Combat

4thTrifoldCombatisaboutkinaestheticbattlesplayedoutonahexgrid(if
onsquares,assumethatsquaresareadjacenttoalleightsurrounding
squaresforallpurposes).Eachhexhasisabout5indiameterThenormal
goalistoreducetheothersideto0stunpoints,takingthemoutortoget
themtorunaway.
Actions
Trifoldhasfourtypesofmeaningfulaction
StandardActionsrepresentthemainthingyoufocusonyougetoneon
yourturnandmayuseasamoveaction.YoucanCharge,movingyour
speedtowardstheenemyandmakinganAtWillmeleeattack
MoveActionsaremovingaroundyougetoneonyourturn
SwiftActionsarecertainalmostincidentalthingssuchasdrawingasword
oropeningadooryougetoneonyourturn
OpportunityActionsareforeasyopportunityactions.Yougetoneoneach
enemyturn,butitstheirfaultifyouuseit.
DamageandHealing
Acharactercantakeanumberofdamagepointsuptotheirstunthreshold
(Minionstaketwohits)beforebeingKOd.InthecaseofNPCsthismight
beakillitisuptothePCs.
MovementandForcedMovement
Asamoveactionyoumayrun(orifrelevantfly,swimorclimb)the
numberofhexesonyourcharactersheetwhichprovokesOpportunity
Attacks.YoumayalsoShiftonehexorstandupfromProne,whichdoes
not,andneitherdootherformsofmovement.DifficultTerraincosts2
hexesperhexbynonforcedmovement.
WhenmovedbysomeoneelseyouareForcedthatnumberofexes.APull
isaForcedtowardstheorigin,andaPushisForcedaway.
IfForcedintodamagingterrainyoumaymakeaSavingThrowtofallprone
inprevioushex,andifyoufalladjacenttosomethingtograbyoumay
makeaSavingThrowtograbbyyourfingertips(countingaspronebut
requiringyouclimbtostandupagain).
Areas
Areascomeintwoformsin4thTrifoldfor
Ballsforhavearadiusofthenumberofhexesoftheball(notincludingthe
centre),centredeitherontheoriginorthetargethex
Conesforhaveasidelengthequaltothenumberofhexesgivenandstart
adjacenttotheoriginortargethex
Attacking
ToattacksomeonerolltohitasforTaskResolutionthenresolve
ToattackinMeleeyoumustbeinyourweaponsreach(default1)
ToattackatRangeyoumustbewithinrange(oryoumiss)
Ifthereisanobstructionsofromanytwocornersyoucanonlydirectlysee
orreachtwocornersyouareatDisadvantage.Iffromonecorneryoucan
onlyreachoneyouareatMajorDisadvantage.Invisiblecreaturescantbe
seen,andareaattacksignorenotseeing.
ZoneofControl

ChallengeandTaskresolution
Taskresolutioniscompletingyourimmediateactionhittingyourfoe,
pickingthelock,leapingthepit.Challengeresolutionisdoingwhatyouset
outtodowinningthefight,stealingtheloot,gettingawayfromthedragon.
TaskResolution
Toresolveatask,saywhatyouaredoing.Ifthisisexactlyinlinewithoneof
yourabilitiesorpowersresolvethatasthepowersays.Ifnot,theDMwilltell
youwhattoroll.Roll1d20andaddthebonusesfromyourcharactersheetand
situationalmodifiers.Ifyouequalorexceedthetargetnumberyousucceedat
thetask.TheGMwilltellyoutheconsequences.
SituationalmodifiersareknownasAdvantageandDisadvantageandcancel
eachotherout,ormorerarelyMajorAdvantageandMajorDisadvantage.If
youhaveAdvantageyougainanonstacking+2(2forDisadvantage)andif
youhaveMajorAdvantagerolltwiceandtakethehigher(lowerforMajor
Disadvantage).DisadvantagetoadefenceisequivalenttoAdvantagetoan
attack(soyouonlygetonetwopointshift)andifthereisoneDisadvantageit
cancelsan
Onanatural1youautomaticallyfailbutyoumaytakeariskandrerollifyou
succeedyousucceed,andifyoufailitsafumbleandtheconsequenceswillbe
badanduptotheDM(e.g.yourweaponbreakingorhittingthewrongtargetin
combat).Onanatural20youautomaticallysucceedincombatthisisaCritical
Hitanddoesmaximumdamage.
ASavingThrowistaskresolutionthatrequiresa10ormore.
ChallengeResolutionNoncombat
WhenyoucomeupwithacomplexplantelltheGMwhatitis.TheGMwill
thenworkoutthemechanicalrepresentationhowevertheydecidemanyof
themwillbeThreeStrikesPlans,withthreefailuresonthewayfailingthe
challengebutthisisuptotheGMandreflectsthesituationintheworld.

