Welcome

Dead Weight takes place in a low-fantasy world - it's very grim and dark but doesn't take itself too seriously. But be advised that Dead Weight has some horror elements, and may not be suitable for everyone.

The player characters are no heroes; they are dead weights - outcasts and treasure hunters with little to lose. They delve deep into long forsaken places, struggling not only with the horrors that lurk there, but also their fatigue, stress, and the gradual decay of the few resources they bring. All in hopes to save enough silver to leave Blacksalt Island for better days elsewhere.

This system has a strong structure to it - focusing on light roleplay and on dungeon crawling. Light roleplay doesn't mean there's no support for it - quite the contrary - it's just that the game system should be fun even if your group doesn't like to roleplay a lot.

The Basics

Let's go over the basics of the system. After that, I recommend that you try to create your first character.

Character Creation

Let's start by creating your character - don't worry too much about the rule system for now, just follow the steps from this chapter and choose what you think sounds most exciting. If you really want to know the rules before doing this, you can skip ahead and come back after you've learned the rules.

Every character starts their life with 1 insight point, which they can use to re-roll one or both dice of a life path roll. Some life paths will give you more insight, and later in the game, insight will be used to level up your character. When playing with a group, if your character has the same life path as another character in your party, each player may, only once, roll again without spending insight.

When you complete the last step of your character, you can immediately spend any insight you have left, without even placing it on the character sheet. That is recommended, since you can only earn a limited amount of insight during the whole lifetime of your character. You can see how to spend insight in the playing the game book.

Each step will add and remove attribute points, equipment, and other things to your character. Place them in the appropriate place in your character sheet.

If you get the same skill twice, upgrade it instead. Feel free to jump ahead to the skills, traits and equipment section to understand what they do.

Print a character sheet or use Dead Dice if you want a digital sheet and let's start! Alternatively, you can also try the character generator for an automatic character.

Adventurers have 4 main attributes. They are noted in the character sheet:

• Strength(STR) is physical strength and constitution of a character.
• Dexterity(DEX) is how fast and precise a character is.
• Intelligence(INT) is how intelligent, wise and keen a character is
• Presence(PRE) is how persuasive and strong-willed a character is.

Each attribute has 2 values, score and proficiency. The former is the natural ability and endurance with the attribute, the latter is how well-trained the adventurer is in that particular field. In the character sheet, the square area is for the score and the circle is for the proficiency.

All attributes scores start at 1, while all attribute proficiencies start at zero.

Attributes scores can not go lower than 0 or higher than 3 at any point in character creation - ignore any excess points.

Attribute proficiencies can not go lower than 0 or higher than 2 at any point in character creation - ignore any excess points.

By default, characters start with a belt, canteen and a bag. You also have a few starting items:

• 1d6 torches
• 1 ration
• On 3d! (Risk dice), 1 camping supply
• On 2d!, 1 bandage
• Your class's start items. See Choose your class below.

If no one got a camping supply, someone in the group may receive one.

6. Choose your class

Classes will give special skills to your character. Choose one and follow the instructions for each class. After that, your character is done!

There are 4 main classes. Each class has a specific background that you must also choose. They are all in the Blacksalt book.

Check the skills and traits section to understand what each of your traits and skills do. Make sure to also check how your equipment works on the equipment and items section. You may also spend your gold on equipment and items before the mission starts, but you may not sell items before the first mission.

Core mechanics

Wounds and fatigue

Every time a character receives fatigue points, apply them to an attribute.

Each fatigue or wound point that the character has on that attribute reduces the available dice of that attribute by one.

If a character needs to receive a fatigue point and that would make the available dice of that attribute lower than zero, convert one fatigue into a wound to that attribute; that wound can not be reduced by armor and other resistances. Read Receiving Wounds for more information.

Proficiency

Players may reroll a number of dice if they have proficiency on that attribute. For example a character with 2 points in intelligence proficiency can reroll 2 dice when testing for intelligence. Players may choose to use their proficiency dice one at the time.

If you choose to reroll a dice, you must use the new result, even if it's worse in any way.

Having a high attribute score is always good, but having proficiency is where things get interesting in Dead Weight. The rerolls usually make for interesting and difficult decisions.

