BASH Sci-Fi Edition

INTRODUCTION Credits Writing: Chris Rutkowsky, Layout & Art Director: David Jarvis, Index & Editing: Michael Taylor Cover Art: Thom Chiaramonte, Third Rail Design Lab Logo and Cover Lettering by John Mathews Interior Artwork: Skorched Urf Studios, Anthony Cournoyer, Paul Daily, Larry Elmore, Butch Mapa, Antonio Rojo, Shaman’s Stock Art, Richard Spake, Aaron Texiera, Jason Watson. Some artwork Copyright 2007, Reality Deviant Publications, Used with permission. Some art work taken from Sci-Fi Clip-Art Collection One, Two, and Three copyright © Philip Reed and Christopher Shy. Used with permission. To learn more visit www.roninarts.com. Some art from Image Portfolio Anthology (Devil’s Workshop). Some artwork from Skortched Urf studios. Some artwork copyright Paul Daly, used with permission. Some artwork in this book is also ©2005 Team Frog Studios, used by permission. Archaic Weapons..................................................... 32

BASH! Sci-FI Table of Contents

Archaic Ranged Weapons ....................................... 34

Introduction ................................................................5

Modern Firearms & Bombs...................................... 35

Key Terms ....................................................................5

Futuristic Weapons .................................................. 37

Chapter 1: Character Creation .............................7

Examples of Integrated Functions ........................ 39

Step 1: Stats ...................................................................... 8

Upgrades ..................................................................39 Modern Equipment ................................................... 41

Step 2: Species ................................................................. 8

High Tech Equipment ..............................................41

Step 3: Advantages ..........................................................10

Medical Supplies ................................................... 41

Disadvantages ................................................................. 11

Useful Gadgets ......................................................42

Species Specific Disadvantages ....................................... 13 Step 4: Powers .................................................................14

Black Market Goods ............................................. 43

Energy ............................................................................14

Chapter 3: Playing the Game ......................... 44

Mundane Powers............................................................14

The Golden Rule ........................................................ 45

Special Powers ............................................................... 18

Experience Points....................................................... 45

Alien Powers ................................................................. 18

Hero Dice.................................................................... 45

Mechanical Powers ........................................................18

Combat Rules ............................................................. 45

Psionic Powers ...............................................................19

Movement ................................................................ 46

Limiting the Role of Psionics ..........................................19

Wounds ................................................................... 46

Psionic Disciplines ..........................................................20

Ranged Attacks ........................................................47

Special Power Enhancements.........................................27

Cover in Combat.......................................................47

Special Power Limitations ...............................................27

Knock-Back ............................................................. 47

Step 5: Skills ...................................................................27

Wrestling.................................................................. 47

Chapter 2: Equipment .............................................31

Vulnerability ............................................................. 47

Technology Levels .............................................................32

Size.......................................................................... 47 Continual Damage ................................................... 47

Armor ............................................................................. 32

Collateral Damage ....................................................48

Futuristic Armor; Suits ......................................................32

Explosions ................................................................48

Weapons ......................................................................... 32

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INTRODUCTION Healing .......................................................................... 48

Size .................................................................................58 Volume ........................................................................... 59 Cargo Units .................................................................... 59 Crew/Passengers .......................................................... 59 Vehicle Combat................................................................. 59 Priority............................................................................ 59 Defense ......................................................................... 59 Damage ......................................................................... 60 Breach Threshold .......................................................... 60 Effects of a Hull Breach .............................................. 60 Incapacitating a Vehicle ..................................................60 Boarding .......................................................................... 61 Ramming ....................................................................... 61 Repairs .......................................................................... 62 Vehicle Powers .................................................................. 62 Weapon Systems.............................................................. 63 Vehicle Advantages .......................................................... 65 Vehicle Disadvantages ..................................................... 65 Types of Vehicles: Starships ............................................. 66 Stardrive .......................................................................... 66 Sample Starships.............................................................. 67 Light Starships ............................................................... 67 Capital Starships............................................................ 69 Terrain in Space ................................................................ 72 More Vehicles ................................................................... 72 Modern Land Vehicles ................................................... 72 Futuristic Land Vehicles ................................................. 74 Modern Sea Vehicles ..................................................... 75 Futuristic Sea Vehicles .................................................. 77 Modern Sky Vehicles ..................................................... 77 Futuristic Sky Vehicles ................................................... 78 Heavy Ordinance ........................................................... 79 Rules of War ..................................................................... 80 Fleet to Fleet: Mass Combat in Space........................... 80 Time, Space, and Movement ...................................... 80 Ports and Planets ........................................................81 Impact of and on Heroes and Villians ...........................81 Mass Combat on Planets............................................... 82

Chase Scenes ................................................................48 Minions ..............................................................................49 Hazrads .............................................................................50 Starvation and Thirst......................................................50 Drowning.......................................................................50 Extreme Cold ................................................................50 Extreme Heat ................................................................50 Falling ...........................................................................50 Fire................................................................................50 Fatigue ..........................................................................50 Illness............................................................................50 Immobilization ................................................................. 50 Poison ...........................................................................51 Radiation.......................................................................51 Vacuum .........................................................................51 Gravity ..........................................................................51 Zero-G .......................................................................51 Low-G ........................................................................51 High-G ....................................................................... 51 Spacewalking................................................................ 52 Artificial hazards- Traps & Security Systems ................ 52 Alarm.......................................................................... 52 Electroshock .............................................................. 52 Hologram ................................................................... 52 Landmine ...................................................................52 Laser Tripwire ............................................................ 52 Lockdown....................................................................53 Pit............................................................................... 53 Poison Gas ................................................................ 53 Wall-Mounted Blaster .................................................53 Collapsing Walls ........................................................ 53 Creating Worlds ................................................................53 Constructed Worlds ....................................................... 53 Random World Creation ..............................................54 Creating Alien Species...................................................55

Chapter 4: Warfare & Exploration .........................57 Building a Vehicle ............................................................ 58 Scale ............................................................................. 58 Brawn............................................................................ 58 Agility ............................................................................ 58 Mind .............................................................................. 58 Inertia ............................................................................ 58

Chapter 5: Aliens & Adversaries........................... 83 Size ................................................................................84 Energy Cost ...................................................................84 Skills ..............................................................................84 Danger Level .................................................................84

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INTRODUCTION Aliens, Mutants, & Monsters ....................................................84 Alien Predator Beast .........................................................85 Bear-Bat........................................................................... 85 Brhinox..............................................................................85 Claw-Titan........................................................................ 85 Cloaked Stalker ............................................................... 86 Doom Hopper .................................................................. 86 Dune Raiders ................................................................... 86 Furbles ............................................................................. 87 Ice Beast .......................................................................... 87 Jaw Monster .................................................................... 87 Omnipotent Entity ............................................................ 87 Phase Wraith ................................................................... 88 Razor Cat......................................................................... 89 Sand Runner.................................................................... 89 Shifter .............................................................................. 89 Snow Strider .................................................................... 89 Sonic Bats........................................................................ 89 Spike Strider .................................................................... 90 The Swarm ...................................................................... 90 Tentacle Worm ................................................................. 90 Thunder Beast ................................................................ 91 Tunnel Devil ..................................................................... 91 Unstoppable Gorger ........................................................ 91 Viper Slug ........................................................................ 91 Colossus Creatures ............................................................ 92 Great Dune Worm............................................................ 92 Star Kraken ...................................................................... 92 Leviathan Fish ................................................................. 92 Robots, Cyborgs, and Droids.............................................. 92 Cyberninja........................................................................ 92 Duel Bot ........................................................................... 93 Utility Droid ...................................................................... 93 Star Knight ....................................................................... 93 War Droids ....................................................................... 94 Light Infantry Droid ....................................................... 94 Heavy Infantry Droid ..................................................... 94 Roving Gun Droid ......................................................... 94 Juggernaut Assault Droid.............................................. 94 Sci-Fi Icons ......................................................................... 94 Assassin........................................................................... 94 Bartender ......................................................................... 95 Bounty Hunter ...................................................................95 Crime Lord ........................................................................95

Duelist ............................................................................95 Gangster .......................................................................95 Guards ...........................................................................95 Gunfighter ......................................................................96 Merchant ........................................................................96 Noble ............................................................................ 96 Pilot ............................................................................... 96 Psi-Rangers .................................................................. 97 Dark Psi-Rangers ...................................................... 98 Scoundrel......................................................................98 Space Pirates ...............................................................99 Starship Personnel .......................................................99 Chief Engineer ...........................................................99 Crewman ...................................................................99 Starship Officer .........................................................100 Starship Captain .......................................................100 Startrooper ...................................................................100 Scout.........................................................................100 Heavy Assault Force ................................................ 100 Regular ..................................................................... 100 Officer ....................................................................... 101 Star Marines .............................................................101 Thief ................................................................................ 101

Chapter 6: Science Fiction Genres .......................102 Victorian .......................................................................... 103 Space Pulp .....................................................................109 Space Opera...................................................................112 Science Fantasy ............................................................. 112 Post Apocalyptic .............................................................114 Cyberpunk ......................................................................116 Mecha-Pilots ................................................................... 118 Hard Sci-Fi ......................................................................122 Time Travel .................................................................... 123

Appendix A: Rules Options.................................... 127 Stats above 5 ................................................................. 127

Appendix B: More Powerful Starting characters ..128 Superheroes Conversion .............................................. 128

Index .............................................................................129 Character Sheet .......................................................137

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INTRODUCTION Introduction: What is an RPG? For those unfamiliar with the term, RPG stands for Role-Playing Game. It is a game in which the players portray characters within a story. Unlike a story, however, there is no set script in a roleplaying game. Like a game, there are rules to govern success and failure. Unlike a game, there are no “winners” and “losers”—the purpose is to enjoy yourself with friends, creating a story. In an RPG, each player will control one character, which in BASH! is called a Hero. In addition, there is usually some sort of referee, who decides the outcome of various events and sets the stage for the story. In BASH! that person is called a Narrator. These are the two roles you might play. The Hero is a larger-thanlife character central to the story. The purpose of the game is to create a story in which the Heroes can overcome various challenges in order to save the day. A Hero overcomes these challenges using a combination of natural ability, powers, skills, and advantages, as well as their own ingenuity. These challenges are created by the Narrator, a player who does not control a Hero, but rather, “sets the scene” for the Hero to perform his/her exploits. The Narrator decides, where and when the story takes places, as well as the actions of all the characters not controlled by the players, like the Villains and their minions. It is up to the players controlling the Heroes to portray their characters within the larger story created by the Narrator. For example, you may be playing a scientist who must defuse a bomb before the countdown reaches zero. In order to add some suspense, there has to be a chance for failure— and for that reason, we use description, numbers, and dice to decide how successful the actions of the characters within the story are.

What is BASH!? BASH! originally stood for Basic Action Super Heroes. The BASH! System was a product of my attempt to invent a superhero roleplaying game that would appeal to kids. What I found, however, was that it really worked well as a superheroes RPG for gamers of all ages. I also found that the rules worked in genres other than superheroes. Fantasy, wild-west, samurais and science fiction were all within the system’s capabilities. So now, it is Basic Action System Heroes. What separates the Basic Action System from other role-playing games is an emphasis on high-adventure, and fast-paced action. Don’t expect to be bogged down in rules or spend an hour resolving every single thing a character does. Even creating a character is fast and easy. The rules are light and simple, yet expansive and precise enough to build any character you want. BASH! Sci-Fi gives a complete list of sci-fi powers (both super-scientific, psionic, and mundane) without requiring the players to learn complicated formulas, memorize charts, or buy other books. In short, you will spend less time creating your Hero, and more time playing your Hero.

A Hero has many qualities. In BASH! Sci-Fi Edition, these qualities are rated as Stats, Powers, Advantages, and Disadvantages. Each has its own impact on what the character is capable of. When a character wishes to try some task where there is a chance for failure, the players roll 2 standard six-sided dice, and multiply the result by their stat or power to indicate the result relative to their opponent’s or the difficulty of an unopposed task. If the roll is “doubles”, roll another die and add it (repeat if it matches) before you multiply. The higher number is victorious, and ties go to the Hero (the good-guys are supposed to win, after all). Simple, eh?

What is Sci-Fi? Sci-Fi stands for Science Fiction. Defining what exactly Sci-Fi is, however is a very difficult task. One author said, “Science Fiction is what Science Fiction writers write”. This statement was vague, but also completely accurate. For some, science fiction may involve the crew of a starship patrolling the galaxy in the far future, while for others it may involve an ancient order of mystics in a galaxy far, far away. Science fiction is futuristic giant robots, but it is also a primitive band of road warriors who survived a nuclear holocaust. It can be a team of elite star-soldiers determined to defend their empire or it can be a Victorian gentleman in a clockwork time-machine. In other words, science fiction is in the eye of the beholder. What holds true for all science fiction, however is that their reality has at least one major difference from our own, often revolving around technology, though alternate history, or unexplained powers can also be the basis of a sci-fi setting. Whatever your favorite sci-fi setting, you can play it with BASH! Sci-Fi. Cross swords with space-pirates or hack your virtual self into the corporate Network. Send the Alien Predator out the airlock or journey to the lost world at the center of the Earth. Pilot your Mecha in the interplanetary war, or explore the vast reaches of space for the guild. Whatever your adventure, BASH! Sci-Fi will take you there.

Key Terms Active Multiplier: The number by which any action is multiplied other than damage. The maximum active multiplier is x10. Contest: When two or more characters are in direct opposition with one another at some task, they both roll dice. After multiplying by the relevant stat or power, the character with the higher result wins. Ties go to the Hero, or whoever is acting more heroic at that moment. For example, if you read a description calling for a Brawn Contest, the two characters involved roll times their Brawn stat—the higher of the two wins. D6: An ordinary six-sided die. In this game, you often have to roll two at once.

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INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION

Dice Bonus/Penalty: A number that is added/subtracted from the 2d6 roll before multiplying. For example a +2 Dice Bonus would change a roll of 7 to a 9 before multiplying. DM, Damage Multiplier: The number by which 2d6 are multiplied to determine how much damage an attack does, how much damage is soaked, or how much damage is healed.

Page: One round of combat is known as a “page”. In each 2-3 second page, there are several “panels” that take place. Panel: During a “page”, each character takes an action, known as a panel. Panels are numbered according to the combatants’ priority.

Domino Effect: The ability for Heroes or Villains to attack another minion in hand-to-hand combat if they have just taken one out.

Priority: The order in which Heroes’ and their adversaries’ “panels” occur. This is based on whoever has the highest Agility, and is affected by speed-wiring or similar powers.

Doubles: When both d6s display the same number. If this happens, roll another d6 and add it. If this also matches, roll and add until it doesn’t.

Soak: The amount of damage all attacks are reduced by when wearing armor, or using the armor power.

E.C.: Stands for: Energy Cost. When writing down a character’s information, you should write down the E.C. next to the power if it is not simply equal to the point cost of the power.

Square: The standard area of physical space used to measure distances of movement, attack range, radius, etc. A square is 5 feet by 5 feet. Thus a range 5, radius 2 attack has a 25’ range, and a 10’ radius.

Issue: The current game session, within an ongoing plot known as a story arc.

Story Arc: The ultimate goal of the Heroes over a given time. Once that goal is achieved, players may move on to another story arc.

Hits: This is how much physical damage your character can withstand before being knocked out. Heroes usually begin with 100 hits. Minions have less.

Stats: These are the fundamental raw aptitudes of any character. They are Brawn, Agility, and Mind. See character creation step 1 for more details.

Intensity: This is how strong the effect of a power is, whether it is damage, healing, or knock-back.

Total Result Bonus/Penalty: A number that is added/subtracted from the total result of a die roll after multiplying. Abbreviated as TR. For example, with a +5 TR bonus, x3 multiplier, and a roll of 7, the result would be 3x7= 21+5= 26.

Multiplier Bonus/Penalty: A number that is added to/subtracted from the multiplier that is affecting the dice roll before multiplying. For example, a +2 Multiplier Bonus would change a x3 multiplier to a x5.

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CHARACTER CREATION

CHAPTER ONE: CHARACTER CREATION

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CHAPTER ONE Chapter 1: Character Creation Step 1: Stats Spread 7 points between each of the 3 attributes, rating 1-5. You may gain 1 extra point of stats by dropping 2 points of powers to a max of 8 points for stats.

Brawn: This is the character’s Strength and overall Toughness.

An example of a typical person with this brawn and a description of how much they can lift is included. A character’s Brawn is also equal to how many squares s/he can jump horizontally.

1-

Normal Man

Lift 100 Pounds

2-

A Soldier

200 Pounds

3-

Primitive Barbarian

300 Pounds

4-

Strongest possible human

400 Pounds

5-

A very strong alien

800 Pounds

Agility: This is how quick the character’s reflexes are.

It is used to see who goes first in combat, to dodge all physical attacks, and strike in close combat. It also influences movement. A character can normally move 3 squares/Agility per page. 1-

Normal Man

2-

An average marksman

3-

A skilled marksman or a pickpocket

4The most magnificent marksman in the area or a pro athlete (human maximum) 5-

An alien or machine of incredible speed and accuracy.

Mind: This is the character’s IQ, willpower, and psychic potential. It is also used to make ranged attack damage, social interaction, and to check perception. This is the key stat for piloting as well! 1-

Normal Person

2-

Scholar

3-

Brilliant, A very competent scientist.

4-

Genius , A legendary scientist.

5-

Supra Genius, Greatest scientist in the known universe

Step 2: Species What Sci-Fi RPG would be complete without a host of alien species for players to choose from? In BASH! Sci-Fi, there can be many different sentient beings occupying the galaxy other than humans. The Narrator can establish a guideline of what skills or powers you should pay points for, which ones you cannot buy, and what advantages or disadvantages you should take based on what species you are playing. Many species enable you to buy powers unavailable to humans (glide, aquatic, fly). The species here are just examples. Feel free to change or add to this list! What we really recommend you do is pick and choose powers from the Alien Power List to create your own alien species! Avinoid: 1pt Glide, Cannot buy Armor Familiarity power, Max Brawn =3. Avinoids are Birdmen who live on low-gravity worlds, where they can soar amongst the clouds. In regular gravity, they can only glide, however. They have wings on their back as well as arms ending in taloned fingers.

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CHARACTER CREATION

Cathulian: Psionic Powers advantage, Freak disadvantage, Inhuman Voice disadvantage, Amphibious, Telepathy, Max Brawn =2, Max Agility =4. Cathulians are strange beings from a watery world. Their faces are squidlike, with a set of tentacles where their mouths should be. Every Cathulian has telepathic abilities, which enable them to communicate with other species, as their beak-like mouths covered in tentacles are not made for speech. They may buy the Appendage power if they wish. Durg: Engineering Skill, 2pts Super Senses (Infrared Vision), Minimum Brawn =2, Max Agility =3. The Durg are a short and stocky race from a high-gravity planet that receives little light. Their magnificent engineers have adapted to life on this world by using the energy of the planet’s core to power their cities and maintain their crops. Durg engineers are sought after throughout the galaxy, and often work for whoever pays the best (though never against the interest of Durg). It is not uncommon for them to have the Obsession: Wealth Disadvantage. Eldan: Max Brawn = 3, 1pt Charisma, Keen Senses (vision). Fairer and nobler than humans, the Eldan live much longer, but are far more rare. The onetime lords of the galaxy have declined over the centuries, and now tend to smaller systems they can maintain their influence over, and where the less refined species in the galaxy will leave them alone. Eldan resemble beautiful humans with pointed ears, and very colorful hair (green, blue, and violet are common, as are silver and gold). Almost all Eldan have the Psionic Powers advantage coupled with the star-born disadvantage. Ifurian: Small. Max Brawn= 2, Max Mind =3, Outdoors skill. Ifurians are a cute, bear-like species that is about half the size of a human. Despite their small stature, they are skilled warriors and hunters. Ifurians may have the Primitive disadvantage. Half-Breed: You are half one species, and half another. This means that you have a few of the traits of both. You and the Narrator should decide what these are, but you should have the limitations and disadvantages of BOTH species! Species whose limitations contradict each other are incompatible. For instance, a character cannot be half Wokana/Half Ifurian (Large/Small don’t agree, and Min Brawn 3/Max Brawn 2 don’t agree). Human: Maximum Brawn =4, Maximum Agility =4. Humans have no other restrictions and can buy whatever other stats and powers they wish, but cannot choose from the Alien Powers List. Saran: Minimum Brawn =2, Max Agility =3, Max Mind =4. Toughness 1 (+10 Soak) 1pt. Sarans are a species of lizard-like beings who inhabit a desert planet. Their muscular frames and their heavy

scales make them most resistant to damage. Sarans may have the Long Sleeper disadvantage or the Abnormal Diet (raw meat) disadvantage. They can take the Appendage power for their tail. Simbasa: 1pt fleet of foot, Athletics Skill (Acrobatics), 2pts Danger Sense, 1pt Natural Weapons. Minimum Agility =3. These feline humanoids look relatively similar to lions. Simbasa may have the Long Sleeper disadvantage. Vekar: Minimum Brawn =2, Minimum Agility =2, Honor Bound. The Vekar are a very spiritual people who value honor and martial prowess above all else. Vekar resemble tall, strong humans, with ridged foreheads and dreadlocks. They usually have the armor familiarity power and the weapon technique power, favoring blades as well as blasters. All Vekar have the Military skill. Wokana: Large, Inhuman Voice, Minimum Brawn =3, Max Agility =3. These furry giants only recently became part of the “civilized” galaxy, but have adapted rapidly. Their vocal chords are incapable of ordinary speech, but they tend to get their points across with brute strength! It is common for Wokana warriors to also have Blaze of Glory and/or Berserk. Xrek: Inhuman Voice, Toughness 2 +20 Soak, Venomous, Clinging, Extra Arms, Leap. The Xrek are a race of bipedal insects standing about 7 feet tall, resembling a humanoid praying mantis. They have four arms, chitinous skin, and a poisonous bite. Their hands and feet end in hooks that allow them to stick to walls and ceilings. Because of their very alien appearance and inability to speak normally, they have been hated and feared by much of the gala for centuries.

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CHAPTER ONE Step 3: Advantages Your species is not the only important part of your background you need to determine before deciding the special abilities and skills of your character. An advantage is a special edge that grants your character some unique ability. “You “buy” advantages by taking an equal amount of disadvantages—character flaws that we will discuss later (see page 11).” Some aspects of your character (especially social ones) are determined by buying advantages. These advantages will help you decide what kind of person your Hero is, and will help you establish a guideline for buying powers later. For instance, if you want to play a telepath, you would have to buy the “Psionic” advantage, while a hot-shot pilot with ice-water in his veins might want the “Fearless” advantage. This list is by no means complete. Narrators and players should feel free to come up with their own Advantages to fit their games. Blaze of Glory: When reduced to 30 or less Hits, you get a +2 Dice bonus on all rolls. You may also take an additional panel as soon as you fall in combat (they occur simultaneously) including an extra attack even if you have already made one this page. You may also ignore the penalties for wounds for one panel by taking 10 damage. Companion: You have a companion who helps you through your adventures. A companion is essentially a weak Hero controlled by the Narrator. A companion does not need to be humanoid: it can be an android or an alien animal for instance. Companions have a base of 6 points of stats and 5 points of powers. Contacts: You know people who owe you favors all over the galaxy. It seems everywhere you go, you know someone who can help you out, whether it be information, a place to hide, etc. As long as you don’t ask a contact to put themselves at great risk, they will help you however they can. Contacts can really help you find out things that would otherwise remain unknown—like a villain’s whereabouts, or the secret ritual of a cult—but you will usually get this info in the form of subtle hints—not direct information. Cyborg: You are partly alive, and partly machine. This advantage allows you to buy powers from the mechanical power list. Whenever you are hit in combat, roll a d6. If the number on the die is less than (not equal to) the points you have in machine powers, it means that a mechanical part of you was hit, and that damage must be repaired rather than healed (see the Unliving advantage below). Regardless of whether the damage is to your machine or living parts (or both) however, a total of 100 hits of damage will incapacitate your character. Diehard: You are very stubborn when it comes to giving up your life. You may re-roll any dice roll that resulted in your Hero’s death. Example: if you fell to your death after failing a climbing check, you can re-roll the climbing check. If you were struck down by an energy blast, you can re-roll your dodge roll to avoid being hit, etc.

Dumb Luck: Once per issue, you may re-roll any dice roll. Eat Anything: You are from a species that can obtain nourishment from nearly any source. Animals, vegetables, minerals, and even chemicals can be converted into energy by your body. Some species refer to you as a “living garbage disposal”, but this ability can be very handy when “real food” is hard to come by. In addition, you are immune to ingested poisons, though you can still become intoxicated by imbibing alcohol (and your species likely makes alcoholic drinks that would be lethal to others). Just because you can eat rocks and drink bleach, however, does not mean you necessarily enjoy doing so (it is up to you). Enhanced: You are either cybernetic or genetically altered, enabling you to have stats beyond the normal maximums for your species. This enhancement is not obvious to the naked eye. Famous: Perhaps you are a well-known pilot or starship captain, maybe a hero of an important battle, or a well known actor or scientist. Regardless of why you are famous, wherever you go, you run into well-wishers who want to make you happy. Whenever you want to exploit your fame for some sort of advantage, you can roll times your highest stat. If you get a 20, the person you are interacting with will recognize you and treat you differently because of your fame. (Sometimes this different treatment may not be to your benefit, however). Fearless: You are completely immune to the effects of fear, including psionic effects intended to drive you away (like the Daze power). Any attempt to frighten or intimidate you automatically fails. Whenever you try to intimidate people, you get a +2 Dice bonus to your check. High-Tech: You are from a more advanced culture, or maybe you are from the future. As a result, you have access to equipment and knowledge from a higher Technology level than most. Usually, this will be 2 Tech Levels higher than the rest of the campaign setting. This advantage is only allowed with Narrator approval! Large: You are a size 1 creature. You must be a member of a race that is much bigger than humans, like a Wokana. As a size 1 creature, you add +1 Dice bonus to all Brawn rolls, but you also

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take a -1 Dice penalty to all Agility rolls. You also get to add a 5 TR bonus to all damage dealt and soaked, even if you are unarmored. You can also lift twice as much as a size 0 creature with your Brawn score. Lifelike Appearance: If you are an android or a cyborg, this advantage makes you still appear to be a normal life form. You have realistic skin, hair, and even can simulate breathing. Your true nature can be discovered when a psychic attempts to probe your mind (if you are an android) and finds none, or if you are examined with a medical scanner. Likewise, when you do something that should be impossible for your “species” (like plug your finger into a data port, etc) you may give yourself away. Membership: You are a member of something exclusive and important, perhaps a guild, order, league, or secret society of some kind. You and your Narrator must work together to figure out the benefits and obligations of this membership. It is likely that this membership will also require you to take an oath, duty, or some other disadvantage. Psionic: You can use the force of your mind to alter reality. You can purchase powers from the psionic list. In order for you to use your powers, you must be conscious and able to concentrate. If you are drugged, asleep, etc, you may be unable to use your powers at the Narrator’s discretion. Quick healer: Your natural healing is double the normal rate. This does not influence the effects of psionic or high-tech healing upon yourself, however. Short Sleep: Your species requires less rest per day than humans do. You only sleep 4 hours per day instead of the standard 8 that most species do. Shrewd: It is very difficult for a person to deceive, cheat, or take advantage of you. You get a +4 Dice bonus to any roll to resist these circumstances. Starship: Whether by inheritance, purchase, or duplicity, have somehow come into the possession of a starship. If you are the sole owner, your ship is a standard size 3 ship. If you are part owner (the other owner must also have this advantage) your ship is size 4. If the ship is owned by a small company of at least 4 partners (all of whom have this advantage), then it can be a size 5 ship. Unlike a military vessel, this ship is your personal property to do with as you wish. Techno-Wizard: You have an uncanny knack with machines. You can spend your own experience points to improve machines that can have powers. In addition, it takes you half the normal time to make enhancements or repairs to a machine (meaning every hour you spend repairing a machine counts as two man-hours). You can also use the technology/jury-rig skill with a difficulty of 10/20/30/40/50 to temporarily give a 1/2/3/4/5 point power to a machine. This power will cease functioning once it is used (if it is a weapon for instance) or at the end of the scene (if it is a power that is in continuous use, like extra engines). For example, a technowizard is on a ship that is adrift in space. He tries to jury-rig an extra

CHARACTER CREATION engine out of spare parts, and succeeds at a 20 technology/juryrig check. The techno-wizard managed to put together a working engine, that functions long enough for the ship to limp to a nearby star-base. Using this ability to jury-rig costs 1 experience point, payable at the end of the issue. The Cause: Choose a cause worth dying for (liberating your planet, defending the galactic alliance, etc). Whenever you do something directly for the cause, you receive a +2 Dice bonus to your rolls. This includes attack rolls, damage rolls, skill rolls, social interaction rolls—everything. Unknown Ally: Some mysterious stranger keeps coming to your aid whenever you are in your most desperate peril, and then disappearing with no explanation. The Narrator decides all the details of this NPC, as well as how much to reveal about their true identity. Unliving: You are not alive, but either an android, computer program, or hologram of some sort. As such, you automatically gain immunity to mind control, suggestion, and other “psionic” powers (unless the power is bought with an enhancement that allows it to affect you). You are unaffected by poison, and require no food, water, sleep or oxygen, and you do not age. The downside to this is that you cannot heal normally. You cannot buy the psionic advantage, and the Healing power and the physician skill cannot work on you. Instead, it takes a successful technology/repair or computers/programming check (Narrator determines which is appropriate— use as you would physician skill to heal an organic) to heal you of hits. This is obviously a slow process. You are also susceptible to EMPs (Electro Magnetic Pulses). Virtuous: While you maintain your principles, you cannot be broken. You have a +4 Dice bonus to resist being compelled doing anything shameful, even under torture. Example: a virtuous courier is being interrogated in “the machine” to reveal his master’s whereabouts. The courier gets a +4 to his dice rolls before multiplying to resist the torture. You also can re-roll resistance to suggestion or mind control if compelled to do anything disgraceful even if you failed before. Example: a virtuous soldier fails his Mind check and is psionically commanded to kill his ally. Before every attack roll, he gets to roll another attempt to break free of the control. It is common to have the Honor-Bound disadvantage along with this.

Step 3 Continued: Disadvantages Just as Heroes have their perks, they also have drawbacks. For every advantage you chose, you must choose a disadvantage. Note that you cannot have disadvantages that obviously conflict with your advantages or disadvantages. For instance, you cannot be a craven if you have true grit, nor can you be fearless if you have a phobia! Age: You are either over 50 or under the age of majority. Old characters are less resilient, only having 80 hits instead of 100, while young characters are considered minors according to the

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CHAPTER ONE law, and are not taken seriously by adults and may be kept out of such things as dangerous missions or cantina brawls because of it. Note: this is by age by human standards. Many species achieve physical maturity and reach old age at radically different times. If you are old, you are old for your own species. Compulsive Behavior: You have a behavior that you cannot stop yourself from doing. It could be drinking, gambling, lying, stealing, or various other things, but no matter what it is, it is bound to either get you into trouble or cost you a lot of money. Bad Reputation: You have a reputation of being not very trustworthy, and you live up to this reputation. You will lie, cheat, and steal whenever you feel you can get away with it, and if you get caught, you can always deny it. The upper class shuns you, and the lower class only tolerates you as long as your coin lasts you. As such, people are unlikely to believe anything you say, lend you anything, or entrust you with a secret. You get a -2 Dice penalty when trying to convince someone to believe you or trust you. Berserk: When you get angry, you lose all control of yourself. When the Narrator decides you have become upset, you must make a 20 Mind check to maintain your composure. If you fail, you “black out” and while you are in this state, you will savagely attack your perceived enemies. While in this state, you do not behave rationally. You cannot speak (except maybe obscenities), or use any mental skills or abilities. When you attack your foes, you do not employ any strategy other than hand to hand attacks. Ranged weapons, martial arts, or any defensive maneuvers cannot be used while you are berserk. Running away, or listening to what others have to say is not an option either. If you are berserk and there are no enemies to attack, you will begin breaking things. The berserk state lasts 3 pages. Note: This is very dangerous combined with Pride. Craven: You are a coward. This does not necessarily mean that you do not enjoy fighting, you may even revel in humiliating your opponents, but you are terrified of losing, especially when your life is on the line. You suffer a -2 Dice penalty on all Agility dice rolls in any combat where your opponent has successfully damaged you. If you are reduced to half your total hits, you must make a 20 Mind check that page, and each page you are struck after that point, not to attempt to flee, yield, or surrender immediately. Cursed: You have attracted the wrath of gods it would seem. No matter what you do or where you go, bad things always seem to happen to you. Once per issue, the Narrator can make you re-roll any die roll, and take the worse of the two. In addition, trouble always seems to come your way. You befriend someone who later turns out to be a traitor. You make the major faux pas at a state dinner that botches a potential alliance. You are essentially a living plot device for the Narrator to put your party in a sticky situation! Duty: You owe your allegiance to someone or some organization. You obey all orders from your superiors within that organization without question. If it means sacrificing your life, so be it.

Freak: You are physically unlike most sentient life forms. You may be deformed, scarred, or from a species that is very inhuman in appearance (without the standard two arms, two legs, two eyes, and one mouth, etc). Honor Bound: Your honor means more to you than anything else, including your life. You would die before you would engage in an action that dishonored you—lying, stealing, or cheating. This means that you cannot lie, even to spare someone’s feelings, cannot steal medicine to save a dying child, or attempt to cheat an evil villain you know will betray you. If you for some reason dishonor yourself, you are at -2 to all dice rolls (before multiplying) until you atone. In some cultures, suicide is the only way to atone. No Legal Status: You do not have the rights and privileges of a normal person. Perhaps this is because you are a machine or a hologram, or perhaps you are from the lowest possible caste in your society. In any case, you do not have the right to a trial, nor would anyone be criminally tried for harming you. It’s best you keep your head down and stay out of the way of others. Oath: There is something that you must never do. Your character will do anything, even die, in order to avoid breaking this oath. Obsession: You are completely fascinated by a certain person, thing, or behavior. It could be money, a certain behavior, or some sort of addiction. You devote inordinate amounts of time, and take unnecessary risks to satisfy this obsession. Outcast: You are an outcast from a certain society (perhaps a trade guild, a military organization, or even a planet). Whenever you meet someone from this society, you will be treated as lower than dirt. People from other societies will not welcome you warmly either if they know that you are an outcast and why. Outlaw: You have been declared a criminal (whether innocent or not) in the galaxy (or at least in some parts of it), and must not attract attention to yourself. There is likely a bounty on your head, and if anyone recognizes you, they may try to collect! Overconfidence: You have too much faith in your own abilities. You often do not have the good sense to back down when you should, even when your life may hang in the balance. You always believe that things will turn out in the end, and do not believe you can be beaten. This often leads you to take unnecessary risks. Phobia: There is something that you are deathly afraid of. It could be heights, a certain type of alien, the dark, closed spaces, or crowds. You will always do whatever you can to avoid this thing, no matter what. If this means fleeing from combat and abandoning your friends, so be it. If you are forced to confront your phobia, you can only perform an action if you succeed in rolling 20 or more on a Mind check each panel, until the object of fear is out of your sight. If you fail the Mind check, you are frozen with fear, unable to move or act. Poor Hearing: You do not hear very well, perhaps as a result of your species, defect, or injury. As a result, you suffer a -2 Dice penalty on any roll made to hear noises.

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If there is a great deal of background noise, you may not be able to distinguish other people’s voices at all. Poor Vision: You do not see very well, either as a trait of your species, or some sort of defect or injury. You may have even lost an eye. You suffer a -2 Dice penalty for all activities requiring good distance vision, like firing a blaster or piloting a starship. If you can wear corrective lenses to fix your vision, do not take this disadvantage. Powerful Enemy: Somehow in your life, you have attracted the ire of a powerful person who wishes you harm. Often, this is a person of political importance, but it could just as easily be a crime lord, wealthy CEO, or a former associate you rubbed the wrong way. This enemy either has lots of resources at his/her disposal to use to harass or kill you, or they are very skilled and come after you personally (i.e. a Villain with better stats, more powers, and more experience points than you). This enemy will routinely show up (or send agents) to make your life miserable throughout your career. If you ever come to a situation where your enemy can no longer be a threat to you, this disadvantage is lost, and must be replaced by another disadvantage. Alternatively, the Narrator can treat this as an advantage wherein in any session in which the Hero overcomes this enemy or one of his machinations, the Hero receives an extra experience point for that session. Pride: You cannot abridge any insult, no matter how slight, whether it was in jest, or who the insulter was. You must satisfy your honor, even if it means fighting a dozen duels to the death! Your pride can often get you into trouble as you tend to assume everyone who disagrees with you is incorrect or stupid. You will never own up to any mistakes, and will refuse the aid of others if you think such an offer is made out of pity. Primitive: You are of a culture that has not developed technology to the standard level of the campaign setting. Whenever you use “modern” technology, you have a -2 Dice penalty regarding its use. As you are also unused to space travel, you suffer a -2 Dice penalty whenever you are weightless or exposed to changes in g-forces. These penalties are cumulative with one another. Secret: You have a secret you try to protect at all costs. Nobody— not even your dearest friend or relative—knows the truth, and you would die before you would allow someone to find out. The Narrator decides if the secret is damaging enough to allow it as a disadvantage. Sample secrets: (you are really an enemy spy, the president is an alien shape shifter, you are the sole survivor of an illegal organization long thought extinct, etc). Slave: You are someone else’s property. You might be a bodyguard, courtesan, personal servant, or worker, but your will is not your own. You must obey your master and accept any punishment your master gives you (often corporal punishments) without retaliation. The laws do not apply to you in nearly any way, and you have no legal rights. If you run away, you must trade this disadvantage for the outlaw disadvantage. Slow: For some reason, you are not as fast as most other people. Perhaps you are missing a leg, are from an alien species with a low

CHARACTER CREATION metabolism, or perhaps you just aren’t very fast. As a result, your movement speed is Agility x2 (instead of x3) and you cannot buy the Fleet of Foot power. True Grit: When fighting for a cause bigger than money, you cannot retreat or yield, no matter what. Ward: You are the primary caretaker of a normal person (5 points in stats, no powers). This person can be used by villains as bait, attacked, etc to get to you. You are constantly having to rescue this person as a result.

Species Specific Disadvantages Abnormal Diet: Your species does not consume normal food and water by human standards. Either you require double the normal food and water rations of a human per day, or you cannot eat most food eaten by humans. For instance, a species that can only consume raw meat might have difficulty acquiring it in space. If you require special food, it cannot be replicated—it must be the real thing. Alternate Respiration: Your species does not breathe normal air, and must have something else to breathe. While you are among ordinary air-breathers, you must wear a breathing device to supply you with what you need to breath. This respirator device is vital to your survival outside your native environment, and without it, you immediately begin to suffocate. Chemical Dependence: Your species requires the regular consumption of certain chemicals in order to live. These chemicals are not usually found to be naturally occurring except on your own planet. Without the chemicals, taken at least once per day, you will begin to die. Going a day without the chemical will cause you to develop a serious illness. The second day, the illness will become life-threatening. The illness can only be cured when the chemical is provided to you. Environmental Frailty: Your species was not made to withstand certain environments. Choose an environment that is especially harmful to you. Heat, cold, poisonous, radioactive, and vacuum are all examples. Whenever you are exposed to this environment, you suffer double the normal effects. Inhuman Voice: Your species are incapable of ordinary speech, and can only communicate with your own species. You may be able to understand the speech of another species by learning their language, but you cannot speak to them. Likewise, however, people of other species can learn to understand your language, but cannot communicate in it. Long Sleeper: Your species requires much more sleep than ordinary humans—about 12 hours per day as opposed to 8. No Enhanced Healing: Your species ability to repair its body cannot be aided outside assistance other than traditional first aid or surgery. Devices that speed up the healing process are incompatible with your body for some reason.

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CHAPTER ONE In addition, Healing cannot be used on you for the very same reasons. Only your body’s own natural healing has any effect on you. Slave Mind: You have no free will of your own, and always behave as commanded or programmed. This disadvantage is common for androids, clones, or bio-engineered servants. It also exists among certain “hive” species. This disadvantage implies that you have at least one specific person whose orders you obey without question, even at the risk of your own life. Small: You are a size -1 creature. You must be a member of a race that is much smaller than a normal human. You get to add +1 Dice bonus to all Agility rolls, but take a -1 Dice penalty on all Brawn rolls. You also subtract a 5 TR penalty from all damage you deal and soak. If you soak no damage, you take an extra 5. In addition, you can only lift three-quarters the weight of a size 0 creature with your same Brawn. Star-Born: You are of a species that has been exploring space for so long that you are completely adapted to space travel. You do not suffer any penalties for weightlessness or changes in g-force. However, you are also completely dependant upon technology to do almost anything. You receive a -2 Dice penalty involving anything you attempt that you do not use a futuristic gadget to accomplish. This includes using primitive weapons, tracking without using scanning equipment, attempting first aid with only “primitive” bandages instead of a medpack, etc. Lastly, you suffer from “ground sickness” whenever you are on the surface of a planet. You have a -2 Dice penalty when you are on a planet’s surface instead of in space. This penalty does not apply if you are in a building with current technology. Technology Dependence: Your species lacks some of the physical abilities of other races. You have managed to make due, but only through technology that has allowed you to do so. Your race may have no hands, or arms, or be able walk. Perhaps your race exists naturally as energy or is gaseous by nature. With special mechanical suits, you have been able to get beyond your races limitations and can perform on par with other species. However, if you were ever somehow deprived of this technology, you would be disabled by it.

Step 4: Powers: 7 points Powers are the special abilities that make the Heroes stand out from “ordinary” folk. Even Heroes with no special psionic abilities or cybernetic enhancements still have powers—whether it be being an ace pilot, a leader of men, or just handy with a blaster. Just think about the stunts that Heroes from the action movies have pulled off and you will realize that your character has amazing potential. In addition, aliens, cyborgs, and mutants, may be capable of feats beyond that of “ordinary” humans.

Energy Before you begin selecting your powers, you should know what it takes to make them work. Certain powers, ALL psionic powers, and various other situations (like holding one’s breath or standing in a burning building) can cause a Hero to spend Energy. Every character in BASH! has 10 points of Energy, which is a pool of physical and mental endurance that is expended when the character engages in strenuous activities, such as using powers. If a character’s Energy pool is reduced to zero, s/he is unable to use any abilities that require the use of Energy until the required amount of energy is regained. A character can rest to regain one point of lost energy in a panel. In a panel in which you rest, you can move your Agility x2 Squares, but that is it. Psionic characters can also utilize the Psionic Rejuvenation power to regain Energy more quickly. Powers generally use 1 point of Energy per point in the power, each time the power is used, but this is not always the case, and many powers don’t use Energy at all. Some powers only use Energy when they are first activated—but that Energy remains spent until the power is “turned off” by the user. These details should be in the power’s description.

Mundane Powers These powers can be purchased and used by any character, and are usually a function of a character’s background or intensive training. Unless otherwise noted, mundane powers use no energy. While these powers are called “mundane” they are still very useful abilities. Example: For instance, a soldier with B3 A2 M1 may have 2 points in “blaster pistol technique” power that allows him to attack as if he had Agility +1 and do +1 DM when wielding a blaster pistol. This would be on top of the normal weapon bonus of +3 DM, for his total of x5 damage, x3 to hit. A person without this “power” using a blaster, with the same stats would do x4 damage at x2 to hit. As you can see, even non-psionic powers (hereafter called mundane) can be really useful! Armor Familiarity: 1-3pts. You are used to wearing armor, and it does not impede your movements in any way. For 1/2/3 points you can wear light/medium/heavy armor with no penalty. For each point in armor familiarity you lack when wearing a given type of armor, you take a -1 Dice penalty on all Agility rolls. Thus, a person wearing heavy armor without this power has a -3 Dice penalty on all Agility rolls. If a person with 1 point in this power wore heavy armor, they’d have a -2 Dice penalty on their rolls, and so on. Attack Weak Point: 2pts. You must make your attack roll by 20 or your attack does normal damage. If you succeed, your damage roll does double damage. This ability is only learned by smugglers, bounty-hunters, and the like. You must have the advantage Membership (Smuggler’s or Bounty-Hunter’s Guild or something similar) in order to purchase it.

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CHARACTER CREATION

You cannot combine the use of this power with weapon technique or any other power.

PUSHING YOURSELF

Swift Strike: 2pts. You can attack foes with great speed, making an extra hand to hand strike per page. This is exhausting and you must spend 2 energy per panel you use it. This can be combined with paired weapons, for even more attacks.

You can instantly regain 1 point of energy (that can be immediately spent if you choose) by taking10 Hits of Stun damage (no soak, you just take the damage). You can spend as many hits as you like this way, and can even fall unconscious from overexerting yourself (dropping to 0 Hits) in this manner. This is a good thing to save as a last resort, when you must use powers (to save an innocent or escape certain death) when you have no energy to spend.

Break Weapon: 2pts. In hand to hand combat, you can attack your opponent’s weapon in an attempt to break it. You must make an attack roll by at least 10. Then, roll damage normally, but the damage only applies to the opponent’s weapon. A small, delicate weapon like a vibro-dagger or blaster pistol has 20 Hits and 20 soak. A thick weapon, like a vibro-axe or blaster carbine has 30 Hits and 30 soak. A wooden weapon (is anybody still using these?) has 30 Hits but only a 10 soak. An energy blade (a small delicate weapon) can be broken, but you must make your attack roll by 20 (as you must hit the handle that emits the energy, not the blade itself).

Energy and Powers that affect Friends At the time of the activation, a psionic character usually pays an Energy cost equal to the points of the power. After that point, if the power needs to be maintained, the target of the power pays the Energy cost to use the abilities granted. A power that is granted to another lasts for an hour at most.

Charisma: 1pt. You have a certain magnetism that draws people to you. Whenever you are trying to negotiate, entertain, or persuade someone, you add 2 to your Mind before rolling.

For example, Tyrus, a psi-ranger uses Endure Heat on his friend, Gar. He pays an energy cost of 2. When Gar gets burned by a thermal grenade, however, Gar must pay the 2 energy to soak the damage. An hour later, Gar can no longer shrug off such intense heat.

