after an ancient war cast them out of their home plane. Being naturally amphibious, the Fomor chose to
build lairs deep in the lakes and oceans of Earth, where they could scheme undetected. Though related
to the Fae, the Fomor are a race apart, a sort of hybrid blend of humans and fish. Occult scholars
speculate that the Fomor were created by Outsiders meddling with primordial earth life. Mythical
stories of mermaids, nixies and shark-men are oft attributed to the Fomor, though in their present
incarnation they appear more man-like than ichthyic.

Over the course of the last year a resurgence of Fomor has struck most of the coastal cities in the world.
To regular folks this just looks like a sudden uptick in amount of crime, but to anyone who studies these
matters it is clear that these crimes are all of a uniformly bizarre and occult nature.

The Grimms
The Grimms are the lineal descendants of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the famous German fairy-tale
writers. The Brothers Grimm knew the truth about the Supernatural realm for most of their lives and
made it their mission to record as much information about the Nevernever and its denizens as they
could. To this day, their original accounts of the beasts and beings that lurk at the edges of normal
society are some of the best and most reliable records ever kept.

The descendants of the Grimms made it their family mission to continue the work of the Brothers. The
modern day Grimms (now known by other names) have swapped old tomes and parchment scrolls for a
state-of-the-art database system that records and cross-references supernatural events in real time.
Indeed, using the latest computer algorithms, some Grimms are able to statistically predict future
supernatural events.

The Grimms work on a regular basis with Monoc Securities, and with anyone else who can afford their
unique and expensive services, but they also spend a great deal of their time and energy collecting
relics, artifacts and monster parts for their ever-growing archives.

Knights of the Cross

A holy order devoted to the defense of the church, the destruction of evil and the protection of the
innocent, the Knights of the Cross were formed sometime after the Fall of Rome. Legend has it that King
Arthur himself was a founding member, but that belief probably stems from the fact that his magic
sword, Excalibur, is actually one of the three holy blades kept safe by this Order.

The main mission of the Knights of the Cross is to see the Order of the Blackened Denarius brought back
into God’s grace. Though there are only ever three Knights in existence at one time (one for each blade)
they are supported internationally by the Catholic Church who provides financing, logistical support and
manpower for the Knights’ work.

Monoc Securities
This global security & insurance company is based out of Oslo, Norway and is the only firm of its kind
that provides protection against “supernatural threats”. World leaders and tycoons who know the truth
about the supernatural hire Monoc Security assets to protect their families and their holdings. Led by a
reclusive tycoon named Donar Vadderung, Monoc enjoys almost limitless resources – they can field
mercenary strike-teams or a coven of witches-for-hire with equal ease.

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Though Monoc is a business first and tends to stay politically neutral in most matters, following the
Unseelie Accords to the letter, Donar will occasionally use his company’s assets to promote some cause
that he is personally interested in. It is virtually impossible to determine where Donar’s true interests
lie, since he seems willing to play either side of an issue on a whim, but when he does act it almost
always seems to coincide with major events on a global scale.

The Paranet
This national organization of amateur magic-users was formed to provide a kind of support group for
people who are magically sensitive but not powerful enough to attract the attention of the White
Council. The Paranet is a network of local “Clubs” that run the gamut from pagan churches to “psychic
friends” groups to “ghost hunting” teams. While the Paranet lacks any real power or resources, it does
enjoy a large membership and you can find Paranetters virtually anywhere in the world. This makes
them very useful as an information grapevine and a sort of supernatural early warning system. The
organization includes a number of very computer savvy individuals who have set up a highly encrypted
network that members can use to share knowledge with each other. Being on the Paranet’s good side
can be a great way to obtain leads for just about any kind of paranormal investigation.

The Summer Court

The sunny reflection of the Winter Court, the Summer Court is ruled by Queen Titania and her Fae
courtiers. While Winter is preoccupied with law, custom and power, Summer’s aspect is more aligned
with the forces of freedom, vitality and Eros. Summerfae are more inherently connected to nature;
indeed many Summer courtiers appear as human-animal hybrids and their own special brand of magic
seems to tap directly into the Earth’s boundless reserves of Mana. Summer is less populous than
Winter, but no less powerful; the two factions are generally kept in perfect balance with one another.
Though Winter may harass Summer on all sides, Summer has the quiet strength and generative vigor to
constantly repel it.

In truth, Summer and Winter work together all the time to protect the Mortal Realm from Outsider
invasion. Much of their animosity toward one another is window-dressing steeped in old grudges.
While Winter mans the walls that keep the Earth safe from the Elder Gods, Summer stands at the ready
to heal war-wounds and purge the blight that the conflict creates.

The Fae of the Summer Court know the secret of Life Magic.

The Stygian Sisterhood

Little is known of this witch’s coven except that they are a common adversary of the Venatori and are
attempting to bring the Old Ones back to the world. Also known as the Ladies of the Dark River, the
Sisterhood’s roots stretch all the way back to the Dionysian cults of Ancient Greece. What began as a
sacred order of priestesses gradually fell to corruption over the centuries as their rituals awoke the
interest of dark benefactors willing to exchange magical teachings for oaths of eternal servitude.

Now the Sisterhood is wholly devoted to Black Magic and have left their religious origins far behind in
the annals of their lore. Guided by their Outsider masters, the Sisters have been commanded to seek
out and uproot agents of the Venatori Umbrorum wherever they may be found.

The Venatori
The Venatori Umbrorum is a secret society dedicated to defending mankind against a race of eldritch
beings known only as the “Old Ones” who are attempting to invade Earth from another dimension. It is
a cell-based organization with each cell led by a Venator; by design each Venator only knows the

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existence of 1 or 2 others so that they are unable to compromise the entire organization if interrogated.
The ultimate goal of the Venatori is to erase all knowledge of the Old Ones so that no mortal can ever
invoke their Names and their dark power again. If any human discovers the existence of an Old One, the
Venatori will either kill them or recruit them to prevent the knowledge from spreading.

A semi-divine being known as The Archive is affiliated with the Venatori Umbrorum. The Archive is a
Knowledge Spirit which inhabits the body of a human host and serves as a secure vault for the sum total
of human knowledge. It literally knows everything that every person on Earth knows or ever has known.
When The Archive discovers a new lead regarding the Old Ones, it communicates it to the Venatori
through a system of dead drops so that they can go stamp the lead out.

At one point in history, the Venatori had declared war against the Realms of Faerie until a peace was
brokered by The Grimms.

The White Council

The White Council is the largest and most influential association of Wizards in the world. According to
the annals of their organization, the White Council was formed by Merlin the Magician… Indeed, every
leader of the White Council since has maintained the title of “Merlin” as an honorific.

The Council is responsible for creating and enforcing the “Seven Laws of Magic”. Enforcement is
handled by the Wardens, essentially a group of Wizard Police men and women who patrol the globe
uncovering and stamping out practitioners of black magic. If the Wardens encounter something too
difficult for them to handle, they can call in “The Blackstaff”, the Senior Council’s Master Assassin, to lay
down some fiery judgment.

The major preoccupation of the White Council is maintaining Law and Order. Even if a magic-user is
suspected of wrong doing they are brought under the intense scrutiny of the Council’s Wardens. Magic-
users of questionable trustworthiness are sometimes placed under a kind of parole known as the “Doom
of Damocles”. This is a zero tolerance probation that results in the immediate execution of the parolee
if they put a foot wrong.

Rumors persist of the existence of a Gray Council and a Black Council but the White Council disavows
the existence of both.

The White Court

The largest and richest of the Vampire Courts, by all appearances the members of the White Court are a
bunch of spoiled, trust-fund millionaires who won the genetic lottery. They are gorgeous, stylish and
arrogant, with libertine tastes and rock-star lifestyles. Indeed, several members of this Court are
budding reality television celebrities whose excessive antics are the envy of an unsuspecting public.
Nobody really knows that these are narcissistic demons who feed on human passions.

The White Court took a neutral position in the recent struggle between the Red Court and the White
Council. They were more than happy to see their Red Court rivals burn but, in keeping with their modus
operandi, did not wish to dirty their own hands to see it done.

The Winter Court

The Winter Court, or Unseelie Court, is one of the two Courts of Faerie and is the home of all Winterfae,
occupying about half of the Nevernever. Ruled by Queen Mab from her frozen fortress in Arctis Tor, the
Winter Court is malevolence personified, razor dangerous and as stunning as a midnight gem.

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Winter is charged with enforcing the Unseelie Accords, a sort of Geneva Convention for the supernatural
world. Any individual or faction who breaks the Accords opens themselves up to Mab’s retribution

Unbeknownst to many, the real purpose of the Winter Court is to supply shock troops for the Oblivion
War, defending the gates of the Mortal Realm from Outsider incursions. This grim duty has made the
Winterfae hard, and sometimes cruel, out of necessity.

The Fae of the Winter Court know the secret of Winter Magic.

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Appendix B: The Nevernever

The meta-plane that mirrors our own reality, the Nevernever is a realm of story-book monsters that lurk
in the shadows underneath your bed. All of the other Planes of Existence are connected through the
Nevernever so in the supernatural world it is a kind of freeway that is used to get from place to place.

The geography of the Nevernever is inherently unstable, making it extraordinarily difficult to map. A
stable path through the Nevernever is known as a Way. Ways are more or less reliable passages from
one point in the physical world to another. However, just because you can depend on their existence
doesn’t mean they’re safe. Some Ways traverse very hostile sections of the Nevernever or pass through
environments that would be considered inhospitable to humans (i.e. across the bottom of a frozen lake,
through a blizzard, through a chlorine gas storm, etc.)

Every time you travel from Point A to Point B through the Nevernever, you have a 5% chance of
discovering a Way. This basically means that the route you have just taken (with its attendant hazards)
is now a permanent path that you could travel again in the future.

A journey through the Nevernever is comprised of sections. Each section presents a unique challenge
that must be overcome, after which the traveler can proceed to the next section. The number of
sections required to complete the journey varies.

Physical Distance Traveled Number of Nevernever Encounters

0-30 miles (within the metro area) 1
30-360 miles (one tank of gas) 2
360-1000 miles (regional plane flight) 1d3
1000-5000 miles (continental plane flight) 1d6
5000+ (international distances) 2d6

If you want to randomly generate your Nevernever Encounters, consult the table below. The first roll
determines what type of region you are traveling in, the second indicates the level of danger in that
section and the third roll describes what form the risk takes (if any)

Nevernever Encounters:
Die Roll (2d6) 1st Roll 2nd Roll 3rd Roll
2 Stygian Life-Threatening Risk Outsider
3 Fomorian Severe Risk Villains
4 Shadow Moderate Risk Trap
5 Summer Mild Risk Common Monsters
6 Winter Safe Conduct Environmental Hazard
7 Winter Safe Conduct Bargain
8 Winter Safe Conduct Environmental Hazard
9 Summer Mild Risk Common Monsters
10 Shadow Moderate Risk Trap
11 Ethereal Severe Risk Patrol
12 Elysian Life-Threatening Risk Deity

When a result of “Safe Conduct” is rolled, you may ignore the 3rd roll.

