Table of contents

• Attributes
• Description of attributes
• 0 value attribute
• Skill check
• Skills list
• Expertise
• Combined action and help
• Fatigue and vigor points
• Character development and expirience points
• Breakthrough

Attributes

Attributes serve as the main statistics in the game. The primary Attributes encompass Body, Senses, Mind, and Willpower, representing the raw physical capabilities of every creature. These Attributes are tied to the strength of muscles and mind, awareness, intellect, and the innate power of being that holds the soul in the body. Additionally, there are secondary Attributes of Faith, Magic, and Science. Unlike most creatures, only sentient beings have access to these Attributes. They represent technical and scientific capabilities, connection to magic, the mystical, and the divine. Each player is required to have a minimum value of 1 in all primary Attributes, reflecting the baseline abilities of an average person. If in the character making process our hero ends up with 0 in one of the secondary Attributes, they experience some difficulties (as mentioned bellow).

Description of attributes

Primary attributes:

Body (B): This Attribute encompasses physical strength and precision. It also determines the base speed of a character. Characters who have Body of 3 are considered very strong while those with 6 and more have supernatural power, being able to wrestle with much bigger creatures. Skills associated with Body include Stealing, Stealth, Athletics, Dodge, and Speed. Additionally, all melee weapon attacks are resolved through a Body check.

Senses (S): This Attribute represents one’s sensory abilities, including hearing and seeing. Those who have 3 in Senses could be considered very perceptive while someone with 6 and more can easily spot a green snake in the dense foliage. It directly influences Perception, Performance, Animal Handling, and Survival Skills. Additionally, all attacks related to distance (or thrown) weapons are resolved through a Senses check.

Mind (M): Mind represents cognitive abilities and intellectual prowess. It encompasses knowledge, understanding of complex mechanisms, and persuasive Skills. Characters with 3 in Mind can easily be called a smart person while those with 6 and more are geniuses way beyond the understanding of a normal folk. Skills corresponding to Mind include Common Knowledge, Persuasion, Valuation, Cultures, and Machines.

Willpower (W): Willpower reflects the strength of the connection between the body and mind and the resistance to external influences. The value of 3 represents a strong connection while 6 and more is practically unbreakable. It corresponds to Skills such as Bravery, Pain Resistance, Magic Resistance, and Decay Resistance.

Secondary Attributes:

Faith (Fai): This Attribute represents the character’s connection to the divine and the strength of their beliefs. It determines the number of faith points a character has and directly relates to the number of miracles they can perform. Someone with the value of 3 in Faith would be a powerful preacher of their god and those with 6 and more are the highest ranking priests whose knowledge goes far beyond what is commonly available. Skills related to Faith include Prayer, and Crafts associated with faith.

Magic (Mag): This Attribute represents the character’s control and understanding of magical powers. It determines the maximal X number of a spell and their knowledge of magic. It directly relates to the power of spells a player can cast. Mages with 3 in Magic are quite powerful being able to cause a lot of damage but those with 6 and more can move the mountains. Is relevant for Skills such as Chanting for Talemasters, Channeling for Mages as well as Crafts and Expertises related to magic.

Science (Sci): This Attribute represents extensive knowledge in various fields. Skills related to Science include Crafts and Expertises associated with scientific knowledge. An example is the expertise of crystals (Gemology), which allows for a roll to determine the character’s knowledge about specific geodes. Those with value of 3 could be considered great scientists and inventors while characters with 6 and more are the 1 percent of all the intellectuals. They are responsible for all the amazing inventions that change the world.

Combat related Attributes:

Life Points: This Attribute reflects the amount of health points that a character has to lose before they might fall unconscious. In addition, the unconscious person can receive that many damage points before they die.

Evade (Ev): Evade represents the degree in which a character is difficult to hit. This Attribute is often raised by equipment and spells. The higher this value the more difficult they are to hit.

Toughness (T): Represents the amount of damage points that get reduced from each attack. Also raised by equipment and spells. Every character starts with 0 Toughness and in their adventures they can raise this Attribute.

