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Capacities

Capacities in Enigma are the essential ways characters interact with the game world. They go beyond skills and attributes, representing character potential and their ability to act. They are crucial for character development, embodying growth, versatility, and personal journey. During 'Capacity checks,' these abilities are tested against challenges or other characters in the world.

The E.N.I.G.M.A. System

To understand Capacities, keep the acronym E.N.I.G.M.A. in mind. Your Capacities are Endure - Navigate - Influence - Glean - Manifest - Attack. Click the dropdowns below to learn more about each capacity.

  • Endure measures a character's resilience against physical and psychological stress, which is crucial for surviving combat, extreme weather, or any challenging situation. Endure represents the toughness and willpower needed to press on, which is vital for those facing the unknown.


  • Navigate equips characters with the skills to effectively navigate any environment or situation. This ability is crucial for avoiding exploring, evading obstacles, and pursuing goals across diverse terrains, whether urban ruins or wild frontiers.

  • Influence allows characters to persuade others through charisma, reasoning, or deception. It is central to diplomacy, negotiation, and leadership, showcasing a character's skill in verbal communication and social manipulation.

  • Glean involves gathering information from various sources, whether through observation, analysis, or interaction. This capacity is essential for understanding complex situations, uncovering secrets, or deducing an adversary's motives.


  • Manifest involves using magic to manipulate reality. It is central to Enigma's Arcanepunk essence, enabling characters to exceed the limitations of the natural world and mold their surroundings through sheer will.

  • Attacky focuses on your ability to participate in combat. This capacity determines your lethality with melee and ranged attacks and is crucial to martial combat.

  • As a Game Master, you should call for the relevant capacity check in the following situation:

    • Endure: Invoke an Endure check to assess characters' fortitude against melee attacks, physical harm, psychological stress, or environmental challenges. This check evaluates how well characters handle adversity and maintain composure under pressure.

    • Navigate: Request a Navigate check when characters must avoid a ranged attack, find their way, evade detection, grapple a foe, or overcome geographical obstacles. This check is crucial for depicting the complexities of movement within the game world.

    • Influence: Call for an Influence check during interactions that hinge on persuasion, deception, or command. Use it to determine the outcome of social encounters and the character's impact on others.

    • Glean: Propose a Glean check when characters attempt to decipher mysteries, read social cues, or acquire crucial knowledge. This capacity is integral to an investigation, puzzle-solving, and recalling lore.

    • Manifest: Initiate a Manifest check for characters who wield magical or technological forces. It's crucial for spellcasting, technological manipulation, or any endeavor that defies reality's rules.

    • Attack: Initiate an Attack check to determine the outcomes of physical engagements, ranging from individual combat to more significant skirmishes. This check assesses a character's success in executing offensive tactics and defensive postures, serving as the cornerstone for combat resolution in Enigma.

How to Use Capacities

This section covers how Capacities are represented, allocated, and implemented in the game and includes play examples to illustrate Capacity checks in action. Additionally, you will find guidance for GMs on when you shouldn’t call for a roll.

  • In the game Enigma, each Capacity is represented by a specific die size, ranging from d4 to d12. The higher your Capacity Die is for a given Capacity, the more likely you are to succeed in tasks associated with that Capacity. During character creation, players strategically assign these dice to their Capacities, establishing the groundwork for their characters' abilities and how they engage with the game world

  • Assigning Capacity dice is a crucial strategic choice, reflecting a character's innate talents and areas for development. Distribute a predefined set of dice (d4, d6, d8, d8, d10, d12) across the capacities. This choice determines your character's initial capability levels, highlighting potential avenues for growth and specialization.

  • In the game, actions are resolved by rolling the die that corresponds to the relevant Capacity. Capacity checks are important for determining the outcomes of actions and dealing with the various challenges and interactions in the game. These checks can be divided into two categories: unopposed and opposed, each with different narrative and mechanical roles.

