Data ABP Judge's Guide - Gen IX

[nightblitz42]

Quick-Reference Materials

Game Overview and Setup​

The Judge's Goal: Guarantee that each and every action the Quester takes enacts change upon the game-world.
You are authorized to supersede all other rules in service of this.

Beginning a Session​

Start with the Setting.

The theme of each game setting should be, "Places in transition."

When the Quester begins their Session, they arrive at a place that is on the brink of dramatic (possibly cataclysmic) change. Often, this impending change is the result of some sort of crisis (like a natural disaster or social turmoil), or it is a change that is being forced upon the location on purpose by a character or faction. The Quester's actions (or inaction) during the session will influence the direction and magnitude of the location's change.

Illustration
Imagine a platform balanced on top of a cone or wedge.

At a Session's start, the setting's dynamic is like this platform: precarious. It seems like it can tip over (change dramatically) at any moment. Indeed, if the Quester doesn't act, it will undoubtedly fall to one side or the other.

If the Quester applies force to one part of the lever, how dramatically the objects on the other end will respond! Some will shake, some will roll, some might go flying into the air. The balance will be changed as a result.

By the end of the Session, the structure will have completely tilted over. Many of the objects on it have been scattered, tossed out of their position of power. Whoever remains in a position of power may now move the lightened board as they please unobstructed.

To build a setting, apply the following Roll Tables.

Setting Roll Tables

To build a location:

1. Decide whether it is Undeveloped (wild) or Developed (urban). You can do this randomly if you want.
   1. Roll the appropriate table one (1) time to get a Location.
2. Roll for Special Features: two (2) for Undeveloped Locations, or the specified amount for Developed Locations.
3. If the Location is Developed, roll two (2) Communal Problems.
4. If the Location is Developed, roll one (1) Dominant Faction.
5. Roll a D10.

1-5: No change.
6-7: At some point in the past, it changed from Undeveloped to Developed, or vice versa. Change its type and re-do steps 1-4 to get its current state.
8: Roll a new Faction. At some point in the past, that Faction gained footing here, and is now on equal footing with the previous Dominant Faction.
9: Roll a new Faction. At some point in the past, that Faction took over here and ousted the previous Dominant Faction.
10: One of the Special Features (or the entire area if there are 1 or fewer Special Features) is currently morphed into a Mystery Dungeon. After this visit, it will be gone.

Repeat Step 5 every time the player returns to a location in a new session.

Depending on information that the player gathers, some of these rolls might already be pre-determined. (For example, the player might already know that the next place they’re visiting is a lake, and that it has exotic flora.) In that case, you can skip those rolls. You should still roll Step 5 though regardless. (In this region, information becomes outdated fast!)

Undeveloped Locations (d20)

1. Lake
2. Coast
3. Beach
4. Mountain
5. Plain
6. Swamp
7. Forest
8. Desert
9. Wasteland
10. Cave
11. Volcano
12. Canyon
13. Snow Tundra
14. Grassland
15. Lake, Frozen Over
16. Burial Ground
17. Garbage Dump
18. Safari
19. Clifftop
20. Ruins

Developed Locations (+ Special Features) (d10)

1 - 3. Big City (2 Developed SFs)​

4 - 5. Small Town (2 Developed SFs)​

6 - 7. Village (2 Developed SFs)​

8. Nature-Nestled Village (1 Developed + 1 Undeveloped SF)​

9. Isolated Roadside Inn (1 Developed SF)​

10. Military Outpost (0 SFs)​

Special Features (Undeveloped Location) (d30)

1. Gemstone Deposits
2. Flash Flooding
3. Bibarel Dam
4. Tunnel Network
5. Egg-Filled Nests
6. Communal Wild-Pokemon Nursery
7. Thunderstorms
8. Pokemons’ Territorial Markings
9. Unexplained Lights (Will-o-Wisps)
10. Cryptid Sightings
11. Turbulent Winds
12. Unstable Ground
13. Ancient Statue
14. Insect Hive
15. Hunting Grounds
16. Exotic Flora
17. One Single Human Dwelling
18. Wildlife Research Station
19. Pokemon Mating Grounds
20. Migratory Path
21. Poison Pools
22. Fog
23. Secret Cult Gathering Place
24. Fossil Deposits
25. Aggressive, Human-Eating Pokemon
26. Big Pit
27. Pokemon Tracks
28. Deep Waters
29. Hot Springs
30. Large Manure Piles

Special Features (Developed Location) (d40)

1. Courthouse
2. Library
3. Fountain
4. Statue
5. Hospital
6. Bank
7. Zoo
8. Mall
9. Casino
10. Farm
11. Poke Ball Factory
12. Gondolas
13. Rail System (Defunct)
14. Military Headquarters
15. Armory
16. Power Plant
17. School
18. University
19. Gate
20. Church
21. TV Broadcast Station
22. Lighthouse
23. Food Bank
24. Refugee Shelter
25. Ancient Castle
26. Mansion
27. Haunted Mansion
28. Luxury Resort
29. Fishing Wharf
30. Farmer’s Market
31. Black Market
32. Flea Market
33. Research Station
34. Checkpoint
35. Gang Hideout
36. Post Office
37. Small Local Business
38. Office Building
39. Dock/Port
40. Warehouse

Communal Problems (d30)

1. Overcrowding
2. Pollution
3. Depopulation
4. Shortage of Goods
5. Road Blockages
6. Inter-Faction Grudges
7. Labor Strike
8. Government Corruption
9. Overtaxation
10. Censorship
11. Overpolicing
12. Breakdown of social trust
13. Wealth Inequality
14. Hoarding/Scalping
15. Extortion
16. Mass Surveillance
17. Organized Crime
18. Vandalism
19. Propaganda
20. Xenophobia
21. Labor Shortage
22. Job Shortage
23. Hedonism
24. Gangs of Wild Pokemon
25. Untamed Legendary Pokemon Activity
26. Disappearances
27. Plague/Illness
28. - 30. Mystery Dungeon Emergence

The crux of the change is most likely going to hinge on a Communal Problem. Consider which characters or factions might be:

• Contributing to it
• Profiting from it
• Suffering from it
• Capitalizing on it
• Trying to deal with it.

