Stat Moves - Spirit - Wield Magic

When you draw on forces of magical power, seeking to bend them to your will then you must Wield Magic. This Move is considerably safer if the wielder has taken magical Trait as part of their background.

Characters have a Magical Power track equal to their Spirit. A character with magical training may have Power equal to double +Spirit. Every attempt at manipulating magic will initiate this Move and draw on this power.

WIELD MAGIC (+Spirit)
When you draw on the power of magic then Roll +Spirit

On a 10+, the magic works fully as intended and Choose two.
On a 7-9, the magic works and Choose one. The GM can also make a Move in which you may suffer harm, unpredictable consequences of the magic, create a complication or a hard choice

• A mighty power that inflicts +1 Harm, if a damaging effect
• A mighty power that reduces the effectiveness of the target’s armour by 1 if a damaging effect
• The awe inspiring power of your magic unnerves your opponent. You are at an Advantage(+1) going forward
• Your spell has an area of effect that affects a group of opponents within Close range.
• The perfect casting costs you no Power
• In the face of power beyond realms you see the beauty of this life. Recover 1 Resolve.
• You can keep your opponents at range if you wish and they are not able to engage you with any sort of immediate attack

On a 6-, you are ineffective and can only watch, slack jawed, as the GM makes a magical backlash Move. Lose two Power

Stat Moves - Armour - Take the Hit!

The world of Kalland is full of danger. Despite all precautions and puissant skill, charaters will be faced with having to Take the Hit! Any time the GM makes a Move that could cause Harm to a character then use this Move.

Damage is typically rated as a number of ‘Harms’. This determines the severity of the wound and places where it should fall on the Wound Track. So, a Harm 2 blow would be a Major wound. If the character already has a Major Wound then damage rolls up to the next level becoming Severe. If Severe is already taken then it bumps up again to Critical.

1. Minor
2. Major
3. Severe
4. Critical
5. Fatal

This Move encompass dodging, parrying or moving to best absorb the hit. The Stat used is +Armour. A greater success success (13+) will reduce Harm by three. A success (10-12) reduces by two and a Partial success reduces Harm by 1.

If multiple small sources of harm would happen all at once (hail of arrows, a horde of goblins, etc..), they should be considered as one source and given an appropriate severity. Refer to the severity guidelines below.

The GM may call for an armour reduction or, for weapons with the ‘Piercing’ tag, ignore a character’s armour altogether. If a character is hit by an armour piercing weapon, they Take the Hit! without adding their armour value to the roll.

Large beast damage: Large Beasts automatically reduce the severity of incoming harm

by one, unless the weapon is rated as 'Felling’

Minor Injury

Brawling, short falls, debris.

Bruises, cuts.

Major Injury

Melee weapons, claws/fangs

Lacerations, broken bones, burns. etc, fire.

Severe Injury

Large claws, huge weapons, long falls,

Weapon wounds, broken limbs, organ damage.

Critical Injury Very Large Beasts, magical explosive epicenter.

Dismemberment, organ failure, disfigurement.

Death, disintegration, gory chunks, red mist, dog food.

TAKE THE HIT (+Armour)

When you would suffer harm, the GM will tell you the Severity (1. Minor, 2. Major, 3. Severe, 4. Critical or 5. Fatal). Roll+Armour.

On a 13+, the severity is reduced by three levels.

On a 10-12, the severity is reduced by two levels.

On a 7-9, the severity is reduced by one level

On a 6-, you also suffer debilities, incur costs/troubles, or suffer an injury of a greater severity, at the GM’s discretion.

Stat Moves - Influence - Persuade

Smooth velvety tongues, stirring rhetoric, dazzling charisma, a quiet confident presence, the Persuade Move is used to get others to do what you want. Persuade will be effective with NPCs who can follow your suggestions without going against their own beliefs or greatly endangering them. This Move can also be used when influencing your own followers or those that are indebted to you.

As the NPCs carry out the necessary actions to fulfil your wish, they will initiate other Moves through you. If you have requested them to Make a Difference then they will do so, but be the ones that suffer any consequences. If they are fighting on your behalf then they may be wounded or suffer other deprivations.

Persuade is also used to direct long-term schemes and large-scale tasks that require significant manpower.

