Game Rules

Rolls

As a general rule except in special cases, only the players roll dice, never the GM.

Although some rolls require a straight die roll (usually compared with a table), most rolls are rolled using the success system: the player rolls a number of six-sided dice, and each result of 4 or higher counts as a success. The number “4” counts as the target number (TN). Some effects (such as tactics, see the Confrontation Table below) changes the target number.

The number of successes determine how successful the roll was. Zero successes is a complete failure, and more successes have a stronger effect than fewer. Usually, the player has a list of options to buy effects with successes. For example, when making an attack successes are used to hit the target and to increase damage or activate special effects.

Characters with superiority reduce to target number by two points (usually to 2). With an edge, the target number decreases by one point (usually to 3). With a snag, the target number increases by one point (usually to 5) and with a drawback, the target number increases by two points (usually to 6).

Extra dice: whenever a die roll rolls a natural 6, it is automatically a success, and also the character gets another die and may roll it immediately for the same test. Successes rolled from these extra dice count towards the total number of successes. If those extra dice come up as natural sixes again, they generate more and more dice. Theoretically, a die roll can generate an unlimited number of successes.

Target numbers above six: a d6 cannot roll a result above six. Every increase in the target number above six halves the number of dice rolled (rounded up). Because the number is rounded up, the number of dice rolled cannot be lowered below one.

Target numbers below two: the minimum target number is 2, meaning that a natural 1 on any die roll is always a failure. If circumstances cause the TN to drop below 2, it remains 2 but the number of dice is increased by 50% (round up), for each number under 2. The number of bonus dice is calculated only once and applied once for each point by which the TN is lower than 2. For example, if the character is supposed to roll 5 dice against TN 4, and somehow accumulates advantages which would reduce the TN all the way down to -1 (3 points below 2), she gains bonus dice of 3 (50% of 5 rounded up) three times, for a total of +9 dice, or 14 dice altogether.

Effort: rolls which involve the character’s own abilities and skills allow the character to make an effort, by spending points from her ability pools. The cost of additional dice starts with one ability point per die, and increases by one for each additional die: two points for the second die, three points for the third die and so on. Adding three dice costs a total of six ability points (1+2+3). The ability must match the type of action taken, such as Speed points for firing a firearm, Intellect points for using a computer or Might points for a physical feat. When rolling anything which counts as a skill check, the maximum effort which the character can make is equal to her training level +1.

Prolonged tasks

When making a test that takes a long time, a special mechanism exists to calculate such a test. Prolonged tasks have a base duration. The character can make the test again and again, each roll requires the base duration, and each subsequent roll is made with one less die than the previous one. When the dice run out, the task cannot continue. Unless the character is interrupted, the total number of successes is equal to all the successes which were accumulated throughout the test.

For example, an engineer who wants to design a better loading mechanism for a PDC (point defense cannon) uses 4 dice (2 for being trained, 2 for effort) and gains 3 more dice from her assistant aiding her (see collaborative tests below) for a total of 7 dice. She rolls against target number 5, and the base duration for the test is 6 hours. She can roll again and again, but after seven rolls and 42 hours (which she stretches over six days in order not to accumulate a stress point), she has no dice left. By then she has rolled 28 dice, and will achieve an average of 11 successes. She can use these 11 successes to improve the loader’s design by making it more energy efficient (2 successes), faster (4 successes), more durable (1 success) and made of cheaper materials (4 successes).

Instruction

Instruction is a prolonged task in which one character helps a group of other characters prepare for the future. The lead character must be trained in the skill which she is teaching, and none of her students may have a training level higher than hers. The instruction base duration is four days, and only one assistant may assist the teacher, if the instructor also fulfills the requirement of having equal or better training in the taught skill than any of the students.

The base duration of the prolonged task of instruction is one week. The instructor uses the teaching (I) skill, not the taught skill, when instructing.

When the project is completed, the teacher decides how to allocate the successes. First, the teacher must allocate successes to buy the maximum bonus each student will gain. The remaining successes are divided evenly among the students. Students can then use these successes as bonus dice to skill checks made with the taught skill, but cannot use more dice than the maximum bonus which was granted by the teacher. Any remaining successes which are not divisible by the students are retained by the teacher.

For example, Aiysha is a psychology (I) professor, and has mastery of psychology, and is an expert in teaching. Her assistance, Kelly, is an expert in psychology but untrained in teaching. She still aids Aiysha and gives her two successes. The course in Introduction to Lacanian Psychology takes 20 days (actually, it is spread over the whole semester but the students take other classes as well). Seven students attend the class, all of them untrained in psychology. Aisha conducts a prolonged task and with her expertise in teaching (2 dice) and two levels of effort (2) plus a bonus of two dice from the university’s administrative staff and two from Kelly’s assistance, she has a total of 8 dice, enough to roll the dice eight times, and teach the class effectively for eight weeks. The semester ends after six weeks, so Aiysha ends up rolling only six times, a total of 33 dice. She rolls 16 successes. She decides to allocate one point to the maximum bonus, leaving 15 successes to divide among the seven students. Each student will gain a bonus of two dice, which they must use on two separate uses of the psychology skill. One unallocated die remains with Aiysha herself, for a future use of the psychology skill.

Collaborative tests

When a group of characters perform a test together, it must be decided who is performing the test and who is aiding. The assisting characters act first, and roll dice as if they were performing the test themselves, against the same target number. For each success which they achieve, the lead character gains a bonus die to her roll.

For example, a doctor who is treating a badly injured patient asks a nurse for assistance. The nurse rolls the Medicine (I) skill and achieves 3 successes, granting the doctor 3 extra dice for her skill check to save the injured person.

Normally, it makes sense to let the most skilled character perform the skill and less skilled characters to aid. Some characters, however, are especially good at aiding, and roll the assisting test against a lower target number. It is possible that

The Confrontation Table

The confrontation table is used whenever a challenge pits one of the PCs against a foe (PC or NPC). Each side chooses a tactic in secret, and the two tactics are compared. The two sides are marked as left (L) and right (R). The table gives the result, either there is a tie, or one or the other gains an advantage.

The table gives the possible results: RR means that the right side has superiority over the left side, and the left side has a drawback against the right side. R means that the right side has an edge against the left side, and the left side has a snag against the right side. LL means that the left side has superiority over the right side, and the right side has a drawback against the left side. L means that the left side has an edge against the right side, and the right side has a snag against the left side.

The five tactics are named with adverbs, describing in what manner the side attempts to take action. Each tactic is marked with a Greek letter: quickly (α), forcefully (β), consistently (γ), indirectly (δ) or precisely (ε).

Confrontation Table

L\R	quickly (α)	forcefully (β)	consistently (γ)	indirectly (δ)	precisely (ε)
quickly (α)	–	L	RR	R	LL
forcefully (β)	R	–	L	LL	RR
consistently (γ)	LL	R	–	RR	L
indirectly (δ)	L	RR	LL	–	R
precisely (ε)	RR	LL	R	L	–

Having superiority (RR or LL) reduces the target number with all dice in the roll by two points.

Having edge (R or L) reduces the target number with all dice in the roll by one point.

Having a snag (L or R) increases the target number with all dice in the roll by one point.

Having a drawback (LL or RR) increases the target number with all dice in the roll by two points.

Character Creation

To create a character, the most important elements are the “fluff” elements: the character’s name, personal story, gender, beliefs, goals, etc. Players can imagine the world in the year 2084 and what kind of people will live there.

In terms of the “crunch” of the character, the character’s statistics, creating a character is achieved by selecting the character’s descriptor, profession and focus. This creates many combinations for characters. roll once on the quirk table and then draw a random character card. Each character has only one descriptor, one profession and one focus.

For example, a character could be a quiet teacher who invents languages (descriptor is quiet, profession is teacher, focus is one who teaches languages).

The five stages of character creation are:

1. Think of a general character concept.
2. Choose a descriptor.
3. Choose a profession.
4. Choose a focus.
5. Roll on the quirk table.
6. Draw a random character card.
7. Flesh out the character with a name, identity and story.

Pools: each character has three ability pools, Intellect, Might and Speed. These points are spent to fuel powers, to apply effort to checks and when the character suffers damage. The initial pool levels are 0 in each ability, plus additional points as determined by the character’s descriptor, profession and focus. Buying more points costs 1.5 XP per point.