Keeping it Safe

If the player doesn't want to risk fatigue, they can reduce their roll by 2 dice. If they do, rolling 1 or 4 will no longer exhaust the attribute, unless the test fails. This must be announced before the dice are rolled. You cannot use extra effort when you are keeping it safe.

Receiving Help

Characters can help each other with a task, if they choose to do so. The player must explain how their character is helping the other in a way that makes sense for the action. The GM and the rest of the table must agree that the situation is plausible. This must be announced before the dice are rolled.

A character can only receive the help from one other character, unless the GM specifies otherwise. The helping character should roll one die; that dice will contribute to the main roll. If the helping character has a proficiency on that attribute, they can use it to reroll that dice. The character performing the main roll may not change that dice in any way.

Note that any fatigue generated by that dice should be received by the helping character only.

Negative consequences of a failed task are also suffered by the helping character, where applicable, but not the fatigue rolled by the main character.

Extra Effort

If the player really wants to succeed, it is possible to add one more dice to the available dice pool by causing the character one fatigue in the appropriate attribute. The player must announce that extra effort is being used before rolling the dice. A character cannot spend fatigue if it would cause the character to receive a wound as consequence of doing so.

Players may (not?) use extra effort after rolling the dice.

Zero Dice?

If, for any reason, you need to roll zero dice, you should roll 2 die instead and take the lowest number instead. Rolling less than zero dice is also possible: roll 2 die and add one extra dice for each value below zero. For instance, when rolling -3 die, roll 5 die (2+3) and choose the worst. I'm pretty sure that test will fail, though, sorry.

For simplicity, the GM may declare a -2 or lower roll to be an automatic failure.

Checks or Tests

Sometimes a rule will call for a check, such as an initiative check. Checks work exactly like tests, except that rolling 1s and 4s on this test do not cause fatigue.

Proficiency can be used normally in checks.

Advantage and Disadvantage

When a test describes an especially easy or difficult action, the GM may give players an advantage or disadvantage. Many combat actions and enemy abilities will also add an advantage or disadvantage to tests.

• Advantage allows the player to choose one die from the test or check to reroll. The new value must be used.
• Disadvantage allows the GM to choose one die from the test or check to reroll. The new value must be used.

The players or GM may always choose not to reroll a dice for advantage or disadvantage, respectively.

Advantage and disadvantage will nullify each other if for any reason a test would have both; they can also stack: having advantage or disadvantage multiple times allows the players or GM to reroll multiple dice.

The GM must announce that the test has advantage and/or disadvantage before the dice have been rolled.

Receiving Wounds

Characters will often receive wounds from various sources. Most wounds can be reduced, usually by armor or some character traits. Wounds received by fatigue cannot be reduced.

Fainting

When a character would receive a fatigue or would point but it is impossible to place it, they immediately faint. Then, the character cannot move or take any actions. Wounds continue to be placed as normal.

Keep track of how many wounds were discarded when you fainted. You stay fainted for at least that amount of turns (combat or exploration turns). Discard all stun tokens while in this state. After waiting you may roll 1D! to try waking up by yourself.

Outside of combat other characters can stabilize you with a first aid kit, medical supply or healing spell and wake you up.

Mortal Wounds

When a player character is mortally wounded, that player must roll from the mortally wounded table.

• Add 1 to the dice result for each time the character was mortally wounded during this Expedition.
• Other game effects can also add or subtract from that value.

A mortally wounded character is unable to move or perform any actions. That character must be stabilized with a first aid kit, medical supply or healing spell to wake up. If your character already has the trauma you would receive, ignore it.

Core Concepts

Special Traits

Special traits are similar to skills, but usually add or break a rule for your character.

• Berserker: During combat, ignore strength fatigue and wounds when rolling tests. You still take wounds and fatigue normally, and so your character will collapse in exhaustion if your available dice go lower than zero.
• Bad omens: Every time you have a critical fail on a test, advance the omens tracker.
• Battle trance: Every time you kill an enemy, you get an extra action.

• Cold blood: You may back-stab enemies that are engaged in combat with another character or distracted, for which you may use Dexterity to hit with weapons that would require Strength. Enemies can't use resistance to reduce your damage, and you cause one extra wound.
• Divine mandate: You may cast prayers. You require a holy symbol, and must have previously memorized them. Check the prayers section for more information.
• Hardened: When receiving wounds from an attack, you may test strength: on a success, resist 1 wound. On a great success resist 2 wounds.
• Magic user: You may invoke spells. You require a magic conductor, and must have previously memorized them. Check the spells section for more information.
• Rejected by death: If your character would get mortally wounded, roll 2d!: if triggered, ignore the mortal wound.
• Dauntless: When you get a success on a test, you may roll 2 extra dice and add them to this test. This increases your great success and fatigue chance.
• Third eye: You can see the omens tracker.

