TE Game System

Action Pools
Total Eclipse uses a greatly modified version of the White Wolf d10 system. Players create basic action pools for their characters by combining an applicable attribute with an applicable ability and rolling one dice for each point contained in both. (example: Agility 3+Athletics 2= five d10 action pool) with a target number (5=easy, 6=ordinary, 7=challenging, 8=ambitious, 9=immense, 10+=legendary) either set by the Storyteller or determined by opponent's own attribute or attribute+ability. Each rolled dice that equal or exceeds the target number is a success. The total number of successes determines the degree of success (0=failure, 1=minimal, 2= diminished, 3= typical, 4= accomplished, 5= exceptional, 6-7= extraordinary, 8= prodigious, 9+= excessive). Some special action pools, especially those using essence-channeling, might have extra dice beyond just an attribute + ability.

Eight successes is the “perfect” number for a character to not only accomplish their goal, but to have the most self-benefiting or ideal outcome result from their action both within the scene and beyond. More then eight successes causes unexpected and undesired effects that bring their own consequences even if the original goal is achieved.

When a player rolls a natural 10 or spends temporary wp to raise an action dice to 10, that dice usually counts as 2 successes, not one. 1s do not remove successes; a botch aka “dramatic failure” only happens with player rolls zero successes and ½ or more (rounded up) of their total action pool are 1s and 2s; they can use temp willpower to mitigate botch this by buying a success or changing a 2 to 3 before declaring their degree of success.

Its possible, through the luck mechanics, to sometimes get target numbers higher than 10; when that happens, a player still gets a success for every 10 that is in their action pool when they declare their degree of success- just one and not two. Regardless if the target number is 21 or 11, for every dice of 10 in a character's action pool when they declare their degree of success, they get a success.

Attributes
Attributes represent a characters fundamental physical, social, and intellectual and other properties as compared to other people. Human attributes have a scale of 1-7: 1= handicapped; 2= average; 3= good; 4= gifted; 5= exceptional; 6= extraordinary; 7= legendary. Attributes are divided into 12 simple and 4 compound attributes.

12 simple attributes are akin to WOD games; compound attributes are more specialized for Total Eclipse. Simple attributes are fixed: they take considerable time and effort to increase from starting levels and don't generally decrease except in cases of debilitating injury (unlikely to ever happen to a PC except by player's consent). Simple attributes are used to create action pools in combination with an ability- one d10 for each dot of attribute + one d10 for each dot of ability, (agility 3 + athletics 3= six d10 dice to roll). The simple attributes in Total Eclipse are divided into three subcategories: Physical, Social and Mental. The physical attributes are Strength, Agility, Dexterity and Stamina. The social attributes are Charisma, Intimidation, Guile, and Appearance. The mental attributes are Perception, Intelligence, Wits and Mojo.

Compound attributes have both a permanent rating and a temporary pool of ten dots which will be in constant flux over the course of the game session. PCs can start with 3 dots in each compound ability {which might be raised through a totemic boon} plus a full temporary pool. The compound attributes are Luck, Willpower, Health and Essence.

Abilities
Conventional abilities can be learned by any human whether they can channel essence or not. All humans have by default a 1 in all conventional abilities- it can be assumed that they get a 1 dice to use said ability in an action pool. Only conventional abilities that a character has at 2 or higher need to be listed on the character sheet.

Essential Abilities or Meta Abilities are those that require essence channeling; Gifted characters might manage to do them accidentally but only prodigals like the PCs can actively and reliably do them intentionally. There are a few general essential abilities that any prodigal can do but most essential abilities belong to a specific Art/Tradition. Others are even more specialized and learned as part of Schools within Arts/Traditions or passed down from Teacher to Student (the latter are not listed.) Some Essential Abilities cannot be learned until a certain mastery of the Art/Tradition has been accomplished first or they have prerequisites.