Of these characters, pick 1-2 NPCs to focus the current narrative on.

Continuing the Session​

Setting's done: Now, drop in the Quester -- and maybe an NPC or two!

Position the Quester such that they can enter one of the 5 positions above. Perhaps you can also give them an NPC to share the position with or oppose them.

If they don't want to enter a position, give them incentive to.

If they do choose to enter a position, encourage them to either entrench themselves further into it -- or, nudge them towards shifting their position.

Turn-By-Turn Writing Guide​

Parts in a Judge Turn​

The Quester wants to do something. What do I write in response?

Hypothetical situation: Quester nightblitz42 is investigating a town-wide mystery. During the course of their investigation, they were invited to meet up with an NPC who has information for them at the Tavern.

The Quester tells the Judge that they'll go to the tavern to look for the NPC.

As Judge, what do you write for your post?

Use the SRCA Method! (pronounced similar to "Circle")
1. Set the Scene.
2. Respond to action.
3. Curve the path. (maybe)
4. Ask, "What's next?"

Step 1: Set the Scene.
Location, and immersing the player in it.

• Address the Quester in second-person ("you").
• Describe only what they (and their teammates) can perceive.
• As you write, imagine trying to "paint a picture" with your words.
• Use multiple senses (not just sight).

This is fine...
Nightblitz42 walks into the tavern. He sees people there eating and drinking. Among them is the person he's supposed to meet (his name is Bob).

...but this is better.
You walk into the tavern. The air here is hot and smells of ale. As you scan the room, you see men and women from all walks of life sharing food off of roast-covered plates and clinking glasses with one another. The loudest among these merrymakers you recognize as the person you're supposed to meet.

• Nightblitz42 -> "You"
• His name is Bob (not something you can perceive)
• Use multiple senses:
  • "You see men and women... sharing food..." (sight)
  • "The air is hot..." (touch)
  • "...smells of ale" (smell)
  • "...clinking glasses..." "The loudest among these..." (sound)

Step 2: Respond to Action.
Change, caused by the Quester's action.

• Because of the Quester's action, what in the world changes?
• Does anything change besides what the Quester intended to?
• Are there any characters who we expect must respond to what the Quester did?

This is fine...
[cont. from before] You recognize him... You approach the person, take a seat, and earnestly begin to discuss the matters at hand.

...but this is better.
[cont. from before] You recognize him... The man sees you too. Excited to greet you, he spits out onto his plate the piece of lamb he was chewing.

"Ah! I've been told to expect you. The name's Bob! Come here, come here! Sit down! We have much to discuss." Bob pats his wooden bench, where empty waits a seat beside him.

• Because the Quester acted, the world changed:
  • Bob saw them and became excited.
  • Bob spit out his food from excitement.
  • Bob beckoned the player.
• Because the Quester acted, something unintended was changed:
  • Food waste :(
• A character who we expect must respond, responded.
  • Bob, eager to share information, spit out his food and invited the Quester over.

Step 3: Curve the Path.
Twists and turns to add interest, perhaps?

This is fine...
[cont. from before]... You take a seat by his side and listen to what he has to say.

...and sometimes it's the right call, but is that best for this situation?

Players and their characters are almost universally rational. That is, they will go for what they believe to be the most direct, least resisted path to their goal virtually 100% of the time. For a Quester to do things harder than necessary would typically be out-of-character; and the Quester, being a good sport as always, is trying their hardest to remain in-character (bless them for it).

(Diagram of a rational Quester's uninterrupted course of action.)

As a Judge, part of your job (and part of your fun) is to disrupt the Quester to see what it takes for them to curve their path. You can apply certain techniques to nudge the player's path off-axis and thereby create more interesting and varied situations. If you do your job right, and apply just the right amount of pressure, then this will effectively create new opportunities for the Quester without the Quester needing to act out-of-character. The amount of pressure you need to apply in order to tempt the Quester varies depending on the situation and the individual Questing player.

(Diagram of a Quester's disrupted course of action.)

• It is the Quester's right to walk the straight path, if they choose.
• It is the Judge's job to deny the Quester from walking the straight path unobstructed.

You don't need to curve every turn. Generally, the more slow/boring/predictable the adventure is veering, the more aggressively you want to curve on your turn. The opposite also holds true; if the Quester's actions are extremely exciting and extremely forcing, or an NPC is being made to react to their actions in a really forceful way, then it might be prudent for you to simply sit back, not curve at all, and watch the fireworks show.

The Judge has a countable number of Curving tools, which can be ordered from least curvy to most curvy.

1. Distract
2. Haggle
3. Endanger
4. Off-Rail
5. U-Turn

Distract: Inferring what the Questing player intends to do, give their character an alternative choice. You want to aim for 50/50 odds on whether you think they'll take the bait or not. Ensure it's generally (but not specifically) clear what stands to be gained or lost by the player's choice.

[cont. from before]... Bob beckons you over eagerly. But as for your Pokemon, someone else altogether has taken an interest in them. A Salazzle who reclines by the far hearth's warmth blows kisses with playful bedroom-eyes. It seems you and your partner are being pulled in two entirely different directions.

