SYSTEM REFERENCE

DOCUMENT
V1.0
Paragon System Reference Document v1.0

CREDITS
The Paragon System was developed and authored by John Harper
and Sean Nittner.

LICENSE
The text of this document is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0). See all the details
here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
This means you can make and sell your own game using the systems
and text contained herein, as long as you give credit to the original
designers. Here’s some text you can use to do that:
This work is based on the Paragon System, developed
and authored by John Harper and Sean Nittner, and
licensed for our use under the Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.
org/licenses/by/4.0/). http://www.agon-rpg.com

You may also use the Paragon System logo on your game, which
is available at www.agon-rpg.com.

2
INTRODUCTION
The Paragon SRD is a condensed version of the game system from
AGON (2nd Edition) that you can use to create your own standalone
Paragon System games.
Some of the text can be easily re-used in your game, but several
elements need to be customized to suit your game’s themes, style,
and approach. Terms which you should customize are indicated
in bold, underlined, color text, like this.

THE GAME
This game is designed for fast-paced, tabletop roleplaying about
heroic adventure, suitable for newcomers and veterans alike. The
rules are simple to learn and easy to use, focusing on the epic
actions of the heroes against the perils they face.

SIMPLE CHARACTERS AND MECHANICS

Characters in the game are simple, with only a few traits, so they’re
quick to create and easy to play. Players don’t need to digest a lot
of rules before they jump in to the game. Each mechanic can be
learned as it comes up in play, with system mastery developing
naturally over time.

BRIEF LOCATION-BASED ADVENTURES

Each session of the game covers a short adventure in a location
threatened by danger or villainy known as a Hazard.

In the original Paragon game, AGON, Hazards are called

Islands — mythical lands afflicted by strife from gods and
monsters. In other Paragon games, Hazards might be a
strange space anomaly, a monster’s hunting grounds, or a
catastrophe from which victims need to be rescued.

The purpose of Hazards is to present brief, easily digestible material

for the Hazard Player to use for a fun session of play — everything
the group needs for the session is included in the Hazard materials
(see the example Hazard PDF, the island of Kryos, from AGON).

3
ONE-ROLL RESOLUTION
Each scene in the game revolves around a trial — a conflict between
the heroes and a dangerous obstacle or foe. To resolve a conflict,
everyone rolls dice together in a single contest. The results of the
contest determine all the outcomes at once: which side gets their
way, who is best, and who suffers.
The result of a contest is final — the situation is resolved and a
new circumstance arises, leading to a new trial and contest to
overcome it. In this game, you don’t linger over things — you face
the challenge and then move on, win or lose.
One-roll resolution gets everyone involved in the action and keeps
the pace of the game high. As soon as trouble arises, the group meets
it head-on. They either defeat it or succumb, with either outcome
immediately leading into a new scene of adventure.

THE PLAYERS
This is a game for three to six players (four is ideal). One of you
takes the role of the Hazard Player — you present the Hazards
and contests to the heroes. The rest of you are Hero Players —
you each portray a hero who faces the challenges of the Hazard.

In your Paragon Game, the Hazard Player will have a different

name, depending on the style of your game. In AGON, they’re
called the Strife Player, since they portray the strife caused
by gods and monsters on the islands the heroes visit.

THE HERO PLAYERS

When you’re a Hero Player, you create and portray a hero who
goes on perilous adventures. Your job is to make your hero larger-
than-life — a memorable character worthy of an exciting story. You
face danger and overcome Hazards, competing with your fellow
heroes to earn Experience and forge your legend.
The Hero Players are kind of like the members of a sports team.
You’re all working together toward a common goal against the
opposition, but each of you wants to be the star of the team.

4
THE HAZARD PLAYER
When you’re the Hazard Player, you don’t play a hero. Instead,
you present a dangerous location to the other players so their
heroes can contend with its challenges. You portray all of the the
villains, dangers, and regular people that the heroes encounter,
and describe the places they visit.
The Hazard Player is like a guide and a referee. You point out the
interesting and challenging features that the heroes come across,
then help adjudicate contests to find out what happens when the
heroes clash with the perils of the Hazard.
You might be the Hazard Player for one Hazard and then a Hero
Player for the next. Or you might decide to be the Hazard Player
for several Hazards in a row. It’s up to you and the other players
to decide which roles to take on.

