For those brave that were And those fearless that will be
what new atrocity at lastmakes you see the ghosts aroundthose faces lost to historytheir voice still carried on our tonguesplaying its immortal soundof hope they buried under glassof pain, joy, and libertytheir anger bubbling in your chestafter you look them in the eyeand understand the ghosts are WEGHOSTS
THE BASICS 9INTRODUCTION 10HOW TO PLAY 10What You Need 10The Rolls 11Dif�culty & Edge 11Player characters 13THE CHARACTERS 14MAKING A CHARACTER 15Leveling Up 15Respeccing 15BACKGROUNDS 16SKILLS 18CALLINGS 19Blade 20Bones 21Deadeye 22Face 23Heavy 24Phantom 25Sprite 26Programs 27Hacking 27Tinker 29Gadgeteering 30Gadgets 30COMBAT 33ON VIOLENCE 34ORDER IN CHAOS 35SPACE 35Ranges 35Movement 35Airborne Movement 35Terrain 35Cover 36STEALTH IN COMBAT 36Stealth States 36Changing Stealth States 36Hidden vs Behind Cover 36STATS 36Stamina 36Risk Roll 36Armor 36ICWL 36Moxie 36Abilities Outside of Combat 37Strain 37ACTIONS 37Reactions 39CONDITIONS 39NPCS IN COMBAT 39INJURIES 40Amputated & Mutilated 40Damage to Implants 40Minor Injuries 40Medium Injuries 41Major Injuries 41SURVIVING THE CITY 43SURVIVAL 44REST AND RECOVERY 44Breather 44Rest 44Aid 44Repair 44Exhaustion 44ENTROPY 44Entropy Roll 44LETHAL STAKES 45contents
GEAR 47WEAPONS 48COMPONENTS 48Tags 48Damage 48Range 48Trait 48LIGHT WEAPONS 48Ranged 48Melee 49HEAVY WEAPONS 50Ranged 50Melee 50GENERAL Implants 52IMPLANTS 52IMPLANT SLOTS 52Implant Status 52Load 52Charges 52HEAD IMPLANTS 53TORSO IMPLANTS 54LOCUS IMPLANTS 55Arm Implants 56LEG IMPLANTS 57
THE BASICS
INTRODUCTIONIt is thousands of years into Yunu's future, and not much of life still walks this dying planet. Under blackened skies, only Grayhaven remains, and the fools that have its reins. It's a metropolis of dark monuments and bright lights, of towering spires and fractal streets, where people replace their skin and chip their brain.Grayhaven's elite are composed by its decaying yet undying theocracy, the Shields of Dawn, and the megacorporations sprawled around it vying for control. They've all together tied the noose and tossed it at your feet.You are an outsider. A punk, an outcast, a rebel. You live in the city's edges, in grimy slums, shady alleyways, long-abandoned city blocks. You exist in a time when the cycle of upheaval is once again reaching its climax, and you are ready to �ght. You have never considered another option.You might be an artist, a former soldier, a doctor or a ripper, a builder, a mechanic, a poor laborer, a restless orphan. Misfortune does not discriminate. You spend your time digging out some meek kind of living, maybe doing merc work to earn some cred, helping your community however you can, trying to survive the violence of the gangs, or worse, the cops. It feels endless. There is no passing of day, only cosmic darkness, fake lights, and the twelve bells—six for day and six for night, though that means nothing to you.Every last bit of the city is infused with tech. These are the wonders of velinite: that mineral the city mines far in the colonies and ships back for re�ning. Anything that's anything here runs on Cells, little velinite batteries—people trade with them, they are so important. Lights, cars, autodoors, datapads, screens, VRLs, even the tech in your body needs them. And, of course, the net, that web which connects all. The well-versed call it the Fog, because that's what it looks like if you manage to see it: a dense haze of beamed signals, communications, and velinite emissions. Some learn to traverse it, using tech to navigate tech on a metaphysical level, tap into its components. You call them Sprites.And then there are the Sibyls: rare individuals born with a gift, the closest thing to the ancient magic in the modern world. Where Sprites have to �ght to navigate the Fog, Sibyls can manipulate velinite directly. Given that everything in Grayhaven is hooked to the mineral, the city is their playground, which makes Sibyls extraordinarily dangerous individuals. The Shields of Dawn test infants for it, and the ones that show the signs are taken, trained, then put on a leash for the Shields or a lucky corp.10 That's what the life of an outsider looks like, but it’s not how it is for everyone. You might have started as an insider, living out an existence of bitter drudgery, chasing the carrot on the stick until you snapped. Some never snap. They stay running that rat race, slaving most of their hours away, spending the rest hooked up on a VRL, or wasting away in a bar and posting on the net for some semblance of prestige while barely affording existence.This is the world you inhabit. But the curtain always falls.HOW TO PLAYVEILBREAK is a role-playing game where you assume control of a person inhabiting the dystopic metropolis of Grayhaven. It is a co-operative game, meaning it works best with a group of likeminded individuals. Most of you will be the players, assuming the role of your Player Characters (PCs), while one of you will be the Entropist, the director, worldbuilder, and arbitrator, also known as Game Master.Before you can jump into the world of VEILBREAK you must �rst create a Character to inhabit it. The section on Making Characters details that process.VEILBREAK is a game of complex narrative and cinematic combat, and play is split into two phases, each governed mostly by its own set of rules: Narrative Play and Combat. In general terms, Combat refers to when the Player Characters clash violently with Non-Player Characters within the �ction, where characters take turns acting and track action points, and Narrative Play refers to everything else, where PCs can roleplay (i.e. act out the role of their character) in a more free-form and spontaneous manner.What You NeedVEILBREAK uses two kinds of dice: twelve-sided dice (d12) and six-sided dice (d6). You will need to roll these dice to determine the outcomes of uncertain actions or circumstances, or to deal combat damage.You will also need a character sheet to track your character’s stats, condition, and posessions.The Basics
11The RollsThere are three main types of dice rolls you will have to make in VEILBREAK: the Skill Roll, the Attribute Roll, and the Damage Roll.The Skill Roll is made when a PC is taking a course of action that has an uncertain outcome, like attempting to climb the side of a building, lie past a bouncer, or steal data from a computer. The Entropist will call for a Skill Roll when the nature of your character's action matches one of your character's skills. In the above examples, you would probably use your Athletics, Deception, and Software skills respectively.To make a Skill Roll you �rst set a Target Number (TN), determined by adding together the skill's respective Attribute and the value of the skill (the TN can’t exceed 11). Then you roll two twelve-sided dice (2d12), and determine the result of the action based on the results of those dice:• If each die rolls under the TN, that is a DOUBLE SUCCESS, meaning you get exactly what you wanted out of that action, and possibly more.• If only one die rolls under the TN, that is a PARTIAL SUCCESS, meaning you achieve what you were attempting, but with reduced effect, some kind of complication, or a new challenge.• If neither dice roll under the TN, that is a FAILURE, meaning your efforts fall short and you might pay some price for it.The Attribute Roll works exactly the same as the Skill Roll, except the TN is only the Attribute value without anything added to it. You make an Attribute Roll when a rule calls for it, like most combat rules, or the Entropist might call for it when an action doesn't approximate any of your character's existing skills.The Damage Roll is made when you strike an enemy with an attack of some kind. If your attack lands, you roll a number of six-sided dice (d6) as determined by your weapon of choice and situational modi�ers, like Abilities or Edge. You then record how many of those dice rolled a 3 or higher. Those are called hits. The dice also explode, meaning that for every 6 you roll, you get to roll another d6, repeating until the result is not a 6. In the end, your attack deals an amount of damage to its target equal to the amount of hits rolled, plus any kind of �at value added to it like from your weapon or an ability.Dif�culty & EdgeSkill Rolls and Attribute Rolls can be modi�ed through Dif�culty and Edge.Dif�culty refers to how challenging a speci�c action is to complete. Its value ranges from 0 to 5, 0 being trivial tasks and 5 being tasks that near the impossible, it is set by the Entropist, and it works by deducting its value from your roll's TN.Dif�culty is mostly used during Narrative Play. It does not apply to combat actions (i.e. Combat Action section) unless speci�ed, except to general Skill Rolls made during combat to interact with the environment, such as to make a particularly dangerous jump or to search for a small item on the ground.Edge refers to speci�c momentary advantages or disadvantages a character might have while attempting something challenging. It is given either through speci�c mechanics, or by the Entropist, based on the context of the action within the �ction.Edge can be either positive or negative. Before you make a roll, you add up all sources of Edge, and then for your roll:• If you have more than 0 Edge, you roll 3d12 and discard the highest result.• If you have less than 0 Edge, you roll 3d12 and discard the lowest result.When taking a damaging action, you also roll +1d6 on your Damage Roll for every 1 Edge above 0, or -1d6 damage for every 1 Edge below 0.The Basics
Player characters