0 value attribute

When any of the primary Attributes even momentarily reach 0, grave consequences follow. All Skills related to that Attribute are considered to have a value of 0. This means that any actions associated with the Attribute become less effective until the Attribute value is raised above 0 again (either by passing time or any other means). Rolls related to that Attribute lose all bonuses, meaning that only the value of a dice roll is counted. For example, if a character’s Mind Attribute drops to 0, all mental abilities such as problem-solving, memory recall and logical thinking would be rendered ineffective. Similarly, if the Body Attribute reaches 0, physical abilities like strength, endurance, and combat prowess would be nullified.

When a character’s primary Attribute drops below 0, it indicates a critical state where the character’s vital functions are compromised to a fatal extent. The character’s body and mind are unable to sustain life, leading to instant death.

In character creation, players have the option to allocate a value of 0 to secondary Attributes such as Faith, Magic, and Science. However, this choice requires careful consideration and encourages creative character design. While starting with 0 in a secondary Attribute presents challenges, it also opens up opportunities for unique character development and role-playing. Players can explore the concept of a character who gradually discovers or develops their abilities in the chosen secondary Attribute, or they can embrace the limitations and focus on other strengths and Skills.

Faith 0: Such a character is completely separated from the divine power, cannot receive visions, and does not receive any benefits from miracles. They do not belong to any religious congregation and do not pray. Normally, they can be hurt by, for example, divine lightning, but pure divine power has no effect on them. When creating a character, the player gets an additional 5 free points and +1 to Mind.

Magic 0: The character has no magic sense and is treated as a non-magical being. They take no magic damage and are not affected by purely magical spells. The magical topic is incomprehensible for such a character due to the complete lack of contact with it. When creating a character, player gets +5 free points and +1 to Senses

Science 0: The character is simply primitive. To them technologies and sciences are something completely alien and incomprehensible. The character is able to use only the simplest devices, and they definitely do not understand how they operate. When creating a character, players get +5 free points and +1 to Body.

Skill check

In Haze, Skill checks are resolved by rolling a D10 and adding relevant bonuses to the result, which is then compared to the difficulty set by the GM. If the value is equal or bigger than the difficulty, the player passes that check. The GM can make the difficulty known or keep it secret. During a Skill check, you combine the bonus from the corresponding Skill with your Attribute value for that Skill. For example, if you have a Mind Attribute of 3 and a Common Knowledge Skill of 4, you would add 7 to your Common Knowledge check. After you roll the D10 and add your bonuses the total value is your Skill check roll. If a player has many bonuses on their character that impact the same check only the highest bonus applies.

The other type of test is an opposing test, where parties involved all do a Skill check. In that case, the character with the highest result wins. In case of a draw, you should refer to the Skill involved and the character with the highest value of that Skill wins. If that still doesn’t break the tie, refer to the Attribute value using the same principles as before. If everything fails, you just toss a coin (to your witcher) to decide the winner.

In addition to Attribute and Skill bonuses, other elements such as magic, potions, artifacts, or assistance from companions (combined action, see here) can provide additional bonuses, making your efforts easier. These bonuses are added on top of your existing bonuses, further enhancing your chances of success.

Example

Julia’s character, Beatrix, finds herself walking through the city with an important package to deliver. Aware of the potential danger of interception, Beatrix enters a shady part of town and decides to adopt a cautious and inconspicuous manner of movement. The GM informs Julia that she needs to make a Stealth check, with a difficulty set at 10. Beatrix performs a Stealth check. She has a Body Attribute of 3 and a Stealth Skill of 2. Additionally, she is equipped with a thief’s cloak that grants her a +2 bonus to Stealth. With these bonuses in mind, Beatrix rolls the dice and obtains a result of 7. By adding her Attribute, Skill, and equipment bonuses to the roll, Beatrix achieves a total of 14. This exceeds the difficulty of 10 set by the GM. As a result, Beatrix successfully passes the Stealth check, ensuring that her pursuers will find it more difficult to track her movements and intercept the package she is carrying.

