For a long time, I believed the system needed to be balanced around numbers divisible by 12—since all checks and dice combinations were designed to add up to 12. However, after reviewing the probability chart, I realized that at Legendary, a character would almost never fail unless attempting something absurdly difficult.

That led me to reconsider. Stopping at Master instead of Legendary introduces a meaningful chance of failure even for highly skilled characters. A d4+8 with a Grit Die creates three possible failure outcomes on standard tasks—ensuring that even the best aren’t perfect at everything.

Additionally, this adjustment eliminates the need for a d2, making it easier for players to use real dice instead of rolling odd/even checks.

At first, my system was designed with a tactical focus, but over time, I introduced more abstract mechanics—Travel, Dynamic Tasks, and even Mass Combat, which evolved into Abstract Combat. While abstraction streamlined gameplay, I recently attempted to apply it to magic, and in doing so, I feel like I gutted a core aspect of the system.

Now, the pendulum is swinging back toward tactical gameplay—bringing back initiative-based combat, spell construction, and weapon and armor statistics that directly impact survival.

Combat is often the most detailed part of a tabletop RPG, as games try to balance realism with fast, engaging gameplay. Today, we’re diving into how combat works in Sentius: Last Enclave.

I believe combat should fall between abstraction and realism—detailed enough to feel dangerous but not so lethal that a single bad roll ruins a player's experience.

You may notice some elements that extend survivability, like armor soaking a missile blast, but also realistic mechanics, such as armor degradation over time. Combat should feel deadly but not unfair, and to achieve this, enemies and players follow the same rules.

As the system shifted toward more abstract mechanics, chases also needed to follow suit. The previous system relied on containers for positioning, which felt too tactical. Instead, chase distance is now tracked with a simple d6, making the system faster, more flexible, and capable of handling split chases seamlessly.

The wasteland is teeming with life, but not all of it is friendly. From adapted wildlife to monstrous predators, elementals, and spirits, the world beyond the enclave is unpredictable and dangerous. These creatures don’t just exist as obstacles—they are a fundamental part of the world, shaping travel, survival, and encounters in the wild.

Travel in many games is often glossed over—a simple “you get there” without much thought. But in the wasteland, the journey is just as important as the destination. It’s not just about covering distance; it’s about the dangers, discoveries, and decisions along the way.

The goal of travel encounters is to make the journey feel like an adventure, rather than a time skip between story beats.

Exploration is a core part of adventuring, and Search by Grid is a structured way to handle large-scale searches while keeping the game moving. Whether the party is scouring a ruined city for a raider base, tracking a lost child in the wilderness, or even hacking into a digital network, this system provides a clear and engaging method for discovery.

While tactical combat is an option for tables that prefer a more detailed experience, the default combat resolution is abstract combat—a streamlined system that resolves battles through skill checks and dice rolls, allowing for quick and narrative-driven combat.

Abstract combat is flexible enough to handle both small skirmishes against a handful of enemies and large-scale warfare. Though mass battles are rare in the wasteland, the rules support them when they occur.

Dynamic tasks are team-based skill challenges that require cooperation and coordination to succeed. These challenges appear throughout the game, whether the team is climbing a cliff, defusing a bomb, or convincing a merchant to lower their prices. Unlike standard skill checks, dynamic tasks involve a primary leader and supporting teammates who contribute to the outcome.

Chases are a staple of action movies, where one character desperately flees while another pursues. In the wasteland, chases can be just as intense—whether you're escaping a pack of hungry wolves, outrunning raiders in a jury-rigged vehicle, or racing against time to stop a critical event. While an optional mechanic, the chase sequence system adds dynamic, high-stakes moments to your game.