THE CHARACTERS VEILBREAK PCs are complex beings who have generally experienced a fair amount of suffering and oppression in their lives. The world of VEILBREAK assumes the following rules about them:• Characters live on the outside. This means not well-off, residing on the edges of the city, both physically and socially, where watchful eyes struggle to surveil. Your character might have been an insider before, working for a corp or having some moderate in�uence themselves, but they've ended up outside the system. How did that happen?• Characters are serious. VEILBREAK might not be the right setting for joke or gimmick characters. It assumes that its characters truly inhabit its world and experience its struggles and misery, as well as its joys and its community. It expects them to be plausible, multi-faceted individuals faced with the horri�c realities of oppression.• Characters are willing to �ght for change.They care about the state of the world, and are passionate about changing it by any means necessary.Of course, you can't start a rebellion without breaking a few rules along the way. If you believe your character concept would be better by bending or breaking the aforementioned rules, speak to your Entropist about if and how that can work within the established �ction.VEILBREAK characters are not superhuman, but they are skilled individuals capable of taking on the city's threats. Their expertise, capability, and progress are represented through Levels, which range from 0 to 10. Most characters will start at Level 0, and increase their Level by gaining Experience through completing play sessions. Higher Levels grant access to more advanced Attributes and Abilities. Levels also gradually increase Mastery, which allows for further skill training and the usage of more advanced equipment. Mastery starts at 1 at Level 0, and increases to 2 at Level 2, 3 at Level 5, and 4 at Level 8.PCs are made up of a Background, Attributes, Skills, and two Callings, which grant Traits and Abilities.14 The Background is what your character does or where they came from, how they've lived their life up until this point. It doesn't strictly determine their personality or values, but it gives you, your fellow players, and the Entropist a starting idea of what kind of person your character is. Use Backgrounds not as a restriction, but as a creative prompt to come up with an interesting past for your character.When dealing with things your character has experienced in the past, or situations their history provides relevant context for, you or the Entropist can Invoke your Background, granting you +1 Edge or -1 Edge to any rolls that apply. For example, a Ganger character who understands the etiquette of dealing with gangs will have +1 Edge when negotiating with gangers or trying to understand a gang's strategy. This can also apply backwards, meaning that a character with a background such as Corporate Soldier whose experience is far removed from gang dealings might have -1 Edge to doing the same things.Attributes are a representation of your character’s physical and mental characteristics, and each Player Character has 8 of them:• Strength (STRG): Might, the ability to exert physical force.• Endurance (ENDU): The ability to withstand physical harm.• Precision (PRCS): Accuracy and agility.• Re�exes (REFL): The ability to react to things in the environment, instinct, evasion.• Intellect (INTL): Power of reasoning, problemsolving, knowledge, intelligence.• Willpower (WILL): Courage, the ability to withstand mental harm and resist impulses.• Presence (PRES): Force of personality, social savviness, charisma.• Awareness (AWAR): Observation, perception of surroundings.Attributes range from 3-8, with higher values denoting a higher degree of ability. You have the option to increase Attributes when leveling up.Skills are various speci�c applications a character may have expertise in. For example, the Medicine skill denotes your character's ability in medical practice, and knowledge of anatomy, biology, and pharmaceutics, all in one. Whenever your character tries to do something where the Medicine skill applies, you will usually make a Medicine Skill Roll, as determined by the Entropist.Skill values range from 0 to 4, their value is limited to the value of Mastery (e.g. a Mastery of 2 means that no skill can be higher than 2), and you get to increase them at will using skill points when you level up.Player Characters
15Callings are your character's specializations. You choose TWO of them when you create your character, and they de�ne what your character does, what they are good at, and how they �ght. Each calling gives you a Trait at Level 0, and access to a tree of Abilities from Level 1.Backgrounds, Skills, and Callings, are all further detailed in their respective sections (pages 16, 18, and 19).MAKING A CHARACTERFollow these steps to quickly create a Level 0 VEILBREAK character:• Choose a background. Think of a story for your character, and write it down if you'd like.• Choose two Callings and note down the Trait each grants. Think about which combination of Callings best represents what your character does, or about which combination sounds fun to you.• Allocate the following array of values to your Attributes: 8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 5, 4, 3. Consider what your character is good at and what might represent them best.• Allocate 5 Skill Points across your skills. Since at Level 0 your Mastery is only 1, you can allocate up to 1 point per skill.• Mark a starting budget of 100 Cred, and choose one weapon, a Basic Locus, and one more implant.• Set your base statistics as follows (make sure to modify them if a Trait or piece of equipment does so):Stamina = ENDU + WILL + ArmorSpeed = 8ICWL = 0Evasion = 2 × REFLLeveling UpYour character can level up when their Experience reaches a threshold. That threshold for each Level is equal to the character's current Level + 10. When that threshold is reached, you can spend that much Experience at the end of a Rest to level up. Your character keeps any leftover Experience.When your character reaches a new Level, they gain 2 Skill Points to allocate at will, and the following at each level:Attribute Points can be used to increase your character's Attributes by 1 for each point spent. Attributes at 6 or higher cost 2 points to increase by 1.RespeccingEvery time your character levels up, you can also:• Reallocate 2 Skill Points to different skills.• Trade an Ability for another, ensuring the change doesn't break restrictions.• Reallocate 1 Attribute Point. Reducing an Attribute that's at 7 or higher gives you 2 points, and increasing an Attribute that's 6 or higher costs 2 points.You can do as many of these as you wish, but each only once per level up.Player CharactersLevel Mastery Perks0 1 —1 1 Ability2 2 1 Attribute Point3 2 Ability4 2 Ability5 3 2 Attribute Points6 3 Ability7 3 Ability8 4 2 Attribute Points9 4 Ability10 4 Ability
BACKGROUNDSYour character's Background is their past, an abstraction of who they have been up until the day you create them. The following are some sample Backgrounds, however they are simple to make and customize to best �t your character.Corporate SoldierYou used to be enlisted in one of the many corporate armies. Your life consisted of harsh drills, mandatory body modi�cation, orders you were expected to follow blindly. Which corp did you work for? Were you just another recruit, or were you a personal bodyguard for someone important? How did you get to be in that position? What atrocities have you committed? How did you get out? Did you leave matters unsettled with the corp?FixerYou haven't just lived the Outside, you've owned it. You've been the one that manages other people's shit, brings people together, passes goods around, organizes merc work, and pays everyone their share. The Outside would not function without people like you, and not many can survive this job. What brought you to this line of work? Was it illegal dealings or community needs? How active are you still? Do you still keep any close contacts? What type of work are you best known for handling? What need do people come to you to �x?GangerYou found yourself a member of a street gang. What gang were you part of? How did you come to join it? What kind of work did you do for the gang? Did you shake down locals for money, trade in the black market, guard turf, steal from other gangs? How high up the ladder were you? Did you have a code of honor? Why did you leave that life behind? Do you keep old contacts? Does anything from that life still haunt you?HackerYou spent your days poking holes in networks, exposing sensitive data. Why did you get into hacking? How did you learn in the �rst place? Did you work for someone, like a �xer, a gang, or a corp, or just for yourself? What kind of attacks did you pull off? What was the purpose of your work? Attacking rival infrastructure? Exposing corruption and atrocities? Blackmail? Plain money thievery? What secrets have you unearthed?16 Faded IconYou used to be a known �gure, but the world forgets fast. How did you come to claim fame? Are you an artist of some kind? A musician or actor? A political �gure? A net celebrity? Did you have a positive or negative reputation? Do you still yearn to be in the public eye?LaborerYou spared years of your life plying a trade, working for the city, or maybe a corporation. It makes no real difference. You lived a life of drudgery, of inhuman working hours and unbelievable corporate expectations. Now you have your freedom back. What was your trade? How did you come to work in that position? Did you seek it or was it necessity? Were you good at your job? Did you leave of your own accord? If so, what made you? If not, what happened? Do you still have scores unsettled?MechanicYou've always had an eye for structures and machines. Taking them apart, putting them back together, giving them a soul. Where does your fascination with them come from? How did you learn the craft? Did you have some kind of formal education? Did you build things for the city, maybe working in a lab? Or have you spent your days building things for communities in the Outside? What type of things did you usually make? Electronics? Buildings? Cars? Bikes? Weapons? Do you have any project currently in the works?MedicYou were a practitioner of medicine. No matter how much the city changes, there is one thing it will never have enough of: medics. You've probably done everything from putting people back together after a gun�ght to treating obscure and disturbing illnesses. What made you turn to medicine? How were you educated in it? Were you always independent or have you ever worked for a corporate hospital or research lab? How did you end up in the Outside? Does anything from your practice haunt you?Player Characters