Combat Driving: 1pt. This power is required in order to drive military grade vehicles (like tanks) using the drive skill. Deflect: 1-2pts. You may add 1-2 points to your Agility for defense when wielding a shield or energy shield. If you make a successful defense against a high-velocity projectile or beam by 5 or less, the shot is reflected back at the shooter! If you also have Danger Sense, you may use this power with an energy blade instead of a shield. Disarm: 2pts. If you make a hand to hand attack roll by 10, instead of doing damage, you force an opponent to drop his weapon. It will land 2d6 feet away from the opponent. If you make the roll by 20, and you have a free hand, you can take the weapon instead. Dog fighting: 1-5pts. When small aircraft or spacecraft engage in combat, the winner is often the pilot with the best moves. The Dogfighting power gives the pilot 2 maneuvers, plus one more maneuver per point in this power. These maneuvers can only be used while the pilot is in a flying craft size 1-3 (anything size 4 or larger is not maneuverable enough to make use of these special dogfighting maneuvers). The maneuvers can be combined, but any penalties imposed by their use are also combined. Concerning fractional penalties, the largest fraction is applied first, followed by the next largest, continuing in descending order until all have been applied. For example, an spacecraft with a movement of 20 squares using the Spin and Strafe maneuver would have its movement reduced to 7 squares (half for strafe reducing it to 10, three-fourths that for spin reduces it to 7). Note that not all maneuvers work in all environments and situations (for example the Spin maneuver only works in the vacuum of space). •Strafe: This maneuver allows the pilot to fire on multiple targets, but also makes the craft more vulnerable when doing so. A character employing the Strafe maneuver halves their movement

for the page it is employed. The pilot can then fire on a number of targets equal to his/her Agility during that page. The targets must be close together, usually along a line that is on, or parallel to, the pilot’s flight path that page. •Barrel-Roll: This maneuver is used for defense, as it makes the craft harder to hit— but also makes the craft far less accurate with its own attacks. A pilot that is barrel-rolling increases his/her Piloting multiplier for the purpose of defending against enemy fire, but decreases this multiplier by 1 for the purpose of making attacks for the page it is barrel-rolling. A pilot can only use this maneuver for a number of consecutive pages equal to his/her Brawn stat (they don’t want to get dizzy or black out while flying). •Loop: This maneuver is especially useful when one is being pursued by an enemy fighter. This maneuver allows the pilot to move up to half their movement directly backward from their present position, while maintaining their same direction of travel, while ignoring any obstacles in the way. This is because the craft actually went straight up, then backwards, then returned to its previous flight path— just further behind. This maneuver can allow the prey to become the predator, and is very useful in dogfights. When you employ this maneuver, you must beat your opponent in a Piloting/Stunts contest or they will mimic your flight pattern, preventing you from getting behind them. •Evasive Action: Even more erratic than the Barrel-Roll maneuver, Evasive Action is used only in times where the pilot is overwhelmed by the enemy. A craft engaged in Evasive Action halves its movement (as it is spending so much time zigzagging randomly

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CHAPTER ONE while traveling). A pilot engaged in Evasive Action adds 2 to his/her piloting multiplier for defense, but the ship cannot take any other action that page. •Power Dive: By flying dangerously close to the enemy, a pilot using a Power Dive can deal some serious damage. A craft engaged in a Power Dive does +1DM with its attacks for that page, but its Breach Threshold is reduced by 10 until its next panel, making the ship more vulnerable to enemy attacks. A ship with a Breach threshold of 10 normally, is reduced to 5 until its next page. •Target Fixation: This maneuver makes it harder for enemies to shake your pursuit, making your attacks more accurate. By focusing on your target, you get a +1 bonus to your piloting multiplier for the purpose of attacks, but because you are only focused on attack, you get a -1 penalty to your multiplier on defense. This lasts until your next panel. Thus, pilot with x3 skill would have a x4 multiplier for offense, but only a x2 for defense until its next panel. •180: You are skilled enough to make hairpin turns. You can make up to a 180 degree turn while moving in your craft (normally turns are limited to 90 degree angles). When you use a 180 (turn more than 90 degrees), your craft’s movement is halved. It takes a 20 Piloting/Control check to successfully pull off a 180—or else, the turn is limited to 90 degrees as normal. •Spin: This maneuver only works in the gravity-free vacuum of space. Using the inertia of your forward momentum to move you, you turn your ship around like a flying turret in space, hardly deviating from your course as you fire behind you! While employing the Spin maneuver, your craft can fire its forward guns in any direction, no matter what direction it is moving (normally you are limited to targeting in front of your craft). While you employ the Spin maneuver, your movement is reduced to three-fourths its normal movement, and you have a -1 piloting multiplier penalty on defense until your next panel. Double Taps: 1pt. You can fire your weapon (choose one ranged weapon type, TL2 or higher) at double the usual speed (meaning you can fire two shots per panel) at a single target. However, you must aim carefully, and cannot move or use any powers during a panel that you use this ability. Entangle: 2pts. When wielding an appendage, energy whip, or a concussion flail, you can use a move that restricts the target’s movement, preventing them from attacking until they break free. To break free, the target must succeed in a Brawn test against a difficulty of 20. A target can try once per panel. An attempt, whether successful or not, spends an action. However, if the target succeeds by more than 10 points, s/he breaks free instantly, not requiring an action to do so. The reach of the entangle is equal to the reach of the weapon. Exemplary: 2pts. Science Fiction stories are full of characters who are the best in their field, and you are one of them. Choose a job (medic, pilot, gunner, engineer, scientist, soldier, etc). Every issue, you get one free Hero die that can be spent on a roll involved in

doing your job. If this job involves a ship, you can use the Hero die to aid the ship in regard to your job (i.e. a gunner could use a Hero die for a ship’s damage roll). The Exemplary power is especially useful if you are a Starship Captain (with Rank 3). Unlike other Exemplary characters, as a Captain, you can use your extra Hero die for anything—whether resisting the charms of an alien temptress, fighting a robot in a gladiator arena, or aiding the ship’s attack roll. A Captain can use their Hero die to aid anyone else’s roll under their command as well. Expert Marksman: 1-3pts. Your maximum range with any ranged weapon is increased by a fourth/third/half (round up) for 1/2/3 points in this power. This does not affect the reach of thrown weapons, however. In addition, your range penalties are reduced by 1. Feint: 1pt. INSTEAD of making a hand to hand attack for a panel, you can make a contested Mind roll with your opponent (Mind shield is of no help for this). If you win, you get a +10 (after multiplying) to your next hand to hand attack roll against that opponent. Fleet of Foot: 1pt. You run at Agility x4 squares per panel, while most people only run Agility x3 squares per panel. Also, a normal person can jump Brawn squares with a running start, but you can jump Brawn+1. Footwork: 1pt. In hand to hand combat, you can use your feet to gain more advantageous position for either offense or defense. You can trade off 1 point of Agility to hit for 1 point of Agility for defense, and vice versa. Reducing Agility to hit to 0 means you cannot attack, reducing Agility for defense to 0 means you cannot avoid attacks. When you begin using footwork, you must spend a point of energy, as this is tiring. You cannot turn this power off until the page after you turn it on. Inspiring Leadership: 1-5pts. Men and women in the military are expected to follow the orders of their superior officers. People under your command would follow you to the gates of Hell if you asked them. When you demand the impossible, they can get it done. Whenever you order a subordinate to do something, and you are in frequent contact with the person, that character adds your points in this power as a Dice bonus to any rolls made to achieve your order. This can only be working on a number of individuals equal to your Mind at a time, and can be used to motivate competence in a vast array of tasks from piloting to engineering to medicine. Also, when running mass combat, any unit you are personally a part of also gets to add this bonus to all dice rolls. You must also have at least 1pt in the Rank power to buy this power. Jetpack Jockey: 3-5 pts. You own and are skilled in the use of a jetpack. You and your pack can handle speeds of up to 4/5/6 times your Agility per panel, depending on how many points you invested in this power. A person without this power who uses a jetpack must make an Athletics/Aerobatics check equal to 10 times the speed multiplier s/he wishes to fly every panel s/he uses it. Failure indicates a crash. With this power, no roll is necessary—success is automatic.

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Keen Senses: 1pt. You can hear, see, or smell far better than a normal person. Mind is +3 for sense checks for this sense. Martial Artist: 1-5pts. You have undergone very intense martial arts training, and know how to fight very effectively without weapons. Such training is rather common in military organizations. Every point in this power you have lets you choose two techniques in addition to Punch and Kick (even people without this power know those techniques). By choosing your techniques carefully, you can develop a unique fighting style. •Catch: If you successfully avoid an unarmed (or knife) attack and are within 10 of the attack roll, you grab the opponent’s arm or leg. They must beat you in a Brawn contest to free it, and may try once per page before taking their panel. In the meantime, they must fight without it, giving them a -2 Dice penalty to all Agility rolls.

CHARACTER CREATION •Punch +0DM, Stun. This is the standard punch that everyone knows how to do. •Spinning Backfist: +0DM, Stun, Radius 1, 1 Energy •Suplex: If you beat your opponent in an Agility contest, followed by an immediate Brawn contest, you flip them over your back and land on them, doing +3DM, Stun. 3 Energy. •Throw: If you beat your opponent in an Agility contest followed immediately by a Brawn contest, you can throw your opponent a number of squares equal to your Brawn. They take +1DM Stun damage and will land on their back. 2 Energy. •Uppercut: +2DM Stun, -3 Dice penalty to hit, 2 Energy. Mind Shield: 1-3 pts. While there are people in the galaxy naturally adept at the use of psionic powers, there are also those who are naturally resistant to their effects. Add 2x these points to your Mind for defending against psionic powers.

•Cyclone Kick: +1DM, Stun, -2 Dice penalty to hit, Radius 1, 2 Energy •Choke: x3 Continual Damage (as long as the hold is maintained). To maintain a hold, you must defeat the opponent in a Brawn Contest every page. 1 Energy per page.

Off-Hand Pistol: 2pt. You can fire a pistol in your off-hand while shooting or fighting with your good hand. This enables you to make an extra pistol attack per panel. Attack rolls made with either hand are less accurate (you are splitting your attention between two weapons) and have a -2 Dice penalty to hit. Without this power, the penalty would be -4.

•Elbow Smash: +1DM, Stun, -1 Dice penalty to hit, 1 Energy. •Head Butt: +2DM, you take half the damage yourself. You can do this move while restrained at no penalty. •Heel Stomp: +3DM, Stun, only works on an opponent who is down.

Paired Weapon Fighting: 1pt. You can wield a hand to hand combat weapon in each hand. You are able to make one extra attack per panel. However, doing this is tiring, and you must spend 1 energy whenever you do it with a weapon heavier than a dagger. This can combine with Swift Strike.

•Jump Kick: +3DM, Stun, -3 Dice penalty to hit, after a jump move, 2 Energy •Kick +1DM, Stun, -2 Dice Penalty to hit 1 Energy. Everyone knows how to kick, regardless of Martial Arts training. •Kippup: You instantly get back up when knocked down, 1 Energy •Knee Smash: +2DM, Stun, -2 Dice penalty to hit, 2 Energy. •Knife Strike +0DM, Lethal 1 Energy •Leg Sweep: -1DM, Stun. Make a Brawn contest with your opponent. If you win, they are knocked onto their back. •Martial Block: +1 Agility defending against unarmed (or knife or similar hand weapon) attacks when unarmed. •Pressure Point: x2 continual damage, -2 Dice penalty to hit, 1 Energy

Pierce Armor: 3pts. If you make your attack roll against an armored opponent by 10/20/30 (for light/ medium/heavy armor), you have found a chink in their armor. The effect of this is that their armor’s soak (not including size bonuses) is halved for that attack. Thus, if you hit an opponent wearing heavy armor by 30, their armor only soaks 20 damage of your attack instead of 40. Push Technology: 2pts. You are somehow able to make technological devices defy physics. When you have to make them, the shields/engines/weapons can last long enough for you to finish the fight or get out of Dodge! Whenever you are in a desperate situation, you may make an appropriate Engineering skill check.

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CHAPTER ONE If you get 30 or more, you may repair a single weapon, engine, or breach. This repair lasts until the end of the scene, at which point the damage reoccurs. If this means that the ship would be destroyed at the end of the scene, the captain will know it, and likely see that the ship is abandoned before the imminent core explosion. Quick-Draw: 1pt. You can draw your weapon of choice (choose one weapon for this power to affect) instantly. In addition, you always act as if your Agility were 1 higher for priority purposes (no matter what weapon you use). Rank: 1-5 pts. Guild, Military, Church, Political- Pick one of these hierarchies. The more points you put in it, the more power you hold within that hierarchy, and the more money you begin play with (as usable income—you may have a lot more assets invested in various enterprises). You can always expect people within your hierarchy of lower rank than you to listen to you. If you want to affect people outside your sphere of influence, you still can, you just have to make a roll times your points in Rank, against a difficulty of 20/30/40 depending on the situation as the Narrator sees fit. If you succeed, the other person is more apt to listen to your opinions.

defeat them in a Brawn contest. If you succeed, the item is ripped from their person and towards you. Weapon Lock: 1pt. If an opponent in hand to hand misses you by 5 or less, you can pin their weapon down with yours. They are unable to use that weapon (and you yours) until they drop the weapon, you release your hold, or they beat you in a Brawn contest. While an opponent’s weapon is trapped, s/he has a -2 penalty on all Agility rolls, including attacks and defense with off-hand weapons. You, however, are at no penalty. Weapon Technique: 1-2 Pts. You are more skilled than most with a certain type of weapon. For one point each, you can add +1DM to damage or +1 Agility to hit whenever wielding a weapon of that type. You can buy this power multiple times, representing skill with different weapon types.

Special Powers

10,000 Credits

When a power originates from “what” a character is, rather than their own training or special background, this is called a “special” power. There are three types of special powers—Alien, Mechanical, and Psionic. However, some of these powers can be used by more than one type of character—for instance, there is an Alien, Mechanical, and Psionic version of the Leap power. Unless otherwise noted, the function is the same in game mechanics, though the explanation of “how” the power works should be different for each.

2. Lord/Mayor/Bishop/Commander (Sr. Officer)

Alien Powers x

1. Knight/Sheriff/Priest/Lieutenant (Jr. Officer)

100,000 Credits

Alien Powers mainly entail things that aliens (or mutants) can do because of their different physiology. A character can only begin with Alien powers if the character is a member of the race that grants those powers (consult the species chart above for a listing of which powers go with those species). Using Alien Powers, you can also create your own unique alien species. Species who are innately psionic should all have the psionic powers advantage along with specific powers all members of that species share (if any). Alien powers are identified with the x symbol. Below is a quick list of Alien Powers.

3. Baron/Governor/Arch-Bishop/Captain 1,000,000 Credits 4.Duke/Senator/Cardinal/General or Admiral 10,000,000 Credits 5.King/President (Only allowed if part of the plot-line) 100,000,000 Credits Reckless Might: 1pt. You can reduce your wound threshold by 10 to increase your Brawn by 1 for damage purposes. You are essentially exposing yourself to greater injury in order to cause more damage to your foe. This is tiring, and you must spend 1 energy when you begin using it. If your wound threshold is reduced to 0, you take 1 wound for every 5 damage you take. Minions with this power effectively just have 10 less maximum hits while it is on (10 drops to 5, not 0). You cannot turn this power off until the page after you turn it on. Skillful: 1-3pts. You begin with 2 extra skills from the list per point in this power. Snatch: 1 pt. When wielding a whip, you can grab objects and pull them towards you. You must make your roll to hit by at least 10. If you are trying to take something away from somebody, you must

Amphibious, Appendage, Aquatic, Changeling, Clinging, Environmental Endurance, Extra Arms, Fly, Ghost-Form, Glide, Healing, Immobilize, Leap, Mimic, Natural Weapons, Running, ShapeShifter, Stretching, Super Senses, Toughness, Trample, Tunneling, Venomous

Mechanical Powers Mechanical powers are only for cyborgs and robotic characters, who must take the Unliving or Cyborg advantage to acquire them. These powers work based on various mechanical devices within the character’s body. Mechanical powers are identified by the symbol. Below is a quick list of Mechanical Powers. Amphibious, Appendage, Aquatic, Built-In Tools, Built-In Weaponry,

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Clinging, EMP Resistance, Extra Arms, Fly, Force Field, Glide, Holographic Body, Illusion, Immobilize, Hovering, Immunity, Improved Holographic Body, Invisibility, Leap, Omni-Linguist, OmniReader, Running, Self Destruct, Speed-Wired, Super Senses, Swing-Line, Toughness, Trample, X-Ray Vision

CHARACTER CREATION Limiting the Role of Psionics in your Campaign:

Psionic Powers Something shared by many different genres of science fiction is the concept that the mind holds the power to do fantastic things. This ability to alter reality or widen one’s perceptions through the power of one’s will is collectively known as psionics. To use psionics, a creature must have a brain, and must therefore be alive. As stated earlier, all psionic powers use energy. Unless otherwise stated in a power’s description, a Psionic power uses an amount of energy equal to its point cost every time it is used. Psionic Powers are identified by the Powers.

symbol. Below is a quick list of Psionic

Adrenal Control, Clairvoyance, Confusion, Damage Aura, Danger Sense, Daze, Electro/Pyro/Cryo-Kinesis, Empathy, Endure X, ESP, Force Field, Healing, Illusion, Immobilize, Invisibility, Leap, Memory Tampering, Mind Control, Mind Spikes, Omni-Linguist, OmniReader, Psionic Rejuvenation, Suggestion, Telekinesis, Telekinetic Crush, Telekinetic Push, Telemechanics, Telepathy, X-Ray Vision Adrenal Control: 3pts.x A character using this power can force his/her body to release massive amounts of adrenaline, enabling the character to move faster and ignore pain. When you use this power, you can act two panels in the page. Alternatively, you can use this power to temporarily increase your Brawn or Agility by 1, instead of receiving the extra panel. If you take an extra panel, you cannot use it to rest or use Psionic Rejuvenation. You must spend 2 energy each page you use this power. Amphibious: 1pt. x You have gills or a filtration system which enable you to breathe underwater (though you can still breathe on the surface normally). Mechanical characters would only need this power if they are cyborgs. Appendage: 1pt. x You have a long, semi-prehensile appendage somewhere on your body. This appendage can be a tail, tentacles, trunk, or even a long tongue. In and of itself, the appendage is nothing special—not as useful as extra arms—but it allows you to purchase the snatch and entangle powers and use them on opponents you can reach (meaning if you have the stretching power, you can use this at a distance). Your appendage can be used to hold things, but cannot be used for fine manipulation or standard attacks. If your appendage is able to manipulate objects or make attacks, you need the extra arms power instead. Your Appendage can lift as if it had half your Brawn, making it unlikely to support your own weight unless you are small or very strong. In situations where it would be helpful (climbing, swimming, balancing, etc based on the type of appendage you have and the Narrator’s decision) it can give you a +1 Dice bonus on certain checks.

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Low-Psi Settings and Psionic Powers In a world where psionics is especially rare, there are less psionic powers available for characters to learn. This means that more heroes will have to depend on their strength of arms, technology, and their skills to overcome obstacles. Essentially, the best way to limit how much psionics is available in your universe is to limit how many points can be spent per power purchased. A player cannot spend more points (before enhancements and limitations are figured) on a power than the “psi rating” of the campaign. A high psi campaign is a 5-point setting. This means that a character can spend up to 5 points on a single psionic power. Lower psi universes would simply decrease this maximum. A 4-point setting would enable characters to buy psionic powers with up to 4 points of cost. A 1-point setting would be one where psionics are truly rare and subtle, as only 1 point powers can be purchased in this way. Obviously, the stricter the point limitation of psionics in your universe, the less selection of powers is available. 5 point powers, like Mind Control simply do not exist in universes with less than 5 points allowed per power. A 1 point low-psi universe would have very few powers to choose from, and relatively weak psionics available. Also, if s/he wishes, the Narrator can decide that psionic creatures with powers beyond these point limits do not exist in the universe either. Of course, it is also possible for the Narrator to declare that the Heroes are limited in their access to psionics while monsters and certain “legendary” psions are not. In addition, the Narrator may declare certain powers do or do not exist in his/her campaign setting, despite the psionics rating of the campaign. I.E., a Narrator may declare that Telekinetic Crush does not exist, even in a rating 5 psionic universe. The default setting for BASH! Sci-Fi is a 5-point high-psi universe. You may feel free to limit the point maximum as you see fit for your campaign, however. A 3-point psionics universe would still have psionics as relatively common, but less important in society than technology. A 1-point psionics universe may very well have the majority of the population believe that psionics do not even exist! Another way of limiting the use of Psionics in a campaign is by dividing them into different disciplines. The Narrator can simply ban certain disciplines from existing in the game, or can limit psionic heroes to one or two disciplines.

CHAPTER ONE Limiting the Role of Psionics in your Campaign: Psionic Disciplines Continued As an option, the Narrator can divide psionic abilities up into groups of powers called disciplines. When a person creates a psionic character, the Narrator may declare that each character be limited to two or even one discipline. If the number of disciplines is not normally limited to one, a psionic hero should be able to take a disadvantage that s/he can only use powers from one specific psionic discipline. As one can see, some disciplines have more powers available than others—though the more limited disciplines also happen to be the most effective for combat purposes.

Bio-Manipulation Confusion (causes either hysterical blindness or agony in the target). Healing Psionic Rejuvenation Adrenal Control Danger Sense Endure X Leap

Energy Manipulation Endure X (X must be some form of energy: cold, heat, electricity, etc) Damage Aura Electro/Pyro/Cryo-Kinesis

Telekinetics Glide Telekinesis Telekinetic Crush Force Field Telekinetic Push Leap

Aquatic: 1-5pts. x You are well equipped for a life under the waves. Normally, a character can swim Brawn squares per panel. An aquatic character with multiplies this number by 1+# of points in Aquatic. Also, you can hold your breath that much longer than a regular person (if you breathe). So 2 points in Aquatic lets you swim/hold your breath 3 times longer than normal. You can choose to swim slower and use less energy. You must spend energy when you begin swimming, but you cannot restore it until you stop swimming. Brachiating: 1pt. x Your species is capable of swinging from branch to branch like an ape, likely from living high within tree canopies. You move at Agility x4 while swinging in this manner, and can do so as long as there is dense forest, vines, cables, ropes, or other similar things at hand. You can hang from your arms as comfortably as you can stand on the ground. If you fall, and are near a handhold, you can make a 20 Agility check to save yourself from falling. Built-In Tools: 1-5 pts. You have been designed with many useful tools built into your body, using compact parts. They are easily accessible by you, but must be replaced if not re-usable. Each tool that you can have built in can be no larger than a 1-by-1 foot cube when fully expanded. The total value of these tools is 1,000 credits per point in the power. This power does not give you the knowledge you need to use the tools—those are skills. If a tool needs to be replaced, you must purchase a replacement—which costs double the standard cost of an ordinary device of its type. Note also, that this power cannot be used to store weapons—that is the Built-In Weaponry power. Built-In Weaponry: 1-3pts. You have been designed with weapons built into your body. For 1pt, you can have a small weapon like a knife or pistol, for 2pts, you can have a medium weapon like a carbine or sword, and for 3pts you can have a large weapon like a rifle, blast cannon, grenade launcher, or two-handed sword. If you have the Life-like appearance advantage, this weapon is concealed within a secret compartment on your body. If not, they are obvious. You cannot be disarmed of these weapons (except by having them physically removed by a mechanic or through severe battle damage). Energy weapons do not use ammunition, but instead burn one energy each time you use it. Using Burst fire burns 5 energy when it is used. Changeling: 3pts. x Your species is adept at changing its size and appearance. You can increase or decrease your size by 1 (you don’t need the large advantage or small disadvantage unless that size is your natural state). If you choose, you can also change your physical appearance to resemble that of anybody you have seen before. The shape you take on must be similar to your own—i.e. it must walk upright, and have bilateral symmetry if that is your native shape. Not only does your appearance change, but you can change your apparent clothing and voice as well to match that of the person you are transforming into. Whenever you are pretending

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CHARACTER CREATION Limiting the Role of Psionics in your Campaign: Empathic Clairvoyance Danger Sense

Note: you do not gain any of the special abilities of your new form—you only appear to be that person. Thus, transforming into a creature with claws will not give you effective claws to fight with—they just look like claws. Also, your ability cannot fool medical scanners—your DNA and blood type does not change.

Confusion (causes target to be in a mental fog) Daze ESP Illusion

Clairvoyance: 1, 2, 3 pts. You are able to see into the past/ present/or future. For 1 point, you choose one of these, for 2 points, choose two, for 3 points, all three. Sometimes, you have visions involuntarily. If this is the case, the Narrator will just tell you what the vision is. The ability to sense the past indicates that the vision occurred at least 24 hours ago, but may have taken place thousands of years in the past.

Invisibility Memory Tampering Mind Control Mind Spikes Omni-Linguist Omni-Reader Suggestion Telepathy X-Ray Vision

Technokinesis Danger Sense (limitation: only functions when you are threatened by machinery) Confusion (enhancement: affects machines. Limitation : only affects machines) Daze (enhancement: affects machines. affects machines)

Limitation : only

Illusion (enhancement: affects machines. Limitation : only affects machines) Invisibility (enhancement: affects machines. Limitation : only affects machines) Memory Tampering (enhancement: Limitation : only affects machines)

affects

machines.

Mind Spikes (enhancement: affects machines. Limitation : only affects scanning machines) Telemechanics

to be somebody, you make a Mind contest with others who know the person. If you fail, they will sense “something odd” about you, and if you fail by 20, they will know that you are an imposter. You get a Dice bonus on your check depending on how well you know the subject (+3 know them well, +2 see them often, +1 see them occasionally, +0 met them once, -2 never met—only seen a video before, -3 never met—only had a description).

Deliberately using this ability is far more difficult. You must make a 30 Mind check to acquire general knowledge about a person, place, or thing. Succeeding by 10 or more will make the knowledge more specific. If you fail, you cannot try again for the rest of the issue. Visions of the future will usually be very vague and tend to represent a possible, not definite future. If the future is unclear, then that is the answer the player will receive, even on a successful check. This will not count as a failure. Clinging: 1 Pt. x You can stick to and climb walls and ceilings, either because of suckers, magnets, or claws on your hands and feet. This uses no energy. Confusion: 1-5 pts. This ability drastically disrupts a target when you win a Mind Contest against them. A confused character might be blinded, in a mental fog, or in agonizing pain (depending on how the character describes the power). A confused target has -2 to their Agility die rolls for each point (max of 3) you devote to this purpose. You can increase the range to 5/10/20 for 1/2/3 points, and the radius by 1 per point you devote to this. This lasts until the target makes a 20 Mind check or 3 pages elapse. Damage Aura: 1-5pts. Whenever a character with this power is touched, the person touching him/her will take 1DM per point in the power. The damage done by this power is electrical, cold, or heat, depending on the user (choose one). This power only uses 1 energy per point when it is initially turned on, but energy used by this power cannot be restored until the power is turned off. If you use this power to attack others, the damage is based only on this power—Brawn does not enhance it. This power can be bought with an enhancement that allows it to affect a radius (1 point of enhancement per square of radius), but when used in this manner the power would use double the normal energy cost. If you move

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CHAPTER ONE close enough to someone that the radius would affect them, you must make an attack roll and they have a chance to defend and move out of the way. Danger Sense: 2pts. (Only Affects You) You may add your Mind stat as a Dice bonus Agility rolls and piloting checks when dodging attacks. You can also dodge opponents you cannot see, but you use Mind instead of Agility as your multiplier. You must spend energy when you begin using this power, and it cannot be restored until you turn it off. Daze: 2-5 pts. Make a mental attack roll against the target’s Mind. If successful, the target loses his/her panel until s/he rolls a 20 Mind check (one try per panel). The base cost is 2 points for zero range. Each extra point can increase the range to 5/10/20 or the radius by 1. A dazed person cannot dodge an attack, but being struck un-dazes him or her. For 1 extra point in this power you can repel the targets you daze, forcing them to move their fastest directly away from you. Electro/Pyro/Cryo-Kinesis: 1-5pts. You are able to control and project electricity, fire, or ice (pick only one). In addition to creating and shaping it, you can generate a quick burst to attack. You can increase the range of the attack to 5/10/20/40 squares for 1/2/3/4 points (these attacks add Mind to damage multiplier). For 1 point, you can increase the radius of the attack by 1. For 1 point, you can add 1 to your Agility multiplier to hit with this power. For 1 point, you can add 1 point to the damage multiplier. Each time you use this power, you choose how you want the points in it to be dispersed for range, accuracy, radius, and damage. EMP Resistance: 1-3pts. You have been built to be especially resistant to the debilitating effects of an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse). For 1/2/3 points in this power, you soak 20/30/40 damage done by EMPs. This does not help soak damage from any other source. Empathy: 1pt. You have a sixth sense that helps you to “read” people. You cannot read their thoughts, but you can sense their emotional state, sincerity of their words, and whether or not they are hiding something. If the mind is shielded, you must win a Mind contest to do so. You must spend energy when you begin using this power, and it cannot be restored until you turn it off. This works within a range of 10 squares. Endure X: 1pt. You have learned to focus your mind to temporarily avoid a certain type of harm. Pick something normally harmful. Heat, cold, starvation, and vacuum are examples of something you can choose. You are immune to ambient, nondamaging effect of this source, and when you focus your mind, you can resist damage from this source. Whenever you take damage from your chosen area of resistance, you can roll with your Mind as multiplier to soak the damage. You can choose this power more than once, each time it applies to a different type of harm. Each page this power soaks damage it uses 1 energy. This power can

be used on friends by buying it with a 1pt enhancement. When used to soak, the target uses their own Mind. If this is used to prevent damage from hunger or thirst, it expends 1 point of energy every 3 days a character does not eat, and 1 point each day a character does not drink. This energy cannot be regained until the character eats or drinks. Example: A Psi-Ranger trained to work on desert planets has learned the discipline of Endure Heat. With this power, he is able to function in hot climates with no problems (since he is not soaking damage, he can keep it on without using energy). One day, he is burned by a Dark Ranger using Pyrokinesis for 22 damage, he rolls against his Mind x3 (rolling a 7, he soaks 21 damage) and is barely harmed but must spend 1 energy because he did absorb damage with the ability. Environmental Endurance: 1pt. x You are from an environment that would be hazardous to other life-forms, but is quite comfortable to you. Choose one hazardous environment—you are immune ambient, non-damaging effects of this environment, and resistant to the damaging of it as well. Sample environments are heat, cold, radiation, poisonous, or vacuum. You take half damage from damaging effects that rely on this environmental effect. For instance, a creature with Environmental Resistance to heat could live in a 150 degree environment with no problems, but when burned by a fire doing 40 damage, it would still take 20 damage. ESP: 2 pts. You can read other people’s thoughts. If the mind is shielded, you must win a Mind contest to do so. You must spend energy when you begin using this power, and it cannot be restored until you turn it off. This works within a range of 10 squares. Extra Arms: 2pts. x You have more than two arms. This enables you to make an extra attack per page, using your extra arms. This uses no energy, but is otherwise effectively the same as the paired weapons power. You could also use this power to represent a prehensile tail or trunk, rather than ordinary arms. When appropriate, the Narrator may decide that your extra arms count as an assistant on certain skill checks. Likewise, sometimes having extra arms gets in the way, and when the Narrator decides, you take a -1 Dice penalty on such a roll. Fly: 3-5pts. x You have wings or jets that enable you to fly at Agility x3/4/5 squares per panel for 3/4/5 points. You must spend 3/4/5 energy when you begin using the wings, and it cannot be restored until you stop flying. Force Field: 1-5pts. x You can erect a force field to create a damage-soaking barrier around yourself and others. BEFORE any damage is done to the people inside the force field, the force field must be destroyed. The force field has a number of hits equal to your Mind x10 + 30 for each point you devote to this purpose. It automatically soaks 10 damage each time it is struck. The field can be erected around a single person/object, or over an area (every 1 square radius for a sphere or 3 by 3 squares for a wall costs 1 point), at a range (touch/5/10/20/40 squares for 0/1/2/3/4 points).

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The force field lasts until it is destroyed by damage, or you will it to dissipate. When the force field takes more hits than it has, it is destroyed. Any remaining hits penetrate the field, and damage those inside the force field as they would normally (those inside may still soak the damage). You need to spend the full energy cost to generate the force field, which requires a full panel of concentration. If you want to target a hostile person who is aware of you (trapping them inside the force field), you must make an attack roll against them, using Mind to hit. You must also maintain concentration on the force field or it will dissipate. While concentrating, you can move Agility x2 squares or take single action on your page (not both). Establishing a force field uses one energy per point in this power. The energy cannot be restored until the power is dissipated. If your force field is damaged, you can “heal” it if you spend your entire page concentrating on doing so and spend 1 energy per 10 points healed. A common limitation mechanical characters have with this power is that it only affects themselves (cannot be used at any range). Ghost-Form: 2-3pts. x You are capable of shifting into a nonsolid form. Perhaps you turn into energy or a gas (3 points) or a liquid (2 points). While in this form, you can move through walls (or non-watertight surfaces) and physical objects cannot harm you. Energy still affects you, however—blasters, force fields, fire, psionics, and even EMPs affect you. Using this power expends 3 energy which cannot be recovered until you return to solid form. Glide: 1pt. x You are able to slowly glide, though you are not strong enough to enable you full flight. You can move at Agility x 4 per panel, but only when descending from a height. The distance you can glide is equal to 4x the height you jumped from. Also, you take only half damage from falling. For psionic characters, this is a telekinetic effect. Healing: 1-5 pts. x You can recover from damage incredibly quickly. You may spend a panel in combat to heal damage by rolling Healing as if it were a damage roll. You cannot rest, move, or attack while doing this. Outside of combat, you heal 10 hits of damage/hour/point in the power without using energy. If you are psionic, you have a -2 Dice penalty on the damage roll, and a Dice bonus to the roll equal to your Mind. Psionic characters can use this power on other people if you buy it with the 1 pt enhancement: usable on others. Aliens can only use this power on themselves, as it is a form of bio-regeneration. Example: A Psi-Ranger has Healing 3 with the enhancement: Usable on others. He has a Mind of 4, giving him a net +2 Dice bonus to damage rolls made with the power (-2+4= +2). He rolls a 6+2= 8x3= 24 damage healed. Later, the Psi-Ranger recovers 30 hits/hour. Holographic Body: 2pts. This power can only be bought if you have the Unliving advantage. You are a hologram, and as such, have no physical body. Physical attacks go right through you, and you are able to walk through solid objects as if they did not exist. However, you are unable to touch solid objects as well. You do

CHARACTER CREATION take damage from energy-based attacks (fire, lasers, etc) as these severely disrupt the light and sound harmonics needed to sustain your image. Unlike most Unliving beings, you recover 5 hits per page automatically, as your image begins to stabilize. This power is always on, has no energy cost, and cannot be turned off. Hovering: 2pts. You are able to hover about 3 feet above the ground at all times. You move at Agility x5 per panel. This power costs no energy to use. Illusion: 1-5 Pts. This power can make people believe something is there that is not. The size of the illusion can be 1 square for free, or 1 square radius per point in the power devoted to size. The range can be 1 square for free, or 5 squares per point. For 1 point, the illusion can affect visual, auditory, or olfactory components. The points paid for this power can be allocated as it is used, i.e. 3 pt illusion can be a 1 square radius visual, audio illusion next to the user, or an audio illusion 10 squares away. The first time someone witnesses an illusion; they may make a Mind contest with the creator to notice that something about it is not right (not that it is an illusion). How they determine it is an illusion or not is up to them. You must spend energy when you begin using this power, and it cannot be restored until you turn it off. Mechanical characters use this power through a Hologram Emitter device, and cannot create an olfactory component using it. Immobilize: 1-5pts. x You have the ability to make some people freeze, unable to move or act. This could be the result of some sort of paralyzing poison, a mental command seizing their muscles, or an electrical shock. When you build this power, your Immobilize has a strength of 10/20/30 for 1/2/3 points, and a range of 5/10/20 for 1/2/3 points. It can have a radius of up to 3, by spending 1 point per square of radius. After successfully hitting the target with the immobilization attack, that target must make an immediate Brawn check vs. the strength of the attack. If they fail, they cannot move or act. Each page, the target may try again on their turn to beat the strength of the immobilize. If they beat it, they break free of the effect, but it expends their panel. If they beat it by 10, they break free without expending their panel. Using this ability costs energy equal to its cost in points each time it is used. Immunity: 2 pts. Pick something normally harmful to humans. You have been engineered to be immune to it. For example, you can be immune to acid, radiation, cold, or heat These must be pretty specific. You cannot be immune to energy, but you could buy immunity to heat, electricity, or sonic energy each separately for 2 points apiece, for instance. Improved Holographic Body: 4 pts. This power is identical to the holographic body power, except that you are built to be able to physically manifest for short periods of time, effectively enabling you to “turn off” your holographic state for a time. For that duration, you can interact with physical objects, and they can interact with you. Damage taken when you are physically manifested can only be repaired by a technician (your 5 Hits/page does not cover it).

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CHAPTER ONE For every page you remain physically manifested, you must pay 2 energy. You can return to holographic state whenever you wish, but doing so expends your panel. Invisibility: 1,3,5 Pts. x (Only affects you). You can make yourself invisible under varying conditions based on points spent. 1: Only when standing still will the power work. 3: While moving normally (but it turns off if you attack or are attacked). 5: Even while fighting, you maintain your invisibility. An enemy cannot attack you unless you somehow give away your position. Even then, they have a -4 Dice penalty to strike you or to avoid your attacks. Alien-based invisibility is a chameleon-like camouflage power, that can only be used while standing still (no more than 1 point can be invested). Psionic characters make others minds incapable of perceiving their presence. When a creature encounters you while this power is turned on, they must make an immediate Mind check with a difficulty equal to your Mind times 10. If they succeed, they can see you normally. Machines can detect your presence normally, but people using sight enhancing machines still cannot (you are making their mind ignore the information the device is giving them). Mechanical characters have a visual dampener that bends light rays around themselves, making them truly invisible. You must spend 1/2/3 energy every page to maintain this power, for the 1/3/5 point versions respectively. Leap: 2 pts. x You can jump 4 times the normal distance (Brawn) in a single leap, half of which can be vertical movement. A hand to hand jump attack made using this power does 1 extra DM. You likely have powerful legs or a telekinetic ability to accomplish this. Each time you make such a leap you use 2 energy. Memory Tampering: 4 Pts: (Only affects others). You can remove or alter a person’s memories if you succeed in a Mind attack against them. This will only ever work ONCE on a given person, and can only alter/remove memories of a specific sequence of events. Mimic: 3pts. x You can change into an inanimate object. The object can be as small as a brick, or as large as a door. If the function of the object is not mechanical or electronic, you can also reproduce its function. For instance, you can turn into a working hammer, but not a pair of scissors or a functioning blaster. However, you can look and feel like a blaster—just one that does not work. You are just as susceptible to damage as you normally are while you are in this state. Mind Control: 5pts. You can completely take over another person’s mind, thus forcing them to do whatever you want, by succeeding in a mental attack against them. This lasts (6-Target’s Mind) pages. It may only be attempted once per issue on any given individual. The target must be within 10 squares, and you must have eye contact for this power to work. You must spend energy when you begin using this power, and it cannot be restored until you turn it off. Mind Spikes: 1-5pts.

A more painful if not more effective mental

defense than mind shield. Each point in this power is 1DM that anyone takes whenever they try to use a mental attack against you or read your mind. Unlike a normal attack, damage done by Mind Spikes is soaked by a Mind roll and Mind Shield instead of Brawn and Armor. This power uses no energy and is always turned on. Natural Weapons: 1pt. x You have either great fangs, or sharp talons that can be used as effective weapons. You do a +1DM (lethal) when you attack with these natural weapons. Omni-Linguist: 2pt. You speak and understand all known languages, though you cannot necessarily read them while this power is turned on. Omni-Reader: 1pt: You can read and write all languages, though you cannot necessarily speak them. Psionic Rejuvenation: 1pt. Psionic characters have a tendency to burn through a lot more energy than non-psionic characters, as Psionic powers drain the body. Fortunately, some psions know how to use the power of the mind to rejuvenate the body. A character using the Psionic Rejuvenation power cannot take any other action that panel—not even moving. When using this power, the character attempts to make a 20 Mind check. If the check succeeds, the character recovers an amount of Energy equal to the character’s Mind stat. If a character is injured on the same page they attempt Psionic Rejuvenation, the difficulty of the necessary Mind check is increased by half the damage they took. Example: A Psi-Ranger has expended all his Energy in a battle with a Dark Psi-Ranger. On 4, the Dark Psi-Ranger shot the PsiRanger for 22 damage. The Psi-Ranger must then make a 31 Mind check if his Psionic Rejuvenation is to succeed. Running: 1-5pts. x You can run much faster than an ordinary humanoid. Normally, a character can run Agility x3 squares per page. A character with this power adds their points in it to 3, and multiplies that by Agility to determine how far they can run in a page. For instance, a character with Running 3 and Agility 2 would be able to run 6x2= 12 squares. If you attack with a running start, you can add 1 to DM. Using this power uses energy; but not every page. While using this power, you spend 1 energy per point in the power that you use until you stop running. You cannot rest to regain energy until you stop running. Scan: 1pt. You have the ability to detect the presence of a certain thing. What you are looking for is defined by you at the moment you begin the scan. If you succeed on a Mind check, you will be able to determine the distance, direction, and general amount of what you are scanning for. The difficulty of the check depends on the scarcity of what you are scanning for. Common things require only a 10, rare things have a 20, very rare things have a 30, and unique things have a 40. The area which you are scanning also impacts the difficulty. If it is a small area, like a ship, the difficulty is halved. If it is a large area, like a city, the difficulty is not adjusted. A huge area, like a continent would double the difficulty, and to scan an entire planet

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would triple it. Failing a scan for that particular thing means that the scan cannot be reattempted with any chance of success in this area (there may be interference or something). Typical things that a person might scan for is liquid water or sentient life, although one could also scan for one of their lost friends or try to find precious metals. Self Destruct: 3-5pts. You have a booby-trap inside you that allows you to get some small revenge when you are defeated or prevents your parts from falling into enemy hands. If your self destruct is armed, and you are reduced to 0 Hits, you will immediately explode, doing x6/x7/x8 dmg depending on if you spent 3/4/5 pts on this power. This will affect a 1-square radius around your position. If you self destruct, you cannot be repaired— only replaced. Shape-Shifter: 5pts. x Your species has the ability to change its body so radically that you can temporarily become another creature. While it does allow you to become a different species, you cannot become a specific member of that species. When you activate this ability, you can rearrange your points for Brawn and Agility as you like (your Mind is unaffected). In addition, you gain 2 points of Alien Species powers that your new form would have. You can sacrifice 1 point out of your Brawn/Agility pool (leaving a minimum of 1 in each) to gain an additional 2 points of Alien species powers while in this form. Each time you change forms, you expend 5 energy, which cannot be regained until you resume your normal state. It does not take energy to maintain a form or revert to your original form. You cannot gain use of the following powers through shapeshifting: Healing, Mimic, or Changeling. Example: A Shape-Shifter with Brawn 3 Agility 1 is trapped on top of a cliff and wants to get off. So he decides to turn into an Eagle, changing his stats to Brawn 1 Agility 2, and gains Fly and Natural Weapons powers of that bird. He then is able to fly off the cliff to safety. Speed-Wired: 2 or 4 pts. You have been designed to perceive information, make decisions, and execute them far faster than an ordinary life-form can. They just seem to be going in slow motion to you. When you use this power, you can have more than one panel in the page. The 2-point power allows you to take 1 extra panel, while the 4 point power allows you to take 2 extra panels. This costs 2 or 4 energy to use respectively. Alternatively, you can use this power to add the number of points invested in it to your Agility when attempting to hit or dodge an opponent, instead of receiving extra panels. One of your speedy panels cannot be spent resting! A character with 4 points of speed wiring may choose to act as if he only had 2 points in order to use less energy. Stretching: 1-5 Pts. x You have amazingly long and flexible limbs, either naturally or as a telescoping mechanical enhancement. You can stretch your limbs an extra square per point invested in this. Thus a character with 2 points can punch someone standing 3 squares away. It costs energy to stretch (1 per point), but not to maintain it or reform normally. If your limbs are permanently very

CHARACTER CREATION long, you can take this power with a 1 point limitation to reduce its cost, and there is no energy cost involved. There will be times that having very long limbs will be a liability, and the Narrator can assign a Dice penalty to certain rolls (usually proportional to your limb size), and even rule you incapable of doing certain things due to your long limbs (like fit inside an escape pod). It is recommended that human-sized creatures do not go beyond 3pts in this power. When you take this power, decide which limbs it is affecting. Suggestion: 1 pt. You can tell someone what to do by contesting Mind against their Mind. If you succeed, they do it. It must be simple, and something that does not put them in immediate peril. (You cannot tell someone to jump off a cliff). The most time this can last is equal to the 6 pages - the target’s Mind. This will not work in combat! Super Senses: 2 pts. x You can see or hear outside normal (human) parameters. Perhaps you can see infrared or ultraviolet light (and thus see in the dark and things usually invisible), or perhaps you can hear radio waves. You may even have eyes in the back of your head! Swing-Line: 2 pts. You can fire a super-tensile strength filament that you use as a swing-line. You move at 4 x Agility (including vertically) while swinging in this manner. Telekinesis: 1-5 pts. You may move objects with your Telekinesis power as if it were Brawn. The rate at which an object can move is Telekinesis +Mind minus the Brawn necessary to lift the object, +1 square per panel. The damage that can be done by this (by slamming an object into an opponent or vice-versa) is as if it were a special attack, treating Telekinesis as Brawn for damage and Mind as Agility to hit. For 1 point, you can reduce the effective strength of your telekinesis by 1, and increase its range by 5 squares above the normal range of 5 squares. You must spend the energy cost every panel you use this power, but can choose to use less power in your Telekinesis to lessen the energy cost. In addition to this “dynamic” use of telekinesis, you can also use “concentrated” telekinesis. Concentrated Telekinesis can be used to move much larger objects, but much slower. You can slowly move an object about 1 square per panel that is much heavier than an object you can throw with dynamic telekinesis. This requires intense concentration for you to use this ability, and the energy cost must be paid each panel it is used. The amount of weight you can move using Concentrated Telekinesis is 1000/4000/9000/16000/25000 pounds for 1/2/3/4/5 points in Telekinesis. Telekinetic Crush: 1-5 pts This power is a wicked form of telekinesis that kills by crushing the victim’s organs. The damage multiplier for this power is based on the number of points you have in this power devoted to damage—no stat affects the damage. You can increase the range of the attack to 5/10/20/40 squares

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CHAPTER ONE for 1/2/3/4 points. For 1 point, you can increase the radius of the attack by 1 (damage is rolled once for all targets). For 1 point, you can add 1 to your multiplier to hit with this power (use Mind instead of Agility). Any unspent points become the damage multiplier. The target must roll a Brawn check against the damage dealt that page. If the target loses the contest, s/he takes the difference in damage. This is repeated every page until the target successfully beats the damage roll in a Brawn contest (damage is re-rolled every page as well). If the target succeeds, the attack ceases. Example: Lord Redav has 5 points in Telekinetic Crush. He put 1 pt into range (5 squares) and 1 pt into radius, leaving 3pts. The damage multiplier when he uses this power is x3. Lord Redav uses the power on a pair of ugly mugs who dare to sit at his table. He concentrates, squeezing his fist, and the two hapless shmoes fail to dodge and begin choking. Lord Redav rolls 11 x3= 33 damage. The first guy rolls 7x2= 14, and takes 19 damage (the difference), and the second gets lucky, rolling 6+6+5= 34 soak. The first guy will continue taking damage the next page, while the second has shaken off the attack. On the second page, Redav rolls 3x3 =9 damage, while his victim rolls 5 x2=10, managing to break free of the choking. Telekinetic Push: 1-5pts. You can increase the range of the attack to 5/10/20/40 squares for 1/2/3/4 points. For 1 point, you can increase the radius of the attack by 1 (damage is rolled once for all targets). Any unspent points add to the “damage” multiplier, which is based on Mind. When using this power, no roll “to hit” the target is necessary- the hit is automatic. In addition, the power does no actual damage, it only pushes enemies back. Roll as if you were rolling damage to the target, but the result is the number of feet the opponent is knocked back (round to the nearest 5 foot squares) minus a number of squares equal to the opponent’s Brawn +2xSize. If the target makes a Brawn check equal to the push, s/he is able to keep his or her feet and avoid being knocked back altogether. Example: A psi-ranger uses telekinetic push on an alien giant and rolled 60 for the damage roll (12 squares of knock-back). The giant came close, but failed to make a 60 on its Brawn check to avoid being knocked back. His Brawn of 4 and size 2 reduce the amount he was knocked back by 8 squares (4 +2x2= 8). In the end, the giant is knocked back 4 squares. Telemechanics: 3/5 pts. x You can read the “thoughts” of computers and electronic devices that you touch. You can also access the net simply by touching a line or transmitter to it. When you use this power, you understand exactly what that machine’s purpose is and how to use it. Whenever you are operating, building, or repairing a technological device (piloting a starship, doing computer research, etc), you get a +2 Dice bonus. In addition, any repairs/construction you do takes half the time it normally should. The 5 point version of this power enables you to activate/operate machines remotely by thought

within a range of 10 squares. Intelligent machines can roll a Mind check against you to resist being so controlled. You must spend energy when you begin using this power, and it cannot be restored until you turn it off. Telepathy: 3 pts. You can read other people’s thoughts and broadcast your thoughts to others for mental communication. You must spend energy when you begin using this power, and it cannot be restored until you turn it off. This works within a range of 10 squares. Toughness: 1-3 pts. x You can withstand a great deal of physical punishment. Each point in this power gives you 10 points of damage soaking. If you put on standard armor, you will be protected by whichever is better of the two. This power costs no energy to use. Trample: 3pts. x This power is usually only taken by large, quadruped aliens, or robots with tank-treads instead of legs. The attacker can make an attack at -1 multiplier to hit and +3DM. It moves along a path, affecting an area double its size in squares long and its size in squares wide. All creatures smaller than the attacker within that area that are hit take damage. Creatures of the same size or larger take no damage. Targets who succeed on their Defense, but by less than 10 take half damage anyway. Tunneling: 3-5pts. x You are built for digging. You can dig through dirt, sand, or lose gravel at a speed of 1/2/3 times your Brawn for 3/4/5 points. Each page you move in this manner, you expend 1 energy. You can also hold your breath double/triple/ quadruple the ordinary amount for 3/4/5 points (assuming you breathe). Venomous: 1-5pts. x You are capable of emitting a powerful toxin from your body. Each point you put in the power is a x1 DM. If the attack hits, the target’s armor can soak the damage. If the damage is completely soaked, there is no effect. If the character takes one or more hits of damage however, the character must roll a Brawn check against the damage dealt the each page, until the target successfully beats the damage roll in a Brawn contest (damage is re-rolled every page as well, but can only be soaked by armor on the initial attack). If the target succeeds, the attack ceases. If the target’s roll is less than the damage, the target loses the difference in Hits. For 1/2/3 points, you can increase the range of this power to 5/10/20 (if the venom is emitted in a stream), or you can increase the radius to 1/2/3 (if the venom is a gas or spray). For Example: A snake bites with venom that does x3 damage. The unlucky ensign bitten was wearing no armor, and thus takes the full damage of the initial bite (a 6 rolled x3 =18 dmg). The next page, the ensign rolls his Brawn of 2 and gets 14, while the venom rolls a 30, doing an additional 16 dmg to the poor ensign (30-14= 16). The next page, the ensign’s luck changes, and he rolls double sixes followed by a 2, for a total of 28, while the venom roll was only 24. The venom has run its course, and will no longer damage the ensign.

