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Written By James E Shields, Trajche Pavlov &
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John M Barfield
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Trajche Pavlov Special Thanks

Interior Art By Eillen Barfield and Siobhan Barfield.
You girls have been my inspiration and

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hope that I make you proud. Your love JT Scott, David Duerschlag, Uriel,
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First Published 2019 Steve Johnson, Robert Daley, Jeremy
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ISBN: valiant, William P, Darren Richley,
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This game uses the John M Barfield Carr, Firanai, Brian Weisberg, Luke
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Produced under license by John M krebs, David Dolph, Joel Mattson,
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etienne jamme, Spyros Veronikis, Donahue, Beachfox, Jeffrey Kreider,
Jesse Roberge, Victory Condition Derek Carnell, J Patrick Stebbins, Rick
Gaming, paNik productions, Gregory Hull, Noël, Ed S, Frazer Porritt, Nbaer,
McCausland, Elizabeth Williams, vshadow, Sin, Christopher L.,
Patrice Mermoud, Protagonist Jennerman, Kevin Couick, Carl Walter,
Industries, Flimflamberge, Craig Hackl, Matthew Marquard, Nick, Andrew
Benjamin Nehring, Carmine Willi Pepe, Moreton, Mike Maurer, Mark Solino,

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It’s a secret!, Lazislacker, Kristopher Buckley, Rex Peralta, Makel, Dan
Volter, John Bradshaw, Jenevieve Jones, John Gutshall, Nick, JackM3, J
“Tasha” , DeFer, jean-yves, Craig Phillips, Charles Pugsley, Rebecca
Senatore, Jay Peters, Adam Neisius, Chamberlin, Josh Geller, Philip Rogers,
Orko, Nick Vandenbush, Joel Agee, Alexander Hrebluk, Shaun Burton,
Todd Stephens, Jonathan, Pascal Jacob Yohn, Erik Hansen, Stefan,
Laprise, Ryan Kent, Raymond Piper, TaisonMor, Nigel Wright, Jamie
Carl Speakman, Seth Hartley, Adam Hamlin, N DeVita, Lloyd Moore, Aaron
Rinehart, Scottie Taylor, Jeff Zitomer, Dykstra, Anestis Kozakis, Denis Gaty,
Wermfood, Mike Miller, Richard Graham Cheshir, Robert Odom, Brian
Greene, Henry Perez, Zachary Severson, timothy, Chef Pandakage,
Guenther, Michael McGregor, Jared, Brian Habenicht, S. Klay Sheddan, Ian
Blake Rice, Zachary Brown, Craig Hamilton
Johnson, Douglas Riley, Aaran

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Intro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

The World of 2049 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Medical Infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . 20 Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Law-Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Illegal Enhanced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Corporate Governance . . . . . . . . . . 22 Media And Entertainment . . . . . . . 25
Rich/Poor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 The Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Basic Game Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Character Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Default Skill Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Character Hit Points And Energy Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Stacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Character Skills And Superhuman Critical Successes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Critical Failures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Critical Results In Combat . . . . . . . . . . .34

Skill Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Saving Throws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Opposition Rolls (ORs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Character Creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Character Creation Quick Guide . . 37 Health (HLT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Corporate DNA Strand . . . . . . . . . . 38 Reflexes (REF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Willpower (WLP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
DNA Strands And Backgrounds . . . . . . . 38 Charisma (CHA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Cademus Biolytics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Intelligence (INT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Chimera Pharmaceuticals . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Prometheus Medical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Derived Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Tachyon Energy Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Titan Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Hit Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
United Constable Services . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Heal Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Unmodified Human . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Energy Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Xander Chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Energy Recovery Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Melee Damage Bonus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Scene Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Corporate Stamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Maximizing Damage For Area of
Family Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Siblings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Childhood Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Archetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Adolescence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Adult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Blaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Energy Miser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Extra Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Move and Blast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Strength (STR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Pain Giver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

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Table of Contents

Rapid Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Dumb Luck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Sniper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Privileged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Target Shooter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Resistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Brick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Skill Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Bulletproof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Slippery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Dirty Fighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Odd Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Leapfrog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Skulker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Meat Monkey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Blindside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Skilled Brawler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Fleet of Foot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Thunderpunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Get In Get Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Wrestling Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 In Plain Sight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Gun Bunny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Ninja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Backup Piece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Urban Explorers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Fatal Bullet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Well-Stocked Hideaway . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Long Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Move and Shoot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 General Talents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Practiced Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Sharp Shooter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Trick Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Alternate ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Martial Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Ambidextrous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Force of Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Bad Ass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Furious Assault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Contacts/Snitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Hardened Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Eagle Eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Hard to Hit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Educated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Iron Fists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Extra Hit Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Skilled Combatant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Fast Draw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Street Fighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Fast Healer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Mentalist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Fast Runner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Ahead of the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Fine Looks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Improved Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Danger Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Intuition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Hunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Lucky Bastard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
I Read That Somewhere . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Natural Criminal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Mental Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Natural Linguist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Skilled Mentalist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Night Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Mover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Pain Resistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Accelerated Healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Photographic Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Can’t Touch This . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Rank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Faster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Rapid Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Fly By/Zoom By . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Read Person . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Lightning Quick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Safe House/Cache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Passenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Scientific Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Speeding Fists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Scout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Mutant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Secure Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Deadened Nerves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Sex Appeal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Leaked Thru DNA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Sharp Senses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Mutant Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Spray and Pray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Off the Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Strong Willed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Powerful Mutation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Tough S.O.B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Resistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Warrior’s Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Scanner Invisible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Wealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Non Powered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 You Jerk!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Action Hero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Zero ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Charming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Complications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Addiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

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Table of Contents

Atypical Replacement Response . . . . . . 64 Dodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Bad Reputation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Bloodthirsty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Brokeass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Escape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Chronic Ailment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Fast Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Coward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 First Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Cyber Rejection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 General Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Heavy Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Delusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Improvised Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Enemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Interrogation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Fat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Intimidation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Fewer Hit Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Jury Rig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Foul Tempered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Glass Jaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Greed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Lock Picking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Hedonist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Honor Bound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Illiterate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Observation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Jinx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Persuade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Nano Rejection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Physician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Night Blindness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Pilot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Obsession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Pistols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Phobia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Poison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Poor Perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Police Sciences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Secret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Power Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Skinny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Primitive Ranged Weapons . . . . . . . . .75
Slow Healer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Resist Torture/Interrogation . . . . . . . .75
Slow Runner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Rifle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Social Pariah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Terminally Ill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Unfortunate Looks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Seduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Vendetta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Sleight of Hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Weak Willed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Stealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Streetwise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Throwing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Levels of Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Skills List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Technology Limit Range . . . . . . . . 76
Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Hereditary Powers/Cyber/Nano . . 77
Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Language Fluency Points . . . . . . . 77
Brawling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Starting Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Adjustment Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Computer Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Corporate Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Cryptography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Demolitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Disguise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Superhuman Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Reading Superhuman Abilities . . . 82 Stacking Superhuman Abilities With
Using Superhuman Abilities . . . . . 84 Themselves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Extending Durations On Superhuman
Defaulting On Superhuman Abilities . . . 84 Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Taking Superhuman Abilities Multiple Touch Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Ranged Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

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Table of Contents

Multi-Target Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Effects That Let You Move In Miles Per
Effects That Increase Your Maximum HP/ Hour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
EP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Flight Speed vs Ground Speed . . . . . . . .87
Effects That Increase Your Attributes . . 86
Effects That Reduce Your Attributes And/
Or Derived Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Hereditary Powers List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Absorption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Magnetic Attack (P) (Magnetic
Acid Control: Acid Attack (P) . . . . 90 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Acid Control: Acid Defense . . . . . . 90 Magnetic Defense (Magnetic required) 108
Acid Control: Body of Acid . . . . . . 90
Adaptation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Mimic (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Alter Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Mind Control (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Paralysis (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Animal Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Phasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Animal Control (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Psychometry (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Animal Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Regeneration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Darkness (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Sap Attribute (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Density Control: Increase Density 95 Sonic (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Drain Hit Points (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Stretching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Drain Energy Points (P) . . . . . . . . . 96
Emotion Control (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Stretch Attack (Stretch required) . . . . .114
Energy Blast (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Stretch Defense (Stretch required) . . .114
Energy Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Super Intelligence . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Super Leap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Super Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Speed Attack (Super Speed required) .116

Entangle (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Speed Defense (Super Speed required)116
Fire Control: Flame Body . . . . . . . . 99
Fire Control: Flame Flight (P) . . . . 99 Super Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Fire Control: Flame Wall . . . . . . . 100 Telekinesis (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Fire Control: Pyrokinesis (P) . . . . 100
Flight (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Telekinetic Attack (P) (Telekinesis
Force Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Foretelling: Combat Foresight (P) 102 Telekinetic Defense (Telekinesis
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

Telepathy (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Telepathic Attack (P) (Telepathy

Foretelling: Precognition (P) . . . . 102 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Gravity (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Telepathic Defense (Telepathy
Heal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Ice Control: Cryokinesis (P) . . . . 104
Ice Control: Ice Armor . . . . . . . . . 104 Teleportation (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Ice Control: Ice Movement . . . . . 105 Unarmed Superiority . . . . . . . . . . 120
Ice Control: Ice Wall . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Hit-Confirm (Unarmed Superiority
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Fierce Attack (Unarmed Superiority

Illusions (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Invisibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Frame Advantage (Unarmed Superiority
Light Attack (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Lightning (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Evasive Style (Unarmed Superiority
Magnetic (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

Venom (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

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Table of Contents

Vibratory (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Deflection (Weaponmaster required) . .125
Hardened (Weaponmaster required) . .125
Vibratory Defense (Vibratory required) 122
Weather Control (P) . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Vibratory Phasing (Super Speed or
Vibratory required) . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Sleet/Hail (P) (Weather Control
Wall Walking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Water Control: Water Breathing . 123 Storm Lightning (P) (Weather Control
Water Control: Water Jet (P) . . . . 123 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Water Control: Water Movement 124 Whirlwind Attack (P) (Weather Control
Weaponmaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Whirlwind Defense (Weather Control
Accuracy (Weaponmaster required) . .124 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Strike Vitals (Weaponmaster required) 124 Whirlwind Flight (P) (Weather Control
Hair-Trigger (Weaponmaster required) 125 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Rapid Movement (Weaponmaster
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Mutations List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Minor Mutations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Phantasm (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Poison Gland (Major) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Bio-Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Poltergeist (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Clairaudience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Psionic Blast (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Clairvoyance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Radiation Emitter (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Claws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Rearrange Memories (P) . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Confuse (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Regenerative Burst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Empathy (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Scrambler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
Extra Limb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Shape Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Gills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Wings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Gliders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Hide/Fur/Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Negative Minor Mutations . . . . . 144