On a (7-9) partial success, the NPC’s willingness to carry out actions is reduced so that they may only carry out part of the task. Depending on the nature of the request NPCs might be disgruntled, wounded, intoxicated, diseased, in a jail or socially ridiculed. Whatever the issue, it will follow from the nature of the request and needs ot be described so that a further attempt can be made to complete the task.


PERSUADE (+Influence)
When you seek to persuade an individual or group that is inclined to follow your orders, Roll+Influence.

On a 10+, they follow those orders to the best of their ability, though there may be costs in time, resources or personnel.

On a 7-9, as above, but their disposition or effectiveness has been significantly impacted in some way. These followers will not accept a new Persuade until those issues have been dealt with.

Stat Moves - Bright - Heal

In the heat of battle or in the stillness of a lonely village, the healer will bring comfort and save lives. This Move treats injuries caused in battle and, with appropriate Traits, other ailments, diseases and more complicated problems can be treated.

On a partial success, further Heal attempts prove futile until the character can be At an Advantage thanks to access to better facilities or a place of magical healing.

When attempting to Heal, the character needs to have access to herbs, bandages, twine, needle, splints and a hot sharp knife.

Treat a single minor, major or severe injury. This heals a single injury of the chosen severity. Rub out the cross in that wound box.

Treat a minor debility. This treats a variety of minor afflictions, such as intoxication, dizziness, unconsciousness, nausea, agony, etc.

Stabilize a major debility. This temporarily stops the exacerbation of a major affliction, such as a wasting sickness or massive haemorrhaging, until proper Healing Arts can be performed.

Treat a major debility. With the Healing Arts Trait a character can treats a major affliction, such as a wasting sickness or massive haemorrhaging.


HEAL (+Bright)
When using appropriate medical supplies/tools to repair harm to people or machinery, Roll+Bright

On a 10+, choose 1 from the list below.
On a 7-9, choose 1, but you've reached the limit of what you can do; you cannot re-attempt to Heal the subject for now.

• Treat a single minor, major or severe injury
• Treat a minor debility
• Stabilize a major debility

With the Healing Arts Trait add the following option:

• Treat a major debility

On a 6-, your attempt is ineffective and may create a further complication.

Stat Moves - Agility - Shoot and Skirmish

Draw your bow, ready the javelin, take down the first wave, silently kill from the dark recesses of the adjoining chamber, this Move is for ranged combat where the sudden or surprised look of fear is the shared last memory you will both have. Keep your distance and deal death from afar. Your opportunity may be brief if enemies are all around you and the last resort may need to be Blood and Steel, but only if the enemy are still standing.

This Move provides the raw outcome of an incisive shot or volley of arrows. Further details on how to be At an Advantage or Disadvantage are found in the combat section on p.XXX.

SHOOT AND SKIRMISH (+Agility)
When you shoot an arrow or launch a missile weapon outside of Close Range then Roll +Agility

(On a 13+, inflict your Harm and Choose three)??
On a 10+, inflict your Harm and Choose two
On a 7-9, inflict your Harm and Choose one. The GM can also make a Move in which you may suffer harm, inflict lesser harm, create a complication or a hard choice

• A powerful shot that inflicts +1 Harm
• A piercing arrow that reduces the effectiveness of the target’s armour by 1
• The unerring cold skill of your shot unnerves or misdirects your opponent. You are at an Advantage(+1) going forward
• The tempo of your shots pushes your opponent back, forcing them to another position in the battle.
• Your shots are a whirlwind as you cause death all around you. Divide your Harm between multiple opponents that are close to each other.
• The perfect balance of attack and defence grants you +1 Armour going forward
• In the face of death you see the beauty of life. Recover 1 Resolve.
• You can remain safely disengaged without opening yourself to be closed by the enemy

On a 6-, you are ineffective and can only watch, slack jawed, as the GM makes a Move

Stat Moves - Might - Blood and Steel

Here is the first Stat Move and it is a big one. Here is where your character will face life and death with Blood and Steel...

Heart pounding, visceral close quarter fighting. Cold steel and spurting warm blood amidst the cacophony of fear pumped challenges, cries of vengeance and final screams. Here you will lose innocence, hope, friends and possibly your own life.

