2.7. Covert Abilities

If you want to succeed at heists, espionage, and other covert operations, you will need to learning to navigate the world unseen and undetected. No matter your stats or skills, you can contribute to covert operations.

The GM will assume, by default, that you want to be stealthy. You won't need to announce that you are using stealth or sleight of hand. Instead, if your GM asks for a Covert Skill Test and you want to be nonchalant or obvious about something, you should let your GM know that you willingly Fail the Covert Skill Test.

The way you will play covert operations will work differently in Freeplay than in Encounters. Freeplay Covert Operations will rely on storytelling over a strict set of rules while Encounter Covert Operations will be more strict and involve a cat-and-mouse style gameplay. The GM will use a mix of stealth in Freeplay and Encounters, with Encounter-based stealth representing a more elevated hunt.

Freeplay Covert Operations

Freeplay Covert Operations that occur in the Freeplay phase of the game rely more on storytelling and creativity. The GM will generally impose a loose turn order to give each Adventurer and NPC their own turn to act.

Alert

The NPCs you come across will start with zero stacks of the Alert Status Condition. As they gain stacks of Alert, they may alter their behavior, becoming more likely to detect you. A creature's number of stacks of Alert is easily identifiable without a Tests. Below is a list of how an NPC's behavior may change for each stack of Alert:

Alert 0: Clueless. This NPC does not know of your presence.
- This NPC will go about their routines or patrols as usual.
- If an Encounter starts, this NPC will begin with two stacks of the Surprised Condition.
Alert 1: Bothered. This NPC is noticing out-of-place sights and sounds and is becoming more conscious of what's around them. They are more ready if something were to happen.
- This NPC will go about their routines or patrols with caution, stopping to look around or listen for noises.
- If an Encounter starts, this NPC will begin with one stack of Surprised.
Alert 2: Alarmed. This NPC knows sights and sounds around them are out of place.
- This NPC will leave their routines or patrols to actively search. While looking for the source of the disturbance, they will start with the location in which they last heard or saw something or the location in which you last failed a Covert Skill Test. If they find evidence of your presence, they may expand their search.
- This NPC may seek out help from allies within sight and sound range, provided they have concern enough to seek help. If the allies have no stacks of Alert, the allies gain one.
- While at 2 stacks of Alert, if this NPC would gain another stack of Alert due to a creature's actions, that creature will lose their Hidden status (often triggering an Encounter.)

As you may have noticed, having one or two stacks of Alert are not too different from one another beyond roleplaying frills. This initial stack of Alert gives Adventurers a small buffer for mistakes.

An NPC will generally increase one stack of Alert if you fail a Covert Skill Test. If a creature is on guard duty, they may start with one stack of Alert for the first hour or two of their shift.

Most NPCs will lose a stack of Alert if they have searched all logical places for you and not found anything. They may also lose a level of Alert if it has been 5 to 15 minutes of in-game time and no one has failed a Covert Skill Test near them. If you were directly discovered by an NPC, it could take that NPC an hour or more to fully lose their Alert Status Condition. The GM may remove a stack of Alert from an NPC if you take clever steps to belay their suspicion (like by summoning a goat to be a noise-scapegoat.)

Covert Test

While you are Hidden and within Shooting Distance(16u) or True Spitting Distance(4u) of an NPC, you will need to perform a Covert Skill Test. The three Covert Skills each cover different cases for when you are in danger of drawing attention:

Sneaking Skill:
- When you may be heard or seen while using Movement.
- When performing feats requiring you to move more of your body, like crossing a patch of broken glass without making any noise.
Subtlety Skill:
- When you may be heard due to making Noise in ways other than Movement. This includes Abilities, which are Noisy unless otherwise stated.
- When performing feats of dexterity that mainly involve your hands, like pick-pocketing someone or performing a card trick.
Hiding Skill:
- When you may be detected while someone else is using Movement and taking a course of action could reveal your location.
- When you hold still and attempt to ward yourself from the awareness or notice of others.

