Editing Numenera (section)

=Mechanics=
As mentioned earlier, the game revolves around the players rolling dice rather than the GM. 

Numenera uses a D20 ruleset, but it's not like [[D&D]], where having escalating skill modifiers can eventually render the D20 itself superfluous, or when they can comfortably overcome any low level encounter without even rolling, or they simply level up equally to challenge rating so any +1 bonus is countered by a +1 to the level of the encounter. Instead, Numenera players modify the difficulty of the test based on their skill.

The dice mechanic of "Difficulty" is simply three times the level of the encounter. So a level four encounter would need a dice result of 12 to beat. This also means that anything over level seven becomes literally impossible to overcome without using modifiers, as a 21 cannot be rolled, and levels go right up to ten, meaning you'd need to roll a 30 on a D20.

You may ask, well, how the fuck do I ever pass any tests with a difficulty of 7 (DC 21) or greater? The answer is training, assets, and effort. You can have up to two levels of training in any given test, whether it's trying to figure out how to hack through a door, shoot a robot with a gun, or convince an ancient energy-being to help you survive in space, each level of training reduces the difficulty by one step dropping that level seven task (21) back down to level five (15), making it more manageable. Note that being "specialized" (having two levels of training in an area) often requires being higher level. Some also have "inabilities" in a skill, making using it one step ''harder''.

Second, you can have up to two assets that ''further'' reduce the difficulty. Whether it's a rope that's helping you climb, a shield that's helping you block, intimate knowledge of the cultural practices of energy beings, whatever, they help reduce the difficulty of the test like training.

Finally, if all else fails, you can spend effort. Characters have an Effort rating that goes up as they level up. Spending points out of their stat pools (more on that in a second) can further reduce the difficulty, though doing so means depleting what essentially amounts to their hitpoints.

The main feature of Numenera is the "pool" mechanic. You have three: '''Might, Speed, and Intellect.''' Each day, you have a set number of points in each pool. You may expend them to activate powers or apply '''"Effort"''', which reduces the difficulty level of a test by each point you spend. However, you cannot splurge all your points straight away and guarantee a pass, as the maximum amount of "Effort" you can exert is dependent upon your Tier/Level. However, since your stat pools are also lost if you take "damage," you are effectively spending hitpoints; so if you spend all of your Might to break down a door, you'll drop like a wet sack the first time the enemy behind that door hits you.

To mitigate this, you have '''"Edge"''' in some of your stats. Edge reduces the points you need to spend from a given pool once during an action. For instance, if you need to spend one point of Might to active your Slice power for extra damage, and your Edge is 2, you instead don't need to spend any. However, if you also use Effort to try to deal more damage, you'd only reduce it by 1, since you already used up some of your edge on the Slice. The pools are renewed after resting but can be spent on pretty much every test, meaning players have to manage their resources carefully from day-to-day. Even at higher levels when certain tests or abilities begin demanding more and more expenditure of points. This also puts the onus of management on the players, meaning that the GM has to trust his players not to lie or conveniently forget to spend points. 

Finally, all tests are made by the players, even in combat. Monsters don't roll to hit you, and you roll to dodge their swings. Each of your stats has a "defense" associated with it, with Speed being the most common, Intellect working vs. mental attacks and Might vs. poisons, and the like. Though attacks against them are measured the same way as any other skill.''(eg, A level three opponent attacking a player would require the player to beat a 9 using their defense stat, and a 9 when attacking them in turn.).''
 
What little impact the DM does have on the game comes through "DM intrusions," where the guy running the game can interpose on the player to make sure [[Railroading|that things happen the way that he wants them to]], so can cause you to fail a critical a roll at inopportune times. Luckily, you are not actually required to accept this from your DM and can spend a point of XP to ignore the intrusion. DMs should also use the mechanic sparingly, because if the player accepts the intrusion, he gets awarded 2 XP, jumping halfway to a level upgrade.

This means that the DM should focus on telling a good story and leaving dice rolling to players, only interceding in situations that make narrative sense ''(eg. To save a recurring villain)'' rather than just pestering players into spending their hard-earned experience.