Adversary Ranks

Rank sets how much encounter weight a creature carries and how active it is. Standard is the default.

Minion

Minions are simple, fragile, disposable bodies that fill space, pressure the party and back up stronger adversaries without adding bookkeeping. One Minion is a quarter of a Standard for encounter building.

Swarm Attack

Attack, Maneuver · 1 AP

Requires: Minion rank and at least 1 allied Minion of the same type within Close that hasn't acted this round and can attack the same target.

Declare a Swarm Attack against 1 target within reach. Up to 3 allied Minions of the same type within Close may Join the Swarm. Make 1 attack and damage roll with the Minions' baseline attack; it gains 1 Advantage for each participant after the first and Armor Piercing equal to the number of participants. The target defends against the attack roll as it would against that baseline attack (Parry or Dodge, by the usual rules): on a success it takes half damage, and none only on a critical success.

Join the Swarm

Attack, Reaction, Taxing · Reaction (0 RP)

Trigger: An allied Minion of the same type within Close declares a Swarm Attack against a target this Minion can also attack, and fewer than 3 have joined.

Costs 0 Reaction Points. This Minion joins the triggering Swarm Attack; doing so uses its turn for the round.

Minion Resilience

Passive · Passive

A Minion has no HP. It is destroyed when it takes damage greater than its Soak and survives any hit at or below its Soak. Against effects that deal half damage on a successful save, it takes damage only on a failed save. It has 1 Action Point and no Reaction Points.

Standard

The baseline enemy. A Standard counts as one combatant and uses its Role's HP, checks, saves and other numbers for its level directly. It has 1 Action Point and 1 Reaction Point per round.

Elite

An Elite is worth two Standards: tougher, more tactically expressive and able to stay relevant longer. It has double its Role's HP for its level, +2 to all action checks and saves, and 2 Action Points and 1 Reaction Point each round.

Every Elite has 1 Elite Action from this list. If none fits the design, take another creature-type trait, a Role maneuver or a Generic maneuver instead.

Bloodied Refresh

Elite, Reaction · Reaction (1 RP)

Trigger: This Elite first becomes Bloodied.

Choose 1 maneuver this Elite has that is Discharged or out of uses; recharge it or regain 1 use. Once per encounter.

Follow-Up Strike

Elite, Reaction · Reaction (1 RP)

Trigger: The Elite deals damage to a target with a maneuver.

Make a Baseline Attack against the triggering target.

Press the Advantage

Elite, Reaction · Reaction (1 RP)

Trigger: The Elite inflicts a condition on a creature with a maneuver.

Choose 1 condition the triggering maneuver inflicted. If it has a value X, increase it by 1. Otherwise, the creature suffers Misfortune on recovery checks and other checks to remove it.

Tactical Recovery

Elite, Maneuver, Taxing · Free

Requires: this Elite is suffering a hindering effect. At the end of its turn, choose 1 hindering effect or condition and attempt an extra save or recovery check against it.

Solo

A Solo is built to fight the whole party alone: an encounter centerpiece, not just a tougher enemy. It counts as four Standards and is usually the only enemy, perhaps with some minions (GM's call). It has four times its Role's HP for its level, +4 to action checks and saves, and 2 Action Points and 2 Reaction Points each round. It also has the whole Solo Package below.

Incredible Actions

Incredible Actions are small effects used between other creatures' turns. After a player character, or one of that character's allies, ends its turn, the Solo may use 1 Incredible Action. Choose 2 of these options when you build it; reskin their trappings to fit the creature, but keep the mechanics.

Shifting Step

Solo, Incredible · Free

Incredible Action (use after a PC or PC ally ends its turn; choose 2 options when building the Solo). The Solo moves up to 5 feet without triggering movement reactions.

Snap Attack

Solo, Incredible · Free

Incredible Action (use after a PC or PC ally ends its turn; choose 2 options when building the Solo). The Solo makes 1 Baseline Attack against the creature whose turn just ended, if it is a valid target.

Pressing Blow

Solo, Incredible · Free

Incredible Action (use after a PC or PC ally ends its turn; choose 2 options when building the Solo). 1 creature within reach or Close must succeed a save against the Solo's action check or become Off-Guard until the start of its next turn.

Force Out of Position

Solo, Incredible · Free

Incredible Action (use after a PC or PC ally ends its turn; choose 2 options when building the Solo). 1 creature within Close must succeed a Might or Reflex save against the Solo's action check or be pushed, pulled or slid 5 feet.

Claim the Ground

Solo, Incredible · Free

Incredible Action (use after a PC or PC ally ends its turn; choose 2 options when building the Solo). A 5-foot space within Close becomes difficult terrain until the start of the Solo's next turn.

