ENIGMA

In combat, each turn operates under an action economy that allows characters to take two actions. These actions can be used for various purposes such as moving, attacking, using abilities, and creating a dynamic and strategic combat experience. Some powerful actions require one full action, while certain abilities can be used during another creature's turn; these are known as reactions. Additionally, some activities your character can perform outside of combat take longer than a single action and are explained in more detail in other sections of this guide. In this section, you will learn what actions are, the different types of actions you can take, and examples of how actions function during gameplay.

Line of Sight: Unless stated otherwise by an attack or power, you need a clear line of sight from yourself to the target. If you cannot see an enemy but know their location—such as if they are hidden in smoke, the lights are off, or if you have other means of detecting them—you can still target them with attacks or powers. However, your capacity check will be at a disadvantage unless a power explicitly states that it does not require a line of sight. If an enemy is completely obscured by cover, such as being behind a solid wall, you cannot target them with attacks or powers unless a specific power allows for targeting through obstacles or cover.

Actions: During your turn in combat, you've got a few set actions you can always count on: Move, Hide, Notice, Attack, Hide, Use an item or Activate a Power. But the fun doesn't stop there. If you've got a creative idea, like knocking down a statue onto an enemy, that's where Improvised Actions come into play.

Move: Your character's movement on the battlefield is determined by speed and the layout of the environment. Effective maneuvering is essential for tactical positioning and adapting to changing combat situations.

Space(s): Every location, whether you're navigating bustling city streets or exploring dark dungeons, is made up of distinct spaces. If you're using a grid system, each space corresponds to one grid square. In Enigma, a single space represents 5 feet, or approximately 1.5 meters. This measurement helps to visualize distances in different environments.

If you are not using a grid system, you might want to use descriptive terms for distances instead.

Adjacent: Next to you.

Near: Within 1 move action.

Far: Within 2 move actions.

Very Far: Beyond 2 move actions.

All measurements in Enigma are expressed in spaces but can be visualized in feet or meters if that helps clarity.

Speed: The maximum distance you can move during each action is based on the highest value shown on your Navigate die. For example, if your Navigate die shows a d8, you can move up to 8 spaces when using the Move Action.

Breaking Up Movement: You can pause your movement to take an action or interact with the environment. However, each pause reduces your remaining speed by 1 space.

Types of Movement: The way your character moves is limited only by your imagination. Beyond simple walking, you can swim, climb, or use creative tactics to navigate your environment. However, if you try something particularly daring, like swinging from a chandelier, be ready for your Game Master (GM) to ask for a Navigate check or another relevant skill check.

Examples:

Normal Movement:

Player: "I want to run up to the bouncer and hit them".

Game Master: "Great, what is your speed?".

Player: I have a d10 Navigate, making my speed 10”.

Game Master: "Looks like the bouncer is only 7 spaces from you. You can for sure get into melee with them with one action and have an action remaining to attack them!”

Broken-up Movement:

Player: "I want to run up to the bouncer and hit them. But on the way, can I lock the door behind me and pick up the keycard on the desk?".

Game Master: "Maybe you should remember that every action or interaction you make during your movement decreases your speed by 1. What is your speed?”

Player: I have a d10 Navigate, making my speed 10”.

Game Master: "Looks like the bouncer is only nine spaces from you. You can, for sure, get into melee with the bouncer with one action and have an action remaining to attack them. However, you will only have enough total speed to either lock the door or pick up the keycard. Which one do you want to do?”

Player: “Oh okay, yeah, I think it's more important to lock the door, so I will leave the keycard for now, lock it, and move into melee.”

Movement that requires a Capacity Check:

Player: "I want to use the hanging vines to swing across the chasm and land behind the enemy".

Game Master: "That’s a bold move! Since it's quite the acrobatic feat, make a Navigate check to see if you can swing across successfully".

Player: The player rolls the Navigate die. "I rolled a 7”.

