Beacon v1.16.

By: Tim Gonzalez, Pirate Gonzalez Games

Editor: Melody Watson

Layout: Minerva McJanda

Cover Art: Rod Mendez

Art: MJ Barros, Kyle Hebert, Cosmixian, Moid, Fran Bautista, Lim Li Wei (@Karagna_), Sita Duncan

Character Sheet: Ellie Gales

Legacy Art: Venus Jaw, Matthew Sargent, Alli Grimes

Class and Role Icons: Lionel “Electrum” C.

Other Icons made by Lorc. Available on https://game-icons.net

Fonts: Myriad Pro, Rocky, Gimlet Text.

Special Thanks: Shawn and Lucy Gonzalez, Alexander Acri, Cat/Alex, Atlas Core, Davzz, Diane Kitchen, Door
Keeper, Draekos, dragonkid11, Ffzdf, Grigori, Gyrwyrm, Jade R, Jared V, Jon Hughes, Josh Lomas, Jude Vais,
Kaiyi Huang, Katie Regelson, Kevin “Wakefield” Doelling, Kris Bastion, Leila Salakheldin, Lloyd, loren anderson,
Me The Maou, MEATSHED, Melissa Matos, Michael Yuen, NHP SHAKA, Nick Hanson, Noah Posey, NoisyAssas-
sin, Oliver “ThatDamnGinger” Glenham, Random, Renoa ‘Lucifer’ Protocolt, Rey Garza, Saffron Hildegaard, Sam
Squires, Splattin, Superdan56, Tim Luttermoser, Tom Klein, Twi, Undermind, William Balan, and all the members
of the Pirate Gonzalez Games discord server.

Online Resources: https://www.pirategonzalezgames.com/resources

 CONTENTS
GETTING STARTED BUILDING BEACONS

0: Introduction 7 6: Ancestries 68

1: How to Play 8 7: Classes and Jobs 84

Core Principles 8 Aegis 86
Combat and Narrative Scenes 8 Alchemist 90
Structure of Play 8 Arsenal 94
Dice 9 Assassin 98
Attacks, Checks, and Saves 9 Berserker 102
Modifiers 9 Chronomancer 106
Demon Hunter 110
2: Anatomy of a Beacon 10 Demonologist 114
Character Creation 11 Dragon Rider 118
Levels 14 Druid 122
Attributes 14 Equinox 126
Abilities 16 Gravewalker 130
Resources 17 Gunslinger 134
Hexblade 138
3: Quests 19 Knightmare 142
Goal 19 Lifeweaver 146
Stakes 19 Paladin 150
Information 19 Phoenix 154
Rewards 20 Riftblade 158
Quest Stages 20 Rimeguard 162
Seeker 166
4: Narrative Play 22 Shadebinder 170
Skill Checks 23 Shadow Dancer 174
Narrative Actions 24 Shapeshifter 178
Downtime Activities 27 Skald 182
Skill Challenges 33 Thunderclaw 186
Tidecaller 190
5: Combat Play 41 Warden 194
Summary 41 Warlord 198
Phases 42
Turns 42 8: Talents 202
Actions 43
Characters and Objects 48 9: Basic Equipment and Techniques 216
Ability Checks and Saves 49
Targeting 49
Attacks 51
Reroll Table 52
Range, Reach, and Area of Effect 53
Movement 54
Environmental Factors 56
Adaptations 56
Terrain Features 57
Damage and Stress 58
Conditions and Statuses 62
Tags 64
 RUNNING THE GAME Spellshield 296
Swarm 297
10: Game Master’s Guide 223 Titan 298
Game Master Tips 223 Vulture 300
Setting Up the Game 226 Warmage 302
Designing the Setting 228
Existing Reflections 233 12: Universal NPC Features 304
Designing A Hub 237
Telling Your Story 240 13: Templates 306
Building Campaigns 240 Minion 306
Building Quests 241 Veteran 306
Building Combat Scenes 243 Elite 307
Loot and Rewards 256 Mini-Boss 308
Homebrew Rules 258 Beast 310
Celestial 311
11: Non-Player Characters 259 Construct 312
Combat Play NPCs 259 Demon 312
NPC Type 259 Devil 313
NPC Templates 259 Dire 314
NPC Tier 259 Draconic 314
NPC Features 260 Elemental 315
NPC Initiative 260 Fey 316
Recharging 260 Mounted 317
NPC Special Rules 260 Ooze 318
Designing NPCs 260 Outlaw 319
NPC Actions 261 Plant 320
Undead 321
Architect 262 Vampiric 322
Ardent 264
Charger 265 14: Bosses 323
Cleaver 266 Great Wyrm 325
Conjurer 268 Kraken 332
Elementalist 270 Lich 337
Expendable 272
Firebug 273
Fortress 274 APPENDICES
Fury 276
Gladiator 277 A: Shops and Supplies 346
Gunner 278 B: Loot 356
Healer 281 C: NPC Types 387
Marshal 282 D: Glossary 388
Mindreaver 284
Mirage 285 Index 394
Overlord 287
Pegasus 288 Combat Quick Guide 396
Protector 289
Ranger 290 Character Sheets 401
Rogue 292
Sharpshooter 293
Specter 294
 SECTION 1

GETTING STARTED
0: INTRODUCTION
BEACON is a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) Ø There is a recurring threat to the Reflection
inspired by the high fantasy stories of the Final – the Scourge.
Fantasy video games and the tactical gameplay Ø Crystals hold some significance to the
of the Lancer and Dungeons & Dragons 4th Reflection or its inhabitants.
Edition TTRPGs. High-action, tactical combat Ø Ruins dot the landscape, ready to be
scenes are at the core of BEACON, supported by explored.
a streamlined and engaging narrative system
that lets you get to the action quickly. Create The GM and players work together to define
unique and interesting characters, explore the specific details of the Reflection in which
fantastical worlds with your friends, and con- their game takes place, including its history,
front the deadly dangers and obstacles that peoples, and cultures. This process is detailed
stand in your way! in Chapter 10: Game Master’s Guide (p. 223).

A World of Your Own Two Modes of Play

In BEACON, you create your own unique setting BEACON features two modes of play – narrative
together, called a Reflection. play and combat. While playing, you will move
Games of BEACON take place in the Source, between these two modes, which each have
a wellspring of endless potential and stories. their own unique set of rules.
While the true nature of the Source is incom- During narrative play, you tell stories about
prehensibly complex, it is often represented your characters and the world in which they
as a giant crystal with infinite facets. Each facet live. Narrative play is rules-light, allowing play-
is a different Reflection, and each Reflection ers to shape the narrative without getting
is a unique reality. bogged down by mechanics.
While there are infinite stories that can be In combat play, your characters – custom-
told within the Source, there are commonali- ized and equipped in countless ways – enter
ties across its facets. The following are true of battle. Combat play is tactical and rules-heavy,
each Reflection: with plenty of scope for unique builds and
playstyles.
Ø The world is filled with action and
adventure. You are a Beacon
Ø All things are composed of aether, a Your characters in the game are known as
magical element that comes in many beacons. Beacons are powerful heroes who
varieties, including astral and lunar forms. help and inspire others. Every Reflection has
Ø Magic is widely available and has been its own unique take on what beacons are and
combined with technology to create what they do.
magitech devices.
Ø There are beacons – people who are
sources of great inspiration for others,
whether they are heroes or villains.

7
 1: HOW TO PLAY
Getting Started

Participants in BEACON take on one of two roles: either Combat scenes use the rules for combat play (p.
that of a player or that of the game master (GM). 41). These scenes feature important fights and battles.
The goal of all participants is to tell a shared story, Not every fight is worthy of a combat scene; only those
and to have fun doing so. Each player creates a sin- that are important or tactically challenging move into
gle player character (PC) – a heroic figure called a combat play. A simple street fight or barroom brawl,
“beacon” – and explores the game through that char- for example, wouldn’t start a combat scene. A fight on
acter’s story. The GM, on the other hand, controls all a crumbling bridge against a horde of demons, or a
of the non-player characters (NPCs), sets up combat climactic showdown with an archnemesis would be
1: How to Play

scenes, and helps shape the narrative. worthy of a combat scene.

Example: An angry necromancer has performed a

CORE PRINCIPLES ritual in a nearby cemetery, creating a continuous
BEACON has six core principles: stream of undead soldiers that attack nearby towns.
1 The well-being and fun of the group, including both The beacons are asked to stop the necromancer and
the players and the GM, is the top priority. break the ritual. The GM sets up a combat scene
2 Specific text takes precedent over general text. with the beacons fighting in a misty cemetery
3 BEACON does not model reality or real-life physics, against undead hordes and a necromancer riding
and is not meant to. an animated mausoleum!
Building Beacons

4 Narrative play and combat play are distinct modes

of play. The ability to do something in one does not Narrative scenes, on the other hand, use the rules for
automatically grant the ability to do it in the other. narrative play (p. 22). Any scene that isn’t a combat
5 In combat play, players can do anything their abilities scene is considered a narrative scene. These scenes
allow, even if it doesn’t make narrative sense. involve challenges that are resolved by rolling dice
6 Always round up to the nearest whole number. (called “skill checks”) or roleplaying. Small-scale fights
can even happen during narrative play, but these fights
are resolved just like any other challenge that happens
GENERAL TEXT VS. SPECIFIC TEXT during narrative play, using skill checks and roleplaying
General text includes basic rules of the game, such instead of the combat play rules.
Running the Game

as “The Fight action is used to make a melee or

improvised weapon attack.” Example: The beacons need to get to a floating
Specific text is more granular or detailed than island and the only way to get there is with an airship.
general text. For example, the Slow tag specifies They don’t have one, so they ask the GM for a scene
that, “Abilities with this tag can only be activated with the Artificer’s Guild. The GM sets up a scene in
as part of Full Attack.” This means that a Slow which the beacons meet the guildmaster directly.
weapon can’t be used as part of the Fight action, The beacons attempt to convince the guildmaster to
because the text of the Slow tag is more specific let them borrow an airship, using a mix of roleplaying
than the text of the Fight action. and skill checks to determine how successful their
attempts are.

COMBAT AND
Appendices

STRUCTURE OF PLAY
NARRATIVE SCENES The gameplay of BEACON revolves around quests (p.
BEACON’s gameplay is split into scenes. A scene is a series 241). Quests are missions, tasks, or jobs provided to
of events that focus on a person, place, or challenge. Each the beacons by the GM. Quests contain both combat
scene is either a narrative scene or a combat scene, falling and narrative scenes, connecting them to tell stories.
under the rules of either combat play or narrative play. The quests that your characters participate in form the
The GM determines when one scene ends and an- body of your campaign, which is the overarching story
other begins, and whether the scenes are narrative or of your characters.
combat. But anyone can suggest or request a scene, For example, your group’s primary motivation might
and you are encouraged to do so. be to defeat a great evil. In order to gain the strength,
allies, and resources to do so, they might need to
8
undertake a number of quests, preparing themselves Skill checks are used in narrative play. If one of
for the final showdown with their foe. a character’s background skills (p. 12) would be

Getting Started
The time between quests uses the rules for narrative helpful for the roll they’re making, or they can invoke
play. During this time, the players collaboratively tell their title (p. 11), they can get a bonus on to the
their beacons’ stories and explore the world. roll. See Chapter 4: Narrative Play (p. 22) for more
When the players are ready to begin a new quest, information.
they equip their beacons with abilities they’ve unlocked Ability checks, by contrast, are used in combat play.
that they think will best suit the upcoming quest and They use the character’s relevant ability score – Bulk,
the combat scenes within it. Agility, Mind, or Magic – as a modifier (p. 49).
When the beacons return from a quest, they level During combat play, characters sometimes need to
up (p. 14) and become more powerful. This allows make contested checks. In a contested check, the two
them to combine abilities and equipment from multiple relevant parties each roll an ability check. Whoever gets

1: How to Play
classes (p. 84) to create unique playstyles and character the highest total succeeds, with ties going to the one
configurations. who attacked or initiated the action.

DICE SAVES
During both narrative play and combat, players roll dice to Saves are rolls made to resist effects during combat play.
determine success, failure, and other interesting outcomes. Effects that prompt a save indicate which of the target’s
BEACON uses two types of dice: 20-sided dice (d20) ability scores to use as a modifier. Each character has a
and 6-sided dice (d6). The rules sometimes call for a Save Target, which is the total their opponents must
d3, which can be represented with a d6. A result of 1–2 meet or exceed when rolling saves. When there is no

Building Beacons
equals 1, 3–4 equals 2, and 5–6 equals 3. Save Target indicated, it defaults to 10.
A number in front of the type of die indicates how
many dice of that type to roll. 3d6 means you roll 3
six-sided dice. MODIFIERS
There are three types of modifiers that can affect rolls,
increasing or decreasing their results:
ATTACKS, CHECKS, AND SAVES
There are three main types of dice rolls in BEACON: Ø Accuracy ( )
attack rolls, checks, and saves. They each use a single Ø Difficulty ( )
d20. Any time you’re making one of these rolls, roll a Ø Static modifiers (+1, –4, etc.).

Running the Game

d20 and add the appropriate modifiers to the result
– bonuses or penalties to the roll based on beneficial Bonuses from your beacon’s ability scores and Grit
or disadvantageous situations. The final result is your count as static modifiers.
total for the roll.

ACCURACY AND DIFFICULTY

ATTACKS Various effects can apply Accuracy or Difficulty to a
Attacks are hostile actions taken against other characters d20 roll.
in combat play. They are usually made with weapons, For each or , roll 1d6 and take the single highest
spells, or skills. When attacking, you add your beacon’s result out of the dice rolled. If rolling with , this number
Grit score to the roll. See Chapter 5: Combat Play (p. is added to the total as a positive modifier. If rolling with
Appendices

41) for more information. , it is subtracted from the total as a negative modifier.
For example, if you are rolling with 2 , you would roll
2d6 and keep the single highest result out of all the
CHECKS dice. If you rolled a 2 and a 4, you would keep the 4.
Checks are rolls to determine how successful chal- Rolls can be affected by multiple instances of or
lenging actions are. There are two types of checks that , although they cancel each other out on a one-to-
you might make: skill checks and ability checks. To one basis. For example, a roll could receive 4 and 2 ;
make a check of either type, you roll a d20 and add any however, the 2 would cancel out 2 , leaving the roll
relevant modifiers. To succeed, you need a total of 10 with 2 . Always determine the final amount of or
or more (after modifiers). before rolling any dice.
An individual roll can’t benefit from more than 6 or .

9
 2: ANATOMY OF A BEACON
Getting Started

This chapter walks through the steps of creating a Beacons don’t need a reason to be special in your
character and outlines the various components that game. The fact they are controlled by a player already
define them. makes them special, and grants them the opportunity
In BEACON, the characters created and portrayed to influence and change the story as it’s told. Your game
by the players are special individuals known as “bea- could be about a band of heroes destined to save the
cons”. They are called this because of the way they act world, or it could be about a found family, fighting to
like shining lights to others. There is no one way that keep itself safe.
beacons act or conduct themselves; no matter what, The only constant across all Reflections is that bea-
they always find themselves in positions where they cons inspire people around them. Even those who are
2: Anatomy of a Beacon

can inspire or help others. cowardly or timid have the potential and opportunity,
The precise characteristics that make someone a as a group, to give hope to others.
beacon differ between Reflections. In one Reflection, Chapter 10: Game Master’s Guide details some
beacons might be mystically empowered individuals example Reflections and the roles of beacons within
born under a strange star. In another, they might be them (p. 233).
students with an abundance of charisma.
Building Beacons
Running the Game
Appendices

10
CHARACTER CREATION Example titles: The Green Knight, the Herald of
This section will guide you through the steps of cre- Silence, the Bosstown Bludgeon, Moonfang, the

Getting Started
ating a beacon. Timeless Bard.
Every beacon has a character level (p. 14). Char-
acter levels represent the overall growth and power Whenever you make a skill check during narrative play,
of a beacon. Higher-level beacons have more abilities you can invoke your beacon’s title before rolling to gain
available to them, and can therefore handle a wider a +2 bonus. To invoke a title, the action in question must
variety of situations. be something that contributes to the legend of your
Your beacon begins at character level 1. At level character’s title. Think of a story being told about your
1, they have: beacon, their name lost to history and only their title
remaining. Would this make it into the story?
Ø a name and a title

2: Anatomy of a Beacon
Ø three rank 1 background skills (p. 12) Example: Shawn likes the idea of playing someone
Ø 2 ability points (p. 12) smart; a knowledge-seeker. She gives Dhalia the
Ø three rank 1 talents (p. 13) title of “the All-Knowing”. Shawn can invoke this
Ø an ancestry (p. 13) title when doing something that contributes to the
Ø one class rank (p. 13) legacy of “the All-Knowing” beacon. For example,
Ø access to all basic equipment and techniques (p. 13) if Dhalia is making a skill check to piece together
Ø an appearance (p. 13). the conspiracy behind the Day of Shadows, she can
invoke her title to gain a +2 bonus to the roll. If Dhalia
Once you have finished these steps, you will determine is making a skill check to climb a mountain, on the
your beacon’s attributes, which are values used in com- other hand, being all-knowing is less likely to be
bat play (p. 14). helpful, and couldn’t be invoked.

The GM decides whether a title can be invoked or not.

Building Beacons
NAME Players are encouraged to find creative explanations
for why a beacon’s title might apply, but they’re not
Choose a name for your beacon. meant to be used in every situation.
If you find that your title is too easy to invoke, con-
Beacons can have any sort of name, from the mundane sider rephrasing it to limit its scope.
to the grandiose. Alternatively, you can decide this later.
You might not have an idea for a name yet, but might Example: Delmar’s beacon is Dmitri, “the Demigod”.
think of one after picking your background skills or an- After playing a few sessions, he realizes that “the
cestry. There are also plenty of random name generators Demigod” can be invoked in every situation.
online that you can use for inspiration. Delmar rephrases the title as “the Demigod of

Running the Game

Determination”, which puts some limits on when
Example: Shawn is creating her first beacon. She likes it can be invoked.
the name Dhalia, so she uses it for her character.

TITLE WRITING YOUR LEGEND

One way you can use titles is as a way of documenting
Choose a title for your beacon. the legend of your beacon. Whenever you invoke their
title, write down what it was being used for and what
When the stories of your character and their fellow the outcome was. When you’re finished playing that
beacons become legend, how will they be remembered? character, look over everything that was written down.
What will they be called when their name falls into This is the foundation for the legends told about your
obscurity and all that survives is their deeds? beacon for generations to come.
Appendices

People recognize your beacon by this title, even if

they don’t know their name. Titles can reference any-
thing from a fighting style to a physical trait or even
an aesthetic.

11
 BACKGROUND SKILLS ABILITY SCORES
Getting Started

At level 1, create three rank 1 background skills. At level 1, assign 2 ability points.

Background skills are words or brief phrases that Your beacon has four ability scores that affect their
represent a beacon’s history and training, and provide attributes and actions in combat play:
bonuses to skill checks. Background skills have three Ø Bulk Ø Mind
ranks. When you make a skill check in narrative play and Ø Agility Ø Magic
one of your background skills is relevant, you get +1
on your roll for each rank you have in that skill. Each Ability scores range from +0 to +6, and give bonuses
skill check can only benefit from one background skill, in combat play. By default, they start at +0.
which must be decided before rolling. Each ability score also provides bonuses to some of
2: Anatomy of a Beacon

Background skills can be anything, so make sure your character’s other attributes (p. 14). For example,
they’re evocative. Instead of just “Acrobat”, make it Agility affects the character’s Dodge and Speed.
something interesting like, “Acrobat Performer for Assigning an ability point to an ability score increases
the Demon Circus”. it by +1. At level 1, this means you can have two ability
scores at +1 each, or one ability score at +2.
Example background skills: Will of the Source, Troll-
Wrestling Champion, An Eye for Lies, Royal Assassin. Bulk
Bulk determines how tough and sturdy a character is
When creating a background skill, think about what in combat. You gain:
situations it might be relevant in. If it seems like it would
apply to every skill check you might make, you should Ø +2 HP for every point of Bulk
narrow its focus more. Ø +1 Recovery for every two points of Bulk
Every time your beacon levels up they get a back-
Building Beacons

ground skill point. These points can be used to either Agility

increase the rank of an existing background skill (to Agility determines how fast and evasive a character
a maximum of rank 3), or create a new background is in combat. You gain:
skill at rank 1.
Ø +1 Dodge for every point of Agility
Example: Shawn creates a background skill Ø +1 Speed for every two points of Agility
“Truthseeker” for Dhalia. This can be used any time
Dhalia is trying to learn the truth about something, Mind
whether researching in books or detecting lies. Mind determines how much mental strain a character
Shawn also thinks that Dhalia should know light- can handle, and how well they can remember their
Running the Game

based magic, so she creates the background skill training in combat. You gain:
“Disciple of the Sun”, which would apply whenever
she uses magic. Ø +1 Stress Cap for every point of Mind
Finally, Shawn creates the background skill Ø +1 Memory for every two points of Mind
“Multipurpose Clothing” because she likes the idea
of Dhalia having clothes with secondary benefits, Magic
like a cloak that can be used as a paraglider. She Magic determines how magically adept a character is
would apply this background skill whenever she can in combat. You gain:
think of a fun way to solve a problem with clothes.
Ø +1 Aetheric Defense (A-Def) for every point of
Magic
Ø +1 MP for every two points of Magic
Appendices

Example: Shawn wants Dhalia to be a spellcaster

with a variety of spells, so she assigns 1 ability point
to Mind and 1 to Magic.
Delmar wants Dmitri to be as tough as possible,
so he assigns 2 ability points to Bulk.

12
TALENTS CLASS

Getting Started
At level 1, choose three rank 1 talents. See p. 202 At level 1, choose 1 rank in any class. See p. 84 for
for the full list of talents and their abilities. the full list of available classes.

While many of the abilities available to beacons are tied Classes represent specialized approaches to combat, like
to their class (see below), talents are sets of abilities that a Thunderclaw’s electrical fighting style or a Phoenix’s
can be acquired by any beacon and that don’t need to burning spells. Classes unlock equipment and abilities
be equipped. Once your beacon has learned a talent, that beacons can equip for quests.
they will always have access to any abilities unlocked Each class has three ranks, with each rank unlocking
by their ranks in that talent. additional equipment and abilities.
Each talent has three ranks, each with its own ability. As they level up, beacons gain ranks in multiple classes.

2: Anatomy of a Beacon
When your beacon first gains a talent, they get access The equipment, techniques, and jobs they unlock can be
to it at rank 1. If you assign additional points to that mixed and matched in a huge number of combinations.
talent, you can get that talent’s rank 2 and eventually
its rank 3 ability. Job
Beacons gain additional talents and can even change Each class also provides a job unique to that class. Jobs
their talent choices when they level up (p. 14). provide the starting values for a beacon’s attributes (p.
14) and their equipment slots (p. 16). A class’s job
Example: Shawn wants to pick magical-sounding is unlocked upon reaching rank 1 in that class.
talents for Dhalia. She picks the Archmage, Every job also has a limit break – a powerful,
Enchanter, and Leyline Walker talents because they scene-changing ability unique to that class. Your bea-
sound like they will assist with magic. She doesn’t con can only perform one limit break per quest. If you
spend much time reviewing all the options because use a limit break from one job and later change jobs
she knows she can change them later. within the same quest, you don’t get to use the new

Building Beacons
Delmar, on the other hand, carefully reviews all job’s limit break – you’ve already used your one limit
the talents before making his decision. He chooses break for that quest. Beacons regain the ability to use
the Brawler talent because it enhances unarmed a limit break after a Long Rest (p. 61).
combat and he wants Dmitri to fight with his fists.
He also wants to protect his allies, so he picks the Example: Shawn picks the Equinox class for Dhalia,
Knight talent. Finally, he wants Dmitri to be highly gaining the Equinox job and unlocking the rank 1
mobile, so he chooses the Traceur talent. Exobomb and Scar spells. She likes that the class
focuses on long-distance spell attacks, as well as the
description mentioning sun aether, which connects
ANCESTRY to her background skill “Disciple of the Sun”.

Running the Game

Choose an ancestry. See p. 68 for the full list of
ancestries. BASIC EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES
All beacons have access to a wide array of weapons,
Your beacon’s ancestry describes their heritage or species. support items, skills, and spells that they can equip
Ancestry determines a beacon’s Size and gives access to a right from the very beginning. They aren’t limited to
list of ancestry traits. Whenever your character goes on a equipping only abilities from their current job.
quest, they can choose to equip one of their ancestry traits. You can find this standard gear in Chapter 9: Basic
Ancestries can also be used as collections of common Equipment and Techniques (p. 216). You don’t need
traits, rather than literal descriptions of how characters to choose any until you’re ready to go on a quest, but
look or act. For example, the avian ancestry allows for you might want to look at them now to get a feel for
flight, but an avian character doesn’t have to be a literal what’s available.
Appendices

bird-person; maybe they’re a human that comes from

a culture where jetpacks are common.
APPEARANCE
Example: The elves in Shawn’s favorite stories are The last step in creating your beacon is deciding their
known for being magically gifted, so she plans on appearance – what they, their equipment, and their
making Dhalia an elf. She reads the elf ancestry traits abilities look like. It’s totally up to you – you can describe
and likes the Elven Accuracy one. She doesn’t need them any way you want, regardless of the art and flavor
to pick a trait until Dhalia goes on a quest, but she text in this book.
knows she’ll probably use Elven Accuracy. 13
 The only limitation is that your description can’t grant CHANGING CHOICES
mechanical benefits in combat play. You can’t give your Whenever your beacon gains a level, you may do one
Getting Started

character see-through skin and argue they should always or both of the following:
be invisible. Beyond that restriction, describe whatever you
want: Give your beacon wings that let them fly around Ø Reassign any number of ranks from one talent to
during narrative play. Let them move around the world in another.
a wheelchair. Have them wield weapons made of solid Ø Reassign any number of ranks from one class to
ice. Describe a photon axe as a greatsword. another.
Describe the character you see yourself playing. The
information in this book is just intended to provide in-
spiration – it isn’t absolute truth. There are infinite worlds ATTRIBUTES
in which your story can take place. Anything is possible. In addition to their talents, background skills, and so
2: Anatomy of a Beacon

on, beacons have several attributes that are used in

Example: Shawn finishes character creation by combat play. They are determined by a character’s level,
deciding that Dhalia is a pale elf with long dark hair job, ancestry, talents, ability scores, and equipped gear
and golden eyes. Her spells flash with bright light and techniques.
when used, their color and luminosity changing
depending on her emotions. With that, she’s ready
to begin playing! SIZE
Size determines how many spaces a character (or
object) takes up on a grid and how they interact with
LEVELS cover. Chapter 5: Combat Play (p. 41) covers how
Each beacon has a character level, which represents this works in greater detail. In an abstract sense, Size
their overall growth and strength. represents how much space or control a character exerts
Whenever you finish a quest, whether you were on the battlefield; it does not indicate exactly how tall
Building Beacons

successful or not, your beacon gains another character or how heavy they are.
level. This is called leveling up. The maximum character Size 1/2 and Size 1 characters both occupy 1 space,
level for beacons is 12. Size 2 characters occupy an area of 2 x 2 spaces, and
Size 3 characters occupy an area of 3 x 3 spaces.

LEVELING UP
Whenever your beacon gains a character level, they gain:

Ø 1 rank in a new or existing class

Ø 1 ability point SIZE SIZE
Running the Game

Ø 1 background skill point 1/2 1

SIZE
Ø 1 talent rank or a new rank 1 talent 2
SIZE
3
GRIT
Grit represents the combat experience that beacons
gain when they increase their character level. Beacons can be anywhere between Size 1/2 and Size
Starting at character level 2 and then at every second 3. This is determined by their ancestry.
level after that (i.e., levels 4, 6, 8, etc.), beacons gain +1
Grit. Grit is a passive bonus that applies to several other
attributes. Each point of Grit provides the following: SCOPE
Scope is the maximum number of grid spaces within
Appendices

Ø +1 HP Ø +1 to all attack rolls which a character can detect Hidden characters, attack
Ø +1 Save Target Ø +1 Memory with spells, and use certain other abilities.

14
ARMOR SPEED
Armor reduces incoming damage by an amount equal Speed is how fast a character can move. When a character

Getting Started
to its value. Armor does not affect Discord, which is takes a standard movement during their turn, they can
a nonstandard damage type, or Stress, which is not move a number of spaces equal to their Speed (p. 54).
considered damage.
Characters cannot have more than 4 Armor.
STRESS CAP AND OVERSTRESS
Stress is a special type of harm that characters can
SAVE TARGET take (p. 58). Stress is accumulated through mental
When one character forces another to make a save, the and physical strain, like suffering psychic attacks or
character making the save must equal or exceed the performing tiring combat maneuvers.
initiating character’s Save Target to succeed. When a character takes Stress, it accumulates until it

2: Anatomy of a Beacon
exceeds their Stress Cap. If a character goes over their
Stress Cap, they take an Overstress. Their player resets
HP AND WOUNDS their Stress, carrying over any excess Stress; and make
Every character has a pool of hit points (HP). Points an overstress roll to see what additional penalties
are subtracted from this pool when they take damage. they suffer. Beacons are taken out of a fight when they
Characters have a Bloodied value, which is half of accumulate 4 Overstresses, which is known as their
their maximum HP (rounded up). When a character’s Overstress Cap.
current HP is equal to or less than their Bloodied value, Characters have a Breaking point, which is half
they are considered Bloodied (p. 63). of their Stress Cap (rounded up). When a character’s
When a character reaches 0 HP, they take a Wound. current Stress is equal to or higher than their Breaking
When they take a Wound, their player resets their HP, point, they are considered Breaking.
carrying over any excess damage, and makes a wound See Wounds and Overstress (p. 60) for additional
roll to see what additional penalties they suffer. Bea- information.

Building Beacons
cons are taken out of a fight when they accumulate 4
Wounds. This is known as their Wound Cap.
See Chapter 5: Combat Play (p. 41) for additional MEMORY
information on HP, and Wounds and Overstress (p. A character’s Memory limits the maximum number of
60) for more information about Wounds. techniques they can equip. Each technique has its own
Memory cost – the combined value of all of equipped
techniques cannot exceed the character’s Memory.
RECOVERIES
Each beacon has a pool of Recoveries, which represent
the resources they have available to heal themselves AETHERIC DEFENSE (A-DEF)

Running the Game

and repair their equipment. They can heal themselves Aetheric Defense (A-Def) is how hard a character is
by spending Recoveries using the Refresh action to hit with Aetheric attacks. Aetheric attacks target
and other abilities. the aether that makes up a being, and they can’t be
Beacons start with a maximum number of Recov- avoided like normal attacks. These attacks – magical
eries determined by their job, which increases with attacks from abilities with the Aetheric tag – must
Bulk. They refresh their pool of recoveries when they equal or exceed the target’s A-Def to hit.
take a Long Rest (p. 61).

MANA POINTS (MP)

DODGE Mana points (MP) are a pool of magical energy that
Dodge represents how hard it is for attacks to hit a can be spent to use certain abilities. To use one of these
character. To hit a target, the result of the attack roll abilities, a character must have the indicated amount
Appendices

must equal or exceed the target’s Dodge. of MP available, and it is spent once the ability is ac-
tivated. Beacons can restore MP in combat with the
Refresh action.

15
 ABILITIES You can only equip a weapon or support item into
Beacons use a wide variety of abilities to achieve victory a slot if the equipment is the same size as the slot or
Getting Started

in combat scenes. Abilities include traits, equipment, smaller. For example, if you have a Main weapon slot,
talents, and techniques. In general, anything that can you can equip either a Main or a Light weapon to it.
be used in a combat scene is considered an ability.
Free Equipment
Stacking Abilities Some equipment can be equipped for free. Free equip-
Each character can only benefit from one instance of ment doesn’t take up a slot when equipped; however,
any given ability or effect at a time. Put another way, only one copy of each piece of equipment can be
subsequent instances of abilities and effects don’t stack equipped for free at a time. You can’t have multiple
on top of themselves. free versions of the same equipment. You can have
For example, the Sniper talent’s rank 2 ability, Zero multiple different pieces of equipment equipped for
2: Anatomy of a Beacon

In, gives +1 on ranged attacks every time you miss, free, though, and something equipped for free can still
and stacks until you finally hit with a ranged attack. be equipped in other slots.
Conversely, the Shocking Grasp spell, which prevents
targets from performing reactions until the end of their Weapons
next turn when they’re hit, wouldn’t extend its effect Weapons are the primary way that beacons attack their
across additional turns if they were hit by Shocking foes. Weapons can be either melee weapons or ranged
Grasp again before the original effect expired. weapons. Melee weapons make melee attacks, and
ranged weapons make ranged attacks. See Chapter
5: Combat Play (p. 41) for additional information
TRAITS on how different sorts of attacks work.
Traits are abilities that reinforce a beacon’s identity and
playstyle. Traits come from a beacon’s ancestry (p. 13) WEAPON TYPE
and equipped job (p. 13). In addition to a size, each weapon has one of the
Building Beacons

Traits can provide either passive benefits or effects following types:

that need to be activated. Some traits provide additional
abilities, like the Riftblade job’s special Riftcutter Ø Artifact: Wands, staves, and other magical
weapon. Beacons’ equipped traits are always available implements. Artifacts often have the Aetheric tag.
and cannot be destroyed. Ø Blade: Swords, axes, and daggers of any size. Blades
are basic, balanced weapons.
Ø Bow: Bows and crossbows. Bows are typically ranged
EQUIPMENT and often have the Arcing tag, allowing them
Equipment is the weapons, armor, and tools that a to fire over obstacles.
beacon chooses to bring on a quest, and it has a signif- Ø Club: Maces, warhammers, and other blunt weapons.
Running the Game

icant impact on their combat performance. Equipment These weapons are often Slow or Inaccurate,
is broken down into two categories: weapons and but hit hard. Natural weapons like claws also count
support items. Equipment is usually selected when as clubs.
preparing for a quest. Ø Longarm: Spears, javelins, and other weapons with
an extended reach.
Equipment Slots Ø Magitech: Magitech weapons are any that combine
Each job provides a different number of weapon slots technology and magic. Shardguns, which are firearms
and support slots. These determine how many weapons that shoot blasts of magical energy from specialized
and support items the beacon can equip. Weapons can crystals, are the most common sort of magitech.
only be equipped in weapon slots, and support items
can only be equipped in support slots. Each slot is also LINKED WEAPONS
suitable for equipment of a certain size – Light, Main, Weapon slots that have a symbol between two weapon
Appendices

or Heavy – or smaller. sizes (e.g., LIGHT LIGHT ) can hold two linked
weapons of the indicated sizes. These two weapons
Equipment Size form a linked pair. When you attack with a linked
Like equipment slots, weapons and support items weapon, you can also attack with the weapon it’s linked
come in three sizes, from smallest to largest: Light, to as part of the same action – as long as you haven’t
Main, and Heavy. already done so as part of the same action. This second

16
attack is called a linked attack. Each linked pair can Skills
only trigger one linked attack per turn. You can make Unlike spells, skills are abilities that don’t require the

Getting Started
a linked attack even if the weapon would normally be user to manipulate aether. They are usually nonmag-
used in a different phase. This excludes Slow attacks. ical in nature, but some do cost MP to activate, like
Linked attacks don’t benefit from bonus damage. the shapeshifter’s Scout Form. These skills draw their
A weapon can only be in one linked pair at a time. mana directly from the user’s body, with no active
Both weapons count as linked to each other. Each manipulation of aether needed. Because of this, skills
weapon in the linked pair counts as a separate weapon are unaffected by the Silenced condition.
and can benefit from a separate Enchantment; however,
if one is destroyed, so is the other.
RESOURCES
Beacons tend to acquire various resources during their
WHAT DO LINKED WEAPONS LOOK LIKE?

2: Anatomy of a Beacon
adventures. Some resources are used for combat play
Linked weapons can be interpreted a number of only, like temp HP and Focus, while others are only
ways. They might be depicted as dual-wielded used in narrative play, like gold and residuum. There
weapons; weapons literally connected by links; or are also supplies, that can provide benefits in both
weapons fused together, like a double-bladed sword. narrative and combat play.

Support Items
Support items are the armor, shields, potions, and tools COMBAT RESOURCES
that beacons can equip for quests. Support items often Temporary HP
provide defensive bonuses or utility abilities. Temporary HP (Temp HP) is a separate pool of HP out-
side of a character’s normal HP. Whenever a character’s
HP is reduced by damage, points are taken from their
TECHNIQUES Temp HP first. Any remaining damage is subtracted

Building Beacons
Beacons learn a wide variety of battle techniques that from their HP as normal. Temp HP can’t be restored by
affect the way they approach combat. Offensive spells, effects that restore normal HP.
unique ways of moving, and changes to one’s own body Temp HP can come from various sources, including
are all types of techniques a beacon can equip for a techniques, equipment, and other abilities. Separate
quest. Techniques are broken down into two categories: instances of Temp HP don’t stack; if a character already
spells and skills. has Temp HP, a second source of Temp HP would only
Techniques cost a certain amount of Memory to apply if it is greater than the current amount of Temp
equip. A beacon’s available Memory is determined HP they have. For example, if a character with 2 Temp
by their equipped job, and increased by their Mind. HP uses an ability that would give them 4 Temp HP,
You can only equip a technique if there is sufficient this new, greater source of Temp HP replaces the first

Running the Game

Memory available. one – they end up with 4 temp HP, not 6.
Techniques are usually equipped when preparing
for a quest. Focus
Focus is a temporary resource gained during com-
Free Techniques bat scenes. It can be spent for certain effects, like the
Like equipment, some techniques can be equipped Interpose reaction. It starts at 0, and has no maximum.
for free. Free techniques don’t take up any Memory; All Focus is lost at the end of each scene.
however, only one copy of a given technique can be
equipped for free at a time. You can’t have multiple free
versions of the same technique. You can have multiple
different techniques equipped for free, though.
Appendices

Spells
Spells are magical abilities. Not every spell requires
the caster to spend MP, but they do require the caster
to be able to manipulate aether. Because of this, the
Silenced condition (p. 62) prevents characters from
casting spells.

17
 NARRATIVE RESOURCES
Getting Started

Gold Supplies
Instead of keeping track of every piece of currency your Supplies are miscellaneous items that beacons can
character is carrying, BEACON uses an abstract form of bring on quests, like a well-cooked meal from the tav-
currency called Gold. Gold represents the resources ern or a potion from the local alchemist. They provide
and influence that are available to your beacon. The temporary benefits and don’t require equipment slots
actual currency used in your Reflection might be em- or Memory to equip. Supplies can be earned as quest
erald chips, paper bills, or credits, but for simplicity’s rewards, through narrative play, most often with the
sake these are all treated the same way. Shop downtime activity. You can find the full list of
Beacons are assumed to have enough resources to supplies in Appendix A: Shops and Supplies (p. 346).
cover basic needs like food and housing, and they always When preparing for a quest, your beacon can equip
2: Anatomy of a Beacon

have access to their starting and unlocked equipment. up to three of their available supplies. Each beacon
Gold is only used for downtime activities, purchasing can only bring one instance of each supply per quest.
supplies (see below), and in narrative scenes. All equipped supplies are destroyed at the end of the
In narrative scenes, gold is only used for purchases quest, regardless of whether they were used or not.
that are meaningful and impactful. A beacon doesn’t
need to spend gold when staying at an inn or purchasing Example: Dhalia has two sleeping bags, a titan flask,
a drink at the tavern; however, staying in the penthouse and elf cookies as her available supplies. She is
suite of the Golden Goose Casino might cost gold, preparing for a tough quest, so she wants to bring
since doing so is a luxury reserved only for the wealthy. as many supplies as she can. She can only bring 3
Gold can be acquired through downtime activities supplies and can’t bring duplicates, so she brings
like Pursue Profession or as a reward at the end of one sleeping bag, one titan flask, and one elf cookie.
quests. Each beacon can have a maximum of 10 gold
at a time. Supplies gained during the course of a quest can either
Building Beacons

be immediately equipped – exceeding the normal limit

of three equipped supplies – or saved for a future quest.
WHY A GOLD LIMIT?
The Gold limit is to encourage players to spend their
Gold more often, instead of hoarding it. GMs are wel-
come to change the limit to better suit their game.

Residuum
Residuum is a byproduct of the destruction of magical
Running the Game

items. It is dense in aether and can be used to modify

other magical items. Residuum is created with the
Disenchant Loot downtime activity. (p. 27).

Ø 1 Residuum: Reroll any one loot crate slot.

Ø 2 Residuum: Reroll any one loot crate slot and
choose a specific type for the slot (weapon, support
item, skill, or spell).
Ø 2 Residuum: Reroll any one loot crate slot. The
rerolled slot will be one level rarer than the original
result (Uncommon > Rare > Legendary).
Appendices

18
 3: QUESTS

Getting Started
Gameplay in BEACON revolves around quests. Quests are
the adventures that the beacons go on, each comprising STAKES
a combination of narrative and combat play. The stakes describe the things that might happen if
After every quest, whether it is a success or failure, the quest succeeds or fails. Depending on the goal,
all beacons gain a character level. this could include any of the following:
Quests have the following components:
Goal: Destroy the forces occupying the castle.
Ø Goal: The quest’s objective. Ø Success: The nearby town is safe and its people
Ø Stakes: The potential outcomes of success and don’t need to worry about extortion.

3: Quests
failure. Ø Failure: The occupying force retaliates and destroys
Ø Information: The things known by or available to the town.
the PCs before they begin the quest.
Ø Rewards: The rewards, if any, that the beacons might Goal: Prevent the archmage from crashing the moon
receive upon completing the quest. Listed rewards into the planet.
might require succeeding in the quest, or simply Ø Success: The moon stays where it is.
completing it. Ø Failure: The moon crashes. Bad things follow.

Building Beacons
Quests progress through the following stages: Goal: Assassinate the faction leader.
Ø Success: The faction is weakened and likely to be
Ø Preparation: The beacons prepare for the quest. destroyed or assimilated.
Ø Quest Scenes: The quest begins and moves through Ø Failure: The faction is emboldened, gaining more
a series of narrative and combat scenes that tell an followers and strengthening its position.
overarching story.
Ø Downtime: An opportunity to undertake downtime Goal: Rescue a captured friend.
activities before the next quest. Ø Success: The beacons’ friend is returned safely.
Ø Failure: The beacons’ friend becomes the vessel of
Chapter 10: Game Master’s Guide provides guidance

Running the Game

a parasitic psychic entity.
for creating quests (Building Quests, p. 241).
Each quest needs stakes, although the GM can keep
them broad or vague. Either way, the players should
GOAL have a good understanding of what the stakes are. The
The quest’s goal is the thing the beacons need to do stakes can’t be hidden or secret.
to succeed. This can include things like: Depending on the actions of the players, it’s possible
to achieve a mixed outcome – neither an outright success
Ø destroying the forces occupying the castle; nor a total failure. The GM can decide the results in cases
Ø preventing the archmage from crashing the moon like this. They don’t need to be specified ahead of time.
into the planet;
Ø assassinating the leader of a faction;
INFORMATION
Appendices

Ø rescuing a captured friend.

Some information might be available to the players
The players should always know the quest’s goal. before the quest begins. This helps them prepare for the
quest and understand the situation they’re getting into.
Before the quest begins, the players should have an
opportunity to ask questions, with the GM answering
based on what they might reasonably know or can
safely expect. The GM might also allow the players
to perform skill checks or downtime activities to gain
more information.

19
 REWARDS QUEST STAGES
After finishing a quest, the beacons receive rewards. Quests can be broken down into three stages: prepa-
Getting Started

Whether the quest was successful or not, beacons ration, the quest itself, and then downtime.
always receive a new character level, and a loot crate.

Ø New character level: The beacons level up after PREPARATION

every quest they complete. This increases their When preparing for a quest, the players pick the abil-
character level by one and allows them to gain a ities and equipment they want their beacon to have
new class rank. They can either take a new class at during that quest. They choose the following from their
rank 1 or go up to the next rank in a class they already unlocked options:
have (up to a maximum of rank 3).
Ø Loot crate: Loot crates are randomized rewards. Ø A job
3: Quests

Loot crates are an abstraction – a mechanism to Ø A trait from their chosen ancestry (p. 68)
assign random rewards to beacons – and they aren’t Ø Equipment (weapons and support items) equal to
always boxes of treasure. Each player receives their their slots
own loot crate containing three random pieces of Ø Techniques (skills and spells) equal to their Memory
equipment or techniques, one of which they get to Ø Supplies
keep. The loot they choose is added to their unlocked
equipment and techniques. Players always have Players always have access to all of their jobs, ancestry
Building Beacons

access to unlocked loot, just like any other piece traits, equipment, techniques, and supplies when
of equipment or techniques. Each player can only preparing for quests, regardless of where they are or
receive a given piece of loot once; if a loot crate the situation in which they find themselves.
contains a piece of loot they already have, that Once everyone has prepared, the quest begins. From
option is rerolled. Loot crates are discussed in more this moment on, they are considered to be on that quest
detail in Chapter 10: Game Master’s Guide (Loot until it is finished. They can only be on one quest at a
and Rewards, p. 223). time, although side objectives and challenges may arise
along the way that weren’t present when they set out.
Beacons might receive additional rewards after a request,
like gold, supplies, or narrative benefits. These addi-
QUEST SCENES
Running the Game

tional quest rewards might be dependent on whether

the quest was successful or not. For example, the rescue Quests are composed of multiple narrative and combat
of a captured prince might see the beacons awarded scenes. Each quest typically features between one and
noble titles. Clearing out a dangerous dungeon, on the four combat scenes, with narrative scenes sprinkled
other hand, might earn each player a specific bonus throughout.
piece of loot. These additional rewards are up to the The GM is responsible for presenting scenes to the
GMs discretion. players and stringing them together (see Chapter 7:
Game Master’s Guide, p. 84, for more information
about building quests). While the GM might have an idea
about how a scene could unfold, the actions of the play-
ers ultimately determine what happens within a scene.
The players are responsible for interacting with the
Appendices

scenes presented to them. Players don’t get to choose

what scenes take place (although they are encouraged
to let the GM know if they have specific scenes they’d
like to see), but they do influence what happens within
a scene.

20
 Example: The GM sets up a narrative scene where DOWNTIME
the beacons have to cross a heavily guarded bridge. After finishing a quest, the beacons begin a period

Getting Started
They expect that the players will try to talk their way of downtime. Downtime is a type of narrative play in
through; however, the players decide to solve the which the characters can pursue personal interests,
problem by building gliders and using magic to soar explore the world, and perform downtime activities
right over the bridge. (p. 27). The GM can also decide to declare downtime
The GM did not expect this outcome, but the during long breaks in the middle of quests.
point of the scene was to see how the beacons solved When the beacons begin downtime, it counts as
the problem, not to force a social interaction. The taking a Long Rest, which replenishes their HP, MP,
players used an unexpected but creative solution. and other attributes; allows them to change out their
equipment and techniques; and more. See p. 61 for
Example Quest Structure more information on resting.

3: Quests
Ø Preparation: The beacons are presented with a Chapter 4: Narrative Play contains further infor-
quest to find a specific villain and defeat them. They mation on downtime (Downtime Activities, p. 27).
prepare for the quest and set out.
Ø Scene 1 (narrative scene): The beacons scout for
the villain’s lair and contend with native fauna.
Ø Scene 2 (narrative scene): The beacons find the lair,
but must navigate past the traps and guards within.

Building Beacons
Ø Scene 3 (combat scene): The beacons confront the
villain in battle.
Ø Scene 4 (narrative scene): The beacons flee the
villain’s collapsing lair.
Ø Downtime: The beacons return to town, completing
the quest and receiving their rewards. They enter a
period of downtime until they begin their next quest.

Running the Game

Appendices

21
4: NARRATIVE PLAY

22
Getting Started 4: Narrative Play Building Beacons Running the Game Appendices
Narrative play is anything that occurs outside of a Skill checks have three potential outcomes, depend-
combat scene, whether it be planning quests, pursuing ing on the total of your roll and any modifiers:

Getting Started
personal objectives, disabling the traps in a ruin, or
even running a tavern. Ø Miss (9 or less)
The players decide what their characters do during Ø Hit (10–19)
narrative play. If the GM believes an action is import- Ø Crit (20+)
ant, they can ask for a skill check to determine how
well it goes. A miss indicates you didn’t achieve the desired result. You
Narrative play can involve small-scale fights and con- get a lesser version of what you were hoping to achieve
flict, like fending off back alley robbers or overwhelming and there’s usually a significant cost you have to pay.
a single guard. These fights are resolved in an abstract
fashion, using skill checks or narrative actions (see Example: Dhalia wants to research whether the

4: Narrative Play
below) rather than tactical combat. Not every fight Scourge’s latest manifestation has a weakness. The
triggers a combat scene; combat play is reserved for GM asks Shawn to make a skill check to find out how
important, large-scale fight scenes, like fending off a Dhalia’s research goes. She gets a 6 on her roll, which
squadron of dragon riders from the deck of an airship is a miss. The GM decides that instead of finding out
during a thunderstorm. a weakness, she learns of an ancient enemy of the
NPCs don’t use these narrative play rules. They don’t Scourge. The GM also decides that she loses track
have background skills or titles, and they don’t roll dice of time and misses an important meeting.
or perform narrative actions. Instead, the GM describes
what NPCs do or how they react to the things the PCs A hit indicates success, but with some sort of cost.
do. For example, if an NPC guard wants to capture a The cost isn’t as severe as it would be on a miss, but it
fleeing beacon, the guard wouldn’t make a skill check. is still present.

Building Beacons
Instead, the GM would describe what the guard is trying
to do and let the player describe how they attempt to Example: If Dhalia’s result had been a hit, the GM
avoid capture. If the beacon was in a bad situation or it would tell her that she successfully found one of the
was clear there would be no escape, they could instead Scourge’s weaknesses, but lost track of time and was
just state that the beacon was captured. In either case, late to an important meeting.
the GM makes no rolls.
A crit is a resounding success. You get what you wanted
at no additional cost, or you get even more than you
SKILL CHECKS were hoping for at a cost.

Running the Game

Example: If Dhalia’s result had been a crit, the GM
Skill check summary: When you make a skill check, would just tell her that she found the Scourge’s
you roll 1d20 with the following modifiers: weakness, with no cost.
• + equal to your ranks in a relevant background skill
• +2 if you invoke your beacon’s title. Costs for skill checks can include injuries, taking longer
than expected, losing an item, damaging a relationship,
When you attempt something in narrative play that has embarrassing oneself, feeling a strong emotion, or
a chance of failure, the GM may call on you make a skill anything else the GM or players can think of.
check to determine whether you are successful or not. Skill checks can only be attempted at the GM’s discre-
To make a skill check, you roll 1d20. If you have a tion. For example, if you try to jump 30 feet straight up
background skill that would be beneficial, you gain in the air with nothing to aid you but an average level
on the roll equal to your ranks in that background of human strength, the GM will disallow that skill check,
Appendices

skill. Any given skill check can only benefit from one even if you’ve already rolled a 25 on your attempt. Tell
background skill. If you invoke your title, you gain +2 the GM what you want to do, and they will let you know
to the roll (see p. 11 for information on titles). whether you need to roll a skill check or not.

23
 DIFFICULT SKILL CHECKS NARRATIVE ACTIONS
The sorts of activities that prompt skill checks are in- Skill checks work for anything a beacon might want to
Getting Started

herently difficult, since if they weren’t, you shouldn’t do in narrative play, but they are intentionally broad
be rolling dice for them in the first place. That said, the and generic. Narrative actions are specific types of
GM can add to skill checks to represent particularly skill checks that can also be made during narrative play
tough challenges. and that have specific outcomes. They don’t represent
If the GM or players believe a challenge is exception- every possible action; instead, they are more detailed
ally hard, difficult, or challenging, the GM can impose and focused variations of normal skill checks.
up to 3 on the skill check. Narrative actions are used instead of standard skill
checks when their trigger is met. Triggers are given
Ø 1 represents a very hard challenge. as a bolded phrase in the action’s description. This
Ø 2 represents a challenge in which numerous factors phrase is the event that takes place in the narrative to
4: Narrative Play

all contribute to an exceptional level of difficulty. trigger the action.

Ø 3 represents a challenge that straddles the line When a narrative action is triggered, the player in
of what should even be allowed as a skill check. question rolls a skill check and uses the results listed
Before applying this level of difficulty, think about for that narrative action.
whether this is something that should be possible
for a beacon to accomplish. If it is, then go for it –
even if it stretches the limits of plausibility. After all, TERMINOLOGY
beacons are heroes that routinely do the impossible. The terms miss and hit might sound familiar to you.
They are borrowed from Meguey and Vincent Bak-
As a guideline, the GM usually shouldn’t add more er’s Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) framework,
to a skill check than the tier of NPCs the beacons are first used in Apocalypse World. BEACON’s narrative
Building Beacons

currently up against (see Chapter 11: Non-Player actions are designed like PbtA’s “moves”, meaning
Characters, p. 259, for information on tiers.) you can easily import other PbtA moves into BEACON,
or even use an entirely different set of PbtA rules for
narrative play.
HELPING OTHERS
Beacons can assist other beacons with their skill checks.
To do so, the beacon who is helping must be in the same CONVINCE
location as the one attempting the skill check and must A honeyed word, a veiled threat, or an equal exchange;
be able to invoke their title, and the beacon making the all are ways of convincing a person to do something.
skill check can’t have invoked their own title for that
Running the Game

check. If these criteria are met, the assisting beacon can When you try to convince someone to do what you
invoke their title on behalf of the roller. want, roll:
Ø 9 or less (Miss): They can’t be convinced to do it.
Ø 10–19 (Hit): The GM chooses one of the following:
CHOOSING FAILURE ‘ They do what you want, but only if you do
You can choose to automatically get a miss result on something for them first.
a skill check. You might do so if you find that result ‘ They won’t do it unless you give up any leverage
interesting or have a narrative reason. over them.
Ø 20+ (Crit): They do what you want.

People can’t be persuaded to do things that go against

their beliefs or that they think are bad ideas unless you
Appendices

have some kind of leverage.

24
 GAIN INSIGHT MAKE CONFLICT
What you see is not always what you get. Sometimes the Punch someone in the face, belittle them in front of their

Getting Started
situation is unclear or confusing. Take a moment to look friends, or have a psychic showdown in their dreams.
around and dive a little deeper. However you do it, you’re in conflict with someone.

When you quickly read a person, place, or situation, roll: This action is for quickly handling conflict in narrative
Ø 9 or less (Miss): You get a bad read of things. The GM play. Not every fight is important enough to warrant
tells you either something untrue that you believe, moving to combat play. The benefits of this move are
or something true that you wish wasn’t. purposely vague to encourage the players and GM to
Ø 10–19 (Hit): Ask two of the following questions interpret the results creatively.
about your subject of study:
‘ What recently happened or is about to happen? When you engage in conflict with something (physical,

4: Narrative Play
‘ How can I ______? social, or mental), roll:
‘ What seems strange here? Ø 9 or less (Miss): Choose two costs (see below).
‘ Who or what is in charge here? Ø 10–19 (Hit): Choose one benefit (see below) and
‘ What is safe or vulnerable here? one cost.
‘ What is useful to me? Ø 20+ (Crit): Choose one:
Ø 20+ (Crit): As above, and you can ask one follow-up ‘ You defeat them outright.
question that doesn’t need to be from the list. ‘ Choose two benefits and one cost.
‘ Choose one benefit and no costs.

GATHER INFORMATION BENEFITS

Hit the streets or hit the books. Information is power, and Ø You wound them or drive them away.

Building Beacons
you collect it from wherever you can find it. Ø You leave an impression of your choice on them.
Ø You create an opportunity for your allies.
When you spend time gaining information about a Ø You take something from them.
person, place, or thing, name your general topic of
inquiry and roll: COSTS
Ø 9 or less (Miss): Ask the GM one question about These costs have both narrative consequences as well as
your topic, and they will give you an answer that associated mechanical costs (in parentheses). The GM can
you think is true. The information is either untrue, or decide whether to apply the mechanical cost or leave it
contains true information that you wish wasn’t true. as purely narrative.
Ø 10–19 (Hit): Ask the GM one question about your Ø You are wounded (reduce all of your background

Running the Game

topic, and they will respond truthfully. skills by one rank until you have a chance to rest)
Ø 20+ (Crit): As above, but you can ask two questions. Ø You put yourself or an ally in a bad position of the
GM’s choice (a character chosen by the GM gains +2
The GM can ask you to come up with a different question on their next skill check this scene).
if they think it unlikely you would be able to discover Ø You lose an important piece of equipment (a weapon
that information, or if they want that information to or support item is destroyed).
be discovered another way. A classic example would Ø You are shaken (a technique is destroyed).
be a beacon trying to solve a murder mystery: Asking,
“Who is the murderer” might invalidate the quest,
dampening the fun for everyone. On the other hand,
the GM might allow the question, pivoting the quest
from an investigation into a survival quest in which the
Appendices

PCs must outlast or escape the murderer!

25
 MOVE UNSEEN RECALL LORE
Getting into a place you shouldn’t be is easy for a beacon. Consult your accumulated knowledge to pull out random
Getting Started

The hard part is not getting caught. bits of lore and trivia, like what type of creature stands
before you or the name of a specific noble.
When you sneakily gain access to an area, describe
your plan and roll: When you recall your knowledge or memories about
Ø 9 or less (Miss): You find yourself in a bad position. a topic, ask the GM a question and roll:
Ø 10–19 (Hit): You get in, but getting out is harder. Ø 9 or less (Miss): The GM gives an answer you wish
Choose one: wasn’t true, or you wish you didn’t believe. They may
Ø You leave something behind. ask what you think the answer is before answering.
Ø You take a problem with you. Ø 10–19 (Hit): The GM gives you a truthful answer.
Ø 20+ (Crit): You get in and out without anyone You can propose additional detail, but you can’t
4: Narrative Play

noticing. invalidate the GM’s answer.

Ø 20+ (Crit): The GM gives an answer, and you can
Leaving something behind can include leaving an change or modify that answer as long as it remains in
important item or evidence of your presence. Taking a the spirit of the GM’s original answer. The GM may ask
problem with you can include taking injuries, alerting what you think the answer is before providing theirs.
the guards, or taking a prisoner.
This action abstracts a variety of story beats and ac-
tions into one. Use it when you want to quickly handle USE MAGIC
a stealth scene. Magic is powerful, but takes training to use safely. One
small mistake can magnify a spell’s undesirable effects.
Building Beacons

OVERCOME When you attempt to create a magical effect, answer

When an obstacle is in your way, go through it or around the following and roll:
it. Jumping over a crocodile-filled moat or disabling Ø Purpose: What should the spell do?
a sentry-bot’s control mechanism are all ways of Ø Boon: Pick a positive trait for the spell (fast, quiet,
overcoming an obstacle. powerful, etc).
Ø Bane: Pick a negative trait for the spell (explosive,
When you try to overcome an obstacle, state what you draining, loud, etc).
want to accomplish. The GM will tell you the stakes
(the cost you must pay to succeed). If you accept, roll: The boon and bane shouldn’t be opposites of each other.
Ø 9 or less (Miss): You don’t succeed and must pay
Running the Game

the cost. Ø 9 or less (Miss): The spell fulfills its purpose, but
Ø 10–19 (Hit): You can choose to either succeed and gains the bane with no boon.
pay the cost, or fail but don’t pay the cost. Ø 10–19 (Hit): The spell fulfills its purpose. Choose
Ø 20+ (Crit): You succeed and don’t pay the cost. one of the following:
Ø The spell gains its boon and its bane.
The stakes are a way for the GM to indicate how difficult Ø The spell avoids its bane.
a specific course of action is and telegraph this to the Ø 20+ (Crit): The spell fulfills its purpose and gains its
player. This also gives the player the opportunity to boon, but no bane.
change their mind and think of a different approach.
For example, if the aforementioned crocodile-filled
moat is particularly large, the GM could make the cost
“severe damage to one of your limbs”. The player might
Appendices

decide this cost is too high to pay, so they decide to

think of another solution.
In the sentry-bot example, the GM could make the
cost “your tools are destroyed”. If the player decides
they are comfortable with that cost, they can proceed
to make the roll.

26
DOWNTIME ACTIVITIES
Whenever your beacon has free time, they can perform Each downtime activity has a bolded phrase in its

Getting Started
downtime activities. There is automatically a period of description, which is its trigger. When a beacon meets
downtime after the completion of a quest, but the GM can the trigger for a downtime activity, they can perform
also declare downtime during a long break within a quest. that activity. Some downtime activities involve rolls,
A period of downtime allows each beacon to perform one while others have automatic effects.
downtime activity, unless the GM allows for more. If a player is unsure of which downtime activity to
There is no specific length of time needed to per- pursue, they can explain what they want to do. The GM
form a downtime activity, but at least a day is a good and other players can then try to match that beacon’s
guideline. Some downtime activities are dependent on activity with an existing downtime activity or create a
resources or other people and might not be available custom activity on the fly.
even if enough time exists to perform the activity.

4: Narrative Play
CREATE A RITUAL DISENCHANT LOOT
Rituals are complex magical spells that can be customized Loot can be disenchanted into residuum, a magical
to create whatever effects the caster wants. Due to their powder used to enhance and alter other magical items
complicated nature, however, they are not easy to perform (p. 18).
and can have dangerous side effects if done incorrectly.
When you want to disenchant loot into residuum,
When you want to use magic to solve a problem, choose at least one piece of loot.
answer the following questions and roll: The loot you select is destroyed and you gain an
Ø What does it cost to cast the ritual? amount of residuum depending on the rarity of the loot:

Building Beacons
Ø How is the ritual performed?
Ø What could go wrong? Ø Uncommon: 3 Residuum
Ø Rare: 4 Residuum
Ø 9 or less (Miss): There’s a problem with the ritual, and Ø Legendary: 5 Residuum
that problem is worse than you thought. When you
use the ritual, the GM describes what goes wrong.
Ø 10–19 (Hit): The ritual is more complicated than DUNGEON-DIVE
you expected. You and the GM each choose one of Dungeons and ruins are great places to find interesting
the following complications: gear and supplies.
Ø It takes longer to create the ritual than you

Running the Game

thought. You can automatically finish it by When you want to acquire loot, roll:
performing this activity again in a subsequent Ø 9 or less (Miss): It was a rough expedition. You get
downtime period (no roll required) and a loot crate, but only the Slot 1 option.
meeting all of the other conditions. Ø 10–19 (Hit): The expedition was a success. You get
Ø It goes wrong in the way you expected. a loot crate, but only the Slot 1 and Slot 2 options.
Ø The cost isn’t sufficient. The GM adds an Ø 20+ (Crit): Jackpot! You get a loot crate.
additional cost that must be paid to perform
the ritual. You can immediately sell or disenchant loot you get
Ø The effects are unreliable or temporary. from this activity, as with the Shop and Disenchant
Ø The ritual is considered forbidden or taboo. Loot downtime activities.
Ø 20+ (Crit): You successfully create the ritual with
no complications.
Appendices

Once you’ve created a ritual, you can use it again with-

out rolling if you meet the requirements and perform
this downtime activity. Record your answers and the
complications as the “recipe” for the ritual.

27
 FIND ECHO GAIN A CONTACT
The Source is made of countless reflections, each a Contacts are relationships that can be leveraged for
Getting Started

different reality. Because of this limitless potential, it’s benefits. They can be people with any sort of relationship
possible to find alternate versions of yourself in the to a beacon, from close friends to rivals or even mortal
Source, called echoes. The strongest echoes are those enemies. Whatever the relationship, a contact can get
that are almost exact copies of yourself, with only minor you something you want.
differences.
When you want to find a person that can help you,
Finding an echo requires meditation, slowly aligning name either a specific individual or a general catego-
your aether and mind with the Source. Once aligned, ry of person (dockworker, business executive, town
you receive a vision of the Source and all your echoes guard, etc.), then roll:
within. State the changes you wish to make to yourself, Ø 9 or less (Miss): You gain the contact, but you will
4: Narrative Play

and the echoes will fade until only one remains. This need to earn their trust or deepen your relationship
echo has the aspects you want, and is willing to swap with them before they will do anything for you.
them with you for the versions you currently have. Ø 10–19 (Hit): You gain this contact and they will
perform a minor or moderate favor for you, but they
When you want to magically change your appearance, will likely ask for something in return after doing so.
name, gender, title, ancestry, classes, or talents, find Ø 20+ (Crit): You gain this contact and they will
an echo. perform a minor or moderate favor for you at no
Once you find an echo, the changes take place. This is cost, or a major favor for which they will expect a
always a willing exchange, as the process can only take favor in return.
place with a willing echo. One thing that can’t change
are your life experiences, which remain the same. Once the roll is made, the GM should set up a brief nar-
Building Beacons

This activity can be used to fully retrain your char- rative scene to roleplay how they became your contact.
acter, or to change your character’s appearance to The GM can disallow certain characters from becoming
better match your image of them. It is not intended for contacts, and should indicate this before a roll is made
shenanigans like getting away with crimes by changing to gain them as a contact. GMs, don’t make players use
your appearance, and characters trying to do so will the downtime activity if it is impossible succeed.
discover that they can’t find any suitable echoes.
Remember, you can make some changes to your
character when they level up. Specifically, you can reas- GET SOMETHING
sign any number of ranks in one talent to another and Beacons can easily acquire common or mundane items
reassign any number of ranks in a class to another class. like food, armor, and weaponry. Some things are harder
Running the Game

This activity is for bigger, more encompassing changes. to obtain – just out of a beacon’s reach, but not impossible
to grasp.

When you want to acquire something important,

name what it is and roll:
Ø 9 or less (Miss): You can get it, but at great cost.
You either have to give up something you don’t
want to lose, or do something you don’t want to
do for someone.
Ø 10–19 (Hit): You can get it, but you will owe
something to someone.
Ø 20+ (Crit): You can get it, no strings attached. Next
Appendices

time you try to Get Something the same way, treat

this result as a 10–19 instead.

Before you commit to performing this activity, the

GM will let you know if the thing you want can’t be
obtained this way.

28
 GO SHOPPING SHOPS SUPPLIES
This downtime activity allows beacons to buy valuable

Getting Started
items and supplies, or sell valuable items and loot GENERAL STORE Adventuring supplies (p. 346)
for gold. When using it, keep in mind that beacons
are always able to cover their basic needs, like food, ALCHEMY SHOP Potions and elixirs (p. 347)
housing, and their starting and unlocked equipment.
There are two versions of this downtime activity: BLACKSMITH Gear and equipment (p. 349)
Buying and Selling.
ENGINEER Magitech and cutting-edge tech
(p. 352)
BUYING
When you want to buy supplies or other valuable items, TAVERN Food and drink (p. 354)

4: Narrative Play
ask the GM for the available shops and their stock.
Buying supplies or valuable items costs gold. You LEATHERWORKER/ Gear and clothing (p. 350)
can buy as many items as you want from the shops CLOTHIER
available. The GM determines which shops are available,
what they have in stock, and their prices, either manually MAGIC SHOP/DOJO Temporary techniques (p. 355)
picking options or randomly generating them (see p.
346). The goods in stock are the same for all beacons
for the rest of the downtime period. The general store HIT THE BOOKS
is always available. Libraries, schools, and other repositories of information
A full list of shops and their supplies can be found are valuable tools for beacons.
in Appendix A: Shops and Supplies (p. 346).

Building Beacons
When you want to research or learn about something,
name what you want to learn and roll:
SELLING Ø 9 or less (Miss): You can ask the GM up to two
When you want to sell loot or other valuable items, questions about your topic before they answer. One
name the items or loot and roll for each item: of their answers can be untrue.
Ø 9 or less (Miss): You can only sell it for –1 gold below Ø 10–19 (Hit): You can ask the GM up to three
its base price at this time. You can try again with a questions about your topic before they answer. One
future downtime activity. of their answers can be untrue.
Ø 10–19 (Hit): You can sell it for its base price. Ø 20+ (Crit): You can ask the GM up to two questions
Ø 20+ (Crit): You can sell it for +1 gold above its base about your topic, and both answers will be true. You

Running the Game

price. don’t need to ask both questions at the same time.

The GM will set a base price of 1–3 gold. For loot, the
rarity of the loot determines its price (Uncommon: 2
gold; Rare: 4 gold; Legendary: 6 gold).

WISHLISTING
When one beacon performs the Shop downtime activity,
other beacons can also do so for free. Performing this
activity for free is called Wishlisting. When Wishlis-
ting, a beacon can only buy or sell one item.
Appendices

29
 IMPRINT A CRYSTAL A beacon can have one imprinted crystal at a time,
Beacons can imprint memories of themselves onto special and crystals can be used multiple times. To be used,
Getting Started

gems called job crystals. By focusing on a memory and the loadout imprinted on a crystal must have at least
weaving their aetheric field into the crystal, an imprint of that one difference from your current loadout. If an imprint
memory is made. Beacons holding a job crystal containing matches the current loadout, it can’t be used.
one of their imprints can access that memory by reweaving
their aetheric field into it, overwriting certain features of
themselves with the ones from the imprinted memory. MAKE SOMETHING
Beacons are capable of creating incredible items, whether
When you want to imprint a specific loadout onto a they be suits that can survive the crushing depths of the
job crystal, pick any number of the following elements ocean or airship engines that can traverse a storm wall.
to imprint:
4: Narrative Play

Ø An ancestry trait When you want to make something special, answer

Ø A job the following questions and roll:
Ø Weapons
Ø Support items Ø What does it do?
Ø Techniques Ø Why is it special?
Ø Clothing and general appearance Ø What is it made of?

In narrative play, when you have a few moments Ø 9 or less (Miss): Something goes wrong in the design
to focus, you can replace your clothing, equipment, or crafting process. The GM picks two complications
and gear with those imprinted on the crystal. (see below).
During a Short Rest or a Long Rest, you can Ø 10–19 (Hit): The object is more complicated than
Building Beacons

replace your loadout with the imprinted load- you expected. The GM picks one complication.
out without spending a Recovery. The following Ø 20+ (Crit): You make it with no complications.
caveats apply:
COMPLICATIONS
Ø Your current HP, MP, Stress, and Recoveries don’t Ø It’s expensive.
change unless the new maximums are lower than Ø It requires a rare or unique ingredient.
your current values, at which point they are re- Ø It’s unreliable or temporary.
duced to equal the new maximum. Ø It takes longer to make than you thought. You can
Ø If any equipment or techniques have been de- automatically finish it by performing this activity
stroyed, their loss carries over to the new loadout: again in a subsequent downtime period (no roll
Running the Game

Ø For every destroyed piece of equipment, a piece required) and meeting all of the other conditions.
of the new loadout’s equipment must be de- Ø You need help from _____.
stroyed. The destroyed equipment must be of
the same size, if possible. If there is nothing of Objects made using this activity are not usable in com-
matching size, something of the next largest size bat play. Once you’ve made an item, you can use this
is destroyed instead. For example, if one of your downtime activity to make the same item again without
Light weapons has been destroyed, one of rolling as long as you have the ingredients. Record your
the new loadout’s Light weapons must also answers as the “recipe” for the item.
be destroyed. If the new loadout doesn’t have
any Light weapons, then you have to destroy This activity is for making special items. If a beacon
a Main or Heavy weapon instead. wants to make something simple or uncomplicated,
Ø For every destroyed technique, a number of like carving a wooden duck, they can make it with
Appendices

the new loadout’s techniques must be de- a skill check at the GM discretion, instead of using
stroyed with a Memory cost equal or greater a downtime activity.
than the Memory cost of the destroyed tech-
niques from the old loadout.

Equipment and techniques with the Consumable or

Limited tags and no charges left count as destroyed
when using an imprint.

30
 PURSUE A PROFESSION WORK A PROFESSION
Pursuing a profession can be a good way to earn gold When want to use your profession to earn gold, roll

Getting Started
or obtain supplies. with your profession’s background skill:

Pursuing a profession has two steps, each of which is Ø 9 or less (Miss): You gain 1 gold.
a downtime activity: Learn a Profession and Work a Ø 10–19 (Hit): You gain 3 gold.
Profession. Ø 20+ (Crit): You gain 5 gold.

LEARN A PROFESSION You can then immediately gain one supply with a gold
When you want to learn a new profession, pick one cost equal to or lower than your ranks in that profession’s
of the professions listed below, or create one and background skill. It must be available from the type of
pick the type of business that you think would be shop connected to your profession, but you can do this

4: Narrative Play
connected to it from those listed below. even if that shop wouldn’t otherwise be available. As
with the Shop downtime activity, the GM will provide
You gain a new rank 1 background skill named for that you with the available stock.
profession. This background skill can be improved like
a normal background skill.
You can have a maximum of two professions at a RUN AN ORGANIZATION
time, after which you can take this downtime activity Beacons often have jobs, whether running stores or
to replace a known profession with a new one at rank leading guilds.
1. When you learn a profession, you can immediately
Work a Profession using that profession. Running an organization has two steps, which are
downtime activities: Create an Organization and

Building Beacons
PROFESSION BUSINESS Manage an Organization.

ALCHEMY Alchemy Shop CREATE AN ORGANIZATION

When you want to create an organization or business,
CARPENTRY Engineer or Leatherworker/ answer the following:
Clothier Ø What is the name of the organization?
Ø What does the organization specialize in?
COOKING Tavern
You create the organization. It counts as a special back-
ENCHANTING Magic Shop/Dojo ground skill that starts at rank 0, and can range between

Running the Game

–3 and +3 ranks. You can’t increase its ranks with normal
ENGINEERING Engineer background skill points.
When you create an organization, you can immedi-
FISHING Tavern ately Manage an Organization for that organization.

HERBALISM Alchemy Shop or Tavern MANAGE AN ORGANIZATION

When you want to manage an organization or busi-
LAPIDARY General Store or Engineer ness, roll with your organization skill:
Ø 9 or less (Miss): Reduce the rank of your organization
LEATHERWORKING Leatherworker/Clothier skill by –2.
Ø 10–19 (Hit): Increase the rank of your organization
MINING Blacksmith skill by +1.
Appendices

Ø 20+ (Crit): Increase the rank of your organization

SCRIBING Magic Shop/Dojo skill by +2.

SKINNING Leatherworker/Clothier The organization can be used like a background skill in

situations that match its specialty. Whenever you use
SMITHING Blacksmith it like this, reduce its rank by –1 after using it. If you
have negative ranks in this skill, you gain equal to
TAILORING Leatherworker/Clothier the negative ranks when using it.

31
 When using the Go Shopping downtime activity, TRAINING
you can spend ranks from your organization skill in Training allows beacons to improve, gain new skills, or
Getting Started

lieu of gold. Each rank spent counts as 1 gold, to a even learn new fighting styles.
maximum of 3 gold.
You can also have your organization act on your When you want to learn something new or improve
behalf at the cost of one rank, calling on it to do things an existing ability, pick one of the following to train:
that you as an individual wouldn’t be able to do.
You can spend 2 gold to increase the rank of your Ø A background skill: you either gain a new
organization skill by +1. background skill at rank 1 or improve an existing
skill by one rank
Ø A class: choose any class and roll:
TAKE A BREATHER
4: Narrative Play

Sometimes you just need to relax. Some people spend Ø 9 or less (Miss): It is hard to learn anything practical
time reading books or enjoying nature, while others meet about this class. Unlock a weapon, support item, or
with friends or hit the town. technique from the chosen class. It can only be used
in the next quest.
When you want to partake in an activity you enjoy or Ø 10–19 (Hit): You’ve made progress in the
find relaxing, name what you are doing to relax and roll: fundamentals of the class. Unlock up to two
weapons, support items, or techniques from the
Ø 9 or less (Miss): It had the opposite effect, and you chosen class. They can only be used in the next
are now more stressed than you started. You and quest.
the GM each choose one of the following: Ø 20+ (Crit): You’ve begun to master the intricacies of
Ø You couldn’t stop thinking about _____. the class. You can choose to equip that class’s job for
Building Beacons

Ø You made a fool of yourself. the next quest, and you unlock up to two weapons,
Ø You overindulged, and now you’re hurting. support items, or techniques from the class. They
Ø Something went wrong. can only be used in the next quest.
Ø You lost track of time and missed or forgot
something.
Ø You spent more money than you should have.
Ø You made an enemy.
Ø 10–19 (Hit): Choose one of the following, and one
from the above list:
Ø You meet an interesting person or make a
Running the Game

friend.
Ø You gain an interesting or useful piece of
information.
Ø You develop a reputation of your choice.
Ø You deepen your relationship with someone.
Ø 20+ (Crit): You get one option from the 10–19 list
with no drawbacks.
Appendices

32
SKILL CHALLENGES Example: The beacons need to capture a spy who is
Skill challenges are series of rapid skill checks. They can fleeing across the city rooftops. The GM declares a

Getting Started
be used for fast-paced narrative scenes, montages, and standard skill challenge. They set the goal as “capture
other streamlined scenes. the spy before they reach their submarine” with a
Skill challenges can be split into two categories: simple difficulty. There are four beacons, so they need
story challenges and adversity challenges. to achieve four successes before three failures.
Dhalia goes first and uses her “Disciple of the
Sun” background skill to create a magical spotlight
STORY CHALLENGES on the spy so they’re easier to track. She rolls a 14,
A rooftop chase, a journey across a pirate infested which is a hit and the first of the four successes they
sea, and navigating a bureaucratic nightmare are all need (1/4 successes).
examples of potential story challenges. Dmitri goes second. He wants to immediately

4: Narrative Play
Story challenges are used when an obstacle or scene tackle and pin the spy, but since they need three
is too complex to be resolved with a single skill check. more successes to win the skill challenge, he can’t
A GM can declare a story challenge is required in any do that yet since it would end the skill challenge.
narrative scene. Instead, he throws things at the spy to slow them
Story challenges exist purely within narrative play. down with his “Perfected Body” background skill.
The actions they involve and their consequences have He rolls a 20 – another success (2/4).
no impact on combat, unlike adversity challenges, which Mallory is next. She decides to steal someone’s
directly impact combat scenes. horse to get ahead of the spy and cut off their escape
route. She doesn’t have a background skill to use.
Story challenges are structured as follows: She rolls an 8, which is their first failure. Two more
and they’ll fail the challenge!

Building Beacons
Goal: The GM lays out the end goal of the challenge. It Barbazar sees Mallory’s struggles and wants to
could be something like “catch this person before they help. Since Mallory is a small halfling and Barbazar is
escape” or “get to your destination safely”. incredibly strong, she offers to pick Mallory up and
throw her ahead. Mallory loves this idea, so Barbazar
Difficulty: The GM sets the difficulty of the challenge. rolls with her “Bend Bars and Lift Gates” background
This determines the number of successful skill checks skill and gets an 18, their third success (3/4).
the players need to achieve their goal. Everyone has taken a turn, so they go again.
Because they’re one success away from winning
Ø Simple: Successes required = number of PCs. the challenge, everyone thinks it would be funny if
Ø Moderate: Successes required = number of PCs ×1.5. Mallory were the one to catch the spy after being

Running the Game

Ø Challenging: Successes required = number of PCs thrown like a missile. Mallory makes a roll with her
× 2. “Murderous Ball of Death” background skill and
gets a 10, which is enough for their fourth and final
Resolution: The players take turns describing what their success (4/4)!
characters are doing in pursuit of the goal and making The GM describes how Mallory slams into the spy,
skill checks to determine how impactful or successful sending them both tumbling into an alley below
they are. Misses count as failures, and hits and crits where the rest of the beacons are able to restrain
count as successes. them.
If the players collectively reach three failed skill
checks, they fail the challenge. They do not achieve
their goal and the GM describe what happens next. For
example, the target could escape, the beacons arrive too
Appendices

late, or they don’t get the necessary backing they need.

Once every beacon has taken a turn, if they haven’t
yet succeeded or failed the challenge, they go again
in any order. Repeat until the beacons succeed or fail
the challenge.

33
 ADVERSITY CHALLENGES Resolution: In an adversity challenge, each PC makes a
Adversity challenges are special skill challenges used during single skill check. To do so, they first pick an approach.
Getting Started

quests. They can be used as the basis for whole scenes or The six approaches represent different ways they can
montages of scenes within a quest, with direct implica- approach the skill check, and offer players the option
tions for combat scenes. These challenges represent the to either overcome consequences or gain benefits in
obstacles the beacons encounter between combat scenes, the next combat scene.
like moving through dangerous rooms in a dungeon or After selecting an approach, you describe how your
sneaking past some patrolling guards to ambush a target. beacon is contributing to the challenge. If you want to
In an adversity challenge, the beacons will get to overcome a consequence, you must specifically describe
their goal. Unlike story challenges, where the outcome how your beacon is attempting to do so. Once you’ve
is uncertain, adversity challenges are about how well described what you want to do, you make a skill check:
the beacons handle their challenges.
4: Narrative Play

Ø 9 or less (Miss): You fail to make any progress. You

Adversity challenges are structured as follows: don’t get to choose any benefits from your approach.
Ø 10–19 (Hit): You can select one option from the hit
Goal: The GM lays out the end goal for the beacons. It list for your chosen approach.
could be something like “find the end of the dungeon” Ø 20+ (Crit): You can select one option from either
or “get to the leader of the enemy army”. the hit list or the crit list for your chosen approach.

Adversities: The GM describes the adversities the bea- Once all the players have selected their approach,
cons will face. These can be people, things, or events that described their actions, and rolled their skill check, the
the beacons will need to deal with, like the traps in the GM describes the final resolution of the challenge and
dungeon or the soldiers in the enemy army. Adversities what happens next.
Building Beacons

provide the PCs with guidance on how to describe their

actions, letting them know what problems they should Approaches
describe their character solving. The six approaches are: Endure, Infiltrate, Prepare,
Adversity challenges can have any number of adver- Scout, Sway, and Whittle. When you choose an ap-
sities, but they should ideally have at least as many the proach, your skill check must be something that could
number of consequences (see below). The Adversities reasonably fall under the selected approach. For example,
section (p. 38) has a list of sample adversities. if you want to hold up a crumbling wall so your allies
can escape, it would make sense to use Endure, but
Consequences: Adversities can have consequences Sway wouldn’t make sense.
attached to them. Consequences are things that grant When choosing an option from an approach’s hit list
Running the Game

negative effects to the next combat scene if they aren’t or crit list, you can do so either immediately or at the
overcome. Beacons can overcome consequences as start of the next combat scene, after the GM describes
part of the resolution of the adversity challenge. The the type of combat and deployment but before the first
number of consequences is determined by the difficulty round of combat begins. Any unchosen options are lost
of the challenge: once the combat scene begins, and the benefits chosen
only apply to the next combat scene.
Ø Simple: half the number of PCs. Options with the [Team] tag can only be selected
Ø Moderate: the number of PCs. once per skill challenge.
Ø Challenging: the number of PCs + 2.

The players should be aware of the effect of each con-

sequence and which adversity it is associated with.
Appendices

Beacons aren’t required to overcome all consequences,

and in fact it is impossible to do so at the challenging
difficulty level. Deciding which adversities to overcome
and which to accept is one of the tactical decisions to
be made in an adversity challenge.
A list of consequences can be found in the Conse-
quences section (p. 38).

34
 ENDURE INFILTRATE
Weather the storm and stand strong, enduring whatever Surprise your opponents or gain an advantageous position

Getting Started
trials come your way. by moving undetected.

HIT CRIT HIT CRIT

Overcome: You over- Surpass: You overcome Overcome: You over- Surpass: You overcome
come a consequence. a consequence and come a consequence. a consequence and
may choose one option may choose one option
from the hit list. from the hit list.

Armorer: You repair one Focused: Your Stress Ambush: 1/round when Cloak of Shadows: You
destroyed technique or can’t go above your you make an attack roll start combat Hidden

4: Narrative Play
piece of equipment. Breaking point un- while Hidden, you can and Invisible. You re-
til the end of the first roll the d20 twice and main Invisible until
round of combat. take the best result. you make an attack,
deal damage, or force
Adrenaline: You gain Unfazed: You gain 3 Un- a save.
resistance to Physical, fazed. Whenever you
Force, Astral, and Lu- would gain a condition Trapped Environment: M arked for D eath :
nar until the end of the not caused by yourself, You can place three Choose a non-Boss
first round of combat. you can spend 1 to not Traps in free spaces NPC. 1/round when you
gain the condition. on the map. Characters consume a Mark on
that trigger one of the them and successfully

Building Beacons
Bolstered: You start Sturdy: Your HP can’t Traps take [6 Physical, hit with an attack that
combat with 4 temp HP. be reduced below Astral, Lunar, or Force] deals Physical, Force,
your Bloodied value (chosen by you at the Astral, or Lunar, the
until the end of the first time of placement) damage is increased by
round of combat. and must pass an Agil- the result of the highest
ity save or be Slowed die rolled.
Defensive: An ally of H ardened : You gain until the end of their
your choice starts com- +2 Armor. next turn.
bat with 3 Focus.
In the Shadows: You start P ass W ithout T race :

Running the Game

Used to Pain: Choose combat Hidden. All PCs start combat
either Wounds or Over- Hidden and can’t lose
stress. If you would take Hidden until they take
one of the options you a turn or an enemy ends
selected, you can roll a turn adjacent to them.
twice for your wound
or overstress roll and Surprise: You can take Spread Out [Team]: At
take the better result. your first turn during the start of the first
Phase Bolster and round of combat, all
H use any action during PCs can immediately
that phase. move up to their Speed.
Appendices

Forward Position: When

you deploy for combat,
you can deploy up to
8 spaces further away
than normal.

35
 PREPARE SCOUT
Research your enemies, create a plan, and trust in your Perform recon on who you’re fighting and the environment
Getting Started

preparations to bring you to victory. you’re fighting in to gain an advantage.

HIT CRIT HIT CRIT

Overcome: You over- Surpass: You overcome Overcome: You over- Surpass: You overcome
come a consequence. a consequence and come a consequence. a consequence and
may choose one option may choose one option
from the hit list. from the hit list.

Defensive: An ally of Ready: At the start of Know Positions: You C hange G ear : Once
your choice starts com- each round of com- can move one non- during combat, you
4: Narrative Play

bat with 3 Focus. bat, you can Ready an Boss NPC to another can switch one weapon,
action. Each action can free space within their support item, ancestry
be readied once. deployment zone. If trait, or technique you
there isn’t a set NPC have equipped, even a
Encyclopedia: You and Plan [Team]: At the start deployment zone, you destroyed one, with a
the other PCs know if of a single round, you can move them to a free different one that you
any deployed enemies can enact your plan. All space within Range 8 . would be able to equip.
have abilities that grant non-boss NPCs count as
resistance or immuni- having base initiative Prioritize: Three ene- Study: You and your al-
ty or that make them 8 until the end of the mies of your choice lies know the current
Vulnerable, and what round. become Marked. HP, Stress, and MP of
Building Beacons

those abilities do. This all enemies.

includes abilities with
conditional triggers Searching Eye: Choose Weak Point: Choose a
(e.g., resistance that an enemy. You and the non-Boss enemy. They
only applies in certain other PCs always know become Vulnerable to
situations). their current HP and Physical, Astral, Lunar,
Stress. or Force (your choice)
Identify: You can learn Restock: You regain all for the rest of the scene.
the ability scores, attri- charges of one Con-
butes, and abilities of sumable ability. Know Enemies: Your ene- Tactical Position: When
Running the Game

one non-boss NPC of mies can’t start combat you deploy, choose two
your choice. Hidden or Invisible options from the list be-
and can’t become low. If placing cover or
Precast: The first time Well rested: Your Surge Hidden or Invisible terrain, you can place it
you use an ability that level immediately de- during their first turn. in free spaces on the map:
costs MP, it costs –2 MP creases by one.
less than usual. Identify: You can learn Ø Place 4 pieces of
the ability scores, attri- Size 1 hard cover
Prepared: You can switch butes, and abilities of Ø Place 2 pieces of
one intact weapon, one non-Boss NPC of Size 2 hard cover
support item, ancestry your choice. Ø Place 6 spaces of
trait, or technique you difficult terrain
Appendices

have equipped with a Ø Place 4 spaces of

different one that you dangerous terrain
would be able to equip. (Agility, 5 Physical)
Ø Remove 4 pieces of
HI Size 1 cover
Ø Remove 2 pieces of
Size 2 cover

36
 SWAY WHITTLE
Bluff, lie, or charm your way to your destination. Take out foes and cut your way through to your destination.

Getting Started
HIT CRIT HIT CRIT
Overcome: You over- Surpass: You overcome Overcome: You over- Surpass: You overcome
come a consequence. a consequence and come a consequence. a consequence and
may choose one option may choose one option
from the hit list. from the hit list.

Betrayal: One non-Boss Buddy: You can change Adrenaline: You gain Channel Rush: You can
NPC of your choice is your starting position resistance to Physical, instantly release your
Disarmed or Silenced to be adjacent to an Force, Astral, and Lu- first Channel abili-

4: Narrative Play
until the end of their enemy of your choice. nar until the end of the ty when used instead
first turn. first round. of waiting until Phase
Release.
C onflicted F eelings : Turncoat: The GM will
Non-Boss NPCs take choose a non-Boss NPC Battered: One enemy Wounded: One non-
1 Stress every time to change allegiance of your choice deals Boss NPC of your choice
they damage you. to your side during the half damage on their starts the combat
next combat. They de- first ability that deals with their HP at their
ploy with the PCs, in the damage. Bloodied value.
PC deployment zone.
Bruised: One non-Boss Fear: Enemies that have

Building Beacons
Confused: A non-Boss Unprepared Enemies: You NPC of your choice line of sight to you re-
NPC of your choice decide where all NPCs is always considered ceive +1 on all attacks
treats their first Initia- deploy. The GM will tell Bloodied regardless against you.
tive as 8 during the first you the boundaries of how much HP they
round of combat. within which you can actually have.
deploy.
Limp: One enemy of Crit Fisher: You auto-
Friend: A non-Boss NPC False Reports [TEAM]: your choice is Slowed matically score a crit
of your choice receives You gain control over until the end of their on your first attack roll
+1 on attacks against enemy reinforcements. first turn. of 15+. You then score

Running the Game

you until you deal dam- The GM shares the list a crit hit on your next
age or Stress to them. of reinforcements with Stressed Out: One non- attack roll of 16+. This
you, and you can de- Boss, non-Minion NPC target increases by +1
S hare : You regain a cide the order in which of the GM’s choice starts every time you score a
Recovery. they are deployed and combat at their Break- crit on an attack until it
where. You can delay ing point. reaches 20.
creating reinforce-
ments for 1 round, but
otherwise can’t prevent
reinforcements from
appearing.
Appendices

37
 Adversities Consequences
Below is a list of example adversities that might appear Below are the negative effects that you can apply as
Getting Started

in an adversity challenge. a result of the PCs failing to overcome adversities. The

For example, crossing the Duskwood Forest might players should always be aware of the effects of each
involve “dangerous fauna” and a “monster infestation” adversity they face.
as adversities. For example, a dungeon might have “traps” as an
adversity with “bumps and bruises” as its consequence,
or a bar crawl might have “poisoned’ as an adversity
ADVERSITIES with “unfocused” as its consequence.
As a reminder, consequences only apply to the next
1 Adoring fans combat scene.
4: Narrative Play

2 Ambush
CONSEQUENCES
3 Armed guards
1 Broken Each PC has one of their weapons
4 Blockade or support items of their choice
destroyed.
5 Dangerous fauna
2 Bumps and Each PC loses a Recovery.
6 Destroyed path Bruises

7 Extreme weather 3 Captured The GM gets to deploy one of the

Building Beacons

PCs in any free space that isn’t

8 Lack of sleep dangerous terrain. That PC is
Immobilized by a set of chains,
9 Locked door which are locked (p. 56). Once
the chains are unlocked, they are
10 Monster infestation no longer Immobilized.

11 People that need help 4 Delayed NPCs act before PCs in each phase.

12 Poisoned 5 Discovered All PCs start the combat Marked.

Running the Game

13 Political machinations 6 Drained The Surge level of all PCs increases

by one.
14 Rival beacons
7 Exhausted All PCs are Weakened until cleared.
15 Shiny distractions
8 Frustrated All PCs start the combat with their
16 Structural instability Stress at their Breaking point.

17 Time loop 9 Hurt PCs can’t have more HP than their

Bloodied value.
18 Traps
Appendices

10 Mana-Tapped All PCs start the combat with 0 MP.

19 Unfamiliar terrain
11 Surprised All PCs take their first turns during
20 Unfriendly locals Phase Delay, and can’t perform
reactions or free actions before
that.

12 Unfocused Each PC has one of their techniques

of their choice destroyed.

38
Example: The beacons need to destroy a corrupted of her weapons was destroyed in an earlier combat,
crystal deposit at the bottom of a mine. The crystal is so she picks the “Armorer” option to immediately

Getting Started
spawning monsters and weakening the ground, so repair it.
the GM declares an adversity challenge. They set the Mallory wants to get rid of the monsters by
goal as “get to the bottom of the mine” and create hacking and slashing at them while riding past them
three adversities: “monster infestation”, “destroyed in the minecart. She picks the Whittle approach
path”, and “unfamiliar terrain”. They decide this will and makes a skill check with her “Murderous Ball of
be a simple challenge for four PCs, so they create Death” background skill. She rolls a 23, which is a
two consequences: monster infestation will have crit! She chooses the “Surpass” option, overcoming
the “hurt” consequence and the destroyed path will the monster infestation consequence and holding
have the “delayed” consequence. her other choice until later.
The GM describes the scene, explaining how the The GM decides that the actions of the beacons

4: Narrative Play
mine is old and full of dead ends (unfamiliar terrain) have gained the attention of a large monster in
and damaged minecart rails (destroyed path), which the mine. They describe a giant monster that starts
are the quickest method of navigation. Monsters fill chasing the PCs down the tunnels, adding a new
every corner of the mine, spawned from the crystal adversity (but no new consequences).
buried deep within (monster infestation). Dmitri wants to hold the giant monster off until
Dhalia goes first. Because the mine is dark, she they can reach the bottom of the mine. He uses
wants to illuminate it. The Scout approach is the the Endure approach and his “Perfected Body”
best fit for her plan, so she makes a skill check with background skill to jump in the monster’s mouth
her “Disciple of the Sun” background skill. She gets and keep it from biting anyone. He rolls a 17 and
a 12, which is a hit. She doesn’t have a good way to immediately chooses the “Defensive” option.
overcome any of the consequences so she holds Now that every PC has acted, the GM describes

Building Beacons
onto her choice until the next combat scene. how the PCs soar down to the bottom cave, the giant
Barbazar goes next. She wants to use a minecart monster stuck in the entrance, too large to enter. The
to get to the bottom of the mine quickly. Because the guardian of the crystal materializes and the beacons
rails are damaged, her plan is to use her incredible enter a combat scene. Everyone that didn’t already
strength to lift and jump the minecarts across the choose a hit or crit effect from their approach can
damaged sections. She picks the Endure approach do so now. Because no one overcame the “destroyed
and makes a skill check with her “Bend Bars and Lift path” consequence, all beacons will suffer the effects
Gates” background skill. She rolls a 14, also a hit. One of the “hurt” consequence in this combat.

Running the Game

Appendices

39
 40
Getting Started 4: Narrative Play Building Beacons Running the Game Appendices
 5: COMBAT PLAY

Getting Started
This chapter contains the rules governing combat Phases: Phases are the various stages of the round
scenes. Combat scenes are tactical, rules-heavy parts of during which characters can act. The phase in which a
the game and the main focus of BEACON. This chapter character takes a turn is usually decided by the action
explains how combat scenes work, and the rules and they want to perform, as each action can only be per-
terminology used in combat play. formed in a specific phase. For example, characters can
By default, there are two sides in every combat scene: only Defend during Phase Bolster and can only
the PCs and the NPCs. The rules in this chapter apply Grapple in Phase Brawl.
to PCs and NPCs, but NPCs have slight differences that At the beginning of each phase, the side whose turn
are explained in Chapter 11: Non-Playable Characters it is to act can nominate a character to take a turn (as

5: Combat Play
(p. 259). long as they haven’t already taken one this round). Once
they’ve taken their turn, the other side may nominate
a character, and so on.
SUMMARY Once all characters that want to take a turn during
Combat in BEACON is composed of a few different units a given phase have done so, the next phase begins.
of time: scenes, rounds, phases, and turns.

Scenes: A scene is an entire combat, from beginning THE BATTLEFIELD

to end. Once the fighting is over, the scene ends. Combat scenes in BEACON are played out on a battle map
that uses either square or hex-shaped spaces (either is

Building Beacons
Rounds: Each combat scene is made up of a number fine). The battlefield is two-dimensional – it is a flat
of rounds, each of which is split up into eight distinct plane, with no vertical spaces; however, there are
phases. At the end of the eighth phase, the round ends several mechanisms to represent height advantages,
and another round begins. like a character’s Size and the Flying status (p. 63).

Turns: Each character takes one turn per round, taken

during one of that round’s phases. The action they want INFORMATION TRANSPARENCY
to take on their turn determines which phase they act Information transparency is important in combat scenes.
in. On their turn, a character can perform their standard The players should always know:
movement, one standard action, one minor action,

Running the Game

and any number of free actions (within reason). Most Ø The NPC types and templates for all enemies.
NPCs only take one turn per round, but some NPCs Ø The locations of enemies on the map at all times,
might take multiple turns. regardless of line of sight or whether they are
The players and the GM’s NPCs take turns on an Hidden or Invisible.
alternating basis, with priority going to whichever side Ø The conditions and statuses of all enemies.
(PC or NPC) hasn’t acted most recently. Ø The battle plan and all relevant goals.
The PCs generally take the first turn in the first round Ø The locations of all Traps.
of a combat scene. When multiple PCs want to take a Ø The mechanics of any abilities or items that NPCs use.
turn at the same time, the PCs decide their order, and
if an agreement can’t be made, the GM will decide. Other information is restricted unless a beacon has a
specific way to access it. This includes the ability scores
Appendices

Example: In the first round of combat, two PCs and and attributes of NPCs and the specific features they
one NPC want to act during Phase Skirmish. have equipped. Certain abilities, like the Lore Book
No characters have taken a turn yet, so one of the support item (p. 218), can provide access to restricted
PCs gets to take the first turn. Once they’ve taken information.
their turn, the NPC can take their turn, followed by
the final PC.
Later that round, another PC wants to take their ENDING THE SCENE
turn during Phase Full Attack. Normally an NPC Combat scenes end when all enemies are defeated or
could take their turn, but since there are no NPCs that when the combat’s objective has been achieved.
can act during this phase, the PC takes their turn. At the end of a combat scene, all effects, conditions,
statuses, and combat resources (Temp HP, Focus) go
away unless explicitly stated.
41
 PHASES If an ability lists an action (e.g., Volley), you use
Each round has the following phases: that action to activate the ability instead of the normal
Getting Started

effects of the action. For example, the Heroic Leap skill

PHASE ACTIONS AVAILABLE requires the Rush action to activate. A beacon can use
this skill when they take the Rush action, but can’t
Bolster Defend Refresh also move up to their Speed per the normal Rush
action effects (p. 44). If an ability requires a minor
Channel Channel action or free action, it can be performed during any
phase as long as it is your turn.
Skirmish Mark Search Volley If an ability lists a phase but not an action (e.g., Phase
Skirmish) activating it requires you to perform it as
Reposition Rush Hide your standard action during the indicated phase, but it
5: Combat Play

doesn’t count as one of that phase’s basic actions (Vol-

Brawl Fight Shove Grapple ley, Defend, etc.) for the purposes of triggered effects.
For example, the rank 1 Knight talent Phalanx does
Release Release something when you Defend. Using the Aegis spell
Barrier, which has an activation of Phase Bolster,
Full Attack Full Attack would not trigger that effect, because you are not using
the Defend action.
Delay Delay NPCs take their turns in a different way. Each NPC has
an Initiative score, and they take their turn in whatever
Any Phase Ready phase matches their Initiative. Unlike PCs, though,
Building Beacons

their actions aren’t limited by the current phase. For

example, the Ardent NPC type has Initiative 1. They
TURNS always take their turn in Phase Bolster, and they
During their turn, each character can perform one could use their standard action in that phase for any
standard movement, one standard action, one mi- action, not just Defend or Recover.
nor action, and any number of free actions (within
reason) in any order. Example: Dhalia wants to attack with her bow, which
is a Volley weapon. This requires her to use the
Standard movement: A movement of a number of Volley action during Phase Skirmish, because
spaces up to a character’s Speed. that phase allows the use of Volley. If she has any
Running the Game

abilities that trigger off of the use of a Volley action,

like the Pincer Strike loot skill, they also go into
Standard action: A basic action available during effect.
the current phase. Later, Dhalia wants to use her Mock skill from the
Skald class. This skill requires a Phase Skirmish
action to use, so Dhalia can only use it during Phase
Minor action: A quick or simple action, often grant- Skirmish. Doing so doesn’t count as using a
ed by an ability. Mark, Search, or Volley action.

Free action: A special action granted by some abili- SURGING

Appendices

ties. Characters can take any number of free actions Each beacon can Surge once per round. Doing so allows
during their turn (within reason). you to take a second turn at the cost of taking Stress.
Each time you Surge, it costs more Stress.
Certain abilities will indicate either the phase in All beacons have a Surge level, which starts at 0
which they can be performed or an action that must and determines how much Stress they take from using
be performed to use them. Surge (see below). After they Surge, they increase their
For example, a technique that can only be used in Surge level by +1, to a maximum of 3. A beacon’s
Phase Bolster would say “Phase Bolster”. One Surge level resets to 0 when they take a Long Rest.
that specifically requires the Defend action – a basic
Phase Bolster action – would say “ Defend”.

42
 At the beginning of a Surge turn, before anything ACTIONS
else happens, your beacon takes Stress based on their There are four types of actions characters can take:

Getting Started
Surge level. standard actions, reactions, minor actions, and free
Surge turns count as normal turns for the purposes actions.
of effects that start or end in your next turn. When taking Some abilities grant characters additional options
Surge turns, your beacon can perform their standard when they use an action. For example, a beacon with
movement, standard action, minor action, and free the Rank 3 Brawler talent Submission gains a unique
actions as normal. You can’t Surge before you’ve taken Channel action. When they Channel, they can
your first turn in a round. choose to use the effects of Submission instead of one
of their other Channel abilities.
Certain conditions, like Stunned, limit the actions
SURGE LEVEL STRESS COST that a character can take.

5: Combat Play
0 2 Stress
SIMULTANEOUS ACTIONS
1 1d3+1 Stress When multiple actions or effects would affect a character
at the same time, such as at the beginning of their turn,
2 1d6+2 Stress the following rules apply:

3 1d6+4 Stress Actions and effects from other characters apply first:

Ø Roll checks and saves first.

Building Beacons
Ø If there are multiple effects from one character, they
ALTERNATIVE SURGE RULES choose the order in which they happen.
Surge is a powerful tool that allows PCs to change Ø If there are effects from multiple characters, the GM
the game’s action economy. Because of this, some decides the order.
groups may find that it doesn’t suit their game for
various reasons, like the potential for increased turn Self-imposed actions and effects apply second:
length or the effect it can have on one-shot games.
Here are some alternative rules you can try if Ø Roll checks and saves first.
your group wants to rein in the power of the default Ø You determine the order.
Surge rules, although it is recommended that you

Running the Game

try the normal rules first. Example: An enemy Cleaver is starting their turn
adjacent to Dmitri, who is using the Warden job.
Ø Higher starting cost: The beacons start at a high- Two effects are triggering at the start of the Cleaver’s
er Surge level. For example, they might start at turn. The Cleaver’s Whirlwind skill ends one of its
Surge level 2 instead of 0. This simple change is benefits, and the Warden trait Grasping Vines allows
often used for one-shot games. Dmitri to apply a negative effect to the Cleaver.
Ø Partial Surge: When beacons Surge, they get Dmitri’s effect will apply first, and the Cleaver’s self-
either a standard action, a standard movement, imposed effect will apply second.
or a minor action, instead of all three. All other If Dhalia had an effect that was also triggering at
rules remain the same. the start of the Cleaver’s turn, the GM would decide
Ø Restricted Surge. PCs can only Surge once per whether Dmitri’s or Dhalia’s effect would happen first.
Appendices

scene, with a flat cost of 1d6+1 Stress. The human

ancestry’s Adrenaline trait instead grants resis-
tance to Stress from Surge, and the Rimeguard’s
Absolute Zero limit break clears their own Stress
and that of all allies in the scene and grants the
affected characters resistance to all Stress for
the rest of the scene.

