alien-rpg-core-rulebook

2. YOUR CHARACTER

TT KEY ATTRIBUTE: Empathy TYPICAL NAMES Ana Kasnavik
TT KEY SKILLS: Mobility, Observation, Juno Blanchard
Cho Hadfield Katie Aberly
Medical Aid Ken Ibana
Sullivan Ward
TT CAREER TALENTS: Calming Presence,

Compassion, Field Surgeon

YOUR PERSONAL APPEARANCE
AGENDA
Choose from the options below or decide for
Choose from the options below or decide for yourself.
yourself.
TT Sympathetic smile
TT You are addicted to a strong painkiller. Pro- TT Short, tidy hair
TT Warm, caring eyes
tect your stash—and your secret. TT Dark bags under eyes
TT Fidgeting hands
TT You have some unusual (but classified) TT Calm and gentle voice
TT Cold, unsympathetic stare
medical reports that the Company is look- TT Spectacles
ing for. Find out why they are so important. TT White coat

TT You’ve sworn an oath never to take a life,

and you mean it.

SIGNATURE ITEM GEAR

Choose one of the following or come up with Choose two of the starting items below. You
one for yourself: also get $D6x100 in cash.

TT Framed medical certificate TT Surgical kit OR IRC MK.50 compression suit
TT Letter from son or daughter TT D6 doses Naproleve OR D6 doses Never-
TT Last psych evaluation: “All clear at last.”
sleep

TT Personal medkit OR D6 doses experimental

X-Drugs

TT Samani E-Series watch OR Hand radio

47

P L AY E R S E C T I O N

OFFICER

When everything is going to shit—
the Company’s holding your crew’s
pay hostage, there’s a mountain of
reports to file from that last incident
near Thedus, and who knows how many
family members back home are weighing
on everyone’s minds—it’s a good thing you
spent all those years training to do this for
a living. You’re the authority figure, the role
model, the voice of your superiors, and the
enlisted crew’s advocate. You’re also the
butt of all of their jokes around the mess
hall… until it all gets so much worse, and
they’re looking to you for what to do next.
Better hope your training has a solution to
this one.

48

2. YOUR CHARACTER

TT KEY ATTRIBUTE: Empathy TYPICAL NAMES
TT KEY SKILLS: Ranged Combat, Command,
Eugene Proctor Wendy Stern
Manipulation Oliver Bryant Julia Kwang
Lloyd T. Darrington Camille Kirschner
TT CAREER TALENTS: Field Commander,

Influence, Pull Rank

YOUR PERSONAL APPEARANCE
AGENDA
Choose from the options below or decide for
Choose from the options below or decide for yourself.
yourself.
TT Hair in a crew cut, or tied-back
TT You come from an officer family. You need TT Serious, intense expression
TT Spotless uniform
to gain promotion or an award—soon. TT Overworked and “strung-out”
TT Stiff body posture
TT You messed up in the past. Avoid taking TT Relaxed and soothing voice
TT Jumpsuit with mission patch
the blame for any more mission screw-ups. TT Impatiently taps a foot

TT Mistakes are deadly, so don’t let anyone

under your watch screw up. Make sure they
understand why.

SIGNATURE ITEM GEAR

Choose one of the following or come up with Choose two of the starting items below. You
one for yourself: also get $2D6x100 in cash.

TT Ship’s cat TT M4A3 Service Pistol OR Rexim RXF-M5
TT Letter of recommendation
TT ICC Commercial Flight Officer license EVA Pistol

TT Samani E-Series watch OR Binoculars
TT M314 motion tracker OR IRC MK.50 com-

pression suit

TT Seegson P-DAT OR IFF transponder

49

P L AY E R S E C T I O N

PILOT

The stars are the limit, and they are limitless. You aren’t content to keep your
feet on the ground, and on the Frontier, there’s no need to. From starfighters to
dropships, freighters to frigates, there’s always something that needs flying—
and some aerospace-stunt that only you can pull off. You aren’t in this for the
money, although it doesn’t hurt. You’re a thrill-seeker and an adrenaline junkie.
Danger is the rush you live for, but stay frosty. Otherwise, the next time you find
yourself dodging through an asteroid belt or seeing the ground rush up to meet
you might be your last.

50

2. YOUR CHARACTER

TT KEY ATTRIBUTE: Agility TYPICAL NAMES Fiona O’Neill
TT KEY SKILLS: Mobility, Ranged Combat, Constance Navona
Casper Edmonton Igraine Turner
Comtech Sven Stackman
Kiel Avari
TT CAREER TALENTS: Full Throttle, Like the

Back of Your Hand, Reckless

YOUR PERSONAL APPEARANCE
AGENDA
Choose from the options below or decide for
Choose from the options below or decide for yourself.
yourself.
TT Arrogant walk
TT It’s about pushing the limit. Taking a TT Steely blue eyes
TT Multi-pocket flight suit
chance. Taking risks—so take a risk. TT Sunglasses
TT Previous mission patches
TT You’re stubborn and don’t like to back TT Deadpan expression
TT Chews gum
down, even if your friends might get hurt. TT Skeptical look

TT You’re a loner, always happier when you GEAR

can do a task without relying on others. Choose two of the starting items below. You
also get $D6x100 in cash.
SIGNATURE ITEM
TT M4A3 service pistol OR PR-PUT uplink
Choose one of the following or come up with
one for yourself: terminal

TT Dashboard dancer TT Hand radio OR D6 flares
TT Pilot’s logbook TT Maintenance jack OR Seegson P-DAT
TT Pilot shades TT Seegson system diagnostic device OR IRC

MK.50 compression suit

51

P L AY E R S E C T I O N

ROUGHNECK

Someone has to do the manual labor on the Fron-
tier, and that someone is you. Life has dealt you
some harsh blows but you’ve always struck back.
You’ve been in countless barroom brawls, you
swear a lot, and belch at the dinner table. In short,
people find you uncouth. You really don’t care—

you’ve grown past the need for niceties. No one
works harder than you. You are up before first
dawn and finish your workday long after second

twilight. You are the cog that keeps the Fron-
tier chugging. Your hands are calloused and
your face is dirty, and the only thing harder
than the work you do is the way you party.

52

2. YOUR CHARACTER

TT KEY ATTRIBUTE: Strength TYPICAL NAMES Sassy Diaz
TT KEY SKILLS: Heavy Machinery, Stamina, Kat Longridge
Mac Masterton Jayden Pace
Close Combat Kip Tranter
Charlie Stead
TT CAREER TALENTS: Resilient, The Long Haul,

True Grit

YOUR PERSONAL APPEARANCE
AGENDA
Choose from the options below or decide for
Choose from the options below or decide for yourself.
yourself.
TT Tattoos
TT You are a compulsive thrill-seeker. If there TT Scar
TT Broken nose
is a risk to take, you’ll step up and try it. TT Mirthless eyes
TT Smirking face
TT You once sacrificed your family for the job. TT Loud laugh
TT Bruised and calloused hands
Now you won’t let your friends down—ever. TT Eyes hidden behind safety goggles
TT Filthy boots that clomp loudly when you walk
TT Downtime matters. If you can grab a can TT Wild hair

of Aspen beer (or even Souta Dry, though
only if you’re desperate) and some time
alone, you’re happy.

SIGNATURE ITEM GEAR

Choose one of the following or come up with Choose two of the starting items below. You
one for yourself: also get $D6x100 in cash.

TT Tool belt TT Cutting torch OR Watsumi DV-303 bolt gun
TT Photo of partner TT D6 doses Hydr8tion OR Maintenance jack
TT Crucifix or other religious symbol TT Stash of hard liquor OR IRC MK.50 com-

pression suit

TT Hi-beam flashlight OR Seegson C-Series

magnetic tape recorder

53

P L AY E R S E C T I O N

SCIENTIST

Every day, new pieces to the puzzle of
existence are found on the Frontier.
Figuring out what makes them fit to-

gether could leap humanity over na-
ture’s next hurdle, and you are one

thesis away from the respect you
deserve. Some find you cold and
detached; they don’t understand
that your passion is knowledge.
Whether your field is xenobiology,
astrophysics, robotics, or even archa-
eology, there are countless treasures in
space, just waiting for someone to trip
over the next asteroid and run right
into them. Whether or not that's you,
you’re still the one who understands
them better than anyone.

54

2. YOUR CHARACTER

TT KEY ATTRIBUTE: Wits TYPICAL NAMES Elena Sanchez
TT KEY SKILLS: Observation, Survival, Louise Mallory
Viggo Kowalski Karima Yusef
Comtech Drew Lancaster
Travis Torrence
TT CAREER TALENTS: Analysis, Breakthrough,

Inquisitive

YOUR PERSONAL APPEARANCE
AGENDA
Choose from the options below or decide for
Choose from the options below or decide for yourself.
yourself.
TT Unkempt, untidy appearance
TT Your last project was stolen from you. Now TT Stained lab coat
TT Nervous manner
you keep many of your findings secret. TT Hands constantly shoved in pockets
TT Tidy, well-trimmed hair
TT You hate authority and go out of your way TT Thoughtful gaze
TT Clears throat before speaking
to be uncooperative if possible. TT Bleary, overworked eyes

TT You find it hard to delegate to others, even

if it means taking on extra work.

