Xia: Glossary of Keywords

Xia: Main Page -> Xia: Glossary of Keywords

This page is an alphabetical glossary of Keywords.

Keywords are special descriptors that tell you about how various effects are used in game.

The List

Action

Using this effect counts as your action. You can only activate a single action at a time. Normally you are limited to one action per turn, but multi-attack powers may allow additional actions.

Aftertouch

This effect can be declared after the dice are rolled and resolved. This breaks the usual timing rules.

Attack

You can only use this effect when you are attacking.

Concentration

If you use this effect, then for the whole of the affected action/reaction you cannot activate any other kung fu secrets of any sort. You may still channel trigrams as normal though.

Continuous

This effect is permanent and "always on". You don't have to activate it for it to be in effect.

Defence

You can only use this effect when you are defending.

Disciplines

A Discipline is a special sort of persistent effect, with its own rules as to action declaration and effect.

If a power is marked as a Discipline, it follows the rules below:

• At the start of your turn, you can select a discipline you know. Paying the Chi cost puts you in that discipline. This does not take an action.
• You don't have to keep paying the activation cost for a discipline, once you're in that discipline, you stay in it in subsequent turns.
• Each discipline has a "maintain" condition. You must meet this condition at all times while in the discipline - if you fail to do so the discipline ends. Note that this maintain condition sometimes has a chi cost which is entirely separate to the activation cost.
• You can only be in one discipline at a time. If you adopt a new discipline, then the previous one automatically ends.
• Disciplines only ever effect Mental Conflict. See also stances and postures, which effect physical and social conflict respectively. You can be in one stance, one posture and one disciplines all at the same time!

Finisher

Once this effect is resolved, your turn immediately ends. You cannot activate any more effects of any sort this turn, and cannot make any more additional attacks this turn.

Graceless

If you use this effect, then for the whole of the affected action/reaction you cannot channel trigrams.

Inherent Style

If you use this effect to achieve an outcome that you would have been able to achieve without using the effect, then the chi cost is waived. For example, if you use a teleport spell to teleport to the far side of a nearby opponent who you could have just moved round or jumped over him, then there is no cost. The function of this trait is to avoid charging chi to characters who are using their magic powers purely as a special effect, not to provide a loophole for system abuse. If a character gains any kind of mechanical advantage from the effect, then the chi cost is nevered waived.

Mental

You can only use this effect in Mental conflicts, on Mental actions/reactions.

Mobility

This effect relates to movement and is bound by the usual movement rules. That is, you can only use this effect in the usual movement step: before you make your first attack.

Note that it is entirely possible for an effect that moves you not to have this Keyword, and instead to have the Superior Mobility keyword.

Modifier

This effect modifies the action in some way.

On any single action you can activate multiple different modifiers, but are still limited to one activation of each modifier per action.

Mook-Killer

This effect can only target or effect enemies that have Physical, Mental and Social Traits of 1.

Multi-attack

This effect grants additional attack actions in a turn.

Regardless of source, the maximum number of additional attacks you can make in an action is equal to your Thunder Trigram (or Lightning Trigram, if a demon).

Physical

You can only use this effect in Physical conflicts, on Physical actions/reactions.

Posture

A Posture is a special sort of persistent effect, with its own rules as to action declaration and effect.

If a power is marked as a Posture, it follows the rules below:

• At the start of your turn, you can select a posture you know. Paying the Chi cost puts you in that posture. This does not take an action.
• You don't have to keep paying the activation cost for a posture, once you're in that posture, you stay in it in subsequent turns.
• Each posture has a "maintain" condition. You must meet this condition at all times while in the posture - if you fail to do so the posture ends. Note that this maintain condition sometimes has a chi cost which is entirely separate to the activation cost.
• You can only be in one posture at a time. If you adopt a new posture, then the previous one automatically ends.
• Postures only ever effect Social Conflict. See also stances and disciplines, which effect physical and mental conflict respectively. You can be in one stance, one posture and one disciplines all at the same time!

Preparation

This effect cannot be used during conflicts. Its effect will usually (but not always) effect the next applicable conflict you participate in.

Reaction

Using this effect counts as your reaction to an action. For each action you can declare only one reaction.

Social

You can only use this effect in Social conflicts, on Social actions/reactions.

Stance

A Stance is a special sort of persistent effect, with its own rules as to action declaration and effect.

If a power is marked as a Stance, it follows the rules below:

• At the start of your turn, you can select a stance you know. Paying the Chi cost puts you in that stance. This does not take an action.
• You don't have to keep paying the activation cost for a stance, once you're in that stance, you stay in it in subsequent turns.
• Each stance has a "maintain" condition. You must meet this condition at all times while in the stance - if you fail to do so the stance ends. Note that this maintain condition sometimes has a chi cost which is entirely separate to the activation cost.
• You can only be in one stance at a time. If you adopt a new stance, then the previous one automatically ends.
• Stances only ever effect Physical Conflict. See also postures and disciplines, which effect social and mental conflict respectively. You can be in one stance, one posture and one disciplines all at the same time!

Subtle

Most effects are overt and obvious. This one isn't. When you activate it, it isn't obvious that you are doing anything. The effect takes place secretly, and if you wish you can pass a secret note to the GM to declare this action.

Superior Mobility

This effect relates to movement but is not bound by the usual movement rules. That is, you can use this effect at any time that the effect's description specifies, not just before your first attack.

Credits

This page created by Asklepios.