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Success and Failure
When performing a Check, Attack, or Save it can:
depending on the context, conditions and Total of your roll, see below for details on each.
Success
Success is achieved when equalling or exceeding a set DC with the Total of your Dice Pool on a Check, Attack, or Save or in the case of Rituals and Invocations equalling or exceeding their Severity.
Success can be achieved in other ways as defined by the Cast and GM as Appropriate.
Critical Success
When achieving a Result of 20 on a D20, that Rolls is considered a Critical Success.
When achieving Critical Success you double any Bonuses added to the Roll you Critically Succeeded on.
Note: Bonuses are any Bonus Die or Static Modifiers (such as Skills and Masteries) added to your Dice Pool.
Automatic Success
Automatic Success is a mechanical term and type of Success. It occurs when an attempted task has such a high likelihood of Success that the desired outcome is achieved with little effort regardless of random chance.
When achieving Automatic Success the pending Roll is deemed a Success without generating a Dice Pool. The benefits of Success would then apply, as Appropriate.
Please Note: The effects of some Abilities or Items can cause Automatic Success.
Failure
Failure is achieved when unable to equal or exceed a set DC with the Total of your Dice Pool on a Check, Attack, or Save or in the case of Rituals and Invocations, Critically Failing any Check that is part of the Ritual or Invocation.
Failure can be achieved in other ways as defined by you and your GM as Appropriate.
Critical Failure
When achieving a Result of 1 on a D20, that [Roll] is considered a Critical Failure.
A Critical Failure means that the effected [Roll] [Automatically Fails].
Automatic Failure
Automatic Failure is a mechanical term and type of Failure. It occurs when an attempted task has such a high likelihood of Failure that the attempt will always end poorly regardless of random chance.
When achieving Automatic Failure the pending Roll is deemed a Failure without generating a Dice Pool. The consequences of Failure would then apply, as Appropriate.
Please Note: The effects of some Abilities or Items can cause Automatic Failure.
Ash's Aside
I almost always recommend allowing people to attempt a roll, rather than ruling something impossible, however, sometimes a Cast Member will, for lack of a better term, be a fuckwit. Sometimes, a person really locks in on something that will damage the story or just doesn't make sense. If this happens, have a discussion about what the player is hoping to achieve and try to compromise, after all, most people aren't typically trying to ruin anything, they just have a different point of view than you. If needs be, and a compromise can't be reached, call it impossible and move on.
Wuntch's Whatever
Rarely if ever should Automatic Failure be chosen as the outcome of a Roll when playing as the GM. Trying to overcome unlikely or even impossible odds is usually alot more fun than being told outright no, you cant do that because i said so, setting high DCs instead and allowing your Cast to try and overcome the task set before them is something i strongly recommend you do instead of resorting to the hard NO that using Automatic Failure is. Also keep in mind, rolling for an impossible task can always lead to humorous or dramatic outcomes and propel your story in interesting directions!