DAISY CHAINSAW

writer: Charlotte Laskowski
editor: Matt K

links: itch /

Playing the Game

To start playing, you need three to seven people, including the Disaster Master (or DM), character sheets, a few grids, some writing utensils and a decent number (at least six, but more is ideal) of six-sided dice. Like any good magical girl show, the action takes place in a number of Episodes or game sessions, over the course of one or more Seasons, or major and story arcs.

The rest of the players roleplay as magical girls—teenagers with special powers living a double life. The transformation sequence is the split between a Main Character (MC) being a regular person and someone truly magical. An MC already had to be extraordinary to begin with—it’s how they were noticed by their mascot, but they were still mundane until the show began, the mascot came into their lives, and they acquired their magical weapons. The transformation sequence turns them into their magical persona, strong enough to deal with the big bad of the season. What happens to an MC when they transform can easily transfer to their everyday lives, whether that is a permanent scar or the horrifying ideal of discovery. Main Characters progress as a Team via their Power Level (PL).

Rolling the Dice

Outside of combat, play progresses through interactive roleplay—the DM says what’s happening, describing the immediate situation, and referees players actions. The MCs say what they do and how they go about it. But when the outcome is uncertain or the MCs transform, that’s when they roll dice. Often this will be a number of dice equal to their Primary statistic. If the number on a die is equal or less than the specified number (typically an MC’s Secondary statistic), it counts as a successful hit. A 6 on the die always counts as a miss. A 1 on the die always counts as a hit and explodes—roll another die, adding that die’s result to the total number of hits. If the new die lands on a 1, it explodes again, and this process repeats until you roll something else.

Example: If an MC’s Primary statistic is 4, and their Secondary statistic is 3, they roll 4 dice. Because their Secondary is 3, every die that is a 3 or lower counts as a hit, so a roll of 1-3-4-6, scores 2 hits The 1 result explodes, so the MC rolls an additional die and adds the result to the total. Exploding dice do not count toward the initial limit placed on how many dice rolled.

Creating a Character

Choose Weapons

Choose two weapons, one to be your Main and one as your Offhand. Your Main weapon determines your Primary statistic and your Offhand weapon determines your Secondary statistic. So, if you choose the Baseball Bat as your Main weapon, and the Microphone as your Offhand, then your Primary statistic is Power, and your Secondary statistic is Charm. You may pick the same weapon twice. If your Primary and Secondary stats are the same, as in the case of picking the same weapon twice, use the listed “Alt” statistic as your secondary statistic instead. Each weapon comes with a set of traits—inherent features or bonuses. All of your weapons’ traits apply at the same time.

Baseball Bat

Power / Charm

For anyone who wants to turn the battlefield into a ball game.

Brass Knuckles

Heart / Power

For those who want to hit hard, hit often, and combo their hits together.

Chainsaw

Heart / Power

The weapon for those who want to take a lot of hits and protect their allies.

Gun

Charm / Focus

For the spellslingers at heart, who want to use magic at a range.

Hat

Charm / Heart

Pull a familiar out and you'll have a friend who sticks with you through drama and gore, thick and thin.

Katana

Power / Focus

For the MC who wants to slice up their enemies and look good doing it.

Knives

Focus / Charm

Equally at home at range and in melee, switching between both with unparalleled speed.

Microphone

Charm / Heart

For those who want to buff and bolster their allies while being the center of attention.

Roller Skates

Focus / Power

Roll around the battlefield at lightning speed, drawing eyes and attention wherever you go.

Whip

Focus / Heart

For those who want to throw around enemies, inflict status effects, and take advantage of their enemy’s misery.

Allocate Statistics

You start with 6 points to allocate between your four statistics—Charm, Heart, Focus, and Power—all of which start at 1. The maximum any statistic can reach is 6. You also have four minor statistics derived from the main four: Spells Known, Harm Pool, Speed, and Saving Throw. Finally, your Burnout Points are equal to the Team’s Power Level.

Charm is your ability to persuade or captivate, but when you’re transformed, it translates into magical acuity. You know a number of spells equal to your Charm - 1.

Heart is your willpower and courage, as well as your capacity for taking harm mentally and physically. Your Harm Pool is equal to triple your Heart.

Focus is your mental acuity, clarity, and aptitude for thinking under pressure. It also contributes to your Speed in combat. Your Speed is equal to your Focus + Primary and expresses the amount of 5’ increments you may move in an action.

Power is your capability for intimidation and for shows of physical strength. You roll Power and count hits with Focus when rolling a saving throw.

Choose Quirk

Weapon quirks are usually physical modifications made to your weapon. You only have one permanent quirk affecting your weapon at a time and it must be chosen from your Main weapon. However, if you chose the same weapon twice, you may choose a second quirk.

You can gain an additional, temporary quirk while in combat from either your Main or Offhand weapons by using the Jury-rig maneuver. Quirks may also be changed during advancement.

Choose Spells & Abilities

You gain a number of spells equal to your Charm minus 1, which means that every MC knows at least 1 spell. Choose a number of spells you know from the tier one list. You can replace spells during advancement. You gain more spells when your Charm statistic is raised, or in the place of learning an additional ability.

Abilities are the real meat of the weapon. Pick two tier one abilities from the options offered by your Main and Offhand weapons. You gain more abilities each Power Level (PL) during advancement, but may only select abilities from your chosen weapons.

Tier two spells and abilities are unlocked at PL 5, while tier three spells and abilities are unlocked at PL 8.

Spells have a default range of double the caster’s Charm and a duration of 1 turn. Abilities share a range with their associated weapon, typically melee (5’) and last until specified.

Advancement

Power Level measures the lessons learned and strength gained by the Team. There is no set time when the MCs increase in PL—when they have accomplished a goal they set together, when they have first defeated the Season’s antagonist and finally get some sleep, when they escaped the cursed, labyrinthine mall they were trapped in for three Episodes—these are all times that may conclude with a Power Level boost determined by the DM. A Team of MCs begin at PL 1 by default.

Advancement by PL

PL 1

Begin with 2 tier 1 abilities and allocate 6 points to your statistics.

PL 2

Gain 1 tier 1 ability.

PL 3

Gain 2 points to allocate to your statistics.

PL 4

Gain 1 tier 1 or 2 ability.

PL 5

Gain 2 points to allocate to your statistics.

PL 6

Gain 2 abilities from tier 1, tier 2, or some combination.

PL 7

Gain 2 points to allocate to your statistics.

PL 8

Gain 1 ability from any tier.

PL 9

Gain 3 points to allocate to your statistics.

PL 10

Gain 3 points to allocate to your statistics and 1 ability from any tier.

Spells can be exchanged for abilities during advancement, and spells taken this way can be converted back.

Weapons

Baseball Bat

STATISTIC: Power

ALT STATISTIC: Charm

Trait: Batting Average

Every time you inflict enough harm to kill an enemy, gain a number of dice equal to your PL to your next attack against another target.

Trait: Home Run

When you attack and at least half of the dice are hits, double the harm inflicted. When you attack and all of the dice are hits, triple the harm inflicted.

Quirks

Shotgun Shell: There's a shotgun shell in your Baseball Bat, ready to fire. At the beginning of each episode, select one of your known spells. You may cast that spell as a spell attack as the Spell Attack trait for Gun.

Barbed Wire: Your Bat is wrapped in barbed wire, and it eviscerates anyone it hits. Your dice explode on 1s and 2s when you make a basic attack.

Nailbat: Rusty nails stick out of your Bat every odd way. Successful attacks apply Poison for 1 round.

Metal: Your metal Bat is immune to attempts to Crush it. You also gain +1 Primary on attacks when under the effects of an affliction.

TIER ONE

Bell Ringer

Harm

Make an attack and if successful, the enemy is Stunned for 1 round.

Eye on the Ball

Passive

You gain +1 Primary to attacks when hitting targets that are shaped like a sphere.

