GenesysCore Rules Document

By Jeff Clough <jeff@chaosphere.com>

©2010 Jeff Clough

Genesys System Core Rules Version 1.0.1 – http://www.chaosphere.com/genesys/

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ContentsRelease Notes v1.0.1 (2010-04-23)............................................................................4

Introduction................................................................................................................6

Character Creation.....................................................................................................8

Attributes..................................................................................................................10

Skills.........................................................................................................................13

Difficulty Number..................................................................................................15

Situational Modifiers..............................................................................................17

Skill List.................................................................................................................20

Advantages...............................................................................................................26

Combat.....................................................................................................................29

Actions...................................................................................................................29

Attacking and Defense..........................................................................................31

Movement and Distance........................................................................................33

Damage.................................................................................................................35

Healing..................................................................................................................36

Weapon Statistics..................................................................................................37

Special Combat Actions.........................................................................................39

Social Interactions....................................................................................................42

Time Units................................................................................................................45

Spending Time Units..............................................................................................47

Optional Rules and Special Circumstances...............................................................49

Drowning and Suffocation.....................................................................................49

Poison....................................................................................................................49

Chases...................................................................................................................51

Damaging Armor...................................................................................................51

Morale...................................................................................................................51

Falling Damage......................................................................................................52

Traveling................................................................................................................52

Disadvantages.......................................................................................................53

Parrying.................................................................................................................53

Rewards....................................................................................................................54

Advancement...........................................................................................................56

Weapons...................................................................................................................58

Equipment................................................................................................................61

Genesys Development..............................................................................................69

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Release Notes v1.0.1 (2010-04-23)This is the first release version of the Genesys Core Rules Document.

The Genesys System is a universal role-playing game engine intended for use by a game designer or experienced Game Master. Anyone can download a copy of these rules and use them for their own projects, but this document only partially follows the normal structure found in a typical, finished product.

Play-Testing

The primary method of improving the system comes from the suggestions and experiences of people who use it. The improvements could be in the form of pointing out flaws in the rules or even creating entirely new features or new approaches.

You are invited to join the mailing list for Genesys, or send your ideas directly to the maintainer. Anyone who contributes will be noted in the Acknowledgments section.

License

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/.

The terms of this license allow you to use, distribute, modify and create derivative works based on the Genesys System, for any purpose, including commercial uses. You are free to use the Genesys System for your own projects, and create compatible works, so long as you give proper credit, in the form of the quote below.

“This work is based on the Genesys System version 1.0.0, written by Jeff Clough <jeff@chaosphere.com> and found at http://www.chaosphere.com/genesys/.”

Explanation of Version Numbering System

The Genesys System and related plug-ins follow a version numbering system borrowed from software development. Version numbers have the following scheme:

The Genesys Core Rules Document is numbered with three digits separated by periods or “dots”, such as “1.4.2”.

The first number is the “Major Version Number”. All versions of this document with the same Major Version Number should be compatible with each other. Changes in the Major Version Number mean that significant alterations have been made to the rules and should not be assumed to be compatible with other releases.

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The next digit is the “Minor Version Number” which is changed to reflect relatively minor updates of the mechanics to address issues of game balance, or additions to the rules to handle new situations. While some things may work differently, the rules should still be essentially compatible with other releases withing the same Major Version.

The last digit is the “Release Number” which is changed when minor clarifications or corrections to typographical errors are made. No actual rules changes are made between such releases. Under no circumstances should a change in just the Release Number break compatibility with previous versions.

Any works based on Genesys, including plug-ins, should indicate which version of the core rules is being used. Not only does this help others determine if what you have created is compatible with the rules they are using, but it is also required by the license Genesys uses.

It is also highly advised that if you are creating products based on Genesys, or designed to work with it, that you follow this version numbering scheme.

Acknowledgments

I wish to bring special attention to a few individuals that have done much to help make this system a reality.

I would like to thank the folks on the internet that have taken the time to look at the system and give me some exceptional feedback. As well as those people subscribed to the official mailing list that you can find here:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/genesys-rpg/

I’d also like to thank Benjamin Grant for his invaluable experience with other game systems, and his willingness to listen to mine. He has been a great sounding board for ideas, and his ability to throttle a system and take advantage of every rule has proven invaluable in balancing certain elements.

And finally, I’d like to thank every GM and player that I’ve ever gamed with. I have been gaming for about twenty years and without the experience of those hundreds of afternoons, I’d never have thought to put this system together.

Play-Testers For Version 1.0.0

Benjamin Grant, Shawn Adair, Josh Jarvis, and coelocanth (from the RPGnet Forums).

A number of other individuals have contributed in innumerable small ways. Thank you.

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IntroductionThe Genesys System is a universal role-playing engine designed to give Game Masters and game designers a set of rules to provide structure to their games while sacrificing as little freedom as possible. The name itself is a play on the words “generic system”. Whenever possible the game uses familiar metaphors for organizing the action and describing characters. The primary design goals of the system are simplicity, consistency and flexibility.

The default setting described in this book is for the modern United States. It is my hope that most readers will be familiar with this time and place and thus it will be much easier to understand the concepts illustrated. This is not to say that you can’t use the system for other genres or time periods.

Using Genesys

Genesys is designed to be a sort of “operating system” for your role playing game. It is a set of core rules that handle such things as task resolution and combat. Plug-ins are like programming libraries that you add on to the core rules to give you extra things you might need for your game, like a magic system.

By using Genesys, and choosing the appropriate plug-ins, game designers and GMs can focus on those things that truly matter to them: the setting and those mechanics that make your role playing game unique. The license Genesys uses lets you not only build new games for your own enjoyment, but you can also publish them, even commercially!

While Genesys can be run by anyone straight from this document, it will require a little more effort than if you had a published product in your hands. The Core Rules Document is designed to present the rules in a clear way, but is not organized in a particularly polished fashion.

Conventions

This book uses the pronouns “him”, “he” and “his”. This is not meant to imply that only men or male characters are accepted. Centuries of use have effectively neutered the male pronoun and any other construct would be awkward.

Whenever it is necessary to perform division, numbers are always rounded down.

Dice

Genesys makes use of three special six-sided dice called Fudge Dice. Two sides of these dice have minus symbols (meaning -1), two sides have plus symbols (meaning +1) and two sides are blank (meaning 0). These can easily be found at your local game store or can be purchased online from various gaming outlets. If

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you are unable to find these dice, you can use normal six-sided dice and simply color or mark the sides to indicate the minus, plus and blank sides, or use this chart:

Die Roll 1 to 2 3 to 4 5 to 6

Result -1 0 +1

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Character CreationCreating a new character is relatively quick and straightforward, if you follow an organized approach. Below is a brief overview of character creation. It is advised that you read through the sections on attributes, skills and advantages before you create your first character, and that you refer to those sections as you make your way through the process.

When you create a character you are given 20 Build Points, which are used to purchase your character’s starting attributes, skills and advantages.

Step One: Vision

Before you begin creating a character it’s good to get an idea of what kind of character you want to play. Would you like to play a more physical character, or a character that uses their intelligence to overcome obstacles? Flipping through the first few sections of the book can be a good place to start.

Once you have determined the kind of character you want to play, it can be very helpful to choose the skills that will support your character concept before you do anything else. This might mean writing them down on your character sheet, or using a piece of scrap paper. You don’t need to assign points to these skills now, just taking note of them and the attributes they rely on will make creating your character much easier and ensure that your vision comes to life.

Step Two: Signature Skills

After you have taken note of the skills you want, you should select three skills that will be the “core” of your character. If several people were sitting around a table discussing your character’s exploits and strengths, what would be three skills they might mention? If someone would say “Boy, can that guy pack a wallop! I saw him box once and he knocked this other fellow out right quick!” you should make Unarmed Combat one of your Signature Skills.

Whenever you use a Signature Skill, you gain a +1 to your check in addition to any other modifiers or advantages.

Step Two: Attributes

Using your skills as a guide, you can now begin spending your Build Points. First, you should determine how many points to use for your character’s attributes. Each of the attributes is measured on a scale from one to ten. All characters start with a score of five in each of the six attributes. You increase these scores by spending the appropriate number of Build Points as described in the chapter on attributes. If you wish to begin play with one or more attributes below five, you can gain extra Build Points to spend on other attributes, or other elements of your character. Normally

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you are not allowed to reduce an attribute score below three, but your GM may make an exception for special circumstances.

When you are considering how to select your attributes, you should look to your skills and see which attributes they rely on the most. Another good starting point is asking questions such as “How strong is my character, on a scale from one to ten?” The answers to these questions translate directly to which attributes you should focus on and the values you should buy for them.

You should also calculate your character’s Damage Bonus at this time. This is a number, based on your Body score, which you add to the damage you do when using the Unarmed Combat and Melee Combat skills.

Step Four: Skills

The next step is to buy your skills. When you first start the game, you may only buy a skill up to level two. Remember, your character’s Signature Skills are the most important to your concept and form the core of your character, so bringing them up to level two will likely be of great benefit. Skills, in general, are a vital part of the game, and it can be difficult to learn new skills unless you have a teacher.

Step Five: Advantages

There are a number of different advantages you can purchase for your character, each of which gives your character unique abilities or improves on existing ones. Advantages can be expensive, and are completely optional, but could provide you with that extra bit of oomph to get through a tough spot.

Step Six: Equipment

Now it’s time to select equipment for your character. You don’t need to write down every little detail (such as how many pairs of socks your character owns), but you should take note of any special equipment or weapons your character has, such as your signature pair of mirrored sunglasses, or the knife your character always keeps on his belt. Your character’s equipment is not only used to overcome obstacles and solve problems, it should also form part of your character’s description.

The GM can advise you on what is reasonable to take as starting equipment. Don’t be surprised if he vetoes that private jet.

Step Seven: Description

Hair color, skin color, height, weight, gender and any other personal details you’d like to record should now be fleshed out and written down on your character sheet. Once this is done, your character is ready to play.

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AttributesThere are six attributes in the game that describe your character in general terms and are used whenever you attempt to accomplish a task. They are rated on a scale from one to ten, with five being the normal human average. All but the frailest human beings have at least a three in each of their attributes, and only the best of the best have more than a seven. An attribute score of one is so poor as to be nearly inhuman, and a score of ten represents the absolute peak of human perfection.

Here is a brief description of each of the six attributes, along with their common abbreviations.

Body (BOD) – Body is a measure of your character’s toughness and strength. It represents how long you can hold your breath, how likely you are to resist the effects of a poison and how much weight you can lift. How much damage you can take before collapsing, and how much you can bench press are both examples of the use of your Body attribute. Characters that expect to take a lot of abuse during combat will want at least an average Body. An especially high Body score gives your character a Damage Bonus. This is a number that is added to the damage you do with a successful unarmed or melee attack. A Body score that is particularly poor results in a penalty.

Body DB

1 -3

2 -2

3 -1

4 -1

5 0

6 0

7 +1

8 +1

9 +2

10 +3

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Agility (AGI) – Agility describes how athletic your character is and your reaction time. How far and high you can jump, how quickly you can run and how likely you are to hit a target with a sword. How likely are you to sneak up on another character and the chances of you walking on a high-wire are examples of where your Agility score can come into play. Characters who favor stealth or melee weapons will likely want at least an average Agility.

Intelligence (INT) – Intelligence describes your character’s mental aptitude and reasoning abilities. Are you able to solve a complex mathematical problem? Can you decipher the ancient language written in that musty old book? These are questions for your character’s Intelligence to answer. Characters that expect to design and repair complicated devices or make heavy use of computers will want at least an average Intelligence.

Perception (PER) – Perception is a measure of how observant your character is. It is also a measure of your character’s intuition and creativity. Does he spot that drop of blood on the stairs? Does he see the man in the dark suit slip out of the room? These are some of the situations where your character will have to rely on his Perception.

Willpower (WIL) - Willpower is a measure of your mental fortitude and strength. How likely you are to overcome an addiction, or win a staring contest. Can you still function while under the effects of a hallucinogen? Can you overcome your fear of heights in order to rescue a comrade trapped on the ledge of a high-rise? How intimidating can your character be? If you expect to run into situations where your inner resolve will be tested, an average or better Willpower is something to consider.

Presence (PRE) – Presence describes your character’s ability to relate to people. It determines how likely you are to persuade someone to do something for you, and how easily you can uncover information while talking with people on the street. If you intend on charming the ladies or becoming a respected leader, you’ll likely need an average or better Presence.

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Purchasing Attributes

When you purchase your character’s attributes, you consult the following table to determine the cost of your desired level in Build Points.

Attribute Level

Total Cost

1 -132 -73 -34 -15 06 17 38 79 13

10 23

Every character begins with a score of five in each of the six attributes. You spend Build Points to raise the attributes, and you receive extra Build Points by lowering them. To go from a five to a six costs one Build Point. To go from a five to a seven costs three Build Points.

