KULT: Divinity Lost – Attributes, Player Moves and Stability

ATTRIBUTES

There are ten Attributes, each associated with Moves. The PC attributes modify the die rolls of player Moves and Advantages. Attributes and their Moves are either passive (triggered automatically when conditions are met) or active (triggered by a character taking a certain action).

Passive Attributes

Passive Attributes are used to resist external and internal influences. The player Moves associated with passive Attributes are triggered when the character is threatened. When creating the PC, the player distributes adjustment values of +2, +1 and 0 across the passive Attributes. There are three passive Attributes:

Fortitude

Fortitude measures the character’s physical resistance, pain threshold, and stress response when suffering physical injury. A PC with high Fortitude is capable of enduring injuries that would drop a character with lower Fortitude.

Willpower

Willpower measures the character’s mental resilience, composure, peace of mind, and capacity for working through trauma. A PC with high Willpower can resist the terrifying influence of eldritch horrors.

Reflexes

Reflexes measures the character’s quickness, responsiveness, and physical instinct when assaulted or when at risk of injury. A PC with big Reflexes is better at getting out of harm’s way.

Active Attributes

Active Attributes are used when a PC acts proactively. The player Moves associated with active Attributes trigger when the PC takes a certain action in the story. When creating the PC, the player distributes adjustment values of +3 +2, +1, +1, 0, −1 and −2 across the active Attributes.

There are seven active Attributes:

Reason

Reason measures the character’s analytical ability. A PC with high Reason is good at information gathering and investigation.

Intuition

Intuition measures the character’s empathy and gut feeling. An intuitive PC is good at reading the intentions and hidden motives held by other intelligent creatures.

Perception

Perception measures the character’s alertness. A Perceptive PC is good at scanning environments and taking notice of what others overlook.

Coolness

Coolness measures the character’s grace under pressure. A Cool PC is good at stealth, theft, and other situations demanding quick decisions under stress.

Violence

Violence measures the character’s raw strength, fighting expertise, and viciousness. A Violent PC excels at inflicting harm on others.

Charisma

Charisma measures the character’s charm, leadership, and rhetorical talent. A Charismatic PC easily persuades and manipulates others.

Soul

Soul measures how sensitive the character is to supernatural forces. A PC with high Soul has an easier time perceiving Reality and is more attuned to their intrinsic powers.

PLAYER MOVES

Avoid Harm

When you dodge, parry, or block Harm, roll +Reflexes.

(15+) You emerge completely unharmed.

(10–14) You avoid the worst of it, but the GM decides if you end up in a bad spot, lose something, or partially sustain Harm.

(-9) You were too slow to react or you made a bad judgment call. Perhaps you didn’t avoid any Harm at all, or you ended up in an even worse spot than before. The GM makes a Move.

Endure Injury

When enduring an injury, roll +Fortitude − Harm. If you are wearing armor, add its rating to the roll.

(15+) You ride out the pain and keep going.

(10–14) You are still standing, but the GM picks one condition:

  • The injury throws you off balance.
  • You lose something.
  • You receive a Serious Wound.

(-9) The injury is overwhelming. You choose if you:

  • Are knocked out (the GM may also choose to inflict a Serious Wound).
  • Receive a Critical Wound, but may continue to act (if you already have a Critical Wound, you may not choose this option again).
  • Die.

Keep it Together

When you exercise self-control to keep from succumbing to stress, traumatic experiences, psychic influence, or supernatural forces, roll +Willpower.

(15+) You grit your teeth and stay the course.

(10–14) The effort to resist instills a condition, which remains with you until you have had time to recuperate. You get −1 in situations where this condition would be a hindrance to you.

Choose one:

  • You become angry (−1 Stability).
  • You become sad (−1 Stability).
  • You become scared (−1 Stability).
  • You become guilt-ridden (−1 Stability).
  • You become obsessed (+1 Relation to whatever caused the condition).
  • You become distracted (−2 in situations where the condition limits you).
  • You will be haunted by the experience at a later time.

