RPiM [Private]

[Solana]

Advantages & Drawbacks

All positive and negative modifiers to checks (such as using an appropriate tool, or conversely, suffering from a disadvantageous condition) are represented by the GM applying Advantages and Drawbacks to the check's 2d6 roll result. A check may have any number of Advantages and Drawbacks.

Advantages and Drawbacks first cancel each other out. For example, if a character has two Advantages and one Drawback on a particular check, they effectively have one Advantage (as one Advantage and one Drawback cancel each other out, leaving one Advantage remaining).

Advantages increase the 2d6 result by one step, up to the maximum possible 2d6 result (12).

Drawbacks decrease the result of the 2d6 result by one step, down to the minimum possible 2d6 result (2).

For example, if a character has a 2d6 roll of 10 with three Advantages, they can only increase the result by two, up to 12 (effectively 'wasting' the third Advantage; it would have increased the result to 13, which is above the highest possible 2d6 result, and is thus disregarded). By the same token, if a character has a 2d6 roll of 3 with two Drawbacks, they can only decrease the result by one, to 2 (effectively 'negating' the second Drawback; it would have decreased the result to 1, which is below the lowest possible 2d6 result, and is thus disregarded).

It is important to consider the approach characters take to each individual Scene, as past actions in a Scene can add Advantages and / or Drawbacks to future checks. In this way, the tactics and strategy employed by a group of characters can help or hinder them as a Scene progresses.

[Solana]

Acting In Harmony

When characters work together on the same check, they are acting in Harmony. Acting in Harmony can allow a group working together to accomplish something that no single member of that group could accomplish on their own.

Characters acting in Harmony are considered to be a single character for the purposes of the check, and use the best possible elements of each involved character to try to achieve success. For example, a group of characters acting in Harmony might use one character's Attribute score, another character's Skill, and an Edge possessed by a third character.

Characters acting in Harmony do not 'stack' any aspects of their characters; they instead choose the best available options for making the check.

For example, if two characters acting in Harmony have the same Edge granting a +2 to the check, they do not get a total of +4; they only get the single +2 bonus. In addition, any abilities which override or upgrade a certain benefit (such as one Edge awarding a +1, and its "Improved" version upgrading that bonus to a +2) only award the highest benefit (instead of gaining +1 and +2, the characters acting in Harmony only gain the +2 for the "Improved" Edge).

When a group of characters attempts a check and are acting in Harmony, they designate one character to be the leader for the purposes of the check. This character is the one who actually makes the check (rolling the d6's). However, when this leader rolls the d6's of the check, they add a +1 bonus to the check result for each character acting in Harmony, including themselves.

For example, four characters are acting in Harmony for a check. They decide on a leader for the check. The leader makes the check as the 'combined character' of all four participants, and also adds +4 to the check result (+1 for each character acting in Harmony; four participants yields a +4 bonus) above and beyond what the 'combined character' would normally be entitled to.

If, for any reason, characters acting in Harmony are dealt damage, they may split up the damage as they choose amongst themselves. In addition, if they spend Valor, any character who is acting in Harmony may spend the Valor (for example, if an Edge one character has requires Valor to use, another character acting in Harmony with them may spend their Valor to allow the use of that Edge).

[Solana]

Damage, Recovery, & Sidelining

Danger to characters in Equestria can come from all angles, be it from a monster attacking from the Everfree Forest, to a bully in Ponyville who just won’t leave them alone. Because of this, characters may take damage to both their physical and emotional state, and damaging either one may be enough to ‘Sideline,’ or temporarily defeat, a character. The toughest soldier may be emotionally sensitive, and the strongest will may come in a physically frail body. This section will explain how characters are harmed, what happens to them as a result of being harmed, and how they recover.


Taking Damage
Dangerous situations can lead to characters taking damage to their Fortitude and Willpower, through physical harm (for Fortitude) or mental / emotional harm (for Willpower). The GM determines the type and severity of the harm being inflicted, which yields a formula for calculating the inflicted damage.

For example, a character doesn’t manage to get out of the way of a charging buffalo. The GM determines that the buffalo hitting the character inflicts ‘Heavy’ physical harm, which is (2d6 + 8) damage to Fortitude. When it is rolled, the results are 3 and 5, plus 8, for a total of 16.