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X-Ray Vision: 3 pts. You can see (or scan) through up to 5 feet of solid objects, except lead.

Special Power Enhancements For 1 extra point, a special power can be given an extra edge. Note, that the extra point may increase the energy cost to use the power as well. Here is a list of potential power enhancements: •Can affect others (if normally unable to do so). If the subject is unwilling, you must make an attack roll against them to use the power. •Can affect you (if normally unable). •Radius: if normally not usable in a radius, a 1-point enhancement gives the power a radius of 1 (a 2 square by 2 square area). A 2point enhancement gives the power a radius of 2 (a 4x4 square), and a 3-point enhancement gives the power a radius of 3 (a 6x6 square area). •Range: if normally not usable at a range, a 1-point enhancement gives the power a range of 5 (however, whether it can affect other people, etc remains unchanged). A 2 point enhancement increases the range to 10, and a 3 point enhancement makes the range 20. •Reduced Energy Cost: Every point you put in this enhancement lowers the energy cost to use that power by 1 point. You can reduce energy cost to zero. The points for this power do not add to the energy cost! •Multipower: You can add another power to this one, of equal or less point value (excluding the point for this enhancement). These two powers cannot be used simultaneously, and you pay the energy cost for the entire multipower whenever you use either one. Any power enhancements must be added to the individual power, any limitations affect all powers in the multipower. Example: for 4 points, a character could have a multipower including 3 points of telekinesis and 3 points of Force Field. If the character uses either one, he must spend 4 energy to do so, not 3. •Variable: Instead of buying this power with a specified range, radius, or intensity (DM), you have a pool of points to utilize this power, and determine these variables each time you use it. For instance, a 3pt attack power could grant a +1 DM radius 2 attack, or it could be a +3 DM attack or a +2 DM attack with a 5 square range. Any combination is possible.

Special Power Limitations Just as a Special Power can be improved by paying an additional point in cost, they can likewise be made 1 point cheaper by applying a limitation on what the power can do. Example limitations are provided below, but the Narrator can approve of new limitations as well. •Conditional Use: The power can only be used under certain conditions. For instance, a character’s Clairvoyance that only works in the form of dreams when the character is asleep. •Focus: You must have a certain object in order for your power

CHARACTER CREATION to work. This object has a flaw of its own—either that it is easily stolen, fragile, or has limited uses. An example of a stealable focus would be if a Pyrokinesis user requires an open flame in order to use his powers. A fragile focus has 10 Hits and 5 soak per point in the power (a non-fragile focus has 100 Hits and 30 soak). An example might be that a cyborg’s swing-line is fragile, and prone to being broken when used. A power with limited uses will eventually run out of power and be unusable for the rest of that Issue or day. Each time this power is used, roll a d6. If the result is equal to or less than the point-cost of the power, it has used up one-third of its total uses for the Issue. Obviously, after three times that the die roll is too low, the power ceases to function until it has been recharged. The upside of limited uses, is that the power does not use any energy from the character. An example of a power with limited uses could be a robot with Invisibility, burning out the visual dampener that provides this ability. •Limited Target: If a power won’t work on a certain kind of target, that is also a limitation. A Psionic whose Healing power cannot work on alien species, for instance has a this limitation.

Step 5: Skills Heroes have more going for them than psionic powers and shiny weapons. They know how to do things too, from piloting to surgery. There are two types of skills: mental (based on Mind) and physical (based on Agility). The number of skills you will have for a given stat are equal to it. Brawn does not grant skills as most physical skills are accomplished by Agility, whether they require muscle or not. In order to make a skill check, roll against the ability listed for that skill. Your roll must equal or exceed a certain difficulty. 10 is the difficulty for normal tasks, 20 is tough even for professionals, and a 30 difficulty requires great ability for any chance of success. Each skill has a list of specific uses for it. You may pick one of these uses as a specialty, to which you receive a re-roll in case of failure. You may also try to use a skill you do not know. This is called “defaulting”. Whenever you do this, you take a -4 Dice penalty. Instead of choosing multiple skills, you can also choose to focus on one skill, either by choosing an extra area of expertise, or by getting a +1 to that stat for resolving checks for that skill. Either case is equal an entire skill. Assistants: When you try to do something with a skill, you can have people with the same skill help you. These are assistants. Each one (up to 5) gives you a +1 Dice bonus for a skill check. The person with the highest chance of success rolls, but only once. Assistants are very useful for surgery, gathering information, making repairs, and several other things. Example: a physician wants to heal a critically wounded man. He has a Mind of 3, with diagnosis as a specialty, and an office with 3 nurses beneath him. After making his diagnosis check, he begins to cut. He rolls 2d6+3, and gets 10 x3= 30. Without his assistants, he would have only had a 21, and the man would have nearly died.

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CHAPTER ONE

with your own skills to add to the list if you like.

Assistants make a rather significant difference!

Physical Skills

Sci-Fi Skill List

Animal Riding: Galloping, Jumping, Tricks, Control

For the most part, the skill list is the same in any incarnation of BASH!. However, the specialties within those skills vary, mainly by technological differences. For instance, Engineering is so important to the running of a starship that it was deemed necessary to make into a separate skill than have it be a sub-set of the technology skill. Here is a list of skills for the modern/future period, along with various areas of specialization. You should feel free to come up

Athletics: Running, Aerobatics, Throwing, Acrobatics, Climbing, Swimming, etc. Drive: Steering, Control, Tricks, Acceleration Escapology: Knots, Slipping Free, Double-Jointed, Picking Locks Craftsmanship: Carpentry, Metal Working, Pottery, Glassworking, Tanning Performance: Play Instrument, Dance, Juggling, Singing, Theater Pilot: Evasion, Pursuit, Tricks, Control Stealth: Hiding, Shadowing, Prowling, Palming & Planting Items

Mental Skills Commerce: Appraisal, Bargaining, Finance, Accounting, Bureaucracy Computers: Hacking, Programming, Encryption, Operations Deception: Disguise, Lying, Detect Deception, Manipulation, Forgery Domestic: Cooking, Sewing, Cleaning, Gardening, Manage Engineering: Engines, Power, Weapons, Defenses, Structures, Demolitions Foreign Cultures: Customs, Culture, Languages Humanities: Art, Religion, Music, Occultism Investigation: Analysis, Finding Clues, Questioning, Gut Military: Gunner, Command, Tactics, Strategy Outdoor: Tracking, Survival, Direction Sense, Animal Lore Physician: Diagnosis, Genetics, Research, Herbalism, First-Aid, Surgery, Toxicology Sailing: Piloting, Navigation, Command, Tacking, Gunner Science: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Zoology Security: Picking Locks, Search/Conceal, Traps Social Science: Law, History, Archeology, Stellar Cartography Society: Savoir-faire, Diplomacy, Fashion, Rhetoric Starship Operations: Command, Astrogation, Maneuvers, Systems, Logistics, Communications Streetwise: Gut, Gather Information, Gambling, Shortcuts Technology: Repair, Invent, Jury-Rig, Modify, Sabotage

Skill Descriptions

28

CHARACTER CREATION

Animal Riding: This skill allows the character far greater control over a mount than a common person. In a Low-Tech setting, almost everyone is assumed to know how to ride, but people with this skill can ride far better. When you take this skill, specify whether it is for riding land, sea, or air creatures. You can take this skill multiple times in order to be skilled in riding many types of creatures.

Deception: You are particularly skilled in making others believe you, whether you are telling the truth or not. Likewise, you may be better at discovering when people are trying to deceive you as well.

Athletics: This skill grants the character greater than normal ability to perform physical tasks, such as climbing, running, throwing, etc.

Domestic: Anybody can cook and clean for themselves. This skill indicates you are good enough to be a professional chef, or a servant for a large household.

Drive: This skill allows the character far greater control over vehicles than a common person. In a high-tech setting, almost any character can be assumed to know how to drive, but characters with this skill can drive circles around them. If you want to use a military vehicle, such as a tank, you must also have the Combat Driving power. Drive/Steering is used to determine defense in a ground vehicle. Drive/Control is used to maintain control of the vehicle if it has hit some hazard or to brake in time to avoid one. Drive/Tricks are used to pull off stunts, like power slides, etc. Drive/ Acceleration is used when trying to chase or race another vehicle.

Engineering: This skill is used to design and understand large structures, weapons, and vehicles like a starship and its defense and engine systems.

Escapology: You have trained long and hard for this task, or perhaps you are double-jointed. In either case, you can escape from handcuffs, ropes, straightjackets, etc just like Houdini. You cannot use the lock-picking aspect of this skill to open advanced locks—only simple locks like on a pair of handcuffs. Use the Security skill for advanced locks. Craftsmanship: Skill in a craft such as carpentry, smithing, pottery, sculpture. With enough time and the proper materials, you can produce simple, decent, or elaborate work with a 10/20/30 check. Unlike most skills, a person with Craftsmanship cannot do everything indicated by the skill. Instead, choose two crafts, one of which is your specialty. By investing extra slots into the craftsmanship skill, you may also choose an additional two crafts. Performance: You can use your grace and natural talent to entertain people, through dance, music, juggling, singing, theater, or some other talent not listed here. Unlike most skills, a person with Performance cannot do everything indicated by the skill. Instead, choose two talents, one of which is your specialty. By investing extra slots into the performance skill, you may also choose an additional two talents. A character with the Charisma power can add 2 to his multiplier to Performance checks, and uses their highest stat rather than Agility for the base multiplier. Stealth: This skill enables the character to hide and prowl around undetected, and even take/place objects without being noticed. Commerce: This is the skill of buying and selling for profit. It includes the ability know the value of things (appraise), make sound investments (finance), negotiate price (bargaining), run a business (accounting), and cut through the red-tape to do so (bureaucracy). Computers: You know computers far better than a typical user. You can hack systems, build machines, program, and encrypt just about anything on a computer.

Foreign Cultures: You know a great deal about other places and their cultures, whether these be other countries or other planets. This includes a great knowledge of languages. Ordinarily, a character knows a number of languages = Mind. This skill doubles that number. Specialization in languages triples that number of languages. Humanities: You are a student of man’s irrational disciplines: art, music, culture, religion, and the supernatural. While some may view these as a waste of time, you see it as a deeper reflection into the nature of humanoids, or possibly a source of power over them... Investigation: You might be a detective, you may be a reporter, but for some reason, you are really good at finding and analyzing pieces of information, and putting them together into a larger picture. You also know how to ask questions to get the most information out of witnesses/suspects/contacts. Military: This skill grants the character general knowledge of military tactics, including the use of heavy ordinance and the ability to inspire troops with leadership. Military/Gunner skill is used to roll attacks with ground vehicles and large starships (usually called capitol ships). Outdoor: You are more at home in the wild than most other people. You could survive indefinitely without civilization. Physician: You might be a doctor, or maybe a paramedic. Regardless, you know how to identify and treat injuries and illnesses in humanoids. Pilot: You are able to handle vehicles most people cannot- fighters, capital ships, primitive helicopters, airplanes, and even blimps are no problem for you. Pilot/Evasion is rolled to determine defense in small (size 1-3) starships (like fighters, bombers, and corvettes). Pilot/Pursuit is rolled to determine attacks in such vehicles. Pilot/Control is used to maintain control of the vehicle in unusual circumstances, and Pilot/Tricks is rolled to perform flying stunts. Sailing: This skill enables a Hero to know just about everything there is to do on a watercraft, from navigation to piloting and even manning the guns. Sailing/Tacking is used to roll defense of any vessel small enough to allow a roll, while Sailing/Gunner is used to

29

CHAPTER ONE

roll attacks (Military/Gunner can be used for attacks as well). Science: As a scientist, you have a good understanding of all the fundamentals: math, physics, biology, chemistry- but you are a master at one of these fields. Security: You are skilled either in the proper use, or the circumvention of, security devices. This includes safes, locks, alarms, and surveillance equipment. Social Science: You are a student of people’s rational disciplines: history, law, geography, etc.

one learn rumors and locate hard to find people/places/things. Gut is an instinct that is often right. Gambling does not guarantee that a person will win, but it helps them know the odds, and spot a cheater. Shortcut helps find one’s way through city streets, starship corridors, and mazes. Technology: You have a gift for machinery, and you know how it works inside and out. You can fix it, build it, and if need be, figure out how to destroy it. This skill is used to understand, build, and repair personal weapons and vehicles like pistols, energy blades, body armor, hovercycles, etc.

Society: This is the ability that statesmen, diplomats, and courtiers practice on a daily basis. While men can win battles with starships and blasters, it is in the halls of diplomacy where wars are won, lost, and prevented with words. Savoir-Faire is the ability to do/say the right thing at the right time, diplomacy is cutting deals, fashion is knowing the “right” way to dress and the current popular slang, etc of the time (the science of first impressions), and rhetoric is convincing people to accept your argument by appealing to their logic or sympathy. Starship Operations: You have been trained to do just about everything that needs to be done to run a starship. This includes astrogation (plotting a course through space), tactical maneuvers, how to give orders, and the daily operations of such a ship. Streetwise: This is the ability that thieves, merchants, and scoundrels engage in on a daily basis. Gather Information helps

30

CHAPTERCREATION TWO CHARACTER

CHAPTER TWO: EQUIPMENT

31

CHAPTER TWO

Likewise, the 1920s would be TL 2.5 because they have airplanes and cars, but no computers.

CHAPTER TWO: EQUIPMENT

Integrated Functions: Various equipment can be integrated with just about any other equipment by spending extra credits. For example, a suit of heavy body armor can be made to be High-G Force resistant, and include a diagnostic scanner. To figure out how much an integrated suit costs, add the costs of all the components together, and increase it by 50%. This is because the components have to be made especially compact. Thus, in the above example, the cost of the suit would be 10,500 credits (7,000 x1.5= 10,500).

A character begins play with 5,000 Credits, or more if s/he has the Rank power. Equipment labeled 2H indicates that the weapon is wielded in two hands. Note that some weapons only have a limited number of shots before they must be reloaded or recharged. Reloading a weapon takes an entire page unless noted otherwise. Some weapons utilize a battery—replacing a battery takes 1 page as well. Grenades are weapons that detonate themselves, and are destroyed when used. Some weapons can be used to “burst” fire by rattling off an entire full load of ammo in a single panel. This is called the “spray and pray” method of firing, as you sacrifice accuracy for the chance to strike more targets. Effectively, this gives you a -1 Agility to hit, but increases the radius of the attack by 1. A weapon that has “burst 2” can burst twice, each time, using up half of a full load of ammo, a “burst 3” weapon could burst 3 times, each using a third of the ammo, etc.

Upgrades: Similar to integrated functions, upgrades are small bonus features that can be added into a piece of equipment. The descriptions of the various upgrades appears after the weapons section.

Weapons Archaic Weapons Descriptions Dagger: A short two-edged knife, good for stabbing or cutting. Daggers can also be thrown, with a range in squares equal to the thrower’s Brawn.

Technology Level (TL) In some campaigns, Narrators might want to limit how much technology the characters have access to. The most thorough way to do this is to look through each item of technology and decide whether or not it is allowed in the campaign, but this is a tedious process. An easier way is by setting a cut-off Technology Level. Technology is rated with a numerical value. The higher the Technology Level (TL), the more advanced the technology. Below is a chart of the Technology Levels and examples of advancements from that level. Of course, your home campaign might have exceptions to the guidelines below. Also, if the time period you are using seems to be between two different TLs, feel free to assign a decimal to denote this. For instance, the 17th Century would probably be TL 1.5, because early firearms have been invented, but swords are still used, and trains and steam-power have yet to be used.

Gauntlet: Technically a piece of armor, it allows one to do lethal damage with a punch. Sword/Mace/Axe: A longer, heavier version of the knife, developed during the Bronze Age (TL ½). Some swords have two edges, some have a single edge. Archaic & Modern Armor (half the soaking effect against TL4 or higher weapons) Light 10 Soak (Leather)

100 Credits

TL0

Half-Soak against gunpowder weapons

Medium (Chain)

20 Soak

400 Credits

TL1

Half-Soak against gunpowder weapons

Heavy (Plate)

30 Soak

800 Credits

TL1

Half-Soak against gunpowder weapons

Kevlar

20 Soak

200 Credits

TL3

A shield (allows one to use “Shield Deflect” power, but cannot reflect attacks, and is ineffective against TL4 or higher weapons.) 100 Credits. A character without the Shield Deflect power can still benefit from a shield. It grants a +1 Dice bonus to defense rolls by simply getting in the enemy’s way. Attacking with a shield does +0DM stun damage.

TL Era

Sample Technologies

0

Stone-Age

stone, bone, or wooden tools, bow & arrows

1

Medieval

metal tools, chain mail, swords, crossbows

2

Industrial

firearms, steam-power, trains

3

Modern

computers, combustion engine, flight, nuclear power

4

Near-Future

artificial intelligence, cybernetics, computer-neural interface, vibroblades

5

Interplanetary Travel

cold-fusion power, space travel near light speed, energy guns

6

Interstellar Travel

anti-matter power, faster-than light space travel, energy blades, energy shielding, teleporters

7

Intergalactic Travel

wormhole generation

8

Time Travel

time machines

32

EQUIPMENT Futuristic Armor and Suits Name Soak Cost

Tech Level

Description/Special Worn on the arm just like a medieval shield. Allows the user to make use of the Shield Deflect power. A character wielding a shield without this power gets a +1 Dice bonus to their defense rolls, as the shield gets in the way of some attacks.

Energy Shield

-----

2,000 Credits.

TL 6

Light Body Armor

20 Soak

1,000 Credits

TL4

Medium Body Armor

30 Soak

2,000 Credits

TL5

Heavy Body Armor

40 Soak

4000 Credits

TL6

Power Armor*

40 Soak

8,000 Credits

TL7

+1 Brawn while worn

Personal Force Field

10 Soak

4,000 Credits

TL6

100 Hits

Heat Tempered

-----

3,000 Credits

TL5

Grants “Immunity: Heat” power while worn

Vacuum Sealed

-----

3,000 Credits

TL3

Grants “Immunity: Vacuum” power while worn, also supplies air to the wearer for 2 hours.

Sea Tempered

-----

3,000 Credits

TL3

Grants, “Immunity: Pressure” power while worn, supplies air to the wearer for 2 hours, grants 1pt of Aquatic power to the wearer.

High G-Force Suit

-----

Special

TL5

1000/5000/10,000 credits for a suit that ignores 2/3/and even 4 Gs of pressure. Each G beyond the suit’s ability to resist counts as 1 G more than 1. So a 2G suit in a 3G environment enables the user to have only a -2 penalty on Agility and Brawn rolls instead of a -4 penalty for people without such a suit.

Integrated Weapon

-----

------------

---------

You have a weapon that can pop out of your suit. See the weapon for its cost. Integrated weapons must be one-handed. See integrated functions above for more details.

*Power Armor is so bulky that it carries a -4 Dice penalty when worn. This means that even with 3 points for heavy armor familiarity, you still take a -1 Dice penalty while wearing it.

Some are curved, some are straight. Some are used to stab, while others are meant for cutting. Axes have a heavy blade attached to a long handle, and are used for chopping. Maces (as well as hammers, mauls, etc) are used to crush enemies with heavy stone or metal heads. In the end, they are all effective killing tools.

Whip: Originally developed to tame and discipline animals, this long leather lash was also used to discipline (and torture) men. While it is not a deadly weapon (it does stun damage) it has good reach and enables the skilled users to grab objects or entangle enemies.

Heavy Sword/Mace/Axe: A two-handed version of the original, it is larger and heavier. Two-handed swords might be claymores, flamberge, no-dachi, etc. A two-handed mace is more likely a giant hammer, known as a maul. A two-handed axe may be referred to as a battle-axe.

Club/Cudgel: A sturdy wooden stick, usually heavier at one end than the other, the club is one of the most primitive of weapons. Though it can be used to kill, it usually first succeeds in knocking an enemy unconscious. Once a clubbed victim is unconscious, continued club attacks do lethal damage.

Bastard Sword: Also known as a hand-and-a-half sword, the bastard sword can be wielded in one or two hands, as the wielder wishes.

Staff: A long sturdy shaft of wood, more often used to steady oneself while walking than as a weapon. Staves have good reach when lunging, and are free wherever wood can be found.

Because of their exceptional balancing, bastard swords are more expensive than a heavy sword.

Garrote: A simple twine or a concealed wire, the garrote does lethal damage, and can be used while wrestling. So long as the wielder has the upper hand during the wrestling, they may make an attack on their panel with the garrote. A Brawn contest must be rolled before any garrote attack to determine who has the upper hand.

Spear: One of primitive man’s first inventions was a sharpened stick used to kill prey. Man improved on this invention, adding a metal head and a sturdier shaft. The spear can be wielded in one or two hands. In one hand, it can be thrown (2xBrawn squares). In two hands, the spear can be used to strike at enemies who are two squares away. Halberd: A medieval hybrid of spear and axe, the halberd must be wielded in two hands. It has a long reach, and can be used to stab or chop at enemies.

Lasso: Mostly used to subdue animals, the lasso does no damage—but it has great reach and can be used to entangle enemies. Rapier: A thinner more elegant incarnation of the sword, the rapier was developed when gunpowder had rendered heavy armor

33

CHAPTER TWO obsolete. Without armor, it was not the man with the strongest sword who won the day, but the fastest. A person using a Rapier treats their Agility as if it were 2 higher for purposes of determining priority in combat. Unlike more primitive swords, the rapier was almost exclusively used for thrusting. Saber/Cutlass: Thicker, and heavier than the rapier, slashing sabers and cutlasses were also superior to their medieval counterparts—a person using a saber or cutlass adds 1 to their Agility for determining priority in combat. The saber was a favored weapon of cavalrymen, who could use it to hack down foot soldiers, while the cutlass was the preferred weapon on the high-seas, where limited space made the popular rapier an impractical weapon. Sword-Cane: With the development of long, thin sword blades like the rapier becoming a fashion accessory, casual dueling became a problem, which lead to laws to prevent people from publicly wearing swords. One way around this was to conceal one’s sword within a cane. The sword cane lack’s some of the rapier’s reach, but still gets a +1 Agility bonus for the wielder when determining priority. Maine Gauche: The Maine Gauche, literally meaning “left hand” was a shorter sword originally paired with the rapier (and eventually fell out of fashion). It can be used to attack, but is especially useful in defense—it allows the user to take the “off-hand parry” power.

Parrying Dagger: A parrying dagger looks like a normal dagger until a switch is pressed, causing two more blades to fan out from the first, making a trident-like instrument good for catching and breaking enemy swords. The wielder gets a +3 Dice bonus when using a parrying dagger with the powers: Disarm, Break Weapon, or Weapon Lock. Basket Hilt: A Basket Hilt is a special hand-guard designed for swords during TL 1.5, and can be applied to any of them except the sword-cane (it’d be difficult to explain why your cane needs a sword guard on it). A Basket-Hilt was not only usable for defense, however—it could be used as a weapon in its own right, and a punch with the basket-hilt could knock a man cold. The cost of a basket-hilt is directly added to the cost of a TL 1.5 sword that it is added to—it is not a separate item.

Archaic Ranged Weapons Bow: Another hunting tool developed during the Stone-Age, the bow and arrow was seeing practical use until TL 2. Sling: A weapon from ancient times, this is a leather thong that is used to hurl a stone at very high velocity. It takes time to reload and begin spinning again, though, so the user only gets one shot at a time. Crossbow: More deadly than the bow, the crossbow had more armor-penetrating power, and was easier to use by commoners. In the age of knights, its use was banned by papal decree (except for use in the crusades). Loading a crossbow requires using a

Archaic Weapons Name 1/2H

Dmg

Type

TL

Cost

Notes

Dagger

1

+1DM

Lethal

0

100

Can be thrown Brawn squares

Gauntlet

1

+0DM

Lethal

1

-

Included with Chain or Plate armor

Sword/Mace/Axe

1

+2DM

Lethal

1

200

Hvy Axe

2

+3DM

Lethal

1

400

Reach 2 (lunging)*

Bastard Sword

1/ 2

+2DM/+3DM Lethal

1

500

Reach 2 (lunging) in 2 Hands*

Spear

1/ 2

+1DM

Lethal

0

150

Can be thrown 2x Brawn squares in 1H, or used with reach 2 in 2Hands.

Halberd

2

+2DM

Lethal

1

200

Reach 2

Whip

1

+0DM

Stun

1

150

Reach 2, can Snatch, Entangle

Club/Cudgel

1

+2DM

Stun

0

0

Staff

2

+3DM

Stun

0

0

Reach 2 (lunging)*

Garrote

2

+2DM

Lethal

0

100

Can be used wrestling

Lasso

2

-

-

1

50

Range 5, Can Snatch, Entangle

Rapier

1

+1DM

Lethal

1.5

400

+2 Priority, Reach 2 (lunging)*

Saber/Cutlass

1

+2DM

Lethal

1.5

200

+1 Priority

Sword-Cane

1

+1DM

Lethal

1.5

600

+1 Priority

Main Gauche

1

+1DM

Lethal

1.5

150

Can use Off-Hand Parry

Parrying Dagger

1

+1DM

Lethal

1.5

300

+3 Dice bonus to Disarm, Break Weapon, and Weapon Lock.

Basket Hilt

1

+1DM

Stun

1.5

+50

Adds to cost of a TL 1.5 sword

Sword/Mace/

*Lunging with a weapon extends its reach, but uses 1 Energy. Also, a person who lunges with a weapon can only move before attacking—not afterward. They also take a -1 Dice penalty on Agility rolls for defense until their next page.

34

mechanism to pull back the string, which takes a panel to do. Crossbow ammunition is referred to here as bolts. Blunderbuss: An early firearm from the renaissance period, the blunderbuss had a bell-shaped muzzle and was used in much the same manner as a modern shotgun, shooting lots of smaller bullets (known as shot) in a large burst. It’s short range is made up for by the fact that it hits a 1 square radius spread. In a pinch, a blunderbuss can be loaded with any small pieces of metal—coins, chain, nails, etc—however, this gives it a -2 Dice penalty on the damage roll. Early firearms such as this have a -1 Dice penalty to hit for every 5 squares they are away from the target. Armor of TL 2 or less has half the soak against firearms. Reloading a Blunderbuss takes 10 pages. Musket: More accurate than the blunderbuss, the musket had a longer barrel, that allowed for longer range with the bullet (called a ball). Early firearms such as this have a -1 Dice penalty to hit for every 5 squares they are away from the target. Armor of TL 2 or less has half the soak against firearms. Reloading a Musket takes 15 pages. Pistol: A short-barreled gun, the pistol could be fired with only one hand, but has a shorter range and less stopping power than a musket. Early firearms such as this have a -1 Dice penalty to hit for every 5 squares they are away from the target. Armor of TL 2 or less has half the soak against firearms. Reloading a Pistol takes 5 pages. Grenade: Early grenades were essentially hollow metal spheres packed full of gunpowder, lit with match-cord and thrown (2xBrawn squares). Extremely dangerous, they were often as likely to kill the wielder as the target. When you throw a grenade, roll a d6. The result is which priority the grenade will detonate on (and it always goes first on its priority). If the number you roll is equal

EQUIPMENT to your priority while throwing the grenade, it detonates as you are throwing it, doing damage to you and everyone in a 1 square radius. If the result is a 6, the wick fizzles out and the grenade does not explode. Armor of TL 2 or less has half the soak against this weapon. Powder Keg: Even more dangerous than a grenade would be the explosive power of an entire keg of gunpowder. By leaving a trail of gunpowder to the keg, or putting a matchcord in it (preferably a long one), one could delay the detonation time by a couple seconds— hopefully enough time to dive for cover. When lighting a powder keg, roll 2d6. The lower result is which priority the keg will explode on—next page (thus, there is no danger of accidentally blowing yourself up while lighting it, unless you are being exceptionally stupid). If the result is a 6, the spark fizzles out and the keg does not detonate. Armor of TL 2 or less has half the soak against this weapon. Note that some of these weapons are more expensive than Modern firearms. That is because these weapons are hand-made, while higher TL firearms are factory made, and thus, cheaper.

Modern Firearms & Bombs Flamethrower: Among the more cruel and efficient weapons developed by man is the flamethrower, which spews a sticky, burning gel at enemies in a wide arc. A person who takes damage from a flame thrower will ignite (see the rules regarding fire in the hazards section). Because the flames burn everything—and aiming for specific parts is irrelevant, flamethrowers do a set damage instead of damage based on Mind. A flamethrower can also be a target. The fuel tank has a soak of 20 and 20 Hits. Aiming for the tank means an attacker must make their hit roll by 10. If the tank is destroyed, it explodes, doing x10 damage in a 2 square radius.

Ranged Weapons Name 1/2H

Dmg

Type

TL

Cost

Range

Shots

Radius

Bow

2

+2DM

Lethal

0

50

20

-

-

20 Arrows

-

-

-

-

20

-

-

-

Sling

1

+1DM

Lethal

0

0

20

1

-

Crossbow

2

+3DM

Lethal

1

100

25

1

-

20 Bolts

-

-

-

-

20

-

-

-

Blunderbuss*

2

+2DM

Lethal

1.5

500

10

1

1

Musket*

2

+3DM

Lethal

1.5

600

20

1

-

Pistol*

1

+2DM

Lethal

1.5

300

10

1

-

& Shot

-

-

-

-

50

-

-

-

Grenade**

1

x6Dmg

Lethal

1.5

200

2xBrawn

-

1

Powder Keg**

-

x10Dmg

Lethal

1.5

1000

-

-

3

10 Charges Powder

*These firearms are rather primitive, and inaccurate. As a result they have a -1 Dice penalty to hit for every 5 squares away from the target (essentially, double the standard penalty). ** These detonate 1 page after they are lit.

35

CHAPTER TWO Teargas Grenade: A non-lethal weapon developed to subdue and disperse, the teargas grenade functions the same as the Daze power, in which the victims must make beat the gas in a x3 Mind contest in order to be able to act normally. Otherwise they are Dazed, choking on the gas. This Daze continues until they can make a 20 Mind check or until the gas disperses (about 3 pages). The grenade can be hurled (2xBrawn squares) or fired from a grenade launcher. Flash-Bang Grenade: Another nonlethal weapon, the flash-bang grenade is designed to temporarily blind and deafen the target. They are often used by commando units before they burst into a dangerous situation. A target who fails a Mind contest against the gas (x3) will have a -4 Dice Penalty on all Agility rolls for the next 3 pages. Frag/Concussion Grenade: These deadly bombs kill either with the shockwaves of explosive force or by sending shrapnel into an enemy’s body. Because they are not precise weapons, grenades do a set amount of damage rather than damage based on Mind. Unlike the TL 1.5 grenades, these explode when the thrower wants them to—on impact. The thrower needs a 10 to hit the area they want a grenade to explode in. A miss indicates the grenade impacts 1-3 squares off-target in a random direction (1-2 in front, 3 left, 4 right, 5-6 behind target). People caught in the blast radius of a grenade automatically take damage—but how much depends on their ability to dive for cover. An Agility roll of less than 20 indicates the victim took full damage; a 20 or more is half damage, a 30 or more is one-third damage, a 40 or more is one-fourth damage, etc. Grenade Launcher: This device simply allows a person to send a grenade farther than the sheer throwing power in their arm is able to. A TL 3 invention, this device is still useful at higher TLs with more advanced grenades. Rocket Launcher: Even more powerful than the grenade launcher is the racket launcher. A rocket launcher does damage as if it were 1 size larger than it actually is. So a size 0 person firing a rocket launcher would do damage with it as if they were size 1. This makes a rocket launcher a much better weapon for taking down enemy vehicles, which often ignore smaller arms fire. Even the relatively primitive TL3 Rocket Launcher would still be useful for several TLs afterward. Shotgun: Originally designed for shooting birds out of the sky, the shotgun is equally useful in clearing corridors of enemy soldiers. The shotgun fires large clouds of small beads at the target, ripping them apart. A TL2 shotgun has two barrels, enabling it to fire twice before it is necessary to reload (reloading a TL2 or higher gun takes only 1 page). A TL3 shotgun can be made semi-automatic, able to fire 10 rounds before reloading is necessary. The shooter can even unload the entire magazine, creating a very large burst effect.

be reloaded between every shot, near the end of TL2, repeating rifles were developed, allowing the shooter to fire off seven rounds. A shooter can even rattle off the entire magazine as a burst. Carbine: Less powerful than a rifle, the carbine is also cheaper. It was a preferred weapon of cavalrymen who could easily fire it from horseback. A carbine can also be unloaded as a burst fire action. Handgun: A handgun (usually a revolver) typically held six shots. By “fanning the trigger”, a handgun can be fired as a burst, Derringer: A derringer is a tiny handgun, usually carried as a concealed weapon. While it only holds two bullets (which fire out of separate barrels) both can be fired simultaneously, doing +2DM instead of +1DM, for a more deadly shot. Anyone trying to conceal a derringer gets a +3 Dice bonus to their Stealth/Palming roll to do so (if a roll is even considered necessary). Assault Rifle: Less powerful than the rifle, the assault rifle makes up for this with its ability to go fully automatic. A typical assault rifle uses a 20 round clip, and can be fired in 10-round-bursts to hit a radius.

Rifle: A powerful long-barreled firearm, the rifle combines excellent range, accuracy, and firepower. While old fashioned TL2 rifles must

36

Submachine Gun: Even more designed for burst fire, the submachine gun (hereafter SMG) fires in a radius without using the burst-fire rules. Each “shot” with SMG actually represents dozens of rounds spewing from the barrel. Using the burst fire function with the SMG means that one is really spraying an area with full auto for several seconds. Machine Gun: As powerful as a rifle, the machine gun also hurls great amounts of hot lead at its target, spread over a wide area (radius 2 without engaging burst fire rules). Each “shot” from a machine gun is actually a burst of 50 rounds or so. Burst firing with the machine gun increases its radius of effect to 3. The TL2 machine gun, known as a Gatlin Gun, requires a crew of two men to move and fire it, and it must be mounted when firing. A TL3 machinegun is intended to be mounted on a tripod, but a character with a Brawn of 3 or more can carry it and fire with a -2 Dice penalty to hit.

Futuristic Weapons Blaster Pistol: The blaster pistol fires beam of intense energy (usually plasma based, but kinetic energy blasters, lasers, or even “freeze rays” may exist depending on the setting the Narrator uses) at the target. This energy may be set to do lethal or stun damage as the user wishes. By holding down the trigger, the user can expend the entire battery to create a wide beam to sweep across an area, effectively making a burst fire. Holdout Blaster: Like the futuristic equivalent of the derringer, the holdout blaster is meant to be concealed, granting the user a +3 Dice bonus to their Stealth/Palming attempt to do so (if a roll is necessary). Like many weapons at this TL, the holdout blaster can be set for lethal or stun damage.

EQUIPMENT Blaster Carbine: Like the carbines of earlier times, the blaster carbine is cheap and easily mass produced. For this reason, it is the weapon commonly issued to soldiers. Its large capacity battery and burst firing ability make it very useful to troops on the front lines. Blaster Rifle-The weapon of choice for marksmen, the Blaster Rifle combines long range with power, though this is more draining on the battery, giving it far fewer shots than a blaster carbine. Also unlike the blaster carbine, a blaster rifle cannot be set to stun— they are weapons intended to kill. By rattling off a series of shots, emptying the battery, the blaster rifle can fire in a burst that affects a radius. Blast Cannon: The Blast Cannon has a similar function to a shotgun, firing a spray of energy bolts at the enemy, rather than a single beam, thus affecting a radius. The blast cannon can also be fired in quick succession, expanding the radius with a burst that also drains the battery. Blaster Gatlin: Similar to the Gatlin Gun of TL2, the Blaster Gatlin is a heavy weapon made to fire over a large spread. Each “shot” with the Blaster Gatlin is actually a spray of 100 rounds (it can only be used fully-automatic). The TL5 Blaster Gatlin requires a crew of 2 people to move and fire it, while the TL6 model can be mounted on a tripod and used by a single person. It can also be carried and fired by a person with a Brawn of 3 or more, but with a -2 Dice penalty to hit. EMP Cannon: EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) weapons can only do damage to machines—cyborgs, robots, androids, vehicles, etc. Organics are not harmed by them. Damage caused by an EMP cannot be soaked by conventional armor, though size still

Modern Firearms & Bombs Name 1/2H Dmg

Type

TL

Cost

Range

Shots Burst

Radius

Flamethrower

2

x5Dmg

Lethal

3

2k

5

10

-

1

Tear Gas Grenade

1

n/a

-

3

200

2xBrawn

-

-

2

Flash-Bang Grenade

1

n/a

-

3

200

2xBrawn

-

-

1

Frag/Concussion Grenade

1

x6Dmg

Lethal

2/3

300

2xBrawn

-

-

1

Grenade Launcher

2

Varies

Varies

3

1k

20

1

-

Varies

Rocket Launcher

2

x7Dmg

Lethal

3

2k

50

1

-

2

Rocket

-

-

-

3

200

-

-

-

-

Shotgun

2

+2DM

Lethal

2/3

200

15

2/10

-/1

1

Rifle

2

+4DM

Lethal

2

100/500

40

1/7

-/1

-

Carbine

2

+3DM

Lethal

2

300

20

7

1

-

Handgun

1

+2DM

Lethal

2

100

15

6

1

-

Derringer

1

+1DM

Lethal

2

300

5

2

-

-

Assault Rifle

2

+3DM

Lethal

3

800

30

20

2

-

Submachine Gun

2

+3DM

Lethal

3

1k

20

12

3

1

Machine Gun

2

+4DM

Lethal

2/3

3k

40

5

-

2

37

CHAPTER TWO affects soaking damage as normal, and some machines have special protection against EMPs. If an EMP causes a “wound” in a machine, it suffers double the ordinary penalties, as crucial systems begin shutting down. A machine brought down to 0 Hits by an EMP must undergo very serious repairs, as its main computer is fried. It requires a 30 computers/ programming check followed by a 30 technology/repair check to even begin “healing” a machine shut down by EMP. Such repairs take a triple the usual time, as fused circuits are slowly replaced, wiring redone, etc.

Vibroblade/Axe: This is either a sword or axe adaptation of the Vibroknife technology, using ultrasonic frequencies to make the sharp blade even more lethal. These weapons are preferred by space pirates who use them in close quarters when boarding enemy ships. Heavy Vibroblade/Axe: This is simply a two-handed, larger version of the Vibroblade or Axe. Vibro-Lance: A sturdy ultrasonic blade is attached to a long pole to create a Vibro-Lance. These weapons are often carried by guards. Though it is not as powerful as a heavy vibro-axe, it has better reach, allowing defenders to hold a corridor even when outnumbered.

The EMP Cannon is used to send a powerful, wideangled pulse of electromagnetic energy for a short range. It is best used to clear corridors of enemy machines.

Concussion Flail: Resembling a medieval mace and chain, the Concussion Flail uses gravity altering technology to dramatically increase its mass at the point of impact, making it much more powerful than its ancient counterpart. The cable that holds the head of the concussion flail is reinforced with a small force field that makes it nearly unbreakable, and it is useful for entangling enemies.

EMP Blaster: The EMP blaster is a lighter weapon than the EMP Cannon, doing less damage to only a single target, but having a superior range and using less battery life with each shot. Light Quantum Rocket Launcher: A one-handed rocket launcher, which still packs a great deal of power into its shots. The Light Quantum Rocket Launcher does damage as if it were 1 size larger than it is, making it a great weapon for damaging enemy vehicles. Heavy Quantum Rocket Launcher: The futuristic equivalent of the bazooka, this weapon does damage as if it were 2 sizes larger, making it capable of taking out even heavy tanks or bombers. Its great radius also makes it an effective anti-personnel weapon. Energy Grenade: An advancement on the modern grenade, the Energy Grenade bursts in a violent wave of blaster energy. It can be hurled 2xBrawn squares, or fired from a grenade launcher. Stun Grenade: This is an energy grenade that has been outfitted to deliver stun damage instead of lethal, and to spread the explosion wider. EMP Grenade: The EMP Grenade is designed to take out enemy machinery, robots, and vehicles while avoiding human casualties, as an EMP Cannon. Plasma Grenade: An even more deadly improvement on the energy grenade, it also affects a larger radius. Vibroknife: High tech metallurgy provides a razor-sharp, ultrahard cutting edge for this knife, while a motor in the handle causes the blade to vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies, increasing its killing power.

Energy Whip: An energy whip is a thinwire held by an insulated handle. When a switch is depressed, the wire glows with a sheath of plasma, as energy crackles along its length. The whip appears to increase in both mass and width when it is turned on. The intensity of the whip can be altered, so that it instead delivers a stunning electrical shock instead of superheated plasma with every swing, making it useful for taking prisoners. Like the more ancient whip, an energy whip can be used with the Snatch and Entangle powers. Energy Blade: A classic science fiction weapon, the Energy Blade is essentially a sword made out of energy—force, lasers, plasma— whatever the setting dictates. Like the bastard sword of old, the Energy Blade is designed to be wielded one or two-handed. Energy blades are extremely effective at cutting even through high-tech armor. Soak values against attacks by energy blades are halved (except soak granted from size or energy fields). Stun Stick: A baton that can be charged with electricity to incapacitate its victim. It does stun damage. It works on a similar principle to the modern cattle prod.

38

Stun Staff: An even larger stun stick, the Stun Staff is wielded in two hands and can hold an even bigger electrical charge. It can also be used to lunge forward, giving it a good reach.

Examples of Integrated Functions for Weapons: Using the Integrated Functions rules, one can make a nearly limitless combination of items. Listed below are some more common combos. Sword-Gun: Having a firearm handy while using a sword (or vice versa) is always useful. The barrel of the gun runs up the blade about six inches above the crossbar. The trigger is attached to the handgrip of the blade. Pistol and Sword: 750 Credits, Handgun and Vibroblade: 1650, Blaster Pistol and Energy Blade: 7,500 Credits. Spear-Knife: Having a long pole weapon is useful, but there are times when it can get in the way. This integration allows the shaft to collapse into a hand-grip to hold the blade in hand like a knife.

EQUIPMENT This is using the extendable upgrade. Vibro-Lance and Vibroknife: 4,100 credits. Spear-Staff: A staff is often seen as a non-threatening item, more often used while walking than for fighting, and even then, generally a non-lethal weapon. The Spear-Staff has a hidden blade inside that pops out, using the spring-loaded upgrade. Spear and Staff: 825 Credits, Vibro-Lance and Stun-Staff: 6,600 Credits.

