Health, Willpower, and Energy Pools
HealthHealth生命值How much damage a character can take, tracked by grade: H (healthy), B, L, A. Written HP.
A character's Health shows how tough they are and how healthy they are right now. Each point of Health is in one of four states: "healthy", "bashing damagebashing damage冲击伤害The lightest damage grade, written B: punches, kicks, blunt blows." (written B), "lethal damagelethal damage致命伤害Serious damage, written L: blades and bullets." (written L), or "aggravated damageaggravated damage恶性伤害The worst damage grade, written A. Very hard to heal." (written A).
Unconscious from severe injuries:
When a character has no "healthy" Health left and their worst Health state isn't "A", they fall unconscious until 1 point of Health recovers to "healthy".
This unconsciousness usually lasts until the character recovers 1 point of healthy Health, and then they wake up. They also wake up if they recover 1 WillpowerWillpower意志力A character's mental reserve, spent to boost rolls or fuel abilities. in this state.
Of course, some strong outside stimulus, such as a splash of cold water, can also wake them; the STStoryteller主持人The person who runs the game and speaks for the world; ST for short. judges such cases.
Worsening injuries:
When a character has no "healthy" Health left and their worst Health state is "A", their injuries keep getting worse while they lie unconscious. At the end of each of the character's roundsround轮The time in which everyone in a fight acts once., 1 point of Health turns from non-"A" into "A" ("L" first). This goes on until all the character's Health is "A", or until 1 point of Health recovers to "healthy".
Also, the worsening stops as soon as the character receives any healing ability that restores Health, or a successful "First Aid".
Once the worsening has stopped, if the character takes damage again, check again whether they fall unconscious from severe injuries, and whether their injuries worsen.
Health status:
Some upgradesupgrade强化The general word for any power gained through exchange. Not the same as an enhancement bonus. or abilities let a player read another creature's Health status directly. Unless such an ability says otherwise, the player usually gets one of the following answers, rather than the exact amount and state of its Health:
Unharmed: the creature isn't injured.
Lightly injured: after converting all the creature's damage into bashing damage (1 lethal = 2 bashing, 1 aggravated = 3 bashing), the total doesn't exceed its Health.
Moderately injured: after converting all the creature's damage into bashing damage (1 lethal = 2 bashing, 1 aggravated = 3 bashing), the total exceeds its Health but not twice its Health.
Badly injured: after converting all the creature's damage into bashing damage (1 lethal = 2 bashing, 1 aggravated = 3 bashing), the total exceeds twice its Health but not three times its Health.
Dying: all the creature's Health is aggravated damage, but for some reason it isn't dead yet.
Dead: the creature is dead.
Optional rule: when a character has lethal damage, all their abilities suffer. The character takes a wound penaltypenalty减值A modifier that subtracts from a pool or value. of (3 - healthy Health) x 1 DP on all rollsroll检定Rolling your dice pool of d10s; each die showing 8 or higher is a success. Written like 'a Dexterity + Stealth roll'., and a wound penalty of (3 - healthy Health) x 1 to defense. This penalty is never less than 0. This penalty type exists only because of this rule.
Taking damage:
When a character takes damage, depending on how severe it is, it comes in three grades: bashing damage (written B), lethal damage (written L), and aggravated damage (written A).
When a character takes B damage, for each point: if they still have healthy Health, a healthy point becomes B first; if they have no healthy Health, a B point becomes L first; if they also have no B Health, an L point becomes A.
When a character takes L damage, for each point: if they still have healthy Health, a healthy point becomes L first; if they have no healthy Health, a B point becomes L first; if they also have no B Health, an L point becomes A.
When a character takes A damage, for each point: if they still have healthy Health, a healthy point becomes A first; if they have no healthy Health, a B point becomes A first; if they also have no B Health, an L point becomes A.
When a character takes several grades of damage at once, work from the lowest grade up.
Objects (including vehicles and the like) don't distinguish B, L, and A. When damage fills an object's Health, it is destroyed.
Example:
Character A has 20 Health. The first attack he takes deals 3 bashing damage.
His Health is now 17 healthy + 3B.