43
 STANDARD ACTIONS
This section lists the standard actions that you can perform on your turn, broken down by phase.
Getting Started

— Phase 1: Bolster — — Phase 3: Skirmish —

DefendPhase Bolster MarkPhase Skirmish

You gain Focus equal to your Armor+1d3. Until the A character within your Scope and line of sight
start of your next turn, attacks against you are made becomes Marked.
with +1 .

SearchPhase Skirmish
5: Combat Play

RefreshPhase Bolster
Choose a character or object within Scope and pick one:
Choose one of the following:
Ø If they are Hidden, you make a contested Mind
Ø Spend a Recovery to regain all HP. check against their Agility. On a success, they are
Ø Clear all Stress. no longer Hidden.
Ø Regain all MP. Ø You learn the target’s ability scores, attributes, and
abilities.
Then choose one of the following:
Ø Reload all Reloading weapons/abilities.
Building Beacons

Ø Clear all Discord. VolleyPhase Skirmish

Ø Clear a condition that wasn’t caused by yourself.
Ø Clear a condition on an adjacent ally that wasn’t You make one of the following attacks:
caused by them.
Ø Ranged attack: Make a ranged attack with an abil-
ity against a target within the ability’s Range. Roll
— Phase 2: Channel — 1d20+Grit. If your result meets or exceeds the tar-
get’s Dodge (or A-Def for Aetheric attacks), it hits.
ChannelPhase Channel Ø Improvised spell attack ( 1 MP ): Make an
Aetheric ranged spell attack against a character
Running the Game

You begin to enact a Channel ability, the effect of within Scope. Roll 1d20+Grit. If your result meets or
which you can unleash in Phase with the Release exceeds the target’s A-Def, they take 2 Stress .
action. This is the only way to trigger a channeled
ability’s Release effect. Until you release it, you are
considered to be channeling. — Phase 4: Reposition —
While channeling, if you take any damage (after
Armor) or Stress not caused by yourself, you must HidePhase Reposition
pass a Bulk save against the other character’s Save
Target. This is called a concentration save. On a You become Hidden.
failure, you lose concentration: you stop channeling
and the ability fizzles.
RushPhase
Appendices

You can only channel one ability at a time, and Reposition

you can’t Ready the Channel action. You can stop
channeling as a free action. If you don’t make a stan- Choose one of the following:
dard movement this turn, you can do so when you
Release the ability this round. Ø You move up to your Speed.
Channel abilities are considered to be used at the Ø Until the end of the turn, you ignore Engagement
time this action is taken, and any costs (e.g., MP) must be and don’t provoke reactions from movement.
paid at that time. Their effects, including choosing targets,
only happen when they’re released unless the ability
specifically states they happen when channeling.

44
 — Phase 5: Brawl — — Phase 6: Release —

Getting Started
FightPhase Brawl ReleasePhase Release

You make one of the following attacks: You release an ability you are channeling, causing it
to take effect. This is resolved as if you were taking a
Ø Melee attack: Make a melee attack with an abili- turn, following the rules for alternating turns between
ty against a target within the ability’s Reach. Roll PCs and NPCs, but doesn’t count as a turn. Instead of
1d20+Grit. If your result equals or exceeds the tar- releasing an effect, you can continue channeling it
get’s Dodge (or A-Def for Aetheric attacks), it hits. and release it during Phase in the next round. You
Ø Improvised weapon attack: Make a melee can’t release an ability if you are Silenced.
weapon attack against an adjacent target. Roll

5: Combat Play
1d20+Grit. If your result equals or exceeds the
target’s Dodge, they take 1d3 Physical .

GrapplePhase Brawl IMPROVISED ATTACKS

Volley and Fight allow characters to make
You make a grapple attack: improvised attacks. Improvised attacks are desper-
ate attacks with whatever is nearby. An improvised
Ø Grapple attack: Make a melee weapon attack weapon attack might use a nearby rock or even your
against an adjacent character. Roll 1d20+Grit. If bare hands, while an improvised spell attack might

Building Beacons
your result equals or exceeds the target’s Dodge, be an incredibly simple spell or a fragment of a more
you and the target are both Grappled. complex spell.
Improvised attacks allow characters to always
Grapple attacks can be made while you are Disarmed have the ability to attack and deal damage or Stress,
(p. 62). even if their equipped abilities get destroyed. Impro-
vised attacks don’t require any training to use, and
are usually inferior to equipped abilities.
ShovePhase Brawl

You make a shove attack:

Running the Game

Ø Shove attack: Make a melee weapon attack
against an adjacent target. Roll 1d20+Grit. You gain
+1 for every Size you are larger than the target,
or +1 for every Size smaller. If your result equals
or exceeds the target’s Dodge, choose one of the
following:
‘ You push them 1 space.
‘ You knock them Prone.

Shove attacks can be made while you are Disarmed

Appendices

(p. 62).

45
 — Phase 7: Full Attack — — Phase 8: Delay —
Getting Started

Full AttackPhase Full Attack DelayPhase Delay

1/round, choose one of the following: The last chance to take an action during this round.
If you wanted to take an action but the phase had
Ø You use a Slow ability. already passed, you can do so in this phase.
Ø You perform any two of the following actions –
Volley, Fight, Shove, or Grapple. You
can choose the same action twice, but not the same — Any Phase —
ability or the same linked pair of weapons.
Ready Any Phase
5: Combat Play

WHY CAN’T I USE THE SAME You prepare your standard action at a later moment,
ABILITY/ACTION TWICE? turning it into a customizable reaction:

To encourage variety. If you could use the same Ø Select a trigger, which must be a specific action,
weapon multiple times, you might find yourself us- movement, or reaction taken by any character.
ing your best weapon twice and only using second- Ø Select your effect, which must be an action or mi-
ary options when the primary one is destroyed. This nor action you can take during your current turn.
way you need to use different options, and because Ø Until the start of your next turn, you can perform
of that, look for interesting synergies. that readied action as a reaction when the trigger
Building Beacons

is met. If you haven’t used your readied action by

the start of your next turn, the action is lost. You
can’t use any other reactions while you have an
WHAT DOES ATTACKING WITH TWO action readied. You can forgo your readied action
DIFFERENT WEAPONS LOOK LIKE? at any time.

Rounds don’t represent specific amounts of time. A

round could be six seconds, minutes, or even days. Example Readied ActionReaction
This means you can describe it however you want.
Maybe you wield one weapon in each hand. Maybe Trigger: Any enemy moves outside of cover.
Running the Game

you swap them out. Maybe one gets stuck in your

foe, and you draw another one. It’s up to you, and Effect: I will Volley at them.
doesn’t matter mechanically.

The Ready action is used to set up an action for

later. It can be used during any phase, but the ac-
tion you set up for later is limited by the phase you
are in and it must be an action you can currently
take. For example, if you are Disarmed, you can’t
ready a Volley action to attack with one of your
ranged weapons, because the Disarmed condition
Appendices

is preventing you from making that weapon attack.

46
REACTIONS InterposeReaction
In addition to actions, you can also perform reactions. Focus 1

Getting Started
Reactions are special actions that are performed in re-
sponse to specific triggers, even on other characters’ turns. Trigger: An ally within Range 3 is targeted by an
You can perform one reaction per turn, but there’s attack.
no limit on how many times a specific reaction can be
used unless one is specified (e.g., 1/round). Effect: You shift up to 2 spaces. If you end this
Some NPCs (typically elite enemies or mini-bosses) movement next to the targeted ally, you can choose to
can take more than one turn in a round. For these NPCs, become the target instead, even if you would other-
reaction limits like 1/round reset at the start of each of wise not be a valid target. Each attack roll can only be
their turns and at the start of each new round. interposed once – multiple characters can’t Interpose
Each reaction has a trigger and an effect. The trigger in response to the same attack roll.

5: Combat Play
is the event or occurrence that needs to take place for
the reaction’s effect to occur. The effect is what happens
when the trigger is met. Opportunity Attack Reaction (1/round)
Unless otherwise noted, reactions resolve after their
triggers. If a reaction’s trigger is, “when attacked,” the Trigger: An enemy begins a movement within the
effect takes place after the attack has been resolved Reach of one of your abilities.
(including any damage). A reaction with a trigger of,
“when targeted,” or, “when an attack is declared but Effect: You immediately Volley or Fight against
before the roll is made,” on the other hand, goes into that character with one of those abilities.
effect before the attack happens.

Building Beacons
Some effects, like forced movement (p. 55), don’t
provoke reactions even if a reaction’s trigger would MINOR ACTIONS
be met. You can perform one minor action during your turn.
These are the basic reactions available to all PCs. Minor actions can be used during any phase.
You can acquire additional reactions through equipped You can acquire minor actions through equipped
abilities. abilities.

Counterattack Reaction (1/round) FREE ACTIONS

Focus 1 Free actions can only be taken during your turn, but

Running the Game

you can perform any number of free actions during
Trigger: You are hit by an attack from a character that turn (within reason).
within the Reach of one of your abilities. You can acquire free actions through equipped
abilities.
Effect: You Volley or Fight against that character
with one of those abilities. Each attack roll can only
be counterattacked once – multiple characters
can’t Counterattack in response to the same
attack roll.
Appendices

47
 CHARACTERS AND OBJECTS
In combat, everything on the battlefield can be sep-
Getting Started

arated into two categories: characters and objects.

CHARACTERS
PCs, Summons, and NPCs are all considered charac-
ters. As a general rule, characters are entities capable
of taking some sort of actions, either personally or at
the command of other characters.
A character’s abilities are considered part of that
character, not separate objects or characters (unless
5: Combat Play

explicitly stated otherwise).

Allies and Enemies

There are two sides or teams in every combat scene. The
PCs are on one side and the NPC enemies are the other.
Characters in a combat can be allies or enemies of
the other characters. A character friendly to you or on
the same side is an ally; a character hostile to you or on
the other side is an enemy. The same applies in reverse.
You don’t count as your own ally.
Building Beacons

OBJECTS
An object is anything that isn’t a character (or part of
one). The terrain, parts of the environment, and deployed
items (like Traps) are all objects.
Only things that fit this definition count as objects
in the context of the rules. While we might describe a
character’s sword as an object in conversational lan-
guage, it does not count as one in game terms because
Running the Game

it is part of a character. You couldn’t target or affect the

sword with an ability that targets objects.

Terrain
Terrain is a specific subset of object that includes the
environmental elements in a combat scene – trees,
walls, rocks, and similar. Deployed objects, like Traps,
are objects but don’t count as terrain. Terrain is different
from terrain features (p. 57), which are effects that
modify terrain.
The GM determines what counts as terrain and
Appendices

what doesn’t.

Interactable Objects and Terrain

Some objects and terrain is interactive, meaning that
characters can use actions on them for specific effects.
Treasure chests, for example, require a minor action
to open.

48
ABILITY CHECKS AND SAVES Certain effects (like the Arcing and Homing tags)
In combat, players make ability checks and saves allow you to bypass the usual rules regarding line of

Getting Started
instead of skill checks. sight. These tags not only allow you to draw line of
sight in situations where you normally couldn’t, but
Ability check and save summary: also allow for one-directional line of sight.
Roll 1d20 + indicated ability score + or .
Determining Line of Sight
Effects that prompt ability checks or saves indicate which To determine line of sight, draw a straight line from the
ability score – Bulk, Agility, Mind, or Magic – is used for corner of one of the spaces you occupy to a corner of
the roll. Background skills, Grit, and titles don’t apply. one of the spaces occupied by the target. If the line
To succeed on an ability check, you need a result of 10+. crosses a piece of hard cover that is a larger Size than
To succeed on a save, your result must equal or both parties, then line of sight is blocked.

5: Combat Play
exceed the Save Target of the initiator, or 10 if not
otherwise specified. Example: You and your enemy are both Size 1, and
are on opposite sides of a Size 3 wall. Neither of
you can draw line of sight to the other; however, if
TARGETING you have a weapon with the Arcing tag, you could
Abilities can either affect their user or target something shoot over the wall and the enemy still wouldn’t
else on the battlefield. Targeted abilities, like attacks, can have line of sight to you.
be affected by obstacles or the layout of the battlefield.
To target something with an ability or effect, the
potential target must be:

Building Beacons
Ø within line of sight (p. 49);
Ø within Range or Reach (p. 53); and
Ø either a character, a space on the battlefield, or an
SIZE 3 SIZE 3
object (p. 48).

You can’t attack yourself unless otherwise indicated.

A B C
LINE OF SIGHT

Running the Game

All abilities require a clear path to their target, known FIGURE 1:
as line of sight, unless otherwise noted. Example A: Line of sight can be drawn and
there is no cover.
Line of sight refers to a clear line of effect to a target. Example B: Line of sight cannot be drawn.
Walls and other sufficiently large objects can block line Example C: Line of sight can be drawn, but
of sight, while smaller objects like crates or shrubs might cover applies.
provide cover instead of fully blocking line of sight (p.
50). While BEACON doesn’t represent or measure
vertical space, the Size of characters and objects is
used as a way to determine line of sight.
Appendices

Line of sight is reciprocal. If you can draw line of

sight to another character, then the second character
also has line of sight to you.
Line of sight does not literally require sight. For
example, a character with no eyes can still draw line of
sight, and a transparent wall of force still blocks line of
sight even though you can see through it.

49
 COVER In Figure 1: Example B, the hard cover blocking line
of sight means neither character has line of sight to the
Getting Started

Objects on the battlefield can provide cover. other. In Example C, they’ve positioned themselves so
Cover imposes on attacks and can block line of they have line of sight to each other, but cover applies.
sight, depending on whether it is hard cover or Because both characters are adjacent to the cover, they
soft cover. both benefit from hard cover. If one character was to
move away from the cover, they would instead only
Cover is most often an object, but it can also be a zone benefit from soft cover, while their enemy retains hard
(p. 53) or effect. Some abilities can create pieces of cover for remaining adjacent to it.
cover on the battlefield. These created pieces of cover
count as objects. Determining Cover
Pieces of cover have Sizes just like PCs. A Size 1 To determine if cover affects an attack, draw a line from
5: Combat Play

piece of cover fills 1 space, a Size 2 piece of cover fills the center of the space you occupy to the center of the
a 2 × 2 space, and so on. Cover can sometimes cover target. If the line crosses any cover that is the same Size
more spaces than its Size would normally indicate; for as the target or larger, your attack receives .
example, a tall, thin column might only occupy 1 space Abilities with the Indirect or Homing tags ignore
despite being considered Size 3, or a continuous wall the effects of cover. Abilities with the Arcing tag, on
surrounding a castle might be Size 2, but occupy all the other hand, don’t have their line of sight blocked
the spaces around the castle. by cover, but are still affected by the cover provides.
You can only benefit from cover if it’s the same Size
as you or larger. For example, a Size 2 character does not
gain the benefits of cover from a Size 1 piece of cover.
Building Beacons

There are two types of cover: soft cover and hard

cover. Soft cover and hard cover don’t combine with
each other. If you would gain the benefits of both soft
and hard cover, you count as having hard cover.

Soft Cover

Soft cover grants +1 to attacks, but doesn’t block

line of sight.
FIGURE 2:
Running the Game

Soft cover is either cover that partly blocks a character, Example A: The soft cover does not break line
or isn’t strong enough to fully shield them from attacks, of sight, but both characters gain
like smoke or thin walls. cover.
Example B: The cover doesn’t break line of sight
Hard Cover because it isn’t larger than both
characters. Neither character is
Hard cover grants +2 to attacks and can block adjacent to the cover, so they gain
line of sight. soft cover instead of hard cover.
Example C: As with B, but the smaller character
Hard cover is cover that is large or strong enough to gains hard cover because they are
reliably block attacks, like thick walls. adjacent to the cover.
Appendices

To benefit from hard cover, you must be adjacent

to the source of cover. Otherwise, it only provides soft
cover. Hard cover blocks line of sight.

50
Bypassing Cover ATTACKS
You can ignore the effects of cover you are adjacent to,

Getting Started
as long as you can aim over, through, or around said Attack roll summary: Roll 1d20 + Grit + or .
cover. You must be the same Size as or larger than
the cover to aim over it. The GM has the final say on Attacks are attempts by characters to hit and harm
whether a character can bypass a specific piece of cover. something with weapons, magic, or other means.
As a guideline, you can ignore a number of spaces To hit your target, your result must equal or exceed
of cover equal to your Size when aiming over, through, their defense (either Dodge or A-Def, depending on
or around said cover. the type of attack).
Once an attack hits, any “on-hit” effects apply, with
the attacker choosing the order when there are multi-
ple such effects. Damage is the most common type of

5: Combat Play
on-hit effect (p. 58), but many abilities have unique
on-hit effects.

ATTACK TYPES
Attacks can be either melee attacks or ranged attacks.
They can be further categorized as weapon, spell,
support or skill attacks, depending on their source.
Some abilities reference reaction attacks. These are
attacks made with a reaction, like Counterattack.

Building Beacons
FIGURE 3: All attacks have a Range or Reach (or both), which
Example A: The Size 2 character can choose indicates the maximum number of spaces within which
to bypass the cover because they an attack can be made. Range and Reach are measured
can shoot over it. They still benefit from the edge of one of the attacker’s spaces. At least
from hard cover against attacks one of the target’s spaces must be within an attack’s
from the Size 1 character. Range or Reach to be targeted by the attack.
Example B: The Size 2 character can ignore See pages p. 53 for more information on Range
the cover from the corner of the and Reach.
hallway because they can shoot
around it. They still benefit from Melee Attacks

Running the Game

hard cover against attacks from Melee attacks ignore cover (p. 50).
the Size 1 character. Most melee attacks have a Reach, which indicates
Example C: Both characters can shoot over the range of the attack. Reach is also used for certain
the pillar because they are the actions like Opportunity Attack.
same Size as it; however, due to its For example, the Dragon Rider’s Longinus ability is a
length, the GM decides they can’t melee weapon. Therefore, attacks with it are considered
bypass it since they can’t shoot melee weapon attacks. It has Reach 3, which means
over the entire length of the pillar. it can be used to attack enemies up to 3 spaces away.

Longinus Fight
Melee Weapon  Heavy Longarm
Appendices

Reach 3 1d6+4 Physical

This weapon gains Piercing when attacking targets

at its maximum Reach.

51
 Ranged Attacks CRITICAL HITS
Most ranged attacks have a Range, which indicates the
Getting Started

range of the attack – the number of spaces within which On a result of 20+, an attack roll is a crit. Roll all
it can be used to attack. Some ranged spell attacks list damage dice twice and take the highest result.
their Range as “ Range = Scope ”, which means that
the Range is equal to the user’s Scope. Critical hits do more damage than normal hits. Critical
For example, the Phoenix’s Immolate ability is a hits only affect damage rolls, not Stress or static damage
ranged spell attack. Therefore, attacks with it are con- (e.g., 2 Physical ).
sidered ranged spell attacks. It has a Range equal to the For example, if you critically hit with an attack that
user’s Scope, and can attack targets within that range. deals 2d6+2 Physical , you would roll 4d6, take the
highest two, and add +2. If you rolled 4, 2, 6, and 3, you
would use the 4 and 6.
5: Combat Play

Immolate Volley
Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory  Aetheric,
Indirect  Range = Scope 2 Discord    REROLL TABLE
When making an attack, ability check, or save in combat,
On Hit: Choose one of the following: you can reroll the dice by using the Reroll Table. To use
the table, you choose one of the listed options and reroll
Ø Building Fire: If the target already has Discord, all dice for one roll (including or ). Each option from
this attack deals 1d3+1 Discord instead of 2. the table can only be chosen once per round.
Ø Spontaneous Combustion: You can spend 1 MP You can choose to reroll a dice after rolling, but
to deal 1 Discord to all enemies in a Burst 1 before it is resolved as a failure or a success. For exam-
Building Beacons

AOE around the target. ple, rerolling to turn a missed attack into a hit doesn’t
mean that you actually missed the attack on the first
Some ranged attacks also have a Reach, but they are try. As such, it doesn’t prompt any effects that trigger
still considered ranged attacks. Reach, in these cases, on misses (like Reliable damage).
is used for certain actions like Opportunity Attack,
but doesn’t change the attack to a melee attack. REROLL TABLE

STRAIN You take 1d3 Stress.

ATTACKS VS. ATTACK ROLLS
An attack can be composed of either a single attack ENDANGER You become Marked. You can’t use
Running the Game

roll, or in the case of abilities that affect an area, this option if you are Marked. This
multiple attack rolls. doesn’t count as a condition that
When an ability refers to an attack, it means you’ve given yourself.
all of the attack rolls made as part of that attack.
Anything that mentions an attack roll references OVEREXTEND You can only choose this option if you
a single roll, even if the attack involves multiple are adjacent to an enemy or within
attack rolls. Reach of an enemy’s weapon. The
enemy can choose one of the follow-
ing, which resolves before you reroll:
AUTO-HIT
Certain abilities auto-hit their targets, meaning they Ø They make an Opportunity
Appendices

automatically hit with no attack roll. Abilities with an Attack against you.
auto-hit are considered attacks even though the attack Ø They deal 3 Physical to you as
roll doesn’t take place. Interpose can still be used a reaction.
against auto-hit effects.
Not every ability that deals automatic damage is an
attack – only those that specifically state they auto-hit
count as attacks.

52
RANGE, REACH, AND There are several different types of AOE, including
Line (which affects all targets in a straight line) and
AREA OF EFFECT

Getting Started
Blast (which affects all targets within a certain radius).
Many abilities have a Range or Reach, which indicates If an effect lists a Range/Reach and an AOE, you
the maximum number of spaces within which it can be can place the AOE’s point of origin anywhere within
used. Range and Reach work in the same way, but some the indicated Range/Reach. For example, if you have a
effects trigger based on one or the other, not both. Range 8, Line 5 effect, you can draw the Line 5 from
Range and Reach are measured from the edge of any point within Range 8 and pointed in any direction.
one space to another. A target must have at least one
of its spaces within an ability’s Range (or Reach) to be Zones
targeted by the ability. Zones are persistent AOEs that have ongoing effects.
When an ability originates from a source larger For example, at rank 1, the Leyline Walker talent allows

5: Combat Play
than 1 space – a Size 2 character, for instance – the a character to create Blast 1 zones that last until the
character using the ability decides which space to use end of the combat scene. Their AOE is Blast 1 , but
as the point of origin. because they’re zones the effect is ongoing.
For example, two adjacent characters are within
1 space of each other, which means any ability with Standard Areas of Effect
Range 1 or greater could target them. Blast X: Affects all targets within a radius of X
spaces from the center space, including the center
space. Cover and line of sight are calculated from the
center space. Users can be affected by their own Blast.

Building Beacons
Close Blast X: As a Blast, but:
Ø at least 1 space must be adjacent to the user
Ø the user can’t be in the area
Ø cover and line of sight are calculated from the
user.

AREA OF EFFECT Burst X: Affects all targets within a radius of X

spaces from the edge of the spaces occupied by
Abilities and effects with an area of effect (AOE) the target, including the target’s spaces but excluding
affect multiple targets or spaces. the target itself. Cover and line of sight are calculated

Running the Game

from the edge of the spaces occupied by the target. If
Abilities and effects with an AOE affect all targets within a Burst forms a zone, the zone moves with the target.
the indicated area. This area is the AOE. When making
an AOE attack, you make attack rolls against each Line X: Affects all targets in a straight line with a
target in the area. Damage, on the other hand, is length of X spaces and a width of 1 space, drawn
only rolled once, and applied to every affected target. directly away from you in any direction.
Appendices
 MOVEMENT SPLITTING UP MOVEMENT
Characters can move around the battlefield in various
Getting Started

ways, including with their standard movement, or using Voluntary movements can be split into any num-
special types of movement like flight and teleportation. ber of smaller movements punctuated by actions.
Involuntary movements cannot.
On your character’s turn, you can use their standard
movement to move a number of spaces equal to For example, a character with Speed 6 could, when
their Speed. Certain abilities can also move charac- performing their standard movement, move 2 spaces,
ters at other times. take an action, and then move 4 spaces.
If you can make multiple attacks with one action,
Most of the time, entering an adjacent space counts as they can move in between each attack.
moving 1 space. This is its movement cost. But some
5: Combat Play

effects, like difficult terrain (p. 56), can change the Example: Dmitri wants to Full Attack an enemy 3
movement cost required to enter a space. Moving into spaces away. He has Speed 6, so he uses his standard
these spaces requires characters to spend more of their movement, moving 2 spaces so that he is adjacent to
total available movement. If a character doesn’t have the enemy. His first attack is with his club, and with
enough movement to enter a space, they can’t move a lucky damage roll he defeats that enemy! He still
into that space. has one more attack he can make from the Full
Characters can move in any direction, even diago- Attack action, and 4 more spaces of movement left
nally, and can move into any adjacent space that isn’t from his standard movement. There’s another enemy
obstructed or impassable (see below). Movement is 4 spaces away, so he uses the rest of his movement
always made on the horizontal plane; characters can’t to get to that enemy and make his second attack.
Building Beacons

move vertically up or down.

To be considered moving, a character must move at
least 1 space. Standing up from Prone doesn’t count SPECIAL MOVEMENT
as movement. Some forms of movement, like flight, have special rules.
Movement can be voluntary or involuntary. Vol- You only benefit from these special forms of movement
untary movement is any movement that a character if an ability or effect explicitly says so.
willingly takes. For example, a character taking their
standard movement would consider the movement SHIFTING
voluntary. Involuntary movement is not willingly taken
by the character moving and is usually forced upon A shift is a special movement granted by some abil-
Running the Game

them, like forced movement (p. 55). ities that doesn’t provoke reactions and ignores
Engagement.

LARGE CHARACTERS You can’t shift if you are Slowed or Immobilized.

Characters of Size 2+ occupy multiple spaces, and
therefore enter more than 1 space when moving.
When a Size 2+ character moves into multiple spaces TELEPORTATION
with different movement costs, use the highest cost.
For example, a Size 2 orc occupies a 2 × 2 space on Teleportation is a special movement in which a
the battlefield. They want to move forward 1 space, character instantly travels between two spaces.
which involves moving into two new spaces. One of
Appendices

these spaces is difficult terrain, which costs 2 spaces Teleportation does not require line of sight, doesn’t
of movement to enter, and the other is a normal provoke reactions, and ignores Engagement.
space that costs 1. The orc would have to spend 2 Teleportation counts as movement, and always counts
spaces of movement to move forward. as moving 1 space, regardless of the distance traveled.
Immobilized characters can’t teleport themselves, since
they can’t perform any movement.
If you try to teleport into a space you can’t occupy,
like impassable terrain or another character, the teleport
fails and the action is lost.

54
FLIGHT Characters standing atop objects are considered to
have their Size increased by the Size of whatever they

Getting Started
Characters with flight have the ability to fight on are standing on for the purposes of determining line
the ground or in the air. of sight and cover.

Characters with flight can can either take off, gaining In BEACON, climbing is just a way to move. It doesn’t
the Flying status, or land on the ground, clearing the provide any direct offensive or defensive benefits.
status, as a free action once per turn. They can also High ground, a special type of terrain, pro-
choose to start combat scenes Flying. vides the benefits one might associate with having
Flight can be continuous, like with the draken an- a height advantage. See Terrain Features (p. 57)
cestry trait Draconic Wings, or temporary, like with for more information.
the Dragon Rider’s ability Dragon Saddle. Abilities

5: Combat Play
that say to fly a certain number of spaces mean to
move that number of spaces as if under the effects of SQUEEZING
the Flying status.
While a character is Flying, the following effects Squeezing is a special movement that allows char-
apply: acters to fit into smaller spaces.

Ø Non-thrown melee attacks from non- Flying You can squeeze into spaces one Size smaller than you,
characters gain +2 against them. but while in such a space, the cost of all movements
Ø They can move normally over and are immune to the is increased by +1.
effects of terrain, obstructions, and terrain features,

Building Beacons
but cannot benefit from or interact with them either. FORCED MOVEMENT
When flying over objects, they are considered to
have their Size increased by the Size of whatever Forced movement is any involuntary movement
they are flying over for the purposes of determining that pushes, pulls, or causes a character to slide.
line of sight and cover, as if they were climbing.
Ø They cannot benefit from cover from terrain or Each type of forced movement has its own rules:
objects.
Ø When attacking non-Flying characters, they treat Ø Push: Characters and objects that are pushed move
their target’s cover from terrain and objects as one in a straight line directly away from the point of
step lower (hard cover becomes soft cover, soft cover origin.

Running the Game

becomes no cover). Ø Pull: Characters and objects that are pulled are
Ø They don’t trigger Traps but can still be affected drawn in a straight line directly towards the point
by them. of origin.
Ø They ignore Engagement and don’t cause Ø Slide: Characters and objects that slide can move in
Engagement. any direction, chosen by the one causing the forced
Ø They cease to be Flying if they become Prone. movement.

Forced movements do not provoke reactions and

CLIMBING ignore Engagement. You can’t be forcibly moved into
a space you can’t enter. For example, if there is a space
Climbing is a special movement that allows charac- only reachable by Flying units, a non-Flying character
Appendices

ters to move atop objects such as terrain. can’t be pushed into it, but a Flying one could.
In some instances, you may be able to subject yourself
Climbing has a movement cost equal to the object’s Size to a push, pull, or slide effect. Even if you do so willingly,
+ 1. For example, climbing onto a Size 1 crate costs 2 it still counts as involuntary movement.
spaces worth of movement, while climbing atop a Size 4
wall costs 5 spaces of movement.
You cannot partially climb an object. If you can’t
move enough spaces to reach the top, you can’t climb.
Moving from the top of an object to lower ground
doesn’t count as climbing.

55
 OBSTRUCTION ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Environmental factors are effects that alter combat scenes,
Getting Started

Characters and objects block movement into the individual spaces, or even objects. Some apply to the entire
spaces they occupy. This is called obstruction. combat scene, while others affect characters in smaller
areas, such as in the case of a room with poor visibility.
Obstructions prevent movement if they are the same This section lists some of the more common envi-
Size as the moving character or larger. ronmental factors. A full list of environmental factors
If an obstruction is an allied character or an enemy can be found in Chapter 10: Game Master’s Guide
character smaller than you, they do not count as an (Environmental Factors and Terrain Features, p. 223).
obstruction and you can move through their spaces;
however, you can’t end a movement sharing spaces
with another character. LOCKS
5: Combat Play

If an obstruction is an object that is smaller than you, Doors, gates, and treasure chests can all be locked,
you can climb on it at no additional movement cost. preventing them from being opened. A locked en-
trance – a bolted door, for instance – can’t be moved
ENGAGEMENT through. The contents of chests and other objects that
are locked can’t be accessed.
Characters gain the Engaged status when they are To unlock something, you can make an Agility check
adjacent to one or more enemies. This is called En- as part of the action to interact with it. On a success,
gagement. the lock is disabled and the object is opened.

When you become Engaged with an enemy of your Size

Building Beacons

or larger, your movement ends and you lose any unused LOW VISIBILITY
movement. Once Engaged, you can begin new move- Low visibility can represent darkness, fog, and other ef-
ments normally. Moving adjacent to a character with who fects that make it hard to see. It affects how far characters
you are already Engaged doesn’t stop your movement, can see, and makes it harder to find Hidden characters.
since you are still Engaged. The movement-ending Low visibility has the following effects:
effect only occurs when Engaged is applied.
While Engaged, you receive +1 to all ranged attacks. Ø Characters are Invisible while Hidden.
Ø Scope and the Range of all weapons are reduced by
DIFFICULT TERRAIN half. Reach and AOEs are not affected.
Running the Game

Difficult terrain is anything that slows movement,

like mud, water, or thick grass. Difficult terrain has UNDERWATER/ZERO-GRAVITY
+1 movement cost. Combat scenes that take place completely underwater
or in zero-gravity treat all characters as Flying. Howev-
For example, if Dhalia has Speed 5, she can normally er, unless they have flight or an Aquatic Adaptation
move 5 spaces. If she moves into a space of difficult (granted by certain abilities), they can’t Rush or shift.
terrain, it would cost 2 spaces worth of movement
instead 1. She would only have 3 spaces of movement
left, even though she only moved one space. ADAPTATIONS
Some abilities grant an adaptation to specific types of
DANGEROUS TERRAIN environments, like Aquatic Adaptation. Characters with
Appendices

an adaptation to an environment are immune to any of its

Dangerous terrain is any type of terrain that can negative effects. If it’s not clear whether an effect is nega-
cause damage, like lava or thorns. tive or not, the character with the adaptation can decide.
1/round, when you enter dangerous terrain or Adaptations only affect the character with an adaptation.
end your turn in it, you must make an ability check of The Low Visibility environmental factor, for example,
the GM’s choice. Failure: You take 5 damage of any states that all characters are Invisible while Hidden.
type or Stress based on the type of terrain. A character with an adaptation to that environment
could decide that they don’t want to be Invisible while
For example, if the ground is covered in freezing water, Hidden, because that affects them directly, but they
the GM might decide that it triggers a Bulk check and couldn’t ignore the Invisible status on other Hidden
deals Lunar damage. characters, because that’s an effect on other characters.

56
TERRAIN FEATURES
Terrain features modify spaces and terrain on the battle- DAMAGE TRAP

Getting Started
field. While they generally affect single spaces, multiple The triggering character takes 6/8/10 damage of any
terrain features can be placed next to each other to type, chosen when the Trap is set.
create a continuous feature. For example, you can have
a single space of lava as dangerous terrain, but you AREA DAMAGE TRAP
could also connect multiple lava spaces to create a lava When triggered, all characters in a Burst 1 AOE must
flow, all of which count as the same piece of dangerous make a save of the GM’s choice. Failure: The target
terrain. Cover (p. 50), difficult terrain (p. 56), and takes 6/8/10 damage of any type, chosen when the
dangerous terrain (p. 56) all count as terrain features. Trap is set. Success: They take 3/4/5 damage instead.
This section lists some of the most common terrain
features. A full list of terrain features can be found in CONDITION TRAP

5: Combat Play
Chapter 10: Game Master’s Guide (Environmental The triggering character gains a condition based on
Factors and Terrain Features, p. 251). the type of Trap. Immobilized, Slowed, and Blinded
are common.
EMPTY SPACE/FREE SPACE
A free space is a space that doesn’t contain any char- AREA CONDITION TRAP
acters or objects. Empty spaces, on the other hand, are When triggered, all characters in a Burst 1 AOE must
more specific than free spaces. Empty spaces are those make a save of the GM’s choice. Failure: They gain a
that don’t contain any characters, objects, terrain, or condition, chosen when the Trap is set.
terrain features.
Some abilities affect free spaces, while others will TREASURE CHESTS

Building Beacons
affect empty spaces only. Treasure chests are objects that don’t cause obstruction
and that contain bonus effects for the players, chosen
HIGH GROUND from the table below. Players always know the contents
High ground provides benefits that represent being of chests. The GM can decide if the bonuses apply to the
at a higher elevation than other characters, similar to character that opened the chest or everyone on their
those received when Flying. Characters standing on team. Some bonuses provide immediate effects, while
high ground gain the following benefits: others provide delayed effects or permanent resources.
Chests can be accessed with a minor action while
Ø Non-thrown melee attacks against them from non- in their space, but might be locked (see the locked
Flying characters that aren’t on high ground receive environmental feature).

Running the Game

+2 .
Ø They neither become Engaged by nor cause EXAMPLE CHEST REWARDS
engagement to non-Flying characters that aren’t
on high ground. 1 A reroll on the next loot crate’s first slot. Subsequent
Ø Their attacks gain +1 against non- Flying instances of this bonus increase the slot that can be
characters that aren’t on high ground. rerolled. For example, getting this reward twice means
that you can reroll either the first or second slot.
Accessing high ground sometimes requires special
movement, like flying or climbing. 2 +X gold

IMPASSABLE TERRAIN 3 +X Recoveries

Appendices

Impassable terrain is any terrain, like a wall or a cliff,

that cannot normally be traversed except by characters 4 Repair a destroyed weapon/support item/technique
who possess a type of movement that allows them to
do so, like flying or climbing. Some impassable terrain 5 A specific piece of loot
cannot be entered at all (e.g., a pillar that reaches up to
the ceiling or the walls of an underground dungeon). 6 Regain X uses of a Consumable ability

TRAPS 7 Increase current and total MP by X for the rest of

Traps are interactable objects with the Trap tag (p. the scene
65). While many Traps are PC or NPC abilities, you
can use these Traps to represent Traps already on the 8 Clear all Stress
battlefield.
57
 DAMAGE AND STRESS
Characters inflict harm on their enemies to wear them
Getting Started

down and eventually defeat them. The most common ORDER OF DAMAGE
sources of damage are attacks, but other abilities and To determine the final amount of damage dealt by
effects can also inflict damage. any given action or effect, follow these steps in order:
When you take damage, you subtract the damage
taken from your current HP. For example, if you would 1 Roll damage and bonus damage.
take 5 Physical , your HP would be reduced by 5. Ar- 2 Halve bonus damage if there is more than one target.
mor (p. 15) and other effects can change the amount 3 Apply the effects of Weakened or Vulnerable,
of damage you take. When your HP reaches 0, you take where relevant.
a Wound (p. 60). 4 Subtract damage equal to the target’s Armor.
Stress is another type of harm separate from damage. 5 If resistance applies, halve any relevant remaining
5: Combat Play

Stress is accumulated until it exceeds your Stress Cap, damage.

at which point you take an Overstress (p. 60). 6 Deal the remaining damage (rounded up) to the target.

There are five standard types of damage – Physical,

Force, Astral, Lunar, and Discord: DISCORD
Physical: Damage from slashing, bludgeoning, Discord is a unique type of damage that deals
and piercing weapons, and other physical sources. discord damage to its victim’s HP over time. It
stacks with other Discord (see below) and is always
Force: Damage caused by explosions and pure Piercing.
Building Beacons

arcane energies.
Discord applies damage every turn. Whenever you
Astral: Damage caused by heat, light, and other take Discord, you immediately take Piercing Discord
energy sources associated with the radiance of damage equal to the amount of Discord gained. You
stars. Fire, light, and electricity are commonly then make a note of the amount of Discord gained,
associated with the Astral. adding it to any Discord you already have.
Make a Magic check at the end of each of your
Lunar: Damage caused by cold, darkness, and turns while you have Discord. Success: You clear all
other energy sources associated with the stillness Discord. Failure: You take Discord damage equal to
of the moon. Ice, dark, and acid are commonly your current Discord.
Running the Game

associated with the Lunar. Discord levels stacks. For example, if you have 2
Discord and gain another 2 Discord, you would have
Discord: Damage that disrupts aetheric fields and a total of 4 Discord.
puts its victims into a state of aetheric discord, Resistance and Vulnerable apply only to the up-
like poison, burns, and blood loss, sapping the front Discord you take (and, therefore, the amount of
sufferer’s lifeforce over time. ongoing Discord you gain), not to the discord damage
you take if you fail the Magic check to clear it.
Physical, Force, Astral, and Lunar damage all function
the same way, but certain abilities can make characters
Vulnerable, resistant, or immune to certain damage STRESS
types (see facing page).
Appendices

Discord has additional rules associated with it, as Stress is a special type of harm that doesn’t
it has a damage over time component (see below). count as damage, and doesn’t affect the
recipient’s HP.

Instead of being subtracted from your HP, Stress is accumu-

lated. When your Stress exceeds your Breaking point, you
gain the Breaking status (p. 63), and when it exceeds
your Stress Cap, you take an Overstress (p. 60).
Some characters (like Summons) don’t have a Stress
Cap. If these characters would take Stress, they instead
take the same amount of Force.

58
 Because Stress isn’t damage, it ignores Armor and ARMOR, RESISTANCE, AND IMMUNITY
effects that modify damage don’t modify Stress unless

Getting Started
otherwise indicated. Taking Stress doesn’t count as Armor reduces a set amount of damage, resistance
taking damage. halves damage, and immunity reduces damage to
0. Resistance and immunity often apply to specific
types of damage.
BONUS DAMAGE
Armor reduces incoming Physical, Astral, Lunar, and
Bonus damage is additional damage added onto an Force equal to its value. Armor does not reduce Stress
existing source of damage. Bonus damage is granted or Discord. For example, 2 Armor would reduce Physical
by abilities and effects. damage taken from an attack by 2.
Armor applies to each separate source of damage.

5: Combat Play
Bonus damage is only ever added to successful attacks For example, if you are hit by two attacks in a turn,
or abilities that deal damage. It can only be Physical, Armor would apply to each attack.
Astral, Lunar, or Force damage (not Discord or Stress). Resistance halves any incoming damage of an in-
Its type is the same as that of the underlying, basic dicated type, or even Stress. For example, if you would
damage, unless otherwise indicated. If an attack or take 10 Astral and have resistance to Astral, you
ability normally deals multiple types of damage (e.g., only take 5 Astral .
Physical and Lunar), the character dealing the damage Immunity negates all incoming damage or Stress
picks one for the bonus damage. from whatever it is you have immunity against. For
Effects with more than one target, like AOE attacks, example, if you would take 4 Stress and have
only deal half their bonus damage to each target. Im- Immunity to Stress, you take no Stress at all.

Building Beacons
portantly, this applies only if there is more than one
target, not if there could be multiple targets. If you attack
with a Blast 1 explosion but there is only one target OBJECT AND TERRAIN DAMAGE
in the area, they take the full bonus damage. If there
are two targets, the bonus damage would be halved. Objects and pieces of terrain can take damage. By
Linked attacks don’t deal bonus damage – only the default, they have 10 HP per Size, 5 Dodge, and are
first attack in the linked pair does. immune to Aetheric attacks and Stress.

The GM may allow objects and terrain to be broken

VULNERABLE AND WEAKENED in smaller segments. For example, you might punch

Running the Game

a hole through a wall instead of destroying the entire
The Vulnerable and Weakened conditions af- wall at once.
fect how much damage characters take and deal. In some cases, the GM may allow for objects or terrain
Vulnerable characters take double damage, and to be broken with successful a Bulk check. This might
Weakened characters deal half damage. be the case if you try to ram down a wooden door.
In general, the ground does not take damage. This
Modifications to damage from Vulnerable and Weak- can be ignored in certain situations, like if you want to
ened happen before Armor and resistances. The full destroy the floor in a house to fall into the basement.
rules of these conditions can be found later in this But in most cases, no one needs to track how much
chapter (p. 62). damage the ground is taking.
Appendices

Example: Dhalia is currently Weakened and uses a

spell attack that deals 4 Astral . Her damage is
reduced to 2 Astral because of her Weakened
condition. If her target has 1 Armor, they would take
a total of 1 Astral from Dhalia’s attack.
Dmitri, on the other hand, is currently Vulnerable
to Lunar damage. He triggers a Trap that explodes
and deals 4 Lunar . Because he is Vulnerable
to that damage type, he instead takes 8 Lunar .
Dmitri then subtracts his 2 Armor, taking a total
of 6 Lunar .

59
 WOUNDS AND OVERSTRESS
In combat, characters can receive Wounds or become Overstressed
Getting Started

Overstressed. As they accumulate Wounds and Over-

stresses, their combat performance weakens until they When a PC takes Stress in excess of their Stress
are no longer able to fight. Cap, they take an Overstress. NPCs follow different
rules when they exceed their Stress Cap (p. 260).
Wounds
When you take Stress, it accumulates until it exceeds
When a character reaches 0 HP, they take a Wound your Stress Cap. If you go over your Stress Cap, you take
and make a wound roll. an Overstress and reset your Stress, carrying over any
excess Stress. If this causes you to exceed your Stress
When you reach 0 HP, you take a Wound and reset your Cap a second time, you take another Overstress. When
5: Combat Play

HP, carrying over any excess damage. You then make a you receive an Overstress, you also make an overstress
wound roll by rolling 1d6 and consulting the Wound roll by rolling 1d6 and consulting the Overstress Table
Table to see what additional penalties you suffer. to see what additional penalties you suffer.
Beacons have a Wound Cap of 4, while NPCs usually Beacons have an Overstress Cap of 4, while NPCs
have different Wound Caps (p. 260). When you have usually have different Overstress Caps (p. 260). When
Wounds equal to your Wound Cap, you are defeated. you have Overstresses equal to your Overstress Cap,
you are defeated.

WOUND TABLE Roll 1d6 and consult the relevant column based on the number of Wounds you have remaining.
Building Beacons

3 2 1 DESCRIPTION

5-6 6 - Dazed: You are Dazed until the end of your next turn.

3-4 4-5 5-6 Broken Weapon: Destroy one of your weapons. Limited and Consumable equipment
can only be selected if they have charges remaining. If you can’t destroy a weapon, this
becomes the Broken Support Item result. If you can’t destroy a support item either, this
becomes the Staggered result.

1-2 2-3 3-4 Broken Support Item: Destroy one of your support items. Limited and Consumable
equipment can only be selected if they have charges remaining. If you can’t destroy a sup-
Running the Game

port item, this becomes the Broken Weapon result. If you can’t destroy a weapon either,
this becomes the Staggered result.

- 1 1-2 Staggered: You are Slowed and Stunned until the end of your next turn.

OVERSTRESS TABLE Roll 1d6 and consult the relevant column based on the number of Overstresses you have remaining.
3 2 1 DESCRIPTION

5-6 6 - Dazed: You are Dazed until the end of your next turn.
Appendices

3-4 4-5 5-6 Broken Tech: Destroy one of your techniques. Limited and Consumable techniques
can only be selected if they have charges remaining. If you can’t destroy a technique, this
becomes the Lost Mana result. If you can’t do that, this becomes the Exposed result.

1-2 2-3 3-4 Lost Mana: You take –1 to your current and maximum MP until restored during a Short
Rest (p. 61). If your maximum MP is 0, this becomes the Broken Tech result. If you
can’t destroy a technique, this becomes the Exposed result.

- 1 1-2 Exposed: You are Vulnerable and Weakened until the end of your next turn.

60
Defeat Ø Reload all Reloading abilities.
Although defeat doesn’t always mean death, defeated Ø Clear all conditions, statuses, and effects (except for

Getting Started
characters can no longer contribute to a scene. Bloodied and Breaking, if still applicable).
When a character is defeated, all effects on them
and that originated from them are removed, like Sum- You can also spend Recoveries for the following:
mons or the effects of the Hexblade’s Hex. Damage,
conditions, statuses, and created objects and terrain 1 Recovery Regain all HP.
remain, including Traps. 1 Recovery Repair a destroyed technique or piece
When your beacon is defeated, you can narrate how of equipment.
they’re defeated, whether it involves being knocked out 1 Recovery Restore maximum MP to its normal
or running away. They are then removed from play and value.
unable to directly contribute to the scene. 2 Recoveries Clear 1 Wound or Overstress.

5: Combat Play
NPCs are typically killed or knocked unconscious 2 Recoveries Change your current job. Your HP,
when defeated, as chosen by whoever defeated them. Stress, MP, and Recoveries remain at
The GM can choose a different outcome, but they can’t their current values unless the new job’s
kill an NPC that a player wanted to keep alive unless maximum is lower, in which case they
the player gives their permission. are reduced to the new maximum. If the
new job doesn’t have sufficient slots for
your current weapons, support items,
RESTING or techniques, you must unequip items
and techniques until they fit.
Resting allows PCs to heal, recover resources, and 4 Recoveries Return a defeated character to play.

Building Beacons
repair equipment. The required Recoveries can be split
between any characters participating
There are two types of rests: Short Rests and Long in the Short Rest, including the defeated
Rests. Short Rests are quick breaks that allow beacons character. The defeated character returns
to patch themselves up after a fight, while Long Rests to play with 3 Wounds, 3 Overstresses,
are longer and more restorative. Individual beacons full HP and MP, and no Stress. You can
can choose to skip a Short Rest, receiving none of the only bring a defeated character back into
benefits, but they can’t skip a Long Rest. play if the player is willing.
Abilities that reference a rest but don’t specify what
kind of rest apply to both Short and Long Rests. For Long Rest

Running the Game

example, the Shadebinder’s Companion Shade ability
creates a friendly summoned shade on the battlefield. During Long Rests, the beacons fully heal, recover
The shade regains all its HP during any rest, which their resources, and repair damaged equipment
means it regains all its HP when you take either a Short and techniques.
Rest or a Long Rest.
The GM determines when the beacons are able to A Long Rest is an extended period of rest and recovery
take rests. You can’t declare you are resting unless that typically takes place between quests. A Long Rest
the GM allows it. must be long enough for the beacons to sleep, eat, and
repair their equipment.
Short Rests The beacons always benefit from a Long Rest between
quests. There may be time for a Long Rest during a par-
Appendices

During Short Rests, the beacons can spend Recov- ticularly lengthy quest, but that is for the GM to decide.
eries to replenish their resources. During a Long Rest, defeated beacons are brought
back into play if their player wishes. Additionally, each
Short Rests are taken during quests, and only require PC may do the following:
that the beacons take a few moments to catch their
breath. Short Rests are often available between combat Ø Reset all attributes to their normal values (e.g., full
scenes. During a Short Rest, you may do the following: HP and MP, no Stress/conditions/Wounds, etc).
Ø Change their job, ancestry trait, equipment, and
Ø Clear all Stress. other options.
Ø Regain all MP. Ø Repair all equipment and techniques.

61
 CONDITIONS AND STATUSES
Getting Started

Conditions and statuses are continuous effects that

can be applied to characters. Conditions represent
short-term, specific consequences that usually have
finite durations and are applied by abilities, while
statuses are ongoing states that are usually applied
when certain conditions are met.

CONDITIONS
Conditions are always negative. Most effects that give
5: Combat Play

conditions indicate when the conditions end (e.g., “until

the end of the target’s next turn”). They can also be
cleared with Refresh.

BLINDED
Blinded characters can only target and draw line of
sight to adjacent spaces.

DAZED
Dazed characters receive +1 on all attacks, checks,
Building Beacons

and saves.

DISARMED
Disarmed characters can’t make weapon attacks except
for improvised weapon attacks.

IMMOBILIZED
Immobilized characters can’t voluntarily move, but can
still be subjected to forced and involuntary movement.
Running the Game

MARKED STUNNED
When attacking a Marked character, the attacker can Stunned characters can perform either a standard
choose to consume the Mark. Doing this clears Marked action or a minor action on their turns, not both.
and grants +1 on that attack roll. A character can only Additionally, they can’t Full Attack or perform
have one Mark at a time. reactions, and their Dodge and A-Def both count as 5.

SILENCED SUNDERED
Silenced characters can’t use or Release spells. Sundered characters don’t benefit from Armor or
resistance.
SLOWED
Slowed characters can only move with their standard VULNERABLE
Appendices

movement; they can’t Rush or use any other forms Vulnerable characters take double damage from
of voluntary movement. Physical, Astral, Lunar, and Force sources. Stress and
Slowed PCs can only take their turns in Phase Discord are not affected.
Delay. Slowed NPCs have their next Initiative be-
come 8 (this lasts until they’ve taken that turn and WEAKENED
the condition ends). During rounds in which they are Weakened characters deal half damage when dealing
Slowed, Bosses must take at least one of their turns Physical, Force, Astral, and Lunar. Stress and Discord
during Phase Delay, even if they clear the condition are not affected. Their Summons and Traps are also
before doing so. unaffected.

62
STATUSES
Statuses describe characters’ current states, and can GRAPPLED

Getting Started
be positive or negative. Unlike conditions, they can’t Grappled always involves at least two characters,
be removed unless specific actions are taken or their both of whom receive the status. While Grappled, the
requirements no longer apply. following effects apply:
Ø Both characters are Engaged.
BLOODIED Ø Neither character can take reactions.
Characters are Bloodied when they have half of their Ø The larger character can move normally.
HP maximum or less (their Bloodied level). Ø The smaller character is Immobilized, but is dragged
along by the larger character when they move,
BREAKING mirroring their movements and inheriting any
Characters are Breaking when they have Stress equal special forms of movement like flight.

5: Combat Play
to or exceeding half their Stress Cap (their Breaking Ø If the initiator is the same Size as the target, they
point). count as the larger one during the turn in which
they initiate the Grapple.
ENGAGED Ø Characters of the same Size can make a contested
When a character becomes adjacent to an enemy, Bulk check as a free action to see if they count as
they both gain the Engaged status as long as they are the larger one until this contest is repeated.
adjacent to one another. Engaged characters make
ranged attacks at +1 . If a character becomes Engaged Grappled ends when one of the following occurs:
by another character of the same Size or larger, their Ø The characters are no longer adjacent to each other.
movement ends and they lose any unused movement. Ø The initiator ends it as a free action.

Building Beacons
Characters cease to be Engaged when they are no Ø The Grapple target succeeds on a contested Bulk
longer adjacent to an enemy. check as a minor action.

FLYING HIDDEN
Characters with flight can either take off, gaining the While a character is HIDDEN, enemies can only target
FLYING status, or land on the ground, clearing the them with AOEs or while adjacent to them. They are
status, as a free action once per turn. They can also still visible on the combat map to players and the GM.
choose to start combat scenes Flying. The following things end Hidden:
While a character is Flying, the following effects apply:
Ø The Hidden character uses a hostile effect (e.g.,

Running the Game

Ø Non-thrown melee attacks from non- Flying attacking or forcing a save) or uses Interpose.
characters gain +2 against them. Ø The Hidden character ends any turn within an
Ø They can move normally over and are immune to the enemy’s line of sight unless they are either Invisible
effects of terrain, obstructions, and terrain features, or benefiting from cover against that enemy.
but cannot benefit from or interact with them either. Ø An enemy performs a successful Search against
When flying over objects, they are considered to them.
have their Size increased by the Size of whatever
they are flying over for the purposes of determining INVISIBLE
line of sight and cover, as if they were climbing. When making an attack against an Invisible character,
Ø They cannot benefit from cover from terrain or before any attack rolls are made, roll a d6. On a 1–3, the
objects. attack misses. Invisible characters are still visible on
Appendices

Ø When attacking non-Flying characters, they treat the map to players and the GM. Invisible lasts until
their target’s cover from terrain and objects as one the end of the scene unless stated otherwise.
step lower (hard cover becomes soft cover, soft cover
becomes no cover). PRONE
Ø They ignore Engagement and don’t cause Attacks against Prone targets gain +1 and Prone
Engagement. characters always count as moving through difficult
Ø They don’t trigger Traps but can still be affected terrain. Unless they are Immobilized, Prone characters
by them. can stand instead of making their standard movement,
Ø They cease to be Flying if they become Prone. which ends this status. Standing doesn’t count as a form
of movement.

63
 TAGS Consumable X: Abilities with this tag can only be
Abilities often have tags associated with them, such used X times per quest. Consumable abilities rep-
Getting Started

as Aura 2, Piercing, or Polymorph. When an ability resent potions, elixirs, and other items that can be
has a tag, the effects of that tag apply to the effects replenished.
of that ability. Some abilities don’t have tags, but do
have effects that have a tag, or that create objects or Enchantment: Abilities with this tag modify other
characters with the tag, as indicated in their description. abilities. Enchantments can typically only be ap-
If an ability has a tag with a value of “X”, like Mana X, plied to specific types of abilities and can only be
that means the amount can vary, but must be at least 1. applied to one ability at a time. Additionally, each
Below is a list of tags and their effects. ability can only have one Enchantment at a time.
Enchantments can only be applied to a new ability
Accurate: Attacks with this tag gain +1 . while preparing for a quest or during a Long Rest.
5: Combat Play

If an Enchantment is destroyed, the ability it is

Aetheric: Attacks with this tag are made against A-Def enchanting is not destroyed and vice versa. Traits
instead of Dodge. and talents can’t be enchanted.

Arcing: Abilities with this tag can be aimed over ob- Focus X: Abilities with this tag cost X Focus to use.
stacles. They ignore line of sight as long as there is a
vertical path to the target, although cover still applies. Homing: Abilities with this tag ignore line of sight and
the effects of cover. As long as the target is within
Armor: Abilities with this tag represent suits of armor Range and it is possible to reach them (i.e., they
or similar defenses, many of which provide a bonus aren’t in a box), they can be targeted.
Building Beacons

to Armor. A character can only have one ability with

this tag equipped at a time. Inaccurate: Attacks with this tag receive +1 .

Aura X: When activated, abilities with this tag affect Indirect: Attacks with this tag ignore any from cover.
indicated characters within X spaces of the user.
A character can only have one Aura activated at a Innate: Abilities with this tag can’t be destroyed or
time and can change Auras 1/turn. enchanted. They can’t be chosen for destruction as
the result of a wound roll.
Auto-Hit: Attacks with this tag automatically hit without
making an attack roll. Limited X: Abilities with this tag can only be used X times
Running the Game

per quest. Limited abilities provide powerful effects

Blast X: Abilities with this tag have an AOE. It affects all that can’t be replenished during a quest once used.
targets within a radius of X spaces from the center
space, including the center space. Cover and line Line X: Abilities with this tag have an AOE. It affects all
of sight are calculated from the center space. Users targets in a straight line with a length of X spaces
can be affected by their own Blast. and a width of 1 space, drawn directly away from
you in any direction.
Burst X: Affects all targets within a radius of X spaces
from the edge of the spaces occupied by the target, Mana X: Abilities with this tag cost X MP to use.
including the target’s spaces but excluding the target
itself. Cover and line of sight are calculated from Piercing: Damage with this tag ignores Armor.
Appendices

the edge of the spaces occupied by the target. If a

Burst forms a zone, the zone moves with the target. Polymorph: Abilities with this tag modify the target’s
form. A character can only be under the effect of one
Close Blast X: Abilities with this tag have an AOE. It ability with this tag at a time, and any subsequent
operates like a Blast, but: polymorph effects are automatically cancelled while
they are under the effects of a polymorph.
‘ at least 1 space must be adjacent to the user
‘ the user can’t be in the area Pull X: Abilities with this tag inflict a type of forced
‘ cover and line of sight are calculated from the user. movement. On a hit, the target is moved X spaces
directly toward the origin.

64
Push X: Abilities with this tag inflict a type of forced Summons have the following statistics unless oth-
movement. On a hit, the target is moved X spaces erwise indicated:

Getting Started
directly away from the origin.
Ø Size 1/2
Range X: Abilities with this tag can be used on targets Ø HP 5
within X spaces. Ø Dodge/A-Def 10
Ø Speed 0
Reach X: Abilities with this tag can be used on targets Ø Save Target = Summoner’s Save Target
within X spaces. This tag also determines the range Ø Bulk/Agility/Mind/Magic 0
of the Opportunity Attack reaction.
Summons can only be created in free spaces that
Reliable X: Abilities with this tag always deal at least X they could normally enter (they can’t be summoned

5: Combat Play
damage, even if they would miss or deal less than into impassable terrain, for example).
X damage. Reliable damage inherits the ability’s Summons are characters with a standard ac-
damage type and tags; however, Reliable damage tion, standard movement, and minor action per
does not count as a hit and doesn’t trigger any effects round; however, they can’t perform any actions un-
that require a hit. less they have an ability that lets them do so and
can’t perform a movement unless they have Speed.
Reloading: Abilities with this tag must be reloaded Their turn is their summoner’s turn, and if they can
after each use before they can be used again. This take actions or move, they can do so at any point
can be done using Refresh and other abilities. in their summoner’s turn.
Summons are defeated if they are reduced to 0

Building Beacons
Slide X: Abilities with this tag inflict a type of forced HP. They can also be dismissed by their summoner
movement. On a hit, the target is moved X spaces as a free action. Summons last until dismissed or
in any direction. defeated, or until the end of the scene.

Slow: Abilities with this tag can only be activated as

part of Full Attack. Trap: Abilities with this tag place traps – objects that
modify spaces – or are traps themselves. They must
Stressful X: Abilities with this tag inflict X Stress on be placed in a free adjacent space. They become
the user. armed at the end of the turn in which they are placed.
Moving into or adjacent to a space occupied by a

Running the Game

Summon: Abilities with this tag create one or more trap triggers it, activating its effects, after which it
temporary characters under the control of another is removed from play.
character, each of which has the Summon tag. Traps are permanently Hidden, but can be auto-
By default, each character can only have one matically detected with Search. You can attempt
Summon per ability with this tag in play at a time. to disarm a trap by making an Agility check as a
If a Summon is defeated or dismissed, a new one minor action when moving into or adjacent to its
can be made using that same ability. Summons can’t space (before it is triggered). On a success, the trap
create Summons. is removed from play without being activated. On
a failure, it activates as normal.
Thrown X: Abilities with this tag can be used to make
a thrown attack, a melee attack made against a Unbreakable: Abilities with this tag cannot be destroyed
Appendices

target within X spaces. Thrown attacks are affected and can’t be selected for destruction if there are
by cover. If throwing a weapon, it lands in a space non-Unbreakable options left. If an Unbreakable
adjacent to the target (thrower’s choice), and must result is selected from a wound or overstress roll, it
be picked up as a free action while adjacent to it becomes a Dazed result instead.
before it can be used again.
Unique: Characters can only equip one copy of each
ability with this tag at a time.

65
 SECTION 2:

BUILDING BEACONS
This section covers all the options for PCs, including ancestries, talents, classes, class-specific
equipment and techniques, and starting equipment and techniques.

KEY SECTIONS
Ø Ancestries (p. 68)
Ø Classes and Jobs (p. 84)
Ø Talents (p. 202)
Ø Basic Equipment and Techniques (p. 216)

AN ABILITY’S COLOUR IS DETERMINED BY ITS SOURCE:

WEAPON TRAIT

SPELL SKILL

SUPPORT ITEM LIMIT BREAK

AN ABILITY’S SHAPE IS DETERMINED BY THE ACTION IT REQUIRES:

Action Action Used Reaction Reaction (use limits)

This ability uses up an action to activate Trigger: This ability activates in response to
(even if it’s a free action). a certain trigger...

Effect: ...and uses one of your reactions to

Passive Ability activate it.

This ability is always active, or augments

other abilities when you use them. Attack Action Used

Weapon and Spell attacks both use this

format – the top bar will say the action you
use to make the attack.

67
 6: ANCESTRIES
Getting Started

A character’s ancestry describes their heritage or Example: Artemis is the child of a halfling and a
species. goblin. She is Size 1/2 since both of her parent
ancestries are Size 1/2, and her player chooses
Your beacon’s ancestry determines their Size and gives two ancestry traits from each. She chooses Nimble
you a collection of ancestry traits that you can choose Escape and Bite for the goblin heritage, and Lucky
from for combat scenes. You select an ancestry for your and Brave for her halfling heritage. Now, whenever
beacon during character creation (p. 13), and can only she prepares for a quest, she can choose one of those
change it with the Find Echo downtime activity (p. 28). four ancestry traits.
Building Beacons

In narrative play, ancestry can provide whatever abil-

ities or powers work in your Reflection. For example, in To create a custom ancestry, start by choosing a Size
your Reflection, elves might be immortal, while machina between 1/2 and 3. Then, create a pool of any four exist-
don’t need to eat or sleep. Those are flavorful abilities ing ancestry traits. It is recommended that you choose
that impact narrative play, but don’t affect combat play traits that fit the themes of your custom ancestry, rather
unless you pick an ancestry trait that says otherwise. than just choosing the abilities you think are strongest.
Ancestry can also be used to represent cultural
themes instead of biological ones, and individual ances-
tries can be reimagined to represent entirely different ANCESTRIES IN YOUR REFLECTION
species. For example, you might choose the elemental Not every ancestry exists in every Reflection. Some
6: Ancestries

ancestry to represent a ghostly, spectral beacon. Reflections only feature humans, while others have a
This chapter lists the available ancestries for players limited number of ancestries represented.
to choose. Each ancestry contains some questions Just because an ancestry doesn’t exist in a setting,
you can answer to help flesh out the ancestry and doesn’t mean you can’t use its traits. In an all-human
your character, as well as an example of a Reflection setting, for example, there are huge variances between
and discussion of how that ancestry fits within it. As a people. Maybe your human with the goblin ancestry is
reminder, one of the things common to all Reflections a small teen, or a group of kids in a trench coat (using
is the presence of a Scourge – a recurring threat unique the Swarm trait). A human with the avian ancestry
to that Reflection (p. 230). might have a magic item that allows them to fly, or
Running the Game

could have built a jetpack.

At heart, an ancestry is a set of bonuses for combat
DUAL AND CUSTOM ANCESTRIES play and an important part of the game. Just because
Some characters might have more than one ancestry, there isn’t a species in the setting that matches the
representing two different parts of their background, or a ancestry, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be used. BEACON
custom one that isn’t represented by the existing options. is a game about choices, and severely restricting the
When playing such a character with a dual ancestry, ancestry choices takes away a vital part of combat play.
pick one ancestry as normal; however, you might have
abilities in narrative play that stem from the other ancestry. In summary:
Additionally, the GM can optionally allow you to
base your character’s Size on one ancestry and create Ø ancestry does not have to equal species
Appendices

a list of four ancestry traits (two from each ancestry) as Ø ancestry and ancestry traits only have direct rules
your pool of potential ancestry abilities. effects in combat play
Ø players shouldn’t be overly restricted in choosing
ancestries
Ø your Reflection can have as many or as few ancestries
as you want.

68
 AVIAN
SIZE
1

Getting Started
Ø What sort of bird or flying creature do your people
resemble?
Ø Where do your people live and in what kind of
environment?
Ø What do your people eat, and what do they consider
a delicacy?
Ø Are avians without wings or the ability to fly treated
differently than those that have them?

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: GARUDA

Building Beacons
Name: Celestos
The celestos of Garuda live atop the highest mountains,
where they are bathed in radiant energy from the sky.
As a result, they have learned to harness this energy
as holy magic.
Celestos place a great emphasis on wings. Those born
with additional sets of wings are seen as having great
potential. Most celestos have two wings, with four wings
being rare and six or more wings almost unheard of.

6: Ancestries
Some celestos are born with a mutation that causes
them to grow an additional pair of arms, but no wings.
These celestos find life atop the mountains hard, as their
homes aren’t designed for the flightless. They usually
leave their homes to find a more suitable life among
the other flightless civilizations, or take up supportive
roles in their homelands.

Running the Game

Avians are birdlike people with the physical charac- FLIGHTLESS CELESTOS
teristics of flying creatures: ravens, parrots, bats, and If you want to play a flightless celestos, you can either
so on. Not every avian can fly, however, and some are use the orc ancestry or switch out the avian Flight
completely wingless. trait with a trait from the orc ancestry.

TRAITS
FlightTrait Flock TacticsTrait

You have flight. 1/round, you gain +1 on a melee attack roll if one
Appendices

of your allies is adjacent to the target.

Get the Flock Outta There Reaction (1/round)

Trait GustTrait

Trigger: You take damage or Stress not caused by You gain the Gust spell, which is equipped for free.
yourself.

Effect: You shift up to half your Speed. Gust Fight

Melee Spell Attack  Innate, Push 1, Unique
Reach 1, Line 5 1d6 Force

69
 CAMBION
SIZE
1
Getting Started

Cambions are people with demonic traits like horns,

tails, or cloven hooves. The specifics and prominence
of these traits varies from Reflection to Reflection, but
cambions are often distant descendants of demons
with their own unique cultures.

Ø What part of your people’s history do others still

hold against you, and are their feelings warranted?
Ø What good thing did you do that others disbelieved
or doubted your intentions for?
Building Beacons

Ø What was a hard bargain your people had to make?

Ø Where did your people once live but now don’t, and
why don’t they live there?

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: DIABLOS

Name: Azin
The azin of Diablos are just one of the many peoples
that live on the Umbral Plane, but some of the few who
can easily cross into the Astral Plane.
6: Ancestries

Most azin will only guide travelers between the planes

with a strong contract in place, a practice learned from
a hard lesson long ago.
Azin mercenaries, guards, and scouts are highly
sought after for their unfamiliar umbral powers, which
seem strange and frightening to those native to the
Astral Plane.
Running the Game

TRAITS
BloodhunterTrait WrathTrait

You gain +1 on attacks against Bloodied characters. You gain +1 on attacks against any characters
that have hit or damaged you since the end of your
last turn.
Infernal ResistanceTrait
Appendices

You gain either Astral or Lunar resistance. Fiendish WingsTrait

You have flight.

70
 DRAKEN
SIZE
2

Getting Started
Ø Are draken associated with one element or many,
and what element are your people associated with?
Ø What monument or structure of your people has
endured multiple disasters?

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: IO
Name: Drakhal
The drakhal of Io primarily dwell in volcanic regions,
which run the gamut from barren wastelands to tropical

Building Beacons
islands teeming with life.
Each group of drakhal are in possession of ancient
dragon eggs. These massive eggs must be incubated
in the burning temperatures of active volcanos. Each
group of drakhal believe they are the inheritors of their
specific dragon’s legacy, which explains the physical
differences between these groups: some have tails,
some have wings, some have few scales, and so on.
Inside their eggs, the growing dragons are already
named, with names like Bahamut, Phoenix, and Nidhogg.

6: Ancestries
The drakhal believe that when their dragon hatches, it
will change the world in their favor. One dragon might
Draken are people with draconic traits like scales, tails, destroy all enemies of the drakhal that hatched it, while
or wings. Their specific physical characteristics depend another might bring prosperity and bountiful harvests
greatly on the Reflection and what its dragons are across the world. Once the dragon has changed the
like. Draken are imposing figures, either through their world, it returns to its lair, where a new shell forms
stature or presence. around it, and it waits until its next hatching.
These ancient dragons rarely awaken, and each has
Ø What is a threat faced by other civilizations that is their own cycle. It is likely, due to the cyclical nature of

Running the Game

only an inconvenience to your people? these dragons, that one (or more) of them is Io’s Scourge.
Ø What do your people think of dragons, or what
relationship do they have with them?

TRAITS
DragonfireTrait Dragon ScalesTrait

You gain the Dragonfire weapon, which is equipped You gain either Astral or Lunar resistance.
for free.
Appendices

Inner FireTrait
Dragonfire Volley / Fight
Melee Weapon  Main Artifact  Innate, When you Refresh, you automatically regain 1d6
Unique Reach 1, Close blast 1 2 Discord HP before choosing any effects.

You can attack with this weapon while Disarmed.

Draconic WingsTrait

You have flight.

71
 DWARF
SIZE
1
Getting Started

Dwarves are stocky people who tend to be shorter

than most humans. They are known for their mental
and physical fortitude.

Ø What structure or great work of art did your people

make?
Ø What do your people value that others envy?
Ø What type of actions do your people respect?
Ø What is something your people lost, and can it be
reclaimed?
Building Beacons

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: PENUMBRA

Name: Tektite
The tektite of Penumbra are locked in a constant race
upward, fleeing the ever-encroaching darkness from
below.
There is no surface in this Reflection, or at least none
has been discovered. The sky is stone, and it never ends.
The tektite and other people of Penumbra live comfort-
ably in whatever caverns they carve out, exploring and
6: Ancestries

meeting each other through tunnels both natural and

cut by unknown forces.
Danger lurks in the depths, beneath old tunnels
long abandoned. Creatures of chaos live there, surging
their way upward. Every civilization moves ever higher,
trying to stay ahead of the Scourge Beneath. The tektite
have excelled at this, moving upward while maintaining
strongholds to hold back the Scourge, but no matter
what they do, the darkness always advances …
Running the Game

TRAITS
Keep Moving ForwardTrait SturdyTrait

Abilities with the Armor tag don’t reduce your Speed When you would be subject to forced movement, you
or Dodge, even if they would normally, and you are may move 1 fewer space than normal. If this reduces
immune to Slowed unless caused by yourself. the forced movement to 0, the movement doesn’t
happen.
Appendices

If you would be knocked Prone, you can make

ResilienceTrait a Bulk check. Success: You don’t become Prone.

You gain resistance to Lunar damage and +1 on

Bulk saves.

Unyielding Free Action (1/scene)

Trait

You Refresh.

72
 ELEMENTAL
SIZE
1

Getting Started
Elementals are people with strong connections to
specific elements, like fire or water. Some have bodies
made entirely of their element, while others just have
individual features like burning hair.

Ø What element are you associated with?

Ø Where do elementals who share your element come
from?
Ø What are elementals associated with other elements
like?

Building Beacons
Ø What emotion is valued by your people?

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: CONVERGENCE

Name: Fewa
The fewa of Convergence live in separate nations based
on their associated elements. Two important individuals
are always born or created within a few years of each
other: the Weaver and the Cultivator.
The Weaver can always manipulate multiple elements.

6: Ancestries
They seek to unify the fewa nations under one banner
and one element.
The Cultivator seeks to keep the nations independent,
and to grow them individually.
The Weaver and Cultivator are always in conflict
with each other, as their purposes and philosophies
are opposed. Each approach has benefits and flaws,
and each party firmly believes in their role.
To complicate matters, in each cycle one of these

Running the Game

two people becomes the Scourge, and there appears
to be no pattern as to which one it is.

TRAITS
Elemental FormTrait Energy ResistanceTrait

You gain resistance to damage from dangerous You gain either Astral or Lunar resistance.
terrain. Additionally, when you become Bloodied
or Breaking, you gain hard cover until the start of
Appendices

your next turn. Elemental NovaTrait

You gain the Elemental Nova spell, which is equipped

Energy AuraReaction for free.
Trait

When you equip this trait, choose Astral or Lunar. Elemental Nova Fight
Melee Spell Attack  Innate, Unique
Trigger: You are hit by an attack from an adjacent enemy. Burst 1 2 Astral or Lunar

Effect: You deal 2 Piercing Astral or Lunar to On Attack: The AOE and any spaces you occupy
them, as chosen previously. become a zone of soft cover until the start of your
next turn. 73
 ELF
SIZE
1
Getting Started

Elves are a long-lived people with lifespans that range

from slightly longer than human to truly immortal.
The signature physical characteristic of elves is their
pointed ears.

Ø How long do your people live?

Ø What magic or creations are your people known for?
Ø What skill or art do you wish you were better at?
Ø What tradition do your people follow that you feel
is outdated?
Building Beacons

REFLECTION: MOONTOUCHED
Name: Qiradel
The qiradel of Moontouched hail from a distant planet
called Fey which was destroyed and shattered by a
great cataclysm a generation ago. The inhabitants fled
through teleportation magics and flying cities, hurling
themselves through space in the hope of finding safety.
Over the last 100 years, many of these qiradel came
6: Ancestries

to a planet populated by powerful civilizations, with

abundant magical energy and a moon in an uneven
orbit. There have been many painful lessons when
adapting to life on this new planet, but some measure
of stability has finally been found.
The qiradel of this Reflection absorb magical en-
ergy into their bodies throughout their lives, gaining
physical characteristics based on the types of magic
they encounter. Qiradel who surround themselves with
Running the Game

primal magic might grow leafy tattoos, while those gods, did not exist on Fey. The youngest generation of
with boundless arcane magic might gain glowing eyes. qiradel are starting to exhibit new traits derived from
Divine magic, a source of aether drawn directly from their exposure to this alien magic.

TRAITS
Elven AccuracyTrait Fast MovementTrait

1/round when you use the Reroll Table for an attack You gain +1 Speed.
roll, you can roll an additional d20 on the attack and
Appendices

use either result.

Fey Step  Free Action (1/scene)
Trait
Nature StepTrait
You teleport 5 spaces.
You ignore movement penalties from difficult terrain,
and gain +1 on dangerous terrain checks.

Ø Minor Action (1 MP): While in difficult terrain,

you become Invisible until the start of your next
turn or until you are no longer in difficult terrain,
whichever happens first.

74
 GIGAN
SIZE
2

Getting Started
The gigan, often called half-giants, tend to be the tallest
people in any given Reflection. It’s not known whether
they are directly related to giants, but they share un-
mistakable cultural similarities with them, like clothing
and music styles.

Ø What are giants like? What type of giants are your

people most similar to?
Ø What creatures do your people fear or respect?
Ø What do your people think of the civilizations of

Building Beacons
smaller folk?
Ø What staple or delicacy of your people do others
find off-putting?

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: TITAN

Name: Jotun
Giant monsters, called tyrants, roam this Reflection,
destroying cities and empires in their rampages. The
people of this Reflection have gathered their power

6: Ancestries
and resources to create weapons platforms called
anti-tyrant suits, or ATSs. The ATSs are strong enough
to fend off the tyrants, but are too large to be used by
anyone but the jotun. These jotun pilots are known as
crownbreakers.
Whenever a tyrant appears, a crownbreaker with
a dedicated support team must don their ATS and do
battle. Their support team either keeps the ATS func-
tional, or directly fights in the field.

Running the Game

This Reflection’s Scourge is a particularly powerful
tyrant that threatens the stability of society and pushes
the crownbreakers to the limit.

TRAITS
Big EquipmentTrait Oversized WeaponsTrait

One of your support slots increases by one size (Light 1/scene, you can attack with a Slow weapon as
Appendices

to Main, or Main to Heavy). though it doesn’t have that tag, allowing you to
Volley with a Slow ranged weapon, or Fight
with a Slow melee weapon.
Endure Free Action (1/scene)
Trait
Giant LineageTrait
You gain resistance to all damage until the end of
your next turn. You gain either Astral or Lunar resistance.

75
 GNOME
SIZE
1/2
Getting Started

Gnomes are a diminutive people with an appreciation for

technology or nature. Whichever they prefer, they lean
into it hard. Those fond of nature often live alongside
their favorite animals, while those fond of technology
strive to discover new advancements for it.

Ø What are you most proud of making or doing?

Ø What types of skills or professions do your people
value?
Ø How do your people defend themselves against
Building Beacons

larger threats?
Ø What is the most dangerous thing your people have
done?

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: CONDUIT

Name: Maji
The maji of Conduit led their Reflection’s most powerful
civilization for centuries, propelling society ahead with
their technological innovations. Then, they messed it
6: Ancestries

all up with one cataclysmic mistake.

Through hubris, oversight, or ignorance, the maji
unleashed what was to be their greatest achievement,
only to have it backfire. Unbeknownst to them, the maji
were the Scourge.
But the maji – and their Reflection – survived. Now
they’re determined to either fix their mistake, or fix the
world they ruined.
Running the Game

TRAITS
Instinctual StealthTrait TumbleTrait

You may begin any combat scene Hidden, and can’t You can move through spaces occupied by
lose it until the end of your first turn. enemies that are larger than you, and becoming
Engaged doesn’t stop or end your movement.

Fade Away Reaction (1/Round)

Tinker Toy Minor Action (1/scene)
Appendices

Trait  Mana 2
Trait  Summon Range = Scope
Trigger: You are targeted by an attack.
Toy (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0)
Effect: You become Invisible before the attack roll
is made, lasting until the end of your next turn. You deploy a toy within Range. Allies gain +1 when
attacking targets adjacent to your toy.

76
 GOBLIN
SIZE
1/2

Getting Started
Goblins are ambitious people with shorter-than-hu-
man lifespans. In many Reflections they are viewed as
“monsters”, although that’s usually because the people
of those places want cannon-fodder for their heroes
to murder. Hopefully you’ll do better than that in your
Reflection.

Ø How do your people approach or view their short

lifespans?
Ø What do your people have a deep-seated fear of?

Building Beacons
Ø What do your people use for transportation?
Ø How many siblings do you have?

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: MONTON

Name: Gob
The gobs of Monton sometimes undergo a sudden
metamorphosis, rapidly changing their size and abili-
ties. The most common form (and the one they’re born
into) is that of a basic goblit, which is also the smallest.

6: Ancestries
In their second “hobgob” stage, they grow in size and
strength. The third form is that of the “bokgob”, which
is even stronger and begins to develop wildly varied
appearances like fur, extra arms, or a thick hide.
The exact reasons why only some gobs undergo this
metamorphosis and why some never progress beyond
the goblit stage are unknown. The leading theory is
that it’s a genetic mutation.
There is rumored to be a stage of metamorphosis

Running the Game

beyond bokgob – the “urgob” stage. There are no re-
corded cases of urgobs, but if it is stronger than the
bokgob stage, it must be incredibly powerful.

TRAITS
ScurryTrait Nimble Escape Free Action (1/scene)
Trait
When an attack misses you, you can shift 1.
You Rush.
Appendices

SwarmTrait
BiteTrait
Your base Size is increased to 2. Despite this, you
can still benefit from any cover of Size 1 or larger. At the start of your turn, you deal 1 Piercing Physical
Additionally, you gain resistance to Physical but are to any character Grappled by you unless you are
always Vulnerable to Force. Stunned.
Each of your Recoveries might represent a dif-
ferent goblin in your swarm. Ø Minor Action: You deal 1 Physical to an
adjacent enemy.

77
 HALFLING
SIZE
1/2
Getting Started

Halflings are known for their strong wills and friendly

demeanors. They are among the shortest people of any
Reflection, but their charm can fill a room.

Ø What was a thing your people did that other people

respected?
Ø How comfortable is the world for someone of your
size?
Ø What is something your people refuse to let go of?
Ø What do your people think of the taller civilizations?
Building Beacons

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: RHOMBUS

Name: Ruppit
On Rhombus, the ruppit set up small hospitality stations
beside long, dangerous roads. These ruppits value
service to others and happily create establishments in
dangerous areas. Many a traveler has been saved by
an unlikely but much-needed ruppit inn.
No matter where, whether in the desert or the tun-
6: Ancestries

dra, you’ll find a ruppit hospitality establishment. Some

ruppits have even set up hospitality chains, branding
them with names like “Rin’s Roadstop”.
Running the Game

TRAITS
Lucky Reaction (1/round) BraveTrait
Trait  Stressful 2
During any turn in which you Surge, you gain +1
Trigger: You would be hit by an attack. on all attacks, checks, and saves.

Effect: You force the attacker to reroll the attack roll

and use the second result. TumbleTrait

You can move through spaces occupied by

NimbleTrait
Appendices

enemies that are larger than you, and becoming

Engaged doesn’t stop or end your movement.
Reaction attacks made against you receive +1 .
Additionally, 1/scene when you would trigger
an enemy’s reaction, the reaction doesn’t trigger.

78
 HUMAN
SIZE
1

Getting Started
You are, presumably, a human; you might have some
idea what it involves.

Ø What type of clothing or fashion do your people

wear?
Ø How widespread are human cultures?
Ø What type of weapon is associated with your people?
Ø What spell did your people invent?

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: NIMBUS

Building Beacons
Name: Hyul
The Scourge poisoned the land, so the hyul and the
other survivors of Nimbus created flying airships capable
of supporting thousands of people. Everyone now lives
in the skies, venturing to the surface only to scavenge
tech and supplies, and wearing special suits to avoid
breathing the poison from below.
While society tries to survive, the Scourge plans its
next move below …

6: Ancestries
Running the Game
TRAITS
Strong SavesTrait HeartyTrait

You gain +1 on all saves. You gain +3 Maximum HP.

Hang in ThereTrait AdrenalineTrait

1/scene, you can ignore the effects of a wound or 1/scene, you can Surge without increasing your
overstress roll, although you still take the Wound or Surge level.
Appendices

Overstress.

79
 KOBOLD
SIZE
1/2
Getting Started

Kobolds are a reptilian people known for their incredible

craftmanship. Kobold-crafted gear is highly coveted EXAMPLE REFLECTION: KEYSTONE
by beacons due to its unusually high aetheric density, Name: Drik
which makes it easier to enchant. When Keystone was fractured, the drik held it together.
Piece by piece, they were able to pull fragments of the
Ø What sort of craftsmanship are your people highly Reflection together and bind them with chains, bolts,
regarded for? and glue. Now the drik maintain their world, keeping
Ø What type of environment did you grow up in? everything running as best as they can for their fellow
Ø What is your favorite thing you’ve ever made? survivors.
Ø What is or was the family business?
Building Beacons
6: Ancestries

TRAITS
Running the Game

Distract Free Action (1/scene) Trap ArrayTrait

Trait  Burst 2
You gain the Trap Array support item, which is
Enemies in the AOE become Marked. equipped for free.

TrapmasterTrait Trap Array Minor Action

Support Item  Consumable 2, Innate, Trap,
You can automatically open locks as a free action. Unique
Additionally, you gain +1 on rolls to disable Traps
and saves triggered by Traps.
Appendices

You can expend a charge to deploy one of the fol-

lowing Traps, each of which have a Burst 1 AOE
when triggered:
EvasiveTrait
Ø Explosive Trap: When triggered, all characters
You gain resistance to damage and Stress from in the AOE take 1d6+3 Force .
AOEs, and +1 on saves against AOEs. Ø Paint Marker: When triggered, all characters
Additionally, 1/turn you can spend 1 Focus to in the AOE are Marked.
reroll a failed save. Ø Snare Trap: When triggered, all characters in
the AOE must make an Agility save. Failure:
They are Immobilized until cleared. After the
end of their next turn, affected characters can
make a Bulk check as a minor action. Success:
80 They clear Immobilized.
 LYCANTHROPE
SIZE
1

Getting Started
Lycanthropes are people with the ability to assume an
animal form, and sometimes even a hybrid form. Some
lycanthropes can do this naturally, and sometimes
lycanthropy is a disease or curse.

Ø What animals do your people have a special

connection with?
Ø What parts of your personality does your animal
form intensify?
Ø Do your people primarily have the same strain of

Building Beacons
lycanthropy, or can you each assume different animal
forms?
Ø Which form feels most comfortable to you, and
which one do your people primarily use?

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: ENKIDU

Name: Uranuk
The uranuk of Enkidu are organized based on the animals
into which they can transform: Tribe Tiger, Clan Crab,

6: Ancestries
the Antler Kingdom, and so on. Each group is guarded
by a powerful primal spirit, but it can only manifest
physically for short periods of time.
The uranuk collect crystals, the energy of which can
be drained for summoning their primal spirit. They seek
to gather as many of these crystals as possible, mining
or stealing them as needed. Some groups use their
primal spirits for defensive purposes, while others use
them to aggressively expand their territories.

Running the Game

TRAITS
Defender Strain Free Action (1/scene) Sneaky Form Minor Action
Trait Trait  Polymorph

You manifest your lycanthropic heritage, gaining the You assume a small, sneaky form. You become Size
heightened senses and vigor of a great beast. You 1/2 and can Hide as a free action 1/turn. You can’t
gain 2 Focus. use spells or attack in this form.
You can revert back to your normal form as a mi-
Appendices

nor action.
Pack TacticsTrait

1/round, you gain +1 on a melee attack roll if the Travel Form Minor Action
target is adjacent to one of your allies. Trait  Polymorph

You assume a form suited for travel. You gain

+2 Speed, but you can’t use spells or attack.
You can revert back to your normal form as a mi-
nor action.

81
 MACHINA
SIZE
1
Getting Started

Machina are artificial people. Whether made from tech-

nology or magic, they have now gained the ability to
think for themselves.

Ø Who or what made you?

Ø Were you made to fulfill a specific purpose?
Ø Do you have anyone you consider family?
Ø How long can you live for, and how long do your
memories last?
Building Beacons

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: LUNA

Name: Bayvo
The bayvo of Luna were once living, breathing creatures.
When the Scourge threatened to destroy their civiliza-
tion, they leveraged their scientific and magical skills
to ensure their survival. To do this, they constructed
artificial bodies and transferred their consciousnesses
into them.
The procedure was a success and their people sur-
6: Ancestries

vived, but their old ways of life were destroyed or made

irrelevant. Now inhabiting new bodies and calling
themselves the bayvo, they have to decide what the
next chapter of their history will look like.
Running the Game

TRAITS
Mechanical BodyTrait System RepairTrait

You gain resistance to Discord damage and +1 on 1/scene when you Refresh, you can choose any
checks to clear Discord. number of options from the list.

ArmoredTrait Integrated WeaponTrait

Appendices

You gain +1 Armor while you aren’t Bloodied. Choose a Light weapon from the list of basic weap-
ons (p. 216). You can equip that weapon for free.
It is also Innate and you can use it while Disarmed.

82
 ORC
SIZE
2

Getting Started
Orcs are a tall, muscular people with a love for com-
petition. They sometimes have tusks or horns, and
have skin tones outside of the human range, including
green and grey.

Ø What was your people’s greatest achievement,

known by everyone?
Ø What is a tradition your family or people follow, and
how do you feel about it?
Ø What emotion do you sometimes struggle to

Building Beacons
control?
Ø What is your favorite type of contest or game to
either watch or participate in?

EXAMPLE REFLECTION: LEVIATHAN

Name: Mar’orc
The mar’orc of Leviathan control the Reflection’s largest
and most powerful naval fleet. It began as a host of
individual pirate bands, eventually brought together

6: Ancestries
by the Hook, Peg, and Powder pirate company to defeat
one of the incarnations of the Scourge.
After their victory, Hook, Peg, and Powder was able
to maintain control of the pirate fleets and earn recog-
nition as a sovereign nation.

Running the Game

TRAITS
Second WindTrait FuriousTrait

1/scene when you become Bloodied , you gain 1/turn, you can take 1d3 Stress to reroll all the dice
temp HP equal to 4+Grit. from one of your damage rolls.

RushdownTrait Workout RoutineTrait

Appendices

When you Rush and choose the movement option, You gain +1 on Bulk checks and saves. You are con-
you can move +2 spaces. sidered to be +1 Size larger than usual for Grapple
and Shove.

83
 7: CLASSES AND JOBS
Getting Started

Classes are collections of abilities you unlock over You unlock one of a class’s associated jobs upon reach-
time. Each class has an associated job, which is ing rank 1 in that class. Jobs give you access to specific
something you can choose to equip at the begin- traits and determine the base values for your attributes,
ning of a quest. Jobs grant traits and determine the like your HP and the number and size of your weapon
base values of your attributes. slots. Once you have unlocked a job, your beacon can
equip it whenever they go on a quest. They can only
Classes are thematically connected collections of equip- equip one job at a time.
ment and techniques that you can equip for quests, and Every rank you have in a class also unlocks two abil-
Building Beacons

each is associated with a job. The description of each ities for your character. These abilities can be weapons,
class includes some optional questions to help flesh support items, spells, or skills. Once an ability is unlocked,
out your character and their connection to that class. it enters the pool of abilities you can equip when you
Each class has three ranks, starting at class rank 1 go on a quest.
and going up to class rank 3. Whenever your beacon You aren’t limited to equipping techniques and
levels up, including at level 1, they acquire a new class equipment associated with the job you’ve equipped.
rank, either gaining a new class at rank 1 or increasing In fact, you are encouraged to mix equipment and
their current rank in a class by one step. techniques from both the basic options (p. 216) and
all of your unlocked classes.

VARIANT JOBS
7: Classes and Jobs

Each of the classes in this book have one associated

job, which shares the same name as the class; how-
ever, future books may introduce variant jobs, and
you can always add new jobs in your own games.

For example, this book includes only one job for the
Paladin class – also called the Paladin – but a future
book might add another job for the Paladin class,
called the Avenger. In that case, upon reaching rank 1
in the Paladin class you could choose to unlock either
Running the Game

the Paladin job or the Avenger job, but not both.

Appendices

84
ELEMENTS OF A JOB
Each job has several elements: a role, base attributes, Mind

Getting Started
some traits, weapon slots and support slots of various Ø Stress Cap: When you exceed your Stress Cap, you
types, and a limit break. take an Overstress and make an overstress roll. When
you reach your Overstress Cap (4), you are defeated.
Role: A job’s role describe what sorts of things characters Ø Memory: You can equip any number of techniques
with that job do in combat: the combined Memory cost of which doesn’t exceed
your Memory.
Ø Artillery: Deals damage over long range.
Ø Controller: Manipulates foes or the battlefield to Magic
gain an advantage. Ø A-Def: The number that attackers must equal or
Ø Defender: Protects their allies or draws attention exceed to hit you with Aetheric attacks.

Building Beacons
to themselves. Ø MP: A resource you can spend to use certain abilities.
Ø Striker: Deals damage over close-to-medium range.
Ø Support: Assists allies, either by healing, mitigating Traits: Each job has several unique abilities. If you equip
damage, or enhancing other characters. a different job, you lose access to the traits from your
current job and gain the traits of the new one.
Base Attributes: A character’s equipped job determines
the starting values for their attributes. Weapon Slots: Your job determines the number and
Each attribute is listed beneath an ability score (Bulk, type of weapon slots available.
Agility, Mind, or Magic). These attributes are modified
by the points you have put into the relevant ability score. Support Slots: Your job determines the number and

7: Classes and Jobs

The values listed for attributes are the starting values, type of the support item slots available.
assuming 0 points invested in the related ability score.
Limit Break: Limit breaks are powerful, unique abilities
Ø Scope: The distance within which you can use certain that can be used once per quest.
abilities, such as ranged spell attacks.
Ø Save Target: The target number characters have
to meet or exceed when rolling a save against you.

Bulk
Ø HP: When you reach 0 HP, you take a Wound and
make a wound roll. When you reach your Wound

Running the Game

Cap (4), you are defeated.
Ø Recoveries: A resource you can spend to recover
HP and repair destroyed equipment and techniques.

Agility
Ø Dodge: The number that attackers must equal or
exceed to hit you.
Ø Speed: The number of spaces you can move with
your standard movement.
Appendices

85
 AEGIS
Getting Started

DEFENDER

Defense-oriented spellcasters adept with protective magic.

Aegises put up barriers and shields to protect friends and block out foes.

A
egises are defensive spellcasters
that specialize in creating barriers BASE ATTRIBUTES
and mitigating damage. Aegises SCOPE:10 SAVE TARGET:  10
rely on efficient use of mana to keep BULK MIND
their barriers up for prolonged peri- HP:6 STRESS CAP:  7
Building Beacons

ods of time, and a group of them can RECOVERIES:3 MEMORY:  7

maintain a city-spanning barrier for AGILITY MAGIC
the duration of a siege. DODGE:  6 A-DEF:  10
While the primary purpose of an SPEED:  4 MP:  5
aegis’s barriers is protection, they can
also be used offensively. A well-placed TRAITS
wall can split a group of enemies or
cut off an avenue of attack. For these Mana TransferalTrait
reasons, aegises find themselves in
high demand, especially in militaristic You can spend MP as if it were Focus.
7: Classes and Jobs

organizations and cities. They are at

their strongest when there are people
to protect, so they are seldom alone. Abjurer’s WardTrait
Aegises use many methods to ex-
tend their mana capacity and lessen You gain the Ward spell, which is equipped for free.
the cost of spells: magical tattoos that
act as miniature ley lines, mana batter-
ies and potions, and arcane familiars WardReaction
are just some of the tools used by dif- Spell  Innate, Mana 1, Unique
ferent schools of aegises.
Trigger: An ally within Scope would take any Physical, Astral, Lunar,
Running the Game

Ø What are your barriers made of, or Force damage, before Armor and resistance.
and what do they look like?
Ø When did you fail to protect Effect: You reduce the damage by 1d6. You can reroll this dice as
someone or something? many times as you want, at a cost of 1 MP/reroll.
Ø What does it feel like when one of
your barriers breaks?
Ø What is the longest one of your WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS
barriers has lasted for? LIGHT MAIN LIGHT LIGHT
Appendices

86
87
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Perfect Shield Special

Limit Break Range = Scope
Ablative Armor Minor Action
At any time during a combat scene, you may choose Spell  2 Memory  Focus X Range = Scope
an ally within Range. Until the end of this phase in
the next round, all damage and Stress they receive One ally within Range gains Armor equal to the Focus
is reduced to 0. spent. They cannot have more than 4 Armor. When-
ever they take damage, they lose 1 Armor down to
The pinnacle of barrier magic is a shield that grows their usual maximum.
stronger the more force is used against it. Such a perfect
Building Beacons

shield is unbreakable, but hard to master and incredibly Layers of magical armor provide temporary protection,
draining. before themselves being torn asunder.

Aegises are fragile, backline defenders. Mana Trans- Warding WallPhase Bolster
feral allows them to protect allies without needing Spell  2 Memory  Mana 1
to generate Focus first, meaning as long as they have Range = Scope, Line 1-3
MP, they can use defensive abilities. Aegises can’t
use Ward on themselves, so they are incentivized to This AOE is a zone and can face any direction. The zone
pick abilities that will keep them away from enemies. counts as difficult terrain, and attacks that enter it,
7: Classes and Jobs

pass through it, or are made from within it receive +1 .

Characters that enter the zone take 2 Stress 1/
turn per character.
This zone lasts for the rest of the scene, or until
you dismiss it as a free action or use this ability again.

Coalesce raw aether into a physical form, hard enough

to provide cover and protection.
Running the Game
Appendices

88
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
BarrierPhase Bolster Dome Barrier Channel
Spell  2 Memory  Mana 2 Range = Scope Spell  2 Memory  Arcing, Mana 3, Summon
Range = Scope
Place one of the following protective barriers on a
character within Range. It lasts until the start of this Dome Barrier (Size 4, HP 20, Dodge/A-Def 5, Speed 0)
phase next round:
On Release: Create a dome barrier within Range.
Ø Protect: The target gains resistance to Physical, Other characters can share spaces with this barrier.

Building Beacons
Astral, Lunar, and Force. 1/turn when a character or object fully within the
Ø Shell: The target gains resistance to Stress and barrier is targeted by an attack from outside the bar-
Discord caused by other characters. rier, you may roll a d6: on 4+, the attack instead tar-
gets the barrier. This barrier can’t perform any actions
Specialized barriers that can reduce damage from (including reactions) even if another ability would
physical attacks or spells. allow it to do so.

Only the most skilled aegises can create these one-way

Offensive Shielding Volley barriers that block incoming attacks but allow outgoing
Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory  Aetheric, attacks to pass freely.

7: Classes and Jobs

Indirect, Mana 2  Range = Scope 2 Stress

On Hit: Choose one of the following: Force Shield

Support Item  Light
Ø Shield Crush: The target is Sundered until the
end of their next turn. Whenever you take damage and you aren’t Stunned,
Ø Stasis Field: The target must make a Magic save. you may treat your Armor as equal to half your current
Failure: They are Immobilized and Slowed un- MP. After doing so, spend 1 MP.
til the end of their next turn. Success: They are You gain the Shield Block reaction. If you meet
Slowed until the end of their next turn. this reaction’s trigger condition while using Inter-
pose, you can automatically use its effect as part of

Running the Game

An aegis’s shielding can be used offensively, just as any that Interpose reaction.
shield can. Being surrounded by shields is akin to being
trapped in a room. Force shields are defensive artifacts, crafted as small
talismans or tattoos that rest upon the hand. When
aether is funneled into the shield, it manifests an aetheric
barrier.

Shield Block Reaction (1/round)

Trigger: You would take Physical, Astral, Lunar, or

Force damage.
Appendices

Effect: You take 2 Stress and gain resistance

to that damage.

89
 ALCHEMIST
Getting Started

SUPPORT

Masters of potions and consumables. Alchemists bring a wide array

of support items into combat to prepare for any situation.

B
ubbling cauldrons, explosive con-
coctions, and brightly colored BASE ATTRIBUTES
liquids are the telltale signs of an SCOPE:8 SAVE TARGET:  11
alchemist. They mix together ingre- BULK MIND
dients and magic to create powerful HP:7 STRESS CAP:  6
Building Beacons

potions that can be used by anyone. RECOVERIES:5 MEMORY:  5

Merchant-alchemists tend to have AGILITY MAGIC
a few recipes they can produce reli- DODGE:  7 A-DEF:  8
ably, but beacons are a step above. SPEED:  5 MP:  3
They have the skill and knowledge to
produce rarer and more varied effects TRAITS
than can be found in a potion shop.
Potion BeltTrait
Ø What was your first concoction
supposed to do, and what did it Your Consumable abilities each gain +1 Consumable. Additionally,
7: Classes and Jobs

actually do? during Short Rests, you can regain all charges for Consumable abilities
Ø What is a signature element of your at a cost of 1 Recovery per ability.
concoctions – an ingredient, flavor,
or effect?
Ø What type of ingredients do you Potion InjectorTrait
prefer to use? Plants, monster
parts, something else? Your Consumable abilities can be used up to Range 8 , and effects
Ø What is the ultimate creation you that would usually only apply to yourself (like Healing Potions,
want to perfect, but haven’t yet? p. 218) can be used on willing allies within that Range.

Ø Standard Action: During Phase Skirmish or later, you use a

Running the Game

support item that would normally require a minor action.

Sanitizing VapoursTrait

At the end of your turn, an ally within Range 3 can clear 1 Stress
, or up to 2 Stress if they are Breaking.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

MAIN LIGHT MAIN MAIN MAIN
Appendices

90
91
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Philosopher’s Stone Minor Action

Limit Break
Infusions  Minor Action
You reveal your philosopher’s stone. It has 6 charges, Support Item  Light  Consumable 3
which last until the end of the scene. You and your
allies can use these charges in place of spending Con- You can expend a charge for one of the following ef-
sumable charges or MP for other abilities, at a 1:1 rate. fects, which can be used on yourself or an adjacent ally:
Abilities with no charges remaining can still be used
if they use these charges. Ø Panacea: The target can clear one condition and
all Discord.
Building Beacons

The formula to create a philosopher’s stone is a carefully Ø Vigor: The target gains +4 temp HP and +1 on
guarded secret, shared with only the greatest alchemists. their next ability check or save.
To use one is not a decision made lightly.
Healing potions are the most popular alchemical
product. Infusions are a specialized derivative of them
Alchemists have the unique ability to replenish Con- that are harder to make.
sumable charges during rests with Potion Belt, or
even during combat with their Scorpion Gauntlet.
Most Consumable abilities are support items, and Transmutation Circle Volley
Alchemists can equip a lot of them. Alchemists can Spell  2 Memory  Mana 1
7: Classes and Jobs

change their playstyle depending on the types of Range = Scope, Blast 1

support items they equip, especially when equip-
ping ones from other classes. This AOE is a zone. Choose one of the following ef-
fects. The zone lasts for the rest of the scene or un-
til you either use this ability again or are Silenced,
Stunned, or defeated.

Ø Exchange: Choose Physical, Astral, or Lunar. Free

spaces in the zone become dangerous terrain
(Agility, 5 damage of the chosen type).
Ø Reduction: Difficult terrain, dangerous terrain,
Running the Game

and other non-cover terrain features in the zone no

longer have any effects. Combat scene objectives
are unaffected.

Some alchemists apply their scientific discoveries to

the art of transmutation. With the simple principle of
transmuting one substance into another, an alchemist
can rapidly transform one material into something
radically different.
Appendices

92
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Scorpion Gauntlet Fight Grand Infusions Minor Action
Melee Weapon  Main Magitech  Mana 1, Support Item  Main  Consumable 2
Unique Reach 1 1d3 Discord
You can expend a charge for one of the following
On Hit (1/attack): If the target was an enemy, one of effects, which can be used on yourself or an
your Consumable abilities regains 1 charge. adjacent ally:

Articulated claws overlap the user’s fingers with a Ø Cleanse: The target clears all conditions.

