Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms

Term	Acronym	Definition
Action Die	AD	Roll this to determine success or failure when your character attempts to do something. (Does not apply to role play encounters).
Achievements	(Cheevos)	Actions that your character takes that advance their experience. Achievements come in two basic types: Milestones (earned once in a lifetime) and Feats (each of which can be collected many times). 1 Achievement = 1 Experience Point (XP).
Adventure	(n/a)	This is a mission or quest set in the world of Syseria with a clear goal and a (not always clear) path to said goal. When the goal is attained, the adventure is complete. The word ADVENTURE means taking a few risks. It’s a gamble. It’s unknown. It does not have all the sharp edges filed down. It is not just a guided tour. It is not sterile & homogenous. It’s not predictable. And it’s not safe!
Armor Rating	AR	A numeric value assigned to a target expressing its general toughness or difficulty to hit with a basic, typically physical attack.
Aspect	(n/a)	One of 9 constituent magical energies the caster draws her or his power from.
Buy-In	(n/a)	These are character abilities that you can use Experience Points to purchase. They come from three main sources: Universal, Species, and Field Role Buy-Ins. Less often, your character may be granted access to other categories of Buy-Ins. Buy-Ins are permanent and irreversible.
Campaign	(n/a)	This has traditionally always meant any series of adventures embarked upon and completed by [at least relatively] the same group of people. The term has been used more loosely and has come to be a synonym for a single adventure at times. In the context of Shattered World, a mention of a “Campaign” refers to a linked series of adventures.
Combat	(n/a)	The structured, turn-based sequence of rolling dice to determine the outcome of a violent conflict.
Damage	DMG	A numeric measurement of destructive Impact inflicted upon a creature, another character, or object as a result of a successful Attack. Functionally identical to Impact, but generally only applies to a Combat context.
Difficulty Class	DC	A numeric measurement of how easy or hard it is to solve a problem. If the DC is low, the task is generally easier and you have a higher chance of success; the opposite is true for high DC’s. DC’s are not used heavily in Shattered World—most of the time it’s determined by an opposing statistic or contested roll. However, you will encounter DC’s from time to time.
Dice	d6, d8, etc.	Denoted by the letter "d" followed by the number of sides on that die. So, a "d6" is a six-sided die. The preceding number indicates how many to roll, e.g. 3d8 indicating that you should roll three 8 sided dice and add the totals together.
Empathy	EM	One of 6 statistical attributes: insight into another creature’s thoughts and feelings.
Encounter	(n/a)	A section of gameplay involving the PC’s facing a difficult or hostile situation, creature(s), or combatant(s). Can be any of combat, trap, dilemma, obstacle, diplomacy, puzzle/secret, and event.
Endurance	EN	One of 6 statistical attributes: constitution, hardiness, ability to persevere through difficult conditions and situations physically and mentally.
Experience [Points]	XP	A type of spendable currency for which you may “buy into” character power-ups, abilities, hit points, and features. Your character earns Achievements in the form of Milestones and Feats, resulting in an Experience Point gain.
Exploding	d6!6	If you achieve a certain result (typically the highest), roll another die of the same type. If that die roll result is an exploding result (usually the highest), roll another die of the same type again, and so on. Stop when your roll is not an exploding result. The !6 notation denotes exploding on 6’s. There could sometimes be other explosive results, for example d6!1!6, exploding on results of 1 or 6.
Feat	(n/a)	One of two types of achievements that your character will earn. Your character can collect any given Feat an infinite number of times.
Field Role Die	FRD	Certain actions that your character specializes in will use a slightly larger die for the relevant Action Die Roll. The actions to which this die applies are detailed first in your Species, and then a second time in your Field Role. In any case where you asked to roll your Action Di(c)e, you always apply your Field Role Di(c)e to the situations specified in your Species and Field Role.
Foible	(n/a)	A minor flaw in a character's personality or behavior. Foibles are negative but not crippling; they add depth and individuality to a character. They can influence a character's actions and interactions, sometimes leading to complications or unexpected outcomes. Foibles are a key aspect of Field Subroles.
Impact	(n/a)	Functionally identical to Damage, but in a non-combat context. A numerical value added to or subtracted from a roll result to determine the magnitude of an effect. In Combat, it represents the amount of Damage inflicted. In non-combat situations, it represents the intensity or effectiveness of the action. The Impact Modifier is determined by the relevant ability score and other applicable modifiers.
Initiative	(n/a)	A numeric determination of the order in which characters will act during Combat or Encounter interactions.
Hit Points	HP	A measure of a PC’s life force. When reduced to zero or below, the character falls unconscious, and may be in danger of lapsing into a coma or even dying. In some extreme cases, the character may be dead.
Mental Acuity	MA	One of 6 statistical attributes: basic mental functioning and sharpness, memory, focus, knowledge, intelligence, understanding, and wisdom.
Milestone	(n/a)	One of two types of achievements that your character will earn. Your character can collect any given Milestone only once in their lifetime.
Non-Player Character	NPC	A character not controlled by the Players (instead controlled by the Game Master).
Perception	PE	One of 6 statistical attributes: represents your character’s ability to become aware of something through her or his senses.
Physical Fitness	PF	One of 6 statistical attributes: physical strength, dexterity, speed, and general physical ability.
Proficient Statistic	(n/a)	Your character has a Proficiency in two of the 6 Statistical Abilities. They are expertly competent and skilled with those two Abilities. Your Proficient Statistic has higher bonuses, more abilities, and more skills of greater specialization and expertise that a Proficient Character can access.
Player Character	PC	Any character controlled by one of the players.
Game Master	GM	The player facilitator and judge. This is a required player that narrates and determines everything that happens outside PC control.
Spirit	SP	One of 6 statistical attributes: chutzpah, force of will, connection to Bloodstones
Standard Success	(n/a)	In some cases you can opt to resolve a mechanical action as a “Standard Success,” meaning no die roll is required and it can be resolved as a success +1.
Units	(n/a)	The standard measurement of distance in the Shattered World. Any measure of Units the GM wishes to use is acceptable, but it is assumed that 1 Unit = 5 Feet per standard modern RPG’s.
Universal Action Modifier	UAM	Add this number to every action die roll.