⬥1⬥

Written, designed and scenarios cover art by Eva Terra.

Cover Art and Playbook art by Phoebe Mark.

Proofread by Milloupe.

Powered by the Apocalypse World engine, by D. Vincent Baker

and Meguey Baker.

Titles and text body use variations of Source Code Pro by Paul D.
Hunt and Teo Tuominen.

For more visit https://worstgirleva.itch.io/burning-hearts-forever

⬥2⬥
We shine bright as we fly our giant mechs across endless stars, we
dance as we transform into magical girls with powers to change
fate, we descend into a world that is a twisted reflection of ours
to fight the monsters from our subconscious, we rise to the stage
and spill our hearts out in song, we race against time to save the
world from evil warlocks, we ride across the countryside in race
cars like tomorrow doesn’t matter.

We are those blessed with Hearts. Our Hearts, capitalized, are

tools we wield to change fate, to do the impossible, and to make
the world our own. And our hearts, lowercase, our metaphorical
hearts, our beating hearts, our emotional hearts. They might not
be literally the same, but the ambiguous wording is on purpose.

Our Hearts are many things. They are the legendary weapons we
vanquish evil with, the giant mechs that fly us to the stars, the
hidden powers we’ve found within ourselves, the shining charms
that let us become magical girls, the roaring engines propelling
us across the countryside, and so much more.

⬥3⬥
 Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: The Game.......6 Pulling Strings.............50
Tempt.......................52
The Party....................7
Intimacy Moves..............53
Hearts.......................7
Conditions..................55
Open Scenarios...............7
Last Stand..................58
Conversation.................8
Reroll......................59
Principles...................8
Scenes......................10 CHAPTER 5: Downtime Moves 60
Belonging...................11
Safety Tools................12 Connect With Your Heart.....62
Why Play....................13 Investigate.................63
Get in a Fight..............64
CHAPTER 2: The Mechanics. 14 Indulge.....................65
Take a Leap of Faith........66
Moves and Rolling Dice......15
Rest........................67
Stats.......................16
Vent........................68
Hearts......................17
Strings.....................18 CHAPTER 6: The Playbooks. 70
Conditions..................19
Harm, Armor, Vulnerable and Introduction................71
Healing.....................20 The Dreadnought.............73
Forwards, Ongoing and Holds. 22 The Foesworn................78
Highlighted Stats...........22 The Fool....................83
Starting Relations and Main The Frozen..................87
NPCs........................23 The Hero....................91
Tags........................24 The Lover...................96
Broken Hearts...............25 The Outsider...............100
Non Heart Weapons...........26 The Spider.................105
Experience and Advancements. 26 The Storm..................109
The Structure of a Play.....27 The Vampire................113
Season Advancements.........29
CHAPTER 7: Playing Your
CHAPTER 3: Basic Moves. . .32 First Session...........119
Engage in Conflict..........34 Gather Supplies............120
Defend Someone..............37 Introduce Safety Tools.....120
Throw Your Charm............38 Explain Premise and Roles. .120
Read a Person...............40 Discuss Roleplaying........121
Burn Bridges................42 Discuss Moves and Hearts. . .121
Do Something Risky..........44 Pick a Scenario............122
Soothe a Heart..............45 Discuss the Setting........122
Pick a Playbook............122
CHAPTER 4: Extra Moves. . .47 Build Your Character.......123
Establish Backstories......124
Ready Your Heart............49

⬥4⬥ Table of Contents

 Start Playing..............124 Combat and Sharing the
Spotlight..................142
CHAPTER 8: The Narrator. 125
Principles.................126
CHAPTER 9: Making Your Own
Hard moves and soft moves. .132 ........................143
Narrator Moves.............133 Custom Moves...............144
Strife Between Main Characters Custom Playbooks...........145
...........................139 Custom Scenarios...........147
Making Villains............139 Index......................150
Rules and Mechanics for NPCs
...........................141

Table of Contents ⬥5⬥

CHAPTER 1: THE GAME
Burning Hearts Forever is a scepter that protects her
tabletop RPG that runs on the friends at her own expense, a
apocalypse engine made to tell giant mech that burns as bright
stories in a wide array of as its pilot's bravery.
different scenarios, each with a
different definition of what a Hearts are not just objects,
Heart is. The game focuses on they are something important to
the interpersonal relationship each character. Something that
between characters and the drama they can’t live without, that
that unfolds when strong wills shapes their lives, that guides
clash. their dreams. It’s a game about
intense scenes of emotional
The Party conflict, where characters wield
their Hearts on their sleeves as
they cry and laugh while
The game is played by 3 to 6
fighting against rivals and
players in sessions that range
lovers.
from 2 to 4 hours. It can be
played as a single session (or a
“one-shot”), or a larger Open Scenarios
campaign of multiple sessions.
This game has no static setting,
Each player controls one and the rules can be adapted for
character. Characters controlled a number of different types of
by players are called main stories. This book contains a
characters, the player wide selection of pre-made
characters, or PCs. One player scenarios for you to play, but
acts as the Narrator, describing you may also create your own as
the world and taking the role of you like. What a Heart is, the
all the secondary characters, mood of the game, and other
the non-player characters, or aspects of play can change
NPCs, that inhabit it. drastically from setting to
setting.
Hearts You can choose to play in a
light-hearted fantasy setting
This is a game about Hearts.
about going on adventures with
Hearts are both the metaphorical
magical weapons and acquiring
heart of a character, the core
rewards and saving the world
of their emotional being, and
from evil wizards, or a dramatic
also an object or concept that
story focused on the
gives them power to shape the
interpersonal relationships of
world. Hearts have no set form,
characters where combat and
but are defined by the setting
dialogue are merged in a battle
of the game and reflect the
of wills to see who gets to
personality of the character. A
change the world according to
legendary sword as sharp as its
their wishes.
wielder’s wit, a magical girl’s

The Game ⬥7⬥

 will know what they’re going to
Some scenarios might also offer do next, and this keeps the game
unique rules, changing, adding unpredictable and wild, a game
or removing from the basic moves where at any point the rolling
and mechanics, so the experience of a pair of dice can change
of the game can be adapted to everything.
the themes of the scenario
currently being played.
Principles
Conversation While playing this game, there
are four principles that all
Roleplaying is a conversation. players, including the narrator,
This means that above should be mindful of. These are
everything, before the rules, not rules, they are merely
the moves, the dice, the things that should be followed,
playbooks, it's about people so the game flows better. No one
talking to each other. We say will be enforcing these, but
what our characters do, how they this is a good starting point to
do it and why they do it. We say understand what the game is
things, we complement what about. The principles are the
others said, we agree, and we following:
argue. We say what they want and
what they’re afraid of, the ♦ Play flawed characters.
people they have a crush on and ♦ Say what the rules demand.
the people they want to crush. ♦ Say what honesty demands.
♦ Play to find out.
Roleplaying is a conversation
and that means we say what our Play Flawed Characters
characters do, but this game is
not just roleplaying, it’s a As a player it’s important to
roleplaying game, an RPG, so we take risks, remember that you’re
have rules that come into play not playing to win, there’s
when we say specific things to nothing here to properly be won.
dictate the result, for making Instead, you are using this game
the actions of our characters as a tool to build an
unpredictable, that make other interesting and engaging
players react to our actions, to narrative for everyone. Take
measure how likely we are to risks, put your character in
succeed at something and to dangerous situations, make
create hooks for the recurring mistakes knowing full well how
things our characters do. badly they can turn out and
don’t be afraid to make your
Rules bring numbers and character do things they will
randomness to our dialogue. It regret like hurting others, but
makes it so that not even the of course ask permission to the
player controlling the character

⬥8⬥ The Game

player controlling said literally had a +4 on that move
character beforehand. and it's insane that you managed
to roll snake eyes twice in a
If you’re afraid that making row after using the reroll
your character act on impulse action, but we can laugh at how
and lash out on another unlikely these situations are.
character might hurt someone You mark experience, you laugh,
else’s feelings, just ask how and you let the narrative go on.
they feel about it. We are
playing flawed characters who Failing is in fact a good thing
make mistakes, but we have the that can create all the most
advantage that this is just a interesting types of stories. No
game, we are building this good story is told without
story, we can take breaks and having flawed characters try and
ask how others feel about our fail, so don’t be afraid of
actions. failing or of making a move
you’re almost certain is not
Don’t be afraid of putting your going to succeed in because
character in dangerous failure creates all the most fun
situations you’re sure they’re and engaging stories.
going to get hurt in, and know
that you’re always free to say No tale worth telling is made
you’re not comfortable with without some mistakes, without
something your character is characters failing and failing
suffering and find a convenient over and over because failing is
way out of it. Take risks but an integral part of telling a
know that everyone’s safety good narrative, so fail away.
stands above everything else and
if anything makes you Say What Honesty Demands
uncomfortable you’re free to
change it. Even if your character has
secrets and avoids showing their
Say What the Rules heart to others, it’s important
to be honest about how they’re
Demand feeling. Having your character
Remember that all the moves and lash out on someone else without
the dice rolls are there for a explaining why they’re doing so
reason, they are not an obstacle might give other players mixed
or something that should be won signals, so tell them that
over, again there is nothing to actually your character pushes
be won here. It’s important to others away because they’re too
act on the rules and follow them afraid of rejection and that
because these limitations breed deep down they would love to
creativity. have someone there with them.
Tell the players, but not the
I know sometimes the dice can characters, let the players know
feel unfair, I know that you

The Game ⬥9⬥

how to act about it, even if The story is wild and
their characters don’t. unpredictable, or at the very
least, it should be wild and
Tell the other players about unpredictable. We’re all
your character and let them know creating a narrative together
the situations you most want to here, and it would not be fair
roleplay and the things they for one player to have all
should play around with. Maybe control over characteristics of
no other character understands the plot, it’s important that
yours, maybe yours is a big all players feel and know that
puzzle that no one managed to they have agency and power to
solve and in your mind this is shape this story as a group.
just the coolest character ever
if anyone just gave the time to And this applies even to the
understand them. But if the narrator. It is not the
other players don’t know narrator’s job to railroad the
anything about your character, party into a story that has
they have no way of solving the already been written, after all
puzzle, they won’t know how to what is the fun in being the
play around them and how to puppet of someone else’s pre-
explore how good of a character written narrative. Keep it fresh
yours is. and keep it unpredictable,
making every roll a plot twist,
And also it’s important to tell allowing the story to be wild
others how you as a player feel and engaging.
too. Don’t bottle your feelings
and hide that actually you did
not like having your character
Scenes
hurt like that. Be transparent
The story is told in scenes,
about the things that make you
like a TV series, an anime, or a
uncomfortable, always be safe.
chapter of a book. The spotlight
This game is a tool to tell
shines on what is important and
stories and explore feelings, so
dims its light when it has shown
it’s important for everyone to
enough. That means that not
do their best and avoid being
everything that the main
hurt.
characters do has to be on-
screen, you can do a scene and
Play to find out tell a micro story with it, next
Writing and plotting is fun, but you can shift to another scene
remember this is a story told by in another time in another place
everyone, even if you have this and tell another tale.
one super cool idea about how Everything that happens in
things could go it’s important between that isn’t necessary to
to keep in mind that things be told, does not have to be
might not go that way. played.

⬥10⬥ The Game

If the characters are taking a cast, she is gonna try to
very long and boring walk, you rough up some thugs.
absolutely do not need to play MAGGIE: I like that! So how
the entire thing. You say you do you get out? Do you sneak
had a walk, you say you got out the window, or do you
where you needed, you do the just take the front door and
next scene. damn anyone who sees you?
JULIA: Flora is not a subtle
When starting a scene, the person so, yeah, I will say
narrator will ask the players she takes the front door.
questions about their characters
and build on the answers, that
is the process of framing a
Belonging
scene. Asking what characters This game absolutely does not
are doing and what they will do, accept any type of bigotry on
how they are feeling, who they the table. It supports the
want to see, who they want to rights of people of color, queer
avoid and where they are going, people, fat people, disabled
are a few examples of questions people, religious freedom and
the narrator can ask to frame a the rights of all other
scene. minorities.

Here is an example of a scene It’s important to be stated.

being framed: This is a game that can be many
things, but it can never be used
MAGGIE: Flora, you’re still as a tool for bigotry. Players
in the hospital from your don’t need to play explicitly
last conflict with Queen queer characters, or characters
Despair. The others are of color, but this game is not a
training without you, they place to play as white
said you should rest. What do
supremacists or homophobes. The
you do?
LEAST you can do is play as an
Maggie is the narrator of the
ally.
game, she is in charge of
controlling the environment,
Burning Hearts Forever is about
the NPCs and framing the
a group of queer women who often
scenes to give opportunities
for the main characters to find themselves in homoerotic
shine. Flora is the Storm, a battles, it’s about the coming
figure with immense power, of age of a group of teens who
but with little control over learn more and more of how they
it. She is played by Julia. do not fit into society, it’s
JULIA: Flora would absolutely about inclusive groups of adults
not lay down and do nothing who respect and love each other
while the others are no matter their differences.
training. With or without
This game can be used both as a
power fantasy of living in a

The Game ⬥11⬥

society where your sexuality and better explore their own
gender are no more important feelings while still being safe.
than whether you’re left or It can often be a little intense
right-handed. If players desire and feelings can be hurt if not
so, they can play minorities who properly spoken out loud, so
will never face oppression like remember to keep your heart
they would in real life. safe. That is why we have safety
tools like the X Card, Lines and
But if one so desires to explore Veils and the Open Door Policy.
the experiences of being a
marginalized minority in a safe The X Card is a tool made by
environment, they are free to do John Stavropoulos that has been
so. They may say, “I want my growing in popularity in the
character to be a non-passing tabletop community. Basically
trans woman who is loud about the X Card is an object, usually
her identity and often finds a card with an X written on it,
herself in bad situations but not necessarily, that at any
because of such.” If so, it’s time any player may tap to tell
important to everyone on the others they are uncomfortable
table to stay safe and always with what is at hand and that it
ask for consent before putting should be dropped or edited. A
someone else’s character under player should not feel forced to
bigotry. It can be a great way explain why they feel
to explore feelings, but uncomfortable, all that matters
remember to stay safe. is that if they tap the X Card,
something is wrong.
This game supports both power
fantasies of living in an openly The Open Door Policy states that
queer world that accepts all all players are free to leave
kinds of minorities and the table if they’re
exploration of how it is to live uncomfortable with the content
in a society that wants them at hand or if they just need a
dead is like in a safe break. Players should not feel
environment. pressured to stay even if they
do not feel safe, and should
Safety Tools always know that they are free
to leave.
The goal of this game is to
Lines and Veils are to be
create a memorable experience
defined before starting the
for all players, filled with
game, but can be implemented
drama and breathtaking scenes of
later on if a player figures out
love and conflict. It’s for all
they’re uncomfortable with
players to have an enjoyable
something they thought they’d be
experience, and potentially even
fine with. Lines are things that
use this game as a means to
absolutely do not happen in the
game, they are lines not to be

⬥12⬥ The Game

crossed, things that do not stories. Because this game helps
happen either on or off-screen. to tell them by introducing
Veils are things that may happen randomness and rules to the
off-screen, but not explicitly narrative to keep things wild
expressed out loud. A line for and fresh.
torture means that no matter
what, torture will not happen in We play because we have amazing
the game, a veil for torture characters that we want to see
means that a door closes, and a shine, so we put them in scenes,
character is tortured off- we give them special moves that
screen, but it’s never make playing them more unique,
explicitly mentioned. we give them unique Hearts that
they may use in a number of
Another thing to keep in mind is different settings that this
to do a little aftercare after game covers.
the game is over. Save some time
after the session to talk about We play because we love the
how everyone feels and the company of our friends, and we
things they liked or disliked. want to spend time with them and
Talk about the amazing things develop something together, have
you liked in the game and praise the fruits of our labor create
other players for their an amazing tale together.
creativity.

There are many other safety

tools out there that can be used
to keep everyone safe while
playing, these are only a few
examples.

Why Play
The question of why playing is a
loaded one. We play because we
want to tell stories, and this
game is a great tool for telling
them. Because we want to tell
tales about complicated
characters that are driven by
complicated things. Because we
want to explore unorthodox
settings that aren’t usually
covered by other games.

We play because we love stories

and because we love to tell

The Game ⬥13⬥

CHAPTER 2: THE MECHANICS
These are the basic mechanics of Daring, but if you’re the kind
the game, they explain how of person that doesn’t break
things like rolling dice, under pressure you may take +2
inflicting, and taking damage, on rolls that use Cold.
being afflicted by conditions, Sometimes moves might also call
improving your character and so for modifiers outside the stats,
many others work. for example other mechanics like
number of conditions you
Moves and currently have, or even
narrative things like how many
Rolling Dice people are helping you on this
action.
Roleplaying is a conversation,
Second, a move will name what
where we say all the things that
happens depending on the result.
our characters do. As long as
A hit is anything equal or above
the result is certain you just
a 7, it means that you succeed
do it, you say what you do, you
in your action. A miss is
describe how you do it, and you
anything equal or below a 6, it
do it. But if the result is
means that you failed the
uncertain, when you don’t know
action, but moves will often not
if you’re able to charm that
have descriptions to what
person, if your punch is going
happens if you fail, as failures
to land on him, if you can
are opportunities for the
properly read her actions, or if
Narrator to make a move of their
you’re in the right mind to
own.
soothe them, you roll.
A strong hit is equal or above a
When a move calls for a roll,
10, it means that you had a full
you roll two six-sided dice, or
success with no drawbacks. A
2d6, that’s the only type of
weak hit or a mixed success is a
roll in this game. The reason
roll between 7 and 9, it means
why we use 2d6 in contrast with
that you did succeed, but there
a single twelve sided one is
will be a cost or decreased
because it has more predictable
result.
results, since it’s more likely
for the total to fall around
A player may not realize they’re
numbers like 6 or 7, than 2 or
triggering a move, and it’s the
12.
job of everyone in the table to
point it out, for example:
First, a move will name a
modifier that will be applied to
THELMA: I want to insult her
the roll. That’s where stats
and tell her to stop
come in to define the things bothering me.
that you’re good and bad at. If MAGGIE: That sounds like
you’re not very brave, you will you’re trying to Burn Bridges
take -1 on rolls that use

The Mechanics ⬥15⬥

with her, will you roll for later, the hot headed anime
that? character that never gives up.
THELMA: I don’t think this
would be a roll, I’m not A high Daring means your
trying to gain anything from character can throw a punch and
saying that. project their will against
THELMA: I’m just trying to others, it means they’re good at
get a reaction from her, but standing up for a cause and
depending on it I might roll defending those who can’t
something. protect themselves.

Another example is: Hot

LEWIS: I want to tell Jason Meaning beautiful, pretty,
to stop harassing Charlotte. charming, alluring, appealing,
MAGGIE: That sounds like cute, dazzling, elegant,
you’re trying to Defend Her, fascinating, handsome, stunning,
will you roll for that? someone who can get other’s
LEWIS: Yeah, I will. It’s fancy, someone who can make
really important for Oliver others flustered just by being
right now to keep her safe. in their presence.

Stats Having a high Hot means your

character is an unforgettable
Burning Hearts has four regular figure who will get to the best
stats and a special one. Stats side of others.
represent the things your
character is good and bad at and Cold
reflect them while rolling. The
value of a stat cannot be lower Meaning cool, distant,
than -2 or higher than +3. The apathetic, emotionless,
stats in this game are: reserved, detached, someone who
♦ Daring doesn’t flinch, someone who can
♦ Hot tell someone else the cold hard
♦ Cold truth, the quiet anime character
♦ Sharp who’s always unbothered, who is
♦ Pulse often found leaning on walls and
never loses their cool.
Daring
A high Cold means your character
Meaning brave, bold, will be good at rejecting
adventurous, fearless, others, at making others regret
audacious, intense, confident, ever trying to get close to them
courageous, dashing, fearless, in the first place, and good
gallant, heroic, someone who keeping their heads clear in
gets things done first and asks dangerous situations.

⬥16⬥ The Mechanics

Sharp game. Every main character has a
Heart that will not always be
Meaning clever, bright, smart, with them. While they don’t have
calculated, scheming, their Hearts, they may not take
intelligent, wise, alert, advantage of their Heart’s
brainy, brilliant, keen, bonuses, but they may still
knowledgeable, astute, bright, increase their Pulse and roll
someone who is good at coming up moves that use Pulse.
with insights.
While a character has their
A high Sharp will grant a Heart in hands they are able to
character the skill to read spend their Pulse stat in moves
others, to understand them like rerolling, and they will
better, and to see their hidden also benefit from all the
weaknesses. attacks and extras their Heart
has.
Pulse
The game has a clear difference
Pulse is a special stat between playing with and without
representing your Heart’s your Heart. Scenes without your
emotional state and ability to Heart are usually focused on
affect reality. A high Pulse narrative things and building
means you’re in sync with your bonds between characters, taking
Heart, while a low one puts you strings on each other and
closer to a broken Heart. building your Pulse stat with
your highlighted stats.
The Pulse stat changes
frequently during play. You may When you don’t have your Heart
increase your Pulse when rolling in hands, the maximum amount of
specific stats, sometimes even harm you can withstand is 4.
when rolling Pulse itself. And This increases to 7 when holding
you may spend your accumulated your Heart. This is a way to
Pulse to reroll moves, or to make a clear difference between
share it with others when you the two gameplays. Playing
have an intimate moment with without your Heart will usually
them, and you use your current be less focused on combat and if
Pulse as the modifier when there is any conflict it will be
healing others. Additionally, messy and not the kind of cool
each playbook may have unique combat people look forward to.
uses for Pulse.
Mechanically wise, your Heart is
Hearts a series of tags that describe
one or more characteristics.
They also give you various
We mentioned what a Heart is,
bonuses to moves and ways to
but it was never explained what
spend your Pulse. While you have
they actually do during the
your Heart the game will usually

The Mechanics ⬥17⬥

be more focused on combat, or your Heart feels and how it
use combat as a metaphor, like feels when you have it and when
in the Rocking Tour scenario you don’t. Describe the quirks
where you play as a group of of your Heart, the faulty parts,
musicians where your shows are the parts that don’t work
effectively boss battles where properly and the parts that do.
you build hype instead of Describe your favorite parts and
inflicting harm. the parts you honestly wish were
different.
On character creation, you may
choose from a series of skills
and strengths to represent the
Strings
powers of your Heart. They are
Strings are a mechanical way to
divided into bases, which
represent social influence and
represent the shape of the
bonds, tying characters together
Heart, the kind of heart your
in a messy web of relationships.
character has. Bases will always
It’s a mechanic borrowed and
have tags that represent the
adapted from Monsterhearts by
harm your Heart inflicts, it’s
Avery Alder that allows for
range, and might have extra
characters to acquire strings on
things like bonuses to rolls,
others as the result of actions
armor or more specific things
and later spend them for
like say, a bonus to harm while
bonuses.
having the high ground.
Strings represent advantages a
Hearts also have extras which
character has over others, like
may strengthen your base or give
knowing a secret about someone,
you other bonuses like armor,
or having control over something
stronger rolls or things that
they care about, but strings
are specific to a playbook’s
also represent your ability to
mechanics. For instance, the
support others, showing how well
Fool, an archetype that wears
you understand them. You will
their heart on their sleeve and
gain strings on other characters
wants others to always be paying
during play as you get to know
attention to them, will have
them.
extras that give advantages
against those who have many
Giving someone a string does not
strings on them.
necessarily mean that you’re
giving them a way to harm you,
As you take advancements you may
strings can be used in ways that
choose new extras for your Heart
are beneficial to the person
and you may even change bases
you’re spending it on, like
during the interval between
adding +1 to their roll. So
seasons.
giving someone a string is more
like showing them vulnerability
Besides gameplay mechanics, it’s
and giving them the option to
also important to always say how

⬥18⬥ The Mechanics

spend it however they want, Scared
whether they want to assist or
take advantage of you. It’s like You’re terrified and afraid, all
trusting someone with a secret. your bravery is gone, you’re too
They can use it to help you, or shaken to act.
they can use it to manipulate
you. Scared decreases rolls that use
Daring by -2 and you may clear
My advice for keeping track of it by running away from a
strings is having all of them in dangerous situation.
a single sheet that is
accessible to all players, and Guilty
not having them scattered across
everyone’s character sheet. You’re too guilty to act. You
Keeping track of strings when keep thinking about the mistakes
they’re divided between you’ve made, and you can’t
everyone’s sheets gets really communicate with others.
hard and confusing fast, so
having a dedicated page or sheet Guilty decreases rolls that use
to keep track of them is ideal. Hot by -2 and you may clear it
by making a sacrifice to make

Conditions you feel better about yourself.

Angry
Characters might suffer from
conditions as a result of an You’re furious and mad, all your
action or for narrative reasons. cool is gone. Instead you’re
Conditions are detrimental just spiteful and passive-
statuses that are represented by aggressive.
decreasing the rolls of moves,
each one of them is associated Angry decreases rolls that use
with one of the stats. They may Cold by -2 and you may clear it
be cleared by the effects of when breaking something
moves, or by fulfilling certain important out of anger or
circumstances associated with lashing out and harming an ally.
each condition. The five
conditions are: Insecure
♦ Scared
♦ Guilty You’re lacking confidence and
♦ Angry don’t believe your own judgment.
♦ Insecure You would rather just follow
♦ Hopeless orders than to think for
yourself.

Insecure decreases rolls that

use Sharp by -2 and you may

The Mechanics ⬥19⬥

clear it by acting on impulse run over by a car in a mundane
and possibly getting in danger. setting would be almost enough
to incapacitate you instantly,
Hopeless but if you’re a superhero of
sorts that would probably only
Nothing matters and there is no be around 2 or 3 harm.
point in moving forward. You
can’t connect with your Heart, The rule of thumb is that one
part of you feels like that harm is a relevant but light
doesn’t matter and that scares wound, two is something serious
you. and three is something terrible.

Hopeless decreases rolls that Harm works a bit differently

use Pulse by -2 and you may when you aren't wielding your
clear it by ignoring your Heart and when you are. The
responsibilities and indulging biggest reason being because
in easy relief. while you don’t have your Heart
the most harm you can take is 4
The way of clearing each and while you do, that number
condition will be further goes up to 7.
elaborated on page 59.
It’s supposed to represent how
Harm, Armor, regular people are fragile and
how things will possibly harm
Vulnerable and you more while you don’t have
your Heart. So when you want to
Healing start saving the world and going
through fights that will harm
This game will often feature you seriously, you’d better have
scenes with combat, whether the your Heart with you.
characters are wielding their
Hearts or not, so here are the Armor
rules and guidelines for
Armor is a flat reduction to the
fighting and managing the damage
harm you take. You can acquire
you take and inflict:
it from the effect of moves,
narrative reasons, or from
Harm effects from your Heart. If you
Harm measures the amount of hits take 3 harm while you have 1
you can take before being armor: you only take 2 instead.
incapacitated. When you take a The maximum amount of armor you
hit, you mark an amount of harm can have is 2.
equal to it. The amount of harm
inflicted reflects how severe Armor doesn’t go away after
the hit your character took was, reducing a hit, if you have 2
naturally, what a heavy hit is armor and take 3 harm twice, you
depends on the setting. Being will just take a total of 2

⬥20⬥ The Mechanics

harm. The only way to negate
someone’s armor is to inflict Narratively it means your
vulnerable on them. character will have to spend the
rest of the act unable to get
Healing out of bed. Mechanically
speaking it means that just
The total amount of harm you can because your character is
take is represented by 4 technically alive, it doesn’t
diamonds and 3 hearts in your mean that you can get up and
character sheet. While not actually do things. If you were
wielding your Heart you will to roll anything it would be
take regular harm which only considered an instant failure
affects the ones shaped like and if you were to take further
diamonds, and when you take harm harm your character would die.
while you do, you will first So no, you can’t exploit this to
mark the ones shaped like hearts keep fighting.
which represent Heart harm.
And furthermore, on the part
Harm may be healed by Resting or about taking further harm while
by Connecting with Your Heart having all harm marked it
during downtime between acts, doesn’t mean that while your
when you Ready Your Heart by character is resting someone can
spending Pulse, or when you come and poke them for 1 harm
Soothe a Heart. Heart harm acts and kill them. Again, death is
as an armor of sorts that will always the owner of that
protect you from damage before character’s choice, and the
it starts actually affecting purpose of this rule is to
you. clarify that your character
should be bedridden while having
Breaking your Heart is something all harm marked.
that will be properly explained
on page 25, but for now it Your character may be healed by
should just be made clear that another one with the Soothe a
your Heart does not break when Heart move or by Readying Their
you mark all three Heart harm. Heart so they can keep playing
for the duration of the act, but
When you mark all your boxes of they can’t do that in the scene
harm, you have a few options. they mark their seventh harm.
You may choose to have your Unless they choose to do the
character die, but remember that Last Stand move, they’re out of
death is always a player choice, that scene, either they passed
otherwise you may have your out for the duration of it, or
character fall unconscious or ran away in panic.
flee from the scene. Another
option is to trigger the Last
Stand move, which will be
further explained on page 62.

