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FUDGE:  Fatigue and Effort

Note: Throughout this text I refer to the 'Endurance' attribute, by which I mean the character's natural ability to engage is strenuous effort.  Everyone who plays FUDGE knows that you might not have Endurance in your name.  Call it Endurance, Stamina, Constitution, Earth, Toughness, whatever... I just want you all to know what I'm talking about.

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When determining the effort required for various activities, you have to first classify the activities your players can make into three broad classes:

• Effortless: A character can perform as many effortless activities as he or she likes without suffering any fatigue effects.
• Tiring: A character can perform a small number of tiring activities, after which he or she becomes 'Tired' (the number of uses is roughly equal to the character's rank in Endurance). Once the character is Tired, he can perform roughly the same number of tiring activities again before becoming 'Exhausted'.
• Exhausting: A character performing an exhausting action is pretty well certain to become at least 'Tired', and will probably become 'Exhausted'.  Use a dF roll against the character's Endurance with a target of 'Good': if they make the roll, they are Tired, if not, they are 'Exhausted' from making an Exhausting effort. 

The penalties of the above fatigue affects are generally assigned on the fly depending on the situation, however several general rules still apply:

• Once Tired, a character will probably suffer a -1 to all activities.
• Once Exhausted, a character will suffer a -3 to all activities, and can only make exhausting efforts in exceptional circumstances:  doing so will almost certainly leave the character unconscious, perhaps even wounded.  Making Tiring efforts when Exhausted will be difficult, and will possibly lead to unconsciousness.  (Great Endurance check to remain conscious.)

Note: Some efforts do not quickly fit into one of the categories above. One of the most common examples would be an Effort that is more than simply Tiring, but less than Exhausting. In these cases, I use such terms as 'Quite Tiring' (counts as two Tiring efforts), Very Tiring (counts as three Tiring efforts), and so on.

Example: Quinn and Breann both know and use a basic Lightning Bolt spell. The differences between the two caster's is extreme, however. Quinn is an experienced sorcerer; magical practice is a part of his daily routine and something he has engaged in for a number of decades. Breann, conversely, has only recently come upon her magical gifts, and more importantly is basically learning the Mysteries... wrong. Coercing her niece (who is very nearly her own age) into the role of instructor, she has focused only on the Results of Magic, without bothering to learn the underlying Rules. She will eventually have to go back and teach herself the 'other part', but for now, she's satisfied with being able to toss bolts of energy about.

The GM knows that these two spell-casters are wildly different in skill levels, but at the same time, does not think that such a difference warrants a complete change in Effort level between the two characters. In other words, if he says that casting the Lightning Bolt is 'Tiring' for Breann, then Quinn's would, logically, be Effortless. Conversely, if Quinn's Lightning bolts were Tiring, then Breann would (by extension) find it Exhausting to even cast one. Neither of these results are satisfactory.

The GM decides to use a bit more detail to define the Effort level of the lightning for the two. After some thought, he informs Quinn that casting a lightning bolt is Tiring, and tells Breann that the same spell is a Very Tiring Effort for her. Also, he notes that will practice and study, Breann can reduce the Effort required to cast her version of the spell, although it unlikely that Quinn would be able to... the efficiency of his casting is very nearly as honed as it can be.

[In the following, we will be using several different types of Efforts as an illustration of the various classes of effort.]

Note that in the above text I have based exhaustion solely on the character's Endurance score:  in other words, how much stamina the character has to perform such tasks. When determining which of the "classes" an effort will fall into, several possibilities exist, depending on the effort in question:

• A mage's 'magic' rank might determine the relative ease of casting a particular spell. (Creating a simple light spell or floating a feather around the room might be Tiring, even Exhausting,  for an Apprentice, but an Effortless effort for a skilled mage.)
• A warriors rank with swordplay might determine to some degree the effort required during a fight, since the a skill swordsman will expend less energy failing about.