Recovering With Valor
As long as a character’s Fortitude and Willpower totals are above zero, they can spend Valor to recover lost Fortitude and Willpower, up to their maximum. This may be done as either a reaction or an action during a round of Cinematic Mode gameplay, or at any time during Narrative Mode gameplay. In addition, multiple points of Valor may be spent at a time. For every point of Valor a character spends, they recover 1d6 of their own Fortitude and Willpower, or allow a friend to recover 1d6 Fortitude and Willpower. In this way, characters may use Valor to maintain their own levels of Fortitude and Willpower, or may help a friend in need avoid dropping to zero.

For example, a character who has dropped to 5 Fortitude out of their maximum may, by spending 3 points of Valor, recover 3d6 Fortitude and Willpower. They might also have spent 3 points of Valor to recover 3d6 of a friend’s Fortitude and Willpower, or may split the expenditure as 2 points for 2d6 Fortitude and Willpower for themselves and 1 point for 1d6 Fortitude and Willpower for their friend.


Being Sidelined
When either of a character’s Fortitude or Willpower totals reach zero, the character becomes Sidelined, and cannot recover from being Sidelined unless an effect is used which specifically says that they recover from being Sidelined. A Sidelined character cannot take normal actions, and is effectively ‘out of action’ for the duration of a Scene. The only actions a Sidelined character can take are ones granted via Edges (for example, the "Second Wind" Edge allows a character to recover from being Sidelined once per Scene)--otherwise, the GM controls the character until they decide to return control to the player, or until the Scene is over. A character becomes Sidelined according to the situation at hand and whether Fortitude or Willpower was reduced to zero.

For example, a character participating in a joust who runs out of Fortitude might be knocked out or exhausted, whereas a character who is facing a scary monster and runs out of Willpower might be forced to run away in fear. Either are appropriate examples of being Sidelined.

If all characters are Sidelined, the GM may declare that the game is over, or may take the story in a different direction. Being Sidelined isn’t always the end; it may allow for characters to be captured, or for other events to occur in the story while everypony is temporarily incapacitated.


After-Action Recovery
The GM may, after a dangerous Scene is over, restore all Sidelined characters to being actively playable, as well as restoring them to 1 Fortitude and Willpower and get them ‘back on their feet,’ so to speak. In addition, a character may have all (or some, at the GM’s discretion) of their lost Fortitude and Willpower restored by resting, relaxing, or otherwise engaging in ‘focused recovery’ between dangerous Scenes or as a result of other events, at the GM’s discretion.

For example, after the dragon has been sent on its way from Equestria, the GM rules that the Scene is over, and the four characters who were Sidelined are restored to 1 Fortitude and Willpower and recover from being Sidelined. After returning to town, the group takes the opportunity to relax together from their adventure, and the GM rules that this ‘focused recovery’ restores everyone to full Fortitude and Willpower.

[Solana]

Using & Restoring Valor

Valor is a unique resource which characters gain and lose based on their moral behavior and ethical actions, and which they can spend for various purposes. It gives characters who strive to be the ‘good guys’ a tangible benefit for doing so, and helps to promote the central positive themes from the original cartoon series in gameplay. Valor is not an alignment mechanic; characters can be from any and all walks of life, with any kind of view on morality and philosophy, and still make use of the Valor system.


Using Valor
Valor can be spent during gameplay to restore a character’s lost Fortitude and Willpower. This restoration can be used on the character spending the Valor, or on any other character present in the Scene, and multiple points of Valor may be spent at the same time by a character. For every point of Valor a character spends, they may recover 1d6 of their own Fortitude and Willpower (up to their maximum), or allow a friend to recover that amount--and each point, even when spent all at the same time, may be applied to a different character.

Additionally, several Edges give characters other ways to use their Valor points to make use of unique powers and abilities.


Restoring Valor
Whenever a character does (or earnestly attempts) something especially moral or ethical, usually going out of their way or accepting a burden of some kind to do it, or embodying their Guiding Element particularly well, the GM should restore one or more points of spent Valor to that character, up to their maximum.

Whenever a play session or Episode ends, all characters will begin the next play session or Episode with all of their Valor restored.