Lingering Pressure

Solo, Incredible · Free

Incredible Action (use after a PC or PC ally ends its turn; choose 2 options when building the Solo). 1 creature within Close that already has a condition suffers Misfortune on its next recovery check against it before the Solo's next turn.

Sweeping Interference

Solo, Incredible · Free

Incredible Action (use after a PC or PC ally ends its turn; choose 2 options when building the Solo). 1 creature within Close suffers 1 Disadvantage on its next attack roll before the Solo's next turn.

Ablative Shelter

Solo, Incredible · Free

Incredible Action (use after a PC or PC ally ends its turn; choose 2 options when building the Solo). The Solo gains 5 temporary HP.

Crush the Opening

Solo, Incredible · Free

Incredible Action (use after a PC or PC ally ends its turn; choose 2 options when building the Solo). 1 creature within Close that is Off-Guard, Slowed, grabbed, Prone or Bloodied takes Weak persistent damage for the Solo's level, of a type matching one of its baseline attacks.

Unsettling Surge

Solo, Incredible · Free

Incredible Action (use after a PC or PC ally ends its turn; choose 2 options when building the Solo). 1 creature within Close that can see or hear the Solo must succeed a Charisma, Perception or Fortitude save (as fits the Solo) against the Solo's action check or become Dazed until the end of its next turn.

Incredible Resilience

Solo, Passive · Passive

The first time each round the Solo would be fully prevented from acting, reduce the effect instead: it loses part of its action economy (1 action, 1 reaction or 1 Incredible Action) rather than all of it. If the effect allows a save, the Solo also gets an extra save at the end of its turn.

Incredible Recovery

Solo, Passive · Passive

When the Solo first becomes Bloodied it immediately does one: recharge a Discharged maneuver, use an Incredible Action, or roll a recovery check with Fortune. Its Incredible Presence also escalates to its second phase.

Incredible Presence

A Solo has 1 Incredible Presence, always active unless a rule says otherwise. When the Solo first becomes Bloodied, its presence escalates to the stronger (Bloodied) version. If no option fits, choose a creature-type trait, a Role maneuver or a Generic maneuver instead.

Tyrant's Reach

Solo, Presence · Passive

Incredible Presence (always active; escalates when Bloodied). Enemies within Close treat spaces adjacent to the Solo as difficult terrain. Bloodied: they also suffer 1 Disadvantage on checks for actions with the Move trait.

Crushing Aura

Solo, Presence · Passive

Incredible Presence (always active; escalates when Bloodied). A creature starting its turn adjacent to the Solo must succeed a Fortitude save against its action check or suffer 1 Disadvantage on physical attacks until the end of its turn. Bloodied: failures are also Slowed 5 until the start of their next turn.

Dread Presence

Solo, Presence · Passive

Incredible Presence (always active; escalates when Bloodied). A creature starting its turn within Close that can see or hear the Solo must succeed a Charisma save against its action check or suffer 1 Disadvantage on its first attack that turn. Bloodied: it becomes Frightened 1 instead.

Warped Battlefield

Solo, Presence · Passive

Incredible Presence (always active; escalates when Bloodied). Using the Average Magnitude for its level as the area, the Solo projects themed interference (smoke, roots, static, haze). Pick Movement Disruption (Might or Reflex save against the Solo's action check or Slowed X, X = Average Magnitude) or Visual Impairment (Fortitude or Perception save against the Solo's action check or Dim-Sighted). Bloodied: saves are made with Misfortune.

Hunter's Domain

Solo, Presence · Passive

Incredible Presence (always active; escalates when Bloodied). Once per round, attacking a creature that is Off-Guard or not adjacent to one of its allies, the Solo rolls with Fortune. Bloodied: it also deals extra Weak damage for its level on a hit.

Relentless Pressure

Solo, Presence · Passive

Incredible Presence (always active; escalates when Bloodied). Enemies within Close suffer Misfortune on recovery checks against conditions the Solo inflicted. Bloodied: they must also take 1 Strain to make their normal end-of-turn recovery check against those conditions (the Recover action is unaffected).

Living Hazard

Solo, Presence · Passive

Incredible Presence (always active; escalates when Bloodied). Choose a save when selected. A creature that hits the Solo with a melee attack while adjacent must succeed it against the Solo's action check or suffer: Might — pushed 5 ft plus Average Magnitude; Reflex — Average damage for its level; Fortitude — Slowed 5 plus Average Magnitude; Charisma — Dazzled X (X = Average Step). Bloodied: use Strong values.

World-Weight

Solo, Presence · Passive

Incredible Presence (always active; escalates when Bloodied). Enemies within Close of the Solo treat that area as difficult terrain. Bloodied: the first time a creature starts its turn in or enters Close, it must succeed a Charisma save against the Solo's action check or have Speed 0 until the end of its turn.

Save DCs: Warped Battlefield, Living Hazard and World-Weight, like every other presence option, call for a save against the Solo's action check.