Likewise, you can lower your attributes to gain extra Build Points to spend. Going from a five to a four will give you one Build Point. To go from a five to a three will give you three Build Points. So to have an attribute with a score of one (a level so poor as to be nearly inhuman) will give you thirteen Build Points.

Players should have at least a three in each of their attributes, although the GM is certainly free to grant permission for a lower attribute if he feels it is appropriate.

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SkillsNearly everything you do in the game requires the use of a skill. From firing a pistol at a guard, to hacking through the security of a database, skills play a vital role in your ability to accomplish things. In order to accomplish the task, you must make a Skill Check.

Every skill is tied to one of the six attributes, called its parent attribute. In most situations, when making a skill check, you will add your level of a skill to that skill’s parent attribute, along with the result of a die roll (your Bonus Value) to determine whether or not you succeed.

Die Rolls and Bonus Values

To determine your bonus value, you roll the dice and count your “pluses”. Each plus symbol means +1, each minus symbol means -1 and each blank means 0. This gives you a range of values from -3 to +3.

Let’s say your character wishes to gain access to an enemy’s computer network. This would require use of the Hacking skill, the parent attribute of which is Intelligence. If you have an Intelligence of 6 and a Hacking skill of 2, this gives you a Skill Value of 8. You roll the dice and get one minus, one plus and one blank for a total of 0 (-1 + 1 + 0 = 0). This means that you can succeed your Hacking attempt if the difficulty of gaining access is 8 or less.

The Hand of Fate

Sometimes fate can conspire against you. When acting as a sniper and attempting to take out a target from a distance, your target might choose that exact moment to reach down and pick up his bag, inadvertently ducking your shot. Or when looking for a suspect, your character might simply bump into them on the street outside your favorite coffee shop. These twists of fortune are represented by allowing very good or very poor rolls in certain situations.

In a dramatic situation, such as a fight or an attempt to hack an enemy’s computer system to gain crucial evidence, rolls of +3 or -3 are handled differently.

If a character rolls a +3 (that is, he rolls three “pluses” on the dice), the character rolls again. If the second roll is a positive number (a +1, for instance) he adds this to his initial roll to obtain a higher number than normal. You only add the value of this second roll to the initial roll if the second roll is positive. You ignore a negative or zero result.

Example: The character rolls the dice and gets three pluses (a +3). He rolls the dice again and get one plus (+1) and two blanks (+0). His total roll is a +4.

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Example: The character rolls the dice and gets three pluses. He rolls again and gets two minuses (-2) and a blank (+0), for a roll of -2. He ignores this result. His total roll remains a +3.

Likewise, if a character rolls a -3 (three “minuses”), the character rolls again. If the second roll is a negative number he adds this to his initial roll to obtain a result lower than normal. You only add the value of this second roll to the initial roll if the second is negative. You ignore a positive or zero result.

Example: The character rolls the dice and gets three minuses. He rolls again and gets one minus and two blanks. His total roll is -4.

If you continue to roll three pluses or minuses, you re-roll again applying the same rule. This open-ended rolling system allows for exceptionally high or low rolls.

It is important to note that this rule only affects dramatic scenes. If a character is attempting to hot-wire a car without any pressure, a normal roll will suffice.

Using Different Attributes

The parent attribute of a skill is simply the attribute that is used the most during the skill’s typical application. However, there may be times when it makes more sense to use a different attribute. Consider the Unarmed Combat skill. When using this skill to attack your opponent, you use the Agility attribute. But if you are watching another character box, you could make an Unarmed Combat check using your Perception attribute to size-up his ability.

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Difficulty NumberThe GM assigns the difficulties of the tasks you are attempting using the following table:

Difficulty Number Description

3 Effortless - No roll required if skilled and not under pressure.

5 Easy - Anyone of average ability should be able to perform the task, even with minimal training.

7 Average - The task will likely be accomplished by anyone with decent training or above average ability.

9 Challenging - The task can pose a challenge to even someone with experience.

12 Hard - Only those with a great deal of skill and natural ability are likely to succeed.

15 Heroic - A task even the best of the best would find very difficult.

20 Impossible - Only with excellent luck, advanced training and ideal circumstances could anyone hope to succeed.

The GM determines the difficulty number in secret, before you roll. These numbers are just guidelines for the GM. If he decides that the difficulty of a particular task is somewhere between “Challenging” and “Hard”, he can assign a difficulty number of ten or eleven.

How Well Did You Succeed?

It is important to know how well a character succeeded, or how disastrously the character failed. The GM should use the difference between the check and the difficulty of the task, called the “Result”, as a guide. If the difficulty was seven and the character’s check result was also seven, this might be considered a “minimal” success (a Result of zero). If the check result was twelve, however, this might qualify as a “spectacular” success (a Result of five).

Failure is treated similarly, with a check result of six against a difficulty of seven meaning the character “just barely” failed (a Result of -1). But a check result of three or four in this situation could mean disaster.

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Result Description

-5 or worse Catastrophic Failure

-3 Major Failure

-1 Minor failure

0 Minimal Success

+1 Minor Success

+3 Major Success

+5 or better Spectacular Success

Opposed Actions

Some tasks do not have a difficulty that is assigned by the GM, but rather depend on another character’s abilities. For instance, if you are trying to sneak past a guard, the difficulty of this Stealth roll is the guard’s ability to notice you. In other words, the difficulty is the sum of the guard’s Perception and Alertness. Only the acting character (the character whose turn it currently is) rolls the dice in an opposed action.

Example: You are trying to sneak past a guard. You have an Agility of 6 and a Stealth of 2. You roll a bonus value of 0, giving you a total of 8 (6 + 2 + 0). The guard has a Perception of 5 and an Alertness skill of 1, meaning your Stealth check has a difficulty of 6 (5 + 1). Because you beat the difficulty, you are able to sneak past him.

Randomness

In Genesys, the roll of the dice represents all of the little things that make each situation different from the next, but that likely can’t be known in advance.

You can usually count on being able to perform tasks with a difficulty equal to or less than your skill value, but usually not much higher without proper planning or support. It is important to do everything you can in each situation to contribute to your chances of success, especially when attempting things at the edge of your ability (a difficulty equal to your skill total).

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Situational ModifiersEach situation is different, but sometimes circumstances are especially favorable or detrimental to performing certain tasks. If you are attempting to hack a network with an outdated computer system, the GM might assign a penalty to your skill total. On the other hand, if you have a state of the art machine with the latest software, the GM could give you a bonus. These bonuses and penalties are called "situational modifiers".

In general, a favorable circumstance grants a +1 bonus, and an unfavorable circumstance grants a -1 penalty. The GM can rule that multiple modifiers apply to the situation, granting larger bonuses and penalties.

Example: In the stealth example above, if the guard is wearing night vision goggles, and knows that someone may be breaking in, the GM could rule that he gets a +3 bonus. In this case his Alertness total would be 9, which is enough to see you.

Support

A character can be assisted by other characters when performing a task, provided they are both skilled and it is appropriate to the situation. In this case, one character makes the skill check, while each of the Supporting characters provides a +2 support bonus. The total bonus from Support cannot exceed +6.

Extra Time

Every skill takes time to perform, even if it’s only an instant to spot a bloodstain on the floor. In cases where it makes sense, and when the character is not under pressure (they aren’t involved in combat or some other dramatic situation) the player may elect to take extra time to accomplish the task. This could be picking a lock, or combing an area for evidence. Such a character could then receive a modifier to help them perform the task.

The GM should determine how much extra time would be required, and how much of a bonus to assign.

Rushed

Like taking extra time, some skills can be “rushed”. In other words, the character attempts to perform a task in much less time than would normally be required. When it makes sense, the GM can handle this in the same way as extra time is handled above. The GM assigns a penalty and tells the player how much time would now be required. The player can then elect to make the check with the penalty to determine if they succeed or fail.

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Impossible or Ideal Circumstances

Sometimes it’s possible to find a character in a situation where the odds are hopelessly stacked against him, or where the advantage is so firmly the character’s that they have almost no chance of failing.

Example: A character is standing in the middle of an open field, at noon, with a guard at the top of a tower watching their every move. If the character wished to attempt a Stealth check to hide, the GM should rule that the character cannot attempt his Stealth check unless something changes.

Example: Suppose in the above example the guard is asleep. In this case, unless the character makes an incredible amount of noise to disturb the guard at the top of the tower, the GM should allow the player to automatically succeed.

Likewise, shooting an incapacitated character at point blank range, attempting to negotiate a high-wire while suffering heavy wounds and carrying another character, or trying to swim while wearing a hundred pounds of gear are likely situations that can be resolved more quickly through common sense than a skill check.

Success

Whenever you are attempting a task, you succeed when your skill check is equal to or greater than the difficulty. In an opposed action, this means that the acting character has an advantage in that they succeed in the case of a "tie".

Unskilled Use

Any skill can be used without having been trained in it, however you suffer a -2 penalty to your skill check.

Some skills are so simple that even if your character has not received formal training, or made the practice of that skill a focus of his development, he can still make checks with it at no penalty. If a skill may be used in this manner, it will be noted.

Purchasing Skills

When you create your character, you purchase skill levels with Build Points at a one to one ratio. If you wish to buy the Alertness skill at level two, for example, it would cost two Build Points. To buy it to level three would cost a total of three Build Points.

Improving skills is described later in the section on advancement.

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Skill Limits

When you first create your character, you can only buy a skill up to level two. The maximum level that any skill can be improved to is level six. This represents the pinnacle of understanding and ability.

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Skill ListThe skills given in this section are those most common to the modern era. The majority of the skills are likely to be found among at least one adventurer, but some less common skills are provided as examples for the GM. Referring to these sample skills, players and GMs should be able to create any new skills that may be appropriate for their games.

An asterisk (*) indicates that the character does not suffer from the standard -2 penalty if unskilled.

Skill ListAcrobatics AGIAlertness* PERAppraise PERBluff* PREClimb* BODComputer Use INTDiplomacy PREDisguise PERDodge* AGIEmpathy* PEREngineering INTExpression PERFirst Aid PERForgery INTHacking INTHeavy Weapons PERIntimidation* WILLeadership PRELock Picking AGILore INTManagement INTMedicine INTMelee Combat AGINavigation INTPersuasion* PRERanged Combat PERRepair INTResearch INTResolve* WILRide AGIScience INT

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Security INTSleight of Hand AGIStamina* BODStealth* AGISurvival INTSwim* AGIThrow* AGIUnarmed Combat AGIUse Vehicle INT

Acrobatics (AGI) – This skill describes your character’s ability to tumble and balance. A successful check allows your character to tumble or travel across a slippery or unstable surface at your normal movement speed. It can be also be used to determine how far or high your character can jump. For long jumping, a character with a running start makes a check against a difficulty of one half the distance in feet. For a high jump, a character standing still makes a Jump check against a difficulty equal to twice the height in feet.

Alertness (PER) – This skill measures how likely you are to notice small details, such as a stain on someone’s shirt, or the sound of a door being opened. It is also the skill used to determine initiative during combat.

Appraise (PER) – This skill represents your character’s ability to assess objects with an eye toward their value. It can help you determine whether that “priceless” artifact is actually a cheap imitation.

Bluff (PRE) – This skill is a measure of how well you can lie, or convince people that what you are saying is the truth when they have no real reason to believe you.

Climb (BOD) – This skill represents your character’s ability to climb over fences or scale walls. With a successful Climb check, your character can move their normal speed while climbing. A minor or moderate failure means your movement is slowed, while a catastrophic failure would mean falling.

Computer Use (INT) – This skill allows your character to use a computer for typical tasks such as surfing the web, checking email or installing new software. Characters with this skill can also maintain networks and ensure that the security of their systems are solid.

Diplomacy (PRE) – This skill describes your character’s ability to pick up on subtle social cues and customs, in order to cultivate their goodwill and respect. Rather than describing your talents for convincing people to do something through debate (such as Persuade), or your ability to lie your way out of a situation (through the use

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of Bluff), this skill measures your character’s ability to improve other’s dispositions toward you.

Disguise (PER) – This skill is used whenever you wish to conceal your identity through the use of props (such as a guard’s uniform) or masks and makeup as well as mimicry.

Dodge (AGI) – This skill determines how likely you are to dodge an enemy’s attacks. You can only dodge an attack if you are aware of the attack, have the ability to move, and have a simple action available to spend. The details of this skill can be found in the combat section.

Empathy (PER) – This skill determines how easy it is for you to read people and know their true feelings toward you or a particular situation. It doesn’t give you the ability to read minds, but it can let you determine whether or not a person is lying, if they like or dislike you, and the general emotions they are currently experiencing.

