Every action has consequences, whether you succeed or fail. These consequences are called outcome ratings, and they determine what happens next in the story:

Severity

The outcome rating (from 1 to 5) reflects how serious the result is. A higher rating means bigger consequences, both positive and negative, and can significantly alter the course of the narrative.

Convincing an Audience: If you succeed by a large margin in a public debate, you might not only convince the person you’re talking to but also sway the opinions of everyone listening (Outcome 4). If you barely succeed, you might only change the mind of the person directly in front of you (Outcome 2), leaving others skeptical.

Defeating an Enemy: If you defeat a powerful foe decisively, you might also demoralize their followers, causing them to flee (Outcome 4). A narrow victory might only defeat the foe without affecting the morale of their allies (Outcome 2).

Discovering a Secret: Uncovering a significant secret might give you leverage over multiple characters (Outcome 4), while a smaller discovery might only influence one person (Outcome 2).

Influencing a Decision: If you win a key vote in a council meeting by a large margin, you could shape the policy for years to come (Outcome 4). A close win might just narrowly push the decision in your favor (Outcome 2).

Negotiating a Deal: Successfully negotiating a trade agreement might secure favorable terms for your entire faction (Outcome 4). A minimal success could only benefit your immediate party (Outcome 2).

Minimum Difficulty

The outcome rating also sets the minimum difficulty for any related tasks moving forward. If your character suffers a setback, it may make future actions more challenging.

Climbing After an Injury: If you injure your leg with an outcome rating of 3, any climbing tasks will now have a minimum difficulty of 3 for the specified duration, reflecting the impact of the injury.

Convincing After a Failed Argument: If you fail to persuade someone with an outcome rating of 2, future attempts to convince them might start at a minimum difficulty of 2, as they remain skeptical.

Performing After Exhaustion: If you become exhausted with an outcome rating of 4, any physical tasks will now have a minimum difficulty of 4 until you rest, showing how fatigue affects performance.

Repairing After Damage: If your equipment is damaged with an outcome rating of 3, fixing or using it may have a minimum difficulty of 3 until the repairs are complete, making it more challenging to use.

Sneaking After Being Caught: If you’re caught sneaking with an outcome rating of 2, future stealth attempts may have a minimum difficulty of 2 as guards are now on high alert.

Duration

The duration of an outcome determines how long its effects last, influencing the character’s actions and the narrative.

Duration 1

Lasts for just a turn, quick and over, with minimal lasting impact.

A Flash of Pain: A minor burn from touching a hot surface might sting for a turn (Outcome 1), quickly fading without further consequence.

A Quick Distraction: A sudden noise might briefly draw your attention away from the task at hand (Outcome 1), with no lasting impact.

A Glancing Blow: A light hit in combat might cause a momentary stagger (Outcome 1), but doesn’t significantly affect your fighting ability.

A Missed Shot: Firing an arrow that barely misses its target might throw off your aim for a turn (Outcome 1), but not hinder your next shot.

A Sudden Gust: A strong gust of wind might throw off your balance momentarily (Outcome 1), but you quickly regain your footing.

Duration 2

Lasts for a scene, a bit more impactful, but still temporary.

An Awkward Encounter: An embarrassing social blunder might create tension for the remainder of the scene (Outcome 2), but is soon forgotten.

A Heated Argument: A brief argument could leave emotions running high for the rest of the scene (Outcome 2), impacting interactions.

A Minor Injury: A sprained wrist might make it difficult to perform tasks for the scene (Outcome 2), but heals quickly.

A Short-Lived Confusion: A moment of confusion might make decisions harder for the scene (Outcome 2), but clarity returns soon.

A Temporary Distraction: Being distracted by a sudden event might affect your focus for the rest of the scene (Outcome 2), but it won’t last.

Duration 3

Lasts for the session, persistent, but not permanent, influencing your character’s actions for the rest of the session.

A Lingering Fear: A frightening encounter might leave you shaken for the session (Outcome 3), making you more cautious.

A Sprained Ankle: A sprained ankle might slow you down for the rest of the session (Outcome 3), making it harder to run or jump.

A Stolen Item: Losing a key item might hinder your progress for the session (Outcome 3), until you can recover or replace it.

A Wounded Pride: Failing in a public setting might affect your confidence for the session (Outcome 3), influencing your decisions.

An Unresolved Conflict: An argument with an ally might create tension for the session (Outcome 3), impacting group dynamics.

Duration 4

Lasts for the adventure, a big deal that will affect your character for a while, shaping the narrative until the adventure concludes.

A Broken Weapon: Losing or breaking your primary weapon might force you to adapt for the entire adventure (Outcome 4), seeking alternatives.

A Key Mistake: Making a critical error might have repercussions throughout the adventure (Outcome 4), requiring ongoing effort to correct.

A Lost Ally: Losing an important ally might weaken your group for the entire adventure (Outcome 4), forcing you to find new strategies.

A Severe Injury: Suffering a serious injury might hinder your abilities for the adventure (Outcome 4), requiring constant care.

A Vital Clue: Failing to find a vital clue might make solving the mystery harder for the adventure (Outcome 4), leaving you without key information.

Duration 5

Permanent. This outcome is here to stay, leaving a lasting mark on your character and the story.

A Lifelong Rivalry: Creating an enemy might result in a lifelong rivalry (Outcome 5), impacting your story across many adventures.

A Major Scar: Suffering a deep wound might leave a permanent scar (Outcome 5), affecting how others perceive your character.

A Permanent Injury: Losing a limb might permanently alter how your character approaches challenges (Outcome 5), requiring adaptation.

A Reputational Damage: Failing publicly might result in lasting reputational damage (Outcome 5), influencing future interactions.

A Shift in Beliefs: A profound experience might cause a permanent shift in your character’s beliefs (Outcome 5), changing their outlook.

These outcome ratings provide opportunities to deepen the story and explore your character’s responses to challenges. Whether a consequence is brief or lasting, each outcome adds layers to the narrative, creating a more engaging experience.

The Lightspress Handbook isn’t just another rulebook. This is a reimagining of what roleplaying can be, challenging the norms and redefining how we think about storytelling in games. Forget the flashy mechanics designed to impress; this book strips things down to what truly matters: playing your characters and crafting their stories. Whether you’re exploring the intricate landscapes of traditional fantasy, venturing into the unknown in space opera, uncovering secrets in a gritty crime drama, or getting lost in the cozy charm of cottagecore fantasy, The Lightspress Handbook offers a universal, adaptable approach that fits almost any genre. It’s especially designed for those who are eager to dive into genres left in the shadows, like dark academia and magical realism.