(-9) The strain is too much for your mind to handle. The GM chooses your reaction: cower powerless in the threat’s presence, panic with no control of your actions, suffer emotional trauma (−2 Stability), or suffer life-changing trauma (−4 Stability).

Act Under Pressure

When you do something risky, under time pressure, or try to avoid danger, the GM will explain what the consequence for failure is and you roll +Coolness.

(15+) You do what you intended.

(10–14) You do it, but hesitate, are delayed, or must deal with a complication—the GM reveals an unexpected outcome, a high price, or a difficult choice.

(-9) There are serious consequences, you make a mistake, or you’re exposed to the danger. The GM makes a Move.

Engage in Combat

When you engage an able opponent in combat, explain how and roll +Violence.

(15+) You inflict damage to your opponent and avoid counterattacks.

(10–14) You inflict damage, but at a cost. The GM chooses one:

  • You’re subjected to a counterattack.
  • You do less damage than intended.
  • You lose something important.
  • You expend all your ammo.
  • You’re beset by a new threat.
  • You’ll be in trouble later on.

(-9) Your attack doesn’t go as anticipated. You might be subjected to bad luck, miss your target, or pay a high price for your assault. The GM makes a Move.

Influence Other

When you influence an NPC through negotiation, argument, or from a position of power, roll +Charisma.

(15+) She does what you ask.

(10–14) She does what you ask, but the GM chooses one:

  • She demands better compensation.
  • Complications will arise at a future time.
  • She gives in for the moment, but will change her mind and regret it later.

(-9) Your attempt has unintended repercussions. The GM makes a Move.

When you influence another PC, roll +Charisma.

(15+) Both options below.

(10–14) Choose one option below.

(-9) The character gets +1 on her next roll against you. The GM makes a Move.

Options

  • She’s motivated to do what you ask, and receives +1 for her next roll, if she does it.
  • She’s worried of the consequences if she doesn’t do what you ask, and gets −1 Stability if she doesn’t do it.

No matter the outcome, it is always the PC’s option whether to do as you ask or not.

Read a Person

When you read a person, roll +Intuition. On a success, you can ask the GM/player questions about their character any time during this scene, while in conversation with their character.

(15+) You may ask two questions.

(10–14) You may ask one question.

(-9) You accidentally reveal your own intentions to the person you’re trying to read. Tell the GM/player what these intentions are. The GM makes a Move.

Questions

  • Are you lying?
  • How do you feel right now?
  • What are you about to do?
  • What do you wish I would do?
  • How could I get you to […]?

Observe a Situation

When you observe a situation, roll +Perception. On a success you may ask the GM questions about the current situation. When you act on these answers, gain +1 to your rolls.

(15+) Ask two questions.

(10–14) Ask one question.

(-9) You get to ask a question anyway, but you get no bonus for it and miss something, attract unwanted attention or expose yourself to danger. The GM makes a Move.

Questions

  • What is my best way through this?
  • What currently poses the biggest threat?
  • What can I use to my advantage?
  • What should I be on the lookout for?
  • What is being hidden from me?
  • What seems strange about this?

Investigate

When you investigate something, roll +Reason. On a success, you uncover all direct leads and may ask questions to get additional information.

(15+) You may ask two questions.

(10–14) You may ask one question. The information comes at a cost, determined by the GM, such as requiring someone or something for the answer, exposing yourself to danger, or needing to expend extra time or resources. Will you do what it takes?

(-9) You may get some information anyway, but you pay a price for it. You may expose yourself to dangers or costs. The GM makes a Move.

Questions

  • How can I find out more about what I’m investigating?
  • What is my gut feel about what I’m investigating?
  • Is there anything weird about what I’m investigating?

Helping or Hindering

When you help or hinder another player character’s Move, explain how before their roll and roll +Attribute, where the Attribute is the same as the other player’s roll.

(15+) You may modify the subsequent roll by +2/−2.

(10–14) You may modify the subsequent roll by +1/−1.

(-9) Your interference has unintended consequences. The GM makes a Move.

With the GM’s assent, a player may make a case for retroactively Helping or Hindering after a roll is made, but in stressful situations this can result in a hard choice between saving your ally or pursuing your own goal—not both.