Building Beacons
needlelike tail along the forearm. The tail can strike at Ø Expertise: Roll 2d6. The target’s next attack roll,
nearby foes, injecting poison while extracting aetheric check, or save can’t be less than the result. You
energy. Once enough energy has been extracted, the can spend 1 MP to reroll one of the dice. You can
mechanism distills it into small vials. do this multiple times.
Ø False Life: Until the end of the target’s next turn,
if they are reduced to 0 HP or exceed their Stress
Volatile Mixtures Minor Action Cap, they don’t take the Wound or Overstress. Dam-
Support Item  Light  Consumable 3, Thrown 5 age and Stress continue to accumulate. If, at the
Thrown 5 end of their next turn they are still at 0 HP or less,
or over their Stress Cap, they take the Wound or

7: Classes and Jobs

You can expend a charge for one of the following Overstress.
effects:
Grand infusions are the hardest concoctions for an
Ø Explosive Concoction: You auto-hit a character alchemist to make. Most puzzling is that, by necessity,
within the thrown Range, dealing 3 Astral . You each alchemist has their own formula for grand infusions.
can spend 1 MP to make it Blast 1 . No alchemist has ever been able to replicate an existing
Ø Sticky Bomb: Make a melee weapon attack against formula, even under perfect conditions. Every alchemist
a target within Range. On a hit, they are Immobi- has to make their own.
lized. After their next turn, they can make a Bulk
save as a minor action. Success: They clear this
condition, dealing 2 Astral to themselves and MutagenReaction

Running the Game

any other characters within Blast 1 . Support Item  Main  Consumable 3

Alchemy requires a great deal of trial and error. Trigger: You or a character within Scope fails an attack
Thankfully, even “errors” can still be useful. roll, save, or check.

Effect: You expend a charge to roll 1d6 and add the

result to that character’s total, potentially turning a
failure into a success.

Recent advancements in genetics have given alchemists

the ability to splice together foreign gene-sequences,
mutating the test subject. While still an active field of
Appendices

development, short-term mutations can be triggered to

grant the subject temporary boosts.

93
 ARSENAL
Getting Started

STRIKER

Walking armories of weapons. Arsenals can summon new weapons at a

moment’s notice, surrounding themselves with a nimbus of steel.

A
rsenals carry nearly limitless num-
bers of weapons. They can infuse BASE ATTRIBUTES
weapons with mana, creating SCOPE:5 SAVE TARGET:  10
bonds between themselves and their BULK MIND
weapons. These weapons can then be HP:10 STRESS CAP:  5
Building Beacons

manipulated with mana, flying around RECOVERIES:5 MEMORY:  5

at the arsenal’s command, or diffusing AGILITY MAGIC
into raw aether to be summoned at a DODGE:  8 A-DEF:  6
later time. SPEED:  5 MP:  3
Arsenals are dangerous opponents
and hard to fight against. Fighting one TRAITS
can feel like fighting an entire squad,
their weapons changing the moment ArmigerTrait
you think you’re getting used to it.
You gain the Phantom Armory weapon, which is equipped for free.
7: Classes and Jobs

Ø What is your favored weapon or

type of weapon, and why?
Ø How are you weapons summoned? Phantom Armory Volley (Ranged) or Fight (Melee)
Directly into your hand, floating Ranged/Melee Weapon  Variable Size/Type  Innate, Unique
around you, shrinking or growing Ranged Artifact: Aetheric Range 10 1d6 Astral
larger on command, or something Bow: Arcing Range 10 1d6 Physical
else? Magitech: 2 Range 5/Reach 3 1d6 Force
Reliable
Ø How would you describe your Melee Blade: Accurate Reach 1 1d6+1 Physical
fighting style? Club: Push 2 Reach 1 1d6+1 Physical
Ø What mythical weapon do you wish Longarm: Reach 2 1d6+1 Physical
you could add to your collection?
Running the Game

When equipped or Minor Action: Choose one of the listed profiles

and any size for this weapon. This lasts until the end of the scene or
until you next change it.
1/round when you would take damage from a non-Aetheric attack,
you can choose one of the listed profiles and roll its damage, reducing
the damage you take by that amount (after Armor and resistance).
That profile can’t be used until the end of the scene. You can’t use this
effect if you are unable to take reactions.

Flex WeaponsTrait
Appendices

You can choose to treat your Main weapon slots as Light Light
slots, and your Heavy slots as Main Light slots.

Walking ArmoryTrait

When you Refresh, you can spend 1 MP to repair one of your de-
stroyed weapons or support items. During a Short Rest, you can repair
one weapon and one support item for free.

94
95
 WEAPON SLOTS
MAIN MAIN HEAVY RANK 1
Getting Started

SUPPORT SLOTS
LIGHT LIGHT MAIN Weapon for the Job
Skill  1 Memory
LIMIT BREAK
When you attack with a weapon, you can spend
Cycle Weapons Phase Brawl 1 MP to change the damage to another non-Discord
Limit Break damage type of your choice (i.e., Physical, Astral, Lunar,
or Force). This new damage type remains until you
You repair all of your destroyed weapons, reload all use this ability again.
Building Beacons

of your Reloading weapons, and regain all Phantom

Armory profiles. You may also make an attack with Arsenals bind enough weapons to their souls that they
every weapon you have, including Slow ones. have one for every situation. Switching out one weapon
for an identical weapon with a different blade happens
Arsenals can bind a nearly limitless number of weapons with a mere thought.
to their souls, but manifesting them causes strain. The
more weapons an arsenal summons, the greater the
strain. To get around this, skilled arsenals rapidly switch Gunblade Volley (Ranged)/ Fight
between weapons, dismissing one as soon as an attack
is finished, using the momentum to summon a new one (Melee)
7: Classes and Jobs

and flow into the next attack. Melee and Ranged Weapon  Light Magitech
Melee Profile: Reach 1 1d3 Physical
Ranged Profile: Range 5 1d3 Lunar
Arsenals can customize their playstyle through their
equipped weaponry. Their weapon slots, Phantom This weapon can be used to attack with either a
Armory, and Flex Weapons allow them to equip ranged or melee profile.
more weapons than any other class. Arsenals usually 1/turn when you attack with this weapon, you
seek out interesting weapons from other classes and can spend 2 MP to also attack with the unused profile.
a handful of passive skills to support their intended
strategy. Anyone can fuse a gun and a sword together, but making
them both functional and – most importantly – useful,
Running the Game

is an artform.
Different gunblade manufacturers approach these
weapons with different design goals. Some feature a
gun and blade connected together, while others feature
a blade that can also fire projectiles.
Appendices

96
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Mana Siphon Masamune Full Attack
Support Item  Light  Enchantment Melee Weapon  Heavy Blade  Reliable 6,
Slow Reach 2 3d6+2 Physical
You may use one of the following Enchantments
at a time: Whenever you roll a 1 on a damage dice while at-
tacking with this weapon, take 1 Stress and roll
Ø Any Light Weapon: On a crit with this weapon, that die again. This effect can trigger multiple times
the target loses 1 MP and you regain MP equal to on the same roll and is not optional.

Building Beacons
the amount they lost.
Ø Any Main Weapon: On a crit with this weapon, A weapon so powerful it’s named after its creator. Every
the target loses 2 MP and you regain MP equal to swing seeks blood. If it cannot take it from its enemies,
the amount they lost. it will take it from its wielder.
Ø Any Heavy Weapon: On a crit with this weapon,
the target loses 3 MP and you regain MP equal to
the amount they lost. Disarming Strike Fight
Skill  2 Memory  Stressful 1
Wielders of weapons enchanted this way report feelings
of “hunger” emanating from them. You attack with a melee weapon. On Hit: The target

7: Classes and Jobs

takes half damage and must make a Bulk save.
Failure: They are Disarmed until the end of their
Powerstone Fight next turn.
Melee Weapon  Main Club  Reloading
Reach 1, Close Blast 1 1d6+2 Force “If you take their weapon, they can’t hit you back. Unless
they’re a thunderclaw, of course. If they are, don’t even
An unstable power crystal embedded into a club of bother.”
morphic metal. Every swing destroys the club, shattering
it into tiny fragments. The lingering energy animates the
morphic metal, compelling it to reform again.

Running the Game

Appendices

97
 ASSASSIN
Getting Started

STRIKER

Assassins are stealthy attackers, experts at taking out isolated or vulnerable targets.

A
ssassins deal in death. Their skills
are used for taking lives through BASE ATTRIBUTES
stealth, subterfuge, or force. SCOPE:8 SAVE TARGET:  10
Anyone can commit murder. An BULK MIND
assassin’s strength comes from being HP:8 STRESS CAP:  5
Building Beacons

undetected and getting away with it. RECOVERIES:3 MEMORY:  6

They rely on their skills and training AGILITY MAGIC
to stay hidden for as long as possi- DODGE:  11 A-DEF:  7
ble, choosing the right time to strike. SPEED:  6 MP:  2
Magic isn’t a necessary part of their
work, but many find it helpful. These TRAITS
assassins branch out into other classes,
picking and choosing tools and tricks AssassinateTrait
to enhance their unique approaches.
1/round, you may deal +1d6 bonus damage on a hit with a melee
7: Classes and Jobs

Ø Who was the first person you killed, attack if you are Hidden or if you are the only character adjacent to
and how did you do it? the target.
Ø What is your signature style or
method for dispatching targets?
Ø Do you operate secretly, publicly, PreparationTrait
or under an alias?
Ø How did you become an assassin, At the end of each of your turns while Hidden, you gain 1 Prep, to a
or why do you have their skills? maximum of 6. After making an attack roll, you can decide to spend
any amount of Prep, adding +1 to the attack roll per Prep. Prep lasts
for the rest of the scene or until spent.
Running the Game

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT MAIN LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT MAIN
Appendices

98
99
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Exterminate Free Action

Limit Break
Throatcutter Fight
Until the end of the scene, your Preparation trait Melee Weapon  Light Blade  Thrown 5
grants 1 Prep at the end of each of your turns, or Reach 1 / Thrown 5 1d3+1 Physical
2 Prep if you are Hidden, instead of the Prep you
would usually gain. Assassinate now deals 1d6+X You can Fight with this weapon during Phase
bonus damage, where X is the amount of Prep spent Skirmish.
on the attack.
Building Beacons

This blade is as light as a feather, but as sharp as a razor.

An assassin’s job is to take lives, and their reputation relies It cuts so fast, its victims don’t realize they’ve been cut
on results. There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The until they see the blood.
assassin will find you – it’s just a matter of time.

Master of Stealth
Assassins want to get in close to their targets to take Skill  2 Memory
advantage of Assassinate, but their low HP means
they need to avoid taking damage. Their high Dodge To end your Hidden status at the end of their turn,
and stealth abilities help them do this, and abilities enemies must be within 10 spaces of you. Additionally,
7: Classes and Jobs

from the Shadow Dancer class synergize with this enemies receive +1 to Search for you.
playstyle well.
Your movements are precise and calculated. You move
only at the edges of vision, keeping to the corners.
Running the Game
Appendices

100
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Garrote Reaper’s Shroud
Support Item  Light Support Item  Light  Armor

When you successfully Grapple a target, they are +1 Armor. Whenever you defeat an enemy, you
Silenced for the duration of the grapple. Addition- become Invisible until the start of your next turn.
ally, they take 1 Piercing Physical for every space
moved while Grappled in this way, to a maximum The reaper’s shroud leaves no trace of the wearer be-
amount of damage each turn equal to your Speed. hind. No sounds, no fingerprints, not even their physical

Building Beacons
You can only garrote one target at a time, and a form.
character can only be garroted by one character at
a time.
Death Strike
A simple piece of wire wrapped around the throat can Skill  4 Memory
silently dispatch foes.
1/round when you critically hit a Bloodied or Breaking
enemy with a weapon or spell attack, there is a chance
Poisoner’s Kit the target will take an instant Wound or Overstress:
Support Item  Main  Consumable 3

7: Classes and Jobs

Ø If the target is Bloodied and the attack deals dam-
You can expend a charge when you hit with a age, they must make a Bulk save. Failure: They take
non-Aetheric weapon attack. The target takes a Wound instead of taking the usual damage.
1 Discord . As long as they take any amount of Dis- Ø If the target is Breaking and the attack deals Stress,
cord from this ability after resistances, immunity, and they must make a Mind save. Failure: They take an
so on, they are then affected by one of the following Overstress instead of taking the usual damage.
poisons (your choice):
Death has come. Death is delivered.
Ø Deathbite: Whenever the target fails the Magic
check to clear their Discord, their Discord doubles
before they take discord damage.

Running the Game

Ø Ghoulblood: The target is Weakened.
Ø Midnight Malice: The target is Blinded and can’t
reveal Hidden enemies.

This effect lasts until cleared.

Expert assassins have a variety of exotic and powerful

poisons at their disposal. These poisons can’t be bought
and are made specifically for these professional killers.
Appendices

101
 BERSERKER
Getting Started

STRIKER

Berserkers are reckless warriors, able to unleash devastating

attacks with little regard for their own safety.

B
erserkers are most often known for
their rage, but any emotion can be BASE ATTRIBUTES
fuel for these devastating warriors. SCOPE:5 SAVE TARGET:  10
Most draw on one specific emotion, BULK MIND
but others use several. HP:16 STRESS CAP:  6
Building Beacons

Berserkers tend to move fast and RECOVERIES:6 MEMORY:  4

wield heavy weapons to defeat targets AGILITY MAGIC
quickly. Maintaining extreme emotions DODGE:  8 A-DEF:  6
can be draining, and the longer a fight SPEED:  6 MP:  1
lingers, the harder it is to maintain the
necessary emotional intensity. TRAITS
Ø What causes you to lose your Endless EnduranceTrait
composure and act recklessly?
Ø What change takes place when Removing a Wound or Overstress during a Short Rest only costs you
7: Classes and Jobs

you give into your emotions? 1 Recovery.

Eyes turn red, vision turns black
and white except for your target,
or something else? RecklessTrait
Ø When was a time you acted
without thinking and regretted 1/round, you may deal +1d6 bonus damage on a hit with a melee
the outcome? attack. If you do so, attacks against you gain +1 until the end of your
Ø What sign of a past battle do you next turn.
carry with you?

RelentlessTrait
Running the Game

1/round when you critically hit, you can make an additional attack
with the same ability.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

MAIN HEAVY LIGHT LIGHT
Appendices

102
103
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Primal StrikeSpecial
Limit Break
Charge Full Attack
When you hit with a melee attack, you can activate this Skill  2 Memory  Stressful 1, Unique
limit break. All of the attack’s damage dice, including
bonus damage and extra sources of damage, are treat- You move up to your Speed in a straight line. As long
ed as if they had rolled their maximum values once. as you move at least 3 spaces, you can Fight or
Shove as a free action at the end of the movement.
Aether reacts to your emotions, building upon itself until
Building Beacons

you are teeming with it. You raise your weapon and your Getting somewhere is useless if you can’t do anything
energy pours into it. As you bring the weapon down, when you get there. But if you line it up right, you can
the excess of aetheric forces makes your strike stronger charge and attack.
than ever. A frightening attack that could fell titans – a
primal strike.
Victory Rush
Skill  1 Memory  Unique
Berserkers are extremely dangerous when they crit-
ically hit, and can lean into this aspect of their play- When you defeat an enemy or give them a Wound,
style by finding abilities that can make them more you gain temp HP equal to Grit+2.
7: Classes and Jobs

likely to achieve this (abilities that increase their

, for example), or that do more things when they The thrill of battle is intoxicating, and victory tastes
critically hit (like the Deadeye talent). Berserkers can sweet.
also make good defenders due to their incredibly
high HP.
Running the Game
Appendices

104
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Bloodrage Armor Support Item Rageblade Full Attack
Support Item  Light  Armor Melee Weapon  Heavy Blade  Inaccurate,
Reliable 5, Slow Reach 2 4d6+3 Physical
While Bloodied, you gain +2 Armor.
While Bloodied, your attacks with this weapon are
This armor requires blood to activate. When it has drunk not Inaccurate.
enough, it hardens the user’s aetheric field into a phys-
ical barrier. By forsaking any pretense of defense, a rageblade puts

Building Beacons
everything towards offense. If a rageblade’s wielder
isn’t stopped before they can attack, whatever they’re
Cut Through attacking is going to die.
Skill  3 Memory  Stressful 1

1/round when you defeat a character or make them Brutal Critical

Bloodied, you can immediately shift up to your Skill  2 Memory  Unique
Speed. In doing so, you can move through the spaces
of enemies, dealing 2 Physical to every enemy You deal +1d6 bonus damage on critical hits.
through which you move. Each enemy can take this

7: Classes and Jobs

damage 1/turn. When you end this movement, all Make your attacks matter. Take every opportunity. Fight
adjacent enemies become Marked. like you only have one chance to win.

Legends say Kruglor could cut through five foes with a

single swing of their axe, the Bloody Eon.

Running the Game

Appendices

105
 CHRONOMANCER
Getting Started

CONTROLLER

Chronomancers manipulate time to avoid or mitigate damage.

They can alter the flow of time, speeding it up or slowing it down as needed.

C
hronomancy is a rare but powerful
form of magic. The more common it BASE ATTRIBUTES
becomes, the more it is regulated. SCOPE:10 SAVE TARGET:  12
Entire civilizations have been wiped BULK MIND
out by abuse of the timelines, and un- HP:6 STRESS CAP:  6
Building Beacons

intended consequences follow those RECOVERIES:3 MEMORY:  6

who meddle with such forces. AGILITY MAGIC
Chronomancers aware of the exis- DODGE:  7 A-DEF:  9
tence of other Reflections have noted SPEED:  5 MP:  5
that their ability to control time does not
extend past the boundaries of their cur- TRAITS
rent Reflection. It is not possible to alter
the timelines of Reflections other than
the one in which they currently reside. UndoTrait
7: Classes and Jobs

Ø What does time look like to you? 1/round, you can perform actions from a phase that has already passed,
Individual threads, a spinning instead of waiting until Phase Delay. You take 1 Stress for every
wheel, interlocking gears, or phase that has passed since the action’s usual phase. For example, if you
something else? use Defend during Phase Brawl, you would take 4 Stress .
Ø What is something you have or
know of from a different timeline?
Ø How do you think the timeline Pluck the Threads of TimeTrait
should be handled? Protected,
changed, cultivated, or something You gain the Pluck the Threads of Time spell, which is equipped
else? for free.
Ø What is something you wish you
Running the Game

could change in the timeline, and

what prevents you from being able Pluck the Threads of Time Reaction (1/Round)
to do it? Spell  Arcing, Innate, Mana 1, Unique

Trigger: A character within Scope makes an attack roll, save, or check.

Effect: You force them to reroll the die, taking the second result.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT
Appendices

106
107
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Time ShuffleSpecial
Limit Break
Unwinding Beam Volley
At the start of a round, you may restructure the order Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory  Aetheric
of phases for that round only. You can put them in any Range = Scope 4 Force
order with the exception of Phase Delay, which is
always the last phase in a round. On Hit: Choose one of the following:

Chronomancers can distort space-time in localized Ø Backstep: You teleport the target up to 2 spaces.
areas. By exploiting a time loop to gain more aether Ø Repetition: During the target’s next turn, they
Building Beacons

than normally possible, they can amplify the distortion become Marked if they take the same action they
to effectively shuffle time, albeit for only a few took on their previous turn.
moments.

Unwind the threads of their timeline, and weave it back

The Chronomancer is a complex class with abilities in a different place.
that let them break the normal flow of combat,
like Front of the Timeline and Borrowed Time.
Chronomancers can easily branch out into offensive Slow Channel
or supportive playstyles with their high base MP Spell  2 Memory  Mana 1
7: Classes and Jobs

and Memory. Range = Scope, Blast 1

On Release: All characters in the AOE take 2 Stress

and are Slowed until the end of their next turn.

This is a particularly horrifying spell, but not for the obvious

reasons. Yes, your movements and reactions are slowed,
but two things operate at their normal speed: your mind,
and your nerves. You see and feel everything happening
to you, but over a longer period of time. The stronger the
slowing effect, the worse it becomes.
Running the Game
Appendices

108
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
HastePhase Channel Rewind Channel
Spell  2 Memory  Mana 2 Range = Scope Spell  2 Memory  Mana 2 Range = Scope

On Release: An ally within Range gains the following On Release: Place a Rewind marker in one space
benefits: occupied by a character in Range. Each character
can only have one marker at a time, and the marker
Ø They may Rush 1/turn as a free action. doesn’t move with the character.
Ø They may take their turn during Phase Bolster, While you have a Rewind marker on the map, you

Building Beacons
and all actions (except for Release) are available gain the Revert reaction.
during that phase.
Rewind, retry. Over and over again.
This lasts for the rest of the scene or until you either
use this spell again or they gain a Wound or Over-
stress. RevertReaction

Haste spells supercharge their target’s aetheric field, Trigger: A character with a Rewind marker either
manifesting as electrical discharges. The target can act takes damage, takes Stress caused by another
beyond their normal limits in this state, but it is a perilous character, or starts their turn.

7: Classes and Jobs

balance that can be easily disrupted.
Effect: You negate any damage or Stress taken and
teleport them back to the marker or the closest
Front of the Timeline free spaces, then remove the marker. This counts
Skill  1 Memory as forced movement. If they are unwilling, they can
make a Magic save. Success: They resist this effect
You can always go first in any phase you act in if you and remove the marker.
want to. This does not count as a PC slot for the pur-
poses of alternating turns with NPCs.
Borrowed Time
A Chronomancer can see multiple timelines at once, and Skill  3 Memory  Unique

Running the Game

can insert themselves into the best one.
You may take an extra action of any type in any phase.
This is resolved as if it was another PC turn but doesn’t
count as a turn for the purposes of other effects.
At the start of each round after doing this, make a
Magic save against your Save Target. Continue doing
this each round until you fail this save. Failure: You are
removed from play for that round, appearing in the
same space or nearest free space at the start of the
next round. While removed from play, you can’t take
any damage, be affected by anything, or take a turn.
This effect persists between scenes until you take
Appendices

a Long Rest. You can’t use this ability again until you
fail the save or take a Long Rest.

You pull a version of yourself from an alternate timeline

to temporarily assist. It’s considered rude to not offer to
return to the favor.

109
 DEMON HUNTER
Getting Started

STRIKER

Demon hunters walk a dark path, willingly accepting corrupting influences in

exchange for greater power. To hunt demons, they need the power of demons.

D
emon hunters are outcasts from
society, shunned by the worlds BASE ATTRIBUTES
that they have decided to protect. SCOPE:8 SAVE TARGET:  10
Many of their kind fall to temptation, BULK MIND
giving into the corruption that slowly HP:10 STRESS CAP:  9
Building Beacons

eats away at their soul. There is no RECOVERIES:4 MEMORY:  5

happy ending for one such as them. AGILITY MAGIC
They either give in to corruption, or DODGE:  8 A-DEF:  8
die fighting. SPEED:  6 MP:  2
Many demon hunters start their
training by studying one specific type TRAITS
of demon, learning how it thinks,
moves, and fights. When they think CorruptionTrait
they’re ready, they hunt that demon,
taking a trophy to mark their success You have a d6 Corruption Die that starts at 1. When you take Stress,
7: Classes and Jobs

or dying in the process. If they were increase the Corruption Die by 1, to a maximum of 6. You gain the
successful, the trophy becomes an following effects (and all previous effects) when you reach the
important catalyst in their first taste relevant amount of Corruption:
of corruption.
Ø 2 Corruption: You deal +1 bonus Force on hits with attacks.
Ø How has your body changed as it Ø 4 Corruption: Your bonus Force increases to +2.
has acquired corruption? Ø 6 Corruption: You can activate your Demon Form trait.
Ø What do you fear might happen
if you are overwhelmed by
corruption? Demon Form Free Action
Ø What weapon, spell, or demonic Trait  Polymorph
Running the Game

feature do you feel a connection

with? At 6 Corruption, you can reset your Corruption Die to 1 and assume
Ø What demon continues to elude a demonic form until the start of your next turn. While in this form, you
you? gain the following benefits:

Ø Your bonus damage from Corruption increases to +3 Force.

Ø All bonus damage you deal becomes Discord.
Ø You gain resistance to Stress caused by other characters.
Ø You have flight.
Ø You gain +1 Armor.
Appendices

Infernal Aether Minor Action

Trait  Stressful X

You regain any amount of MP at a rate of 3 Stress per 1 MP.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT MAIN LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT

110
111
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Become the Monster Free Action

Limit Break
Mantis Blade Fight
You immediately assume your Demon Form regard- Melee Weapon  Light Blade
less of the status of your Corruption Die, and then Reach 1 1d3 Physical
reset the die. Until the end of the scene, your Corrup-
tion Die resets to 3 instead of 1. When you attack with this weapon, you may attack
two different targets at the same time.
Become that which you hate, that which you hunt.
Become the monster that everyone thinks you are. Attached to these claws are a pair of folding blades.
Building Beacons

To defeat a monster, you must become one. Feel the When retracted, they allow for wide, sweeping attacks,
power rush through your veins – feel your aether but in an instant they can be snapped together like a
twist and distort. The power is alluring, intoxicating. mantis’s claw.
Give into it, and all will be yours.

Immolation Field Free Action

Demon Hunters play a dangerous game. They want Spell  1 Memory  Mana 1, Unique
to gain Stress to increase their Corruption, but they
risk overexerting themselves and becoming Over- You’re surrounded by a shield of burning flame that
stressed. Increase your Stress Cap, or find ways to lasts until the start of your next turn. Any character
7: Classes and Jobs

lessen your Stress levels. that starts their turn adjacent to you or hits you with
a melee attack takes 2 Astral .

Blazing auras are a common spell, but this one is fueled

by corrupted aether that twists and burns with dark
flames.
Running the Game
Appendices

112
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Demon LeapPhase Reposition Sinbow Volley
Skill  2 Memory  Arcing, Stressful 2 Ranged Weapon  Main Bow  Arcing, Unique,
Stressful 1 Range 10 1d3 Physical
You fly to a free space within a number of spaces equal
to twice your Speed and land, ignoring reactions. On Hit: While you are Breaking, this weapon deals
When you land, all adjacent characters must make bonus damage equal to half your Stress.
an Agility save. Failure: They take 2d6 Physical .
Sinbows are the weapons of demonic generals. Mortals

Building Beacons
The wings of the Ildam demons aren’t strong enough can barely use them, experiencing pain and horrific visions
to fly with, but they can leap long distances. The Ildam each time they pull the bowstring. Arrows fired by this bow
land with incredible crushing power, their long talons ravage the aetheric field of whatever they hit.
impaling anyone that can survive the impact.

Let Loose
Aether Sight Skill  3 Memory
Skill  1 Memory
While Breaking, you have resistance to Stress.
You gain the following benefits:

7: Classes and Jobs

You’ve been at the edge more times than you can count.
Ø You can see Invisible characters, ignoring the You can thread that needle, making sure you don’t fall.
Invisible status. Because if you do, it’s into the Abyss.
Ø You gain +2 on Search checks.
Ø You can Search to find Hidden characters as
a minor action.
Ø 1/turn, you can learn the current MP of one
character within Scope.

Demons are made of pure aether. Demon hunters are

trained to hunt by aetheric fields, ignoring what their

Running the Game

eyes may normally see.

Appendices

113
 DEMONOLOGIST
Getting Started

CONTROLLER

Masters of summoning magic, demonologists call forth fiends and spirits from outside the world
and manifest them in their reality. These beings are merely pawns for demonologists to use.

D
emonologists use their magical
powers to rip holes in the fabric BASE ATTRIBUTES
of reality, pulling out demons and SCOPE:12 SAVE TARGET:  11
other creatures to do their bidding. The BULK MIND
process of becoming a demonologist HP:7 STRESS CAP:  6
Building Beacons

is dangerous, as untrained summoners RECOVERIES:2 MEMORY:  6

risk bringing forth creatures that they AGILITY MAGIC
can’t control. DODGE:  7 A-DEF:  12
Not all creatures summoned by SPEED:  5 MP:  4
demonologists are demons. They can
just as easily pull creatures from oth-
er planes, alternate timelines, or the TRAITS
spaces between Reflections.
Demon Lexicon Volley
Ø What was the first thing you Trait  Mana 2, Summon Range = Scope
7: Classes and Jobs

summoned?
Ø What relationship do you have with You call forth any one of the following demons. They share your Dodge
the creatures you summon? and A-Def, can move up to their Speed during your turn, and add your
Ø Where do you summon creatures Grit to their HP. You can only summon one of these demons at a time:
from?
Ø What creature do you know how to Ø Flameskipper (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def = yours, Speed 3):
summon, but are afraid to? At the end of your turn, you choose one target within Range 5
of the flameskipper, who must make a Magic save. Failure: They
take 5 Astral .
Ø Painlash (Size 1, HP 8, Dodge/A-Def = yours, Speed 4): At the end of
your turn, enemies adjacent to the painlash must make a Bulk save.
Running the Game

Failure: They are Dazed and Slowed until the end of their next turn.
Ø Soultracker (Size 1, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def = yours, Speed 5): Enemies
that start their turn adjacent to the soultracker become Marked.
Ø Voidheart (Size 2, HP 10, Dodge/A-Def = yours, Speed 4): 1/round,
the voidheart can Interpose without spending Focus.

Sacrifice Minor Action

Trait Range = Scope

You destroy one of your Summons within Range. When you do so, you
can choose one of the following effects:
Appendices

Ø Boost: You gain +1 on attacks, checks, and saves until the end of
your next turn.
Ø Essence Explosion: All characters within Burst 1 of the destroyed
Summon must make an Agility save. Failure: They take 2d6 Force .
Success: They take half damage.
Ø Life Link: You gain 4 temp HP and regain 1 MP.

114
115
 WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS
MAIN LIGHT MAIN RANK 1
Getting Started

LIMIT BREAK Agony Volley

Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory  Aetheric,
Legion Volley Indirect Range = Scope 1 Discord
Limit Break  Mana 1
On Hit: Choose one of the following:
You immediately conjure up to 4 Summons drawn
from all of your Summon abilities, ignoring their nor- Ø Pain: The target receives +1 on concentration
mal limits on quantity of Summons but otherwise saves triggered by this damage.
Building Beacons

following their usual restrictions. At the end of each Ø Distraction: The target receives +1 on spell at-
of your turns, if any of these Summons exceed the tacks until they clear all Discord.
number usually imposed by that ability, one of them
is automatically affected by your Sacrifice trait re-
gardless of Range and line of sight. Spells geared toward maximizing pain are highly effective
Until the end of the scene, if the defeat of one of against spellcasters, who are often unaccustomed to
your Summons would result in the destruction of maintaining focus in the face of searing, unending
the underlying ability (like with Gert’s Backbone), torment.
the ability is only destroyed if the last instance of that
Summon is defeated.
7: Classes and Jobs

Corruption Fiend Channel

It is neither wise nor recommended to summon every Spell  2 Memory  Mana 2, Summon
demon in your lexicon, but then again, summoning Range = Scope
demons isn’t recommended in the first place.
Corruption Fiend (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10,
Speed 0)
Demonologists are a summoning class, but tend to
treat their Summons as disposable. If you want to On Release: You create a corruption fiend within
have as many Summons on the field as possible, Range. Enemies that start their turn adjacent to it must
you can pick up more summoning abilities from make a Mind save. Failure: They take 2 Discord .
other classes, but if you want to enhance your
Running the Game

existing Summons, the Shadebinder class has Tempters and seducers, corruption fiends read the minds
attractive options. of mortals and promise them their deepest wishes. They do
this with the greatest weapon of all: truth. They don’t speak
in lies; they offer the path you are afraid to take.
Appendices

116
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Gert’s Backbone Fight Skull of Kroldar
Melee Weapon  Main Longarm  Summon Support Item  Main
Reach 2 1d6 Lunar
When a character within Scope is defeated, you gain
Ø Minor Action: You deploy this weapon as a 1 Soul Essence (to a maximum of 6). You can spend
Summon within Scope. Soul Essence in the following ways:
Gert’s Backbone (Size 1, HP 10, Dodge/A-Def 10,
Speed 0) Ø Summoning Essence: Soul Essence can be spent

Building Beacons
in place of MP for abilities with the Summon tag.
You can Fight with this weapon while it is deployed, Ø Double Summon: 1/scene when you create a
but you draw line of sight and Reach from it. If the weapon Summon, you can spend 6 Soul Essence to create
is ever thrown via the Thrown tag while deployed, another copy of that Summon. This can exceed
it can pick itself up for you. It can also perform the that ability’s normal limit on quantity of Summons
Opportunity Attack reaction, using its weapon profile. but must otherwise follow its usual restrictions.
If this Summon is destroyed, so is the weapon, and
vice versa. You can return the Summon to a weapon When you take a Long Rest, your Soul Essence resets
as a minor action if it is within Scope, but any damage to 0.
it has taken persists until you rest.

7: Classes and Jobs

This is the skull of a royal demon, sealed and defeated
Demonologists and necromancers have a long history by the first demonologist.
of naming pets or mounts “Gert”, and forming ironic
attachments to them. Upon the Gert’s passing, their
remains are fashioned into one of these weapons, so that Ravager Channel
they can continue working with their owner. Spell  2 Memory  Mana 2, Summon
Range = Scope

Book of True Names Ravager (Size 2, HP 8, Armor 1, Dodge/A-Def 10,

Support Item  Light Speed 0)

Running the Game

When you create a Summon, you can spend 1–3 MP. On Release: You create a ravager within Range.
The Summon gains Armor equal to the MP spent. Enemies that start their turn adjacent to it take
It can’t have more than 3 Armor. 3 Physical and are pushed 1 space.

As beings of pure aether, the true name of a demon rep- Ø Minor Action: You command the ravager to make
resents the exact vocal frequency of its aetheric field. a Line 3 melee weapon attack as a free action,
Armed with this knowledge, demonologists can bind adding your Grit to the attack roll. On Hit: Targets
demons much easier. take 3 Physical and are Sundered until the end
of their next turn.

Ravagers thrive on the battlefield, gleefully fighting and

dying for anyone or anything. These creatures aren’t
Appendices

difficult to summon, but controlling their destructive

tendencies takes focus and training.

117
 DRAGON RIDER
Getting Started

STRIKER

These aerial combatants dash across the sky,

impaling foes with their signature Flying Dragon Style.

D
ragon riders are trained to fight
against aerial foes, staying mobile BASE ATTRIBUTES
and using spears to increase their SCOPE:5 SAVE TARGET:  11
reach. The best dragon riders bond BULK MIND
with the companions (typically drag- HP:9 STRESS CAP:  4
Building Beacons

ons) they ride into battle. RECOVERIES:5 MEMORY:  5

This bond isn’t just emotional, but AGILITY MAGIC
magical. When a dragon rider calls, DODGE:  7 A-DEF:  7
their companion can answer across SPEED:  6 MP:  3
any distance and adapt to any envi-
ronment. Their aetheric fields become
entwined, and their minds become TRAITS
as one. This special call can only be
maintained for a short period of time, Forceful JabTrait
before their aetheric fields begin to
7: Classes and Jobs

separate once more. When you hit with a non-thrown melee longarm attack, you may push
the target until they are a number of spaces away from you equal to
Ø What is your companion’s name, the weapon’s Reach.
and what are they like?
Ø What type of aerial threat were you
trained to fight against? SkyhunterTrait
Ø Where is your companion’s natural
habitat? You gain +1 on attacks against Flying characters, don’t receive
Ø What do you or your companion for making melee attacks against them, and cause Engagement against
fear fighting? them as normal.
Running the Game

Skythrust Minor Action

Trait  Stressful 1

You fly up to half your Speed in a straight line. If you fly at least
2 spaces, your next melee attack against an adjacent character that
turn gains +1 .

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT MAIN HEAVY MAIN MAIN
Appendices

118
119
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Dragon Echo Minor Action

Limit Break  Summon Range = Scope
Jump PadsPhase Skirmish
Dragon Echo (Size 3, HP = Grit+15, Dodge/ A-Def Skill  2 Memory  Mana 1 Range = Scope
10, Speed 6)
Create two Size 1 jump pads in free spaces within
You summon an echo of your dragon within Range. Range. When you or an ally enter a jump pad’s space,
This dragon has flight and can move up to its Speed you (or they) immediately fly up to 5 spaces, ignoring
during your turn. Allies can share spaces with it, and reactions.
any allies fully within its spaces can move with it when When an enemy enters a jump pad’s space, they
Building Beacons

it moves. The dragon lasts until the end of the scene immediately fly 5 spaces in a direction of your choos-
or until defeated. ing, ignoring reactions.
The dragon can also attack with the Echo Wave All movement from this ability is considered in-
weapon as a standard action during your turn, add- voluntary movement. Jump pads are destroyed after
ing your Grit to the attack roll. they are used, and using this ability again destroys
all old pads. If not destroyed, they last until the end
The bond a dragon rider has with their mount is deep, of the scene.
and requires both creatures to weave their aetheric fields
together. Many fail to do this, resulting in a backlash Dragon riders have the skills and training to mount their
against the creature with the weaker field, which is flying companions, but not everyone who needs to ride a
7: Classes and Jobs

usually the rider. Aetheric backlashes can cause serious dragon has the same training. To this end, dragon rider
injury or permanent physical changes in the likeness of engineers invented the jump pads, which propel anyone
the more powerful creature. standing onto them into the air.
Once the bond is complete, the rider and dragon Safety protocols require all personnel that work
become one. The strongest dragon riders can pour their near jump pads to wear personal parachutes in case of
mana into creating an echo of their companion made accidental deployment.
of pure aether. Even if their dragon companion is long
dead, a dragon rider is never alone – their partner will
live on inside them. Dragon Saddle Free Action (1/Turn)
Support Item  Main  Mana 1
Running the Game

Echo Wave Special You gain Flying, which lasts until you end it as a free
Melee Weapon  Heavy Artifact action. During this time, whenever you move outside
Close Blast 2 3 Astral + 1 Discord of your turn, you gain soft cover until the start of
your next turn.

Dragon Riders are anti-aerial strikers. They have a The dragon rider times their leap with the dive of their
penchant for longarm weapons, which makes the dragon, nimbly landing on its back.
Lancet talent a natural choice for them. They have a
high Speed, and any abilities that give them special
movement like flight or teleportation help them
maneuver around the battlefield with ease.
Appendices

120
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Extending Enchantment Crash Full Attack
Support Item  Main  Enchantment Skill  2 Memory  Mana 1

You may use one of the following Enchantments You teleport up to your Speed, then all enemies within
at a time: a Burst 1 AOE must make an Agility save. Failure:
They fall Prone.
Ø Any Weapon or Technique with Reach: This ability You may then Volley, Fight, Shove, or
gains +1 Reach and doesn’t receive when making Grapple.

Building Beacons
melee attacks against Flying characters.
Ø Any Weapon or Technique with Range: This ability This fearsome technique is known only by dragon riders
gains +3 Range. who have been granted their full knighthoods. The knight
takes to the sky without the aid of their mount, and then
Magical versions of this enchantment lengthen the blade crashes down like a falling meteor.
or shaft without increasing the weight.

Longinus Fight
Transfuse Volley Melee Weapon  Heavy Longarm
Ranged Spell Attack  2 Memory Reach 3 1d6+4 Physical

7: Classes and Jobs

Range = Scope 1d3+1 Force
This weapon gains Piercing when attacking targets
This attack deals an additional +1d3 damage if the at its maximum Reach.
target is Bloodied or Breaking, or an additional
+2d3 if the target is both Bloodied and Breaking. Longarms are the preferred and most iconic weapons
You regain either HP or MP equal to the value of of the dragon riders. The extra reach of a spear or
any damage dice rolled as part of this spell (excluding lance is even more important when fighting in the sky,
bonus and other sources of damage). If two or more where creatures can easily disengage and attack from
dice are rolled, at least one must apply to HP and one any angle.
must apply to MP.

Running the Game

The one spell taught to all dragon riders is transfuse.
Meant to be used late in a fight, this spell drains the
target’s aetheric energy, and transforms it into a benefit
for the caster. The weaker the target’s aetheric field, the
greater the effect.
Appendices

121
 DRUID
Getting Started

CONTROLLER

Druids control the forces of nature,

moving foes around with storms and flora.

A
whispering wind that grows into
a howling hurricane. A morning BASE ATTRIBUTES
dewdrop falling into a rushing riv- SCOPE:10 SAVE TARGET:  11
er. The seed that grows to reach the BULK MIND
heavens. These are the primal forces of HP:9 STRESS CAP:  6
Building Beacons

nature – the power that a druid uses. RECOVERIES:4 MEMORY:  6

These mysterious spellcasters use AGILITY MAGIC
their mana to manipulate and control DODGE:  7 A-DEF:  9
the weather and flora around them. SPEED:  4 MP:  4
Animals are outside the domain of the
druid, since their powers don’t control
thinking creatures. TRAITS
Ø How have the primal forces of Briar PatchTrait
nature marked you?
7: Classes and Jobs

Ø What type of terrain do you feel When you subject a character to forced movement, a briar patch
most connected to? Forest, desert, is created in the spaces they occupied and any they move through
artic, or something else? (excluding their ending positions). Briar patches are difficult terrain,
Ø What type of weather makes and enemies take 3 Piercing Physical the first time they enter one
you feel calm, and what type of in a turn.
weather makes you feel alive? You may remove any briar patches of your choice within Scope as
Ø What is considered taboo by other a minor action.
druids?

Nature’s PathTrait
Running the Game

When you push, pull, or slide a character, you can spend MP to

increase the distance they move by +1 space for every MP spent. You
can’t use this trait if you are Silenced or Stunned.

RootTrait

When you hit with an Opportunity Attack, you can choose to make
the target Immobilized until the start of their next turn instead of
dealing damage.
Appendices

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT MAIN LIGHT LIGHT

122
123
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Tempest Storm Channel

Limit Break Range = Scope
Vine Whip Fight
On Channel: You begin calling a furious storm, and Melee Weapon  Light Longarm
all adjacent characters of your choice are pushed Reach 4 1 Physical
1 space away from you. If you stop channeling this
ability before releasing for any reason, you do not On Crit: You may slide the target 3 spaces.
expend your limit break.
Enchanted plant matter that never withers or burns.
On Release: You create a 4 × 4 storm zone within Druids make vine whips with the materials of their home
Building Beacons

Range. The storm lasts until the end of the scene and before venturing into the wider world.
its spaces are difficult terrain.

Characters within the storm when it is created or who Gust of Wind

enter one of its spaces take 1d6+4 Physical , no Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory
more than 1/turn per character. If a character ends Range = Scope
their turn in one of the storm’s spaces, you may slide
them up to 3 spaces. You gain the Tornado and Air Blast ranged spell
attacks.
Ø Minor Action (1 MP): You move the storm up to 3
7: Classes and Jobs

spaces in a straight line. Stir the aetheric flow of the air around you. Feel its
movements. Move like the air, and then make its
“We thought they was normal storm clouds, though they movement yours.
did seem to form outta nowhere. There wasn’t no forecast
of rain, neither. But the lightning started immediately, even
before the rain. And then the winds hit. You’ve never felt Tornado Channel
winds like this. Funnels of dust were everywhere, and they Ranged Spell Attack  Auto-Hit, Slide 2
swept us off our feet. When I woke up, the ground was
scrubbed clean. No bushes, no grass, just rock.” On Release: The target takes 2d6 Force .
Running the Game

Druids are flexible, able to use a combination of Air Blast Volley

Channel and Volley abilities. Druids that seek Ranged Spell Attack  Push 1
to command the fauna of their environments tend Range = Scope 1d6 Force
to choose the Companion support item (p. 218) and
ranks in summoning classes, while those that seek
to transform their bodies take ranks in the Shape-
shifter class (p. 178).
Appendices

124
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Wall of Thorns Channel Tether Vine Channel
Spell  2 Memory  Mana X Range = Scope Spell  2 Memory  Mana 2, Summon
Range = Scope
On Release: You create X+3 pieces of Size 1 soft cover
in free spaces within Range, where X is the amount of Tether Vine (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0)
MP you spend. The pieces of cover must be adjacent
to each other, but can be arranged in any way. On Release: You create a tether vine within Range.
These pieces of cover can be moved through. When summoned, or as a minor action on subse-

Building Beacons
Characters take 4 Piercing Physical the first time quent turns, you can select an enemy within Range 3
they enter one in a turn. of the tether vine and connect it to them. Only one
target can be connected to the tether vine at a time.
Stir the dormant land to life. Vines, thorns, and dirt rise At the start of each of the connected character’s turns,
up and cleave together. Lands long thought dead still they are pulled 1d6 spaces toward the tether vine.
have life that can be reawakened. They can make a Bulk save as a minor action. Suc-
cess: They break free.

Entangle Stir the vital aether within nearby flora, accelerating

Ranged Spell Attack  2 Memory its growth.

7: Classes and Jobs

Range = Scope 2 Stress

You gain the Vine Field and Awakened Roots ranged SkybeamPhase Skirmish
spell attacks. Spell  2 Memory  Arcing, Indirect, Mana 2
Range = Scope
Stir the plants to act. Coil and writhe, twist and turn.
Form an unbreakable knot. You call down a beam of energy from the sky. Choose
up to 10 non-overlapping spaces within Range, each
of which after the first must be adjacent to another of
Vine Field Channel these spaces. Characters in these spaces must make a
Ranged Spell Attack  Auto-Hit, Mana 2 Magic save. Failure: They take 1d6+2 Force .

Running the Game

Success: They take half damage.
On Release: You create a Blast 1 zone within
Range. It is difficult terrain and lasts until the Stir the aether of the sky. Reach above the clouds, where
end of the scene or until you dismiss it as a free sun and moon meet. Bring them to the ground, and let
action. All characters in the zone when you all become one.
release this spell are auto-hit for 2 Stress and
are Immobilized until cleared.

Awakened Roots Volley

Ranged Spell Attack  Mana 1
Appendices

On Hit: The target must make an Agility save.

Failure: They are Immobilized until the end of
their next turn.

125
 EQUINOX
Getting Started

ARTILLERY

Equinoxes harness celestial aether to empower their destructive spells. Aether of the sun enhances
the explosive potential of spells, and aether of the moon enhances the effective range of spells.

E
quinoxes pull celestial aether from
beyond the bounds of their planet, BASE ATTRIBUTES
mixing it with the native aether SCOPE:12 SAVE TARGET:  11
around them. This celestial aether BULK MIND
comes in two types – sun aether and HP:6 STRESS CAP:  5
Building Beacons

moon aether – though they do not RECOVERIES:3 MEMORY:  7

necessarily originate from a literal sun AGILITY MAGIC
and moon. DODGE:  6 A-DEF:  10
Sun aether is dangerous and de- SPEED:  4 MP:  5
structive. Spells empowered with
sun aether explode violently. Moon
aether, on the other hand, is stable TRAITS
and strong. Spells empowered with
moon aether can keep their form over Day/Night CycleTrait
longer distances.
7: Classes and Jobs

You have two special resources – Sun and Moon – that each start at
Ø Which type of aether – sun or 0. You can only have one of these resources at a time, and they reset
moon – is easier for you to use, to 0 at the end of each combat scene.
and which one do you fear? Ø Minor Action: You set your Sun or Moon at 1 (setting the other at
Ø What spell do you know that others 0), or clear all Sun and Moon. If you already have 1 Sun or 1 Moon,
have declared too dangerous to you can instead increase it by +1, to a maximum of 2.
use?
Ø What celestial event are you waiting Sun and Moon have the following effects:
for, during which something Ø Sun: For each Sun you have, your AOE spells and artifact weapons
important will happen? An eclipse, gain +1 to their AOEs (Line AOEs have their width increased by +1,
a conjunction, or something else? instead); however, you must spend +1 MP each time you use one of
Running the Game

Ø What item helps you control your these spells or weapons. If you can’t, you immediately lose all Sun.
spells? Ø Moon: For each Moon you have, your Scope and Range with
artifact weapons and spells that have a Range increase by +4;
however, you take 1 Stress each time you target something with
a spell or artifact weapon attack beyond your normal Scope or
the weapon’s Range.

Mage TowerTrait

If you haven’t moved since the start of your last turn, you gain both of
the following benefits, which don’t stack:
Appendices

Ø Surecast: Your ranged artifact weapon and spell attacks gain

+1 .
Ø Sharpcast: Your Channel spells impose +1 on any saves they
trigger.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

MAIN LIGHT LIGHT

126
127
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

TetraFlare Channel
Limit Break  Arcing, Mana 1
Range = Scope, Blast 1 Exobomb Channel
Ranged Spell Attack  2 Memory  Mana 2
If you stop channeling this ability before releasing Range = Scope
for any reason, it does not expend your limit break.
On Channel: Choose one of the following options:
On Release: One character in the center of the AOE
is auto-hit by a spell attack for 2d6+2 Force . All Ø Fireball: On Release: Characters in a Blast 2 AOE
other characters in the AOE are auto-hit for half of within Range are auto-hit, taking 2d6+2 Astral .
Building Beacons

that damage. Ø Squall: On Release: Center a Burst 1 AOE

You can spend up to +3 MP when you release this around a character within Range. All characters
ability, increasing the damage by 1d6 Force for within the AOE are auto-hit for 2d6+2 Lunar
each additional MP spent. You may also apply the and Slowed until the end of their next turn.
benefits of any amount of Sun and Moon to this ability
(to a max of 2 each), which affect this ability as if it
were a spell. This does not require you to have any Empowering a spell with sun or moon aether changes
Sun or Moon or spend any amount of either. the nature of the spell itself. Sun aether tends toward
astral manifestations like fire and lightning, and moon
Combining sun and moon aether at the same time results aether tends toward lunar manifestations like ice
7: Classes and Jobs

in a cataclysmically dangerous spell. An equinox who and air.

knows how to cast this spell, and is still alive, is a master
of their craft.
Scar  Minor Action
Spell  2 Memory  Mana 1 Range = Scope
The Equinox’s Day/Night Cycle lets them switch
between long-range spells or large AOEs, although Deal 1 Piercing Force to an enemy within Range,
the cost for repeatedly using each resource can add or 3 Piercing Force if they’re Bloodied.
up quickly. Equinoxes can focus on increasing their
MP or Stress Cap to let them use these effects for A quick spell to meant to incapacitate or outright kill
longer. Picking up spell attacks from other classes targets. The only defense against this spell is a strong
Running the Game

can give an Equinox more versatility. lifeforce.

Appendices

128
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Celestial Ray Dividing Line Channel
Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory Spell  2 Memory  Mana 3 Line 15
Range = Scope 1d6+1 Damage
On Release: Designate all adjacent spaces along one
You gain the Ray of Fire and Ray of Cold ranged long side of the AOE as Astral and all adjacent spaces
spell attacks. along the other as Lunar. The spaces at the tips of the
line are unaffected.
Focus celestial energy into a narrow beam that grows Characters in or adjacent to the line, excluding

Building Beacons
stronger the longer it’s focused. yourself, must make an Agility save, taking damage
of a type determined by their location.
Failure: They take 2d6+6 damage and are Sun-
Ray of Fire Volley dered until the end of their next turn.
Ranged Spell Attack  Astral Damage Success: They take 1d6+6 damage.

On Hit: If the target was hit by Ray of Fire on your Characters on the Astral side take Astral, characters on
last turn, they also take 4 Discord . the Lunar side take Lunar, and characters in the center
of the AOE take Force. Characters spanning more than
one location choose which damage they take.

7: Classes and Jobs

Ray of Cold Volley
Ranged Spell Attack Lunar Damage The signature spell of the equinox. One hand channels
sun aether, the other channels moon aether. The spells
On Hit: If the target is Immobilized, Slowed, are released into each other, merging into pure force
Stunned, Grappled, or Prone, this ability deals energy, and decaying into astral and lunar energy at
2d6+1 Lunar instead of its usual damage. the sides.

Saturn Rod Volley Quickcast Minor Action (1/scene)

Ranged Weapon  Main Artifact  Aetheric, Skill  3 Memory  Mana 2
Homing, Mana 1 Range 10 1d3+3 Force

Running the Game

The next time you Channel an ability this round,
The head of this rod is crafted in the likeness of a ringed you release it immediately.
planet. Different versions exist, shaped like different
planets or celestial objects, such as black holes or Expert spellcasters can replace the complicated
comets. requirements of their spells with an abundance of
mana.
Appendices

129
 GRAVEWALKER
Getting Started

DEFENDER

Manifestations of the slow, lumbering specter of death that follows all living
things. Gravewalkers use the power of necromancy to stave off death.

G
ravewalkers stride the line between
life and death. They have close rela- BASE ATTRIBUTES
tionships with death, and use their SCOPE:10 SAVE TARGET:  10
necromantic magic to protect their BULK MIND
allies. When you are friends with a HP:8 STRESS CAP:  5
Building Beacons

gravewalker, you die when they al- RECOVERIES:6 MEMORY:  5

low it. AGILITY MAGIC
These heavily armored necroman- DODGE:  6 A-DEF:  8
cers are nigh unkillable, able to shrug SPEED:  4 MP:  3
off wounds that would fell any other
person. Their shovel is functional and
symbolic, sometimes used to literally TRAITS
dig themselves out of their own grave.
HarvestTrait
Ø How did you die the first time, and
7: Classes and Jobs

how did you come back to life? 1/round when an enemy within Scope is defeated, you gain 2 Focus.
Ø What does the personification of
death look like to you, and what
are they like? Tombstone Minor Action
Ø How can you tell when someone Trait  Mana 1, Summon Range = Scope
has been touched by death?
Ø How do you travel between the Tombstone (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0)
world of the living and the world
of the dead? You summon a tombstone within Range. You can have up to two
tombstones in play at a time. So long as you have any tombstones
in play, you gain the Written Name skill, which is equipped for free.
Running the Game

Written NameReaction
Skill  Focus 1, Innate, Unique

Trigger: A character takes damage within Range 5 of a tombstone.

Effect: You give them resistance to that source of damage. If

the damage was from an AOE, you can use this reaction additional
times, up to 1/character in the AOE.
Appendices

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

MAIN HEAVY MAIN HEAVY

130
131
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

That Which is Already DeadSpecial

Limit Break
Gravedigger’s Shovel Fight
At any time during a combat scene, you may refuse Melee Weapon  Heavy Club  Reliable 3
the call of death. Until the end of the scene, you can’t Reach 1 2d6+1 Physical
take a fourth Wound and don’t make any wound
rolls. When you would take your fourth Wound, you This weapon deals double damage to objects
instead return to your maximum HP and carry over (including terrain) and Summons. You can attack
any excess damage. these targets as a minor action.
Building Beacons

Gravewalkers have walked the path of the dead. Dig a grave anywhere, and bury anything that stands
They know what lies on the other side of life. To kill a in your way.
gravewalker is to put them on a path they have already
marked before. As long as they can “walk”, they can
always come back. Touch of the Grave
Skill  1 Memory

You gain resistance to Lunar. Additionally, 1/turn

Gravewalkers are slow, and armor can slow them when you make a wound or overstress roll, you can
down further. To counteract this, they can provide reroll the dice and take either result.
7: Classes and Jobs

protection over distance. Gravewalkers can either

seek out ranged options to get around their slow Those that work around the dead find their aetheric
speed, or choose heavy weapons to make devastat- energy shifts towards the dark. Gravewalkers and nec-
ing attacks when they finally reach their foes. romancers take advantage of this imbalance and use it
as a cloak against lunar-aspected energy.
Running the Game
Appendices

132
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Entomb Channel Specter of Sins
Spell  3 Memory  Mana 2 Range = Scope Skill  2 Memory  Mana 2, Summon

On Release: A character within Range takes Specter of Sins (Size = your Size, HP = your HP be-
2 Stress and must make a Bulk save. Success: fore you Refresh, Dodge/A-Def 0, Speed 0)
They are Dazed and Slowed until the end of their
next turn. Failure: They are Blinded, Immobilized, When you Refresh, you can call forth a ghostly
and Slowed. manifestation of your sins in a free space within

Building Beacons
At the end of each of their turns, the target can Range 5 .
make another Bulk save. Success: They end the effect. As long as you are within Range 2 of the spec-
Failure: They take 2 Stress . ter, it takes any damage that you would take before
If the target is subjected to forced movement, resistances and Armor, and you take none of the
they clear Blinded and Immobilized. damage. Damage the specter takes can’t be reduced
in any way.
Pale hands reach out from the ground, grasping at legs You can only have one specter at a time.
with their bloody fingers. Dirty nails dig into flesh, and
pull their victim down… down… down. The sinful are burdened by their transgressions, which
weigh upon them like an anchor. Purge yourself of your

7: Classes and Jobs

sins, and you will feel the weight lift off your soul.
Psychopomp Reaction (1/round)
Spell  2 Memory  Mana 1
Unliving Armor
Trigger: A character is defeated within Range 20 . Support Item  Heavy  Armor, Unbreakable

Effect: You teleport to the closest free space adjacent +3 Armor, –1 Speed, and –1 Dodge.
to them.
When you take a Wound, you gain immunity to all
Psychopomps are escorts into the afterlife. You don’t have damage, and when you take an Overstress, you gain
to help ease their transfer, but you can take advantage immunity to all Stress. Any excess damage or Stress

Running the Game

of the free trip. is negated. This immunity lasts until the start of your
next turn.
When you are defeated, roll 1d6 at the start of each
round. On a 5+, you return to action with full HP and 0
Stress and clear either 1 Wound or 1 Overstress; how-
ever, you also become Dazed and become Dazed at the
start of each of your turns until you take a Long Rest.

Those that wear this armor cannot die. People have

sealed themselves inside such armor to achieve
immortality.
Appendices

133
 GUNSLINGER
Getting Started

ARTILLERY

Gunslingers are masters of firearms.

Their quick hands can draw, fire, and reload in the blink of an eye.

Y
ou are the bullet. The trigger is
your breath. Breathe in. Squeeze. BASE ATTRIBUTES
Breathe out. SCOPE:8 SAVE TARGET:  11
Gunslingers are firearms special- BULK MIND
ists. Their insight into their weapons HP:8 STRESS CAP:  5
Building Beacons

lets them reload supernaturally fast, RECOVERIES:3 MEMORY:  5

recharging or replacing ammo with AGILITY MAGIC
their own aetheric energies. Gunsling- DODGE:  10 A-DEF:  6
ers often modify their weapons and SPEED:  5 MP:  3
ammunition to suit their style and
environment.
TRAITS
Ø How were you taught to aim
without sight? Fast ReloadTrait
Ø What unique modification have
7: Classes and Jobs

you made to your weapons? 1/round when you attack with a Reloading weapon, roll a d6. On a 6,
Ø What place have you sworn never you immediately reload it. You can spend MP to increase the result of
to return, and why? this roll by +1 per each MP spent.
Ø What is your motto or code?

Stare DownTrait

When you reload a weapon, you gain the Quick Draw skill until you
use it, or until start of your next turn.
Running the Game

Quick Draw Reaction (1/round)

Skill

Trigger: A character within Range or Reach of one of your

weapons attacks.

Effect: You attack them with that weapon before they roll for the
attack.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT LIGHT MAIN HEAVY LIGHT MAIN
Appendices

134
135
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Customized Ammo Free Action

Limit Break
Curve Ammo
You gain access to the following special ammunition Support Item  Light  Enchantment
types for the rest of the scene. Each ammunition type
can be used once. You can choose to use an ammu- You may use the following Enchantment:
nition type when attacking with a ranged weapon,
giving the listed effects. The attack’s normal effects Ø Any Ranged Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell
still apply. Attack: When you make a ranged attack with this
ability, you can do one of the following:
Building Beacons

Ø Hotshot: Draw a straight line between yourself and ‘ Spend 1 MP to ignore line of sight as long
your target, and place a Blast 2 AOE centered as there is a potential path to the target,
anywhere along this line. Characters in the AOE although cover still applies.
must make an Agility save. Failure: They take ‘ Spend 2 MP to make this attack Homing.
2d6 Astral . Success: They take half damage.
Additionally, the area becomes dangerous terrain Curve bullets can be bent, flying around cover. Different
(Agility, 5 Astral ) until the end of the scene grades of ammunition follow different paths.
Ø Mindjack Round: On Hit: Until the end of the tar-
get’s next turn or until they are dealt damage by
you or one of your allies, they consider you and your Slugthrower Volley
7: Classes and Jobs

allies as their allies, and their former allies as ene- Ranged Weapon  Main Magitech  Reliable 2,
mies. On Miss: The target is unable to target you Reloading Range 8 2d6 Physical
with hostile effects until the end of their next turn.
Ø Piercer: The attack gains Piercing and becomes Unlike energy-based firearms, this weapon fires solid
a Line attack with a distance of any amount up to pieces of metal.
the attack’s Range. The attack also has Reliable
10 against objects and terrain.
Ø Shock Round: On Hit: The target is Stunned and
Slowed until the end of their next turn. On Miss:
The target is Slowed and can’t take reactions until
the end of their next turn.
Running the Game

Gunslingers carry specialized ammunition, developed

to support their unique strengths and weaknesses. This
ammunition can’t be mass-produced because it contains
volatile or experimental materials.

Gunslingers lean towards weapons with the

Reloading tag, as their traits helps them mitigate
that penalty. Increasing their MP pool can also allow
them to reload more often. While Gunslingers are
naturally drawn toward long-range combat, their
Appendices

base traits can also work with melee weapons.

136
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Aim with Heart Ammo Crate Minor Action
Skill  3 Memory  Unique Support Item  Main  Limited 2, Summon

When making ranged attacks against targets within Ammo Crate (Size 1/2, HP 10, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed
Scope, you ignore up to 1 . 0)
Additionally, when you are Blinded, you can
target and draw line of sight to characters within You place an ammo crate in an adjacent space. It can’t
Scope. perform any actions (including reactions), even if an-

Building Beacons
other ability would allow it to do so. It has 5 charges.
In a world filled with magic, only a fool relies solely on While adjacent to it, you or an ally can expend a charge
their eyes. Gunslingers are taught to aim with their heart, as a minor action for either of the following effects:
a technique that uses aetherical fluctuations to discern
their true target. Ø Reload one weapon.
Ø Regain 2 MP.

Shardgun Revolver Volley When the ammo crate runs out of charges, it is de-
Ranged Weapon  Light Magitech  Piercing, stroyed. If it is defeated, it explodes in a Burst 2 area.
Reloading Range 5 / Reach 3 2d3 Force All characters in the area must make an Agility save.

7: Classes and Jobs

Failure: They take 8 Force .
This shardgun combines multiple crystals to fire piercing Success: They take 4 Force .
blasts of energy. The impacts can punch through
armor, but the crystals need to be replaced after every Ammo crates allow groups to quickly resupply, but are
shot. extremely explosive.

Widowmaker Volley
Ranged Weapon  Heavy Magitech  Accurate,
Reloading Range 15 3d6 Physical

Running the Game

On Crit: This attack is Piercing.

One shot, one kill.

Appendices

137
 HEXBLADE
Getting Started

STRIKER / CONTROLLER

Hexblades sow curses and confusion among their foes,

weakening them while growing stronger from their misery.

H
exblades know pain and misery
better than most. These warriors BASE ATTRIBUTES
can take the suffering in their heart SCOPE:10 SAVE TARGET:  11
and use it to power an array of curses BULK MIND
and hexes. To a hexblade, the soul is HP:8 STRESS CAP:  5
Building Beacons

just another power source. RECOVERIES:4 MEMORY:  6

Hexes are blights upon creatures AGILITY MAGIC
with aetheric fields. The simplest of DODGE:  7 A-DEF:  8
them induce minor aetheric imbalanc- SPEED:  5 MP:  4
es, causing clumsiness and inability
to focus. The strongest ones act like
magical parasites, using their hosts TRAITS
own aether to produce ongoing, det-
rimental effects like loss of vision and HexTrait
internal decay.
7: Classes and Jobs

You gain the Hex spell attack, which is equipped for free.
Ø What’s the worst luck you had?
Ø How does the shape and
appearance of your soul alter your Hex Minor Action
weapons and techniques? Ranged Spell Attack  Auto-Hit, Innate, Mana 1,
Ø What’s your favorite curse to put Unique Range = Scope
on people?
Ø How do you get under people’s The target becomes hexed, which lasts until the end of the scene
skin? or until you use this ability again. This has the following effects:

Ø When you defeat a hexed target, you regain 1 MP.

Running the Game

Ø 1/round, you can deal +1d6 bonus damage on a successful

weapon attack against a hexed target.
Ø 1/round when you inflict a condition on a hexed target, you
can also inflict the same condition on another enemy within
Range 5 of the hexed target. The second character has this
condition until the end of their next turn.

MiseryTrait

You gain +1 on attacks against characters with one or more conditions.

Appendices

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT LIGHT MAIN LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT

138
139
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Doom Hex Free Action

Limit Break
Bound Weapon
A character affected by your hex becomes Dazed, Support Item  Light  Enchantment
Marked, Blinded, Sundered, Silenced, Slowed,
and Weakened. At the end of each of their turns in You may use one of the following Enchantments
which they have at least one of these conditions, they at a time:
make a Magic save. Success: They choose and remove
one of these conditions. Ø Any Weapon: This weapon becomes Unbreak-
able, and when thrown, returns to you after the
Building Beacons

Evil eye. Mind-fog. Dancing legs. Sloughing skin. attack resolves. It can be used even if you are Dis-
Atrophied muscles. Eldritch horror. armed.
Warlocks and witches have hundreds of hexes and Ø Any Technique: This technique becomes Unbreak-
curses at their disposal. The most powerful hexblades able. If it’s a spell, it can be used even if you are
can create doom hexes – powerful curses that combine Silenced.
multiple curses into one.
When you make a pact for power, the patron will want
to monitor your progress. A weapon is manifested as
Hexblades mix weapon and spell attacks together. an extension of the patron and given to you. Refusal is
They excel when they focus on taking down one tar- not an option.
7: Classes and Jobs

get at a time or on spreading conditions to multiple

targets. Because Hex counts as a spell attack, they
make good use of the Spellblade talent. Edge of Darkness Fight
Melee Weapon  Main Blade
Reach 1 1d6 Lunar

1/turn when you defeat, Wound, or Overstress an

enemy with this weapon, you gain 3 temp HP and this
weapon’s damage increases by +1. This effect stacks
with itself to a maximum of +6. This extra damage
lasts until you take a Long Rest.
Running the Game

This weapon feeds on souls, growing stronger and

sharper with each soul consumed. It will only achieve
its true form when sated.
Appendices

140
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Curse Bolt Volley Hexing Aura Free Action
Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory  Aetheric, Spell  2 Memory  Arcing, Aura 5
Mana 1 Range = Scope / Reach 1 1d6 Force
You can use one of the following Auras at a time:
This spell deals +1 damage for every condition the
target had at the time of the attack. Ø Intensify Hex: Enemies within your Aura gain
+2 when Dazed, instead of +1 .
On Hit: The target is Marked. Additionally, choose Ø Lingering Hex: Enemies within your Aura take
one of the following: 1 Stress for each condition they clear.

Building Beacons
Ø Haze Curse: Until the Mark is cleared, your target Misfortune follows hexblades. The smart ones learn how
treats you as Invisible. to make that someone else’s problem.
Ø Soul Curse: Until the Mark is cleared, your target
receives +1 on checks and saves.
Soul Strike
Skill  3 Memory  Mana 1
Curses are natural phenomena that affect a creature’s
aetheric field. Warlocks have learned how to manipulate When you attack with a weapon, you can turn it into
these forces to induce specific types of curses. Hexblades a soul strike. The attack gains the Aetheric tag, deals

7: Classes and Jobs

take that knowledge and force these curses into physical half damage, and deals all damage as Stress instead
forms that can be cast at any creature. of its normal types.
It additionally gains On Hit: the target is Dazed
until the end of their next turn. If the Stress from this
Curse of Weakness attack causes them to exceed their Stress Cap, they are
Spell  2 Memory also Sundered until it is both the end of their next turn
and they are no longer exceeding their Stress Cap.
When you make a character Marked, you can spend
2 MP to also make them Weakened until the end of It is possible to convert a weapon’s entire form into
their next turn. aether. The aetheric weapon bypasses physical armor,
but interacts directly with aetheric fields.

Running the Game

“When your knees buckle, I’ll have a good chuckle; it
doesn’t take a seer to know your doom is near.”

Appendices

141
 KNIGHTMARE
Getting Started

DEFENDER/ CONTROLLER

Knightmares manifest dreams into reality, creating unbreakable aetheric

chains to bind their foes. If a Knightmare catches you, there’s no escape.

T
he Dreamscape is a realm few know
about, and accessible to even fewer. BASE ATTRIBUTES
The Awoken are those who can SCOPE:5 SAVE TARGET:  11
travel this realm of infinite creativity BULK MIND
and shape it to their whims; however, HP:9 STRESS CAP:  6
Building Beacons

not everything there is pleasant, and RECOVERIES:4 MEMORY:  5

dangers lurk in the shadows. AGILITY MAGIC
Knightmares have been influenced DODGE:  6 A-DEF:  7
by their brushes with the horrors of the SPEED:  6 MP:  3
Dreamscape – true nightmares. Using
these strong negative emotions, they
can take objects from the Dreamscape TRAITS
into the waking world, which display
properties that make a mockery of The Chains of DespairTrait
reality.
7: Classes and Jobs

You gain the Chains of Despair skill, which is equipped for free.
Ø When did you first become
Awoken?
Ø How do you choose to look in the Chains of DespairReaction
Dreamscape? Skill  Focus 1, Innate, Unique
Ø Who do you hope to capture in
your chains? Trigger: An enemy within Range 3 makes an attack.
Ø What nightmare still plagues you
to this day? Effect: You pull the enemy to the closest free space adjacent to you,
and their attack must include you as a target. You may also spend
an additional +1 Focus to Grapple the enemy after pulling them.
Running the Game

The Inescapable NightmareTrait

When you would be able to make a melee attack as a reaction, you

can instead attempt a Grapple.
Additionally, 1/round if a Grappled enemy would cease to be ad-
jacent to you, you can spend 1 MP to continue the grapple and negate
any movement that would break adjacency.
You can’t use this trait if you are Stunned.
Appendices

The Weight of InevitabilityTrait

You are always considered at least Size 3 for the purposes of Grap-
ple and Shove and you can perform reactions while Grappled.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT MAIN HEAVY MAIN HEAVY

142
143
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Trapped in a Dream Grapple

Limit Break
Body Shields
All enemies of your choice within Range 5 are Skill  1 Memory  Unique
pulled to the closest free spaces adjacent to you
and Grappled. Escaping from the grapple requires a Any Physical, Astral, Lunar, and Force you would take
standard action during any phase instead of a minor is reduced by –1 (before Armor and resistances) for
action. Any time an enemy Grappled by this ability every character Grappled by you. When characters
attacks, they must include you as one of their targets. Grappled by you deal damage to you, they don’t
count toward this damage reduction.
Building Beacons

Your chains move according to your will, wrapping around You don’t benefit from this ability while Sun-
your foes and dragging them screaming toward you. As dered.
they move closer, they find themselves transported into
a domain of the dreamscape chosen especially for them. Most people are about the size of a tower shield. They
They can see the waking world, but the dreamscape also do a pretty good job at blocking things – like a shield
fights them every step of the way. – even if they’re not happy about it.

Knightmares are a grapple-focused class. The Brawl- Night Terrors Fight

er talent can help them Grapple more often, and Melee Spell Attack  1 Memory  Aetheric,
7: Classes and Jobs

grappling tends to shut down enemy defenders, Mana 1 Reach 2 2 Stress

who usually rely on reactions to use their defensive
features. The Weight of Inevitability means that On Hit: Choose one of the following:
Knightmares don’t need to pick specific ancestries
to remain in control while grappling. Ø The One Where You’re Being Chased: The target
receives +1 on all attacks that don’t include you as
the target. This stacks to a maximum of +3 . If they
deal damage or Stress to you, they clear this effect.
Ø The One Where Your Teeth Fall Out: If the target
is Breaking, they take 4 Stress instead of the
usual Stress.
Running the Game

You find the remnants of night terrors still lingering in

the corners of a person’s mind and make them relive
those dreams.
Appendices

144
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Dream Eater Delirium
Skill  1 Memory  Unique Skill  2 Memory  Unique

1/turn, when an adjacent character gains Stress, you Whenever you take damage, you can take 1 Stress
gain 1 Focus. to lower the total needed for you to critically hit on
attacks by 1 (i.e., from 20+ to 19+, 19+ to 18+, etc).
As your foes become tired and stressed, you start to see This effect stacks and lasts until the end of the scene
the outlines of the nightmares that plague them. Turn or until you critically hit.

Building Beacons
these nightmares into your strength.
Give into your own nightmares, and let them take over
for a bit.
Recurring Dream
Support Item  Main  Enchantment
Wraith Chain Full Attack
You may use one of the following Enchantments Melee Weapon  Heavy Longarm  Aetheric,
at a time: Pull 2, Slow, Thrown 5
Reach 2 / Thrown 5 3d6+1 Force
Ø Any Weapon: When you hit with this weapon,

7: Classes and Jobs

as long as you are attacking the same target, you On Hit: If you are adjacent to the target or this attack
can Volley, Fight, or Full Attack (Slow pulls them adjacent to you, you may auto-hit on a
weapons only) one phase earlier than before in Grapple against them.
subsequent rounds. This effect stacks, but cannot You can attack with this weapon as a minor action
shift the attack any earlier than Phase Bolster. during any phase, but you can only attack with it 1/
It lasts until the end of the scene or until you attack turn. If you attack with it as a minor action, it deals
a different target with this weapon. no damage.
Ø Any Technique that Forces a Save: 1/turn when
a target succeeds on a save triggered by this tech- This weapon is wrapped in dream-chains, brought from
nique, your Save Target increases by +1 for this the dreamscape into the waking world. Their strength is
technique only until the end of the scene or until unparalleled, unbound by the constraints of reality. With

Running the Game

a target fails the save, at which point it resets back a flick of your wrist, the chain shoots out and binds your
to normal. This effect can stack. victim, pulling them close.

“Haven’t we been here before? It feels so familiar…”

Appendices

145
 LIFEWEAVER
Getting Started

SUPPORT

Lifeweavers are battlefield medics who weave flesh together. They can
keep their friends active and fighting even through deadly injuries.

L
ifeweavers have unique insights
into the dynamics of aetheric fields BASE ATTRIBUTES
and can use magic to heal wounds SCOPE:12 SAVE TARGET:  10
instantly. This knowledge also makes BULK MIND
them dangerous fighters, as they know HP:6 STRESS CAP:  6
Building Beacons

exactly how to hurt or incapacitate RECOVERIES:10 MEMORY:  6

foes and turn their own aetheric fields AGILITY MAGIC
against them. DODGE:  7 A-DEF:  8
These healers have honed their SPEED:  5 MP:  4
training for the battlefield. Their heal-
ing magic may not be as effective as
proper medical attention, but it serves TRAITS
its purpose of quickly repairing minor
injuries and letting people continue Healer’s BurdenTrait
fighting.
7: Classes and Jobs

When an ally spends or loses a Recovery within Range 5 or during

Ø What mark is left behind on those a Short Rest, you can allow them to use your Recoveries instead.
you’ve healed?
Ø What type of effects or injuries do
you find difficult to fix? Quick StitchReaction
Ø What do aetheric fields look like Trait  Mana 1
to you, and how is yours different?
Ø What is the worst injury from which Trigger: A Bloodied ally within Scope starts their turn.
you’ve saved someone?
Effect: You heal them for 1d6 HP.
Running the Game

Purge Malady Minor Action

Trait  Mana 2 Range = Scope

You or an ally within Range clear a condition.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

MAIN LIGHT LIGHT
Appendices

146
147
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Second Life Channel

Limit Break  Arcing
Soul ShieldPhase Skirmish
If you stop channeling this ability before releasing Spell  2 Memory Range = Scope
it for any reason, you do not expend the limit break.
On Release: Choose either an ally within Scope A character within Range gains 1d3+1 temp HP. You
or name a defeated ally. They are restored to their can spend 1 MP to increase this to 1d6+1 temp HP.
maximum HP; regain all Recoveries and MP; clear While the target has temp HP, they don’t need to
all Stress, conditions, and Discord; and clear two make concentration saves as long as they had the
Wounds and two Overstresses. If they were defeated, temp HP when the save was prompted.
Building Beacons

they return to play in a free space adjacent to you.

Strengthen and enhance an ally’s aetheric field by
The ability to bring someone back from the dead, no drawing power from their own lifeforce.
matter how long has passed, exists only in legend.
However, there is a very short window of time where
life can be restored to the recently departed. Stolen Life Volley
A lifeweaver can repair and stimulate a person’s Ranged Spell Attack  2 Memory  Aetheric,
aetheric field before it completely breaks down, breathing Indirect Range = Scope 2 Stress
life back into their body and repairing some of the recent
damage they’ve taken. On Hit: Choose one of the following:
7: Classes and Jobs

Ø Drain Life: You or a character within Range 5 of

Lifeweavers have many ways of keeping their allies you regains 1d3 HP. You can spend 1 MP to increase
healthy during fights, from granting temp HP to this to 1d6 HP instead.
pure healing. Lifeweavers play a versatile supporting Ø Drain Vitality: You or a character within Range 5
role, especially when combined with other classes of you clear up to 2 Stress.
like the Tidecaller.

Siphon life energy from a victim and transfer it to

someone else.
Running the Game
Appendices

148
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Inner Balance Channel HealPhase Bolster
Spell  1 Memory  Mana 2 Range = Scope Spell  3 Memory  Mana 1 Range = Scope

On Release: Choose one of the following: One character within Range can spend a Recovery
to regain all HP. If you spend 3 MP instead, they don’t
Ø Balance: Choose either yourself and one ally within need to spend a Recovery.
Range or two allies within Range. The targets swap
their current HP, Stress, or MP, your choice. Months of healing take place in moments. The process

Building Beacons
Ø Imbalance: Choose an enemy within Range and repairs all wounds on the patient’s body, but leaves them
roll 2d6, adding +1d6 if they are either Bloodied feeling exhausted.
or Breaking or +2d6 if they are both. They take
Stress equal to the result of one die, and Piercing
Force equal to another, your choice. Serenity Channel
Spell  2 Memory  Arcing, Mana 3
Lifeweavers seek to keep a harmonious balance between Range = Scope
the mind, body, and soul. By drawing from another’s
aetheric field, a lifeweaver can use both fields to balance On Release: Choose one of the following:
each other out or induce an internal imbalance.

7: Classes and Jobs

Ø Lifewell: You create a Blast 1 zone of healing
energy within Range. Characters that start their
Sewing Needle Volley turn within it regain 3 HP. This zone lasts until the
Ranged Weapon  Main Artifact  Piercing end of the scene or until you create a new one.
Range 5 / Reach 3 1d3+2 Force Ø Mend: An ally within Range clears a Wound or
Overstress. Each character can benefit from this
On Hit: If the target is Bloodied, you can spend 1 1/quest.
MP to make them Immobilized until the end of their
next turn. If you do so, any Bloodied enemies of your The Sungarde, divinely-inspired swashbucklers, have
choice adjacent to the target are Slowed until the enchanted their ships to make them permanent zones
end of their next turn. of serenity. People rescued by the Sungarde recover

Running the Game

incredibly quickly, which has earned the swashbucklers
A tool used to stitch flesh together, turned into a weapon. a stellar reputation. The innocent cheer at the sight of
The needle itself is rarely seen. Instead, you catch glimpses Sungarde flags, and pirates flee from them.
of the shimmering magical thread.

Appendices

149
 PALADIN
Getting Started

DEFENDER / SUPPORT

Paladins draw upon their resolve to protect their allies and smite their
foes. They can manifest beneficial auras that enhance nearby allies.

P
aladins are motivated individuals
driven by their beliefs. What sepa- BASE ATTRIBUTES
rates a paladin from an advocate is SCOPE:5 SAVE TARGET:  10
their ability to turn their resolve into BULK MIND
power, bolstering their aetheric field HP:9 STRESS CAP:  7
Building Beacons

and gaining strength through their RECOVERIES:6 MEMORY:  5

convictions. AGILITY MAGIC
Most paladins are very protective DODGE:  6 A-DEF:  7
of their friends and will willingly put SPEED:  5 MP:  2
themselves in harm’s way to save one
from danger. Their desire to protect
becomes so strong that when they TRAITS
sense a threat, they can travel great
distances in the blink of an eye to stand Layered AurasTrait
ready against it.
7: Classes and Jobs

You gain the Aura of Inspiration spell, which is equipped for free.
Ø Who or what would you give your Additionally, you may have two Auras active at once, but they must
life to protect? be from different abilities.
Ø What is a belief you hold onto
strongly?
Ø What sensation or emotion do Aura of Inspiration Free Action
people feel when they’re near you? Spell  Arcing, Aura 5, Innate, Unique
Ø When did you stand up for
something, and what did it cost You and all allies within this Aura gain +1 on checks and saves.
you?
Running the Game

Guardian Angel Minor Action

Trait

Choose an ally within line of sight to protect. You may Interpose

for them as long as they are within Scope, teleporting to a free
adjacent space. This lasts for the rest of the scene or until you use this
ability again.

RetributionTrait

You can Counterattack 2/round instead of 1/round.

Appendices

Additionally, 1/round when performing Interpose, you can

Counterattack the attacker before the triggering attack happens. This
Counterattack doesn’t cost Focus.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

MAIN HEAVY MAIN HEAVY

150
151
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Bastion of ResolveSpecial
Limit Break
Auras of Resistance Free Action
At any time during a combat scene, you may harden Spell  2 Memory  Arcing, Aura 5
your resolve and surpass your normal limits. When
activated, you clear all conditions and gain the fol- You can use one of the following Auras at a time:
lowing benefits, which last until the end of this phase
next round: Ø Aura of Energy Resistance: Choose either Astral
or Lunar. You and all allies within this Aura gain
Ø You gain resistance to all damage. resistance to the chosen damage type.
Building Beacons

Ø Your weapons with Reach gain +2 Reach. Ø Aura of Freedom: You and all allies within this Aura
Ø Your allies count as being under the protection of gain immunity to Slowed and can automatically
your Guardian Angel ability. break out of grapples as a free action.

Paladins draw upon their beliefs and convictions to Expand your aetheric field to cover those of your allies.
strengthen their aetheric fields. The more deeply they As they overlap, you can imbue their fields with your
believe in something, the stronger the effects. Once own protections.
they’ve perfected this skill, the only limit on their power
is the strength of their resolve. As long as they stand
unwavering, they can’t be stopped. Lay on Hands Minor Action
7: Classes and Jobs

Skill  1 Memory  Mana 1

As defenders, Paladins benefit from high Armor and You or an adjacent ally can spend a Recovery to
other damage-mitigation effects. With their Auras regain HP equal to their Bloodied value.
and Retribution trait, they work best when close
to their allies. The Knight talent is a good choice A reassuring word and a calming hand placed on a
for Paladins. shoulder make everything seem easier.
Running the Game
Appendices

152
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Holy Avenger Fight Auras of Protection Free Action
Melee Weapon  Heavy Blade Spell  1 Memory  Arcing, Aura 5
Reach 1 2d6+1 Astral
You can use one of the following Auras at a time:
This weapon is Accurate on turns other than your
own. Ø Aura of Steel: Allies within this Aura (excluding
you) gain +1 Armor (up to a maximum of 4 Armor).
On Crit: You or an ally within Range 5 can clear Ø Aura of Retaliation: 1/turn when an ally within

Building Beacons
either a condition or all Discord. this Aura (excluding you) is hit by an enemy, the
enemy takes 3 Astral .
The blade of a holy avenger is pure astral energy.
Without training, the manifested blade is dangerous Layers of magical protection can be used as armor or
and unstable. An aetheric field must be wrapped around turned into a retributive shield.
it as a form of containment, giving it a solid shape with
an appearance unique to the user.
Stalwart Shield
Support Item  Main  Unbreakable
Smite

7: Classes and Jobs

Skill  2 Memory  Mana 1, Unique Gain +1 Armor.
Allies gain the benefits of cover from you as if you
1/round when you hit with a weapon, you can cause were a piece of hard cover.
the entire attack to deal +1d6 bonus Astral. Additionally, you gain the Guardian Shield Block
reaction. If you meet the trigger condition of Guardian
Channel aether into a weapon, then release it for an Shield Block while using Interpose , you can
explosion of astral energy. automatically use its effect as part of that Interpose
reaction.

“The resolve to protect others can even come from a

place of humility.”

Running the Game

 – Sheeta Shal

Guardian Shield Block Reaction (1/round)

Trigger: You or an adjacent ally would take

Physical, Astral, Lunar, or Force damage.

Effect: You take 2 Stress and grant yourself or

the ally resistance to that damage.
Appendices

153
 PHOENIX
Getting Started

ARTILLERY

Phoenixes conjure fiery destruction from afar, inflicting

lingering burns upon their enemies.

P
hoenixes are elite spellcasters spe-
cializing in elemental fire. During BASE ATTRIBUTES
training, they take the mythical SCOPE:15 SAVE TARGET:  11
phoenix as their inspiration, focusing BULK MIND
on the different aspects of fire, such HP:7 STRESS CAP:  7
Building Beacons

as destruction and rebirth. To become RECOVERIES:2 MEMORY:  6

a phoenix, you must give over your AGILITY MAGIC
aetheric field to the raw forces of flame. DODGE:  6 A-DEF:  10
If you have prepared correctly, it will SPEED:  4 MP:  5
be returned infused with fire; if not,
your aether will be consumed. TRAITS
Ø What color and shape do your Burning SpellsTrait
flames take?
Ø What aspect of fire do you respect You deal +1 Discord with all abilities that deal Discord.
7: Classes and Jobs

the most? Destruction, warmth,

rebirth, or something else?
Ø How has fire affected or shaped Burn ProofTrait
your life?
Ø What makes your connection to You have resistance to Astral and Discord.
fire stronger, and what makes it
weaker?
WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS
LIGHT MAIN LIGHT LIGHT
Running the Game
Appendices

154
155
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Supervolcano Channel
Limit Break  Homing, Mana 2 Range = Scope
Immolate Volley
If you stop channeling this ability before releasing Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory  Aetheric,
it for any reason, you do not expend the limit break. Indirect Range = Scope 2 Discord

On Release: You create a Size 3 volcano – a piece On Hit: Choose one of the following:
of terrain – within Range. The volcano destroys any
objects (including terrain) other than objectives in its Ø Building Fire: If the target already has Discord, this
spaces. Characters in these spaces are considered to attack deals 1d3+1 Discord instead of 2.
Building Beacons

be atop the volcano. Ø Spontaneous Combustion: You can spend 1 MP

Mark 6 spaces as lava flows. These must be ad- to deal 1 Discord to all enemies in a Burst 1
jacent to either the volcano or another lava flow AOE around the target.
space. Lava flows are dangerous terrain (Agility,
5 Discord ).
Characters within or adjacent to the volcano or Flames that cling to their target, refusing to be
a lava flow space receive +2 on checks to clear extinguished. The burning doesn’t stop until there’s no
Discord. fuel left.
On subsequent turns, you can spend 1 MP as a mi-
nor action to add or remove up to 3 lava flow spaces.
7: Classes and Jobs

The volcano and lava flows last until the end of Solar Flare Volley
the scene. Ranged Weapon  Main Artifact
Range 10 1d3 Astral + 1 Discord
Reaching deep below the surface with aetheric might, the
phoenix pulls up a grand manifestation of burning power – You gain +1 when attacking with this weapon if the
a raging volcano. Lava erupts from within, forming molten target has Discord.
rivers that burn those who stray too close.
Long ago, a Reflection exploded. Pieces of the dead
world were scattered across the Source, coming to rest in
Phoenixes make expert use of effects that deal clusters within other Reflections. Thaumaturges fashion
Discord. Their significant MP and long Scope means these pieces into weapons that project the astral energy
Running the Game

they are well suited to attack safely from afar with of the shattered Reflection.
spells. The Sniper talent is a good fit for Phoenixes
that use ranged spell attacks.
Appendices

156
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Inferno Channel Royal Phoenix Armor
Ranged Spell Attack  2 Memory  Auto-Hit, Support Item  Light  Armor, Unbreakable
Mana 2
Range = Scope, Blast 2 3 Discord +1 Armor.
Enemies within Range 5 use your Save Target
On Release: You can choose to reduce the size of the when making Magic checks to clear Discord instead
AOE to increase the damage. For every –1 Blast, the of the normal target number of 10. Adjacent enemies
spell deals +2 Discord (e.g., reducing it from Blast 2 use your Save Target+2.

Building Beacons
to Blast 1 increases the damage to 5 Discord ).
If the AOE would be reduced to 0, it instead targets First worn by Taliesan, the Verdant Flame, phoenix feath-
a single space. ers adorn this red and gold armor. Fires burn brighter
and hotter in the presence of this artifact, to the point
This spell can funnel the heat of a raging inferno into of being unbearable when near it.
progressively smaller spaces, raising the temperature
exponentially.
Wildfire Minor Action
Spell  2 Memory  Mana 1 Range = Scope
Vent HeatReaction

7: Classes and Jobs

Skill  2 Memory  Arcing, Unique Choose one of the following:

Trigger: A character within Range 20 clears any Ø Blueflame: Choose an enemy with Discord with-
amount of Discord. in Range. Their Discord increases by +2, but this
doesn’t cause them to immediately take Discord
Effect: You center a Burst 1 AOE on that character. damage.
Characters in the AOE, including the target, take Astral Ø Flames of Rebirth: Choose a character with Dis-
equal to half of the Discord cleared. cord within Range. All of their Discord transfers
to you, but this doesn’t cause you to immediately
“No one wanted to get close enough to put him out – take Discord damage.
it was too hot! So we, uh, kinda just stood there and Ø Flashover: Choose an enemy within Range. They

Running the Game

waited.” gain the same amount of Discord as the charac-
ter with the highest Discord within Range 3 of
them. This doesn’t cause them to immediately take
Discord damage.

Your flames grow wild and uncontrollable, changing

color based on the unique composition of your aetheric
field.
Appendices

157
 RIFTBLADE
Getting Started

ARTILLERY

Armed with experimental blades that can cut rifts in space-time itself,
riftblades can travel between Reflections to explore new worlds.

R
iftblades explore the different Re-
flections of the Source, catalog- BASE ATTRIBUTES
ing as much about these new and SCOPE:15 SAVE TARGET:  10
interesting worlds as possible. The BULK MIND
main tool of a riftblade is their signa- HP:8 STRESS CAP:  5
Building Beacons

ture riftcutter, a magitech device with RECOVERIES:3 MEMORY:  6

an infinitely sharp edge that can cut AGILITY MAGIC
small portals between Reflections. DODGE:  7 A-DEF:  8
Knowing that each new Reflection is SPEED:  4 MP:  4
filled with unknown challenges and
hazards, riftblades outfit themselves
with a wide array of gear to prepare TRAITS
for any situation.
Rift Minor Action
Ø What was the most interesting Trait  Mana 1 Range 20
7: Classes and Jobs

Reflection you visited?

Ø What do you hope to find in your You place a rift in a free space within Range. This doesn’t require line
travels? of sight.
Ø What did you leave behind in a rift Range, Reach, and line of sight for everything (except placing addi-
you’ll never be able to get back? tional rifts) can be drawn both to and from you as if you were standing
Ø Where are you forbidden to open in the rift’s space. The rift’s space is considered occupied by you.
a rift to? The rift itself is not an object and cannot be directly interacted with
or affected in any way. It lasts for the rest of the scene, until you use
this ability again, or until you dismiss it as a minor action.
Running the Game

RiftcutterTrait

You gain the Riftcutter weapon, which is equipped for free.

Riftcutter Fight
Melee Weapon  Light Magitech  Accurate, Innate,
Piercing, Unique Reach 1 3 Physical

This weapon ignores resistance and immunity.

Appendices

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT HEAVY LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT MAIN

158
159
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Gateway Minor Action

Limit Break
Gravity Well
You create two Size 3 gateways on free solid surfaces Skill  1 Memory
within Range 15 , ignoring line of sight. These gate-
ways aren’t obstructions, don’t block line of sight, and Enemies must always stop moving when they become
last until the end of the scene. Engaged with you, regardless of their Size. Adjacent
1/turn when a character fully enters a gateway, enemies must spend 2 movement when moving to
they are immediately teleported to the other gate- spaces that aren’t adjacent to you.
way, being placed in a space of their choice so they
Building Beacons

are fully within the gateway. If a character enters a Gravity generators are a standard piece of equipment
gateway as a result of forced movement, their forced for Riftblades. The ability to create a comfortable gravity
movement continues in the same direction from the field around themselves is sometimes the difference
other gateway starting in a space chosen by whoever between life and death.
initiated the forced movement.
If a character cannot end this teleport fully within
the gateway (e.g., because too many spaces are oc- Sensor Goggles
cupied), the teleport fails. Support Item  Light

Riftcutters can be overcharged with energy, allowing You know the current HP, Stress, and MP of all
7: Classes and Jobs

them to create larger and more stable rifts. With the Marked enemies.
proper architecture, these gateways can become Additionally, 1/turn, you can reroll the Invisible
permanent portals, allowing instant travel between miss chance when attacking an Invisible target.
two places; however, the portable power packs that
riftblades carry aren’t strong enough, and the gateways These goggles are equipped with aetheric and biometric
they create will eventually close. scanners for any situation.

The Riftblade is a complicated class that use their

Rift trait to gain range and angles on their enemies.
Careful positioning of a rift is necessary, as enemies
Running the Game

can attack them through it. Try placing rifts in cover

or where enemies can’t reach.
Appendices

160
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Flicker Enchantment Blink Minor Action
Support Item  Light  Enchantment Spell  2 Memory  Mana 1

You may use one of the following Enchantments You teleport up to 1d6+1 spaces.
at a time:
The earliest riftblades studied teleportation magics and
Ø Any Armor: 1/round while this Armor is equipped, teleporting creatures to better understand the long-term
you can immediately teleport up to 1d6 spaces effects of repeated teleportation.

Building Beacons
as a reaction when you take damage.
Ø Any Weapon: 1/round when you critically hit with
this weapon, you can teleport the target up to Displacer Rod  Full Attack
1d6 spaces. Ranged Weapon  Heavy Artifact  Mana 3,
Slow Range 15 X Force
Flicker armor is used for emergency escapes. When
triggered, it quickly hurls the wearer away from their This weapon’s damage is equal to the number of
attacker. spaces between you and the target, to a maximum
of 20 Force .

7: Classes and Jobs

Portal Gun Minor Action Displacer rods create pulses of energy that grow in power
Support Item  Main  Mana 1 Range 10 the further they travel.

You teleport an ally or enemy within Range up to 3

spaces. This counts as forced movement. Unwilling
characters can make a Magic save. Success: They
resist this effect.

Portal guns can create small, short-lived holes in reality,

allowing limited teleportation at greater range than
possible with a riftcutter.

Running the Game

Appendices

161
 RIMEGUARD
Getting Started

DEFENDER

Icy armor grows over rimeguards, granting layers of

protection that grow stronger over time.

T
he Rimeguard’s source of power is
their frozen heart. A splinter of ice BASE ATTRIBUTES
formed from the death of an ancient SCOPE:8 SAVE TARGET:  11
elemental spirit is driven into their BULK MIND
heart, encasing it in ice and freezing HP:1 STRESS CAP:  5
Building Beacons

the blood in their veins. Those that RECOVERIES:5 MEMORY:  5

survive the process become one with AGILITY MAGIC
the forces of cold. DODGE:  6 A-DEF:  9
The icy splinters needed to create SPEED:  5 MP:  4
a rimeguard are rare, and as a result,
rimeguards are an uncommon sight.
Their rarity combined with their TRAITS
cold and distant demeanor, gives ri-
meguards a frightening reputation Frost Armor Minor Action
that is only sometimes earned. Trait  Focus 1 Range = Scope
7: Classes and Jobs

Ø Who did you save from certain You give an ally within Range temp HP equal to half your current temp
death? HP (to a minimum of 1). You can increase this amount by reducing your
Ø Where were you when you realized own temp HP by 1 for every additional +1 temp HP granted, granting
you would change the world? a maximum of 10 temp HP received.
Ø What can’t you feel when you
channel the cold?
Ø Who or what have you lost to the Icy VeinsTrait
cold?
You have resistance to Lunar.
Additionally, you start each combat scene with 6 temp HP, and this
Running the Game

amount refreshes whenever you take a Wound. When you gain Focus,
you can choose for any amount of it to become temp HP instead.
You can stack temp HP to a maximum of 10 temp HP. You can exceed
this maximum if a single source of temp HP would put you over this
amount, but you can’t stack additional temp HP past that.

Rimeheart Minor Action

Trait Range = Scope

An ally with temp HP within Range gains +2 temp HP, to a maximum

of 10. This temp HP stacks with existing temp HP.
Appendices

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

MAIN MAIN MAIN HEAVY

162
163
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Absolute Zero Minor Action

Limit Break
Coldguard
You and your allies (ignoring line of sight) clear all Skill  2 Memory
Stress and reduce their current Surge level by 1.
When you Defend, adjacent allies gain temp HP
The rimeguard drops the temperature to absolute zero, equal to your Grit+3.
freezing everything in its tracks. With a snap of their
fingers, the cold breaks. Absolute zero lasts only for a The air around you is cold and dry. Leaving your feet
moment, but it’s enough for the rimeguard’s allies to still for too long causes tendrils of ice to spread along
Building Beacons

cool off. the ground, crawling up the legs of anyone nearby.

Rimeguards want to generate as much Focus as Frostbite  Volley

possible, allocating it between temp HP granted by Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory  Aetheric,
Frost Armor and their other Focus needs. Because Indirect Range = Scope 2 Stress
of their unique mechanism for stacking temp HP,
rimeguards can either keep the temp HP for them- On Hit: Choose one of the following:
selves and adopt an interposing defender style, or
play the role of the backline defender by sharing Ø Frozen: At the end of their next turn, the target
7: Classes and Jobs

temp HP with allies. takes Stress equal to their Speed. This Stress is
reduced by –1 for every space they move during
that turn.
Ø Numbing: The next attack the target makes before
the end of their next turn deals half damage.

When skin turns blue, the cold has claimed it. You have
given yourself to the cold. There is nothing left for it to
take.
Running the Game
Appendices

164
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Ice Spikes Frozen Throne  Free Action
Skill  1 Memory  Unique Support Item  Main  Mana 2 Burst 1

If you become the target of an attack when you Inter- You create a zone of growing cold around you.
pose, you can deal 2 Piercing Lunar to the attacker Enemies that start their turn in the zone take 2 Lunar .
after their attack if they are within your Scope. At the start of each of your turns while this effect is
active, its damage increases by +2, after which you
You are one with the ice. Without conscious thought, it take the updated damage. This damage bypasses

Building Beacons
bristles at your foes, vibrating in anticipation. your Armor.
You can deactivate this ability as a free action,
which resets the damage back to its base value of 2.
White Wind  Volley
Ranged Weapon  Main Artifact “With ice in your heart, go forth into the world. Build
Reach 1 / Close Blast 2 3 Lunar our throne where you travel, and our kingdom will
follow.”
On Hit: The target is Slowed until the end of their
next turn.
Siphon Heat

7: Classes and Jobs

This staff is powered by a crystal of ice – the same crystal Skill  3 Memory  Unique
that spawned the icy shard that pierced your heart
and gave you the powers of a rimeguard. Remember At the start of each of your turns, you gain Focus equal
what you have sacrificed, and the cold will answer to the number of adjacent characters.
your call.
Take their heat, and make it your cold. The warmth is
not welcome here.

Running the Game

Appendices

165
 SEEKER
Getting Started

ARTILLERY / CONTROLLER

Trackers and hunters that always find their prey.

Seekers call out priority targets for their allies.

S
eekers are warriors who form bonds
with primal spirits, which impart BASE ATTRIBUTES
upon them a fraction of their pow- SCOPE:20 SAVE TARGET:  11
er. In return for power, seekers act as BULK MIND
extensions of their patron spirits, oper- HP:6 STRESS CAP:  4
Building Beacons

ating beyond their normal boundaries. RECOVERIES:3 MEMORY:  6

Most seekers have a positive rela- AGILITY MAGIC
tionship with their bonded primal, but DODGE:  8 A-DEF:  9
some forged their bonds out of desper- SPEED:  5 MP:  3
ation or necessity. These seekers may
not agree with their primal’s motives,
but are nonetheless compelled to do TRAITS
its bidding or risk losing their powers.
However antagonistic the relationship, Marksman’s EyeTrait
the seeker acts as the eyes, ears, and
7: Classes and Jobs

hands of their primal. Your allies gain +2 instead of +1 when consuming Marks against
targets within your Scope.
Ø How do you see and know the
exact spots to shoot?
Ø What primal spirit do you have a Seeker’s Sight Minor Action
connection with? Trait  Mana 1
Ø Which of your primal spirit’s
aspects do you share? You Mark.
Ø What is the most dangerous
expedition you’ve been on?
Guided ShotTrait
Running the Game

You gain the Guided Shot skill, which is equipped for free.

Guided ShotReaction
Skill  Innate, Unique

Trigger: A ranged or thrown attack misses an enemy within your

Scope.

Effect: The attack roll misses, but the attacker may reroll the attack
roll against a different target within Range 5 of the original target.
Appendices

A target can’t be hit more than once by the same attack.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

MAIN HEAVY LIGHT MAIN

166
167
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Heavenly StarfallPhase Skirmish

Limit Break  Arcing
Heartseeker Volley
You create three non-overlapping Blast 2 zones Ranged WeaponMain BowHoming
within Range 40 . All enemies in one or more of Range 15 1d3 Force + 1 Discord
these zones must make an Agility save. Failure: They
take 1d3+1 Force . Success: They take half damage. If this attack consumes a Mark, it is Piercing.
Each character only takes this damage once, even if
they are in multiple zones. The beating of your heart gives away your location. The
While any of these zones exist, you can spend arrow will find you, piercing your heart. Then, all will
Building Beacons

1 MP as a minor action to Mark all enemies in be still.

these zones and make them Dazed until the end of
their next turn.
At the end of each of your turns, one of the zones Chain Shot Volley
disappears. Ranged Spell Attack2 MemoryAetheric
Range = Scope 1d3 Lunar
An arrow shot into the sky disappears into a rapidly
spreading dark cloud. Lightning cracks and rain begins On Hit: Choose one of the following:
to fall. Each blue raindrop an arrow that seeks a home.
There is no escape until the storm passes. Ø Grounding Chain: The target must make a Magic
7: Classes and Jobs

save. Failure: They are Immobilized until the end

of their next turn. You can spend 1 MP to force all
The Seeker playstyle revolves around the Marked characters adjacent to the target to make the save
condition. Marksman’s Eye benefits allies that con- as well.
sume Marks, and Seeker’s Sight allows them to Ø Linked Chain (1 MP): You center a Burst 2 AOE
Mark enemies with ease. The Spotter talent is a around the target. Characters in the AOE must
good choice for Seekers, and any abilities that use make a Bulk save. Failure: They are pulled to the
Scope benefit from their high base Scope attribute. closest free space adjacent to the original target.

When this magical arrow strikes its target, invisible chains

Running the Game

manifest and begin tightening around them.

Appendices

168
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Spectral Shot Astral Barrage Volley
Skill2 MemoryMana 1 Ranged WeaponHeavy BowReloading,
Unique Range 20 2d6 Force
Your single-target ranged attacks pass through objects
(including terrain). As long as you have line of sight Instead of attacking normally, you can choose to
to a target, you can ignore cover when attacking. You attack every Marked enemy within this weapon’s
can still attack targets without line of sight, but they Range. You consume each enemy’s Mark, taking
benefit from hard cover. 1 Stress for every additional target beyond the first.

Building Beacons
As you draw back the bowstring, you pour aether into the The longer you keep the bowstring drawn, the more
arrow. When it can take no more, it ascends to a higher arrows appear. Release to have them find their
state of matter and can pass through solid objects. home.

Swarming Shot Volley Coiling Shot Volley

Ranged Spell Attack2 MemoryAetheric, Ranged Spell Attack1 MemoryAetheric
Indirect, Mana 1 Range = Scope 1d6+4 Force
Range = Scope, Blast 1 2 Stress

7: Classes and Jobs

On Hit: Choose one of the following:
On Attack: Choose one of the following:
Ø Constricting Serpent: The target cannot make
Ø Buzzing Swarm: The AOE becomes a zone until Opportunity Attacks until the end of their
the start of your next turn. Any character that starts next turn.
their turn in the zone or enters it during their turn Ø Striking Serpent: A spectral serpent coils around
becomes Dazed until the end of their next turn. the target. Until the end of their next turn, if the
‘ On Hit: The target is Dazed until the end of target ends their turn adjacent to one of their allies,
their next turn. the ally takes 3 Force and is Dazed until the end
of their next turn.
Ø Distracting Swarm: The AOE becomes a zone until

Running the Game

the start of your next turn. Any character that starts Upon impact, the magical arrow transforms into a
their turn in the zone or enters it during their turn spectral serpent. Formed through the victim’s aetheric
becomes Marked. field, the serpent lashes out at anyone that draws near,
‘ On Hit: The target is Marked until the end though it remains indifferent to its host.
of their next turn.

