These are Scattershot's Mechanix isolated from its Techniques. (See glossary for the descriptions of italics items throughout.) The basic idea is the Techniques explain how to use the Mechanix.

SOLO PLAY - Solitaire Play is anything you do separate from the Group. You then make decisions and changes to only the things you are the Proprietor for. Dice usage (other than to generate Detail) is avoided.

Creating/Evolving a Character - There are no limits on Development Points for initial Persona creation. Players may elect to set their own starting limits, either independently or by Group Consensus. These can include things like development-point challenges, thematic bias, limitations arising from Genre Expectations, or et cetera. The Gamemaster is not allowed to place starting point restrictions on anyone other than their Regular Characters. Later points are purchased using Experience Dice. When joining the Group, relevant activities that occurred during Solo Play will be shared. Any efficacy overlap created during this Play should be negotiated before shared Play begins.

GENERAL PLAY - During General Play no Mechanics are used. Ratings are treated simply as guidelines used mostly when unusual or notable. Whatever the Speaker says is what happens in the Game at the moment they say it. Play passes between Players in no formal order and at no specific time interval. The Speaker is the Proprietor for any element they introduce into the Game (unless they pass it to someone else, like the Gamemaster). A Speaker should be careful when affecting anything another Player is the Proprietor of (no permanent changes are allowed without at least the tacit approval of the Subject's Proprietor). Specific Play may be called for any time there is disagreement over the direction the Narrative is taking or to suggest Challenges.

©2002 Fang Langford and Impswitch

SPECIFIC PLAY - In Specific Play, the Mechanics are infrequently used, mostly to create Detail, to support tension (by the introduction of uncertainty), to negotiate contended Narrative direction, or for other Players to offer Challenges. Play still passes between Players in no particular order or rate.

Ratings - These represent the capacities for Action.

• Statistics - Every Character in the Game has them and they begin with a base Rating of 10 (which is the same as 8 plus development points spent - 12 implied points are already spent here).

• Strength - This is the Magnitude Stat of raw muscle power Action.
• Agility - This is the Stat for Invoked Immediate or Involved untrained physical prowess Actions.
• Hit Points - Not a measure of a Character's health, this is actually the Resource Stat managed during battle and represents the collection of any physical hindrances of one's ability to fight. When they're gone, you don't have 'any fight in ya.'
• Reaction - An Invoked Reactive Stat Rating, this is the Character's effective 'response time.'
• Observation - This is the Invoked Immediate or Involved Stat for gathering relevant information from sensible sources. How much may be 'searched' in once Action is indexed on the UE Chart.
• Power - Power is the Magnitude Rating for most Special Abilities (and sometimes also functions as the Resource Rating powering the same, depending on the listing).


• Free Skills - Not fully counted as Ratings (for minimum cost purposes) because of their limited Opportunity and usability. These optional Invoked Ratings are listed as a 'laundry list,' that has a special cost of up to 5 Free Skills for each development point spent. The starting level of each Free Skill is given on that list. Any increases are at normal cost (+1 for each development point).

• Skills - These are also optional Invoked Ratings as listed. Easy Skills cost 11+development points spent on them, Intermediate cost 10+points, Difficult are 9+ (and so on for Exceptional, Renowned, Incredible, Nigh Impossible, and Legendary, which apply mostly to Special Ability listings). Each Skill listing gives predetermined Time/Quantity/Opportunity limits, Scope/Duration bases, and information on 'how to Default to the Skill.' Talent and training are purchased identically (after which they are combined) differing only in the Character's description and with the Detail created during the Application Phase of Resolution.

• Special Abilities - These are genre-specific, extra-normal abilities. They are generally tied to the Power Stat to determine 'how much' they may affect (indexed on the UE Chart during Persona creation/evolution).

• Superpowers - These flashy inhuman abilities are used mostly beyond hand's reach. Each power's narrowly defined effects are determined at time of the Persona's creation/evolution. They don't normally require Power expenditure.
• Magic - This is the ability of producing nearly any effect imaginable made possible by expending Power (in its Resource facility). Their practice is usually thematically restricted.
• Spells - These narrow-use, discrete abilities are set during Persona creation/evolution and rarely require expending Power. They are most often 'purchased' from schedules using a simple cost incentive system.
• Please ask for further samples from other genres of interest.


• Advantages/Disadvantages/'Character' - These frequently offer Residual modifiers in situations that they relate to. They also may function as a specialization of efficacy or deficiency (For example; 'Dexterity' is +1 Agility with the hands; 'Can't Cook' eliminates food preparation Defaults). They are also used as Characterization guidelines for post-Session Experience Dice Rewards.