SIGNATURE ITEM GEAR

Choose one of the following or come up with Choose two of the starting items below. You
one for yourself: also get $D6x100 in cash.

TT Albert Einstein Award TT Digital video camera OR Hand radio
TT Unfinished scientific paper TT Seegson P-DAT OR Neuro visor
TT Blackmail letters TT Seegson System Diagnostic Device OR

Personal Data Transmitter

TT M314 motion tracker OR Personal medkit

55

P L AY E R S E C T I O N
56

3. SKILLS

SKILLS

“Hey, I feel like kind of a fifth wheel around here. Is there anything I can do?”
“I don't know, is there anything you can do?”
“Well, I can drive that loader. I have a Class-2 rating.”
“Be my guest.”

—LT. E LLE N RI PLE Y AND MASTE R SE RG E ANT AL APON E

57

P L AY E R S E C T I O N

Roleplaying is an intimate conversation. The GM THE 12 SKILLS
sets the scene, you describe what you do, she
tells you how the NPCs react, you respond, and TT Heavy Machinery (STRENGTH)
so on—back and forth. The story grows one step TT Stamina (STRENGTH)
at a time, and everyone lives happily ever after. TT Close Combat (STRENGTH)
TT Mobility (AGILITY)
Yeah, just kidding about that last part. Not TT Ranged Combat (AGILITY)
on the Frontier, you don’t. TT Piloting (AGILITY)
TT Observation (WITS)
Sooner or later, the shit—just like prisoner TT Comtech (WITS)
Murphy—hits the fan. Things come to a head, TT Survival (WITS)
a point of no return is reached, and a problem TT Command (EMPATHY)
mounts that cannot just be settled by talking TT Manipulation (EMPATHY)
your way out of it. TT Medical Aid (EMPATHY)

That’s when you call upon your mad skills.
Just break out the dice and show Mother you
know a thing or two. ■

ROLLING DICE

There are twelve skills in total in the game, MEAN SUCCESS
all described later in this chapter. Three skills
are connected to each of the four attributes: When you use a skill, first describe what your
STRENGTH, AGILITY, WITS, and EMPATHY. Skills are character does or says. Then, add your skill
measured in skill levels, from 0 to 5. level to your score in the attribute connected
to the skill, and grab that many Base Dice. If
As mentioned in Chapter 1, two types of you have Stress Dice (below), add these to the
six-sided dice are used in this game, each dice pool as well.
available for purchase separately: Base Dice
and Stress Dice. You can play this game with Then just roll all the dice together. For your
any normal six-sided dice, but it helps if you action to succeed, you must roll at least one
have them in two different colors to tell Base
Dice and Stress Dice apart. symbol (a six)—if not, your action fails. If
you roll more than one , you can perform
R O L L S W I T H O U T S K I L L : If you don’t stunts (listed under each skill description).
have the skill required for the particular action
you want to perform, you can roll anyway— T H E S Y M B O L : On the Stress Dice, the
simply roll a number of Base Dice equal to 1 is replaced by the symbol. If you roll one
your attribute as well as any Stress Dice. or more you risk panicking. Read more on
page 103.

58

3. SKILLS

GEAR THE ART OF
Gear can give you extra Base Dice to roll, but FA I L U R E
not always; sometimes a specific piece of gear
is needed just to perform the action. If you don't roll any , something goes
wrong. For some reason, you failed to
EXAMPLE achieve your goal. Feel free to elaborate on
why with the help of the GM. She might even
Lisa’s character Jeffries, the let a failed roll have further consequences to
navigator, is making her way move the story forward in a dramatic way.
back to the habitat on the USCSS
Miranda. She’s sure something is Failure must not stop the story complete-
following her and she just needs ly. Even when you fail, there must be a way
to hide in her room until this forward—perhaps at the cost of time, risk, or
all blows over. Unfortunately, UA dollars, but still a way. The GM has the fi-
the GM describes a section of nal say on the consequences of failure in any
ceiling paneling blocking her particular situation.
path to the habitat, and says a
STAMINA roll is required to move You have one last chance if you really
the fallen metal aside. Jeffries want to succeed—you can push the roll.
has a STRENGTH of 3 but no skill
level in STAMINA. She can roll
just her STRENGTH in Base Dice to
try to push her way past the de-
bris to safety.  ■

CHANCE OF SUCCESS
When you roll a lot of dice, it can be hard to predict the chance of success. The table below shows
the chance of success when rolling with 1–10 dice. The third column shows the chance of success if
you push the roll (including the added Stress Die from pushing—see page 61).

NUMBER OF DICE CHANCE OF SUCCESS PUSHED ROLL
1 17% 29%
2 31% 50%
3 42% 64%
4 52% 74%
5 60% 81%
6 67% 87%
7 72% 90%
8 77% 93%
9 81% 95%
10 84% 96%

59

P L AY E R S E C T I O N

DESCRIBE YOUR ACTION PUSHING YOUR ROLL
You create a story together in the ALIEN role-
playing game. A dice roll is a dramatic high If you are desperate to succeed with a dice
point. First you describe what you are trying to roll, you can choose to push the roll. This
achieve, so that everyone knows what is at stake. means that you grab all the dice that didn’t
Then you roll your dice. Interpret the result and show and roll them again. You get a new
describe what happens. Describe what you do, chance to roll .
what you say, or what you are thinking. If you
push your roll, describe how. Do it yourself, don’t Usually, you would only push a roll if you
wait for the GM—the GM should only stop you if failed it, although you can push your roll
you go beyond the results you have rolled. even if you rolled first, to get more to
increase the effect of an attack, for example.
Pushing a roll is not without risk, as it increas-
es your STRESS LEVEL; more on that below.

O N LY O N C E : You can only push your roll
once. If you don’t succeed on your second try,
you just have to deal with the consequences.
Some talents can allow you to push certain rolls
a second time, however.

60

3. SKILLS

STRESS LEVEL DON’T ROLL TOO OFTEN
In the ALIEN roleplaying game, a dice roll is
Pushing yourself builds tension to a point a dramatic moment. Pushing rolls increases
where you risk going into wild panic or a stress and can trigger panic in your character.
violent outburst. When you push a roll, your Rolling dice too often can cause the stress me-
STRESS LEVEL immediately increases by one chanic (see page 103) to spiral out of control
point. Mark this down on your character sheet too quickly. With that in mind, never roll dice
before you re-roll your dice. unless it is absolutely necessary. Save the dice
for dramatic situations or tough challenges. In
When making skill rolls—including the im- any other situation, the GM should simply al-
mediate re-roll when pushing—add a number low you to perform whatever action you wish.
of Stress Dice to your dice pool equal to your
current STRESS LEVEL. This means the stress ac- EXAMPLE
tually increases your chances to succeed at skill
rolls—it makes you more sharp and alert. How- Dina’s character Nat is trying to
ever, if you roll a symbol on one or more repair the engines of the Miran-
Stress Dice during a skill roll, you risk panic. da. Nat is already on edge, with
a STRESS LEVEL of 2 from discover-
PA N I C ing the corpse of her fellow crew
member Reed. The GM says that the
Pushing dice rolls is a little like playing repairs require a HEAVY MACHINERY
blackjack—it increases your chances of roll. Nat’s STRENGTH is 5 and her
success, but if you push too hard, you skill level is 3, so she picks
suffer the consequences. In the ALIEN up 8 Base Dice. She adds 2 Stress
roleplaying game, these consequences are Dice because of her current STRESS
triggering panic and losing control of your LEVEL. Despite rolling 10 dice,
character. none of them come up with a
symbol. Fortunately, neither of
When you roll Stress Dice in a skill roll the two Stress Dice show , so
and one or more symbols come up, you she can push the roll. This in-
cannot push the roll—instead, you must creases her STRESS LEVEL to 3,
immediately make a Panic Roll (see page so she rolls 8 Base Dice and 3
104). A Panic Roll can cause your skill roll Stress Dice. This time two of her
to fail no matter how many you rolled. Base Dice come up with the
symbol, which is more than enough
Besides pushing skill rolls, other stress- for a success, and none of the
ful or dangerous events can increase your Stress Dice show . She made it.
STRESS LEVEL as well as trigger Panic Rolls. This time.  ■

AMMO: If your action is firing a weapon with STORY POINTS
a limited magazine, rolling one or more In a Cinematic scenario, you can spend a Story
Point to get one automatic in a dice roll. You
means that you empty the magazine in can spend the Story Point after a failed roll, or
addition to making a Panic Roll. Read more even after a successful roll in order to get an ex-
about ammunition on page 96. tra . You gain Story Points by following your
Personal Agenda (see page 31). You can never
have more than three Story Points, however.