Horn(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Aggression Enhancer Glands . . . . . . . .145

Illumination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Allergy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145

Imitate Voice/Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Deformation (Minor) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145

Increased Attribute (Minor) . . . . . . . . . 133 Dependency (Minor) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145

Large Skeleton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 False Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146

Leaper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Hive Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146

Levitate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Increased Pain Receptors . . . . . . . . . . .146

Pheromones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Infectious . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146

Photosynthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Insomnia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146

Poison Gland (Minor) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Odor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Photodependency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

Skunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Reduced Attribute (Minor) . . . . . . . . . .147

Spines/Quills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Useless Limb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

Thermal Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Weak Immunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

Major Mutations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Negative Major Mutations . . . . . . 147

Armored Skin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Conjoined Twin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Bio-Electric Charge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Deformation (Major) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Biokinetic Force Barrier . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Dependency (Major) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Chameleon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Frail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Displacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Hemophiliac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Energy Drain (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Light Sensitive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149

Increased Attribute (Major) . . . . . . . . . 139 Limbless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149

Life Drain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Narcolepsy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149

Mind Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Nervous Tick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149

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Table of Contents

Random Amnesia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Seizures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Reduced Attribute (Major) . . . . . . . . . . 150 Vocal Outbursts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150

Nanotech List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Advanced Antibodies . . . . . . . . . . 151 Nano-Assisted Neuraltech . . . . . 162

Analgesic Floodgate . . . . . . . . . . 152 Nanomask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Artemis Colony Dispersal . . . . . . 152 Nanotoxic Barbs (P) . . . . . . . . . . 162

Aimbot (Artemis Colony Dispersal Orsted Manipulator (P) . . . . . . . . 163
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Gib (Artemis Colony Dispersal Orsted Enhancement: Catastrophe Field
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Generator (P) (requires Orsted
Twitchspeed (Artemis Colony Dispersal Manipulator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Orsted Enhancement: Nullification Coils
Bulletdodge (Artemis Colony Dispersal (requires Orsted Manipulator) . . . . . . .164
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Selective Joint Reinforcement (Artemis Pheromone Gland . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Colony Dispersal required) . . . . . . . . . . 153 Rearranged Organs . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Reinforced Skeleton . . . . . . . . . . 165
Audio-Crusher (P) . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Sealed Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Backup Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Secondary Vibrations (Shivering
COBRA Nanite Spray (P) . . . . . . . 154 Strike Nodes or Synaptic Overclock
Colonized Gyri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Colonized Musculature . . . . . . . . 155 Shivering-Strike Nodes (P) . . . . . 166
Coloring Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Daedalus System (P) . . . . . . . . . . 156 Cancellation Frequency (Shivering Strike
Endocrine Boosters . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Nodes required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
Enhanced Sensory Suite . . . . . . . 157
Epidermal Keratinization . . . . . . . 157 Somatic Rehearsal Node . . . . . . . 167

Preloaded Katas (Somatic Rehearsal Node
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Pressure-Point Mapping (Somatic

Flesh Pockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Rehearsal Node required) . . . . . . . . . . .168
Ganzfeld Organ (P) . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Unthinking Reactions (Somatic Rehearsal
Node required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Extrasensory Attack (P) (Ganzfeld Organ Instinctive Rush (Somatic Rehearsal Node
Required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
Extrasensory Defense (Ganzfeld Organ 10,000 Simulated Blocks (Somatic
Required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Rehearsal Node required) . . . . . . . . . . .169

Hardier System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Sonic Shroud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Hardlight Emitters . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Synaptic Overclock . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Ion Condensers (P) . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Ion Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Slow-Time Dodge (Synaptic Overclock
Iron Lung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170
Slow-Time Strike (Synaptic Overclock

Knuckle Spurs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170

Lazarus Colonies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Cybertech List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Interactions Between Cybertech And Camo-Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172
Nanotech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Cybertech Arm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
What Happens If Someone Shoots
Me In My Cybertech Limb . . . . . . 172 Arm Strength (Cybertech Arm
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
Asclepius Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 On-Board Weapon (Cybertech Arm
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173

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Table of Contents

Tangler Arm (Cybertech Arm Leg Compartment (Cybertech Leg
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178
Weapon Compartment (Cybertech Arm Speed Increase (Cybertech Leg
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
Cybertech Ear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Cyber Skeleton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
Increased Hearing (Cybertech Ear EMP Shielding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Facial Reconstruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
Sub-Vocal Communication (Cybertech Neuraltech: Advanced . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Ear required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Neuraltech: Basic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Voice Analyser (Cybertech Ear Neuraltech: Increased Neural-
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Pathways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Cybertech Eye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Neurotransmitter Deluge . . . . . . . . . . .181
Anti-Flash (Cybertech Eye required) 176 Plated Skin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181
Bio Reading HUD (Cybertech Eye Program Receptors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Psi-Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182
Infrared (Cybertech Eye required) . .177 Shifting Skin Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182
Media HUD (Cybertech Eye required)177 Selective Neural Deadening . . . . . . . . .182
Remote Eye Camera (Cybertech Eye Voice Enhancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Targeting HUD (Cybertech Eye
required) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Cybertech Leg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Equipment List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Light Pistol Variant: Black Talon . . .189
Light Pistol Variant: Vindictive Mistress
Armored Clothing (Light) . . . . . . . . . . . 185 A4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189
Armored Clothing (Medium) . . . . . . . . . 185 Medium Pistol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189
Armored Clothing (Heavy) . . . . . . . . . . 186 Medium Pistol Variant: The Mongrel 189
Ballistic Vest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Medium Pistol Variant: Street
Helmet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Companion 300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
Security Armor (Lightweight) . . . . . . . . 186 Heavy Pistol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
Security Armor (Heavy Duty Powered Heavy Pistol Variant: Harbinger of
Armor) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Doom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
Heavy Pistol Variant: The Hammer .190
Melee and Unarmed Weapons . . 186 Submachine Gun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
Submachine Gun Variant: Raptor 81 190
Unarmed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Submachine Gun Variant: Junk Yard Dog
One-Handed Melee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 V11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
Two-Handed Melee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Battle Rifle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
Special Unarmed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Battle Rifle Variant: The Monster . . .191
Battle Rifle Variant: Lead Thunder . .191
Improvised Weapons . . . . . . . . . . 187 Assault Rifle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Assault Rifle Variant: Street Demon .191
One-Handed Improvised . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Assault Rifle Variant: Black Raven . .191
Two-Handed Improvised . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Pump-Action Shotgun . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Double Barrel Shotgun . . . . . . . . . . .191
Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Double Barrel Shotgun Variant: Angry
Midget Sawed-Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Firearms Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Sniper Rifle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Rate of Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Heavy Machine Gun . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
Firearm Recoil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Alternate Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
Firearm Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Plasma Pistol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
Firearm Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Firearm Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Firearm Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Reloading Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Slug Throwers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Light Pistol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

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Table of Contents

Plasma Rifle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Legal Weed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201
Gauss Needler Rifle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Nev4rSleep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Gyrojet Pistol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Stoic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Dart Gun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Wash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
EMP Gun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Throwing Weapons And Primitive Ranged Self-Improvement Hypnotics . . . 203
Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Bow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204
Crossbow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Side Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204
Mini Crossbow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Shuriken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204

Grenades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Offensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
Allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
Concussion Grenade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Bloodhound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
Frag Grenade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Broadsword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
Heat-Seeker Grenade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Burglar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
Magnetic Grenade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Clairvoyance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
Screamer Grenades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Foil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
Tangle Grenade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Howitzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
White Phosphorus Grenade . . . . . . . . . 195 Ninja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207
OutbreakVirus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207
Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Shackles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207
Skeleton Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207
Conventional Ammo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Regular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
Shotgun Ammo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Adrenaline Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
AP Rounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
Haywire Rounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Blocker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
High Explosive Rounds . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Decoy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
Hollowpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Houdini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209
Hot Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Fortress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209
Shrapnel Rounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Riposte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209
Taser Rounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209
Special Ammo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Clone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209
Plasma or Needle Magazine . . . . . . .197 Emergency Back-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Gyrojet Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Hidden Safe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Poisoned Darts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Task Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Tranq Darts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Trap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
EMP Round . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Vault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211

Primitive Ranged Ammo . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Other Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Regular Arrows/Bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Explosive Arrows/Bolts . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Bali Electronics Core Portable Power
Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Firearm Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Binoculars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Bugs (Listening or Tracking) . . . . . . . .211
Laser Sight Attachment . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Chang Engineering Nexus Series 8V
Night Vision Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Computer Centralized Station . . . . . . .211
Pistol Grip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Chang Engineering Traveler Series 7V
Pistol Shoulder Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Portable Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212
Red Dot Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Chang Engineering’s VT41 Probe . . . .212
Side Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Cutting Torch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212
Silencer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Diversified Applications Beetle . . . . . .212
Targeting Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Electronic Repair Kit (Small) . . . . . . . . .212
Electronic Repair Kit (Large) . . . . . . . . .212
Drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Evidence Collection Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . .212
Gas Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212
Blue Lotus (Lotrinol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Glow Sticks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics . . . . . . . . . 199 Handcuffs or Zip Ties . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
Dali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Doz-All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200

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Table of Contents

Hypodermic Syringe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Scuba Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
Lock Picks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Tool Box (Small) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
Medical Kit: Basic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Tool Box (Large) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Medical Kit: Field Surgeon’s . . . . . . . . . 213 Universal Detonator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Mountaineering Equipment . . . . . . . . . 213
Parachute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

Digital Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . 215 Hoverbike Variant: Octane Motors: The
Valkyrie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Detective’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Hovercar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Erotica Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Hovercar Variant: Octane Motors: The
Heroes of Arcana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Pegasus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Razor Arena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Hover Van . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Helicopter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Clothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Ratty Jumpsuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Street Wear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Coffin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Corporate Wear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Rat Den Apartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Moderate Apartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Upscale Apartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Penthouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Squeeze-a-Meal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Condemned House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Fast Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Moderate House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
A Decent Meal With Real Ingredients .216 Upscale House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
A Good Meal With The Best Small Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Ingredients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Moderate Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Large Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Drinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

Dirty Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Clean Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Soda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Help From a Neighbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Beer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Visit to a Local Med Student . . . . . . . . .219
Liquor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Consultation With A Doctor . . . . . . . . .219
Consultation With A Charismatic
Hired Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Quack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Life-Saving Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Bodyguard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Necessary Medication to Treat a Chronic
Prostitute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Condition For A Month . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Storage Facility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Taxi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Untrustworthy Snitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Valet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Professional Research . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Textbook On The Subject . . . . . . . . . . .219
Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Motorcycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Compact Car . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Public Net Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220
Mid-Sized Car . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 At-Home Internet (Basic Plan) . . . . . . .220
Mid-Sized Car Variant: Octane Motors: The At-Home Internet (Upgrade Deluxe
Reaper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Plan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220
Mid-Sized Car Variant: Octane Motors: The At-Home Internet (Corporate Basic) . .220
Admiral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Van . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Hoverbike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

