Reel System

The Reel System differs from the other skill systems in that it is heavily focused on party group work and cooperation, rather than individuals performing skill checks on their own. Anyone that can contribute to the skill in some way is assumed to be chipping in to help solve the problem and accomplish the skill check's goal. As such, skill check performed with the Reel System are a little more involved than they are with the other systems, taking a bit longer to perform and requiring the players to communicate with one another to decide how they're going to tackle the skill check.

Skill Checks are handled much differently in the Reel System; rather than being based on the results of a single d100 roll, each skill check is made up of three parts. Rolls are still involved, and referred to as Reels - and each Reels being a single d8 by default. Depending on the type of skill check being performed, the number of Reels involved in the skill check will vary - there will always been at least three Reels, but most often even more than that. A specific number of Reels are requires to pass in order for the skill check to count as a success, and this too varies with the type of skill check being performed. Finally, each check also has a Target Number (TN), which is the number each Reel is required to match or beat in order to count as a pass towards success for the skill. Unlike the number of Reels involved in a given check, the TN is set by the GM and indicates how hard it is for any given Reel to count as a pass, with the default TN being 5. For easy things the TN could be reduced to 4, or even 3 for incredibly simplistic things that only have a small chance for failure, while difficult things could have the TN set to 6, very challenging things to 7, and near impossibly task could be set at 8.

Skill Check Types

There are three different types of skill checks within the Reel System; Normal Skill Checks, Dual Skill Checks, and Solo Skill Checks. Most checks performed should either be of the Normal or Dual variety, but if there's ever a reason for only one character to effect the results of the check (if one character is separated from the rest of the party, for example) then the Solo Check is available.

• Normal Skill Check. The check only involves a single skill, and any specialization applied to check must relate to that skill. When a normal skill check is performed, it's made with 5 Reels, and 3 passes are required for the check to be made successfully.
• Dual Skill Check. This check involves two different skills - specializations related to either of the two skills can be applied to any of the involved Reels, freely mixed and matched. When a dual skill check is performed, it's made with 6 Reels, and 4 passes are required for the check to be made successfully.
• Solo Skill Check. The check only involves only one character and a single skill, and any specialization applied to check must relate to that skill. When a single skill check is performed, it's made with 3 Reels, and 2 passes are required for the check to be made successfully.

Specializations

Without any modifications, skill checks in the Reel System appear to have a low chance of over all success. Luckily, just as characters have a diverse portfolio of abilities used to aid them, in combat, characters are also given a number of Specializations - ways for the characters in a party to modify the Reels involved in a check to give them better odds at securing passes and ultimately succeeding in the skill check. Specializations use the same Skill List as most other skill systems.

Characters of course start with a number of specializations; however this number is different depending on the number of characters in the party. Each character has two specialization that can be freely changed between any specialization between sessions. They also gain additional specializations as they level up slowly; each character gaining one permanent additional specialization every 25 levels. If the party ever suddenly finds itself with less permanent members - like if a player suddenly had to drop from the game and another is not brought in as a replacement - the GM can feel free to award additional specialization slots to match what they're expected to have.

• Party size of 1-3 characters: each character receives 12 permanent specialization slots at level 1.
• Party size of 4 characters: each character receives 10 permanent specialization slots at level 1.
• Party size of 5 characters: each character receives 8 permanent specialization slots at level 1.
• Party size of 6 or more characters: each character receives 6 permanent specialization slots at level 1.

When picking specializations, any given specialization can be taken multiple times for the same skill or skill group; doing so allow the specialization to be used an additional time during the same check/session on a separate Reel each time it's taken. Any given specialization can only be applied to a Reel once - even if two different characters both have Aptitude, a single Reel can only gain the +1 bonus once, though two different Reels could gain the bonus if both specializations were applied to the check. Specialization also come in two distinct types - ones used before any Reels are rolled, and ones applied to Reels after they've been rolled. Keep in mind that even specializations which have similar effects can be applied to the same Reel, as long as they are both different; if a Trained spec was applied to a failed Reel and did not result did not pass, Reliable could still be applied as well.