Find the Pocket

Harm

Make an attack targeting a specific part of the enemy and if successful, Crush that body part for a number of rounds equal to your Power.

Out of Bounds

Harm

Conjure a baseball made of some magical, glowing force, toss it in the air, and hit it at the enemy with your bat as an attack with range equal to your Power.

Slide

Utility

After a hit, you may move up to your Power in any direction.

TIER TWO

Bat Outta Hell

Harm

Your power knows no bounds, and you attack in a bloodthirsty rage. Make a number of attack rolls equal to your Secondary, one after the other. The ends if you roll a cumulative number of sixes equal to your Secondary.

Bone Breaker

Harm

On a hit, you may break your bat to inflict double harm. It takes a single Jury-rig maneuver to repair. While broken, you suffer -1 Primary.

Called Shot

Utility

You point at an enemy. Until the start of the next round, all allies are considered to have used an Invoke action, and the target enemy is Marked.

Heads Up

Harm

Make an attack and if lethal, decapitate the enemy, launching their head into an enemy within range equal to your Power, inflicting any excess harm from the initial attack.

TIER THREE

Bases Loaded

Harm

Make an attack, and if successful, grant an ally within range equal to your Primary a free attack action with +1 Primary. If the initial attack succeeds with at least two hits, a different ally within range equal to their Primary may do the same, increasing the bonus to +2 Primary.

Bunt

Utility

Make an attack, and if successful, the enemy makes a basic attack against you. Then, all allies within their attack range of the target get to take a single basic attack action against it.

Rub Some Dirt On It

Utility

Quickly tend to your wounds with whatever’s around. Heal yourself for all harm you took in the past round.

Brass Knuckles

STATISTIC: Heart

ALT STATISTIC: Power

Trait: Combo

Each successful basic attack with Brass Knuckles adds a stack of Combo, which grants +1 Primary to all attacks for each stack. You may have a number of stacks equal to your PL. Combo stacks reset to zero when you suffer harm or miss an attack. This is a status effect.

QUIRKS

Daisy Dukes: You don't just fight, you fight beautifully. Your attacks Bewitch a different adjacent enemy for 1 turn per Combo stack.

Electric Touch: You've got power in your hand, literally. When you make a successful attack, you may expend a number of Combo stacks to inflict Stun on for an equal number of rounds.

Swarmer: When you make two successful basic attacks against an enemy afflicted by a status effect in the same turn, you may make a third basic attack for free.

Exploding Knees: When you make two successful attacks or in a row, halve the target’s movement for rounds equal to your Secondary.

TIER ONE

Flex

Utility

You take a moment to peacock, flexing your muscles to Bolster yourself and winking at an enemy within range equal to your PL, to Bewitch them.

Float Like a Butterfly

Defense

You're especially light on your feet, able to react to attacks before the enemy can follow through. Gain Bolster and the next time an enemy targets you with an attack, you may make an attack against them first.

Gut Shot

Harm

Make an attack aiming for their weak spots. If successful, the enemy is Stunned for 1 round.

Intimidating Aura

Passive

You keep a mean look in your eyes. Enemy movement costs 2 actions instead of 1 in an aura around you with range equal to your PL.

Lariat

Harm

You hook your arm around the target as an attack that moves them up to your Secondary. You end this ability adjacent to the target’s new position.

One-Two

Harm

Make an attack and if successful, the enemy is left wide open, granting you +1 Primary on your next attack this turn.

TIER TWO

Crushing Blows

Passive

You've got them on the back leg—each successful attack taken may push the enemy up to your PL backwards, in the direction of the attack.

Eye Poke

Harm

You're not against fighting dirty. Aim an attack at whatever the enemy uses to see and if successful, you inflict Bewitch and Bleed for rounds equal to your Secondary.

Overhead

Harm

You smash your weapon over the enemy's head as an attack and if successful, cause Stun.

Sting Like a Bee

Harm

When you get hit, you hit back twice as hard, and you're waiting to get hit. If you're successfully hit by an attack before the beginning of your next turn, you may immediately make an attack against the enemy that hit you. Additionally, roll the attack twice, taking the better result and adding your Secondary as bonus harm.

The Iron Mike

Harm

Uses two actions.

Make two attacks. If you succeed on both, you may make a third attack against the enemy, biting them and causing Bleed for rounds equal to your Heart.

TIER THREE

Combo Breaker

Harm

After a successful attack, you may expend all of your Combo stacks to multiply your successful hits and the resulting harm done by the stacks spent.

Juggle

Utility

If you have at least 2 enemies adjacent to you, toss two of them in the air. You may continue to Juggle so long as you spend an action each turn, and may add 1 more enemy to the Juggle each turn with a successful attack as long as Juggle. Juggled enemies are Entangled.

Rain Down Blows

Harm

Make an attack and if successful with at least two hits, make another free attack, but with -1 Primary. Repeat until you run out of dice, or until you make an attack with no hits.

Touch of Death

Harm Uses two actions.

Gazing at the heart of the enemy, you make a single attack. If the attack succeeds with at least three hits, the enemy dies at the beginning of the next round. If the attack succeeds with two or less hits, then the enemy is Stunned instead.

Chainsaw

STATISTIC: Heart

ALT STATISTIC: Power

Trait: Dismember

Certain abilities can dismember an opponent, permanently crippling one of their body parts, limbs, tentacles, or otherwise. Any ability that Crushes a body part will instead Dismember.

Trait: Woodchipper

You can destroy the environment around you as a maneuver, blocking off a path for enemies, allowing your allies new spaces to move, or most any other destruction your heart desires.

Quirks

Semi-chisel: You sharpen your chainsaw on your enemies. Gain +1 Primary on attacks for each turn you attack the same enemy. The bonus does not exceed your PL.

Anti-kickback: Your chainsaw is designed to minimize reactive forces pushing it back into you. Enemies suffer -1 Secondary against you, to a minimum of 1.

Lumberjack: You've used your chainsaw before you were a Main Character. Whenever you Dismember, you may make a free attack.

Big Teeth: Your chainsaw is made with resplendent monster teeth. Enemies within a range equal to your PL are Bewitched towards you every time you destroy the environment with Woodchipper or Dismember an enemy.

TIER ONE

Charge

Harm

You charge forward, moving up to your Speed in one direction toward an enemy, then make an attack. If you moved an amount equal to at least your Heart, gain +1 Primary to your attack.

DAISY CHAINSAW

Harm

Your favorite flower grows from cuts made with this attack, Entangling your target for rounds equal to your Heart. Blood splatters from the enemy in a burst equal to your PL, spreading the flowers and causing Entangle to anyone in the burst for 1 round.

Firesaw

Harm

The fire inside you burns so fiercely that your chainsaw catches flame. You inflict additional harm with your attack equal to your Secondary for rounds equal to your Heart.

Look At Me

Defense

You rev your chainsaw, Bolstering yourself and force all adjacent enemies to attack you for rounds equal to your Heart.

Shredder

Defense

Your chainsaw is running and at the ready. The next time a melee attack is aimed at an ally within range of your attack, you Protect them and Dismember the enemy.

TIER TWO

Carving

Harm

You are an artist. You make several precision cuts on the enemy, inflicting harm as usual, and revealing any vulnerabilities to your allies. The enemy is considered to be under the effect of the spell Mark for turns equal to your PL.

Come and Get It

Defense

The fury in your heart empowers your rev, Bolstering yourself and Taunting enemies within an aura equal to your Heart. Lasts for rounds equal to your Heart or until you take an action to end the effect.

Knee-Chopper

Harm

You aim low, swiping your Chainsaw in a circle around you. Make one attack for every two adjacent enemies against the enemy with the highest PL, and inflict harm to all adjacent enemies.

