Who am I? Activities

"It's not who you are underneath, but what you do that defines you." – Batman Begins

It is not the intent of this document to list activities an entity may or may not perform. Presets vary according to the world setting and are provided separately.

This section abstracts from the activities themselves and categorizes them so that rules can be defined.

Activity Types

Activities can be categorized into four types:

• Movement: Positioning a controlled entity in the game world.
• Offense: Damage another entity or object.
• Control: Impede movement or otherwise reduce the effectiveness of other entities.
• Support: Restore or increase the effectiveness of entities.

Some activities may have secondary effects that belong to a different type. However, for the purposes of rule evaluation only the primary type of the activity is considered.

Initiative Order

Activities with a duration of 1 tick and belonging to the same type can be performed at most twice per turn. One additional activity of that type is allowed as a reaction per round.

Longer activities (more than 1 tick) can be performed at most once per round as part of turns. Unless otherwise stated, these activities cannot be interrupted to perform other activities in between.

Empowering Points (EP)

Entities at Level 1 or higher gain access to Empowering Points (EP), a resource used to enhance gameplay. EP can be spent to gain bonuses on d20 rolls or unlock additional effects for activities. Empowering Points are obtained as detailed in the Progression section.

Spending Limits

• EP must be spent in advance, before performing any d20 roll or activity.
• Unless otherwise stated, multiple EP can be used on the same roll or activity.
• The total EPs spent per activity cannot exceed half the entity's level, rounded down (minimum 1).
• The total EPs spent per round cannot exceed the entity's level.

Player Empowering

While predefined uses for EP are provided, the true purpose of EP is to empower creativity. Players are encouraged to use EP for unique, complex actions that might otherwise be impossible or carry an extremely high success threshold.

How it works: Players describe the action they wish to attempt. The GM may set a cost in EP or allow the player to propose an amount. Once the cost is determined, it is final – no negotiation is allowed. This ensures smooth and fair gameplay.

EP: Accuracy Boost

An entity may spend up to 5 EP to gain a bonus die on their next d20 roll. Each EP spent increases the size of the added die:

EP Spent	1	2	3	4	5
Bonus Die	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10	1d12

Targets

Some activities require the acting entity to designate a target or area where their effects will be applied.

Additionally, certain activities have extra effects that are applied in the event of a critical rolls. These critical effects are defined on the activity specific rules and are added to the Empowering Points gain as per Degrees of Success and Failure.

• Single Target: The acting entity selects one target. If the activity results in a critical roll, its effects are applied to this target.
• Multi-Target: The acting entity selects a primary target and additional secondary targets within the activity's range. In case of a critical rolls, its effects are applied to the primary target only.
• Area of Effect (AoE): AoE activities define a shape and range that determine their impact area.
  • Radius: The acting entity designates an epicenter, which is a square on the map that may or may not contain an entity. If there is a critical roll and an entity is located at the epicenter, the effects of the critical roll are applied to that entity. If no entity is present, the critical roll effects are lost.
  • Line: Starting from the acting entity, the effect travels in a straight line. If there is a critical roll, the first entity encountered along the line (if any) receives the effects of the critical roll.
  • Cone: Starting from the acting entity, the effect spreads outward in a cone shape. In case of a critical roll, any entity in the first square directly in front of the acting entity receives the effects of the critical roll.

Focus

Activities with the Focus property rely on a renewable pool of Focus Points (FP) to maintain their effects over time.

• Focus activities generally require 2 or more ticks to activate initially and only 1 tick per turn to renew.
• Focus activities cannot be renewed as a Reaction.
• Only one Focus activity can be active at a time. Activating a new Focus activity overrides the current one, replenishing the Focus Point pool to the amount specified by the new activity.

