# What is Breathless | Breathless
> The city has been walled up from the outside. You are stuck with breathless Crawlers roaming as far as the eye can see. You are surrounded by strangers, and the only thing left to do is survive. You can’t give up now.
**Breathless** is a survival horror role-playing game where you play as Survivors trying to stay alive in a walled city full of Crawlers (zombies). The entire game fits on two sides of a letter-sized sheet of paper, making it the perfect game to print at home and enjoy for a nice and cozy zombie killing one shot.
The game is inspired by things like: Shaun of the Dead, Left 4 Dead, The Last of Us, and other great zombie related media. Basically, if you want to kill some breathless living dead, this is the game you are looking for.
You will find all Breathless related resources like the game's official SRD which contains all the rules and design guidelines for you to make your own Breathless game, extra rules, and more.
# Breathless Games Collection | Breathless
If you are looking for a pretty substantial list of **_Breathless Games_**, you will find them on the following itch collection. If you think I'm missing any, please [reach out](https://farirpgs.com#contact).
- [**Breathless Games Collections**](https://breathless.farirpgs.com/games)
# Introduction | Breathless SRD
This is the Breathless SRD. A free and open licensed version of Breathless that contains all the rules and design guidelines for you to make your own Breathless game.
Breathless games focus on condensed simplicity. The rules, the setting, the rolling tables, and the character sheet all fit on a half-fold brochure. This makes it easy for anyone to print your game at home, and get started with nothing more than a set of polyhedral dice and a few pens.
Characters are talented and proactive. But the path that lies in front of them is perilous. They will face difficult tasks, try to catch their breath, scavenge what they can find, and try to get through in one piece.
To download the **"This Game Is Breathless"** logos, [click here](https://fari-rpgs.itch.io/breathless-srd)
# The Game | Breathless SRD
## Before We Start
Content Warning: [...]
Before you start, define lines that should not be crossed. Pause or rewind the game if something uncomfortable happens during a session. Always make sure everyone is comfortable with the direction of the story.
## Playing The Game
One person is the game master (GM), the rest are players.
**GM**: Guide the story, present challenges to the group. Be a fan of the players. Ask them questions, fill the world with their answers. If it's cool, let them try or split complex challenges into multiple checks.
**Player**: Narrate what your character does. Make checks when things are risky. Give everyone a time to shine. Fill the world with your ideas. Take risks, and rise up from failures.
## Checks
When there's a challenge that needs to be overcome, you make a check to see how it plays out. You only need to roll if what you are doing is risky.
The GM telegraphs the risk of your action, you then pick a skill, and roll the die that matches its rating. If an ally helps you, they also make a check, but share the same risks as you. Take the highest die and interpret the results.
- On a 1-2, you fail, and something wrong happens.
- On a 3-4, you succeed, but at a cost.
- On a 5+, you succeed. The higher the result, the better the effect.
Surviving is hard. Everyone who rolled reduces the rating of the skill they used by one level: d12 » d10 » d8 » d6 » d4. Skills cannot go lower than a d4.
The GM can disclaim decision-making by testing for luck. To do so, pick a die rating simply based on the odds of a thing happening, roll, and interpret the results.
## Catch Your Breath
To reset all your skills to their original rating, you can ask to “catch your breath”. This is a brief break in tension. It can be done at any time, even during combat.
When a character catches their breath, the GM looks at the scene and introduces a new complication to the group.
## Loot Checks
When the fiction allows it, you can make a loot check to scavenge for tools, weapons, med kits, etc. You start with a d12 loot die, which steps down after each usage. When you loot, roll your current loot die and interpret the result. You may continue to use the loot die when it is a d4, at your own risk. To reset your loot die to its initial rating, you need to catch your breath.
- On a 1-2, trouble is here...
- On a 3-4, there is trouble ahead...
- On a 5-6, add a d6 item.
- On a 7-8, add a d8 item.
- On a 9-10, add a d10 item or a med kit.
- On a 11-12, add a d12 item or a med kit.
## Backpack
Items in your backpack can be used in place of your skills. They start with a die rating which decreases after each use. When reduced to a d4, the item either breaks, gets lost, or fades away from the fiction until it’s made relevant again.
Characters can only carry 3 items and one med kit at once in their backpack.