Conversely, negative effects can also be imposed by items, magic, or other sources. These effects may be explicitly stated as debuffs or hidden within the difficulty of the test set by the GM. 

Example

Tom’s character, Markus, assumes the role of a city guard tasked with intercepting a delivery of forbidden substances. He has received information about the appearance and name of the person involved, Beatrix, and he knows that the delivery is likely to pass through the slums. With this knowledge, Markus positions himself in the busy walkway, ready to carry out his duty. The GM informs Tom that he needs to make a Perception check, with a difficulty set at 14. Tom is somewhat surprised by the high difficulty but decides to roll the dice anyway. The increased difficulty is a result of the successful Stealth check performed by Julia’s character, Beatrix, earlier. Markus relies on his Senses Attribute, which is 3, and his Perception Skill, also at 3, to make the check. Tom rolls the dice and obtains a result of 7. When he adds his Attribute and Skill bonuses to the roll, Markus achieves a total of 13. Unfortunately, this falls short of the difficulty of 14 set by the GM. Despite spending hours in the slums his efforts prove fruitless as he remains unaware of Beatrix’s presence, allowing her to slip past him undetected.

Skills

When it comes to Skills in the game, they are intentionally designed to have broad descriptions to encompass a wide range of abilities and actions. By default each Skill has their own corresponding Attribute noted in the previous chapter and on the character sheet. However, as a player, if you believe that a different Skill check would be more suitable or logical for a specific situation, you can propose it to your GM for consideration. 

Another aspect to consider is the possibility of changing the designated Attribute associated with a particular Skill check. For example, let’s say you’re attempting to construct a shelter for the night in a dense forest. By default, the Skill check might involve using your Senses Attribute to find a suitable location. However, if you believe that the physical strength required for building the shelter is more relevant than visual perception, you can propose using the Body Attribute instead. This allows for a more customized approach to skill resolution, aligning it with your character’s strengths and the demands of the situation.

Engaging in discussions and negotiations with your GM can lead to interesting outcomes and unique solutions. It provides an opportunity to explore the boundaries of the game mechanics and tailor them to better fit your character’s abilities and the narrative context. This flexibility is one of the great elements of role-playing games, as it allows for collaboration and customization of the gameplay experience. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the GM always has the final say in any rules interpretations or modifications.

While proposing alternative Skill checks or Attribute changes can enhance immersion and adaptability, it’s important to not overuse this option as it can be quite tiring if abused. It’s crucial to maintain a balance between rule flexibility and maintaining the integrity of the game system. Remember, the ultimate goal is to create an engaging and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

Skills list

Below, we can see the list of Skills in the game their coresponding attribute and their descriptions. They encompass a wide range of abilities, knowledge, and talents that characters can develop and expand upon as they progress in their adventures. While most skills do not require any specialised training some do. Those skills have asterisk next to their name. If player has 0 in that skill, they cannot perform those skill checks, with the exception of an applicable Expertise.

Expertise

Expertise is a concept that represents both theoretical knowledge and practical experience in a specific field. It encompasses a character’s deep understanding and mastery of a particular area. When you spend experience points to purchase upgrades in a development tree, you mark one square in the table at the bottom of that tree for each improvement bought. These marked spaces represent the progression and expertise your character has acquired within that particular tree.

As you acquire more Skills, Attributes and mark slots in the development tree, your level of Expertise in that tree grows. Typically, for every 4 developments purchased, you gain 1 point of Expertise. When you fill the last remaining slot and complete the entire development tree, your Expertise increases to 6. This Expertise represents the knowledge, skills, and experience your character has amassed in their chosen path over time.

While Expertise is primarily tied to the specific development tree, there are situations where a character may have some knowledge or familiarity in related areas. For example, if a player has +2 Expertise in the Sharpshooter tree but lacks Valuation Skill the game master might allow them to use that expertise when it comes to haggling for a new gun with a trader. In that case, the player can use this Expertise instead of the Valuation Skill, gaining a +2 bonus they wouldn’t otherwise have to that roll. This approach recognises that the character’s overall experience and knowledge in their field can extend to related subjects.

