Core Rules

Attributes

Each of the three Attributes are used in different circumstances. (See Saves, below.)

  • Agility (AGL): Used for saves requiring poise, speed, reflexes, dodging, climbing, sneaking, balancing, etc.
  • Body (BOD): Used for saves requiring physical power, like lifting gates, breaking doors, resisting drugs, etc.
  • Control (CTR): Used for saves to persuade, deceive, keep composure, interface with technology, etc.

Saves

  • A save is a roll to avoid negative outcomes from risky choices. Characters roll a d20 and compare the results to the appropriate attribute. If they roll equal to or under that attribute, they succeed. Otherwise, they fail. A 1 is always a success, and a 20 is always a failure.
  • If two opponents are each trying to overcome the other, whoever is most at risk should save.
  • If two characters need to take an action together, whoever is most at risk should save (usually the character with the lowest relevant Attribute).

Stamina

  • Roll 1d6 to determine your PC’s starting Stamina (STA), which reflects their ability to avoid damage and endure stress. It does not indicate a character’s health or fortitude, nor do they lose it for very long. See Healing & Recovery.

Healing & Recovery

  • Resting for a few minutes restores lost Stamina but may leave the party exposed. Bandages can stabilize a character that has taken critical damage. Drugs can stabilize a character that has taken critical stress.
  • Attribute loss (see Wounds & Strain) can usually be restored with a week’s rest, facilitated by an appropriate source of expertise.
  • Recovering slowly at home is free, while more expedient means of recovery such as hospitals come at a cost.

Deprivation & Fatigue

  • A PC that lacks a crucial need (such as food or rest) is Deprived. Anyone Deprived for more than a day adds Fatigue to their inventory, one for each day. A Deprived PC cannot recover STA, Attributes, or item slots from Fatigue.
  • Each Fatigue occupies one slot and lasts until the PC is able to recuperate (such as with a full night’s rest in a safe spot).
  • If a character is forced to add Fatigue to their inventory but they have no free slots, they must drop an item from their inventory.

Protection

Armor

  • Before calculating damage to STA, subtract the target’s Armor value from the result of damage rolls.
  • Typical armor has a base defense (e.g. 2 Armor) that cannot be combined with other base defense. Shields and similar armor provide bonus defense (e.g. +1 Armor), but only while the item is held or worn. Bonus armor is stackable, provided you are capable of using it (e.g. spare hand for a second shield).
  • A PC, NPC, or other creatures cannot have more than 3 Armor.

Damping

  • Before calculating stress to STA, subtract the target’s Damping value from the result of stress rolls.
  • Typical damping has a base defense (e.g. 2 Damping) that cannot be combined with other base defense. Neural implants and similar damping provide bonus defense (e.g. +1 Damping), but only while the item is held, worn, or installed. Bonus damping is stackable.
  • A PC, NPC, or other creatures cannot have more than 3 Damping.

Reactions

When the PCs encounter an NPC whose reaction to the party is not obvious, the Admin may roll 2d6 and consult the following table:

         
2 3-5 6-8 9-11 12
Hostile Wary Curious Kind Helpful

Morale

  • Enemies must pass a CTR save to avoid fleeing when they take their first casualty and again when they lose half their number.
  • Some groups may use their leader’s CTR in place of their own. Lone foes must save when they’re reduced to 0 Stamina.
  • Morale does not affect PCs.

Contractors

  • Crews can recruit contractors, relying on their unique skills, knowledge, and training to aid in completing jobs.
  • To create a contractor, choose an appropriate role from the Contractors table in the Marketplace. Roll 3d6 for each attribute and 1d6 for their Stamina. Give them equipment appropriate to their station, then roll on the Character Traits tables to further flesh them out.

Die of Fate

  • Optionally, roll 1d6 whenever the outcome of an event is uncertain or to simulate an element of randomness and chance.
  • A roll of 4 or more generally favors the PCs, while a roll of 3 or under usually means bad luck for the PCs.

Combat

Rounds

  • A Round is roughly ten seconds of in-game time and and proceeds with each side taking turns. Each round starts with any PC that is able to act, followed by their opponents. The result of each side’s actions occur simultaneously.
  • During the first round of combat, each PC must make a AGL save in order to act. Special circumstances, abilities, items, or skills may negate this requirement. PCs that fail their save lose their turn for this round.
  • Their opponents then take their turn, and the first round ends. The next round begins with the PCs taking their turn, followed by their opponents, and so on until combat has ended with one side defeated or fled.