Spare Gas Can

Harm

You siphon fuel from your Chainsaw and make an attack with range equal to your Heart, dowsing the enemy with gas. Any damaging spell or hit with Firesaw ignites the gas, setting the enemy Aflame for rounds equal to your Secondary.

Tear Through

Harm

You don't stop just because the enemy is dead, and once you cut through something, you continue to cut through an adjacent enemy, dealing the excess harm from a lethal attack with no roll.

TIER THREE

Chainnado

Harm

You summon another chainsaw and hold both by the ripcord, spinning them in a whirlwind of death. All creatures in a burst equal to your PL suffer harm equal to your Heart, and Bleed.

DAISY CHAINSAW DELUXE

Passive

Upgrades the Daisy Chainsaw ability (required) to inflict harm to the target equal to your Primary harm equal to your Secondary to all within the burst.

Hedge Trimmer

Harm

You work fast with your chainsaw, cutting the enemy up as if they were the branches of a tree. A successful attack Dismembers a number of limbs equal to your Secondary. If you dismember all limbs, they die.

Lumberjack Special

Utility

You use the Woodchipper maneuver against a nearby tall environmental element, causing it to fall and Entangle enemies in a line as long as your Secondary.

Rev n’ Parry

Passive

When you use your Come and Get It ability (required) you inflict harm equal to your Heart and Bleed for lasting for your PL rounds against any enemy who successfully hits you during the effect.

Gun

STATISTIC: Charm

ALT: Focus

Trait: Ranged

Gun has a range equal to double your Charm.

Trait: Spell Attack

Once per turn, you may combine a spellcasting and attack action into a spell attack, using your weapon as a spellcasting implement. Spell attacks used in this manner use the area and range of your weapon.

Quirks

Bazooka: Your spell attacks and basic attacks have a range equal to three times your Charm, a minimum range equal to Charm, and a burst radius around the target equal to Secondary.

Sniper Rifle: Your spell attacks and basic attacks have a range equal to six times your Charm, a minimum range equal to two times your Charm, but are single target only.

Shotgun: Your spell attacks and basic attacks affect targets in a Charm-sized cone in front of you.

Machine Gun: Your spell attacks and basic attacks have a range equal to twice your Charm and your hits may be spread among a number of targets equal to your PL.

TIER ONE

Bubble Gun

Utility

You attack, shooting a giant bubble at an enemy. If successful, no harm is dealt but the enemy is Entangled in the bubble. The enemy must destroy the bubble to escape. It has HP equal to your PL. Allies may attack the enemy without popping the bubble.

Fairyflash Grenade

Utility

You throw a magical grenade, inflicting 2 of your choice: Bewitch, Aflame, or Bleed, in a burst equal to your PL around the target.

Ready, Aim…

Utility

You lock onto a target as glowing sigils rapidly spin into alignment in front of your gun. Your next attack inflicts additional harm equal to your Charm. If you are successfully hit between your initial lock-on and your attack, your aim is interrupted.

Rocket Jump

Harm

You fire the Gun downward, propelling you into the air equal to your Focus and inflicting harm equal to your Charm in a 10’ burst on takeoff and landing.

Suppressing Fire

Utility

For one round, enemies must spend 2 actions to move while within a cone equal to double your Charm in front of you.

TIER TWO

Big Fucking Gun

Harm

Your gun grows three sizes this day. All successful attacks, spell attacks, and abilities have a burst radius equal to Charm for 3 rounds.

Flamethrower

Harm

Make an attack for each enemy in a Secondary-sized cone. Enemies hit suffer harm equal to your Secondary and are set Aflame for rounds equal to PL.

Minefield

Utility

Choose a spell you know. You set a spell-enhanced minefield over a number of grid-squares equal to your Charm, which activate at the beginning of your next turn. Any enemies who step on an active mine suffer the effects of the spell and are set Aflame for rounds equal to PL.

Missile Surfing

Utility

You move equal to your Charm in a straight line, setting anyone you contact Aflame and inflicting harm equal to your Charm in a 15’ burst on landing.

Ricochet

Harm

On a lethal spell attack, the attack ricochets to a random enemy within range equal to your Charm from the target, inflicting the excess harm to the new target.

TIER THREE

An Even Bigger Fucking Gun

Harm

Your gun grows six sizes this day. All successful attacks, spell attacks, and abilities have a burst radius equal to Charm for 3 rounds, increase their range by Charm, and apply the effects of the Ricochet ability.

Dead Man’s Switch

Harm

Uses two actions. May only be used once per Episode.

You are unafraid. On a successful attack, inflict double harm to all targets within a burst equal to your PL, including yourself.

Orbital Cannon

Harm

Uses two actions. May only be used once per Episode.

You have a backup plan in the form of a big, red button. You inflict double harm to an enemy of your choice anywhere, so long as you know their exact location.

Smoke and Mirrors

Defense

Everyone on the Team gains +2 Primary and enemies suffer -2 Primary (minimum of 1) for the encounter.

Hat

STATISTIC: Charm

ALT STATISTIC: Heart

Trait: Familiar

You craft, summon, conjure, or befriend a familiar, who may act on your turn and who uses your actions. They may attack with their own stats, use maneuvers, and move. This familiar can be of any form or shape, from your loyal dog, your sentient weapon, to an alarmingly helpful eldritch entity. Though this familiar uses your actions, they have their own attack roll (unless you have the Helmet quirk), and their own Harm Pool. It may be helpful to give them their own sheet to track them. Refer to the Enemy statistics table for their statistics based on the Team’s PL. If a familiar is hit with a killing blow, all excess harm is funneled through the Hat and to the MC. Familiars regain 1d6 of their HP at the beginning of each subsequent round while dead, and may be resummoned after at least one round by taking an action to pull them out of your hat.

Trait: Sentience

Your familiar is not just a mindless entity, they have opinions, feelings, attitudes and priorities. They can communicate, too, with you and everyone else around them. Roll or select from the Purpose and Attitude tables in the Magical Mascot section of the Appendix. If your familiar may disagree with an action you ask it to take, roll 1d6 to convince it. On a 6, it does something else. On any other number, it does what you ask of it.

Quirks

Cowboy Hat: Your familiar is large enough to be ridden, and ride it you do. If your familiar is adjacent to you when you move, you may use its movement speed instead of yours. You travel together, taking up space as one.

Witch Hat: Because of your special connection, you gain a third action each turn only for it to use.

Bonnet: Your familiar is as sweet and dainty as the frilly bonnet you wear. Enemies are hesitant to attack it—all enemies are Bewitched by your familiar until they perceive it taking a harmful action.

Helmet: Your familiar is not just your familiar…it's your weapon as well! You may use abilities through your weapon as if you were there, but you may only make basic attacks when you're not holding it. A sentient weapon is able to move separately from the MC.

TIER ONE

Fluffy

Familiar

Your familiar is especially large and tough for their kind. Enemies roll one less die when attacking the familiar.

Magic Trick

Familiar

Your familiar has a few tricks up their sleeve...or under their paw, or behind those mysterious, too-many eyes. They know a number of spells equal to your Charm.

Rabbit

Utility

You can recall your familiar through an extra-dimension portal in your hat. They are deposited adjacent to you, happy to see you.

Tip Your Hat

Utility

You tip your Hat towards an enemy within range. Your familiar attacks the target, and they gain +1 Primary to their next attack.

TIER TWO

Extra-Dimensional

Utility

Your Hat is bigger on the inside. If you need something, roll 1d6. On a 1, you find something useful, but not what you asked for. On a 6, you find exactly what you need. On a 3, you find what you need, but it’s broken. All other results, nothing.

Fusion

Familiar

Your familiar joins forms with your other weapon, activating the effects of Jury-rig for as long as they are fused. If you incur harm while your familiar and your other weapon are fused, it does not cancel the effect.

MC’s Best Friend

Familiar

Your familiar sacrifices some of their HP to heal an equal amount of your HP. Harm suffered this way cannot be reduced by any means.