Rerolls that specify rolling a different die size are based on the original die used for the check and any preroll specializations applied to it; If Dependable was applied to a Reel and it failed, Flair would always use a d8 while Reliable would always use a d12, regardless of which order they were used in. Likewise if Aptitude and Trick were applied to a Reel and it failed, using Trained would allow the party to reroll the reel twice and take the better roll before applying the +1 bonus.

Retraining Specializations

Occasionally aspects of a character will change during play; and while the changeable specialization slots are designed to accommodate this, sometimes the changes are substantial. Or perhaps during play you've discovered that you don't like the way a particular specialization works, or that there's a glaring hole in the party's specs that needs covering. Whatever the reason you might have for desiring some changes, the option to retrain exist.

Once per tier, each character can choose to retrain a single specialization. When doing so, remove one of the character's permanent specializations, and replace it with any other specialization that the player wishes.

Pre-roll Specs

Too Easy

Too Easy applies to one specific skill. Once per skill check, you can force a Reel to roll a 4, without needing to actually roll.

Finesse

Finesse applies to one specific skill. Once per skill check, you can change the dice rolled by a single Reel to 2d6.

Expertise

Expertise applies to one specific skill. Once per session, you can lower the target number for the skill check by 1. Only a single use of expertise can be applied per skill check.

Aptitude

Aptitude applies to a skill group. Once per skill check, you can add +1 to to the die result on a single Reel - 1d8 becomes 1d8+1, and so on.

Weighted Results

Weighted Results applies to a skill group. Once per skill check, you can change the die rolled by a single Reel to a d12. Then change a second Reel to a d6; this second Reel cannot benefit from "dependable", "finesse", "too easy" or an additional use of "weighted results".

Dependable

Dependable applies to a skill group. Once per skill check, you can change the die rolled by a single Reel to a d10.

Trick

Trick applies to a skill group. Once per skill check, you can have a single Reel roll an additional die, then drop the lowest result; for a normal check the Reel would then roll 2d8, and if the results were 3 and 7, only the 7 would be used. When combined with Finesse, 3d6 would be rolled, and the lowest die result would not be added to the total. Trick's effects do not apply to any rerolls granted with Post-roll specializations.

Lucky

Lucky applies to a skill group. Once per skill check, add an additional Reel to the skill check. Lucky can be applied to Single and Solo skill checks multiple times, and each use grants and additional Reel to be rolled in the check, up to a maximum of seven total Reels for any check.

Double or Nothing

Double or Nothing applies to a skill group. Once per skill check, you can assign double or nothing to a single Reel before it's rolled. If the Reel result passes, it counts as two passes towards success for the skill check. If the roll failed, it subtracts one pass instead, making it much more difficult to succeed in the skill check. A Reel under the effects of Double or Nothing cannot benefit from "too easy", or any Post-roll Specialization other than "smooth"; risk is involved!

Post-roll Specs

Discretion

Discretion applies to one specific skill. Once per skill check, you can add +1 to to the die result on a single Reel.

Trained

Trained applies to one specific skill. Once per skill check, when a Reel fails you can reroll it using the same sized die.

Smooth

Smooth applies to a skill group. Once per skill check, if a Reel result is greater than or equal to double the target number, smooth can be activated to grant an additional pass towards success at the skill check.

Flair

Flair applies to a skill group. Once per skill check, when a Reel fails you can reroll it with one die size smaller.
For reference, go from left to right when decreasing the die: d12 -> d10 -> d8 -> d6 -> d4 | 2d6 -> 2d4

Do Over

Do Over applies to a skill group. Once per skill check, you can choose to reroll all of your Reels, but you must reroll all of them in most cases, passes and fails alike! Do Over does not, however, effect a failed DoN Reel - the failure still counts as a negative success and cannot be rerolled.

Down to the Wire

Down to The Wire applies to a skill group. Once per skill check, you can choose to reroll a single Reel that passed; doing this allows you to reroll a separate Reel that had failed, as well.

Extreme Effort

Extreme Effort applies to a skill group. Once per skill check, you can force any failed Reel to count as a success instead. When using Extreme Effort, the character that applied it spends 10% of their Max HP.

