How to Play

The basic rules of play are simple. One Player takes the roll of the Game Master (“GM”), who acts as part referee, part storyteller. All other players, usually between 3-5 people, take the roll of Player Characters (“PC” or “Character”). The GM will describe an environment your character is in, adversaries they are up against, or situations your character finds themselves in, and you tell the GM what your character wishes to do. The GM will then describe what happens or may leave the outcome to a dice roll.

The worlds that ITD&TD present should be very dangerous, and it is highly recommended that when you create your Character, you create a character who is willing to adventure, and willing to be part of a group of allies, often called a “Party”. Characters thinking of themselves as “lone wolves” or “not needing help” don’t last long in this dangerous world.

An Example of Play

An Example of Play

Below, you will find an example of how to play the game.

Richard (GM): Rain drums steadily on the tavern roof as you all sit around a rough wooden table in the Flickering Flagon. The innkeep has just told you about the missing miller’s daughter and the strange lights in the barrow hills. What do you do?

Sarah (Astril): Astril folds her arms and asks the innkeep, “When did the lights first appear?”

Richard (GM): He says it started two nights ago—just before the girl vanished, but you notice that he looks nervous, like he regrets saying anything at all.

Maria (Brynjolf): Brynjolf stands up and says “Then we don’t wait. Storm or not, we head to these hills.”

James (Cerrig): Cerrig doesn’t move yet. I want to watch the innkeep—see if he’s hiding something.

Richard (GM): That sounds good, can you roll a Reason Test? You’re a thief, so go ahead and apply your Skill Bonus.

James (Cerrig): (James rolls a d20, gets a 11. He applies his -1 bonus from his Skill Bonus, bringing to a 10) “oh, that was close, my score is 11, and I rolled an 11, but with my Skill Bonus, I get a 10 instead, that’s a success, right?”

Richard (GM): It is, and you notice his eyes flick briefly to a hooded figure in the corner before he answers any question.

James (Cerrig): Oh, I don’t like that. Cerrig’s going to see if he recognizes the hooded figure.

Richard (GM): You don’t think you know them, they’re sitting alone, face obscured, but they haven’t touched their drink. They seem very interested in your conversation.

Ronnie (Derrian): “Does Derrian notice Cerrig’s glance?”

Richard (GM): “James, was Cerrig trying to hide it, or was he pretty obvious about his glance?”

James (Cerrig): “Nah, he wasn’t subtle this time.

Richard (GM): “Then yeah, you saw Cerrig look over.”

Ronnie (Derrian): Great, I’m going to stand up and approach the hooded figure cautiously and say “If you know something, now’s the time to speak.”

Richard (GM): The figure slowly lifts her head. She has pale skin and sunken eyes. In a raspy voice she states “If you go to the barrows… you won’t return.”

Maria (Brynjolf): Brynjolf cracks his knuckles and bellows “We’ll take our chances.”

James (Cerrig): While they’re talking, I want to quietly circle around and see if the figure is armed.

Richard (GM): With the figure distracted, and you being a 4th level Thief, you know how to move around without drawing attention, and you are easily able to get a better view without being noticed, no roll required. From your new vantage, you see not only a dagger under her cloak, but more importantly, a strange, faint blue glow is emanating from under her sleeve.

James (Cerrig): Cerrig shouts to Derrian, “Hey Darrian, this lady has the same glowing blue tatoo as the other guy you were chasing!”

Ronnie (Derrian): Wait really? Can I cast a spell?

Richard (GM): Before you can start casting your spell, the figure stands up, knocking over the chair and shows “Forget the barrows, it’s too late for you!”

Basic Rules

After describing what you wish your character would do, the GM will narrate the results. Often times, the outcome of this narration may be determined by a dice roll. There are several types of dice rolls that may need to be made in ITD&TD, and they can be used in a variety of situations. The most common types of dice roll mechanics are Attack Rolls, Damage\Healing Rolls, Saving Throws, Attribute Tests, and x-in-y check.

Attack Rolls

Attack Rolls are made when you are attempting to strike a creature with a weapon, or an unarmed strike. Attack rolls might also be made as part of wrestling attempts, archery competitions, or even attempts to do tricky combat maneuvers. Attack rolls will use your character classes Combat Bonus.