The result of a Covert Skill Tests will determine if nearby creatures gain a stack of Alert. For each Covert Skill Test, the roll result is the same:

[..6] Low Score. NPCs within range gain two stacks of Alert.
[7..9] Mixed Score. NPCs within range gain one stack of Alert.
[10..] High Score. No effect.

Covert Test Bonuses

All Covert Skill Tests can gain the following Bonuses:

Distant. Automatically get a High Score if no foes are in True Shooting Distance(16u) during the triggering activity.

Quiet Act. Gain an Advantage if the triggering activity was Quiet.
Covered. Gain an Advantage if you are fully obscured or the area is loud.

If you roleplay a stealthy solution well, like by distracting your enemies, the GM may also give you an Advantage on the test.

Covert Test Penalties

All Covert Skill Tests can incur the following Penalties:

Close. Gain a Disadvantage if you pass within Spitting Distance(4u) of an NPC during the triggering activity.
Loud Act. Gain a Disadvantage if the triggering activity was Loud.
Exposed. Gain a Disadvantage if you are fully exposed or the area is silent.

Other Interactions

If you roleplay a stealthy solution well, the GM may make the Test easier or waive it entirely.

There're other ways to get an Advantage or a Disadvantage on Covert Skill Tests. For example a Dark Zone or a Fog Zone can help you avoid visual detection. Similarly, you can use a Loud Zone to cover up any noise-related actions that may trigger a Covert Skill Tests.

The GM may also waive a Covert Skill Test entirely if you are acting in a clever way to hide yourself or mitigate the circumstances that may get you caught.

Remaining Hidden in Freeplay

When in Freeplay, you should try not to stay out in the open. The GM will often introduce a threat to your Hidden status by warning you that an NPC will soon take their turn. If you have failed a Covert Skill Test and an NPC now has 2 stacks of Alert, they will get a moment to search for you soon after you finish your Freeplay turn. If they see you out in the open on their Turn, you will lose your Hidden status. If you are hiding, but they move within Shooting Distance(16u) or True Spitting Distance(4u) of you, then you will need to make a Covert Skill Tests to remain Hidden. If you have a good enough hiding place that is not an obvious place to search, you will be able to skip the Covert Skill Test and remain hidden.

You can generally Hide behind anything that would grant you at least 1/2 cover. You can also Hide in ways that may obscure or camouflage you in some way. Hiding can be as simple as going Prone in tall grass, jumping in a line of decorative suits of armor, crouching against a busy-looking pile of junk, or joining the crowd of goons with your cowl up. If you are not fully hidden, you will need to make Covert Skill Tests to help determine how long you can evade their attention. Most creatures that are in-tune with magic can use a bit of that magic to warp attention around them, making them slippery to the mind.

Encounter Covert Operations

Once an Encounter has started, Covert Operations shift to use a different set of rules. In an Encounter, your enemies can, without reservation, target and move toward you, even if you are Hidden. That said, your Hidden status ... gives you access to powerful covert Reactions that you can use to retcon stealthy activities into the Encounter. These Reactions take place before the opposing creature can finish their actions, giving you a strategic edge.

Covert Reactions

There're three covert Reactions on the Basic Ability List that every adventurer should know.

Each of the covert Reactions requires a different Covert Skill for its Test. If you fail the Test, you don't get to use the covert Reaction, but you do get your Beat back. If you get at least a Mixed Score on the Test, then the covert Reaction takes place.

Sneak Dash

Old Sneak Dash requires a Sneaking Skill Test. If you Pass the Test, you remain Hidden and gain Movement as from the Dash Ability that you can use immediately.

Most often, you will use your Movement to take you out range of an assailant. Those enemies will then have to use extra Movement, perhaps wasting an Beat of their own to Dash. They may give up the chase and attack you at range, or focus their attention elsewhere.

Sneak Attack

Old Sneak Attack requires a Subtlety Skill Test. If you Pass the Test, you can use an Ability to attack the creature that triggered it, dealing an extra bit of Old Sneak Attack bonus Damage.