Describe your actions and the GM will describe the responses. Neither of you should show weakness or fear, for it will be exploited. This Move provides the raw outcome of an incisive strike or a series of grim blows from a weapon. Further details on how to be At an Advantage or Disadvantage are found in the combat section on p.XXX.


BLOOD AND STEEL (+Might)
When you fight toe to toe with an enemy then Roll +Might

(On a 13+, inflict your Harm and Choose three)??
On a 10+, inflict your Harm and Choose two
On a 7-9, inflict your Harm and Choose one. The GM can also make a Move in which you may also suffer harm, lose resolve, only inflict lesser harm, create a complication or face a sudden hard choice.

• A mighty blow that inflicts +1 Harm
• A piercing blow that reduces the effectiveness of the target’s armour by 1
• The unerring cold skill of your blows unnerves or outmanoeuvre your opponent. You are at an Advantage(+1) going forward
• The tempo of your blows pushes your opponent back, moving them to another position in the battle.
• Your blows are a flurry as you cleave death all around you. Divide your Harm between multiple opponents within Close range.
• The perfect balance of attack and defence grants you +1 Armour going forward
• In the face of death you see the beauty of life. Recover 1 Resolve.
• You create room in the melee to safely disengage without opening yourself to any sort of immediate attack

On a 6-, you are ineffective and can only watch, slack jawed, as the GM makes a Move



I am considering a second wound track for ‘Resolve’ that will be affected by sorrow, horrors and defeats, affected through the Face Danger Move and defended by +Spirit.

Not sure about the 13+ and may have packed too much in this Move? I have a similar 13+ for the Take a Hit! Move, Roll +Armour. I wanted to bring some tactical options into the choices on a success. I could have 10+ give a Choose three and ditch the 13+. I'm not sure.

Where’s the Harm in that?

So, here we are at a crossroad. There are probably two ways that I can go, making this perhaps a T junction? Let’s hope it is not a roundabout, as I'm not sure that the beauty of such traffic management systems have sufficient international currency to keep you with me.

One of the many great things about Uncharted Worlds is the way the game handles Threats. Any opposition, any at all, is boiled down to a narratively flexible description, with assets and some nefarious agenda. Mostly, and forgive if I simplify something that is already elegantly simple, any character opposition in the game is handled with a consensual narrative dialogue. If you have the right assets to handle the opposition, and therefore have sufficient weight to influence outcomes, then you can make your Move and deal with the opposition. We’re talking one combat Move to take out a Threat, perhaps with a little help from your mates.

Now Threats themselves are malleable. They will form and reform around the results of the character Move, fluidly adjusting or expiring depending where you get on your 6-/7-9/10+ range. One Threat could become two if an opposition group splits. If you don’t take them out for the narrative they will fulfil their agenda and start writing story up and down your arse.

As a GM you’ve got nothing other than some cards with Threat names written on them and an enduring capability to make consistent calls on what makes narrative sense, when to trigger Moves, and how to respond to the outcomes. Don’t look for opposition stats (let’s leave starships out of here for now) or weapon capabilities or armour points. Look for what makes sense, be a fan of the characters and lavish descriptions of the action. Scary without the stat blocks? Just a touch. In large part it is liberating. Most of my players responded well and enjoyed the to and fro of descriptions and that the dice were rolled a couple of times. Certainly helps with the ‘play to find out what happens meme’ and a joy for GM prep. I'm sticking with it.

Characters do have Harm tracks and they are well implemented in Uncharted Worlds. Five levels of ascending brutality, the fifth being the great goodbye.

1. Minor
2. Major
3. Severe
4. Critical
5. Fatal

Take a major wound but already have one? Your new wound rolls up to the next level - Severe. Take a third and it rolls up to Critical. There’s only so much punishment that anyone can take. They remind me of the Fate damage stress track. Check out p.60 of the book for a summary.

I can take this path but, perhaps, I’ll back up and offer the more standard Harm tracks for opposition too. I’ll have to note the Harm levels that weapons, or incisive verbal attacks, do and maybe account for the protection of opposition armour, accounting in a way that doesn't require me to roll anything.

I'm conscious that other PbtA games go down this clock route of Harm ratings. My instinct is that I will follow that route, but it feels like a big design deal. Perhaps I'm being a little weak on this, but I did a lot of FGU in the 1980s, so you are just going to have to cut me some slack.