Editing Anam:Resolution Rules:Resolution Rules (section)

== Circumstances ==

Sometimes, your character will have things going their way. Sometimes, they’ll have things going against them. Sometimes, both will occur at the same time.

While a Task’s Difficulty is set on the basis of who could perform it normally, in RPGs, characters are rarely in normal circumstances.

The circumstances surrounding the character can affect the Task, sometimes to the point of radically affecting the final Effect Level.

Circumstances modify the final die roll made by the player. The modifier can range from ± 1 (minor) to ± 6 (incredible).
 
Circumstance Modifiers (CM from this point on) essentially cover anything that might affect a Task which is not an essential part of that Task itself, or which – if it is essential – can take many forms, some more suited than others.

If a Task requires a Tool, it doesn’t matter what that Tool is, as long as it can reasonably be used for that Task. If it can be used for the Task and all other criteria are met, the Task is still successfully.

If, however, the Task must be tested for some other reason, how suitable the Tool is could result in a CM.
 
CMs can be environmental factors – wind, rain, darkness, cold or heat – as long as those factors could have a valid impact on the Task in question. Rain won’t matter if the task is underwater, for instance.

CMs can also be interactional factors, such as assistance or distraction.
 
The maximum effect that CMs can have is ± 6. Circumstance Modifiers of the same type do not stack. If a character trying to pick a lock has a +2 CM for master quality picks, a +1 because the character is familiar with the lock, and another +1 from another character’s assistance, the roll is only affected by the +2. The same applies to CMs that apply a negative modifier. Only the highest value is applied.

However, positive and negative modifiers do interact with each other, such that the highest values of each are then applied to the roll.

If the character has a +4 due to a magical set of picks, and a -2 due to the lock being incredibly rusty, the final roll is modified by +2. (+4 minus 2).
 
'''Circumstance Modifier Values'''

± 1 – Something fairly minor – Rust on an otherwise solid instrument, smaller than usual print on a score, discomfort while attempting the Task.

± 2 – The difference between an Apprentice and a Journeyman; a moderate distraction or discomfort, or an uncomfortable tool.

± 3 – At this point, the Circumstances are starting to have a fairly serious impact – like heavy rain while driving, trying to code while someone’s singing loudly nearby, or using a substandard tool.

± 4 – This is the difference between a Journeyman and a Master – the singing is closer or more distracting, the tool is nearly useless, the rain is cold or the wind is blowing heavily.

± 5 – Here we start getting into truly major differences. A tool that is designed for your hand and almost perfectly made, a hurricane, biting cold.

± 6 – This is the difference between a Journeyman and a Grandmaster. You and the tool are one, the stars are right – or you’re not only in a hurricane, you have the flu on top of that.