Stress is a powerful force, it can build up in a Character and effect their decision making and abilities, as they push Stressed Dice to do more they begin Straining those Dice, and sometimes that Strain has a negative effect upon the Dice, at least until you can heal those Strained muscles and brain-cells.
Strains
When a Character pushes an Annex by using the Stress stored on it, (or by boosting it with Chi see optional rule below) they can either directly add Score to the roll (as if Spending Chi on the roll, but with the disadvantage of creating 1 Strain on the Die) or they can create a Strain Die that they can add to an Action Roll. This Strain Die will either count as its own Die in a Pool or add to the total roll as required. Sometimes Straining Dice will create a Strain, the Strains created have to be stored. Each Die can store as many Strains as the Stress-Strain Limit. So a 1d3-1 can safely hold 1 Strain, but a 2d6 can store 3. If a Die has Strains then the Die is considered Strained. If a Die has more Strains than the Stress-Strain Limit (such as 2 Strain on a 1d3-1) then it is now considered Shocked.
Optional Rule: Characters who spend Sway, Chi or Yarn boosting Actions (either directly or by adding additional Descendant or Annex dice to the Pool), also add a Strain to those Dice, as they push themselves harder. This rule is intended to add a gritty fatigue mechanic to even Yarn-Teller play.
Straining Dice
Stress works a lot like Chi when it comes to adding it to Pips or Scores that are generated, although when used this way Stress spent will always create Strains. However Stress can also be used to Strain Dice, allowing additional Dice to be rolled in the Pool. We call these additional Dice Strain Dice as they represent the Character using Stress to Strain their body, mind and soul to push themselves to be stronger than normal. We call this Straining the Die as it creates a Strain Die and potentially a Strain that will have to be stored on the Stressed Die creating a Strained Die (see below).
When a Character spends more Stress from an Annex or Facet than the minimum roll for that Die (at least equal to the Stress-Strain Limit), then they may add that Boon Die as a Strain Die to their Action roll. A Character who has a Boon 10 in a Facet may have choosen a Boon Die of 1d2+2, 5d2-4, 1d4+1 or 1d6, if they chose 1d6 or 5d2-4 which both have a minimum roll of 1 and so 2 Stress are required to add either die, however 1d4+1 has a minimum roll of 2 this means 3 Stress are required to add it, and a 1d2+2 costs 4 Stress to be added. Spending less Stress than this number will add the Stress to the roll (exactly like Banal Chi) but will also add 1 Strain to the Die. This is intended to encourage saving Stress to levels where Strain Dice are rolled, as there is then a chance of Relieving some Stress without incurring Strains.
While the Strain Die is added to the Character’s Action Score, the roll is also individually important as the Annex or Facet can become Strained, Stressed again, or cause Drama depending upon the result of the roll:
- If the Strain Die rolls a Score lower than the Stress spent to Strain the Die then the Die Gains 1 Strain (or 1 Shock in the case of a Fully Strained Die), but all the spent Stress is Relieved. e.g. a 1d4+1 costs at least 3 Stress to roll, and can hold up to 5 Stress. If a Character pays 4 Stress to Strain the Die and it rolls 2 or 3 then 4 Stress is Relieved and 1 Strain is gained.
- If the roll is equal or higher than the Stress spent to Strain the Die then the Die does not gain a Strain, but the Dice will only Relieve Stress down to the Stress-Strain Limit. e.g. if the 1d4+1 rolls 5 after paying 4 Stress then the Die does not gain a Strain, but only Relieves 1 Stress as the Stress returns to the Stress-Strain Limit of 3.
- A Facet or Annex Boon Die can store a total number Strains equal to the Stress-Strain Limit before it becomes Shocked (see Strained Dice however).
A Stressed Annex’s Strain Dice can be used to Relieve a lot of Stress at once, however often this Stress will effectively be converted into Strains. Strains have a negative impact upon that Die. A Dice with even a single Strain is considered Strained.
Strained Dice
When a Die has Strains then the Die is considered Strained. A Strained Die suffers a penalty equal to the current Strains on the Die. E.g. a 1d6 Descendant can Store up to 6 Stress and 2 Strains, if it is Strained with 1 Strain then it will now roll 1d6-1, a 1d4+1 can store upto 5 Stress and upto 3 Strains, if it is Strained with 1 Strain then it becomes a 1d4. This penalty affects all rolls of the Die, such as Facet or Annex Rolls and Strained Dice can still be rolled as Strain Dice, although with the Strained Penalty they are more likely to Strain more. This penalty does not effect the Limits of the Die, the Stress Limit and Stress-Strain Limits are unchanged.
Strained Dice can safely store Strains equal to Stress-Strain Limit, at that point the Strained Dice will be able to roll -1 which if rolled will automatically generate Failure Levels in the appropriate Facet (the Channelling Facet of an Annex). Strained Dice that are Fully Strained (Strains equal to the Stress-Strain Limit) that roll lower than the Stress spent to Strain the Die will add a Shock instead (see Shocked Dice).
Relieving Strains
It should be noted that where as a Character may have a number of ways of Relieving Stress there are very limited ways of Relieving Strains directly. The most common way is through suitable rest and recuperation, but there are other ways available.
- Characters and Descendants can relieve Strains on Strained Dice by paying the minimum Chi equivalent of the Strains as Yarn (e.g. 2 Strains are Relieved by 5 Chi).
- Strains can also be “Healed” during Ordeals by beating this Chi cost with Pips ♥ are Trumps for this Action.
- The easiest way to remove Strains though is Time with the Extend Duration of the Strains as Yarn indicating the amount of time that must be rested to heal all Strains. Resting completely for a few Seconds (or an Ordeal Stage) should be enough to rest one Strain away, but no more will be rested away until a short resting Scene has happened, or the Character or Descendant has sat out a Quick Ordeal, and so on.
- Stress effects can also alter how Strains can be relieved, as can Traumas, with some Traumas completely removing all Strains.