Then he steps on a trap and takes 4 lethal damage.
His Health is now 13 healthy + 3B + 4L.
Then the boss hits him with a big attack that deals 5 aggravated damage.
His Health is now 8 healthy + 3B + 4L + 5A.
Next, he unleashes a big attack of his own at the cost of dealing 10 bashing damage and 10 lethal damage to himself.
The 10 bashing damage, the lighter grade, is handled first. He has only 8 healthy Health left, so only 8 points of B damage can turn healthy into B.
After that, his Health is 0 healthy + 11B + 4L + 5A.
He still has 2 points of B damage and 10 points of L damage to take.
Next, the 2 points of B damage turn 2 B into L.
His Health is now 0 healthy + 9B + 6L + 5A.
He still has 10 points of L damage to take.
He has only 9 B Health, so 9 points of L damage can turn B into L.
His Health is now 0 healthy + 0B + 15L + 5A.
He still has 1 point of L damage to take.
1 L turns into A.
In the end his Health is 0 healthy + 0B + 14L + 6A. All his Health is filled with damage and his worst state is A, so he passes out, and his injuries keep worsening every round.
Death:
Without special abilities, a character dies when all their Health has become A.
Some abilities can kill without turning all Health into A, such as "instant death" or "maximum Health drops to 0".
Some abilities trigger automatically when a character dies.
If a character has several effects that trigger on death, the player picks one to take effect when they die, and none of the other death-triggered abilities work. (Examples: Kratos's death vengeance, the Killing Stone, the New Horror transformation, and so on.)
Natural recovery:
Each short restshort rest短休A brief rest that restores some resources. of at least 15 minutes (doing nothing else) turns 1 point of B Health back to healthy.
Every two days (including at least two long restslong rest长休A long rest, such as a full night's sleep. of 8 hours or more) turns 1 point of L Health back to healthy.
Every seven days (including at least seven long rests of 8 hours or more) turns 1 point of A Health back to healthy.
These don't combine. That means if you rest for 7 days, you can choose to turn 1 point of aggravated damage back to healthy, but you can't turn 1 point of aggravated damage and 3 points of lethal damage back at the same time.
On the other hand, you can split an 8-hour long rest, for example into 32 short rests of 15 minutes each. In that case you get the benefits of the short rests but no longer get the benefit of the long rest.
If for any reason you sleep for 24 hours straight, it counts as three 8-hour long rests for recovering Health.
Some drugs or supernatural abilities can speed up recovery or restore some Health at once.
Besides Health, resting also gives these benefits:
Each short rest of at least 15 minutes (doing nothing else) lets you choose one kind of conditioncondition不良状态A harmful effect on a character. Point-based conditions are mild or severe depending on the key resisting Attributes. points you have and make one savesave豁免A roll to resist a harmful effect: Will, Reflex, or Fortitude. against it.
Each long rest of at least 8 hours (taking no actions, but sleeping or the like) restores 1 Willpower.
Each long rest of at least 24 hours in a row (taking no actions, but sleeping or the like) restores 1 point of Attribute damageAttribute damage属性伤害Damage that temporarily lowers an Attribute; it can be healed..
These effects stack with Health recovery.
Faster natural recovery:
Some abilities speed up your natural recovery. If you have double natural recovery speed, all the times, the number of rests, and the length of each rest above are halved (rounding up, to the minute).
Recovering through MedicineMedicine医学Knowledge of the body, from first aid to surgery.:
See the rules for the "Medicine" SkillSkill技能A learned ability. Attribute + Skill makes most dice pools..
Healing through the Overseerthe Overseer主神The giant sphere of light at the center of the Overseer's Space. It summons Reincarnators, sells upgrades, heals and revives, and erases those who break its rules.:
While in the Overseer's Spacethe Overseer's Space主神空间Where Reincarnators rest between Films: a white platform in endless darkness, ringed by 20 doors to personal rooms. Called 'the Space' for short., a character can pay a price to have the Overseer repair their injuries directly.
B and L Health recover at no cost.
Each point of A Health costs 200 points to recover.
