Cheat Sheet For Chronicles of Darkness Rules PDF
Cheat Sheet For Chronicles of Darkness Rules PDF
Cheat Sheet For Chronicles of Darkness Rules PDF
fanmade
revised storytelling
system reference
Time (p. 73) Permutations (p. 72)
• Turn — About three seconds. Single instant action. • 9-Again: You reroll dice that show 9 or 10.
• Scene — Single, specific event. • 8-Again: You reroll dice that show 8, 9, or 10.
• Chapter — One game session. • Extra Successes: Add to a successful roll (usually for
Weapon damage).
• Story — Entire tale, dramatic arc of related events.
• Rote Actions: Reroll any unsuccessful dice once. If
• Chronicle — Collection of interlinked stories. chance die don’t reroll a dramatic failure.
Actions
Experience (p. 76)
Five (5) Beats converts to one (1) Experience.
• Instant Action = 1 turn. Usually only need 1 success.
Beats Gain Beats when:
• Reflexive Action (like defending or resisting) = 0 turn.
• Fulfill an Aspiration. Replace at end of session.
• Contested Action = Both roll, highest successes win, • Resolve a Condition, per Condition's criteria.
Instant for initiating character, reflexive for defender.
• Some Conditions provide Beats for other actions.
• Resisted Action = Roll Instant Action minus
opponent's Resistance Attribute (Resolve, Stamina, • If Persistent Condition impacts life (once per chapter).
Composure. (used if # of successes is important) • Suffer a Dramatic Failure.
• Opt to take a Dramatic Failure instead of a Failure.
Extended Actions • Takes lethal damage in one of rightmost Health
Roll Attribute + Skill +/– Modifier multiple times. boxes. Vampires do not gain Beats from bashing.
Maximum Rolls = Attribute + Skill +/– Modifier. • At the end of any game session.
• 5 Successes Req = Reasonable for competent • Risk a Breaking Point.
• 10 Successes Req = Difficult, realistic for professionals • Social Maneuver fails and worsens Impression level.
• 20 Successes Req = Very difficult even for very skilled • Target "Goes With the Flow" on a Social Maneuver.
Roll Results • Surrender when Beaten Down.
Dramatic Failure: Effects of Failure, plus first roll on
a further attempt suffers 2-die penalty.
Experience Costs
Failure: Setback. Abandon action or take a Attribute: 4 Experiences per dot
Condition. Lose accumulated successes. Merit: 1 Experience per dot
Success: Add successes to running total to reach Req. Skill Specialty: 1 Experience
Exceptional Success: Either reduce Req to by Skill dots,
or reduce time of each further roll by 1/4, or apply
Skill: 2 Experiences per dot
Exceptional Success result to the action upon completion. Integrity: 2 Experiences per dot
Conditions (p. 75)
Resolve a Condition = Beat. If Condition has a natural time limit and then fades away, no Beat is taken.
Persistent Conditions can only be resolved with specific and impressive effort.
Lingering Conditions fade if no longer relevant.
Condition Effects (p. 288)
Amnesia (persistent) Missing memory. Res: Something problematic arises.
Blind (opt pers) Any rolls = chance die. -3 using another sense. + Blinded Tilt. Res: Immediate danger hightened.
Broken -2 to all Social and Resolve rolls, -5 to use Intimidation. Res: Back down or fail a roll due to
Condition, regain or lose another dot of Integrity, exceptional success on a breaking point.
Bonded +2 on any rolls to influence or persuade bonded animal. Animal may add your Animal Ken to any
rolls to resist coercion or fear when in your presence, or to any one die roll. Res: Animal dies.
Connected +2 to all rolls relating to connected group. Can shed Condition for one-time +3 bonus to
influence or otherwise work with the group. Res: Condition shed, bridge burned.
Crippled (persistent) No use of legs. Speed trait = 1. Wheelchair Speed = Strength (or 3 for Electric). Res: Healed
injury; or danger / severe inhibition due to the disability.
Deprived (opt pers) Suffers from an addiction, unable to focus without. Remove one die from Stamina, Resolve, and
Composure dice pools. Res: Indulge in the deprived Vice, therapy.
Embarrassing Secret If the secret gets out, the Condition becomes the Notoriety Condition. Res: The secret gets out.
Fugue (persistent) Prone to blackouts and lost time due to trauma. When circumstances are similar to the traumatic
cause: roll Resolve + Composure. Failure = Storyteller control for scene, will seek to avoid and get
away. Res: Suffer the effects of the Condition. Regain or lose another dot of Integrity, or achieve
an exceptional success on a breaking point.
