Actions (FiD)

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Attune

When you Attune, you open your mind to the ether or channel nearby etheric energy through your body. You might communicate with a spirit, sense echoes of past events, or harness raw magical forces.

The ether is intentionally ambiguous and strange. In Greyhawk, it reflects the land and its history, ranging from awe-inspiring to deeply unsettling. It channels energy from distant elemental and astral planes, echoes of the past, and serves as the medium in which spirits exist. While not inherently hostile, it is always unpredictable and dangerous—connecting to it can surprise even the most skilled.

Attuning allows you to:

• Perceive echoes of recent events or sense things beyond sight.
• Connect with supernatural forces, such as spirits or elemental energies.
• Access or influence raw arcane power at the risk of unexpected consequences.

Unlike other actions, Attune often carries inherent risks. While Survey is safer for locating hidden things, and Study is more reliable for spirit lore, Attune opens the door to supernatural possibilities—and dangers.

Comparing to Other Actions:

• You can sense the unseen to gain insight, but Survey might be safer.
• You can impress or command a spirit, but Command might be more direct.
• You can track a creature, but Hunt might provide greater precision.
• You can uncover spirit lore, but Study might give deeper understanding.

GM Questions

• How do you open your mind to the ether? What does that look like?
• What energy are you attuning to, and how are you channeling it?
• What do you hope to achieve, and what might go wrong?

Consequences of Attuning: Attuning exposes you to dangers, such as:

• Attracting the attention of hostile spirits.
• Experiencing visions or memories that overwhelm your senses.
• Triggering unstable magical effects or phenomena.
• Leaving yourself vulnerable to otherworldly influences.

Playbooks: Druid, Occultist, Saint, Spirit, Warlock.

Command

When you Command, you compel swift obedience. You might intimidate, threaten, or assert authority to get what you want. You might lead a gang or team in a group action. You might leverage power, rank, status, or social expectations to enforce compliance.

Command involves telling others what to do and expecting obedience—out of fear, respect, status, custom, or another form of leverage. It relies on dominance or authority rather than negotiation or persuasion. Consorting may be better if you’re seeking mutual understanding, while Sway might work better for negotiation or manipulation. Commanding a friend or ally can feel disrespectful and may worsen your position unless you have explicit authority or a strong justification.

When leading a Group Action, you use Command to coordinate efforts, while their actions solve the problem. This is particularly useful for leading cohorts or NPC groups: you roll Command, and the cohort rolls its quality. Your Command represents leadership and coordination, while their rolls represent their execution of the task.

Command can also overcome certain language barriers and can be used on non-sapients, such as animals, constructs, or monsters. However, the commands must be simple, such as: heel, stay, attack, or guard.

• You can Command to compel action, but Sway might be better for manipulation.
• You can assert authority to gain respect, but Consort might foster stronger bonds.
• You can lead a group action using Command, but other participants must contribute the appropriate Action for the tasks.

GM Questions

• Who do you command, and how do you do it? What’s your leverage here?
• What do you hope they’ll do, and what might happen if they refuse?

Consequences of Command: Using Command can create risks or complications based on the situation, such as:

• The target complying begrudgingly, leading to resentment that generates Heat.
• A group action faltering due to poor cohesion or defiance.
• Escalating conflict with a rival or authority figure.
• Suffering harm or stress if intimidation leads to backlash.

Playbooks: Captain, Knight, Sorcerer, Warlock.

Consort

This action involves socializing, from navigating slums with streetwise charm to mingling with high society using courtly etiquette.

When you Consort, you engage with friends, contacts, or strangers by following social conventions. You might gain access to resources, information, people, or places, make a good impression, or win someone over with charm and style. Consorting can help you forge new connections, reinforce old ones, or tap into your heritage or background.

Consort works when both parties care (even slightly) about what the other thinks. It relies on openness, charm, and social skill. You can Consort with people you know or try to “fit in” and make a good impression in unfamiliar settings.

Consorting requires an environment that isn’t overtly hostile. For instance, you might Consort with fellow prisoners in a chain gang, but not with the assassin sent to kill you. Engaging with those tied to your heritage or background grants better position and/or increased effect.