You need your partner to be on the same page as you if you're to solve the mystery together. That means no distractions... But, what would it take to convince them to give up such a tempting opportunity? And, would your Pokemon resent you for it?

Haggle: If you infer that your Quester is steadfast on what they would or wouldn't do, adjust the specifics of the situation to see if they might change their stance. You're still aiming for 50/50 odds on whether they choose to act one way or the other.

You head to the tavern, intent on meeting with your mysterious informant. Only, once you arrive, you find that the tavern door is locked shut. A sign hangs over the dust-covered window: Closed, it reads. Despite this, you see light from indoors filtering through the blinds, and hushed voices talking with one another. Your informant, you presume, is most likely inside.

Are you still going to enter the tavern, even if it means forcing your way in?

Endanger: Take a place the Quester knows to be safe, and introduce danger to it.

[Suppose this is the second or third time the player has come to the tavern, and they've become accustomed to using it as a safe meeting-place.]

[cont. from before]... You go to sit down next to Bob.

Suddenly, before you can chat: the tavern doors slam open! Four Team 0n3 thugs in jumpsuits and face-masks barge inside. One of them kicks over a table. The leader of the bunch, brandishing a Great Ball, yells: "Where's that no-good investigator nightblitz42, who's been snooping around in our business?! I know he's hiding here; we have on good word that he's a regular of this establishment!"

Off-Rail: Deny the Quester the chance to seek their immediate objective, and leave behind a new plot hook.

You head to the tavern, intent on meeting with your mysterious informant. But, when you push through the front door, you're met with a shocking sight: the entire tavern is in disarray! Furniture smashed. Floorboards broken. Walls torn and scorched. Who would do such a thing?

The tavern owner, shivering, peeks at you from behind the front desk. "You looking for someone? They, they came in here. Masked men, with strong p-Pokemon. And, and they took a fellow -- kidnapped him! ...Oh, the brutality of it all! What's more, they said if I saw you, I should give you this note."

The tavern owner hands you the note. "Now, you'd better go and don't ever come back here! All you Pokemon Trainers cause me nothing but trouble!"

U-Turn: Inferring what the Quester wants, turn their incentive opposite.

[cont. from before]... Bob pats the seat next to him. But, to your growing horror, what taps the wooden bench isn't a human hand. No... a pink, goopy tendril thuds hollowly against the grain. That's not Bob. Whatever this... thing is, isn't Bob and isn't safe. Luckily for you, you caught it let the proverbial mask slip. You look now up to its face, at its troubled expression, and you know. You know that it knows what you saw. But the other patrons of the tavern all keep laughing and eating and singing. To them, nothing is awry. Everything is normal.

Step 4: Ask, "what next"?

• Address the Quester by name. Tag (@) them here to make sure they get a notification alert.
• Ask them what they plan to do next.

That's it! If you wanna write a Judge post, remember to SRCA and you'll be set. You can practice applying this to other hypothetical situations you might come up with, too.

------

Hostile NPCs​

What do I do if the Quester gets into a fight?

Sometimes, characters respond to the Quester's actions with hostility. For example, an enemy NPC might attack the player or their Pokemon.

When determining how exactly the NPC acts, there are two sliding scales we can apply: Severity, and Instancy.
Severity: How much of a setback does the NPC's attack cause for the Quester?

• High Severity would mean a great setback to the Quester. Could mean increasing Stress, taking away Resources, impeding their objective, applying some sort of continuous status effect, or maybe a combination of multiple of the above. A severe attack might be appropriate if the Quester took a big risk and failed, or made one or more critically bad judgment calls.
• Low Severity means a minor setback to the Quester. Could mean marginally increasing stress, taking away a Resource, temporarily holding the Quester back from their objective, doing something mechanically inconsequential but distressing, or so on. Could be the result of an unfortunate mishap, or maybe it happens for no real reason at all.

Instancy: Is it happening now, or is it a threat of action to come?
Not a lot of wiggle room when it comes to Instancy. Basically, the attack either: happens immediately, or you are telegraphing an action to the Quester and giving them 1 turn to prevent it. How this might work is: you tell the opponent that an angry Houndoom is baring its fangs and getting ready to bite; and if the Quester ignores that threat, the Houndoom actuates that threat by biting the Quester on your next turn. It's a useful way to increase tension and excitement when you want to avoid one-sidedly manhandling the Quester.

Of course, you'll want to somewhat mix up how often you apply each kind of action, if only to keep the Quester on their toes. Might be worth letting the Quester get away with a big slip-up by slapping their wrist once in a while. Likewise you can consider totally blowing them up for a minor error on occasion, just so that they don't get too cozy.

Suppose the Quester is sneaking around where they shouldn't be and they are, regrettably, spotted by a guard Machamp. Some examples of aggressive NPC actions:
Low Severity + Low Instancy: The Machamp reaches out to try and grab you by the wrist.
Low Severity + High Instancy: The Machamp grabs you by the wrist. He then holds you in place so you can't run away.
High Severity + Low Instancy: The Machamp winds up to punch your Pokemon full-force.
High Severity + High Instancy: The Machamp punches your Pokemon full-force, and by doing so craters your Pokemon into a wall.

As for when an NPC should act... There are mainly 3 good reasons to do it.

1. An NPC should act whenever the Quester's action means they must act in response to remain in-character.

Suppose the Quester is being attacked by an Ursaring, and the Quester squirts bear spray in their face. The Ursaring would have to recoil and yell in pain and act up, wouldn't it? It wouldn't be a convincing character if it didn't respond at all.

2. An NPC should act whenever the Quester acts overly passively.

If the Quester just sits around doing nothing for their turn, they often surrender the opportunity to act to whoever in the scene has the most initiative.