CYCLE OF PLAY
This game is played in a number of phases, starting with the
origin of the heroes. Then each game session includes the trials
of a Hazard then a brief interlude and period of recovery. After
a number of Hazards have been encountered, heroes end their
tales and forge their legends.

ORIGIN
Players create their heroes, giving them Names, Styles, Domain
ratings, and other advantageous traits. They also establish Bonds
with one another which can aid them during contests.

TRIALS
Game play begins when the heroes arrive at a Hazard. Each Hazard
provides an immediate contest upon arrival that establishes the
situation and demands heroic action — like the opening teaser
for a thrilling TV show.
After the initial conflict, the heroes explore the Hazard location,
befriend allies, confront enemies, and attempt to overcome the
trials they encounter.

5
Finally, the heroes face a showdown to to finally resolve the
situation — whether the Hazard persists or is dealt with once
and for all.

INTERLUDES
When the heroes complete a Hazard, their Achievements and
Virtues are recorded in the ongoing tale. These help to define the
heroes’ legends when the series comes to an end.
The heroes spend time together during interludes to rest and
recuperate and forge new Bonds with each other. When the
interlude is done, the heroes once again find themselves facing a
new Hazard, and the cycle starts again.

LEGEND
When a hero’s tale comes to an end — whether with a glorious
retirement or meeting their Fate — their player takes the measure
of their name, deeds, and virtues to forge their legend.

THE DICE
Five kinds of dice are used in the game: d4s (four-sided dice),
d6s (six-sided), d8s (eight-sided), d10s (ten-sided), and d12s
(twelve-sided).
Each Hero Player needs at least one die of each size, but it’s best if
each player has 1d4, 3d6, 3d8, 2d10, and 1d12. The Hazard Player
should have multiples of each die size to use for foes as well as
for bonus dice when the players need them.
Key traits of the heroes and their opponents are rated with dice.
Your hero might have a Name of d6 and a Domain rated at d8. An
opponent might have a Name die of d10 or the Style “Smooth
Talker” rated at d8. The bigger the die size, the more powerful
the trait.

6
CREATING A HERO
To create your hero, choose a Style, record your Name, determine
your background and favored Domain, and highlight your Strengths.
You’ll also record your hero’s look — their overall appearance,
fashion, and favored tools or weapons.
Finally, you’ll establish your starting Bonds with the other heroes.

STYLE
To distinguish themselves in the narrative, each hero has an special
Style — a short, evocative phrase that describes the key feature
that boosts that hero in conflicts. Perhaps your hero is a Daredevil,
Pure-Hearted, or Tough As Nails. Each hero has a unique Style all
their own.
f Your hero’s Style die is a d6.

NAME
Your hero’s name is a crucial part of who they are. If your deeds
are great, it will ring out in legend down through the ages. Every
contest roll in the game involves your hero’s Name die — it’s
essential to their heroic identity.
f Your hero’s Name die is a d6.

BACKGROUND & DOMAINS

Your background describes your former occupation, special
training, or lineage. Choose a favored Domain of conflict that
reflects your hero’s background. Each contest in the game falls
into one of the Domains.
f Your favored Domain is a d8. The others are d6.

In AGON, the Domains of conflict are: Arts & Oration, Blood

& Valor, Craft & Reason, and Resolve & Spirit. In Deathmatch
Island, they’re Challenge Beast, Deathmatch, Redacted, Social
Game, and Snake Mode. For your Paragon Game, you’ll choose
Domains that reflect the conflicts and themes of your setting.

7
STRENGTHS
Hero characters can call on specific reserves of Strength to improve
their result in a contest. A Strength might be a character trait, special
training, a fantastic ability, or a powerful piece of equipment.
To employ a Strength, it must first be charged. A charged Strength
is marked on the character sheet with a slash through the diamond
next to the Strength, like this:
f Your hero begins with four charges to assign to Strengths.
For example, your hero might start with two charges in a Strength
called Daring, one charge in Danger Sense, and one charge in Jet
Pack.
Your hero can gain more charges during recovery as well as some
other means during play. See page page 17 for details.

In AGON, the heroes’ Strengths are called Divine Favor,

representing supernatural power bestowed by the gods.
In Deathmatch Island, Strengths are represented by the
competitor’s Aquisitions: weapons or equipment to help them
survive. Think about what kind of Strengths are appropriate
for your Paragon Game.

