Calls (Advanced Reference)

On calls and their Effects

The version of the calls document presented beneath is the full document, the Player Reference version of this omits the example NPC effects given in this document. This is because NPCs respond to calls differently to PCs in some circumstances - this is both because this is a cinematic system where different enemies present different scales of threat not represented by heaps of additional hits but how they react to different calls.

It also reflects something we feel is often missed in complex system designs which is the fact that player characters need to be far more aware of resources and so on and, within DuD, represent cinematic heroes of the piece in some fashion. To that end players are a lot tougher than the ‘average’ character in the universe.

We are presenting these here so players can make better judgements about their trait choices with the rough awareness of the impact of different weapons.

NPCs come in three ‘scales’ it is the intent that you will be visually able to tell the difference between each style of foe visually by how impressive their costume is;

Mooks are the unwashed hordes, they’re designed to only really present a danger to players in hordes and for the most part are there to be joyfully slaughtered or protected like the lambs of the God-Emperor they are (and thusly slaughtered by bad people).

Threats are serious opponents, they can give a couple of players a decent fight. They are statted to make players feel threatened, they’re especially useful for low-crew events to give the crew some ability to challenge the player party. They are as resilient, if not more than players.

Nemesis’ are the things that can very easily take out multiple characters - the Astartes, Chaos Spawn and other horrors out there in the dark. Each one is a unique threat with its unique way of dealing with calls.

In the beneath call section the example of a Cultist (a Mook) and an Ork (a Threat) are used to highlight how each of these types behave differently to PCs Lesser Demon (a Threat) is used as an example where the Ork does not serve as a good one).. No Nemesis example is given as each is too unique to make a generic example of them.

SINGLE TARGET DAMAGE CALLS

These calls cause damage as per the Combat Rules.

BLAM

PC: Lose a point of Endurance as you have been shot at with a firearm.

Cultst: As Above

Ork: As Above

REND

PC: Lose two points of Endurance as you take a blow from a devastating weapon - any limb struck by this is disabled until you or someone else can spend 3s bandaging it - if you are struck in the torso then you cannot move faster than a staggered walk until you have spent 3s tending to the searing wound you’ve taken.

Cultist: Lose two points of Endurance as you take a blow from a devastating weapon, this mangles your limbs rendering them useless, play up your reactions to this call.

Ork: Lose a point of Endurance but bellow in pain as the wound still hurts badly, but make it clear in your reaction that the blow has seriously damaged you but not taken you out of action in the way it would a PC.

BOLT

PC: Lose two points of Endurance as you are blown backwards by a mass-reactive bolt shell - the searing pain renders you unable to move faster than a staggered walk and unable to fight or focus to use any traits that require you to think until a Medicae can spend 10s tending to your wound

Cultist: Your body explodes in a visceral fashion, where it is safe to do so really -act up- your reaction to this blow as you are mostly scattered across a wide area.

Ork: Lose two points of Endurance and every call you take of this act progressively more and more injured (slowing down, making worse swings, and so on).

SHOCK

PC: Roleplay as if being shocked by a high-voltage current for 5s during which you cannot move.

Cultist: Roleplay as if being shocked by a high-voltage current, where appropriate even drop to the floor shuddering and twitching.

Ork: Wince and back away from the target, shaking your head clear from the stunning effect.

NULL

PC: You are hit by a blow or bolt, lose one endurance.

PC or NPC Psyker: You drop to zero endurance becoming Bloodied and Maimed as you are wracked by full-body spasms resulting in multiple blood vessels rupturing.

Lesser Daemon: Most Lesser Daemons with the exception of the strongest are banished.

WARP

PC: This call demonstrates that a call is coming from a power drawn from the Warp. It is normally attached to another call and is only relevant if you have abilities that tell you you react to calls with Warp attached differently.

Cultist: This call demonstrates that a call is coming from a power drawn from the Warp it is terrifying to behold, react accordingly.

Lesser Daemon: Calls with this attached have their full effect on you.

SUNDER

PC: You drop to zero endurance becoming Bloodied and Maimed. In addition should someone make a Triage Check to help you recover from this state you should inform them to draw from the Triage Deck directly rather than testing.

Cultist: Your body explodes or is bisected in a visceral fashion, where it is safe to do so really -act up- your reaction to this blow as you are mostly scattered across a wide area.

Ork: Your body explodes or is bisected in a visceral fashion, where it is safe to do so really -act up- your reaction to this blow as you are mostly scattered across a wide area.

