Search by Grid

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The Search by Grid mechanic provides an abstract system for searching large areas efficiently. This can be used for scenarios like:

• Searching a ruined city for a raider base.
• Scouring a dense forest for a lost child.
• Hacking into a system to retrieve valuable data.

This system ensures a structured grid-based approach while maintaining an element of randomness.

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Setting Up the Grid

Before starting a Search by Grid, the GM must design the grid based on difficulty:

• Easy Grid: 3x3 (9 total cells)
• Moderate Grid: 5x5 (25 total cells)
• Complex Grid: 7x7 (49 total cells)

1. Lay Out the Grid:

   • Use sticky notes, playing cards, or drawn squares of equal size.
   • Label columns as A, B, C, etc. and rows as 1, 2, 3, etc. for reference.

2. Randomizing Encounters:

   • Roll Location Dice to determine where encounters are placed.
   • Roll Encounter Dice to determine what kind of event occurs in a given cell.
   • If a max value is rolled on the Location Die, the GM can choose the placement.

Dice for Grid Setup

Each grid size has a predetermined Location Die and Encounter Dice:

• Easy Grid:
  • Location Die: d4
  • Encounter Dice: d6, d8, d10
• Moderate Grid:
  • Location Die: d6
  • Encounter Dice: d6, d8, d10, d12
• Complex Grid:
  • Location Die: d8
  • Encounter Dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12

Encounter Table

When rolling an Encounter Die, refer to the following table:

• 1-5: Creature or being
  • Odd: Hostile creature
  • Even: Friendly creature
• 6-9: Object or obstacle
  • Odd: Hostile obstacle
  • Even: Hidden but friendly object
• 10-12: Empty space (no encounter)

3. Defining the Target Cell:
   • Identify the primary objective (e.g., lost child, treasure, raider base).
   • The target cell should be in the highest column available, working from right to left.
   • If multiple options exist, select the most interesting placement based on surrounding encounters.

Examples of Target Cells:

• Lost child: Friendly creature.
• Specific lost treasure: Friendly object.
• Raider base: Hostile obstacle.
• Hunted creature: Hostile creature.

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Exploring the Grid

1. Starting Position:

   • Players choose any cell in Column A to begin their search.

2. Resolving Encounters:

   • Each cell triggers a Dynamic Encounter.
   • Failure: The party must attempt the location again after dealing with consequences.
   • Success or Critical Success: The party may move north, east, west, or south (no diagonal movement).
   • Revisited Cells: Once cleared, they no longer trigger encounters.

3. Time Progression & Increasing Difficulty

   • Searching takes time, and conditions worsen the longer the party takes.

Time-Based Difficulty Scaling

Rounds Spent	Effects
1-7	No penalties
8-14	-1 to all rolls (e.g., a storm rolls in, darkness falls)
15-21	Encounters become two-step Dynamic Tasks
22-28	Additional -1 penalty (-2 total)
29-35	Encounters become three-step Dynamic Tasks
36+	-3 total penalty, extreme conditions

This discourages exhaustive searching and encourages efficient decision-making.

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Legwork: Gaining Clues Before Searching

Some searches (like hacking or gathering intel) allow legwork before entering the grid.

• Before searching, the party performs a three-step Dynamic Task using:

  • Hacking (if infiltrating a system)
  • Social Skills (if gathering intelligence from contacts)

• Each success allows the team to roll the Location Die twice before stepping onto the grid:

  • 1st roll: Determines a column.
  • 2nd roll: Determines a row.
  • Critical Success: The player may swap the column and row results.
  • Max Location Die Roll: The player chooses any column or row for that roll.

Example:

• Evelyn interrogates local scavengers for intel on a raider base.
• She succeeds twice, so she rolls the column and row dice twice.
• The GM reveals these locations before the party enters the grid.

This system rewards preparation and provides direction, making searches more strategic.

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