Although Forest of Doors has a great many abilities and spell mechanics, most of them are “internal” and need not be learned by every player. However, there are quite a few taglines that players will run into, and knowing the rules behind them—even in a “quick and dirty” way—will make the game run more smoothly.
Attacks and spells have taglines that let players know what effects are attached to them. Taglines must be spoken before the attack hits or the spell packet is thrown. This list is included to make players familiar with the various effects of the game, and is abbreviated for ease of memory.
Basic Attack Taglines
Attack taglines can be called with either melee or ranged strikes and must be called before the attack is made. Attack taglines are always out of play, technically, but if you hear them called you can assume that you hear the sounds of battle, and can thus react to them.
Advanced attack taglines are rare enough that they are not thumbnailed here. Please refer to the Combat section for them.
“Power Strike X”
Does X damage.
Defense = Parry, Block (take 1 damage to shield arm), Deflect, Dodge
“Poison/Disease/Blindness/Stillness Strike X”
Does X damage. If you take a wound, you suffer the stated Persistent Condition at a level equal to the damage you took. May be defended against as a Power Strike.
“Fire/Ice/Lightning Strike X”
Does X damage of the stated element. May be defended against as a Power Strike, or if the defender has a special resistance or defense against that element.
“Bane-Strike X”
Does X damage that only affects those creatures that are Accursed. May be defended against as a Power Strike.
“Mortal Blow”
Destroys all Resilience and causes a torso wound.
Defense = Parry, Deflect, Dodge
“Piercing Strike”
This ability allows a strike to bypass shields and natural weapons entirely, doing 1 damage to the arm of the defender. Piercing Strike must actually strike the shield, claw, or unarmed phys-rep to count. Resilience applies as normal.
Defense = Parry, Stonewall, Dodge
“Shield Bash”
This attack is not delivered by a weapon. Shield Bash can only be used if you hit someone’s shield and they activate this power in response. You are disarmed of the attacking weapon. Heavy weapon users are not disarmed, but still take damage. No player should actually strike at another with their shield!
Defense = Recover, Dodge
“Stunning Blow”
If struck by this attack, which does 1 damage, you are Stunned as a Mental effect for 1 minute. Stunned characters may not move from where they stand, (they may turn around and such) attack anyone with weapons, speak, or cast spells for the duration. Both mundane defenses and defensive combat maneuvers are unaffected by stunning, however. If this effect is resisted, both the damage and the Stun are negated. Stunning Blows ignore Threshold.
Defense = Parry, Deflect, Dodge
“Subdue”
An attack from behind delivered to an unaware target as a pommel tap (with a close weapon that has 1” of open-cell foam on its pommel) to the upper back or shoulder; causes the target to go unconscious for 5 minutes. Perceptive characters and characters with helmets are immune to Subdual. Thrown Subdues need only strike a target on the torso, from behind, but otherwise are restricted just as normal Subdues.
Defense = Dodge
“Sweep Attack”
If struck by this attack, which does 1 point of damage, you are inflicted with Knockdown: you are knocked off your feet (sit or take a knee) for 1 minute, and cannot move from where you are. A Feat of Strength can be used to resist the damage and Knockdown. Sweep Attacks ignore Threshold.
Defense = Parry, Deflect, Dodge
“Weapon Break”
If your weapon is hit by this “attack,” it is Broken. Heavy weapons are immune to this effect.
Defense = Withstand, Dodge
Invocations
Invocations are innate magical effects produced by supernatural creatures or enchanted items. All battle invocations are delivered by gray packets and called in the following way:
“Invoke (name of effect) (level of effect)!”
For example: “Invoke Ice Breath 5!” You take 5 ice damage to whichever location is hit.
Note that some invoke effects do not have levels, such as a bind, shackle, slow, etc. Invokes may be resisted like any magical spell: “Invoke Spirit Binding! ”You suffer a Bind effect.
Invoke effects can also deliver Persistent Conditions (Poison/Disease/Blindness/Silence):“Invoke Poison 4!”
Unlike the spells described above, they do no damage; you just take the condition at a level equal to the number called.
Persistent Conditions
These effects have numerical levels associated with them, which affects how easily they are cured. That is, someone inflicted with Poison 10 must have that number reduced to zero before they are cured of it.
Strikes and Invokes of persistent conditions apply the effects differently:
“Poison Strike 2” is 2 damage and 2 Poison (condition).
