Threats and Adversaries

Threats

A Threat is a dangerous individual — a skilled opponent who can hold their own against a player character, at least for a while. Named sergeants, bounty hunters, experienced mercenaries, ship captains who can handle themselves.

Building a Threat

A Threat uses simplified but individual stats:

1. Set Abilities. A Threat does not need all six Abilities. Set the 2–3 that matter for what this NPC does and default the rest to 1. If the NPC is complex enough to warrant it, set all six. Use what serves the fiction.
2. Set Skills. Pick 2–6 Skills and rate them.
3. Set Defense (as normal: higher of Agility or Perception, or modified by species/abilities).
4. Set Wound capacity. Typically 1–2 Wounds. A Threat is dangerous but not durable.
5. Pick weapons and armor.

Threats have a Condition Track that follows all the rules in the Basic Combat Module — the same five positions, the same action penalties, the same reset to Impaired after taking a Wound. A Threat with 1 Wound capacity who hits Staggered takes a Wound, resets to Impaired, and is now one step from exceeding their capacity and dying. Threats are dangerous but not durable. They go down fast once they start taking Wounds.

Threats have a Reaction (Dodge or Parry as appropriate). Threats do not have Willpower.

Example Threats

Veteran Bounty Hunter

Agility 3, Perception 3, Strength 2
Defense 3, Wounds 2
- Combat: Firearms 3
- Stealth 2
- Survival 2
- CRG Rifle (Damage 4, Piercing 1)
- Body Armor (Soak 2)

Pirate Captain

Presence 3, Agility 2, Intellect 2
Defense 2, Wounds 2
- Combat: Melee 2
- Influence: Intimidation 3
- Leadership 2
- Cutlass (+1, Versatile)
- Armored Clothing (Soak 1)

Adversaries

An Adversary is a full PC-equivalent NPC. They have everything a player character has — complete Abilities, Skills, Willpower, full Wound capacity, the works. Adversaries are named villains and major antagonists. Fighting one should feel like fighting another player character.

Building an Adversary

Build an Adversary the same way you would build a player character. Full six Abilities, as many Skills as appropriate, Willpower (Will + Focus if trained), Wound capacity (Strength + Will), Defense, weapons, armor.

Adversaries may also have:

• Multiple Reactions. A particularly dangerous Adversary may have 2 or even 3 Reactions per round, representing supernatural reflexes, combat mastery, or Focus-enhanced awareness.
• Special abilities. Focus disciplines, species traits, unique talents. Anything the GM needs to make this opponent memorable.

Adversaries should be rare. If the players are fighting an Adversary, the session should feel different. This is the fight that matters.

Example Adversary

Sooni Warrior

Strength 2, Agility 3, Intellect 2, Presence 2, Perception 3, Will 4
Defense 4 (Will, species trait)
Wounds 6 (Strength 2 + Will 4)
Willpower 7 (Will 4 + Focus 3)
- Combat: Melee (Velyki Blades) 4
- Focus 3
- Athletics 2
- Stealth 2
- Influence: Intimidation 2
- Velyki Blade (+2, Focus Tuned, Vicious)
- No armor (Soak 0)
Reactions: 2