When making an attack roll, you will roll a d20, add the relevant modifiers, and compare the result to the Armor Class of the target. If your total roll is equal to or higher than the target’s Armor Class, you succeed, and can deal damage with your weapon.

Attack Rolls are gone over in more detail in Chapter 08 - Combat.

Attack Roll Example

You are a level 1 fighter, you have a Brawn score of 16, which gives you a +1 to attack rolls with most weapons, and a combat bonus of +2. To make an attack roll, you roll a d20 and add 3. If the target of your attack had an AC of 12, you would need to roll at least a 9 on the D20 (9+3 = 12) to succeed at dealing damage to the target.

Damage\Healing Rolls

Damage Rolls are used to determine the damage a creature takes from a weapon, spell, or environmental effect. Damage rolls are usually dice rolls, with the type of dice stated by the effect that causes damage. Many damage rolls also have a static number component, which is added or subtracted from the dice result. Damage rolls with weapons that your character is familiar with apply your Combat Bonus to damage.

Healing Rolls are used to determine how much healing a creature receives from a spell or effect. Healing rolls are usually dice rolls, with the type of dice noted in the spell or effect that provides healing. Some healing rolls will have a static number component, which is added or subtracted from the dice result. Most healing impacts your Grit, but not your hit points, although some hit point healing exists.

Damage and Healing Rolls are gone over in more detail in Chapter 08 - Combat.

Damage Roll Example

You are a level 1 fighter, you have a Brawn score of 16, which gives you a +2 to damage rolls with most weapons, and a combat bonus of +2. Your Arming Sword deals 1d6 damage. When you successfully deal damage, you roll 1d6 and add 4. This means that when you deal damage, you deal between 5 to 10 damage.

Healing Roll Example

You are a level 1 cleric. You cast the Cure Light Wounds spell, which restores 2d6 Grit. This means that by casting this spell, you will allow your target to recover 2-12 grit.

Saving Throws

Saving Throws are made when your character is attempting to avoid dangerous effects. There are 5 categories of saving throws (Death\Poison, Rod\Staff\Wand, Petrification\Paralysis, Breath Weapon, and Spell), each an abstract version of what it’s trying to do. Saving Throws use your character classes Saving Throw values.

When making a saving throw, you roll a d20, and compare it to your Saving Throw value. If it is greater than or equal to your Saving Throw value, you succeed, and negate (or reduce) the effects that you attempted to save against. It is rare, but your Attributes can impact your saving throws.

When you gain a bonus to a saving throw (such as a +2 bonus), you add this bonus to the dice roll you make to determine if you make the save or not, likewise, a penalty is subtracted from the dice.

Saving Throws are gone over in more detail in Chapter 08 - Combat.

Saving Throw Example

You are a level 1 fighter, and your Save vs Spell is a 15. A magic-user attempts to cast a Charm spell on you, and you are entitled to a Save vs Spell to avoid the effects. You roll a d20, if the result is 15 or higher you avoid the effects of the spell. If you roll a 14 or lower, you become charmed per the spell description.

Attribute Test

Attribute Tests are used when your character attempts tasks that rely on natural ability. Your attributes represent your raw capability, while your background, ancestry, or class may grant additional training.

To make an Attribute Test, the GM will tell you which Attribute to use. Roll a d20. You succeed if you roll equal to or lower than your modified Attribute Score.

Modifiers

The GM may apply modifiers to an Attribute Test. All modifiers adjust your Attribute Score for the duration of the test.

A +X modifier increases your Attribute Score by X.

A -X modifier decreases your Attribute Score by X.

For example, a character with a Precision of 10 who receives a +2 modifier treats their Precision as 12 for that test.

Skill Bonus

If your ancestry, background, or class grants training relevant to the task, you may add your Skill Bonus to the Attribute Score for the test. Some tasks require such training; characters without it automatically fail regardless of their roll.

Attribute Tests are detailed further in Chapter 07: Adventuring.

Attribute Test Example

You are a 4th-level Thief with a Precision of 13. You attempt to pick a difficult lock. The GM applies a -2 modifier to the test. Because you are a Thief, you also add your +1 Skill Bonus.

Your modified Attribute Score is 12 (13 - 2 + 1), thus you must roll a 12 or lower on a d20 to succeed.

X-in-Y Check

X-inY checks are similar to attribute tests, but is often made when the outcomes aren’t based on aptitude, but rather random chance, luck, or other outside forces. Occasionally, your attributes may grant you a specific x-in-y, or alter certain x-in-y chances too.