Engineering (INT) – When you take this skill, choose a specific type of engineering such as Mechanical, Electrical or Software. This is your character’s ability to design and build devices that use the chosen type of system.

Expression (PER) – This skill represents your character’s ability to express himself either through art or performance. When you take this skill, choose a type of expression such as sculpture, painting or dance.

First Aid (PER) – This skill determines how well your character understands very basic medical knowledge and your training with devices that are designed for battlefield use. The First Aid skill allows you to heal a character suffering from light damage, and to temporarily offset that character’s penalties for more serious wounds. It is also used to treat characters on the battlefield that have been incapacitated in order to prevent their deaths.

Forgery (INT) – This skill allows your character to create false identification records, or other such official documents or data as needed.

Hacking (INT) – This skill determines how easily your character can cut through sophisticated computer security systems, firewalls and encryption, in order to gain unauthorized access to networks and data centers.

Heavy Weapons (PER) – This skill determines how proficient your character is with large battlefield weapons such as cannons, mortars and vehicle-mounted heavy guns, such as a tank’s primary weapon. This skill is used only to determine if you hit the target, not additional damage.

Intimidation (WIL) – This skill represents how frightening or forceful your character can be.

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Leadership (PRE) – This skill represents how likely your character is to inspire others on the battlefield or convince other characters to follow you into combat. Once per scene, your character can attempt to inspire his allies by making a Leadership check and spending a simple action to shout words of encouragement and bravado. The difficulty of this check is seven, adjusted by the GM depending on the level of desperation present in the scene. If the roll succeeds, all allies able to hear your words get a +1 to all checks for the remainder of the scene. This bonus does not stack with other characters’ use of the leadership skill.

Lock Picking (AGI) – This skill allows your character to open mechanical locks without a key using a set of lock picks. The difficulty of picking the lock is assigned by the GM. The use of inadequate or make-shift tools will likely incur a penalty.

Lore (INT) – When you take this skill, choose a specific discipline, such as a Local Lore, a Language, the Law or History. This skill describes how much your character knows about the chosen field.

Management (INT) – This skill represents your character’s ability to run a business. It represents your understanding of the ins and outs of corporate law, as well as your understanding of finances and accounting.

Medicine (INT) – This skill determines how knowledgeable your character is concerning the finer points of anatomy and diagnosis, as well as his training with advanced medical technology, administering drugs and performing surgery. It is also used to cure poisoning, if the identity of the poison is known.

Melee Combat (AGI) – This skill describes how well your character can use clubs, knives, swords and other such weapons in combat. It not only helps to determine whether or not you hit something, but also how much damage you can do.

Navigation (INT) – This skill allows your character to use maps and simple tools such as compasses and GPS systems, designed to navigate over land, water or through the air. A skill level of one gives your character a basic sense of direction (North, South, East and West) and the ability to read maps.

Persuasion (PRE) – This skill used to determine how likely you are to persuade someone to do something for you, given enough time to make a convincing case. Encouraging a planetary council to divert supplies to a starving colony, or convince them to go to war would require a Persuasion check. It is also your skill at bargaining and haggling over prices.

Ranged Combat (PER) – This skill is used whenever you fire a pistol, rifle or machine gun. It determines whether or not you hit, as well as any extra damage you can do with such weapons.

Repair (INT) –When you take this skill, choose a specific type of repair such as Mechanical (for machines and automobiles), Electrical, Armor or Computer. This

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skill is a measure of your character’s ability to repair the chosen type of system. This skill does not allow you to design or invent new systems.

Research (INT) – This skill represents your character’s ability to use standard data retrieval systems and search engines to find information, either on the Internet or in special databases. It can also be used to examine paper records and books, although obviously this takes longer.

Resolve (WIL) – This skill represents your character’s determination and focus. When attempting to overcome a fear, or quelling the voice of your survival instinct, a Resolve check can see you through.

Ride (AGI) – This skill determines your character’s ability to ride a beast of burden as a form of transportation.

Science (INT) – When you take this skill, choose a specific science such as Biology, Chemistry or Forensics. This skill represents your character’s training in the given scientific field.

Security (INT) – This skill is measure of your character’s familiarity with security systems such as alarms, motion sensors and the related communication networks that report unauthorized access or emergencies. Use of this skill allows your character to properly install and configure such a system, or circumvent the system to enter a building undetected.

Sleight of Hand (AGI) – This skill enables your character to palm small objects, pick someone’s pocket and perform minor “magic” tricks. It is also used to conceal small objects on your person.

Stamina (BOD) – This skill represents how long your character can engage in a strenuous activity without tiring, such as running or swimming a great distance. In most cases, the GM should have the player make a single roll. The player can declare how much they are pacing themselves or how much they are exerting themselves. The player assigns a modifier from -3 to +3 to represent the effort they are putting into the attempt. An extreme -3 penalty means they are pushing themselves as hard as they can, trying to finish the task as fast as possible or win a race. An extreme +3 bonus means that all they are trying to do is finish, regardless of how much time it may take.

Stealth (AGI) – This skill determines your character’s proficiency at going unnoticed. You use this skill whenever your character is trying to sneak past a guard, do something without making a sound or dodge security cameras when he knows they are present.

Survival (INT) – This skill grants your character the ability to “live off the land” when away from the amenities of civilization. It can be used to find safe food, clean water and tracking animals or people across the terrain. It is also used to determine your

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proficiency with certain types of equipment used for surviving in inhospitable environments, such as SCUBA gear.

Swim (AGI) – This skill represents your character’s ability to swim over and under water. A successful swim check allows your character to move their normal speed through water. A minor or moderate failure means that you move much slower while a catastrophic failure means you are at the risk of drowning.

Throw (AGI) – This skill describes your character’s ability to throw objects with greater accuracy and distance. Weapons such as grenades and throwing knives are commonly used with this skill.

Unarmed Combat (AGI) – This skill represents how good your character is in hand to hand combat without the use of a weapon. Punching, kicking, grappling and head-butting are all examples of unarmed combat. Not only does this skill describe how likely you are to hit, it also determines the amount of damage you can do.

Use Vehicle (INT) – When you take this skill, choose a specific type of vehicle such as Automobile, Watercraft or Aircraft. This skill represents your character’s ability to operate the chosen vehicle type in atypical situations, such as a high-speed chase. Having a one in this skill gives your character the ability to pilot the chosen vehicle without issue under normal circumstances.

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AdvantagesAdvantages are optional edges you can purchase for your character to give them a boost during play. They can be quite useful, but can be expensive. When buying advantages at character creation time, the cost of the advantage, in Build Points, is listed in parentheses after the name of the advantage. Most advantages have a single cost, but some may be bought at various “levels”, giving you a greater edge at a higher cost. Advantages can usually only be taken once, but there are exceptions which will be noted in the descriptions. You are not limited in the number of advantages you can take, but they can be very expensive.

If you are uncertain as to the nature of a particular advantage, speak with your GM. Choosing to take one or more advantages can mean a large investment of Build Points and making the wrong decision can be costly.

Advantages can also be purchased later in your character’s career by using experience points. This is discussed in the section on advancement.

Advantage List

Attractive (5) – Your character’s appearance is considered unusually attractive. You gain a +3 modifier to any Presence based check when dealing with characters that could be sexually attracted to you.

Smooth Operator (5) – When you take this advantage, choose a particular social class or group of people, such as “The Aristocracy” or “Mercenaries”. Your character is particularly well-adept at interacting with the chosen group and gains a +3 modifier to all Presence based checks when dealing with them. This advantage may be taken multiple times, each time applying to a different group.

Good Student (5) – Whenever you spend a Time Unit to practice or learn a skill, you gain four study points instead of the usual two.

Exceptional Memory (5) – Your character is able to remember even minute details without the need to make an Intelligence check. This advantage doesn’t make your character more perceptive, but rather makes it trivial for him to later remember any detail he’s already perceived.

Jack of All Trades (5) – Your character has picked up many bits of skills and aptitudes throughout his life, giving him passing knowledge of many skills. When making a check while unskilled, you ignore the usual -2 penalty. This advantage does not make you skilled in a skill you haven’t purchased (so you cannot grant Support), it simply negates the normal penalty to the check.

Quick Draw (5) – You may draw a weapon as a Free Action (0 AP), instead of a Simple Action (2 AP).

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Wealthy (5, 10, 15) – Your character has access to more money and resources than the average character. This advantage can be bought at the following levels:

Points Description5 Your character begins the game with a net worth of $1,000,000,

including a home, furnishings, automobile and savings in the form of securities which can be liquidated within thirty days.

10 Your character begins the game with a net worth of $10,000,000. While not one of the richest people in the world, you likely own at least one profitable enterprise and have a large investment portfolio.

15 Your character begins the game with a net worth of $100,000,000 or more, placing you among some of the wealthiest people in the world.

Contacts (5) – When you take this advantage choose an area, such as a large city or state. Your character knows others that can help him on short notice out of a sense of obligation for favors of the past, or reputation. The help you obtain can be outside the letter of the law, and may be offered at significant risk to your contact. You may take this advantage more than once, choosing it for a new area each time or increasing the number of people you can rely on, at the GM’s discretion.

Ambidextrous (5) – When using the Dual Wield combat action, your character ignores the normal -2 modifier.

Heightened Reflexes (5) – Your character receives a +3 modifier when rolling for initiative.

Fast Healer (5) – Your character can naturally heal heavy and medium damage more quickly than others. You may heal three points of heavy damage every five days (instead of one), and three points of medium damage every day (instead of one). In addition, spending a Time Unit allows your character to heal all damage.

Specialist (5) – When you take this advantage, choose a specific skill. Your character has a particular knack for a certain skill. Apply a +2 modifier to checks using this skill.

Natural Leader (5) – When using the Leadership skill to inspire your allies, a success grants them a +2 inspiration modifier, instead of a +1. The other restrictions of the Leadership skill still apply.

Tough (5) – Your character is more resistant to damage than normal. Whenever your character takes damage, you may reduce this damage by two points.

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Avoidance (5) – Once per round, your character may Dodge a single attack as a Free Action (0 AP). This advantage negates the effects of the Fog of War, but does not apply if your character is surprised.

Bodyguard (5) – When your character chooses the Guard special combat action, you may intercept one attack as a free action (0 AP) instead of a simple action.

Evasion (5) – Your character is particularly good at avoiding attacks, even when he is unable to Dodge. You receive a +2 situational modifier whenever you Evade an attack. This bonus also applies to Dodge attempts.

Combat Expert (10) – When you take this advantage, choose a combat skill (Melee, Ranged or Unarmed). You are particularly well-trained in the use of the chosen combat skill. You can make one attack per round with the chosen skill as a Free Action (0). You may take this advantage multiple times, choosing a different combat skill each time. In addition, any successful attack you make using this skill has its damage increased by +1.

Opportunist (5) – Whenever you make a melee or unarmed attack against a target, if that target is unable to Dodge the blow (or chooses not to) you do two additional points of damage.

Purpose (5) –Your character has dedicated themselves to a particular purpose or ideal. Whenever you make a check to accomplish a task that directly relates to your purpose, you apply a +2 modifier to that check. If you knowingly attempt to perform an action that violates your purpose, you receive a -2 modifier to the check. The purpose you select must be approved by the GM and he will advise you on which actions do and do not support it.

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CombatTo help everyone keep track of the action, combat is divided into units of time called Scenes, Rounds and Turns. The entire combat, from beginning to end, is called the Scene. The Scene is divided into smaller parts called Rounds that each represent about six seconds of time in game. Finally, every Round, players involved in the scene take Turns, one at a time, to declare what their character is going to do and resolve any actions they take.

Initiative

In order to determine who acts when during each Round, the characters participating in the Scene make Alertness checks at the start. Players roll for their characters and the GM rolls for any NPCs. The GM then takes note of each character’s result and acts as referee, prompting each player to act in order of highest to lowest initiative. Typically initiative is rolled only once, at the beginning of the Scene, but in some cases there may be a dramatic shift in the action, or additional combatants may enter the field of battle. In this case, the GM may call for a new initiative roll.

In the event of a tie in initiative, the character with the highest Alertness skill goes first. If there is still a tie, the GM chooses who goes first based on the elements of the scene.

A character is able to adjust their initiative during combat. This is explained later along with other special combat options.

ActionsDuring combat, there are a variety of different actions characters can take. These actions fall into one of several types, depending on the kind of task the character is attempting to accomplish.

Types of Actions

Free Actions - Shouting a one-word command and dropping a weapon are examples of free actions. Anything that requires practically no time or thought is typically a free action. Characters can take one free action per round without a penalty.

Mental Actions - Looking around for an exit, activating a walkie-talkie and shouting a short phrase are examples of mental actions. Anything that requires only a minor level of thought or a short spoken command is a mental action.

