Revenant's End Game Mechanics
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Basic Mechanics
Draw!
Revenant’s End uses a Blackjack-based resolution mechanic. Any time you wish to use a Skill (or if a GM tells you to) a GM will draw 2 cards for you. You may then choose to “Hit” & draw another single card each time you choose to Hit or “Stay” & draw no more cards.
The aim is to get as close to 21 without going over – Face cards are worth 10 and Aces are worth 1 or 11. In addition, you may add up to the value of your skill level to get you closer to 21.
Going over 21 is called “Going Bust” which means not only has your character failed in their attempt but it may result in negative consequences for them in addition to the failure. Draws may have success thresholds lower than 21; allowing you to succeed on lower values, but a value of 22+ is always a Bust.
Example 1) A Character with a Gunslingin’ Skill of 2 wants to take a shot. They draw a Jack and 8 – they have a value of 18 on the cards plus the 2 from their Skill level for a total of 20. They decide to Stay, confident that will see them through.
Example 2) A Character with a Wranglin’ Skill of 3 wants to calm a horse. They draw a 3 and a 4 (7 + up to 3 for a maximum of 10) & decide to Hit and draw another 3. A maximum of 13 still doesn’t feel like a success so they hit again drawing a King. With a total card value of 20, the player opts to use their skill level to contribute 1 for a total of 21 and an unmitigated success!
Players will be able and encouraged to draw on a skill regardless of the points they have purchased.
As this is a world with the supernatural and weird, some skills will have specific abilities. These abilities can only be used if the player has bought at least one point of that skill. See the special mechanics section.
Revelations
The West is a Weird place and some of the things your character may encounter will shock them to their core. When this happens (or you use certain talents or abilities) your character will receive one or more Revelations.
Revelations can be acquired in many different ways, failing certain skill checks may incur Revelations in some circumstances.
Revelations are dreadful knowledge about how the West and the World at large really works & they impede your character’s ability to function. For each Revelation your character has your initial skill draw is increased by +1 card, so a character with 2 Revelations is drawing 4 cards, hoping to not exceed 21.
You may opt to receive half of the Revelations you normally would (rounding down) by choosing one of the following options and roleplaying it for at least one minute.
- Babble Uncontrollably
- Itching for a fight
- Immediately seek to “drown your sorrows”
- Urge to divulge secrets or deeply-held emotions
- Flip the fuck out.
- Flee at top speed.
This option is not available when the Revelations are caused by a Talent or ability you have activated.
The skills Preachin', Sciencin' & Witchcraftin' as well as certain Talents use Revelations as a Resource, so some characters may wish to collect Revelations to power their abilities.
Revelations are persistent, they remain with a character across sessions until steps are taken to remove them.
Ease Your Mind
There are many different ways to unburden a character of their Revelations, they can indulge in vices like drinking or gambling, seek comfort in the willing arms of another, or listen to the words of a Preacher. If your character is stuck without access to any of these; speak to a GM – there may be a different option to ground your character and reduce their Revelations or temporarily suspend the effects, though there will often be a cost.
Spirit of the Lore & Law of the Spirit
Some talents, such as Takes One to Know One (Astoundin’) or Rule of Law (Lawyerin’) allow characters to gain, remove or transfer Revelations if certain circumstances are met. Exploiting the wording of a talent, item or rule and ignoring its intention is not within the spirit of the game and will not work, or at least not without consequences.
For example having a character tell you the sky is green and catching them in the “lie” for Takes One to Know One or brokering a deal to end a conflict over whose drink that is for Rule of Law.
If in doubt, check with a GM or consult your Preacher of choice instead.
Blackjack!
Drawing an Ace and a 10/Face card in the first 2 cards is called Blackjack & immediately ends your drawing with a success. No extra cards are drawn, regardless of how many Revelations your character has. If you are drawing against another character they will still get a chance to draw themselves – GMs will adjudicate ties.
Drawing a Blackjack may also have bonus effects in certain circumstances, determined at GM discretion.
Put the Hurt on ‘em
Characters in Revenant’s End have 7 health. If a character reaches 0 health they have died.
Weapons do the damage according to their type (damage is also listed on the item card) + the level in the relevant combat skill (if applicable).
Example: Character A with no skill in Gunslingin' picks up a gun and ammunition & fires off a shot. They manage to draw a success and deal the damage listed on the item card - in this case 2 - to their target. The next round they toss the gun and ammo to Character B who is a noted Gunfighter and has a Gunslingin' Skill of 3. When Character B makes their shot they deal the target a total of 5 damage; 2 from the gun + 3 from their Gunslingin' - a dramatically more dangerous attack.
If a character takes damage that takes them to or below 4 health they may opt to pass out. Many NPC creatures will prioritise active threats over fallen ones & humans attacking a knocked-out person is often perceived as an incredibly dishonourable act.
Healin'
Characters recover their health levels in between sessions but may suffer other injuries or complications if they don’t seek out appropriate treatment. If your character is badly injured at session please include a note in your downtime in case the STs forget.
Bandana Rules
This game is using bandanas as props for the mechanics, to give out-of-character indication of two different in-character scenarios: being armed, and going incognito.
Obviously Armed
If a character is armed they must have a Red Bandana tied to the area on their body where the weapon is holstered until such time as they IC remove the weapon. The visibility of the red bandana will depend on the size of the weapon it represents and the character’s outfit. That bandana can be hidden by coats, cloaks.
Costuming note: Red Bandanas will be provided by the GMs for this mechanic.
Obscuring Identity
The other use of bandanas in the game sessions is that they will act as a disguise. This is a conceit that has been well established across multiple genres and media; that regardless of how recognisable an actor is to the audience, the characters in-world cannot recognise each other when their faces are partially obscured - adding an element of dramatic irony to a scene. We encourage the player base to lean into this trope. The good news is that some skills and talents may give a character clues about who the masked bandit might be.
While a character is wearing a Bandana (ideally not a Red one) covering their nose and lower face other characters will not be able to automatically determine their identity. Observation of a bandana being raised to cover the characters face by others not ‘in on the job’ means that the attempt to obscure identity is compromised.
The Investigatin’ Skill can be drawn in an attempt to identify the person behind the mask…
Special Mechanics
Some skills have additional mechanics beyond the simple card draw. The mechanics for those skills (Doctorin', Workin', Preachin', Sciencin' & Witchcraftin') can be found here.