I AM A KNIFE IN THE DARK [Optional addition: SUBDUE]

PC: You drop to zero endurance becoming Bloodied and Maimed however you immediately become unconscious and make as little noise as possible. If SUBDUE is included then you become Subdued instead, however unlike normal you can only recover from this state if someone spends 5s waking you up or after ten minutes.

Cultist: Die instantly and quietly, if SUBDUE is included then fall unconscious and allow the players to Detain you.

Ork: Most Orks die instantly and quietly, however especially tough ones will use the cue You’ll have to try harder than that! and turn angrily on the PC.

CONE DAMAGE CALLS

These calls represent damaging effects that ‘spray’ in a cone from the source of damage affecting all targets within a given distance from the source who are reasonably within a 90 degree cone.

BURN

PC: This call affects all characters (including friends) within 5m in a 90 degree cone in front of the user. This call ignores Cover and Shields. Lose 2 Endurance. If you do not immediately fall back five steps, you drop to zero endurance becoming Bloodied and Maimed as you are set aflame.

Unlike the normal Bloodied roleplay, you should roleplay as if on fire for 10s up to and including (if you choose) running around flailing.

Cultist: You are doused in burning Prometheum, run around screaming before dying in a grizzly fashion.

Ork: Fall back five steps, if you cannot, then you are doused in burning Prometheum, run around screaming before dying in a grizzly fashion.

DAKKA

Affects all characters (including friends) within range of hearing in a 90 degree cone in front of the user. Upon hearing this call you if there is cover within one meter you may dive into it, if there is not then the next time you hear Dakka you drop to zero endurance becoming Bloodied and Maimed as you are riddled with bullets.

A character forced to take cover or in cover while in the zone of effect of Dakka cannot leave cover including to pop up to shoot, they are pinned down by the withering hail of fire until the calls of Dakka end.

Cultist: If there is not cover within one meter of you then you are ripped apart in a hail of fire, if you can reach cover or are already in it, then remain in cover ‘pinned down’

Ork: If you cannot dive into cover in five steps then you loose one endurance every further step you take - this can be used to -attempt- to charge those firing at you (though you will mostly likely be ripped apart before you make it).

MASS DAMAGE CALLS

These calls represent those which cause area of effect damage, hitting all foes within 5m of the called target or a specific point.

MASS

Applied to a Single Target or Cone call this changes the area of effect to ‘hits all characters within five meters of the target or source of this call (if a target isn’t called).’

BOOM

PC: A blastwave hits all characters within five meters of the target or source of this call (if a target isn’t called). Characters have three seconds to dramatically throw themselves prone as best as their mobility allows or place a piece of cover between themselves and the source of the call - if they fail to do this then if they lose three endurance.

If the source of a Boom call is a Grenade (accompanied by a call of Frag Out!), you may throw yourself atop of the phys rep and call Covering Grenade you take a Sunder effect but no one else takes the effect.

Cultist: A blast hits you ripping you apart in a grisly fashion, act this up as much as you desire.

Ork: A blast hits you, knocking you from your feet or staggering you, take two damage and take five seconds to recover.

BLIND

A flash of light bursts in the eyes of all characters within five meters of the target or source of this call (if a target isn’t called). They must roleplay as if blinded or stunned by it for five seconds.

Cultist: As above.

Ork: As above.

HAYWIRE

PC: A burst of electrostatic energy roils across all characters within five meters of the target or source of this call (if a target isn’t called). All characters experience a painful electrical shock however certain traits and items cease function;*

Wargear Traits including Basic Weapons cease to function for ten seconds before a few seconds should be spent getting them to function again - you can of course continue to make Uncalled Melee blows.

Characters with traits from the Bionics section of the Traits list suffer ten seconds of painful bionic glitches and spasms before they can recover from the call.

Power Armour and any other technological items provided by non-wargear traits or free items such as radios/dataslates they cease to function until attended to by a character with at least Mechanicus Lore or in specific cases (stated in traits) a Tech Priest for a few seconds of roleplaying a ‘rituals of repair’.

Cultist: As above

Ork: As above

CALLS WITH STATUS EFFECTS

These calls do not cause damage but instead force a specific reaction or impose a mechanical or roleplaying effect on the target.

GET IT TOGETHER

PC: If you are not Bloodied you regain your Endurance pool.

If you are Bloodied you may get back to your feet with your Endurance to half its maximum (rounding up).

This has no effect if you are Maimed by an effect.

Cultists: Irrelevant unless briefed otherwise.

Ork: Irrelevant unless briefed otherwise.

DRAG

Indicates you have been grasped by a powerful force, you are dragged towards the source for 3s if you hit an object or a person, then roleplay a painful jarring impact and the effect ends. If you are already in melee range of the source then you must remain in melee range of them for 3s.