Upgrades Upgrades are gizmos that add minor bonuses to the equipment they are installed on. Unlike integrated functions, however, upgrades simply add to the total cost (there is no multiplication involved). For instance, a blaster pistol might have the upgrade that it will only fire when held by its owner. A difficulty 20 ID Lock is a 100 credit upgrade to the weapon for a total cost of 1,100 Credits. Of course,

Futuristic Weapons Name

1/2H

Dmg

Type

TL

Cost

Range

Shots

Burst

Radius

Blaster Pistol

1

+3DM

Adjustable

5

1k

10

20

1

-

Holdout Blaster

1

+2DM

Adjustable

5

2k

5

5

-

Blaster Carbine

2

+4DM

Adjustable

5

2k

20

40

4

-

Blaster Rifle

2

+5DM

Lethal

5

5k

50

10

1

-

Blast Cannon

2

+5DM

Lethal

5

4k

10

10

1

1

Blaster Gatlin

2

+4DM

Lethal

5/6

10k

40

5

-

2

EMP Cannon

2

x7Dmg

Stun

5

7k

10

5

-

1

EMP Blaster

2

x5Dmg

Stun

5

5k

20

20

-

-

Light Quantum Rocket Launcher

1

x7Dmg

Lethal

5

3k

30

1

-

2

Heavy Quantum Rocket Launcher

2

x8Dmg

Lethal

6

5k

50

1

-

3

Lt. Q. Rocket

-

-

-

-

600

-

-

-

-

Hvy Q. Rocket

-

-

-

-

800

-

-

-

-

Energy Grenade

1

x7Dmg

Lethal

5

300

2xBrawn

-

-

1

Stun Grenade

1

x6Dmg

Stun

5

200

2xBrawn

-

-

2

EMP Grenade

1

x8Dmg

Stun

4

400

2xBrawn

-

-

2

Plasma Grenade

1

x8Dmg

Lethal

6

500

2xBrawn

-

-

2

Vibroknife

1

+2DM

Lethal

4

500

-

-

-

-

Vibroblade or Axe

1

+3DM

Lethal

4

1k

-

-

-

-

Heavy Vibroblade or Axe

2

+4DM

Lethal

4

2k

-

-

-

-

Vibro-Lance

2

+3DM

Lethal

4

2k

Reach 2

-

-

-

Concussion Flail

1

+3DM

Lethal

5

2k

-

-

-

-

Energy Whip

1

+1DM

Adjustable

6

1k

-

-

-

-

Energy Blade

1 or 2

+3DM or +4

Lethal

6

4k

-

-

-

-

Stun Stick

1

+3DM

Stun

3

1k

-

-

-

-

Stun Staff

2

+4DM

Stun

4

2k

Reach 2 Lunging

-

-

-

39

CHAPTER TWO

ambient heat from the region around it, meaning that its surface is extremely cold (the wielder’s hand is insulated from this). Striking a foe with an Endothermic weapon does +1DM (which is always Lethal damage). This is TL 5 technology, and costs 3,000 Credits when installed on an item that will be continually used for this purpose, or 500 Credits for a single use.

Swords in Space? If you want to have a campaign in which people are using swords in space, you should come up with a good reason for it. One way to do so is to have the game mechanics reflect the usefulness of this approach. For instance, you could declare that all vibro and energy blades, or all TL 5 or higher melee weapons reduce the soak of armor against them by half. This would encourage people to use such weapons, as they would be able to get through ablative futuristic armor, which was made for deflecting blaster shots, and not to resist vibroblades.

Extendable: This allows the item (usually something long and thin) to collapse into a much shorter length. This is a useful upgrade for long weapons, like staves or vibro-lances. An extendable item can collapse down to one fourth its length or width (not both) when not extended for use. Extendable items are not usable while collapsed (unless functions have been integrated accordingly to do so). This is TL 3 technology, and adds 400 Credits to an item’s cost. Extra Ammo/Charges: Usually used with firearms, this upgrade doubles the weapon’s usual maximum magazine or battery’s shots. The cost of this upgrade is equal to the base cost of the weapon (before any integrations have been figured). If the weapon has a burst fire rating, that is also doubled. Thus, a blaster carbine with extra charges would cost 4,000 Credits instead of 2,000, have 80 shots, and be able to fire 8 bursts.

Alternatively, if you don’t want people walking around with swords in the age of blasters, an easy way to enforce this is to halve the soaking value of armor against ranged weapons. This would make blasters even more deadly. If you want to keep an equilibrium, simply have armor be equally effective against ranged and melee attacks.

an upgrade must be sensible for its use. It would be difficult to make use of an ID Lock on a suit of armor. Booby Trap: Often coupled with an ID Lock, this upgrade harms the person who attempts to use the device (or unauthorized person if there is an ID Lock to make such a distinction). Booby Traps can be lethal or simply set to stun, depending on the preference of who set it For 400 Credits, it does x4 dmg, 600 for x5, 800 for x6, or 1000 for x7. Whether this damage is explosive, electrical, poison gas, etc is likewise up to the person who bought the trap. A standard booby-trap will affect only the person who touches it. For an extra 400 credits, it will affect a 1 square radius. Booby-Traps are very difficult to detect. It would take a 50 Security/ Traps check to notice a booby-trap unless one is actively searching for one, which reduces the difficulty to 30. Disarming the trap also takes a 30 Security/Traps or 40 technology/sabotage check. In addition to being set to go off when triggered, booby-traps can also be set with a timer to go off when a certain amount of time has passed. Electrified: This upgrade is usually added to a hand-to-hand combat weapon, though it could be applied to a grenade, rocket, or other expendable device. When a switch is depressed, it causes massive amounts of electricity to conduct through the weapon, resulting in the weapon having a +1 Damage Multiplier, due to this extra electrical damage. This extra damage is always Lethal. TL 4, 3,000 Credits for an item that will be used repeatedly, or 500 credits for a single use. Endothermic: This upgrade is usually added to a hand-to-hand weapon, but could also be added to an energy grenade, rocket, or similar expendable weapon. An Endothermic device drains all

ID Lock: This item makes a piece of equipment so that it can only be used by an authorized person. Whether the ID Lock is based on fingerprints, retina scan, a voice identification, or a password depends on the item. Obviously, a blaster that requires a retina scan to activate it is a bad idea! The cost of the ID lock depends on its degree of sophistication—how hard it is to bypass by thieves. The difficulty to bypass it the security is 20/30/40/50 for an ID Lock costing 100/200/500/1000 Credits. Scope: Usually applied to firearms, a scope gives the user more accuracy when shooting. After spending at least 1 page to acquire the target, a shooter using a scope receives a +2 Dice bonus to his next attack roll with the ranged weapon, but suffers a -3 Dice penalty to defense, and checks to notice things going on around them as they cannot adequately pay attention to their surroundings. TL 2, 200 Credits. Secret Compartment: Some devices are designed to hold more than what meets the eye. A secret compartment can make carrying sensitive information or an illegal weapon much easier. A secret compartment can be no larger than one-fourth as large as the object the compartment is in. To make up for the empty space inside, a lot of the technology might have to be miniaturized or rebalanced. This costs 200 Credits. Spring Loaded: This upgrade is usually used with concealed weapons, either allowing them to pop out of a wrist sheath into the hand or for a weapon to pop out of another item it has been integrated with (like a spear point popping out of a cane, or a knife blade popping out of a shoe). This upgrade is TL 3 and costs 600 Credits. Stealth: A stealth device has been made to elude the abilities of scanning devices. The object itself is not invisible to the human eye—merely to scanning equipment. This upgrade is extremely

40

prized by smugglers, assassins, and other people involved in shadowy activities. Such upgrades are often illegal. 1,000 Credits. Thermal Filament: This upgrade is usually applied to hand-tohand weapons, though it could be useful for cold weather tools and survival gear. Thermal Filament is a series of tiny wires running through the surface of a weapon. These wires are especially designed to conduct intense heat. When a switch is depressed, the wires instantly begin to glow white-hot, causing the weapon to shimmer with heat. Anything struck by a weapon filled with Thermal Filament takes +1DM from the heat. This is always Lethal Damage. Thermal Filament is a TL 5 upgrade which costs 3,000 Credits. Tracking Device: Tracking devices can be put on an item to make its recovery more easy when it is stolen, make it easier for rescuers to find you if you are lost, or so that an unwitting carrier of the object can lead you to where they are going. Tracking devices get increasingly expensive based on their range and degree of sophistication. A tracking device with a range of a few thousand miles is worth 200 credits. One that is effective on the surface of an entire planet costs 500 credits. A tracking device that can be followed from space is worth 1,000 credits.

Modern Equipment This list is by no means complete. You can add to it whatever you wish. Just change the prices from dollars to credits (use a 1:1 ratio to keep it simple). Binoculars: Used to watch birds or spy on the enemy, these lenses are held over the eyes to increase visual range to many times normal ability. A TL 2 pair can enhance visual range to x10. A TL 3 set can have up to x100 visual distance. Both cost 500 Credits (the lower TL pair is far more rare). The TL 3 pair can have Nightvision added for a total price of 1000 Credits. A TL 4 pair of binoculars also has a meter that tells the distance being viewed and the direction at no additional cost. They can also have infrared sight added for an additional 500 Credits. Cellular Phone: A portable telephone available right near the end of TL3. More advanced versions in higher TLs might be able to allow communication between planets or even star systems. A good cell phone costs 100 Credits. It can be miniaturized as well. It can be worn in the ear, possibly with a boom microphone for speech, or disguised inside a badge or jewelry. This enables the wearer to stay in contact with team-mates via radio, or can be used as a cellular phone. TL 3, 200 Credits. Computer: A personal computer is one of the great inventions of the modern world. A TL 3 personal computer can range from a relatively primitive early model good only for processing several kilobytes of information to a convenient laptop computer with very high-speed processing—the advances in computer science have essentially doubled computing power every two years, meaning that great leaps in technology have been made in relatively short

EQUIPMENT amounts of time. Regardless of which type of computer it is, the cost of the cutting edge is about the same—2,000 Credits. A computer is necessary for characters who do any computer programming, and also for higher level mathematics or science. TL 4 computers can be very small—palm sized and even wrist-watch computers (with more speed and all the functionality of today’s top-of the line desktops) are possible— even tiny neural implants or receivers that make computer use a completely “virtual” experience can exist. Field Rations: Food made to last a long time without refrigeration, invented during TL2, often canned, freeze-dried, or dehydrated. By TL 5, field rations might consist of an entire meal in a capsule. A week’s worth of field rations (21 meals) costs 100 Credits. GPS: Stands for Global Positioning System. This item tells you exactly where you are on the planet. It can also tell you how to get where you want to go on the planet, including navigating the streets. TL 4 and higher versions of this device can tell you where you are on just about any planet, while the TL 3 version is made only to work on its planet of origin. 200 Credits. PDA: Stands for Personal Digital Assistant. A PDA has less functionality than a computer, and is best used for keeping names, phone numbers, etc. More modern PDAs play music, show video, and can even be integrated with GPS devices or cellular phones. A decent PDA costs about 200 Credits. Nightvision Goggles: Worn around the head, these goggles amplify ambient light by hundreds of times, enabling the wearer to see in the dark. This vision is black and white, with a green tint to it. TL 3, 500 Credits.

High-Tech Equipment Medical Supplies Artificial Organ: Science has made it possible to replace organs, like hearts, lungs, kidneys, etc with man-made replicas. Depending on the feel of the genre, these may be mechanical replacements or lab-grown biological parts. These are far better than any artificial replacements we know of today, with no chance of rejection. TL 4, 5,000 Credits. Auto-Doc: This is a very specialized piece of equipment used to aid in surgery. It seems to be a hovering collection of arms, each ending in various medical tools. An Auto-Doc counts as 2 assistants to a physician making a surgery check. What’s more, an Auto-Doc can perform surgery on its own. However, it only has a Mind of 2, and its only skill is Physician/Surgery. Obviously, on Auto-Doc performing surgery on its own is not very reliable (though several Auto-Docs working together can be effective). Someone else can make the Diagnosis check for the Auto-Doc before it begins surgery (a wise course of action). TL 5, 10,000 Credits each.

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CHAPTER TWO Cloning Tank: Used for the sole purpose of reproducing copies of a genetic specimen, some cloning tanks merely create an infant clone of the original, while others reproduce fully-grown specimens. Cloning can have multiple purposes: to create soldiers or workers, or as a method of reproduction. When used together with a Neural Information Storage Interface, a cloning can essentially make one immortal. Because of various improper uses of cloning, it is highly regulated and very expensive. TL 6, 4 million credits. Longevity Treatment: Through the wonders of science, antiaging has dramatically increased the human life-span. At TL 5, this is done in the form of longevity pills, taken weekly, that rid the body of free radicals and other aging affects. At TL 6, it is done by injections every month, and at TL 7 it is done by genetic therapy done once a year. Longevity treatment halves the rate of aging, allowing one to live around 200 years. A single longevity treatment (pill or otherwise) costs 100 Credits. This means that longevity treatment is a lot more expensive at TL 5 than at TL 6. Med-Pack: One of these can heal injuries far faster than naturally possible. When injected, this sends a stream of nanomachines into the person, healing x2 damage within one minute. When used by a person who makes a successful Physician/First-Aid check, the Med-Pack heals with a x3 multiplier. TL 4, 300 Credits. Medical Stimulator: This device uses waves of energy to increase the body’s natural rate of healing by hundreds of times. Bones knit, lacerations close, and bruises heal before your very eyes. A successful Physician/First-Aid check is required to use this device. Instead of doubling the natural healing rate, however (as a normal first-aid check would do), this device enables one to heal in 10 minutes as if a week had passed. If the first-aid check fails, the person will still heal, but only as if a day had passed. This device can only be effective on a person once per set of injuries to be healed. A person must be in stable condition for a medical stimulator to be of any use. Thus, if they are below 0 Hits and need surgery, they must have the surgery before the stimulator can help. TL 6, 5000 Credits. Nano-Adrenal Stimulus: These microscopic nanomachines stimulate your adrenal glands. In times of stress, you get a +1 Dice bonus to any Brawn dice rolls, including hand-to-hand weapon damage. You also increase your Wound Threshold by 2. Each dose lasts for 1 hour, and may carry a danger of addiction. TL 4, 100 Credits per dose, may be sold on the Black Market. Nano-Immunity: These nanomachines are microscopic robots designed to enhance your body’s natural immunities to disease and poison. You get full immunity to these effects. The machines cost 300 Credits, and must be re-injected once per month. Neural Information Storage Interface: Crudely referred to as a “brain-taping” device, a Neural Information Storage Interface, or NISI is used to store the thoughts and memories of a person, and can be used to transfer those thoughts back to that person, or

into another person. Though it is useful for helping people who have suffered memory loss, NISI can be used by some cultures in lieu of court testimony, and even to cheat death itself, by placing a dead person’s memories into a clone of their body. A NISI can also be used to erase a person’s memories (Treat as the Memory Tampering psionic power with a Mind of 4). Needless to say, these devices might be highly regulated, and are quite expensive. TL 6, 2 million credits. Radiation Cleanser: This MRI-like machine will cure radiation sickness far faster than letting it run its course, and can even save people who have suffered a lethal dose of radiation if used quickly enough. If a person suffering from radiation poisoning, is still alive when placed in the radiation cleanser, they cease being harmed by the radiation, but damage already done heals at the body’s normal rate. Cost 20,000 Credits, TL6. Robotic Prosthesis: This device is a replacement limb, eye, ear, etc made using robotics, and interfaced with the user’s own nerve endings, giving complete control. If needed, it has a coating of synthetic skin that allows the user to feel with the limb just as if it were their own. The limb functions exactly like a part of the user’s own body—it does not have any special powers, and is simply made as a replacement part. TL 5, priced based on part. Hand or Foot is 2,000 Credits. Arm or Leg is 4,000 Credits. Eye, ear, or other part is 3,000 Credits.

Useful Gadgets Anti-Psi Helm: This is a special helmet that integrates with the wearer’s brain waves, insulating them from being manipulated by outside sources. Essentially, this grants the wearer the Mind Shield power. A 1 or 2 point Mind Shield costs 1000 or 3000 Credits respectively. TL 6. Diagnostic Scanner: This device resembles a pda. Point it at something, and it will tell you almost anything you want to know about it. Is that life-form carbon based? Is that water safe for human consumption? Does that person have any disease? It can also get general readings on the surrounding area. Is there radiation contamination here? What is the makeup of this vessel? The area that a Diagnostic scanner can scan, and how detailed/ accurate the readings are should depend on the Tech-Level. TL 5 items might be able to read a 20’ area, while TL 7 might be able to read an entire planet. These devices are incredibly valuable to explorers. 2000 Credits. Grapple Gun: This gun fires a steel cable with a magnetic tip. The tip latches onto a metal surface strong enough to hold 1,000 lbs. The cable itself can extend to 200’ and has 80 hits, 20 soak. It allows the user to swing at Agility x4 up to 40 squares of the anchor point (and the horizontal distance swung cannot exceed the vertical clearance of the cable). The gun has a winch that can pull the user up the cable at a rate of 10’ per page. The cable can also be released by pulling a switch. It can be replaced with a cable cartridge in one panel. TL 4, 1,000 Credits.

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EQUIPMENT

Rebreather: This palm-sized device fastens over the nose and mouth. It filters out poison gas, even water, and transforms it into breathable air. The device does not function in vacuum. TL 5, 2,000 Credits. Universal Translator: This tiny ear implant allows the character to understand any language as if he had the Omni-Linguist power. TL 6, 3,000 Credits Vacuum Patch: A small number of these are carried by anyone wearing a space-suit if they have any sense. If the suit is punctured, whether by accident or vibroknife, the wearer will begin to suffer the effects of vacuum. A character can spend a panel to apply this patch to a punctured space-suit, re-pressurizing it, and ending the vacuum effect. TL 4; a pack of 10 costs 100 Credits.

Black Market Goods Certain equipment is not legal for purchase, However, if there is a demand, there will be unscrupulous merchants who make a living selling it. Black marketers also sell legitimate goods—but these were usually gained in an illegal manner. Stolen goods are usually fenced for between half and three-fourths of the original value (depending on the item). However, it is illegal to buy things from a fence—only “scoundrel” type Heroes are likely to do this often. Slave Crown: This metal circlet has micro-transmitters that affect brain function. They create intense feelings of loyalty and obedience in whoever wears one, to the point that they will sacrifice their life without a second thought should their master ask it of them. A crown is keyed to a certain individual—anyone wearing that crown will feel loyalty and obedience towards that individual. Essentially, a slave crown uses the Mind Control power on whoever wears it. Upon putting the crown on their head, the wearer can make a single Mind contest with the crown (at x4). If the wearer succeeds, s/he is able to ignore the effects of that crown, permanently. It will never work on that person. Failure indicates that the person is under the effects of the crown, and has become the master’s willing slave. A single slave crown costs 15,000 Credits on the black market. TL 5. Thieves’ Tools: This is a set of devices used by thieves to crack safes, disable security systems, and open locks (basic tumbler locks at TL2 and advanced electronic locks by TL4). Most Security

skill checks require the use of a set of thieves tools if the person is trying to bypass, disable, or in other ways elude security systems. By TL4 tools include a password generator, false iris and voice holograms, a miniature EMP unit, a small cutting torch, a crowbar, and a few other necessities. A complete set of state-of-the-art thieves’ tools costs 3,000 Credits. Poison: Whether derived from an animal’s sting or a chemical lab, poison can be a bought for the right price. Not all poisons work the same, however. Below are some sample poisons and their effect, and the cost for a single dose. Note that buying and selling poison is highly illegal! Unless a character has contacts, or is a member of an appropriate group, it is very unlikely s/he will be able to get poison. Also, it may be considered un-heroic to use poison.

Poisons Lethal Poison: x5 Continual Damage. 2500 Credits per dose. Potent Poison: x4 Continual Damage. 1600 Credits per dose. Weak Poison: x3 Continual Damage. 900 Credits per dose. Potent Paralytic: Brawn 30 Immobilize. 900 Credits per dose. Weak Paralytic: Brawn 20 Immobilize. 400 Credits per dose. Hallucinogenic: Daze x4. 400 Credits per dose. Truth Serum: Mind Control (Limitation: can only force target to tell the truth). 1600 Credits per dose.

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CHAPTER THREE

Chapter 3: Playing the Game

44

PLAYING THE GAME Chapter 3: Playing the Game

A stat can be increased (to a maximum of 5 or racial maximum) by spending 12XP x the current number.

Dice Mechanics and Doubles The game is played with two standard six-sided dice. Whenever the result of a situation is not certain, the Narrator may call upon the players to roll the dice to determine the result. The Narrator must decide which of the three stats, Brawn, Agility, or Mind is most important in the given situation (in many situations, this is indicated by the rules). The player rolls the dice and multiplies the results by the number of that stat +any bonuses (for instance, many powers, such as Deflect, grant bonuses to certain rolls). If this character is in conflict with another, the Narrator (or player controlling that character) rolls the dice multiplied by their relevant attribute. Whoever rolls the highest wins. In situations where the character is not in conflict with another, but is still trying to use a skill or ability that is not certain of success, the player still rolls the dice as written above. However, in this case, the player is trying to beat a set number (decided by the Narrator) rather than an opposing dice roll. The standard numbers based on difficulty are: 10 (easy), 20 (standard), 30 (tough), 40 (heroic), 50 (nigh-impossible). This doesn’t necessarily mean that characters with higher multipliers will always defeat those with lower multipliers. Sometimes, random chance has a part to play. When a player rolls “doubles” (two of the same number) on the dice, roll another d6 and add this to the result before multiplying. If this die matches the other two, roll and add again, until you get something that does not match. Example: A player rolling at x3 rolls a pair of twos. He then rolls another two, then a six. Instead of 3x4=12, his end result is 3x12=36. As you can see, rolling doubles can make quite a difference between success and failure. The Golden Rule: Heroes always win on a tie. If two Heroes are contesting each other, and tie, the winner is whoever is being more Heroic at that moment!

Experience Points It is traditional that RPG characters get better with experience, and BASH! is no exception. After every story arc, the Narrator will award the players with experience points. A maximum of 5 XP is awarded to each player, based on performance and role-playing. XP can be used to “buy” improvements to a character. A new power can be purchased by spending 6XP x The power’s point cost.* An old power can be improved one point or an enhancement added by spending 6XP.* A new skill can be purchased by spending 3 XP. A new advantage can be purchased for 10 XP. A disadvantage can be removed for 20 XP.

*Buying or enhancing Mechanical powers also costs money in addition to experience points. A 1 1pt power or upgrade costs 1000 Credits in addition to xp. A 2pt power costs 3000 Credits. A 3pt power is 6000 Credits. A 4pt power costs 10,000 Credits. A 5pt power costs 15,000 Credits. On the character sheet, there is a section to write down XP and XP spent. When XP is used to improve a character (not for a Hero die; see below), it is kept track of as spent XP. The point of this is so that the Narrator can judge what level of power the heroes are relative to their antagonists (Danger Level or DL).

Hero Dice For 1 XP, you can acquire a Hero die. Hero dice can also be awarded for good play by the Narrator, or granted by certain abilities. A Hero die allows you to choose to roll another die on any dice roll (after seeing the result). If this die is the same as either of the other two, it counts as doubles, and permits another die! Example- on a x3 defense roll, Kyle got a 3 and a 4, for a 21. But he needed a 30! So Kyle chose to spend an XP to roll another die. He got a 3, which counts as doubles with the other 3. So he rolls another die and gets a 2. His total roll on the dice is 36 and he survives where he may have perished! Alternately, a Hero die can be spent to instantly heal the Hero 10 Hits, even if s/he was unconscious or dying (the wound looked worse than it was, etc). A Hero die could also be used to “defensively” turn on a power or move, even during someone else’s panel and even if you have already gone. For instance, if an enemy throws a grenade at you, you could use a Hero Die to put a Force Field around the grenade or run before it explodes. The XP used for a Hero die is lost, but does not count as a spent XP for record keeping. If a Hero acts in a completely reprehensible, non-Heroic manner (i.e. killing prisoners who surrendered in good faith, scuttling a ship for the insurance money, etc), the Narrator can chose to take a Villain die for the action. A Villain die functions exactly as a Hero die, but is used by the Narrator to aid the roll of a Villain. If at the end of the issue, the Villain die has not been used, the character whose actions “earned” the Villain die for the Narrator receives -2 XP.

Combat Rules The first thing to consider when things turn violent is Priority—who goes first, which is whoever has the highest Agility. If it is a tie, Heroes go first. Multiple Heroes with the same Agility go simultaneously. In battles, characters have different modes of attack. They are: hand to hand, ranged, thrown, and mental. All attacks except mental are made by rolling Agility against the opponent’s Agility. If the attack hits, proceed to determining damage. Mental attacks are usually made by rolling Mind against the opponent’s Mind.

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CHAPTER THREE

Mental attacks don’t usually do damage, but if they do, Mind is the base damage multiplier. Hand to hand and thrown attacks use Brawn as the base damage multiplier, plus any bonuses for a weapon. Ranged attacks, psionic attacks, and most effects that have a radius use Mind as the damage base, plus any bonuses for the weapon. This number is then multiplied by the result the dice rolled. The person struck by an attack subtracts the Soak value of their armor, usually 10/20/30/40. This is called ‘soaking’ damage. If the damage roll exceeds the soak, the target loses a number of hits equal to the difference. E.g. a roll of 35 damage is soaked 20 by an opponent wearing light body armor. The target of the attack loses 15 hits of damage. Armor is only half as effective at soaking damage from psionic attacks, however. Thus, if the same person were hit for 20 points of psionic fire damage, he would take 10 damage rather than 0. If the damage is less than the soak value, the person takes no damage, but still may have been knocked back a bit (see knockback). Every hit that got through the soak is marked off on the character’s record. When his total hits equals zero or less, the character is out of commission, either unconscious or dying. What Can I Do in a Single Combat Panel? There are four possible options: 1. Move, activate any number of non-combat powers you have energy to spend on, and attack or use a healing power.*

cost (but take no other action). 3. Attack or heal, and then move your allotted number of squares (but you cannot activate any powers). 4. Rest to regain 1 energy and move 2xAgility, or a Psionic character with Psionic Rejuvenation can make a check without moving to regain an amount equal to his Mind Stat (see power description for details). *You can activate multiple powers at once if you choose. Thus, a person can fly with a jetpack, psionically sense the presence of enemies, and hurl a grenade at them all in one panel- but as soon as you attack (or heal), your panel is over. Movement: A character normally moves by running in combat (if you were under fire, would you be walking?). A character’s normal rate of running is 3 squares per page per point of Agility. A character can also move by jumping. A character can usually jump a number of squares equal to their Brawn, half of which can be vertical. Swimming is also possible. A character’s normal swimming speed is their Brawn in squares. Characters who can fly do so according to their Agility, based their flying power. Of course, all of these methods of movement can be enhanced with powers. If a character does nothing but move during their page, they move at double speed. Wounds: Injuries in combat take their toll, and reduce a character’s

2. Move double the number of squares allowed for no extra energy

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ability to succeed in physical tasks. Just because you survived the combat does not mean you will be up and about as if nothing had happened. You may have lasting injuries that impede your performance. These injuries are called wounds, and each wound you receive results in a -1 Dice penalty for any physical action. A character is wounded when s/he takes damage (after soaking) equal to or greater his/her Brawn x10. This number is called the character’s wound threshold. For example, if a character with a Brawn of 1 took 23 damage after soaking, he would take 2 wounds (his wound threshold is 10, which goes into 23 twice). If the same character had a Brawn of 2 he’d take 1 wound, and if he had a 3 or more, he’d still take damage, but the damage would not result in a wound. With a Brawn of 1, his physical actions (until he is healed) would be at a -2 Dice penalty because he has suffered 2 wounds. A wound is healed when the amount of damage equal to your wound threshold is healed. So if the character were healed 10 points, one of his wounds would go away, leaving him with 1 wound. The net effect of this system is that characters with higher Brawns are very hard to wound, even though they still die from taking damage like everyone else. Essentially, a big strong warrior is able to ignore pain more, and likely will be killed in combat before he receives an injury that can cripple his abilities (he dies on his feet). A person who is not very strong may indeed survive a blaster round, but will be severely weakened by it, making it even more difficult to defend himself as he takes wounds. Ranged Attacks: From firing blasters to crossbows, ranged attacks allow you to put some distance between yourself and the enemy. However, the further away you are from your enemy, the harder they are to hit. Every 10 squares of distance between you and your target gives you a -1 Dice penalty on your roll to hit. In a vehicle, the penalty is -1 Dice Penalty for every 50 squares or 5 grids. Also, flying targets are harder to hit, because they move in 3 dimensions instead of 2. If you are on the ground, and your target is flying 10 squares or less, you have a -1 Dice penalty to hit, -2 if they are flying 20 squares or less, and -3 if they are flying 21 squares or more. If your target is flying, but you are also flying (whether by wings, jet-pack, or on a helicopter), this penalty is ignored. Grenades and other explosive attacks are much easier to hit a target with because “close” is good enough. All you need to roll to hit with a grenade or similar explosive is a 10 for it to explode in the radius you want. If you miss, it will instead explode 1-3 squares away from the intended target in a random direction (1-2 in front, 3 left, 4 right, 5-6 behind the target). See “Explosions” for resolving damage from grenades and other explosives. Cover in Combat: using buildings, trees, furniture, etc to make you more difficult to hit is called using cover. If a quarter of your body is concealed, you get a +1 Deflect bonus while you remain behind cover. If you are half concealed, you get a +2 Deflect bonus. If you are three-quarters concealed, you get a +3 Deflect bonus from the cover.

PLAYING THE GAME Knock-back: is when a character is struck back in combat. The amount of damage that got through makes no difference. If an attack does at least 50 damage, the target is knocked back 1 square. Every 10 points of damage beyond 50 knocks the opponent back another square. For instance, an attack that does 70 damage would knock an opponent back 3 squares. Wrestling: Another thing to consider is wrestling. Characters may hold and squeeze in addition to punching and stabbing their enemies. To get a hold, the attacker must win an Agility contest with the opponent. If s/he is successful, they make an immediate Brawn contest. If the opponent succeeds, he escapes, using his panel for that page. If s/he succeeds by 10 or more, however, escaping does not use up his/her panel. If the attacker wins, the opponent takes Damage multiplied by the holder’s Brawn, which is soaked by rolling a Brawn contest (Armor does not soak wrestling damage). In order to free himself, the opponent must win a Brawn contest. Each panel, if the opponent fails, they continue to take damage. For instance, Brand the Barbarian with a Brawn of 4 is wrestling a thug with a Brawn of 3. After successfully grappling the thug by winning an Agility contest, they contest Brawn. Brand gets an 8x4= 32, and the thug gets a 7x3= 21. The thug takes 11 points of damage (not enough to wound him) and is stuck in the hold. The next page, Brand gets a 3x4= 12 and the thug gets a 5x3= 15. The thug has managed to break free (but uses his panel). Vulnerability: Sometimes, a character will be left unable to defend himself properly- being blind, unaware of your opponent, or in some way restrained. In this case, when rolling to avoid being hit, the player takes a -4 Dice penalty. This results in a much lower chance to avoid being hit. Size: Size describes how big something is. The higher the number, the bigger it is. A standard human, is considered size 0. Things smaller than humans have size represented as negative numbers. Each point of size a character, monster, or vehicle has adds to its Brawn rolls and adds a 5 TR bonus to its soak and damage. Each point of size is likewise a Dice penalty on Agility rolls. Remember, adding a negative number is the same as subtraction, subtracting a negative number is the same as addition. Therefore, a size 1 creature has a +1 Dice bonus on Agility dice rolls, but a -5 TR penalty on damage rolls and soak. Size has been taken into account when listing the damage soaking and average attack and average defense of creatures in the encounters section. Larger creatures strength is proportional to their size. Multiply the lifting capacity for their Brawn as follows: Size 1 x2, Size 2 x4, Size 3 x8. Smaller creatures are likewise less able to lift things. Their size impacts their lifting capacity as follows: Size -1 = Half, Size -2 = Quarter, size -3 = One-Eighth. Continual Damage: Acid, Poison, and several other effects do not do ordinary damage to their victims. Instead, they inflict a state

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CHAPTER THREE known as continual damage. When a victim has been struck by a Continual Damage attack, the attacker rolls the damage—but instead of using armor and size to soak the damage, the victim rolls their Brawn against the damage (Adding their size as a Dice Bonus (or penalty for small creatures)). If the result of the Brawn roll equals or exceeds the damage, no damage is dealt and the effect ends. If the damage exceeds the Brawn roll, however, the victim takes the difference in damage. This process repeats every page until the result of the Brawn check equals or exceeds the damage, ending the effect. Collateral damage: This is what happens to the scenery around a battlefield. Windows break, doors smash, and bulkheads melt. Below are listed how many Hits an object can take before it is broken and how much damage it soaks from each hit. Remember to add 5 to soak for each point of size, the default setting is size 0. Wood and trees take double damage from fire. Thick Glass/Thin Wood/Rope: 20 Hits, 0 Soak Heavy Plastic/Thick Wood/A small tree: 40 Hits, 10 Soak Thin Metal/Stone/A large tree: 80 Hits, 20 Soak Thick Metal/A Redwood: 160 Hits, 40 Soak.

Explosions: People caught in the blast radius of a grenade or other explosive automatically take damage—but how much depends on their ability to dive for cover. An Agility roll of less than 20 indicates the victim took full damage; a 20 or more is half damage, a 30 or more is one-third damage, a 40 or more is one-fourth damage, etc. Healing: Unarmed attacks, clubs, staves, canes, etc, do “stun” damage. Stun heals at a rate of 10 hits/Brawn/hour. An opponent reduced to 0 Hits by stun damage is unconscious, and will remain so for 7-Brawn hours. Claws, bites, and “real” weapons, like vibro-knives, axes, and blaster carbines, etc do “lethal” damage. Lethal damage heals at a rate of 10 hits/Brawn/week. A character reduced to 0 Hits by lethal damage is dead, or mortally wounded and on the verge of death (up to the Narrator). A character who is mortally wounded requires surgery (or extraordinary healing, from psionics or an alien ability), not mere first aid, within 24 hours in order to live. Successful medical treatment (first-aid) doubles the rate of healing from non-mortal injuries. The difficulty of the check is equal to the amount of damage the person has sustained divided by 2. For instance, Trask the smuggler (with a Brawn of 4) is being healed by Dr. Simon the surgeon. Trask has taken 50 hits of damage, so Dr. Simon’s player must roll a 25 on his Physician/First-Aid check. With a success, Brand will recover 80 hits in a week, roughly 11 hits a day, which means he will be fully healed in 5 days. Without the successful check, it would take Trask 9 days to fully recover (he only heals 40 Hits/week without successful first-aid. If a character is mortally wounded, and requires surgery to live, the

surgeon must make a Physician/Diagnosis check with a difficulty of 20, followed by a Physician/Surgery check with a difficulty of 30. Success on both roll indicates that the person will recover 20*Brawn Hits/Month. Success on only one roll indicates the person will recover 10*Brawn hits/month. Failure on both rolls indicates that the patient died during surgery. Thus, if Trask were dying, and in need of surgery, and Dr. Simon succeeded in both his Diagnosis and Surgery checks, Trask would heal 80 hits/month. A failure on either roll would result in Trask healing only 40 hits/month. Intimidation: Sometimes enemies don’t want to have to harm each other—simply to scare the opponent. When a lion roars at an approaching stranger, or a gangster makes a veiled threat about the safety of a person’s loved ones, they are trying to use intimidation. Typically Intimidation is made in lieu of attacking. Start by rolling a Stat check based on the type of intimidation used—an act of physical intimidation, such as the lion’s roar, is made by rolling Brawn (and adding any size modifiers as with any other Brawn check) or possibly Agility (as in the case of a martial artist showing off a flurry of moves to his opponent). An act of verbal intimidation is made by rolling Mind, or maybe using an appropriate skill—Streetwise, Deception, or Society could all be used for this. The opponent rolls a Mind check against this intimidation check—higher number wins, ties go to the Hero. Success indicates no effect. Failure means the target is scared—and has a -2 Dice penalty to all rolls made against the object of fear. This includes social interaction as well as combat. The state of fear lasts for the rest of that scene. Note: Fearless characters are immune to the effects of Intimidation (and have a bonus to intimidate others themselves). Craven characters can be intimidated, but if their cowardice is triggered via damage, there is no additional effect—they are already scared. Chase Scenes: Sometimes, the Heroes and Villains don’t want to fight it out— they just need to escape. If the escapee is pursued, they are in a chase scene. If the pursuer moves faster, s/he will eventually catch up, assuming that s/he does not run out of energy, get distracted by some obstacle, or lose the quarry’s trail. This requires a skill check (either running, riding, swimming, driving, starship operations, sailing, or pilot skill as appropriate). A speedy vehicle certainly helps, but it does not decide who will win the chase. When rolling to pursue (or escape) an enemy, the characters roll their skill, and add their speed in squares (or grids or 10s of squares for vehicles) to the result. Add the quarry’s result to the number of squares (or grids, or blocks of 10 squares if dealing with vehicles) of distance that separated the two at the start of the chase. If the pursuer’s total exceeds the quarry’s, s/he has caught the target. If the target’s total has doubled the pursuer’s s/he has gotten away. If the result is in between, roll again for the next page, adding the result to the one before. This turn-by-turn record of the chase is called the Chase Tally. Obstacles are also problems in a chase, and often end them abruptly. The difficulty of avoiding an obstacle is a function of its size and how fast you are approaching it. The base difficulty based

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on size for an obstacle is given in the chart below. Speed adjusts this base difficulty based on how close you are to your top speed. If you are moving as fast as possible, do not adjust the difficulty. If you are moving at half-speed, the difficulty is halved; reduced to one-third if you are moving at one-third your max speed, etc.

PLAYING THE GAME Obstacle Size

Base Difficulty to Avoid

Mountain/Nebula

5

Cliff/Star

10

Roll the appropriate skill to avoid this difficulty, applying a Dice penalty equal to the size of the vehicle you are operating and adding and dice bonus for maneuverability (if any). Failing to negotiate an obstacle might mean that you crash into it, spin out, or are greatly slowed down. Make a Pilot/Control (or similar, appropriate check determined by the Narrator) to determine the results.

Building/Planet

12

Bus/Large Asteroid

15

Car/Starbase

20

Person/Battle Starship

24

Fire Hydrant/Cruiser

30

Cat/Frigate

36

If the result is 10 or less, you crash. The chase is over, and you will suffer the consequences of running into the obstacle, or take damage equal to your vehicle’s inertia rating or x5, whichever is greater. If the result is 20 or less, you spin out, or are slowed down in some way, getting a -30 to your chase tally for this page. If the result is 20 or less, you lose and quickly regain control, taking a -10 to your chase tally. If the result is 21 or greater, you are merely inconvenienced, and your chase tally addition for this page is half the amount.

Banana Peel/Fighter

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This chart gives examples of obstacles one might wish to avoid while chasing an enemy. These are listed in two scales— a terrestrial scale, and a space scale. The former applies to obstacles while chasing on a planet’s surface, the later is for chases through space (which take place at such high velocity that crashing into a planet could be a real concern (though asteroids are much more likely). Avoiding another ship in space when moving at such great speeds is very difficult.

Minions Villains (and sometimes Heroes) don’t always go it alone. Often, they have gangs of weaker beings working for them. These goons, thugs, brutes, and henchmen go by the common name “minions” in BASH!. The main difference between minions and main characters, is their number of Hits—they only have 10-50 Hits each. This is not necessarily because they are physically weak, but because they are less important to the story than the Heroes and Villains. Heroes can fight off several minions at once in this fashion—keeping true to the conventions of comics, movies, and cartoons. Note that normal guards, or even innocent bystanders are also rated as minions for purposes of how much damage they can take.

attack misses. Using Average Attack and Defense makes combat go much faster than actually rolling for every minion on every attack or dodge. Note, that against Villains, Average Defense or Attack are not an option (fights with villains are more dramatic, and thus, worthy of actual dice rolls). Minions are not as Cool as Heroes or Villains: Minions do roll dice for damage, and other things. However, minion’s dice do not “explode” when rolling doubles. They do not get to roll an extra die. If a random, nameless, faceless star trooper were able to kill the main Hero with a single “lucky” blaster shot, the game would be a lot less heroic! Minions fight Heroes by overwhelming them, not by outdoing them! The Domino Effect: It is quite easy for Heroes (or Villains) to take down multiple minions simultaneously, because the minions are so outmatched. If a character successfully takes down a minion with a hand to hand attack, s/he may attack another minion within reach. If that minion is also taken down, the process continues until the character fails to take a minion down with a single attack OR the character has taken down 1 more minion than s/he has in Agility. At that point, the character is overwhelmed, and cannot attack more minions. Note, attacking several minions by Domino Effect only counts as a single attack panel. If a character has multiple attacks, s/he could conceivably attack multiple groups of minions. The Domino Effect does not apply to ranged attacks—instead, Burst

Average Attack and Defense: When fighting Heroes, minions often attack in large groups. To make combat go faster, minions do not roll Agility checks to attack or dodge when fighting main characters (they do roll against other minions, however). Instead, the Narrator just multiplies their Agility times seven (plus modifiers), an average result. This is the minion’s “Average Defense” (also called passive defense) and is the number a Hero needs to roll to strike the minion. In turn, when minions attack Heroes, the minions use an Average Attack (Agility x7(+Modifiers) to strike the Hero. If the Hero’s dodge roll is equal or better than the Average Attack, the

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Minion Ratings #Hits Example 10 20 30 40 50 100

Normal Person—An old lady, a child, a servant, a cat Brute—Soldier, thug, pirate Tough—Sergeant Dangerous—Heavy Infantry Droid Unstoppable— Claw Titan Hero/Villain—Alien menace, Enemy fleet captain

CHAPTER THREE Fire rules are used as well as powers that increase the rate of fire, such as Double Taps, or Off-Hand Pistol.

Hazards Starvation & Thirst: Characters can be adversely affected by starvation and thirst. The first day a character goes without water, s/he takes x1 damage that cannot be soaked. Each additional day, the damage multiplier is doubled. The damage taken from thirst cannot be healed—not even magically—until the character drinks water. In addition to damage, a thirsty character loses 1 point of energy the first day, 2 points the second day, 3 points the third, etc. This energy cannot be restored until the character drinks water. A starving character loses 1 point of energy each day that cannot be regained until the character eats. When the character’s energy is reduced to 0, he begins to take x1 damage per day that cannot be soaked and cannot be healed until the character eats. Yes, starving is a very slow way to die. Drowning and Suffocation: If you hold your breath, you cannot rest. Additionally, each panel you hold your breath you lose 1 energy. When your energy reaches 0, you inhale water (or whatever you didn’t want to breath in), and take x3DM each panel from drowning or suffocation (which cannot be soaked) or suffer the effects of whatever you breathed in.

causes you to take x5 Damage Multiplier. Falling from a 10, 13, or 20 story building causes x10DM (terminal velocity). Note that armor cannot soak the damage taken from a fall! Note also, that falling damage changes dependent on how high the gravity is where you fall. A 10 story fall on a low gravity planet might be far less severe than on a high gravity world. Fire: If you move through flames, you take x2 dmg per page. If you stand in a burning room, you take x4 dmg and lose 1 energy per page you hold your breath (see drowning rules above for dealing with smoke inhalation). If you are standing IN fire, you take x6 dmg per page. If you actually lost any hits do to any of these situations, you are ON FIRE. The first panel you are on fire, you take x1 dmg, which doubles every panel after that, until you do something to extinguish the flames (stop, drop, and roll; jump into water; etc). Fatigue: Going for extended periods with inadequate sleep can play havoc on your body and even your mind. For each hour of sleep you are deprived of each day (human standard is 8 hours), you lose 1 point of energy that cannot be restored until you receive a full night’s rest. Once you have lost 5 energy due to fatigue, it begins affecting your mind, giving you a -2 Dice penalty to all physical or mental tasks performed until the energy is restored by sleep. When you lose 10 energy due to fatigue, you can stay awake for 10 hours, then you collapse. Your body shuts down and you will sleep for double your daily required amount before the exhaustion will go away.

Extreme Cold: A character cannot function properly at temperatures below 30 degrees F. Protective clothing helps a character withstand more cold than s/he otherwise could, effectively raising his/her ambient temperature by 50 degrees with primitive furs to 100 degrees with advanced thermal clothing. For every 30 degrees a character’s ambient temperature is below 0, s/he takes x1 damage and loses 1 point of energy every minute. For example a character whose ambient temperature is 60 degrees below zero would take x2 damage and lose 2 energy every minute of exposure. Wearing some furs would improve the ambient temperature in the above case to only 10 degrees below zero—a very cold—but survivable temperature for short durations.

Illness: Illness comes in four levels of debilitation: mild, serious, severe, and life-threatening.

Prolonged exposure to cold below 30 degrees will cause a character to lose 1 point of energy per hour

Life-threatening illnesses reduce the energy pool by 10 until the character recovers (Essentially the only way the character can activate powers that require energy while under the effects of a life-threatening illness is to push him/herself). Brawn and Agility dice rolls have a -4 Dice penalty until the character recovers. A lifethreatening illness can last about 10 days.

Extreme Heat: A character cannot function properly at temperatures above 120 degrees F. In such conditions, the character’s energy pool is cut in half. Every minute a character is exposed to temperatures in excess of 200 degrees F, s/he takes damage (armor - natural or otherwise - does not help against this). The DM is 1 for every 100 degrees the temperature is. So a character trapped in a 500 degree room would take x5 damage every minute. Special armor can be tempered to withstand heat, in which case, the soak of the armor would apply. Note that heat resistant armor does not shield against radiation, which may also be in the room (see Radiation below). Falling: Every building story (about 15 feet) you fall, you take x1 DM up to terminal velocity of x10. So falling from a 5 story building

A mild illness reduces a character’s energy pool by 1 until s/he is cured. Also, all Brawn and Agility rolls have a -1 Dice penalty until the character recovers. A mild illness typically lasts 1 day. Serious illness reduces the energy pool by 3 until the character recovers. All Brawn and Agility rolls have a -2 Dice penalty until the character recovers. A Serious illness usually lasts 3 days. Severe illness reduces the energy pool by 6 until the character recovers. Brawn and Agility rolls have a -3 Dice penalty until the character recovers. Severe illnesses usually last six days.

Each day that a character is ill, s/he takes 10 damage that can only be healed once the illness is cured. Illnesses can be recovered from twice as fast with a Physician/ Diagnosis check. The difficulty of the check is 10/20/30/40 for a mild/serious/severe/life-threatening illness. Immobilization: Some enemies have a special attack called Immobilize. This could be the result of a poison (see below) or a powerful grip. This is a move that restricts the target’s movement, preventing them from moving or attacking until they break free.