Fast healingfast healing快速医疗Automatically healing some damage every round. and regenerationregeneration再生Powerful self-healing that can even regrow limbs.:
In the resourcesresource资源Anything that can be exchanged for: bloodlines, augmentations, titles, items, and more., fast healing and regeneration help characters recover Health quickly.
A character with fast healing 1 recovers 1 point of B or L damage at the start of each round.
A character with fast healing 4 recovers a total of 4 points of B or L damage, or 1 point of A damage, at the start of each round.
Fast healing doesn't stack, but several instances work together.
For example: a player gets fast healing 3 and fast healing 2 from different abilities. Each turnturn回合One character's moment to act within a round., the player can recover a total of 5 points of B or L damage, but can't recover aggravated damage, because no single fast healing reaches 4.
A character with regeneration 1 recovers 1 point of B or L damage at the start of each round.
A character with regeneration 4 recovers a total of 4 points of B or L damage, or 1 point of A damage, at the start of each round.
Regeneration doesn't stack, and doesn't stack with fast healing either, but they work together.
On top of that, regeneration regrows severed limbs. If a player loses a limb, find its SizeSize体积How big a creature or object is. It affects reach and some rolls., multiply the lost limb's Size by 100, then divide by the regeneration rating; the result is the number of hours it takes to regrow the limb.
Note: some very small body parts (such as eyes or a single tooth) count as at least Size 1 for this.
Note: if the character has an ability to reattach severed limbs, and the severed limb exists and can be reattached, the hours above become minutes.
Temporary HPtemporary HP临时生命值Extra Health that is lost first when you take damage.:
Temporary HP works like a shield. When you take damage, it directly reduces the damage, whatever its type (energy, physical, force, and so on) and whatever its grade (B, L, or A). The highest grade of damage is taken off first. Temporary HP applies last, after damage reductiondamage reduction物理伤害减免Ignore X points of each physical hit. Written DR X/weakness, e.g. DR 5/magic., negation, absorption, and similar abilities. And if an attack carries a rider effect, the effect does nothing to the character unless the damage gets through the temporary HP. If the rider effect is calculated from the damage dealt, take the matching part out of the temporary HP.
Temporary HP doesn't work against abilities like "unavoidableunavoidable不可避免An effect that cannot be reduced or saved against. XX damage" or "XX of your (the target's) Health becomes XX".
Temporary HP also doesn't work against effects that change the state of your Health, such as "the damage on the target goes up one step".
Temporary HP usually doesn't stack. Unless stated otherwise, a given Skill that grants temporary HP only does so once per scenescene场景A continuous stretch of story, such as one fight or one negotiation..
Unless stated otherwise, temporary HP usually lasts one scene.
Temporary changes to maximum Health:
This covers temporarily gaining some Health, for example from temporary StaminaStamina耐力Health, toughness, and metabolism; the ability to withstand injury and illness. Abbreviated STA in checks.: because of the higher Stamina, you gain extra Health.
All the Health you gain this way arrives as healthy Health.
When you lose this temporary Health, remove your current Health states in the order healthy → B → L → A. If, after removing it, your Health is full of aggravated damage, you still die, unless a special ability says otherwise.
Example: if you temporarily gain 1 Stamina, your maximum Health rises by 1, and you gain 1 healthy Health.
If you lose 1 Stamina, your maximum Health drops by 1, and you lose 1 healthy Health. If you have no healthy Health, you lose it in the order bashing, lethal, aggravated. If your Health is then full of aggravated damage, you die unless you have a special ability.
If any effect lowers your maximum Health during this time, then once the ability raising your maximum Health ends, the reduction applies as normal.
Example: your Health is 8. You temporarily gain 3 maximum Health, bringing it to 11. During that time you lose 1 maximum Health, bringing it to 10. When the duration ends, your Health is 7.
Second Health:
Some special abilities let a player keep living when all their Health has become aggravated damage, using Willpower, some other Energy PoolEnergy Pool能量池Energy that powers abilities, such as mana, inner force, or chakra., or some other value as a second track of Health.
When such an ability takes effect, a new Health track is set up based on your maximum Willpower, the Energy Pool's maximum, or that value at that moment. This is "second Health".
