[RPG] What actions are free actions? Especially when Shaken

The process for determining whether a target hit for damage is shaken and/or wounded can be summed up as follows:

If the target is not Shaken

• A success on the damage roll = Shaken
• 1 Raise = 1 Wound and Shaken
• 2 Raises = 2 Wounds and Shaken
• 3 Raises = 3 Wounds and Shaken
• And so on...

If the target is Shaken

• Success = 1 Wound and remains Shaken
• Raise = 1 Wound and remains Shaken
• 2 Raises = 2 Wounds and remains Shaken
• 3 Raises = 3 Wounds and remains Shaken
• And so on...

The important part (and where a lot of players get it wrong) is how a success and the first raise affect a target that is already shaken. The reason for the game being designed like this has been explained as 'because it makes it easier for a Shaken Wildcard to be wounded but not seriously wounded'.

See here for an official take on this subject, which gets asked A LOT on the official forums.

An additional post with a more detailed breakdown can be found here.

To add on to @mxyzplk's answer (particularly part 2):

Be Descriptive

You have to remember that (depending on the group/player, of course) a lot of what brings a character's personality out is their dialogue; if your character is shy and you're focusing on the 'quiet-shy' angle of that, you need to make sure that you're bringing out a similar amount of personality through descriptions of your actions instead.

A shy character isn't a blank mask standing alongside the party and is still going to have reactions to things going on around them, even if it isn't spoken aloud in character- describing how your character physically/emotionally reacts is going to be key to still feeling like you're present at a scene (both to yourself and to the other players/the GM) and letting everyone else continue to interact with you.

Basically, make sure the shyness stays as part of the character, and don't let it extend to yourself at the table.

Another important point to remember is that 'shy' is different from 'mute'; There are still going to be times when you have to/are motivated enough to talk to someone. Remember to keep your character's shy personality in mind even in these situations, when appropriate. As a few examples, though hardly the only way(s) it could be approached:

• Make sure you describe yourself as being something along the lines of noticeably hesitant/nervous when approaching a conversation your character wouldn't be comfortable with.
• Intersperse occasional extra nervous phrases/pauses throughout your speech ('Um's, occasionally getting a sentence tangled up in nervousness, etc.).
  • Side note: I like the idea you provided of the character coming out of their shell when doing something they're confident with. Something like this will help make the contrast between those times and the normal, more shy discussions more noticeable. You could even use this to effect in normal conversations if you think your character's getting less nervous with whoever they're talking with as the conversation goes on.
• Their reactions to social conflict may be different compared to the more outgoing people around them; Wincing when someone suddenly gets angry rather than trying to diffuse a situation/getting angry back, trying to quietly convince the party to avoid or leave a difficult social situation entirely, trying to end a social situation as quickly as possible if they're the focus, etc.

Also worth noting is to make sure that the shyness doesn't overextend itself into parts of your character that it shouldn't apply to- if they're only shy, and not just generally nervous/anxious about things, it shouldn't come through nearly as much in a non-social situation. A shy character can still be bold and take action.