61

P L AY E R S E C T I O N

NPCS AND PUSHING M O D I F I C AT I O N
As a general rule, NPCs never push rolls and
they don’t have a STRESS LEVEL. Instead, the GM Sometimes, external factors help you to suc-
determines when NPCs panic. ceed. This gives you extra Base Dice to roll.
Other times, something hampers your action.
O N LY O N E C H A N C E This gives you fewer Base Dice to roll than
normal. This is called a modification. Modifica-
As a rule, you only have one chance to suc- tion +1 means you roll one extra Base Die, +2
ceed with any action. Once you have rolled means you roll two extra Base Dice, and so on.
the dice—and pushed the roll—you can’t roll Modification –1 means you roll one Base Die
again to achieve the same goal. You need fewer than normal, –2 means two fewer, and
to try something different or wait until the so on.
circumstances have changed in a substantial
way. Or let another player character try. This Several modifications can apply to the
rule does not apply to combat, where you can same roll, simply add them together. A modifi-
attack the same enemy over and over until it is cation of +2 and one of –1 add up to +1. If you
dead on the floor. don’t have enough Base Dice to remove after
a modification, remove Stress Dice. If you end
up with no dice at all, you have no chance to
succeed at this action—time to rethink your
strategy!

You can get modifications in several differ-
ent ways:

TT Gear (see Chapter 5)
TT The difficulty of the action itself
TT Help from others

GROUP ROLLS NPCS AND SKILLS
Non-player characters use skills in the same
When you face a challenge together with the way as player characters, with the one major
other PCs, don’t roll dice separately. Instead, difference being that NPCs never push rolls.
you choose who among you is best suited to The GM rolls dice for NPCs, but should only
take on this challenge. The others may help roll for actions that affect a PC directly—for
them (see next page) if it’s relevant to the example, if the NPC is attacking a player char-
situation. If the roll fails, it counts as a failure acter or is attempting to save them. When an
for all of you—you are not allowed to try one NPC performs an action that does not directly
time each. affect a PC, the GM can simply decide what
happens, without rolling dice.
This rule does not apply in combat, where
each PC is free to attack any enemy they like.

62

3. SKILLS

D I F F I C U LT Y DIFFICULTY MODIFICATION
DIFFICULTY +3
Normally, the GM doesn’t assess how difficult Trivial +2
an action is. You only roll dice in challenging Simple +1
situations—period. But sometimes, the GM Easy 0
might want to underscore that external factors Average –1
either help or hinder an action. Use the table Demanding –2
to the right for guidance. Hard –3
Formidable
There are also cases when modifications
are imposed by the rules, like when you aim EXAMPLE
carefully with a ranged weapon (see page 94),
shoot at long distance, or if you’re in a bad Gina's playing Charlize, the cap-
bargaining position when you attempt to use tain of the USCSS Miranda, and
MANIPULATION on someone. Some talents can she’s sent the crew out into the
also give you a positive modification in certain ship to search for missing cor-
situations. porate liaison Torres. First Reed
turns up with his chest torn open
HELP FROM OTHERS like something burst out of it,
then Nguyen loses his shit and
Other PCs or NPCs can help you succeed at voids himself out of an airlock.
a skill roll. This must be declared right away, Charlize has the medic Hayes with
before you roll your dice. It must also make her to look for the remaining
sense in the story—the individual helping Company handler, so the GM says
you must have the capacity to support your that Hayes can act as a help-
action. The GM has the final say. er for the OBSERVATION roll needed
to sort out the confusing signal
For each person helping you, you get a +1 mess on the tracker. Charlize has
modification. No more than three people can WITS 4 and OBSERVATION 2, so that’s
help you with a single roll, meaning your maxi- 6 Base Dice, and the Tracker
mum modification from assistance is +3. gives her 1 bonus die. She gets a
+1 modification from Hayes help-
In combat, helping counts as the same type ing out as well, for a total of 8
of action as the one you are supporting (fast Base Dice.  ■
or slow, see page 87).

NPCs can help each other in the same
way as player characters. Letting NPCs act
in groups instead of individually is often an
easy way to manage large numbers of NPCs
in conflicts.

63

P L AY E R S E C T I O N

OPPOSED ROLLS EXAMPLE

Sometimes rolling a isn’t enough to suc- Captain Charlize is attempting
ceed with your skill roll. In some cases, you
have to beat your foe in an opposed roll. To win to bypass Mother’s antagonistic
an opposed roll, you have to roll successfully
and roll more than your adversary. Every actions by accessing her core
your adversary rolls eliminates one of your .
Only you (the attacker) can push your roll. in the mainframe. The GM says

Sometimes you and your adversary roll for this is an opposed roll against
different skills, sometimes the same. Opposed
rolls are common when you MANIPULATE or use Mother’s impressive 8 Base Dice
MOBILITY to sneak, and when someone uses
those skills against you. The GM can also use (representing the AI’s proto-
opposed rolls when she deems it appropriate,
like rolling STAMINA vs. STAMINA to determine cols). Charlize has no COMTECH
the outcome of an arm wrestle. ■
skill, so she’s just rolling 4

Base Dice from her WITS. The roll

comes up with two symbols,

but the GM rolls for Mother and

gets two symbols as well.

Mother’s cancel out Charl-

ize’s, which spells trouble for

the Captain.  ■

THE SKILLS

H E AV Y M A C H I N E R Y (STRENGTH)

Hard work is part of life for any roughneck on the S T U N T S : For each extra rolled beyond the
Frontier, but at least you have powerful machines
to help you. Roll for this skill when you attempt first, choose one stunt applicable to the situation:
to use, repair, jury-rig or break any kind of heavy
machinery. TT Gain a +1 modification to a later skill roll

FA I L U R E : The blasted thing just won’t do what relating to this one.
you want. And what if the noise you made attract-
ed unwanted company? TT You got this. You don’t need to roll to over-

S U C C E S S : With a groan, the machine bends to come the exact same challenge in the future.
your will.
TT You do it quickly, in half the time it would

normally take.

TT You break it permanently.
TT You act quietly.
TT You show off.

64

3. SKILLS

S TA M I N A (STRENGTH)

When your physical endurance or vigour is
tested, roll for STAMINA. For example, this skill
is used to survive the cold vacuum of space or
to resist a deadly contagion.

FA I L U R E : You just can’t take it anymore. You
give in to the pain and suffer the consequences.

S U C C E S S : You manage to push on, ignoring
the pain just a little longer.

S T U N T S : For every extra you roll, choose
one stunt applicable to the situation:

TT Give one to another PC in the same

situation as you.

TT Gain a +1 modification to a later skill roll

relating to this one.

TT You’re hardened by the experience, and

don’t need to roll to overcome the exact
same challenge in the future.

TT You impress someone.

65

P L AY E R S E C T I O N

C L O S E C O M B AT (STRENGTH) effect next turn. You can’t go back to your
earlier initiative.
The world of ALIEN is a brutal place. Some-
times, you have no choice but to fight for your TT You knock or pull a weapon or other object
life, toe-to-toe with the enemy. Roll for this
skill when you attack someone in close combat. from your opponent. You choose which. During
Read more about close combat and damage in combat, picking up a dropped object counts as
Chapter 4. a fast action (see page 87).

FA I L U R E : You stumble and miss. Now it’s your TT Your opponent is knocked to the ground.
opponent’s turn… TT You hold your opponent in a grapple. They

S U C C E S S : You hit, and inflict damage equal to need to win an opposed CLOSE COMBAT roll
the weapon’s Damage rating on your opponent against you to break free, and can’t perform
(see page 118). any other action until they have done so, or
until you are Broken or let them go. This effect
only works on humans and synthetics.

S T U N T S : For every extra you roll, choose W E A P O N S : In close combat you can use weap-
one of these stunts: ons such as clubs, knives, or power drills. Read
more on page 127.
TT You inflict one more point of damage. You can
B L O C K I N G : When someone attacks you in
choose this stunt multiple times, if you roll close combat, you can try to block the attack.
Read more on page 92.
several .

TT You outmaneuver your enemy and can trade

initiative scores (see page 87) with them, taking

M O B I L I T Y (AGILITY) S U C C E S S : You survive the sticky situation.

When the heat is on and you are trying to dodge S T U N T S : For every extra you roll, choose one
the jaws of death, you need to keep a cool head and stunt applicable to the situation:
move quickly and silently. Roll for MOBILITY when
you want to get out of a hazardous situation—be it TT Give one to another PC in the same
a risky climb, a dangerous jump, or sneaking past
a lurking enemy. When MOBILITY is used for stealth, situation as you.
make an opposed roll against your opponent's
OBSERVATION. This skill also has specific uses in TT Gain a +1 modification to a later skill roll
stealth mode and combat, see Chapter 4.
relating to this one.
FA I L U R E : Despite your best efforts, you fail and
must suffer the consequences. TT You impress someone.