Stress Relief

Familiar

Petting your familiar relieves some of the very present, very current stress in your life. Reduce the Burnout chance and BP gain of your next Harm spell or ability by 1.

TIER THREE

Bottomless Stomach

Familiar

Your familiar is very hungry. On a successful attack made by your familiar with at least three hits, it swallows the target whole, healing the familiar for HP equal to the target’s PL. The target may roll an attack at the beginning of the next round to try and escape. If it does not escape, it dies.

Hat Trick

Defense

Summon three hats anywhere within range equal to your Charm, one of which must contain you or an ally. The hat covers the ally or yourself, and all three hats shuffle. While hidden under the hat, you may cast spells, which appear to come from all three hats, but not attack. If the enemy hits the wrong hat, it explodes in a burst of confetti, setting the enemy Aflame. The hats last 3 turns, or until you or the ally attacks.

Mad Hatter
Utility

Why is a raven like a writing desk? You shout a riddle or insult so confusing that every enemy within burst equal to your Primary is afflicted with Stun until they figure it out, regardless of whether they can understand you or if they are even capable of conscious thought. At the beginning of the round, stunned enemies roll 1d6, and on a 6, the Stun ends and is now afflicted with Taunt towards you.

Tentacle Tantrum

Harm

You pull off your hat, revealing the many oil-black tentacles of a monster that resides within. It grabs and throws enemies and allies alike at random within burst equal to your Charm. Allies and Bosses that fail their save are thrown a distance equal to your Primary. All others are thrown into a nearby wall or building, inflicting harm equal to your Secondary.

Katana

STATISTIC: Power

ALT: Focus

Trait: Iaijutsu

Your very first attack against an enemy gains +1 Primary.

Trait: Sheathe

You may spend an action to Sheathe your weapon, resetting the Iaijutsu trait. Harm abilities and basic attacks automatically unsheathe your weapon.

Quirks

Absolute Focus: When you use a maneuver, your weapon is automatically Sheathed.

Metal Flash: You may Bewitch an enemy within your attack range for 1 turn every time you unsheathe your weapon.

Greatsword: Your weapon isn’t a katana, but a massive, two-handed sword even bigger than you are. You gain +2 Primary from Iaijutsu, instead of +1.

It’s On Fire Now?: Your katana is on fire. If your dice explode at least once on your attack roll, the target is set Aflame.

TIER ONE

Blossom Guard

Defense

Make an attack. The blood from the enemy turns into your favorite flower petals. These obscure you from the enemy, and you Bolster.

Mantis Sheathe

Harm

Move up to your Power, and make an attack. If you moved at least half of your Power and the attack succeeded, you inflict additional harm equal to your PL to the target. You Sheathe your weapon immediately after this attack, but may not make another attack or use a harm ability this turn.

Mugai-Ryu

Harm

Uses two actions.

You make one attack, inflicting double harm.

Perfect Draw

Passive

When an enemy attacks you, you may roll 1d6 and, on a 6, you make a basic attack against them first, without expending an action.

TIER TWO

Refined Sweep

Passive

Your melee basic attacks may target three adjacent enemies at once.

Triple Slash

Harm

Uses two actions.

Make two attacks against a single enemy. If you reach a cumulative total of hits equal to your Secondary, make a third attack.

Untouchable

Passive

On a successful attack against you, you attack the enemy first, using no action. If the attack is lethal, the remaining harm is dealt to an adjacent enemy. May not be used with a Sheathed weapon.

Vessel Strike

Passive

Your successful attacks inflict Bleed. Your Bleed effects may stack equal to your PL.

TIER THREE

Haiku

Utility

Describe your action and its effects in a haiku. The effects of your action are based on the Haiku, as interpreted by the DM.

Sword Dance

Passive

Your weapon dances besides you, watching your back and deflecting blows in between its own attacks. Enemies suffer -2 Primary to attacks against you.

Thousand Cuts

Harm

Uses two actions.

You make three quick attacks. Each successful attack doesn’t do immediate harm, but adds a stacking multiplier to your harm dealt by 2, with a maximum multiplier of 6. The harm is dealt at the beginning of the next round.

Knives

STATISTIC: Focus

ALT: Charm

Trait: Thrown

You have a number of Knives equal to your Focus. You may throw your Knives a range equal to double your Focus.

Trait: Stuck

Thrown knives remain in the target until you retrieve them or the enemy removes them as an action. Stuck counts as an affliction.

Quirks

Cleaver: Your range for Thrown is reduced to equal your Focus, but you gain +1 Primary on attacks made against enemies adjacent to you.

Aerodynamic: Your Thrown range increases by your PL. You gain +1 Primary on attacks made against enemies further range than your Focus.

Serrated: Your knives afflict Bleed on successful attacks. Stuck knives also afflict Bleed when removed.

Surgical: Precision cuts are where your skills lie. Enemies cannot tell when a knife has been Stuck into them.

TIER ONE

Dash

Utility

You may dash up to your Focus and make an attack in one action, moving easily past anything in your path.

Double Up

Passive

Your allies may target a Knife Stuck inside an enemy with a melee attack to drive it in, inflicting extra harm equal to your Focus and applying any effects related to a Stuck knife.

Recall

Utility

You may recall all your Stuck or thrown Knives to your hands.

Saute

Harm

You set your Knives ablaze and attack, setting struck enemies Aflame for turns equal to your PL.

Slice and Dice

Harm

Make an attack and if successful, you apply Bleed and any other afflictions from your weapons for Focus rounds. If your weapon already applies Bleed, it stacks twice.

TIER TWO

Butterfly Flourish

Harm

You may flourish your Knife with an attack, Bewitching the enemy and gain +1 Primary to your next attack.

Julienne

Harm

You cut your opponent to ribbons, Entangling them for turns equal to your Secondary in their own blood and guts.

Like Butter

Harm

You cut through the enemy like a knife through butter, ignoring any status effects that may be benefiting them.

Reverse Recall

Harm

You teleport instantly to one of your Stuck Knives and may then make a basic attack.

Telekinesis

Utility

You use your mind to telekinetically control all of your Knives, keeping them within range equal to your Secondary. Attacks made within this range are considered adjacent.

TIER THREE

Ducks in a Row

Harm

Make an attack and if successful, you may hit a number of enemies equal to your Focus in a line, inflicting the same harm to each. Your Knife is Stuck in the last enemy hit.

Triple Threat

Utility

Your Knives triplicate themselves upon a successful basic attack, inflicting three times the harm. This ability lasts three turns.

When It Rains

Harm

Infinite blades rain from the sky in a Primary burst centered on yourself, inflicting harm equal to double your Secondary to enemies.

Whirl of Blades

Harm

Uses two actions.

Make six attacks against any number of enemies within range.. However, any allies between you and your targets must save or suffer half harm, rounded up.

Microphone

STATISTIC: Charm

ALT: Heart

Trait: Stage Presence

Spells are cast in either a burst (if instantaneous) or an aura (if sustained) around you with a range equal to your Charm, replacing the original range of the spell. All targets inside this range are affected. Damaging spells do not harm allies, and beneficial spells do not affect enemies, unless you choose for them to do so.

Trait: Magical Stamina

Burnout gained when you cast spells is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 0.

Quirks

Lip Sync: Select one spell at the beginning of an Episode. You may cast this spell without expending an action a number of times equal to your PL, during the Episode.

Voice Modulator: You may change a harm spell into a healing spell or vice versa a number of times equal to your PL, per Episode.

Soundwaves: Your basic attacks have a range equal to your Charm.

Mosh Pit: You may make a spell attack once per turn as a melee attack that targets 1 enemy.

TIER ONE

Beat Drop

Utility

Enemies within your Stage Presence are afflicted with Bewitch.

Duet

Passive

Whenever you gain a status effect, you may grant it to one ally within your Stage Presence. This ability cannot trigger itself.

