Critical Hits in Evens Up

Critical Hits in Evens Up

This optional rule relies on the "Evens Up" optional rule for conflict resolution, and assumes that your game will be using Evens Up mechanics.

Negative Clichés

Negative Clichés are essentially "Critical Injuries" and can typically only be acquired from a critical hit/fail. They always represent a negative die number, and usually are not broad injuries. These Clichés attach themselves to positive cliché checks when actual check would be affected by the negative cliché logically. Ex. Broken Leg (-2) attaches to Olympic Sprinter (4)'s check against winning the race, allowing him to only roll 2 dice.

Note: Olympic Sprinter (4) Could be replaced with Tech Geek (4) in the above scenario. The only thing Negative Clichés attach to are the actions themselves, not the cliché used.

Critical Success

Critical Success rolls are obtained by rolling 4 sixes on any roll. To see the results of a crit success, roll a single d6 on the crit table below.

Note: We are using the "Evens Up" mechanic, meaning 6s "explode" or are rerolled. Any additional sixes rolled count towards the Critical Success, allowing Clichés lower than 4 to crit.

Super Crit Success

If you roll 8 6s thanks to exploding dice or some other factor, you automatically upgrade the critical hit to the Super Crit Table Below.

Critical Fail

If you roll ALL 1s on your check, you must roll on the critical table yourself. This means that lower level Clichés are more likely to crit fail than higher level Clichés.

Note: Exploding 6s can inflict a crit fail. For example, if you rolled three 1s and two 6s, you'd have the option of rerolling the successes, if you rolled them both and they landed on 1s, you'd critically fail. You still keep your 2 successes for resolution purposes, but you must also accept the consequences imposed by the crit table.

Critical Table

  • Nothing Happens

  • Lose Next Turn

  • Take 1 "Damage"

  • Take 2 "Damage"

  • Take (-1) Cliché

  • Roll on Super Crit Table

Super Crit Table

  • Take (-1) Cliché

  • Take (-2) Cliché

  • Take (-3) Cliché

  • Take (-4) Cliché

  • Take (-5) Cliché

  • Die a Horrific Death

Total Cliché Level

Total Cliché can be seen as "HP" in a way.

Your total Cliché Level is determined by adding together your Positive and Negative Clichés.

If your total Cliché Level is dropped to 0 exactly, you are effectively in a comma until the rest of your party can remove some of your negative Clichés.

If your total Cliché Level ever drops below 0, your player dies permanently.