3.1 -- Fatigue in FUDGE Deryni

During the course of doing the various things that characters do, they will become tired, just as if they were real people. The problem is always representing this in the game without it being too cumbersome or just GM fiat, which in both cases leading to it being too much trouble to be fully utilized and thus inconsistent. Since FUDGE is loose and abstracted in many places, it is here as well. This is not perhaps the most realistic, but it will be easy to keep track of and simple to implement.

How Much Fatigue Your Character Gets

This is determined by your Stamina Attribute. You get one point for each level of Stamina, from Terrible to Superb. Thus a Fair Stamina give you 4 Fatigue points.

Fatigue For Deryni Characters

Deryni characters have another source of Fatigue points, for using their Deryni powers. This comes from the Power Attribute, at a rate of 2 per level, from Terrible to Superb. Thus, a Fair Power gives 8 Fatigue points. These Power-based Fatigue reserves can only be used to fuel Deryni powers, although Stamina-based Fatigue can be used for magic as well.

How Fatigue Is Used

There are many actions that are considered tiring enough to warrent a fatigue loss. Most of the time, it is not something to worry about, but any action that is intensely physical (combat, running long distances, or even a fast round of dancing) will cost fatigue. Keeping track of fatigue while roleplaying out extended groups of actions (like combat) is a headache that tramples on the flow of the action -- and often gets forgotten. Therefore, in almost every circumstance, fatigue penalties apply when the action is completed, not during. This also serves to represent the fact that adrenaline can keep people going for longer than might otherwise be possible.

Tiring actions will be rated with a Fatigue score. The GM may also assign a Fatigue penalty to any other action when she deems necessary. For most tasks, this score is considered for the completed action (and is assigned at the completion) or for a certain amount of time performing that action (which is noted with the fatigue score for that action; fatigue is assigned at the end of each duration).

Deryni characters using their powers mark off fatigue from their Power pool first, then start in on their Stamina pool, using whatever is left there, until they run out or are able to rest. A Deryni character performing physical actions, however, uses fatigue from the Stamina pool as normal for all characters.

Running Out Of Fatigue

The last three boxes of fatigue are the ones where fatigue begins to impact your actions. After marking off the box in question, apply whatever effects are indicated beside it. The penalties for Tired and Weary apply to all actions, not just ones that cause fatigue.
  1. Tired, -1 to all actions
  2. Weary, -3 to all actions
  3. Exhausted, Unconscious
Example: Bob has 5 fatigue points, due to his Good Stamina. He performs a number of tiring actions in one day, losing a total of 3 boxes of fatigue. (X X X O O) He has now crossed off the first of the last three boxes, making him Tired, and he has a -1 to all actions until he can properly rest. He is called upon to defend himself and his friends while this tired, and performs a few more stressing and tiring actions, and loses another 1 box. Unless poor Bob can rest, he's at -3 to all further actions, and any more tiring events will render him unconscious!

For those characters will low Staminas: If your character has a Stamina low enough that he does not have the last three boxes, do not worry about penalties until you cross off the first box they have, and then apply the appropriate penalty for that box. Thus, every character can perform at least one action before being affected. (Maybe not the most realistic way of doing things, but it saves from having to constantly apply fatigue penalties to everything the character does.

Out of Fatigue: A character who is at the end of his fatigue reserves (in other words, has lost his last fatigue box), can stay conscious by making a Good Stamina check each round or action. This check needs to be a Great if the action they wish to perform is considered tiring or stressful. Once that action is completed, the character passes out and sleeps until fully rested.

Resting

In order to regain fatigue, a character must rest. A full night's sleep returns all fatigue back to a character. Sitting and resting, doing little activity returns fatigue at a rate of about 1 an hour. Dozing or napping convey the same.

There are other means, such as magic, that can relieve fatigue, and these methods are explained in the relevant sections or are left to the characters to discover on their own.

Warning -- Long Term Fatigue: A person cannot constantly use up fatigue without it leaving a lasting impact on their body and health. Every time a character uses a significant amount of their fatigue reserves (Stamina or Power), the GM will make a note. Doing so too often (like more than once a week), will result in some GM generated effects.

Fatigue and Combat

Combat is a very tiring, very stressful, experience for most characters. While it may be realistic to assign fatigue losses and to monitor fatigue during a combat, it makes for some book-keeping in the middle of a tense roleplaying part of the game, and the game often suffers for such intrusions. They may also be easy to forget in the "heat of battle," as well. Thus, unless the combat is abnormally stressful or extra long in time, no fatigue penalties are applied during the combat. (Although keep in mind that any penalties from before still apply.)

However, once the adrenaline has worn off, that is when fatigue losses, if any, are calculated.

Actions and Their Fatigue Scores

Note: This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list, although it will be as detailed as possible. Fatigue Scores for Deryni powers are listed in the Magic section.