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Definitions:

Fudge die (or Fate die): a 6-sided die with two "+" sides, two "-" sides, and two blank sides. 4dF
means 4 fudge dice are rolled for a result from -4 to +4.
Trait: Any attribute, skill, gift, or fault.
Attribute: A trait that everybody has (strength, charisma, spirit, mind, etc.)
Skill: A trait that isn't an attribute but can improve through practice (broadsword, bladed weapons,
melee combat, scuba-diving, nuclear engineering, etc.)
Gift: A good trait that isn't ranked on the Fudge ladder (danger sense, night vision, etc.)
Fault: A bad trait that isn't ranked on the Fudge ladder (offensive personal odor, glutton, etc.)

Fudge Ladder:

Legendary (8)*
Superb (7)
Great (6)
Good (5)
Fair (4)
Mediocre (3)
Poor (2)
Terrible (1 )
*Not allowed for starting PCs.

Subjective Character Creation:

Decide your character's attributes and skills and rank them on the Fudge Ladder. Any trait that
doesn't fit on the fudge ladder is a Gift and/or a Fault. See Appendix A for example traits.

Point-buy Character Attributes:

The GM decides the list of attributes before the game starts. All player attributes start at Fair (4).
The players get Attribute Points to raise their attributes. The number of Attribute Points is equal to
half the number of attributes, rounded up. The players may increase attributes to decrease others at
a 1 :1 ratio. Attributes may not go above Superb (7) or below Terrible (1 ) at character creation.

Point-buy Character Skills:

Same as for point-buy attributes, except skills start at Poor (2) and the number of skill points is
determined by the GM based on how broad or narrow the skills are (e.g." combat" vs "weapons" vs
"swords" vs "broadsword").

Gifts and Faults:

The GM may allow player characters to start with one or two free gifts. Faults may be taken with GM
approval but don't earn the player any extra character-building points.
Optional rule: Players earn a Fudge point whenever a fault of theirs gets them or their party into
trouble. Fudge Points are described later.

Trading Traits (with GM approval):

During character creation unspent trait levels may be traded (in either direction) at the following rate:
1 attribute level = 3 skill levels.

1 gift = 6 skill levels.

1 gift = 2 attribute levels.

Fudge On The Fly Character Skills:

When using Fudge on the Fly, players don't have to decide on their skills, gifts, or faults before play
starts. When a relevant trait is called for the player can fill it in in the appropriate spot below. The
player can create a new trait at any time but may only place it in an existing empty slot.
Superb:
Great:
Good:
Fair:

[ ________________]
[ ________________]
[ ________________]
[ ________________]
[ ________________]
Mediocre: [ ________________]
[ ________________]
Poor:
[ ________________]
[ ________________]
[ ________________]

[ ________________]
[ ________________] [ ________________]
[ ________________] [ ________________]
[ ________________] [ ________________]
[ ________________]
[ ________________] [ ________________]
[ ________________] [ ________________]
[ ________________]

Gift( s) ( if allowed) : [ ________________] [ ________________]

Fault( s) ( optional) : [ ________________] [ ________________]
[ ________________] [ ________________]

Damage Capacity:

Characters have 1 HP per level of Damage Capacity attribute. 0 HP is unconscious. A character

taken below 0 HP requires stabilization (a healing skill check with a default difficulty of Fair (4) or an
automatically-healing resource) or they will die.

Armor:

Armor is rolled into Damage Capacity. A character with platemail armor might have Superb Damage
Capacity but Mediocre Stealth. The exact drawbacks of armor (if any) are left up to the GM.

Trait (skill or attribute) checks:

Roll trait+4dF. Untrained skills default to Poor (2). Undefined attributes default to Fair (4). An
unopposed trait check succeeds if the roll equals or exceeds the GM-decided difficulty rating. An
opposed trait check succeeds if the roll equals or exceeds the opposing character trait plus an
optional GM-determined modifier ranging from +3 to -3.
If the player fails a trait check the GM may still allow the PC to succeed at a cost. Either way, a failed
trait check roll causes trouble of some sort. (See Appendix B: GM Moves.) Failed checks for passive
traits like knowledge and awareness generally don't cause problems beyond the natural
consequences of failure.

