Numenera Corebook

BY MONTE COOK



CREDITS

Writer/Designer Monte Cook
Rule Developers Monte Cook and Sean K. Reynolds

Additional Writing Shanna Germain
Lead Editor Shanna Germain
Editor Ray Vallese
Proofreader Michele Carter

Cover Designer and Lead Artist Kieran Yanner
Graphic Designer Sarah Robinson
Artists

Samuel Araya, Helge Balzer, Mark Buhalo, Chrom, Florian Devos, Sara Diesel, Dreamstime.com, Jason Engle, Kali Fitzgerald,
Guido Kuip, Eric Lofgren, Patrick McEvoy, Jeremy McHugh, Brynn Metheny, Michael Perry, Roberto Pitturru/Fabio Passamonti, Scott

Purdy, Lee Smith, Matt Stawicki, Mark Tarrisse, Keith Thompson, Prosper Tipaldi, Cory Trego-Erdner, Shane Tyree,
Bear Weiter, Adrian Wilkins, Kieran Yanner
Cartographer Christopher West

Alpha Playtesters Shanna Germain, Ray Vallese, Colin McComb, James Bell, Erik Mona, Danica King, Sean Reynolds, Stan!, Hyrum Savage
Dedicated to JD Sparks ( Jay Peterson), who journeyed with me all through the lead-up to Numenera, helping to form my view on science fiction,

fantasy, and everything that is cool about wild and wonderful ideas.

© 2013 Monte Cook Games, LLC
NUMENERA and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. All Monte Cook Games characters and character names, and the distinctive
likenesses thereof, are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC. Printed in Canada.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

123 4

NEW WORLD, NEW GAME PART 6: THE NUMENERA 275

Dreaming of the Future 4 Chapter 17: Technology 276
The Amber Monolith
6 Chapter 18: Cyphers 278
PART 1: GETTING STARTED
Chapter 19: Artifacts 298
Chapter 1: Welcome to the Ninth World
Chapter 2: How to Play Numenera 11 Chapter 20: Oddities & Discoveries 314

PART 2: CHARACTERS 12

Chapter 3: Creating Your Character 15 PART 7: RUNNING THE GAME 319
Chapter 4: Character Type
Chapter 5: Character Descriptor Chapter 21: Using the Rules 320
Chapter 6: Character Focus
Chapter 7: Equipment 19 Chapter 22: Building a Story 340

PART 3: PLAYING THE GAME 20 Chapter 23: Realizing the Ninth World 354

Chapter 8: Rules of the Game 26
Chapter 9: Optional Rules
47 PART 8: ADVENTURES 365
PART 4: THE SETTING
52 Chapter 24: Adventures Overview 366
Chapter 10: Living in the Ninth World
Chapter 11: The Steadfast 77 Chapter 25: The Beale of Boregal 367
Chapter 12: The Beyond
Chapter 13: Beyond the Beyond Chapter 26: Seedship 379
Chapter 14: Organizations
83 Chapter 27: The Hidden Price 385

84 Chapter 28: Three Sanctums 390

113

PART 9: BACK MATTER 399

129 Appendix A: Character Creation Walkthrough 400

130 Appendix B: Bibliography and Resources 402

136 Appendix C: Kickstarter Backers 403

174 Glossary 411

213 Index 412

222 Numenera Character Sheet 414

PART 5: CREATURES & CHARACTERS 227

Chapter 15: Creatures 228

Chapter 16: Non-Player Characters 269

56789
3

Any sufficiently advanced technology is
indistinguishable from magic.

~Sir Arthur C. Clarke

DREAMING OF THE FUTURE

I’m a dreamer. I’ve had a lot of dreams. But for twenty years, two dreams of mine have stuck with me, no
matter what else I was doing or what I was working on. Projects came and went, but these two dreams
always hovered in the background.
The first was a roleplaying game system where players got to decide how much effort they wanted to put into
any given action, and that decision would help determine whether their action would succeed or fail. This would
be a simple but elegant system where sustained damage and physical exertion drew from the same resource (so
as you became wounded, you could do less, and as you became exhausted, you were easier to take down). Where
your willpower and your mental “power points” were the same thing, and as you drew on your mental resources,
your ability to stave off mental attacks waned. And where it was all so integrated into the character that it was easy
to process and keep track of. But most of all, I dreamed of a game system that was designed from the ground up
to be played the way people actually played games, and to be run the way that game masters really ran them.
The second dream that stuck with me was a world that fused science fiction and fantasy, but not in the usual
mixed-genre sort of way. Instead, it was a place that felt like fantasy but was actually science fiction. Or perhaps it
felt like science fiction but was actually fantasy. Could I achieve both at once? The well-known quote from Sir Arthur
C. Clarke that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” seemed to lie at the heart of
this concept. In my mind, I envisioned strangely garbed priests chanting well-rehearsed prayers and invocations,
using sacred instruments and making precise gestures, but then we realize that the instruments are technological
in nature, and some of the gestures are actually fingers playing over buttons or sections of a touchscreen....
But that was all twenty years ago.
Time passed. I worked on hundreds of projects for different companies—including my own. I never
completely forgot about those ideas, but they mostly faded away into the recesses of my mind.
Then, I was lying in bed one night about a year ago, and in my mind’s eye I saw two figures pulling tattered cloaks
around themselves to ward off the chill as they walked. The two trudged across a grey landscape, wary with each step.
And as this scene receded, I saw that the terrain they crossed was a massive gear, and the landscape was in fact an
unbelievably huge and ancient machine. The key to this scene, I realized, was that the figures were in no way part of
this terrain—perhaps they didn’t even understand the concept of the machine—but they were accustomed to it. It
was a part of the world they lived in as much as mountains, rivers, and forests are a part of ours.
All at once, I knew that it was time to create this game and this setting that had been brewing in my
consciousness for twenty years. It was time to create NUMENERA™.
At the time of this writing, I have worked as a professional game designer for twenty-five years. I’ve written articles,
adventures, sourcebooks, and roleplaying game settings (along with short stories, novels, scripts, and comic books).

4

DREAMING OF THE FUTURE

I’ve designed or co-designed four roleplaying games based on earlier versions of other games, designed a miniatures ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
game, and worked on a few computer games, card games, and other miscellaneous projects. But I had never
designed a roleplaying game all on my own, from the ground up, based entirely on a setting of my own creation. During the making of
this book, we received
I had always wanted to. The games I worked on are all things I’m very proud of, but none expressed exactly how I invaluable assistance—
wanted to play an RPG. It seemed like it was time to give it a shot: to try to put down on paper what I’d been doing in directly or indirectly—from
the games I ran for so long. I’ve never been a GM who relied heavily on rules. Instead, I tried to focus more on story, the following people, places,
fun, and gameplay. Even when I ran a game with a rather rigid ruleset, I would add in new elements so that there and things:
would be spells or creatures or player resources or something that was more mysterious or more flexible to give the
story a little breathing room. To allow both the players and me to be creative rather than always rigidly defined. Brazilian Game Fans
Borderlands 2
To create a new setting to go with these rules, it would have to fit the sensibilities of the narrative system I Bill Cavalier
was creating. Since the rules were more about story, mood, and ideas than about rigid definitions, the world Paul Chapman
had to be that way, too. It had to be a world of weird mysteries and intriguing questions. Sir Arthur C. Clarke
Eric Coates
The traditional ways of presenting RPG setting material made it difficult because they were also usually Florence and the Machine
fairly rigid—closed and defined rather than open-ended and mysterious. And understandably so. RPG setting Fringe
design is all about giving a GM the information she needs to run a game, and that can be a lot of information. Glasya
Grizzly Bear
I knew I could do this new setting justice thanks to two things. Ken and Marilyn Harrison
The first was a product line I worked on a long time ago called Planescape®. It was a setting full of mystery. It never Scott Holden
allowed itself to be pinned down. Planescape was weird and wild and imaginative. It was a setting about mood and Kickstarter
ideas and amazing vistas more than it was about nailing down every little detail. It experimented with narrative voice Ryan Klemm
and different kinds of presentation that stressed story, emotion, and flavor. So I knew it could be done. Iced Soy Mochas
The second was a product I worked very hard on a few years back called Ptolus. Ptolus was a d20 setting, but it inXile Entertainment
abandoned most of the traditional RPG approaches to presenting setting material. Instead, it took inspiration from Jewel Box Café
travel guides and nonfiction books. With Ptolus, I learned that there were ways to present information to GMs and Two MacBook Airs
players that made their lives easier and their games more fun. With that kind of presentation—informative and yet One MacBook Pro
flavorful thanks to its art-heavy and visual nature—I could take a Planescape narrative approach and still make a Two iPhones
very usable product. One iPad
So that’s what I’ve tried to do. Mateusz Kaluzny
A lot of the Ninth World can be credited to inspiration from two people, the French artist Moebius and Kid Snippets
the writer Gene Wolfe. I’ve long been a fan of Moebius’s works, in particular his vision of technology, his Mary Robinette Kowal
synthesis of science and mysticism, and his method of infusing his backgrounds with deep, deep history. M&M Salad
Every Moebius art piece tells the story of a world with a rich and wonderfully weird past. Mono
I’ve been a fan of Gene Wolfe—particularly his series The Book of the New Sun—since I was very young. In fact, Nick & Trish
as I write this, I realize that I was introduced to this series by my childhood friend JD, a fact particularly poignant Ninth World Hub
to me because in two days I go to JD’s memorial service. He was a friend whose sensibilities about fantasy and Danny O’Neil
science fiction and cool, imaginative ideas were developed right alongside mine. Which is probably why even Road Trips
though we grew up and went our separate ways, we managed to stay in touch all these years. The world lost a Charles Ryan
great, creative soul with his passing. Through his influence on me, he now lives on in the Ninth World. Tammie Ryan
In The Book of the New Sun, Wolfe accomplishes with astonishing literary depth a work that at first seems Treadmill Desk
to be a fantasy set in the past, but eventually we learn that it is, in fact, a science fiction story set in the far, far Aaron Voss
future. It is brilliant and well written, as full of creative ideas as anything I’ve ever read. You should read it, too. Sue Weinlein
I was fortunate enough to study fiction under Wolfe, and I learned a great deal about writing. Thus, his work Steve Wieck
and his style will always be an inspiration to me, but never more than in Numenera, to be sure. David Wilson Brown
There are, of course, many inspirations for Numenera, so I created a bibliography for the game that you’ll find Annie Yamashita
in Appendix B (page 402). But long before you get there, why not give “The Amber Monolith” (page 6) a quick George Z
read? The story sets the tone for the setting and establishes a great many details about the Ninth World, the
kinds of things characters will do in the game, and the amount of latitude GMs and players have to stretch their And a special hat tip to our
imaginations here. Kickstarter backers
Then read Welcome to the Ninth World, which presents things a bit more plainly. After that, read How to Play (see Appendix C, page 403,
Numenera, and you’ll pretty much have a good handle on the essentials of what you need to know. The rest—character for the complete list).
creation, the full rules, the setting, the creatures, and so on—are just details, although hopefully they’re fun and
interesting details. (Here’s a hint that I hope will really help: use How to Play Numenera [page 15] to learn and teach the
essentials of the game, and use Rules of the Game [page 84] as your reference tool when you have questions.)
If you’re going to be a GM, read the Running the Game sections (page 319) carefully after reading the rules. There
I’ve done my best to convey what the game’s all about and provide some of my secrets to running a great game.
I sincerely hope that you find Numenera fun, full of wild ideas, and most of all inspirational so that you’ll
create your own imaginative characters and stories. You’re about to embark on some amazing adventures.

5

THE AMBER MONOLITH

The Catechism of Lore:
All glory to the originators of truth and understanding.

Praise to the innovators of steel and synth.
Praise to the shapers of flesh, of bone, and of mind.
Glory to those who re-sculpted the sustaining earth and the life-giving sun.
Praise to the senders of signals, who even now whisper into machine ears and give life to the inanimate.
Praise to those who traveled to the stars, and the realms beyond the stars.
All glory to the originators of truth and understanding.

Let us then resume the recitation of the Sacred Chronicle of High Father Calaval, Amber Pope and Founder of the Citadel
of the Conduit and the Order of Truth, as written by his grandniece, Doroa of the Silent Song:

CHAPTER IX: WIND OF IRON Aeon Priests and their knowledge of numenera could prevent
incidents like that. Calaval sought to join their ranks.
In which we learn the lesson of dedication.
History taught that the ancient races that had dwelled upon
Calaval climbed the hill, his pet thuman at his side. Crumbling bits earth before the Ninth World wielded great power. This power
of ancient brick turned to gravel with each step. At the top, he saw came from knowledge. It might not be possible for Calaval, the
the amber obelisk the old woman had told him about. It stretched Aeon Priests, or anyone else on earth of the present to master all
impossibly into the sky. The reddish-yellow light of the old, tired that knowledge, but surely there were secrets there, lost to the
sun caught in its angles high above the plain of ruin. Even after all past, upon which they could build a future.
these eons, the machine at the heart of the obelisk still thrummed
with power. Rings orbited the device, spinning with unearthly Calaval was certain of it. It just had to be discovered. Or rather,
precision. rediscovered. He had a plan on how to start.

The thuman sat on its haunches, multi-jointed legs folding A red cloud rose on the horizon, beyond the obelisk in the sky.
beneath it. It looked up at its master with narrow, black eyes. Red Someone moving across the dry plain? Certainly something big if
dust covered the furry crest atop its head. that was the case. Perhaps a herd. Perhaps a pack of raiders.

Calaval set his heavy pack down next to him, exhausted. He bent Feddik whined. The cloud loomed larger. No herd. No creature
down and brushed the dirt and dust away from it, and then from at all—a dust storm.
his clothes. Finally, he brushed the red dust from the thuman.
“Don’t worry, Feddik,” he whispered. “You won’t have to go inside. Calaval unpacked his desert filter and put it over his mouth.
I’ll have to do that alone.” Then he fitted one over Feddik’s nose and mouth. The beast pawed
at it a few times, but accepted it quickly. They had been through
Feddik’s gaze, as always, made it seem as though he dust storms together before.
understood.
The barren plain offered little shelter. Calaval kept walking, for
After a short rest, the pair resumed their journey. The people in there were few other options. The thuman stayed very close. The
the last village, Cloudridge, had called this the Plain of Brick. The wall of onrushing red engulfed the obelisk and bore down upon
lack of creativity did not surprise Calaval. A simple folk without a the explorers like a monster. Through his filter, a scent caught the
clave, they toiled in fields and herded shereh in the fertile valley to young man’s attention. It jogged a memory. It triggered fear.
the south. But they’d given him food in exchange for a few baubles
and shins he carried with him, and gave him a place to sleep, so “Iron Wind!”
it was difficult to feel anything but kindly toward them. Isolated Calaval looked around helplessly for some kind of shelter. But
villages with Aeon Priests often became fearful of strangers and there was nowhere to hide. Not from the wind.
dangerously insular. Once, he had come upon a community that He would stand against the ravages of a sandstorm, even as it
had stumbled upon a buried facility from the prior worlds while tore at his flesh, but Iron Wind was something different altogether.
digging a well. They had inadvertently released a noxious gas, It didn’t just tear at flesh, it altered it. Within the wind lived
transforming the entire population into maniacal, superhuman particles crafted by the numenera far too tiny for a man to see.
cannibals. Calaval had barely escaped alive. Calaval wasn’t actually certain that particles was the right word.
Creatures? Machines? It surpassed understanding.
His pack thudded on the ground. He rummaged through its
contents while the thuman whined. Finally, he produced a small

6

THE AMBER MONOLITH

iron awl, and a device that looked like it was meant to fit snugly in companion slowly writhing on the ground. Pain was evident in
a person’s clenched fist, if a person had six fingers. In two places every fiber of the creature, new and old.
across its synth surface small wires lay exposed. Calaval crouched
low. With a wail, Calaval drew the long knife at his side from its
leather sheath.
A small glass panel on one side showed lighted symbols when
he pressed a small stud where his thumb would fit. He didn’t He held his breath. Tears streamed down his face. He wanted
know what the symbols meant, but he knew that when a symbol to close his eyes, but he feared his aim would fail. So he stared
that reminded him a bit of a bird in flight flashed, he needed to down at Feddik. He watched his friend’s eyes as he sliced into the
press the stud again. He glanced up and saw the roiling red cloud nonmetallic part of its neck. Blood pooled around the creature. It
approach. Ignoring the sweat beading at the bridge of his nose, died in silence.
Calaval pushed the awl up into the cavity among the exposed
wires near the bottom. The device shook a bit and there was a Calaval did not curse the gods his mother had taught him, nor
sizzling sound and the smell of burnt air. Suddenly, a droning did he pray to them for mercy. It wasn’t that he did not believe in
noise engulfed Calaval and the nerves all along his flesh tingled vast, nonhuman intelligences living in the sky above—he had seen
unpleasantly. The awl slipped from his hand. them orbiting in Yessai’s telescope night after night—he just did
not believe that they directed events. He believed in cause and
He clenched the device and pulled Feddik close. The thuman effect. Not gods. Even the things inhabiting the datasphere were
squirmed as the air around them shimmered. The hair on Calaval’s created, the result of someone’s knowledge and understanding. He
arms rose and his skin prickled. The shimmering air smelled like a believed in the universe and its laws, set in motion billions of years
thunderstorm. He knew that it was a sort of halo around him. An earlier.
aura. A field. He did not know, but he hoped, that the field would
repel the dangerous, unseen things in the Iron Wind. Just because the people of this world called it magic did not
mean that he could not see beyond. That was what the Aeon
The approaching numenera storm did not offer him much time Priests did, and—as hard as it was to accept—that is what he
to wonder if it would work. The air was suddenly red, churning. The would do too. The numenera, as the priests called it, arose because
generator in his hand vibrated at a terrible frequency. It numbed his of the intellect of the people of the prior worlds. It only seemed like
hand and then his arm. He concentrated on holding fast to it even miracles.
though he could no longer feel it. He told himself that the billions
of tiny shrieks in the wind were but his imagination. It only seemed like damnation.

