Tests
When an action might fail in an interesting way, the GM may call for a test to determine the result. To do this, roll a d10 and add its value to your character’s relevant stat. The GM will decide which stat this is and may also call for a relevant skill.
The value of the stat and die added together is called the total. This is compared to a Target Number (TN). If the total meets or exceeds the target number (TN), the action is successful. However, if it is less than the TN, the attempt was unsuccessful.
Marek is trying to lift a fallen bulkhead, which has pinned one of his companions. The GM calls for a Strength test of average difficulty (TN 10). Marek has Strength 7. He rolls a d10, getting a 5. Adding these two values together gives him a total of 12. The action is a success and he lifts the bulkhead, allowing his companion to escape.
Test Convention
Saga Machine uses a simple convention to convey the important aspects of a test when referencing them in the text. Examples of this convention are given below:
-
Int-8: Intelligence test with Target Number 8.
-
Det/Awareness vs. Stealth: Determination test with the Awareness skill opposed by the Stealth skill with its default associated stat (Speed).
-
End/Survival-10 (Tally 10, 1 day): Extended Endurance test with the Survival skill, TN 10, Tally 10, Interval of one day.
-
Panic-10: Make a Panic test with TN 10 (see page XXX).
Target Numbers
The target number (TN) of a test is chosen by the GM and represents how difficult an action is to perform. She may or may not choose to share it with the players, depending on whether the character would know the difficulty involved. A table of TN guidelines is presented below.
| Difficulty | Target Number (TN) |
|---|---|
| Trivial | 6 |
| Easy | 8 |
| Average | 10 |
| Difficult | 12 |
| Daunting | 14 |
| Desperate | 16 |
| Absurd | 18 |
| Impossible | 20 |
Margin of Success or Failure
Sometimes it might be necessary to figure out how successful or how much of a failure an action was. This can be achieved by calculating the margin of success or failure. To do this, take the difference between the target number and the total.
While attempting to track a suspect, Azure makes a Per-10 test, getting a total of 13. Since the target number was 10, she achieved a success with Margin 3.
Critical Success and Failure
If the result of a test meets or exceeds twice the target number, the action is said to be a critical success, and the GM may opt to declare that something extra beneficial happens.
Conversely, if the result of a test is at or below half the target number, the action is said to be a critical failure. This means that the character gains Stress (see page XXX) and that the GM may opt to declare that something extra detrimental occurs. Critical failure also occurs when two or more 1’s come up when making a test with a bane.
After resolving a critical failure, gain Edge until you have a number equal to your Edge score. If you already had that number or greater, instead gain a single Edge.
Gan is attempting to find a place to hide from some sort of crawling thing that didn't die when he shot it. This is a Per/Stealth-8 action. He makes the test, getting a total of 19: a critical success! The GM declares that not only does the creature not notice him, it gets distracted by passing fauna and bounds away through the alien underbrush.
Hassan wants to leap between moving groundcars to get away from the corporate goons chasing him. The GM decides this is an Athletics-12 action. Hassan makes the test, getting a total of 6: a critical failure! The GM declares that not only has Hassan’s leap come up short, he bangs his head on the other groundcar, leaving him stunned. He also gains the Stressed consequence. In consolation, however, Hassan gets to draw Edge until he has a number equal to his Edge score.
Boons & Banes
Circumstances can make some tests easier or harder. Positive circumstances may grant one or more boons (⊕), while negative circumstances impose one or more banes (⊖). For each of these, roll an extra d10 when resolving an action.
Boons allow you to use the higher of the die values to determine your total. They also allow you to make pairs (see page XXX). Banes, on the other hand, force you to use the lower of the die values. You also run the risk of critical failure if you get two or more 1’s when making a test with a bane.
If a test has both boons and banes, each boon cancels out a bane and vice versa before the roll is made.
Mylia is attempting to hack the security of a corporate node, and the GM has awarded her ⊕ due to an earlier successful attempt. Because of this boon, she rolls an extra d10, getting a 4 and an 8. Since she has a ⊕, she uses the higher of the two values to resolve the action: the 8.
William is attempting to convince station security to release his friends, but he is not familiar with the station’s culture, so the GM has imposed ⊖. He rolls an extra d10 getting a 7 and a 6. Since he has a ⊖, he uses the lower of the two values: the 6.
Dado is attempting a tricky bit of negotiation with a criminal gang. The GM has imposed ⊖ due to past hostility, and Dado benefits from ⊕⊕ due to both his reputation and a successful bribe. Since this test has both boons and banes, one ⊕ and the ⊖ cancel out, leaving the test with only a ⊕. Dado rolls two d10’s, getting a 1 and a 3. Since he has a ⊕, he uses the higher of the two to resolve the action: the 3.
Stress Boons
The Stressed consequence and a few other mechanics grant a special type of boon known as a Stress ⊕ (see page XXX). These function exactly like normal ⊕’s, except that should the extra die from the boon be equal to or less than your character’s Stress value, she suffers an automatic mental break (see page XXX).
Skills
The eight stats represent innate human capabilities—after all, everyone has some degree of strength, intelligence and perception. Skills, on the other hand, are the mechanical representation of capabilities that are learned.
When a character in Saga Machine takes an action, the action might have a relevant skill as well as a relevant stat—this will likely be true for the majority of actions. When this is the case, the skill’s value adds to the action as well as the value of the stat.
If a skill is required and the character does not possess it, not only is there no skill value to add, but use only half the value of the relevant stat. For more on skills, see page XXX.
Milos is trying to sneak into a secret laboratory, avoiding any security. The GM calls for a Dex/Stealth-10 test. He has Dexterity 5 and Stealth 3. This means he adds a total of 8: his Dexterity, plus his Stealth. He then rolls a d10 and gets a 2, bringing the total to 10. Milos just barely sneaks inside before two guards pass by on patrol!
Jörgen has found himself in a footrace through a station corridor. The GM calls for a Spd/Athletics-10 test, but Jörgen has no Athletics skill. Since he is unskilled, he uses only half his Speed 7, rounded down. There is no skill value to add. He then rolls a d10 and gets a 9, giving him a total of 12. Somehow, despite his lack of training, he manages to win the race!
Pairs
If multiple dice are rolled due to boons and have matching values, you may choose to add the values of two of the matching dice together. This is called a pair.
Ayana is attempting to intimidate her foes and benefits from a ⊕ due to her allies outnumbering the enemy. She rolls an 8 and an 8. Because these values match, she may add their values together to get a total of 16!
Argyro is calling out a gang leader in front of his crew. She benefits from a ⊕ due to her gear, a ⊕ due to the Bolstered consequence and a ⊕ due to group effort. She rolls four dice, getting 6, 6, 6 and 9. She may add two of those 6’s together to make a pair, for a total of 12!