4thTrifold
4thTrifoldisacinematicandtacticalkinaestheticadventure
roleplayinggamefeaturinglargerthanlifeheroesandenemies.The
pacingisnarrativeandthegameitselfisbasedaroundlarge,high
budgetcinematicsetpiecesandhairraisingimprovisedplansheld
togetherthroughluck,skill,anddetermination.Bydefaultthe
settingisHighFantasy,althoughothergenresaresupported.
Pacing
Because4thTrifoldisintendedforcinematicadventures,pacingis
narrativeandbrokendownintoscenes(alsoknownasencounters)and
episode.Thedefaultlengthofasceneisfiveminutesofinworldtime,
andofanepisodeisadayalthoughthisisvariesfromcampaignto
campaign.Catchingyourbreathandbandagingwoundstakesaboutfive
minutesbydefault,andisrequiredtorechargeSignatureMovesanda
majorbreak(bydefaultanight)isrequiredtorechargeEpisodeabilities.I
wouldstickwithonlyoneterm,episodeordaily.
AbilitiesorPowers
Allcharactersin4thTrifoldareassumedtobecompetentandabletodo
anythinganormalhumancan.Buttheyarealsoexpectedtobebeyond
thenormalandtohavespecialabilities,training,ordeterminationthat
leavethemacutabovenormalpeople,abletodothingsalmost
effortlessly.
SecondnatureforAtWillabilities.Everyonehassomethingstheycando
effortlesslyevenifotherswouldhavetoreallystruggletodothem.These
areatwillabilities

Whattheplayersneedtodoisdescribewhattheyaredoingincharacterasthe
planunfolds.Eachtimeacharacterdoessomethingthatcouldmeaningfully
pushtheplanforwardandwithasignificantchanceoffailure,theGMwillcall
forarollthendescribehowthesituationunfolds.

SignatureMovesforEncounterorSceneabilities.Everyonehastricksthey
areknownforbutdontdoeverytimeforwhateverreason,whether
fatigue,itwouldleavethemwideopen,orthatthemagicworksthatway.
Theseareencounterabilities.

AsaruleofthumbifitsusefulbutnotsubstantiveyouAidAnotherarollat
MediumDCtogivesomeoneAdvantageifyousucceedand1ifyoufail.

TotheWireforDailyorEpisodeabilities.Yourbackistothewall,andyou
areworriedthisisit.Thatsthetimetostopanysemblanceofholding
backandbringoutyourbiggest,mosttiringmovesandspells.Oryoujust
wanttocrushthisobstruction.

ChallengeResolutionCombat
Aweaponisadeviceformakingyourenemychangetheirmindormakingthem
unabletoopposeyou.Whomoveswhenwillbehandledbasedonthesetting,
andthegoaliscommonlytoeithergetawaysafelyortotakeouttheenemy.

YourZoneofControlisalladjacenthexestoyours.Ifanyonerunsinthis
areayoumaymakeafreeAtWillmeleeattackwithaweaponasan
OpportunityAction

SkillsandImprovisation

SkillList
Athletics(defaultskillforstrengthorendurance)
ClimborSwimforSuccess=halfspeed,failby5=fall.Jumpfor1hex
horizontally+1hexifyoulandprone)or1footverticallyper5inresult,
halfwithoutrunup.Alsolifting,breaking,andendurance.
Acrobatics(defaultskillforagilityorbodycontrol)
Balancing,climbing,fallingsafely(subtracthalfyourresultfromthe
stuntaken),featsofbodilymovement
Occult
Knowingaboutmagicalthings,seeingmagic
Engineering(defaultskillforproblemsolving)
Building,construction,physicsofundergroundcaves
Healing
Healpeople,diagnostics,andforensics
History(Defaultskillforgeneralknowledge)
Knowledgeofhistory,countries,andorganisations
Nature
Knowledgeofanythingnaturalorwild
Religion
KnowledgeoftheGods,Churches,andDivineeffects
Stealth
Howtonotbeseen.Maybeusedaspartofamoveactionathalf
speedtobecomeHiddenfrompeoplewhocantseeanypartofyour
squarefromtheirs.IfusedagainstPCs,itmustbeattheirAlertness+10
tosucceed.
AHiddencreaturecannotbeseen(andhencenottargeted)by
anyonetheyarehiddenfrom,andhasAdvantageagainstthemfor
anythingwherebeingconcealedwouldmatter.Theyarerevealedto
anyonewhogetsunobstructedlineofsightonthem,ortoeveryone
whentheymakeanattack.
Streetwise
Knowledgeofthelocalenvironmentandabilitytogatherinformation
fromcontacts
Thievery(defaultskillforfinemotorcontrol/manualdexterity)
Pickingpockets,openinglocks,disarmingtraps
Manipulation
MakingpeopledoorthinkwhatyouwantDCbyriskandmotivation
youoffer.
Rapport(defaultskillforlikabilityandcharisma)
Convincingpeopletovolunteertohelportakerisksforyou
Empathy
Findingoutwhatindividualswantorwhotheytrulyserve
Alertness
Lookingforsurprises,ambushers,orconcealedthings