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Bargain: The travelers encounter beings who are willing to let them pass in exchange for some gift or favor. If the
party is unable to pay or refuses to, combat will result.

Common Monsters: The party encounters a band of regular, non-Villain type monsters (see Appendix D)

Deity: A local divinity has taken an interest in the party and drops by for a visit. Travelers who demonstrate the
right balance of courtesy and confidence may earn a special boon or favor; travelers who don’t… Well, you should
probably start re-rolling now.

Elysian: The Elysian Plane is what many people imagine that heaven would look like. Unless otherwise noted,
travel in the Elysian Plane is generally safe, pleasant and even occasionally beneficial. The angelic locals tend
toward friendliness and will readily provide aid if treated in kind.

Environmental Hazard: Some kind of dangerous environmental condition affects this entire area. This could be
anything from a sub-zero blizzard, to scorching desert heat, to caustic acidic fog or whatever else you can contrive.

Ethereal: This realm-between-realms is the province of all ectoplasmic beings, such as ghosts, wraiths and fetches.
Everything in the Ethereal Plane appears gauzy and insubstantial. The living stand out like flaming beacons here,
so tarrying too long in the Ethereal is guaranteed to attract the attention of unwanted phantoms.

Fomorian: Though the Fomor have been largely expelled from the Nevernever, their old realms still exist. Since
they are an aquatic race, the domains of the Fomor tend to be either fully submerged underwater or consist of
small islands of land breaching through waters of varying depth. Without great Swimming skills or some way to
breathe underwater, traversing a Fomorian demesne might be impossible. Intrepid explorers may discover the
huge, ornately decorated cities that the Fomor left behind, rich with lost lore and undying guardians.

Life-Threatening Risk: This encounter has the highest possible danger level. Whatever denizens or environmental
conditions the party encounters represent a threat that can kill or seriously injure them.

Mild Risk: The threat level here is very low. Whatever monsters or conditions exist here are easily managed by an
alert and prepared traveler.

Moderate Risk: The threat level in this encounter can best be described as ‘challenging’. Travelers will be
presented with equal strength opposition that will require skill and maybe a little luck to defeat.

Outsider: The travelers have run afoul of a dreaded Outsider. Consult Appendix D for details.

Patrol: An organized patrol of local denizens guards this path. They will demand a good explanation for why the
travelers are in their domain but can usually be reasoned with. Suspicious behavior may lead to arrest and
interrogation.

Safe Conduct: There is no encounter. The path is clear.

Severe Risk: This encounter is truly dangerous. Retreat would be a sound option. Travelers face opposition that
will overpower them without a lot of luck or the swift application of any sleeved Aces.

Shadow: The Shadow Realm very closely mirrors the Material Plane, appearing like a version of our reality that is
just slightly off-kilter and more menacing than normal. Lights seem dimmer, the weather is always foul and the
inhabitants are all nervous and edgy. The Realms of Shadow are something like pocket dimensions where all of
the “roads not taken” in the Material Plane terminate. It is a place that embodies all of the dark emotions and
subliminal anxieties of the human race. The sorts of encounters that a traveler would have here would closely
match the kinds that they would have in the Material Plane with a sinister twist.

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Stygian: A place of utter darkness and alien terror, the Stygian Plane is probably the worst place you can end up in
the Nevernever. Without magical aid, vision is impossible and in many cases there isn’t even breathable air.

Summer: Perpetually bathed in sunlight and fair breezes, the Realm of Summer is a hard place to leave willingly.
Any encounters in this place will most likely involve Retainers of Summer.

Trap: Locals have set a trap or ambush for the approaching travelers. Unless the travelers succeed a Detection
check, or have taken other precautions, they will be waylaid.

Villains: The travelers encounter Villain strength monsters (see Appendix D).

Winter: Wracked by frequent snows and bone-chilling winds, most of the Nevernever lies within the domain of
Winter. Anyone wandering through the skeletal forests of this inhospitable place are likely to encounter Retainers
of Winter.

Listed below are some points of interest that a traveler may encounter in the Nevernever:

Arctis Tor
This isn’t a nice place. Arctis Tor is the capitol of the Winter Court located in the very heart of Winter
itself. Beautiful and deadly-looking at the same time, the cyclopean palace of Arctis Tor is carved from
gem-like slabs of green, blue and purple ice. Under normal circumstances, the Tor is heavily patrolled by
goblins, trolls and other Retainers of Winter. All of them would rather die than displease their harsh
mistress, Queen Mab. It is never a certain thing that the Queen herself is in residence – her ways are
strange and known only to herself – but even if she is not present in the flesh, her Eyes are always
observing the comings and goings of visitors to her domain.

The Hall of the Goblin King

The Goblin King is one of the major Lords of the Winter Court as well as the leader of the dreaded Wild
Hunt. While his soldiers are the crooked, cruel, red-eyed monsters of a child’s nightmares, the King
himself is tall and striking, if not exactly handsome. He wears spiked plate mail armor and is always
carrying some sort of medieval weapon, since blood and violence are common features of his domain.
Like all Fae, the Goblin King can be bargained with if the correct proprieties are observed, but take care
– he remembers every slight and those who offend him can find themselves marked as quarry for the
next Wild Hunt.

The Outer Gates

Located wherever the “edge” of the Nevernever happens to be at any particular time are the Outer
Gates, the barrier between Reality and the Void Between Realms. The Winter Court has been charged
with the defense of the Gates and to this end has erected an impossibly huge wall of solid ice to prevent
Outsiders from encroaching on the Material Plane. Here Winter and Summer set aside their eternal
enmity and work together to stem the tide of Outsider invasion, with Winter providing the military
strength and Summer lending support.

Valley of the Stone Table

Sitting approximately at the crossroads between Winter and Summer is the Valley of the Stone Table, a
place of very special significance for all Fae. It is here that the two Courts congregate to settled shared
business and where important rites of passage are conducted (such as the elevation of a new noble).
The Stone Table itself is an ancient sacrificial bier used for blood sacrifices since the dawn of time. It is a

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relic of tremendous power, sitting astride a confluence of ley lines that would fry a garden-variety
wizard.

The White Council’s Way

For millennia, the White Council has negotiated rights of safe passage through Winter to their Guild Hall
in Edinburgh, Scotland. This Way is taught to all White Council members upon initiation. Just because
Winter permits this Way to exist doesn’t mean the path is safe – Winter’s realm is always thick with
predators waiting to ambush the unwary. Because of this, the White Council maintains a heavy guard
along this route, entrusting the defense of the Way to some of their most powerful Wardens. Only a
fool would try to assault the White Council Way by main force.

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Appendix C: Spell List

Here is a list of all the available spells in alphabetical order. The † symbol indicates spells which are
outlawed by the White Council.

“Boosts” describe modifications that can be made to a spell during casting by increasing or decreasing
the Drain Value.

Absorb Impact
Skill: Earth Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2
Duration: Sustained
Range: Self
Description: Drawing upon the strength of the Earth, the spell caster is able increase their Body Attribute so that
they are better able to soak damage that would otherwise rend flesh and pulverize bone. The Force value of this
spell must equal the Body rating that the caster would like to achieve (Example: if you want to increase your body
rating from 4 to 6, the Force rating of the spell is 6)
Boost: Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Aerial Servant
Skill: Air Magic
Drain Value: Force
Duration: Special
Range: Line of Sight
Description: This spell summons an Air Elemental to do the caster’s bidding for a short period of time. See the
“Monsters” section for Air Elemental statistics. The Force Rating of the spell determines how powerful the
Elemental will be. Summoned creatures continue to serve until they have performed a certain number of Favors
for the caster, determined by the number of successes generated from the caster’s Summoning roll.
Boost: None

Anti-Gravity Slam
Skill: Earth Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 3
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: By manipulating the Force of Gravity, the Geomancer can locally negate the attractive force of the
Earth’s mass and then suddenly restore it, causing those affected to be thrown in to the air and back down again
violently, knocking them Prone. This effect cannot be dodged. Damage inflicted is based on the Force rating of the
spell.
Boost: Small Area of Effect (Force/2 + 5); Medium Area of Effect (Force/2 + 7); Large Area of Effect (Force/2 + 9)

Attunement
Skill: Ritual Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2
Duration: Special
Range: Special
Description: The Ritual of Attunement binds the caster spiritually to a particular physical location. Typically this
location is a personal space, such as a house or apartment, but it can be any place that has definitive boundaries
(for example: an island, a fenced property or a city block). The Force Rating of the spell determines how large the
attuned area can be.

Force Example
1 Studio Apartment

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2 An entire floor in an Office Building

3 A House
4 A City Block
5 A Fenced Park, Cemetery or Estate
6+ A Small Island

While in their attuned location, the caster has a hyper-awareness of all things transpiring in that space: they can
never be surprised and have perfect, photographic recall of all items, creatures and landmarks contained within
the attuned area. The attunement is permanent until the wizard attempts to attune a different location.
Boost: None

Banish
Skill: Spirit Magic
Drain Value: Force
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: This spell compels an extra-planar being to return to its realm of origin. The Force rating of the spell
must be equal to the Force value of the targeted creature in order to be successful.
Boost: None

Binding
Skill: Spirit Magic
Drain Value: Force
Duration: Special
Range: Line of Sight
Description: This spell imprisons an extra-planar being inside of an object or a summoning circle. Imprisoned
beings can still speak and see what’s going on around them, but cannot move, attack or cast spells. Destroying the
imprisoned being’s container will free them. The Force rating of the spell must be equal to the Force value of the
targeted creature in order to be successful.
Boost: None

Blizzard
Skill: Winter Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 + 3
Duration: Sustained
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Produces a blizzard of snow, wind and ice that occupies the caster’s entire line-of-sight. Within the
blizzard, all targets suffer from -2 Movement, point-blank visibility and must make a Physical Tolerance check each
round against the Force rating of the spell or be Stunned. The caster is immune to this effect, as are any creatures
with Cold Resistance. This spell can only be cast outdoors.
Boost: None

Call Lightning
Skill: Air Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 3
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Generates a Bolt of Lightning that streaks down from the sky and strikes the target of the caster’s
choosing. This effect cannot be dodged. Damage inflicted is based on the Force rating of the spell.
This spell can only be performed outdoors.
Boost: Two Bolts (Force/2 + 5); Three Bolts (Force/2 + 7); Four Bolts (Force/2 + 9)

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Call Rain Storm

Skill: Water Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 + 1
Duration: Sustained
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Produces a sudden squall of heavy rain that dampens everything in the caster’s entire line-of-sight.
This rain is sufficient to quench any fires in the area of effect. In addition, any spell casters in range suffer a
penalty to all spell casting attempts equal to the Force rating of this spell. At the Game Master’s discretion, other
actions may also be inhibited by the heavy rain. Fomorians are immune to this effect. This spell can only be cast
outdoors.
Boost: None

Charm†
Skill: Illusion Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2
Duration: Special
Range: Line of Sight
Description: The Illusionist plants suggestions in the target’s subconscious mind that persuades them to do the
caster’s bidding. The Force Rating of the spell determines how strong the compulsion is. The target can make a
Willpower + Mental Toughness check to resist the spell; if they roll enough successes to equal or exceed the Force
value of the spell, they are unaffected. The caster can plant any suggestion they wish, including self-destructive
suggestions, but the compulsion cannot entail any complex, multi-step or long-term actions. It does not obligate
the target to a term of service in excess of 1 or 2 rounds.
Boost: Small Area of Effect (Force/2 + 3); Medium Area of Effect (Force/2 + 5); Large Area of Effect (Force/2 + 7)

Commune with Spirits

Skill: Spirit Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 + 1
Duration: Instant
Range: Self
Description: The Thaumaturge stretches their senses into the Spirit World in an attempt to contact local shades.
The Force rating of the spell determines how many questions the Thaumaturgist can ask. Spirits will be able to
answer questions that pertain to their current location, including recollection of recent events. In addition, Spirits
will have knowledge of any magical or otherworldly events that might have otherwise eluded physical
investigation.