Traumas

Traumas work similarly to special traits, except that they are always very bad for the adventurers. Traumas are usually received when the character gets mortally wounded. Most traumas can be recovered or at least downgraded to a more manageable one.

Receiving the same trauma again has no effect.

• Broken arm: Can't use one arm for attacking or carrying items.
• Broken leg: Movement reduced to 1 tile and costs 2 actions in combat. Moving during expedition must be done with help or some sort of cane.
• Chronic pain: You just can't seem to focus. Reduce one point on one attribute score that is not already zero.
• Brain damage: Reduce one proficiency point on one attribute that is not already zero.
• Paranoid: Can't receive help from allies, and can't share items other than rations in the camp phase. -1 ambush dice in the camp phase.
• Fearful: During combat, if you are attacked, you move one tile back. If you are attacked more than once, you get 1 (and only 1) stun token.
• Visions: When someone casts a spell nearby, you receive a stun token.

Inventory

Characters can carry 7 items + 3 items for each strength score. Items should be placed on your character sheet in the appropriate slots in the Trappings section. While carrying more items is possible, the character will become encumbered, and all movement is reduced by half. You must perform a strength test every turn, and failing means some item was dropped, chosen randomly.

At the trappings table, on top of each list, there's a label, something like "Belt/Small pouch". Circle any items your character has; if your character doesn't have any of the listed items, cross out the whole list.

Here's a breakdown of how the adventurers can carry their items:

• A bag carried on the back can carry 4 items; a backpack can carry 7 items.
• A belt can carry 1 item; a small pouch can carry 2 items.
• A canteen can carry 1 liquid item; a skin can carry 2 liquid items.
• Each small bag can carry 3 items.

Unless stated otherwise, all characters start with a belt, a canteen and a bag.

When items have a characteristic that makes them awkward or hard to carry, write it below the item, with the characteristic occupying one extra slot. Examples of characteristics are oversized, fragile and unstable.

Very small items, like chalk, keys or a dice do not occupy any slots, and should be written down in the notes section of the character sheet.

Characters may also carry items in their torso and hands slots.

• The torso has 4 slots.
• Each hand has 2 slots.

Equipped armor and helmet go on the torso slots; wielded items, including torches, go on the hands. Unless the player has a really good explanation, a character can only wield one item in each hand, even with 2 slots. For simply carrying stuff, carrying 2 items in each hand is fine.

The character's clothes that are not considered armor do not occupy a slot. You can write them down in the notes section.

Distance

Most weapons, skills, spells and items will have a maximum or minimum range to work. To simplify things, we will use some abbreviations, instead of listing the numbers every time.
There are 4 range types for measuring distance in Dead Weight:

Close, Nearby, Far and Distant.

When using a grid map, here's how you can convert distances:

Trackers

Also known as a progress clock in other systems, a tracker is just one or more circles divided into segments that the GM uses to track the progression of something. Every time a tracker is advanced, one segment must be filled. When the circle is completely filled, the tracker is triggered and something happens. There are 3 main trackers that are always in play:

• Decay tracker: Represents the toll that dungeon delving takes on the adventurers. Causes hunger, exhaustion and other bad things to the players. Advances every turn.
• Doom tracker: There's one for each dungeon, representing the dungeon "waking up" to the adventurers' presence and reacting.
• Bad Omens tracker: There's one for the whole campaign. Represents the adventurers' terrible luck and their inevitable doom in Blacksalt island. Every time it gets completed, something really bad happens.

The Playing the Game book explains in more detail how each of these trackers work, so don't worry about them for now.

The GM can also create more trackers at any moment, to represent long challenges, the tide rising, a strong enemy slowly waking up and so on. Trackers can be hidden from the players or fully visible.

The Dead Vigil

One of the most notable things about Blacksalt is the dead vigil. Any creature that dies in Blacksalt has a chance to come back to life as an undead, humans will almost always come back, animals and other smaller creatures can come back to life but that's not common. This effect is called the dead vigil.