This magical arrow explodes into tiny aetheric motes,

which twinkle and buzz distractingly.
Appendices

169
 SHADEBINDER
Getting Started

CONTROLLER

Shadebinders capture and train dangerous shades,

forging strong bonds with them.

S
udden shifts in an area’s aetheric
balance can give rise to shades BASE ATTRIBUTES
– creatures made of pure aether. SCOPE:10 SAVE TARGET:  12
These creatures can be dangerous, BULK MIND
often lashing out in pain and confusion HP:6 STRESS CAP:  5
Building Beacons

due to the environmental imbalance. RECOVERIES:5 MEMORY:  6

Shadebinders capture and train AGILITY MAGIC
these dangerous shades, returning DODGE:  7 A-DEF:  7
them to their homes once the imbal- SPEED:  4 MP:  4
ance is addressed, or forging strong
bonds with them and becoming trav- TRAITS
eling companions.
Command PartnerTrait
Ø What was the first shade you
trapped, and what were they like? Once during each of your turns, one of your Summons within Scope
7: Classes and Jobs

Ø What was the most elaborate trap can use one of your actions against a target within your Scope. You
you set, and what was it for? lose the action and pay any costs, like MP or Consumable charges,
Ø When were you unable to return a but the Summon is considered to be the one performing it. If it is a
shade to its home, and why? Channel action, the Summon is the one that concentrates and can
Ø What aetheric disturbance has release during Phase Release.
never been repaired, and is only While performing an action using this trait, your Summon benefits
getting worse? from your talents.

Companion Shade Minor Action

Shadebinders are a summoning Trait  Summon Range = Scope
Running the Game

class that prioritizes having few-

er, stronger Summons. Command Friendly Shade (Size 1/2, HP = Grit+8, Dodge/A-Def = Grit+10, Speed 4)
Partner lets their Summons
take actions on the behalf of the You call forth a friendly shade within Range. When you do so, you gain
Shadebinder, like grappling en- one of the special reactions on the facing page.
emies instead of doing it them- You can only have one shade in play at a time and it retains its cur-
selves. As with most summoners, rent HP when dismissed, which persists between scenes. If the shade is
they will likely want to take the defeated, you must spend a Recovery to summon it again, after which
Summoner talent. it regains all HP. It regains all HP during Rests.
Appendices

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT MAIN MAIN

170
Dewdrop
Reaction Firestarter
Reaction Vinecutter
Reaction
(1/Round) (1/Round) (1/Round)

Trigger: An enemy adjacent to the Trigger: An enemy adjacent to Trigger: An enemy adjacent to
shade starts their turn. the shade takes damage or Stress. the Shade takes damage or Stress.

Effect: They are Marked by the Effect: They take 1d6 Discord Effect: They take 2 Stress from
shade and must make a Magic from the shade. the Shade and the Shade can slide
save. Failure: They lose 2 MP. them 2 spaces.

171
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Aetheric Evolution Volley

Limit Break  Arcing Range = Scope
Teamwork
You empower one of your Summons within Range Skill  1 Memory
with an influx of aether. It regains all HP and receives
the following benefits, which last until the end of the Your Summons can use your Bulk, Agility, Mind,
scene or until the Summon is defeated, and remain and Magic scores instead of theirs for ability checks
even if the Summon is dismissed: and saves.

Ø +1 Size. Minor Action: If you have at least one Summon in play,

Building Beacons

Ø +10 current and maximum HP. choose one of the effects listed below. This lasts for the
Ø If it didn’t have a Speed, it gains Speed 4. Otherwise, rest of the scene, or until you choose another effect, end
it gains +2 Speed. it as a free action, or have no more active Summons.
These effects affect all of your Summons, includ-
It also gains the Hyper Ray, Slash, Snarl, and Recov- ing ones summoned after the profile is activated:
er abilities, which it can perform as standard actions.
Ø Threatening Summons: Attacks against your
Shades are aetheric creatures. By infusing them with aether, Summons gain +1 , and attacks against you re-
their form can change and grow, becoming stronger than ceive +1 .
before. This change is temporary, as this new form radiates Ø Unassuming Summons: Attacks against your
7: Classes and Jobs

aether until it returns to its natural state. Summons receive +1 , and attacks against you
gain +1 .

Hyper RaySpell You and your summons fight together and cover for
each other.
All characters in a Line 15 AOE must make
an Agility save. Failure: They take 10 Force .
Success: They take 5 Force . Trainer Items
After performing this action, the Summon can’t Support Item  Main  Consumable 3, Reaction
move or take any actions during your next turn, and
can’t be dismissed until the end of your next turn. You gain the Revive and Return reactions, which
Running the Game

expend a charge when used.

SlashSkill A supply of medicine, supplies, and equipment to keep

your companions in tip-top shape.
An adjacent enemy takes 3 Piercing Physical
and is Sundered until the end of their next turn.
Revive Reaction (1/round)

SnarlSkill Trigger: One of your Summons within Scope

would be defeated.
An enemy within Range 5 is Marked and must
make a Mind save. Failure: They are Weakened Effect: The Summon is not defeated, and has its
Appendices

until the end of their next turn. current HP set to its Bloodied value.

RecoverSkill Return Reaction (1/round)

The Summon regains all of its HP, clears a condi- Trigger: A character starts their turn.
tion, and gains hard cover until the end of your
next turn. Effect: One of your Summons (ignoring line
of sight) is teleported to a free space adjacent
to you.
172
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Buddy Bond Lifelink
Support Item  Light  Enchantment Spell  3 Memory

You may use one of the following Enchantments When you call forth a Summon, you can spend 1 MP
at a time: to forge a link between you. As long as you are both in
play, any time either of you takes damage (after Armor
Ø Any Support Item or Technique that Doesn’t and resistances), the damage is split between both
Require an Action to Activate: When you create characters. This cannot be avoided or mitigated in

Building Beacons
a Summon, you can choose for it to also receive any way, and does not count as the second character
any passive benefits granted by this item or tech- taking damage (meaning it doesn’t trigger additional
nique. This lasts until it is defeated or dismissed. instances of this effect).
The Summon doesn’t gain the ability to use any The link lasts for the end of the scene, or until one
actions granted by this item or technique – just the of the characters is defeated or you end the effect as
passive benefits. Only one Summon can benefit a free action.
from this ability at a time.
Ø Any Equipment or Technique with the Summon Shadebinders can mix their aetheric fields with those of
Tag: When you regain HP, Summons created with their summoned companions, sharing in any damage
the enchanted equipment or technique regain half and pain received.

7: Classes and Jobs

as much HP. This only affects Summons that are
currently in play.
Capture Orb Minor Action
Your companion has their own appropriately sized Support Item  Main  Consumable 6, Thrown 5
equipment. Thrown 5

This item starts with the Empty profile:

Familiar Minor Action
Spell  1 Memory  Mana 1, Summon Ø Empty: As a minor action, you can expend a
charge and make a thrown melee weapon at-
Familiar (Size 1/2, HP 1, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0) tack. On Hit: Your target must make a Magic save

Running the Game

with +1 if they are Bloodied, +1 if they are
You call your familiar forth in a free space adjacent to Breaking, and +1 for every condition they have.
you. You may automatically do this at the beginning of Failure: They are Stunned and Immobilized
a combat scene, spending the required MP as normal. until the end of their next turn. Make note of their
When you call your familiar, choose Bulk, current HP and MP, and this item switches to the
Agility, Mind, or Magic. While you and your familiar Full profile. Success: They are Dazed until the end
are adjacent to each other, you both gain +1 to of their next turn and this item remains Empty.
checks and saves with the chosen ability score. Ø Full: As a minor action, one character within the
Whenever you move (excluding forced movement) thrown Range gains temp HP equal to the com-
while adjacent to this Summon, it can also move to bined HP and MP of the character that failed their
any free space adjacent to you, benefiting from any Magic save. This item switches to the Empty profile.
special forms of movement that you use (e.g., flight This does not expend a charge.
Appendices

or teleportation).
These devices can convert shades back into pure aether,
This cute creature is your friend. You feel better and more allowing them to be transported safely and easily. When
capable when you’re near them. opened, they return their inhabitant to their normal
form. While originally created for use on shades, recent
improvements now allow capture orbs to extract trace
amounts of aether from other creatures, storing it for
later use.

173
 SHADOW DANCER
Getting Started

STRIKER

Shadow dancers cloak themselves with darkness, moving unseen across the battlefield.
Their special connection with the shadows allows them to teleport between areas of darkness.

S
hadow dancers train in the dark,
increasing their attunement to the BASE ATTRIBUTES
power of the umbra. When they SCOPE:12 SAVE TARGET:  10
finish their training, their shadow has BULK MIND
changed: it moves differently, feels HP:8 STRESS CAP:  4
Building Beacons

looser, and seems darker. Every shad- RECOVERIES:3 MEMORY:  5

ow looks different to the dancer once AGILITY MAGIC
they realize that they’re all connected. DODGE:  12 A-DEF:  7
SPEED:  7 MP:  4
Ø How are shadows linked, and how
do you exploit that?
Ø What is your favorite type of TRAITS
dance?
Ø Why do you feel more comfortable Shadow ClonesTrait
in the dark?
7: Classes and Jobs

Ø What strengthens your shadow, Whenever you teleport, you leave a shadow clone in your former space.
and what happens if it gets too These clones are the same Size as you, don’t cause obstruction, and
strong? aren’t characters or objects.
1/round when you or an ally damage a target adjacent to a shadow
clone, the shadow clone can cause the triggering ability to deal +1d6
bonus damage.
You can have any number of shadow clones, which last until the
end of the scene or until you are defeated.

Shadow RealmTrait
Running the Game

Any time you teleport, you can spend 1 MP to choose one of your
shadow clones as the destination. This destroys the clone.

Slip StepTrait

Reaction attacks against you receive +1 .

Ø Minor Action: While adjacent to a character, you teleport to another

space adjacent to that character.
Appendices

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT

174
175
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Eclipse Free Action

Limit Break
Shadow Step
Until the end of the scene, you can teleport when you Skill  2 Memory  Mana 1
make your standard movement or use the movement
option from Rush, and can split up movements as When you use the movement option from Rush,
normal. You can only create one shadow clone per you can teleport the distance instead. If you end this
standard movement or Rush. movement adjacent to hard cover, you can Hide
For the duration, Shadow Realm costs 0 MP. as a free action.
Building Beacons

Umbral shadows creep over any source of light, All shadows are connected, and you know how to move
plunging the area into darkness. Nothing is safe from between them. Step into one, appear from another. Be
the obscurement, not even the sun itself. prepared for what awaits you in the shadow realm.

Shadow Dancers are high-mobility attackers, moving Strangle Volley

across the battlefield to attack precisely when they Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory  Aetheric,
need to before disappearing into a pool of darkness. Indirect, Mana 1 Range = Scope 2 Stress
The Assassin class has useful stealth-enhancing abil-
ities, and any teleportation effects give the Shadow On Hit: Choose one of the following:
7: Classes and Jobs

Dancer more opportunities to gain Shadow Clones.

Ø Gasp for Air: The target must make a Bulk
save. Failure: They are Silenced and unable to
Channel until the end of their next turn. If they
are currently channeling, they receive +1 to their
concentration save from this attack.
Ø Hangman’s Handshake: Until the end of the tar-
get’s next turn, they gain +1 Stress any time they
take Stress.
Running the Game

Shadowy tendrils crawl up your leg, past your torso, and

wrap around your neck. But they’re just shadows, right?
Surely they can’t–
Appendices

176
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Shadow Sorcery Volley Shadow Meld Minor Action
Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory  Mana 1 Skill  2 Memory  Mana 2
Range = Scope
You become Invisible until you attack or force a save.
On Hit: Choose one of the following:
You merge with the darkness, becoming an extension
Ø Darkness: Deal 2 Stress . The target cannot at- of the shadow realm. Your true form becomes that of a
tack or use abilities on targets beyond Range 3 shadow moving across the ground.

Building Beacons
unless they are Arcing or Homing, and treats all
enemies as benefiting from soft cover. This effect
lasts until the end of their next turn. Living Shadow Volley
Ø Shadow Blade: Deal 1d6+2 Lunar . If you are Spell  2 Memory  Mana 3, Summon
Hidden when you make this attack, you regain Range = Scope
any MP spent on it.
Living Shadow (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0)

A shadow dancer’s power is greatest at night, but that You create a living shadow within Range. This shadow
doesn’t mean they’re weaker during the day – it just emits a Burst 2 zone. Enemies are Blinded while

7: Classes and Jobs

means they’re more cunning. fully within the zone. Enemies that start their turn part-
ly within the zone must make a Magic save. Failure:
They are Weakened until the start of their next turn.
Flash-Step Dagger Fight
Melee Weapon  Light Blade  Accurate, You call forth a creature from the shadow realm – a
Thrown 3 Reach 1 / Thrown 3 1d3+1 Physical living shadow. Its very presence darkens the world
around it, draining life and light into a realm of absolute
On Hit: You may teleport to a free space adjacent darkness.
to the target.

These daggers are carved with teleportation sigils.

Running the Game

When an attuned user throws them, they can activate
the magic to teleport directly to the dagger.

Appendices

177
 SHAPESHIFTER
Getting Started

SUPPORT

Shapeshifters are able to assume various forms to overcome obstacles,

transforming their entire body or individual parts as needed.

S
hapeshifters can change their
bodies, taking on the features of BASE ATTRIBUTES
other creatures or changing into SCOPE:10 SAVE TARGET:  10
different creatures altogether. The ear- BULK MIND
liest shapeshifters were lycanthropes HP:8 STRESS CAP:  7
Building Beacons

studying the way their transformations RECOVERIES:4 MEMORY:  5

worked. Over time, they discovered AGILITY MAGIC
how to transform specific parts of their DODGE:  8 A-DEF:  7
bodies, and eventually how to choose SPEED:  5 MP:  4
what they transformed into.
This type of shapeshifting is notable
because it’s a learned skill, not a spell. TRAITS
The shapeshifter carefully rearranges
their aetheric balance until it precisely Beast WeaponsTrait
aligns with the typical aetheric balance
7: Classes and Jobs

of the creature they’re shapeshifting You gain Beast Weapons, which is equipped for free.
into. While their form may be different,
they’re still the same person they were
before. A shapeshifter that transforms Beast Weapons Fight
into a bear isn’t actually a bear; they’re Melee Weapon  Light Club  Innate, Unique
merely adopting the outward form Reach 1 1d3 Physical
of a bear.
At the end of your turn, if you didn’t make an attack that turn, you
Ø What does it look like when you can attack once with this weapon as a free action.
transform? You can use this weapon even if Disarmed.
Ø What physical trait carries over to
Running the Game

each form you assume?

Ø When was the first time you Form for the OccasionTrait
changed your shape, and what
was it? You move normally in difficult terrain. Additionally, you have an
Ø What form or changes feel most Aquatic Adaptation and you can fly when you move, but you take
natural to you? 1 Stress at the end of any turn in which you do so.

SootheTrait

When an ally within Scope consumes a Mark, you can clear 1 Stress
from them as long as they aren’t Stunned.
Appendices

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT HEAVY LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT

178
179
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Perfect Form  Free Action

Limit Break
Scout Form Minor Action
You gain up to four of the following benefits, which Skill  2 Memory  Mana 2, Polymorph
last until the end of the scene. 1/turn as a free action,
you can change up to four of your chosen benefits. You assume a scouting form, with the following ef-
Only one instance of each option can be in effect at fects:
a time:
Ø You become Size 1/2.
Ø Adaptive Body: You gain +1 on all checks and Ø You gain +2 Speed.
Building Beacons

saves. Ø Attacks against you receive +1

Ø Dire Beast Weapons: Your Beast Weapons deal Ø You can’t attack or use spells.
1d6+2 Damage instead of their standard damage. Ø You can Mark a character within Scope as a
Ø Eagle Eye: You can Mark as a minor action. minor action.
Ø Perfected Form: Form for the Occasion no longer
causes Stress when you fly, and you have flight. This form lasts for the rest of the scene or until you
Ø Hunter’s Eye: At the start of your turn, you gain end the effect as a free action.
1 Focus.
Ø Insulated Hide: You gain resistance to Physical, By taking on a scouting form, you become a less visible
Astral, Lunar, Force, Stress, or Discord from other threat, but your reconnaissance skills remain the
7: Classes and Jobs

characters. same.
Ø Predator Weapons: You gain +1 on attacks.
Ø Resized: You become any Size from 1/2 to 4. Char-
acters are pushed to make space for your new size. Ferocious Bite
Ø Sneaky: You can Hide as a minor action. Skill  2 Memory
Ø Walking Wall: You count as hard cover for your
allies. Allies gain +1 on attacks against enemies Grappled
with you.
Take the best parts of every form you know, and manifest
them all at once. As long as you can maintain them, you Strong jaws lock your victim in place.
are the ultimate lifeform.
Running the Game

A shapeshifter’s different forms make them very

versatile in combat play, and with Form for the
Occasion they don’t need to worry about chang-
ing their equipment and techniques based on the
environment. Shapeshifters are a jack-of-all-trades
class, and can adopt a range of playstyles by com-
bining their shapeshifting forms with those from
other classes.
Appendices

180
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Defender Form  Minor Action Familiar Form  Minor Action
Skill  2 Memory  Mana 2, Polymorph Skill  2 Memory  Mana 1, Polymorph

You assume a defensive form, with the following ef- You assume a form that is friendly or important to
fects: your foes. Any character that attacks you in this form
takes 2 Stress , but all your attacks receive +1 .
Ø You gain +1 Size (to a maximum of 3). This form lasts for the rest of the scene or until
Ø Allies gain the benefits of cover as if you were a you end the effect as a free action.

Building Beacons
piece of hard cover.
Ø When you enter this form or as a minor action, you Adopting the exact appearance of another person is
can select an ally within Scope. For the duration, incredibly difficult, but it can be done. Most shapeshifters
you can Interpose for them without spending recommend doing so for only a short time; otherwise, you
Focus and you gain +2 Armor against the trig- risk beginning to lose your own sense of self.
gering attack when you do. Only one ally can be
selected at a time.
Ø You can only attack using reactions. Snarl and Bite Reaction
Skill  2 Memory  Stressful 2
The form lasts for the rest of the scene or until you

7: Classes and Jobs

end the effect as a free action. Trigger: Someone makes a melee attack against you.

Transcend the limitations of your natural form. Feel your Effect: You make a melee attack against the attacker
skin thicken and harden, your bones lengthen. Grow with a Light or Main weapon.
taller, stronger, and tougher.
Reflexively lash out with claw and tooth. Make them
regret having the audacity to strike at you.
Apex Weapon Fight
Melee Weapon  Heavy Club
Reach 1 2d6+2 Physical

Running the Game

On Hit: You can auto-hit the target with Grapple. While
Grappled by you, they take 1 Piercing Physical at
the start of each of their turns.

A tyrannosaurus rex’s bite. A tiger’s claws. A manticore’s

spikes. Each of these are the weapons of an apex
predator, and you possess one.
Appendices

181
 SKALD
Getting Started

SUPPORT

Skalds are warrior poets who weave magic into song. A skald’s
songs can bolster their allies, providing powerful benefits.

T
here is magic in a song. There is
magic in a dance. Any performance BASE ATTRIBUTES
where you put some of yourself into SCOPE:10 SAVE TARGET:  11
it is magic. Skalds know this, and can BULK MIND
push it to its extremes. Stories come HP:7 STRESS CAP:  6
Building Beacons

to life and move people, or draw out RECOVERIES:4 MEMORY:  6

specific emotions. Performance is the AGILITY MAGIC
weapon of the skald. DODGE:  8 A-DEF:  9
A skald’s performances stimulate SPEED:  5 MP:  4
the aetheric field of nearby creatures.
By honing these performances, they
learn to produce specific, repeatable TRAITS
effects. Skalds enjoy traveling and
meeting other skalds, growing their EncoreTrait
repertoire of performances and related
7: Classes and Jobs

magical effects. At the beginning of any round, if you successfully released a

Channel ability in the previous round, you can spend 1 MP to
Ø What type of performance is your immediately Channel.
specialty?
Ø What weapon and instrument
have you combined? Songbow, Inspire  Free Action (1/turn)
hammerhorn, or something else? Trait  Mana 1 Range = Scope
Ø What does your entrance music
sound like, or what is the main You grant Inspiration to an ally within Range. Allies with Inspiration
instrument it features? can consume it to gain +1 on an attack, check, or save. Each character
Ø Who was moved by your can only have one Inspiration at a time. Inspiration lasts until the end
Running the Game

performance that you didn’t of the scene or until consumed.

expect to be?

TempoTrait

You gain the Tempo skill, which is equipped for free.

Tempo Reaction
Skill  Innate, Unique

Trigger: An attack misses an ally within Scope.

Appendices

Effect: The ally shifts 2.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

MAIN LIGHT MAIN

182
183
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Ballad Free Action

Limit Break  Arcing Range = Scope
Mock Phase Skirmish
You begin weaving a legendary performance. Upon Spell  2 Memory Range = Scope
activation and at the start of each of your turns, pick a
verse from those listed below. It affects you and all allies An enemy within Range must make a Mind save.
within Range. Each verse can only be chosen once. Success: They take 1 Stress . Failure: They take
Instead of picking a verse (or when there are no 2 Stress and must move their Speed straight
more verses to select), you may select a finale from toward you. This movement doesn’t count as forced
those listed below. It affects you and all allies within movement, but also doesn’t provoke reactions.
Building Beacons

Range, following which this ability ends.

If you are Silenced, the effects of all verses are Hit them with a burn so sick they have to respond.
suppressed, and you don’t choose any new verses or
a finale until you have cleared the condition.
Wit Volley
VERSES: Ranged Weapon  Main Bow  Aetheric
Ø Verse of Heroes: +1 on attack rolls. Range 15 1d3+1 Force
Ø Verse of Journeys: +2 Speed.
Ø Verse of Relaxation: Gain resistance to Stress. On Hit: The target is Dazed until the end of their next
Ø Verse of Teamwork: +1 on all checks and saves. turn and is Marked.
7: Classes and Jobs

FINALE: The piercing force of this bow is inversely proportional

Ø The Last Stand: Gain 1d6+4 Focus. to the mental sharpness of the target. The dumber they
Ø The Storm Fades: Regain all MP. are, the more it hurts.
Ø Legends Never Die: Regain all HP.
Ø A New Beginning: Clear all Stress and conditions.
Ø The New World: Each character can shift up to
their Speed.

A skald can weave so much aether into a performance

that it becomes real. The audience feels the stories come
Running the Game

to life. they feel the emotions of the players; their hopes

and dreams.
Each ballad tells a specific story, each of its acts mirror
whatever is happening in the moment. Eventually, your
actions become inseparable from those in the story, and
are memorialized in all future retellings.

Skalds have many ways to support their allies, from

the free movement of Tempo to the accuracy of In-
spire. They are efficient users of Channel abilities,
using Encore to chain together channeling abilities
Appendices

each round.

184
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Parrying Dagger  Reaction (1/round) Song of Rest Channel
Support Item  Main Spell  3 Memory  Arcing Burst 3

Trigger: The result of an attack roll would meet or On Release: Allies within the AOE can spend a
exceed your Dodge. Recovery to regain all HP.

Effect: You make a melee attack roll. The result On each subsequent turn, you can spend 1 MP to
becomes your Dodge against the triggering attack, move to the next verse of the song as a minor action,

Building Beacons
potentially turning a hit into a miss. granting 3 temp HP to all allies within Burst 3 .
If the attack misses you, you can spend 1 Focus to If you don’t continue the song this way, the effect
deal 3 Stress to the attacker. ends.

Parrying daggers are held in the offhand and used purely This song is soothing and relaxing. Listeners find their
defensively. aches and pains begin to fade away.

Song of Defense Channel Soundwave Channel

Spell  2 MemoryArcing Spell  2 Memory  Mana 1

7: Classes and Jobs

Range = Scope, Blast 1
On Release: You and all allies within Range 5 gain
1 Focus. On each subsequent turn, you can spend On Release: This AOE is a zone. Choose one of the
1 MP to continue using this song as a minor action, following effects:
gaining an additional +1 Focus. If you don’t continue
the song this way, the effect ends. Ø Sound Vacuum: Characters in the zone when it is
created take 3 Stress . Characters are Silenced
Sharp, rapid beats keep listeners on their toes and alert and Vulnerable to Force while partly within
to the possibility of danger. the zone.
Ø Dead Silence: Characters fully within the zone
gain immunity to all subsequent spells and spell

Running the Game

effects. Existing spell effects are not affected.

You can have up to three of these zones in play at once.

You can dismiss a zone as a free action during your
turn. Otherwise, they last for the rest of the scene or
until you become Silenced or Stunned.

The signature spell of Solitaire, the Voice of Revolution.

As a sentient vocaloid, she has complete control over
soundwaves, which she uses to spread her message of
freedom for escognitive and nonorganic people like
herself.
Appendices

185
 THUNDERCLAW
Getting Started

STRIKER

Thunderclaws have mastered electricity. They use it to enhance their

physical abilities, giving them explosive speed and power.

T
hunderclaws are named after the
elite canine warriors that created BASE ATTRIBUTES
the fighting style. Training atop a SCOPE:5 SAVE TARGET:  10
mountain in the Thunderfields, they BULK MIND
gained unique insights into the prop- HP:8 STRESS CAP:  5
Building Beacons

erties of lightning. They learned how to RECOVERIES:5 MEMORY:  6

generate and channel it through their AGILITY MAGIC
bodies, and how to hold it within to DODGE:  10 A-DEF:  7
enhance their physical abilities. SPEED:  6 MP:  2

Ø What is unique about your fighting

style? TRAITS
Ø Where did you train, and why can’t
anyone else train there now? FlurryTrait
Ø What is the most dangerous
7: Classes and Jobs

technique you know, and why is You have pool of Flurry that starts at 0 and has a maximum of 6.
it dangerous? Whenever you hit with a melee attack, you gain +1 Flurry. When you
Ø What does it feel like to hold hit with a melee attack, you can spend Flurry as follows:
lightning within yourself?
Ø 1/round, you can spend 1 Flurry to deal +1d6 bonus damage of
the same type.
Ø 1/round, you can spend 6 Flurry to make a Stunning Strike, forcing
one of the targets to make a Bulk save. Failure: They are Stunned
and Dazed until the end of their next turn.
Running the Game

BalanceTrait

Once during each of your turns, you can convert any amount of Flurry
to an equal amount of Focus, or vice versa.

Fast as Lightning Minor Action

Trait  Mana 1

You Rush or make an improvised weapon attack.

Appendices

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT LIGHT MAIN LIGHT MAIN

186
187
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Living Lightning Free Action

Limit Break
Bottled Lightning Minor Action
You channel lightning directly into your body, pushing Support Item  Light  Consumable 2 Burst 2
it past its physical limits and immediately gaining 6
Flurry. Until the end of the scene, your Fast as Light- You expend a charge. Characters in the AOE with line of
ning trait doesn’t cost MP. When you spend 6 Flurry sight to you are Blinded until the end of their next turn.
to make a Stunning Strike, the target automatically
fails the save. Lightning captured in a bottle, bouncing around angrily
while it tries to find a way out. Open the bottle to release
Building Beacons

A bolt of magical lightning strikes the thunderclaw, it in a blinding flash of light.

but instead of discharging it, they hold it within their
body. Years of careful training allow the thunderclaw
to take this influx of energy and use it to enhance their Chakram Fight
physical abilities. Melee Weapon  Main Blade  Thrown 5
Supercharged thunderclaws can dart across the Reach 1 / Thrown 5 2 Physical
battlefield at breakneck speeds, delivering lightning-
charged strikes strong enough to punch through steel. When thrown, this weapon gains Arcing and deals
Lightning arcs off their body while in this state, as they +1 damage for every space traveled beyond the first.
contain the raw power of a bolt of lightning.
7: Classes and Jobs

Held lightning still wants to find a way out of a This thin disc of metal is made of a rare alloy that allows
thunderclaw’s body, and the longer it is held, the greater it to bounce off of surfaces and around corners.
the damage to the thunderclaw. If not discharged, this
technique will eventually kill the user.

Thunderclaws are highly mobile, with abilities that

allow them to quickly move around a battlefield, and
others that require specific positioning to maximize
their effects. The more attacks a Thunderclaw makes,
the more Flurry they can generate, so the Storm-
Running the Game

dancer talent’s third rank and other abilities that

allow for extra attacks are good choices for this class.
Appendices

188
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Lightning Bolt  Volley Chain Lightning Strikes Full Attack
Melee Spell Attack  2 Memory  Mana 1 Melee Skill Attack  3 Memory  Slow
Line 10 1d6+2 Astral Range 5 4 Astral

On Attack: Choose one of the following: On Attack: Choose a character within Range. You
teleport to a free adjacent space and make this attack
Ø Shocked: Characters in the AOE are Dazed and can’t against them.
perform reactions until the end of their next turn. You can then repeat this attack, targeting a differ-

Building Beacons
Ø Drained: On Hit: Target loses MP equal to the ent character each time, and increasing the damage
total number of characters within the AOE, and by +1 Astral every time you make the attack roll
you regain 1 MP. until the end of the turn. Each character can only be
targeted by this ability 1/turn.
Your body is the generator. Your hand directs the flow.
Let the lightning loose. Become a bolt of lightning arcing across the battlefield,
finding the shortest path between your foes.

Wolf Claws Fight Kinetic Redistributor Reaction (1/round)

7: Classes and Jobs

Melee Weapon  Light Club  Piercing Support Item  Main
Reach 1 2 Physical
Trigger: A ranged attack roll is made against you.
On Hit: After dealing damage, you can shift a
number of spaces equal to the total damage of Effect: You either impose +1 on the attack or gain
the attack. If you end this movement next to a 2 Focus.
different enemy than the one you attacked, you can
deal 1 Piercing Physical to them. The thunderclaw fighting style prioritizes efficient
movements and using opponents’ momentum against
Wolf claws are tipped with an indestructible material, them. This logic can be applied to projectiles as well,
allowing them to tear through anything. as demonstrated by the ability of thunderclaws to

Running the Game

capture incoming arrows and use their momentum
for defense.

Appendices

189
 TIDECALLER
Getting Started

CONTROLLER / SUPPORT

Tidecallers command the oceans and waters. They can manipulate

currents to reposition allies and hinder enemies.

C
ommon wisdom suggests that only
a fool braves the seas without a tide- BASE ATTRIBUTES
caller. Their command over water SCOPE:8 SAVE TARGET:  12
and their insight into weather patterns BULK MIND
make them invaluable additions to any HP:8 STRESS CAP:  6
Building Beacons

seafaring vessel. RECOVERIES:3 MEMORY:  6

Tidecallers are strongly associated AGILITY MAGIC
with water-aspect aether, known for its DODGE:  6 A-DEF:  10
healing properties. A drop of this mag- SPEED:  5 MP:  5
ical water can heal a small cut, while a
deluge can repair deadly wounds and
restore vitality. An often-forgotten TRAITS
aspect of water-aspect aether is its
weight. Surprisingly, small quantities Rising TideTrait
can knock a grown person off their
7: Classes and Jobs

feet and drag them around in its wake. You have an Aquatic Adaptation. Additionally, 1/turn when you
inflict forced movement on an enemy, one of your allies within Scope
Ø What secret do you know about may shift the same number of spaces. You can’t use this effect if you
the ocean? are Stunned.
Ø How do you accurately predict the
weather?
Ø What underwater-dwelling person River Current Minor Action
do you owe a favor to? Trait  Mana 1 Range = Scope, Line 6
Ø How do people typically travel
across open water? This AOE is a river current – a zone that can be pointed in any direction.
It suppresses the effects of difficult and dangerous terrain within it.
Running the Game

When an ally enters the river current, they can choose to slide to
a free space in the zone. Each ally can do this 1/turn.
This river current lasts for the rest of the scene or until you create
a new one, become Stunned, or are defeated.

Water Veil Reaction

Trait  Mana 1

Trigger: An ally uses a river current.

Effect: They become Invisible until the start of their next turn. If
Appendices

they are attacked while outside of the river current, Invisible ends
after that attack.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

LIGHT MAIN LIGHT LIGHT

190
191
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Tidal WavePhase Skirmish

Limit Break
Rainfall  Channel
Choose one side of the map. A wave of water washes Spell  1 Memory  Arcing
towards that side from the other, and all enemies Range = Scope, Blast 1
must make Bulk saves. Failure: They are pushed 6
spaces in a straight line towards the chosen side of the On Release: This AOE is a zone. Choose one of the
map, are Dazed and Disarmed until the end of their following options:
next turn, and are knocked Prone. Success: They are
pushed half as many spaces and are knocked Prone. Ø Soothing Rain: Characters that start their turn in
Building Beacons

Enemies that hit a character or obstruction when the zone clear all Discord and 1 Stress. This zone
pushed by this ability take 5 Physical and are lasts until you use this ability again.
Sundered until they clear the condition. Ø Downpour: Characters are Blinded while in the
zone. This zone lasts until the end of your next turn,
Tidecallers have control over the seas, but even when far but on each of your turns you can extend it to the
away from the ocean, their power is no less deadly. end of your following turn by spending 1 MP as
When there isn’t water around to command, a long as you aren’t Silenced or Stunned.
tidecaller can converts the ambient aether in the
atmosphere to water aether, drawing the moisture out Call down a soothing rainstorm infused with healing
of everything to form a roaring wave. magic, or a torrential downpour.
7: Classes and Jobs

Tidecallers use spells to move their allies and ene- Storm Surge Volley
mies around the battlefield with Rising Tide and Ranged Spell Attack  2 Memory  Arcing,
River Current, while providing healing support Aetheric, Indirect
with spells like Tidal Healing. Their rank 3 Whirl- Range = Scope, Line 4 2 Stress
pool ability is incredibly strong in combat scenes
that require controlling an area, like Acquisition This attack’s AOE can point in any direction.
or Control.
On Hit: Targets are pushed to the furthest free spac-
es within the Line, following its direction. You can
Running the Game

spend 1 MP to force all hit targets to make a Bulk save.

Failure: They fall Prone.

This spell forces water into a high-pressure jet strong

enough to knock down a wall.
Appendices

192
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Abyssal Scepter Volley Drown  Volley
Ranged Weapon  Main Artifact  Aetheric Ranged Spell Attack  2 Memory  Aetheric,
Range 8, Reach 1 1d3+2 Lunar Indirect Range = Scope 1 Discord

On Hit: You can spend 1 MP to create a Burst 2 On Hit: Choose one of the following:
AOE around the target. All characters in the area are
pulled to the closest free space adjacent to the target. Ø Engulf Lungs: If the target gains Discord from
this attack, they are Silenced until they clear all

Building Beacons
This artifact creates crushing forces using a pearl from their Discord.
the abyssal depths of the sea. Ø Submerge: The target must make a Magic save.
Failure: They are Blinded until the end of their
next turn.
Tidal Healing Channel
Spell  2 Memory  Mana 2 Range = Scope Pool water in their mouth and lungs, drowning them
from the inside.
On Release: One ally within Range regains up to
1d6+4 HP. Another ally within Range 5 of them
regains up to half of that amount. You may continue Whirlpool Channel

7: Classes and Jobs

healing new allies in this fashion, halving the amount Spell  2 Memory  Mana 2
healed each time, until there are no other allies within Range = Scope, Blast 2
Range 5 of the last target, or the healing reaches
1 HP. Each character can only benefit from this On Release: This AOE is a zone. When it is created,
healing 1/turn. you may slide characters in the zone to any free space
within the zone, after which they are Immobilized.
This spell concentrates healing magic into a liquid They can clear Immobilized by succeeding on a Bulk
essence, which can then be manipulated by tidecallers. save as a minor action.
This healing water bounces between targets, trying The zone is difficult terrain. It lasts until you dis-
to spread its magic among as many vessels as miss it as a free action or use this ability again.
possible. On subsequent turns, you can spend 1 MP as a

Running the Game

minor action to slide any number of characters in
the zone again.

The best tidecallers can treat ambient aetheric energy

like liquid, creating swirling vortexes from which there
can be no escape.
Appendices

193
 WARDEN
Getting Started

DEFENDER

The earth heeds the call of the wardens, rising to restrict their
foes while the wardens endure with the planet’s lifeforce.

W
ardens are connected to the life-
force of the planet, controlling the BASE ATTRIBUTES
elements of earth and rock. They SCOPE:5 SAVE TARGET:  10
feel what the planet feels, and when BULK MIND
it cries out in pain, they rise to defend HP:12 STRESS CAP:  6
Building Beacons

it. In return, they can draw upon the RECOVERIES:6 MEMORY:  5

strength of the planet itself to protect AGILITY MAGIC
themselves. DODGE:  6 A-DEF:  8
Wardens can connect and attune SPEED:  5 MP:  2
to any planet or plane to which they
travel, although doing so may change
how their powers look or work. Travel- TRAITS
ing to a dimension of fire, for example,
a warden might find their hair turning Earthen SlideTrait
to flame, and their powers becoming
7: Classes and Jobs

wreathed in flame. When you Interpose and end your movement adjacent to the attacker,
you can make them Slowed until the end of their next turn.
Ø What earthlike features do you Additionally, you gain the Earthen Slide skill, which is equipped
have? Rocky skin, stone hair, for free.
something else?
Ø What creature or spirit did you
learn from? Earthen Slide Reaction
Ø How does the planet communicate Skill  Focus 1, Innate, Unique
with you?
Ø What are the unique properties of Trigger: An enemy or ally starts their turn within your Scope.
the tree from which one of your
Running the Game

pieces of equipment is made? Effect: You slide them 1 space.

Grasping VinesTrait

When an enemy starts their turn adjacent to you or is moved adja-

cent to you by Earthen Slide, you can spend 1 Focus to make them
Slowed until the end of their next turn. You can’t use this ability if you
are Disarmed, Silenced, or Stunned.

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

Appendices

MAIN HEAVY LIGHT LIGHT MAIN

194
195
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Gaia’s Wrath Free Action

Limit Break
Lifeblood
You become an avatar of nature for the rest of the Skill  1 Memory
scene or until you return to your usual state as a free
action. You gain the following benefits: You gain +1 on Magic saves.
Additionally, you can make a special Magic check
Ø You gain +1 Size (to a maximum of Size 3) and any to clear Discord immediately after receiving it and
adjacent characters are pushed to the nearest free taking the relevant discord damage. Success: You
space to accommodate your new Size. clear all Discord.
Building Beacons

Ø You gain 2 Focus at the start of each of your turns. You still make a magic check to clear Discord at
Ø When you hit a character with any attack, they are the end of your turn as normal.
Slowed until the end of their next turn. A character
that is already Slowed is also Immobilized until The lifeblood of the planet flows through your veins.
the end of their next turn.

You connect to the aetheric streams that crisscross the Inner Reserves
Reflection – the leylines. You become an extension of the Skill  2 Memory
Reflection’s will; an avatar of its wrath and destruction.
It acts through you, giving you the power to achieve its When you Refresh, you gain 2 Focus.
7: Classes and Jobs

goals. Your goals. Our goals.

You are never down and out. As long as you still breathe,
you fight. As long as you can still move, you protect. As
The Warden’s Earthen Slide and Grasping Vines long as you still live, there is hope.
let them bring enemies close and keep them there.
From there, they can use their Greatoak Mauler or
other close range AOEs to punish clusters of ene-
mies. The Great Weapon Master talent works great
with this type of playstyle.
Running the Game
Appendices

196
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Nature Vortex  Channel Greatoak Mauler Full Attack
Melee Spell Attack  2 Memory  Auto-Hit, Melee Weapon  Heavy Club  Slow
Mana 1 Burst 3 2 Stress Reach 1 3d6 Physical

On Release: All enemies of your choice within the On Hit: All enemies adjacent to you take Physical equal
AOE are auto-hit for 2 Stress , pulled to the closest to the highest d6 result for this weapon’s damage.
free space adjacent to you, and Immobilized until
the end of their next turn. If there are no available To make a greatoak mauler requires wood sourced from

Building Beacons
adjacent spaces, they are pulled to the free space a tree at least a thousand years old. The wood is dipped
closest to you. directly into a ley line, strengthening it with the aetheric
energies of the Reflection itself.
Vines and roots erupt from the ground and your skin,
grabbing anything nearby and pulling it close.
Weight of Earth
Skill  2 Memory
Earthwarden’s Shield
Support Item  Main When you hit a character with a reaction attack, they
are Immobilized until the start of their next turn.

7: Classes and Jobs

+1 Armor. When you Interpose, you can spend an
additional Focus to gain resistance to any damage “It was just a halfling wearing some sort of skull mask and
from the attack. holding a wooden dagger, so we didn’t think anything
of it. As soon as we stepped close, they flung the dagger
This shield is a gift from the Reflection itself: a giant hunk at us, and I swear to Terram, it pinned Zelk to the wall! It
of crystal with a grip fitted perfectly to your hand. went straight through his armor and shoulder! No one is
that strong – it was just a wooden dagger!”

Running the Game

Appendices

197
 WARLORD
Getting Started

SUPPORT

Warlords are commanders of the battlefield. They lead their allies

to victory, making them better fighters in the process.

T
acticians and leaders, warlords are
the glue that holds their groups BASE ATTRIBUTES
together. They feel the rhythm of SCOPE:12 SAVE TARGET:  10
battle, adjusting their plans, tactics, BULK MIND
and people accordingly. HP:10 STRESS CAP:  5
Building Beacons

Warlords can either be backline RECOVERIES:5 MEMORY:  7

strategists, supporting their allies with AGILITY MAGIC
intelligence and positioning, or front- DODGE:  7 A-DEF:  6
line commanders, leading by example SPEED:  5 MP:  2
in the thick of battle.

Ø Why are people willing to follow TRAITS

your command?
Ø When did one of your decisions Focused PlanTrait
save the day?
7: Classes and Jobs

Ø What tactical mistake have you 1/round when you make a character Marked, an ally of your choice
promised to never let happen can Volley or perform a Phase Brawl action against the Marked
again? character as a reaction with +1 .
Ø Who do you wish you could learn
from or serve under?
Take a BreatherTrait

When you or an ally within Scope performs Refresh, another char-

acter of your choice within Range 10 of that character gains 1d6+1
temp HP.
Running the Game

WEAPON SLOTS SUPPORT SLOTS

MAIN MAIN LIGHT LIGHT MAIN
Appendices

198
199
 LIMIT BREAK
RANK 1
Getting Started

Follow My Lead Free Action

Limit Break
Command Phase Skirmish
Until the end of the scene, any time you perform your Skill  2 Memory
standard action, an ally of your choice can perform
a standard action from the same phase as a reaction. An ally within Scope can immediately make a weapon
Each ally can benefit from this effect 1/scene. or spell attack with +2 as a reaction. You can take
1 Stress to remove the .
You lead by example, your actions inspiring others to
do the same. Your confidence bleeds over to your allies, You command someone to take an action. Those that
Building Beacons

creating a positive feedback loop between them and know you and know your leadership style trust in your
you. Your confidence inspires, their loyalty enkindles. wisdom.
Together, you all act as one.

Standard of Courage  Minor Action

Warlords make their allies better. They can grant Support Item  Main  Summon
extra attacks with Focused Plan or have allies at-
tack on their behalf with Command. Marks are the Standard (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0)
primary way that warlords provide support or trigger
their abilities, and the Spotter talent helps them You plant a standard in a free adjacent space.
7: Classes and Jobs

apply more of them. It creates a Burst 2 zone. You and your allies in the
zone gain +1 on attack rolls, checks, and saves, and
when you or an ally start their turn in the zone, they
gain 2 temp HP.
During your turn, you can pick up and move the
standard when you move, placing it in another free
adjacent space.
This Summon can only be dismissed with a minor
action while adjacent to it. You can only have one
standard in play at a time and it retains its current
HP when dismissed. It regains all HP during Rests.
Running the Game

If defeated, this support item is destroyed.

You carry a flag as a symbol of your unit. Those that see

it know that any units near it fall under your command
and protection.
Appendices

200
 RANK 2 RANK 3

Getting Started
Frontline Fight Focus Target
Melee Weapon  Main Longarm Skill  3 Memory  Stressful 2, Unique
Reach 2 1d6+2 Physical
1/round when an ally within Scope consumes a
On Crit: You can teleport one willing ally within Scope Mark, another ally of your choice within Scope can
up to 5 spaces. make a weapon or spell attack against the target as
a reaction.
Before battle, the troops gather around for a meal. As

Building Beacons
a surprise, their commander produces a treat – a deer It is more efficient to focus your attacks on one target at
they had hunted earlier in the day and prepared in the a time instead of spreading your blows around. If you
style of their homeland. As everyone enjoys the meal can take out an enemy, they pose no threat to you. But
and camaraderie, their aetheric fields become attuned a wounded enemy can still fight, and can wound you in
to the spear lying nearby. return. So, do everyone a favor, and make sure they’re
The next day, in the heat of battle, the commander dead before moving onto the next.
finds themselves separated from their troops. Facing
certain doom, the commander readies their spear. In
response, they feel aetheric energies beginning to rise Rally Reaction
from the spear, and then see a flash of light. The light Skill  2 Memory

7: Classes and Jobs

fades, and the commander sees their troops stood before
them, weapons raised and ready to fight. Trigger: An ally within Scope takes a Wound or Over-
stress.

Lead from the Front Effect: No excess damage or Stress carries over, and
Skill  1 Memory  Unique your ally gains +4 temp HP and clears any Discord
and conditions.
When you Fight or perform a Full Attack with
a melee weapon, one ally of your choice within Scope “Rally to me! I will be your shield; I will hold the line! Their
gains 2 temp HP. assault ends here!”

Running the Game

You take to the battlefield, making your way to the front-
lines. Your tactical prowess hadn’t been questioned, but
now neither will your martial prowess either.

Appendices

201
 8: TALENTS
Getting Started

Talents are bundles of abilities you can learn that Talents come in three ranks: rank 1, rank 2, and rank
aren’t tied to specific classes. Each talent has three 3. Ranks must be taken in order; you need rank 1 in a
ranks. Beacons start with three talents at rank 1. talent to take rank 2, and you need rank 2 to take rank 3.
When you level up, you can increase the rank of an
existing talent or gain a new one at rank 1.
Once you have a talent, its effects are always avail-
able to you.
Building Beacons

AETH E RBE NDE R A RC H MAG E

Your magical expertise gives you insight into the Archmages stand at the pinnacle of aetheric research.
manipulation of spells for different effects. They manipulate magic in ways that others can only
dream of.
Rank 1: Aetheric Upgrade
You can apply the following effects to your spells. Each Rank 1: Spell Sculptor
spell can only be affected by one at a time: When you use a spell or artifact weapon with an AOE,
Ø Far Spell: When you use a spell, you can spend 1 you can spend 1 MP to allow one character in the AOE
8: Talents

MP to do so with +5 Range. to ignore the effect.

Ø Fast Spell: During your turn, you can use Volley
or Fight spells during earlier phases, but no Rank 2: Arcane Turret
earlier than Phase Bolster. For each phase You gain the following benefits:
earlier than its normal phase, you spend 1 MP. Ø When you are channeling, you gain +2 Armor, to
Ø Quiet Spell: When you use a spell while Hidden, a maximum of 4.
you can spend 2 MP to remain Hidden after the Ø Taking Stress doesn’t trigger concentration saves.
spell resolves.
Running the Game

Rank 3: Focused Caster

Rank 2: Advanced Aetheric Upgrade The following option is added to your Reroll Table:
You add the following effects to your Aetheric Ø Mana Effort: Spend 1 MP.
Upgrades options:
Ø Flexible Spell: When you make a spell attack,
you can spend 1 MP to change the defense that it A R MO R E D D E F E ND E R
targets (Dodge or A-Def). Armor keeps you alive. The stronger and more
Ø Empowered Spell: When you use a spell that reliable your armor is, the longer you stay alive.
involves a save, you can spend 2 MP to impose
+1 on any saves it causes. Rank 1: Reinforced Plating
Ø Repeated Spell: When you make a non-AOE spell After you Defend, you can spend Focus, temporarily
Appendices

attack, you can spend 3 MP to attack two targets. gaining +1 Armor per Focus spent, to a maximum of
They must be within Range 5 of each other and 6 Armor. This lasts until the start of your next turn or
within your Scope. until you next take Physical, Astral, Lunar, or Force.

Rank 3: Aether Mixer Rank 2: Adamantine Armor

You can apply two different Aetheric Upgrade options Your Armor support items become Unbreakable.
at once, spending the MP for each effect.
Additionally, you gain 1 MP when you crit with a Rank 3: Battle Hardened
spell attack. When you reduce a source of damage to 0, you negate
all other effects the attack or ability would have on
you, including on-hit effects.

202
 ARTIFICE R Rank 3: Perfection
You have been building your own custom weapon and Your Experimental Weapon no longer malfunctions

Getting Started
while it’s not what most would consider “stable”, it’s and loses the Reloading tag. Additionally, when you
close enough for field testing. equip your Experimental Weapon or during a Long
Rest, you may choose one of the following improve-
Rank 1: Experimental Weapon ments for your weapon:
When you gain this talent or during a Long Rest, you Ø Clunky: Your weapon’s damage becomes 2d6+3
create an Experimental Weapon, which is equipped but it gains Reloading.
for free. You can only have one Experimental Weapon Ø Increased Range: Your weapon gains +1 Reach if
at a time. melee or +5 Range if ranged.
Ø Increased Damage: Your weapon’s damage
Experimental Weapon Volley (Ranged) /
3 becomes 1d6+4.

Building Beacons
 5 Fight (Melee) Ø Punch Through: Your weapon gains Piercing.
Custom Weapon  Main Custom  Unique,
Reloading Range X 1d6+2 Damage
A RT IL L E R IST
You have built this weapon yourself. You can choose The ability to shoot your enemy before they can hit
some of its features when you equip it, and change you is a critical advantage. Artillerists can squeeze
them during Long Rests. out every inch of range from their weapons.
Choose a damage type (Physical, Astral, Lunar,
or Force) and one of the following profiles: Rank 1: Siege Mode
You may use your standard movement to enter or

8: Talents
Ø Melee Weapon: Blade, Club, Longarm, or exit Siege Mode instead of moving. While in Siege
Magitech Reach 1 Mode, you are always Immobilized and your ranged
Ø Ranged Weapon: Artifact, Bow, or Magitech weapon attacks gain +3 Range and Arcing.
Range 10
Rank 2: Siege Ammo
This weapon doesn’t need to be reloaded after every 1/round when you make a ranged weapon attack in
use. Instead, roll a d6 Malfunction Die after each Siege Mode, you can spend 1 MP to apply one of the
use. On a 5–6, the weapon must be reloaded. following effects in a Burst 1 AOE around one of

Running the Game

the targets. The primary target is included in the area.
Ø Aethermarker Round: Characters in the AOE must
make a Magic save. Failure: They are Marked.
Rank 2: Improvements Ø Concussion Round: Characters in the AOE must
Your Experimental Weapon only malfunctions on a make a Mind save. Failure: They are Dazed until
result of 6 on the Malfunction Die. Additionally, you may the end of their next turn.
choose two of the following improvements for your Ø Grounding Round: Characters in the AOE must
weapon each time you equip it or during Long Rests. make a Bulk save. Failure: They are knocked
Ø +Tag (Can be Chosen Twice): Your Experimental Prone.
Weapon gains one of the following: Accurate, Ø Shrapnel Round: Characters in the AOE must
Aetheric, Arcing, Push 1, Reliable 2, or Thrown 5. make an Agility save. Failure: They take
Appendices

Ø +AOE: When you attack with your Experimental 2 Piercing Physical .

Weapon, you can spend 1 MP to attack with either
of the following AOEs instead of its normal Range. Rank 3: Aetheric Bombard
‘ Ranged Weapon: Line 8 , or Blast 1 within Siege Mode has the following effects:
weapon’s Range. Ø You gain +3 Scope.
‘ Melee Weapon: Burst 1 or Close Blast 1 . Ø Your spells gain Arcing.
Ø You have immunity to all forced movement and
benefit from soft cover against attacks further
than Range 8 .

203
 BR AW LE R B R EA K E R
The unarmed gladiator leagues of Bastion are among Clubs are highly effective weapons against armor.
Getting Started

its most popular fighting competitions. The leagues Worst-case scenario, their powerful blows dent and
draw in competitors from dozens of different fighting deform armor, restricting foes’ movements. Best-case
styles, ensuring the bouts are always dynamic and scenario, they crush enemies inside their armor.
fun. Gladiators in the league assume over-the-top
personas and quickly amass dedicated fans. Rank 1: Dazing Blows
1/round when you hit a character with a club, they
Rank 1: Quick Hands must make a Bulk save. Failure: They are Dazed until
You can take 1 Stress to Grapple or Shove the end of their next turn.
as a minor action.
Additionally, you gain +1 on attacks against Rank 2: Sunder Armor
Building Beacons

targets Grappled by you. When you crit with a club, the target is Sundered until
the end of their next turn and they receive –1 Armor
Rank 2: Fisticuffs (to a minimum of 0) for the rest of the scene.
Your improvised weapon attacks deal 1d6 Physical ,
and gain Reach 1 , which allows them to be used Rank 3: Ring the Bell
with Opportunity Attacks. You gain the Ring the Bell action.
Additionally, when you crit with an improvised
weapon attack, choose one: Ring the Bell Channel
Ø The target is Dazed until the end of their next turn. Talent
Ø You automatically succeed on a Shove against
8: Talents

the target. On Release: You make a melee attack with any club,
even a Slow one:
Rank 3: Submission Ø On Hit: The weapon hits as normal, and the target
You gain the Submission action. is Stunned until the end of their next turn.
Ø On Miss: The weapon still hits as normal, but
Submission Channel doesn’t trigger any on-hit effects (e.g., Push, Pull,
Talent etc).
Running the Game

On Channel: A character Grappled by you becomes

Dazed until after you release this ability, and receives
+1 on checks to break the grapple. This effect ends
and the ability is cancelled if the target ceases to be
Grappled by you.

On Release: The target takes 2d6+3 Physical

and must succeed on a Bulk save or be Disarmed
and Silenced until the end of their next turn.
Appendices

204
 COMMANDE R The Copycat talent is intended for fun, casual play
The difference between a good commander and a only. It’s not intended to be balanced. Check with

Getting Started
bad one is trust. A bad commander issues orders and your GM to see if they want this talent to be used.
expects them to be followed because of their rank. A
good commander knows their troops and trusts them
to follow orders, and the team trusts the commander D EA D EY E
to keep them alive. Everyone knows that you’re better off hitting a specific
body part than lashing out blindly, but it’s incredibly
Rank 1: Commander’s Mark difficult to put that knowledge into practice during a
When you make a character Marked, you can make it real fight. Those with the speed, skill, and accuracy to
a special Commander’s Mark. It functions as a normal reliably do so can end fights quickly.
Mark, but when an ally consumes it, you roll a 1d6: on

Building Beacons
a 5+, the target stays Marked with the Commander’s Rank 1: Precision
Mark. You can only have one Commander’s Mark at Minor Action: You take 1 Stress to gain +1 on
a time; placing a new one turns the old one into a your next attack roll this turn. On a crit, it gains the
normal Mark. Piercing tag.

Rank 2: Planning Rank 2: Body Parts

When an ally uses the Strain option from the Reroll 1/round when you crit on an attack roll, you can
Table on an attack against a character with your choose to deal half damage and apply one of the
Commander’s Mark, the Stress cost is reduced by 1. following additional effects:
Additionally, your Commander’s Marks remain on Ø Foot: The target is Immobilized until the end of

8: Talents
a result of 4+ instead of a 5+. their next turn.
Ø Head: The target is Dazed until the end of their
Rank 3: Order next turn.
1/round when you make a character Marked, you Ø Leg: The target is Slowed until the end of their
can announce an action that you want any ally to take next turn.
against that target. The first ally that takes that action
against the target while they are Marked gains temp Rank 3: Pinpoint Lethality
HP equal to your Grit+2. The following are added to the list of Body Parts

Running the Game

options:
Ø Arm: The target is Disarmed until the end of their
COPYCAT next turn.
Copycats possess the rare ability to mimic the abilities Ø Throat: The target is Silenced until the end of
of others. Those in possession of metamorphic ore their next turn.
can even copy the equipment of their enemies. Ø Eye: The target is Blinded until the end of their
next turn.
Rank 1: Scan
You can Search as a minor action.

Rank 2: Copy
Appendices

When you Search an enemy to learn about their

ability scores, attributes, and abilities, you can spend 1
MP to gain access to one of those pieces of equipment
or techniques until the end of the scene. You can only
copy one thing at a time.

Rank 3: Imitate
Copy can now be used to gain access to enemy traits,
and you can copy up to two things at once.
Additionally, when an enemy uses a piece of equip-
ment, technique, or trait within your line of sight, you
can spend 1 MP to gain access to it until the end of
the scene.

205
 E NC H A NT E R
Infusing items with aetheric energy allows you to grant them unique traits. Enchanted weapons are always better
Getting Started

than their mundane counterparts.

Rank 1: Apprentice Enchanter Rank 2: Portfolio of Formulas

Each quest, you can equip one of the following You can apply one of your Enchantments to two
support items – Keen, Variable, or Aspected – for free. different things.
Additionally, the following support items –
Keen Adamant, Speed, and Vorpal – are added to the list of
Support Item  Enchantment available support items from Apprentice Enchanter.

You may use one of the following Enchantments Adamant

Building Beacons

at a time: Support Item  Enchantment

Ø Any Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell Attack that
deals damage: On a crit with this ability, you deal You may use one of the following Enchantments
+1d3 bonus damage. at a time:
Ø Any Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell Attack that Ø Any Armor: As a minor action while wearing
deals Stress: On a crit with this ability, you deal this armor, you can gain 1 Focus.
+2 Stress. Ø Any Weapon or Spell Attack: On a crit with this
Ø Any Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell Attack that ability, you gain 1 Focus.
deals Discord: On a crit with this ability, you deal
+1 Discord.
8: Talents

Speed
Support Item  Enchantment
Variable
Support Item  Enchantment You may use one of the following Enchantments
at a time:
You may use the following Enchantment: Ø Any Non-Slow Weapon: You can Volley or
Ø Any Equipment or Technique: When you apply Fight (as relevant) with this weapon during
this Enchantment, Refresh, or Rest, you can Phase Bolster.
Running the Game

change its damage type from Physical, Astral, Ø Any Armor: While wearing this armor, you can
Lunar, or Force to another one of these damage take Phase Reposition actions during Phase
types. Bolster.

Aspected Vorpal
Support Item  Enchantment Support Item  Enchantment

You may use one of the following Enchantments You may use the following Enchantment:
at a time: Ø Any Melee Weapon: 1/round when you roll the
Ø Any Armor: You gain +1 to checks and saves with highest possible value on a damage die as part
Appendices

one ability score – Bulk, Agility, Mind, or Magic – of a melee attack with this weapon, roll that die
chosen when you apply this Enchantment. again and add that result to the total damage.
Ø Any Equipment or Technique: When you attack This effect can trigger multiple times.
with this ability, you can spend 1 MP to give it Only the damage from the weapon triggers
the Aetheric tag, or to remove it. This change this effect, not any bonus damage or extra sources
lasts for the rest of the scene or until you use of damage. On a crit, resolve which damage dice
this ability again. are being used before doing any of the rerolls.

Rank 3: Master Enchanter

You may have one ability at a time with two Enchantments applied, instead of just one. Additionally, you can
equip a single Enchantment support item for free, which can be an additional one from this talent.

206
 G R EAT W EAP ON MASTER G UN K ATA
Heavy weapons have the advantage of great size, In a prolonged firefight, it’s just as important to avoid

Getting Started
allowing powerful swings that create space between getting shot as it is to accurately hit your enemies.
the wielder and their enemies. This fighting style uses movements meant to avoid
the most commonly attacked areas.
Rank 1: Cleaveent
1/round after you hit and deal damage to a character Rank 1: CQC
with a Heavy melee weapon attack, you can take Your ranged weapons with Reach don’t receive from
1 Stress to Cleave. Choose a different character being Engaged if your target is within their Reach.
within the weapon’s Reach and your line of sight,
even a Hidden one. That character takes damage Rank 2: Bullet Time
equal to half the total damage dealt to the original Your Light ranged weapons that don’t have Reach

Building Beacons
target. The Cleave target can’t have been a target of gain Reach 1 . Additionally, 1/turn when you crit
the original attack. with a ranged attack against a target within that
weapon’s Reach, you gain 1 Focus.
Rank 2: Carry Through
When you roll damage from a Heavy melee weapon, Rank 3: Death-Blossom
you can choose to treat any 1s as 2s. You have a d6 Gun Kata Die that starts at 1. Each time
Additionally, when you use Cleave, you can choose you make a reaction attack, increase the value of the
to gain temp HP equal to the amount of damage you Gun Kata Die by +1, to a maximum of 6. When the die
would deal to the second target instead of dealing reaches 6, you can reset it to 1 as a free action during
that damage. You lose that amount of temp HP at the your turn to deal 6 Physical split however you like

8: Talents
start of your next turn. If the first attack was a crit, you among any enemies of your choice within Range 3 .
can both deal damage and gain temp HP. 1/turn you can spend 1 Focus as a free action to
increase the value of your Gun Kata Die by +1.
Rank 3: Wide Cleave Your Gun Kata Die keeps its value between scenes,
When you roll damage from a Heavy melee weapon, but resets to 1 during Long Rests.
you can choose to treat any rolled 1s or 2s as 3s.
If you defeat an enemy with damage from Cleave,
you can trigger Cleave again that turn, bypassing the 1/ H O SPITA L L E R

Running the Game

round limitation. This effect can trigger multiple times. The battlefield is no place for proper medicine and
care, but in a pinch, the presence of a hospitaller can
mean the difference between life and death.

Rank 1: Reserves
When you Refresh, you can pick two different
options from the second list instead of one.

Rank 2: Help
When you Refresh, an adjacent ally gains temp
HP equal to your Grit+3.
Appendices

Rank 3: Medic
When you Refresh, you can spend a Recovery for
an adjacent ally to also gain the benefits of whatever
options you selected.

207
 JUG GE RNAUT K NIF E JUG G L E R
“Never stop moving. If something stands in your way, With a quick flick of the wrist, the knife in your hand
Getting Started

run them over. You are unstoppable.” disappears, already embedded in your target.
– Captain Inyanafretziel, retired beacon,
training a new generation of linebreakers Rank 1: Thrower
Your Light melee weapons gain Thrown 3, and your
Rank 1: Leverage Main melee weapons gain Thrown 1.
You are considered to have +1 Size for Shove and Additionally, at the end of your turn all weapons
being smaller doesn’t impose . you threw that turn return to you.
Additionally, when you successfully Shove, you
can choose to push the target up to 3 spaces instead Rank 2: Perfectly Balanced
of 1. All of your Thrown weapons gain +2 Thrown (e.g.,
Building Beacons

Thrown 3 becomes Thrown 5).

Rank 2: Locomotion Additionally, you can make thrown attacks with
1/round when you push a character into another Light Thrown weapons using Fight during Phase
character or object, the pushed character takes Skirmish instead of during Phase Brawl.
1d6 Physical . If you push them into another char-
acter, both must also make an Agility save against Rank 3: Flick
your Save Target. Failure: They fall Prone. Minor Action (1/round): You can make a thrown
attack with a Light Thrown weapon. This attack can’t
Rank 3: Runaway Train deal bonus damage and doesn’t trigger linked attacks.
You gain the Runaway Train action.
8: Talents

Runaway Train Rush K NIG H T

Talent “To Aliarra Landsritter, we award you the title of
Knight Champion for your feats of courage, bravery,
You move up to your Speed in a straight line. and strength in the face of overwhelming opposition.”
While doing this, you ignore Engagement and The honorary title of knight is awarded to
difficult terrain, and you can move through other individuals for exemplary service to a nation. While
characters’ spaces. working towards earning that title, many warriors
Running the Game

Deal 10 Piercing Physical × your Size (mini- focus on selfless acts of protection on the battlefield.
mum 10) to any objects in your path. If you destroy
an object that would be an obstruction, you con- Rank 1: Phalanx
tinue moving. When you Defend, you can choose one of the
If you move through a character, they must succeed following effects instead of gaining Focus normally:
on an Agility save or be automatically affected by a Ø Roll 1d3 for each ally within Range 3 and take
Shove from you, and be pushed out of your path. the highest result, gaining Focus equal to the result
plus your Armor.
Ø You gain Focus equal to 1d3 plus the number of
allies within Range 3 .

Rank 2: Perfect Parry

Appendices

When you Interpose, you can also Counterattack

during the same turn.

Rank 3: Hunker Down

Instead of using your standard movement, you can
perform a second minor action, but it must be a
different minor action.

208
 L ANCET L IC H
The lancets are an elite group of dragon riders. As the Liches are arcanists that have discovered a path to

Getting Started
final stage of membership, the inductee must procure immortality. By creating a device called a soul vessel,
a piece of astral ore, which is used to forge their iconic the would-be lich can make a copy of their soul and
lancet spear. store it inside. Upon death, a new body is formed
around the soul vessel, and the process begins anew.
Rank 1: Quick Step
You can shift 1 after attacking with a longarm. Rank 1: Soul Vessel
You gain the Soul Vessel support item, which is
Rank 2: Poke and Prod equipped for free.
When you crit with a longarm, the target is Weakened
until the end of their next turn. Soul Vessel Minor Action

Building Beacons
Support Item  Light  Consumable 1, Innate,
Rank 3: Impale Summon, Unique
1/turn when you attack with a longarm, you can turn
the attack into a Line attack with a length equal to Soul Vessel (Size 1/2, HP 10, Dodge/A-Def 5, Speed 0)
the weapon’s Reach.
You expend a charge and summon your soul vessel
in a free adjacent space. While it is in play, you gain
L EYLINE WALKE R the Reformed reaction.
First discovered by General Magnus, leylines are
seams of aetheric energy that that crisscross the

8: Talents
world. Leyline walkers can sense these veins, and tap ReformedReaction
into their power.
Trigger: You would take damage or Stress from
Rank 1: Leyline Sensor another character.
At the start of each combat scene, create three
Blast 1 zones – your ley nodes – anywhere on Effect: The damage or Stress is immediately
the map. This doesn’t require line of sight but these negated along with any other effects. You im-
zones can’t contain any enemy spaces. If you or an mediately teleport to your soul vessel, which is

Running the Game

ally starts their turn fully within one of these zones, then destroyed.
roll a d6. On a 5+, they regain 1 MP.

Rank 2: Leyline Drainer Rank 2: Demilich

1/round as a reaction when a character enters one of 1/scene when you defeat a character, your Soul
your ley nodes, you can force them to make a Magic Vessel regains 1 charge.
save. Failure: They lose 1d3 MP, and you regain that Additionally, you can remove Wounds or Over-
much MP. stresses for 1 Recovery each during Short Rests.
Additionally, you and your allies regain MP in your
ley nodes on a 4+ instead of a 5+. Rank 3: Living Vessel
Living Vessel (Size 1/2, HP 10, Dodge/A-Def 5, Speed 0,
Rank 3: Leyline Transportation
Appendices

immune to Aetheric attacks and Stress)

You create 4 ley nodes at the start of combat instead
of 3. While you are standing fully in one of your ley When you would be defeated, your body disappears
nodes, you can use your standard action during and you turn into your living vessel, a Size 1/2 object
Phase Reposition to teleport to another one of in one of your spaces. Living vessels can’t act or move.
your ley nodes. The ley node you left is destroyed. You gain a d6 Resurrection Die. At the start of
each round, roll your Resurrection Die and gain that
many charges. Once you have 6 charges, you return
with full HP and MP, and 0 Stress, and the living
vessel and your Resurrection Die are destroyed. If you
would return with 4 or more Wounds or Overstresses,
you return with 3 instead.

209
 MAGI-TECH NICIA N SAVAG E F IG H T E R
Magitech weapons utilize technology to mimic the In the face of unbridled savagery, most training and
Getting Started

effects of traditional spells, letting anyone harness discipline finds itself lacking.
the destructive power of magic. Different civilizations
have created their own power sources for magitech, Rank 1: Never Down
from electrical currents through to soul gems. You receive the following benefits:
Ø While Bloodied, you gain +1 on attacks.
Rank 1: Growing Power Ø While Breaking, you gain 1 Focus at the start of
Whenever you crit with a magitech weapon, you get a each of your turns.
d6 Power Die. You can have up to 6 Power Dice, which
last until the end of a quest or until spent. Rank 2: Vicious
After rolling an attack or damage roll with a magi- You can use the Reroll Table to reroll damage rolls.
Building Beacons

tech weapon, you can roll any number of Power Dice,

expending them in the process. The highest number Rank 3: Wild Attacker
rolled is added to the result of the attack roll or to the You can trigger the Overextend option from the
damage roll as bonus damage. Reroll Table multiple times per turn, but only for a
different enemy each time.
Rank 2: Infused Ammo
When you attack with a magitech weapon, you can
spend up to 6 MP to increase the attack’s existing SH A D OW
Physical, Force, Astral, or Lunar by +1 per MP spent. “Shadows cloak and conceal. Keep us safe. Keep us
The increased damage applies to every target hit by hidden. Stay in the shadows. The light reveals to us
8: Talents

the attack. our deaths.”

– Myphos
Rank 3: Unstable Power Core
1/round when you crit with a magitech weapon, you Rank 1: Blend
can apply one of the following effects: While Invisible or benefiting from cover against all
Ø Magnetic: The target is Disarmed until the end enemies that have line of sight to you, you can take
of their next turn. 2 Stress to Hide as a minor action.
Ø Shielded: You gain 2 Focus.
Running the Game

Ø Shock: The target is Dazed and Slowed until the Rank 2: Hunt
end of their next turn. You gain +1 on your first attack roll while Hidden
Ø Soul Gem: The target is Weakened until the end in a given turn.
of their next turn and Marked. Additionally, whenever you defeat an enemy, roll
Ø Volatile: The target is Sundered until the end of a d6 Hunt Die. On a 6+, you can choose to become
their next turn and knocked Prone. Hidden.

Rank 3: Infiltration
You can deploy in any free space within Range 5 of
an edge of the map.
Additionally, when you roll your Hunt Die, you
Appendices

become Hidden on a 5+; if you were already Hidden

when you defeated the enemy, you become Hidden
on a 4+.

210
 SL ASHE R S O L D IE R
Most cultures have their own unique version of the A versatile soldier must be consistent and reliable in

Getting Started
sword. Katanas, gladii, scimitars, and khopeshes are any situation.
all considered swords. A skilled wielder of blades can
adapt to just about any situation. Rank 1: Weapon Focus
The first time each turn you perform a melee attack
Rank 1: Feint with a Main weapon, that attack gains +1 .
1/round when you hit with a blade weapon attack,
you can take 1 Stress to Mark the target. Rank 2: Stances
Minor Action: You take 1 Stress and enter one of
Rank 2: Hamstring the following stances – Wolf Stance, Snake Stance,
1/round when you crit with a blade weapon attack, or Eagle Stance. You remain in this stance for the rest

Building Beacons
the target is Slowed until the end of their next turn. of the scene or until you perform this minor action
again. You may enter each stance 1/scene.
Rank 3: Weeping Cuts When you enter a stance, you gain a d6 Stance
1/round when you hit with a blade weapon attack, Die that starts at 6. After attacking with a Main melee
you can choose to treat half of the attack’s damage weapon, reduce the value of your Stance Die by –2. If
as normal, and half of the attack’s damage as Discord it reaches 0, you drop the stance.
instead of its normal damage type. For example, if a Ø Wolf Stance: Your Main melee weapon attacks
blade attack deals 10 Physical , you can choose to gain Reliable X, where X is the value of your
have it deal 5 Physical + 5 Discord instead. Stance Die. The Reliable damage can’t exceed
the weapon’s maximum damage.

8: Talents
Ø Snake Stance: The Armor of your targets can’t
SNIPE R reduce the damage of your Main melee weapon
Snipers are deadly marksmen. They live by the motto, attacks below the value of your Stance Die.
“one shot, one kill”, no matter how long it takes. Ø Eagle Stance: Before rolling an attack with a Main
melee weapon, you can do either of the following:
Rank 1: Steady Shot ‘ Treat one die as if it had rolled the value of
At the start of your turn, you can choose to start your Stance Die.
Aiming. You become Immobilized until the start of ‘ Treat one die as if it had rolled 7 minus the

Running the Game

your next turn and gain +1 on all ranged attacks value of your Stance Die. For example, if your
while Immobilized in this way. Stance Die is 4, you could treat the result of a
die as 3 (7 – 4 = 3).
Rank 2: Zero In
When you miss with a ranged attack, you gain +1 Rank 3: Practiced
on all ranged attacks until you hit with one. This Instead of reducing your Stance Die by –2 after at-
effect stacks. tacking with a Main melee weapon, you only reduce
it by –1.
Rank 3: Pinpoint Shot Additionally, the following option is added to your
1/round when you crit with a ranged attack while Reroll Table:
Immobilized, you deal +1d6 bonus damage. Ø Flowing Stance: Reduce your Stance Die by –2.
Appendices

211
 SPE E D STE R S PE L L B L A D E
Go fast. Embrace speed. Put your problems behind Spellblades weave magic into their weapons, casting
Getting Started

you, and never stop running, or they’ll catch you. spells between weapon strikes.

Rank 1: Sprint Rank 1: Spellweaver

Minor Action: You take 2 Stress and move up to 1/turn after hitting the same target with both a weapon
half your Speed. and spell attack in the same turn, you gain 1 Weave,
to a maximum of 3. Weave lasts until you Rest.
Rank 2: Supersonic During your turn, you can spend 3 Weave to per-
When you Rush or use Sprint, you gain 1 Sonido, form the following Spellstrike minor action.
up to a maximum of 6. As your standard movement,
you can spend any number of Sonidos to teleport Spellstrike Minor Action
Building Beacons

a number of spaces equal to the Sonidos spent and Talent

gain soft cover until the start of your next turn. You
can’t use this ability if you are Slowed. You attack with either:
Sonidos last between scenes, but reset to 0 during Ø a Light or Main weapon
each Long Rest. Ø a Volley or Fight spell.
This attack doesn’t deal bonus damage or trigger
Rank 3: Tactical Repositioning linked attacks.
When you Rush, you can use both options instead
of choosing one.
Rank 2: Spellblade Training
8: Talents

You gain the following benefits:

Ø When you hit with a weapon attack, you gain +1
on your next spell attack against the same target.
Ø When you hit with a spell attack, you gain +1 on
your next weapon attack against the same target.

You can’t gain more than +1 this way at a time.

Running the Game

Rank 3: Aetherblade
You can link a weapon and a spell together as if they
were a linked pair. When you would select equipment,
choose an unlinked Light or Main weapon and a
Volley or Fight spell attack. You can spend 1 MP
to make a linked attack with them as though they
were a linked pair. Unlike linked weapons, if either
the weapon or spell is destroyed, it does not destroy
the linked weapon or spell. This effect lasts until
you select a new linked pair with this talent.
Appendices

212
 SPE LLBREAKE R STO R MDA NC E R
Spellbreakers are anti-mages. Their job is to shut The history of the stormdancers can be traced to a

Getting Started
down enemy spellcasters, which they do with group of humanoids that lived in close proximity
surprising efficiency. to air elementals. The two cultures grew together
and eventually created the storm dance, in which a
Rank 1: Broken Concentration humanoid and an air elemental would dance together
When you force a character to make a concentration in a beautiful whirlwind.
save, they become Dazed until the end of their next When one of the Scourge’s heralds threatened
turn and take 3 Stress . This doesn’t trigger an their home, the humanoids and elementals fought
additional concentration save. together, using their dance as way for two creatures
to fight as one. The style has been adapted over time
Rank 2: Spell Evasion to be used without an elemental partner, although

Building Beacons
If you succeed on a save against an effect that has a with a lesser effect.
reduced effect on a save (e.g., half damage or fewer
conditions), you don’t suffer those effects. Rank 1: Twin Strike
After hitting a character with the second of two dif-
Rank 3: Break ferent attacks in a turn, you don’t provoke reaction
You gain the Break Spell reaction. attacks from them until the end of that turn.
Additionally, you gain +1 on linked attacks
Break Spell Reaction (1/round) (see p. 16).
Talent
Rank 2: Whirling

8: Talents
Trigger: A character begins channeling within 1/round after hitting with the second of two different
Reach of one of your weapons. Light weapons during your turn, you begin Whirling.
This lasts until the end of your turn. During this time,
Effect: You attack them with that weapon. you can consume Whirling as a free action to do the
following in any order:
Ø Create a Burst 1 AOE, dealing 3 Physical to
enemies in the AOE.
SP OT TE R Ø Move up to 3 spaces.

Running the Game

Spotters are usually paired with snipers. The sniper
is the gun, and the spotter is the eye. Together, you Rank 3: Dual Wielder
are dead. One of your Main or Light Light weapon slots
becomes a Main Light slot, or one of your Light
Rank 1: Shotcaller slots becomes a Light Light slot.
1/round, when you make a target Marked, you can
force them to make a Mind save. Failure: They are
Sundered until the end of their next turn.

Rank 2: Radar
When you perform a Full Attack, you can replace
Appendices

one or both of the actions with Mark.

Rank 3: Quick Call

At the start of your turn, you can take 1 Stress to
Mark as a free action.

213
 SUMMONE R T H AUMAT URG E
Pull creatures from other Reflections and dimensions, Artifacts are the weapons of spellcasters. Tomes filled
Getting Started

or coalesce aether into solid forms. You have a close with arcane rituals, dueling wands, and powerful
connection to the creatures you call forth that allows staves can amplify their wielders’ mana.
them to perform beyond expectations.
Rank 1: Magical Charges
Rank 1: Strong Summons When you crit with an artifact, you regain 1 MP.
Your Summons gain +5 maximum HP.
Ø Minor Action: One of your Summons within Scope Rank 2: Overcharge
moves up to 4 spaces. You gain the Overcharge action.

Rank 2: Defender Summons Overcharge Channel

Building Beacons

Your Summons may spend your Focus, and they can Talent
Interpose. Additionally, you gain 1 Focus if you end
your turn within Range 5 of one of your Summons. On Release: You auto-hit with an artifact weapon,
even a Slow one.
Rank 3: Tend to the Swarm
Minor Action (1 MP): You restore 4 HP to one of your
Summons within Scope. Rank 3: Empowerment
1/round when you hit a target with an artifact, you
can spend 1 MP to apply one of the following effects:
SUN-BL OT TER Ø Cold: The target is Slowed until the end of their
8: Talents

“It rained for three days, an endless barrage of death. Our next turn.
soldiers drowned in the deluge, and we were broken.” Ø Dark: The target must make a Magic save. Failure:
– An Ardentine soldier, recounting the battle of Idol They are Blinded until the end of their next turn.
Ø Fire: The target takes 1 Piercing Astral
Rank 1: Overdraw for every space they move during their next turn.
Minor Action (Stressful 1): Your next bow attack gains Ø Force: The attack gains Push 1 and the target is
+5 Range . This effect can stack multiple times, and Dazed until the end of their next turn.
ends when you attack with a bow. Ø Light: The target is Marked.
Running the Game

Ø Lightning: The target can’t use any reactions until

Rank 2: Powershot the end of their next turn.
When you attack with a bow while benefiting from Ø Toxic: The target takes 1 Discord .
Overdraw, you can take 1 Stress to choose one
of the following:
Ø Ballista: Your attack becomes a Line X attack,
where X equals the weapon’s Range. This replaces
the attack’s Range, and the attack can’t benefit
from Arcing.
Ø Catapult: On a hit, the target must make a Bulk
save. Failure: They are automatically affected by
Appendices

a Shove from you.

Ø Rain of Arrows: All enemies within a Burst 1
AOE around the target are Marked.

Rank 3: High Shot

You punctuate your shots with arrows launched high
into the air. Whenever you attack with a bow, you can
either gain +1 Arrow or consume all Arrows. You can
only gain 1 Arrow per attack (not attack roll).
When you consume all your Arrows, you roll an
extra d20 for each Arrow and take the highest result
as the attack roll. Arrows last until the end of the scene.

214
 TR ACEUR WA RCA ST E R
Parkour is a movement style focused on travelling Using magic on the battlefield is nothing like learning

Getting Started
between two points in the fastest, most efficient way. it academically. Battlemages sacrifice flexibility for
Practitioners can jump, roll, or climb over any obstacle. power and speed. Warcasters must learn how to hold
their focus no matter what is happening around or to
Rank 1: Limber them. Pain is a distraction that leads to death.
You receive the following benefits:
Ø You gain +1 on Agility checks and saves Rank 1: Maintain
Ø You move normally in difficult terrain. You gain +1 on concentration saves.
Ø Climbing costs half as much movement as normal. Additionally, being Engaged doesn’t give your
Ø Standing from Prone costs half your movement, ranged spell attacks +1 .
instead of all of your movement.

Building Beacons
Rank 2: Spellfighter
Rank 2: Rollout Your Volley and Fight spell attacks that don’t
You receive the following benefits: have Reach gain Reach 1 . You can Opportunity
Ø At the start of your turn, you can shift 1. Attack with these spells.
Ø You can move through spaces occupied by
enemies. Rank 3: Unflinching
Ø When you become Engaged , you can take While channeling, you gain resistance to Physical,
1 Stress to not lose your unused movement. Astral, Lunar, and Force.
Ø When you are subjected to forced movement from
another character, you can slide yourself 1 space.

8: Talents
You can’t slide into a space the forced movement
moved you out of.

Rank 3: Free Movement

When you move adjacent to an object (including ter-
rain) of equal or greater Size, you can take 1 Stress
to move up to 2 spaces as a free action. You can repeat
this multiple times in a turn, taking 1 Stress each

Running the Game

time, but not from the same object twice in a row.

TR EASURE HUNTE R
Delving into caves and abandoned ruins is dangerous,
but it can lead to great treasures and riches.

Rank 1: Lucky Haul

When you take this rank, the GM generates a loot crate
for you (p. 257). You keep the loot even if you cease
to have this talent, but you don’t get additional loot
Appendices

crates if you later take this talent again.

Rank 2: Gambler
When you get loot crates, you can reroll either the
Slot 1 or Slot 2 option once.
Additionally, you automatically succeed at
opening locks.

Rank 3: Deep Pockets

You gain an additional Light support slot.

215
 9: BASIC EQUIPMENT
Getting Started

AND TECHNIQUES
Beacons have access to an array of basic equipment Whenever you prepare for a quest, you can always
and techniques. These abilities are always available to choose equipment and techniques from those listed
beacons, either because they’re easy to find, learn, or in this section. Additionally, if an ability isn't Unique,
craft, or because they’re cheap. you can equip multiple copies of each, as long as you
have the slots or Memory to equip them.
Building Beacons

BASIC MELEE WEAPONS

NAME ACTION SIZE/TYPE TAGS RANGE DAMAGE

Aetherbreaker Fight Main Club Inaccurate Reach 1 2d6+1 Force

Bloodpike Fight Heavy Longarm – Reach 2 2d6+1 Lunar

Hammer Fight Light Club Thrown 5 Reach 1 1d3+1 Physical

9: Basic Equipment and Techniques

Maul Fight Heavy Club Inaccurate, Push 1 Reach 1 3d6 Physical

Moonknife Fight Light Blade Accurate, Thrown 3 Reach 1 1d3 Lunar

Photon Axe Fight Heavy Blade Reliable 4 Reach 1 1d6+7 Astral

Rapier Fight Light Blade Piercing Reach 1 2 Physical

Runespear Fight Main Longarm Thrown 3 Reach 2 1d6+1 Force

Sword Fight Main Blade Reliable 2 Reach 1 1d6+1 Physical

Whip Fight Light Longarm – Reach 3 1d3 Physical

BASIC RANGED WEAPONS

Running the Game

NAME ACTION SIZE/TYPE TAGS RANGE DAMAGE

Crossbow Volley Heavy Bow Piercing, Reload- Range 10 2d6+3 Phys-

ing ical

Crystal Staff Volley Heavy Aetheric, Mana 2 Range 10, Blast 2d6 Lunar
Artifact 2

Forbidden Tome Volley Main Artifact Aetheric, Arcing, Range 15, Blast 1 1d3+1 Lunar
Mana 1
Appendices

216
 NAME ACTION SIZE/TYPE TAGS RANGE DAMAGE

Getting Started
Lunar Full Heavy Magitech Reliable 4, Line 15 3d6+3 Lunar
Cannon Attack Reloading, Slow

Shardgun Volley Light Magitech Reliable 1 Range 5, Reach 3 1d3 Force

Pistol

Shardgun Rifle Volley Main Magitech Reliable 2 Range 10 1d6+1 Force

Shardshredder Volley Main Magitech – Range 5, Reach 3 2d3 Force

Building Beacons
Shortbow Volley Main Bow Arcing Range 10 1d6 Physical

Starwand Volley Light Artifact Accurate, Aetheric Range 5 1d3 Astral

Stormbow Volley Heavy Bow Arcing, Push 1 Range 15 2d6 Astral

BASIC SUPPORT ITEMS

9: Basic Equipment and Techniques

Aquatic Gear Support Item  Light Battering Ram Support Item  Heavy

You move normally in liquid-based difficult terrain, You receive the following benefits:
and have an Aquatic Adaptation. Ø Whenever you push or slide another character,
you can move them +2 spaces.
Ø You gain +2 Save Target.
Arcana Crystal Minor Action: You push an adjacent character 1 space
Support Item  Light  Consumable 3 or deal 10 Piercing Physical to an adjacent piece
of cover.
When you use a spell, you can expend a charge for
one of the following effects:
Ø Potent: If it forces saves, it gains +2 Save Target. Caltrops Minor Action
Ø Seeking: If it’s a spell attack, you gain +1 for the Support Item  Light  Consumable 3,
attack. Thrown 5, Trap

You can expend a charge for one of the following effects:

Armor, Heavy Support Item  Heavy  Armor Ø Nails (Thrown 5): On Hit: The target takes
Running the Game
1 Piercing Physical for every space they move
+3 Armor, –1 Speed, and –1 Dodge. during their next turn.
Ø Spikes (Trap): When triggered, this Trap creates a
Blast 1 zone centered on itself that lasts until the
Armor, Light Support Item  Light  Armor end of this phase in the next round. Characters that
start their turn in the zone or enter it for the first time
+1 Armor. in a turn take 1d6 Piercing Physical .

Armor, Medium Support Item  Main  Armor Climbing Gear Support Item  Light

+2 Armor and –1 Dodge. Climbing costs half as much movement as normal.

Appendices

When you climb, you can bring a willing adjacent ally

with you as long as there is enough space for both of
you to stand in separate spaces.

217
 Companion Minor Action Mana Potion Minor Action
Support Item  Main  Summon Range = Scope Support Item  Light  Consumable 2
Getting Started

Companion (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0) You can expend a charge to regain all MP.

You summon or dismiss your companion, which

can be a beast, friend, or anything else willing to aid Poison
you in combat. 1/turn when you attack a character Support Item  Light  Consumable 2
adjacent to your companion, the companion deals
3 Physical to them. You can expend a charge when you hit with a weapon.
As a reaction after a character adjacent to your The target must make a Bulk save. Failure: They take
companion moves, your companion can shift 5. They 2 Stress are Dazed until the end of their next turn,
Building Beacons

must end this movement as close to the triggering and become Marked.
character as possible.
You can only have one companion in play at a time
and they retain their current HP when dismissed. They Resistance Enchantment
regain all HP during Rests. If they are defeated, this Support Item  Main  Enchantment
item is destroyed.
You may use one of the following Enchantments
at a time:
Explosive Materials Minor Action
Support Item  Main  Consumable 3, Thrown 5, Ø Any Armor: While this Armor is equipped, you gain
9: Basic Equipment and Techniques

Trap resistance to Physical, Astral, Lunar, or Force,

chosen when you apply this Enchantment.
When you equip this item, choose either Physical, Ø Any Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell Attack: This
Astral, Lunar, or Force. This determines the damage weapon or technique ignores one type of resis-
it deals. You can expend a charge for one of the fol- tance – Physical, Astral, Lunar, or Force – chosen
lowing effects: when you apply this Enchantment.

Ø Explosive Bomb (Thrown 5): Center a Blast 1

AOE on the target space. All characters in the AOE Resistance Potion Minor Action
must make an Agility save. Failure: They take Support Item  Light  Consumable 2
1d6 damage . Success: They take half damage.
Ø Explosive Trap (Trap): When triggered, this Trap You can expend a charge to gain resistance to Phys-
creates a Burst 1 AOE. All characters in the area ical, Astral, Lunar, and Force until the end of your
take 6 damage . next turn.

Healing Potion Minor Action Shield

Running the Game

Support Item  Light  Consumable 2 Support Item  Light

You can expend a charge and a Recovery to regain You gain the Shield Block reaction. If you meet the
all HP. trigger condition of Shield Block while using Inter-
pose, you can automatically use its effect as part of
that Interpose reaction.
Lore Book Minor Action
Support Item  Light  Mana 1
Shield Block Reaction (1/round)
Choose a character in the scene. You can Search
them, but only to learn their ability scores, attributes, Trigger: You would take Physical, Astral, Lunar,
and abilities. or Force.
Appendices

Effect: You take 2 Stress and gain resistance

to that damage.

218
Shield, Tower Supply Convoy
Support Item  Main Support Item  Heavy  Limited 4

Getting Started
Allies gain the benefits of cover from you as if you You receive –1 Speed while this item has charges
were a piece of hard cover. remaining.
You gain the Shield Block reaction. If you meet
the trigger condition of Shield Block while using Minor Action (You or Adjacent Ally): You expend a
Interpose, you can automatically use its effect as charge to do one of the following:
part of that Interpose reaction. Ø Regain all MP.
Ø Regain all HP.
Ø Clear all Stress.
Shield Block Reaction (1/round) Ø Repair one destroyed piece of equipment or tech-

Building Beacons
nique.
Trigger: You would take Physical, Astral, Lunar,
or Force.
Thieves’ Tools
Effect: You take 2 Stress and gain resistance Support Item  Light
to that damage.
You receive the following benefits:
Ø You can automatically open locks as a free action.
Smoke Charges Minor Action Ø You can attempt to disable Hidden Traps.
Support Item  Light  Consumable 3, Ø You gain +1 on checks to disarm Traps and saves

9: Basic Equipment and Techniques

Thrown 5, Trap triggered by Traps.

You can expend a charge for one of the following effects:

Ø Smoke Bomb (Thrown 5): Center a Blast 2 Whetstone
zone on the target space that lasts until the end Support Item  Light  Consumable 2
of your next turn. Characters fully within the zone
gain soft cover. When you hit with a weapon, you can expend a charge
Ø Smokestick (Trap): When triggered, this Trap cre- to deal its maximum damage. Bonus damage and
ates a Burst 3 zone that lasts until the end of this other effects are rolled normally.
phase in the next round. Characters fully within the
zone gain soft cover.
Wire Charges Minor Action
Support Item  Light  Consumable 3,
Stoneskin Potion Minor Action Thrown 5, Trap
Support Item  Main  Consumable 3
You can expend a charge for one of the following effects:
You can expend a charge to gain 1d3+2 Focus. Ø Wire Knot (Thrown 5): Target a character within
Range. On a hit, they must make an Agility save.
Running the Game
Failure: They are Immobilized until the end of
Sunrod their next turn.
Support Item  Light  Consumable 3, Thrown 5 Ø Wire Trap (Trap): When triggered, all characters
in a Burst 1 AOE must make an Agility save.
You ignore penalties from low visibility (p. 56) Failure: They are Immobilized until the end of
while this item is equipped, even if it has no charges. their next turn.

Minor Action: You expend a charge for the following

effect:
Ø Flash Bomb (Thrown 5): All characters in a
Blast 1 AOE centered on the target space must
Appendices

make a Bulk save. Failure: They are Blinded until

the end of their next turn.

219
 BASIC TECHNIQUES
Getting Started

Adaptive Caster Glancing Blow

Skill  2 Memory Skill  1 Memory  Focus X

When you Release a channeled ability, you can 1/turn when you would take Physical, Force,
take 2 Stress to release a different one than the Astral, or Lunar after Armor and resistances, you can
one you were channeling. You must pay the costs of reduce the amount by –1 for every point of Focus
both abilities. you spend. You can’t use this ability if you are unable
to take reactions.
Building Beacons

Arcane Bolt Volley

Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory  Accurate, Hinder Spell Volley
Aetheric, Indirect Range = Scope 1d3 Force Ranged Spell Attack  1 Memory  Aetheric,
Indirect Range = Scope 2 Stress

Arcane Explosion Channel On Hit: The target is Dazed until the end of their next
Ranged Spell Attack  2 Memory  Auto-Hit turn.
Range = Scope, Blast 1 5 Force On Miss: You can spend 1 MP to deal 2 Stress to
the target.
On Release: You can spend 1 MP to increase the dam-
9: Basic Equipment and Techniques

age to 1d6+5 Force .

Magic Missile Volley
Spell  2 Memory  Mana X Range = Scope
Block Reaction (1/round)
Skill  1 Memory For every MP spent, you deal 1d6 Force to a
different character within Range, with damage rolled
Trigger: You are hit by an attack. once for all targets.

Effect: You gain +1 Dodge against the attack and can

spend any amount of Focus, gaining an additional +1 Power Attack Minor Action
Dodge for each. If this raises your Dodge above the Skill  2 Memory
result of the attack roll, it misses.
You receive +1 on your next melee attack before the
start of your next turn, but it deals +3 bonus damage
Bolster Aether Reaction (1/round) on a hit.
Skill  1 Memory

Resolve
Running the Game

Trigger: You are hit by an attack.

Skill  1 Memory  Focus X
Effect: You gain +1 A-Def against the attack and can
spend any amount of Focus, gaining an additional 1/turn when you make a save, you can gain +1 to the
+1 A-Def for each. If this raises your A-Def above the result for each point of Focus spent. You can’t use this
result of the attack roll, it misses. ability if you are unable to take reactions.

Endurance Shield Bash

Skill  1 Memory  Unique Skill  1 Memory

+2 maximum HP. When you Interpose and end the movement next
Appendices

to the attacker, you can push them 1 space after the

attack.

220
 Getting Started
Building Beacons
9: Basic Equipment and Techniques
Shocking Grasp Fight Two-Weapon Fighting
Melee Spell Attack  1 Memory Skill  2 Memory  Unique
Reach 1 2 Stress
1/round immediately after you Volley or Fight
On Hit: The target can’t use reactions until the end with a Light weapon, you can attack with a different
of their next turn. Light weapon as a free action. The extra attack can’t
include a weapon used as part of the original action,
and doesn’t trigger linked attacks.
Support Training, Basic Running the Game
Skill  2 Memory  Unique
Weapon Training, Basic
You can equip one Main support item in a Light slot. Skill  3 Memory

You can equip one Main weapon in a Light slot or in a

Support Training, Heavy Light Light slot instead of two Light weapons.
Skill  3 Memory  Unique

You can equip one Heavy support item in a Main slot. Weapon Training, Heavy
Skill  4 Memory

You can equip one Heavy weapon in a Main slot or

Appendices

in a Main Light slot instead of a Main weapon

and a Light weapon.

221
 SECTION 3

RUNNING THE GAME

10: GAME MASTER’S GUIDE
This chapter is for those who are interested in 2. Specific text takes precedent over gen-
running a game of BEACON. Congratulations! eral text.
You are now a highly sought-after person.
TTRPGs usually have more willing players than Some of the game rules in BEACON are general
willing GMs, so by reading this chapter and rules. For example, players can only perform
running a game for people, you’re bringing certain actions in specific phases of combat.
the joy of this game to them. Weapons with the Slow tag, for instance, can
You will find that these sections are written only be used with the Full Attack action.
more casually and conversationally than the These are general rules.
past few, as they are about how you can make Many of the abilities available to players
the game enjoyable for both your players and allow them to break these general rules, and
yourself, which is less precise a matter than that’s intentional. To follow on from the above
the game rules themselves. example, certain abilities allow players to attack
with Slow weapons without using the Full
Attack action. That’s a specific rule – it takes
GAME MASTER TIPS precedence over the general one.
Running BEACON can be harder than just play-
ing it. There are more things to keep track of, 3. BEACON does not model reality or re-
more stories to tell, and it can sometimes feel al-life physics, and is not meant to.
overwhelming, especially for people who are
new to GMing. The purpose of this section is This is not a simulation game. The Rule of Cool
to make that job easier. is the physics engine of this game, and the
combat mechanics are designed like a board
game or video game.
THE CORE PRINCIPLES
The core principles of BEACON apply to both 4. Narrative play and combat play are dis-
players and the GM. tinct modes of play. The ability to do some-
thing in one mode does not automatically
1. The well-being and fun of the group, grant the ability to do it in the other.
including both the players and the GM, is
the top priority. BEACON is designed to allow a wide variety of
character types to exist without hampering
The GM has the greatest ability to impact the player creativity; however, combat play features
fun of a game, but the players have a role strict rules. It was designed to be played like
as well. It’s your job to make sure the story a board game or video game, and only uses
and game you’re playing is fun for everyone. abilities specifically designed for combat play.
Anything else in the game is secondary to Even though your character might be strong
this rule. Sure, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to enough to throw an ox in narrative play, they
make the game fun to play, but if your group can’t just throw people around or tear down
thinks that changing something would result walls in combat play. They need an ability
in a better experience for everyone, then you that allows them to do so, or a GM willing to
should absolutely do that. let them make an ability check to attempt it.

223
 5. In combat play, players can do anything their ESTABLISH MOTIVATIONS
abilities allow, even if it doesn’t make narrative sense. When your players are creating their beacons, make
Getting Started

sure to ask them about both what motivates their

It is the duty of the players and GM to explain how characters and what they’re interested in as players.
things happen in combat play, not to find reasons why Their characters will have certain drives, but what do
they can’t work. Basically, work backwards. If you’re in a they want to happen with their characters as players,
cave and a player calls down a lightning bolt from the or what do they want to see happen during the game?
sky, it happens. Now it’s your job to figure out how or For example, a character may want to explore dun-
why the lightning bolt struck from the sky. Is the cave geons and collect loot, which lets you know they’re
large enough to have clouds? Did it break through the motivated by treasure; however, the player might want to
roof? Was there a tiny hole? experience a heroic sacrifice. To help make this happen,
This intersects with several of the other principles you stay in communication with the player about how
Building Beacons

listed here, such as Principle 3 and Principle 4. If a combat early they want that to happen, and then set a narrative
ability does something, it does that thing no matter scene in the game where their character can hold the
what. The flavor text of that ability is just that: flavor. line while their friends escape.

6. Always round up to the nearest whole number.

ASK FOR PLAYER INTENTIONS
This one’s simple: when in doubt, round up. When a player is struggling to explain what they want to
do, or you’re having problems understanding or deciding
how to rule a decision, ask the player in question what
GAME MASTER ADVICE their intent is. What do they hope to accomplish? What
Running the Game

This section contains suggestions and tips for running do they want to happen? You can use these answers to
roleplaying games, especially BEACON. There are a ton help shape your decision.
of other resources on this subject, from books to pod- For example, the player of a timid beacon might de-
casts and videos. scribe their character as a wallflower who avoids talking
Two books I recommend are the Dungeons & Dragons with other characters. In reality, however, the player
4th Edition Dungeon Master’s Guide and Dungeon Master’s might actually want their character to be confronted
Guide 2. Both books contain a wealth of useful infor- with social situations that they have to maneuver. What
mation applicable to running any game, not just D&D. the character wants in this situation is different from
The following tips are intentionally framed as sug- what the player wants, and if you only used their in-
gestions, not rules. While they might be good practice, game description, you might miss that. But by knowing
a skilled GM or one that knows their group might inten- the player’s intention, you could place the character
10: Game Master’s Guide

tionally ignore one or more of them. But for new GMs, into social situations, giving them the scenes they’re
these suggestions can help you practice and improve looking for.
your GMing skills.

ROOT FOR THE PLAYERS

AVOID SAYING “NO” You should be a fan of your player’s characters, and want
When a player has a cool idea or suggestion, try not them to succeed. Your job is not to have an adversarial
to say “no” to it. In improv, this known as “Yes, AND …”, relationship with them, to try and make them fail. Your
because you take the idea the other person is offering job is to provide them with challenges to overcome.
and roll with it, building on it as needed. Help bring their plans to fruition and offer them chal-
Of course, sometimes you do need to say “no”. In those lenges when needed.
cases, try using “No, BUT …” instead of just refusing. It’s okay if the characters fail, since that can lead
Incorporate some element of the player’s offer, or give to interesting stories. But you shouldn’t be hoping for
them a piece of what they were looking for. them to fail – ever. If you feel that way, take a step back
Appendices

As much as possible, try to avoid the hard “no”. to examine why, and see if it’s something you should
address with the group.

224
 ASK LEADING QUESTIONS USE CUTSCENES
Questions are a powerful tool in your kit. They can help Cutscenes or vignettes can be used to show what is

Getting Started
push players or characters into action, shed light on happening in the world, or to give insight into specific
their internal thoughts, and help scenes evolve. You NPCs. Cutscenes are great tools for giving players infor-
might ask questions of the players, or about what their mation without having to reveal it to their characters.
characters are thinking or feeling in a given moment. For example, whenever the players gain a level, you
Here are some examples: might show a short cutscene of what the Scourge is do-
ing behind the scenes. This keeps the players informed
Ø “What do you want to do?” about how the story is progressing even though their
Ø “How do you feel at this moment?” characters aren’t experiencing it directly.
Ø “What’s going through your mind?”
Ø “Who in the group reacts poorly to this information?”

Building Beacons
Ø “Where do you think this will lead?” ADD ROLEPLAYING TO COMBAT SCENES
Ø “When did you last see this same phenomenon?” There are a lot of things to keep track of in combat
play, and it can be easy to focus on just running scenes
efficiently. Adding little bits of roleplaying, however,
ASK THE PLAYERS FOR IDEAS can help elevate your combat scenes.
You don’t have to come up with every story idea on Dialogue is a good way to do this. Whenever an NPC
your own. Your players are creative people who can acts, narrate a line of dialogue or something they do,
have really cool ideas that you wouldn’t think of. aside from just their combat action. Compare “the cleaver
If you ever feel stumped, ask the players for help. attacks you” to “the cleaver attacks you, announcing,
Ask them, “what would be cool to happen?” or, “how ‘Oh ho! You’re in trouble now!’” The second version adds

Running the Game

do you want this to turn out?”. more to the scene.

TALK TO THE GROUP “BORROW” IDEAS LIBERALLY

Most questions you might have about your group or Take ideas from other stories you enjoy. It doesn’t matter
about how to deal with a situation can be handled by if the players are familiar with them. If they are, they
actually talking to your group. Explain your concerns might enjoy figuring out the connection and they can
or thoughts. Don’t take actions or deliver punishments still be surprised if it differs from their expectations. Use
in game for out-of-game situations. Don’t be a jerk. other stories as blueprints for your own.