17MercenaryYou've worked for the city in the truest sense, doing any job that came your way. Mercs are often seen as simple people to understand, but their work could not be more multifaceted. Anything from moving cargo to rescue operations to hit jobs might have passed through your plate. Naturally, people like you are the backbone of the Outside. Are you a lone wolf or did you work with a crew? Did you have a strict moral code or did you not discriminate when it came to work? What pushed you to this life in the �rst place? Necessity? Dreams of fortune? A daredevil kick? Have you done anything you regret? Did something happen that made you move on from that life? If so, do you ever speak of your merc days or keep it on the down low? Or do you still do this work?ReporterYou're a seeker of truth. Many across the city call people like you hounds, hauling microphones and cameras around snif�ng for anything worth putting up on the net, or one of the screen networks. Were you an independent journalist, uncovering the city's corruption and many atrocities, sending the truth out into the Fog, hoping someone notices? Or were you on someone's leash, made to misdirect, distract, confuse and divide? What changed? Have you reported on something big, something that caused a shake-up? What was it? What powerful people have it out for you? Why?Player Characters
SKILLSThis section contains rough explanations of the applications each PC Skill covers. Note that these are not exhaustive, and it ultimately falls to the Entropist’s discretion whether a Skill applies to a speci�c situation, though you are encouraged to make a case for its application. Skills that have more than one Attribute listed usually use either Attribute depending on the given context and your approach to the challenge.ATHLETICS: Physical feats requiring strength, agility, �exibility, balance etc. Think pushing or lifting something heavy, making a dangerous jump, walking a tightrope, etc.BARTERING: Negotiations, usually traderelated but also think conditions of deals, hostage situations, etc.CONCEALMENT: Concealing an action, motion, characteristic. Sleight of hand, disguise, and misdirection.DECEPTION: Lying, obscuring the truth.DRIVING: Operating vehicles, like cars, motorcycles, AVs, etc. Navigating during dangerous driving conditions like high speed, harsh weather, or active combat.HARDWARE: Understanding machines and computers, tinkering with or repairing them.INSIGHT: Reading body language and microexpressions, understanding emotional state or intent.INTIMIDATION: Applying social pressure through physicality or threats, either subtle or overt.KNOWLEDGE: Recalling or inferring general information about the world based on either studied or environmentally absorbed smarts.LOCKPICKING: Forcing a lock open with lockpicking implements or improvised tools. MEDICINE: Diagnosing or treating injuries or af�ictions, creating medicinal solutions, recalling knowledge of anatomy, biology, chemistry, etc.OBSERVATION: Perceiving the non-obvious, like eavesdropping, trailing someone through a crowd, or registering a subtle odor.18 Player Characters
19PERFORMANCE: Performing a recited or improvised action, usually for an audience, like playing an instrument, dancing, singing, making a speech, etc.PERSUASION: Convincing someone of something not inherently untrue, compelling or coaxing.SEARCH: Looking thoroughly for something hidden or non-obvious, like an object in a room, �le in a database, etc.SOFTWARE: Understanding computer programs, coding, hacking, navigating the net, cracking security protocols, etc.STEALTH: Concealing one’s presence, remaining unnoticed and unobserved.STREETWISE: Abiding by street etiquette, recalling or learning rumors, surviving the chaotic urban environment. CALLINGSCallings are mechanical packages which grant your character Abilities, things they can do, as they level up. Each Calling is themed around a speci�c fantasy, but contains some variation within, and you get to combine two Callings to really represent the vision you have for your character on a mechanical level.You choose two Callings when you create your Level 0 character, and write down the two Traits those Callings grant. If your character starts at a higher Level, go through each Level up as normal, consulting the Leveling Up chart for each Level.Each Calling has its own Ability Tree. When you reach a Level that grants a new Ability, you can choose that Ability at will, with the following restrictions:• You can only choose an Ability of a speci�c Tier if you have at least one Ability chosen in the previous Tier of the same Calling.• A Tier 3 Ability can only be chosen if you have at least one Ability from each of your Callings.• You can choose up to 4 Abilities from any single Calling.Player Characters
BladeA melee combatant. Blades specialize in close quarters combat, being more effective at using melee weapons and succeeding in physical tasks.20 WithstandIncrease your Evasion by your ENDU or WILL.OvercomeAfter a rest, you have 2 Overcome tokens. When you make a roll to achieve something using your �ghting skill, force of will, physical might or agility, you can spend one of these tokens to reroll any dice. Once per roll.RetributionWhen you take the Dodge reaction, you get +1 Edge to your next melee attack.NerveYour melee attacks deal +1 damage.GritWhen you take the Decisive Strike action as a melee attack, recover 3 Stamina.Focused AssaultWhen you take the Prepare action (decide before rolling), you can take 1 less Moxie. On a success, in�ict Mark(2) on an enemy. When someone consumes that Mark, they take 2 Moxie.Dash Immediately before or after you make a melee attack, spend 1 Moxie to move up to 4 meters.Player Characters TRAIT TIER 1 TIER 1TIER 2TIER 3TIER 2 TIER 2Nerve Grit FocusedAssaultDashRetributionWithstand Overcome
BonesA medical practitioner. Bones are �eld medics, specializing in treating wounds, and keeping their allies alive and their enemies hindered.21Marking StrikesWhen you hit an enemy with an attack, they become Marked (1).Medical ExpertiseAfter a rest, you have 2 Medical Expertise tokens. When you make a roll to achieve something using your expertise with medicine, anatomy, biology, or chemistry, you can spend one of these tokens to reroll any dice. Once per roll.Always PreppedAction: Gain 5 Moxie. Once per combat.Field MedicineYou have +1 to rolls made to treat Injuries.Sedative GasAction: Spend 3 Moxie to throw a canister of sedative gas within Medium range. Anyone within Short range of the canister must make an ENDU roll, becoming Dazed for their next two turns on a Failure, one turn on a Partial Success.Adrenaline Shot Action: Spend 3 Moxie to give an ally in Melee range a boost, recovering 6 Stamina and getting +1 Edge on their next roll.DebilitateAction: Spend 3 Moxie to make an attack with +1 Edge targeting an enemy's anatomical weak points. On a success, the enemy's movement is halved and their rolls have -1 Edge until their next turn ends.Player CharactersTRAITTIER 1 TIER 1 TIER 1TIER 2 TIER 2TIER 3FieldSedative Adrenaline DebilitateMarking MedicalAlwaysMedicineGas ShotStrikes ExpertisePrepped
DeadeyeA ranged combatant. Deadeyes specialize in long-range combat, being more effective at using ranged weapons and succeeding in precisionrelated tasks.22 ManeuverAfter a rest, you have 2 Maneuver tokens. When you make a roll to achieve something using your gunmanship, precision, eye for detail, or ability to improvise, you can spend one of these tokens to reroll any dice. Once per roll.DirgeWhen you make a ranged attack with positive Edge, your damage roll dice explode on rolls of 5 or 6.FocusYour ranged attacks deal +1 damage.QuickdrawYour �rst ranged attack on the �rst round of combat has +1 Edge, grants +1 Moxie on a success and in�icts Mark(2).Paced ShotYou take a second to carefully aim your next shot. Spend 2 Moxie to give your next ranged attack +1 Edge.ReapReaction: When an enemy is defeated, spend 1 Moxie to make a ranged attack.Bullet TimeReaction: When targeted with a ranged attack spend 1 Moxie to impose -1 Edge to it.Player Characters TRAIT TIER 1 TIER 1TIER 2TIER 3TIER 2 TIER 2Focus Quickdraw Paced ShotReapDirgeBullet Time Maneuver
FaceA charismatic leader. Faces shine at maneuvering tense social situations and rallying their allies around them.23Upper HandWhen an enemy is defeated, all allies take 1 Moxie. Once per combat.In�uenceAfter a rest, you have 2 In�uence tokens. When you make a roll to achieve something using your social ability, diplomatic skill, charm, or leadership, you can spend one of these tokens to reroll any dice. Once per roll.Diplomatic PressureIf combat erupts as a result of negotiations falling through, make a PRES roll. On a SUCCESS, all enemies are Surprised.ComposureYou have +1 to rolls made to detect lies and to resist being compelled or intimidated.RallyAction: Spend 1 Moxie and choose an ally to take 2 Moxie.DemoralizeAction: Spend 2 Moxie to attempt to dishearten an enemy. Make a PRES roll:• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, the enemy has -1 Edge on all rolls until the end of their next turn.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, the enemy also skips their next turn.ExposeAction: Spend 2 Moxie to read an enemy's body language and �nd their weaknesses. Make an AWAR roll:• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, in�ict Mark(3).• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, in�ict Mark(4).Player CharactersTRAITTIER 1 TIER 1 TIER 1TIER 2 TIER 2TIER 3ComposureRally Demoralize ExposeUpper InfluenceDiplomaticHandPressure