“Invoke Poison 2” is simply 2 Poison (condition), no damage.
Poison
If you take this effect, you become Prone and cannot stand without aid; you must lie down, sit, or kneel. The only way you can move from your position on your own is by crawling on your hands and knees. You may attack and defend from this position, as normal. After 1 hour of being Poisoned, you die. May be resisted by a Feat of Toughness.
Roleplaying requirement: you must act as if you are in terrible pain.
Disease
If you take this effect, you become Prone and cannot stand without aid; you must lie down, sit, or kneel. The only way you can move from your position is by crawling on your hands and knees. You may attack and defend from this position, as normal. After 1 hour of being Diseased, you die. May be resisted by a Feat of Toughness.
Roleplaying requirement: you must act as if you are terribly nauseated and/or suffering from a hacking cough.
Blindness
While Blinded, you cannot run, nor may you attack anyone with weapons or packet- based spells. You may defend yourself mundanely or with defensive abilities, as normal. Blindness lasts 1 hour and can be resisted by a Feat of Will.
Roleplaying requirement: you must act as if your vision is almost entirely gone.
Stillness
While Stilled, you cannot run, nor may you attack anyone with weapons or packet- based spells. You may defend yourself mundanely or with defensive abilities, as normal. Stillness lasts 1 hour and can be resisted by a Feat of Will.
Roleplaying requirement: you must act distant and nearly emotionless, speaking only in soft whispers.
Quick Venom
Quick Venom can only be resisted by a Greater Feat of Toughness, and after 5 minutes of suffering its effects, you die. Otherwise it acts exactly like poison in its debilitating effects and it prevents Coax Life. Poison resistance/reduction/immunity does not apply.
Plague
Plague can only be resisted by a Greater Feat of Toughness, and after 5 minutes of suffering its effects, you die. Otherwise it acts exactly like Disease in its debilitating effects, and it also prevents Coax Life. Disease resistance/reduction/immunity does not apply.
Paralysis
Paralysis can only be resisted by a Greater Feat of Will. If Paralyzed, you are completely incapacitated and cannot move in any way. The condition is permanent until cured, but during its duration you may slip instantly into death, at will. If you die while Paralyzed, your soul immediately passes onward. Blindness resistance/reduction/immunity does not apply.
Caging
Caging can only be resisted by a Greater Feat of Will. If Caged, you are completely incapacitated and cut off from the outside world. The condition is permanent until cured, but during its duration you may slip instantly into death, at will. If you die while Caged, your soul immediately passes onward. Stillness resistance/reduction/immunity does not apply.
Magical Taglines
| Name | Duration | Type | Description |
| Absorb Magic | Instant | D | Absorb one Perfect Charge instead of taking the spell effect. |
| Anger | 5 min | A | Targets struck by this spell are overcome with Anger against the Caster, as a mental effect, for 5 minutes. While angry, a target will do nothing but attempt to pursue the Caster in order to engage them with weapons or hostile spells. Note that this effect will end on a target if the Caster is damaged by them, they suffer from the angered target’s spell effects, or 5 minutes pass. While affected by anger, the target cannot attack other characters unless they directly impede their progress toward the Caster, but may defend themselves as normal. Although an angered target will not do anything that will place them in obvious harm’s way, they will ignore subtle effects such as circles or traps (not walls of fire), and will move through them if their target is on the other side. If the target cannot see the Caster—after they actively look around for them—the spell has no effect until the Caster is visible again. This is a Mental effect, and can be resisted with a Feat of Will. |
| Arcane Might | Instant | A | Magic always finds a way. This spell cannot be resisted. |
| Arcane Might Resist | Instant | D | Magic still always finds a way. This is the ONLY ability that can be used to resist a spell empowered with Arcane Might. |
| Bane X | Instant | A | Does X damage that only affects those creatures that are Accursed. |
| Betrayal | 1 min | A | You must immediately turn on those who you perceive to be your allies, attacking them with weapons and magic to the best of your abilities. This spell ends after 1 minute passes, when you become Critical or Unconscious, or when you have made a number of successful attacks on your allies equal to the original caster’s Mastery. A successful “attack,” for the purpose of this spell, is a weapon strike that causes damage and/or a special effect to a target, or a hostile instant/readied spell use that actually takes effect on them. If you have no ability to attack, you will attempt to seize a nearby weapon; failing that, you will “attack” your allies with a number of cruel statements, each of which must be as hurtful as possible. As with all mental effects, this can be resisted with a Feat of Will or a Charismatic character can spend a feat to talk their ally out of this condition. |
