Advancement

Characters in Halcyon Aces grow through Advancement Points (AP), awarded by the GM at the end of each session. AP is the game's single growth currency—you spend it to buy new Traits, learn Techniques, pick up Talents and Perks, and (occasionally) raise your stats. This chapter covers how AP flows in and out, how the power curve shapes your campaign, and how to handle the moment when a player says "I want to make a new Technique."

Awarding AP

The GM awards AP at the end of each session based on what the group accomplished. The baseline is 2 AP per session—enough to feel meaningful without inflating power too quickly. Adjust up or down depending on what happened at the table:

Spending AP

AP is spent between sessions during narrative downtime, or during rest periods at the GM's discretion. A player can save AP across sessions if they're working toward an expensive purchase.

Milestone Advancement (Alternative)

If tracking session-by-session AP feels too granular, use milestone advancement. The GM awards a lump AP total at narrative milestones: completing a quest, defeating a major villain, reaching a new region, or resolving a personal arc.

Power Curve Guidance

As characters accumulate AP, their capabilities expand. The following tiers give GMs a rough framework for understanding what a party looks like at different stages of a campaign—and what enemies should challenge them.

Most campaigns will cover Tiers 1 through 3 over 15–25 sessions. Tier 4 represents endgame power and should feel extraordinary—reserve it for long-running campaigns or epilogue arcs.

Campaign Scope & AP Caps

Not every campaign is an epic saga. Some stories are about scrappy underdogs who never become demigods. Others are sweeping mythic arcs where the heroes challenge fate itself. The GM sets the campaign's scope at the start, which determines the maximum total AP any character can accumulate. This cap shapes the power ceiling and tells players what kind of story they're in.

The AP cap applies to total AP spent, not total AP earned. If a character reaches the cap, they stop gaining AP from session awards. The GM should announce the campaign scope at Session 0 so players can plan their builds accordingly.

The Max-5 Ceiling

The maximum value for any stat is 5. At character creation, the practical maximum is 4 (templates distribute 8 points, backgrounds add +1 to two stats). Reaching 5 requires spending 4 AP during Advancement.

A stat at 5 is transformative. Five-card draws mean you almost always find what you need. A +5 Resonance bonus pushes even modest matching cards into the double digits (a 5♠ on a Spirit 5 check produces EV 10). An Ace with Resonance hits 19—the theoretical maximum, enough to clear Legendary DCs. And the derived value impact is significant: Body 5 gives Guard 10 base and Vitality gets +15 from Body alone.

Technique Creation During Advancement

When a player spends 2 AP to create a new Technique, they work with the GM to design it. This is one of the most creatively rewarding parts of Advancement—a Technique is your character's signature move, and designing it should feel personal. Here's the process:

1. Start with the fiction. What does the Technique look like? What does the character do? "I want to slam my shield into the ground and send a shockwave through the zone" is a better starting point than "I want a 2-action Sweep with Stunned." The fantasy drives the mechanics, not the other way around.
2. Determine affinity and requirements. Which stat governs the Technique? Which Traits enable it? A Technique requiring Traits from two different trees is a multi-affinity Technique—automatically more powerful, and balanced by the investment required to reach it.
3. Set the mechanics. Action cost, targets, range, effect (the number-card outcome), bonus damage (the face-card sweetener), and defense type. Use the power budget table in the Techniques chapter as a baseline: 1-action Techniques do one thing well; 3-action Techniques should be the centerpiece of a turn.
4. Playtest and adjust. The Technique enters play provisionally. If it proves too strong or too weak after a session or two, adjust it. Nudge the action cost, narrow the targets, or tweak the bonus damage. This is a playtest document—nothing is sacred.

Technique Modification During Advancement

Sometimes a Technique doesn't need to be replaced—it needs to grow with the character. When a player spends 1 AP to modify an existing Technique, they can upgrade one of the following aspects:

Each Technique can be modified a maximum of 3 times total. Track modifications on the character sheet. The GM has final approval on all modifications—the goal is evolution, not exploitation.

Loot & Rewards Beyond AP

AP is the primary growth reward, but it's not the only way to make players feel their characters are progressing. The GM has several additional tools:

• Equipment upgrades. A masterwork weapon with an additional property. Enchanted armor with +1 Guard beyond its base. A rare catalyst with a unique bonus. Equipment rewards are tangible and immediate—a player who finds a Keen longsword feels the difference on the next crit.
• Consumables. Healing potions, firebombs, scrolls, and tonics. Consumables reward preparation and create interesting decisions: do you drink the Greater Healing Potion now or save it for the boss?
• Wealth Level increases. Completing a lucrative job might raise the party's Wealth by 1, giving them access to better equipment between sessions.
• Story rewards. Allies, political favors, land, titles, secret knowledge, or access to restricted areas. These don't map to mechanics, but they shape the fiction—and they're often the most memorable rewards at the table.
• Unique Traits or Techniques. Rarely, a major story event might unlock something unavailable through normal Advancement. A character who absorbs a dying dragon's power might gain a one-of-a-kind Technique. Use sparingly—these should feel exceptional, not expected.