10: Game Master’s Guide

FAIL FORWARD NO TRULY HOPELESS SITUATIONS
Failing forward refers to the idea that, even on a failed roll, Scenes where the heroes are defeated by an over-
the action keeps moving forward. Having something just whelming foe only to grow stronger and then defeat
fail is unsatisfying because it doesn’t add anything to the them later in the story are common in media. They are
story, it just stops it in its tracks. Failing forward changes also terrible ideas for combat scenes.
failures from hard stops to successes with complications. Combat scenes in BEACON can be long affairs. In
For example, a beacon, the Quicksilver Shadow, tries such a situation, it’s not fun to fight against someone
to sneak past some guards in a narrative scene. They who can’t be hurt, or who instantly defeats the heroes.
fail their skill check, but instead of being immediately Even worse, it feels like a waste of time.
caught, they are spotted as soon as they get past the If you want to use this sort of scene, either handle it
guards. They’ve technically succeeded in their goal of in narrative play, or make it the outcome of a combat
getting past the guards, but now have to flee in a chase scene. Perhaps the PCs win the combat scene, but in the
scene. Without failing forward, the Quicksilver Shadow aftermath, the villain defeats them. Holdout combat
would have just been caught or prevented from getting scenes (p. 248) are great for this, since they’re about
Appendices

past the guards, which isn’t anywhere near as exciting. trying to outlast an overwhelming number of foes.
Failing forward is especially useful in BEACON because “Success” in these situations is merely avoiding the
the characters are extremely competent heroes. It feels worst-case scenario.
better and is less jarring for the legendary Quicksilver
Shadow to fail forward when sneaking then to get
caught.

225
 NO PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER SETTING UP THE GAME
BEACON is not designed for player vs player fights, Before you play a game of BEACON, you’ll want to fig-
Getting Started

especially not in combat scenes. ure out what sort of game you’re looking for. This isn’t
If some of the beacons want to fight each other, start about the setting or characters, but about the type of
by evaluating why. If there’s an out-of-character conflict, gameplay that you’re going to present to your players.
see if you can come up with a compromise or change
a story element that will appease everyone. After all, BEACON is good at: BEACON is not good at:
the most important part of the game is that everyone Ø high fantasy Ø subterfuge and heists
is having fun – it’s okay to change things. Ø action Ø intrigue and social
If it’s truly an in-character conflict, the best way to Ø interesting, tactical manipulation
handle it is through narrative play. Have the players battles Ø horror
use the Make Conflict narrative action (p. 25) to Ø powerful player Ø quick battles
Building Beacons

find out how it resolves, and keep an open dialogue characters

throughout. Discuss how the players want the scene
to end and provide ways for that to happen. BEACON isn’t designed for games focusing on subterfuge,
intrigue, or horror. These situations are often about
avoiding fights, and BEACON is very much about fighting.
RECURRING CHARACTERS That doesn’t mean that BEACON can’t have moments
When the beacons make a connection with an NPC, of subterfuge or intrigue. It very much can, and often
whether positive or negative, make a note of it. Try does. But if you want those to be the main focus of the
to reintroduce that NPC again at future points in the game, there are honestly other games that would do
story, giving the beacons a chance to build upon their a better job of capturing the feeling of those stories.
Running the Game

existing history with that character. If the type of game you want to play aligns with
BEACON’s strengths, then your next step will be to sit
down with your players for a session 0, during which
LEGACY CHARACTERS you’ll go over safety tools, set the tone for your game,
Has your gaming group played together before? If so, and design your setting. Having read this section means
were there any NPCs or PCs that everyone enjoyed? you’ll be able to guide those conversations so they
You can introduce them into your BEACON game as remain in line with BEACON’s strengths.
legacy NPCs!
A legacy NPC is an NPC whose name appears across
multiple Reflections. They are (usually) completely SESSION 0
distinct individuals, but share similar names. Once you know what sort of game you want to play, you
10: Game Master’s Guide

Basically, legacy characters are an excuse to introduce can present this information to your players during an
NPCs that your group might already be familiar with. initial meeting, before you actually begin playing the
You can still do this even if your group hasn’t played game. This is often referred to as “Session 0”.
together before. You can just name existing characters Session 0 is an opportunity to establish safety tools,
after other characters you know or like. This can be discuss the type of game you will be running, design
helpful when you need to come up with an NPC name your setting together, and design the Hub your beacons
on the spot. will use as their base of operations.
As the GM, you should come to this session with a
few key pieces of information that you want to share
with the players, like what BEACON is and the type of
gameplay it has. Most of the time you shouldn’t show
up with a fully fleshed-out setting for your players, as
designing a world with player input is a fun part of the
game (p. 228). It’s okay to have some predetermined
Appendices

elements in mind, and there’s nothing wrong with

having a setting you already want to use if that is the
case. It’s just important to know that, unlike in many
games, BEACON doesn’t require the GM to have already
developed a setting.

226
SAFETY TOOLS Lines and Veils Created by Ron Edwards
Safety tools are techniques and resources you can use To use this technique, you and the players establish any

Getting Started
in your game to ensure everyone playing is having fun number of “lines” and “veils” before the game begins.
and feeling safe. A line is a topic that should not appear in the game
There are numerous things that can make someone at all – a line that should not be crossed. For example,
feel unsafe, but in TTRPGs, unsafe situations often if someone places “torture” as a line, torture does not
arise from the content of the game. For example, one happen in the game in any way, shape, or form.
player may not be comfortable with particularly gory A veil is a topic that can be hinted at, but not shown
descriptions, while another might want to avoid scenes directly. It gets put behind a veil or curtain. Things es-
involving drug use. tablished as veils can take place in the game, but they
Utilizing safety tools will help you find out which won’t be shown directly. For example, if someone places
themes, topics, and scenes your players don’t feel com- “romantic scenes” as a veil, these scenes can happen in

Building Beacons
fortable playing. It’s important that you then respect the story, but we’re not going to show or dwell on them.
those decisions. If you or any of the players have a topic that you want
For example, a player mentions during session 0 to establish as a line or veil, you should mention it and
that they have a phobia of spiders; knowing that giant track it in writing. Although they are established at the
spiders are a common enemy in fantasy stories, they start of a game, lines and veils can be added, changed,
ask that the game doesn’t feature spiders. The players or removed at any time during the course of a game.
and GM all agree, even the player that wanted to make
a spider-person character, because they respect the You can find out more about lines and veils here:
wishes of the player and don’t want to make them feel rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/30906
unsafe during the game.

Running the Game

A few sessions later, the GM forgets and begins
introducing a combat scene with spiderlike enemies. TONE
Using the X-card safety tool, one of the players halts One of the first things you should do as a group is
the action and reminds the GM about the request to establish the tone of your game. This helps everyone
not have spiders. The GM apologizes, redescribes the understand the sort of game they’re getting into.
scene, and the game continues. The tone of a game is what lets everyone know what
This section summarizes several common safety kind of story they’re going to be telling. It can describe tone
tools. You can find a more robust list of safety tools in many ways, from talking about specific story beats you
in the TTRPG Safety Toolkit Guide by Kienna Shaw and want to see (betrayal, adventure, destiny) or emotions you
Lauren-Bryant-Monk (bit.ly/ttrpgsafetytoolkit). want to invoke (hope, friendship) to referencing specific
media examples that you want the story to be like (like

10: Game Master’s Guide

The X-Card Created by John Stavropoulos Final Fantasy 7 meets The Fast and the Furious).
The X-card is a card or object that anyone can touch Tone can be established in a similar way to lines and
or raise. Any time there is a scene that makes someone veils. Every player, including the GM, can specify any
uncomfortable, they can raise or touch the card, at tones they want included or excluded during session 0.
which point you stop that scene. You can then discuss Deciding on a tone doesn't completely exclude oth-
next steps, but the person who used the X-card doesn’t er content, but it sets the default expectation. Even if
have to explain their reasoning unless they want to. you’re playing a gritty, serious game, that doesn’t mean
There are other variants on the X-card, including the that there can’t be moments of levity and comedy. It
Script Change options for fast-forwarding, pausing, and just means that these should be sprinkled around the
rewinding, designed by Brie Beau Sheldon. gritty assumptions. If, over time, the comedy ends up
becoming the focus of the game, the players and GM
You can find out more about the X-card here: tinyurl. should discuss whether they want to shift the tone of
com/x-card-rpg the game to incorporate more comedy or move back
to what they originally discussed.
Appendices

You can find out more about the Script Change RPG Tone is important for both players and the GM, as
Toolbox here: briebeau.itch.io/script-change misunderstandings about a game’s tone can cause
friction between players. It’s also okay not to have
an idea for the tone until you begin designing your
setting together.

227
 DESIGNING THE SETTING
Unlike TTRPGs with pre-established settings for their The following sections discuss these elements and pro-
Getting Started

games, BEACON assumes that each gaming group will vide prompts and guidance for making those choices.
create their own setting together. These settings are It focuses on the following:
called Reflections, and they make up the infinite pos-
sible worlds of the Source. Ø Themes: The topics that will be most important to
your story.
You can read more about the Source in Chapter Ø Beacons: The role the PCs play in your Reflection.
0: Introduction (p. 7), and find some prebuilt Ø The Scourge: The nature of your Reflection’s
Reflections later in this section (p. 233). recurring threat.
Ø Crystals: The importance of crystals in your
Designing the setting is a collaborative event that Reflection.
Building Beacons

happens during session 0, and it’s usually the last thing Ø Aether and Magic: The way magic works in your
decided before people move onto creating their char- Reflection.
acters. Both the players and the GM get to have a say Ø Ruins and Dungeons: The nature of the ruins that
in what their Reflection is, although the GM can set wait to be explored.
guidelines or restrictions if they feel like it’s necessary.
For example, they might already have an idea for the
Scourge, and want the players to design the rest of the SCOPE OF STORIES
Reflection with that particular Scourge in mind. Most stories are contained within a single Reflection,
There are a few elements common across the worlds or might deal with a handful of Reflections at most.
of the Source. The following are true of every Reflection: Few stories deal with the Source as a whole, and the
Running the Game

vast scope of existence. If you do want to engage with

Ø The world is filled with action and adventure. this, here are some ideas for how you could do so:
Ø There are beacons – people who are sources of great
inspiration for others, whether they are heroes or Ø Unification: Something is bringing Reflections
villains. together, or trying to combine everything into
Ø There is a recurring threat – the Scourge. one truth – at the cost of limitless potential.
Ø Crystals hold some significance to the reflection Ø Separation: Something destroys the Source or
or its inhabitants. seeks to do so. This would let the Reflections
Ø All things are composed of varying amounts of develop on their own, untethered to the truths
aether, magical elements that come in many within the Source.
varieties, including astral and lunar aspects. Ø Rogue Reflection: A rogue Reflection threatens
10: Game Master’s Guide

Ø Magic is widely available and has been combined the others. Perhaps this Reflection can consume
with technology to create magitech devices. others, growing more powerful in the process.
Ø Ruins dot the landscape, ready to be explored. Ø Darkness: Darkness is dimming the light of all
beacons across the Source. Without beacons, the
Although these are true of each Reflection, their exact Reflections will grow dark and hope will be lost.
natures are left for you and the players to decide.

RANDOM REFLECTIONS
If you want to quickly generate a random Reflection,
you can use the online Reflection generator here:
https://www.pirategonzalezgames.com/resources
Appendices

228
THEMES EXAMPLE THEMES
The story you’re going to tell will have certain themes

Getting Started
in the form of prominent ideas, concepts, and other 1 Balance Collecting Survival
elements. These may not necessarily be things that are
important in the Reflection itself, but are to the story 2 Artificial Fallen Hostile
your group is telling. For example, you might choose Scarcity Civilizations Environments
sacrifice as a theme. This means that sacrifices will be
important to your story in some way. Maybe one of the 3 The Number 13 Giants Bells
beacons is expected to sacrifice themselves to seal the
Scourge, or maybe the beacons have all been marked 4 Separation Darkness Optimism
as sacrifices for the purposes of some great evil. In both
cases, the theme of sacrifice is important to the beacons 5 Right vs Wrong Unification Rain

Building Beacons
and their story, but isn’t necessarily an objective truth
about the Reflection itself. 6 Sacrifice Protection Identity
As a group, ask yourselves the following questions
and then pick three themes for your Reflection, choosing 7 Redemption Embracing of The Future
from the below lists or making your own: the Scourge

Ø What themes do we want in our game? 8 Family History Freedom

Ø What themes don’t we want in our game?
9 Graves Shame Pride
Like the tone, themes are a way for everyone to indi-

Running the Game

cate the type of story they’re interested in playing. For 10 Sea Transformation Electricity
example, if everyone recently enjoyed watching a TV
show about fighting corrupt institutions, someone might 11 Boundaries Perseverance Revolution
suggest corruption as one of the themes.
12 Music Vengeance New Horizons

13 Reincarnation Cuteness Destiny

14 Time Light Dreams

15 Airships Mazes Nightmares

10: Game Master’s Guide

16 Dinosaurs Poison Fire

17 Stars Corruption Ice

18 Destruction Illusions Floods

19 Isolation Oblivion Justification

20 The Past Holes Growth

Appendices

229
 BEACONS SCOURGE
Heroes. Paragons. Chosen. The Scourge is a recurring threat – a guaranteed event
Getting Started

Across all reflections, these legendary figures share in every Reflection. Its form and nature differs between
a common name: beacon. The characters portrayed by Reflections, but it always exists (or did exist) in each. The
players in your game are heroes like these. Scourge may not always be the greatest threat facing
Beacons exist on each Reflection as inspirational or a Reflection, but it is constant.
guiding figures. They can be heroes, villains, or anything The Scourge can be anything; the only consistent thing
else. What makes them truly special is that – one way is that it’s a threat of some sort. It’s usually an entity (like a
or another – people look to them in times of trouble. boss you can beat), but sometimes it might be an event,
For example, the beacons of one Reflection might like two distinct worlds joining into one every 1,000 years.
be heroes from a doomed timeline, trying to prevent Many Scourges have powerful subordinates called
the destruction of their world, while those of another heralds. These dangerous beings carry out the will of
Building Beacons

might be people with a unique ability to resist the the Scourge or otherwise work to bring it about, leading
poisoned air of the land beneath the clouds. armies and crushing beacons who stand against them.
As a group, ask yourselves the following questions and It is important to understand that the Scourge is a
then decide on the role or nature of beacons in your Re- recurring threat, but not necessarily an evil. Every Reflec-
flection, choosing from the below list or making your own: tion is unique, and sometimes a scourge is a force of evil,
but sometimes it’s not. Either way, it must be dealt with.
Ø What role do beacons serve in this Reflection? Most games of BEACON revolve around Scourges, but
Ø How does one become a beacon? sometimes the Scourge isn’t the real threat of the story.
Ø What separates beacons from other people? As a group, ask yourselves the following questions
and on decide what the Scourge is, choosing from the
Running the Game

below list or making your own:

EXAMPLE BEACON ROLES
Ø What is the Scourge?
1 Reclaimers 11 Scapegoats Ø Why is the Scourge recurring?
Ø How long has the Scourge been a threat?
2 Crystal Warriors 12 Summoners

3 Dragon Hunters 13 Scions EXAMPLE SCOURGES

4 Mistwalkers 14 Living Spells 1 The manifestation of 11 The Danger Behind

dying wishes the Final Seal
10: Game Master’s Guide

5 The Last Survivors 15 Dreams Made Real

2 You, from another timeline 12 The New Dawn
6 The Blessed 16 The Shattered
3 Advancement at all costs 13 The Blight
7 The Corrupted 17 Royals
4 The hubris that doomed 14 The Masked Prisoner
8 Reincarnated 18 The Chosen us all

9 Vessels 19 The Eternal 5 The evils of wealth 15 The Blood Prayer

10 Voidwalkers 20 Shades 6 He Who Was Shattered 16 The Spiral of Death

7 The Nightmare 17 The Titan

Appendices

8 The Jailer 18 The Warmonger

9 That Which Lives in the 19 The Deep Horror

Space Between

10 The Rejoining 20 The Meteor

230
RUINS AND DUNGEONS CRYSTALS
Dungeons and ruins dot the landscape of each Reflec- Crystals hold a unique role in every Reflection. In some,

Getting Started
tion, enticing heroes to enter their dangerous domains. they contain raw magical energy. In others, they are used
These places tell stories. They were once meant to as a form of currency. There are infinite possibilities.
inspire awe or fear, and are now crumbling shadows That the Source is typically described as a crystal
of their former self. and crystals have significant roles in each Reflection
Ruins serve as a convenient way to house items that are can’t be a coincidence.
important to your story. A classic RPG trope is that the item As a group, ask yourselves the following questions
necessary to defeat the big bad boss is housed in a ruin. and then decide what role crystals serve:
Ruins mean different things and have different origins
across Reflections. In one Reflection they may be the Ø What is the role of crystals?
crumpled castles and cities of a once prosperous empire, Ø How and where are crystals formed?

Building Beacons
while in another they’re abandoned flying laboratories Ø How are crystals obtained?
from an advanced civilization that mysteriously disap-
peared. These would both be considered the dungeons
of their respective Reflections, even though one of them EXAMPLE NATURE/USES OF CRYSTALS
doesn’t match the dictionary definition of a dungeon.
As a group, answer the following questions and then 1 Job Crystals 11 Removing Limits
decide the origin and nature of ruins:
2 Airship Fuel 12 Summoning Fuel
Ø What civilization left ruins behind? Are they still around?
Ø What is a common feature among these types of ruins? 3 Ammunition 13 Planar Travel

Running the Game

Ø What unique things can be found in these ruins, that
can’t be found anywhere else? 4 Money 14 Transformation
Ø Why are ruins still being discovered today?
5 Prayers 15 Dragon Food

EXAMPLE RUIN ORIGINS 6 God-Slaying Power 16 Resurrection

1 Technologically 11 Impressions from 7 Monster Creation 17 Soul Entrapment

advanced civilization other Reflections
8 Distilled Aether 18 Artifact Creation
2 Dead dragons 12 Natural disaster

10: Game Master’s Guide

9 Artificial Stars 19 Manifest Powers
3 Sunken landmasses 13 “Aliens”
10 Unbreakable Walls 20 Power Source
4 Places abandoned to 14 Remains of a cursed
the Scourge civilization

5 The pinnacle of our 15 Remains of a

civilization defeated civilization

6 We have no idea and 16 Living dungeons

it scares us

7 Risen from the sea 17 Wounds in reality

Appendices

8 Fallen from the sky 18 Myths of old

9 Formed from sites of 19 Graves of the gods

death

10 Places that don’t 20 The world we left

exist yet

231
 AETHER AND MAGIC EXAMPLE DESCRIPTORS FOR MAGIC
Magic exists in every Reflection, although its use varies
Getting Started

wildly. Some Reflections are rife with magic, while it is 1 Abundant 11 Overflowing
rare or hard to use in others.
Aether is the general term for energies that can be 2 Elements 12 Regional
harnessed to produce magical effects. It can be found
in everything, including people. 3 Draconic 13 Bloodlines
Regardless of how magic works in your Reflection,
player characters should always have access to it in 4 Structured 14 Dust
combat play. The game is designed around the idea
that every beacon is able to access and use magic. 5 Innate 15 Sun
As a group, ask yourselves the following questions
Building Beacons

and then decide how magic works: 6 Technological 16 Moon

Ø What can magic do, and what can’t it do? 7 Psionic 17 Pacts
Ø How common is magic?
Ø How do people use magic? Are there different styles 8 Rare 18 Bonds
or traditions of magic?
Ø What is the cost of using magic? 9 Forbidden 19 Spirits
Ø How has magic affected the world?
10 Mandatory 20 Wild
Running the Game
10: Game Master’s Guide

OTHER QUESTIONS
There are some other questions you can use to further flesh out your Reflection:

Ø How do people live? Are there cities and towns, are Ø What supernatural creatures exist? Are there
Appendices

people nomadic, or something else? vampires, werewolves, demons, and so on?

Ø How do people travel long distances? Ø What currencies do people use?
Ø What is the fastest mode of travel? Ø Do deities exist, or do people believe they exist?
Ø What species exist or are commonly encountered? Ø What great disaster is still in everyone’s mind?
Humans, elves, machina, or others? Ø What secret about the world do people not know?

232
EXISTING REFLECTIONS
To assist with the creative process and provide potential quick entry points to the game, this section details

Getting Started
some example Reflections you can use or from which you can take inspiration.

CRYSTAL WARRIORS
SUMMARY ROLE OF CRYSTALS
Crystal warriors are those people that can attune to job Job crystals are magical artifacts that contain knowledge
crystals, quickly gaining access to a wealth of knowledge about how to perform specific tasks. Attuning to such a
and power. They are the destined heroes who must fight crystal grants access to that knowledge, and repeated
against the Scourge when it arises, defeating it and use of a job crystal allows the attuned person to access

Building Beacons
bringing a time of peace. Unknown to these warriors, the full depths of knowledge stored inside.
however, they are perpetuating a cycle of death. Anyone can attune to a job crystal. A blacksmith might
use one to gain access to schematics from an age long past,
BEACONS or a former tax collector could start a new life as a doctor,
In this Reflection, beacons are known as crystal warriors. completely dependent on the job crystal to do anything.
They have a special aptitude for job crystals, items that Unknown to most of the Reflection’s inhabitants,
grant special abilities and powers. Although anyone can job crystals are formed from people that are defeated
use a job crystal, crystal warriors can do so with great by the Scourge and its heralds.
ease, and can also access and use multiple job crystals.
In times of peace, crystal warriors are free to do as MAGIC AND AETHER

Running the Game

they please; however, when a new Scourge arises, they Everything in this Reflection is filled with aetheric en-
are the only ones that can do battle with it and its her- ergy. Aether is one of the key forces of the world, like
alds. It can be a shock to some crystal warriors to find gravity. There are many types of aether – called aspects
out that the fate of the world rests on their shoulders. – including fire, cold, light, dark, and many others.
Living creatures contain many of these different
SCOURGE aetheric aspects at once, which come together to form a
After each defeat, the Scourge lies dormant, reforming stable balance in their bodies. From this natural aether,
and building its strength over generations. Once the and the aether in the air, magical effects can be produced.
Scourge is close to reawakening, it sends out heralds to Most living creatures are sensitive to aetheric imbal-
gather information and start setting plans into motion. ances in their body, and these imbalances can cause
The appearance of these heralds also signals to the illness or even death. Fortunately, effects that quickly

10: Game Master’s Guide

people of the Reflection that a new Scourge is at hand, alter aetheric balances are rare. Elementals, celestials, and
and the crystal warriors must be brought together. other creatures are much more sensitive to even minor
The Scourge is different every time it appears, but imbalances, as their bodies are entirely made of aether.
there are common visual themes. Work with your players
to decide these themes. They might include a cold aura, RUINS
multiple eyes, aquatic adaptations, or a humanoid form. The Eldeen Empire once ruled the world, pioneers of
You can use the below table to randomly generate the technology and magic. The empire’s inventions were
unique elements of the Scourge’s latest manifestation: astounding, many centuries beyond what anyone can
do today.
Eventually, however, the Eldeen Empire fell into ruin.
SCOURGE’S ELEMENT Scholars don’t share a consensus on the catalyst for this
downfall, or if there were many catalysts. Regardless, all
1 Undeath 5 Fire 9 Divine that’s left now are the ruins of the once-great empire.
Eldeen ruins are found all over the world, including
Appendices

2 Time 6 Cold 10 Water inhospitable places like beneath the ocean, inside
volcanoes, and even on the moon. These ruins can
3 Corruption 7 Storm 11 Space be incredibly dangerous due to their defenses, the
projects their occupants were working on, or even
4 Poison 8 Earth 12 Technology the locations in which they were built; however, every
scrap of knowledge brought back from the depths of
an Eldeen ruin is incredibly valuable.

233
 THEMES
Cycles: This Reflection is shaped around the inevitable
Getting Started

cycle of the Scourge’s rise and fall. The Scourge emerges,

causes destruction and chaos, is defeated by crystal
warriors, recedes into the background for just long
enough to be forgotten, and arises once more.

Sacrifice: Crystal warriors have a duty to stand against the

Scourge, as only a crystal warrior can defeat it. Unbeknownst
to most, however, those crystal warriors defeated by the
Scourge or its heralds eventually become job crystals them-
selves. In addition, whichever crystal warrior deals the blow
Building Beacons

that defeats the Scourge is automatically sacrificed, their

life essence drawn from their body and used to “destroy”
the Scourge. Essentially, their body becomes a large job
crystal, which then serves as the host for the next Scourge.
This is why crystal warriors are – unknown to them
– so important to the Scourge. It wants the strongest
warriors to fight it, so that if it is defeated, it can use
their killer’s body and skills as its next host.

Accept or Defy Fate: Many stories about crystal war-

Running the Game

riors revolve around them discovering and coping with

the fact that at least one of them will die defeating
the Scourge. Those that look for an alternative might
discover the dark truth about the cycle, and instead
look for ways to break the cycle altogether. Either way,
the Scourge has to be dealt with, and time is ticking.

DETAILS
In this Reflection, magic and magitech are widely avail-
able. Airships, trains, and other fantastical elements are
common, and amazing structures have been built in
10: Game Master’s Guide

ages both past and present.

Because of the widespread availability of magic,
technology, and job crystals, communities can grow
large and take care of the people who live within them.
This Reflection is designed around the “rule of cool”.
Don’t worry about realism and physics – just focus on
telling engaging stories full of cool things.
Appendices

234
COLOSSUS

Getting Started
SUMMARY RUINS
The denizens of Reflection: Colossus live in cities built Abandoned colossi and those returning from the un-
into the bodies of massive, wandering mechanical derground are the ruins of this Reflection. Beacons are
beings – the colossi. One of these colossi has begun to needed to ensure each colossus is safe for settlement.
attack other colossi, and the beacons – the very dreams
of the colossi – must face this danger. THEMES
Journey: The movements of the colossi are unpredict-
BEACONS able, and the people that live atop them are subject to
Beacons are the dreams of the colossi. When a colossus their whims. Colossi occasionally burrow underground,
faces a serious obstacle or problem, they draw upon where they can go missing for years or even centuries,

Building Beacons
their stores of crystals to manifest a solution from their before rising again from the underworld.
dreams in the form of a beacon.
Beacons have unique connections to the colossi Dreams: Beacons are formed from the dreams of the
that dreamt them, but they are their own independent colossi, so dreams and the meanings of dreams are
entities. Some beacons rebel against the task they were important themes in this Reflection.
created for, while others embrace it.
Colossi don’t create beacons lightly. Once a beacon Purpose: Beacons are created for specific purposes.
is created, they have no control over their agent, and What happens when that purpose is fulfilled, or what
no way to reclaim the resources used to create them. happens if someone can’t or won’t accomplish the task
for which they were created?

Running the Game

SCOURGE
The colossi roam the world, searching for deposits of DETAILS
crystals that they consume for energy. One colossus Most of the time, each beacon is from their own colos-
has learned that it is easier to attack other colossi than sus, although it is possible for multiple PCs to be from
hunt for food alone. This is the Scourge. the same one.
This colossus is known as “the City of the Dead”, for When the players describe and introduce their charac-
the massive city built into their body. No living creatures ters, ask them to also describe the colossus that dreamt
can be found in this city, and legends hold that the them, and the problem they were dreamt to solve.
colossus killed their own inhabitants when they dared
to try to gain control of it.

10: Game Master’s Guide

ROLE OF CRYSTALS
Crystals are a source of food and energy for the colossi.
These beings consume as much as they can, which seems
to be passively absorbed by the magics and machinery
that make up their body. Many cities are home to crystal
hunters – people that seek out large deposits to which
they can lead their colossus.

MAGIC AND AETHER

Magic is rare in this Reflection and requires crystals
to fuel spells. Using magic is a long, complicated, and
laborious process, and since it uses the same crystals
that the colossi eat, the people living on them are
hesitant to use them.
Appendices

Beacons, however, are innately magical and can easily

use magic. Spells that would require a team of regular
arcanists can be cast with a wave of a beacon’s hand.

235
 THE SOUL GUARD
Getting Started

SUMMARY RUINS
Dangerous monsters arise constantly from the Mist- The Mistlands are pocketed with ruins from the cat-
lands, a place saturated with the souls of those killed aclysm. The closest ruins are abandoned sections of
in a long-forgotten cataclysm. One group – the Soul the Novissimum, lost to the mist. However, deeper
Guard – trains to fight these monsters and protect the in the Mistlands reside ruins from other cities, whose
last standing city, Novissimum. history tells a different story than the Soul Guard were
lead to believe.
BEACONS
The leading members of the Soul Guard are the bea- THEMES
cons of this Reflection. Each beacon leads a branch of Survival: Stories in this Reflection start with a focus
Building Beacons

the Soul Guard. Each of these branches has its own on the threat of the Mistlands – either the monsters
specialty, whether it be city defense, research, or Mis- that come from within or the dangers of exploring it.
tland expeditions.
Responsibility: As leaders of the Soul Guard, the bea-
SCOURGE cons have to cope with the challenges of politics and
Based on what the Soul Guard has learned, the Scourge bureaucracy, which intensify as they discover the truth
is an intelligent creature from the Mistlands that seeks about the cataclysm, the Mistlands, and the history of
to cause another cataclysm. By doing so, it hopes to Novissimum.
expand the borders of the Mistlands.
In truth, however, the Scourge’s motivations are deeper The Past: The inhabitants of the Novissimum have been
Running the Game

than what they have been told. It will take everything the told a misleading or false history. The true nature of
heroes of the Soul Guard have to find the truth. their world’s past is for the GM to decide, but important
powers want to keep that past buried.
ROLE OF CRYSTALS
Crystals are one of the only things that keep back the DETAILS
mist from the Mistlands. The largest crystals are built Novissimum is the final bastion of civilization – the only
into the walls of Novissimum, keeping a wide area safe. known urban structure to survive the calamity that
Crystal posts have been placed along a few roads to nearly destroyed this Reflection. Beyond the walls of
improve visibility, but they’re not strong enough to the city lie the Mistlands, an endless landscape filled
keep the monsters away. with dangerous horrors.
The truth of this Reflection’s history lies in the Mist-
10: Game Master’s Guide

MAGIC AND AETHER lands. Troubling clues are being brought into the light
The mist from the Mistlands has a dampening effect as the Scourge puts its plans into motion.
on aether, making it harder to use. Monsters are also The exact history of this Reflection is for each group
highly resistant to magic, their skin immediately dis- to decide, but one truth is this: The city is not alone, and
persing weak spells. the actions its people took during the calamity were
To counteract this, the Soul Guard uses weapons not as benign as history says.
infused with incredibly high levels of aether. The aetheric
density of these weapons makes them able to pierce
monstrous defenses, and mages can use these weapons
as foci that enhance their spells to the point where they
can harm monsters.
Appendices

236
DESIGNING A HUB
Once you’ve designed your Reflection, the next step is Next, choose two drawbacks or make your own.

Getting Started
to create a Hub for the beacons. The Hub will be their
base of operations – something like a guildhall, personal DRAWBACKS
airship, or castle. It provides them with a place to rest,
repair equipment, and replenish their resources. 1 Not owned by the 4 Prone to monster
It’s important for the beacons to have a Hub because beacons, or beholden infestations
this game assumes they will always have access to to someone else
resources between quests. They don’t need to worry
about maintaining access to their unlocked equipment 2 High operating costs 5 Hard to get to
and abilities – they’re always available at the Hub.
The Hub also serves as a great way to introduce 3 Very vulnerable 6 Terrible reputation

Building Beacons
friendly NPCs, like a blacksmith who can repair weapons
or a cheerful treasurer who makes sure the beacons can Then choose a theme or make your own.
fund their adventures.
The players and GM build the Hub together: the THEME
players make several decisions as a group, and the GM
provides guidance and answers questions. 1 Mechanical 4 Magical

2 Natural 5 Aquatic
STARTING WITHOUT A HUB
You can decide to delay the acquisition of a Hub 3 Urban 6 Unnatural

Running the Game

so the beacons don’t start with one; however, the
GM should make sure the beacons get one as soon
as possible. Finally, decide on a name for your Hub. Examples include:

Ø the Cloudwalker
BUILDING THE HUB Ø Skyhold
Designing a Hub involves choosing features, draw- Ø the Strolling Sands
backs, and a theme. These describe important parts Ø the Ragnarok
of the Hub, and help the players understand how the
Hub looks and fits into the Reflection. These aspects EXAMPLE HUB
are intentionally open-ended so that the players and The Cloudwalker is mobile and well protected, but

10: Game Master’s Guide

GM can fill out the details themselves. has high operating costs and a terrible reputation.
A well protected Hub, for example, could simply It has a mechanical theme.
have sturdy walls, or it could have automated magitech The Cloudwalker is an old combat airship
guards patrolling at all times. showing signs of its age. Its armor plates are rusty
Begin by choosing two beneficial features for the and stained, but still sturdy. Keeping an airship in the
hub from the list below or making your own. air is already expensive, and keeping a relic like the
Cloudwalker in working condition is even more so.
FEATURES In its history as a combat airship, the Cloudwalker
was used in a number of terrible assaults. Its
1 Mobile 4 Long history distinctive silhouette brings fear to those who see
it and remember the horrors it once brought.
2 Well protected 5 Highly valuable

3 Secret location 6 Dedicated support staff

Appendices

237
 HUB UPGRADES
The Hub can be upgraded during your game to improve grades with a slash. For example, “2/3/4” means that the
Getting Started

it or make it feel more like home. Some upgrades provide upgrade begins at 2 and can be enhanced to 3, then 4.
narrative benefits, like the café, while others provide The beacons can pool their gold together to pur-
mechanical benefits, like the runeforge. Some example chase upgrades and enhancements. The GM may also
Hub upgrades are provided below, but the GM can also allow for other forms of payment or cost reductions.
create custom upgrades to suit the needs of the players. For example, if the beacons save a blacksmith’s life,
Each upgrade has a gold cost to acquire it, and the GM might allow them to reduce the cost of the
some can be enhanced (for a price) to improve their forge upgrade by –2 gold, if they can convince that
effects. Some can even be enhanced multiple times. The blacksmith to join them.
descriptions list the increased benefits of enhanced up-
Building Beacons

ALCHEMY LABORATORY DRESSING ROOM

Cost 6     4 Enhance Cost 6     4 Enhance

The Alchemy shop is always available during The leatherworker/clothier shop is always avail-
downtimes. The group can acquire 2/3/4 gold able during downtimes. The group can acquire
worth of supplies from the alchemist shop 2/3/4 gold worth of supplies from the leather-
(p. 347) for free between each quest without worker/clothier (p. 350) for free between each
performing a downtime activity. quest without performing a downtime activity.
Running the Game

CAFÉ FORGE
Cost 3     4 Enhance Cost 6     4 Enhance

Your café attracts people of one type: random, The blacksmith shop is always available during
interesting, or important. downtimes. The group can acquire 2/3/4 gold
Each enhancement adds an additional type of worth of supplies from the blacksmith (p. 349)
people attracted from the list. for free between each quest without performing a
downtime activity.
10: Game Master’s Guide

CASINO
JUNKYARD
Cost 4     7 Enhance
Cost 6     4 Enhance
During each downtime, each PC can wager any
amount of gold and roll 1d6. On a 1–3, they lose The engineer shop is always available during
the gold wagered. On a 4–6, they win, keeping downtimes. The group can acquire 2/3/4 gold
their wager and gaining an equal amount of gold. worth of supplies from the engineer (p. 352) for
This can be done multiple times per downtime, free between each quest without performing a
but every time the range of win results decreases downtime activity.
by 1 (from 4–6 to 5–6, then 6).
The casino can be enhanced once, which
increases the starting range to win by 1 (from 4–6 KITCHEN
Appendices

to 3–6).
Cost 6     4 Enhance

The tavern is always available during downtimes.

The group can acquire 2/3/4 gold worth of supplies
from the tavern (p. 354) for free between each
quest without performing a downtime activity.

238
 LIBRARY

Getting Started
Cost 5     3 Enhance

You have access to broad, secret, or detailed

information.
Additionally, players are free to look up gen-
eral NPC type and template information during
combat. This doesn’t grant them knowledge of
the current status or abilities of the specific NPCs
they’re facing.

Building Beacons
MEDICAL BAY
Cost 5     - Enhance

A place of healing. PCs can use it to quickly heal

minor-to-moderate injuries, and stabilize major
ones.

PORTAL

Running the Game

Cost 9     5 Enhance

A portal magically connects your Hub to another

location you can easily access.
Each enhancement lets you connect another
location.

RUNEFORGE

10: Game Master’s Guide

Cost 5     - Enhance

Between each quest, each beacon gains

1 residuum.

STOCKED CAMP
Cost 4     4 Enhance

During Short Rests, beacons can switch pieces

of equipment or techniques with different ones.
Equipment or techniques that are destroyed or
Appendices

have no remaining charges can’t be switched.

Each beacon can do this 1/2/3 times per quest.

239
 TELLING YOUR STORY STARTING POINT
By this point, you will have completed session 0. With Next, consider what level you want the beacons to
Getting Started

your Reflection and Hub decided, you’re ready to play start at. By default, they start at level 1, and this is
the game. Next, everyone creates their characters (see recommended for new players; however, if you have
p. 11) and then you can start to tell your story! an experienced group, they might want to start at a
higher level, and that’s fine.
It’s important to note that higher levels in BEACON
BUILDING CAMPAIGNS doesn’t necessarily equate to stronger characters. High-
Your campaign is the greater story that you and your er-level beacons do get more ability points and Grit, but
players are playing through together, usually set on a mostly they just get more options and complexity, not
single Reflection. All the quests, narrative scenes, and raw power. Even at level 1, beacons are heroes. They’re
combat scenes you and your players will experience the main characters. A low level doesn’t automatically
Building Beacons

are part of this campaign. mean they’re untrained commoners.

Most campaigns revolve around confronting their
Reflection’s Scourge. This might involve defeating it,
sealing it away, or even trying to break the cycle of the CHARACTER CONNECTIONS
Scourge forever. Incorporate elements from your PCs’ background skills
When you create your Reflection in Session 0, you into the campaign. Tie these characters and their stories
will probably start formulating ideas for the outline of a to the broader story of the campaign, and keep doing
campaign. Keep those discussions in mind as you plan so throughout.
out the details of the campaign. Each story beat that takes place in the campaign
This section presents some tips for building a cam- should be connected to at least one of the PCs.
Running the Game

paign and the quests that make it up.

ONE STEP AT A TIME

LENGTH You don’t need to plan out your entire campaign ahead
When planning a campaign, think about how long of time. It’s good to have a rough outline of where you
you want it to last. Because character levels are tied to might want it to go, but planning out every beat ahead
quests, they’re a great way to measure campaign length. of time can sometimes be a hindrance.
Are you and the players looking for a short commit- During the course of your campaign, your players
ment? Maybe plan on playing for 3–6 character levels. will take actions that deviate from your planned story.
A longer campaign can go all the way up to level 12. That’s fine! It’s completely normal, and happens in most
While it’s possible to go up to level 12, your campaign campaigns. That’s why you don’t want to waste time
10: Game Master’s Guide

doesn’t need to last this long. It’s perfectly possible to and energy planning out every step of the campaign
tell a story in a shorter time frame, and most characters ahead of time, because you will have to change those
can feel complete well before level 12. plans at some point anyway.
Plan a few steps or levels ahead, stay flexible, and
have an outline of where you want the story to go next.
Appendices

240
BUILDING QUESTS QUEST IDEAS
BEACON revolves around quests. The protagonists of Here are some simple ideas that you can use or modify

Getting Started
your story will undergo a series of quests, pursuing their for your own quests. Each quest contains examples for
goals across both narrative and combat play. After each each of the four quest stages identified above.
quest, they have a period of downtime before going
on the next one. Dug Too Deep
Quests are like chapters in a story, with combats Summary: Some miners dug too deep, and now the
as the high-action peaks of that story. Quests usually mine is swarming with monsters.
contain one to four combat scenes, with narrative scenes
sprinkled throughout. Inciting Incident: The miners unearthed a hole with
Quests should always further the main campaign, no bottom. When they sent someone to explore,
even if not directly. Perhaps a seemingly unrelated their animated skeleton was the only thing that

Building Beacons
quest allows the beacons to learn an important fact returned. Monsters began to appear in the mine
about the Scourge, or help them take out an important and the miners reported hallucinations before they
agent of the Scourge. abandoned it altogether.

Rising Action: The PCs must venture into the bottomless

QUEST STAGES pit and deal with the source of these monsters or
A story typically has four stages: an inciting incident, find a way to plug the hole for good.
rising action, a climax, and then the conclusion. This is a
useful framework for planning quests. All you need to do Climax: The beacons must evade a giant monster, riding
is come up with ideas for each of those four stages, and mine carts in a thrilling chase before the collapsing

Running the Game

then figure out where your one to four combat scenes fit in: mine traps them inside!

Ø Inciting incident: This is the catchy introduction Conclusion: The mine’s closed for good, but that’s
to the quest’s story, which coincides nicely with the probably a good thing considering the size of the
beacons’ preparations for the quest. You might either monster that chased the beacons.
tell the players what’s going on, or use cutscenes to
explain the situation. Escort Cargo
Ø Rising action: This is the buildup of the story, Summary: Eris Brittam, a historian and collector of
defined by ever-escalating stakes and tension. Each antiques, needs a shipment of important cargo to
scene builds on those that have come before. This be protected during transport.
is usually the longest part of the quest, and where

10: Game Master’s Guide

most combat scenes happen. Inciting Incident: A group of pirates recently attacked
Ø Climax: This is the highest point of the story – the the shipment. The next stage of the journey is the
culmination of all the prior scenes. The climax is most dangerous, and the pirates will definitely at-
often a final fight or confrontation. tack again. The cargo will next be loaded onto an
Ø Conclusion: This is the wrap-up of the story, where airship or train.
the repercussions of the beacons’ actions shine
through. This usually leads directly into downtime. Rising Action: The beacons must fend off numerous
pirate attacks. As the cargo gets closer to its desti-
nation, the pirates grow more desperate.

Climax: Runaway train/ship! If the pirates can’t have

the cargo, no one can! The beacons must defeat
the pirate leader and regain control of the train/
ship before it crashes!
Appendices

Conclusion: The beacons see what happens when the

cargo reaches its destination and are rewarded by
Eris Brittam.

241
 Kidnapped Royal Night of the Dead
Summary: A prince or princess has been captured Summary: A town is under siege by the undead, who
Getting Started

and must be rescued! The royal family has an idea rise every night but turn to ash when the sun rises.
who might have done it, but the real reason might
be surprising … Inciting Incident: The beacons receive a direct request
for aid from the townsfolk. The people of the town
Inciting Incident: The beacons arrive at the castle the need help identifying the source of the undead
morning after the royal was kidnapped. The castle invasion and putting a stop to it. They lose more
is in a state of panic as they search for the missing people every night and will soon be overrun.
person, and no one will deal with the beacons until
they are returned. Rising Action: The beacons help the townsfolk tem-
porarily strengthen their defenses, then go hunting
Building Beacons

Rising Action: The beacons identify the kidnapper for the source of the undead. They trace it back to
and where they went. They must make their way to the shadowy forest nearby.
where the royal is being held before the kidnapper
can escape. Climax: The beacons make their way through the forest
to confront the foul necromancer, a powerful young
Climax: The beacons confront the kidnapper. If the mage who was exiled from the town as a child.
kidnapper was in the wrong, the beacons must fight
them and their companions. If the situation is more Conclusion: The beacons either defeat the necromancer
complicated, they must confront the true threat. or convince them to stop. The townsfolk are relieved
to be safe once more.
Running the Game

Conclusion: The beacons are rewarded by whoever they

supported, and are offered support in their next task. Remove the Corruption
Summary: A corrupt political leader has been rallying
Kill the Dungeon the populace against the beacons and their efforts.
Summary: A living, growing dungeon has been un-
earthed. Its rooms expand like tree roots, weakening Inciting Incident: The corrupt leader calls for the impris-
the ground and releasing monsters onto the surface. onment of the beacons. A mob of deceived citizens
It must be stopped. attack the beacons.

Inciting Incident: Monster attacks have been on the Rising Action: The beacons have to avoid drawing
rise lately, but with no obvious source. One day a attention to themselves. They must figure out how
10: Game Master’s Guide

sinkhole swallows up part of a city, revealing an to remove the corrupt leader and get proof of their
expanding dungeon beneath. Architects confirm corruption.
that where the dungeon is now, there once were
sewers. The dungeon is growing. Climax: The corrupt leader reveals their master plan in
a villainous monologue, and sets their lackeys upon
Rising Action: The beacons venture into the dungeon, the beacons! The heroes must capture them before
encountering the monsters and traps that spawn they can destroy the evidence.
inside of it. They find signs of the life and intelligence
that is the dungeon itself. Conclusion: If the beacons get the evidence, they can
regain their good standing. If not, they are forever
Climax: The dungeon focuses its ability to create branded as outlaws and criminals.
monsters to forging a powerful body for itself. This
living manifestation of the dungeon clashes with
the beacons, attempting to purge its body of the
Appendices

invading heroes!

Conclusion: If the beacons win, they can kill the dun-

geon and stop it from growing any further. If they
lose, it will grow unchecked.

242
BUILDING COMBAT SCENES
There are a number of decisions a GM has to make when

Getting Started
preparing a combat scene. For example, they need to: NPC BUDGET COSTS

Ø decide how difficult the combat will be (p. 243) 1 Minion NPC 0.25 points
Ø create a battle map for the combat and populate it
with terrain features 4 Minion NPCs 1 point
Ø decide on the combat’s battle plan (p. 244). For
example, is it a simple Elimination scene in which 1 NPC 1 point
the PCs just have to defeat all the enemies, or is it
more involved, like an Assassination scene? 1 Veteran NPC 1.5 points
Ø decide how many NPCs will be in the combat scene,

Building Beacons
what their NPC types are, and whether they have 1 Elite NPC 2 points
any templates (p. 259).
1 Mini-Boss NPC 3 points
The rest of this section covers these decision points,
and Chapter 11: Non-Player Characters (p. 259) If an NPC has multiple templates with different costs
contains the full list of NPCs, templates, and their rules. (e.g., an Elite Veteran), just take the highest cost.
Using fewer NPCs than your NPC budget allows for
will result in easier combat scenes, while going over
SCENE DIFFICULTY your budget will result in harder combat scenes.
A combat scene’s difficulty is one way for a GM to Other factors can also change the difficulty of a

Running the Game

customize a fight. The main way to adjust a combat’s combat scene:
difficulty is by increasing or decreasing the number of
enemies within it. Ø If there are more PCs than there are NPCs, the PCs
The first step in deciding how many NPCs should be have a huge advantage because of the number
present in a combat scene is to determine your NPC of turns available to them versus the NPCs. Try to
budget. To do this, take the number of PCs that will be design combat scenes so there aren’t many more
participating in the fight and multiply that number by PCs than NPCs.
1.5. For example, if you have 4 PCs, your NPC budget Ø Minions are easily defeated, but do just as much
will be 6 (4 × 1.5 = 6). damage as standard NPCs. Too many Minions can
quickly overwhelm the PCs.
Ø Mini-Bosses shouldn’t fight the PCs alone. Any single

10: Game Master’s Guide

NPC budget = # of PCs × 1.5 character, even a Mini-Boss, is quickly overwhelmed
by multiple opponents.

Certain battle plans will modify this NPC budget. The Ultimately, figuring out what counts as an easy, normal,
Survival battle plan, for example, doubles your NPC bud- or hard combat scene is more art than science because
get. If your normal NPC budget would be 6, for example, there are just so many variables. A combat scene that
it would be doubled to 12 in a Survival combat scene. seems hard on paper might be very easy for your players
Every NPC you add to a combat scene costs some because their builds counter the NPCs you picked. The
points from the NPC budget. Most NPCs cost 1 point more you play with your group and the more familiar
to add to a scene, but NPCs with certain templates, like you become with their characters, the more accurately
Minions or Mini-Bosses, cost different amounts. you’ll be able to achieve your intended difficulty.
Appendices

243
 MAPMAKING BATTLE PLAN
Combat scenes take place on a battle map, a special Each combat scene has a battle plan. Battle plans provide
Getting Started

type of gridded map that traditionally uses square the framework for combat scenes, determining the win
or hex spaces. You can use either type of spaces for conditions for the PCs, the NPC budget, and any special
BEACON, since the game is measured in spaces of any rules. These are designed to make combat scenes more
type. 1 space can be either 1 square or 1 hex. engaging than just “destroy all enemies”. Many battle plans
This section provides guidance on how to make feature solutions that allow scenes to be resolved quickly.
a fun battle map, from choosing the correct size to In the absence of another battle plan, combat scenes
populating it with interesting features. default to Elimination (see below).

Map Size Terminology

The size of the map often varies from scene to scene: Ø Control Zone: Certain battle plans feature control
Building Beacons

zones, which are areas on the battlefield that PCs

Ø Smaller maps usually have a longest side of and NPCs must fight over.
approximately 20 spaces. Ø Deployment Zone: In scenes that have them, PCs
Ø Standard-sized maps have a longest side of and NPCs start within their respective deployment
approximately 25 spaces zones. Not every battle plan has deployment zones.
Ø Larger maps usually have a longest side of Ø Escape Zone: PCs can use escape zones to leave a
approximately 40 spaces. combat scene. Battle plans that feature escape zones
explain how they’re used.
Battle plans other than Elimination assume a map with Ø Reinforcements: Reinforcements are characters that
a longest side of 40 spaces or less. They can be used with join a combat scene after the first round.
Running the Game

smaller or larger maps, but certain battle plans might Ø Reinforcement Zone: NPC reinforcements enter the
be easier or harder with different map sizes. combat scene within reinforcement zones.
Ø Objectives: Objectives are characters, objects, or
Map Features zones that the PCs must interact with in certain ways.
Combat scenes should take place in interesting places Objectives don’t take turns. They automatically fail
with interesting features, not small, featureless rooms. all checks or saves, and clear all conditions, effects,
Here are some tips for building interesting combat and statuses at the start of each round.
scenes:
Elements
Ø Add sections of soft and/or hard cover. Tables, trees, Every battle plan contains the following elements, which
walls, and other elements can all be cover. shape how the combat scene plays out.
10: Game Master’s Guide

Ø Add obstacles or large pieces of terrain to block

line of sight. Ø Map: Every battle plan contains an example map.
Ø Add places on the map that beacons can get This map is meant to represent how the combat
bonuses for reaching – regaining Recoveries, HP, or scene should be laid out and can be used as a
MP; getting a reroll on the next loot crate; and so on. starting point when creating an actual battle map.
Ø Spice things up with environmental factors and Ø Goal: The goal is whatever the PCs must do to
terrain features. achieve victory in the combat scene. Some battle
Ø Create zones that provide tactical options for players. plans have secondary goals, which must be
Getting from point A to point B might involve completed after the primary goal to secure victory.
crossing an open field and being vulnerable to a Ø Setup: The setup provides recommendations on
Sharpshooter NPC. Consider adding an alternative how the combat scene should be laid out.
route that is longer but protected from enemy fire. Ø Rules: Some battle plans have special rules. This
Ø Mix up the size and width of pathways. section explains how they work.
Ø NPC Prep: This describes how many NPCs the
Appendices

GM should prepare and whether or not there are

reinforcements. In addition, it indicates whether
the PCs or NPCs deploy first in the combat scene.
Whichever side deploys first must decide where in
their deployment zones they want to start without
knowing the locations of their opponents.
Ø Reinforcements: This outlines when enemy
reinforcements join the combat scene, and where from.
244
Acqusition Assassination
The beacons have to fight through enemies toward a loca- An important target has been identified and must be

Getting Started
tion, and then keep their foes out. These combat scenes often eliminated. Once this is done, the beacons have to
involve securing a person or location held by enemy forces. safely escape.

reinforcement reinforcement

objective

reinforcement
reinforcement
pc deployment

pc deployment

Building Beacons
npc deployment
& control zone

reinforcement
escape
zone

reinforcement reinforcement reinforcement

Running the Game

Goal: Have more PCs than enemy NPCs in the control Goal: Defeat the objective by the end of Round 8.
zone at the end of Round 6.
Secondary Goal: Defeat all enemy NPCs or escape.
Setup: Place a PC deployment zone along one edge
of the map. Place a control zone near the opposite Setup: Enemy NPCs can deploy anywhere on the map.
side of the map. This control zone is also the NPC Place a PC deployment zone along one edge of the
deployment zone. It should be fortified with cover map and place the objective anywhere on the map,
and large enough for multiple characters to occupy ideally far from the PC deployment zone. Next, place
at the same time. Place reinforcement zones along an escape zone somewhere on the map, typically
the edges of the map. between the PC deployment zone and the objective.

10: Game Master’s Guide

Reinforcement zones are located throughout the map,
Rules: At the end of Round 6, determine if there are either along the edge or at locations where allies of
more enemy NPCs in the control zone than PCs. the objective can appear, like houses or barracks.
Mini-Bosses count as 4 characters each, Elites count
as 2, Minions count as 1/4, and Summons count as 0. Rules: The objective is a Veteran or Elite NPC. They
should not be a Mini-Boss. When acting, they pri-
NPC Prep: Normal NPC budget, but half are reinforce- oritize survival. Only the PCs can escape. They can
ments. NPCs deploy first. do so as a free action at the end of their turn while
partly inside the escape zone. After defeating the
Reinforcements: At the end of Round 1, the GM de- objective, the combat scene only ends when either:
ploys all reinforcements in any reinforcement zones. Ø all enemy NPCs are defeated
Ø all undefeated PCs escape
Ø all PCs are defeated.
Appendices

NPC Prep: 2.5 x NPC budget, but half are reinforce-

ments. NPCs deploy first.

Reinforcements: At the start of any round before the

target is defeated, the GM can deploy up to four
Minions or up to two other NPCs in any reinforce-
ment zones. Once the target is defeated, no more
reinforcements appear.
245
 Control Defense
The beacons must hold locations of strategic importance The beacons must protect someone or something from
Getting Started

like mines, food stores, or barracks. hostile forces that want them (or it) dead.

npc deployment / reinforcement

control
zone

npc deployment / reinforcement

control
pc deployment

zone pc
Building Beacons

deployment

objective

control
zone
control
zone
Running the Game

Goal: Have more points than the NPCs at the end of Goal: Protect the objective until the end of Round 5.
Round 5. If the objective is defeated or destroyed, the PCs
automatically lose.
Setup: Place a PC deployment zone and an NPC deploy-
ment zone along opposite edges of the map. The Setup: Place a PC deployment zone near the center of
NPC deployment zone should be larger than the PC the map, fortified with cover. Additionally, place an
deployment zone and is also a reinforcement zone. NPC deployment zone around the edge of the map.
Place four control zones, evenly spaced between the This is also a reinforcement zone.
PC and NPC deployment zones. Place the objective inside the PC deployment zone.

Rules: At the end of each round, determine if either Rules: The objective is a character or object with the
10: Game Master’s Guide

side controls any control zones. Control zones are following attributes:
controlled if one side has more characters in the zone
than the other side, excluding Summons. Each side Size 1/2 to 2, HP 25/30/35, Dodge/A-Def 10
gets 1 point for every zone it controls. If either side
controls all four zones, it gains +1 point. The enemy NPCs should focus on attacking the objec-
At the end of Round 6, the team with the most tive. If the objective is a character or object that can be
points wins. moved, then when a character begins their standard
movement adjacent to it, the objective moves along
NPC Prep: 2 x NPC budget, but half are reinforcements. with that character. At the end of that movement, the
Roll a d6. On a 1–3, the NPCs deploy first. player can place the objective in any adjacent free
space. If the objective is adjacent to two characters
Reinforcements: At the start of any round, the GM can from different sides, it stops moving and won’t move
deploy up to four Minions or up to two other NPCs further. The objective doesn’t move on its own.
in any reinforcement zones.
Appendices

NPC Prep: Normal NPC budget. NPCs deploy after

the PCs.

Reinforcements: If any NPCs are held as reinforcements,

they can be deployed in reinforcement zones at the
start of any round.

246
Destruction Elimination
The beacons have a brief opportunity to destroy a Two or more sides must fight until their enemies are

Getting Started
number of objectives before time runs out. defeated or in rout.

reinforcement reinforcement

objective

objective
pc deployment

pc deployment
NPC

Building Beacons
Deployment npc deployment

objective

objective

reinforcement reinforcement

Running the Game

Goal: Destroy all objectives before the end of Round Goal: Defeat all enemies.
8. If any objectives remain at this time, the PCs au-
tomatically lose. Setup: Place a PC deployment zone and, if there are
reinforcements, reinforcement zones anywhere on
Setup: Place a PC deployment zone along one edge the map. NPCs can be deployed anywhere.
of the map. Then, place an NPC deployment zone
near the opposite end of the map and reinforcement Rules: No special rules.
zones along the other edges of the map.
Scatter 1–5 objectives around the map, gravitating NPC Prep: Normal NPC budget. Roll a d6. On a 1–3,
toward the NPC deployment zone. the NPCs deploy first. If the PCs deploy first, don’t
surround them with NPCs – place them in interesting

10: Game Master’s Guide

Rules: The objectives are objects with the following places, instead.
attributes:
Reinforcements: If any NPCs are held as reinforcements,
Size 1 to 2, HP = see below, Dodge/A-Def 5 any number of them can be deployed in reinforce-
ment zones at the start of a round.
To calculate the objectives’ HP, multiply the number
of PCs by 20 and divide this number evenly between
the objectives. For example, with four PCs, the pool
of HP is 80. With two objectives, each has 40 HP.
With four objectives, each has 20 HP.
The objectives do not clear Discord and they
take any ongoing Discord damage at the end of
each round.
Appendices

NPC Prep: Slightly more than the normal NPC budget,

but not more than twice the budget. NPCs over the
normal budget are held as reinforcements. Enemy
NPCs deploy first.

Reinforcements: At the start of any round, the GM can

deploy up to four Minions or up to two other NPCs
in any reinforcement zones.
247
 Escort NPC Prep: 2 × NPC budget, but half are held as rein-
The beacons seek to escort someone through enemy forcements. NPCs deploy after the PCs. The PCs
Getting Started

lines. The enemy forces want this person for themselves, deploy the objective in their deployment zone when
and will try to take them or prevent the beacons from they deploy.
moving them.
Reinforcements: At the start of any round, the GM can
deploy up to four Minions or one other NPC in any
reinforcement reinforcement
reinforcement zone.

Holdout
The beacons need to hold the line against unending
Building Beacons

waves of enemies, preventing their foes from over-

pc deployment

escape zone
whelming the space they control.

npc deployment npc deployment / reinforcement

Running the Game

reinforcement reinforcement
pc deployment
& control
Goal: Escape with the objective before the end of zone
Round 8.

Setup: Place a PC deployment zone along one edge of

the map and an escape zone on the opposite edge.
Next, place an NPC deployment zone between the
PC deployment zone and the escape zone, and rein-
forcement zones along the other edges of the map.
10: Game Master’s Guide

Rules: The objective is a character with these attributes: Goal: At the end of Round 6, there are fewer enemy
NPCs (excluding Summons) in the control zone than
Size 1/2 to 2, HP = 10 × Size (min 10), Dodge/A-Def 10 there were PCs at the beginning of the combat scene.

Enemy NPCs should not willingly attack or damage Setup: Place a PC deployment zone near the center of
the objective. the map. This is also the control zone and should be
When a character begins their standard move- fortified with cover. The edges of the map are both the
ment adjacent to the objective, the objective moves NPC deployment zone and the reinforcement zone.
along with them. At the end of that movement, the
player can place the objective in any adjacent free Rules: Defeated NPC units (excluding Mini-Bosses)
space. If the objective is adjacent to two characters return as reinforcements after a number of rounds
from different sides, the objective stops moving, won’t equal their Wound Cap.
move further, and they are considered contested.
The objective doesn’t move on their own. NPC Prep: 3 + NPC budget. NPCs beyond the budget
Appendices

Only PCs can escape. They can do so as a free are held as reinforcements. NPCs deploy after PCs.
action at the end of their turn while partly within
the escape zone. The objective escapes if they are Reinforcements: At the start of each round after the
adjacent to a PC that escapes and aren’t contested. first, the GM can deploy all reinforcements in the
reinforcement zone.

248
Raid Rescue
In a raid, the beacons rush to collect something, whether The beacons must fight their way to someone in need

Getting Started
it be strategic resources or vital information. of rescue and safely escape with them.

reinforcement reinforcement reinforcement reinforcement

chest
chest

chest

npc deployment
chest
pc deployment

pc deployment
chest

Building Beacons
npc deployment

chest objective

chest

chest

reinforcement reinforcement reinforcement reinforcement

Running the Game

Goal: End Round 4, 5, or 6 with X treasure, where X = Goal: Escape with the objective before the end of
the number of PCs +1. Round 10.

Setup: Place a PC deployment zone and an NPC de- Setup: Place a PC deployment zone along one edge of
ployment zone on opposite edges of the map, and the map. This is also the escape zone. Next, place an
1–4 reinforcement zones along the other edges. NPC deployment zone on the opposite side of the
Distribute chests equal to twice the number of PCs map, surrounded by cover and fortifications. Place
around the map. reinforcement zones along the other edges of the
map and the objective in the NPC deployment zone.
Rules: While in the space of a chest, PCs can open it as a
minor action. Some chests might be locked. When Rules: The objective is a character with these attributes:

10: Game Master’s Guide

a PC opens a chest, they gain 1 treasure.
Characters can hold any amount of treasure at Size 1/2 to 2, HP = 10 × Size (min 10), Dodge/A-Def 10
once. Whenever a character holding treasure takes
a Wound or Overstress, they drop all their treasure Enemy NPCs will not willingly attack or damage
in an adjacent space of their choice. They can also the objective.
willingly drop all their treasure as a minor action. When a character begins their standard move-
Characters can pick up all treasure in a space they ment adjacent to the objective, the objective moves
occupy as a minor action. along with them. At the end of that movement, the
Enemy NPCs don’t open chests, but will pick up player can place the objective in any adjacent free
dropped treasure. space. If the objective is adjacent to two characters
from different sides, the objective stops moving, won’t
NPC Prep: Normal NPC budget. NPCs deploy after move further, and they are considered contested.
the PCs. The objective doesn’t move on their own.
Only the PCs can escape. They can do so as a free
Appendices

Reinforcements: If any NPCs are held as reinforcements, action at the end of their turn while partly inside
any number of them can be deployed in reinforce- the escape zone. The objective escapes if they are
ment zones at the start of a round. adjacent to a PC that escapes and aren’t contested.

249
 NPC Prep: 2 × NPC budget, but most are held as rein- Survival
forcements. NPCs deploy after the PCs. In desperate times, survival is everything. Hide, fight,
Getting Started

run away – all that matters is that you survive.

Reinforcements: At the start of any round, the GM
can deploy up to four Minions between two re- npc deployment / reinforcement
inforcement zones or two other NPCs in different
reinforcement zones. A used reinforcement zone
can’t be used for reinforcements in the next round.

Search
There is something hidden in one four places. The
beacons must find it and control it before it’s too late.
pc
Building Beacons

deployment

control control
zone zone

npc reinforcement
pc deployment

npc deployment
Running the Game

Goal: At least half of the PCs (rounded up) must be

undefeated or all NPCs and reinforcements must
be defeated by the end of Round 5.

Setup: Place a PC deployment zone near the center

of the map, surrounded by cover and fortifications.
control control
zone zone The NPC deployment zone and reinforcement zone
runs along the outer edge of the map.

Goal: Control the objective at the end of Round 6. Rules: No special rules.
10: Game Master’s Guide

Setup: Place an NPC deployment zone in the middle of NPC Prep: 2 × NPC budget, but half are held as rein-
the map. Next, place a PC deployment zone along forcements. NPCs deploy after the PCs.
one edge of the map and the reinforcement zone
along the opposite edge. Lastly, place four control Reinforcements: At the start of Round 3, deploy all
zones, one of which is secretly the objective. reinforcements in the reinforcement zone.

Rules: Within a control zone, PCs can use their standard

action during any phase to learn whether it is the
objective or not. They can’t do this if there are any
NPCs in the control zone.

NPC Prep: Normal NPC budget. NPCs deploy after

the PCs.
Appendices

Reinforcements: At the start of any round, the GM can

deploy up to four Minions or one other NPC in the
reinforcement zone.

250
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND TERRAIN FEATURES
An interesting environment is a key part of a memorable combat scene. This section outlines a range of envi-

Getting Started
ronmental factors and terrain features you can use in combat scenes, including the basic ones discussed earlier
in the book.

Environmental Factors LOW VISIBILITY

Environmental factors are effects that alter combat Low visibility can represent darkness, fog, and other ef-
scenes, individual spaces, or even objects. Some apply fects that make it hard to see. It affects how far characters
to the entire combat scene, while others affect char- can see, and makes it harder to find Hidden characters.
acters in smaller areas, such as in the case of a room Low visibility has the following effects:
with poor visibility.
Ø Characters are Invisible while Hidden.

Building Beacons
COLD Ø Scope and the Range of all weapons are reduced by
When characters within this environment take Stress half. Reach and AOEs are not affected.
from other characters, they take –1 Stress. When they
take Lunar from other characters, they take +1 Lunar. MANA VORTEXES
Mana vortexes alter the cost of spells, making them more
HEAT or less expensive. There are two types of mana zones:
When characters within this environment take Stress
from other characters, they take an additional +1 Stress. Ø Mana Field: Mana fields reduce the MP cost of all
When they take Astral from other characters, they take spells used within them by –1, to a minimum of 0.
+1 Astral. Ø Mana Void: Mana voids increase the MP cost of all

Running the Game

spells used within them by +1. This even applies to
HIGH WINDS spells that don’t usually have a MP cost.
At the start of each round, the GM chooses one side
of the map. The winds are blowing in this direction. POISONOUS
At the start of each character’s turn while within this Characters must succeed on a Bulk check at the start
environment, they are pushed 1 space in the indicated of each of their turns while within this environment or
direction, or 1d6 spaces if they are Flying. take 1 Discord .

LOCKS UNDERWATER/ZERO-GRAVITY
Doors, gates, and treasure chests can all be locked, Combat scenes that take place completely underwater
preventing them from being opened. A locked en- or in zero-gravity treat all characters as Flying. Howev-

10: Game Master’s Guide

trance – a bolted door, for instance – can’t be moved er, unless they have flight or an Aquatic Adaptation
through. The contents of chests and other objects that (granted by certain abilities), they can’t Rush or shift.
are locked can’t be accessed.
To unlock something, you can make an Agility check
as part of the action to interact with it. On a success,
the lock is disabled and the object is opened.

LOW GRAVITY
Characters in low-gravity environments can jump fur-
ther than normal. When they begin their standard
movement or begin a Rush movement while within
this environment, they can choose to gain Flying,
and can move up to half their Speed in a straight line
in addition to that movement. They lose Flying at the
Appendices

end of that movement.

251
 Terrain Features CREEPING TERRAIN
Terrain features modify spaces and terrain on the battle- Any other type of terrain can be creeping terrain, al-
Getting Started

field. They are not objects unless specifically indicated lowing it to move at the start of each round. The GM
otherwise. While they generally affect single spaces, determines how far creeping terrain can move, but 2–3
multiple terrain features can be placed next to each spaces is a good baseline.
other to create a continuous feature. For example, you
can have a single space of lava as dangerous terrain, CURSED TERRAIN
but you could also connect multiple lava spaces to Characters in cursed terrain receive +1 on attacks,
create a lava flow, all of which count as the same piece checks, and saves.
of dangerous terrain.
DAWN STONE
ARMOR RACK Dawn stones are immovable objects with Dodge 5 and
Building Beacons

Characters can use an adjacent armor rack as a minor 1 HP. They don’t cause obstruction and are auto-hit
action, gaining one of the following effects for the by AOE effects.
rest of the scene: Dawn stones emit Burst 2    zones around them-
selves that negate the effects of low visibility. If a dawn
Ø They gain +2 Armor. stone is destroyed, characters within the zone must
Ø They gain resistance to either Physical, Force, succeed on a Bulk check or be Blinded until cleared.
Astral, or Lunar.
DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TERRAIN
By default, each armor rack can be used once per scene. Difficult terrain is anything that slows movement, like
mud, water, or thick grass. Difficult terrain has +1
Running the Game

BALLISTA movement cost.

While characters are within a ballista’s space, their Dangerous terrain is any type of terrain that can
ranged weapons gain +5 Range. cause damage, like lava or thorns.
1/round, when you enter dangerous terrain or
BLESSED TERRAIN end your turn in it, you must make an ability check of
Characters in blessed terrain gain +1 on attacks, the GM’s choice. On a failure, you take 5 damage of any
checks, and saves. type or Stress based on the type of terrain.

CATAPULT DUSK STONE

While characters are within a catapult’s space, their Dusk stones are immovable objects with Dodge 5 and
ranged and thrown weapon attacks gain Arcing. 1 HP. They don’t cause obstruction and are auto-hit
10: Game Master’s Guide

by AOE effects.
CHARGED TERRAIN Dusk stones emit Burst 2    zones around them-
Characters that end their turn in charged terrain selves that cause low visibility. If a dusk stone is
take 5 Piercing Astral   , –1 for every space they destroyed, characters within the zone are Invisible
moved that turn. until the end of their next turn.

CHASM EMPTY SPACE/FREE SPACE

Chasms have no ground beneath them, or ground so A free space is a space that doesn’t contain any char-
far away that characters entering them must expend acters or objects. Empty spaces, on the other hand, are
great effort to return. more specific than free spaces. Empty spaces are those
Non-Flying characters that fully enter a chasm that don’t contain any characters, objects, terrain, or
immediately stop moving, take 2 Stress    , and end terrain features.
their turn if it was their turn. Characters that start their Some abilities affect free spaces, while others will
turn in a chasm can immediately use their standard affect empty spaces only.
Appendices

movement to move to the nearest free non-chasm

space. Otherwise, they suffer the effects of the chasm. ETHEREAL RIFT
Characters that enter an ethereal rift can move through
COVER obstructions and ignore Engagement until the end
See p. 50 for detailed information on cover. of their next turn, but can’t end their turn inside an
obstruction.

252
 EXPLOSIVE ZONE HEALING FONT
Explosive zones increase the size of AOEs. If an AOE would Characters adjacent to a healing font can regain all HP

Getting Started
include any spaces of an explosive zone, the AOE’s size as a minor action. Once used in this way, the healing
is increased by +1. A Line 10    AOE becomes Line 11    , font is expended.
a Close Blast 2    AOE becomes Close Blast 3    , and
so on. HIGH GROUND
High ground provides benefits that represent being
FLAMMABLE TERRAIN at a higher elevation than other characters, similar to
When a character standing in flammable terrain takes those received when Flying. Characters standing on
Astral or an AOE that deals Astral hits a space of flam- high ground gain the following benefits:
mable terrain, the terrain ignites (along with any ad-
jacent flammable terrain). Characters in connected Ø Non-thrown melee attacks against them from non-

Building Beacons
spaces (including diagonally) of flammable terrain must Flying characters that aren’t on high ground receive
make an Agility check. Failure: They take 5 Discord    . +2 .
Success: They take 3 Discord    . Either way, the spaces Ø They neither become Engaged by nor cause
then become dangerous terrain (Agility, 5 Astral    ) engagement to non-Flying characters that aren’t
until the end of the scene. on high ground.
Ø Their attacks gain +1 against non-Flying character
FOCUS ZONE that aren’t on high ground.
Characters that start their turn in a focus zone take
3/4/5 Stress    if they don’t use a spell that turn. Accessing high ground sometimes requires special
movement, like flying or climbing.

Running the Game

FOG
Fog provides soft cover to characters fully within it. HOLY GROUND
When characters in holy ground would regain HP, they
FRICTIONLESS TERRAIN regain twice as much HP instead. This does not apply
Characters that enter frictionless terrain or move while to characters with the Undead or Vampiric templates.
within it continue moving in a straight line until they
hit an obstruction or character, or move out of the IMPASSABLE TERRAIN
frictionless terrain. This is considered forced movement. Impassable terrain is any terrain, like a wall or a cliff,
that cannot normally be traversed except by characters
FURY ZONE who possess a type of movement that allows them to
Characters that start their turn in a fury zone take do so, like flying or climbing. Some impassable terrain

10: Game Master’s Guide

3/4/5 Stress    if they don’t attack with a weapon that cannot be entered at all (e.g., a pillar that reaches up to
turn. the ceiling or the walls of an underground dungeon).

GROWING TERRAIN MANA FONT

Any other type of terrain can be growing terrain, caus- Characters adjacent to a mana font can regain all MP
ing it to grow by 1d3 spaces at the start of each round. as a minor action. Once used in this way, the mana
font is expended.
HARPOON
Characters standing in a harpoon’s space can use their MONSTER SPAWNER
standard action during any phase to make a ranged Monster spawners are objects that continually summon
weapon attack against a target within Range 15    . NPC reinforcements at the start of each round until
On Hit: The target takes 1d6+1 Piercing Physical    , disabled. These reinforcements are not considered part
loses Flying, and cannot resume Flying until this of the NPC budget. Monster spawners can be disabled
phase in the next round. with a successful ability check of the GM’s choice as a
Appendices

Harpoons must be reloaded after each use. They can minor action.
be reloaded with a standard action during any phase, By default, monster spawners can’t be attacked or
or are automatically reloaded if a character in its space destroyed. At the GM’s option, a spawner may have
reloads a weapon. 10/15/20 HP and Dodge 6.

253
 NOXIOUS FUMES Condition, Area: When triggered, all characters in a
Noxious fumes provide soft cover. Characters that Burst 1    AOE must make a save of the GM’s choice.
Getting Started

start their turn in noxious fumes must succeed on a Failure: They gain a condition, chosen when the
Bulk check or take 1 Discord    , or if they already have Trap is set.
Discord, take Discord equal to their current Discord.
Damage: The triggering character takes 6/8/10    damage
PIT of any type, chosen when the Trap is set.
Pits are difficult-to-escape holes in the ground. Char-
acters fully inside a pit can only move to adjacent pit Damage, Area: When triggered, all characters in a
spaces unless they are Flying or can teleport. Char- Burst 1    AOE must make save of the GM’s choice.
acters within a pit can use their standard movement or Failure: The target takes 6/8/10    damage of any
Rush to move to an adjacent non-pit space. type, chosen when the Trap is set. Success: They
Building Beacons

take 3/4/5    damage instead.

SLIPPERY TERRAIN
Slippery terrain is difficult terrain. Characters that TREASURE CHEST
start their turn in slippery terrain must succeed on an Treasure chests are objects that don’t cause obstruction
Agility check or fall Prone. Characters that ignore and that contain bonus effects for the players, chosen
difficult terrain ignore this effect. from the table below. Players always know the contents
of chests. The GM can decide if the bonuses apply to the
STICKY TERRAIN character that opened the chest or everyone on their
Sticky terrain is difficult terrain. Characters that start team. Some bonuses provide immediate effects, while
their turn in sticky terrain must succeed on a Bulk check others provide delayed effects or permanent resources.
Running the Game

or be Immobilized. Chests can be accessed with a minor action while

in their space, but might be locked (see the locked
TELEPORT PAD environmental feature).
Teleport pads can be one-way or two-way:

Ø One-Way: There are three types of one-way SAMPLE CHEST REWARDS

teleport pads, which determine their effects. When
a character enters the teleport pad’s space, they 1 A reroll on the next loot crate’s first slot. Subsequent
experience the relevant effect: instances of this bonus increase the slot that can
Ø They teleport to a specific space. be rerolled. For example, getting this reward
Ø They teleport 1d6 spaces in a random twice means that you can reroll either the first
10: Game Master’s Guide

direction. or second slot.

Ø They teleport 1d6 spaces in a specific
direction. 2 +X gold
Ø Two-Way: Each two-way teleport pad is connected
to another. When a character enters the teleport 3 +X Recoveries
pad’s space, they are teleported to the connected
pad. If the other teleport pad is occupied, the 4 Repair a destroyed weapon, support item, or
teleport fails. technique for free

TRAPS 5 A specific piece of loot

Traps are interactable objects with the Trap tag (p.
65). While many Traps are PC or NPC abilities, you 6 Regain X uses of a Consumable ability
can use the following Traps to represent Traps already
on the battlefield. 7 Increase current and total MP by X for the rest of
Appendices

the scene
Condition: The triggering character gains a condition
based on the type of Trap. Immobilized, Slowed, 8 Clear all Stress
and Blinded are common.

254
 UNHOLY GROUND COMBAT SCENE TIPS
When characters in unholy ground would regain HP, Combat scenes have a lot of moving parts. These includ-

Getting Started
they regain half the HP instead. This does not apply ing creating a fair, balanced, and interesting fight for
to characters with the Undead or Vampiric templates. the players; designing the battle map; and controlling
the NPCs during the fight.
UPDRAFT This section contains some general, helpful tips to
Characters in an updraft gain Flying for as long as they keep in mind when creating combat scenes.
are in an updraft, or until the end of their turn if they
leave an updraft. MAKE THEM INTERESTING
Combat scenes should be more than just generic bat-
WEAPON RACK tles against faceless minions. There should be stakes,
Characters can use an adjacent weapon rack as a minor reasons for fighting, and environmental features that

Building Beacons
action, choosing one of the following options: make them interesting.
An example of a boring combat scene would be a
Ø They repair a destroyed weapon for free. simple dungeon room with a bunch of animated skele-
Ø They gain +1 on all attacks with a weapon of their tons guarding the exit. A more exciting example would
choice for the rest of the scene. have the beacons finding an underground mausoleum,
in which a royal animated skeleton sits atop a bone
By default, each weapon rack can be used once per scene. throne and attacks anyone who enters with an endlessly
spawning army of lesser skeletons. These foes can only
be stopped if the beacons destroy their sarcophagi.
INFORMATION TRANSPARENCY

Running the Game

Combat in BEACON is based around information trans-
parency. Your goal as GM isn’t to hide information from KEEP PLAYERS ACTIVE
your players or trick them, but instead to allow them Depending on the actions players take each round, there
to make informed decisions. can be a decent amount of time between their turns. Try
During combat scenes, you should always share the to minimize situations that would take players out of a
following information with players: fight. Fill combat scenes with different things people
can interact with so they have things to do other than
Ø The NPC types and templates for all enemies. just attacking enemies. Environmental factors, terrain
Ø The locations of enemies on the map at all times, features like high ground, and civilians in need of res-
regardless of line of sight or whether they are cue are all examples of things between which players
Hidden or Invisible. might need to split their focus.

10: Game Master’s Guide

Ø The conditions and statuses of all enemies.
Ø The battle plan and all relevant goals.
Ø The locations of all Traps. PLAY TO YOUR PLAYERS’ STRENGTHS
Ø The mechanics of any abilities or items that NPCs use. There are a wide variety of NPC types that you can use,
and some of them are strong against specific play styles.
Other information is restricted unless a beacon has a When designing combat scenes, make sure to play
specific way to access it. This includes the ability scores to the strengths of the PCs, not their weaknesses. Use
and attributes of NPCs and the specific features they NPCs that counter PCs as a way to challenge them,
have equipped. Certain abilities, like the Lore Book not as a way to beat them. As a player, it always feels
support item (p. 218), can provide access to restricted better to defeat an NPC than to feel like you aren’t
information. contributing anything.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIZE AND TERRAIN

Appendices

Every combat scene takes place on a battle map. The

size of these maps may vary from scene to scene, but
on average, they should be around 25 spaces by 25
spaces. This gives enough room for tight, efficient scenes.
Avoid combats in plain, open fields. Placing terrain
and objects around the battlefield gives people oppor-
tunities to find cover and avoid line of sight.

255
 PLAY SMART LOOT AND REWARDS
You don’t need to alter your tactics based on the intel- Beacons can receive additional rewards outside of their
Getting Started

ligence of your NPCs. You’re encouraged to act intel- class-based rewards. These rewards might be primarily
ligently, attacking vulnerable characters and avoiding narrative, like gaining the trust or backing of a powerful
dangerous situations. organization, while others have effects in combat play,
For example, beacons have the ability to actively like supplies, residuum, and loot.
defend each other using Interpose or other defensive Loot is the most common type of reward that beacons
abilities. You can intentionally attack beacons supporting will acquire during the game, as they’ll earn at least one
their allies from the back lines, because defender-type piece of loot after every quest.
beacons will be able to step in and protect them. Un-
like other games, you don’t need to directly target the
defender-type beacons just because they’re the “party LOOT
Building Beacons

tank”. Attack intelligently, and let your players utilize Loot includes a range of equipment and techniques
their defensive abilities. that aren’t tied to specific classes. It is usually presented
That being said, you don’t HAVE to do this. You can to the players via loot crates. A loot crate is a set of
intentionally have your NPCs use poor tactics or make three random pieces of loot from which the player can
bad decisions. For example, you can play an NPC Fury as select one to keep. The full list of loot can be found in
someone that only attacks the closest enemy. Just know that Appendix B: Loot (p. 356).
the game is designed around the idea that you can attack Once a beacon has obtained a particular piece of
intelligently as a GM and don’t need to pull your punches. loot, it operates like any other unlockable equipment
But remember: always root for your players to win. or technique. They have permanent access to it and
can choose to equip it when preparing for quests.
Running the Game

Unless it is Unique, they can equip multiple instances

USE A VARIETY OF NPC ROLES of it at a time.
Each NPC type has a role, much like classes do: defender, Loot is categorized by rarity. It can be Uncommon,
striker, controller, and so on. Rare, or Legendary. The rarer a piece of loot, the more
When designing combat scenes, it’s best to use a likely it is to have powerful effects. That doesn’t mean
variety of NPC types. This makes the combat feel more more common items are weak, however; the power of
dynamic and gives the PCs more engaging decisions loot is very dependent on the play style of the beacon
points. For example, if there’s a Healer NPC keeping a that uses it.
Protector NPC alive, it will encourage the PCs to find a Here’s an example of a piece of loot:
way to take out the Healer first.
Above all, don’t put too many defenders in a com- Absorption Fight
10: Game Master’s Guide

bat scene. Defenders generally have high HP and low Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Artifact
damage output, so combat scenes filled with too many Reach 1    1d6+1 Physical   
of them can feel like a slog.
On Crit: You regain 1 MP and your target loses 1 MP.

USE NPCS WITH VARYING INITIATIVES As you can see, Absorption looks just like any other
NPCs have set Initiative scores (p. 260) and act in weapon. The only difference is the rarity tag, which is
specific phases instead of operating according to the Uncommon in this case.
freeform approach used by PCs. Try to incorporate NPCs
with a variety of Initiative scores into each combat Assigning Loot
scene, keeping them from all clumping together. After every quest, each player receives a loot crate
For example, the Architect, Gladiator, and Firebug whether or not the quest was successful.
NPC types all have initiative 5. If you have them all Each player’s loot crate is unique, and whatever they
in a combat scene, that will slow everything down choose from it is tied to their character specifically. By
Appendices

during Phase . One result is that the PCs won’t have default, players can’t trade loot between each other.
much reason to change their plans on the fly, since
they know the NPCs will always act during Phase . Bonus Loot
Instead, consider using a Protector (Initiative 1), Fire- Whenever you feel appropriate, you can give out extra
bug (Initiative 5), and Titan (Initiative 7). These NPC loot crates or even give players specific pieces of loot.
types have the same roles, but their actions are spread In the case of a narratively unique piece of loot, like a
out through the phases. Tentacle Rod crafted from the severed arm of a Kraken

256
Boss the beacons defeated, you might offer one copy TRADING LOOT
to the group as a whole and let the players decide who By default, loot can’t be traded between players.

Getting Started
gets to keep it. For pieces of loot that are less unique, This is to prevent players from funneling all of their
you can give a copy to each player. loot to one person, or feeling entitled to a piece of
loot someone else has that would be perfect for
Loot Crates their own character. In short, it’s a limitation meant
Each loot crate has three slots, each containing a random to protect everyone’s play experience.
piece of loot. The contents of the slots are generated One of the most common house rules for
using either an online generator or by rolling a per- BEACON is allowing beacons to trade loot between
centile die (d100). each other. If you know your group and they work
Slots 1, 2, and 3 each have their own rarity scale, with well together, feel free to use that approach.
Slots 2 and 3 being more likely to contain rarer loot.

Building Beacons
The chances of a slot holding a weapon, support Residuum
item, or technique are almost identical. Because it isn’t Residuum can be spent to reroll the random options
possible to divide 100 by three with dice, however, found in loot crates. Residuum is created with the Dis-
techniques are very slightly more common. enchant Loot downtime activity and can be spent to
apply the following effects. You can choose more than
Creating Loot Crates one option to apply to a single roll, and can choose the
You can use this online GM sheet to easily generate loot same option multiple times:
crates. To manually create a loot crate, use the following
steps for each slot, consulting the table below: Ø 1 residuum: Reroll any one loot crate slot.
Ø 2 residuum: Reroll any one loot crate slot and

Running the Game

1 Determine type: Roll a d100 to determine if the choose a specific type for the slot (weapon, support
slot contains a weapon, support item, or technique. item, skill, or spell).
2 Determine rarity: Roll a d100 to determine the rarity Ø 2 residuum: Reroll any one loot crate slot. The
of the slot’s contents. rerolled slot will be one level rarer than the original
3 Determine loot: Choose a piece of loot that matches result (Uncommon > Rare > Legendary).
the type and rarity results for that slot. You can either
hand-pick loot or use a random number generator
to generate a result using the tables in Appendix Loot is meant to be a fun, random way of getting
B: Loot (Type and Rarity, p. 383). additional equipment and techniques beyond the
ones granted by classes.
In other games that use loot as a reward, it is

10: Game Master’s Guide

LOOT CRATE CONTENTS usually based on the GMs discretion. BEACON puts
that part of the game back into the players’ hands.
D100 TYPE (ANY SLOT) They will always get a piece of loot, and will get to
make a choice about it, even though it may not be
1-17 Skill useful to their particular build.
There are downtime activities, like Shop, that let
18-34 Spell players trade in loot that they don’t plan on using.

35-67 Weapon
OTHER REWARDS
68-100 Support Item The players can obtain other rewards that don’t have
direct rules effects through narrative play. These might
RARITY D100 include the backing of a powerful organization, an
SLOT 1 SLOT 2 SLOT 3 airship, or another base of operations. While these
Appendices

rewards shape the story, they don’t have direct effects

Uncommon 1-75 1-30 – on combat.

Rare 76-100 31-90 1-75

Legendary – 91-100 76-100

257
 HOMEBREW RULES
“Homebrew” is when you design your own gameplay the existing jobs that players get through classes. Each
Getting Started

elements for an existing game – like creating your own class has a job of the same name. For example, the
classes or equipment for BEACON! Warlord class has the Warlord job by default; however,
I love homebrew, and a lot of people enjoy adding if you designed a Valkyrie job, you could make that a
to existing games. Heck, BEACON originally started as variant Warlord job. When one of your players gains
a homebrew version of Lancer! rank 1 in the Warlord class, they could choose to gain
I encourage you to make homebrew if you’re inter- either the Warlord job or the Valkyrie job (but not both).
ested. Things that are especially easy to customize or There’s also room for prestige jobs. These jobs aren’t
create include NPC types and loot. It can be trickier to tied to specific classes, but can instead be unlocked
create new classes or talents because they have the through downtime activities. This is a great way to
potential to interact with all other aspects of the game. add homebrew jobs to the game, and you can easily
Building Beacons

Creating variant jobs is a simpler option than cre- introduce a trainer or downtime activity to provide
ating whole new classes. Variant jobs are variations of players with access to it.
Running the Game
10: Game Master’s Guide
Appendices

258
 11: NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS

Getting Started
Characters controlled by the GM are called non-player Like PC classes, NPC types fall into a few basic roles:
characters, or NPCs. NPCs can be friends, foes, beasts,
or anything else that the GM presents. Ø Artillery: Deals damage over long range.
In narrative play, NPCs don’t roll dice or have attri- Ø Controller: Manipulates foes or the battlefield to
butes. Instead, they react to actions taken by the players. gain an advantage.
In combat play, NPCs are characters with their own Ø Defender: Protects their allies or draws attention
set of rules that are slightly different from the players. to themselves.
Bosses are a special type of NPC, meant to challenge Ø Striker: Deals damage over close-to-medium range.
an entire group of beacons by themselves, and have Ø Support: Assists allies, either by healing, mitigating

Building Beacons
their own unique rules (see p. 323). damage, or enhancing other characters.
This chapter covers the rules that govern NPCs, as
well as the specific types of NPCs that can be used in The full list of NPC types can be found on p. 387.
combat scenes.

NPC TEMPLATES
COMBAT PLAY NPCS Templates are additional sets of features that can be
BEACON doesn’t give unique attributes for every single added to NPCs, which can drastically alter how they
character and monster the players might face. Instead, play. There are two types of templates: thematic and
each NPC fits into one of several broad frameworks, mechanical.

Running the Game

called NPC types. Thematic templates represent sets of abilities as-
NPCs can be further customized with templates. sociated with specific types of enemies, like Beasts,
Instead of having character levels like beacons, they Oozes, and Undead.
have a tier from 1–3. Mechanical templates represent NPCs that are easier
or harder than normal, like a group of weak Minions or
a Mini-Boss. Mechanical templates impact how many
ALLIED NPCS points it costs from the NPC budget to add that NPC
Occasionally, an NPC will fight on the side of the to the combat scene.
beacons. These allied NPCs are still considered NPCs NPCs can have multiple templates at once, although
and controlled by the GM, but are allies of the PCs no more than two is a good guideline.
and enemies of the opposing NPCs.

11: Non-Player Characters

NPC TIER
NPCs come in one of three tiers: tier 1 (T1), tier 2 (T2),
NPC TYPE and tier 3 (T3).
NPC types are collections of abilities and attributes NPCs of higher tiers are stronger and tougher than
that represent general themes, similar to beacons’ jobs. those of lower tiers. Each tier is meant to provide a
For example, an NPC with the Firebug type could be challenge to characters of certain levels:
a fire-breathing dragon as easily as it could be a mag-
itech pyromancer. Ø T1: Level 1–4
An NPC’s type determines the ability scores, attributes, Ø T2: Level 5–8
and abilities that the NPC will use. NPCs’ ability scores Ø T3: Level 9–12
and attributes are static numbers and aren’t calculated
like they are for beacons, although they can increase It is possible for the beacons to face NPCs of a higher
at higher tiers. tier than their current level, but these fights represent
For example, the Cleaver NPC type has 2 Bulk and harder challenges.
Appendices

16 HP at tier 1. At tier 2, they have 3 Bulk and 20 HP, An NPC’s tier changes certain values. When an NPC’s
which would be impossible for a beacon. rules contain three values separated by a slash (e.g.,
+1/+2/+3 or 5/10/15), this indicates different values used
by different tiers. T1 NPCs use the first value, T2 NPCs
use the middle value, and T3 NPCs use the last value.

259
 NPC FEATURES Initiative 3. An Elite Vulture would have two Initia-
NPC types and templates provide unique sets of features tives of 3 and 8 (3 + 5 = 8). Templates that provide
Getting Started

for NPCs, which are their traits, equipment, and techniques. additional turns explain when they happen.
These features come in three types: base features, extra Some NPC actions are slightly different from PC
features, and universal features. Base features and actions. The next page explains the differences.
extra features come from an NPCs type and template,
whereas universal features are available to all NPCs.
NPCs always have their base features equipped by RECHARGING
default. Extra features, on the other hand, are optional Certain NPC abilities have a Recharge X+ tag.
abilities. When choosing your NPCs, you can optionally Whenever an NPC uses a Recharge ability, it can’t
give an NPC 0–2 extra features from their pool of avail- be used again until that ability recharges.
able extra features. At the start of each of the NPC’s turns after using a
Building Beacons

Universal features (p. 304) count as extra features, Recharge ability, the NPC rolls a d6 recharge die. If the
but are available to every NPC instead of being tied to result equals or exceeds the Recharge value (X) of any
a specific NPC type or template. Recharge abilities they have, those abilities recharge.
Unlike PCs, NPCs don’t have equipment slots or For example, a Firebug uses Siegebreaker, a
memory. They just equip whatever abilities are provided Recharge 5+ ability. At the start of the Firebug’s next
by their chosen base and extra features, regardless of turn, they roll a d6 and get a 6. Because this is greater
their listed equipment size. than 5, the ability recharges, and the Firebug can use
Because NPCs don’t have Grit, every ability that it again this turn.
involves an attack has its own attack bonus. The descrip- NPCs only make one recharge roll each turn, but that
tion for each of these abilities lists the specific attack roll can recharge multiple abilities at once.
Running the Game

bonus to use, including whether there is any or .

For example, a Cleaver NPC attacking with their
Energy Cleaver weapon would roll 1d20+2 at tier 1. NPC SPECIAL RULES
There are some additional ways that NPCs differ from PCs:

Energy Cleaver Fight Ø NPCs start with Wound Cap 1 and are defeated when
Melee Weapon  Heavy Magitech  Piercing  they take a Wound. If an NPC has Wound Cap 2+, they
+2/+4/+6 vs Dodge Reach 1    4/6/8 Astral    follow the normal Wound rules for PCs.
Ø NPCs start with Overstress Cap 1 but they don’t make
an overstress roll when they exceed their Stress Cap.
Instead, while exceeding their Stress Cap, they are
11: Non-Player Characters

NPC INITIATIVE Vulnerable. If an NPC has Overstress Cap 2+, they

NPCs take their turns in a different way than PCs. Instead follow the normal Overstress rules for PCs.
of acting based on the phase of the standard action Ø If an NPC doesn’t have a Stress Cap, they take Stress
they want to perform, each NPC has an Initiative, as Force damage.
which ranges from 1–8. This specifies the phase in Ø NPCs can’t use the Reroll Table.
which they take their turn. During that phase, the NPC Ø NPCs can’t Surge.
can take any action, not only those options available
to PCs during that phase.
For example, Elementalist NPCs have Initiative 1. DESIGNING NPCS
They take their turn during Phase Bolster, at which When designing an NPC, do the following:
time they can take any action. They can use the Vol-
ley action to attack with their Primal Staff, a ranged 1 Pick an NPC type.
weapon, during their turn even though it’s not Phase 2 Choose templates, if any.
Skirmish, because they don’t follow the same action 3 Choose 0–2 extra features. Extra features can be
rules as the PCs. chosen from the NPC’s type, the list of universal NPC
Appendices

Certain templates can give an NPC multiple turns, features (p. 304), and any templates.
and therefore multiple initiatives. For example, the 4 Choose a tier.
Elite template gives an NPC 2 turns each round. It takes
their normal initiative and adds 5 to determine their NPCs can look or act like anything. A Fortress NPC could
second initiative. For example, Vulture NPCs have be a literal walking tower, or even a giant spider.

260
TINKERING WITH NPCS
The abilities listed with each NPC type are examples altering gameplay too much. For example, changing

Getting Started
meant to be evocative. Changing a weapon from one the Gunner’s Repeater from a weapon to a spell isn’t
weapon type to another (e.g., making a blade a longarm) a big change.
doesn’t really affect anything. If you want to make an NPC more challenging, you
In general, you can change whether NPC features can give them additional extra features beyond the
are weapons, support items, skills, or spells without normal 0–2.

NPC ACTIONS

Building Beacons
During their turns, NPCs can perform a standard action, NPCs have access to some of the same actions as PCs,
a standard movement, and a minor action. but with some changes. Their actions are outlined below.

Phase Bolster Phase Brawl

Defend: Attacks against this NPC receive +1 until Fight: As normal, but improvised weapon attacks
the start of their next turn. have a +1/+2/+3 attack bonus.

Running the Game

Refresh: This NPC regains all MP then can choose Shove: As normal, but with a +1/+2/+3 attack bonus.
one of the following:
Ø Reload all Reloading weapons and abilities. Grapple: As normal, but with a +1/+2/+3 attack
Ø Clear a condition. bonus.

Phase Channel Phase Release

Channel: As normal, but if the NPC takes this action Release: As normal.
during Phase Release (only possible for NPCs with
multiple turns), they can’t Release it until the next

11: Non-Player Characters

round. Phase Full Attack

Full Attack: As normal, but NPCs need a special

Phase Skirmish feature to be able to Full Attack. If an NPC has mul-
tiple turns, they can Full Attack 1/turn.
Volley: As normal, but improvised spell attacks have
a +1/+2/+3 attack bonus.
Special Actions
Mark: As normal.
Ready: As normal.
Search: As normal.

Reactions
Phase Reposition
Opportunity Attack: As normal.
Appendices

Rush: As normal.

Hide: As normal.

261
 ARCHITECT
CONTROLLER
Getting Started

The Architect rigs the battlefield in their favor, laying down traps for their enemies to stumble upon.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1/2 Save Target: 12 Size: 1/2 Save Target: 15 Size: 1/2 Save Target: 18
Armor: 2 Initiative: 5 Armor: 2 Initiative: 5 Armor: 3 Initiative: 5
Scope: 5 Scope: 5 Scope: 5
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -1 Mind: 2 Bulk: -1 Mind: 4 Bulk: -1 Mind: 6
Agility: 1 Magic: 0 Agility: 2 Magic: 0 Agility: 3 Magic: 0
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 12 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 14 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 16 Stress Cap: 6

Dodge: 10 A-Def: 7 Dodge: 11 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 9
Speed: 5 MP: 4 Speed: 5 MP: 4 Speed: 5 MP: 4

A areas or disable them to proceed. There is no limit to the number of Traps an Architect can place, and if not
rchitects are Trap-focused NPCs, placing their Traps in chokepoints and forcing their enemies to either avoid

dealt with, they can quickly fortify a position. The Architect and their allies don’t trigger these Traps, and the
Architect has a number of ways to knock enemies right into them.
Beware of high-mobility beacons who can easily move around isolated Traps, or artillery beacons that can
take out Architects before they have a chance to litter the battlefield with Traps.
Running the Game

Base Features

Blasting Charges Fight Hazards Minor Action

Support Item  Heavy  Mana 1 Support Item  Heavy  Trap
Range = Scope (5/5/5)   
The Architect deploys one of the following Traps to
The Architect deals 10 Piercing Force    to a piece a free space within Range 3    . Each Trap creates a
of terrain up to Size 2 within Range and creates Burst 1    AOE when triggered.
a Burst 1    AOE around it. Characters in the AOE
must make an Agility save. Failure: They take Ø Sticky Trap: When triggered, characters in the AOE
11: Non-Player Characters

8/10/12 Force    . Success: They take 4/5/6 Force    . must make a Bulk save. Failure: They are Immo-
bilized until cleared. Success: They are Slowed
until the end of their next turn.
Electric Whip Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge    Ø Explosive Trap: When triggered, characters in the
Melee Weapon  Light Longarm AOE must make an Agility save. Failure: They take
Reach 3    4/5/6 Astral    8/12/16 Force    . Success: They take 4/6/8 Force    .
Ø Concussion Trap: When triggered, characters in
On Hit: The Architect can slide the target up to 2 the AOE must make a Bulk save. Failure: They
spaces. are Disarmed and Silenced until the end of their
next turn. Success: They are either Disarmed or
Silenced instead, their choice.
Busy HandsTrait Ø Pitfall Trap: When triggered, creates a zone of
dangerous terrain (Agility, 5 Physical    ) that
The Architect can use their standard action to perform lasts until the end of the scene. Characters in the
a minor action. zone when it is created fall Prone.
Appendices

The Architect and their allies don’t trigger these Traps,

but can be affected by them.
If this support item would be destroyed, one of
the Architect’s Trap options is instead rendered un-
available.

262
Extra Features

Getting Started
Fast DeploymentTrait Sticky Bomb Volley
Support Item  Light  Mana 1 Range 5   
The Architect can deploy two of their Traps at once.
One target within Range must make an Agility save.
Failure: They have a sticky bomb attached to them. At
Lodestone Sling Volley +1/2/3 vs Dodge the end of the target’s next turn, the bomb explodes,
Ranged Weapon  Main Club  Arcing creating a Burst 1    AOE. A character adjacent to the
Range 8, Blast 1    4/5/6 Force    target can disarm the bomb with a successful Agility
check as a minor action.
On Attack: The attack gains either Push 1 or Pull 1. All characters in the AOE must make an Agility

Building Beacons
save. The target with the sticky bomb is affected as if
they failed the save. Failure: They take 8/10/12 Force    .
Natural Camouflage Minor Action Success: They take 4/5/6 Force    .
Support Item  Main  Mana 1
Range = Scope (5/5/5)   
Tripwire Reaction (1/round)
The Architect camouflages a space within Range until Trait  Recharge 5+
the end of the scene. Characters fully within camou-
flaged spaces are Invisible. This ability does not require line of sight.

Running the Game

Trigger: An enemy moves within Range 3    of one of
Redesign Fight the Architect’s Hidden Hazards.
Skill  Arcing Range = Scope (5/5/5)   
Effect: The enemy must make a Mind save. Failure:
The Architect teleports any number of their Traps The Hazard triggers as if it were in one of the trigger-
within Range to new free spaces within Range. ing character’s spaces (GM’s choice).

11: Non-Player Characters

Appendices

263
 ARDENT
SUPPORT
Getting Started

The Ardent inspires their allies with their presence and their words of encouragement.
TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3
Size: 1 Save Target: 11 Size: 1 Save Target: 14 Size: 1 Save Target: 17
Armor: 1 Initiative: 1 Armor: 1 Initiative: 1 Armor: 1 Initiative: 1
Scope: 8 Scope: 10 Scope: 12
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -1 Mind: 2 Bulk: -1 Mind: 3 Bulk: -1 Mind: 5
Agility: 0 Magic: 1 Agility: 1 Magic: 2 Agility: 1 Magic: 3
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 14 Stress Cap: 7 HP: 16 Stress Cap: 7 HP: 18 Stress Cap: 7
Building Beacons

Dodge: 10 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 13 A-Def: 13 Dodge: 16 A-Def: 16

Speed: 6 MP: 5 Speed: 6 MP: 5 Speed: 6 MP: 5

Aswarm isolated targets; however, their desire to be close to their allies makes them susceptible to AOE abilities.
rdents enhance and improve their nearby allies. They work best when in close groups with other NPCs, and can easily

Base Features

Fervor Free Action Scorn Volley +2/4/6 vs A-Def   

Trait  Arcing, Aura 3 Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect
Running the Game

Range = Scope (8/10/12)    2/3/4 Stress   

Once activated, the Ardent’s allies within this Aura
gain +1 on attack rolls. This effect is suppressed On Hit: The next attack against the same target by
while the Ardent is Dazed or Silenced. any character deals +1d6 bonus damage. They can
Ø Standard Movement: The Ardent increases this clear this effect with Refresh.
effect to Aura 5 until the start of their next turn.

Tranquilize Refresh
IncitePhase Bolster Spell  Recharge 5+ Range = Scope (8/10/12)   
Skill  Mana 2 Range = Scope (8/10/12)   
The Ardent chooses an ally or enemy within Range:
11: Non-Player Characters

An ally within Range can Volley or Fight with +2 Ø Ally: They clear 4/5/6 Stress    and all Discord.
as a reaction. If they are within the Ardent’s Fervor Ø Enemy: They must make a Mind save. Failure: They
area, they don’t receive the +2 . are Disarmed until the end of their next turn.

Extra Features

ClaritySkill RefreshSkill
Allies that start their turn in the Ardent’s Fervor area Allies that start their turn within the Ardent’s Fervor
can clear one condition. area regain 1 MP.

ConvertSkill ShelterSkill
When an enemy starts their turn adjacent to two or Attacks originating outside the Ardent’s Fervor area
more of the Ardent’s allies that are within their Fervor receive +1 against the Ardent’s allies within the
area, that enemy must make a Mind save. Failure: area.
Appendices

Until the end of this turn, they are unable to target

any characters that were adjacent to them at the start
of this turn with hostile effects. Witness FailureSkill
Allies within the Ardent’s Fervor area can take
1d6 Stress    to reroll an attack, check, or save, 1/
Move as OneSkill turn per character.
Allies within the Ardent’s Fervor area can choose
264
to use the Ardent’s Initiative in place of their own,
1/round per character.
 CHARGER
STRIKER

Getting Started
The Charger is a fast-moving, close-range attacker. They can quickly close the gap
between them and their target, and are protected while doing so.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 10 Size: 1 Save Target: 12 Size: 1 Save Target: 14
Armor: 1 Initiative: 4 Armor: 1 Initiative: 4 Armor: 1 Initiative: 4
Scope: 5 Scope: 5 Scope: 5
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 1 Mind: 0 Bulk: 2 Mind: 1 Bulk: 3 Mind: 1
Agility: 1 Magic: 0 Agility: 2 Magic: 0 Agility: 4 Magic: 0

Building Beacons
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 15 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 18 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 21 Stress Cap: 6
Dodge: 10 A-Def: 7 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 7 Dodge: 14 A-Def: 7
Speed: 7 MP: 2 Speed: 8 MP: 2 Speed: 9 MP: 2

C benefits when using

hargers are fast-moving attackers that utilize hit-and-run tactics. They should always be moving, and they gain
Rush. Their main weapons push foes on hits, which lets them pivot to new targets without
provoking opportunity attacks. Preventing a Charger from moving shuts down many of their abilities and leaves
them vulnerable.