Sample Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221

Crusher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Widowmaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Lich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Migraine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

12

Table of Contents

Ion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 XL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

Scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Throat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246
Turns And Rounds . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Groin & Kidney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246
Initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Ambushes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Explosions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Knockdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Healing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Attacking And Damage . . . . . . . . 238
Naturally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Unarmed and Melee Attacks . . . . . . . . 238 First Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Ranged Attacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Physician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248
Throwing Weapon Attacks . . . . . . . . . . 238
Two-Weapon Attacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Damage and Death Saves . . . . . . 248
Protection, Armor Piercing, and
Weapons And Hands . . . . . . . . . . 239 Damage Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Dodge Attempts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Ignition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Grappling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Corrosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Drain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Grabbing People Through Force Fields 241 Falling Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250

Combat Criticals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Poisons And Diseases . . . . . . . . . 250

Shots Per Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Range Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250

Auto Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 Range Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251

Recoil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 Hit Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251

Damage Multipliers . . . . . . . . . . . 243 Optional Hit Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

Called Shots, Hit Locations, Effects, Combat Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

And Shock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Penalties To Hit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253
Bonuses To Hit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254
Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Torso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Calling Your Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . 254

Arms/Legs/Hands/Feet . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Velocity Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Brain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Eye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Attacking During High-Speed Clashes .255
Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Oversize Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256
Grab And Carry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257

Hacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

AR Hacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 Extracting Data Or Influencing
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264
AR Hacking Time Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 Crashing a System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264
Getting Trapped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264
Full-Dive Hacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 Exploring the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264
Tandem Dives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265
Logging In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260 Logging Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265
Full-Dive Stats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 Example Diveable Systems . . . . . . . . . .266
Using Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Full-Dive Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
System Exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263

Counter-Intrusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263

Adversaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267

Adversary Hit Points . . . . . . . . . . 268 Any Adversary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269
Adversaries and Scene Points . . 268 Automatic Hit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269
Adversary Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Buying Down Damage . . . . . . . . . . . .269
Maximum Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269

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Table of Contents

Thugs Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Using Adversaries As Regular
Cockroaches! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 NPCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Evil Jim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Adversary List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Jinx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Strength in Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Unenhanced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274
Why Won’t You Die?!! . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Angry Low-Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274
Aztecs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275
Lieutenants and Masterminds . . . . . . .271 Civilians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275
Always Ready . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Mercs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276
Bastard! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Boy/Girl Next Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Swarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277
Devoted Followers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 5 lbs Swarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277
Driven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 20 lbs Swarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277
Hateful Rage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 100 lbs Swarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278
Honorable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 1000 lbs Swarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279
Juiced Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Lucky Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Enhanced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279
Rabbit Out of the Hat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 A Ravenous Pack of Mutants . . . . . .279
Second Wind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Unnerving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Flex (Omar El Haddi) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280
Redline (Miles Jefferson) . . . . . . . . .281
Unusual Stats For Your Prometheus Peacekeepers . . . . . . . .282
Adversaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Sewer Zombies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283
Creating New Adversaries . . . . . . 273
Defeating Adversaries . . . . . . . . . 273 Spider (Marcy Mayweather) . . . . . . . . .283
Xander Chemicals Enforcers . . . . . . . .284

Gaining Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287

Standard Progression Chart . . . . 287 Quick Progression Chart . . . . . . . 288
Flat Progression Chart . . . . . . . . . 288

Being A GM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

Scenario Hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 Quick Initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294
Adjusting Gameplay . . . . . . . . . . . 292 Adjusting Starting Wealth . . . . . . . . . . .294
What A Typical Mission Pays . . . . . . . .295
Balancing Adversaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 Help, My PCs Are Getting Too Rich . . .296
What To Do If Everyone Has Too Much

Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293

Adjusting Lethality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293

Scenario: Down And Dirty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297

Premise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 NPCs And Adversaries . . . . . . . . 302

Door to Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 Hazmat Killers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .302
Finding The “Gene Freak” . . . . . . 298 Titan Security “Peacekeepers” . . . . . . .303
A Visit From Molly . . . . . . . . . . . . 299 Rust (Jimmy Swanson) . . . . . . . . . . . . .304
The Hazmat Killers . . . . . . . . . . . 300 Nails (Deon) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304
Checking Out The Warehouse . . 300 Thunder (Leon Funderburk) . . . . . . . . .305
Lightning (Sheila Larson) . . . . . . . . . . .306

Saturday Night Gladiatorum . . . . 301 Lieutenant Trevor Walker . . . . . . . . . . .306
Wrapping Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 Bill Straton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307

14

Intro

Intro

The year is 2049 and the world is no immediately tried to step in and take
longer the same place it was at the control, but by then the government
turn of the millennium. was so deep in debt that most of its
federal authority had been parceled
Twenty six years ago, in the distant out to private companies.
past of 2023, a doctor named Anton
Valasakis made a series of remarkable Doctor Valasakis was a patient man
advancements in the field of medicine with a great deal of foresight, so it was
at the head of his own pharmaceutical no surprise that many of these
company, Prometheus Medical. The companies were proxies run by
doctor had a grand design to see the Prometheus.
world turned into a better place, and he
had decided that he would be the one The first superhuman trial—known as
to usher in that change. Project Fire—was well into its early
stages by this point. Test subjects
As a boy he had always enjoyed were brought in, and a few even
reading comic books, and so his survived the testing, but no powers
flagship project was the development manifested as a result of the virus.
of a virus that would alter the genetic
makeup of its victim, giving them The company went back to the
extraordinary powers. When the drawing board. Next on Valasakis’ list
Pentagon heard of his successes, they was nanotech. A decade went by as

15

Intro

various options were explored and than a transition from ruling the nation
discarded. Finally, in 2033, human covertly to ruling it out in the open. He
trials resumed in earnest. Able-bodied was given permission to operate his
men and women were brought into own peacekeeping force, answerable
Prometheus labs by promises of to a federal authority that he already
prestige, or money, or simple controlled, and with no other checks
desperation. Silver fluid raced through on the power that it represented. In
their veins, building micro circuits that short order, the alleged perpetrators of
amplified and harnessed their the California attack were rounded up,
production of bioelectric energy. Even and their confessions were intercut
though the process was costly, it was with scenes from the recovery effort
successful. and broadcast nationally.

And that was when a strategically Of course, this further publicized the
placed dirty bomb went off on the success of Valasakis’ experiment, and
California faultline. the prospect of stealing the nanite
serum piqued the interest of groups
The ensuing chain-reaction of ranging from the companies that
earthquakes leveled a series of major Prometheus had climbed over to get to
cities and turned the west coast into a the top, to other nations, extremists,
disaster recovery zone. With this militias, and terror cells.
terrorist attack, America’s financial
and political decline was cemented by Prometheus’ success had painted a
a sense of helplessness against the target on its back, and the period
evils of the world. between 2033 and 2039 were marked
by an escalating series of clandestine
Fortunately, Doctor Valasakis chose raids, off-the-books projects, and
this moment to take the stage. In a increasingly forceful consolidations of
personally funded, internationally power by Doctor Valasakis.
broadcast news conference with every
major American news During this time major companies
network—including the ones he did not flourished, buying up land, conducting
own–he offered a multi-pronged research, and cutting those parts of
solution to the problem of America’s their workforces that were cheap to
increasing irrelevance. With federal replace with programs and machines.
permission, he would take on the As the number of jobs that a person
responsibility of restoring the affected could do without an engineering or
area and hunting those responsible for biotech degree dwindled, the gap
the attack, and he would do it by between the haves and the have-nots
deploying his new line of nano- worsened and only the constant
enhanced superhumans. presence of Prometheus’
peacekeepers kept some cities from
Prometheus Medical had amassed so rioting.
much wealth and power by this point
that Valasakis’ move was little more

16

Intro

Then something unexpected stopped aging, but his methods have
happened. It seemed the original only become more coercive and his
surviving test subjects of Project Fire rule more oppressive. The industrial
had had children and went on with espionage that began as a race to
their lives, and those children had copy his nanotech has branched out
awakened at age sixteen with amazing into a kind of cold war between
powers. This was not something hundreds of different laboratories, all
Valasakis had anticipated, and it set working on their own formulations of
him on full alert when the first one was the retrovirus, the nanites, and
discovered. combinations thereof. There are now
many working strains of the human
Suddenly it was a hunt to round up all enhancement serum, and not all of
the test subjects and their children. them are without consequences, as a
Prometheus sent out their soldiers, growing population of disfigured,
many of which were fearful they would disenfranchised mutants can attest.
be replaced by lab-grown versions of
these infected children, and so several Doctor Valasakis has not given up his
groups of Peacekeepers declared that original goal, revisiting the old Project
the children were resisting arrest and Fire notes and working feverishly to
opened fire. In the ensuing violence, perfect the virus. Meanwhile pockets
the children of Prometheus went into of freedom fighters lead by the
hiding—and representatives from other Evolved Liberation Army, a group
corporations, countries, and extremist made up of children of Prometheus,
groups were all too happy to offer have sprung up, trying to rally a poor,
shelter to them and their loved ones, disaffected populace into pushing
especially if it meant getting a chance back against the companies that own
to study the effects of the virus. their neighborhoods, their schools, and
sometimes even their organs.
In the ten years since then, a lot has
happened. Doctor Valasakis has They are not having much luck.
maintained a shaky grip over the
fractured, formerly-united States, but Still, the conflict between the children
there are dozens of companies just and their creator looms ever larger,
beneath him that would love to see and one thing is for sure.
Prometheus shoved from its throne.
Valasakis, for his part, seems to have The world is headed for Dark Times.

