Cortex Fantasy

Attributes

Each character has four base attributes: Physical, Mental, Social, and Magical. One of these attributes is applied to a given skill along with a distinction to make your base roll for any action.

• Physical - This attribute is for skills that mainly rely on bodily effort to accomplish.
• Mental - This attribute is for skills that mainly rely on brainpower to accomplish.
• Social - This attribute is for skills that mainly rely on interacting with others to achieve goal.

Players may start with Physical, Mental, and Social attributes all at or they may set one at one at and one at

• Magical - This attribute breaks the rules and allows the character to interact directly with a thing in ways they wouldn't be able to otherwise. The sort of things a character can interact with are defined by their Arcane distinction.

The Magical attribute is set at and may only be used as permitted by the character's Arcane Distinction. Once per scene, a player may opt to step up or double Magical for one action with no cost.

Distinctions

Each player starts with three distinctions. Their Arcane Distinction, their Background Distinction, and their Profession Distinction. Distinctions are always rated at

Arcane Distinctions

Arcane Distinctions determine which situations a character can use their Magical attribute.

Null: Null arcanists can't really manifest the arcane, but they are hard to affect with the arcane as well. Any arcane effect which might be defended against, the Null can use their Magical attribute to defend against it. Fight or Move for an attack, Focus for psychic manipulation, Notice vs invisibility or illusion, etc.

Druid: Druid arcanists are extremely adept at affecting animal and plant life, able to use their Magical asset with any skill when dealing with plants or animals. Additionally, druids may take on the form of animal or plants of roughly equal size/density as themselves without a roll. When they take on this form they may swap two attribute values, one for the other.

Elemental: Elemental Arcanists work with the elements of the world: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. When manipulating any of these elements in their natural state, they are able to use their Magical asset; eg - an ingot of iron would be considered a "natural" state of elemental earth, but a forged weapon or armor would not, etc.

Mystic: Mystic Arcanists work with the powers of the mind, primarily for the purpose of influencing or communicating with other minds, but also to see/hear over great distances. In the arena of the mind they may use their Magical attribute. Mystics can communicate with willing people within their line of sight without needing to roll.

Boneweaver: Boneweaver Arcanists are healers. In matters of treating or causing wounds, they may use their Magical Attribute. This requires touch of the one to be healed or harmed. This ability is most often paired with the Treat skill, but might also be used with others, such as Fight, or Trick.

Skills

Skills are broad areas of ability that characters have and are rated by die size. Skills start at unless they are a highlighted skill. Players have nine points to spend on their character's highlighted skills. For one point the skill starts at for two points it starts at for three points it starts at and for four points it starts at Skills may not be raised above You must start with at least three highlighted skills and may go to a maximum of nine.

Once highlighted skills are selected, you have another nine points to distribute among all your skills. Raising a skill from to at this stage costs two points. Raising a skill already at or higher costs one point per step raised to a maximum rating of .

Below are the list of game skills.

• Craft - Covers all instances of making things.
• Drive/Ride - Covers driving animal drawn land vehicles and riding trained mounts.
• Fight - Covers all instances of physically attacking another being with fists, feet, or melee weapons or touching someone who might not be willing (hugs, handshakes, etc)
• Fire/Throw - For using ranged mechanical or hand propelled weapons and tools.
• Fix - Covers repairs of all kinds.
• Focus - Used to resist social, mental, or magical Influence or Trickery.
• Influence - To persuade another to believe or do a thing.
• Know - Used to put together information or to check character knowledge of a thing
• Labor - Covers general activity requiring raw physical effort.
• Move - To get from point A to point B. Usually in a timely manner, but also when the way is dangerous or uncertain. Move covers Swimming.
• Navigate/Pilot - Covers the use of river, lake, and sea craft.
• Notice - Covers seeing/hearing or otherwise . . . noticing . . . something you otherwise might not. Often used as a counter to Sneak.
• Perform - The use of grace, acting, dancing, playing an instrument, etc, to influence or impress an audience.
• Sneak - Covers doing things unseen/heard.
• Survive - Covers physical survival, usually of the elements.
• Treat - Covers treatment of wounds, poisons, or psychological conditions.
• Trick - Covers any kind of deception: physical, mental, social, or magical.

Knacks

Knacks are narrow areas of specialization under a broad skill. Knacks are completely player defined and rated at Knacks can only be assigned to skills rated or higher. So if your Fight skill is or higher you might select Swords as a knack. Anytime you are rolling your Fight die and using a sword you can add the die for that knack as well.

Each player starts with five knacks. Additionally, if your Know skill is rated or higher, you get one free knack under that skill.

Signature Assets

Signature assets are pieces of gear unique to your character that can add dice to certain rolls. Each character starts with one asset and one asset.

SFX

Each of your Distinctions comes with the Hinder SFX that can be invoked when the distinction works against your current action.

Hinder: Sometimes your distinction works against you. Gain 1 plot point when you roll a instead of a

Additionally, you get one active SFX with your signature asset and two SFX to distribute among your three Distinctions.

With the exception of Hinder, SFX are generally player generated. When you come up with your SFX, use the guidelines on pp 62-63. Do NOT use the guidelines for Power or Ability SFX [pp 191 on].