## Stunts
When you pull off a stunt, you use a d12 instead of a skill rating to do a check. Once used, you'll need to "catch your breath" to use it again.
## Stress
When you face a consequence as a result of one of your actions, the GM can decide that you take 1 stress. If your character reaches 4 stress, they become “vulnerable”.
When vulnerable, failing a dangerous action could mean being taken out —or— sudden death.
You can use up a med kit to clear 2 stress, or lay low someplace secure awhile to clear 1 stress.
## Your Character
On your character sheet, write down your character’s name and pronouns.
By default, skills have a d4 rating. Assign a d10, a d8, and a d6 to three skills you think your character is good at.
Characters have a total of 6 skills:
- Bash: wreck, move, force.
- Dash: run, jump, climb.
- Sneak: hide, skulk, lurk.
- Shoot: track, throw, fire.
- Think: perceive, analyze, repair.
- Sway: charm, manipulate, intimidate.
Think of an item that you got before leaving for your adventure, and add it to your backpack as a d10 item.
# Designer Notes | Breathless SRD
Here are some guidelines you can use when making your own Breathless game.
## Your Setting
Explain briefly the setting, and what the story is mainly going to focus on. Touch on what sort of challenges the PCs will encounter. Go over what is their purpose, and why they are part of the same group.
## Your “Catch Your Breath”
The core mechanics centers around characters breathless from overcoming obstacles. It doesn’t mean that your game should revolve around survival, though. Look into when or how characters should “catch their breath”. Can they do it all the times, do they need to rest, or be in a specific location? Think about what is the “cost” of the characters catching their breath, for every mechanic should move the story forward.
## Your Loot
The loot checks give a way for players to make an attempt at gaining assets that will make their life easier, and will reduce the rate at which they get tired. Keep in mind that doing this is not 100% risk-free. Your game could use this to handle items, but you could also simulate other types of bonuses using this mechanic.
## Your Skills and Classes
To make this game your own, you should customize the skill list to something that better fit the aesthetic of your setting. Another way to do this is to provide classes/archetypes for the players to choose from, where each class could have pre-assigned skills or items.
## Your Stunts
The default Stunt mechanic is a tool players can use to look “awesome” once per "catch your breath". Use this to mimic characters using cool powers or doing something extremely lucky.
## Your Stress
Stress is the default health pacing mechanism of the game. If you want characters to feel stronger or weaker, adjust how big is the stress track, what happens when a PC fills it, and how they can recover. Be as generous or harsh as you see fit.
## Your Rolling Tables
Consider adding rolling tables for the things you consider important in your game. Since this game’s format is short, rolling tables help in two-way. First, they help put a bigger focus on what is significant in your world. Second, they help facilitate sessions for when the players are in doubt about where the story should go next. Plus, it does all this in a very word efficient way. You could include tables for things like items, locations, allies, enemies, complications, missions, etc.
## License
The Breathless SRD is released under Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY 4.0.
That means you are free to use the content of this SRD for your own game, provided you give proper credit.
To do so, copy the text below in your game, and things should be good to go.
> This work is based on Breathless, product of Fari RPGs (https://farirpgs.com/), developed and authored by René-Pier Deshaies-Gélinas , and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
# What are Gasps | Gasps (Extras)
Gasps are additional mechanics and rules that you can add in your Breathless games to mimic certain types of gameplay or to tailor the game to a specific themes.
The Gasps hosted here were developed by numerous members of the Fari Community. You will then find information about their respective authors and links to their games, so go support those amazing creators!
## Licensing
All Gasps listed here have been open licensed, and all creators who have submitted those additional mechanics have done so knowing that the original Breathless CC-BY license encompasses the legal rights to their work. This means that creators using a Gasp aren't legally required to include an additional license, apart from the original Breathless attribution text, in their game.
That being said, each Gasp includes a small license blurb that designers are **_highly encouraged to include in their game_** to give proper attribution to the original Gasp creators.
## Releasing a Gasp
Want to release your own Gasp to the community? Here's the format you need to use, then simply [contact us](https://farirpgs.com/contact) to submit your Gasp, and we'll add it to the list!
```md
\# {Title}
{title} is a Gasp designed by {author} of {design studio} used in {game} that {description}.
