Rules
Welcome to Warp Field
Reality fractured in 2020, and nothing has been the same since. Across the world, shimmering Fields bloomed like soap-bubble dimensions, bringing with them strange beings, alternate histories, and the power to reshape the known laws of existence. Now, in the new normal, agencies rise to contain the chaos, collapse warped spaces, and decode the meaning behind the Great Break.
You are one of these agents.
Warp Field is a science-fantasy tabletop roleplaying game of high-concept investigation, anomaly containment, and cosmic entropy. It blends narrative-driven roleplay with tactical systems and modular design, allowing characters to evolve through unique Signature Abilities, Ability combination, and Faction loyalty.
What You’ll Need
To play Warp Field, you’ll need:
-
This rulebook
-
A character sheet (digital or printed)
-
At least 1 die of the following sizes: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20
-
A GM to guide the game
-
2–6 players ready to investigate the impossible
Optional: A way to track maps, tokens, or handouts—digital platforms or tabletop tools work great.
What Do We Do?
Players are agents investigating Warp Fields, reality anomalies full of altered physics, dangerous entities, and cryptic lore. Each session might involve:
-
Diving into a new Field to identify its anchor
-
Tracking anomalies and decoding strange data
-
Negotiating with beings from collapsed timelines
-
Surviving mutated terrain and corrupted zones
-
Sealing, cleansing, or collapsing the Field
The goal is simple: Resolve the disturbance.
The method is up to you.
Suggested First Steps
-
Read the Attributes and Beings sections to understand how characters function.
-
Pick a School that sounds fun. Are you a Psychic? An elemental tuner? A frontline melee fighter? Either way, your chosen school doesn’t lock you out of any other schools abilities, so mix and match to make your character yours.
-
Make a Signature Ability early. It’s your most personal power.
-
Choose a faction if you want story hooks and support built-in.
-
Ask your GM if they have a setting or mission in mind, or use the Field Generation section to make one together.
A Note on Tone
Warp Field can be played a few different ways. It supports high-drama storytelling, intense tactical combat, mystery-driven investigation, and even moments of surreal cosmic horror or quirky field science.
Your table should define the tone together—but at its core, this is a game about strange beauty, fractured truth, and how people choose who they are in a world that no longer makes sense.
Attributes
Attributes represent a character’s core capabilities and define their potential.
Unlike traditional RPGs, attributes in Warp Field do not automatically add modifiers to rolls. Instead, they provide structural advantages like resource caps, movement, scaling for abilities, and Difficulty Ratings (DRs) for resisting effects.
Improving Attributes
Attribute maximums are determined by your character’s Being.
You may increase attributes up to their maximum through the goal system, training, upgrades, or as rewards from progression.
At character creation, your chosen School grants +1 to two different attributes—this bonus allows you to exceed the normal maximums set by your Being.
Special equipment or abilities can allow temporary increases to attributes that can exceed the maximum attribute limit.
The Six Attributes
Strength (STR)
Raw power and physical force.
Increases your carrying capacity, and push/pull/lift weight limits.
Enhances jumping height and distance.
Agility (AGI)
Reflexes, coordination, and fine movement control.
Increases your maximum Action Points (AP).
Increases your maximum Reaction Points (RP) stored per round.
Endurance (END)
Durability, stamina, and fortitude.
Determines your maximum Guard Points (GP) and maximum Hit Points (HP).
Determines the number of Dice rolled to regain HP after a rest.
Intellect (INT)
Analytical thinking and tactical awareness.
Determines the number of Ability Combination Slots your character can have.
Determines your Sync Level when piloting Mechs or controlling Sync-based technology.
Speed (SPD)
Quickness, acceleration, and reaction timing.
Increases your movement speed.
Increases AP alongside AGI.
Used to determine initiative order.
Charisma (CHA)
Presence, force of will, and interpersonal influence.
Can affect how NPCs react to you—positively or negatively.
Boosts Flow generation, helping your party build and spend teamwork-based resources.
Governing Attributes
Abilities in Warp Field are all governed by one of the 6 attributes. This determines the attribute needed to improve the abilities effect and what attribute is used in certain contested rolls to resist the ability.
Difficulty Ratings (DRs)
When a character uses an ability that must be resisted or contested (like illusions, status effects, or hacks), the user’s attributes determine how difficult it is to resist the effect with a contested or Evasion roll.
DR = Governing Attribute + Relevant Skill or Weapon Proficiency Level
This formula keeps DRs modular and easy to apply across different abilities.
Contested rolls are usually described in the ability being used.
Hit Points
Every gamer knows what Hit Points are. It's the number that represents the amount of life in a character. When a character is reduced to 0 HP, they are put into the Death's Door state.
Each character’s maximum hit points are calculated based on its Endurance attribute and Being Modifier. The formula for calculating hit points is as follows:
Base Hit Points = (END × 3) + (Being Modifier x END)
Being Modifier
The being modifier is the random amount of extra Hit Points added to your hit point maximum based on what type of being you are. Whenever you create your character, you will roll the corresponding die a number of times equal to your END.
For example, a Human character with 5 END, will roll 5d8 and add it to the base hit points to determine your maximum hit points.
Whenever you increase your END, you roll an additional die and add it to your Hit Point Maximum.
Pressure
Pressure represents your character’s presence and its effect on others, particularly those who are weaker. It is a measure of your character’s overall power and influence in the world. Those without sufficient pressure are doomed to failure in the world of Warp Field investigations.
Pressure Level
To determine your total Pressure level, add all of your characters attributes together (e.g., Strength, Agility, Intellect, etc.). A starting character should have a Pressure Level of 21.
Unified Field (Group Combat)
In group encounters, teams use their Highest Pressure value to determine the Field. As long as your team’s highest Pressure character is conscious and within range, all allies use that character’s Pressure value to resist the effects of enemy Pressure. If the "Anchor" character is incapacitated, the field collapses to the next highest value.
The Pressure Gap
Pressure affects characters of your choice within a radius centered on you. The range is 10 ft. for every 10 Pressure you have. Subtract the weaker character’s Pressure (or Anchor) from the stronger character's Pressure to determine the Difference.