The Mechanics ⬥21⬥

Vulnerable Hold
Vulnerable is a detrimental A hold is always given with a
status that causes the next hit special condition that it can be
a character takes to ignore spent on. Take the Storm for
armor. It is inflicted either by example, their main move,
rolling to Throw Your Charm or Raising Storm, gives the player
spending a string, like using a hold for every roll with a
your influence over them to result equal or under 11, for
lower their guard. If the target every three holds they have they
has no armor, the next hit they take +1 ongoing and when they
take will inflict 1 extra harm roll a 12 or above they must
instead. spend all those holds and choose
a number of detrimental options
Forwards, based on the number of holds
spent.
Ongoing and
Highlighted
Holds
Stats
Forwards, Ongoing and Holds are
things you can acquire from the At the start of every act,
effect of moves or if the players will highlight two of
narrative demands. They their stats. The first the owner
represent a variety of bonuses of the character will choose,
your character can have. and the other one will be chosen
by the person that holds the
Forward most strings on them. In case of
a tie, they will choose between
A forward, often called a +1 one of the characters that hold
forward, is a bonus a character the most strings on them. This
can acquire to the next roll represents the influence they
they make under a certain hold over the other and telling
circumstance. them what aspect of them they
most want to see the most.
Ongoing
Once per scene, when rolling
Ongoing, often called +1 each of your highlighted stats,
ongoing, is an ongoing bonus a you will increase your Pulse by
character can acquire to all the 1. The stat ranges between -2
rolls they make under a certain and +3.
circumstance until it’s
concluded. When you take your Heart in hand
and Ready your Heart, you may
spend your Pulse for a series of

⬥22⬥ The Mechanics

effects like healing or taking a As the game moves on, the
bonus to rolls. narrator may introduce what we
call the Main Non-Player
If your highlighted stat is Characters, or Main NPCs. These
Pulse and you roll to Soothe a are NPCs like any other that
Heart, you roll, add your have no special rules attached
current Pulse to the roll and to them, with the exception that
increase your Pulse after the the narrator will ask the
move has resolved. players to choose a starting
relation with them. The goal of
When a new act starts you must main NPCs is to create extra
change your highlighted stat and drama in the game.
if the person who holds the most
number of strings on you has If the main characters are
changed, the one who currently magical girls, the main NPCs
does will choose your second will be magical girls. If the
highlighted stat. main characters are mech pilots
so will the main NPCs be and so
When choosing a stat to on for all the other scenarios.
highlight, remember that it’s Main NPCs will always stand
not about highlighting their equal to the player characters,
strongest stat to help them or and they serve as the supporting
their weakest stat to mess with cast of sorts.
them. It’s about highlighting
the stat you want to see them Main NPCs are not villains, at
use the most. least not necessarily. They are
characters that stand equal to
Starting the PCs, but they may take an
antagonistic role if the
Relations and narrative demands so. Their goal
is so that the narrator can use
Main NPCs them to fill in whichever niches
are open in the cast. If you
need a childhood friend, a
Not exactly a rule, but it’s
rival, or a lover friend, you
worth mentioning: As you create
may use a Main NPC.
your character, you will choose
a starting relation with each
The story is and always will be
other player character. These
about the main characters, the
relations are ways to know where
ones the players control, but a
you stand in the narrative with
story can’t be told with just
each other, and also, so players
two to five characters. With the
can have strings on the other
main NPCs you may build
characters right from the
rivalries and romances with your
beginning.
PCs, you may give them allies
and enemies, exes and crushes.

The Mechanics ⬥23⬥

Main NPCs fill in the role of
those who are equal to the main Many of the tags below don’t
characters, while secondary NPCs affect the mechanics of the
will often be people like higher game, there are no written rules
ups, parents, teachers and that happen when you use a messy
everyone else. You’re free to or a volatile weapon, but if you
use main NPCs however you want try to attack someone with one
regarding developing relations and fail, or have a mixed
with the player characters, but success, the narrator will be
secondary NPCs will often have a free to invoke these aspects in
simple drive and stick to that. the result.

One last thing is, if you’re JULIA: I hit them with my

playing with a lot of electric guitar.
characters, and you run out of JULIA: Shoot, that's a
slots to write starting failure.
relations with other characters, MAGGIE: Flora you try to hit
you have a few options. Either them with the lightning of
you may use one of the bullet your instrument, but fail.
points a second time, or you may MAGGIE: Dear, how do you fail
come up with a new one based on this.
your character’s story and using MAGGIE: Since it has the
the pre-made ones as reference, messy tag, I will say that
taking and/or giving about 2 to the way you fail is that you
4 strings between you two. do manage to hit them, but
you also hit everyone else on
Again, all of these are mostly the stage with the
rough suggestions so if you have
electricity.
an idea for this super cool
character with pages upon pages The list of tags is:
of backstory you made for them, ♦ N-harm (1-harm, 2-harm, 3-
you may feel free to come up harm etc.): This Heart will
with your own starting relations inflict n harm on a hit.
to the other PCs and main NPCs. ♦ Range: describes the range of
effectiveness of the Heart.
Is separated in the following
Tags sub tags:
♦ Intimate: Effective at
Hearts have a base that is extremely close range, like
defined by a description and a a bite or a hug.
series of tags that describe an ♦ Hand: Effective within
attack. Every base will have at arm's length.
least two tags to describe the ♦ Close: Effective at close
harm it inflicts and the range quarters. Outside arm’s
it possesses, with the option of length, but not too far.
having more to describe other ♦ Medium Range: Anything a
characteristics of it. stone’s throw away.

⬥24⬥ The Mechanics

 ♦ Far: Effective at anything ♦ Quick: Is fast and agile,
you can see. easy to dodge incoming
♦ N-armor(1-armor or 2-armor): attacks.
Gain that amount of armor ♦ Restraining: Will restrain
while holding a Heart with the target on a successful
that tag. hit.
♦ +bonus (+1 forward to Hot, +1 ♦ Unreliable: Needs regular
Sharp when eyesight matters, cleaning and maintenance.
+1 to Engage in Conflict, ♦ Useful: Has more than one
etc.): adds a bonus to a stat use.
or a move under specific ♦ Valuable: Is valuable and
circumstances. bound to impress others.
♦ Area: Affects all targets in ♦ Volatile: This attack is
range. dangerous and unstable.
♦ Balanced: It’s balanced and

♦
easy to use.
Braced: this Heart must be
Broken Hearts
braced in a specific position
This is a game about Hearts, and
to be used.
the thing about them is that
♦ Fire: Uses fire.
they can often be broken.
♦ Forceful: Pushes the target.
Breaking your Heart is a
♦ Life Drain: Heals harm equals
mechanic in the game, it means
to the harm it inflicts.
both the malfunction of your
♦ Heavy: Heavy and hard to use.
Heart that can shape the world
♦ Armor Ignoring: Ignore armor.
according to your desire, and it
♦ Loud: This attack is loud and
means breaking your metaphorical
will draw attention.
heart and turning you into an
♦ Messy: hard to control, will
emotional wreck.
leave a mess of property
damage.
Hearts are broken as the result
♦ Reload: Will need reloading.
of actions, when the fiction
Reloading is something you
demands such, or when you would
can do without a move, but it
lower your Pulse below -2. Also,
will take a few seconds. If
Every main character shares the
there’s an enemy attacking
Last Stand move that may be used
you, you might need a roll to
to keep fighting after marking
Do Something Risky to
all harm boxes at the cost of
properly do it under
breaking their Heart, while some
pressure.
playbooks offer powerful moves
♦ Remote: This Heart can be
at the price of a broken Heart.
used remotely.
♦ Slow: Is slow and has a hard
As your Heart breaks, it’s like
time hitting targets.
the world is turned upside down.
♦ Small: Is small and
Your mech will malfunction, and
concealable.
your magic sword will become
silent, your magical girl

The Mechanics ⬥25⬥

transformation will be much more attention towards you, and
eerie and dark. explaining to the table how your
character has the non Heart
Mechanically speaking, while a weapons they have.
character’s Heart is broken ♦ Something like a small knife
everything that costs Pulse will that you can easily carry
inflict harm instead. Each without much problem but has
playbook has a special condition low range and not much harm
that needs to be fulfilled for would have the tags 1 harm,
the Heart to be mended, but it hand, small.
may also be mended by the result ♦ A larger knife or short blade
of moves such as Connecting with would be able to inflict more
Your Heart during downtime. harm but lose the skill to be
concealable would have 2
Non Heart harm, hand.
♦ A very large sword, we’re
Weapons speaking anime levels
massive sword here, that you
of

would definitely get in

Of course, there are weapons
trouble if you carried it in
outside of Hearts in the
the streets would have 3
scenarios of this game. They
harm, hand, heavy.
allow for you to have more messy
♦ A medium range weapon like a
combat scenes with other
pistol or a small crossbow
characters, fights like the ones
would have the tags 2 harm,
you have in real life, unlike
medium range and at the
the mystical ones that your
player’s discretion loud
Heart offers. You may have a
and/or reload.
small knife you carry with you
♦ A long range weapon like a
while not wielding your Heart,
sniper rifle or a large bow
just like you may bring a
would have the tags 3 harm,
handgun while you have your
far and at the player’s
Heart in hands.
discretion loud and/or
reload.
Here are some examples of
♦ A weapon like a shotgun would
weapons that are unrelated to
have the tags 3 harm, close,
Hearts. These will of course
messy and possibly area.
depend on the scenario that is
being played, so these are
generic weapons you can have, as Experience and
well as guidelines for the
corresponding tags. Advancements
Be mindful of the fiction and of Characters will acquire
the fact that if your non Heart experience when rolling a 6 or
weapon is a massive sword, it below, or from the effect of a
will probably bring a lot of move. After acquiring your fifth

⬥26⬥ The Mechanics

experience, you may erase all of character is acquiring that
them and take an advancement. skill.

Acquiring experience from By explanation, this simply

failing represents how we learn means it needs to make sense for
from our mistakes, and how we your character to have such
can’t grow and learn new things moves. It makes sense for a Hero
without failing a few times. who desperately wants to protect
her friends to pick the
Advancements are like level ups Dreadnought’s Revenge, which
you can give your character. You allows for the Hero to break her
can use them to learn new moves, Heart when an ally falls in
upgrade your stats and unlock combat for bonuses.
extra features to your Heart.
The proper list of advancements This is to be kept in mind
you may take is detailed in each because a lot of moves and
of the playbooks. extras are specific to certain
mechanics that are exclusive to
When you take an advancement, certain playbooks. Other
you should fill the diamond next playbooks can’t pick the
to it. This means that you can’t Foesworn’s extras that give them
take it again, but all diamonds bonuses when their Employer has
are cleared at the start of a a lot of strings on them, if
new season, or if you change they don’t have an Employer to
playbooks. begin with.

Picking new Moves and The Structure of

Extras
When you mark experience five
a Play
times, you may take an
advancement. Some of the Scenes
advancements options are for
taking new moves and Heart What a scene is has already been
extras. All the moves and extras explained, but it can be
from your playbook are on the reinforced in this section to
table for you to pick, but there compare it with the other
are also options for choosing measures of narrative in this
moves and extras from other game.
playbooks, these have a few
rules. Scenes are the smallest scale of
the narrative. They are the
You’re not free to pick from smallest matryoshka dolls you
every move or extra from other can find inside the other
playbooks. You will need to give narrative dolls. A group of
an explanation as to how your scenes composes an act. A group

The Mechanics ⬥27⬥

of acts composes a season and a offer the players stronger and
single season, or a group of free actions that can be
them compose the play. triggered once per session.
There is no specific time that a
Scenes are the single moments session should last, so how
that the narrative spotlight often these moves are used might
shines on. It’s a fight, but it fluctuate a lot from table to
can also be only a piece of a table.
larger combat. It’s a date, a
meeting, a visit to the shop. Acts may take a single or more
Scenes are framed by the sessions, but you can’t do more
narrator, they put one or more than one act in a single
characters in a situation, then session.
things happen until the narrator
will frame another one. That is Acts
a scene.
An act is like an episode of a
Some things can only be TV show. It features a series of
triggered once per scene, the scenes that tells a story. Like
biggest example of this is how how a group of magical kids
once per scene when rolling one defeated an enemy, or about a
of your highlighted stats you show that a band did, or a race
will get to gain a Pulse, but that a group of racers did.
other moves will often give
players bonuses that last for Scenarios will have the base
the duration of the scene. structure of what an act should
contain, but for the most part
A group of scenes will compose they will introduce a section
an act. It’s like all these where players will not wield
scenes are framed together in a their Hearts as an introduction
way that forms a movie that to the problem to be solved, and
tells a story that can be one where they do wield their
standalone, or a piece of a Heart where they solve the
larger narrative. problem presented.

Sessions Each scenario has questions for

the players to answer that will
A session refers to the time allow for them to mark exp at
that players will come together the end of every act. If your
and play the game for a few party is doing a lot of fast
hours, then when they come acts, you’re likely to gain a
together again in the next week lot of exp like this.
or so to play again, that is a
different session. After an act is over, players
will take a break and share the
There are a number of moves and things their characters are
Heart bases and extras that doing before the start of the

⬥28⬥ The Mechanics

next act. This time is called what it represents to their
downtime, where players have a character and what they did in
series of moves that they’re the interval between seasons.
free to do. Moves that allow for
them to heal, to interact with It’s the idea that a new season
other characters, to connect is a new beginning where
with their Hearts, and so on are characters will start with no
all examples of things that can harm, conditions or broken
be done in downtime. Hearts. If they had any of
these, they were healed in the
Seasons intermission between seasons.
It’s also a breath of fresh air
A season is composed of a series for the players to not have to
of acts, but it doesn’t have a worry about healing between
specific number. What determines seasons as season finales are
the end of a season is when the bound to do a number on their
first player of the party marks characters.
their fifth advancement, at
which point the players are in Play
the endgame, as the next act
should be the last, and it A play is what a campaign is
should wrap up the season. called, a group of seasons
together that tell a story, so
If we continue the TV show you could say that the play is
analogy, a season would be... the TV show in its entirety.
Well, it would be a season. It There is no particular number of
should focus on a specific enemy seasons that a play should have,
that our heroes are fighting, a it can have only one, or it can
specific conflict, a large race extend for many seasons.
our heroes are doing that will
be broken down in a series of You can technically use the same
checkpoints, a list of states a characters after a play is over
band visits in their tour and into a new one, but there really
does shows in before doing their isn’t a name for such a large
last one and deciding on what sum of narrative. A campaign? I
should be the future of the genuinely can’t see how coming
band. These are all examples of up with a name for that would be
seasons. relevant, so you’re free to call
it whatever you want.
At the end of a season, players
may choose a season advancement
for their character, but they
Season
don’t take downtime actions.
Harms, conditions and broken
Advancements
Hearts are healed and there are
Season advancements are taken at
no moves rolled, players simply
the end of every season. They
choose an advancement and tell

The Mechanics ⬥29⬥

are supposed to be things that Identity can change with the
greatly change the character. changing of the character’s
Things they acquire after a long role, but that is entirely up
period of play to represent to the player. Feel free to
their ongoing growth and change. change the gender of your
The season advancements are: character and change their
♦ Change playbooks name and pronouns, and
♦ Retire your character. naturally you don’t have to
♦ Advance two of the basic change your character’s
moves. playbook to do so.
♦ Take one regular advancement. ♦ You may skip the part of
♦ Change your Heart. developing your background
with the other characters
Changing Playbooks since you already have that
set, but if a new Main NPCs
Playbooks are about what is your is introduced, or a player
character’s biggest issue and makes a new PC, you may
how they deal with it. The Storm assign one of the starting
can’t control themselves, the relationships from your new
Foesworn has to work for a toxic playbook to them.
Employer, the Frozen is too ♦ You may pick a new archetype
scared of intimacy. Changing if it makes sense. Your past
your Playbook means that that will still be directly
arc of your character is related to all the things
complete, and now you’re moving that have already happened in
on to their next arc, with a the game, but you can use the
different issue. archetypes as a base to tell
how the transition to your
A Vampire may have found a way new playbook happened.
to remove their curse, but now ♦ You may choose between
they have little control over keeping your stats as is or
their powers as a Storm. A choosing from one of the two
Foesworn can quit their work for starting stats options from
their Employer and make their your new playbook and adding
own Heart as an Outsider. Or a +1 to one of them.
Lover may choose to stand up for ♦ Keep all the moves that would
themselves and become the Hero. make sense for your character
There are no limits to how you to have. If you used to be an
may change your character’s Outsider and now you no
playbook. longer have a stolen Heart,
it makes no sense to keep the
The rules for changing playbooks Outsider’s Background. Same
are the following: thing if you used to be a
♦ Identity things like name, Foesworn and you no longer
pronouns, eyes and look are work for an Employer.
all kept the same unless the
player wants to change them.

⬥30⬥ The Mechanics

♦ You take the Intimacy and in case you roll a 12 or above.
broken Heart moves from your Somewhat of a critical success
new playbook. for the moves you use the most
♦ If you have a different to represent how you have
Heart, you may create a new mastered them.
one, but this time choose 3
extras instead of 2. If Changing Hearts
you’re keeping your Heart as
it is, you may skip this Changing Hearts is similar to
part. changing playbooks, but only
focusing on making a new Heart
Retiring your Character for your character. In fiction,
it’s like when you gain
Retiring your character can mean drastically different new
a number of different things. powers. Maybe your mech was
They may choose to leave the destroyed at the end of the last
band, giving up on fighting and season, and you’re making a new
choosing to live a normal life one for the new season. Or
as an NPC instead. It might also something similar to acquiring a
mean that they take a role that new car, or a new weapon, or a
is simply no longer viable for a new guitar.
PC.
Your role in the narrative is
To ascend to the position of a still the same. You still face
deity, to betray your allies and the same issues and have the
become the new Dark Lord are same problems, but your Heart is
both good examples of ways to different. Maybe you’re
“retire your character”, or you approaching your issues with a
might choose for your character new mindset, a new perspective
to sacrifice themselves and have to deal with your problems.
a martyr’s death.
Mechanically speaking, when you
If you choose to retire your make a new Heart you may erase
character you will need a new the base and extras of your past
one for the next season, you may one, choose a new base and three
either choose to pick one of the extras for it.
NPCs and promote them to your
PC, or make a new character from Don’t forget to tell the rest of
scratch, possibly introducing the table what happened to your
them as an exchange student, old Heart and how you got your
which is a very popular trope. new one. Your old one could have
been destroyed, or maybe you
Advanced Moves returned it to the person you
borrowed it from. Maybe the
Basic moves may be advanced as a Foesworn changed Employers and
season advancement. This means got a new Heart from their new
they will gain a special effect one.

The Mechanics ⬥31⬥

CHAPTER 3: BASIC MOVES
Basic Moves in Burning Hearts ♦ Throw Your Charm: To get on
Forever work as a way to another character’s good
determine results of commonly side.
used actions in a way that keeps ♦ Read a Person: To read
the narrative interesting and another character’s thoughts
engaging. The basic moves are: and secrets.
♦ Engage in Conflict: To get ♦ Burn Bridges: To push another
into physical combat with character away.
another character. ♦ Do Something Risky: To act
♦ Defend Someone: To defend under pressure in a tight
your allies from harm. situation.
♦ Soothe a Heart: To ease your
allies’ pain.

Basic Moves ⬥33⬥

 ♦ Discover a major weakness and
Engage in take 3 strings on them.
♦ Create an opportunity for all
Conflict allies and give them all +1
forward.
♦ They are completely
When you physically clash with
overpowered. NPCs will give
someone: Roll with Daring. On a
up or flee and PCs will mark
hit you may choose a base from
exp if they do so or take -2
below and on a 10+ you may
ongoing this scene to any
choose an extra, but on a 7-9
roll they do against you.
the person you’re engaging
against may choose an extra of
When you physically engage with
themselves.
someone, when you jump on top of
them to harm them, when you push
Bases:
them into a trap, when you take
♦ Trade blows with them:
something away from them with
Inflict your harm on them and
little to no subtlety: you roll
take their harm back.
this move. First establish how
♦ Push them where you want.
you’re doing it, if you’re using
♦ Take something from them.
a weapon, your Heart or just
doing it with your hands
Extras:
♦ Discover a weakness and take
If your goal is to inflict harm
a string on the other.
on them, Heart bases and non
♦ Create an opportunity for an
Heart weapons have tags that
ally and give them +1
describe the amount of harm you
forward.
will inflict. If you’re doing
♦ Go all out and inflict 1
something outside tagged weapons
extra harm if you’re harming
you can determine the harm by
them.
what you’re doing in the
♦ Avoid their hits and take 1
fiction, for example the harm
less harm if they’re harming
inflicted by punching someone is
you.
vastly different from the damage
that hitting them with a
ADVANCED: On a 12+ you may
baseball bat will cause.
choose a base and one from the
list below:
On a hit, you get to choose a
♦ Choose two extras.
base. You don’t have to
♦ Perfectly avoid their hits
necessarily physically hit them
and take no harm when trading
with the intention of harming
blows.
them. You may just want to push
♦ Strike with precision and
them away or take something from
double the amount of harm
them.
you’re inflicting when
trading blows.
If you choose to trade blows,
you hit them and they hit you

⬥34⬥ Basic Moves

back. You both inflict your harm There are many extras to choose
on the other. Describe how from when rolling a 10+. You can
you’re hitting them and the choose to either inflict extra
narrator will describe how they harm or take less harm, these
are hitting you back, then you are the simpler ones that focus
get to choose extras. purely on combat. You may create
an opportunity and give an ally
When trading blows with an +1 if you are fighting in a
opponent, don’t forget that the group. It’s important to explain
fiction is your first priority. how you’re doing that and what
If you have a ranged weapon, a kind of opportunity you are
weapon with the far tag, and creating. You may also give
you’re using that distance to opportunities to NPCs, but
your advantage against a foe again, NPCs don’t roll, so it's
that has no way of hitting you something that mostly happens in
back: you get a free hit. fiction.

Between the base options, you You may also choose to take a
have things like pushing them string on the person you’re
where you want and taking engaging against. This is useful
something from them. If you need considering how many effects
to push an enemy towards a trap strings have. You may spend that
or pull them away from a place string to inflict a condition,
that gives them power, you may or to inflict even further harm
choose the option to push them next time you roll to Engage in
where you want. To take Conflict against them, or take
something from them can be a +1 forward on the next roll you
little abstract, the thing make against them.
you’re taking from them might be
an object, or it might be their But on a 7-9, the enemy is the
attention from something. one that is going to choose the
glitch they will apply to your
In combat, when you’re trying to move. They can do something
defeat an opponent, you will simple like defending and taking
start to fill their harm boxes. 1 less harm, but they can also
Filling all of them doesn’t find a weakness and take a
necessarily mean killing them, string on you, or making an
it’s about winning the battle opportunity for an ally of
and submitting them to your theirs.
will. They might die, but they
may also give up fighting, run Again, NPCs don’t get +1
away, or the thing they were forwards, but if an NPC makes an
using to fight in the first opportunity to another, it
place may break and they can no happens entirely in the
longer harm you, like a robot or narrative. Maybe they don’t hit
a powerful weapon. you, but they position
themselves in the perfect way

Basic Moves ⬥35⬥

that their ally is going to MAGGIE: I will say the cops
attack next and the players will are not carrying ranged
have to react and dodge the hit. weapons and your attack has a
It’s a good way of following a longer range than theirs, so
roll with another action, making they can’t counter-attack, if
the combat flow. you choose to trade blows.
PHOEBE: Nice, but I don't
The advanced options mostly think my goal is to inflict
focus on upgrading the already harm here. All I want to do
existing options, like is push them where I want,
inflicting even more or taking more precisely, I want to
even less harm. Taking more push them outside the train.
strings, creating an opportunity MAGGIE: That’s great. For my
for all allies, or choosing two reaction, I will say that the
from the weaker options. cops will remember that and
take a string on you.
The one option that is new is
the one to overwhelm the
opponent. This is more than just
inflicting a lot of harm or
pushing them where you want.
It’s about making them think
that there is just no way they
can win this fight and forcing
them to either give up or run
away.

MAGGIE: The cops are on your

tail, Bandit, it doesn’t look
like you’re gonna be able to
lose them. What do you do?
PHOEBE: Well then I might as
well face them head on!
Bandit quickly turns around
and shoots one of the cops.
MAGGIE: Well, that’s a roll
to Engage in Conflict if I
have ever seen one! Roll plus
your Daring.
PHOEBE: Bandit has +1, and
that’s a 4 and a 2, so a 7
total!
MAGGIE: That’s a hit. With
that, you can choose a base,
but I will get to choose a
reaction myself.

⬥36⬥ Basic Moves

 The first option you may choose
Defend Someone when rolling this move is to
take less harm. It’s simple and
straightforward, a choice for
When you defend someone from
when the narrative is not as
harm: Roll with Daring. On a hit
relevant in the scene, or when
you take the harm they would and
you really don’t want to take
they are safe. On a 7-9 choose
that damage.
an option from the list below
and on a 10+ you may choose two.
You may also choose to retort
♦ Avoid their Hits: Take 1 less
back and inflict a condition on
harm.
the person that was attacking
♦ Retort back and make the
the one you are defending. It’s
attacker mark a condition.
like using your words to make
♦ Impress whoever you’re
them ashamed of their actions
defending and take a string
and shift their emotions because
on them.
of it, or even taunting them and
making them angry, it’s up to
ADVANCED: On a 12+ you take the
you.
hit and you may choose one from
below:
You may also take advantage of
♦ Choose all three options from
the situation and take a string
the list above.
on the one you’re defending.
♦ Completely avoid their hits
Like using this situation as an
and take no harm.
excuse to make them owe you one,
♦ Make them ashamed of
or maybe even scold them because
themselves and make them mark
they should stand up for
3 conditions.
themselves more.
♦ Be the hero of whoever you
are defending and take 3
The advanced options are mostly
strings on them.
powered up versions of the
already existing ones. Take no
When someone is being a target
harm, inflict more conditions,
for harassment, you can stand in
take more strings, or do all
and take the hits for them. On a
three with decreased effect.
hit, you take all the damage and
you get to choose how to react.
It should be stated that this
book will sometimes refer to
Heroic figures and those who
this move with different names
take care of their allies are
depending on who the text is
bound to use this move. It lets
referring to. If you see the
you stand up for those of your
text describe things like
allies who can’t stand up for
“Defend You”, or “Defend Them”,
themselves, or don’t have as
or “Defend Her”, these all refer
much armor as you do.
to this move.

Basic Moves ⬥37⬥

MAGGIE: Queen Despair still
feels bitter after the last
time you beat her, her eyes
are red like rubies, full of
rage towards Flora.
MAGGIE: She is not even going
to do a monologue, she will
just rush towards her. What
do you do?
THELMA: Arthur knows she is
still too beat up and will
jump in front of her and take
the hit while saying, “Sorry
Flora, but I can’t let you
take this one alone.”
JULIA: Oh, Flora is
absolutely not happy to be
helped, but she is otherwise
too tired to do anything.
THELMA: That’s an 11 on my
roll to Defend Someone.
MAGGIE: Nice, you take the
hit for her and you get to
choose 2 from the list.
THELMA: I already have 2
armor and I know Despair’s
melee hit is only 2 harm, so
I’m completely undamaged from
that already. I’m choosing to
take a string on Flora and
inflict a condition on Queen
Despair.
THELMA: For the string I
think it’s related to how
Flora hates showing weakness
and couldn’t defend herself,
for the condition I wanna
force her to mark scared
cause she couldn’t scratch me
at all.

⬥38⬥ Basic Moves

 is a move to convince others to
Throw Your Charm do your bidding, it’s called
Tempting and will be explained
on page 55.
When you use your charm on
someone: Roll with Hot. On a 10+
This move is also the most
choose three from below and on a
straightforward way of getting a
7-9 choose two.
string on someone if you need
♦ Reveal a weakness: Take a
one, and of inflicting
string on them.
vulnerability on others to
♦ You don’t mess it up and they
bypass their armor. It’s an
don’t get a string on you.
action that can even be used in
♦ Make them flustered: Inflict
combat, for example you can roll
vulnerable on them.
this to make your target
♦ Force them to choose one from
embarrassed, so you can negate
below:
their armor on your next hit.
♦ They act awkward and
embarrass themselves.
When you tempt someone, you need
♦ They promise you something
to spend a string you have on
they think you want.
them and this is the best way to
♦ They give themselves in to
acquire them. If you meet a
you.
character you do not have a
string on, you may roll this
ADVANCED: On a 12+ you may
move, hopefully get a hit and
instead choose one from the list
spend the string to Tempt them
below:
to do something. If you fail,
♦ Choose all four options from
you can still do it, but you
the list above.
will have to do something in the
♦ They are completely
fiction for them first.
flustered: Inflict vulnerable
on them for the rest of this
You may also choose to force
scene.
them to react towards your
♦ Reveal a major weakness: Take
flirting. It happens purely in
3 strings on them.
the fiction, but it's an
♦ They fall in love with you.
interesting way to give the
NPCs will do anything you ask
person controlling the character
them for the current scene,
a list of ways they can act on
and PCs will mark exp if they
your flirting.
do or take -2 ongoing to any
roll involving you.
They may choose to embarrass
themselves or promise you
When you want to impress, or
something. There are no
charm someone, this is the move
mechanics for this promise, it
for it. Above everything, this
happens purely in the fiction
is not a move to convince
and it should be kept in the
someone to do something, it’s
fiction. It’s not very likely,
for flirting and charming. There
but they may also choose to just

Basic Moves ⬥39⬥

completely give themselves to MAGGIE: So cheesy, I love it.
you. Roll plus Hot.
LEWIS: Well oops, that’s a 4.
You get to choose 2 on a 7-9, I failed.
which means that you may either MAGGIE: So first mark exp and
choose to not give them a string second gain Pulse cause Flora
on you and another option, or highlighted your Hot.
try to push your luck, give them MAGGIE: Third I will say that
a string and choose 2 others they laugh, but is otherwise
from the list. Same with a 10+, happy for the change of pace,
but you get to choose another you might have looked kinda
one. like a fool to them, and
they’re not giving you a
The advanced options are powered string, but I will say they
up versions of the already think you’re funny and if you
existing ones. You can inflict
try to Tempt them they will
be happy to give you a deal
vulnerability for the rest of
for the information.
this scene, take 3 strings on
them or do a little of both and
force them to react to you too.
With an extra option of making
them fall in love with you,
making them completely useless
for the rest of the scene when
rolling anything involving you.