{itch widget}
## Rule
{rule text}
> ### Designer Notes
>
> {notes}
## Attribution
This game uses mechanics based off the {name} Gasp, designed by {author} of {design studio}.
```
# Adventure Frame | Gasps (Extras)
Adventure Frame is a Gasp designed by René-Pier Deshaies-Gélinas of Fari RPGs used in [Renegades](https://fari-rpgs.itch.io/renegades) that easily allows the creation of adventure modules for Breathless games.
## Rule
The Adventure Frame format divides the plot into many events that the player characters (PCs) will need to resolve in order to move forward with the story. This format gives you just enough flavor to get started while keeping things flexible for when players will do something unexpected.
When bad rolls appear, or when you need to raise tension, introduce new complications, but if none directly matches the fiction, take a random one and adapt it to the story. There is no wrong way to play this, so if the players don’t follow the events to the letter, find a new way to stitch things back together later.
### The Premise
_{Premise short description.}_
### 1. {Event Name}
_{Event short description.}_
**Goal:** {2-3 goals for the players to accomplish.}
**Scene:** {3-5 descriptors for the GM to get a sense of the scene.}
**Complications:** {2-3 complications for the GM to use in case something bad happens}
> ### Designer Notes
>
> Adventure Frames have been designed especially for Breathless games. Since no plot survives an encounter with the players, Adventure Frames focus on goals, scene descriptors, and complications. This leaves a lot of space for the GM to change the story on the fly, and just glue things back together when necessary.
## Attribution
This game uses mechanics based off the Adventure Frame Gasp, designed by René-Pier Deshaies-Gélinas of Fari RPGs.
# Crafting | Gasps (Extras)
Crafting is a Gasp designed by Liv Merryman of Liv’s Game Corner, used in _The Last of Us_ to simulate the post-apocalyptic scavenging (using Breathless loot checks) and crafting of gear that appears in the video games of the same name. This Gasp is generalized for adaptation into whatever context you desire for your system.
## Rule
Once you have some scavenging materials (which you can gain via Breathless’s base rules for Loot Checks), you can craft useful materials you’ll need to survive. Based on how well players do on loot checks, they’ll be able to collect anywhere from ⅓ of a material to a full material. They’ll need full materials to craft items.
Players can carry up to three crafted items at once, as they will count as items in your Backpack. In appropriate situations, they can be used in place of your skills in order to make checks. They each get a die rating, which reduces over time just like skill checks. Once they reach the d4 tier, the item breaks, is lost, or otherwise disappears from use or the story.
Aside from the listed items, you may figure out other things you can craft with the stuff you find scavenging. Decide between players and GM what the rating of the item is, as well as its function. Improvisation is encouraged!
> ### Designer Notes
>
> As the system designer, you’ll need to decide what scavenging materials work best for your system. In _The Last of Us_, there are 6: Alcohol, Adhesive, Blade, Cloth, Explosive, and Shroud. I don’t recommend more than 6, as you’ll keep track of the amounts of scavenging materials you have on your character sheet.
>
> Below are some crafted item examples from _The Last of Us_, as well as their uses. You’ll have to decide what the use of each item is in the context of gameplay, as well as a reasonable starting dice rating for that item.
>
> **DIY Medkit**
>
> - Materials: 1 Alcohol, 1 Cloth
> - This removes 2 Stress from 1 Survivor’s Stress meter. Starting rating of d10.
>
> **Shiv**
>
> - Materials: 1 Adhesive, 1 Blade
> - This can be used to kill an Infected or another enemy without being noticed. Can also be used to pick locks. Starting rating of d8.
>
> **Nail Bomb**
>
> - Materials: 1 Blade, 1 Explosive
> - A can of blades that can damage a group of enemies. Rating of d10, decays to d4 immediately.
## Attribution
This game uses mechanics based on the Crafting Gasp, designed by Liv Merryman of Liv’s Game Corner.
# Declare a Truth | Gasps (Extras)
Declare a Truth is a Gasp designed by René-Pier Deshaies-Gélinas of Fari RPGs used in [Renegades](https://fari-rpgs.itch.io/renegades) that allows player more control over the narrative, but like most things Breathless, it might come at a cost.