• Modifiers - These bonuses (or penalties) are added (or subtracted, respectively) to a Rating at the end of the Opportunity Phase of Resolution when unraveling Question. They represent variations of difficulty due to the situation in Play.


Resolution - Resolve Question with Actions. In the following three Phases, an Action is begun in the Opportunity Phase, impartially concluded in the Decision Phase, and becomes a part of the Narrative during the Application Phase.


Choose - Pick an Action for your Persona during the Opportunity Phase of your Persona's Opportunity. When you indicate this Action, the Persona is actually starting to do it in the Narrative. This Action cannot imply any kind of response on its Subject's part. (You could throw a 'boot to the head,' but you cannot 'kick their teeth in' because it implies their teeth will be there, waiting.) Choose the Rating that most suits this Action and combine that Rating with the appropriate modifiers to best approximate the chosen Action.

MIB numbers - Uncertainty and impartiality are introduced in the Decision Phase of resolution by rolling dice. From the above modified Rating, subtract the sum of 2d10 to get the Made-It-By (or Missed-It-By, when the difference is negative) number. This is the numeric measure of the quality of success of an Action and is used to determine the impact of the Resolution on the Narrative.

Adding/Subtracting Experience Dice - You may alter any MIB number by applying Experience Dice to it. Anyone who observes a MIB roll may contribute, regardless if they have a Persona who is a party to the Action or not (even by preempting the actual MIB roll with their Experience Dice). Experience Dice are rolled and their face value is added or subtracted to the MIB as the die roller sees fit. If you don't do well enough, go ahead and roll another; this may lead to 'bidding wars' where one Player adds an Experience Dice then another subtracts one and then the first adds another, and so on. Once all the dice have landed and been totaled, the Decision Phase ends; this is how the basic MIB number is determined.

'Rules of Engagement' - When your Persona performs an Action that includes another, you are Engaging them. You can't do something to someone else's Persona unless you do it with their Player, and their Persona is called the Resistor (even when they offer no resistance). You decide only your Persona's portion of the interaction, the other Player decides their Persona's reaction, at times a contested MIB roll is needed to resolve whose Action takes precedence and 'defines' the resulting interaction.

Contested rolls - During the Opportunity Phase, the active Resistor may decide to oppose the Action being resolved (when their Persona can and does perform another Action to Complicate or counter this Action) and thus also rolls a MIB number. Both parties have stated their Actions during the Opportunity Phase, now the rolls and MIB totals (including any Experience Dice) of both are done simultaneously during the Decision Phase so that the basic MIB numbers may be called out at roughly the same time. After that, subtract the Resistor's MIB number from Actor's to get the Resultant MIB (RMIB) number. An RMIB is treated exactly like any other MIB during the Application Phase. Note; if the Resistor's MIB is negative, do not subtract! Instead, simply take the Actor's MIB for the RMIB.

Buy a Success/Spend a Success - During Application Phase, you may alter the results by adding or subtracting to the 'raw' MIB total based on how it relates to the Narrative. Both sides in a Contested roll may do this.

• You may buy a MIB up to 0 (minimal success) or higher by introducing Challenges for your Persona. Each Challenge taken adds 1 to the MIB. The maximum number of Challenges is equal to the Epic Index* number.
• If you have a high enough success, you may 'spend' MIB points on Benefits, 1 Benefit per point spent. Every point the MIB number is higher than the Critical Juncture number is automatically taken as Benefits, see below.


Deciphering MIB numbers - Following all the adjustments, the remaining MIB number defines the amount of impact the Action has upon the Narrative. Consider the range of possibilities between the greatest degree of success and the worst failure. The Critical Juncture threshold affects all exceptional rolls; if the positive MIB number equals or exceeds Critical Juncture, it is called a Telling Blow. If the Missed-It-By number is lower than minus the Critical Juncture number it is a Catastrophic Failure. Between those are a number of degrees of success and failure as created by Mechanical results and Proprietor Narrative descriptions.

Interpreting Contested Actions or RMIB numbers - Once the RMIB has been settled, the Actions of the two (or more) participants in the contest are commingled. A positive RMIB means the Action that initiated the Contest determines the result; the more positive it is, the more the Actor's Action overshadows the whole interaction. The more negative the RMIB is, the more the Resistor's Action characterizes the result; neither is completely ignored, but their portion of the synthesis is determined by the RMIB. An RMIB of 0 means the Action succeeded by only the tiniest of margins, possibly a pyrrhic victory; this result usually has little Mechanical impact on the Narrative (except the Challenges taken by both sides). Contested Actions are also affected by Critical Junctures only when one of the initial MIB numbers succeeds the Critical Juncture threshold in the first place.

