When a character tries to do something risky or uncertain, the GM may ask for an Action Roll. This could be anything: leaping over a chasm, sneaking past a guard, or swinging a sword.
The Formula
An Action Roll is made by rolling a d20 and then adding the following bonuses:
Result = d20 + Attribute + Proficiency + Specialization
Attribute → The most relevant Derived Attribute.
-
Examples: Strength (climbing), Agility (balancing), Charisma (persuading)
Proficiency → Broad training in a general area.
-
Examples: Melee combat, Ranged combat, Acrobatics.
Specialization → Focused mastery of one narrow skill or weapon.
-
Examples: Swords, Bows, Jump.
Think of it like this:
-
Attribute = natural ability
-
Proficiency = broad practice
-
Specialization = sharp expertise
Difficulty
Every Action Roll is compared against a Difficulty Class (DC) set by the GM.
-
If your Result is equal to or higher than the DC → the action succeeds.
-
If it’s lower → the action fails.
Difficulty | DC | Example |
|---|---|---|
Easy | 6 | Hiding in the woods at night |
Medium | 12 | Leaping over two-meter chasm |
Hard | 18 | Tracking in the rain |
Challenging | 24 | Walking on a rope |
Nearly Impossible | 30 | Climbing a smooth wall |
Most everyday challenges fall between DC 6 – 18.
DC 24+ should feel epic — only possible for heroes at their peak.​
For groups who want more role-play, you can use the Rule of Three:
-
If your roll missed the DC by less than 3 → the action fails, but… something small still works in your favor.
-
Example: You fail to jump the gap, but you catch a ledge instead of falling outright.
-
-
If your roll beat the DC by more than 3 → the action succeeds, and… you gain an extra benefit.
-
Example: You pick the lock, and you do it silently without leaving any trace.
-
This turns a simple pass or fail into Yes, but… / Yes, and…, adding twists that keep the story alive.
Critical Roll
Sometimes the dice decide your fate in dramatic ways.
​Critical Success
-
Rolling a natural 20 on the d20 (before bonuses) is a Critical Success.
-
Roll an extra d6 and add it to your result.
-
This bonus represents a burst of luck, skill, or perfect timing.
Example: You leap the chasm, and you didn’t just clear it — you landed in style and are ready to act again quickly.
Critical Failure
-
Rolling a natural 1 on the d20 is a Critical Failure.
-
The roll automatically fails, no matter how high the bonuses.
-
The GM may add a complication to make the failure more dramatic.
Example: You try to persuade the guard, but instead of just refusing, he grows suspicious and calls for reinforcements.
Advantage & Disadvantage
Sometimes the situation gives a character an edge, or makes things harder. When that happens, the GM may apply Advantage or Disadvantage to an Action Roll.
Advantage
-
Advantage has a Level (1–5).
-
Roll that many additional d6. Take the highest result and add it to your d20 roll.
-
If you roll more than one 6, each additional 6 adds +1 more.
Examples
-
Level 2 Advantage → roll 2d6: 4 and 6 → highest is 6 → add +6.
-
Level 2 Advantage → roll 2d6: 6 and 6 → highest is 6, plus +1 for the extra six → add +7.
Disadvantage
-
Roll 1d6 and subtract the result from your d20 roll.
-
One Disadvantage reduces your Advantage by 1 Level. If you had no Advantage, roll 1d6 and subtract it as normal.
-
Two Disadvantages make the action impossible, regardless of Advantage
Example: Shooting through heavy fog applies Disadvantage. You roll 1d6 = 3, so you subtract 3 from your attack roll.