"Yes, but":

For boring-but-necessary PC actions the GM may allow the player to automatically succeed with
complications (or without complications if the action is trivial) as long as the PC has the appropriate
trait at an acceptable level. The player states what their character wants to achieve and the GM
chooses up to four complications. The GM must tell the player the complications before the PC takes
action.

Situations where "Yes, but" would be appropriate include: crafting equipment, giving medical
treatment, creating a new magical spell or effect, developing skills.
Sample complications:
Its going to take days/weeks/months
First you must ____
Youll need help from ____
It will require a lot of money
The best you can do is a lesser version, unreliable and limited
You and your allies will risk danger from ____
You'll draw unwanted attention from ____
Youll have to take apart/disenchant ____ to do it
The finished product will have the following side-effect(s): ____
The GM may allow the player to choose between different combinations of complications. ("Either it
will take a lot of money and several weeks, or you can swallow your pride and ask Jorgen for help."
"Never!")

Bonuses and penalties:

Characters may have one-time or ongoing modifiers to some or all of their rolls. These modifiers may
range from +3 to -3, with the most common being +/-1 . Only the largest bonus and the largest
penalty will have any effect on the character's rolls.

Combat:

In combat the GM decides which PC acts based upon the situation, shifting the spotlight to the
different players as needed. The GM describes immediate threats and asks the PC, "what do you
do?" When a player fails a roll, ignores an oncoming threat, or looks to the GM to see what happens
next, the GM makes a GM move that would be appropriate for the situation. (See Appendix B: GM
moves.)
Weapons and directly damaging spells reduce a character's HP by 1 . A combat roll of +3 or +4
doubles the damage. Attacking a character's weakness (holy magic against the undead, fire magic
against a paper golem, etc.) may cause double damage.

Environmental Hazards:

If something could kill a man, like a fall, a fire, or a trap, it does 1 HP of damage. If it could kill a
horse, 2 HP. If it could kill an ogre or destroy a car, 4 HP. No more.

Magic:

Magic is treated like any other skill. Magic attacks usually do 1 HP damage. Spellcasting may
require the character to have the appropriate Gift.

Mana Points (optional):

Every spellcaster has a pool of Mana Points (MP) equal to their spellcasting attribute (Magic,
Spellcasting, Divine Influence, etc.) Casting a spell costs 1 MP. MP regenerates to full after a full
night's sleep.

Aided Healing:

For each healing resource consumed (healing spell, health potion, bandage, medkit, etc.) the
character regains 1 HP. Healers don't need to roll to succeed unless they are under pressure (time
limit, under attack, stabilization check, etc.)

Natural Healing:

Resting overnight heals 4 HP. Spending an entire day resting in comfort and safety brings a
character to full HP.

Fudge Points (optional):

PCs start the game with 1 -5 Fudge Points. Spending a Fudge Point lets you do one of the following:
Automatically succeed at any unopposed roll of Superb or lower difficulty.
Alter a roll by 1 .
Regain 1 HP.
Get a +4 result without rolling.*
Ensure a favorable coincidence.*
*This option requires the GM's approval and may cost more than one Fudge Point.
The GM should award an extra Fudge Point whenever a PC does something awesome. Players start
with full Fudge Points at the beginning of each session.
Optional: Players gain a Fudge Point when a Fault of theirs causes problems for them.

Character Advancement:

Characters get 1 -3 Experience Points (EP) per session.

Raising a skill:

Terrible to Poor: 1 EP
Poor to Mediocre: 1 EP
Mediocre to Fair: 1 EP
Fair to Good: 2 EP
Good to Great: 4 EP
Great to Superb: 8 EP
Superb to Legendary: 1 6 EP + GM permission

Raising an attribute:

Triple the cost for skills of the same level.

Adding a gift:

3 to 1 2 EP (depending on the power and usefulness of the gift), plus GM approval.

For slower character advancement, increase the costs.

