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🧭 The Action Economy

This page explains how characters take actions during combat and exploration, and how the 🌀 Action Load system regulates pacing and decision-making.

⚙️ What Counts as an Action?

Any meaningful use of effort, skill, or power is an action. This includes:

  • 🗡️ Attacking with a weapon or unarmed strike
  • ✨ Casting a spell
  • 🧗 Performing a task (e.g., lockpicking, climbing)
  • 🃏 Using a feature or ability that requires a roll
  • 🤝 Assisting another character (see Team Actions)

Most actions are listed on feature cards, spells, or Domain abilities, each of which states:

  • The Aspect it uses
  • Its Action Cost (usually 1 or more)

🌀 Action Load Recap

At the start of your turn, set your Action Load to 0 - Action Point Bonus. (This may be modified by conditions like Exhaustion.)

When you take an action:

  1. Identify the Aspect tied to the action
  2. Subtract your Action Load from the Aspect’s value
  3. If the result is greater than or equal to the Action Cost, you may take the action
  4. Perform the action and add its Cost to your Action Load

Repeat as long as your current Aspect values allow it.

🗂️ Types of Actions

Just like other RPGs, actions come in several forms:

🔖 Type ⏱️ Typical Cost 📝 Examples
Major 2 or more Attacks, big spells, special moves
Minor 0 or 1 Utility effects, simple spells
Free 0 Speaking briefly, dropping an item

Some cards may also have non-Load costs, such as marking a Stress point. These will be explained on the card or feature.

🔁 Acting on Other Turns

You may act outside your turn if:

  • You have remaining dice in the relevant Aspect
  • The action is valid in context (e.g., a counter, a parry, or aid)

These use the same rules:

  • Subtract current Action Load from the Aspect value
  • If the result is greater than zero, you can act
  • Add the action’s cost to your Action Load

📝 Tip: Unlike in D&D, you’re not limited to one reaction per round. Act as often as your remaining Aspect capacity allows.

⏹️ Ending Your Turn

You may end your turn at any time, even if you still have actions left.

Why end early?

  • 🛡️ Save capacity for interrupts or reactions
  • 🤝 Be ready for Team Actions
  • 🧠 Plan for combos on your next turn when Load resets

⚡ Gaining More Actions

Some features and Domains may:

  • 🌀 Ignore Action Load under specific conditions
  • 💰 Reduce an action’s cost
  • 🔁 Provide free follow-up or combo actions

Each of these is written clearly on the card or rule it comes from.

🧠 Tactical Planning

Managing your Action Load is a major part of tactical play.

You might:

  • 💡 Use low-cost actions to stay mobile or responsive
  • 🛡️ Hold back for critical defensive moves
  • 🎯 Delay part of your plan until the next round resets your Load

🔎 Tip: Consider your whole round and likely enemy actions when choosing how much to commit. Sometimes, doing less this turn lets you do more later.

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