Unless stated otherwise, second Health still distinguishes bashing, lethal, and aggravated damage. Paying Willpower or energy, changes to that value, temporary changes to maximum Willpower or an Energy Pool's maximum, and so on don't affect second Health.
Any healing ability, including but not limited to potions, other people's healing spells, and your own fast healing, heals second Health first. Only once all of second Health is healthy does the excess heal your first Health.
Willpower
Your starting maximum Willpower equals your WillWill意志值How steadfast a character's mind is: Resolve + Composure. It is also the Willpower maximum.. Willpower isn't an Energy Pool and doesn't count as one, so upgrades or abilities in the resources that concern Energy Pools don't work on Willpower unless they say so.
Basic use of Willpower:
When a character takes an action (on their turn or off it), if the action isn't an extended action and takes only one roll (including but not limited to attacks, Skill rolls, contestsopposed roll对抗A roll whose DC is the opponent's successes, like racing someone or shoving them aside., and defense), they can pay 1 Willpower with no action to gain a 3 DP perfect bonusperfect bonus完美加值A special bonus that stacks with any other bonus. on that action. This can only be done once per action. Or, when attacked, the character can pay 1 Willpower to gain a 3-point perfect bonus to defense against that attack.
Some abilities raise the bonusbonus加值A modifier that adds to a pool or value. Bonuses of the same type usually don't stack; use the highest. that Willpower's basic use gives.
Other uses of Willpower:
When a character is unconscious from severe injuries, they can pay 1 Willpower to stay conscious for 1 round (in combat) or 1 hour (out of combat). This takes no action. When the duration ends, they can decide whether to keep spending Willpower to stay awake or to pass out.
Example: Player A has 5 Health and takes 5L of damage in one hit.
Player A's Health becomes 5L, and he falls unconscious from severe injuries. Right after the attack, Player A pays 1 Willpower to stay conscious.
When Player A's turn comes, he can act normally, but from the next turn on, he must pay another 1 Willpower at the start of each turn before he can begin his turn.
When a character passes out from hunger, thirst, or something similar, they can pay 1 Willpower to stay conscious for 3 hours. This can only be done once per scene and takes no action. If you do this, you faint as soon as the 3 hours are up, even if you are no longer in the state that made you pass out.
That is, even if you eat and drink your fill within those 3 hours, you still "faint from hunger" when the 3 hours run out.
Also, if a character who passed out for some reason has used Willpower to stay conscious, and then meets the conditions for unconsciousness again, for example because their injuries got worse, they still fall unconscious unless they pay Willpower again.
Example: Player A has 5 Health and takes 6L of damage in one hit.
Player A's Health becomes 4L1A, and he falls unconscious from severe injuries. Right after the attack, Player A pays 1 Willpower to stay conscious.
When Player A's turn comes, his injuries worsen and his Health becomes 3L2A. Player A must now pay another 1 Willpower before he can begin his turn.
After that, if Player A is attacked again and survives, he must pay another 1 Willpower once that attack is resolved, or choose to pass out instead.
Unless stated otherwise, a character can't use Willpower on extended rolls.
Note that a character can only use Willpower while self-aware. In other words, they can't use Willpower while asleep, unconscious, or in a similar condition.
Temporary Willpower
Temporary Willpower is gained regardless of your maximum Willpower.
Once you have temporary Willpower, the next time the character spends Willpower, they must spend the temporary Willpower first.
When the character is hit by an ability that makes them lose Willpower, temporary Willpower is lost first.
Temporary Willpower usually doesn't stack. Unless stated otherwise, a given Skill that grants temporary Willpower only does so once per scene.
As long as a character has any temporary Willpower, their Willpower doesn't count as 0.
Gaining temporary Willpower isn't recovering Willpower, so it can't trigger certain effects and abilities, and can't wake a character who is "unconscious from severe injuries".
Unless stated otherwise, temporary Willpower usually lasts one scene.
Optional rule: if a character's remaining Willpower drops to 0 for any reason, they lose consciousness at once and collapse on the spot, and don't wake until they recover at least 1 Willpower.
