Gut checks are either physical (using ST), mental (using WP) or emotional (using CO).
If in doubt, the Gut-check is emotional.
•Morale (CO) to continue fighting against increasingly hopeless odds.
•Horror (CO) against something inherently terrifying.
•Sanity (WP) to resist the onset of a mental illness, or mitigate the symptoms of an existing one – but..
•Phobic (CO) against the impulses of any phobia or other deep-seated fear
•Will (WP) against any sort of mind control
Morale
RCM’s (and G*; at the XP’s discretion) in combat can waive moral checks in favor of role-play. For all others, a morale check is in order whenever a combatant finds herself in any of the following situations:
•Injured (1 diff/dice of injury)
•25% of allied forces are lost (Mod)
•The foe receives substantial re-enforcements (Mod)
•50% of allied forces are lost (Hard)
•Leader is lost (Hard)
•75% of allied forces are lost (VH)
•Out of ammo or power (VH)
•Last one standing (B)
•Clearly doomed (U)
A failure of morale forces the character to flee or surrender, whichever seems the most reasonable.
If a character – even a lowly extra – sees no hope in either fleeing or surrendering, they will fight to the death regardless, and no moral checks are needed.
Horror
Some creatures and forces are so inherently terrifying as to induce automatic horror in all those who witness them.
Horror Factor, as this is known, is developed as an Ability when appropriate. Possession of this ability can force a Horror GC, even among RMC’s.
Courage is the primary ability behind these Gut Checks.
•Simply being in the presence of the Horror is a Hard GC.
•If the Horror attacks and is perceived to be attacking that is a Very Hard GC.
•If the Horror attacks and has any success, that is a Extremely Hard GC.
•If the Horror attacks and creates any situation that would otherwise require a morale check, the Horror GC is Unbelievable (and precedes the morale check).