Focus Points

Focus Points are consumed when renewing effects, taking damage, or through time decay:

• Renewing Effects: Spend 1 tick and consume Focus Points equal to the number of targets affected.
• Offense Damage: If the focusing entity is damaged by an Offense activity, lose Focus Points based on the outcome:
  • Marginal Success: -1 Focus Point
  • Success: -2 Focus Points
  • Critical Success: -4 Focus Points
• Time Decay: -1 Focus Point if no ticks are spent to renew the activity during a turn.

Focus Types

• Active Focus: Activities with Active Focus require an additional d20 roll each turn to renew their effects. The roll follows the rules defined by the activity type or the specific activity. Only targets still affected at the start of the focusing entity's turn can continue to be affected.
• Passive Focus: Activities with Passive Focus are automatically maintained without requiring a roll. Targets can be changed freely, unless the activity specifies otherwise.

Movement

Movement is measured in squares per tick.

Base Speed

Each entity has a base movement speed. Under normal, unimpeded conditions, Level 0 characters can move 3 squares per tick. Starting at Level 1, this increases to 4 squares per tick.

Partial Movement

An entity can interrupt its Movement activity to perform a different activity and then resume moving, provided it still has remaining movement speed.

Initiative Order

During Initiative Order, entities can dedicate up to two ticks per turn to the Movement activity. Additionally, one extra tick per round can be spent as a Reaction to move, but only at the end of another entity's turn.

Can You Scooch?

An entity must end its turn or reaction in a square that is not occupied by another entity (regardless of size) or by a medium or larger object. While performing an activity and as long as movement remains, an entity can temporarily share a square with an ally. During this time, both the entity and ally suffer a 1d4 malus on their d20 rolls.

Passing Through

An entity may attempt to move through a square occupied by a non-allied entity. To do so, the acting entity must perform a Strength or Finesse roll. The result is compared to the non-allied entity's Physical Defense, calculated as their Constitution plus any protection or defense modifiers.

• Failure: The acting entity cannot move through the square and their movement speed is reduced by 1 square for that tick.
• Critical Failure: The acting entity loses all remaining movement for that tick.

If the attempt involves moving diagonally between two non-allied entities, the non-allied entities work together to block the path. In this case:

• The acting entity's roll is penalized with a d6 malus.
• The result is compared to the highest Physical Defense of the two non-allied entities.

EP: Sprint

An entity may spend at most 1 EP to gain 1 additional square of movement speed during the current tick.

EP: Evasive Maneuver

An entity may spend up to 3 EP when leaving melee combat to reduce the accuracy of any Offense activity d20 roll against them during this movement. For each EP spent, reduce the roll by 1d6.

Context-related Rules

The following movement rules apply to specific situations. These effects stack with each other and may reduce the movement speed to 0, effectively preventing movement.

High-Effort

Movement that demands additional effort – such as crawling, swimming, or climbing – reduce the speed by at least 1 square per tick. In some cases, a d20 roll might be required to succeed. If a roll is needed, the speed reduction may depend on the roll's result.

Sneaking

Moving stealthily builds upon the guidelines described for hiding under different light conditions and sets additional movement-based rules: - 2 squares per tick speed reduction*: No modifier to the Finesse roll. - 1 square per tick speed reduction: Apply a 1d6 malus to the Finesse roll. - No speed reduction**: Apply a 1d12 malus to the Finesse roll.

Difficult Terrain

Unstable or slick surfaces impose penalties to movement. Speed is reduced by at least 1 square per tick, with 2 squares per tick being the most common reduction.

Offense

The Offense activity is used whenever an entity attempts to damage another entity or object.

Damage Types

Echoes distinguishes three damage types, each interacting with a specific target defense:

• Kinetic Damage: Caused by physical force applied directly to a target, such as cuts or impacts.
  It is typically countered by the target's Physical Defense score.
• Energy Damage: Resulting from various non-physical forces such as heat, cold, or electricity.
  It is typically countered by the target's Physical Defense score.
• Psychic Damage: Affects the mind, emotions, or the spiritual essence of the target.
  It is typically countered by the target's Mental Defense score.