Heavy Air (10+): The space around the stronger character feels thick and resistant. Characters with lower Pressure must spend +1 AP extra to move toward the stronger character.
Static Interference (20+): The stronger character dictates the flow of battle. Lower Pressure characters cannot take Reactions or Counter-attacks against the stronger character unless they expend 5 Flow to "steel their nerves" for that specific instance.
Static Interference & Surge The air crackles with intent, disrupting coordination.
Dominance (30+): Once per round, at the end of any player's turn, the GM rolls a d6. On a 6, the stronger character immediately gains another turn. For every 10 extra pressure difference after this, the roll needed on the d6 is reduced by 1 (40+ 5-6, etc.)
Narrative Impact
Minor Pressure Difference (10+): The opponent feels uneasy or slightly intimidated.
Moderate Pressure Difference (20+): The opponent is visibly shaken, struggling to perform at their best.
Significant Pressure Difference (30+): The opponent is overwhelmed, possibly leading to mistakes, hesitation, or outright surrender.
Concealing Pressure
You can conceal your pressure at any time. Concealing your pressure can hide how much of a threat people are and keep normal people from feeling uneasy around you. You can attempt to get a read on a characters hidden pressure with an Insight check. If you are providing a "Unified Field" for your team, concealing your pressure removes that protection from your allies.
Interactions and Rolls
Warp Field features a robust system for resolving interactions and determining outcomes through a combination of dice rolls and character skills. This system ensures that actions are both impactful and fair, allowing for player agency and narrative-driven gameplay.
Rolling Dice
Warp Field uses a d10 system for resolving most actions. The basic formula for a roll is:
(d10 + Proficiency Level) + modifiers
Skill Rolls
Skill Rolls use a character’s proficiency level in a relevant skill. For example, hacking into a secure system would require a Technology skill roll.
Example:
-
Ayla attempts to hack into a security terminal.
-
Hacking Skill: +2
-
Roll: d10 + 2
-
Ability Rolls
Ability Rolls are used for actions involving a character’s unique abilities. These rolls often have specific rules based on the ability’s description, perhaps requiring an attack roll or an Evade reaction to determine if they hit.
How Skill Checks Work
Determine the Skill: Identify the skill relevant to the task (e.g., Scaling for climbing, Technology for bypassing security systems).
Skill Level: You add your skill proficiency level to the d10.
Difficulty Rating: The total of the d10 roll plus modifiers is compared to the DR set by the GM.
If the total meets or exceeds the DR, the skill check is a success.
If the total is below the DR, the roll check is a failure.
Contested Rolls
Contested rolls occur when two characters or entities are directly opposing each other in a task, such as arm wrestling, sneaking past a guard, or engaging in a debate. Each participant rolls the appropriate Skill and adds the relevant modifiers to their roll. The participant with the higher total result wins the contest.
Example:
-
Scenario: A player character (PC) is trying to sneak past a guard.
-
PC Roll: The PC has a Stealth proficiency level of 3. They roll a d10 and add the proficiency level to the result.
-
Guard Roll: The guard has a Perception skill of 2. They roll a d10 and add the proficiency level to the result.
The PC rolls an 8, for a total of 11 (8 + 3). The guard rolls a 10, for a total of 12 (10 + 2). The guard wins the contest and spots the PC.
Ties:
In the event of a tie, the GM can decide the outcome based on the situation, give a slight advantage to one side based on circumstances, or call for a reroll if appropriate.
Bonuses and Penalties:
Various factors, such as environmental conditions, equipment, or abilities, can grant bonuses or impose penalties to contested rolls. These should be factored into the total result before determining the winner.
Action Stacking
Depending on the situation, the GM may decide that the difficulty rating of an action is too high for one action or designate an amount of time that it takes to accomplish a task. In this situation the GM chooses a number of times that the task can be attempted, or the number of Stacked Actions.
Action stacking allows a character to make multiple Rolls for a single task, which, when added together, succeeds or fails as normal.
If time is of the essence, a character can attempt these actions faster, spending 1 AP each time on its turn, but receiving a -3 penalty for each Roll made in this way.
For example, a character wishes to hack into an enemy's computer mainframe. The GM decides that the difficulty rating of this task is 50 and the number of actions that a character can stack is 7. The character can make 7 Technology Rolls, adding each Roll together until they succeed or fail.
Skills
In Warp Field, skills are essential for performing a variety of actions and overcoming challenges. Each skill is categorized into Physical, Technical, Social, and Mental skills. Skills represent a character's proficiency in different aspects of gameplay, such as combat, interactions, crafting, and survival. Skills can be improved over time, allowing characters to become more proficient in specific tasks.
Skill Rolls
Whenever you attempt a task that falls under a specific skill, you will need to make a skill roll to determine whether you succeed. Skill rolls involve three steps:
-
Determine the Skill: Identify which skill is relevant to the task (e.g., Scaling for climbing a wall or enemy, Technology for hacking a computer).
-
Add Modifiers: Add relevant modifiers to the roll based on the character’s proficiency and situation:
-
Skill Level: The level of the skill being used.
-
Situational Modifiers: Environmental conditions or circumstances may grant additional bonuses or penalties.
-
-
Compare to Difficulty Rating (DR): The total of the d10 roll plus modifiers is compared to the Difficulty Rating (DR) set by the GM:
-
If the total meets or exceeds the DR, the check is successful.
-
If the total is below the DR, the attempt fails.
-
Leveling Skills
Characters can increase their proficiency in skills by using the skills throughout their adventures. In Warp Field, you don’t just “Level Up” and get something. You work your way up by using the skills, getting better over time.
You gain experience for a skill anytime you use it, even if you fail. Experience is literally counted in number of uses. Each use is 1 experience. This can be improved by certain Virtues, use of the Goal System, and Training during down time, allowing quicker improvement.
Skill Experience Scaling
To increase your proficiency in a skill, characters must practice and accomplish the tasks that challenge their current level of expertise. Each proficiency level requires progressively more effort to achieve mastery.
