Narateer

Actions

Intent given form—carving your will in the tale.

You act not just to move or strike, but to shape the rhythm of the world. Every leap, word, and blade stroke is a thread woven into the story. When you declare an action, you make intent visible. Before the clash of initiative, action breathes life into the moment.

Every heartbeat of the game begins with a choice—and what you do next defines the moment.

What Is an Action?

Every action begins as intent—and becomes consequence.

An Action is any declared attempt by a player to change the story world. When you say what your character does—whether it’s vaulting a gap, casting a spell, or negotiating with a foe—you’ve taken an action. The Narateer Guide then decides if a rule is required to resolve the outcome.

An action involves:

  • A clear statement of character intent.
  • An attempt to change the story world.
  • A judgment from the Guide on the resolution.

Declaring an Action

  1. The Guide sets the scene.
    The Guide describes the moment: sights, sounds, threats, and stakes.
  2. You respond.
    Say what your character attempts—either as yourself (“I leap the gap”) or in-character (“Selka leaps the gap”).
  3. The Guide evaluates.
    If success is certain or trivial, the Guide narrates the result. If there’s risk or uncertainty, resolution is usually as a Skill Check.

Spending Action Dice

You spend Action Dice (AD) to perform actions. Larger efforts cost more. The Guide will tell you when to spend, but the fiction leads the pacing—not measurement.

Action Tier Effort Benchmark AD Cost Typical Examples
Trivial ≤ walk for 10 seconds 0 Speak, draw a dagger, open a door
Minor ≈ jog/run for 10 seconds 1 Vault a fence, circle a foe, shove a door, dash
Major ≈ committed effort for 10 seconds 1+ Attack, cast a spell, charge, drag a body
  • You may spend any mix of actions each turn.
  • Holding AD lets you react later.
  • A flurry of Trivial tasks may be escalated to a Minor action.
  • If an action calls for a roll, you must commit at least 1 AD to that roll unless a specific rule says otherwise.

Tip: Aggressive players burn AD early to control space, pressure threats, or end fights fast. Tactical players often hold AD to react, intercept, or disrupt mid-turn. There's no right tempo—only what fits your role, your moment, your plan. Learn the rhythm. Act with intent.

Proactive Skill Uses During Your Activation

During your activation, you can only initiate each Skill a limited number of times.

Proactive Skill Uses during your activation = Skill Level + 1

Minimum = 1 proactive use, even at SL 0.

This limit applies only to actions you initiate during your own activation. It prevents every spare Ready AD from becoming another separate attack, shove, sprint, trick, or other repeated Skill action.

For example:

Skill Level Proactive uses during your activation
0 1
1 2
2 3
3 4

A Melee SL 2 fighter may initiate up to 3 Melee actions during their activation. They might attack three times, attack and shove, or feint and attack, as long as they can pay the required AD.

This limit does not apply to responses outside your activation. If you are engaged and can spend Ready AD to respond, you may respond as the combat rules allow. Responses are limited by Ready AD, awareness, positioning, and the fiction of the moment.

Action Resolution Paths

Once you declare an action, the Guide selects the resolution path based on clarity, risk, and impact:

  • Narrate: If success is obvious or failure has little impact, the Guide narrates the result.
  • Skill Check: If there’s uncertainty and stakes, the Guide calls for or resolves a Skill Check.
  • Escalate: If danger spikes or multiple intentions clash, the Guide shifts to a Cinematic or Tactical Scene.

Tip for Guides: When in doubt, ask: “Is failure interesting in this moment?” If not, narrate the success and move on.

Boosting With Extra AD

Before rolling a Skill Check, you may boost the result by committing more AD.

  • Add up to Skill Level additional AD to the roll.
  • All AD must be committed before the roll.
  • Boosted actions still follow normal resolution rules.

Reactions

A Reaction is an action you take, in direct response to an event that has just occurred.

Reactions happen outside your activation. They are not limited by your proactive Skill-use limit.

  • A Reaction costs the AD stated by the relevant rule.
  • If a Reaction calls for a roll, commit and roll the required AD.
  • You cannot normally Boost a Reaction unless a rule, feature, condition, class power, item, or Guide ruling specifically allows it.
  • Melee Exchange responses are the default boosted-reaction exception: spend 1 AD to Clash or Full Guard, then optionally Boost within the relevant Skill Level limit.
  • Reactions are still limited by Ready AD, awareness, positioning, and the fiction of the moment.

Summary

  • Declare actions when you try to change the fiction.
  • The Guide resolves via narration, Skill Check, or escalation.
  • Spend AD based on effort: Minor = 1, Major = 1+.
  • During your activation, proactive uses of each Skill are limited to SL + 1, minimum 1.
  • You may boost actions with extra AD before rolling.
  • Rolled actions require at least 1 committed AD unless a specific rule says otherwise.
  • The Guide may escalate Trivial chains into a Minor action.
  • Reactions cost AD and happen outside your turn.
  • You cannot normally Boost a Reaction unless a rule allows it; Melee Exchange responses are the default combat exception.