66

3. SKILLS

P I L O T I N G (AGILITY) RANGED COMBAT

Be it a dropship, a starfreighter or a battle (AGILITY)
frigate, you’re the one to fly it. Roll for PILOTING
when you attempt any difficult and dangerous If you have a gun, you can take down your
maneuver at the helm of any type of space- enemy from a distance without getting your
craft. The skill can also be used to drive ground hands bloody. Use the RANGED COMBAT skill to
vehicles. fire all types of ranged weapons. Read more
about ranged combat in Chapter 4.
FA I L U R E : You’re coming in too hot, and you
crash and burn. FA I L U R E : The shot misses your target.
Maybe it hits something else? And the
S U C C E S S : You pull off the maneuver by the sound of gunfire could attract unwelcome
skin of your teeth. attention…

S T U N T S : For every extra you roll, choose S U C C E S S : You hit, and inflict damage equal
one stunt applicable to the situation: to the weapon’s Damage rating to your oppo-
nent (see page 118).
TT Gain a +1 modification to a later skill roll
S T U N T S : For every extra you roll, choose
relating to this one. one of these stunts:

TT You show off. TT You inflict one more point of damage. You

GROUP STEALTH can choose this stunt multiple times, if you
When you and other characters in a group roll several .
sneak side by side, don’t make individual
MOBILITY rolls to stay undetected. Instead, only TT You pin down your enemy. They need to
the PC with the lowest skill level rolls, and the
result applies to the whole group. make an immediate Panic Roll.

TT You position yourself and get to exchange

your initiative score (see page 87) with your
enemy, taking effect next turn. You can’t go
back to your earlier initiative.

TT Your target drops a weapon or another

hand-held object. You choose which.

TT Your opponent falls to the ground or is

pushed back, for example through an air-
lock.

TA K I N G C O V E R : When bullets start flying,
it's often a good idea to seek cover behind
something sturdy. Read more on page 86.

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N

O B S E R VAT I O N (WITS)

In the world of ALIEN, you need to be on your
guard at all times, or you won’t live long. You
use your OBSERVATION skill to spot someone
sneaking (opposed roll, see MOBILITY). You can
also use the skill when you spot an unknown
threat of some kind, to learn more about it.
FA I L U R E : You can’t really make out what it
is, or you mistake it for something else (the
GM feeds you false information).
S U C C E S S : You are able to make out what
it is, and whether or not it looks like a threat.
The exact information you get is up to the GM.
S T U N T S : For every extra you roll, you get
to know the answer to one of these questions:

TTIs it coming for me?
TTAre there more of them close by?
TTHow do I get in/past/away?

GROUP OBSERVATION
When you and the other PCs scout at the same
time, you do not roll separately. Instead, only
one PC rolls, and that result applies to the whole
group. Who makes the roll is up to you.

68

3. SKILLS

C O M T E C H (WITS) S T U N T S : For each extra rolled beyond the

Programming androids, mainframes, and other first, choose one stunt applicable to the situation:
types of advanced technology requires specialist
knowledge. Roll for COMTECH for any challenging TT Gain a +1 modification to a later skill roll relat-
attempt to program, repair, decrypt or otherwise
manipulate any type of computer or communica- ing to this one.
tions technology.
TT You don’t need to roll to overcome the exact
FA I L U R E : No matter what algorithm you try,
it just won’t work. And what if you inadvertently same challenge in the future.
triggered the alarm?
TT You do it quickly, in half the time it would nor-
S U C C E S S : The code is like music, and you play
it beautifully. mally take.

TT You get new or unexpected information (GM’s

choice).

TT You hide your tracks.
TT You show off.

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N

S U R V I VA L (WITS) M A N I P U L AT I O N

Terraforming can make the atmosphere on ( E M PAT H Y )
alien worlds (passably) breathable, but it will
rarely make them earthlike. You might be able Alien life forms may gut you without remorse,
to breathe without a pressure suit on such but the most truly dangerous beings in the
worlds, though you can also expect to struggle ALIEN universe are corporate agents and
against extreme heat and cold, sandstorms, other schemers who use lies, threats, or subtle
acid rain, and other extreme weather. Roll for persuasion to get what they want.
SURVIVAL when you’re in a hazardous planetside
environment of some kind and need to figure To make another person see things your
out a way to stay alive. way, make an opposed roll for MANIPULATION
(it takes a liar to spot a liar). Your chances are
FA I L U R E : You find no safe haven. Unless affected by your negotiating position (see the
someone comes to your rescue, you're on boxed text on the next page).
borrowed time.
FA I L U R E : Your adversary won't listen and
S U C C E S S : You find a safe haven to weather won't do what you want. They might start to
the storm. dislike you, or even attack you if provoked.

S T U N T S : For every extra you roll, choose S U C C E S S : If you succeed, your adversary
one stunt applicable to the situation: must either do what you want or immediately
attack you physically. Even if your adversary
TT Give one to another PC in the same chooses to do what you want, they can still de-
mand something in return. The GM decides what
trouble as you. that entails, but it should be reasonable enough
for you to be able to meet those demands. It is
TT Gain a +1 modification to a later skill roll up to you to accept the agreement or not.

relating to this one. S T U N T S : For each you roll in excess of
what you need to win the opposed roll, you
TT You impress someone. can choose one of these stunts:

MANIPULATE A GROUP TT Your opponent does what you want with-
When you want to manipulate a whole
group, you usually address the group’s out demanding a favor in return.
leader or spokesperson. Note that you get a
–1 modification to your roll if your opponent TT Your opponent does more than you ask for,
has more people on their side. If you reach
an agreement with the leader, the rest of for example giving you some useful piece
the group usually follows. If there is no giv- of information. Details are up to the GM.
en leader it’s harder—every single opponent
acts individually. TT Your opponent is impressed by you and

will try to help you later on in some way.
Details are up to the GM.

B E I N G M A N I P U L AT E D : NPCs and other
PCs can use MANIPULATION on you. If their roll
succeeds, you must attack or offer a deal of
some kind. Then it is up to the GM (or the other
player) whether your adversary accepts or not.

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3. SKILLS

NEGOTIATING POSITION C O M M A N D (EMPATHY)
Your chances of using MANIPULATION on someone suc-
cessfully are affected by your negotiating position, If you are to survive the horrors of
which is determined by the GM. Each of the following space, you’ll need a good leader—or
factors gives your roll a +1 modification: you must become one yourself. You can
use your COMMAND skill in two ways:
TT You have more people on your side.
TT What you ask for doesn’t cost your opponent STOP PANIC: When another character
makes a Panic Roll and loses control,
anything. you can make a COMMAND roll to return
them to their senses. See page 104.
TT Your opponent has suffered damage.
TT You have helped your opponent previously. G I V E O R D E R S : In combat, as a slow
TT You present your case very well (determined by action you can bark orders to another
character. They must be able to hear
the GM). you, even if via a comm radio. Roll
COMMAND. For every you roll, they
Each of the following factors modifies your roll by –1: get a +1 modification to their roll when
carrying out the order you gave.
TT Your opponent has more people on their side.
TT You ask for something valuable or dangerous. O F F I C E R S : PCs with the Officer
TT Your opponent has nothing to gain by helping you. career and the Pull Rank talent can use
TT You are having trouble understanding each other. COMMAND to order other characters (PCs
TT You are talking via radio or shouting at a distance. and NPCs) to do as they say. ■

MEDICAL AID NOT MIND CONTROL
When you use MANIPULATION on some-
( E M PAT H Y ) one, you don’t take control of their
mind. What you are trying to convince
In the world of ALIEN, there is a significant risk that your adversary to do must be some-
you or the other characters will be injured, sooner or what reasonable, otherwise the GM can
later. This is when the MEDICAL AID skill is useful. It can disallow it.
be used in two different ways:

R E C O V E R Y : A person whose Health has dropped
to zero is Broken. If you apply your MEDICAL AID
skills to them and your roll succeeds, they get back
on their feet and immediately recover a number of
Health points equal to the number of you rolled.
Read more about damage in Chapter 4.

S AV E A L I F E : The most critical use of MEDICAL
AID is saving the life of a fallen character who has
suffered a critical injury. A failed roll at this point
could mean the end for your patient, so be careful!
Read more about critical injuries on page 99.

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N
72

4. TALENTS

TA L E N T S

“Seventeen days? Hey man, I don't wanna rain on your parade but
we're not gonna last seventeen hours! Those things are gonna come
in here just like they did before! And they're gonna come in here—
“Hudson.”
“—and they're gonna come in here—AND THEY'RE GONNA KILL US!”
“HUDSON! This little girl survived longer than that with no weapons
and no training. Right?”
“Why don’t you put her in charge?”

—HUDSON AND RIPLEY

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N

To survive and thrive in the cold dark of space There are two distinct types of talents—career
you need to find your own niche, something you talents and general talents. Career talents can
and no one else can do. Such special abilities are only be learned by characters with a spe-
called talents. Talents can affect how you use cific career. General talents can be learned
skills or how you recover from damage or stress, by anyone. When you create a character for
or even let you do things that are quite simply Campaign play, you get to choose one career
impossible for others. As opposed to skills, talents talent. You can learn new talents during play
are not rated—you either have them or you don’t. (see page 36).