Combat vs Entity

When performing an Offense activity, follow these steps:

1. Choose a Target: The acting entity selects a target entity or area as per Targets rules.
2. Roll to Attack: The acting entity rolls a d20, incorporating bonus and malus dice (if any), Empowered Accuracy (if any), and the appropriate attribute modifier as dictated by the specific activity. Typically, attribute modifiers are applied as follows:
   • Strength for melee attacks involving weapons.
   • Finesse for ranged attacks involving weapons and some melee attacks requiring precision.
   • Cognition for all attacks not involving weapons (e.g., spells), whether melee or ranged.
3. Determine the Defense Type: Identify the defense type that counters the Offense activity based on its damage type: Physical Defense for Kinetic and Energy damage, Mental Defense for Psychic damage.

4. Determine the Outcome: The result is compared to the target's Defense, which equals either Constitution or Willpower, plus any protection or defense modifiers. For Multi-Target or AoE attacks, resolve the roll separately for each affected entity.

   • Critical Failure (Natural 1): The attempt automatically fails regardless of modifiers.
   • Failure: The total score misses the Defense by 2 or more. (Roll ≤ D-2)
   • Marginal Success: The total score meets the Defense or misses by 1. (D-1 ≤ Roll ≤ D)
   • Success: The total score beats the Defense. (Roll > D)
   • Critical Success (Natural 20): The attempt automatically succeeds regardless of modifiers.

5. Apply the Effects: Apply the effects corresponding to the outcome as detailed by the specific activity.

Combat vs Object

The mechanics for attacking an object are similar to Combat vs Entity, with the following key differences:

• Kinetic Damage: Determine the outcome comparing the roll to attack against the Physical Resistance score of the object.
• Energy Damage: Efficacy depends on the materials the object is made of. The Success Threshold is determined on a case by case by the GM.
• Psychic Damage: Immune, no damage can be dealt.
• On any Success: Add one Wear to the object for each 15 HP of damage dealt (min 1).

EP: Amplified Strike

A player character can spend one or more Empowering Points (EP) to enhance the potency of their attack. For each EP spent, add one die of the same damage type to the damage roll. If the roll results in a Critical Success, these additional damage dice are doubled.

Control

The Control activity is used whenever an entity attempts to impede movement or diminish the capabilities of other entities by applying restrictive conditions.

Control activities can involve either physical efforts (e.g. grappling or pushing) or abilities that force a target to perform (or refrain from) certain actions.

The results of Control activities are immediate effects or lingering conditions that affect the target. Control activities that impose a lingering condition cost at least 2 ticks when there are first performed.

Physical

When performing a Control activity requiring physical effort, such as a grapple or push, follow these steps:

1. Choose a Target: The acting entity selects a single target entity.
2. Roll to Control: The acting entity rolls a d20, applying bonus and malus dice (if any), Empowered Accuracy (if any), and either the Strength or Finesse modifier, as dictated by the specific activity.
3. Determine Size Difference: If the entities are of different sizes, calculate the Size Difference (see I.4) and add (or subtract) as many d6 dice to the acting entity roll.
4. Determine the Outcome: The result is compared to the target's Physical Defense, which equals their Constitution plus any protection or defense modifiers.
5. Apply the Effects: Apply the effects corresponding to the outcome as detailed by the specific activity. The GM may assign additional effects based on the narrative and degree of success.

Break Free

On their turn, a target affected by a lingering Physical Control condition may use at most one tick to attempt to break free of its effects. The Break Free activity is considered a Physical Control activity with roles reversed.

Forced

Control abilities (e.g. spells) can impose conditions on one or more targets. Objects cannot be affected unless explicitly stated. Forced Control activities often have the Active Focus property. To execute a Forced Control activity, follow these steps:

1. Choose a Target: The acting entity selects a target entity or area as per Targets rules.
2. Roll to Control: The acting entity rolls a d20, applying bonus and malus dice (if any), Empowered Accuracy (if any), and the relevant attribute modifier (usually Cognition or Influence).