LOOK
Next, develop an image of your hero — their physical appearance,
personal fashion, interesting gear, and outward demeanor. Focus on
a few key features — how can we recognize your hero at a distance?

BONDS
Once everyone is finished, introduce your hero to the other players.
Tell them your Style, Name, heritage and pronouns, your Strengths,
and the features by which they recognize you.
Write the other heroes’ names in the Bonds section of your hero
sheet.
f You begin with 2 Bonds with each other hero.

8
CONTESTS
The action of the game always drives toward conflict — because
each Hazard is filled with danger, the efforts of the heroes inevitably
bring them into confrontations with dangerous opponents. To
resolve a conflict, we engage in a contest.
A contest has four steps:

1. DOMAIN 3. HERO ROLLS

2. HAZARD ROLL 4. ACTIONS

If there’s no dangerous opponent in a situation, the heroes simply

accomplish what they’re trying to do — it’s an automatic success,
not requiring dice rolls.

1. DOMAIN
The Hazard Player determines the Domain of the contest based
on on the details of the situation and the actions of the characters
involved. If the heroes initiate the action, focus on their approach
and actions when choosing the Domain. If the heroes are resisting
an opponent, the Domain should reflect the opponent’s action.

2. HAZARD ROLL
The Hazard Player rolls first, to establish the difficulty of the hero
rolls. Roll the dice for their Name and any applicable Styles as
well as any relevant advantage dice (see below).

ADVANTAGE DICE
Advantage dice are a way for specific fictional details to impact
a contest, such as having superior numbers or striking where a
foe is weakest. Some opponents have special abilities that grant
Advantage dice. The value of an Advantage die depends on how
well it applies to the situation, from d6 up to d10. Both heroes
and opponents may use Advantage dice.

9
Roll all the dice in the Hazard Player’s pool. Keep the single highest
die and add the current Hazard Level. Hazard Level is usually +5
(but may be reduced to +4 or increased to +6 due to occurrences
during the adventure).
Announce the final total as the target number for the contest.
For example: The Hazard Player rolls 1d8, 2d10 and gets 2,
6, 7. Adding the Hazard Level of +5 to their highest die gives
a target number of 12.
If there are multiple opponents, roll all of their dice together, keep
the single highest, and add the Hazard Level. The Hazard Player
never counts more than one die on a roll.
The Hazard Player doesn’t yet describe the actions of the opponent.
All the narration of action happens in the fourth step of the contest
— after all the players have rolled and the outcomes are known.

3. HERO ROLLS
Each Hero Player who’s participating in the contest gathers their
dice pool, consisting of:
f Their hero’s Name die
f Their Domain die for this contest
f The hero’s Style die (if they think it applies to the situation)
f Any advantage dice you have
f Any extra dice you choose to include (see below)

EXTRA DICE
f Mark 1 Grit to include the die from a second Domain in your pool
f Expend a charged Strength ( ) and add +1d4 to your pool
f Spend a Bond to add a copy of that hero’s Name die to your pool
The players don’t need to discuss or explain the dice they’re
gathering. All of the details of Style, advantage, an extra Domain,
Strengths, etc. are revealed during the narration of actions after the
roll. Just gather your own dice pool and wait to roll until everyone
has their dice ready.

10
Once all the Hero Players have their dice pools assembled, everyone
rolls at once. Roll your hero’s dice pool and sum your two highest
dice, not counting d4s. Then add the number on the d4 (if you
have one) to your two highest dice to get your hero’s final result.
For example: Allison rolls 1d8, 2d6 and gets 6, 5, 3. Her two
highest dice sum to 11. Her 1d4 from a Strength rolls a 3,
which is added to the total, so her final result is 14.

OUTCOMES
To determine your hero’s fortune in the contest, compare your
hero’s result to the Hazard Player’s target number:
f Equal to or greater: Your hero prevails. Their action goes well
and they overcome the challenge. The prevailing hero with the
highest total is best. (Roll Name dice to break a tie.)
f Less than: Your hero suffers. Their action goes awry or they
have to endure hardship to persevere.
If all the heroes suffer, the opponent wins the contest.

4. ACTIONS
After the rolls, the Hero Players take turns narrating their heroes’
actions and effect on the contest, starting with the heroes who
suffer, then the heroes who prevail, then finally the hero who is
best. Use your outcome to guide your narration, including your
Style, Strengths, advantages, etc. as details.
During the narration of actions, the Hazard Player responds with
the actions of the opponent, either overcoming a hero or being
thwarted, depending on the outcome.

