Help - Core Rules

The core system focuses on d6 dice. The basic process for rolls is:

• 1d6 + relevant stat
  • 3+ is a Success
  • 7+ is a crit
  • Less than 3 is a failure, where the GM narrates a twist or consequence
• Advantage/disadvantage is in play
  • Player rolls 2 dice instead of 1
  • Advantage takes the higher dice, disadvantage takes the lower dice

There are 3 basic stats, to keep the system as simple as possible. Each character has a stat rated -1, +1, or +2:

• Muscle - Strength, melee combat, intimidation, athletics
• Mind - Hacking, analysis, knowledge, tech repairs
• Cool - Stealth, persuasion, streetwise

The Turn system kicks in when required, such as combat. Turns have 3 basic steps:

• Movement - Player can move or reposition to anywhere within Close range as standard
• Action - substantial actions such as attacking, hacking, helping teammates up, grappling etc.
• Bonus Action - is a quick secondary action, such as reloading, using items, swapping equipment, moving to nearby cover etc.

Substantial actions will usually require a full Action. Cyberware can modify this, such as the Time Dilation Chip, which will promote a bonus action to a full action once per mission.

The health and healing systems are really simplified:

• Each player has a 4HP base
• If the player hits 0HP, they're unconscious or dying
• Medkits or Biofoam restore 2HP
• A full rest (in a safe location) will restore full HP
• Limbs hit by crits will be disabled, and roll with Disadvantage where the GM feels the limb is being used

Death

When you take too much damage, and hit 0HP, you'll enter a Dying state. While Dying, you make saving throws to avoid complete Death. To do this:

• Roll 1d6 on your turn
• 1-3: Still dying, -1 health, health goes into negative numbers
• 4+: Stabilised, you become unconscious and are no longer dying

Another player can use a health item on their turn to stabilise you and stop you from dying. Healing restores HP starting from the negative value. For example, if you are -2HP and receive +3HP healing, you end up with 1HP.

If your health hits -3HP, you are permanently dead. This should be framed into the narrative. One idea is that the player sits out the rest of the job. When the crew meets the fixer to start a new job, a newly made character can be introduced as the replacement.

Unconsciousness

If you get knocked to 0HP with a non-lethal attack (at the GM's discretion) or succeed in a saving throw, you become unconscious. To wake up from unconsciousness:

• Another player can wake you up on their turn, where you will wake up with 1HP
• Another player can use a health item on their turn, which will heal you to the relevant amount
• On your turn, you roll 1d6. If you get a 5 or 6, you wake up with 1HP
• At the end of combat, you automatically wake up with 1HP

The combat system is straight-forward, and applies to both enemies and players, but can be very easily improvised to create interesting combat scenarios:

Initiative

At the start of a combat encounter, roll 1d6 + Cool to determine your initiative. This applies to enemies as well, and results in the order of combat.

Combat Rolls

To determine whether an attack lands:

• Roll 1d6, and add the modifier for the weapon, or Muscle for unarmed attacks
• Attacks require a roll of 4+ to hit, and 7+ to crit
• Most enemies will have between 2 - 4HP

The damage inflicted is based on the weapon or attack being used. See the character creation section for more info. If no damage is specified, a standard attack deals 1 damage, and crits deal 2 damage or apply an injury (GM's discretion, e.g. disarm, disable limb, knock to the floor)

This system applies to both enemies and players, so the GM will make the rolls for the enemy attacks.

Range

There are 4 possible "Ranges". These are:

• Close - Within melee range or a few steps
  • Melee and short-range weapons are automatically in range
• Near - Across a small room or an alley, 1 Movement away
  • Pistols, SMGs, and Shotguns are ideal
  • Melee requires 1 Movement to engage
• Far
  • Across large rooms, streets, or rooftops
  • Pistols, SMGs, and Shotguns deal 1 less damage
• Out of range - Beyond a reasonable distance without moving or repositioning
  • Requires 1 Movement or reposition to enter Far range
  • Snipers can target out of range enemies without penalty

Tactical Modifiers

There are 2 tactical modifier states that can swing combat in either party's favour:

• Cover - Targets in Near or Far range behind cover -1 damage from attacks. Attacks deal minimum 0 damage.
• Flanking (Close) - 2 allies attacking the same target from different directions give +1 to melee attacks

Hacking may require some forward-thinking from the GM on what the players are capable ahead of time, and can add a dynamic twist to a lot of scenarios.