## Rule
When the situation is dire, or if you are looking for a way out, you can declare a new truth about the world. If your fact is a small truth, it just happens, but for big truths the GM adds a “but...” afterwards.
The GM gets the final say on this, so work with them to make sure your fact works well with what has already been established. Once used, you'll need to "catch your breath" to declare a new truth.
> ### Designer Notes
>
> This simple mechanic gives players a lot of control over the story, and will encourage them to roll less often, since declaring a truth is easier than using a skill. In order to prevent players from becoming too reliant on this, they can only use it once per "catch your breath". In your game, you might want to rely on another meta-currency or require the players to be in certain situations before they can declare a new truth. The GM can always decide to throw bigger problems at the scene if they feel the new truth is too big, so this usually balance things out fine.
# Flashback | Gasps (Extras)
Flashback is a Gasp designed by Patrick Dubuc of Big Bite Games used in Crank It Up! that allows the player to recount a situation that took place in the past that has the potential to change the current scene.
(Crank It Up! is not released yet!)
## Rule
A _flashback_ can be triggered anywhere, anytime as long as it is declared and only one _flashback_ is allowed per player/per session. It allows a player to add a new information that becomes true and now exists in the game world. The GM must now take this new information into account.
To determine to which extent did the player's Flashback is accurate, the GM rolls a D12:
- On a 1-2, the Flashback is highly inaccurate and the GM can use the new information provided to introduce a complication.
- On a 3-4, the Flashback is fairly accurate but the GM can introduce a complication (if desired).
- On a 5+, the Flashback is 100% accurate and the higher the result, the better it helps in the current scene.
> ### Designer Notes
>
> This simple mechanic is similar in purpose as Declare A Truth but with a more random outcome. It gives players some limited control over the story as it unfolds. Letting a Flashback occur only once per player/per gaming session is a way to prevent players from relying solely on the fact that they "can change the story". If, as a gamemaster you think that once per gaming session is too harsh, you can choose to raise the number of times that the Gasp can be used per gaming session OR allow it to recharge when "Catching Your Breath".
>
> Example: In a playtest, my son used his cellphone to contact a powerful ally. Without wishing to railroad him, I decided that he was not going to answer the phone. He used his Flashback to recall that that ally had also a pager for emergencies and that he always answer messages on his pager, no matter what ... So in the end, he was able to reach his ally and ask for a favor.
## Attribution
This game uses mechanics based off the Flashback Gasp, designed by Patrick Dubuc of Big Bite Games.
# Investigation Checks | Gasps (Extras)
Investigation Checks is a Gasp designed by David Haslem ([therabidbanana](https://therabidbanana.itch.io/)) to allow games with investigative focus to present players with opportunities to gather clues, and then roll to determine if their theory is sound. It is used in Task Force JADE.
## Rule
When players encounter an opportunity to gather evidence that might help them understand what they are investigating, they may make an investigation check. This check works like a loot check and yields clues. These clues can be rolled to build a theory that might help solve a case or deal with a threat.
### Investigation Check
When you do an investigation check, roll a d20.
- On a 1, something bad happens.
- On a 2-14, you find a d4 clue.
- On a 15-16, you find a d6 clue.
- On a 17-18, you find a d8 clue.
- On a 19-20, you find a d10 clue.
### Using Clues
When players are ready to make a theory from the clues they have gathered and resolve their case, they make a statement about the situation and how they plan to solve the problem and make a pool of dice from clues that support this statement. Take the highest value on the following table:
- On a 1-2, your statement is fundamentally flawed and leads you to danger - the GM decides an appropriate complication.
- On a 3-4, your statement is mostly right, but there is a twist - the GM decides what the twist might be.
- On a 5+, your statement is right on - you get a benefit from understanding the problem completely.
## Attribution
This game uses mechanics based off the Investigation Check Gasp, designed by David Haslem.
# Locker | Gasps (Extras)
Locker is a Gasp designed by Ryan Lucas of https://theyoungking45.itch.io/%7D used in Ore that provides a form of advancement by emphasizing scavenging rolls.
## Rule
Characters have additional gear storage that they alone have access to. Though the setting dictates where and what form this takes, this rule refers to additional storage as the “Locker” to differentiate from a Character’s “Backpack.”