MAGGIE: In front of you

stands Diego, the one person
who actually knows how to
disable the anxiety rays from
the Metal Dictator. What do
you do?
LEWIS: Well, I want to Tempt
them into giving me that
information, so I might try
to Throw My Charm on them and
get a string on Diego.
MAGGIE: Well, describe how
you do it.
LEWIS: Oliver lights a cigar
and offers another to Diego.
MAGGIE: He accepts it, and
thanks Oliver.
LEWIS: Well, Oliver is going
to light his cigar with his
own and look deeply into his
eyes.

⬥40⬥ Basic Moves

 This is a good move not just for
Read a Person learning
motivations,
about
but
character
also for
developing them. A narrator
When you take a good look at
being asked these questions
someone: Roll with Sharp. On a
towards their NPCs should seize
hit you may ask them up to two
this opportunity to come up with
questions, but on a 7-9 they
interesting bits for them.
will get to ask you one back.
Take +1 ongoing when acting on
Some playbooks have moves that
the answers for the rest of the
allow for you to ask specific
scene.
questions for free, enabling the
player to ask questions more
ADVANCED: On a 12+ you take +2
related to their goals, like the
ongoing instead.
Fool asking what it will take to
make them only have eyes for
All of the moves in this game
them and the Spider asking what
focus on the interaction between
they are hiding.
characters, so it’s only natural
that the move dedicated to
MAGGIE: The Masked Duelist
asking questions is specifically
stands before you on his
related to questions towards mech, the Blooming Rose. His
another character. mask hides all expression,
and his stance has no
More than just asking questions openings. What do you do?
you also get a bonus to acting PHOEBE: I can't just rush in
on the answers, so you might and hit him, I don’t know how
often find yourself asking strong he is. I’m rolling to
questions you already know for Read a Person to see if I
the bonus, just like you can ask find any weakness.
them simply because you’re PHOEBE: Nice! It’s an 8,
curious and want to know the minus 1, it’s still a mixed
answer. success.
MAGGIE: Well, you get to ask
On a 7-9, they will get to ask a two questions, but you will
question back to you. NPCs don’t open yourself, and they will
roll dice, so they’re not get to ask one back. What are
getting bonuses to rolls, the you asking?
question is something to be kept PHOEBE: I wanna know what
in the narrative, like they are he’s most scared of right now
observing a weakness in you, and and what are his weaknesses.
they might act on it, but it's MAGGIE: The thing he is most
also an opportunity for you to scared of right now is to
develop your character when lose the grip of his sword
thinking of the answer. and make a Zero-G fool of
himself trying to catch it.

Basic Moves ⬥41⬥

MAGGIE: For his weakness: you
realize he is really
defensive of his left hip,
you have to assume it’s an
important part of his mech.
MAGGIE: He will be asking you
what is the most important
thing for you.
PHOEBE: Well Bandit is the
Fool, so certainly the most
important thing for her is to
keep all eyes on her.

⬥42⬥ Basic Moves

 rejecting the strings they have
Burn Bridges on you. It makes sense for them
to have this contrast as one is
rolled with Hot and the other
When you push someone away
with Cold.
emotionally: Roll with Cold. On
a 10+ choose three from below
The first option is to burn the
and on a 7-9 choose two.
bonds you have. Become less
♦ Burn a bond you have: Clear a
friendly with someone, to grow
string they have on you.
distant from them, negate the
♦ Hurt their emotions: They
social advantage they have over
mark a condition.
you. The second is to inflict a
♦ You don’t let it get to you:
condition on them, to make them
Don’t mark a condition.
angry because of your rejection,
♦ Force them to choose one from
or to guilt-trip them, to make
below:
them scared of you. Explain what
♦ They overreact and make a
you’re saying to them, and they
scene.
will choose a condition to mark.
♦ They try to do something to
regain your respect.
This move can also make the
♦ They accept the rejection
target choose an option from a
and leave.
list of ways to react to your
actions, making them choose
ADVANCED: On a 12+ you may
between overreacting, trying to
instead choose one from below:
get close to you again, or
♦ Choose all four options from
simply taking the hint and
the list above.
leaving you alone.
♦ Destroy your bonds
completely: They lose all
Similarly to Throw Your Charm,
strings they hold on you.
you get 2 options on a 7-9 where
♦ Make them an emotional wreck:
you may either choose to be safe
They mark 3 conditions.
and not mark a condition, or be
♦ You break their Heart. Both
a bit greedy and choose to
mechanically and in the
affect them twice, taking a
fiction.
condition in return.
Burning Bridges is about
The first few advanced options
rejecting others, more than just
are mostly powered up versions
rejecting someone’s attraction
of the previous ones, burning
towards you. It’s like shutting
all bonds and making them clear
them down, rejecting their
all strings, making them mark
presence, their friendship,
three conditions, or choose a
their entire existence.
little of each one.
While the move to Throw Your
But it also adds a whole new
Charm is about taking strings on
option: To completely break
others, to Burn Bridges is about
their Heart, both in the fiction

Basic Moves ⬥43⬥

and the narrative. If someone MAGGIE: Hm, I will say she
does not have a Heart, you can chooses to overreact and make
still choose this option as you a scene.
can still break their MAGGIE: She expected you to
metaphorical heart and the at least respect her after
narrator will act accordingly. she won and that all her
issues would be solved as the
MAGGIE: Andressa is acting winner of the tournament.
all high and mighty because
she won the Tournament of
Silver, and she tells you
that she could take you on at
any time just like she beat
the others.
NAOMI: Oh Charlotte
absolutely does not like
that, but I don’t think she
will attack verbally, in
contrast with physically.
NAOMI: I think she will try
to give the cold shoulder to
Andressa and say that she
went easy on her cause
Andressa’s parents would get
pissed at her if she didn’t
win.
NAOMI: I’m trying to
reinforce her insecurities to
see if it’s enough for me to
feed on her.
Naomi plays the vampire, a
cursed figure whose Pulse is
constantly being drained
until their Heart is broken,
and instead of a highlighted
stat they have to feed on the
negative emotions of others
to increase their Pulse.
MAGGIE: It will be, depending
on your result, roll to Burn
Bridges with her.
NAOMI: And it’s an 11!
NAOMI: I will make her choose
one narrative reaction, burn
a string we have, and not
take the condition.

⬥44⬥ Basic Moves

 This move operates mostly on the
Do Something fiction, you name what you’re
avoiding and what you want to
Risky achieve and if you have a hit
you do it, if the result of your
roll is a miss, you don’t and
When you act with precision and
something bad will happen. If
care against an immediate
you have a mixed success, you
threat, like trying to dodge an
will do it, but there will be a
incoming attack just in time,
glitch, something will go wrong.
closing the door before an enemy
reaches you or by pressing a
Players may be faced with a
button to stop the missile
price to pay or a hard choice,
launch while someone is trying
something like “you can close
to stop you: Roll with Cold. On
the door, but you can’t bring
a 10+ you succeed on what you
Abby with you, if you don’t, she
set out to do but on a 7-9 there
will be at the mercy of the
will be a worse outcome, hard
enemies.” something that
choice or price to pay.
effectively offers the player
two choices: You may achieve
ADVANCED: On a 12+ you do it
your goal, but you lose
extremely well and may choose
something. You may either choose
one from below:
to do it, or to save that which
♦ Clear your mind and clear up
you hold dear.
to three conditions.
♦ Impress the audience and take
A worse outcome means that it’s
a string on everyone on the
not possible to get a full
scene.
success and something will go
♦ Inspire your friends and give
wrong. They’re not able to dodge
all of them +1 forward.
the hit completely and might not
take harm but will get sent to
During combat there isn’t really
the ground with the impact, or
a proper “turn order” but I like
they might try to press the
to give enemies a turn too to
button in time, but someone will
make it feel like they are doing
hold their hand and stop them.
things and not just reacting to
the player’s actions. But I
Worse outcomes are usually a way
don’t like making their actions
to build off the narrative. “You
be just an attack that just
do it, but…” and so on. Giving
inflicts harm on the players,
the players a hook of what they
where they have no way to
should do next, or requiring
respond. That’s just not
further actions to achieve their
intuitive, so what I like to do
goals.
is announce an attack and give
the players an opportunity to
Additionally, at the narrator’s
react to it.
discretion, they may give you a
bonus depending on the

Basic Moves ⬥45⬥

narrative. Like giving you or an
ally +1 forward, giving you a
string on someone, or giving
someone a string on you,
allowing you to clear a
condition or marking a
condition, depending on whether
they had a full, or a mixed
success.

MAGGIE: Before you realize,

Queen Despair is right above
you ready to hit, but you
still have time to react.
What do you do?
JULIA: Flora tries to jump
out of the way and dodge the
hit, she has recovered since
her last fight against
Despair, but above everyone
she knows how dangerous she
can be.
MAGGIE: I will say that’s a
roll to Do Something Risky
with dodging in mind.
JULIA: And it’s a 9!
MAGGIE: Cool, with a 9 I will
say you dodge, but her attack
hits the ground and creates a
cloud of dust. You can’t see
where she is and if you don’t
do something she will hit you
again.

⬥46⬥ Basic Moves

 biggest danger of the move.
Soothe a Heart Otherwise, being able to heal
conditions and harm like this is
definitely worth the risk.
When you help someone,
emotionally or physically: Roll
As it was mentioned previously,
with Pulse. On a hit you may
if you have Pulse as your
choose up to two from below, you
highlighted stat and you roll to
may choose the same option more
Soothe a Heart. You roll, add
than once. On a 7-9 you must
your current Pulse to it, choose
spend 1 Pulse for each option
how you’re going to heal your
that you choose.
ally, resolve the move, and then
♦ They clear a condition.
you increase your Pulse by 1.
♦ They erase 2 harm.
An advanced roll allows for you
ADVANCED: On a 12+ you may
to completely heal an ally’s
instead choose one from below:
harm, conditions, possibly both,
♦ Choose four options from the
or even mend their Heart, simply
list above at no consequence.
speaking, their Heart is no
♦ They clear all of their
longer broken, and their
conditions.
emotions are stabilized.
♦ They erase all of their harm.
♦ Their Heart is mended.
MAGGIE: You hide in a corner,
it feels like the Metal
Soothe a Heart is a special move Dictator has lost you. You
because it’s rolled with Pulse. can take your time to rest or
It’s like the more connected to just flee. What do you do?
your Heart you are, the better THELMA: Arthur says “we can’t
you are at showing empathy run away now, this is our
towards others and helping them chance to actually defeat the
emotionally and physically. Dictator.”
LEWIS: Hm, I will say that
This is the main move used to Oliver is scared, especially
heal harm and conditions. If you because Arthur already took
want to play a character that so much damage. He might be
resembles a healer, it’s a good stubborn and not care about
idea to hold a large amount of the harm he takes, but Oliver
Pulse and to make this move definitely does.
constantly. THELMA: Interesting. The
thing about Arthur is that he
When rolling a mixed success, is, indeed, extremely
you must spend your own Pulse, stubborn and selfish and will
as healing is not something that put his life on the line at
comes easily in this game. If any given moment. So he’s
you were to decrease your Pulse just not going to listen to
below -2, your Heart will be Oliver.
broken, so that’s possibly the

Basic Moves ⬥47⬥

LEWIS: Well, if you can’t
fight them, join them. Oliver
will at least try to patch
Arthur up before going back.
MAGGIE: Roll to Soothe a
Heart with Pulse.
LEWIS: My Pulse is +2 right
now, so I’m confident on this
roll.
LEWIS: And it’s a 9!
MAGGIE: You can heal Arthur,
but you’re gonna have to
spend some Pulse for that.
LEWIS: My Pulse is going down
to 0, but at least Arthur can
clear 4 harm.

⬥48⬥ Basic Moves

CHAPTER 4: EXTRA MOVES
Extra moves are similar to basic
moves, but these aren’t rolled
and are often triggered by
spending resources on key
situations of the game. The
extra moves are:
♦ Ready Your Heart: To mark the
transition between scenes
where you don’t wield your
Heart and those where you do.
♦ Pulling Strings: To use your
strings to take advantage or
to help others.
♦ Tempt: To make others do your
bidding.
♦ Intimacy Moves: Effects that
happen when you share a
moment of intimacy with
someone.
♦ Moves related to conditions:
To take advantage of other
characters’ conditions and to
clear your own conditions.
♦ Last Stand: To use the last
of your strength to stand up
and fight.
♦ Reroll: To change fate with
the help of the power that
comes from your Heart.

⬥50⬥ Extra Moves

 moment to become powerful and
Ready Your Heart get ready for what’s ahead.

All the descriptions are only

When you reconnect with your
relevant to the fiction, but
Heart after not having it in
they are important nonetheless
hands for a while, like a
because it makes the game more
magical girl doing their
interesting. It’s a moment where
transformation, a pilot booting
you get to express your
up their mech or a band setting
character’s personality in the
up their instruments for the
unique way that they wield their
show.
Hearts.
Describe your Heart, describe
There’s a reason why they’re
how you hold it and if there are
called Hearts, and that’s
any special rituals to getting
because they’re a part of the
it, like a transformation
character. It’s more than just
sequence of sorts, describe how
booting up your mech, it's about
it feels and the things you like
reconnecting to the other half
and dislike about it, tell about
of yourself. It’s about becoming
its quirks, the things that work
whole and doing what you do
and the ones that don’t, tell
best.
fun facts about it, get
creative.
MAGGIE: The Metal Dictator
boards his giant mech, the
When you Ready Your Heart, you Empire. A massive thing,
may spend Pulse for the effects bigger than reason and more
below, one for one. powerful than a sun. What do
♦ Clear a condition. you do?
♦ Clear all Heart harm. THELMA: Well I can’t take it
♦ Clear 2 Regular harm. on if I’m not in my own mech,
♦ Hold 1. You may spend that so I’m gonna say that Arthur
hold to get a +1 forward on a gets inside the Excalibur.
roll (may be used after MAGGIE: Nice, that would be a
rolling). moment to Ready Your Heart,
describe how you do it.
If your Heart is broken you THELMA: I wanna say Arthur is
can’t spend your Pulse to heal the type to have a
yourself, but your allies may catchphrase when he gets on
spend theirs to heal you. his mech, so he says
something extremely cheesy
Ready Your Heart is the move like “Excalibur, give me the
that defines the transitions power of rebellion!” while
between scenes where you don’t the ship unfolds with a lot
wield your Heart and those where of metal going left and right
you do. It’s more than just a finally taking the shape of
moment to spend Pulse, it’s a the mech.

Extra Moves ⬥51⬥

MAGGIE: Do you wanna share
any quirks, faulty parts, or
the things you like and
dislike about Excalibur?
THELMA: Oh, I would. I think
that the thing about
Excalibur is that it’s a very
big and imposing mech. Arthur
likes it, but he will often
feel like he is taking too
much space.
MAGGIE: Nice. Do you want to
spend Pulse on any bonuses?
THELMA: I will spend 2. One
to heal all my Heart harm and
another to take a hold for a
bonus later.

⬥52⬥ Extra Moves

 their weaknesses, that you’re
Pulling Strings influencing their roll by making
them doubt their own skills,
that you can force them to mark
When interacting with another
a condition because you know
character that you hold strings
exactly what they’re scared of.
on, you may spend strings you
hold on them for one of the
Just like you can use strings to
following effects:
increase your rolls when you
♦ Add or subtract 1 from their
Engage in Conflict against them
roll.
or get them vulnerable to
♦ Add +1 on a roll you make
inflict extra damage, you can
against or on them.
spend them to increase their
♦ Inflict vulnerable on them.
roll on someone else or to
♦ You may spend 2 strings to
increase your roll to Soothe
force them to mark a
Their Heart.
condition.
♦ Additionally, strings may be
When using strings to influence
used to Tempt characters (see
a roll, you may spend it after
move description).
the roll has been made. So if
you roll a 6 or a 9 you may
Characters hold strings on
spend a string to upgrade it to
others, they represent how well
the next level, just like if
they know each other and the
someone rolls a 7 or a 10 you
social advantage they have over
may spend a string to downgrade
one another, how well they can
the roll.
manipulate someone by pulling
their strings.
Additionally, multiple people
may spend a string each to
Pulling strings is more than
influence a roll. If a very
just changing someone’s roll or
important move results in a 4,
inflicting extra harm on them.
three other teammates might use
It’s about knowing someone’s
their strings to increase it all
weaknesses and using that to
the way to a 7, but a person may
your advantage when harming
only spend a string to change a
them, it’s about encouraging
roll once per roll.
someone, so they can get a bonus
on their roll, it’s about
If you have a lot of strings on
insulting their insecurities and
someone it means you can either
making them mark a condition.
help them a lot or that you can
really mess them up. If you’re
When pulling strings on someone,
still not sure whether they’re a
it’s important to tell how that
friend or foe, if you’re still
is reflected in the fiction more
on the fence about how you feel
than just the rules, explaining
about them, you can hold on to
that you’re getting a bonus to
your strings to use them in a
your roll by exploiting one of

Extra Moves ⬥53⬥

future situation once you’ve
made up your mind.

When it comes to spending

strings to change someone else’s
or your roll you may spend the
string after the result has been
rolled in most cases, with the
exception that you may not force
another player to mark a
condition to decrease their roll
by 2.

THELMA: Arthur has taken a

lot of harm. I don’t think he
can stay in this battle for
much longer, so I might as
well go all out on this next
roll.
MAGGIE: The Metal Dictator is
not looking much good either,
so you might get him with
this last attack.
THELMA: Rolling to Engage in
Conflict and...
THELMA: Damn, it’s a 6.
THELMA: Lucky me, I have some
strings on him after the
gala, so I’m spending to
increase my roll by 1 and
another inflict vulnerable on
him.
MAGGIE: Ok, that makes it a
mixed success and if you’re
inflicting vulnerable I have
to assume you’re going to
trade blows.
MAGGIE: That’s going to be a
total of 4 harm on him!
MAGGIE: Except that because
it’s a mixed success I get to
choose a glitch.
MAGGIE: He will take 1 less
harm, surviving with just
that 1 last point of health.

⬥54⬥ Extra Moves

 As it was already explored in
Tempt the Throw Your Charm move, it’s
the most straightforward way to
get a string on them if you need
Tempting is the main method of
one to Tempt them. Of course,
convincing other characters to
you can also get one from
do your bidding in this game.
Engaging in Conflict or
When tempting another character,
Defending Them. Although, I
you have a short dialogue with
imagine it’s more like you’re
them, using your influence over
bullying someone if you roll to
them to convince them to do
Engage against them, choose to
something. If they accept, you
take a string and immediately
may name what you want and spend
spend that string to Tempt them.
a string you hold on them.
Not a kind way to play the game,
but certainly a way.
Tempting works differently for
player characters and non-player
For NPCs they will either just
characters.
do it, or if it’s something
♦ When tempting Players
harder they will ask for
Characters, you may spend a
something in return or expect
string and name what you want
you to spend more strings to
them to do. If they do it:
convince them to do it. For
they get to mark exp, but
example, they could ask for you
they are free to choose
to do something first to show
whether they want to do it or
them how serious this is, or
not and if they choose not to
they could say that they’re only
do it, you do not get your
doing it for three strings and
string back.
if you don’t have that amount of
♦ Non-Player Characters will do
strings you will have to do
what they were tempted to do,
something to compensate for
but at the narrator’s
that.
discretion, they might ask
for something in return or
If you don't have a string on
require more than just one
the NPC you want to tempt, and
string to be spent.
you failed to get one, or you
♦ You may also tempt a NPC even
simply don’t feel like getting
if you don’t have a string on
one, you can tempt them for free
them, but they will name a
by submitting yourself to their
price of their own, usually
will and doing their bidding
something narrative like
before they do yours.
getting them something or
doing something for them, and
You can tempt a PC to do
only do what you asked them
something, but you can’t force
to, if you do what they asked
them to do it. You can offer
you to first.
them experience if they do, but
they’re still free to say no to
it, as players should always

Extra Moves ⬥55⬥

have control over their
characters.

MAGGIE: So you failed to

Throw Your Charm on Diego,
but you can still try to
Tempt them, they will just
name a price of their own. Do
you still want to do it?
LEWIS: I absolutely still do.
MAGGIE: And how do you Tempt
them?
LEWIS: Oliver takes a long
drag on the cigar, you know
to look cool, and sighs and
starts talking about how
important it is to fight for
the sake of mankind and how
we need to stand together in
the face of adversity.
MAGGIE: Nice.
MAGGIE: So, you Tempt Diego,
and they get to name their
price. They want you to prove
you’re for real, and will ask
you to bring them their
favorite flower: the pink
lotus.
LEWIS: I think I remember
them from your world building
doc.
LEWIS: Isn’t that the one
that only grows on top of
Mount Kardia?
LEWIS: That one massive
mountain?
MAGGIE: Yes!

⬥56⬥ Extra Moves

 them inspired to act on their
Intimacy Moves goals, while the Frozen gets to
erase strings others have on
them when rejecting intimacy and
When you trigger a moment of
giving strings away when
intimacy with someone: You may
actually having it with others.
spend 1 Pulse to increase their
Pulse by 1.
These default rules allow for a
broad interpretation of
When characters have an intimate
“intimacy”, but feel free to
moment with each other, a moment
decide with your table if you
of weakness where they let their
want these rules to be
guards down, where they show
specifically platonic, romantic,
each other all their
or sexual moments. As well, make
vulnerabilities and let go of
sure to discuss beforehand what
all pretense, they may trigger
situations your players are
their Intimacy Moves.
comfortable roleplaying and
remember to use safety tools.
Intimacy Moves are a mechanic
borrowed from Urban Shadows,
THELMA: Arthur feels better
triggered when two (or more)
after Oliver healed him. He
characters have an intimate was so ready to put his life
moment with each other. It on the line that he didn’t
doesn’t have to be necessarily even think about the people
romantic nor sexual, but those who care about him.
are also good examples of THELMA: Arthur just stands
moments to trigger Intimacy there looking at Oliver’s
Moves. eyes.
LEWIS: Well, Oliver returns
When you have a moment of the feeling.
intimacy with someone, either THELMA: Arthur gives Oliver a
party may spend a Pulse to smooch.
increase the other’s Pulse by THELMA: On the lips.
one. This represents characters MAGGIE: Awn.
sharing powers in intimate MAGGIE: Would this be a
moments and the main way of moment of intimacy?
sharing Pulse between LEWIS: Oh, absolutely.
characters. LEWIS: Oliver’s Intimacy Move
is to ask for a secret.
Additionally, each playbook has LEWIS: Hm, I think he will
something unique that happens ask for Arthur’s weakness, to
when characters have a moment of protect him! Of course.
intimacy related to that THELMA: Arthur’s weakness is
playbook’s gameplay loop. The that he is really gullible
Hero, for example, is a very and easy to influence.
idealistic archetype who shares LEWIS: Well, that’s not
their ideals with others, making really a secret.

Extra Moves ⬥57⬥

THELMA: Well, I guess the
secret is that Arthur does
has a physical weakness, a
wound on his left leg that he
tries very hard to hide.
THELMA: For his move, I get
to inspire Oliver with my
ideals. Great, I get to tell
him how important it is for
us to defeat the Metal
Dictator. He gets +1 forward
on doing that and marks exp
if he does.
MAGGIE: Lovely.

⬥58⬥ Extra Moves

 also insult him to try to
Conditions take advantage of his anger.
NAOMI: Charlotte says that he
has as much control of his
emotions as a teenager does,
Taking Advantage of and dodges like a matador
Conditions dodges a bull.
NAOMI: I’m rolling to Do
When rolling against another Something Risky.
character, you may take NAOMI: It’s a 9! With the +1
advantage of a condition they from provoking him it’s a 10
have to add +1 forward to your total right?
roll against them. It’s MAGGIE: Yup.
important to remember that
characters are more than just Clearing Conditions
angry, for example, they are
usually angry at something or Conditions may be cleared by the
someone specific, so you need to effect of a move or by
know what they are angry about fulfilling a certain
to exploit that anger to get a prerequisite. At the end of
bonus to your roll. every scene, the table should
check if the players are able to
You may not be able to exploit clear conditions, depending on
someone’s condition if they the things they have done in the
don’t care about your actions. fiction.
This depends on the fiction, but
the rule of thumb is that you Each condition has a trigger
need to be able to exploit their that needs to be fulfilled for
condition in a believable way. it to be cleared, something that
You need to say something in the you can do to alleviate the
narrative that will strike their negative feeling that is
composure, so you can take the affecting you. You can clear the
bonus, and you also need to have condition by the simple effect
a certain amount of influence of a move, but if you really
over them. need to clear it, you can make
your character take certain
MAGGIE: Before you have time actions to do so.
to react, the Masked Duelist
is right on top of you, ready This way makes it so that
to strike. What do you do? conditions may also be cleared
NAOMI: He has a condition by accident. A player might not
marked, right? even realize they have done the
MAGGIE: Yes, he does. Bandit trigger necessary to clear a
marked the condition angry on condition they have, so it’s
him. important to do this check at
NAOMI: So Charlotte will jump the end of every scene to see if
out of the way, but she will anyone has a condition to clear.

Extra Moves ⬥59⬥

 Clearing anger is about letting
These are the following triggers it all out, and it’s about doing
for clearing the conditions: something you know you’re going
♦ Scared: by running away from to regret. It’s a cycle of
danger when you’re needed the lashing out and wishing you
most. would do better.
♦ Guilty: by making a
sacrifice, so you can feel Insecure is cleared by being
better about yourself. impulsive and acting out without
♦ Angry: when breaking thinking of the consequences.
something important or by It’s almost like a method of
lashing out and harming an enabling the players to allow
ally. themselves to get in trouble to
♦ Insecure: by acting on create an interesting narrative.
impulse without thinking of It’s about not trusting yourself
the consequences. and feeling like you just have
♦ Hopeless: by abandoning your to do something because you
duty and indulging in your don’t feel useful enough, so
desires. you’re going to jump in trouble
to prove you’re not useless.
Clearing scared is about acting
on your fears. It’s about being Hopeless is about feeling like
so scared you cannot go forward, nothing matters, it’s about
so you don’t. You run away, you being disconnected to your Heart
leave, you say screw this and and disconnected to others. It
leave the situation that is affects the way you’re able to
scaring you. Sometimes running feel empathy for others. You may
away is important, sometimes clear hopeless by, well since
even necessary, you can’t nothing matters anyway you might
possibly face all your problems as well have fun and indulge in
head on, so you run. your interests and easy relief.

Guilty is about feeling like you PHOEBE: Ok, so Bandit has

don’t deserve something. Like angry marked and I don’t
you messed up and that you need think I like that. How do you
to be punished. So if you punish clear that again?
yourself, you can clear this MAGGIE: Breaking something
condition. You can sacrifice important or lashing out and
something important as a means harming an ally.
of penitence, or put yourself in PHOEBE: I don’t want her to
grave danger because you feel harm an ally, but she can
like you deserve it. absolutely break something
important.
Anger is a tragic thing that PHOEBE: What is the most
makes you snap on the ones you important thing in this
love and lash out on those that scene?
you just wish would respect you.

⬥60⬥ Extra Moves

MAGGIE: That would probably get to clear all of them, all
be the chandelier that Queen these emotions start fighting
Despair owns. She has told each other and in the end you
you time and time again about can’t really feel anything
how she got it a thousand anymore. You’re numb,
years ago and has treasured heartbroken, but at least your
it ever since. mind is clear, like having an
PHOEBE: Oh, that thing is ego death.
absolutely going down.
If your Heart's already broken,
then you just fall and can’t go
Multiple Conditions on, refuse to go on. The pain is
so much that you freeze, your
If you must mark a condition you legs start shaking and refuse to
already have: decrease your move forward, you don’t see a
Pulse by 1 instead. reason to take another step,
your resolve is broken, you lose
If you must mark another your drive to fight.
condition, and you already have
all of them marked: Clear all
conditions and break your Heart
instead. If your Heart's already
broken when that happens: Mark
all unfilled harm boxes instead.
Your character cannot go on,
they pass out or run away.

If you’re angry and something

makes you even angrier, that is
just going to be painful. If
you’re scared and something
makes you even more scared
you’re going to end up terrified
and if this keeps happening you
may end up with your heart
broken, numb, with nothing to
look up to.

Things can get hectic if you

have too many conditions marked,
it can get particularly hard to
clear all of them as each has a
different clear condition, and
it's hard to roleplay a
character that is both scared,
angry, guilty, and more. That’s
why your Heart breaks and you

Extra Moves ⬥61⬥

 develop how tired your character
Last Stand is.