The cause of the dead vigil is uncertain, some blame the old king for trying to achieve eternal life, others say it's because of something buried deep in the island tunnels, but no one knows for sure.

Any corpse, if left undisturbed, will come back to life after 1d6 weeks as a Freshly risen corpse or Reanimated husk, depending on the state of conservation and will start looking for other people to attack. If the corpse is too damaged or somehow unsuitable, it may come back as ghost, like a shadow; that's rare though, and ghosts are extremely dangerous, so people avoid destroying corpses.

The most "elegant" way to dispose of a body is a proper burial ritual, and a coffin with the seal of Cador, which will stop the corpse from returning. This is a relatively new technique. Over the years, people didn't know how to deal with their dead. Different groups of people tried many different rituals and techniques to stop their dead from coming back, usually with horrible consequences.

Warrior Background

Thief Background

Schools of Magic

Gods

Clerics always follow one god and one god only. Some won't even believe in other gods. While the divine effects of the clerics can easily be felt and seen through the world their actual existence is hard to be actually proven. Some even say that there are no gods in this world, and all clerics are actually just magic users that don't know their own potential.

The main consensus is that are 2 types of gods in the world, the old gods and the new gods.

Old gods are the ones that lived before the creation of the current world. Before this world, there was another one, and some event caused it to be destroyed, while creating the current one. These beings are so powerful that they didn't fade when their world was destroyed. Not much is known of them and their worship is strictly forbidden in most cultures, but secret cults can be found all over Blacksalt island nonetheless.

The new gods are the gods that appeared after the origin of the world. They are the ones worshipped by most humans and other intelligent creatures.

History

Geography

Blacksalt is a large island in the southern hemisphere of the planet. The climate is warm in the north and gets wet and cold in the south.

The terrain is mostly flat and near the sea level in the in the north, while mountainous and rocky in the south.

The northeast part of Blacksalt is colloquially known as Yoros Island, while techinically being part of Blacksalt, Yoros river separates most of it from the rest.

On the east part there are five smaller islands closing the Kumar Bay, with Saint Julien Isle being the biggest and the only one populated.

Yoros

Settlement size: City (5)

A major port city in Blacksalt. Famous for its high quality wine.

Yoros is bursting with commerce and is the main connection between the main continent and Blacksalt. The Emperor is the official ruler of Yoros, but the empire's influence is very limited in Blacksalt, with the Guild of Commerce having all the real power.

Kumar Port City

Settlement size: City (5)

A big port city that services the Kumar Bay. The official use of this port is to transport large goods to Yoros, but, in actuality, Kumar is the center of a huge smuggling network, sending magical items to the highest bidder.

The city is in a swamp area rich in natural oil, and since they don't have a lot of available farmland, most of their food comes from ships or from Brutburg.

Steinsburg

Settlement size: Stronghold (4)

A stronghold that once held the undead march centuries ago, Steinsburg is nowhere near its former glory, but is still a sight to behold. The stone stronghold is built on the mountains and its huge walls are still impenetrable.

The people there still live under strict military tradition and are always alert for any undead threat.

Brutburg

Settlement size: Stronghold (4)

A military stronghold in the cold south. Once a noble house that fought valiantly against the undead during the first dead vigil, now decadent and ruined.

Somehow, the farmers of Brutburg manage to plant even in the harsh cold; some say the food of Brutburg is grown using abominable rituals.

Trinta

Settlement size: Fief (3)

A fief ruled by the tyrant lord Ishnar Zul, descendant of a long line of lords from the early days of the exploration of Blacksalt. Trinta has huge farmlands and lots of cattle, being responsible for most of the island food production.

The sample dungeon takes place in Trinta.

Luna

Settlement size: Fief (3)

A farming fief, isolated from most commercial routes, Luna is a somewhat peaceful settlement in the cold plains. Luna was once a military stronghold, but that fortress is long abandoned.

The people of Luna avoid going near the stronghold, and local stories tell of people disappearing inside.

Luna is uncomfortably close to Fallen Agnar, but has never been attacked by the undead from there. Some whisper of a mysterious pact between them.

Cefit

Settlement size: Hamlet (2)

A small trading post set in the middle of the road between Brutburg and Kumar Port-City. Cefit consists of a small inn, a few farmers and shops. The people that live here are mostly recluses and prefer to stay out of outsider's business.