Running the Game

Base Features

Charge AttackPhase Reposition  Trait Lance Fight +1/2/3 vs Dodge   

The Charger moves up to their Speed (7/8/9) in a Melee Weapon  Heavy Longarm  Reliable 2/3/4,
straight line. If they moved at least 3 spaces, they Push 1 Reach 1    6/8/10 Physical   
can Fight or Shove with +1 as a free action
when they end the movement.
Speed Shield Support Item  Main
When the Charger uses Charge Attack, they gain
Run Through Fight +1/2/3 vs Dodge    resistance to Physical, Astral, Lunar, and Force until
Melee Skill Attack  Recharge 5+ the start of their next turn. They lose this resistance

11: Non-Player Characters

Line 5    5/7/9 Physical    if they become Immobilized, Prone, or Slowed.

On Hit: The target is Weakened until the end of their

next turn.

Extra Features

CannonballPhase Reposition Lasso   Fight +1/2/3 vs Dodge   

Skill Support Item Main

The Charger moves up to their Speed (7/8/9) in a The Charger makes a melee weapon attack against
straight line. If they move at least 3 spaces and end an adjacent character.
their movement adjacent to an enemy, all enemies On Hit: The target takes 2 Stress    ; the Charger
in a Burst 1    AOE centred on the Charger take can immediately move up to their Speed (7/8/9); and
Appendices

3 Physical    and must make a Bulk save. Failure: the target is dragged along, mirroring the Charger’s
They fall Prone and are Dazed until the end of their movement. This counts as forced movement.
next turn.

265
 RetaliationSkill Tipped Explosive Support Item  Main
Characters that make an Opportunity Attack The Charger’s Lance has Push 3 instead of Push 1.
Getting Started

against the Charger become Marked. If a character pushed this way collides with another
character or obstruction, they stop moving and take
an additional 3/4/5 Physical    .
TrampleTrait
When the Charger moves, they ignore Engagement
and can move through spaces occupied by enemies Wild ChargeSkill
of their Size or smaller. They deal 2/3/4 Physical    to When the Charger uses Charge Attack, they can
enemies they move through, 1/turn per character. force the target to make a Bulk save before making
the attack. Failure: The target falls Prone.
Building Beacons

CLEAVER
STRIKER

The Cleaver is a close-range brawler with hard-hitting, wide-swinging attacks.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 2 Save Target: 10 Size: 2 Save Target: 12 Size: 2 Save Target: 14
Armor: 2 Initiative: 7 Armor: 2 Initiative: 7 Armor: 2 Initiative: 7
Running the Game

Scope: 5 Scope: 5 Scope: 5

ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 2 Mind: 0 Bulk: 3 Mind: 0 Bulk: 5 Mind: 1
Agility: 0 Magic: 0 Agility: 1 Magic: 1 Agility: 1 Magic: 1
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 16 Stress Cap: 5 HP: 20 Stress Cap: 5 HP: 25 Stress Cap: 5
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 6 Dodge: 9 A-Def: 6 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 6
Speed: 4 MP: 1 Speed: 4 MP: 1 Speed: 4 MP: 1

C possible and attack as often as they can to make the most use of their
leavers are physical brutes with dangerous attacks. They want to position themselves near as many foes as
Wide Arc trait. It is difficult to defend
11: Non-Player Characters

against Cleavers, as they increase Focus costs or even outright destroy Focus. Fortunately for their enemies,
Cleavers have low A-Def and Stress Cap scores, and lack any abilities that work at range aside from Hook.

Base Features

Chopper Fight +1/2/3, +1 vs Dodge    Energy Cleaver Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge   

Melee Weapon  Heavy Blade  Reliable 2/3/4 Melee Weapon  Heavy Magitech  Piercing
Reach 1    5/7/9 Physical    Reach 1    4/6/8 Astral   

On Hit: The target loses 1 Focus.

On Crit: The target loses 3 Focus. Full AttackerTrait
The Cleaver can Full Attack.

Break GuardSkill
Any effects triggered by or targeting the Cleaver that Wide ArcTrait
Appendices

cost Focus cost an additional +1 Focus. When the Cleaver makes a melee attack, all adjacent
enemies take 1 Physical    .

266
 Extra Features

Getting Started
Hook Minor Action +1/2/3 vs Dodge    WhirlwindPhase Brawl
Support Item  Heavy Range 5    Skill  Recharge 5+ Burst 2   

The Cleaver makes a ranged weapon attack against All enemies in the AOE must make an Agility save.
a character within Range. Failure: They take 5/6/7 Physical    and lose 1 Focus.
Success: They take 3/3/4 Physical    .
On Hit: The target is pulled to the closest free space Additionally, until the start of the Cleaver’s next
adjacent to the Cleaver. turn, any attacks against the Cleaver while adjacent
to them trigger Wide Arc.

Building Beacons
OpportunistTrait
The Cleaver can Opportunity Attack any number Wind Up Phase Brawl
of times each round. Skill  Recharge 6+

An adjacent character must make a Bulk save. Failure:

Shatter WeaponSkill  Recharge 5+ They take 10/12/14 Physical    , lose all Focus, and are
When the Cleaver hits with a weapon, the target must Sundered until the end of their next turn. Success:
make a Bulk save. Failure: They are Disarmed until They take 5/6/7 Physical    and lose 1 Focus.
the end of their next turn.

Running the Game

ShredTrait
If the Cleaver hits the same target with two weapon
attacks in the same turn, the target is Sundered until
the end of their next turn.

11: Non-Player Characters

Appendices

267
 CONJURER
ARTILLERY
Getting Started

Conjurers summon allies to assist them in battle, overwhelming their foes with numbers if left to their own devices.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 11 Size: 1 Save Target: 13 Size: 1 Save Target: 15
Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2
Scope: 10 Scope: 12 Scope: 15
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -2 Mind: 2 Bulk: -2 Mind: 3 Bulk: -2 Mind: 4
Agility: 0 Magic: 2 Agility: 0 Magic: 4 Agility: 0 Magic: 6
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 8 Stress Cap: 8 HP: 10 Stress Cap: 8 HP: 12 Stress Cap: 8

Dodge: 10 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 15 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 18
Speed: 5 MP: 3 Speed: 5 MP: 5 Speed: 5 MP: 7

W specialize in calling on conscripts, versatile Summons that can be any sort of creature. Conjurers stay in the
hether they be demonologists, necromancers, or beastmasters, all conjurers are expert summoners. They

back and place their conscripts in front of them, letting their Summons whittle down enemies while the Con-
jurer channels powerful spells.

Base Features
Running the Game

Conjure Conscript Volley Drag Down Channel

Spell  Mana 1, Summon Range = Scope (10/12/15)    Spell Range = Scope (10/12/15), Blast 1   

Conscript (Size 1/2, HP 5/8/10, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0) On Release: Enemies in the AOE choose one of the
following:
The Conjurer creates two conscripts within Range, up
to a maximum of six conscripts at a time. Ø They take 2/3/4 Stress    and are Vulnerable until
During each of the Conjurer’s turns, but not during the end of their next turn.
the turn in which they were summoned, each con- Ø They take 6/8/10 Force    and are Disarmed until
script attacks the closest enemy with the Conscript the end of their next turn.
11: Non-Player Characters

Attack weapon.
All conscripts are defeated when their Conjurer
is defeated. Focus FireTrait
When the Conjurer causes an enemy to become
Marked, their conscripts will attack that enemy this
Conscript Attack Volley +1/3/5 vs Dodge    round instead of the nearest enemy, if possible.
Ranged Weapon Range 8    4/5/6 Physical   

Seize Command Volley

Spell Range = Scope (10/12/15)   

The Conjurer targets an enemy Summon within

Range. The creator of that Summon must make a
Magic save. Failure: The Conjurer gains control of the
Summon. Its allegiance is switched until the end of
Appendices

the Conjurer’s next turn; it treats its former allies as

enemies and its former enemies as allies.
The original creator of the Summon can’t
dismiss or resummon it while it is commanded by the
Conjurer.

268
 Extra Features

Getting Started
BodyguardTrait Rupture Channel
Each of the Conjurer’s conscripts can Interpose 1/ Spell
round without spending Focus.
On Release: All of the Conjurer’s Summons (ig-
noring line of sight) create Burst 1 AOEs. Ene-
Improved ConscriptsTrait mies in these AOEs must make an Agility save.
When the Conjurer summons a conscript, they can Failure: They take 4/6/8 Lunar + 3/4/5 Discord for
give it one of the following improvements: each of these AOEs they are in. Success: They take
2/3/4 Lunar + 1/2/3 Discord for each of these zones
Ø Mage: When the conscript attacks, enemies adja- they are in.

Building Beacons
cent to the target take 2/3/4 Force    .
Ø Rogue: The conscript’s attacks gain Reliable
2/3/4. Soulless Investiture Volley +1/3/5 vs A-Def   
Ø Tank: The conscript gains +3 Armor. Ranged Weapon  Light Artifact  Aetheric
Ø Warrior: The conscript auto-hits when attacking Range 10    3/4/5 Lunar   
adjacent enemies.
The Conjurer can attack with this weapon from one
Minor Action: The Conjurer gives an existing con- of their Summons within Scope (10/12/15), drawing
script within Scope (10/12/15) one of these improve- line of sight and determining cover from one of the
ments. Each conscript can only have one improvement Summon’s spaces.

Running the Game

at a time.

TranspositionPhase Reposition
Mana Tap Volley +2/3/4 vs A-Def     Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/12/15)   
Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect
Range = Scope (10/12/15)    2/3/4 Stress    The Conjurer teleport any number of their conscripts
within Range up to 4 spaces.
On Hit: The Conjurer regains 2 MP.

CONJURER TEMPLATES
Be careful when using the Conjurer with the Minion

11: Non-Player Characters

template. This combination can result in the very
fast creation of lots of Summons, which can slow
down the game.

Appendices

269
 ELEMENTALIST
DEFENDER
Getting Started

The Elementalist is a magical defender who calls upon the elements to protect their allies.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 10 Size: 1 Save Target: 12 Size: 1 Save Target: 14
Armor: 0 Initiative: 1 Armor: 0 Initiative: 1 Armor: 0 Initiative: 1
Scope: 10 Scope: 10 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 0 Mind: 1 Bulk: 0 Mind: 2 Bulk: 0 Mind: 3
Agility: 0 Magic: 1 Agility: 1 Magic: 2 Agility: 1 Magic: 4
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 16 Stress Cap: 8 HP: 18 Stress Cap: 9 HP: 20 Stress Cap: 10

Dodge: 8 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 8 A-Def: 9 Dodge: 8 A-Def: 10
Speed: 5 MP: 6 Speed: 5 MP: 7 Speed: 5 MP: 9

E access to certain areas. These units work from the back lines, lacking their own direct defenses, and are easily
lementalists protect their allies with magic, supporting them with arcane shields and preventing enemy

overwhelmed. Elementalists are also heavily dependent on MP, and negating their ability to regain it, or causing
them to burn through it too quickly can cause them to waste actions.

Base Features
Running the Game

Elemental AttunementTrait Elemental Shield Defend

The Elementalist is attuned to one of the four Spell  Mana 2 Range = Scope (10/10/10)   
elements: Air, Earth, Fire, or Water. They can attune
to additional elements with the Improved Attunement The Elementalist or an ally within Range gains 5/6/7
extra feature. When the Elementalist chooses an Temp HP, and the Elementalist chooses one of the
elemental effect, they can only choose from elements following elemental effects to which they are attuned:
to which they are attuned. Ø Air: The target gains resistance to Force. When
they are hit by an attack that removes all their
Temp HP, the attacker must make an Agility save.
Embankment Defend Failure: They fall Prone.
11: Non-Player Characters

Spell  Arcing, Mana 2 Ø Earth. The target gains resistance to Physical.

Range = Scope (10/10/10), Line 3     When they are hit by an attack that removes all
their temp HP, the attacker must make a Bulk save.
This AOE is a zone that can face any direction. The Failure: They are Sundered until the end of their
zone can’t be adjacent to other zones created by next turn.
Embankment. It lasts until the end of the scene. The Ø Fire. The target has resistance to Astral. When they
Elementalist chooses one of the following elemental are hit by an attack that removes all their temp HP,
effects from those to which they are attuned: the attacker must make an Agility save. Failure:
Ø Air: The zone provides soft cover to characters They take 4/5/6 Discord    .
inside it and ranged weapon attacks can’t be made Ø Water. The target has resistance to Lunar. When
into or through the zone. they are hit by an attack that removes all their temp
Ø Earth: The zone becomes Size 3 hard cover. This HP, the attacker must make a Magic save. Failure:
cover is an obstruction. They are Slowed until the end of their next turn.
Ø Fire: Characters that start their turn within the
zone or enter it for the first time during their turn A character can only be affected by one elemental
Appendices

take 3/4/5 Astral + 2 Discord   . shield at a time, with new ones replacing the effects
Ø Water: The zone counts as difficult terrain. Char- of the old one.
acters that start their turn within the zone or enter
it for the first time during their turn must make an
Agility save. Failure: They fall Prone. Primal Staff Volley +1/2/3 vs A-Def   
Ranged Weapon  Main Artifact  Aetheric
Range 10    1/2/3 Discord   
270
 Extra Features

Getting Started
Dual ShieldsSkill Enchanted Staff
When the Elementalist uses Elemental Shield, they Support Item  Light  Enchantment
can spend 3 MP instead of the normal cost to target
two characters at once. This Enchantment applies to the Elementalist’s Pri-
mal Staff. On a hit with this weapon, the Elementalist
can spend 1 MP to apply one of the following effects:
Elemental MasteryTrait
Whenever the Elementalist would choose an elemen- Ø Air: The target is pushed 2 spaces.
tal effect, they can instead choose two from those to Ø Earth: The target is Sundered until the end of
which they are attuned. their next turn.

Building Beacons
Ø Fire: Enemies adjacent to the target take 1 Discord    .
Ø Water: The target’s Speed is halved until the end
Elemental Sphere Defend of their next turn.
Spell  Mana 1, Summon Range = Scope (10/10/10)   

Elemental Sphere (Size 1/2, HP 5/8/10, Dodge/A-Def Improved AttunementTrait

10, Speed 0) The Elementalist is attuned to an additional element.
This trait can be taken multiple times, choosing a new
The Elementalist calls forth an elemental sphere within element each time.
Range. Characters the sphere moves through must

Running the Game

make an Agility save. Failure: They are subjected
to one of the following elemental effects, chosen Improved EmbankmentTrait
at the time of summoning from those to which the The Elementalist’s Embankment spell becomes
Elementalist is attuned: Line 5    .

Ø Air: The target slides 2 spaces.

Ø Earth: The target is knocked Prone.
Ø Fire: The target takes 4/5/6 Astral    .
Ø Water: The target is Slowed until the end of their
next turn.

11: Non-Player Characters

As a minor action, the Elementalist can move the
sphere up to 4 spaces in a straight line, moving it
through spaces occupied by other characters and
ignoring Engagement.

Appendices

271
 EXPENDABLE
STRIKER
Getting Started

These Expendables overwhelm their foes with sheer numbers.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1/2 Save Target: 10 Size: 1/2 Save Target: 12 Size: 1/2 Save Target: 14
Armor: 0 Initiative: 5 Armor: 0 Initiative: 5 Armor: 0 Initiative: 5
Scope: 5 Scope: 5 Scope: 5
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 2 Mind: -2 Bulk: 3 Mind: -2 Bulk: 4 Mind: -2
Agility: -1 Magic: 0 Agility: 0 Magic: 0 Agility: 1 Magic: 1
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 5 Stress Cap: 5 HP: 7 Stress Cap: 5 HP: 9 Stress Cap: 5

Dodge: 7 A-Def: 7 Dodge: 9 A-Def: 9 Dodge: 11 A-Def: 11
Speed: 5 MP: 1 Speed: 5 MP: 1 Speed: 6 MP: 1

E
xpendables are cannon fodder, a step above Minions. Because they are deployed in pairs (see Quantity Over
Quality), they try to use their superior numbers to defeat their foes. Expendables aren’t expected to survive
encounters, and try to either deal as much damage as they can or hinder their foes so their allies can take them out.

Base Features

Quantity Over QualityTrait

Running the Game

Claws Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge   

Melee Weapon  Main Club Reach 1    4/5/6 Physical    The Expendable is two separate, identical NPCs, not
one. Whenever you deploy an Expendable, you deploy
On Hit: The target is Grappled. two instead. Additionally, Expendables always count
as Bloodied and Breaking.

GnawPhase Brawl  Skill

The Pack DescendsTrait
The Expendable deals 5/6/7 Physical    to a Grappled While adjacent to two or more Expendables, enemies
character. are Sundered.
11: Non-Player Characters

Extra Features

Basic Bow Volley +1/2/3 vs Dodge    Hunt by ScentTrait

Ranged Weapon  Main Bow  Arcing When the Expendable uses Search, they auto-
Range 8    4/5/6 Physical    matically detect any Hidden or Invisible creatures
in Scope.

ClutchSkill
Characters Grappled with the Expendable cannot Lash Fight +1/2/3 vs Dodge   
make attacks that don’t include the Expendable as a Support Item  Heavy Range 3   
target. Characters that end their turn Grappled by
an Expendable take 2/3/4 Physical    . The Expendable makes a melee weapon attack against
a target within Range.
Appendices

ExploderTrait On Hit: If the target is the same Size as the Expendable

When the Expendable is defeated, they unleash a or smaller, they are pulled adjacent to and Grappled
burst of energy. All characters in a Burst 1    AOE take by the Expendable. If the target is larger, the Expend-
3/4/5 Force    . The Expendable can choose to become able is pulled adjacent to them and they are then
defeated as a minor action. If they do so, the damage Grappled by the Expendable.
becomes 6/8/10 Force    .

272
ScrambleTrait EXPENDABLES AND TEMPLATES
For the rest of the turn after using Rush, the Expendables are particularly dangerous when paired

Getting Started
Expendable moves normally in difficult terrain and with the Minion template. They are designed to be
climbing costs half as much movement as normal. easily defeated and overwhelming in numbers. The
Minion template intensifies both of these character-
istics, with little additional downsides. Be careful if
you decide to use this combination.

FIREBUG
STRIKER

Building Beacons
The Firebug is a frightening hard-hitter that overwhelms foes with searing damage.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 2 Save Target: 10 Size: 2 Save Target: 12 Size: 2 Save Target: 15
Armor: 2 Initiative: 5 Armor: 2 Initiative: 5 Armor: 3 Initiative: 5
Scope: 5 Scope: 5 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 1 Mind: 1 Bulk: 2 Mind: 2 Bulk: 4 Mind: 2
Agility: -1 Magic: 1 Agility: -1 Magic: 2 Agility: -1 Magic: 3

Running the Game

ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 14 Stress Cap: 8 HP: 16 Stress Cap: 8 HP: 18 Stress Cap: 8
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 12
Speed: 4 MP: 4 Speed: 4 MP: 5 Speed: 4 MP: 6

W range AOE attacks, Firebugs wield devastating effects that deal damage over time – damage that can quickly
hile usually associated with fire, Firebugs can be portrayed as utilizing any type of energy. Focused on close-

grow out of control. Beacons that spread out weaken the effectiveness of Firebugs, so look for opportunities to
keep them clustered together.

Base Features

11: Non-Player Characters

BurnproofTrait Fuel Tank Minor Action
The Firebug chooses Astral or Lunar damage, with Support Item  Heavy  Stressful 2
the following effects:
Ø The Firebug has resistance to the chosen damage The Firebug regains 1 MP. Additionally, when this item
type and all Discord. is destroyed, the Firebug takes 6/8/10 Piercing Force    .
Ø The Firebug’s effects that can deal either Astral or While this item is destroyed, the Firebug is considered
Lunar deal the chosen damage type. Bloodied.

Destructive Breath Fight +1/2/3 vs Dodge    Uptick Minor Action

Melee Weapon  Heavy Artifact  Mana 1 Skill  Mana 1, Recharge 5+ Range = Scope (5/5/10)    
Reach 1, Close Blast 2     4/5/6 Discord    
The Firebug targets a character within Range that has
any amount of Discord. That character’s total Discord
Appendices

is doubled, but they don’t take any additional discord

damage from this increase.

273
 Extra Features
Getting Started

ContagiousSkill  Reaction (1/round) SiegebreakerPhase Brawl

Skill  Arcing, Recharge 5+ Range 10, Blast 2    
Trigger: An enemy within the Firebug’s Scope fails a
check to clear Discord. All characters in the AOE must make an Agility save.
Failure: They take 2 Discord + 4/6/8 Astral or Lunar     .
Effect: All enemies adjacent to the target take Astral Success: They take 1 Discord + 2/3/4 Astral or Lunar     .
or Lunar equal to the target’s Discord.

Ring of FireSkill  Aura 2

Distracting BurnsTrait Enemies that start their turn within this Aura take
Building Beacons

Whenever the Firebug deals a character Discord or 2/3/4 Discord     .

increases a character’s Discord, that character be- While the Firebug is Bloodied, this Aura is reduced
comes Marked. to Aura 1.

Growing FlamesTrait TerrifyPhase Brawl

When an enemy within Range 2     of the Firebug fails Skill  Recharge 5+ Burst 2    
a check to clear Discord, their Discord increases by
+2 before they take the damage. All enemies within the AOE must make a Mind save.
Failure: They take 4 Stress     and become Marked
Running the Game

and Dazed. They can attempt to clear Dazed with a

Mind save as a minor action, clearing the condition
on a success or taking an additional 1 Stress     on
another failure.
Success: They take 2 Stress     and become Marked.

FORTRESS
DEFENDER
11: Non-Player Characters

The Fortress is a mobile castle, providing safety to those within it.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 3 Save Target: 11 Size: 3 Save Target: 14 Size: 3 Save Target: 16
Armor: 2 Initiative: 1 Armor: 2 Initiative: 1 Armor: 2 Initiative: 1
Scope: 10 Scope: 10 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 3 Mind: 0 Bulk: 4 Mind: 0 Bulk: 6 Mind: 0
Agility: -2 Magic: 0 Agility: -2 Magic: 1 Agility: -2 Magic: 2
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 25 Stress Cap: 5 HP: 30 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 35 Stress Cap: 7
Dodge: 6 A-Def: 6 Dodge: 7 A-Def: 7 Dodge: 8 A-Def: 8
Speed: 4 MP: 2 Speed: 4 MP: 2 Speed: 4 MP: 3

F their allies receive defensive bonuses. As such, Fortresses want to keep as many allies as possible within their
ortresses are slow, bulky defenders that use their size to protect their allies. They provide a space in which
Appendices

spaces and stay the focus of enemy attacks. Allies within the Fortress have no protection from AOEs and are still
susceptible to forced movement taking them outside the Fortress. Although they have a lot of HP, Fortresses
are Vulnerable to Piercing damage and easily become overstressed.

274
 Base Features

Getting Started
Towering Wall Support Item  Heavy Heavy FrameTrait
The Fortress’s allies gain the benefits of cover from The Fortress is Vulnerable to Piercing damage, in-
the Fortress as if they were a piece of hard cover. cluding Discord. Additionally, the Fortress is immune
Additionally, as long as the Fortress’s allies are fully to forced movement from smaller characters.
within the Fortress’s spaces, non-Aetheric, non-AOE
attacks against them target the Fortress instead.
Mounted Defenses Volley +2/3/4 vs Dodge   
Ranged Weapon  Heavy Club  Arcing
HarnessTrait Range 15     4/5/6 Physical    
The Fortress’s allies can share the Fortress’s spaces,

Building Beacons
gaining hard cover from Towering Wall. Allies fully Allies fully within the Fortress’s spaces can Volley
inside the Fortress move when the Fortress does, and with this weapon.
are considered to be the same Size as the Fortress for
the purposes of determining line of sight. On Hit: The target is Dazed until the end of their
next turn.

Extra Features

BarracksTrait StompSkill  Minor Action

Running the Game

The Fortress counts as a reinforcement zone. All adjacent enemies must make a Bulk save. Failure:
They fall Prone.

FortifiedTrait
Allies fully within the Fortress’s spaces gain Armor Watchtower Volley +1/2/3 vs A-Def
equal to the Fortress’s Armor. Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect
Range = Scope (10/10/10), Blast 1     2 Stress    

Murder Holes Support Item  Heavy On Hit: The target is Sundered until the end of their
Allies fully within the Fortress’s spaces gain +1 on next turn.
ranged attack rolls.

11: Non-Player Characters

Siege Ram Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge   
Melee Weapon  Heavy Club  Push 2
Reach 2     4/5/6 Physical    

On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:

They are knocked Prone.
Appendices

275
 FURY
STRIKER
Getting Started

The Fury overwhelms enemies with powerful attacks, building their rage throughout the fight.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 10 Size: 1 Save Target: 12 Size: 1 Save Target: 14
Armor: 1 Initiative: 7 Armor: 1 Initiative: 7 Armor: 1 Initiative: 7
Scope: 5 Scope: 5 Scope: 5
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 3 Mind: -2 Bulk: 4 Mind: -2 Bulk: 5 Mind: -2
Agility: 2 Magic: -2 Agility: 3 Magic: -1 Agility: 4 Magic: 0
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 20 Stress Cap: 4 HP: 25 Stress Cap: 5 HP: 30 Stress Cap: 6

Dodge: 10 A-Def: 5 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 6 Dodge: 14 A-Def: 7
Speed: 5 MP: 1 Speed: 5 MP: 1 Speed: 6 MP: 1

F out. Furies need to be in close range to be effective. Taking damage just builds their Rage, so they can be reckless
uries are close-up attackers with one goal: hitting hard. The more damage they take, the more damage they put

when closing the gap. They gain the same amount of Rage regardless of the damage taken, so high-damage or high-
stress attacks reduce their effectiveness They have a very low Stress Cap, so they take Overstresses easily. If they
only have Overstress Cap 1, they can be put into a state where they take double damage, and are easier to defeat.
Running the Game

Base Features

BloodthirstySkill FrenziedTrait
Whenever the Fury critically hits with a melee weapon While the Fury is Bloodied, their melee weapons deal
attack, they gain 5 temp HP. +1d6 bonus damage on critical hits. While the Fury is
Breaking, their attack targets are chosen randomly
from targets within the attack’s Range or Reach.
Building RageTrait
Whenever the Fury takes damage, they gain 1 Rage.
Each point of Rage gives their weapons +1 damage, Serrated Axe Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge   
up to a maximum of +10. The Fury’s Rage is halved Melee Weapon  Heavy Blade  Reliable 3/4/5
11: Non-Player Characters

when they take a Wound or Overstress. Reach 2     8/9/10 Physical    

Extra Features

Barbed Armor Support Item  Light  Armor I Am My ScarsTrait

Whenever an adjacent character hits the Fury with a While Bloodied, the Fury gains 2 Rage whenever
weapon attack, the attacker takes 2/3/4 Physical     . they would gain 1.

Deadened NervesTrait Furious Charge Phase Reposition

While Bloodied, the Fury has resistance to Physical, Skill  Recharge 5+
Astral, Lunar, and Force from weapons and skills. This
effect is suppressed while the Fury is Vulnerable. The Fury moves up to their Speed (5/5/6) in a straight
line, ignoring Engagement. If they moved at least 3
spaces, they can make a single weapon attack when
Appendices

Lash OutSkill  Reaction (1/round) they end the movement.

Trigger: The Fury takes damage not caused by themself.

Throwing Axe Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge   
Effect: The Fury makes a melee weapon attack against Ranged Weapon  Light Blade
the source of the damage. Range 5 / Reach 1     5/7/9 Physical    

276
 GLADIATOR
DEFENDER

Getting Started
The Gladiator is a battle-honed warrior that uses a variety of equipment to protect their allies and hinder their foes.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 12 Size: 1 Save Target: 15 Size: 1 Save Target: 18
Armor: 2 Initiative: 5 Armor: 2 Initiative: 5 Armor: 2 Initiative: 5
Scope: 5 Scope: 5 Scope: 5
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 2 Mind: -1 Bulk: 3 Mind: -1 Bulk: 4 Mind: 0
Agility: 1 Magic: 0 Agility: 3 Magic: 0 Agility: 4 Magic: 0
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES

Building Beacons
HP: 16 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 18 Stress Cap: 7 HP: 20 Stress Cap: 7
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 6 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 10
Speed: 5 MP: 2 Speed: 5 MP: 3 Speed: 6 MP: 4

G enemies by surprise. Their equipment influences their strategy, but the Gladiator’s basic role is to stay near allies
ladiators are survivors of countless battles through which they’ve learned tricks and techniques that can take

and protect them with their Bounce Shield, and move or immobilize enemies to further protect their backline.
Gladiators are unable to protect their allies from auto-hit or auto-damaging abilities.

Base Features

Running the Game

Bounce Shield Reaction Gladius  Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge   
Support Item  Heavy Melee Weapon  Main Blade  Reliable 3/4/5
Reach 1    5/6/7 Physical
Trigger: A character attacks an ally within Range 3     .
Reaction attacks with this weapon gain +1 .
Effect: The attack receives +2 .

SwapSkill  Minor Action

Spiked Shield Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge    The Gladiator swaps positions with an adjacent char-
Melee Weapon  Main Club  Piercing acter. This counts as forced movement. If the Gladiator

11: Non-Player Characters

Reach 1    3/4/5 Physical and the target are different Sizes, the Gladiator can
place themselves or the target in any spaces the other
On Attack: The Gladiator creates a Burst 1     zone occupied, as long as both remain adjacent to each
that lasts until this weapon is destroyed or they are other. The Gladiator can’t use this ability if they are
Disarmed, Stunned, or until the start of the Glad- Grappled, Immobilized, or Slowed.
iator’s next turn. Allies gain resistance to Physical,
Astral, Lunar, and Force from attacks or abilities that
draw line of sight through this zone or the Gladiator.

Extra Features

Call OutSkill Glory or Death Fight

At the start of the Gladiator’s turn, they can Mark Skill  Mana 1, Recharge 5+ Burst 3   
all adjacent enemies as a free action.
Appendices

Enemies within the AOE become Marked, and receive

+1 on attack rolls that don’t include Gladiator as a
target while they have this Mark.

277
 Electric Net Minor Action Ricochet Discus Volley +1/3/5 vs Dodge   
Support Item  Main  Recharge 5+ Range 3    Ranged Weapon  Main Club  Homing
Getting Started

Range 5    4/5/6 Physical   

The Gladiator throws an electrically charged net at a
character within Range. The target must make an Agil- On Hit: The discus bounces, allowing the Gladiator
ity save. Failure: They are Immobilized until cleared. to repeat the attack against another target within
While Immobilized in this way, they are unable to Range 3     of the previous target.
perform reactions. They can clear the condition by This effect can trigger multiple times, but each
succeeding on a Bulk save as a minor action. character can only be targeted 1/turn. Characters
hit by this attack receive +1 on attacks that don’t
include the Gladiator as a target until the end of their
Pit FighterTrait next turn.
Building Beacons

The Gladiator’s improvised weapon attacks deal

4/5/6 Physical    , and their reaction attacks deal +1d6
bonus damage. Trident Fight +1/3/5, +1 vs Dodge   
Additionally, when the Gladiator uses Shove, Melee Weapon  Main Longarm  Thrown 5
they can choose both options and can push the target Reach 2 / Thrown 5    5/6/7 Physical   
up to 3 spaces.
On Hit: The target is pinned by the weapon, and is
Immobilized for the duration. The weapon can’t be
used to attack while pinning the target.
The effect ends if the weapon is destroyed, the
Running the Game

target succeeds on a Bulk save as a minor action,

or the Gladiator ends it as a free action. The weapon
returns to the Gladiator when the effect ends.

GUNNER
ARTILLERY

With an array of special bullets, the Gunner has an answer to every problem.
These answers usually involve filling the air with gunfire from a safe distance.
11: Non-Player Characters

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 10 Size: 1 Save Target: 13 Size: 1 Save Target: 16
Armor: 0 Initiative: 7 Armor: 0 Initiative: 7 Armor: 0 Initiative: 7
Scope: 15 Scope: 15 Scope: 15
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -1 Mind: 1 Bulk: -1 Mind: 2 Bulk: -1 Mind: 2
Agility: 1 Magic: 1 Agility: 2 Magic: 2 Agility: 4 Magic: 3
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 10 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 12 Stress Cap: 7 HP: 14 Stress Cap: 8
Dodge: 10 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 14 A-Def: 10
Speed: 5 MP: 6 Speed: 5 MP: 8 Speed: 5 MP: 10

G position themselves far away from any danger, leveraging their long range to keep themselves safe and station-
unners are long-distance fighters whose damage is dependent on their MP. As artillery units, they want to

ary. Gunners can regain MP while stationary, which allows them to attack for longer before needing to recover
Appendices

MP. They are heavily customizable thanks to their Special Bullets, which have a variety of effects. Effects that
disarm the gunner reduce their maximum MP, too, which can weaken them during long fights.

278
 Base Features

Getting Started
Backup WeaponsTrait
The Gunner has a number of backup weapons,
allowing them to replace weapons when they’re
lost or destroyed. If the Gunner would be Dis-
armed or one of their weapons or support items
would be destroyed, they instead lose 2 MP and
–2 maximum MP.

Special BulletsTrait

Building Beacons
1/turn before attacking, the Gunner can apply one
of their equipped special bullets to one of their
Repeater attacks. Each type of special bullet must
be taken as a separate extra feature and counts as
a separate support item.

Repeater Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge   

Ranged Weapon  Light Magitech
Range 20    X Force   

Running the Game

This weapon’s damage is equal to the Gunner’s
current MP. 1/turn before attacking, the Gunner
can spend 1 MP to attack twice with this weapon,
choosing either the same or different targets.

Steady ReloadingSkill
At the start of the Gunner’s turn, they regain 1 MP
if they haven’t moved since the start of their last
turn.

11: Non-Player Characters

Extra Features

Antimagic Field Generator Minor Action Special Bullets: Death

Support Item  Main  Mana 1 Support Item  Light  Mana 1, Recharge 6+
Range = Scope (15/15/15), Blast 2   
Special Bullets allows the Gunner to apply the
This AOE is a zone. Characters are Silenced while following to Repeater attacks:
within it. The zone lasts until the Gunner uses this
ability again, or is Blinded, Stunned, or defeated. On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Fail-
ure: They take 1 Wound instead of the normal
damage.
Appendices

279
 Special Bullets: Charm Special Bullets: Drill
Support Item  Light  Mana 1 Support Item  Light  Mana 1
Getting Started

Special Bullets allows the Gunner to apply the fol- Special Bullets allows the Gunner to apply both of
lowing to Repeater attacks: the following to Repeater attacks:

On Hit: The target must make a Mind save. Failure: Ø On Attack: This attack ignores soft and hard cover
The Gunner chooses one: from terrain, and gains Piercing.
Ø On Hit: This attack deals double damage to
Ø The Gunner moves them up to their Speed, con- Summons, objects, and terrain.
trolling their movement, which counts as forced
movement.
Building Beacons

Ø The target uses Volley or Fight as a reaction Special Bullets: Slow

with a weapon or technique attack of the Gunner’s Support Item  Light  Mana 1
choice against a target of the Gunner’s choice.
Special Bullets allows the Gunner to apply the fol-
lowing to Repeater attacks:
Special Bullets: Dissolving
Support Item  Light  Mana 1 On Hit: The target is Slowed until the end of their
next turn.
Special Bullets allows the Gunner to apply the fol-
lowing to Repeater attacks:
Special Bullets: Stun
Running the Game

On Hit: The target is Sundered until cleared. Support Item  Light  Mana 1, Recharge 6+

Special Bullets allows the Gunner to apply the fol-

Special Bullets: Fear lowing to Repeater attacks:
Support Item  Light  Mana 1
On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:
Special Bullets allows the Gunner to apply the fol- They are Stunned until the end of their next turn.
lowing to Repeater attacks:

On Hit: The target is Dazed until they end their turn Special Bullets: Weakening
11: Non-Player Characters

Hidden or out of the Gunner’s line of sight. Support Item  Light  Mana 1

Special Bullets allows the Gunner to apply the fol-

Special Bullets: Freezing lowing to Repeater attacks:
Support Item  Light  Mana 1
On Hit: The target is Weakened until the end of their
Special Bullets allows the Gunner to apply the fol- next turn.
lowing to Repeater attacks:

On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:

They are Immobilized until the end of their next GUNNER TEMPLATES
turn. Be cautious when combining Gunners with the
Minion template, as Minions still put out the same
amount of damage as non-Minions, and Gunners
can deal lots of damage safely at range.
Appendices

280
 HEALER
SUPPORT

Getting Started
The Healer keeps their allies fighting fit with curative, bolstering magic.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 10 Size: 1 Save Target: 12 Size: 1 Save Target: 14
Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2
Scope: 10 Scope: 10 Scope: 15
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 0 Mind: 1 Bulk: 0 Mind: 2 Bulk: 0 Mind: 3
Agility: 0 Magic: 1 Agility: 0 Magic: 3 Agility: 0 Magic: 5
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES

Building Beacons
HP: 10 Stress Cap: 10 HP: 12 Stress Cap: 11 HP: 14 Stress Cap: 12
Dodge: 10 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 11 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 14
Speed: 5 MP: 4 Speed: 5 MP: 5 Speed: 5 MP: 6

H mains on the field, the more

ealers are vulnerable support units that can keep their allies alive on the battlefield. The longer a Healer re-
HP they can restore to their allies. To make the most of Healers, they need to be
properly defended – they have little in the way of physical defenses, although their A-Def is higher than average.
Healers with the Resurrect spell can dramatically change the momentum of a fight, especially when an Elite
or Mini-Boss enemy might be brought back to the fight.

Running the Game

Base Features

Bless Minor Action Heal Channel

Spell  Mana 2 Range = Scope (10/10/15)    Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/10/15)   

The Healer blesses one ally within Range. The blessed On Release: One character within Range regains
character gains +1 on attacks, checks, and saves, 10/15/20 HP.
and deals +1d6 bonus damage on critical hits. This
effect lasts until the Healer is either defeated or uses
this ability again. Rebuking Word Volley +2/4/6 vs A-Def   

11: Non-Player Characters

Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect
Range = Scope (10/10/15)    1/2/3 Stress   
Flash Heal Minor Action
Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/10/15)    On Hit: Until the end of their next turn, the target
takes 2 Stress    whenever they attack.
One character within Range regains 4/5/6 HP.

Extra Features

Drain StrengthTrait Healing Zone Channel

When the Healer makes a character Marked, that Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/10/15), Blast 1   
character must make a Magic save. Failure: They are
Weakened until the end of their next turn. On Release: This AOE is a zone. Allies that start
their turn within the zone regain 4/5/6 HP. The
Appendices

zone lasts until the Healer is defeated or uses this

Dual CastTrait ability again.
The Healer can spend an additional +1 MP when re-
leasing Heal to target two characters at once.

281
 Resurrect Channel Relief Volley
Spell  Mana 2, Recharge 6+ Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/10/15)   
Getting Started

On Channel: The Healer names an ally that has been A character within Range clears all conditions and
defeated this scene. negative effects other than statuses. The target can
immediately shift up to their Speed.
On Release: The named ally returns to play adjacent
to the Healer, or in the closest free space. They return
as if they were a new, identical NPC, but with HP and Shield Channel
Stress equal to their usual Bloodied and Breaking Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/10/15)   
values. They are defeated if they take a Wound or
Overstress. On Release: An ally within Range gains a protective
Building Beacons

shield. The next time the shielded character would

take damage or Stress, (after Armor and resistance),
the damage or Stress is reduced to 0.

MARSHAL
SUPPORT
Running the Game

The Marshal commands allies and looks for advantageous positions.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 10 Size: 1 Save Target: 13 Size: 1 Save Target: 15
Armor: 1 Initiative: 3 Armor: 1 Initiative: 3 Armor: 1 Initiative: 3
Scope: 10 Scope: 12 Scope: 15
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 1 Mind: 1 Bulk: 1 Mind: 2 Bulk: 1 Mind: 3
Agility: 0 Magic: 0 Agility: 1 Magic: 1 Agility: 2 Magic: 2
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
11: Non-Player Characters

HP: 14 Stress Cap: 8 HP: 16 Stress Cap: 8 HP: 18 Stress Cap: 8

Dodge: 7 A-Def: 7 Dodge: 8 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 9 A-Def: 9
Speed: 5 MP: 3 Speed: 5 MP: 4 Speed: 5 MP: 5

M and command their allies to take actions. Marshals can enable units to attack more often than they normally
arshals are classic back-line support units. Their strength lies in their ability to call out Advantageous Positions

could, which can lead to dangerous combos. On their own, however, Marshals have no special defenses and
rely on positioning and defensive units to keep them safe.

Base Features

Advantageous PositionPhase Skirmish Focused Attack Channel

Skill  Recharge 5+ Skill Range = Scope (10/12/15)   
Range = Scope (10/12/15), Blast 2   
On Channel: The Marshal chooses an enemy within
Appendices

This AOE is a zone. Allies fully inside it gain +1 on Range.

attacks, checks, and saves. This zone lasts until the
end of the scene or until the Marshal uses this ability On Release: Each of the Marshal’s allies within
again, and it persists if the Marshal is defeated. Range 5    of the target can make a Volley or
Fight attack against the target with +1 .

282
Crossbow Volley +1/2/3 vs Dodge    Advanced TargetingTrait
Ranged Weapon  Main Bow When an ally within Scope (10/12/15) consumes a

Getting Started
Range 5 / Reach 3     5 Physical     Mark, roll a d6. On a 5–6, the Mark remains.

When the Marshal attacks with this weapon, they can

attack a number of times equal to their tier.

Extra Features

Bracing Spear Fight +1/2/3, +1 vs Dodge    Hit Them Minor Action

Building Beacons
Melee Weapon  Main Longarm Skill  Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/12/15)   
Reach 2     5/7/9 Physical    
An ally within Range can Volley or Fight.
The Marshal can Opportunity Attack with this
weapon when a character enters its Reach.
Inspiring PresenceTrait
The Marshal’s adjacent allies gain +2 on attacks,
checks, and saves.

Miasma Field

Running the Game

Channel
Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/12/15), Blast 1   

On Release: All enemies in the AOE take 2/3/4 Stress   

and are Dazed and Slowed until the end of their
next turn.

Move!Phase Skirmish
Skill  Mana X Range = Scope (10/12/15)   

11: Non-Player Characters

For each MP spent, one ally within Range can move
up to their Speed.

Priority Mark
Skill  Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/12/15)   

1d3+1 enemies within Range become Marked.

Weak Point Mark

Skill  Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/12/15)   

An enemy within Range is Marked, takes 2 Stress    ,

and must make a Mind save. Failure: They are
Appendices

Vulnerable to the first attack that consumes that

Mark.

283
 MINDREAVER
CONTROLLER
Getting Started

Mindreavers have psionic powers that can destroy or manipulate minds.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 12 Size: 1 Save Target: 15 Size: 1 Save Target: 18
Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2
Scope: 12 Scope: 12 Scope: 15
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -1 Mind: 3 Bulk: -1 Mind: 4 Bulk: -1 Mind: 6
Agility: -1 Magic: 1 Agility: 0 Magic: 2 Agility: 0 Magic: 3
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 14 Stress Cap: 10 HP: 16 Stress Cap: 12 HP: 18 Stress Cap: 13

Dodge: 8 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 14
Speed: 5 MP: 4 Speed: 5 MP: 5 Speed: 5 MP: 6

M Fighting against a Mindreaver means making difficult decisions and choosing the least harmful option in the
indreavers infiltrate the minds of their foes, altering their perceptions and placing stress on their psyches.

moment. Mindreavers inflict lots of Stress and can receive a lot of Stress in return, but are fragile at close range.

Base Features

Enthrall Mind Worms

Running the Game

Channel Volley +2/4/6 vs A-Def

Skill  Mana 1 Range = Scope (12/12/15) Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect
Range = Scope (12/12/15)     1 Discord    
On Release: The Mindreaver moves one enemy within
Range up to their Speed. This doesn’t count as forced On Hit: The target is Dazed until they clear all Discord.
movement. The Mindreaver can then force the target
to, as a reaction by that character, attack a target cho-
sen by the Mindreaver with a weapon or spell of the Read Mind Channel
Mindreaver’s choice. Skill  Mana 2 Range = Scope (12/12/15)    

On Release: A character within Range takes 2 Stress    

11: Non-Player Characters

Spread Nightmare Minor Action and becomes predictable, with the following effects:
Skill  Mana 1 Range = Scope (12/12/15)     Ø The predictable character can’t Surge.
Ø At the start of each round, the predictable character
The Mindreaver chooses an enemy within Range that must pick the phase in which they are going to take
has some amount of Discord. All enemies adjacent to their turn that round. If they take their turn in any
the target must make a Mind save. Failure: They are other phase, they take 4 Stress     at the start of
auto-hit by Mind Worms. that turn and are no longer predictable.

During one of their predicted turns, the predictable

character can clear this effect with a Mind save as a
minor action.

Extra Features

Balance Volley Brain Drill Fight +2/3/4 vs Dodge   

Appendices

Skill  Mana 1 Range = Scope (12/12/15)     Melee Weapon  Heavy Magitech
Reach 1     4/6/8 Physical    
The Mindreaver chooses two characters within Range.
They can move all Stress from one of the characters This weapon auto-hits Grappled targets.
to the other. On Hit: The target loses 1 MP.
On Crit: The target loses all of their MP.

284
Hamper Volley +2/4/6 vs A-Def    FocusedTrait
Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect 1/turn, the Mindreaver can take 1 Stress     to reroll

Getting Started
Range = Scope (12/12/15)     2/3/4 Stress     an attack, check, or save.

On Hit: The target must make a Mind save. Failure:

They are Disarmed or Silenced until the end of their Pain Channel
next turn (Mindreaver’s choice). Skill  Mana 1, Recharge 5+
Range = Scope (12/12/15)    

Mind Spike Volley +2/4/6 vs A-Def    On Release: A character within Range takes
Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect 2 Stress     and must make a Mind save. Failure: They
Range = Scope (12/12/15)     2/3/4 Stress     are Stunned, Disarmed, and Silenced until the end

Building Beacons
of their next turn. Success: They are Stunned until
This attack deals +2 Stress to Breaking targets. the end of their next turn.

MIRAGE
CONTROLLER

Mirages are illusionists that create false images around the battlefield.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Running the Game

Size: 1 Save Target: 11 Size: 1 Save Target: 14 Size: 1 Save Target: 17
Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2
Scope: 10 Scope: 10 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -1 Mind: 0 Bulk: -1 Mind: 1 Bulk: -1 Mind: 1
Agility: 1 Magic: 2 Agility: 2 Magic: 3 Agility: 4 Magic: 4
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 10 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 12 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 14 Stress Cap: 6
Dodge: 10 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 14 A-Def: 14 Dodge: 18 A-Def: 18
Speed: 6 MP: 3 Speed: 6 MP: 4 Speed: 7 MP: 5

11: Non-Player Characters

M rection are their defensive tools, allowing them to befuddle foes by manipulating positioning. Mirages are
irages are battlefield illusionists, experts in altering the perceptions of their enemies. Invisibility and misdi-

hard to hit, and can Redirect the rare successful hit against them. Abilities that deal automatic damage and
Discord are effective against these low-HP enemies.

Base Features

Confusion Volley +1/2/3, +1 vs A-Def    RedirectSkill  Mana 1  Reaction (1/round)

Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect
Range = Scope (10/10/10)     2 Stress     Trigger: A character within Range 3     (including the
Mirage) is hit by an attack.
On Hit: The target treats all enemies as having soft
cover until the end of their next turn. Effect: The target switches places with another char-
On Crit: The target treats all enemies as having hard acter within Range 3     of them, and that character
cover until the end of their next turn. takes the hit instead. This counts as forced movement
Appendices

and teleportation. If either character is an enemy,

that character must make a Magic save. Success: This
DisplacementTrait effect fails.
The Mirage is Invisible. This effect is suppressed
when they are Stunned, and when they take damage
they cease to be Invisible until the start of their
next turn.
285
 Phantasm Terrain Channel MIRAGE TEMPLATES
Skill  Arcing, Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/10/10)     Mirages shouldn’t be combined with the Mini-Boss
Getting Started

template. The extra Wounds and Overstress offered

On Channel: The Mirage chooses 4 free spaces within by that template leads to excessively survivable char-
Range that aren’t adjacent to each other and cre- acters when paired with constant invisibility.
ates illusions in each. These illusions last as long as
the Mirage is channeling. Enemies that enter one of
these spaces take 2 Stress     , after which the illusion
is removed from the space.
On Release: Enemies that are adjacent to an illusion
take 2 Stress     and are Slowed until the end of their
next turn. The Mirage can then make the spaces either:
Building Beacons

Ø normal terrain
Ø Size 1 pieces of hard cover
Ø difficult terrain
Ø dangerous terrain (Agility, 5 Force     ).

Extra Features

Conceal Minor Action Invisibility FieldSkill

Running the Game

Skill  Mana 1 Range = Scope (10/10/10)     While the Mirage is Invisible, adjacent allies have
soft cover.
An ally within Range becomes Invisible until the
end of their next turn.
Replace Volley
Skill  Mana 2, Summon
Endless Maze Channel Range = Scope (10/10/10)    
Spell Range = Scope (10/10/10)    
Decoy Illusion (Size = target’s Size, HP 1, Dodge/A-
On Release: An enemy within Range takes Def 10, Speed 0).
2/3/4 Stress     , is Marked, and is Blinded until cleared.
11: Non-Player Characters

Characters Blinded by this ability can attempt to An ally within Range can move up to their Speed,
clear it by allowing the Mirage to control their stan- and a decoy illusion is created in their starting space.
dard movement, which counts as forced move- The target becomes Hidden. This lasts for as long as
ment. On a turn in which they do so, they can make the decoy is in play and the target remains within
a Mind save at the end of that turn. Success: They Range 10     of it.
clear the Blinded condition.

Reveal Position Channel

Flicker Blade Fight +1/3/5, +1 vs Dodge    Spell Range = Scope (10/10/10)    
Melee Weapon  Light Blade
Reach 2    3/5/7 Physical    On Release: The Mirage chooses up to two allies
within Range, or the Mirage and up to one ally. The
On Attack: If the Mirage isn’t Immobilized or Slowed, Mirage can either swap their places with each oth-
they can switch places with the target, teleporting er, which counts as teleportation, or teleport both
both of them. This counts as inflicting forced move- characters 4 spaces.
Appendices

ment on the other character.

286
 OVERLORD
SUPPORT

Getting Started
The Overlord is a high-flying threat, keeping tabs on enemies below
them while softening them up with magical attacks.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 11 Size: 1 Save Target: 14 Size: 1 Save Target: 18
Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2
Scope: 15 Scope: 15 Scope: 20
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -1 Mind: 1 Bulk: -1 Mind: 2 Bulk: -1 Mind: 3
Agility: 0 Magic: 2 Agility: 1 Magic: 3 Agility: 1 Magic: 5

Building Beacons
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 10 Stress Cap: 8 HP: 10 Stress Cap: 9 HP: 10 Stress Cap: 10
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 15 Dodge: 11 A-Def: 18
Speed: 6 MP: 4 Speed: 7 MP: 5 Speed: 8 MP: 6

O and ability to fly, they remain as far away as possible to keep themselves safe while channeling their powerful
verlords hover high above the battlefield, marking enemies for destruction. With their magical prowess, speed,

abilities. Overlords are protected from melee attacks while flying, but are vulnerable if any enemy can bypass
that defense or the penalty to ranged attacks inflicted by Nimbus.

Running the Game

Base Features

FlightTrait Eye in the Sky Minor Action

The Overlord has flight. Skill  Mana 1 Range = Scope (15/15/20)    

A character within Range is Marked.

Manawell Volley +1/2/3 vs A-Def   
Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect
Range = Scope (15/15/20), Blast 1     2/3/4 Stress     Stressful Gaze Channel
Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope (15/15/20)    
On Hit: The target is Marked.

11: Non-Player Characters

On Release: All enemies in Range take 2/3/4 Stress     ,
or an additional +2 Stress if they’re Marked.

Extra Features

MomentumTrait Nimbus Volley +1/2/3 vs A-Def   

When an ally within Scope consumes a Mark, they Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect
can shift up to their Speed. Range = Scope (15/15/20)     4/6/8 Physical    

On Hit: The target receives +2 to all ranged attacks

Hailstorm Channel until the end of their next turn.
Spell  Arcing
Range = Scope (15/15/20), Blast 1    
Uprising Minor Action
On Channel: This AOE is a zone of difficult terrain Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope (15/15/20)    
Appendices

that lasts as long as the Overlord is channeling.

On Release: All characters within the zone must make An ally within Range gains Flying until the end of
an Agility save. Failure: They take 8/9/10 Lunar     and their next turn.
are Slowed until the end of their next turn. Success:
They take 4/5/5 Lunar     .

287
 PropelPhase Skirmish Thunderbolt Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge   
Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope (15/15/20)     Ranged Weapon  Main Artifact
Getting Started

Range 15    3/5/7 Astral   

The Overlord chooses one character within Range,
ally or enemy: This weapon does double damage when consuming
Ø Ally: They can fly up to 6 spaces in a straight line. a Mark.
Ø Enemy: They must make a Magic save. Failure:
They are either pushed or pulled 6 spaces in a
straight line (GM’s choice).

PEGASUS
STRIKER
Building Beacons

The Pegasus is a flying archer that harnesses astral power to deliver divine punishment upon their foes.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 2 Save Target: 10 Size: 2 Save Target: 12 Size: 2 Save Target: 14
Armor: 0 Initiative: 4 Armor: 0 Initiative: 4 Armor: 0 Initiative: 4
Scope: 10 Scope: 10 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -1 Mind: 0 Bulk: -1 Mind: 0 Bulk: -1 Mind: 1
Running the Game

Agility: 1 Magic: 2 Agility: 2 Magic: 4 Agility: 3 Magic: 5

ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 14 Stress Cap: 10 HP: 16 Stress Cap: 11 HP: 18 Stress Cap: 12
Dodge: 10 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 14 Dodge: 14 A-Def: 16
Speed: 6 MP: 5 Speed: 7 MP: 6 Speed: 8 MP: 7

P speed and maneuverability to stay out of range of their foes. They can choose extra features that grant them
egasi are fast flying units with strong aetheric defenses. They prefer to attack at range, using their superior

a range of control and support abilities.

Base Features
11: Non-Player Characters

BreakerTrait Rainbow Volley +1/2/3 vs Dodge   

1/round when the Pegasus makes an enemy Bloodied, Ranged Weapon  Main Bow  Homing
the enemy must make a Magic save. Failure: They are Range 8     6/8/10 Astral   
Disarmed until the end of their next turn. Additionally,
1/round when the Pegasus makes an enemy Breaking,
the enemy must make a Bulk save. Failure: They are Sunrise Volley +1/2/3 vs A-Def   
Silenced until the end of their next turn. Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Arcing,
Indirect, Mana 1
Range = Scope (10/10/10)     2 Stress    
FlightTrait
The Pegasus has flight. On Hit: The target is Blinded until the end of their
next turn.

Extra Features
Appendices

Celestial ProtectionTrait Pristine BlessingTrait

Spell attacks against the Pegasus receive +1 , and The Pegasus regains 2/3/4 HP at the end of each of
the Pegasus has resistance to Stress from other their turns if there are no enemies within Range 5     .
characters.

288
Aerial PunishmentSkill  Reaction (1/round) Sky WarriorSkill
When the Pegasus critically hits, they can clear a con-

Getting Started
Trigger: An enemy makes a melee attack against dition from themselves or an ally within Range 5     .
the Pegasus. Additionally, 1/round, the Pegasus deals +1d6
bonus damage on a critical hit.
Effect: The Pegasus attacks them after their attack
resolves.
Unicorn Lance Fight +1/2/3, +1 vs Dodge   
Melee Weapon  Main Longarm
Divine Gate Volley +2/4/6 vs A-Def    Reach 2    5/7/9 Astral   
Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect
Range = Scope (10/10/10)     1 Stress     On Crit: The target is Blinded until the end of their

Building Beacons
next turn.
On Hit: 1/turn until the end of the target’s next turn,
whenever they make an attack, they take Stress equal
to the distance between them and their attacked
target.

PROTECTOR
DEFENDER

Running the Game

Protectors are heavily armored guardians that position themselves in the way of attacks meant for their allies.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 2 Save Target: 10 Size: 2 Save Target: 12 Size: 2 Save Target: 14
Armor: 3 Initiative: 1 Armor: 3 Initiative: 1 Armor: 4 Initiative: 1
Scope: 10 Scope: 10 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 2 Mind: 0 Bulk: 3 Mind: 1 Bulk: 5 Mind: 2
Agility: -1 Magic: 1 Agility: -1 Magic: 2 Agility: -1 Magic: 2
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES

11: Non-Player Characters

HP: 15 Stress Cap: 5 HP: 20 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 25 Stress Cap: 8
Dodge: 7 A-Def: 6 Dodge: 7 A-Def: 6 Dodge: 7 A-Def: 6
Speed: 4 MP: 3 Speed: 4 MP: 3 Speed: 4 MP: 4

P vulnerable units, like support units or those that

rotectors are defensive units focused on taking damage on behalf of their allies. They are best positioned near
Channel. Because Protectors need to be as close as to their
allies as possible, altering their positioning is one way enemies can bypass many of their abilities.

Base Features

EscortSkill  Defend Shield Wall Support Item  Main  Mana 1

Until the start of the Protector’s next turn, whenever The Protector provides the benefits of cover for their
an adjacent ally moves, the Protector can move along allies as if they were a piece of hard cover. The Pro-
with them up to the Protector’s Speed (4/4/4), stay- tector can use the Brace action for 1MP.
ing adjacent to the ally. If the ally continues to move
further, the Protector is left behind.
Appendices

Brace Defend
The Protector gains resistance to all damage until
the start of their next turn.

289
 Sword and Shield Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge    Vigilant GazeSkill  Reaction
Melee Weapon  Main Blade
Getting Started

Reach 2     2/3/4 Physical    Trigger: An ally within Range 3     would be attacked.

This weapon’s damage deals extra damage equal to Effect: The Protector moves up to 2 spaces and either
the number of the phase in which it is used (e.g., +1 becomes the target of the attack (if they are adjacent
in Phase , +3 in Phase , etc). to the ally), or attacks the attacker with a weapon
before the triggering attack happens.

Extra Features
Building Beacons

Armored Zone Defend Sidearm Volley +1/2/3 vs Dodge   

Skill  Aura 2, Mana 1 Ranged Weapon  Light Magitech 
Reliable 1/2/3 Range 8     2/3/4 Lunar   
This Aura lasts until the start of the Protector’s next
turn. The Protector’s allies gain +2/3/4 Armor while This weapon gains +1 and deals +3 damage when
fully within the Aura. used in a phase other than Phase Bolster.

Pinning AttackSkill Threatening AttacksTrait

When the Protector hits with a reaction attack, the When the Protector hits with a reaction attack, the
Running the Game

target’s movement ends and they are unable to move target becomes Marked.
for the rest of the turn.

Waste EnergySkill  Recharge 4+

Retaliatory StanceSkill Characters that hit the Protector with melee attacks
The Protector deals 3/4/5 Physical     to any character become Weakened until the end of their next turn.
that hits them with a melee weapon. This ability is sup- This ability is suppressed while the Protector is Dis-
pressed while the Protector is Disarmed, Stunned, armed, Stunned, or Grappled.
or Grappled.
11: Non-Player Characters

RANGER
STRIKER

Rangers are mobile attackers that are effective against all types of enemies.
They can easily flank their enemies and retreat to safety after attacking.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 10 Size: 1 Save Target: 12 Size: 1 Save Target: 14
Armor: 1 Initiative: 3 Armor: 1 Initiative: 3 Armor: 1 Initiative: 3
Scope: 10 Scope: 10 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 1 Mind: 0 Bulk: 2 Mind: 1 Bulk: 3 Mind: 1
Agility: 1 Magic: 0 Agility: 2 Magic: 0 Agility: 3 Magic: 1
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Appendices

HP: 15 Stress Cap: 7 HP: 18 Stress Cap: 7 HP: 21 Stress Cap: 7

Dodge: 8 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 9 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 10
Speed: 5 MP: 3 Speed: 5 MP: 3 Speed: 5 MP: 3

290
R move around the battlefield, flanking enemies and maneuvering around cover. Rangers operate best at range,
angers are mobile, all-round damage dealers with access to ranged, melee, and spell attacks. They can easily

Getting Started
as their melee options are weaker.

Base Features

Flush Them Out Volley +2/3/4 vs A-Def    Snap ShotSkill  Recharge 4+

Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Arcing, When the Ranger uses Rush or Hide, they can
Indirect Range = Scope     2/3/4 Stress    deal 2/3/4 Piercing Physical     to an enemy within
Scope (10/10/10). This doesn’t remove the Hidden
On Hit: If the target ends their next turn adjacent to status.

Building Beacons
a piece of cover, they take 4/6/8 Astral     .

Twin Blades Fight +2/3/4 vs Dodge   

Marksman Bow Volley +1/2/3 vs Dodge    Melee Weapon  Light Blade Reach 1    
Ranged Weapon  Main Bow  Arcing 3/4/5 Physical   
Range 10     6/8/10 Physical   
The Ranger can attack twice with this weapon. They
On Miss: The target becomes Marked. can shift 1 before, between, or after each attack.

Running the Game

Extra Features

Bear Trap Minor Action Homing ShotSkill

Support Item  Main  Mana 1, Trap When the Ranger makes a ranged weapon attack
against a Marked target and consumes the Mark,
The Ranger deploys a bear trap in a free adjacent the attack gains Homing and Reliable 3/4/5.
space. When triggered, the triggering character must
make an Agility save. Failure: They are Immobilized.
A character Immobilized this way can clear it with a Hunter’s MarkSpell
successful Bulk save as a minor action. The Ranger 1/turn when the Ranger consumes a Mark and hits
can only have three bear traps in play at a time. their target, they can spend 1 MP to deal +1d6 bonus

11: Non-Player Characters

damage.

Explosive Shot Free Action

Skill  Mana 1 Sure FootTrait
The Ranger ignores difficult terrain.
The Ranger’s next Marksman Bow attack is Blast 1    .

Favored Foe Search

Skill  Mana 1

The Ranger chooses a Marked enemy, ignoring line

of sight. 1/round, they can reroll an attack roll against
that character. This effect lasts until the Ranger uses
this ability again.
Appendices

291
 ROGUE
STRIKER
Getting Started

Rogues are sneaky fighters that stay hidden before attacking vulnerable targets.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1/2 Save Target: 10 Size: 1/2 Save Target: 12 Size: 1/2 Save Target: 14
Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2
Scope: 10 Scope: 10 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -1 Mind: 1 Bulk: 0 Mind: 1 Bulk: 0 Mind: 2
Agility: 2 Magic: 0 Agility: 4 Magic: 0 Agility: 6 Magic: 0
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 10 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 12 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 14 Stress Cap: 6

Dodge: 12 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 15 A-Def: 9 Dodge: 18 A-Def: 10
Speed: 6 MP: 1 Speed: 6 MP: 1 Speed: 6 MP: 1

R cover to remain in hiding until the right time to strike. Rogues have a versatile toolkit of conditions they can
ogues are opportunists, ready to take advantage of any vulnerabilities they find. They use their speed and

inflict on their foes, and they deal increased damage when attacking enemies with conditions. They are primarily
close-range attackers, and are open to attacks if they can’t retreat to cover to hide.

Base Features
Running the Game

Concealing Cloak Support Item  Main Shiv Fight +2/4/6, +1 vs Dodge   

The Rogue has soft cover against all enemies beyond Melee Weapon  Light Blade
Range 3    . Reach 2     5/6/7 Physical   

This weapon gains the Piercing tag and deals +3

StalkerTrait damage against enemies with one or more conditions.
The Rogue enters the combat scene Hidden. Ad-
ditionally, they gain +1 on attacks while Hidden,
and can choose to become Hidden whenever they StealthSkill  Minor Action
critically hit with a weapon attack. The Rogue uses Hide.
11: Non-Player Characters

Extra Features

Assassin’s Crossbow Volley Blinding Poison

Ranged Weapon  Main Bow  +1/2/3, +1 vs Dodge    Support Item  Light  Recharge 5+
 Reloading Range 5 / Reach 3     6/8/10 Physical   
When the Rogue hits with a weapon attack, the target
On Hit: The target is Dazed until cleared. must make a Bulk save. Failure: They are Blinded.
The target can clear the condition by repeating the
save as a minor action.
Black Lotus Poison
Support Item  Light  Recharge 5+
ShiftySkill  Reaction (1/round)
When the Rogue hits with a weapon attack, the target
Appendices

must make a Mind save. Failure: They gain 1 Discord    . Trigger: The Rogue is hit or missed by an attack and
They can’t use the Reroll Table until they clear all isn’t Immobilized or Slowed.
Discord.
Effect: The Rogue shifts 2 and can Hide if they end
this movement next to or in cover.

292
Smoke Bomb Minor Action Trap MasterTrait
Support Item  Light  Recharge 5+ The Rogue does not trigger Traps, and can automat-

Getting Started
ically disarm them as a minor action. Additionally,
The Rogue creates a Blast 1    zone centered on them- they can automatically unlock locks.
selves. Characters fully inside the zone are Invisible.
The zone lasts until end of the Rogue’s next turn.

SHARPSHOOTER
ARTILLERY

Building Beacons
Sharpshooters are deadly foes that can kill from a great distance with pinpoint shots.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 10 Size: 1 Save Target: 12 Size: 1 Save Target: 14
Armor: 0 Initiative: 3 Armor: 0 Initiative: 3 Armor: 0 Initiative: 3
Scope: 20 Scope: 20 Scope: 25
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -1 Mind: 1 Bulk: 0 Mind: 1 Bulk: 0 Mind: 2
Agility: 2 Magic: 0 Agility: 3 Magic: 1 Agility: 5 Magic: 1
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES

Running the Game

HP: 10 Stress Cap: 5 HP: 12 Stress Cap: 5 HP: 14 Stress Cap: 6
Dodge: 10 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 14 A-Def: 8
Speed: 5 MP: 3 Speed: 5 MP: 3 Speed: 5 MP: 3

S They can take their time to line up a shot, delivering massive damage if not contested. Cover can mitigate some
harpshooters are dangerous marksmen, able to eliminate enemies with great precision from extreme distances.

of the Sharpshooter’s strongest effects, so try to position them where enemies will be exposed when approaching.

Base Features

Compound Bow Volley +2/4/6, +1 vs Dodge    Quiver Free Action

11: Non-Player Characters

Ranged Weapon  Heavy Bow  Arcing Support Item  Light  Mana 1
Range 25     7/10/13 Physical   
The Sharpshooter changes the damage of their
Compound Bow to Physical, Astral, Lunar, or Force. This
Sniper ShotSkill  Channel lasts until the Sharpshooter uses this ability again.
On Channel: The Sharpshooter selects an enemy
within line of sight. While channeling this ability, they
cannot use their Compound Bow. Sky ShotTrait
The Sharpshooter gains +1 against Flying targets.
On Release: The Sharpshooter attacks the target Additionally, Flying targets hit by a ranged attack
with their Compound Bow. If they do not have cover from the Sharpshooter lose Flying.
against the Sharpshooter, the attack deals +5 damage
on a hit.
Appendices

Extra Features

Ghillie Suit Minor Action Annihilation Launcher Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge   

Support Item  Light  Mana 1 Ranged Weapon  Heavy Magitech  Arcing,
Reloading Range 25, Blast 1     5/7/9 Force   
The Sharpshooter becomes Invisible until the start
of their next turn.
293
 Spectral Arrow Seeker Shot Free Action
Support Item  Main  Recharge 5+ Skill  Mana 1
Getting Started

When the Sharpshooter attacks with their Com- The Sharpshooter’s next Compound Bow attack
pound Bow, they can do so with Line 25    instead ignores all .
of its Range.

Steady ShotTrait
Scan MovementSkill  Reaction (1/round) If the Sharpshooter hasn’t moved since the start of
their last turn, they gain +1 on their next ranged
Trigger: An enemy within line of sight ends a move- attack.
ment without cover against the Sharpshooter.
Building Beacons

Effect: The Sharpshooter attacks the target with a SHARPSHOOTER TEMPLATES

ranged weapon. Be cautious when giving Sharpshooters the Minion
template, as Minions output the same amount of
damage as non-Minions, and Sharpshooters can
deal lots of damage safely at range.

SPECTER
CONTROLLER
Running the Game

Specters are incorporeal beings that can phase through solid objects and drain energy from other creatures.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 12 Size: 1 Save Target: 15 Size: 1 Save Target: 18
Armor: 0 Initiative: 3 Armor: 0 Initiative: 3 Armor: 0 Initiative: 3
Scope: 10 Scope: 10 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -2 Mind: 2 Bulk: -2 Mind: 3 Bulk: -2 Mind: 4
11: Non-Player Characters

Agility: 1 Magic: 1 Agility: 2 Magic: 2 Agility: 3 Magic: 3

ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 14 Stress Cap: 8 HP: 16 Stress Cap: 9 HP: 18 Stress Cap: 10
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 11 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 12
Speed: 5 MP: 4 Speed: 5 MP: 4 Speed: 6 MP: 4

S as they can easily vanish or move across a map. These apparitions go wherever they want, staying close to
pecters are ghostly controllers with the ability to move through terrain. Fighting a Specter is a tiring exercise,

enemies they think can’t hit them or staying at range and hampering movement. Reduce their MP to stop them
from disappearing or using Reform, or hit them with damage that isn’t affected by their invisibility.

Base Features

Ethereal Shift Minor Action Frighten Volley

Spell  Mana 1 Skill Range = Scope (10/10/10)   
Appendices

The Specter becomes Invisible until the start of their A character within Range must make a Mind save.
next turn. Failure: They take 3/4/5 Stress    and are unable to
voluntarily move closer to the Specter until the end
of their next turn.

294
IncorporealTrait Wither Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge   
The Specter gains the following benefits: Ranged Weapon  Main Artifact  Homing

Getting Started
Ø They ignore Engagement and don’t cause Range 5 / Reach 3     3/4/5 Stress   
Engagement.
Ø They can move through the spaces of other On Hit: The target is Weakened until the end of their
characters, objects, and terrain, but can’t end their next turn.
turn in these spaces.
Ø They ignore difficult terrain and dangerous terrain.

Extra Features

Building Beacons
Chilling PhaseSkill ReformPhase Reposition
When the Specter moves through an enemy, that Skill  Mana 1
character must make a Bulk save. Failure: They are
Slowed until the end of their next turn. Each enemy The Specter is removed from play. They return to
can only be affected by this ability 1/turn. play in any free space at the beginning of the next
round.

Drain Life ForceTrait

Enemies that end their turn adjacent to the Specter Stressful Environment reaction (1/round)
take 3/4/5 Piercing Lunar    , and the Specter regains Skill

Running the Game

that much HP.
Trigger: An enemy within Scope (10/10/10) uses the
Reroll Table.
Possess Channel
Skill  Mana 2, Recharge 6+ Effect: They take 2 Stress    .
Range = Scope (10/10/10)   

On Release: The Specter possesses an enemy within Wail Volley

Range. While doing so, the Specter is removed from Skill  Mana 1 Burst 2    
play, doesn’t take turns, and cannot be targeted or
affected in any way; however, the Specter takes any All enemies in the AOE must make a Mind save. Fail-

11: Non-Player Characters

Stress the target would take, and any Aetheric attacks ure: They take 4/5/6 Stress    and are Immobilized
hit the Specter instead. until the end of their next turn. Success: They take
At the beginning of each of the possessed enemy’s 2/3/4 Stress    .
turns, the Specter takes 1 Stress    and chooses one
of the following:
Ø The enemy takes two actions this turn. The Spec-
ter chooses the second action, which must be an
action that can be used this phase, and chooses
any valid targets.
Ø The Specter controls the enemy’s standard move-
ment, performing it at the start of the turn.

Possession lasts until the Specter ends it at the end of

another character’s turn, or when the Specter takes a
Wound or Overstress. The Specter then returns to play
Appendices

in a free space adjacent to the possessed target.

295
 SPELLSHIELD
DEFENDER
Getting Started

Spellshields are trained to counter and weaken enemy spellcasters while sheltering their own allies with magical shields.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 2 Save Target: 10 Size: 2 Save Target: 13 Size: 2 Save Target: 16
Armor: 1 Initiative: 1 Armor: 1 Initiative: 1 Armor: 2 Initiative: 1
Scope: 10 Scope: 12 Scope: 15
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 0 Mind: 0 Bulk: 1 Mind: 0 Bulk: 2 Mind: 1
Agility: 0 Magic: 2 Agility: 0 Magic: 4 Agility: 0 Magic: 5
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 18 Stress Cap: 10 HP: 21 Stress Cap: 12 HP: 24 Stress Cap: 14

Dodge: 7 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 8 A-Def: 15 Dodge: 9 A-Def: 18
Speed: 4 MP: 5 Speed: 4 MP: 6 Speed: 4 MP: 7

S while
pellshields are specialized anti-spell defenders. Arcanum Shield lets them split damage with nearby allies,
Mana Drain and their extra features disrupt the spellcasting abilities of their foes. Spellshields can safely
be aggressive against enemy spellcasters, but should be wary of MP-draining effects.

Base Features

Arcanum ShieldReaction Mana Drain

Running the Game

Volley +2/3/4 vs A-Def    

Support Item  Heavy  Mana 1 Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect
 Range = Scope (10/12/15)     1/2/3 Stress    
Trigger: An ally within Range 3    takes Physical, Astral,
Lunar, or Force (after Armor and resistance). On Hit: The target loses 2 MP and the Spellshield
regains MP equal to the amount lost.
Effect: The Spellshield takes half the damage, and
the ally takes the other half.
Spellward Defend
Spell  Mana 2 Range = Scope (10/12/15)    
Magic ResistanceTrait
11: Non-Player Characters

The Spellshield has resistance to damage and Stress The Spellshield chooses an ally within Range. 1/round,
from spells. the Spellshield can trigger Arcanum Shield for that
character at any range. Only one character can be
targeted by this effect at a time.

Extra Features

Aethercaster Volley +1/2/3 vs Dodge    Improved Mana DrainTrait

Ranged Weapon  Heavy Bow  Homing The Spellshield can gain MP from Mana Drain in ex-
Range 15     1 Force     cess of their maximum MP.

This weapon deals bonus damage equal to the target’s

current MP. Pain Prod Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge   
Melee Weapon  Main Club
Reach 1     2/3/4 Astral    
Appendices

Break SpellSkill  Reaction

On Hit: The target receives +2 to concentration
Trigger: An enemy in Scope uses a Channel action. saves triggered by this attack.

Effect: The Spellshield attacks them with a spell attack

or weapon.

296
Reflect Reaction (1/round) Silence Channel
Spell  Mana 1 Spell Range = Scope (10/12/15)    

Getting Started
Trigger: A spell attack misses the Spellshield or an On Release: One enemy within Range takes
ally within Range 3    . 3/4/5 Stress    and is Silenced until cleared.

Effect: The Spellshield reflects the spell back at the

caster, auto-hitting them with it.

SWARM
CONTROLLER

Building Beacons
Swarms are a deadly mass made of countless smaller parts. They move as one, covering the battlefield.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 2 Save Target: 11 Size: 2 Save Target: 14 Size: 2 Save Target: 17
Armor: 0 Initiative: 4 Armor: 0 Initiative: 4 Armor: 0 Initiative: 4
Scope: 8 Scope: 8 Scope: 8
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 2 Mind: -2 Bulk: 3 Mind: -2 Bulk: 4 Mind: -2
Agility: 2 Magic: 0 Agility: 3 Magic: 1 Agility: 4 Magic: 2

Running the Game

ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 20 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 25 Stress Cap: 7 HP: 30 Stress Cap: 8
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 6 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 7 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 8
Speed: 4 MP: 3 Speed: 4 MP: 3 Speed: 4 MP: 4

S by a
warms are controllers that force enemies to reposition in order to get away from them. Each Swarm is surrounded
Swarm Body, which can cause negative effects for enemies caught inside. They can also summon Drones
over a great distance, driving enemies into new positions. Swarms are vulnerable to damage from AOEs, and
their area of control shrinks once they’re Bloodied.

Base Features

11: Non-Player Characters

Drones Volley Swarm BodyTrait
Support Item  Heavy  Mana 1, Summon The Swarm is surrounded by a Burst 2    zone. Allies
Range = Scope (8/8/8)     within the zone gain soft cover. Enemies that start
their turn in the zone or enter it for the first time during
Drone (Size 1/2, HP 1, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0) their turn take 2/3/4 Stress    . The zone is suppressed
while the Swarm is Stunned.
The Swarm summons a drone within Range. The Additionally, the following effects apply based
drone emits a Burst 1    zone. Enemies are Dazed on the Swarm’s Wound Cap and Overstress Cap:
while within the zone.
The Swarm can have any number of drones in Ø Wound or Overstress Cap 1: While the Swarm is
play at a time. Bloodied, they become Size 1 (unless they were
already smaller) and the zone becomes Burst 1    .
Ø Wound or Overstress Cap 2+: When the Swarm
Surging Host Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge    has taken Wounds/Overstresses equal to half their
Appendices

Melee Weapon  Main Club  Piercing relevant cap, they become Size 1 (unless they were
Reach 1, Close Blast 1     3/4/5 Physical     already smaller) and the zone becomes Burst 1    .

On Hit: The target becomes Marked.

297
 Swarm FormTrait SWARM TEMPLATES
The Swarm is Vulnerable to Discord and damage Applying the Minion template to Swarms can create
Getting Started

from AOEs. Additionally, attempts to Grapple the a combat scene filled with zones, which can make
Swarm automatically fail, and the Swarm can auto- it hard to keep track of things.
matically break free from grapples as a free action.

Extra Features

Choking Swarm Fight Infestation Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge   

Skill  Mana 1, Recharge 5+ Ranged Weapon  Light Club  Homing
Range 12     2/3/4 Stress   
Building Beacons

The Swarm chooses Disarmed or Silenced. All en-

emies in the Swarm’s Swarm Body zone must then On Hit: The target becomes infested. For the duration,
make a Bulk save. Failure: They take 2 Stress    and they take 1/2/3 Discord    whenever they attack. This
gain the chosen condition until the end of their next effect can be applied multiple times, increasing the
turn. Success: They take 2 Stress    . Discord dealt by +1 each time. The infested character
can clear this effect by succeeding on a Bulk save as a
minor action, or by performing the Refresh action.
Clutching SwarmSkill  Grapple
The Swarm chooses one of the following:
Obscuring SwarmTrait
Running the Game

Ø The Swarm can Grapple a character within their Allies fully within the Swarm’s Swarm Body zone can
Swarm Body zone. On a hit, the swarm can slide Hide as a minor action. Enemies are Blinded while
them to any free space adjacent to the Swarm. within the zone.
Ø One of the Swarm’s drones makes a normal Grap-
ple.
Shredding SwarmTrait
When an enemy starts their turn in the Swarm’s Swarm
Crawling SwarmTrait  Minor Action Body zone, they take 1/2/3 Physical    and must make
The Swarm moves one of their drones up to 2 spaces, a Bulk save. Failure: They are Sundered until the
ignoring line of sight. end of their next turn.
11: Non-Player Characters

TITAN
CONTROLLER

Titans are slow, lumbering, unstoppable enemies that are devastating at close range.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 3 Save Target: 11 Size: 3 Save Target: 13 Size: 3 Save Target: 15
Armor: 2 Initiative: 7 Armor: 2 Initiative: 7 Armor: 2 Initiative: 7
Scope: 5 Scope: 5 Scope: 5
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 4 Mind: 0 Bulk: 6 Mind: 1 Bulk: 6 Mind: 2
Agility: -2 Magic: 0 Agility: -2 Magic: 0 Agility: -1 Magic: 1
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
HP: 15 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 20 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 25 Stress Cap: 6
Appendices

Dodge: 6 A-Def: 6 Dodge: 8 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 10

Speed: 3 MP: 3 Speed: 3 MP: 3 Speed: 4 MP: 4

298
T their
itans are massive, frightening units. They move slowly towards enemies, delivering devastating attacks with
Giga Hammer when close enough. They are geared toward keeping enemies close and punishing them

Getting Started
for that proximity. Titans are considered controllers because the PCs need to keep them at range or hinder them,
otherwise the Titan will cause significant damage.

Base Features

Armor Plating Support Item  Heavy HeavyTrait

The Titan has resistance to Physical, Astral, Lunar, The Titan is immune to forced movement from smaller
and Force from characters within Range 3    . characters.

Building Beacons
Full AttackerTrait UnstoppableTrait
The Titan can Full Attack. The Titan can end their turn sharing spaces with ob-
jects and terrain that are smaller than them. If they
end their turn sharing spaces with other characters,
Giga Hammer Full Attack +1/2/3, +1 vs Dodge    those characters are pushed to the nearest unoccu-
Melee Weapon  Heavy Club  Slow pied spaces outside of the Titan’s spaces.
Reach 2     10/14/16 Physical    

On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:

They are Stunned until the end of their next turn.

Running the Game

Extra Features

Danger ZoneTrait Marked for DestructionTrait

Enemies that start their turn adjacent to the Titan Enemies that start their turn adjacent to the Titan
take 3/4/5 Physical    , or twice as much damage if are Marked.
the enemy is Breaking.

Pain ConversionSkill Reaction

Earthcracker

11: Non-Player Characters

Support Item  Main  Enchantment Trigger: The Titan takes damage or Stress.

This Enchantment applies to the Titan’s Giga Effect: The Titan gains +1 on their next Giga Hammer
Hammer. On an attack with this weapon, enemies attack. This effect stacks until the Titan next attacks
in a Burst 1    AOE around the target must make an with the Giga Hammer.
Agility save. Failure: They take 5/7/8 Physical    .

Gravity Pull Minor Action TITAN TEMPLATES

Spell  Mana 1 Burst 3     Titans should not be given the Mini-Boss template.
The best way for beacons to handle a titan is to take
All enemies in the AOE must make a Bulk save. Fail- them out before they can get close. The Mini-Boss
ure: They are pulled to the closest free space adjacent template makes that very unlikely to happen, which
to the Titan. can result in an unfun situation to deal with.
Appendices

IntimidationPhase Skirmish
Skill Range = Scope (5/5/5)    

A target within Range must make a Mind save. Failure:

They take 2/3/4 Stress    and are Slowed until the end
of their next turn. Success: They take 1/2/3 Stress    .
299
 VULTURE
CONTROLLER
Getting Started

Vultures are flying menaces that nimbly avoid attacks while dragging their victims around.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 11 Size: 1 Save Target: 14 Size: 1 Save Target: 17
Armor: 0 Initiative: 3 Armor: 0 Initiative: 3 Armor: 0 Initiative: 3
Scope: 10 Scope: 10 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -2 Mind: 0 Bulk: -2 Mind: 1 Bulk: -2 Mind: 2
Agility: 4 Magic: 0 Agility: 5 Magic: 1 Agility: 6 Magic: 2
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 8 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 8 Stress Cap: 6 HP: 10 Stress Cap: 6

Dodge: 12 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 15 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 18 A-Def: 12
Speed: 7 MP: 2 Speed: 7 MP: 2 Speed: 8 MP: 3

V They specialize in moving their foes out of position, putting them into dangerous situations. Attacking a Vul-
ultures are aerial harassment units. They move fast and easily avoid attacks with their Barrel Roll reaction.

ture multiple times in quick succession can wear them down, and their A-Def is much lower than their Dodge.

Base Features

Barrel Roll FlierTrait

Running the Game

Reaction (1/round)
Skill  Recharge 5+ The Vulture has flight.

Trigger: The Vulture is hit with an attack.

Dive BombPhase Reposition
Effect: The attack misses and the Vulture can fly up Skill  Recharge 5+
to 3 spaces.
The Vulture flies up to twice their Speed (7/7/8) in a straight
line, moving through enemies. During this movement, one
Skyhook Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge    enemy the Vulture moves through must make an Agility
Ranged Weapon  Main Longarm  Pull 2 save. Failure: The target takes 4/6/8 Physical , is Sun-
11: Non-Player Characters

Range 5, Reach 3     5/7/9 Physical     dered until the end of their next turn, and is knocked
Prone. Success: The target takes 2/3/4 Physical .
Appendices

300
 Extra Features

Getting Started
Evasive ManeuversTrait Skitter Bomb Minor Action
Reaction attacks against the Vulture automatically Support Item  Main  Mana 1, Summon
miss unless the attacker spends 1 Focus. Range = Scope (10/10/10)    

Skitter Bomb (Size 1/2, HP 3, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 3)

Heavenly Chains Volley
Spell  Mana 1, Summon Range = Scope (10/10/10)     The Vulture creates a skitter bomb within Range. They
can detonate a skitter bomb as a free action, but not
Pillar of Chains (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0) on the turn in which it was created. When it detonates,
all characters in a Burst 1 AOE must make an Agili-

Building Beacons
The Vulture summons a pillar of chains within Range. ty save. Failure: They take 8/10/12 Force . Success:
Any enemy that starts their turn adjacent to the pil- They take 4/5/6 Force .
lar must make a Bulk save. Failure: They are Immo-
bilized and Weakened for as long as they remain
adjacent to the pillar. Vacuum Generator Volley
Support Item  Main  Recharge 5+ Line 10    

Lost Fog Volley +2/4/6 vs A-Def    Characters in the AOE must make a Bulk save, starting
Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect with the characters furthest away. Failure: They take
Range = Scope (10/10/10), Blast 1     4/5/6 Lunar     4/6/8 Force and are pushed to the furthest free

Running the Game

space in the line. Success: They take 2/3/4 Force
On Attack: This AOE is a zone. Characters fully within and are pushed 1.
it are Blinded while inside, and line of sight can’t be
drawn through it. This effect lasts until the Vulture
uses this spell again or is defeated.

Lure Channel
Skill  Arcing Range = Scope (10/10/10)    

On Release: A character within Range takes

11: Non-Player Characters

2/3/4 Physical , is Silenced until the end of their
next turn, immediately moves their Speed straight
toward the Vulture, and must make a Mind save. Fail-
ure: The target is Dazed until cleared. While Dazed, all
of their movement during their turn must be directly
toward the Vulture, and they must move at least 1
space during their turn (if possible).
The Vulture can’t use this ability while they are
Stunned or Silenced, and gaining either condition
ends all of this ability’s existing effects.
Appendices

301
 WARMAGE
ARTILLERY
Getting Started

Warmages are spellcasters ready for explosive combat. Their powerful magic can destroy whole armies.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 12 Size: 1 Save Target: 14 Size: 1 Save Target: 16
Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2 Armor: 0 Initiative: 2
Scope: 20 Scope: 20 Scope: 20
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: -1 Mind: 1 Bulk: -1 Mind: 2 Bulk: -1 Mind: 3
Agility: 0 Magic: 2 Agility: 0 Magic: 4 Agility: 1 Magic: 5
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 10 Stress Cap: 10 HP: 10 Stress Cap: 11 HP: 12 Stress Cap: 12

Dodge: 8 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 8 A-Def: 14 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 17
Speed: 4 MP: 6 Speed: 4 MP: 7 Speed: 4 MP: 8

W quickly destroy groups of enemies, and their

armages are area-based spellcasters that rain fire and destruction from afar. Their channeled abilities can
Battlemage trait allows them to maintain their concentration
in the face of enemy attacks at the cost of MP. They have little defense against physical attacks, so try to close
the distance quickly and spread out.

Base Features
Running the Game

BattlemageTrait Flamestrike Channel

1/turn, the Warmage can spend 1 MP to reroll a con- Ranged Spell Attack  Arcing, Auto-Hit,
centration save. Mana 1 Range = Scope (20/20/20), Blast 2    

On Release: Characters in the AOE take

Explosion Volley +2/4/6 vs A-Def    5/7/9 Astral + 2/3/4 Discord     .
Ranged Spell Attack  Arcing
Range = Scope (20/20/20), Blast 1     4/6/8 Force    
Power Word KILL Channel
Spell  Mana 1, Recharge 6+
11: Non-Player Characters

Range = Scope (20/20/20)    

On Release: A character within Range must make

a Bulk save. Failure: They take 1 Wound. Success:
They take 4/5/6 Stress     .

Extra Features

Chain Death Channel Cone of Cold Channel

Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope (20/20/20)     Spell Close Blast 3    

On Release: The Warmage chooses up to three dif- On Release: All characters in the AOE take
ferent characters within Range, designating them as 8/10/12 Lunar     and must make a Bulk save. Failure:
Target 1, Target 2, and Target 3. Draw straight lines They are Immobilized until the end of their next turn.
Appendices

from Target 1 to Target 2, and from Target 2 to Target While Immobilized by this ability, targets are
3. These characters, and any characters within one of Vulnerable to Physical damage.
these lines, must make a Magic save. Failure: They take
6/7/8 Lunar     and are Weakened until they regain any
amount of HP. Success: They take 3/4/4 Lunar     and
are Weakened until the end of their next turn.

302
 Getting Started
Building Beacons
Running the Game
Escape Standard Movement Mirror Self Minor Action

11: Non-Player Characters

Spell  Mana 1 Spell  Mana 2, Summon
Range = Scope (20/20/20)    
The Warmage teleports up to 6 spaces.
Illusory Copy ( Size = Warmage’s Size, HP 5,
Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0)
Mind Fog Volley +2/4/6, +1 vs A-Def   
Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect The Warmage creates an illusory copy of themselves
Range = Scope (20/20/20)     2/3/4 Stress     in a free space within Range. Whenever the Warma-
ge uses an ability, they can determine line of sight,
On Hit: The target is Dazed and treats the Warmage Range, and cover from the copy’s position instead
as Invisible until they clear Dazed. of their own.

Wave of Death Channel

Spell  Mana 1 Burst 2    
Appendices

On Release: All enemies within the AOE must make a

Magic save. Failure: They take 10/15/20 Lunar     and
are unable to regain HP until the end of their next
turn. Success: They take 5/8/10 Lunar     .

303
 12: UNIVERSAL NPC FEATURES
Getting Started

Universal features can be given to any NPC as extra features.

AmorphousTrait Full AttackerTrait

This NPC receives the following benefits: This NPC can Full Attack.

Ø They ignore difficult terrain.

Ø They can move through spaces smaller than them- GuardianTrait
selves without squeezing. This NPC’s allies gain the benefits of cover as if the
Building Beacons

Ø They can move through the spaces of other char- NPC were a piece of hard cover.
acters and end their turn in these spaces.

Heavy Blaster Volley

Armor Support Item  Light  Armor Ranged Weapon  Heavy Any Type  Arcing,
+1 Armor. Reloading Range 8, Blast 2    5/7/9 Damage   

Backup Melee Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge    ImmunityTrait

Melee Weapon  Light Any Type This NPC is immune to either a damage type or
Running the Game

Reach 1    4/5/6 Damage    Stress.

DarkvisionTrait IncorporealTrait
This NPC ignores penalties from low visibility and This NPC gains the following benefits:
doesn’t treat Hidden characters as Invisible within
low visibility areas. Ø They ignore Engagement and don’t cause En-
gagement.
Ø They can move through the spaces of other char-
Deadly AttacksTrait acters, objects, and terrain, but can’t end their turn
This NPC’s weapon attacks gain Reliable 3/4/5. in these spaces.
12: Universal NPC Features

Ø They ignore difficult terrain and dangerous ter-

rain.
Double Crossbow Volley +1/2/3 vs Dodge   
Ranged Weapon  Main Bow
Range 8 / Reach 3    4 Physical    JuggernautTrait
This NPC is immune to the Dazed and Slowed con-
This weapon can make two attacks at a time, or three ditions.
attacks at T3.

Long Weapon Volley +1/2/3 vs Dodge   

EnhancedTrait Ranged Weapon  Main Any Type  Reliable
This NPC gains +1 on all checks and saves with one 2/3/4 Range 10    5/6/7 Damage   
ability score (Bulk, Agility, Magic, or Mind).

Mana HunterTrait
FlightTrait
Appendices

1/turn when this NPC critically hits with a weapon or

This NPC has flight. spell attack, the target loses 1 MP.

304
Mana RichTrait
This NPC gains +2 maximum MP.

Getting Started
Opportune Weapon Fight
Melee Weapon   +1/2/3, +2 vs Dodge   
Main Any Type Reach 2    4 Damage   

This weapon deals double damage to Prone ,

Immobilized, Stunned, or Sundered targets.

Building Beacons
PhalanxTrait
This NPC has +1 on all attacks, checks, and saves
when adjacent to at least one ally.

RecurringTrait
When this NPC is defeated, they always retreat or
escape to fight another day.

RegeneratorTrait

Running the Game

This NPC regains 1/2/3 HP at the start of each of their
turns, as long as they have at least 1 HP.

ResistanceTrait
This NPC has resistance to either a damage type or
Stress.

Seeker Blast Volley +1/2/3 vs A-Def   

12: Universal NPC Features

Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Homing
Range = Scope, Blast 1    4/5/6 Damage   

ToughTrait
This NPC gains +5 maximum HP.

TrampleTrait
When this NPC moves, they ignore Engagement
and can move through spaces occupied by enemies
of their Size or smaller. They deal 2/3/4 Damage    to
enemies they move through, 1/turn per character.
Appendices

305
 13: TEMPLATES
Getting Started

Templates are sets of features that can be applied to Templates provide base features and, in most cases,
NPCs. NPCs can have multiple templates, although optional extra features. An NPC with a template gets
some templates specify that they can’t be combined the listed base features and adds the extra features to
with others. the pool of extra features you can choose from, except
where stated otherwise.

MECHANICAL TEMPLATES
Mechanical templates are those that affect the balance of combat scenes. The Minion, Veteran, Elite, and
Mini-Boss are all mechanical templates.

MINION
Building Beacons

Minions are cannon fodder – weak individually, but threatening in groups. They only cost 1/4 of a
point from the NPC budget. Despite their limitations, Minions do the same amount of damage as
normal NPCs, so be careful when combining them with certain NPC types, like artillery NPCs.

Base Features Extra Features

IncompatibleTrait FanaticalTrait  Reaction

Running the Game

This template can’t be combined with other templates

that have this trait. Trigger: An adjacent ally would take damage or
Stress, and the Minion isn’t Stunned or Immobilized.

One HitTrait Effect: The Minion takes the damage instead.

The Minion has 1 HP and 1 Stress Cap, and this can-
not be increased by any means. They cannot have
more than 1 Wound or Overstress. When they take
any damage or Stress not caused by themselves, they
are defeated.
Additionally, when the Minion succeeds on a save,
13: Templates

they take no damage or Stress from the effect, even

if it would normally deal damage or Stress on a
successful save.

VETERAN
Veterans are experienced units. They are harder to defeat than most
enemies, and have a wide array of unique features.
Appendices

Base Features

EnhancedTrait Veteran TraitsTrait

The Veteran gains +1 on all checks and saves with The Veteran can select one Veteran extra feature per
one ability score (Agility, Bulk, Magic, or Mind). tier. The Veteran cannot choose extra features from
this list outside of this trait.

SturdyTrait
The Veteran gains +1 Wound Cap and +1 Overstress
Cap.

306
 Extra Features

Getting Started
CasterTrait Full AttackerTrait
The Veteran deals +2 Stress with weapons and spells The Veteran can Full Attack.
that deal Stress.

Keen EyeTrait  Minor Action

DangerousTrait The Veteran uses Search.
The Veteran can use the Reroll Table.

Last StandTrait
Deadly CritTrait When the Veteran takes their last Wound or Over-

Building Beacons
The Veteran deals +1d6 damage on critical hits. stress, they are not defeated. Instead, they will become
defeated at the end of their next turn. Nothing can
prevent them from being defeated at that time.
First InitiativeTrait
The Veteran has Initiative 1.
Legendary ResistanceTrait
The Veteran makes all wound and overstress rolls
FighterTrait twice and takes either result.
The Veteran deals +2 damage with weapons and
skills that deal damage.
ResurgenceSkill  Limited 1  Free Action

Running the Game

The Veteran regains all HP, clears all Stress and con-
Fortified Armor Support Item  Heavy  Armor ditions, and regains all MP.
+2 Armor. Additionally, the Veteran takes –1 damage
from Discord.

ELITE
Elites are units capable of taking on small groups by themselves. They can act multiple times each round.

13: Templates
Base Features

Extra ActionsTrait IncompatibleTrait

The Elite takes two turns each round. To determine This template can’t be combined with other templates
when their second turn occurs, take their Initiative that have this trait.
and add 5. If this gives them Initiative 9+, roll over
the remainder starting from 1. So, with Initiative 5,
the Elite would take their first turn during Phase SturdyTrait
and their second turn during Phase (5 + 5 = 10, The Elite gains +1 Wound Cap and +1 Overstress
Appendices

rolled over to 2). Cap.

EnhancedTrait Elite TraitsTrait

The NPC gains +1 on all checks and saves with one The Elite selects an additional extra feature.
ability score (Bulk, Agility, Magic, or Mind).

307
 MINI-BOSS
Getting Started

Mini-Bosses are fearsome opponents, meant to take on large groups of enemies at once.
They have unique and dangerous features that can drastically alter how they play.

Base Features

Extra ActionsTrait Legendary ResistanceTrait

The Mini-Boss takes two turns each round. To de- The Mini-Boss makes all wound and overstress rolls
termine when their second turn occurs, take their twice and can take either result.
Initiative and add 5. If this gives them Initiative
9+, roll over the remainder starting from 1. So, with
Building Beacons

Initiative 5, the Mini-Boss would take their first turn ReflexesTrait

during Phase and their second turn during Phase The Mini-Boss can Opportunity Attack an unlimited
(5 + 5 = 10, rolled over to 2). number of times each round.

PerseveranceTrait ToughTrait
At the start of the Mini-Boss’s turn, they clear any The Mini-Boss gains +5 maximum HP.
one condition. At the end of their turn, the Mini-
Boss repairs one destroyed piece of equipment or
technique. Mini-Boss TraitsTrait
Running the Game

The Mini-Boss can select up to three Mini-Boss extra

features, and up to two additional other extra features.
HardenedTrait The Mini-Boss cannot choose extra features from this
The Mini-Boss gains +3 Wound Cap and +3 Overstress list outside of this trait.
Cap.

IncompatibleTrait
This template can’t be combined with other templates
that have this trait.
13: Templates

Extra Features

ArmoryTrait Expert CasterTrait

The Mini-Boss has a piece of equipment or technique The Mini-Boss is immune to the Silenced condition,
that would normally be for PCs. If the equipment or and deals +2 Stress with weapons and spells that
technique involves an attack roll, the Mini-Boss attacks deal Stress.
with +2/4/6    .

Expert FighterTrait
DangerousTrait The Mini-Boss is immune to the Disarmed condition,
Appendices

The Mini-Boss can use the Reroll Table. and deals +2 damage with weapons and skills that
deal damage.

Deadly CritTrait
The Mini-Boss deals +1d6 damage on critical hits. Fanatical AlliesTrait
When the Mini-Boss would take damage or Stress
from an enemy, an adjacent ally that isn’t Stunned
or Immobilized can take the damage instead as a
reaction.

308
Focused ConcentrationTrait Masterwork Ranged Weapon Volley
While channeling, the Mini-Boss can’t lose concen- Ranged Weapon  Main Any  +2/4/6, +1 vs Dodge   

Getting Started
tration. They take 2 Stress whenever they would lose Type  Reliable 4/6/8 Range 20    4/6/8 Force   
concentration.
This weapon deals bonus damage equal to the highest
die result on any dice rolled.
Full AttackerTrait
The Mini-Boss can Full Attack.
Meteor Swarm Channel
Spell  Arcing, Recharge 5+ Range = Scope   
Invulnerability Defend
Spell  Recharge 6+ On Channel: The Mini-Boss creates four Blast 2   

Building Beacons
zones within Range, which can’t overlap. These zones
The Mini-Boss gains immunity to all damage (but not last while the Mini-Boss is channeling.
Stress). Whenever they would take damage, they lose 1
MP, and they can’t regain MP while this effect is active. On Release: Characters within one or more of the
This effect ends when the Mini-Boss reaches 0 MP zones must make an Agility save. Failure: They take
or when they end it as a free action. 14/17/20 Astral    . Success: They take 7/9/10 Astral    .
Each character only takes this damage 1/turn.

Keen Eye Trait  Minor Action

The Mini-Boss uses Search. Resurgence Free Action

Running the Game

Skill  Limited 1

Last StandTrait The Mini-Boss regains all HP and MP, and clears all
When the Mini-Boss takes their last Wound or Over- Stress and conditions.
stress, they are not defeated. Instead, they will become
defeated at the end of their next turn. Nothing can
prevent them from being defeated at that time. Seize InitiativeTrait
The Mini-Boss’s Initiative becomes 1 and 6, replacing
their original Initiative scores.
Masterwork Armor
Support Item  Main  Armor

13: Templates
UnfazedTrait
+4 Armor. The Mini-Boss can exceed the usual max- The Mini-Boss is immune to the Dazed, Stunned,
imum of 4 Armor. and Weakened conditions.
Additionally, whenever the Mini-Boss takes dam-
age, they then reduce their Armor by –1, to a minimum
of 0 (after reducing damage from Armor). At the start
of each round, they regain all Armor lost this way.

Masterwork Melee Weapon Fight

Appendices

Melee Weapon  Main Any +2/3/4, +1 vs Dodge   

Type  Reliable 6/8/10 Reach 2    6/8/10 Force   

This weapon deals bonus damage equal to the highest

die result on any dice rolled.

309
 THEMATIC TEMPLATES
Thematic templates give NPCs additional versatility without directly impacting the NPC budget.
Getting Started

BEAST
Beasts represent natural fauna, like bears and griffons. Their wide array of
features make them unpredictable if you’re not familiar with them.

Base Features

Bestial NatureTrait Beast TraitsTrait

Building Beacons

The Beast receives +1 on Mind checks and saves, The Beast can select one additional Beast extra fea-
and takes +1 Stress whenever they take Stress from ture.
another character.

Extra Features

Acid Spit Volley +1/3/5 vs Dodge    Petrify Phase Skirmish

Ranged Weapon  Main Club Spell  Mana 2, Recharge 6+ Range = Scope   
Range 8    2/3/4 Discord   
A character within Range must make a Magic save.
Running the Game

On Hit: The target is Sundered until cleared. Failure: They are Slowed. At the start of their next
turn if they are still Slowed, they are also Immobi-
lized. At the start of their next turn after that, if they
BurrowTrait are either Slowed or Immobilized, they also become
While moving, the Beast ignores Engagement and Stunned. All of these conditions are cleared at the
doesn’t provoke reaction attacks. end of that turn. Success: They take 1/2/3 Stress    .

Charge AttackTrait Predator’s Claws Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge   

If the Beast moves at least 3 spaces in a straight line Melee Weapon  Light Club  Stressful 1
during their turn before making a melee attack, the Reach 1    4/6/8 Physical   
13: Templates

attack deals +1d6 bonus damage.

