Stress

Each Character and Descendant also has Stress. Stress can be thought of as being related to Sway (particularly Chi) and perhaps Twists. Stress has a number of related forms, Stress itself is the most common, then we have Strains, Shocks (which are quite common) and finally Traumas. This is a complex relationship as you will see.

Gaining Stress

Characters and Descendants can gain Stress in a number of ways. Usually Stress is gained in small amounts from a variety of sources, although it is possible for a combination of events to add vast amounts of Stress in a single catastrophe.

• Hitches can add Stress via Orthodox Stress Gnarls.
• Characters may Gain Stress from their Geometry, and additionally from Astrological signs, or a number of other Character choices (that are often Game or Setting specific).
• Characters may Gain Stress from their Personas, note the Gain Stress component of what the Persona Avoids for each.
• Characters Gain Stress from their I-Ching. Each Hexagram provides a mechanism for the Character to Gain Stress, typically a Character will have only one method active at a time (either the Present or Future). Typically the Hexagram that last gained Chi for the Character is considered the active Hexagram. Only the active Hexagram can Gain Stress. This adds an additional complication of tracking the active Hexagram, although a single coin can track Present or Future with Heads and Tails, it must be flipped over when the appropriate Chi Gain is made.
• Some Wounds and Emotional Effects can create Stress for the Character.
• Some Nimbeds and Glows can create Stress in others.
• Characters can gain Stress from other Characters directly (Stress can be passed between Characters and spread).
• Embodiment Characters also gain Stress from their active Plots. This is particularly common in Higher Suspense Scenes and Conflict Scenes if Characters do not engage with the Plot’s other Embodiment Characters directly.

Typically when a Character Gains Stress they Gain 1 Stress. Although some Settings can and will alter this.

Optional Rule: Characters can Gain Stress as though it was Sway or Chi. This is usually to make a more Dramatic Setting, such as a Superheroic setting, or a more tough survival experience. In the Cosmic Horror genre, for example, any encounter with the Horrors themselves will cause a Gain of 1d6 Stress. In general, higher levels of Stress make for grittier settings and stories, but lots of Stress can mean lots of Distress and Traumas, so there is a balance to be found. A good way of balancing additional Stress is to allow Characters more options in Relieving Stress.

Yarn-Teller Characters may also Bid Stress on Dramatic Challenges (see Drama Rules), this Bid is how much Stress the Character is willing to take in order to continue the Narration.

Optional Rule: Negative Emotional Effects in addition to potentially creating Psych Wounds, can also add Stress to the Target. Stress is usually calculated differently depending upon the type of game. In Banal games each card adds its Pips to the Character’s current Stress. In Intrepid Games this becomes the Pips Reduced (1-4 each card). In Bold Games this becomes +1 Stress only for any Wound card greater than Flesh (8+ Pips) reducing Stress gained greatly. Note that some Characters will Gain or Relieve Stress when effected by Negative (or Positive Emotions). They will make their normal Stress Gain in addition to any specified by these Rules, but typically ignore Stress Gains if they are Relieved by the Emotional effect.

You can cancel gaining a point of Stress with a point of Chi, but all the Stress gained must be cancelled at once. If a Character gains 22 Stress they can’t pay 21 Chi to gain 1 Stress, but they can pay 22 Chi to gain no Stress.

Storing Stress

Characters and Descendants can both store Stress in the same ways. Stress can only be stored on a Boon Die, so Descendants can only store Stress on their Annex Dice, where Characters can store Stress on their Annex and Facet Dice.

Each Die can only safely store as much Stress as the highest Score the Die can roll. So 2d6 can store up to 12 Stress. This is called the Stress Limit of the Die.

Each Die has a Limit based on the Minimum roll +1. This is called the Stress-Strain Limit of the Die and is important for determining when Strain Dice may be rolled (see Strains and Strain Dice rules)

If a Die has any Stress stored on it, then it is called a Stressed Die. If a Die is storing Stress equal to the maximum rolled Score then the Die is considered Overstressed.

Optional Rule: One way that Stress can be recorded in game session is by setting an appropriate Annex or Facet Die to the current Stress. Each time Stress is added, lost or spent the Die is changed to match the new Stress. Current Stress should be noted before rolling the Die for any purpose so that it can be returned to the Stress stored after the roll.

Stressed Dice

An Annex or Facet Die that has any Stress stored on it is called a Stressed Die (plural Dice).

• A Stressed Die can store Stress up to the Maximum roll of the Die (the Die Stress Limit).
• The Stressed Die’s minimum roll plus one (+1) is known as the Stress-Strain Limit and is important for Strains and Straining Dice. It is the minimum Stress that must be stored on a Stressed Dice to allow it to become a Strain Dice.
• A Stressed Die can spend Stress to add bonuses to rolls or to purchase Dramas according to the current Suspense Level.
• Spending less Stress than the Stress-Strain Limit will add a +2 to a Roll of that Die or +1 Pips to any Played Card per point of Stress spent.
• Spending more Stress than the Stress-Strain Limit will result in the creation of a Strain Dice (see Strains).
• Spending Stress on Strain Dice often creates Strains that must be stored on the Stressed (or now Strained) Die.
• Filling a Die with Stress to the Stress Limit (Maximum Roll) will turn the Stressed Die into an Overstressed Die (see Overstressed DIce).

Overstressed Dice

An Annex or Facet that has Stress equal to the maximum Die roll for that Boon (the Stress Limit) is considered Overstressed. An Overstressed Die cannot store more Stress for a Character or Descendant. Any attempt to store more Stress on the Die will instead convert Stress to Shock (see Shocked Dice). An Overstressed Die cannot spend Stress to improve rolls and cannot add Strain Dice, but can still spend Stress on Dramas when appropriate.