| Bind | 5 min | A | You take 1 damage and are Bound as a Mental effect for 5 minutes. If this effect is resisted, both the damage and the Bind are negated. Bind ignores Threshold. Targets struck by this spell must immediately stop and are Bound. While Bound, you must keep one foot of your choice anchored to the ground until 5 minutes pass, you break free, or you are released by the caster dropping the effect. You can pivot freely, and only one foot can be Bound at a time. Bound characters may break free by spending a Feat of Strength and taking a three second count: “Strength 1, Strength 2, Strength 3.” |
| Blindness X | Persistent, 1 hr | A | Blind condition at level X. While Blinded, you cannot run, nor may you attack anyone with weapons or packet- based spells. You may defend yourself mundanely or with defensive abilities, as normal. Blindness lasts 1 hour and can be resisted by a Feat of Will. |
| Boon | Instant | D | A mysterious enchantment that benefits the dead in the afterlife. Last until used on one event. |
| Cage X | Persistent, permanent | A | Cage condition at level X. Caging can only be resisted by a Greater Feat of Will. If Caged, you are completely incapacitated and cut off from the outside world. The condition is permanent until cured, but during its duration you may slip instantly into death, at will. If you die while Caged, your soul immediately passes onward. Stillness resistance/reduction/immunity does not apply. |
| Copy Magic | Instant | D | Once hit with this effect, the caster can temporarily learn that spell, and doesn’t take the effect. One one spell can be Copied at any time. This effect resets at Sunset. |
| Conceal | Instant | D | Concealment is represented, for characters, by arms crossed over the chest. Concealed objects will be noted as such with an obvious tag or sign. Both concealed objects and concealed characters should be treated as Out-of-Play. A Feat of Perception can be used to end a single character or object’s Concealment. Regardless, a Perceptive character in the presence of concealed items/people (assuming they actually see them out of play) will have an odd feeling about the general area, though they may not indicate where the concealed are, in any way, unless they use a feat. |
| Destroy | Instant | A | Destroyed items are unusable and can not be remade. Destroyed objects are gone forever. |
| Dodge | Instant | D | Negates any attack, whether Magic or Melee or Missile, unless it is True, Arcane Might or Circle (area of effect). |
| Disease X | Persistent, 1 hr | A | Disease condition at level X. If you take this effect, you become Prone and cannot stand without aid; you must lie down, sit, or kneel. The only way you can move from your position is by crawling on your hands and knees. You may attack and defend from this position, as normal. After 1 hour of being Diseased, you die. May be resisted by a Feat of Toughness. |
| Drop | 3 sec | A | Causes an opponent to drop everything they are holding in their hands. Anyone who has been inflicted with Drop may not pick up any items, at all, for a 3 second count. |
| Fascinate | 5 min | A | You are Fascinated with the Caster, as a mental effect, for 5 minutes. While fascinated, you will do nothing but attempt to pursue the Caster in order to remain nearby to see them. Note that this effect will end on you if the Caster attacks you, or 5 minutes pass. While affected by Fascinate, you cannot attack other characters, but may defend yourself as normal. Although a fascinated target will not do anything that will place them in obvious harm’s way, they will ignore subtle effects such as circles or traps (not walls of fire), and will move through them if their target is on the other side. If you cannot see the Caster—after you actively look around for them—the spell has no effect until the Caster is visible again. This is a Mental effect, and can be resisted with a Feat of Will. |
| Fear/Greater Fear | 5/15 mins | A | You are afraid of the Caster for 5 minutes (Greater = 15 minutes), and will not take harmful action against, or be within 15 feet of the Caster. If cornered, you may defend yourself mundanely or with defensive abilities, as normal. This is a Mental effect, and can be resisted with a Feat of Will. |
| Fire X | Instant | A | Does X Fire damage. May be defended against if the defender has a special resistance or defense against that element, or as normal. |
| Force Lance X | Instant | A | Take X magical damage. |
| Hallucinate | 1 hour | A | You are immune to Mental effects, but you may not rest (Vitality and Prowess do not reset) or use rituals. As with Intoxicated, players must roleplay their hallucinating state. This is a Mental effect, and can be resisted with a Feat of Will. |