COLONIAL MARINE COLONIAL MARSHAL
TA L E N T S TA L E N T S

B A N T E R : Between fights, you release the A U T H O R I T Y : By invoking your authority as
tension in your team with some friendly ban- a colonial marshal, you can use your COMMAND
ter. Your STRESS LEVEL, and the STRESS LEVEL skill instead of MANIPULATION to get someone to
of everyone in SHORT range of you, drops two bend to your will.
steps (instead of one) for every Turn spent in
a safe place (see page 104). Having several I N V E S T I G AT O R : You see what others miss,
Marines with this talent doesn’t increase the and are skilled at noticing small details and
effect. making sense of them. When you spend a Turn
in a room or similar location, you can roll for
O V E R K I L L : You don’t run and hide when the OBSERVATION. Only one attempt is allowed. For
going gets tough. Instead of panicking in the each you roll, you may ask the GM one of
face of mortal danger, you can turn your fear the following questions. The GM must answer
into aggression and use it as a weapon against truthfully, but she is allowed to give vague or
your enemy. You can trigger the Overkill effect incomplete information.
when you make a Panic Roll—see page 104.
TT What happened here?
PA S T T H E L I M I T : When the going gets TT Is there anything hidden here, and if so,
tough, the tough get going, and you’re the
toughest badass around. You can push any skill where?
roll based on STRENGTH twice, not just once
like other characters. Each push increases your TT Are there any details here that are out of
STRESS LEVEL by one.
place, something that’s out of the ordi-
nary?

S U B D U E : You’re skilled at subduing an
opponent without harming them. When you
attack a humanoid opponent in close combat,
you can declare that you are trying to subdue
them. You then get a +2 modification to the at-
tack, but if it hits, you don’t inflict any damage.
Instead, you hold your opponent in a grapple.
Extra rolled have no effect.

74

4. TALENTS

COMPANY AGENT TALENTS

C U N N I N G : If the company has taught you any- PC or friendly NPC is within SHORT range (the
thing, it’s to always be on the lookout for anything same zone), you can make a MANIPULATION roll
that can give you an edge. You can push any skill (straight roll, not opposed, and does not count
roll based on WITS twice, not just once like other as an action). If you succeed, you see the threat
characters. Each push increases your STRESS LEVEL coming and find a clever way to make the other
by one. character suffer the attack or hazard instead of
you. Using this talent increases your STRESS LEVEL
P E R S O N A L S A F E T Y : The interests of the by one.
company always come first, no matter what.
And you represent the company. That means TA K E C O N T R O L : You know how to make
your own safety is paramount—other crew people do what you want, and you don't feel bad
members are expendable. If you are attacked or about doing it. You can roll for MANIPULATION using
otherwise end up in fatal danger, and if another WITS instead of EMPATHY.

KID TALENTS MEDIC TALENTS

B E N E AT H N O T I C E : No matter what horri- C A L M I N G P R E S E N C E : People find them-
ble situations you end up in, you always seem selves relaxing whenever you are around. Once
to make it out unscathed, probably because per Turn, you may reduce the STRESS LEVEL of
no one ever pays much attention to you. When another character within SHORT range by one,
you roll for a critical injury on yourself, you get in addition to the normal stress recovery (see
to re-roll the dice and choose the result that page 104). In order to use this talent, you and
you prefer. any character that hopes to benefit from your
calming presence must be in a relatively safe
D O D G E : When attacked in close combat, place. You cannot use this talent on yourself.
you can dodge. This works like blocking (see
page 92), but you roll using MOBILITY instead of C O M PA S S I O N : This isn’t just a job for you.
CLOSE COMBAT and you can only use it to reduce You truly care about the people under your
damage (not counterattack or disarm). You can care. You can push any skill roll based on EMPA-
even dodge a creature’s signature attack (see THY twice, not just once like other characters.
Chapter 11). Each push increases your STRESS LEVEL by one.

N I M B L E : Fun and games? Maybe to others, F I E L D S U R G E O N : You know the delicate
but you know the truth. All that “play” has kept art of stopping a wound from bleeding or
your reflexes sharp. You can push any skill roll treating grave injuries. You get a +2 modifi-
based on AGILITY twice, not just once like other cation to MEDICAL AID when treating someone
characters. Each push increases your STRESS who is about to die from a critical injury (see
LEVEL by one. page 99).

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N

OFFICER TALENTS PILOT TALENTS

F I E L D C O M M A N D E R : You can use COM- F U L L T H R O T T L E : You like to go fast.
MAND to give orders in combat (see page 71) Really fast. When piloting a spacecraft, you
as a fast action instead of a slow action. This in get a +2 modification to PILOTING rolls for any
effect means you can give orders twice in the Accelerate or Decelerate actions.
same Round.
L I K E T H E B A C K O F YO U R H A N D : This
I N F L U E N C E : With rank comes certain vehicle is yours, and you know every bolt and
privileges—being obeyed is one of them. You cable, nook and cranny. Choose one vehicle or
can push any skill roll based on EMPATHY twice, spacecraft (not one type, but a single, specific
not just once like other characters. Each push craft). You get a +2 modification to PILOTING
increases your STRESS LEVEL by one. with the chosen vehicle. You can choose this
talent several times, once for each vehicle.
P U L L R A N K : You can use your COMMAND
skill to order other non-officer PCs and NPCs R E C K L E S S : You live for the rush of adren-
around, as long as they belong to the same or- aline through your veins, pushing harder than
ganization as you. To force someone to follow others dare. You can push any skill roll based
your orders and perform a specific action, roll on AGILITY twice, not just once like other char-
COMMAND against the target’s MANIPULATION. If acters. Each push increases your STRESS LEVEL
successful, the target must follow your order, by one.
even if it means harm or danger to themselves.
Your STRESS LEVEL increases by one each time
you do this. Note also that each roll only covers
one specific action. You cannot stop actions
triggered by Panic Rolls using this talent.

ROUGHNECK TALENTS per Act in Cinematic play and once per game
session in Campaign play, you may ignore all
R E S I L I E N T : Only the hardiest folk survive out from a single roll.
here. Roll for STRENGTH (attribute only, no skill)
any time you suffer damage. You can’t push T R U E G R I T : Life on the Frontier is a constant
the roll, which does not count as an action. For struggle. Luckily, you have what it takes to over-
every you roll, one point of damage is elim- come anything that comes your way. You can push
inated. If all damage is eliminated, you suffer any skill roll based on STRENGTH twice, not just once
none at all. like other characters. Each push increases your
STRESS LEVEL by one.
T H E L O N G H A U L : You’ve seen it and done it
all before. Nothing surprises you anymore. Once

76

4. TALENTS

SCIENTIST TALENTS STRESS LEVEL of all other PCs within SHORT range
by one, while a failed roll increases other PCs'
A N A LY S I S : You can roll for OBSERVATION to gain stress levels by one
insight regarding strange and alien artifacts or
creatures that you encounter and get a chance to B R E A K T H R O U G H : You’ve done it! Once per
study for at least one Turn. For every you roll, game session, you automatically pass an OBSERVA-
you get to ask the GM one of the questions below. TION roll of your choice, without needing to make
the roll. In order to avoid spoiling the scenario, the
TT Is it human or alien? GM has final say on whether or not this talent can
TT Is it dead or alive? be used for a particular roll.
TT How old is it?
TT What is its purpose? I N Q U I S I T I V E : You are always seeking to ex-
TT How does it work? pand the boundaries of your knowledge. You can
TT What problems could it cause? push any skill roll based on WITS twice, not just
once like other characters. Each push increases
The GM must answer truthfully, but is allowed to your STRESS LEVEL by one.
give vague or incomplete answers in order to avoid
spoiling the scenario.

A successful Analyze roll also reduces the

77

P L AY E R S E C T I O N

GENERAL TALENTS H O T H E A D : You don’t like being told what to
do. You get a +2 modification to opposed rolls for
B O DYG U A R D : If someone within SHORT range MANIPULATION whenever someone tries to give you
of you is hit by an attack, you can dive in to take orders. This talent can also be used to resist the
the hit. Roll for MOBILITY. It doesn’t count as an Officer’s career talent Pull Rank.
action in combat. If you roll one or more , you
take the hit instead. You can push the roll. L I G H T E AT E R : When making a supply roll for
food, you get to roll two dice fewer than your
C A L M B R E AT H E R : When making a supply roll Supply Level, to a minimum of one die.
for air, you get to roll two dice fewer than your
Supply Level, to a minimum of one die. L I G H T S L E E P E R : You can get by on less
sleep than most. You only need to sleep for one
C O U N S E L O R : Once per Turn, you can use the Shift every two days, instead of one shift every
COMMAND skill to reduce the STRESS LEVEL of an- day.
other character within SHORT range. For each
you roll, their STRESS LEVEL is reduced by one extra K I L L E R : You know where to strike to make your
step (in addition to the default one step, see page enemy fall and not get up. Ever. When your enemy
104). You cannot use this talent on yourself. sustains a critical injury (see page 99) you may
switch the D66 roll so that the ones die becomes
E VA S P E C I A L I S T : You get +2 to HEAVY MACHIN- the tens die and vice versa. This talent can only be
ERY and COMTECH rolls when spacewalking. used on humans.