By the way, your Heart stays

If your Heart isn’t broken and
broken even after the scene that
your Pulse is at a minimum of 0
you used Last Stand on. It's
when you mark your final harm
sort of a way to make it, so
and you can no longer go on: you
players can’t use it all the
may move your Pulse to -2 and
time and have to mend their
break your Heart to clear all
Heart before using it again.
your regular harm and keep
going.
MAGGIE: Arthur your hit is
not enough to defeat the
Last Stand is the main way to Metal Dictator, but his
get your Heart broken in the counter-attack brings you
basic moves. It’s a very strong down to 7 harm.
move, but you’re getting a THELMA: This isn’t good. I
broken Heart from it. thought that would be enough,
but I need more.
It’s one of my favorite moves, THELMA: Ok, I’m doing my Last
it’s like in an anime where you Stand. I’m breaking my Heart
think the main character is down to defeat this guy.
and there is absolutely no way MAGGIE: Well this is my
they’re going to win, but they favorite move in the game, so
push themselves way over all please describe to me how you
their limits and do it. It’s do it.
cheesy, but it’s great. THELMA: Arthur is kneeling on
the ground, it looks like he
So use this opportunity to be is about to faint, he coughs
cheesy, say something super up some blood, and it really
cliche, but cool. Say that your looks like it's over.
character has blood running from THELMA: But he doesn't faint,
the side of their mouth. They he punches the ground so hard
clean it with their sleeve, and it creates a crater, and he
you can’t see their eyes because screams super loud. He stands
it’s covered by their hair, but up, but it looks like he has
you can just see their breath lost his senses, he looks
and, oh boy, do you know they’re like a beast.
mad. MAGGIE: Great. Put your Pulse
to -2, mark your Heart as
Last Stand is almost a reset for broken and clear 4 harm.
your character because they’re
going to have -2 Pulse and have
their Heart broken in the
aftermath of the conflict they
use it on, so take that time to

⬥62⬥ Extra Moves

 failed roll still has
Reroll consequences, but your Heart
shines, and you feel a surge of
power to change fate.
While you wield your Heart, you
may spend 2 Pulse to reroll any
You may either reroll one of
move, yours or someone else’s,
your moves to try for a success
but a move can only be rerolled
as you may help a friend out by
once, and you must keep the
rerolling their failure, just
second result.
like you may reroll a foe’s
success hoping they will take a
When you Reroll a move: All
fail next.
modifiers that were applied to
the first roll are applied to
THELMA: With the last of his
the second. If someone spent a
will, Arthur strikes the
string to give the roll +1 dictator down. I’m rolling to
forward on the first roll, it Engage in Conflict...
also applies to the second. THELMA: Dammit, it’s a 4.
LEWIS: Can I spend Pulse to
This is the move that every Reroll it?
character has access to as long LEWIS: I know I haven’t done
as they have their Heart. much in this scene, but I
Additionally playbooks will really wanted to help Arthur.
offer upgrades for this move, MAGGIE: Absolutely! But
like being able to do it for a describe how you do it.
single Pulse under a certain LEWIS: Oliver has been down
circumstance. for a while, but with the
last of his strength he uses
Reroll is what I mean when I say his mech to release a web,
that Hearts are tools for trapping the metal dictator
changing fate. You may spend two and slowing his movement.
Pulse and change your fate, MAGGIE: Nice, Arthur, reroll
change a dire situation into that attack.
something more favorable and THELMA: It’s an 8 this time!
better outcome. Thanks!

It costs 2 points of Pulse, so

it’s a bit more expensive than
most others, but it’s supposed
to be something you use in a
pinch when you really need it. A
last resort.

When doing the Reroll action,

make it something that happens
in the fiction. You don’t just
reroll the dice, your first

Extra Moves ⬥63⬥

CHAPTER 5: DOWNTIME MOVES
Downtime Moves are taken between You can’t spend your downtime
acts. At the end of every act doing the same downtime move
and before the start of the twice. The Downtime Moves are
next, every player will have the the following:
time to take 2 Downtime Moves. ♦ Connect With Your Heart: for
These moves reflect the things spending some quality time
you do in your free time, the with your Heart.
hobbies you indulge in, the ♦ Investigate: for finding
wounds you recover from, the information on someone or
broken Heart you mend, the something.
people you grow closer to, the ♦ Get in a Fight: for blowing
mysteries that you investigate. up and getting into a fight
with someone.
It’s important to note that ♦ Indulge: for ignoring your
harm, conditions and broken responsibilities and
Hearts are not cleared and wallowing in your hobbies and
mended between acts by interests.
themselves, you must take ♦ Take a Leap of Faith: for
downtime moves to do so. making a statement and taking
a step forward into change.
After every player has taken ♦ Rest: For resting and healing
both of their downtime moves, while others take care of
the game will proceed to the you.
next act. Maybe a month or so ♦ Vent: For venting your
has passed since the last act, feelings to your friends.
or maybe it was just a few
days. Regardless of how
much time passes, it’s
fair to say that NPCs
have managed to mend
wounds and update each
other in the gossip.

Downtime Moves ⬥65⬥

 do reports to your higher ups,
Connect With patrols, or simply homework for
school the next day. If you
Your Heart overindulge, you spend too much
time with your Heart and forget
to do these.
When you spend some time with
your Heart, possibly taking a
joyride with your mech, playing
your instrument for no one but
yourself, riding for hours in
the desert alone: You may spend
Pulse to choose from the options
below, for the listed price.
♦ 1: You clear your mind: clear
a condition.
♦ 1: Your time is restful:
clear 2 harm.
♦ 1: Clear all your Heart harm.
♦ 1: You don’t over indulge and
don’t fail to keep track of
your responsibilities.
♦ 2: Mend your Heart.

This move is useful when you end

an act with a lot of Pulse left,
but also a lot of harm and
conditions marked. It’s somewhat
similar to the Ready Your Heart
move, but instead of getting
ready for conflict, you’re just
spending some of your free time
with your Heart.

You may also choose to mend your

Heart with this move, although
it will cost you two Pulse that
you might need to heal or simply
to not overindulge, but it is an
option for mending Hearts
between acts.

Regarding the overindulge

option, your downtime is
considered free time, but you
still have responsibilities to
keep track of. Say you need to

⬥66⬥ Downtime Moves

 person or group that you’re
Investigate investigating, to get an
advantage on them, you may also
ask them any question, they must
When you want to find more
respond truthfully. There is no
information about someone or
mechanical benefit for this,
something, an enemy, a company,
it’s merely to give the
an organization, one of the NPCs
information to your character,
or even another one of the PCs:
even if you as the player
Roll with Sharp.
already knows about this.
On a 10+, choose three, on a 7-
You may also tick an
9, two, and on a miss, only one.
investigation clock forward,
♦ Discover a weakness about
representing how you’re getting
them and take a string on
closer to learning something big
them (may pick this one more
that may take a number of acts
than once).
to achieve.
♦ Tick a clock related to the
investigation (may pick more
Clocks may be 4, 6 or 8 segments
than once.)
long. A 4 segment clock is a
♦ Discover something about
secret that can be discovered in
them: Ask them any question,
two downtime moves, while an 8
they must answer truthfully
one will take much longer. It's
(with some exceptions at the
up to the narrator to decide how
narrator’s discretion.)
big the clock will be depending
♦ You leave no traces and
on how important the information
aren’t spotted: They do not
the players are looking for is.
take a string on you nor
anyone else who helped you in
If the entire party is working
this roll.
together to solve the same
mystery, only one person can
Players may also declare that
roll this move to tick that
they want to start an
clock, so other players are
investigation clock to learn
advised to spend strings, so the
something important about the
person with the highest Sharp
person or group they are
gets a good roll. Once the
investigating for free.
investigation clock is finished
you will discover something
Again, if you do not choose the
important, game changing even
last option, whoever you
about the person or thing you
investigate will get a string on
were investigating that should
you. You are presented with a
probably be the focus on the
choice of whether you want
next act.
results, or to stay safe.

As you investigate them you may

choose to take strings on the

Downtime Moves ⬥67⬥

 Narratively speaking, this is a
Get in a Fight good move
narrative of
to develop
your
the
character
either with another NPC or even
When you have a fight with
another PC.
someone, whether it's because
you were looking for one, or you
As it was stated, the reason why
simply found yourself throwing
you fought someone is up to you.
punches: Name who you’re
You two might simply have chosen
fighting and roll with Daring.
to do a sparring match, perhaps
as training or simply because
On a hit you get to choose three
your character likes to wrestle,
from below and on a miss choose
or maybe your character found
only two:
themselves in a very heated
♦ You win the fight.
debate with another and it ended
♦ Clear the angry condition.
in a fight, but of course you
♦ You take a string on whoever
might also have gotten in a
you fought.
fight against someone just
♦ You don’t give a string to
because you really can’t stand
whoever you fought.
their guts.
On a 9 and below, you have to
Among the options on the move
choose a consequence.
you may choose between clearing
♦ If you lost the fight, you
the angry condition, taking a
lost it badly, and they beat
string on them, avoiding giving
you up really hard: The
them a string or, well, choosing
rumors of your defeat are
to actually win the fight.
spread.
♦ If you won the fight, you
Clearing anger represents how
harmed them more than you
after doing physical activities,
wanted: They take a string on
you can clear your mind, and you
you and they will probably
don’t really care about the
still be recovering on the
things that used to anger you.
next act.
You share strings with each
♦ Your fight upsets someone you
other because you understand one
care about, possibly a
another better now.
higher-up that finds it
unbecoming of you, or a
On a mixed success and failure,
friend who thinks you’re
something goes wrong in the
acting childishly.
fight, and you’re the one who
♦ Your fight causes unwanted
gets to choose what it is. Maybe
collateral damage.
your opponent beat you up badly,
or maybe you’re the one who
Mechanically speaking, this move
seriously hurt them. The other
is a good alternative if you
option is that the fight will
want to clear the angry
make a higher up, or simply
condition between acts.
someone who didn’t expect that

⬥68⬥ Downtime Moves

behavior from you, get
disappointed in you, or you
cause unwanted collateral
damage, either to the general
environment or to a specific
object.

Some of these things happen

purely in the fiction, that only
really makes sense in some
specific contexts, but it's fine
if it doesn’t make sense in
yours, you can pick another one
of the options.

It’s also important to note that

you may choose to have a rather
intense battle with your foe,
one where eyes run wild as you
stare at their muscles, where
you try to hold back because you
don’t want to hurt them, but
also where you want to give your
everything in it because you
want to prove your worth to
them, and choose to trigger your
Intimacy Move as sometimes
fighting can be a love language
(of course, only if they return
the feeling).

Downtime Moves ⬥69⬥

 Indulge Mechanically speaking, this move
is the main way for clearing the
insecure and hopeless
When you say damn it all, when
conditions, but it's also an
you’ve had it, when you don’t
interesting occasion to build
care about the consequences and
your relationship with another
spend your free time indulging
character that you spend time
in your hobbies and easy relief,
indulging with.
possibly ignoring your
responsibilities: Roll with Hot.
On a mixed success, things don't
go so well for you, you get lost
On a hit you choose two from
in the sauce. You lose
below and on a miss choose only
something, leave an object at
one:
the party, or maybe you spend
♦ Clear the insecure condition.
too much money on gacha games.
♦ Clear the hopeless condition.
♦ You find someone you know in
It happens entirely in the
there, and you spend time
narrative, as this game doesn’t
together: you each take a
have a dedicated mechanic to
string on the other and
represent wealth. Maybe you
intimacy moves are on the
borrow money from someone, and
table (may pick more than
you must do something to pay
once).
them back, or maybe you have to
sell something that is important
On a 9 and below, choose
to you to compensate for the
something that goes wrong:
lost money.
♦ You lose something in there.
♦ You make something
Other options for the failures
embarrassing that goes viral.
are that you do something
♦ One person in particular has
embarrassing, and it goes viral
to take care afterwards. Give
among the characters and the
them 2 strings on you.
world of the game. Again, this
happens purely in the narrative.
Indulge can mean a lot of
Or you can get in a really
things, it can mean that your
detrimental state and someone
character gets wasted in
will have to take care of you,
alcohol, that they party hard
making yourself vulnerable to
the entire night when they have
them and giving them strings on
work on the next day, but it can
you.
also mean to generally indulge
in hobbies, it can mean that
they spend twelve hours straight
playing video games, or binge
reading a book or watching a
series, or investing too much
money in collectible plushies.

⬥70⬥ Downtime Moves

 to a bully that is always
Take a Leap of bothering you, standing
against an oppressive system,
up

Faith doing that part in Mulan where

she climbs the pole that no one
else could after her boss lost
When you do something risky,
all hope in her.
when you prove that you’re not
useless by doing something no
Some downtime moves allow for
one else could, when you clear
you to clear specific conditions
your mind by doing something
in a way that summed up, they
dangerous, when you get out of
may clear all the conditions of
your comfort zone: Roll with
the game. This one allows you to
Cold.
clear guilt and hopelessness,
with an extra option to take a
On a hit chose two, but on a
string on someone who doubted
miss choose only one:
you, to show to their faces that
♦ Clear the guilty condition.
you can do it.
♦ Clear the scared condition.
♦ You take a string on someone
Among the downsides you have
who doubted you (may choose
things like breaking something
more than once).
by accident, but you can also do
something that is heroic, but
On a 9 and below, you must
embarrassing. Something that is
choose something that goes
impressive, but just a bit
wrong:
cringy, even if sometimes
♦ You break something important
cringing, is what we need to
accidentally.
move forward.
♦ It’s embarrassing: Someone
takes a string on you.
Your action might even go viral!
♦ Your action goes viral, for
Something that you were merely
better or for worse.
doing for yourself can become a
statement that will inspire
I would be lying if I didn’t say
everyone around you, maybe even
this move was inspired by Miles
everyone in your city. Whether
Morales’ Leap of Faith on the
you think that’s a good thing or
Into the Spider-Verse movie.
not is up to you.
It’s about saying enough and
doing something risky and
dangerous to prove your worth,
it’s about taking the leap of
faith forward to clear your mind
of your guilt and hopelessness.

Other examples of this action is

calling your boss off in their
abusive behavior, saying enough

Downtime Moves ⬥71⬥

 they do it, they do, and you get
Rest the bonus when rolling.

If they do help you, the only

When you take a rest, either
consequence is that you will
simply by taking it easy for
give all of them strings if you
some time or by having medical
roll a 9 or below, which might
care: Roll with the number of
even be good for you if, again,
characters that help you (max
you’re on good terms with them.
4), either by taking direct care
of you, or by taking over your
If you’re not on good terms with
obligations while you rest.
them, or your character simply
isn’t the type to ask for help,
No matter the result, you clear
you can risk trying to recover
all your harm, but on a 9 and
by yourself. No matter the
below you will overextend your
result you will get to fully
care and give a string to
heal, but on a miss you reduce
everyone who helped you, and if
the amount of Pulse you have
nobody helped you: congrats!
which might make you end up with
Nobody gets a string on you, but
a broken Heart.
also you had to recover by
yourself, tell the others how
tough was that. On a miss, you
will decrease your Pulse by 3.

This move is entirely dedicated

to restoring regular harm, so
it's specially recommended, and
in a way necessary, to be taken
if you marked too much harm
during the last act.

You don’t roll this one with a

traditional stat, instead it's
about asking others to help you
rest, either by actively taking
medical care of you, or by
taking over your duties, such as
reports or homework while you
can take it easy.

If you’re on good terms with the

rest of your party, all of them
are allowed to help without
having to spend a downtime move
of themselves. They just say

⬥72⬥ Downtime Moves

 On a mixed success, you might
Vent get a little too carried away
with your emotions and say some
things that are too much
When you spend some time venting
information, things that are not
your feelings to someone: Roll
exactly relevant to your current
with the number of people who
situation. Your friends aren’t
are listening to you (max +4,
going to make fun of you, but
min +1).
they will remember it.
No matter the result you clear
On a failure, the act numbs you
all your conditions, but on a 9
and your connection to your
and below you will say some
Heart is harmed. If your Pulse
things you really shouldn’t, and
were to be decreased below -2,
everyone who is listening will
your Heart is broken. You think
take a string on you. On a miss,
about your pain, and it's all
you will decrease your Pulse by
just too much.
3.

When your feelings overwhelm

you, the only way to deal with
them is to let it all out: Cry
in front of your friends, tell
them everything that afflicts
you, let them see all the ugly
parts of you, let the mask off,
make yourself vulnerable and let
their words affect you.

This move works very similarly

to Rest, with the difference
that you must vent to at least
one person, you cannot heal all
your conditions without making
yourself a little vulnerable to
a minimum of one person.

Speaking of one person, if you

choose to vent to a single
person, possibly cry in their
arms and fall asleep while they
hold you. It does sound like a
great scene to roleplay and a
perfect moment to trigger your
intimacy move.

Downtime Moves ⬥73⬥

CHAPTER 6: THE PLAYBOOKS
 yourself in a genuine way. So
Introduction you lie and wear a facade, you
antagonize to get attention and
oh dear how you love the
Each player, except for the
attention. You are someone who
narrator, chooses a playbook for
doesn’t care if others hate you,
their character. Playbooks are
as long as they’re thinking
archetypes, they focus on the
about you.
type of Heart each character has
and the internal conflict they
face. They all come with unique
The Frozen
moves that are cues for other You are someone way, way too
players, especially the scared to make yourself
narrator. The Playbooks are: vulnerable to others. To be
judged is a curse that you will
The Dreadnought never subject yourself to. So
you watch the world go by from
You have goals, big, big goals,
your frozen palace as you push
and you’re doing anything you
away all of those who try to
can to achieve them. You’re
connect with you.
saving the world, you’re finding
a new home for humanity, you’re
getting into Harvard with a 4.0
The Hero
GPA. No matter what your goal People have big expectations for
is, it’s big, and you’re going you. You are a hero of prophecy,
to push yourself to your or maybe people just saw the
absolute limits to achieve it. amazing potential you have and
are cashing in on you. You on
The Foesworn the other hand are new to all of
this and don't know all the
You serve a corporation, a
intricacies of the system. Can
corrupt king, a dark wizard, an
you fulfill all the expectations
eldritch deity. Whatever it is,
they have on you? Or will you be
it’s toxic and not good for you,
crushed by the weight of your
but they’re the ones who gave
own potential?
you your Heart and you would
rather serve them than be
heartless. So you follow their
The Lover
orders, no matter how much your Personally, you’re not much of a
friends tell you how bad they fan of the frontline. Both the
are and how much you get hurt literal frontline of combat and
for it. the front line of social
interactions. You would rather
The Fool stand back and help out those
who stay in front, you would
You are someone who craves to
rather be useful to others than
connect to others, but are
to get into the intricacies of
otherwise too scared to express

The Playbooks ⬥75⬥

the world. Not only others, but The Vampire
one specific other, your one
true love. Your Heart is a toxic thing that
you need to feed, else it will
The Outsider feed on your life force. You’re
cursed and there’s nothing to do
You had to fight for your Heart. besides feed and live on
You stole it, or you made it borrowed time, so you hurt, and
yourself, and now you get in you feed. Maybe you hate
trouble with authorities all the yourself for your actions, but
time to keep it. To have a Heart maybe you don’t care, maybe you
is the biggest blessing there indulge in your feeding and
is, but apparently they don’t enjoy it. It’s up to you.
think you deserve one. Well, you
don’t care, you’re not sitting
around while your friends are
saving the world, you’re going
to be a part of this no matter
how much you get hurt for it.

The Spider
You are an elusive figure. A
mystery shrouded in an enigma
dealing in secrets and
classified information. You
weaponize the secrets you know
for social advantage, you expose
the deceit and lies of those in
power, you leave others in the
dark for your benefit as
everyone struggles to escape
your web.

The Storm
You’re scared of just how easy
it is for you to hurt others.
Your powers often go out of
control, but the ones who have
to pay for it are all the ones
you love. Maybe you’re terrified
of yourself and the things you
can do, but you may also like
the level of destruction you can
cause.

⬥76⬥ The Playbooks

 Your name is: Jack, Luke, Finn,
The Dreadnought Kate, Anna, Emma.
Your pronouns are: She/her,
He/him, They/them, It/its,
You have goals, big, big goals,
Neopronouns.
and you’re doing anything you
Your archetype is: Raised for
can to achieve them. You’re
greatness, Small city big goals,
saving the world, you’re finding
Impressing someone, Always
a new home for humanity, you’re
studying, Mom friend.
getting into Harvard with a 4.0
Your look is: disheveled look,
GPA. No matter what your goal
tough look, athletic look, stern
is, it’s big, and you’re going
look, worn-out look.
to push yourself to your
Your eyes are: piercing eyes,
absolute limits to achieve it.
dull eyes, fiery eyes, knowing
eyes, outspoken eyes.

Starting Stats
Choose one:
♦ Daring +2
♦ Hot +1
♦ Cold -1
♦ Sharp -1
Or
♦ Daring -1
♦ Hot -1
♦ Cold +1
♦ Sharp +2
Your Pulse starts at +1.

Advancements
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
◇ Take another Dreadnought
move.
◇ Take another Dreadnought
move.
◇ Take a move from any
playbook.
◇ Take another Dreadnought
Heart extra.
◇ Take another Heart extra from
any playbook.

The Playbooks ⬥77⬥

Starting Relations Dreadnought Moves
Assign one of the following to You start with 3 moves
each of the other player
◇ Guardian
characters and future main NPCs.
When you protect someone without
♦ You consider ___ above you, thinking of your own safety:
and you strive to be like Mark a condition to take +2
them. Give them 3 strings on forward to your roll to Defend
you. Take a string on them. Them.
♦ ___ always says that you
◇ Limit Break
should take better care of
yourself. Give them 2 strings When you push yourself to your
on you. limits when you Engage in
♦ ___ has taken care of you Conflict against someone: Roll
while you were hurt. Give with the number of conditions
them a string on you. you have instead of Daring.
♦ You and ___ compete in ◇ Even Champions Must Rest
everything. You each take a
string on the other. If someone who holds 5 or more
♦ You made a childhood promise strings on you helps you Rest:
to ___ related to your goal. You mend your Heart, and clear
You each take 2 strings on all your conditions.
the other. ◇ Diamond in the Rough
♦ You stood up for ___ when
they needed you the most. When you push your mind to come
Take a string on them. up with any insight you can:
♦ You got in huge trouble for Mark a condition to advance Read
helping ___. Take 2 strings a Person for the rest of the
on them. scene (may be used after
♦ ___ wants to be more like rolling).
you. Take 3 strings on them. ◇ Ambitious
Give them a string on you.
You have a goal, something big
that will take long for you to
Highlighted Stats
achieve. Mark exp every time you
At the start of every act, take a step closer to achieving
choose one of your stats, and it. When you finally do it,
the person who holds the most choose between changing
strings on you may choose playbooks, retiring your
another. Draw a heart around character or taking another even
both. Once per scene, the first bigger goal.
time you roll each of those ◇ Stalwart Resolve
stats, increase your Pulse by 1
(to a maximum of +3). Hold 1 for every condition you
clear during downtime. During
the next act, you may spend

⬥78⬥ The Playbooks

these holds to negate 1 harm you push yourself even harder as you
take, one for one. learn the secrets of life to
make a panacea for all of
◇ Revenge
humanity’s ill.
When a friend falls in battle
next to you: You may move your Choose a base and 2 extras:
Pulse to -2 and break your Heart Bases:
to clear all your regular harm.
For the rest of the scene,
◇ A Heavy Heart
advance Engage in Conflict and A Heart so heavy that it begs
add +2 when attacking those who the question of how you can even
hurt your friends. carry it. You could have a
lighter Heart, a more
Intimacy Move comfortable one, but comfort is
not what you want. You want the
Hold 1 when you have intimacy largest Heart you can have, so
with someone. You may mark a you can protect all your
condition and spend that hold to friends. 2-harm, hand, 1-armor,
instantly appear in a scene heavy.
where they need you. You lose
the hold when you have intimacy ◇ A Pushing Heart
with someone else. A Heart that is relentless and
that is always pushing forward,
Broken Heart always moving ahead, always
striving to achieve your goals.
If you need to break your arms, 2-harm, hand, forceful, once per
do it, if you need to break your session you may choose the
mind, so be it. No matter what option to “push them where you
it takes, you will achieve your want” for free when you Engage
goals. You mend your Heart once in Conflict.
a friend sees your pain and
physically steps forward to stop ◇ A Restless Heart
you, or until you just can’t go A Heart that is always on high
on anymore. alert for information and
anything that could be an issue.
The Dreadnought’s Heart A Heart that is always paying
attention to every detail. 1-
Your Heart is the tool you use harm, medium range, once per
to reach your impossible goal. session when acting on
It’s the sword that strikes down information that you acquired by
enemies and clears a path Reading a Person, instead of
forward. It’s the shield that adding +1 to a roll you may
protects you when you stand consider it as if you have
between your foes and your loved rolled a 12 instead.
ones, as you would rather die
than see them hurt. It’s an Extras:
apparatus that allows you to

The Playbooks ⬥79⬥

◇ If you have 2 or more you’re playing a more cold one
conditions: get +1 armor (max that takes their distance you
2) can pick Diamond in the Rough to
◇ If you have 4 or more better Read a Person and Limit
conditions: Rerolling only Break to compensate for low
costs 1 Pulse. Daring.
◇ Your Heart has a wide range:
add the area tag to your Ambitious gives you more of a
base. long term goal to look for,
◇ Your Heart is strong, but maybe you’re looking for a
slow: add +1 harm (max 4) to promotion or to defeat a beast
your base and the slow tag. that is harming the citizens.
◇ Conditions only decrease your Describe what it is when you
rolls by 1 while wielding pick the move, and the narrator
your Heart. will give you chances to move
◇ When you take a hit, you may towards that.
decrease the harm you take by
1 and mark a condition The idea of the Dreadnought is
instead. of a character that is
constantly pushing forward, but
Playing the Dreadnought never taking care of themselves,
someone that is often found in a
The Dreadnought’s main gameplay hospital bed while their friends
loop revolves around having many take care of them. Even
conditions and gaining bonuses Champions Must Rest is about
from them until you can’t take this one friend who knows you
them anymore and start falling really well and that you trust
apart. There is no proper with your life, thus they hold 5
starting point to start the strings on you, and when they
loop, so it’s up to you to take care of you, it heals all
choose how you want to build your ills.
conditions and what benefits you Additionally, Steward Resolve
want to take from them. fits very well into that loop by
giving you benefits for clearing
The stat choices for the all your conditions during
dreadnought allow for you to downtime, creating a sort of
choose between someone who gets loop where you accumulate
their hands dirty to get what conditions, clear them, take
they want (Daring 2, Hot 1) or benefits and repeat.
someone who is hyper analytical,
always looking for a weakness to Revenge is a move that
exploit (Sharp 2, Cold 1). incentivize players into moments
where the Dreadnought, who
For playing a dreadnought that fights so hard for the sake of
fights their way though, be on everyone, sees an ally fall in
the lookout for Guardian and battle next to them and
your Intimacy Move, but if completely lose control of

⬥80⬥ The Playbooks

themselves, seeking to destroy
those who harmed their friends.
It’s a very good move for the
Hero, too!

The Playbooks ⬥81⬥

 Your name is: Alexander, James,
The Foesworn Nicholas, Elizabeth, Caroline,
Katherine.
Your pronouns are: She/her,
You serve a corporation, a
He/Him, They/Them, It/its,
corrupt king, a dark wizard, an
Neopronouns.
eldritch deity. Whatever it is,
Your archetype is: Child of the
it’s toxic and not good for you,
boss, Your employer took you out
but they’re the ones who gave
of the gutter, Needs the money
you your Heart and you would
for someone else, Too valuable
rather serve them than be
of an asset to your Employer to
heartless. So you follow their
lose.
orders, no matter how much your
Your look is: formal look,
friends tell you how bad they
ceremonial look, uniform look,
are and how much you get hurt
provocative look, delinquent
for it.
look.
Your eyes are: judgmental eyes,
spiteful eyes, mischievous eyes,
erratic eyes, tired eyes.

Starting Stats
Choose one:
♦ Daring -1
♦ Hot -1
♦ Cold +2
♦ Sharp +1
Or
♦ Daring -1
♦ Hot +1
♦ Cold -1
♦ Sharp +2
Your Pulse starts at +1.