Cultists: As above.

Ork: As above, although you can resist this if you can hold onto a solid object, you can do nothing else for 3s unless it can be done with a single hand free.

REPEL

Indicates being hit by a powerful force you move away from the source for 3s if you hit an object or person then roleplay a painful jarring impact and the effect ends.

Cultists: As above.

Ork: As above, although you can resist this if you can hold onto a solid object, you can do nothing else for 3s unless it can be done with a single hand free.

QUAKE

Indicates a powerful earth-shifting disturbance, this call effects anyone who hears it, for the next 10s characters must roleplay as if the earth was shifting beneath them, falling to the ground, or staggering wildly around knocking into objects like the best low-budget sci-fi heroes ever.

Cultist: As Above

Ork: As Above

ROLEPLAYING CUES

These calls have no immediate damaging effects but do have a direct influence on a characters roleplay as they cue appropriate reactions to their use.

[TARGET] I’M TAKING YOU, ALIVE!

Indicates that the character is trying to take you alive, if you are reduced to 0 endurance by that character then you become Subdued rather than Bloodied.

Cultist: Instead of dying when reduced to zero endurance, fall ‘unconscious’ and allow yourself to be taken prisoner if the players choose, a ref will tell you if you should respawn.

Ork: Instead of dying when reduced to zero endurance, fall ‘unconscious’ and allow yourself to be taken prisoner if the players choose, a ref will tell you if you should respawn.

[TARGET/MASS] DREAD

You are filled with complete and utter dread as supernatural terror overtakes your mind. You increase your Madness one step, and must either flee or roleplay quaking in terror, so long as you can see the source of the call, you cannot use traits except to call Blam at 1 meter or Die in melee

Characters with traits to resist this call increase their Madness one step but are able to use their traits as normal.

Cultist: The source of this call is utterly terrifying to you, you are unable to do anything but cower and flee from them.

Ork: The source of this call is utterly terrifying to you, you can use no abilities other than calling Blam or Die unless your brief says otherwise.

DEFLECT

Called in reaction to a call to indicate that it has been defended against by some form of Defence.

INEFFECTIVE

Indicates that a call did not have its usual effect on the character, perhaps because the foe is immune to the call or simply because of some innate ability.

SCAN [life/heat/material/etc]

If you think this would detect you, respond with PING.

WOULD YOU KINDLY?

PC: You are not aware that this has been used on you unless you resist it. If affected, you must obey the command that will follow this cue either to completion of the task issued or for 30s (whichever is shorter).

Cultist: As Above

Ork: As Above, however not all Threats will be responsive to this call using My mind belongs to another! to resist or something like it.

COMMAND OVERRIDE

Your mechanical components are being hacked. If affected you must obey the command that will follow this cue as if your interfaced bionics force you to either to completion of the task issued or for 30s (whichever is shorter).

Cultist: If you are noted to have bionics, as above.

Ork: If you are noted to have bioniks, as above.

I TEST THEE!

If you have Willpower you must spend a point to resist this, if you do not then your will fails you, you become Subdued and your Corruption/Faith and Fire track increases one step.

Cultist/Ork: Not applicable

[KEYWORD] I BANISH THEE!

By using a keyword associated with a warp entity (such as ‘greed’ for a hoarding demon) or its true name (all of which will be on its NPC sheet) this call does significant damage to warp entities. It has no effect on players, unless they are briefed otherwise. Has no mechanical effect on characters unless stated otherwise in their brief.

Cultist: No effect

Minor Daemon: In most cases causes you to be banished from reality - some tougher daemons will simply increase their Instability one step for each keyword or true name given.

AVAUNT!

Only takes effect while brandishing a holy symbol. This causes unholy things to retreat from the bearer of the symbol recoiling in fear of it. In some cases it may have other significant effects. Has no mechanical effect on characters unless stated otherwise in their brief.

Cultist: Flinch, but not retreat, from brandished symbols, before attacking the bearer out of fear.

Lesser Daemon: You cannot approach the character or move within one meter of them so long as they are brandishing their holy symbol

I CALL UPON THE LIGHT!

The individual calling this glows briefly with light, this isn’t blinding but it is appropriate for PCs to react to this. It has far more significant effects on unholy things and worshippers of the dark gods.Has no mechanical effect on characters unless stated otherwise in their brief.

Cultist: Be blinded by burning light and retreat or cower in disorderly fear and terror until you can no longer see the source of the call, after 3s you can recover and return to combat.

Ork: You are blinded by stinging light, until you cannot see the bearer, fight less effectively as if you have the sun in your eyes.