HeavyA force of nature. Heavies are good at withstanding harm and disrupting the �eld of combat, able to protect allies and even demolish terrain.24 Bull RushAction: Spend 3 Moxie to brace yourself and run your remaining movement +2 in a straight line, breaking through and destroying Light Terrain. Make a STRG roll for each enemy that enters your melee range during this movement:• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, deal 1+2d6 damage, and if the enemy fails a REFL roll, move them 2 meters away and knock them Prone.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, deal an extra 1d6 damage.Strong-ArmAfter a rest, you have 2 Strong-Arm tokens. When you make a roll to achieve something using your towering size, might, weight, or imposing presence, you can spend one of these tokens to reroll any dice. Once per roll.JuggernautRegain 3 Stamina at the start of your turn.ToughnessYour maximum Stamina is increased by 4.Menacing PresenceWhen you end your turn with enemies in melee range, spend 2 Moxie to Engage all of them.ThrowAction: Choose one:• Spend 3 Moxie and make a STRG roll to pick up and throw an enemy in melee range:• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, throw up to STRG meters away, breaking through and destroying Light Terrain, deal 1+3d6 damage to thrown enemy and enemies within 1 meter of the point thrown and knock any enemies that fail a REFL roll Prone.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, deal an extra 2d6 damage.• Spend 2 Moxie to throw a willing ally up to STRG meters away.ProvokeEnemies you Engage are also Taunted. You take half damage from Taunted enemies.Player Characters TRAIT TIER 1 TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3 TIER 2 TIER 2 Toughness Menacing Throw Provoke PresenceJuggernaut Bull Rush Strong-Arm
PhantomAn elusive presence. Phantoms excel at stealthy and agile tactics, making for effective assassins and in�ltrators.25CunningAfter a rest, you have 2 Cunning tokens. When you make a roll to achieve something using your evasiveness, speed, in�ltration expertise, or quick thinking, you can spend one of these tokens to reroll any dice. Once per roll.Spectral DanceReaction: When hit with an attack, spend 1 Moxie to move 1 meter in any direction, evading the attack.AgilityYou gain +2 Speed.FadeWhen you take the Hide action, spend 2 Moxie to gain +1 Edge to the roll.FloatSpend 2 Moxie to gain 4 movement and be able to control your movement while Airborne until the end of your turn.Noxious StrikeAttacks made while not Revealed deal an extra 2d6 damage.TempestWhile Airborne, your melee attacks have +1 Edge.Player CharactersTRAITTIER 1 TIER 1TIER 2TIER 3TIER 2 TIER 2AgilityFade FloatNoxiousStrikeSpectralDanceTempest Cunning
SpriteA network dweller. Sprites make the Fog their playground, skilled at exposing and exploiting system vulnerabilities.26 SavantAfter a rest, you have 2 Savant tokens. When you make a roll to achieve something using your technical know-how, understanding of software, or hacking expertise, you can spend one of these tokens to reroll any dice. Once per roll.Brute ForceOnce per combat, when you Upload a Program, FAILURE is counted as a PARTIAL SUCCESS.Net JockYou can equip Foglight implants, and take hacking actions and upload Programs as long as you have a Foglight equipped. You learn the Ice_Breaker Program and another Program of your choice.LivewireReaction: When targeted with an attack or hack, you can spend 2 Moxie to take a hacking action against the enemy targeting you.Daemons IYou learn two Programs of your choice.ShadowrunWhen taking a Hacking action against a system, you can spend 2 Moxie to keep the target unaware of your intrusion.Daemons IIYou learn two Programs of your choice.Player Characters TRAITTIER 1 TIER 1 TIER 1TIER 2 TIER 2TIER 3Net JockLivewire Daemons I ShadowrunDaemons II SavantBrute Force
27ProgramsThe following are all the Programs you can learn with the Daemons abilities and upload using the Upload action.HackingHacking is the act of interfacing with another system through the Fog to breach defenses, mine data, mess with electronics, and upload daemons. To engage in hacking you must have a Foglight implant installed.By enabling technology that allows you to see into the Fog, such as a visor or eye implants, you can see electronically active sources in your environment. These are called systems and can be anything from people with implants, to surveillance cameras, to vehicles and everyday devices. The range at which you can sense a system will depend on its emissive strength. More powerhungry systems can be seen from a farther range and through more physical obstacles.You can interact with any system you can see in the Fog, even from a distance. Physical connection with an individual system or network of systems through an access point can make hacking easier.When interacting with a system, you can usually glean basic information about its function and components without making a roll. You might also be able to take more involved action against it, such as controlling it, datamining it for more information, or even shutting it off, based on the Entropist’s discretion.Most systems have some protection against intrusion, represented by the ICWL stat. In Narrative Play, breaching a system’s ICWL generally only requires time, increased based on the ICWL stat. In combat it’s done through the Breach action:BreachYou attempt to break down the defenses of a system within Long range. Make a Software roll against the system's current ICWL value:• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, break 2 ICWL and take 1 Moxie.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, break 3 ICWL and take 1 Moxie.There are also Programs you can upload onto a system. These are specialized daemons that can damage, disrupt, protect, or expose vulnerabilities in systems. You can upload them using the Upload action:UploadYou attempt to upload a Program to a system within Long range. Choose a Program, spend its Moxie cost, and make a Software roll against the system's ICWL value (ignore ICWL if the target is a willing ally or yourself):• On a FAILURE, the upload fails.• On a SUCCESS, consult the Program.Player CharactersIce_Breaker2 MoxieSets off a burst in the Fog that eats through defensive measures, assaulting all systems within Medium range of the target.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, break 2 ICWL.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, break 3 ICWL.Flicker2 MoxieCauses a target's electrical synapses to rapidly go on and off, overheating them.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, deal 2+4d6 damage.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, deal 3+4d6 damage.Guard_Dog2 MoxieYou equip a system with a defensive daemon that counterattacks on the �rst intrusion attempt.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, the enemy that attempts the hack loses 2 ICWL and takes 1+2d6 damage.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, as above, and the attempted hack also fails.Glitch2 MoxieCauses electronics to malfunction.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, the target system becomes Glitched for 2 turns.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, the target system becomes Glitched for 3 turns.Lock_On2 MoxieMakes allied weapons lock onto the target.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, attacks against the target have +1 Edge until the end of your next turn.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, as above, and the target is also Marked(2).
28 Player Characters Overclock3 MoxieRevs up a target's components.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, the target restores 3 Stamina and takes 1 Moxie.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, the target restores 4 Stamina and takes 1 Moxie.Patch_Up2 MoxieAdds layers of defense.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, give +2 ICWL.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, give +3 ICWL.Tracker2 MoxieApplies an untraceable tracker on a system.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, you can locate the location of the target within Extreme range for 1 hour.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, you can locate the location of the target within Extreme range for 24 hours.Memory_Wipe3 MoxieForcibly clears a system's memory.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, the system's memory is cleared, and any evidence of tampering is lost. If the target is a person, they forget the last few seconds, and if in combat, they become Dazed on their next turn.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, as above, but they skip their next turn instead.Hand_Of_Doom5 MoxieWreaks havoc on a system's core components. Can only target systems with 0 ICWL.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, deal 4+8d6 damage.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, the system shuts down. A system that shuts down in this way needs repair to become operable again. If the target is a person, they fall Unconscious and their implants are rendered inoperable until repaired.