17



The World of 2049

The World of 2049

Life in the Fractured States is like a inclinations towards antisocial
dark branch from our timeline. behaviors have to pay higher
premiums for insurance, and can be
There is still a government, but it holds denied jobs, loans, or housing on the
power in name only. Major companies basis of these risks. As a result,
own public land, operate public genetic ID fabrication is a part of the
utilities, and to some extent act as black market in every major city, and
sovereign nations within the States. attempts to crack down on it with
peacekeeper raids and sensationalized
At the same time, medical science has broadcasts have done little to stamp it
grown by leaps and bounds, freed out.
from any real responsibility to look
after the safety and well-being of With widespread poverty and hardship,
human test subjects. As long as a crime is common, but only in certain
study pays well or the advertising areas of town. In the districts where
makes it looks safe, people will sign corporate families live, work, and shop,
up, and this has led to technology that the heavy presence of Peacekeepers
can not only replace parts of the discourages crimes of necessity. No
human body, but improve upon the pockets are picked, no shops are
original design. High-end medicine is looted, but white-collar workers do
too expensive for the average person have vices to indulge and sometimes
to get without going deeply into debt, one of them goes to a genetic forger,
but medical debt is a major industry biotech chop-shop, or tries to sell their
and there are long-term options and company’s data to a competitor.
payment plans for any citizen that’s Elsewhere, however, robbery, violent
interested. Some of these payment crime, scamming, trafficking, and
plans involve signing over your organs everything else is abundant. Whether it
or tissues if you happen to die during happens out in the open or behind
treatment—which occurs just closed doors depends on whether the
infrequently enough that people are neighborhood is nominally middle-
willing to take the risk. class or clearly a slum.

Identity is still an important concept, Not everyone resents the
and it is heavily tracked. Genetic Peacekeepers or the various other
testing is performed before birth in all corporate police forces in use
licensed hospitals, and a person’s throughout the States, although
genome is coded to their ID. People abuses of power by these heavily
with “undesired genomes” that include armed paramilitary groups are
tendencies towards disabilities, higher common. In middle-class and affluent
risks of chronic disease, or communities, the story repeats that

19

The World of 2049

the Peacekeepers might be Despite the massive concentration of
intimidating, but they’re a necessary people there already, most of the
evil. Without them, Enhanced terrorists population of the States lives in cities.
would own the streets and mutants The land in between is an ecological
would climb up out of the gutters, disaster zone, pockmarked by remote
dragging little old ladies and their dogs corporate laboratories, criminal
down into the dark for a snack. hideouts, and ghost-towns. Nature has
begun to reclaim the spaces occupied
The risk of attack by mutants—people by defunct nuclear reactors and
whose exposure to certain kinds of leaking superfund sites, although
medical testing left them entirely almost every ecosystem is in flux.
unable to fit into society, hacked Invasive species spread unchecked,
genetic ID or no—is valid, but more human presence no longer keeps
common is violence from gangs, many down certain pests and predators, and
of which have recruited down-on-their- escaped creatures from laboratories
luck Enhanced or upgraded their own have begun to breed their own
members with aftermarket prosthetics genetics into the mix. Evil members of
and fell-off-the-back-of-a-truck guns. the Evolved Liberation Army living in
Small hot-wars between gangs, or former nature reserves and national
between gangs and corporations, are parks is a common trope in
becoming more and more frequent, entertainment media, and trade
and many gangs aspire to become between cities is done in heavily
corporations, offering their own public armed truck-caravans, by cargo drone,
utilities and collecting protection or by rail. Travel is done in armored
money from those in their territory. VTOLs by the rich, or on foot in scared,
huddled groups by the poor.

Medical Infrastructure

Medicine in the Fractured States There are also Prometheus free-clinics
belongs to those who can afford it. For available to anyone with a genetic
the poor, it might mean paying with a ID—although these are intended more
home-cooked meal for a consultation as a way of catching rogue Enhanced
from someone’s sister two tenements than an actual form of triage—and
over because she’s studying to get into there are licensed and unlicensed
a corporate-owned nursing school and doctors who have formed their own
is leasing one of their digital network to provide non-corporate care
textbooks. For the ultra-rich, to those in need. These Bleeding
healthcare can mean developing an Hearts operate in a cell manner and
entirely new protocol for treating a their supplies tend to be limited,
condition using genetic though many strike deals with gangs
manipulation—and rolling out highly to “acquire” more medical supplies,
invasive human trials later that week. assistants, or organs.

20

The World of 2049

Retroviral and nanotech treatments replacements, and illegitimate clinics
are not publically available and their can install anything from toxin sacks
use is tightly controlled. Members of and poison pills to on-a-sliding-scale-
the government and high-ranking staff of-literal killswitches in their
in corporations may seek access to replacements.
them, but unlicensed possession or
use is punished with a no-knock raid Illegal clinics that aren’t trying to scam
by the Peacekeepers, and vials of their clients generally allow patients to
serum are highly sought-after bring a friend to watch the surgery,
commodities on the black market. inspect the prosthetics, and ensure
that everything is on the up-and-up,
Cybernetic tech is more common, and but illegal clinics that are trying to
simple prosthetic replacements can be scam their clients typically pay off the
had at any surgical clinic. Of course, local doctors, on the off-chance that a
legitimate clinics often charge “rental patient hires one to watch the surgery.
fees” for their permanent limb or organ

Law-Enforcement

With the decline of federal authority, Both LEC contractors and Prometheus’
most companies have taken to hiring Peacekeepers are allowed to randomly
Law Enforcement Contractors to police stop a citizen to check their status and
their holdings. LECs are smaller ID, and the data from these searches is
companies that were originally built to used to locate sources of illegal
manage prisons and to provide local nanotech, groups of dissidents, and to
police departments with contractors track gene-forgers. At the same time, if
that specialized in controlling civic someone is screened who has the
unrest, but have since all but replaced potential to be Enhanced, or who has
those police departments. Both the genetic markers indicating some level
Peacekeepers and the LECs share a of exposure to the Project Fire virus,
centralized database called the they are seized and either
Tactical Command Network, which experimented on or euthanized. If a
allows them to quickly access files, child is taken, they are moved to a
perp records, city cameras, etc while remote facility, indoctrinated, and
out in the field. The database is raised to serve the company that
operated by Prometheus Medical, claimed them. Many parents fear this
which routinely combs its records for almost as much as they fear having a
incidents where superhuman powers child with undesirable genes, and
may have been involved, so some attempt to keep their
occasionally LEC operations are kept pregnancies and deliveries secret until
off-network if they suspect they can hire a crooked doctor to
Prometheus might try to snatch their privately test their child’s genetics and
Enhanced perp from them. rule out any chance of aberrancy.

21

The World of 2049

Although genetic forgery is highly these pet projects manage to escape
illegal, even a moderately talented or go rogue, and partially
forger can make good money due to deprogrammed corporate Enhanced
the overwhelming demand for their occasionally show up in circles of the
services. Of course, the forgers and Evolved Liberation Army (or their more
Prometheus are in a constant pacifist counterpart, the Unity
technological race, and an ID that Coalition). Of course, Prometheus
might stand up to a cursory scan won’t Medical also sometimes creates fake
necessarily allow access to a “defectors” in order to go fishing for
corporate office or lab. ELA or Unity cells, so plenty of real
defectors end up denied entry to the
Non-governmental (which is to say: resistance because they look or act
non-Prometheus) use of super-powers suspicious. These people typically end
is illegal, but plenty of companies have up taking freelance jobs from gangs
their own Enhanced—carefully trained and corporations, or participating in
and hidden on remote compounds Enhanced pit-fights in the
against the time when they are needed underground.
for a particular operation. Some of

Corporate Governance

Prometheus Medical, for all its power, Prometheus believes a particular bit of
is far from the only player in the research is too dangerous to allow to
Fractured States. A host of other continue. More commonly,
sovereign corporations still hold Prometheus maneuvers other
territory and provide services to the companies into fighting against each
people of the nation. Prometheus other, or simply steals its competitors’
Medical is even a customer of data and preempts their designs.
companies like Titan Security and
United Constable Services, and other Elements of federal and state-level
companies like Xander Chemicals government exist, and technically they
have a strong enough international still write the laws that govern
presence that forcing them out of the interactions between companies, but
States would only be a temporary being a politician is a corporate job
setback. and it involves following strict
instructions from upper management.
Overall, it is cheaper in the long run for In a way, it is similar to being a
Prometheus to cooperate with its diplomat, and members of the
inferiors—at least publically, and only legislative branch can be swiftly fired
as long as doing it doesn’t give any of for going off-mission and actually
them too much of an edge. There are caring about a cause.
still black ops and raids by
Peacekeepers on other companies’ The judicial branch, meanwhile, has
labs, but these happen only when been largely dismantled. This was

22

The World of 2049

done originally by Prometheus, which more than a symbol. The current
claimed it needed a way to more president is a figurehead with little
quickly process those responsible for actual power, and exists to put a public
the San Andreas fault bombing, but the stamp of approval on decisions made
removal of most of the judiciary’s by Prometheus.
power has paved the way for a number
of smaller companies to step in with Voting still occurs, but the process is
their own judicial arbitration services. massively corrupt, with sometimes
These small companies are 100% of votes from corporate-owned
exclusively owner by bigger parents, areas going to that corporation’s
such as Prometheus Medical and chosen candidates. Of course, voting
United Constable Services, and each is also mandatory in some regions,
has slightly different legal codes—all and it requires an ID, so sometimes
designed to benefit whoever owns voting day is used as a way of
them. Only the authority of the determining who has a legal ID, and
Peacekeepers is binding across all who might be a dangerous mutant or
jurisdictions, although “I’ll take this ELA terrorist.
case to the Peacekeepers” is generally
an empty threat when contesting a A few relics of the old government do
court’s decision, as the Peacekeepers still remain, including some local
don’t like to be harassed with small police departments, but as they are no
claims and are quite within their self- longer fed by taxpayer money, the
administered legal rights to jail or beat skeleton crews that work at them have
a person for bothering them. little legal authority and seem to have
mostly stayed at their desks out of a
The executive branch, like the sense of habit and duty.
legislative, has been reduced to little

Rich/Poor

The divide between the rich and the Meanwhile, the poor scrabble for sub-
poor in the Fractured States is so minimum wage jobs in sales,
severe that it would invite hospitality, or digital content
comparisons to pre-revolution monitoring. Trades, such as plumbing
France—if that were a subject that was and electrical wiring, are primarily
still taught in the corporate schools. available through local subsidiaries of
Xander Chemicals or Tachyon Energy
The heads of corporations live in Solutions, and in some areas being an
private compounds, with hosts of independant tradesman is de-facto
servants, automated deliveries, and illegal, with your license tied to your
the ability to replace any parts of their status as a Tachyon or Xander
bodies that start to fail them. employee. Despite this, “guerilla”
plumbers, electricians, and carpenters
can sometimes make a good living in