Basic Character Sheet

Name:

Character’s essence: description, profession, focus

Pools: (a starting character usually has 18 points in total distributed among the three pools)

Intellect

Might

Speed

Skills: (a starting character is usually trained in six skills)

Statistics (default initial values are added):

Initiative: 4

Mental toughness: 2

Brace: 1

Special abilities:

Quirk:

Biotics and Augmentations: if any

Equipment: (determined by the character’s descriptor, profession and focus)

Story, background and personality:

Descriptors

1. Aggressive
2. Augmented
3. Biotic
4. Bold
5. Charismatic
6. Deceptive
7. Dilettante
8. Emo
9. Friendly
10. Geeky
11. Patient
12. Polymath
13. Quiet
14. Quick
15. Smart
16. Spiritual
17. Strong
18. Technoid
19. Tough
20. Trigger-happy

Aggressive

An aggressive character gains +2 Might and +1 Speed, is trained in unarmed fighting (M) and in intimidation (I), and is equipped with an armored jacket (durability 12, DR 5) and a with bowie knife (melee weapon, light, base damage 4/2, secondary: terrify target by 4 points, capable of forceful, precise and quick attacks).

Charge (special ability): An aggressive character can spend effort on Initiative by spending Intellect as well as Speed points.

Augmented

An augmented character gains +2 Might and +1 Speed, is trained in armed fighting (M) and in first aid (I), and is equipped with two minor augmentations.

Acclimated to augmentations (special ability): An augmented character suffers from only one point of rejection despite the two augmentations.

Biotic

A biotic character gains +1 to Intellect, Might and Speed, is trained in biology (I) and in medicine (I), and is equipped with a bottle of salts (100 gulps).

Biotic initiation (special ability): A biotic character has 1 die in one of the eight biotic fields. If the character gains biotic ability from her profession or focus, it must be in the same field.

Bold

A bold character gains +1 Might and +2 Speed, is trained in athletics (M) and in land driving (S), and is equipped with a wilderness survival kit (containing a compass, bedroll, survival knife, dry rations, heat pad and generic venom antidote) and an advanced Geiger counter.

Brave (special ability): A bold character gains -2 to target numbers to overcome fear.

Charismatic

A charismatic character gains +2 Intellect and +1 Might, is trained in negotiating (I) and in performing (M), and is equipped with a fashionable suit (durability 5, DR 2) and a hand-held media unit (phone/computer/music player).

Leadership (special ability): a charismatic character can spend Intellect when using effort to buy dice for initiative rolls, but the successes from those dice must be given to allies to boost their initiative results.

Deceptive

A deceptive character gains +1 Intellect and +2 Speed, is trained in deception (I) and in stealth (S), and is equipped with portable radio receiver/transceiver and a disguise kit.

Feint (special ability): a deceptive character can take a half-action to confuse the target. If she succeeds in a deception check against the target’s motive detection, she convinces the target that she will choose a certain tactic in her next attack or defense, usually fooling her target into choosing a predictable counter-tactic. Enemies who were already affected by the Faint ability (successfully or not) become more resistant to future attempts to fool them.

Dilettante

A dilettante character gains +1 to Intellect, Might and Speed, is trained in negotiating (I) and in perception (I), and is equipped with a 10mm Walther Bond (ranged weapon, light, magazine: 12, recoil: 1, long range, damage 5/2 Might, secondary effect: none, has a laser-sight which reduces TN by 1 at short range, capable of indirect, quick and precise attacks), and a dumb AI box.

Extra effort (special ability): the dilettante can add one extra level of effort on every skill check, beyond the maximum which is allowed by the level of training.

Emo

An emo character gains +2 to Intellect and +1 to Might, is trained in forensics (I) and pain resistance (M) and is equipped with Soundcrafter music player/instrument/sound editor and with a drug kit to induce and awaken from cold sleep for up to 30 days for one person.

Nihilism (special ability): the emo recovers from one point of stress every month regardless of stress-relieving actions.

Friendly

A friendly character gains +2 Might and +1 to Speed, is trained in negotiating (I) and in psychology (I) and is equipped with a case of recreational drugs and with a charged crystal battery (2kg).

Grace (special ability): a friendly character may also spend Might points on effort with social skills. Also, upon making a new friend a friendly character can recover from one stress point.

Geeky

A geeky character gains +3 to Intellect, is trained in physics (I) and in programming (I) and is equipped with a gaming laptop and with a sharp titanium sword (a replica from a favorite movie, melee weapon, medium, base damage 7/4, secondary: allows precise defense (ε) against melee attacks and slow projectiles, and grants +1 die for each success, capable of consistent, forceful and indirect attacks).

Obscure reference (1 Intellect, special ability): a geeky character which observes an unknown creature or technology or natural element for the first time, can draw a conclusion on the significance of what she observes based on how that object was portrayed in science fiction.

Patient

A patient character gains +2 to Intellect and +1 to Might, is trained in linguistics (I) and in pain resistance (M) and is equipped with a portable chemical lab, a wiretap and a code-breaker.

If at first you don’t succeed (special ability): whenever a patient character tries the same task for a second time in a row, using the consistently (γ) tactic in each attempt, she gains +2 dice for the second attempt.

Polymath

A polymath character gains +1 to Intellect, Might and Speed, is trained in computer interface (I) and linguistics (I) and is equipped with dumb AI encyclopedia and a skillchip cooker.

Broad horizons (special ability): choose two skills based on the same pool and combine them into one. For example, a polymath may combine biology (I) and physics (I) into a single skill called science (I) or forensics (I) and perception (I) into investigation (I) or firearms (S) and gunnery (S) into shooting (S) or land driving (S) and piloting (S) into vehicle control (S), or armed fighting (M) and unarmed fighting (M) into melee fighting (M). From now on, anything that will grant the polymath training or a boost to training in one of the two skills will affect the larger skill instead.

Quiet

A quiet character gains +1 to Intellect and +2 to Speed, is trained in infiltrating (S) and in stealth (S) and is equipped with a camouflage suit (durability 8, DR 3, grants +2 dice to hiding) and with a collapsible carbon Kali sniper rifle (heavy ranged weapon, magazine 6, recoil 3, very long range, damage 9/6, secondary: hit a specific body part or ignore armor, can apply two aim actions, can use precise tactic).

Someone else’s problem (1 Speed, special ability): when a quiet character stands still and hasn’t yet acted this turn, other characters tend to ignore her. Unless they are actively looking for her, and unless she stands out for some reason, she can roll a stealth check and all enemies will ignore her, unless their perception score is more than 2 points for each success which she rolled.

Quick

A quick character gains +1 to Intellect and +2 to Speed, is trained in athletics (M) and in land driving (S) and is equipped with a bladed crossbow (medium combined melee/ranged weapon, magazine 1, recoil 0, long range, damage 5/3, secondary: can shoot into a melee wound (-2 to TN) or can make a silent shot, tactics: indirect, precise, quick) with a grappling hook and a collapsible motorcycle in backpack form.

Act before you think (2 Intellect, special ability): when a quick character activates this ability, she gains +2 dice to her Initiative test.

Smart

A smart character gains +3 to Intellect, is trained in forensics (I) and in physics (I) and is equipped with a tactical helmet with a dumb AI (durability 8, DR 2) and with life support infrastructure and advanced sensors (thermographic, sonar, radar, radio).

Hard thinking (special ability): a smart character can buy one extra die of effort in all Intellect-based skills beyond what her training would normally allow.

Spiritual

A spiritual character gains +1 to Intellect and +2 to Might, is trained in medicine (I) and in spiritualism (I) and is equipped with ten sticks of incense and with a bottle of salts (100 gulps).

Trance (1 Might, special ability): a spiritual character may initiate a 4-hour trance with one other willing participant. Both characters recover from one point of Stress, and the trance counts as part of their cycle.

Strong

A strong character gains +2 to Might and +1 to Speed, is trained in athletics (M) and in unarmed fighting (M) and is equipped with a Ceska 38mm light machine gun (heavy ranged, magazine 50, recoil 3, long range, damage 8/4, secondary: targets choose to lose 0.5 AP from next action or suffer 3 extra damage; automatic fire affects multiple targets in short area but consumes 8 ammo and recoil 5, can use the consistent, forceful and indirect tactics). The weapon comes with a ventilation system and padding which grant brace 8, and with a collapsible tripod that grants brace 10. Also, a strong character is equipped with a 50m metal cord spool powered by a 5-horsepower engine.