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To break free, the target must succeed in a Brawn test against the entanglement’s difficulty. A target can try once per panel. An attempt, whether successful or not, spends an action. However, if the target succeeds by more than 10 points, s/he breaks free instantly, not requiring an action to do so. The difficulty of the Brawn check to break free is 10 weak/20 tough/30 powerful/40 Herculean. Radiation: In and of itself, Radiation is not likely to cause a character to die immediately. Rather, it is the ambient heat that tends to kill people in radioactive areas. However, if a person is exposed to cool radiation, or survives being burned, they must contend with radiation sickness. Radiation sickness causes the body to systematically break apart. The dosage of radiation determines how bad the illness is, and how long the person will live. Unless the person is treated by a physician capable of healing radiation sickness (only advanced cultures can do this) they will likely eventually die. Note, that Radiation sickness rules are only used when a person has taken lethal doses of radiation! For lesser doses, simply treat them as having an illness. If the person was exposed for a short time, or to a milder dose for a long time, they will take 1 damage the first day of illness, doubling each day thereafter. This continues until the character is healed of the radiation sickness or s/he dies. A person who was exposed for a moderate period of time will take 1 damage the first 12 hours, quadrupling every 12 hours thereafter. A person exposed to really high doses of radiation will take 1 damage the first hour, doubling each hour thereafter. Thus, a perfectly healthy person briefly exposed to deadly radiation would die in a week. If they were exposed to deadly radiation for a moderate duration, they would die in 3.5 days. A person exposed to deadly radiation for an extended period will die in 7 hours. Vacuum: A character exposed to vacuum takes x2 damage per page that cannot be soaked by armor and loses 1 energy per panel (and one cannot rest in vacuum). When the energy pool is depleted, the character then takes x5 dmg from the vacuum. If a character is reduced to 0 hits or less by vacuum, s/he dies. A character suddenly thrown into vacuum does not explode as some popular fiction might suggest, however if a pressurized environment is exposed to vacuum, the character (and anything else not nailed down) will instantly be blown out the hole, no matter how small. If the hole is too small for the character’s body to fit through, that character will take x3 damage from the impact, but if the hole is plugged, armor can soak this damage, and the character is no longer exposed to vacuum (though s/he is still attached to the wall until something else can patch the hole). Dislodging from being stuck in a vacuum requires a 40 Brawn check each panel. Moving against the pull of vacuum requires a 40 Brawn check for each square you wish to move until the leak is contained.

Gravity Zero G-Characters in an environment with no gravity incur all the same problems as characters on a Low-G world, except at an

PLAYING THE GAME accelerated rate. Each day spent in Zero-G is equal to 2 days spent in Low-G. Zero-G has a very different effect regarding movement, however. Anytime a character wants to move in a Zero-G environment (where there is some atmosphere), they must roll an Athletics/Aerobatics check. Every 5 points (round down all fractions) achieved by the roll is one square that character can move that page. In vacuum, aerobatics is useless in to maneuver in Zero-G (see spacewalking). People who are not used to Zero-G will be extremely clumsy trying to move about, and at a severe disadvantage to those who are. Also, once one begins moving, that person cannot change direction or stop unless acted upon by an outside force. Throwing an object can help one stop or change direction (make a 20 Athletics/Throwing check). Grabbing onto something anchored or more massive than yourself will also stop your movement. Lifting objects in Zero-G is very easy. If the object has more mass than the person trying to lift it, however, that person must be able to use something solid for leverage- otherwise they will push themselves off the object they are trying to lift! Low G: When exposed to Low gravity environments, you can do a variety of things better, but prolonged exposure to lower gravity can negatively affect your health. Depending on if you are in half, quarter or 1/8th normal gravity (1 g) you can jump double, quadruple, or octuple the distance. Characters knocked back by massive damage likewise are thrown back x2, x4, or x8 as many squares as they would otherwise be (remember that a character only moves 10 squares per page while in mid-jump, however). A character in a Low G environment can lift objects that are x2, x4, or x8 heavier than s/he normally could, as these objects are also less affected by gravity on the planet. Likewise, treat a fall as if it were half, quarter, or 1/8th the distance it actually is. Thus a character on a 1/8th gravity world could fall 8 stories but only take x1 dmg. After spending 1 month on a Low G world, a character will develop a weakened heart & lungs, as these muscles did not have to work as hard as they normally do in a 1G environment. The character is likely to suffer muscle atrophy as well. After 1 month on a low G world, after leaving that environment, the character effectively has -1 Brawn. If this lowers the character’s Brawn to 0, that character’s maximum lift is 50 lbs and wound threshold becomes 5. It takes time to readjust to a normal environment. For each week spent on a low G world, it takes 1 week to recover to normal strength. Exercising daily for at least 1 hour will double the rate of recovery. A Character on a low gravity world can also choose to continue exercising while on that world to reduce atrophy. Each week that character spends exercising at least 1 hour per day only counts as 3 days of exposure to low gravity in terms of how long it will take to recover. High G: When you are exposed to crushing levels of gravity, your ability to move is very restricted. When rolling anything involving

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CHAPTER THREE Brawn or Agility, you take a -2 Dice penalty for every G beyond the atmosphere of 1 G you are exposed to. For example, if you are in 3 Gs of pressure, you have a -4 to all Brawn and Agility dice rolls. A character at 2Gs has half the lifting ability as normal, 3Gs is a third normal, and 4 Gs is a quarter normal. Thus a character with a 4 Brawn on a 4G world could only lift 100 lbs, with great difficulty. Movement is also affected by High G. A character in a higher than 1G environment moves 1 square less per panel per G. So a character with a normal movement of 9 on a 2G world would only move 7 squares per panel. The upper limit to how much a character can move is based on Brawn x3/2/1 depending on if the world is 2/3/4 Gs. A 5G world would not enable a character to even move, and they would likely suffocate; unable to expand their lungs against the gravity. Falling damage is also increased by High G, doubling, tripling, or quadrupling relative to the planet’s G rating. The maximum falling damage by terminal velocity is also multiplied in this manner. So a 10 story fall on a 2G world would do x20 damage—which also happens to be terminal velocity. Spacewalking: There are times when it may be necessary for a character to leave the safety of a starship and go outside into space. These events are called spacewalks, and are often made for repairs, though it may be necessary for a variety of reasons. A spacewalk couples the problems of a zero-g environment and vacuum. Any vacuum-proof spacesuit will protect against the vacuum element. The most important thing is how the character is going to keep him/herself from floating out into the depths of space. One method would be to use a tether to connect the spacewalker to the ship they are working on. However, if the tether were broken, that character would likely be cast off into space, unless they can make a 20 or Athlete/Climb check to quickly grab something (assuming there was something to grab). Another method of keeping oneself from floating away is to use special footwear, usually magnetic boots that could hold one’s feet to the outer hull of a ship. However, such footwear is no guarantee of survival. An enemy who succeeds in grabbing a victim, they can make a Brawn contest to try and throw the other person into space. Whoever wins the Brawn contest can try next page to make a 35 Brawn check to lift the other person attached by gravity/magnetic boots and hurl them into space. Personal locomotion devices, such as jetpacks are also useful for spacewalkers, especially if they somehow get disconnected with their ship. Even throwing an object may be able to give a person floating the momentum they need to return to their ship.

Artificial Hazards: Traps & Security Systems Alarm: This trap simply alerts others to the fact that it has been triggered. An alarm may be silent or noisy, depending on what the creator wants. If the alarm is noticed, it is easily disabled with a 10

Security/Traps or technology/sabotage check. Electroshock: Sometimes, opponents must abandon their posts and don’t have time to take everything with them. In order to prevent sensitive computer information from falling into the wrong hands, many computers or control panels are fitted with electroshock emitters to prevent unauthorized use. The electroshock does x5 dmg to anyone within 5’ of the computer when an unauthorized person tries to use it. A 30 computers/hacking or 50 Security/Traps check can disable the trap before it is set off. An electroshock emitter can also be programmed to fry the control panel’s circuits as well, rendering it useless. Hologram: When someone enters the proximity, a hologram (something predetermined by the device creator) appears and acts as it was programmed to. A person could program in image of a monster attacking, or simply have it speak a programmed message to those in the vicinity. Landmine: A landmine is a trap made to kill or maim anyone who steps on it (and even those near a person who stepped on it) by exploding. Mines can also be set with a proximity trigger, exploding when someone is merely near it. They are usually hidden, often buried, to catch a victim by surprise. A poorly hidden landmine can be discovered by making a 10 Security/Traps or 15 Vision check. A hidden landmine can be discovered by making a 20 Security/Traps or 30 Vision check, and a very well hidden landmine is discovered on a 30 Security/Traps or a 45 Vision check. Of course, machines can greatly aid in detecting mines, reducing the checks as the Narrator decides. A landmine does damage equal to any rocket or grenade of the Narrator’s choice (including EMPs), and affects the same radius and size. Anyone caught in the radius must make a 30 Agility check or take the damage. The person who triggered the mine takes a -3 Dice penalty on the roll. A landmine’s cost is double the cost of an equivalent grenade or rocket. Mines can also be set to work as time bombs. Laser Tripwire: A laser tripwire is a laser, usually invisible used to warn that intruders are approaching. They can also be tied to things

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far more nasty than a mere alarm system, triggering wall-mounted blasters, poison gas, or a variety of other hazards. A visible laser tripwire is very easy to spot—it is a glowing laser after all. An invisible laser tripwire, however, is impossible to spot—though a trained eye can see the diodes that emit the laser mounted in the wall (a 30 Security/Traps check). Avoiding the tripwires, when all one can see is the diodes is difficult. Depending on how many tripwires are in the area, the check gets harder. For a very sparse group of tripwires, it takes a 20 Athletics/Acrobatics check to avoid them, 30 for medium, and 40 for a dense grouping. Spraying the area with an aerosol mist will expose the laser tripwire, reducing the difficulty by half (10/15/20). Laser tripwires can also be made into a deadly trap in their own right by using weapons grade lasers. These lasers are always visible, and do x5 dmg to anyone who touches them. Every 2 points by which an Athlete/Acrobatics check to get through the lasers fails by indicates the person touched a laser. So a person trying to clear a room of lasers attempting a 20 check only got a 16. This indicates that that person touched two lasers on the way, and thus took x5 dmg twice. Lockdown: When this trap is triggered, it simply causes heavy doors to slam shut, blocking all exits. If someone is standing directly in the path of a slamming door, they must make a 20 Agility check or take x6 damage. Once the door is shut, it takes a 50 Brawn check to pry it open. Heroes can have assistants to help (but how many depends on the width of the door). This trap can also be done with force fields instead of metal doors—in which case using brute force to open the doors would be impossible. If there happens to be a control panel nearby (or a way of jury-rigging access) one can try a 30 computers/hacking check to drop the force field. Pit: This trap opens a hidden hole in the floor, dropping everyone standing in the area of affect between 1-10 stories down for x1-x10 damage for the fall. The pit may have various other hazards at the bottom as well, including water (see drowning), spikes (increases fall DM by +2), or monsters. It takes a 20 Athletics/Acrobatics check to avoid the fall. Poison Gas: This trap is often coupled with something that seals the room or hallway to prevent escape. The gas need not be lethal—it may simply be paralytic or cause the victim to sleep (which is a great plot device for Narrators who want their Heroes to have to be imprisoned for some reason). Gas that is poisonous does x3, x4, or x5 continual damage (see poison, page 43). This damage will persist every page that the person remains trapped in the same area as the gas, or until the gas dissipates. Poison gas traps are very difficult to detect until they are activated, because they are so easily concealed in an air vent. Noticing one when actively searching for it would take a 30 Security/Traps check. Note that creatures that don’t breath or are immune to poison will be unaffected by this trap. Creatures could also hold their breath before inhaling the poison (see drowning rules for information about holding one’s breath). Wall-Mounted Blaster: A wall mounted blaster is either trained

PLAYING THE GAME to strike a particular location (such as when a tripwire has been activated) or can be equipped with its own targeting system to fire on unfriendly forces. A wall mounted blaster costs triple/six times/ or ten times the cost of its hand-operated equivalent, depending on its accuracy. Accuracy ratings of x2, x3, and x4 are available. The wall-mounted blaster runs out of shots just the same as its normal equivalent and must be reloaded manually. Removing a wallmounted blaster takes a 20 Security/Traps or technology/sabotage check. Collapsing Walls: When this trap is triggered, the walls (or ceiling and floor) begin slowly moving towards each other. The targets can instantly try to make a 30 Athlete/Running check to get out of there before they are shut in (assuming there is a way out). The walls will fully collapse within 5 pages, automatically killing those between them (no damage roll is necessary). The collapse can be delayed by bracing the walls with a strong, heavy object no less than six inches thick, but this will only delay it for 1-3 pages (depending on the relative strength of the object being used (1 wood, 2 stone, 3 metal). The only way to truly save oneself from this trap is to disable the device that is causing the movement. This should entail a 30 Security/Traps, technology/sabotage, or computers/hacking check for someone outside the area of the trap.

Creating Worlds One thing that science fiction writers, and BASH! Sci-Fi Narrators get to do is to create new and interesting planets for their characters to visit. Every aspect of the entire world can be molded and changed, to make something truly unique. Gravity, weather, atmosphere, and other factors can all have significant impact on the sort of people who live there—if people live there. Similarly, people unable to find suitable worlds in space may even build their own. Ringworlds, Dyson Spheres, and Diskworlds are all well established in science fiction literature as worlds constructed around a star. The surface area of these worlds are thousands, even millions of times larger than an earth sized planet.

Constructed Worlds The technical details of constructed worlds are vast, and unless there is some means of matter creation in your setting, a constructed world would be impractical. It would take the natural resources of millions of planets to create a Dyson sphere. One solution for the Narrator that wants to include impractical constructed worlds into their sci-fi campaign, however, is to simply have the constructed world be a remnant of an ancient civilization. There may still be people living on (or in) it, but they are not the same people who built it. It may be that nobody knows who built it or how, and they simply see it as a part of the universe that has “always” been there. Below are brief technical distinctions between the varying types of constructed worlds. A Dyson Sphere is the largest possible constructed world.

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CHAPTER THREE Originally, it was conceived as a spherical network of satellites set up to harvest solar energy, but it has come to mean something even more spectacular. Essentially, it is a sphere that has been built surrounding a star, with a diameter equal to 2AU, giving it a radius equal to the Earth’s distance from the sun. People live on the inside of the sphere, where it is always daylight. The interior of the sphere would have the terrain you might see on the surface of a planet—trees, hills, rivers, etc—to provide the resources necessary for life. The sphere would have a surface area billions of times that of a planet, allowing populations to grow enormously. The interior curvature of the sphere would also make it so there was no horizon in the sphere—though a blue sky (created by solar radiation scattering blue light in the air) would make it so you could not see the other side of the sphere. A Ringworld would be a much smaller alternative to a Dyson sphere. A ringworld would be a cylinder in space, constructed around a star at a diameter equal to that of Earth’s orbit. Still millions of times the size of the Earth, the ring world creates gravity by centrifugal force, and require various thrusters and stabilizers to hold it in place relative to its star (a Dyson sphere would need no such thing, as gravity is the same on all sides of it). Despite its being smaller than a Dyson Sphere, a ringworld is incredibly massive, and could support millions of Earth’s worth of people. A Diskworld is a donut shaped world, with the void in the center surrounding a star. The people who live on the inside of the disk would have much lower gravity and much more sunlight, while those living near the outside of the disk would have little light and very intense gravity. Living ON the outside of the disk would be impossible, as freezing temperatures and crushing gravity would prevent life. However, species who live on such a world would likely adapt to life in their particular region. Those living near the outside would be shorter, stronger, and better equipped to see in darkness while those on the inside of the disk would be taller, more frail, and used to bright light.

Random World Creation There are times when it may be expedient for the Narrator to be able to create a world on the fly, and so, below are some easy to follow steps to do so. Step 1: Habitability: Is the world habitable to humans? Most planets are not—if you need to roll, assume a 12 on 2d6 indicates a habitable world. If you want the rate of habitable worlds to be higher, a 10, or an 8 could be your campaign’s default roll to see if a world is habitable at random. Step 2: Size & Gravity: How large is your world? This will also have a direct impact on the world’s gravity. A habitable world will likely have a gravity of 1G, with 2Gs being extremely high, and only suitable for specially adapted species, and less than 1G (anywhere from 1/6th to half a G) for smaller worlds. To determine which,

roll a d6. If the result is a 1, you have a low gravity world. If it is a 2-5, it is close enough to 1G to have little mechanical impact. If it is a 6, you have a high G world, pretty close to 2Gs. For a low gravity world, roll 1d6. The result is the fraction of 1G that the planet has. Thus, if you roll a 4, the planet would have one-fourth Earth’s gravity. Rolling a 1 indicates that the planet’s gravity is only slightly less than Earth’s, and should be treated as 1G. If the world is not habitable, roll a d6 (or even 2d6 if you want to make an enormous planet) to determine its surface gravity. Rolling a 1 will indicate a possible low gravity planet—roll again to see what fraction of a G the planet has as above. The higher the gravity, the larger the planet (and exponentially so). Thus, a planet with 6Gs would be enormous compared to a 3G planet, which would dwarf a 1G planet. Step 3: Atmosphere & Water: For a habitable world, this is simple—either life on the planet has adapted to use a different gas for breathing (like methane) or they have an oxygen nitrogen mixture similar to Earth. To discern which, roll a d6. A 1 indicates that a different gas is used (meaning Heroes visiting the planet will need to wear vacuum suits), a 2-4 indicates that it is an Earth-like atmosphere, a 5 indicates a thin atmosphere, and a 6 indicates a thick atmosphere. A planet with a thin atmosphere would be difficult to breath on, but breathing is still possible—like being at very high elevations on Earth. Thick atmospheres would likewise be hard to breath, though there are other possible hazards there— large, flying animals (like the “Venusian Dragon” in the monsters section), and the danger of fire. All fire on a thick atmosphere planet does +1Dice bonus to damage, and burns twice as long (and thin atmosphere worlds have a -1Dice penalty conversely, and burns half as long). The distribution of water is also vital for survival. Roll a d6 to determine the planet’s water coverage. 1 indicates a barren desert world, with very limited water resources, where people likely kill for it. A 2 would be a dry world, about one-third covered by water. A 3 would be a world half-covered by water, indicating very large landmasses. A 4 would be a world similar to Earth. A 5 would be a very watery world, with much smaller continents, and many islands and archipelagos. A 6 would be a virtual water world, with only a few islands for land—if any at all. On uninhabitable planets, the atmosphere could be very different. On one world, Carbon Dioxide may keep the surface temperature above the melting temperature of lead, while on another, 700 mile-per-hour winds of ammonia destroy anything that happens to land on it. In general, the larger the planet, the more violent its environment, but this is not always so. Roll a d6 and consult the chart below if you need ideas: 1- No atmosphere: just what it says, there is no air of any kind on this world 2- Hot: this planet is so hot that soft metals melt in minutes. This is a greenhouse effect. 3- Cold: the planet is so cold that no life is possible. This planet must be distant from its star. 4- Poison: the planet’s atmosphere is made of a mixture of acid,

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ammonia, and other toxins 5- Wind: winds far greater than hurricanes and tornadoes everyday 6- Seismic Activity: Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions constantly rock the surface. Step 4: Stellar distance and Rotation—How far a planet is from its star impacts its climate. The planet’s rotation is not of great importance, though some planets may have two separate climates based on a “light” side and a “dark side” if the planet is locked in a synchronous orbit. Roll a d6 to determine distance from a planet’s star. A 1 indicates it is very close, and thus, very warm, a 2 indicates it is close, and thus, warm, a 3 indicates it is a moderate distance, creating a temperate climate. A 4 indicates a planet is somewhat far, and will have a cool climate, while a 5 indicates a further orbit and a cold climate, and a 6 indicates a distant orbit, and a very cold climate. These are all relative depending on whether or not the planet is habitable (a very cold habitable planet will be much closer to its sun than a very cold inhabitable planet). For a planet’s rotation, also roll a d6. A 1 indicates a very short rotation, meaning a day on that planet is about 10 hours. A 2 would be a 25 hour rotation, a 3 a 50 hour rotation, a 4 a 100 hour rotation, and a 5 indicates a very long rotation—possibly several weeks. A 6 indicates no rotation at all—the planet is locked in a synchronous orbit, with one side constantly facing its star.

Creating Alien Species Now that you have an alien world to explore, it is time to stock it with alien life. A Narrator cannot always take the time to create a

PLAYING THE GAME unique alien culture—but it is easy to randomly generate one by rolling on three simple charts. The first chart determines the level of physical difference between the alien species and humans—also determining what they will have in the way of powers. Powers are randomly rolled on three charts—Minor, Moderate, and Major— depending on your random alien’s level of physical difference. Once powers have been determined, random alien traits are rolled, also dependent upon the level of physical difference. These traits are made up of either stat differences or various advantages or disadvantages the species has. Finally, the alien’s culture is determined by rolling on the Alien Culture Chart. An alien species that looks almost exactly like humans could still end up being vastly different based solely on their cultural differences. Of course, after that, the true last step is imagination—envisioning what the species looks like, what its home world is like, and general reputation based on the randomly generated traits. Example of a Random Alien Creation: The Narrator rolls 2d6 to determine the level of physical difference from humans and gets a 9, indicating this species is moderately different. This means he must roll once on the minor and once on the moderate alien powers table. A 12 and 9 are rolled, indicating that the species is mildly venomous (1pt) and has thick skin granting Toughness 2. Two rolls for random alien traits gives a 2 and a 5, indicating to roll once for stat differences and once for advantages/disadvantages. For stats, a 3 indicates that the species is Agile, and for advantage/

Alien Powers Table: Roll 2d6 to determine which power your alien has Alien Power Minor 1pt Moderate 2-3pts

Major 4-5pts

Amphibious: 1pts.

2

-

-

Aquatic: 1-5pts.

3

2-3

2-3

Changeling: 3pts.

-

4

-

Clinging: 1 Pt.

4

-

-

Environmental Endurance: 1pt.

5

-

-

Extra Arms: 2pts.

-

5

-

Fly: 3pts.

-

6

-

Glide: 1pt.

6

-

-

Leap: 2 pts.

-

7

-

Mimic: 3pts.

-

8

-

Natural Weapons: 1pt.

7-8

-

-

Running: 1-5pts.

9

9

4-5

Healing: 1-5 pts.

10

10

6-7

Shape-Shifter: 5pts.

-

-

8

Stretching: 1-2 Pts.

11

-

-

Super Senses: 2 pts.

-

-

-

Toughness 1pt

-

11

-

Toughness 2pts

-

-

9-10

Venomous: 1-5pts.

12

12

11-12

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CHAPTER THREE disadvantages an 8 indicates they have technology dependence. Finally, the Narrator rolls for their culture and gets an 11, indicating they live in a Military culture. The Narrator decides then that this is a very advanced, yet warlike race that is vaguely reptilian (the Toughness and venom would make sense with that). Their average stats are Brawn 2 Agility 3 Mind 2. STEP 1. LEVEL OF PHYSICAL DIFFERENCE (from humans) 2-4: Nearly human. Differences are only cosmetic. 0 pts of powers. Skip to step 3. 5-7: Minor Differences. Roll once on the Minor powers chart. 8-10: Moderately Different. Roll once on the Minor and once on the Moderate powers chart. 11-12: Very alien from humans. Roll once on the Minor, Moderate, and Major chart. Step 2. Random Alien Traits. Aliens might have stats that set them apart from humans, or they could have strange advantages or disadvantages as a result. Stats cannot be increased above 5 or decreased below 1. Roll once for minor differences with humans, twice for moderate differences, and three times for major differences. To see whether the random trait is a Stat or Advantage/Disadvantage, roll a d6 do see which chart to consult. 1-3 indicates Stats, 4-6 indicates Advantage/ Disadvantage chart. Stats: Roll 1d6. These are added/subtracted from a Baseline of 2 for all stats to make the species average. 1 Strong: +1Brawn (Min of 3) 2 Weak: -1Brawn (Max of 2) 3 Agile: +1 Agility (Min of 3) 4 Slow: -1Agility (Max of 2) 5 Smart: +1 Mind (Min of 3) 6 Dumb: -1 Mind (Max of 2)

Step 3. Culture: Even an alien race that looks exactly like humans can be radically different based on their culture. Below is a table of random cultures an alien civilization may have built itself around. 2 Anarchy/Criminal (no government—gangsters and warlords rule) 3 Tribal (not necessarily primitive, ruled by chiefs, clans, etc) 4 Diverse (like Earth, alien’s world has many unique cultures & governments) 5 Technocracy (government run by scientists, or computers) 6 Commercial (merchants or corporations rule) 7 Democratic (elected leaders) 8 Feudal (a system of lords, nobles, who inherit their titles) 9 Communal (all people share equally, no private property, no money, etc) 10 Theocracy (religious institution runs the government) 11 Military (all rulers are high ranking officers) 12 Totalitarian (dictatorship, leader is never questioned, possibly worshipped)

Advantage/Disadvantage: Roll 2d6 2 Alternate Respiration 3 Chemical Dependence 4 Environmental Frailty 5 Primitive 6 Small 7 Star-Born 8 Technology Dependence 9 Large 10 Psionic 11 Inhuman Voice 12 Slave Mind

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Warfare and Exploration PLAYING THE GAME

CHAPTER FOUR

VEHICLES AND WARFARE 57

CHAPTER FOUR Chapter 4: Vehicles and Warfare Just like characters, vehicles have stats. However, these stats are used to determine different things about the vehicle. Vehicles also have stats that characters don’t have, like Inertia and Volume. All this is explained below. Scale: Vehicles in BASH! Sci-Fi come in two scales: light and heavy. Light vehicles are far more maneuverable, and are often operated by a single pilot or driver, while Heavy vehicles have crews of dozens, or even hundreds of people to keep them running. Heavy vehicles that are ships are referred to as Capital ships, whether in space or at sea. Most vehicles of size 4 or greater are Heavy, while most vehicles of size 3 or smaller are Light, but there are exceptions to this. A major fundamental difference in the game mechanics of Light vs. Heavy vehicles is how they defend themselves. A Light vehicle avoids enemy attacks just like a character, by dodging the attack. This is done by the pilot rolling with their Pilot/Evasion or other appropriate skill (depending on the vehicle) to beat their opponent’s attack roll. The maneuverability of the vehicle gives a modifier to this roll. This represents the “active” defense seen by fighters in dogfights.

Agility: This determines a vehicle’s base movement and its maneuverability. A Light Vehicle gives its pilot/driver Dice bonuses or penalties to all their Pilot, Drive, Sailing or other relevant skill rolls based on its Agility, which rates the ship’s maneuverability. This is important for both the offense and defense of Light vehicles. Below are given the Dice bonuses and penalties, and also figured average Attack and Defense for minions operating vehicles. A minion is ranked as follows: x2 = typical, x3 = good, x4 = skilled, and x5 = elite. Only heroes or villains can have a rating of x6 or above. Other than this, Agility determines how far a vehicle can move. In space, a vehicle moves 3 grids times its Agility per page (grids are explained in the Starship rules). In an atmosphere, most vehicles move 30 squares times their Agility score each page, though watercraft work a little differently (See Aquatic Propulsion later on).

Vehicle

Heavy vehicles, however, are much easier to hit. Their slowness or great bulk make it nearly impossible for them to truly “dodge” enemy fire (though enemies may miss). Instead of rolling to avoid attacks Heavy vehicles & Capital ships instead have a fixed defense number of 20. This is all that is needed to hit a heavy vehicle. This means that when Capital ships meet each other, they often take turns firing at one another as each one tries to maneuver into the best tactical position—but they do not actively dodge one another’s shots. Heavy vehicles rely more upon thick armor or powerful shields for their defense than they do upon evading enemy fire. Brawn: This is the vehicle’s hull/shield strength. It represents how much punishment the vehicle can take.

Agility

Average Combat Stats by Pilot/Driver/Military Skill

1

Typical 8, Good 12, Skilled 16, Elite 20

2

Typical 12, Good 18, Skilled 24, Elite 30

3

Typical 14, Good 21, Skilled 28, Elite 35

4

Typical 16, Good 24, Skilled 32, Elite 40

5

Typical 20, Good 30, Skilled 40, Elite 50

Maneuverability Agility 1 2 3 4 5

Bonus/Penalty Poor Maneuverability: -3 Dice Penalty Low Maneuverability: -1 Dice Penalty Average Maneuverability: No Bonus Good Maneuverability: +1 Dice Bonus Excellent Maneuverability: +3 Dice Bonus

Mind: This is the vehicle’s power for its weapons. This is the base damage multiplier for any of the vehicle’s weapons systems. It is also the measure of how powerful the computer systems are (if it has them). Inertia: This is a function of the vehicle’s mass and speed. For space and aircraft it is the sum of the craft’s size and Agility. For land and sea vehicles, it is the sum of Brawn and Size. Inertia is used to break free of tractor beams, and is used as the damage multiplier for ramming enemy vehicles. Inertia is reduced by 1 for every engine the vehicle loses. Inertia is useless if the vehicle cannot move. For example, a Size 2 Star-Bomber with Agility 3 has an Inertia of 5. If it rams an enemy ship, it does (and takes) x5 damage. When rolling to escape a tractor beam, it rolls at x5. Size: This is how large a vehicle is. This is on an exponential scale. The size of a vehicle determines how powerful it is compared to others, as well as what armaments it is capable of holding.

58

VEHICLES AND WARFARE Size Size

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Class

Fighter/ Shuttle

Bomber/ Sloop

Corvette

Frigate

Destroyer

Cruiser

Heavy Cruiser

Battle-Starship

Command Ship

Starbase

Volume Size

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Volume

1

4

9

16

25

50

100

200

400

800

Generally, the larger the vehicle, the more dangerous it can be. Below is a guideline for ships and size, based on the class of ship. This is to give you a general idea of how big a ship of a given size is, and a basis of comparison for all vehicles. Volume: This is how much physical space a vehicle takes up. A ship’s Volume rating is simply its size squared for sizes 1-5 and doubling for sizes 6-10. There is a chart below to save you time. A ship’s volume determines how many cargo units it can hold, as well as how much docking space it has. Cargo Units: A vehicle can usually hold a number of Cargo Units equal to its volume. 1 cargo unit is roughly a 10’ cube. Crew/Passengers: How many people a vehicle can carry is also based on its volume rating. A standard ship sized 1-3 has a crew/ passenger limit equal to double its volume. A ship sized 4-10 has a crew/passenger limit equal to 10 times its volume. The least number of crew needed to man a vehicle (called a skeleton crew) without penalties is equal to its Volume for vehicles size 4 and above, or equal to its size for vehicles size 3 or smaller. When the crew drops to below this number, a -2 Dice penalty applies to all dice rolls made for the vehicle. If it drops to below half this number, the vehicle can no longer move and attack in the same page (the commander must choose one or the other). Transports are ships designed especially for carrying extra passengers, and can hold 4 times as many people as normally able, however, Transports have minimal other functionality, and almost no powers.

Vehicle Combat In many ways, combat between vehicles is handled like combat between characters, but in other ways, it is different. Below are explanations of the various mechanics of vehicle combat. Priority: Priority in Vehicle combat is different than in hand to hand combat. The slowest vehicle moves first, followed by the next fastest, until all have moved. Then, the fastest vehicle fires first, followed by the next fastest, until all have fired. This essentially gives faster vehicles an advantage because they can react to the movements of the slower ones and capitalize on them. If two opposing vehicles have the same amount of movement, consider the better pilot/driver/captain to be faster (Roll a Military/Tactics contest). If these are the same, tie goes to the Hero. Ships on the same side having the same priority simply act simultaneously. Defense: How difficult a ship is to hit depends on whether it is a Heavy (Capital) or Light vehicle. Heavy vehicles like tanks and battleships have a fixed target number of 20 that attackers must get to hit the vehicle. For Light vehicles, like fighters and motorcycles, defense is an active process based on the user’s Pilot/Evasion, Drive/Steering, or Sailing/Tacking skill, with the roll adjusted by the ship’s maneuverability (see Agility above). Roll the skill check each time vs. each attack roll, to determine if it is hit or not. If the person operating the vehicle does not have the appropriate skill to operate the vehicle, this roll is made at -4 Dice penalty. If the person

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CHAPTER FOUR operating the vehicle has Pilot/Evasion Drive/Steering, or Sailing/ Tacking as specialties, they can reroll one defense roll per page. Example: Vic Starhawk is an ace pilot with x6 piloting skill. He is in a fighter with Agility 3 (no maneuverability adjustment), and rolls a 6, giving him a 36 defense when piloting that ship (6 x6 = 36). If he were piloting an Agility 2 bomber and rolled a 6, he’d have a defense of 30 (6-1= 5x6= 30) piloting that ship. Attacking: Attacks are resolved in the order of which ship is fastest, with the fastest ships firing first. Ties are resolved by rolling a Military/Tactics contest, with the winner going first. A ship may decide to forego attacking altogether and move again. A ship’s attack must hit by a certain amount to be successful, based on the size of the target vehicle. For every size smaller the target is than the attacking vehicle, the attack roll must succeed by 5 to actually do damage. Likewise, for every size larger the target is from the attacking vehicle, the attack gets a +5 bonus to its total result of the attack roll. Attack rolls are made using the Pilot/Pursuit skill (for Light star and aircraft) or the Military/Gunner skill (for all Heavy, all land, and all sea vehicles, though the Sailor/Gunner skill works for sea vessels also). Light vehicles also add the vehicle’s Maneuverability adjustment (see Agility above) as a dice bonus to the attack roll, while Heavy vehicles do not (they are typically firing from independent gun batteries). If the shooter does not have the proper skill, they have a -4 Dice penalty to their attack rolls. Having Pilot/Pursuit or Military/Gunner as a specialty allows the shooter to reroll one missed attack that page. A ship may fire a number of its weapons systems equal to half its size every page (round up). Thus a size 4 ship may fire 2 weapons systems per page. A vehicle must fire separate systems—it cannot fire the same system multiple times in a page (Although it could have multiple arrays of the same type of weapon, like multiple heavy gun batteries). For example, a Size 2 Bomber Agility 2, piloted by a x4 Pilot is attacking a Size 4 Frigate with Agility 4, with a x3 gunner. The bomber has a +10 total result bonus to the attack due to size difference(42= 2), and a -1 Dice Penalty due to Low Maneuverability of his ship. The Bomber rolls an 8-1= 7x4 =28 +10= 38, squarely hitting the Frigate’s defense of 20 (all Heavy vehicles have a 20 defense). The Frigate retaliates, with a -10 penalty to the total result of the attack (size difference). The gunner of the Frigate rolls 11x3= 3310 =23, enough to hit the Bomber’s defense of 20 (roll of 6-1= 5x4 for 20). Of course, the Frigate can take the punishment much more than the bomber can. Damage: Once a hit has been established, vehicles do damage. A vehicle rolls damage, and adds 5 points per point of size it has to the total, subtracting 5 per point of size of the target ship. The result is how much damage the ship takes. If this amount is greater than the ship’s Breach Threshold, the ship has suffered a Breach. The number of Breaches a ship can sustain is equal to its size.

Once a ship has sustained that many Breaches, it is destroyed (or soon will be). Using our above example, the Frigate used a Gun that does x6 Dmg. The size difference between the Fighter and the Bomber indicates that his damage roll will have a +10 bonus (20-10= 10). The Fighter rolls 8x6=48+10= 58. This is enough to Breach the hull of the Bomber (30 Breach Threshold). The Bomber has suffered one Breach (it nearly had two), and if it takes another one, it will be destroyed! See Breach Threshold below to understand how this works. Breach Threshold: This is how much damage it takes to tear a hole, or “breach” in your vehicle. Whether this is based on your vehicle’s Hull or Shields depends on whether or not energy shields are used in your campaign. A vehicle’s Breach Threshold is 10 times its Brawn, just as a character’s Wound Threshold is 10 times their Brawn. Thus a ship with a Brawn of 3 would have a Breach Threshold of 30. If a ship suffers damage less than its Breach Threshold, this is considered minor damage that has no real impact on the ship. If the damage is equal to or greater than the Breach Threshold, the vehicle suffers a Breach. If a ship takes damage equal to multiple times its Breach Threshold, it takes multiple Breaches. Thus, if the above ship took 75 damage, it would suffer 2 Breaches. Effects of a Hull Breach: Every time that a vehicle suffers a Breach, it might lose crewmembers. Because this is a heroic system, the more “important” characters are more likely to survive a Breach than a “red-shirt” minion. Heroes or Villains roll times their highest stat. A 10 or less indicates that the character was badly injured, and took x8 damage. A 20 or less indicates a serious injury; x4 damage. A 30 or less is a scratch; x2 damage. Anything above a 30 means the character was totally uninjured. Minions often die whenever a large vehicle suffers a Breach. The question is how many. Roll a damage roll, with the multiplier equaling the breached ship’s size, and divide by the minions’ DL. The result is the number of minions slain in the attack. If this ship is size 4 or larger, multiply the result by 10. Larger ships suffer more casualties when there are hull breaches because there are more people aboard these ships. Note that when a ship suffers a final hull breach (a number equal to its size), it is destroyed—the only survivors will be those who managed to get into escape pods. If a ship is destroyed, it may not always be instantaneous. There may be a very brief moment for the crew to evacuate or use a weapon beforehand (Heroes and important Villains usually make it to the escape pods or engage the ejector seat in time). Example: The Centurion Eagle, a size 3 blockade-runner is hit for 50 damage, giving it a Breach. The Narrator rolls for Captain Duo, using his highest stat, a 3 Agility, getting 3x7=21. Duo suffers a scratch, taking x2 damage. Next, the Narrator rolls for the crew. He rolls a 9x3= 27 divided by 7 (the DL of each crewman) indicating that 3 crewmen died from the blast. Had Duo been at the helm of a size 4 or larger ship, he would have lost 30 crewmen. Incapacitating a Vehicle: Sometimes, the goal of the fight is not

60

VEHICLES AND WARFARE to destroy the enemy vehicle. Often, you want to salvage it, or take prisoners. If this is the case, the goal is to disable the enemy vehicle rather than destroy it. There are a few different ways to disable a vehicle. One is to target its weapon systems, rendering it unable to return fire. Possibly more effective is to target its engines, preventing its escape. When targeting a vehicle’s weapon systems, choose one of its weapons to disable. To succeed, your attack roll must exceed the target’s defense by 20. If your attack does enough damage to Breach the enemy vehicle, instead of inflicting a Breach, you have taken that weapon off-line. If it did less damage, there is no effect.

or explosives and enter it (this usually takes a minute or so). Instead of using a boarding tube, it is possible that one could have “boarding ships” which latch onto enemy hulls and begin to drill holes into them so that the troops can pour in. A boarding ship must have the “Drill” power. Ramming: A more crude way to board an enemy ship is to ram it. Ramming a ship does its Inertia as a damage multiplier, with the damage modified by size as normal. Ramming a ship is especially dangerous because both ships take the damage. If the target ship suffers a Breach, then people from the ramming ship can board it.

When targeting a ship’s engines, choose one of its engines to disable. Generally, a vehicle has 1 engine per point of size (or it has 1 engine that counts as several engines). Thus, a size 1 fighter has one engine, while a size 4 frigate has 4 engines. When attacking an engine, your attack must exceed their defense by 10 (they are easier to hit than a weapons system). If the attack did enough damage to cause a Breach, it instead takes that engine offline. The vehicle’s movement speed is reduced proportionally based on how many engines it has remaining. Thus if the size 4 frigate lost one engine, it would be reduced to three-quarters of its movement speed, while if a size 2 bomber lost one engine, it would be reduced to half speed. A vehicle with all its engines disabled is unable to move. Boarding: There are two main ways of boarding an enemy ship. If your game uses Teleporters, the easiest way is to simply teleport onto the enemy’s ship. However, there is usually some way of preventing this from happening. Perhaps if the shields are up, teleporting onto a ship is impossible. We recommend that a ship cannot be boarded by Teleporter until the ship has suffered a number of Breaches equal to half its size, rounding up. Thus, to board a size 3 ship, it must have suffered 2 Breaches before its shields are weak enough to allow you to teleport through. If you are using a campaign where there are teleporters, but no shields, perhaps each ship has an “anti-teleporter field” that goes down once the ship has taken significant damage. The other way to board a ship (in the stars or on the sea) is to physically force your way on. The simplest way to do this would be to load men into a ship, transport it into the enemy ship, and unload the men once aboard. However, this requires that the enemy ship be large enough to have docking bays, and that those bays are open. Perhaps a well-aimed shot to the docking bay would force the bay open (treat this the same as disabling a weapon system). Another way to force one’s way onto the ship is to cut into it. A boarding tube is designed to do just that—provide a “bridge” to the enemy ship. In order for this to work, you must be sure that your ship and the enemy ship are stationary in relation to one another. One way to ensure this is with a tractor beam or tow cable, while another is to disable the ship’s engines. The Boarding tube is essentially a bridge between the two ships, allowing the boarding crew to cut through the hull of the opposing ship with tools

61

People vs. Vehicles There are times when people armed with personal weapons will try and take on a vehicle. This is usually fruitless, as personal weapons were not designed to take on vehicles, and vehicle weapons are exceptionally deadly when fired at unprotected people. When dealing with such events, one must divide the combatants into normal scale (people using personal weapons), and vehicle scale (vehicle mounted weapons). When firing at people in normal scale, a Vehicle scale weapon will affect a radius equal to the size of the Vehicle. A target who beats the vehicle’s attack roll, but does not beat the attack roll by 20 takes half damage (remember to include the penalty for attacking smaller targets to the vehicle’s roll first, considering a person is size 0). Instead of the flat +5 dmg bonus for size, a vehicle adds its size difference to the damage multiplier and as a dice bonus on damage rolls for the weapon it is using. Any personal armor is half as effective against vehicle weapons. Thus, a Size 2 Tank with a Heavy Gun would affect targets in a 2 square radius, doing x9 Dmg with a +2 dice bonus on the damage roll (average result of 81 damage—easily enough to kill any minion, and nearly kill any Hero). When people at normal scale attack a Vehicle, the Vehicle has a Soak equal its difference in size times its Breach Threshold. If the damage that gets through this soak is below the Vehicle’s Breach Threshold, no serious damage was caused by the attack. If the damage exceeds the Vehicle’s Breach Threshold, however, a Breach was caused. Thus, if the weapon firing at the vehicle is considered the same as the vehicle it is firing on, the initial soak based on size difference is 0. If the weapon firing is actually considered larger, the size based soak is still 0. For Example: The Heroes are trying to escape the landing pad after freeing the princess. They make a run for their Size 3 Blockade Runner with a Breach Threshold of 30 and get inside. While the pilot is setting a course, the star troopers try to stop them, firing their blaster carbines at the ship. The weapons do x7 damage, and the damage rolls were 7, 9, and 11, for a total of 49, 63, and 77. None of them get through the ship’s soak of 90 vs. size 0 personal weapons (size 3 x Breach Threshold 30 =90). Then, a forth trooper shows up and fires a Heavy Quantum Rocket Launcher at the ship, rolling an 8 for damage, for a grand total of 64. This easily bypasses the Blockade Runner’s soak of 30, with 34 damage getting through—just enough to cause a Breach as the ship is taking off! Note that the Quantum Rocket Launcher does damage as a size 2 weapon, reducing the size difference between it and the ship to 1. 1 size difference times the Breach Threshold of 30 left a soak of 30. Because the damage that got through exceeded the ship’s Breach Threshold, it suffered a Breach, banging up the crew inside, but still managed to take off safely.

CHAPTER FOUR

simply makes them have to recharge less often.

After ramming, if there was a Breach, the two ships will be stuck together. Either ship can attempt to break free. To do so requires either a contest of Inertia with the other ship, or use of a Repulsor Beam. Repairs: A vehicle that suffers breaches will need repairs. How long the repairs take depends on how extensive the damage is and also how large the vehicle is. A bomber with a breach takes far less time to repair than a carrier does. In general, it takes a technician 1 man-hour to repair a breach or broken system times the ship’s volume. So size 6 cruiser would take 50 man-hours to repair a broken engine. This could mean a single person makes the repairs after 50 hours of work, 2 people do it in 25 hours, 5 do it in 10 hours, or 10 people do it in 5 hours. The minimum time any such repairs ever take is 1 hour. When a ship is at a star-base, it will likely have many able-bodied repair personnel available to it (assume an average of double the amount that would normally be working on it in space). Be sure to remember that this time is to repair each breach or broken system. A size 6 cruiser with two broken engines, a breach, and a disabled weapons system would require 200 man-hours to repair fully, which would take a repair crew of 10 about 3 days to accomplish. A character with the Push Technology power can make repairs much faster, but these are only temporary.

Vehicle Powers Just like characters, starships and other vehicles have powers, and they need to buy them with points. As a general guideline, if a player is creating a vehicle, it should have around 3 times its size in power points, although this can be altered as the Narrator sees fit. However, most vehicles described in this book do not fit this guideline. If the campaign revolves around the Heroes and their trusty ship, the ship could even earn experience points, which would be used by the engineer to upgrade powers on the ship in the same manner as a character does. Of course, the engineer must spend time to integrate these enhancements, during which s/ he cannot spend experience points on his/her own advancement. All-Terrain: 1-2pts (Land & Sea Vehicles only). Vehicles with the All-Terrain power move through difficult terrain (shallow water, sand-dunes, snowdrifts, bumps, dips, rubble, steep hills, etc) at one-fourth (for 1 point) or at half (for 2 points) their normal speed (round up). Vehicles without the All-Terrain power cannot move through difficult terrain, and may become stranded for trying.