23

The World of 2049

the slums, where the need for their their services. Trade schools are
services vastly outweighs the need for available, and can provide education
any kind of regulation. and licensing to work in low-level
biotech, programming, nursing, or
While it is still technically possible to engineering, but having an undesired
be born poor and die rich, the ladder to genetic sequence or anti-social record
prosperity has greased rungs. There is is a barrier to working in any of those
no rent-control, so slum landlords fields.
charge whatever they feel they can
squeeze from their tenants. Public At the same time, getting sick is costly,
education is defunded and running a and getting good healthcare requires
school without a corporate license is either fabulous amounts of money or a
illegal, so degrees are only available mid-tier or better corporate job.
through privately-run corporate Unlicensed doctors and alternative
academies, which charge significant therapies are available, but—in the
entry-fees because they are the first case of alternative
branch in the pipeline towards getting medicine—everything from
a livable job. Many of these corporate homeopathy to massage therapy
schools do cater to the poor, but the answers to a regulatory company, and
education they provide is aimed operating so much as a reiki practice
towards producing good workers for without both a license and corporate-
low-paying jobs, and the schools that approved training can provoke a series
groom children for roles in R&D, of stiff, punitive fines and bar you from
marketing, or management, charge ever applying for licensing.
exponentially higher premiums for

Foreign Countries

With the advent of super-powered nanotech serum have been developed
extremism, international travel has abroad.
died down somewhat, but there is still
a steady flow of highly trained, highly Not all countries are doing poorly, but
educated specialists into and out of those that are under military
the States. dictatorships or only marginally less
repressive forms of government have
Elsewhere in the world, other nations made standing offers to any Enhanced
are grappling with their own that will work with them. This is
issues—not the least of which is the globally condemned, but comes with
presence of the Enhanced—and other more perks than being stuck inside a
versions of the Project Fire virus and Prometheus lab, and a number of
Enhanced have quietly accepted.

24

The World of 2049

Illegal Enhanced

Most people feel the Enhanced are can usually be found in the worst
dangerous—either for what they can slums and disaster areas, where the
do, or for the changes their arrival outside media is given less weight
caused. This has made being than the word of someone who lives
Enhanced a profoundly isolating next door.
experience for many, and a number
have developed social or emotional The Unity Coalition, on the other hand,
problems because of it. is much less well-known, as their
tactics are less flashy. They still raid
For those who do awaken to their labs and attempt to free captive
powers outside of corporate control, Enhanced, but their general goal is
there is the constant question of how peace, and they work towards it by
much they can tell their loved ones, hacking broadcasts to spread their
and how much danger they are putting message, and by performing acts of
the people around them in just by goodwill in the slums, fixing problems
existing. with their powers. The ELA frequently
sees the Unity Coalition as traitors,
The Evolved Liberation Army are and the public generally thinks the
commonly labeled terrorists, and their Unity Coalition is the ELA, so often
tactics do involve raids on corporate- their actions are misunderstood or
controlled facilities—at least some of misinterpreted. Still, sometimes
which have been in public locations, people actively seek them out, looking
and have involved significant civilian to join, and they have accumulated a
casualties—but there are still certain degree of good will
sometimes citizens who sympathize underground for their mutant-positive
with their cause. These sympathizers stance.

Media And Entertainment

Over the years what was once American mainstays, athletes on the
shocking has become mainstream. So, national level are commonly upgraded
needless to say, consumers’ constant with cybernetics. These upgrades
need for more has only fueled the range from the discreet to the obvious,
excesses of the entertainment and to a certain extent the players are
industry. Movies and shows for just used by medical companies to
teenagers and adults are generally show off their product-lines.
graphic and intense, and sports are not
just dangerous but even deadly. Of course, for the last decade or so
traditional sports has been fighting for
While there are still traditional teams airtime with a much older competitor:
for football, baseball, and other blood sports. Saturday Night

25

The World of 2049

Gladiatorum (run by Titan Security) single lucky stroke. When an opponent
and its weeknight competitor Monday has surrendered, the death must be
Night Mayhem (run by United sanctioned either by a judge or by a
Constable Services) are the two quick internet poll. Killing when
biggest names, but there are a host of permission has not been given can
other competitions on the local or result in a fine to the consortium that
district level that occupy the borderline owns the gladiator, or sometimes even
between deregulated MMA and being a lower place in next season’s draft
gameshows with deathtraps. order.

Sunday Night Gladiatorum is explicitly Non-convicts are allowed to
a throwback to the Roman arena, and participate, but usually they are skilled
most of its participants are convicts warriors and are given top-of-the-line
who have been auctioned off to weapons tech to show off in the ring.
Gladiator sports consortiums to pay
the various fees they have run up in The news is generally complimentary
Titan Security prisons. A few of the of these gladiator games, seeing them
fighters are political prisoners, but to as “just good old fashioned
avoid walking the fine line between entertainment”, but of course the news
executing enemies of the state and is a highly processed, heavily
giving them a political platform, manufactured product, and stations
gladiators are mentally conditioned lose their licenses if they don’t toe
before being let into the ring. their parent company’s party line.
Ironically, this has led to a certain There are, of course, pirate stations
amount of public suspicion and that broadcast an alternative message,
discontent over the idea that Titan but more than a couple of these are
Security is “fixing the fights” by honeypots set up by UCS or Titan
conditioning certain fighters to lose, Security to catch illegal activity or
and there is a growing pressure to counter-gladiation protests.
dispense with the conditioning and
just let the gladiators fight as In general, the most trustworthy news
themselves. comes from people who’ve seen what
they are talking about, and there is a
Games in the Gladiatorum do not thriving market of information-sellers
always end in death, although in almost any slum, corporate prison,
gladiators do still sometimes kill in a or downtown market.

The Internet

People in 2049 still use the internet for on public or private sites and boards.
the same sorts of things that they did Overall, the internet of 2049 is more
in 2020. They shop, pay bills, seek restrictive, more content-filtered, and
education or employment more plastered with brands than the
opportunities, or indulge their hobbies internet of 2020, but the same basic

26

The World of 2049

internet culture remains—with some little projector arm in front of its user’s
modifications. face and projects an augmented-
reality interface directly over their eye.
One of the biggest cultural changes to This interface allows for typing and
the internet came from the scrolling, and is functionally invisible
implementation of the Registered User to everyone but the wearer.
Laws. These laws require anyone who
wishes to access the internet to use a Beetles are cheap and common, and
digital persona that is linked tightly to are owned by people from the projects
their real-life identity. This is to the high-rises of any given city, but
convenient for advertisers, who can they are not the only way of
target their content more precisely connecting to the internet.
than ever, but it has removed a great
deal of the feeling of anonymity that Originally developed for use in the
fueled the culture of the early internet. corporate sector, Neuraltech is a
Criminals and members of the cultural comprehensive system of Cybertech
elite can still circumvent the enhancements that allows the human
Registered User Laws by acquiring a brain to process and manipulate a
“dummy persona”, but this requires digital environment through a kind of
hacking into a federal persona consensus metaphor. While using
directory to create the alternate Neuraltech, a person who connects to
identity. Because of the risk this the internet slips into a full-dive VR
involves, and because anyone who experience, where individual sites are
doesn’t have a dummy persona rendered as buildings or parks, and the
already is risking an extraordinary roads between them throng with the
amount of prison time by doing this, high-speed bodies of passing users.
many new hackers are either given The advantage of Neuraltech is that,
their first dummy persona by an older through its interface, it allows people
member of the community or else buy to reprogram parts of their
one from their city’s black market. environments simply by performing
normal human gestures and
The average user experience in 2049 interactions. The disadvantage,
doesn’t involve a lot of hacking or however, is that the Neuraltech
cybercrime. In fact, it mostly consists processes certain errors and glitches
of social media. Cellphones and as blinding white pain, and spikes of
personal computers have both mostly undesired feedback from the device
died away, and the typical device a can cause permanent neurological
person uses to connect to the internet injury, sometimes even to the point of
is called a “beetle”. A beetle is shaped death.
a bit like a hearing aid, and sits directly
on the right ear. While “inactive”, it can Hackers who don’t mind taking their
accept and make calls, perform simple life in their hands can use Neuraltech
searches, and in general behave like a for high-stakes raids on corporate
slightly robotic personal secretary. sites—interacting with that site’s
When activated, however, it extends a metaphor until they get to a promising

27

The World of 2049

cache of information, then throwing it The average person never experiences
in their digital sack and skedaddling. Neuraltech, but there are a lot of
To counter this, corporations hire corporate-produced dramas about
Neuraltech specialists to turn their heroic systems-architects producing
sites into forbidding, dangerous websites that kill invading hackers, so
locations, full of feedback traps and there is a certain mystique to the
defensive programs to ensure that technology.
anyone who tries to steal from them
ends up fried instead.

28

Basic Game Mechanics

Basic Game Mechanics

Dark Times is a tabletop roleplaying reactions and the Players will react
game. To play, you need some pencils, again.
dice, a few friends, and your
imagination. This book will provide For example: let’s say the PCs are in a
you with a few rules, and together you Prometheus laboratory in a remote
and your friends will use them to tell a black-site. They’ve just broken in and
story. the alarms are blaring. One player
might say “I look for nano-serum”.
Because your story needs main Another might say “I check to see if
characters, most of you will be the guards are still on our tails.” A
Players. Players each create a Player third player might say “I start shaping
Character (PC) and guide them an explosive charge”. Then the GM will
through the story. Each group will also respond with “the guards are just
need a Game Master (GM) to down the hallway, still intermittently
adjudicate the rules, narrate what’s firing at you, although it’s clear they
happening, and play any supporting don’t want to chase you inside the
characters (called Non-Player facility. There’s no obvious nano-
Characters, or NPCs). Being the Game serum canisters around, but as you rig
Master is a little bit like being the up the charge you realize something.
director of a movie, and it is usually This place was already in lockdown
best suited for whomever has the most before you broke in. There are
previous experience with tabletop bloodstains on the floor, and drag-
roleplaying games. marks too, all headed in a direction
that a sign on the wall helpfully labels
Everyone, Game Master and Players as ‘containment’. What do you do?”
alike, will need a set of polyhedral dice
to play the game. If you don’t already When a character is faced with a tough
know what polyhedral dice are, pay a situation, such as sprinting back out of
visit to your local gaming store or look a remote black-site while fending off a
online. You will need a d20 (twenty- pack of slavering mutants, the
sided die), d12 (twelve-sided die), d10, polyhedral dice are used to decide
d8, d6, and a d4. whether they succeed. The GM will
assign a Target Number (TN) based on
Most of the time, playing the game will how difficult the task is, and the
work like this: the GM will present the character will roll their Skill dice plus
Players with a situation and the their relevant Attribute (more on this in
Players will describe how their PCs a second) to determine whether they
react. Then the GM will describe how succeed. If the player’s highest die
the situation changes based on their number plus their relevant Attribute’s
number is greater than or equal to the

29

Basic Game Mechanics

TN, the Skill Test is a success. If not, Player Characters, like people, are all
it’s a failure. good at different things, and so every
PC is made up of the following
elements.

