Set

The Set effect changes an attribute's Base Value (or Input) to a specific value.

This is different from Increase / Decrease, which modifies Bonus Values. Set directly changes the Base Value itself, or the attribute's Input (e.g. setting a skill's Proficiency to 1).

When to use Set vs Increase?

Reach for Increase first. It is the right answer for almost everything, and the reason is the Player: an Increase shows up in the attribute's breakdown as "Speed +25 from Dwarf", so the Player can see where every point came from. A Set only changes the number. The breakdown has nothing to show, and the Player cannot tell the value apart from one they typed in themselves.

A Dwarf's base Speed of 25 could be written either way, and Set would not be wrong. Increase still wins, because it leaves a trail.

Two cases genuinely call for Set:

  • Attribute Inputs. Increase cannot target them at all. An Input usually accepts a small fixed set of values, such as a Proficiency of 0, 1 or 2, and stacking bonuses on top would push it out of range. Granting proficiency is a Set, and there is no decision to make.
  • Values that are not built out of bonuses. Current HP, or a resource like Energy, follows its own formula and its maximum rather than a pile of modifiers. Set HP to {Max HP} or Set Energy to 0 is how you refill or clear one. You are not handing out a bonus, so the breakdown is not where that belongs.

Multiple Set Effects

When multiple Set effects target the same attribute, Rollplay resolves them on a "bigger is better" basis — the highest value among all active Set effects is used.

Reversibility

Set effects are fully reversible, even when multiple effects interact with the same attribute.

Example:
A character has a default Strength of 10.
Effect A sets Strength to 15. Effect B sets Strength to 14.

  • Applying both → Strength is 15 (the higher value wins)
  • Removing Effect A → Strength is 14 (Effect B is still active)
  • Removing Effect B → Strength returns to 10 (the original default)

Info

Unlike Increase/Decrease, Set effects can target Attribute Inputs — this is the standard way to grant proficiency or set a skill's rank through an effect.