Sometimes, Consorting sets up another action. For example, to speak with Lord Scurlock at a party, you may need to Consort with guests to reach his table. Sway often follows Consort to convince new allies to act on your behalf, or for more complex or intimate requests. Command rarely pairs well with Consort, as subordinates lack freedom for genuine interaction.

Consort also covers adopting roles, such as acting or disguising yourself to fit into a social setting. Proper attire often plays a crucial role in success.

Consort faces challenges with Tier. When interacting with lower Tiers, your power or status can hinder instead of helping. Dressing down might be necessary to blend in. Conversely, lower-ranked crew members often find it easier to socialize with those of similar status.

Performances: Your Consort rating determines how many performance arts you know, such as playing instruments (string, percussion, wind, keyboard), dancing (stage or social), or conjuring (sleight of hand and fake magic).

• Use Consort to direct others with social pressure, though Command or Sway might fit better.
• Blend into a crowd, but Prowl may work better for stealth, and Finesse might help move quickly through a throng.
• Understand social hierarchies, but Study might provide deeper insights.
• Engage in social dancing; use Finesse for intricate moves or Sway for intimate dances.
• Dress appropriately for a setting, but Command might help maintain an assumed social rank.

GM Questions

• Who are you Consorting with? Where are you meeting them? What are you discussing?
• What are you hoping to achieve?

Consequences: Consort consequences often stem from your environment or the tensions of social ambition. Simple interactions with friends rarely require rolls.

• In a ballroom, you’re unexpectedly asked to dance.
• At a slum gathering, someone picks your pocket.
• That punch was spiked!
• While negotiating with a strange tribe, you discover they consider redheads witches to be burned.

Playbooks: Bard, Mastermind, Mountebank, Swashbuckler.

Finesse

Finesse now includes running and foot chases, creating overlap with Prowl. It also covers mounted and vehicle combat.

When you Finesse, you use dexterous manipulation, graceful combat techniques, or subtle misdirection. You might duel with agile weapons like rapiers, leverage speed in mounted or vehicle combat with ride-by attacks, or pick pockets. Finesse also applies to manipulating delicate devices, dancing, or racing on foot, mounts, or vehicles.

Finesse emphasizes precision, elegance, and control. It shines when you have time and space to act deliberately but struggles in chaotic or rushed situations. For instance, dueling gracefully is easy when uninterrupted, but a desperate brawl with flying fire bombs might force you to adapt quickly.

Finesse, Skirmish, and Wreck create a dynamic triangle in small fights: Finesse nails Skirmish down, Skirmish outmaneuvers Wreck, and Wreck overwhelms Finesse. In larger battles, Skirmish tends to dominate due to its versatility.

While Finesse generally benefits from open space, sleight-of-hand thrives in close-in chaos. Crowds and distractions make it easier to pick pockets or slip away unnoticed. Unlike Prowl, which relies on darkness and stealth, Finesse capitalizes on moments of distraction. For example, being tackled by guards might be the perfect opportunity to lift their keys.

• Perform sleight-of-hand or pick pockets with Finesse, but Consort is better for showmanship, and Prowl is quieter.
• Duel with Finesse, but Skirmish is better for chaotic melees, and Wreck is overwhelming.
• Shoot on the run with Finesse, though Hunt's stationary precision may be better.
• Use Finesse to handle locks or devices, but Tinker may yield better results.
• Run a chase with Finesse, but Prowl excels at leveraging terrain.

GM Questions

• What are you Finessing? What makes it graceful or subtle?
• What are you trying to achieve?

Finesse Consequences:

• You overextend and come crashing down.
• You escape but leave a clue for your pursuers.
• You take an honorable wound in a duel.
• You get caught in melee while trying to maintain distance.

Playbooks: Captain, Knight, Savant, Swashbuckler, Wee One.

Hunt

The Hunt action is the ideal choice for tracking, stalking, and locating targets, as well as finishing them with a precise ranged attack. Hunt encompasses survival skills, urban tracking, scavenging, and understanding movement patterns.