REWARDS
A contest results in Experience for the heroes. The prevailing hero
with the highest result is best, and earns Experience equal to the
target number. The other heroes that prevail each earn half that
amount (round up). Each hero that suffers earns 1 Experience,
and may take harm. To break a tie, each hero rolls their Name die
until a clear winner is established.

11
 SUPPORT
A hero may choose to sit out of a contest to provide support.
They pass a copy of their Domain die to the Hero Player of their
choosing (who includes it in their dice pool). The supporting hero
gains 1 Bond with the hero they support and earns 1 Experience.
If your hero is supported in a contest, invite the supporting Hero
Player to describe how they aid you when you narrate your actions.

GRIT HARM
A contest may result in harm to the heroes, depending on its nature
and the qualities of the opponents.
f If a contest is Arduous, mark 1 Grit to participate.
f If a contest is Challenging, expend a Strength charge ( ) to
participate.
f If a contest is Dangerous, mark 1 Grit if you suffer.
FATE f If a contest is Risky, expend a Strength charge ( ) if you suffer.

Some Paragon Games change the harm labels to suit their

theme. In AGON, an Arduous contest is called an Epic contest.

Opponents can have harmful traits connected to their Name or a

Style, so that harm is threatened whenever they roll those dice in a
contest. For example: A bandit in the wasteland has the Dangerous
trait connected to their Style: Razor Wheels, so a contest against
them is Dangerous when their car with razor wheels is involved.
You may spend a Bond to ask that character to block harm for you.
They say how they defend you and neither of you suffer the harm.
If you have to mark Grit or expend a Strength and have none
remaining, you mark Fate instead.
A hero may choose to die (or otherwise leave play) to prevail in
a contest, regardless of their roll.

TRYING AGAIN
A contest cannot be attempted again unless the situation changes
in significant ways — different time or place, different approach
and goal, and/or different characters involved.

12
SHOWDOWNS
By winning a contest, the heroes overcome an obstacle to achieve
an immediate goal. But to defeat a Hazard once and for all, the
heroes must engage the source of the danger in a showdown.
A showdown is a series of linked contests, arranged in three phases:

1. Clash: The heroes and the opponent make their opening

moves, maneuvering against each other for a superior position.
The winner earns a 1d10 advantage die, which they may use
once during the battle.

2. Threat: The opponent lashes out, threatening disasters. In this

phase, each hero chooses to either Defend against a disaster or
Seize control of the showdown. The winner of the Seize contest
chooses the Domain and stakes of the Finale and the ultimate
fate of the opponent.

3. Finale: A concluding contest to determine the victor.

CLASH
The Hazard Player describes the circumstances of the battle and
any details that might be used to gain an advantage. The Hero
Players describe how their heroes are joining the showdown —
what maneuver they attempt to gain an edge against the opponent
before battle is joined. Then the Clash contest is rolled.
Unlike a normal contest, each Hero Player may choose the Domain
they roll for the Clash, based on the action their hero is taking to
seize an advantage.
The winner of the Clash contest (the Hazard Player or best Hero
Player) earns a 1d10 advantage die for any roll in the showdown.
It may be given to another Hero Player in exchange for a Bond.
Heroes earn Experience as normal in this contest — and all
showdown contests.

13
THREAT
During the Threat phase, the heroes and the opponent (the cause
of the Hazard) collide. The opponent lashes out, menacing the
world, while the heroes stand in defense or strive to take control.
There are two contests during the Threat phase, and each hero
may only participate in one or the other.
First, the Hazard Player announces the disasters that will happen
unless a hero thwarts them. An opponent will usually make two
or three disastrous moves — often one against all the unnamed
bystanders at the Hazard, one against a single named character,
and sometimes one against the heroes or the location itself.
Then each Hero Player chooses whether their hero will participate
in the contest to Defend against the disasters or join the contest
to Seize control of the showdown and set the Domain and stakes
of the Finale.
Start with the contest to Defend. Follow the normal contest
procedure (but allow each Hero Player to roll the Domain most
appropriate to the disaster they’re opposing — they don’t all
have to roll the same one). Each hero who prevails may stop one
disaster from happening.
Then resolve the contest to Seize control of the showdown. Follow
the normal contest procedure. If the heroes win, they decide
what’s at stake for the opponent in the Finale. They may choose
death, imprisonment, exile, a change of heart, eternal grief and
torment — anything that suits the showdown and is within their
ability to impose.
In addition, the winner of the Seize contest determines the Domain
of the Finale contest.
If the opponent wins the contest to Seize control, they get to
determine their own fate in the Finale — they may avoid the full
consequences of the showdown even if they lose.

