Core Rules

Skill Checks

When a player character is attempting to perform and action that may be difficult, dangerous or the outcome uncertain, they may be asked to make a skill check. The Game Master will ask a player to to make a check for a given skill. The player will roll a d6 and compare the result to their proficiency with that skill as written on their character sheet.

If the number rolled is equal to or lesser than the character's proficiency (after any relevant modifiers) with that skill the character succeeds and the player or GM will narrate the outcome.

If the number rolled is higher than the character's proficiency with that skill the character has failed the check, and the GM will narrate the outcome.

Critical successes and failures

When making a skill check, a roll of a 1 (before any modifiers) will result in a critical success. Not only will the character automatically succeed at the check, but they will do so exceedingly well, or receive some additional benefit from making the check. This may take the form of the character achieving a result greater than they had set out to, receiving additional items that may be useful to them, or receiving a point of optimism.

When making a skill check, a roll of a 6 (before any modifiers) will result in a critical failure. The character will automatically fail the check, and the GM will impart some form negative effect on the character. This may take the form of giving a condition, losing/breaking an item, causing additional problems narratively, or simply embarrassing the character (and maybe player too!) with a comical outcome.

Advantage and disadvantage

When making a skill check, the character may have advantage :-) or disadvantage :-( on using the particular skill. This may be gained from use of a career ability, use of an item, as a consequence of a condition, or simply instructed by the Game Master to make the check with advantage or disadvantage.

When rolling with advantage, the player makes the check with 2d6 instead of one, and may use the lower result, increasing their chance of success.

When rolling with disadvantage, the player makes the check again with 2d6 instead of one, and must use the higher result, decreasing their chance of success.

(GM) When to ask for a check

As Game master you ask for a check when a character is attempting to perform an action that has a chance of failure, would have narrative consequences, or an uncertain outcome. Choose a skill that you feel is most relevant to the the situation and how the character is trying to resolve it, and ask for a skill check for that skill. You may wish to give choices of multiple skills for the character to try to approach the problem in different ways. It is encouraged to allow players to negotiate using a different skill if they can convincingly explain how that skill will help the given situation, but ultimately the Game Master will have the final say in what skill the character will use.

Example play

To add: example play script. DM describes problem, player says how theyll overcome it, DM asks for check. player rolls and succeeds. another player gives a go, a different way. DM asks for check. player asks to use a different ability. DM asks how that would help? Player explains, DM agrees. Player rolls a 1. crit fail. DM narrates a bad thing.

Skills Matrix

This lists the skills and their counterpointed opposite, and with example ways that you can use or define them.

Italitics are to suggested used for the skill in a combat situation.

	Example uses and descriptors		Example uses and descriptors
Aid	Healing, Assisting, Counselling	Trickery	Deception, Sneaking, Lying, Sleight of hand, Stealth, Forgery,
Force	Physical strength, Manual Labour, Toughness, Intimidation, Breaking	Senses	Perception - All 6: Vision, Smell, Taste, Hearing, Touch, Presence
Nature	Practical knowledge of Animals, Plants, the Landscape and climate	Technology	Practical knowledge to human tools and devices
Logic	Knowledge - Book Smart - Processing of information	Agility	Coordination, Running, Jumping, Climbing, Speed, Martial Arts
Influence	Inspire, Manipulation, Charm, Debate, Inform	Handiwork	Crafting, Lock-picking, Handling, Mechanics, Precision and Accuracy

Conditions

what are conditions

Removing conditions

	Condition	Penalty	Resolution
1	Exhausted	Disadvantage to Phyiscal Checks	Significant Rest - at least a few hours
2	Disheartened	Disadvantage to Social Checks	A Cheerful Social Scene that raises spirits
3	Confounded	Disadvantage to Mental Check	Mental confidence gained from a significant success
5	Broken [Limb]	+3 to any check using [Limb]	Medical attention to adjust to +1 - then many weeks rest for fully healed
6	Bleeding	Every Check +1 then +2, +3 etc each round until	Bandaged to stem bleeding
7	Fractured Bone
8	Corrupted
9	Hungry
10	Poisened
	Turned	Successfully roll [Skill] every turn otherwise GM controls your action

Trauma

[permanent conditions]

[connecting to Pessimism]

[Special Base Buildings or Endeavours to processing and removing traumas]

[In game working through Traumas? "Something something thematic reflection"]

[Career based Healing Pathways]

[Vices and Hobbies]

[Epiphany Scenes]

[Community interactions - eg: Medic PCs]

[Clocks?]

Protection

Body Armour

Strong Constitution

Positive Demeanour  

Force of Conviction

Faith in abilities

Support Network

Unwavering Willpower

Lucky Gambler

Winning Personality

Connections

Respirator

(GM) Giving conditions

Example conditions

Exhausted

Bleeding

Upset

Disheartened

Hungry

Poisoned

Fears

[Abilities connections]

[Fear Rating starting 6 and getting to 1]

Optimism to overcome Fear

Count difference between Optimism and Pessimism - then spend Optimism for extra dice

Roll that many die - assign successful rolls to PCs currently affected people

Default Consequences of Fail - Frighten Condition

Optional Scale?