Critical Junctures - When a Telling Blow is scored, the Proprietor of the Subject (or recipient Persona) is compelled to improvise additional colorful and long-term consequences (lasting at least to the end of the Session). This may include adding additional disadvantages to a Persona (accounted for indexing the MIB on UE Chart facet of 'Points,' which is usually 1), accounting for each additional point as either Residual Challenge for the Subject, Benefits for the Actor (one of the customary uses is turning them into Combat Advantage against the Subject), or other in-Play effects. For a Catastrophic Failure, the Player of the Actor must do the same for themselves.

Results - In order to determine the Mechanical result, a number of different choices are available. The MIB (or RMIB) number may be multiplied by a Factor before subtracting it from a Resource Rating (the Factor is indexed from UE Chart using the Magnitude Rating for that Action). The Action may create a Residual modifier (equal to the index of the MIB on UE Chart facet of 'Bonus,' most often this is just a 1). It may be used simply as a numerical scalar of results. Or any combination of these, as the Player of the Actor decides. Results are applied in the Narrative at the end of the Application Phase. Calculated penalties for reduced Resource Ratings do not take affect until the next 'lull' (like the return of Specific or General Play at the end of Mechanical Turn Sequencing).

Damage - If you're simply using fists, the RMIB is the damage, pure and simple. If you have unusual Strength (outside of the 9-11 range, see the UE Chart elsewhere in this forum), you will multiply the RMIB by the Multiplier indexed on the UE Chart. (This isn't as calculation intensive as it might first seem; because you know the Critical Juncture Threshold ahead of time you can precalculate your damages. For example, in pulp fantasy novel style play, I'd suggest a Critical Juncture of 6 or 7; a 13 Strength yields damages of 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, or 9, Scattershot rounds everything normally. Note this on your Persona Sheet.) Weapons offer a straight addition to the RMIB prior to multiplication. (For now use dagger +1, short sword +2, long sword +3, and similar.)

What about wounds? Well, in Advanced Scattershot, wounds are a Detail tracked by notation and there are guidelines based on hit location, protection, and attack. In Intermediate Scattershot, you simply suffer from generally whatever was thrown at you; a sword fight means cut wounds. In Basic, you're just hurt.

Protection - If you spent Development Points on armor or the like (such as a power based on your Persona's Power), you can look up the rating of it in the Bonus column on the UE Chart; otherwise each piece (or suit in the Basic game) was given a static Rating during Persona Solo play. This is simply subtracted from the Multiplied RMIB (so far).

* These are in dire need of renaming; any advice is greatly appreciated. Advice on renaming any of the items in the glossary is also greatly appreciated.

©2002 Fang Langford and Impswitch

MECHANICAL PLAY - This is the most rigidly formalized type of Play. It is most often used for combat, but not always, other possible uses include things like generating Detail with the strict timing of events, for tension, and the ever popular chase scene.

Turn Sequencing - One of the main features of Mechanical Play is rigid sequencing of how Players take their turns.

Scope/Duration - always keep in mind that Mechanical turn sequencing is most appropriate for Immediate Durations on the Individual Scope level. Shift the Scope up at least one level if the number of Characters equals or exceeds twice the number of Players.

Combat Initiative - Melee does not begin with the first 'swing.' Whichever Player makes the decision (during General or Specific Play) that Melee is unavoidable calls for the shift to Mechanical Turn Sequencing, and their Persona takes the first Turn (even the Gamemaster. This often precipitates hasty in-game battle preparations and the like, but these then occur during the early parts of Mechanical Play. Whoever seizes this initiative might be ready first.

Rounds/Turns - Each Player may conduct 2 Immediate Actions (or some Involved Actions) for each Turn of every Persona they have. After the each Player finishes all of the Actions that they wish for all their Personae's Turns, Play passes to that Player's right. After every Persona has had their turn, Play 'completes' the circle and returns to the initial Player who takes their Personae's next turns. Once around the circle of the entire Group is called a Round.

Immediate Actions - These are the units of activity for the Characters during Mechanical play. Each listing for a Rating defines what kinds of Actions may be performed with it. Most Characters may move up to 7 yards running as an Action. Other Actions are usually resolved with MIB rolls.

