Tag Basics
What is a tag? How do you use one? Learn all about tags in Tag & Tally
It's in the name "Tag" & Tally. It's one of the important building blocks of the entire game.
So what is a tag?
A tag is a word or phrase that eases or hinders game play in a narrative way. Tags can be broad or narrow and there isn't a defining rule as to what they can or cannot be. But there are a few different kinds of tags.
Let's talk about the main ones.
Umbrella Tags -- these tags usually have other tags underneath them and usually have their very own sentence. There are three tags for a character that are Umbrella Tags -- Species, Type and Specialty (specializes in/does something). A creature type, materials, item types they are also potentially umbrella tags, but in terms of the ones you need to know right now the those are the three you need. And we'll have an entire blog post later about them.
Tiered Tags -- these are most of your tags. These are tags that you can get better at over time and use. Flaws, background, experiences and occupation tags are not tiered tags. They are static tags. They can't get better with time -- they just are.
Static Tags -- as mentioned these are tags that don't get better. Your descriptor is usually a static tag as well BUT a case can be made for it depending on what it actually is and if you can get better at it with time. Graceful? maybe. Ambitious? Maybe not -- you either are or you are not ambitious.
And the final one we'll talk about is a Condition Tag. These tags are usually temporary, they are applied for a specified duration or in a given situation. Your flaws are condition tags -- they are always there, but they have triggers or situation in which they apply. You aren't always hindered because you have a flaw. Only when it matters in the narrative.
How Tags Work
Tags are used to ease or hinder an action you take. A Level for any given task can be lowered by easing with your tags.
A tiered tag easies the action by that tier number. Tier 1 which is all base tags, Tier 2 will ease by 2, Tier 3 by 3 an Tier 4 by 4. If you happen to have filled your Tier 4 to gain mastery then it is eased by 5.
You apply you threshold of tags to each action. And THEN you apply hinders.
Then calculate the new level to roll against your DC which is three times the level of the action.
How to increase a Tier?
Tiered Tags increase when you've gained 5 Tallies, and then resets the tallies to 0 up to for.
You gain a tally for any tag you were using when you roll a 1 or a 20 on the d20 for the roll. This is only for actions, oracle rolls do not count towards this.
Remember static tags like flaws, backgrounds, occupations and experiences do not gain tiers!