Temporary changes to Will and to maximum Willpower:
In special cases, a character's Will changes. Since Willpower derives from Will, when Will changes, the Willpower pool changes with it.
Of course, some abilities affect maximum Willpower directly.
If you temporarily gain something that raises your Will, such as 1 Attribute point, it raises not only your Will but also your maximum Willpower. But it doesn't raise the Willpower you can spend, unless you have an ability that restores Willpower.
Example: if you temporarily gain 1 ResolveResolve决心Decisiveness and determination, and stubbornness too. Supernaturally, the strength of the spirit. Abbreviated RES in checks., your Will rises by 1 and your maximum Willpower rises by 1, but that is 1 point of empty maximum, and doesn't give you 1 point of Willpower to spend.
If you suffer something that lowers your Will, such as losing 1 Attribute point, your Will drops and your maximum Willpower drops with it. If your current Willpower is then above your maximum, you lose the excess. If your maximum later recovers, the lost Willpower doesn't come back.
Example: if you lose 1 Resolve, your Will drops by 1 and your maximum Willpower drops by 1. If your current Willpower is then above the maximum, you lose the excess. Later, when your Resolve recovers, your Will and maximum Willpower recover too, but the Willpower lost for being over the maximum doesn't come back.
Note that some abilities affect only Will rolls or Will savesWill save意志豁免The save against mental and mind-affecting effects.; they don't affect Will, so they don't affect maximum Willpower either.
Will rolls
Some rules elsewhere call for a Will roll or a Will save. A Will roll is a roll you make actively, while a Will save is made passively, like a Reflex saveReflex save反射豁免The save to avoid area attacks and similar effects. or Fortitude saveFortitude save强韧豁免The save against poison, disease, and other effects on the body..
A Will roll's key Attributes are RES and COMComposure沉着Calm and quick thinking; keeping your head under pressure. Supernaturally, the vitality of the mind. Abbreviated COM in checks.. Its base DPdice pool骰池How many d10s a roll uses, usually Attribute + Skill + modifiers. Written DP. is RES + COM + the bonus from Legendary Resolve, and it gains the extra successesextra success附加成功Bonus successes from high Attributes, Skills, and other sources. They only add to a roll that already succeeded. from Resolve and Composure.
A Will save's key Attributes are RES and COM. Its base DP is RES + COM + the bonus from Legendary Composure, and it gains the extra successes from Resolve and Composure.
Energy Pools
Main categories of Energy Pools
The Energy Pools in the resources are either general Energy Pools or special Energy Pools.
General Energy Pools are usually further split into Eastern and Western Energy Pools. Some general Energy Pools are both Eastern and Western; these are called Energy Pools of both East and West.
Special Energy Pools are neither Eastern nor Western.
Each Energy Pool notes its main category. If one doesn't, please report it to the rulebook's publisher.
Key Attributes of an Energy Pool
An Energy Pool usually has its own key Attributes, which decide its maximum.
There are usually 2 key Attributes, and their sum is the pool's base maximum.
Example: suppose an Energy Pool's key Attributes are Stamina + PresencePresence风度Bearing and force of personality; drawing others' attention. Supernaturally, how far one transcends the Natural Essence. Abbreviated PRE in checks.. If Stamina is 3 and Presence is 4, the pool's base maximum is 7.
Any roll on an Energy Pool's key Attributes means a roll with the sum of the key Attributes as its DP.
Subcategories of Energy Pools
Based on their key Attributes, Energy Pools can be further split into Physical, Mental, and Social Energy Pools.
An Energy Pool whose two key Attributes come from 2 different Attribute groups has the traits of both kinds. When working out prerequisites for certain abilities, you count as meeting them; when you face certain opposing effects, the other side counts as meeting them too.
Example: you have an inner force Energy Pool, whose key Attributes are Stamina + PerceptionPerception感知Noticing your surroundings, spotting changes, and picking out details quickly; also insight and intuition. Abbreviated PER in checks., so for rulings it is both a Physical and a Mental Energy Pool.
Example 2: when you learn Infinite Fist, inner force counts as a Physical Energy Pool and meets Infinite Fist's requirement. But when your opponent is a great dragon, which ignores effects from Mental Energy Pools that aren't based on Physical AttributesPhysical Attributes生理属性Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), and Stamina (STA)., inner force is both Mental and Physical, so it works on the dragon as normal.