The Locker allows Characters to bring scavenged equipment back after a successful (or at least survived) adventure. Each Locker has 3 slots for items. Before an adventure, Characters may freely decide what is stored in their Locker and what comes along in their Backpack.
> ### Designer Notes
>
> The Locker does a few things for the themes and focus of your game: It enables a sort of Character “advancement” that doesn’t rely on experience or boosting Skills - you instead “level up” via gear. It also emphasizes scavenge rolls and loot in general. Lockers presuppose a “home base” and work best when sessions are more “mission focused” with some kind of downtime in between.
>
> Whether the other Characters can recover the contents of a deceased/vanished comrade’s Locker is at your discretion. It may require some challenge (such as recovering the victim’s eye for use on a retinal scanner!)
## Attribution
This game uses mechanics based off the Locker Gasp, designed by Ryan Lucas.
# Nomadic Engine | Gasps (Extras)
The Nomadic Engine is a Gasp designed by René-Pier Deshaies-Gélinas of Fari RPGs used in Nomadic that easily adds solo capabilities to Breathless games.
## Rule
### The Game
As you play the game, go through the following steps:
1. [...]
1. [...]
1. [...]
1. [...]
If your character’s action isn’t directly involved in your question, use the _Question Oracle_ to get your answer.
If your character is directly performing an action and the outcome is in doubt, use the _Risk Oracle_ to know how it goes.
### Question Oracle
If you have a question about the world, use the _Question Oracle_ to get your answer.
Roll 2d6, sum the two numbers, and interpret the results.
- On a **2-3**, the answer is **no, and…**
- On a **4-6**, the answer is **no**.
- On a **7**, the answer is **yes, but…**
- On a **8-10**, the answer is **yes**.
- On a **11-12**, the answer is **yes, and…**
### Risk Oracle
If your Nomad wants to attempt something dangerous, use the _Risk Oracle_ to assess how risky it is before doing it.
Roll 2d6, sum the two numbers, and interpret the results.
- On a **2-4**, the situation is **not risky at all**. You simply do it.
- On a **5-9**, the situation is **risky**. Make a _Check_ to see how it goes.
- On a **10-12**, the situation is **perilous**. Make a _Check_ to see how it goes.
### Check
When you use the Risk Oracle and the situation is risky or perilous, you make a check to see how it plays out.
Pick the skill that best matches what you are trying to accomplish, roll the die that matches its rating, and interpret the results.
- On a **1-2**, you **fail**, and something wrong happens. Mark one box on a resource track of your choice. Two boxes if the situation was _perilous_.
- On a **3-4**, you **succeed, but at a cost**. Mark one box on a resource track of your choice. Two boxes if the situation was _perilous_.
- On a **5+**, you **succeed**. The higher the result, the better the effect.
Reduces the rating of the skill you used by **one level**. Skills go from d12 » d10 » d8 » d6 » d4, and cannot go lower than a d4.
### Resource Tracks
You have 4 resources tracks. When a complication arises, either as a result of you "focusing” or from a check, you mark boxes on one of the tracks. Look at the fiction to decide which track to mark. You can also pick a random one and link it with the fiction later.
### Make A Choice
If you need to mark a box, and all your resource tracks are filled, you will have to make a choice.
**Abandon**: You can’t go on, and must abandon the mission. As a result, you will die in the coming hours/days. The cause of your death is directly related to the last resource track you marked. Make a last log entry to describe what happened, and beam it. The game is now over.
**Push Forward**: The alternative is that you push forward. You knew this wasn’t going to be easy, and you aren’t about to give up. Leave the current system, fast forwards weeks/months in time, and clear all your resource tracks. You are now in a new system. Make a new log entry, and find a new planet to explore.
### Resource Checks
Resources are an abstract value that represents what you scavenge as you explore the cosmos. When you leave a planet, roll a d20 to know how much resource you scavenged.
- On a **1-10**, you find **1 resource**.
- On a **11-14**, you find **2 resources**.
- On a **15-16**, you find **3 resources**.
- On a **17-18**, you find **5 resources**.
- On a **19-20**, you find **8 resources**.
At anytime, you can consume as many resources as you want to clear the same amount of boxes on any resource track.
When you do this, you take the time to heal yourself, and repair your equipment so that you can continue the mission.
