After a run-in with a Laser Beast an ulran adventurer limps to her starship, fresh burns covering her legs. An ino rubs his temples at a hotel bar as the poison in his drink takes hold of his mind. A magically enhanced colony of Ror-nan confidently rolls onto a stage and delivers a comedic routine that leaves the audience in stitches.

Conditions are negative and positive statuses that have an impact on the effectiveness of player characters and NPCs. Everything from feeling insulted to suffering a debilitating wound could be a negative condition, and anything from feeling encouraged to being magically empowered could be a positive condition. Specific Attacks, magic, poisons, and more apply Conditions to player characters and NPCs alike.

Quick Mechanical Reference for Conditions

• Conditions are applied in specific circumstances to player characters and NPCs and either increase or decrease the complexity of skill rolls for the player character.
• Conditions are applied by specific abilities, circumstances as determined by the GM, or any time a player character is reduced to 0 Health Levels. 
• Minor Conditions affect an individual skill.
• Moderate Conditions affect a category of Skills (i.e. Mental, Physical, Social).
• Significant Conditions affect all Skills.
• Conditions are removed after a period of time, and negative Conditions can be removed more quickly by seeing a specialist. 
• Conditions DO NOT stack. Positive and negative Conditions applied to the same skill cancel each other out.

When to Apply Conditions

Specific Attacks and abilities can apply Conditions as noted in their descriptions. Player characters always gain a negative condition when their Health Levels are reduced to 0 and gain a positive condition when they succeed at four or more skill rolls on one turn in Combat. In addition, the GM can choose to apply a condition when they think it fits the story, often as a result of a failed or successful skill roll.

What does a Condition Do?

When a condition is applied to or by a player character, the player works with the GM to determine the specifics.

Every condition has a name, such as, “bruised ego,” “broken ankle,” or “energized.” Work with your GM to come up with a name that seems appropriate for the condition. For example, if Brutu the Pirate Captain delivers a swing with a Laser Sword that knocks out Luwe the glean, Luwe’s player and the GM Work Together to come up with the minor condition “sliced forehead.” After the condition has been established, determine what level of effect it has—minor, moderate, or significant—and what skill(s) it affects. In our example, “sliced forehead” is a minor condition that negatively affects Luwe’s Perception skill.