The threshold is 200, not 100
A persistent myth says a hero at 100 stress dies to the next hit. That is false. The actual rules:
- 100 stress: resolve tested → Afflicted (usual) or Virtuous (small chance). No immediate death.
- 200 stress: heart attack → Death’s Door, or death if already there.
So the kill line is 200. Treat 100 as the warning, 200 as the cliff.
Virtue is the escape hatch
A Virtuous hero who reaches 200 stress does not heart-attack. They lose the Virtue and reset to 0 stress. This is why a Virtuous hero can be pushed deeper than an Afflicted one — the 200 hit only strips their buff.
Affliction is the real danger
Most heroes who cross 100 become Afflicted, and affliction is random:
- Act-outs happen on their turn and can stress or damage the party.
- Two heroes cannot act out back-to-back, and the same hero cannot act out twice in a row, but you cannot choose or predict it.
- The only reliable counter is not letting stress reach 100.
Back in town, the Abbey and Tavern remove afflictions (for gold and a week of the hero’s time). An afflicted hero should not be sent back in until cured.
Field management
- Watch the bar, not the HP. Stress climbs quietly; HP drops loudly.
- Camp before a boss when the party average is high — camping skills like Encourage and Pep Talk cut stress before the fight.
- Bring a Jester. Inspiring Tune is the party-wide stress heal that keeps everyone off the 100 line.
- Retreat before 200 for any Afflicted or untested hero. There is no second chance at the cliff.
- Rotate. A hero who hit 100+ rests in the Abbey/Tavern while a fresh one delves.