Spirits are notoriously puckish and will often give obtuse responses to the caster’s questions; some clever role-
playing and Negotiation skill may be required to get the most out of this spell.
Boost: None

Control Fire
Skill: Fire Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 + 2
Duration: Sustained
Range: Special
Description: The magic-user is able to suppress, intensify and re-direct fires in a radius equal to the Force Rating of
the spell, centered on the caster. While this spell is in effect, the caster and all friendly targets in range are treated
as if they have Fire Resistance (taking only half damage from fire). The caster is able to extinguish blazes of any
strength (but not Hellfire) or cause fires to accelerate, destroying structures more quickly.
Boost: None

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Create Undead†
Skill: Blood Magic
Drain Value: Force
Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Description: This blasphemous spell animates the corpse of a recently deceased creature. The Force Rating of the
spell determines what kind of undead creature the Necromancer can create. The Undead creature is compelled to
complete a number of Favors equal to the number of successes rolled by the Summoner. After the creation has
satisfied its term of service, it becomes a free-willed creature (and may choose to attack its creator).

Force Undead Type

1 Create Poltergeist (Non-Combatant Ghost)
2 Create Shambler (Non-Combatant Zombie)
3 Create Zombie
4 Create Ghoul
5 Create Ghost
6 Create Wraith

Boost: Line of Sight Range (Force + 2), Create Large-Sized Undead (Force + 3)

Curse†
Skill: Ritual Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 + 1
Duration: Special
Range: Special
Description: This ritual places a hex on a target that causes unlucky things (Glitches) to happen to them. To do this,
the Ritualist must fashion an effigy of the target (something like a voodoo doll) that incorporates a physical
ingredient taken from them (i.e. hair sample, blood, nail clippings, etc.) The Force Rating of the ritual determines
the number of Glitches that the Ritualist can cause. So long as the Ritualist holds the effigy, they can trigger a
Glitch at any time from any distance. A target can only be the victim of a single curse at a time. If the effigy is
destroyed, the Curse is immediately broken.
Boost: None

Cyclone
Skill: Air Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 + 5
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: This spell summons a localized micro-tornado that wreaks havoc over a Large Area of Effect for a
single combat round. The Force Rating of the spell determines the strength of the Cyclone. All targets within the
area of effect are thrown clear of the cyclone and are knocked Prone. Targets are thrown a number of squares
equal to the Force Rating of the cyclone, and suffer Force level damage from buffeting and impacts. This effect
cannot be dodged. Unlike most weather-effect spells, Cyclones can be generated indoors.
Boost: None

Desiccate†
Skill: Water Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 + 3
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: This spell pulls the water out of a target, inflicting horrid pain and hideous damage. Use of this spell is
considered illegal by the White Council since it is perhaps the most sinister form of torture magic there is. This
effect cannot be dodged and bypasses all Armor. Damage inflicted is based on the Force rating of the spell.

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Desiccate only affects living targets.

Boost: Small Area of Effect (Force/2 + 5); Medium Area of Effect (Force/2 + 7); Large Area of Effect (Force/2 + 9)

Detect Residual Energy

Skill: Spirit Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 - 1
Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Description: The magic-user is able to read the psychic impressions left on an object or location to learn details
about recent events. This might include information such as: who held an object, what was an object used for,
how many people met in a space, was violence committed recently, etc. This spell can also detect the presence of
invisible or ectoplasmic (ghostly) beings. The amount of Force used determines how powerful the reading will be:

Force Description
1 Discern what happened in the last few minutes
2 Discern what happened within the last 24 hours
3 Identify events that occurred within the last week
4 Identify what happened within the last year
5 Identify events that occurred within the last decade
6+ Detect ancient events

Boost: Take Readings off of a Living Person (Force/2 + 1)

Dispel Magic
Skill: Water Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: This negates the effect of another spell. The Force Rating of Dispel Magic must equal the Force Rating
of the spell being negated. Dispel Magic cannot be cast proactively to negate an instant spell effect, it only affects
existing, persistent effects. This spell can only target magical effects, not magical items or other spell casters.
Boost: Small Area of Effect (Force/2 + 5); Medium Area of Effect (Force/2 + 7); Large Area of Effect (Force/2 + 9)

Earth Grab
Skill: Earth Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 + 1
Duration: Sustained
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Animates the earth at a target’s feet, causing them to become ensnared. The Force Rating of the spell
determines the strength of the ensnarement. The target is considered immobilized unless they roll a number of
successes on a Strength test equal to or greater than the spell’s Force Rating. Immobilized targets can still fight,
but they cannot move and suffer a -4 penalty to all Dodge rolls.
Boost: Small Area of Effect (Force/2 + 5); Medium Area of Effect (Force/2 + 7); Large Area of Effect (Force/2 + 9);
Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Earth Punch
Skill: Earth Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 - 2
Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Description: The spell caster pulls the raw power of Earth and channels it into their fist. The Force Rating of the
spell determines how many damage dice the caster can add to their next Unarmed Attack. This spell can be cast
simultaneously with an Unarmed Attack roll.

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Boost: Cone Area of Effect (Force/2 + 2)

Entrail Reading†
Skill: Blood Magic
Drain Value: Force/2
Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Description: For centuries, witches, druids and shamans used Entrail Reading as a way to communicate with the
Spirit World. The practice of Entrail Reading is strongly discouraged, outside of its basic forensic use, because of its
associations with human sacrifice. The amount of Force used determines how powerful the reading will be:

Force Description
1 Determine exact cause of death
2 Remotely view the killer’s present location
3 Identify the killer
4 Detect the killer’s motive
5 Understand the killer’s overall plan or strategem
6+ Receive a premonition of the killer’s next move
Boost: None

Eternal Slumber†
Skill: Ritual Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 + 2
Duration: Special
Range: Special
Description: The Curse of Eternal Slumber is a popular stand-by from those old Grimm fairy tales. The Ritualist
must have some physical sample of their intended target to cast this spell (i.e. lock of hair, blood sample, etc.)
Once cast, the target must attempt to resist the curse by making a Willpower + Mental Toughness check that
equals or exceeds the Force Rating of the spell. If they fail to do so, they immediately sustain 6 Mental Wounds
and fall into a coma. This coma is medically treated in the usual way (see “Healing”). There is no range limitation
for this spell.
Boost: None

Fecundity
Skill: Life Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 3
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: This spell causes rampant plant growth over a Large Area of Effect. Rich mosses, thick vines and
colorful wild flowers suddenly sprout from the floor, walls and ceiling as if they had months to grow. Any
corporeal undead caught in the area of effect (i.e. Zombies and Ghouls) are immediately destroyed as their bodies
are rapidly composted to feed the plants.
Boost: None

Fire Blast
Skill: Fire Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 1
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Launches a jet of flame at the target that inflicts Force level damage. This effect can be Dodged like
other ranged attacks; the target can make an opposed Acrobatics + Agility roll against the caster’s Fire Magic +
Willpower roll to evade. Of course this also means the caster can gain additional damage dice if their attack is
successful.

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Boost: None

Fire Shield
Skill: Fire Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 + 2
Duration: Sustained
Range: Self
Description: The caster is surrounded by a ring of dancing flames that follows their movements. Anyone standing
adjacent to the caster (friend or foe) will suffer damage dice equal to the Force Rating of the spell.
Boost: Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Force Blast
Skill: Force Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2 + 1
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Zaps a target with a bolt of pure energy. Can be colored and styled anyway the caster wishes. This
effect can be Dodged like other ranged attacks; the target can make an opposed Acrobatics + Agility roll against
the caster’s Force Magic + Willpower roll to evade. Of course this also means the caster can gain additional
damage dice if their attack is successful.
Boost: None

Geas†
Skill: Ritual Magic
Drain Value: Force
Duration: Special
Range: Special
Description: A Geas is a more powerful version of the Charm spell. The Ritualist must have some physical sample
of their intended target to cast this spell (i.e. lock of hair, blood sample, etc.) The Force Rating of the spell
determines how strong the compulsion is. The target can make a Willpower + Mental Toughness check to resist
the spell; if they roll enough successes to equal or exceed the Force value of the spell, they are unaffected. The
caster can plant any single suggestion they wish, except for self-destructive suggestions. Unlike Charm, a Geased
individual can be given long-term, complex instructions that remain in effect until a specific duty is discharged.
Simply put, this is a great way to create Sleeper Agents. This spell has an unlimited range. A character can only be
under the influence of a single Geas at a time. Inducing a coma will cancel a Geas.
Boost: None

Gust of Wind
Skill: Air Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 - 1
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Gale-force winds buffet a target and have a change of knocking the target Prone. If the target can roll
a number of successes on a Strength roll equal to or greater than the Force Rating of this spell, they resist the
effect. A Gust of Wind can also be used to perform simple tasks such as extinguishing torches and closing doors.
Boost: None

Hex
Skill: Force Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 1
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Generates a field of energy that short-circuits and disrupts any electronic objects in the area of effect.