Gaining Energy Pools
There are usually three ways to gain an Energy Pool:
Buying it directly: some Energy Pools can be bought directly; their prices are listed on their own pages.
Included with a resource: some Energy Pools have no price and can only come with other resources. For example, the mana Energy Pool can't be bought directly; you have to buy certain BloodlinesBloodline血统A resource that changes the character's lineage, granting racial or inherited powers., TitlesTitle称号A resource representing a profession or identity, with its own advancement path., or AugmentationsAugmentation改造A resource that modifies the body through technology, magic, or anomalous means. to get it.
Advancement: some Energy Pools, such as True Essence, can't be gained by any means related to "buying". You must advance another Energy Pool into a True Essence Energy Pool by special means. The method is described on each Energy Pool's page.
Using Energy Pools
Each Energy Pool's page explains how to use that energy. Beyond that, some Titles, Augmentations, Bloodlines, and so on may give other uses for certain Energy Pools once bought.
Some abilities let the player choose an Energy Pool. In that case, unless stated otherwise, the player can only choose a general Energy Pool.
Example: Infinite Fist asks the player to choose a Physical Energy Pool, but they can't choose Hamon, because Hamon is a special Energy Pool.
Example 2: Nail Fist asks the player to pay 1 energy, so the player can't pay Calories, because Calories is a special Energy Pool. If Nail Fist ever becomes able to spend Calories, please urge the rulebook's publisher to delete this example.
Recovering Energy Pools
Each Energy Pool's page explains how that energy recovers. Beyond that, some Titles, Augmentations, Bloodlines, and so on may give other ways to recover certain Energy Pools when bought.
Substituting one Energy Pool for another
Some Energy Pools can be spent in place of each other.
In that case, when the target is immuneimmunity免疫Complete protection from a kind of effect, but only from sources of equal or lower Rank. to a particular Energy Pool, work it out using the new Energy Pool.
For example: against an effect that grants immunity to Mental energy, if you spend Source Energy in place of inner force, the substituted inner force effect isn't blocked by the immunity.
For example: against an effect that grants immunity to Mental energy, if you spend Haoran qi in place of yokai power, the substituted Haoran qi effect is blocked by the immunity.
Energy Pool compatibility
Some Energy Pools are incompatible with each other. When a player gains conflicting Energy Pools, they are annihilatedannihilated爆体而亡Dead beyond any form of revival., with no save, unavoidably.
In general, unless stated otherwise, most Energy Pools are compatible with each other.
Energy Pool compatibility usually comes in these kinds:
No rejection: this Energy Pool doesn't reject other Energy Pools, though other Energy Pools may reject it.
Compatible only with XX Energy Pools: this Energy Pool is only compatible with Energy Pools of the XX nature or category, and rejects every other type. For example: compatible only with Eastern Energy Pools; only with Western Energy Pools; only with special Energy Pools; only with Physical Energy Pools.
Incompatible with XX Energy Pools: this Energy Pool rejects all Energy Pools of the XX nature or category, and is compatible with every other type. For example: incompatible with Eastern Energy Pools; with Western Energy Pools; with special Energy Pools; with Mental Energy Pools.
Rejects XX Gauges: this Energy Pool rejects Gauges of the XX nature.
An Energy Pool can have one or more of these compatibility modes.
Clarification: clearly, under "compatible only with Eastern Energy Pools", an Energy Pool of both East and West is rejected, because it can be classed as Western. Likewise, under "incompatible with Eastern Energy Pools", an Energy Pool of both East and West is rejected too, because it can be classed as Eastern.
Unable to gain an Energy Pool again
Being unable to gain Energy Pools of a certain nature again is an effect anchored to a point in time. From that point on, the player becomes incompatible with Energy Pools of that nature.
For example: after gaining True Essence, a player can't gain Eastern general Energy Pools again. This means that from the moment the player condenses their first point of True Essence, gaining any Eastern general Energy Pool other than those taking part in condensing the True Essence kills them.