Character Attributes

Attributes measure how innately good much damage they can take and how
at certain things a character is. A often they can use their Superhuman
brawny character has high Strength. A Abilities before running out of gas.
bright character has a high
Intelligence. Etcetera. Attributes affect For more information about Attributes,
everything from how easily a character see the Attributes [p. 44] section of the
can beat certain kinds of TNs to how Character Creation chapter.

Character Hit Points And Energy Points

Hit Points are a measure of how close their Superhuman Abilities and the
a character is to death. When a harder they can cause their
character gets hit with a bullet, energy Superhuman Abilities to hit.
blast, or other damaging force, they
typically lose Hit Points. For more information about Hit Points
and Energy Points, see Hit Points [p. 45]
Energy Points are a measure of a and Energy Points [p. 46] under the
character’s reserves of personal Derived Attributes section of the
energy. The more Energy Points a Character Creation chapter.
character has, the longer they can use

Character Skills And Superhuman Abilities

Skills are things that a character has infusions, or accidental mutations.
learned how to do. These might Regular, un-modified people do not
include firing a handgun, forging a have access to Superhuman Abilities,
genetic ID, or hacking into a corporate but this is probably for the best
database. Skills are measured in dice, because controlling Superhuman
and in type of dice, so the more dice Abilities is not always easy or
someone has in a Skill and the bigger automatic.
those dice are, the better they are with
it. Power Use is a specific Skill that’s
used to activate or attack with certain
Superhuman Abilities are unique Superhuman Abilities. Power Use is
powers that have been brought out by taken separately for each Superhuman
genetic tampering, nano-serum Ability, so a Player Character might

30

Basic Game Mechanics

have, say, Power Use: Venom and For more information about Skills, see
Power Use: Telekinesis and have a the Skills [p. 69] section of the
different level of proficiency with each Character Creation chapter. For more
ability. information about Superhuman
Abilities, see the Superhuman Abilities
It is possible to have a Superhuman [p. 81] chapter.
Ability and not have a Power Use Skill
for it, but doing so makes the ability
dangerous and prone to malfunction.

Skill Tests

When a character attempts a task numbers on the other two dice are
(such as crawling under a chain-link ignored.
fence, swimming across a cistern in
the sewers, or planting an explosive on If the final result of highest die +
the back of a patrolling Peacekeeper) Attribute is equal to or greater than the
where there is some doubt as to TN, the player succeeds. If not, they
whether the character would succeed, fail. Either way, the GM describes the
the GM will call for a Skill Test. The result.
GM will give a Target Number (or TN)
based on how difficult it would be for Example: Hiroshi, a doctor with the
an average human being to do the Bleeding Hearts, is trying to sneak
thing in question. The GM will then through a gang’s territory undetected
increase or decrease that TN if there so that he can get to a patient. There’s
are any bonuses or penalties or other a chance he could fail, and the gang
situational elements (called Modifiers) might make an example of him if he
that are involved. does, so the GM calls for a Skill Check
and sets the difficulty to Average (TN
To make a Skill Test, a player rolls an 7). Hiroshi rolls his Skill’s dice (2d6
appropriate Skill (Brawling to throw a Stealth) and adds his Attribute (4
punch, Drive to weave through traffic, Reflexes) to the result. The dice come
Tracking to tail a suspect, etc) and up 2 and 6. He ignores the 2 and adds
adds an appropriate Attribute his 4 Reflexes to the 6 he rolled for a
(Reflexes to catch a ball, Willpower to 10 total.
hold out under interrogation, etc) to
the highest die number they rolled. He succeeds, making it across the
This means that if they roll a 1, 3, and gang’s territory undetected.
5, they add their Attribute to the 5. The

31

Basic Game Mechanics

Task Target Numbers
Easy 4
Average 7
Challenging 9
Tough 12
Extreme 14

Opposition Rolls (ORs)

Sometimes a character isn’t just Example: Kaya, a member of the Unity
struggling against an obstacle; they’re Coalition, has been backed into an
struggling against a person or alley by a pair of Law Enforcement
creature. When this happens, the GM Contractors. The LECs have asked for
will call for a slightly different kind of her genetic ID, which she doesn’t have,
Skill Test: an Opposition Roll. and one of them has drawn his stun
baton. Kaya wants to break past them,
In an Opposition Roll, both sides roll to so she makes an Opposition Roll using
determine who succeeds. her Athletics + Reflexes vs the nearest
contractor’s Brawling + Reflexes. She
However, instead of the GM setting the gets a total of 13, and the contractor
TN, everyone rolls against a TN of 0. gets a total of 10. Kaya slips past him
Whoever beats the TN by the biggest and is sprinting away before he can
margin wins. turn around.

In the event of a tie, if there is an
obvious ‘defender’, the defender wins.
Otherwise neither character succeeds.

Default Skill Rolls

Sometimes a character needs to make it at all. Otherwise, they may roll 1d4
a Skill Test or Opposition Roll for a as their Skill die, then add the relevant
Skill they don’t have. If that Skill Attribute—which is terrible, but better
requires a level of training and than nothing.
knowledge that they cannot possibly
be expected to have (such as an The GM has the final say on whether a
unfamiliar Power Use), they cannot roll player can default on a Skill.

32

Basic Game Mechanics

Modifiers

As mentioned in How Skills Work, Opposition Roll, the GM decides what
sometimes various bonuses or kinds of Modifiers apply and how
penalties need to be factored into a heavy they are. Usually Modifiers are
Skill Check or Opposition Roll. These between -4 TN (making the roll really
might come from Talents, Equipment, easy) and +4 TN (making the roll really
Complications, Spells, and difficult), but in truly extreme cases
Superhuman Abilities, or from any they can go higher.
number of other sources.
A typical Modifier is +1 TN, reflecting
Unless the rules specifically assign a an environmental penalty like heavy
certain Modifier to a Skill Check or rain obscuring a shot.

Stacking

Bonuses or penalties, as well as a -1 TN bonus from a Talent, you have
effects from superpowers or the a total bonus of -2 TN.
environment, can stack in Dark Times.
This means that if you have a -1 TN All bonuses and penalties in Dark
bonus from a piece of equipment and Times are assumed to stack unless a
specific rule says otherwise.

Critical Successes

When at least two of a character’s dice three dice they have a much higher
come up the highest number possible chance of making a Critical Success.
(i.e. two 6s on 2d6) and the character
succeeds on a roll, that character It is up to the GM to decide what effect
scores a Critical Success. a Critical Success has, but it should
always be to the benefit of the player.
On a Critical Success, they don’t just
skate by—they succeed Example: Abigail, a ten-foot-tall mutant
overwhelmingly. If they’re trying to with a shaggy pelt and razor claws, is
scale a wall, they spot handholds that chasing a LEC contractor through the
would help anyone else get up it. If slums. The contractor knows the area,
they’re trying to hack a network, they and is zig-zagging to try and confuse
set up a backdoor so that they can get her, so the GM calls for an Opposition
in again whenever they’d like. Roll using Abigail’s Navigation +
Intelligence against the contractor’s
That being said, if the character only Athletics + Reflexes. Abigail’s
has one dice in a Skill, they are not Navigation + Intelligence isn’t great,
skilled enough to score a Critical but she rolls her 2d6 and gets two 6s.
Success with it. Obviously, if they have One of those 6s plus her 2 Intelligence

33

Basic Game Mechanics

is only 8, but the contractor does even right time drops down off a rooftop,
worse, getting a 7. Abigail’s 8 beats his landing in front of him, and trapping
7, and she rolled the highest number him in a narrow alleyway. Her claws
on both of her dice, so that means she click against the walls as she walks
got a Critical Success. She expertly slowly towards him.
predicts his route and at exactly the

Critical Failures

When a character rolls all 1s on a task, and gets a pair of 1’s. Uh oh. He rolls
there is a chance that whatever they’re again and does only a little better,
doing is about to go catastrophically getting a pair of 2s. Adding his
wrong. Attribute to the highest die from the
second roll, he gets 6. That’s 6 against
Immediately, they must roll again. If the Skill Test’s TN of 7, which is a
this second roll is a success, they failure. Rolling all 1s followed by a
simply fail at what they were trying to second failing roll means he’s got a
do. If this second roll is a failure, critical failure on his hands.
things blow up in their face.
Not only does the explosive go off in
It is up to the GM to decide what effect his face, but it sets the next-door
a Critical Failure has, but it should apartment building on fire, prompting
always hinder the player. an automatic call to emergency
services, the building’s LEC, and the
Example: Cassidy, a revolutionary, is Peacekeepers.
trying to set an explosive trap. He rolls
his 2d6 Demolitions + 4 Intelligence

Critical Results In Combat

In combat, both Critical Successes and For more information about how
Critical Failures are handled a little Combat Criticals work, see the Combat
differently than they are out of Criticals [p. 241] section of the Combat
combat. This is discussed in more chapter.
detail in the Combat chapter.

Saving Throws

In some circumstances, a character will need to make a Saving Throw
will need to shrug off nausea, mind- based on their Attributes.
control, resist breaking a limb, or deal
with some other kind of trauma that is First, the GM sets a Target Number,
not as easily represented with Hit just as they would for a regular Skill
Points. In these cases, the character Test. Then the affected player rolls

34

Basic Game Mechanics

1d10 plus their relevant Attribute. If them. If not, they throw up, get mind-

they beat the TN, they can weather the controlled, snap their tibia, or suffer

ill effects of whatever just happened to whatever bad thing was at stake.

Equipment

Finally, most characters have worldly can produce (for technical items, gear,
possessions. These items also have and all kinds of other things).
their own stats, detailing how much
damage they can soak (for armor), For more information about what kinds
how much damage they can do (for of Equipment a character can have,
weapons), or what other effects they see the Equipment List [p. 185] chapter.

35



Character Creation

Character Creation

Players in Dark Times can take on the To create a character for Dark Times,
roles of super-powered Enhanced, follow the steps in this chapter.
mutants, or even regular people.
To create a character really quickly,
use this quick guide as well.