Since you are Hidden for this Reaction, you can generally attack with an Advantage as well.

Sneak Evade

Old Sneak Evade requires a Hiding Skill Test. If you Pass the Test, you will remain Hidden and the creature that triggered the Reaction will unable to affect you in any way.

The Old Sneak Evade is a great way to lay low and avoid Damage while your allies draw attention away from you.

Escaping From An Encounter

While in an Encounter, you may want to try to end the Encounter by slipping away. To do so, all your party members need to become and remain Hidden for one full Round of play. Doing so will result in the Encounter entering a Pause Phase and returning to the Freeplay Covert Operation rules. Each creature that was in the Encounter will have two stacks of Alert. At the end of each NPC's Freeplay turn, they will lose a stack of Alert, provided they did not find any evidence of you. It's up to the GM to determine when the Encounter End Phase is. Generally, the GM will wait until you have fully evaded everyone and moved out of the area.

Example Covert Operation

Examples: Sneaking through a goblin camp.

The party is sneaking through a goblin camp with 6 goblins in it. Below is an example of Freeplay stealth.

The party is sneaking and gets close to 3 of the goblins.
Most Adventurers get a High Score, but #Bob gets a Mixed Score, which gives a single stack of Alert to all three nearby goblins.
The GM announces that a goblin says "Huh?" then slowly turns back to what he was doing.
The Adventurers continue sneaking, taking a path past 1 goblin with a stack of Alert and 1 goblin without a stack of Alert. #Bob again rolls a Mixed Score. This gives a stack of Alert to both the goblins.
The goblin with two stacks of Alert says "What's that!?" The GM announces that each Adventurer has one more Turn before the goblins take a turn.
The Adventurers all choose to try to find hiding places. #Alice and #Carol go Prone in the tall grass while #Bob jumps behind a bush.
Because #Bob used Movement to find his hiding place, and he is still in Shooting Distance(16u), #Bob must make another Sneaking Skill Test. #Bob fails the Test. Since one of the goblins was already at two stack of Alert, #Bob loses his Hidden status.
The GM announces the start of an Encounter.

Now an encounter has started. Below is an example of encounter stealth.

The Turn Order is rolled to get: #Carol, #Alice, Guard Goblins, #Bob, then the other Goblins.
Since 2 goblins had no stacks of Alert, they start with two stacks of Slowed and Restrained. There are also 2 goblins with one stack of Alert. They begin with one stack of Slowed and Restrained.
#Carol decides to take advantage of the surprise, attacking a guard goblin with an Advantage. #Carol loses her Hidden status.
#Carol then jumps behind a bush and uses her second action to hide, regaining her Hidden status.
#Alice starts her turn.
#Alice casts a Spell Ability with Advantage. #Alice damages the three closer goblins and loses her Hidden status.
#Alice uses her second action to Old Sneak, regaining her Hidden status.
It is now the turn of the three Alert goblins.
One goblin attacks #Bob, dealing some damage.
A different Alert goblin walks up to #Carol to attack. #Carol uses a covert Reaction to try and attack the goblin first. #Carol rolls her Subtlety Skill for a Mixed Score. #Carol successfully attacks the goblin with an Advantage, then loses her Hidden status. The goblin then attacks #Carol back.
The final Goblin walks up to #Alice and attacks. #Alice uses a covert Reaction to remain hidden. She rolls her Hiding Skill and gets a High Score. No goblins will be able to attack #Alice until her next turn is over. The goblin decides to attack #Bob instead.
#Bob takes his turn. #Bob attacks a goblin twice.
The rest of the goblins take their turn, attacking various people.
After a round of combat and killing a few goblins, the heroes decide that the goblin chief is too difficult and that they should sneak away.
The heroes each use the Sneak Ability.
At one point the goblin chief performs a sweeping attack that would hit two of our Hidden heroes, #Alice and #Bob. #Alice gets a Mixed Score on her Hiding Skill Test, meaning she cannot be targeted and remains Hidden. #Bob gets a Mixed Score on his Sneaking Skill Test. #Bob evades the attack but is no longer Hidden.
Because #Bob lost his Hidden status, the Adventurers must spend a whole second round trying to remain Hidden. This time they succeed.
Gameplay transitions to a Encounter/paused_phase and a more loose style of Covert Operations.