### Determination
Your skill aren’t all you have to survive the harshess of space. You can also rely on your sheer determination to push forward and to make the mission a success.
When you use your determination, you use a d12 instead of a skill rating to do a check.
Once used, you'll need to "focus" to use it again.
### Focus
When you focus, you quickly take the time to assess the situation, calculate all the variables, and recenter yourself for what’s to come.
You can do this at any time to get a brief break.
As a result, all your skills reset to their initial rating.
Focusing also introduces a new complication to the story. When that happens, mark one box on a resource track.
If all your resource tracks are filled, you need to make a choice. Will you abandon the mission or will you push forward into the unknown?
## Designer Notes
> ### Your Steps
>
> The steps of the game define the core game play loop of your game. What will the players do? What is there for them to describe or explore? What will they see? When will they use the oracles? When will they log their journal entry? When will they scavenge their resources ?
>
> ### The Oracles
>
> This combo of Oracles resolve two different problems when playing solo.
>
> The Question Oracle is there to give you the answers about the world that a GM would normally give if you were playing with one. Is it raining today? Is this alien creatures looking friendly towards me? The oracle is there to confirm the fiction and guide your actions.
>
> The Risk Oracle is there to tell you if you need to roll to accomplish a risky action or not. For some actions, you will simply do it, without the need of any dice roll. Other times, the action will be risky or even perilous, and when that happens, not only will you have to roll, but the risk level of the situation affects the strength of the consequence that might arise from your action.
>
> ### Your Checks
>
> The way checks work in Nomadic is the same as Breathless, but it's also tied with the Risk Oracle. The result of the Risk Oracle tells us how many boxes we need to mark on the resource track when a consequence arises. Are there more risk degrees in your game? How are they called? What makes the character's journey risky?
>
> ### Your Resource Tracks
>
> The resources represent the different things that the character needs to take care off as they explore the world. In Nomadic, there is body/mind/gear/ship. This is something that is very theme specific, so change it to better fit the aesthetic of your game. What would the character need to take care of? What could complications potentially affect?
>
> ### Your Choices
>
> Making a choice is something that happens when a character has all their resource tracks filled, and they need to mark a box, but they can't. This forces them to either abandon the mission or push forward into the unknown. What are the meaningful choices in your game ? How do they relate to the story?
>
> ### Your Resources
>
> The resources in Nomadic are abstract values that represent the different things that the character scavenges in their voyage. They use them to clear boxes on their resource tracks. Resources make things better, and make it possible for Nomads to continue their adventure just a bit further. What are the things that make things better for the characters that they can find? How do they allow them to pursue their journey a bit further?
## Attribution
This game uses mechanics based off the Nomadic Engine Gasp, designed by René-Pier Deshaies-Gélinas of Fari RPGs.
# Survivor Points | Gasps (Extras)
Survivor Points is a Gasp designed by Andrew Boyd of Pandion Games that allows characters to become better suited and potentially survive longer in harsh environments.
## Rule
This advancement system is written to be used with Breathless by Fari RPGs and any game game based on Breathless. While many Breathless games are purposefully difficult, Survivor Points allows your characters to become better suited and potentially survive longer in their new found environment.
### Earning Survivor Points
Earn one Survivor Point for each Stress you end the session with. Survivor Points can accumulate.
### Spending Survivor Points (SP)
Survivor Points can be spent in two ways: Before the Session and During the Session.
### Before the Session
- Skill Advancement (once per session) - Spend 1 SP to increase a Skill by 1 rating up to a max of d10. Each additional Skill Advancement costs an additional 1SP.
- Item Improvement - Spend 1 SP to increase an Item you hold by 1 rating (max of d10).
- Stress Reduction - Spend 1 SP to remove 2 Stress.
### During the Session
- Stress Reduction - Spend 1 point to remove 1 Stress.
- Avoid Consequences - When you roll or take an action that would incur a consequence, spend 1SP and avoid it instead.
- Adrenaline - Spend 1SP to fully recharge 1 Skill without a consequence.
## Attribution
This game uses mechanics based off the Survivor Points Gasp, designed by Andrew Boyd of Pandion Games.