Player Characters 29TinkerA crackerjack techie. Tinkers are builders and gadgeteers, shining at mechanical challenges and using unique gadgets to overcome obstacles.OutthinkAfter a rest, you have 2 Outthink tokens. When you make a roll to achieve something using your knowledge of machines, ability to use elbow grease, improvisational problem-solving, or tinkering precision, you can spend one of these tokens to reroll any dice. Once per roll.Limit BreakOnce per combat, when you deploy a Gadget, it doesn’t count against its Limit.Nuts ‘n’ BoltsYou can create and deploy Gadgets, valuable combat utility devices. Choose a Gadget to learn from the Gadget list.Arsenal IChoose another Gadget to learn from the Gadget list.ImproviseYou ignore the Moxie cost of an action that costs 4 or less Moxie. Once per combat.Arsenal IIChoose another Gadget to learn from the Gadget list.UpgradeWhen you deploy a Gadget, spend 1 more Moxie to deploy its upgraded version.TRAITTIER 1 TIER 1TIER 2TIER 3TIER 2 TIER 2Nuts 'n’BoltsArsenal I ImproviseArsenal IILimit BreakUpgrade Outthink
GadgeteeringGadgets are useful and often lethal devices you can deploy in and out of combat. As a Tinker, you can take the following unique actions related to your Gadgets:DeploySpend a Gadget's Moxie cost to deploy it within Short range.RecallRecall a Gadget within Melee range.RepairYou tune up a damaged but not destroyed gadget within Melee range. It regains 3 HP.30 GadgetsThe following are all the Gadgets you can learn through the Arsenal abilities and deploy using the Deploy action. Gadgets have their own stats, and some come with unique actions. Each round, each Gadget gets 1 Action Point which can be used during your turn. This AP can only be used for actions labeled as “Gadget Actions”. Other actions require your own AP. Gadgets that have a Speed stat can use that movement without expending any Action Points.Gadgets additionally have a Limit stat, which denotes how many of each Gadget you can have deployed at one time.Player Characters In�ltrator Drone3 Moxie, Limit 1HP: 8, ICWL: 3, Speed: 8A small, controllable drone that can be �own within Extreme range from you. It is equipped with a camera you can see through and can shoot steel darts. It is silent beyond Short range.Defender Drone3 Moxie, Limit 1HP: 10, ICWL: 3, Speed: 6A small, controllable drone that can be �own within Extreme range from you. It is equipped with a camera you can see through and can project a small shield to protect allies.STEEL DARTGadget Action: Shoots a dart at a target within Medium range (TN 8):• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, deal 1 damage.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, deal 1+1d6 damage.WARDGadget Action: Projects a small force shield around a chosen ally within Short range. The shield has 3 HP and absorbs damage for the chosen ally until the shield's HP is depleted, the drone is destroyed, or this action is used again.UpgradeCLOAKINGAction: Toggles cloaking, which turns the drone Invisible. Becomes disabled if the drone takes damage.UpgradeBULWARK+5 HP, +1 shield HP.
31Player CharactersPredator Drone2 Moxie, Limit 1HP: 1, ICWL: 1, Speed: 10A small, sleek drone equipped with an explosive device that can home in on enemies. Explodes upon contact or upon being destroyed. Isn't equipped with a camera and can only be moved through the Homing Strike action.Proximity Charge2 Moxie, Limit 2HP: 1, ICWL: 2A sticky explosive device that can stick to any solid surface and alerts you covertly when an enemy enters its Melee range.Sentinel Turret3 Moxie, Limit 1HP: 14, ICWL: 3A turret-mounted gun that can be deployed on any solid ground surface. It scans for targets in 360 degrees and �res automatically.Shield Projector2 Moxie, Limit 1HP: 15, ICWL: 3A small gadget deployed on the ground that projects a one-way force shield in a 2-meter high, 4-meter long rectangle. Intercepts all ranged attacks made against targets behind the shield, but those attacks automatically score Partial Successes against the shield. Lasts until HP depletes. Does not disrupt movement.HOMING STRIKEGadget Action: Choose an enemy or object within Medium range of the drone. The drone will move up to its Speed in a straight line towards that point. If it impacts, everyone within Melee range must make a REFL roll. Deals 2+3d6 damage on a Failure, halved on a Partial. Deals double damage to terrain.EXPLODEReaction: When an enemy enters Melee range, you can make the charge explode. Everyone within Melee range must make a REFL roll. Deals 2+3d6 damage on a Failure, halved on a Partial. Can also be detonated at will as a Gadget Action. Deals double damage to terrain.BURSTGadget Action: Fires at a target within Medium range (TN 8):• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, deal 1+2d6 damage.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, deal 1+3d6 damage.SHIFTGadget Action: Change the direction and/or orientation of the shield.UpgradePURSUIT+4 Speed, +1 damage on a Failure or PartialUpgradeCAMOUFLAGEThe device blends into its environment, becoming Invisible.UpgradeHOLD THE LINE+8 HP.UpgradeCURRENTRanged attacks made from behind the shield deal +1 damage.
COMBAT
ON VIOLENCE“The world is waking outside my windowBella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciaoDrags my senses into the sunlightFor there are things that I must doWish me luck now, I have to leave youBella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciaoWith my friends now up to the cityWe're going to shake the Gates of HellAnd I will tell them - we will tell themBella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciaoThat our sunlight is not for franchiseAnd wish the bastards drop down dead”- Chumbawamba34 VEILBREAK is a game made to tell stories rife with violence. PCs will be on the receiving end of it, and they will also perpetrate it. Gang wars, revolutionary struggle, police brutality, selfdefense, interpersonal abuse, vigilantism—Grayhaven itself calls its inhabitants to cruelty of all kinds. VEILBREAK views violence as an inseparable part of oppression, and a necessary aspect of the resistance against it. As anarchist revolutionary Mikhail Bakunin put it, rebellion and the wave of change is “the unleashing of all evil passions”, that violence which is necessary for transformation.In accepting such a fact, as well as being a game largely about combat as sport, combat is a regular occurrence in VEILBREAK’s game sessions. It is intended to be genuinely enjoyable, both from the detached real-world perspective of the tactical and cinematic satisfaction it seeks to create, as well as its narrative con�icts, emotional stakes, moral dilemmas, and the catharsis therein.That said, rebellion is inherently a quest toward minimizing suffering, and violence is by its very nature the purest source of suffering humanity can invoke. You are only invited to re�ect on your view of the usage of violence, both in games of �ction and in the real world.COMBAT
35ORDER IN CHAOSCombat in VEILBREAK is a structured system where characters take turns acting within de�ned limits. It is split into Turns and Rounds. Each character involved in combat takes one turn per round. PCs act �rst each round, followed by the enemies. Players are expected to discuss strategy and collectively decide on their turn order.Each turn, every character involved in combat gets 3 Action Points to spend on various combat actions.Combat starts when violent con�ict breaks out within the �ction, and ends when that con�ict is resolved, either through defeat, escape, or diplomacy.SPACEVEILBREAK handles physical space with a combination of codi�ed lengths written as keywords, and speci�c distances in meters.RangesThe following are the ranges used throughout these rules:• Melee: 1 meter.• Short: 5 meters.• Medium: 15 meters.• Long: 25 meters.