Advancements
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
◇ Take another Foesworn move.
◇ Take a move from any
playbook.
◇ Take another Foesworn
Heart extra.
◇ Take another Heart extra
from any playbook

⬥82⬥ The Playbooks

 ◇ Take another benefit and give another. Draw a heart around
a string to your Employer. both. Once per scene, the first
◇ Take another benefit and give time you roll each of those
a string to your Employer. stats, increase your Pulse by 1
(to a maximum of +3).
Starting Relations
Foesworn Moves:
Assign one of the following to
each of the other player You start with Employed and
characters and future main NPCs. another move.
♦ ___ is a favorite of your
⬥ Employed
Employer. Give them 3 strings
on you. Take a string on You serve an Employer that gives
them. you benefits. You may activate
♦ ___ covered for you when you them by giving your Employer a
couldn’t finish a job. Give string, but if they have 5 or
them 2 strings on you. more strings on you: You have
♦ You had a moment of weakness asked for too much and your
to ___ over how hard it is to Heart is broken. Additionally,
work for your Employer. Give you may ask for something in the
them a string on you. fiction for your Employer and
♦ ___ also used to work for the narrator will give you a
your Employer. You each take price in strings.
a string on the other. ◇ Double Agent
♦ ___ is the person you go to
for comfort. You each take 2 Add the following option when
strings on the other. Investigating:
♦ You used your privileged ♦ Find some dirt on your
position to assist ___. Take Employer, like discovering a
a string on them. secret or something shady
♦ Your Employer told you to they did that could make them
harm ___, but you didn’t. lose rep. Take a string on
Take 2 strings on them. them.
♦ You started working for your You may spend 5 strings you have
Employer for ___’s sake. Take with your Employer to have a
3 strings on them. Give them scene with them, discuss your
a string on you. job and choose between: Leaving
Additionally, all of your the company and changing
individual higher ups start with playbooks, retiring your
a string on you. character, or getting promoted
and staying as the Foesworn, but
Highlighted Stats with more responsibilities and
choosing 2 more benefits (you
At the start of every act, may also make your own
choose one of your stats, and benefits).
the person who holds the most
strings on you may choose

The Playbooks ⬥83⬥

◇ Friends Looking Out for ◇ High Tech Weapons
You Inflict extra harm when you
When a friend tells you how Engage in Conflict.
toxic your Employer is, and you ◇ Artificial Heart
listen to them: Give them 2
strings on you. Your Employer Gain 1 Pulse.
loses a string on you.
Intimacy Move
◇ Dirty Jobs
Your Employer tells you to do Your Employer loses a string on
horrible things. If you follow you and gains one on the person
their orders: give them a you had intimacy with.
string, but take 1 ongoing to
carrying out their orders. If Broken Heart
you don’t: they lose a string on
You’re in trouble with your
you, and you mark exp, but you
Employer, you have asked for too
will be in trouble with them
much, and now they want
later.
something from you. They will
◇ Talent Scouting give you assignments and each
one you complete will erase a
Once per session, you may ask
string they have on you. While
the following question for free
your Heart is broken, using
when you Read a Person: “How can
benefits inflicts harm on you
you be useful to my Employer?”
instead of giving away strings.
You mend your Heart when your
Benefits
Employer no longer holds strings
You start with two benefits. over you, or you choose to leave
them for good.
◇ Reinforcements
Call another employee of your The Foesworn’s Heart
Employer to help you in this
scene. Your Heart is something that
your Employer gave to you, it’s
◇ Corporate Strings something that makes you feel
Take a string on someone not whole, something that makes
associated with your company. working for the Devil worth it.
You might be selling away your
◇ Scan freedom, but at least you’re
Acquire confidential information getting a Heart on the deal.
on a target not associated with Whatever type of tool your Heart
your company. Take +1 ongoing is, it’s top of the line with
when acting on that information slick minimalistic design, the
for the rest of the scene. kind that is entirely devoid of
humanity.

⬥84⬥ The Playbooks

Choose a base and 2 extras: wants: add the forceful tag
Bases: to your base.
◇ Your Heart is a sight to
◇ A Distant Heart
behold. Once per session,
Literally distant as it has a choose an extra option when
long range to harm others, but you Throw Your Charm on
also distant in the metaphorical someone.
sense. A Heart that doesn’t ◇ When you use the influence of
connect with others, that is your Employer, you may roll
always distant and hard to to Burn Bridges with the
reach. 3-harm, far, reload. number of strings your
Employer has on you instead
◇ A Merciless Heart
of Cold.
A Heart that is only waiting for
the right opportunity to strike Playing the Foesworn
and tear others down. That you
can never trust, lest it will The Foesworn’s gameplay loop
stab you in the back. 1-harm, revolves around giving strings
hand, armor-ignoring. to your Employer for benefits
and then taking bonuses when
◇ An Expensive Heart
they have a certain number of
A Heart that you would never be them, but having a broken Heart
able to afford if it wasn’t for when they have too many. The
your Employer. A Heart that main idea is to give them
comes with a price that you must strings, but be careful, as the
always pay. Your Heart has two game is about finding the
different attacks that it can balance of how many strings they
do: 3-hand, hand and 2-harm, should have on you.
far. You hold both, but cannot
use them at the same time. Give The stat choices for the
a string to your Employer for Foesworn allows you to play as
each scene that you use it to someone cold and calculating
harm someone. (Sharp 1 and Cold 2) or someone
that is distant and fascinating,
Extras: like a mystery (Hot 1 and Sharp
◇ Gain +1 armor if your 2).
Employer has 2 or more
strings on you. Double Agent gives you the
◇ Rerolling only costs 1 Pulse option to take strings on your
if your Employer has 3 or Employer. You may use them for
more strings on you. immediate benefits, but you may
◇ Your Heart doesn’t let go: save them, so you can have a
add the restraining tag to meeting with them. It’s an
your base. opportunity where you get to
◇ Your Heart puts your enemies take control of your future and
right where your Employer the future of your company. You
may choose to bring all of their

The Playbooks ⬥85⬥

shady business to light and ruin opportunity of doing as the game
them, quit and change playbooks, normally goes, but also things
retire to a life in the that are generally frowned upon.
countryside or get promoted and Like stealing something
get even deeper into the important from a marginalized
company. community, destroying evidence
of abuse, or silencing those who
Dirty jobs is the move if you know too much. These are all
want your Employer to push you very bad things, reinforcing how
to do terrible things, for you should really quit.
playing around how toxic they
are and how you should really
quit, but also all the horrible
things you have already done for
them.

Friends Looking Out for You is

for focusing on the friends that
care about you, a consistent way
of getting rid of the strings
your Employer has on you while
also giving a benefit for your
allies for engaging with you
like that.

Talent Scouting is for those who

are carrying out the will of
their Employer and looking out
for characters who would be
useful to them, making a
narrative hook of being on the
lookout for them and further
interacting with others under
that pretense.

Your Intimacy Move is a good way

of making your Employer lose
strings on you, but it’s also
dangerous for those who are
close to you, as your Employer
may spend those strings to
corner, or harm them.

The types of missions that your

Employer will give you while
your Heart is broken are often
things you will have the

⬥86⬥ The Playbooks

 Your name is: Katy, Abby, Avril,
The Fool Jason, Jeremy, Timothy.
Your pronouns are: She/her,
He/Him, They/Them, It/its,
You are someone who craves to
Neopronouns.
connect to others, but are
Your archetype is: Jewel thief,
otherwise too scared to express
Notorious partier, Celebrity,
yourself in a genuine way. So
Thrill seeker, Wandering outlaw.
you lie and wear a facade, you
Your look is: punk look,
antagonize to get attention and
disheveled look, provocative
oh dear how you love the
look, adventurous look, flashy
attention. You are someone who
look.
doesn’t care if others hate you,
Your eyes are: yearning eyes,
as long as they’re thinking
shining eyes, passionate eyes,
about you.
mischievous eyes, alluring eyes.

Starting Stats
Choose one:
♦ Daring +1
♦ Hot +2
♦ Cold -1
♦ Sharp -1
Or
♦ Daring -1
♦ Hot +2
♦ Cold -1
♦ Sharp +1
Your Pulse starts at +1.

Advancements
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max
+3).
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max
+3).
◇ Take another Fool move.
◇ Take another Fool move.
◇ Take a move from any
playbook.
◇ Take another Fool Heart
extra.
◇ Take another Heart extra from
any playbook.

The Playbooks ⬥87⬥

Starting Relations Fool Moves
Assign one of the following to You start with Irresistible and
each of the other player another 2 moves.
characters and future main NPCs.
⬥ Irresistible
♦ You bet something
irreplaceable to ___ and If someone has 5 or more strings
lost, but they told you to on you: Take +1 ongoing against
keep it. What did you bet? them on all rolls. But anyone
Give them 3 strings on you. may spend 8 strings they hold on
Take a string on them. you to instantly break your
♦ ___ saved you from trouble. Heart.
Give them 2 strings on you.
◇ Love Blooms on the
♦ ___ is always dealing with
your bullcrap. Give them a
Battlefield
string on you. When you flirt to distract your
♦ ___ and you had a thing one enemies in battle: You may give
night. You each take a string them a string to add +2 when you
on the other. Engage in Conflict against them.
♦ ___ and you are exes. You
◇ Pleasure Doing Business
each take 2 strings on the
other. Once per scene, mark experience
♦ ___ is jealous of how well when someone spends a string
you can express yourself: they have on you.
Take a string on them.
◇ Ask Questions Later
♦ You were ___’s first kiss,
but they weren’t your first When you rush into combat
kiss. Take 2 strings on them. without thinking about how
♦ You helped ___ leave an dangerous the situation is:
abusive partner. Take 3 Increase your Pulse by 2.
strings on them. Give them a ◇ Look at Me
string on you.
Once per session, you may ask
Highlighted Stats the following question for free
when you Read a Person: “What
At the start of every act, will make you only have eyes for
choose one of your stats, and me?”
the person who holds the most
◇ League of your Own
strings on you may choose
another. Draw a heart around When you show someone just how
both. Once per scene, the first out of their league you are:
time you roll each of those Roll to Burn Bridges with Hot.
stats, increase your Pulse by 1 ◇ Polyamory
(to a maximum of +3).
You may form a connection
related to your intimacy move
with two different characters.

⬥88⬥ The Playbooks

If you already have a connection everyone’s attention by whatever
with two characters and have a means possible.
moment of intimacy with a third
one, you may choose one to Choose a base and 2 extras:
remove the connection with. Bases:
◇ A Rogue’s Heart
Intimacy Move
A Heart that takes trinkets from
When you have intimacy with the ones it engages with. Maybe
someone, you form a connection, because it wants to fill the
and you can offer to take the void inside, or maybe just
blame for any problems that come because it wants to be chased
up later. While the connection after. 2-harm, close, once per
stands, if someone would take a session when you Engage in
string on them, they can choose Conflict with someone, you may
to redirect the string to you choose the option to “take
instead. The connection is something from them” for free.
broken when either of you has a
moment of intimacy with another
◇ A Close Heart
character. A Heart that is only effective
at extremely close range, like a
Broken Heart hug, like a kiss. An intense
Heart once you step onto its
You’re needy, you crave event horizon. 3-harm, intimate,
attention, and that is all you quick.
can think of right now.
Everything must be about you, ◇ A Heart for Everyone
everyone must be thinking about A Heart that has a place for
you all the time. No matter what everyone inside it. Like a
horrible things you must do, so mother’s heart, it always has a
others will look at you, you space for another one to step
will do it. You mend your Heart inside. 2-harm, close, area.
once you badly hurt someone who
only wanted the best for you. Extras:
◇ Rerolling only costs 1 Pulse
The Fool’s Heart against those who hold 4 or
more strings on you.
Hearts are means to an end, a ◇ Your Heart has a wide range:
method of expression of the increase the range of one of
self, and your end is to be the your bases to the next tag.
center of the universe and your ◇ Your Heart is volatile: add
self is one that craves the +1 harm to your base and add
stage. Your Heart should be the messy tag.
something that you use to ◇ Your Heart is kind. Take +1
express yourself, something forward when you Soothe a
extravagant that is bound to get Heart.

The Playbooks ⬥89⬥

◇ Once per session, you may
spend Pulse to make your Love Blooms in the Battlefield,
opponent select one of the your Intimacy Move, and by
narrative options from Throw extension, Polyamory are all
Your Charm when you Engage in methods to help you give strings
Conflict against them. away to others, so you can take
◇ Your Heart is irresistible: the benefits from Irresistible.
take 2 strings instead of
just 1 when you Throw Your The Fool also has a number of
Charm. options when it comes to combat.
Ask Questions Later, Love Blooms
Playing the Fool in the Battlefield, and the
Heart extra that allows for you
The Fool’s gameplay loop is to trigger the narrative options
about taking benefits when from Throw Your Charm when you
others have a lot of strings on Engage in Conflict against
you with Irresistible. It others, creating a dashing
represents someone who wears swashbuckler who steals jewels
their heart on their sleeve and and Hearts alike.
is constantly sharing more than
they should. They’re probably League of Your Own gives you
going to look back on this and another tool for Burning Bridges
regret it later, but for now with others and making them only
they thrive on the attention want you even more. It’s like
they get from being in the being so amazing that it
spotlight. retroactively makes your
rejection so much worse, a move
Like the other classes, they for the heartbreakers out there.
must be careful not to give too
many strings away, and if they
do, hopefully to someone that
won’t spend them to break their
Heart. There might be a number
of other characters with 8 or
more strings on the Fool, but as
long as they’re on good terms
with them, they will probably be
nice about it.

The fool has a consistent high

Hot stat as they’re the type to
always be attracting others. The
main choice is between a Fool
that is beautiful and strong
(Hot 2, Daring 1) or a gorgeous
fool that can see right through
you (Hot 2, Sharp 1).

⬥90⬥ The Playbooks

 Advancements
The Frozen ◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
You are someone way, way too ◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
scared to make yourself ◇ Take another Frozen move.
vulnerable to others. To be ◇ Take another Frozen move.
judged is a curse that you will ◇ Take a move from any
never subject yourself to. So playbook.
you watch the world go by from ◇ Take another Frozen Heart
your frozen palace as you push extra.
away all of those who try to ◇ Take another Heart extra from
connect with you. any playbook.

Your name is: Jackson, Hunter,

Austin, Lily, Ella, Ivy.
Your pronouns are: She/her,
He/Him, They/Them, It/its,
Neopronouns.
Your archetype is: President of
the student council, Ice Queen,
Brooding anti-hero, Class
tsundere.
Your look is: regal look,
straight laced look, austere
look, impersonal look,
shrouded look.
Your eyes are:
distant eyes, cold
eyes, fearful eyes, judgmental
eyes, angry eyes.

Starting Stats
Choose one:
♦ Daring +1
♦ Hot -1
♦ Cold +2
♦ Sharp -1
Or
♦ Daring -1
♦ Hot -1
♦ Cold +2
♦ Sharp +1
Your Pulse starts at +1.

The Playbooks ⬥91⬥

Starting Relations Frozen Moves
Assign one of the following to You start with Permafrost and
each of the other player another 2 moves.
characters and future main NPCs.
⬥ Permafrost
♦ You broke up with ___, and
you regret it deeply. Give If someone has no strings on
them 3 strings on you. Take a you: Take +1 ongoing against
string on them. them on all rolls. If no one has
♦ ___ can see over your facade. strings on you: Your Heart
Give them 2 strings on you. breaks.
♦ You feel embarrassed over
◇ Point of No Return
something you did in front of
___. Give them a string on When someone inflicts harm on
you. you, you may provoke them to go
♦ You used to be best friends all in and spend all the strings
with ___. You each take a they hold on you to inflict
string on the other. extra harm, one for one. If they
♦ ___ is the one person you can take the bait, they get to mark
open up to. You each take 2 exp.
strings on the other. ◇ Loner
♦ ___ is worried about you.
Take a string on them. Take +1 ongoing when doing
♦ ___ is mesmerized by your something dangerous without the
style: Take 2 strings on help of allies.
them. ◇ Don’t Look at Me
♦ You rejected ___’s love
confession. Take 3 strings on Once per session, you may ask
them. Give them a string on the following question for free
you. when you Read a Person: “What
Additionally, you give bad first will it take from me to make you
impressions: Give a string to never want anything to do with
everyone you meet. me again.”
◇ Bond Break
Highlighted Stats
When you break bonds with
At the start of every act, someone and claim how you don’t
choose one of your stats, and care about them: Spend all the
the person who holds the most strings you have on them
strings on you may choose (minimum 1) and advance Burn
another. Draw a heart around Bridges for the rest of the
both. Once per scene, the first scene (may use after rolling).
time you roll each of those ◇ Behind the Mask
stats, increase your Pulse by 1
(to a maximum of +3). When you let go of your facade
to someone for the first time

⬥92⬥ The Playbooks

and have a moment of intimacy Choose a base and 2 extras:
with them: you both mark exp. Bases:
◇ Stoic Recovery ◇ A Protected Heart
When you Rest without the help A Heart that doesn't let any
of anyone: You may mark a openings. A Heart that is used
condition to add +2 to the roll. to take hits, so it developed
defenses to stay safe. A Heart
Intimacy Move that is scared to be hurt, so it
doesn’t leave its comfort zone.
When you reject a moment of 2-harm, hand, 1-armor.
intimacy with someone: They lose
a string on you, if they have no ◇ A Restless Heart
strings on you: Gain a string on A Heart that is always worried
them. If you do have a moment of something is going to hurt you.
intimacy with someone: Give them A Heart that is always ready for
3 strings. combat, that never lets its
guard down. 2-harm, close, take
Broken Heart +1 forward when Doing Something
Risky.
Nothing matters, you might as
well not even exist, considering ◇ A Heart Made to Burn
how little others care about Bridges
you. You might as well cause A Heart for striking other’s
some damage, destroy things, Hearts, for burning down
harm others, break Hearts, it precious memories, for moving
doesn’t matter what, as long as forward from the foolish past
they understand how much you’re and for rejecting the bonds you
hurting. You mend your Heart have with others. 1-harm, far,
once you caused so much damage, upgrade to 3-harm if you’re
everyone will know for a fact fighting someone who holds no
that you exist. strings on you.

The Frozen’s Heart Extras:

◇ Rerolling only costs 1 Pulse
Your Heart is something that
against those who hold no
reflects your personality,
strings on you.
something subtle, that doesn’t
◇ Your Heart may act on its
bring much attention to
own: add the remote tag to
yourself, that ideally would let
one of your bases.
you hide in plain sight or to
◇ Your Heart does not forgive.
walk in the shadows. It’s also
Once per session, you may
something merciless, something
choose another option when
that strikes with the intent to
you Burn Bridges.
harm, to break bonds, to make
◇ Your Heart has a strong
someone hate you.
resolve. Count as if you had

The Playbooks ⬥93⬥

 2 armor (max 2) while you Heart extras allows for choosing
Defend Someone. another option when Burning
◇ Despite the cold exterior, Bridges with others. The main
your Heart is warm on the focus of the playbook is to
inside: Add +1 when you reject others until they have no
Soothe a Heart. strings on you anymore.
◇ Your Heart is as sharp as a
knife: add the following Behind the Mask is for players
option when Burning Bridges: who want to focus on the moment
Inflict your Heart’s damage that you let go of your facade
on them. to others. From a gameplay
standpoint you don’t want others
Playing the Frozen to have strings on you, you
don’t want to show weakness and
The Frozen will always have a let them have an advantage over
high Cold stat because, well, you even if they could use it to
they are the Frozen. The main your benefit. But this move is
choice is between having someone about opening up and giving them
who is always scheming (Cold 2, that advantage, putting your
Sharp 1) or someone volatile trust in them. A great move if
like a snowstorm (Cold 2, Daring you’re thinking of changing
1). playbooks soon, or simply for
playing a Frozen who carefully
Their main gameplay loop chooses who they want to trust.
revolves around using Permafrost
to take advantage when others Stoic Recovery is a move about
have no strings on you, like how the Frozen refuses to accept
being the strongest when there help from others, even when it
are no strings attached, when comes to their own health, and
you have nothing to prove. instead pushes themselves to
recover alone, causing mental
It’s similar to the Foesworn’s stress in the process.
Employed, and effectively the
reverse of the Fool’s
Irresistible, because when no
one in the entire game has
strings on you, your Heart is
broken. It’s about burning
strings to get an advantage
while also making sure at least
someone remembers you, else your
lack of bonds will turn you into
a nihilist.

Point of No Return encourages

others to spend the strings they
have on you, and one of the

⬥94⬥ The Playbooks

 ♦ Cold +1
The Hero ♦ Sharp -1
Your Pulse starts at +1.
People have big expectations for
you. You are a hero of prophecy,
Advancements
or maybe people just saw the ◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
amazing potential you have and ◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
are cashing in on you. You on ◇ Take another Hero move.
the other hand are new to all of ◇ Take another Hero move.
this and don't know all the
◇ Take a move from any
intricacies of the system. Can
playbook.
you fulfill all the expectations
◇ Take another Hero Heart
they have on you? Or will you be
extra.
crushed by the weight of your
◇ Take another Heart extra from
own potential?
any playbook.
Your name is: Arthur, Theodore,
Felix, Alice, Joan, Matilda.
Your pronouns are: She/her,
He/Him, They/Them, It/its,
Neopronouns.
Your archetype is: Chosen one,
Farm kid who pulled the sword
off the stone, Pure hearted,
Top of your class.
Your look is: dashing look,
adventurous look, iconic
look, casual look,
spirited look.
Your eyes are:
hopeful eyes,
determined eyes,
innocent eyes,
tired eyes,
nervous eyes.

Starting Stats
Choose one:
♦ Daring +2
♦ Hot +1
♦ Cold -1
♦ Sharp -1
Or
♦ Daring +2
♦ Hot -1

The Playbooks ⬥95⬥

Starting Relations Hero Moves
Assign one of the following to You start with The Hero’s
each of the other player Journey and another 2 moves.
characters and future main NPCs.
⬥ The Hero’s Journey
♦ ___ is training you. Give
them 3 strings on you. Take a Choose four things from the list
string on them. below. After completing one,
♦ ___ defeated you without even strike it out and either mark
flinching. Give them 2 exp, clear a condition or take a
strings on you. string on someone involved.
♦ You have shared your After striking out all four:
insecurities with ___. Give choose another four. After you
them a string on you. have completed everything in the
♦ You used to be childhood list: change playbooks, retire
friends with ___, when there to safety or take a protege.
wasn’t a sea of expectations ◇ Turn an enemy to your side.
on you. You each take a ◇ Run away from your
string on the other. responsibilities.
♦ ___ is your rival. You each ◇ Kiss someone you should not.
take 2 strings on the other. ◇ Defeat someone who doubted
♦ ___ is jealous of the you.
attention you get. Take a ◇ Fall in love.
string on them. ◇ Do the impossible
♦ ___ believes from the bottom ◇ Sacrifice something important
of their Heart that you are for the greater good.
the hero everyone needs. Take ◇ Visit a strange place.
2 strings on them. ◇ Complete a preposterous
♦ ___ was the one supposed to trial.
be the hero, before you were ◇ Let all your insecurities out
chosen. Take 3 strings on to a friend.
them. Give them a string on ◇ Cry in front of an enemy.
you. ◇ Give in to dangerous
influences.
Highlighted Stats ◇ Push yourself to your limits
and pay for it.
At the start of every act, ◇ Fall back on your own ideals.
choose one of your stats, and ◇ Fail to save someone.
the person who holds the most ◇ Fulfill a childhood promise.
strings on you may choose ◇ Dwell in business not yours.
another. Draw a heart around ◇ Learn a new technique.
both. Once per scene, the first ◇ Surpass your masters.
time you roll each of those
◇ Do something horrible while
stats, increase your Pulse by 1
being manipulated.
(to a maximum of +3).

⬥96⬥ The Playbooks

◇ Duel of Hearts inspired by your words and take
1 forward in helping you and
Once per session, add the
mark exp if they do so.
following extra when you Engage
in Conflict against someone:
Trigger a moment of intimacy.
Broken Heart
◇ Fated Rival The pressure is just too much,
and you break under it. You
Choose a character to be your can’t hold up to all the
rival. Every time you two expectations everyone has on you
compete: the winner takes a and no matter how much you push
string on the loser. You may yourself, you will never be what
change your rival at the start they want you to be. You lapse
of a new act if your into toxic coping mechanisms,
relationship to your past and dwell in your depression and get
new rival changed. close to those who are bad for
◇ Heroic Charm you, like when the hero loses
hope and becomes subordinate to
When you impress someone with
the villain. You mend your heart
your boldness and adventurous
when you see someone in trouble
spirit: you may roll to Throw
and rush to save them despite
Your Charm with Daring.
the odds, not because it’s your
◇ Everyone can be Good duty as a hero, but because it’s
what's right.
When you appeal to a villain’s
good side: You may give them a
string. If they use that string
The Hero’s Heart
in this scene to harm you, you Your Heart is worth an epic.
mark exp. It’s a sword of legends you
◇ A Sham pulled from the stone, it’s the
guitar you found by chance that
When a superior looks down on
shreds the most insane solos,
you with disappointment: Mark a
it’s the fastest mech in history
condition, but take +1 ongoing
that no one else managed to
to do the task of that
control before you. Whatever
character’s choice, and mark exp
your Heart is, it’s something
when you complete it.
incredible that is bound to make
◇ Battle of Wills everyone expect greatness from
you.
Once per session, you may ask
the following question for free
Choose a base and 2 extras:
when you Read a Person: “What do
Bases:
you stand for?”
◇ An All Rounded Heart
Intimacy Move Your Heart has no weak points,
Speak about your values to those but it has no strong points
you have intimacy with, they are either. It does everything well,

The Playbooks ⬥97⬥

but it's not excellent in rolled a 12 with the move
anything. 2-harm, close, area. advanced.
◇ A Heart For Protecting
Playing the Hero
Others
Your Heart is not particularly The Hero has two main struggles,
strong by itself, but it the first is that they’re quite
specializes in defending others naive and not particularly
and keeping them safe while experienced with the world; and
taking all the damage yourself. the second is that a person or
1-harm, hand, 2-armor, slow. institution saw great potential
in them and took them under
◇ A Heart with a Will of their wing to be the hero that
Its Own will save the world in the
Your Heart is powerful, possibly future.
related to a deity or a
legendary hero, but it doesn’t They have a consistent high
often cooperate with you, and Daring stat and a consistent low
you always find yourself having Sharp. Someone who can throw a
discussions with it over what punch, but isn’t very good at
should be done. 3-harm, close, taking clues and reading others.
unreliable. Someone impulsive who can create
good hooks by acting on those
Extras: impulses, your main choice is
◇ You are a knight in shining between a warm hero who steals
armor: spend 2 Pulse when the hearts of everyone (Daring
Protecting Someone to take no 2, Hot 1), or a cold one who
damage at all. prefers to stay on their own
◇ Your Heart doesn’t give up (Daring 2, Cold 1).
even when it’s damaged: take
+1 ongoing while having all 3 The Hero’s Journey is a mechanic
Heart harm marked borrowed from the Beacon from
◇ Everyone likes you: once per Masks. It’s about all the
session, you may choose different things that the hero
another option when you Throw will do in their story as they
Your Charm. mature. It's the narrator’s job
to be on the lookout for
◇ Your Heart is unstoppable:
fulfilling those, but the Hero
add the armor-piercing tag to
should also always find ways to
your base.
attain them. When the journey is
◇ Your Heart has a longer
complete, they get to choose
reach: upgrade your range tag
between no longer being the Hero
to the next level.
and changing playbooks, retiring
◇ When you give everything you
from the life of heroism or
have when you Engage in
taking a protege, a new hero.
Conflict against someone, you
may break your Heart to
consider it as if you had

⬥98⬥ The Playbooks

Maybe the institution that was
training them no longer sees
potential in them, or maybe they
quit, and they’re changing their
role in the story. They can also
retire to a quiet life, or reach
the epitome of their powers and
go beyond the limits of Player
Characters, doing a heroic
sacrifice as they become less of
a person and more of a concept.

When taking a protege you can

also choose to change characters
and start playing as them, but
otherwise the idea is that the
Hero is no longer a naive
figure, they have grown with all
of their adventurers, and now
they’re taking the role of
teacher for a new Hero, you
might also choose to do The
Hero’s Journey again with your
student.

You may choose to focus on the

impossible expectations your
higher ups have on you with
moves like A Sham. Or to play as
a Hero who doesn’t follow orders
and refuses to kill their
enemies with Everyone can be
Good, Battle of Wills and Duel
of Hearts, and often find
themselves in trouble because of
that.

The Playbooks ⬥99⬥

 Your archetype is: Your partner
The Lover brought you here, The healer of
the party, Manipulative schemer,
The cavalry.
Personally, you’re not much of a
Your look is: practical look,
fan of the frontline. Both the
modest look, cozy look, athletic
literal frontline of combat and
look, adventurous look.
the front line of social
Your eyes are: warm eyes,
interactions. You would rather
knowing eyes, tired eyes,
stand back and help out those
alluring eyes, hopeful eyes.
who stay in front, you would
rather be useful to others than
to get into the intricacies of
Starting Stats
the world. Not only others, but Choose one:
one specific other, your true ♦ Daring -1
love. ♦ Hot +2
♦ Cold +1
Your name is: Marylyn, Gloria, ♦ Sharp -1
Jake, Norma, Cody, Jacob. Or
Your pronouns are: She/her, ♦ Daring -1
He/Him, They/Them, It/its, ♦ Hot -1
Neopronouns. ♦ Cold +1
♦ Sharp +2
Your Pulse starts at +1.