GM Section
Enemy Creation

Enemies have a Threat attribute that stands in for any trait check the enemy makes. GMs can add
other traits, but any undecided trait defaults to the enemy's Threat attribute.
Enemy Damage Capacity is based on how much time the PCs should spend fighting that enemy. A
cannon-fodder enemy should only have 1 or 2 HP (Poor or Mediocre Damage Capacity), while a boss
enemy may have up to Superb Damage Capacity (7 HP), or even higher! The default is Fair (4 HP).

Enemy Scale

Height or Length
4 ft. - 8 ft.
8 ft. - 1 6 ft.
1 6 ft. - 32 ft.
32 ft. - 64 ft.
64 ft. - 1 28 ft.

Scale
1
2
3
4
5

Vehicles
Animals
Motorcycle
Human, leopard, pony, donkey
Car
Rhino, tiger, bear, ape
Main battle tank Elephant, t- rex
Fighter j et
Large business j et

Hit points and damage are multiplied by scale. A main battle tank (Scale 3) with Fair Durability (4 HP)
would have 1 2 HP and do 3 points of damage per successful attack. Scale applies the same way to
creatures. All else being equal, a Scale 4 fighter jet and a Scale 4 dragon would be evenly matched.

Enemy Morale Checks (optional)

The GM makes a morale check against the enemy group's Threat attribute with a default difficulty of
Fair (though bonuses and penalties may alter this). If the group fails its morale check, the group
members will try to retreat or make a fighting withdrawal. Otherwise, they will continue to fight. Only
NPCs and monsters have to make morale checks.
Morale checks are made at two times: after the first group member dies, and after half of the group
has been incapacitated. Enemies that pass both morale checks will fight to the death.

Sample Encounters

Troll
Threat Attribute: Great (6)
Gift: Quick Regeneration: On a failed player roll the troll may regain a hit point.
-and/orGift: Slow Regeneration: The troll comes back to life a certain amount of time after dying (minutes,
hours, days), eventually coming back to full health. Limbs regenerate, etc.
Fault: Pretty dumb.
Fault: Fire attacks and acid attacks both permanently take hit points off of the troll.
Fault (optional): Permanently turns to stone in sunlight.
Behavior: Big. Dumb. Strong. Grab things, pick them up, and smash them against other things. Do
the same thing to people.
Giant Spider
Threat Attribute: Fair (4)
Gift: Paralyzing venom in fangs
Gift: Webspinning
Behavior: Create sticky webs to catch prey, inject a paralytic venom with your fangs, then wrap your
prey in a coccoon before sucking their fluids out.
Brigand
Threat: Mediocre (3)
Behavior: Loot, pillage, and plunder. Obey your leader. Attack the innocent. Take by force.
Note: If their leader is killed, any attacking brigands must immediately make a morale check.
Brigand Leader
Threat: Good (5)
Behavior: Command your followers. Reward obedience. Crush any challenges to your authority.
Boast recklessly.

Pyromaniac Fire Mage

Threat: Good (5)
Gift: Spellcasting. Spells known: Fireball, Flamethrower.
Gift: Immunity to his own flames.
-ORGift: Immunity to all flames
Behavior: Burn all the things! If anybody tries to stop you, burn them as well!
Psionic Monk
Threat rating: Superb (7)
Gift: Psionicist. Psionic abilities: Telepathy/empathy, Telekinesis, Physical Augmentation (acrobatic
jumps, fast movement), Suggestion.
Gift: Plasma Sword
Behavior: Defend the weak. Destroy the wicked. Be at peace in all your actions.
Fallen Psionic Monk
Threat rating: Superb (7)
Gift: Psionicist. Psionic abilities: Telepathy/empathy, Telekinesis, Physical Augmentation (acrobatic
jumps, fast movement), Lightning.
Gift: Plasma Sword
Behavior: Let your anger and hatred flow through you. Crush your enemies. Show no mercy.
Mooks (guards, stormtroopers, minions, cultists, etc.)
Threat Rating: Poor (2)
Behavior: Mob the heroes, die in droves.

--Appendix A: Example Character Traits-These are only example traits. You don't have to use all of them, or even any of them. You can make
up your own that aren't listed here.