Fallen Agnar

Agnar was specially hit by the dead vigil centuries ago, being completely destroyed. It quickly became the central point from where the undead hordes came. Organized undead marched down to Brutburg and Yoros, spawning Tales of a powerful necromancer lich controlling the hordes. Those tales were never confirmed, though.

Today, Agnar is the haunted remains of a city, where not even the bravest explorers dare to venture.

Expedition

During the expedition, the characters venture into the depths of the earth in search of some reward. Raiding in caves and dungeons is not a healthy job - it takes a toll on the player characters. Time passes in a weird way down there: minutes turn into hours, and hunger and thirst are even deadlier than the monsters inside.

The expedition can be broken down in 3 phases:

• Exploration when moving between rooms, looking for treasure and solving mysteries.
• Combat when encountering enemies and resolving conflict.
• Camp when resting and tending wounds.

The story will always be in one of those phases. During each phase, the players can choose specific actions.

During the expedition, it's useful to use a map with miniatures, ideally with each tile representing around 1.5m. This map should only include what's currently visible to the players.

Omens and Doom

The adventure should have a doom tracker, to which only the GM has access. The adventure should have a list of things that happen when the doom tracker reaches a certain number, but they should always involve something bad. Raiding dungeons and abandoned places wakes up things better left untouched. Reaching the maximum value of the doom tracker means certain death.

The doom tracker represents the adventurers meddling in the dungeon, making noise and awaking whatever lies inside. Advancing the doom tracker too much usually results in monsters appearing, rooms collapsing and traps being triggered. The last step on the doom tracker usually involves a very hard fight. The doom tracker is bound to a location; if the adventurers go to a new place, a new tracker should be started. If they re-visit a location, use that location's old tracker.

Every time the doom tracker reaches an effect, also advance the omens tracker.

The omens tracker is about the state of the party itself. The omens tracker has 2d6 steps: every time the omens tracker fills up, roll from the omens table and make a new tracker, rolling for the size again. Changing locations does not reset the omens tracker. If the party can't fulfill the omen effect completely, discard/break as many items as possible. Add one and only one more time.

Exploration Actions

Here's a list of common exploration actions. When not sure which action you want, you can always perform a freeform action.

Attack Notation

When we write down an attack or weapon through this book we use an abbreviated notation, to keep things short and simple.
All attacks specify a test that the player must roll, followed by the amount of damage that the attack causes and the critical damage. If the attack has any special rules, those are written in full after the notation.

Let's see a simple example:

Driftwood Club (STR 2)

This one is pretty straightforward: to use a driftwood club the player must roll a strength test; on a success, it will be cause 2 wounds on the enemy, which can be reduced by any resistances the enemy has. Since it doesn't specify a range, it can only hit targets that are close (1 tile away, not diagonally).

Some weapons have special effects on a critical hit - let's see another example:

Falchion (STR 3+1B)

To use it, the player tests strength(STR), and causes 3 wounds on a regular success. The last thing is "+1B", meaning that if the player rolls a great success (rolling a couple of 6s), it will cause the bleeding affliction and one extra wound, to a total of 4 wounds. To understand what all the letters mean, check the weapon effects table below.

Ranged weapons and attacks have the range specified in the description; if nothing is written, assume it hits only targets that are Close. Here's a ranged weapon example:

Throwing hatchet (DEX 1+1): Nearby

Ambush!

Camping in a dungeon is always risky. After resolving the actions, the GM should make an ambush roll. To create a dice pool, add:

• One die if the place is particularly exposed.
• One die if a fire was lit.
• One die if the party has camped before in this expedition.

Other things can add more dice, like the sleep action or events in the doom tracker. Removing dice is also possible, like the keep a lookout action.

Roll all dice from the pool; if a 6 is rolled, a combat happens. If more than one 6 is rolled, the adventurers are surprised. Use the wandering monsters from the dungeon.

Break Camp

The adventurers snuff out any fire they had going, gather their things and press on. Return to exploration. The GM should advance the doom tracker once, and if the adventurers had a long rest, the doom tracker advances twice.

Interlude

The interlude rules are still untested, so some balancing may be needed.