Ensemble

Utility

Target a number of enemies or allies, in any combination, equal to your Charm. Enemies are Bewitched, allies are Invoked. The Bewitched effect lasts for turns equal to your PL.

Siren Song

Utility

Your song worms its way into even the most eldritch of hearts. Make an attack and if successful, the target suffers no harm but is Bewitched and Taunted for turns equal to your PL.

Soundtrack

Utility

You don't stop the music when you fight—even your callouts and insults are in tune. For every consecutive round you keep the soundtrack going by using this ability, yourself and your allies within your Stage Presence gain +1 Primary to their attacks. This stacks per round up to a maximum equal to your Secondary.

TIER TWO

Echo

Utility

You capture the actions of your allies, weaving them into your beats. You may repeat any spell or ability used by an ally within your Stage Presence this round.

Encore

Utility

Your friend moved so well that you want to see it happen again. Choose one ally that has acted this round. That ally may immediately take another turn.

Harmony

Passive

You move with the flow of your Team. When you attack an enemy that has been harmed by an ally this round, you gain +1 Primary.

Protective Melody

Passive

Utility spells cast on two or more allies (including yourself) heal HP equal to your Charm as well as the original spell effect.

Radio Show

Utility

You extend your range through the power of radio waves. Choose one ally. You may cast spells from their position, using their Charm for the range.

TIER THREE

Fast Forward

Utility

You’d rather not hear this song. Choose one enemy. Their turn is skipped. May only be used once per enemy, per Episode.

Rewind

Utility

Choose one ally on the map who is Dead. You may bring them back to life at their HP total before the fatal blow that killed them.

Pause

Utility

Stun all enemies in your Stage Presence for one round.

Play

Utility

All allies in your Stage Presence have 3 actions this round, instead of 2.

Roller Skates

STATISTIC: Focus

ALT: Power

Trait: Speed Demon

There's nothing you crave more than going faster and further than anyone else. Add your Power to your Speed.

Trait: Fancy Footwork

Your roller skates let you swerve around your enemies and allies alike. When you use an ability that includes a move action, you may activate the effects of that ability twice.

Quirks

Knee Pads: Your knee pads protect you from scrapes, reducing harm taken by 1.

Derby: You're not just fast, you're mean about it. When you end your turn no longer adjacent to

an enemy you were previously adjacent to, and you insult them about it, they are Taunted.

Inline Skates: You're more about speed than just flashy moves. Apply the bonus from the Speed Demon trait to any ability that includes a move action.

Fresh Meat: You look like a newbie, and enemies think you're an easy target. Every three rounds, a new enemy is Taunted by your presence, but you gain +1 Primary for a basic attack or harm ability that turn.

TIER ONE

Apex Jump

Utility

If anything thinks it can catch you, it should think twice—you've turned the battlefield into your playground. You jump half your normal Speed (rounded up) avoiding enemies, terrain, and other effects that may stand in your way. If your previous action was a move, you jump your full Speed instead.

Elbow

Harm

You jab out your elbow as you skate by, attacking an enemy that is adjacent to your move, without stopping your move.

Fall Small

Passive

When suffering harm, you may curl up and drop to the ground without an action, halving any subsequent harm until the next round. You must take an action to stand back up again.

Flashy

Harm

You Taunt an enemy for PL rounds with some stylish moves. Afterward, for every enemy you have Taunted (by any means) at one time, you gain +1 Primary to your attacks.

TIER TWO

FLAMEZz

Passive

You painted flames on your skates, and now enemies aren’t just left in your dust—they’re left in smoke and fire, too. Enemies in a cone equal to your Secondary behind you are set Aflame.

Limbo

Passive

How low can you go? Enemies much larger than you suffer -1 Primary when attacking you.

Rolling Roulette

Utility

Choose an ally. You both roll 1d6. If you roll the same number, you both heal harm equal to the number rolled. Otherwise, you alone gain a benefit according to your roll.

1–2 Invoke

3–4 Bolster

5–6 Jury-Rig

Wall-Skate

Passive

You can skate along any surface and so long as you remain in motion, you do not fall.

TIER THREE

Wheel of Fortune

Passive

Roll 1d6 at the beginning of your turn. Until the beginning of the next round, all of your attacks, abilities, and spells afflict the corresponding status effect to the target.

1 - Invoke

2 - Aflame

3 - Entangle

4 - Poison

5 - Bewitch

6 - Bolster

Around the World

Harm

You’ve spent the past few rounds building up speed around the track, weaving around enemies without making a strike. Depending on how many actions you’ve spent without making a basic attack or using a harm ability, your attack made with this ability is powered up.

1 Action - +2 Primary to Attack

2 Actions - Double Harm

3 Actions - Triple Harm

Roll With It

Defense

You’ve got increased maneuverability, but you don’t just need to zoom forwards. When hit by an enemy, you can skate backwards up to your Secondary in a straight line, reducing the amount of harm suffered equal to how far away you move from the enemy.

Whip

STATISTIC: Focus

ALT: Heart

Trait: Reach

Your melee attacks extend to a range equal to your PL.

Trait: Whip it into Shape

Attacks against enemies with active status effects gain +1 Primary for each effect.

Quirks

Whip Crack: Any time you Bewitch a target through any means, the affliction lasts for extra rounds equal to your PL.

Flaming: Your attacks inflict Aflame for turns equal to your PL.

Fortune and Glory: Your move actions and movement abilities have their maximum distance increased by your PL.

Sticky: Your attacks inflict Taunt for turns equal to your PL.

TIER ONE

Cocoon

Utility

Make an attack and if successful, the enemy becomes Entangled in your whip. You must use an action to keep them Entangled, but may use an action to move them in a direction of your choice equal to your PL, or as an action constrict the whip to inflict harm equal to your Focus. Releasing the enemy takes no action.

Lash

Harm

You make one attack against two enemies, splitting the harm between them at your discretion.

Scorpion Sting

Harm

You lash out with an envenomed whip, afflicting the enemy with Poison.

Trip Up

Utility

You make an attack, aiming for the legs or whatever else the enemy is using to move. On a successful attack, you Crush them.

Whip Swing

Utility

You may use your whip to grab onto a tree branch, light pole, or other suitable protrusion and reposition yourself equal to your Secondary, ignoring terrain in your way.

TIER TWO

Cat o’ Nine Tails

Passive

Consecutive attacks against the same enemy cause effects based on the number of attacks made:

2nd attack: Inflict extra harm equal to your PL.

4th attack: Inflict extra harm equal to double your Focus. Resets the counter for Cat o’ Nine Tails.

Disarm

Utility

Make an attack and if successful, you may disarm an enemy instead of harming them, Crushing their attacks with that weapon or limb for rounds equal to your Focus.

Sadistic Lure

Utility

Make an attack and if successful, the enemy is afflicted with Bewitch for up to PL rounds. After this effect ends, they are afflicted with Taunt towards you for the same duration.

Waiting Spider

Passive

If an enemy is Entangled, they suffer harm equal to your Secondary when any attack or ability targets them.

TIER THREE

Black Widow

Passive

Whenever you cause an affliction to a Boss, it lowers their highest statistic by your Primary.

Ribbon Dance

Utility

You attack everything in a 15’ burst, but inflict no harm. The distracting sounds and stings allow all allies within the burst to Invoke or Bolster (their choice). Enemies successfully hit are afflicted with Bewitch.

Sadistic Flurry

Utility

The blood you draw is siphoned up the whip and into yourself. For the next 3 rounds, when you inflict harm, you heal yourself for the same amount.

Tangled Web

Defense

Enemies who attempt to attack you until the beginning of the next round are Entangled before the attack is made. If the attack is still successful, they are Entangled for rounds equal to your PL afterward.

Spells

Every MC can feel the thrum of magic in their veins. Spells are inherently known to the MCs, and range from small pieces of magical power to massive disruptions that change the scope of the fight.

