Energy

Energy is used to fuel specific character actions. Depending on the scenecheckcombat scene, Energy is used for:

• Abilities! This is one of the most common uses for energy. When prompted, you can use multiple energy for an ability.
• Passing a low-effort check! If an check is decided by the GM to take little effort or be very easy, they can instead ask you to spend one energy to allow you to pass the check without rolling.
• Gaining additional quick actions! One energy gives you an additional quick action. Two energy give you an additional complex action.
• Determining Initiative! The amount of energy you have at the start of a round determines when you act.
• And Finally... how much nonlethal damage they take before they fall unconscious .

Using and Regaining Energy

Energy is used for the actions listed above and regained as part of Resting. When all energy is spent, the character can no longer use the actions listed above and is at great risk of falling unconscious if they attempt to use more energy or are attacked.

Falling Unconscious

A character falls unconscious as a result of reaching zero energy due to an attack. For the mental save: On crit pass, they regain full energy and do not fall unconscious; on pass, they regain half their energy and do not fall unconscious; on half pass, they do not regain energy and fall prone; on fail, the character falls unconscious; on crit fail, the character falls unconscious, and when the character awakens, they gain the exhaustion (if they had none already) status effect.

When a character falls unconscious, they can wake back up with the help action given by a fellow player or after the current scene comes to a close. When a Player reaches zero energy, they must make a mental save against gaining the unconscious status effect if a target attacks their character's energy with a nonlethal attack.

Energy and Initiative

In a Combat Scene a player character's amount of energy determines their initiative; the greater the amount, the sooner a player character gets to act. The character or NPC with the greatest energy value acts first.

The amount of energy a player character has will change depending on how they use their energy as noted above. At the end of a round—(or when remembered), a player should report to the GM their new energy value to see if they go later in the initiative order.

Using Corruption

As noted in Corruption: By a player willingly choosing and taking a point of corruption, a player character can regain all health, remove all energy debt and regain full energy, remove all status effects, and regain all resolve die. This is a free action, does not cost energy, and therefore can be done at anytime. -- GMs, this is a powerful tool, can disincline a party to rest, and can make any after-scenario rewards pale in comparison, but bear in mind that Corruption is near incurable. Narratively, it is an occupational hazard of all adventurers.