Free Actions - These do not really count as Actions. They don't weigh heavily enough on the time requirements for Actions and often occur simultaneously with them. These include things like Looking Around (Invoking an Observation roll), Dropping an Item, Falling Down, Moving a few steps (about a yard), making a Soliloquy, Changing the application of a Special Abilities already in use, the Last-Ditch Dodge (at a -2 penalty), or any other act accepted as 'Free' by the Group during Play. A Character may perform as many Free Actions as the Epic Index* number during each round. Except in Cinematic Games, no more than one of each kind may be performed each round by a Character. These may even be performed during another Character's turn. If desired, an Action may be expended specifically to restore the full capacity to perform these Free Actions a second 'cycle' during the round.

Forfeiting - When another Persona Engages yours on their turn (and your Persona hasn't done this twice already), you may forfeit one of their upcoming Actions and perform a Reactive Action. This may lead into a series of Following Actions.

Following Actions - During Melee an Engaged Persona may perform an Involved Action that works like a series of attacks, defenses, and movements but only count as one Action. Each included attack is treated as a separate Engaging Action where necessary. Such a Flurry of Actions continues (along the lines predetermined by the ability 'scripting' it) until an attack 'hits' (from either Engaged combatant) or there is an Interruption. A Flurry can last for no more 'Actions' than as many as the Epic Index* number of the Game.

Combat Advantage - The Detail of some Actions (and some Free Actions) may create an Advantage for one combatant in Melee. Because these are too diverse to list, we divide them into three categories: you can Seize, Hold or Check an Advantage. Each significant Advantage you hold against your foe (up to a maximum of the Epic Index* in number) is a continual Residual penalty (after the Action that resulted in it) of 1 to all of the Subject's rolls. Each Advantage Checked by foe eliminates 1 point of this penalty. Changing who you have Engaged in combat with erases any Advantage you hold against others.


Here are some examples to get you started:


Seizing the Advantage (where none was had before):

• Having the foe Yield it to you.
• Take the Lead when foe seriously falters.
• Having (and using) better Reach.
• Take the Upper Hand after a good hit or when foe must Dodge as the Last Resort.
• For an All-Out Attack (with no thought for defense).
• By Finding an Opening when foe's defense versus Feint is poor enough (less than 0).


Holding the Advantage (when you already have some):

• Cornering your foe.
• Focusing on them (you are thus Off-Guard to all else).
• Pressing Your Attack by 'advancing' into it.
• Take the High Ground.


Checking the Advantage (that is held against you):

• An Upset happens when a foe makes a crucial mistake and it erases all previous Advantage (such as a Catastrophic Failure).
• Backing Off (good against Pressed Attacks).
• Focusing on your foe (thus you are Off-Guard to all else).
• All-Out Defense (leaving the only Actions possible as defense or movement)
• Take the High Ground.
• Trick your foe into Yielding it to you (like the old 'sand in the eyes' trick); this also erases all previous Advantage.




REWARDS - Personae receive Rewards for what they do as consequence of their actions within the context of the Game. Players receive Rewards of Experience Dice for things that make the Game enjoyable for much of the Group (whether during Play or not). Infrequently the separation between these will blur for explicit reasons described in the Techniques section. The enjoyment Players give themselves is its own reward.

These rewards follow the set listed in a Game's Genre Expectations. There are four basic ways these come about:

Instant Rewards happen any time, all the time.

• 'Cool beans' awards for doing stuff that's...well, cool.
• Gimmes for a (personal or global) Genre Expectations 'out to get you.'


Genre Expectations can also get used 'As a Hammer.'

• Get them for 'counting coup' on the gamemaster's forgetfulness.
• Plot Devices (Payback for when you create them for the sake of the Genre Expectations)
• Deus ex machina (again, Payback)
• "Anyway..." ('cutting to the chase' when the game wanders away from the Genre Expectations)


Payback Time: when you spend 'em to get 'em.

• Refunds (with interest for getting things 'back on track' with the Genre Expectations)
• Payback for properly cuing parts (plus the Keepers)


You also get rewards for having 'aspirations' to the Genre Expectations

• Use Gimmes when 'playing into them.'
• Payback for withdrawing a 'question that must not be asked.'