TIER ONE

Blow Kiss

Utility

You blow a kiss in the direction of a target within range equal to your Charm, applying one random status effect for one round.

1 - Invoke

2 - Aflame

3 - Entangle

4 - Poison

5 - Bewitch

6 - Bolster

Cure

Defense

You prick your thumb, sacrificing a single drop of blood to remove one affliction of your choice from an ally within range equal to double your Charm.

Emergency!

Utility

Not affected by Stage Presence.

You teleport to an ally within range equal to double your Charm, and use the Protect maneuver on them.

Eyes on Me

Utility

You pick out one enemy in particular who can both hear and see you, shouting at them to get their attention. They are afflicted with Taunt towards you until the end of their next turn.

Fairy Bolt

Harm

You shoot a bright bolt of magic at the enemy from the end of your weapon at a target within range equal to your Charm, inflicting one harm. This harm cannot be prevented by any means.

Falling Star

Harm

A single shooting star falls on a target you can see, setting them Aflame for 1 round.

Force-Field

Utility

You create an illusory wall of force in any shape that takes up 5’ per Charm. Enemies cannot cross that barrier, but their attacks may penetrate it at the DM’s discretion. This lasts a number of rounds equal to your PL.

Grasping Vine

Harm

A single thorny vine bursts from the ground underneath a target within range equal to double your Charm, blooming with the caster's favorite flower and afflicting Entangle for 1 round as it wraps and grows around them.

Mark

Utility

You mark an enemy within vision or hearing range with a glowing sigil for 1 round. You may count one failed die as a successful hit when attacking them. Subsequent castings by different MCs stack the effects of Mark. Subsequent castings by someone who has already Marked a target extend the duration.

Minimorphosis

Utility

You turn a target within range equal to your Charm into a harmless little winged insect, such as a butterfly, moth, or ladybug for 1 round. They are Stunned for the duration.

Shield

Defense

You grant a glimmering shield to an ally, temporarily adding your Charm to their HP. Any harm they suffer subtracts from the shield first before their actual HP.

Slow

Utility

A blast of cold localized entirely on an enemy within range equal to your Charm forces them to take 2 actions to move instead of 1 until they take an action to warm back up.

TIER TWO

Afterimage

Utility

Your magic speeds up an ally. On their next turn, they may move up to their Speed without taking an action, leaving an afterimage in their wake.

Blink

Utility

Not affected by Stage Presence.

In a flash of light, you teleport to a target within a range equal to your Charm.

Glitter Bomb

Harm

Magic glitter covers every surface, and gets into every crevice. You apply a random affliction to each enemy in a burst equal to your Secondary.

Heal

Defense

You heal a target for an amount of harm equal to your Charm.

Illusion

Utility

You create 2 illusory copies of yourself. When enemies attack you, a roll of 4 hits the first copy and a roll of 5 hits the second, counting as misses. Illusions are destroyed after one attack and last until destroyed.

Looking Glass

Harm

Conjured out of a nearby reflective surface, you summon a ghostly, untouchable copy of an ally that repeats their last attack with new rolls. This copy disappears immediately at the end of their attack.

Megamorphosis

Utility

You turn a target into a massive, scary beast, such as a tiger or grizzly bear. They gain +1 Primary when making basic attacks, but can’t use any abilities.

Poison Gas

Harm

Targets in an aura equal to Charm are inflicted with Poison. The poison aura is stationary, and does not move with you and disperses in PL turns. This duration refreshes each turn they spend in the aura.

Pretty Cure

Defense

You cut your hand, and drops of blood fall to the ground. You remove afflictions equal to your PL of your choice from any number of allies within range.

Rescue!

Utility

Not affected by Stage Presence.

Hearing their cries for help, you teleport one ally within a range of your Charm who is the target of an attack, adjacent to yourself. This negates the attack but leaves your ally Bewitched.

Soul-Link

Utility

You mark up to Secondary targets within a range of double Charm. All harm suffered by linked targets is dispersed among them equally for PL rounds.

Stealth

Utility

In a puff of smoke, you turn invisible. Enemies cannot target you directly. Stealth ends after PL rounds, when you attack or use a harm ability or spell..

The Pit

Harm

Up to 3 adjacent enemies fall into an endless pit. They may only escape if they can fly, teleport, or climb, and it takes 2 actions to do so.

TIER THREE

Fireball

Harm

A massive ball of flame erupts from your weapon, hurtling towards a specific target within a range of double Charm. Everyone in a Secondary burst is set Aflame, and suffers harm equal to your Charm.

Magic Mirror

Harm

Out of any nearby reflective surface, you summon a glowing, monochromatic copy of an ally that repeats their last turn with new rolls (if required). This copy disappears at the end of their turn.

Meteor Shower

Harm

Shooting stars fall onto all targets in a burst radius equal to your Secondary. Allies hit by the stars Invoke and are set Aflame, while enemies are set Aflame and afflicted with Stun.

Pixie Dust

Utility

With a plea to the smallfolk, a tiny spark of light spreads glitter among a number of targets equal to your Secondary. Your allies Invoke and Bolster, while enemies are Stunned.

Power of Friendship

Harm

You begin channeling a giant orb of energy from the tip of your weapon, casting light across the battlefield, beckoning your allies to join. At the end of the round, inflict harm equal to Power to enemies within a burst equal to Primary. Harm dealt is multiplied by the number of allies who join the spell with their last action on their turn, and their Charm is added to the total harm done.

Resuscitate

Utility

Restore a dead ally to life with 1 HP.

Sanctuary

Defense

A glowing barrier in the caster's favorite color blooms from their weapon, as wide and tall as their Primary. Enemies cannot leave or enter through this barrier, and you heal all allies behind it for your PL.

Skyfall

Harm

A massive, jagged tear forms in the sky, and from it, a gigantic version of your weapon plummets into the midst of combat, decimating the ground in a PL burst. Roll an attack six times, adding up the hits together and assigning them to targets within the burst.

Writhing Vines

Utility

Thorny vines erupt from the ground, wrapping around anything that they touch, and blooming with the caster's favorite flower. Targets are Entangled in an aura radius equal to your Charm. When they leave the aura, they must roll a 1d6. On a 1–2, they are pulled back in.

The Team

The Team is the name for the group of magical Main Characters. It can be a literal Team, like a baseball or debate team, or it can be a club, sorority, or just a group of friends. Some Teams might not even know each other until they’re all forced together by the circumstances! Teammates are all considered allies, regardless of in-fighting or drama.

The Mascot

One of the key parts of any Team is the Mascot. For some, the Mascot is the source of all the powers—for others, it’s simply drawn to you because of the powers you have acquired. Sometimes the Mascot may be the very thing that led you, in whatever way, to gaining powers in the first place. But be careful, because they won’t always tell the truth.

As a group, roll or decide the form your Mascot takes.

Mascot Origin

1 Someone’s Pet

2 Outer Space

3 Divine

4 Demonic

5 Power of Friendship

6 Computer

Mascot Purpose

1 Save the World

2 Get Revenge

3 Protect Everyone

4 Serve Otherworldly Master

5 Help Those In Need

6 Save the World

Mascot Look

1 Cute

2 Demonic

3 Robotic

4 Angelic

5 Alien

6 Mundane

Mascot Attitude

1 Cold

2 Friendly

3 Mentoring

4 Affectionate

5 Reluctant

6 Selfish

Combat

Combat consists of turns, collected into rounds. A round completes once every combatant takes their turn. To determine who goes first, MCs roll a number of dice equal to their Primary, and count hits equal to or below their Focus. The MC who gets the most hits takes the first turn. If there is a tie, the character with the highest Focus breaks the tie. If no MCs’ roll exceeds the highest Initiative value among the enemies, an enemy of the DM’s choice goes first instead.

