Rules - Basics

Shattered Wilds use a custom system called The D12 System, in which checks are based on a 2d12 roll. Every action with a possibility of failure is determined by a Check.

Checks

A base Check is 2d12 + [Modifiers], and is either matched against a DC (Difficulty Class) of the task (Static Check, which is always considered Active), or matched against a check from an opponent (Contested Check). On Contested Checks, there is always an active participant, which is the one taking the Action (Active Contested Check), and one or more passive recipients of the action (Passive Contested Checks).

Success means having a result greater than the DC (or Passive Contested Check), meaning that a tie will typically maintain the status quo (no change). However, if the Active Participant has a Crit Modifier (see below), they will win ties.

There is also the possibility of rolling extra D12s, up to two, for two different mechanics, Extras and Luck (see below). Whenever you roll more than 2 dice, you get to pick which 2 to use, as you can never sum up more than 2 dies (think D&D Advantage). So if you are using Extra and Luck in the same roll, you will be able to roll 4d12, and pick any 2 of your choice. Note that, unlike other systems, extra dice rolls are not awarded for in-game situational "advantages" or "disadvantages", as these factors are always modelled as Circumstance Modifiers to the roll.

Crit Modifiers

Critical Rolls are handled differently in the D12 system. There are two steps to determine criticality; first, you apply Crit Modifiers to your roll:

• +6 to your roll if you have at least one 12
• +6 to your roll if you have at least a pair

Note that you can get each one of the +6's only once per roll, for a max total of +12. That means the maximum natural roll is 36 (2 * 12 + 6 + 6), with a probability of 1/144 (0.69%).

Crit Modifiers are applied to all types of Checks. However, if you are rolling an Active Check (typically an Active Contested Check), you can also accumulate Crit Shifts.

Crit Shifts

If the active participant passes the check, finally they can convert any excesses of +6 into a Crit Shift, even if they didn't originate from a Crit Modifier.

These Crit Shifts are typically only applicable for Active Contested Checks, however they could also be used for some Static Checks, depending on the situation.

So for a few examples, you attack the enemy and roll a 10 and 7, and have a total modifier of +3. That will be a 20 without any Crit Modifier; however if the opponent contests rolling a total of 12, since you an advantage of 8 points, you get 1 Crit Shift.

What does this "Shift" mean? The effect of a Crit Shift will depend on the nature of the check. If it is a Basic Body Attack, that means additional damage to the enemy's VP. If it is some other form of contest, it means an advantage to be determined by the DM. For example, if you are trying to influence an ally to do you a favor, they might not just do it but somehow consider it as you doing them a favor for the honor of asking them. This is similar to how Shifts work on Core FATE. If it is a Static Check, typically Crit Shifts are not applicable, but could depending on the specific situation.

So in essence, the Crits are two-folded; if you would otherwise be below target, they help you get over, and if you are already over, they can give you extra Shifts.

Auto Fail

There is also an Auto Fail condition to any Active Checks; if you roll a pair of 1s, you instantly fail the check, regardless of anything else. This condition is checked across all the dies you roll, even ones you did not pick or even ones that were not valid (for Extra and Luck dice).

The probability of an Auto Fail, if rolling two dice, is of 0.69% (though that is bumped to 3.72% if rolling 4 dice). This does not apply to Passive Checks.

Extra

It is possible to roll an extra d12 when doing a check by invoking an Extra. You can do that when you are in a situation in which you can leverage a different base attribute to perform a Skill check. For example, imagine you are trying to deceive a guard with a Speechcraft check, but you have a high WIS. You can leverage your WIS score to complement your Speechcraft modifier by invoking an Extra. Extra (and Luck) Dice must be invoked before the roll is made, and you must pay 1 Heroism Point to do so. You roll an extra distinct d12, and you must roll less or equal than your Extra modifier. If you do, that is a valid Extra die that can be picked for the final total. If you roll more than your attribute, you just ignore that die for the final total. Note that regardless if you pick the extra die or even if it is valid or not, for active contested rolls, if you roll a pair of 1s amongst any of your dies, that is an Auto Fail.

Luck

Similarly (and potentially additionally) to Extra, you can invoke your supernatural Luck to aid you in any roll. You similarly must pay 1 Heroism Point, and add one distinct Luck d12 to the pool. The result of it must be below your Fortune score. Same rules as for the Extra die apply, including the extended chance of Auto Fail. Pushing your luck goes both ways.