How to Play

Eclipse Phase is played as a collaborative story-telling project that takes place in the players’ imaginations. The gamemaster (GM) details the setting, portrays the NPCs, adjudicates rules, and sets the stage for the adventure scenario. The players take on the role of their characters and describe their actions. Each character is defined by a set of characteristics — skills, traits, etc. — listed on their character sheet. When the characters encounter difficulties or engage in conflicts with NPCs, dice are used to determine the outcome.

Dice Basics

Eclipse Phase uses two ten-sided dice for skill tests and most other rolls. Rolled dice are read as percentiles (d100), with the first die serving as the tens digit and the second as the ones digit. Percentile dice rolls result in a number between 0 and 99 (00 is read as zero). A roll of 5 and 3, for example, is read as 53. Use different colored dice to note which one to read first or use ten-siders made for percentile rolling.

For some other rolls (damage, stress, recharging pools), Eclipse Phase uses both six-sided (d6) and ten-sided (d10) dice. These dice are added together, sometimes with a modifier, to get the result. A 2d10 + 3 damage roll of 5 and a 3 would result in an 11.

In a few rare cases, the rules may call for division. In this case, always round normally (i.e., a result of 1.5 or higher is rounded to 2).

When to Roll the Dice

Roll the dice when the results may influence the plot or have other consequences, when the situation is challenging, when a character is unskilled, or when a character is opposed by another force. Don’t make tests for mundane, everyday tasks. A skill of 40 or more assumes a professional level of competency. You don’t need to roll every time your character pilots a ship, looks up something basic online, or talks to an NPC — to speed things along, you and the GM should assume characters breeze through the easy stuff. Save the dice rolling for situations with dramatic stakes.

Making Tests

When the GM calls for a test, roll percentile dice and compare the result to the target number. The target number is based on the character’s skill, aptitude check, or rep network score. If the result is equal to or less than the target number, the test succeeds. If the result is higher, the test fails.

Though you want to roll equal to or under the target number, you also want to roll as high as possible in order to get a superior success or to beat your opponent in opposed tests.

Who Rolls?

Players roll the dice when making tests for their characters; GMs roll for NPCs. Sometimes the GM makes tests for PCs in secret, so as not to alert players to something their characters wouldn’t know, like whether or not they spot a clue. It’s a good idea for GMs to keep a copy of the PC character sheets on hand.

Treat multiple characters engaging in the same activity — such as a group searching a room or someone attempting to calm an angry mob — as a single entity. In this case, simply roll once for the group, using the highest skill among them — or the lowest, if the group is an impediment. If the result may separately impact multiple characters, however, have them roll individually. If a group of characters actively cooperates on a test, use the teamwork rules.

Difficulty and Modifiers

Fixing a common glitch in your favorite robot isn’t as difficult as repairing an unknown malfunction on an unfamiliar model. These degrees of difficulty are represented by modifiers — adjustments that raise or lower the target number. An easy test provides a positive modifier, increasing the target number. A hard test inflicts a negative modifier.

Modifiers are assigned in multiples of ten, ranging from +10 to +30 and −10 to −30, as noted on the Modifiers table.

In addition to the test’s inherent challenge level, various situational aspects may also influence the test, such as high-quality gear, poor environmental conditions, or the health of the character. These factors are also represented as modifiers based on their level of severity, as noted on the Modifiers table.

GMs assign modifiers as appropriate to the situation. If multiple circumstances affect a test, we strongly suggest the GM assess the situation as a whole and apply a single modifier based on the overall net effect, rather than taking the time to itemize individual modifiers. No set of multiple modifiers should impact a test by more than +/−60.

Modifiers

Difficulty	Situational Factor	Modifier
Very Easy	Major Bonus	+30
Easy	Moderate Benefit	+20
Slightly Easy	Minor Boost	+10
Average		+/−0
Slightly Hard	Minor Hindrance	−10
Hard	Moderate Impediment	−20
Very Hard	Major Drawback	−30

Superior Results: 33/66 Rule

Sometimes you will rock your test with flair, sometimes you will fumble it with indignity. On a roll of 33 or more that succeeds, you get a superior success. On a roll of 66 or more, you get two superior successes. On a roll of 66 or less that fails, you get a superior failure. On a roll of 33 or less, you get two superior failures.

For each superior result, choose one of the following. For two superior results, you may choose two of the following or one twice for double the effect:

• Quality: The work is more exact (success) or more sloppy (failure). This may affect subsequent tests by +/−10.
• Quantity: The test consumes fewer (success) or more (failure) materials or produces fewer or more results.
• Detail: You acquire information that is much more in-depth or nuanced (success) or false (failure).
• Time (task actions only): The action takes a shorter (success) or longer (failure) amount of time, by +/−25%.
• Covertness: The action is less (success) or more (failure) obvious or draws less or more attention (+/−10 as appropriate).
• Damage: Successes inflict more (+1d6) damage (failures miss).

Use superior results for extra style and oomph factor when making tests. Superior results may not apply to every dice roll; a binary success/failure is often enough to move the story forward. This is especially true for tests that fail — the consequences may be severe enough without needing to know how badly the character screwed up. GMs make the final call on when/how to apply superior results.

Criticals

When you roll doubles on a test — 00, 11, 22, etc. — you score a critical result. If you roll a critical and succeed, you get a critical success. If you roll a critical and fail, you score a critical failure. A roll of 00 is always a critical success, a roll of 99 is always a critical failure, no matter the target number.

Criticals have more impact than superior results. They represent “Wow!” moments where you stun onlookers with your proficiency or ineptness. They provide extra bonus effects/penalties, as determined by the GM. Here are some examples:

• Double the damage you inflict with an attack.
• Gain a +/−20 modifier to the next test you make.
• Take an extra action (critical success) or lose your next action (critical failure).
• Break a weapon/tool (critical failure).

You are encouraged to devise creative critical results as appropriate to the situation. If a critical is also a superior result, only the critical applies.

Defaulting

If you lack the skill you need to make a test, you can rely on your character’s innate talents and default to the skill’s linked aptitude instead (Aptitudes). For example, if you lack Guns skill, you can still shoot using your Reflexes aptitude as the target number.

There is no modifier for defaulting on a skill test, but critical successes are ignored.

In some cases, the GM may allow you to default to a related skill. For example, someone trying to repair a gun without any Hardware skills could default to their Guns skill. In this case, a −10 to −30 modifier applies, depending on how closely the skills are related.

The GM may decide that some tests require specialized knowledge or training and so cannot be defaulted on.

Teamwork

Multiple characters may cooperate on a test, such as pushing open a door or repairing a robot together. These collaborators must reasonably be able to communicate and work together in an efficient fashion. Only one character rolls for the test (usually the one with the highest skill). Each additional contributing character provides a +10 modifier, up to a maximum of +30.

Only the character making the test can use pools to affect the test.

For tests involving Know, Technical, or Vehicle skills, collaborating characters must possess the tested skill at 40 or more to provide a teamwork bonus.