Strain (1 Might): a strong character can strain her muscles up to once per day to gain +2 to a pain resistance (M) or athletics (M) roll, or to gain 4 points of brace for one combat round, or to gain +2 damage on melee damage for one combat round, or to suppress one point of rejection for a whole week.

Technoid

A technoid character gains +2 to Intellect and +1 to Speed, is trained in computer interface (I) and in programming (I) and is equipped with a portable 3D printer and with a toolbox with power tools.

Ghost in the machine (1 Intellect, special ability): a technoid character can bond with a complex machine, computer or station by taking a full action (1 AP). She then gains +1 die to using this machine with skills such as electronic warfare (I), engineering (I), repair (I), system operations (I) but not with driving, piloting or gunnery. A technoid character can have up to four bonded devices at a time.

Tough

A tough character has +3 to Might, she is trained in courage (M) and in pain resistance (M) and is equipped with powered armor (Durability 20, DR 7) and with a hazmat kit.

Tough as nails (special ability): a tough character suffers one less point of damage from any physical or mental attack, and has a chance of one in six to ignore a stress point when you suffer one.

Trigger happy

A trigger happy character has +3 to Speed, she is trained in firearms (S) and in gunnery (S), and is equipped with an optical-linked Zastava .45 heavy pistol (light ranged, magazine 16, recoil 2, short range, damage 6/3, secondary: ignore armor’s DR, can use the forceful, precise and quick tactics, the optical-link reduces TN by 1) and a concealable holster and an ammunition fabrication kit.

If you wanna shoot, shoot (1 Speed, special ability): a trigger happy character can draw a light ranged weapon with a quick action (0.2 AP). If she is already holding loaded light ranged weapon in her hand, she gains +1 to initiative tests.

Professions

1. Actor
2. Artist
3. Astronaut
4. Athlete
5. Builder
6. Criminal
7. Detective
8. Doctor
9. Electrician
10. Farmer
11. Ground Crew
12. Lawyer
13. Mechanic
14. Paramedic
15. Pilot
16. Politician
17. Programmer
18. Scholar
19. Soldier
20. Teacher

Actor

An actor gains +5 to Intellect, +3 to Might and +4 to Speed. She is trained in negotiating (I) and performance (M). She is equipped with a set of costumes (durability 10, DR 3) and a latex sculpting and painting kit.

Get into a role (1 Intellect, special ability): when an actor observes another character uses a skill, she can become trained in that skill for six hours.

The world is a stage (special ability): when an actor succeeds in setting up a ruse by deception and a script, she recovers one point of stress if the act achieves its goal. This special way of relieving stress can be part of the cycle.

Artist

An artist gains +6 to Intellect, +3 to Might and +3 to Speed. She is trained in crafting (I) and in perception (I). She is equipped with a tool of her art (a musical instrument, a graphic computer, a hologram design set, a 3D printer, etc.).

Artistic inspiration (special ability): When an artist uses her art to decorate or inspire a tool or a weapon, she can buy a bonus die when using this tool, or grant an ally this bonus die, at the cost of 1 Intellect. This doesn’t count as effort. Only one die can be bought for each roll with this ability.

Creative relaxation (special ability): An artist need only wait through a cycle of two methods of stress relief before she can use her art to remove a stress point again.

Astronaut

An astronaut gains +4 to Intellect, +4 to Might and +4 to Speed. She is trained in repairing (S) and in zero-g movement (S). She is equipped with a lightweight space suit (endurance 12, DR 5, oxygen for 4 hours) and with a laser pistol (ranged weapon, light, magazine: 6, recoil: 0, short range, damage 6/3 Might, secondary effect: none, capable of consistent, quick and precise attacks).

Gravity acclimation (special ability): when subjected to high-g, the astronaut benefits from -1 to TN to resist the effects of acceleration and reduces penalties from high acceleration to actions by one.

Athlete

An athlete gains +2 to Intellect, +5 to Might and +5 to Speed. She is trained in athletics (S) and in unarmed fighting (M). She is equipped with a climbing harness and a diving suit (endurance 8, DR 4).

Acrobatics (special ability): in any turn in which the athlete moves at least a short distance, she gains +2 dice to quickly (α) evade ranged attacks against her.

Dash (special ability): an athlete can spend 1 Speed point to move a short range with a free action, a long range with a half-action or very long range with a full action.

Builder

A builder gains +5 to Intellect, +4 to Might and +3 to Speed. She is trained in crafting (I) and in engineering (I). She is equipped with a portable 3D-printer and with a molten plastic gun.

If you build it (special ability): a builder gains +2 dice on prolonged tasks to build or assemble objects, and whenever she successfully builds something for the first time, she recovers one point of stress, which counts as part of her cycle.

Criminal

A criminal gains +2 to Intellect, +5 to Might and +5 to Speed. She is trained in infiltration (S) and in intimidation (I). She is equipped with a shotgun (medium ranged weapon, magazine 8, recoil 3, short range, damage 8/4, can affect multiple targets in an immediate area, uses the consistent, forceful or quick tactics) and with a code-breaker.

Security breach (1 Intellect, special ability): the criminal can examine an area and find a security vulnerability such as gap between cameras, an unmotivated guard, etc. She gains +2 to infiltration and stealth checks to breach the target, and can grant the same bonus to her allies.

Shift blame (2 Speed, special ability): a quick and subtle use of body language and underhanded movement allows the criminal to make another person seem guilty in an action that she herself has committed. The deception may be short-lived but could give the criminal a chance to escape before the truth is revealed.

Detective

A detective gains +5 to Intellect, +3 to Might and +4 to Speed. She is trained in forensics (I) and in perception (I). She is equipped with a portable forensics kit and with a surveillance kit.

Crime scene investigation (2 Intellect, special ability): by examining a scene for ten minutes, a detective can discover three clues on what happened there. The detective is especially good at locating things which contradict the seeming state of affairs or seem out of place.

Doctor

A doctor gains +6 to Intellect, +3 to Might and +3 to Speed. She is trained in first aid (I) and in medicine (I). She is equipped with a medikit and a surgery bag.

Anatomy (special ability): a doctor who studies the anatomy of a subject carefully for 10 minutes gains +1 die for future physical attacks, first aid and medicine checks and similar checks against that target.

Diagnosis (special ability): a doctor who makes a medicine check to diagnose a patient reduces penalties for the roll by 1 and gains +1 die for free.

Electrician

An electrician gains +5 to Intellect, +3 to Might and +4 to Speed. She is trained in engineering (I) and repairing (S). She is equipped with a collapsible solar tent charger and a fully charged crystal-capacitor, as well with a light electrician’s toolbox.

Coax power (1 Speed, special ability): an electrician can breathe life into a seemingly dead device and give it enough power for one last operation. This requires a half-action (0.5 AP).

Been electrocuted before (special ability): an electrician does not suffer from a stress point from cold sleep, unless she sleeps for more than 100 days.

Farmer

A farmer gains +3 to Intellect, +6 to Might and +3 to Speed. She is trained in biology (I) and in logistics (I). She is equipped with combat rations for 100 days and with a survival kit.

Head to the ground (special ability): when a farmer assists another character with a prolonged task, she rolls against TN -2 to generate supporting dice.

Prepare for winter (special ability): a farmer counts her total stress points as half (round up) when counting when the stress exceeds one or more of her pools.

Ground Crew

A ground crew character gains +4 to Intellect, +4 to Might and +4 to Speed. She is trained in logistics (I) and repair (S). She is equipped with a jumpsuit (durability 10, DR 4), a powerful flashlight and a toolbox.

Systems check (1 Intellect, special ability): when the ground crew character aids another character with one of the following skills, she grants that character one extra die regardless of the number of successes which she rolled: electronic warfare, engineering, gunnery, piloting, land driving and zero-g movement.

For want of a nail (special ability): if a ground crew character finds and repairs a technical problem that could have caused a loss of human life, and repairs it in time, she can recover one point of stress.

Lawyer

A lawyer gains +6 to Intellect, +3 to Might and +3 to Speed. She is trained in negotiating (I) and in psychology (I). She is equipped with a dumb-AI secretary and with a holographic media display unit.

Confidentiality (1 Intellect, special ability): when the lawyer listens to a friend tell her a dangerous or embarrassing secret, the friend can recover one stress point (which can be part of a cycle).

Social deconstruction (3 Intellect, special ability): the lawyer can examine and hold a conversation with someone for three minutes to come to the conclusion regarding that individual’s place within a specific social network and a main ambition of that individual.