Game Master: "With grace and agility, you swing across the chasm, catching the enemies by surprise from behind. Your successful maneuver not only gets you safely to the other side but also puts you in an advantageous position for the next phase of combat. Well done"!

Hide / Notice: You can get the drop on your foes or avoid fighting entirely by taking advantage of the Hide and Notice actions.

Hide: As an action, you can make a Navigate check contested by a foe’s Glean die to become hidden from that foe. If more than one foe can currently Notice you, they each roll a Glean die. To Hide from a creature, you must break the line of sight.

Notice: As an action, you can make a Glean check contested by a foe’s Navigate die to notice a Hidden foe. To attempt to Notice a creature, you must have a line of sight on them.

Hidden: A Hidden combatant cannot be targeted by powers, attacks, or capacity checks by a combatant that does not Notice them.

Attack: The attack action controls every clash and parry, pitting the attacker against the defender in a test of skill and wit. This method of combat guarantees that each encounter is a dynamic exchange in which strategy and ability are crucial.

Launching an Attack: When you're on the offensive, you'll roll your Attack die and add the Escalation Modifier to see if your strike lands. This roll represents your attempt to outmaneuver and successfully hit your opponent.

There are no stats for specific weapons like in other TTRPGs. Instead, your weapons are categorized as either Melee or Ranged. Everything else is just for flavor. For example, you could use a longsword for Melee attacks or get creative and have your character wield an oversized rolling pin. Similarly, for Ranged attacks, some characters might use a rifle, while others might infuse playing cards with energy and use them as projectiles.

Melee attacks are made against enemies that are adjacent to you.

You cannot make ranged attacks against enemies adjacent to you and within the maximum range of your Glean die. You can make ranged attacks beyond your maximum range, up to twice the maximum value of your Glean die, but these attacks are made at a disadvantage. Any attacks made beyond twice the maximum value of your Glean die automatically miss.

Mounting a Defense: In response, the defender rolls their Endure die to avoid melee attacks and navigates to dodge ranged attacks, setting the stage for a tense showdown. This opposed check determines whether the defender can effectively counter or evade the attack.

Determining Damage: Attacks typically cause Escalation damage, which is explained in the damage section of this page.

Example:

Game Master: "Roll your Attack die as an action to see if your attack lands".

Player: The player rolls their Attack Die. "I got a 6 on my Attack roll”.

Game Master: GM rolls the goblin's Endure die and compares. "Against the Goblins roll of 4, your attack hits and deals 1 damage to their Life Points”.

Use an Item: Items can typically be activated at the cost of an action. The types of items you can activate are covered in the Gear section of this guide.

Activate a Power: Your special abilities are known as powers. These powers offer unique abilities, such as casting elemental magic or moving stealthily during battles. Each power comes with specific actions needed to use it. Powers are a key part of what sets your character apart, both in combat and outside of it. For more information on powers, refer to the Powers section of this guide.

Improvise an Action: Not every possible action a player character might take is covered by specific rules. Any action that doesn't fit into one of the other action types is considered an Improvised Action. The player needs to declare what they want to do, and the Game Master will then instruct them on what to roll for the improvised action, how many actions it will take, and the difficulty of the action.

Example:

Player: "I want to try and knock that statue over onto the enemies below us."

Game Master: "That's a creative move! Let's make that an Improvised Action. Give me either a Navigate or Attack check with a difficulty of 8 to see if you can pull it off."

Player: The player rolls their Attack die. "I rolled a 9!"

Game Master: "With a mighty splash of your hammer, you send the statue tumbling down. It crashes into the enemies with a thunderous impact, scattering them and causing chaos. Your successful improvised action has turned the tide of the battle!"

Reaction: Characters can use reactions during other characters' turns, adding an extra layer of strategy to encounters. Using a reaction will subtract one action from the character's next turn, balancing the immediate benefit with a future cost. This system promotes thoughtful decision-making and enriches the complexity of combat interactions.