Example

Julia’s character Beatrix successfully infiltrated the office and reached the safe containing the documents she was tasked with retrieving. The GM informed her that she needed to make a Machines check with a difficulty of 14 to bypass the lock and trap mechanism. Although Beatrix has 0 in Machines, she proposed using her Expertise (Thief) instead, which the GM agreed to. With her Mind Attribute at 3 and a +3 Expertise bonus, she had a total bonus of +6 to the check. Additionally, her thieves’ tools provided a +2 bonus. Beatrix rolled a 7 on the dice, resulting in a total of 15 for the check. This exceeded the difficulty of 14, indicating a successful attempt. She skillfully disarmed the trap, unlocked the safe, and retrieved the documents without raising any suspicion. 

Combined action and help

Players have the opportunity to collaborate and perform actions together through a mechanic known as combined action or simply “Help”. This occurs when players decide to work together towards a common goal. The Game Master determines the type of Skill check required for the action, and players involved roll the dice.

During a combined action, each player adds eather their own Skill bonus OR the highest Skill bonus of the other players involved. This allows them to leverage each other’s strengths and expertise to enhance their chances of success. For instance, if one player has a high Athletics Skill and the other player doesn’t, only the other player without the Athletics Skill would benefit from the combined action.

The outcome of the combined action depends on the specific task and its requirements. If only one player needs to pass the test, the higher roll between the two players is considered valid. However, if both or all players need to succeed, then all rolls are taken into account. This encourages cooperative play and creates opportunities for exciting narratives as players work together to achieve their objectives.

It is suggested that players describe how they want the action to unfold and collaborate on the details of their joint effort. This not only enhances immersion but also allows for a more engaging and memorable gameplay experience. Successful combined actions can be described in a satisfying and cinematic manner, showcasing the players’ coordination and teamwork.

Example

While escaping the building, Beatrix was carefully climbing down from the window, and her lookout was assisting her in the descent. The GM had set the difficulty at 10 and informed of a bonus of +5 to Beatrix’s Athletics due to the help action she received. With her Body attribute at 3, her own Athletics skill of only 2, the bonus from her companion of +5, granted her a total of +8 to her roll. Julia rolled a 7 on the dice, resulting in a resolution of 15. Beatrix swiftly and successfully climbed down from the window.

As they were leaving the premises, a random stranger approached and inquired about their presence there. Beatrix quickly responded that they worked nearby, and her friend even mentioned the name of a wealthy family living nearby to provide an alibi. The GM instructed Julia to roll a Persuasion check, and mentioned that her companion has 0 in Persuasion. The GM rolled for the companion, applying Beatrix’ bonus of +2 to Persuasion. Beatrix, with a Mind attribute of 3, a Persuasion skill of +2, had a total bonus of +5 for the roll. She rolled a 2, resulting in a total of 8, while her companion rolled 11 in total. GM reviewed that the difficulty was 9. As one of them failed the roll, the stranger remained suspicious and walked away, unconvinced by their explanation.

Fatigue and vigor points

Fatigue and Vigor points are values that characters acquire through various conditions. Fatigue points are typically imposed on players due to spells, prolonged combat, Consciousness checks or tiring situations, while Vigor points can be gained through medicine, rest, and magic. The primary aim is to depict the lasting consequences of adventures, as they encompass more than just a series of events.

Fatigue points serve as a negative factor added to all checks. Each Fatigue point imposes a -1 penalty on all of your checks. For instance, if you have 3 Fatigue points, you suffer a -3 penalty on all checks where you apply Attribute and Skill bonuses. This penalty excludes rolls like failure tables and item ability checks.

The maximum number of Fatigue points a player can accumulate before fainting is determined by the sum of their Body and Willpower Attributes. Once this limit is reached and players choose or need to press on, they must make a Consciousness check with a difficulty of 5 + the number of Fatigue points. Failing this check results in fainting.