When you make an x-in-y check, you will roll the dice indicated as Y, and if the result of the dice is X or lower, you succeed. Some attributes or features allow you to alter some X-in_Y checks.

Attribute Tests are gone over in more detail in Chapter 07 - Adventuring.

X-in-Y Check Example

You are foraging for food. The GM has determined that it is a 1-in-6 chance to find food. You roll a d6, and if you get a 1, you find food.

The GM has also decided that the ranger can attempt this test separately, but has a 2-in-6 chance of finding good. They also roll a d6, but they succeed on a 1 or a 2.

Proficiency

When dealing with certain rules of the game, the word Proficiency is used a lot. Proficiency means a few things, depending on the context, but the easy answer is “if you are proficient with something, you can use it effectively, and if you are not proficient, you cannot”. For example, you must be proficient with armor that you wish to wear, otherwise the penalties outweigh the benefits.

From a game play standpoint, your character will become proficient with certain weapons and armor, based on their class and choices.

Weapon Proficiency Level

Weapons, and only weapons, have a scaling proficiency level. Rather than just becoming proficient with a weapon, you have varying degrees of proficiency, sometimes called a “Proficiency Level”. See Chapter 4 for additional details on Weapon Proficiency. Outside of becoming Familiar, your Proficiency level offers no direct numeric advantage: Instead, as your proficiency level with weapon groups rise, you gain additional ways to utilize weapons in that group. These additional ways of utilizing weapons can alter how you fight, and lead to ways to attack that lead to increased damage dice.

Proficiency levels in order from worst to best are: Non-Proficient, Familiar, Proficient, Skilled, Expert, Master, Grand Master. Proficiency with weapons, armors and shields are gone over in more detail in Chapter 02 - Character Creation, but improving your proficiency level with weapons are gone over in more detail in Chapter 11 - Character Advancement.

Static Bonus Types (d20 Rolls)

Some effects grant typed modifiers. The four modifier types are Skill, Magic, Situation, and Ancestry.

If multiple modifiers of the same type apply to a roll or Attribute Test, only the highest bonus of that type and the greatest penalty of that type apply. Modifiers of different types stack normally.

Some modifiers are applied directly to a dice roll (such as Attack Rolls and Saving Throws), while others modify the target number of an Attribute Test. In all cases, modifiers follow the same stacking rules above.

Adding Dice

Occasionally, you will be instructed to add dice to a roll, for example “add an extra dice of damage” or “add an extra dice of healing”, or “add two extra dice of damage”. When you come across this, you roll the added number of dice, in addition to the dice you would have otherwise rolled. For example, if you deal 2d8 points of healing, and a feature allows you to add an extra dice of healing, you roll 3d8.

There should be no occasion where you would have multiple different dice, but if there is, add it to largest listed dice, unless another dice type is more logical.

Keywords

Keywords are used to define who and what you are. They describe your fundamental nature, ancestry, training, and the experiences that make your character unique.

Spells, magical items, and features often use keywords to determine whether you are a valid target, whether you can utilize them, or whether they are available to you as a character option.

Although many keywords consist of a single word, some may contain multiple words and are always treated as a single keyword.

Keywords are divided into four categories: Essence, Creature, Class, and Adventure. Your ancestry grants your Essence and Creature keywords, while your class grants your Class keywords. Adventure keywords are typically gained during play.

Essence Keywords

Your Nature

Every creature possesses a single Essence Keyword. A creature’s Essence describes the fundamental nature of its existence: what sustains it, how it came into being, and how supernatural forces interact with it.

Essence is not the same as morality, allegiance, appearance, or behavior. Two creatures with the same Essence may have entirely different motives, forms, and temperaments. Likewise, creatures that appear similar may possess different Essences.

Essence Keywords are normally exclusive. Unless a rule specifically states otherwise, a creature cannot possess more than one Essence Keyword at a time.

Aeon

Aeon creatures are beings of primordial, transcendent, or mythic existence. They embody enduring powers, ancient cycles, supernatural principles, or forces greater than ordinary mortal life.

Dragons, phoenixes, celestial beasts, and legendary guardians are common examples of Aeon creatures. Such beings may be born rather than created, but their existence is fundamentally greater than that of ordinary living creatures.