Example 1: Player A is condensing inner force raised to A-Rank into True Essence, and the only Energy Pool taking part is inner force. Halfway through, Player A gains inner force by another route, hoping to raise its maximum by gaining the Energy Pool again. He is annihilated.
Example 2: Player B is condensing inner force raised to A-Rank into True Essence, and the only Energy Pool taking part is inner force. Halfway through, Player B buys Buddha power, hoping to add it to the condensing. He is annihilated.
Attacking Energy Pools
Any ability that has a negative effect on another character's use of their Energy Pool counts as attacking an Energy Pool.
For example: sealing the Energy Pool, lowering its maximum, draining its energy, and so on.
Reduced costs
Some resources let you spend less when spending certain Energy Pools.
If the cost is reduced, the effect doesn't change; work out its original effect as normal.
If an ability spends all your energy, no cost-reduction ability applies.
For example: an ability lasts (energy spent) x 1 rounds. You spend 5 energy, and you have an ability that reduces your energy costs by 2, so the ability lasts 7 rounds.
Opening an Energy Pool again
When a character opens an Energy Pool from any source and already has the same Energy Pool, they get some improvement to that Energy Pool as compensation.
The source must be entirely different, for example a Bloodline, a Title, or a Skill. The first repeat gives an extra 5 maximum; the second, 3; the third and fourth, 1 each. After that, gaining the same Energy Pool again gives no further improvement.
For example, the player Ouyang picks the Gem Person Bloodline and gains a mana Energy Pool from it. Then he picks the Magician Title and gains a mana Energy Pool again, so his maximum mana rises by 5. Later he buys a Necronomicon and gains a mana Energy Pool once more; since he has already had one extra improvement, his maximum mana rises by only 3 this time.
Expanding Energy Pools
Besides opening them again, every general Energy Pool can have its maximum raised by "Energy Pool Enhancement" in the ArtsArt技艺A martial or practical discipline learned through training., or "Energy Pool Enhancement" in the Team FeatsTeam Feat轮回队专长A feat bought for a whole Reincarnator team rather than one character..
Temporary changes to an Energy Pool's maximum
If you temporarily gain something that raises an energy maximum, such as 1 Attribute point, it only raises the maximum, not your energy, unless you have an ability that restores energy.
Example: if you temporarily gain 1 IntelligenceIntelligence智力Knowledge, memory, and reasoning. Abbreviated INT in checks., your maximum mana rises by 1, but that is 1 point of empty maximum; you gain no extra mana to spend.
If you suffer something that lowers an Energy Pool's maximum, such as losing 1 Attribute point, the matching maximum drops by 1. If your current energy is then above the maximum, you lose the excess. If the maximum later recovers, the lost energy doesn't come back.
Example: if you lose 1 Intelligence, your maximum mana drops by 1. If your current mana is then above the maximum, you lose the excess. Later, if your Intelligence recovers, your maximum mana recovers, but the mana lost for being over the maximum doesn't come back.
Variant Energy Pools
Some resources offer variants of an Energy Pool.
Unless stated otherwise, a variant Energy Pool is treated as its original Energy Pool for all rulings.
Unless stated otherwise, a variant Energy Pool can be spent in place of the original, but the original can't be spent in place of the variant. For example, Heavenly Demon force, a variant of inner force, can be spent in place of inner force to power general inner force martial arts, but inner force can't be spent in place of Heavenly Demon force to power the Heavenly Demon Art's techniques.
Unless stated otherwise, a variant Energy Pool and its original exist separately. Gaining the variant doesn't merge it with the original, so it doesn't give the maximum boost for gaining an Energy Pool again, and vice versa.
Doesn't count as an Energy Pool
Some Energy Pools have the trait "doesn't count as an Energy Pool". Compared with other Energy Pools, they differ in the following ways:
Unless stated otherwise, an Energy Pool that "doesn't count as an Energy Pool" can't have its maximum expanded by "Energy Pool Enhancement".
Unless stated otherwise, an Energy Pool that "doesn't count as an Energy Pool" can't be chosen to pay for an ability that lets you choose any Energy Pool.