Guilty -2 to any Resolve or Composure rolls to defend against Subterfuge, Empathy, or Intimidation
rolls. Res: Makes restitution; confesses to crimes.
Informed After research. Make non-combat roll related to the topic: if failed = now a single success; if success
= now an exceptional success. Res: Use the Condition for its benefit.
Inspired Roll Action pertaining to inspiration: gain Willpower point, Exceptional Success on three
successes instead of five. Res: Use the Condition for its benefit.
Leveraged ("name") Blackmailed, tricked, leveraged. May have multiple. Res: Shed the Condition any time you don't
rolling to resist that leveraging character's requests; or turn the tables on the person.
Lost Navigation = Successful Wits + Streetwise action (in the city) or Wits + Survival action (in the
wilderness). Res: Abandoning the goal, successfully navigating.
Madness (persistent) Supernaturaly caused madness. Once per chapter, storyteller can apply pool (10 - the character’s
Integrity) as a negative to any Mental or Social roll. Res: Character fails roll because of Condition,
regains or loses another dot of Integrity, or achieves an exceptional success on a breaking point.
Mute (persistent) Illness, injury, or supernatural powers can inflict temporarily, resolved when voice regained.
Res: Immediate danger hightened.
Notoriety True or not: -2 on any Social rolls against those that know. Must open one extra Door if his target
knows of his notoriety. Res: Story is debunked or character’s name is cleared.
Obsession 9-again quality on all rolls abiding by the obsession, exploring that emotion, or pursuing the object
of the obsession. When not, you lose the 9-again quality. Res: Fulfilling the obsession, therapy.
Shaken Any action where the fear might hinder: may opt to fail the roll (before rolled). This Condition
can be imposed by a successful degeneration roll. Res: Fail a roll, as noted.
Spooked Seen something supernatural, captivated. Res: Shed Condition when fear and fascination causes
to do something that hinders the group or complicates things.
Steadfast When you’ve failed a roll, instead treat the action as single success. If chance die roll a single die
instead. Res: Use the Condition, as noted.
Swooned ("name") May have multiple. -2 to rolls that adversely affect object of affection. Object of affection gains +2
on Social rolls against, the impression level (in social maneuvering) is one higher (maximum of
perfect). Res: Put in danger by or for object; opt to fail a roll to resist a social action by the object.
Integrity Modifier
Roll Results
Success: Opponent drops weapon.
8–10 +2
Exceptional Success: Attacker takes weapon.
7–6 +1 Dramatic Failure: Take damage = to Weapon Mod.
5–4 0 Grapple: Attacker rolls Strength + Brawl - Defense.
3–2 -1
Roll Results
1–2 -2 Success: Both Characters are grappling.
Breaking Point Modifier Exceptional Success: Pick a move from below.
Meditated since sleeping but before now +2 Each turn, on highest Initiative, both roll contested
Character is protecting himself +1 Strength + Brawl.
Acting in accordance with Virtue +1 Roll Results
Success: Winner picks a move from below.
Protecting a loved one +2
Exceptional Success: Winner picks two (2) moves.
Acting in accordance with Vice –1
• Break Free from the grapple. Succeeding is reflexive,
Witnessing the supernatural (nonviolent) –1 character can take another action immediately.
Witnessing the supernatural (violent) –2 • Control Weapon, either draw or turn opponent’s
Witnessing an accidental death –2 weapon against them. Keeps control until opponent
performs Control Weapon move.
Witnessing a murder –3
• Damage by dealing bashing equal to rolled
Committing premeditated murder –5 successes. If Controling Weapon add weapon mod.
Killing in self-defense –4 • Disarm the opponent, removing a weapon from the
grapple entirely. Must Control Weapon first.
Killing by accident (car wreck, e.g.) –4
• Drop Prone, both characters go Prone (see Tilts).
Causing visible serious injury to a person –2 Must Break Free before rising.
Torture –3 • Hold opponent in place. Neither can apply
Enduring physical torture –2 Defense against incoming attacks.
Enduring mental/emotional super- –2 • Restrain. Opponent suffers Immobilized Tilt. Must
natural attack Hold first. Using equip to Restrain, can leave grapple.
Enduring physical supernatural –2 • Take Cover using opponent’s body. Any ranged
attack attacks until the end of turn auto hit opponent.
Witnessing a supernatural occurrence –1 to –5,
Down and Dirty Combat (Opt.) (p.87)
Roll Results Roll Combat pool vs Combat / Escape (reflex), ignore Def
Dramatic Failure: Lose Integrity dot, choose a
Condition: Broken, Fugue, or Madness. Also, take a Beat. Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: Same as Failure, plus opponent
Failure: Lose Integrity dot, choose a Condition: Guilty, gains upper hand, achieving opposite of declared intent.