14
FINALE
The conclusion of the showdown is the Finale contest. The winner
of this contest is the victor in the showdown — their foe is defeated
and they are triumphant. Because a showdown is conducted to
complete an adventure, the Finale determines the destiny of
the location emperiled by the Hazard — whether the menace is
ultimately defeated or if things get even worse.
Resolve the Finale using the normal contest procedure. The final
outcome of the showdown is then judged by considering both
the result of the Seize contest and the Finale contest together.
f The heroes lose the Finale: The opponent is the victor and they
avoid punishment or trouble from the showdown. The danger
and suffering at the location of the Hazard gets even worse.
f The heroes win the Finale, but lose the Seize contest: The
Hazard is defeated — for now — and the location is set on a path
of recovery, but it will not be easy. The heroes are victorious, but
their enemy is not vanquished as they wished — the opponent
remains as a diminished source of potential future trouble.
f The heroes win the Finale and win the Seize contest: The Hazard
is overcome and resolved. The heroes win the day and their
opponent suffers the fate the heroes chose for them.

DEFEND

CLASH OR FINALE

SEIZE

15
INTERLUDE
After the showdown with a Hazard, resolve the four phases of
the interlude:

1. ACHIEVEMENTS 3. RECOVERY

2. VIRTUES 4. BONDS

ACHIEVEMENTS
Each Hero Player records an Achievement for which their hero will
be remembered or an asset they seized in the adventure.
Achievements and trophies can be used as an advantage die later
on, if they apply to a contest. Like all advantages, their value is
based on how potent they are given the situation.
Once an Achievement or asset is used this way, check the box
beside it on the hero sheet. It’s still a part of the hero’s history,
but it won’t sway the outcome of future challenges. If a hero wants
to call upon it again in the future, they can propose a contest to
make the deed or trophy relevant again and uncheck the box.

VIRTUES
Each Hero Player records Virtues for their hero to assess the nature
of their actions while they faced the Hazard. Virtues are used to
judge the hero’s character when they reach the end of their tale.
The Hero Players take turns receiving Virtues. On your turn, ask
the other players which Virtue your hero most embodied during
the Hazard, and why. Each player gives you a mark in a Virtue. The
players don’t have to agree on a single Virtue—they each have a
free choice of which virtue to give.

The specific Virtues vary in each Paragon Game.

In AGON, the Virtues reflect the ideals of the mythic age:

Acumen, Courage, Grace, and Passion. In Deathmatch Island,
Virtues are called Jury Votes, reflecting the reality survival
show aesthetic: Outbrave, Outsmart, Outtalk, and Outlast.

16
RECOVERY
During the Recovery phase, the heroes rest and recuperate.
f Clear all marks of Grit
f Gain 3 charges to assign to your Strengths

The method of recovery and number of Strength charges

restored varies in Paragon Games. In AGON, heroes restore
charges of Divine Favor by making sacrifices and gain
additional charges by accomplishing quests given by the gods.

BONDS
f Give and receive 1 Bond with another hero by playing a brief
personal scene with them

EXPERIENCE
Experience is the measure of expertise, understanding, and hard-
won lessons that make your character great — it sets heroes apart
from ordinary people.

In AGON, Experience is called Glory — a measure of epic

renown. In Deathmatch Island, Experience is called Followers:
the number of fans a Competitor has on the survival TV show.

EARNING EXPERIENCE
Every time a hero participates in a contest, they earn Experience,
which is tracked on the hero sheet. The hero who is best in the
contest earns an amount of Experience equal to the target number.
Each other hero who prevails earns half that amount (rounded up).
Heroes who support or suffer in the contest each earn 1 Experience.

ADVANCING YOUR NAME DIE

On the Experience track on your hero sheet, there are markers for
certain Experience amounts (by default, at 80, 160, and 240). When
you hit a marker, you advance your Name die to the indicated level
(d8, d10, d12), then reset your Experience back to zero.

