The party stands at the edge of a cliff. Suddenly the ground gives way and crumbles, dropping the unsuspecting crew on top of a forest of trees. One player states, “I try to grab a tree branch to stop my fall!” The other two players think that’s a good idea and want to do the same. The GM announces, “OK. This is a Complex Action. Everybody roll against your Dexterity to grab a tree branch!”

TORK

… a burly Half-Giant Fighter, has a Dexterity of 5. She needs to roll a 5 or below to succeed.

She rolls a 13. A failure.

The GM states, “With your low Dexterity, you are not used to this kind of difficult maneuver. You flail in the air missing all the tree branches. You land with a deafening thud.”

The GM rolls a d6 and gets a 4. “You sustain 4 points of Damage, Tork.”

ZOOTAH

… a spritely Sylvan Archer, has a Dexterity of 16. He needs to roll a 16 or below to succeed. Seemingly not too difficult!

He rolls a 20. Since this is a roll to get a low number, this is an “Epic Fail”! Real bad luck.

The GM states, “Ooh. You unsuccessfully grasp at every branch and even try to flap your arms like a bird, but a branch hits your face, flipping your body 180 degrees. Another branch smacks your rear flipping you back around as you crash to the ground, landing on your chin, feet dangling above your head. Sorry, it’s an Epic Fail!”

The GM rolls a d6 and gets a 3. “Double damage. You take 6 points of Damage, Zootah. Someone heal him!”

STANLEY

… a stout Impling Conjurer, has a terribly low Dexterity of 3. He needs to roll a 3 or below to succeed. Not easy.

He rolls a 2. Since this is a roll to get a low number, this is incredibly good!

The GM states, “As Tork and Zootah recover from their fall wounds, they watch in astonishment as Stanley, who is normally not acrobatic, bounces and catapults off one branch, grabbing a lower one and spinning around it like a gymnast. He lands in a ninja-style pose and takes a bow. Golf clap ensues.”

“No damage. Quite a graceful landing, Stanley!”

The GM does not need to roll for Stanley’s damage.