The amount of uses needed to improve the skill is 100 x the proficiency level.
Skill Potential
Whenever you create your character you can choose 1 skill in which you have potential. These skills can be increased to a maximum of level 5 through use and training. You can increase the number of skills you have potential in with certain Virtues.
Hopeless and Weak Skills
Not all characters are equally proficient in every skill. Some skills may be classified as Weak or Hopeless, representing areas where the character struggles significantly.
Weak Skills:
Weak skills are considered at a Proficiency Level -2. A weak skill can be improved through practice or training. The needed experience to improve Weak skills is doubled from the starting point of Level 1 skills and can only be improved up to a maximum of Level 1.
Hopeless Skills:
Hopeless skills are considered at a Proficiency Level -5. Hopeless skills cannot be improved or chosen to have potential. The character is inherently incapable in this area, whether due to a mental block, physical limitation, or deeply ingrained habits. Every hopeless skill you choose grants you 1 additional point on character creation with which to increase skill proficiency level of other skills.
Skill Focus
Every odd-numbered proficiency level (1, 3, 5) unlocks a Skill Focus for that skill. These are unique bonuses designed to make skill mastery more meaningful. Weak skills can only reach Level 1, and thus gain only the first effect. Hopeless skills cannot be improved.
Physical Skills
Athletics
Lifting, carrying, pushing, grappling, swimming, and other feats of raw physical strength. Often used when attempting to break down doors, resist being moved, or perform brute force stunts.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: Double your carry weight when lifting, pushing, or pulling. After doing so, take a -3 penalty to all rolls until the end of your next turn.
-
Level 3: Double your check result when using Athletics to break through objects or barriers.
-
Level 5: Spend any number of Reaction Points to Clash with an incoming attack or ability. Use an equal-cost attack/ability in response. The more damaging effect overrides the other and resolves.
Acrobatics
Tumbling, dodging, flipping, tightrope walking, and other complex maneuvers requiring agility and balance. Also used to avoid being knocked prone or recover from environmental hazards.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: Once per round, halve fall damage or avoid being knocked prone.
-
Level 3: Regain 2 Guard Points after successfully Evading.
-
Level 5: At the end of each turn, gain 3 free Reaction Points usable only for Evade. These do not count toward your RP maximum and disappear at the start of your turn.
Resilience
Enduring fatigue, pain, or poison. Resisting non-magical diseases and lasting through physical afflictions like exhaustion. Also tested during prolonged travel or hostile environments.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: Your natural Toughness increases by +2.
-
Level 3: Each time you are healed while below half HP, regain 2 extra HP.
-
Level 5: While at Death’s Door, you can add your Resilience bonus to your Survival rolls three times per Long Rest.
Scaling
Climbing walls, trees, creatures, or machinery. Staying mounted during movement or combat. Also used to swing, cling, or scramble across obstacles in tense situations.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: You can always attempt a Scaling check, even under impossible conditions.
-
Level 3: While mounted on a hostile creature larger than you, your attacks deal 1 additional damage die to it.
-
Level 5: Gain Advantage when resisting effects that would knock you off what you're climbing.
Stealth
Remaining unseen, sneaking past enemies, planting objects unnoticed, or ambushing targets. Also used to vanish after attacking or hiding objects or signals.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: Stay hidden while moving out in the open, as long as you end your turn out of sight.
-
Level 3: While hidden, your attacks ignore Guard Points if your Stealth level is higher than the target’s Perception level.
-
Level 5: While hidden, you deal double damage when attacking.
Technical Skills
Crafting
Creating, repairing, and modifying equipment, armor, weapons, gadgets, and consumables. Often paired with materials and toolkits to build custom gear or rework items in the field. Used during downtime to make or reinforce equipment or explosives.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: Spend 1 AP to create a temporary item using nearby materials. It functions for a number of uses equal to your proficiency level before breaking.
-
Level 3: Crafting tasks take half the normal time.
-
Level 5: Items you craft provide +2 to rolls when used for their intended purpose.
Engineering
Building and analyzing complex structures, machines, vehicles, or constructs. Used to repair environmental features (like collapsed bridges or damaged power cores), analyze structural weak points, or enhance mechanical systems like doors or lifts.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: You can reinforce a vehicle or object, permanently increasing its Toughness rating by your Engineering proficiency level. This process takes 1 hour and can only be done once. You can reinforce the same vehicle or object again whenever you increase your proficiency level in this skill.
-
Level 3: Identify weak points in mechanical constructs or vehicles. Whenever you hit with an attack or ability, add your Engineering proficiency level to the damage.
-
Level 5: You can now use your level 1 Engineering focus on Mechanical characters. Each time the character takes damage, the bonus is reduced by 1.
Sabotage
Disabling or damaging machines, security systems, or digital locks. Used to set and disarm traps, short-circuit devices, compromise supply chains, or corrupt data. Often tested in stealth missions or high-stakes break-ins.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: You don’t trigger traps on failed rolls to disarm them unless you roll a 1.
-
Level 3: Sabotaging a system also affects a connected system within 30 ft (e.g., disabling adjacent security cameras or unlocking a nearby door).
-
Level 5: Spend 2 AP to overload a system you control, shutting it down for 1 minute and stunning all connected systems or mechanical enemies for 1 round.
Piloting
Controlling vehicles, mechs, drones, or any mounted equipment—whether in combat or during exploration. Required for high-speed chases, evasive maneuvers, stunt driving, or rapid deployment. Piloting checks may be required to avoid crashes, win chases, or optimize performance.
Vehicle Access by Piloting Level:
Characters gain access to a new Vehicle Class every odd-numbered proficiency level:
-
Level 1: Choose 1 vehicle class (e.g., Urban, Land, or Basic Hovercraft).
-
Level 3: Choose another (e.g., Air, Snow, Water).
-
Level 5: Choose one advanced or hybrid type (e.g., Mech, Warp Glider, Armored Transport).
Your Piloting proficiency level may only be added when using vehicles you have chosen above. Vehicles may have proficiency level requirements that must be met to pilot them. You can refer to the Vehicles section for more information.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: Once per turn, you may make a sharp turn or avoid a crash without needing a check, unless the obstacle is extreme.