Shaken, or Spooked.
Failure: Opponent wins. If opponent rolled combat take
Success: Choose a Conditions: Guilty, Shaken, or Damage = difference in successes plus Weapon mod. Escapes.
Spooked.
Success: Deal Damage = difference in successes
Exceptional Success: Take a Beat, regain a point of
plus Weapon mod. Achieves intent (can incl killing).
Willpower.
Exceptional Success: Same as successes, plus point
of WIllpower.
(p. 91)
Combat Summary Chart
STAGE ONE: INTENT
• The players and the Storyteller describe what their characters want out of the fight.
• Decide whether characters can surrender and become Beaten Down.
Stage Two: Initiative
• If the attacker springs an ambush or otherwise strikes when the defender isn’t able to counter, the defend-
er rolls Wits + Composure contested by the attacker’s Dexterity + Stealth. If the defender fails, she doesn’t act on
the first turn of combat and cannot apply Defense against attacks.
• Everyone rolls Initiative: the result of a single die roll + Dexterity + Composure. If the character has a
weapon readied, apply its Initiative Modifier.
STAGE THREE: ATTACK
• Unarmed Combat: Strength + Brawl - opponent’s Defense
• Melee Combat: Strength + Weaponry - opponent’s Defense
• Ranged Combat: Dexterity + Firearms
• Thrown Weapons: Dexterity + Athletics - opponent’s Defense
A character’s Defense is normally subtracted from any attack dice pools where it applies. If she chooses to Dodge,
the defender rolls double her Defense as a dice pool against each attack. Each success reduces the attacker’s
successes by one. If the attacker is reduced to zero successes, the attack does nothing. If the attacker has successes
remaining, add any weapon modifier to the number of successes to determine how many points of Health the
target loses. All weapons deal lethal damage.
STAGE FOUR: DESCRIPTION
The Storyteller describes the attack and wounds in narrative terms.
POSSIBLE MODIFIERS
• Aiming: +1 per turn to a +3 maximum.
• All-Out Attack: +2 with Brawl or Weaponry attack; lose Defense.
• Armor Piercing: Ignores amount of target’s armor equal to item’s rating.
• Autofire Long Burst: 20 or so bullets, no target limit pending Storyteller approval. A +3 applies to each
attack roll; -1 per roll for each target after the first.
• Autofire Medium Burst: 10 or so bullets at one to three targets, with a +2 to each attack roll; -1 per roll for
each target after the first.
• Autofire Short Burst: Three bullets at a single target with a +1 to the roll.
• Charge: Move at twice Speed and attack with Brawl or Weaponry in one action; lose Defense.
• Concealment: Barely -1; partially -2; substantially -3; fully, see “Cover.”
• Cover: Subtract Durability from damage; if Durability is greater than the weapon modifier, the attack has
no effect.
• Dodge: Double Defense, roll as a dice pool with each success subtracting one from the attacker’s
successes.
• Drawing a Weapon: Requires instant action without a Merit and could negate Defense.
• Firing from Concealment: Shooter’s own concealment quality (-1, -2, or -3) reduced by 1 as a penalty to
fire back (so, no modifier, -1, or -2).
• Offhand Attack: -2 to attack roll.
• Prone Target: -2 to hit in ranged combat; +2 to hit within close-combat distance.
• Pulling Blow: Target gains 1 Defense; the attack can’t deal more than chosen maximum damage.
• Range: -2 at medium range, -4 at long range.
• Shooting into Close Combat: -2 per combatant avoided in a single shot (not applicable to autofire); -4 if
grappling.
• Specified Target: Torso -1, leg or arm -2, head -3, hand -4, eye -5.
• Surprised or Immobilized Target: Defense doesn’t apply.
• Touching a Target: Dexterity + Brawl or Dexterity + Weaponry; armor may or may not apply, but Defense
does apply.
• Willpower: Add three dice to a roll or +2 to a Resistance trait (Stamina, Resolve, or Composure) in one
roll or instance.
Tilts
Personal Tilts Effects (p. 287)
Arm Wrack One arm: Drop anything held, suffer off-hand penalties for most rolls. Both arms: Chance die on
rolls requiring manual dexterity, −3 to other Physical actions.
Beaten Down Cannot take violent action in combat without spending Willpower. Can still Defend, Dodge, Flee.
Blinded One eye: -3 to vision-related rolls. Both eyes: -5 to vision-related rolls, lose all Defense.
