Derived Attributes

Derived Attributes are character stats that are calculated from your primary attributes. They usually use at least two attributes to encourage broad and diverse characters.

During the game, your derived attributes will define how fast your character reacts, how often they can use their powers or how much damage they can take.

You do not need to buy your derived attributes with CP, but you may also not raise them with CP.

Out of Combat

While you are out of combat, you’ll probably not need any derived attributes, besides the Maximum Lift and Maximum Load. These values describe how much your character can lift and carry around without effort.

Maximum Lift

Whenever there is a question, if your character can lift a certain item or person, you need to check this value to get the answer. Your maximum lift capacity is (Strength + Resolve) x10kg.

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Maximum Load

While Maximum Lift tells you, if you can lift something for a short amount of time, the maximum load will tell you how much you can carry around without getting exhausted. Your maximum load capacity is (Strength + Resolve) x2kg.

Health Pools

WIRE uses three different Health Pools. The first one is your Permanent Health (HP). Whenever you get permanent damage, like from an axe or a bullet, you’ll suffer permanent damage. The second pool is your Temporary Health (THP), which is initially equivalent to your Permanent Health. Whenever you get nonlethal damage, like from an unarmed attack, you will suffer temporary damage.

The third pool is Willpower (WP). Whenever you get damage that aims at your mind, like from a spell or a shock, you’ll suffer mental damage.

Permanent Health

Your permanent health is equal to 20 + Constitution + Resolve. You may not improve this score with potions or equipment, but it will change whenever you raise one of the linked attributes.

Temporary Health

Your temporary health is equal to your Permanent Health, but potions or specialised equipment may affect it. However, you may never increase your Temporary Health over Permanent Health x1.5.

Willpower

Your willpower is equal to 20 + Resolve + Composure. You may not increase this score with potions or equipment, but it will change whenever you raise one of the linked attributes.

Damage & Death

Whenever your character suffers from damage that reduces any of their health pools to zero, they become Incapacitated. If they don’t suffer from additional damage, they will stop losing their health and may heal, as described in the combat rules.

If they suffer from additional damage, they will die if:

Their Permanent Health drops to -10
Their Temporary Health drops to -20
Their Willpower drops to -20

NPC will usually die if their Permanent Health drops to zero, but if it is important that an enemy survives (to be questioned) you may decide to use these rules for NPC, too.

In Combat

In combat, you will use two additional derived attributes, called Reaction and Action Points. Your reaction will tell you how fast your character reacts in combat and is important to determine the initiative order. Your action points will decide how often you may act in combat and what you may do.

Reaction

Your reaction determines how fast you react to a threat, or when you enter combat. Your Reaction score is Dexterity + Intuition. You will also add your Reaction score to your Dodge attempts, and you will need it to determine your Action Points.

Action Points

Everything you want to do in combat will use Action Points. You may use them for moving, casting a spell, fire a gun, or attack somebody with your sword. Your Action Points are 10 + Reaction + Constitution + Composure and cannot drop below zero. If you come up with a negative result, set your action pool to 1 instead.