©2002 Fang Langford and Impswitch

GLOSSARY:

• Actor - The Character performing an Action (possibly contested by a Resistor).
• Application Phase - The last Phase of any resolution, MIB numbers are converted into Narrative consequences.
• Applications of a Ratings - These determine how a Rating can be applied in Play. They are Instantaneous, Reactive, or Residual in nature (see the specific listings).
• Benefit - Anything that makes a result 'better.' Mechanical Benefits include all of the time/Quantity/Opportunity limits, for example, are Subject goes farther, Subject goes faster, effect covers more area, as effect lasts longer (or lesser if that's better), affects more points, gives higher bonus, affects more Subjects, has a higher Factor, or 'sifts' more information. Benefits may also improve Scope/Duration bases for an Action. Lastly, anything that notably suits the circumstances of Play, but are not Mechanical in nature.
• Catastrophic Failure - Happens when a MIB (or RMIB) falls at or below the Critical Juncture number in the negative (for example, if the Critical Juncture number is 7 a MIB of -7, -8, or less is a Catastrophic Failure). The Player of the Actor creates these additional results the same way a recipient does for a Telling Blow.
• Challenge - Anything that makes a result more difficult. Mechanical Challenges include all of the time/Quantity/Opportunity limits, for example, are Subject doesn't get as far, Subject doesn't go as fast, effect covers less area, Action takes longer (or lasts for less time if that's worse), affects fewer points, gives lower bonus, affects fewer Subjects, has a lower Factor, or 'sifts' less information. Challenge may also decrease Scope/Duration bases for an Action. Lastly, anything that suits the circumstances of Play notably, but are not Mechanical in nature, may also count.
• Character - Any active element in the Game. Players invest a lot of time, effort, and passion creating a special kind of Character called a Persona; as their primary contact point in the Game, Proprietary issues should be closely adhered to in their case.
• 'Character' - Advantages and Disadvantages of small Mechanical impact on the Game, these are used more as the basis of Characterization Rewards. The cost of these is a single development point for up to 5 'Character' elements
• Characterization - The fashion in which a Player represents their Persona. This is expected to be consistent with the information on the Persona Sheet.
• Cinematic - A type of Game where the Narrative is characterized as nearly cartoon-like in quality as in many B-movies.
• Consensus - See the Techniques for more explanation of how the Group can reach Consensus especially using Solomon's Auction in case of dispute.
• Critical Junctures - Chosen before the Game begins, the Critical Juncture is the numerical limit past which (the MIB number equals or exceeds Critical Juncture, positive or negative) the Proprietor of the Subject is compelled to improvise additional colorful and long-term results. For positive results this is called a Telling Blow, for negative it's a Catastrophic Failure. The sum of the Critical Juncture threshold and the Epic Index* must not exceed 10.
• Decision Phase - The middle Phase of resolution, this is when the dice are used to impartially generate the basic MIB number that defines the results of the Action being resolved.
• Defaulting - Modifying a Rating possessed, but not directly related to, an Action your Persona has no ability for (usually with a penalty). For abilities your Persona cannot even approximate; Easy abilities Default to a roll 11 or less, for Intermediate to a roll 10 or less, and for Difficult, 9 and under; there are also Opportunity limitations as listed for each skill to be Defaulted to. (Defaulting between Scope levels is an extra -1.)
• Detail - Information and Play that increases the interest and enjoyment of the Game. Mechanical Detail includes all of the time/Quantity/Opportunity amounts, as well as, for example, how far a Subject goes, how fast a Subject goes, what area an effect covers, how much time an Action takes, how many points an ability affects, how high a bonus is, how many Subjects an Action affects, what Factor an Action gives, or how much information an Action 'sifts.' Detail may also reflect the Scope/Duration bases for Actions. Detail may be rather Mechanical (Specific numbers and such) or very Narrative (colorful additional information).
• Development Points - These points are allocated to a Persona's various Ratings. Spending 1 Development Point will raise a Rating by 1. All the abilities a Persona possesses will have Ratings costing at least 1 point. The Defaults for abilities 'not paid for' have specified Opportunity restrictions in their listings. Placement of concentrations of Development Points is an indicator to other Players of the Persona's focus of design and must reflect their Sine Qua Non.
• Duration - The time scale that Actions function in. Not in chronological units but as Immediate (happens quickly), Involved (takes a short while), and Scenic* Actions (which occupy entire scenes by themselves).
• Engaged/Engagement - When the Action of one Persona affects yours to the degree that a response becomes possible; yours can become Engaged in their Action. Your Persona cannot become Engaged if they are Off-Guard towards that Actor (unless they succeed with a Reaction roll, at a -2 penalty, which predisposes some kind of Reactive Action).
• Epic Index* - Chosen before the Game begins. Many things (such as the maximum number of Following Actions in a Flurry, maximum number of Challenges 'spent' to raise a MIB, maximum number of Free Actions usable in a round, maximum number of Combat Advantages in Play at one time) are limited by Epic Index* number. The sum of the Critical Juncture threshold and the Epic Index* must not exceed 10
• Experience Dice - These 6-sided dice are given to and retained by the Players and may be used to affect the Narrative in a Mechanical fashion (including the introduction of plot devices and deus ex machina). Once rolled, they are given to the Player whose Action they went 'against' (to the Gamemaster when the roll was unopposed). Those given to the Gamemaster are returned to the 'common stock' immediately. They occur in five ways:

