Structured Play
Exodus NDS distinguishes between narrative play, free-form roleplay and low-stakes action resolved by simple checks, and structured play, used when timing and sequence matter: combat, chases, high-stakes infiltrations, and similar situations.
The GM calls for structured play when the order of actions matters, when multiple parties are in active conflict, or when failure to act in time would itself have consequences.
Structured Turns
Structured play proceeds in rounds. Each round, every participant takes a turn. On their turn, a character may:
- Take one Action — a significant activity requiring a check or meaningful effort
- Take up to two Maneuvers — minor activities that support or set up an action
A character may take one Maneuver freely. A second Maneuver costs either the character's Action or 2 Strain. They may never take more than two Maneuvers in one turn.
Quick Actions — talking briefly, dropping an item, glancing around, do not cost actions or maneuvers but should be brief and reasonable. The GM has final authority on what qualifies as a Quick Action. See the Quick Actions section below for full details.
Initiative
At the start of structured play, each participant makes an Initiative check. Use Savvy + Perception when the character is on watch, prepared, or had warning. Use Willpower + Readiness when the character is surprised, ambushed, or forced to react under sudden pressure. Results are ranked by net Successes.
Initiative slots are divided into player slots and GM slots based on who rolled them. Within each round, players and GM alternate claiming slots in ranked order. Players choose which character acts in each player slot; the GM chooses for each GM slot. Ties between a player slot and a GM slot favor the players. Ties within the same side (player or GM) are resolved in any order chosen by that side.
Initiative order remains fixed between rounds unless a specific ability or effect changes it. Universes may replace these Initiative pairings when the genre calls for different readiness skills.
Initiative Example
Rana and Kael face two raiders. Rana rolls 3 net Successes, Raider A rolls 2, Kael rolls 1, and Raider B rolls 1. The ranked slots are: player, GM, player, GM. Kael and Raider B tied, so the player slot ranks before the GM slot. On the first player slot, the players choose whether Rana or Kael acts; on the GM slot, the GM chooses which raider acts. The same slot order repeats each round, but either side may choose a different eligible character for its own slot.
Surprise
Surprise changes which Initiative check applies; it does not normally create a free round or automatically remove a character's first turn. A surprised character rolls Willpower + Readiness. If a character is completely unaware and has no plausible chance to react, the GM may also add Bane Dice, start the character out of position, deny prepared equipment, or apply another immediate fictional consequence.
Range and Positioning
Exodus NDS assumes an abstract range band system unless a Universe specifies otherwise.
Common range bands include:
- Engaged — within immediate reach (melee)
- Short — across a room or small area
- Medium — across a battlefield
- Long — distant but visible
- Extreme — at the limits of perception or capability
Characters in the Engaged range band are close enough to interact directly, including making melee attacks or physical contact. Moving between Engaged, Short, and Medium costs one Maneuver per band. Moving between Medium and Long, or between Long and Extreme, costs two Maneuvers per band, reflecting the greater distances involved. Terrain and conditions may modify these costs. Universes may replace or expand this system as needed.
Attack Difficulty
Unless a Universe or weapon profile says otherwise, attacks use the following base difficulties:
| Attack | Default Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Melee or Unarmed at Engaged | Average |
| Ranged at Engaged | Easy + 1 Bane Die |
| Ranged at Short | Easy |
| Ranged at Medium | Average |
| Ranged at Long | Hard |
| Ranged at Extreme | Severe |
A weapon's Range lists the bands where it is meant to attack. Attacking beyond the listed range is not normally possible unless the GM allows it; if allowed, add at least 1 Bane Die per band beyond the weapon's listed range or increase the difficulty. Defense, cover, conditions, talents, and situational effects apply after the base difficulty is set.
Unarmed attacks use Might + Unarmed. The default unarmed profile is Damage = Might, Crit 5, Range Engaged, no qualities. Universes may replace this with genre-specific unarmed, natural weapon, or martial arts profiles.
Actions
Actions include, but are not limited to:
- Making an attack
- Using a skill under time pressure
- Activating an ability or power (Universe-defined)
- Aiding an ally (the Assisted Check rules apply)
- Interacting with the environment in a complex way
Maneuvers
Maneuvers include, but are not limited to:
- Moving to a new position or range band
- Drawing, holstering, or readying an item
- Taking cover or dropping prone
- Opening a door, flipping a switch, or similar simple interaction
- Aiming (adds a Boon Die to the next attack this turn)
A character may perform the same Maneuver more than once on their turn, provided it makes sense in the fiction (such as moving twice to cross a large space).
Cover
Cover protects against ranged attacks when it is between the attacker and the target. Light cover adds 1 Ranged Defense. Heavy cover adds 2 Ranged Defense. Cover does not usually protect against melee attacks unless the fiction clearly supports it.
Cover applies only while the character remains behind it. A character who moves out of cover loses its benefit. The GM may reduce or remove cover if the character exposes themselves, is flanked, or the cover is destroyed.