The Iron Wind roiled around him, but it did not harm him. CHAPTER X: ALONE
With a whine that quickly became a howl, Feddik twisted from
his grasp, pulling away. Calaval shouted without sound. The beast’s In which we learn the lesson of loss.
leftmost limbs and side emerged from the shimmering distortion
and entered the wind. Alas, Chapter X is lost to us. It is believed by the council that it
Calaval could not see what happened, nor could he still hear contained details of Calaval’s mourning of his animal, and thus
his companion. The thuman’s body thrashed. Calaval grabbed a described his compassion and capacity for love. Likely it also
handful of Feddik’s hair and held on as best he could while the detailed his fantastic intelligence (particularly his near-perfect
device in his other hand numbed more and more of his body, recall) and his great wisdom, often being well prepared for
weakening every muscle he had. contingencies that most others would never have foreseen.
He closed his eyes.
The wind passed more quickly than any sandstorm would, Instead of its contents enriching us, let us contemplate on the
but none too quickly for Calaval. The device dropped from his significance of lost knowledge. No greater loss exists.
contorted, numb fist onto the stony ground. He collapsed, but was
careful to pull Feddik atop him, rather than to fall upon the beast. All glory to the originators of truth and understanding.
Feddik made a plaintive moan unlike anything Calaval had ever
heard. CHAPTER XI: ENTERING THE OBELISK
When he could manage it, Calaval lifted his head to look at his
pet. Hundreds of tiny, wormlike tendrils flailed where Feddik’s In which we learn the lesson of perseverance.
left two limbs had once been. The flesh around those legs, and
all along the left side, looked and felt like metallic plates. Orifices The Amber Monolith rose high above Calaval. Almost directly
that Calaval could not begin to understand erupted and closed on below the obelisk machine, the noise that the vast spinning
the beast’s new portions. The left side of its face contorted with mechanism produced drowned out the sounds of his own weary
opening and closing eyes as if a crowd of smaller creatures had breath. The rotating rings moved and thrummed in a rhythm that
taken up residence in its head. heartened him. It was exactly what he was looking for. The old
The wind had rewritten the thuman. Every bit of its flesh that the woman in Cloudridge had told the truth.
wind had touched, it changed.
Calaval pushed Feddik from atop him and stood. His stance was Calaval had only one last trick in his bag. The rest of its contents
not steady, but he hardly noticed. He looked only at his longtime were mundane supplies, tools, and equipment. But he had saved

7

one minor bit of numenera for just this moment. He pulled a faint and fall, he let go of his own wrist and thrashed at the hatch
wire mesh belt from the bag and affixed it around his waist. A to try to find a way to open it.
metal device on the side of the belt had some simple controls.
Sometimes bits of technology like this—cyphers, most people That task, at least, was surprisingly simple. An easily moved
called them—seemed like they were once parts of other, larger lever produced a sudden hiss, and then the hatch opened slowly.
devices. Those who had come before him had just figured out a Calaval struggled to hang on to the moving hatch. When it
way to make use of them in a temporary, usually one-shot, damn- stopped, he twisted his body around to look up into the opening it
the-risks sort of way. Calaval knew a lot of the tricks. He didn’t gave. It was dark, but a metallic ladder offered a way up through an
fully understand how they worked. No one he knew did. But he amber shaft. With his free hand, he grabbed the bottom rung, but
knew enough to try that switch, or cross those wires, or look for a as he did his other arm wrenched free.
readout with this symbol on it. Enough to sometimes get an effect
he wanted. Something he could use. Like now. Again, terrific pain lanced down his body from shoulder to hip.
He bit down on his tongue, which may have been the only thing
Except the belt wasn’t like that. The belt, Calaval felt sure, was that kept him conscious. His one arm dangled useless. He had no
intended for precisely the purpose for which he was about to use idea how he would climb up the ladder.
it. The only thing was the way it fit him. Obviously, it had been
designed for a creature other than a human to wear it. He did the only thing he could think of, and pulled himself up as
high as he could and kicked his leg up to hook it onto a rung. After
Calaval manipulated the controls. Soundlessly, his feet left the a few tries, he succeeded. But when he did, his pack came loose
ground. Buoyant, he floated upward. The belt gently removed him and spilled its contents down the long way to the ground.
from the grasp of gravity. He soared ever higher. The red brick
landscape stretched below him. A warm wind tugged at his tanned Thoughts of gods to curse once again came to his mind. Once
leather clothing—his coat, his cap. It brushed against his worn, again, he refused.
unshaven face.
CHAPTER XII: HUNTED IN THE DARK
Above him, the Amber Monolith drew closer, and he could
see that, true to its name, the yellowish-brown structure In which we learn the lesson of ingenuity.
offered a translucent surface in contrast to the silvery metallic
mechanism at its heart. The obelisk offered a pointed top and The climb was long and agonizing. Every surface around Calaval
bottom, but the center was a massive clockwork device with vibrated slightly with a constant thrum that kept time with the
spinning rings orbiting around it at skewed but somehow spinning rings of the central heart of the monolith. Even the
extraordinarily precise angles. air seemed to shake, ever so slightly. Exactly the rhythm he had
memorized. The one he had been looking for.
As he got very close—likely hundreds of feet above the ground—
the very lowest point of the hovering obelisk offered a metallic hatch The top of the amber shaft offered light too dim to see, and
to Calaval. Controlling his horizontal position presented some Calaval had lost his glowglobes when his pack fell. With his good
difficulties. Once again, the position of the belt’s console suggested hand, he pulled a box of matches from his pocket and struck one.
a wearer with a very different body type than his. His arm grew sore He confirmed that his immediate surroundings were safe, and then
from reaching down and around to touch the tiny, glowing panels. tossed the match away, collapsing on his side for an unknown time.
The wind made things even harder. Calaval maneuvered toward the He knew he had to push his arm back into its proper position. When
hatch, but then the breeze carried him off in the wrong direction he was a young man, he had seen his farmer father in a similar
again. The situation suggested how hard it might be to be a leaf in situation. He had had to help the man reset his shoulder.
the breeze with an objective. Or even a butterfly. Calaval fumbled
across the belt controls over and over, grasping at the hatch as he Today Calaval would have to do it himself. He struggled to his
got close each time, and each time failing to reach it. feet. The pain made his head swim and he almost fell.

He began to worry about just how much power the belt had. He felt the wall in the dim amber-hued light. He positioned his
How long a duration the gravity-nullifying effect offered. dislocated limb with his useful arm. He took three quick breaths.
Not giving himself time to think about it, he rammed his body
His arms sore, each from stretching in different directions, in against the wall.
different awkward positions, he tried one last time, and finally
maneuvered close enough to loop his arm through a handle on the He shrieked and fell to the floor, writhing in agony.
hatch like a hook. The incoherent sound he made was a moan of He shrieked louder the second time. He passed out for a time—
exasperation and a cry of triumph at once. he did not know for how long—after realizing that that attempt
didn’t succeed either.
Then the power of the belt gave out. The third attempt had a similar result.
His own sudden weight jerked on his arm, wrenching it with a Finally, the fourth try gave him success. He did not pass out, but
painful cracking noise. Agony shot down his shoulder and into his lay, resting in his own sweat, for what seemed about an hour. Once
side. He grabbed his wrist with his free hand to make it harder for he recovered, he climbed once again to his feet. He stood steadier
him to slip loose, but he almost blacked out from the pain. than before. With three deep breaths, he gathered himself mentally
Dangling from the bottom of the obelisk, he gasped for a breath and physically. At last, he decided to explore.
he could not seem to get. His mind swam and he had to fight to He had come here for a reason, after all.
keep a focus. Finally, because if he did not, he knew he would soon

8

THE AMBER MONOLITH

He found himself within a series of tunnels wending their Calaval reached the bottom of the shaft, but knew that the thing
way through vast, incomprehensible machines. Or perhaps, he would reach him this time.
considered, parts of one large machine. The latter, he determined,
seemed most likely. In fact, he counted on it.
He grasped the jagged length of synth tubing and thrust it up
After burning through half his matches in his explorations, he the shaft, one end braced against the floor.
found a pile of scrap synth in various sizes and colors. Mostly Immediately, the beast dropped down upon the tube, its weight
pipes, some of which were hollow, and others filled with cables snapping it in two, and knocking Calaval to the ground. Calaval’s
and wires. Some were broken and jagged. Calaval found a hollow head struck the wall. He saw white in the darkness.
pipe of white synth about two feet long. He used his knife to cut He found himself laying on the tremulous metal floor, unable
his leather cap into strips. Poking a strip down into the pipe, he to see. The sound of his own breaths were drowned out by
created a makeshift torch. It wouldn’t last long, and it created a lot another sound—rhythmic, wet, gurgling wheezes from not far
of smoke, but it would last longer than a match, and he had many away.
strips of leather and cloth to use. Calaval struck a match. In the light, he saw the ape-thing, with
metal plates and fleshy parts integrated into a cobbled whole.
He climbed another shaft, and after wandering more, yet another. There was nothing beautiful, careful, or elegant about the thing’s
During each ascent his torch failed him and he had to relight it in the construction. Even its organic portions did not seem to exist in
dim light once he reached the top. By the time he did this after the any sort of natural relationship. Hairlike tendrils writhed across its
third climb, a loud staccato burst of sound startled him. He dropped body, each ending in a tiny sphincter mouth. And each tiny mouth
the torch and the barely lit leather strip fell out. whined in agony.
Through the center of its broad torso projected the broken tube.
The strange, irregular noise accompanied a flash of blue-white The momentum of the creature’s descent had thrust the shaft
illumination. And again. more than three feet into its innards. The beast did not move. Each
breath was labored and filled with fluid. Blood mixed with some
In these brief instances of light, he saw something move. A white milky liquids pooled around its prone body.
panel in one wall opened. More light from within. With a yawning Calaval’s fear turned to remorse. Pity. He thought that the best
hiss, a silhouette emerged. Clatter. Whir. Groan. Ancient limbs thing he could do was bring the beast’s suffering to an end. He
stretched to life. Metal, flesh, and wiring shambled in the form of wanted to give it a quick death.
a looming ape. Shaggy hair fluttered about it, as if each strand had He had no idea how to do that. His small knife, now in his hand,
its own prehensile life. White eyes glared from above a wide snout, seemed ridiculously tiny and fragile for the task. He approached
symbols scrolling across them from side to side. closer in the light of a new match, but the creature howled and
struggled to move, causing it far more pain.
Calaval did not wait to see more. He leapt down the shaft, Calaval sighed. His thoughts drifted back to Feddik.
throwing himself from rung to rung, letting gravity take him at He sat on the floor. He stayed with the creature until it drew its
speed. His shoulder was still tender, but he ignored it. last labored breath.

A howl from above shook his bones. A dark shape blotted out CHAPTER XIII: MACHINE’S HEART
the light from above.
In which we learn the lesson of comprehension and
He climbed down faster. Recklessly, he dropped down the shaft.
Each drop risked pulling his arm from its socket, but terror ruled understanding.
his behavior, not pain.
In the mechanical parts of the dead guardian, Calaval had found
At the bottom of the shaft, he retraced his path through the some easily removed bits that, with some slight modifications
winding maze of machine access conduits. He heard the thing and adaptations, he could use. If he hadn’t dropped most of his
land at the bottom behind him with a powerful grunt. He was sure tools with the rest of his gear, he perhaps could have achieved
that he could smell the beast too. Musk and machine oil mixed more.
with something he couldn’t place.
Perhaps most important of them all were the glowing modules
In the near darkness, he surged down the corridors, running a in the creature’s eyes that, once removed, provided about as much
hand along the walls. The guardian thing that he had awoken was light as his tiny torch. He knew that their illumination would fade,
behind him, tracking him. By sound, perhaps? Calaval tried to be as but in terms of his own needs, it would be long after it ceased
quiet as he could, but soon gave up and erred on the side of speed. being important.
The thing could be following him by scent. It could even be following
a heat trail of his own steps. He knew such things were possible. With these new cyphers, he ascended back up through the
obelisk’s inner workings. He crept slowly now. Quietly. No more
Finally, he reached the pile of scrap tubing. The pipes, however, guardians appeared.
once he grasped a few, seemed far too light to be used as weapons.
Instead, he grabbed one about his height and got moving again.

The bestial thing lumbered ever closer.
Calaval reached the shaft down and dropped the tube. Then he
followed it down, again performing more of a barely controlled
drop than a climbing descent.
The creature came down behind him. Closer this time, and
gaining. Like Calaval, it was dropping down, using the rungs only
occasionally. But its drops were longer, its movements more skilled.

9

He stopped to rest, and regretted the panel. He saw nothing, but felt the fist-
having no food. sized thing almost buck out of his hand.

He slept. He thrust it toward the panel, which
Steadily, he climbed the length of the buckled with a loud bang and folded like
massive monolith, until the quivering in paper. Guiding it with the device as though
every surface reached a powerful intensity. it was an invisible fist, he pulled back and
Reaching the top of the twenty-third shaft the panel tore from its mountings.
he had climbed, he determined that he
had found the heart of the machine. At Calaval tossed the device to the floor next
that level, he began to explore in earnest, to it with satisfaction.
carefully noting everything he found.
The glowing cylinder stretched twenty The newly exposed glass plate flared to life
feet across, thirty feet high. Made of and light, showing symbols and diagrams.
blue metal, it gave off a blue-white glow. Calaval recognized almost nothing, but after a
It floated two feet from the ground and few tries, touching the screen and moving the
hovered two feet from the high ceiling. symbols as though they were objects rather
Nothing connected to it from all the than bits of light, he quickly figured out how
machinery around it, but Calaval knew to activate the cylinder’s door.
that it was connected by invisible fields of
energy and force. Turning to face it, he watched as the
He wiped the sweat from his brow. The square section of the machine’s heart
interior of the monolith was warm and humid. The air was stale. simply faded from sight.
Stifling. He needed to get inside that cylinder.
He studied its surface for hours, looking for an access panel or a This revealed an empty but brightly lit
hidden hatch. He found nothing. interior.
He slept again. Fitfully. Without hesitation, Calaval entered the cylinder.
He searched the walls of the large chamber around the cylinder. And then stood elsewhere.
He studied them for mechanisms that might open or provide Without realization of transition or translation, Calaval had
access into it. Finally, he returned to the cylinder and scoured its moved vast distances. As he had hoped. Long ago he had learned
vibrating, glowing surface again. After long last, he determined of this place.
that there was a panel in its surface—a door—almost impossible High above him stretched a transparent dome. Through it, he
to perceive. But there was no obvious way to open it. looked up at the world, displayed before him as the center jewel of a
Driven by this new discovery, he returned to the machine-filled vast night-sky panorama. Or rather, he reasoned, he looked down at
perimeter of the room. He followed lines of conduits that ran the world. For he knew that he was in a citadel created in eons past
across their surfaces, up to the ceiling and down to the floor. by inhuman hands and placed high above, permanently in the sky.
He ascertained that the controls of some important function lay Legends spoke of a citadel in the sky so high that it was barely visible
behind a large metal panel, but when he tried to pry it off with his from the ground. Calaval had seen it in Yessai’s telescope. And the old
knife, its iron blade snapped. woman in Cloudridge had given him the secret of how to access it.
He sat down on the floor, tired and hungry. Here, Calaval knew, were the true secrets of the numenera.
“Of course,” he said aloud. He pulled out one of the Here he could perhaps—just perhaps—speak with one of the vast
components he had removed from the guardian creature. A intelligences given life in the prior worlds. If he could make his
weapon that had been built into one of its arms, he could coax its questions understood, he could find the knowledge he sought to
power for a different use of his own. Sliding open a tiny panel at join the Aeon Priesthood, and perhaps even become a prominent
one end of the device, he moved a tiny switch while pointing it at member of their ranks.
Thus ends the second part of the Sacred Chronicle of the Amber
Papacy. Little did Calaval know that the knowledge he would gain would
make him not an Aeon Priest, but greatest among them: the high father,
greatest of the Aeon Priests, and founder of the Order of Truth.

All glory to the originators of truth and understanding.
Praise to the innovators of steel and synth.

Praise to the shapers of flesh, of bone, and of mind.
Glory to those who re-sculpted the sustaining earth and the life-giving sun.
Praise to the senders of signals, who even now whisper into machine ears and give life to the inanimate.
Praise to those who traveled to the stars, and the realms beyond the stars.

All glory to the originators of truth and understanding.

10

PART 1:

GETTING STARTED

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Ninth World 12
Chapter 2: How to Play Numenera 15

CHAPTER 1

WELCOME TO THE
NINTH WORLD

There have been eight previous worlds. You and glass—below, upon, and above the earth—hold
may refer to them as ages, aeons, epochs, or vast treasures, and that secret doorways to stars and
eras, but it’s not wrong to think of each as its other dimensions and realms provide power and

own individual world. Each former world stretched secrets and death. They sometimes call it magic, and

across vast millennia of time. Each played host who are we to say that they’re wrong?

to a race whose civilizations rose to supremacy More often, however, when they find leftovers

but eventually died or scattered, disappeared or of the old worlds—the devices, the vast machine

transcended. During the time that each world complexes, the altered landscapes, the changes

flourished, those that ruled it spoke to the stars, wrought upon living creatures by ancient energies,

reengineered their physical bodies, and mastered the invisible nano-spirits hovering in the air in clouds

Iron Wind, page 135 form and essence, all in their own unique ways. called the Iron Wind, the information transmitted

The numenera, page 275 Each left behind remnants. into the so-called datasphere, and the remnants of

The Steadfast, page 136 The Ninth World is built on the bones of the visitors from other dimensions and alien planets—

Amber Pope, page 133 previous eight, and in particular the last four. Reach they call these things the numenera. In the Ninth
Order of Truth, page 222
into the dust, and you’ll World, the numenera
The Beyond, page 174
Aeon Priest, page 269 find that each particle is both a boon and a

Claves—small cloistered has been worked, bane. It makes life very
groups of Aeon Priests in
manufactured, or grown, The Ninth World is about discovering different from any other
the Beyond—can and then ground back the wonders of the worlds that came time on Earth.
offer protection and into drit—a fine, artificial
In a southern part
resources for the
communities that soil—by the relentless before it, not for their own sake, but of the vast, singular
spring up around power of time. Look to as the means to improve the present continent of the Ninth
them. However, claves the horizon—is that a World lies a cluster of
sometimes become so
insular and focused on mountain, or part of an and build a future. settled lands collectively
their work that they impossible monument called the Steadfast.
end up putting the
community at risk with to the forgotten emperor Although each of
their strange experiments.
of a lost people? Feel the kingdoms and

that subtle vibration beneath your feet and know principalities of the Steadfast has its own ruler, a

that ancient engines—vast machines the size of leader known as the Amber Pope guides the Order

kingdoms—still operate in the bowels of the earth. of Truth, an organization of Aeon Priests that

The Ninth World is about discovering the wonders commands a great deal of respect in the region.

of the worlds that came before it, not for their own Thus, the Amber Pope is likely the most powerful

sake, but as the means to improve the present and ruler in the Steadfast even though he does not

build a future. govern a single square foot of land. The Order

Each of the prior eight worlds, in its own way, is of Truth reveres the people of the past and their

too distant, too different, too incomprehensible. Life knowledge on a quasireligious level of adoration and

today is too dangerous to dwell on a past that cannot faith. It is a religion devoted to science.

be understood. The people excavate and study the Deeper in the wilds lies a region called the

marvels of the prior epochs just enough to help Beyond, where villages and communities are isolated

them survive in the world they have been given. They and rare. Here, Aeon Priests still study the secrets of

know that energies and knowledge are suspended the past, but they do so cloistered in remote claves.

invisibly in the air, that reshaped continents of iron These priests do little more than pay lip service to

12

WELCOME TO THE NINTH WORLD

the Amber Pope, if that, and are not considered the relics of the past provide a valuable service. Typically Abhumans:
part of the Order of Truth. Like the regions in which these brave souls—warrior glaives, science-wielding Chirog, page 235
they live, and the claves in which they work, they are nanos, and wily jacks—bring their findings to the Aeon Margr, page 244
isolated, islands unto themselves. Priests, who use the artifacts to fashion tools, weapons, Murden, page 247
and other boons for the growing civilization. As time Sathosh, page 256
THE PEOPLE OF THE passes, more individuals learn to use the numenera, Yovok, page 267
NINTH WORLD but it still remains a mystery to most people.
Visitants:
In the youth of an age, people use the resources they Who, then, are the people of the Ninth World? Lattimors, page 122
have on hand, coupled with whatever understanding Most are humans, although not all that call Varjellen, page 121
of their world they can master, to carve out a life for themselves human truly are. There are likewise
themselves. In the Ninth World, the resources are the abhumans: mutants, crossbreeds, genetically Artifacts, page 298
the numenera—the detritus of the prior eras—and engineered, and their offspring. And then there are Cyphers, page 278
the people’s understanding of these resources is the visitants, who are not native to the earth but Oddities, page 314
crude and incomplete. The Aeon Priests possess who now call the Ninth World home, and who have
just enough discernment and knowledge to suggest no more understanding of the past (even their own)
possible uses for things, but so much remains to than anyone else.
be discovered. Even the creatures and plants of the
Ninth World are strange by-products of the prior THE NUMENERA
ages; the past left behind flora, fauna, and machines,
some designed by lore or nature, others transplanted People with knowledge of the relics of older worlds
from distant stars or dimensions. divide them into three types: artifacts, cyphers, and
oddities.
The people of the Ninth World clothe themselves
in newly spun fabrics but weave the artifacts of the ARTIFACTS are large devices that typically can be
past into each garment. They forge armor, weapons, used more than once to produce the same result.
and tools from materials recovered from ancient An artifact might be a belt that creates a shield of
structures and devices. Some of these materials are invisible force to protect the wearer or a flying skiff
metals, but others are (or appear to be) glass, stone, that carries people and cargo from one place to
bone, flesh, or substances that defy categorization another. The term is almost always used for an item
and understanding. that has an obvious purpose—a weapon, a defense,
a mode of transport, a means of communication
Those who risk the mysterious dangers to recover or learning new information, a means of obtaining