• Keepers

• Earn them instantly for doing anything that makes Play more fun for others in the Group, bringing food, Playing well ('Cool Beans' awards), making others laugh (when appropriate), doing your part to support good gamesmanship, Playing in accords with the Genre Expectations, and et cetera. These awards can also occur between the Play Sessions, coming usually from the Gamemaster, but Players are encouraged to vote for them too, for example for an MVP.
• Anyone can give these awards instantly (out of their own stock) to anyone else for exceptionally enjoyable episodes they provide during Play (more 'Cool Beans'). The Gamemaster must replace those given by the other Players when appropriate to the Genre Expectations (when a Player catches the gamemaster forgetting Keepers or Gimmes for following Genre Expectations a Player 'counts coup' and earns themselves an extra Experience Die). The Gamemaster must make these awards too (as a primary act of facilitation of play).

• Gimmes

• Get these any time you get your character to suffer from one of the disadvantages. A 'solid' manifestation (meaning it really has a significant effect on the Persona in Play) of any disadvantage gives a number of Experience Dice equal to its value. With a 'solid' manifestation of a 1-point disadvantage, you get 1 Experience Die. With a minor manifestation of either a 2 or 3-point one, you also get 1 Experience Die. (A mediocre manifestation of a 3-point disadvantage yields 2 Experience Dice.)
• Keepers and Gimmes are for you to use for or against anyone's Personae (including your own) any time you want (even when you aren't involved). Rewards for good Play go to the Player not the Persona and you may use them on any of your Personae (or any others').

• Freebies

• Whenever a Persona acts in a situation they have a listed advantage for, their Player may use a Freebie Experience Dice for that Action only. These are not collected like Keepers or Gimmes and if not used are lost.
• You also get Gimmes and Freebies based on your play in terms of the Genre Expectations. When you 'do what is expected' as listed the Genre Expectations, you get Gimmes (for 'letting' the supervillain catch you) or Freebies (escaping from the supervillains deathtrap after their 'little speech'). Basically, any time the Genre Expectation is for your Persona to 'get the short end of the stick,' you get some Gimmes. And when your Persona is supposed to succeed, you get Freebies. Very often these have to do with following certain basic genre familiar sequences of events.

• Loaners

• Borrow them whenever you need to roll them (from your 'karmic bank account'). As an example (that you are not limited to) is when you run out of Experience Dice. These are saved by the Proprietor of whatever you used them 'against' (whenever an Experience Dice is either added to a roll in the disfavor of something or used to create a plot device versus them). Later during the same Session, at the discretion of that Proprietor, they must use them 'against' you.

• Buy or Spend Them

• For each Development Point 'cashed in' during Play (Play affords the Player a way to 'get rid of' some characteristic), the Player receives 1 Experience Die.
• 'Spend' them to develop your Persona at any appropriate time within the context of the game and the Genre Expectation. Take as many Experience Dice as you wish (including Loaners) and roll them together for a total; compare this total to the following schedule. 6-9 nets 1 development point, 10-13 = 2 points, 14-17 = 3, 18-21 = 4, and so on in increments of 4 per point.

• Use Them

• Roll them during anyone's Decision Phase and add or subtract them as you see fit. Roll them when it's not in Mechanical Play and they're treated exactly like a MIB of their face value. (This is the 'plot device' or 'deus ex machina' method of affecting the Narrative.)