⬥100⬥ The Playbooks

Advancements another. Draw a heart around
both. Once per scene, the first
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3). time you roll each of those
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3). stats, increase your Pulse by 1
◇ Take another Lover move. (to a maximum of +3).
◇ Take another Lover move.
◇ Take a move from any Lover Moves
playbook.
◇ Take another blessing. You start with True Love and
◇ Take another blessing. another 2 moves.
⬥ True Love
Starting Relations
You do not hold your heart,
Assign one of the following to instead choose a character to be
each of the other player your True Love, and they will
characters and future main NPCs. hold your heart for you.
♦ Give your True Love 3 strings ◇ Damsel in Distress
on you. Take a string on
them. Once per session when you’re in
♦ ___ used to be your True danger: You may tempt an ally
Love. Give them 2 strings on for free, so they Defend You. If
you. they do, they get to mark exp.
♦ ___ holds influence over your ◇ A Bit of a Flirt
True Love. Give them a string
Mark exp when switching lovers.
on you.
♦ ___ and you are old friends. ◇ Plead for Peace
You each take a string on the
When you plead to everyone in
other.
the room to drop their weapons:
♦ ___ and you have seen the
Roll with Pulse. On a 10+ NPCs
worst of each other. You each
will listen to you and PCs will
take 2 strings on the other.
take -2 to inflict further harm.
♦ ___ admires you from a
On a 7-9, you become everyone’s
distance. Take a string on
next target and PCs (including
them.
allies) take -2 to inflict harm
♦ You rejected ___’s feelings.
on anyone but you.
Take 2 strings on them.
♦ ___ has seen your true side ◇ Sharing is Caring
and is terrified of you. Take When you have a moment of
3 strings on them. Give them intimacy with someone, you may
a string on you. spend any number of Pulse to
give them the same amount.
Highlighted Stats
◇ My Heart for You
At the start of every act,
You may break your Heart when
choose one of your stats, and
you Soothe a Heart to count it
the person who holds the most
strings on you may choose

The Playbooks ⬥101⬥

as if you rolled a 12 with the from being able to take Heart
move advanced. harm, and you don’t Ready your
Heart, instead you Bless the
◇ Caretaker
Heart of your True Love.
If another character names you
as one of the people who will
Bless the Heart of your
take care of them when they True Love
Rest, your help may count as a When you give your Heart to your
+2 bonus to the roll instead of True Love: Roll with Pulse. On a
a +1. If they roll a 9 or below, hit: Hold 3, but on a 7-9,
they give you 2 strings instead decrease your Pulse by 2, if it
of just 1. would go below -2: your Heart is
broken. You may roll this move
Intimacy Move additional times while your True
Love holds your Heart to get
When you have intimacy with more holds.
someone, you may both ask the
other a question, either to the Choose 3 blessings you can give
character or the player, you to your true love. Spend a hold
must answer truthfully. to activate it.
◇ Increase the harm your lover
Broken Heart inflicts by 1.
◇ Ignore conditions for the
You gave your heart out, and
next move.
they broke it, but nevermore,
◇ Choose a move. Add +1 to that
you’re not trusting anyone else.
move when your lover rolls
You doubt everyone, you lash out
it.
and hurt all those you love the
◇ Choose a move and consider it
most because you’re angry, and
as advanced when your lover
you’re frustrated. While your
rolls it.
heart is broken, consider
◇ Ignore the effects of one of
yourself your own true love. You
your lover’s detrimental
mend your heart once someone
tags.
does something incredibly
◇ Consider as if the range of
reckless for your sake, and you
your lover’s Heart was one
remember you can count on your
tag higher.
friends.
◇ Declare a narrative thing
your Heart allows your True
The Lover’s Heart
Love to do that they would
Your Heart is something for your otherwise not be able to,
true love to use, it's possibly like flying, walking on
something that gives them an walls, or being able to use
advantage like a piece of armor, their Heart like a grappling
a mech that combines with them, hook. You may spend a hold to
or even a sword they pull from do it once.
your chest. You don’t benefit

⬥102⬥ The Playbooks

Playing the Lover the Hero playbook to look into
if they are looking to play a
The Lover is a playbook for protagonist that chooses paths
those who like roleplaying over other than violence.
combat. Their intimacy move
allows you to ask any question While fighting, you may choose
for no benefit, simply to ask to take turns to Soothe the
them for the sake of knowing the Heart of your True Love or even
answer, with no mechanical Burn Bridges and Throw Your
bonuses. Charm on your enemies for
bonuses like strings, inflicting
The lover has a consistent low vulnerability, and conditions on
Daring as they are not good in them, making the lover have a
combat and may either be a support role in combat.
distant figure, an enigma that
no one can figure out (Cold 1, When your Heart is broken, and
Sharp 2) or someone filled with you wield it yourself: Its tags
emotions that wears their Heart are 3-harm, intimate, messy, and
on their sleeve (Hot 2, Cold 1). while it’s broken you may
benefit from Heart harm, roll to
You can choose to either Ready your Heart, but, naturally
dedicate yourself to one True you can’t spend Pulse to heal
Love, or to pick A Bit of a yourself, and you may activate
Flirt and change them as you see your blessings to yourself by
fit. You could even create a taking 1 harm.
Rose Bride situation where the
winner takes you as their True
Love, as Anthy was one of the
main inspirations for this
playbook.

The Lover may take the role of a

healer, or a role of someone who
supplies others with Pulse by
taking Source, hoarding Pulse to
give it to your allies when you
have a moment of intimacy with
them and My Heart for You for a
guaranteed 12 with the move
advanced when you Soothe a
Heart.

While Plead for Peace allows you

to play as someone who doesn’t
like violence and doesn’t want
to see others getting hurt. It’s
a specially fitting skill for

The Playbooks ⬥103⬥

 Your name is: Sally, Wendy, May,
The Outsider Hudson, Sawyer, Asher.
Your pronouns are: She/her,
He/Him, They/Them, It/its,
You had to fight for your Heart.
Neopronouns.
You stole it, or you made it
Your archetype is: New kid at
yourself, and now you get in
school, Self-made superhero,
trouble with authorities all the
Side character taking the
time to keep it. To have a Heart
spotlight, 2nd-choice chosen
is the biggest blessing there
one, Had to put in the work.
is, but apparently they don’t
Your look is: practical look,
think you deserve one. Well, you
plain look, daring look, punk
don’t care, you’re not sitting
look, stealthy look.
around while your friends are
Your eyes are: tired eyes,
saving the world, you’re going
nervous eyes, bitter eyes, fiery
to be a part of this no matter
eyes, yearning eyes.
how much you get hurt for it.
Starting Stats
Choose one:
♦ Daring -1
♦ Hot +2
♦ Cold -1
♦ Sharp +1
Or
♦ Daring +1
♦ Hot -1
♦ Cold -1
♦ Sharp +2
Your Pulse starts at +1.

Advancements
◇ Add +1 to
a stat
(max +3).
◇ Add +1 to
a stat
(max +3).
◇ Take another
Outsider
move.
◇ Take another
Outsider move.
◇ Take a move from
any playbook.

⬥104⬥ The Playbooks

◇ Take another Outsider Heart the person who holds the most
extra. strings on you may choose
◇ Take another Heart extra from another. Draw a heart around
any playbook. both. Once per scene, the first
time you roll each of those
Starting Relations stats, increase your Pulse by 1
(to a maximum of +3).
Assign one of the following to
each of the other player Outsider Moves
characters and future main NPCs.
♦ You broke ___’s Heart You start with the Outsider’s
accidentally. Whether it was Background and another 2 moves.
literally or metaphorically
⬥ Outsider’s Background
is up to you. Give them 3
strings on you. Take a string Choose how you acquired your
on them. Heart.
♦ You begged ___ to let you ◇ Novice: You received your
have a Heart, but they could Heart as an accident or some
do nothing about it. Give don’t agree with the decision
them 2 strings on you. to give it to you, and they
♦ You think you’re never going want you to give it back.
to be as great as ___. Give Mark exp when you show them
them a string on you. how deserving of your Heart
♦ ___ and you stand up for each you are.
other. You each take a string ◇ Heartstealer: You stole your
on the other. Heart, naturally there are
♦ ___ and you support each people who want it back. Once
other in your worst per session, you can choose
behaviors. You each take 2 the option “take something
strings on the other. from them” for free when you
♦ ___ pities you. Take a string Engage in Conflict.
on them. ◇ Heartsmith: You made your
♦ You made a promise to ___ Heart yourself, or the
that you two would be great, closest you could to a Heart.
but they got a Heart and you You may mend your Heart by
didn’t. Take 2 strings on spending a scene in your
them. workshop fixing it with
♦ ___ personally helped you get someone else’s help.
your Heart because they felt
◇ Trial and Error
bad for you. Take 3 strings
on them. Give them a string Mark exp when you break your
on you. Heart.
◇ Helping Hand
Highlighted Stats
Take +1 ongoing when acting with
At the start of every act, the intention of mending someone
choose one of your stats, and else’s Heart.

The Playbooks ⬥105⬥

◇ Great Responsibility out over trivial things, you
want everyone to know how much
Choose an extra option when you
it hurts. You mend your Heart
Engage in Conflict against
once you defeat someone who
someone who is using the power
doesn’t believe you belong here.
of their Heart for bad
intentions.
The Outsider’s Heart
◇ Freak
The Outsider’s Background
If someone tells you that you determines what your Heart is.
don’t belong here: Give them a Either your Heart was taken from
string, but take +1 ongoing to someone else, your Heart was
prove them wrong, and mark exp handed down to you, or you made
when you do so. it yourself. If you made your
◇ Hot Mess Heart yourself, describe what
materials you used to make it
Take +2 forward when you Throw
and how it works. If you got it
Your Charm others while your
from someone else, describe how
Heart is broken.
important it is to you, so
◇ Strange, yet Familiar important that you’re willing to
fight tooth and nail to keep it.
When you Ready Your Heart, you
discover a new aspect of your
Choose a base and 2 extras:
Heart you hadn’t found before:
Bases:
spend 2 Pulse to add an extra
from any playbook to your Heart ◇ A Raging Heart
until the next time you Ready
A Heart that rages and that has
Your Heart.
no patience with evildoers. A
Heart that shows no mercy for
Intimacy Move the wicked. 3-harm, hand, messy.
When you have intimacy with ◇ A Bruised Heart
someone, you realize something
A Heart that has endured
new about your Heart, something
hardship again and again. A
you could implement, or a new
Heart that is used to being
way to use it. Choose a Heart
pushed around, but that doesn’t
extra from their playbook and
seek revenge. 2-harm, hand, 1-
keep it until you have intimacy
armor.
with someone else.
◇ A Kind Heart
Broken Heart A Heart that doesn’t want to
You would be crying, but hurt others unless it strictly
honestly, at this point you’re needs to. A Heart that craves
already used to the crushing the simple things like standing
dread of knowing you don’t have in the sunlight with friends,
an actual Heart. You’re but you know you can’t have that
frustrated and prone to lashing just now. 1-harm, medium-range,

⬥106⬥ The Playbooks

take +1 forward when you Soothe Heart themselves, a hard worker
a Heart. with a workshop and a knack for
manual labor and building
Extras: Hearts.
◇ Your Heart is agile. Add +1
when you Do Something Risky. The two stat choices allow you
◇ Your Heart is safe. Once per to choose between someone
session, you may take the alluring and smart (Hot 2, Sharp
option to take less harm when 1) or as someone volatile and
you Defend Someone for free. calculative (Daring 1, Sharp 2).
◇ Your Heart can work even when Whichever you choose, the
damaged: take +1 ongoing Outsider is always someone
while your Heart is broken. clever who can read others well
◇ Your Heart wants to hurt and someone who is not good at
others just as much as it was staying cool.
hurt: inflict +1 harm when
harming someone while your Many moves and Heart extras of
Heart is broken. the Outsider revolve around
◇ You may push your Heart to having a broken Heart and taking
its limits. For the rest of advantage of having one. This is
this scene, advance all your the playbook that most focuses
moves, but your Heart is on that mechanic, reflecting the
broken at the end of it (you struggle that the Outsider has
may trigger this after to go through to keep their
rolling a move). Heart and their rage over the
◇ Your Heart has another injustice they face.
utility: add the tag useful
to your base and describe Having an Outsider in the game
what other use it has. means that the nature of what a
Heart is will be explored a lot.
Great Responsibility create
Playing the Outsider hooks of having them fight
against those who abuse the
The Outsider’s Background gives powers of their Heart for evil,
you a few ways to build your and Freak is a move for
Outsider. Either as a thief who exploring the relations with
stole their Heart, someone those who don’t believe that you
elusive who is ready to do belong here and proving to them
anything to keep it and knew the that you do.
risk all along; or as someone
who got theirs by an accident Broken Hearts can be used as an
and now people want them to give excuse to be as edgy as possible
it back, someone who felt with your character, to act like
blessed to finally have one but the world is against you and
now is being forced to give up have an excuse to lash out at
on it, and they’re not doing it; others. This is a good playbook
or as someone who builds their if you want to have an edgy

The Playbooks ⬥107⬥

character with a tragic
background about how you don’t
deserve a Heart and you had to
fight tooth and nail against the
world to have one.

Strange, yet Familiar and the

Outsider’s Intimacy Move explore
the idea of an Outside that is
new to their Heart, someone
always working on it and coming
up with new features and
discarding old ones. Like
they’re constantly working to
make their Heart perfect,
improving it, understanding it
better.

⬥108⬥ The Playbooks

 Your Pulse starts at +1.
The Spider Advancements
You are an elusive figure. A ◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
mystery shrouded in an enigma ◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
dealing in secrets and ◇ Take another Spider move.
classified information. You ◇ Take another Spider move.
weaponize the secrets you know
◇ Take a move from any
for social advantage, you expose
playbook.
the deceit and lies of those in
◇ Take another Spider Heart
power, you leave others in the
extra.
dark for your benefit as
◇ Take another Heart extra from
everyone struggles to escape
any playbook.
your web.

Your name is: Oliver, Matthew,

Patrick, Luna, Violet, Flora.
Your pronouns are: She/her,
He/Him, They/Them, It/its,
Neopronouns.
Your archetype is: Master of
the underground, Seller of
secrets, Social climber,
Anonymous hacker, Truth-
seeker.
Your look is: formal look,
impersonal look, disarming look,
deceitful look, a solemn look.
Your eyes are: analytical eyes,
knowing eyes, mischievous eyes,
piercing eyes, inquisitive eyes.

Starting
Stats
Choose one:
♦ Daring -1
♦ Hot +1
♦ Cold -1
♦ Sharp +2
Or
♦ Daring +1
♦ Hot -1
♦ Cold +2
♦ Sharp -1

The Playbooks ⬥109⬥

Starting Relations Highlighted Stats
Assign one of the following to At the start of every act,
each of the other player choose one of your stats, and
characters and future main NPCs. the person who holds the most
♦ ___ knows your darkest strings on you may choose
secret. Not because you another. Draw a heart around
shared it, but because they both. Once per scene, the first
were personally involved. time you roll each of those
What was the secret? Give stats, increase your Pulse by 1
them 3 strings on you. Take a (to a maximum of +3).
string on them.
♦ You shared ___’s secret and Spider Moves
everyone knows about it. It's
now public knowledge. What You start with The Spider’s Web
was the secret? Give them 2 and another 2 moves.
strings on you. ⬥ The Spider’s Web
♦ In a moment of weakness, you
shared one of your secrets to You are intertwined in a web of
___. What was the secret? secrets. When you share
Give them a string on you. someone’s secret with someone
♦ ___ and you know a secret else: Take a string on the
that you both agreed to never person you just gave the secret
share. What was the secret? to. If someone figures out you
You each take a string on the shared one of their secrets:
other. They take a string on you, and
♦ ___ is a childhood friend of you lose that secret.
yours, and they know so many ◇ Trapped in the Web
embarrassing things you did.
You each take 2 strings on If you have 5 or more strings on
the other. someone: They’re trapped in your
♦ ___ shared a secret with you web. Take +1 ongoing against
and said to never tell them.
anyone. What was the secret? ◇ Ulterior Motives
Take a string on them.
Once per session when you Defend
♦ ___ would have gotten in
Someone, you may choose the
massive trouble if it wasn't
option to take a string on them
for you. Take 2 strings on
for free.
them.
♦ You helped ___ with a huge ◇ Please Tell Me
problem that stayed between
Once per session, you may ask
you two. What was it? Take 3
the following question for free
strings on them. Give them a
when you Read a Person: “What is
string on you.
it that you’re hiding from me?”

⬥110⬥ The Playbooks

◇ Blackmail The Spider’s Heart
If you tempt someone, and you
Your Heart is a tool that should
know one of their secrets, if
strike fear in others. Something
they don’t do what you told
for those that you know secrets
them, they mark a condition.
of to understand how well you
◇ Dumpster Diving can destroy their lives by
Add the following option when sharing their secrets, and
Investigating someone: something for those that you
♦ Discover one of their hold no secrets on to fear, to
secrets. know that such a position is
only temporary and that it’s
◇ Love Letters on Notice only a matter of time until you
Boards know all their darkest secrets.
When you reveal all the secrets
Choose a base and 2 extras:
you hold on someone to the
Bases:
public: they are forced to
choose an option below: ◇ A Parasite’s Heart
♦ They lose all strings they
A Heart that drains from
hold on you (minimum 3).
everyone you. A Heart that
♦ They mark 3 conditions.
sustains you by feeding off of
♦ Their Heart breaks. Both
your loved ones. A Heart that
mechanically and in the
thrives off of other’s pain. “No
fiction.
one heals from harming others.”
Well, they haven’t met you. 1-
Intimacy Move harm, hand, life-draining.
When you have a moment of ◇ A Strategist’s Heart
intimacy with someone you may
A Heart that always takes the
ask them for a secret, if they
optimal position for success.
refuse, you take a string on
Not only in combat, but also
them.
socially. A Heart that carefully
studies other’s weaknesses to
Broken Heart exploit it when the time comes.
You’ve gone too far, no one will 2-harm, far, take +1 forward
ever forgive you, you’re evil, when you Engage in Conflict
you’re a monster, you might as while having the higher ground,
well embrace the fact that or a strategical position.
you’re one and go all out. You ◇ An Invasive Heart
have no reason not to share
every secret you hold with no A Heart that doesn’t respect
restrain. You mend your heart privacy. A Heart that gets up
when you let go of your facade, close and personal to know all
cry in front of everyone and let the details about your friends.
them see your pain. A Heart that craves to know all
the darkest secrets of the ones

The Playbooks ⬥111⬥

close to you. 1-harm, medium-
range, armor-ignoring. The spider’s stats allows you to
play as someone who is either
Extras: calculative and knows how to get
◇ You have 1 armor against what they want from others (Hot
those that you have a secret 1, Sharp 2) or as someone
on. distant and volatile who can
◇ If you hold a secret on hurt you with either words or
someone, you may Reroll fists (Cold 2, Daring 1).
against them by spending only
1 Pulse. Trapped in the Web allows you to
◇ Your Heart is distant: take ongoing bonuses against
increase the range of one those you have many strings on,
base to the next tag. somewhat the opposite of the
◇ Your Heart affects everyone: Fool’s main move. With that
add the area tag to your move, you may play a spider
base. hoarding secrets and
◇ Inflict +1 extra harm when vulnerabilities over others for
you harm on someone you have control like a puppet master.
a secret on.
◇ Nothing escapes your Heart: Love Letters in Notice Boards
once per session, you may ask effectively enables you to Burn
another question for free Bridges with someone as if you
when you Read a Person. had rolled a 12+ with the move
advanced, but you won’t be able
Playing the Spider to benefit from the secrets you
hold on them anymore, as it’s
The spider is a controlling assumed that everyone will know
figure who has a very well-kept them from now on.
diary where they write down
everyone’s dirty secrets. Oh,
they know all your secrets and
you better do what they say,
else all those things you
struggled to keep to yourself
will be public knowledge.

Their main gameplay loop

revolves around having secrets
and sharing them for strings,
hoping that the owner of that
secret doesn't find out. You may
tempt others into sharing
secrets with you and then use
Blackmail on them, and some
Heart extras take benefits from
having secrets on others.

⬥112⬥ The Playbooks

 Your name is: Iris, Hazel, Ruby,
The Storm Marcus, Cassio, Nero.
Your pronouns are: She/her,
He/Him, They/Them, It/its,
You’re scared of just how easy
Neopronouns.
it is for you to hurt others.
Your archetype is: Born cursed,
Your powers often go out of
Hormonal and angry, Musician
control, but the ones who have
with no filter, Repressing your
to pay for it are all the ones
powers.
you love. Maybe you’re terrified
Your look is: disheveled look,
of yourself and the things you
punk look, broken look,
can do, but you may also like
provocative look, dangerous
the level of destruction you can
look.
cause.
Your eyes are: piercing eyes,
hardened eyes, spiteful eyes,
repressed eyes, fearful eyes.

Starting Stats
Choose one:
♦ Daring +2
♦ Hot +1
♦ Cold -1
♦ Sharp -1
Or
♦ Daring +2
♦ Hot -1
♦ Cold +1
♦ Sharp -1
Your Pulse starts at +1.

Advancements
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
◇ Take another Storm move.
◇ Take another Storm move.
◇ Take a move from any
playbook.
◇ Take another Storm Heart
extra.
◇ Take another Heart extra
from any playbook.

The Playbooks ⬥113⬥

Starting Relations Storm Moves
Assign one of the following to You start with Raising Storm and
each of the other player another 2 moves.
characters and future main NPCs.
⬥ Raising Storm
♦ ___ put themselves in danger
to take care of you when you You have a power that you cannot
lost control. Give them 3 control. Hold 1 every time you
strings on you. Take a string roll equal or below 11 and you
on them. must spend all your holds when
♦ You lost control and ___ got you roll a 12 or above by
hurt. Give them 2 strings on letting it all out. Choose one
you. from below, and additional ones
♦ ___ thinks you’re a danger. for every 3 holds you spend (max
Give them a string on you. 4 total options). Additionally,
♦ ___ believes in you. You each you take +1 ongoing on all rolls
take a string on the other. for every 3 holds you have.
♦ ___ has similar problems to ♦ You inflict considerable
yours, and you understand collateral damage on the
each other. You each take 2 surrounding environment.
strings on the other. ♦ You break an important
♦ ___ is scared of you. Take a object.
string on them. ♦ Everyone else around you
♦ You managed to control your marks 2 armor piercing harm
powers at the last moment and (may pick more than once).
saved ___ from danger. Take 2 ♦ You mark 2 conditions (may
strings on them. pick more than once).
♦ ___ tried to use your powers
◇ Monster
for their benefit against
your will. Take 3 strings on When someone looks at you with
them. Give them a string on fear in their eyes, when they
you. see you as nothing but a
monster: Mark a condition, but
Highlighted Stats take +1 ongoing to prove them
wrong and mark exp when you.
At the start of every act,
◇ Crashing Storm
choose one of your stats, and
the person who holds the most Advance all moves while you have
strings on you may choose 4 or more holds of Raising
another. Draw a heart around Storm.
both. Once per scene, the first
◇ Repression
time you roll each of those
stats, increase your Pulse by 1 When you physically restrain
(to a maximum of +3). yourself or repress your
feelings, you may mark a
condition to decrease a roll by
-2 (may use this skill after

⬥114⬥ The Playbooks

rolling.) The condition doesn’t You have to run, you have to
have to be associated with the hide, everyone hates you and
stat rolled. everyone wants you dead. Rolling
equal or below 11 gives you 2
◇ Lash Out
holds of Raising Storm instead
When you harm someone you of just 1. You mend your heart
consider a friend, either when someone gives you support,
physically or verbally, you may no matter how much you hurt
clear two Raising Storm holds. them.
◇ Rhythmic Beating
The Storm’s Heart
Increase your Pulse by 1 when
you mark a condition. Your Heart is something that
you’re not in control of.
◇ Clear Skies
Something big and destructible
When you roll a 12+, you may like a mech at least twice the
choose to clear all your size of the ones of the rest of
conditions to increase the the party, or a war hammer
number of Raising Storm holds capable of caving someone’s
you have, one for one. If you do skull in if not used properly.
so, you cannot choose the option The power of your Heart is
to mark 2 conditions. something that scares you, you
could cause so much pain with
◇ Beast Mode
it, but maybe it excites you,
Whenever you break your Heart, after all, you could cause so
you may trigger Raising Storm as much pain with it.
if you had rolled a 12+.
Additionally, add the following Choose a base and 2 extras:
option to Raising Storm: Bases:
♦ Take +1 ongoing against those
who have hurt you during this ◇ A Moody Heart
scene. A Heart that reflects the state
of the storm inside you. A Heart
Intimacy Move that is prone to lashing out
under stress. 2-harm, far,
When you have intimacy with upgrade to 3-harm on 3 Raising
someone, they must choose to Storm holds or more and to 4-
either increase or decrease the harm on 6 or more holds.
number of Raising Storm holds
you have by 1. ◇ A Needy Heart
A Heart that always needs
Broken Heart reassurance. A Heart that is
always asking others if you’re
You’re a monster, all you can do needed, and that needs constant
is hurt and destroy, and care and support from you and
eventually someone will come and those around you. 3-harm, hand,
put you down for your crimes. unreliable.

The Playbooks ⬥115⬥

◇ A Thunderous Heart control hurts your friends or
impacts you emotionally.
A Heart that requires others to
brace when dealing with you. A
As for what it means to lose
Heart that works like a tank
control in a narrative sense,
that needs to be set in place
it’s up to you. You may say that
before interacting with others,
you release a burst of energy,
else the collateral damage will
or that you can’t control and
be too large. 3-harm, far,
start lashing out, or even that
brace.
you have to let everything out
with a song.
Extras:
◇ The pressure inside your
The Storm is more than just
Heart brings benefits:
someone who is physically strong
Rerolling only costs 1 Pulse
and that doesn’t know how to
if at 4 or more Raising Storm
control it. They can be someone
holds.
who got hit by puberty and still
◇ You have +1 armor (max 2)
doesn’t know how to control
while having 3 or more
their new-found strength, they
Raising Storm holds.
might carry a psychic power they
◇ Your Heart engulfs everything
can’t control, or maybe they’re
around you: Add the area tag
just really snarky, and they
to your base.
can’t control when they lash out
◇ Your Heart has a wide range: at others.
increase the range of your
base to the next tag. They have a consistent high
◇ Spend 1 Pulse to inflict harm Daring as they’re volatile and
equals the amount of Raising don’t know the full extent of
Storm holds you have instead their power and are either
of your Heart’s harm when someone who is strong and
harming someone. distant (Daring 2, Cold 1) or
◇ Your Heart is effective in someone who is strong and knows
combat: once per session, you their way around people (Daring
may choose another option 2, Hot 1).
when you Engage in Conflict.
Beast Mode is useful for taking
Playing the Storm advantage of your Rising Storm
holds when your Heart breaks,
The Storm is a ticking time
and to also go after those who
bomb. Constantly getting
have hurt you. It’s about the
bonuses, but if you ever roll a
moment when anime characters go
little too high, you lose
completely insane, unhinge their
control and blow up. You might
jaws, their eyes start shining,
choose options like breaking
and they might otherwise be very
important things and inflicting
civil, but right now they’re
collateral damage, but you may
biting people.
also explore how your lack of

⬥116⬥ The Playbooks

Monster explores having someone
who invokes fear on others and
has to deal with being treated
like a monster. Someone who is
pushed away and possibly
traumatized because of this, and
that tries their best to repress
and control their powers. This
move is also a bit cruel,
considering that it gives
bonuses to your rolls, and that
just makes it more likely that
you will lose control.

Repression is good if you want

to play as someone who represses
their feelings for as long as
they can, oftentimes choosing to
mark conditions when they lose
control. Rhythmic Beating and
Clear Skies being useful moves
to look out for. A character
that has repressed their powers
so much that when it actually
comes out, it comes like a
tornado that wreaks havoc on all
of those who mistreated them.

Lash Out is for the more

volatile Storms that are
constantly letting it out in
smaller amounts by hurting those
they love and regretting it
deeply. Hurting and regretting,
but a regret that clears their
mind and strengthens their
resolve.

The Playbooks ⬥117⬥

 Your name is: Edward, Charles,
The Vampire Frederick,
Amelia.
Charlotte, Lucy,

Your pronouns are: She/her,

Your Heart is a toxic thing that
He/Him, They/Them, It/its,
you need to feed, else it will
Neopronouns.
feed on your life force. You’re
Your archetype is: Dealing with
cursed and there’s nothing to do
self-loathing, Charming
besides feed and live on
Hedonist, Seeking a cure, Cursed
borrowed time, so you feed, and
by an evil spirit, Ravenous
you feed. Maybe you hate
powers.
yourself for your actions, but
Your look is: alluring look,
maybe you don’t care, maybe you
dangerous look, hungry look,
indulge in your feeding and
bloody look, formal look.
enjoy it. It’s up to you.
Your eyes are: cold eyes,
ambitious eyes, greedy eyes,
tempting eyes, fascinated eyes.

