Stress represents a character’s mental focus, emotional endurance, and spiritual resilience. It is used to fuel powerful abilities, resist overwhelming effects, or mitigate harm. However, if stress builds too high, it can lead to breakdowns or direct injury.

• Stress is a temporary resource that builds up over time and is cleared gradually.
• Certain actions or effects may cause you to gain Stress, while others may spend Stress for extra benefits.
• If you gain Stress while at your maximum, you take 1 HP of damage per excess point.

===== Gaining Stress ===== You gain Stress from:

• Using certain abilities or powers (as described on feature cards)
• Choosing to reduce incoming damage severity
• Failing saving throws or facing intense fear, pain, or magical pressure
• Pushing your body beyond safe limits (as determined by the GM)

===== Spending Stress ===== You can spend Stress to:

• Reroll a failed Aspect Check (1 Stress)
• Boost a teammate’s roll as a Team Action (2 Stress)
• Avoid a status effect (1 Stress)
• Fuel a powerful Domain ability (variable)

The effect and cost of spending Stress is always defined by the specific action or card being used.

===== When Stress Is Maxed ===== If your Stress bar is full and you gain more Stress:

• You take 1 HP damage per additional Stress that cannot be marked.
• The GM may optionally describe a Stress Break (loss of composure, panic, hesitation).

• Quick Rest – recover 1 point of Stress.
• Respite (Long Rest) – recover all Stress?
• Some Domains allow special recovery methods (e.g., meditation, communion, rage release).

===== Optional: Armor and Stress ===== If you're using Armor Slots, you may choose to:

• Mark 1 armor slot instead of gaining 1 Stress.
• Once all slots are marked, further strain must result in Stress or HP loss.

===== Tracking Stress ===== Stress should be tracked visibly using checkboxes or tokens. Most characters will have 5 Stress boxes by default, but Domain cards may adjust this.

• Berserker: Spend 1 Stress to deal +2 damage on a melee hit.
• Sorcerer: Spend 2 Stress to regain a spell use or amplify an effect.
• Monk: Recover 1 Stress if you end your turn without taking damage.