When you Hunt, you track your target with precision and skill. Hunt emphasizes operating on your own terms: stalking the target, selecting the ambush point, lining up the shot, and striking with precision. Follow tracks in the wilderness, shadow someone through a crowded street, or study movement patterns in a group to locate your target. Hunt excels in preparation; time and distance are your allies. Attack from a distance, hide in a stakeout, or manipulate the environment to channel opponents into danger.

Hunt also defends against itself. Its precision and attentiveness make it effective for detecting ambushes, spotting surveillance, and recognizing the signs of a stalker. Survey and Study offer alternate defenses, providing a broader perspective or deeper analysis of potential threats. Prowl can allow escape from an area under surveillance.

In the chaos of melee, Hunt falters, forcing you into desperate positions or making it difficult to find an effective angle. Contrast this with Skirmish, which thrives in close combat but struggles at a distance.

• Stay hidden and aware, but Prowl is better for getting there.
• Analyze physical evidence, but Study will yield more detail.
• Maintain ranged weapons or plant traps, but Tinker allows modifications.
• Keep surveillance on a target, but Survey offers a broader perspective.

GM Questions

• How do you hunt them down? What specific methods do you use?
• What tools, skills, or preparation help you succeed?
• What risks do you take, and how might things go wrong?

Playbooks: Ranger, Sharpshooter, Wizard.

Prowl

When you Prowl, you move skillfully and quietly. You might sneak past a guard, hide in shadows, or leap rooftops. You can attack unexpectedly or exploit surprise to your advantage.

Prowling is more than “stealth”—it’s a blend of athletic movement, environmental awareness, and impeccable timing. Think of it as general physical skill (balance, climbing, contortions, jumping, swimming, etc.) tuned for quiet and efficient movement. Darkness and terrain are your allies. Crowded streets, narrow alleys, and cluttered environments are your playground. The more obstacles in your environment, the better your position—though lack of speed may reduce your effect when trailing someone.

Prowl excels when terrain hinders movement, requiring climbing, swimming, squeezing, or careful footing. Actions like short sprints between cover, tightrope walking, escaping bonds, or weaving past obstacles might use either Finesse or Prowl, but Prowl specializes in maneuvering through obstacles and leveraging the environment.

Hunt and Survey counter Prowl by revealing your position, while another Prowler might play cat-and-mouse with you. Wreck might destroy your cover and force you to relocate.

Unless hidden, Prowl isn’t useful in melee except to escape. However, if hidden—especially when your target is unaware or unprepared—you can roll Prowl to attack at short range. More commonly, Prowl is used as a Setup Action to create opportunities for surprise attacks or other moves.

Group tests with Prowl are common when your crew moves into position. Typically the first rolls in a Stealth plan, group tests can be very efficient but require balance:

• The GM should require group checks only when there’s an advantage to be gained. Moving into an area is generally automatic unless specific challenges or risks are present.
• The GM may give group actions limited effect, with each roll only covering a short distance or navigating a single obstacle. Players can increase effect to overcome these limits.
• Group Prowl actions should be limited near enemies or in highly exposed positions; each person moving into the target's room may have to roll separately.

Examples of Prowl compared to other Actions:

• Hiding in a crowd—Consort influences the crowd; Finesse is faster.
• Waylaying a victim—Skirmish is better in a fight.
• Clearing a path for others to follow—Wreck handles heavier obstacles.
• Planning a route of access—Survey or Study finds more than just paths.
• Escaping handcuffs—Tinker opens the lock.

GM Questions

• How do you Prowl? How do you use your environment creatively?
• What are you trying to achieve?

Consequences When Prowling Prowl consequences depend entirely on the situation.

• You might leave some clue or be spotted by a witness, alerting opponents or causing Heat.
• Failing to traverse terrain may slow you down, cause a fall, or get you stuck.
• Escaping pursuit might allow an opponent to score a hit or just a good look at you.

Playbooks: Chi, Monster, Rogue, Warrior, Wee One.

Skirmish

When you Skirmish, you engage in close-quarters combat. You can fight with spears, swords, or pistols in hand-to-hand range. You can wrestle and brawl. You exploit situations as they arise. Skirmish thrives in chaotic conditions, allowing you to cooperate with allies and use unpredicted openings.