Mortals often regard Aeon creatures as divine messengers, incarnate omens, lesser gods, or manifestations of cosmic order. Even benevolent Aeon creatures are likely to inspire fear, reverence, or awe.

An Aeon creature is not necessarily Sacred, nor is it necessarily benevolent. A corrupted dragon, fallen celestial beast, or tyrannical guardian remains Aeon regardless of its conduct.

Animus

Animus creatures are naturally living beings sustained by ordinary life. They are born, grow, age, and die according to the natural processes of the world.

Humans, elves, dwarves, beasts, and most mortal creatures possess the Animus Essence. Magical beasts may also be Animus if they remain fundamentally living creatures, even when their anatomy or abilities are supernatural.

Animus is the Essence most familiar to mortal peoples and is commonly regarded as the natural state of life. This familiarity does not make Animus creatures harmless, mundane, or incapable of great magic.

A creature does not cease to be Animus merely because it has been blessed, cursed, transformed, or altered. Its Essence changes only when its fundamental means of existence changes.

Construct

Construct creatures are manufactured beings whose bodies and animation result from deliberate craftsmanship, magic, or supernatural engineering.

Golems, animated statues, living machines, and crafted guardians are common examples. Constructs may be built from stone, metal, wood, clay, bone, or stranger materials.

Most Constructs do not possess natural life in the same manner as Animus creatures. Their movement and awareness may come from enchantment, bound energy, artificial intellect, or an animating spirit.

The presence of intelligence, emotion, or free will does not prevent a creature from being a Construct. The defining question is not whether it can think or feel, but whether its existence was fundamentally made rather than born.

Mortals commonly regard Constructs as tools, servants, weapons, or guardians. Intelligent Constructs may reject these roles entirely.

Cosmic

Cosmic creatures originate beyond the natural structure of the known world, or exist according to principles foreign to ordinary reality.

Their bodies, thoughts, and motives may defy natural law. Some distort space, memory, time, perception, or causality merely through their presence. Others may appear almost ordinary while concealing an existence that cannot be understood through mortal experience.

Cosmic creatures include beings from impossible realms, entities from beyond the stars, and intelligences whose nature is incompatible with the proper order of the world.

Mortals often interpret Cosmic creatures as eldritch horrors, curses, omens, or manifestations of madness. These reactions do not necessarily reflect the creature’s intentions. A Cosmic creature may be hostile, indifferent, curious, or even benevolent, though its nature remains alien.

Cosmic creatures are not automatically Profane. Their foreignness may be dangerous without being corruptive or evil.

Elemental

Elemental creatures are beings whose existence is composed of, sustained by, or inseparably bound to a fundamental substance or natural force.

Fire, water, earth, air, ice, lightning, smoke, and similar forces may each give rise to Elemental beings. Their bodies may be formed entirely from these substances, or they may possess stable forms shaped around an elemental core.

Elementals are not merely creatures that live in extreme environments or wield elemental magic. A fire-breathing animal may still be Animus, while a being whose life is literally sustained by living flame is Elemental.

Mortals often mistake Elemental creatures for natural spirits, minor gods, or manifestations of the landscape. They may be worshiped, bargained with, bound into service, or feared as living disasters.

Fey

Fey creatures are beings of enchantment, emotion, story, place, season, oath, and supernatural custom.

Their existence is often tied to ancient forests, hidden roads, dreams, names, promises, festivals, rivers, ruins, or other places and concepts carrying magical significance. Fey creatures frequently obey strange customs or limitations that are as binding to them as physical laws are to mortals.

Fair folk, enchanted guardians, household spirits, and beings of otherworldly courts are common examples of Fey creatures.

Fey creatures are not necessarily natural beings, nor are they necessarily benevolent. Some protect ancient places, while others deceive, bargain with, torment, or prey upon mortals. Their behavior may appear whimsical, cruel, generous, or contradictory, particularly when their customs are not understood.

Mortals often describe Fey creatures as spirits, tricksters, guardians, or hidden folk.

Necros

Necros creatures are sustained by death, undeath, or a severed connection to ordinary life.

Ghosts, revenants, vampires, animated corpses, and many other undead beings possess the Necros Essence. Some retain their former memories and personalities, while others are little more than bodies or spirits driven by hunger, command, or lingering purpose.

