Fatal Failure
If your character is completely unlucky, your action may result in a complete failure (often with the opposite effect to the one intended).
The number of ones you rolled (because of the rule of ones) tells you how bad the failure was.
Falling short of the difficulty (opponent) by 10 counts as one extra one.
The effect of a fatal failure is always decided by the GM.
| Number of ones* | Description of failure |
|---|---|
| 1 | Did not occur |
| 2 | Worse than usual failure (e.g. minor injury) |
| 3 | Major problem (roll against severe injury or damage to tools) |
| 4+ | Total Disaster (roll against death or major damage) |
* Falling short by 10 counts as another one
Example
The footpad Kradač tries to open a lock with his lockpick. The GM sets the difficulty of the lock at 10; Kradač has Mechanisms 6. He rolls 1, 1 and 3, which is a total of -3, so his result is 3. He needed at least 10, so he failed. He has two ones, which means the result “Worse than usual”. The GM tells him that he made a noise while picking the lock, which attracted the guards, and Kradač has to run for it.
If he rolled 1,1,1 and 3, his result would be 0 and he would have a big problem. He would probably break his lockpick or cut his hand and have a big penalty to Mechanisms for a week.
With a roll of 1,1,1,1 and 3 he would most likely destroy the lock, break his lockpick, injure himself and summon the guards as well.
Another example
Ultor climbs and fails. On a single 1 nothing happens, he just doesn't make the climb.
On two 1s he falls right at the start and may sprain his ankle or get slightly injured.
On three 1s he falls halfway down the rock.
On four ones he most likely falls just below the top.
Contest Roll
If, in a contest roll, the loser falls short of their opponent by at least 10, count it as if they had rolled one more one.