⬥118⬥ The Playbooks

 ♦ ___ feels sympathy for you.
You each take a string on the
Starting Stats other.
♦ ___ has similar problems to
Choose one: yours. You each take 2
♦ Daring -1 strings on the other.
♦ Hot -1 ♦ ___ is scared of you. Take a
♦ Cold +2 string on them.
♦ Sharp +1 ♦ ___ thinks your charm is
Or irresistible. Take 2 strings
♦ Daring +1 on them.
♦ Hot +2 ♦ ___ regrets lashing out after
♦ Cold -1 you fed on them and hurting
♦ Sharp -1 you badly. Take 3 strings on
Your Pulse starts at +1. them. Give them a string on
you.
Advancements
Feed
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3).
◇ Add +1 to a stat (max +3). Instead of highlighted stats,
◇ Take another Vampire move. you get this move. You feed your
◇ Take a move from any Heart using other’s emotions. At
playbook. the start of each act you choose
◇ Take another Vampire Heart one and the person with the most
extra and another curse. strings on you chooses another
◇ Take another Vampire Heart emotion your Heart feeds on.
extra and another curse. These trigger once per scene
◇ Take another Heart extra from each.
any playbook and another ◇ Pain: Gain 2 Pulse when you
curse. inflict physical pain on
someone.
Starting Relations ◇ Loss: Gain 2 Pulse when you
destroy something important.
Assign one of the following to ◇ Deceit: Gain 2 Pulse when you
each of the other player break a promise that someone
characters and future main NPCs. genuinely believed you would
♦ ___ was the first person you keep.
ever fed on. Give them 3 ◇ Doubt: Gain 2 Pulse when you
strings on you. Take a string reinforce someone’s
on them. insecurities.
♦ ___ is the vampire hunter to ◇ Shame: Gain 2 Pulse when you
your vampire. Give them 2 make someone feel ashamed of
strings on you. their actions.
♦ ___ once saw you when you
were hungriest. Give them a
string on you.

The Playbooks ⬥119⬥

Vampire Moves ◇ Curse of Binding
Choose another one of the PCs or
You start with Cursed and
an important NPC: You cannot
another move.
disobey them unless you spend a
⬥ Cursed Pulse to do so.
Whether you have your Heart in ◇ Curse of Hospitality
hands or not, you’re cursed, and
You must spend a Pulse to enter
you can’t control yourself. If
places uninvited.
your Pulse is at -2, and you
must decrease it even further: ◇ Curse of Affliction
Your Heart is broken instead. Instead of conditions decreasing
◇ Starved Beast your rolls with certain stats,
you must spend a Pulse to roll
Take +1 ongoing while at 0 Pulse
moves associated with a
or less.
condition that you have marked.
◇ Brooding Vampire ◇ Curse of Command
When you feed on someone’s
You tempt others by spending
emotions, you may show them your
Pulse instead of strings.
weak side and ask them what they
think you should do next. Give ◇ Curse of Truth
them a string, take 1 forward to You cannot lie unless you spend
doing what they said and mark a Pulse to do so.
exp if you do it.
◇ Heartbreaker Intimacy Move
You also feed on breaking others When you have intimacy with
Hearts. Move your Pulse to +3 someone: They choose a stat for
when you break someone else’s you to highlight, the next time
Heart. Additionally, once per you roll it: gain a Pulse and
session, you may ask the erase the highlight.
following question for free when
you Read a Person: “What will it Broken Heart
take me to break your Heart?”.
◇ Dining Out You’re hungry, your heart is
consuming you, and you need to
Add the following positive feed it. You turn into a beast
option when you Indulge: only seeking to feed,
♦ You find a good target to metaphorically or literally,
Feed. Increase your Pulse by it’s up to you. Instead of your
2. curses consuming Pulse, they
inflict harm on you. Mend your
Curses heart once you have fed enough
to have +3 Pulse, or when
You start with two curses: someone hunts you down and cages
you, whichever comes first.

⬥120⬥ The Playbooks

The Vampire’s Heart Heart that wants to be saved yet
wants others to keep away. 2-
Your Heart is a curse you bear, harm, close, 1-armor.
it’s a claymore that needs to
feed on blood, it’s a motorcycle Extras:
that burns the hopes of the ◇ Add the following option to
innocent. It’s something Engage in Conflict: Steal 1
powerful that binds you unless Pulse from them.
you feed it, and to feed it you ◇ Your Heart is distant. Take
need to inflict pain in others. +1 forward when you Burn
Perhaps you hate it, which begs Bridges.
the question of why you have it. ◇ Your Heart is invasive: add
Or maybe you find inflicting armor piercing to one of the
pain on others pleasing, and it bases.
makes for a good excuse. ◇ Your Heart has a wide range:
Regardless, you have to feed it, increase the range of one of
else your Heart will start the bases to the next tag.
feeding in your own pain. ◇ Your Heart is strong and
heavy: add +1 harm to your
Choose a base and 2 extras: base and the heavy tag.
Bases: ◇ You may Reroll by taking 1
harm instead of the Pulse
◇ An Alluring Heart
cost.
A Heart that leaves all of those
around you breathless. A Playing the Vampire
charming Heart that captures
everyone’s fancy and draws them The Vampire’s play style
in. 1-harm, far, once per constantly drains the
session, you may choose the character’s Pulse with Curses.
option to “inflict vulnerable” If you don't have enough, your
for free when you Throw Your Heart breaks and starts feeding
Charm. on you.
◇ A Hungry Heart Since the Vampire has no
A Heart that longs to get up highlighted stat, they have no
close and personal to others. A easy source of Pulse and have to
Heart that indulges in close rely on Feeding to get it. The
connections. An intense Heart vampire is one of the darker
that promises an adventure to playbooks, as they must hurt
anyone who gets entangled with others to increase their Pulse.
you. 2-harm, intimate, life-
draining. Your options for stats are to
either play as a distant and
◇ A Repressed Heart
brilliant Vampire (Cold 2, Sharp
A Heart that misses the times 1), or an impulsive and charming
when you were not yet cursed, a on (Hot 2, Daring 1).
Heart you hide from others, a

The Playbooks ⬥121⬥

Curses are things that trigger
no matter whether you want it or
not. Being unable to lie or to
disobey someone, making it
obligatory to spend a Pulse
instead of a string when
tempting others are all examples
of things that you will have to
do because your Heart forces you
to.

Brooding Vampire focuses on

playing a more emo vampire that
is insecure and doesn’t know
where to go, someone that shows
vulnerability to those they feed
on and asks for directions. Your
Intimacy Move also allows the
Vampire to ask others what they
should do.
Heartbreaker is on the other end
of the spectrum, meant to be
used by charming vampires who
leave a trail of brokenhearted
lovers behind as they ride into
the sunset.

Starved Beast is a more

mechanical move, focusing on
taking a bonus when at low
Pulse, which is dangerous as you
can soon run out of it and start
spending your health. It’s a
situation that benefits the
player for taking risks, similar
to moves from other playbooks.

⬥122⬥ The Playbooks

CHAPTER 7: PLAYING YOUR FIRST
SESSION
So you’re going to play Burning that they can leave at any time
Hearts Forever? That’s great! if things get too extreme.
This section will help you in
the process of playing your This part is also important, so
first session. From now on, don’t skip it. Talk about
these rules assume you’re going expectations and whether someone
to be the one narrating the on the table would like to
game, and “you” refers to the explore some complex feelings of
Narrator. abuse, or of being a victim of
bigotry. Make sure everyone on
Gather Supplies the table is in the same mindset
about these topics, and let
everyone be aware that their
First, of course, you need all
safety comes first.
the most obvious things: finding
a group of friends, scheduling a
time and having everyone read Explain Premise
through the most important parts
of the manual. and Roles
Print the reference sheet and Once everyone is there, or the
the playbooks, gather a couple call is full, it’s time to
of six sided dice, paper, explain the premise of the game,
pencils and erasers, if playing explain about Hearts and how the
in real life, or be sure to have game is a tool for collaborative
all the online documents storytelling for tales that are
available for all players, and character focused. Ask everyone
set up a bot for rolling dice, what they expect from this game
if playing online. and make sure everyone is on the
same page about what kind of
You may also get snacks, which game this will be.
are optional, but very
recommended. Define who in your party will be
the narrator and make it
Introduce Safety explicit for all the others that
they will play the world and the
Tools secondary characters. Someone
with the role to fill in the
gaps and to create interesting
This game can be a little
scenes for the main characters,
intense, so it’s important that
those controlled by the other
everyone reads the section about
players.
safety tools before starting to
play and keeps them in mind
All the other players will be
while playing. Have an X card
playing the main characters and
accessible, define lines and
be sure they understand their
veils, and let everyone know
roles. Explain that roleplaying

⬥124⬥ Playing Your First Session

is a dialogue, and that we roll
moves to resolve the uncertain, Discuss Moves
and that the narrator does not
roll dice. and Hearts
Make sure everyone knows the Explain the main mechanics of
four basic premises and read the game, explain how strings
them out loud if necessary, as work, how conditions work, and
it’s very important for all the same for stats, harm,
players to know and be very intimacy moves, broken hearts
aware of the premises while and advancements. The players
playing. Remember: Play flawed will possibly already have had a
characters, say what the rules previous contact with the
demand, say what honesty mechanics before from reading
demands, and play to find out. the playbooks, so make sure they
understand what they actually
mean.
Discuss
Read each of the main moves out
Roleplaying loud. These will be the moves
players will be using throughout
Discuss how roleplaying is a the entirety of the game, so
dialogue, make sure everyone make sure their applications are
understands that above clear. Explain how they work and
everything this game is just explain what they do, respond to
about people talking to each any questions the players have,
other, that when you say some and let them understand that
specific things the rules come they’re the tools that the
in to answer that which is characters will use to interact
uncertain. Read the principles with each other.
of the game out loud if
necessary. Explain how we use the moves.
Explain that you don’t simply
Make sure everyone is in the roll for the move, instead you
same mindset about what to trigger it when your character
expect from the game, what are does something that fits the
the game’s strengths and move. You may have the intention
weaknesses, and where it shines. to use a move in the first
Make sure they understand how place, but it’s important above
scenes work, that it’s the everything to say what your
narrator’s job to frame them and character does in the narrative,
that players will be the stars before the mechanics come into
of the scenes they’re on, that play. Explain what they are
we use scenes to tell the story going to do and how they are
and that their role is to put going to do it.
the characters in interesting
situations.

Playing Your First Session ⬥125⬥

 Pick a Scenario their families are, their school
or work place, the most
important places they will be
This game is not based on a going to during the game.
single setting, instead it
offers a plethora of very As the game goes on you will
diverse scenarios for players to start filling your setting with
choose from. You can choose from NPCs, family members, fellow
over the top fantasy stories to students, work partners,
very grounded ones. You can villains, and allies. You can
choose from light-hearted ones come up with a few before the
to really deep and heavy ones. game starts, but most of them
From combat focused ones, to will be introduced as the game
others that shine a light on plays out.
narrative and dialogue.
Discuss the specifics of the
Introduce all the different setting. Each scenario has blank
scenarios to the players and let spaces you can fill in like, how
them discuss, let them talk do the main places look like?
about the things they would like How does it feel, what is the
to explore on each different one weather, how do the people in
and the things they don’t like there feel, what is the culture
about them. Discuss the scenario of the place? Build up on
you like the most until players questions like these to develop
come to decide the scenario they the scenario.
will be playing on.
If you’re playing with one of
Naturally, the premade scenarios the presets of the scenario, you
that come with this game are not can skip this part.
the only options you have to
choose from. You may use them as
a base to make your own custom Pick a Playbook
scenario.
After you have chosen the

Discuss the scenario, and developed the

setting, after the stage is set,

Setting it’s time to create the main

characters. If you’re playing in
real life have printed copies of
Scenarios will happen in cities, all the playbooks and let the
quadrants of space, racetracks players read them over, if
and so on. After choosing a you’re playing over the internet
scenario it’s time to build the just give them time to read the
stage for your play, building character sheets. This usually
the characteristics and problems takes some time, so let the
of a city, the issues a road players read through and answer
will have, and so on. Develop any questions that will come up.
where the characters live, who

⬥126⬥ Playing Your First Session

 some scenarios, they’re mostly
As they come to decide on a there to give an idea of
playbook, ask them to read the different characters that fit
description of the playbook out the playbook.
loud and talk a bit about their
moves, intimacy move and broken Each scenario has a subsection
heart and the things they expect dedicated to talking about how
from playing a character from characters live in the setting,
that archetype. they also offer a series of
questions to be answered to help
You may have two different develop your character and fit
players play the same playbook them in the world of the game.
and have each of them explore a
different facet of it. It’s an As for the moves, their starting
interesting situation to have one will give an idea of what is
two characters that fit the same most important to that playbook
role, possibly struggle to feel while players will be able to
unique because of it, and choose another one or two moves.
eventually draw a rivalry If the playbook doesn’t have a
against each other. “There can starting move, they’re free to
only be one” and all that. choose what is most important to
them.
Build Your Players will also have to choose
Character stats to define the things their
character is good at and the
things they’re bad at, and
Some players prefer to start
develop their Heart. Each Heart
with the stats, moves and
has a description that helps
Hearts, to define how the
them have an idea of their main
character will be played first;
aspect. They will also choose
while others go for the
extras to further customize
identities: name, pronouns,
their Heart.
archetype, look, and eyes.
Whichever they prefer it’s up to
The fiction of the Heart also
them, just answer any questions
should be developed. Every
that come up and give them time
scenario has a subsection
to develop their characters.
dedicated to explaining how
Hearts are in it and offers a
The identity is mostly related
series of questions for players
to roleplaying and helping the
to develop the fiction of their
players have an idea of what
Heart.
path to take their characters,
looks may give ideas of the
Things like broken Hearts and
things the character wear and
intimacy moves are not really up
eyes of how they feel. While
to be chosen, but it’s important
some archetypes might not fit
to be aware of them to

Playing Your First Session ⬥127⬥

understand how your character everyone has towards each other,
acts when showing vulnerability I recommend keeping strings in a
to another and how they react to single place, like a page
their world coming down. dedicated for them, or a shared
document. Keeping track of
Establish strings can be quite draining,
so having a single place to
Backstories check for all of them makes
things much easier.
After each player has created
their character, it’s time to Start Playing
share them with the rest of the
group. Their playbook, name, After safety tools have been
pronouns, look, eyes, archetype, introduced, the principles have
how they fit into the scenario, been stated, and everyone is on
the stats, moves, and Hearts the same page about roleplaying.
they choose. After the scenario is chosen and
the stage of the play is set,
And after all the characters are the main character’s roles are
developed and introduced, it’s defined, their personalities and
time to connect them. bonds towards each other are
Roleplaying is much more made, it’s time to play.
interesting if characters
already have past connections to Ask some questions to the
each other, so this game offers players and frame the first
a series of ways to create scene of the game.
backgrounds between the main
characters.

You may start with the youngest

person in the party, or if
you’re playing online, I usually
like going by the alphabetical
order of usernames, but start
with someone and let them say
their backgrounds out loud and
let the other characters choose
how they relate to that
character.

Backgrounds are something that

go both ways, so two characters
will have two different ways
that they know each other, one
from each of the playbooks. As
you’re marking down the strings

⬥128⬥ Playing Your First Session

CHAPTER 8: THE NARRATOR
The narrator takes control of are your guidelines for
the world, and the secondary developing an interesting story.
characters, or NPCs. Their role Address the characters, not the
is to create interesting players.
situations for the main ♦ Ask provocative questions and
characters to overcome and to build on the answers.
determine and describe the ♦ Be a fan of the main
results of moves. characters.
♦ Give side characters simple
It’s also important to act on and compelling motivations.
the principles and agenda of the ♦ Find the catch.
game and remind the other ♦ Give everyone an interesting
players of such. Remember: life.
Always say what the rules ♦ Be dramatic.
demand, always say what honesty ♦ Treat secondary characters
demands, play flawed characters like borrowed toys.
and play to find out. ♦ Give every secondary
character a name.
During the game, the narrator is ♦ Live to fight another day.
in charge of controlling NPCs, ♦ Entangle relationships.
describing places, people, how ♦ Don’t say the moves out loud.
characters feel, and act. ♦ Sometimes, disdain decision-
Generally, they’re in charge of making.
making the world feel alive.
Address the characters,
As a narrator you never roll not the players
dice, instead you just describe
how things happen, and you react This is a story about heroes,
to the things the main about epic people who do
characters do. NPCs never have impossible things, about pilots
to roll dice for an action, they who burn the stars, about
just do the things that the magical girls, about rock stars.
Narrator says they do. When a It’s important for the players
player fails a roll, you get to to put themselves in the shoes
decide how that turns out. of their characters, so first
and foremost address the
Principles characters, not the players,
make the players think as the
Remember to act on these characters, act as the
principles alongside the four characters, be the characters.
part agenda to keep the game
thematic, and to make the You don’t ask Thelma the
characters feel alive. You don’t accountant what she does when
have to memorize these, but keep her opponent stands in front of
them in mind and come back to her defenseless. You ask Arthur,
them from time to time. These the Hero how he obliterates and
sends this foe to kingdom come,

⬥130⬥ The Narrator

never to return. Of course, this
is something almost trivial MAGGIE: You find yourself
compared to the others, but it’s face to face with Edward
the first step, so everyone is Frederick. Charlotte, tell me
in character. why you used to have a crush
on him in high school.
Ask provocative NAOMI: I think Edward was the
one that turned Charlotte
questions and build on into a vampire, in a
the answers metaphorical sense, into a
metaphorical vampire.
Always ask questions, ask them NAOMI: She was enchanted by
all the time, about everything. him and left out a weakness,
I know I said the role of the and he saw that as an
narrator was to control the opportunity to turn her.
secondary characters and the MAGGIE: That’s great, he
world, but your job is also to smiles and starts walking
ask so many questions. towards you saying “I missed
you Charlie.”
Ask how the characters feel, how
they decorated their room, who MAGGIE: Flora, you wake up
their crush is, why they punched tied in a dark wet place, and
Bob in the face in second grade, you recognize the person who
who helped them out when they took off your blindfold.
were failing algebra, how they MAGGIE: It’s John, and he has
hid that body in the summer of some grudges for you. Tell me
‘83. why he did this to you.
JULIA: Hm, that's a good
Ask questions, but also ask question. The thing is that
provocative ones. Insert Flora used to be really
yourself in the narrative and repressed in the past, so I
ask a question that already adds don't think she would have
something just by itself. Don’t harmed him on purpose.
be afraid to ask something that JULIA: Maybe instead she lost
already implies an answer, but control next to him, he got
leave the question open enough, hurt and thought she did it
so players will have the freedom out of malice.
to create their own answers and MAGGIE: I love that, and
not feel constricted by the
yeah, it fits your playbook.
question.
Be a fan of the main
Allow the player to create an characters
answer that might not be what
the narrator asked in the first Make the main characters live
place, but that builds on the rent-free in your mind. Be
narrative by itself, so it’s interested in them, think and
good enough as is. wonder about their routine,

The Narrator ⬥131⬥

their secrets, their lovers, and Give side characters
rivals, everything about them.
simple and compelling
This somewhat ties in to the motivations
other principle, “Ask
provocative questions and build Secondary characters shine the
on the answers.” You should want most when they’re simple and
to know everything about the divisive. Give them a drive,
main characters, ask them something a few words long,
questions, like a teen girl asks using the base of “to ___”. Give
Harry Styles’ favorite food. them a simple goal and make them
act on it, “to be the most
Above everything, this game is popular girl in school”, “to be
about the main characters. The the most respected hunter”, “to
secondary characters are tools avenge my parents”, and so on.
to develop the main ones,
everything revolves around them. The story is about the main
It’s your job to create characters, so the secondary
interesting situations to make ones don’t need rocket science
the main characters shine, to in their development. Give them
put them in the exact situations a simple drive, something
that will challenge them and let concrete and something decisive.
them do their best. But still something interesting
enough that it is bound to clash
Put the main characters in with the main character’s
situation where they will narrative.
struggle, not for the sake of
struggling, but because you want Find the catch
to see them shine and how
To find the catch, find out how
they’re going to come out that.
a good thing will affect someone
else negatively, be the monkey's
Your goal is not to be
paw that grants wishes for
antagonistic towards them, but
players and acts oblivious when
this is fiction, and stories are
they find out the consequences.
told with conflict and with
having characters deal with
Look for the things left unsaid.
their issues. You can’t have a
Find ways to create interesting
story without those, and you
hooks from the things that the
can’t develop the characters
players did not realize. Oh, so
without a story.
everyone is happy about the new
river in town granting water to
the population? Well, time to
show the players those who had
unstable houses right in the
place where the river is
running.

⬥132⬥ The Narrator

 Be dramatic
Never give them something
without taking another in If you ever saw a subjective
return, don’t simply resolve a anime like Revolutionary Girl
conflict without building right Utena or Mahou Shoujo Madoka
into the next one. Find the Magica you should have an idea
catch and keep the story going. of what I’m talking about. Those
pieces with amazing scenery that
Give everyone an make absolutely no sense,
interesting life dialogues where even the most
vile people are actually very
Don’t be afraid to give polite and let the heroes do
secondary characters messy and their talking. And the dialogue?
complicated lives. Make them Oh dear, the dialogue.
fascinating to generate
interesting interactions with The way they talk in such a
the main characters, give them unique and abstract way, the way
lives outside them, if they metaphors bleed into the
haven’t been on a scene for a conversation, and become more
while, surprise the players by than simply metaphors, they
telling them what the character become the very meat of the
has been up to since the last dialogue.
time they saw them.
These are the kind of stories
Maybe Rebecca the magical girl that this game tells, these are
hasn’t been in the spotlight for the kind of scenes you want to
a while after she got beaten up frame. Pompous flamboyant acts
badly in the fight against Queen where everything is so beautiful
Despair, so surprise the players and flows so well. Embrace the
by having her show up when they drama and be over the top. Take
need her the most, maybe she has your time to explain the
a cybernetic arm now. Why do metaphors and get everyone on
magical girls don’t have the same page if needed, but
cybernetic arms more often? make everything as dramatic as
you can.
Have a list of all the NPCs,
with their names, their drives, When describing a place, use
and take a look at it from time extravagant terms, describe how
to time. If a secondary the space station is so large
character hasn’t been there for you could get lost and never
a while and the players are visit the same place twice in an
almost forgetting they exist at entire lifetime. Talk about the
all, it’s the ripe time to show intricate clock tower in the
them back and tell the main middle of the city that is
characters what they have been entirely unnecessary, but can be
up to since then. seen from any angle in the
entire town. Describe the

The Narrator ⬥133⬥

twisted dimension filled with right, naturally, this depends
buildings of flashing primary on the setting, but don’t be
colors and the stages that could afraid to make them struggle, to
house an entire metropolis. push them a bit, to make them
suffer just a little.
Make characters say absolute
nonsense. It helps to give Put them in danger and make the
secondary characters abstract main characters want to save
drives like “to find that which them, make them damsels in
shines” or “to acquire that distress so the main character’s
which is eternal” and just makes can be their heroes. Always
them talk about these things out remember that the point of these
loud like they’re as normal as secondary characters is to make
asking someone what time it is. situations to make the main
characters shine.
Treat the secondary
characters like borrowed Give every secondary
toys character a name

The secondary characters are Did the heroes just buy a water
merely tools you’re using to bottle in the shop? Well, what’s
develop your main character’s the shopkeeper’s name? Always
tale. They might be cool, give them a name, have them all
interesting, and important to saved in a little document or a
the other players, but don’t be little piece of paper where you
afraid to use them with malice. keep track of all the important
Think of them as not yours, and information of the play.
think of this story as not Surprise players by revealing
theirs. It’s someone else’s that the shopkeeper is one of
story, and they’re just there to their classmates that is working
support the main characters. part time.

They’re toys, but they’re not It’s important to give them a

your toys, don’t grow attached name because it gives them an
to them, don’t give them a identity, it makes them no
character arc. Remember who are longer just the shopkeeper of
the protagonists of this story, the street corner. You don’t
and it’s not the secondary have to give them a deep
characters, they’re the backstory, but it helps to give
supporting cast that you’re free them a short drive of a word or
to use to make the main two.
characters shine.
Make these secondary characters
Death is a serious thing so of come back and be relevant again,
course I’m not saying to kill make the world seem alive by
secondary characters left and giving a life to these secondary
characters. A benefit that comes

⬥134⬥ The Narrator

with this is that you will not friends work, right? It’s good
have to constantly come up with practice to make players grow
characters and will be able to attached to these secondary
reuse the ones who have already characters, make them invested
been made. in their lives and make them
interested to see what will
If you have trouble coming up happen to them.
with names, you can write down a
number of them from an internet Entangle relationships
database before the game starts,
and use them as the game goes. Build complicated relationships
between secondary and main
Live to fight another characters. Give them intricate
webs of having the main
day characters just absolutely love
It’s usually not a good idea to the guts of this one NPC that
kill off every villain because can in no way stand this other
that means you have to come up main character.
with another one. So try to keep
them alive, make them run away Build unique relationships
at the last second, make them between each secondary character
survive the ambiguous fall of and each main character. Make
that building and come within a them divisive and make the main
mechanical body. characters fight each other
because of the complicated
You can appeal to the humanity relations they have with NPCs.
of the main character, after
all, killing is quite a big deal Do you need a character to help
that leaves characters with long out Arthur? Well Bandit’s mom
term trauma. So make these NPCs (that, by the way, Bandit hates
live to fight another day, make the guts of her mom) is right
them recurring characters there, and she just can’t have
because they’re like fine wine enough of Arthur. Make the
that only gets better the more players make the most awkward
appearances they have, make face while their nemesis flirts
their loss sting and make them with another one of the main
shake their fists and scream to characters.
the main characters just how
much they’re going to pay for Make things messy and tangled,
this. make a chart of relationships
between main characters and
And make them come back when the secondary ones that is just
players least expect it. Make it absolutely incomprehensible to
like the coming back of an old human eyes. Give it color coded
friend, a fictional old friend, arrows and, oh boy, do you add
a fictional old friend that arrows there of the most diverse
tried to kill you. That’s how colors like “stole my bike”,

The Narrator ⬥135⬥

“promised to take me shopping You’re not sure whether director
for the first time”, and “cursed Steel is actually going to
by bloodline”. suspend Oliver for violating the
holy law and taking away all of
Don’t say the moves out the Metal Dictator’s powers? As
loud narrator, what you can do is ask
your players what they think
When thinking of which moves to should happen instead.
use against the players, it’s a
good idea to not say them out One of them might suggest that
loud. Describe them in the the director knows about what
fiction, and think about them, happened, but Oliver is one of
but do not explain to your his best soldiers, so he might
players which move you’re going want to slide this under the
to use. rug, even if it can get him in
trouble with the council of
Do something believable, don't rulers. So he will punish Oliver
think they will think it’s fair with communal service and
without having to explain that, training the young instead of
“yeah, so you failed a roll and banishing him.
that let me do a move which
means I can do this.” Take your
time to think and announce the
Hard moves and
move when you’re done, but don’t
say out loud, “I will invoke
soft moves
this move.” The narrator does moves, or
reactions, these are not moves
Sometimes, disdain the same way the player roll
decision-making moves, these are just
guidelines, suggestions of
Sometimes you don’t have to make things that can happen in the
a decision. When a hard choice fiction. Remember the narrator
hits you, and you’re not sure does not roll dice so all of
what will happen, it’s ok for these things just happen. They
you to put the burden on someone say they happen, they explain
else. how they happen, and they do.

Ask another player what they Narrator moves are separated

think would happen, or think between hard and soft moves.
from the perspective of a Soft moves are not as severe and
secondary character. You’re gradually set the scene for a
still the final arbiter of what hard move, while hard moves are
happens, but it’s a good drastic things that require
practice to take the decision immediate action from players.
from someone else’s shoes. It’s important to switch between
using hard moves and soft moves.

