System 1: Dice Pool Advantage

Replaces Static Modifiers with Dynamic Dice Pools

Core Mechanic

Instead of adding +1 or +2 to your target number, you roll extra dice and take the highest or lowest results. This creates more dramatic swings in combat and makes every attack feel more exciting.

Base Roll: 2 Attack Dice

Standard attack (no modifiers): Roll 2 Attack Dice, add both values together, compare to target number (usually 5+).

Advantage: Roll 3, Take Highest 2

When you have tactical ADVANTAGE:

• Roll 3 Attack Dice
• Discard the LOWEST die
• Add the 2 highest values together

Advantage Sources

• Flanking attack (hex-sides 3, 5)
• Rear attack (hex-side 4)
• Higher ground (1+ elevation)
• Target is Stunned/Immobilized
• Aiming (spent previous turn stationary)
• Taint Exploitation: "Exposed Weakness" (1 Taint spent)

Disadvantage: Roll 3, Take Lowest 2

When you have tactical DISADVANTAGE:

• Roll 3 Attack Dice
• Discard the HIGHEST die
• Add the 2 lowest values together

Disadvantage Sources

• Heavy cover (fortress walls, dense forest)
• Obscured target (smoke, darkness)
• Long range (7-10 hexes) or Extreme range (11+ hexes)
• Attacker moved 6+ hexes this turn
• Attacker has 5+ Heat (Danger Zone)
• Primary Weapon destroyed

Critical Advantage/Disadvantage

Critical Advantage (2+ sources): Roll 4 dice, discard 2 lowest, take 2 highest
Critical Disadvantage (2+ sources): Roll 4 dice, discard 2 highest, take 2 lowest

Cancellation

Advantage and Disadvantage cancel 1-for-1. If you have 2 Advantages and 1 Disadvantage, you have net +1 Advantage (roll 3, take 2 highest).

Probability Impact

Dice Pool	Strong Hit (7+)	EXECUTION (10)
Straight Roll (2d6)	~42%	~2.8%
Advantage (3d6, take 2 highest)	~59% (+17%)	~5.1% (nearly double!)
Critical Advantage (4d6, take 2 highest)	~68%	~8.5% (triple!)
Disadvantage (3d6, take 2 lowest)	~26% (-16%)	~0.5%

Perfect tactical positioning (Critical Advantage) triples your chance of EXECUTION attacks!

System 2: Taint Exploitation

Blood Marker-Inspired Tactical Resource Management

Core Concept

Taint is no longer just a threshold (0-10 scale, hit 10 = Corruption). It's now an active battlefield mechanic you can exploit:

• When you damage enemies, they accumulate Taint Markers
• YOU can spend THEIR Taint to debuff them
• THEY can spend their OWN Taint for desperate power (risk/reward)
• Creates offensive counterplay and mirrors Church's self-harm mechanics

Gaining Taint Markers

Damage-Based Taint

When you take damage, gain 1 Taint Marker per 3 damage dealt (round down).

Other Taint Sources

• Taint Pulse card: All enemies within 3 hexes gain 2 Taint
• Standing in Tainted Terrain: Gain 1 Taint per turn
• Capsule Breach: Gain 3 Taint (pilot exposed)
• Church Blood Offering: Self-inflict 1 Taint for +3 damage

Taint Threshold (Corruption Risk)

Taint Level	Status	Effects
0-4 Taint	Safe	No penalties
5-7 Taint	Danger Zone	Enemies can exploit; -1 Pilot Grit; Cannot heal
8-9 Taint	Critical	-1 SP max; +1 Heat generation; Enemy attacks have Advantage
10+ Taint	CORRUPTED	Roll 1d6: 4+ resist, 1-3 roll Corruption Table

Offensive Taint Exploitation

YOU Can Spend THEIR Taint

When attacking an enemy with Taint Markers, you may spend their Taint for offensive bonuses BEFORE rolling Attack Dice.

Cost	Effect	Timing
1 Taint	EXPOSED WEAKNESS Gain Advantage (roll 3, take 2 highest)	Before rolling
2 Taint	FORCE REROLL Force target to reroll up to 2 successful Defense Dice	After Defense
1 Taint	HEAT SPIKE Target gains +1 Heat immediately	Any time
3 Taint	COMPONENT VULNERABILITY +1 Component Damage this attack	Before rolling
4 Taint	NEURAL DISRUPTION Target cannot play Reactive cards	Before rolling
5 Taint	TAINT OVERLOAD Target flips 1 Pilot Wound card	Any time

Defensive Taint Exploitation

THEY Can Spend THEIR OWN Taint

When YOU have Taint Markers, you may spend them for desperate power. BUT: This increases your Corruption risk.