Mechanic

A mechanic gains +2 to Intellect, +5 to Might and +5 to Speed. She is trained in repairing (S) and in smithing (S). She is equipped with a toolbox and a minor augmentation.

I made this (special ability): when using a tool or a weapon which the mechanic crafted herself, she gains +1 die. If she wears a suit of armor that she crafted herself, she gains +1 to the DR.

Salvage (special ability, 1 Int): when a mechanic spends an hour to break down a machine and search for parts, she finds one extra component, material or usable scrap beyond what she would normally have found.

Paramedic

A paramedic gains +5 to Intellect, +3 to Might and +4 to Speed. She is trained in land driving (S) and in medicine (I). She is equipped with a medikit and with a trauma kit.

Double aid (special ability, 1 Speed): when taking an action to aid another character, the paramedic grants the target the opportunity to make a recovery check as a quick action (0.2 AP) if she also takes the action which the paramedic was aiding. This recovery check counts towards the daily recovery checks.

Stabilize (special ability, 1 Speed): the paramedic may take a full action (1 AP) to stabilize a character which is injured or mortally wounded. The paramedic makes a medicine (I) check against TN 4 and heals one point of damage (distributed among the pools as the target sees fit) per success, in addition to disinfecting the wound and stopping any bleeding. If the paramedic continues to administer first-aid for five minutes, the target may also repeat the last recovery check which she did this day.

Pilot

A pilot gains +1 to Intellect and +2 to Speed. She is trained in piloting (S) and in zero-g movement (S). She is equipped with a parachute and a hand-held drone (battery life 8 hours, VTOL flight, carries a camera and can lift 3kg).

Coax (special ability, 1 Speed): a pilot can coax more power and better performance from a system she is using, provided that the system is incorporated into an aircraft or a spaceship. When doing so, she gains one more die when using the system.

Stunt (special ability, 1 Speed): the stunt is a half-action (0.5 AP) which the pilot can take to grant herself -1 TN when using indirect, precise or quick defensive options while flying through air or through space, for the duration of one turn.

Politician

A politician gains +3 to Intellect. She is trained in intimidation (I) and in negotiating (I). She is equipped with a hologram projector and with armored clothing (durability 12, DR 4).

Natural leader (special ability): anyone who aids the politician in a check gains -1 to the TN of the aid check.

Thrive on pressure (special ability): once per year, when a politician makes a check which would affect the lives of at least a hundred people, she can add her stress level as bonus dice on the roll.

Programmer

A programmer gains +3 to Intellect. She is trained in computer interface (I) and in programming (I). She is equipped with a dumb-AI coding bracer and with an autonomous dumb-AI drone (walking, weighs 10kg, armed with a taser and uses it as if untrained, Intellect 3, Might 4, Speed 3).

AI analysis (special ability, 1 Intellect). A programmer can interact with an AI to learn three facts about it: what is it’s current power, what is its trajectory (growing, stable, decaying) and what is its main personality feature or purpose. Studying an AI takes time, which depends on the form of interface, but is never less than a full action (1 AP) and rarely more than an hour.

Real time hacker (special ability, 2 Intellect). A programmer can use this ability to lower the TN of an electronic warfare check by 1. If she has an interface with a hostile computer system, she can use a full action (1 AP) to determine which defense tactic is employed by this system.

Scholar

A scholar gains +3 to Intellect. She is trained in linguistics (I) and in physics (I). She is equipped with a cube library and with a mobile wave spectrum scanner.

Rigorous investigation (2 Intellect, special ability): a scholar can conduct basic observations and experiments on a newly encountered phenomenon, taking 3 hours, to come up with preliminary conclusions regarding the nature of the phenomenon in terms which are familiar to her.

Theoretical knowledge (special ability): whenever a scholar uses a skill check as a knowledge check (for example, using gunnery to identify the type of a cannon) she may add an extra point of effort on top of the maximum levels of efforts which are allowed to her. In addition, if she puts at least two points of effort, the cost of the effort is reduced by one point if the cost is in Intellect points, or by two points if the cost is in Might or Speed points.

Soldier

A soldier gains +2 to Might and +1 to Speed. She is trained in athletics (M) and in firearms (S). She is equipped with an assault rifle (ranged weapon, medium, magazine 32, recoil 2, long range, damage: 7/4, secondary effect: none, automatic fire effects multiple targets in immediate area, consumes 6 ammo and recoil 4, can use the consistent, indirect, precise and quick tactics). The assault rifle is fitted with a gas-vent system that grants 4 points of brace. She is also equipped with a flak jacket (durability 14, DR 5).

Tactical thinking (special ability, 1 Speed): the soldier is a flexible tactician, and can use this special ability to use a tactic not normally allowed by her weapon or by her defenses, such as making a forceful attack with a sniper rifle.

Take cover (special ability): whenever using cover as a defense, a soldier gains -1 to the TN of her defensive roll.

Teacher

A teacher gains +2 to Intellect and +1 to Might. She is trained in psychology (I) and in teaching (I). She is equipped with cube library and with a surveillance kit.

Expert instructor (special ability): a teacher gains -1 to the TN when taking the prolonged task of instruction or when aiding another character in taking the instruction action.

Process information (special ability, 2 Intellect): a teacher can read quickly and identify key sentences and facts in a complex technical or legal text, and convey highlights to other characters. Effectively, the other characters benefit from the information as if they read the text themselves, but at a quarter of the time.

Foci

1. Who acts without thinking
2. Who augments herself
3. Who believes in the transcendent
4. Who coaxes water out of stone
5. Who cooks like a chef
6. Who creates beautiful things
7. Who doesn’t play games
8. Who dreams of flying
9. Who empathizes
10. Who explores the unknown
11. Who invents languages
12. Who is gifted with biotic ability
13. Who isn’t aware of her own power
14. Who isn’t easily daunted
15. Who knows there is something beyond
16. Who loves to sing
17. Who makes elaborate plans
18. Who stands up for herself
19. Who takes things apart
20. Who was augmented against her will

Who acts without thinking

The character gains +3 Speed. She is trained in athletics (M) and in pain resistance (M). She has a box of powerful performance-enhancing drugs.

Mulligan (2 Intellect, special ability). The character who acts without thinking draws a card and may use it only in the next five minutes. If she doesn’t, the card is discarded.

Nervous reflex (special ability). The character gains her total stress points as a bonus to her next initiative test. When combat is over, she takes damage to distribute among the pools equal to her stress level, and cannot use this ability again for 100 hours.

Who augments herself

The character gains +1 to Might and +2 to Speed. She is trained in cybermedicine (I) and in unarmed combat (M). She has one major and one minor augmentations, and 12 doses of ?acter who augments herself adds another augmentation to her body, she overcomes one stress point.

Who believes in the transcendent

The character gains +1 to Intellect, +1 to Might and +1 to Speed. She is trained in pain resistance (M) and in spiritualism (I). She has one a cube library and a music caster with a virtual instrument set.

Divine plan (special ability): a character who believes in the transcendent can issue a prayer after she has a brush with death or a great danger, or after losing a loved one. She recovers from one point of stress. This can be part of the stress recovery cycle.

Quantum prayer (special ability, 3 Intellect): a character who believes in the transcendent can observe quantum processes indirectly, through cameras or through observing a device operated by a quantum computer, causing quantum-AIs to crash or preventing a gravity jump.

Who coaxes water out of stone

A character who coaxes water out of stone gains +1 to Intellect, +1 to Might and +1 to Speed. She is trained in biology (I) and in system operations (I). She has a charged crystal capacitor (2kg) and a humidity-catcher tent.

Find internal reserves (special ability): a character who coaxes water out of stone can make a recovery roll as a reaction without spending an action, just as she suffers damage or spends points from her ability pools. She cannot use this ability again until she either gains or loses a stress point.

Squeeze out one more (1 Speed, special ability): a character who coaxes water out of stone can use a system even if the system does not have sufficient power, but only once before the system is properly powered.

Who cooks like a chef

A character who cooks like a chef gains +1 to Intellect, +1 to Might and +1 to Speed. She is trained in biology (I) and in medicine (I) and is equipped with a portable kitchen with a 3D printer and 10kg in ingredients and with a chemsniffer.

Feast (2 Speed, special ability): a character who cooks like a chef can prepare a grand feast in celebration or in mourning of a special event. She makes a prolonged test with 4 dice (she can spend up to 4 levels of effort using Might points), and a base duration of 3 hours. When the feast is ready, the character who cooks like a chef can spend successes to relieve stress points from the participants. Each participant who recovers from one stress point costs one success, but creatures who are a different species than the character who cooks like a chef cost three successes each. The feast counts as part of the stress cycle.