  • An unopposed check is employed when a character faces a challenge not directly contested by another's actions. The player rolls a die corresponding to the relevant Capacity against a GM-set difficulty level, which spans from 2 (signaling a straightforward task) to 12 (indicating a task of extreme difficulty). The difficulty reflects the complexity and the stakes of the task. Success is marked by a roll that meets or exceeds this threshold, achieving the character's goal or advancing them towards it.

  • Player: "I want to leap across to the next skyscraper, using the debris as a makeshift bridge".

    Game Master: "That's a daring move. Given the distance and the precariousness of the debris, I'm setting the difficulty for this Navigate check at 8".

    Player: Rolls their Navigate die and announces, "I rolled a 10".

    Game Master: "Your feet find solid footing among the debris, and with a determined sprint, you make the leap. You land gracefully on the other side, turning to signal your companions that the path is clear. Your successful navigation not only brings you closer to your goal but also bolsters your party's morale".

  • These checks come into play when another party directly contests actions, be it an NPC or another player's character. Both parties roll the die associated with the pertinent capacity, and the higher result wins the contest. In a tie, a re-roll is prompted to ensure a decisive outcome.

  • Player: "I present our case for the alliance, highlighting how our cooperation could bring stability and prosperity to both our lands".

    Game Master: "The head of the council, skilled in discerning underlying motives, will oppose your Influence check with their Glean capacity to judge the sincerity and implications of your proposal".

    Player: Rolls their Influence die, and the Game Master rolls for the NPC's Glean check.

    Player: "I've got an 8 on my roll".

    Game Master: "And the head of the council got a 6 on their Glean check".

    Game Master: "Despite their initial skepticism, your persuasive argument and genuine demeanor convince the council head of your true intentions. 'Your proposal holds promise for us all. Let's proceed with this alliance,' they agree, offering a hand in partnership. Your effective use of Influence has not only won you an ally but also demonstrated the power of genuine diplomacy in forging lasting bonds".

  • Your character's capacities dynamically evolve to reflect their journey's highs and lows. Triumphs and notable deeds can enhance their capabilities, denoting personal growth, whereas obstacles and setbacks might temporarily hinder their abilities, echoing the realism of fluctuating fortunes. The die size assigned to each capacity fluctuates based on your character's experiences. These adjustments are reset after a period of rest, representing the character's rejuvenation and preparedness for forthcoming endeavors.

  • Achieving the maximum roll results causes a capacity to temporarily “Evolve”. Increase your current die size of the associated Capacity (for example, d4 to d6), illustrating gaining momentum or ability in the associated Capacity.

  • Rolling a 1 on a Capacity check causes that Capacity to temporarily “Regress.” Decreasing the die size (for instance, d8 to d6) illustrates losing confidence or ability in the associated Capacity.

  • Player: "Carefully measuring the distance, I take a running start, aiming to leap across the gap between the skyscrapers."

    Game Master: "The wind howls around you as you sprint, the ground crumbling at the edge. Roll your Navigate Check.”

    Player: "I got a 6! A maximum roll!"

    Game Master: "With a heart-pounding leap, you soar across the chasm, landing gracefully on the other side. The precision and bravery of your action mark a significant moment in your journey. As a result of your maximum roll and the narrative impact of this daring maneuver, your Navigate capacity evolves from a d6 to a d8. Your character's confidence to traverse perilous environments has grown and you feel more equipped for facing such perils throughout the day.

  • If a player can't meet or exceed the difficulty level of a task do not call for a roll, simply state something like “Based on your current Capacity this task is beyond you”. Likewise, if a task would have a difficulty level of 1 do not call for roll and simply allow them to succeed. You could say something along the lines of “no roll needed you open the unlocked door with ease”.

Advantage & Disadvantage

The outcomes of your character’s actions are shaped by a myriad of elements, encompassing environmental conditions, emotional resilience, and luck. To emulate this dynamic, Enigma introduces the concepts of advantage and disadvantage, intricately designed to modify your Capacity checks, thereby enhancing the game's interactive depth and strategic complexity. In this section you will learn about advantage and disadvantage, when to apply their effects and how they stack and cancel each other out.

