The action roll is the core roll of the game. When the crew is on a job and a PC attempts a risky action, they make an action roll to determine the outcome.

Risky

"Risky" means the action has a chance of failure. If there's no chance of failure, there's no roll. The PC just does it.

Similarly, if there's no chance of success, the action is impossible. There's no roll, and the PC doesn't do it.

On a Job

Action rolls only occur when the crew is on a job and under pressure. At any other time, all rolls are simpler fortune rolls.

<aside> <img src="/icons/die6_gray.svg" alt="/icons/die6_gray.svg" width="40px" /> To make an action roll:

1. Describe the action the PC takes.
2. Pick an action stat that matches the PC’s in-game action.
3. Start with 1D for each dot marked across that action’s row.
4. Subtract -1D…
   • For every level the target exceeds the crew
   • If the GM says the PC starts in a bad position when attempting this action
   • For every level of harm (minor or moderate) where the PC has 2 boxes marked
5. Add +1D…
   • For every level the crew exceeds this roll’s target
   • If the GM says the PC starts in a good position when attempting this action
   • If the player decides to push or take a devil’s bargain
   • If a crewmate assists the acting PC. The assisting PC says what they do & takes 1 stress
6. Roll the final pool of dice & read the single highest result:
   • 6 is a full success – the action succeeds without any negative consequences
   • 4-5 is a partial success – the action succeeds, but some kind of complication or negative consequence results
   • 1-3 is a failure – the action fails and there’s a negative consequence
   • Multiple 6s are a critical success – the action succeeds and the PC **gets an extra benefit </aside>

Only players make action rolls. If an NPC acts & the outcome is uncertain, the GM has two options:

• If a PC is involved, bake the NPC’s action into a player roll. The PC’s success is the NPC’s failure, and vice-versa. A partial success can be a consequence (or a good outcome) for both.
• If there’s no PC involved, make a simple fortune roll for the NPC.

Subtracting Dice

Adding Dice

Outcomes

<aside> <img src="/icons/pencil_gray.svg" alt="/icons/pencil_gray.svg" width="40px" />

Action rolls are negotiations:

• Players pick what action they roll with. However, the GM must accept that the chosen action matches what they’re doing. A PC can’t say they’re bribing the ambassador and then roll to Attack.
• The GM also says how difficult – and how effective – an action might be. If the player doesn’t like the odds, they can suggest another approach. </aside>

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