| Haste | Instant | D | You cannot be chased by anyone not also under a Haste effect, nor can you be blocked from leaving an area. You must call “haste” with every stride, or the effect ends. Attacking, using skills, or stopping will end the effect. |
| Ice X | Instant | A | Does X Ice damage. May be defended against if the defender has a special resistance or defense against that element, or as normal. |
| Immaterial | Instant | D | You move into the immaterial realm and must maintain the gesture of hands folded, index fingers steepled. Immaterial characters should be treated as Out-of-Play unless your character is Empathic, or you are also in this state. This spell causes the caster to shift into the Spirit World, becoming immaterial. The character is immune to all magic and attacks except effects that specifically state that they can target immaterial creatures, and they can only be seen or heard by spirits or by characters that possess the Empathic Trait. All negative ailments such as bleeding, poison, and the like, are still in full effect. With this spell active, the caster counts as a spirit for the purpose of effects that only affect such. If an immaterial character drops the required gesture, moves at more than a normal walking speed, or takes more than their allotted steps, the spell ends. When this spell ends—by whatever means—the caster must say “I appear,” in a loud tone of voice, so that all those around them can “see” them materialize. A character under this spell, though nearly untouched by the material world, is nevertheless in a strange reflection of it. The Spirit World has most of the same physical features as the material, meaning that this spell may not be used to negotiate physical challenges, barriers, or traps. Certain objects and locations only exist in the Spirit World, however, and only those in an Immaterial state may interact with them. |
| Intoxicate | I hour | A | You act drunk. Although it has no mechanical effect, players must roleplay as if they are deep in their cups. This is a Mental effect, and can be resisted with a Feat of Will. |
| Invisibility | Instant | D | You are unable to be seen. Invisibility is represented by holding one’s hands, palms together, over the head. Invisible characters should be treated as Out-of-Play. Perceptive characters know “something’s not right” when someone invisible is nearby, though they don’t know where they are, at all. Revealed by Heroic Feat of Perception. |
| Killing Spell | Instant | A | Bypasses armor and destroys all Resilience, and causes a torso wound. |
| Knockdown | 1 min | A | If struck by this attack, which does 1 point of damage, you are inflicted with Knockdown: you are knocked off your feet (sit or take a knee) for 1 minute, and cannot move from where you are. A Feat of Strength can be used to resist the damage and Knockdown. Knowndowns ignore Threshold. |
| Lightning X | Instant | A | Does X Lightning damage. May be defended against if the defender has a special resistance or defense against that element, or as normal. |
| Magic Resist | Instant | D | You can ignore a single Magic effect. |
| Mental Resist | Instant | D | You can ignore a single Mental effect. |
| Mortal Spell | Instant | A | Bypasses armor and destroys all Resilience, and causes a torso wound. |
| Paralysis X | Persistent, permanent | A | Paralysis condition at level X. Paralysis can only be resisted by a Greater Feat of Will. If Paralyzed, you are completely incapacitated and cannot move in any way. The condition is permanent until cured, but during its duration you may slip instantly into death, at will. If you die while Paralyzed, your soul immediately passes onward. Blindness resistance/reduction/immunity does not apply. |
| Plague X | Persistent, 5 min | A | Plague condition at level X. Plague can only be resisted by a Greater Feat of Toughness, and after 5 minutes of suffering its effects, you die. Otherwise it acts exactly like Disease in its debilitating effects, and it also prevents Coax Life. Disease resistance/reduction/immunity does not apply. |
| Poison X | Persistent, 1 hr | A | Poison condition at level X. If you take this effect, you become Prone and cannot stand without aid; you must lie down, sit, or kneel. The only way you can move from your position on your own is by crawling on your hands and knees. You may attack and defend from this position, as normal. After 1 hour of being Poisoned, you die. May be resisted by a Feat of Toughness. While poisoned, you must act as if you are in terrible pain. |
| Protection X | Instant | A | Magical resilience granted by magical effects. Does not stack with other forms of magical resilience. |
| Quick Venom | Persistent, 5 min | A | Quick Venom condition at level X. Quick Venom can only be resisted by a Greater Feat of Toughness, and after 5 minutes of suffering its effects, you die. Otherwise it acts exactly like poison in its debilitating effects and it prevents Coax Life. Poison resistance/reduction/immunity does not apply. |