Simple Actions - Moving at your speed, jumping, drawing or reloading a weapon and dodging an attack are examples of simple actions, as is activating a control panel or looking up a location using a GPS system. Anything that requires fairly complex

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thinking or a modest amount of physical manipulation or movement is a simple action.

Standard Actions - Attacking an opponent, picking a lock, sneaking at your movement rate, or holding a brief conversation are examples of standard actions. Anything that requires careful consideration or fine movement generally requires a standard action.

Time Keeping

Every type of action has an action point (AP) cost. Mental Actions require 1 AP, Simple Actions require 2 AP and Standard Actions require 3 AP.

Each round, characters get six Action Points, which represent the total amount of time and effort the character has available to him during the round. The player takes actions by spending these Action Points according to the costs above.

The exception to this rule is the Free Action. Each character can take one Free Action per round without spending any Action Points. Any Free Actions taken beyond the first become Mental Actions.

Examples:

A character fires his weapon twice in one round. This is two standard actions (3 AP + 3 AP).

A character runs down a hallway and jumps over a pressure plate in the floor. This is three simple actions (2 AP + 2 AP + 2 AP).

A character dodges an attack, looks for an exit and fires his weapon. This is a simple action, a mental action and a standard action (2 AP + 1 AP + 3 AP).

Action Points can be carried over to the next round for defensive purposes, allowing you to Dodge, but any AP left unspent at the beginning of your next turn go away.

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Attacking and DefenseAttacking a character requires you to use a combat skill, such as Ranged Combat, against your target’s defensive ability. To attack, you add your combat skill, plus that skill’s parent attribute, plus the bonus you generate from the dice. In order to hit your target, you must meet or beat his defense.

Example: You are attempting to shoot a guard with a pistol. You have a Perception of 6 and a Ranged combat skill of 3. You roll and get a bonus value of -1, for a total of 8 (6 + 3 - 1). The guard has an Agility of 5 and a Dodge of 1, giving him a defense total of 6 (5 + 1). You hit.

Defense

There are two broad ways for your character to avoid being hit: Evading and Dodging.

You are only allowed to Evade an attack when both of the following conditions are met:

1. You are “on guard”. That is, you have a reasonable expectation that you could be attacked. Example: You are entering a building where you suspect an enemy is hiding out.

2. You are able to move. Example: You are not bound.

When you are the target of an attack and choose to “Evade” it, the attacker makes his attack roll against a difficulty equal your character’s Agility score, applying any appropriate modifiers.

In order to Dodge an attack, you must have the ability to Evade, and be aware of the specific attack you wish to avoid. You must also be able to take a simple action. That is, you must have at least two unspent action points from your last turn. When you attempt to Dodge, you spend these action points, and add your Dodge skill to the difficulty the attacker must match to hit.

Even though you do not roll the dice when attempting to Dodge, it is still considered a “check” for purposes of situational modifiers.

The Fog of War

On your first action in the scene, you do not have any action points and thus are unable to Dodge. This represents the extreme chaos that accompanies the beginning of combat and the inability of the characters to anticipate their enemies’ actions. You are still able to Evade attacks.

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Surprise

Surprise occurs when a character’s target is unaware of the attack (the attacker is hidden), or believes that the attacking character won’t be attacking them (they believe the character is a trusted ally). When surprised, the target is not able to Dodge. You may still be able to Evade the attack, if the situation meets the conditions described above.

If the surprise occurs at the beginning of combat (perhaps as the result of an ambush), the attacking character or characters are given a +3 bonus to their initiative checks.

Example: A guard is hiding behind a crate while one of the PCs is shooting at him. A second player sneaks around and attacks the guard from behind. The guard is surprised and is unable to Dodge the attack.

Example: A character is lying in wait to ambush a guard on patrol. The character gets a +3 to his initiative roll, likely giving him the ability to act before the guard.

Stealth and Surprise

If you are able to conceal your presence, either before or during combat, you may attack as normal. If the target is unaware of you, they are not allowed to Dodge your assault. Whether or not you hit, however, they are usually made aware of your presence and you are unable to make another stealth attack without first slipping away (moving to Medium range) and hiding again. Your GM will advise you as to whether or not you can make subsequent stealth attacks.

Support During Combat

A skilled character may spend a standard action to support another character on that ally’s turn. All characters must be using the same skill and be within the proper range of the attack. The primary character uses their skill and roll, but adds a +2 because of their ally’s support. The ally does not roll.

Cover

If a target is behind suitable cover, the attacker has a -3 modifier to their combat check. The GM will determine if the cover is suitable to shield the target from the type of attack they are being subjected to, and whether or not they can position themselves properly to take advantage of it.

If a character is using a shield of some sort, it is treated as cover and the GM should determine how much of a penalty to assign incoming attacks.

Cover can also act like armor, absorbing some of the damage in the case of explosions or attacks designed to penetrate the cover and damage a target behind it. In such cases, the GM should assign an armor rating to the cover as appropriate.

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Movement and DistanceMovement and distance in the game is not measured precisely, but rather it follows certain guidelines and is adjudicated by the GM when there is a question. Where it is important, every character is able to move up to their Agility times six, in feet, by spending a Simple Action (2 AP). By taking a second Simple Action, they may move up to twice this distance. If they do nothing else during the round (spend all six Action Points on Simple Actions) they may move up to three times this distance.

Climbing or swimming at this speed requires a successful check for the relevant skill, otherwise the character moves more slowly and may be at risk of injury. Moving while using the stealth skill requires the character to spend a Standard Action (3 AP) for the movement, rather than a Simple Action.

During combat, the various possible distances are usually divided into several broad ranges.

Personal – Personal range includes yourself and the area around you that you could hit with the average melee weapon. You can move about this space without having to spend any action or action points (a shuffle-step).

Short – Short range is that distance between personal and what the average person could cross with a simple action (thirty feet).

Medium – Medium range is that distance between short and what the average person could cross with three simple actions, or a full round of travel (one hundred feet).

Long – Long range is that distance between medium and roughly three hundred feet. The average character can expect to cross this distance with three full rounds of movement.

Very Long – Very long range is that distance between long and roughly one thousand feet. The average character can cross this distance in ten full rounds of movement.

Melee weapons all have a range of Personal and are unable to strike any target beyond this range.

Ranged weapons have a listed optimal range that is specified using one of the terms above. If firing at a target that is one category closer than this optimal range (a target at Short range when using a weapon of Medium range) you get a +1 modifier for your attack. At two categories closer (a Medium range weapon targeting an opponent in Personal range), the bonus becomes +3. If firing at a target that is one category farther away than this optimal range (a target at Long range when using a weapon of Medium range) you get a -1 modifier for your attack. At two categories farther away, the penalty becomes -3.

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For weapons with a range of Very Long, the weapon is capable of striking targets up to twice this distance, at a -1 penalty, or three times this distance at a -3 penalty. When you are determining the penalties assigned to weapons firing beyond their normal range, treat distances beyond Very Long as multiples of this distance.

Outside of these distances, a ranged weapon is usually ineffective.

In most situations, the GM should be able to estimate the distances in the game using these rough ranges. Rarely should exact distances matter, but when they do, the GM should use the above as guidelines and err on the side of speed. That is, rather than dig out miniatures and rulers, the GM should make a quick decision and allow the action to continue.

Aiming

By spending a Standard Action (3 AP) aiming a ranged weapon, a character can gain a +2 modifier on their next attack.

Special Circumstances

Invariably, questions will arise during combat. How do you treat attackers that “have the high ground”? Is it any harder to hit a target moving at high speed? Does the crate the guard is hiding behind shield him from the grenade’s explosion? This is where situational modifiers come into account. In general, the GM should give the character a +1 bonus for each favorable circumstance they experience, and a -1 penalty for each unfavorable circumstance they are working under.

Situation ModifierTarget has suitable cover -3Low visibility (night) -1Target is larger than normal +1Target is very large +2Target is smaller than normal -1Target is very small -2Target is moving very fast -2Attacker has the high ground +1Attacker spends a standard action aiming +2

Remember, these are just guidelines. The GM must determine the specific circumstances of each situation when assigning these modifiers.

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DamageWhen your character gets hit in combat, you are likely to take damage. Your character's Body attribute determines how much damage he can take before being incapacitated.

Damage is tracked in the form of hit points on your character sheet using three meters. Each meter can hold a number of hit points equal to your Body score. As you take damage, you "fill" these meters. If you take enough damage, your character will receive penalties to his rolls. If your meters are filled completely, you are incapacitated and are dying. Taking any more damage while incapacitated means you die immediately.

It is important to note that when taking damage it is impossible to die immediately from a single blow if you have any hit points left. For example, let’s say your character has a Body score of five. In this case, your character has a total of fifteen hit points. If you are not wearing armor and are shot with a powerful weapon for twenty points of damage, your character is immediately incapacitated but you will not die until you either take additional damage, or if one minute passes before you receive a successful First Aid check.

The first meter that gets filled tracks Light Damage. As long as you have hit points left in your light damage meter, your character suffers no penalties. Light damage represents bruises and scratches that pose no real threat to your character. All light damage is healed with a good night's rest, or with a successful use of the First Aid skill.

The next meter tracks Medium Damage. Once your light damage meter is filled, you begin to fill this meter. While your character has medium damage, you suffer a -1 penalty to your rolls. Medium damage represents cuts, painful bruises and other wounds which interfere with your character's ability to function. Without proper medical attention, your character recovers one point of medium damage each day.

The last meter tracks Heavy Damage. Once your medium damage meter is filled, you start taking heavy damage. While your character has heavy damage, you suffer a -3 penalty to your rolls. Heavy damage represents serious wounds, blood loss and broken bones which greatly impair your ability to act. If you are experiencing heavy damage, it's time to leave the fight and seek medical attention. Without proper care, each point of heavy damage takes five days to heal.

Once you have filled all three of your damage meters, your character falls to the ground unconscious and is incapacitated until he is either healed, or naturally recovers one hit point. If he takes any damage while in this state, he dies. After ten rounds (one minute) of being incapacitated, your character will also die. If you receive a successful First Aid check before this time is up, your character will still be unconscious, but will no longer be dying.

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HealingDamage is healed in order of most to least severe. Your character must heal all heavy damage first, then medium, then finally light. Apart from natural healing which is explained above, there are two other kinds of healing your character can receive.

First Aid - Use of the First Aid skill and associated equipment, such as bandages and first aid kits, allows your character to recover from light damage. It can also temporarily negate the penalties associated with more serious wounds. First Aid is usually quick to perform. It requires a full round to apply First Aid to a character. The difficulty of a First Aid check is seven. If successful, the treated character is healed for all light damage. If the character is suffering from medium or heavy wounds, no damage is healed, but that character ignores his wound penalties for one hour. If a character is incapacitated, a successful First Aid check will stabilize them, preventing death. A character can only be treated with First Aid once per day, even if the check fails. If First Aid is being applied under stressful conditions, such as during combat, the GM is free to assign modifiers to the check. You are allowed to perform First Aid on yourself.

Medical Attention - Use of the Medicine skill and related equipment is used to heal medium and heavy damage. It takes longer to use the Medicine skill than First Aid, and Medicine generally requires suitable facilities (such as a clinic) and/or equipment. It requires one hour to provide proper medical attention, but the injured character must rest for at least eight hours before gaining any benefits to the treatment. A Medicine check is made against a difficulty of seven. If successful, the character will heal a number of hit points equal to their Body score after a night’s rest, in addition to their natural healing. A character can only be treated with Medicine once per day, even if the check fails. If the character is being treated in less than ideal conditions (a hideout without proper medical technology), the GM is free to assign modifiers to the check. Because of the exacting nature of Medicine, you are not allowed to perform this skill on yourself.

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Weapon StatisticsThere are a variety of different statistics for weapons used in the game.

All weapons have a Base Damage rating, which is the amount of hit points of damage a successful attack from the weapon inflicts automatically. They also have a cost expressed in U.S. Dollars to give the GM an idea of the resources needed to procure them.

The Range of a weapon describes the distances at which the weapon is effective. All melee weapons have a Range of Personal and are ineffective beyond this. For ranged weapons, the Range attribute describes the distance at which no bonus or penalty is gained for firing the weapon.

Action and Ammo are attributes unique to ranged weapons. The Ammo value tells you how many rounds of ammunition can fit in the gun. Normally keeping exact count of how many rounds you’ve spent isn’t necessary, but the GM might call for more detailed book-keeping in particularly dramatic or tense situations.

The Action value describes how the weapon can be fired, and takes the form of a list of letters separated by slashes. Many weapons can be fired a single shot at a time, as a burst of projectiles, or in a full-automatic mode. You can elect to fire the weapon using any Action that the weapon supports.

