The Dice Pool
Every action in Metanoia resolves through a dice pool built at the moment you act. There is one mechanic. It covers everything.
How It Works
Section titled “How It Works”- Start with 1d8. Every pool begins here, regardless of who you are or what you’re attempting.
- Narrate your Method. Describe what you’re doing and how. The how is what unlocks additional dice: equipment, polarities, abilities, and passives.
- Roll the pool. Count the dice that come up at or below the Target Number. That count is your Success Number (S#).
- Compare to the Success Threshold (ST). The outcome depends on whether your S# meets, exceeds, or falls short of it.
This is a roll-under system. Smaller dice are better. A d4 hits its target number far more often than a d12.
Building the Pool
Section titled “Building the Pool”| Source | Dice Added | Strain Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Base | 1d8 | — |
| Equipment (relevant) | Varies | — |
| Polarity (via Circulation passive) | 1 die, size set by value rank | — |
| Active ability | Varies | Ability cost at cast |
| Extra dice beyond free limit | Any | 1 Strain per die |
| Granted by another player | Varies | None (to you) |
Free dice = your Realm number. If your Realm is 2, you have 2 free die slots beyond the base d8. Each die beyond that costs 1 Strain to add to the pool.
Dice granted by other players or abilities do not cost you Strain.
Maximum pool size: 7 dice.
Die Sizes
Section titled “Die Sizes”| Die | Relative Quality |
|---|---|
| d4 | Best |
| d6 | Good |
| d8 | Average (base die) |
| d10 | Poor |
| d12 | Worst |
The die size contributed by a polarity (via the Circulation passive) is determined by that polarity’s associated value rank:
| Value Rank | Die Size |
|---|---|
| #1 (highest priority) | d4 |
| #2 | d6 |
| #3 | d8 |
| #4 (lowest priority) | d10 |
Method Matters
Section titled “Method Matters”Without narrating a Method, you cannot add dice from your polarities, equipment, or abilities — only the base d8 rolls. The Method is not flavor; it is the mechanical trigger. Describe what you’re doing and why the tools and beliefs you’re invoking are relevant to the action.