Hacking is generally a two-step process - breaching and hacking.

Breaching

Breaching is the act of actually getting into the system initially:

• Player approaches a terminal or access point
• Player attempts a breach, using a Mind roll to get in
• On failure, the system refuses access. This may lock the station out, but this is up to the GM.
• On success, the system allows access and lists available subsystems.

Note that you may breach a system and get caught physically accessing a system, so be aware of your surroundings.

Hacking

Hacking is actually gaining access to a subsystem, such as CCTV, security, power or weapon systems, or cyberware

• Performing a hack: Roll 1d6 + Mind (+ Expert Hacker skill if applicable)
• 4+: Gains basic access or control
• 7+: Full stealth hack, with a bonus effect
• 1-3: Triggers a physical response or ICE

Physical Response

This typically involves guards coming in, often triggering White ICE (see below) as well. Patrols and drones are alerted to their location, and can arrive within 1-2 rounds (longer if the building is bigger or enemies have been cleared nearby)

ICE - Intrusion Countermeasure Electronics

ICE are digital security programs that respond to intruders. Think of it as a counter attack by the subsystem being hacked. There are 3 types of ICE in this ruleset:

ICE Type	Description	Gameplay Effect
White ICE	Passive security (firewalls, alarms)	Detects intrusions. On failure, triggers alarms, locks doors, alerts security teams
Gray ICE	Active countermeasures (trace and lockout)	Attempts to kick players from the system. On failure, blocks further hacking attempts on that system
Black ICE	Lethal anti-intrusion programs	Direct attack on the player. On failure, deals 1 damage directly to the hacker's HP. On crit failure or advanced Black ICE, deals 2 damage or causes partial neural stun (lose next action)

Cyberware

Some cyberware will influence how hacking works.

• Neural Jack - bypasses the breach roll at a terminal, and allows for access via uplinks as well
• Neural Spike - expensive cyberware, physical contact bypasses Breach for direct subsystem hacking, for example a camera you can touch
• Neural Antennae - expensive cyberware that lets the user attempt to breach remotely (Close/Near range, or Far with disadvantage)

This system is optional, and is similar to Inspiration in D&D. Each session, the players start with 1 Edge Point. Players can gain more Edge Points by role-playing well and doing cool stuff, at the GM's discretion. This can be used to:

• Auto-succeed a roll - mimics a 4+ roll
• Re-roll a failed roll
• Gain advantage on an attack, improving crit chance

There are generally 2 forms of progression, used optionally at the discretion of the GM. There are no levels or XP.

Cred - Currency

Each mission will provide currency as a reward, and the reward will vary with the risk involved. Cred can be used to purchase new Cyberware, gear, and vehicles between missions. Players might decide to visit a Ripperdoc, Black Market Weapons Dealer, Vehicle Dealer, or other vendors between missions to spend their hard-earned cred. Some missions may also require a buy-in (GM's decision) to start.

Rep - Reputation

Rep can be gained in a small handful of ways, including mission success (depends on risk, generally scales with currency), stylish executions, and public exposure. Higher rep will make different cyberware and weaponry available for purchase, and grant the ability to undertake higher risk or higher profile missions. This is pretty loosely controlled, and is entirely up to the GM if/how to implement.

Between missions, the players can complete a few different tasks:

• Install Cyberware - Pay a Ripperdoc to swap out their hardware
• Purchase gear - Visit vendors for weapons, items, and tools
• Heal injuries - Visit a hospital to pay for medical care, or visit a Ripperdoc
  • This option lets you heal limbs, or even replace them with artificial ones if you have the Cred

The characters have the ability to buy gear between quests, and they can store it in their armory to stock up. After meeting with the Fixer and accepting a mission, they can load up before starting it. It’s up to the GM how much they can carry, but a rough guide would be one large weapon, one small, and 3 items on their person. Fit to match the items the player is taking.

They can also use this time to plan for the mission and the entry. On a mission to retrieve a stolen data shard from a Corp, they may decide to plough into the side of the building using a large vehicle and going in guns blazing, they may scout the building from the outside first to spot a sneaky entrance, or they may smooth talk the security guard into an armed escort through the building.