Three Marks dice and damage: edge, rolls, armor explained
Every strike in Three Marks rolls one six-sided die. Your edge (your hero's accuracy minus the target's defense) decides which die faces miss, graze, hit or crit. Then the card's damage is changed by the result and by the target's armor. Each die face is equally likely, so you can work out your chances before you strike.
Step 1: Work out your edge
Edge = your hero's accuracy − the target's defense.
Each strike aims at one of four defenses: Guard, Body, Reflex or Will. The card says which one ("Strike Body for 5"). A basic strike aims at the defense of your hero's calling; the list is on how battles work.
To see the numbers, hover over a hero, focus it, or press and hold it on a touch screen. Its details show accuracy, armor and all four defenses, already including any effects.
Things that change your edge:
| Change | Effect on edge |
|---|---|
| Accuracy mark, Pair Up, Focused, Quiet Chord | +1 accuracy, so +1 edge |
| Target is Shaken on that defense | Target's defense −1, so +1 edge |
| Target has Hold Fast (Guard) | Target's Guard +2, so −2 edge |
| Target is protected by a Voice with a note | Target's Guard +1 (or +2 with Hold the Song) |
| Target played Take the Blow (Body) | Target's Body +2, so −2 edge |
Step 2: Roll the die
An edge of −2 or lower uses the −2 row. An edge of +2 or higher uses the +2 row.
| Edge | Die 1 | Die 2 | Die 3 | Die 4 | Die 5 | Die 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| −2 or lower | Miss | Miss | Miss | Graze | Graze | Hit |
| −1 | Miss | Miss | Graze | Graze | Hit | Hit |
| 0 | Miss | Graze | Graze | Hit | Hit | Crit |
| +1 | Graze | Graze | Hit | Hit | Hit | Crit |
| +2 or higher | Graze | Hit | Hit | Hit | Crit | Crit |
The same table as chances out of six:
| Edge | Miss | Graze | Hit | Crit | Hit or better |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| −2 or lower | 3 in 6 | 2 in 6 | 1 in 6 | 0 | 1 in 6 |
| −1 | 2 in 6 | 2 in 6 | 2 in 6 | 0 | 2 in 6 |
| 0 | 1 in 6 | 2 in 6 | 2 in 6 | 1 in 6 | 3 in 6 |
| +1 | 0 | 2 in 6 | 3 in 6 | 1 in 6 | 4 in 6 |
| +2 or higher | 0 | 1 in 6 | 3 in 6 | 2 in 6 | 5 in 6 |
So from edge +1 up you can never miss, and from edge 0 down a crit becomes rare or impossible. Raising your edge from −1 to +1 is a huge change.
Step 3: Steps up and steps down
After the roll, some effects move the result one step along the line Miss → Graze → Hit → Crit:
- Exposed target: one step better. A miss stays a miss.
- Quick hero striking a target that is afflicted (has any effect like Shaken, Slowed, Worn or Exposed) or flanked: one step better. A miss stays a miss. This stacks with Exposed.
- Wall: strikes against the front rank of the hero who played Wall are one step worse.
- Slip: strikes from Wardens while you step back are one step worse. Vanish turns them into misses.
A result can never go above a crit. In the battle log you can see when a step changed the result, for example "Graze → Hit". Effects are explained on the effects and conditions page.
Step 4: Count the damage
Each strike has a printed damage, like the 5 in "Strike Body for 5". The result changes it:
| Result | Damage before armor |
|---|---|
| Miss | 0 |
| Graze | Half, rounded down, but at least 1 |
| Hit | The printed damage |
| Crit | The printed damage plus half of it (rounded down) |
Then the target's armor is taken off. Two rules make this fair:
- Will strikes ignore armor. The game says it on screen: "Will attacks bypass armor."
- A hit or a crit always does at least 1 damage, however thick the armor. A graze can be soaked up to 0.
Damage can never be more than the target's remaining life.
Damage table with no armor
| Printed damage | Graze | Hit | Crit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 5 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| 6 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 7 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
Last Scar does 2 damage for each scar spent, so with 4 scars it is printed 8 (graze 4, hit 8, crit 12), and with 5 scars it is printed 10 (graze 5, hit 10, crit 15).
Where does armor come from?
| Source | Armor |
|---|---|
| Warden calling | 2 to start |
| Armor mark | +1 (at most one per hero) |
| Brace or Guard the Pain | +1 through the hero's next action |
| Worn | −1 while it lasts (never below 0) |
Other callings start with 0 armor. The Moss Golem has armor 1 at Flooded Mill and armor 3 at Tower Steps; see the trail.
A worked example
Nessa (Scarred, accuracy 4) uses a basic strike on the Bramble Wolf (Body 2). Her edge is 4 − 2 = +2. The die gives Graze on a 1, Hit on 2 to 4, Crit on 5 or 6. A basic strike prints 2 damage and the wolf has no armor, so she does 1, 2 or 3 damage. Five times out of six it is a hit or better.
If Lio (Voice, accuracy 3) uses Hum Strike (Will for 2) on the Marsh Toad (Will 3), his edge is 0. He misses on a 1 and crits only on a 6.
How do I see the odds in the game?
- The details box of each hero shows the defenses, so you can work out the edge yourself with the table above.
- The Battle log lists every strike. Each entry's details show the card, "Roll" and "Edge", and any step change.
- When a hero resolves a Slow spell, the Check your action panel shows the damage range, and its ⓘ details list all six die faces.
See also
- How battles work
- The five callings, with every hero's accuracy and defenses
- Advanced tips for raising your edge on purpose
- Glossary
- Play Three Marks on the portal.