3. An NPC should act every turn if they are engaged in combat (or another similar high-stakes effort).

Ending the Session​

How do I know when it's over?

By the end of the Session, Quester and NPC actions should have led to a position where there is no more friction. That is to say, the characters/factions who still hold power in this situation are basically unopposed. That's your signal to end the Session.

Set the Quester up to leave town and head to their next destination.

Additionally, if the Quester has a Tagalong that they started the Session with, determine if the Tagalong leaves their side. (This will likely involve doing a UOD roll, since Quester characters' motivations are partly unknown to the Judge.)
If a Tagalong leaves the Quester's side, the Quester may re-add them to the party after 1 Session.

Finally, post a brief 3-5 bullet-point summary of the Session within a HIDE tag at the bottom of your post. Broad strokes only.
This is to give the next Judge a gist of where you left off.

 

[nightblitz42]

Judge Mechanics​

Judge Domain​

What do I not need to roll for?

The Judge has total decision and domain over:

• The Setting.
• NPCs' personalities and actions.
• Minor Quester actions/reactions that the Judge can safely assume from intent.
• The Quester's Stress Events.

Example:
[The story has already established that a subway station exists.] The Quester writes that they will take the subway to Rose Street.

As the Quester enters the station, the Judge describes what the station is like. Is it clean? Dirty? Loud? Strangely empty? The setting is the Judge's domain, so the Judge gets to choose.

The Judge decides that there is an NPC selling subway tickets. The price the NPC charges for a ticket is an NPC action, which is also within the Judge's domain. In this case, they decide that a ticket costs 1 Resource, and they assume from intent that the Quester would be willing to pay that. By doing so, they move the Quester onto the subway train.

In another example, the Judge might decide that the NPC ticket-seller is selling tickets at exorbanant prices. Suppose they try to sell the Quester a ticket for the senseless price of 3 Resources. In that case, paying 3 Resources goes well beyond what we can safely assume from intent that the Quester would do. In that case, it would be best for the Judge to end their turn at that point and give the Quester a chance to respond.

---

As for assuming reactions, we're mostly concerned with physiological reflexes. For example: If the Quester touches a piece of metal, and that piece of metal turns out to be scalding hot, the Judge might assume that the Quester pulls their hand away as a pain response. That would be well within the Judge's domain to assume.

In the same vein, if a Quester is taken by surprise (for example, ambushed by a wild Pokemon), the Judge can assume that the Quester, at minimum, tries to take basic reflexive measures to defend themselves (dodging or blocking, perhaps).

Player Domain​

The Player has total decision and domain over:

• Their party members' actions (not including Stress Events).

Uncertain Outcome Determination (UOD)​

A character tried to do something. What happens?

Uncertain Outcome Determination (UOD) is a tool for determining the result of attempting an action (for both Questers and NPCs), ONLY when the outcome is doubtful.

Any question not covered by UOD, the Judge may answer without rolling.

Exceptions:
If an action is unresisted, or uses Expertise: it is guaranteed to succeed.

Steps of UOD:​

Step 1: Determine the two (2) most likely outcomes. (“Most likely” can be off-the-cuff. Don’t belabor this step.)
“Most likely, [X] will happen. If not, that’s probably because [Y] happens instead.”

Step 2: Choose one (1) of the two possible outcomes by asking the Guiding Question.
The Guiding Question is determined by whoever/whatever holds the most power/leverage over the setting/situation. The Quester’s Guiding Question comes from their Keepsake:
Trophy: “Which outcome leads to the greater shift in power?”
Gift: “Which outcome reveals the truth?”
Worldpiece: “Which outcome causes more permanent destruction?”
Curse: “Which outcome gives the Quester more opportunity to indulge a Vice?”

If someone/something other than the Quester holds more power/leverage, or the Quester is missing a Keepsake, then a particularly strong-willed individual may enforce a Guiding Question of their own upon the situation.

The Guiding Question belonging to a Mystery Dungeon or its denizen is always:
Mystery Dungeon: “Which outcome is more chaotic?”

If nobody in particular holds a notable amount of power/leverage, or the current Guiding Question doesn’t make sense in this situation:
Default: “Which outcome is more likely?”

Step 3: Roll the table (d100) once for the chosen option.

Does it happen? (roll below or equal) -> How true is it as an answer to the Guiding Question? | V	Extremely Yes	Yes	No	Extremely No
Absolute True	35	90	–	100
True	25	80	95	100
Slightly True	20	70	90	100
50/50	15	60	85	100
Slightly False	10	50	80	100
False	7	35	75	100
Absolute False	5	20	65	100

Questing Character Mechanics​

Character Expertise​

If a character has Expertise in a skill, that means they are extraordinarily proficient in that skill. That skill is their whole “thing,” they can do it on a level that non-Expertised characters can’t even hope to achieve, and most of the time their success at using that skill is guaranteed (it succeeds without a UOD roll). They are not just experts, they are “unstoppable.”

To give an example: A Pikachu who has Expertise in using Iron Tail is unconditionally, unstoppably good at using Iron Tail. That’s most likely their “signature move.” If they try to use Iron Tail to break down a wall or smash a lock, it will automatically work without a UOD roll. In a fight, if a character without Expertise tries to block or dodge Pikachu’s Iron Tail, their attempt to resist will not matter.

Expertise is NOT something the Quester has to “declare.” They cannot “choose” to use it, and they cannot “opt out of” using it. If the character has Expertise, anything they attempt that makes use of that particular skill automatically uses Expertise.