13

Numenera items such as food or other necessities, and so forth. Artifacts leavings of the past). They can understand how
artifacts and cyphers add make their users more powerful, or they make life illnesses are transmitted or how socialism works.
capabilities to the player easier or better. They can know that the earth revolves around the
sun and be aware of other “anachronistic”
character’s repertoire CYPHERS are usually small, minor
but they are the purview devices that most characters can bits of knowledge.
coax a single effect from On the other hand, characters in
of the game master. before they are depleted Numenera don’t refer to weapons
Very rarely does a player and become curiosities or as “guns” or vehicles as “cars.”
choose these items; they decorations. They might The technology in the Ninth World is
include a quick injection too advanced and too alien for such
are discovered while designed to repair physical terminology to have endured. Using
exploring ancient ruins damage in a living creature or
a handheld object that, when 21st-century terms for weapons and
or overcoming other manipulated properly, becomes vehicles is as inappropriate as using
challenges of the Ninth a weapon that explodes with medieval terms. The numenera is
tremendous force. However, cyphers weird—much of it wasn’t created
World. are dangerous when gathered together by humans or for humans. It isn’t
because they create radiation and designed or presented in any way
For more information harmonic frequencies that are inimical
on the Ninth World, see to human life. that might be familiar to the players
Part 4: The Setting (page or the characters. Only through
129). Game masters will ODDITIES are the relics that are experimentation, player insight, and
want to refer to Chapter neither cyphers nor artifacts. They character skill can the PCs identify, and
23: Realizing the Ninth serve no obvious purpose but have possibly use, what they find.
strange functions that are at least curious, if not Perhaps even more important, the artifacts,
World (page 354). downright entertaining. Examples include a piece of cyphers, and oddities that characters use probably
glass in a metal frame that shows peculiar images aren’t serving their original purpose. The explosive
or a box with three bells that ring at unpredictable cypher that a character tosses at an enemy might
times. Not everything from the prior worlds can be have been the power source for a vehicle. The force
understood. In fact, much of it cannot. field the enemy uses to protect herself from the blast
might have been designed to contain the radiation of
LOOKING AT THE the fuel rods in a miniature nuclear reactor.
NINTH WORLD FROM Welcome to the Ninth World, where every
THE 21ST CENTURY discovery might save you—or kill you. But you won’t
know until you try.
The Ninth World is a science-fantasy setting
approximately a billion years in the future. The
people of the world dwell amid the flotsam of
impossible ultratech of eight prior civilizations
and call it magic. Unimaginably huge machines
lie beneath the earth, and satellites orbit high
above, transmitting a web of data and free energy.
Nanotech, gravitic technology, genetic engineering,
spatial warping, and superdense polymers allowed
the inhabitants of the previous worlds to reshape the
planet. Mass and energy were theirs to command.
In many ways, the Ninth World is a medieval fantasy
setting without the historicity. When people who
haven’t done a lot of homework on the dark ages run
a traditional fantasy game, they often insert modern
sensibilities or developments such as democracy,
hygiene, or matches. But in the Ninth World, these
things, and more, make sense. Characters can have
rain slickers, ink pens, zippers, and plastic bags,
all left over from the prior eras (or fashioned from

14

HOW TO PLAY NUMENERA

CHAPTER 2

HOW TO PLAY
NUMENERA

T he rules of You don’t earn XP for killing foes or excellent equipment can
Numenera overcoming standard challenges in decrease the difficulty
are quite the course of play. Discovery is the of a task. For example,
straightforward at their if a character is trained
heart, as all of gameplay is in climbing, she turns

based around a few core soul of Numenera. a difficulty 6 climb into
concepts. a difficulty 5 climb.
Decreasing the difficulty,
This chapter provides This is called decreasing page 86

a brief explanation of how to play the game, and it’s the difficulty by one step. If she is specialized in Skills, page 25

useful for learning the game. Once you understand climbing, she turns a difficulty 6 climb into a Trained, page 86
Specialized, page 86
the basic concepts, you’ll likely want to reference difficulty 4 climb. This is called decreasing the Difficulty, page 86

Chapter 8: Rules of the Game, page 84, for a more difficulty by two steps.

in-depth treatment. A skill is a category of knowledge, ability, or

Numenera uses a twenty-sided die (1d20) to activity relating to a task, such as climbing,

determine the results of most actions. Whenever a geography, or persuasiveness. A character who

roll of any kind is called for and no die is specified, has a skill is better at completing related tasks

roll a d20. than a character who lacks the skill. A character’s

The game master sets a difficulty for any given level of skill is either trained (reasonably skilled) or

task. There are 10 degrees of difficulty. Thus, the specialized (very skilled).

difficulty of a task can be rated on a scale of 1 to 10. If you are trained in a skill relating to a task, you

Each difficulty has a target number associated with decrease the difficulty of that task by one step. If you

it. The target number is always three times the task’s are specialized, you decrease the difficulty by two

difficulty, so a difficulty 4 task has a target number of steps. A skill can never decrease a task’s difficulty by

12. To succeed at the task, you must roll the target more than two steps.

number or higher. Anything else that reduces difficulty (help from an

Character skills, favorable circumstances, or ally, a particular piece of equipment, or some other

TASK DIFFICULTY

TASK DIFFICULTY DESCRIPTION TARGET NO. GUIDANCE
0 Routine 0 Anyone can do this basically every time.
1 Simple 3 Most people can do this most of the time.
2 Standard 6 Typical task requiring focus, but most people can usually do this.
3 9 Requires full attention; most people have a 50/50 chance to succeed.
4 Demanding 12 Trained people have a 50/50 chance to succeed.
5 Difficult 15 Even trained people often fail.
6 18 Normal people almost never succeed.
7 Challenging 21 Impossible without skills or great effort.
8 Intimidating 24 A task worthy of tales told for years afterward.
9 Formidable 27 A task worthy of legends that last lifetimes.
10 30 A task that normal humans couldn’t consider (but one that doesn’t break
Heroic the laws of physics).
Immortal
Impossible

15

Effort, page 21 advantage) is referred to as an asset. Assets can never COMBAT
decrease a task’s difficulty by more than two steps.
Armor, page 92 Making an attack in combat works the same way as any
You can also decrease the difficulty of a given task other roll: the GM assigns a difficulty to the task, and
Combat will be an by applying Effort. (Effort is described in more detail you roll a d20 against the associated target number.
important part of in Chapter 8: Rules of the Game.)
Numenera for some The difficulty of your attack roll depends on how
people. However, this is To sum up, three things can decrease a task’s powerful your opponent is. Just as tasks have a difficulty
your choice; Numenera difficulty: skills, assets, and Effort. from 1 to 10, creatures have a level from 1 to 10. Most
doesn’t have to be a of the time, the difficulty of your attack roll is the same
game about combat. If you can decrease a task’s difficulty to 0, you as the creature’s level. For example, if you attack a level
automatically succeed and don’t need to make a roll. 2 bandit, it’s a level 2 task, so your target number is 6.
Although the Ninth
World has many quasi- WHEN DO YOU ROLL? It’s worth noting that players make all die rolls. If
historical weapons and a character attacks a creature, the player makes an
armor like swords, spears, Any time your character attempts a task, the GM attack roll. If a creature attacks a character, the player
and chainmail, it also has assigns a difficulty to that task, and you roll a d20 makes a defense roll.
unique items like razor against the associated target number.
rings, which are bladed The damage dealt by an attack is not determined
metal throwing weapons. When you jump from a burning vehicle, swing a by a roll—it’s a flat number based on the weapon
battleaxe at a mutant beast, swim across a raging or attack used. For example, a spear always does 4
For more on the types river, identify a strange device, convince a merchant points of damage.
of weapons that your to give you a lower price, craft an object, use a power
characters can use, see to control a foe’s mind, or use a heat-beam emitter Your Armor characteristic reduces the damage you
Chapter 7: Equipment to carve a hole in a wall, you make a d20 roll. take from attacks directed at you. You get Armor from
wearing physical armor (such as a sturdy leather jerkin
(page 77). However, if you attempt something that has a or chainmail) or from special abilities. Like weapon
difficulty of 0, no roll is needed—you automatically damage, Armor is a flat number, not a roll. If you’re
succeed. Many actions have a difficulty of 0. attacked, subtract your Armor from the damage you
Examples include walking across the room and take. For example, a leather jerkin gives you 1 point of
opening a door, using a special ability to negate Armor, meaning that you take 1 less point of damage
gravity so you can fly, using an ability to protect your from attacks. If a bandit hits you with a knife for 2 points
friend from radiation, or activating a device (that you of damage while you’re wearing a leather jerkin, you
already understand) to erect a force field. These are take only 1 point of damage. If your Armor reduces the
all routine actions and don’t require rolls. damage from an attack to 0, you take no damage from
that attack.
Using skill, assets, and Effort, you can decrease the
difficulty of potentially any task to 0 and thus negate the When you see the word “Armor” capitalized in
need for a roll. Walking across a narrow wooden beam is the game rules (other than as the name of a special
tricky for most people, but for an experienced gymnast, ability), it refers to your Armor characteristic—the
it’s routine. You can even decrease the difficulty of an number you subtract from incoming damage. When
attack on a foe to 0 and succeed without rolling. you see the word “armor” with a lowercase “a,” it
refers to any physical armor you might wear.
If there’s no roll, there’s no chance for failure.
However, there’s also no chance for remarkable Typical physical weapons come in three categories:
success (in Numenera, that usually means rolling a light, medium and heavy.
19 or 20; see Special Rolls in Chapter 8: Rules of the
Game). LIGHT WEAPONS inflict only 2 points of damage,
but they reduce the difficulty of the attack roll by one
step because they are fast and easy to use. Light
weapons are punches, kicks, clubs, knives, handaxes,
rapiers, and so on. Weapons that are particularly
small are light weapons.

MEDIUM WEAPONS inflict 4 points of damage.
Medium weapons include swords, battleaxes, maces,
crossbows, spears, and so on. Most weapons are
medium. Anything that could be used in one hand
(even if it’s often used in two hands, such as a
quarterstaff or spear) is a medium weapon.

HEAVY WEAPONS inflict 6 points of damage, and
you must use two hands to attack with them. Heavy

16

HOW TO PLAY NUMENERA

weapons are huge swords, great hammers, massive GLOSSARY
axes, halberds, heavy crossbows, and so on. Anything
that must be used in two hands is a heavy weapon. Game Master (GM): The player who doesn’t run a character, but instead
guides the flow of the story (and runs all the NPCs).
BONUSES
Non-Player Character (NPC): Characters run by the GM. Think of them as
Rarely, an ability or piece of equipment does not decrease the minor characters in the story, or the villains or opponents. This includes
a task’s difficulty but instead adds a bonus to the die roll. any kind of creature as well as people.
Bonuses always add together, so f you get a +1 bonus
from two different sources, you have a +2 bonus. If you Party: A group of player characters (and perhaps some NPC allies).
get enough bonuses to add up to a +3 bonus for a task,
treat it as an asset: instead of adding the bonus to your Player Character (PC): A character run by a player rather than the GM. Think
roll, decrease the difficulty by one step. Therefore, you of them as the main characters in the story.
never add more than +1 or +2 to a die roll.
Player: The players who run characters in the game.
SPECIAL ROLLS
Session: A single play experience. Usually lasts a few hours. Sometimes one
When you roll a natural 19 (the d20 shows “19”) and adventure can be accomplished in a session. More often, one adventure is
the roll is a success, you also have a minor effect. In multiple sessions.
combat, a minor effect inflicts 3 additional points of
damage with your attack, or, if you’d prefer a special Adventure: A single portion of the campaign with a beginning and an end.
result, you could decide instead that you knock the foe Usually defined at the beginning by some goal put forth by the PCs and at
back, distract him, or something similar. When not in the end by whether or not they achieve that goal.
combat, a minor effect could mean that you perform
the action with particular grace. For example, when Campaign: This is a series of sessions strung together with an overarching
jumping down from a ledge, you land smoothly on your story (or linked stories) with the same characters. Often, but not always, a
feet, or when trying to persuade someone, you convince campaign involves a number of adventures.
her that you’re smarter than you really are. In other
words, you not only succeed but also go a bit further. Character: Anything that can act in the game. While this includes PCs
and human NPCs, it also technically includes creatures, aliens, mutants,
When you roll a natural 20 (the d20 shows “20”) automatons, animate plants, and so on. The word “creature” is usually
and the roll is a success, you also have a major effect. synonymous.
This is similar to a minor effect, but the results are
more remarkable. In combat, a major effect inflicts For more information on
4 additional points of damage with your attack, but special rolls and how they
again, you can choose instead to introduce a dramatic affect combat and other
event such as knocking down your foe, stunning him, interactions, see page 88.
or taking an extra action. Outside of combat, a major
effect means that something beneficial happens based Distance, page 89
on the circumstance. For example, when climbing up
a cliff wall, you make the ascent twice as fast. When a
roll grants you a major effect, you can choose to use a
minor effect instead if you prefer.

In combat (and only in combat), if you roll a natural
17 or 18 on your attack roll, you add 1 or 2 additional
points of damage, respectively. Neither roll has any
special effect options—just the extra damage.

Rolling a natural 1 is always bad. It means that the
GM introduces a new complication into the encounter.

RANGE AND SPEED

Distance is simplified into three categories:
immediate, short, and long.

IMMEDIATE DISTANCE from a character is within
reach or within a few steps. If a character stands
in a small room, everything in the room is within
immediate distance. At most, immediate distance is
10 feet (3 m).

17

SHORT DISTANCE is anything greater than immediate good idea, told a funny joke, performed an action that

distance but less than 50 feet (15 m) or so. saved a l fe, and so on).

LONG DISTANCE is anything greater than short Alternatively, the player can refuse the GM intrusion. If
distance but less than 100 feet (30 m) or so. (Beyond he does so, he doesn’t get the 2 XP from the GM, and he
that range, distances are always specified—500 feet must also spend 1 XP that he already has. If the player
[152 m], a mile [1.6 km], and so on.) has no XP to spend, he can’t refuse the intrusion.

The GM can also give players XP between sessions

People of the Ninth World The idea is that it’s not In Numenera, players make all die as a reward for recovering
have units of measurement necessary to measure rolls. If a character attacks a creature, interesting artifactsor
precise distances. making discoveriesduringan
very different from our Immediate distance is the player makes an attack roll. If adventure.Youdon t earn XP
own. When converting right there, practically next a creature attacks a character, the forkillingfoes or overcoming
these to U.S. standard and to the character. Short standard challenges in the
metric units, we’ve used distance is nearby. Long player makes a defense roll. course of play. Discovery is
approximations rather than distance is farther off. the soul of Numenera.
precise conversions for ease
All weapons and special abilities use these terms for Experience points are used primarily for character
of use.
ranges. For example, all melee weapons have immediate advancement (for details, see Chapter 3: Creating Your
Nano, page 32
Onslaught, page 35 range—they are close-combat weapons, and you can use Character, page 20), but a player can also spend 1 XP to

Cypher, page 278 them to attack anyone within immediate distance of you. reroll any die roll and take the better of the two rolls.

Abhuman, page 13 A thrown knife (and most other thrown weapons) has CYPHERS
short range. A bow has long range. A nano’s Onslaught
Experience points, page 108
ability also has short range. As explained in Chapter 1: Welcome to the Ninth World,
GM intrusion, page 88
A character can move an immediate distance as cyphers are a type of numenera that have a single minor
A d6 is used most often for
recovery rolls (page 94) and part of another action. In other words, he can take use. A character can carry cyphers and use them during

to determine the effects of a few steps over to the control panel and activate a the game. You can’t bear many cyphers at a time because
numenera devices (Part 6,
switch. He can lunge across a small room to attack a a large number of these weird items emit radiation or
page 275).
foe. He can open a door and step through. dangerous chemicals that don’t mix well. Gathering

A character can move a short distance as his cyphers together in one place is extraordinarily unhealthy.

entire action for a turn. He can also try to move a Characters will find new cyphers frequently in the

long distance as his entire action, but the player course of play, so players shouldn’t hesitate to use their

might have to roll to see if the character slips, trips, cypher abilities. Because cyphers are always different, the

or stumbles as the result of moving so far so quickly. characters will always have new special powers to try.

For example, f the PCs are fighting a group of There are two kinds of cyphers: anoetic and occultic.

abhumans, any character can likely attack any abhuman

in the general melee—they’re all within immediate ANOETIC CYPHERS are simple to use: a pill to

range. Exact positions aren’t important. Creatures in swallow, a small handheld device with a switch to

a fight are always moving, shifting, and flip, or a bomb to throw.

jostling, anyway. However, if one

abhuman stayed back to use his OCCULTIC CYPHERS are more complex and more

crossbow, a character might have to use dangerous, but they often have better and more

herentireactiontomovetheshortdistancerequired to interesting effects. An occultic cypher counts as two

attackthatfoe.Itdoesn’tmatter ftheabhumanis20 feet(6 cyphers for the purpose of determining how many

m)or40feet(12m)away—it’ssimplyconsidered short you can bear at the same time.

distance.Itdoesmatterifhe’smorethan50feet (15m)away

becausethatdistancewouldrequirealong move. OTHER DICE

EXPERIENCE POINTS In addition to a d20, you’ll need a d6 (a six-sided die).
Rarely, you’ll need to roll a number between 1 and 100
Experiencepoints(XP)arerewardsgiventoplayerswhen the (often called a d100 or d% roll), which you can do by
GM intrudes on the story (this is called GM intrusion) with rolling a d20 twice, using the last digit of the first roll as
anewandunexpectedchallenge.Forexample,inthe middle the “tens” place and the last digit of the second roll as
ofcombat,theGMmightinformtheplayerthat hedropshis the “ones” place. For example, rolling a 17 and a 9 gives
weapon.However,tointrudeinthismanner, theGMmust you 79, rolling a 3 and an 18 gives you 38, and rolling a
awardtheplayer2XP.Therewardedplayer, inturn,must 20 and a 10 gives you 00 (also known as 100). If you
immediatelygiveoneofthoseXPtoanother player and have a d10 (a ten-sided die), you can use it instead
justify the g ft (perhaps the other player had a of the d20 to roll numbers between 1 and 100.

18

PART 2:

CHARACTERS

Chapter 3: Creating Your Character 20
Chapter 4: Character Type 26
Chapter 5: Character Descriptor 47
Chapter 6: Character Focus 52
Chapter 7: Equipment 77

CHAPTER 3

CREATING YOUR
CHARACTER

This section explains how to create characters INTELLECT: This stat determines how smart,
to play in a Numenera game. This involves knowledgeable, and likable your character is. It
a series of decisions that will shape your includes intelligence, wisdom, charisma, education,
character, so the more you understand what kind reasoning, wit, willpower, and charm. Intellect
of character you want to play, the easier character governs solving puzzles, remembering facts,
creation will be. The process involves understanding telling convincing lies, and using mental powers.
the values of three game statistics and choosing Characters interested in communicating effectively,
three aspects that determine your character’s being learned scholars, and wielding the numenera
capabilities. should stress their Intellect stat.