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Boost: Small Area of Effect (Force/2 + 3); Medium Area of Effect (Force/2 + 5); Large Area of Effect (Force/2 + 7)

Ice Armor
Skill: Winter Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 3
Duration: Sustained
Range: Self
Description: Encases the caster’s body in thick plates of ice that grant Force / 2 level Armor protection. In addition,
the caster’s hands become sheathed in gauntlets of sharp ice that impart 1+STR damage in unarmed combat.
While this effect is sustained, the caster is immune to Cold damage.
Boost: Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Illusion
Skill: Illusion Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 2
Duration: Sustained
Range: Line of Sight
Description: The illusionist is able to induce very convincing, full-sensory hallucinations. The Force Rating of the
spell determines how convincing the illusion is. Anyone interacting with the illusion or attempting to disbelieve it
must roll a number of successes equal to or greater than the Force of the illusion with an Intellect + Detection roll.
The illusion can take virtually any form that the caster wishes and affects all sentient targets within line of sight. If
the illusion is used to “attack” a target, use the illusion’s Force Rating for combat and damage rolls. Any “wounds”
caused by an illusion cause the target to be Stunned. The target gets to make a disbelieve check every time they
are attacked.
Boost: Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Inner Flame
Skill: Fire Magic
Drain Value: Force/2
Duration: Sustained
Range: Self
Description: The caster’s metabolic rate and central-nervous system are enhanced by a magical surge of energy,
increasing the caster’s Initiative value. The Force Rating of this spell determines the number of free successes that
are added to the caster’s Initiative rolls.
Boost: Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Kinetic Absorption
Skill: Force Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 2
Duration: Special (Until Discharged)
Range: Self
Description: While under the influence of this spell, the caster absorbs a portion of all physical damage they
receive and stores it as potential energy which they can use to augment their Melee Attacks. For every Wound the
caster sustains from a physical attack (i.e. punch, kick, bite, gun shot, car crash, force blast, etc.) they store 1 die of
damage that is preserved until they make their next Melee Attack. The moment the caster makes a successful
Melee Attack, the spell discharges all of the energy it has stored and ends immediately.
Boost: Add stored damage to Force Blast (Force / 2 + 4)

Levitate
Skill: Air Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 1
Duration: Sustained
Range: Line of Sight

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Description: The magic-user can lift 200 lbs. for every point of Force they channel.
Boost: Multiple targets (Force/2 + 1 per target); Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Lifegift
Skill: Blood Magic
Drain Value: Force/2
Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Description: The caster magically transfers some of their vital essence into the target, healing their wounds. The
Force Rating of the spell determines how many wounds can be healed, but the caster must take 1 Wound for every
one they heal. The caster decides the hit location for this damage and can spread it across multiple locations.
Boost: Increase range to Line of Sight (Force / 2 + 3)

Lifetap†
Skill: Blood Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 - 2
Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Description: The opposite of Lifegift, Lifetap steals vitality from a target to heal the caster’s wounds. The Force
Rating of the spell determines how many wounds can be healed. This effect cannot be dodged or mitigated. The
target decides the hit location for this damage and can spread it across multiple locations.
Boost: Increase range to Line of Sight (Force / 2 + 3)

Location Ward
Skill: Ritual Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 1
Duration: Special
Range: Special
Description: Location Ward magically sanctifies and protects an area from supernatural intrusion. Typically this
location is a personal space, such as a house or apartment, but it can be any place that has definitive boundaries
(for example: an island, a fenced property or a city block). The Force Rating of the spell determines how large the
warded area can be.

Force Example
1 Studio Apartment
2 An entire floor in an Office Building
3 A House
4 A City Block
5 A Fenced Park, Cemetery or Estate
6+ A Small Island

Most supernatural beasts (i.e. outsiders, demons, undead, etc.) cannot enter a warded space without being invited
in first. Those that force entry automatically suffer a number of Wounds equal to the Force value of the spell. The
intruder can decide which hit locations are wounded. In addition, no harmful Rituals can be cast against targets
that are in a warded location. The ward is permanent until the wizard attempts to ward a different location.
Boost: None

Mage Light
Skill: Fire Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 – 1
Duration: Sustained
Range: Personal

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Description: Among the simplest of spells, this is often taught to apprentices as an introductory exercise in
evocation. The light produced by this spell is dependent upon the Force Rating of the spell. Mage Light does not
burn and cannot ignite combustibles. Creatures that have an allergy to Sunlight will have a mild reaction to Mage
Light of Force 5 or greater

Force Intensity
1 Candle
2 Torch
3 Lantern
4 Searchlight
5 Daylight
6+ Magnesium flare; all people in line of sight are
temporarily blinded

Boost: Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Mage Sight
Skill: Spirit Magic
Drain Value: Force/2
Duration: Sustained
Range: Line of Sight
Description: “The Sight” is a basic spell that most magic-users know how to cast which enables them to see an
augmented version of reality overlaid with visible lines and tides of magical energy. The Force Rating of the spell
determines the sort of magical phenomena that the caster can detect.

Force Description
1 Detect magic gear and active enchantments
2 Detect magical or supernatural beings
3 Identify all magic spells cast within the last day
4 See through Illusions
5 Determine the origin of extra-planar or supernatural
beings
6+ Determine how much magical power a being has and
what kind of magic they know

Using the Sight to view another magic-user initiates a deep spontaneous bonding known as a Soulgaze. A Soulgaze
can reveal intense memories from a person’s past, their innermost doubts and the true nature of their character.
Mages are suitably reluctant to let anyone else gaze them and it is considered supremely rude to do so without
permission.
Boost: Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Magnetism
Skill: Earth Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 1
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: This spell creates a magnetic field that draws metallic objects together forcefully. The strength of the
magnetic field is determined by the Force Rating of the spell.

Force Affects Range

1 Small Change, Tin Cans, Nails 3 squares
2 Guns, Knives and Swords 6 squares

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3 Trash Cans, Benches, Chairs 9 squares

4 Pipes, Conduit, Chain Link Fencing 12 squares
5 Manhole Covers, Sheet Metal, Scaffolding 15 squares
6 Cars, Dumpsters 18 squares

If this spell is targeted on a person, that person will be crushed by the incoming objects unless they can
successfully Dodge them. Items that are securely locked, fastened or bolted down are unaffected. Items that are
worn or held can be retained if the affected person makes a Strength check that meets or exceeds the Force Rating
of the spell.
Boost: None

Mind Reading†
Skill: Illusion Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 1
Duration: Sustained
Range: Touch
Description: The caster is able to psychically pick up the surface thoughts of another sentient being. The Force
Rating of the spell determines how many pieces of information that the magic-user can steal from the target.
These facts are left up to the Game Master’s discretion, but the mind reader should be able to uncover sensitive
information such as guilty secrets, passwords, hidden motives and
Boost: Increase range to Line of Sight (Force / 2 + 3)

Mind Wipe†
Skill: Illusion Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 2
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Mind Wipe clouds the mind of a sentient target, causing them to completely forget or simply mis-
remember important events in their past. The Force Rating of the spell determines how much memory can be
erased.

Force Effect
1 Forget something that occurred yesterday
2 Forget something from several hours ago
3 Forget something that occurred in the last 1-2 hours
4 Forget something that just happened
5 Forget everything that’s going to happen in the next
1-2 minutes
6+ Forget everything that’s going to happen for the next
15 minutes

Mind Wipe can be used to perform magical healing on some kinds of Mental Injuries (see “Healing” for more
details).
Boost: Implant false memory (Force / 2 + 4); Multiple Targets (+2 per target)

Open Rift
Skill: Force Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 2
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: This spell forces open a gateway to the Nevernever. The rift stays open for a number of rounds equal
to the Force rating of the spell. Entering the Nevernever through a rift is very risky – the traveler always ends up in

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a random location (refer to “Appendix B”). Generally speaking, traveling by a Way is a better idea, but when you
need to make an emergency getaway sometimes a rift will have to do.
Boost: None

Petrify†
Skill: Earth Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 2
Duration: Special
Range: Line of Sight
Description: This spell turns a target to stone. Petrified targets remain alive but are placed in a sort of hibernation
state. The effect is permanent until a Dispel Magic spell of equal strength is cast. The effect can be resisted by the
target if they roll a number of successes greater than or equal to the Force rating of the spell using their Body +
Physical Tolerance ratings.
Boost: None

Psychic Blast
Skill: Illusion Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 3
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Generates a blast of psychic feedback that inflicts Mental Wounds on a sentient target. This effect
cannot be dodged or mitigated by armor. Damage inflicted is based on the Force rating of the spell.
Boost: Small Area of Effect (Force/2 + 5); Medium Area of Effect (Force/2 + 7); Large Area of Effect (Force/2 + 9)

Regeneration
Skill: Life Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 2
Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Description: This spell greatly accelerates the natural healing process. The Force rating of the spell determines
how many rounds it remains in effect. Each round the target can make a Natural Healing roll (see “Healing”) as if
they had a full week of bed rest. Lost limbs and disfiguring Wounds can also be treated by this spell.
Boost: None

Rejuvenation
Skill: Water Magic
Drain Value: Force/2
Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Description: This is your basic healing spell. The Force Rating determines how many Wound points can be healed.
See “Healing” for more details.
Boost: Increase range to Line of Sight (Force / 2 + 2)

Scry
Skill: Water Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 - 1
Duration: Sustained
Range: Special
Description: Using any reflective surface (such as a mirror or pool of still water), the magic-user is able to remotely
view subjects over long distances. The scryer may continue to view their subject as long as they maintain
concentration. The range of this power is a number of miles equal to the Force rating of the spell. Targets that are
Veiled or located in Warded areas are immune to scrying. Anyone attempting to scry a target that they are

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unfamiliar with will suffer penalties to their Skill roll. These penalties can be mitigated by using a Focus, a physical
object that belongs to the target, as a spell component.
Boost: None

Shapechange
Skill: Ritual Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 2
Duration: Special
Range: Self
Description: This complex ritual enables the Ritualist to change into another physical form for a number of hours
equal to the Force Rating of the spell. Virtually any form is permitted, including larger than man-sized forms and
exact replicas of other people (if the proper Boosts are applied). The Ritualist gains the locomotive powers of the
form they adopt (i.e. Flight if they turn into a bird, etc.) as well as their natural weapons (claws, bite, etc.) While in
an alternate form, the Ritualist can rearrange their Attributes any way they would like but cannot exceed their
highest natural attribute (so, for example, the Ritualist could shift their Rank 7 Intellect to Strength while in bear
form). The Ritualist can revert to their natural form earlier if they wish but this ends the spell. If the caster wishes
to hold their transformation for a later time, they can suspend activation of the sharechange for up to 24 hours but
suffer the same penalties as Sustaining a spell.
Boost: Large Size (Force / 2 + 4); Exact Copy (Force / 2 + 6)

Sheet of Ice
Skill: Winter Magic
Drain Value: Force/2
Duration: Sustained
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Covers a Large Area of Effect with a sheet of super-slick ice. Anyone traversing the ice must make an
Agility attribute test against the Force rating of the spell or fall Prone. The ice remains as long as the caster
concentrates but is swiftly melted by fire.
Boost: None

Spell Deflection
Skill: Water Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 2
Duration: Instant; Special
Range: Self
Description: This spell is unique in that it can be cast as an instantaneous reaction to any spell cast on the target.
So long as the Force Rating of this spell equals the Force Rating of the incoming spell, it is deflected back on the
attacking caster who suffers the full effects of their spell. A spell cannot be deflected more than once. Spell
Deflection does not work on Area of Effect spells that target a space, it only works on spells directly targeted at the
magic-user. Casters who are caught by surprise, Stunned, Prone, Dizzy, Confused or Panicked do not have the
presence of mind to cast Spell Deflection
Boost: None