-
Level 3: You can add your proficiency level to Response rolls when performing stunts or evasive maneuvers.
-
Level 5: While you are in control, the vehicle gains +5 to Speed, Handling, and Efficiency.
Technology
Hacking terminals, decoding encrypted signals, modifying tech-based items, or bypassing digital security. Used to interact with AI, control drones, or crack locked terminals. Also relevant for data retrieval and remote operations.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: Once per round, when you interact with a device, you may cause a harmless but distracting malfunction (flickering lights, glitched UI, false readings).
-
Level 3: Force a contested Technology roll. On a success, take control of a turret, drone, or small automated system for 1 minute.
-
Level 5: While interfacing with technology, you leave behind no digital trace and are invisible to most sensors, alarms, and security AI.
Social Skills
Deception
Lying, bluffing, disguising your intent, planting false evidence, or faking emotions. Useful in social manipulation, undercover work, or misleading enemies mid-combat. Also used to impersonate others, feign innocence, or mislead via voice or behavior.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: When you fail a Deception roll in conversation, you can immediately reframe your lie, forcing the character to roll Insight to catch it.
-
Level 3: You can mimic someone’s tone, speech pattern, or writing style perfectly after hearing or reading a single sentence.
-
Level 5: You can convince a crowd of something implausible for 1 minute unless directly proven false. Each person targeted rolls Insight against your Deception to resist.
Leadership
Rallying allies, taking charge in high-stakes moments, giving tactical orders, or bolstering morale. Often used in large group scenes, squads, or to inspire cooperation from NPCs. Strongly synergizes with Support abilities or when acting as the party "face."
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: Allies within 30 feet of you gain a bonus to initiative rolls equal to your Leadership level. A character can only gain this bonus from one character at a time.
-
Level 3: Whenever you use the Team Up flow option, the first character chosen gains additional AP equal to your Leadership level.
-
Level 5: Allies who begin their turn within 10 ft. of you ignore 10 Pressure from hostile characters.
Persuasion
Convincing others through logical arguments, emotional appeals, or passionate speeches. Used to resolve conflicts, gain cooperation, change opinions, or broker deals. In combat, it can be used with abilities that allow non-violent resolutions.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: When you succeed on a Persuasion check by 3 or more, you create a lasting impression. The NPC will remember you favorably unless given a reason not to.
-
Level 3: Your standing with NPCs have an initial +1 bonus upon meeting.
-
Level 5: People always understand when you are telling the truth. You can attempt to shift a hostile NPC to neutral through honest discussion.
Insight
Reading body language, tone, or behavior to detect lies, emotion, or hidden motives. Helps you spot falsehoods, determine social dynamics, and recognize manipulation. Also used to sense traps in social interactions or negotiations.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: When interacting with a character, you can ask the GM what it wants at that moment. You can use this on a character once every 24 hours. If you’re in combat, this reveals the character’s primary combat goal (e.g., escape, protect, kill, survive).
-
Level 3: After studying a character for 1 minute, you gain advantage on the next Social skill roll you make against them.
-
Level 5: You automatically detect lies when speaking with someone face-to-face. This does not give you insight to what the truth is, however.
Intimidation
Instilling fear, asserting dominance, coercing compliance, or controlling situations through raw presence. Useful when threatening enemies, interrogating prisoners, or deterring attackers.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1 — Whenever you successfully Intimidate a character, it has a -1 penalty on all rolls against you for 1 minute.
-
Level 3 — If you reduce an Elite target to 0 HP or cause them to surrender, you gain a bonus to your Pressure level equal to 5 x your Intimidation level for 1d4 rounds.
-
Level 5 — Characters that are affected by your Pressure become Frightened of you..
Mental
Deduction
Analyzing clues, identifying patterns, predicting enemy behavior, or piecing together information in investigations. Also useful in combat to recognize weak points or anticipate tactics. Deduction checks are often made in social deception or mystery-heavy scenarios, as well as when evaluating battlefield context or deciphering language.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: When examining a scene, ask the GM one yes/no question about a suspect, clue, or event. The GM answers truthfully.
-
Level 3: You can choose one character to analyze at the beginning of combat. After watching them for 3 rounds, you can add a d4 to your attack, defend, and evasion rolls against them in this encounter. If the target is reduced to 0 HP or otherwise removed from combat, you can choose a new target to analyze.
-
Level 5: Once per Day, declare that you foresaw a certain event that just happened. Rewind to just before it happened and describe your preparation. The GM must accept the change unless it contradicts established facts.
Lore
Recalling legends, cultural information, magical phenomena, and historical or faction knowledge. Lore is the primary skill for understanding strange, unknown, or Warp-related phenomena. It's also used for deciphering symbols, identifying relics, or remembering forgotten truths.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: Automatically remember basic information about legends, regions, or factions when encountering them for the first time.
-
Level 3: Once per combat encounter, you can make an ability combination on the fly. You can use this combination through the entirety of the encounter.
-
Level 5: Once per turn, you can add your Lore proficiency to ability rolls Governed by INT.
Perception
Spotting hidden threats, noticing movement, or being alert to changes in the environment. Used passively to notice ambushes, traps, or subtle details. Also important in combat for identifying camouflaged targets or reacting to sudden shifts in the battlefield.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: Gain passive Perception equal to 3 + your Perception proficiency level for detecting threats while not actively searching.
-
Level 3: You have resistance to damage from traps.
-
Level 5: You can act normally even when your party is Surprised.
Medicine
Healing wounds, treating conditions, reviving allies, and applying medical gear in or out of combat. This is the skill used when stabilizing a dying ally or diagnosing afflictions. Can also be used to analyze biological samples or understand a creature’s physiology.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: Medical tools require 1 less AP to use.
-
Level 3: Healing effects you apply to others restore additional HP equal to your Medicine proficiency level.
-
Level 5: If a character has died within 5 minutes, you may attempt a Medicine check to bring them back at 1 HP. The DR is 5 + the number of minutes since death.