• Extreme: 50 meters.MovementCharacters can generally move within reasonable physical constraints. That means they can do things such as walk, run, climb, jump, and swim, but can’t do things like move through obstructions or move freely through the air unless speci�c abilities enable them to do so.Each character has a Speed stat. Using the Move action gives you an amount of Movement in meters equal to your Speed stat. You can use that Movement at will until the end of your turn, and even break it up to take other Actions inbetween.A character can move through another’s space at no penalty, but cannot stop their movement there.Swimming takes 2 Movement per meter, and Climbing takes as much Movement as the vertical height climbed doubled.Jumping requires taking the Jump action, which doesn’t cost any Movement. A character can jump a horizontal distance equal to half their STRG or PRCS in meters, and a vertical distance of 2 meters. An aided jump, such as one that is propelled or one that has something to quickly grab onto mid-jump to maintain momentum, has doubled distance.Ending your turn without having made any voluntary movement since the end of your previous turn gives you the Stationary condition, which makes you easier to hit with ranged attacks.Airborne MovementWhen a character �nds themselves in the air, they are considered Airborne. An Airborne character is in freefall unless something like an implant is keeping them aloft. A falling character falls at an accelerating pace of 5 meters during the �rst turn, 20 meters during the second, and 100 meters every turn after that. An Airborne character can’t control their horizontal movement unless they have a way to propel themself in a direction, such as a solid vertical surface or implant.Fall DamageA character that hits a solid surface after falling a distance of more than 5 meters takes 1 damage for each meter fallen beyond 5.TerrainThe combat environment is not a static space, characters can do things such as bring down walls and destroy enemy cover to create tactical advantages. There are four types of terrain:• Dif�cult Terrain: Spaces that are hard to move through, such as narrow spaces, hipdeep water, rubble. Moving through Dif�cult Terrain takes 2 Movement per meter.• Light Terrain: Thin walls or objects made of breakable material such as wood, plastic, concrete, sheet metal, etc. Each 1x2 meter section has 5 HP.• Heavy Terrain: Thicker walls, sturdy objects made of tougher material such as stone, metal, reinforced concrete, etc. Each 1x2 meter section has 15 HP.• Unbreakable Terrain: Meter-thick constructions, large and sturdy natural formations. Can’t be destroyed.Destroying Light or Heavy Terrain turns it into Dif�cult Terrain.COMBAT
CoverA character is behind Partial Cover when part of their body is covered to someone attempting to attack them by a material that can negate the attack. Partial Cover gives -1 Edge to attacks.Similarly, Full Cover is when the character’s entire body is covered. Characters behind Full Cover can’t be hit by attacks directly.STEALTH IN COMBATIn combat, Characters are generally Revealed. When someone is trying to do something while concealed, they can be in one of two stealth states: Detected or Hidden.Stealth States• Revealed characters are openly visible or audible and enemies know their exact location.• Detected characters are unperceived but enemies are aware of their presence and general position. They can't be directly targeted.• Hidden characters are unperceived by their enemies and their position is unknown, though enemies may or may not be aware of their presence.Decide with the Entropist in which state each character is at the start of combat.Changing Stealth StatesTaking an obvious action, such as making a loud sound, appearing unobscured within line of sight of an enemy, or attacking with a loud weapon makes a character Revealed.Taking a risky action, such as making a quiet sound, appearing obscured (e.g. in shadow or behind soft or hard cover such as foliage or fog) within line of sight of an enemy, or attacking with a silent weapon calls for a Stealth roll. On anything but a Double Success, your stealth state is decreased by one stage.Taking the Hide action and succeeding increases your stealth state by one stage.Hidden vs Behind CoverThough both being Hidden and behind opaque Total Cover render a character unseen, they are not the same thing. A character is in a stealth state such as Hidden when they are actively attempting to evade detection, and that includes things such as trying not to make noise, leave a trail, or attract attention. A character behind Total Cover simply has something opaque between themselves 36 and their enemies; their enemies still know exactly where they are.STATSStaminaStamina is a character’s grit and resolve, and an abstraction of their combat condition. It is a representation of a character’s ability to roll with the punches, barely avoiding potentially devastating harm. Any damage taken by a PC is subtracted from their Stamina. When a character’s Stamina runs out, exhaustion makes them susceptible to being injured, or even killed.Risk RollWhen you reach 0 Stamina, you must make a Risk Roll. Roll ENDU or WILL plus half your Armor (rounded down, 1 becomes 1) with any leftover damage as Dif�culty.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, you take 1 Moxie.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, you press on.• On a FAILURE, you suffer an Injury. Consult the Injuries section (p.40).Taking damage while at 0 Stamina also incurs a Risk Roll, with the damage taken as Dif�culty.ArmorArmor is a representation of any protection against physical harm employed by a character. It can take the form of armored clothing, full suits of gear, or even implants like subdermal plating or metallic limbs. You add all sources of Armor up to �gure out your character’s Armor value.Armor is added to your maximum Stamina and to the TN of all your Risk Rolls.ICWLICWL (read as “icewall”) is a character’s defense against digital intrusions. It takes the form of hardware and �rmware found in implants. Like Armor, you add up all your sources of ICWL to �gure out your max ICWL value.A character’s ICWL value is added as Dif�culty to hacking actions attempted against them. ICWL can be damaged and broken through hacking.MoxiePlayer Characters have a resource called Moxie. Moxie starts at 0 at the start of combat, it is built up through various Actions, and is spent to fuel powerful Actions and Abilities.COMBAT
37Abilities Outside of CombatMoxie can’t be gained in narrative play, but you can still use abilities that require it. When you use an ability that requires spending Moxie outside of combat (or an ability/trait with a limit like “once per combat”), you can’t use it again until you �nish a rest. If you use several of these abilities in the same narrative scene, incur 1 Strain for each one beyond the �rst.StrainStrain represents physical and mental exhaustion. Whenever you take Moxie, if you have Strain, you �rst lose that much Strain before gaining Moxie.ACTIONSThe following is a list of Actions every PC can take. PCs might also have access to other unique Actions from their Abilities or gear. In any case, taking an Action of any type requires spending 1 Action Point.AttackYou strike out against a target using a weapon. Roll your weapon’s attribute.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, take 1 Moxie and in�ict your weapon's damage.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, take 2 Moxie and in�ict your weapon's damage.Up to twice per turn.Decisive StrikeYou look for an opening to attack with great might or precision, intending a singular devastating strike. Spend 5 Moxie, then roll your weapon’s attribute with +2 Edge.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, in�ict your weapon's damage, doubling the result.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, as above and take 1 Moxie.EngageYou lock an enemy within Melee range in combat with you. That enemy is Engaged by you until they leave your Melee range. When they do or when they make an attack, you can use a reaction to make an attack against them with +1 Edge.HideWhen suf�ciently concealed (e.g. behind cover, fully obscured) you can attempt to hide. Make a Stealth roll.On a SUCCESS, your stealth state increases by one stage.InteractYou interact with an object or the environment. Make a Skill roll, swap weapons, throw something, etc.JumpYou leap a distance up to half your STRG or PRCS in meters horizontally, and up to 2 meters vertically. An aided jump, such as one that is propelled or one that has something to quickly grab onto mid-jump to maintain momentum, has doubled distance.MoveGain movement equal to your Speed. Up to twice per turn.FlowYou stay on your toes. If you are not Engaged and your speed isn’t 0, you can't get the Stationary condition until your next turn. PrepareYou amp yourself up, look for an opportunity, steel your grit. Take 1 Moxie, then make an Attribute roll based on your approach. If you are attempting to gain the upper hand:Using your size, power, or weight, roll STRG.Using your accuracy, footwork, or speed, roll PRCS.Using your expertise, quick thinking, or observation, roll INTL.Using your words or imposing presence, roll PRES.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, take another 1 Moxie.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, take another 2 Moxie.Up to once per turn.ShoveYou attempt to push someone within Melee range. Make a STRG roll.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, you move the target 1 meter away from you or knock them Prone.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, you can do both or only one of the above.For rules that mention attacks or attacking actions, both the Attack and Decisive Strike actions apply.COMBAT
