Situational Rules

This section covers rules for a variety of situations that typically appear during play.

Info-Gathering Checks
Info-Gathering Checks are Checks made to discover information. Typically they are made during the Research Phase and often happen as Backstage Checks. There are a variety of Skills that can be used to make Info-Gathering Checks based on what kind of methods a Character chooses to employ, but the majority of them tend to be made with  and  Skills.

Info-Gathering Check Restrictions
Info-Gathering Checks are subject to the below restrictions

Each Topic is a Separate Info-Gathering Check
Topics will be covered in detail below, but essentially represent a specific area of investigation such as figuring out the relationship between two different corporations. For each Info-Gathering Check you may only investigate one Topic, no matter how many Skills you Combo together.

An Info-Gathering Check is a Single Action
You cannot take any other types of actions during an Info-Gathering Check, including another Info-Gathering Check, no matter how many Skills you Combo together. Fundamentally, you also cannot have Action Skills in an Info-Gathering Check Combo.

Info-Gathering Topics
Info-Gathering Checks are made to investigate certain Topics, usually provided ahead of time by the RL when preparing for the Scenario. Each Topic has a few to several Info Pieces the RL has prepared, each with their own separate Target Number to obtain them. Such as one Info Piece at TN8, another at TN15, and another at TN20. For an example Topic, look at the Scenario Modules.

Making an Info-Gathering Check
Based on the Topic that is being investigated the RL will decide which Skills are valid and which are not for the Check. Once decided, the Player will make an Info-Gathering Check with an appropriate Skill.

As long as the Result meets or beats the Target Number of at least one of the Topic's Info Pieces then the Check is considered a success. Furthermore, if the Result meets or beats more than one Info Piece then the Character obtains each of those Info Pieces. In our previous example, for instance, if the Player had a result of 21 they would gain the TN8, TN15, and TN20 Info Pieces. If they only got an 18, however, they'd only obtain the TN8 and TN15 Info Pieces.

Roleplaying Info-Gathering Checks
Since Info-Gathering Checks typically occur Backstage there is typically no reason to roleplay them out. However, there occasionally will be a desire to do so, particularly with  Checks. If so, simply perform the Check Backstage per usual but play out actually getting the information in the next Scene.

The important thing to consider is the pace of the Act. You should be moving through it at a decently lively pace, and not something sluggish. Don't let roleplaying out Info-Gathering Check get in the way of moving things forward.

Types of Info-Gathering Checks
Info-Gathering Checks are typically done through either a  or  Skill, but there are other options. Below is a simple explanation of different methods to gather info.

Contacting People
This method involves using a  skill to get information from a person directly. While it involves talking to a person, you don't necessarily need to roleplay it out.

Finding Rumors
This method involves using a  Skill to investigate rumors and news that are circulating in that specific industry, organization, or city. It's fairly common for a Substitute Skill Check to occur here, using one  Skill in place of another  Skill. For a full explanation of  Skills refer to the  Skill Section of General Skills.

Buying Information
It is possible to simply purchase the information you need from an Information Broker or some other source using a  Check.

Other Methods
There are many other possibilities for Info-Gathering Topics. For instance, you could use  to analyze video footage,  or  to analyze a painting or some other kind of graphic data to determine if something was a forgery or do some kind of brush-stroke or art style analysis to determine the creator.

Appearance Checks
If a Cast Member is not in a Scene they cannot perform actions as a Cast Member. In order to participate in the Scene they must first make an Appearance.

It goes without saying, but not every Scene is going to automatically have every Cast Member in it, and it's not like it's necessary for every Cast Member to be friends or even know each other at the start of an Act. They each have their own reasons for participating in the Act.

So how do you decide who else shows up in this Scene or the next one? That answer is simple, with an Appearance Check. These Checks are there to make it more clear just who can possible Appear in a Scene and who will.

Appearance Check Difficulty
Appearance Checks are typically made with either a  or <Contact> Skill. Appearance Checks first require a Valid Card to be played like always, and the Target Number of an Appearance Checks varies based on the Security Rank of the Area you wish to enter, or the Security Rating of the Residence you wish to enter.

To enter the Scene with a <Society> Skill it should be one relevant to the area you are wishing to enter. Such as <Society: Street> for a dive bar in a Red Area, <Society: High> for a high class establishment in a White Area, or <Society: Chihaya Heavy Industries> for entering a building owned by the megacorp. You'd also get the +SL bonus from using the latter.

Alternatively, if there is a Character already present in the Scene you have a <Contact> Skill with you can instead use that to enter the Scene. In this case, instead of using the Security Rating or Security Rank for the Check you'd instead use that Character's Control Rating as the Target Number for the Check.

Appearance Check Modifiers
Among the many Outfits in [TNX] are ones that can provide a penalty to the Result of Appearance Checks. This is represented by the right value in the Outfit's Hide Rating(Hide: -/-).

These Outfits are considered to be dangerous or even illegal goods, and taking them into a location in a Green or White Area, where security and safety measures are more strictly managed, will be seen as a crime.

If you possess any Outfits with an Appearance Penalty when entering a Scene in a Green or White Area you must add them all up and then multiply them by the Outfit Mod of the Area. In Red Areas, where attempts at security have been abandoned, and Yellow Areas, where the security is relatively lax, you do not apply the Appearance Mod of your Outfits to the Result of your Appearance Checks.

