Core Moves
Core Moves
CHAPTER 5
CORE MOVES
(Order #33527257)
CHAPTER 5
This chapter dives into the main mechanic of the game—moves! It explains how to use moves
and what all the terminology attached to a move means. It also breaks down the moves you’ll
use in game and gives you examples of how to use them. The end of the chapter deals with
combat exchanges, statuses, and techniques and ends with a long example that incorporates
all of the advice here into one coherent experience!
Moves are the core of playing Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Always Follow the Fiction
Game. Whenever a player takes an action that triggers an appro- As you describe what your character does and says, the GM
priate move, or something happens in the game that triggers responds by describing what NPCs say and do, as well as how the
a move, you pick up the dice, roll, and follow what the move world responds—this is the “conversation” of the game. At some
describes! If something isn’t a move, you don’t roll—either it point, you’ll come to a situation where the outcome of your action
happens or the GM makes their own move. is uncertain or dangerous, or otherwise triggers one of the game’s
Moves are broken up into basic moves that every charac- moves. When that happens, turn to the triggered move, roll the dice
ter can make, playbook moves unique to each playbook, and (or not, depending on the move), and do what the move says.
moves related to specific parts of the game that need their own If you describe an action that doesn’t trigger a move, there’s no
categories, like combat moves. This chapter describes how need to roll any dice—it wasn’t a move, and there’s no uncertain-
and when to make the moves most central to the game—ba- ty! The GM might say that you do it outright, or they might make
sic moves and balance moves—as well as how to run combat a GM move of their own in response, according to their agendas,
exchanges with techniques. For information on individual play- guidelines, and baselines (see page 224 for more). In this way,
book moves, see Chapter 6: Playbooks. you’re always following the fiction by focusing on what’s happening
in the story and turning to the game mechanics as they come up.
Quartz the Guardian wants to get into the Spirit Shrine, but
Demanding surrender from a daofei society leader at spearpoint it’s guarded by Fire Nation soldiers. Quinn, Quartz’s player,
after taking out their minions, using your family’s dangerous describes Quartz stomping up to the guards. “I’m getting close
reputation to pressure a smuggler into giving you a stolen item, and telling them I’m an undercover Fire Nation operative—I’m
threatening a bouncer to let you into an exclusive gambling doing my best to look all impressive and cow them into letting
house—any time you threaten an NPC into retreat or surrender me through. Is that an intimidate?”
with words or fists, you are intimidating them. You might intim- “No, I don’t think so,” says the GM. “It’s more of a trick—it
idate an NPC with physical threats and harsh words but you can depends upon them believing you’re an undercover Fire Nation
just as easily intimidate them with displays of power, blackmail, operative, right?”
or other more subtle tactics. As long as you’re trying to scare “Ah, I get it,” says Quinn. “Okay, well, I still want to say that, but
them off or pressuring them to give up/in, you make the move. it’s pure pretense—I don’t care if they buy it or not. I just stand
If you roll a hit to intimidate, your target (not you) chooses there, glaring at them, flexing my muscles, picking at scars.”
one of the four options based on their goals and the fiction. If The GM considers—in another situation, it might not be quite
you roll a 10+, you limit the NPC’s actions by removing one enough to be intimidating just to stare and flex, but here, these
option before they choose, pushing them further in the direc- are only regular guards. “Perfect, that’s an intimidate. Roll!”
tion you want. If you want to force an NPC to surrender without Quinn rolls and gets a 12! “I kind of want to say that they can’t
fleeing, remove their option to “run to escape or get backup.” If run and get backup…but I think I’m more worried about them
you don’t care if they flee but you don’t want to come to blows attacking me and slowing me down, so I pick that. They can’t
(again), say they can’t “attack you off-balance.” attack me.”
Note that you can only target NPCs with this move—if you “Great!” says the GM. “They look at each other, and it’s clear
want to push your companions to do (or not do) something, they both don’t want a fight. ‘Ah, yes, uh, sir,’ says one. ‘Feel
you need to try a different tactic (like calling them out, see free to make your way inside.’ As soon as you do, you look
page 138). Although you might argue with each other about behind and you see they’ve run off, presumably to go get help.
the right thing to do at the moment, PCs in Avatar Legends: What do you do?”
The Roleplaying Game find other ways to resolve differences and
have more agency than NPCs. Teru Jinno the Successor has just been apprehended by Republic
City’s police force. He’s wrapped up in metal wire as they’re
Options for Intimidating carting him off. “One officer sneers at you,” says the GM. “‘Any-
When you roll a hit to intimidate an NPC, remember that the thing to say for yourself?’ she asks.”
GM chooses how your target responds. This depends on their “I look back up at her and sneer right back,” says Tyrelle, Teru’s
goals, feelings (and marked conditions), and the fiction of the player. “‘Yeah,’ I say. ‘Wait until my mother hears about this.
game, but they might just give you what you want even if you Aiko Jinno isn’t known to be kind to those who interfere with
don’t roll a 10+. her plans…or her family.’”
If “they run to escape or get backup,” they immediately try to “Is that an intimidate? Invoking the name of your great and
flee the scene. If you want to stop the NPC, you need to try terrible mother?” asks the GM.
something fast or even drop into a combat exchange to keep “Oh for sure,” says Tyrelle, and he rolls. He gets a 7.
them here. Once they leave, they either stay gone if they’re try- The GM considers what the guards will do—the GM could
ing to escape or alert others and escalate the situation. pick any option off the list, but in this case they think it’d be
If “they back down but keep watch,” they give in to you for now better if the guards just give in. “Well, immediately as soon as
but they’re still on their guard. They won’t make a move against they hear your mother’s name, the officers all share a glance,
you just yet but if you give them a reason or push them further, and then they begin to rapidly unwind you from the metal wire.
the situation gets worse. Hostile NPCs give you leeway but with ‘Apologies, sir,’ says one through gritted teeth. ‘We had no idea
hands on their weapons, while others keep a stern eye on any who you were. Please give the Lady Jinno our best wishes.’ They
potential troublemaking. clearly are angry with you, Teru, but there’s no way they want
to cross Aiko Jinno.”
