Performing Actions

All actions are performed using a Skill that represents the character’s knowledge in that area, and take into consideration his corresponding Focus.

In DCA, actions are successful by default with a critical success unless one of the following criteria are met: During a conflict all enemies are considered aware of actions by the player characters who have been discovered, and therefore they can counteract whatever they do against them.
 * If the action targets or directly affects another character who is aware of the action, that character can choose to perform another action to counteract it, triggering a confrontation.

A counteraction can be any action that could make the opposed action fail, or allow the character to avoid its effects."E.g. (make an action fail): Shooting back at someone who was shooting or attacking you (and if successful, you will be the one dealing damage!); affecting your opponent’s senses or capacities; throwing dust into someone’s eyes when they are trying to grapple you, etc.""E.g. (avoiding the effects of an action): diving behind cover; dodging the sword swing; outrunning an opponent; etc."
 * If the action is considered something that the character could eventually perform successfully if they had enough time or if they had any number of tries, BUT they have limited time or aim to do it right on the first attempt, they are confronted by a Time Sensitive Event (TSE), triggering a Confrontation
 * "E.g. A thief is capable of climbing into an Inca fortress if given any amount of time or any amount of tries, but because he needs to do it quickly before daylight comes and without falling once, he is confronted by a TSE."
 * If the GM considers the action impossible to perform in the current situation regardless of the amount of time, effort, will or desire to do so, the action is cancelled, and the character may suffer the effects of trying the impossible. The player may appeal, but he must be reminded that off-limit actions can break the gameplay. The GM’s judgment and dissuasive power must lead the gameplay forward."E.g. A character not aided with magic cannot lift a one metric ton stone or jump from a mountain to escape giant eagles; if they try to do so, they can suffer damage or even die."