Confirming Carried Outfits
Before making an Appearance Check, the Cast Member may declare that they are not carrying certain Outfits they possess that have an Appearance Mod with them into the Scene. This way they can avoid suffering from their Appearance Mod. However, this also means they cannot use these Outfits or benefit from their Effects for this Scene.

For Outfits such as Cyberware where it's hard to imagine how they couldn't be carried with you instead picture them as having their functions disabled or suppressed.

It is also possible to circumvent the need to leave behind dangerous or illegal Outfits by joining a Team

Exiting a Scene
Exiting a Scene and entering the Backstage simply requires the Player to ask to do so and for the RL to allow it.

Ghost
A Ghost is a Character that participates in the Scene while not physically present in the area, but rather by communicating with another Character physically present through the Web and/or a phone call. When a Cast Member wishes to Appear as a Ghost in a Scene they must still make an Appearance Check.

Typically, all a Ghost Character is capable of doing in a Scene is communication only. They cannot participate in Cut Progression.

Drones
If a Ghost wishes to do something more than communication and participate in Cut Progression then they must deploy a Drone to the Scene and remotely operate it. Drones may not equip any Weapons or Armor that cannot be installed on them.

A Drone is a Vehicle, so all Vehicle Combat Rules apply when operating it. Meaning you cannot dodge with <Evasion> but rather must use <Operate: Drone>.

Drone Damage
All Physical Damage you receive while operating a Drone as a Ghost is converted into Mental Damage. This conversion occurs after all Damage Calculation is finished and all that's left is to apply the Damage. Essentially, after determining how much Physical Damage you've been dealt, you simply take that number and consult the Mental Wound Chart instead of the Physical Wound Chart.

Address
An Address represents contact information that you an acquire throughout an Act. It comes in various different categories.

A Person's Address
A Character's Address represents your knowledge of their contact information such as their personal address, their phone number, and their e-mail. You are capable of contacting them whenever you want, though that doesn't mean you'll necessarily always get a response.

A Place's Address
You know the physical location of a certain building or facility, and can go there whenever you want.

Other Addresses
During a Scenario the RL may have specific Addresses relevant to the Scenario such as the Address for where a specific Tron with intel you need is located or where the antagonist's base is located.

Backstage
When a Character is not currently appearing in a Scene they are considered to be Backstage. The RL has the right to allow any Character Backstage to appear in the Scene at any time.

When Backstage, you can make Backstage Checks at the end of the Scene.

Teams
Some things are just plain easier with an ally's help compared to doing it on your own. This especially goes for such a dangerous place as Tokyo N◎VA.

As long as their respective Players agree to do so and the RL grants their permission Cast Members can decide to form a Team together at any time during play. Normally Teams are created only among Cast Members, but the RL can give permission for the Cast to form a Team with a Guest if they wish.

Team Benefits
The main benefit of being in a Team with another Character is the ability to appear in the same Scene as your Team. In other words, as long as one member of the Team is able to the Appear in the Scene then all other Team Members automatically Appear in the Scene with them.

Since Teams can be formed at any time, this also gives Players who've already failed their Appearance Check to enter the Scene by joining a Team with an already present Character. This also gives Players an opportunity to try and better their Hand by intentionally failing an Appearance Check to toss away a bad card before entering the Scene as a Team Member.

However, just as a Team enters the Scene altogether they must also all leave the Scene together. You cannot abandon your Team.

Disbanding a Team
A Team is disbanded at the RL's discretion. Until then you're stuck with your Team so be careful.

Buy Checks
During an Act there are moments when a Cast Member may wish to buy an Outfit, Intel, or some other resource. To do this they may make a <Stature> Skill Check against the desired Outfit's Buy Rating or the Target Number of the Info Pieces they wish to acquire. This is known as a Buy Check.

On a success you obtain the desired resource, on a failure the resource is either unavailable or you cannot afford it. At this time, you may increase the Result of your Check with Credits.

It is also possible to make a Buy Check without needing to play any cards. In this case, the Result of your Buy Check becomes [[Mundane] + Spent Credits]. In other words, Outfits with a Buy Rating at or below your [Mundane] score are automatically obtainable.

<Contact> Management
By utilizing a <Contact> you can obtain all sorts of information and support from another Character. However, solving the Conflict of the Act is ultimately the role of the Cast. A <Contact> shouldn't be directly getting involved. As such, the RL has final say on just how much a <Contact> can help the Cast on an incident.

Communicating with a <Contact>
When you have <Contact> Skill with a Character you automatically obtain that Character's Address. As such, you can communicate with them at any time without the need for a <Contact> Check. However, there may be times where your relationship with the Character breaks down due to a fight or a conflict of interest and they become unwilling to speak to you. In these cases, a <Contact> Skill Check is necessary to communicate with them.

<Contact> Skills With Dead Characters
If your <Contact> is dead then obviously you can no longer communicate with them or ask for their help. However, this does not mean your <Contact> Skill is useless. It can still be used to represent your knowledge of the dead Character, and to get into contact with their surviving friends and family.