When you Skirmish, you get up close and personal, fighting in tight spaces with short-range weapons. Skirmish can represent either disciplined techniques or improvised maneuvers, depending on how you describe the action. It emphasizes perception and situational awareness over brute strength or pure dexterity. This awareness allows you to fight selectively, protect allies, and adapt to shifting conditions.

Skirmish is the most combat-focused Action, with limited use outside of combat. However, it can still support group efforts, such as contributing to a parade or search line.

Skirmish, Finesse, and Wreck form a tactical triangle in combat:

• Skirmish outsmarts Wreck with endurance and awareness.
• Wreck overwhelms Finesse with sheer power.
• Finesse counters Skirmish with speed and precision.

In prolonged or chaotic battles, Skirmish excels due to its balance of offense and defense. It’s about survival and conservation of effort. In a dynamic fight with multiple threats and unstable terrain, Skirmish is your go-to action. It’s not as fast and lethal as Finesse, as focused as Hunt, or as destructive as Wreck, but relies on adaptability in the heat of battle.

• You can shoot someone at close range, but Hunt is better at a distance.
• You can maneuver into position, but Finesse is faster and Prowl is more discreet.
• You can coordinate with allies, but Command can impose order.
• You are alert to immediate danger, but Survey has a wider scope and warns earlier.
• You can navigate traps and hazards, but Survey or Tinker is safer, and Finesse is faster.

GM Questions

• Who do you engage in combat? What’s your tactic or style?
• How are you coordinating with allies?
• What are you trying to achieve?

Consequences Combat always carries inherent risks:

• You may suffer wounds or other debilitating effects.
• You might fail to reach your intended position, leaving allies unsupported.
• Your attack could have a lesser result, disabling targets without neutralizing them.
• Collateral damage or unintended harm may occur, complicating the situation.

Playbooks: Chi, Cleric, Fighter, Sage, Sorcerer.

Study

When you Study, you collate information, scrutinize details, and interpret observations to uncover hidden truths, corroborate evidence, and guide decisions. Study is often used to Gather Information or Set Up another action by identifying problems and opportunities.

Study excels in research, whether preparing for a score or pursuing a long-term project. You use Study to gather information from documents, newspapers, books, or research an esoteric topic. You can make educated guesses about where to find information. Do you want to learn which noble has the best art collection with the worst security? Estimate how many rioting prisoners it would take to overwhelm the guards? Study provides precise answers when you take the time to focus.

Use Study to "read" a person, judging whether they’re lying, what they want, or their intentions. Study notices small details—expressions, tone, or subtle clues that reveal hidden truths. During interactions, you can gather information by asking the GM questions such as, “Are they telling the truth?”

Study also reconstructs events. Ask questions like, “What happened here?”, “What did they want?”, “Who left this track?” This overlaps with Survey, which scans for big-picture insights, and Hunt, which follows trails to locate a target. Study focuses on precise, detailed understanding, whereas Survey and Hunt excel in broader or more active contexts.

Languages If your game tracks knowledge of languages, you know Common, your racial language, and a number of additional languages equal to your Study rating. Learning root languages offers broader understanding, while exposure teaches you the dialects you’ve encountered. See Greyhawk Languages for details.

• Collate information to understand a situation, while Survey captures the bigger picture.
• Study evidence of a spirit in action, though Attune offers deeper insight at greater risk.
• Understand a society or court. Consort is faster and helps you blend in but less precise.
• Analyze a mechanism. Any action can understand the kit it uses, while Tinker can both identify and modify things.

GM Questions

• What do you study?
• What details or evidence do you scrutinize?
• Would someone of your background know this?
• What do you hope to understand or achieve?

Effect The effect of Study often provides context or uncovers opportunities rather than directly resolving situations. What level of effect is needed for a Set Up action varies, but great effect always suffices.

• Limited effect: You gain general warnings or surface-level information. “They have flamethrowers!”
• Standard effect: You analyze the situation and uncover useful context. “These are veterans from the wars—expect a hard fight!”
• Great effect: You identify specific vulnerabilities or critical details. “Those backpacks hold high-pressure napalm—shoot at them!”