Interlude is the time between expeditions; it's when the characters rest, tend their wounds and plan their next job. Most adventurers do no want to raid tombs and the horrible places, but they have no other choice. While resting in the interlude, the adventurers are actually draining their resources - Blacksalt is not a cheap place to live. Also, be aware that characters can die during the interlude, especially if they are lacking resources.

Playing the interlude depends on how much detail you and your group wants. You can play it unabridged or abridged or even mix both methods and choose what you like from each. If you are unsure, I would recommend trying abridged first, since it's much faster - if you feel it's too simple, try unabridged next time or even roll back and replay that interlude unabridged.

Settlement Size

Settlements are places where the adventurers can rest for a few days, tend their wounds and restock before going back to another expedition. Different settlement sizes have different advantages and disadvantages. For example, smaller settlements usually have less street violence, but are more exposed to external threats.

The sizes are:

1. Small Camp: A small encampment with just a few people stationed.
2. Hamlet: A few houses, usually with no official government.
3. Fief: A small village, some farms and a small castle.
4. Stronghold: A fortified castle, with a decent commercial center.
5. City: A large settlement, with lots of commerce and crime.

1. Interlude actions

Just like the exploration phase, the interlude has a list of actions that the adventurers can take. Each day, the characters may do 1 action. Actions may have different effects depending on the settlement size. The players should all announce their actions first, and resolve them in any order, but players can't change their actions after they've announced it. Players are encouraged to discuss and plan their actions.

Specific settlements will have extra actions that the players can also choose.

2. Blacksalt events

Every day in Blacksalt is unpredictable. As a group, roll 1d6 against the event table.

3. Hunger Bites

Each player must consume one ration each, or get the hungry and parched affliction. If they already have the hungry affliction, roll from the decay table.

4. Sleep

Depending on where they sleep, a player will have different bonuses and penalties. Each sleep location has a price in silver or resources associated with it. When you choose a location, roll from the appropriate table. Players may choose any available sleeping location.

Also note that not all locations have all options available - a small hamlet might not have an inn available, for example.

In the interlude, if you were to receive an affliction you already have, you must choose another affliction to receive.

Camp (require camping supplies)

Unlike camping in the dungeon, camping during the interlude will not always spend your camping supplies. Regardless, having 1 camping supply for each character is required to camp.

Inn (1 silver)

Size 3 or more. Mostly safe and comfortable.

Proper accommodation (special)

Depending on the current story, your character might have a house in this settlement, or maybe someone allowed your character to sleep in a guest room.

Settlement Doom

Sometimes, the adventurers will advance the doom tracker while they are in the interlude. When that happens, create or advance the doom tracker for that specific settlement. Different settlements can have different trackers, but below, there's a default tracker for most settlements. Note that all effects are cumulative.

Character Progression

Unlike most RPG systems, the character progression is not always for the better. As the characters goes on adventures, they can gain experience, gold and better equipment, but they can also lose their sanity and acquire traumas, curses and mortal enemies.

During the expedition or character creation, adventurers may receive insight points. The main way to earn insight is to take actions that impact your character negatively because of your burden.

During the interlude, players may choose to spend those insight points for different things. When you receive an insight point, mark it on your character sheet with a slash. When you spend it, you can fill in the circle. Once all the 12 circles in your insight bar are filled, your character cannot earn more insight and may be retired.

Retired characters contribute to The Guild, allowing players to start new characters with more bonuses and giving them a long-term goal.

The guild is a feature that will be added in a future update of the rules.

Enemies in the Dark

A list of monsters and enemies can be found in the bestiary book.

Enemies do not have a complete character sheet; instead, they have a simplified one. Let's look at an example:

Let's break it down. First, the name of the enemy, Freshly Risen Corpse, then its level - level 2 in this case. The level will help the GM to quickly know how powerful this monster is.

Next is the number of wounds this enemy can resist before being knocked out - 4 in this case. After that, we can see how many armor points they have, just 1 here. Finally, we have the enemy resistance, which is the value they will use for reducing any number of wounds they receive.

For tracking the enemy's armor and wounds, you can print this enemy page and fill them as needed, or just use tokens.

Taking damage

When an enemy takes damage, they will always resist wounds using their armor. Enemies' armor can break and can't be repaired. Check receiving wounds for a full explanation on how armor works. After rolling the armor test, if the enemy has any resistance points, reduce the wound by that number.

Armor and resistance can reduce the damage to 0, but anything less than 0 is ignored.