Defenses

Heroes face many hazards in their line of work, from attacks by villainous foes to traps and fiendish mind control. A hero's defenses are traits used to avoid such things, determining the difficulty to affect a hero with an attack, or to make defense checks against them. Each defense is based on a particular ability, modified by the hero's advantages and powers. For more on when defenses are used and what happens see Gameplay Rules: Defense.

Note that unlike ability scores, nothing special happens if a defense drops to 0 or below. Toughness has no lower limit because there is no maximum limit to the number of bruised penalties. However all other defenses have an effective minimum based on the maximum possible Weaken rank which is determined by power level. Although note that if the matching ability, except Stamina, is debilitated then the defense will automatically fail.

Defenses are also used to measure the ability to overcome certain effects, involving a defense check which consists of defense total plus a dice roll against a difficulty class or opposed roll as determined by the effect or hazard. So you might make a Parry defense check for your hero to avoid a sword thrust by a villain, for example, or a Dodge defense check to evade a trap just as it is triggered, and so on. This may be referred to by abbreviation such as "Will check" or by "resisting" such as "resisted by Fortitude".

Defense Rank

Your base defense ranks are equal to your ranks in their associated abilities. You can increase your defenses (except toughness) above the values granted by your ability ranks by spending character points: 1 character point grants you an additional rank in a defense, up to the limits imposed by power level.

Toughness Rank

The exception is Toughness, which can only be increased above your base Stamina rank using advantages and powers, not by direct spending of character points. This reflects that greater-than-normal Toughness is virtually always some sort of special ability. See Defensive Roll, Protection, and Enhanced Trait: Toughness.

Active Defenses

Dodge and Parry defenses require a measure of action to be fully effective. Limits on your mobility, focus, and reaction time adversely affect them. The conditions vulnerable and defenseless affect your active defenses (see Conditions for description).

Dodge

Dodge defense is based on Agility rank. It includes reaction time, quickness, nimbleness, and overall coordination, used to avoid ranged attacks or other hazards where reflexes and speed are important.

Parry

Parry defense is based on Fighting. It is the ability to counter, duck, or otherwise evade a foe's attempts to strike you in close combat through superior fighting ability. Note that Parry never provides a counter attack for balance reasons.

Passive Defenses

Passive defenses are always present (unlike active defenses) even while unaware or incapacitated. Passive defense are unaffected by the conditions vulnerable and defenseless and thus are always available. The applicable active defense (if any) is rolled then the applicable passive defense is rolled and thus most attacks must overcome two defenses.

Will

Will defense is based on Presence rank. It measures mental stability, level-headedness, determination, self-confidence, self-awareness, and willpower, used to resist mental or spiritual attacks.

Fortitude

Fortitude defense is based on Stamina and measures health and resistance to threats like poison or disease. It incorporates constitution, ruggedness, metabolism, and immunity.

Toughness

Toughness defense is based on Stamina and is resistance to direct damage or harm, and overall durability.