Consequences Study consequences often cause delays or prevent further information gathering, but serious consequences may lead to poor decisions:

• You realize you lack sufficient knowledge and must find a source to learn more.
• Your findings are incomplete or contain false details.
• Time becomes critical: “Just a few more minutes…”
• You make a breakthrough but require something specific: “I know a cure! Now we just need silvershine flowers!”

Playbooks: Artificer, Cleric, Occultist, Sage, Wizard.

Survey

When you Survey, you observe the situation and anticipate outcomes. You might spot a good ambush point or detect the telltale signs of trouble. You might uncover opportunities or weaknesses.

Surveying is about gathering information from your surroundings, using your senses and instincts to read a situation. You’ll often use Survey before things go wrong, spotting trouble before it happens. It’s good for identifying danger, noticing weak points, or seeing patterns that others miss.

Survey is also the ability to shut out information to focus your attention on something specific. Picking up one conversation among many, keeping track of one person in a crowd, sorting out tiny gold nuggets in sand, all can be done with Survey.

When you Survey, it’s about staying ahead of the situation. You take the time to study the area and make sure you’re prepared for what’s coming. Survey is ideal when you’re out in the field, in an unknown environment, or trying to assess a target or location from a distance. The better prepared and more perceptive you are, the better your position will be when danger strikes.

Survey is great when traveling, to anticipate problems before they come up. This applies to both hiking, mounts, and vehicles.

• You can make educated guesses at what beyond sight into the ether, but Attuning is more effective.
• You can perceive who is who in a court, but Consort or Study might be better.
• You can spy, but may need Prowl to get into position.
• You can spy, but Prowl might give you a better vantage point.
• You can find clues, but Study analyzes them better and Hunt can follow a series of tracks.
• You can discern a lie or see through a disguise, but Study might give deeper insights.
• You can stake out a place, but Hunt might be more focused.

GM Questions

• What are you surveying? How do you go about it?
• What do you hope to learn or find?

Surveying is more practical and often safer for purely physical or tactical information. Attune can also be used to perceive unseen things, but it’s riskier because you’re engaging with the ether.

• What do you hope to achieve?

Playbooks: Mystic, Ranger, Spirit.

Sway

When you Sway, you influence someone with guile, charm, or logic. You might lie convincingly. You might persuade someone to do something they don’t want to do. You might argue a point or try to seduce with charm.

Swaying someone involves using words, logic, and charm to get them to see things your way. Unlike Command, where you compel someone to obey, Swaying requires a bit of finesse. You might lie or deceive them, or you might use a more subtle form of persuasion. It’s important to note that Sway is less about raw power and more about social manipulation.

Sway tends to work best when the person is already somewhat inclined to listen to you or be convinced. You’re trying to nudge them in the right direction. If you’re dealing with a complete enemy, you may have a tougher time Swaying them, and Commanding might be more effective.

Sway also covers seduction or charm, but it’s not always romantic in nature. It can be about building rapport and convincing someone of your point of view, whether by telling the truth, lying, or spinning a complex web of deceit. Success often depends on how well you’ve prepared the target to be receptive to your message.

Sway has a problem with Tier, in that a higher Tier than those you are trying to Sway with is a hindrance, not an asset. The poor suspect the suggestions of the great and powerful, so it is often wise to use a middle man. Some members of your crew that appear to be of lower rank might be perceived as lower tier and have an easier time.

• You can bargain with a spirit, but Attune might be better.
• You can try to trick someone with fear or authority, but Commanding might be better.
• You can hold a convincing speech, but Command might be better at firing up a crowd.
• You can interrogate, but Command or Study might be faster.
• You can mingle, but Consort might cover more ground.

GM Questions

• How do you sway them? What do you say or do?
• What do you hope they’ll agree to?
• What do you hope to achieve?

Playbooks: Bard, Mastermind, Mountebank, Mystic, Saint.

Tinker

When you Tinker, you fiddle with or operate devices, mechanisms, or substances. You might run a vehicle, repair a clockwork device, or pick a lock. You might craft a gadget or create a poison.