Spirit Walk
Skill: Spirit Magic
Drain Value: Force / 2
Duration: Special
Range: Self
Description: By inducing a deep meditative state, the Theurgist is able to project their spirit form outside of their
physical body. While in this state, the caster is incorporeal and is able to pass through solid objects. The effect
lasts for a number of hours equal to the Force Rating of the spell. While Spirit Walking, the caster’s physical body
is defenseless so care should be taken to cast this spell from a safe location. In spirit form the caster move, speak
and observe but can’t directly affect anything in the physical world. Unlike a ghost, the spirit form always

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manifests as a glowing image of the caster. If the spirit form is damaged by magic in any way or Banished, it
instantly returns to the caster’s body and the spell ends.
Boost: None

Stabilize
Skill: Blood Magic, Life Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 2
Duration: Instant
Range: Self
Description: This spell will medically stabilize an injured target so that they won’t bleed out or go into shock. The
Force Rating determines the Area of Effect for this power. Each point of Force increases the radius by 1 (centered
on the caster).
Boost: None

Stun Blast
Skill: Force Magic
Drain Value: Force/2
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: The magic-user channels a burst of concussive force that disorients and staggers a target. Inflicts Non-
Lethal Damage equal to the Force rating of the spell. This effect can be Dodged like other ranged attacks; the
target can make an opposed Acrobatics + Agility roll against the caster’s Force Magic + Willpower roll to evade. Of
course this also means the caster can gain additional damage dice if their attack is successful.
Boost: None

Summertime
Skill: Life Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 3
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: This spell mitigates all negative weather-related effects within the caster’s Line of Sight. If the Force
Rating of this spell equals the Force Rating of any Cyclones, Fogs, Blizzards or Rain Storms in view, those effects are
negated. Within the Area of Effect of this spell, temperatures are warm and pleasant and visibility is clear. Even
nighttime darkness is diminished enough to permit partial vision. Summertime can only be cast outdoors.
Boost: None

Summon Fog
Skill: Air Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 1
Duration: Sustained
Range: Line of Sight
Description: The caster summons a very thick fog that provides light cover and point-blank visibility to all within
the Area of Effect. The Force Rating of the spell determines the radius of the effect.
Boost: Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Summon Summerfae
Skill: Life Magic
Drain Value: Force
Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Description: The magic-user is able to summon aid from a denizen of the Summer Court. The Force Rating of the
spell determines the power level of the creature that can be summoned. As with all Summoning spells, the
number of successes rolled in the Spellcasting check determines the number of Favors that the Summoner can

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demand of their servant. Summoned Summerfae can always be Banished or Bound even if their Monster
description doesn’t mention this.

Force Summerfae Type

1 Pixie
2 Gruff
3 Retainer of Summer (Common)
4 Changeling
5 Ogre
6 Retainer of Summer (Noble)
Boost: Line of Sight Range (Force + 2)

Summon Winterfae
Skill: Winter Magic
Drain Value: Force
Duration: Instant
Range: Touch
Description: The magic-user is able to summon aid from a denizen of the Winter Court. The Force Rating of the
spell determines the power level of the creature that can be summoned. As with all Summoning spells, the
number of successes rolled in the Spellcasting check determines the number of Favors that the Summoner can
demand of their servant. Summoned Winterfae can always be Banished or Bound even if their Monster
description doesn’t mention this.

Force Winterfae Type

1 Pixie
2 Ice Spider
3 Goblin
4 Malk
5 Fetch
6 Troll
Boost: Line of Sight Range (Force + 2)

Tracking
Skill: Blood Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 - 1
Duration: Sustained
Range: Special
Description: When a Blood Mage casts a Tracking spell, they lock on to the unique, subtle signatures of their
quarry to pursue them unerringly. The Force Rating of this spell determines how cold the trail can be (see below).
So long as the magic-user maintains this spell, they will continue to know what direction their quarry lies in. The
caster has a vague sense of how far away the target is, so they would know if conventional pursuit is fruitless.

Force Trail Strength

1 Caster had physical contact with quarry in the last several minutes
2 Caster has a physical token from the quarry (i.e. blood, fingernail clippings, hair, etc.)
3 Caster saw the quarry in the flesh earlier that same day
4 Caster is in a room that the quarry occupied earlier that same day
5 Caster is in a room that the quarry occupied earlier that same week
6 Caster is in a room that the quarry occupied earlier that same month
Boost: Multiple targets (Force/2 + 1 per target); Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

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Veil
Skill: Illusion Magic
Drain Value: Force/2
Duration: Sustained
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Clouds the senses of all observers in range, making them believe that the target is not there. Typically
only works on living observers (but can be boosted to confound electric sensors as well).
Boost: Invisible to Electronic Detection (Force/2 + 2); Multiple targets (Force/2 + 1 per target); Sustain w/o
Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Viridian Blast
Skill: Life Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 1
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Viridian Blast channels the vitalic energy of Summer to generate a bolt of green and gold energy.
Wherever a Viridian Blast strikes, it leaves vegetation behind: spring wildflowers, fresh grasses, curling ivy, etc.
Any Undead-type creature struck by a Viridian Blast suffers an additional 2 dice of damage. This effect can be
Dodged like other ranged attacks; the target can make an opposed Acrobatics + Agility roll against the caster’s Life
Magic + Willpower roll to evade. Of course this also means the caster can gain additional damage dice if their
attack is successful.
Boost: Small Area of Effect (Force/2 + 4); Medium Area of Effect (Force/2 + 6); Large Area of Effect (Force/2 + 8)

Wall of Fire
Skill: Fire Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 1
Duration: Sustained
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Summons a curtain of flame that occupies four contiguous squares. Anyone attempting to pass
through the flame suffers Force Rating fire damage. The Wall of Fire cannot be dodged if it is cast directly on top
of targets.
Boost: Double-Size (Force/2 + 3); Sustain w/o Concentration (Force/2 + 1 per round)

Wall of Ice
Skill: Winter Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 3
Duration: Special
Range: Line of Sight
Description: The magic-user is able to create a wall of ice occupying up to 4 board squares. The squares must be
contiguous. If the wall is cast directly on top of targets, they are pushed into a neighboring open square of their
choosing. The wall has a Body rating equal to its Force and can sustain 6 Wounds before collapsing. Fire inflicts
double damage on a Wall of Ice.
Boost: Double-Size Wall (Force/2 + 5)

Ward
Skill: Force Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 3
Duration: Sustained until Discharged
Range: Self
Description: The magic-user focuses their will to form a semi-circular barrier of energy in the direction that they
are facing. Once the Ward has absorbed its Force Rating in Wound points, it dissipates.
Boost: Small Area of Effect (Force/2 + 5); 360⁰ protection (Force/2 + 4)

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Winter Blast
Skill: Winter Magic
Drain Value: Force/2 + 1
Duration: Instant
Range: Line of Sight
Description: Assaults a target with a freezing torrent of arctic air and ice shards. Targets injured by this spell suffer
a -1 penalty to their next Initiative roll for each Wound inflicted. This effect can be Dodged like other ranged
attacks; the target can make an opposed Acrobatics + Agility roll against the caster’s Winter Magic + Willpower roll
to evade. Of course this also means the caster can gain additional damage dice if their attack is successful.
Boost: None

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Appendix D: Monsters
There are many kinds of monsters you can run into in The Dresden Files. These represent only a sample.

Monsters marked with a Skull ( ) are considered Villain type monsters. These monsters can Soak
Damage like Player Characters do (using their Body rating to reduce incoming damage). Regular
monsters and henchmen do not have this ability.

Air Elemental
Summoned beings of pure wind and air. Weak Air Elementals are commonly employed as servants, an
extra set of hands that wizards use to fetch items, stir cauldrons and hold up texts for easy reading.

The attributes and skills of an Air Elemental are based on the Force rating of the summoning spell used
to call them.
STR: Force AGI: Force BDY: Force INT: Force WIL: Force CHA: Force
Skills: Unarmed Combat (Force/2)
Powers: Fly (10); Invisible
Weaknesses: Summoned (can be banished)

Changelings
Changelings are half-human, half-fae beings that are able to shapeshift once they reach a mature age.
Most Changelings end up living amongst the Fae but a few have chosen to embrace their human
parentage in an attempt to live a quieter, more mundane life.

Changelings can adopt any human-sized form and can even make themselves appear as an identical
copy of any person that they have studied closely. Changelings can also make themselves appear larger
or smaller than human sized by manipulating the density of their form. When shifting, a Changeling can
rearrange their Attributes any way they would like, so long as they maintain at least 1 point in every
Attribute. This allows a Changeling to become extremely specialized (and powerful) if they’re willing to
mortgage their other ability scores. Changing form is a Combat Action.
STR: 3 AGI: 3 BDY: 3 INT: 3 WIL: 3 CHA: 3
Skills: Unarmed Combat (3); Acrobatics (3)
Powers: Shapeshift
Weaknesses: Allergy (Iron, Mild)

Cultists
Cultists are zealous humans who have given themselves over body and mind to some supernatural
power. In pretty much every respect these are average folks but they will go to suicidal lengths to
please their Dark Masters.

Deserving special mention are Vampire Thralls, a type of Cultist that is uniquely associated with
Vampires. Also known as “Familiars” or “Renfields”, Vampire Thralls are the human slaves of Vampire
Masters. Though they have not yet undergone “the change”, Thralls are routinely fed upon by their
sires and are utterly devoted to them.
STR: 3 AGI: 3 BDY: 3 INT: 3 WIL: 3 CHA: 3
Skills: Melee Combat (3); Acrobatics (3)
Powers: Dagger (1+STR Damage); Fearless
Weaknesses: None

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Darkhounds
This special breed of black mastiff was originally created by the Black Court to hunt human prey but
Darkhounds have since become popular guard animals for a variety of nefarious organizations. At the
start of battle, Darkhounds will let loose with an eerie dirge-like howl that can demoralize and slow
down their prey.
STR: 4 AGI: 4 BDY: 4 INT: 2 WIL: 2 CHA: 2
Skills: Unarmed Combat (3); Stealth (4); Detection (10); Acrobatics (2)
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Smell); Bite (1+STR Damage); Paralyzing Howl (Charisma+3 <> Willpower +
Mental Tolerance; hits reduce initiative), Movement (8)
Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Mild)

Denarian
Denarians are humans who have surrendered their bodies and souls to become vessels for a powerful
demonic entity. They are among the deadliest and most feared entities on Earth. The Denarians are, to
a greater or lesser extent, subject to Nicodemus Archleone, the oldest and most powerful of the Fallen
Angels. Nicodemus will usually recruit several other Denarians to implement his nefarious schemes, so
where you see one it is likely that others are nearby.