⬥136⬥ The Narrator

Use soft moves to build up something to happen, you can
tension and bring it all down have a look at this list and
with a hard move. pick a move from here. The
narrator moves are:
An example of a soft move is ♦ Put them together.
something that builds up ♦ Separate them.
tension. Something that puts ♦ Tell them the consequences
players on their toes, but that and make them decide.
does not require immediate ♦ Announce future conflict.
reaction, something that gives ♦ Turn their move back at them.
them room to think and to act. ♦ Break their Hearts.
♦ Inflict harm or a condition.
A hard move is a boulder that ♦ Take a string on someone.
comes crashing down right in ♦ Make an NPC misinterpret the
front of them, metaphorically, situation.
but also, maybe literally. A ♦ Wind up a punch.
problem they can’t avoid that ♦ Use a custom move.
they have no room to think or to After making a move, always ask
plan, they just have to act. what the characters will do.
This is directly related to the
There is no separate list principle “ask questions and
between hard and soft moves, build on the answers.”
what differentiates a move from
soft and hard is how they’re When the villain comes rushing
used. Any of the moves listed down on your hero, ask: “what do
below can be used as either a you do”. When your hero finds
hard or a soft move. themselves in an underground
Colosseum with no one but their
Narrator Moves rival, ask: “what do you do”.
When giving a player a choice
with a hard consequence, ask
The narrator may make a move
“what do you do”. When someone’s
when a player fails a roll, when
move fails and that backfires
the narrative asks for it, or
terribly, ask “what do you do?”.
when the game is stalling.
Again, narrator moves are not
Always ask until the question
rolled, the narrator merely says
has been hammered into the
they happen, and they do. Moves
player’s mind so much that they
are the way the narrator can
will answer before you even ask
react to the players’ actions
it.
and in return force reactions
from the players
Put them together
Of course as the narrator they Not just put two characters
can do pretty much anything, but together, but put two characters
these are a sort of guidelines that hate each other in the same
of actions, when you need place. Put the two characters

The Narrator ⬥137⬥

who hate each other’s guts the end of the day, but for now
most and force them to be in the you will have to learn to be
same place, make them work nice and stop fighting.”
together even.
Separate them
Oh, I see you failed your roll
there? Well what a coincidence, This is the direct opposite of
your fated rival just walks in putting them together. Put the
the door saying how it’s raining two characters who need each
like hell outside and that other the most apart, make them
everyone will have to stay home struggle and realize all their
together. weaknesses as they lack the
person they need above all.
Force the heroes to pretend
they’re friends with the person This move can somewhat be used
who they are bound to fight at with putting them together by
the end of the world. Make them picking two pairs of characters
act like fake teenagers who say that do very well together and
they can’t handle their ass one forcing them to pair with one
moment and are calling them from the other group.
besties the other.
You can take this move also a
Make the characters realize how bit literally and turn a
similar they are, they might character into a damsel in
hate each other, but maybe put distress and require them to be
them in a situation where they saved from wicked evil.
can agree on something, make Sometimes a player might even
them see themselves in the want for this to happen to their
other’s face and make them hate character, so keep it in mind.
it.
You may also use this move on
NAOMI: And that’s a 4. NPCs and make them the damsels
MAGGIE: Well, don’t forget to that need to be saved by the
mark exp, but that’s a fail main characters.
on Burning Bridges with
Nelson. THELMA: Oops! That’s a 5.
MAGGIE: Hm, oh, I have the MAGGIE: Do you want to reroll
perfect response for this. that?
MAGGIE: So director Steel THELMA: No, I’m curious what
sees you two fighting and you’re gonna come up with.
says, “This is such MAGGIE: First mark exp, and
unbecoming behavior for you ok, so you failed at dodging
two.” the Masked Duelist’s attack.
MAGGIE: He reaches for a pair MAGGIE: I will say that
of handcuffs on his belt and instead of him just taking
locks you two to one another. this opportunity to hit you,
“I will free you two at the

⬥138⬥ The Narrator

instead he cuts down the is really weak right now and
ropes of the bridge. her resolve is shaken, so she
PHOEBE: But Bandit hasn’t will listen to you.
crossed it yet. MAGGIE: But the higher ups
MAGGIE: Exactly. expect you to kill her, and
if you let her go Arthur,
Tell them the your squad leader, will get
in trouble with them.
consequences and ask
Sometimes victory is just one Announce future conflict
hard choice away, and sometimes
You can also use your reaction
you’re the one giving that hard
to do something that doesn’t
choice. When a player wants to
generate immediate conflict. You
do something complicated, you
can announce something, say that
might disdain rolling and
there’s a pillar of smoke in the
instead just give them a choice.
horizon that is probably
Yes you can do it, you can do it
relevant to the thread of fate,
perfectly well, you can have all
make it a little mystery and let
that you ever wanted, but that
the players figure out what it
will come at a cost.
is by themselves, let them
interact with it at their own
It’s more personal than just
pace.
rolling, it takes the result
away from lady luck and puts it
If players ignore the conflict
right in the player’s hands.
you just announced, well you’re
Make them want something and put
totally able to make it blow up
it right in front of them, but
in their faces. Make the villain
give it a cost, maybe an ally
come right to their doorstep, or
will get hurt if they do so,
tell them the orphanage blew up
maybe they can get the thing
because they didn’t do anything
they always wanted, but someone
about it. Maybe in your mind the
else will have to pay for it.
pillar of smoke wasn’t an
MAGGIE: Flora, you succeed, orphanage, but since they didn’t
and you currently have Queen do anything about it, you can
Despair under your grasp. You make it the worst situation
could finish her off right possible.
now. What do you do?
JULIA: I don’t think Flora You can even do this while
wants to do that. I think players are in the middle of
that she is just tired of another fight. Fill their bottle
fighting, and she wants to of conflicts and make it
show some empathy towards her overflow as they try their best
and try to bring her to the to hold all of these in their
good side. hands. Make it too much for them
MAGGIE: Interesting. I will to handle, make them fail at
say that you can do that. She least one thing.

The Narrator ⬥139⬥

Turn their move back at JULIA: Yeah, I am, I’m
curious of what’s going to
them happen, and I kinda pushed
her cause I wanted to see her
This move is especially good
reaction.
when players are fighting
NAOMI: Charlotte will tell
between each other. Say Bandit Flora that actually she
tries to Throw Her Charm on deserves it, something about
Charlotte and fails, one result divine rights of kings.
to that move you can do is say NAOMI: I don’t know, I just
that Bandit makes a total fool imagine Charlotte is the
of herself and Charlotte can insane kind of person to
choose between rolling to Throw believe that.
Her Charm back or to Burn NAOMI: I roll to Burn Bridges
Bridges with her as if she had with Flora.
rolled a 10+, no rolling NAOMI: Ops, that’s a 5.
necessary they just do it MAGGIE: This is hilarious. I
because that’s a result of the will say Charlotte makes a
other roll. total clown of herself, Flora
you may Burn Bridges against
This move has a sort of double her back, no need to roll,
meaning. Maybe Bandit rolls to just consider it as if you
Engage in Conflict against a had a 10+.
villain and rolls a miss. You
can say she misses the attack Break their Hearts
just as much as you can say that
actually she hits, and she hits This is a more direct and
really well, and the villain is objective one. When a player is
looking awful. struck by a heavy load of
emotional turmoil, it might be
Bandit is not a killer, and she enough to break their Heart.
doesn't want to become one now. Remember that breaking Hearts is
Turn this from a fight into an a very direct metaphor. If
act of rushing the villain to someone confesses their undying
the hospital. Sometimes too much love to their crush and gets
success is the best result for a rejected, well, that sounds like
miss. a good opportunity to break
their Heart. If someone sees
JULIA: Flora says something their friend betraying them and
about Charlotte’s past, about allying themselves with the
how she’s privileged and got villain, now that’s a heart
everything she wanted just break if ever saw one!
from her blood.
NAOMI: I think Charlotte is The thing about broken Hearts is
really proud and stubborn, so that they’re also kind of a big
she’s not going to let this deal. They affect characters a
slide if you’re ok with that. lot and can be quite detrimental
to them, so this is a reaction

⬥140⬥ The Narrator

that often requires consent. LEWIS: “But I thought you
Sometimes people might think loved me?”
getting their Heart broken from MAGGIE: “So gullible.”
being rejected is actually MAGGIE: I feel like this is a
awesome and a great way to good opportunity to break
explore these negative feelings, your Heart.
but maybe they don’t want to and LEWIS: I agree.
don’t think their character
would get their Heart broken. Inflict Harm or a
Condition
Having a Heart broken also
really affects someone in If you want to reflect a
combat, so if it’s a good idea character’s pain in an objective
to do this after the battle is way, but not outright break
over and not make them fight their Hearts, you may inflict
with their Heart broken, unless harm or a condition on them. If
everyone really wants to see someone is insulted, and it
that character suffer. hurts them you can give them a
condition, if someone falls from
This is the kind of move that a high place you might make them
will for the most part always be mark some harm.
triggered as a response to
something very intense happening Take a String on Someone
in the narrative, so it isn’t
the kind of move that you can do When something happens like a
as a soft move. This is a character shows another a moment
special case of a move that will of weakness unrelated to any of
always come crashing down and the moves, or when they find out
change the course of the river a secret about another
of fiction. character, or when they do a
favor to someone, it makes sense
MAGGIE: Oliver, you got the for them to get a string in the
info from Diego, and you’re narrative even if there are no
finally here to disable the moves currently requiring so.
Metal Dictator's anxiety
rays. Sometimes moves will be
MAGGIE: Everything was going triggered and strings will be
perfectly fine until a cage shared, but it’s your job as
fell from the ceiling. narrator to see strings more
LEWIS: Wait, what? than just numbers, but as social
MAGGIE: Diego comes out from advantages characters have on
hiding and says, “I can’t others and if someone does
believe you thought I was acquire an advantage over
just going to share the someone in the fiction it makes
master’s secrets like that. sense to represent that in the
You’re so gullible.” rules too.

The Narrator ⬥141⬥

Make an NPC misinterpret everything make it seem fair,
make the player really feel like
the situation “damn, I shouldn’t have done
that.”
NPCs will often not make the
best, fully informed decisions.
They are prone to overreaction Wind up a Punch
and taking hasty action for the
This is the move you’re most
sake of having a more
likely to use while players are
interesting narrative. Expect
fighting NPCs. It helps to give
the main characters to be the
the idea that the NPCs have a
wiser person in the room and
turn and that they’re not just
punish them if they are not, but
reacting to what the PCs are
oh boy, are NPCs allowed to make
doing.
hasty decisions.
By winding up a punch, I mean
You might have a villain finally
make them start the act of doing
break down and show some
an attack, but give the players
sympathy towards the main
time to react to it. Like how
characters and try to do better,
video game enemies will have
have the main characters talk
telegraphed attacks and how in
with them and have them explain
animation you have anticipation
their reasoning, only for a
frames, so the audience can see
higher up of the heroes to find
big actions coming.
them and think that they’re
betraying their cause and making
Players will most often react by
friends with the enemy.
jumping out of the way by Doing
Something Risky, but there are
If you see an opportunity for a
other options too. They might
character to misinterpret the
want to hit them back and Engage
situation in the worst way: do
in Conflict, or even someone
it, make the main characters
else might want to Defend Them.
have to explain themselves for
You might even try to stop their
things they never did or make
hit by Burning Bridges or
they have no chance but to react
Throwing Your Charm at them.
under the pressure, but make it
fair, don’t punish the players
Use a Custom Move
with things coming out of
nowhere, and always make the act There are more narrator moves
of expecting the worst come from than just the ones in this list.
a place of caring about the main Just like you can make custom
character and not hate. moves for player characters, you
can make custom narrator moves
Make the main character’s mom or too, after all, narrator moves
their lover overreact to are merely things that happen in
something trivial, make them fiction, so you can make them
feel betrayed and lost and above very easily.

⬥142⬥ The Narrator

 here’s a few rules for when that
Special narrator moves can be happens.
unique to a setting, a move that
can be used at any time during If someone rolls to Engage in
the play, they can be associated Conflict against the other, let
with a character or a group of them inflict the damage of their
characters that stands out in Hearts to each other and let
the setting, like a gang, or them choose extras depending on
adults in a setting starring the result, follow the rules for
teenagers. These moves can be most moves, but here’s when you
used any time the specific get in:
character or group is on the
scene. A move can be associated If someone rolls a miss that’s
with a place, maybe a place of when you get to manipulate the
magic, the player’s hideout or fiction, look at all the moves
their classroom. in the list above for a
reaction, but look specially for
Give important NPCs custom “turn their move against them” a
moves, simple guidelines of very objective way to represent
things they can do to make them the failure of a roll is to give
feel more powerful and the opposition a free 10+ on a
impactful. Give custom moves to move.
the most important places in the
game, make the crystal grotto It’s also good practice to make
feel more unique by showing the things happen in fiction like,
players glimpses of the future changes in scenery and things
when they gaze into the falling, or other things for the
crystals. players to care about in
general. The fight can get
For example, if your characters really anticlimactic if the
find themselves fighting in an players just roll to Engage in
asteroid belt you might come up Conflict against each other over
with the custom “throw an and over.
asteroid at them”. If they fail
a roll, you may say they stumble
and find themselves coming in
Making Villains
collision with an asteroid.
The term villain here is being
used very broadly. A villain can
Strife Between be many things, it can be an
actual villain that wants to
Main Characters defeat our heroes, it can also
be a higher up that has
It’s inevitable, but sometimes influence over the main
the main characters’ goals will characters and use it in abusive
clash against each other, and ways, it can even be just a
they will enter combat, so parent of one of the main

The Narrator ⬥143⬥

characters that thinks they
should be someone they’re not. Next, give them an amount of
armor, something from 0 to 2. 0
Villains are foes that drive the means they are rather vulnerable
narrative forward. They can be to attacks and not that
straightforward and just fight resistant. While 2 means they
the main characters, or they can are quite impervious to strikes,
be more of a social problem, and it will be hard to take them
someone that holds influence down.
over the main characters that
they can’t deal with simply by The last mechanical part is to
fighting against. give them attacks. Similar to
how Hearts have a harm amount, a
Also remember the principle range tag and some other tags,
“live to fight another day”, do the attacks of villains work
not simply kill villains, make similarly. Attacks can be things
them retreat and make them come like weapons they carry, powers
back again, make them a they have, or even their words
recurring foe and possibly even of disapproval that shakes the
use the “tangled relationships” main characters off their
principle to make a villain that balance.
absolutely hates one PC, but is
the mentor of another. Harm goes between 1 and 4. 4
being quite a lot of harm that
So when making a villain, of will do a lot of damage on a
course first give them a name, player, and one being just a
as every NPC should have a name. scratch. You can give them
Next give them a drive, multiple attacks and make the
something simple and stronger ones harder to hit,
straightforward, but if you want narratively speaking, and the
your villain to be the relatable weaker ones easier to do so.
kind give them a drive that is
good by itself, but that they’re Maybe your giant stone soldier
trying to achieve by nefarious can hit the party with their
ways. massive sword that inflicts 4
harm on hit, but it’s really
Next, define how much harm they only going to connect if the
can take before they fall down. entire party stands still for 5
For regular villains that do not seconds, so they resort to
have Hearts, say a parent of one mostly kicking them which is
of the main characters for easier to hit, but inflicts less
example, give them 4 harm boxes. damage. But if the giant stone
For those who have Hearts, give soldier does find itself in an
them 7, and if they are a very opportunity where the whole
formidable foe that is above the party is paralyzed, possibly as
PCs by a lot, give them more a consequence of a failure, they
than 7.

⬥144⬥ The Narrator

may resort to using their 4 harm possibly act out on that anger,
sword. and you may look for the
subsection of clearing
You can also create custom moves conditions on how they should
for them. Things that can be act. NPC conditions may also be
triggered when a player fails or exploited by the main characters
the game is stalling. A reaction for a bonus.
is something that merely happens
in the fiction, something like NPCs may have strings on the
“take a NPC hostage”, “point out main characters, but not on
their weaknesses” or “remind other NPCs. This represents how
them of their past failures.” the advantages and interactions
they have with the main cast is
Think of villain moves as their important, but interactions with
signature move, but instead of NPCs aren’t, and the focus
being a death ray, it’s the should always be on the main
thing in fiction they will do characters.
most often. Villain moves are
also a good guideline of what to You may spend a string an NPC
do when playing a scene against has for the following effects:
such a villain. You can still ♦ Inflict vulnerable on a PC.
use any of the other generic ♦ Spend two strings to inflict
narrator reactions, but the a condition on a PC.
specific villain reactions are ♦ Add or subtract 1 from a roll
the ones they will do the most. a PC is doing.
♦ Trigger a reaction.
Rules and The only new one here is to
Mechanics for trigger a reaction. You may use
a string for something less
NPCs orthodox than conditions and
numbers, but to use their
advantage to post their love
NPCs have no stats and don’t
confession on the school board,
roll moves. If an NPC is strong
or to share a secret from the PC
or smart, that is something that
to someone that holds influence
only happens in the fiction, yes
over them.
they’re able to lift that
boulder or decode that message,
For NPCs that have Hearts they
if that makes sense, it happens
will not have Pulse, but they
and there is no need for
will have a series of attacks
rolling.
that their Heart grants them,
similar to how PCs have them.
NPCs may have conditions, but
Their Hearts may be broken, but
again these only affect the
it happens purely in the
fiction. If a secondary
fiction.
character is angry, they will

The Narrator ⬥145⬥

NPCs do not acquire experience be on the lookout for the
and do not take advancements, reaction “wind up a punch”
but if one of the main giving the villain an
characters has a move that gives opportunity to get right in
experience to others under front of one of our heroes and
certain circumstances, you can ready to strike.
use the NPC to play around them
and trigger that move. This way, players still have a
chance to react to the attack,
If a NPC acquires a +1 forward and it’s more intuitive than
or a +1 ongoing, again they just saying “it’s the enemy’s
don’t roll, so that will only turn, and they hit you. Mark two
affect the fiction, and you can harm.” Instead, what you say is
either ignore it or say that “before you realize it, the
they have an easier time doing enemy is right above you,
the next action, or they inflict winding up a punch to hit you.
extra harm on their next attack. What do you do?” This way
players may choose to dodge or
Combat and block by Doing Something Risky
or to go all in and Engage in
Sharing the Conflict back.

Spotlight
This game has no proper rules
for combat turn order, we don’t
roll dice using a dexterity
modifier or anything to define
who is going when. Instead, we
share the spotlight, someone
goes first, either a player or a
foe, then another and another,
using the fiction as a basis for
the order.

Say a player goes first, rolls

to Engage in Conflict against
the enemy and chooses to give an
ally an opportunity, then it
makes sense that that ally gets
to go next and use that
opportunity to strike, making a
combat that flows unto itself.

For enemy attacks I suggest

doing hard moves and especially

⬥146⬥ The Narrator

CHAPTER 9: MAKING YOUR OWN
If you have taken interest in when someone rests or use the
the design of this game and tools the hideout has.
would like to create things of
your own, this section is You could have a move related to
dedicated to help you create interacting with a specific NPC,
your own moves, playbooks, like a move for dealing with a
reactions and scenarios to truly figure of authority that holds
turn this game into your own. influence over the PCs, or
someone that can read your
Custom Moves thoughts, so you need to roll to
protect them from them. Or a
custom move for using and
You can create moves for many
handling a powerful weapon or an
different things. A move is
ancient artifact.
pretty much anything that a
player can do, it can or cannot
First give your move a name,
include a roll, said roll can
something simple, that states
use any stat as a bonus, a
what the move should do.
different resource, or nothing
Something like “Interact with a
and can create a wide array of
psychic”, or “find something in
different effects.
the hideout”, or “activate the
space death ray”.
You can create a move that is
specific to a scenario,
Second, give it a trigger. When
something that you know will be
you push someone, when you enter
a recurring action and that
the hall of smoke, when you
players will have to roll them
wield Excalibur, when you
frequently. You can even come up
protect your thoughts from the
with a custom move later during
siren, when you repress the
play when you realize players
feelings you have over someone,
are often doing something that
these are all valid conditions
can have its own move.
that can trigger a move.
Moves cover pretty much anything
Third, you may or may not add or
in the game, and they can be
subtract something to the roll.
related to simple things that
You may use one of the stats, or
the players can do, like the
go for something more unorthodox
basic moves this game offers,
like rolling with the amount of
just like they can be associated
conditions, the amount of harm
with specific places, objects
you have taken. Or even the
and NPCs.
amount of times you have
triggered your intimacy move
If your play has a recurring
with the person you’re rolling
place, like a hideout your
against. You can also go for
players constantly use, you
something from the fiction,
could create a custom move for
completely unrelated to the
rules like, the amount of magic

⬥148⬥ Making Your Own

crystals the character has, how action, or for every condition
many supplies they have gathered you have, etc.
for this trip or the amount of
believers that are praying for
their success.
Custom Playbooks
Playbooks are above everything
Fourth and last is the effect of
about a struggle that the main
the move. Basically what it does
character will face and that
and what happens when you roll
will be the focus of their
it. Separate the effects between
character. The Outsider’s
things like a hit, a 10+, a 7-9
struggle, for example, is how
or a miss. Most moves don’t have
they do not have a conventional
descriptions for what happens
Heart and how they have to fight
when you miss because that’s the
to keep it. It’s a metaphor for
chance for the narrator to do a
being rejected and excluded from
reaction, so they are open-
spaces and having to fight for
ended, but you can still give
your place in them.
specific results for rolling a
miss.
So the first step to making a
playbook is coming up with a
Results can go from anything
struggle. A narrative problem
like giving a benefit on a hit,
that your character will face
but a downside on a 7-9. Offer
and will be used as a main hook
the player to choose from a
for their scenes. Struggles also
list, you could even make it a
give various different examples
list of downsides, making the
of how to play a character of
player choose the poison they’re
said struggle, so remember to
going to take.
keep it as something that can be
used for a wide array of
Moves can also not involve
different characters.
rolling at all. Sometimes when
you’re faced with a specific
Second, give it a name.
situation you just have to do
Something short and impactful
this thing, or you just get this
that relates to their themes and
thing like “when you enter the
gives the reader a good idea of
hall of smoke, you must pay a
what the playbook should be
price”.
about.
You can also give the player a
This part is optional, but if
list of options that they need
you have the artistic skills,
to choose from, and you can even
you should also give your
determine the amount of options
playbook a symbol. Something
from the fiction instead of a
simple built out of diamond
result of a roll. Choose an
shapes. It’s definitely not
option for every time you
necessary, but it helps to
triggered your intimacy move
characterize the playbook.
since the last time you did this

Making Your Own ⬥149⬥

 playbooks of this game as an
Next work on the narrative part. example.
The goal is to give the player
that will use this playbook a When designing a playbook move
series of examples on how to think about the type of
build their character. Write situation that you are trying to
different archetypes that they invoke, you can give a bonus to
can fill, different names that the player under a certain
fit the playbook, and some eyes circumstance, so the player will
and looks to give the player a be driven to seek that
north. circumstance, or the move can
have an effect when another
Write the backstory of the character interacts with your
playbook, about 8 or so. They character in a specific way,
are supposed to be the way to making so that the other players
connect the main characters with will want to seek these types of
each other, having them already situations.
have a dynamic before starting
the game, so the players have Define what your playbook’s main
something to work with. stats would be, and write down
two options for the character’s
Some playbooks have a gameplay starting stats. The stats are
loop and some don’t. It’s ok if divided between +2, +1, -1 and -
your playbook doesn’t do 1. You can give the +2 to the
anything specific, but it's same stat twice if that stat is
interesting to explore if all very, very important to the
the playbook’s moves follow the playbook like how Cold is to the
same idea. Take the Fool for Frozen, or you can give these to
example, their goal is to give a the two most important stats the
lot of strings to others, so archetype would take. Try to
they can get advantage over make the division of the stats
them. It represents someone who diverse and to give the player a
wears their Heart on their meaningful decision.
sleeve and doesn’t mind being
perceived by others. The point of playbooks moves is
to decide what types of
Now that you have a goal on the situations you want a character
moves of your playbook, it’s to be in and give them bonuses
time to work on the playbook for being in these situations,
moves. There’s usually about six thus inspiring the player to
to seven moves per playbook, and seek these situations.
players often start with two or
three of these moves. Moves are The intimacy move is something
very diverse and can have a wide that is inherent to the
array of different effects, you character, so be mindful that
can use the moves in the it’s something that will be used
constantly. Intimacy moves are

⬥150⬥ Making Your Own

inherently about more than one that brings the whole combo of
character, so it should be taken the playbook together.
as an opportunity to explore how
your playbook interacts with
other characters. What would a
Custom Scenarios
character of the archetype
This game works almost in a
you’re writing usually do when
modular way. Moves are the
having an intimate moment with
things you do and playbooks are
someone else?
the base used to create a
character, but the scenario is
The broken Heart may or may not
the context that these
affect the character’s moves.
characters will be found in.
Usually if one of the
character’s main moves would
For a scenario, the first thing
break their Heart it’s good to
to think of, is of course the
make it affect the rules, but
setting and what a Heart would
that is optional. The broken
be in it. You can make it based
Heart is also an opportunity and
on a piece of media that you
a sort of allowance for the
really like, or just in some
player to lash out on others,
situation that you’re interested
act irrationally, make bad
in.
decisions and just be generally
edgy. Describe the broken Heart
You can also make it based on
and how the character would be
something rather specific like a
at their worst, and make it an
whole new setting you came up
opportunity for the player to
with that doesn’t really
play like the world is against
resemble anything, or you can
them.
make it more broad. You can also
make the mechanical parts
Lastly, work on the Heart of the
somewhat specific, leaving the
character. For the base the
fiction open for the players to
general idea is that 1 harm
come up with a wide array of
Hearts have big benefits, 2 harm
different settings.
Hearts have small benefits, 3
harm Hearts have decent
It’s also important to define
downsides and 4 harm Hearts have
what a Heart is in your scenario
massive downsides. You can use
and in what types of scenes the
the list of tags to come up with
characters will be wielding
benefits and downsides for your
their Hearts and not. Most
Hearts.
scenarios have these very well-
defined and others just allow
For the bonuses, most of them
for you to carry your Heart all
are standard: extra harm, extra
the time.
armor, a bonus to a certain
move, cheaper rerolling under
The difference between having a
certain circumstances, something
Heart and not having one is

Making Your Own ⬥151⬥

important because these change for things that should be
the gameplay quite a lot. Take defined.
for example in Fight the Pull of
Gravity, in scenes where After the setting is
characters do not have control established, make a little
of their mechs they are just section for character creation
pilots, people like any other in the specifics of this
with access to technology from scenario. Tell about what Heart
the future, but with their wielders do in your scenario and
Hearts, their mechs, they have ask questions about important
the power to fight for the things like how they got their
future of humanity. Heart and from where they are
from. Contextualize them inside
This difference is important to the scenario they are.
be explored, somewhat painting a
difference between the Next go to the creation of each
“civilian” gameplay and the of the main character’s Hearts.
“hero” gameplay. Hearts can Same as the others, make
inflict quite a lot of harm, but questions for developing each of
they’re mostly only to be used the Hearts in the context of the
against those who also have setting. If their Heart is a
Hearts, while conflict between weapon, ask what kind of weapon
those who are not wielding their it is, what kind of blade it
Hearts has smaller numbers, but has, if it has a blade at all
it’s just as intense. and so on. Helping the player
develop their Heart in the
After you have your setting and context of the scenario.
the definition of Heart set, you
need a title and hook. A title Next, describe how acts are
should be something unique and going to work and how they will
should make clear what the game be separated. Acts are an
is about. A hook is a short important way to create and tell
description of the scenario, a the story in pieces of micro
way to sell what it’s about in fiction, making the play
the shortest way possible in one somewhat episodic like an anime
sentence or two. or a TV series. Separate them
between moments where you have
Next, describe the setting and your Heart and those where you
describe the ways it can be don’t if it feels your setting.
explored by the players. Make
lists of adjectives for them to Make each act a place to tell a
choose from, something that does short story that is a part of a
affect the rules, it merely larger one. Write some questions
gives the players a north on that should be asked by the end
what it looks and what it feels of every act to the players,
like. Also open-ended questions things they should strive

⬥152⬥ Making Your Own

towards that gives them exp for
each that they answer yes to.

Presets are both different ways

to use the Scenario without
having to create a world
yourself, but also to show the
people who will be creating
their own setting how the
Scenario you’re making can be
explored.

Main NPCs examples are good ways

to give players a sense of how
to build their characters by
using the playbooks that aren’t
in play.

Seasons are good examples of how

longer over arching stories
could work in your scenario. A
fight against a villain, a group
of villains, solving a larger
problem, investigating a murder.
These are all good examples of
things to add to your play to
make the game more interesting
and engaging for the players.
Longer conflicts to be solved as
the players go ahead, solving
smaller ones and working towards
their bigger goal.

You may also write custom moves

for your scenario. Things that
will often be happening that
could be implemented as part of
the gameplay. You can look at
the section dedicated for custom
moves on page 148 for more
reference.

Making Your Own ⬥153⬥

 Index
A
Acts..........................................................28
Advancements..............................................26, 27
Agenda......................................................8-10
Narrator Agenda.........................................130-137
Armor.........................................................20

B
Background...........................................23, 24, 128
Belonging.................................................11, 12
Broken Hearts.........................................25, 26, 62

C
Conditions.........................................19, 20, 59-61

D
Death.........................................................21

E
Example of Play. .11, 16, 24, 36, 38, 40-42, 44, 46, 47, 51, 52,
54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 131, 138-141
Experience................................................26, 27

F
Forward.......................................................22

H
Hacking..................................................148-153
Harm..........................................................20
Healing.......................................................21
Hearts.............................7, 17, 18, 25, 26, 51, 52, 66
Hold..........................................................22

M
Moves.....................................................15, 16
Basic Moves..............................................32, 33
Burn Bridges...........................................43, 44
Defend Someone.........................................37, 38

⬥154⬥ Making Your Own

 Do Something Risky.....................................45, 46
Engage in Conflict......................................34-36
Read a Person..........................................41, 42
Soothe a Heart.........................................47, 48
Throw Your Charm.......................................39, 40
Downtime Moves...........................................64, 65
Connect With Your Heart....................................66
Get in a Fight.........................................68, 69
Indulge....................................................70
Investigate................................................67
Rest.......................................................72
Take a Leap of Faith.......................................71
Vent.......................................................73
Extra Moves..............................................49, 50
Conditions..............................................59-61
Intimacy Moves.........................................57, 58
Last Stand.................................................62
Pulling Strings........................................53, 54
Ready Your Heart.......................................51, 52
Reroll.....................................................63
Tempt..................................................55, 56
Narrator Moves..........................................137-143

N
Non Heart Weapons.............................................26
NPCs............................................23, 24, 145, 146

O
Ongoing.......................................................22

P
Play..........................................................29
Playbooks..................................................74-76
Dreadnought...............................................77-81
Foesworn..................................................82-86
Fool......................................................87-90
Frozen....................................................91-94
Hero......................................................95-99
Lover...................................................100-103
Outsider................................................104-108
Spider..................................................109-112
Storm...................................................113-117
Vampire.................................................118-122

Making Your Own ⬥155⬥

S
Safety Tools..............................................12, 13
Scenarios......................................................7
Scenes................................................10, 27, 28
Seasons.......................................................29
Season Advancements.......................................29-31
Sessions......................................................28
Stats.....................................................16, 17
Pulse....................................17, 22, 23, 47, 62, 63
Strings...................................18, 19, 23, 53-55, 145

T
Tags......................................................24, 25

V
Vulnerable....................................................22

⬥156⬥ Making Your Own