Attributes:

Body: Agility, Aim, Appearance, Balance, Brawn, Build, Constitution, Coordination, Deftness,
Dexterity, Endurance, Fatigue, Fitness, Health, Manual Dexterity, Muscle, Nimbleness, Quickness,
Physical, Reflexes, Size, Smell, Speed, Stamina, Strength, Wound Resistance, Zip.
Mind: Cunning, Education, Intelligence, Knowledge, Learning, Mechanical, Memory, Mental, Mental
Strength, Perception, Reasoning, Smarts, Technical, Wit.
Soul: Channeling, Charisma, Charm, Chutzpah, Common Sense, Coolness, Disposition, Drive, Ego,
Empathy, Fate, Honor, Intuition, Luck, Magic Resistance, Magic Potential, Magical Ability, Power,
Presence, Psyche, Sanity, Self Discipline, Social, Spiritual, Style, Will, Wisdom.
Other: Rank, Status, Wealth.

Skills:

Animal Skills: Animal Care, Animal Lore, Animal Training, Bee-keeping, Herding, Riding, Teamster,
Veterinarian.
Artistic skills: Aesthetics, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Literary Arts, Performing Arts (music, theater,
storytelling, jester, dance., and such skills as Choreography, Composition, Costuming.), Visual Arts
(painting, drawing, sculpting.).
Athletic skills: Acrobatics, Aerial Acrobatics, Balance Skills, Boating, Climbing, Jumping, Polevaulting, Running, Swimming, Throwing, Various Sports, Zero-G Maneuvering.
Combat skills: Ambush, Demolitions, Dodge, Punmanship, Quick-Draw, Shield, Tactics, Throwing,
numerous Weapon and Unarmed Combat skills.

 Covert skills: Acting, Breaking & Entering, Detect Traps, Deactivate Traps, Disguise, Forgery,
Infiltrate, Intrigue, Lockpicking, Pickpocketing, Poisoning, Shadowing, Shady Contacts, Sleight of
Hand, Stealth.
Craft skills: Armory, Basket Making, Bowyer/Fletcher, Carpenter, Cooking, Knots, Leatherworking,
Masonry, Pottery, Smith, Tailor, Weaving - many others.
Dungeon-delving skills: Avoid Traps, Fight, Find Secret Passages, Pick Locks, Move Quietly, Run,
Tell Believable Whoppers.
Knowledge skills (a skill can represent knowledge of a subject as broad or narrow as the GM will
allow): Alchemy, Alien Customs, Arcane Lore, Criminology, Cultures, Detective Fiction, Folklore,
Geography, History, Literature, Occultism, Political Situations, Psychology, TV SitCom Episodes,
Sciences (lots of these).
Language skills: Each individual language, Pantomime, Pick Up Languages.
Manipulative skills: Bamboozle, Bluff, Boot-licking, Bribery, Con, Exhort, Fast-talk, Flattery,
Interrogate, Intimidate, Lying, Oratory, Persuade, Seduction, Street Gossip.
Medical skills: Anatomy, Antidotes, Diagnosis, Doctoring, First Aid, Herb Preparation, Medicine,
Nursing, Surgery.
Merchant skills: Bargain, Barter, Business Sense, Evaluate Goods, Haggle, Innkeeping, Marketing,
Salesmanship, Shopkeeping.
Outdoor skills: Camouflage, Camping, Fishing, Forage, Herb Lore, Hide Traces, Hunting, Mimic
Animal Noises, Nature Lore, Navigation, Survival, Tracking, Wildcraft, Woodcraft.
Professional skills: Accounting, Begging, Bureaucracy, Farming, Gambling, Law, Photography,
Seamanship - many others.
Social skills (Fellowship): Bar Etiquette, Camaraderie, Carouse, Choosing just the right gift, Control
Libido, Cyberspace Etiquette, Game Playing, Hold your liquor, Make Amusing Faces or Noises, Tall
Tales, Uplift Spirits, Witty Insults.
Social skills (Formal): Courtly Ways, Detect Lies, Diplomacy, Etiquette, Interviewing, Parley,
Repartee, Rituals, Savoir-Faire, Servant.
Spiritual skills: Communing with nature, Fasting, Giving comfort, Listening deeply, Meditation,
Patience, Theology.
Supernormal Power skills: Fortune Telling, Levitate, Spell Casting, Use Mind Control, Use
Superpower, Use Telekinesis.
Technical skills: Computer Build/Repair, Computer Programming, Computer Use, Driving,
Electronics, Engineer, Mechanic, Piloting, Repair Scoutship Systems, Research, Shiphandling.
Urban skills: Barroom Savvy, Street Etiquette, Streetwise, Urban Survival.

