: Players can "spend" points from an ability's pool to gain "special" clues—extra information that isn't required to solve the case but provides significant advantages or deeper narrative flavor.

The system divides character capabilities into two distinct categories to ensure the story always moves forward:

The , designed by Robin D. Laws, is a tabletop roleplaying game engine specifically engineered for investigative scenarios . Its core philosophy is that investigative games should not be about finding clues—which can grind to a halt if a player fails a dice roll—but about interpreting them. Core Mechanics

: These work automatically . If a character has the relevant ability (e.g., Forensic Accounting, Cop Talk) and is in a scene with a "core clue," they find it without rolling dice.

: Used for action-oriented tasks where the outcome is uncertain, such as combat, athletic feats, or driving.