Actions

On their turn, a character may move up to 40ft and take up to one action. This may be deploying a hack, attacking, moving for a second time, or some other reasonable action. Each round, the PCs declare what they are doing before dice are rolled. If a character attempts something risky, the Admin calls for a save for appropriate players or NPCs.

Attacking & Damage

  • The attacker rolls their weapon die and subtracts the target’s armor, then deals the remaining total to their opponent’s STA. Attacks in combat automatically hit.
  • If multiple attackers target the same foe, roll all damage dice and keep the single highest result. All actions are declared before being resolved.

Attack Modifiers

Edges & Banes

  • If fighting from a position of weakness (such as through cover or with bound hands), the attack has gains a Bane, and the attacker must roll with 1 die-step less damage, e.g. a d8 Assault Rifle attack with a Bane rolls d6 for damage; d8 -> d6.
  • If fighting from a position of advantage (such as against a helpless foe or through a daring maneuver), the attack is Enhanced, allowing the attacker to roll 1d12 damage instead of their normal die.
  • Attacks with the Blast quality affect all targets in the noted area, rolling separately for each affected character. This can be anything from explosions to a dragon’s breath or the impact of a meteorite. If unsure how many targets can be affected, roll the related damage die for a result.
  • If attacking with two weapons at the same time, roll both damage dice and keep the single highest result (denoted with a plus symbol, e.g. d8+d8).

Critical Damage

  • Damage that reduces a target’s STA below zero is subtracted from their STR by the amount of damage remaining. The target must then immediately make a BOD save to avoid taking Critical Damage, using their new BOD score. On a success, the target is still in the fight (albeit with a lower BOD score) and must continue to make critical damage saves when incurring damage.
  • Any PC that suffers Critical Damage cannot do anything but crawl weakly, grasping for life. If given aid (such as bandages), they will stabilize. If left untreated, they die within the hour. NPCs and monsters that fail a Critical Damage save are considered dead, per the Admin’s discretion. Additionally, some enemies will have special abilities or effects that are triggered when their target fails a critical damage save.

Attribute Loss

  • If a PC takes damage outside of combat, they should instead receive damage to an Attribute, typically BOD.
  • If a PC’s BOD is reduced to 0, they die. If their AGL is reduced to 0, they are paralyzed. If their CTR is reduced to 0, they are delirious. Complete AGL and CTR loss renders the character unable to act until they are restored through extended rest or by extraordinary means.

Character Death

  • When a character dies, the player should create a new character or take control of a hireling. They immediately join the party in order to reduce downtime.

Detachments

  • Large groups of similar combatants fighting together are treated as a single Detachment. When a detachment takes Critical Damage, it is routed or significantly weakened. When it reaches 0 BOD, it is destroyed.
  • Attacks against detachments by individuals are impaired (excluding blast damage). Attacks against individuals by detachments are enhanced and deal blast damage.

Retreat

  • Running away from a dire situation always requires a successful AGL save, as well as a safe destination to run to.

Ranged Attacks

  • Ranged weapons can target any enemy near enough to see the whites of their eyes. Attacks against especially distant targets are Impaired.
  • Ammunition is not tracked unless otherwise specified.

Hacking

Modules

  • Modules contain a single hack and take up one slot. They cannot be easily copied or created; instead they are recovered from other hackers or corporate datastores.
  • Modules will attract the attention of those others hackers, and NetWatch, and it is considered dangerous to display them openly.

Deploying Hacks

  • Anyone with a Cyberdeck can trigger a hack by activating the Module, which then takes about 10 seconds to deploy. They must take Stress equal to a roll of the Module’s die.
  • If the PC is deprived or under extreme pressure, the Admin may require a PC to make a CTR save to avoid any complications from deploying the hack. Consequences of failure are on par with the intended effect and may result in added Strain, the destruction of the Module, injury, and even death.

Scripts

Scripts are similar to Modules, however:

  • They are petty.
  • They do not cause Stress.
  • They disappear after one use.

Prototypes

Prototypes are items imbued with a magical spell or power. They do not cause Fatigue. Relics usually have limited use, as well as a Recharge condition.