Tasks are the main way you interact with the game. They are visually represented by a task bar that indicates the type, attribute, and difficulty of the task. It also indicates the threat and retreat value if present.

You can perform a task on a card at your location, in your play zone, or in the Network. 

You cannot perform a task if resolving the basic effect would do nothing. For example, you cannot Hack a Lead whose hacking cube slots are fully covered by Hacking Cubes.

To perform a task, follow these steps in order:

1. Determine the type, attribute, and difficulty of the task. 
2. Play an Action card: You may play 1 Action card matching the type of the task. Place it in your play zone. 
3. Use Attribute Markers for the task: Characters at your setting may spend charges from Attribute Markers matching the attribute of the task. Each charge adds +2. 
4. Reveal a modifier: Reveal 1 modifier from the Grid and modify your attribute by the revealed number. Resolve modifier effects. 
5. Determine your final attribute: Your final attribute is your base attribute with all modifications applied. 
6. Threat: If the task has a threat value and your final attribute is lower, you must resolve the threat. 
7. Succeed or fail effects: If your final attribute is equal to or higher than the difficulty, you succeed. Otherwise, you fail, and there is no effect. Resolve succeed and fail effects. 
8. Base effect: If you succeed, resolve the basic effect of the task. This depends on the type of the task. 
9. Completed effects: If you complete the task, resolve completed effects. (Remember to gain 1 Resource.) 
10. Retreat: If the task has a retreat value and your final attribute is equal or higher, you must retreat the card. 
11. Discard your Action card: If you played an Action card, move it to your discard pile. 

After these steps, the task ends. Then, you must follow these steps in order: 

• A1) Focus: If you have no cards in hand, you must Focus. 
• A2) Skulls: If you revealed at least one Skull, you must activate Enemies for each Skull. 
• A3) Grid: If all modifiers in the Grid are revealed, you must reset the Grid. 
• A4) Surveillance threshold: If a new Surveillance threshold was met or exceeded, you must resolve the threshold effect. 
• A5) Objective: If you fulfill your current objective, you must advance to the next chapter. 
• A6) After this action effects: Resolve after this action effects. (For example performing additional actions and/or drawing encounter cards.)

Clarifications:

• Completing a task is different from succeeding. See Complete a Task for details.
• If multiple effects are resolved within the same step, you can choose the order.
• You cannot perform tasks on retreated cards as these are face down.
• Playing an Action card is optional, but it is not allowed to play more than 1 Action card during a task. 
• The characters may spend charges from any number of Attribute Markers, but only 1 charge from each individual marker in step 3.
• If you revealed multiple modifiers, apply each of their modifications and/or effects. See Reveal Modifier for details.
• If you need to reveal more modifiers than available, you must immediately reset the Grid. See Reset the Grid for details.
• If you suffer more Stress than the combination of your Hope and cards in hand, you must immediately Focus. See Focus for details.
• Additional Impact is only applied if you succeed.