Threat Building
Threat Building
AX.C.13.02
This section covers the mechanical process of constructing a Threat from scratch. Building a Threat follows the same core logic as building a player character using Attributes, Talents, and Derived Statistics, but uses a simplified framework designed for fast, consistent results.
For the full stat block template and field-by-field reference, see AX.C.13.03.
Step 1: Choose a Power Tier
Select the Threat's Power Tier based on its role in the encounter. The tier defines the total number of Attribute dice available to the Threat. See AX.C.13.01 for the full tier descriptions.
| Power Tier | Total Attribute Dice |
|---|---|
| Minion | 3–4D |
| Standard | 5–7D |
| Elite | 8–10D |
| Champion | 11–13D |
| Legendary | 14D+ |
Step 2: Distribute Attributes
Divide the total Attribute dice across Body, Speed, and Wit. The distribution should reflect the Threat's role and nature. A melee bruiser is Body-heavy; a skirmisher is Speed-heavy; a manipulator or caster is Wit-heavy.
Attribute maximum is 5D. Champions and Legends may reach 6D in a single Attribute at GM discretion, representing exceptional capability.
Recommended Distributions by Tier
| Tier | Example Distributions |
|---|---|
| Minion (3–4D) | 2D / 1D / 1D 2D / 2D / 0D |
| Standard (5–7D) | 3D / 2D / 2D 4D / 2D / 1D 3D / 3D / 1D |
| Elite (8–10D) | 4D / 3D / 3D 5D / 3D / 2D 4D / 4D / 2D |
| Champion (11–13D) | 5D / 4D / 4D 6D / 4D / 3D 5D / 5D / 3D |
| Legendary (14D+) | 6D / 5D / 5D 6D / 6D / 4D (or higher across all three) |
A Threat with 0D in an Attribute cannot attempt rolls using that Attribute. Avoid this for Standard and above unless the restriction is intentional and meaningful (e.g., a mindless construct with Wit 0D).
Step 3: Assign Talents
Threats use the same Talents as player characters. Assign Talents that reflect the Threat's role. A Threat with no melee training should have low or no Strike. A Threat built around hunting should have Notice and Stealth.
Talents cannot exceed 5D. Foci follow the same rules as player characters if used.
Talent Guidelines by Tier
| Tier | Number of Talents | Typical Talent Dice |
|---|---|---|
| Minion | 1–2 | 1D each |
| Standard | 2–4 | 1–3D |
| Elite | 3–5 | 2–4D |
| Champion | 4–6 | 3–5D |
| Legendary | 5–8 | 4–5D |
Primary combat Talents (Strike, Precision, an Odd Talent) should be roughly 50–75% of the relevant Attribute's value. Secondary Talents (Stealth, Notice, Tactics) can be lower 25–50% and add texture without overloading the stat block.
Odd Talent Access: Threats may have access to one or more Odd Talents (Force, Resonance, Form). This is granted by the GM as part of the Threat's design there is no separate access mechanic required. The Genre Catalog defines what those abilities are called in setting. A Threat with an Odd Talent pools the relevant Attribute + Odd Talent for all related rolls.
Step 4: Calculate Health
Health = 20 + Body Value + Threat Type Health Modifier
The Threat Type Health Modifier is a flat bonus that scales with Power Tier:
| Power Tier | Health Modifier |
|---|---|
| Minion | +5 |
| Standard | +10 |
| Elite | +15 |
| Champion | +25 |
| Legendary | +50 |
Note that Threats do not benefit from Fortitude when calculating Health. Fortitude is a Talent that adds dice to the Body Save pool and modifies Health for player characters during generation and advancement; for Threats, the Health Modifier replaces this calculation entirely for simplicity.
Examples
| Body Value | Tier | Calculation | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2D | Minion | 20 + 2 + 5 | 27 |
| 3D | Standard | 20 + 3 + 10 | 33 |
| 4D | Elite | 20 + 4 + 15 | 39 |
| 5D | Champion | 20 + 5 + 25 | 50 |
| 5D | Legendary | 20 + 5 + 50 | 75 |
Typical Health Ranges
| Tier | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Minion | 25–27 |
| Standard | 31–34 |
| Elite | 37–40 |
| Champion | 48–51 |
| Legendary | 74+ |
Step 5: Calculate Defense
Defense = 1 + (Speed Value + Armor Value) ÷ 3 (round down), minimum 1
Armor Values: None (0), Light (+1), Medium (+2), Heavy (+3). Shields add +1 Defense separately.
Examples
| Speed | Armor | Calculation | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2D | None | 1 + (2+0)÷3 = 1 + 0 | 1 |
| 3D | None | 1 + (3+0)÷3 = 1 + 1 | 2 |
| 3D | Light (+1) | 1 + (3+1)÷3 = 1 + 1 | 2 |
| 4D | Medium (+2) | 1 + (4+2)÷3 = 1 + 2 | 3 |
| 5D | Heavy (+3) | 1 + (5+3)÷3 = 1 + 2 | 3 |
| 6D | Heavy (+3) | 1 + (6+3)÷3 = 1 + 3 | 4 |
Armor Penalty: Heavy armor applies a dice penalty to Athletics, Acrobatics, and Odd Talent pools −1D for Light, −2D for Medium, −3D for Heavy. This penalty applies when a Threat uses those Talents, including as a component of Save pools. Defense itself uses raw Speed + Armor Value and is not penalized.
Step 6: Calculate Saves
Body Save pool = Body + Fortitude
Speed Save pool = Speed + Acrobatics (−Armor Penalty if applicable)
Wit Save pool = Wit + Resolve
Saves are dice pools, not flat values. If a Threat lacks a relevant Talent (e.g., no Fortitude), the Save pool is just the bare Attribute. Many Minions and some Standard threats will have minimal or no Save Talent support that is intentional and appropriate.
Step 7: Define Special Abilities
Special abilities are what make a Threat memorable beyond its stats. They are optional for Minions, expected for Elites, and essential for Champions and Legends.
Recommended Ability Count by Tier
| Tier | Special Abilities |
|---|---|
| Minion | 0–1 |
| Standard | 1–2 |
| Elite | 2–3 |
| Champion | 3–5 |
| Legendary | 5+ |
Every special ability should state: action type (Primary, Minor, Reaction, or Free), frequency (At-Will, Per Combat, Short Rest, Long Rest, or Recharge X–6), range, Save Threshold if applicable, effect, and duration.
Save Threshold Guidelines by Tier
| Tier | Typical Threshold |
|---|---|
| Minion | 2 |
| Standard | 3 |
| Elite | 4 |
| Champion | 5 |
| Legendary | 6+ |
Encounter Composition
This section covers how to build the Threat stat block. For how to combine Threats into a balanced encounter power budgets, action economy, party scaling, and difficulty calibration see AX.C.14.04 (Adventure Design, Encounter Balance Guidelines).