| Rebuke | Persistent, 1 min | A | You may not call Feats of any kind–from any source–until you get 10 minutes of standard rest or the condition is removed. |
| Reduce | Instant | D | Reduce incoming magical attack from X to 1. |
| Shackle | 5 min | A | Your hands are bound behind your back. You may not cast touch-based spells on others, and cannot cast packet-based spells at all. Anyone who has been Shackled may be broken free with a Feat of Strength. Shackled characters may break free by spending a Feat of Strength and taking a three second count: “Breaking 1, Breaking 2, Breaking 3.” This effect lasts for 5 minutes. |
| Shatter | Instant | A | Break effect on item hit. Shattered items are unusable and can only be repaired using production actions. |
| Sleep | 5 min | A | This mental effect causes you to become unconscious, and lasts for 5 minutes. |
| Slow | 5 min | A | Target cannot take more than one step every three seconds, cannot Haste or run in any way, and all melee/combat attacks are at half speed. Target will remain slowed for 5 minutes or until released by the caster. |
| Spirit X | Instant | A | Does X damage that only affects those creatures who are Spirits. |
| Stabilize | Instant | D | A wounded and formerly Critical character who is healing. As soon as a character is stabilized, they become conscious. Moving at more than a slow crawl (or aided walk), fighting, or casting spells will cause them to go Critical again. Their healing time is 60 minutes, but may be sped up by other means. |
| Strength Drain | Instant, varies | A | The Target cannot use combat abilities of any kind, cannot rest for the purpose of restoring Prowess, and loses all Prowess from all sources. This can be resisted with a Feat of Attuned or Magic Resist of any kind. This effect lasts until the Target rests for 10 minutes. |
| Stillness X | Persistent, 1 hr | A | Stillness condition at level X. While Stilled, you cannot run, nor may you attack anyone with weapons or packet- based spells. You may defend yourself mundanely or with defensive abilities, as normal. Stillness lasts 1 hour and can be resisted by a Feat of Will. You must act distant and nearly emotionless, speaking only in soft whispers. |
| Stun X | 1 min | A | You take 1 damage and are Stunned as a Mental effect for 1 minute. Stunned characters may not move from where they stand, (they may turn around and such) attack anyone with weapons, speak, or cast spells for the duration. Both mundane defenses and defensive combat maneuvers are unaffected by stunning, however. You must act dazed and confused, speaking only in soft whispers. If this effect is resisted, both the damage and the Stun are negated. Stun ignores Threshold. |
| Ward | Instant | D | Nullifies Magical effect, consumes one charge. |
| Will Drain | Instant, varies | A | You cannot cast spells of any kind, perform rituals of any kind, and lose access to all magical charges of all types. This can be resisted with a Feat of Attuned or Magic Resist of any kind. This effect lasts until the Target rests for 10 minutes. |
Skill Taglines
“Etiquette!”
Ignore the last statement the character who just called this made. This can also be used as a question (Etiquette?), and a marshal or qualified player should explain (softly) to the character (out of play) what the proper or expected action would be for the current social situation.
“Healing: Examination”
The character using this skill may ask out of play questions about your condition. You must answer them to the best of your ability.
“Healing: Basic/Intermediate/Advanced Aid”
The character using this ability begins to heal you, and the count for being Critical stops. You are Stable when they complete this effect, and will heal entirely in 1 hour, 30 minutes, or 15 minutes, respectively.
“Healing: Treatment X”
A character using this ability cures you of all persistent effects (such as Disease and Poison) which are of a power X or less. Any higher than X are unaffected.
“Healing: Coax Life”
This is an attempt to revive you from the brink of death. Coax Life works if your body is in good condition, your soul has not passed on, and you were not Diseased, Poisoned, Plagued, or inflicted with Quick Venom. Other effects may prevent such. If you come back, you become Stable and will fully heal in an hour. No healing enhancement will accelerate this process.
“Inspired/Long/Grand Performance”
Hearing this tagline allows you to restore 1, 2, or 3 expended feats if you paid attention to, and gave approval for, the actual performance that preceded it.
“Reveal”
Although technically not an activated skill or power, this tagline may be called when you are present while another character attempts to Conceal themselves. If you hear the tagline for concealment (Concealing 1, Concealing 2, Concealing 3) and actually see the person, you can stop the process by calling “Reveal.”