The way to a man’s heart (1 Intellect, special ability): a character who cooks like a chef can prepare a meal that will make its make the participants more susceptible to certain emotions or manipulations. The preparation requires one hour and can feed up to twenty people. During the meal and for up to three hours after it, participants receive +1 die or become vulnerable (-1 TN) to the following skills: athletics (M), courage (M), negotiating (I), pain resistance (M), spiritualism (I) and zero-G movement (S).

Who creates beautiful things

The character gains +1 to Intellect and +2 to Speed. She is trained in crafting (I) and in performing (M). She is equipped with a VR brain reader connected to a 3D printer and with a music caster with a virtual instrument set.

Lost in art (2 Intellect, special ability): a character who creates beautiful things can dedicate four days to her art and recover from a point of stress. This is part of the stress cycle.

Disguise object (2 Speed, special ability): a character who creates beautiful things can disguise one object as another, or make an item, vehicle, uniform, etc. appear as if it is part of a set used by a specific organization. Although anyone can attempt to disguise an object like this, a character who creates beautiful things gains a benefit of -2 to the TN.

Who doesn’t play games

A character who doesn’t play games gains +1 to Intellect and +2 to Might. She is trained in intimidation (I) and in linguistics (I). She has a 10mm Walther Bond (pistol, ranged weapon, light, magazine: 12, recoil: 1, long range, damage 5/2, no secondary ability, laser sight reduces TN by 1 at short range, capable of indirect, precise and quick tactics) and with a personal assistant dumb-AI.

Ignore stress (special ability): when a character who doesn’t play games suffers a point of stress, she has the option to ignore that stress, at the cost of 1 XP and not receiving a character card. Every time she uses this ability, her body ages by five years.

Proaction (1 Speed, special ability): a character who doesn’t play games scan commit to how she is going to spend her first action point (1 AP) in a situation before rolling for initiative. If she does, she gains +2 dice on her initiative check.

Who dreams of flying

The character gains +1 Might and +2 Speed. She is trained in piloting (S) and in zero-g movement (S). She has a wingsuit and a jetpack.

Ace pilot (special ability): a character who dreams of flying gains +1 die in any round in which she pilots a flying or air vessel, which she can apply to any roll of her choice (initiative, attack, dodge, etc.).

I’m like a bird (special ability): a character who dreams of flying recovers a stress point when she completes a dangerous aerial maneuver on a low-g planet, up to once per month.

Who empathizes

The character gains +2 to Intellect and +1 to Might. She is trained in negotiation (I) and in psychology (I). She is equipped with a second-life VR powered by a dumb AI, and with a 1kg surveillance drone.

A shoulder to cry on (special ability): by listening to a friend or colleague unburden their secrets and feelings, a character who empathizes can allow that character to jump a step in the stress relief cycle. This works only once per cycle.

Detect motive (special ability): by examining another character, a character who empathizes can discern something about the intentions of that person. The character who empathizes can roll one die, and add more dice by using effort and paying with Intellect points (there is no limit on how much). The TN is 4 for understanding another character for at least 10 minutes, which is the same species and speaks the same language as the character who empathizes, assuming that the two characters can see and hear each other well. The TN is increased for every cultural, language or biological obstacle for mutual understanding. Every success grants the character who empathizes a clue regarding the motivations, ambitions, goals, strategies, fears and desires of the target creature.

Who explores the unknown

A character who explores the unknown gains +1 to Intellect, +1 to Might and +1 to Speed. She is trained in perception (I) and in physics (I). She has a portable astronomical telescope with a starmap and a chemsniffer.

Joy of discovery (special ability): whenever the character who explores the unknown arrives in a location of a kind she has never visited before, she recovers from a point of stress (which counts as part of the cycle).

Sensor mastery (special ability): whenever a character who explores the unknown uses optical, mechanical or digital sensors, through a station or a handheld device, the TN for her check is reduced by 1.

Who invents languages

The character gains +3 to Intellect. She is trained in linguistics (I) and in xeno-culture (I). She has a translation machine powered by dumb-AI and a disguise kit.

Decoding (2 Intellect, special ability): a character who invents languages can use a slave system to access the code controlling that system and translating the code into a program which the character knows.

Innuendo (1 Intellect, special ability): a character who invents languages can use a quick action (0.2 AP) to send a coded message to allies that they could understand, but which surveillance would not be able to decipher in real time.

Who is gifted with biotic ability

The character gains +3 to Might. She is trained in athletics (M) and in pain resistance (M). She has a bottle of salts (100 gulps).

Biotic gift (special ability): the character has one die in one of the eight biotic fields. If she already has a die in one of the fields, the extra die has to be in the same field.

Who isn’t aware of her own power

The character gains +1 to Intellect, Might and Speed. She is trained in armed fighting (M) and in stealth (S). She is equipped with bowie knife and with three grenades.

Channel the pain (special ability): once during each stress relief cycle, the character who isn’t aware of her own power can recover from one point of stress and gain a free recovery roll. This is a quick action that requires 0.2 AP.

Deadly strike (special ability, 2 Speed): after her melee or ranged attack connects with an enemy, the character who isn’t aware of her own power can add +4 to the damage of the attack at the cost of 2 Speed points.

Who isn’t easily daunted

The character gains +3 to Might. She is trained in pain resistance (M) and unarmed fighting (M). She is equipped with a lightweight space suit (endurance 12, DR 5, oxygen for 4 hours) and a survival kit (containing a compass, bedroll, survival knife, dry rations, heat pad and generic venom antidote).

Brush it off (special ability): the character who isn’t easily daunted can ignore a point of stress incurred by cold sleep, injury or the loss of a close ally or loved one. Whenever this happens, the current stress cycle that she is on is extended by one step. This special ability can only be used once per month.

Reflexive response (special ability, 3 Speed): upon taking damage from an enemy attack, the character who isn’t easily daunted gains 1 AP for free to take action as an immediate reaction, even though it may not be her turn.

Who knows there is something beyond

The character gains +2 to Intellect and +1 to Speed. She is trained in spiritualism (I) and xeno-culture (I). She has an entangled pair of quantum communication chat-boxes (with enough cubits for 1 MB of information) and a programmable robotic arm.

Push your limits (special ability): the character who knows there is something beyond can increase her abilities above the maximum levels. Once this ability is invoked, it lasts until the first time that an ability which was enhanced beyond its maximum is reduced, even by one point. It cannot be activated again until the character suffers a stress point.

Find meaning in the void (special ability): a character who knows there is something beyond can process an experience she never had before into a work of art, and if she spends a whole week doing so, she can recover a point of stress and it counts as part of the stress recovery cycle.

Who loves to sing

The character gains +2 Intellect and +1 Might. She is trained in negotiating (I) and in performing (M). She has a musical instrument in which a taser is disguised (ranged weapon, light, magazine: 2, no recoil, short range, damage 5/2 speed, secondary effect: target suffers -1 success on her next attack, the electrical shock is not effective against all creatures, especially not big ones, capable of consistent, forceful and quick attacks).

Killing me softly with his song (special ability): a character who loves to sing can sing a song, making her audience more emotional and exposed. Attempts at deception are made at +1 to the target number, while attempts at empathy and reading emotions are at -1 to the target number.

War cry (special ability): when unleashing her emotion through a song or a cry, a character who loves to sing abandons all hopes of stealth but can make a recovery roll as a free action. Only usable once per month.

Who makes elaborate plans

A character who makes elaborate plans gains +2 to Intellect and +1 to Might. She is trained in demolitions (I) and in programming (I). She is equipped with a medium-range combat communication system for six people and with a portable astronomical telescope with a starmap.

Prep talk (special ability, 2 Intellect): a character who makes elaborate plans can spend an hour going over a plan with up to five allies, and designate a skill for each of them. Each member who sticks to the plan gains +2 dice to the designated skill. The plan’s duration cannot be longer than four hours.

Who stands up for herself

The character gains +2 to Might and +1 to Speed. She is trained in intimidation (I) and perception (I). She is equipped with a 10mm Walther Bond (ranged weapon, light, magazine: 12, recoil: 1, long range, damage 5/2 Might, secondary effect: none, has a laser-sight which reduces TN by 1 at short range, capable of indirect, quick and precise attacks) and with a powerful flashlight.