What is the limit of Expertise?
Expertise might not be applicable if:

• Success in this case is impossible, even for an expert.
• They are being resisted by someone/something using Expertise.
• The opposition has such an absurd advantage that it equates to them having Expertise.
• For whatever reason, skill/expertise isn’t the deciding factor in this situation.

NPC characters can have Expertise in certain skills. This is extremely rare, and is typically saved for “boss” characters such as Faction leaders.

Stress​

Each player character has a Stress Meter, with a value between 0 and 4.

Things that cause a character to gain Stress:

• Using Expertise, unless assisted by another player character with Expertise, results in +1 Stress.
• Being Injured.
  • Mild/moderate injuries (bruises, cuts, and most battling injuries) result in +1 Stress, and do not need to be individually tracked.
  • Severe injuries either: result in +2 Stress; or +1 Stress and are tracked individually until sufficient medical attention and rest is administered.
    • Example: During a chase scene, Pikachu trips, and then falls off a building’s rooftop and severely twists an ankle. The judge might choose to increase Pikachu’s Stress by 2 and apply no further penalty. Or, they might instead increase Pikachu’s Stress by 1 and mark that their leg is injured; in which case, actions Pikachu attempts in the future that involve that leg might be penalized.
  • There’s nothing mechanically wrong with a larger penalty (+3 Stress, or +2 Stress and a tracked injury), but I would strongly advise against this for mechanical and tonal reasons. Judges are advised to cap penalties at +2 Stress, or +1 and a tracked injury, unless there is a very compelling reason to do otherwise.
• An NPC or environment doing something to cause one player-character in particular (not the whole party) substantial emotional distress results in +1 Stress.
• Exertion over an hours-long period of time (work, foot-travel, study, etc) results in +1 Stress, or +2 Stress if is unbearably difficult (hard labor, travelling through a desert, travelling while low on rations, etc)

When a character reaches 3 Stress, if they have more Stress than any other player character: roll a d20. On a 5 or less, increase their Stress by 1.

Things that cause a character to recover Stress:

• Indulging a Vice recovers 1 Stress, +1 for each Resource spent, +1 for each Stress inflicted upon a teammate, +1 if it causes problems for the team.
• Rest and Recreation recover [X] Stress per character, where X is the number of Resources spent.
  • If the party uses a discount or exchange of some kind to alter the number of Resources spent: use the base price of what they obtained as [X].
    • Example: The party is offered a room at an inn for 2 Poke (2 Resources). They try to haggle, but the negotiation turns sour and they wind up being charged 3 Poke (3 Resources) instead. In this case, even if they pay 3 Resources, X=2 because the base price of the room was 2 Resources.
  • If the Judge decides to initiate a Downtime during that rest, reduce X by 1 for each idle character.
  • If a character is doing something productive during that rest time, the max they can recover is 1 Stress.
• Selfless acts towards NPCs can recover 1 Stress (at the Judge’s discretion).
• Completing a story arc or accomplishing a longtime goal recovers 3 Stress (at the Judge’s discretion).
• Miscellaneous story events that would reduce a character’s stress recover 1 Stress (at the Judge’s discretion).

The Judge has free reign to adjust these numbers as they see fit. (For example, resting at a luxury resort might recover extra Stress, but a character whose sleep is disturbed by a poor mattress might recover less Stress than usual.) Mechanics always respond to the story, not the other way around.

Stress Events​

What happens when a Quester reaches 4 Stress?

When a character reaches 4 Stress, they experience a Stress Event. This represents the character reaching their “limit” (physical or emotional) and experiencing a moment of weakness. The Judge briefly takes control of that character and makes them do something sloppy, selfish, or otherwise in some way counterproductive towards the team’s goals. The Judge can choose one of the Stress Events on that character’s character sheet, or they can choose a different course of action entirely to suit the situation.

If a character reaches 4 Stress by using Expertise, the Stress Event may happen either during that Expertise action or immediately after it. If it happens during the action, this might cause the action to fail (despite having Expertise).

When the Tagalong has a Stress Event, additionally check for whether or not they leave the party.

Finally, the character enters Burnout.

Burnout​

Burnout occurs after a Stress Event. While a character is in Burnout:

• Ignore their Expertise (meaning, they no longer auto-succeed actions with Expertise).
  • When a character in Burnout fails an action that would have been an Expertise action, they experience another Stress Event.
• If the character would receive Stress past their max value (4), they instead: suffer some kind of setback or injury, lose an item or Resource, or cause a teammate to receive Stress.
  • Additionally, if they are a Tagalong, the Judge checks to see if they abandon the party each time they would receive excess Stress.

Burnout ends when the character returns to 2 Stress or lower.

Resources​

The Quester’s party shares 1 Resource Meter. This meter represents the total value of the resources (supplies, food, and money) the party has on hand. It can have a value between 0 and 5.

5 is the maximum number of resources the party can carry around on their travels. If they want to have more than 5, they will need to store the excess somewhere. Although, wherever they choose to stash it, the odds of it being where they left it when they return are quite poor.

At any time, the Quester can spend 1 Resource to produce any common item that a traveler in their position could reasonably expect to be carrying (equipment, supplies, rations, or cash, for example). The item they produce persists until the end of the session.

Example: The Quester descends into a pitch-black cave. It’s too dark to see, so the Quester spends 1 Resource to pull out an electric lantern from their pack. It’s reasonable to assume that a traveler visiting a cave would be carrying an electric lantern, so this is fine.

When the Quester initiates travel from one Location to an adjacent Location, deduct 1 Resource from the party (for food, water, and other costs of travel they will incur on the road).

Resource Value Table​

How much is [X] worth?
The general going rate for various goods and services. If you want to estimate the value of something not on the chart, you may use this as a point of comparison.