FA S T R E F L E X E S : You can draw two initiative M A C H I N E G U N N E R : Firing full auto is the only
cards instead of one during the initiative draw way to get the job done, in your opinion. When
(see page 87). Choose the one you want to use, firing on fully automatic, your STRESS LEVEL does
and shuffle the other one back into the deck be- not increase.
fore others draw their cards.
M E N A C I N G : You have a scary physical pres-
F LY W E I G H T : When you block in close combat, ence that makes it easy to intimidate people.
you can use AGILITY instead of STRENGTH. You can roll for MANIPULATION using STRENGTH in-
stead of EMPATHY when you threaten someone to
H A R D H I T T E R : You get a +2 modification to make them do what you want. If you succeed,
CLOSE COMBAT if you sacrifice your fast action. your opponent cannot demand anything in
return from you. They can still choose to attack
H E A L E R : You are very resilient and recover you instead of giving in.
quickly from injuries. The healing time of critical
injuries (see page 101) is halved for you. M E R C I L E S S : You can perform a coup de grace
(see page 99) without rolling for EMPATHY. Also,
H I D D E N S TA S H : You begin each session with your STRESS LEVEL is decreased one step each time
an extra item of your choice, hidden on your per- you cause an enemy to be Broken.
son or stowed somewhere safe. The item must be
something you could reasonably have. The GM has N E R V E S O F S T E E L : You keep a cool head in
final say about what items are available to you. all situations, and thus get a –2 modification to all
If the GM allows it, you may wait until a dramatic Panic Rolls (see page 104).
moment during the session to choose what type
of item you are hiding.

78

4. TALENTS

PA C K M U L E : You can carry twice as many ob- S PA C E S H I P G U N N E R : As a gunner on a
jects as normal without being encumbered. spaceship during combat (see Chapter 7), you get
a +2 modification to your RANGED COMBAT rolls.
Q U I C K D R AW : You can draw your weapon so
quickly it doesn’t cost you an action. S T E A LT H Y : You get a +2 modification to MOBIL-
ITY when using the skill to move undetected (see
R A P I D F I R E : You can fire a pistol or rifle (see page 85).
Chapter 6) as a fast action instead of a slow ac-
tion, at the cost of a −2 modification. S T O I C : You can roll for STAMINA using WITS in-
stead of STRENGTH.
R A P I D R E L O A D : You can reload a weapon as
a fast action instead of a slow action. T O U G H : You are used to taking a beating. You
increase your Health by +2, i.e. your maximum
S E C O N D W I N D : When you are Broken, you number is equal to your STRENGTH plus 2.
can get back on your feet immediately, without
anyone giving you first aid (see page 98). Roll for WAT C H F U L : The hairs on the back of your neck
STAMINA. For every you roll, you get one Health stand up when enemies lurk nearby. You get a +2
point back and can keep fighting a little while modification to OBSERVATION when trying to spot a
longer. This talent can only be used once per Turn, sneak attack.
and has no effect against critical injuries.
W E A P O N S P E C I A L I S T : You’re an expert
S PA C E S H I P C O M M A N D E R : In the role as at using a specific weapon model—choose one
a captain of a spaceship during space combat from the weapon lists in Chapter 6. When you use
(see Chapter 7), you can draw two initiative cards this weapon, you get a +2 modification. You can
instead of one during the initiative draw. Choose choose this talent several times, once per weapon
the one you want to use. type. You can be a specialist at fighting unarmed.

S PA C E S H I P M E C H A N I C : You get a +2 modi- Z E R O - G T R A I N I N G : Your sense of balance is
fication when you use HEAVY MACHINERY or COMTECH well adapted to an environment without gravity.
to repair damage to a spacecraft (see Chapter 7). You get +2 to MOBILITY rolls in zero-G.

79

P L AY E R S E C T I O N
80

5. COMBAT & PANIC

COMBAT & PANIC

“You're all gonna die. Only question is how you check out.
Do you want it on your feet—or on your fuckin’ knees... begging?”

—DILLON

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N

Fight or flight? That’s the big question, now, that alien thing you thought was right behind you
isn’t it? is already waiting for you in that dark corner you
thought was safe.
You may feel invincible tucked away behind your
cozy character sheet, but your PC is out there on Just coming face-to-face with an alien monstros-
the line—and they are damn well mortal. Remember ity can turn your mind to jelly. You may only have a
back in Chapter 2 when we told you not to get your split second before the beast dismembers you and
character killed? Consider this your second warning. crushes your skull.

Often, it’s a better bet to run away and fight And alien species aren’t the only danger.
another day—assuming you’re fast enough to es- People on the Frontier are jerks. Sometimes,
cape whatever thing is nipping at your heels. Often, someone just sticks a gun in your face. When
its best to just meld into the shadows and be all backed against a wall, you damn well better fight.
quiet-like. Before releasing the safety on your pulse When someone or something comes for you, you
rifle, always ask yourself—is it worth it? need to be able to defend yourself.
Here’s how. ■
Sometimes you have no choice. Sometimes

TIME & SPACE

MAPS & ZONES PLAYING WITHOUT MAPS
Although maps can be useful, you can al-
A conflict in the ALIEN roleplaying game ways choose not to use them and let certain
is typically played out using a map of the conflicts play out only in the “theater of the
starship, colony, or whatever location your mind.” This can be a good solution in close
characters happen to find themselves fighting quarters conflicts between a small number of
for their lives in. combatants.

The map is divided into zones. A zone
is typically a room, a corridor, or an area of
ground. How big a zone is varies—from a few
steps across up to about 25 meters. A zone is
generally smaller in a cramped environment
than in open terrain. In official scenarios and
other material for this game, zones are usually
indicated on a location map. In random en-
counters created on the fly, the GM can make a
quick sketch of the area or simply describe it.

82

5. COMBAT & PANIC

BORDERS & RANGE CATEGORIES
LINE OF SIGHT The distance between you and your oppo-
nents is divided into five range categories. See
The border between two adjacent zones can the table below.
be open or blocked (by a wall or bulkhead).
A blocked border can have a door or a hatch, RANGE DESCRIPTION
as indicated by the map, allowing movement Engaged Right next to you
between the two zones. Short A few meters away, in the
same zone as you
Open borders don’t block vision or move- Medium Up to 25 meters away, in an
ment. A blocked border generally blocks adjacent zone
line of sight even if there is a door or hatch Long Up to about 100 meters
in it—unless you’re actively standing by the (four zones) away
doorway and peeking through. Extreme
Up to about one kilometer

MEASURING TIME ZONE FEATURES

In the ALIEN universe, time matters. Wheth- Zones can have various features, which affect
er you are awaiting rescue on an alien world actions performed within them. Here are some
with Xenomorphs stalking you, or Mother is examples:
counting down to the imminent destruction
of your ship, you need to keep track of time. C L U T T E R E D : The zone is filled with debris
There are three separate units of time used or machinery. You must roll MOBILITY when
in this game, depending on the situation at you move into the zone (see page 89). Failure
hand. See the table below. means you manage to get into the zone, but
you fall down.
The exact duration of a Round, Turn and
Shift can vary depending on the situation. DARK: The zone is dimly lit. OBSERVATION rolls
It’s the GM’s job to track time and determine in the zone get a –2 modification. Ranged
when another Round, Turn or Shift has passed. attacks into the zone also suffer a –2 modifi-
There are typically four Shifts in a day: Morn- cation, and can’t pass through the zone.
ing, Day, Evening, and Night.
C R A M P E D : A crawlspace or narrow tunnel.
MEASURING TIME In a cramped zone, you can only crawl, not run
(see page 89). You also cannot move or shoot
UNIT DURATION PRIMARY USE past individuals next to you against targets
behind them. ■
Round 5–10 seconds Combat

Turn 5–10 minutes Stealth

Shift 5–10 hours Recovery

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N
84

5. COMBAT & PANIC

ST E A LT H M O D E

In the ALIEN roleplaying game, much of the map and explore them, scanning for enemies and
thrill happens before the enemy shows itself and getting a superficial description of these two
bullets start flying. A key part of the experience zones from the GM. If you’re a team, you can ex-
is exploring unknown locations, with enemies plore the map individually or as a group.
lurking in the darkness. In the game, this is rep-
resented by what we call stealth mode. Stealth If you want to examine something in a zone
mode is played out in Turns. more closely, such as accessing a data terminal,
you need to stay one entire Turn (or even longer)
In one Turn, you can move two zones on the in a single zone. The GM has final say.

ENEMY MOVEMENT DETECTION

In stealth mode, enemy movement is handled In stealth mode, you will automatically detect
secretly by the GM. This is carried out each Turn, PASSIVE enemies in the same zone or in line of
after your PCs have moved. NPCs must comply sight (above). If you make no attempt to move
with the same rules of movement as PCs—hu- quietly, PASSIVE enemies will automatically
man NPCs can only move two zones per Turn. detect you as well—draw initiative (see page
Non-human characters may move faster or have 87). If you want to sneak past the PASSIVE en-
other special rules. emies undetected or make a sneak attack, roll
for MOBILITY against their OBSERVATION. You get
To handle NPC movement, we recommend a modification based on the distance to the
that the GM has a second copy of the conflict enemy—see the table on the next page.
map, hidden from view by the GM Screen
(available for purchase separately). On this ACTIVE enemies nearby may try to sneak
map, the GM can place tokens to represent up on you for a sneak attack. If so, the GM
NPCs, hidden from the players’ view. informs you that a threat is moving in on you,
and then rolls MOBILITY for the enemy against
If your GM doesn’t have access to a your OBSERVATION. If you fail, the enemy gets
screen, she can simply track hidden NPC a free attack against you. Read more about
movement on a piece of paper. sneak attacks on page 90.