Most Denarians do not attempt to resist the Fallen Angel possessing them, but if they do, they must
succeed an opposed trait test against the possession rating of their demonic parasite (Willpower <>
Willpower).

All Denarians are expert Pyromancers and many are skilled in other forms of magic as well. They can
boost the damage of their spells by using Hellfire.

Though Denarians generally travel in human form, in battle they reveal their true demonic selves. Skin
hardens into chitinous plates, horns and claws sprout from their flesh and their features take on a
bestial or malefic appearance.

The Knights of the Cross are the eternal adversaries of the Denarians. Any Denarians that are carelessly
causing havoc will attract the attention of the Knights in short order.

When a Denarian is killed, their coin is released and will attempt to possess the next person who
touches it. There is no way to permanently destroy the Fallen Angels.
STR: 8 AGI: 6 BDY: 8 INT: 7 WIL: 3 CHA: 7
Skills: Unarmed Combat (5); Melee Combat (5); Pistols (5); Rifles (5); Heavy Weapons (5); Stealth (5);
Detection (5); Fire Magic (7); Acrobatics (5)
Powers: Hellfire; Armor +1; Claws (1 + STR)
Weaknesses: Allergy (Soulfire, Severe); Possession (Rating 12)

Fae Retainer
Your garden variety retainer of the Fae Courts is stylish, graceful and atomic-bomb strength gorgeous.
Retainers of the Summer Court are marked by animal-like traits such as horns, cat’s eyes and fur;
Retainers of Winter are more elf-like in appearance with severe, exaggerated features.

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The Fae have a couple of key weaknesses. For one thing, they cannot abide the touch of iron and even
the smell of it causes them to become nauseous. In addition, the Fae are formal and traditional to a
fault. If you parlay with a Fae and manage to wrangle a promise from one of them, they are magically
obligated to follow through (though they may try to twist the result to their favor).

Unlike mortal Magic-Users, Fae wizards do not jinx electronic devices. Most Fae know at least a few
cantrips and have some training in one random magic school.

Fae only take half damage from Fire and Cold (rounded down)
STR: 3 AGI: 7 BDY: 5 INT: 4 WIL: 3 CHA: 8
Skills: Melee Weapon (3); Pistols (4); Negotiation (4); Magic Skill (4); Acrobatics (6)
Powers: Resist Fire; Resist Cold; Immune to Jinx; Sword (3+STR); Desert Eagle (7 Dice/AP: 1)
Weaknesses: Allergy (Iron, Severe); Oath Bound

Fae as Player Characters:

 Increase their Charisma rating by 4
 Increase their Agility rating by 4
 Immune to Jinx
 Half-damage from Fire and Cold
 Gain a Severe Allergy to Iron
 Gain the Oath Bound negative quality

Fetches (Phobophages)
A Fetch is an evil faerie that feeds on the emotion of fear. Queen Mab employs these sinister imps as
spies and assassins, but sometimes a Fetch will go rogue and wreak havoc in the mortal realm. They
have the ability to pass in and out of the Nevernever through any reflective surface (such as a mirror).

In their physical form, Fetches are quite small and weak, appearing as a crooked, dark-skinned imp with
glowing eyes, but a Fetch almost always moves about in an illusory disguise that gives them a much
more fearful presence.

When a Fetch inflicts Mental Wounds on a target, they heal 1 Wound per point of damage caused.

Fetches are masterful Illusionists. They have knowledge of all Illusion Magic spells and can cast them at
a very high level.
STR: 2 AGI: 4 BDY: 2 INT: 6 WIL: 4 CHA: 6
Skills: Illusion Magic (7); Acrobatics (4)
Powers: Consume Mental Wounds; Mirror Traveler
Weaknesses: Allergy (Iron, Severe)

Fomorian
The Fomor are an ancient race of water-dwelling beings that worship the Outsiders as Gods. They used
to live in the Nevernever in vast underwater cities and came into frequent contact with the Fae of both
the Summer and Winter Courts. Over the centuries, a certain amount of inter-breeding took place so
that the Fomor came to appear more humanoid than fish-like. Eventually, the Fomor tried to conquer
the Nevernever and when they lost this war they were forcibly expelled to the mortal realm where they
took up residence in the deep oceans of Earth.

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Fomorians practice a strange form of magic unique to their kind called Protean Magic. For purposes of
game play, treat Protean Magic just like Water Magic. Protean Magic does, however, give the Fomor
the ability to create some unique kinds of magical gear which they use in battle. Assume that all Fomor
know how to cast all Water Magic spells.
STR: 4 AGI: 5 BDY: 7 INT: 4 WIL: 4 CHA: 2
Skills: Unarmed Combat (3); Rifles (3); Protean Magic (6); Physical Tolerance (3); Acrobatics (3)
Powers: Water Breathing; Sea Shell Grenade (8 Dice, Magic, Medium AoE, Spread Damage); Acid Sprayer
(Shotgun-Type, 5 Dice, Spread Damage, Degrades Armor)
Weaknesses: Allergy (Iron, Mild)

Ghouls
Ghouls are semi-intelligent undead beings that feed upon corpse-flesh to maintain their blasphemous
existence. Moving about on all-fours like some kind of flayed ape, Ghouls are supernaturally strong and
ferocious. They attack the living on sight and will fearlessly charge their targets.

Ghouls ignore any negative modifiers associated with physical Wounds but still suffer the obvious
effects of amputations, decapitations, etc.

When a Ghoul makes a kill, they will spend their next combat action feeding, ignoring all other
combatants.
STR: 6 AGI: 3 BDY: 7 INT: 4 WIL: 5 CHA: 1
Skills: Unarmed Combat (6); Stealth (3); Detection (4); Acrobatics (2)
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Smell); Claws (1+STR); Immunity (Poison; Disease; Wound
Penalties)
Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Mild); Addiction (Flesh, Major); Feeding Frenzy

Ghosts
These phantasms are the free-willed spirits of the departed. When a strong-minded person suffers a
traumatic death, they can sometimes interrupt the passage to the afterlife and remain caught in
between worlds as a being of energy and ectoplasm. Ghosts choose when they manifest so they can
either be completely invisible or appear as a glowing apparition. Any time a Ghost wants to produce a
manifestation, it makes a Willpower check. The number of successes rolled determines how many
rounds it can maintain a specific manifestation.

Being immune to all physical attacks, Ghosts can only be harmed by magic.

Ghosts do not heal in the conventional sense. Once per day, they can spend a Karma point to negate 1
Wound.

The touch of a Ghost imparts the chill of the grave. For every point of damage inflicted, the victim
suffers a -1 penalty to their next Initiative check. Characters soaking damage from a Ghost attack make
a Willpower check instead of a Body check and cannot use physical Armor.

Every time a Ghost “dies” is loses one rank of Willpower permanently. Once its Will is reduced to zero,
it fades away into the Ethereal Plane, never to be seen again.
STR: 3 AGI: 3 BDY: 3 INT: 6 WIL: 8 CHA: 6
Skills: Unarmed Combat (3); Stealth (6); Detection (6)

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Powers: Incorporeal; Ignore Wound Penalties; Chill Touch; Invisibility

Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Mild)

Ghosts as Player Characters:

 Incorporeal: immune to physical attacks and can move through solid objects
 Ignore Wound Penalties
 Invisibility (at will)
 Consume Karma to heal
 Gain Allergy (Sunlight, Mild) Negative Quality

Goblins
The bulk of the Winter Court’s army is staffed with Goblin foot soldiers. These sinister looking
humanoids are vicious and bloodthirsty in battle. There’s nothing they enjoy more than the hunt and
the kill.

Goblins have green or blue skin, red eyes and bat-like ears. They come in a range of shapes and sizes
but all are armed and armored in a medieval fashion. Because they share the same aversion to iron that
all Fae do, Goblin weaponry is usually made out of exotic substances like icesteel, greenstone and
drakebone.

STR: 4 AGI: 3 BDY: 4 INT: 2 WIL: 3 CHA: 2

Skills: Melee Combat (4); Physical Tolerance (4); Acrobatics (3)
Powers: Axe (2+STR/AP:1); Chain Mail (Armor +2)
Weaknesses: Allergy (Iron, Severe)

Gruffs
Hailing from the sun-lit pastures of Tylwyth Teg, the Knights of King Gwynn Ap Nudd are counted among
the stoutest warriors of Summer. Gruffs are basically “goat-men”: they walk upright on hooved feet; are
covered with short, bristly hair; and have long, curling horns and wispy beards. Under normal
circumstances, Gruffs are courtly and polite, but if they are insulted or treated dishonorably, they can be
implacable foes.

When a Gruff is defeated in battle, they have a special version of a Death Curse that allows them to
summon their more powerful brothers to aid them. When the Gruff utters this summons, a slightly
tougher Gruff will arrive to punish his brother’s slayer in 1d6 hours. If this happens enough times, the
slayer will eventually be confronted by Elder Gruff, the most powerful of King Gwynn Ap Nudd’s vassals.

The stats below reflect a “Stage 1” Gruff. Each time a Gruff summons its brothers, all Attributes and
Skills increase by 1 rank.
STR: 4 AGI: 3 BDY: 4 INT: 3 WIL: 4 CHA: 3
Skills: Unarmed Combat (3); Melee Combat (3); Acrobatics (3)
Powers: Movement (8); Summon Brothers
Weaknesses: Allergy (Iron, Severe)

Half-Vampires
A Half-Vampire is a human who has been infected by the vampiric necro-virus but has not been killed by
it yet. Once the virus is fed, it becomes strong enough to finish its work, turning the host into a full-
fledged Vampire. Any time a Half-Vampire is injured, they will feel a compulsion to feed. Many Half-

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Vampires resort to the use of drugs, meditation and binding magic to try and keep their infection under
control.

Half-Vampires automatically gain 3 successes on every Initiative roll.

The statistics below represent a weak Half-Vampire.

STR: 4 AGI: 5 BDY: 4 INT: 3 WIL: 5 CHA: 4
Skills: Pistols (5); Melee Combat (5); Acrobatics (4)
Powers: Movement (8); Initiative +3; 9mm Pistol (6 Damage); Knife (1+STR)
Weaknesses: Possessed (Rating 4)

Half-Vampires as Player Characters:

 Automatically add 3 Successes to every Initiative roll
 Increase their Movement Rate to 8
 Increase their Strength rating by 1
 Increase their Body rating by 1
 Gain Possessed Negative Quality (Rating 4)

Ice Spiders
These dangerous, dog-sized insects lurk in the Forests of Winter where they attempt to ensnare
unwitting travelers in the Nevernever.