Item	Value
Food and water for a party (1 day)	1 Resource
Cost to be ferried from one Location to an adjacent Location.	1 Resource
Lodging at an inn (+meals)	2 Resources
Common supplies or services	1 Resource
Rare supplies	2 Resources
Trade labor (craftmaking, skilled repairs, etc)	2 Resources
Mercenary / Bodyguards / Hired-hands (1 day)	2 Resources
Custom-made or unique supplies	3 Resources
Hired Tagalong	2 - 4 Resources up front (varies by individual). Might demand additional payment later if they would otherwise abandon the party.

You are not expected to constantly track the account balance of the party. Ignore day-to-day expenses. Ignore standard cost-of-living. Only track extra expenditures – anything beyond what would typically be budgeted for the party’s daily costs.

​

Setting Notes​

Lore: Factions​

One of the first Mystery Dungeons to ever emerge encompassed the interior of the Karca region’s central government building. 98% of the region’s top government officials were present at the time of manifestation. The Mystery Dungeon de-manifested within minutes, before anyone was able to exit. Naturally, this event was a whalefall for conspiracy theorists, who jumped at the chance to brand the Mystery Dungeon crisis a government-experiment gone wrong or an act of anarchist insurrection (the true cause was never determined). More importantly, though, the disappearance of the entire government apparatus left a power vacuum that countless factions across Karca were more than eager to try to fill themselves. In the following months, a select few Factions cemented themselves as the top dogs, and all of the other Factions were either absorbed into their ranks or snuffed out.

Team 0n3​

Led by mid-tier artist Zed Stymer, Team 0n3 aims to leverage the Mystery Dungeon crisis to unify the culture of the Karca region. Zed Stymer and his adherents believe that individualistic self-expression is bad; it draws attention to the differences between people, which leads to conflict. They believe that if everyone acts the same, looks the same, and expresses themselves the same, then people of all kinds will come to understand themselves as one people, which will lead to universal peace; and they’re willing to do what it takes to make that idea a reality, whether people want it or not.

Team 0n3 members wear plain white outfits. They can be identified by the white ceramic masks they use to conceal their faces. Each mask is uniquely shaped. Some masks feature human expressions, some are Pokemon- or animal-shaped, and some are purely abstract. Regardless, each mask conforms to a rigid set of guidelines in construction that govern everything from expression, to size, to even its texture and odor.

Every Team 0n3 member carries a copy of “The 0n3 Handbook of Style,” which is small and light enough to fit into one’s pocket. It contains a (seemingly infinitely) long, numbered list of arbitrary micro-specific “Guidelines” on topics including fashion, art, music, cuisine, dance, diction, sports, writing, and architecture. Team 0n3 members follow these rules religiously. They will be quick to call out and heckle anyone they see in defiance of these rules. Individually, that’s the extent of what they are willing to do. But, in large enough groups, or in places where Team 0n3 holds a lot of power, team members may feel emboldened to take extreme action against those they see as resistant to the common culture they aim to enforce.

Team 0n3 members tend to prefer Normal-Type, Flying-Type, and Psychic-Type Pokemon.

Midas Corp.​

Back when the Karca region had a functioning government, Midas Corp. was far from the most ethically run company. But now, with government oversight completely out of the picture? Midas Corp. aims to build an empire of riches, in the literal sense of the word.

Ahan W. Midas Sr., CEO spearheads the company. His aim: to use every resource in the Karca region to enrich himself personally, his cronies secondly, and his company with what little remains after that. His company’s organizational chart is multi-layered and complex (but that largely doesn’t matter for the purposes of this RP, since most Corporation members the Quester will interact with will be rank-and-file Employees).

Midas Corp. Employees stand out from the rabble with their bright red outfits. They wear hard-soled boots, rubber gloves, and sturdy hard hats.

They usually operate with very little organizational oversight or guidance, and their objective is typically to make money through any means possible. Extortion, intimidation, seizing businesses, shakedowns… whatever they think they can get away with (and they usually think they can get away with anything!). They flaunt the laws at every turn with a laugh and a sneer. But, after they’ve bitten off more they can chew and wind up facing the music, they’ll insist hey, you can’t be mean to them, what about civility and humanity and rule of law. (Do with that what you will.)

As one looks higher up the organizational chart, Midas Corp. members gradually trade bits of red in their outfits for gold. The more gold a member is wearing compared to red, the higher they rank. Wherever you see a Midas Corp. higher-up, you can assume that something a bit more sophisticated than the usual highway robbery is being planned… but certainly nothing scrupulous.

Midas Corp. members tend to prefer Fighting-Type, Steel-Type, and Dark-Type Pokemon.

​

The Line-Oon Conspiracists​

Chronically-online conspiracy theorists who are assured that “someone’s in control of the Mystery Dungeons,” and by golly they are going to get to the bottom of it!

Members collaborate via an anonymous online messaging board: wow.zzgoon.apln. When out and about, they wear cheaply-printed black caps and t-shirts featuring Line-Oon, their cartoon Linoone mascot (a rascal who is often depicted as wearing a Zoom Lens and a deerstalker cap).

What the Line-Oon conspiracists are trying to accomplish varies from day to day, depending on which nutcase theory is gaining the most traction on their web forum at the moment. One day they rally against Team 0n3’s control over a city, the next they’re brigading a local pastry shop who they believe is harvesting oat wheat from the inside of a Mystery Dungeon (for some reason?).

When they gather, they assemble in such large numbers that towns they visit often struggle to hold them. What’s more, they have a reputation for being loud, reckless, socially inept, and overall just a huge nuisance to have around. Most of the time they move quickly to the next town as their interest shifts. But if they decide to loiter long, it can lead to explosive tensions with the townsfolk.