38 COMBAT
Treat InjuryYou attempt to treat an Injury, your own or someone else’s. Make a Medicine roll with the Injury’s severity as Dif�culty (minor=1, medium=2, major=3).• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, that Injury is marked as Treated.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, as above and you also mark 1 Recovery.ReactionsReactions are things a character can do in response to things happening during combat, even outside of their turn. You get 1 Reaction Point at the end of your turn, and another one for each unused Action Point. These Reaction Points last until the end of your next turn. Every PC can take the following Reaction, but might have access to other unique ones from gear or Abilities.DodgeWhen hit with an attack, spend 1 Moxie to cancel out damage dice of rolled value up to your Evasion.CONDITIONSConditions are temporary statuses that can affect characters during combat. They can be applied in various ways, and usually come with a duration or a way to clear them.AirborneYou are in the air, untethered and at the mercy of gravity.DazedYou lose balance and �nd it hard to keep your bearings. You get 1 less Action Point on your turn.EngagedYou are locked in melee combat with an enemy. Your ranged attacks have -1 Edge, and that enemy can use a Reaction to attack you with +1 Edge when you make an attack or leave their Melee range. Lasts until you leave their Melee range.GlitchedYour electronics malfunction. Your can’t use any implant abilities, and can only attack once per round.39InvisibleYou can’t be seen. Your attacks have +1 Edge and you can’t be Revealed.MarkedYour vulnerable points are exposed. This condition stacks. When hit with an attack, the attacker rolls extra damage dice equal to the Marked amount. The condition is then cleared.ProneYou are on the ground. Moving takes 2 movement per meter, and melee attacks against you have +1 Edge, but ranged attacks have -1 Edge. You can use 4 movement to stand up.StationaryNot moving, you become an easy target. attacks against you made from beyond Melee range have +1 Edge.SurprisedYou have been caught off-guard by an ambushing foe. You get 1 less Action Point on your turn.TauntedAn enemy imposes their presence on you. Attacks you make against anyone but that enemy have -1 Edge.UnconsciousYou are unresponsive. You are Prone and can’t take actions or reactions.NPCS IN COMBATCharacters controlled by the Entropist play by somewhat different combat rules. They don’t acquire Injuries, and have Hit Points (HP) in place of Stamina. Damage against HP usually represents direct physical harm, and a NPC is deafeated when they reach 0 HP. That can mean retreat, death, or a non-lethal kind of defeat depending on �ctional context and PC intent.Most NPCs also have access to a limited list of Actions and Reactions.COMBAT
INJURIESCombat is a dangerous engagement and can bring devastating consequences for those involved. When PCs run out of Stamina, they may suffer Injuries, debilitating af�ictions which can hinder their abilities and even leave them permanently changed, or with their implants damaged beyond usage.When you fail a Risk Roll, you sustain an Injury. Either discuss and decide, or consult the tables below to �gure out what that Injury is.If you roll a body part that is entirely replaced by an implant, then that implant gets damaged and you acquire the Prosthetic Shock Injury.Injuries mean negative consequences for your character. Each Injury has a temporary effect (italicized), which is removed when the Injury is marked as Treated, and a long-term effect which 40 persists until the Injury is removed by recovering fully. The long-term effects of major Injuries are permanent (bolded), and persist on a character even after the Injury itself is removed.A new Injury is of severity equal to the next Injury slot in your character sheet. If you sustain an Injury while all the Injury slots are �lled, your character dies.Amputated & MutilatedThe permanent effects of many major Injuries can be undone through implants, like a Prosthetic Arm to replace a severed arm, or a Synthetic Lung to replace a collapsed lung. You can’t replace a body part like this until the major Injury has completely healed.Damage to ImplantsGetting injured can also cause damage to implants. Sustaining a medium or major Injury will also cause an implant in that body part to become Damaged. Damaged implants are deactivated, meaning they can’t be used, and need to be repaired to be reactivated. If a character’s Locus is deactivated, all their other implants are also deactivated and can’t be reactivated until the Locus is.COMBAT Roll d12 Affected Body Part1-2 Head3-6 Torso7-9 Arm10-12 LegMinor InjuriesBLEEDING IMPACT BLAST/FIRE PROSTHETICHEADHead SlashBleed: -1 Moxie at start of turnHead TraumaStun: DazedHead BurnSinge: -1 Edge to attacksProsthetic ShockNeural Jolt: GlitchedTORSOTorso SlashBleed: -1 Moxie at start of turnTorso TraumaWind: DazedTorso BurnSinge: -1 Moxie at start of turnARMArm SlashBleed: -1 Moxie at start of turnArm TraumaSprain: -1 Edge to attacksArm BurnSinge: -1 Edge to attacksLEG Leg SlashBleed: -1 Moxie at start of turnLeg TraumaSprain: Can’t DodgeLeg BurnSinge: -2 Speed
41COMBATMedium InjuriesBLEEDING IMPACT BLAST/FIRE PROSTHETICHEADHead GashBleed: -2 Moxie at start of turnWound: -2 to PRES rollsHead FractureStun: Dazed and -1 Edge to all rollsConcussion: -2 to INTL rollsHead ScorchBurn: -2 Edge to attacksScar: -2 to PRES rollsProsthetic ShockNeural Shock: Glitched and DazedDegeneration: Implants on body part cannot be activatedTORSOTorso GashBleed: -2 Moxie at start of turnWound: -2 to STRG rollsTorso FractureWind: Dazed and can’t DodgeConcussion: -2 Max StaminaTorso ScorchBurn: -2 Moxie at start of turnScar: -2 Max StaminaARMArm GashBleed: -2 Moxie at start of turnWound: -2 to PRCS rollsArm FractureBreak: -2 Edge to attacksConcussion: -2 to PRCS rollsArm ScorchBurn: -2 Edge to attacksScar: -2 to PRCS rollsLEGLeg GashBleed: -2 Moxie at start of turnWound: -2 to SpeedLeg FractureBreak: Can’t Dodge and -2 SpeedConcussion: -2 to REFL rollsLeg ScorchBurn: -2 Moxie at start of turnScar: -2 SpeedMajor InjuriesBLEEDING BLUNT FORCE BLAST/FIRE PROSTHETICHEADHead LaceratedBleed: -3 Moxie at start of turnMutilation: -2 to PRESSkull ShatteredCollapse: UnconsciousBrain Damage: -1 to INTL and AWARHead MeltedSear: -2 Edge to attacksCharring: -2 to PRESProsthetic ShockNeural Collapse: UnconsciousIrreversible Trauma: Body part won’t accept implants again.TORSOTorso LaceratedBleed: -3 Moxie at start of turnMutilation: -1 to STRG and PRCSTorso ShatteredCollapse: UnconsciousCollapsed Lung: -3 Max StaminaTorso MeltedSear: -2 Edge to attacksCharring: -3 Max StaminaARMArm SeveredBleed: -3 Moxie at start of turnDismember: Arm severedArm ShatteredShreds: -2 Edge to attacksDismember: Arm severedArm MeltedSear: -2 Edge to attacksDismember: Arm severedLEGLeg SeveredBleed: -3 Moxie at start of turnDismember: Leg severed, Speed halvedLeg FractureShreds: Prone, can’t standDismember: Leg severed, Speed halvedLeg MeltedSear: -3 Moxie at start of turnDismember: Leg severed, Speed halved
SURVIVING THE CITY