When you plead with an NPC who cares what you think for
help, support, or action, roll with Harmony. On a 7–9, they
need something more—evidence that this is the right course,
guidance in making the right choices, or resources to aid
them—before they act; the GM tells you what they need. On a
10+, they act now and do their best until the situation changes.
When you push your luck in a risky situation, say what you
want to do and roll with Passion . On a hit, you do it, but it
costs you to scrape by; the GM tells you what it costs you. On
a 10+, your boldness pays off despite the cost; the GM tells
you what other lucky opportunity falls in your lap.
Iris the Adamant, played by Izzy, rolls to rely on her skills and
training to try to earthbend a massive chunk of dirt and stone to
flip it on top of the nearby charging mecha suit. Izzy rolls and
gets a total of a 9—a hit, but it will still cost Iris something.
"Can I help?" asks Seiji, the player of Shihan the Pillar
and another Earthbender.
"Sure!" says the GM. "What do you actually do?"
"Hm. Iris and I bend pretty differently, but I use
my style to make the earth flow like water in a big
circle, creating a ditch so it's easier for Iris to lift
the whole chunk of earth," says Seiji.
"Cool! Mark 1-fatigue. That'll give Iris a +1 and
make that roll a 10!" says the GM.
If your balance shifts past the end of the track, you lose your
balance. You obsess over that principle to a degree that’s not
healthy for you or anyone around you. Choose one of the
following:
• Give in or submit to your opposition
• Lose control of yourself in a destructive and harmful way
• Take an extreme action in line with the principle, then flee
Afterward, when you’ve had some time to recover and recen-
ter yourself, shift your center one step towards the principle
you exceeded and clear all your conditions and fatigue. Reset
your balance to your new center.
As you become more set in your ways and beliefs, you may find
yourself leaning towards one principle more than another. This
can be a good thing! Your firm belief in one of your principles
makes it beneficial to live up to your principle when it really
matters. However, you’re teetering on the edge of danger—you’ll
have a hard time denying a callout on that strong principle, and if
you shift your balance further, you lose your balance. When you
do, you become so obsessed with that principle that you end up
causing problems for yourself and others. You lose your balance.
You can only lose your balance on-screen. In all cases, when
you lose your balance, you are in some way removed from the
action afterward. Sometimes you might flee. Sometimes you
might fall unconscious. You might still be in the scene, but you’re
not an active participant—you can’t respond to someone if they
try to guide and comfort you, and you can’t trigger most moves or
be proactive, at least not yet. It’s a bit like being taken out—you’re Nokkahak the Bold, played by Nadja, is in an exchange, fighting
not an active agent until you’ve had some time to recover. with the dangerous "King" Kezhu, when King uses the Test Balance
If you choose to “give in or submit to your opposition,” you’re so technique on Nokkahak!
overcome by the principle that you’re overwhelmed and resign to "King looks at you with scorn in his eyes. The ground beneath
giving up rather than resist further. If your opposition wants you him keeps shooting up little pebbles that enter orbit around him
to do something—instead of just surrendering—then choosing with each step—it's kind of intimidating. 'Not bad so far, kid, but
this option means you follow through on whatever they want you I've been taking it easy on you,' he says. 'Run home to your friends
to do. In order to choose this option, you need opposition to give before I actually start trying. You don't have what it takes to face
in to; you can’t give up or give in without any opposing force. me alone.' He's shifting your balance away from center, which in
If you “lose control of yourself in a destructive and harmful way,” your case means away from Confidence and towards Friendship."
your obsession with that principle causes you to lash out at the "My balance goes off the edge," says Nadja. "I lose my balance!"
people and world around you. You might lose control of your fire- "That only happens at the end of the exchange, but since it's just
bending and erupt a burst of flame as you vent your frustration, or you and King and both of you have gone, it's the end of the ex-
become so overcome with your belief in Progress that you destroy a change right now! So you lose your balance, Nokkahak—in some
priceless heirloom of your lineage. Whatever happens, something is way, you are out of the fight because what he says throws you off.
destroyed or someone gets hurt (physically or emotionally). Which of the options from the move do you pick?" asks the GM.
If you “take an extreme action in line with the principle and flee,” "I'm not sure," says Nadja. "I don't want to give in to him—he
your temporary fixation on that principle means you do something might just kill me! He's a pretty scary guy…"
drastic in pursuit of that belief. This is a catch-all for other kinds of "In this case, he's actually telling you to run back to your friends,"
extreme, intense actions you might take that show your overcom- says the GM. "I'm fine if giving in here means you run away."
mitment to your principle. Whatever you do has to be costly and "What would 'losing control of myself in a destructive or harmful
consequential—it’s not extreme if you come out in more or less the way' mean here? I'm already trying to use my training to fight him
same place on the other side. After you take the action, you flee the and it's not going very well" asks Nadja.
scene, and you can’t return—you’re out until the scene changes. "It might not make a ton of sense for this situation," says the GM.
If your center shifts past +3 or -3, then it might be time to "If it doesn't, you should pick something else."
change your playbook or retire your character. See page 219 for "Okay," says Nadja. "Then I give in and flee! I run away to go find
more on the ways your character’s story might shift dramatically. my friends!"
Growth Questions