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE ENEMIES: You cannot spot ACTIVE enemies that
Enemies can be ACTIVE or PASSIVE, as dictated choose to remain hidden and don’t attack
by the scenario or the GM. ACTIVE enemies are you—unless you have detected them using a
aware of you and are actively stalking you. motion tracker first, or the GM deems it obvi-
PASSIVE enemies are not aware of your pres- ous that you spot the enemy (for example, if
ence and can be ambushed by you. you search the exact spot where it is hidden).

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N

MOTION TRACKERS STEALTH MOBILITY ROLL
RANGE –1
A useful piece of gear in stealth mode is a mo- Short (same zone) 0
tion tracker, such as the M314 unit (see page Medium (adjacent zone) +2
134). You can use a motion tracker once per Behind open door/hatch +1
Turn, and each time you use it you must make Long +3
a Power Supply roll (see page 34). Extreme

The tracker will automatically detect the MAP MARKERS
presence of any large moving objects within If you like, you can use markers to represent
LONG range (up to four zones) indoors and EX- movement on the map, as well as “pings”
TREME range outdoors, and let you know which from a motion tracker. Such markers are
zone they are in. We recommend that you mark included in the Maps & Markers Pack for the
the “ping” of movement from a motion tracker ALIEN roleplaying game, which will be avail-
by placing a token of some sort on the map. able for purchase separately.

Note that the motion tracker will only
detect moving objects—if the GM determines
that your enemy stays still, it won’t register.

Detecting an enemy with a motion track-
er doesn’t mean you have spotted it and can
engage it in combat—for that, you need to be
in the same zone as the enemy or have line of
sight to it. If the enemy is small or well hidden,
the GM can also have you make an OBSERVA-
TION roll to spot it. ■

ACTIONS &
I N I T I AT I V E

When the enemy is revealed, stealth mode is over determine who has the initiative. Do this before
and actual combat starts. Stop counting Turns anyone rolls dice for an action (except for sneak
and start counting Rounds. The first step is to attacks, see page 90).

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5. COMBAT & PANIC

D R AW I N G CHANGING
THE INITIATIVE THE INITIATIVE

Grab ten cards, numbered 1 through 10. In the You never draw a new initiative card during
custom card deck for the ALIEN roleplaying a fight, but you can exchange your initiative
game (sold separately), there are ten special card—and thus your initiative for the Round—
initiative cards to use when drawing the initia- with another player character. This can be
tive. If you do not have access to the custom done at the start of the fight or at the start
card deck, a normal deck of cards works fine, of the Round, but never during a Round. You
with the ace counting as the one. and the other player character must be able to
speak to each other to exchange initiatives.
All the players taking part in the conflict—
whether voluntarily or involuntarily—each draw NON-PLAYER
a card and the GM draws one card for every CHARACTERS
NPC. This is called drawing the initiative. The In typical conflicts, the GM draws one initiative
number on the card determines the order in card per NPC. If there are many NPCs and the
which you act in the conflict, lowest to highest. number of combatants is above ten, the GM splits
the NPCs into groups. All the NPCs with identical
Number 1 acts first, number 2 acts second, stats form a single group, and the GM draws one
and so forth until everyone has acted. Place initiative card per group instead of one per indi-
your initiative card by your character sheet, so vidual. All the NPCs in a group act at the same
everyone can see in which order you act. The point in the Round order. In what order they act
GM puts her initiative cards in front of her. individually within the group is up to the GM.

When all the participants in the combat
have acted once, the Round is over, and a new
Round begins. The Round order remains the
same throughout the whole conflict—drawing
the initiative is only done once, at the start of
the first Round.

SLOW & FAST ACTIONS D E S C R I B E YO U R AC T I O N S . When it’s your
time to act, simply state which two actions
When it is your time to act in the Round, you can you wish to perform, describe how you go
perform one slow action and one fast action, or about it, and roll dice to see if you are suc-
two fast actions. A slow action usually consists cessful. Some actions will give your opponent
of rolling for a skill. A fast action is quicker and the opportunity to perform a reactive action.
doesn’t always require rolling dice, though it Read more about this under Ranged Combat
might. See the lists of typical slow and fast actions (see page 94) and Close Combat (page 91).
on page 88. How these work is explained in detail
in the sections Ranged Combat and Close Combat.

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N

SLOW ACTIONS PREREQUISITE SKILL
ACTION You are prone –
Crawl – Close Combat
Close combat attack Firearm Ranged Combat
Shoot firearm Firearm Ranged Combat
Burst of full auto fire Thrown weapon Ranged Combat
Throw weapon Firearm –
Reload Broken or dying victim Medical Aid
First aid Panicking character Command
Stop panic Character who can hear you Command
Give orders Your opponent can hear you Manipulation
Persuade Signature item –
Use signature item Space suit Mobility
Climb into space suit Vehicle –
Enter/exit vehicle Vehicle –
Start engine

FAST ACTIONS PREREQUISITE SKILL
FAST ACTION No enemy at Engaged range –
Run – –
Move through door/hatch You are prone –
Get up – –
Draw weapon Attacked in close combat Close Combat
Block attack – –
Pick up item Enemy at Engaged range Close Combat
Shove You’ve grappled an opponent Close Combat
Grapple attack Enemy at Engaged range Mobility
Retreat Ranged weapon –
Aim Cover in same zone –
Seek cover Ranged weapon –
Assume overwatch position Vehicle –
Grab the wheel Vehicle Piloting
Drive Varies Varies
Use item

88

5. COMBAT & PANIC

MARK YOUR ACTIONS HELPING OTHERS
As reactive actions such as blocking and
overwatch fire break the initiative order, If you help another player character or NPC
it can be hard to keep track of how many perform an action, it costs you one action of
actions a combatant has performed in the the same kind (slow or fast). You have to state
Round. A tip is to keep track of this by turn- that you are helping someone before any dice
ing the initiative card 90 degrees for every are rolled. Helping others breaks the initiative
performed action. Turn it to the left for a fast order in the Round. You can read more about
action and to the right for a slow action, and helping on page 63.
all the way around 180 degrees once both

actions in the turn are used up.

MOVEMENT at ENGAGED range, you can’t just walk away from
them. Instead, you must retreat (see page 93).
R U N N I N G : To move during combat, you can
spend a fast action to run from one zone to a D O O R S & H AT C H E S : You can open an un-
neighboring zone or between SHORT and ENGAGED locked door or hatch with a fast action. A locked
range from an enemy or PC in the same zone you door or hatch can be broken down. A typical
are already in. No roll is required to run, unless it’s metal door or hatch can take 10 points of damage
into a Cluttered zone (see page 83). before it gives in. More sturdy doors require more
force, and also have an Armor Rating (see page
C R AW L I N G : If you are prone, you can’t run. 98). In some cases, you can open an electronically
Instead, you must crawl. Crawling works just locked door or hatch with a COMTECH roll.
like running, but it’s a slow action. That means
you can’t crawl twice in the same round. In a V E H I C L E S : Movement for vehicles is handled
Cramped zone, crawling is the only movement differently. See page 113.
possible.

C L O S E C O M B AT : If you have an active enemy

89

P L AY E R S E C T I O N

AMBUSHES & SNEAK ATTACKS

The key to winning a conflict is often attack- attacks are always done individually, by one at-
ing when your enemy least expects it. You can tacker against one target.
achieve this in several different ways.
A M B U S H : A special kind of sneak attack is an
S N E A K AT TA C K : When you stalk someone ambush. You lie in wait for your enemy and attack
and your attack catches them unawares, it’s called when they come close. When you ambush some-
a sneak attack. First, roll your MOBILITY versus one, you roll MOBILITY as described above, but
your target’s OBSERVATION. You get a modification with a modification of +2, since it is the target and
depending on how close you want to go. See the not the attacker that is moving.
table below. If you want to attack in close combat,
you usually have to move to within ENGAGED range Ambushes can be carried out by a group and
of your enemy. If you fail, your opponent spots against a group of targets. This follows the usual
you at your starting distance—draw initiative. rules for stealth—the character with the lowest
MOBILITY skill level rolls for the attackers, while the
If you succeed, you get a free action (slow or target with highest OBSERVATION skill level rolls for
fast, but not both) before you draw the initiative. the targets. ■
Your target cannot block a sneak attack. Sneak

SNEAK ATTACKS &
AMBUSHES

RANGE MODIFICATION

Engaged –2

Short –1

Medium 0

Long +1

Extreme +3

90

5. COMBAT & PANIC

CLOSE COMBAT

When you attack someone with your bare fists or To attack an opponent in close combat, you
a melee weapon, you use the CLOSE COMBAT skill. need to be standing on your feet. If you are prone,
Close combat usually happens at ENGAGED range you must first spend a fast action to get up before
from your target. You can fight unarmed or use a you can attack. While you are prone, standing
weapon. Drawing a melee weapon from its sheath enemies get a +2 modification on all close combat
or a belt is a fast action. attacks against you.