Security
Analyzing structural defense systems, spotting ambush points, spotting traps, or securing areas against intrusion. Used for lockpicking. This includes electronic surveillance as well as tactical positioning. Can also be used to reinforce positions or analyze enemy defensive patterns.
Focus Effects:
-
Level 1: You can find blind spots in camera/turret coverage or identify weak entry points. Add your Security level to relevant rolls.
-
Level 3: After observing a character for 5 minutes, learn 2 of their Attributes, 2 known Abilities, or 2 Weapon Proficiencies (your choice). You can observe a character multiple times to learn more.
-
Level 5: Once per day, declare that you had previously set a trap, safe route, or contingency plan, even retroactively, if it makes narrative sense. This may counteract a breach, ambush, or escape attempt.
Fatigue
After a hard day of strenuous activity, combat, or exploration anyone can become fatigued. Warp Field investigators have a hard job and it can be taxing on the body and mind, making things harder for everyone.
A character can gain one level of Fatigue for any of the following:
-
Staying awake or otherwise not taking a rest for 24 hours or more.
-
Whenever a character is in combat for more than 100 turns.
-
A terrain effect puts extra strain on a character during its work day.
-
Staying in Death's Door for longer than 10 turns.
-
Being unable to eat at least 1 full meal a day, not having enough water, or working for more than 8 hours without a short rest.
A character can have a total of 10 levels of Fatigue. For every level of Fatigue a character has, it receives a -1 penalty to its action rolls and contested rolls.
Whenever a character reaches 5 levels of Fatigue and for every level thereafter, it must choose an ability it knows. The chosen ability is unusable until the Fatigue is cleared.
Whenever a character reaches 10 levels of Fatigue it falls unconscious until it sleeps long enough to remove all levels of Fatigue.
Resting
Every being needs rest of some kind. Resting can cure ailments, injury, and fatigue. Whenever a character rests at least 8 hours without interruption it gains the following:
-
The character loses 2 levels of Fatigue.
-
The character can roll a number of D8's equal to its END. It regains hit points equal to that amount.
-
The character is Rested until the end of its next combat.
-
All Recharge abilities are fully recharged.
A character can only rest in this way once in a span of 24 hours.
Characters can decide to take a short rest instead. At the end of a 30 minute rest, a character gains the following:
-
Reduces the chance of gaining Fatigue.
-
The character can roll a number of D4's equal to END. It regains hit points equal to that amount.
-
You can recharge 1 ability without needing to roll during combat.
You can take up to 3 short rests within a span of 24 hours.
Combat Overview
Warp Field combat emphasizes strategic decision-making and teamwork. The system uses Action Points (AP) for various actions, with each character having a set amount of AP per turn. A character regains all AP at the beginning of its turn, unless circumstances prevent it from doing so.
Action Points (AP)
Your total AP determines how often you can act on your turn. Any unspent AP are turned into RP at the end of a character’s turn.
Total AP = SPD + AGI
Basic Actions
-
Weapon Attack - 2 AP - A basic weapon attack.
-
Move - 1 AP - Move 5 x your SPD
-
Ability - Varies based on the ability
-
Use Item - 2 AP - Use consumable items.
-
Interact - 1 AP - Open doors, pull levers, etc.
Reaction Points (RP)
Your total RP determines how often you can act on other characters’ turns. Characters can convert unused AP into RP at the end of their turn. The maximum number of RP a character can have is equal to their AGI.
First Round RP
The first round in a combat situation grants you RP equal to half your AGI. This allows characters to react on the first round when they wouldn't have been able to save any AP at the end of their turn.
Basic Reactions
-
Defend - 1 RP - Replenish 1d4 GP.
-
Evasion - 1 RP - Attempt to evade an attack completely.
Combat Phases
Combat is split into 5 Phases,
-
Start Turn: Check for start-of-turn-effects, regain AP and GP.
-
Recharge Phase: Roll to recharge your abilities.
-
Action Phase: Characters take turns in order, spending AP for actions.
-
Resolution Phase: Resolve ongoing effects, such as status conditions.
-
End Phase: Check for end-of-turn effects, set RP for reactions until the next turn.
Recharge Rolls
Recharge Rolls determine whether an ability with a Recharge Rate becomes usable again. If an ability is marked with a Recharge Rate (such as “Recharge: 5-6”), it can only be used again once you succeed on the required roll at the start of your turn.
At the start of your turn, roll the corresponding die for one of your abilities that is currently recharging. The Recharge listed in the Ability description determines the die size. The highest number on a Recharge Rate will always determine the die size. An ability with a Recharge of 5-6 will use a D6 for the recharge roll.
If the result meets or exceeds the number shown, the ability is refreshed and becomes usable again. If the roll fails, the ability remains unavailable and you may try again on your next turn.
Offense
Warp Field grants a player multiple ways of dealing damage during combat. All offensive actions require an Offense Roll to determine whether it hits and a damage roll to determine how effective the attack was. Some offense rolls determine the evasion roll necessary to avoid the attack, instead of being compared to a character’s GP.
Attack Rolls
Attack Rolls determine whether an attack hits the target by comparing the roll result against the target's Guard Points (GP).
Offense Roll = d10 + Attack Modifier
Attack Modifier: This typically includes Weapon Proficiency Level and any relevant skill or ability bonuses.
Damage Calculation
Once an attack hits, calculate the damage dealt to the target.
Damage = Weapon Damage – Toughness
Weapon Damage: The base damage value of the weapon used
Critical Hits
In Warp Field, critical hits aren't random luck, they are the result of tactical precision and overwhelming force.
Triggering Perfect Break
A Perfect Break is a special way circumstance that can occur in one of two ways:
-
You deal damage that matches the target’s current Guard Points (GP) exactly, bringing them perfectly to 0.
-
You deal a single instance of damage that is equal to or greater than double the target’s Maximum GP.
When a Perfect Break is triggered, you gain Critical Dice, 2d6's, which you can spend to augment your next action. These dice allow you to customize your critical hit with additional damage or effects.