The Beast can attack with this weapon as a minor
action, but they can only attack with it 1/turn.
ConstrictSkill  Minor Action
The Beast deals 3/4/5 Piercing Physical    to a char-
acter they have Grappled. ScentTrait  Minor Action
The Beast uses Search.

EcholocationTrait
The Beast is immune to the Blinded condition. Slam Fight +1/3/5, +1 vs Dodge   
Appendices

Melee Weapon  Heavy Club

Reach 1    6/8/10 Physical   
FlyTrait
The Beast has flight. On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:
They fall Prone.

SwimTrait
The Beast moves normally in liquid-based difficult Spikes Support Item  Light
terrain, and has an Aquatic Adaptation. Characters that start their turn Grappled with the
Beast take 2 Piercing Physical    .

310
Sting Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge    Web Minor Action
Melee Weapon  Main Longarm Support Item  Main  Recharge 5+ Range 5   

Getting Started
Reach 2    2/3/4 Discord + 1 Stress   
A character within Range must make an Agility save.
On Hit: Until the target clears all Discord, they take Failure: They are Immobilized. The target can clear this
2 Stress    whenever they fail a Magic check to clear condition by making a Bulk save as a minor action.
Discord.

CELESTIAL

Building Beacons
Celestials are angelic or divine creatures, associated with healing effects and the element of light.

Extra Features

Banish Channel Divine Shield Minor Action

Spell  Mana 1, Recharge 5+ Range = Scope    Spell  Mana 1 Range = Scope   

On Release: An enemy within Range must make a A character within Range gains 5 temp HP.
Magic save. Failure: Until the end of their next turn,
they can neither affect nor be affected by other char-
FlightTrait

Running the Game

acters. They ignore Engagement and obstructions
from other characters, cannot deal or take damage The Celestial has flight.
or Stress, and so on. They are still affected by existing
Traps and Summons. Success: They are Slowed and
Weakened until the end of their next turn. Healing AuraSkill  Arcing, Aura 5
Allies that start their turn partly within this Aura re-
gain 2 HP.
Celestial NatureTrait
The Celestial has resistance to Astral damage.
UnblemishedTrait
The Celestial is immune to Discord.

13: Templates
Divine Light Volley +1/2/3 vs Dodge   
Ranged Spell Attack  Arcing
Range = Scope, Blast 1    4/6/8 Astral   

Appendices

311
 CONSTRUCT DEMON
Getting Started

Constructs are artificial creatures like robots Demons are creatures of chaos. Their
and homunculi. They are powered by mana, and unpredictability is their greatest asset.
without it they enter a power-saving mode.
Base Features
Base Features
Chaotic ResistanceTrait
ArtificialTrait The Demon has resistance to Physical, Astral, Lunar,
The Construct is immune to the Dazed condition. or Force, randomly decided.
Building Beacons

Magic-DependentTrait Extra Features

While the Construct has 0 MP, they are permanently
Slowed and have +1 on attacks, checks, and saves. Blood HuntTrait
The Demon gains +1 on attacks against Bloodied
targets.
Extra Features

Integrated WeaponsTrait Death BurstTrait

One of the Construct’s weapons becomes Innate. When the Demon is defeated, they explode
in a Burst 1    area. Characters in the AOE take
Running the Game

3/4/5 Damage    of the same type that the Demon has

Magic ResistanceTrait resistance to from their Chaotic Resistance trait.
The Construct has resistance to all damage and
Stress from spells.
Fear AuraTrait  Aura 2
Enemies that start their turn in this Aura take
Poison BreathPhase Brawl 2 Stress    and must make a Mind save. Failure: They
Skill  Recharge 5+ Close Blast 2 are Dazed until the end of their next turn.

Enemies in the AOE must make a Bulk save. Failure:

They take 3/4/5 Discord    and are Dazed until cleared. Flaming Whip Fight +1/3/5, +1 vs Dodge   
13: Templates

Success: They take 1/2/3 Discord    . Melee Weapon  Heavy Longarm  Pull 2
Reach 3 5/6/7 Astral

Reinforced Plating Support Item  Light

+1 Armor. FrenzyTrait
The Demon gains +1 on attacks while Bloodied.

Scanners Support Item  Light

The Construct ignores the Invisible status and can Improved ChaosTrait
Search as a minor action. The Demon’s Chaotic Resistance grants resistance
Appendices

to a second type of damage.

Shielded Support Item  Main

The Construct provides cover for their allies as if they Painful AuraTrait  Aura 2
were a piece of hard cover. Enemies that start their turn in this Aura take
2/3/4 Damage    of the type that the Demon has
resistance to from their Chaotic Resistance trait.

Spikes Support Item  Light

Characters that start their turn Grappled with the
Demon take 2 Piercing Physical    .
312
 DEVIL

Getting Started
Devils use the power of rules, order, and contracts to gain power, manipulating the law
to their benefit. Devils prefer to play in a game rigged to their benefit.

Base Features

Fiendish ResistanceTrait
The Devil has resistance to Astral or Lunar damage.

Extra Features

Building Beacons
Bad Deal Reaction (1/Round) Drain Fight +2/4/6 vs A-Def   
Spell  Mana 1 Melee Spell Attack  Mana 1
Reach 1 2/3/4 Stress   
Trigger: An enemy within Scope uses the Reroll Table.
On Hit: The Devil regains 4/6/8 HP.
Effect: They gain +1 on the reroll.

Hellfire Volley +1/2/3, +1 vs A-Def   

Charm Volley Ranged Spell Attack  Mana 1

Running the Game

Spell  Mana 1, Recharge 5+ Range = Scope    Range = Scope    2/3/4 Discord   

An enemy within Range must make a Mind save. Fail- On Hit: The target automatically fails their next Magic
ure: They take 2/3/4 Stress    and a further 2 Stress    check to clear Discord.
whenever they target the Devil with a hostile effect.
This effect lasts until the Devil is defeated or until the
target succeeds on a Mind save as a minor action. Invisibility Minor Action
Success: They take 1/2/3 Stress    . Spell  Mana 1

The Devil becomes Invisible until the start of their

Contract next turn.

13: Templates
Support Item  Main Range = Scope   

Enemies within Range have their Reroll Table options

changed to the following:

Ø Strain: You take 1d6 Stress    .

Ø Endanger: You become Marked and Sundered.
You can’t use this option if you are both Marked
and Sundered. This doesn’t count as a condition
that you’ve given yourself.
Appendices

Ø Overextend: You can only choose this option if

you are adjacent to an enemy or within Reach of
an enemy’s weapon. The enemy can choose one of
the following, which resolves before you reroll:
‘ They make an Opportunity Attack against
you with +2 .
‘ They deal 6 Physical    to you as a reaction.

313
 DIRE DRACONIC
Getting Started

Dire creatures are larger and stronger than their Draconic creatures are either types of dragons
ordinary counterparts. Dire creatures tend to be or creatures with draconic features, like
Beasts, but anything can take on a Dire form. scales, claws, wings, and breath attacks.

Base Features Base Features

Dire SizeTrait Chromatic ScalesTrait

The Dire gains +1 Size and gains +1 on Bulk checks The Draconic gains either Astral or Lunar resistance.
and saves.
Building Beacons

Natural Weapons Fight +2/4/6 vs Dodge   

FrenzyTrait Melee Weapon  Heavy Club
The Dire gains +1 on attacks while Bloodied. Reach 1    5/7/9 Physical

Extra Features This weapon can be used while Disarmed.

Armor Spikes Support Item  Main

+2 Armor. Additionally, characters that hit the Dire Extra Features
with a melee attack while adjacent to them take
2 Physical    . Breath WeaponPhase Brawl
Running the Game

Skill  Recharge 5+ Line 10 or Close Blast 2

Ferocious Bite Fight +1/3/5, +1 vs Dodge    The AOE type is chosen when this ability is selected,
Melee Weapon  Heavy Club and its damage is of the same type that the Draconic
Reach 1    6/8/10 Physical has resistance to from their Chromatic Scales trait.
On Use: All characters in the AOE must make an Agil-
On Hit: The target is Grappled by the Dire. ity save. Failure: They take 8/10/12 Astral / Lunar .
Success: They take 4/5/6 Astral / Lunar .

Backed into a CornerSkill  Reaction

Change Size Minor Action  Spell  Mana 1
13: Templates

Trigger: The Dire becomes Bloodied. The Draconic changes their Size to any Size between
1/2 and 3, or changes back to their normal Size.
Effect: The Dire makes a melee weapon attack, even
if they would be defeated.
Swallow Phase Brawl +2/4/6 vs Dodge   
Melee Skill Attack  Recharge 5+
RipSkill
1/round when the Dire critically hits with a melee The Draconic attacks an adjacent character smaller
attack, the target must make an Agility save. Failure: than them. On a success, the target is swallowed and
One of their weapons or support items are destroyed moved into the Draconic’s space. They are Dazed
Appendices

(target’s choice). and Immobilized, and can’t target or be targeted by

anything outside the Draconic’s spaces. They move
when the Draconic moves. Swallowed creatures can
TearSkill make a Bulk save as a standard action during any
1/round when the Dire hits with a melee weapon phase to break free. Otherwise, they are freed when
attack, the target becomes Sundered after the attack the Draconic takes a Wound or Overstress.
until the end of their next turn.

Draconic BloodlineTrait  Mana X

ToughTrait When the Draconic rolls a recharge die, they can in-
The Dire gains +5 maximum HP. crease the result by +1 for every MP spent.

314
Energy AuraTrait  Aura 1 FlightTrait
Characters that start their turn in this Aura take The Draconic has flight.

Getting Started
2/3/4 Damage of the same type that the Draconic has
resistance to from their Chromatic Scales trait. This
effect is suppressed while the Dragon is Stunned.

ELEMENTAL
Elementals are creatures tied to a specific type of element, like fire or ice. Their physical forms are often made of this element.

Building Beacons
Base Features Extra Features

Elemental NatureTrait Death BurstTrait

The Elemental chooses either Astral or Lunar. They When the Elemental is defeated, they unleash a
gain immunity to the chosen damage type and are burst of energy in a Burst 2 AOE. Enemies in the
Vulnerable to the other. All of their Elemental abili- AOE must make an Agility save. Failure: They take
ties that deal damage use the chosen damage type. 4/5/6 Damage . Success: They take 2/3/3 Damage .

Elemental Burn Support Item  Light

Running the Game

The Elemental’s weapon attacks deal +2 Discord.

Elemental NimbusSkill  Aura 2

The Elemental’s enemies treat this Aura as difficult
terrain.

Energy AbsorptionTrait
When the Elemental takes damage that they are im-
mune to, they regain an amount of HP equal to the

13: Templates
damage they would have taken. Any HP beyond their
maximum becomes temp HP.

Energy FormTrait
The Elemental can move through the spaces of oth-
er characters, ignoring Engagement. 1/turn, they
can deal 2/3/4 Damage to an enemy they move
through.
Appendices

Environmental MergeTrait
The Elemental is immune to dangerous terrain and
gains hard cover while within it.

315
 FEY
Getting Started

Fey are highly magical creatures with an abundance of aetheric energy.

Because of this, they are highly resistant to weapons that aren’t enchanted.

Base Features

Cold IronTrait
The Fey has resistance to Physical, Astral, Lunar, and
Force damage from weapons without an Enchant-
ment, and is Vulnerable to those damage types
from weapons with an Enchantment.
Building Beacons

Extra Features

Confuse Volley +1/3/5 vs A-Def    FlyTrait

Ranged Spell Attack The Fey has flight.
Range = Scope    1/2/3 Discord   

On Hit: Until the target clears all Discord, they take Polymorph Volley
2 Stress    1/turn when they attack with a weapon Spell  Mana 1, Polymorph, Recharge 6+
Running the Game

or spell. Range = Scope   

A character within Range must make a Magic save.

Death CurseTrait Failure: They take 2/3/4 Stress    , become Size 1/2,
When the Fey is defeated by an enemy within and are Disarmed and Silenced. These conditions
Range 10    , that enemy must make a Magic save. last until they take damage or succeed on a Magic save
Failure: They take 1 Wound. as a minor action. Success: They take 1/2/3 Stress    .
Each character can only be affected by this trait 1/
scene from each Fey.
Sleep Dust Minor Action
Support Item  Light  Recharge 6+ Range 5   
13: Templates

Invisibility Minor Action

Spell  Mana 1 A character within Range must make a Magic save.
Failure: They are Dazed. If they are still Dazed at
The Fey becomes Invisible until the start of their the start of their next turn, they also become Weak-
next turn. ened. At the start of their next turn after that, if they
are either Dazed or Weakened (or both), they also
become Stunned. All of these conditions are cleared
Fey Walk Minor Action at the end of that turn.
Spell  Mana 1
Appendices

The Fey teleports up to 4 spaces.

316
 MOUNTED

Getting Started
Mounted creatures ride something into battle, whether a horse, a motorcycle, or something stranger. They are fast
but vulnerable when knocked down. You can flavor this as the Mounted NPC being temporarily dismounted.

Base Features

Hard FallTrait GallopTrait

The Mounted is Vulnerable while Prone. The following apply to the Mounted:
Ø The Mounted can only move in straight lines. They
can still interrupt and resume their movement to
Mounted SpeedTrait perform actions, but must continue in a straight

Building Beacons
The Mounted gains +2 Speed. line.
Ø They can’t climb.
Ø As a minor action, they can Rush but must
choose the “ignore Engagement and do not
provoke reactions” option.

Extra Features

Impact Lance Mount’s Weapon

Running the Game

Fight +1/2/3 vs Dodge    Fight +1/2/3 vs Dodge   
Melee Weapon  Main Longarm  Push 2 Melee Weapon  Light Club
Reach 2    5/6/7 Force Reach 1    3/4/5 Physical

As long as they aren’t Bloodied or Breaking, the

Run OverSkill  Phase Reposition Mounted can attack with this weapon as a minor
The Mounted moves up to their Speed, and can move action.
through the spaces of enemies while doing so, ignor-
ing Engagement. Enemies they move through must
make an Agility save, 1/turn per character. Failure:
They take 3/4/5 Physical .

13: Templates
Appendices

317
 OOZE
Getting Started

Oozes are creatures with amorphous bodies. Often composed of acid, gel, or water, they
can move through small openings and around other creatures and objects.

Base Features

AmorphousTrait Ooze BodyTrait

The Ooze receives the following benefits: The Ooze has resistance to Physical damage.
Ø They ignore difficult terrain.
Ø They can move through spaces smaller than them-
selves normally, without squeezing.
Building Beacons

Ø They can move through other characters and end

their turn in their spaces.

Extra Features

Acid BodyTrait Split, Mini-BossTrait

Characters that attack the Ooze with a melee attack This trait requires the NPC to have the Mini-Boss tem-
while adjacent take 2 Piercing Lunar . plate, and replaces the Hardened trait.
The Ooze gains +1 Size, and when the Ooze would
Running the Game

be defeated by a Wound, they instead split into two

Corrosive Lob Volley +1/3/5, +1 vs Dodge    copies of themselves:
Ranged Weapon  Light Club  Arcing Ø These copies are new characters with no preexist-
Range 8 / Reach 1 1/2/3 Discord ing conditions or effects.
Ø Their HP maximum is equal to their Bloodied
On Hit: The target receives +1 on attacks with one value, minus any damage carried over after the
of their weapons (their choice). This effect stacks until Wound, and they are –1 Size than the Ooze’s original
a weapon gains +3 , at which point the weapon is Size (to a minimum of Size 1/2).
destroyed. Prior to it being destroyed, the target can Ø They lose all Mini-Boss base features except for
spend a Recovery as a minor action to clear this Incompatible and Reflexes.
effect from one weapon. Otherwise, it lasts until the Ø When a copy would be defeated, they split again
13: Templates

end of the scene. into four new copies, replacing the Mini-Boss tem-
plate with the Minion template, and receiving an-
other –1 Size. Defeated Minion Oozes do not split.
EngulfSkill
When an enemy starts their turn partly within the
Ooze’s space, they take 2/3/4 Piercing Lunar . Sticky ClimbingTrait
Climbing costs the Ooze half as much movement
as normal.
SplitTrait
This trait requires the NPC to be either a Veteran or
Appendices

Elite. If they have Sturdy, this trait replaces that one. TransparentTrait
When the Ooze reaches their Wound Cap, they instead The Ooze is Invisible. Whenever they move or are
split into two copies of themselves: moved they lose this status until the start of their
Ø These copies are new characters with no preexisting next turn.
conditions or effects, but are otherwise identical.
Ø Their HP maximum is equal to the Ooze’s Blood-
ied value, minus any damage carried over after
the Wound, and they are –1 Size than the Ooze’s
original Size (to a minimum of Size 1/2).
Ø Each copy can only take one turn each round.
Ø Copies are defeated if they take a Wound.

318
 OUTLAW

Getting Started
Outlaws are criminals and outcasts that prey on others. Their tactics are cruel and underhanded.

Base Features

Gang UpTrait Poor TrainingTrait

The Outlaw’s abilities deal +1 bonus damage for each The Outlaw is Dazed while Breaking.
of their allies adjacent to the target.

Building Beacons
Extra Features

AmbushSkill Flintlock Volley +2/4/6, +1 vs Dodge   

1/round, one of the Outlaw’s abilities can deal +3 Ranged Weapon  Main Magitech  Piercing,
bonus damage while Hidden or if their target is an Reloading Range 5 / Reach 3    6/7/8 Physical   
enemy that hasn’t taken a turn yet this round.

Low Blow Minor Action

Chain Weaponry Skill  Stressful 1, Recharge 6+
Support Item  Main  Recharge 5+

Running the Game

The Outlaw chooses an adjacent enemy. The target
When the Outlaw hits with a melee weapon attack roll, must make a Bulk save. Failure: They are Stunned
the target must make a Bulk save. Failure: They are until the end of their next turn.
Disarmed until the end of their next turn.

Rusty Weaponry Support Item  Main

CruelTrait Whenever the Outlaw makes a character Bloodied,
Characters receive +1 on saves forced by the Out- that character takes 2/3/4 Discord    .
law.

Steal Minor Action

13: Templates
Dirty FighterTrait Skill  Recharge 6+
The Outlaw's attacks against Bloodied targets gain
+1 and Piercing. The Outlaw chooses an adjacent enemy. They must
make an Agility save. Failure: The Outlaw selects
one of the target’s pieces of equipment without the
Fearsome LeaderTrait Armor or Innate tags. The target can’t use or benefit
Other Outlaws within Range 5 of one or more Outlaws from that item until the Outlaw is defeated or until
with this trait gain +1 on attacks, checks, and saves. the end of the scene.
Additionally, when this Outlaw is defeated, all other
Outlaws in the scene receive +1 on attacks, checks,
Appendices

and saves for the rest of the scene. ThiefTrait

The Outlaw can automatically open locks. If they
open a treasure chest, the reward is removed from
the scene.

319
 PLANT
Getting Started

Plants include all manner of animated trees, vines, roots, and fungi.
Plant creatures have a strong synergy with each other.

Base Features

Plant NatureTrait
The Plant has resistance to Lunar and is Vulnerable
to Astral.
Building Beacons

Extra Features

FoliageTrait Pacifying Spores Fight

The Plant has hard cover while within difficult ter- Skill  Mana 1, Recharge 6+ Burst 2
rain.
Non-Plant characters in the AOE must make a Bulk
save. Failure: They take 2 Stress and are unable to
Hallucinogenic Spores Fight attack until the end of their next turn. Success: They
Skill  Mana 1, Recharge 5+ Burst 2 take 2 Stress .
Running the Game

Non-Plant characters in the AOE must make a Bulk

save. Failure: They take 2 Stress and treat all en- Poison Spores Fight
emies as Invisible until the end of their next turn. Skill  Mana 1, Recharge 5+ Burst 2
Success: They take 2 Stress .
Non-Plant characters in the AOE must make a Bulk
save. Failure: They take 3/4/5 Discord. Success: They
In the WeedsTrait take 1/2/3 Discord .
Non-Plant characters treat all spaces adjacent to the
Plant as difficult terrain.
RootedTrait
The Plant is immune to forced movement.
13: Templates

Living Trees Volley

Spell  Mana X, Summon Range = Scope

Living Tree (Size 1–3, HP 5, Armor 1, Dodge/A-Def

10, Speed 0)

The Plant spends 1–3 MP and creates a living tree of

equal Size within Range. The tree counts as having
the Plant template with no extra features.
A Burst 1 zone around the tree counts as diffi-
Appendices

cult terrain to non-Plant characters.

The living tree remains in play until defeated, even
if its summoner is defeated.

320
 UNDEAD

Getting Started
Undead are reanimated or ghostly creatures. While they come in many shapes and
forms, they usually share an ability to endure greater injuries than the living.

Base Features

Undead ConstructionTrait
The Undead gains one of the following effects:

Cadaverous: The Undead doesn’t Ghostly: The Undead is immune to Skeletal: The Undead has resis-
make wound or overstress rolls. Ad- Physical, but Vulnerable to Force. tance to Physical from non-club

Building Beacons
ditionally, when they would take their They ignore Engagement, and can weapons, but is Vulnerable to
last Wound, roll 1d6. On a 5–6, they move through the spaces of other char- damage from club weapons.
don’t take a Wound and instead go acters and objects, but can’t end their
to 1 HP. Astral damage and damage turn sharing spaces. They ignore dan-
from critical hits ignore this effect. gerous terrain and difficult terrain.

Extra Features

Call of the GraveTrait InfectTrait  Recharge 4+

When the Undead gives an enemy a Wound or Over- When the Undead hits with a weapon attack, the tar-

Running the Game

stress, the target rolls the wound or overstress roll get becomes infected with the following effects:
twice and takes the lowest result. Ø Infected characters are Dazed.
Ø Whenever one of the infected character’s allies be-
comes adjacent to them, they also become infected.
Curse of Death Volley +2/4/6 vs A-Def    Ø Infected characters can attempt a Bulk save as a
Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric, Indirect minor action to end the infection.
Range = Scope    4/6/8 Lunar    Ø Clearing the Dazed condition removes the infection.

On Hit: The target can’t regain HP until the end of

their next turn. Respawn, MinionTrait
This trait requires the NPC to have the Minion tem-

13: Templates
plate, and replaces the One Hit trait.
Death GripSkill The Undead has 1 HP and 1 Stress Cap, and is
Characters Grappled by the Undead are Weakened defeated whenever they take any damage or Stress.
while Grappled. When defeated, unless the damage or Stress was Astral
or from a critical hit, they turn into a Size 1/2 object
in one of their spaces (HP 1, Dodge 8). If this object
Festering Bite Fight +1/3/5, +1 vs Dodge    hasn’t been defeated by the end of the next round, it
Melee Weapon  Main Club  Reloading turns back into a fresh, new version of that Undead.
Reach 1    5/6/7 Lunar   
Appendices

On Hit: The target loses 2 Focus and the Undead Respawn PointTrait
regains 2/3/4 HP. This trait can only be taken when the Undead has
On Crit: As a hit, but the target must make a Bulk more than Wound Cap 1 and Overstress Cap 1.
save. Failure: They are Stunned until the end of their When the Undead enters a combat scene, mark
next turn. a free space in the scene as their Respawn Point.
Whenever they take a Wound or Overstress, they don’t
make a wound or overstress roll, and instead teleport
Life SenseSkill to their Respawn Point.
The Undead’s attacks against Bloodied targets gain The Undead is still defeated when they reach their
+1 and Homing. Wound Cap or Overstress Cap.

321
 StenchTrait  Aura 1 Undead MarshalTrait
Non-Undead that start their turn in this Aura or that Other Undead within Range 5    of one or more
Getting Started

enter it for the first time during their turn must make Undead with this trait gain +1 on attacks and are
a Bulk save. Failure: They are Weakened until the immune to the Dazed condition.
end of their next turn.

Undead NatureTrait
The Undead has resistance to Lunar damage.

VAMPIRIC
Building Beacons

Vampiric creatures drain blood or energy from their enemies. While they are undead, they are unique enough to have their own template.

Base Features

BleedTrait
When the Vampiric deals damage with a weapon, the
target takes 1 Discord    .

Extra Features

Agents of the Night Hypnotize

Running the Game

Channel Channel
Spell  Mana 1, Summon Range = Scope Skill Range = Scope

On Release: The Vampiric creates one of the following On Release: A character within Range becomes hypno-
Summons within Range: tized. The target takes 2/3/4 Stress    and the Vampiric
moves them up to their Speed. If the target ends this
Vermin Swarm (Size 3, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 3) movement next to the Vampiric or one of the Vampiric’s
The vermin swarm can share spaces with other char- allies, that character can Volley or Fight against
acters. Enemies that start their turn inside its spaces the hypnotized target as a reaction.
take 2/3/4 Physical    and are Dazed until the end of
their next turn. Vermin swarms have resistance to
13: Templates

damage that isn’t from AOE effects. Misty EscapeSkill  Reaction (1/round)

Wolf (Size 1, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 5) Trigger: The Vampiric is critically hit or takes a Wound
When an adjacent enemy makes an attack, the or Overstress.
wolf can make an Opportunity Attack with
+2/4/6 vs Dodge    that deals 4/6/8 Physical    . Effect: The Vampiric teleports up to 10 spaces.

AmplifyPhase Skirmish Siphon Volley +2/4/6 vs A-Def   

Skill  Recharge 6+ Range = Scope Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric
Appendices

Range = Scope 4/6/8 Force

Enemies with Discord within Range must make a
Magic save. Failure: They take Piercing Force equal to On Hit: The Vampiric regains HP equal to the damage
their total Discord, and the Vampiric regains HP equal dealt (after Armor and resistances).
to the damage done (after Armor and resistance).

Undead NatureTrait
Blood DrainTrait The Vampiric has resistance to Lunar damage.
1/turn when the Vampiric hits with a weapon attack,
they can spend 1 MP to regain HP equal to the damage
dealt (after Armor and resistances). Weeping WoundSkill  Minor Action
An adjacent character must make a Bulk save. Failure:
322 They take 1 Discord    and an additional 1 Discord    for
every space they move until the end of their next turn.
 14: BOSSES

Getting Started
The toughest enemies in the game are Bosses. Unlike Turns
Mini-Bosses, each Boss is designed to be an entire Bosses take a number of turns each round equal to
combat scene in its own right – a boss battle. When the number of PCs in the combat scene. This number
your players face a Boss, they face that specific Boss and doesn’t decrease when PCs are defeated. Bosses’ turns
their Guardians – no other NPCs are added to the scene. alternate with PC turns just like normal NPC turns do.
Bosses make for perfect capstone fights in campaigns Despite having extra turns, Bosses can only take one
or quests. Because of their unique rules, though, they turn during each phase, except for Phase Delay,
should be used sparingly. Not every quest needs to end during which they can take multiple turns. Bosses de-
in a boss battle. Save them for important moments. cide which phases they take their turns in each round.

Building Beacons
Boss battles don’t use battle plans. The goal in these
fights is to defeat the Boss. Additionally, Bosses don’t Actions
use NPC types or templates. They are in a category all During each of a Boss’s turns, they can perform a stan-
of their own, although they do have tiers of power dard action, a standard movement, and a minor
(T1–3, like other NPCs). action. Their standard action must be one available in
During a boss battle, the Boss passes through multiple the current phase.
stages. This can represent physical transformations or Bosses have access to the same standard actions as
just changes in tactics. other NPCs, but with the following changes.
Additionally, each Boss is accompanied by a number
of Guardians, which are NPC units built around the
Phase Full Attack

Running the Game

Boss’s unique features.
This section introduces three specific Bosses: the
Great Wyrm, the Kraken, and the Lich. Full Attack: The Boss can Full Attack.

BOSS SPECIAL RULES Phase Delay

Bosses operate differently from other NPC units. This
reflects the fact that they are standalone threats – fear- Delay: The Boss can only Delay actions they ha-
some challenges for any foe. ven’t used this round. For example, if the boss has
used Volley, they can’t Volley again in Phase
Stages Delay.

14: Bosses
Each boss battle has three stages, representing changes
in the Boss’s abilities and fighting style. During each
stage, the Boss is essentially a new character with dif- Reactions
ferent ability scores, attributes, and abilities, though
they always have Wound Cap and Overstress Cap 1. Opportunity Attack: The boss can Opportunity
When the Boss takes a Wound, they undergo a trans- Attack any number of times each round.
formation and the next stage begins.
Appendices

Bosses can’t Surge or use the Reroll Table unless

WOUNDS AND OVERSTRESS otherwise indicated.
Like other NPCs with Overstress Cap 1, Bosses are
Vulnerable while exceeding their Stress Cap.

323
 Events Complexity
Bosses are powerful enemies that shape and alter the The Search action doesn’t work the same way against
Getting Started

environment around them. These effects are called Bosses and their Guardians as it does against normal
events, and each stage of a boss battle has events NPC units. Instead, each use of the action reveals one
associated with it. of the following:
Events and their effects just happen. The Boss and
their Guardians don’t activate them, and aren’t consid- Ø The target’s current HP, MP, and Stress.
ered to be using them as they might an ability. Ø The target’s traits.
Events are tied to specific stages. When a boss trans- Ø If the target is the Boss, any abilities they can take
forms and the boss battle moves to a new stage, the on a specific phase (excluding Phase Delay), or
old event ends and the new one begins. any reactions or minor actions they have.
Ø If the target is a Guardian, their base features.
Building Beacons

Abilities
Bosses’ abilities change from stage to stage. Each stage Deployment
of the boss battle provides the Boss with a wide array Bosses and their Guardians always deploy first. The
of abilities. They have every ability from their current Boss can deploy anywhere on the map (usually in the
stage equipped. middle), and the rules for each Boss explain when and
The equipment carried by Bosses don’t always list a where their Guardians are deployed.
size or type. These abilities are not considered to have
any size or type. Guardians
Some abilities mention a phase and its number fol- Guardians are special NPCs that accompany Bosses.
lowed by a plus sign (e.g., “Phase +”). These abilities Each stage of a boss battle introduces a certain number
Running the Game

can be used with a standard action during any phase of new Guardians. These foes persist between stages,
from the listed one onward. For example, an ability with and have the potential to overwhelm the beacons if
“Phase +” can be used as a standard action in Phase they aren’t dealt with quickly.
, , , and so on all the way up to Phase . Each Boss’s Guardians operate uniquely. Some take
their own turns, while others act during their Boss’s turns.
Transformation When a new stage begins, any existing Guardians
When a Boss takes a Wound, they begin to transform. gain the Guardian profile for the new stage.
While transforming, Bosses still count as obstructions
and are immune to all damage, Stress, and other
effects until they enter their next stage. This does not
affect Guardians.
14: Bosses

Although the Boss is considered to have taken a

Wound, they don’t make a wound roll and are not
defeated.
At the start of the next round, the next stage begins.
The Boss clears all Stress, conditions, statuses, and
effects, and takes on the listed ability scores, attributes,
and abilities. Any events relevant to the new stage then
take effect.
Appendices

Although the Boss is considered the same character

throughout all stages, no damage is carried over.

324
 Getting Started
Building Beacons
Running the Game
GREAT WYRM
Dragons are incredibly long-lived creatures that grow throughout their lives. The largest and most powerful
of these dragons, called Great Wyrms, are terrifying creatures imbued with explosive elemental power.

The Great Wyrm presented here is associated with fire, but you can easily

14: Bosses
change it to be associated with a different element.

Tactics Because the Great Wyrm and its Guardians can fly,
The Great Wyrm and its Guardians prefer when enemies the scene should have three or so harpoon terrain
bunch up, which makes it easier to hit them with AOE features (see below) that the PCs can use to deal ranged
attacks and abilities. They are at their strongest when damage and bring their enemies to the ground. You
they can stack Discord on enemies and move around can flavor them as magical stones, prepared missiles,
to catch as many enemies in AOEs as possible. or whatever fits for your Reflection.
Appendices

In Stage 1, the Great Wyrm is most mobile. In Stage

2, it looks for opportunities to knock enemies into HARPOON
Traps. In Stage 3, it becomes enraged and acts less PCs standing in a harpoon’s space can use their stan-
intelligently than before. dard action during any phase to make a ranged
weapon attack against a target within Range 15 .
Scene On Hit: The target takes 1d6+1 Piercing Physical ,
Don’t set up a small or tight battlefield, as one of the loses Flying, and cannot resume Flying until this
PCs’ primary defensive strategies will be to spread out. phase in the next round.
Fill the map with rocks and rubble for cover and Harpoons must be reloaded after each use. They
difficult terrain, and place pools of fire or lava as dan- can be reloaded with a standard action during any
gerous terrain. You can also change the environment phase, or are automatically reloaded if a PC in its
as the scene progresses through each stage, adding space reloads a weapon.
more lava and cracks in the ground in the later stages.

325
 STAG E 1: THE DOOMWING
Getting Started

The Great Wyrm takes to the sky with a deafening roar.

Small cracks and fissures appear on the ground, and the temperature begins to rise.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 4 Save Target: 12 Size: 4 Save Target: 14 Size: 4 Save Target: 16
Armor: 2 Scope: 10 Armor: 2 Scope: 10 Armor: 2 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 4 Mind: 2 Bulk: 6 Mind: 3 Bulk: 6 Mind: 4
Agility: 0 Magic: 2 Agility: 0 Magic: 3 Agility: 2 Magic: 4
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 10+5/PC Stress Cap: 8 HP: 15+5/PC Stress Cap: 8 HP: 20+5/PC Stress Cap: 8
Dodge: 10 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 14 A-Def: 14
Speed: 4 MP: 5 Speed: 4 MP: 5 Speed: 4 MP: 5
GUARDIANS GUARDIANS GUARDIANS
Size: 1/2 Armor 0 Size: 1/2 Armor 0 Size: 1/2 Armor 0
HP: 10 MP: 2 HP: 12 MP: 2 HP: 14 MP: 2
Scope: 10 Save Target: 12 Scope: 10 Save Target: 14 Scope: 10 Save Target: 16
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 14
Stress Cap: 4 Speed: 4 Stress Cap: 4 Speed: 4 Stress Cap: 4 Speed: 4
Ability Scores: +1 Ability Scores: +2 Ability Scores: +3
Running the Game

Guardians Events
Deploy a number of Guardians equal to the number
FIRE RAIN
of PCs + 1 in free spaces. During the Great Wyrm’s
At the start of the first round, create three non-adja-
turns, each Guardian can move up to their Speed.
cent Blast 1    zones. At the end of the round, enemies
in one or more of the zones must make an Agility
GUARDIAN BASE FEATURES save. Failure: They take 8/12/16 Astral + 4 Discord    .
Success: They take 4/6/8 Astral + 2 Discord   .
14: Bosses

Fire Aura Trait  Aura 1 The zones then disappear.

Enemies that start their turn in one or more of these Repeat this at the start of each new round, increasing
Auras take 1 Discord    per adjacent Guardian. the number of zones by one each time.

Ember Volley +2/3/4 vs A-Def   

Ranged Spell Attack  Aetheric
Range 10    2 Discord   
Appendices

This attack can only be used as part of the Great

Wyrm’s Whelps trait.

326
 Traits

Getting Started
Burdened FlightTrait Ranged DestructionTrait
The Great Wyrm and its Guardians have flight and The Great Wyrm can Volley during Phase
gain +2 Speed while Flying. If they are Breaking, Brawl.
they lose flight and immediately stop Flying.

WhelpsTrait
Red ScalesTrait On each of the Great Wyrm’s turns, one Guardian can
The Great Wyrm and its Guardians have resistance make an Ember attack. Each Guardian can only do
to Astral and Discord. so 1/round.

Building Beacons
Standard Actions Actions are ordered according to the phases in which they can be used.

Hatch EggSkill  Any Phase DoomwingPhase Reposition/ Full Attack

A new Guardian appears in a free space adjacent to Skill  Recharge 5+
an enemy with 5+ Discord, ignoring line of sight.
The Great Wyrm flies up to up 10 spaces in a straight
line. Enemies through which it moves must make an
Fire Breath I Channel Agility save.
Skill Close Blast 3    Failure: They take 4/6/8 Astral + 2 Discord    .

Running the Game

Success: They take 2/3/4 Astral + 1 Discord    .
On Channel: Whenever the Great Wyrm would lose
concentration, it instead loses 1 MP. If the Great Wyrm
has no MP to lose, it loses concentration. Claw Fight +2/3/4, +1 vs Dodge   
Melee Weapon Reach 1    8/10/12 Physical   
On Release: Characters in the AOE must make an
Agility save.
Failure: They take 8/12/16 Astral + 4 Discord    . Swoop Phase Brawl / Full Attack
Success: They take 4/6/8 Astral + 2 Discord    . Skill

The Great Wyrm makes a Claw attack, and can automat-

14: Bosses
Burn Volley +2/3/4 vs Dodge    ically Grapple the target on a hit. Before or after the
Ranged Spell Attack attack, the Great Wyrm can fly up to its Speed (4/4/4). It
Line 15    2/4/6 Astral + 3 Discord    can’t use this ability if it is unable to fly or move.

Fireball Volley +2/3/4 vs Dodge    Superhot Full Attack

Ranged Spell Attack  Mana 2, Reliable 2/3/4 Skill  Mana 2
Range = Scope (10/10/10), Blast 2   
Appendices

5/6/7 Astral + 2 Discord    All enemies (ignoring line of sight) must make a Magic
save. Failure: They gain Discord equal to their current
Discord. If they don’t have any Discord, they take
2 Discord    . Success: They take 1 Discord    .

Reactions

Spreading FlamesSkill  Mana 1  Reaction

Trigger: An enemy ends their turn adjacent to one

of their allies that has Discord.

Effect: The target gains Discord equal to their ally’s

Discord. 327
 STAGE 2: THE ERUPTION
Getting Started

The ground ripples and cracks, sending geysers of lava spewing into the air.
The rumbling continues, as the ground slowly becomes an active, erupting volcano.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 4 Save Target: 12 Size: 4 Save Target: 14 Size: 4 Save Target: 16
Armor: 2 Scope: 10 Armor: 2 Scope: 10 Armor: 2 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 4 Mind: 2 Bulk: 6 Mind: 3 Bulk: 6 Mind: 4
Agility: 0 Magic: 2 Agility: 0 Magic: 3 Agility: 2 Magic: 4
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 10+5/PC Stress Cap: 8 HP: 15+5/PC Stress Cap: 8 HP: 20+5/PC Stress Cap: 8
Dodge: 10 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 14 A-Def: 14
Speed: 4 MP: 5 Speed: 4 MP: 5 Speed: 4 MP: 5
GUARDIANS GUARDIANS GUARDIANS
Size: 1/2 Armor 0 Size: 1/2 Armor 0 Size: 1/2 Armor 0
HP: 10 MP: 2 HP: 12 MP: 2 HP: 14 MP: 2
Scope: 10 Save Target: 12 Scope: 10 Save Target: 14 Scope: 10 Save Target: 16
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 14
Stress Cap: 4 Speed: 4 Stress Cap: 4 Speed: 4 Stress Cap: 4 Speed: 4
Ability Scores: +1 Ability Scores: +2 Ability Scores: +3
Running the Game

Guardians Events
At the beginning of this stage, deploy a number of
additional Guardians equal to the number of PCs + ERUPTION
1 in free spaces. During the Great Wyrm’s turns, each At the start of each round, place three eruption points
Guardian can move up to their Speed. scattered in single free spaces anywhere on the map.
Each eruption point must be within 4 spaces of one
GUARDIAN BASE FEATURES or more PCs.
At the end of each round, all PCs in the scene take
Fire AuraTrait  Aura 1 15/18/21 Astral    . This damage is reduced by 5/6/7    for
Enemies that start their turn in one or more of these every PC standing on an eruption point. PCs standing in
14: Bosses

Auras take 1 Discord    per adjacent Guardian. one of the eruption points take 2 Discord    in addition
to the above damage. All eruption points then disappear.

Fissure Trait  Trap  Free Action FORMING FISSURES

On each of the Great Wyrm’s turns, one Guardian can place At the beginning of this stage, place Fissure Traps in
a Fissure Trap in an adjacent, free space. When trig- free spaces equal to the number of PCs. These Traps
gered, the Trap creates a Burst 1    AOE, which can affect can’t be within Range 3    of a PC.
Flying characters. Characters in the AOE must make an
Appendices

Agility save. Failure: They take 4 Astral + 1 Discord   .

Success: They take 2 Astral    .
After it is triggered, the Trap’s space becomes
dangerous terrain (Agility, 5 Discord    ) until the
end of the scene.
Each Guardian can place a Trap 1/round.

328
 Traits

Getting Started
Burdened FlightTrait Tremor MakerTrait
The Great Wyrm and its Guardians have flight and The Great Wyrm and its Guardians don’t trigger Fis-
gain +2 Speed while Flying. If they are Breaking, sure Traps (but are still affected by them).
the lose flight and immediately stop Flying.

Red ScalesTrait
The Great Wyrm and its Guardians have resistance
to Astral and Discord.

Building Beacons
Standard Actions Actions are ordered according to the phases in which they can be used.

Hatch EggSkill  Any Phase Fireball Volley +2/3/4 vs Dodge   

A new Guardian appears in a free space adjacent to Ranged Spell Attack  Mana 2, Reliable 2/3/4
an enemy with 5+ Discord, ignoring line of sight. Range = Scope (10/10/10), Blast 2   
5/6/7 Astral + 2 Discord   

ChompSkill  Recharge 5+  Any Phase

An enemy Grappled by the Great Wyrm must make RoarPhase Reposition

Running the Game

a Bulk save. Failure: They take 10/12/14 Physical    . Skill  Mana 1 Burst 2   

Enemies in the AOE must make a Mind save. Failure:

Fire Breath II Channel They take 2 Stress    and must move up to their Speed
Skill Close Blast 4    directly away from the Great Wyrm in a straight line.
This movement doesn’t provoke reaction attacks.
On Channel: Whenever the Great Wyrm would lose Success: They take 2 Stress    .
concentration, it instead loses 1 MP. If the Great Wyrm
has no MP to lose, it loses concentration.
Bite Fight +2/3/4, +1 vs Dodge   
On Release: Characters in the AOE must make an Melee Weapon Reach 2    8/10/12 Physical   

14: Bosses
Agility save.
Failure: They take 8/12/16 Astral + 4 Discord   . On Hit: The target is pulled adjacent to and automat-
Success: They take 4/6/8 Astral + 2 Discord   . ically Grappled by the Great Wyrm.

Burn Volley +2/3/4 vs Dodge    Superhot Full Attack

Ranged Spell Attack Skill  Mana 2
Line 15    2/4/6 Astral + 3 Discord   
Appendices

All enemies (ignoring line of sight) must make a Magic

save. Failure: They gain Discord equal to their current
Discord. If they don’t have any Discord, they take
2 Discord    . Success: They take 1 Discord    .

Reactions

Spreading FlamesSkill  Mana 1  Reaction

Trigger: An enemy ends their turn adjacent to one

of their allies that has Discord.

Effect: The target gains Discord equal to their ally’s

Discord.
329
 STAGE 3: THE INFERNO
Getting Started

The Great Wyrm turns its head upward in anger and frustration, unleashing a gout of flame. The heat is so
great it feels like the air is on fire. The race is on. Can you defeat this force of nature before you burn alive?

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 4 Save Target: 12 Size: 4 Save Target: 14 Size: 4 Save Target: 16
Armor: 2 Scope: 10 Armor: 2 Scope: 10 Armor: 2 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 4 Mind: 2 Bulk: 6 Mind: 3 Bulk: 6 Mind: 4
Agility: 0 Magic: 2 Agility: 0 Magic: 3 Agility: 2 Magic: 4
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 10+5/PC Stress Cap: 8 HP: 15+5/PC Stress Cap: 8 HP: 20+5/PC Stress Cap: 8
Dodge: 10 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 14 A-Def: 14
Speed: 4 MP: 5 Speed: 4 MP: 5 Speed: 4 MP: 5
GUARDIANS GUARDIANS GUARDIANS
Size: 1/2 Armor 0 Size: 1/2 Armor 0 Size: 1/2 Armor 0
HP: 10 MP: 2 HP: 12 MP: 2 HP: 14 MP: 2
Scope: 10 Save Target: 12 Scope: 10 Save Target: 14 Scope: 10 Save Target: 16
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 14
Stress Cap: 4 Speed: 4 Stress Cap: 4 Speed: 4 Stress Cap: 4 Speed: 4
Ability Scores: +1 Ability Scores: +2 Ability Scores: +3
Running the Game

Guardians Events
At the beginning of this stag, deploy a number of Guard-
ians equal to the number of PCs + 1 in free spaces. RIVERS OF LAVA
During the Great Wyrm’s turns, each Guardian can move At the start of each round, create 10 spaces of dan-
up to their Speed. gerous terrain (Agility, 5 Discord    ) in free spaces.
During this stage, all Guardians begin channeling Each space of dangerous terrain must be adjacent to
Whelp Breath at the start of each round. They release either the Great Wyrm or another of piece of dangerous
it at the end of Phase Release. terrain created by this event, a Fissure Trap, or a piece
of dangerous terrain from the start of the scene.
GUARDIAN BASE FEATURES
14: Bosses

Traits
Fire AuraTrait  Aura 1
Enemies that start their turn in one or more of these Burdened FlightTrait
Auras take 1 Discord    per adjacent Guardian. The Great Wyrm and its Guardians have flight and
gain +2 Speed while Flying. If they are Breaking,
the lose flight and immediately stop Flying.
Whelp Breath Channel
Skill Close Blast 1   
Appendices

Red ScalesTrait
On Release: Enemies in the AOE must make an Agility The Great Wyrm and its Guardians have resistance
save. Failure: They take 3/4/5 Astral + 2 Discord    . to Astral and Discord.
Success: They take 1/2/3 Astral + 1 Discord    .

Tremor MakerTrait
The Great Wyrm and its Guardians don’t trigger Fis-
sure Traps (but are still affected by them).

Inescapable HeatTrait
All characters in the scene other than the Great Wyrm
and its Guardians take 1 Discord    at the start of each
of their turns. Each round, this amount increases by
330 +1 Discord    .
Standard Actions Actions are ordered according to the phases in which they can be used.

Getting Started
ChompSkill  Recharge 5+  Any Phase Shaking GroundSkill  Phase Reposition
An enemy Grappled by the Great Wyrm must make All non-Flying enemies (ignoring line of sight) must
a Bulk save. Failure: They take 10/12/14 Physical    . make an Agility save. Failure: They fall Prone.
The Great Wyrm can move up to its Speed (4/4/4)
after using this ability.
InhalePhase Channel
Skill  Recharge 6+
Bite Fight +2/3/4, +1 vs Dodge   
The Great Wyrm uses Fire Breath III, and can’t lose Melee Weapon Reach 2    8/10/12 Physical   
concentration while channeling it.

Building Beacons
On Hit: The target is pulled adjacent to and automat-
ically Grappled by the Great Wyrm.
Fire Breath III Channel
Skill Close Blast 5   
GulpSkill  Full Attack
On Channel: Whenever the Great Wyrm would lose If the Great Wyrm isn’t Grappled, it can use Bite
concentration, it instead loses 1 MP. If the Great Wyrm instead of this ability. If it does have a character
has no MP to lose, it loses concentration. Grappled, that character must make a contested
Bulk check as if breaking out of Grappled. Failure:
On Release: Characters in the AOE must make an They take 3/4/5 Stress and are swallowed. They

Running the Game

Agility save. are moved into the Great Wyrm’ space and no longer
Failure: They take 8/12/16 Astral + 4 Discord    . Grappled. The swallowed character is permanently
Success: They take 4/6/8 Astral + 2 Discord    . Dazed and Immobilized and can’t target or be target-
ed by anything outside the Great Wyrm’s space. They
move when the Great Wyrm moves. Additionally, they
Burn Volley +2/3/4 vs Dodge    take an additional +1 Discord from Inescapable Heat.
Ranged Spell Attack Swallowed characters can break free by making
Line 15    2/4/6 Astral + 3 Discord    a Bulk save as a minor action.
The Great Wyrm can only swallow characters if
there is sufficient room in its space.
Fireball Volley +2/3/4 vs Dodge   

14: Bosses
Ranged Spell Attack  Mana 2, Reliable 2/3/4
Range = Scope (10/10/10), Blast 2   
5/6/7 Astral + 2 Discord   

Reactions

Spreading FlamesSkill  Mana 1  Reaction

Appendices

Trigger: An enemy ends their turn adjacent to one

of their allies that has Discord.

Effect: The target gains Discord equal to their ally’s

Discord.

331
Getting Started
Building Beacons
Running the Game

KRAKEN
Krakens are powerful underwater creatures that prey on ships with their powerful tentacles
and storm magic. Fights against the Kraken must take place aboard a ship (see below).
14: Bosses

Tactics
The full Kraken only appears during the final stage of THE SHIP
this boss battle. In Stage 1, the PCs fight its tentacles, The ship counts as an object that can’t be moved.
which are its Guardians. The Guardians focus on dam- Only the Kraken and its Guardians can damage the
aging the ship on which the beacons fight. In Stage 2 ship, but only using abilities that specifically mention
the PCs must contend with dangerous events. In Stage this. Instead of having HP, damage to the ship is
3, the Kraken appears and focuses on attacking as many represented by the destruction of 1-space segments.
enemies as possible. Destroyed segments of ship are replaced by water.
Appendices

Beacons can repair destroyed ship segments

Scene with standard actions during any phase. Each time
The combat scene takes place on a 12 x 12 map, with the a beacon performs repairs, they can restore 1d3
beacons deploying on a 6 x 6 ship in the middle of the spaces within Scope, changing them back from wa-
map. The rest of the map is water, which is considered ter spaces to ship spaces. They can take 1 Stress   
difficult terrain. Characters with Aquatic Adaptations to reroll the 1d3.
can move normally in these spaces, but are still imperiled
by the Kraken’s Snapping Jaws trait.

332
 STAGE 1: THE ARMS

Getting Started
Towering tentacles rise out of the water and begin smashing into the nearby ship.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

GUARDIANS GUARDIANS GUARDIANS
Size: 3 Armor 0 Size: 3 Armor 0 Size: 3 Armor 0
HP: 12 MP: 1 HP: 16 MP: 1 HP: 20 MP: 1
Scope: 5 Save Target: 12 Scope: 5 Save Target: 14 Scope: 5 Save Target: 16
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 12
Stress Cap: 5 Speed: 3 Stress Cap: 5 Speed: 3 Stress Cap: 5 Speed: 3
Ability Scores: +1 Ability Scores: +2 Ability Scores: +3

Building Beacons
Guardians Events
There are two types of Guardians: Slammers and Smash-
ers. Slammers have Initiative 2, Smashers have Ini- SNAPPING JAWS
tiative 5. Deploy one Slammer and one Smasher per If a character other than the Kraken or one of its Guard-
PC in free water spaces adjacent to the ship. ians ends their turn in a water space, they must make
Each Guardian takes up 1 space – like a Size 1 char- an Agility check or take 3 Stress    .
acter – but they still count as Size 3.
Special Rules
GUARDIAN BASE FEATURES The Kraken does not actually appear in this stage. Instead,

Running the Game

the PCs fight its tentacles, represented by Guardians.
Sea MonsterTrait In this stage, the Guardians are treated like normal
The Kraken and its Guardians move normally in water NPCs. They take their own turns and have their own
spaces, but treat non-water spaces as difficult terrain. Initiatives; however, they can only use the abilities listed
They generally avoid entering ship spaces. in their base features, taking no other actions.
The Kraken begins its transformation when either
of the following takes place:
Slam (Slammer Only) Channel
Skill Line 3    Ø Half of the originally deployed Guardians have been
defeated.
On Channel: The AOE is a zone that lasts while it is Ø Half of the total ship spaces are destroyed.

14: Bosses
channeling. If the Slammer moves or is moved, the
area moves with them, mirroring its movement. Once the transformation is initiated, Stage 2 begins in
the following round.
On Release: Any ship spaces in the zone are destroyed Keep track of the number of Guardians remaining
and characters in the zone take 8/10/12 Physical    . when Stage 2 begins, as it is relevant in Stage 3.

Smash (Smasher Only) Fight +1/2/3 vs Dodge   

Appendices

Melee Weapon Reach 1    6/8/10 Physical   

If there are any enemies adjacent to the Smasher and

targetable, attacks with this weapon must target them.
Otherwise, it automatically destroys an adjacent ship
space.

333
 STAGE 2: THE STORM
Getting Started

The tentacles suddenly retreat underwater, earning the beacons a brief respite.
But within moments, they feel their hair beginning to stand on end. Electric storms begin to coalesce,
crackling with static energy, while the Kraken sends a tidal wave to sweep the beacons away.

Events SNAPPING JAWS

If a character other than the Kraken or one of its Guard-
BUILDING STORM ians ends their turn in a water space, they must make
Randomly place one 1-space Building Storm Marker an Agility check. Failure: They take 3 Stress    .
per PC. At the end of Round 2, these storms begin
discharging their energy. All characters take 5 Astral    Special Rules
Building Beacons

per building storm. At the beginning of this stage, note how many Guardians
Characters can dispel a storm by succeeding on a remain and remove them from the scene – there is no
Magic check as a standard action during any phase. Kraken or Guardians until Stage 3.
Attempting this causes the character to take 5 Astral    . This stage lasts for two rounds, after which Stage
3 begins.
TIDAL WAVE
A tidal wave forms along one of the edges of the map.
It is a straight line as long as that side of the map and CHALLENGE MODE
1 space wide. To make the fight more difficult, you can create a new
Each round, the tidal wave moves 3 spaces toward tidal wave at any side of the map once the old one
Running the Game

the other end of the map twice: once at the end of disappears. This continues until the end of the scene.
Phase and once at the end of Phase . Any characters
it moves through must destroy a piece of equipment
or technique and are knocked Prone.
Each space of the tidal wave has 10 HP, and is de-
stroyed when it reaches 0 HP. These spaces are immune
to all statuses, conditions, and effects except for damage.
Attacks auto-hit them, and they automatically fail any
checks or saves.
When the tidal wave reaches the other side of the
map, it disappears.
14: Bosses
Appendices

334
 STAGE 3: THE DEEP ONE

Getting Started
The full scale of this monster is finally revealed as the Kraken emerges! Its tentacles flail
in anger as it attempts to grab and crush the puny beacons arrayed before it.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 3 Save Target: 12 Size: 3 Save Target: 14 Size: 3 Save Target: 16
Armor: 3 Scope: 10 Armor: 3 Scope: 10 Armor: 4 Scope: 10
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 4 Mind: 0 Bulk: 6 Mind: 0 Bulk: 6 Mind: 1
Agility: 1 Magic: 3 Agility: 2 Magic: 4 Agility: 4 Magic: 5
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES

Building Beacons
HP: 15+5/PC Stress Cap: 7 HP: 20+5/PC Stress Cap: 8 HP: 25+5/PC Stress Cap: 9
Dodge: 7 A-Def: 7 Dodge: 9 A-Def: 9 Dodge: 11 A-Def: 11
Speed: 4 MP: 4 Speed: 4 MP: 4 Speed: 4 MP: 4
GUARDIANS GUARDIANS GUARDIANS
Size: 3 Armor 0 Size: 3 Armor 0 Size: 3 Armor 0
HP: 12 MP: 1 HP: 16 MP: 1 HP: 20 MP: 1
Scope: 5 Save Target: 12 Scope: 5 Save Target: 14 Scope: 5 Save Target: 16
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 8 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 10 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 12
Stress Cap: 5 Speed: 3 Stress Cap: 5 Speed: 3 Stress Cap: 5 Speed: 3
Ability Scores: +1 Ability Scores: +2 Ability Scores: +3

Running the Game

Special Rules Events
The Kraken itself enters play during this stage, deploying
in free water spaces anywhere in the scene. SNAPPING JAWS
If a character other than the Kraken or one of its Guard-
Guardians ians ends their turn in a water space, they must make
At the beginning of this scene, deploy one new Guardian an Agility check. Failure: They take 3 Stress    .
per PC, plus one new Guardian for every Guardian that
remained undefeated at the end of Stage 1. All Guardians RAGING STORM
are deployed in free water spaces adjacent to the ship. All Building Storm Markers from Stage 2 become

14: Bosses
Guardians can only use Snatch, taking no other Raging Storm Markers. Additionally, at the start of
actions except for those granted by the Kraken’s Grand every round, randomly place another 1-space Raging
Slam ability. They automatically have this action ready Storm Marker.
to perform as an Opportunity Attack. They can also At the end of each round, all storms discharge their
perform it if one of the Kraken’s actions allow them energy, dealing 5 Astral    per marker to all characters
to do so. other than the Kraken and its Guardians.
During the Kraken’s turns, its Guardians can move Characters can dispel a storm by succeeding on a
up to their Speed. Magic check as a standard action during any phase.
Appendices

Attempting this causes the character to take 5 Astral    .

GUARDIAN BASE FEATURES

Sea MonsterTrait
The Kraken and its Guardians move normally in water
spaces, but treat non-water spaces as difficult terrain.
They generally avoid entering ship spaces.

Snatch Fight +1/2/3 vs Dodge   

Melee Weapon Reach 2    3 Physical   

On Hit: The target is pulled adjacent to and automat-

ically Grappled by the Guardian.
335
 Traits
Getting Started

DisarmedTrait Sea MonsterTrait

The Kraken is Vulnerable while it has no The Kraken and its Guardians move normally in water
Guardians. spaces, but treat non-water spaces as difficult terrain.
They generally avoid entering ship spaces.

Standard Actions Actions are ordered according to the phases in which they can be used.

Stormcaller Any Phase FlingSkill  Volley

Spell  Mana 2, Recharge 5+ One enemy Grappled by the Kraken or a Guardian is
Building Beacons

pushed up to 5 spaces in a straight line in any direc-

Place a Raging Storm Marker in a random space. tion. If this would push them into one of their allies,
they take 6/8/10 Physical    . As a reaction, the ally
can split the damage evenly between themselves
Grand SlamSkill  Channel and the pushed character.
On Channel: The Kraken and all Guardians begin
channeling. Each Guardian creates a Line 3    zone
that lasts while it is channeling. If a Guardian moves Rogue WavePhase Reposition
or is moved, this area moves with it, mirroring the Skill Burst 1   
movement.
Running the Game

All enemies in the AOE must make a Bulk save.

On Release (Kraken): The Kraken creates a Line 8    Failure: They fall Prone.
AOE. All ship spaces in the AOE are destroyed and The Kraken can then teleport to another side of
characters in the AOE are auto-hit by a melee weapon the ship.
attack for 8/10/12 Physical    .

On Release (Guardian): All ship spaces in the zone Grabby Hands Phase Brawl / Full Attack
are destroyed and characters in the zone are auto-hit Skill
by a melee weapon attack for 8/10/12 Physical    .
All Guardians can attack with Snatch and the Krak-
en can make a melee weapon attack against an
14: Bosses

Ink SprayPhase Skirmish adjacent enemy with a +2/+3/+4 bonus, dealing

Skill  Recharge 5+ 10/12/14 Physical    on a hit.
Range = Scope (10/10/10), Blast 1   

The AOE is a zone. Enemies are Blinded while ful- ConstrictSkill  Full Attack
ly within the zone, and line of sight can’t be drawn All enemies Grappled by the Kraken or one of its
through the zone unless it’s from an AOE. The zone Guardians must make a Bulk save.
lasts until this ability is used again or the Kraken dis- Failure: They take 12/16/20 Physical    .
Appendices

misses it as a free action. Success: They take 6/8/10 Physical    .

Reactions

SwitchSkill  Reaction

Trigger: An enemy starts their turn Grappled by a

Guardian, ignoring line of sight.

Effect: They are teleported to a space adjacent a

different Guardian and become Grappled by the
new Guardian.

336
 Getting Started
Building Beacons
Running the Game
LICH
Liches are the ultimate spellcasters, immortal beings that use magic to fuel their undying

14: Bosses
existence. Lichdom requires extensive knowledge of necromancy, but their long lives
and raw magical power allow them to master other forms of magic as well.

Tactics Be sure to include cover and terrain that blocks line

Liches and their Guardians are fragile and dependent of sight so the PCs can avoid or mitigate the significant
on mana. They want to remain as far away from enemies number of ranged attacks they are likely to face in this
as possible. Despite this, once the Lich’s Living Soul boss battle. You may also want to include beneficial
leaves their body in Stage 2, they immediately play terrain features for the PCs, either as a way to entice
Appendices

more aggressively, since they will remain invulnerable them to good positions or to force them to choose
until the end of Stage 3. between a good position or a bad one with a beneficial
terrain effect.
Scene The Lich and certain PCs will want to be in Mana
This boss battle benefits from a larger map. The Lich’s Nexuses as much as possible, so think ahead where
long Scope and the Guardians’ ranged abilities mean you’d like to place them. You can change their positions
they want to keep their distance. Because the Lich can in each stage, but having the position of at least the
teleport, consider creating locations on the battle map Stage 1 nexuses planned will save you time.
that are hard to access without teleportation, flight,
or climbing. Don’t make them completely inaccessi-
ble, but give the Lich plenty of opportunities to evade
danger so the PCs can focus on taking out Guardians.

337
 STAGE 1: THE WIZARD SUPREME
Getting Started

The Lich uses illusions to mask their true appearance, presenting themselves as a grand
wizard with a retinue of apprentices. The illusion can’t fully compensate for the jerking
movements of their undead attendants, or the uneasy feeling caused by their presence.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 13 Size: 1 Save Target: 15 Size: 1 Save Target: 18
Armor: 0 Scope: 25 Armor: 0 Scope: 25 Armor: 0 Scope: 25
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 0 Mind: 4 Bulk: 0 Mind: 6 Bulk: 0 Mind: 8
Agility: 0 Magic: 4 Agility: 0 Magic: 6 Agility: 0 Magic: 8
Building Beacons

ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES

HP: 10+3/PC Stress Cap: 12 HP: 15+3/PC Stress Cap: 12 HP: 20+3/PC Stress Cap: 12
Dodge: 10 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 11 A-Def: 14 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 16
Speed: 5 MP: 8 Speed: 5 MP: 9 Speed: 5 MP: 10
GUARDIANS GUARDIANS GUARDIANS
Size: 1/2 Armor 0 Size: 1/2 Armor 0 Size: 1/2 Armor 0
HP: 3 MP: 1 HP: 4 MP: 1 HP: 5 MP: 1
Scope: 20 Save Target: 12 Scope: 20 0 14 Scope: 20 Save Target: 16
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 9 A-Def: 14 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 16
Stress Cap: 6 Speed: 3 Stress Cap: 6 Speed: 3 Stress Cap: 6 Speed: 3
Running the Game

Ability Scores: +1 Ability Scores: +2 Ability Scores: +3

Guardians Traits
Deploy a number of Guardians equal to the number of
PCs + 2 in free spaces. Mana ApplicationTrait  Mana 1
When the Lich takes a turn, all Guardians can move The Lich can reroll an attack, check, or save. They can
up to their Speed and then use Arcane Missile simul- use this trait any number of times per roll.
taneously.

GUARDIAN BASE FEATURES Perfected SpellcastingTrait

14: Bosses

If the Lich would be Silenced, they instead lose 2

Arcane Missile Volley MP and can’t perform reactions until the end of their
Ranged Spell Attack  Auto-Hit next turn.
Range 20    X Force    Additionally, the Lich can’t use any reactions while
exceeding their Stress Cap.
The Guardian targets the enemy closest to them with
this spell attack. Instead of taking damage for each
hit, the target takes damage from one source equal Ranged DestructionTrait
Appendices

to 1 Force    per Guardian that attacks them this way. The Lich can Volley during Phase Brawl.
For example, a character targeted by three Guardians
would take 3 Force    , not three lots of 1 Force    .
Recycle ManaTrait
Whenever an enemy spends MP, the Lich regains that
Events same amount of MP.

MANA NEXUS I
At the start of the scene, place four 1-space mana nex-
uses spread around the map, with at least one close to
the Lich and at least one close to the PCs.
Characters that start their turn in a mana nexus
regain 3 MP.

338
Standard Actions Actions are ordered according to the phases in which they can be used.

Getting Started
Summoned by PainSkill  Any Phase TransposePhase Reposition / Full Attack
The Lich creates a new Guardian in a free space ad- Spell  Mana 1, Recharge 5+
jacent to an enemy that took a Wound or Overstress Range = Scope (25/25/25)   
this round.
The Lich swaps places with an ally within Range, which
counts as a teleport.
Meteor Strike Channel
Spell  Arcing, Mana 3 Range = Scope (25/25/25)   
Paralyzing Touch Fight +1/2/3, +1 vs Dodge   
On Channel: The Lich chooses 4 spaces within Range. Melee Weapon

Building Beacons
Reach 1    6/8/10 Lunar + 2 Stress   
On Release: Any objects or terrain in the chosen
spaces are destroyed. Then create a Blast 4    AOE On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:
centered on each chosen space. Characters in one They are Stunned and Dazed until the end of their
or more AOEs take 12/16/20 Astral    . next turn. Success: They are Dazed until the end of
Targets take –2 damage for every space they are their next turn.
away from the center (i.e., at 4 spaces away from the
center space, the damage is reduced by 8) and must
make an Agility save. Success: They reduce this dam- Dominate Full Attack
age by half, after the original reduction. Spell  Mana 2 Range = Scope (25/25/25)   

Running the Game

An enemy within Range must make a Mind save,
Disintegrate Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge    taking +1 if they are Breaking. Failure: They take
Ranged Spell Attack  Recharge 5+ 3 Stress    and must move up to their Speed toward
Range 25    8/10/12 Force    their closest ally and attack them with a weapon or
spell attack of the Lich’s choice. Success: They take
On Hit: The target must make an Agility save. Failure: 3 Stress    and must move up to their Speed toward
One of their weapons or support items is destroyed their closest ally.
(their choice).

14: Bosses
Creeping Rime Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge   
Ranged Spell Attack
Range 25    8/10/12 Lunar   

On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:

They are Slowed until the end of their next turn.
Appendices

Reactions

Spell ShieldReaction
Spell  Mana X

Trigger: The Lich takes Physical, Astral, Lunar, or Force.

Effect: The Lich takes –2 damage per MP spent.

339
 STAG E 2: THE NECROTIC
Getting Started

The Lich drops their illusion, revealing their true form and those of their undead
attendants. Taking the fight seriously now, they unleash their necrotic powers.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1 Save Target: 13 Size: 1 Save Target: 15 Size: 1 Save Target: 18
Armor: 0 Scope: 25 Armor: 0 Scope: 25 Armor: 0 Scope: 25
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 0 Mind: 4 Bulk: 0 Mind: 6 Bulk: 0 Mind: 8
Agility: 0 Magic: 4 Agility: 0 Magic: 6 Agility: 0 Magic: 8
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 10+3/PC Stress Cap: 12 HP: 15+3/PC Stress Cap: 12 HP: 20+3/PC Stress Cap: 12
Dodge: 10 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 11 A-Def: 14 Dodge: 12 A-Def: 16
Speed: 5 MP: 8 Speed: 5 MP: 9 Speed: 5 MP: 10
GUARDIANS GUARDIANS GUARDIANS
Size: 1/2 Armor 0 Size: 1/2 Armor 0 Size: 1/2 Armor 0
HP: 3 MP: 1 HP: 4 MP: 1 HP: 5 MP: 1
Scope: 20 Save Target: 12 Scope: 20 Save Target: 14 Scope: 20 Save Target: 16
Dodge: 8 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 9 A-Def: 14 Dodge: 10 A-Def: 16
Stress Cap: 6 Speed: 3 Stress Cap: 6 Speed: 3 Stress Cap: 6 Speed: 3
Ability Scores: +1 Ability Scores: +2 Ability Scores: +3
Running the Game

Guardians Traits
Deploy a number of Guardians equal to the number of
PCs + 1 in free spaces. Mana ApplicationTrait  Mana 1
When the Lich takes a turn, all Guardians can move up The Lich can reroll an attack, check, or save. They can
to their Speed and then use Vile Curse simultaneously. use this trait any number of times per roll.

GUARDIAN BASE FEATURES

Living SoulTrait
Vile Curse Volley If there are any Guardians remaining when the Lich
14: Bosses

Ranged Spell Attack  Auto-Hit would take a Wound, the Lich’s energy visibly leaves
Range 20    X Stress    their body and enters that of a Guardian. This Guardian
becomes the Lich’s living soul.
The Guardian targets the enemy closest to them with While the living soul remains undefeated, the Lich
this spell attack. Instead of taking Stress for each is locked at 1 HP and becomes immune to all damage
hit, the target takes Stress from one source equal to and Stress.
1 Stress    per Guardian that attacks them this way. When the living soul is defeated, the Lich takes a
For example, a character targeted by three Guardians Wound and begins their transformation, with Stage
Appendices

would take 3 Stress    , not three lots of 1 Stress    . 3 beginning at the start of the next round. This ability
only triggers once.

Events
Perfected SpellcastingTrait
MANA NEXUS II If the Lich would be Silenced, they instead lose 2
The Lich can reposition the mana nexuses placed at MP and can’t perform reactions until the end of their
the beginning of the scene, with at least one close to next turn.
the Lich and at least one close to the PCs. Additionally, the Lich can’t use any reactions while
Characters that start their turn in a mana nexus exceeding their Stress Cap.
regain 3 MP.

340
Ranged DestructionTrait Recycle ManaTrait
The Lich can Volley during Phase Brawl. Whenever an enemy spends MP, the Lich regains that

Getting Started
same amount of MP.

Standard Actions Actions are ordered according to the phases in which they can be used.

Soulcrux Any Phase Creeping Rime Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge   

Spell  Mana 2 Range = Scope (25/25/25)    Ranged Spell Attack
Range 25    8/10/12 Lunar   
The Lich creates a Guardian in a free space within
Range. On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:

Building Beacons
They are Slowed until the end of their next turn.

Meteor Strike Channel

Spell  Arcing, Mana 3 Range = Scope (25/25/25)    Dimension Door Phase +
Spell  Mana 1
On Channel: The Lich chooses 4 spaces within Range.
The Lich teleports up to 6 spaces.
On Release: Any objects or terrain in the chosen
spaces are destroyed. Then create a Blast 4    AOE
centered on each chosen space. Characters in one Paralyzing Touch Fight +1/2/3, +1 vs Dodge   

Running the Game

or more AOEs take 12/16/20 Astral    . Melee Weapon
Targets take –2 damage for every space they are Reach 1    6/8/10 Lunar + 2 Stress   
away from the center (i.e., at 4 spaces away from the
center space, the damage is reduced by 8) and must On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:
make an Agility save. Success: They reduce this dam- They are Stunned and Dazed until the end of their
age by half, after the original reduction. next turn. Success: They are Dazed until the end of
their next turn.

Disintegrate Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge   

Ranged Spell Attack  Recharge 5+ Power Word: Stun Full Attack
Range 25    8/10/12 Force    Spell  Mana 3 Range = Scope (25/25/25)   

14: Bosses
On Hit: The target must make an Agility save. Failure: An enemy within Range must make a Magic save,
One of their weapons or support items is destroyed taking +1 if they are Bloodied. Failure: They take
(their choice). 3 Stress    and are Stunned and Slowed until the
end of their next turn. Success: They take 3 Stress   
and are Slowed until the end of their next turn.
Appendices

Reactions

Antilife Spell  Mana 1  Reaction (1/round) Spell Shield Spell  Mana X  Reaction

Trigger: An enemy within Scope (25/25/25) would Trigger: The Lich takes Physical, Astral, Lunar, or Force.
regain HP.
Effect: The Lich takes –2 damage per MP spent.
Effect: They only regain half as much HP.

341
 STAGE 3: THE UNDYING
Getting Started

With their physical form destroyed, all that remains of the Lich’s body is
their head, floating and brimming with magical energy.

TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3

Size: 1/2 Save Target: 13 Size: 1/2 Save Target: 15 Size: 1/2 Save Target: 18
Armor: 0 Scope: 25 Armor: 0 Scope: 25 Armor: 0 Scope: 25
ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES ABILITY SCORES
Bulk: 0 Mind: 4 Bulk: 0 Mind: 6 Bulk: 0 Mind: 8
Agility: 0 Magic: 4 Agility: 0 Magic: 6 Agility: 0 Magic: 8
ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES ATTRIBUTES
Building Beacons

HP: 1 Stress Cap: 1 HP: 1 Stress Cap: 1 HP: 1 Stress Cap: 1

Dodge: 12 A-Def: 12 Dodge: 13 A-Def: 14 Dodge: 14 A-Def: 16
Speed: 4 MP: 8 Speed: 4 MP: 9 Speed: 4 MP: 10

Guardians Traits
Deploy a number of Guardians equal to the number
of PCs in free spaces. DoublecastTrait
All Guardians turn into jars that are Summons with 1/round, the Lich can spend 2 MP when taking an
the Death Jar trait: action to take it twice that turn.
Running the Game

Guardian (Size 1/2, HP 1, Armor 2, Dodge/A-Def 6,

Speed 0) Mana ApplicationTrait  Mana 1
The Lich can reroll an attack, check, or save. They can
GUARDIAN BASE FEATURES use this trait any number of times per roll.

Death JarTrait  Aura 2 Soulcrux ImmortalityTrait

Enemies in these Auras are unable to regain HP. The Lich is immune to all damage and Stress while
Additionally, enemies that start their turn in one any Guardians remain. Nothing supersedes this trait.
or more of these Auras take 2/3/4 Lunar    and are
unable to regain HP or gain temp HP until the start
14: Bosses

of their next turn. Perfected SpellcastingTrait

If the Lich would be Silenced, they instead lose
2 MP and can’t perform reactions until the end of
their next turn.
Events Additionally, the Lich can’t use any reactions while
exceeding their Stress Cap.
MANA NEXUS III
The Lich can reposition the mana nexuses from their
Appendices

Stage 2 positions, with at least one close to the Lich Ranged DestructionTrait
and at least one close to the PCs. The Lich can Volley during Phase Brawl.
Characters that start their turn in a mana nexus
regain 3 MP.
Recycle ManaTrait
Whenever an enemy spends MP, the Lich regains that
same amount of MP.

342
Standard Actions Actions are ordered according to the phases in which they can be used.

Getting Started
Vengeful Ghost Any Phase Howl Fight
Spell  Mana 1, Summon Skill Burst 3   
Range = Scope (25/25/25)   
All enemies in the AOE must make a Mind save,
Vengeful Ghost (Size 1, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 3) taking +1 if they are Breaking.
Failure: They take 2/3/4 Stress , are Dazed until the
The Lich creates a vengeful ghost within Range. end of their next turn, and must immediately move
Enemies that end their turn adjacent to the ghost their Speed directly away from the Lich.
take 2 Stress    . Success: They take 2/3/4 Stress .

Building Beacons
Glitter DustPhase + Disrupt LifePhase +
Spell  Mana 1 Burst 2    Spell  Mana 2 Burst 3   

Enemies in the AOE must make an Agility save. Fail- Enemies in the AOE must make a Bulk save, taking
ure: They are Blinded until the end of their next turn. +1 if they are Bloodied.
Failure: They take 8/10/12 Lunar and –2 maximum
HP that lasts until the end of the scene. If their max-
Energy Drain Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge    imum HP reaches 0, they are defeated.
Ranged Spell Attack Range 25    6/8/10 Lunar Success: They take 4/5/6 Lunar .

Running the Game

On Hit: The target must make a Magic save. Failure:
Their maximum HP is reduced by 2 until the end of Paralyzing Touch Fight +1/2/3, +1 vs Dodge   
the scene. If their maximum HP reaches 0, they are Melee Weapon
defeated. Reach 1    6/8/10 Lunar + 2 Stress   

On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:

Creeping Rime Volley +2/4/6 vs Dodge    They are Stunned and Dazed until the end of their
Ranged Spell Attack next turn. Success: They are Dazed until the end of
Range 25    8/10/12 Lunar    their next turn.

14: Bosses
On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:
They are Slowed until the end of their next turn. Finger of Death Full Attack +2/4/6 vs Dodge   
Ranged Spell Attack  Mana 2
Range 25    8/10/12 Lunar + 2/3/4 Stress   
Dimension Door Phase +
Spell  Mana 1 If this attack gives an enemy a Wound or Overstress,
the Lich creates a vengeful ghost (see Vengeful
The Lich teleports up to 6 spaces. Ghost) in a free space adjacent to the target. If this at-
Appendices

tack gives both, the Lich creates two vengeful ghosts.

Reactions

Antilife Spell  Mana 1  Reaction (1/round)

Trigger: An enemy within Scope (25/25/25) would

regain HP.

Effect: They only regain half as much HP.

343
 APPENDICES

KEY SECTIONS
Appendix A: Shops and Supplies p. 346

Appendix B: Loot p. 356

Appendix C: NPC Types p. 387

Appendix D: Glossary p. 388

345
 A: SHOPS AND SUPPLIES
Getting Started

Shops are places where beacons can exchange gold for When beacons Go Shopping or otherwise have an
supplies (p. 18). Supplies are minor items beacons opportunity to select Supplies from a shop, not every
can bring on quests that don’t cost equipment slots or option is always in stock. Instead, the GM either random-
Memory to equip. They must be equipped at the begin- ly or manually decides which supplies are currently
ning of each quest, at the same time as other equipment available. It is recommended that no more than five
and techniques. Beacons can equip up to three supplies different supplies are available in each shop at a time.
per quest (no duplicates), and all equipped supplies Similarly, not every shop will be available during every
are destroyed at the end of the quest. downtime. For example, a city that hates magitech may
Shops provide a way to thematically group supplies not always have an Engineer available; however, the
Building Beacons

together. For example, the Alchemy Shop sells sup- General Store should always be available.
plies that are narratively potions and elixirs, while the
Tavern sells food and drink supplies. Beacons can buy
or acquire supplies with the Go Shopping or Pursue
a Profession downtime activities (p. 29, p. 31), but
the GM can also give them out as rewards (p. 20).

GENERAL STORE  Adventuring supplies and common goods.

Running the Game

SUPPLY COST EFFECT

1 Compass 1 gold You gain +1 on skill checks to navigate.

2 Holster 2 gold You gain an extra Light weapon slot.

3 Pouch 2 gold You gain an extra Light support slot.

4 Rations 1 gold Minor Action (1/quest): You can regain HP equal to your Bloodied value.

5 Rented Gear X gold You gain access to any weapon or support item from any class for the duration
of one quest, although it still needs to be equipped as normal. This costs Gold
Appendices

equal to the class rank required to unlock it.

6 Rumors 1 gold You learn the environmental factors and NPC types that will be encountered
during this quest. If the GM doesn’t know them all yet, they will instead
provide as much guidance as they can on what the environments and NPCs
might be like.

7 Sleeping Bag 1 gold At the end of each combat scene, you regain HP equal to 1/4 of your maxi-
mum HP.
A: Shops and Supplies

8 Treasure 1 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, the GM will place a treasure chest in
Map the scene.

9 Tutor X gold You gain access to any technique from any class, although it still needs to be
equipped as normal. This costs gold equal to the class rank required to unlock it.

10 Waterskin 1 gold Minor Action (1/quest): You can clear Stress equal to your Breaking point.

11 Well Stocked 1 gold You gain +1 Recovery.

346
ALCHEMY SHOP  Potions and elixirs with a variety of magical effects.

Getting Started
SUPPLY COST EFFECT

1 Acid 1 gold This support item is equipped for free. Support Item  Main  Consumable
3, Innate, Thrown 5  Minor Action. Expend a charge to make a support
attack within the thrown Range. On Hit: The target is Sundered until the
end of their next turn.

2 Alchemist’s Fire 1 gold This support item is equipped for free. Support Item  Light  Consumable
3, Innate, Thrown 5  Minor Action. Expend a charge to make a support
attack within the thrown Range. On Hit: The target takes 1 Discord .

Building Beacons
3 Antitoxin 1 gold Free Action (1/quest): You can clear all Discord.

4 Astral Potion 1 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you gain resistance to Astral for
the rest of the scene.

5 Barkskin Potion 1 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you gain resistance to Physical for
the rest of the scene.

6 Catseye Elixir 2 gold During this quest, you can Search as a minor action for 1 Stress .

Running the Game

7 Crystal Flask 1 gold One piece of Consumable equipment gains +1 Consumable.

8 Diamond Flasks 3 gold All of your Consumable equipment gains +1 Consumable.

9 Displacer Flask 3 gold You gain +2 Agility.

10 Elixir of Agility 1 gold You gain +1 Agility.

11 Elixir of Fortitude 2 gold You gain +3 maximum HP.

12 Elixir of Magic 1 gold You gain +1 Magic.

Appendices
13 Elixir of Strength 1 gold You gain +1 Bulk.

14 Elixir of Wisdom 1 gold You gain +1 Mind.

15 Empyrean Flask 3 gold You gain +2 Mind.

16 Flask of Life 1 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you gain +5 maximum HP for the
rest of the scene. Your current HP also increases.
A: Shops and Supplies

17 Force Potion 1 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you gain resistance to Force for
the rest of the scene.

18 Invisibility Potion 2 gold Free Action (1/quest): You become Invisible until the start of your next turn.

19 Lunar Potion 1 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you gain resistance to Lunar for
the rest of the scene.

347
 ALCHEMY SHOP  Potions and elixirs with a variety of magical effects.
Getting Started

SUPPLY COST EFFECT

20 Memory Potion 2 gold 1/quest during a Short Rest, you can repair one destroyed technique
without spending a Recovery.

21 Minor Healing 1 gold 1/quest during a Short Rest, you can regain all your HP without spending
Potion a Recovery.

22 Minor Mana 1 gold Free Action (1/quest): You regain 1d6 MP.
Potion
Building Beacons

23 Moon Flask 3 gold You gain +2 Magic.

24 Potion of 2 gold You gain +1 Memory.

Expanded Mind

25 Potion of the 2 gold You gain +1 maximum MP.

Archmage

26 Prismatic Potion 2 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you gain resistance to Astral and
Running the Game

Lunar for the rest of the scene.

27 Swiftness Potion 2 gold You gain +1 Speed.

28 Ruptured Flask 1 gold This support item is equipped for free. Support Item  Light  Consumable
3, Innate  Minor Action. You expend a charge and your aetheric field
becomes dangerously unstable. You gain a d6 Explosion Die that starts at 1.
Whenever you take damage, increase the value of your Explosion Die by 1
to a maximum of 6. As a free action you can discharge this unstable energy
in a Burst 2 area, dealing an amount of Force equal to your Explosion Die
to characters in the AOE. You take half as much Force. This effect then ends.
Appendices

29 Titan Flask 3 gold You gain +2 Bulk.

30 Water-Breathing 1 gold You gain an Aquatic Adaptation.

Potion
A: Shops and Supplies

348
BLACKSMITH  Forged metal gear and equipment.

Getting Started
SUPPLY COST EFFECT

1 Adamantine Plating 2 gold 1/quest when one of your weapons or support items would be destroyed,
it isn’t.

2 Adaptive Armor 1 gold You become immune to the effects of an environmental factor or terrain
feature of your choice (excluding Locks).

3 Armor Kit 1 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you gain +1 Armor until the end
of the scene.

Building Beacons
4 Armor Spikes 1 gold You deal 1 Piercing Physical on hits with Grapple, Shove, or
improvised weapon attacks.

5 Buckler 1 gold You start each combat scene with 1 Focus.

6 Cold Iron Weapon 1 gold One of your weapons that deals Physical, Force, or Astral deals Lunar instead.

7 Counterweight 2 gold One of your melee weapons changes its type to club.

Running the Game

8 Deep-Plate Scabbard 3 gold You gain an extra Main weapon slot.

9 Handle 2 gold One of your melee weapons changes its type to longarm.

10 Helmet 1 gold 1/quest when you would become Dazed, you don’t.

11 Links 3 gold One of your Light weapon slots becomes Light Light.

12 Lockpick 1 gold 1/quest, you can automatically unlock a lock as a free action.

13 Manacles 1 gold 1/quest when you Grapple a character, they are Disarmed until the
grapple ends.

Appendices
14 Mithral Plating 2 gold Choose one of your weapons. When you use the Reroll Table to reroll an
attack with that weapon, the reroll gains +1 .

15 Padlock 1 gold As a free action while adjacent to a chest, door, or other object that can
be locked, you can lock it. Enemies receive +1 to unlock it.

16 Perfectly Balanced 2 gold One of your weapons gains Reliable 2.

A: Shops and Supplies

17 Portable Wall 1 gold Minor Action (1/quest): You can place a Size 2 piece of hard cover.

18 Reinforced 1 gold 1/quest when you would become Marked, you don’t.

19 Repair Kit 1 gold 1/quest during a Short Rest, you or an ally can repair a piece of destroyed
equipment without spending a Recovery.

20 Sharpened 2 gold One of your weapons crits on rolls of 19+, instead of 20+.

349
 BLACKSMITH  Forged metal gear and equipment.
Getting Started

SUPPLY COST EFFECT

21 Sharpening Stone 2 gold One of your melee weapons changes its type to blade.

22 Solarite Weapon 1 gold One of your weapons that deals Physical, Force, or Lunar deals Astral instead.

23 Specialty Weapon 3 gold One of your weapons gains +1 .

24 Thorium Weapon 1 gold One of your weapons that deals Force, Astral, or Lunar deals Physical instead.
Building Beacons

25 Wagon 3 gold During Short Rests, you and your allies can each swap out an equipped
weapon or support item with a different option for free. Destroyed weapons
and support items, and those with 0 charges remaining can’t be swapped.

26 Weapon Chain 1 gold One of your weapons can be used while Disarmed.

27 Weapon Ring 2 gold 1/quest at any time, you can swap out any number of your weapons for
different ones that can fit in the same slots.
Running the Game

LEATHERWORKER/CLOTHIER  Sturdy leather gear and lightweight clothing.

SUPPLY COST EFFECT

1 Ammo Pouch 2 gold Free Action (1/quest): You can reload a weapon.

2 Archmage Cloak 2 gold You gain +1 maximum MP.

3 Archmage Robes 1 gold You gain +1 on concentration saves.

4 Backpack 3 gold You gain an extra Main support slot.

Appendices

5 Behemoth Gloves 1 gold Your crits deal +2 bonus damage.

6 Bloodroot Belt 1 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you regain 1 MP at the start of
each round for the rest of the scene.

7 Driftwind Cloak 2 gold You gain +2 Dodge.

8 Dragonscale Lining 1 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you gain resistance to Astral or
A: Shops and Supplies

Lunar. You are Vulnerable to the other damage type. These effects
last for the rest of the scene.

9 Dragonstrike Gloves 2 gold Your weapon attacks critically hit on 19+, instead of 20+.

10 Explosive Ammunition 1 gold 1/quest, you can give one ranged weapon attack Blast 2 .

11 Fine Clothing 1 gold You gain +1 on skill checks to impress, convince, or make good im-
pressions.

350
LEATHERWORKER/CLOTHIER  Sturdy leather gear and lightweight clothing.

Getting Started
SUPPLY COST EFFECT

12 Focus Band 1 gold 1/quest when you would be reduced from full HP to 0 HP, you instead
go to 1 HP.

13 Frostfur Lining 2 gold You are immune to the Slowed condition from other characters.

14 Gem-Studded Belt 1 gold Minor Action (1/quest): You regain all your HP.

15 Handwraps 2 gold Your improvised weapon attacks deal +2 damage.

Building Beacons
16 Lava Tunic 2 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you become immune to Astral
for the rest of the scene.

17 Leather Kit 1 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you gain +1 Armor until the
end of the scene.

18 Polar Tunic 2 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you become immune to Lunar
for the rest of the scene.

Running the Game

19 Prismatic Armor 2 gold At the start of each combat scene, you randomly gain resistance to
either Physical, Astral, Lunar, or Force.

20 Raptor-Hide Boots 2 gold You gain +1 Speed.

21 Reins 3 gold You gain a mount, which counts as an allied NPC. It is 1 Size larger than
you, has HP equal to your Bloodied value, Dodge/A-Def 8, and Speed
4. The mount can carry one character smaller than it at a time. It moves
during Phase Reposition, and can only use its standard movement
and Rush. If the mount is reduced to 0 HP, it is defeated. You can
spend a Recovery to restore all the mount’s HP during a Short Rest.

Appendices
22 Runecloth Backpack 5 gold You gain an extra Heavy support slot.

23 Shadowcloak Armor 1 gold Free Action (1/quest): You can Hide.

24 Spellstrike Gloves 2 gold Your spell attacks critically hit on rolls of 19+, instead of 20+.

25 Spellweave Lining 2 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you gain resistance to all
damage from spells for the rest of the scene.
A: Shops and Supplies

26 Spidersilk Boots 2 gold You are immune to the Immobilized condition from other characters.

27 Spidersilk Bowstring 1 gold One of your bows gains +3 Range.

28 Sturdy Belt 3 gold You gain an extra Main weapon slot.

29 Tent 3 gold 1/quest when you take a Short Rest, you reduce all Recovery costs
by –1 for you and your allies that rest, to a minimum of 0.

30 Wild Armor 1 gold You gain two random +1 bonuses to your Bulk, Agility, Mind, or Magic
checks/saves this quest. Randomly determine where each increase goes.
Both increases can go into the same ability score.
351
 ENGINEER  Cutting-edge tech and magitech.
Getting Started

SUPPLY COST EFFECT

1 Arcane Focus 2 gold You gain +1 maximum MP.

2 Arcane Retrofit 2 gold One of your weapons changes its type to artifact.

3 Auto-Picker 2 gold Free Action(1/scene): You can automatically disable either a Trap or a lock.

4 Autofeeder 3 gold Minor Action (1/scene): You can reload one weapon.
Building Beacons

5 Bayonet Attachment 1 gold One of your ranged weapons gains Reach 1 .

6 Blasting Charges 2 gold 1/quest, you destroy a piece of terrain Size 1 or smaller, or create a Size
1 hole in a larger piece of terrain.

7 Bouncing Betty 1 gold Flying characters trigger your Traps, and aren’t immune to them.
Upgrade

8 Combined Weapon 3 gold One of your weapons gains another, additional weapon type.
Running the Game

9 Composite 2 gold One of your ranged weapons changes its type to bow.
Construction

10 Crawling Mines 1 gold Minor Action: You move one of your Traps up to 2 spaces.

11 Dynamite 2 gold This support item is equipped for free. Support Item  Main 
Consumable 1, Innate, Thrown 5  Minor Action. Expend a charge and
select a space within the thrown Range. The dynamite explodes in that
space, and all characters in a Blast 2 AOE must make an Agility save.
Failure: They take 2d6 Force . Success: They take half damage.
If this support item is destroyed, it immediately explodes with the
Blast 2 AOE centered on you.
Appendices

12 Echo Weapon 2 gold One of your weapons gains Aetheric.

13 Environmental 1 gold Gain an adaptation to an environmental factor.

Integration

14 Flight Systems 3 gold You have flight.

15 Gadget Goggles 2 gold You are immune to the Blinded condition from other characters.
A: Shops and Supplies

16 Grapple Gun 1 gold Minor Action (1/scene): You can fly up to 3 spaces.

17 Hydraulic Suit 1 gold You count as +1 Size larger for the purposes of Grapple and Shove.

18 Jetpack 2 gold 1/quest, you have flight for the duration of a combat scene.

19 Minor Job Crystal 2 gold You gain access to a job of your choice, which must be equipped as normal.
For the duration of this quest, you can imprint into an additional job crystal.

352
ENGINEER  Cutting-edge tech and magitech.

Getting Started
SUPPLY COST EFFECT

20 Mech Suit 3 gold Free Action (1/quest): You can activate a mech suit. You gain the following
benefits for the rest of the scene: +2 Size, temp HP equal to 2+Grit, +2
Armor. You can Grapple and Shove as a minor action. Additionally,
if you take a Wound or Overstress and it isn’t your fourth of that type, you
don’t have to make the wound or overstress roll.

21 Reflective Coating 2 gold You gain +2 A-Def.

Building Beacons
22 Spyglass 1 gold You gain +2 Scope.

23 Tech Retrofit 2 gold One of your weapons changes its type to magitech.

24 Telescoping 2 gold One of your melee weapons changes its type to longarm.

25 Walking Bomb 1 gold Walking Bomb (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 3, Tags: Summon)

1/quest, you can create a walking bomb in an adjacent space as a minor

action. As a minor action, you can detonate the bomb. All characters in a

Running the Game

Burst 2 AOE must make an Agility save. Failure: They take 2d6 Force .
Success: They take half damage.

Appendices
A: Shops and Supplies

353
 TAVERN  Food and drink to keep you full and hydrated.
Getting Started

SUPPLY COST EFFECT

1 Appetizers 1 gold Your Summons gain +2 maximum HP.

2 Bubble Tea 2 gold 1/round when you would trigger a Trap, you can make an Agility check to
avoid doing so.

3 Chicken Curry 1 gold You gain +2 to Agility checks and saves.

4 Dino Steak 1 gold You gain +2 to Bulk checks and saves.

Building Beacons

5 Dragon Stout 1 gold You gain +2 to Magic checks and saves.

6 Elf Cookies 2 gold You gain +2 Save Target.

7 Feast 2 gold Free Action (1/quest): You can Refresh.

8 Fruit Smoothie 2 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you become immune to Lunar for
the rest of the scene.
Running the Game

9 Gillyeel 1 gold You gain an Aquatic Adaptation.

10 Ginger Tea 1 gold 1/quest when you would be Silenced by another character, you aren’t.

11 Grilled Salmon 1 gold You gain +2 to Mind checks and saves.

12 Grog 1 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you can clear 1 Stress at the start of
each of your turns for the rest of the scene.

13 Hard Bread 1 gold You are immune to forced movement from other characters.

14 Hero’s Feast 3 gold You can use your limit break a second time this quest.
Appendices

15 Honey Walleye 1 gold You start each combat scene with 1 Focus.

16 Hot Cocoa 1 gold Each round you can use one Reroll Table option 2/round instead of 1/round.

17 Jungle Jelly 3 gold You move normally in difficult terrain.

18 Leftovers 1 gold You regain 1 HP at the start of each round.

A: Shops and Supplies

19 Lucky Lollipop 1 gold Whenever you defeat an enemy, roll 1d6. On 5+, you gain 1 gold. This can
trigger 5 times.

20 Mac & Cheese 2 gold You only take 2 damage from dangerous terrain.

21 Mango Moxie 1 gold 1/quest when you take a Wound or Overstress and it isn’t your fourth of that
type, you don’t make the wound or overstress roll.

354
TAVERN  Food and drink to keep you full and hydrated.

Getting Started
SUPPLY COST EFFECT

22 Margarita 2 gold 1/scene when you use the Strain option from the Reroll Table, you only gain
1 Stress.

23 Milkshake 1 gold You gain +1 on saves while adjacent allies.

24 Rising Risotto 1 gold Minor Action: You stand up from Prone.

25 Rockfruit 1 gold 1/quest when you would be Sundered by another character, you aren’t.

Building Beacons
26 Spicy Noodles 2 gold 1/quest at the start of a combat scene, you become immune to Astral for
the rest of the scene.

27 Transmutive 1 gold You change your ancestry for the duration of the quest, choosing a new an-
Biscuits cestry trait.

28 Wildfruit 2 gold You gain two random +2 bonuses to your Bulk, Agility, Mind, or Magic
checks/saves this quest. Randomly determine where each increase goes. Both
increases can go into the same ability score.

Running the Game

MAGIC SHOP / DOJO
Magic shops and dojos stock random assortments of LOOT techniques, which can be purchased as
Supplies. Magic shops sell spells, while dojos sell skills.
Techniques received as Supplies are equipped for free, and are destroyed at the end of the quest
as normal.

1 Uncommon Technique 1 gold

2 Rare Technique 2 gold

Appendices
3 Legendary Technique 3 gold

A: Shops and Supplies

355
 B: LOOT
Getting Started

Loot is bonus equipment and techniques that beacons earn as quest rewards. Loot is usually
presented to the players in loot crates (p. 257), each of which is three pieces of loot from
which the player can select one to keep.
The GM can either randomly or manually pick loot to give to PCs. The tables later in this
appendix arrange loot by type (weapon, support item, technique) and rarity (Uncommon,
Rare, Legendary) to make it easier to randomly generate loot. In addition, a loot crate
randomizer can be found here.
This section lists all loot in alphabetical order.
Building Beacons

Absorb ElementsReaction Aether Flask Minor Action

Spell (Rare)  1 Memory  Mana 1 Support Item (Uncommon)  Light 
Consumable 2
Trigger: You or an ally within Scope would take
Astral or Lunar. Drinking this potion suffuses you with aetheric ener-
gies until the end of your next turn. You can expend a
Effect: They gain resistance to that damage. charge to receive all of the following effects:
Running the Game

Ø You cannot attack or use spells.

Absorption Fight Ø You are immune to Physical, Astral, and Lunar.
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Artifact Ø You can move through solid objects as if they were
Reach 1 1d6+1 Physical difficult terrain, but you can’t end a turn inside
one. If you end a turn inside or partly inside an
On Crit: You regain 1 MP and your target loses 1 MP. object, you are moved to the last free space you
moved through that turn.

Adamantine Armor
Support Item (Rare)  Heavy  Aether Shield
Armor, Unbreakable Spell (Rare)  1 Memory  Mana X, Unique
Appendices

+3 Armor, –2 Speed, –2 Dodge. Additionally, when When you would take damage (after Armor and resis-
you would be critically hit, it becomes a normal hit tances), you can spend MP to reduce the damage tak-
instead. en. You take –2 damage for every 1 MP spent. This spell
can’t reduce Piercing damage or Discord, and can’t
be used if you are incapable of taking reactions.
Adamantine Construction
Support Item (Legendary)  Light 
Enchantment, Unbreakable, Unique Agile Discord
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory
B: Loot

You may use one of the following Enchantments

at a time: You can use Agility instead of Magic when making
checks to clear Discord.
Ø Any Armor: This Armor gains +1 Armor and is
Unbreakable.
Ø Any Weapon: This weapon gains Piercing and
Unbreakable.

356
Aid Reaction (1/Round) Animated Shield
Spell (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Mana 1 Support Item (Rare)  Light  Summon

Getting Started
Range = Scope
Trigger: An ally within Scope makes an ability check
or save. You gain the Shield Block reaction. If you meet the
trigger condition of Shield Block while using Inter-
Effect: You grant them +1 on the check or save. pose, you can automatically use its effect as part of
that Interpose reaction.

Ammo Kit Minor Action Animated Shield (Size 1, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10,

Support Item (Uncommon)  Main  Speed 0)
Consumable 2

Building Beacons
Minor Action: You deploy this shield as a Summon
You or an adjacent ally can expend a charge to reload within Range or return it to you. While it is deployed,
a single weapon. it provides hard cover and you cannot use the other
effects provided by this support item.

Amulet of Health
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light Shield Block Reaction (1/round)

You gain +1 on Bulk checks and saves. Additionally, Trigger: You would take Physical, Astral, Lunar,
when you Refresh, you gain 4 temp HP. or Force.

Running the Game

Effect: You take 2 Stress and gain resistance
Angelsteel Armor to that damage.
Support Item (Legendary)  Heavy  Armor

+2 Armor, –1 Speed, –1 Dodge. Additionally, when Armor of Growing Endurance

you are hit by an attack, you can spend 1 MP to add Support Item (Rare)  Light  Enchantment
your current Armor to your Dodge or A-Def against
the attack, potentially turning a hit into a miss. This You may use one of the following Enchantments
effect can be used once per attack, and can’t be used at a time:
while you are Sundered.
Ø Any Armor: When you take a Wound while this

Appendices
Armor is equipped, you gain temp HP equal to
Animate Objects Minor Action your Bloodied value.
Spell (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Mana X Ø Any Armor: When you take an Overstress while
Range = Scope this Armor is equipped, you gain charges equal to
your Breaking Point. Until the end of the scene,
You move an object or piece of terrain within Range whenever you would take Stress, you can instead
up to 6 spaces. The amount of MP you spend deter- spend 1 charge per Stress.
mines the Size of the object or piece of terrain you
can move:
B: Loot

Armor Plates
Ø Size 1/2: 1 MP Support Item (Uncommon)  Light 
Ø Size 1: 2 MP Enchantment, Unique
Ø Size 2: 3 MP
Ø Size 3: 4 MP You may use one of the following Enchantments
at a time:

Ø Any Armor: This Armor grants +1 Armor.

Ø Any Weapon: On a critical hit with this weapon,
you gain +1 Armor until the end of your next turn.

357
 Astral Infusion Minor Action Bane Reaction (1/Round)
Spell (Rare)  1 Memory  Mana 1 Spell (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Mana 2
Getting Started

Range = Scope
Trigger: An enemy within Scope makes an attack roll.
You place the following Enchantment on a weapon
equipped by an ally within Range (their choice). It Effect: They receive +1 on the roll.
lasts until the end of their next turn:

Ø Any Weapon: On a hit, this weapon deals +1d6 Banish Channel

bonus Astral. Spell (Legendary)  3 Memory  Mana 2
Range = Scope
Building Beacons

Astral Projection Volley On Release: One target within Range is removed

Spell (Rare)  2 Memory  Mana 3, Summon from play. They return to play during Phase Delay
Range = Scope of the next round in the same space or the nearest
free space. Each character can only be affected by
Astral Projection (Size = your Size, HP 5, this ability 1/scene.
Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 0)

You create a projection within Range that doesn’t Barbed Enchantment

require line of sight. It is immune to Physical. Support Item (Uncommon)  Light 
You can use this projection as the point of origin Enchantment
Running the Game

for your spell and Aetheric attacks. Additionally, 1/

turn on your turn, the projection can Mark a target You may use one of the following Enchantments
within your Scope as a free action. at a time:

Ø Any Armor: This Armor grants +1 on Grapple

Backstabber Fight attacks and checks related to Grapple and being
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Light Blade  Grappled. Additionally, when you end your turn
Accurate Reach 1 1d3 Physical Grappled with a character, they take 2 Physical .
Ø Any Melee Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell At-
On Crit: This attack deals +1d6 bonus damage. tack: On a critical hit with this weapon, you can
Grapple the target as a free action.
Appendices

Bag of Holding
Support Item (Rare)  Free  Unique, Barkskin Minor Action
Unbreakable Spell (Uncommon)  2 Memory Range = Scope

One of your other support slots increases by one size An ally within Range gains 1 Focus.
(i.e., from Light to Main, or Main to Heavy).

Barkskin Armor Minor Action

Baleful Polymorph Channel Support Item (Rare)  Light  Armor, Mana X
B: Loot

Spell (Legendary)  3 Memory  Mana 3,

Polymorph Range = Scope You gain Armor equal to the MP spent. Whenever
you take damage, the Armor granted by this effect
On Release: One target within Range is transformed into decreases by –1.
a Size 1/2 creature that can’t attack or use spells. They
can make a Magic save at the end of each of their turns
to end this effect, and they automatically revert to their Battle Chant Minor Action
normal form if they take any damage. Each character can Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Stressful 1
only be affected by this spell 1/scene.
Allies adjacent at the time of use gain +1 on their
next attack roll before the end of the round.

358
Beam Saber Fight Blinding Powder Minor Action
Melee Weapon (Rare)  Main Blade  Piercing Support Item (Rare)  Light  Consumable 3

Getting Started
Reach 1 1d6+1 Astral
You can expend a charge to make an adjacent enemy
You ignore all penalties from low visibility. Blinded until the end of their next turn.

Beast Bond Bloodstone Armor

Skill (Legendary)  2 Memory Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Armor,
Consumable 1
When you use the Reroll Table, you can choose one of
your Summons within Range 3 to suffer the effects +1 Armor. Additionally, when you become Bloodied,

Building Beacons
instead of you. you can expend a charge to gain resistance to all
damage until the end of your next turn.
You can regain charges for this item during Short
Belt of Giantkind Rests by spending 1 Recovery per charge.
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light

You count as +1 Size larger for the purposes of Bloodthirst Fight

Shove, Grapple, and stopping movement as a Melee Skill Attack (Uncommon)  1 Memory 
result of Engagement. Accurate, Stressful 1 Reach 1 1d3+1 Lunar

Running the Game

On Crit: You regain HP equal to the damage the target
Belt of Growing and Shrinking Minor Action takes from the attack (after Armor and resistance).
Support Item (Uncommon)  Main  Mana 1

Your Size changes by +1 or –1, to a minimum of 1/2 Blur

and maximum of 4. This effect lasts until the end of Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique
the scene.
You gain +2 Dodge.

