Every step burns the fire that keeps you going.

Vitality is the measure of how long you can hold the line against a collapsing world. It is not just health—it is resolve, momentum, and the will to act when nothing remains. Vitality is the fire that fuels your presence in the story. When that fire dies, so do you.

To act, to strike, to survive, to conquer—it all begins with what you can endure.

What Is Vitality?

How much can you give before you fall?

Vitality (VIT) represents your total stamina, will, and resilience. It defines how many actions you can take, how long you remain in the fight, and how much punishment you can absorb. Your Maximum VIT determines your total dice body. While Active, your current VIT counts your unwounded Action Dice (AD) and Magic Dice (MD), including dice already spent. Wounds reduce VIT; spending dice or converting AD into MD does not.

Ask yourself:

• How long can I keep acting before collapse?
• What pushes me to keep moving through pain?
• Where do I draw the line between boldness and death?

Vitality Calculation

• Add together your five Core Vitals.
• Compare this total to the table below:

How Vitality Works

Your Vitality is the core of your presence in the world—a measure of how much you can do and endure.

Vitality States

Vitality & Action Dice

Each point of Maximum Vitality grants 1 Action Die. For example, Maximum VIT 5 gives you a body of 5 dice. Trance may convert unwounded AD into MD; those dice still count toward current VIT. Spend the appropriate Ready dice to act, move, react or cast.

While Active, current VIT = all unwounded AD + MD.

Spending Ready AD or Ready MD moves those dice to Used; it does not reduce VIT. Wounded AD remain unavailable until healed. See Dice States for Ready, Used, and Wounded dice.

• Each Wound reduces VIT by 1 and moves an unwounded die to Wounded AD while any remain. Wounds take Ready AD or Ready MD first, then Used AD or Used MD only when neither kind of Ready die remains. The character taking the Wounds chooses which kind to take within that state. Each chosen die becomes Wounded AD. Follow Applying Wounds for the procedure.

Tip: Guard your AD like the lifeline they are—when your AD runs dry, so does your ability to shape the scene.

Healing Vitality

Natural Recovery (Rest)

Natural recovery occurs through the formal Rest mechanic. You may restore lost Vitality and AD by completing a Rest.

A Rest is an uninterrupted eight-hour period of rest, sleep, meditation, maintenance, or recovery. A character does not need to sleep unless their Bloodline or another rule requires it. During a Rest, they may not cast spells, fight, or perform strenuous actions (i.e., spend Action Dice). If interrupted, the Rest must begin again.

During a shared Rest, characters may also create Synergy through mutual Story Point investment. See Synergy.

• After completing a Rest, roll all AD in your Wounds Pool.
• For each Critical Hit rolled:
  • Gain +1 VIT.
  • Move 1 Wounded AD back to your Ready AD Pool unless the healing effect says otherwise.

Note: If aided by a successful Medicine check, roll each Wound die with Advantage.

Magical Healing

Magical healing—spells, potions, magic items, etc.—restores VIT as stated by the spell or effect.

For each point of VIT restored by magic:

• Move 1 Wounded AD back to your Ready AD Pool unless the healing effect says otherwise.

Unless explicitly stated on the power or effect, magic healing cannot increase your Vitality beyond your maximum VIT. Excess healing is lost if no Wound AD remain.

For magical healing received while Unconscious, Critical, or Dying, follow the state procedure in Death & Recovery.

Collapse and Recovery

Death & Recovery governs Unconscious and Critical Recovery Rolls, the persistent Critical Recovery Pool, Dying, and Last Gasp.

Summary

• Add your Core Vitals and use the table to determine your Vitality (VIT).
• Maximum VIT determines your dice body. While Active, current VIT counts all unwounded AD and MD; spending or converting dice does not reduce it.
• At 0 VIT, you become Unconscious and stable.
• Below 0 VIT, you enter Critical with a persistent Critical Recovery Pool.
• When that pool reaches 0, you enter Dying and make one Last Gasp at the start of your following turn.
• A Critical Hit on Last Gasp sets VIT to 0. A Hit or Miss makes you Deceased.
• A Rest is the formal, uninterrupted eight-hour recovery period; sleep is not required unless another rule says otherwise.
• Healing restores VIT and Wounded AD.