Might could be thought CHARACTER STATS POOL, EDGE, AND EFFORT
of as Might/Health
Every player character has three defining Each of these stats has two components: your Pool
because it governs how characteristics, which are typically called “statistics” and your Edge. Your Pool represents your raw, innate
strong you are and or “stats.” These stats are Might, Speed, and ability, and your Edge represents knowing how to
how much physical Intellect. They are broad categories that cover many use what you have. A third element ties into this
different but related aspects of a character. concept: Effort. When your character really needs to
punishment you can take. accomplish a task, you apply Effort.
MIGHT: Might defines how strong and durable your
Speed could be thought character is. The concepts of strength, endurance, Pool
of as Speed/Agility constitution, hardiness, and physical prowess are all
folded into this one stat. Might isn’t relative to size; Your Pool is the most basic measurement of a stat.
because it governs your instead, it’s an absolute measurement. An elephant Comparing the Pools of two creatures will give you a
overall swiftness and has more Might than the mightiest tiger, which has general sense of which creature is superior in that stat.
reflexes. more Might than the mightiest rat, which has more For example, a character who has a Might Pool of 16 is
Might than the mightiest spider. stronger (in a basic sense) than a character who has a
Intellect could be thought Might Pool of 12. Most characters start with a Pool of
of as Intellect/Personality Might governs actions from forcing doors 9 to 12 in most stats—that’s the average range.
open to walking for days without food to resisting
because it governs disease. It’s also the primary means of determining When your character is injured, sickened, or
both intelligence and how much damage your character can sustain in attacked, you temporarily lose points from one of
a dangerous situation. Physical characters, tough your stat Pools. The nature of the attack determines
charisma. characters, and characters interested in fighting which Pool loses points. For example, physical
should focus on Might. damage from a sword reduces your Might Pool, a
poison that makes you clumsy reduces your Speed
SPEED: Speed describes how fast and physically Pool, and a psionic blast reduces your Intellect Pool.
coordinated your character is. The stat embodies You can also spend points from one of your stat
quickness, movement, dexterity, and reflexes. Pools to decrease a task’s difficulty (see Effort, next
Speed governs such divergent actions as dodging page). You can rest to regain lost points from a stat
attacks, sneaking around quietly, and throwing a Pool (see Recovering Points in a Pool, page 94), and
ball accurately. It helps determine whether you can some special abilities or numenera might allow you
move farther on your turn. Nimble, fast, or sneaky to recover lost points quickly.
characters will want good Speed stats, as will those
interested in ranged combat. Edge

Although your Pool is the basic measurement of a stat,
your Edge is also important. When something requires

20

CREATING YOUR CHARACTER

you to spend points from a stat Pool, your Edge for Every character starts the game at the first tier. Tier is a
that stat reduces the cost. It also reduces the cost of measurement of power, toughness, and ability. Characters
applying Effort to a roll.
can advance up to the sixth tier.
For example, let’s say you have a mental blast ability,
and activating it costs 1 point from your Intellect Pool. points from the stat Pool appropriate to the action. Your stat Pools, as well
Subtract your Intellect Edge from the activation cost, Thus, if your character tries to dodge an attack (a as your Effort and Edge,
and the result is how many points you must spend to Speed roll) and wants to increase the chance for are determined by the
use the mental blast. If using your Edge reduces the success, you can apply Effort by spending 3 points character type, descriptor,
cost to 0, you can use the ability for free. from your Speed Pool. Effort lowers the difficulty and focus that you choose.
of the task by one step. This is called applying one Within those guidelines,
Your Edge can be different for each stat. For level of Effort. however, you have a lot
example, you could have a Might Edge of 1, a Speed of flexibility in how you
Edge of 1, and an Intellect Edge of 0. You’ll always You don’t have to apply Effort if you don’t want to. develop your character.
have an Edge of at least 1 in one stat. Your Edge If you choose to apply Effort to a task, you must do
for a stat reduces the cost of spending points from it before you attempt the roll—you can’t roll first and
that stat Pool, but not from other Pools. Your Might then decide to apply Effort if you rolled poorly.
Edge reduces the cost of spending points from your
Might Pool, but it doesn’t affect your Speed Pool or Applying more Effort can lower a task’s difficulty
Intellect Pool. Once a stat’s Edge reaches 3, you can further: each additional level of Effort reduces the
apply one level of Effort for free. difficulty by another step. Applying one level of
Effort lowers the difficulty by one step, applying
A character who has a low Might Pool but a high two levels lowers the difficulty by two steps, and
Might Edge has the potential to perform Might actions so on. However, each level of Effort after the first
consistently better than a character who has a Might costs only 2 points from the stat Pool instead of
Edge of 0. The high Edge will let her reduce the cost 3. So applying two levels of Effort costs 5 points
of spending points from the Pool, which means she’ll (3 for the first level plus 2 for the second level),
have more points available to spend on applying Effort. applying three levels costs 7 points (3 plus 2 plus
2), and so on.
Effort

When your character really needs to accomplish
a task, you can apply Effort. For a beginning
character, applying Effort requires spending 3

21

MAKING ATTACKS Every character has an Effort score, which Multiple Uses of Effort and Edge
When applying Effort to indicates the maximum number of levels of Effort
melee attacks, you have the that can be applied to a roll. A beginning (first- If your Effort is 2 or higher, you can apply Effort to
option of spending points tier) character has an Effort of 1, meaning you multiple aspects of a single action. For example,
from either your Might Pool can apply only one level of Effort to a roll. A more if you make an attack, you can apply Effort to your
or your Speed Pool. When experienced character has a higher Effort score and attack roll and apply Effort to increase the damage.
making ranged attacks, can apply more levels of Effort to a roll. For example,
you may only spend points a character who has an Effort of 3 can apply up to The total amount of Effort you apply can’t be
from your Speed Pool. This three levels of Effort to reduce a task’s difficulty. higher than your Effort score. For example, if your
reflects that with melee you Effort is 2, you can apply up to two levels of Effort.
sometimes use brute force When you apply Effort, subtract your relevant Edge You could apply one level to an attack roll and one
and sometimes use finesse, from the total cost of applying Effort. For example, level to its damage, two levels to the attack and no
but with ranged attacks, let’s say you need to make a Speed roll. To increase levels to the damage, or no levels to the attack and
it’s always about careful your chance for success, you decide to apply one two levels to the damage.
level of Effort, which will reduce the difficulty of the
targeting. task by one step. Normally, that would cost 3 points You can use Edge for a particular stat only once
from your Speed Pool. However, you have a Speed per action. For example, if you apply Effort to a Might
For information on Edge of 2, so you subtract that from the cost. Thus, attack roll and to your damage, you can use your
additional types of damage, applying Effort to the roll costs only 1 point from Might Edge to reduce the cost of one of those uses
your Speed Pool. of Effort, not both. If you spend 1 Intellect point to
see Damage Track, page activate your mind blast and one level of Effort to
93, and Special Damage, What if you applied two levels of Effort to the decrease the difficulty of the attack roll, you can use
Speed roll instead of just one? That would reduce your Intellect Edge to reduce the cost of one of those
page 94. the difficulty of the task by two steps. Normally, it things, not both.
would cost 5 points from your Speed Pool, but after
Broken hound, page 232 subtracting your Speed Edge of 2, it costs only 3 STAT EXAMPLES
points.
Flash, page 37 A beginning character is fighting a creature called
Once a stat’s Edge reaches 3, you can apply one a broken hound. She stabs her spear at the broken
level of Effort for free. For example, if you have a hound, which is a level 2 creature and thus has a
Speed Edge of 3 and you apply one level of Effort to target number of 6. The character stands atop a
a Speed roll, it costs you 0 points from your Speed boulder and strikes downward at the beast, and
Pool. (Normally, applying one level of Effort would the GM rules that this helpful tactic is an asset that
cost 3 points, but you subtract your Speed Edge decreases the difficulty by one step (to difficulty 1).
from that cost, reducing it to 0.) That lowers the target number to 3. Attacking with
a spear is a Might action; the character has a Might
Skills and other advantages also decrease a task’s Pool of 11 and a Might Edge of 0. Before making
difficulty, and you can use them in conjunction with the roll, she decides to apply a level of Effort to
Effort. In addition, your character might have special decrease the difficulty of the attack. That costs 3
abilities or equipment that allow you to apply Effort points from her Might Pool, reducing the Pool to 8.
to accomplish a special effect, such as knocking But they appear to be points well spent. Applying the
down a foe with an attack or affecting multiple Effort lowers the difficulty from 1 to 0, so no roll is
targets with a power that normally affects only one. needed—the attack automatically succeeds.

Effort and Damage Another character is attempting to convince a
guard to let him into a private office to speak to
Instead of applying Effort to reduce the difficulty an influential noble. The GM rules that this is an
of your attack, you can apply Effort to increase the Intellect action. The character is third tier and has
amount of damage you inflict with an attack. For
each level of Effort you apply in this way, you inflict 3
additional points of damage. This works for any kind
of attack that inflicts damage, whether a sword, a
crossbow, a mind blast, or something else.

When using Effort to increase the damage of
an area attack, such as the explosion created
by a nano’s Flash ability, you inflict 2 additional
points of damage instead of 3 points. However,
the additional points are dealt to all targets in the
area. Further, even if one or more of the targets in
the area resist the attack, you still inflict 1 point of
damage to them.

22

CREATING YOUR CHARACTER

an Effort of 3, an Intellect Pool of 13, and an Intellect got some experience under their belt. This is not a Skills are a broad
Edge of 1. Before making the roll, he must decide “zero to hero” progression, but rather an instance category of things your
whether to apply Effort. He can choose to apply one, of competent people refining and honing their character can learn and
two, or three levels of Effort, or apply none at all. capabilities and knowledge. Advancing to higher tiers accomplish. For a list
This action is important to him, so he decides to is not really the “goal” of Numenera characters, but of sample skills, see the
apply two levels of Effort, decreasing the difficulty rather a representation of how characters progress Skills sidebar on page 25.
by two steps. Thanks to his Intellect Edge, applying in a story.
the Effort costs only 4 points from his Intellect Pool
(3 points for the first level of Effort plus 2 points To progress to the next tier, characters earn
for the second level minus 1 point for his Edge). experience points (XP) by going on adventures and
Spending those points reduces his Intellect Pool to discovering new things—the Ninth World is about
9. The GM decides that convincing the guard is a discovery of the past and what it means for the future.
difficulty 3 (demanding) task with a target number Experience points have many uses, and one use is
of 9; applying two levels of Effort reduces the to purchase character benefits. After your character
difficulty to 1 (simple) and the target number to 3. purchases four character benefits, he or she goes up
The player rolls a d20 and gets an 8. Because this to the next tier. Each benefit costs 4 XP, and you can
result is at least equal to the target number of the purchase them in any order, but you must purchase
task, he succeeds. However, if he had not applied one of each kind of benefit (after which you advance to
some Effort, he would have failed because his roll (8) the next tier) before you can purchase the same benefit
would have been less than the task’s original target again. The four character benefits are as follows.
number (9).
INCREASING CAPABILITIES: You gain 4 points to
CHARACTER TIERS add to your stat Pools. You can allocate the points
AND BENEFITS among the Pools however you wish.

Every character starts the game at the first tier. MOVING TOWARD PERFECTION: You add 1 to your
Tier is a measurement of power, toughness, and Might Edge, your Speed Edge, or your Intellect Edge
ability. Characters can advance up to the sixth tier. (your choice).
As your character advances to higher tiers, you
gain more abilities, increase your Effort, and can EXTRA EFFORT: Your Effort score increases by 1.
improve a stat’s Edge or increase a stat. Generally
speaking, even first tier characters are already quite SKILLS: You become trained in one skill of your
capable. It’s safe to assume that they’ve already choice, other than attacks or defense. As described
in the Chapter 8: Rules of the Game (page 84), a

23

character trained in a

skill treats the difficulty “I am a [fill in an adjective here] [fill in a noun here] who
of a related task as one [fill in a verb here].”
step lower than normal.

The skill you choose

for this benefit can be

anything you wish, such

as climbing, jumping, persuading, or sneaking. some roleplaying games, it might be called your

You can also choose to be knowledgeable in a character class. Your type helps determine your

certain area of lore, such as history or geology. You character’s place in the world and relationship with

can even choose a skill based on your character’s other people in the setting. It’s the noun of the

special abilities. For example, if your character sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”

Glaive, page 26 can make an Intellect roll to blast an enemy with You can choose from three character types: glaive,
Jack, page 40
mental force, you can become trained in using jack, and nano.
Nano, page 32
that ability, treating its difficulty as one step lower Descriptor defines your character—it flavors
Character descriptor, page 47
than normal. If you choose a skill that you are everything you do. Your descriptor places your
Character focus, page 52
Fighting moves, page 29 already trained in, you become specialized in that character in the situation (the first adventure, which

Esoteries, page 35 skill, reducing the difficulty of related tasks by two starts the campaign) and helps provide motivation.
Tricks of the trade, page 42
steps instead of one. It’s the adjective of the sentence “I am an adjective
Onslaught, page 35
Players can also spend 4 XP to purchase other noun who verbs.”

special options in lieu of gaining a new skill. You can choose from twelve character descriptors.

Selecting any of these options counts as the skill Focus is what your character does best. Focus gives

benefit necessary to advance to the next tier. The your character specificity and provides interesting new

special options are as follows: abilities that might come in handy. Your focus also

helps you understand how you relate with the other

t 3FEVDF UIF DPTU GPS XFBSJOH BSNPS 5IJT PQUJPO player characters in your group. It’s the verb of the

lowers the Might cost by 1 and lowers the Speed sentence “I am an adjective noun who verbs.”

reduction by 1. There are many character foci to choose from.

t "EE UP ZPVS SFDPWFSZ SPMMT SPECIAL ABILITIES
t *G ZPV SF B HMBJWF
TFMFDU B OFX fighting move. The

move must be from your tier or a lower tier. Character types and foci grant PCs special abilities

t *G ZPV SF B OBOP
TFMFDU B OFX esotery. The esotery at each new tier. Using these abilities usually costs

must be from your tier or a lower tier. points from your stat Pools; the cost is listed in

t *G ZPV SF B KBDL
TFMFDU B OFX trick of the trade. The parentheses after the ability name. Your Edge in

trick must be from your tier or a lower tier. the appropriate stat can reduce the cost of the

ability, but remember that you can apply Edge only

CHARACTER DESCRIPTOR, once per action. For example, let’s say a nano with
TYPE, AND FOCUS an Intellect Edge of 2 wants to use his Onslaught
ability to create a bolt of force, which costs 1

To create your character, you build a simple Intellect point. He also wants to increase the

statement that describes him or her. The statement damage from the attack by using a level of Effort,

takes this form: “I am a [fill in an adjective here] [fill which costs 3 Intellect points. The total cost for his

in a noun here] who [fill in a verb here].” action is 2 points from his Intellect Pool (1 point

Thus: “I am an adjective noun who verbs.” For for the bolt of force plus 3 points for using Effort

example, you might say, “I am a Rugged glaive who minus 2 points from his Edge).

Controls Beasts” or “I am a Charming nano who Sometimes the point cost for an ability has a +

Focuses Mind over Matter.” sign after the number. For example, the cost might

In this sentence, the adjective is called your be given as “2+ Intellect points.” That means you

descriptor. can spend more points or more levels of Effort to

The noun is your character type. improve the ability further.

The verb is called your focus. Many special abilities grant a character the option

Even though character type is in the middle of the to perform an action that she couldn’t normally do,

sentence, that’s where we’ll start this discussion. such as projecting rays of cold or attacking multiple

(Just as in a sentence, the noun provides the foes at once. Using one of these abilities is an action

foundation.) unto itself, and the end of the ability’s description

Character type is the core of your character. In says “Action” to remind you. It also might provide

24

CREATING YOUR CHARACTER

SKILLS

Sometimes your character gains training in a specific skill or task. For example, your focus might mean that you’re trained in
sneaking, in climbing and jumping, or in social interactions. Other times, your character can choose a skill to become trained in, and
you can pick a skill that relates to any task you think you might face.

The game has no definitive list of skills. However, the following list offers ideas:

Astronomy Healing Perception
Balancing History Persuasion
Biology Identifying Philosophy
Botany Initiative Pickpocketing
Carrying Intimidation Repairing
Climbing Jumping Riding
Deceiving Leatherworking Smashing
Escaping Lockpicking Sneaking
Geography Metalworking Swimming
Geology Numenera Woodworking

You could choose a skill that incorporates more than one of these areas (interacting might include deceiving, intimidating,
and persuading) or is a more specific version of one (hiding might be sneaking when you’re not moving). You could also make
up more general, professional skills, such as baker, sailor, or lumberjack. If you want to choose a skill that’s not on this list, it’s
probably best to run it past the GM first, but in general, the most important aspect is to choose skills that are appropriate to your
character.

Remember that if you gain a skill that you’re already trained in, you become specialized in that skill. Because skill descriptions
can be nebulous, determining whether you’re trained or specialized might take some thinking. For example, if you’re trained in
lying and later gain an ability that grants you skill with all social interactions, you become specialized in lying and trained in all
other types of interactions. Being trained three times in a skill is no better than being trained twice (in other words, specialized is
as good as it gets).

Only skills gained through character type abilities, such as the glaive's fighting moves focus abilities, or other rare instances allow
you to become skilled with attack or defense tasks.

If you gain a special ability through your type, your focus, or some other aspect of your character, you can choose it in place of a
skill and become trained or specialized in that ability. For example, if you have a mind blast, when it’s time to choose a skill to be
trained in, you can select your mind blast as your skill. That would reduce the difficulty every time you used it. Each ability you have
counts as a separate skill for this purpose. You can’t select “all mind powers” or “all esoteries” as one skill and become trained or
specialized in such a broad category.

more information about when or how you perform
the action.

Some special abilities allow you to perform a
familiar action—one that you can already do—in
a different way. For example, an ability might
let you wear heavy armor, reduce the difficulty
of Speed defense rolls, or add 2 points of fire
damage to your weapon damage. These abilities
are called enablers. Using one of these abilities is
not considered an action. Enablers either function
constantly (such as being able to wear heavy
armor, which isn’t an action) or happen as part of
another action (such as adding fire damage to your
weapon damage, which happens as part of your
attack action). If a special ability is an enabler, the
end of the ability’s description says “Enabler” to
remind you.

25

CHAPTER 4

CHARACTER TYPE

In some roleplaying games, Character type is the core of your character. Your type GLAIVE STAT POOLS
character type might be helps determine your character’s place in the world
and relationship with other people in the setting. Stat Pool Starting Value
called your character class. It’s the noun of the sentence “I am an adjective noun
who verbs.” Might 11

You can choose from three character types: glaive, Speed 10
nano, and jack.
Intellect 7

You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat

Pools however you wish.

The Steadfast, page 136 GLAIVE aren’t terribly physical are less likely to mix well with
The Beyond, page 174 glaives, but obviously not every glaive is the same.
Glaives are the elite warriors of the Ninth World, They focus on their bodies, but that doesn’t mean
Might, page 20 using weapons and armor to fight their enemies. they don’t value more cerebral pursuits as well. A
Speed, page 20 Hunters, guardians, and soldiers could be glaives. glaive need not follow the stereotype of the dumb
The numenera, page 275 Sometimes scouts, warlords, bandits, and even bruiser with a sword or an axe.
athletes are glaives. “Glaive” is a common slang
term used almost everywhere in the Steadfast and Glaives in the Group: In a group of explorers, glaives
the Beyond for any person skilled with weapons or a typically take the lead. They’re usually the most
martial art, but in truth, it applies only to the best of physically capable, the most durable, and the most
the best. Glaives are warriors who command abilities ready to meet danger head-on. Sometimes they act
far beyond those of a typical person with a sword. protectively toward their companions; other times,
they’re more self-interested. Either way, a glaive’s
Most glaives are either strong—using the heaviest place is often in the middle of the fray.
armor and weapons available and having a high
Might—or fast, sticking with light weapons and Glaives and the Numenera: When it comes to the
armor and having a high Speed. A few attempt to numenera, most glaives are interested in weapons,
use both Might and Speed and stay somewhere in armor, or devices that aid them in combat. The
the middle. Glaives also use ranged weapons such ancients produced all sorts of incredibly durable
as bows or darts. Some don’t rely on weapons at substances, many of which can be made into armor
all, preferring to use their bodies in hand-to-hand that is lighter and more protective than steel.
combat—punching, kicking, grabbing, throwing, and Sometimes, glaives can scavenge a suit of armor
so on. composed of these advanced materials, but more
often they find the materials and then ask a crafter
Glaives in Society: In most cities and villages, people or smith to make the armor. Of course, the problem
hold glaives in great esteem. Although a glaive could is that a substance that is difficult to damage is also
just as likely be a thug as a noble warrior, those who hard to work.
help protect their fellow humans from the dangers
of the Ninth World are always treated with respect. As varied as armoring materials might be,
There is no shame in getting paid for the use of numenera weaponry is infinitely more so. These
one’s skills, so being a blade for hire is a perfectly items include melee weapons that shock, stun, or
acceptable profession. Restrictions on carrying burn whatever they touch; and ranged weapons
weapons openly are rare, and most glaives wear the that blast projectiles with incredible power or
tools of their trade with pride. bursts of strange energies. There are also bombs,
damaging energy fields, poisonous gases, and
Not surprisingly, glaives often get along best with far stranger weaponry, but some glaives find that
other glaives, or at least soldiers, guards, or similar
comrades in arms. Nanos, scholars, and people who

26

CHARACTER TYPE

such complex objects are better off in the hands develop adventures and quests that are specific to your Cypher, page 278
of a nano. Maneuverability is just as important as character and play a role in your advancement.
attack or defense, however, so an item that allows Black Riage, page 177
a glaive to move quickly or negate gravity is a great Intensive Training Qi, page 148
prize.
You are strong, fast, or both, but what really
As for cyphers, glaives prefer physically enhancing separates you from the crowd is your training.
or restorative objects, such as injections of chemicals Perhaps you ascended the highest peak of the Black
that improve reaction time or pills with microscopic Riage or sought the deepest sewers beneath Qi to
repair devices that heal wounds and restore fatigued find teachers who could show you how to move,
muscle tissue. They use the nickname “boost” for any fight, and endure beyond normal human limits.
cypher that enhances their strength, stamina, reflexes, You know a thousand ways to kill a foe, most of
or other physical aspects, while one that repairs them secret to all but a chosen few. You’re privy to
damage or alleviates fatigue is called a “treat.” techniques and fighting styles that most people in
the Ninth World have never seen. You have learned
Advanced Glaives: As they progress, glaives become that the impossible is possible—as long as you
better combatants, often felling multiple foes in a know the secret. Your body is a weapon, and your
single stroke. They gain special types of attacks and weapon is part of your body. You have studied with
learn to use armor more efficiently to get the most the masters, and now you carry that regimen as you
out of the protection it offers. venture into the world.