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N

RESOLUTION them, taking effect next Round. You can’t go
back to your earlier initiative.
If your CLOSE COMBAT roll is successful, your
attack hits and you inflict damage equal to the TT You knock or pull a weapon or other object
weapon’s Damage rating on your opponent (see
page 118). Damage may be mitigated by armor. from your opponent. You choose which. During
Read more about damage, armor, and critical combat, picking up a dropped object counts as
hits on page 98. a fast action.

S T U N T S : For every extra you roll, choose TT Your opponent falls prone. This stunt can only
one of these stunts:
be used on humanoid opponents.
TT You inflict one additional point of damage. You
TT You pin your enemy in a tight clinch. See Grap-
can choose this stunt multiple times, if you roll
several . pling, below. This stunt can only be used on
humans and synthetics.
TT You out-maneuver your enemy and get to ex-

change your initiative score (see page 87) with

BLOCKING R E A C T I V E A C T I O N : Blocking is a reaction
that breaks the normal initiative order in the
If you are attacked in close combat, you can Round. However, it does count against your two
choose to block the attack, to avoid being hit. available actions in the Round (one slow and one
Blocking is a fast action, and you roll for CLOSE fast). Each time you block, you lose one action lat-
COMBAT. You must declare that you are going to er in the Round, and if you have already used both
block before the attacker rolls for their strike. For your actions, you can’t block. When it’s your time
each you roll, choose an effect below: to act, it might therefore be wise to save your fast
action if you fear you might be attacked later in the
TT DECREASE DAMAGE: You remove one of the Round.

enemy’s . If they are left with no , the at- B L O C K I N G U N A R M E D : If you are unarmed,
tack misses. This effect can be chosen multiple you can only block unarmed attacks from other
times. humans. To block an armed close combat attack,
or an attack by a Xenomorph creature, you need
TT COUNTERATTACK: You perform a counterattack, to wield some kind of sturdy weapon or tool.

dealing damage to the attacker equal to the
Damage rating of your weapon. You cannot
spend additional to increase the damage of
your counterattack.

TT DISARM: You disarm your enemy.

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5. COMBAT & PANIC

NPCS AND BLOCKING SHOVING
Typically, NPCs don’t block attacks. The
GM can override this rule, however, when As a fast action, you can try to shove an op-
dramatically appropriate. ponent at ENGAGED range away from you. This
is done with a CLOSE COMBAT roll. The GM can
GRAPPLING modify your roll for certain opponents. If you
succeed, your opponent is shoved away to
If you grapple your opponent as a stunt in SHORT range from you. Shoving a target away
close combat (see above), both you and your can be useful if you want to engage it in ranged
opponent fall to the ground. The opponent combat rather than fight it hand-to-hand.
drops any weapon they were holding, and Shoves can be blocked (above). ■
cannot move. The only action they can per-
form is an attempt to break free—which is a EXAMPLE
slow action that succeeds if the opponent
wins an opposed CLOSE COMBAT roll against Captain Charlize has found one
you. While you are grappling, the only action of the handlers from the com-
you can perform (apart from releasing your pany, Nguyen, who seems to have
opponent) is a grapple attack. This works as lost his mind. He’s retreated to
a normal unarmed attack, but is a fast action a ready room next to one of the
and cannot be blocked. airlocks, and is waving a knife
around, screaming obscenities.
X E N O M O R P H S : Alien creatures can grab He’s already opened the airlock
you or attach themselves to you in nasty ways. and is threatening to void the
This follows special rules and is described in ship! As Charlize tries to calm
the section on Xenomorphs (see page 112). him down, Nguyen springs for-
ward and stabs at the captain.
R E T R E AT This activates a combat, so both
Charlize’s player Gina and the
If you have an active enemy at ENGAGED range, GM draw initiative cards. Gina
you must make a MOBILITY roll to move away draws a 6, but the GM draws the
to SHORT range from them. If you fail, you still 1. Nguyen goes first.
move but your enemy gets a free close com-
bat attack against you. The free attack doesn’t The GM rolls for Nguyen’s CLOSE
count toward their actions in the Round and COMBAT skill, which is 0, so she
you can’t block it. defaults to his 3 STRENGTH. Before
she rolls, Gina states that Char-
lize is going to attempt a block,
but Charlize is presently un-
armed, so the GM rules that out.
The GM rolls three Base Dice and
gets one ! That’s two points of
damage to Charlize’s Health.  ■

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N

RANGED COMBAT

When you shoot at someone from a distance, roll R A N G E : The weapons tables in Chapter 5 indi-
for RANGED COMBAT. You need to be able to see cate the range of each weapon, i.e. the maximum
your target. You also need a ranged weapon, even range category at which the weapon can be used.
if it’s simply something to throw. The weapons The farther away your target is, the harder it is
tables in Chapter 5 describe a variety of firearms to hit. At MEDIUM range you get a −1 modification,
and other ranged weapons. To draw a gun from and at LONG range you get −2. At ENGAGED range
a belt or holster, or a rifle from its sling, is a fast you get −3, because it’s hard to draw a bead on an
action. Firing a weapon is a slow action. opponent that close. You don’t get this penalty if
you fire at a defenseless or unwitting enemy—in-
AIMING: If you take your time to aim carefully before stead, you get a +3 modification.
squeezing the trigger, you get a +2 to your attack
roll. Aiming is a fast action. If you do anything else TA R G E T S I Z E : Firing at a large target, such as a
except shoot your weapon after you have aimed, or vehicle, gives a +2 modification to the attack. Firing
if you are hurt, you lose the effect of the aim and you at a small object, such as a small hatch, a hand-held
need to spend another fast action to aim again. item, or a Chestburster, gives a –2 modification.

94

5. COMBAT & PANIC

RANGED FIRE RESOLUTION
MODIFICATIONS
If your attack hits, you inflict damage equal to the weap-
FACTOR MODIFICATION on’s Damage rating on your opponent. For every extra
you roll, choose one of these stunts:
Aimed shot +2
TT You inflict one additional point of damage. You can
Engaged range –3/+3
choose this stunt multiple times, if you roll several .
Short range –
TT You pin down your enemy. PCs need to make an immedi-
Medium range –1
ate Panic Roll. NPCs instead miss their next slow action.
Long range –2
TT You position yourself and get to exchange your initiative
Extreme range –3
score (see page 87) with your enemy, taking effect next
Large target +2 Round. You can’t go back to your earlier initiative.

Small target –2 TT Your target drops a weapon or another hand-held ob-

Dim light –1 ject. You choose which.

Darkness –2 TT Your opponent falls to the ground or is pushed back, for

example through an airlock.

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P L AY E R S E C T I O N

FULL AUTO FIRE COMMON types of COVER

Weapons listed as fully automatic can fire long COVER ARMOR RATING

bursts of full auto fire. This counts as a normal Shrubbery 2

ranged attack, but with a few differences: Furniture 3

TT You get a +2 modification to your roll. Door 4
TT Your STRESS LEVEL immediately increases by
Inner bulkhead 5

one. Add the Stress Die to your roll for the Outer bulkhead 6

full auto burst. you Armored bulkhead 7+

TT You can distribute any additional

roll beyond the first to secondary targets

within SHORT range of the primary target.

The first assigned to a secondary target

inflicts damage equal to the Damage rating

of the weapon, and further assigned to

a secondary target can be used for stunts. AMMO

COVER Most firearms in the world of ALIEN have large
enough magazines that you don’t need to wor-
When bullets start flying, you’ll do well to ry about counting individual bullets. However,
seek cover behind something sturdy. Unlike when the tension rises, you risk wasting ammo
blocking in close combat, you need to find and emptying your clip at the worst possible
cover before someone shoots at you. Taking time. This is simulated in the following way:
cover behind something in the same zone as
you is a fast action. Cover has an Armor Rat- Whenever you fire a weapon and roll one or
ing and works just like armor (see the table to more on your Stress Dice (see page 61), you
the right). When you're hit by a ranged attack, have emptied your magazine after the attack
roll a number of Base Dice equal to the Armor and need to reload (in addition to making a
Rating. Each you roll lowers the damage Panic Roll). Reloading is a slow action. You
by one point. Cover and armor can be com- need to keep track of how many full reloads of
bined, simply add the Armor Ratings. ammunition you carry for your weapon.

NPCS AND COVER ANDROIDS AND AMMO
Typically, NPCs don’t take cover in combat. Note that androids don’t have STRESS LEVELS and
The GM can override this rule however, when thus don’t risk running out of ammo. This in
dramatically appropriate. intentional, to simulate the controlled nature of
synthetics. As for NPCs, they run out of ammo
if and when the GM finds it dramatically appro-
priate.

96