Cloaking Device: 5pts. The vehicle is outfitted with a device that enables it to disappear from sensors, and even visual. It bends light around it, while dampening all emissions that could be detected by another ship. For all intents and purposes, a cloaked vehicle is invisible. While cloaked, a vehicle must maintain communications silence, or it will be able to be detected by enemy scanners. Likewise, if a cloaked vehicle fires, it will immediately uncloak. While cloaked, a vehicle cannot usually be hit by enemy fire. If an enemy has reason to suspect something is there, they can attempt to fire in its general area, attacking with a -4 Dice penalty on the roll. Filling the area with chaff or some other way of revealing the displaced area of the cloaked vehicle reduces this penalty to -2. Likewise, when a cloaked ship fires on an unwitting enemy, it gets a +4 Dice bonus to its attack (this bonus is reduced to +2 if the enemy has reason to suspect the presence of a cloaked vehicle). Data Encryption : 1-3pts. Your vehicle has been built to withstand the efforts of hackers. For every point in this power, add 1 to your vehicle’s Mind for the purpose of resisting computer hacking or unauthorized use of the ship’s systems. Thus, a ship with a Mind of 2 and Data Encryption 2 would have an effective Mind of 4 vs. hackers. Docking Bays: 3pts. This vehicle can hold several others inside it, most often fighters and bombers. A vehicle must be size 4 or larger to have docking bays. The largest that can dock inside another vehicle can be no more than one half its size (round down). Thus a size 3 ship could not dock inside a ship smaller than size 6. A vehicle that is too large to fit inside a docking bay must dock externally (this is how battleships dock at starbases). A Ship has docking space equal to half its own volume. The amount of space a vehicle takes up inside another is equal to its own volume. Thus, a size 10 star base could hold 400 fighters or 100 bombers inside its docking bays, while a size 4 ship could only hold 8 fighters or 2 bombers. Enhanced Engines: 1-3pts (Starships only). This ability allows a starship to move faster at Sublight speeds than it should be able to, Each point in this power is added to 3, then multiplied by the ship’s Agility. The result is how many grids the ship can move each page. Note that this power does not help the Stardrive in any way, it is only for use at Sublight speed. Enhanced engines increase a ship’s Inertia by 1.

Aquatic Propulsion: 1-3pts. This vehicle is outfitted to move in water. It has a movement speed equal to its points in this power, times its Agility times 10 squares. So a vehicle with Agility 3 and 2 points in Aquatic Propulsion power would have a movement rate of 60 squares.

Extra Engines: 2/4pts. This ship has been equipped with an extra 1 or 2 engines (for 2 or 4 points in this power). In the case of starships, these engines are only for Sublight travel. In the case of a vehicle where it would not make sense to have additional engines, this power represents a more durable engine. This will allow it to weather engine damage better, because there will be emergency backup engines to rely on.

Auxiliary Power: 1-5pts. This power can only be bought for a starship with a Stardrive requiring recharge time. Each point in this power is an extra unit of power the ship can tap when using its Stardrive. It does not improve how fast the engines recharge— it

Extra Cargo: 2pts. This vehicle can hold double the normally allowed amount of cargo. In addition, a third of the total compartments on your vehicle can be secret, enabling you to hide contraband aboard.

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VEHICLES AND WARFARE Extra Hull/Shield Strength: 1-3 pts. This ability gives the vehicle +5 to Breach Threshold per point invested. Thus a starship with a 2 Brawn and 3 points in this power would have a Breach Threshold of 35. Fast: 1-3pts (Land and Air Vehicles Only). A vehicle with the Fast power is faster than average. For every point in this power, add the vehicles Agility x10 to its total movement speed. Thus, if an Agility 3 vehicle had 2 points in Fast, it would have a movement of 150 instead of 90. Holodeck: 5pts. A Holodeck is a very popular form of entertainment. It creates a virtual world for the users to enjoy that is so realistic, the holograms inside are indistinguishable from the real thing. Sometimes Holodecks can malfunction, turning off their safety features, and forcing the users to remain inside until they accomplish a set goal. This can be a wonderful plot diversion for the Narrator or players during a sci-fi game. For a vehicle to have a Holodeck, it must be size 5 at least. TL 7. Invasive Sensors: 2pts. Your vehicle can scan others and learn vital information about their weapons, defenses, crew, etc. To do so, the person running the scan must make a Computers/Hacking roll with a difficulty of 10 times the target vehicle’s Mind. Thus, scanning a ship with a Mind of 3 would be a 30 Computers/Hacking check. Of course, if the target vehicle does not have a computer system, or a very outdated one employing vacuum tubes, this ability is useless. A starship with Invasive Sensors also has a Sensor Range 2 higher than normal. Mach: 1-5pts (Aircraft or Starships with Atmospheric Flight only). An aircraft with this power can achieve great speeds, breaking the sound barrier. It does not use this movement during combat, but when traveling to the target zone. Every point in this power represents 1 times the speed of sound (Mach 1) the vehicle can travel when not engaged in combat. Mach 1 is about 750 mph, Mach 2 1,500 mph, etc. Sick Bay: 2pts. This gives the vehicle its own hospital facilities. These facilities include an autodoc (if they exist in the campaign) and supplies necessary for medical research, diagnosis, surgery, first-aid, and routine exams. A vehicle must be at least size 4 to have a Sick Bay. Stardrive: 1-10pts (Starship Only). This power represents how far the ship can travel at beyond light speed. A ship’s Stardrive rating is equal to its points in this power, which the Narrator may limit however s/he wishes. For instance, a small fighter shouldn’t have a 10pt Stardrive! See the Stardrive rules at the beginning of the Starships section for more information. Stealth: 3pts. This is similar to the Cloaking Device, power, but not as advanced. A Stealth vehicle cannot be seen by enemy scanners—but does not become invisible. This means that the operator of the vehicle must keep out of the enemy’s visual range to avoid detection, usually operating in darkness. A vehicle using Stealth must maintain communications silence, or it will be noticed by enemy scanners. This power is most common on submarines

and bombers. Teleporter: 5pts. This device allows your ship to transport matter and crew to and from the vehicle. The range of the Teleporter is 5 grids. Usually, you cannot teleport onto a hostile vehicle (or teleport targets from it) until its defenses have taken a pounding (taken a number of breaches equal to half its size). The number of people or cargo units you can teleport at a time is equal to one quarter your ship’s volume (with a minimum of 1 person).

Weapons Systems Auto-turrets: 3-5pts. Your vehicle has an automatic defense system to keep smaller enemies from harassing it. To have Autoturrets, a vehicle must be size 7 or larger. When an unauthorized vehicle approaches within 5 grids (or 50 squares) of yours, the auto-turrets fire on it. Auto-turrets hit and do damage as if they were half the size of your vehicle (round down). The base damage multiplier for auto-turrets is x5/x6/x7 for 3/4/5 points. Boarding Tube: 1pt (Starships Only). Your ship has a boarding tube, which can form a bridge with another ship, whether for peaceful transfer of personnel and cargo, or for more aggressive purposes. The other ship must be holding still relative to your ship to establish the link. Once the ships are connected, the only way to break the hold is to relinquish it, or to destroy the boarding tube (just like disabling a weapon system). The tube does not cut its way into an enemy ship. Usually, it connects to an airlock, which is either opened for friendly visitors or broken through by boarding parties using explosives or cutting torches. A ship must be size 3 to have a boarding tube. Guns, Light: 1pt. Your vehicle has an array of Guns, either energy guns or firing solid ammunition, depending on what the parameters of the campaign are. Light guns have a range of 5 grids (or 50 squares) and do +2DM. Guns, Medium: 3pts. This array of guns is even stronger than light guns. They have a range of 10 grids (or 100 squares) and do +3DM. Medium guns are less accurate than light guns, and have a -2 penalty to the total result of the roll to hit. Guns, Heavy: 5pts. Your vehicle has an array of really big guns. These heavy guns have a range of 15 grids (or 150 squares) and do +4DM. Heavy guns are less accurate than others, and have a -5 penalty of the total result of the roll to hit. Drill: 2pts (Starship, Sea, or Land vehicles Only). This vehicle has a drill (maybe using lasers, maybe using teeth) that can be used to cut into an enemy ship. A land vehicle can use a Drill to burrow underground (very slowly, 2 squares/Agility). When ramming an enemy vehicle, this device gives your ship +2 Inertia. This extra damage only affects the enemy vehicle. On a sea or starship, a Drill can be used to cut a hole in the hull of a larger enemy ship, allowing your crew to board it. The Drill does damage as if the ship were ramming for this purpose, but if it scores enough damage to cause a Breach, the ship does not actually suffer a Breach—it

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CHAPTER FOUR

simply now has a hole connecting it to the other ship.

mine. If it fails, it takes x8 dmg.

Gravity Net: 3-5pts (Starship Only). This powerful weapon creates an artificial gravity well, preventing nearby ships from engaging their Stardrive. A ship’s gravity net is weaker than a naturally occurring gravity well, and is only effective on other ships equal to its own size +1. Thus, a Size 4 Frigate could deploy a gravity net to stop a Size 5 Destroyer, but not a Size 6 Cruiser. The gravity net affects a radius equal to 1 grid per point in this power. Thus, a 4pt Gravity Net can affect ships up to 4 grids away.

Missiles, Light: 3pts. This weapon is an array that fires rockets that explode on impact. It may also be called a torpedo. It has a tracking device that gives it a +5 total result bonus to hit. The range of light missiles is 15 grids (150 squares), and does +2 DM. Loading missiles takes time. A missile array can only fire every other page.

Enhanced Weapons: 1-3pts. This ability allows a vehicle to enhance one of its weapons systems to be as powerful as one from a larger vehicle. This power increases the effective size of a single weapon system for the purposes of firing and damage (thus taking the size penalty to hit and the bonus damage). The effective size increases by 1 per point invested in this power, but cannot exceed size 10. Thus, with this power, a size 2 bomber could be made with a missile system capable of firing missiles as effective as those from a size 5 ship! This makes it possible for smaller vehicles to defend themselves against larger ones. Mines: 1-5pts (Sea & Starships Only). This power allows you to jettison explosive devices that go off whenever a vehicle enters their area. You leave these mines in a trail behind your vehicle. The trail is one grid wide (or 10 squares), and 1 grid (10 squares) long per point in this power. Thus a starship with 3pts in this power could leave a trail of mines behind it that was one grid wide and three grids long. A ship that enters a grid containing a Mine must make a 20 Piloting (or other appropriate skill) check to avoid the

Missiles, Medium: 4pts. Even more powerful than light missiles, medium missiles have a +2 total result bonus to hit. The range of medium missiles is 10 grids (100 squares), and they +3 DM. Loading missiles takes time. A missile array can only fire every other page. Missiles, Heavy: 5pts. The most powerful missiles available, their tracking device is barely able to counteract their poorer maneuverability (and thus give no bonus to hit its target). A heavy missile has a range of 5 grids (50 squares) and does +4 DM. Loading missiles takes time. A missile array can only fire every other page. Ram: 1pt. Your vehicle has a sharp prow used for piercing the hulls of enemy ships, making boarding easier, or for smashing through walls or other barriers to a land vehicle. When ramming an enemy vehicle or wall, yours gets an extra +2 Inertia. This extra damage only affects the enemy ship (yours takes only ordinary ramming damage). Repulsor Beam: 3 pts (Starship Only). This tool is used for a ship to push away from something else. It can even push away an enemy ship, if it is strong enough. A Repulsor Beam has a pushing

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strength multiplier equal to the ship’s Mind+Size. In order to push an enemy ship away, roll the pushing multiplier vs. the other ship’s Inertia. If the other ship is not moving, use its size instead. Success indicates that the other ship was pushed away 1 grid, +1 more grid for every 10 the Repulsor Beam beat the other ship by. A Repulsor Beam can also be used to break free of a tractor beam. A ship must be size 3 to have a Repulsor Beam. Tractor Beam: 1-3pts. This tool is usually used to tow things, but can also be used as a weapon of sorts, to latch onto an enemy vehicle. A vehicle held in a tractor beam cannot move, and can be towed by the other ship at will, or if small enough, be pulled into a docking bay. The power of the tractor beam is 20/30/40 for 1/2/3 points in this power. A vehicle caught in a tractor beam can break free if it spends a panel and beats the power of the tractor beam with an Inertia roll. A vehicle that has lost its engines cannot escape a tractor beam. Tractor beams have very short range, only 1 grid (10 squares) at full power. Each grid (or 10 squares) beyond 1 that a tractor beam fires from reduces the power of the tractor beam by 10. If a vehicle beats the tractor beam’s power by 10 or more when attempting to break free, it does so without having to spend its panel doing so, leaving that panel free to do something else. A vehicle must be size 3 or larger to have a tractor beam. A vehicle’s tractor beam points must be no more than half its size.

Vehicle Advantages Just as characters have their upsides and downsides, so do vehicles. This is especially the case when the vehicle is a named vessel that is home to the entire party—the vehicle almost becomes a character in and of itself—with its own quirks and abilities. As with character creation, every advantage that a vehicle has must be paid for by a disadvantage for that vehicle as well. Optionally, the Narrator could allow the players who are creating the vehicle to choose their advantages, while the Narrator chooses the vehicle’s disadvantages. Atmospheric Flight: (Starships only) A vehicle with the Atmospheric Flight advantage is capable of flying within the atmosphere of a planet. This advantage is only common in ships size 1-4. Larger ships tend to use shuttles or teleporters to transfer people and goods to and from the ship. Bombard: (Starship, Sea, or Land Vehicles only) This vehicle packs some major fire power that the “squares” system for range, and radius does not do justice to. In addition to attacking at the listed range and radius in tactical combat, this vehicle may also strategically bombard targets several miles away (how far away and the area effected depends on how big the vehicle is, and is decided by the Narrator). Bombard attacks are not aimed as specific targets, but rather, general areas, like a city or fleet. Hitting with a Bombard attack requires a Military/Strategy check of 20+ the distance in miles to the target. A successful hit means that the target was bombarded, and took damage from the weapon. When the bombard ability is used, it is assumed that the bombarding vehicle has been continuously

VEHICLES AND WARFARE shelling for minutes if not hours for each single bombard attack. This advantage is for space, land, and sea vehicles only. In the case of space vehicles, the bombard ability means the ship’s weapons systems can be used to attack areas on a planet’s surface from orbit. Characters in an area that has been struck by a Bombard attack roll for injuries as if they were aboard a vehicle that had just suffered a Breach. Good Food: This advantage is only viable for a vehicle that has a large enough crew and makes long enough trips to necessitate a galley. Either by having a good cook, supplies, or excellent food replication devices, the food aboard is much better than that found on most vehicles of its type. Good Food keeps the crew happy and well-nourished enough to perform their daily duties, giving all crewmen +1 DL. Ships with Good Food are also very unlikely to mutiny. Hover: (Sky vehicles or Starships with Atmospheric Flight only) This vehicle is capable of hanging in mid-air, almost motionless. It can fly directly up or down, even backwards, and can make even 180 degree turns with no loss of movement. Spacious: One possible advantage of travel through space, or even on luxury ships is the possibility of a truly spacious vehicle. While most crewmembers likely still share rooms, the officers have their own private quarters. There is an additional advantage to all this space—because people aboard the ship are more widely dispersed, hull breaches are less lethal. When determining the effects of a hull breach, Heroes and Villains aboard have a +1 Dice bonus when rolling their highest stat, and Minions DL is treated as if it were 1 point higher. Submersible: This advantage is used by marine vehicles to travel beneath the sea. Aquatic Propulsion is a co-requisite for this power. A vehicle with the Submersible power is air-tight when it submerges and has enough air to last several months before it must resurface.

Vehicle Disadvantages Bad Food: Often seen as an unavoidable hazard of long voyages, people living in cramped spaces for extended periods of time may be subject to poor nutrition. Bad food indicates that either the food served is poorly prepared, or is bland and unappetizing (like field rations). Crews eating bad food are less happy and perform their duties more shabbily than a crew with decent food does. All minions in the crew have -1 to their DL as a result. Ships with Bad Food are also more likely to have a mutiny than ships with good food. Cramped: Everybody aboard is packed together very tightly, leaving no room for privacy or much personal space for people. Most crewmembers share rooms with several others. In addition, the tightness of quarters means that the crew is especially at risk when the ship suffers a breach. When determining the effects of a breach, Heroes and Villains aboard have a -1 Dice penalty when rolling their highest stat, and the DL of all Minions aboard is treated

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CHAPTER FOUR other stellar body, nor can they be used while engaging other ships in battle—Sublight engines must be used in these situations.

as 1 less. High-Maintenance: Your vehicle is constantly in need of repairs. If it does not receive a complete tune-up every week, it will start to have malfunctions. The Narrator will decide what goes wrong “this time”. Suggested possibilities include dice penalties to rolls for the afflicted system of the ship, major headaches like the com system being offline, or minor annoyances like all the showers break at once. In addition, major repairs on your ship take 50% more than the usual man-hours. Rationing: The vehicle barely carries enough supplies for its own crew. As a result, there may be no water for showers, no extra food, and little available in the way of entertainment. A vehicle must be size 3 or larger to have this disadvantage (smaller ships don’t carry supplies for extended journeys). All minions in the crew have -1 DL due to the poor supply situation. Slow: Your vehicle was not built for speed. It moves at half the speed per page that another vehicle with similar powers and stats should. This disadvantage may be taken twice (call this Very Slow), quartering the speed the vehicle should move. Unarmored/Unshielded: The vehicle was not designed to withstand the stresses of combat. For this reason, the Breach Threshold of this ship is half what it would normally be. For instance, a freighter with a Brawn of 3 with the Unarmored disadvantage would have a Breach Threshold of only 15. Zero-G: The vehicle in question (which must be a starship size 3 or greater) has no means of creating gravity for the crew—meaning that inside, they are under the effects of Zero-G.

Types of Vehicles: Starships Starships make interaction with alien species and visiting strange new worlds possible. Starships can also be the focus of danger and intrigue for a campaign, as dogfights and even wars can be fought in the stars.

Exactly how far a ship can travel with its Stardrive depends on the ship’s Stardrive rating. The higher the rating the more units of space can be covered in a single unit of time. Exactly how far a unit of space is depends on the setting. A setting with very fast ships and extragalactic exploration would have a space unit equal to hundreds of light-years, while a setting with slower ships, and a partially explored galaxy would have a space unit equal to only a few light-years, or even only several A.U.s (astronomical units—the distance between the Earth and the Sun). Likewise, how long a unit of time is also depends on the setting—whether it is minutes, hours, days, or even months. As long as the units are consistent within the setting, they can be whatever the Narrator believes appropriate. Regardless of what units are used, a Stardrive allows a ship to travel a number of space units in one time unit equal to its Stardrive rating squared. Thus, a ship with a Stardrive rating of 3 could move 9 space units in 1 time unit, while a ship with a Stardrive rating of 8 could move 64 space units in 1 time unit. Note that even a Stardrive rating of 1- allowing one to move only 1 space unit per time unit would still be far faster than using Sublight engines to reach a destination, and could be the difference between being stranded and being rescued out in the black of space. The Narrator is of course also free to set a maximum Stardrive rating allowed to ships in the game, either relative to ship size, or just a general maximum. Sensor Range: The sensor range of a ship is the distance in space that its computers can detect the presence of other ships or stellar bodies in real-time. As a guideline, a ship’s sensor range should be a radius covering a number of space-units (see Star Drive above) equal to its Mind. The Invasive Sensors power increases this range by 2. How often a ship can use its Stardrive also depends on the setting. Using a Stardrive may drain the ship’s power, requiring a certain period of time to recharge it. In other settings, Stardrives may be

A starship moves much faster than any conventional vehicles of our own time do. For this reason, the space through which starships move are not represented in standard 5-foot squares. To do so would be silly. Instead, ships moving at sublight speeds move through “grids” of space, the size of which are determined by the Narrator. In a setting where starships are relatively slow, and much of the galaxy remains unexplored, a grid may be a 100 meters, while in settings with fast ships and a well settled galaxy, a grid may be 100 kilometers or more! The scale of the grids really only depends on the imagination of the Narrator! Stardrive: The Stardrive is a generic term used in BASH! Sci-Fi to refer to a ship’s engine that allows it to move beyond the speed of light. In some settings this may be referred to as Warpdrive, Hyperdrive, or even Psidrives, powered by specially trained psions. Ships that cannot move beyond the speed of light do not have Stardrives—they must rely on Sublight speed only. A Stardrive also cannot be used when within the gravity well of a planet or

66

Sample Stardrives Based on Ship Size If you want to have the maximum Stardrive rating of a ship be based on the ship’s size, it is recommended that you simply make it be equal to the ship’s size, or ship’s size +1 (with a maximum of 10, or the maximum Stardrive speed set in your campaign).

Jump Gates: Alternative to Stardrives Some settings don’t use Stardrives to propel a single ship beyond the speed of light. Instead, they have somehow constructed, or are able to open, Jump Gates—essentially manmade wormholes in space-time. These Jump Gates could allow multiple ships—even entire fleets to move to a single location instantly—thus preventing the need for a column to move at the speed of its slowest ship.

allowed to be in continuous use, while in others, each use of the Stardrive has deleterious effects not on the engine—but on the crew, requiring a period of rest to avoid permanent damage to them. A suggested method for doing this, using the Engine Recharge Time model, allows ships to use the Stardrive at lower settings more often than at higher settings. Each setting below the ship’s maximum Stardrive rating used is 1 power unit it regenerates every time unit. Each setting of the ship’s Stardrive rating that is used burns 1 power unit per time unit. A ship has a number of power units equal to its Stardrive rating. Thus, a ship with a Stardrive rating 6 could uses its Stardrive at level 6, but would then have no power units left, requiring a time unit to pass before it recharged the lost power—or it could simply travel at level 3 or less continuously because it is regenerating 3 power units per time unit—the same amount it is using. This second example is what is known as the “safe speed” of a ship. A ship travels faster than its safe speed only in times of emergency, because after the jump, the ship could be left stranded without use of its Stardrive until it recharged. It also takes time to fire up the Stardrive. A good rule of thumb is that it takes 1 page per Stardrive rating you want to achieve to power up. So if you want to reach Stardrive Rating 3, you must take 3 pages to fire up the Stardrive. People wishing to jump out of a combat situation tend to make it a short jump.

VEHICLES AND WARFARE in combat), which assumes an automatic roll of “7”. The ratings are given for varying levels of proficiency in these skills. A pilot/ helmsman with a x2 multiplier is rated as typical. Good is x3, Skilled is x4, and Elite is x5. Anything x6 and above would be rated as “Ace” and is reserved for Heroes and Villains (who never take average attack and defense). These average combat ratings are here for the Narrator’s convenience, posted on every other page featuring a vehicle description. Light Starships Dogfights pit pilots in light starships against one another in the ultimate test of skill, where the participants learn who is an Ace— and who is dead. Certain rules for space (and air) combat should be addressed for dogfighting vehicles specifically. While a Capital ship can fire in any direction, Light space and aircraft must fire their main guns (medium and large) and their missiles in front of them. They change the direction they are aiming by changing the direction they are flying. Light Guns can fire in any direction on a size 2 or 3 craft—these are considered to be a swivel gun (but a fighter does not have a swivel gun—it is always nose or wing mounted). Turning is another thing that is limited. A ship can only turn a maximum of 90 degrees throughout the course of its movement during a page.

It is important that the Narrator apprise the Heroes aboard a starship (especially the Astrogator or the Captain) their proximity to nearby planets, starbases, and other ships by space units. Using graph paper to map their position might be a good way to do this (having each square represent a certain number of space units). This way, the figures for how far away a star base is don’t have to be memorized or guessed at.

Sample Starships Included below are several examples of starships to use in the game. These are only a sampling of possible starships, and most have only the bare necessities written into them. Holodecks, teleporters, invasive sensors, and various other “extras” are for the Narrator to add. The hope is that players and Narrators will design their own ships—but these samples will give you an idea of what can be done with the system. Also included in the statistics of these ships are the average combat rolls for the pilot/helmsman. These are assuming that the pilot/helmsman in a minion (Heroes and Villains actually roll dice

Docking: Landing your vehicle inside or on another vehicle can be tricky sometimes. Normally, no roll is required, but in special conditions (like in the midst of battle, or a storm), the pilot must make a 20 Pilot/Control check to successfully dock their vehicle. Failure indicates a Crash Landing (see below). It takes 1 page for a vehicle to dock or to takeoff from a dock. Crash Landing: Your air or space vehicle has been damaged and is going down. Your vehicle may crash, but you might just be able to guide it down so that the passengers survive the impact. When making a crash landing, you roll a Pilot/Stunts check. The target number you need to make depends on the type of terrain you are landing on and the speed at which you are going. If the terrain is flat, like an ocean or tarmac, the base target number for success is 20. If the terrain is sparse, like a city street, the base target number is 30. If the terrain is very dense, like a jungle, the target number is 40. Add to this base, one tenth the craft’s speed in squares, rounding up (or its actual speed in grids).

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CHAPTER FOUR Vehicle Agility Average Combat Stats by Pilot/Driver Skill

Thus, a vehicle moving 47 squares per page adds 5 1 to the difficulty, while a vehicle moving 332 squares 2 per page adds 34 to the difficulty. A success indicates that the ship landed relatively unscathed, taking only 3 incidental damage. For every 10 the piloting roll fails 4 by, the vehicle suffers 1 breach. Thus if the landing 5 had a difficulty of 70, and the Pilot/Stunts check resulted in a 33, the craft would suffer 3 breaches. Remember that crew are injured by each breach separately, thus in the previous case, characters would roll three separate checks against their best stat to see how injured they were in the crash, while crew minions would take damage three times.

Advantage: Atmospheric Flight Move: 12 grids

B2 A5 M2

Breach Threshold 20

Volume 1 Inertia 6

Breach Threshold 5

Stardrive 1

Heavy Guns (Range 15 grids, x6 Dmg) -5 to hit

Volume 1 Inertia 1

Medium Missiles (Range 10 grids, x5Dmg) +2 to hit

Disadvantage: Unarmored

Advantage: Atmospheric Flight

Advantage: Atmospheric Flight

Move: 15 grids

8,000 Credits—but they are included in most ships.

30 Million Credits

Star-Bomber Size 2 Light Ship

Heavy Fighter

This ship is designed to damage much larger enemy ships, or to destroy targets on the ground during battles on a planet. They are tough, but lack maneuverability.

B2 A3 M2

Size 1 Ship

Breach Threshold 20

Volume 1 Inertia 4 Heavy Guns (Range 15 grids, x6 Dmg) -5 to hit

Breach Threshold 30

Volume 4 Inertia 4

Light Missiles (Range 15 grids, x4 Dmg) +5 to hit

Elite Fighter Size 1 Ship

This vehicle was not meant to see combat, but to escape from a doomed ship. Escape pods are practically helpless, even in the hands of an ace pilot.

B3 A2 M3

Light Guns (Range 5 grids, x4 Dmg)

10 Million Credits

Escape Pod Size 0 Light Ship

B1 A1 M1

Typical 8, Good 12, Skilled 16, Elite 20 Typical 12, Good 18, Skilled 24, Elite 30 Typical 14, Good 21, Skilled 28, Elite 35 Typical 16, Good 24, Skilled 32, Elite 40 Typical 20, Good 30, Skilled 40, Elite 50

Heavy Missiles (Range 5 grids, x6Dmg)

Stardrive 1

Light Guns (Range 5 grids, x5 Dmg)

Advantage: Atmospheric Flight

Heavy Guns (Range 15 grids, x7Dmg) -5 Total result penalty to hit

Move: 9 grids

Heavy Missiles (Enhanced to Size 5) (Range 5 grids, x7Dmg)

20 Million Credits

Enhanced Weapons 3 (Heavy Missiles)

Corvettes

Advantage: Atmospheric Flight

A corvette is the heaviest of all the light ships. They are often used by smugglers and pirates for their combination of power and speed.

Move: 6 grids 50 Million Credits

Blockade Runner

Fighters Fighters are mostly used to escort, or to intercept and destroy bombers, which usually involves them engaging the fighters that the enemy had sent to escort their bomber. Three different fighter designs are presented below:

B3 A4 M2

Size 3 Ship

Breach Threshold 30

Volume 9 (18 cargo units, 6 secret) Inertia 6 Stardrive 4 Extra Cargo 2pts Advantage: Atmospheric Flight

Light Fighter Size 1 Ship

Light Guns (Range 5 Grids, x4 Dmg)

B1 A4 M2

Heavy Guns (Range 15 Grids, x6 Dmg) -5 Total result penalty to hit

Breach Threshold 10

Volume 1 Inertia 5

100 Million Credits

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VEHICLES AND WARFARE Pirate Sloop Size 3 Ship B3 A3 M3

Heavy Missiles (x7 Dmg, Range 5 grids)

Breach Threshold 30

Volume 9 Inertia 6/8 Ramming

Stardrive 4

Stardrive 3

Docking Bay

Ram 1pt Heavy Guns (Range 15 grids, x7Dmg) -5 Total result penalty to hit Light Missiles (Range 15 grids, x5Dmg) +5 Total result bonus to hit

200 Million Credits

Destroyer

100 Million Credits

Capital Starships Capital Starships are much larger than light starships. They can support larger Stardrives, usually making them faster on long journeys (though not usually at Sublight speeds). Capital Ships can fire in any direction, and have a set defense value of 20 (there is no rolling involved). In the descriptions below, a ship will have listed the minimum points in Rank usually associated with command of that ship type. This is not a rule set in stone, but a guideline. Also, no matter what the rank of a ship’s commanding officer (C.O.), s/he is addressed as “captain”—even if s/he is only a Lieutenant.

Size 4 Capital Ship

Defense: 20

2 Arrays of Light Guns (x3 Dmg, Range 5 grids (or 50 squares))

B4 A2 M4 Breach Threshold: 40 Inertia: 7/9 Ramming

Defense 20

Stardrive 5 Heavy Guns (x8 Dmg, Range 15 grids) -5 to hit Light Guns (x6 Dmg, Range 5 grids) Medium Missiles (x7 Dmg, Range 10 grids) +2 to Hit Drill (x9 Dmg when ramming) Enhanced Engines 1 Move: 8 Grids 500 Million Credits

Cruiser

Size 6 Capital Ship (3 Attacks)

This ship has the heavy armor and the powerful guns. They are usually used to pen-in ships so that the Battle-Starship can obliterate them. A Heavy-Cruiser is essentially the same, except it is Size 7. C.O. Rank 3. Breach Threshold 55

Defense 20

Stardrive 6

Boarding Tube

Extra Hull Strength 1

Drill

Heavy Guns (x9 Dmg, Range 15 grids) -5 to hit

Advantage: Atmospheric Flight

Medium Guns (x8 Dmg, Range 10 grids) -2 to hit

Move: 9 Grids

Medium Missiles (x8 Dmg, Range 10 grids) +2 to hit

5 Million Credits

Tractor Beam 2

Size 4 Capital Ship (2 attacks)

Frigates are the lightest of all the capital ships, and many are outfitted with cloaking devices to make them more useful in pitched battles and gathering information. C.O. Rank 2. B3 A3 M3 Inertia 7

(2 Attacks)

A Destroyer is a medium-sized capital starship which often supports larger battleships or escorts lightly armed transports or supply freighters. Destroyers are often used to board enemy ships that have been sufficiently damaged by larger vessels. C.O. Rank 2.

B5 A2 M5 Inertia 8

Transport: Capacity: 640

Frigate

Size 5 Capital Ship

Boarding Tube

Dropships are not all that powerful in their own right, but they can be quite important on a battlefield as they allow waves of troops to land on a planet or starbase. Though they are lightly armed, this is mainly to allow them to drill into the side of a larger vessel for boarding or to clear away any fighters or ground units that may harass it. They are considered a transport ship, meaning that they hold 4 times the number of crew for a ship of their size—most of this crew are soldiers, it only takes 3 people to operate the dropship itself. C.O. rank 1. B2 A3 M1 Breach Threshold 20 Inertia 7/9 Drilling

Cloaking Device Move: 9 Grids

Advantage: Atmospheric Flight

Dropship

Invasive Sensors

Breach Threshold 30

Defense 20

Gravity Net 4 Advantage: Bombard Move: 6 Grids 1 Billion Credits

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CHAPTER FOUR Battle-Starship (4 Attacks)

Size 8 Capital Ship

Vehicle Agility Average Combat Stats by Pilot/Driver Skill 1 2 3 4 5

The Battle-Starship is the ultimate weapon when fleets of starships engage one another. Its ultra-heavy armor (or shields) allow it to ignore most smaller vessels, while auto-turrets destroy any that wander too close. Its powerful guns can bombard a planet, destroying major installations. C.O. Rank 3, usually a very seasoned & honored captain. B5 A1 M5 Breach Threshold 60 Defense 20 Inertia 10 Stardrive 8 Extra Hull Strength 2 Two arrays of Heavy Guns (x9 Dmg, Range 15 grids) -5 to hit Two arrays Light Guns (x7 Dmg, Range 5 grids) Two arrays of Light Missiles (x7 Dmg, Range 15 grids) +5 to hit Two arrays of Heavy Missiles (x9 Dmg, Range 5 grids) Auto-turrets (Fire as if size 4) (x6 Dmg to small ships within 5 grids) Docking Bay Enhanced Engines 1 Advantage: Bombard Move 4 Grids 5 Billion Credits

Command Ship

Size 9 Capital Ship

While colossal Battle-Starships are rare, Command ships are rarer still. These are the flagships of a fleet, and there may only be one such ship even in the mightiest armada. Creating a Command Ship is essentially the same as a Battle-Starship, with the following differences: C.O. Rank 4—a flagship of this caliber is fit for an Admiral’s command. B5 A1 M5 Breach Threshold 65 Defense 20 Inertia 12 Enhanced Engines 2 Extra Hull Strength 3 Move 5 Grids 8 Billion Credits

Arc Transport Size 5 Capital Ship This is a transport ship used mostly for civilian travel. But might also be used in evacuations It could also be a luxury liner of sorts, by adding amenities such as a Holodeck. C.O. Rank 2. B4 A2 M1 Breach Threshold 20 Defense: 20 Inertia 7 Stardrive 5 Passenger capacity: 1,000

Typical 8, Good 12, Skilled 16, Elite 20 Typical 12, Good 18, Skilled 24, Elite 30 Typical 14, Good 21, Skilled 28, Elite 35 Typical 16, Good 24, Skilled 32, Elite 40 Typical 20, Good 30, Skilled 40, Elite 50 Enhanced Engines 1 Disadvantage: Unarmored Move: 8 100 Million Credits

Star-Freighter

Size 6 Capital Ship

This ship is not made for combat, but is used to transport goods and supplies. C.O. Rank 1 if military, often used by civilians with rank 0. B3 A3 M1 Breach Threshold 15 Defense: 20 Inertia 8 Stardrive 6 Enhanced Engines 1 Extra Cargo (100 Units) Disadvantage: Unarmored Move: 12 Grids

Starbase

Size 10 Capital Ship (5 Attacks)

Technically, not a starship, a Starbase barely moves at all, usually anchored into a location orbiting a planet or star. Usually starbases are defended by a several starships, but a Starbase can put up a good defense in its own right, as many are also fully armed and operational battle-stations! C.0. Rank 2 or 3—even though it is bigger than a Battle-Starship, a Starbase is less likely to see action in war—usually given over to a capable administrator than a brilliant tactician. B5 A1 M5 Breach Threshold 60 Defense 20 Inertia 11 Docking Bay Extra Cargo (1600 Units) Extra Hull Strength 2 Heavy Guns (x9 Dmg, Range 15 grids) -5 to hit Two arrays Light Guns (x7 Dmg, Range 5 grids) Two arrays of Light Missiles (x7 Dmg, Range 15 grids) +5 to hit Auto-turrets (Fire as if size 5) (x6 Dmg to small ships within 5 grids) Disadvantage: Slow Move: 1 Grid 10 Billion Credits

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VEHICLES AND WARFARE

71

CHAPTER FOUR More Vehicles “Terrain” in Space Nebulas: Nebulas are great clouds of gas, dust, and plasma in space. They are formed when a star goes supernova. These clouds are usually not dense enough to cause any problems to a starship—which can freely travel through it. Extremely dense nebulas, however could impose problems with a ship’s sensors—forcing many automatic functions to be performed manually, and limiting the ship’s visibility. A ship in a dense nebula has its sensor range halved and has a -2 Dice penalty to hit enemy ships when firing from within the Nebula. Asteroids: An asteroid field can be very dangerous terrain to travel through. Depending on how dense the field is, a ship traveling through it might be severely damaged. To avoid damage, a ship must make a Maneuverability test with a difficulty of 10/20/30 for a sparse, moderate, or dense asteroid field. This test must be made for every grid of asteroid field the ship travels through. The ship’s size is used as a Dice penalty on the roll. If the ship strikes an asteroid large enough to damage it, and takes x7 damage (ignoring size). Needless to say, large ships don’t do well in asteroid fields—which is why smaller ships can use them to elude capture—though a small ship struck by an asteroid is unlikely to survive. Wormhole: A wormhole is a point in space that connects to another point in space, believed to be the remains of a collapsed black hole. In science fiction, wormholes are a natural phenomenon that can be traveled through, enabling travel across or even between galaxies—far more powerful than a standard Stardrive. Radiation Fields: Many stellar bodies give off radiation, which standard starships are equipped to resist. However, some areas of space have such intense radiation that standard protections are useless against them. Taking a ship through these radiation fields is tantamount to suicide. These radiation fields are treated as giving a severe, lethal dose of radiation to the entire crew of a ship that goes through them. Magnetic Storms: Magnetic storms are phenomenon that jam all communications and disrupt sensors and key systems on a ship. A ship caught in a magnetic storm cannot contact other ships, and has only a fraction its usual sensor range (change the Space Units to Grids). The ship’s weapons systems are also disrupted, giving a ship a -2 Dice penalty to hit its target and -1 Damage Multiplier with all attacks. A ship in a magnetic storm is very vulnerable—pirates often raid ships traveling through them to take advantage of this.

There are, of course, many more vehicles to worry about than spaceships. From hovercycles to tanks, to submarines, there are many important vehicles to include in science fiction settings. The examples below just scratch the surface to get you started. Vehicles use the squares system of figuring distance, just like characters. However, they move 10 times faster than a person or animal could—essentially Agility x30 as a base speed instead of x3. In addition, some starships can travel within a planet’s atmosphere. Those that do so use their Sublight speed, but multiply x10 to figure how many squares they move in the atmosphere. They must move much slower in an atmosphere both for safety reasons and due to the presence of friction, wind resistance, and the curvature of the planet, etc. Keep in mind that the Ranges on vehicle weapons are also listed in squares. Starships convert the distance of ranged weapons as they do movement— essentially the curvature of the planet and other forces shorten the effective range of their weapons on planets.

Modern Land Vehicles Unlike a starship, a light land vehicle uses its driver’s Drive skill to determine Defense. A driver with the Steering specialty may reroll one defense roll per page. A land vehicle cannot accelerate to its full speed on the first page it is driven. Speed must be built up. The first page, a vehicle can move up to one-third its maximum speed. The second page, it can move two-thirds its maximum speed. Finally on the third page, the vehicle can achieve its top speed. Some of the vehicles described below can attain very high speeds, but that does not mean they are safe to operate at those speeds. At speeds starting at 50 squares (about 85 mph), the driver must make a 20 Drive/Acceleration check to maintain control of the vehicle on anything but a straight road with no obstacles. At speeds starting at 75 squares (about 125 mph), the difficulty is 30, and at speeds of 100 squares (about 170 mph), it increases to 40, and at 125 squares it increases to 50. Losing control of the vehicle at these speeds will cause the driver and vehicle to take x10 damage. If the driver can make a Drive/Control check equal to the difficulty of the Drive/Acceleration check they failed previously, they only take x5 damage. The prices listed for each vehicle are for brand-new ones, assuming that they are current for their TL. If the vehicle is obsolete, reduce its price to half. Inertia for Land Vehicles is based on their Brawn+Size rather than Agility. This inertia rating is used for interacting with other vehicles (ramming them, evading tractor beams, etc). If a vehicle crashes into a person, that person takes damage based on the speed of the vehicle—x3 Dmg +1DM for every 10 squares the vehicle was moving when it hit. Add the vehicle’s Inertia rating to the multiplier. The maximum damage in this situation is x20 (being run over is deadly).

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VEHICLES AND WARFARE “Terrain” in Space Cont. Gravity Wells: Large bodies in space, such as planets and stars have strong enough gravity that they prevent a ship from using its Stardrive in close proximity. Black holes and neutron stars have strong enough gravity wells that they could very well suck in a ship that passes too close. A ship caught in a gravity well is unable to engage its Stardrive. In addition, the ship must make an Inertia roll or be sucked deeper into the well. For most stars and small planets this is not a problem. The Inertia roll must beat a difficulty set by the Narrator. As a general rule, anything less than a 30 is negligible. A 30 would be to escape a large gas giant, or star one had wandered too close to. A 40 would be to escape a neutron star’s pull, while a 50 would be to escape a black hole. These are assuming that one is actually far enough away from the center of these objects that escape is even possible.

B1 A5 M1

Solar Flares: Solar flares have all the effects on a ship as a magnetic storm. The plume of a solar flare can be deadly to a ship. A ship struck by the plume of a solar flare immediately takes x10 damage as if from a size 10 weapon. Needless to say, even an enormous, well armored ship could be destroyed by a solar flare.

10,000 Credits

Dark Matter: While modern scientists still cannot agree on exactly what dark matter is, the gist is that dark matter is matter in the universe that we cannot see. Based on that principle, in BASH! Sci-Fi, dark matter is invisible, undetectable flotsam in space. Normally, ships just plow right through dark matter without ever realizing it, as it is mostly in tiny particles. However, a very big piece of dark matter could become a very dangerous obstacle for a starship. Because it cannot be seen, it cannot be charted around (though once found, it can be tagged and avoided). A ship running into a massive piece of dark matter will take damage as if it had just performed a Ramming action.

Fast 1

Breach Threshold: 10

Inertia: 1

All-Terrain 1 Move: 150 squares (30 in difficult terrain) (About 250 mph, 50 in difficult terrain) 5,000 Credits Car

Size 1 Vehicle

This write-up is for a late 20th century car. To make an old car, like a Model T, one simply adds the slow disadvantage to it. B2 A3 M1

Breach Threshold 10

Inertia: 3

Fast 1 Move: 120 squares (about 200 mph) Disadvantage: Unarmored Sports Car

Size 1 Vehicle

Faster and flashier than the standard car, the Sports Car is a status symbol more than anything else. B2 A4 M1

Breach Threshold 10

Inertia: 3

Move: 160 squares (about 270 mph) Disadvantage: Unarmored 50,000 Credits Jeep

Size 1 Vehicle

The Jeep was created as a sturdy, all-terrain vehicle intended for carrying messages and troops to and from the front. The Jeep usually has an open cabin, enabling passengers to engage in smallarms fire at enemies. It can even be mounted with a machinegun (sold separately). Of course, in peacetime, Jeeps were also enjoyed by off-road enthusiasts. B2 A3 M1

Breach Threshold 20

Inertia: 3

Example: Gangsters in a size 1 car with Inertia of 3 run down a key witness in their boss’ trial. The car had a speed of 60 squares at the point of impact, doing x12 damage to the poor witness. The roll of 6 indicates the person took 72 damage—critically injuring him—but he luckily survives.

All-Terrain 2

Motorcycle

Both enormous vehicles designed for long hauls, busses carry passengers while 18-wheelers are trucks built to carry cargo. An 18-Wheeler can carry 9 cargo units, while a bus can accommodate 50 passengers.

Size 0 Vehicle

A motorcycle is more maneuverable than a car, but also far less protection for the driver. A motorcycle can carry two people. A sidecar can be added to carry an additional person, but this reduces its Agility by 1. A driver can make a motorcycle jump a distance in feet equal to the result of a Drive/Tricks check, giving a bonus if the jump is off a ramp (+10 or +20 total result bonus based on the ramp). Although a motorcycle can move 200 squares per page, driving it this fast is extremely dangerous.

Move: 90 squares (45 in difficult terrain) 20,000 Credits Bus/18-Wheeler

B4 A2 M1 Inertia:7

Size 3 Heavy Vehicle

Breach Threshold 20

Fast 1, Disadvantage: Unarmored

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Defense 20

CHAPTER FOUR Vehicle Agility Average Combat Stats by Pilot/Driver Skill

Move: 80 Squares

1 2 3 4 5

100,000 Credits Tank

Size 2 Heavy Vehicle

Typical 8, Good 12, Skilled 16, Elite 20 Typical 12, Good 18, Skilled 24, Elite 30 Typical 14, Good 21, Skilled 28, Elite 35 Typical 16, Good 24, Skilled 32, Elite 40 Typical 20, Good 30, Skilled 40, Elite 50

Tanks are heavily armored war machines designed to be able to withstand direct fire from the enemy and keep on moving. The Tanks has a gun that is affixed to a rotating turret on top (Heavy Gun) and also a machinegun for taking out enemy personnel. They are also made to plow right through obstacles, rather than go around (treat as if it has a Ram).

Land Speeder

B4 A2 M3 Breach Threshold 40 Inertia: 6/8 Ramming

B2 A4 M1

Defense 20

Inertia: 3

Disadvantage: Unarmored

Ram

200,000 Credits

All-Terrain 2

Hover-Tank

Disadvantage: Slow Move: 30 squares (15 in difficult terrain) 5 Million Credits

Futuristic Land Vehicles At speeds starting at 200 squares, the driver must make a 20 Drive/ Acceleration check to maintain control of the vehicle on anything but a straight road with no obstacles. At speeds starting at 230, the difficulty is 30, and at speeds of 260 squares, it increases to 40. Losing control of the vehicle at these speeds will cause the driver and vehicle to take x10 damage. If the driver can make a Drive/Control check equal to the Drive/Acceleration check they failed previously, they only take x5 damage. Size 0 Vehicle

The Hovercycle is a futuristic improvement on the motorcycle. Unlike the motorcycle, the Hovercycle floats above its riding surface on a three to six foot cushion of air. This makes it even more maneuverable in poor terrain (though it is not perfect, as the uneven surface is less ideal for hovering). A driver can make a hovercycle jump a distance in feet equal to double the result of a Drive/Tricks check, giving a bonus if the jump is off a ramp (+10 or +20 total result bonus based on the ramp). Like an ordinary motorcycle, it carries up to two passengers, but a sidecar cannot be attached, as it unbalances the floating cycle. Breach Threshold: 10

Fast 3, All-Terrain 2 Move: 300 squares (150 in difficult terrain).

Size 2 Heavy Vehicle

Hover-Tanks are heavily armored war machines designed to be faster, and deadlier than their treaded predecessors. Just like the original, Hover-Tanks are affixed with a heavy gun and also a blaster-gatlin for taking out enemy personnel. They are also made to plow right through obstacles, rather than go around (treat as if it has a Ram).

Advantage: Bombard (about 5 miles)

50,000 Credits

Breach Threshold 10

Move: 240 squares

Light Gun (x5 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 2)

B1 A5 M1

Even faster than a modern sports car, the land-speeder hovers on a cushion of air and is jet-propelled. A Land Speeder can seat between 4 and 8 people comfortably (depending on the model). Fast 3

Heavy Gun (x7 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 2) -5 to Hit”

Hovercycle

Size 1 Vehicle

Inertia: 1

B4 A3 M4 Breach Threshold 40 Inertia: 6/8 Ramming

Defense 20

Heavy Gun Heavy Gun (x8 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 2) -5 to Hit Light Gun (x6 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 2) Ram, All-Terrain 2 Advantage: Bombard (about 10 miles) Disadvantage: Slow Move: 45 squares (23 in difficult terrain) 7 Million Credits Rumbler Assault Jeep

Size 2 Vehicle

Unlike a lot of war vehicles, the Rumbler is made so that the crew are actually outside the vehicle. There is no roof, allowing the crew to fire their small arms at enemies, while another crewman uses the Light Gun attached to a swivel in the back of the Rumbler. B2 A2 M2 Inertia: 4

Breach Threshold: 20

Light Gun (50 squares, x4Dmg, Radius 2) All-Terrain 2 Move 60 squares (30 in difficult terrain) 400,000 Credits

74

Base Defense 10

VEHICLES AND WARFARE Spider-Crawler Size 3 Heavy Vehicle

Heavy Guns (x9 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 5) -5 to hit

The slow, monotonous advance of the Spider Crawler is often the signal for an enemy army to retreat before it’s too late. Their long range heavy guns, as well as their tractor beams and tough hulls make them deadly to troops and vehicles alike. Their only weakness is their lack of speed, though they can move through nearly any terrain.

