Plenty of things can modify these thresholds (and in turn, one's chances of success), but they are generally grouped into three categories: '''Permanent effects''', which fully and completely lower a particular character's thresholds for certain actions, '''Secondary effects''', which are usually limited in time or tied to a specific condition, but is otherwise not permanent, and '''Situational effects''', which are dependent on specific actions.
* Example of a permanent effect: John has '''Master skill level''' in Automatic Rifles, allowing him to shoot burst- and full-auto capable rifles with such ease that he is more accurate than most. He therefore benefits from a permanent '''FT-1''' effect when shooting this kind of weapon.
* Example of a secondary effect: When John is under the influence of a specific substance, such as [[Meds|Diazepam]], he benefits from a temporary boost to his Failure Threshold, making him more accurate with every single type of weapon or attack, until the effects of the substance dissipate.
* Example of a situational effect: When John is fighting an armed henchman who happens to be wearing body armor, he can choose whether to hit him in the torso, and risk having to waste more bullets than usual to put him down, or to try and go for the head, which would impart a malus ('''FT+1'''); the head is smaller and harder to hit. But a successful hit could eliminate the henchman more quickly.