Invictus

Narrator Moves

Roll, and let the heavens judge

The Narrator acts as Fate itself, guiding the tale and answering every heroic deed. Like the other players, they share the story’s conversation, yet their unique voice comes through Narrator Moves: concise rulings that reveal danger, shift momentum, or deepen consequence so the fiction never stalls.

When to Make a Move

One of the Narrator’s main responsibilities is deciding when to make a move and which move fits the moment. The rules give guidance but try to avoid being rigid.

The Narrator makes a move whenever realistic consequence or story momentum calls for it. They should flow from the fiction, keeping the story believable and its pace alive.

Typical prompts include:

  • The danger dice creates a consequence
  • A Hero’s action provokes a response
  • The players’ choices open a fresh risk or opportunity
  • The scene loses momentum or drags on
  • A location or encounter has outstayed its welcome

Danger Dice

Danger dice measure how harsh a setback may be when an Action is risky. Add one danger die for every serious peril that impacts the attempt, then roll them alongside (or immediately after) the Hero dice.

Players only refer to the danger dice, if the Hero dice produce a swing or a miss. On a hit or a crit, they ignore these dice entirely.

The following threats always add a die:

  • Fray: the scene is open combat or high-stakes action
  • Critical Health: the Hero has only two health boxes left
  • Encumbrance: the Hero carries more than they can reasonably manage
  • Exhaustion: the Hero carries any level of exhaustion
  • Monster: the foe is truly monstrous
  • Hazards: the environment itself is deadly

Soft Move: If the Hero dice allow danger, and the highest danger die is 1-3, then the Narrator may make a soft move against the players.

The Narrator may turn this into a hard move by spending Fate.

Hard Move: If the Hero dice allow danger, and the highest danger die is 4-6, then the Narrator may make a hard move against the players.

The Narrator may turn this into a doom move by spending Fate.

Doom Move: If the Hero dice allow danger, and any of the danger dice highest danger dice show a 6, then the Narrator gains 1 Fate for each 6, on top of being able to make a hard move.

The Narrator may immediately spend this Fate to turn the hard move to a doom move.

Narrator Moves

Soft Moves introduce a complication or threat but leaves room for the Heroes to respond and avoid the worst outcome.

  • Show the world’s reaction
  • Ask a question, build on the answer
  • Let an NPC follow their motive
  • Reveal an unwelcome truth or looming danger
  • Hint at an approaching threat
  • Act off‑screen: advance a clock or reposition foes
  • Separate the group (no immediate harm)
  • Draw attention or alter the environment

Hard Moves deliver an immediate, unavoidable consequence that harms, hinders, or forces a costly choice.

  • Inflict Exhaustion or Harm
  • Capture a key ally or asset
  • Spotlight an adversary with a decisive action
  • Turn the environment hostile
  • Restrain or pin a Hero
  • Escalate the threat: advance a clock or add peril
  • Remove a vital resource or opportunity

Doom Moves are hard moves that are more severe. However, the Narrator can only resort to these when the Heroes create an opening or they spend Fate.

  • Seize initiative, allowing a adversary to act immediately
  • Trigger betrayal by an ally
  • Completely destroy something important
  • Escalate danger or peril
  • Significantly advance a threat by advancing a clock twice
  • Prevent a Heroic power from affecting an NPC
  • Sour a success with an unintended cost

Openings are when a Hero’s action or choice exposes them or perfectly sets them up for a dramatic response, where the fiction demands an extreme response.