Spending Critical Dice
You do not roll your dice all at once. Instead, you "input" your combo one die at a time:
-
Choose an Effect from the options below.
-
Roll 1d6: Take one die from your Critical Dice and roll it.
-
On a roll of 1–5: The effect is added to the next action and the die is spent. On a roll of 6, the dice cascade. The effect is added, but the die is not spent, allowing you to roll it again.
-
Continue: Repeat this process until your Critical Dice are all spent.
Critical Effects
Each die rolled allows you to perform one of the following feats. If you roll multiple dice, you may choose the same stunt multiple times to stack the effects.
Relentless: You deal the Critical die as additional damage.
Shockwave: The target and all enemies within 5ft are pushed 10ft away from you. This movement does not provoke Reactions from your allies.
Pursuit: You immediately move your full Speed. This movement is instantaneous and does not provoke Reactions. You can use this effect before or after the critical hit resolves.
Launch: You launch the target 20ft into the air. While the target is airborne, your next attack against them gains a +2 bonus to hit, and they are considered Restrained until they hit the ground.
Collateral Impact: You slam the target into another creature within 10ft. Both creatures take the damage, and the secondary creature is effected by the critical hit effects at half the effect.
Stagger: You strike a vital nerve or joint. The target’s next attack or Ability roll is made with a -5 penalty.
Siphon: The force of your blow revitalizes you. You make a recharge roll for an ability, adding the the result of the d6 to it.
Burst
If your Critical Hit reaches a total of 4 or more dice rolls (due to Cascades), you enter Burst Mode. After all Critical Dice are spent, you resolve a Narrative Finisher.
The target is launched through terrain or cratered into the ground, taking 1d10 additional damage for every 6 rolled during the sequence and becoming Stunned for 1 round. Use this moment to describe the environment shattering under the force of the impact.
Passing the Torch
A Perfect Break is a momentary opening. If the character who triggered the Break cannot capitalize on it due to ending their turn or is otherwise unable to take an action, the opportunity is not lost.
-
The triggering character may "pass" the Perfect Break to an ally who has not yet taken their turn this round or has a RP available.
-
That ally becomes the owner of the Critical Dice and resolve the Critical Hit as if they had triggered the Break themselves.
Defense
In Warp Field, defense mechanisms go beyond the traditional. We introduce an alternative system that emphasizes dynamic and tactical responses to incoming attacks, making combat more engaging and strategic.
Defense Components
-
Guard Points (GP)
-
Toughness
-
Evasion
-
Barrier
-
Contested Rolls
Guard Points (GP)
Guard Points (GP) represent a character’s ability to defend or deflect attacks. A character’s attack roll must exceed the target’s GP or the attack misses. When an attack hits, it first reduces the target’s GP before affecting their health. Once a character’s GP is reduced to 0, each attack is a guaranteed hit. A character’s GP is fully replenished at the start of their turn.
Base GP = END + Other Modifiers
GP modifiers can come from armor, mods, or abilities.
Defend Reaction:
Whenever you are reduced below your maximum GP, you can use the Defend reaction. You can roll a 1d4, regaining GP equal to the amount rolled. If a character regains GP higher than the attack roll, the attack misses as normal.
Toughness
Toughness reduces the amount of damage a character takes after GP is depleted. Different types of armor provide varying levels of toughness against different types of damage. Basic toughness reduces Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage equal to the level of toughness.
Evasion
Evasion represents a character’s ability to dodge attacks entirely. It is influenced by the character’s specific abilities or equipment that enhance evasiveness.
Evasion Roll = d10 + Modifiers
If the Evasion Roll exceeds the attack roll of the enemy attack, the attack misses.
Some abilities require an Evasion roll with a DR equal to the governing attribute, otherwise they automatically hit.
Barrier
Shielding provides additional protection by absorbing incoming damage before it affects GP or health. Shields can be either physical items or energy-based. When a shield absorbs the requisite amount of damage it is destroyed.
Contested Rolls
Contested rolls occur when two characters or entities are directly opposing each other in a task, such as arm wrestling, sneaking past a guard, or engaging in a debate. Each participant rolls the appropriate Skill and adds the relevant modifiers to their roll. The participant with the higher total result wins the contest.
Some abilities have Contested rolls detailed directly in their descriptions that determine whether a target succeeds or fails a Contest.
Initiative
Initiative determines the order in which characters act during combat. A higher initiative roll allows a character to act earlier in the round, giving them a tactical advantage.
Initiative Rolls
At the beginning of a combat encounter, each player and NPC rolls for initiative.
Roll: Each character rolls a d10 and adds their SPD.
Formula: Initiative = d10 + SPD
The GM rolls for all NPCs, either individually or as groups, depending on the complexity of the encounter.
Initiative Order
After all initiative rolls are made, the results are listed in descending order. Characters act in sequence from highest to lowest initiative.
Ties: If two or more characters have the same initiative roll, their actions are resolved based on their SP, with the higher SPD acting first. If the character’s SPD are also tied, a roll-off (another d10) determines the order.
Initiative Jumping: A character can choose to place themselves one order lower in the initiative, switching places with the character below them in the initiative order. Sometimes, you may not want your turn to come until later.
Surprise
If a group of characters are unaware of the other group's presence, the aware group gains a surprise round. During this round, surprised characters can't move or take actions until the start of the next round. The surprised characters can still use reactions, but gain only half of the First Round RP.
Modifying Initiative
Various conditions, abilities, and effects can modify a character’s initiative. For example, certain virtues and abilities may grant bonuses to initiative rolls or allow a character to re-roll their initiative.
Flow
Flow is a shared party resource that builds during combat. As characters perform various actions, the Flow Pool fills up, allowing the party to unleash coordinated team attacks or special maneuvers. Flow encourages teamwork and strategic planning.
A party can hold 100 points of Flow at a time.
Generating Flow
Characters generate flow at the end of their turn depending on the Flow Generation detailed in their main School’s traits.
Additionally, for every 2 points of CHA a character has, it generates 1 point of Flow at the end of its turn.
Using Flow
When a character decides to use Flow, they can choose from the options below.
