Ego

Ego is a representation of a character's consciousness, ability to focus, and how much they're keeping themselves together mentally. Ego is used in As Stars Decay to fuel special abilities, give more dice before a skill roll is made, and as a health track used against non-lethal damage.

When to Use Ego
Ego can be used for a variety of tasks in As Stars Decay:

Skill Rolls:

 * Ego can be used to boost your Action Dice in a skill Roll. If a challenge is posed by the GM with a challenge rating (e.g. Int+Science[3]) Then up to 3 Ego may be spent BEFORE the dice are rolled.
 * If a Challenge is posed by the GM without a challenge rating, or is initiated by the player such as looting a room (e.g. Int+Investigate) Then a player can still spend up to 3 Ego to enhance their roll, but may do so even AFTER the initial dice roll, and one ego Dice at a time if they like. When the GM posts or makes a ruling however, the player may spend no more.

Combat:

 * Up to 3 Ego can be spent at the start of a combat round, adding those dice to you INS+Reaction roll and the first action made that turn.
 * Ego can be spent additionally on an attack in combat to make sure it connects, but is better spent at the beginning of the round, as it will apply to the attack or action made.

Out of Ego

 * It is passively used as the health track for when a character is dealt non-lethal damage; i.e., any damage that doesn't give you a Flesh Wound. When a character reaches 0 Ego, either by being attacked non-lethally or by decreasing it via using it to fuel abilities, that character falls unconscious. A character that falls unconscious this way does not subtract a Trauma point from their sheet.
 * Ego is a Consciousness track for players representing executing difficult tasks, or being mentally spent. A character who falls to 0 Ego is exhausted and wants to black out. Each additional roll they make with 0 Ego remaining suffers a -1D cumulatively with the character blacking out when they fail a roll of any kind. Additionally they cannot use abilities that cost ego to do so.
 * [Psions will have additional effects regarding ego]

Regaining Ego
Ego can be restored multiple ways:
 * Taking a long rest automatically replenishes all Ego.
 * Some abilities will restore Ego for your or for allies.
 * Effects of locations or discoveries have bonus effects on your character.
 * Playing true to your characters concept and delivering in true roleplay fashion.
 * Psions with the Precognition talents can use the Mental Preparation ability to regain back up to 1d6 Ego, but only once per day, whilst taking a short rest.