Positioning & Movement
Maps
The scenario should provide maps illustrating the regions and sites where the adventure takes place. During play the GM can copy the maps on paper as the Players explore locations, gradually revealing their layout and features.
Areas
Maps are divided into areas, which can vary in size and shape to accommodate the features of the location:
Zones are used in maps representing buildings, dungeons, and other small sites. A zone covers an area of about 4 m by 4 m, such as a small room, a portion of a large room, a corridor, etc.
Sectors are used in maps representing towns, districts, and other large sites. A sector covers an area of about 400 m by 400 m, such as a city district, a large building, a garden, etc.
Regions are used in maps representing vast regions. A region covers an area of about 10 km by 10 km, such as a whole city, a portion of a forest, a mountain pass, etc.
Positioning
Characters can be located in an area or on the border between two areas.
Up to 8 characters can fit inside a zone, and up to 2 characters can fit on the border between two zones. These numbers are halved for particularly tiny and cramped zones, and doubled for particularly large and open zones. Characters can’t move through or into a zone or zone border which is already full.
There is no relevant limit on how many characters can fit inside a sector, a region, or their borders.
Range
Ranged attacks, powers, and other effects have a range expressed in number of zones. To determine if two zones are within range, find the shortest path between them and count how many zones it crosses, excluding the originating one.
Characters on a border are considered to be in either zone for the purpose of range. For example, characters in a zone are at range 0 from all characters in the same zone and on all its borders.
Characters at range 0 from each other are said to be ‘nearby’ and can be targeted by melee attacks and other short range effects.
Movement speed
Characters can move by two areas per time unit: two zones in a round, two sectors in a stretch, or two regions in a watch. Moving to or from the border between two areas counts as moving by half an area.
Movement speed can be reduced down to half zone per time unit, and if further halved movement isn’t possible at all. These factors halve movement speed:
The encumbered and hobbled conditions.
Moving between sectors and regions in harsh weather (heavy rain, snow, scorching heat, etc.).
Moving between sectors and regions without following an open path or road (through forests, swamps, mountains, hills, labyrinthic alleys, etc.).
Sprinting
Characters can sprint to double their movement speed. They can sprint for a stretch and for an additional stretch if they pass an AGI save, after which they have to catch their breath for a whole stretch before doing anything else. It isn’t possible to sprint when moving between regions.
Obstacles
Difficult ground. Characters moving from a zone of difficult ground (slippery, uneven, or narrow) must move at half speed or pass an AGI save to avoid tripping. Characters moving from a zone of very difficult ground (for example both slippery and narrow) must both move at half speed and pass an AGI save to avoid tripping. Characters who trip suffer d4 direct damage and must interrupt their movement for the round.
Climbing. Movement speed is halved while climbing. Characters climbing challenging surfaces must pass an AGI save or fall after moving by a zone. Climbing using ladders, ropes, or in similar trivial situations requires no save. Climbing challenging surfaces keeps both hands occupied, but it is possible to use one hand while climbing trivial surfaces.
Swimming. Movement speed is halved while swimming. Characters swimming in turbulent waters or other hazardous situations must pass an AGI save when entering the water and at the start of each following round or start drowning. Drowning characters are too exhausted to keep swimming and apply the effects of suffocation (see Suffocating). Attacks made while in water inflict impaired damage.
Leaping. Characters leaping over a significant gap must pass an AGI save to make it to the other side. Leaping over very small gaps requires no save.
Optional rule: grids
You can optionally use a square grid to keep track of positioning instead of zones, with a square representing a distance of 1.5 metres (5 feet). Each square can be occupied by a single medium-sized character.
To convert ranges in zones to ranges in squares, multiply by 4. For example, a range of 2 zones would correspond to a range of 8 squares.
Anything affecting a whole zone, such as blast attacks, affects a 3 squares by 3 squares area.