Fantastic rolls add extra drama to the game in unexpected ways. Getting one at the right time can make a huge difference in a game and can turn the tide of a battle or even a whole adventure!

Fantastic Success

If you get a Fantastic roll and your total meets or beats the action check’s target number, that’s a Fantastic success. That’s considered a “Yes, and” result. The action succeeds, and an extra-special something happens.

The default effect of a Fantastic success that happens during any attack is that the attack does double the normal damage. However, if you’re using a power at the time, you can often find a specific special result in the power’s description to use instead.

If nothing is listed under the power—or the action check isn’t part of an attack—the controlling player can suggest an effect, subject to the Narrator’s approval. If the player isn’t able to come up with something on the spot, we suggest that the character gains an edge on their next action. (More on how all that works in a moment.)

Example: The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent from before tries to punch a second A.I.M. scientist (with the same target number of 10). This time, the agent’s player rolls 3 M 2. That totals up to 11. (Remember, the M counts as a 6.) Adding the agent’s ability score of +1 makes the result 12, which hits.

Because it’s a Fantastic success this time, the attack does double the normal damage! Kapow!

Fantastic Failure

Believe it or not, it is possible to get a Fantastic roll and still fail the action check. It’s not easy to do, but it can happen. This is a “No, but” result. The action fails, but something special still happens.

If you get a Fantastic roll and your result is less than the action check’s target number, that’s a Fantastic failure. Unlike with a Fantastic success, there are no set standards for how to handle a Fantastic failure. Instead, the extra effect is left entirely up to the player. They get to suggest an idea for that special something on the spot. If the Narrator approves, then it happens.

Example: Our S.H.I.E.L.D. agent feels like they’re on a roll, and they try to punch the third A.I.M. scientist. This time, the agent’s player rolls 1 M 1. Counting the M as 6, that totals up to 8. With the agent’s ability score of +1, that gives us a total of 9, which is less than the target number of 10.

It’s a miss! Whiff!

However, because the action check result includes a Fantastic result, something good still happens. The player decides that the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent’s massive miss causes them to stumble through an open doorway, which shuts behind them, placing them out of danger—for now!

The Narrator likes how this plays into their plans for the rest of the adventure and approves.

The Ultimate Fantastic Roll

Really lucky players might wind up with an ultimate Fantastic roll: a d616 roll of 6 M 6. This is equal to a result of 18, plus it’s a Fantastic success.

When a player makes such a rare roll, their character automatically succeeds at whatever they’re attempting to do, no matter what the target number for the action check might be. They can also ignore any trouble (which is the opposite of an edge) affecting the character.

Note that you cannot make an action check for something the Narrator declares impossible. Not even an ultimate Fantastic success can make the impossible happen.