The primary purpose of an action’s position is to determine what, if any, complications that action will produce. Complications are the source of more narrative on the players’ part - they change the scene in ways they may not have accounted for or threaten to cost resources valuable to their goals. A complication is produced in the following circumstances:
- A safe or unsafe action is failed by any player performing it
- An unsafe action is succeeded by a player performing it, unless that player obtained a CRITICAL SUCCESS on that action.
Thus, if four players are performing safe actions at the same time and two of them fail, a single appropriate complication is generated.
The easiest way to determine the complications of an action is to draw the top card off of the deck and refer to the following lists. As you reveal the mechanical effects of the complication, narrate how it is actually affecting the players on the scene. Allow the players to narrate their response to those complications, possibly allowing them to narrate their way into the next consequential action they will perform or add to the narrative during their changing situation.
- Club - Lost Opportunity. Whatever the players were trying to do, they can’t do that again. The lock they are picking now has a big chunk of bobby pin in it, their target has moved in too close to bring a rifle to bear effectively, and so forth. With clever narration and a different successful action, the team may put themselves in a position where they can make another attempt.
- Diamond - Injury: The dealer applies a single injury level to one of the LIMBS of each character who failed their action. These injuries are assigned to limbs which are not VITAL. Narrate how the trauma occurs, and describe any other changes to the scene the destruction has brought.
- Heart - Bad Injury: The dealer applies a single injury level to one of the limbs of each character who failed their action. These injuries are assigned to limbs which are vital. Narrate how the trauma occurs, and describe any other changes to the scene the destruction has brought.
- Spade - Setback: Something minor goes wrong, but it will require the team's attention if they hope to continue their progress. Add a single chip to the scene's stakes.
- Club - Lost Progress: Something has gone badly wrong, and the team must work back up to the point where they began the action. Add one chip to the scene’s stakes for each player who failed their action.
- Diamond - Panic Sets In: The team’s desperate situation and their mounting failures is causing them to break. The dealer assigns one injury level to each player on the team, and one additional injury level to those who failed their action. Assign these injuries to nonvital limbs.
- Heart - Disaster: Some hazard on the scene is unleashed and everyone gets caught in the crossfire. The dealer assigns one injury level to each player on the team, and one additional injury level to those who failed their action. Assign these injuries to vital limbs.
- Spade - Danger Close: The team is attracting a lot of attention, and in doing so is telling their foes to prepare for their arrival. Add a single chip to the dealer’s stack.
The dealer may decide to choose a complication from the list above if they feel one is the most appropriate. Experienced dealers may also find other mechanical effects to threaten the team for their failures, but should ensure their players are okay with such house rules as potential complications.