Basic Mechanics

When your character attempts something where the outcome is uncertain, you roll dice. This is the core of the Netghosts system. Here's how it works.

The Basic Roll

  1. Describe what you're doing. Be specific. "I try to hack the security system" is fine, but "I splice into the maintenance feed to loop the camera footage" is better.
  2. Count your relevant Tags. Look at the cards you currently have in play. Which Tags apply to this action? This is a conversation between you, the other players, and the Facilitator.
  3. Roll that many d8s. Each die that shows 5 or higher generates 1 Power. Each die that shows 1 removes 1 Power. (Yes, you can end up with negative Power.)
  4. Check for Double Infinites. If you rolled two or more 8s, that's a Double Infinite. You gain a Positive Token and may mark Potential on Tags involved in the roll.
  5. Compare Power to Difficulty. If your Power meets or exceeds the difficulty, you succeed. If not, you fail.

Difficulty

Most mundane actions that fit your character require only 1 Power to succeed. More challenging or less fitting actions require more, at the Facilitator's discretion:

  • 1 Power: Standard actions that fit your character and the situation
  • 2-3 Power: Challenging actions, or actions outside your wheelhouse
  • 4-5 Power: Difficult actions requiring exceptional effort
  • 6+ Power: Heroic feats at the edge of possibility

There are no partial successes. You either generate enough Power or you don't. The game has enough nuance elsewhere—this keeps the moment of resolution clean and dramatic.

Zero and Negative Power

Sometimes the dice turn against you. When this happens, something shifts in the story's balance:

  • Zero Power: When your roll generates exactly 0 Power, you grant the Facilitator one Negative Token. You also mark Potential on one Tag involved in the roll—failure is a teacher.
  • Negative Power: When your roll generates negative Power (more 1s than successes), things get worse. You grant the Facilitator two Negative Tokens. However, you also gain a Positive Token and mark Potential—sometimes hitting rock bottom is what sparks the breakthrough.

Excess Power

If you generate more Power than you need, that excess doesn't just vanish. The Facilitator can offer you something extra: a cooler outcome, a temporary Meter, a narrative flourish.

Example: You needed 2 Power to vault over a wall during a chase and rolled 5. The Facilitator says: "With that much Power, you don't just clear it—you launch yourself over in a perfect flip, landing in a three-point stance. I'm giving you a 'Cool As Hell' meter at 1 for the rest of the scene. Use it if you want to impress someone."

This isn't mandatory. Sometimes excess Power is just excess, and that's fine—not every roll needs to be a production.