Every 12 hours of continuous activity grants players 1 Fatigue point, though this can be influenced by the equipment they possess. Adequate and uninterrupted rest allows players to reduce Fatigue points. Resting for at least 4 hours in comfortable conditions reduces Fatigue by one point. A good night’s sleep eliminates half of your Fatigue points, rounded up. The quality of your resting environment matters, as sleeping in the back of a wagon or in the desert is less restorative than a night in a tavern.

Vigor points, conversely, provide a +1 bonus to all Skill and Attribute checks. Players can have up to 3 Vigor points simultaneously. However, they lose all of them when they take lose half of their Life points, fall unconscious, or gain a Fatigue point.

Character development and experience points

Experience points can be spent in various ways, similar to free points, with one exception: you cannot buy new Skills with them. Obtained expirience points can be marked at the back of your character sheet. To mark obtained expirience point paint the squares without the circle in the middle. When you spent your expirience point, fill in the circles.

Here are the different ways you can use experience points:

1. Improving Attributes: The cost of increasing Attributes is equal to the desired level multiplied by 2. For example, to raise the Mind Attribute from 2 to 3, you would need to spend 6 experience points. Attributes of Life Points, Evade and Toughness cannot be raised this way, meaning you can only improve these Attributes through development trees.

2. Improving Skills: To enhance an already acquired Skill, you need to pay an amount of experience points equal to the level you want to advance to. For instance, if you want to raise the Speed Skill from 4 to 5, it would require 5 experience points. You cannot buy new Skills with experience points but in the game world, you may encounter interesting and knowledgeable characters from whom you can learn new Skills and sometimes even abilities.

3. Buying developments from the development tree: This is the best value for your buck. The lowest level improvements (symbolized by a square) in the development tree cost 1 experience point each and can be purchased up to 3 times. Second level improvements (represented by a circle) can be bought twice for 2 experience points each. The highest level improvements (depicted as a triangle) cost 4 experience points and can be purchased only once. It is important to note that in order to buy the first level improvement for the second time, you must first acquire the second level improvement. Similarly, to purchase the second level improvement for the second time or first level improvement for the third time, you must first obtain the third level improvement.

Developments are bought in order from the bottom to the top, meaning that the 3 developments of the lowest level must all be bought before buying the first development of the second level. When the development of the second level is bought, then the developments of the first level can be bought for the second time in any order the player pleases.

All purchased developments must be recorded on the development trees at the back of the character sheet and transferred to the front. Raised Attributes should be changed in the Attribute section, Skills increased in the Skills section. Any remaining information, such as: abilities, additional attacks, melee damage modifiers, bonuses to spellcasting failure rolls, and anything without a designated place, should be included in the abilities section. 

4. Rerolling dice rolls: By spending one experience point, you have the option to reroll one dice roll. However, it’s important to consider that using experience points for rerolls limits your ability to improve your character further. Players can obtain rerolls in other ways but in a pinch it is better than losing your character.

If you had any remaining free points after completing your character creation process, they were converted into experience points. By doing so, you preserve these points for future use in further developing your character. Keep track of the converted experience points on your character sheet, as they can be spent later on Attributes, Skills, developments, and other advancements as you progress through the game.

Breakthrough

When a character accumulates 30 experience points, they reach a significant milestone known as a “breakthrough.” This marks a pivotal moment in their development, where their role within the team becomes clear, and they have gained extensive experience to make them a unique and formidable individual.

During a breakthrough, characters have undergone substantial growth and progression, honing their skills and abilities through numerous challenges and adventures. They have developed a deep understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, and how they contribute to the group’s overall form. It would be advised to remind your GM that your character is getting close to this point as that will allow him to incorporate this moment into the narrative and give them time to prepare something special in advance. Players usually gain a new and unique ability that is tailored to their character and that represents their role and personality. Moreover, they gain 1 additional Action in the turn. It allows players to do more things in their turn or perform actions quicker than previously possible. For example if a player needs to pass 3 Mechanics checks to disarm a bomb if they have 2 actions per turn they can roll twice instead of once per turn deactivating it in less time.