The GM and player should discuss these factors prior to play; preferably during character generation itself. 

Fatigue and Powers

Fatigue costs for the use of powers can be determined by answering some of the following questions.

1. How hard would it be to do the task without using the Power? (if indeed such a thing is possible)
2. Does this Effort call on multiple gifts?
3. How high is the character's rank in the Power?
4. Is the character in desperate need? (It can be a nice touch if characters can pull off extreme feats in desperation, especially with efforts relating to powers).
5. How well- suited is the character's Power to this task?
6. Has the character got any related specialties or skills?
7. How much time has the character got to prepare?  (More preparation generally makes things easier.)
8. How much time/effort is the effort going to require? (Powerful rituals or affects tend to be time consuming and draining even if the character has plenty of time to prepare.)
9. Is the effect sought one of the character's favorites? (One that the player has taken the trouble to note - generally these will be somewhat easier.)
10. Has the character got any mystic doohickies to assist their effort?
11. Are there environmental factors to take into account? (Even a very minor magical effect can be exhausting for a very skilled adept... if it is done in a place warded heavily against such activities.)
12. Are the planets in alignment / the constellations favorable / etc. (or any other mystic twaddle for you want to throw in) for this effort, or unfavorable?

Also, do not ignore "game play" factors that influence how the answers are arrived at.  E.g.: the more time that the character spends defining his effort and preparing, the more time the player and I consider the above questions and therefore the better defined the Feat gets. If a mage wants to snap off a swift spell in an emergency, then we spend very little time considering the answers to the above questions; and the effort is unpredictable in cost and effect, and is more vulnerable to hi-jacking by supernatural agencies.

If the character is using one of his favorite Effects, then most of the above questions will already have been answered - we only need to spend a little time considering environmental factors, etc. - thus the character can roll off the effort fairly swiftly, and probably much easier than the 'on the fly' efforts listed above.

Finally, a list of some common Activities, and a rough idea of the Effort required for each:

Note: a number of Tiring efforts equal to the character's Endurance rank would normally need to be undertaken before a character would become Tired. Thus, Joe Bob, with an Endurance of Great, would be able to fence with Bobbie-Lou for roughly 60 minutes for it to even count as one Tiring effort, of which he might make 6 before even becoming Tired, let alone Exhausted. Conversely, a Duel (life-threatening swordplay) tires one out in much less time.

Effortless

• Initiating a Mental contact with an open, available, willing subject familiar with the process.
• Fencing (light weapons in a non-dangerous situation) for a brief amount of time. (2 * Endurance rank) in minutes.
• Dueling (your life is on the line) for a brief amount of time. (Endurance rank) in minutes.
• Putting together a minor magical fetish if your character has at least three ranks in Magic.
• Minor Magic (light spell, a small breeze, 'sense' magic) for a skilled mage.

Tiring

• Fencing for longer periods of time. (More than 2 * Endurance rank in minutes).
• Dueling of any kind for longer periods of time. (More than Endurance rank in minutes).
• Active participation in a battle or melee. (More than 10 * Endurance rank in minutes).
• Initiating Mental contact with someone who is resisting slightly, suspicious, far away, unfamiliar with the process, or otherwise slightly shielded.
• <u>Initiating</u> a mental attack of any kind (still requires the effort to make initial contact).
• Marching for 4 hours.
• Racing (horseback or one foot) for 10 minutes.
• Using any significant magic for a skilled mage.
• Minor Magic (light spell, a small breeze, 'sense' magic) for a minor mage.
• Healing (yourself or another) - stacks with 'using significant magic'.

Exhausting

• Initiating Mental contact with someone who is resisting strongly or otherwise heavily shielded.
• Cutting off a mental attack of any kind.  Driving off the attacker, for example.
• Any mental attack that lasts longer than the character's Endurance rank in minutes.
• Casting any magic that must breach a Good barrier (or higher).

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