Party Dynamics     Not every part of an adventuring party's progress will be tracked individually. In addition to any property your party considers to be shared - perhaps a vehicle or base - you will also gain access to certain game mechanics as a group. Party Dynamics resemble an individual character's Attributes, but are not tied to any specific member of the party. They describe the positive effects of a group that arise from communication, cooperation, and planningWhen to Use Them?    In a typical Legends campaign, you will begin using Party Dynamics once all characters have reached their 5th depth tier. Dynamics apply only to a group that is cooperating in their goals and willing to help one another. Since an RPG is a group activity and you're telling the whole party's story, you and your GM should already be trying to keep the party this way.

     If the campaign is not typical, the party is extremely dysfunctional, characters are splitting up for long periods of time, or if everyone simply doesn't want to use Party Dynamics, you can forgo the rules in the rest of this chapter. The GM might also not apply them to all groups of NPCs. They should also only be used for parties of at least three members. To prevent other characters from falling too far behind, and to reflect the resourcefulness of "lone wolf" NPCs, any character that is not currently using Party Dynamics receives a +1 bonus to maximum insight for every depth tier above 4.

Decision-Making    The choices of what your party obtains when you gain a dynamic tier, as well as any other decisions related to these rules are made between players. Although the rules in this chapter are abstractions of in-character group dynamics, choices about the actual Dynamics in your game belong to all players out-of-character. Although a decision regarding Dynamics can be made by a simple player vote, players are encouraged to find solutions that appeal to everyone. Frequent or extended disagreements about these decisions should result in Dynamic rules being retired for that party.

Party Members    This chapter, as well as certain other rules, makes frequent reference to party members. The in-character social dynamic of an adventuring party, as well as the game mechanics in this chapter, do not fit a group of any more than roughly 10 characters. Generally, "party member" describes only the PCs and any important in-party NPCs. It does not include your crew, non-sentient companions, or any character that does not actively join your group in its quests. Parties larger than 10 tend to be awkward in-character and hard to handle for the GM.

    Party members will usually be of Medium Rapport (see Social Actions), and will never be No Rapport. Rapport categories do not change Party Dynamics; these rules apply regardless of whether certain party members are unusually close or hostile to each other.  

    The party may split up without anyone ceasing to be considered a party member, provided they intend to join up again in a reasonable timeframe. If the split is not so temporary, this typically is a bigger issue than just Dynamic selection; one portion or the other will likely be retired from the campaign, with the players making new characters for the main group.

Party Dynamic Tiers & Benefits     A party's dynamic tier is equal to the average of all party members' depth tier, minus 4. This is why these rules usually begin to be used once all characters reach 5 tiers. It will therefore only change if characters gain depth tiers, or if characters are added to or removed from the party.

Obtaining Dynamics     Your party obtains a Dynamic at every tier. If your party's dynamic tier is lowered for any reason, the players must choose a Dynamic to give up. A single Dynamic may not be taken more than once unless otherwise indicated.

Swapping Dynamics     One Dynamic may be swapped for another when the party gains a dynamic tier. A swap may also occur if the GM decides the party is no longer living up to the description of a certain Dynamic, or at other times the GM finds it appropriate (typically after an in-character conversation about the party's goals). As a guideline, Dynamics should not be swapped more often than once every 5 days.

Party Dynamics Adaptive Tactics    Normally, a character must completely forfeit a turn to change their position within turn order during a battle. This Dynamic allows any party member to move further down the turn order and still take their turn that round. It may not be used to move closer up the turn order, nor to interrupt adjacent enemy turns. The party may use it on one character per round.
    If more than one side wishes to use this Dynamic in the same round, the character that was formerly higher in turn order may react to the order change of the other, and move down further if desired.

Advanced Hand Signals    Party members may use Directed Melee Tactics, Directed Ranged Tactics, and Tactical Repositioning as minor actions rather than verbal free actions, removing the requirement to hear the user. Only one such minor action may be taken per turn, and cannot occur on the same turn as a verbal action. Affected characters must be able to see the user.

Beloved Overseers     If the entire party has been aboard a ship that they command within the last 24 hours, that ship receives a +1 bonus to SPR.

Collaborative Expertise     If two grouped-up party members have expertise re-rolls in the same Study but one member has expended them all, they may expend the other member's re-rolls as if those were their own. This applies to all Studies and all valid combinations of grouped-up party members. Both members must be willing.

