Read both sides of the contest before judging the result.

Every base roll is Good Luck minus Bad Luck

Verdictris rolls two six-sided dice. The Good Luck die contributes positively and the Bad Luck die contributes negatively. Good Luck 5 and Bad Luck 2 produces +3; Good Luck 2 and Bad Luck 5 produces −3. Equal dice produce zero.

The subtraction matters because many combinations cluster near zero. Extreme base results are possible but less common. A plan that needs the maximum face difference is fragile, while a plan that benefits from several neighboring results is resilient.

An opposed contest compares final totals, not one player's dice

Both sides roll Good Luck minus Bad Luck. Applicable situational, role, stance, equipment, protection, target-state, and contract modifiers are applied according to the selected mechanic. The actor's final total is then compared with the opponent's final total.

Always read the displayed breakdown. A stat or item is not a universal modifier merely because it sounds relevant; it joins only when the action or defense rules say it applies.

The final margin describes the strength of the contest result

Negative final roll bands can include Setback and, at −5 or worse, Botch. These labels describe resolution strength, not universal effects. An investigation, attack, defense, and social action can interpret the same margin differently.

The base dice favor modest results over extremes

There are 36 equally likely Good Luck and Bad Luck face pairs. Six pairs tie at zero. Five pairs produce +1 and five produce −1; the number of combinations decreases as the absolute difference grows. Only one pair produces +5, and only one produces −5.

Modifiers improve a contest without promising it

Position, stance, equipment, protection, target state, role rules, contracts, and other legal conditions can affect either side. Stacked situational bonuses use diminishing returns beyond the first few points, while some signature effects are handled separately. The resolution breakdown is authoritative.

The best modifier may be a different legal target or a later timing window. One additional point against strong protection can have less strategic value than collecting an independent clue first.

Judge actions by expected information and objective value

Before submitting, list what a win, tie, and loss each accomplish. A protective action may preserve a key voice on success and reveal hostile pressure on failure. An investigation may generate a strong clue or merely narrow a category. An attack may create exposure even when it misses.

Avoid all-or-nothing plans when another action creates value across more bands. The goal is not to eliminate randomness; it is to choose contests whose uncertainty still advances the seat's objective.

A failed roll is not proof that the declaration was false

Players often remember the actor's visible die and ignore defense, modifiers, or margin. That creates bad courtroom evidence. A declared investigation can legally fail; a positive attack roll can lose to a stronger defense; a successful action can still have a limited effect.

Use the result to update probability, not rewrite history. Compare the declaration made before resolution, the legal target, the final breakdown, and the later public story. Contradiction is evidence; ordinary variance is not a confession.

Worked contest examples

Common dice mistakes

1. Reading only Good Luck. The base result subtracts Bad Luck.
2. Reading only the actor. Opposed contests compare both final totals.
3. Assuming every stat always applies. The selected mechanic controls modifiers.
4. Promising a Critical result. Better odds never become certainty.
5. Turning failure into a role verdict. Evaluate the declaration and breakdown before alleging deception.

Dice FAQ