The bite of an Ice Spider is venomous. Each time a character takes damage from a spider bite, they
suffer 1 point of temporary Body loss. This effect accumulates with successive bites. If a character’s
Body is reduced to zero, they die instantly. The application of First Aid and/or Medicine can reduce
poison-related ability damage on a one point per success basis.
STR: 3 AGI: 6 BDY: 3 INT: 2 WIL: 2 CHA: 1
Skills: Unarmed Combat (3); Stealth (6), Acrobatics (6)
Powers: Poisonous Bite (1+STR+Poison); Movement (8); Flawless Climber
Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Mild), Addiction (Flesh)

Malks
These Fae servants of Winter take the form of a large bobcat or lynx, ranging between 60 and 70
pounds. They are sapient and intelligent, serving Mab as spies and messengers.

Malks are extremely fast. They gain 6 free successes on every Initiative roll, guaranteeing that they will
get a second action in every combat round.

All Malks know a little bit of magic. Randomly determine which School they specialize in.
STR: 4 AGI: 8 BDY: 4 INT: 6 WIL: 5 CHA: 3
Skills: Unarmed Combat (4); Stealth (8); Detection (6); Magic Skill (6); Acrobatics (8)
Powers: Claws and Bite (1+STR); Initiative +6; Movement (10)
Weaknesses: Allergy (Iron, Severe); Allergy (Fire, Mild)

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Naagloshi
These ancient beings are among the most powerful creatures on Earth. Also known as Skinwalkers, the
Naagloshi have existed since the dawn of time and were worshipped as gods by the tribes of the
American Southwest. They have the ability to take many forms but in their natural state they appear as
heavily muscled, misshapen animals. Naagloshi are blessedly rare and seldom leave the Reservation
lands where they have been kept bound by ritual magic. About the only thing that can stop a Naagloshi
on a rampage is a powerful shaman or a nuclear weapon.

The Naagloshi’s greatest power is their ability to change forms, which they can do almost instantly as a
Combat Action. Generally speaking, a Naagloshi will change form for effect rather than a statistical
advantage. They will make use of different animal forms to gain various movement powers (flight,
swimming, etc.) but in battle they use their own attributes and statistics. A Naagloshi will often move
about in human form so that they can blend in more easily.

Naagloshi have an innate ability to detect magical energies. This is the equivalent of having Mage Sight
cast at all times with no concentration penalty. They know how to cast all magic spells.

A pervasive sense of “wrongness” follows a Naagloshi wherever they go. The first time a character
encounters a specific Naagloshi, they must make an opposed trait test (Willpower <> Willpower +
Mental Toughness). If the Naagloshi rolls more successes than the character, they sustain the difference
as Mental Wounds.

Skinwalkers are highly magic resistant. They are immune to all Illusion Magic and only take half damage
from damaging spells. They are still affected by Location Wards and can be banished under special
circumstances by a shaman who conducts a “Ghost Dance Ritual”. To do this, a shaman uses a
Shapechage ritual and changes into the animal forms that naturally oppose or negate the Naagloshi’s
chosen form. If the shaman chooses well, the Naagloshi becomes frustrated and retreats back to sacred
ground. The success or failure of this gambit is really up to the shaman’s creativity and the Game
Master’s discretion.

STR: 12 AGI: 12 BDY: 12 INT: 12 WIL: 12 CHA: 12

Skills: Unarmed Combat (6); Magic (6); Acrobatics (6)
Powers: Shapeshifting, Magic Resistance; Detect Magic; Psychic Malaise
Weaknesses: Addiction (Mage Flesh, Mild), Allergy (Ghost Dance Ritual, Severe)

Ogres
These muscular brutes are the thugs of the Fae Realms. As Wyldfae, they are not explicitly aligned with
either the Summer or Winter Court, but most Ogres find employment in Summer as bodyguards and
enforcers (Mab prefers her Troll soldiers).

Ogres only take half damage from Fire (rounded down).

STR: 8 AGI: 5 BDY: 8 INT: 1 WIL: 3 CHA: 1
Skills: Unarmed Combat (5); Melee Combat (5); Physical Tolerance (8)
Powers: Long Reach; Resist Fire
Weaknesses: Allergy (Iron, Severe)

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Outsider
These are major league bad guys. Outsiders come from the realms beyond the Nevernever and are the
servants of alien gods. Every Outsider has a different appearance, but all of them are horrible. Usually,
an Outsider manifests as a humanoid being fused with a chaotic assortment of animal parts: tentacles,
beaks, spider eyes, shark maws, talons, etc.

Outsiders are highly magic resistant. They are immune to all Illusion Magic and only take half damage
from damaging spells. They are still affected by Location Wards and can be Banished or Bound.

They can handle the deadly substance known as Mordite, a black stone that kills any living being
touching it.

Mere proximity to these otherworldly nightmares can induce severe mental trauma. The first time a
character encounters a specific Outsider, they must make an opposed trait test (Willpower <> Willpower
+ Mental Toughness). If the Outsider rolls more successes than the character, they sustain the
difference as Mental Wounds.

Outsiders cannot enter the mortal realm without being summoned. The statistics of an Outsider are
equal to those of a Rating 12 summoned creature.
STR: 12 AGI: 12 BDY: 12 INT: 12 WIL: 12 CHA: 12
Skills: Unarmed Combat (6); Physical Tolerance (6); Mental Tolerance (6); Acrobatics (6)
Powers: Magic Resistance; Psychic Malaise
Weaknesses: Summoned (can be Banished)

Pixies
These tiny Wyldfae only grow as tall as 2’ in height and have dragonfly-like wings. Mischievous and
playful, Pixies are often found pulling pranks on mortals. As with all Fae, Pixies can be bargained with
and they will honor any agreement to the letter in exchange for something of value (say, like, pizza).

Pixies have the ability to render themselves Invisible as a Combat Action. Maintaining Invisibility
requires concentration (-2 to all rolls while Invisibility is sustained).
STR: 1 AGI: 7 BDY: 1 INT: 3 WIL: 3 CHA: 4
Skills: Melee Combat (3); Acrobatics (8)
Powers: Flight (10); Invisibility
Weaknesses: Allergy (Iron, Severe)

Svartalves
These “black elves” are the best smiths and crafters in the Supernatural world. Hailing from their
kingdom in the Nevernever, the Svartalves value Beauty above all else and spend all of their waking time
in pursuit of it. Notoriously secretive and prickly about honor, the Svartalfir will not deal with just
anyone – proper introductions need to be made, rigid forms of courtesy must be observed and suitable
gifts need to be delivered prior to any promise of work being given. A Svartalf will accept anything that
is considered beautiful in exchange for work – this can be anything from money, to works of art, to
intercourse with an attractive person. Another form of currency that the Svartalves respect is Honor: if
you perform services for their benefit with no expectation of recompense, they will accept this as a form
of credit.

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Svartalves have a knack for fixing anything, including complex technological devices. All a Svartalf needs
to do is to study an object for a few hours and then they simply know what needs to be done.
STR: 5 AGI: 6 BDY: 4 INT: 6 WIL: 5 CHA: 6
Skills: Melee Combat (6); Archery (6), Armorer (6); Mechanic (6); Appraise (6); Acrobatics (6)
Powers: Svartalf Crossbow (7 Dice/AP: 1; Fast Reload); Svartalf Blade (3+STR/AP:1; One-Handed); Svartalf
Mail (Armor +3; No Movement Penalty)
Weaknesses: Addiction (Beauty, Mild)

Thugs
Your garden-variety, gun-toting thug.
STR: 4 AGI: 3 BDY: 4 INT: 2 WIL: 3 CHA: 2
Skills: Unarmed Combat (4); Pistols (3); Stealth (3); Detection (2); Physical Tolerance (4); Acrobatics (2)
Powers: 9mm Pistol (6 Damage)
Weaknesses: None

Trolls
Trolls are massive Winterfae that can grow as tall as 10’ in height. They have incredibly long arms which
give them the ability to strike targets more than 1 square away. Most Trolls have warty green or grey
skin, large crooked noses and jagged rotting teeth. Trolls heal 1 Wound in every hit location per combat
round. Wounds inflicted by Fire or Cold Iron cannot be regenerated in this fashion.

Queen Mab employs a special honor guard of Troll warriors who guard her sanctum at Arctis Tor.

STR: 9 AGI: 3 BDY: 9 INT: 2 WIL: 4 CHA: 2

Skills: Unarmed Combat (6); Physical Tolerance (6)
Powers: Regeneration; Long Reach
Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Mild); Allergy (Iron, Severe); Allergy (Fire, Mild)

Vampires
Vampires are powerful beings who have been infected with a kind of transmissible necro-virus that
essentially kills the host body and creates a shell that can be inhabited by a possessing spirit. There are
several different “species” of Vampires in existence; each is bound to a particular “Court” by ties of
lineage and magical compulsion. In the West, most Vampires are associated either to the White Court
or the Black Court.

White Court Vampires are related to succubi and incubi. They feed on strong emotions, particularly the
sensation of lust. Black Court Vampires are your more traditional blood-sucking variety. No matter
which Court a Vampire belongs to, they must feed regularly in order to continue their existence.

A Vampire feeds by first Glamering a target and then spending several rounds consuming their vital
essence. The number of successes that the Vampire rolls on their Glamer check (an opposed roll
between the Vampire’s Charisma+3 vs. the victim’s Charisma and Mental Tolerance) determines how
many rounds they can feed on their target. For each round spent feeding, the Vampire can heal 1
Wound and the victim temporarily reduces an Attribute by 1 point. Roll on the table below for each
point drained to determine which Attribute is affected. These points are recovered after a full day of
rest. If a victim is forced to reduce any Attribute to zero, they die. Once the feeding session is
completed, the victim must roll a dice pool equal to the total number of points they lost. If any
successes are rolled, the Victim has been infected by the vampiric virus and becomes a Half-Vampire.

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1 Strength
2 Agility
3 Body
4 Intelligence
5 Willpower
6 Charisma

A Vampire can only Glamer an adjacent target and cannot attempt to Glamer during combat. A single
victim can only be fed upon once per day.

Vampires can only heal by feeding. Medicine and Magical Healing do not work on them.

Vampires ignore any negative modifiers associated with physical Wounds but still suffer the obvious
effects of amputations, decapitations, etc.

The statistics below represent a baseline, newly turned Vampire. Older Vampires are much stronger
and more cunning.