# Talents | Gasps (Extras)
Talents is a Gasp designed by Groov of Groov Games used in Critterforce 5 that emphasizes unique character mechanics and advancement. This Gasp makes characters just a little bit stronger by giving them small passive effects, or a larger once-a-session ability.
## Rule
Once at character creation and after story milestones, players may choose or create their own Talent to represent a slight edge the character has. Each Talent may be used once a session unless it says otherwise. Most will use one of the following templates:
**When you use your stunt, you can do something nearly superhuman or supernatural.**
_"When I use my stunt, I can summon a lightning storm."_
_"When I use my stunt, I can reveal that an NPC was me all along!"_
**You gain a +2 bonus on a narrow use of an action. You can use this after a roll.**
_"I get a +2 bonus when using Bash to strike while hidden."_
_"I get a +2 bonus when using Talk to gather information"_
**You gain a specific narrative freedom. These are usually passive and ongoing.**
_"I always know when someone is lying to me"_
_"If there's ever a question of who acts first, it's me."_
**You gain a game specific bonus. Depending on the game, some of these may be passive and ongoing, while others are usable once as usual.**
_"I can hold an extra item in my backpack."_
_"I can avoid the consequences of one roll when assisting someone else."_
> ### Designer Notes
>
> Talents, Masteries, Upgrades, or whatever you decide to call them will vary a lot from game to game, and there will always be players wanting to come up with their own. In your game, include 5 or 10 so your players understand the bounds of this Gasp in your game.
## Attribution
This game uses mechanics based off the Talents Gasp, designed by Groov of Groov Games.
# Transformation | Gasps (Extras)
Transformation is a Gasp designed by Nick Potter of Sustain a Spell used in _Let's Be Magical!_ that models empowering transformations for magical girl, super sentai, or other similar character types.
## Rule
When you transform, you are filled with power and confidence. All of your skills increase by one level while transformed, and lower one level when your transformation ends. If any of your skills are at a d4 by the time you end your transformation or if you Catch Your Breath while transformed, you take one point of stress.
> ### Designer Notes
>
> This mechanic is intended to provide a mechanical representation of the battle transformations seen in anime or sentai — it can be magical girls, Power Rangers, Super Saiyans, or any other sort of powerup meant for battle.
>
> It obviously provides a power boost, and can help the players tackle harder obstacles and challenges, but it comes with the downside of possible Stress and limiting Catch Your Breath opportunities.
>
> You can feel free to alter it as you wish, introducing threats that can only be taken while transformed, or removing the drawback entirely to just add a bit of a power fantasy to the game.
## Attribution
This game uses mechanics based off the Transformation Gasp, designed by Nick Potter of Sustain a Spell.
# Mythos and Eldritch Artifacts | Gasps (Extras)
Mythos and Eldritch Artifacts is a Gasp designed by Dylan Greene of Silver Lantern Games used in Unseen that models eldritch influence and how it interacts with eldrtich artifacts and weapons.
Unseen: Into the Unknown by americanspaceprince
## Rule
### Mythos
Mythos begins with a d4 rating for all characters. The more you interact with eldritch beings, artifacts, and rituals, the higher its die value goes— capping out at d10. This represents your knowledge and awareness of the Great Old Ones. Unlike other die rolls, you want to roll low. Your Mythos resets when you catch your breath.
- 1-2,success
- 3-4, success with a cost
- 5+, failure
### Using Eldritch Artifacts and Rituals:
Using an eldritch artifact or ritual will always give you the maximum die value (a d6 is always 6, d8 is always 8, d10 is always 10). But it costs a point of stress. It will also increase your Mythos skill rating. Eldritch power emanates from the object, you must make a successful Mythos roll if you want to discard it. If you succeed at a cost, the artifact will return at a later point or the ritual will have unintended consequences.
> ### Designer Notes
>
> I wanted to bring Cthulhu Mythos rules to Breathless. It was designed to interact with Breathless’s base “catch your breath” mechanic and I wanted to avoid adding a separate “sanity” attribute. Additionally, making the eldritch artifacts and rituals powerful adds a risk/reward tradeoff as opposed to giving the player no reason to interact with artifacts and rituals.
## Attribution
This game uses mechanics based off the Mythos and Eldritch Artifacts Gasp, designed by Dylan Greene of Silver Lantern Games.