Team Up:
A character can expend flow points to have another character assist them during their turn.
Choose one friendly character that you can see within 60 feet of you.
The chosen character can immediately move 1 AP worth of movement and then gains 2 AP for every 10 Flow expended in this way.
Alternatively, you can choose multiple characters at a time, expending 10 Flow for each character.
Granting a character AP with Flow points has no effect on turn order.
Guard Assist:
A character can expend flow points to assist another character that is the target of an attack or ability. The character can move 1 AP worth of movement per every 5 Flow expended.
If the character ends its movement within 5 feet of the targeted character, the two switch places and the character using Flow becomes the new target. Upon switching, the assisting character can choose to spend RP equal to the actions AP cost to perform a Counter-Strike:
-
Contested Roll: The assisting character makes an immediate attack roll contested against the attacker's roll.
-
Failure: The original attack goes through, with you as the new target.
-
Tie: Both attacks clash, canceling each other out entirely.
-
Success: The attacker is Staggered (loses 1 AP on their next turn) and the party generates 5 Flow from the momentum of the successful parry.
If the original attack or ability used targets an area, you can choose to take the damage the original character would have as well as your own.
Pressure Flare: A character can spend Flow at the start of its turn to trigger a "Flare." For every 10 Flow spent, that character's Pressure increases by 10 until the start of its next turn. This can be used to bypass an enemy's thresholds or even subject them to your own.
Flow’s Effect on Pressure
While using Flow to execute a team up, the characters involved receive no penalty due to pressure. After successfully dealing damage with a Flow team up, friendly characters are immune to any pressure effects for 1 round.
High GP
Sometimes, you may meet hostile forces that are just too strong to face alone.
An enemy with a seemingly insurmountable GP rating can ignore any attack you throw at it. Flow can help even the odds!
While using the Team Up flow option, each character making an attack roll against a target’s GP adds their roll together to determine a hit.
If the roll exceeds the target GP, all of the hits land.
Jumping and Falling
In Warp Field, characters may need to jump across gaps or avoid damage from falling. The mechanics for jumping and falling are straightforward but crucial for navigating the environment effectively.
Jumping
Jumping is determined by a character's Strength (STR) attribute and involves two types of jumps: Long Jump and High Jump.
Long Jump
Distance: When making a long jump, a character can cover a number of feet up to 3 times their STR score if they move at least 10 feet immediately before the jump. Without a running start, the character can only leap half this distance.
Making a long jump requires 1 AP if you are standing still. If you are moving, it requires no AP
If the jump is over a dangerous area (e.g., a chasm, spikes), the GM might require an Athletics (STR) check.
High Jump
Height: When making a high jump, a character can leap into the air a number of feet equal to their half it's long jump distance if they move at least 10 feet immediately before the jump. Without a running start, the character can only jump half this height.
Making a high jump requires 1 AP if you are standing still. If you are moving, it requires no AP.
If the character attempts to reach a ledge or grab onto something mid-jump, an Athletics (STR) check might be required. The DR varies based on the height and conditions.
Jumping Momentum
A character may make a jump that can't be finished in one turn. In such cases, the character remains airborne and continues their movement at the start of their next turn.
Momentum Mechanics
Airborne State: If the distance a character must jump exceeds their jump distance and it must end its turn, it doesn't just just stop and fall. It gains the Airborne state and continues the jump on their next turn.
Continuing Movement: At the start of their next turn, the character continues moving through the air equal to their jump distance. The character can travel up to half its jump distance before beginning to fall 5 feet at an angle for up to 10 more feet of distance, then 10 feet for the rest of the distance, then it begins falling as normal.
Interruption: If the character is attacked or otherwise interrupted while airborne, they must make an Acrobatics check to avoid falling or being knocked off course.
Falling
When a character falls, they may take damage based on the distance they have fallen. The mechanics for falling are as follows:
Short Falls (up to the characters max jump height): No damage.
Moderate Falls (20-40 feet beyond max jump height): Take 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet fallen beyond the initial 20 feet.
Long Falls (41-60 feet beyond max jump height): Take 2d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet fallen beyond the initial 20 feet.
Extreme Falls (61+ feet beyond max jump height): Take 3d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet fallen beyond the initial 20 feet.
Reducing Falling Damage
Some skills, abilities, or items may reduce or negate falling damage entirely.
Cushioned Fall: If a character falls onto a soft surface (e.g., water, hay), the GM may reduce the damage or eliminate it entirely, depending on the circumstances.
Controlled Fall: If a character can grab onto something or slow their descent (e.g., using the Wall Run or Cushion ability), they may avoid damage altogether or take reduced damage at the GM's discretion.
Moving During Fall: A character can move at an angle during a long or extreme fall to maneuver themselves into a better position to survive it.
Falling Prone
Any fall that would deal damage > half of a characters maximum HP, but doesn't kill it outright, requires an Acrobatics check upon landing with a DR equal to the number of damage die taken in the fall. On a failure, the character falls prone and can't stand until its next turn.
Plunging Attacks
A plunging attack is a powerful maneuver where a character leaps down from a higher position to strike an enemy below. This can be an effective way to deal extra damage and gain a tactical advantage.
Attack Roll: The character makes a normal attack roll against the target.
Damage Bonus: On a hit, the plunging attack deals the damage it would take from falling. The type of damage is determined by the weapon used.
Fall Damage: The character still takes falling damage as normal, but can reduce the damage by half with a successful plunging attack. A character can further reduce the damage with the use of abilities or skills as usual.
Risks and Rewards
High Risk: Failing the attack roll results in a missed attack and potentially additional consequences determined by the GM (e.g., falling prone, taking extra damage).
High Reward: Successfully landing a plunging attack can turn the tide of battle, dealing significant damage and potentially catching enemies off guard.
Character Size
In Warp Field, all characters and creatures fall into a Size Category, which affects their movement, inventory capacity, jumping, fall damage, and interactions with terrain and equipment. Size is determined by your Being, gear, or effects like transformations.
