At the core of this game system is the concept that arbitrary dice rolls are replaced by a point economy, and that points are used to bid on the outcome of actions through a series of double-blind contests between the player and the DM.

Each PC or NPC in the game is comprised of a number of point pools. These are each described individually in the sections below.

Unlike other character point pools, Build Points are only used during character creation and advancement. When a character is created, the player is allocated 100 points with which to create their character. This allocation is intended to approximate the power level equivalent to a 1st level character in the D&D game system for example, although the DM is free to allocate additional points to players who are converting existing PCs of a higher power level, or to create more powerful NPCs or monsters as part of adventures.

See Character Creation for an in-dept look into how Build Points can be spent to create or convert a character.

Put most simply, Fate Points roughly parallel Character Level in other game systems like D&D. A “first level character” in No-Dice has 1 Fate Point, whereas a 20th level character or NPC has 20 Fate Points and so on. Fate points are a floating pool, meaning that they can be added to any double-blind contests of the player's choosing where another point pool is being applied.

For example, let's say a player character is trying to make a jump check to escape the city guards by leaping from rooftop to rooftop. To determine success, they can normally add Stat Points from their Agility pool and/or Ability Points from their Athletics skill if they have any. Additionally, and at the player's option, they may also spend a Fate Point toward success in the task. This could be done to increase the likelihood of success where a powerful character isn't particularly good at the task at hand, or if Stat Points or Athletics points have already been exhausted, or any other circumstance where the player whats to augment their chance of success in a Task.

The character's Fate Point Pool naturally refills to maximum at the end of an encounter, scene, or when the character rests overnight in the game. Alternatively, players may choose to rest for a fraction of a day to recover an equivalent fraction of points.

Experience Points are no different than Build Points, a separate term is just used to differentiate these points that are awarded by the DM during play, from those that are allocated initially during character creation. Experience Points (EXP) are typically awarded for the successful completion of encounters and adventures, although they can also be awarded as the result of Disabilities acquired through the course of adventuring. See Character Advancement for an in-depth look at how EXP are spent to improve PC power.

Inspiration points are awarded by the DM to players who accomplish some great feat in the game, such as an epic role play in dialog with an NPC that produced an amazing outcome, completing an adventure that saved the village, etc. If all those around the gaming table are inspired, the DM should consider awarding an Inspiration Point to the primary PC(s) in the scene. Think of these as being awarded in the same way Inspiration is in the D&D 5E system.

Inspiration Points may be spent in the same was as Fate Points by being added to the bid of any double-blind contests, with one key advantage: they may be added to the Player's bid after the outcome of the double-blind contest has been revealed. This is intended to roughly approximate a re-roll in a dice system.

Only Player Characters may ever have Inspiration Points

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Scenes

Total of all encounters and NPCs or monsters

Places like cities or even countries

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