Greyhawk: The crafting of objects is traditionally organized into guilds with very specialized skills. Tinker is more of a generalist approach unless you have a special ability that involves true craft. Tinker makes a wide variety of functional items, but they're prototypes, less elegant and less precise that what guilded craftsmen makes.

Tinkering involves the careful and skilled manipulation of physical devices, tools, and substances. Whether you’re creating, repairing, or disabling, you’ll rely on a deep understanding of how things work. Tinkering is the go-to action for those who specialize in invention and machinery, and it’s often paired with the crafting system for more elaborate creations.

Locks, traps, gadgets, and poisons all fall under the purview of Tinkering. It’s a versatile action that rewards creativity and technical expertise, allowing you to manipulate the environment or create specialized tools to give your crew an edge.

Tinkering isn’t limited to mundane technology. It can also be used for arcane devices, though working with those might involve some Attuning as well, depending on the situation. If you’re trying to understand or repair something magical, you might need to use a combination of both actions to achieve the desired effect.

• You can to handle an arcane machine, but Attuning might be better.
• You can run a vehicle, but Finesse or Survey might be better.
• You can use explosives to demolish, but Wreck might be better.
• You can spot a trap, secret door, or hidden mechanism, but Survey or Study might be better.

GM Questions

• What do you tinker with? How do you approach it?
• What do you hope to achieve?

Playbooks Artificer, Rogue, Savant.

Wreck

Wreck has been given a more physical focus, but still covers demolition.

When you Wreck, you unleash savage force. You might smash down a door or wreck a barricade. You might employ chaos and destruction to create distractions or disturbances.

Wrecking is about brute force and causing destruction. You might tear down a structure, break an object, or cause widespread chaos to achieve your goal. Wrecking isn’t subtle, but it’s effective when you need to create a distraction or remove an obstacle in a hurry.

Wreck can be used to impress with raw physical ability and potential for violence.

Wrecking is about raw strength and endurance, and this can be used to do impressive physical tasks such as weight lifting, free climbing, and resisting physical strain.

Fighting with Wreck is about strength and emotion. While the other combat actions are about staying cool, Wreck works off passions such as love and hate. But Wreck can also work at a distance, using heavy guns, grenades, or simply thrown rocks. This might not be as effective nor over as much range as Hunt, but is nevertheless an effective option. Wreck in combat is fast, you will win quickly or lose over time as your energy is expended.

Wreck, Finesse, and Skirmish create a dynamic triangle in small fights: Wreck overwhelms Finesse, Finesse counters Skirmish, and Skirmish outmaneuvers Wreck. However, in situations requiring sheer destruction, Wreck excels regardless of scale, turning obstacles into opportunities through brute force.

• You can use a siege engine, but Tinker might be better.
• You can overpower a mount to force it to carry you, but Finesse might be better.
• You can free climb, but Prowl might be safer.
• You can frighten enemies into backing off, but Command allows greater control.
• You can overwhelm an opponent in combat, but Skirmish is more survivable.
• You could win a duel quickly through ferocity, but Finesse wins if the fight drags out.
• You can show off and display sex appeal, but Consort or Sway is better.

GM Questions

• What do you wreck? What method do you use?
• What are you hoping to destroy or disrupt?
• What do you hope to achieve?

Playbooks: Fighter, Monster, Sharpshooter, Warrior.

Starting Actions

• Attune: 5 Druid, Occultist, Saint, Spirit, Warlock
• Command: 4 Captain, Knight, Sorcerer, Warlock
• Consort: 4 Bard, Mastermind, Mountebank, Swashbuckler
• Finesse: 5 Captain, Knight, Savant, Swashbuckler, Wee One
• Hunt: 3 Ranger, Soldier, Wizardry
• Prowl: 5 Chi, Monster, Rogue, Warrior, Wee One
• Skirmish: 4 Chi, Cleric, Fighter, Sage, Sorcerer
• Study: 5 Artificer, Cleric, Occultist, Sage, Wizardry
• Survey: 4 Druid, Mystic, Ranger, Spirit
• Sway: 5 Bard, Mastermind, Mountebank, Mystic, Saint
• Tinker: 3 Artificer, Rogue, Savant
• Wreck: 4 Fighter, Monster, Soldier, Warrior