6 - Startled, Disadvantage on next check

5 - Shaken

4 - Afraid - Cannot use Optimism (also all following states of fear)

3 - Frozen

2 - Terrified

1 - Catatonic - KO

Empathy

Can you kill without consequences? Do a check to avoid

Optimism | Pessimism

[optimism = progression. image of optimism tracker on character sheet. when full, gain a new ability. -

[Problem is that it is not currently essential - We need to make it essential because Optimism / Pessimism dichotomy is an essential tone of the game]

[Career abelites could interact - can it even be in Character / Party Creation]

[Rules for who decides regarding spending - always a group, a individual with a drawback or specific careers]

[Career Abilities Interacting with Pessimism as well as Optimism]

[Thresholds? Big Spends?]

Optimism and pessimism are spendable resources within Biosphere Guardians. Optimism is communal pool available to all players. It is very important that this resource is communal, because of socialism. You can have no maximum number of Optimism in your pool at anyone time and any unspent Optimism is wasted at the end of a session. [Adventure]

Using Optimism

You can spend one Optimism in the following ways:

• Erm... actually: Reroll a failed ability check.
• I prepared for this: State that you have a piece of useful equipment or plans during a situation that are helpful. Be reasonable and remember that the GM gets final say.

You can spend three Optimism to:

• Brief Respite: Remove one negative condition from yourself. This is limited to one per session for each character. (Protection already do this? Or just Mental conditions)

Gaining Optimism in game

You start each session with one Optimism in your pool and can earn more at the discrepancy of the GM. The GM may provide Optimism for the following:

• A creative idea / solution said by a player. [We like]
• The group working collaboratively to complete a task (even if the task resulted in a failure).
• Working for the benefit of the biosphere even at personal sacrifice.

At the end of every session the party will determine how well they are progressing their Biosphere by asking the following questions:

• Did we progress the political situation of our Biosphere?
• Did we progress the ecology of our Biosphere?
• Did we progress the technology of our Biosphere?
• Did we progress the resolution of the threat to our Biosphere?
• Did we work together?

The GM WILL Discuss with the players if the answer is yes to the following. For each yes the next session starts with +1 optimism in the communal pool, meaning that each session can start with up to 6 Optimism. For each question that the answer is no the GM gains 1 Pessimism. If neither yes or no nothing is gained or lost.

Pessimism

Similarly to Optimism each session starts with one Pessimism. This is only useable by the GM and is in a separate pool. Just like Optimism it has no limit and resets at the end of each game. The GM can spend pessimism in the following ways:

• Up the Ante: introduce a threat to the situation such as a wondering guard, a spreading wildfire or a stubborn politician.
• Bad Footing : before a player rolls for a task the GM spends a Pessimism to impose disadvantaged. For example picking a lock with disadvantage because it is rusty.

Experience

Advancement in biosphere guardians is based off an experience (XP) system. You start the game with 0 experience and gain it as you advised. When you have collected 6 experience you spend it (reducing yourself back to 0) and can buy one of the following:

• Gain an extra specialisation keyword. This should relate to the actions you have been taking in play or a significant moment. For example if you have been acting as a healer, patching up wounds take 'medic' or if you have been socially engaging NPCs take 'diplomat'.
• Take a new speciality. Your character is not fixed and may gain a new roll within the biosphere or retrain between games. A researcher may from there Time in the field be reallocated to an animal specialist.

When you have taken 6 advancements, you can no longer take additional advancements.

Gaining Experience

At the end of the game when the GM asks questions to gain Optimism each player also gains 1 XP for each Optimism.

Personal Tasks:

At the start of a game each PC sets a personal goal for themselves, a short turn objective that can be accomplished in a single session. For example:

• I will try to gain funding from an external political party.
• I will research the local wolf population and find out what is making them sick.
• I will go to the boarder of the biosphere to investigate the missing bees.

A personal task should should be worded 'I will…' and be an achievable goal within a session. At the start of the game a player will work with the GM to creat a goal that firs there charicter. When a goal is accomplished that PC gains 1XP. Only one personal task can be completed a session and a new task should be discussed based on the current world state and player objectives. For example, a player has the personal task 'I will look for the poachers sighted in the west of the biosphere'. In game they take some time to follow any tracks, maybe set up cameras or traps to interegate a poacher. Suckse or fail the player has accomplished there goal. If they find evedance of the poachers they may get a new goal 'i will confront the poachers' for next session.

Initiative

What is initiative:

Initiative in Biosphere Guardians is done in intense time sensitive scenarios. This will most commonly be an active conflict but could also be escaping an avalanche or even a heated debate with a reluctant politician. Any time when a single action makes an immediate difference in a very short term scale. A round is a representation of a period of time where urgency is important, it could be a few seconds or a few minutes depending on the narrative.

How it works:

When the GM determines initiative needs to be rolled the players roll 1d6 and the GM does the same for the obstacle they face. The lowest roll goes first with players winning ties. The players roll with the advantage of having a security or pilot (ranger) specialist in their group. The players take actions within initiative, the order should be determined by the narrative or simply go around the table, the important thing is each player gets the opportunity to act. The GM acts for the obstacle, taking actions for hostels or advancing the snowfall or adding additional effects for a natural disaster.

Player Vs player:

Player versus player (PVP) may happen in a game of Biosphere Guardians. Any conflict between players should always attempt to be resolved without rolling dice to have an impact on another player's character and in character actions should never be used to resolve an out of game issue. If all players agree that rolling initiative is the best thing for the narrative then each rolls a D6, players with the highest Speed stat winning ties and the GM determining whether based on narrative or random die roll if the speed stat is also tied.