Optional Rule: Whenever a Character with an Overstressed Die gains Stress they may spend that Stress to add a Die (usually a D6) to the Drama Pool regardless of the Dramatic Stress Limit.

When a Character has an Overstressed Die and they interact with another Character socially, 1 Stress will be Relieved from each Overstressed Dice and added to the the Character that they are interacting with.

Stress Relief

Characters can Relieve Stress, getting rid of it before it accumulates too much, in a number of ways.

• A Character’s Name Germatria and Geometry define at least one way a Character can Relieve Stress. Additionally I-Ching and Astrology can be used to create additional Stress Reliefs (at the cost of additional Stressors).
• Stress can be Relieved by Dramas, but exactly how depends upon which rules variant you are using (see below). Some Settings, Stress and Suspense Levels will create Drama more consistently than others.
• Stress can be Relieved by spending Stress to purchase Stress Card Effects when Shocked.
• Stress Effects and Traumas the Character has can offer additional ways that Stress may be Relieved.
• Positive Emotional Affects can Relieve Stress, as Characters burst out laughing, nod in approval, stand resolute, or whatever. Typically Positive Emotional Effects will negate Stress as follows: Each card of a Positive emotion will cancel a number of Stress equal to its Pips Reduced. So a Jack can cancel 3 Stress. It is also worth noting that Positive Emotional Effects (particularly Extreme ones) can remove Hitches and Ongoing Stress Effects instantly.
• All Characters can Relieve Stress by making other Characters Stress. If a Character is in social contact with another, then they can deliberately transfer 1 Stress to that Character with any appropriate Social Ordeal Action (simply telling them their concerns for example).
• If a Character has more Stress than another Character, and at least one Overstressed or Fully Strained Die, then they are considered “Histrionic”. Histrionic Characters may use Social Ordeal Actions to transfer Stress to another Character. Typically a Histrionic Character will Relieve 1 Stress for each Overstressed Die +1 additional Stress, however the Character they are interacting with will Gain Stress equal to the amount the Histrionic Character lost +1 Additional Stress. Histrionic Characters who Gain Stress from Social Interactions will always Gain +1 additional Stress (if 2 Histrionic Characters are interacting this gets very stressful).
• Yarn-Tellers can relieve Stress during Dramatic Challenges (see Dramatic Challenges in the Drama Rules).

Stress, Distress and Drama

Drama can be both a source of Stress and a relief from the terrible effects that too much Stress can have on a Character. A sudden Hazard for example can obviously create Stress for the Character, but it can also Relieve building Stress, as the bad thing that you were expecting to happen has happened. This can provide cathartic relief just like a Positive Emotion might. Some Dramatic Events can actually cause a Distress or Trauma Card to come into play (see Shock Dice and Distress and Traumas).

Each Drama and Stress Effect has its own Stress Cost that can be paid effectively relieving that Stress. Dramas and Stress Effects only remove Stress from the Target of the Drama or the Character or Descendant receiving the Stress Effect.

The “Stressed-Out” Break in particular will cause a Stress Effect as a Drama, usually applying the Current Scene’s Significator as a Distress Card Stress Effect that will affect the Character moving forward. This will remove Stress equal to the Pips of the card (or create Trauma if they do not have enough Stress) (see Distress and Traumas).

Drama can occur to a Character when they have accumulated enough Stress to become potentially Shocked (actually being Shocked, having at least one Overstressed Die or one Fully-Strained Die) or if they have accumulated enough Stress over all to pass a specific limit. This limit is called the Dramatic Stress Limit and is set by the Scene Author, Yarn-Teller or Referee, usually calculated from the current Scene’s Suspense Level (0-11) by some method such as a percentage of the Total Stress the Character can store when every Die is Overstressed (however this can be difficult to set for groups before play). A standard Dramatic Stress Limit is noted for each Suspense Level, that can be used if needed.

• If a Character has more Stress than the Dramatic Stress Limit then they are considered “Emphatic”. Emphatic Characters are able to spend Stress to roll a Drama Die into the Drama Pool during their Action.
• Characters who have less points of Stress than Half the Current Suspense Level’s Dramatic Stress Limit are considered “Reserved”. Reserved Characters are often targetted by Histrionic and Emphatic Characters as their unstressed demeanour can appear cold, diffident, asocial, distant or even secretive.

Optional Rule: To simplify when a Character can spend Stress on Drama a simple rule can be set in place, such as if the Suspense Level is higher than 2 then any Embodiment Character may spend Stress on Drama. If the Suspense Level is higher than 4 then any Character may spend Stress on Drama. This simplified rule option is the preferred Lite Stress method.

Adding a Drama Die (usually d6 Character Drama) to the Drama Pool will relieve 1 Stress and may create Drama as per its normal Rules which will relieve additional Stress.

Optional Rule: If Stress is building too quickly in your group, with a lot of Drama being created as a result, consider allowing the Drama Die to Relieve Stress equal to the result the Drama Die rolled (usually a 1d6, so an average of 3.5 Stress Relieved).

Stress and Strains

Stress is very powerful, and can have a very negative effect upon a Character, but it can also have a more positive effect. Stress can be spent to boost dice rolls. The minimum cost in Stress is one greater than the minimum possible roll on the Die, so to Strain a 2d6+1 will require a minimum of 4 Stress to be spent. Spending less Stress than this at once does have a benefit though, adding a bonus Score or Pips as though Chi had been spent on the Action, but automatically adding a Strain to the Die. The Stress spent on adding a Strain Die can be converted into Strains or Relieved depending upon what happens with the roll (see Strains and Straining Dice)