Single-Shot (S) – Firing the weapon a single shot at a time gives you no bonuses or penalties. A successful hit uses the weapon’s Base Damage. For situations where it matters, firing a weapon in this manner uses only one round of ammunition per attack.

Burst (B) – Firing a burst from a ranged weapon allows you to “suppress” your target’s ability to act. You take a -2 penalty to your attack. If you hit, your target receives a -2 penalty on their next check. Firing a weapon in this manner generally uses three rounds of ammunition per attack.

Full-Auto (F) – If you choose to fire a weapon in full-auto mode allows you to spray “cover fire” at an enemy, preventing him from taking any action on his next turn. You receive a -3 penalty to your attack roll. If you hit, your target may not take any actions other than Evading or Dodging on his next turn. Firing a weapon in full-auto mode generally empties the weapon of ammunition.

Area (A) – Some weapons, like grenades or heavy artillery, strike an area, doing damage to everything within its radius of effect. The actual statistics used for the area of effect and any “splash” damage will be given in that weapon’s description. If a character is wearing armor that only partially covers the body (such as a vest or breastplate) its Armor Rating is halved for purposes of Area damage.

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Tracking Ammo

As mentioned above, it usually isn’t necessary to track how much ammunition the players or NPCs expend. However, in some situations doing so might add to the drama of the scene. Because of this, it is advised that all players carry at least some spare ammunition, but they should also not “sweat the small stuff” and manage what they are packing down to a single bullet.

The downside to this approach is a lack of absolute realism, but the GM is free to tell a player who has been firing his Uzi in bursts throughout the round that they don’t have enough bullets left in the gun to make a full-auto attack.

Reloading

Reloading a weapon is a Simple Action (2 AP).

Weapon Damage

Every weapon has a Base Damage value that indicates how many hit points of damage a wound from the weapon will inflict. To this, you add the Result of your combat check.

Example: Let's say you beat your opponent’s defense by 2 and are wielding a club with a base damage value of 2. The total damage a character would take on a successful hit would be 4 hit points (2 + 2).

Damage Bonus

When using the Melee Combat or Unarmed Combat skills, you add your character’s Damage Bonus to any damage your character inflicts.

Armor

Armor absorbs damage and allows you to be safer in combat. Every piece of armor has an armor rating that tells you how many points of damage it can absorb per attack. An armor rating of 2, for instance, allows you to subtract 2 hit points of damage from every successful attack made against you.

Example: You are wearing a vest with an armor rating of 2. A guard shoots you for 4 damage. You subtract 2 because of your armor and only take 2 hit points of damage.

Each type of armor has a Body rating, which is used to determine if you can wear the armor without penalty, and an Encumbrance rating, which is the penalty applied to your rolls if your Body is not high enough to wear it comfortably. As long as your Body is high enough, you can wear the armor with no ill effects.

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Special Combat ActionsEvery combat situation is different, but over centuries of human conflict, various special tactics have emerged that have sometimes tipped the balance in a conflict. The following special actions may help in this regard by allowing you to take advantage of certain situational modifiers or special effects. When you wish your character to take one of these actions, announce your intention at the start of your turn before you take any other actions. Many of these actions yield a benefit, though at the cost of some penalty. The trade-offs for each action are explained in the action’s description.

Sizing up the Situation

Your character can use a Mental Action (1 AP) during his turn to improve his initiative by one for all subsequent rounds. This represents your character’s ability to survey the scene and plan his moves accordingly. You can spend as many AP sizing up the situation as you wish. Each one improves your initiative by one.

Holding Your Action

When it is your character’s turn to act, you can hold your action until later during the round. This can allow you to see what others are doing during the scene and act in response. By holding your action you are reducing your initiative for the current and all subsequent rounds during the scene. If your character would normally act on an initiative count of seven, and you hold your action until the count reaches five, you now act on a five in every round following.

If you hold your action until the end of the round you may choose to spend all of your actions as though you chose to size up the situation.

Defensive Fighting

Your character adjusts their fighting style to focus more on fending off the blows of their opponents, rather than trying to damage their enemies. You gain a +2 modifier to all Dodge attempts made until the start of your next turn, but suffer a -1 modifier for all other checks made during this time.

Full Defense

Your character abandons any other actions in order to concentrate completely on defending themselves. You gain a +3 modifier to all Dodge attempts made until the start of your next turn, but cannot take any other actions other than movement during this time. In addition, your character does not need to use any AP to Dodge.

Aggressive Fighting

Your character leaps into the fray, intent on striking his enemy even if it means standing in harm’s way. You gain a +1 modifier to all combat checks made until the

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start of your next turn, but suffer a -1 modifier for all other checks made during this time.

Full Attack

Your character abandons any other actions in order to concentrate completely on destroying your opponent. You gain a +2 modifier to all attacks made until the start of your next turn, but cannot take any other actions other than movement during this time. Because you are so exposed, any attacks made against you have a +1 modifier applied to them until the start of your next turn.

Called Shot

Your character attempts to hit a specific part of his target’s body with his attack. A called shot receives a -3 penalty to your attack roll. This can be used to target unarmored parts of your target, or to strike certain vital areas which could result in extra damage or side effects as the GM decides is appropriate. For example, attacking your target’s leg may slow them down.

Distract

Your character may choose to spend a standard action (3 AP) to distract an opponent within Personal range. All attacks made against the target gain a +1 modifier. This modifier lasts until the start of your next turn, so long as your target remains in Personal range. You may only distract an individual target once per round, although other characters may distract the same target as you. You may distract as many opponents per round as you have standard actions, but you must be within Personal range of each of them.

Each other character distracting a target grants an additional +1 modifier.

Grapple

Your character attempts to subdue an opponent by wrestling them to the ground. The target must be within Personal range and you must be unarmed. You make an Unarmed Combat check opposed to your target’s Unarmed Combat. If you succeed, your target is unable to perform any actions other than grappling with you. The grapple lasts until the start of your next turn, but on their turn, your opponent may attempt to break the grapple with his own Unarmed Combat check.

While actively grappling, your character can take no other actions, and both you and your target gain cover from other combatants. Other characters attempting to attack you or your target suffer a -3 modifier to their checks.

Guard

Your character may choose to shield another character or object of similar or smaller size from attacks. In order to use the Guard action, you must be within

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Personal range of your ward, and be able to dodge. You must announce your intention to guard at the start of your turn, and must declare which character you are guarding at that time. When an attack targets your ward, you may spend your simple action (2 AP), as though dodging, in order to intercept the attack and take the damage yourself. You must announce your attention to take the blow before the attack is resolved. While guarding another character you may take other actions as normal, including attacks, so long as you remain within Personal range of your ward. You may only guard one character at a time.

Dual Wield

Some melee and ranged weapons are small enough to be held in one hand, allowing you to hold another in your off-hand. When this is the case, you can elect to use both weapons at the same time. The effect of this is the ability to make one additional attack, with the weapon of your choice, as a free action (0 AP). You must declare your intention to dual wield at the start of your turn. All attacks you make that turn suffer a -2 modifier. This combat action cannot be used with Unarmed Combat.

Combining Combat Actions

Some of the above actions can be combined for greater effect, or to provide special tactical bonuses. For example, if you and an ally are attacking the same character with melee weapons, you may choose to Distract your target, granting your ally a +1 bonus. If your ally then chooses to use the Aggressive Fighting action he may gain a further +1. He may also chose to use Dual Wield if he has another weapon in his hand, granting him an additional attack at the expense of a -2 penalty for each, which, because of the bonuses from Distract and Aggressive Fighting, translates into no attack penalty at all.

Note that actions which specify that your character can take no other actions (such as Full Attack and Full Defense) cannot be combined by the same character.

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Social InteractionsRole-playing games aren’t just about numbers, they also involve taking on the role of a character and interacting with the world and its inhabitants. Acting out a scene where your character convinces a jury to let them go free, or lying your way past a guard are all important interactions that should be given at least as much attention as combat.

That said, just like combat, some rules and guidance can help structure and enhance these types of encounters. When a player is attempting to Persuade another character, how likely they are to succeed does not just depend on the player’s roll, but also on the character’s attitude toward the player.

This is simulated through the use of character dispositions.

Character Dispositions

Different characters in the game world react to other people in various ways, according to how they are disposed to them. These dispositions are typically reserved for NPCs (players should role-play interactions between themselves, and should generally be free to form their own opinions toward other characters in the game) and reflect how much they like or dislike another character.

Each disposition carries a modifier which should be applied to any Presence based checks (such as Persuade or Bluff) one character makes toward another. Note that two characters don’t necessarily have to have the same disposition toward one another. It may be rare, but it is possible for one character to hate a character that loves them, for instance.

Disposition Modifier

Hated -5

Hostile -3

Cold -1

Neutral 0

Warm +1

Friendly +3

Loved +5

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Hated – The character utterly despises the PC, and will likely take any opportunity to harm or destroy them. They refuse to do any business with the PC unless they feel it will give them an advantage in the conflict.

Hostile – The character is intent on causing the PC harm. They won’t necessarily put themselves at great risk to hurt the PC, but they will make things difficult for them whenever the situation presents itself. The character will likely demand much more than typical for any assistance they might render, if they are willing to deal with the PC at all.

Cold – The character feels some reason to dislike or distrust the PC. They won’t go out of their way to cause the PC harm, but they remain distant and suspicious.

Neutral – The character treats the PC as they would any random stranger, with the normal prejudices or lack thereof. They are no more or less likely to offer aid.

Warm – The character greets the PC with a smile and considers them at least an acquaintance. While not as accommodating as a true friend, the character generally trusts the PC and will likely render aid if it doesn’t put them at any risk.

Friendly – The character views the PC as a true friend, someone they believe they can count on. The character is very likely to offer whatever assistance they can, though won’t necessarily put themselves at great personal risk. The character trusts what the PC says (so long as it seems possible) and will vouch for them when necessary.

Loved – The character feels a deep, close and personal bond with the PC. They will help the PC in any way they can, even if it means incredible risk. The character would find it almost impossible to believe the PC is anything other than loyal and completely trustworthy.

Improving Dispositions

Improving a character’s disposition toward you requires the use of the Diplomacy skill. Using Diplomacy is not something that can be done in an instant, but rather requires a lengthy period of conversation and interaction. The player can suggest to the GM what his character might say to the other character and the GM can feel free to assign modifiers based on how convincing the player seems to be.

After the scene is played out, the player makes a Diplomacy check opposed to the other character’s Resolve, applying any modifiers from the character’s current disposition as well as any bonuses or penalties the GM assigned due to the player’s acting or the circumstances of the scene.

If the player is successful, the character’s disposition improves toward him by one level (for example, going from “Cold” to “Neutral”). If the player fails, the character’s disposition does not change. For spectacular failures or success, the GM

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could have the character’s disposition drop by one level, or increase by two levels, respectively.

It takes time to cultivate a relationship, and even more time to turn an enemy into a friend. In general, the GM should allow only one Diplomacy check every in-game day to reflect this fact. Note also that because Diplomacy is a Presence-based skill, it is affected by the modifiers above, making it quite difficult to change the mind of a dedicated enemy.

Role-Playing vs. Rolling

Not everything in a role-playing game needs to be rolled. Many people play such games to have an opportunity to act, harnessing their creative talents to develop a well-rounded character over time. The rules for character dispositions and Diplomacy exist to give the players and GM a convenient short-hand to help structure and speed up social encounters in a manner similar to combat encounters. If your group feels these mechanics are too restrictive you are free, as always, to ignore them completely.

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Time UnitsTime in combat situations is measured in scenes, rounds and turns, all of which describe relatively short periods of time because of the need to organize the action at a fine level of detail. But there is also a need to track larger blocks of time in a role-playing game. The game divides up the action over long periods with terms traditionally used by television shows.

An individual session, where the players and the GM gather together for a few hours to play, is called an Episode.

A set of related adventures that take place over several Episodes, is called a Season. Seasons usually take from five to eight episodes to resolve, but some may be shorter or longer depending on the tastes of the players and the GM.

The collection of Seasons that the same group of characters participates in is called a Series. There’s no limit to the number of seasons a series might be composed of, allowing a series to run on for as long as everyone is still having fun with those characters and the stories being told.

Think of a television show you might have watched. In many shows, most of the episodes in any particular season relate to some larger challenge or “Big Bad” that must be dealt with definitively in the last few episodes. And the seasons taken together describe each of the characters’ personal struggles, growth and ultimate destiny.

Arranging your campaign in this fashion can lead to a more dynamic and exciting story, where the players are the stars of their own serial, facing ever more powerful challenges, leading up to an epic conclusion where the fate of the world is at stake.

