<< rules:damage ^ rules:start ^ rules:armor >> # 😰 Managing Stress **Stress** represents mental focus, emotional endurance, and spiritual resilience. It is a **pressure mechanic** — building as you push yourself. If it gets too high, it can lead to damage or breakdown. --- ## ⚖️ What Is Stress? - Stress is a **measure** of how much pressure you're under that rises when you **strain your focus or willpower** - If Stress is at **maximum**, and you gain more: - You take **1 HP damage** per point you **cannot mark** - You may suffer a **Stress Break** (GM discretion) Most characters begin with **5 Stress boxes** Some feature cards may increase or reduce this number --- ## 📈 Gaining Stress You gain Stress from: - Using powers or features that **require it** - Choosing to **absorb damage** (see optional rule below) - Failing Resistance Checks or enduring fear, magic, or trauma - Pushing yourself beyond your limits (GM discretion) Stress reflects **mental and emotional strain**, not just fear. Even brave or disciplined characters accumulate Stress. --- ## 🔥 Abilities That Use Stress Some **feature cards** allow you to **mark or gain Stress** to: - **Reroll** a failed Aspect Check - **Boost** an ally’s Team Action - **Avoid** a condition or negative effect - **Fuel** a Domain ability **Example:** - **Berserker** – Gain 1 Stress to deal **+2 damage** - **Sorcerer** – Gain 2 Stress to **amplify or recover** a spell - **Monk** – Remove 1 Stress if you end your turn **without taking damage** - Rewrite these examples to refer to Domains instead of classes/archetypes - Rewrite the outer list to refer to finalized options You may only use Stress **if a card explicitly allows it**. --- ## 💥 When Stress Is Maxed If you gain Stress while full: - Take **1 HP of damage** per point you **cannot add** - GM may describe a **Stress Break** — panic, hesitation, emotional collapse, etc. Stress damage **bypasses armor** and cannot be resisted. Resistances and Immunities do not apply. --- ## 🧘 Reducing Stress Stress clears slowly unless you have special features: | Method | Effect | |---------------|------------------| | **Quick Rest** | Remove **1 Stress** | | **Feature Card** | Often removes Stress conditionally | | **Roleplay** (optional) | The GM may allow recovery for moments of calm, success, or introspection | --- ## 🧪 Optional Rule: Absorb Damage with Stress This optional rule allows more flexible defense at a cost: > When you would lose **1 HP**, you may instead gain **2 Stress** to avoid the injury. - If this pushes you **past your Stress limit**, the excess becomes **damage** - The GM may require **narrative justification** (e.g., mental resolve, divine shield, etc.) This rule adds a **high-risk**, **high-agency** option for surviving tough fights. --- ## 🎯 Tracking Stress Stress should be **visible and tactile** — use: - Checkboxes on the character sheet - Beads, coins, or sliders on the table This keeps mental strain **front of mind** for all players. --- ## 🔗 Related Pages - 🩸 [[rules:damage|Damage]] — When and how injury happens - 💊 [[rules:resting|Resting]] — How to recover HP or conditions - 🤝 [[rules:team_actions|Team Actions]] — Boost allies and share the burden