Character Creation Quick Guide

• Choose a Corporate DNA Strand [p. on your Generation, you may choose
from the Hereditary Powers List [p.
38] 89] (Corporate DNA Strand only, Gen
2 only, No Mutants), Mutations List
• Roll up a Background [p. 42] [p. 129] (Mutants only, Gen 1 or Gen 2
• Assign 18 points to your Attributes only), Cybertech List [p. 171] (No
Mutants), and Nanotech List [p. 151]
[p. 44] (No Mutants)
• Gain Language Fluency Points [p. 77]
• Calculate your Derived Attributes [p. equal to your Intelligence x 4, then
spend them to learn languages. You
45] do not get your home language(s)
for free.
• Pick an option from the list of • Gain (Intelligence x4) x100 credits
Archetypes [p. 48] as your Starting Funds. You may
spend these on anything in the
• Select 2 Talents, either from the Equipment List [p. 185] or keep them
relevant Archetypes [p. 48] or General into the start of the game.
Talents [p. 59] lists • Gain 3 Adjustment Points [p. 78] and
spend them on anything you didn’t
• Decide whether you would like to have the points for, but still wanted
take something from the list of to buy.
Complications [p. 64] in exchange for • Decide on a name and backstory.
1 bonus Talent. Remember that you Get a good sense of what your
cannot have more than 2 Archetype character looks like, where they
Talents or 4 Talents total. hang out, how they talk. If you can,
figure out how your character knows
• Spend 61 points on Skills [p. 69]. one of the other PCs. Then pass this
Consider setting some of these information along to the GM, and
points aside for later to get Power you’re good to go.
Use for any Superhuman Abilities
that require it.

• Set your Technology Limit Range [p.
76]. 2nd Generation characters get
10 TLR. Gen 1s and Gen 0s get 20
TLR. Characters who chose the
Mutant Archetype have their TLR
reduced to 0.

• Spend 20 total Metahuman Points
on Superhuman Abilities. Depending

37

Character Creation

Corporate DNA Strand

Before creating the rest of your DNA Strand and never take Hereditary
character, you must decide which Powers or Mutations. It just means the
Corporation mucked around in your virus never activated any Hereditary
DNA (if any). Powers or mutations in you.

Your DNA Strand represents either DNA Strands And Backgrounds
your own original genetic structure, or
the unique interaction between a In a little bit, when you generate your
company’s retroviral formula and your Background, the DNA Strand you
own original genetic structure. You picked will matter quite a lot. If you
may not change your DNA Strand’s choose one of the corporate DNA
bonus during play, even if you are Strands, you will have the chance to be
(re)infected with the Project Fire virus either Generation 1 or Generation 2 of
or dosed with heavy mutagens. the Project Fire test subjects. If you
However, both of those things can choose the Unmodified Human Strand,
affect the eventual DNA Strands of however, you will belong to
your children—who might awaken with “Generation 0”, which represents all
their own Hereditary Powers or the people who were never
become mutants, even if you’re not experimented on at all. Only
one. Generation 1 and Generation 2 can
become Mutants, and only Generation
That said, just because you have a 2 can learn Hereditary Powers, so if
corporate DNA Strand does not you want a character with Mutations
automatically mean you are a mutant or Hereditary Powers, make sure you
or that you can use Hereditary Powers. choose one of the corporate DNA
The Project Fire virus is perfectly Strands.
capable of lying dormant in a host.
Therefore, you can pick a corporate

Cademus Biolytics

Young, agile Cademus, on the cutting highly modified assassins as a way of
edge of biotech research, is eager to showcasing their latest genework by
surpass Prometheus. However, crossing out rival executives.
despite their innovative design
strategies, they have run up against a Strand Benefits:
wall: they cannot out-compete
Prometheus’ business connections +1 Intelligence or Willpower and you
and monolithic PR department. Still, gain the Photographic Memory
the clients they do have speak highly General Talent at no cost (although it
of their products, and they are still counts towards your maximum
rumored to keep on payroll a few number of Talents).

38

Character Creation

Chimera Pharmaceuticals

Some believe in better living through neutral third party to broker deals
chemistry, and Chimera makes a living between other corporations.
off of that philosophy, selling a host of
copyright-protected almost-cures, Still, its current position is tenuous,
symptom suppressors, and and Chimera has been pushing hard
maintenance drugs for conditions that for a game-changing breakthrough,
it has long known how to fix. In order tweaking its formulas to allow more
to keep other companies from spilling and more mutation in hopes of
its trade secret and publishing cures to stumbling upon a new evolution of the
the diseases it treats, Chimera does a Project Fire retrovirus. Chimera has
lot of low-cost manufacturing for its also been expanding rapidly into
rivals, making itself too valuable to space, in the hope, perhaps, that if
scuttle. their pharmaceutical empire comes
crashing down, they will have
As a sort of almost-vassal to the other somewhere to flee to.
major corporations, Chimera lives
every day in a complex political dance. Strand Benefits:
Its executives, out of necessity, have
become excellent diplomats, and +2 Metahuman Points
Chimera is sometimes brought in as a

Prometheus Medical

The giant. The legend. The Some believe that, after three decades
cornerstone of the modern age. This is of dominance, Prometheus is
the company that started it all. Now weakening.
one of the most powerful corporations
on planet, Prometheus has made itself Doctor Valasakis makes few public
essential to the power structure of the appearances these days, so perhaps
Fractured States. Of course, while it they are right.
does collect a considerable income
from the regions it controls directly, Strand Benefits:
and while its Peacekeepers have a
certain degree of prestige as the first +1 Willpower or Health and you gain
Enhanced on the block, Prometheus the Fine Looks General Talent at no
spends most of its profits on cost (although it still counts towards
administration, on stamping out your maximum number of Talents).
insurgency, and on keeping rival
companies from making a play for its
position.

39

Character Creation

Tachyon Energy Solutions

Power is the lifeblood of modern semi-tested skiptech drive. Despite its
infrastructure, and Tachyon is the (comparatively) short range and the
beating heart that drives it. One of the high cooldown time following a jump,
largest energy producers and it allows fleets to reach other planets
distributors, with an arsenal containing within weeks, rather than years, and
everything from rickety, badly- this ease of travel has greatly aided
maintained nuke plants to solar farms corporate dispersal into the solar
and orbital relays, Tachyon does a system.
considerable amount of aerospace
engineering, and has several fleets of Strand Benefits:
vessels exploring the solar system.
+10 Max Energy Points
In addition, almost any ship outside of
earth or lunar orbit uses Tachyon’s

Titan Security

With a presence stretching all the way contractors they have never had a
from earth to space, Titan has built its strong handle on research, and they
empire by capitalizing on people’s are constantly forced to barter or
fears. Back in the early 2020s, the outright steal Enhancement
need for average citizens to have technology from other corporations.
someone watching over them allowed Their own corporate DNA strand is the
Titan to create a series of highly work of many, many kidnapped
profitable police states in small scientists, and they have a reputation
nations. From there, they happened to among other major companies for
be in the right place at the right time running repeated black ops to steal
when Prometheus opened the doors of tech when it would be easier, and
the Fractured States to LECs, and they sometimes cheaper, to simply develop
solidified their foothold by taking over it themselves.
the operation of a swath of federal
prisons, turning them into recruitment Strand Benefits:
centers for their broadcast megahit,
Saturday Night Gladiatorum. +1 Strength or Health, +5 Max Hit
Points
If Titan has a weakness, it is that
despite their standing army of

United Constable Services

Rivals to the international Titan Services is made up largely of

Security, homegrown United Constable leftovers from the old federal

40

Character Creation

government. Billing themselves as the against pros, and there are rumors of a
true American heirs to the public possible UCS/Titan Security Sunday
security, infrastructure maintenance, Night Throwdown to address this
and legal arbitration contracts that smear against their brand.
Prometheus doled out several decades
ago, UCS has a scrappy spirit and the Strand Benefits:
home field advantage, but the jury is
still out on whether they can squeeze +1 Health, -2 TN on Observation rolls
out a massive competitor like Titan.

Still, even though UCS is usually a step
behind, they run their own licensed
security force, prisons, and have a
robust business in arms
manufacturing. They also broadcast
the slightly-less-popular-than-
Saturday-Night-Gladiatorum Monday
Night Mayhem, which makes for a
perfect spot to demo their newest
weapons, vests, and other tactical
equipment.

Lately Titan has been mocking them
by dressing amateur gladiators up in
UCS gear and sending them out to die

Unmodified Human

Just a regular old human with regular On the one hand, you may not choose
old human problems. the Mutant Archetype or use
Hereditary Powers, and you must stick
This does not mean your genetic code to Nanotech and Cybertech to get an
is perfectly clean of things like edge on your enemies. On the other
hereditary disease or antisocial hand, your genetic code doesn’t catch
inclinations, but it does mean you can the interest of a bunch of amoral,
be scanned without becoming power-hungry corporations,
immediately interesting to every governments, and NGOs. Also, you get
Peacekeeper in the area. +1 Scene Point per session.

Strand Benefits:

41

Character Creation

Xander Chemicals

Xander Chemicals is a supplier and by a few near-miss incidents when
manufacturer of industrial chemicals, bundles of minerals were almost
but it has also diversified into mining, dropped from orbit onto other
clear-cutting, water-ownership, and companies’ headquarters.
space exploration. In particular,
Xander has established a significant Strand Benefits:
operation exploiting the moons of
Jupiter, and its reputation as a quiet, +5 Max Energy Points and +1
efficient money-maker is only clouded Metahuman Points

Background

To determine your background, use Corporate Stamp
the sections below.
A Corporate Stamp reminds people
Generation that you are owned by one of the major
players in the Fractured States. In
If you have a corporate DNA Strand, some situations, you may be able to
choose: play this to your benefit—leveraging a
shared sense of belonging to a certain
• 1st Generation - An original subject company. In other situations (such as
in a Project Fire viral test (May not if someone scans your Genetic ID and
take Hereditary Powers. Must be 26 realizes that you are a laboratory
years or older.) project that has been reported as
missing), this can cause friction.
• 2nd Generation - The child of one or
more subjects of a Project Fire viral If your DNA Strand does not match
test (May take Hereditary Powers. your Corporate Stamp, this usually
Must be 26 years or younger.) indicates that you were either an
experiment using another company’s
If you have the Unmodified Human formula, or you were abducted by a
DNA Strand, you are Generation 0: rival company and reconditioned to
serve them. That conditioning may or
• Generation 0 - The majority of may not still be partially intact,
humans who have never been depending on when (or whether) you
infected with a variant of the Project escaped them.
Fire retrovirus or any of its
knockoffs (May not take Hereditary Roll 1d10
Powers or Mutations. May be any
age.) • 1-7 Stamp matches your DNA
Strand (or you have no stamp if
you’re an Unmodified Human)

42

Character Creation

• 8-10 Roll another 1d10 on the • 9 Corporate Family (1,500 credits
following table: Income, +200% Starting Funds)
◦ 1–2 Prometheus Medical
◦ 3 Titan Security • 10 Executive Family (2,000 credits
◦ 4 Tachyon Energy Solutions Income, +300% Starting Funds)
◦ 5–6 Chimera Pharmaceuticals
◦ 7–8 Xander Chemicals Siblings
◦ 9 Cademus Biolytics
◦ 10 United Constable Services Roll 1d3-1 to find out how many you
have.

