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No Dice

Some players and GM may want to play the game without dice, either by using other random generators or by using a non-random system. Below are 3 ways to play without dice, the first is random, as it uses standard playing cards, the second uses descriptive words to create a character identity and the the third uses points that the character spends to generate successes, they aren't at all randomized.

Cards

When using playing cards, actions are resolved pretty much the same way as dice. The characters generate a number that corresponds to a degree of success.

Pools = Hands

A character's pool rank is converted to their hand rank. On each action the character draws a number of cards equal to their rank to use as their hand for that action.

Dice = Trumps

A the character can play a number of cards from their hand of the matching suit up to the rank of the corresponding appropriate ability. Each die should be assigned a trump suit before the cards are drawn. The cards are totalled to determine degree of success.
Face Card Numeral Value
Joker 20
King 20
Queen 15
Jack 12

Die Modifiers = Bonus

The rank of a die modifier should be added to the value of every card played towards the total of the degree of success.

Traits

Traits work a little differently than dice, because their are no numbers involved. In an all traits game the GM first states the probable degree of success for the average, unspecialized adult. This degree of success is used as the base, and each trait the character can apply to the situation shifts the degree of success one in their favor (or one against them for negative pools).

Ranks

Each rank represents one adjactive Trait. For example: A character has a Academics of 5, they could describe their characters thusly: poetic, well-read, wise, sagacious and literate. Note that distinction between pool, die and die modifier are lost a little, but the adjactive should still correspond to the trait it's attached too.

Points

In a point system, the character gets a number of points per action (i.e. base degree of success), equal to their would have been die modifier.

In a point game, die ranks and point modifiers are used in the exact same fashion.Each die rank and pool rank is worth a number of points equal to the rank x 400/total number of traits. So if your using the regular 10 abilities, and you have an Academics of 5, you would receive 200 points to spend on Academics related actions (rank 5 times 400/10 traits). These points are added to the base and then spent for the act.

Negative Pools are in the hands of the GM, and he may spend them at any time he feels it's reasonable to lower the character's degree of success. Note that Negative points never just dissappear, they simply vanish when all spent. Anything that last a scene should be factored by 20, anything that last an act 200, and anything that last a part 2000. Permanent Negative Pools should not be factored at all, but their total rank should simply be subtracted from all actions.

A GM may want to allow players to call on luck in point based games. If so, then the players may take a number of points up to their highest rank times 200. Any points the player uses to boost actions from their luck pool goes to the GM as a Negative Pool ('bad luck') that he can then spend against them.