Bestow Curse Minor Action

Spell (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Mana 2 Bonecaller Armor
Support Item (Rare)  Main  Armor, Summon

Appendices
An adjacent enemy must make a Magic save. Failure:
They are Dazed until the end of their next turn. +1 Armor.

Shambling Skeleton (Size 1, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10,

Black Hole Volley Speed 2)
Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Heavy Artifact  Mana 1,
Aetheric Range 15, Blast 1 2d6+1 Force Minor Action: You create a shambling skeleton in
a free adjacent space. Enemies that end their turn
On Hit: The target is Sundered until the end of their adjacent to the skeleton take 3 Physical .
B: Loot

next turn.

Blackiron Armor
Support Item (Rare)  Heavy  Armor

+3 Armor, –1 Speed, –1 Dodge. Additionally, you gain

resistance to Astral and Lunar.

359
 Book of Alternative Explosions Caduceus Volley
Support Item (Legendary)  Light  Mana X Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Main Artifact 
Getting Started

Aetheric Range 8 2 Stress

1/turn when you use an ability with an AOE (Blast,
Burst, Close Blast, Line), you can apply one of the On Hit: One ally within Scope gains 3 temp HP.
following effects. Each effect costs a different amount
of MP:
Cartwheel Reaction (1/round)
Ø Restorative (2 MP): Instead of taking any damage, Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory
characters in the AOE regain HP equal to the dam-
age that would have been dealt. Trigger: You are hit by an attack.
Ø Flexible (1 MP): You can change the damage that
Building Beacons

would be dealt from Physical, Astral, Lunar, or Effect: You shift 2 after the damage.
Force to a different one of these types.
Ø Eye of the Storm (2 MP, Blast only): The center
space of the AOE is excluded from the effects. Catch a Breath Free Action
Ø Phased (2 MP): Cover and terrain don’t block line Skill (Rare)  2 Memory  Focus X, Unique
of sight for the AOE.
Ø Reliable (X MP): If the AOE deals Physical, Astral, You regain 1 HP per Focus spent.
Lunar, or Force, it gains Reliable equal to the MP
spent.
Chain Blade Fight
Running the Game

Submitted by Saleibriel Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Light Blade

Range 5 / Reach 1 1d3+1 Physical

Book of Endless Pages

Support Item (Legendary)  Main  Unique Chainsaw Blade Fight
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Heavy Magitech
One of your equipped techniques has its Memory Reach 1 2d6+2 Physical
cost reduced to 1. This lasts for the rest of the quest,
even if this item is destroyed. Whenever you roll a 1 on any damage dice with this
weapon, you take 1 Stress and roll that die again. This
effect can trigger on the same die multiple times and
Boots of Levitation Minor Action is not optional.
Appendices

Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Mana 1

You start Flying, but can’t move. You can only clear Challenge-Seeker Fight
this status by ending this effect as a minor action. Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Longarm
Reach 2 1d3+2 Physical

Boots of Speed Minor Action This weapon deals +1d6 bonus damage against tar-
Support Item (Legendary)  Light  Stressful 1 gets that have their maximum HP.
B: Loot

You Rush.
Charging Spear Fight
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Longarm
Broom of Flying Free Action Reach 2 1d6+1 Physical
Support Item (Rare)  Main  Mana 1
When you use the movement option from Rush,
You gain Flying until you end it as a free action. you can Fight with this weapon at +1 when you
end the movement.

360
Chill Touch Minor Action Cursesong Armor
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Mana 1 Support Item (Rare)  Main  Armor, Mana X

Getting Started
You deal 2 Lunar to an adjacent target. +2 Armor. Gain the Curse reaction.

Cleansing Touch Minor Action Curse Reaction (1/round)

Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Mana 2
Trigger: You are hit by an attack from a character
You clear one condition from an adjacent ally. within Scope.

Effect: You spend up to 3 MP, giving them +1

Building Beacons
Cloak of Protection Minor Action on all attacks, checks, and saves per MP spent.
Support Item (Uncommon)  Main This decreases by –1 at the end of each of their
turns.
You gain 1 Focus.

Dancing Blade Fight

Conductor’s Baton Volley Melee Weapon (Rare)  Main Blade  Summon
Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Light Artifact  Reach 1    1d6+1 Physical   
Aetheric Range 8 1d3+2 Force
Dancing Blade (Size 1/2, HP 10, Dodge/A-Def 10,

Running the Game

On Hit: You can spend 1 MP to force the target to Speed = your Speed)
make a Magic save. Failure: They are Silenced until
the end of their next turn. Minor Action: You deploy this weapon within Scope.
It has flight. You can attack with this weapon from
its space.
Counterspell Reaction (1/round) If the dancing blade is reduced to 0 HP, it is
Spell (Legendary)  2 Memory  Mana 2 destroyed and returns to you. You can recall it as a
minor action if it is within Scope, but any damage it
Trigger: A character within Scope uses a spell. has taken remains until you Rest.

Effect: The character must make a Magic save. Failure:

The spell fizzles and the action is lost. Danger Sense

Appendices
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Unique

Critical Healing You get +1 on saves against AOE effects.

Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Unique

When you restore HP to a Bloodied character, they Darkleaf Armor

regain an additional +2 HP. Support Item (Rare)  Light  Armor

+1 Armor. Gain the Darkshade reaction.

B: Loot

Cryo Cannon Volley

Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Heavy Magitech
Line 8 1d6+3 Lunar Darkshade Reaction (1/round)

On Hit: The target is Slowed until the end of their Trigger: You are hit by a melee attack.
next turn. If they are already Slowed, they are also
Immobilized until the end of their next turn. Effect: You spend 1 Focus and deal 3 Lunar to
the attacker.

361
 Darksight Armor Defensive Fighter
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Armor Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Unique
Getting Started

+1 Armor. Additionally, you ignore all penalties from 1/round when you critically hit, you gain 1 Focus.
low visibility and don’t treat Hidden characters as
Invisible in areas of low visibility.
Deflect Reaction (1/round)
Skill (Rare)  2 Memory  Unique
Death’s Gambit Dice
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light Trigger: You are hit by an attack and reduce the dam-
age to 0 through Armor or other effects.
When you make a wound roll, you can roll twice and
Building Beacons

take either result. Effect: You negate any effects the attack would have
on you, and can force the attacker to reroll the attack
against a character or object adjacent to you.
Defender’s Bond
Support Item (Rare)  Light  Unique
Delayed Healing
When you equip this item or during a Rest, you and Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Unique
one ally can attune to this item. Only one ally can be
attuned at a time, and they can end the attunement When you would regain HP from any source other
at any time, including during combat. This doesn’t than this skill, you only regain half the amount. Then,
Running the Game

require an action. You and the attuned ally each gain at the start of your next turn, you regain HP equal to
the Unbreakable Bond reaction. the original full amount. This effect isn’t optional.

Submitted by M. Tyson.
Demigod
Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique
Unbreakable Bond Reaction (1/round)
You are immune to the Dazed condition, and you
Trigger: Your attuned ally is targeted by an attack gain +2 Stress Cap.
while within Range 10 .

Effect: You and the ally switch places, teleport- Desync

Appendices

ing into each other’s spaces, and you become the Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique
target of the attack instead. This effect counts as if
you used Interpose on that ally. Whenever you take a Wound or Overstress, you can
choose to be removed from play until the start of
your next turn. You are immune to all damage and
Defending Enchantment effects while removed from play and can’t move or
Support Item (Rare)  Main  Enchantment perform any actions, but your Traps and Summons
are unaffected as long as they don’t require you to
You may use one of the following Enchantments perform an action. You return to play in the space
B: Loot

at a time: you left, or the nearest free space.

Ø Any Weapon: 1/turn when you hit with this weap-

on, you gain 1 Focus.
Ø Any Armor: When you Defend or Refresh
while this Armor is equipped, you gain 2 Focus.

362
Devil’s Crown Reaction (1/round) Double Spell
Support Item (Legendary)  Light  Mana 1 Spell (Legendary)  3 Memory  Mana 3

Getting Started
Trigger: You take Physical, Astral, Lunar, or Force 1/round when you use or Release a spell, you can
after Armor and resistance. immediately use a duplicate of that spell. The target
must be within Range 5 of the original target and
Effect: The damage is reduced by –1d6. If the source cannot be the original target. Each character can only
of the damage is within Scope, deal Piercing damage be affected by one of these spells per turn.
to them equal to the damage reduced.

Submitted by Me the Maou. Dragon Force Fists Fight

Melee Weapon (Rare)  Light Club

Building Beacons
Reach 1, Close Blast 1 2 Discord
Dimension Anchor Fight
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Heavy Club 
Inaccurate Reach 1 3d6 Physical Dragon Mask Fight
Support Item (Uncommon)  Main  Mana 1
On Hit: The target must make a Magic save. Failure: Close Blast 2
They are Immobilized until the end of their next
turn. Characters Immobilized by this weapon can’t You make a melee spell attack against characters in
be subject to forced movement while Immobilized, the AOE that deals 1d6+1 Astral or Lunar , chosen
even teleportation. when equipped.

Running the Game

Displacer CloakReaction Duck Reaction (1/round)
Support Item (Rare)  Main  Mana 1 Skill (Uncommon)  2 Memory

Trigger: You are hit by an attack. Trigger: You are hit by an attack.

Effect: You teleport a number of spaces equal to the Effect: You gain resistance to any damage from the
damage dealt (after Armor and resistance), to a mini- attack, but you become Prone.
mum of 1 space and maximum of 10 spaces.

Durable Construction

Appendices
Distracting Force Minor Action Support Item (Uncommon)  Light 
Spell (Uncommon)  2 Memory  Mana 1 Enchantment, Unbreakable, Unique

A character that is channeling within Scope must You may use the following Enchantment:
make a concentration save.
Ø Any Equipment or Technique: This equipment or
technique gains Unbreakable.
Distracting Strike Fight
Melee Skill Attack (Uncommon)  1 Memory
B: Loot

Reach 1 3 Physical Efficient Burns

Skill (Rare)  2 Memory  Unique
On Hit: The target is Marked.
When an enemy within Scope fails a check to clear
Discord to which you contributed, you regain 1 MP.
Distraction Mark
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory Burst 1

You Mark all enemies in the AOE.

363
 Electrical Pack Endless Stamina
Support Item (Uncommon)  Main  Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique
Getting Started

Consumable 3, Enchantment, Unique

Your Surge cost never goes above 1d6 Stress.
You may use the following Enchantment:

Ø Any Melee Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell Energy Shield Volley

Attack: On a melee hit with this weapon, you can Spell (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Mana X
expend a charge to deal +1d6 bonus Astral. Range = Scope

You or an ally within Range gain 2 temp HP per MP

Elemental Burst Armor spent, to a maximum of 5 MP. Until the target loses
Building Beacons

Support Item (Rare)  Main  Armor all their temp HP, they have resistance to Astral or
Lunar, chosen by the caster when used.
+2 Armor, –1 Dodge. When you equip this Armor, you
gain resistance to either Astral or Lunar.
Additionally, you automatically clear all Discord Escape Enchantment
at the end of your turn. When you do, you create a Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Enchantment
Burst 1 AOE. Enemies in the AOE take damage of
the type chosen previously equal to the amount of You may use one of the following Enchantments
Discord cleared. at a time:
Running the Game

Ø Any Armor: This Armor allows you to escape from

Elemental Enchantment any grapple as a minor action.
Support Item (Legendary)  Light  Ø Any Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell Attack: You
Enchantment, Unique can use this weapon or technique to attack char-
acters you are Grappled with as a minor action.
You may use one of the following Enchantments
at a time:
Ethereal Walk Minor Action
Ø Any Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell Attack: This Skill (Legendary)  2 Memory  Mana 2
ability deals +1d3 Astral or Lunar.
Ø Any Armor: This Armor grants resistance to Astral You enter the ethereal plane, gaining resistance to
or Lunar. Physical but becoming Vulnerable to Force for the
Appendices

duration. You can return to your normal state as a

minor action.
Elven Cloak
Support Item (Uncommon)  Main
Execute
Search checks against you receive +1 . Addi- Skill (Rare)  2 Memory  Unique
tionally, while you are in difficult terrain, you are
Invisible while Hidden. You deal +1d6 bonus damage on critical hits against
Bloodied characters.
B: Loot

Ember Volley
Ranged Spell Attack (Uncommon)  1 Memory Exploding Heart Full Attack
Range = Scope 2 Astral + 1 Discord Melee Skill Attack (Legendary)  2 Memory 
Slow Reach 1 3 Stress

Empowered Spells On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure: The
Spell (Rare)  2 Memory  Mana 1, Unique Stress dealt by this attack is either equal to their Breaking
point or as normal, whichever is higher. Additionally, they
1/round when you use a spell, you can give it +2 Save are Stunned until the end of their next turn. Success: They
Target. are Slowed until the end of their next turn.

364
Extend Spell Firebrand Fight
Spell (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Mana X, Unique Melee Weapon (Legendary)  Main Blade

Getting Started
Reach 1 1d6 Physical + 2 Discord
When you cast a spell with Range, you can increase
its Range by +2 for each MP spent. You ignore all penalties from low visibility.
On Crit: This attack deals +2 Discord.

Extended Scope
Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique Flamethrower Volley
Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Heavy Magitech
You gain +3 Scope. Close Blast 2 5 Discord

Building Beacons
False Swipe Fight Flare Channel
Melee Skill Attack (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Ranged Spell Attack (Legendary)  1 Memory
Accurate, Reliable 3 Reach 1 2d6+2 Physical  Auto-Hit, Mana X
Range = Scope, Blast 2 4d6 Force
This attack can’t reduce targets below 1 HP.
This attack consumes all of your MP, and you must
have at least 2 MP to use it.
Fast Movement
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Unique On Release: All characters in the AOE are auto-hit.

Running the Game

You gain +1 Speed.
Flash Step Standard Movement
Skill (Legendary)  2 Memory  Stressful 1,
Fatigue Fight Unique
Melee Weapon (Rare)  Main Magitech 
Reliable 2 Reach 1 1d6 Physical You teleport up to your Speed.

On Hit: You can spend 1 MP to change the damage

type of this attack to Stress. Fleetfoot Armor
Support Item (Rare)  Light  Armor, Mana X

Appendices
Feel No Pain +1 Armor.
Skill (Rare)  2 Memory  Unique
Minor Action (1–3 MP): You gain +1 Speed for each
While you have 3+ Wounds, you gain resistance to MP spent until the end of your turn.
all damage. While you have 3+ Overstresses, you gain
resistance to Stress.
Additionally, when you receive your fourth Wound Flawless Job Crystal
or Overstress, you aren’t defeated and can keep acting Support Item (Legendary)  Free 
as normal, although you can’t regain HP or clear Stress Unbreakable
B: Loot

until you Rest. Roll 1d6 whenever you take damage

or Stress in this state. On a 1, you are defeated. When you acquire this item, you gain permanent ac-
cess to a job of your choice without needing any levels
in that job’s class. If you acquire this item again, you
Feral Instincts must pick a different job.
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory

You are immune to the Blinded condition.

365
 Frightening Howl Fight Gambling Dice
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Stressful 1 Burst 1 Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Consum-
Getting Started

able 3, Unique
All enemies in the AOE must make a Mind save.
Failure: They take 2 Stress and are unable to When you would make an attack roll, you can instead
voluntarily move further away from you during their expend a charge and roll 1d6 to determine the out-
next turn. come of the attack:

Ø 1: You miss and take 2 Stress .

Frost Bolt Volley Ø 2–3: You miss.
Ranged Spell Attack (Uncommon)  2 Memory Ø 4–5: You hit.
Range = Scope 2 Stress Ø 6: You crit.
Building Beacons

On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:

They are Slowed until the end of their next turn. Ghost Fist
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory

Frost Fang Fight Your improvised weapon attacks can deal Force, and
Melee Weapon (Rare)  Light Longarm you can Opportunity Attack with them as if they
Reach 1, Line 5 1d3+1 Lunar have Reach 1 .

Frost Lance Ghost Gloves

Running the Game

Volley
Ranged Spell Attack (Rare)  2 Memory Support Item (Uncommon)  Light
Line 10 2 Stress
Your improvised weapon attacks gain the Aetheric
On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure: tag and deal Force. You can Opportunity Attack
They are Slowed until the end of their next turn. with them as if they have Reach 1 .

On Crit: The target is automatically Slowed until the

end of their next turn and must make a Bulk save. Ghostwalker Armor
Failure: They are Immobilized for the same duration. Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Armor,
Mana 1
Appendices

Fusion Cannon Volley +1 Armor.

Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Heavy Magitech 
Stressful 1, Unique Range 8 1d6+1 Astral Minor Action: You gain the ability to move through
characters and objects until the end of your turn, and
After you hit and deal damage with this weapon, its ignore Engagement for the same duration.
damage increases by +1d6 Astral, to a maximum
of +4d6 Astral in addition to its standard damage.
The damage is only increased once per attack. This Give Order Minor Action
weapon’s damage returns to its normal value when Skill (Uncommon)  2 Memory  Arcing,
B: Loot

you end a round without hitting a target with it. Stressful 1 Range = Scope

One of your Summons within Range moves up to 4

spaces, even if they don’t have a Speed.

366
Golden Carp Volley Guard Break Fight
Spell (Legendary)  2 Memory  Summon Melee Skill Attack (Uncommon)  1 Memory

Getting Started
Range = Scope Reach 1 2 Stress

Golden Carp (Size 1/2, HP 15, Dodge/A-Def 10, Speed 1) On Hit: Until the end of the target’s next turn, they
can’t perform reactions, take damage on the behalf
You create a golden carp within Range. It cannot of others, or make themselves the target of attacks
perform actions. on the behalf of their allies.
As a free action during each of your following
turns, you must spend 2 MP or the carp is dismissed.
Once you have spent 6 MP in this way, the carp Hamstring Fight
transforms with the following effects: Melee Skill Attack (Rare)  1 Memory 

Building Beacons
Reach 1 3 Stress
Ø It becomes a Size 3 Summon, pushing other char-
acters out of its spaces and destroying non-objec- On Hit: Until the end of their next turn, the target
tive objects and terrain it grows into. takes 2 Stress every time they attack or use a spell.
Ø It regains all HP, clears all conditions, and gains the
ability to take actions.
Ø It gains flight, a Speed of 4, and 2 Armor. Hand Cannon Volley
Ø It gains the Dragonflame weapon listed below, Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Heavy Magitech
and can use it as a standard action. Range 5 / Reach 3 10 Force

Running the Game

You must continue spending 2 MP as a free action If the target is within this weapon’s Reach, it attacks
during each of your turns to keep the carp in play with Push 1. This weapon’s deals –2 damage for every
active. If you fail to do so, it is dismissed. space beyond Range 1 the target is from you.

Submitted by Grant Sumabat.

Dragonflame Fight
Melee Weapon Line 15 6 Discord
Harpoon Fight
The AOE becomes dangerous terrain (Agility, Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Heavy Longarm
5 Astral ) for the rest of the scene or until the  Pull 1, Thrown 5
carp is defeated or dismissed. Reach 1 / Thrown 5 1d6+5 Physical

Appendices
Grounded Caster Headband of Intellect
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Unique Support Item (Rare)  Light  Unique

1/round when you crit with a spell attack, the ground You gain +1 Memory, and +1 on Mind checks and
around you becomes temporarily supercharged. Until saves.
the start of your next turn, non-Flying characters that
start their turn adjacent to you take 2 Astral .
Healer’s Pact Free Action
B: Loot

Spell (Legendary)  1 Memory

Ground Pounder Volley
Spell (Rare)  2 Memory  Mana 2, Summon 1/scene, you can activate this ability when you restore
Range = Scope HP to an ally. At the start of each of your subsequent
turns, you regain 2 MP if you restored HP to an ally
Ground Pounder (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, since the start of your prior turn. If you didn’t, this
Speed 0) effect ends.

You create a ground pounder within Range. At the Submitted by Dolenwen.

end of each of your turns, each enemy adjacent to the
ground pounder must make an Agility save. Failure:
They are Slowed until the end of their next turn.
367
 Healing Mace Fight Hexbolt Channel
Melee Weapon (Rare)  Main Club  Ranged Spell Attack (Rare)  1 Memory 
Getting Started

Inaccurate Reach 1 4d3+1 Physical Auto-Hit, Mana 1 Range = Scope 2d6 Lunar

This weapon loses the Inaccurate tag and instead On Release: One target within Range is auto-hit and
gains +2 when attacking allies. connected to a continuous beam of magic. On sub-
sequent turns, as long as they remain within Range,
On Hit: Instead of dealing damage, you can spend 1 you can use a minor action to deal 2 Lunar to them
MP to heal the target for the amount of damage that automatically.
would have been dealt. This connection lasts until the target is no longer
within Range, you use this ability again, or you be-
come Stunned or Silenced.
Building Beacons

Heaven-Piercing Fang Volley

Ranged Skill Attack (Uncommon)  1 Memory
 Range 5 1d6+3 Astral Hold Channel
Spell (Uncommon)  2 Memory  Mana 1
Range = Scope
Heavy Draw
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Unique On Release: One target within Range takes 2 Stress
and is Immobilized until the end of their next turn.
Your weapons with Range gain +3 Range.

Homing Enchantment
Running the Game

Helm of Teleportation Minor Action Support Item (Rare)  Main  Enchantment

Support Item (Legendary)  Main  Mana 2
You may use the following Enchantment:
You teleport up to 1d6+2 spaces.
Ø Any Ranged Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell Attack:
This weapon or technique gains Homing.
Hemorrhage
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Unique
Hydra Helmet
When you critically hit with a weapon attack, you Support Item (Rare)  Main
also deal 1 Discord .
Appendices

When you take a Wound or Overstress, you regain 4

HP at the start of your next turn, and 2 HP at the start
Heroic Leap Rush of the next turn after that one.
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Stressful 1,
Unique Minor Action: You change any number of Wounds
you have to an equal number of Overstresses, or vice
You teleport up to your Speed, to a minimum of 2 versa. This doesn’t trigger wound/overstress rolls.
spaces. When you end the movement, all characters
in a Burst 2 AOE take 2 Force .
B: Loot

Hydrus Full Attack

Melee Weapon (Rare)  Heavy Magitech 
Slow Reach 2 3d6 Physical

Minor Action: You make a Line 15 ranged weapon

attack that auto-hits all characters in the AOE for
5 Physical . After being used, this minor action can’t
be used again until it is reloaded as if it were a Re-
loading weapon.

Submitted by Grigori, That Knightmare Guy.

368
Ice Crown Volley Lava Lob Volley
Spell (Rare)  1 Memory  Mana 2 Ranged Spell Attack (Rare)  1 Memory

Getting Started
Range = Scope 1d6 Astral
You gain 3 Ice Shards (which is the maximum). As a
minor action, you can expend an Ice Shard to make Hits with this attack against targets with Discord be-
a ranged spell attack against a target within Scope, come critical hits.
dealing 3 Lunar on a hit.

Leap Minor Action

Improved Interpose Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Unique
Skill (Uncommon)  2 Memory  Unique
You instantly climb to the top of something to which

Building Beacons
You can Interpose when an ally within Range 4 is you are adjacent.
targeted, instead of within Range 3 , and you can
shift +1 space when doing so.
Leech Fight
Melee Weapon (Rare)  Main Magitech
Improved Spells Reach 1 1d3+2 Lunar
Skill (Uncommon)  2 Memory  Unique
On Hit: You regain HP equal to the amount of HP the
You deal +1 damage with all spells that deal Physical, target lost from this attack.
Force, Astral, or Lunar. Stress and Discord are

Running the Game

unaffected.
Lifedrinker Armor
Support Item (Rare)  Main  Armor
Improved Weapons
Skill (Uncommon)  2 Memory  Unique +1 Armor. You gain the Drink Life reaction.

You deal +1 damage with all weapons that deal

Physical, Force, Astral, or Lunar. Stress and Discord Drink Life Reaction (1/round)
are unaffected.
Trigger: You would take Astral or Lunar.

Invisibility Cloak Minor Action Effect: You spend 1 MP and gain 4 temp HP. You

Appendices
Support Item (Legendary)  Main  Mana 1 can spend an additional +1 MP to also give all allies
within Range 5 4 temp HP.
You become Invisible until you next attack, force a
save, or take a hostile action.
Lightburst Summon Volley
Spell (Legendary)  1 Memory  Mana 2,
Jack of all Trades Summon Range = Scope
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Unique
Lightburst Summon (Size 1/2, HP 1, Dodge/A-Def 10,
B: Loot

You gain +1 on all ability checks. Speed 0)

You create this Summon within Range. At the end

Justicar Armor of the next round it explodes in a Burst 2 AOE. All
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Enchantment characters in the area are Stunned until the end of
their next turn. The Summon is then defeated.
You may use one of the following Enchantments
at a time:

Ø Any Armor: This Armor grants resistance to Force.

Ø Any Channel Technique: While channeling this
ability, you gain resistance to Force.
369
 Lightning Javelin Fight Mental Discord
Melee Weapon (Rare)  Main Longarm  Skill (Rare)  1 Memory
Getting Started

Thrown 8 Reach 2 / Thrown 8 1d6+2 Astral

You can use Mind instead of Magic when making
When thrown, this is a Line 8 attack. checks to clear Discord.

Living Leyline Meteor Staff Volley

Spell (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique Ranged Weapon (Legendary)  Heavy Artifact
 Arcing, Mana X Range 10, Blast 2 X Astral
You gain +2 A-Def, and +1 on Magic checks
and saves. This effect is suppressed while you are This weapon deals 1d6 Astral per MP spent, to a max-
Building Beacons

Silenced. imum of 4 MP and 4d6 damage.

Lucky Fight Mind Lasher Fight

Melee Weapon (Legendary)  Main Blade  Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Light Longarm
Accurate Reach 1 1d6+3 Physical Reach 2 3 Stress

On Miss: You deal 1d6+1 Physical to the target. On Crit: You deal +1d3 Stress to the target.

Lunar Infusion Minibow

Running the Game

Minor Action Volley

Spell (Rare)  1 Memory  Mana 1 Range = Scope Ranged Weapon (Uncommon)  Light Bow 
Arcing Range 10 1d3 Physical
You place the following Enchantment on a weapon
equipped by an ally within Range (their choice). It
lasts until the end of their next turn: Mithardain Volley / Fight
Melee and Ranged Weapon (Uncommon)  Unique
Ø Any Weapon: On a hit, this weapon deals +1d6 Light Blade (Melee): Reach 1 1d3+1 Force
bonus Lunar. Bow (Ranged Profile): Range 10 1d3+1 Force

This weapon counts as a bow (ranged weapon) and

Mace of Terror Fight blade (melee weapon), and effects that apply to either
Appendices

Melee Weapon (Rare)  Main Club apply to this weapon regardless of profile used. You
Reach 1 1d6+2 Physical can Volley using this weapon’s ranged profile or
Fight with its melee profile.
On Crit: The target is Dazed and can’t attack you until
the end of their next turn.
Mithral Construction
Support Item (Legendary)  Main 
Mana Battery Enchantment, Unique
Skill (Legendary)  2 Memory  Unique
B: Loot

You may use the following Enchantment:

You regain 1 MP at the start of each of your turns as
long as you aren’t Silenced and haven’t spent any Ø Any Equipment: This equipment’s size is reduced
MP since the start of your last turn. by one level, (Heavy to Main, Main to Light).
If the equipment was Light, it can be equipped
for free.

370
Momentum Fight Multitasker
Melee Weapon (Rare)  Heavy Club  Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Unique

Getting Started
Thrown 8, Inaccurate
Reach 1 / Thrown 8 2d6+4 Physical Your Surge cost never goes above 1d6+2 Stress.

When thrown, this weapon returns to you automati-

cally after the attack. Oathbow Volley
Ranged Weapon (Legendary)  Main Bow 
Arcing Range 15 1d6+1 Physical
Monitor’s Pivot
Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique When you attack a Marked character with this weap-
on and consume their Mark, the attack gains the

Building Beacons
You gain +1 Reach with all weapons that have Reach, Homing and Reliable 2 tags and deals +3 damage.
and +1 on Mind checks and saves.

Orb of Power Free Action

Mortal Strike Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Mana 1
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory
1/turn, one of your targets receives +1 to their save
1/turn when you Fight and hit a target, you can against one of your effects.
take 1 Stress to make the attack a mortal strike. The
target can’t regain HP or gain temp HP until the start
Orbital Strike

Running the Game

of your next turn. Channel
Support Item (Rare)  Heavy  Consumable 2
Range = Scope
Mortar Full Attack
Ranged Weapon (Uncommon)  Heavy Magitech On Channel: Expend a charge and pick a space within
 Arcing, Reloading, Slow Range. If you stop channeling for any reason, you
Range 15, Blast 1 2d6+4 Force regain the spent charge.

On Release: All characters in a Blast 3 AOE cen-

Mote Shield Minor Action tered on the selected space must make an Agility
Spell (Rare)  1 Memory  Focus 2 save, taking +1 if they are in the center space, or
+1 if they are at least 3 spaces away from the center

Appendices
You bestow an adjacent ally with protective energy. After space. Failure: They take 14 Astral . Success: They
they next take damage, they regain 3 HP. Each character take 7 Astral .
can only have one such effect on them at a time.
Submitted by Aioran.

Mother Pharaoh Fight

Melee Weapon (Rare)  Main Blade  Oversized Enchantment
Consumable 3, Unique Reach 1 1d6+2 Physical Support Item (Rare)  Heavy  Enchantment,
Unique
B: Loot

Minor Action: You expend a charge and heal yourself

or an adjacent ally for 1d6+1 HP. You may use the following Enchantment:

Ø Any Weapon That Rolls for Damage: This weap-

Mountainous Armor on deals 1 additional die of damage of its usual
Support Item (Uncommon)  Heavy  Armor damage type (excluding Stress and Discord). If
the weapon has multiple damage types, pick one
+3 Armor, –1 Speed, –1 Dodge. When you are subjected of them.
to forced movement, you can choose to reduce the
distance you are moved by up to 3 spaces.

371
 Overwhelming Penta Quiver
Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique Support Item (Legendary)  Main 
Getting Started

Enchantment
You gain +2 Save Target. Additionally, whenever a
character fails a save against you, they take 1 Stress . You may use the following Enchantment:

Ø Any Ranged Weapon: As a minor action, choose

Paired Enchantment one of the following effects for this weapon, lasting
Support Item (Legendary)  Main  until you pick a new one. Each effect can be used
Enchantment, Unique 1/turn, and “on-hit” effects only apply to a single
attack roll.
You may use the following Enchantment: ‘ Steel: This weapon gains Piercing.
Building Beacons

‘ Flaming: On Hit: The target takes 1 Discord

Ø Any Non-Slow Equipment or Technique: When for every damage die rolled for this attack.
you Full Attack, you can attack with this weap- ‘ Explosive: On Hit: Characters in a Burst 1
on twice instead of with two different weapons. AOE around the target are auto-hit for half
of the attack’s damage.
‘ Seeker: This weapon gains Homing.
Paragon ‘ Poisoned: On Hit: The target is Dazed until
Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique cleared. They can make a Bulk save at the end
of each of their turns, clearing the condition
You can pick two ancestry traits each quest. on a success.
Running the Game

Submitted by Nick Hanson.

Pass Without Trace Volley
Spell (Rare)  2 Memory  Mana 3
Perfect Accuracy
You and all adjacent allies become Invisible until the Skill (Legendary)  2 Memory  Unique
start of your next turn. If an affected character forces
a save, makes an attack, or targets something with a You can choose each option from the Reroll Table any
hostile effect, they lose Invisible. number of times per turn, as long as the conditions
are met for the option in question.

Penance Fight
Appendices

Melee Weapon (Rare)  Light Longarm Physical Discord

Reach 2 1d3 Physical + 2 Stress Skill (Rare)  1 Memory

On Hit: The target loses concentration. You can use Bulk instead of Magic when making
checks to clear Discord.

Piercer Volley
Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Heavy Bow
B: Loot

Range 15 2d6+1 Physical

On Hit: Make a Line 3 attack from the target with

this weapon, pointed in the opposite direction to the
original attack.

372
Pincer Strike Power Armor
Skill (Legendary)  2 Memory  Stressful 1 Support Item (Legendary)  Heavy  Armor

Getting Started
1/round when you Volley or Fight, you can +3 Armor, –1 Dodge. You have flight and an Aquatic
attack with two different weapons. All attacks must Adaptation.
target the same target. You can’t use this ability with Additionally, you gain the following ranged weap-
Full Attack. on attack: Range 10 1d6 Force .

Portable Cover Minor Action (2/scene) Prismatic Armor

Support Item (Uncommon)  Heavy Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Armor

Building Beacons
You create a Size 1 or Size 2 object that counts as +2 Armor. Additionally, at the start of each combat
hard cover in a free adjacent space. scene, you are permanently Vulnerable to either
Astral, Lunar, or Force, determined at random. This
lasts until the end of the scene.
Portalis Fight
Melee Weapon (Rare)  Light Longarm
Reach 2 1d3 Physical Psi Blade Fight
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Light Blade 
You can use this weapon to attack targets that are ex- Stressful 1 Reach 1 1d3+3 Force
actly Range 5 from you, and deal +2 damage when

Running the Game

doing so. This doesn’t extend the weapon’s Reach.
Pummel Minor Action
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Stressful 1
Potion of Climbing Minor Action
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  You deal 2 Physical to an adjacent target.
Consumable 2

You expend a charge. Until the end of the scene, Purge Minor Action
climbing doesn’t cost any additional movement. Spell (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Mana 1
Additionally, when you climb, you can bring a will- Range = Scope
ing adjacent ally with you as long as there is enough
space for both of you to stand. A character within Range must make a Magic save.

Appendices
Failure: You can end one ongoing effect on them,
excluding statuses and conditions.
Potion of Giants Minor Action
Support Item (Legendary)  Light 
Consumable 2 Push Through Pain Reaction (1/round)
Skill (Rare)  2 Memory
1/scene, you can expend a charge to gain +1 Size,
+1 Reach with all effects with Reach, and +2 on Trigger: You would take damage.
Bulk checks and saves. These effects last until the
B: Loot

end of the scene. Effect: The damage you take (after Armor and resis-
tances) becomes Stress instead of its normal damage
type.
Potion of Size Minor Action
Support Item (Rare)  Light  Consumable 3
Push to the Edge
You can expend a charge to change your Size to 1/2, Spell (Rare)  2 Memory  Unique
1, 2, or 3 for the rest of the scene.
Your abilities that deal Stress deal +2 Stress against
Breaking characters.

373
 Quick Arm Fight Razorwire Enchantment Minor Action
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Blade Support Item (Rare)  Light  Enchantment
Getting Started

Reach 1 1d6 Physical

You may use one of the following Enchantments
During the first round of combat, you can Fight at a time:
with this weapon as a minor action.
Ø Any Armor: As a minor action while this Armor
is equipped, you can spend 2 MP. Until the end of
Quick Hide Minor Action your next turn, when an adjacent enemy hits you
Skill (Legendary)  2 Memory  Stressful 2 with a melee attack, they take 2 Physical .
Ø Any Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell Attack: As
You Hide. a minor action while this ability is equipped, you
Building Beacons

can spend 1 MP. The next time you hit with this
ability this turn, the target takes 2 Physical if
Quick Rush Minor Action they make a melee attack against you before the
Skill (Legendary)  2 Memory end of their next turn.

You Rush.
Reckless Swing
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Unique
Quickstep Boots Minor Action
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Stressful 1 As long as you aren’t already Marked, you can Mark
Running the Game

yourself to reroll the damage of a melee attack.

You move up to 2 spaces.

Reflect Reaction (1/round)

Radar Minor Action Skill (Legendary)  2 Memory  Unique
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory
Trigger: You are hit by an attack and reduce the dam-
Enemies within Range 5 lose Hidden. age to 0 through Armor or any other effect.

Effect: You force the attack to instead target the at-

Rage Caster tacker or another character or object within Range 8
Skill (Legendary)  2 Memory  Unique of you. The attacker rerolls the attack against the new
Appendices

target.
You can take Stress in place of spending MP, at a rate
of 2 Stress per MP.
Regeneration
Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique
Railgun Full Attack
Ranged Weapon (Legendary)  Heavy Magitech As long as you aren’t defeated, you regain 1 HP at the
 Reliable 6, Reloading, Slow start of each of your turns.
Line 25 3d6+5 Astral
B: Loot

Characters in a Burst 1 AOE around each character Reincarnate

in this attack’s AOE are also targeted by this attack. Spell (Legendary)  1 Memory  Limited 1, Unique
This can only affect each character 1/attack.
When you would be defeated, you immediately return
On Crit: The target is Sundered until the end of their to your HP maximum; clear all conditions, statuses,
next turn. Stress, and Discord; and remove the Wound or Over-
stress that would have defeated you.

374
Restful Presence Runic Tattoos
Skill (Rare)  2 Memory Support Item (Rare)  Main  Armor

Getting Started
During Short Rests, you and your allies automatically When you Interpose, you gain +3 Armor against
regain all HP. the attack.

Contributed by Koleos.
Retribution Shield Minor Action
Spell (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Mana 1
Range = Scope Safe Travels
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory
You place a magical shield on an ally within Range.

Building Beacons
Until the end of their next turn, they deal 2 Astral You are immune to dangerous terrain.
to any character that hits them with a melee weapon
attack.
Scarab Staff Volley
Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Heavy Artifact 
Returning Weapon Aetheric, Mana 1 Range 10, Blast 1 3 Stress
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Enchantment
On Hit: The target is Dazed until the end of their next
You may use the following Enchantment: turn.

Running the Game

Ø Any Melee Weapon with Reach: This weapon
gains Thrown 5 and automatically returns back Scimitar of Speed Volley or Fight
to you when thrown. Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Light Blade
Reach 1 1d3+1 Physical

Revive Kit Minor Action

Support Item (Uncommon)  Main  Scroll of Protection Minor Action
Consumable 2 Support Item (Legendary)  Light 
Consumable 2 Range = Scope
You can expend a charge to allow one defeated ally to
spend a Recovery to clear 1 Wound or Overstress and You can expend a charge to allow an ally within Range
return to play adjacent to you with their HP equal to to become immune to all damage until the end of

Appendices
their Bloodied value and their Stress equal to their your next turn.
Breaking point.

Scythe of Darkness Fight

Ring of Regeneration Melee Weapon (Legendary)  Heavy Blade 
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Unique Accurate, Unique Reach 2 2d6+2 Lunar

While Bloodied, you regain 1 HP at the start of each On Crit: The target is Blinded until the end of their
of your turns. next turn.
B: Loot

Riposte Sharkskin Armor

Skill (Uncommon)  2 Memory  Unique Support Item (Rare)  Light  Armor

You gain +1 to attacks that cost Focus to make. +1 Armor. You move normally in liquid-based difficult
terrain, and have an Aquatic Adaptation. Addition-
ally, characters that successfully Grapple you take
Rocket Sledge Fight 2 Physical .
Melee Weapon (Rare)  Heavy Club  Push 2,
Reloading Reach 1 3d6+4 Physical

375
 Shatterstone Minor Action Slam Minor Action
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Skill (Uncommon)  2 Memory  Stressful 1
Getting Started

Consumable 2 Range 5
An adjacent enemy must make a Bulk save. Failure:
You can expend a charge to make a ranged weapon They are Dazed until the end of their next turn.
attack against a character within Range. On Hit: They
are Sundered until the end of their next turn.
Slime Staff Volley
Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Main Artifact 
Shield of the Evil Eye Mana 1 Range 10 1d3 Lunar + 3 Discord
Support Item (Rare)  Main
On Crit: One enemy adjacent to the target (your
Building Beacons

1/round when you are missed by an attack, you can choice) takes 3 Discord .
spend 1 MP to make the attacker Dazed until the end
of their next turn. Additionally, you gain the Shield
Block reaction. If you meet the trigger condition of Slippery Minor Action
the Shield Block while using Interpose, you can Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory
automatically use its effect as part of that Interpose
reaction. You automatically escape from any grapples.

Shield Block Reaction (1/round) Snickersnack

Running the Game

Support Item (Legendary)  Light 

Trigger: You would take Physical, Astral, Lunar, Enchantment
or Force.
You may use the following Enchantment:
Effect: You take 2 Stress and gain resistance
to that damage. Ø Any Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell Attack:
1/round when you crit with this weapon or tech-
nique, it deals the maximum possible damage.
Shock Glove Fight
Melee Weapon (Rare)  Light Magitech
Reach 1 1d3+1 Astral Soaring Light Fight
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Blade
Appendices

On Hit: The target can’t perform reactions until the Reach 1 1d6+2 Force
end of their next turn, and 1/turn you can spend 1
MP to attack another target adjacent to the original You can make a ranged attack with this weapon using
target. Each target can only be hit by this effect 1/turn. Range 8 .

Shrapnel Volley Sonar Bow Volley

Ranged Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Magitech  Ranged Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Bow 
Reloading Close Blast 2 / Reach 3 1d6 Physical Arcing Range 10 1d6+1 Physical
B: Loot

Minor Action: You spend 1 MP to fire a sonar arrow at

Skeleton Key a space within this weapon’s Range. This allows you
Support Item (Legendary)  Light to immediately Search for all Hidden characters
in or adjacent to that space.
You can automatically open locks as a free action and
have +1 on saves triggered by Traps.
Additionally, you automatically disable Traps, and
can do so even while they’re Hidden.

376
Spacewarp Enchantment Spiked Fist Fight
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Enchantment Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Light Club

Getting Started
Reach 1 1d3+2 Physical
You may use one of the following Enchantments
at a time: Whenever you roll a 1 on any damage dice with this
weapon, you take 1 Stress and roll that die again. This
Ø Any Armor: Any time you teleport while this Ar- effect can trigger on the same die multiple times and
mor is equipped, you increase the distance you is not optional.
move by spaces equal to your current Armor.
Ø Any Channel Technique: When you release this
ability, you can teleport up to 3 spaces. Spikes
Support Item (Uncommon)  Main 

Building Beacons
Enchantment, Unique
Spectral Dash Rush
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Mana 1 You may use one of the following Enchantments
at a time:
You Rush, and can move through characters and
objects as part of the movement from this action, ig- Ø Any Armor: When you Interpose and end the
noring Engagement. You can’t end your turn sharing movement next to the attack with this Armor
a space with something. equipped, you can deal 1 Piercing Physical to
them as part of the same reaction.
Ø Any Channel Technique: While channeling this
Spellstrike

Running the Game

Fight ability, adjacent characters take 1 Piercing when
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Artifact  they hit you with a melee attack.
Mana X Reach 1 X Force

This weapon deals 3 Force per MP spent. Splinter Volley

On Crit: The damage becomes 4 Force per MP spent. Ranged Weapon (Uncommon)Main Magitech
 Reloading Range 5 / Reach 3 2 Physical

Spider Staff Volley On Hit: This weapon deals its damage three times, with
Ranged Weapon (Legendary)  Heavy Artifact Armor and resistance applying to each instance. Bonus
 Aetheric Range 10 1d6+6 Lunar damage is only dealt on the first instance of damage.

Appendices
As long as this weapon is equipped and isn’t de- On Crit: As a hit, but weapon deals 3 Physical each
stroyed, you have the Poison Web spell, which is time instead of 2.
equipped for free.

Sprinter’s Potion Minor Action

Poison Web Channel Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Consumable 3
Spell  Innate, Mana 1, Unique
Range = Scope You can expend a charge to double your Speed until
the end of your next turn.
B: Loot

On Release: A character within Range takes

1d6+6 Lunar and must make an Agility save.
Failure: They are Immobilized and Slowed un-
til the end of their next turn. Success: They are
Slowed until the end of their next turn.

377
 Starbow Volley Tactical Analysis Minor Action
Ranged Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Bow Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory
Getting Started

Range 20 1d6+1 Astral

You can Search, but can only choose the option
that reveals the target’s attributes, ability scores, and
Stealth Spell Minor Action abilities.
Spell (Legendary)  2 Memory  Mana 1

The next time you Volley with a spell this turn, you Taunt Mark
become Invisible until the start of your next turn. Skill (Uncommon)  2 Memory Range = Scope

You Mark an enemy within Range and they must

Building Beacons

Sundyr Fight make a Mind save. Failure: They take 2 Stress and
Melee Weapon (Legendary)  Main Club  have +1 on any attacks that don’t include you until
Unbreakable, Unique Reach 1 1d6+3 Force the start of their next turn.

This weapon deals double damage to terrain.

Third Wind Minor Action
On Crit: You can spend 1 MP. If you do, the target must Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Limited 1
make a Bulk save. Failure: One of their weapons or
support items are destroyed (their choice) and can’t You regain all HP.
be repaired.
Running the Game

Telekinesis Shove
Super Mode Spell (Rare)  1 Memory  Mana 1 Range = Scope
Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique
You Shove a target within Range and count as Size
When you use your limit break, you also regain all 3 when doing so. Instead of choosing to push them
HP, clear all Stress, and roll a d20. On a 20, you can 1 space, you can slide them 3 spaces.
use your limit break again this quest.

Teleport Partner
Super Speed Skill (Rare)  2 Memory  Unique
Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique
Appendices

When you teleport, you can choose to bring an adjacent

When you Rush, your Speed is increased by +2 until character with you. If they are unwilling, they must
the end of the turn. make a Magic save. Failure: They are teleported.

Surprise Attack Telescope Minor Action

Skill (Legendary)  3 Memory  Unique Support Item (Uncommon)  Main  Mana 1
Range = Scope
1/round, you can deal +1d6 bonus damage on a
B: Loot

melee attack if you are the only character adjacent You Mark a character within Range.
the target.

Tentacle Rod Fight

Swordbreaker Fight Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Light Club
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Blade  Reach 2 1d3+1 Physical
Reliable 2 Reach 1 1d6+1 Physical
On Hit: If this was an Opportunity Attack, the target
This weapon gains +1 on attacks against characters is Dazed until the end of their next turn.
with a melee weapon equipped.

378
Tetherknot Minor Action Thunder Volley
Support Item (Rare)  Light  Consumable 3 Spell (Rare)  1 Memory Range = Scope

Getting Started
You can expend a charge to throw this ball of wire A character within Range must make an Agility save.
at a character within Range 5 . They must make an Failure: They take 1 Discord . Until they clear all
Agility save. Failure: They are Immobilized until the Discord, you can use this spell again (targeting any
end of their next turn. character within Range) as a minor action whenever
they fail the check to clear their Discord. This effect
lasts until the end of the scene or until you use it again,
The Unblinking Eye Reaction (1/round) whichever comes first.
Skill (Legendary)  2 Memory  Unique

Building Beacons
Trigger: An ally starts their turn. Thunderstomp Fight
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Stressful 1
Effect: You make an enemy Marked. Burst 1

All characters in the AOE must make an Agility save.

There is No Escape Failure: They take 1 Stress and become Slowed
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Unique until the end of their next turn.

You gain +1 on Grapple attacks and checks re-

lated to Grapple and being Grappled, and you can Thunderstruck Full Attack

Running the Game

still use reactions while grappling. Melee Weapon (Legendary)  Main Club 
Inaccurate, Reliable 3, Slow
Reach 1 3d6+4 Force
Thorium Armor
Support Item (Uncommon)  Main  Armor On Hit: The target must make a Bulk save. Failure:
They are Stunned until the end of their next turn.
+3 Armor, –2 Dodge, –2 Speed.
On Miss: The target is Dazed until the end of their
next turn.
Throat Chop Reaction (1/round)
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Stressful 1
Timber Fight

Appendices
Trigger: An adjacent character uses a spell or begins Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Heavy Blade 
channeling. Reliable 3 Reach 1 2d6+2 Physical

Effect: They take 2 Stress and are Dazed until the This weapon deals +1d3 bonus damage to characters
end of their next turn. that are larger than you.

Thrust
Skill (Rare)  2 Memory  Stressful 1
B: Loot

You can Opportunity Attack when a character en-

ters the Reach of one of your weapons, not just when
they begin their movement.

379
 Time’s Eclipse Free Action Toughness
Support Item (Uncommon)  Light  Stressful Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique
Getting Started

3, Unique Range = Scope

You gain +5 maximum HP.
This turn, instead of taking either your standard action,
standard movement, or minor action, you can give
it to an ally within Range. They can take that action or Tracker Volley
movement an additional time during their next turn. Ranged Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Bow 
Each ally can only be affected by this ability 1/scene. Arcing Range 15 4 Physical
This ability costs –1 Stress for every other PC
in the scene with this item equipped. Additionally, On Hit: The target loses Hidden and Invisible and
you can use this ability on allies that have this item can’t gain those statuses again until the end of its
Building Beacons

equipped at any range, and don’t need line of sight next turn.
to them to do so.

Submitted by Jude Purrington. Tranquil Summon Volley

Spell (Rare)  2 Memory  Mana 2, Summon
Range = Scope
Titan Blood
Support Item (Rare)  Light  Innate, Unique Tranquil Summon (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10,
Speed 0)
You gain +1 Size, to a maximum of 3. Additionally, you can’t
Running the Game

be knocked Prone or be subjected to forced movement You create this Summon within Range. As a minor
from smaller characters unless you choose to allow it. action while it exists, you can restore 4 HP to an ally
within Range 3 of it.

Titan Grip
Skill (Legendary)  3 Memory  Unique Trap Sense
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory
If you have two Heavy weapons equipped, you can
turn them into a linked Heavy Heavy weapon. You don’t trigger Traps unless you want to, and you
gain +1 on saves forced by Traps.

Tomb-Link Armor
Appendices

Support Item (Legendary)  Heavy  Armor Twin Death

Support Item (Legendary)  Light 
+3 Armor, –1 Speed, –1 Dodge. Gain the Grant Unlife Enchantment, Unique
reaction.
You may use the following Enchantment:

Grant UnlifeReaction Ø Any Light or Main Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell

Attack: 1/round when you crit with this weapon
Trigger: An ally within Scope takes damage. or technique, you can immediately attack with it
B: Loot

again. The second attack doesn’t trigger linked

Effect: You spend a Recovery and they regain HP attacks.
equal to their Bloodied value.

Ultimate Protector
Torch Mace Fight Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Light Club
Reach 1 1d3 Astral + 1 Discord You gain +1 Focus whenever you gain Focus.

You ignore all low visibility penalties

380
Unarmored Defense Vicious Enchantment
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory  Unique Support Item (Rare)  Main  Enchantment,

Getting Started
Unique
You gain +1 Armor if you don’t have a support item
with the Armor tag equipped. This Armor still applies You may use the following Enchantment:
while you are Sundered.
Ø Any Weapon, Skill Attack, or Spell Attack: On a
crit with this weapon or technique, you deal +1d6
Unbreakable Skin bonus damage.
Skill (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique

You gain +1 Armor. Voidspace Pockets

Building Beacons
Spell (Legendary)  2 Memory  Unique

Unstable Wand Volley You gain an additional Main support slot.

Ranged Weapon (Uncommon)  Light Artifact
 Aetheric, Mana X, Reliable X
Range 5 X Astral Voidspace Weapon
Spell (Legendary)  2 Memory  Unique
This weapon deals 3 Astral per MP spent, and gains
Reliable equal to the MP spent. You gain an additional Main weapon slot.

Running the Game

Unyielding Wallbreaker
Skill (Rare)  1 Memory  Unique Support Item (Rare)  Heavy

All forced movement you inflict is increased by +1, You can move through solid, impassable terrain, in-
and you can reduce forced movement inflicted on cluding walls, equal to your Size. When you move
you by –1 (to a minimum of 0). through terrain in this fashion, you destroy it and
take Stress equal to the terrain’s Size for each piece
of terrain you destroy (to a minimum of 1 Stress). This
Vampiric Touch Fight applies to any movement, including forced move-
Melee Spell Attack (Uncommon)  1 Memory  ment, always applies, and is not optional.
Reliable 2 Reach 1 1d6+1 Lunar

Appendices
On Hit: You can spend 1 MP to regain HP equal to Wand of Fireballs Volley
the damage the target takes from this attack, after Ranged Weapon (Legendary)  Light Artifact
Armor and resistance.  Mana 2 Range 5, Blast 2 1d3+4 Astral

Venom Fight Wand of Magic Missiles Volley

Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Light Blade  Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Light Artifact 
Thrown 5 Reach 1 / Thrown 5 2 Discord Accurate, Homing Range 12 1d3+1 Force
B: Loot

On Hit: The target is Dazed until the end of their next

turn. Wand of Time Volley
Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Light Artifact 
Aetheric Range 5 1d3+1 Force

On Hit: You can spend 1 MP to make the target

Slowed until the end of their next turn.

381
 Warstaff Fight Wind Infusion Minor Action
Melee Weapon (Uncommon)  Main Artifact Spell (Rare)  1 Memory  Mana 1
Getting Started

Reach 2 1d6+2 Physical Range = Scope

You place the following Enchantment on a weapon

Water-Walking equipped by an ally within Range (their choice). It
Skill (Uncommon)  1 Memory lasts until its effect is triggered:

You can move normally in liquid-based difficult ter- Ø Any Weapon: On a critical hit with this weapon,
rain (e.g., water). you can attack with it again after the attack
resolves.
Building Beacons

Weapon Ring Minor Action

Support Item (Rare)  Main  Consumable 3, Windsprint Armor
Unique Support Item (Rare)  Light  Armor

You can expend a charge to replace one of your +1 Armor. Additionally, when you perform a Phase
equipped weapons with a different weapon you have Reposition action, you become Invisible until
unlocked that could be equipped in that slot. You can the end the turn.
also do this during Rests.

Windstep Armor
Weave Magic
Running the Game

Support Item (Legendary)  Main  Armor

Spell (Legendary)  1 Memory  Unique
+1 Armor. Additionally, 1/turn you become Invisible
You gain +2 maximum MP. whenever you move or are moved. You remain Invisi-
ble until you attack, force a save, take a hostile action,
or until after an attack roll is made against you.
Whirlwind
Skill (Rare)  2 Memory  Unique

1/round when you crit with a melee weapon attack,

you deal 3 Physical to all adjacent enemies.
Appendices

Wind Boomerang Volley

Ranged Weapon (Rare)  Light Club
Range 5 / Reach 3 1d3+2 Force

On Hit: Spend 1 MP to force all characters in a Burst 1

AOE around the target to make a Bulk save.
Failure: They are pushed 1 space directly away from
the target.
B: Loot

382
 Techniques

Getting Started
UNCOMMON TECHNIQUES
TYPE NAME RARITY
1 Spell Aid Uncommon
2 Spell Animate Objects Uncommon
3 Spell Bane Uncommon
4 Spell Barkskin Uncommon
5 Skill Battle Chant Uncommon
6 Spell Bestow Curse Uncommon
7 Skill Bloodthirst Uncommon
8 Skill Cartwheel Uncommon

Building Beacons
9 Skill Cleansing Touch Uncommon
10 Skill Critical Healing Uncommon
11 Skill Danger Sense Uncommon
12 Skill Defensive Fighter Uncommon
13 Spell Distracting Force Uncommon
14 Skill Distracting Strike Uncommon
15 Skill Distraction Uncommon
16 Skill Duck Uncommon
17 Spell Ember Uncommon
18 Spell Energy Shield Uncommon

Running the Game

19 Spell Extend Spell Uncommon
20 Skill False Swipe Uncommon
LOOT BY TYPE AND RARITY 21 Skill Fast Movement Uncommon
This section lists loot by its type and rarity. When ran- 22 Skill Feral Instincts Uncommon
domly generating loot, first determine the loot type 23 Spell Frost Bolt Uncommon
and rarity (p. 256), and then manually or randomly 24 Skill Ghost Fist Uncommon
pick from the appropriate list. 25 Skill Give Order Uncommon
26 Skill Grounded Caster Uncommon
LOOT CRATE CONTENTS 27 Skill Guard Break Uncommon
28 Skill Heaven-Piercing Fang Uncommon
D100 TYPE (ANY SLOT) 29 Skill Heroic Leap Uncommon
30 Spell Hold Uncommon

Appendices
1-17 Skill 31 Skill Improved Interpose Uncommon
32 Skill Improved Spells Uncommon
18-34 Spell 33 Skill Improved Weapons Uncommon
34 Skill Leap Uncommon
35-67 Weapon 35 Skill Mortal Strike Uncommon
36 Spell Purge Uncommon
68-100 Support Item 37 Skill Reckless Swing Uncommon
38 Spell Retribution Shield Uncommon
RARITY D100 39 Skill Riposte Uncommon
B: Loot

SLOT 1 SLOT 2 SLOT 3 40 Skill Safe Travels Uncommon

41 Skill Slam Uncommon
Uncommon 1-75 1-30 – 42 Skill Slippery Uncommon
43 Skill Tactical Analysis Uncommon
Rare 76-100 31-90 1-75 44 Skill Taunt Uncommon
45 Skill Third Wind Uncommon
Legendary – 91-100 76-100 46 Skill Thunderstomp Uncommon
47 Skill Trap Sense Uncommon
48 Skill Unarmored Defense Uncommon
49 Spell Vampiric Touch Uncommon
50 Skill Water-Walking Uncommon

383
Getting Started

RARE TECHNIQUES LEGENDARY TECHNIQUES

TYPE NAME RARITY TYPE NAME RARITY
1 Spell Absorb Elements Rare 1 Spell Baleful Polymorph Legendary
2 Spell Aether Shield Rare 2 Spell Banish Legendary
3 Skill Agile Discord Rare 3 Skill Beast Bond Legendary
4 Spell Astral Infusion Rare 4 Skill Blur Legendary
5 Spell Astral Projection Rare 5 Spell Counterspell Legendary
6 Skill Catch a Breath Rare 6 Skill Demigod Legendary
7 Skill Chill Touch Rare 7 Skill Desync Legendary
8 Skill Deflect Rare 8 Spell Double Spell Legendary
Building Beacons

9 Skill Delayed Healing Rare 9 Skill Endless Stamina Legendary

10 Skill Efficient Burns Rare 10 Skill Ethereal Walk Legendary
11 Spell Empowered Spells Rare 11 Skill Exploding Heart Legendary
12 Skill Execute Rare 12 Skill Extended Scope Legendary
13 Skill Feel No Pain Rare 13 Spell Flare Legendary
14 Skill Frightening Howl Rare 14 Skill Flash Step Legendary
15 Spell Frost Lance Rare 15 Spell Golden Carp Legendary
16 Spell Ground Pounder Rare 16 Spell Healer’s Pact Legendary
17 Skill Hamstring Rare 17 Spell Lightburst Summon Legendary
18 Skill Heavy Draw Rare 18 Spell Living Leyline Legendary
Running the Game

19 Skill Hemorrhage Rare 19 Skill Mana Battery Legendary

20 Spell Hexbolt Rare 20 Skill Monitor’s Pivot Legendary
21 Spell Ice Crown Rare 21 Skill Overwhelming Legendary
22 Skill Jack of all Trades Rare 22 Skill Paragon Legendary
23 Spell Lava Lob Rare 23 Skill Perfect Accuracy Legendary
24 Spell Lunar Infusion Rare 24 Skill Pincer Strike Legendary
25 Skill Mental Discord Rare 25 Skill Quick Hide Legendary
26 Spell Mote Shield Rare 26 Skill Quick Rush Legendary
27 Skill Multitasker Rare 27 Skill Rage Caster Legendary
28 Spell Pass without Trace Rare 28 Skill Reflect Legendary
29 Skill Physical Discord Rare 29 Skill Regeneration Legendary
30 Skill Pummel Rare 30 Spell Reincarnate Legendary
Appendices

31 Skill Push Through Pain Rare 31 Spell Stealth Spell Legendary

32 Spell Push to the Edge Rare 32 Skill Super Mode Legendary
33 Skill Radar Rare 33 Skill Super Speed Legendary
34 Skill Restful Presence Rare 34 Skill Surprise Attack Legendary
35 Skill Spectral Dash Rare 35 Skill The Unblinking Eye Legendary
36 Spell Telekinesis Rare 36 Skill Titan Grip Legendary
37 Skill Teleport Partner Rare 37 Skill Toughness Legendary
38 Skill There is No Escape Rare 38 Skill Ultimate Protector Legendary
39 Skill Throat Chop Rare 39 Skill Unbreakable Skin Legendary
B: Loot

40 Skill Thrust Rare 40 Spell Voidspace Pockets Legendary

41 Spell Thunder Rare 41 Spell Voidspace Weapon Legendary
42 Spell Tranquil Summon Rare 42 Spell Weave Magic Legendary
43 Skill Unyielding Rare
44 Skill Whirlwind Rare
45 Spell Wind Infusion Rare

384
Support Items

Getting Started
UNCOMMON SUPPORT RARE SUPPORT LEGENDARY SUPPORT
ITEMS ITEMS ITEMS
NAME RARITY NAME RARITY NAME RARITY
1 Aether Flask Uncommon 1 Adamantine Armor Rare 1 Adamantine Legendary
2 Ammo Kit Uncommon 2 Animated Shield Rare Construction
3 Amulet of Health Uncommon 3 Armor of Growing Rare 2 Angelsteel Legendary
4 Armor Plates Uncommon Endurance Armor
5 Barbed Uncommon 4 Bag of Holding Rare 3 Book of Legendary
Enchantment 5 Barkskin Armor Rare Alternative
6 Belt of Giantkind Uncommon 6 Blackiron Armor Rare Explosions

Building Beacons
7 Belt of Growing Uncommon 7 Blinding Powder Rare 4 Book of Endless Legendary
and Shrinking 8 Bonecaller Armor Rare Pages
8 Bloodstone Uncommon 9 Broom of Flying Rare 5 Boots of Speed Legendary
Armor 10 Cursesong Armor Rare 6 Devil’s Crown Legendary
9 Boots of Uncommon 11 Darkleaf Armor Rare 7 Elemental Legendary
Levitation 12 Defender’s Bond Rare Enchantment
10 Cloak of Uncommon 13 Defending Rare 8 Flawless Job Legendary
Protection Enchantment Crystal
11 Darksight Armor Uncommon 14 Displacer Cloak Rare 9 Helm of Legendary
12 Death’s Gambit Uncommon 15 Elemental Burst Rare Teleportation

Running the Game

Dice Armor 10 Invisibility Legendary
13 Dragon Mask Uncommon 16 Fleetfoot Armor Rare Cloak
14 Durable Uncommon 17 Headband of Rare 11 Mithral Legendary
Construction Intellect Construction
15 Electrical Pack Uncommon 18 Homing Rare 12 Paired Legendary
16 Elven Cloak Uncommon Enchantment Enchantment
17 Escape Uncommon 19 Hydra Helmet Rare 13 Penta Quiver Legendary
Enchantment 20 Lifedrinker Armor Rare 14 Potion of Giants Legendary
18 Gambling Dice Uncommon 21 Orbital Strike Rare 15 Power Armor Legendary
19 Ghost Gloves Uncommon 22 Oversized Rare 16 Scroll of Legendary
20 Ghostwalker Uncommon Enchantment Protection
Armor 23 Potion of Size Rare 17 Skeleton Key Legendary

Appendices
21 Justicar Armor Uncommon 24 Razorwire Enchant Rare 18 Snickersnack Legendary
22 Mountainous Uncommon 25 Runic Tattoos Rare 19 Tomb-Link Armor Legendary
Armor 26 Sharkskin Armor Rare 20 Twin Death Legendary
23 Orb of Power Uncommon 27 Shield of the Evil Rare 21 Windstep Armor Legendary
24 Portable Cover Uncommon Eye
25 Potion of Climbing Uncommon 28 Tetherknot Rare
26 Prismatic Armor Uncommon 29 Titan Blood Rare
27 Quickstep Boots Uncommon 30 Vicious Rare
28 Returning Weapon Uncommon Enchantment
B: Loot

29 Revive Kit Uncommon 31 Wallbreaker Rare

30 Ring of Uncommon 32 Weapon Ring Rare
Regeneration 33 Windsprint Armor Rare
31 Shatterstone Uncommon
32 Spacewarp Uncommon
Enchantment
33 Spikes Uncommon
34 Sprinter’s Potion Uncommon
35 Telescope Uncommon
36 Thorium Armor Uncommon
37 Time’s Eclipse Uncommon

385
 Weapons
Getting Started

UNCOMMON WEAPONS RARE WEAPONS LEGENDARY WEAPONS

NAME RARITY NAME RARITY NAME RARITY
1 Absorption Uncommon 1 Beam Saber Rare 1 Firebrand Legendary
2 Backstabber Uncommon 2 Black Hole Rare 2 Lucky Legendary
3 Chain Blade Uncommon 3 Caduceus Rare 3 Meteor Staff Legendary
4 Chainsaw Blade Uncommon 4 Conductor’s Baton Rare 4 Oathbow Legendary
5 Challenge-Seeker Uncommon 5 Cryo Cannon Rare 5 Railgun Legendary
6 Charging Spear Uncommon 6 Dancing Blade Rare 6 Scythe of Darkness Legendary
7 Dimension Anchor Uncommon 7 Dragon Force Fists Rare 7 Spider Staff Legendary
8 Harpoon Uncommon 8 Fatigue Rare 8 Sundyr Legendary
Building Beacons

9 Mind Lasher Uncommon 9 Flamethrower Rare 9 Thunderstruck Legendary

10 Minibow Uncommon 10 Frost Fang Rare 10 Wand of Fireballs Legendary
11 Mithardain Uncommon 11 Fusion Cannon Rare
12 Mortar Uncommon 12 Hand Cannon Rare
13 Psi Blade Uncommon 13 Healing Mace Rare
14 Quick Arm Uncommon 14 Hydrus Rare
15 Scimitar of Speed Uncommon 15 Leech Rare
16 Shrapnel Uncommon 16 Lightning Javelin Rare
17 Soaring Light Uncommon 17 Mace of Terror Rare
18 Sonar Bow Uncommon 18 Momentum Rare
Running the Game

19 Spellstrike Uncommon 19 Mother Pharaoh Rare

20 Spiked Fist Uncommon 20 Penance Rare
21 Splinter Uncommon 21 Piercer Rare
22 Starbow Uncommon 22 Portalis Rare
23 Swordbreaker Uncommon 23 Rocket Sledge Rare
24 Tentacle Rod Uncommon 24 Scarab Staff Rare
25 Timber Uncommon 25 Shock Glove Rare
26 Torch Mace Uncommon 26 Slime Staff Rare
27 Tracker Uncommon 27 Wand of Magic Missiles Rare
28 Unstable Wand Uncommon 28 Wand of Time Rare
29 Venom Uncommon 29 Wind Boomerang Rare
30 Warstaff Uncommon
Appendices
B: Loot

386
 C: NPC TYPES

Getting Started
These tables list all NPCs by their Initiative and role. This is to help GMs populate combat scenes with a diverse
array of NPCs.

NPC TYPE BY INITIATIVE NPC TYPE BY ROLE

NAME ROLE INITIATIVE NAME ROLE INITIATIVE
ARDENT Support 1 GUNNER Artillery 7
ELEMENTALIST Defender 1 SHARPSHOOTER Artillery 3
PROTECTOR Defender 1 CONJURER Artillery 2

Building Beacons
SPELLSHIELD Defender 1 WARMAGE Artillery 2
HEALER Support 2 ARCHITECT Controller 5
MINDREAVER Controller 2 MINDREAVER Controller 2
MIRAGE Controller 2 MIRAGE Controller 2
OVERLORD Support 2 SPECTER Controller 3
ROGUE Striker 2 SWARM Controller 4
CONJURER Artillery 2 TITAN Controller 7
WARMAGE Artillery 2 VULTURE Controller 3
MARSHAL Support 3 ELEMENTALIST Defender 1
RANGER Striker 3 FORTRESS Defender 5

Running the Game

SHARPSHOOTER Artillery 3 GLADIATOR Defender 5
SPECTER Controller 3 PROTECTOR Defender 1
VULTURE Controller 3 SPELLSHIELD Defender 1
CHARGER Striker 4 CHARGER Striker 4
PEGASUS Striker 4 CLEAVER Striker 7
SWARM Controller 4 EXPENDABLE Striker 5
ARCHITECT Controller 5 FIREBUG Striker 5
EXPENDABLE Striker 5 FURY Striker 7
FIREBUG Striker 5 PEGASUS Striker 4
FORTRESS Defender 5 RANGER Striker 3
GLADIATOR Defender 5 ROGUE Striker 2
CLEAVER Striker 7 ARDENT Support 1

Appendices
FURY Striker 7 HEALER Support 2
GUNNER Artillery 7 MARSHAL Support 3
TITAN Controller 7 OVERLORD Support 2

C: NPC Types

387
 D: GLOSSARY
Getting Started

GENERAL TERMINOLOGY
Ancestry: Ancestry describes a beacon’s heritage or NPC Template: Templates are additional sets of features
species. It determines their Size and gives access to that can be added to NPCs, which can drastically alter
a list of ancestry traits. Whenever a beacon goes how they play. There are two types of templates:
on a quest, they can choose to equip one of their thematic and mechanical.
ancestry traits.
NPC Tier: NPCs come in one of three tiers: tier 1 (T1),
Boss: The toughest enemies in the game are Bosses. tier 2 (T2), and tier 3 (T3). NPCs of higher tiers are
Building Beacons

Bosses have their own unique rules for combat. stronger and tougher than those of lower tiers.

Battle Plan: Battle plans provide the framework for NPC Type: NPC types are collections of abilities and
combat scenes, determining the win conditions attributes that represent general themes, similar to
for the PCs, the NPC budget, and any special rules. player character jobs.

Class: Classes represent specialized approaches to Quest: Quests are adventures that beacons go on,
combat. Classes unlock equipment and abilities each comprising a combination of narrative and
that beacons can equip for quests. Each class has combat play.
three ranks, with each rank unlocking additional
Running the Game

equipment and abilities. Reflection: The many settings of BEACON. Each setting
is called a Reflection.
Hub: A base of operations for beacons.
Resting: Resting allows PCs to heal, recover resources,
Job: Jobs provide the starting values for a beacon’s and repair equipment. There are two types of rests:
attributes and their equipment slots. A class’s job is Short Rests and Long Rests. Short Rests are quick
unlocked upon reaching rank 1 in that class. breaks that allow beacons to patch themselves up
after a fight, while Long Rests are longer and more
Level/Character Level: Each beacon has a character restorative.
level, which represents their overall growth and
strength. Whenever you finish a quest, whether you Title: All beacons have a title, which can be used during
were successful or not, your beacon gains another narrative play to gain a +2 bonus to a skill check.
Appendices

character level. The maximum character level for

beacons is 12.

Loot: Loot includes a range of equipment and tech-

niques that aren’t tied to specific classes. It is usually
presented to the players via loot crates. Loot is
categorized by rarity. It can be Uncommon, Rare,
or Legendary.
D: Glossary

Loot Crate: A loot crate is a set of three random pieces

of loot from which the player can select one to keep.

Non-Player Character (NPC): Characters controlled by

the GM are called non-player characters, or NPCs.
NPCs can be friends, foes, beasts, or anything else
that the GM presents.

388
NARRATIVE TERMINOLOGY COMBAT TERMINOLOGY
Adversity Challenge: A type of skill challenge represent- Ability: All techniques, traits, and equipment. Basically,

Getting Started
ing the obstacles the beacons encounter between if something does something in combat, it’s an ability.
combat scenes, like moving through dangerous
rooms in a dungeon or sneaking past patrolling Ability Check/Save: A roll made to overcome an obstacle
guards to ambush a target. or resist an effect. Effects that prompt ability checks
or saves indicate which ability score – Bulk, Agility,
Background Skills: Words or brief phrases that represent Mind, or Magic – is used for the roll. Background
a beacon’s history and training. Background skills skills, Grit, and titles don’t apply. To succeed on an
have three ranks. Skill checks use background skills, ability check, you need a result of 10+. To succeed
and grant +1 on the roll for reach rank in the skill. on a save, your result must equal or exceed the Save
Target of the initiator, or 10 if not otherwise specified.

Building Beacons
Downtime Activity: When beacons have free time,
they can perform downtime activities. Ability Scores: The four ability scores – Bulk, Agility,
Mind, Magic – affect a character’s attributes and
Narrative Action: Narrative actions are a type of skill actions in combat play.
check with specific outcomes.
Ally: A character friendly to you or on the same side.
Skill Challenge: Skill challenges are series of rapid skill You don’t count as your own ally.
checks. Skill challenges can be split into two catego-
ries: story challenges and adversity challenges. Area of Effect (AOE): Abilities and effects with an AOE
affect multiple targets or spaces. Blast, Burst, Close

Running the Game

Skill Check: Skills checks are used to determine success Blast, and Line are types of AOEs.
during narrative play.
Attack: Attempts by characters to hit and harm some-
Story Challenge: A type of skill challenge. Story chal- thing with weapons, magic, or other means. To hit
lenges are used when an obstacle or scene is too your target, your result must equal or exceed their
complex to be resolved with a single skill check. defense (either Dodge or A-Def, depending on the
type of attack). Attacks can be either melee attacks
or ranged attacks, and can be further categorized
as weapon, spell, support, or skill attacks.

Attribute: Beacons have several attributes that are used

in combat play, such as Dodge and Size. These scores

Appendices
are determined by a character’s level, job, ancestry,
talents, ability scores, equipment, and techniques.

Bonus Damage: Additional damage added onto an

existing source of damage. Effects with more than
one target only deal half their bonus damage to each
target. Only successful attacks or abilities that deal
damage can deal bonus damage.
D: Glossary

Character: PCs, Summons, and NPCs are all considered

characters. As a general rule, characters are enti-
ties capable of taking some sort of actions, either
personally or at the command of other characters.

Climbing: A special form of movement that allows

characters to move atop objects such as terrain.
Climbing has a movement cost equal to the object’s
Size + 1. Characters standing atop objects are con-
sidered to have their Size increased by the Size of
whatever they are standing on for the purposes of
determining line of sight and cover (p. 49).
389
 Concentration Save: While channeling, if you take any Flight: Characters with flight can activate or deactivate
damage (after Armor) or Stress not caused by your- the Flying status 1/turn as a free action.
Getting Started

self, you must pass a Bulk save against the initiator’s

Save Target. On a failure, you stop channeling and Forced Movement: Any involuntary movement that
the action is lost. pushes, pulls, or slides a character. Forced move-
ments do not provoke reactions and ignore En-
Cover: Objects on the battlefield can provide cover. gagement. You can’t be forcibly moved into a space
Cover imposes on attacks and can block line of you can’t enter.
sight, depending on whether it is hard cover or
soft cover. Soft cover grants +1 to attacks, but Free Action: Free actions can only be taken during
doesn’t block line of sight. Hard cover grants +2 your turn, but you can perform any number of free
to attacks and can block line of sight. actions during that turn.
Building Beacons

Critical Hit: On a result of 20+, an attack roll is a crit. Roll Grit: An attribute representing the combat experience
all damage dice twice and take the highest result. that beacons gain when they increase their character
level. Starting at character level 2 and then at every
Damage: Harm done to another character. Damage second level after that (i.e., levels 4, 6, 8, etc.), beacons
is subtracted from HP, and comes in different types gain +1 Grit. Grit is a passive bonus that applies
(Physical, Force, Astral, Lunar, Discord). to several other attributes.

Dangerous Terrain: Terrain that can cause damage. Immunity: When a character is immune to something,
1/round when you enter dangerous terrain or end they are unaffected by that type of effect.
Running the Game

your turn in it, you must make an ability check of

the GM’s choice. Failure: You take 5 damage of any Initiative: NPCs take their turns in a different way than
type or Stress based on the type of terrain. PCs. Instead of acting based on the phase of the
standard action they want to perform, each NPC has
Defeat: When a beacon is defeated, all effects on them an Initiative, which ranges from 1–8. This specifies
and that originated from them are removed, includ- the phase in which they take their turn. During that
ing Summons. Damage, conditions, statuses, and phase, the NPC can take any action, not only those
created objects and terrain remain, including Traps. options available to PCs during that phase.

Difficult Terrain: Terrain that slows movement. It has Limit Break: Every job has a limit break, which is a
+1 movement cost. power, scene-changing ability unique to that job.
Beacons can only perform one limit break per quest.
Appendices

Discord X: Discord is a special effect that applies ongo-

ing damage. A character or object that takes Discord Line of Sight: All abilities require a clear path to their
immediately takes Piercing discord damage equal target, known as line of sight.
to the amount of Discord gained. The Discord they
took is then added to any Discord they already have. Linked Weapons: Two weapons can be linked together
At the end of each turn while they have Discord, to form a linked pair. When you attack with a linked
the character or object makes a Magic check. On a weapon, you can also attack with the weapon it’s
successful save, all Discord is cleared from them. On linked to as a part of the same action. This is called
a failure, they take Piercing discord damage equal a linked attack, and each linked pair can only make
D: Glossary

to their current Discord. For more information on 1 linked attack per turn (p. 16).
Discord, see p. 58.
Minor Action: You can perform one minor action during
Enemy: A character that is hostile to you or on the other side. your turn. Minor actions can be used during any
phase.
Environmental Factors: Effects that alter combat
scenes, individual spaces, or even objects. Some Movement/Standard Movement: You can use your
apply to the entire combat scene, while others affect standard movement to move a number of spaces
characters in smaller areas. equal to your Speed.

Equipment: Weapons and support items are equipment. Object: Anything that isn’t a character (or part of one).
The terrain, parts of the environment, and deployed
390 items (like Traps) are all objects.
Obstruction: If a character or object is the same Size as Stress: A special type of harm that doesn’t count as
you or larger, you can’t move through their spaces. damage and doesn’t affect the recipient’s HP. Stress

Getting Started
Allied characters and enemy characters smaller than accumulates up to a character’s Stress Cap.
you don’t count as obstructions and you can move
through their spaces, but you can’t end a movement Surging: Beacons can surge 1/round to take a second
sharing spaces with another character. turn at the cost of taking Stress (p. 42).

Phase: The various stages of the round during which Talent: Sets of abilities that don’t need to be equipped.
characters can act. The phase in which a character Once your beacon has learned a talent, they will
takes a turn is usually decided by the action they want always have access to any abilities unlocked by their
to perform, as each action can only be performed ranks in that talent. Each talent has three ranks.
in a specific phase.

Building Beacons
Techniques: Skills and spells are techniques.
Range/Reach: The maximum number of spaces within
which a given ability can be used. Range and Reach Teleport: A special form of movement that allows for
work in the same way, but some effects trigger based instant movement between two spaces. Teleporta-
on one or the other, not both. tion doesn’t require line of sight, doesn’t provoke
reactions, and ignores Engagement. Teleportation
Reaction: Special actions performed in response to always counts as moving 1 space. If a character tele-
specific triggers, even on other character’s turns. ports into a space they can’t occupy, the teleport
You can perform one reaction per turn, but there is fails and the action is lost.
no limit on how many times a specific reaction can

Running the Game

be used unless one is specified. Terrain: A specific subset of object that includes the
environmental elements in a combat scene – trees,
Reroll Table: When making an attack, ability check, walls, rocks, and similar.
or save in combat, you can reroll the dice by using
the Reroll Table. To use the table, you choose one Terrain Features: Terrain features modify spaces and
of the listed options and reroll all dice for one roll terrain on the battlefield. While they generally affect
(including or ). Each option from the table can single spaces, multiple terrain features can be placed
only be chosen once per round (p. 52). next to each other to create a continuous feature.

Resistance: Reduces damage by half. Trait: Abilities that reinforce a beacon’s identity and
playstyle. Traits come from a beacon’s ancestry and
Round: Each combat scene is made up of a number of equipped job.

Appendices
rounds, each of which is split up into eight distinct
phases. At the end of the eighth phase, the round Turns: Each character takes one turn per round, taken
ends and another round begins. during one of that round’s phases. The action they
want to take on their turn determines which phase
Shift: A special movement that doesn’t provoke reac- they act in. On their turn, a character can perform
tions and ignores Engagement. You can’t shift if their standard movement, one standard action,
you are Slowed or Immobilized. one minor action, and any number of free actions
(within reason). Most NPCs only take one turn per
Scene: An entire combat, from beginning to end. Once round, but some NPCs might take multiple turns.
D: Glossary

the fighting is over, the scene ends.

Wound/Overstress: Characters can receive Wounds or
Squeezing: A special form of movement that allows become Overstressed. As they accumulate Wounds
characters to fit into spaces one Size smaller than and Overstresses, their combat performance weakens
them, but increases the cost of all movements by until they are no longer able to fight.
+1 while doing so (p. 55).
Zone: A lingering effect from an AOE, which remains
Standard Action: Characters can take one standard in play for a set time or until the end of the scene.
action per turn. Beacons can only use standard
actions from the current phase.

391
 TAGS
Accurate: Attacks with this tag gain +1 . If an Enchantment is destroyed, the ability it is en-
Getting Started

chanting is not destroyed and vice versa. Traits and

Aetheric: Attacks with this tag are made against A-Def talents can’t be enchanted.
instead of Dodge.
Focus X: Abilities with this tag cost X Focus to use.
Arcing: Abilities with this tag can be aimed over ob-
stacles. They ignore line of sight as long as there is a Homing: Abilities with this tag ignore line of sight and
vertical path to the target, although cover still applies. the effects of cover. As long as the target is within
Range and it is possible to reach them (i.e., they
Armor: Abilities with this tag represent suits of armor aren’t in a box), they can be targeted.
or similar defenses, many of which provide a bonus
Building Beacons

to Armor. A character can only have one ability with Inaccurate: Attacks with this tag receive +1 .
this tag equipped at a time.
Indirect: Attacks with this tag ignore any from cover.
Aura X: When activated, abilities with this tag affect
indicated characters within X spaces of the user. Innate: Abilities with this tag can’t be destroyed or
A character can only have one Aura activated at a enchanted. They can’t be chosen for destruction as
time and can change Auras 1/turn. the result of a wound roll.

Auto-Hit: Attacks with this tag automatically hit without Limited X: Abilities with this tag can only be used X times
making an attack roll. per quest. Limited abilities provide powerful effects
Running the Game

that can’t be replenished during a quest once used.

Blast X: Abilities with this tag have an AOE. It affects all
targets within a radius of X spaces from the center Line X: Abilities with this tag have an AOE. It affects all
space, including the center space. Cover and line targets in a straight line with a length of X spaces
of sight are calculated from the center space. Users and a width of 1 space, drawn directly away from
can be affected by their own Blast. you in any direction.

Burst X: Affects all targets within a radius of X spaces Mana X: Abilities with this tag cost X MP to use.
from the edge of the spaces occupied by the target,
including the target’s spaces but excluding the target Polymorph: Abilities with this tag modify the target’s
itself. Cover and line of sight are calculated from form. A character can only be under the effect of one
the edge of the spaces occupied by the target. If a ability with this tag at a time, and any subsequent
Appendices

Burst forms a zone, the zone moves with the target. polymorph effects are automatically cancelled while
they are under the effects of a polymorph.
Close Blast X: Abilities with this tag have an AOE. It
operates like a Blast, but: Piercing: Damage with this tag ignores Armor.
‘ at least 1 space must be adjacent to the user
‘ the user can’t be in the area Pull X: Abilities with this tag inflict a type of forced
‘ cover and line of sight are calculated from the user. movement. On a hit, the target is moved X spaces
directly toward the origin.
Consumable X: Abilities with this tag can only be
D: Glossary

used X times per quest. Consumable abilities rep- Push X: Abilities with this tag inflict a type of forced
resent potions, elixirs, and other items that can be movement. On a hit, the target is moved X spaces
replenished. directly away from the origin.

Enchantment: Abilities with this tag modify other Range X: Abilities with this tag can be used on targets
abilities. Enchantments can typically only be ap- within X spaces.
plied to specific types of abilities and can only be
applied to one ability at a time. Additionally, each Reach X: Abilities with this tag can be used on targets
ability can only have one Enchantment at a time. within X spaces. This tag also determines the range
Enchantments can only be applied to a new ability of the Opportunity Attack reaction.
while preparing for a quest or during a Long Rest.

392
Recharge X: Whenever an NPC uses a Recharge ability, Summons are defeated if they are reduced to 0
it can’t be used again until that ability recharges. HP. They can also be dismissed by their summoner

Getting Started
At the start of each of the NPC’s turns after using a as a free action. Summons last until dismissed or
Recharge ability, the NPC rolls a d6 recharge die. If defeated, or until the end of the scene.
the result equals or exceeds the Recharge value (X) By default, each character can only have one
of any Recharge abilities they have, those abilities Summon per ability with this tag in play at a time. If
recharge. NPCs only make one recharge roll each turn, a Summon is defeated or dismissed, a new one can
but that roll can recharge multiple abilities at once. be made using that same ability. Summons can’t
create Summons.
Reliable X: Abilities with this tag always deal at least X
damage, even if they would miss or deal less than Thrown X: Abilities with this tag can be used to make
X damage. Reliable damage inherits the ability’s a thrown attack, a melee attack made against a

Building Beacons
damage type and tags; however, Reliable damage target within X spaces. Thrown attacks are affected
does not count as a hit and doesn’t trigger any effects by cover. If throwing a weapon, it lands in a space
that require a hit. adjacent to the target (thrower’s choice), and must
be picked up as a free action while adjacent to it
Reloading: Abilities with this tag must be reloaded before it can be used again.
after each use before they can be used again. This
can be done using Refresh and other abilities. Trap: Abilities with this tag place traps – objects that
modify spaces – or are traps themselves. They must
Slide X: Abilities with this tag inflict a type of forced be placed in a free adjacent space. They become
movement. On a hit, the target is moved X spaces armed at the end of the turn in which they are placed.

Running the Game

in any direction. Moving into or adjacent to a space occupied by a
trap triggers it, activating its effects, after which it
Slow: Abilities with this tag can only be activated as is removed from play.
part of Full Attack. Traps are permanently Hidden, but can be auto-
matically detected with Search. You can attempt
Stressful X: Abilities with this tag inflict X Stress on to disarm a trap by making an Agility check as a
the user. minor action when moving into or adjacent to its
space (before it is triggered). On a success, the trap
Summon: Abilities with this tag create one or more is removed from play without being activated. On
temporary characters under the control of another a failure, it activates as normal.
character, each of which has the Summon tag.
Summons have the following statistics unless Unbreakable: Abilities with this tag cannot be destroyed

Appendices
otherwise indicated: and can’t be selected for destruction if there are
non-Unbreakable options left. If an Unbreakable
Basic Summon (Size 1/2, HP 5, Dodge/A-Def 10, result is selected from a wound or overstress roll, it
Speed 0, Save Target = Summoner's Save Target, becomes a Dazed result instead.
Bulk/Agility/Mind/Magic 0)
Unique: Characters can only equip one copy of each
Summons can only be created in free spaces that ability with this tag at a time.
they could normally enter (they can’t be summoned
into impassable terrain, for example).
D: Glossary

Summons are characters with a standard action,

standard movement, and minor action per round;
however, they can’t perform any actions unless
they have an ability that lets them do so and can’t
perform a movement unless they have Speed. Their
turn is their summoner’s turn, and if they can take
actions or move, they can do so at any point in their
summoner’s turn.

393
 INDEX
Getting Started

A Destruction 247 Pursue a Profession 31

Abilities 16 Elimination 247 Run an Organization 31
Ability Checks and Saves 49 Escort 248 Take a Breather 32
Ability Scores 12 Holdout 248 Training 32
Agility 12 Raid 249
Bulk 12 Rescue 249 E
Magic 12 Search 250 Enchantment 64
Mind 12 Survival 250 Engagement 56
Accuracy 9 Blast 64 Environmental Factors 56, 251
Building Beacons

Accurate 64 Bosses 323 Adaptations 56

Actions 43 Bulk 12 Equipment 16
Aether 232 Burst 64 Equipment Size 16
Aetheric 64 Equipment Slots 16
Aetheric Defense (A-Def ) 15 C Free Equipment 16
Agility 12 Campaigns 240 Support Items 17
Ancestry 13, 68 Changing Choices 14 Weapons 16
Arcing 64 Characters 48
Area of Effect 53 Checks 9 F
Blast 53 Class 13, 84 Flight 55
Running the Game

Burst 53 Climbing 55 Focus 64

Close Blast 53 Close Blast 53, 64 Forced Movement 55
Line 53 Combat Play 41 Free Actions 47
Armor 64 Combat Resources
Attacks 51 Focus 17 G
Attributes 14 Temporary HP 17 Grit 14
Aetheric Defense (A-Def ) 15 Combat Scenes 243
Dodge 15 Consumable 64 H
HP 15 Core Principles 8 Homing 64
Mana 15 Cover 50 HP 15
Memory 15 Critical Hits 52 Hub 237
Overstress 15 Crystals 231
Appendices

Recoveries 15 I
Scope 14 D Inaccurate 64
Size 14 Damage 58 Indirect 64
Speed 15 Bonus Damage 59 Information Transparency 41, 255
Stress Cap 15 Dangerous Terrain 56 Innate 64
Wound 15 Difficult Terrain 56
Aura 64 Difficulty 9 J
Auto-Hit 52, 64 Discord 58 Job 13, 84
Dodge 15
Index

B Downtime Activities 27 L
Background Skills 12 Create a Ritual 27 Leveling Up 14
Basic Support Items 217 Disenchant Loot 27 Levels 14
Basic Techniques 220 Dungeon-Dive 27 Limited 64
Basic Weapons 216 Find Echo 28 Line 64
Battlefield 41 Gain a Contact 28 Line of Sight 49
Battle Plan 244 Get Something 28 Linked Weapons 16
Acqusition 245 Go Shopping 29 Loot 356
Assassination 245 Hit the Books 29 Loot Crates 257
Control 246 Imprint a Crystal 30
Defense 246 Make Something 30

394
M Crystal Warriors 233 Close Blast 64
Magic 12 The Soul Guard 236 Consumable 64

Getting Started
Mana 15, 65 Reliable 65 Enchantment 64
Memory 15 Reloading 65 Focus 64
Mind 12 Reroll Table 52 Homing 64
Minor Actions 47 Resources 17 Inaccurate 64
Modifiers 9 Combat Resources 17 Indirect 64
Movement 54 Narrative Resources 18 Innate 64
Rewards 20 Limited 64
N Supplies 18 Line 64
Narrative Actions Ruins 231 Mana 65
Convince 24 Piercing 64
S

Building Beacons
Gain Insight 25 Polymorph 65
Gather Information 25 Safety Tools 227 Pull 64
Make Conflict 25 Saves 9 Push 64
Move Unseen 26 Save Target 15 Range 64
Overcome 26 Scope 14 Reach 65
Recall Lore 26 Scourge 230 Reliable 65
Use Magic 26 Session 0 226 Reloading 65
Narrative Play 22 Shifting 54 Slide 65
Narrative Resources Shops 346 Slow 65
Gold 18 Alchemy Shop 347 Stressful 65

Running the Game

Residuum 18 Blacksmith 349 Summon 65
Non-Player Characters 259 Engineer 352 Thrown 65
NPC Actions 261 General Store 346 Trap 65
NPC Features 260, 304 Leatherworker/Clothier 350 Unbreakable 65
NPC Initiative 260 Magic Shop / Dojo 355 Unique 65
NPC Templates 259 Tavern 354 Talents 13, 202
Mechanical Templates 306 Size 14 Targeting 49
Thematic Templates 310 Skill Challenges 33 Techniques 17
NPC Tier 259 Adversity Challenges 34 Free Techniques 17
NPC Type 259 Story Challenges 33 Skills 17
Skill Checks 23 Spells 17
O Slide 65 Teleportation 54

Appendices
Objects 48 Slow 65 Terrain Features 57, 251
Obstruction 56 Source 7 Themes 229
Overstress 15 Speed 15 Thrown 65
Squeezing 55 Title 11
P Standard Actions 44 Tone 227
Phases 42 Stress 58 Traits 16
Piercing 64 Stress Cap 15 Trap 65
Polymorph 65 Stressful 65 Turns 42
Pull 64 Summon 65
Index

Push 64 Supplies 346 U

Surging 42 Unbreakable 65
Q Unique 65
Quests 241 T
Tags 64 W
R Accurate 64 Weapons 16
Range 64 Aetheric 64 Weapon Type 16
Reach 65 Arcing 64 Wounds 15
Reactions 47, 399 Armor 64
Recharging 260 Aura 64 Z
Recoveries 15 Auto-Hit 64 Zones 53
Reflections 233 Blast 64
Colossus 235 Burst 64 395
 COMBAT QUICK GUIDE
Getting Started

Combat takes place within combat scenes. Each combat Order

is made up of a number of rounds. By default, each Each round starts with Phase Bolster, and ends
PC beacon and each NPC takes one turn each round. with Phase Delay.
PCs and NPCs alternate turns. If a PC decides to take
Scene their turn during Phase , then an NPC has the chance
to take the next turn in that phase. If no one else takes
Round a turn that phase, the next phase begins. The pattern of
alternating turns continues across phases and rounds.
1 Turn / Round This means that if the final turn in a round is taken by
Building Beacons

a PC, an NPC will have the first opportunity to act in

COMBAT STRUCTURE the next round.
Each round is broken up into eight phases. Charac- At the end of Phase , a new round begins, starting
ters take their turns in one of these phases. The phase at Phase .
determines which standard actions can be performed.

PHASE STANDARD ACTIONS REROLL TABLE

PCs can choose to reroll attacks, checks, and saves
Bolster Defend Refresh during combat, choosing from a list of penalties. This
is called using the Reroll Table.
Running the Game

Channel Channel Each option on the Reroll Table can only be used
1/round.
Skirmish Mark Search Volley
REROLL TABLE
Reposition Rush Hide
STRAIN You take 1d3 Stress.
Brawl Fight Shove Grapple
ENDANGER You become Marked. You can’t use
Release Release this option if you are Marked. This
doesn’t count as a condition that
Full Attack Full Attack you’ve given yourself.
Appendices

Delay Delay OVEREXTEND You can only choose this option if you
are adjacent to an enemy or within
Any Phase Ready Reach of an enemy’s weapon. The
enemy can choose one of the follow-
Player Turns ing, which resolves before you reroll:
You take your turn each round during one of the eight
phases. During your turn, you can do the following in Ø They make an Opportunity
any order: Attack against you.
Ø They deal 3 Physical to you
Combat Quick Guide

1 Standard 1 Standard 1 Minor as a reaction.

Action Movement Action

Unlimited Free Actions

You can only take standard actions available in the

current phase.

396
SURGE
Each PC can Surge once per round, allowing them to

Getting Started
take a second turn. This costs a certain amount of Stress SURGE LEVEL STRESS COST
based on their Surge level, which increases each time
they Surge and resets when they next take a Long Rest. 0 2 Stress.
This second turn counts as a brand-new turn, giving
them a new standard action, standard movement, and 1 1d3+1 Stress.
minor action.
The Stress cost for surging is listed below. This Stress 2 1d6+2 Stress.
is taken at the start of a Surge turn, before anything
else. The cost does not progress past 1d6+4. 3 1d6+4 Stress.

Building Beacons
STANDARD ACTIONS
Phase 1: Bolster Phase 2: Channel

Defend Phase Bolster Channel Phase Channel

You gain Focus equal to your Armor+1d3. Until the You begin to enact a Channel ability, the effect of

Running the Game

start of your next turn, attacks against you are made which you can unleash in Phase with the Release
with +1 . action. This is the only way to trigger a channeled
ability’s Release effect. Until you release it, you are
considered to be channeling.
Refresh Phase Bolster While channeling, if you take any damage (after
Armor) or Stress not caused by yourself, you must
Choose one of the following: pass a Bulk save against the other character’s Save
Ø Spend a Recovery to regain all HP. Target. This is called a concentration save. On a
Ø Clear all Stress. failure, you lose concentration: you stop channeling
Ø Regain all MP. and the ability fizzles.
You can only channel one ability at a time, and
Then choose one of the following: you can’t Ready the Channel action. You can stop

Appendices
Ø Reload all Reloading weapons/abilities. channeling as a free action. If you don’t make a stan-
Ø Clear all Discord. dard movement this turn, you can do so when you
Ø Clear a condition that wasn’t caused by yourself. Release the ability this round.
Ø Clear a condition on an adjacent ally that wasn’t Channel abilities are considered to be used at
caused by them. the time this action is taken, and any costs (e.g., MP)
must be paid at that time. Their effects, including
choosing targets, only happen when they’re released
unless the ability specifically states they happen when
channeling.
Combat Quick Guide

397
 Phase 3: Skirmish Phase 5: Brawl
Getting Started

Mark Phase Skirmish Fight Phase Brawl

A character within your Scope and line of sight be- You make one of the following attacks:
comes Marked.
Ø Melee attack: Make a melee attack with an abili-
ty against a target within the ability’s Reach. Roll
Search Phase Skirmish 1d20+Grit. If your result equals or exceeds the tar-
get’s Dodge (or A-Def for Aetheric attacks), it hits.
Choose a character or object within Scope and pick one: Ø Improvised weapon attack: Make a melee weap-
on attack against an adjacent. Roll 1d20+Grit. If
Building Beacons

Ø If they are Hidden, you make a contested Mind your result equals or exceeds the target’s Dodge,
check against their Agility. On a success, they are they take 1d3 Physical .
no longer Hidden.
Ø You learn the target’s ability scores, attributes, and
abilities. Grapple Phase Brawl

You make a grapple attack:

Volley  Phase Skirmish
Ø Grapple attack: Make a melee weapon attack
You make one of the following attacks: against an adjacent character. Roll 1d20+Grit. If
Running the Game

your result equals or exceeds the target’s Dodge,

Ø Ranged attack: Make a ranged attack with an abil- you and the target are both Grappled.
ity against a target within the ability’s Range. Roll
1d20+Grit. If your result meets or exceeds the tar- Grapple attacks can be made while you are Disarmed
get’s Dodge (or A-Def for Aetheric attacks), it hits. (p. 62).
Ø Improvised spell attack (1 MP): Make an Aethe-
ric ranged spell attack against a character with-
in Scope. Roll 1d20+Grit. If your result meets or Shove Phase Brawl
exceeds the target’s A-Def, they take 2 Stress .
You make a shove attack:

Ø Shove attack: Make a melee weapon attack against

Appendices

Phase 4: Reposition an adjacent target. Roll 1d20+Grit. You gain +1 for

every Size you are larger than the target, or +1 for
Hide  Phase Reposition every Size smaller. If your result equals or exceeds
the target’s Dodge, choose one of the following:
You become Hidden. ‘ You push them 1 space.
‘ You knock them Prone.

Rush Phase Reposition Shove attacks can be made while you are Disarmed
(p. 62).
Combat Quick Guide

Choose one of the following:

Ø You move up to your Speed.
Ø Until the end of the turn, you ignore Engagement
and don’t provoke reactions from movement.

398
Phase 6: Release Any Phase

Getting Started
Release Phase Release ReadyAny Phase

You release an ability you are channeling, causing it You prepare your standard action at a later moment,
to take effect. This is resolved as if you were taking a turning it into a customizable reaction:
turn, following the rules for alternating turns between
PCs and NPCs, but doesn’t count as a turn. Instead of 1. Select a trigger, which must be a specific action,
releasing an effect, you can continue channeling it movement, or reaction taken by any character.
and release it during Phase in the next round. You 2. Select your effect, which must be an action or mi-
can’t release an ability if you are Silenced. nor action you can take during your current turn.
3. Until the start of your next turn, you can perform

Building Beacons
that readied action as a reaction when the trigger
Phase 7: Full Attack is met. If you haven’t used your readied action by
the start of your next turn, the action is lost. You
Full Attack Phase Full Attack can’t use any other reactions while you have an
action readied. You can forgo yur readied action
1/round, choose one of the following: at any time.

Ø You use a Slow ability. Example:

Ø You perform any two of the following actions – Trigger: Any enemy moves outside of cover.
Volley, Fight, Shove, or Grapple. You Effect: I will Volley at them.

Running the Game

can choose the same action twice, but not the same
ability or the same linked pair of weapons.

Phase 8: Delay

Delay Phase Delay

The last chance to take an action during this round.

If you wanted to take an action but the phase had
already passed, you can do so in this phase.

Appendices
REACTIONS
Counterattack Interpose Opportunity Attack
Reaction (1/round), Focus 1 Reaction, Focus 1 Reaction (1/round)

Trigger: You are hit by an attack Trigger: An ally within Range 3 Trigger: An enemy begins a move-
from a character within the Reach is targeted by an attack. ment within the Reach of one of
Combat Quick Guide

of one of your abilities. your abilities.

Effect: You can shift up to 2 spaces.
Effect: You can Volley or Fight If you end this movement next to Effect: You can immediately Vol-
against that character with one the targeted ally, you can choose to ley or Fight against that character
of those abilities. Each attack roll become the target instead, even if with one of those abilities.
can only be counterattacked once you would otherwise not be a valid
– multiple characters can’t Coun- target. Each attack roll can only be
terattack in response to the same interposed once – multiple charac-
attack roll. ters can’t Interpose in response to
the same attack roll.

399
 400
Getting Started Building Beacons Running the Game Appendices Combat Quick Guide
name title
BEACON
LEVEL
LIMIT BREAK
LK
U

ancestry active job

B

BACKGROUND SKILLS
CHARACTER SHEETS
// CLASS RANKS
TY

RANK used
I
IL

GRIT 1
G
A

2
D
IN

3
M
IC

4
G
A
M

6
E
G
D

7
O
D

8
EF
-D
A

9
E

SIZE
10
V
A
S

11
E
P
O

12
C

SPEED
S

FOCUS ARMOR TEMP HP DISCORD TRACKERS

HP STRESS MP
MAX

MAX

MAX
WOUNDS OVERSTRESS RECOVERIES

X
A
M
CONDITIONS STATUSES SURGE COST REROLL TABLE

2 Stress STRAIN
Blinded Marked Sundered Bloodied Grappled Take 1d3 Stress.
1d3+1 Stress
Dazed Silenced Vulnerable Breaking Hidden ENDANGER
1d6+2 Stress Become MARKED. You can't use this
Disarmed Slowed Weakened Engaged Invisible option if you are MARKED.
1d6+4 Stress OVEREXTEND
Immobilized Stunned Flying Prone If you are adjacent to an enemy or
within their weapon’s reach, they can
a) OPPORTUNITY ATTACK you, or
b) deal 3 Physical to you.

TRAITS

NOTES LOOT
EQUIPMENT
weapon weapon weapon
name support type name support type name support type

tags action tags action tags action

range / damage range / damage range / damage

weapon weapon weapon

name support type name support type name support type

tags action tags action tags action

range / damage range / damage range / damage

weapon weapon weapon

name support type name support type name support type

tags action tags action tags action

range / damage range / damage range / damage

TECHNIQUES

name name name

skill skill skill
memory spell memory spell memory spell

action action action

tags tags tags

range range range

damage damage damage

name name name

skill skill skill
memory spell memory spell memory spell

action action action

tags tags tags

range range range

damage damage damage

name name name

skill skill skill
memory spell memory spell memory spell

action action action

tags tags tags

range range range

damage damage damage

TALENTS

RANK 1: RANK 1: RANK 1:

RANK 2: RANK 2: RANK 2:

RANK 3: RANK 3: RANK 3:

RANK 1: RANK 1: RANK 1:

RANK 2: RANK 2: RANK 2:

RANK 3: RANK 3: RANK 3:

RANK 1: RANK 1: RANK 1:

RANK 2: RANK 2: RANK 2:

RANK 3: RANK 3: RANK 3:

TALENTS

RANK 1: RANK 1: RANK 1:

RANK 2: RANK 2: RANK 2:

RANK 3: RANK 3: RANK 3:

RANK 1: RANK 1: RANK 1:

RANK 2: RANK 2: RANK 2:

RANK 3: RANK 3: RANK 3:

RANK 1: RANK 1: RANK 1:

RANK 2: RANK 2: RANK 2:

RANK 3: RANK 3: RANK 3: