Terms

Acronym/Meta Tag

Definition

Ability Score

AB

Ability Scores, Statistical Ability Scores, or Abilities, represent your character’s raw attributes: Physical Fitness, Mental Acuity, Endurance, Perception, Spirit, and Empathy.

At character inception, the maximum possible numerical value is 20. At higher levels, your Ability Score Maximums can become Exceptional (Max 25,) Uncanny (Max 30,) Super (Max 35,) and Godly (Max 40).

Action

(1A, 1M, 1R, 1B, 1F)

The main thing you do on your turn, such as attacking, casting a spell with a casting time of one action, or using a special ability.

Action Die

AD

Roll this d20 to determine success or failure when your character attempts to do something. If successful, the amount by which you exceed the target number indicates impact or base damage.

Achievements

(Cheevos)

Actions that your character takes that advance their experience and character narrative. Achievements come in two basic types: Milestones (each earned once in a lifetime) and Feats (each can be collected many times).

Advantage

AV#

Sometimes a special ability, favorable conditions, or a specialized training alter the probability of success on a Skill (Ability) Check, Attack Roll, or Saving Throw. These modifiers are referred to as Advantage.

Advantage (AV#) When you have Advantage, you roll multiple Action Dice (D20s) and use the highest roll.

Notation: The number following “AV” indicates the number of dice rolled. For example, AV3 means “Roll 3d20 and keep the highest.” AV2 is usually just referred to as “Advantage” and means “Roll 2d20 and keep the highest.”

Default: If a rule grants “Advantages” without specifying a number, assume it is AV2 (Roll 2d20, keep the highest.) If multiple advantages or from disparate sources apply, the highest number applies (do not add them). Any number of advantages and disadvantages applying to the same roll simply cancel each other out to a 1d20 only.

Adventure

(n/a)

This is a mission or quest set in the Shattered World of Syseria with a clear goal and a path to said goal. When the goal is attained, the adventure is complete. The word ADVENTURE means taking risks. It’s a gamble. It’s unknown. It does not have all the sharp edges filed down. It is not just a guided tour. It is not sterile and homogenous. It’s not predictable. And it’s not safe!

Armor Class

AC

A numeric value assigned to a target expressing its general toughness or difficulty to hit with a basic, typically physical attack.

Aspect

(n/a)

One of 9 constituent magical energies the caster draws her or his power from, embodied in the form of Bloodstones.

Bloodstone

(n/a)

The physical embodiment of the magical constituent energies that comprise the universe.

Bonus Action

(1B)

A smaller, more limited action. Some spells, class features, or two-weapon fighting use a bonus action.

Buy-In

(n/a)

These are the Field Role Features and character abilities that you gain when you level up. They come from two main sources: Species, and Field Role Buy-Ins. Less often, your character may be granted access to other categories of Buy-Ins. Buy-Ins are generally permanent and irreversible, excepting the character’s transition to her or his subrole, which offers the option to retrain unnecessary Buy-Ins.

Campaign

(n/a)

This has traditionally always meant any series of adventures embarked upon and completed by (at least relatively) the same group of people. The term has been used more loosely and has come to be a synonym for a single adventure sometimes. In the context of Shattered World, a mention of a “Campaign” refers to a linked series of adventures.

Cloud, The

(n/a)

The collective group of particles, shards, and planetoids of the Shattered World and the oblong shape it encompasses in space.

Combat

(n/a)

The structured, turn-based sequence of rolling dice to determine the outcome of a violent conflict.

Competence Modifier

CM

Represents your character’s level-based growth in practiced, trained, and professionally developed capabilities. Add your Competence Modifier to any Action Die Roll when any one of the following are true: 1) The roll is governed by one of your Proficient Abilities. 2) The roll uses a Skill, Feature, or Buy-In ability in which you are trained. 3) You are an Aegis or Warrior making an attack roll.

If none of these conditions are true, do not add your Competence Modifier unless a specific rule says otherwise. If more than one of these conditions are true, you still only add your CM value once only.

Concentration

(n/a)

Concentration is the period during which an effect requires active mental focus. The exact meaning of Concentration depends on the tradition being used. Concentration is about the user’s attention/focus when activating or maintaining a Psionic, Magical, or Techno effect. There will be a notation that indicates Concentration is required on each effect. If concentration is broken, the effect immediately ends, or fails to activate.

Condition

[CONDITION]

Any temporary game state applied to a character or creature. Typically, most conditions carry negative effects. Examples include [POISONED], [DEAFENED], and [EXHAUSTED].

Damage

DMG

A numeric measurement of destructive Impact inflicted upon a creature, another character, or object as a result of being struck by a successful attack. Functionally identical to Impact, but generally only applies to a Combat context.

Dash

(n/a)

You can run instead of walk during your Movement action. Mobility confers additional benefits when dashing.

Difficulty Class

DC

A numeric measurement of how easy or hard it is to solve a problem. If the DC is low, the task is generally easier and you have a higher chance of success; the opposite is true for high DC’s.

Dice

d6, d8, etc.

Denoted by the letter “d” followed by the number of sides on that die. So, a “d6” is a six-sided die. The preceding number indicates how many to roll, e.g. 3d8 indicating that you should roll three 8 sided dice and add the totals together.

A notation of “rx” indicates to reroll any result of x. For instance, Statistical Ability Scores are generated by rolling 5d4r1, meaning roll 5d4 and reroll any result of 1. If the new roll comes up 1, keep rerolling until you get something else.

Most VTT’s and similar online services with dice rollers can be prompted with “/r 1d6” or “roll 1d6” to roll the indicated dice.

Dice, Percentile

d%

Percentile Dice (d% or d100) use two 10 sided dice (d10s) to generate a number from 1 to 100; one die shows the tens digit (00-90) and the other the ones digit (0-9), with 00 and 0 typically equalling 100, while other rolls like 90+0 give you 90, and 00+1 gives you 1, allowing for results from 1-100. Most percentile dice manufactured in the last 20-30 years come in pairs, one of which is a tens digit. You can do this with any two d10s, though, provided they are colored differently, by declaring one color as the tens digit or “high” and rolling both.

The “100” exception: A roll of 00 (tens) and 0 (ones) is read as 100, not 0.

These are not common rolls but come up from time to time. They will either be compared against a table of possible results, or, there will be a percentage chance of something occurring (such as a Body Shock roll or a Psion’s cumulative chance for Exhaustion). When something has a percentage chance of occurring, this is a roll-under mechanic.

Disadvantage

DV#

Sometimes a crippling condition, unfavorable circumstances, or a lack of training alter the probability of success on a Skill (Ability) Check, Attack Roll, or Saving Throw. These states are referred to as Disadvantage.

Disadvantage (DV#): When you have Disadvantage, you roll multiple Action Dice (d20s) and use the lowest roll.

Notation: The number following “DV” indicates the total number of dice to roll. For example, DV3 means “Roll 3d20 and keep the lowest.” DV2 is usually just referred to as “disadvantage” and means “Roll 2d20 and keep the lowest.”

Default: If a rule grants “Disadvantage” without specifying a number, assume it is DV2 (Roll 2d20, keep the lowest.) If multiple advantages or from disparate sources apply, the highest number applies (do not add them). Any number of advantages and disadvantages applying to the same roll simply cancel each other out to a 1d20 only.

Elasticity

(n/a)

Elasticity is the mechanic by which a spellcaster stretches, reforms, lengthens, strengthens, sculpts, or otherwise alters a spell on the fly when it is cast. It has a numeric value that indicates the amount of stretching, shaping, and repurposing casters can do with spells.

Empathy

EM

One of 6 statistical attributes: insight into another creature’s thoughts and feelings.

Encounter

(n/a)

A section of gameplay involving the PC’s facing a difficult or hostile situation, creature(s), or combatant(s). Can be any of combat, trap, dilemma, obstacle, diplomacy, puzzle/secret, and event.

Endurance

EN

One of 6 Statistical attributes: constitution, hardiness, ability to persevere through difficult conditions and situations physically and mentally.

Experience (Points)

XP

Your numeric measure of overall character experience level. Your character earns Achievements in the form of Milestones and Feats, resulting in an experience Point gain. The first experience point gain is 200xp for completing 100 weeks, or 50%, of your inceptive training, taking you from level 0 to level 1. Your GM will award all further Experience Points.

Feat ∞

(n/a)

One of two types of achievements that your character will earn. Your character can collect any and all Feats an infinite number of times.

Field Role

FR

Your profession or typical role during field work or expeditions (adventures).

Foible

(n/a)

A minor caveat in a character’s personality or behavior. Foibles are mildly negative or restrictive, but not crippling; they add depth and individuality to a character. They can influence a character’s actions and interactions, sometimes leading to complications or unexpected outcomes. Foibles are a key aspect of Field Subroles.

Free Action

(1F)

Actions that are quick and can be done without using any of your other action types, like speaking a short phrase or dropping an item.

Game Master

GM

The narrator, referee, and judge. This is a required player that narrates and determines everything that happens outside of player control.

Group

[GROUP]

The standard term for any collection of creatures acting with a common purpose, similar to a squad or military unit. A Group is defined by the GM based on any shared trait, allegiance, or circumstance that makes sense within the narrative.

The most common examples are the player characters and their allies forming an “allied Group,” or monsters forming an “enemy Group.” Other Groups can be defined on the fly (e.g. “everyone wearing the city guard uniform”), or basically any logical shared attribute or circumstance that fits the needs of the moment.

Some skills and abilities have a [GROUP] tag, indicating a special synergistic effect that can be unlocked when working with a coordinated team.

To activate a [GROUP] effect, every member of an allied Group must possess the tagged skill or ability.

Hazard

(n/a)

Hazzard is the county from which ‘dem Duke Boys hail, but in this game Hazard is an environmental danger.

Impact

(n/a)

Functionally identical to Damage, but in a non-combat context. A numerical value added to or subtracted from a roll result to determine the magnitude of an effect. In Combat, it represents the amount of Damage inflicted. In non-combat, it represents the intensity or effectiveness of the action. The Impact modifier is determined by the relevant Ability Score and other applicable modifiers.

Initiative

(n/a)

A numeric determination of the order in which characters will act during Rapidly Evolving Situations.

Hit Points

HP

A measure of a PC’s life force. When reduced to zero or below, the character falls unconscious, and may be in danger of lapsing into a coma or even dying. In some extreme cases, the character may simply be dead.

Mental Acuity

MA

One of 6 statistical attributes: basic mental functioning and reason, memory, focus, knowledge, intelligence, understanding, and wisdom.

Milestone ×1

(n/a)

One of two types of achievements that your character will earn. Your character can collect any given Milestone only once in their lifetime.

Move Action

(1M)

This is the action your character takes when they want to move, usually up to the number of Units equal to their Speed.

Mourningstar

(n/a)

The cosmic cataclysm that caused the planet Syseria to shatter.

Non-Player Character

NPC

A character not controlled by any of the players (instead controlled by the Game Master).

Perception

PE

One of 6 statistical attributes: represents your character’s ability to become aware of something through her or his senses, as well as your character’s ability to aim accurately with ranged weapons.

Physical Fitness

PF

One of 6 statistical attributes: physical strength, dexterity, speed, overall physical health, and general physical ability.

Player

(n/a)

The player(s) (recommend 3-4 of them) are individuals who assume the role of a character in the fictional Shattered World, making decisions that shape the character’s story, growth, and interactions within a narrative, with a Game Master (GM) describing and guiding the outside world. Players develop their character’s skills, appearance, and motivations, progressing through expeditions and adventures, with outcomes often determined by rules, dice, or choices that have consequences.

Player Character

PC

Any character controlled by one of the players.

Proficient Statistic

(n/a)

Characters and monsters are good at different things. Some are skilled with many weapons, while others can use only a few.

Standard Success

(n/a)

In some cases you can opt to resolve a mechanical action as a “Standard Success,” meaning no die roll is required and it can be resolved as a success +1.

Static Defense

SD

Functionally similar to Armor Class, a character’s Static Defense is the number to overcome on a character or creatures. This is typically, but not limited to, spells, skills, and other abilities that are targeting specific characters or creatures. It will be tied to one of the six abilities, and will be a number equal to 10 plus that ability’s modifier plus other appropriate modifiers on non proficient abilities, or equal to the score itself for your two proficient abilities.

Static Offense

SO

A character or creature’s Static Offense is the target number another character or creature must overcome when resisting an effect created by that character or creature. Static Offense is tied to one of the six Abilities. If the relevant Ability is not one of the character’s Proficient Abilities, Static Offense equals 10 plus that Ability’s Modifier plus any other appropriate modifiers. If the relevant Ability is one of the character’s Proficient Abilities, Static Offense equals the Ability Score itself, plus any other appropriate modifiers.

Static Offense is not used when the acting character or creature makes an Action Die roll. In those cases, the Action Die roll and its modifiers determine the result, impact, damage, Saving Throw DC, or other outcome as described by the effect. Static Offense is often used for passive abilities and some Spells and Skills. See descriptions.

Tags

[TAGS]

A skill or ability belonging to a particular family of mechanics, or interacts with others in a particular way.

Unbeatable Advantage

(n/a)

A scant few legendary abilities grant “Unbeatable Advantage.” This number overrides any other advantages (even if higher) and cannot be nullified by any disadvantages, as the name implies.

There is no “Unbeatable Disadvantage.”

Units

(n/a)

The standard measurement of distance in the Shattered World. By design, Shattered World does not commit to any particular measurement or tactical Movement Units. Any logical measure of Units the GM wishes to use is acceptable, but it is assumed that 1 Unit = 5 feet of tactical movement per modern RPG’s would be easiest, most familiar, and the default choice.

Overland Units represent the distance on a hex grid when travelling across larger distances (typically long journeys outdoors).

Void units represent the distance on a hex grid in deep space.

Void Speech

(n/a)

A common celestial language among the cloud.