Necros creatures differ from Constructs animated using bones or corpses. A Construct is a made being whose materials happen to include mortal remains. A Necros creature is fundamentally sustained by death or undeath itself.

Most Necros creatures are regarded with fear and suspicion. Mortals commonly associate them with curses, forbidden magic, unfinished business, divine punishment, or the violation of burial rites.

Necros creatures are not automatically Profane. An ancestral guardian, honorable ghost, or divinely appointed revenant may possess the Necros Essence without being spiritually corrupt.

Umbra

Umbra creatures are beings born from, sustained by, or fundamentally shaped by supernatural corruption, spiritual hostility, or the shadowed forces that oppose the proper order of existence.

Demons, devils, possessing spirits, and creatures formed from malice, temptation, or spiritual pollution commonly possess the Umbra Essence. Their existence often harms, corrupts, deceives, or degrades the world around them.

Unlike Cosmic creatures, Umbra creatures are not defined by foreignness or incomprehensibility. Their nature is hostile in a more spiritual or metaphysical sense, even when their motives remain understandable.

Mortals commonly regard Umbra creatures as demons, curses, tempters, or manifestations of evil. Many Umbra creatures also possess the Profane keyword, though this is not an absolute requirement.

An Umbra creature may resist or reject its own nature, and unusual exceptions may exist. Essence describes what a creature is, not what choices it must make.

Creature Keywords

Your Heritage

Creature keywords describe a creature’s physical nature, ancestry, and heritage. Your ancestry determines which Creature keywords you possess.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of Creature keywords:

Aberration, Air, Dwarf, Elf, Fire, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Human, Humanoid, Magical Beast, Mechanical, Nymph, Ooze, Plant, Psionic, Satyr, Skeleton, Sprite, Storm, and Water

A creature may possess multiple Creature keywords.

Class Keywords

Your Training

Class keywords represent your training and abilities. Your class grants one or more Class keywords.

Adept, Arcanist, Priest, Soldier

Some classes grant multiple Class keywords, and multiclass characters always possess more than one.

Adventure Keywords

Your Story

Unlike other keywords, Adventure keywords are usually gained during play. They are granted by class features, magical effects, curses, supernatural transformations, and occasionally by the Game Master.

Adventure keywords are intentionally broad in scope and are used to represent the unique events, accomplishments, and circumstances that shape your character over the course of their adventures.

For example, a character might gain the Cursed keyword after being afflicted by an ancient malediction, or gain an Adventure keyword granted by their chosen Order or other class features. Campaign-specific keywords are often Adventure keywords as well, and may grant unique benefits or opportunities during play.

Sacred and Profane

Sacred and Profane describe a supernatural condition impressed upon a creature, object, or place. They are not Essence Keywords, but they do not quite fit with any other keyword type. For all intents and purposes, they are a specialized Adventure Keyword.

A creature with the Sacred keyword has been consecrated, transformed, or personally invested with sacred power. Sacred power does not merely pass through such a creature; it has become part of the creature’s supernatural nature.

Religious devotion alone does not grant the Sacred keyword. Clerics, theurges, and other priests may serve divine powers, perform sacred rites, and cast clerical spells without themselves being Sacred. They wield or channel sacred power, but are not necessarily changed by it.

Paladins possess the Sacred keyword because their oaths invest them personally with sacred power. A paladin is not merely a servant or practitioner of the faith, but a living vessel of its authority. Other creatures may gain the Sacred keyword through consecration, divine intervention, transformation, or similar supernatural events.

A creature with the Profane keyword has likewise been personally marked, corrupted, desecrated, or transformed by profane power. Ordinary cruelty, wickedness, or opposition to a religion is not enough to make a creature Profane.

A creature of any Essence may be Sacred or Profane. Just as an Animus Paladin is Sacred, an Aeon dragon may be Profane, and a Necros ancestral guardian may possess neither keyword. Although many Umbra and Necros creatures are Profane, their Essence does not automatically make them so.

Unless a rule states otherwise, a creature may possess neither keyword, but cannot possess both simultaneously. Sacred and Profane describe a creature’s supernatural condition, not its profession, religious beliefs, morality, or behavior.

Creature Interactions

Some spells and features interact differently with creatures possessing specific keywords. When this is the case, the spell or feature will include a Creature Interactions section describing those differences.

If a spell or feature does not contain a Creature Interactions section, it affects creatures normally.