17
FATE
FATE
Every hero must meet their Fate — glorious death in battle, peaceful
old age at home, or a tragic end filled with sorrow. One thing is
certain: Fate is inexorable and cannot be resisted.
In play, the span of a hero’s tale is measured with the Fate track
on the hero sheet. You mark a box of Fate when:
f You need to mark Grit, but all your Grit is already marked
f You need to expend a Strength charge, but don’t have any
remaining
When a Hero Player marks on the Fate track, they earn a boon.
When your final Fate box is checked, your hero’s story has ended.
You’ll discover their heroic legend and describe their epilogue.

BOONS
Heroes grow in power by receiving boons as their Fate increases
and when they achieve particular goals.
There are benchmarks on the Fate scale, indicated by . When
you mark , you earn a boon.
When you earn a boon, mark one of the boxes on your hero sheet
and permanently gain that benefit. Choose your first five boons
from the initial set, below:

 ADVANCE D8 DOMAIN TO D10  ADVANCE STYLE TO D8

  ADVANCE D6 DOMAIN TO D8  ADD ANOTHER STYLE

When you’ve marked all five of the initial boons, you may select
from these options when you earn a boon:

 YOUR HELP OR SUPPORT DIE COUNTS AS ONE SIZE LARGER

 WHEN YOU ADD A SECOND DOMAIN, TAKE 2 DICE

 WHEN YOU USE A STRENGTH, ROLL 2D4, KEEP THE HIGHEST.

18
LEGEND
When you’ve marked all your Fate boxes, your hero’s tale is almost
at an end. Your hero may finish the current Hazard (any further Fate
they suffer is ignored) and then they retire from the game. Your
hero’s story also comes to an end if you choose to die in a contest.
At the end of a game session in which any heroes have met their
end, their players determine the legend for each hero by assessing
their Name, Achievements, and Virtues.
Writing your hero’s legend also completes their Name. While they
were on their adventures, they were known by their Style, Name,
and background. Now they will also be called by the titles they
earned and their Achievements.

LEGENDARY TITLE
Look to your two highest virtues and choose one of the titles from
the appropriate list to discover what your hero is called by the
people who remember them.

Each Paragon Game will have its own list of legendary titles,
depending on the Virtues that game uses. For example, in
AGON, there are examples like:
Acumen & Courage: Conqueror, Warlord, Vanquisher
Courage & Grace: Crusader, Savior, Vindicator
Grace & Passion: Liberator, Peacemaker, Prophet

And so on. Think about what kind of titles your chosen

virtues might bestow.

If none of the titles appeal to you, feel free to create your own.
The list is there to help spark ideas, not limit your options.

GREATEST DEED
Look over your list of Achievements and find the one that was the
most meaningful to you. If there are a few deeds that stand out,
that’s okay, you can blend them together in your epilogue.

19
YOUR NAME
The final factor in your hero’s epilogue is the size of their Name
die. The larger the die size, the more epic the hero’s epilogue
should be. Consider the following guidelines:
f d6: A notable character. You were a stalwart companion to the
greatest of the heroes. You will be remembered by your family
and companions and their children.
f d8: A great hero. You will be remembered for generations and
your tales will be told far and wide.
f d10: A legendary hero. Civilization will forever use your name
to instruct those seeking virtue.
f d12: An epic hero. You shall never be forgotten. Your glory is
writ in the stars for eternity.

EPILOGUE
Once all the pieces are in place, describe your hero’s epilogue to
the other players. You might even play a brief scene showing your
hero later in life, or with characters in the future talking about
what their legacy means to them.

MAKING A NEW HERO

After one your hero meets their Fate, make a new hero to join the
group in their further adventures. Make a hero following the origin
system, as usual, with one additional option:
f You may advance your Fate track as far as you like and take the
boons now to represent previous experience.
Describe how your hero appears and joins the team.

20
BONDS
During their trials, the heroes lend aid to each other and expect
their companions to do so in kind. The loose currency of oaths,
favors, and gratitude are recorded on the hero sheet as Bonds.