Parents Then for each sibling, roll 1d6:

Roll 1d10 • 1–3 Male
• 4–6 Female
• 1–3 Both Living
• 4–5 Mother Living Childhood Events
• 6–7 Father Living
• 8–9 Both Dead Roll 1d10
• 10 One Or Both Missing
• 1 Gangland Violence At Home.
Family Status • 2 Plagued By Bullies
• 3 Popular Kid
Roll: 1d10 • 4 Teacher’s Pet
• 5 Abused Or Neglected Physically
The first number is your Income, which • 6 Life Long Friend
you get at the beginning of each • 7 Life Long Enemy
adventure. The second number • 8 Digital Childhood
modifies your Starting Funds [p. 78]. So • 9 Abused Or Neglected Mentally
a Gutter Orphan would have 50% less • 10 Playground All-Star
Starting Funds, whereas a Middle
Class child would have 75% more. Adolescence

• 1 Gutter Orphan (300 credits Roll 1d10
Income, -50% Starting Funds)
• 1 Social Pariah
• 2–3 Grew Up In A Lone Family (400 • 2 Social Star
credits Income, -50% Starting • 3 Troublemaker
Funds) • 4 Victim
• 5 Run-In With The Law
• 4–5 Grew Up In A Small Sewer • 6 Gained Friend
Community (500 credits Income, • 7 Gained Enemy
-25% Starting Funds) • 8 Caught Up In Terrorist Attack
• 9 Scholarly
• 6–7 Middle Class (1,000 credits • 10 Lettered
Income, +75% Starting Funds)

• 8 Mob Family (1,200 credits Income,
+100% Starting Funds)

43

Character Creation

Adult • 6 Financial Loss (-25% starting
funds)
Roll 1d10
• 7 Financial Gain (+25% starting
• 1 Criminal Record (-25% starting funds)
funds)
• 8 Wageslave (+25% starting funds)
• 2 Laid Off (-25% starting funds) • 9 Violence Victim (-25% starting
• 3 Promoted (+25% starting funds)
• 4 Married (-25% starting funds) funds)
• 5 Dependent (-25% starting funds) • 10 Undesirable Genetic ID (-25%

starting funds)

Attributes

Allocate 18 points to the following Strand bonus raise an Attribute to 6.
Attributes, then apply your DNA Strand You may also later take Hereditary
bonus (if you have one that applies to Powers, Nanotech, Cybertech, or
Attributes). Mutations that raise your Attributes
over 5.
Every Attribute must have at least 1
point, and you may not raise an An average person has a 2 in most
Attribute above 5 with your Attributes. No Attribute, even an
points—however you may apply your Attribute for an Enhanced, may ever go
points first, and then have your DNA over 9.

Strength (STR) determine their Hit Points and
Movement.
Strength measures a character’s
physical power and determines their
Damage Bonus. It also helps

Health (HLT)

Health is a measure of a character’s poisons. It also plays a major role in
overall physical condition. Health sets determining a character’s Hit Points
a character’s Heal Rate and is used in and Energy Points.
Saving Throws against diseases and

Reflexes (REF) Movement, it is used for Initiative in
combat, and it determines how hard it
Reflexes measures how quickly a is to hit a character with Ranged
character can move as well as how attacks.
coordinated they are. It plays a major
role in determining a character’s

44

Character Creation

Willpower (WLP)

Willpower measures a character’s mind control. It also helps determine a
determination and grit. Willpower is character’s Energy Points.
used in Saving Throws against pain or

Charisma (CHA) and charm. It is used on almost all
social Skill rolls.
Charisma measures a character’s
natural self-confidence, appearance,

Intelligence (INT)

Intelligence measures a character’s Points and plays a role in determining

ability to think, reason, and remember. their Energy Points.

It sets a character’s Language Fluency

Derived Attributes

Derived Attributes are secondary how much energy you can burn before
values that are calculated from a your powers run dry, and how much
character’s Attributes. They include damage you can take before dying.
things like how quickly you can heal,

Hit Points

Hit Points are a measurement of how For detailed rules on what happens
much damage a character can suffer when a character is reduced to zero or
before they are put at risk of dying. To fewer Hit Points, see Damage And
figure out a character’s maximum Hit Death Saves [p. 248] in the Combat
Points, refer to the table below. chapter.

In general, having less than 30 Hit All Player Characters get an extra +10
Points means living quite dangerously Hit Points on top of the number they
if you plan to get into heavy combat. get on the chart.

45

Character Creation

Health Strength 9
12345678 34
1 8 12 16 20 24 26 28 30 46
2 12 18 24 30 36 38 40 42 54
3 16 24 32 40 48 50 50 52 82
4 24 36 48 60 72 74 76 78 94
5 28 42 56 70 84 86 88 90 96
6 30 44 58 72 86 88 90 92 98
7 32 46 60 74 88 90 92 94 100
8 34 48 62 76 90 92 94 96 102
9 36 50 64 78 92 94 96 98

Heal Rate

A character’s Heal Rate determines receive their Heal Rate in Hit Points at
how quickly they can recover from the start of every day, provided they
serious injuries. A character’s Heal rested for at least 7 hours during the
Rate is equal to their Health x 2. They previous day.

Energy Points

Energy Points are used to fuel Characters have a maximum Energy
Hereditary Powers, Nanotech, certain Points equal to INT + WLP + (HLTx2) +
Mutations, and anything else that 20.
draws off of the body’s energy
reserves.

Energy Recovery Rate

All characters recover Energy Points at
a rate of one point per ten minutes of
rest.

46

Character Creation

Movement Movement is equal to their REF x2,
plus their STR.
Movement is how many yards a
character can run in two seconds—or A high Melee Damage Bonus can put
one combat turn. A character’s some pretty serious hurt into even a
simple punch, whereas a low Melee
Melee Damage Bonus Damage Bonus will turn solid baseball
bat swings into harmless glancing
A character’s Melee Damage Bonus strikes.
measures how much extra force they
can put into an unarmed, melee,
primitive ranged weapon, or thrown
weapon attack.

Strength Damage Modifier
1 -1d3
2 +0
3 +1d3
4 +1d6
5 +1d8
6 +1d10
7 +1d12
8 +2d8
9 +2d10

Initiative Unlike other derived Attributes,
Initiative changes from situation to
Initiative is how quickly a character situation. That 1d8 + REF gets rolled
reacts in tense or dangerous each time combat breaks out—or any
situations. A character’s Initiative is other time that there’s a tense, time-
1d8 + Reflexes. sensitive situation.

47

Character Creation

Scene Points

Scene Points are a little something • Alter a minor aspect of the Scene.
extra that Player Characters can use to The GM must approve this change
keep ahead of their problems. Every and has final say over what is
character starts with a pool of 3 Scene acceptable.
Points, and certain DNA Strands,
Archetypes, Talents, etc can increase Players do not have to declare that
the size of that pool further. Scene they are spending a Scene Point
Point pools refresh at the start of each before taking an action. They can
game session, and Scene Points can always act, roll the dice, and then use
be spent to swing the odds of a a Scene Point if they dislike the result.
situation in a PC’s favor.
Maximizing Damage For Area of
Unspent Scene Points do not carry Effects
over between sessions, but the GM is
free to award bonus Scene Points to When you use a Scene Point to
players for good decision-making, maximize the damage of an attack
excellent roleplaying, or otherwise with an Area of Effect (such as a
helping to make the game more fun for grenade), everyone who is hit by that
everyone at the table. attack takes maximum damage.

A single Scene Point can be used to do For example, if a ganger chucks a
any of the following: quarter brick of C4 into a group of
mutants and spends a Scene Point to
• Either roll and keep an extra d10 or maximize the damage, the ganger
gain a -5 TN bonus on a Skill Test, doesn’t need to roll any damage dice.
Opposition Roll, or Saving Throw. Each mutant takes the maximum
amount of damage they could receive
• Instead of rolling an attack’s from the blast.
damage, deal maximum damage.

• Reduce incoming damage by half, or
spend two Scene Points to reduce it
to zero.

Archetypes

Select an Archetype and pick two of its No character may have more than two

Archetype Talents. Archetype Talents.

Or, instead of taking an Archetype
Talent, you can take a General Talent.

48

Character Creation

Blaster

Prerequisites: Reflexes 4, must later Willpower Saving Throw or suffer a +1
select the Energy Blast Hereditary TN penalty on all Actions on their next
Power or Ion Condensers Nanotech, turn. If you wish, you may increase
and must later increase either your your damage penalty to -6 to make the
Power Use: Energy Blast or Power Saving Throw Tough, or to -9 to make
Use: Ion Condensers Skill to at least the Saving Throw Extreme. Repeated
1d10. hits from painful blasts can stack the
TN penalty, but you may not give a
Energy Miser target a penalty higher than +3 TN with
this Talent.
You are so stingy with your power that
you have managed to reduce the Rapid Fire
Energy Point cost for all of your
Superhuman Abilities by -1. You know how to pace your blasts for
Superhuman Abilities still cost at least maximum efficiency. On your turn in
1 Energy Point. combat, once per Round, you may
make an attack without spending an
Extra Battery Action. This attack must be with a
ranged Superhuman Ability. It is not
You’ve drawn on your powers so subject to Multiple Action Penalties.
deeply and so often that your body has
been forced to develop a better energy Sniper
reserve. You get +10 max Energy
Points. You can hit someone with an energy
blast from very far away. Increase the
Move and Blast range on all of your ranged
Superhuman Abilities by 15 yards, and
You do not suffer penalties for moving your ranged Superhuman Abilities deal
and attacking with a ranged +3 damage.
Superhuman Ability.
Target Shooter
Pain Giver
It’s not quite the same as putting in
You can modulate the output of your hours at the gun range, but there are a
blasts, making them a little less deadly lot of smoking rat corpses in a vacant
but a lot more unpleasant. When you lot somewhere nearby. When attacking
attack with a ranged Superhuman with a ranged Superhuman Ability,
Ability, you can choose to take a -3 your penalties to target specific Hit
damage penalty to deliver a painful Locations are each reduced by 2.
blast. If you do and your attack hits, Furthermore, once per Scene, when
your target must make a Challenging attacking with a ranged Superhuman

49