• Factor - The multiplier facet from the UE Chart when applied to a MIB or RMIB number during the Application Phase.
• Flurry - A sequence of Following Actions that function as a single Involved Action but with several MIB rolls; these are loosely scripted by the skill or ability that defines them. One of the most familiar is Fencing's Parry-Riposte; in Scattershot the combination is a single Involved Action. (Notice too, how it begins with a Reactive Action.)
• Game - Not just published materials, this includes the Play of the thing and all the elements within a specific incarnation.
• Gamemaster - This is the Player who 'Plays all the other Characters.' Instead of generating their own Persona, they take on the roles of all the Regular Characters and moderate the properties of them. As the central facilitator of Play, they are traditionally (but not always) called upon to be the Proprietor over most Subjects the Players are not directly the Proprietors of.
• Genre Expectations - Explicit boundaries and 'promises' set prior to play by Group Consensus. See the Techniques Section.
• Group - The circle of Players, including any Gamemasters, who are a part of creating the singular Narrative.
• Immediate - A Duration specification usually equal to a single Action (considered loosely 1½ seconds of time). Immediate Actions are completed swiftly, almost as quickly as they are started.
• Individual - The personal level of Scope. Most Subjects here are singular or very small groups (less than a handful) and it is frequently used in conjunction with Immediate Duration.
• Instantaneous - An Application of a Rating describing how the Actor chooses when to use the ability. In Mechanical Play, these only occur on the Character's Turn as an Action or as a Following Action.
• Interruption - Any Action that a Flurry is not 'scripted' to deal with. If successful, it causes the current Flurry to end suddenly.
• Invoked - Actions or Ratings that are for conscious or deliberate behavior on the part of the Actor. These also include Reactive Actions.
• Involved - A specific Duration usually taking the time of a number of Immediate Actions. These may occur concurrent with an ongoing scene and sometimes require a series of die rolls to be resolved piecemeal.
• Magnitude - A Rating that gives the basis of either how much may be affected or how much of an effect related Action will have. These are indexed on the UE Chart at the time of Persona creation/evolution and noted on the Persona Sheet.
• Mechanics/Mechanical - The actual 'rules' of Scattershot. The term 'rules' is avoided because of its divisive nature and because 'Mechanics' is suggestive of Scattershot's interrelative quality. The practice of Scattershot is divided into Mechanics and Techniques.
• Melee - Individual Immediate physical combat fought with hand weapons or less.
• Mob-Level Scope - One of the higher Scope levels. When dealing with Subjects on this level, each separate Action affects more than a handful people (or represents the Actions of a similar number together). Most frequently in Mechanical Play, this is used to create skirmish level battles. A skill like Strategy is at the Mob-Level Scope (while possibly applicable to Squad-Level Scope as well).
• Narrative - The sequence of Actions and events that occur in Play at the Character level of the Game.
• Off-Guard - When a Character is concentrating on one thing (usually for a Mechanical Benefit) to the point where they do not get their normal sensory rolls. If the Character attempts and succeeds at a Reaction roll at -2, they must perform a Reactive Action towards what their Player was having them roll against.
• Opportunity - Access to an ability or access to a Subject. Some abilities only work in certain circumstances, thus Gills could not be used to exempt oneself from a Gaseous Attack outside of water. Other times a Subject may be 'out of reach' of an Actor's Action, like behind cover.
• Opportunity Phase - The first Phase of resolution, this is when an Action is chosen and a Rating is modified to suit.
• Persona Sheet - An on-paper record of all notable aspects of a Persona, given either as Ratings or as descriptions.
• Phases - An Action is begun (and given a modified Rating) in the Opportunity Phase. It is impartially concluded (by die roll against that Rating) in the Decision Phase. This Action becomes a part of the Narrative (when the result is interpreted) during the Application Phase. Experience Dice distribution is only allowed during the Decision Phase of resolution.
• Play - The actual context of the Game. Whatever happens that moves the Narrative forward is a part of Play.
• Player - Anyone who participates in the creation of the Narrative, whether actively or passively. This includes the Gamemaster.
• Proprietor - The Player who 'owns' some element within the Game. Usually a Player becomes the Proprietor for anything belonging to their Persona or arising from their Persona's description or Actions. This also means that the Gamemaster is largely the Proprietor of the world within the Game (seeing as their Personae, the Regular Characters, own much of it), this is relaxed whenever a Player first brings up something that no known Regular Character is connected with. Players may turn over any element they are Proprietor for to any other Player whenever they wish. You may use other's elements only with their (at least tacit) approval.