Covert Abilities

The four covert Basic Abilities allow you to dodge, move, and attack in unexpected ways. The next chapter (2.7. Covert Abilities) will cover the Hidden status in more detail and give full examples of covert operations in action.

Sneak

The Evade Ability is perfect for avoiding Opportunity Attacks or setting up other Covert Abilities.

In short, the Ability gives you the Hidden status and describes its benefits and how you can lose it.

From the Appendix:

Sneak

Time: Action Target: Self
Test: Hiding
Effect: Defense, #Sneaky

Hiding Score:

[..6] No effect.
[7..9] Gain one Persistent Stack of Hidden.
[10..] Gain two Persistent Stacks of Hidden.
Bonuses:
Distant. Automatically get a High Score if no foes are in True Shooting Distance(16u) of you.

Covered. Gain an Advantage if you are fully obscured or the area is loud.
Penalties:
Close. Gain a Disadvantage if You are in Spitting Distance(4u) of a foe.
Exposed. Gain a Disadvantage if you are fully exposed or the area is silent.

From Hidden:

You can, optionally, give up 1 Stack to reduce all incoming Damage by 1 (before applying Defenses) and gain an Advantage on a Save.

You can also lose Stacks of Hidden if others succeed at using the Counter Stealth Ability against you.

Hidden is a Stealth Condition that applies to Encounters.

Basic Ability or Mage Upgrades:

Magical(1).
- Hide no longer has the 'Close' Penalty.
Magical(2). Requires Level 5.
- Sneak no longer has the 'Close' Penalty.

Examples: Sneaking through a goblin camp.

The party is sneaking through a goblin camp with 6 goblins in it. The game is in the Freeplay phase.

The Adventurers start with two stacks of Hidden. (The Adventurers began outside camp, so they can all use old Hide with the "Distance" Bonus to get an automatic High Score for two stacks of Hidden. Adventurers will often start with two stacks of Hidden.)
Two goblins are on watch and have one stack of Alert, while all others have no stacks of Alert.
All the Adventurers use Counter Stealth to try to get past 3 of the goblins.
Most Adventurers Pass the Test, but #Alice Fails, causing her to lose a stack of Hidden. The nearest goblin to #Alice also gains a stack of Alert. The GM announces that the goblin stops whittling for a moment, then returns to his spear-making.
#Alice takes a moment to old Hide, regaining her lost stack of Hidden. The rest of the Adventurers are out of Movement and take no additional actions.
The goblins patrol a bit.
The Adventurers go again and take a path past 1 more goblin. The goblin has a stack of Alert from being on guard duty. The Adventurers roll Sneak again. This time both #Alice and #Carol Fail, each losing a stack of Hidden. The guard goblin gains a stack of Alert. The goblin with two stacks of Alert says "What's that!?" indicating that the goblin is going to come search for the heroes once they finish their turn. Since that goblin is already at 2 stacks of Alert, the #Carol's Fail causes an Alert to flow over to the next closes goblin. With their movement, #Alice and #Carol go Prone in the tall grass to gain half cover and #Bob jumps behind a bush for the same reason.
Both #Alice and #Carol attempt to Hide 2. #Alice succeeds and regains her Hidden, but #Carol Fails.
#Carol knows that a Search would reveal her position, so she has to either try to Hide 2 again or maybe get a drop on the enemy. #Carol decides to use her Old Sneak Attack2 to perform a Ranged Attack.
#Carol gets a Mixed Score on her Old Sneak Attack2 Test, which means:
- #Carol loses a stack of Hidden
- #Carol's Ranged Attack deals 1 extra Damage
- The goblin will have a Disadvantage on Saves brought on by #Carol's Ranged Attack, which will work great with #Carol's Poison arrows.
#Carol gets a High Score on her Ranged Attack which means:
- The goblin takes 3 Damage, plus an extra 1 sneak-attack Damage. This gives the goblin two stacks of Alert, but since the goblin is already at 2 stacks, those stacks flow over to its allies in sight range, bringing two more goblins up to one stack of Alert.
- The goblin must make the Save with two Disadvantages, one from the Old Sneak Attack2 effect and one from the Ranged Attack High Score. The goblin Fails the Save, gaining two stacks of Bloodied.
The other Adventurers decide not to act, hoping they can stay hidden.
The goblins take their turn to act.
The Bloodied goblin approaches #Carol and performs a Search. #Carol wins the contest, but even when winning she'll lose a stack of Hidden.
Since the goblin is Alert and #Carol has no stacks of Hidden, an Encounter is officially triggered, but the goblin will finish its Turn first. The goblin calls out to all its allies to signify this fact.
The goblin dies from the poison's Bloodied stacks.