Despite lacking the raw size to match the bigger factions (Team 0n3 and the Midas Corp.), the Conspiracists’ combination of single-minded coordination and mercurial unpredictability makes them virtually impossible for any Faction to coordinate against, which is why they have stood the test of time and other factions have not.

Line-Oon conspiracists tend to prefer Ghost-Type, Bug-Type, and Fairy-Type Pokemon – plus, of course, Zigzagoone, Linoone, and Obstagoon.

The Underground Alliance​

What is one to do as a citizen of Karca when your home and life are being jeopardized by warring Factions? Band together and do the most you can, it would seem.

Members of the Underground Alliance (UA) don’t announce themselves, don’t wear uniforms, and certainly don’t have ranks. Secrecy is their survival strategy. If they do carry an insignia (and many don’t), it will be an emblem of a Nidoran(M) and Nidoran(F) embracing one another, planted somewhere discreet and tiny. More often than that, though, a member will identify themselves through a password or secret handshake: something known, not held.

Their mission? Protecting whatever is precious to them. Their method: attacking and driving off crisis-opportunists such as Team 0n3 members or Midas Corp. employees, often through “underhanded” tactics like ambush or sabotage.

UA members are crafty. Experts at applying Pokemons’ powers to terrifyingly destructive extent they are. Explosions, earthquakes, giant fireballs and the such, triggered at just the right place and time… Eep!! If you thought Rock Slide is scary in battle, how about when you don’t know you’re in a battle?

Their deadly plots very often hurt people other than the intended targets. Defenders will insist that the UA is forced to make do with the means available to them. Detractors are less generous.

UA members tend to prefer Fire-Type, Poison-Type, and Electric-Type Pokemon, although they will gladly make do with whatever strong or potentially destructive Pokemon are available to them.

Unfactioned​

For the average layperson in Karca, life is desperate. Being part of a resistance can be appealing, sure. But, fighting the way the UA does usually means that a lot of people and businesses get hurt in the crossfire. For that reason and others, Karca has many people who, instead of trying to fight against Factions and opportunists, try to live as peacefully as they can under them. Neutrality is a fair survival strategy – largely ineffective in the longterm, but a strategy nonetheless.

 

[nightblitz42]

Quick-Reference Materials​

UOD Quick-Reference​

Repeated from the UOD Section

Trophy: ............... Shift in Power
Gift: ...................... Reveal Truth
Worldpiece: ..... Permanent Destruction
Curse: .................. Indulge a Vice
M. Dungeon: ... Chaotic
Default: .............. Likely

Does it happen? (roll below or equal) -> How true is it as an answer to the Guiding Question? | V	Extremely Yes	Yes	No	Extremely No
Absolute True	35	90	–	100
True	25	80	95	100
Slightly True	20	70	90	100
50/50	15	60	85	100
Slightly False	10	50	80	100
False	7	35	75	100
Absolute False	5	20	65	100

Symbols​

Stress/Resource tracks: ... ▯▯▯▯▯▮▮▮▮▮
Clock tracks: .......................... 〇 ◔ ◑ ◕ ⬤

Roll Tables​

Quick! I need something and don't care about the specifics!

Requests (aimed towards an individual, group, or Special Feature) (d10)

1. [Recruit/Build] a…
2. Supply a…
3. Destroy a…
4. Steal [from] a…
5. Obtain intel on a…
6. Sabotage a…
7. Protect a…
8. Negotiate [with/at] a…
9. Rescue/Liberate a…
10. Thwart plans to do [one of the above items].

Professions (d30)

1. Day Laborer
2. Chef
3. Innkeeper
4. Factory Worker
5. Farmer
6. Pokemon Rancher
7. Tailor
8. Construction Worker
9. Police Officer
10. Office Salaryman
11. Investigative Journalist
12. Hired Muscle
13. Thief
14. Layabout
15. Pokemon Researcher
16. Loan Shark
17. Gambler
18. Fortune Teller
19. Government Official
20. Entertainer
21. Doctor
22. Corporate Manager
23. Student
24. Woodcarver
25. Pokemon Vet
26. Machinist
27. Taxi/Ferry
28. Commercial Goods Transport
29. Childcare
30. Metalworker

Human First Names (d33)

1. Arle
2. Babbyy
3. Cynthia
4. D.
5. Elax
6. Fortanaight
7. Giganta
8. Hennifer
9. Illioao
10. Jaundice
11. Kate
12. Lucifer
13. Mo “Movember”
14. Ness
15. Orie
16. Pat
17. Quincely
18. Ricardo
19. Sissay
20. Tanaka
21. Uncle Jonesy
22. Vivivil
23. Wonderwall, by Oasis
24. Xip
25. Yodel
26. Zip-Tie
27. Grince
28. Morpho
29. Rightford
30. Toothurty
31. Scra
32. Vinary
33. Trinitaria

Human Last Names (d33)

1. Arsely
2. Banbao
3. Calamity
4. Drawer
5. Elle
6. Folk
7. Goat
8. Harrier
9. Illuminati
10. Jupiter
11. Krismas
12. Loss
13. Manda
14. Necromancer
15. Onion-Eater
16. Pascal
17. Quaver
18. Rabblemouse
19. Stately
20. Tonton
21. Uxi
22. VSTAR
23. Winston
24. Xyle
25. Yummers
26. Zulu
27. Cranker
28. Foggybottom
29. Burnits
30. Tulldurr
31. Catlantis
32. Backrowave
33. Pigney

Domesticated Pokemon Names (d33)

Don’t name NPC Pokemon unless you expect them to stick around a good while.
(These are first names. You can append any number of human first and last names to the end of it, in any order, so long as the longest of the extra names comes last.)