GLAIVE BACKGROUND Advancement: You need to train and practice
constantly to hone your skills and develop new
Glaives are no mere bandits or town guards. They techniques, building on what you’ve been taught.
stand head and shoulders above ordinary soldiers and Perhaps at some point you will return to your secret
brawlers. Something in your background—whether masters for further initiation or find new teachers or
intensive training, inborn traits, or biomechanical lessons that can take you to the next step.
modification—has made you more than the others
around you. Choose one of those three options When you gain additional points for your stat Pools,
(described below) as the source of your skills, strength, an increase to a stat’s Edge, or an increase in the level
reflexes, and stamina. It will provide the foundation of Effort you can apply, the benefit comes as the result
of your background and give you an idea of how you of rigorous exercise and personal development. When
can improve. The GM can use this information to you gain a new skill or glaive ability, it’s the result of
the martial arts you have studied.

27

GLAIVE CONNECTION

Roll a d20 or choose from the following list to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to
the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.

Roll Background
1 You were in the military and have friends who still serve. Your former commander remembers you well.
2 You were the personal guard of a wealthy merchant who accused you of theft. You left her service in disgrace.
3 You were the bouncer in a local bar for a while, and the patrons there remember you.
4 You trained with a highly respected mentor. He regards you well, but he has many enemies.
5 You trained in an isolated monastery far away. The monks think of you as a brother, but you’re a stranger to all others.
6 You have no formal training. Your abilities come to you naturally (or unnaturally).
7 You spent time on the streets and even were in prison for a while.
8 You were conscripted into military service, but you deserted before long.
9 You served as a bodyguard to a powerful criminal who now owes you his life.
10 You worked as a constable. Everyone knows you, but their opinions of you vary.
11 Your older sibling is an infamous glaive who has been disgraced.
12 You served as a caravan guard. You know a smattering of people in many cities and towns.
13 Your best friend is a sage and a scholar. She is a great source of knowledge.
14 You and a friend both smoke the same kind of rare, expensive tobacco. The two of you get together weekly to chat and smoke.
15 Your uncle runs a theater in town. You know all the actors and watch all the shows for free.
16 Your blacksmith friend sometimes calls on you for help at the forge. However, he pays you well.
17 Your mentor wrote a book on the martial arts. Sometimes other warriors seek you out to ask about its stranger passages.
18 A man you fought alongside in the military is now the mayor of a nearby town.
19 You saved the lives of a family when their house burned down. They’re indebted to you, and their neighbors regard you as a hero.
20 Your old trainer still expects you to come back and sharpen her blades and clean up after her classes, but when you do, she

occasionally shares interesting rumors.

Many of the people you Inborn Traits superhuman traits as much as it is about your study,
meet in the Ninth World practice, or knowledge. You can do things that other
are mutants, whether you You’ve trained under excellent instructors and have people simply cannot, no matter how hard they train.
are aware of it or not. For experience in many dangerous situations, but what
more information on the makes you different is deep inside, entwined in your Biomechanical Modification
genetic heritage. Maybe it was the luck of being born
types of mutations, see fit. Maybe you’re a hulking brute—a mountainous You might be a fighter, but you’re no archaic
page 123. figure who commands attention when you enter a stereotype—this is the Ninth World, after all.
room. Or maybe your strength is more subtle; you Although you trained and gained your share of
might be the descendant of a bioengineered race practical experience, you have the numenera on your
bred (or designed) for perfection. Perhaps you’re side as well. Some of your knowledge of fighting
a mutant with psychic abilities that augment your techniques is implanted in your brain and spine,
physical nature; you guide and enhance your attacks wired into your nerves and muscles. Your joints
with telekinesis, or you use a natural mutation in have surgically implanted servo motors. Subdermal
your brain to control matter on a molecular level plating makes you tougher than should be possible.
to resist blows and inflict harm. Perhaps you’re Your muscle tissue is augmented with artificial fibers.
something wholly new: an aberration or a human so
perfect that you’re beyond human. You might be a Perhaps your genetic code has been rewritten
posthuman—the next step toward the true destiny of by engineered viruses, or the tissues in your body
the people of the Ninth World. have been reworked by nanotech, turning you into
an efficient battle machine. Or maybe you’ve been
Advancement: You have talents of which you are altered by strange science—radioactive treatments
only dimly aware. You must practice and experiment of bizarre energies, chemical compounds and drugs,
to find your limitations, if any. At some point in the or extradimensional enhancements—that makes
future, you might have to seek out someone who can you stronger, faster, tougher, and more proficient in
help you master your inherent abilities. You were born attack and defense than anyone around you.
with great power—now you need to learn how to use
that power, even if the education takes a lifetime. Whatever the case, you’re the result of ancient
knowledge made manifest in the present, and now
When your stats improve, it’s because you’re tapping you’re shaping the future. Perhaps your modifications
deeper into the unknown reserves within you. When are obvious and visible; perhaps they’re not. Regardless,
you gain a new glaive ability, it’s the result of your you know that you’re more than merely human.

28

CHARACTER TYPE

Advancement: Your body is an ongoing project. In t #BTI .JHIU QPJOU
This is a pummeling melee Aeon Priest, page 269
a way, it’s a work of art, although its beauty comes attack. Your attack inflicts 1 less point of damage
not from its appearance but from what it can do. than normal, but dazes your target for one round, Your character’s starting
As you go forward, you should keep an eye out at during which time the difficulty of all tasks it equipment is as important
all times for new parts and systems that can be performs is modified by one step to its detriment. as his beginning skills. Learn
incorporated into your body, or new doses of drugs more about what you carry
and supplements to maintain your abilities. You t /P /FFE GPS 8FBQPOT When you make an and what it’s used for in
might need to seek out surgeons, mechanics, or unarmed attack (such as a punch or kick), it Chapter 7: Equipment (page
bioenhancement specialists to take you to the next counts as a medium weapon instead of a light 77).
level. Perhaps the Aeon Priests can help. Perhaps the weapon. Enabler. Descriptor, page 47
parts you need can be found only in the ruins of the Focus, page 52
past or the dangerous black market of a faraway city. t 1JFSDF 4QFFE QPJOU
This is a well-aimed,
When your stats improve, it’s because you literally penetrating ranged attack. You make an attack and
have added something new to your body. When you inflict 1 additional point of damage if your weapon
gain a new ability, it’s the direct result of a tangible has a sharp point. Action.
change in your own physical being.
t 5ISVTU .JHIU QPJOU
This is a powerful melee
GLAIVE TIERS stab. You make an attack and inflict 1 additional
point of damage if your weapon has a sharp edge
First-Tier Glaive or point. Action.

First-tier glaives have the following abilities: t 5SBJOFE 8JUIPVU "SNPS You are trained in Speed
&GGPSU Your Effort is 1. defense actions when not wearing armor. Enabler.
Fighter: You have a Might Edge of 1, a Speed Edge

of 1, and an Intellect Edge of 0.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time.
Practiced in Armor: Glaives can wear armor for long

periods of time without tiring and can compensate for
slowed reactions from wearing armor. You can wear
any kind of armor. You reduce the Might cost per hour
for wearing armor and the Speed Pool reduction for
wearing armor by 2. Enabler.

Practiced With All Weapons: You can use any
weapon. Enabler.

Physical Skills: You are trained in your choice of
one of the following: balancing, climbing, jumping,
or swimming. Enabler.

Starting Equipment: You start with clothing, two
weapons (or one weapon and a shield), light or
medium armor, an explorer’s pack, two cyphers
(chosen for you by the GM), one oddity (chosen
for you by the GM), and 5 shins (coins). If you start
with a ranged weapon that requires ammunition
(arrows, for example), you start with 12 of that type
of ammunition. Before selecting your weapons,
armor, and other gear, you might want to wait until
after you’ve chosen your fighting moves, descriptor,
and focus.

Fighting Moves: You have a special talent for
combat and can perform feats that others can barely
imagine. These feats are called fighting moves. Some
fighting moves are constant, ongoing effects, and
others are specific actions that usually cost points
from one of your stat Pools.

Choose two of the fighting moves described below.
You can’t choose the same fighting move more than
once unless its description says otherwise.

29

Practiced in armor, page Second-Tier Glaive fighting moves (or a move from a lower tier) to add
29 to your repertoire. In addition, you can also replace
Second-tier glaives have the following abilities: one of your lower-tier fighting moves with a different
Rapid-fire weapon, Skill With Attacks: Choose one type of attack in fighting move from the same lower tier.
page 79 t &YQFSJFODFE 8JUI "SNPS The cost reduction from
which you are not already trained: light bashing,
Crank crossbow, page 79 light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, medium your Practiced in Armor ability improves. You now
bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy reduce the Might cost per hour and the Speed
Defense tasks are when a bladed, or heavy ranged. You are trained in attacks Pool reduction by 3. Enabler.
player makes a roll to keep using that type of weapon. Enabler. t -VOHF .JHIU QPJOUT
This move requires you
to extend yourself for a powerful stab or smash.
something undesirable Fighting Moves: Choose one of the following The awkward lunge increases the difficulty of the
from happening to his PC. fighting moves (or a move from a lower tier) to add attack roll by one step. If your attack is successful,
to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one it inflicts 4 additional points of damage. Action.
The type of defense task of your first-tier fighting moves with a different first- t 4MJDF 4QFFE QPJOUT
This is a quick attack
matters when using Effort. tier fighting move. with a bladed or pointed weapon that is hard to
t $IPQ .JHIU QPJOUT
This is a heavy, powerful defend against. The difficulty of the attack roll is
Might defense: Used for decreased by one step. If the attack is successful, it
resisting poison, disease, slice with a bladed weapon, probably overhand. deals 1 less point of damage than normal. Action.
and anything else that can You must grip your weapon with two hands t 4QSBZ 4QFFE QPJOUT
If a weapon has the ability
be overcome with strength to chop. When making this attack, you take a to fire rapid shots without reloading (usually called
–1 penalty to the attack roll, and you inflict 3 a rapid-fire weapon, such as the crank crossbow),
and health. additional points of damage. Action. you can spray multiple shots around your target
Speed defense: Used t $SVTI .JHIU QPJOUT
This is a powerful to increase the chance of hitting. This move uses
for dodging attacks and pummeling attack with a bashing weapon, 1d6 + 1 rounds of ammo (or all the ammo in the
escaping danger. This is probably overhand. You must grip your weapon weapon, if it has less than the number rolled). The
by far the most commonly with two hands to crush. (If fighting unarmed, difficulty of the attack roll is decreased by one step.
this attack is made with both fists or both feet If the attack is successful, it deals 1 less point of
used defense task. together.) When making this attack, you take damage than normal. Action.
Intellect defense: Used for a –1 penalty to the attack roll, and you inflict 3 t 5SJDL 4IPU 4QFFE QPJOUT
As part of the same
fending off mental attacks additional points of damage. Action. action, you make a ranged attack against two
t 3FMPBE 4QFFE QPJOU
When using a weapon that targets that are within immediate range of each
or anything that might normally requires an action to reload, such as a other. Make a separate attack roll against each
affect or influence one’s heavy crossbow, you can reload and fire (or fire target. The difficulty of each attack roll is increased
and reload) in the same action. Enabler. by one step. Action.
mind. t 4LJMM 8JUI %FGFOTF Choose one type of defense
task in which you are not already trained: Might, Fourth-Tier Glaive
Speed, or Intellect. You are trained in defense
tasks of that type. Unlike most fighting moves, you Fourth-tier glaives have the following abilities:
can select this move up to three times. Each time Skill With Attacks: Choose one type of attack in
you select it, you must choose a different type of
defense task. Enabler. which you are not already trained: light bashing,
t 4VDDFTTJWF "UUBDL 4QFFE QPJOUT
If you take light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, medium
down a foe, you can immediately make another bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy
attack on that same turn against a new foe within bladed, or heavy ranged. You are trained in attacks
your reach. The second attack is part of the same using that type of weapon. Enabler.
action. You can use this fighting move with melee
attacks and ranged attacks. Enabler. Fighting Moves: Choose one of the following
fighting moves (or a move from a lower tier) to add
Third-Tier Glaive to your repertoire. In addition, you can also replace
one of your lower-tier fighting moves with a different
Third-tier glaives have the following abilities: fighting move from the same lower tier.
Expert Cypher Use: You can bear three cyphers at t $BQBCMF 8BSSJPS Your attacks deal 1 additional

a time. point of damage. Enabler.
Skill With Attacks: Choose one type of attack in t &YQFSJFODFE %FGFOEFS When wearing armor, you

which you are not already trained: light bashing, gain +1 to Armor. Enabler.
light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, medium t 'FJOU 4QFFE QPJOUT
If you spend one action
bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy
bladed, or heavy ranged. You are trained in attacks creating a misdirection or diversion, in the next
using that type of weapon. Enabler. round you can take advantage of your opponent’s
lowered defenses. Make a melee attack roll
Fighting Moves: Choose one of the following

30

CHARACTER TYPE

against that opponent. The difficulty of the roll is Speed, or Intellect. You are specialized in defense One glaive of renown in the
decreased by one step. If your attack is successful, tasks of that type. Unlike most fighting moves, you Steadfast is Yerra Mestanir,
it inflicts 4 additional points of damage. Action. can select this move up to three times. Each time who held off the Squirming
t .JOPS UP .BKPS You treat rolls of natural 19 as you select it, you must choose a different type of Horde on her own in
rolls of natural 20 for Might attack rolls or Speed defense task. Enabler. Batrak’s Pass until the
attack rolls (your choice when you gain this t 1BSSZ 4QFFE QPJOUT
You can deflect incoming armies of Navarene could
ability). This allows you to gain a major effect on a attacks quickly. When you activate this move, for arrive. Single-handedly,
natural 19 or 20. Enabler. the next 10 rounds you reduce the difficulty for all she likely saved the eastern
t 4OJQF 4QFFE QPJOUT
If you spend one action Speed defense rolls by one step. Enabler. portion of the kingdom
aiming, in the next round you can make a precise from destruction at the
ranged attack. The difficulty of the attack roll is Sixth-Tier Glaive hands of the abhumans.
decreased by one step. If your attack is successful,
it inflicts 4 additional points of damage. Action. Sixth-tier glaives have the following abilities:
Skill With Attacks: Choose one type of attack, even
Fifth-Tier Glaive
one in which you are already trained: light bashing,
Fifth-tier glaives have the following abilities: light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, medium
Adept Cypher Use: You can bear four cyphers at a bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy bladed,
or heavy ranged. You are trained in attacks using that
time. type of weapon. If you’re already trained in that type
Skill With Attacks: Choose one type of attack, even of attack, you instead are specialized in that type of
attack. Enabler.
one in which you are already trained: light bashing,
light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, medium Fighting Moves: Choose one of the following
bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy fighting moves (or a move from a lower tier) to add
bladed, or heavy ranged. You are trained in attacks to your repertoire. In addition, you can also replace
using that type of weapon. If you’re already trained in one of your lower-tier fighting moves with a different
that type of attack, you instead become specialized in fighting move from the same lower tier.
that type of attack. Enabler. t 'JOJTIJOH #MPX .JHIU QPJOUT
If your foe

Fighting Moves: Choose one of the following is prone, stunned, or somehow helpless or
fighting moves (or a move from a lower tier) to add incapacitated when you strike, you inflict 6
to your repertoire. In addition, you can also replace additional points of damage on a successful hit.
one of your lower-tier fighting moves with a different Enabler.
fighting move from the same lower tier. t 4MBZFS .JHIU QPJOUT
When you successfully
t "SD 4QSBZ 4QFFE QPJOUT
If a weapon has strike an NPC or creature of level 5 or lower, make
another roll (using whichever stat you used to
the ability to fire rapid shots without reloading attack). If you succeed on the second roll, you kill
(usually called a rapid-fire weapon, such as the the target outright. If you use this fighting move
crank crossbow), you can fire your weapon at up against a PC of any tier and you succeed on the
to three targets (all next to one another) at once. second roll, the character moves down one step
Make a separate attack roll against each target. The on the damage track. Enabler.
difficulty of each attack is increased by one step. t 4QJO "UUBDL 4QFFE QPJOUT
You stand still and
Action. make melee attacks against up to five foes within
t +VNQ "UUBDL .JHIU QPJOUT
You attempt a reach, all as part of the same action in one round.
difficulty 4 Might action to jump high into the air Make a separate attack roll for each foe. You
as part of your melee attack. If you succeed, your remain limited by the amount of Effort you can
attack inflicts 3 additional points of damage and apply on one action. Anything that modifies your
knocks the foe down. If you fail, you still make your attack or damage applies to all of these attacks.
normal attack roll, but you don’t inflict the extra Action.
damage or knock down the opponent if you hit. t 8FBQPO BOE #PEZ 4QFFE QPJOUT
After making
Action. a melee weapon or ranged weapon attack, you
t .BTUFSZ 8JUI "SNPS When you wear any armor, follow up with a punch or kick as an additional
you reduce the armor’s penalties (Might cost and attack, all as part of the same action in one round.
Speed reduction) to 0. If you select this fighting The two attacks can be directed at different foes.
move and you already have the Experienced With Make a separate attack roll for each attack. You
Armor move, you should replace Experienced With remain limited by the amount of Effort you can
Armor with a different third-tier move because apply on one action. Anything that modifies your
Mastery With Armor is better. Enabler. attack or damage applies to both attacks, unless it
t .BTUFSZ 8JUI %FGFOTF Choose one type of is tied specifically to your weapon. Action.
defense task in which you are trained: Might,

31

Heavy crossbow, page 79 GLAIVE EXAMPLE The GM generously gives Colin an extra 10 shins
because he chose to forgo armor, and he uses this
Strong, page 50 Colin wants to create a glaive character who is fast money to buy more crossbow bolts. The glaive’s
Trained Without Armor, and strong. He puts 3 of his additional points into starting equipment includes two cyphers, and the
his Might Pool and 3 into his Speed Pool; his stat GM decides that Colin’s cyphers are a pill that
page 29 Pools are now Might 14, Speed 13, Intellect 7. As a restores 6 points of Might when swallowed and a
first-tier character, his Effort is 1, his Might Edge and small device that explodes like a firebomb when
Thrust, page 29 Speed Edge are 1, and his Intellect Edge is 0. His thrown, inflicting 3 points of damage to all within
Masters Weaponry, page 69 glaive is not particularly smart or charismatic. immediate range. Colin chooses swimming for his
trained physical skill.
He wants to use a broadsword (a medium
weapon that inflicts 4 points of damage) and a heavy He still needs to choose a descriptor and a focus.
crossbow (a heavy weapon that inflicts 6 points of Looking ahead to the descriptor rules, Colin chooses
damage but requires the use of both hands). Colin Strong, which increases his Might Pool to 18. He also
decides not to wear armor, so for his first fighting becomes trained in jumping and breaking inanimate
move, he chooses Trained Without Armor so he objects. (If he had chosen jumping as his physical skill,
reduces the difficulty of Speed defense actions. For the Strong descriptor would have made him specialized
his second fighting move, he chooses Thrust so he in jumping instead of trained.) Being Strong also gives
can inflict extra damage with his sword if he spends Colin an extra medium or heavy weapon. He chooses
1 point of Might. Since he has a Might Edge of 1, he another broadsword as a backup blade. He decides that
can use Thrust for free if he doesn’t use his Might one sword is slightly smaller than the other, and he’ll
for anything else that action. sheathe them together on his left side.

For his focus, Colin chooses Masters Weaponry.
This gives him yet another weapon of high quality.
He chooses a broadsword and asks the GM if his
first sword can be a shield instead, which will reduce
the difficulty of his Speed defense rolls (the shield
counts as an asset). The GM agrees to the change.
During the game, Colin’s glaive will be hard to hit—
he is trained in Speed defense rolls and his shield
decreases the difficulty by another step.

