Strain
Also called: Strain Track
Definition: A character's tracked physical and mental exhaustion. Capacity equals GRIT + 3. Recovers fully on Long Rest. Excess Strain (over Cap) converts to Vitality damage 1-for-1.
Strain is the short-term cost: the body keeping score of every shot of Current you’ve channeled, every hour you’ve spent in toxic air, every Fear check you’ve muscled through. Unlike Erosion, Strain is temporary: it heals with rest.
| GRIT | Strain Cap |
|---|---|
| 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 6 |
| 4 | 7 |
| 5 | 8 |
Strain accumulates in stages, with progressively worse mechanical penalties:
| Stage | Strain Level | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Winded | 1 to ½ Cap | None (symptoms only) |
| Fatigued | ½ Cap to Cap−1 | −1 Initiative die; no Mettle refresh |
| Depleted | At Cap | −1 die to all rolls; no Mettle refresh; no Bleed/Desperation |
| Overwhelmed | Over Cap | Excess converts to Vitality damage |
Recovery:
| Method | Strain Cleared |
|---|---|
| Short Rest (10 minutes) | 1 (adds +1 Tension Die; cannot if Tension ≥ 4) |
| Laudanum (consumable, addictive) | 1d3 |
| Long Rest (8 hours, safe location) | All |
| Purge (Flesh Shaper R2) | 1 |
| Medical attention (1 hour of care) | All |
The Overwhelmed conversion is one of the game’s hardest pressure points: a Psionic at full Strain who casts a Rank 2 Talent takes 2 HP of direct damage on top of the failed conservation. Power always finds a way to extract its tax.