Gifts:

Absolute Direction; Always keeps his cool; Ambidextrous; Animal Empathy; Attractive; Beautiful
speaking voice; Bonus to one aspect of an attribute; Combat Reflexes; Contacts in police force;
Danger Sense; Extraordinary Speed; Healthy Constitution; Keen senses; Literate; Lucky; Many
people owe him favors; Never disoriented in zero Gravity; Never forgets a name/face/whatever; Night
Vision; Patron; Perfect Timing; Peripheral Vision; Quick Reflexes; Rank; Rapid Healing; Reputation
as Hero; Sense of empathy; Single-minded; Status; Strong Will; Tolerant; Tough Hide, Wealth.

Faults:

Absent-Minded; Addiction; Ambitious; Amorous heartbreaker; Bloodlust; Blunt and tactless; Bravery
indistinguishable from foolhardiness; Can't resist having the last word; Code of Ethics limits actions;
Code of Honor; Compulsive Behavior; Coward; Curious; Finicky; Easily Distractible; Enemy; Fanatic
patriot; Full of bluff and bluster and machismo; Garrulous; Getting old; Glutton; Goes Berserk if
Wounded; Gossip; Greedy; Gullible; Humanitarian (helps the needy for no pay); Idealist - not
grounded in reality; Indecisive; Intolerant; Jealous of Anyone Getting More Attention; Lazy; Loyal to
Companions; Manic-Depressive; Melancholy; Multiple Personality; Must obey senior officers; Nosy;

Obsession; Outlaw; Overconfident; Owes favors; Phobias; Poor; Practical Joker; Quick-Tempered;
Quixotic; Self-defense Pacifist; Socially awkward; Soft-hearted; Stubborn; Quick to take offense;
Unlucky; Vain; Violent when enraged; Vow; Worry Wart; Zealous behavior.

--Appendix B: GM Moves (copied from Dungeon World)-Moves

Each move is something that occurs in the fiction of the gamethey arent code words or special
terms. Use up their resources literally means to expend the resources of the characters, for
example.
Use a monster, danger, or location move
Reveal an unwelcome truth
Show signs of an approaching threat
Deal damage
Use up their resources
Turn their actions back on them
Separate them
Give an opportunity that fits character skills
Show a downside to their race, equipment, or one of their traits (attributes, skills, gifts, faults)
Offer an opportunity, with or without cost
Put someone in a spot
Tell them the requirements or consequences and ask
Never speak the name of your move. Make it a real thing that happens to them: As you dodge the
hulking ogres club, you slip and land hard. Your sword goes sliding away into the darkness. You think
you saw where it went but the ogre is lumbering your way. What do you do?
No matter what move you make, always follow up with What do you do? When a spell goes wild or
the floor drops out from under them adventurers react or suffer the consequences of inaction.

When to Make a Move

You make a move:

* When everyone looks to you to find out what happens

* When the players give you a golden opportunity
* When a player fail a skill check
Generally when the players are just looking at you to find out what happens you make a soft move;
otherwise you make a hard move.
A soft move is one without immediate, irrevocable consequences. That usually means its something
not all that bad, like revealing that theres more treasure if they can just find a way past the golem
(offer an opportunity with cost). It can also mean that its something bad, but they have time to avoid
it, like having the goblin archers loose their arrows (show signs of an approaching threat) with a
chance for them to dodge out of danger.

A soft move ignored becomes a golden opportunity for a hard move. If the players do nothing about
the hail of arrows flying towards them its a golden opportunity to use the deal damage move.
Hard moves, on the other hand, have immediate consequences. Dealing damage is almost always a
hard move, since it means a loss of HP that wont be recovered without some action from the players.
When you have a chance to make a hard move you can opt for a soft one instead if it better fits the
situation. Sometimes things just work out for the best.