To show Encounter stealth, the following is a continuation of the above example:

All creatures roll Turn Order to get: #Carol, #Alice, Guard Goblins, #Bob, then all other Goblins.
The goblins will gain two stacks of Surprised (which is the same as both Slowed and Restrained) minus a stack for each stack of Alert that they have.
#Carol attacks a guard goblin with her Ranged Attack.
#Carol then runs behind a bush to Hide 2. With half cover, #Carol has an Advantage. #Carol gets a High Score, regaining 2 stacks of Hidden.
#Carol ends her Turn.
#Alice uses Old Sneak Attack2 to cast a Spell Ability.
#Alice gets a Low Score on her Old Sneak Attack2 Test, which means #Alice loses a stack of Hidden and gains no extra benefits.
#Alice gets a High Score on her Spell Ability, dealing Damage and triggering Saves as normal.
#Alice uses her second action to Hide 2. She gets a Mixed Score, which is enough to regain her Hidden status.
It's now the turn of the three Alert goblins. All Adventurers have two stacks of Hidden.
One goblin runs toward #Bob, hoping to Melee Attack him. #Bob uses Counter Stealth as a Free Reaction to try to sneak away. #Bob gets a Mixed Score, and is able to move away with no issues.
The goblin decides to instead perform a Ranged Attack against #Bob, but must roll with two Disadvantages, one from the Concealed Penalty of Ranged Attack and one from #Bob's stacks of Hidden. The goblin misses, dealing no Damage.
The other goblin walks up to #Carol and starts a Melee Attack. The goblin looks hurt. #Carol decides to use Old Sneak Attack2 to Melee Attack the goblin first. #Carol gets a Mixed Score on the Old Sneak Attack2 Test. #Carol loses a stack of Hidden. #Carol then gets a Mixed Score on her Melee Attack Test. #Carol deals 3 Damage (1 extra from her Old Sneak Attack2 effects.) It's not enough to kill the goblin. The goblin gets to continue its Melee Attack. Since #Carol still has a stack of Hidden, the goblin must roll with a Disadvantage. The goblin gets a Low Score, dealing 1 Damage to #Carol.
#Bob takes his turn. #Bob attacks a goblin twice.
The rest of the goblins take their turn, attacking various people.
After a round of combat and killing a few goblins, the heroes decide that the goblin chief is too difficult and that they should sneak away.
The heroes each use the Sneak Ability.
At one point the goblin chief performs a sweeping attack that would hit two of our Hidden heroes, #Alice and #Bob. #Alice gets a Mixed Score on her Hiding Skill Test, meaning she cannot be targeted and remains Hidden. #Bob gets a Mixed Score on his Sneaking Skill Test. #Bob evades the attack but is no longer Hidden.
Because #Bob lost his Hidden status, the Adventurers must spend a whole second round trying to remain Hidden. This time they succeed.
Gameplay transitions to a Encounter/paused_phase and a more loose style of Covert Operations.