Defiant stare (special ability, 2 Intellect). When using a social skill against a target who has an obvious advantage in numbers, money, firepower over the character who stands up for herself, she can reduce the TN by 2.

Keep your wits about you (special ability). When a character who stands up for herself finds herself in a combat situation which she did not initiate nor prepare for, she gains +2 dice to her first Initiative roll.

Who takes things apart

The character gains +2 to Intellect and +1 to Speed. She is trained in engineering (I) and in smithing (S). She has robotic tinkering tools with a control handset unit and a nanodrone kit with a box of drones 0.1mm in size.

Reverse engineering (Special ability, 3 Intellect). A character who takes things apart can break down a device (up to one module size), which usually takes one day of work. When she is done, the device is destroyed but the character knows how it works and how to build it.

Who was augmented against her will

The character gains +3 to Might. She is trained in medicine (I) and in psychology (I). She has one major and one minor augmentations, and 12 doses of glycyrrhizin.

Maybe some good will come of it (special ability): whenever the character who was augmented against her will uses her augmentation to save someone’s life (including her own), she gains the benefit of having taken a dose of glycyrrhizin without the negative effects and may recover from one stress point.

Overclocked augmentation (special ability, 2 Might): a character who was augmented against her will can temporarily double the power of an augmentation, gaining twice the benefit from it, but also double the rejection. The advantages of the boosted augmentation last for 24 hours, but the rejection lasts for a whole week.

Quirks

Roll d20 to get a quirk for your character:

1. Addicted to a drug: the character cannot advance on the stress relief cycle without taking a hit of the drug to which she is addicted to.
2. Armor non-proficient: the character’s maximum Speed is reduced by 1 per point of DR of whatever armor she wears.
3. Bleeder: when the character suffers 1 or more Might damage from a sharp or skin-penetrating weapon, she bleeds 1 point of Might damage on her turn every turn until she succeeds in a TN 4 check using one die. Effort can be bought with Might.
4. Clumsy: when the character carries more than six items at once, her maximum Speed is reduced by one by each item above six.
5. Distrustful: +1 to TN to sense read emotions and intentions.
6. Glycyrrhizin allergy: consuming glycyrrhizin causes a severe allergic reaction, preventing the use of augmentations.
7. Hyperactive: the character suffers 1 point of Intellect damage whenever she uses the Consistently (γ) tactic.
8. Jittery: the character suffers 1 point of Speed damage every time she uses the Precisely (ε) tactic.
9. Lame: immediate move costs a half-action, and a short move costs a full action.
10. Lazy: the character suffers 1 point of Speed damage whenever she uses the Quickly (α) tactic.
11. Long-arms non-proficient: the character suffers +1 to the TN when using a two-handed weapon.
12. Overreacts to injury: taking damage in a fight causes the character to spend a half-action (0.6 AP) to writhe in pain before she can do anything else.
13. Pure: augmentations cause double rejection.
14. Salts allergy: consuming salts causes a severe allergic reaction, preventing the use of biotics.
15. Short-sighted: the character needs thick glasses to see properly.
16. Simple: the character suffers 1 point of Intellect damage every tame she uses the Indirectly (δ) tactic.
17. Slow: the character can cross 25% less distance on foot compared to an average character.
18. Squeamish: +1 to TN when using a lethal weapon against an organic target.
19. Timid: the character suffers 1 point of Speed damage whenever she uses the Forcefully (β) tactic.
20. Weak lungs: the character can hold her breath for half as long as an average character.

Character cards

Whenever a character gains a Stress point, she also draws a character card. A character may have up to two character cards at once. If she gains a third one, she must discard one of her cards at once and cannot use any of them before she discards one.

Skills

There are many skills in the game, and players are encouraged to invent new ones as they see fit.

In each skill, the character has a level of training. Characters have zero training by default in all skills, which means that they can make skill checks rolling 1 die, and adding up to one additional die by using effort.

The character’s descriptor, profession and focus specify that the character is “trained” in certain skills. One level of training in a skill is described as “being trained” in that skill. A trained character with one level of training rolls two dice, and can add up to two levels of effort when making skill checks.

If two of the character’s choices mention the same skill, the character has two levels of training in the same skill, which counts as being an “expert” or having “expertise” in the skill. An expert character rolls three dice, and can add up to three levels of effort when making skill checks.

The maximum level of training is called “mastery,” equivalent to three levels of training. A master character rolls four dice, and can add up to four levels of effort when making skill checks.

Increasing a skill by one level of training costs 3 XP, but can also be achieved by spending time (about a year) studying and practicing.

In addition, characters may have specializations. A specialization is considered to be a sub-skill. For example, a character may be trained in piloting, and then have specialization in piloting fixed-winged atmospheric vehicles, or in piloting space fighters. A specialization adds one die and one maximum level of effort when the character uses the skill in relation to her specialization. Characters may have more than one specialization in the same skill. Each specialization costs 1 XP.

Here is a partial list of possible skills:

• Armed fighting (M)
• Athletics (M)
• Biology (I)
• Computer interface (I)
• Courage (M)
• Crafting (I)
• Cybermedicine (I)
• Deception (I)
• Demolitions (I)
• Electronic warfare (I)
• Engineering (I)
• Firearms (S)
• First aid (I)
• Forensics (I)
• Gunnery (S)
• Infiltration (I)
• Intimidation (I)
• Land driving (S)
• Linguistics (I)
• Logistics (I)
• Medicine (I)
• Negotiating (I)
• Pain resistance (M)
• Perception (I)
• Performing (M)
• Physics (I)
• Piloting (S)
• Programming (I)
• Psychology (I)
• Repairing (S)
• Smithing (S)
• Spiritualism (I)
• Stealth (S)
• System operations (I)
• Teaching (I)
• Unarmed fighting (M)
• Xeno-culture (I)
• Zero-g movement (S)

Experience

Every session, each character gains 2 XP. In addition, the GM may announce a GM-intervention and create a difficult situation for a specific character. When this happens, the character gains two points of XP, but must give one of them to another character of her choice.

Increasing ability pools cost 1.5 XP per point.

Increasing skills or mental toughness costs 3 XP per point.

One point of XP can also buy a success in any roll.

Combat

Combat scenes

Each combat scene has its own set of rules. The players can read the rules at the beginning of the combat scene. Combat scenes include a brawl, complex engagement, dogfight, duel, gunfight, harry, siege, skirmish and snipers.

Each combat scene offers the participants to buy special advantages with success by a skill check during the setup phase.

Initiative

Then each player rolls initiative for their player. Initiative is a Speed-based test. Most character have an initiative rating of 4, but can buy additional dice with effort (unlike with skills, character can spend as much effort as they wish). Successes with an initiative test can be used for two things: either to bid for acting sooner, or to buy more action points. Without at least one success spent on bidding, the character will not act this round, but may choose to re-roll initiative every round. If the character chooses to re-roll initiative, she does not get to re-use effort bought for the original roll and must decide again whether she wants to invest effort.

Each character has 1 action point (AP) for free each round (if she gets to act at all). Every success invested buys 0.6 AP. Actions come in three types:

Full actions (cost 1 AP): make an attack, use a special ability, aid another character, evade, move a long distance.

Half-actions (cost 0.6 AP): move a short distance, draw a weapon, reload a weapon, duck behind cover, take aim.

Quick actions (cost 0.2 AP): drop an item, drop prone, speak a few words.

These are only examples, and many other actions are possible.

Attacks

When making an attack roll, the character chooses a weapon or type of attack, which defines what tactic is used (between α and ε). The attack is a skill check, and effort may be invested depending on the type of skill used. For each success, the attacker can buy effects. One success is needed to hit the target altogether, and deal the weapon’s base damage. Additional successes can be used to land a more accurate hit (granting +1 to the location roll, up to a maximum of +2 for the cost of 2 successes), to increase the damage (each success adds half of the base damage again, rounded up) or to activate a special effect of the weapon. Some targets require some successes to be spent to overcome their evasive maneuvers, shields or other defenses.

Defense rolls also rely on tactics. You choose the type of defense and compare it with the tactic of the attack. Successes are used to either evade the attack or reduce the damage.

If an attack connects, roll 1d6 to see where it hits:

1-3 The attack hits the target’s armor.

4-5  The attack hits one of the target’s peripherals.