STR: 5 AGI: 6 BDY: 5 INT: 4 WIL: 5 CHA: 6

Skills: Unarmed Combat (3); Stealth (3); Detection (3); Acrobatics (6)
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Smell, Darkvision); Bite (1+STR Damage); Immunity (Age, Poison,
Disease, Wound Penalties); Glamer (3+CHA <> Mental Tolerance + CHA); Movement (10); Initiative +6
Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Severe); Addiction (Blood/Emotions, Severe)

Vampires as Player Characters:

 Automatically add 6 Successes to every Initiative roll
 Increase their Movement Rate to 10
 Increase their Strength rating by 2
 Increase their Body rating by 2
 Ignore Wound Penalties, Aging, Poison & Disease
 Can feed to heal Wounds
 Gain a special Glamer attack
 Gain a Severe Allergy to Sunlight
 Gain a Severe Addiction to Blood or Emotions (depending upon their Court affiliation)

Werewolves
Nobody knows the true origins of Lycanthropy but it is generally believed to stem from a magical curse
bestowed by a Romani Gypsy upon a band of soldiers who assaulted her clan many generations ago.
The curse is communicable through genetic inheritance; its recipients become Shape Shifters that turn
into blood-thirsty, man-wolf hybrids on nights of the Full Moon. In reality, Werewolves have more
control over themselves than the stories would lead people to believe. While it is true that the Full
Moon does cause all Lycanthropes to shift involuntarily, they can also shift at any other time they wish.
Particularly strong-willed Werewolves can even curb their animal urges and use their fierce gifts in a
purposeful and intelligent way.

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Shifting forms takes 1d6 Combat Rounds. Werewolves gain a free Soak roll to heal Wounds every time
they shift (from human to wolf form and vice versa). A Werewolf can only shift into Wolf Form once per
day and can forcibly shift back into Human Form if they succeed an Opposed Willpower Test against
Possession (Rating 6). Alternatively, a Werewolf will revert back into Human Form after they have
managed to feed or if they are knocked unconscious.

The statistics below represent a generic Werewolf in Wolf Form.

STR: 5 AGI: 5 BDY: 7 INT: 3 WIL: 3 CHA: 3

Skills: Unarmed Combat (5); Stealth (5); Detection (5); Acrobatics (3)
Powers: Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Smell); Claws/Bite (1+STR Damage); Movement (8); Heal when
Shifting; Armor (+1)
Weaknesses: Allergy (Silver, Severe), Addiction (Flesh, Severe)

Werewolves as Player Characters (in Wolf Form):

 Increase Movement Rate to 8
 Increase Strength rating by 2
 Increase Body rating by 4
 Increase Agility rating by 2
 Increase Detection Skill by 2
 Gain +1 Armor
 Gain Claw and Bite attacks
 Heal Wounds when Shifting
 Gain the Possessed Negative Quality (Rating 6)
 Gain a Severe Allergy to Silver
 Gain a Severe Addiction to Flesh

Wraiths
Wraiths are malevolent spirits driven by a desire to harm the living. Being incorporeal, Wraiths can pass
through solid objects like walls and doors. The touch of a Wraith does not inflict physical damage, but
causes mental trauma instead. Characters soaking damage from a Wraith attack make a Willpower
check instead of a Body check and cannot use physical Armor. At the player’s option, Karma points can
be spent to soak Wraith damage on a 1 for 1 basis. Since Wraiths are immune to physical attack, the
only real way to harm one is by using magic.
STR: 3 AGI: 6 BDY: 3 INT: 5 WIL: 7 CHA: 5
Skills: Unarmed Combat (3); Stealth (6); Detection (5)
Powers: Immune to Physical Attacks; Incorporeal; Draining Touch; Ignore Wound Penalties
Weaknesses: Allergy (Sunlight, Severe)

Zombies
Zombies are shambling corpses animated by necromantic magic. A Zombie ignores any negative
modifiers associated with Wounds but still suffer the obvious effects of amputations, decapitations, etc.
STR: 5 AGI: 1 BDY: 7 INT: 1 WIL: 7 CHA: 1
Skills: Unarmed Combat (1); Detection (1)
Powers: Ignore Wound Penalties; Immune to Mind-Affecting Magic, Poison and Disease
Weaknesses: Movement (4); -2 to Initiative

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Appendix E: Character Sheet

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Appendix F: Commonly Used Tables

Combat Modifiers Modifier
Aim: If a character spends an entire Combat Action aiming, they gain a bonus on their next attack. +2 Dice to Attack
Off Hand: Character attempts to attack using their non-dominant hand. Negated if the character has the -2 Dice to Attack
Ambidextrous Quality.
Soft Cover: Characters that are crouched or behind screening cover, such as foliage, are considered to be in Soft +2 to Dodge
Cover.
Hard Cover: Characters that are tucked behind a wall or some other solid obstacle are considered to be in Hard +4 to Dodge
Cover.
Obscured Vision: Trying to see through low-light or excessively foggy conditions -2 Dice to Attack
Pitch Darkness: Normal humans are unable to see in Pitch Darkness -6 Dice to Attack
Medium Range -1 Dice to Attack
Long Range -2 Dice to Attack
Extreme Range -3 Dice to Attack
Sprinting: Any character that makes a double move action is considered to be Sprinting and is a bit harder than +2 Dice to Dodge
normal to hit.
Prone: Trying to fight from a Prone position is tough. Use Acrobatics to get up quick. -4 Dice to Attack
-4 Dice to Dodge
Burst Firing: Used when firing a 3-round burst with an automatic weapon. You must make a separate Skill Test for -1 Dice to Attack
each shot.
Full Auto: When firing a Machine Gun wide open, the barrel jumps like water droplets in a pan of hot oil -2 Dice to Attack
Ganged Up: If more than one opponent has you engaged in melee combat, it is more difficult to Dodge their blows -1 Die to Dodge per
additional Attacker
Stunned: Stunned targets are barely responsive to stimuli. This makes them really bad at dodging stuff. -4 Dice to Dodge

Combat Action Skill Test

Firing a Pistol Pistols +Agility
Firing a Rifle Rifles + Agility
Shooting a Bow Archery + Agility
Swinging a Sword Melee Weapons + Strength
Punching a Guy Unarmed Combat + Strength
Casting a Spell Magic Skill + Willpower
Sprinting (using your Combat Action to make a Second Move Action) N/A

Die Roll Hit Location

1 Left Leg
2 Right Leg
3 Left Arm
4 Right Arm
5 Torso
6 Head

Skill Threshold Type of Task

(target # of successes)
1 A simple attribute test or use of a physical skill
2 Use of a professional or mental skill
3 A simple task performed under pressure
4 A complex task requiring concentration, finesse and technical ability
5 A complex task that requires finesse, performed under pressure
6 An extremely difficult task that requires a critical hit to succeed. An attempt to “Shoot the Moon”

Skill Roll Modifiers Modifier

Untrained: The character is attempting to use a Skill they are not trained in -2 Dice
Hostile Reaction: Attempting to influence someone who doesn’t like you -4 Dice
Improvisation: Performing a task using improvised, primitive or sub-standard tools -1/-2 Dice
Inclement Conditions: Attempting a task in bad weather or poor visibility conditions -2/-4 Dice
Obscure Topic: Researching a subject that is completely new, very esoteric or woefully under-documented -4/-6 Dice

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# of Wounds Head Wounds:

1 Rang your Bell: Stunned for 1 round
2 It’s a Bleeder: You receive a nasty scalp cut. There’s blood everywhere. Suffer a -1 to all rolls until you receive First
Aid. You are Stunned for 1 round.
3 Concussion: You’re seeing double and feel like throwing up. You are Stunned for 1d6 rounds.
4 KO’d: You’re knocked out cold. Better hope the bad guys don’t go for a Coup de Grace. If you receive First Aid, you
can be revived – otherwise you’re out until the fight ends.
5 Disfigured: You are knocked out and will require cosmetic surgery if you ever want to look like you again. Gain the
Creepy Negative Quality.
6+ Boom, Headshot!: You’ve come down with a nasty case of Cranial Leakage. You’re Dying.

# of Wounds Torso Wounds:

1 Flesh Wounds: You pick up a couple of scrapes but are otherwise fine.
2 Battered and Bruised: That’ll leave a mark, but you’ll pull through. Tomorrow morning won’t be pleasant.
3 Dropped: You are smacked down to the ground and lose your wind. Stunned for 1 round and Prone.
4 Broken Ribs: You hear the tell-tale crack of something breaking inside of you. You are Stunned for 1d6 rounds and
knocked Prone. Movement Rate is reduced by 2 (make a Physical Tolerance roll to override the effect).
5 Massive Internal Bleeding: You suffer internal organ damage and arterial bleeding. You are knocked unconscious
and must receive First Aid in the next 1d6 rounds or you will start Dying.
6+ Sucking Chest Wound: You go down in a gory mess. You are Dying.

# of Wounds Arm Wounds:

1 Contusion: Your arm is bruised. Suffer a -1 to all rolls involving this arm.
2 Gashed: Suffer a -2 to all rolls involving this arm.
3 Torn Muscles: Suffer a -4 to all rolls involving this arm. Drop whatever you were holding unless you can pass a
Physical Tolerance check.
4 Dislocated Arm: You are unable to use this arm at all. Drop whatever you were holding unless you can pass a
Physical Tolerance check.
5 Broken Arm: You hear a tell-tale snap and are Stunned for 1d6 rounds. You are unable to use this arm and drop
whatever you were holding.
6+ Amputation: Your arm is shredded past the point of recognition. You permanently lose the use of this arm and
begin Dying.

# of Wounds Leg Wounds:

1 Contusion: Your leg is bruised. Movement Rate is reduced by 1 (make a Physical Tolerance roll to override the
effect)
2 Gashed: Your leg is gashed and bloody. Movement Rate is reduced by 2 (make a Physical Tolerance roll to override
the effect). You are knocked Prone.
3 Blown Ligaments: It feels like some joints or ligaments are torn. Movement Rate is reduced by 4 (make a Physical
Tolerance roll to override the effect). You are knocked Prone.
4 Dislocated Leg: You feel something pop and suddenly your leg goes dead numb. Movement Rate is reduced by 6
(make a Physical Tolerance roll to override the effect). You are knocked Prone.
5 Broken Leg: Crack! A bone in your leg snaps. You are knocked Prone and are unable to move.
6+ Amputation: Your leg has been ground into hamburger meat and begins pulsing thick femoral blood all over the
ground. You permanently lose the use of this leg and begin Dying. You are knocked Prone.

# of Wounds Mental Wounds:

1 Dizzy: You feel like your head is packed full of wool. Suffer a -1 to all rolls.
2 Dazed: You are Stunned for 1d6 rounds, after which you suffer the effects of being Dizzy.
3 Confused: In addition to feeling the effects of Dizziness, you’re also having trouble recognizing friend from foe.
Whenever you make an attack roll 1 die; on a result of 1 you attack the closest friendly target to your intended
target.
4 Panic: All rational thought ceases. Your lizard brain takes over and all you can do is run as fast as you can away
from all perceived danger. You may only take Sprint actions in Combat until you are treated (make a Mental
Tolerance roll to override the effect). You also suffer the effects of Dizziness and Confusion.
5 Psychotic Break: You and reality are no longer on speaking terms.
6+ Coma: You have fallen into a Coma from which you may never awaken. Make a threshold 6 Willpower + Mental
Tolerance check once each week to see if you wake up. Characters that wake from a Coma have all their Mental
Wounds healed.

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