Reliable

Reliable applies to a skill group. Once per session, when a Reel fails you can reroll it with one die size larger.
For reference, go from left to right when increasing the die: d6 -> d8 -> d10 -> d12 -> d12+1 | 2d6 -> 2d8

Scrape By

Scrape by applies to a skill group. Once per session, you can automatically force the entire skill check to succeed, generally invoked after all other options have been expended. You accomplish your goal, but you do it in some way that will cause you and your party trouble - things don't go smooth. You sneak by but leave a trail, you get the elevator working but it starts falling down halfway, and so on. It's still a success, and it still accomplishes the intent of the action, it'll just be back to bite you later. (If XP and AP is being awarded for completing skill checks successfully and Scrape By is used, no XP or AP is awarded, even though the check is still considered a success.)

Jack of All Trades

Jack of All Trades does not apply to any specific skill or skill group, and can instead be used in any skill check. Once per session, when a Reel fails you can reroll it with one die size smaller.
For reference, go from left to right when decreasing the die: d12 -> d10 -> d8 -> d6 -> d4 | 2d6 -> 2d4

Skill Checks In Combat

Every so often the heroes might find themselves needing to perform a skill check in battle - perhaps the villain has activated a doomsday device and some of the party needs to deactivate it while the others fend off swarming guards. Whatever the case, there's two different ways you can handle skill checks in battle with the Reels system, depending on the type of check made. These replace the "Skill Action" abilities listed on the Basic Action's page.

Normal and Dual Checks

Regardless of whether the skill check involved is a normal check or a dual check, one person elects to take the action below on their turn When a character declares the use of a Group Trigger Action, any other ally can elect to help - if they do, increase their current delay by 15, but their specializations can now be applied to the reels in the skill check! Any ally that chooses not to assist in the Group Trigger Action cannot have their specializations applied to the skill check.

Group Trigger Action
Type: Action
—
Target: Special
40D F15

Trigger actions are actions that often attempt to materially create an in-battle effect, like inflicting a status or or damage to the enemies. Effects are adjucated by the GM. If damage is inflicted, it's probably around 200 x Tier to a single target, or 100 x Tier. Skill checks with in battle mechanical effects can usually only be used once.
Just as often, a skill check might not directly impact the battle, but it might impact narrative in meaningful ways. If a check performed in battle has no mechanic benefit the GM should increase the rewards for the battle by the amount granted by a skill check for the appropriate tier. (This isn't completely necessary for a trigger that has a clear in battle effect, but the GM could feel free to hand out rewards for it all the same.)
CoS: Skill Check

Solo Checks

Solo skill checks performed in battle function similar to normal and dual checks; the difference is that the delay on the action is bit higher, and allies cannot choose to assist in the check.

Solo Trigger Action
Type: Action
—
Target: Special
50D F15

Trigger actions are actions that often attempt to materially create an in-battle effect, like inflicting a status or or damage to the enemies. Effects are adjucated by the GM. If damage is inflicted, it's probably around 200 x Tier to a single target, or 100 x Tier to a group. Skill checks with in battle mechanical effects can usually only be used once.
Just as often, a skill check might not directly impact the battle, but it might impact narrative in meaningful ways. If a check performed in battle has no mechanic benefit the GM should increase the rewards for the battle by the amount granted by a skill check for the appropriate tier. (This isn't completely necessary for a trigger that has a clear in battle effect, but the GM could feel free to hand out rewards for it all the same.)
CoS: Skill Check

Skill Check Rewards

Performing skill checks in the Reels system is a bit more involved and time consuming than the other skill systems which can usually resolve a skill check in a matter of seconds. Rather than either the players or the GM feel like this increase in time spent on a task was wasted, the players can actually be rewards mechanically for successfully passing skill checks! The XP and AP rewarded for the check increases drastically based on the difficulty of the check, the level of the characters, and divided by the number of players in the party as normal. While handing out rewards isn't strictly necessary, it certainly helps to make using the reel system feel more worthwhile to everyone involved.

Difficulty	AP	XP Award
2	1	100xLvl
3	2	150xLvl
4	2	175xLvl
5	3	200xLvl
6	4	250xLvl
7	5	300xLvl
8	6	350xLvl