Size Categories
Size Space Occupied Inventory Slot Mod Move Speed Mod Jump Mod Fall Damage Mod
Tiny 2.5 × 2.5 ft ×0.5 (rounded down) +10 ft/AP ×2.0 ×0.5 (rounded down)
Small 5 × 5 ft ×0.75 (rounded down) No Change ×1.5 ×0.75 (rounded down)
Medium 5 × 5 ft ×1.0 No Change ×1.0 ×1
Large 10 × 10 ft ×2.0 -5 ft/AP × .5 ×2
Huge 15 × 15 ft ×3.0 -10 ft/AP Can't Jump ×3
Giant 20+ × 20+ ft ×4.0 -15 ft/AP Can't Jump ×4
Size-Based Rules
Inventory Capacity
Your inventory capacity is calculated as:
(10 + STR) × Size Modifier
This determines how many item slots you can carry before becoming encumbered.
Tiny characters carry fewer items overall.
Large+ characters can carry massive inventories with ease.
Fall Damage
Larger characters take more fall damage due to mass; smaller characters take less.
Jump Modifier
Jumping distances are modified by size.
Tiny and Huge+ characters may be unable to jump at all; GM discretion applies.
Movement Modifier
Large or larger creatures suffer reduced speed per AP due to bulk and stride inefficiency.
GM Notes
Size Change Effects
If a character changes size due to abilities, armor, or transformation, immediately recalculate their inventory slot modifier, movement, and jump/fall modifiers.
Environmental Hazards
Larger characters may collapse terrain, trigger heavy pressure plates, or struggle with narrow passages. Smaller characters might slip through vents, avoid traps, or hide more easily.
Squeezing Through Spaces
Creatures Large or larger must spend 2× movement cost when squeezing through spaces not designed for them. Tiny creatures can freely move through tight gaps or ally spaces.
Size & Gear Limits
Armor Fit
Most gear is made for Medium characters.
Small, Large, or Huge characters require custom-fitted armor. Otherwise, they suffer a –2 penalty to Defend and Evasion rolls until the gear is adapted.
Weapon Use
Weapon damage does not change based on size. However, oversized or undersized weapons may require specific alterations to use effectively or may need to be scaled versions. A sword for a medium character may be a dagger for a large one.
Item Interaction
Characters cannot reasonably use or operate items significantly too large or too small for them (e.g., a Tiny creature can’t drive a Medium vehicle without adaptations).
Goal System
The Goal System in Warp Field replaces the traditional experience and leveling system with a personalized and narrative-driven approach to character progression. This system allows players to set specific goals for their characters to achieve during the game, which in turn grants new abilities, skills, and attribute enhancements.
Setting Goals
Whenever a character finishes a long rest, a player can choose up to three goals for their character to work towards. These goals can be related to learning new abilities, improving existing skills or weapon proficiencies, or enhancing attributes. If a goal is left unassigned, you are not working toward anything, so make sure you know what you want.
Abilities: Abilities have their own goals built into them which a character must meet to learn them or increase their level. Some ability goals grant you access to a minor version of the ability to represent your characters efforts to practice and learn the corresponding ability.
Skills: To increase a skill's proficiency, a character must successfully use that skill a number of times. The difficulty and number of required tasks increase as the skill level advances. If you are weak in a skill, the amount of uses doubles to increase it's level by 1.
Attributes: Enhancing attributes involves completing specific, often scaling, tasks that reflect the attribute in question. Goals for attributes are designed to grow progressively more difficult as the character's proficiency increases, ensuring that higher levels of achievement require greater effort and dedication.
Goal Completion
Tracking Progress: Players and the GM work together to track the progress of each goal. The specifics of how progress is tracked will depend on the nature of the goal. For instance, learning a fire ability might require successfully using the practice version of the ability in combat a certain number of times.
Achieving Goals: Once a goal is achieved, the character gains the reward associated with that goal. This could be a new ability, an improved skill, or an enhanced attribute.
Progression
Warp Field replaces traditional XP and leveling systems with a usage-based, goal-driven progression model. Characters improve by using their abilities, pushing their limits, and actively pursuing growth through personal goals. This allows a character to improve even in the middle of combat, possibly giving it the edge, or unlocking a new ability just in time to turn the tide.
Attribute Progression
Attributes grow through repeated use of the skills and abilities they govern. Every time you take an action that demonstrates or tests a specific attribute, you gain 1 use toward improving that attribute.
How Attribute Growth Works:
-
Each attribute starts with a usage counter.
-
Once you reach 100 × current attribute level in uses, that attribute increases by 1.
-
When you increase the attribute, its counter resets to 0.
Use Examples by Attribute:
STR (Strength): Jumping, climbing, pushing heavy objects
AGI (Agility): Dodging, tumbling, using the Evade reaction, performing Acrobatics, reflex-based tasks
END (Endurance): Taking damage, resisting afflictions, surviving harsh environments
INT (Intellect): Crafting, hacking, solving logic puzzles
SPD (Speed): Moving your full movement in a turn, acting first in combat
CHA (Charisma): Persuading or intimidating, leading others, using illusion or social abilities
Note: Using an ability that is governed by an attribute also counts as a use of that attribute.
Goals and Focused Growth
You can choose your goals during a long rest. When you do, every qualifying use is granted a +1 toward its progress. This represents your active intent to improve in that area and basically doubles your goal progress speed.
Skill and Weapon Proficiency Growth
Skills and weapon proficiency levels also improve through repeated, intentional use.
Skill Proficiencies
-
Each time you use a skill, you gain 1 experience toward improving it, even on a failure.
-
You must meet a certain number of uses to increase your proficiency level (see the Skill section).
-
If the skill is set as a goal, each successful experience grants 2 uses.
-
Weak skills require double the number of experience; Hopeless skills cannot improve.
Weapon Proficiencies
-
Making a successful attack with a weapon grants 1 experience to the proficiency of that weapon type.
-
After enough experience, your proficiency increases, unlocking new Weapon Focus effects at levels 1, 3, and 5.
-
If your weapon type is a goal, each use grants 2 experience.
-
See the Weapons section for the weapon focus effects and the experience needed for each proficiency level.