Quick Actions
Quick Actions are minor reflexive activities that require no significant time or effort. Examples include speaking a short phrase, dropping a held item, glancing around a corner, or pressing a simple switch. A character may perform any number of Quick Actions during their turn, at any point before, during, or after their Action and Maneuvers.
Quick Actions cannot substitute for meaningful effort. If an activity requires a check, concentration, or more than a moment of attention, it is an Action or Maneuver instead. Quick Actions also cannot be repeated in rapid succession to generate mechanical advantage, dropping ten items to trigger ten effects, or shouting multiple commands to bypass an Action, are not valid uses. The GM has final authority on what qualifies as a Quick Action.
Example Turn in Structured Play
The following shows one complete player turn and one GM turn, demonstrating how the action economy flows at the table.
The situation: Kael is facing a security officer across a warehouse floor. The officer is at Short range. It is Kael's initiative slot.
Kael's turn.
Kael's player announces a Maneuver to close distance — moving from Short range to Engaged. Kael then uses their Action to attack, rolling their combat pool against Average difficulty. The roll produces 2 and 1 against 1 . After cancellation: 1 net Success, 1 net Boon.
The hit lands. The player spends the Boon to knock the officer off-balance — the GM notes they'll start their turn Disoriented.
As a Quick Action, Kael shouts a warning to her ally across the room. No roll, no cost.
The officer's turn (GM's slot, immediately after).
The officer is Disoriented — he adds one to his pool. He spends his Maneuver to back away to Short range and his Action to return fire. The added Bane cancels one of his Boons. He hits but generates no secondary effects.
The round ends. Both sides have used their slots. A new round begins — initiative order stays the same.
The Economy in Brief
Each turn: 1 Action + 1 Maneuver by default. A second Maneuver costs either your Action or 2 Strain. Universes may offer additional Strain uses or modify this cost.
Combat Boon Spends
Common Boon spends during combat include:
| Cost | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 Boon | Recover 1 Strain if there is no stronger use |
| 1 Boon | Gain a small positional advantage, keep hold of an item, or set up an ally |
| 2 Boons | Inflict a fitting temporary condition, such as Disoriented or Prone |
| 2 Boons | Activate Blast, Burn, Burst, or Stun if the weapon has that quality |
| 2 Boons | Notice an additional detail, danger, or opening |
| Crit rating | Inflict a Critical Injury if the attack uses a weapon with a Crit rating |
| Breakthrough | Inflict a Critical Injury when spent on the attack |
Damage and Resistance
When an attack succeeds, it deals damage. A successful hit deals the weapon's base damage as defined by the Universe. Each additional Success beyond the first adds 1 to that total, the first Success confirms the hit, extras determine how hard it lands.
Resistance reduces damage before it is applied to a character's Wound Points. Resistance equals half Might, rounded up, plus any armor or protection. Damage suffered equals: Damage − Resistance = Wounds suffered (minimum 0)
If a hit deals 0 Wounds after Resistance, it still connects but causes no meaningful injury.
Critical Injuries
A Critical Injury is triggered when:
- A character suffers a hit while already incapacitated
- An attacker spends a Breakthrough on the attack to inflict one
- An attack generates net Boons equal to or greater than the weapon's Critical rating, and those Boons are spent to inflict a Critical Injury
To resolve a Critical Injury: roll percentile dice (d100) and add +10 for each Critical Injury the target already has. Consult the Critical Injury table in the active Universe, or use the default Critical Injury table in the Recovery chapter if no table is available. Each Critical Injury continues adding +10 to future Critical Injury rolls until that specific injury is removed through medical care.
Critical Injuries compound. A character with multiple untreated Critical Injuries is in real danger; removing them should be a recovery priority.
Attack Example
Rana fires a pistol at a guard at Short range. The base difficulty is Easy. Rana has Agility 3 and Ranged 1, so her positive pool is 1 Mastery Die and 2 Ability Dice. The guard has Ranged Defense 1 from cover, so Rana adds 1 Bane Die.
The roll leaves 2 net Successes and 1 net Boon. The first Success hits; the second adds +1 damage. If the pistol has Damage 5, the total damage is 6. The guard has Resistance 3, so the guard suffers 3 Wounds. Rana spends the Boon to keep pressure on the guard, giving an ally 1 Boon Die on their next check against him.
Equipment and Weapon Profiles
Equipment belongs to the active Universe. A fantasy kingdom, a diesel-punk war story, a modern thriller, and a space opera may all use the same core rules while offering very different tools.
The core rules do not use a fixed technology-age ladder. Swords, bows, firearms, powered armor, and energy blades can all exist in the same Universe if the fiction supports them. Instead, Universes should describe where an item belongs using plain availability and context.