Thanks to his focus, he also inflicts 1 additional
point of damage with his chosen weapon. Now he
inflicts 5 points of damage with his blade. Colin’s
character is a deadly combatant, likely starting the
game with some amount of renown as a swordsman.

The numenera, page 275 NANO
Iron Wind, page 135
Nanos are sometimes called mages, wizards, sorcerers,
or witches by the people of the Ninth World. Nano-
sorcerer is also a common term, with their abilities
referred to as nano-sorcery. Some claim to be the
representatives of gods or other supernatural agencies.
Whatever they’re called, nanos master the mysteries
of the past to the degree that they seem to perform
miracles. They tap into the numenera to alter reality or
learn things that they couldn’t otherwise know.

The term “nano” is derived from the
nanotechnology that is omnipresent throughout
the Ninth World (whether anyone realizes it or not).
Sometimes people call these invisible, numinous
particles that infuse the landscape nano-spirits.
Sometimes these spirits take on a devastating
manifestation called the Iron Wind and move
through the air in clouds, which can be far more
dangerous than any conventional storm. In truth,
nanites are literally everywhere.

32

CHARACTER TYPE

NANO STAT POOLS A nano’s strange abilities are unsettling even to “The Aeon Priests have
the bravest souls unless they have a modicum of discovered the means to
Stat Pool Starting Value knowledge about the numenera. That said, not directly control people’s
everyone is frightened of or intimidated by nanos. thoughts simply through
Might 7 There are other people and creatures that have the use of words and
capabilities far beyond the understanding of normal images. Everything they
Speed 9 folks—things that even nanos might not understand. say, do, and even wear
Things that even nanos might fear. is carefully calculated.”
Intellect 12 ~Narada Trome, anti-papist
Like the wizards of fables, some nanos dwell in
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat solitude to study and conduct odd experiments, while
others gather in schools and teach those with potential
Pools however you wish. to use their abilities. They enjoy time in the company
of people with similar predilections and interests. Not
Nanos wield their power in the form of what every nano is a frail bookworm, however—that’s just
they call esoteries, although some prefer to call the stereotype placed upon them by society.
them spells, enchantments, or charms. Nanos are
proficient with other devices as well, and sometimes Sometimes, people view nanos as
their powers are actually the subtle use of such items representatives of the powers that be: gods,
hidden upon their person. All nanos call forth their demons, or spirits. That’s not too surprising
power in slightly different ways. considering that they affect the world around them
in ways that most people can’t fathom. What’s
Typically, nanos are intelligent, learned, and more surprising is that some nanos believe this
insightful. Most of the time, they devote themselves to be true as well. They call themselves priests
to the numenera and other esoterica rather than to or shamans and treat their esoteries more like
purely physical pursuits. As a result, they’re often rituals, prayers, or invocations. When these nanos
well versed in the artifacts and leftovers of the gather, they do so in temples, but just as often
previous eras. one of them lives alone amid a flock of the faithful.
Some of these loner nanos don’t call themselves
Nanos in Society: Frequently, common folks fear priests; they call themselves gods.
nanos or look upon them with suspicion. It’s easy to
be afraid of a brute with an axe, but when it comes
to someone who wields invisible powers—magic,
for lack of a better term—too much is unknown.

33

One infamous nano is Almost any numenera item would be welcome,
Nordarvar, who was the but generally, nanos are most interested in ranged
first to develop the now- weapons, protective devices other than armor, and
ubiquitous Push esotery. devices that have interesting utility effects—using
He used it to knock Duke magnetism, creating force fields, healing wounds,
Guchian off the top of his reshaping flesh, creating or destroying matter, and so
own tower, thus ending on. This is true of cyphers as well as artifacts.
the War of Three Lillies.
Advanced Nanos: As nanos gain more experience,
they typically learn new and more powerful esoteries.
They begin their careers by making personal shields
and blasting foes with energy, but eventually, they
can fly through the air, disintegrate matter, teleport
vast distances, and control the weather.

NANO BACKGROUND

Nanos can do things that seem like magic to other
people, but their powers aren’t based on charms or
spellcasting—the explanation is likely far stranger.
Choose one of the three options described below
as the source of your abilities. It will provide the
foundation of your background and give you an
idea of how you can improve. The GM can use this
information to develop adventures and quests that
are specific to your character and play a role in your
advancement.

Nanos in the Group: Typically, a nano is the party Forbidden Knowledge
member who keeps to the back of the group, as
far from the danger as possible. Compared to their You understand the numenera far better than
comrades, nanos are often a bit fragile and less well most people. You know that it isn’t just strange
protected against threats. In addition, most of their machines buried in old ruins. The numenera is
abilities work best at range. everywhere, beyond the perception of humans. You
know that microscopic machines called nanites are
As useful and impressive as nanos’ offensive threaded through every inch of the world, waiting
powers can be, their knowledge is often most to be activated. You know that satellites in orbit are
valuable to a group. When the party comes upon broadcasting information, waiting for someone to
mysterious devices, weird creatures, or other aspects access it. Having studied long and hard, learning the
of the numenera, the nano is usually the one who proper ways to tap into the forces all around you,
knows how to identify or deal with the finds. He or you know how to activate these machines and make
she can best scavenge for new cyphers or figure them do what you wish, at least in limited, specific
out how to use artifacts from the past. Many nanos ways. These uses of power are called esoteries.
possess other valuable knowledge in areas such as Through various tiny devices that you possess, which
geography, botany, medicine, and more. probably seem like magic charms to the uninitiated,
you “conjure” energy. By accessing the datasphere
Nanos and the Numenera: All nanos know a fair transmitted across the world, you connect with
bit about the numenera. In many ways, it’s their machines—including the nanites—to change your
lifeblood. When a group finds a broken vehicle, an environment.
inactive automaton, or an ancient machine, the nano
steps up and searches it for useful devices. Advancement: You must continue to study. There’s
far more to the numenera than one person can
ever know, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try
to learn it all. More secrets and more knowledge
mean more power. At some point in your career, you
might need to find a teacher or another source of
knowledge. So many questions need answers.

When your stats improve or you learn new
skills, it’s because you have mastered another new

34

CHARACTER TYPE

technique that taps into the secret world. When you your primary means of picking up new tricks. Adding “When adding a fluctuating
gain a new esotery, it’s the result of long hours of points to your stat Pools might mean undergoing generator to an unstable
study and practice in using your mysterious lore. new procedures. Adding a new esotery might require warp capacitor, make sure
putting an implant in your head, although changing you polarize the endings
Psionics one esotery to another could be as simple as correctly or you’ll end
unplugging one module and jacking in a replacement. up draining the energy...
You know that the world is filled with ancient directly into your brain.”
machines and their creations. Some of them are NANO TIERS ~Sir Arthour
visible, but many are not. It’s not just skill or
knowledge that allows you to gain access to them. First-Tier Nano Your character’s starting
You have a psychic talent to interface with the equipment is as important
machines to produce various effects. Some of these First-tier nanos have the following abilities: as your character’s
machines are secreted about your person, and others &GGPSU Your Effort is 1. beginning skills. Learn
are infused into the environment of the Ninth World. Genius: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a Might more about what you carry
and what it’s used for in
You can’t conjure energy or warp matter on your Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0. Chapter 7: Equipment,
own, but you have the rare and spectacular ability Expert Cypher Use: You can bear three cyphers at page 77.
to control the invisible nano-machines that do it for
you. Is this gift the natural result of extreme exposure a time.
to technology? Is it the fusion of the biological and Practiced With Light Weapons: You can use light
mechanical? Is it the design of a genius architect,
generations earlier, who manipulated the genetics weapons without penalty. If you wield a medium
of your family? Or is it just a random mutation? In weapon, increase the difficulty of the attack by one
any case, you’re the natural synthesis of human and step. If you wield a heavy weapon, increase it by two
machine, working as one. steps.

Advancement: Understanding this natural talent Numenera Training: You are trained in the
took time and training, and more of both is needed numenera and can attempt to understand and
to expand and refine your powers. In addition to identify its properties.
seeking help with your instruction, you might need to
find drugs, devices, or other external stimulation. Starting Equipment: You start with clothing, one
weapon, a book about the numenera, three cyphers
When aspects of your character improve or you (chosen for you by the GM), one oddity (chosen for
learn new skills or esoteries, it’s because you have you by the GM), and 4 shins (coins). Before selecting
mastered a new facet of your psychic abilities or your weapons, armor, and other gear, you might
discovered an entirely new use for a machine in your want to wait until after you’ve chosen your esoteries,
environment. descriptor, and focus.

Ports and Plugs Esoteries: You can tap into the numenera to
reshape the world around you. Similar in appearance
You have a connection with machines for one clear to the way a fabled wizard might seem to cast spells,
reason: you’re practically a machine yourself. Your these expressions of your knowledge are called
nervous system is laced with circuitry, and your esoteries. People who are not nanos sometimes call
body has implanted jacks and ports where you them spells or charms.
plug in modules and other technological bits that
provide your capabilities. When you produce effects Most esoteries must be activated, which requires
or manipulate nanites, you do so through your that you have a free hand and spend 1 or more
body’s direct mechanical interface. Your force blasts Intellect points. If no Intellect point cost is given for
might come from a device implanted in your palm an esotery, it functions continuously without needing
or fingertip. Your ability to tap into the datasphere to be activated. Some esoteries specify a duration,
might come from the receiver plugged into a port but you can always end one of your own esoteries
you built in the back of your neck. anytime you wish.

Obviously, to become a nano, you have undergone Choose two of the esoteries described below.
numerous surgeries and procedures (either willingly You can’t choose the same esotery more than once
or unwillingly). You are forever changed. Some unless its description says otherwise.
people treat you with disdain or derision, but t )FEHF .BHJD *OUFMMFDU QPJOU
You can perform
perhaps most of your modifications can be hidden by
a hooded cloak or similar garment. small tricks: temporarily change the color or basic
appearance of a small object, cause small objects
Advancement: Do you want to gain more abilities? to float through the air, clean a small area, mend a
Just find new hardware and plug it in. Although talent broken object, prepare (but not create) food, and
and practice are still involved, physical upgrades are so on. You can’t use hedge magic to harm another
creature or object. Action.
t 0OTMBVHIU *OUFMMFDU QPJOU
You attack a foe
using energies that assail either his physical form

35

NANO CONNECTION

Roll a d20 or choose from the following list to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to the
rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.

Roll Background
1 You served as an apprentice for a nano-sorcerer respected and feared by many people. Now you bear his mark.
2 You studied in a school infamous for its dark, brooding instructors and graduates.
3 You learned nano-sorcery (or gained your modifications) in the temple of an obscure god. Its priests and worshippers,

although small in number, respect and admire your talents and potential.
4 While traveling alone, you saved the life of a powerful abhuman brute. Although unwilling to accompany you on your journey,

he remains indebted to you.
5 Your mother was a powerful nano while she lived, helpful to many locals. They look upon you kindly, but they also expect

much from you.
6 You owe money to a number of people around town and don’t have the funds to pay your debts.
7 You failed disgracefully at your initial studies with your teacher and now proceed on your own.
8 You learned your skills faster than your teachers had ever seen before. The powers that be took notice and are paying close attention.
9 You killed a well-known criminal in self-defense, earning the respect of many and the enmity of a dangerous few.
10 You trained as a glaive, but your skills with the numenera and other types of lore eventually led you down a different path.

Your former comrades don’t understand you, but they respect you.
11 While studying to be a nano, you worked as an assistant for a seamstress, making friends with the owner and the clientele.
12 Your family owns a large vineyard nearby known to all for its fine wine and fair business dealings.
13 You trained for a time with a group of Aeon Priests, and they still look upon you with fondness.
14 You worked the gardens in the palace of an influential noble. She wouldn’t remember you, but you made friends with her

young daughter.
15 An experiment you conducted in the past went horribly awry. The locals remember you as a dangerous and foolhardy individual.
16 You hail from a distant land where you were well known and regarded, but people here treat you with suspicion.
17 People you meet seem put off by the strange birthmark on your face.
18 Your best friend is also a nano. You and she share discoveries and secrets readily.
19 You know a local merchant very well. Since you give him so much business, he offers you discounts and special treatment.
20 You belong to a secretive social club that gathers monthly to drink and talk.

Armor, page 92 or his mind. In either case, you must be able to of how powerful, dangerous, or difficult it is).
Level, page 85 see your target. If the attack is physical, you emit You also learn whatever facts the GM feels are
a short-range ray of force that inflicts 4 points of pertinent about the matter and energy in that
damage. If the attack is mental, you focus your area. For example, you might learn that the
mental energy to blast the thought processes wooden box contains a device of metal and
of another creature within short range. This synth. You might learn that the glass cylinder is
mindslice inflicts 2 points of Intellect damage full of poisonous gas, and that its metal stand
(and thus ignores Armor). Some creatures without has an electrical field running through it that
minds (such as automatons) might be immune to connects to a metal mesh in the floor. You might
mindslice. Action. learn that the creature standing before you is
t 1VTI *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You push a creature or a mammal with a small brain. However, this
object an immediate distance in any direction you esotery doesn’t tell you what the information
wish. You must be able to see the target, which means. Thus, in the first example, you don’t
must be your size or smaller, must not be affixed know what the metal and synth device does. In
to anything, and must be within short range. the second, you don’t know if stepping on the
The push is quick, and the force is too crude to floor causes the cylinder to release the gas. In
be manipulated. For example, you can’t use this the third, you might suspect that the creature
esotery to pull a lever or even close a door. Action. is not very intelligent, but scans, like looks, can
t 4DBO *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You scan an area equal be deceiving. Many materials and energy fields
in size to a 10-foot (3-meter) cube, including all prevent or resist scanning. Action.
objects or creatures within that area. The area t 8BSE You have a shield of energy around you at
must be within short range. Scanning a creature all times that helps deflect attacks. You gain +1 to
or object always reveals its level (a measure Armor. Enabler.

36

CHARACTER TYPE

Second-Tier Nano move out of range, the connection is broken. “Humans lived on the
Action to initiate. Earth many millions of
Second-tier nanos have the following abilities: t 4UBTJT *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You surround a foe years ago, in at least one if
Esoteries: Choose one of the following esoteries of your size or smaller with scintillating energy, not many great civilizations
keeping it from moving or acting for one minute, that rose and fell. But for
(or an esotery from a lower tier) to add to your as if frozen solid. You must be able to see the some of the planet’s history,
repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your target, and it must be within short range. While in there were no humans.
first-tier esoteries with a different first-tier esotery. stasis, the target is impervious to harm, cannot be But now humans are back.
t "EBQUBUJPO *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You adapt moved, and is immune to all effects. Action. How can that be? Where
were they in the intervening
to a hostile environment for 28 hours. As a Third-Tier Nano time?” ~Visixtru, varjellan
result, you can breathe safely, the temperature philosopher
doesn’t kill you (though it might be extremely Third-tier nanos have the following abilities:
uncomfortable or debilitating), crushing gravity Adept Cypher Use: You can bear four cyphers at a
doesn’t incapacitate or harm you (though, again,
you might be seriously hindered), and so on. In time.
extreme environments, the GM might increase Esoteries: Choose one of the following esoteries
the cost of activating this esotery to a maximum
cost of 10 Intellect points. Roughly speaking, the (or an esotery from a lower tier) to add to your
cost should equal the amount of damage you repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your
would sustain in a given round. For example, lower-tier esoteries with a different esotery from the
if you enter a hostile environment that would same lower tier.
normally deal 6 points of damage per round, t #BSSJFS *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You create an opaque,
using Adaptation to avoid that damage costs
6 points. You can protect other creatures in stationary barrier of solid energy within immediate
addition to yourself, but each additional creature range. The barrier is 10 feet by 10 feet (3 m by
costs you the same number of Intellect points as 3 m) and of negligible thickness. It is a level 2
it costs to protect you. Thus, if it costs 6 points to barrier and lasts for ten minutes. It can be placed
protect yourself, it costs 12 more to protect two anywhere it fits, whether against a solid object
other people. This esotery never protects against (including the ground) or floating in the air. Each
quick, instantaneous threats, like an attack with level of Effort you apply strengthens the barrier
a weapon or a sudden explosion of fire. Action to by one level. For example, applying two levels of
initiate. Effort creates a level 4 barrier. Action.
t 'MBTI *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You create an explosion t $PVOUFSNFBTVSFT *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You
of energy at a point within close range, affecting an immediately end one ongoing numenera effect
area up to immediate range from that point. You (such as an effect created by an esotery) within
must be able to see the location where you intend immediate range. Alternatively, you can use this as
to center the explosion. The blast inflicts 2 points a defense action to cancel any incoming esotery
of damage to all creatures or objects within the targeted at you, or you can cancel any numenera
area. Because this is an area attack, adding Effort device or the effect of any numenera device for
to increase your damage works differently than it 1d6 rounds. You must touch the effect or device to
does for single-target attacks: if you apply a level cancel it. Action.
of Effort to increase the damage, add 2 points of t &OFSHZ 1SPUFDUJPO *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
Choose a
damage for each target, and even if you fail your discrete type of energy that you have experience
attack roll, all targets in the area still take 1 point with (such as heat, sonic, electricity, and so on).
of damage. Action. You gain +10 to Armor against damage from that
t )PWFS *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You float slowly into type of energy for ten minutes. Alternatively, you
the air. If you concentrate, you can control your gain +1 to Armor against damage from that energy
movement to remain motionless in the air, or float for 28 hours. You must be familiar with the type
up to a short distance as your action, but no more; of energy; for example, if you have no experience
otherwise, you drift with the wind or with any with a certain kind of extradimensional energy,
momentum you have gained. This effect lasts for you can’t protect against it. Instead of applying
up to ten minutes. Action to initiate. Effort to decrease the difficulty of this esotery,
t .JOE 3FBEJOH *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You can read you can apply Effort to protect more targets, with
the surface thoughts of a creature within short each level of Effort affecting up to two additional
range of you, even if the target doesn’t want you targets. You must touch additional targets to
to. You must be able to see the target. Once you protect them. Action to initiate.
have established contact, you can read the target’s t 4FOTPS *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You create an
thoughts for up to one minute. If you or the target immobile, invisible sensor within immediate
range that lasts for 28 hours. At any time during

37

Throughout the Ninth that duration, you can concentrate to see, hear, 5-foot (.5 m) cube. If you spend only one action
World, people of all walks and smell through the sensor, no matter how far on this esotery, the changes you make are crude
you move from it. The sensor doesn’t grant you at best. If you spend at least ten minutes and
of life report random sensory capabilities beyond the norm. Action to succeed at an appropriate crafting task (with a
glimmers of images or create; action to check. difficulty at least one step higher than normal,
information that seem t 5BSHFUJOH &ZF You are trained in any physical due to the circumstances), you can make complex
to come from nowhere. ranged attack that is an esotery or comes from a changes to the material. You can’t change the
numenera device. For example, you are trained nature of the material, only its shape. Thus, you
These unexpected when using an Onslaught force blast because it’s a can make a hole in a wall or floor, or you can seal
bursts of data are often physical attack, but not when using an Onslaught one up. You can fashion a rudimentary sword from
nonsensical, are rarely mindslice because it’s a mental attack. Enabler. a large piece of iron. You can break or repair a
chain. With multiple uses of this esotery, you could
useful or pertinent, Fourth-Tier Nano bring about large changes, making a bridge, a wall,
and are sometimes or a similar structure. Action.
disturbing. While some Fourth-tier nanos have the following abilities: t 4MBZ *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You gather disrupting
call them visions, nanos Esoteries: Choose one of the following esoteries energy in your fingertip and touch a creature. If the
and other experts in target is an NPC or a creature of level 3 or lower,
the numenera believe (or an esotery from a lower tier) to add to your it dies. If the target is a PC of any tier, he moves
that the “glimmers” repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your down one step on the damage track. Action.
are malfunctions of the lower-tier esoteries with a different esotery from the
datasphere that still same lower tier. Fifth-Tier Nano
permeates the world. t *OWJTJCJMJUZ *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You become invisible
Fifth-tier nanos have the following abilities:
for ten minutes. While invisible, you are specialized Master Cypher Use: You can bear five cyphers at a
in stealth and Speed defense tasks. This effect ends
if you do something to reveal your presence or time.
position—attacking, performing an esotery, using Esoteries: Choose one of the following esoteries
an ability, moving a large object, and so on. If this
occurs, you can regain the remaining invisibility (or an esotery from a lower tier) to add to your
effect by taking an action to focus on hiding your repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your
position. Action to initiate or reinitiate. lower-tier esoteries with a different esotery from the
t .JOE $POUSPM *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You control the same lower tier.
actions of another creature you touch. This effect t "CTPSC &OFSHZ *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You touch an
lasts for ten minutes. The target must be level 2
or lower. Once you have established control, you object and absorb its energy. If you touch a cypher,
maintain mental contact with the target and sense you render it useless. If you touch an artifact, roll
what it senses. You can allow it to act freely or on the artifact’s depletion. If you touch another
override its control on a case-by-case basis. Instead kind of powered machine or device, the GM
of applying Effort to decrease the difficulty, you can determines whether its power is fully drained.
apply Effort to increase the maximum level of the In any case, you absorb energy from the object
target. Thus, to control the mind of a level 5 target touched and regain 1d10 Intellect points. If this
(three levels above the normal limit), you must would give you more Intellect than your Pool’s
apply three levels of Effort. Smart nanos use the maximum, the extra points are lost, and you must
Scan esotery on a creature to learn its level before make a Might defense roll. The difficulty of the
trying to control its mind. When the Mind Control roll is equal to the number of points over your
esotery ends, the creature doesn’t remember being maximum you absorbed. If you fail the roll, you
controlled or anything it did while under your take 5 points of damage and are unable to act for
command. Action to initiate. one round. You can use this esotery as a defense
t 3FHFOFSBUJPO *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You restore action when you’re the target of an incoming
points to a target’s Might or Speed Pool in one of esotery. Doing so cancels the incoming esotery,
two ways: either the chosen Pool regains up to 6 and you absorb the energy as if it were a device.
points, or it is restored to a total value of 12. You Action.
make this decision when you initiate this esotery. t %VTU UP %VTU *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You disintegrate
Points are regenerated at a rate of 1 point each one nonliving object that is smaller than you
round. You must maintain contact with the target and whose level is less than or equal to your tier.
the whole time. In no case can this raise a Pool You must touch the object to affect it. If the GM
higher than its maximum. Action. feels it appropriate to the circumstances, you
t 3FTIBQF *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You reshape matter can disintegrate a portion of an object (the total
within short range in an area no larger than a volume of which is smaller than you) rather than
the entire thing. Action.