6    The attack hits a random location.

Each target has two tables for random hit locations, one for its entire list of locations, and one for its peripherals. A human, for example, has this table:

d6/d10	Random location	Peripherals
1	Armor	Armor
2	Left arm	Left arm
3	Right arm	Right arm
4	Left leg	Left leg
5	Right leg	Right leg
6	Head	Head
7	Abdomen
8	Torso
9	Hand/foot
10	Face

Armor has two values, durability and DR (damage reduction). Damage inflicted on the armor is reduced by the DR, and the rest is deducted from the armor’s durability. If the armor reaches durability 0, it is destroyed and remaining damage is inflicted on a random location.

Damage to living creatures:

Each attack inflicts damage on one of the three pools: Intellect, Might or Speed. Most physical attack inflict Might damage, but physical damage inflicted to the legs is converted into Speed damage, and physical damage inflicted to the head is converted into Intellect damage. Certain attacks target Speed or Intellect from the beginning.

If any pool is reduced to 0, the character is injured. Any additional damage is transferred to a different pool of the character’s choice. An injured character cannot use the body part hit (a head injury nocks the character unconscious). An injured character suffers +1 to all target numbers, except for defense rolls. Also, an injured character suffers a point of stress, but only if the injury was a result of an attack rather than an accident (see below). If the character continues to suffer damage, another one of its pools may run out. If a second pool is reduced to 0 or more, the character is mortally wounded and disabled. It will most likely die without medical attention. The character also suffers a point of stress even if the injury was caused by an accident. If all three pools are reduced to 0, the character instantly dies.

Recovery:

Loss of points from the character’s three ability pools can be recovered simply by resting. Resting recovers 1d6 points, which the character can distribute among the pools, but no pool may be raised above its maximum value.

The amount of time of rest required before a recovery roll is allowed depends on the number of times that the character has already rested that day:

First rest: one full action (1 AP)

Second rest: ten minutes

Third rest: one hour

Fourth rest: ten hours

No fifth rest is allowed within the same day, but after a day passes, the count resets at zero and the next recovery roll will be possible after a full action, as a first rest for that day.

Rest can be split up into smaller parts and interrupted in the middle, but any rest accumulated towards the next recovery roll is negated as soon as the character sustains damage, so it’s not possible to “save up” rest in order to shorten the time of rest required for the next recovery roll, in preparation of damage that could be sustained in the future.

Recovery from the injured condition, from being mortally wounded or disabled and from extensive damage to specific body parts is not recovered automatically once the pools are restored. Recovering from this more severe kind of injury, disease or trauma requires medical attention, more time and possibly implants of replacement organs.

Damage to objects:

Objects such as structure and ships don’t have pools, but rather durability. Combat between spaceships or tanks is resolved with the same rules, but personal weapons (such as swords and rifles) usually cannot damage large vehicles, battle is resolved on a different scale. When a portion of a ship or structure is hit, the damage applies to the durability of that portion and can destroy this part of the ship or structure. Fortifications and combat vessels are usually built in such a way that if a section is destroyed, damage is contained and doesn’t spread to other parts of the ship or structure, although exceptions exist.

Ships and structures are never injured, never fall unconscious and do not suffer from stress.

Special combat actions:

Aim: aiming with a weapon before firing reduces the target number for the attack by 1, but doesn’t work if the target moved more than a short distance in the last round and if you move more than an immediate distance during the same turn.

Duch behind cover: cover reduces either 1 or 2 from the target number for defense rolls you make this turn.

Evade: if you evade, all your attacks this turn suffer +1 to the target number, but all attacks against you this turn grant you -1 to the target number of your defensive skills, or -2 to evade melee attacks.

Recoil and brace: firing a projectile weapon causes recoil, which undermines the weapon’s accuracy. Each weapon has a recoil value. Recoil is compared with the character’s brace value. Each point of brace cancels a point of recoil. Whenever the weapon is fired, recoil accumulates, and when the accumulated recoil is higher than the brace, each additional shot suffers a penalty of +1 to the TN for each point of uncompensated recoil. By taking the aim action (0.5 AP) all accumulated is recoil is cancelled, but the aim action does not have the usual effect of reducing the TN of the next attack. Starting characters have 1 point of brace upon character creation, but can increase the brace value by special abilities and equipment.

Unarmed attack: the basic unarmed damage is 3/2. Damage is inflicted on the Speed pool.

Stress

On Earth, when we undergo stressful moments we can take a stroll in the garden, meet with family and friends, eat comforting foods and relax. Life on Earth is predictable and mostly safe, and still stress can cause lasting harm, mental and physical damage. In space, in prolonged situations of conflict and without the time to rest and relax, stress is even more deadly, so players should keep track of their character’s wellbeing.

Every time a character acquires a stress point (SP), the character accumulates exhaustion, pain, anger and fear. Every person has a breaking point.

Whenever the character gains a stress point, she also draws a character card. Characters can usually have only two cards, and if they already do have the maximum, no third card is drawn.

Some things that cause stress include: conducting a gravity jump, spending more than 10 days in cold sleep, suffering injury in combat, suffering a mortal wound in an accident, withdrawal from addiction, running out of glycyrrhizin for an augmented character, suffering from torture, suffering from isolation for 7 days or more and more.

Getting rid of stress: there are as many ways to relief stress as there are to obtain it. Indulging in a pleasurable experience, in luxury, discovering new forms of entertainment and relaxation by alien races, engaging in psychological therapy and more. The problem is that each form of stress relief works only once, and in order to recover from an additional stress point the character must use a different method. After cycling through four different methods, the character may once again use the first method to relieve a stress point. Although the same trauma can cause the accumulation of stress points again and again, recovery must be more varied.

For example, a ship captain that engages in constant gravity jumps has accumulated seven stress points and is beginning to crack. She takes a vacation for a month and uses it to draw oil paintings and relieve her stress (1 SP). Then she is invited to a fancy dinner at the table of a previously unknown alien race and samples new delicacies (1 SP). Then she takes a month to work on her physical fitness, goes on long runs and trains at the gym (1 SP). Then she completes the cycle by engaging in a romantic relationship for a few weeks (1 SP). She is now down to 3 SP, and decides that it’s time to make another gravity jump. She takes her brushes, canvas and paints on the ship, because she can pause to paint again and recover a stress point if she needs to, now that she can start a new cycle.

Effects of stress: each character has a mental toughness score, usually of 2. A character can ignore her stress as long as it doesn’t exceed her mental toughness score. As soon as the stress exceeds the mental toughness, the GM may trigger a GM-intervention which does not grant XP at an inconvenient moment, causing the character Intellect damage equal to the stress score.

When the stress score exceeds one or more of the character’s pools, that’s when the stress becomes truly debilitating.

If stress exceeds the character’s Intellect, the character cannot concentrate, cannot learn, read or engage in complex planning or crafting. The GM can force the character to make a very bad choice as a GM-intervention which does not grant XP, but instead reduces the character’s stress by one.

If stress exceeds the character’s Might, the character cannot sleep properly, is constantly tired and suffers +1 to the target number of all physical actions. The GM can inflict the character with a disease as a GM-intervention which does not grant XP, but instead reduces the character’s stress by one.

If stress exceeds the character’s Speed, the character is jittery, her coordination is shot. Her initiative score is reduced by 1 and she suffers +1 to the target number of all actions which require accuracy. The GM can make the character have a dangerous accident as a GM-intervention which does not grant XP, but instead reduces the character’s stress by one.

If the stress exceeds two of the character’s pools, the character can no longer fight, and in situations of combat can do nothing but cower or surrender (not even escape).

If the stress exceeds all of the character’s pools, the character suffers from a debilitating mental illness, from hallucinations or severe paranoia or severe depression, and can no longer function until the stress falls under control.

Increasing the character’s mental toughness costs 3 XP.

Fear

Fear is connected to stress. Fear is measured in points, which are equivalent to temporary stress points. Fear points generally only last for the duration of the encounter, but during the encounter, fear can overwhelm a character by exceeding the character’s pools, causing the character to lose her ability to fight. By taking a half-action “breathe deeply” (0.6 AP) the character can make a courage test against TN 4 and remove one point of fear per success rolled.

Augmentations

Augmentations are artificial biomechanical devices which are integrated into a person’s body in order to grant them abilities beyond their natural capacity.

Augmentations are not always reversible, especially when they are undertaken as a desperate measure to stabilize a severely injured person, but most augmentations, especially the minor ones, can be removed with surgery. In order to rebuild organs which were removed to make place for an augmentation, a fast-grown clone for the organ could be created from stem cells in a special incubator, but the medical facilities which are required for such a feat are only available in large hospitals.