Common equipment tags include:
| Tag | Use |
|---|---|
| Common | Widely available to ordinary people in the Universe. |
| Restricted | Legal, social, or institutional permission is required. |
| Military | Intended for soldiers, security forces, or organized conflict. |
| Rare | Difficult to find, expensive, lost, or culturally limited. |
| Prototype | Experimental, unstable, unique, or not broadly available. |
| Relic | Old, sacred, historical, alien, magical, or otherwise exceptional. |
Weapons normally use the following profile:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Damage | Base damage dealt on a successful hit before additional Successes. |
| Range | The range bands where the weapon is effective. |
| Critical | The number of net Boons that must be spent to inflict a Critical Injury. Often abbreviated Crit. A Breakthrough may also be spent to inflict one. |
| Qualities | Special rules such as Accurate, Blast, Burn, Burst, Defensive, Inaccurate, Limited Ammo, Overheat, Pierce, Slow-Firing, Stun, or Vicious. |
| Availability | Common, Restricted, Military, Rare, Prototype, Relic, or a Universe-specific tag. |
Armor and protection normally list:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Resistance Bonus | Added to Resistance after half Might is calculated. |
| Defense | Added to Melee Defense, Ranged Defense, or both. |
| Qualities | Special rules such as bulky, sealed, powered, reflective, ablative, or Universe-specific effects. |
| Availability | How easy the item is to acquire in the Universe. |
Common Weapon Qualities
These qualities are genre-neutral examples. Universes may rename, remove, or replace them.
| Quality | Effect |
|---|---|
| Accurate X | Add X Boon Dice to attacks made with the weapon. |
| Blast X | Spend 2 Boons to deal X damage to other targets Engaged with the original target. |
| Burn X | Spend 2 Boons to ignite or afflict the target; the target suffers X Wounds at the start of each of its turns. The target or an Engaged ally may spend an Action to end Burn. The GM may require an Easy or Average check if the fire, acid, corruption, or other effect is especially severe. |
| Burst X | Spend 2 Boons to hit one additional target within range for X damage, before Resistance. |
| Defensive X | Add X Melee Defense while the item is readied and usable. |
| Inaccurate X | Add X Bane Dice to attacks made with the weapon. |
| Limited Ammo X | The item can be used X times before it must be reloaded, recharged, replaced, or resupplied. |
| Overheat | If the attack generates 2 or more Banes or a Calamity, the weapon overheats, jams, vents, or becomes unsafe until an Action is spent clearing it. |
| Pierce X | Ignore X points of Resistance. |
| Slow-Firing X | After attacking, the weapon cannot be fired again for X rounds or until X appropriate actions are spent readying it. |
| Stun X | Spend 2 Boons to inflict X Strain instead of or in addition to the weapon's normal effect, as defined by the weapon. |
| Vicious X | Add +X to Critical Injury rolls caused by the weapon. |
Crit appears on the weapon profile, not as a weapon quality. See Critical Injuries for how Crit ratings are spent.
Wound Points and Strain Points
Characters have two damage tracks:
Wounds represent physical injury. When a character's total accumulated Wounds meet or exceed their Wound Points, they are incapacitated, unconscious, helpless, or otherwise out of the fight until current Wounds fall below Wound Points.
Strain represents mental and physical exertion — stress, fatigue, and pushing beyond limits. When accumulated Strain meets or exceeds the Strain Points, the character is also incapacitated. Characters may voluntarily suffer Strain to gain minor advantages. The default core use is suffering 2 Strain to take a second Maneuver instead of giving up an Action. Universes may offer additional Strain uses or modify this cost.
Strain damage does not subtract Resistance unless a specific effect says otherwise. Minions and Elites do not have Strain Points; when they suffer Strain damage, convert it to Wounds at a rate of 1 Strain = 1 Wound.
Conditions
The following conditions are universal. Universes may add additional conditions or modify these.
Staggered — The character cannot perform Actions this turn. They may still take Maneuvers. Staggered ends at the start of the character's next turn unless a specific effect says otherwise.
Disoriented — Add one Bane Die to all checks the character makes. Disoriented ends at a time specified by the effect that caused it.
Immobilized — The character cannot perform Maneuvers that involve movement. They may still act in place.
Prone — The character is on the ground. Ranged attacks against them add one Bane Die. Melee attacks against them add one Boon Die. Standing up costs one Maneuver.
Silenced — The character cannot speak or communicate vocally. Relevant checks that require communication automatically fail.
Restrained — The character is physically bound, pinned, grappled, or otherwise held in place. They are Immobilized and add 1 Bane Die to checks that require free movement until they escape or the restraint ends.
Bleeding — The character suffers ongoing Wounds at the time specified by the effect that caused Bleeding. If no amount is listed, suffer 1 Wound at the start of each turn. An Action and an Average Medicine check, or other appropriate aid, ends Bleeding.
Burning — The character suffers ongoing Wounds from fire, acid, corruption, or a similar effect. The amount is defined by the effect that caused Burning. The character or an Engaged ally may spend an Action to end Burning; the GM may require an Easy or Average check if the source is severe.
Hidden — The character is not currently detected by a relevant observer. Attacks against a Hidden character add 1 Bane Die, and the Hidden character may add 1 Boon Die to their first attack or escape check made from concealment. Hidden ends when the character reveals themselves, attacks, makes obvious noise, or is discovered.
Conditions do not stack unless explicitly stated. Applying the same condition multiple times extends its duration rather than increasing its effect. If a condition does not specify a duration, it lasts until the end of the affected character's next turn.