Adversary Features

The bottom of each stat block lists the adversary’s features. Features can take three forms—actions, reactions, and passives. The following sections describe how to use these features and provide a few examples.

Tip: If an adversary stat block mentions an “ally,” it’s referring to a fellow adversary, not a PC.

Activating Features

For an adversary to use an action, they must have the spotlight. Passives and reactions typically don’t require the spotlight. Some features require you to use additional resources, such as:

• Marking Stress Some moves call for you to “mark a Stress,” meaning you mark 1 Stress on the adversary. Other, more powerful moves might tell you to “mark 2 Stress” or more. Each adversary’s Stress is tracked individually; if one adversary marks all their Stress, they can’t mark a different adversary’s Stress to use that move.

• Spending Fear Some moves say to “spend a Fear.” Other, more powerful moves might tell you to “spend 2 Fear” or more. To make one of these moves, you must spend Fear as described, even if you already spent a Fear to spotlight the adversary.

Adversary Tokens

Some adversaries require tokens to be placed on their stat blocks for certain features. These adversary tokens are used as counters similar to the players’ character tokens.

Adversary Actions

Adversary actions can be divided into three categories:

• Standard Attacks Each adversary has a standard attack. This includes their attack modifier, the name of the attack, its range, and its damage. When you spotlight an adversary, you can always use their standard attack as long as they are within range or can move within range.

• Unique Actions Many adversaries have special actions listed on the bottom of their stat block. These represent their innate abilities, magical talents, and other combat techniques. Unique actions might allow the adversary to make an attack, force PCs to make a reaction roll, or even change the landscape. When you spotlight an adversary, you can choose to use one of these instead of making a standard attack.

• Other Actions Adversaries can do nearly anything a PC can, so if you want to do something that isn’t in the stat block, feel free! The “Adversary Action Rolls” section in chapter 3 provides guidance for resolving other actions an adversary might take.

Unique Action Examples

The following features are examples of unique actions. In these examples, “X” represents a number that differs for each stat block. Haymaker - Action: Make an attack against a target within Very Close range. On a success, deal X direct physical damage. Shredding Strike - Action: Make an attack against a target within Very Close range. On a success, deal X physical damage and the target must mark an Armor Slot without gaining its benefit (they can still use armor to reduce the damage).

Adversary Reactions

Adversary reactions are features that don’t take effect until their specific trigger occurs (such as taking damage or marking a certain number of HP). When it triggers, you can choose to immediately use the reaction, and you don’t have to spend Fear to interrupt the PCs with this reaction (unless otherwise specified). The following features are examples of reactions. In these examples, “X” represents a number that differs for each stat block. Heavy Hitter - Reaction: When this adversary deals damage with a standard attack, you can spend a Fear to gain a +X bonus to the damage roll. Team-Up - Reaction: When another adversary within Very Close range of thisadversary deals X damage to a creature, you can mark a Stress to make a standard attack against that same creature. On a success, combine the damage. Momentum - Reaction: When this adversary makes a successful attack against a PC, you gain a Fear.

Adversary Passives

Adversary passives always apply under the circumstances stated in that feature. Some are always in effect (such as the “Arcane Form” passive, which makes the adversary permanently resistant to magic damage). Others automatically come into effect when the stated trigger occurs (such as the “Horde” passive, which reduces the adversary’s damage once their Hit Points are halved). The following features are examples of passives. In these examples, “X” represents a number that differs for each stat block. Horde (X) - Passive: When the Horde has marked half or more of their HP, their standard attack deals X damage instead. Minion (X) - Passive: This adversary is defeated when they take any damage. For every X damage a PC deals to this adversary, defeat an additional Minion within range the attack would succeed against. Relentless (X) - Passive: This adversary can be spotlighted up to X times per GM turn. Spend Fear as usual to spotlight them.

Tip: The “Relentless” feature is useful if you want an adversary who can act multiple times between PCs. This is often best for exceedingly fast or dangerous foes, or for adversaries who are likely to battle the party on their own.

Slow - Passive: When you spotlight this adversary and they don’t have a token on their stat block, they can’t act yet. Place a token on their stat block and describe what they’re preparing to do. When you spotlight this adversary and they have a token on their stat block, clear the token and they can act.

Tip: The “Slow” feature is useful if you want an adversary who narratively takes longer to act than others, like a giant slug or a lumbering ogre. This is usually most effective when the creature has powerful actions that justify the delay.

Arcane Form - Passive: This adversary is resistant to magic damage. Armored Carapace - Passive: When this adversary takes physical damage, reduce it by X.

Fear Features

Fear Features are rare and powerful adversary features that require spending Fear to activate. These can take the form of passives, actions, or reactions. Each Fear Feature is a scene- defining effect that justifies the expenditure of this valuable GM resource. Explosion - Action: Spend a Fear to erupt in a fiery explosion. Make an attack against all targets within Close range. Targets the adversary succeeds against take 1d8 magic damage and are knocked back to Far range.

Summoning Features

Certain features summon additional adversaries on the battlefield. The summoned adversaries arrive at a specified range relative to the adversary who used the feature. In the following example, the Jagged Knife Lackeys would spawn at Far range from the Leader who summoned them. We recommend you use these features when you feel the fight needs to grow—either in duration or difficulty. More Where That Came From - Action: Summon three Jagged Knife Lackeys, who appear at Far range.

Spotlighting Features

Some features allow you to immediately spotlight one or more other adversaries. Unless otherwise specified, this doesn’t require spending Fear. When a feature tells you to spotlight more than one adversary, you can choose the order in which they act. While an adversary is spotlighted in this way, you can’t use another spotlighting feature. Tactician - Action: Mark a Stress to spotlight this adversary and two allies within Close range.

Returning Rules

This section repeats a few rules from earlier chapters that are helpful to remember while running adversaries.

Targets and Groups

Often an effect asks you to choose a target within range. This means you choose a single creature to affect. When it makes sense in the story, you can target a single object in range, rather than a creature, adjusting the effects as needed. To affect a group of targets, those targets must be clumped together in an area within Very Close range of a point you choose. Regardless of the number of targets, you only need to make one attack roll and compare that total to the Difficulty of each eligible target to determine which creatures you succeed against. When your attack deals damage to more than one target, roll damage once and apply the total to each target the attack succeeded against.

Attacking Multiple Targets

By default, an adversary can only hit one target with their standard attack. When an adversary’s action lets you make an attack against multiple targets, you make one attack roll and ask if it hits any of the targets. If you’re making individual attacks with multiple adversaries during the same GM move, make an attack roll for each adversary.