38

CHARACTER TYPE

t ,OPXJOH UIF 6OLOPXO *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
can collapse buildings, redirect small rivers, or Cypher, page 278
Tapping into the datasphere, you can ask the perform other dramatic effects. Action.
GM one question and get a general answer. t 5SBWFSTF UIF 8PSMET *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You
The GM assigns a level to the question, so the instantaneously transmit yourself to another
more obscure the answer, the more difficult the planet, dimension, plane, or level of reality.
task. Generally, knowledge that you could find You must know that the destination exists; the
by looking somewhere other than your current GM will decide if you have enough information
location is level 1, and obscure knowledge of the to confirm its existence and what the level of
past is level 7. Gaining knowledge of the future is difficulty might be to reach the destination.
impossible. Action. Instead of applying Effort to decrease the
difficulty, you can apply Effort to bring other
t 5FMFQPSUBUJPO *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You people with you, with each level of Effort affecting
instantaneously transmit yourself to any location up to three additional targets. You must touch
that you have seen or been to, no matter the any additional targets. Action.
distance, as long as it is on Earth (or whatever t 6TVSQ $ZQIFS Choose one cypher that you
world you’re currently on). Instead of applying carry. The cypher must have an effect that is not
Effort to decrease the difficulty, you can apply instantaneous. You destroy the cypher and gain
Effort to bring other people with you, with each its power, which functions for you continuously.
level of Effort affecting up to three additional
targets. You must touch any additional targets.
Action.

t 5SVF 4FOTFT You can see in complete darkness
up to 50 feet (15 m) as if it were dim light. You
recognize holograms, disguises, optical illusions,
sound mimicry, and other such tricks (for all
senses) for what they are. Enabler.

Sixth-Tier Nano

Sixth-tier nanos have the following abilities:
Esoteries: Choose one of the following esoteries

(or an esotery from a lower tier) to add to your
repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your
lower-tier esoteries with a different esotery from the
same lower tier.
t $POUSPM 8FBUIFS *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You change

the weather in your general region. If performed
indoors, this esotery creates only minor weather
effects, such as mist, mild temperature changes,
and so on. If performed outside, you can create
rain, fog, snow, wind, or any other kind of normal
(not overly severe) weather. The change lasts for
a natural length of time, so a storm might last for
an hour, fog for two or three hours, and snow for a
few hours (or for ten minutes if it’s out of season).
For the first ten minutes after activating this
esotery, you can create more dramatic and specific
effects, such as lightning strikes, giant hailstones,
twisters, hurricane force winds, and so on.
These effects must occur within 1,000 feet (305
m) of your location. You must spend your turn
concentrating to create an effect or to maintain
it in a new round. These effects inflict 6 points of
damage each round. Action.
t .PWF .PVOUBJOT *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You exert a
tremendous amount of physical force within 250
feet (76 m) of you. You can push up to 10 tons
(9.1 t) of material up to 50 feet (15 m). This force

39

Occultic and anoetic You can choose a cypher when you gain this applying Effort costs 0 Intellect points. Her Intellect
cyphers, page 279 ability, or you can wait and make the choice later. Edge will allow her to save points to devote toward
Graceful, page 48 However, once you usurp a cypher’s power, you applying Effort for other purposes, perhaps to boost
cannot later switch to a different cypher—the the accuracy of her Onslaught or Shock abilities.
Rides the Lightning, esotery works only once. Action to initiate.
page 71 JACK
NANO EXAMPLE
Jacks are intrepid explorers and adventurers. They are
Shanna wants to create a nano. She decides to jacks of all trades—hence the name—although the
be somewhat well rounded, so she puts 2 of her word also hearkens back to fables involving a wily,
additional points into each stat Pool, giving her a resourceful hero who always seems to be named Jack.
Might Pool of 9, a Speed Pool of 11, and an Intellect Used as a verb, “to jack” means to steal, to deceive, or
Pool of 14. Her nano is smart and quick. She has an to get out of a tight scrape through ingenuity or luck.
Intellect Edge of 1, a Might Edge of 0, and a Speed
Edge of 0. As a first-tier character, her Effort is 1. She Jacks don’t use one skill or tactic exclusively;
is trained in the numenera. As her initial esoteries, they use whatever weapons, armor, esoteries, or
she chooses Onslaught and Ward, giving her a anything else that might help them. They are hunters
strong offense and defense. (particularly treasure hunters), con artists, skalds,
rogues, scouts, and experts in a variety of fields.
She can bear three cyphers, but the GM gives her
two: an occultic cypher (which counts as two cyphers +BDLT JO 4PDJFUZ Jacks are crafters, entertainers, leaders,
for this purpose) and an anoetic cypher, which together and thieves. They’re architects, engineers, con artists,
count as three. The occultic cypher is a handheld, short- salespeople, and teachers. This diversity doesn’t mean
range teleporter, and the anoetic cypher is a device that that the jack is the archetypal everyman—that kind
explodes like a fiery bomb. For her weapon, Shanna
chooses a knife, which is a light weapon. of simple categorization would diminish
the character type. Jacks are remarkable in
For her descriptor, Shanna chooses Graceful,
which adds 3 points to her Speed Pool, that they can do so many different
bringing it to 14. That descriptor means she things, and some do multiple
is trained in balancing and anything requiring things. If one jack is an artist
careful movements, physical performing and another is an explorer,
arts, and Speed defense tasks. there’s likely a third who is
Perhaps she is a dancer. In fact, she both at once.
begins to develop a backstory that Skilled and learned jacks
involves graceful, lithe movements who share their gifts with
that she incorporates into her others are prized members
esotery performance. of society, well respected for
what they know and can do.
For her focus, she chooses A village might be protected by
Rides the Lightning. This gives her
Shock, another offensive power, which warriors, but it’s the jack who makes
she plans on using with the knife if she everything run smoothly by repairing
ever gets into hand-to-hand combat (though or building whatever is needed,
she’ll try to avoid that). She also gains handling disputes, investigating
Charge, which will come in
handy when she finds more mysteries, and so on. On the other
numenera artifacts in her hand, jacks who use their varied
explorations. abilities to benefit only themselves
are distrusted at best and reviled at
Her esoteries and focus worst. The murderers and thieves of a
abilities cost Intellect points to community are likely jacks.
activate, so she’s glad to have a lot
of points in her Intellect Pool. In +BDLT JO UIF (SPVQ Jacks fill in the
addition, her Intellect Edge will space between the extremes of nanos
help reduce those costs. If she and glaives. They frequently do a little of
uses her Onslaught force blast everything and know a little of everything.
without applying Effort, it costs They can fight alongside a glaive or have
her 0 Intellect points and deals a scholarly talk with a nano. There are no
4 points of damage. Likewise, right or wrong places, actions, or roles for
using her Shock ability without jacks. They can hold their own in combat
or other dangerous situations, but they

40

CHARACTER TYPE

JACK STAT POOLS parents, their parents, and so on. Some of your
genetic advantage might even grant you low-level
Stat Pool Starting Value psychic abilities that greatly resemble the “miracles”
performed by nanos.
Might 10
Advancement: You might be a superhuman, but
Speed 10 you’re still limited by what you learn and experience.
Therefore, you must continue to train and study.
Intellect 10 Practice is the key—it just comes easier for you than
it does for others.
You get 6 additional points to divide among your stat
When you improve, it’s because you have honed
Pools however you wish. your natural abilities or unlocked heretofore
unknown genetic traits.
excel at many assorted tasks like searching for clues, Confusingly, in some
using diplomacy with the locals, or repairing a piece of School of Hard Knocks cultures, the term “jack” is
broken gear. The drawback, of course, is that jacks are an insult, while in others it’s
rarely the best fighters in combat or the best handlers of You learned things the hard way—on your own. a compliment.
the numenera. They might, however, be the best at more Adaptive and canny, you express the true strengths
specialized skills. They’re the most likely characters to of humanity in your ability to adjust quickly to Esoteries, page 35
know how to climb, how to stand watch effectively, how circumstances, pick up new tricks to succeed, and
to jimmy a lock, and how to jury-rig a makeshift shelter ultimately survive when you probably should be dead.
or snare trap.
Most likely, you grew up on your own, perhaps
+BDLT BOE UIF /VNFOFSB Jacks gravitate toward on the streets, in the wilderness, or amid ruins.
cyphers or artifacts that expand their array of options The details don’t really matter. What’s important is
even further. An enhanced piece of armor might be that you taught yourself how to overcome whatever
fine for a glaive, but many jacks would rather have challenges came along.
an object that allows them to communicate at a
distance, walk through walls, or put foes to sleep. Advancement: Just keep on keeping on. You got
to where you are by observing, learning, adapting,
"EWBODFE +BDLT Jacks are the most flexible of the and adopting. To advance, you need to do more of
character types, and advanced jacks are no different. the same. Constant wariness coupled (somewhat
Some learn esoteries, as nanos do. Others hone their paradoxically) with constant curiosity allows you to
combat abilities. Some jacks do both, gaining more hone your skills and new capabilities.
skills and improving at, well, a little bit of everything.

JACK BACKGROUND A Cobbled Jumble

You might hear people say that a jack is just the You’re the product of generations
typical everyman (or everyperson), but don’t believe of eugenics, bolstered by minor
it. You aren’t like anyone else. You can do things that cybernetic enhancements, a few
no one else can do because you do so many things. small psychic abilities, and the
You’re a warrior, you’re a thief, you’re a diplomat, lessons of secret masters. In
you’re a sage, and you’re a spy. other words, you don’t have
one source of power or one
When you choose jack as your character type, come explanation for your abilities—
up with an explanation for how you learned your wide you have many, and as far as
variety of talents. Choose one of the three options you’re concerned, that’s the
described below. It will provide the foundation of best formula for success. You
your background and give you an idea of how you can don’t put all your eggs in a
improve. The GM can use this information to develop single proverbial basket. To
adventures and quests that are specific to your really get ahead, you must rely
character and play a role in your advancement. on multiple strengths.

Born Lucky You’ve always got an
unexpected trick up
You seem to be better than most people because your sleeve or a fallback
you are. Your ancestors were part of a genetic contingency. For example,
experiment, and your genes are superior to those you might have
of the average human. You’re smarter, stronger, subdermal implants
more dexterous, and able to learn mental and that make you more
physical skills more quickly. Folks might call you resilient, your training
charismatic, blessed, divinely gifted, or just plain might let you sense
lucky. They probably said the same thing about your

41

Although technically a foe’s attack before he strikes, and your psychic to float through the air, clean a small area, mend a
“esoteries” are nano abilities could allow you to push your enemy’s blade broken object, prepare (but not create) food, and
abilities, jacks often refer slightly to the left so you can just barely dodge it. In so on. You can’t use hedge magic to harm another
to their more clearly the end, you’re simply hard to hurt. creature or object. Action.
supernatural tricks of the t 1JFSDF 4QFFE QPJOU
This is a well-aimed,
trade as esoteries as well. Advancement: You have chosen every path, so you penetrating ranged attack. You make an attack and
must travel each of them. Training and drugs fuel your inflict 1 additional point of damage if your weapon
Your character’s body and mind, brain implants grant you additional has a sharp point. Action.
starting equipment is skills, and devices hidden in your palms give you t 1SBDUJDFE JO "SNPS Jacks can wear armor for
as important as your fresh abilities. Advancement means new teachers and reasonable periods of time without tiring and can
character’s beginning technicians, strange substances and radiations, and compensate for slowed reactions from wearing
skills. Learn more about an ever-increasing need to discover the secrets of the armor. You can wear any kind of armor. You
what you carry and what past that will prove essential for your future. reduce the Might cost per hour for wearing armor
it’s used for in Chapter 7: and the Speed Pool reduction for wearing armor
Equipment, page 77. JACK TIERS by 2. Enabler.
t 4LJMM 8JUI %FGFOTF Choose one type of defense task
First-Tier Jack in which you are not already trained: Might, Speed, or
Intellect. You are trained in defense tasks of that type.
First-tier jacks have the following abilities: Unlike most tricks of the trade, you can select this
&GGPSU Your Effort is 1. trick up to three times. Each time you select it, you
+BDL PG "MM 5SBEFT You have an Edge of 1 for one must choose a different type of defense task. Enabler.
t 5ISVTU .JHIU QPJOU
This is a powerful melee
stat of your choice: Might, Speed, or Intellect. You stab. You make an attack and inflict 1 additional
have an Edge of 0 for the other two stats. point of damage if your weapon has a sharp edge
or point. Action.
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time. t 5SBJOFE 8JUIPVU "SNPS You are trained in Speed
Practiced With Light and Medium Weapons: You defense actions when not wearing armor. Enabler.
can use light and medium weapons without penalty.
If you wield a heavy weapon, increase the difficulty of Second-Tier Jack
the attack by one step.
Skills: You are trained in one task of your choosing Second-tier jacks have the following abilities:
(other than attacks or defense). Skills: You are trained in one task of your choosing
Flex Skill: At the beginning of each day, choose
one task (other than attacks or defense) on which (other than attacks or defense). If you choose a task
you will concentrate. For the rest of that day, you’re you’re already trained in, you become specialized
trained in that task. You can’t use this ability with a in that task. You can’t choose a task you’re already
skill you’re already trained in to become specialized. specialized in.
Starting Equipment: You start with clothing, two
weapons, light armor, an explorer’s pack, a pack of 5SJDLT PG UIF 5SBEF Choose one of the following
light tools, two cyphers (chosen for you by the GM), tricks (or a trick from a lower tier) to add to your
one oddity (chosen by the GM), and 8 shins. Before repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your
selecting your weapons, armor, and other gear, you first-tier tricks with a different first-tier trick.
might want to wait until after you’ve chosen your t #SVUF 'JOFTTF: Sometimes a swift kick is just the
tricks of the trade, descriptor, and focus.
5SJDLT PG UIF 5SBEF You have a wide range of abilities trick to popping open a lock or starting a reluctant
that keep people guessing. Some of these tricks of the piece of machinery. When you apply Effort to a
trade are technically esoteries, using the numenera, noncombat Speed task, you can spend points
while others are more mundane. Some tricks are from your Might Pool as if they came from your
constant, ongoing effects; others are specific actions Speed Pool. For example, you could spend 3 Might
that usually cost points from one of your stat Pools. points and 2 Speed points to apply two levels of
Choose two of the tricks described below. You Effort to picking a lock. Enabler.
can’t choose the same trick more than once unless t &YQFSJFODFE "EWFOUVSFS When you use a
its description says otherwise. noncombat skill successfully, if you didn’t roll a
t #BTI .JHIU QPJOU
This is a pummeling melee natural 19 or 20, you can apply a level of Effort
attack. You make an attack and inflict 1 additional (after the roll) to get a minor special effect. The
point of damage using almost any weapon except stat points spent for this level of Effort must come
the lightest (such as a whip or a small knife). Action. from the same stat as the one used for the skill.
t )FEHF .BHJD *OUFMMFDU QPJOU
You can perform Thus, if you made a Speed roll, the cost of the
small tricks: temporarily change the color or basic Effort comes from your Speed Pool. Applying the
appearance of a small object, cause small objects Effort doesn’t modify the difficulty of the task—it

42

CHARACTER TYPE

JACK CONNECTION

Roll a d20 or choose from the following list to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to
the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.

Roll Background
1 You come from a large family and had to fend for yourself from an early age.
2 Your older sister is a skilled nano. You weren’t able to follow her path, but the numenera is not unknown to you.
3 You’re a member of a guild of explorers who specialize in uncovering ancient mysteries.
4 You worked alongside your father, who was skilled in many things, until he disappeared one day with no explanation.
5 You grew up on the streets and studied at the school of hard knocks.
6 You remember little of your past, which has always seemed strange to you.
7 You came of age in the wild and are used to living rough.
8 Your family is wealthy but earns little respect from the locals.
9 You’re friends with many people in the community and are generally well regarded.
10 You have an annoying rival who always seems to get in your way or foil your plans.
11 You’re in love with a local shopkeeper, but that person shows little interest in you.
12 Several expeditions preparing to explore old ruins and odd mysteries would like you to join them because you seem like a

promising addition to the team.
13 Your best friend from childhood is now an Aeon Priest.
14 You come from a nearby community, but the locals consider the folk of your hometown to be untrustworthy rivals.
15 You’re close friends with a local married couple, both of whom are experienced nanos.
16 You’re drinking buddies with a number of the local guards and glaives.
17 You once saved the child of a local noble from a fire, and she is very grateful.
18 You used to work with a troupe of traveling minstrels and performers, and they remember you fondly (as do people in the

places you visited).
19 You’re wanted for a crime you didn’t commit.
20 You have a friend with an extensive library, plenty of food and drink, and a comfortable home—and the door is always open to you.

only creates the minor effect. Enabler. you’re already trained in, you become specialized Jacks are able to take the
t /P /FFE GPS 8FBQPOT When you make an in that task. You can’t choose a task you’re already best of all abilities and fuse
specialized in. them into a style all their
unarmed attack (such as a punch or kick), it own.
counts as a medium weapon instead of a light 5SJDLT PG UIF 5SBEF Choose one of the following tricks
weapon. Enabler. (or a trick from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire.
t 1VTI *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You push a creature or In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier tricks
object an immediate distance in any direction you with a different trick from the same lower tier.
wish. You must be able to see the target, which t &OIBODFNFOU *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You gain a +1
must be your size or smaller, must not be affixed
to anything, and must be within short range. The bonus to the Edge for one stat of your choice
push is quick, and the force is too crude to be (Might, Speed, or Intellect) for ten minutes. You
manipulated. For example, you can’t use this trick to can have only one version of this trick in effect at a
pull a lever or even close a door. Action. time. Action to initiate.
t 3FMPBE 4QFFE QPJOU
When using a weapon t )PWFS *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You float slowly into
that normally requires an action to reload, you the air. If you concentrate, you can control your
can reload and fire (or fire and reload) in the same movement to remain motionless in the air, or float
action. Enabler. up to a short distance as your action, but no more;
t 8BSE You have a shield of energy around you at otherwise, you drift with the wind or with any
all times that helps deflect attacks. You gain +1 to momentum you have gained. This effect lasts for
Armor. Enabler. up to ten minutes. Action to initiate.
t .JOE 3FBEJOH *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You can read
Third-Tier Jack the surface thoughts of a creature within short
range of you, even if the subject doesn’t want you
Third-tier jacks have the following abilities: to. You must be able to see the target. Once you
Expert Cypher Use: You can bear three cyphers at have established contact, you can read the target’s
thoughts for up to one minute. If you or the target
a time. move out of range, the connection is broken.
Skills: You are trained in one task of your choosing Action to initiate.