Sneak Attack

The Old Sneak Attack2 requires that you have the Hidden status, but can deal large amounts of Damage. You can also increase that Damage with Rogue Upgrades.

From the Appendix:

Sneak Attack

Time: Action† Target: self
Requires: Hidden status
Test: Subtlety
Effect: #Sneaky

† While you are Hidden, this Ability does not require a Beat. (Your chosen Subtle Act's Beat cost will remain unchanged.)

Choose an Ability (or improvised act) to start now as your Subtle Act (also spending a Beat for that Ability, if it requires one.)

The chosen Subtle Act will have extra effects when it takes effect, as determined by your Subtlety Skill Score:

[..6] Lose a Stack of Hidden. The nearest foe gains a stack of Alert.
[7..9] :LiArrowUp:Ditto and :LiArrowDown:Ditto.
[10..] Targets of your Subtle Act have a Disadvantage on Saves and take 1 extra Damage, if the Ability deals Damage.
Bonuses
Distant. If no foes are in True Shooting Distance(16u), you automatically get a High Score on the Subtlety Test.
Quiet. If the chosen Subtle Act has the Quiet effect tag, you have an Advantage on the Subtlety Test.
Silent. If the chosen Subtle Act has the Silent effect tag, you automatically Pass the Subtlety Test.
Penalties
Loud. If the chosen Subtle Act has the Loud effect tag, you have a Disadvantage on the Subtlety Test.
Damaging. If the target takes Damage, they gain two stacks of Alert.

Your chosen Subtle Act will take effect according to its Ability Time:

Action, Free Action, Reaction, or Free Reaction.
- It takes effect now, before any triggering Ability's effects become active (but after the triggering Ability starts and its targets are chosen.)

Basic Ability or Fighter Upgrades:

Opportune.
- This Ability also does not require a Beat when used against a creature that is starting movement that will take them out of range of your Melee Attack. (This Upgrade does not affect the Beat cost of your chosen Subtle Act.)

Basic Ability or Rogue Upgrades:

Powerful(1).
- On a Passing Score, Subtle Act chosen Ability deals another 2 Damage (3 extra Damage.)
Powerful(2). Requires Level 5.
- On a Passing Score, Subtle Act chosen Ability deals another 2 Damage (5 extra Damage.)
Powerful(3). Requires Level 10.
- On a Passing Score, Subtle Act chosen Ability deals another 2 Damage (7 extra Damage.)

Sneak Dash

The Counter Stealth Ability builds on the Dash Ability, allowing you to attempt to Dash as a Reaction against enemies getting close to you or targeting you. You will need to Pass a Sneaking Skill Test for the Dash to take effect. If you use your Movement from this Ability to get behind cover, you can make yourself into an invalid target, thus causing the triggering Ability to Fail.

From the Appendix:

Sneak Move

Time: Action Target: A creature with a Stealth Condition
Test: *Perception Save: *Covert Skill
Effect: Debuff

Attempt to remove stacks of Stealth Conditions from your target. Which Stealth Condition you can remove depends on which Perception Skill you choose:

Recon. The target must Pass a Sneaking Test or lose all Stacks of Sneaky.
Analysis. The target must Pass a Subtlety Test or lose all Stacks of Subtle.
Sensing. The target must Pass a Hiding Tests or lose all Stacks of Hidden.

The target has the usual Bonuses and Penalties for Covert Skill Tests. Namely:
Bonuses:

Distant. Automatically get a High Score if no foes are in True Shooting Distance(16u).

Covered. Gain an Advantage if you are fully obscured or the area is loud.
Penalties
Close. Gain a Disadvantage if you are in Swinging Distance(1u) of an NPC during the triggering activity.
Exposed. Gain a Disadvantage if you are fully exposed or the area is silent.

Next Up: 2.0. Basic Abilities