• Quantity - The amount of something, such as the weight of a Subject, which can be affected. This may also be things like how long the Subject might be affected, how far away it could be, how broad of an area, what amount of points it has, or how much information might be affected.
• Question - Any situation left undetermined by the Speaker comes into Question. During conflict, Question is usually resolved via the impartiality of dice using Mechanically designated probability weighting. The rest of the time, Question usually represents Narrative elements that the Speaker wishes to leave to uncertainty. 'Not knowing' automatically creates a degree of tension and 'freshness' in the Narrative.
• Reactive - The Application of a Rating in response to an agency outside of the Character who is 'reacting.' Usually anything that causes a Reactive Ratings roll is also an Engagement.
• Regular Characters - Not usually as fully fleshed out as Personae, these supportive-role Characters may be Played by anybody.
• Residual - An Application of a Rating as a continuing modifier. Residual modifiers that are generated as a result of an Action index their MIB number on the 'Bonus' facet of the UE Chart for this modifier (and usually find a 1). Many advantages and disadvantages function as Residual modifiers on all situations that meet their Opportunity requirements.
• Resistor - A Persona who, by being Engaged, may actively oppose an Action being done by the Actor, usually by making that Action contested with a die roll.
• Resource - A Rating that represents an amount of something that may be Mechanically affected. Primarily these are Hit Points and Power. Any ability that has the capacity to drain or temporarily lower any other ability will treat that Rating as a Resource Mechanically.
• Scenic* - A specific Duration that is usually for actions that 'take up' an entire scene by themselves. Thus a Scenic* Action is usually treated outside of Play, as between Played scenes.
• Scope - Sometimes Subjects are treated in aggregate groupings. Mechanically this is separated into Individual, Squad, Mob, or Higher Scope. Single Subjects compose the Individual Scope, around a handful is Squad, and larger groups counts as Mobs. Even larger groups like neighborhoods, districts, armies, or countries are possible, but are only rarely used because of the time scale usually associated with their Actions borders on irrelevant to the Personae.
• Session - The continual Play of a single Game in one sitting.
• Sine Qua Non – The result of using the Technique of focused persona design. See the Techniques Section.
• Speaker - To avoid confusion, there is usually only one Speaker at any time (some alternatives include dialogue and interview-style descriptions). Who the Speaker is usually passes from Player to Player in an informal matter depending largely upon the requirements of who the Proprietor is for what is in Play. During Mechanical Play, who the Speaker is, formally travels counter-clockwise around the Group. While a Speaker may request information about things in Play, the response does not automatically change who the Speaker is.
• Squad-Level Scope - A medium Scope level. When dealing with things on this level, each separate roll or maneuver (an Action of a 'Squad') affects about a handful people (or is the maneuver of a similar number working together). You don't do damage to a 'Squad' you 'inflict losses.' In Mechanical Play, this can be things like gang warfare. A skill like Strategy is probably applicable to a Squad-Level Scope, but so would be an Individual-Level Scope skill like Tactics. (And you'll note that these Default to one and another across Scope lines.) It is possible for more powerful Personae to act as a 'Squad' of one.
• Subject - The prop, Character, or area that is the focus of an Action, the scale of which is frequently determined by the current Scope of Play.
• Techniques - The methods described elsewhere for the application and use of Scattershot's Mechanics.
• Telling Blow - Happens when a MIB (or RMIB) is at or above the Critical Juncture number (for example, if the Critical Juncture number is 7, a MIB of 7, 8, or higher is a Telling Blow). The Resistor creates the additional results required by this occurance.
• Types - The three Types of Ratings are Invoked, Magnitude, and Resource; these Types indicate how the Mechanics make use of these Ratings. Few Ratings are treated as exclusively of one Type (for example, Power is usually a Magnitude, but when used for Magic, it acts as a Resource).
• UE Chart - The geometrically progressive capacities chart used to predetermine the Quantities of Subject that can be affected or the Quantity of effect produced. Not to be confused with how the quality of effect is designated by the MIB.

* These are in dire need of renaming; any advice is greatly appreciated. Advice on renaming any of the items in the glossary is also greatly appreciated.

©2002 Fang Langford and Impswitch

I have deleted references to Ron's essay on the GNS.

Fang Langford

I forgot to put in the "Couldn't Get Any Worse" exception to the RMIB calculation. (RMIB = Actor's MIB - Resistor's MIB, unless Resistor's MIB is negative; Then simply use RMIB = Actor's MIB.)

Fang Langford

I've changed some of the terminology based on playtest results. Now a player character is known as a Persona and a non-player character is known as a Regular Character. I've also added the Damage and Armor Mechanix and modified some of the text on Squad Level Scope.

Fang Langford

I finally got around to adding the revised rewards and Experience Dice text. I hope it becomes clearer how they are actually the 'heart of the game.'

Fang Langford