SURVIVALSurviving in Grayhaven is a tactical challenge. Though players don’t have to worry about spending cred to keep their characters warm and fed, they’ll have to maximize their odds of survival by making sure PCs are topped up on Cells, they properly heal from Injuries, and they have their implants repaired.REST AND RECOVERYDuring their struggle, PCs will need to carve time out to rest. Recovery allows them time to tend to injuries, repair their tech, and be better prepared to take on the city. There are two ways to recover: Breathers and Rests.BreatherBreathers are short periods of time, around 5-10 minutes, where the PCs can sit down, catch their breath, rehydrate, and patch up wounds. To take a Breather the PCs must �nd a spot out of immediate danger. A completed Breather fully restores Stamina and ICWL and allows you to mark one Injury as treated, either your own or someone else's.RestRests are longer periods of downtime during which characters get to eat, sleep, and recuperate. Rests take several hours and can only be done once a day, and only in a safe, relatively private and at least somewhat comfortable space—like a home base, a squat, or an apartment of some kind. When you complete a Rest, you fully restore your Stamina and ICWL and you mark all Injuries as treated.Additionally, you can use a Rest to administer medical aid or technical repairs to yourself or another PC. Note that a speci�c Injury can't have more than one Recovery marked per Rest. When you take a Rest, choose one:AidMake a Medicine roll with the Injury’s severity as Dif�culty (minor=1, medium=2, major=3).• On a SUCCESS, the recipient marks 1 Recovery.44 RepairMake a Hardware roll with the severity of the Injury that damaged this implant as Dif�culty (minor=1, medium=2, major=3).:• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, the recipient clears Damaged from 1 Implant.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, the recipient clears Damaged from 2 Implants.ExhaustionA character that hasn’t taken a Rest in longer than 24 hours gains 2 Strain at the start of combat.Entropy is the omnipresent cosmic force that has decayed the world to this point. It is a faceless, being-less thing, a force of nature whose only purpose is to undo creation. And, while the great walls of Grayhaven have kept it at bay for many centuries, it still seeps inside in small ways. Exposure to high-density velinite emissions, pollution, and magic are all examples of things that can bring a character into direct contact with Entropy. Mental and emotional anguish can also leave a person vulnerable to its grip.Entropy RollWhen your character is exposed to Entropy, the Entropist might call for an Entropy Roll. Roll ENDU or WILL, with Dif�culty equal to half of your current Entropy rounded down.• On a DOUBLE SUCCESS, you resist the forces of Entropy.• On a PARTIAL SUCCESS, your mind and body are af�icted by it. Mark 1 Entropy.• On a FAILURE, you succumb. You mark 1 Entropy and the Entropist assumes control of your character for a brief moment as the darkness seizes their mind and body.Characters might start the game with some Entropy already acquired, depending on their history and living conditions.As Entropy accumulates, it might start to shape your character’s thoughts, feelings, and actions in ways subtle at �rst, more signi�cant as it consumes you. Discuss with your Entropist about what that will look like for your character, in a way that �ts the game table.Entropy cannot directly kill a character, nor remove them from play outside of the brief windows where the Entropist might pull their strings—it is intended as a mechanic to create narrative tension and a feeling of mounting dread in the stories of VEILBREAK. As such, once acquired, it is permanent and cannot be removed.SURVIVING THE CITY
45LETHAL STAKESSometimes, characters might �nd themselves in non-combat situations that could have deadly consequences for them. Think a tense exchange with a rival that ends with the wrong end of a gun’s barrel pressed against your skull, or a negotiation on the edge of a skyscraper’s landing pad that ends with the wrong end of a gun’s barrel pressed against your skull, or an attempt at mugging that ends with…you get the idea.In situations like this, where a PC is at risk of lethal harm while in Narrative Play, and where combat rules don’t satisfy the narrative tension of the scene (e.g. a bullet directly to the head only dealing a handful of Stamina damage), the endangered characters are under Lethal Stakes. When a scene enters Lethal Stakes, the Entropist creates two 3-segment progress clocks, one of them a Tension and the other a Defusion clock, and sets a Dif�culty rating for the entire scene. The scene then plays out with the players making Skill rolls in pivotal moments to determine the direction of the scene. A DOUBLE SUCCESS �lls one segment of the Defusion clock, whereas a FAILURE �lls one segment of the Tension clock.When either clock �lls up completely, Lethal Stakes resolve, with either the situation defused, if the Defusion clock was the one �lled up, or with deadly fallout if it was the Tension clock that �lled up �rst.SURVIVING THE CITY
GEAR
WEAPONSWeapons are the implements of death with which the people of Grayhaven arm themselves. Basic weapons cost 200 Cred to purchase. Quality weapons cost 1000 Cred, and Pristine weapons cost 3000 Cred.COMPONENTSWeapons are made up of various Tags, their Damage and Range, and a unique Trait.TagsWeapon Tags de�ne a weapon's mechanics.• Weight: Heavy or Light. Heavy weapons use STRG as their Attribute, and Light weapons use PRCS.• Type: Melee or Ranged. Melee weapons can only hit within Melee range, while the reach of Ranged weapons is varied.• Size: One-handed or Two-handed. De�nes how many free hands the weapon requires to use.• Sound: Silent or Loud. Silent weapons don't affect your stealth state when you attack with them, Loud weapons do. Weapons with neither tag are noisy but not overtly so, and might incur Stealth rolls when attacking while stealthed.• Destructive: Destructive weapons deal double damage to Terrain.• Slow: Slow weapons can only attack once per round.DamageThe amount of damage the weapon does on a successful strike. It consists of a �at number that is always dealt as damage, and an amount of d6 rolled to determine hits added to damage (see p.11, Damage Roll).RangeThe ideal range for the weapon. Attacks with ranged weapons can be made beyond this range, but have -1 Edge for each Range threshold beyond it (i.e. a weapon with Short range has -2 Edge when attacking at Long range).TraitEach weapon has a unique Trait which can be passive or active. Traits that enhance attacks must be declared before the attack is rolled.48 LIGHT WEAPONSRangedGEAR REVOLVERLight, Ranged, one-handed, loudDamage: 1+3d6Range: MediumPISTOLLight, Ranged, one-handed, loudDamage: 1+3d6Range: MediumBOWLight, Ranged, two-handed, silentDamage: 1+3d6Range: LongBOOMERANGLight, Ranged, one-handed, silentDamage: 1+3d6Range: ShortTRICKSHOTGive your attack -1 Edge. On a SUCCESS, ignore any damage penalties from negative Edge, and take 1 Moxie. QUICK RELOADCan attack without using an AP. Once per combat.CRIPPLING SHOTEnhance an attack. On a SUCCESS, deal +2d6 damage and the target has -5 movement until the end of their next turn. Once per combat.RICOCHETOn a DOUBLE SUCCESS when attacking, hit a second enemy within short range of the �rst for 2d6 damage.
49MeleeGEARSUBMACHINE GUNLight, Ranged, two-handed, loudDamage: 1+3d6Range: MediumRIFLELight, Ranged, two-handed, loud, slowDamage: 1+4d6Range: LongTHROWING KNIVESLight, Ranged, one-handed, silentDamage: 1+3d6Range: ShortSPRAY & PRAYAction: Everyone in a short range 90° cone rolls REFL, taking 1+3d6 on a FAILURE, half on a PARTIAL SUCCESS. Once per combat.PRECISE SHOTGive an attack +1 Edge. Once per combat.BARRAGEAction: Make up to 3 separate attacks at -1 Edge. Once per combat.DAGGERLight, Melee, one-handed, silentDamage: 1+4d6Range: MeleeEXPUNGEEnhance an attack. On a SUCCESS, it deals +2d6 damage. Once per combat.KATANALight, Melee, one-handed, silentDamage: 1+4d6Range: MeleeCHARGING STRIKEEnhance an attack. Can target from 3m away, and you move into melee range without spending movement, then attack with +1 Edge. Once per combat.SHORTBLADELight, Melee, one-handed, silentDamage: 1+4d6Range: MeleeSWIFT STRIKECan attack without using an AP. Once per combat.SPEARLight, Melee, two-handed, silentDamage: 1+4d6Range: MeleeLONG REACHCan make melee attacks within 2m. Doesn’t extend melee range for other mechanics.WHIPLight, Melee, one-handedDamage: 1+4d6Range: MeleeTRIPPING STRIKEEnhance an attack. On a SUCCESS, the target falls Prone. Once per combat.
HEAVY WEAPONSRanged50 MeleeGEAR SHOTGUNHeavy, Ranged, two-handed, loud, destructiveDamage: 1+4d6Range: ShortASSAULT RIFLEHeavy, Ranged, two-handed, loudDamage: 1+3d6Range: MediumCROSSBOWHeavy, Ranged, two-handedDamage: 1+3d6Range: MediumGRENADE LAUNCHERHeavy, Ranged, two-handed, loud, destructive, slowDamage: 1+3d6Range: MediumMACHINE GUNHeavy, Ranged, two-handed, loudDamage: 1+3d6Range: MediumSTRONG KICKCan knock targets 1m back on a DOUBLE SUCCESS.SUPPRESSING FIREChoose an enemy. Once per turn, you can use a reaction to attack that enemy. One enemy per combat.PIERCING SHOTEnhance an attack. On a SUCCESS, in�ict Mark(3). Once per combat.EXPLOSIVE IMPACTEveryone within Melee range of the impact spot must succeed on a REFL roll or take the same damage.SUSTAINED FIRECan make 3 attacks with this weapon per turn if you attack with no other weapon.BATHeavy, Melee, two-handedDamage: 1+4d6Range: MeleeSOCKCan make a ranged attack at Medium range. Once per combat.BROADSWORDHeavy, Melee, two-handedDamage: 1+4d6Range: MeleeLACERATING STRIKEEnhance an attack. On a SUCCESS, in�ict Mark(3). Once per combat.COMBAT AXEHeavy, Melee, two-handedDamage: 1+4d6Range: MeleeCLEAVEAction: Make 2 attacks against separate enemies. Once per combat.