GAINING BONDS
f In character creation, heroes get 2 Bonds with each other hero.
f In a contest, a hero may sit out to provide support for another
hero. They pass their Domain die to the Hero Player of their
choosing (who includes it in their dice pool). The supporting
player earns 1 Bond with the hero they support plus 1 Experience.
f In a showdown, the Hero Player who earns the advantage die
from the Clash phase may give it to another Hero Player in
exchange for 1 Bond with them.
f During the Interlude phase, the heroes have fellowship with each
other and create new Bonds.

SPENDING A BOND
When you spend a Bond, ask for one of the following:
f Help you: Your companion describes how they assist your action
in a contest and gives you a copy of their Name die.
f Block harm for you: They say how they defend you and the
harm is avoided (they don’t suffer it either).
f Follow your lead: Spend a Bond with the leader of the group to
sway them to your idea or plan.
You may spend more than one Bond in a contest roll.

ADVANTAGES
A character can seize an advantage when circumstances favor
them — sometimes by winning a contest, but the Hazard Player
may also grant an advantage if a hero has a particular Strength
that applies to the situation at hand.

21
The Hazard Player assigns a die size to an advantage based on how
well it applies to the situation. The more applicable the advantage,
the larger the die. If the advantage is moderate, make it d6. If it’s
strong, assign a d8. If it’s extreme, assign a d10.
The advantage die from the Clash in a battle is always a d10.

GRIT
In their trials, heroes endure pain, despair, and exhaustion. A normal
person would succumb to these hardships, but heroes posses an
inner fire that lets them press on, known as Grit.

In AGON, Grit is called Pathos, to reflect the aesthetic of the

mythic world of legends. In Deathmatch Island, Grit is called
Fatigue, representing the endurance of the Competitors.

MARKING GRIT
Mark a Grit circle ( ) on your charcater sheet to push yourself in a
contest and include the die from a second Domain in your dice pool.
You also mark Grit when you suffer harm in an Arduous or Dangerous
contest.

RESTORING GRIT
During the recovery stage of an Interlude, the heroes remove all
their marks of Grit.

STRENGTHS
When you use a Strength, erase its charge ( ) and roll 1d4. Add
the result to your hero’s final total in a contest. You might also earn
an advantage die if your Strength is especially potent or suitable
in the current situation.
You may use a Strength that isn’t charged, but you don’t get to add
a d4 to your total. You may still earn an advantage die, however, if
the Strength applies.

22
 Strengths vary in Paragon Games, depending on the nature of
the characters and setting. In Storm Furies, Strengths include
the various weapon systems of your Stormcraft interceptor
as well as expressions of human qualities like Bravado or
Devotion. Think about what kind of special features you
want to highlight as Strengths of the heroes in your design.

HAZARD LEVELS
In a contest, the Hazard Level manifests as a bonus to the Hazard
Player’s dice roll.
The bonus provided by the Hazard Level can be +4, +5, or +6.
By default, the Hazard Level is +5. The majority of contests and
battles should use a +5 Hazard Level. A lower and higher level is
provided to reflect changes in the situation.

RAISE THE HAZARD LEVEL

f When the heroes enter a larger scale of conflict. Raise the Hazard
Level for that contest only, then reduce it back to its previous
level. For instance, if the heroes decide to go into battle against
a horde of enemy warriors, raise the Hazard Level for that battle.
f When the heroes fail to stop an opponent that makes the
situation worse. When this happens, leave the Hazard Level at
the new higher bonus until the heroes do something to reduce it.

LOWER THE HAZARD LEVEL

f When the heroes remove a source of danger. For instance, if the
heroes destroy the Warlord’s cache of rare military armaments,
leaving his minions with only makeshift weapons, lower the
Hazard Level when the the heroes fight them.
The Hazard Level never goes below +4 or above +6.

GIVE ADVANTAGE OR RAISE THE HAZARD LEVEL?

When an opponent has a specific edge in a contest, give them
an advantage die. When the situation at large has gotten worse,
increase the Hazard Level.

23
LIST OF CUSTOM TERMS
Customize these terms to suit the theme of your Paragon Game.

f Boons f Hero Player

f Domains (the specific labels) f Homecoming
f Fate f Interlude
f Achievements f Legend
f Grit f Recovery
f Hazard f Showdown
f Hazard Player f Strength
f Hazard Level f Style
f Hero f Virtue

STYLE CONVENTION
Traits which have assigned values are capitalized, while game
terms without assgined values are not. For example, a Domain
like Blood & Valor is capitalized because it has an assigned die
size, while a hero’s background is not capitalized.

24