The focus, therefore, is on the action. Whether this takes the form of heavy combat, diplomacy or investigation, the idea is to keep the story moving. Rarely do you see characters doing something mindless or boring on screen. Episodes are directed with an eye toward moving the story forward. A casual trip to the firing range to brush up on your aim is hardly ever given any screen time unless it serves as the back-drop for some other actually important plot point. Likewise, little time is wasted watching a character repair a car, or spending hours or days in a workshop modifying a machine gun to achieve a greater firing rate.

To help keep the game moving, Genesys provides a convenient mechanism to allow these more mundane events to take place “off screen”, while at the same time creating a practical limit on what any given character can do with their time. Characters should have some limit to their off screen time (what they are allowed to do outside of the context of play), but at the same time such things should not bog down the action, or force some characters to sit on the sidelines.

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To simulate these off screen events, players are given special points called Time Units. One Time Unit is awarded at the end of every episode that character participates in. These Time Units can be spent in a variety of ways, described below, usually between episodes (after one play session and before the start of the next one). Time Units last only for a single season. When the season concludes, the GM should ask the players how they wish to spend any remaining Time Units, and let the characters spend them at that point, otherwise they are lost.

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Spending Time UnitsTime Units can be spent in a variety of ways, allowing players a wide array of choices in how to spend their off screen time. In general, Time Units may only be spent between episodes, or if the GM feels that there is enough down-time in the action within the episode to justify the spending of a Time Unit.

Studying – Characters may spend one Time Unit per Episode improving an existing kill or learning a new one. When a character studies in this way, they gain two Study Points for the skill they choose.

Working – Sometimes characters would like a little extra money, but rather than take up game time by forcing a player to roam the streets picking pockets, or take an odd job here and there, or even work overtime at their normal place of employment, a character may spend Time Units to gain some extra money. How much money is left to the GM.

Healing – When a character has no access to appropriate medical care or technology, their only option is to let nature take its course and heal at the normal rate. Because some wounds can take a great deal of time, and could easily bog down the rest of the group forcing characters to wait around for one of their companions to heal, a character may elect to spend a Time Unit to heal up off screen. When a character spends a Time Unit in this way, they may heal a number of hit points equal to their character’s Body score, beginning with the most severe wounds as normal.

Special Events – Let’s say a player wishes to have their character cultivate a relationship with a certain politician, or some other group of people. These events are certainly important to the character, and could benefit the entire team, but should they be played out in a regular game session? Any time the GM feels like a character would have to grab the spotlight for a long period of time, leaving the rest of the players sitting around as nothing more than spectators, it probably makes sense to condense the event into one or two skill checks and allow the player to spend a Time Unit to “macro” the resolution. So instead of forcing the character to make a series of rolls, and spend time acting out all of the various conversations, it makes more sense to have the player spend a Time Unit and make one roll to determine whether or not he has made a new ally. The GM might take a few minutes to hear the player’s plan as to how his character would go about schmoozing, and based on that plan could grant the check a modifier. This allows something that could normally take up a great deal of game time to be done very quickly.

Cliff Hangers

Sometimes the flow of time between one episode and the next must be tightly controlled. For instance, the team may end one episode racing to get to location

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before their enemies do. If characters end that session wounded and want to heal up, it probably doesn’t make sense to allow them to spend Time Units on the way.

In cases like these, the GM should designate that episode a Cliff Hanger. This means that the players do not get to spend their Time Units between that session and the next, preserving the important situation’s integrity and making every moment count. They also may not spend study points or experience points improving their characters. Because of these restrictions, the GM should always be careful about when and how often they declare episodes Cliff Hangers.

Why Time Units?

Time Units reflect the basic idea that a game is supposed to be fun for everyone. During the course of play, many situations can arise where an entire team of characters must be sidelined while one character heals up, or is busy wooing the locals. In these scenarios, Time Units can allow the players and the GM to “hand wave” over the event and let the action continue.

The downside is that Time Units remove a certain degree of realism from the game. Players may ask how a character with life-threatening injuries is able to bounce right back at the start of the next episode, ready for more.

If this sort of realism is important to the group, Time Units can be safely omitted. The various skills in the game may reference Time Units, but there is no reason the GM can’t translate these abstract numbers into specific lengths of time such as days or weeks.

However, Time Units are a very powerful tool that can easily serve to keep the action flowing and make the game more enjoyable for all. Because of this, it is strongly suggested that you give them a try. The realism you may lose is likely to be outweighed by the time you save.

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Optional Rules and Special CircumstancesThere are a number of special circumstances that players and GMs can come across during the course of a game. What happens to a character that is drowning? When does the poison a character just drank take effect, and is it fatal? What are the chances of a character being able to run a marathon? This section provides suggested rules for these events and more, should such situations arise during your adventures.

Many of the rules and systems given in this section are fairly complex. This complexity should be offset by the infrequency of their use, as these mechanics cover special situations that shouldn’t crop up that often. If you find these rules too cumbersome, or discover that these situations occur frequently in your games, you should feel free to take these mechanics as guidelines and “wing it”. Remember, the rules in this section are only suggestions.

Drowning and SuffocationA character that is exerting himself, such as by swimming, clawing through earth or struggling with bonds, can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to his Body score. If doing nothing else, and not under duress, a character may hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to three times his Body score.

After this time they must pass a Stamina check every round. This check begins with a difficulty of seven and increases in difficulty by one point each round. For particularly stressful situations (a character trying to dig themselves out of a coffin after waking up to find themselves buried alive), penalties may be assigned by the GM. When a character fails this roll, they begin losing hit points at the rate of one per round until they are able to breathe freely again.

A character that becomes incapacitated while holding his breath falls unconscious, and dies on the next round if they are unable to breathe.

PoisonPoisons can come in a number of different types, each with their own effects. In general, a poison is a chemical compound that has a Potency Rating and an Effect, depending on whether the character managed to resist the poison. When a character is exposed to the poison, the player makes a Body check with a difficulty equal to the poison’s Potency Rating. If they fail the check, the Full Effect of the poison takes hold. Some poisons also have a negative effect even if the character resisted the worst of it. Most poisons simply deliver their effect and are then passed out of the body, although some can have special effects which cause the poison to linger.

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Like a character’s Body score, a poison’s Potency Rating is measured on a scale from one to ten, with a high number indicating a very powerful compound.

The following is a list of sample poisons from the real world. It is important to note that most of these poisons are deadly and that the GM should exercise care in which compounds to allow in the game, or if their potencies and effects should be reduced. This is of particular concern if you believe poisons will feature prominently in your campaign.

The table below gives potencies and effects for one “dose” of the poison. Multiple doses require additional rolls, each at a +1 potency (three doses of Sarin Gas would require three rolls at difficulties of 10, 11 and 12 respectively).

Name Potency Full Effect Resisted EffectSarin Gas 10 Immediate

unconsciousness.Character takes 20 points of damage.

Immediate sickness and coughing (-3 penalty to all checks).

Cyanide 8 Immediate nausea and seizures (unable to take any action).Character takes 15 points of damage.

Immediate nausea (-3 penalty to all checks).

Strychnine 7 Immediate muscle spasms and seizures (unable to take any action).Character takes 10 points of damage.

Immediate muscle spasms (-2 penalty to all checks).

Tranquilizer 9 Immediate unconsciousness.Recovery in one hour.

Immediate exhaustion and confusion (-2 penalty to all checks).Recovery in one hour.

Curing Poison

In order to cure a poisoned character, a Medicine check is made against a difficulty equal to the poison’s Potency. If successful, the patient recovers. If the roll fails, the patient does not recover and the poison’s potency is effectively increased by +1 for the purposes of future attempts.

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Unless otherwise noted in its description, characters who experience the Resisted Effect of a poison recover naturally after a good night’s rest or the successful use of the First Aid skill.

ChasesHigh-speed chases through a busy city are a common occurrence in the movies and likely to be something the players will be involved in at one time or another. In general, a chase is resolved through an opposed action, using a skill such as Drive. Both the pursued and the pursuers make checks on their turn opposed to the other side’s skill to see if ground is gained or lost, or if a car crashes.

Generally a chase lasts for several rounds and involves at least one Drive check. Additional checks might be required to avoid pedestrians, oncoming traffic or other hazards where it’s appropriate and dramatic to do so.

Chases involving other skills, such as a piloting skill, or even characters’ Agility scores in the case of running can be used as necessary.

Damaging ArmorArmor can lose its effectiveness over time. To simulate this, the GM may decide that whenever the Armor Rating of the character’s armor is overcome (that is, the character sustains damage in spite of wearing the armor), it loses a point of effectiveness.

Example: A character wearing a Bulletproof Vest, an Armor Rating of four, is hit for seven points of damage. Since this overcomes the Armor Rating, the Bulletproof Vest loses one point of effectiveness and now has an Armor Rating of three.

To repair this damage, the character must make a Repair Armor check against a difficulty equal to seven plus the amount of effectiveness the armor has lost. If successful, the armor is fully repaired.

Example: After the fight, the character attempts to repair his Bulletproof Vest. The armor has lost one point of effectiveness, so the difficulty of his Repair Armor check is eight (7 + 1 = 8).

When a piece of armor has its Armor Rating reduced to zero, it is destroyed and cannot be repaired.

MoraleWhen the players are fighting with a group of NPCs, and the combat begins to clearly move in favor of the players, there is a chance that their enemies will abandon the fight in an effort to save themselves. To determine whether or not this happens, the GM may make a Morale Check.

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A Morale Check is made using the NPC’s Resolve skill. The difficulty is seven, modified by the GM based on how dire the situation has become. If an NPC is using the Leadership skill, this should also apply.

Example: The players are fighting a group of guards and they have managed to defeat several of their opponents. The GM decides that the battle has swung so far in the players’ favor that the remaining guards must make a Morale Check. The GM decides that the difficulty of this check should be ten and rolls for the guards, getting a Resolve check result of eight. The guards run.

If the combat has begun to swing in the players’ favor and they are aware of this, a player can attempt an Intimidate check that immediately forces their opponents to make a Morale Check. This becomes an opposed action with the player’s Intimidate check going against his enemy’s Resolve.

Falling DamageA character may normally fall up to ten feet without suffering any damage. For every ten feet beyond this that they fall (round up to the nearest multiple of ten feet), the character suffers five points of damage. Armor does not typically apply to falling damage.

A character attempting to survive a planned drop (such as jumping off the roof of a two or three story building) may make an Acrobatics check against a difficulty of seven. If successful, the fall is treated as being ten feet less than it actually is.

TravelingThe average human being can walk approximately forty miles (sixty-five kilometers) in twelve hours over even ground (such as a road) in good conditions. Uneven ground, dense foliage or hostile conditions (such as the extreme heat of a desert or the cold of the arctic), as well as the amount of gear a character is carrying, can reduce this to twenty or even ten miles.

The ability to navigate and avoid getting lost is dependent on the type of terrain and circumstances of the journey. To stay on course, a character must make a Navigation check against a difficulty of seven, modified by the GM depending on whether the character has a map, knows the area and the type of terrain. Finding your way through a dense forest is much more difficult than finding your way across the plains.

If a character or group fails this check, they become lost. The GM should randomly determine in what direction the characters have actually moved and call for a new Navigation roll after an hour of travel to see if the characters recognize their error.

These rules and distances should be adjusted if the characters are traveling via a vehicle or beast of burden.

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DisadvantagesSome GMs and players may prefer to have a way to choose flaws for the player characters, as a means of both adding flavor and as a way to provide more Build Points at character creation time. The decision to allow such disadvantages depends a great deal on the type of game the GM wishes to run. By allowing disadvantages, characters may start the game with much more than twenty Build Points, making for a more powerful party. In addition, disadvantages need to be carefully tracked by the GM to ensure that the players are properly penalized. If the GM forgets about these disadvantages and fails to bring them into play, the players have effectively gotten their extra Build Points “for free”.

Disadvantages can be easily created by using the advantages provided as a baseline. Some examples of disadvantages might be:

Ugly (-5) – Your character’s appearance is considered unusually unattractive or hideous. You gain a -2 modifier to any Presence based check when dealing with characters that could be sexually attracted to you.

Slow (-5) – Your character receives a -3 modifier when rolling for initiative.

Players must discuss with their GM any disadvantages they may feel would be appropriate for their character and seek specific approval. The GM may also wish to limit the number of points gained from disadvantages to no more than ten Build Points.

With the GMs permission, a player may later spend experience points to “buy off” a disadvantage. The cost of buying off a disadvantage is twice the normal cost of the disadvantage in experience points.

ParryingA character may use his Unarmed Combat or Melee Combat skill to deflect incoming unarmed or melee attacks. Doing so requires the parrying character to have saved a Standard Action (3 AP) from his previous turn. Otherwise, the rules for Dodging apply.