Deafened One ear: -3 Perception rolls. Both ears: Chance die on Perception rolls, -2 to combat rolls.
Drugged -2 Speed, -3 to combat rolls (including Defense and Perception). Ignore wound penalties.
Immobilized No combat actions. Can’t move or apply Defense.
Insane +1 to combat rolls, act after everyone else, -3 to Social rolls, can’t spend Willpower.
Insensate No combat actions. Can move and apply Defense. Taking damage ends the Tilt.
Knocked Down Lose action this turn (if it hasn’t been taken), knocked prone. Can apply Defense, attack from
ground at -2.
Leg Wrack One leg: half Speed, -2 penalty on Physical rolls for movement. Both legs: Knocked Down, give up
action to move at Speed 1, movement-based Physical rolls reduced to chance die.
Prone Ranged and thrown suffer -2 Penalty. Standing Attackers gain +2 bonus.
Poisoned Moderate: One point of bashing damage per turn. Grave: One point of lethal damage per turn.
Sick Moderate: -1 to all actions. Penalty increases by 1 every two turns. Grave: As moderate, but also
inflicts one point of bashing damage per turn.
Stunned Lose next action. Half Defense until the characters next acts
Environmental Tilts Effects
Blizzard -1 penalty to visual Perception and ranged attack rolls, increased by 1 per 10 yards. -1 penalty to
Physical rolls per four inches of snow.
Earthquake Penalty to Dexterity rolls depending on severity. Take one to three lethal damage per turn,
Stamina + Athletics downgrades to bashing.
Extreme Cold Bashing damage doesn’t heal. -1 penalty to all rolls, increasing by 1 per hour. At -5, further
hours deal one point of lethal damage.
Extreme Heat Bashing damage doesn’t heal. -1 penalty to all rolls, increasing by 1 per hour. At -5, further
hours deal one point of lethal damage.
Flooded -2 to Physical dice pools per foot of flooding. Once water is over head, character must swim or
hold breath.
Heavy Rain -3 to aural and visual Perception rolls.
Heavy Winds -3 modifier to aural Perception rolls. Winds rated between 1 and 5, severity acts as penalty to
Physical rolls and deals that much bashing damage per turn, Dexterity + Athletics to avoid.
Ice -2 Speed, -2 to Physical actions. Can move at normal speed but -4 Physical actions. Dramatic
Failure causes Knocked Down; Drive rolls are at -5 and half Acceleration.
Armor Chart
Type Rating Strength Defense Speed Availability Coverage (p. 270)
Reinforced clothing* 1/0 1 0 0 • Torso, arms, legs
Kevlar vest* 1/3 1 0 0 • Torso
Flak Jacket 2/4 1 −1 0 •• Torso, arms
Full Riot Gear 3/5 2 −2 −1 ••• Torso, arms, legs
Archaic Leather (hard) 2/0 2 −1 0 • Torso, arms
Archaic Chainmail 3/1 3 −2 −2 •• Torso, arms
Archaic Plate 4/2 3 −2 −3 •••• Torso, arms, legs
Rating: General armor (Reduces total damage, starting with most severe) / Ballistic armor (downgrades # of Lethal
firearms damage to Bashing)
Strength: If Strength is lower than that required, reduce Brawl and Weaponry dice pools by 1.
Defense: Penalty imposed on Defense when wearing the armor.
Speed: Penalty to Speed for the armor worn.
Coverage: Areas protected. Unless attacker targets a specific location, protection applies. Helmet adds head to coverage.
* Concealed, either as normal clothing (e.g. biker leathers) or being worn under a jacket or baggy shirt.
Weapons Chart
Ranged Type Damage Ranges Clip Initiative Str Size Availability Special (p. 268)
Revolver, lt 1 20/40/80 6 0 2 1 ••
Revolver, hvy 2 35/70/140 6 −2 3 1 ••
Pistol, lt 1 20/40/80 17+1 0 2 1 ••• Ex: Glock 9mm
Pistol, hvy 2 30/60/120 7+1 −2 3 1 ••• Ex: Colt .45
SMG, small 1 25/50/100 30+1 −2 2 1 ••• Autofire (S,M,L)
SMG, large 2 50/100/200 30+1 −3 3 2 ••• Autofire (S,M,L)
Rifle 4 5+1 −5 2 3 ••
200/400/800
Assault Rifle 3 150/300/600 42+1 −3 3 3 ••• Autofire (S,M,L)
Shotgun 3 20/40/80 5+1 −4 3 2 •• 9-again on attacks
Crossbow* 2 40/80/160 1 −5 3 3 ••• 3 turns to reload