Light Missiles (x7 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 5) +5 to hit

B4 A2 M3 Inertia: 7

Breach Threshold 50

Defense 20

Heavy Missiles (x9 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 5) All Terrain 2 Advantage: Bombard (About 20 Miles) Disadvantage: Very Slow Move: 15 squares (8 in difficult terrain)

Powers: “Spider’s Web”- Tractor Beam1

300 Million Credits

Extra Hull Strength 2

Modern Sea Vehicles

Heavy Gun (range 150 x7 Dmg, Radius 3) -5 to hit

Advantage: Bombard (about 10 miles)

Modern Sea Vehicles adhere to many of the same rules as modern land vehicles, regarding the safety under certain speeds and inertia. Sailing/Tacking is the skill used for maneuvering these vehicles, and Sailing/Gunner or Military/Gunner is used to attack. Futuristic Sea Vehicles follow these same rules.

Disadvantage: Slow

Speedboat

Move 30 squares (15 in difficult terrain).

This fast, maneuverable craft is the nautical equivalent of a racecar.

Light Missile (range 150, x5 Dmg, Radius 3) +5 to hit All-Terrain 2

15 Million Credits Walker

B2 A5 M1

Size 2 Vehicle

Size 1 Light Vessel

Breach Threshold 10

Inertia: 3

The walker is a slower, cheaper alternative to a hover-tank, the Walker moves around on two legs. Unlike the tank, its function is more focused towards being mobile artillery rather than infantry support. The purpose of the walker on the battlefield is to take out other enemy vehicles. A Hover-Tank facing a walker’s only hope is to fire first.

Aquatic Propulsion 2

B3 A3 M4

Light Missiles (x6 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 4) (considered size 4 weapon) +5 to Hit.

This small, lightly armed craft could be used to alert larger, faster, more well armed ships to danger. They are dangerous against poorly armed craft, however.

Enhanced Weapons: Light Missiles 2 (count as size 4 weapon)

B2 A3 M2

Light Gun (x6 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 2)

Aquatic Propulsion 2

All-Terrain 2

Light Guns (x4 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 2)

Disadvantage: Very Slow

Move: 60 Squares

Move: 23 squares (12 in difficult terrain)

100,000 Credits

5 Million Credits

Submarine

Doom Walker

Breach Threshold 30

Inertia: 5

Size 5 Heavy Vehicle (2 attacks)

The four-legged Doom Walker is much larger and slower than the smaller walker. Rather than being a mobile artillery piece, the Doom Walker is a mobile command station, and can hold over 200 troops, which can disembark from the bottom to gain ground once the Doom Walker has “softened up” enemy defenses. B5 A2 M5 Inertia: 10

Breach Threshold 65

Extra Hull Strength 3

Defense 20

Move: 120 squares Disadvantage: Unarmored 70,000 Credits Patrol Boat

Size 2 Light Vessel

Breach Threshold 20

Size 4 Capital Vessel

This is a powerful weapon of stealth. The submarine is designed to attack ships without warning, and even serve as a mobile firing platform for nuclear missiles (see Heavy Ordinance). B3 A3 M3

Breach Threshold 30

Defense 20

Heavy Missiles (x7 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 4) (These torpedoes travel through water only) Docking Bay (Used to house nuclear weapons, if they are carried aboard) Mines 1 (Can seed an area 10 x10 squares with mines)

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CHAPTER FOUR Aquatic Propulsion 2

Vehicle Agility Average Combat Stats by Pilot/Driver Skill

Stealth

1 2 3 4 5

Move: 15 Squares Advantage: Submersible Disadvantage: Very Slow 200 Million Credits

Typical 8, Good 12, Skilled 16, Elite 20 Typical 12, Good 18, Skilled 24, Elite 30 Typical 14, Good 21, Skilled 28, Elite 35 Typical 16, Good 24, Skilled 32, Elite 40 Typical 20, Good 30, Skilled 40, Elite 50

Cruiser Size 5 Capital Vessel

distance.

A Cruiser is a medium-sized capital vessel which often supports larger battleships or escorts lightly armed transports.

B5 A1 M4 Inertia: 12

B4 A2 M4 Inertia: 9

Docking Bay

Breach Threshold: 40

Defense 20

Breach Threshold 50

Defense 20

Aquatic Propulsion 2

Aquatic Propulsion 2

Medium Guns (x7 Dmg, Range 100, Radius 7) -2 to hit

Heavy Guns (x8 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 5) -5 to Hit Light Guns (x6 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 5)

Auto-turrets 4 (x6 Dmg, Act as if Size 3) (Note: These are manned anti-aircraft guns)

Medium Missiles (x7 Dmg, Range 100, Radius 5) +2 to Hit

Disadvantage: Slow

Advantage: Bombard (about 5 Miles)

Move: 20 Squares

Move: 40 squares

500 Million Credits

120 Million Credits

Hovercraft

Battleship

Designed to be able to go on land as well as sea, the hovercraft is perfect for maneuvering though areas that normal ships cannot go—like sandbars and shoals.

Size 6 Capital Vessel

This ship has the heaviest armor and the biggest guns in the modern fleet. While it is smaller than an aircraft carrier, it is built for pure combat, and can be used to bombard inland areas to support infantry units. B5 A2 M5 Inertia 11

Breach Threshold 60

Defense 20

B3 A3 M1

Size 3 Light Vessel

Breach Threshold: 15

Inertia: 6

Aquatic Propulsion 1 All-Terrain 2 (Used to go on beaches, over sandbars, through shoals, etc.)

Aquatic Propulsion 2

Disadvantage: Unarmored

Extra Hull Strength 2

Move: 60 squares

Two sets of Heavy Guns (x9 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 6) -5 to Hit

4 Million Credits

Medium Guns (x8 Dmg, Range 100, Radius 6) -2 to Hit

Cargo/Transport Vessel Size 5 Capital Vessel

Light Guns (x7 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 6)

These ships are unarmed and not well defended. If they need to carry supplies in times of war, they often do so under escort by cruisers.

Medium Missiles (x8 Dmg, Range 100, Radius 6) +2 to Hit Two sets of Light Missiles (x7 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 6) +2 Dice bonus to hit Advantage: Bombard (about 20 miles)

B4 A2 M1 Inertia: 9

Breach Threshold: 20

Aquatic Propulsion 2

Disadvantage: Slow

Extra Cargo (50 units)

Move: 20 Squares

Disadvantage: Unarmored, Slow

400 Million Credits

Move: 20 squares

Aircraft Carrier Size 7 Capital Vessel This is the largest of all modern sea vessels, designed to be the launching site of fighter aircraft. Though it is formidable in its own right, it is often accompanied by cruisers and battleships to keep enemy vessels away, allowing it to send air support from a

20 Million Credits

76

Defense 20

VEHICLES AND WARFARE Futuristic Sea Vehicles Sub-Cycle

Size 0 Light Vessel

This fast, maneuverable miniature submarine is ideal for insertion of covert ops, or as an escape from a doomed ship. B2 A5 M1

Breach Threshold 10

Inertia: 2

an atmosphere. A vehicle cannot immediately reach its top speed at take off. It begins moving one third of its total move, then it can move two-thirds on the following page, and on the third page it can reach its top speed.

Aquatic Propulsion 3

Inertia functions the same for sky vehicles as it does for space vehicles—Agility added to Size.

Disadvantage: Unarmored

Bi-Plane

Advantage: Submersible

This vehicle is the first aircraft designed for combat, used during World War I, and even into World War II. The Bi-Plane is at the very bottom of TL3 flight technology, but for its time, it was a very deadly weapon.

Move: 150 squares 700,000 Credits Mega-Sub

Size 6 Capital Vessel

B1 A3 M2

Larger and more deadly than a modern submarine, a Mega-Sub is the ultimate weapon upon the sea. Able to strike from the depths with complete stealth, the Mega-Sub is a match even for a HoverBattleship. B4 A4 M3 Inertia: 10

Breach Threshold 40

Defense 20

Size 1 Light Aircraft

Breach Threshold: 10

Light Guns (x4 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 1) Heavy Missiles (x6 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 1) Note: these are bombs dropped by the bombardier, and can only be fired at targets beneath the plane. Move:90 squares

Heavy Missiles (x7 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 4) (These torpedoes travel through water only)

Cost: 200,000 Credits Fighter Plane

Size 1 Light Aircraft

Docking Bay (Used to house nuclear weapons, if they are carried aboard or Sub Cycles)

B2 A4 M2

Breach Threshold 20

Mines 2 (Can seed an area 20 x10 squares with mines)

Fast 2

Aquatic Propulsion 3

Inertia 6

Volume 1 Inertia 5 Light Guns (x4 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 1)

Ram (x12 Inertia ramming)

Light Missiles (x4 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 1) +5 to hit

Cloaking Device

Move: 200 squares

Move: 120 Squares

Cost: 500,000

Advantage: Submersible 300 Million Credits Hover-Ship

Inertia: 4

Size (Varies by Type)

Hover-Ships are essentially the same as their non-hovering counterparts, but they move faster. To create a hover-ship, increase the Agility listed for a ship of its type by 1, and increase its move by the appropriate amount. Thus for example, a Hover-Cruiser would have an Agility of 3, and a move of 60 instead of an Agility of 2 and a move of 40. Increase the cost of a Hover-Ship by 1/5th its original cost. Thus, the Hover-Battleship would cost 480 Million Credits instead of 400 Million.

Modern Sky Vehicles These are essentially modern planes and helicopters. Because they only fly in an atmosphere they do not need the Atmospheric Flight advantage. Also, because they are always within an atmosphere, they must conform to the rules for acceleration within

Fighter Jet

Size 1 Light Aircraft

B1 A4 M3

Breach Threshold 10

Inertia 5

Volume 1 Inertia 5 Fast 3 Light Guns (x5 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 1) Light Missiles (x5 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 1) +5 to hit Mach 2 Move: 240 squares Cost: 16 Million Flying Fortress Size 2 Heavy Aircraft B3 A3 M3 Breach Threshold 30 Volume 4 Inertia 4

Defense 20

Heavy Guns (x7 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 2) -2 Dice Penalty to Hit (t10/g15/s20/e25) Heavy Missiles (Enhanced to Size 5) (x7Dmg, Range 50, Radius 2)

77

CHAPTER FOUR Vehicle Agility Average Combat Stats by Pilot/Driver Skill

Enhanced Weapons 3 (Heavy Missiles)

1 2 3 4 5

Fast 2 Move:150 Cost: 2 Million Bomber-Jet

Size 2 Light Aircraft

B3 A3 M3

Breach Threshold 30

Typical 8, Good 12, Skilled 16, Elite 20 Typical 12, Good 18, Skilled 24, Elite 30 Typical 14, Good 21, Skilled 28, Elite 35 Typical 16, Good 24, Skilled 32, Elite 40 Typical 20, Good 30, Skilled 40, Elite 50

Inertia 5

rather than aerial combat.

Heavy Guns (x7 Dmg, Range 150, Radius 2) -2 Dice Penalty to Hit (t10/g15/s20/e25)

B3 A3 M2

Heavy Missiles (Enhanced to Size 5) (x7Dmg, Range 50, Radius 2)

Heavy Missiles (Range 50, Radius 2, x6 Dmg)

Breach Threshold 30

Inertia 5

Advantage: Hover

Enhanced Weapons 3 (Heavy Missiles)

Medium Guns (Range 100, Radius 2, x5 Dmg) -2 to Hit

Fast 3

Fast 1

Stealth

Move: 120 Squares

Mach 3

7 Million Credits

Move:180

Futuristic Sky Vehicles

Cost: 80 Million

Hovercopter

747

Size 4 Heavy Aircraft

Size 1 Light Aircraft

Extra Cargo 2 (32 units)

Hovercopters are a futuristic update to the modern helicopter. Instead of using a propeller and rotor to create lift, repulsors on the bottom do so, while thrusters on all sides provide horizontal movement. A Hovercopter is faster and more durable than a helicopter. Like a helicopter, they can also hover, and take off and land just about anywhere.

Disadvantage: Unarmored

B3 A4 M1

Mach 1

Advantage: Hover

Move: 180 squares

Disadvantage: Unarmored

Cost: 200 Million

Move: 120 squares

B4 A3 M1 Inertia 7

Breach Threshold: 20

Defense: 20

Fast 3

Helicopter

Size 1 Light Aircraft

Breach Threshold 30

2 Million Credits

Helicopters are unique vehicles because they are capable of taking off and landing completely vertically. In addition, they are able to hover in mid-air, whereas other aircraft must keep moving forward in order to maintain lift under their wings. This added versatility make helicopters ideal for evacuations and insertions in enemy territory.

Assault Hovercopter

B3 A3 M1

Advantage: Hover

Breach Threshold 15

Inertia 5

Inertia 4

Size 2 Light Aircraft

The Assault Hovercopter is larger and more well armed than the standard Hovercopter. It is used to move troops and provide infantry support. B3 A4 M3

Breach Threshold 35

Inertia 6

Advantage: Hover

Heavy Missiles (Range 50, Radius 2, x6 Dmg)

Disadvantage: Unarmored

Medium Guns (Range 100, Radius 2, x5 Dmg) -2 to Hit

Move: 90 squares

Extra Hull Strength 1

Cost: 1 Million Credits

Fast 1

Attack Helicopter

Move: 160 Squares

Size 2 Light Aircraft

Built for combat, the military helicopter combines the mobility of a helicopter with the fighting power of a fighter jet. Though it is slow by comparison to a fighter, it is mainly used for ground support,

15 Million Credits

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VEHICLES AND WARFARE

Heavy Ordinance These are not really vehicles, per se, but rather, weapons often used to destroy enemy vehicles. They are not personal arms, but rather, heavy weapons designed to inflict damage on a massive scale. They are either not intended to move, or rely on other vehicles to move them. Because they don’t move, they need a 20 to be hit, just the same as heavy vehicles or capital ships.

60,000 Credits

These are not listed based on any certain TL—just assume these are the most up-to date versions (i.e. a futuristic Anti-Aircraft Gun will probably be a battery of laser cannons, rather than a flack firing machine-gun). The clearest advantage that these weapons have over vehicles is that of cost—a heavy artillery piece may seem expensive, but is cheap compared to a fighter jet.

Two Arrays of Light Missiles (Range 150 squares/15 grids, x4 Dmg Radius 1) +5 to hit

Anti-Aircraft Gun

Medium Missile Battery Size 2 Heavy Ordinance

Size 1 Heavy Ordinance

Light Missile Battery

Size 1 Heavy Ordinance

These surface to air missiles are primarily used to attack enemy aircraft. B1 A1 M2

Advantage: Bombard (about 15 miles) Move: None 30,000 Credits

Designed to shoot down enemy planes, this could easily be used in space against enemy starships.

These are usually surface to surface missiles, used to target enemy ground forces.

B1 A1 M2 Defense: 20

B1 A1 M3 Defense 20

Breach Threshold 10

Inertia 0

Move: None

Advantage: Bombard (about 10 miles)

3,000 Credits

Move: None

Size 1 Heavy Ordinance

These gun emplacements are used to destroy enemy support vehicles, such as tanks, or to keep infantry units pinned down under fire. B1 A1 M3 Defense 20

Inertia 0

Two Arrays of Medium Missiles (Range 100 squares/10 grids, x6 Dmg, Radius 2) +2 to hit

Light Guns (range 50 squares/5 grids, x4 Dmg, Radius 1)

Light Artillery

Breach Threshold 10

Breach Threshold 10

Inertia 0

50,000 Credits Heavy Missile Battery

Size 3 Heavy Ordinance

This surface to surface missile battery is a powerful weapon, intended to level a city. Fortunately, they can only be used within short range.

Medium Guns (Enhanced to size 3, Range 100 squares/10 grids, x6 Dmg, Radius 3) -2 to hit

B2 A1 M4 Defense 20

Enhanced Weapons 2 (Medium Guns)

Two Arrays of Heavy Missiles (Range 50 squares/5 grids, x8 Dmg, Radius 6)

Advantage: Bombard (about 2 miles)

Advantage: Bombard (about 2 miles)

15,000 Credits

Move: None

Heavy Artillery Size 2 Heavy Ordinance This huge gun emplacements can fire at distant targets, and are often used to defend ports from enemy fleets. A futuristic version may be a giant laser, or a magnetic rail-gun. Breach Threshold 20

Inertia 0

Heavy Guns (Enhanced to size 5; Range 150 Squares/15 grids, x8 Dmg; Radius 5) -5 to hit Enhanced Weapons 3 (Heavy Guns) Advantage: Bombard (about 20 miles) Move: None

Inertia 0

Enhanced Weapons 3 (Heavy Missiles)

Move: None

B2 A1 M4 Defense 20

Breach Threshold 20

80,000 Credits Nuclear Missile

Size 3 Heavy Ordinance

A Nuclear missile does not follow the standard rules for weapons. It is essentially a self-propelled vehicle that destroys itself and a several mile radius on impact. Thus, it does not fit into the standard “squares” or in regards to its range or effect. In essence, a Nuclear Missile should be used as a plot device, rather than a standard weapon. Stats are given below in case Heroes are intended to intercept such a weapon before it reaches its target. B1 A5 M5 Defense 20

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Breach Threshold 10

Inertia 8

CHAPTER FOUR Everything within one mile of the blast radius takes x10 Dmg three times. Everything within 2 Miles of the blast radius takes x10 Dmg twice. Everything outside 2 miles, to the edge of the blast radius only takes x10 Dmg. People in special bunkers may be completely unharmed, though they may have to stay underground for a long time. The surface will be a radioactive zone for years after impact. Anyone entering the zone must make a 30 Brawn check each day, or they will contract minor radiation sickness unless they are wearing protective gear (don’t forget that “minor” radiation sickness will likely kill you within a week). The Nuclear Missile travels by boosting into the upper atmosphere, then falling on its target. It takes about 20 minutes to arrive. Move: 250 Squares 20 Million Credits

its Mind+2. A fleet gets a +5 total result bonus to damage and to its “breach threshold” for each point of size it is larger than the enemy fleet. If a fleet suffers a “breach” it lowers its size by 1. A fleet reduced to size 0 is obliterated, with only a few survivors who were smart enough to flee the battle. When engaged in battle, a fleet may choose to forgo its ability to counterattack in order to disengage the enemy and retreat (by beating the enemy commander in a Military/Tactics contest). It will still suffer damage from the enemy’s attack, but the fleets will be separated, and cannot take damage until they again move to engage one another. In this way, a faster fleet can evade a slower fleet almost indefinitely. Of course, a navy could be divided into several fleets. It is even possible that an enormous navy could have multiple size 10 fleets.

Time, Space, and Movement

The Rules of War There are times when the Narrator must set up a situation in which the Heroes take part in a battle. From a battle on the surface of a planet, to a full-scale war to rule the galaxy, Heroes and Villains can be a part of the action. Those who have BASH! Fantasy Edition will note that these mass combat rules are different from those presented in that book. In BASH! Sci-Fi, mass combat is regarded from a more strategic stand-point, rather than a tactical one.

Fleet to Fleet: Mass Combat in Space Battles between fleets of starships involve hundreds, maybe even tens of thousands of capital ships, all supported by numerous fighters, bombers, and other support vehicles. Keeping track of all this to resolve a battle in space is rather tedious. Instead, for BASH! Sci-Fi, large fleet battles are resolved in a more abstract way. Each fleet is rated according to the size of the fleet, from 1 (a very tiny flotilla) to 10 (a massive armada of epic proportions). Don’t bother figuring out what the individual ships are within the given fleets (though Heroes & Villains ships can play a part)—just figure how large each fleet is relative to one-another (considering 5 to be the size of an “average” fleet). Fleets also have stats, just like a ship—though these represent more abstract things. A fleet’s Brawn score represents how strong its defenses are. A fleet’s Agility represents how fast it can move as a group, indicating how many sectors it can move in a single turn of fleet combat (which may take place over the course of a day, week, or month, depending). Mind represents the destructive firepower of a fleet. Rate these scores from 1-5, assuming a 3 is an “average” rating for each stat. A “typical” fleet will thus, have 9 points invested among these stats. Less powerful fleets will have less than 9 points, more powerful fleets will have more. When fleets engage one another, they automatically hit. Damage is resolved simultaneously. A fleet’s damage multiplier is equal to

Fleets of starships (or naval vessels, or armies) need to measure time and space in much broader scales than individual ships would. Micromanaging the movement of each individual ship in a fleet would be tedious at best. Thus, a more generic system has been created. Squares of space, called sectors represent the basic unit of distance in fleet engagements. How big a sector is depends on the setting and the scale set by the Narrator. A war between two star systems will be a much smaller than one between two galaxies, and a war between two countries would be smaller still. Thus, the size of a sector is completely subjective. A unit of time for fleet engagements would likewise be subjective. Thus, we will just use the generic phrase “turn”. Most likely, a turn is equal to at least a day, but could be merely an hour. A fleet can move a number of sectors equal to its own Agility per turn. When two fleets occupy the same sector, they become “engaged”. Fleets move in an order determined not by their Agility (which simply determines how far they move), but by who has better intelligence or strategy. The commanders of the fleets can roll for this (maybe even rolling each turn), or it can simply be established by the Narrator. Rolling would involve the commanders rolling Military/Strategy against one another. The lowest score moves first, followed by the next lowest, and so on, until all have moved. This enables the better commander to gain tactical advantage, by anticipating the enemy’s moves, and planning their own movement accordingly. This does not mean that he will allow himself to be surrounded—movement is considered to be simultaneous, allowing a fleet under better command to avoid engagement if it wishes (appearing to move “through” the fleets trying to corner it, though it is actually moving away from them as they approach its former position). Thus, the better commander only engages the enemy when they wish it to be so.

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Fleets resolve attacks simultaneously. This means that if a fleet of size 5 were damaged, and knocked down to size 4, it would do its damage as if it were size 5 during its retaliation to the enemy. A fleet may choose to disengage the enemy in lieu of attacking. To do so, the fleet commander must defeat the enemy commander in a Military/Tactics contest. If successful, the fleet is able to pull away, after taking damage dealt by the attacking fleet.

Ports and Planets If you are keeping track of long-term strategic goals, fleets will need to maintain zones of control over various planets or ports (or other regions of great importance). These serve as a fleet’s base of supply, and as their control over planets (or ports) diminishes, the fleet weakens. A fleet must control a number of planets (or ports) equal to its own size or it will be unable to replace lost men and equipment. Essentially, when fleets have disengaged, they may return a portion of their number to a planet (or port in the case of sea vessels) in order to regain what was lost—increasing the fleet 1 size, up to a maximum of its currently controlled planets. This will succeed only if a Military/Command (or other skill that grants the Command specialization) check is made to succeed in motivating enough new men, supplies, and equipment to be issued. The difficulty of the check is 5 times the fleet’s current size. Inspiring Leadership will aid the commander in making this check, adding double the points in this power to the total result of the Command roll. Additionally, every 5 planets under your control can build a new strength 1 fleet every turn—but you cannot have more total fleet strength than the total number of planets you control. A fleet holding more than 10 planets has no special advantage over one with 10—but it does have redundant sources of supply should any of their planets fall to an enemy. Of course, a navy with 14 planets could have a size 10 fleet and a size 4 fleet, or two size 7 fleets, or any other combination of 14 to make maximum use of available resources. Note that this does not mean that a size 10 fleet will only control 10 or so planets (or ports). It means that it will have 10 or so systems that are of major strategic importance that would be a devastating loss. There may be 100 habitable planets in a sector granting supplies to a fleet—but one of those planets is the key to controlling all of them (think of it like a capital city). A larger scale simply means that each sector contains more planets. Maintaining control of a planet (and access to its resources) requires first being able to place a fleet in its sector. This effectively blockades that planet, so the enemy cannot benefit from its resources—but these resources do not automatically go to the blockading fleet. Even if the planet is not defended by an enemy fleet, the planet itself will be protected by an enemy army. Winning control of the planet requires that an army be placed on the planet to wrest it from the enemy army (See “Mass Combat on Planet” page 82).

VEHICLES AND WARFARE Impact of and on Heroes & Villains How can a handful of Heroes impact such massive battles? What they may or may not realize is that their missions are of vital strategic importance to their side. Below are some options for how the actions of a few Heroes (or Villains) can affect the mechanics of fleet combat. Of course, the Narrator could simply describe the impact of the Heroes actions without rolling the results of the actual battle—this is just to give the Narrator options. Attack/Defend Critical Position: By engaging the enemy along with their fleet, the Heroes can contribute to the fleet’s overall success in battle. In this situation, the Heroes will be engaging the enemy at a key location, which could hold the key to victory for their side. The Narrator should set this up as a battle between a handful of individual ships, taking place with the rest of the fleet battle going on in the background. Victory here will cause a chain reaction to the enemy fleet, as the Heroes ships are able to punch through—or hold the line against a similar assault by the enemy. The result will be that for that engagement, the Heroes fleet will get a +10 total result bonus to damage dealt to the enemy fleet, or increase its own Breach Threshold by 10 for that engagement. Alternately, this can be used to prevent the enemy from outmaneuvering your fleet. Instead of using the bonus for damage or resisting damage, it can be used to automatically allow one’s fleet to successfully disengage or prevent the enemy from doing so—without the fleet commander having to roll a Tactics contest with the enemy. Also, if the Heroes or Villains are in a fleet that has suffered a Breach under enemy attack, they roll their ship’s Highest stat to see if it took damage. A 10 or less indicates that the ship was badly damaged, and took x8 damage (size does not figure into this). A 20 or less indicates a serious hit; x4 damage. A 30 or less is a scratch; x2 damage. Anything above a 30 means the ship was totally undamaged. If this damage results in a Hull Breach, be sure to see what happens to the characters inside. Intel: Heroes may embark on missions in order to gain Intelligence regarding the movements and plans of enemy fleets. If this mission is successful, their side’s fleets will be considered automatically under a better commander, as they are able to make use of this intelligence to plan their movements. Likewise, a mission might be to give the enemy false intelligence, which in the end serves the same purpose. How long this effect lasts is up to the Narrator—but likely will only make a difference until the next major engagement. Supply/Communications: Heroes may be needed to disrupt enemy communications or supply lines, or to maintain their own. A successful mission will result in penalties to the enemy fleet commander’s Military/Command roll to increase the size of their fleet, or prevent such penalties from befalling their fleet. Depending on how key these communications relays are, these effects could last for several turns, until a new communications station or supply source is built or another one taken back or repaired.

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CHAPTER FOUR Steal/Recover Plans: By stealing enemy plans, prototypes, etc. it is possible for the fleet to fight much more effectively against the enemy. If this mission succeeds, the next 3 major engagements will give the Heroes side a big advantage, giving them a +2 Mind for damage rolls OR +2 Brawn for resisting enemy attack or a +1 to each.

Mass Combat on Planets

Terrain Type Movement Cost/Sector

Cover Bonus

Plains

1

0

Desert

2

0

Hills

2

+5

Mountains

3

+10

Swamp

3

+5

Forest/Jungle

2

+5

Snow

+1 to existing type

+0

Combats between land-based armies can be resolved the same as fleets of starships. However, there are some other factors to consider, such as terrain. A map drawn to represent the boundaries where the conflict is taking place will likely have sectors containing mountains, deserts, or oceans, which are difficult or impossible for an army to move through. Different terrains also provide varying degrees of protection to armies, as mountains provide more cover than an open plain. The cost for moving through a sector of terrain is listed on the chart below, as is the bonus to that army’s “breach threshold” to resist damage.

army’s Breach Threshold. Attacks that do less damage than an army’s Breach Threshold do only incidental damage to the army. Attacks that do more damage than the army’s Breach Threshold cause the army to shrink in size by 1. An army reduced to size 0 is destroyed. Army sizes are ranked from 1-10, with 5 being an “average” sized army, a 1 being a miserable company, and a 10 being an army of massive proportions.

Ocean sectors can only be passed by fleets of sea-going ships, or by flying vehicles. Sea vehicles can carry an army of equal their own size and drop them off when adjacent to land, but cannot move through any terrain other than ocean sectors. “Armies” of flying vehicles can pass over any terrain with no increase in movement cost, but cannot end their movement in Hills, Mountains, Swamp, Ocean, or Forest/Jungle terrain, and can carry a maximum army equal to half their size. They also gain no benefit from cover provided by the terrain. An army is assumed to be made up not only of soldiers, but of support vehicles as well—tanks, jeeps, walkers—or whatever else is appropriate to the setting. Stats work mostly the same for armies as they do for fleets. Brawn represents how resilient an army is to damage, and sets its Breach Threshold, Agility represents how many sectors an army can move each turn, and Mind is the baseline for how much damage an army does. A “3” is considered an “average” number for each stat, rated from 1-5. An army with major technological gaps against their opponents will likely have lower stats than the higher tech opponent. Air-forces move 2 sectors per point of Agility, and can continue to move after they engage an enemy (assuming they have movement left over, but are still damaged by counter-attack as normal). Airforces engaged by ground forces take double damage, as they are essentially being attacked with their planes still on the landing strip. Thus, it is in the interest of an air-force to strike first and to position itself away from enemy attacks. The rules for resolving damage work the same as well. An army has a damage multiplier equal to its Mind+2, granting a +5 bonus per point of size larger than the enemy army engaged. Likewise, any size advantage an attacked army has grants a +5 bonus to that

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VEHICLES AND WARFARE ALIENS AND ADVERSARIES

CHAPTER FIVE

ALIENS AND ADVERSARIES 83

CHAPTER FIVE Chapter 5: Aliens & Adversaries Here, the term monster is used very loosely. Not all things listed below are hideous beasts, indeed, some are rather pleasant to look at, and some are even human. By monster, we mean “creatures/ people that Heroes may encounter on their adventures” and it includes guards, war droids, furbles, and various other things. Many creatures listed below are minions, but some are Villains (or possibly Heroes). Notice that some descriptions might say “40 Hits if minion”. This indicates that this type of creature can be a Villain/ Hero as well, if the Narrator so chooses (usually a mastermind, possibly with several more creatures of the same type rated as minions working for him/her). Size: Size is a measurement of how large or small a creature is compared to a human. Human size is size 0, and creatures of this size have no entry for size. Creatures larger than humans are sized 1, 2, 3, and up, each size much larger than the previous one. Smaller creatures have their size represented by negative numbers, with a size -1 creature being roughly half the size of a person, -2 being about the size of a cat, and -3 being about 6” in circumference. Each point of size a monster has adds a Dice bonus to its Brawn rolls (except damage) and adds a 5 TR bonus to its damage rolls and soak. Each point of size is likewise a Dice penalty Agility rolls (which affects average attack and average defense accordingly). Remember, adding a negative number is the same as subtraction, subtracting a negative number is the same as addition. Size has been taken into account when listing the damage soaking and average attack and average defense of creatures. A negative damage soak is possible, meaning the creature takes extra damage each time it is hit, but negative damage dealt is impossible—the minimum damage an attack does is 0. Example: A size 3 creature has +3 Dice bonus on all Brawn rolls, +15 to its damage soak and damage dealt with each hit. It also suffers a -3 Dice penalty on all Agility dice rolls, including attacks and defense. A size -2 creature has -2 Dice penalty on all Brawn rolls, -10 to its damage soaked and damage dealt with each hit. However, it does get a +3 Dice bonus on all Agility dice rolls, letting it attack and defend better. Energy Cost (EC): When a power costs energy to use, it is listed next to the power’s description. All creatures have a pool of 10 energy, regardless of their size, or if they are a minion. Skills are listed when it is likely to matter, or are universal for the being listed. For instance, all Starship Captains have the Starship Operations skill. The Narrator can add to or alter the listed skills if so desired.

Danger Level: In order for the Narrator to decide what threats the Heroes can handle, each monster is assigned a danger level. This number is figured by the following formula- Stat total+ Powers total+ Size+ (1/10th Hits -5). Don’t worry about having to do this— we computed the results for each monster for you! The DL of a monster is compared to the Heroes’ DL to determine the range of creatures the Heroes should be able to cope with. A Hero’s DL is figured differently. A Heroes DL is 10+ half the Hero’s spent XP. Thus a seasoned Hero who spent 30 XP would have a DL of 25. If the villain’s DL is within 10 of the Heroes’ it should be a fair fight. If a minion’s DL is less, the minions should outnumber the Heroes (by a factor based on DLs as a rough guideline). A DL 16 Hero could fight three DL 5 minions, for instance. If the minion’s DL is equal or higher than the Heroes, one per Hero should be a challenging fight. If a monster’s DL is too low for the Heroes to fight, you can always add powers to make it a more worthy challenge. Each point of powers adds 1 to the DL of a monster. If you want to make a weaker monster, you can likewise take away powers, which subtract 1 DL per point.

Aliens, Mutants, and Monsters This section details strange, unusual, or dangerous creatures you may find on other worlds. These creatures need not be aliens—maybe they are the result of hideous mutations or genetic experiments. How they came to be in your game is up to you. The use of the word “alien” here is simply to demonstrate that these things are not of this world… yet. While this section covers exotic alien life, it does not go into enough depth to cover “ordinary” alien beasts, like alien equivalents of rabbits, mainly because there is little likelihood that the Narrator will need the stats of such creatures. If you just have to make use of a docile alien animal, just remember to use what you know. Using an animal from the real world as a template is a great way to create and run alien animals on the fly. All you have to make up is essentially what it looks like. Its diet, behavior, and habitat could just be the same as its Earth counterpart. You can also use this design philosophy to create many “monstrous” aliens by taking an Earth animal and adding a fantastic quality to it. Maybe your little alien bunny rabbit just happens to have a deadly electric shock! Several of the creatures detailed below were made in a similar fashion. You can also take creatures from BASH! Fantasy or other BASH! supplements, and simply change their names and appearance to be more fitting to a science fiction setting. Simply adding the name of the planet the creature hails from as a prefix might even do in a pinch (oh no! The dreaded Venusian Fire Dragon! Everybody run!).

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ALIENS AND ADVERSARIES Alien Predator Beast DL 26 When taking rock samples from an unknown world, be very careful what you pick up. You just may have an Alien Predator Beast aboard! These monsters reach adulthood very quickly, in a matter of hours. They reproduce by using their tail spike to inject prey with an egg, which grows to be a baby alien predator beast. When it becomes large enough, it eats its way out of the living host! Adults reproduce asexually, producing 1 egg every 2 months or so. The egg is fertilized when it is injected into a host. When not in a reproductive phase, adults will attack any living thing in order to eat it. They are voracious eaters, and their bodies have numerous natural weapons and defenses. Acidic spit, teeth, serrated blade arms, tail spike, and a black chitinous shell that protects them from even blaster fire. However, they do seem to have a weakness to flame.

Paired Weapons (Claws only) EC1 Fly (9 squares) Toughness 1 +10 Soak Bite Tech. +1DM Keen Smell x4 Claws x6 Dmg Bite x8 Dmg 50 Hits/15 Soak

Brhinox

Chitinous Shell: Toughness 3 +30 Soak Acid Spray: Range 5, Radius 1, x3 continual damage (5 EC) Swift strike (Bite or Tail spike) 2 EC B5 A3 M1

Healing x1 (1 EC)

Running 1 (12 squares) +1DM to horn attacks with a running start

Keen Senses (Scent) x4

Paired Weapons (hoof stomp) 1EC

Skills: Stealth+1/Hiding, Athlete/Jumping, Outdoor/Tracking

Toughness 3 +30 Soak

Bite x6 dmg

Keen Hearing x4

Arm Blades x5 dmg Tail Spike x5 dmg and possible injection with egg. The egg gestates for 2 days, then begins eating its way out, doing x5 continual damage. When the host reaches 0 hits, it bursts out of its body.

Horn x7 Dmg Hooves x6 Dmg Advantages: Fearless, Blaze of Glory

Disadvantage: Environmental Frailty: Heat.

Disadvantage: Berserk

100 Hits/30 Soak

100 Hits/35 Soak

Bear-Bat

Size 1

Claw Titan

Bear-Bats are large, bat-like beasts from a cold world with a dense atmosphere. Their size, shaggy fur, and irate tempers have given rise to the name Bear-Bats. However, their mouths and eyes look more like that of an insect than a bear. They are nocturnal, flying through the night on bat-like wings. When they smell a likely meal, they swoop down and pounce upon it with their claws and mandibles. B5 A3 M1

Ave Atk 18

DL 20

This large, hoofed herbivore has red, rubbery hide and three massive horns—one on its nose, and two curving forward from the side of its earless head. Though they are herbivores, they are extremely territorial and violent. Very few predators are daring (or foolish) enough to enter the territory of a Brhinox. A Brhinox will charge anything it perceives as a threat—which amounts to just about anything. Sometimes, Brhinox are used by primitive aliens as beasts of burden or war machines, and Brhinox fighting can be a popular arena sport.

B4 A3 M1

Paired Weapons (Blade Arms) 1 EC

Size 1

Ave Def 18

Size 3 DL 16

Claw Titans are enormous creatures from a low gravity world. Despite this environment, their great size has gifted them with incredible strength. Their tough, rubbery hide gives them good protection, even against blaster fire. The claw titan’s face has four black eyes and a gaping maw full of teeth. Its arms end in enormous claws, which it can use to grab prey and crush it, or throw it into its mouth. Though in the wild, Claw Titans seem to be brutish, they do have some primitive sentience.

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Carapace grants +10 Soak

Young Claw Titans can be trained to follow commands, and psionics can be used to communicate with them.

Blood Siphon: Must strike with Bite first. Victim takes x4 continual damage.

B5 A3 M1 Toughness 2 +20 Soak

Sonic Chirp: acts as the Confusion power, with a Radius 3. Victims have a -4 Dice penalty on all Agility rolls if they fail a x3 Mind contest. The effects of the chirp last a maximum of 3 pages. EC 5.

Paired Weapons (claws) 1EC

Bite x4 Dmg

Swift Strike (bite) 2EC

20 Hits/5 Soak

Claws do x6 dmg +15 (size)

Dune Raiders

Bite does x7 dmg +15 (size)

DL10

Running 1 (16 Squares of movement) +1DM to attacks made with a running start

A barbaric people inhabiting a great desert, the Dune Raiders have no relations with any other sentient race—they know only slaughter. All attempts at communication have failed, both due to their savagery and their seeming inability to speak an intelligible language. Their extreme, violent xenophobia drives them to fits of madness, and they will mercilessly attack any non-Dune Raider they see, preferring to slay their enemies with vicious swords while uttering blood-curdling screams. They only use blasters as a last resort. Survivors are only spared to be tortured later, and it is rumored, eaten. Nobody has ever seen a Dune Raider without their robes. These garments cover every inch of the body, and the eyes and mouth are protected by a mask. The sparse technology that they have is collected from wreckage and their victims’ bodies. They often are seen riding Sand Runners.

Invisibility 3 (30 Mind check to see it until it attacks) 3 EC

B2 A2 M1

Tail Technique +2DM

Reckless Might (Boosts Brawn to 3, reduces Hits to 20)

Claws x5 Dmg

Sword Tech. +1 Hit, +1DM

Bite x6 Dmg

Skillful

Tail x8 Dmg, Reach 2 Skills: Stealth/Prowl, Athlete/Climb, Outdoor/Tracking

Mind Shield 3 (x7 Mental Defense) Their minds are chaotic, alien, and hard to understand.

100 Hits

Environmental Endurance: Heat

50 Hits (if minion)/35 Soak

Cloaked Stalker

DL 20

This hyena-like creature is native to dense jungles and preys on the unsuspecting. Though it is in fact, a non-sentient animal, it has evolved a mind powerful enough to use psionics in order to make it nearly undetectable when it wishes. Its long, mace-like tail can be used to strike prey from a distance. B4 A2 M3 Paired Weapons (Claws) 1 EC

Doom Hopper

Size -1

Ave Atk 14 (21 sword) Ave Def 14

Disadvantage: Berserk, Inhuman Voice

DL 14

The Doom Hopper is an alien arthropod, resembling a giant, blue, four-legged grasshopper. However, this 3-4 foot long monstrosity has a voracious appetite for blood. Doom Hoppers attack by one of two methods. Against a single target, it will leap onto it, seemingly from nowhere and begin to siphon blood from the pinned target using a pair of hollow fangs. Doom Hoppers are especially vulnerable when feeding in this way, however (-4 Dice penalty to Defense rolls, dropping average defense to 12).

Skills: Outdoor+2/Survival, Stealth/Hiding, Land Animal Riding/ Galloping Equipment: Sword x5 Dmg (x6 Reckless Might), Blaster Carbine x5 Dmg, Range 20, 30 Hits (20 Reckless Might)

Dune Raider Chief

DL20

B3 A2 M1

If the beast is especially hungry, however, and the nearest food is in a group, the Doom Hopper will use its shrill sonic chirp to confuse the prey when it pounces in. This chirp is so loud it can be heard for miles. During Spring, Doom Hoppers become even more dangerous, as they travel in swarms.

Reckless Might (Boosts Brawn to 3)

B2 A3 M1

Skillful

Ave Atk 24

Ave Def 24 (12 when feeding)

Leap (8 squares) +1DM to attacks made when leaping Clinging

Sword Tech. +1 Hit, +1DM Paired Weapon Fighting Break Weapon Mind Shield 3 (x7 Mental Defense) Their minds are chaotic, alien, and hard to understand.

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ALIENS AND ADVERSARIES

Environmental Endurance: Heat Disadvantage: Berserk, Inhuman Voice

Disadvantage: Environmental Frailty: Heat

Skills: Outdoor+2/Survival, Stealth/Hiding, Land Animal Riding/ Galloping

40 Hits/15 Soak

Equipment: Two Swords x5 Dmg (x6 Reckless Might), Blaster Carbine x5 Dmg, Range 20, 100 Hits

Furbles

Size -3

DL-1

Considered a plague by some, and a food source by others, Furbles are a spherical fuzzy species with a metabolism that is incredibly fast, By consuming a very small amount of food, they can reproduce several times a day. A Furble reaches full maturity within a day. Within a week, enough Furbles will form to fill an entire cargo bay. Furbles also eat any dead matter—animal or vegetable they can find. They will suck on carpets to feast on dust-mites and dead skin cells—in other words, furbles can find food anywhere! Needless to say, Furbles can ruin life aboard a starship, and are crippling to merchants who find their stores have been eaten by them! On the other hand, if properly managed, furbles can ensure a continuous supply of food—as long as the crew are not picky eaters!

Jaw Monster Size 2 DL 21 Jaw Monsters are native to a jungle environment where the trees are several miles tall. Often, creatures that stray too far below the tree canopy find themselves being chased by massive predators like the Jaw Monster. A Jaw monster has two massive clawed legs, that are strong and sharp enough to allow it to run up and down the trunks of the trees where they live. It also has a massive head, which is featureless save for a massive maw filled with rows of teeth and a prehensile tongue. Jaw monsters live low enough in the tree canopy that they do not have any sunlight, and as a result, they have no eyes. They navigate by an inexplicable ability to “feel” their surroundings. Any vibration in the tree or air is felt by a Jaw Monster, and the chase begins, with the roaring beast charging the prey. B5 A3 M1 Ave Def 15 Clinging Running 2 (15 squares) +1DM to attacks while running

B1 A1 M1

Toughness 2 +20 Soak

Duplication—this power allows a Furble to make a duplicate of itself once every hour. (enhancement: within 24 hours a duplicated Furble can make duplicates of itself. These duplicates are permanent, as this is how the species reproduces).

Super Senses: Feel Surroundings Appendage (tongue) Stretching 3 (tongue only) Entangle (with tongue)

10 Hits

Ice Beast

Size 1

The Ice Beast is a shaggy, white, carnivore that resembles a cross between a gorilla and a polar bear. In addition to great strength, claws, and teeth, the Ice Beast has some minor psionic ability to manipulate ice. It does not usually use this to attack, but rather, to shape its den, and to keep unconscious prey on ice. B5 A2 M1 Toughness 1 +10 Soak Paired Weapons (claws) 1EC Swift Strike (bite) 2EC Cryokinesis 1

Ave Atk 15

1EC

Environmental Endurance: Cold

Tongue Reach 3, used to Entangle. Entangled prey is automatically bitten next page. Bite x7 dmg (+10 from size) 50 Hits/30 Soak

Omnipotent Entity Size between -3 and 3, usually 0 DL Unlimited This sentient alien has evolved so much power, that it can literally bend reality to its will (but some entities of this type may be limited to doing so on their own planet). Because of their reality warping abilities, there is no “set” appearance for these creatures—they take on a form of their own choosing—though this often emulates the form of the species they are interacting with. Omnipotent Entities such as this can have personalities ranging from benevolent,

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CHAPTER FIVE to indifferent, to curious, and even sadistic. Curious or Sadistic entities might treat humans or other “lesser” beings in the same manner as a child treats an insect. Benevolent entities may be sworn protectors of a certain planet or its people, and are viewed by them as “gods”. Indifferent entities only wish to be left alone, and may use deadly force to maintain their solitude. In any case, Omnipotent Entities are not to be trifled with, as their powers can cripple starships, create earthquakes, or even kill with a thought. With such potent abilities, encounters with an Omnipotent Entity should never be meant to result in actual combat! The Entity might feign interest in the fight for a time, pretending to dodge attacks or even be wounded, but when the game became boring it could snap its fingers and vaporize one of the foes (perhaps an unnamed ensign in a red shirt). Instead, encounters with Omnipotent Entities are intended as role-playing encounters. If the Entity is indifferent, or guarding a planet that the Heroes must get to, they may have to find some way to talk their way past it, prove their worth, trick it, or figure out something it wants that they can provide. If the Entity is curious, it may force the Heroes to entertain it, by answering its questions, or altering reality to put the Heroes in a situation from which there is only one means of escape. If the Heroes can “beat” the game, the Entity may let them leave. Sadistic entities may also make games for the Heroes, but often these games will be deadly. An example of a “game” would be if the Entity transported the Heroes to a pre-industrial pocket dimension, all dressed up as the Three Musketeers, with the Entity starring as Cardinal Richelieu. In order to “win” the Heroes would have to foil the plot of the Lady De Winter. This is especially humorous if the Heroes are from alien cultures and never read Dumas’ work! A common plot involving Curious or Sadistic Entities is that they are immature versions of the species. While they may have a supragenius intellect, they have the mentality of a spoiled, bratty 8-year old. The Heroes have become its new pets or toys. Often, in such a story, the parents show up just in time to stop their child from doing something horrible to the Heroes. The stats and powers listed below are by no means the limits of what an Omnipotent Entity has. Instead, they are a guideline of the powers that the entity is likely to use. An Omnipotent Entity has every Psionic power in the game, as well as the ability to duplicate any Alien power or even Mechanical Powers it chooses. An Omnipotent Entity is even capable of emulating starship powers, when dealing with stellar vessels. Usually, however, Omnipotent Entities do not bother with mundane powers. An Omnipotent Entity has an unlimited supply of energy, and as such, you do not need to keep track of energy costs for their powers. In addition to these powers, Omnipotent Entities can Warp Reality, instantaneously transporting people or starships across time and space, creating unique “pocket dimensions” populated by whatever the Entity wishes, resembling any culture it desires. They also have a very potent ability called Nullification, making any high

technology useless when they wish to—this can cause ships in orbit to lose power, blasters to cease functioning, or even medical equipment to fail. Another impressive ability is their Awareness. Omnipotent Entities are aware of everything that happens on the planet or pocket dimension they are on, as well as everything in orbit of that planet. An Omnipotent Entity can use its powers on anything it is Aware of. If the Heroes for some reason must be in direct conflict with an Omnipotent Entity, the Narrator should have some sort of Achilles’ Heel in place that the Heroes must discover and exploit. Usually, Heroes beat an omnipotent entity by simply surviving any weirdness it puts them through. B5 A5 M5 Awareness Warp Reality Nullification Electro/Pyro/Cryo-Kinesis 5 (variable) Daze 5 (variable) Confusion 5 (variable) Omni-Linguist Telepathy Damage Aura 5 ??? Hits/??? Soak Depends on its mood.