Choosing a Move

To choose a move, start by looking at the obvious consequences of the action that triggered it. If you
already have an idea, think on it for a second to make sure it fits your agenda and principles and then
do it. Let your moves snowball. Build on the success or failure of the characters moves and on your
own previous moves.
If your first instinct is that this wont hurt them now, but itll come back to bite them later, great! Make a
note of and reveal it when the time is right.

Making your Move

When making a move, never speak the name of your move and address the characters, not the
players. Your moves are not mechanical actions happening around the table. They are concrete
events happening to the characters in the fictional world you are describing.
Note that deal damage is a move, but other moves may include damage as well. When an ogre
flings you against a wall you take damage as surely as if he had smashed you with his fists.
After every move you make, always ask What do you do?

Use a monster, danger, or location move

A monster or location move is just a description of what that location or monster does, maybe hurl
someone away or bridge the planes. The overarching dangers of the adventure also have moves
associated with them. Use these moves to bring that danger into play, which may mean more
monsters.

Reveal an unwelcome truth

An unwelcome truth is a fact the players wish wasnt true: that the rooms been trapped, maybe, or
that the helpful goblin is actually a spy. Reveal to the players just how much trouble theyre in.

Show signs of an approaching threat

This is one of your most versatile moves. Threat means anything bad thats on the way. With this
move, you just show them that somethings going to happen unless they do something about it.

Deal damage

When you deal damage, choose one source of damage thats fictionally threatening a character and
apply it. In combat with a lizard man? It stabs you. Triggered a trap? Rocks fall on you. In some
cases, this move might involve trading damage both ways, with the character also dealing damage.

Use up their resources

Surviving somewhere dangerous often comes down to supplies. With this move, something happens

to use up some resource: weapons, armor, healing, ongoing spells. You dont always have to use it
up permanently. A sword might just be flung to the other side of the room, not shattered.

Turn Their Actions Back On Them

Think about how a character's action might benefit them and turn them around in a negative way.
Alternately, grant the same advantage to someone who has it out for the characters. If Ivy has
learned of Duke Horsts men approaching from the east, maybe a scout has spotted her, too.

Separate Them

There are few things worse than being in the middle of a raging battle with blood-thirsty owlbears on
all sidesone of those things is being in the middle of that battle with no one at your back.
Separating the characters can mean anything from being pushed apart in the heat of battle to being
teleported to the far end of the dungeon. Whatever way it occurs, its bound to cause problems.

Give an opportunity that fits character skills

The thief disables traps, sneaks, and picks locks. The cleric deals with the divine and the dead. Every
character has things that they shine atpresent an opportunity that plays to what one character
shines at.
It doesn't have to be a character thats in play right now though. Sometimes a locked door stands
between you and treasure and theres no thief in sight. This is an invitation for invention, bargaining,
and creativity. If all you've got is a bloody axe doesnt every problem look like a skull?

Show a downside to their race, equipment, or one of their traits

Just as every character shines, they all have their weaknesses too. Do orcs have a special thirst for
elven blood? Is the clerics magic disturbing dangerous forces? The torch that lights the way also
draws attention from eyes in the dark.

Offer an opportunity, with or without cost

Show them something they want: riches, power, glory. If you want, you can associate some cost with
it too, of course.
Remember to lead with the fiction. You dont say, This area isnt dangerous so you can make camp
here, if youre willing to take the time. You make it a solid fictional thing and say, Helferths blessings
still hang around the shattered altar. Its a nice safe spot, but the chanting from the ritual chamber is
getting louder. What do you do?

Put someone in a spot

A spot is someplace where a character needs to make tough choices. Put them, or something they
care about, in the path of destruction. The harder the choice, the tougher the spot.

Tell them the requirements or consequences and ask

This move is particularly good when the character has failed a skill check. They can do it, sure, but
theyll have to pay the price. Or, they can do it, but there will be consequences. Maybe they can swim
through the shark-infested moat before being devoured, but theyll need a distraction. Of course, this
is made clear to the characters, not just the players: the sharks are in a starved frenzy, for example.