After the first MC or enemy acts, they choose who takes the next turn. If they choose an ally, that ally must then choose an enemy. Enemies at PL 0 (cannon fodder) act together as a group while adjacent.

The last to act chooses who goes first at the start of the next round, limited by the same choice restrictions of subsequent allies.

Enemies and MCs alike have two actions each turn, and one turn each round. An MC may use an action to attack, maneuver, move, or use an ability or spell.

Move

When MCs spend an action to move, they move in increments of 5’ equal to their Speed (Focus+Primary). An MC with 3 Focus and 2 Charm (their Primary) has 5 Speed (25’). Moving over rough terrain and the like incurs a -2 penalty to your Speed. If Focus is the MC’s Primary statistic add Focus twice for Speed.

Attack

A basic attack uses one action. MCs roll a number of dice equal to their Primary. Results less than or equal to their Secondary count as hits and inflict an equal amount of harm to the target. Most harm abilities also include at least one attack with their extra effects. A basic attack is simply an attack rolled without using an ability. Attacks of any kind are considered successful if they scored at least 1 hit.

A MC’s ability to attack at range depends on their weapon traits, but all MCs are capable of attacking in melee (adjacent).

Example: An MC makes a basic attack against an enemy goblin. They roll 5 dice for the attack, because their Primary is 4, and they have a bonus die from a previous Invoke maneuver. The results are 1-2-2-3-6, but 1s explode so they roll another die, landing on another 3. Their Secondary statistic is 3, so they count five total hits, inflicting five harm.

Status Effects

Status effects are any ongoing condition or modifier. The most common way to gain status effects is through maneuvers and abilities (eg Bolster or Invoke). Some enemies or MCs cause afflictions—powerfully debilitating status effects. Status effects are counted by round, not by turn. Harm and saving throws for afflictions are taken at the beginning of each round, before the first turn is taken.

Maneuvers

MCs may use an action to maneuver. Some spells and weapon abilities make use of maneuvers. Any effects from maneuvers are considered status effects.

Assist: Through encouraging words or active assistance, you grant an ally an additional die to their next roll, whatever it may be.

Bolster: By taking a defensive stance, the next attack made against you suffers -1 Primary. Must be your last action of the turn.

Invoke: Whether you aim your Gun or channel more power through your Baseball Bat, Invoke allows you to take an action to prepare for your next attack. Before the end of your next turn, you gain +1 die die to your next roll, whatever it may be. This can stack twice.

Jury-rig: Whether you're channeling magic from the heart or tinkering with a bad idea, Jury-rig allows you to modify your weapon temporarily. Add another quirk to one of your weapons until you are reduced half HP.

Protect: You position yourself in front of an ally within your Speed. Any attacks made towards that ally miss on a 5 and a 6 instead of just a 6, and a successful attack results in harm being split 50/50 between you and your ally.

Afflictions

Harm from afflictions is taken at the beginning of each new round. MCs and Bosses can roll to resist afflictions when they are first applied (saving throws apply). Likewise, they can make a save at the beginning of the round to get rid of an affliction, once for each affliction. All other enemies cannot resist afflictions, and only roll 1d6 at the beginning of subsequent rounds—on a 6, the effect ends.

Aflame: Suffer harm equal to the user’s PL. Cannot cast spells until the fire is put out.

Bewitch: Cannot take any offensive actions towards the target(s), but may take defense and utility actions.

Bleed: Suffer one harm.

Crush: This status effect only affects specific weapons, attacks, and body parts. The enemy is unable to use the Crushed weapon, ability, or body part.

Entangled: Suffer a -2 Primary to all attacks. Usually requires an action to get untangled. Attacks against Entangled targets gain +2 Secondary.

Poison: The target suffers -1 Primary when attacking or using a harm ability.

Stun: Cannot take any actions.

Taunt: Forced to attack or move into range to attack the target.

Abilities and Spells

Spells and abilities cost one action to use unless otherwise noted. Abilities may include making an attack, or a maneuver as part of their effects. Whenever an MC casts a spell or uses an ability, they accumulate Burnout Points equal to the tier of the spell or ability. Spells and abilities do not require a roll to make unless they include an attack or similar.

Spells and abilities have a type: harm, defense, familiar, and utility, which may synergize with certain other effects. Passive abilities require no action to activate. All ranges for spells and abilities are in 5’ increments and last a number of turns from when the MC used it. So an ability with “range equal to your Charm” and your Charm was 3, the ability has a range of 15’. Spells have a default range of double the caster’s Charm and a duration of 1 turn. Abilities share a range with their associated weapon, typically melee (5’) and last until specified.

Areas of Effect

Some spells or abilities occur over an area and affect multiple targets, known as their area of effect, or AOE. Spells and abilities with AOE affect all targets within an area, unless otherwise stated.

Burst: Affects all targets within the listed range from the point of origin, in all directions.

Aura: Affects all targets within the listed range from the point of origin, in all directions, and is sustained.

Line: Affects everything within a 5’ wide line from the point of origin to a specified length.

Cone: Affects all targets within an expanding triangular shape from the point of origin, up to the listed range. Cones expand in increments of 5’.

Saving Throws

When an MC or Boss is at risk of an affliction, they make a saving throw. Roll Power, and count hits equal to or below Focus. If the resulting hits equal to or exceed the amount of successful hits that caused the affliction, the affliction or effect is prevented. If an affliction was not the result of a roll, save against the PL of the affliction’s source.

Harm Pool

The Harm Pool measures an MC’s capability for getting hurt before they're killed. Every MC has a Harm Pool equal to three times their Heart.

MCs may opt to avoid a single killing blow per Episode with a permanent scar. If they do, they immediately Push Your Limits and suffer no harm from the enemy action. This scar is forever visible when you are transformed, but may or may not be visible when you are mundane.

Once you surpass your Harm Pool, you’re knocked out. Enemies tend to ignore knocked out MCs, but they must be tended to with the Assist maneuver within three turns or they die. Assisted allies are still unconscious, but recover to 1 HP when the encounter ends.

Burnout Pool

The Burnout Pool measures the Team’s mixture of stress, exertion, and the exhaustive nature of magic. Burnout Points (BP) are accumulated as MCs cast spells or harm abilities at a value equal to the tier of the spell or ability used.

Higher Power Levels means the Team can accrue more and more burnout before they begin to feel the effects. The Burnout Pool is a soft cap—MCs may continue to use spells and harm abilities over this cap, but the higher it goes, the higher the chance of failure. When an MC uses a spell or ability, roll 1d6, adding +1 to the total for each point exceeding the Team’s Burnout Pool. If the total is 6 or higher, the MC’s action fails and they suffer one harm.

PL

Burnout Pool

1

10

2

12

3

14

4

16

5

18

6

20

7

22

8

24

9

26

10

28

Push Your Limits

Sometimes your best just isn’t good enough. When that happens and you’re facing down a horde of enemies, your power, magic, and adrenaline mix together into something more.

An MC cannot push their limits until they reach any two of the three following requirements. Pushing your limits does not require an action, but must be done during the MC’s turn.

Requirements

Outnumbered: Either there are far more enemies than your team, or you’re the last one standing against a Boss.

Almost Dead: Either from a single massive hit or the attacks of many, you’re down to 1 HP.

Burnt Out: Your Team is at least 1 point over their BP.

This effect lasts 3 turns. At the start of your turn, you may forgo an effect in order to extend the duration by 1 turn.

Harder to Hit: Attacks against you suffer -2 Primary.

Hit Harder: Your attacks gain +2 Primary.

Second Wind: Your abilities do not accumulate BP, and you don’t have to roll for failure when surpassing the Burnout Pool.

DM GUIDE

Play is divided into Episodes and Seasons. An episode is an individual session of play—a single night, a chapter of the story, the two hours you have before your shift starts. A Season is a collection of Episodes bound together by a central Antagonist at the source of each Episode's threats.