As a general rule, minor augmentations create one point of rejection, and major augmentations create two points of rejection. Rejection represents the difficulty of the body to incorporate the foreign devices and chemicals into the system. Rejection can be acclimated or suppressed with special ability, but most augmented people take regular doses of glycyrrhizin in order to control their rejection.

One dose of glycyrrhizin suppresses one point of rejection for one month, or up to four points of rejection for one week. A character who has more than four points of rejection can take two doses of glycyrrhizin at once.

Taking more than 11 doses of glycyrrhizin in one month starts to build up toxicity in the body, and can lead to overdose and death.

Rejection and its effects:

Total unsuppressed rejection	Effect
	A feeling of discomfort. Although this doesn’t cause any penalties, it makes the character susceptible to glycyrrhizin addiction, because the drug gives relief from the discomfort.
2	Light fever, exhaustion. The character needs an extra hour of rest per sleep cycle and takes 20% longer to heal from injuries.
3	Every recovery action restores -1 ability point.
4	Maximum Speed is reduced by 1.
5	After a whole week at level 5 rejection the character gains a point of stress.
6	The character suffers 1 point of might damage every day.
7	The character cannot take recovery actions anymore.
8 and higher	Every point of rejection above 7 increases the might damage suffered by one per day.

Biotics

Biotics are a combination of genetic manipulation, medication and training which allows characters to manipulate their own body chemistry in a way that resembles magic. The tremendous energy expenditure requires the use of a special chemical mixture commonly called “salts” – which is normally injected into the bloodstream. Each use of biotic power expends salts.

There are 8 biotic powers which were catalogued so far. No human except for the Survivor, who somehow masters all of them.

1. Bioelectric
2. Carapace
3. Extreme mobility
4. Incendiary manipulation
5. Metabolic efficiency
6. Rapid Reflexes
7. Stealth
8. Venomous secretion

Bioelectric: your body can generate static electricity by burning salts. Using this power grants you passive immunity to being stunned or damaged by electricity (the amount of power determines how fast the salts run out). By making a check, you can also generate electric power to power an electronic device or to make an attack. One success adds 3 points of Speed damage to your melee attack. One success can extend the range of the attack as an arc of lightning to hit a target at short range, or with another success at long range. Each success can also add another target to the attack. Well insulated targets suffer only half damage (round up) and poorly insulated targets suffer 4 Speed damage per success instead.

Carapace: your skin hardens. DR is increased by 2, +2 per die in the biotech field. You can survive extreme pressure or sudden depressurization, and exposure to extreme temperatures for a short time (this allows the character to survive in outer space for thirty seconds per die). Your unarmed melee attacks deal +1 damage per die. The carapace burns salts slowly, but every attack which the carapace absorbs and environmental hazards kept at bay accelerate the use of salts dramatically.

Extreme mobility: you can jump, climb, run and swim further and faster than any non-augmented human. Add the dice to athletic checks, and also reduce the cost of effort invested in athletic checks by the number of dice to a minimum of one. Distance and height of jumps is increased by +50% per die. When the ability is activated, you can climb vertical walls in up to Earthlike gravity. Running and swimming speed is increased by 50% per die.

Incendiary manipulation: you can excite molecules to increase temperature and even ignite fire. You gain resistance to high temperatures yourself, and can warm up objects to protect against cold. You can also make an attack and roll dice to set a target on fire, dealing damage of 4/3. Targets who catch fire continue to suffer damage until they put the fire out. Using this ability offensively consumes a lot of salts.

Metabolic efficiency: a character with metabolic efficiency tends to consume food, oxygen and water at the rate of two people or sometimes even more. When the power is activated, the character’s recovery rolls gain a bonus equal to the number of dice. You also consume salts in order to survive without food or oxygen for longer times. Using the ability also increases your physical strength and endurance temporarily, and adds +2 to damage from melee attacks. You can also ignore pain and don’t suffer stress from injuries sustained while the ability is active.

Rapid Reflexes: you can activate this ability very quickly in reaction to imminent threats. Gain a bonus to initiative dice equal to the dice of the ability. You also gain a bonus to perception checks equal to the number of dice to detect danger in time.

Stealth: you can soften your movements so that you cause less noise while moving, and you can change the color of your skin and hair to match the patterns, colors and shapes behind you, giving you camouflage. Each die in this ability adds to the dice of stealth checks by two when the ability is active. Your heightened awareness of how easy it is to detect you may extend to one additional ally.

Venomous secretion: you can manipulate the molecular structure of your sweat, saliva and even the air you breathe out and make them toxic. The toxicity is an attack which deals a damage of 5/3 Speed but also inflicts non-lethal disruptive effects by overstimulating the senses of nearby enemies, granting a bonus to defense rolls equal to the dice of the ability, but only against attacks within immediate range. You can also lick a weapon as a half-action (0.6 AP) to make it venomous for one minute or until it strikes.

Equipment

Minor Augmentations

Each minor augmentation creates 1 rejection

Cyberears:

Cybereyes: cybereyes confer night vision and the ability to switch to infra-red or ultra-violet vision for short range. They can interface with a computer to mark targets, and firing at a marked target is done at -1 TN. Cybereyes also contain a small video (not audio) camera with a memory cube which can save up to 10 hours of video.

Cybergun:

Cybernose:

Dermal plates:

Muscle augmentation:

Toxin filter:

Major Augmentations

Each major augmentation creates 2 rejection

Combat reflexes:

Cyberblade:

Cyberheart:

Exoskeleton:

Inner spacesuit: the inner spacesuit confers +2 dice to resist damage from cold or depressurization, and contain a 10-minute oxygen tank which can be accessed without any external signs. In contact with a vacuum, the suit is deployed, exploding from several parts of the body at once and encasing the character in a tough rubber coating and a silicone membrane around the head. In this form, the suit grants DR 4, 10 hours of oxygen and full protection from cold. The spacesuit even contains a maneuvering jet, which allows movement in zero gravity but uses up oxygen. Folding back the suit takes 20 seconds. The suit requires an oxygen pump and electricity to recharge after each time it is deployed.  

Muscle replacement:

Tactical computer:

Armor

Weapons

Melee weapons

Weapon	Size	Damage	Secondary	Special	Tactics
Bowie knife	Light	4/2	Terrify target by 4 points		Forceful, precise, quick
Titanium sword	Medium	7/4	Parry: precise defense against melee and slow projectiles, +1 die for each success		Consistent, forceful, indirect
Crowbar/club	Medium	6/3	Stun: target loses 0.5 AP	Half of the damage is nonlethal and is recovered after an hour	Consistent, forceful, indirect
Staff	Heavy	7/3	Knocks target prone (successes needed based on target’s size)	Half of the damage is nonlethal and is recovered after an hour	Consistent, forceful, indirect, quick
Bladed crossbow	Medium	5/3	Can shoot into the wound (if loaded), with -2 to TN	Combined melee/ranged	Indirect, precise, quick

Ranged weapons

Name	Size	Magazine	Recoil	Range	Damage	Secondary	Special	Tactics
Taser	Light	2	0	Short	5/2 speed	-1 success on next attack		Consistent, forceful, quick
10mm Walther Bond	Light	12	1	Long	5/2	0	Laser sight reduces TN by 1 at short range	Indirect, precise, quick
Laser pistol	Light	6	0	Short	6/3	0		Consistent, quick, precise
Shotgun	Medium	8	3	Short	8/4	Can affect multiple targets in an immediate area		Consistent, forceful, quick
Assault rifle	Medium	32	2	Long	7/4	0	Automatic fire affects multiple targets in immediate area (consumes 6 ammo and recoil 4)	Consistent, indirect, precise, quick
Sniper rifle	Heavy	6	3	Very long	9/6	Hit a specific body part or ignore armor	Two aim actions can apply	Precise
Grenade	Light	1	0	Short	9/5	Hit all targets in immediate range		Forceful, indirect
Bladed crossbow	Medium	1	0	Long	5/3	Silent hit	Combined melee/ranged	Indirect, precise, quick
Light machinegun	Heavy	50	3	Long	8/4	Target must lose 0.5 AP from her next action or take 3 more damage	Automatic fire affects multiple targets in short area (consumes 8 ammo and recoil 5)	Consistent, forceful, indirect
Heavy .45 combat pistol	Light	16	2	Short	6/3	Ignore armor’s DR		Forceful, precise, quick