Rolling the Dice

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Polarhack uses the standard set of TTRPG polyhedral dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20. The one you'll become the most familiar with, and likely are if you've played other popular TTRPGs, is the d20. Perhaps the most significant difference for those familiar with games like D&D will be the roll under system. Within Polarhack, your goal will almost always be to roll under a number (often your character's ability score).

✶ ability scores & tests

PCs have six abilities that represent a character's natural or learned inclinations, and the ways in which they may approach a challenge. They are:

Strength (STR)

A character's physical might.

Dexterity (DEX)

Swiftness and agility

Constitution (CON)

Resilience and health

Wisdom (WIS)

Willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition

Intelligence (INT)

Learning, memory and logical reasoning

Charisma (CHA)

Force of personality, influence, leadership

When a character is asked to overcome some kind of challenge, they will test their ability. To change the difficulty of a test, add or subtract up to 5 to the attribute. You may also be asked to roll with either advantage or disadvantage. To do so, you will roll 2d20, and:

Advantage: The lower result, otherwise the player chooses which result to use.
Disadvantage: The higher result, otherwise the GM chooses which result to use. If no GM is involved, choose the result that is the least favorable to the character/situation.

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TO TEST AN ABILITY

The player rolls 1d20 and compares the result to the relevant ability. If the roll is less than or equal to the score, it succeeds. If it is greater than the score, it fails. A natural 1 is always a success, and a natural 20 is always a failure.

Group Test

If half of the group succeeds, the test is considered a success.

✶ usage die

When an item (or effect) has `Ud` followed by a number after its name, it is considered a consumable or limited-use item or effect. The 'Ud' stands for usage die, while the number indicates what size die it is. For example, Ud6 has a usage die of 1d6.

Whenever that item is used, its Usage die should be rolled. If the result is 1-2, then the Usage die is downgraded to the next smallest die in the following chain:

Ud20 → Ud12 → Ud8 → Ud6→ Ud4

When you roll a 1-2 on a d4 - the lowest die in the chain - the item is expended, and the character has no more of it left.

✧ When tracking the Usage Die for ammunition such as arrows and bullets, roll the Ud after the combat is resolved.

✶ corruption

Every character in Polarhack is at risk of succumbing to the corruption of the Shade, though some are more at risk than others.

✧ All characters start with zero (0) corruption, and have a corruption threshold equal to their half their CON ability + Level.

Temporary corruption is the passing, ambient Shade one might encounter in their day-to-day travels. It can easily be relieved by resting or entering an area of Light, such as a town or Rime-springs. You may receive temporary corruption by:

Suffering damage by certain Fleshless
Traveling through areas heavy with Shade
Using a cursed artifact
Evoking powers from a Fleshless patron

Permanent corruption is the Shade that clings to you and seeps into your being. You may receive permanent corruption by:

Resting or traveling within a Gloam or other area heavy with Shade
Being attacked by an Afterglow
Suffering severe damage by Shadows
Binding yourself to a cursed artifact
Your Total Corruption (permanent + temporary) reaches your Corruption Threshold

When a character’s corruption reaches their threshold, they receive a stigma.

These can effect a character’s ability to navigate through society, and may even effect their ability to face challenges. Most stigmas are only temporary and may be cured through rest in areas of Light, or through mystical healing.

At the GM’s discretion, some stigmas may become permanent.

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TARRING

Tarring is a representation of the corruption your body is capable of living with. It, much like corruption, exists on a scale of mild to severe.

When a character’s number of permanent stigma equals their Level, they become tarred.

You can only gain a single level of tarring per level, unless at GM discretion.

Those that are tarred have an amount of permanent corruption equal to their level of tarring.

You can start with up to 3 levels of tarring to begin with, and an equal amount of permanent stigmas (see Effects of Tarring table for examples).

Most tarred in the Boreal have only mild tarring, and thus live largely normal lives - besides the shunning. Receiving further levels of tarring requires going out of your way to deal in the Shade, but may occur if one looks too deep where no Flesh should. At a GM’s discretion, your tarring may shift.

✦ Be aware that the above are both just small selections as examples. Stigmas and tarring can come in many different shapes and sizes. You can propose your own effects, or GMs will come up with them for you.

Some stigmas have multiple visual components to them, but they should only have a single effect.

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