  • When circumstances favor your endeavor—be it through strategic positioning, superior gear, bolstered morale, or supportive enchantments—you gain an advantage. This mechanic allows you to roll two dice for the capacity check and choose the higher of the two rolls, symbolizing the edge you have in that situation.

  • Player: "I'll try deciphering the door's ancient runes, referencing the archaic manuscripts we discovered".

    Game Master: "Your proficiency in ancient dialects, coupled with the manuscript's guidance, grants you an advantage on this Glean check".

    Player: The player rolls two dice for Glean, selecting the higher result, which is a 10.

    Game Master: "The manuscripts illuminate the runes' meanings, causing them to emit a soft glow. The door opens, revealing a chamber brimming with lost artifacts. Your insightful Glean, empowered by the manuscripts, not only decrypts the door's secrets but also unveils a wealth of historical treasures".

  • Conversely, when faced with challenging conditions such as injuries, harsh environments, psychological strain, or countering spells, you encounter a disadvantage. This situation requires you to roll two dice for the check and use the lower outcome, reflecting the hurdles impeding your success.

  • Player: "I'll attempt to stealthily bypass the guard's quarters to secure the key".

    Game Master: "Despite the dim lighting, the guard's active shift change complicates stealth, imposing a disadvantage on your Navigate capacity check".

    Player: Rolling two dice for Navigate, the player takes the lower result, a 3.

    Game Master: "A misstep causes a creak, alerting a nearby guard. Though not caught, you must now think quickly to avoid detection”.

  • Advantages and disadvantages can accumulate, influencing a single capacity check. These effects offset each other—one advantage cancels out one disadvantage. If advantages outnumber disadvantages, you roll with an advantage, and vice versa. When they balance out, a standard single-die roll is made.

  • Player: "In negotiating with the merchant, I'll leverage our heroic reputation and my innate charm".

    Game Master: "Your heroic deeds and charm provide advantages, but the merchant's skepticism introduces a disadvantage. With advantages outweighing, you roll with a net advantage for your Influence capacity check".

    Player: The player rolls two dice for Influence, using the higher result, a 12.

    Game Master: "The merchant, persuaded by your heroics and charm, agrees to a significant discount. 'Heroes of your caliber merit the best deals,' he remarks, solidifying your party's financial and reputational gain. This demonstrates how advantage, even when countered by some resistance, can tilt negotiations in your favor".

Failing Forward

The story is driven by both the players' successes and failures. Every time the dice are rolled, it affects the unfolding story. When players face skill checks without opposition and don't meet the required difficulty, the story doesn't stop. Instead, it takes a new direction, creating opportunities for new adventures and plot twists. This principle reflects the game's philosophy: every outcome, good or bad, presents a chance for storytelling.

In Enigma, failure doesn't mean the end of the story. Each challenge that isn't overcome directly influences the story's progression, sometimes leading to unexpected developments or problems. Failing a Navigate check doesn't necessarily mean being unable to pass an obstacle; it could also alert enemies, creating more tension and urgency. Not spotting an ambush through a failed Glean check might accidentally reveal important clues about the attackers, adding depth to the story. Failures can still move players closer to their goals, but with unforeseen consequences, making the journey more challenging and nuanced.

  • Player: "I wish to persuade the sentry to ignore our presence and leave the gate unsecured for us".

    Game Master: "Challenging, given the sentry's loyalty. Attempt an Influence capacity check against a difficulty of 8".

    Player: Rolls a 6.

    Game Master: "The sentry isn't swayed to abandon his duties but finds your boldness noteworthy. 'Can't let you through without a proper cause,' he murmurs, 'but if you aid me with a personal dilemma, perhaps the gate might unlatch itself later".

    Player: "Let's delve into this dilemma of yours".

  • Emphasize to your players that setbacks are not only hindrances but narrative catalysts, ensuring the story continuously evolves. When navigating the outcomes of failed actions, aim for consequences that are imaginative yet fair, keeping the game engaging and players motivated to take risks. Foster a game environment where players feel encouraged to contribute to the narrative direction following a setback. This collaborative approach deepens engagement and paves the way for creative storytelling.