Collaborative Willpower     If a party member wants to use Willpower to gain a reactive +TN but has no Willpower uses left, they may expend a grouped-up party member's Willpower use instead. Only the use is taken from the other character; the character with the roll uses their own WILL stat. Both members must be willing.

Cooperative Maneuvering    Grouped-up party members receive a +TN of 2 to their movement rolls when using grouped-up movement, if at least two party members are in the group.

Cooperative Melee Attack     Whenever two party members are grouped-up, adjacent in turn order, and intending to make a melee attack against the same enemy, they may agree to use this Dynamic. In order to ensure that nothing interferes between the attacks, the first attacker delays their offense and defense rolls, performing their attack simultaneously with the ally. If the second attacker does not make a melee attack or is unable to, the first does nothing, wasting their attack. If both characters attack, 1 Hindrance is added to the enemy's defense roll during each attack.
    Sweeping Offense (Close Combat) may not be used simultaneously with this Dynamic by either character

Cooperative Withdrawal    If a group with at least two party members is using grouped-up movement, and there is Hindrance as a result of attempting to escape an engagement (after considering any outnumbering dice), 1 Hindrance is removed.

Directed Melee Tactics    This Dynamic allows a party member to direct the maneuvers of their party as a verbal free action. Affected characters must be grouped-up party members who can hear and understand. The speaking character spends 8 insight and rolls d12 on INT; if successful, affected characters receive 1 Easing in all melee offense and defense rolls until the speaker's next turn. This action does not affect the speaking character.
   A character can be affected by only one use of this Dynamic at once.

Directed Ranged Tactics    This Dynamic is identical to Directed Melee Tactics, except that its Easing is applied to ranged offense and defense rolls. Characters may be affected by both Dynamics at once.

Efficient Overseers     If the entire party is using group crew leadership, it is increased by a value equal to 4 times dynamic tier.

Enhanced Group Defense    Whenever the majority of defenders in group defense are party members, enemies must add 1 Hindrance to the SPD roll to bypass group defense.

Exhaustive Planning     All party members have their maximum insight increased by 2, provided the entire party has taken a 4-hour rest together at some point in the past 24 hours.
    This Dynamic can be taken multiple times.

Helping Hands     If the party has members with differing SPD stats, the party member(s) with the least SPD count their SPD as 1 higher for the purposes of travel rules. They likewise gain a +TN of 1 in movement rolls during grouped-up movement, if at least one faster party member is in the group.

Party Mascot    Upon taking this Dynamic, the party must designate a single animal or bound tech as party mascot. As long as the mascot survives and remains with the party, all members receive a +TN of 1 in social boost rolls.
    If the mascot is killed/destroyed, all party members must immediately make a d12 social endurance roll, but a new mascot can be designated after 1 day.

Positive Adventuring Environment     All party members receive a +TN of 2 in social boost rolls that are the result of long exhortations from other party members.

Sharpened Skills     Upon taking this Dynamic, the party must choose a Study Ability or condition Ability that provides a +TN to rolls. These rolls must not be offense or defense rolls (whether melee, ranged, or social), and at least two party members must have the Ability. The +TN provided by that Ability is increased by 1 for all party members.
    Abilities which provide a +TN only within their progression are valid for this Dynamic, provided at least two party members have enough progression to access the +TN. Abilities that provide a +TN to their own rolls are also valid.
    This Dynamic may be taken multiple times, associated with a separate Ability each time.

Stimulating Conversations    Whenever the entire party is taking a 4-hour rest without sleeping, party members may forfeit up to half the insight they would normally regain in order to give it to another party member instead. Characters may only be a donor or receiver of insight via this Dynamic once per day, and only in relation to one other character during that rest.

Tactical Repositioning    As a verbal free action, a party member may spend 14 insight and choose one ally they are grouped-up with who can hear them; that character receives 2 Easing which may (at their own choice) be applied to any offense roll, defense roll, or SPD roll to bypass group defense within the next minute.

Tactical Leader    When combat begins, the party may designate one member as tactical leader. This character may use Directed Melee Tactics, Directed Ranged Tactics, and/or Tactical Repositioning in the same verbal free action (or minor action, if also using Advanced Hand Signals). They also subtract their Close Combat or Marksmanship tier (whichever is greater) from the total insight costs of all of those Dynamics used on their turn.
    The designated character ceases to function as tactical leader if any other character uses those Dynamics. Tactical leadership cannot be reassigned during the same combat.

United Front    If any party member has a +TN from another member's short exhortation, that +TN is doubled when applied to a social offense or defense roll.