(other than attacks or defense). If you choose a task

43

Feiren Quevas is a Fourth-Tier Jack
well-known jack who
sought the legendary Fourth-tier jacks have the following abilities:
three keys of the Silver Skills: You are trained in one task of your choosing
Door, the only entrance
to the massive numenera (other than attacks or defense). If you choose a task
object known as the you’re already trained in, you become specialized
Mushroom due to its in that task. You can’t choose a task you’re already
shape. Although he never specialized in.
possessed all three keys
at once, he did manage 5SJDLT PG UIF 5SBEF Choose one of the following
to uncover an artifact tricks (or a trick from a lower tier) to add to your
known as the Red Glove, repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your
which could transmute lower-tier tricks with a different trick from the same
any material touched to lower tier.
t "OBMZUJDBM $PNCBU Sometimes the most
vapor.
important muscle in a fight is your brain. If
t 0OTMBVHIU *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You attack a foe you can predict where an opponent will move
using energies that assail either his physical form next or see her weak spot, you can be a more
or his mind. In either case, you must be able to successful combatant. When you apply Effort to
see your target. If the attack is physical, you emit a combat Might task or Speed task, you can also
a short-range, invisible ray of force that inflicts spend points from your Intellect Pool as if they
4 points of damage. If the attack is mental, you came from your Might Pool or Speed Pool. For
focus your mental energy to blast the thought example, you could spend 3 Intellect points and
processes of another creature within short range. 2 Might points to apply two levels of Effort to
This mindslice inflicts 2 points of Intellect damage attacking with a sword. Enabler.
(and thus ignores Armor). Some creatures without t -VOHF .JHIU QPJOUT
This move requires you
minds (such as automatons) might be immune to to extend yourself for a powerful stab or smash.
mindslice. Action. The awkward lunge increases the difficulty
of the attack roll by one step. If your attack
t 4LJMM 8JUI "UUBDLT Choose one type of attack in is successful, it inflicts 4 additional points of
which you are not already trained: light bashing, damage. Action.
light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, t 4MJDF 4QFFE QPJOUT
This is a quick attack
medium bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, with a bladed or pointed weapon that is hard
heavy bladed, or heavy ranged. You are trained in to defend against. The difficulty of the attack
attacks using that type of weapon. Enabler. roll is decreased by one step. If the attack is
successful, it deals 1 less point of damage than
normal. Action.
t 4QSBZ 4QFFE QPJOUT
If a weapon has the ability
to fire rapid shots without reloading(usually called
a rapid-fire weapon, such as the crank crossbow),
you can spray multiple shots around your target to
increase the chance of hitting. This move uses 1d6 +
1 rounds of ammo (or all the ammo in the weapon,
if it has less than the number rolled). The difficulty of
the attack roll is decreased by one step. If the attack
is successful, it deals 1 less point of damage than
normal. Action.
t 5SBOTEJNFOTJPOBM 8FBQPO *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT

One melee weapon that you touch vibrates on
a dimensional frequency so that it spans into
other dimensions for one hour. During this
time, it inflicts 1 additional point of damage on
a successful hit and affects targets that can only
be affected by special transdimensional effects,
such as those that are out of phase. Action to
initiate.

44

CHARACTER TYPE

Fifth-Tier Jack you’re already trained in, you become specialized
in that task. You can’t choose a task you’re already
Fifth-tier jacks have the following abilities: specialized in.
Adept Cypher Use: You can bear four cyphers at a
5SJDLT PG UIF 5SBEF Choose one of the following tricks
time. (or a trick from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire.
Skills: You are trained in one task of your choosing In addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier tricks
with a different trick from the same lower tier.
(other than attacks or defense). If you choose a task t &OFSHZ 1SPUFDUJPO *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
Choose a
you’re already trained in, you become specialized
in that task. You can’t choose a task you’re already discrete type of energy you have experience with
specialized in. (such as heat, sonic, electricity, and so on). You
gain +10 to Armor against damage from that type
5SJDLT PG UIF 5SBEF Choose one of the following of energy for ten minutes. Alternatively, you gain
tricks (or a trick from a lower tier) to add to your +1 to Armor against damage from that energy
repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of your for 28 hours. You must be familiar with the type
lower-tier tricks with a different trick from the same of energy; for example, if you have no experience
lower tier. with a certain kind of extradimensional energy,
t 'FJOU 4QFFE QPJOUT
If you spend one action you can’t protect against it. Instead of applying
Effort to decrease the difficulty, you can apply
creating a misdirection or diversion, in the Effort to protect more targets, with each level of
next round you can take advantage of your Effort affecting up to two additional targets. You
opponent’s lowered defenses. Make a melee must touch additional targets to protect them.
attack roll against that opponent. The difficulty Action to initiate.
of the roll is decreased by one step. If your attack
is successful, it inflicts 4 additional points of Another famous jack is
damage. Action. Crimson Tellach, an expert
t 4OJQF 4QFFE QPJOUT
If you spend one action in both the numenera and
aiming, in the next round you can make a the finer points of combat.
precise ranged attack. The difficulty of the attack She lost her hand in a
roll is decreased by one step. If your attack battle with a jiraskar, but
is successful, it inflicts 4 additional points of replaced it herself with
damage. Action. a solid light emitter that
t 4VDDFTTJWF "UUBDL 4QFFE QPJOUT
If you take down allows her to create a
a foe, you can immediately make another attack on temporary hand, weapon,
that same turn against a new foe within your reach. tool, or anything else she
The second attack is part of the same action. You can needs.
use this trick with melee attacks and ranged attacks.
Enabler.
t 5BSHFUJOH &ZF You are trained in any physical
ranged attack that is a trick of the trade or comes
from a numenera device. For example, you are
trained when using an Onslaught force blast
because it’s a physical attack, but not when using
an Onslaught mindslice because it’s a mental
attack. You are trained when attacking with a death
ray emitter because it comes from a numenera
device, but not when using a crossbow because it’s
a mundane weapon. Enabler.
t .BTUFSZ 8JUI %FGFOTF Choose one type of
defense task in which you are trained: Might,
Speed, or Intellect. You become specialized in
defense tasks of that type. Unlike most tricks of
the trade, you can select this trick up to three
times. Each time you select it, you must choose a
different type of defense task. Enabler.

Sixth-Tier Jack

Sixth-tier jacks have the following abilities:
Skills: You are trained in one task of your choosing

(other than attacks or defense). If you choose a task

45

Practiced in Armor, page 29 t *OWJTJCJMJUZ *OUFMMFDU QPJOUT
You become him 1 point of Armor, so James subtracts 1 from all
Skill With Defense, page 30 invisible for ten minutes. While invisible, you are damage he takes. This type of armor normally reduces
specialized in stealth and Speed defense tasks. the wearer’s Speed Pool by 2 and costs 1 point of
Clever, page 48 This effect ends if you do something to reveal your Might per hour worn. To compensate, James chooses
presence or position—attacking, performing an Practiced in Armor as one of his tricks of the trade,
Crafts Illusions, page 57 esotery, using an ability, moving a large object, which reduces both costs by 2 (meaning they both
Quarterstaff, page 80 and so on. If this occurs, you can regain the become 0).
Dart thrower, page 80 remaining invisibility effect by taking an action to
focus on hiding your position. Action to initiate or For his other trick, he chooses Skill With Defense and
Leather jerkin, page 79 reinitiate. selects Speed tasks. James is very defensive minded.

t 1BSSZ 4QFFE QPJOUT
You can deflect incoming He also chooses a skill to be trained in. James
attacks quickly. When you activate this trick, for decides to go with stealth so that whenever he
the next 10 rounds you reduce the difficulty for all tries to hide, move quietly, or slip something into
Speed defense rolls by one step. Enabler. his pocket unnoticed, he reduces the difficulty of
the task by one step. In addition, his flex skill lets
t 4QJO "UUBDL 4QFFE QPJOUT
You stand still and him choose another skill each day, so he has many
make melee attacks against up to five foes within options.
reach, all as part of the same action in one round.
Make a separate attack roll for each foe. You His character can bear two cyphers. The GM
remain limited by the amount of Effort you can decides that one item is an injector that gives James
apply on one action. Anything that modifies your a temporary +1 bonus to his Speed Edge for one
attack or damage applies to all of these attacks. hour, and the other is a belt-mounted device that
Action. projects a force shield around him for ten minutes

t 5SVF 4FOTFT You can see in complete darkness and grants +3 to his Armor.
up to 50 feet (15 m) as if it were dim light. James still needs to choose his descriptor
You recognize holograms, disguises, and focus. For his descriptor, he picks
optical illusions, sound mimicry, and Clever to complement his “devious”
other such tricks (for all senses) for theme, so he adds 3 to his Intellect Pool,
what they are. Enabler. raising it to 17. The Clever descriptor
also means he is trained in lies
JACK EXAMPLE and trickery (which is fitting
for his character), defense rolls
James wants to play a jack. He likes against mental effects, and
the idea of being crafty, sneaky, identifying or assessing things.
and maybe a little devious. He Basically, his jack is good at
puts 4 of his additional points figuring out whatever situation
in his Intellect Pool (raising it he lands in. Conversely, he
to 14) and 2 points in his doesn’t excel at reading books,
Speed Pool (raising it to studying, or remembering
12). This leaves his details. Finally, the descriptor
Might Pool at 10. He gives James some extra
decides to have a Speed starting money—probably
Edge of 1, but it was a from being so clever.
hard choice—he was For his focus, he makes
tempted to put his a choice that’s devious but
Edge point in Intellect. overt: Crafts Illusions. At
As a first-tier character, first tier, he can spend 1
his Effort is 1. point from his Intellect Pool
to create minor images.
James chooses a The focus also grants him a
quarterstaff and a dart thrower strange oddity that involves
for his weapons. The staff is a images in a piece of glass. James
medium weapon that inflicts 4 will use these abilities to create a
points of damage. The dart thrower is a con artist character who is careful
light weapon, so he decreases the difficulty and clever and backs up his lies
of attack rolls with it, but each shot inflicts with illusions.
only 2 points of damage. The dart thrower
comes with 12 darts.

He wears a leather jerkin that gives

46

CHARACTER DESCRIPTOR

CHAPTER 5

CHARACTER
DESCRIPTOR

Y our descriptor defines your character—it DESCRIPTORS
flavors everything you do. The differences
between a Charming glaive and a Graceful Charming Rugged
glaive are considerable. The descriptor changes the Clever Stealthy
way those characters go about every action. Your Graceful Strong
descriptor places your character in the situation (the Intelligent Strong-Willed
first adventure, which starts the campaign) and helps Learned Swift
provide motivation. It is the adjective of the sentence Mystical/Mechanical Tough
“I am an adjective noun who verbs.”
You gain the following benefits: Intellect Pool, page 20
Descriptors offer a one-time package of extra 1FSTPOBCMF +2 to your Intellect Pool.
abilities, skills, or modifications to your stat Pools. Skill: You’re trained in all tasks involving positive Esoteries, page 35
Not all of a descriptor’s offerings are positive or pleasant social interaction.
character modifications. For example, some Skill: You’re trained when using esoteries Aeon Priest, page 269
descriptors have inabilities—tasks that a character or special abilities that influence the minds of
isn’t good at. You can think of inabilities as “negative others. You can customize an
skills”—instead of being one step better at that kind Contact: You have an important contact who is existing descriptor or create
of task, you’re one step worse. If you become skilled in an influential position, such as a minor noble, a new one. For guidance,
at a task that you have an inability with, they cancel the captain of the town guard, an Aeon Priest, or see page 117.
out. Remember that characters are defined as much the head of a large gang of thieves. You and the GM
by what they’re not good at as what they are good at. should work out the details together.
*OBCJMJUZ You were never good at studying or
Descriptors also offer a few brief suggestions of retaining facts. The difficulty of any task involving
how your character got involved with the rest of the lore, knowledge, or understanding is increased by
group on their first adventure. You can use these, or one step.
not, as you wish. *OBCJMJUZ Your willpower is not one of your strong
points. Whenever you try to resist a mental attack,
This section details the following descriptors: the difficulty is increased by one step.
Charming, Clever, Graceful, Intelligent, Learned, Additional Equipment: You’ve managed to talk
Mystical/Mechanical, Rugged, Stealthy, Strong, Strong- your way into some decent discounts and bonuses
Willed, Swift, and Tough. Choose one of them for in recent weeks. As a result, you have 10 extra shins
your character. You can pick any descriptor you wish jangling in your pocket.
regardless of whether you’re a glaive, nano, or jack. Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the
following list of options, choose how you became
CHARMING involved in the first adventure.
1. You convinced one of the other PCs to tell you
You’re a smooth talker and a charmer. Whether through what he was doing.
seemingly supernatural means or just a way with 2. You instigated the whole thing and convinced the
words, you can convince others to do as you wish. others to join you.
Most likely, you’re physically attractive or at least highly 3. One of the other PCs did a favor for you, and now
charismatic, and others enjoy listening to your voice. you’re repaying that obligation by helping her with
You probably pay attention to your appearance, keeping the task at hand.
yourself well groomed. You make friends easily. 4. There is reward involved, and you need the money.

You play up the personality facet of your Intellect
stat; intelligence is not your strong suit. You’re
personable, not necessarily studious or strong-willed.

47

Intellect Pool, page 20 CLEVER and careful movement.
Shins, page 77 Skill: You’re trained in all tasks
You’re quick-witted, thinking well on your
Speed Pool, page 20 feet. You understand people, so you can involving physical performing arts.
fool them but are rarely Skill: You’re trained in all Speed
fooled. Because you easily
see things for what they are, defense tasks.
you get the lay of the Initial Link to the Starting Adventure:
land swiftly, size up
threats and allies, From the following list of options, choose
and assess situations how you became involved in the first
with accuracy. adventure.
Perhaps you’re 1. Against your better judgment, you
physically attractive,
or maybe you use your joined the other PCs because you
wit to overcome any saw that they were in danger.
physical or mental 2. One of the other PCs convinced
imperfections. you that joining the group would be in
your best interest.
You gain the following benefits: 3. You’re afraid of what might
Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool. happen if the other PCs fail.
Skill: You’re trained in all interactions involving 4. There is reward involved, and you need the money.
lies or trickery.
Skill: You’re trained in defense rolls to resist INTELLIGENT
mental effects.
Skill: You’re trained in all tasks involving, You’re quite smart. Your memory is sharp, and you
identifying or assessing danger, lies, quality, easily grasp concepts that others might struggle
importance, function, or power. with. This aptitude doesn’t necessarily mean that
*OBCJMJUZ You were never good at studying or you’ve had years of formal education, but you have
retaining trivial knowledge. The difficulty of any learned a great deal in your life, primarily because
task involving lore, knowledge, or understanding is you pick things up quickly and retain so much.
increased by one step.
Additional Equipment: You see through the schemes You gain the following benefits:
of others and occasionally convince them to believe Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
you—even when, perhaps, they should not. Thanks to Skill: You’re trained in an area of knowledge of
your clever behavior, you have 10 extra shins. your choice.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the Skill: You’re trained in all actions that involve
following list of options, choose how you became remembering or memorizing things you experience
involved in the first adventure. directly. For example, instead of being good at recalling
1. You convinced one of the other PCs to tell you details of geography that you read about in a book,
what he was doing. you can remember a path through a set of tunnels that
2. From afar, you observed that something you’ve explored before.
interesting was going on. Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the
3. You talked your way into the situation because you following list of options, choose how you became
thought it might earn some money. involved in the first adventure.
4. You suspect that the other PCs won’t succeed 1. One of the other PCs asked your opinion of the
without you. mission, knowing that if you thought it was a good
idea, it probably was.
GRACEFUL 2. You saw value in what the other PCs were doing.
3. You believed that the task might lead to important
You have a perfect sense of balance, moving and and interesting discoveries.
speaking with grace and beauty. You’re quick, lithe, 4. A colleague requested that you take part in the
flexible, and dexterous. Your body is perfectly suited mission as a favor.
to dance, and you use that advantage in combat to
dodge blows. You might wear garments that enhance LEARNED
your agile movement and sense of style.
You gain the following benefits: You have studied, either on your own or with an
instructor. You know many things and are an expert
Agile: +2 to your Speed Pool. on a few topics, such as history, biology, geography,
Skill: You’re trained in all tasks involving balance the numenera, nature, or any other area of study.
Learned characters typically carry a few books around
with them and spend their spare time reading.

48

CHARACTER DESCRIPTOR

You gain the following benefits: broken object, prepare (but not create) food, and

Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool. so on. You can’t use hedge magic to harm another

Skill: You’re trained in three areas of knowledge of creature or object. Action.

your choice. *OBCJMJUZ You have a manner or an aura that

*OBCJMJUZ You have few social graces. The difficulty others find a bit unnerving. The difficulty of any

of any task involving charm, persuasion, or etiquette is task involving charm, persuasion, or deception is

increased by one step. increased by one step.

Additional Equipment: You have two additional Additional Equipment: You have an extra oddity, Oddity, page 314

books on topics of your choice. determined by the GM. The numenera, page 275
Ranged weapon, page 80
Initial Link to the Initial Link to the

Starting Adventure: Starting Adventure:

From the following list of Your descriptor defines your From the following list of
options, choose how you character—it flavors everything options, choose how you
became involved in the became involved in the

first adventure. you do. first adventure.

1. One of the other PCs 1. A dream guided you to

asked you to come this point.

along because of your knowledge. 2. You need money to fund your studies.

2. You need money to fund your studies. 3. You believed the mission would be a great way to

3. You believed that the task might lead to important learn more about the numenera.

and interesting discoveries. 4. Various signs and portents led you here.

4. A colleague requested that you take part in the RUGGED
mission as a favor.

MYSTICAL/MECHANICAL You’re a nature lover accustomed to living rough,
pitting your wits against the elements. Most likely,

You have a special talent that can be viewed in two you’re a skilled hunter, gatherer, or naturalist. Years

ways. You might think of yourself as “mystical,” of living in the wild have left their mark with a worn

and thus attuned with the mysterious and the countenance, wild hair, or scars. Your clothing is

paranormal, or you might think of yourself as probably much less refined than the garments worn

“mechanical,” and thus adept with devices and by city dwellers.

machines. In either case, your true talents lie with the You gain the following benefits:

numenera. You likely have experience with ancient Skill: You’re trained in all tasks involving climbing,

lore, and you can sense and wield the numenera— jumping, running, and swimming.

though whether that means “magic” or “technology” Skill: You’re trained in all tasks involving training,

is up to you (and probably up to those around you as riding, or placating natural animals.

well). Mystical characters often wear jewelry, such as Skill: You’re trained in all tasks involving

a ring or an amulet, or have tattoos or other marks identifying or using natural plants.

that show their interests. Mechanical characters *OBCJMJUZ You have no social graces and prefer

tend to carry a lot of tools and treat them almost like animals to people. The difficulty of any task involving

talismans. charm, persuasion, etiquette, or deception is

You gain the following benefits: increased by one step.

Smart: +2 to your Intellect Pool. Additional Equipment: You carry an explorer’s

Skill: You’re trained in all actions involving pack. If you already have one, you can instead take

identifying or understanding the numenera. 50 extra feet (15 m) of rope, two more days’ worth of

Sense “magic”: You can sense whether the rations, and an extra ranged weapon.

numenera is active in situations where its presence Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the

is not obvious. You must study an object or location following list of options, choose how you became

closely for a minute to get a feel for whether the involved in the first adventure.

touch of the ancients is at work. 1. Against your better judgment, you joined the other

Esotery: You can perform the esotery known as PCs because you saw that they were in danger.

Hedge Magic when you have a free hand and can pay 2. One of the other PCs convinced you that joining

the Intellect point cost. the group would be in your best interest.

t )FEHF .BHJD *OUFMMFDU QPJOU
You can perform 3. You’re afraid of what might happen if the other

small tricks: temporarily change the color or basic PCs fail.

appearance of a small object, cause small objects 4. There is reward involved, and you need the money.

to float through the air, clean a small area, mend a

49