The attacker’s combat check is made against a difficulty equal to the parrying character’s weapon skill total. The parry is successful if the attacker fails. On a successful parry, the defending character may make an immediate counter attack at a -3 penalty.

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RewardsThroughout the course of the game your character will push his talents to the limits, learning new things, picking up new skills and improving existing skills. As the game progresses, your character becomes more knowledgeable and more formidable. To simulate this, the GM awards Study Points, Experience Points and Time Units.

Study Points

Next to each skill on your sheet, there is a space to track Study Points. Whenever you spend a Time Unit to train a skill, you gain two Study Points for that skill that you can later spend to improve it. The GM may also grant you a special reward for a particularly resourceful use of the skill, such as saving the day with a well-placed shot from your pistol, or getting the trashed computer system back online to extract valuable information. In these situations the GM can award your character a single Study Point for that skill. You can gain many Study Points during a single episode for using different skills, but only one Study Point for each individual skill may be earned in this way during a particular episode.

Learning from Mistakes

In cases where a character fails a skill check in a particularly notable manner, or the GM feels the character could have learned something from the failure (“He won’t do that again!”), the GM can award a Study Point as he would for a notable success. As above, only one Study Point for each individual skill may be earned during a particular episode.

Experience Points

At the end of each episode, the GM gives out Experience Points, which are also tracked on your character sheet. Each Experience Point acts as a kind of “wildcard” Study Point. That, is, you can use Experience Points to learn new skills or improve existing ones. Study Points are tied to a particular skill, but Experience Points can be spent on any skill. They are also used to increase your character’s attribute points and buying advantages later on, making them very versatile and powerful.

Each episode, the GM awards between one and three experience points according to the following guidelines:

1. One Experience Point is awarded automatically to every character that participated in the episode.

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2. If the character acted in ways to further the story along, add to everyone’s enjoyment and performed well, the GM awards that character one Experience Point.

3. Did the character learn something new, such as uncovering a mystery, or learning the truth about a local politician? Did they grow as a character by making a new ally or deepening an existing relationship? Did the character achieve a spectacular success during the episode, such as convincing the police that a trusted member of the community is up to no good? If the player invested themselves in the character and achieved something above and beyond what was expected of them, the GM should award them an Experience Point.

Time Units

At the end of every episode, the GM should award each character that participated in the session one Time Unit.

End of Season

A season is a set of related episodes leading to some final conclusion. When a season ends, and a new one is to begin, a special End of Season reward of one to three Experience Points is given out by the GM, based on how well the group fared during the adventure. If the group failed in their objectives, or did poorly, the GM should award only one Experience Point, or even none for a truly awful performance. If they succeeded or did well, two points are appropriate. If the players went above and beyond the call of duty, impressing themselves and the GM alike, award three. This award is in addition to the normal episode awards described above.

The final bit of housekeeping to attend to at the end of a season is spending any remaining Time Units. The GM should call on each player to spend any Time Units they have left, as they will not carry over to the next season and would thus be lost.

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AdvancementAt the end of every episode, players should have the opportunity to spend their accumulated study points, experience points and time units, should they choose. The exception to this is a Cliff Hanger episode where there is no real break in the action.

Learning New Skills

To learn the first level of a new skill, that is, going from being unskilled to having a level one, requires five study points. Players may spend any combination of study points or experience points when learning a new skill, but at least one point must be a true study point for that skill.

Mentoring

One character may help another character learn a new skill by mentoring them. The mentor must have at least one level of the chosen skill in order to be a suitable teacher. When a mentor is willing and able to train the character, the cost for the first level of the skill is three study points. Also note that having a mentor does not exempt you from having to spend at least one true study point to purchase the skill.

Improving Skills

To improve an existing skill costs a number of study points equal to twice level you are going to. To go from a level two to a three in a skill would cost six study points. To go from level three to four would cost eight. Again, you may spend a combination of study points and experience points, but at least one point must be a true study point for that skill.

Buying Advantages

With your GM’s approval, your character can buy an advantage using experience points. The cost of buying an advantage in this way is twice the normal Build Point cost. In other words, to buy a five point advantage would cost ten experience points.

For advantages with variable costs, you can improve the advantage by buying the next level. For example, if an advantage can be purchased at a five point level and a ten point level, and your character already has the five point version, he can spend ten experience points to purchase the difference and gain the higher level of the advantage.

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Improving Attributes

Attributes are much harder to improve than skills because they represent core elements of your character that are likely not to change much once you have fully matured, yet through continuous effort and practice, it is possible to raise them slightly during the course of your character’s career.

The level of an attribute your character starts with is a measure of his intrinsic or natural ability. Beside this value on your character sheet is a space labeled “Edge”. When you wish to improve your character’s attributes, you buy Edges whose cost is based on the number of Edges you have already purchased for all of your attributes.

The cost of an Edge is five times the number of Edges you are going to, in experience points. So to gain a +1 Edge to an attribute costs five experience points. To go to a +2, or buy an Edge for a different attribute, requires ten experience points and so on. Each Edge effectively increases that attribute by one point. You are not limited in the number of Edges you can purchase, but the total of any attribute score plus its Edges cannot be greater than ten.

Note that buying Edges and advantages requires experience points.

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WeaponsThe following is a selection of some of the more common weapons found in the modern world.

Weapons List

TypeBase

Damage Range Action Ammo CostBaseball Bat (Club) 2 Personal NA NA $5.00Spear 3 Personal NA NA $5.00Knife 2 Personal NA NA $15.00Hatchet 4 Personal NA NA $15.00Hammer (Tire Iron) 3 Personal NA NA $10.00Sword 4 Personal NA NA $75.00.22 Semi-Automatic Handgun 4 Short S/B 10 $300.00.38 Revolver 4 Medium S 6 $350.00.357 Magnum Revolver 6 Medium S 6 $350.00.45 Revolver 6 Medium S 6 $500.009mm Semi-Automatic Handgun 5 Medium S/B 14 $600.00M16 Rifle 5 Long S/B/F 20 $1,200.00AK47 Rifle 6 Long S/B/F 30 $1,350.00

M24 Sniper Rifle 7Very Long S 6 $3,000.00

12 Gauge Shotgun 7 Medium S 4 $300.00Sawed-Off Shotgun 8 Personal S 4 $300.00Uzi Submachine gun 5 Short S/B/F 40 $2,500.00Fragmentation Grenade 10 NA A NA $100.00

Baseball Bat (Club) – Any blunt instrument similar in heft to a baseball bat, such as a piece of 2x4 or a heavy chair leg can be wielded as a club. They do minimal damage, but as an improvised weapon you could probably do worse. Collapsible batons can be treated as clubs.

Spear – Any relatively long melee weapon sporting a sharp point may be used as a spear. This includes a broken pool cue, wooden stake or a bar from a wrought iron fence, in addition to the more traditional variety found in medieval times.

Knife – Any small slicing or stabbing weapon, such as a stiletto, dagger, straight-razor or jack-knife. Small tools wielded as improvised weapons, such as a

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screwdriver, can usually be treated like knives. Knives can usually be hidden in a pocket with ease.

Hatchet – Small hand axes traditionally used for chopping kindling. These weapons can be used to great effect during melee combat.

Hammer (Tire Iron) – “Hammer”-type weapons function like clubs, only they do more damage because they are generally made from rugged metal and have a weighted end. Tire irons, crow bars, maces and heavy candle-sticks can all be treated as hammers.

Sword – Long swords, machetes, katanas and rapiers can all be treated as “Swords”. These weapons are generally too long to conceal without wearing a long coat, and carrying one in the open is likely to draw unwanted attention.

.22 Semi-Automatic Handgun – The weapon of choice for hitmen everywhere, the small caliber hand gun is effective at close range and rarely leaves a mess because rounds have enough energy to enter a target, but usually do not have enough energy to exit. The downside is that they lack the stopping power to take down tougher opponents and are nearly useless against most forms of modern body armor. These guns can be easily concealed in a pocket.

.38 Revolver – A .38, made famous by tough-guy private eyes, is the big brother of the .22. It has better range and slightly more power, while being just as easy to hide in a coat pocket or keep in a shoulder holster.

.357 Magnum Revolver – Greater stopping power and an impressive heft are the hallmarks of this handgun. Due to its size, it can’t easily fit in a pocket, likely requiring a holster in order to comfortably carry it.

.45 Revolver – The .45 is the quintessential show-stopper. It has enough power to bring down even large targets fairly quickly. Just be sure to bring a mop with you.

9mm Semi-Automatic Handgun – Standard issue for most police and federal agencies, the 9mm has decent stopping power and range. It can also be fired in a Burst which, coupled with a fourteen round capacity, gives it superior lethality for a handgun.

M16 Rifle – The M16 has been the standard infantry weapon of the United States Armed Forces since the sixties. Versatile, it’s the assault weapon of choice. And the ability to fire anything from a single round at a time to a full-automatic spray makes it an excellent all-purpose firearm. As a rifle, this weapon cannot be concealed on a person unless broken down.

AK47 Rifle – The assault rifle for the Soviet Armed Forces, the AK47 has been in active use since 1949. It’s thirty round standard magazine and impressive stopping power makes it an excellent field weapon.

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M24 Sniper Rifle – The M24 Sniper Weapon System, complete with a removable telescopic sight and other accessories, it is the weapon of choice for U.S. Army snipers and the Israeli Defense Forces. It has one of the longest effective ranges of any rifle, and has enough force to penetrate many forms of body armor.

12 Gauge Shotgun – Pump action shotgun used by hunters and riot police everywhere. Effective at close range, it makes a mess but gets the job done.

Sawed-Off Shotgun – Many shotguns can be modified by shortening the barrel with a hacksaw. This sacrifices range, but increases the damage the weapon can do. It also makes it possible to conceal the weapon under a coat.

Uzi Submachine Gun – A hand-held weapon typically used by street gangs, the Uzi is a favorite of the movies. While it looks impressive, the Uzi has limited range as well as accuracy (a fact represented by its rather low damage). It shines when engaging targets at close range and using its full-auto action. NOTE: The Uzi has a forty round clip, allowing the user to perform two full-auto firing actions before needing to reload.

Fragmentation Grenade – A roughly one and a half pound weapon designed to be thrown so that it can explode and inflict a great deal of damage over an area. The effective radius of a standard Fragmentation Grenade is Short. Any targets outside of this area take no damage.

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EquipmentThe following is a selection of sample equipment that the players may wish to acquire. Items such as simple flashlights, lighters, basic clothing for your profession and the like shouldn’t normally be considered special equipment or tracked unless it is somehow vital to the story if the character is carrying it or not. If a character wants to wear ripped jeans and trench coat, there is little reason to worry about how much his outfit costs, or to track exactly what he has on him. As such, these items aren’t listed below. If it is important, the GM should use the prices below to determine a suitable cost and the player should note any specific or important items he has on his character sheet.

This list is a sampling of some of the more common items that can crop up during the course of an adventure, as well as those purchases that are so expensive as to warrant specific U.S. Dollar values.

Like the list of weapons above, this listing is followed by a series of detailed descriptions for each of the items. This should give players and the GM a good idea of the utility of each item that is listed, as well as providing a good “baseline” when creating new equipment.

Sample Equipment Clothing Tailored Silk Suit $1,000.00Designer Dress $800.00Winter Gear $200.00Jungle Gear $180.00Bulletproof Vest $500.00SWAT Body Armor $2,500.00 Electronics Smartphone $300.00Police/Emergency Scanner $100.00Encrypted Walkie-Talkie (2) $450.00Digital Camera $600.00Telephoto Zoom Lens $350.00Low-End PC $500.00High-End PC $1,500.00State of the art PC $3,500.00Low-End Laptop $600.00High-End Laptop $3,000.00

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State of the art Laptop $5,000.00GPS System $200.00Low-End Security System $500.00High-End Security System $5,000.00State of the art Security System $75,000.00 Medical First Aid Kit $60.00Field Medic/EMT Kit $400.00Low-End Medical Facilities $5,000.00High-End Medical Facilities $50,000.00Stat of the art Medical Facilities $250,000.00Home Chemistry Laboratory $5,000.00Professional Chemistry Laboratory $35,000.00GC Mass Spec System $45,000.00 Tools Emergency "Roadside" Tool Kit $100.00Mechanic's Tool Kit $4,000.00Electronics Equipment $800.00Welding Equipment $3,500.00Lock Picks $50.00Archaeology Tools $300.00High Quality Binocular Microscope $3,000.00Binoculars $500.00Night Vision Goggles $2,500.00Disguise Kit $800.00Engineering Tools $3,500.00Forensics Kit $500.00Camping/Survival Gear $2,000.00Two-Person Tent $350.00SCUBA Gear $2,500.00 Transportation Full-Size Sedan $25,000.00SUV $35,000.00Luxury Sedan $40,000.00Light Pickup Truck $20,000.00Heavy Duty Pickup Truck $40,000.00Armored Sedan $100,000.00Single Engine Prop Airplane $150,000.00Dual Engine Prop Airplane $250,000.00Small Corporate Jet $2,000,000.0

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0High-Performance Speedboat $500,000.00

Luxury Yacht$14,000,000.