Lev Eas Me
e y d
l D DC
C

Har
d
D
C

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

19
20
20
21
21
22
23
23
24
25
26
27
27
28
38
29
29
30
31
31
32
33
33
34
34

8
9
9
10
10
11
11
12
12
13
13
14
14
15
15
16
16
17
17
18
18
19
19
20
20

12
13
13
14
15
15
16
16
17
17
18
19
19
20
20
21
22
22
23
23
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24
25
25
26

Ao
E
D
m
g
7
8
9
9
10
11
12
12
13
14
15
15
16
17
18
18
19
20
21
21
22
23
24
24
25

Avg
Dmg

Limited
Dmg

9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33

16
18
20
21
23
25
27
28
30
32
34
35
37
39
41
42
44
46
48
49
51
53
55
56
58

PCCreation
AverageNPCStats:AC:Lvl+15,Fort/Ref/Will:Lvl+13,ToHit:Lvl+3,+2vsAC
StunpointsforHigh=(Level+3)*10,Med=(Level+3)*8,Low=(Level+3)*6
NPCCombatBehaviour:
*ShooterforLowdamage,+25%damageatrange,25%inmelee,2AC
*WreckerforHighstun,+25%damageinmelee,25%(ifany)atrange,2AC
*Blockerfor+2AC,25%damage(ifany)atrange,+2AC,oftenmarks
*Tricksterfor+25%damageinoptimalsituation,25%ifnot
*AssassinsforAlternatelimiteddamageandnoattackandhardtohurt
*MilitiaforOrdinaryStats
NPCRating
*Mooksareutterlyoutclassed,andcantakeonesolidhit1/2damage,worth

ConditionSummary
Blind
Ablindcreaturecantseeandanythingthatwouldrequiresightthey
sufferMajorDisadvantageandcantflank.Opponents,where
relevantgainAdvantage.
DamageReduction
DR[Num]/[Unless]reducesdamageby[Num]unless[Unless]
Dazed
Oneaction/turn,cantflank,andopponentsgainAdvantage
Deafened
Adeafenedcreaturecanthear.
Dominated
Adominatedcreatureisdazed,andtheactionittakesischosenby
thedominatorbutmustbeatwill.
Grabbed
Agrabbedcreatureisrestrainedandmaybedraggedathalfspeedon
astrengthvsfortcheck.
Helpless
StunnedorRestrained,maybeCoupdeGracedorCaptured
dependingonthesetting.
Immobilised
Cantmoveoutofthehexitsin
KOd(reducedto0Stun)
YouareKOdwhenon0stun.YouareUnconscious.
OngoingX
TakeXdamageatthestartofyourturn.Saveattheendoftheround
toendthiseffect.
Petrified
Turnedtostone.Unconscious,DamageReduction20/
Prone
Knockedoverwhichmakescreaturesnotonthegroundfall.Move
athalfspeed,givesAdvantageagainstmeleeattacks,Disadvantage
againstranged.
RemovedfromPlay
Cantdoanythingorbeaffectedbyanything.
Restrained
Cantmoveorbemovedoutofhex.2toattackrollsandgrants
Advantagetopeopleattackingthem.
Slowed
Moveathalfspeed.
Stunned
Dazedbutcanttakeanyactionsatall.
Surprised
Canttakeactions,grantsAdvantage,cantflank.

Presence(defaultskillforleadership)
Lookingcompetentorgettingpeopletorememberyou.Oftenusedfor
performances,intimidationorbeingrecognised.

1/4ofamonster.CantCoupdeGraceorCapture
*Standardaredefaultpowerandcountas1monster.
*ChampionsareExperts,worth2standardmonsters,doublestunanddamage
*BossesareWorth5monsters.Customcraft,*4stun,*3damage,protection
fromstatuseffectsbymonsterThismakesnosensebecausetheresno
encountercreation/DMrules.

Unconscious
Helpless,Stunned,Prone,unawareofsurroundings,andanyone
attackingyougainsMajorAdvantage.