Modes of Play

There are three different modes of play in Legendary, with each one having a different level of attention to detail when it comes to actions and time.

Encounter Mode sees time being tracked by seconds and minutes with meticulous attention to detail on what the Legends and other actors are trying to do. Encounter Mode uses Actions, which are defined and distinct uses of skills and abilities to overcome obstacles and otherwise affect the game world. The results of Actions are typically known instantly.

Fieldwork Mode keeps track of time in minutes and hours (and very occasionally, days) with more of a general description of Legends’ intentions in what they are aiming to accomplish. Fieldwork Modes uses Activities to describe the use of skills and abilities to achieve success in Legend’s efforts. Many Activities use a Progress Tracker to show effort over time, and some Activities have secret outcomes that are not known until the consequences are upon the Legend.

Downtime Mode is the most zoomed out in terms of time, tracking days, weeks, months, or even years. Legendary begins play in Downtime Mode, as it uses Paths to describe the long passage of time and their travels while Legends become shaped by what they do – or have done to them.

More on these modes of play can be found in Section 3.