3. Determine the Outcome: The result is compared to the target's Mental Defense, which equals their Willpower plus any protection or defense modifiers. For Multi-Target or AoE attacks, resolve the roll separately for each affected entity.

   • Critical Failure (Natural 1): The attempt automatically fails regardless of modifiers.
   • Failure: The total score misses the Mental Defense by 2 or more. (Roll ≤ MD-2)
   • Marginal Success: The total score meets the Mental Defense or misses by 1. (MD-1 ≤ Roll ≤ MD).
     In case of focused property, the target is affected until the end of their next turn.
   • Success: The total score beats the Mental Defense. (Roll > MD).
     In case of focused property, the target is affected until the end of the acting entity next turn.
   • Critical Success (Natural 20): The attempt automatically succeeds regardless of modifiers.
     In case of focused property, the target is affected until the end of the acting entity next turn, and the acting entity gains a 1d8 bonus on their turn to renew the Forced Control condition on the primary target determined as per Targets rules.

Focus

During their next turn, the acting entity may spend at most one tick to renew Forced Control conditions on affected targets. The renewed activity retains all the Focused effects of the original one, including Empowered effects without requiring additional EP. The Focus activity is considered a Forced Control activity and uses the same rules to determine the outcome.

EP: Distraction

When performing a Forced Control activity, a player may spend 1 EP to ensure a minor effect on failure. Adjust the outcomes as follows:

• Failure: The total score misses the Mental Defense by 2 or more. The target next d20 roll is reduced by 2.

Support

The Support activity is used whenever an entity attempts to restore or increase the effectiveness of themselves or other entities. To perform a Support activity, select a target entity or area as per Targets rules. Some Support activities may have objects instead of entities as their target.

Support activities can provide a one-off effect, a Focused one (generally Passive) or both.

Focus

During their next turn, the acting entity may spend at most one tick to renew Support conditions and effects on the same or new targets determined as per Targets rules. The renewed activity retains all the Focused effects of the original one, including Empowered effects without requiring additional EP. The Focus activity is considered a Support activity.

Social Encounters

Social Encounters are fundamental role-playing opportunities that allow players to engage with NPCs or each other in meaningful ways. These encounters should focus on creative problem-solving, negotiation, and storytelling rather than dice rolls.

Dice rolls can be used when external forces, such as the Charm condition, are at play or to introduce an element of randomization.

Social rolls fall into two main categories based on the attribute being used:

• Influence Roll: These are used when a source entity is trying to persuade, deceive or otherwise influence a target entity.
• Cognition Roll: These are used when a source entity is attempting to understand the intentions, motivations, or true feelings of a target entity.

The GM sets the success threshold for these rolls, considering the complexity of the situation and the traits of the entities involved.

Cognition Critical Rolls

Critical successes and failures in Cognition Rolls during social encounters do not award Empowering Points. A critical success adds +2 to the result.

Player vs Player Interactions

When both the source entity and target entity are player characters, the focus should be on fostering character development and interpersonal growth throughout the campaign. Rolls should be avoided unless all involved players agree. In such cases, only Cognition Rolls are permitted, with the following rules:

• Success Threshold: The target player sets the Success Threshold before the roll. This threshold must be communicated openly to the group or privately to the GM.
• Threshold Limits: The Success Threshold cannot be lower than 10 + Influence of the target character (Min Threshold) or higher than 25 + Influence (Max Threshold) of the target character. If the target player believes the threshold should fall outside these limits, a roll is likely unnecessary.

Threshold Guidelines

The target player can tweak the difficulty of the challenge to reflect their character's disposition and the situation at hand. Use the table below as a guideline to set the Success Threshold:

Difficulty	Easy = Min	Moderate	Hard	Very Hard = Max
Success Threshold	10 + Influence	15 + Influence	20 + Influence	25 + Influence