(An aside on wild Pokemon names):
Wild Pokemon typically don’t have names. In rare cases, exceptionally strong and influential wild Pokemon will take on physical self-descriptors as names (“Long-Tooth,” “Oaken-Skin,” “Scar-Eye,” etc). These names are never self-given. They occur naturally and take a very long time to proliferate to the point that they catch on. For a wild Pokemon to maintain dominance long enough to have a common moniker is a rare and impressive feat.

1. Avalanche
2. Bridget
3. Cuddlebuns
4. Daisy
5. El Devorador
6. Francisca
7. Gizmo
8. Handsome
9. Iono
10. Jimothy
11. Killer
12. Longboi
13. Motor Vehicle Registration Form X35-JV
14. Nevermore
15. OU Destroyer
16. Pluey
17. Queen
18. Roadhouse
19. Stinky Angry Little Adult Man
20. Tippitoes
21. Unidentified Fluffy Object
22. Lil’ Voidling
23. Wumbo
24. X-Plosion!!!
25. Yeetums
26. Zelda
27. Pekachu
28. Old Stinker
29. Test Subject 89P13
30. Bob
31. The Creature
32. Crumbsicle
33. Petipoolay

Pokemon Signature Attacks

Since characters don't have numerical battle power or anything like that, it can be difficult for the Judge to communicate to the Quester that an NPC Pokemon is powerful. One way to do that is to give it a super-special, flashy signature attack.

If you're lucky enough to be designing the character after designing the move, simply pick a Pokemon species that makes sense for the move.

Otherwise, use what you can from what you roll. It's fine if the attack doesn't quite match what you'd expect of the species -- in fact, it can sometimes make things more believable if the Signature Move is something unexpected.

Still, if a part of the move doesn't make sense to you at all, you're free to replace one or more of the offending rolls with whatever makes the most sense as a replacement.

Attack Styles (d30):

1. Terrifying
2. Energetic
3. Sinister
4. Disgusting
5. Sneaky
6. Confusing
7. Loud
8. Silent
9. Mesmerizing
10. Adorable
11. Hateful
12. Practiced
13. Technical
14. Brutish
15. Persistent
16. Showy
17. Cautious
18. Speedy
19. Penetrating
20. Acrobatic
21. Dancing
22. Simultaneous
23. Arhythmic
24. Twin
25. Foolhardy
26. Off-Kilter
27. Dueling
28. Telegraphed
29. Contorted
30. Multi-Stage

Attack Methods (d30):

1. Claw
2. Kick
3. Punch
4. Bite
5. Leap
6. Tackle
7. Throw
8. Cut
9. Skewer
10. Trip
11. Lift
12. Roll
13. Grapple
14. Crush
15. Tear
16. Beam
17. Orb
18. Wave
19. Splash
20. Coating
21. Tendril
22. Explosion
23. Cage
24. Shot
25. Summon
26. Circle
27. Spike
28. Drop
29. Fog
30. Barrier

Attack Enhancements (d30):

1. Vine
2. Flame
3. Wind
4. Sound
5. Electricity
6. Cold
7. Ice
8. Lava
9. Energy
10. Telekinesis
11. Metal
12. Light
13. Darkness
14. Poison
15. Twist
16. Gravity
17. Ground
18. Walls
19. Muscle
20. Prediction
21. Misdirection
22. Cornering
23. Feint
24. Smoke
25. Binding
26. Pursuing
27. Crystal
28. Dirt
29. Acid
30. Petal

Loot

ABP is not a loot-based game in the same way dungeon-crawl RPGs usually are. There isn't an expectation for the Quester to get "stronger" or find better gear each Session.

As far as rewards go, the Quester is overwhelmingly likely to be paid in the form of money (Resources), mundane items (Resources), or free skilled labor from an NPC... once in a while a Tagalong, if an obvious candidate appears within the narrative.

Still, there may come a particularly fantastical situation that calls for a supernatural or magical item (looting a witch's stockpile, opening a treasure chest in a Mystery Dungeon, or scrapping parts from of a sci-fi power-suit, for instance).

Mundane Items (d30) (Likely NPC gifts, pickpocketing, looting, etc.) (All convertable into 1 Resource.)

1. Dried berries
2. Trail mix
3. Canned condensed milk
4. Meat jerkey
5. Eggs (dozen)
6. Dry pet food
7. Protein bar
8. Water canteen
9. Pack of gum
10. Local venue ticket
11. Tinderbox + matchbook
12. Raincoat
13. Umbrella
14. Work gloves
15. Notepad and pen
16. Paint can
17. Flashlight
18. Rope + nails
19. Magnifying glass
20. Plain silver ring
21. Empty glass bottle
22. Tradesperson's Guidebook (fitting Profession, or roll)
23. Tradesperson's Tool (fitting Profession, or roll)
24. Tradesperson's Outfit (fitting Profession, or roll)
25. Painting, by a local artist.
26. Flower boquet
27. Hat
28. Makeup kit
29. Bag of garbage
30. Human bone(s)

Special Items (fantastical, supernatural, magical, etc.) (Always single-use.)

Roll (1d6)	Form (Magical/Supernatural)	Form (Human-Made)	Scope of Effect
1-2	Mundane item (roll table)	Mundane item (roll table)	Affects 1 chosen target.
3	Potion	Ingestible/Pill/Syringe	Affects 1 chosen target.
4	Container (box/bottle)	AoE emissive device	Affects 1 chosen target + a UOD roll to determine who/what else in the area is affected.
5	Wand	Projectile-shooting/Laser device	Affects 1 chosen target.
6	Orb	Incomprehensible/anomalous machine	Affects all non-allied targets in the area.