Unless stated otherwise, an Energy Pool that "doesn't count as an Energy Pool" can't be bound by upgrades that need to bind an Energy Pool.
Unless stated otherwise, an Energy Pool that "doesn't count as an Energy Pool" isn't affected by effects that attack Energy Pools.
Unless stated otherwise, an Energy Pool that "doesn't count as an Energy Pool" isn't rejected by other Energy Pools when checking compatibility.
In every other way, it follows the same rules as other Energy Pools.
How older resources are written
Some older resources that haven't been fixed or corrected yet are written in all sorts of odd ways.
Some older resources wrongly call Energy Pools "energy gauges" or "gauges".
Some older resources forget to give a general Energy Pool its main category.
Some older resources give special Energy Pools an Eastern or Western category.
There may be all sorts of other problems besides.
If a game really must use one of these older resources, please report it to the rulebook's publisher, and until that resource is refreshed, the ST explains or changes it.
GaugesGauge刻度Another kind of meter that tracks an ability, granted only by a resource. A Gauge is not an Energy Pool.
A Gauge is another kind of value that tracks a character's abilities. A Gauge isn't an Energy Pool.
Gaining Gauges
Gauges can only come with a resource. Some Bloodlines, Augmentations, or Titles provide their own Gauges.
Gauge maximums
Some Gauges have a maximum. The maximum may be based on an Attribute or Skill, or it may be a fixed value.
Some Gauges have no maximum at all.
All of this is explained on each resource's page. If it isn't, please report it to the rulebook's publisher.
Using and recovering Gauges
Some Gauges start full when gained; others start at 0, or at some other value.
A resource that provides a Gauge always explains how the Gauge is used or what it does, and how it recovers or drops.
All of this is explained on each resource's page. If it isn't, please report it to the rulebook's publisher.
Compatibility between Gauges
Usually all Gauges are compatible with each other. In very rare cases, some Gauges may reject others. In any case, when a player's Gauges conflict, they are annihilated, with no save, unavoidably.
Gauges and Energy Pool compatibility
Usually, having a Gauge doesn't affect gaining Energy Pools, and vice versa. In very rare cases, some Energy Pools may reject Gauges, or some Gauges may reject certain types of Energy Pools. In any case, when a player's Gauges and Energy Pools conflict, they are annihilated, with no save, unavoidably.
Temporary changes to a Gauge's maximum:
Usually a Gauge's maximum doesn't change easily. Some Gauges whose maximum is tied to an Attribute or Skill (or even a Legendary AttributeLegendary Attribute传奇属性An Attribute level beyond human limits, granting extra general effects. or Skill extra successes) change when Attributes or Skill ratings are temporarily raised or lost.
If you temporarily gain something that raises a Gauge's maximum, such as 1 Attribute point or Legendary Attribute point, it only raises the maximum, not the Gauge's value, unless you have an ability that restores the Gauge.
Example: a Gauge's maximum is Legendary DexterityDexterity敏捷Agility, coordination, and physical reflexes. Abbreviated DEX in checks.. If a character temporarily gains 1 Dexterity, raising it from 30 to 31, their Legendary Dexterity rises by 1 and the Gauge's maximum rises by 1, but that is 1 point of empty maximum; the character gains no extra Gauge to spend.
If you suffer something that lowers a Gauge's maximum, such as losing 1 Attribute point or Legendary Attribute point, the matching maximum drops by 1. If your current Gauge value is then above the maximum, you lose the excess. If the maximum later recovers, the lost amount doesn't come back.
Example: a Gauge's maximum is Legendary Presence. If a character temporarily loses 1 Presence, dropping it from 16 to 15, their Legendary Presence drops by 1 and the Gauge's maximum drops by 1. If the character's current Gauge value is then above the maximum, they lose the excess. Later, if the character's Presence recovers, the maximum recovers, but the amount lost for being over the maximum doesn't come back.
Gauges with the same name
In very rare cases, several different upgrades may provide Gauges with the same name. Unless stated otherwise, these same-named Gauges exist separately, and each upgrade can only use the Gauge it provides to activate its abilities. A character can't pool same-named Gauge values across upgrades.