House Rules

Player Driven Challenge Rolls

You can use this optional rule to speed up Challenge rolls.

Players Roll Most

All NPC Traits have Thresholds instead of Ranks. An NPC Threshold is equivalent to ½ the amount of Ranks an NPC would normally have in a Trait.

To avoid converting from ranks to threshold all the time, you can just start with Thresholds for NPC Traits, using the same logic as you would use for any other Threshold – how hard should it be to beat them? Reference Judging Thresholds on page 71 of PPUE.

When a Player makes a Challenge Roll against an NPC, simply subtract the NPC’s Threshold from their roll. But, when an NPC would normally make a Challenge Roll against a PC, instead only the Player rolls, and subtracts the NPC’s relevant Threshold. There will be rare occasions when the NPC must roll, in which case you can double the NPC’s Trait Threshold to get the number of equivalent Ranks.

When calculating NPC Health and Edge, calculate as normal using the Thresholds and then double it. If you’re using the Fast Combat rule below, don’t double the Edge. You could (and probably should) ignore Health and Edge calculations entirely for NPCs however, in favor of intentionally choosing how difficult and dramatic it should be to defeat the enemy.

Damaging Attacks

For damaging attacks, every net success rolled still inflicts one point of damage. So, if a player wants to Strike an enemy, they roll their ranks in Strike against the enemy’s Threshold in Agility; if they roll 8 successes against the enemy’s Threshold 6, they inflict 2 damage.

However, if an enemy wants to Strike a player, the enemy forces the Player to roll Agility against the enemy’s Threshold in Strike; every net failure rolled by the Player inflicts 1 point of damage.

Flexible Turn Order

This optional rule maintains the importance of Edge while allowing players more tactical and narrative control over the order they act in combat.

Calculate Edge as the average of either Perception and Intellect or Perception and Agility, whichever is higher. Divide any Edge adjustments from Powers by half.

At the beginning of combat, all Henshin Heroes roll their Edge. Players who match or exceed the Adversary’s Edge go before the Adversary; those who roll under go after. Within these groups, players can go in whatever order they please, as long as each player takes only one turn per Page. Heroes with Super Speed always go first.

In the case of multiple Adversaries, use the most important Adversary’s edge, or the highest among them. Villains and Extras go on the same Adversary turn. Environmental effects and Minions go at the end of the round, after all Heroes and Adversaries have gone.

The GM can spend Adversity to insert an additional Adversary or Environment turn after any Henshin Hero’s turn.

Connections

Writing Connections

A Connection is a thought or belief about another character, and what you want to do about it. When you create your character, write down 2 to 3 Connections with player or non-player characters.

You have 1 or 2 empty Connections which you should leave blank and fill in during play.

Resolve for Drama

When you do something dramatic to move the story forward because of one of your Connections, gain 1 Resolve. Here are some examples:

You have the connection “Sammy is beating me at my own game, putting my reputation in jeopardy. I’ll prove to everyone that I’m better than her!” Then, when you and her are supposed to be teammates in the school relay race, you are so focused on running faster than her that she can’t catch up to pass you the baton!
You have the connection “I had a dream that something terrible would happen to Ian under a full moon. Now it’s my responsibility to keep that from happening.” Then, when the moon is full, you follow Ian in an attempt to keep him from danger.
You have the connection “I can’t forgive Forest for ratting me out to the principal. I have to get payback.” Then, when Forest is running for Student Council, you spread a rumor that they want to get rid of the school vending machines to keep students from voting for them.

Rewriting Connections

Rewrite a Connection when you and the connected character experience a reckoning, confrontation, revelation, or moment of understanding that fundamentally changes your belief about them. All parties involved must agree that the Change has occurred. The rewrite does not need to be positive or fulfill your goals regarding that character, but it might.

When you rewrite a Connection, you and any other player involved both gain one Hero Point and one Resolve. Immediately write a new Connection to fill its place, inspired by recent events, with the same character or a new one.

Gaining More

Not every character you know or care about should be a Connection, and generally you can make room for more Connections by rewriting one of your current three. However, in special circumstances the GM may allow you to write down another Connection or replace an unresolved one. For instance:

If you and another character experience an intense moment in the course of play.
If one of your existing Connections is unlikely to Resolve for a long period of time
If your game has become very, very melodramatic.

⛬ Variant: Non-Character Connections. You could also use Connections to express beliefs and actions about groups, institutions, the world, magical duties, school life, or whatever else you can imagine. In this case, each player should create one such additional Connection at character creation.

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