Some spells and features use the terms Valid Creature or Eligible Creature. These terms are defined by the feature’s Creature Interactions section. Unless otherwise noted, only creatures listed as Valid or Eligible Creatures are affected by that feature or spell.

Creature Interactions may grant additional effects, modify existing effects, or define exceptions based on a creature’s keywords. Creatures not listed in a feature’s Creature Interactions section are unaffected unless otherwise noted.

Other Rules

There are many other rules in ITD&TD, each mentioned in their own section, however, there are some additional rules that should be gone over here, to help understand all other rules.

Round Down

Sometimes, you will need to do some division. If you do so, and end up with a fraction, you round down, even if the result is one-half or greater.

Specific Beats General

Lots of rules are presented in this book. However, some rules break generalized rules in some way. If a specific rule contradicts a general rule, the specific rule wins.

Time and Play Records

Although you may only play with 4-6 people at a time, the game is meant for large groups to all be playing in the same world, though not necessarily at the same time. The passage of time should be tracked. Characters should age, and years should go by during campaigns.

A good rule of thumb is that for every 1 day in real life that you don’t play, 1 day in game-time happens. Characters should be investing in “downtime activities” for these periods of no adventuring. GMs and players should work out what happens during these times before or after a session, or even between sessions. These should be well recorded for other players to get a sense of what’s going on (unless it should be a secret!).

Sometimes, you may need time to speed up or slow down. For example, adventuring in the winter may simply be too dangerous, and all players agree that they would rather wait for late winter or early spring to start up again. Go ahead and simply roll the calendar forward several months. If players had particular goals during this time, you could always handle them on the side.

Alternatively, you may slow the campaign, or halt “in-game” time completely for some outside situations.

Regardless, it should be well communicated with all players.

Digital Age

It has never been easier to keep in contact with groups of people. I recommend a Discord Server made specifically for tracking your game, although email groups, Facebook groups, google groups, slack, and a vast amount of other products can help communicate with each other.

However, a GM may ask you not to use devices at the table, unless it is clear that you are using it to play the game. This should be figured out in Session 0, but some GMs prefer paper character sheets with physical dice, and others are okay with digital character sheets.

Playing with Others

This is a cooperative game! As such, it’s important to keep your fellow players in mind as you play!

Character Maiming and Death

Playing ITD&TD means playing with rule sets that do not set your characters up as super heroes, but rather mundane creatures who are only slightly better than those around them. They are still prone to getting injured or killed. Many players get attached to characters, and wish to not see them hurt or killed, especially in long campaigns. Steel yourself, for playing this game likely means you will need to deal with some of your characters getting seriously maimed or killed.

Try to keep an open mind! This can be very good for the story you and your friends are trying to tell. It can be hard to lose a character you’ve grown fond of, but this can be the nature of the game.

Respect

Please be respectful of each other as you play. Some topics which may be okay for you may not be for others. Hash out what is and isn’t acceptable before you play (Session 0 is the best place!) and remember that there is no wrong way to play, but there are vast enough differences where people may simply not agree to play well together.

Player vs Player

Make sure to discuss how to handle player-vs-player at your table before play starts. Many tables have different ways of handling it. Some allow it, others don’t. Some have a hybrid system, and some only allow it when it makes sense. It is reccomended that player-vs-player content simply not be allowed at your table.

But if you feel that player-vs-player content should be allowed, try using the following rules: If player-vs-player comes up, the “target” of the action simply gets to chose the outcome. If a player thief is attempting to steal from them, the victim gets to decide if the attempt was successful, if it failed, or leave it to the dice if they wish. This allows players not interested in player-vs-player to have a kind of “opt-out” function, and allows players who want to engage the ability to “opt-in”.

Regardless, player-vs-player actions should be handled in-session, and with all players knowledge. Engaging in player-vs-player behavior in down-time content should require all players be aware and agree to participate.

Regardless of if you use the reccomended method, or another method, make sure all players are aware how your table will handle player vs player outcomes.

Good Faith

This game works best when playing with others that have a good faith interpretation of the rules, and all players at the table should indulge in such. Players attempting to “game” the sytem for advantage, GMs who abuse rules for “revenge”, and power gamers who take a rule so literal to gain an advanage that it ruins other players fun are all acting in bad faith. There are many TTRPG horor stories out there; remember that this is a cooperative game.