Plan your Season around an Antagonist with an evil goal such as world domination, poisoning the atmosphere, or mutating wildlife into insidious beasts. Each Episode then revolves around the Antagonist's minions, allies, and underlings attempting to further that goal while the MCs work together to oppose them, through a mixture of heroics, coincidence, and investigation. Each episode should hint at or reveal information about the Antagonist and their ultimate goal.

To create and run a Season:

  1. Settle on your Antagonist, some of their minions, and create their evil plan. Think like a cartoon character.
  2. Break the plan into steps. These are your Episodes.
  3. Allow the Antagonist to adapt to the threat of the Team.
  4. Always escalate. Remember! Think like a cartoon villain.
  5. Have fun being the villain.

Example Antagonists:

The Lord of Hell releases waves of devilish creatures into your hometown to establish a stronghold to take over Earth, and then Heaven. He uses cultists, lesser demons, and corrupted politicians to carry out his will. Episodes include establishing a cult in the school, getting a lesser demon elected to office, and stealing all the puppies from town to use as sacrifices.

A nameless Alien from the infinite dark between the stars, attempts to corrupt the planet into darkness, or turn all of the people within to monsters. The Alien uses mind controlled civilians, alien soldiers, mutated local pets to further their inscrutable ends. Episodes include sending an asteroid with an evil alien parasite, interrupting the school dance with a mutated pet, and sending a warrior priest to hunt the Team down.

The NAME corporate headquarters reside in your city. But people have started to go missing and wildlife has started dying after their announcement of a new, innovative beauty product. NAME corporation uses faceless corpo-goons, massive industrial projects that suck the life from the planet, and mecha to test their agenda. Episodes include students going missing after a school trip, a new factory pops up overnight, and corpo-goons start tearing down the local forest.

The former Team of MCs led by your Mascot is out for revenge. They use aged fans, the lesser magical girls, and animal companions to harass the Team. Episodes include attacking an anime convention, your fans or classmates turn on the Team as the old MCs spread propaganda, and a hostage situation at the school.

To create an episode:

  1. Break the Antagonist’s goal into smaller steps. These are your Episodes.
  2. Begin with a strange occurrence. The henchmen are beginning the plan.
  3. Investigation! The Team lives their non-magical lives while searching for clues.
  4. Entangle their non-magical lives with the henchmen’s plans.
  5. Let it end with a big fight as the MCs transform!

The hardest choice for the Team is whether to prioritize their real lives or saving the world. As a DM, your job is to make that harder. Entangle them together by pushing on real-world priorities: homework, day jobs, chores, pets, family. The Antagonist and their underlings can take hostages, make threats, or lead fights into populated areas.

To add some complications to your encounters, and create tension between the MC's magical and mundane identities, roll or choose from the Complications Table.

Complications

1d6

Complication

1

Fighting in traffic.

2

Civilians are being held hostage.

3

Fighting in broad daylight somewhere public.

4

Curfew in effect: MC must be home in d6 x10 minutes.

5

Parent shows up while investigating.

6

Someone called the cops.

Fighting Strategies

Crowd control and status effects are important. The MCs cannot easily survive without controlling the battlefield. Enemy dice explode too, and combat tends to be lethal. Fights can end quickly, but can be surprisingly draining and dangerous to the MCs as they fight on. A decisive victory and a hard-fought victory are satisfying to the players in different ways.

Enemies

Enemies have Five stats: Power Level, Primary, Secondary, Harm Pool, and Initiative.

The PL of an enemy is a rough indication of its difficulty. A Team of three MCs at PL 1 can reasonably handle three PL 1 enemies. However, that same Team will struggle against three PL 2 enemies and be in dire straits should they encounter that many PL 5 enemies! Keep this in mind when designing encounters.

An enemy’s attack works how it does for MCs. You roll the enemy’s Primary and each one that matches or is lower than their Secondary is a hit.

An enemy’s HP measures how much harm they can take before they are defeated. More HP means they live longer and get to beat on the team more.

An enemy’s Initiative is a static number representing how many hits the team needs to get to go first. The higher number an enemy has for initiative, the more likely they’ll go first and get the drop on the team. Likewise, an enemy’s Initiative is also their Speed.

Enemy Traits

Much like weapon traits, enemies can have unique features to make them more difficult. As a rule of thumb for applying traits to enemies, assign one trait for every two to three Power Levels.

Armored: Ignores 1 harm per attack made against them. Always has an unarmored weak spot.

Big: Half Speed, double HP. Their melee attacks have a 10’ range.

Elusive: Harder to hit and harder to see. Attacks made against them suffer -1, or -2 if the attack is ranged.

Fast: Faster than most normal people, and faster than most MCs, too. Add +1 to their Speed, and +1 to their Initiative.

Magic: Choose two spells of an appropriate tier for their PL. They are able to cast these spells.

Ranged: Can make a ranged attack with range equal to their Speed.

Strong: Can lift or throw objects as big or heavy as a car.

Summoner: Once per Episode, summon a number of creatures equal to the Team’s PL.

Cannon Fodder

Enemies of PL 0 are intended to be used for swarms or as summons for other PL enemies. In the case of summons, they act on the turn of their summoner.

Enemy Witches

Some games may want to use enemies that are much the same as the MCs. In this case, build the enemies like you would an MC, and in some cases, you may want to allow these enemies to Push Their Limits. In general, look at keeping the number of Witches and their PL the same as the number of MCs. Enemy Witches are always considered Bosses for the purposes of saves, abilities, and spells. They make great episode bosses, or even Season antagonists!

Enemy Stats

Most enemies do not usually need to be fully fleshed out with all of their statistics and traits.

Enemy PL

Primary

Secondary

HP

INIT/Speed

PL 0

1

2

1

0 (1 Speed)

PL 1

2

2

3

1

PL 2

2

3

4

2

PL 3

3

3

6

2

PL 4

3

4

7

3

PL 5

4

3

9

3

PL 6

4

4

10

4

PL 7

5

3

12

4

PL 8

5

4

15

5

PL 9

6

4

18

5

PL 10

6

5

24

6

Example Enemies

Matilda, Gun-Witch of the Warehouse District

Matilda has earned a fearsome reputation, and she will do anything to keep it. With her sentient Gun in tow, the businesses and people who work and live in the Warehouse district have to pay her for their protection.

PL 3

Hat // Gun

Charm 5 / Heart 4 / Focus 3 / Power 2

Primary 3

Secondary 2

HP 12

Init 2

Quirk: Helmet

Abilities: Rabbit, Rocket Jump, Fairyflash Grenade

Gun

Primary 2

Secondary 3

HP 6

Haxzilozix, Fearsome Imp of the Deep Dark Depths


Haxzilozix, Fearsome Imp of the Deep Dark Depths claims to be the lieutenant of a Demon Lord, but seems to spend most of his time turning random people into bugs. Though he is as easily swatted away as one himself, you hope you don’t inadvertently draw the ire of someone much stronger.

PL 1

Primary 1

Secondary 3

HP: 3

Init: 1

Trait: Magic

Izixix, Demon Lord of the Deep Dark Depths

Izixix, Demon Lord of the Deep Dark Depths’ ire has been drawn at the death of his best friend and lieutenant, Haxzilozix! He has come to the surface to find those responsible and bring them to justice!

PL 5

Primary 4

Secondary 3

HP 9

Init 3

Traits: Strong, Armored

The Socket, Many-Eyed

The Socket does not know what a “Main Character” is, nor does it care for their magics, or their time invested in their world. It cares only to see, to observe, and to learn everything about this planet so that it may return to the Infinite Dark Between the Stars and inform the alien warlords to prepare for their imminent attack.

PL 9

Primary 6

Secondary 4

HP 18

Init 5

Traits: Big, Elusive, Summoner, Magic

The Eyes

PL 0

Primary 1

Secondary 2

HP 1

Init 0

Traits: Elusive

When The Eyes see, The Socket observes.

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