00Small Helicopter $300,000.00

Clothing

Tailored Silk Suit – A stylish suit custom fitted to the wearer and made from some of the finest materials available. High-end suits such as these, for men or women, are usually very expensive, but can sometimes give the wearer an advantage when dealing with the elite.

Designer Dress – The latest fashion, ready to wear. These dresses are usually worn only once for very special occasions, but can make the wearer look absolutely fabulous.

Winter Gear – Heavy coat and other insulated clothing, plus gloves and a hat. When travelling through harsh, cold environments suitable clothing is a must.

Jungle Gear – These outfits include hiking boots designed for rough, wet terrain and khakis. It can help keep exposure to insects and parasites to a minimum, while also, using special fabrics, let the body sweat and cool itself with little extra effort.

Bulletproof Vest – This somewhat bulky body armor can still be worn under a suit, although its presence might not escape notice. It provides an Armor Rating of 4, making it able to protect against light weapons and many handguns. The armor has a Body Rating of 5, and an Encumbrance of -1. It protects only the body.

SWAT Body Armor – A full suit of body armor complete with shock pads and helmet. This armor is generally used by strike teams and special police units. The suit protects the entire body and head, providing an Armor Rating of 6, a Body Rating of 6 and an Encumbrance of -3.

Electronics

Smartphone –This is a wireless phone that utilizes a data and voice network for communications. Email, web surfing, appointment management other software allows the user to keep connected while on the road. This phone includes a crude digital camera and can be used as a network adapter for other computer systems such as laptops.

Police/Emergency Scanner – A battery-operated, hand-held scanner that allows the user to listen in to local police and fire broadcasts. This device does not allow for listening to encrypted data transmissions.

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Encrypted Walkie-Talkie (2) – A set of two hand-held, battery-operated communications devices which encrypt the contents of all broadcasts. A six digit pass code is required to unlock the device after it has been idle for a few minutes. The set can be expanded by purchasing additional units and setting them to use the same encryption scheme between all of the units in the family, a task that can be done at the electronics store, or from a personal computer. These devices have a range of twenty-five miles.

Digital Camera – This is a high-end digital camera suitable for professional use. It comes with a standard lens with limited zooming abilities. It produces high-resolution images which can easily be downloaded onto any modern computer system. Options exist for date and time stamps, as well as low-light photography.

Telephoto Zoom Lens – A lens designed to mount on your camera that allows you to take photographs of objects or people from a much greater distance than a standard lens would allow, effectively magnifying the subject.

Low-End PC – A desktop computer capable of running basic “office” applications, connecting to the internet and working with photos. It is not powerful enough to run the latest games or perform advanced video editing. Any applications which take a great deal of memory or processing power are likely to be sluggish, perhaps even unusable.

High-End PC – A desktop computer on the cutting edge of technology, this machine is responsive even when working with large image files and movies. You can play games, surf the web and watch a movie all at the same time, without much of an effect on performance.

State of the art PC – A desktop computer featuring experimental, next generation technology. The fastest machine available to corporate and government agencies outside of a clean room environment.

Low-End Laptop – A computer designed for maximum portability. It sports a small screen and partial keyboard, but has enough power to be comparable to a Low-End PC. It can also access wireless networks, allowing you to work on the road.

High-End Laptop – A so-called “desktop replacement” laptop, comparable in ability to a High-End PC.

State of the art Laptop – A portable computer running on experimental technology. Comparable to a State of the art PC.

GPS System – A computer-driven global positioning system used for navigation. It makes use of satellites to determine location, and locally-stored maps to help users discern where they are, and how to get where they are going. It can be carried on your person or installed in a vehicle.

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Low-End Security System – A consumer level security system designed to monitor for break-ins, fire or other emergencies. Typically requires a Security check against a difficulty of nine in order to circumvent.

High-End Security System – A security system generally reserved for large corporate offices and banks, although it may also be found in some luxury homes. This system features motion detectors, security cameras and sophisticated electronics. Typically requires a Security check against a difficulty of twelve in order to circumvent.

State of the art Security System – For agencies that take no chances, this security system represents the cutting edge of technology. Motion sensors with infrared capabilities, pressure-sensitive floors and high-tech imaging technology make such a system a nightmare for the would-be intruder. Requires a Security check against a difficulty of fourteen to circumvent.

Medical

First Aid Kit – A standard first aid kit complete with bandages, tape, tweezers, antiseptic and pain relievers. The kit is suitable for dealing with minor injuries, temporarily relieving discomfort and can be used to stabilize incapacitated patients.

Field Medic/EMT Kit – This is a kit the likes of which military field medics carry into combat. It’s hefty, weighing approximately thirty pounds when full, but designed in the form of a backpack and chest pouches allowing any fit individual to easily carry it. It also can easily fit in the trunk of any car, when immediate access isn’t required. It contains sterile dressings for various types of wounds, including burns, as well as heavy duty pain medication and rudimentary surgical equipment. This kit can be used in place of a basic First Aid Kit for stabilization and attending to light wounds (giving a +2 modifier to the roll), but is only just passable for dealing with heavy trauma, designed more to patch up the patient for transport to a proper medical facility (-2 modifier to Medicine checks).

Low-End Medical Facilities – One step up from an underground “doctor’s” basement, Low-End Medical Facilities include lights, a gurney, surgical equipment, refurbished vital monitors and other, non-portable, devices. A room equipped with these facilities grants a -1 modifier to Medicine checks).

High-End Medical Facilities – This setup includes up-to-date medical equipment and basic life-support systems, typically found in modern hospitals. A room equipped with these facilities grants no modifier.

State of the art Medical Facilities – This includes amenities only found in research hospitals and high-tech trauma centers. A room equipped with these facilities grants a +2 modifier to Medicine checks.

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Home Chemistry Laboratory – This equipment is one step up from “hobbyist” level, and allows the chemist to perform simple analysis and compound mixture.

Professional Chemistry Laboratory – This equipment is usually found at universities and similar research facilities. Access to this level of equipment grants a +1 modifier to Chemistry checks.

GC Mass Spec System – A gas chromatograph mass spectrometer system with up-to-date software and related equipment. It is used to identify various substances by measuring various physical properties and comparing them to an internal database. Access to this level of equipment grants a +3 modifier to Chemistry checks made in order to identify a substance.

Tools

Emergency “Roadside” Tool Kit – This kit includes road flares, a thermal blanket, socket set, tire iron, tire patch kit and various other tools and simple parts designed to repair minor car problems. This kit allows a person with the Mechanical Repair or Mechanical Engineering skills to fix a disabled automobile or similar machine with a -2 modifier.

Mechanic’s Tool Kit – This tool kit features several hundred pieces and requires a large amount of space to store as well as pneumatic guns, a compressor, specialty tools and various sockets, clamps and plugs. Because of the number and weight of the pieces, this tool system, and its use, requires a great deal of floor space in order to have enough space for the tools, benches and projects themselves. Use of this kit allows a person with the Mechanical Repair or Mechanical Engineering skills to fix a disabled automobile or similar machine with no penalty.

Electronics Equipment – A multi-meter, oscilloscope, soldering gun, leads and collection of electronics parts (such as resistors, small capacitors, a selection of integrated circuits, etc.) that allow for the design and repair of electrical circuits or wiring. A kit fit for use by a professional. This kit is primarily designed to be used on a workbench with adequate space, but elements are portable enough to allow for electrical work on the go. This can be used for Electrical Repair, Electrical Engineering and Security checks.

Welding Equipment – Torches, gas tanks, safety gear and other related equipment designed for welding and cutting various metals. Proper use of this equipment requires the Mechanical Repair or Mechanical Engineering skills.

Lock Picks – A high-quality selection of lock picks and tension tools, ostensibly intended for locksmiths but also well-suited to less legal uses. Use of this set requires a Lock Picking check.

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Archeology Tools – Soil sampling kits, marking tape, brushes and magnifying lenses designed for use by trained professionals working on excavating or cleaning ancient relics of dust and detritus.

High Quality Binocular Microscope – Useful for identifying samples, either biological or mineral. Suitable for all of your microscope needs.

Binoculars – A high-quality set of binoculars useable by anyone from a bird watcher to a peeping tom.

Night Vision Goggles – A head-mounted, durable night vision system that leaves your hands free.

Disguise Kit – A collection of wigs, makeup, liquid latex, false mustaches and other trappings of the master of disguise. Use of this kit grants a +1 modifier to Disguise checks.

Engineering Tools – Finely calibrated calipers, micrometers, a graphic calculator and various other instruments that are designed to help the mechanical engineer practice their craft. Grants a +1 modifier to Mechanical Engineering checks.

Forensics Kit – Swabs, gloves, bags, chemicals and other tools of the trade used by forensic technicians in the field. This kit includes tests to determine the presence of human blood, semen and other such pieces of evidence, as well as proper tools for their collection, preservation and labeling. Use of this kit grants a +1 modifier to Forensics checks.

Camping/Survival Gear – This package includes a two-person tent, propane stove, sleeping bags, a stock of dry rations (military surplus) suitable for feeding two adults for five days and a host of other equipment allowing people to “rough it”.

Two-Person Tent – The same high-quality tent as found in the Camping/Survival Gear.

SCUBA Gear – Wet-suit, air tanks, regulator, mask and fins designed to allow one adult to breathe and swim under water.

Transportation

Full-Size Sedan – The traditional vehicle of federal agents everywhere. Seats five with enough trunk space to accommodate an adult.

SUV – A vehicle capable of limited off-road travel. An equipment rack on the roof and rear can be used to move duffle bags, bicycles and other gear. Seats five.

Luxury Sedan – Travel in style with heated seats, the latest in GPS navigation and all the added comfort you require. Seats five.

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Light Pickup Truck – A light-duty truck able to move or tow approximately one ton safely. Seats two.

Heavy Duty Pickup Truck – A heavy pickup truck that is capable of towing up to ten tons safely, and carry up to two tons in its bed. Seats three.

Armored Sedan – Identical in specifications as the Full-Size Sedan, but with much greater weight to accommodate the internal armor and bulletproof windows and windshield. Occupants in such a vehicle, and the vehicle itself, are granted an Armor Rating of five.

Single Engine Prop Airplane – A small plane for the “casual” pilot. Can be adapted for amphibious use. Can comfortably seat two people along with up to five hundred pounds of gear. Especially large or bulky items may not fit in the relatively small baggage compartment.

Dual Engine Prop Airplane – Can comfortably seat four people and up to one thousand pounds of gear. Bulky items (those longer than eight feet) can still be a problem.

Small Corporate Jet – Private, luxury air travel for the elite. This jet can carry substantial loads and can comfortably accommodate up to six people in the cabin, apart from the pilot and co-pilot.

High-Performance Speedboat – A recreational water vehicle often employed by the coast guard or marina police. An impressive speed and superior maneuverability are handy assets for such agencies, as well as the less savory individuals that try to avoid law enforcement.

Luxury Yacht – Cruise in style aboard this one hundred foot yacht. This motored yacht can accommodate a dozen people with two to three decks above the waterline, including the roof or “sun deck”.

Small Helicopter – A lightweight helicopter that is capable of seating two people with very limited gear or additional cargo.

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Genesys DevelopmentThe Genesys System is designed to be modular. This means that the core rules are relatively simple, consistent and intended to allow others to create add-ons that can be picked up and applied by any game designer or experienced GM to provide the rules and mechanics they need for the games they wish to run. The core rules use the modern United States as a reference point and make no mention of magic systems or other such elements. It is intended that such ancillary mechanics will be designed by others and packaged in modules called “plug-ins”.

Because Genesys has been built in this way, it is easy to use it as the core engine of any traditional role-playing game you might wish to create. Rather than design an entirely new task resolution system, combat system or skill system, you can use Genesys as your “base” and create plug-ins to handle those aspects of your game that make it truly unique. And if any particular rule in the system doesn’t suit your purposes, it can likely be changed with a minimal amount of effort.

Compatibility and Freedom

Any work that uses Genesys must include a reference to the version number of the core rules that have been used. The scheme used to number versions of the core rules and plug-ins is described in the Release Notes of this document, along with the license Genesys uses.

The terms of the Genesys license let you use the Genesys System in your own works, even if you charge money for them. It is designed to be the ultimate “free” system, letting others write for it, remix it or do whatever they wish, with the only restriction being that they provide proper credit for the system. This allows you to create your own version of a “perfect magic system” for Genesys, publish it in book form and sell it to others.

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