Cost	Effect	Risk
2 Taint	TAINTED FURY +2 damage to next attack	Gain 1 Heat
3 Taint	IGNORE PAIN Reduce next damage taken by 3	Gain 1 Heat
1 Taint	VOID STEP Move 2 hexes (0 SP)	Gain 1 Heat
4 Taint	THERMAL PURGE Remove ALL Heat, ignore Strain	-1 SP max (mission)
5 Taint	RESURRECTION (Once/battle) Reshuffle at 0 HP, return with 10 cards	Flip 2 Wounds

Corruption Table

When you fail Corruption Save at 10+ Taint (rolled 1-3), roll 1d6:

d6	Result	Effect
1-2	PUPPET OF THE ENGINE	Enemy controls your Casket for 1 turn. Reset to 5 Taint after
3-4	TAINT NOVA	3d6 damage to all within 3 hexes (including allies). You take 6 damage. Reset to 0 Taint
5-6	MUTATION	Flip 1 Severe Injury. Gain permanent mutation (roll 1d6). Reset to 5 Taint

Mutation Table (1d6)

• 1-2: Clawed Limb - +1 melee damage, but -1 SP max
• 3-4: Third Eye - Ignore Disadvantage from cover, but -1 Defense
• 5-6: Void Touched - Spend Taint at -1 cost, but gain +1 Taint per turn

Faction Interactions

Faction	Taint Interaction
Church of Absolution	WANTS Taint for martyrdom. Corruption Save 3+ (resistant). Can self-inflict via Blood Offering
Dwarven Forge-Guilds	Rune-warded: Gain Taint at half rate. Cannot be exploited until 8+ Taint. Cannot spend own Taint
The Ossuarium	"Death's Patience": Resist Taint penalties until 5+ Taint. "Decay Aura": Enemies within 3 hexes gain 1 Taint/turn
Elven Verdant Covenant	Vulnerable: Gain Taint at DOUBLE rate. "Regeneration" removes 1 Taint. Corruption Save 5+ in Forests only

System 3: Pilot Grit

Campaign Progression • Mental Resilience • Experience Tracking

Core Concept

Pilot Grit represents a pilot's mental toughness, combat experience, and resistance to psychological trauma. It's a campaign-only mechanic that tracks how hardened your pilot becomes through repeated battles.

Grit Score (0-10)

• Starting Grit: All pilots begin at Grit 3 (average veteran)
• Minimum: Grit 0 (shell-shocked, barely functional)
• Maximum: Grit 10 (legendary, unbreakable)

Grit Checks

When you face mental trauma, roll 1d6. If you roll UNDER your Grit score, you resist the effect. If you roll EQUAL TO OR OVER, you suffer the consequence.

When to Make Grit Checks

• Capsule Breach: When pilot takes direct damage (Thread snap, neural feedback)
• Component Destroyed: When a critical component is destroyed (Right Arm, Legs)
• Ally Dies: When witnessing a fellow pilot's Casket destroyed
• High Taint: At 5-7 Taint (Danger Zone) or 8-9 Taint (Critical)
• Facing Boss: First encounter with a named boss enemy
• Severe Injury: When flipping a Severe Injury or Trauma card

Grit Modifiers

Grit Score	Mental State	Effects
0-2	Shell-Shocked	-1 SP max, cannot gain Advantage, Disadvantage on all checks
3-4	Green	No modifiers (starting baseline)
5-6	Veteran	+1 to resist Taint corruption checks
7-8	Hardened	+1 to Grit checks, immune to first Capsule Breach per mission
9-10	Unbreakable	Auto-succeed all Grit checks except Critical Trauma

Gaining & Losing Grit

Gain +1 Grit

• Survive a mission where you took 15+ damage
• Defeat a named boss enemy
• Survive with a Severe Injury for 3+ missions
• Make 5 successful Grit checks in a single mission

Lose -1 Grit

• Fail 3 Grit checks in a single mission
• Witness 2+ allied Caskets destroyed in one battle
• Suffer Trauma (PTSD, Dissociation, Madness)
• Accumulate 10+ Taint without purging

Integration with Other Systems

With Taint Exploitation

Danger Zone (5-7 Taint): -1 to Grit checks
Critical (8-9 Taint): -2 to Grit checks
High Grit (7+): +1 to resist Taint Corruption

With Dice Pool Advantage

Grit affects resistance rolls, not Attack Dice. However, Shell-Shocked pilots (Grit 0-2) suffer Disadvantage on ALL checks.

Campaign Tracking

Track Pilot Grit on your campaign sheet alongside:

• Current Grit Score (0-10)
• Missions Survived (experience counter)
• Failed Grit Checks This Mission (temporary tracker)
• Permanent Trauma Cards (reduce max Grit)