Phase Wraith DL 41 Among the most horrifying creatures to inhabit the galaxy, Phase Wraiths are malevolent alien intelligences that only partially exist in our own reality. As a result, they exist in “phase”, a ghost-like form. This ghost-form has no substance, and can pass through solid objects, and vice-versa. Solid weapons, such as bullets or vibroblades will not hurt a phase wraith in this form, but they are still vulnerable to high energy attacks, like a blaster, Energy Blade, or fire, as well as psionics. Force Fields affect them normally, and they are also strangely vulnerable to EMPs (just as if they were machines, even though they are in fact, alive). A phase wraith is capable of temporarily manifesting itself physically in our world, but doing so is very tiring to the creature, draining 2EC per page it remains solid. To make up for its limited ability to interact with our world, however, Phase Wraiths have very powerful psionic abilities, including Telekinesis and Mind Control. When a Phase Wraith uses its Mind Control ability, it actually phases itself into the living body of the subject it is controlling, possessing them. Especially evil phase ghosts have been known to use these abilities to sabotage ships or even cause mutinies (for instance, by possessing the captain of a starship and ordering the helmsman to pilot it into a star). They have also held people hostage, by possessing their bodies and threatening to harm themselves unless their demands are met. B1 A2 M4

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ALIENS AND ADVERSARIES

Phasing (see above) 2EC to become solid Telekinesis 4

Disadvantage: Environmental Frailty: Heat

Hovering (they can have this power even though it is on the mechanical powers list, but only when phased out. If they become solid, they lose this power) 10 squares

30 Hits/15 Soak. Cost: 5000 Credits

Keening Wail: Confusion (Range 5, Radius 1, -2 penalty) 3EC

Shifters are creatures with a very strange body. They can change shape at will—become other creatures or even other people or objects entirely. For this reason, they are both feared and prized as spies and assassins. A discovered shifter is almost as deadly, with its ability to become a large, snarling beast, or even turn its hands into knives or spears.

Illusion 3 (This power only works when phased out) 2EC Invisibility 3 (This power only works when phased out) 2EC Omni-Linguist Suggestion

Shifter Size 0 DL 30

B3 A3 M2

Mind Control (when using this power, it actually possesses the victim’s body)

Shape-Shifter; Clinging; Stretching 2; Natural Weapons; Mimic; Healing 3; Changeling

Telekinetic Crush 4 (x4 Continual Damage. There is no range—they seem to do it with their hands)

100 Hits

100 Hits

Razor Cat

Snow Strider Size 1 DL 12

Snow striders are large, ostrich-like animals that live in frozen wastes. Hardy and tamable, they are often used by the indigenous peoples of these tundras as riding animals.

This green furred animal resembles a saber-tooth tiger with a great column of spines running down its back. A Razor Cat is capable of amazingly long jumps, which it uses to catch prey by surprise. A Razor Cat usually hides in the brush, and leaps on top of its prey, using its giant fangs to cut the neck. B4 A3 M1

Ave Atk 18

Size 1 DL 8

B3 A3 M1

Ave Atk 18

Ave Def 18

Toughness 1: +10 soak damage Running 3 (18 squares) (Rider gains +1DM if making a hand to hand attack from a running animal)

Ave Def 18

Leap (16 squqres) +1DM to Bite after leap

Environmental Endurance: Cold

Running 2 (15 squares) +1DM attacks after running

Disadvantage: Environmental Frailty: Heat 30 Hits/15 Soak. Cost: 5000 Credits

Paired Weapons (Claws) Bite x6 Dmg

Sonic-Bats

Claws x5 Dmg Skills: Athlete/Jumping, Stealth+1/Hide, Outdoor/Tracking 50 Hits/5 Soak

Sand Runner Size 1 DL 8 Sand Runners are large, dinosaur-like creatures that live in some of the most unforgiving deserts. They run on two powerful legs, and have a long neck. Though they can be tamed for riding by desert peoples, in the wild they run in packs and attack just about anything for food. They are omnivores, however, and will eat animal feed. B3 A3 M1

Ave Atk 18

Ave Def 18

Size -1 DL 14

Whether these beasts are bat-like alien animals or mutated bats from the future, they are much larger than ordinary bats, each about the size of a dog. They are carnivorous, and prey on anything that moves into their caves or near them. They can blast a keening sound that agitates the victim’s very molecules, causing serious burns with sound. They can also emit a hypnotic dazing effect to lull victims to stand still to be devoured. B1 A3 M2

Ave Atk 24

Ave Def 24

Bite does x2 dmg Sonic Scream: Range 5, Radius 1, +2DM (x4dmg) 4EC.

Toughness 1: +10 soak damage

Sonic Stun: Daze Range 5, Radius 1 4EC

Running 3 (18 squares) (Rider gains +1DM if making a hand to hand attack from a running animal)

Super Sense: Echolocation—Sonic bats don’t need to see, they use echolocation to find their prey.

Bite does x5 Dmg

Flying x3

Environmental Endurance: Cold

10 Hits/-5 Soak

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CHAPTER FIVE

Swarm Flight Leader B2 A3 M2

Spike Strider Size 2 DL 21 This six limbed beast resembles a cross between a preying mantis and a dinosaur. Its massive legs end in sharp spikes, used to spear its prey before devouring it.

Size -1 DL 12

Ave Atk 24 (18 w/ offhand pistol) Ave Def 24

Fly (9 squares) Medium Armor Familiarity Blaster Pistol Tech. +1DM

B4 A3 M1

Off-Hand Pistol

Long Legs: Stretching 1 (3 square reach with limb spikes) Extra Arms (spikes)

Equipment: vibroblade (x5 damage), blaster pistol (Range 10, x6 dmg), and Medium Body Armor

Swift Strike EC 2

Disadvantage: Slave Mind

Chitinous Shell: Armored Body 2 +20 Soak

30 Hits/25 Soak

Spike x6 Dmg

Swarm Commander Size -1 DL

Bite x4 Dmg

B3 A3 M2

100 Hits/30 Soak

Fly (9 squares)

The Swarm

Medium Armor Familiarity

Long ago, the race known as the Swarm was a small, barbaric, primitive insectoid people. Their planet was low in natural resources, due to the voracious demands of the Swarm, and as a result they were embroiled in constant civil war. Then, a star-faring people stopped on their planet for repairs. Who this race was is unknown, but they were soon set upon by the Swarm. Despite superior weapons destroying Swarm by the thousands, they came in waves, and eventually overpowered the visitors, and took over the ship. After “convincing” their scientists to repair the ship, the Swarm king dispatched him, and took his people into the stars—to pillage new worlds and enslave new civilizations!

Blaster Pistol Tech. +2 DM

When the Swarm are encountered, they are often organized as a colony or hive. The hive has three levels of Swarm—the Drone— mindless workers/warriors, the Flight Leader, a more intelligent member of the colony placed in charge of several Drones, but still submissive to the authority of the Commander. A Commander of the Swarm is the only one encountered that is capable of truly independent thought. The other swarm members heed his commands, and will die defending him. Very large colonies of Swarm will have several Commanders, each in charge of their own section of hive.

Swarm Drone

Size -1 DL 4

Off-Hand Pistol Vibroblade Tech. +1DM Equipment: Vibroblade (x7 Dmg) 100 Hits/25 Soak

Tentacle Worm A subterranean beast of immense size and power, this gigantic worm lashes out at its prey using massive tentacles that serve as its tongue. It uses these tentacles to crush prey and electrocute it. They sense the presence of prey on the surface by feeling vibrations in the earth. They have no visual organs, but their unusual sensory abilities more than make up for this. The Tentacle Worm is written up as two parts—the main body, and its tentacles. A Tentacle worm has 5 tentacles that it can lash out at prey individually (behaving as 5 separate minions). Its body is capable of lurking below the surface while it sends the tentacles above to procure prey. Using the ground for cover, it can make killing the body very difficult. Body

Size 4

B5 A1 M1

B2 A2 M1

Keen Senses: Touch (x4)

Fly (6 squares)

Super Senses: Vibration—it can sense the presence of anything touching the ground

Light Armor Familiarity Typically carries a vibroblade (x5 damage), blaster carbine (Range 20, x5 dmg), and light armor

Super-Dense Hide gives it +30 soak

Disadvantage: Slave Mind

Bite does x7 Dmg (+20 for size)

10 Hits/15 Soak

100 Hits/50 Soak

Tunneling 5 (15 squares)

Tentacles Size 1 B3 A3 M1

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ALIENS AND ADVERSARIES

Long Reach: 5 squares from the mouth Appendage

Bite Tech. +1 Hit (x3) +1DM

Entangle: A tentacle that grabs someone can entangle them instead of electrocuting them. On the following page, an entangled victim is put into the worm’s mouth and bitten automatically, or electrocuted. The victim can attempt a Brawn contest every page to break free.

Claw Tech. +1 Hit (x3)

Electrocution: x5 dmg

Tunneling 3 (5 squares)

Toughness 1 +10 Soak

Bite x8 Dmg +10; Claws x6 Dmg +10

Disadvantage: no movement—the tentacles are anchored to the mouth of the worm.

100 Hits/40 Soak

30 Hits/15 Soak

Thunder Beast Size 2

DL 21

This gentle giant has a pale blue pebbly hide, six powerful legs, and a giant tusked mouth. The Thunder Beast roams grasslands, grazing for food. Despite its vegetarian diet, its mouth houses a pair of giant tusks that jut up from the lower jaw. When threatened, or protecting its young, a Thunder Beast will charge a foe with these tusks. They can also use them to hurl enemies up into the air (just as the martial arts “throw” maneuver). Their most dangerous attack, however, is to simply trample opponents. Thunder beasts get their name for their thunderous bellow, which can daze those who get too close (allowing it to trample them).

Bony Hide gives +30 Soak Acid Blood x4 Continual Damage Radius 1

Unstoppable Gorger Size 1 DL 22 This beast resembles a huge hairless ape with green, lumpy skin. It also has four long arms ending in wicked claws. Though it is believed to be descended from plants, it is a very viscous killing machine. They can subsist on nearly anything (nuts, berries, roots, and even rocks), but they prefer more lively prey. They especially enjoy eating sentient life-forms, and seem to revel in causing pain and fear, and will toy with their food before eating it. B4 A3 M1 Extra Arms; Stretching 1 (arms are very long); Swift Strike (Bite) EC 2; Healing 4 EC 4; Leathery skin +10 Soak; Claws do x5 Dmg +5; Bite does x6 Dmg +5. Advantage: Eat Anything; Disadvantage: Environmental Frailty: Heat

B5 A2 M1 Toughness 1 +10 Soak

100 Hits

Running 2 (10 squares) +1DM to attacks made while running Thunder Bellow: Daze Range 5, Radius 1 (this is done at x3 multiplier, despite the Mind of 1) 4 EC Tusk x7 Dmg Trample x8 Dmg (only x1 to hit) Affects all in a line 4 squares long, 2 squares wide, which the beast moves through 100 Hits/20 Soak

Tunnel Devil Size 2 DL Named for its red, bony skin and the great curved horns atop its head, the Tunnel Devil is one of the most hated beasts in the galaxy, especially by miners. Its habit of burrowing into nearby mines and eating the workers slows production to a crawl as workers refuse to go into the hole. Luckily, there are some mercenaries stu… brave enough to take them on. They are very dangerous up close, not only because of their teeth and claws, but their highly caustic acidic blood. Whenever a Tunnel Devil is wounded by an attack, anyone standing within a 1 square radius of the wound must make a 20 Agility check or be sprayed with this blood, which causes x4 Continual Damage!

Viper Slug

Size -1 DL 10

This creature is prized by assassins for its deadly venom. A viper slug has black, rubbery skin, and is about 3 feet long. They seem to move by gliding along a surface—far faster than a true slug or viper moves. Viper Slugs do not seem to have any eyes, but react to movement. Even the subtle movement of a sleeping person attracts their attention. Viper Slugs will attack things many times larger than themselves, often dropping from above, hoping to kill them. If the prey is dead, the slug waits for its body to decompose and eats the rotting flesh. Viper Slugs often hunt in family groups of 3-8, and are seldom encountered alone. B2 A3 M1 Powers: Rubbery Skin +10 Soak; Cling; Running 2 (15 squares); Venomous: x4 Continual Damage 20 Hits/5 Soak

B5 A2 M1 Paired Weapons (claws) 1EC Swift Strike (Bite) 2EC

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CHAPTER FIVE Colossus Creatures Some monsters are so big, that they do not function by the rules for creatures, but rather, work using the vehicle rules instead. That is to say, that they don’t have hits— they die from suffering a number of wounds equal to their size, just as a ship is destroyed by suffering a like number of breaches. Damage below the Colossus’ Wound Threshold is considered incidental damage— it does not harm the creature, in the same manner as a starship’s Breach Threshold. The test for when a creature should be considered a Colossus is whether or not the Narrator believes that the creature should be able to hold its own against a vehicle in combat. In addition to using vehicle scale for damage, Colossus creatures also use vehicle scale for movement as well as for some powers. For instance, a Colossus would not have the “Toughness 1” power, but would instead take the “extra armor/shields” power to represent its tough hide. Colossus creatures move at 10 times the speed of an ordinary sized creature (so a Colossus with Agility 2 moves 60 squares instead of 6). Colossus creatures in space use movement represented in grids instead of squares (so don’t multiply by 10). When a Colossus attacks, it uses its Inertia as its base damage, rather than simply using its Brawn. These creatures have an inertia rating because their great size might make them resistant to tractor beams, or even able to push a ship out of their way.

Great Dune Worm

Size 4-6

Native to a desert planet, the Great Dune Worm is a very dangerous predator, capable of consuming an entire tank in a single bite. Great Dune Worms tunnel under the sand, almost seeming to swim through it. They have incredible tactile senses, allowing them to feel any movement on the surface of the sand, and strike at it. B4 A2 M1 Wound Threshold: 45 Defense: 20 Inertia 8-10, based on size Extra Armor 1pt Tunneling 5pts (60 squares) Super Senses: Touch

Star Kraken Size 6 Deep in the black, uncharted regions of space, there be monsters. These creatures have been spotted from a distance, but never seen up close by anyone who lived to tell about it. The Star Kraken is a massive, tentacled beast that somehow lives in the vacuum of space. Exactly how it propels itself in vacuum is unknown (theories range from gravity control to biological thrusters), but it is actually fast enough to pursue a starship moving below light speed. For this reason, they often are found near magnetic storms, gravity wells, and other such phenomenon in space that might cause a ship to disengage its Stardrive. When a ship approaches, the Star Kraken latches onto it with its powerful tentacles, attempting to rip the ship apart. It is unknown if it does this in order to eat the crew, somehow

feed on the ship’s radiation, or even if it is sheer malevolence that drives it to do so. Whatever the reason, Star Krakens are a very dangerous threat to starships that find themselves in their clutches. B4 A2 M1 Inertia 10

Wound Threshold 40

Defense: 20

Tentacles: Treat as Tractor Beam 3 (40 Brawn, but only 1 grid of reach) Propulsion: Enhanced Engines 2 (10 grids)

Leviathan Fish

Size 5

On some watery worlds, there are places in the deep where man dare not go—for this is the domain of the Leviathan Fish—a marine beast that has survived for millions of years by consuming all things smaller than it. It also happens to be larger than most submarines, making them potential prey. B4 A3 M1 Inertia 10

Wound Threshold 40

Defense: 20

Bite: Drill 2pts (+2 Inertia when attacking)

Robots, Cyborgs, and Droids Science Fiction abounds with artificial life, from the bulky, clawed robots of 1950s B-Movies to the completely human looking androids of modern sci-fi. Unless otherwise specified, all the creatures listed here have the “Unliving” advantage. Those that do not likely have the “Cyborg” advantage instead.

Cyberninja

DL: Varies

These robotic spies/assassins are among the deadliest ever created, and are often used by unethical corporations or governments. Cyberninja Drones are often sent on a mission under the leadership of a Cyberninja Master—which actually houses a living brain and organs within a cybernetic body. Psionic individuals are usually chosen for this process (whether willing or not) because their danger sense ability is useful in ensuring the Cyberninja’s mission is completed. Whether by programming or brainwashing, Cyberninjas are completely loyal to their “employer” and if defeated will activate their self destruct sequence rather than give up any information!

Cyberninja Drone

DL 24

B2 A3 M2 Ave Atk 21, Ave Def 21 Speed-Wired 2 EC 2; Invisibility 1 EC 1; Self-Destruct 4 (x7 dmg); Running 1 (12 squares); Leap (8 squares); Attack Weak Point; Martial Arts: 2 (Punch, Kick, Pressure Point, Choke, Kippup, Cyclone Kick); Vibro-Blade Technique +1DM; Shuriken Technique +1DM; Built-In Weaponry 2; Swinging (12 squares); Clinging Equipment: Vibro-Blade (x6 Dmg), 10 Shuriken (x3 Dmg) range 10,

92

ALIENS AND ADVERSARIES Skills: Stealth+1/Prowling, Athlete/Acrobatics, Escapology/Ropes, Deception+1/Disguise 30 Hits

Cyberninja Master DL 42 B2 A4 M3 Speed-Wired 4 EC 4; Invisibility 2 EC 2; Self-Destruct 4 (x7 dmg); Running 1 (12 squares); Leap (8 squares); Attack Weak Point; Martial Arts: 3 (Punch, Kick, Pressure Point, Choke, Kippup, Cyclone Kick, Jump Kick, Head Butt); Vibro-Blade Technique +2DM; Shuriken Technique +2DM; Built-In Weaponry 2; Swinging (12 squares); Clinging; Danger Sense; Toughness 1 +10 Soak;

repairs, and are called Repair Droids. There are even utility droids meant to serve as translators and go-betweens— these are Diplomacy Droids. Utility Droids tend to have a humanoid body type and voice. They are not made for war and are completely inept at combat. While Utility Droids are usually capable in their chosen profession, they are not as good as a living specialist would be, and more often serve as assistants to living counterparts. B1 A1 M3 Any

Physician+1,

Science/

Repair: Computers, Technology, Science Diplomacy: Foreign Cultures, Society, Servant: Domestic+1, Commerce

Skills: Stealth+1/Prowling, Athlete/ Acrobatics, Escapology/Ropes, Deception+2/Disguise

30 Hits

Star Knight DL 21

Advantage: Cyborg (5/6 chance of Machinery Damage), Psionics

An ancient order of robotic warriors was created by a benevolent empire millennia ago to uphold justice and right wrongs in the galaxy. These android Star Knights are all that remain or the culture that created them. Though their old empire has long since been lost to history, the Star Knights continue to do their duty.

100 Hits/10 Soak

DL 20

Duel Bots are made to serve as sparring partners to those who

They seek no reward or pay, other than seeing justice done. They do not serve any government, claiming that justice is their only master.

practice the ancient a rt of fencing. Most often they wield practice swords, but they can be equipped with real blades if the owner wants to use them for security instead of practice. The Duel Bot is unlike most other droids because it only has 1 arm, which it uses to grip the sword, and no head. They do not have legs, but their torso hovers about 3 feet off the ground at all times. B2 A3 M3 Ave Atk 21 Ave Def 21 Sword Tech. +2DM; Swift Strike 2 EC; Break Weapon; Disarm; Feint; Hovering (12 squares); Footwork (changes Ave Atk to 28 Ave Def to 14, or changes Ave Atk to 14, Ave Def 28 for 1 page) 1 EC; Toughness 3 +30 Soak; Practice Sword does x6 stun, Vibroblade does x7 dmg, and Energy blade does x8 dmg. 40 Hits/30 Soak

Utility Droid

3 Mental Skills, depending on type Medical: Biology,

Equipment: Vibroblade (x7 Dmg), 10 Shuriken (x4 Dmg) range 10

Duel Bot

Ave Atk 7 Ave Def 7

Unlike many other warriors in the galaxy, Star Knights completely reject the use of blasters or other such “un-chivalrous” weapons, and instead depend on sword and shield to do their fighting (albeit modern ones). On occasion, a Star Knight may be tasked with the protection of a specific location (usually the site of some ancient alien artifact), defending its secrets with their very life. More often, Star Knights take on quests in order see justice and honor are satisfied. Star Knights wear heavy body armor that has been styled to look like the armor of a medieval knight, with their face covered by a visor. If the helmet is removed, the Star Knight’s metallic face is shown, revealing its artificial nature. Though they are machines, Star Knights are fully sentient, and also capable of emotion, though their programming causes them to act the part of a gallant knight. B3 A2 M2

DL 2

A Utility Droid is programmed to perform a specific profession. Some utility droids may be manufactured to act as doctors, and are thus called Medical Droids, while others might be used in making

Heavy Armor Familiarity; EMP Resistance 3 (40 soak vs. EMPs); Energy Blade Tech. +1 Hit, +1 Dmg; Deflect 2 (x4 Defense) Equipment: Energy Blade (x7 dmg); Energy Shield; Heavy Body Armor (+40 Soak)

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CHAPTER FIVE

B3 A2 M1

Ave Atk 21

Advantages: Virtuous, The Cause: See Justice Done, Membership: Star Knights

Hovering (10 squares)

Disadvantages: True Grit, Honor Bound, Oath: Never use ranged weapons

Blaster Gatlin Tech: +1DM, +1Hit

100 Hits/40 Soak

War Droids

Force Field Emitter 3: 10 Soak 100 Hits Toughness 3: +30 Soak Blaster Gatlin x6dmg, Range 40, Radius 2

DL: Varies

Keen Vision (x4)

When robots became advanced enough to interact with humans, some scientists decided that it would be better for all if the robots served in the place of humans for military engagements. It was thought that this would save lives in the long run. However, robots are also completely cold, without conscience, or restraint. At some point, cultures that used robots for their armies realized this error—but for some it was too late. Below are listed some models of robot soldiers wrecking havoc today.

40 Hits/30 Soak

Juggernaut Assault Droid Size 3 DL 21 This massive war machine often leads the charge in attacks on enemy positions during ground assaults, followed by waves of War Droids and Assault Droids. They have one arm that has a giant blaster gatlin mounted on it, and a second arm ending in an enormous vibroblade should any opponent be foolish enough to get close. Alternately, instead of being a droid, the Juggernaut may be piloted as if it were a Mecha.

Light Infantry Droid DL5 B2 A2 M2 Toughness 1 +10 Soak

B5 A2 M2

Blaster Carbine x6 Dmg Range 20, (Burst Attack =7)

Blaster Gatlin Technique:+2 to hit (x4, -3 Dice penalty from size)

Self Destruct 3 (x6 Dmg in a 1 square radius)

Toughness 3 +30 Soak

Advantage: Unliving

Advantage: Unliving, Blaze of Glory

Disadvantage: Slave Mind

Disadvantage: Slave Mind,

10 Hits/10 Soak

Equipment: Blaster Gatlin x6dmg (+15 size), Range 40, Radius 2

Heavy Infantry Droid DL13 B4 A2 M2

Ave Def 14

Ave Atk 21

Vibroblade x8 Dmg +15 Size Ave Def 14

100 Hits/45 Soak

Built-In Weaponry 3

Sci-Fi Icons

Toughness 2: +20 Soak

Conflict in a Science Fiction setting is not limited to Man vs. Nature or Man vs. Machine. Indeed, the most common conflict in Science Fiction is Man vs. Man. Whether Heroes are trying to bargain with a shrewd trader or battling wave after wave of pirates, it is important for the Narrator to have a wide array of such characters to interact with the Heroes. Below is a collection of some of the more prolific and necessary character archetypes of science fiction. These characters can be of any race the Narrator desires, and can be modified by adding their alien powers, advantages, disadvantages, and stats to the base given below.

Blast Cannon Tech. +1 Hit Blaster Carbine Tech. +1 Hit Blast Cannon: x7 Dmg Range 10, Radius 1 (Burst Attack =14) Blaster Carbine x6 Dmg Range 20, (Burst Attack =14) Light Quantum Rocket Launcher x7 Dmg Range 30, Radius 2 3 Light Quantum Rockets Advantage: Unliving Disadvantage: Slave Mind

Assassin

40 Hits/20 Soak

Roving Gun Droid

DL 14

These war machines are deployed to guard an area from enemy assaults. They hover around their patrol route, and swarm on any intruders.

DL 26

Whether working for a government or hired by a private contract, these killers are extremely professional. They kill without mercy or hesitation, though they do not kill indiscriminately. They avoid civilian casualties whenever possible, as these only complicate the job and draw undue attention.

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Nevertheless, if an innocent person stands between them and elimination of the target, that person is as good as dead. B3 A3 M3 Martial Arts 3 (punch, kick, choke, head-butt, catch, martial block, knife strike, pressure point); Expert Marksman 1; Feint; Vibroknife Technique +2DM; Blaster Rifle Technique +1 Hit, +1DM; Quickdraw; Footwork; Disarm

ALIENS AND ADVERSARIES Although they may merely see themselves as “businessmen”, crime lords make their fortunes by the suffering, and often deaths, of others. The stats below are for a tough crime boss who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. For a softer, less physical crime lord, adapt a Merchant or Noble’s stats to suit your needs. B2 A2 M3

Skills: Stealth/Hiding, Athletics/Climb, Driving/Control, Deception/ Disguise, Engineering/Demolitions, Investigation/Analysis

Double Taps; Martial Arts 1: (Punch, Kick, Heel Stomp, Choke); Pistol Technique +2DM; Blaster Carbine Technique +1 Hit, +1DM;

Equipment: Vibroknife (x7 Dmg), Blaster Rifle

Skills: Athlete/Run, Stealth/Hide, Streetwise/Gather Information, Commerce/Bargaining, Deception/Lying

100 Hits

Bartender

Equipment: Blaster Pistol (x8 Dmg)

DL 4

Sci-Fi bartenders run the gambit from lovable scoundrels to ornery bigots. In any case, bartenders in sci-fi stories often serve up drinks with a side of information… for a price. They are also ready to defend their property with a blast cannon (or shotgun) under the bar, should a brawl start in their establishment. B1 A1 M2

Ave Atk 21

Ave Def 7

100 Hits

Duelist DL 23 Where sword-fighting is still in fashion, there will always be duelists—people who make a reputation for themselves by their skill with a blade. Whether it is a rapier, vibroblade, or Energy Blade, duelists become one with their weapon.

Blast Cannon Tech +2 Hit; Charisma (x4);

B2 A3 M2

Skills: Commerce; Streetwise;

Light Armor Familiarity (Leather or Light Body Armor); Rapier (or Vibroblade or Energy Blade) Technique +1 DM +1 to hit; Disarm; Feint; Footwork; Pierce Armor; Weapon Lock; Quick-Draw

Equipment: Blast Cannon (kept under the bar) Range 10, Radius 1, x6 Dmg

Equipment: Rapier (x4Dmg, x4 to hit)/Vibroblade (x6 Dmg)/Energy Blade (x6 Dmg, x7 Dmg two-handed), Leather Armor(Soak 10)/ Light Body Armor (Soak 20), Vibroknife (x4 Dmg x3 Hit)

30 Hits

Bounty Hunter

DL 21

A very common archetype of science fiction is the bounty hunter— a hired gun who tracks down fugitives. Sometimes they work for the law, tracking criminals down for the reward; at other times, they work for the crime-bosses, bringing back former employees who’ve tried to quit. In either case, the Bounty Hunter does the job for the money, and also to maintain their reputation—the better it is, the bigger their fees can be.

100 Hits/10 or 20 Soak

Gangster

DL 7

B2 A3 M2

As long as there are laws, there will be those who live outside them. Some criminals manage to create a virtual empire for themselves—and that empire is protected by an army. Gangsters are the enforcers of these self-styled crime lords, bribing authorities, collecting protection money, and eliminating competitors.

Martial Arts 2 (punch, kick, choke, suplex, throw, leg sweep)

B2 A2 M1

Light Armor Familiarity

Double Taps; Martial Arts 1: (Punch, Kick, Heel Stomp, Choke); Pistol Technique +2DM; Blaster Carbine Technique +1 Hit, +1DM

Blaster Pistol Technique: +2DM

Equipment: Blaster Pistol (x6 Dmg); Blaster Carbine (x6 Dmg)

Quick-Draw

20 Hits

Jetpack Jockey 4 (12 squares) Skills: Athletics/Aerobatics, Stealth+1/Hiding, Security/Evading Alarms, Streetwise/Gather Information Equipment: Jetpack, Two Blaster Pistols (x7 Dmg), Two Stun Grenades, One Plasma Grenade, Spring-Loaded Thermal Filament Vibroknife (x5 Dmg), Grapple Gun 100 Hits/20 Soak

Crime Lord

DL 19

Ave Atk 14 (21 w/ Carbine) Ave Def 14

Guards DL: Varies Behind every great aristocrat, there is a great woman. And in front of them is a garrison of slavishly loyal guards who defend them to the death. Unfortunately, even the most fearsome soldiers in the galaxy are still faceless minions when facing down Heroes or Villains! The information below is regarding human guards. If you want to make non-human guards, feel free to add the abilities of other alien races to these. Remember to adjust the DL accordingly.

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CHAPTER FIVE Standard Guards B2 A2 M1

Ave Atk 14

Equipment: PDA 100 Hits (10 Hits if only a minion)

DL 4 Ave Def 14 (21 vs. unarmed foes)

Light Armor Familiarity; Quick-Draw; Martial Arts 1 (punch, kick, martial block, throw) Blaster Pistol x4 Dmg Stun-Staff x6 Dmg (Stun) or Vibro-Lance x5 Dmg Reach 2 20 Hits/20 Soak

Elite Guards B2 A2 M2

DL 13 Ave Atk 21

Ave Def 14 (21 vs. unarmed foes)

Medium Armor Familiarity; Quick-Draw; Blaster Pistol Technique +1Hit +1DM; Staff or Halberd Technique +1 Hit +1DM; Martial Arts 3 (punch, kick, throw, leg sweep, catch, martial block, head butt, uppercut)

Noble DL 13 In many science fiction stories, planets maintain a system of nobility, despite having advanced technology and cultures. Nobles may be aloof, callus rulers, who use their position to exploit their people, or compassionate leaders who view their position as a sworn duty to defend their people. In either case, Nobles tend to be a bit detached from the societies that they represent. This icon can also be used to represent privileged members of a democratic society—celebrities, senators, etc. These stats are for a “typical” noble. A great leader or tyrannical warlord should probably have stats created by the Narrator. A noble who is interested in a certain field might well be made by using another icon, but simply adding 1pt of Skillful, and using it to purchase the Society/Diplomacy and Social Science/History.

Equipment: Blaster Pistol x6 Dmg; Stun-Staff x7 Dmg (stun) or Vibro-Lance x6 Dmg Reach 2

B1 A1 M2

40 Hits/30 Soak

Charisma (x4)

Gunfighter

Skillful 1 Rank 2-4pts

DL 20

On the fringes of the civilized colonies, the law of the central government is nowhere to be seen. Property rights are maintained only by those who can defend it with lethal force. The law of the gun says the man with the faster draw is in the right. Gunfighters are often hired to run people off their land, or protect them from others trying to do so.

Skills: Ride/Land Animals; Society/Diplomacy, Social Science/ History, +any two other skills that interest the noble 100 Hits

Pilot

DL: Varies

Equipment: Two Blaster Pistols x8 Dmg, Range 15, 20 Shots

Aboard a capital starship, there is an elite class of officer who protect the ship not by manning stations inside, but by flying out in their small craft, in order to destroy enemy bombers that might approach. Their job is the most dangerous—and most thrilling— in the fleet. Pilots tend to be cocky show-offs either to hide their fear—or because they are too foolish to have any.

100 Hits

Rookie Pilot DL 6

B2 A3 M3 Offhand Pistol; Quickdraw; Pistol Technique +2DM; Expert Marksman 3

Merchant

DL 13 (4 if minion)

B1 A2 M3

Money makes the galaxy go round, and Merchants are the people that ensure that it changes hands as much as possible. Merchants usually have some area of expertise—for instance, a merchant who sells weapons likely has Engineering/Weapons as a skill, while one who sells food has Domestic/Cooking. A traveling Merchant who hauls cargo through space would instead have Starship Operations/Astrogation. This extra skill is represented by the skillful power which can be used to buy a skill at +1 or two skills that meet the merchant’s needs. While merchants are not usually capable warriors, they tend to hire bodyguards if they go anywhere dangerous. B1 A1 M3 Skillful 1; Charisma 1 (x5); Rank 1-2 (Merchant’s Guild) Skills: Any one physical, Commerce/Bargaining, Foreign Cultures/ Customs, Society/Savoir Faire, + any two or one skill at +1.

Ave Atk 14

Ave Def 14

Dogfighting 2 (Strafe, Barrel Roll, Loop, Target Fixation); Keen Vision (x6 to vision checks) Skills: Pilot+1/Pursuit, Military/Any, Any two mental skills Equipment: Blaster Pistol (x6 Dmg) 20 Hits

Veteran Pilot DL 10 B1 A3 M3 flying)

Ave Atk 21 (28 flying)

Ave Def 21 (28

Dogfighting 3 (Strafe, Barrel Roll, Loop, Target Fixation, Power Dive);Charisma (x5 to Social Rolls); Keen Vision (x6 to vision checks) Skills: Pilot+1/Pursuit, Athlete/Any, Military/Any, Any two mental skills

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ALIENS AND ADVERSARIES Equipment: Blaster Pistol (x6 Dmg) 30 Hits

Ace Pilot

DL 21

B1 A3 M3 Dogfighting 5 (Strafe, Barrel Roll, Loop, Target Fixation, Power Dive, 180, Spin); Charisma (x5 to social rolls); Keen Vision (x6 to vision checks); Skillful 1 Skills: Pilot+3/Pursuit, Athlete/Any, Military/Any, Any two mental skills Equipment: Blaster Pistol 100 Hits

Psi-Rangers DL: Varies The Psi-Ranger organization is one example of how you can utilize Psionics in your campaign, creating a paramilitary group based around these abilities. You can adapt it differently if you wish— perhaps they only protect one certain solar system, or even one planet. The Psi-Rangers presented here are an intergalactic police organization that utilizes people with Psionic potential. The Psi-Rangers teach their recruits how to wield this power, and use it to preserve law and order within the galaxy. Psi-Rangers train at special academies known as Citadels, which exist in various parts of the galaxy.

Psi-Ranger Initiate

DL 8

Initiates in the Psi-Ranger order learn the basic abilities of telekinesis, endure x, danger sense, and psionic rejuvenation. Once their early training is complete, they may choose a career path as a Sentinel, Tribune, or Oracle. B1 A2 M3 Danger Sense; Telekinesis 1; Psionic Rejuvenation; Endure X Equipment: None 30 Hits

Psi-Ranger Tribune DL 21, 28 if Hero

Psi-Ranger Sentinel DL 16 or 21 if Hero Sentinels are Psi-Rangers who have chosen to focus their abilities on perfecting one’s physical self though the power of the mind. Sentinels are the warriors of the Psi-Ranger order.

Tribunes are Psi-Rangers who have chosen to concentrate their energies on controlling energy that flows through the universe. They might specialize in electricity, ice, or fire, and also have a strong affinity for Telekinesis.

B2 A2 M3 Ave Atk 21 Ave Def 30

B1 A2 M4

Danger Sense; Deflect 1 (Defense is x3 +3 Dice Bonus); Energy blade Tech +1 Hit; Telekinesis 3; Leap (8 squares); Psionic Rejuvenation; Endure X

Danger Sense; Telekinesis 4; Endure X; Psionic Rejuvenation; Choose Pyro, Cryo, or Electrokinesis 5; Damage Aura 3

Equipment: Blaster Pistol (x6 Dmg), Energy Blade (x3 hit, x5 Dmg, x6Dmg 2-handed)

30 Hits, 100 Hits if Hero

50 Hits or 100 if Hero

Ave Atk 14

Ave Def 22

Equipment: Staff (x4 Stun)

Psi-Ranger Oracle

DL 21, 28 if Hero

Oracles are the most revered of all the Psi-Rangers, though they are not often sent on missions. Psi-Ranger Oracles endeavor

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CHAPTER FIVE

Dark Psi-Destroyer DL 27

to interpret the very forces of destiny, are excellent at reading people’s thoughts, and are so naturally empathic they can even heal other’s wounds. They are prized for their truth-seeking ability and as mediators of large disputes. B1 A2 M4

Ave Atk 14

Ave Def 22

Danger Sense; Telekinesis 3; Endure X; Psionic Rejuvenation; Clairvoyance 2 (future/past); OmniLinguist; Omni-Reader; Suggestion; Empathy; Healing x3 (enhancement: Usable on Others)

The Dark Psi-Destoryer is a warrior consumed with his own power. They believe that victory is truth, justice is for the strong, and mercy is for the weak. Those too weak to defend themselves deserve no consideration, and are lucky to be left alive to serve the strong. Dark Psi-Destroyers are often warlords, either on their own, or working with a Dark Psi-Seer. B2 A2 M3 Suggestion Danger Sense (+3 Dice bonus to defense)

Equipment: Staff (x4 Stun)

Energy blade Tech. +1 Hit +1 DM

30 Hits or 100 if a Hero

Dark Psi-Rangers

Adrenal Control (2 EC)

DL: Varies

Deflect 2 (Defense multiplier x4, uses energy blade to deflect)

The Galactic Order of Psi-Rangers has upheld the law in the galaxy for years. However, some of those recruited for the Psi-Ranger program find its discipline too restraining on their natural psionic gifts. They feel that the order is holding them back. They also believe that if they have such power, they should be rulers— not public servants. For this reason, some Psi-Rangers go bad, and when they do, they start tapping into the darker powers of the psyche. Channeling rage, fear, pain, and hate, Dark Psi-Rangers are among the most dangerous threats to the Galactic order— especially to the Psi-Ranger Corps.

Mental Powers Multipower 4 EC Telekinesis 3 (300 lbs, 3,000 lbs concentrated) Telepathy Attack Powers Multipower 5 EC Telekinetic Crush x3 continual dmg range 5 Electrokinesis Range 5, +3DM (x6 dmg) Energy Blade x7 dmg 1 hand or x8 dmg 2 handed. 100 Hits

Dark Psi-Seer

Dark Psi-Corruptor DL 29 The Dark Psi-Corruptor uses his/her talents to manipulate minds and obfuscate the truth, to ensure that his/her plans fall into place. It does not matter who is hurt, or who takes the blame. By learning a person’s true desires and manipulating the truth, they can often cause chains of events far more destructive than any energy blade or pyromancer. B1 A2 M4 Suggestion Danger Sense (+4 Dice bonus to defense) Mind Control Memory Tampering Telepathy

DL 29

Also known as Psi-Wizards or Psi-Witches, the Dark Psi-Seers have a talent in forseeing the future (and past) as well as more powerful offensive magics. While some focus on the destructive power of fire, or the freezing cold, the Psi-Seer presented below focuses on psionic manipulation of electricity. B1 A2 M4 Suggestion Danger Sense (+4 Dice Bonus to Defense) Clairvoyance 3 Telekinesis 3 Electro-Kinesis 4 (Range 5, Radius 1, +2DM (x6 Dmg) Electrical Damage Aura x4 Endure Electricity

Telekinesis 3

Equipment: Energy Blade x5 Dmg 1-handed, or x6 dmg 2handed.

Equipment: Energy Blade x5 dmg 1-Hand, x6 dmg 2-handed

100 Hits

100 Hits

Scoundrel

DL 16

From the cocky, scruffy-looking smuggler to the well-polished dandy

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gambler, scoundrels can be encountered just about anywhere there is a profit to be made. While most scoundrels will gladly fleece an old woman of her last credit with a wink an a smile, there are also some scoundrels with a heart of gold, who have even temporarily set aside their mercenary natures for the sake of the greater good. These ones usually have a price on their head, and join the good guys to evade bounty hunters! B2 A2 M3 Skillful 1, Attack Weak Point, Charisma, Quick-Draw

ALIENS AND ADVERSARIES 100 Hits/20 Soak

Starship Personnel DL: Varies It takes a large group of people working together as a team to keep a massive starship running in good order. From interstellar combat to everyday maintenance, the crew of a starship work like a welloiled machine.

Chief Engineer

Skills: Athletics, Stealth, Pilot, Streetwise, Deception, Commerce, +Any one skill

Behind every legendary ship of the fleet is a hard-working chief engineer, who seems to make the ship do the impossible when the chips are down, and keeps it in top-form when they’re not. Often brash, and outgoing, the Chief Engineer is probably the most important officer aboard a starship—including the Captain!

Equipment: Holdout Blaster (x5 Dmg) 100 Hits

Space Pirates

DL 16

DL: Varies

As long as traders have made a living traveling the space lanes, there have been pirates waiting out in the black to steal from them. Pirates often strike without warning, attacking hard and fast, hoping to goad a poorly armed ship into surrender. If the ship won’t surrender, they will board her in order to fight for the goods, often taking the ship as well, to add to their pirate fleet. Most pirate ships are in fact, freighters that have been modified for combat effectiveness rather than storage.

B1 A1 M4 Push Technology; Rank 2 (Lt. Commander); Exemplary (in engineering) Skills: Science/Physics, Technology/Jury-Rig, Computers

Engineering,

Advantage: Techno-Wizard Equipment: Sidearm Blaster Pistol x6 Dmg; Cutting Torch x3 Dmg

Space Pirate Crewman

100 Hits

B2 A2 M1 Ave Atk 21 Ave Def 14

Crewman

Sword Technique +1 Hit; Blaster Pistol Tech. +1 Hit, OffHand Pistol; Skillful; Light Armor Familiarity

DL 3

Space Pirate Captain

These are the rank and file members of a starship’s crew, whether in military or commercial starships. They all receive a well-rounded training in maintaining and operating a starship, and are both physically and mentally fit. However, crewmen often have specific assignments (the extra skills below are left for these). For instance, a crewman serving under an engineer should have the Engineering skill and the Science Skill, while a crewman serving as a medic would have the Physician skill and the Science/Biology skill.

B3 A3 M2

B1 A2 M2

Sword Technique: +1 to hit (x4), +1DM; Offhand Pistol (-2 Dice penalty with both attacks); Reckless Might*; Blaster Pistol Technique +2DM; Footwork (1EC); Light Armor Familiarity; Rank 2: Criminal

Skillful 1; Martial Arts 1 (punch,

Equipment: Vibro-Blade x6/x7* Dmg; Blaster Pistol x7 Dmg; Light Body Armor +10 Soak, Skillful

Skills: Athlete + Any other Physical, Starship Ops, Military, + Any 2 Mental skills (occupation related)

Skills: Starship Ops/Maneuvers, Athlete/Aerobatics, Stealth/ Palming & Planting, Deception/Lying, Pilot/Pursuit, Commerce/ Haggling, Drive/Steering

Equipment: Blaster Pistol x4 Dmg

Skills: Athlete/Aerobatics, Stealth/Palming & Planting; Starship Operations+1/Weapons; Pilot+1/Persuit Vibroblade x5dmg Blaster Pistol x4dmg 20 Hits/20 Soak

kick, catch, martial block)

20 Hits

Advantage: Contacts Disadvantage: Outlaw

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CHAPTER FIVE Starship Officer

Startrooper Scout

DL 11 or 18

Officers are elite personnel, graduates of a special academy, and are the leaders aboard a spaceship. Having trained in military operations and leadership, they also excel at a certain specialized area of expertise that they oversee on the ship. This special area of expertise is represented by 3 unfilled mental skill slots that vary according to the job of the officer. A security officer will have different skills than a medical officer. B1 A2 M3

DL 10

Startrooper Scouts are sent ahead of the rest of the army deployed on a planet in order to report back with enemy movements and find serviceable terrain for bases. During conflicts, Scouts serve as snipers, often hiding out of view of most of the battle, firing then moving. When sniping, Scouts shoot to wound, rather than to kill, because a wounded man requires the aid of his comrades, who must turn their attention away from fighting, while a dead man is left behind during battle. The purpose of such sniping is to disrupt enemy troop movement and deployment. B2 A3 M2 Ave Atk 28 w/rifle (-4 per 10 squares of distance from target after 10) 21 w/pistol

Skillful 2; Martial Arts 2 (punch, kick, catch, martial block, throw, leg sweep); Rank 1-2; Inspiring Leadership 1; +1 point in any one combat related power

Light Armor Familiarity; Expert Marksman 3; Rifle Tech +1 Hit, +1 DM;

Skills: Athlete + Any other Physical, Starship Ops+1, Military+1, + Any 3 Mental skills

Skills: Outdoor/Survival, Drive/ Steering, Stealth/Hide, Athlete/ Climbing, Military/Tactics

Equipment: Blaster Pistol x5 Dmg. 30 Hits if unnamed, 100 Hits if Hero/Villain

Starship Captain

Equipment: Blaster Rifle x8 dmg, Light Body Armor, Blaster Pistol x5 dmg; Vibroknife x5 dmg

DL 24

The master and commander of his (or her) ship, a starship captain has years of experience that enable him/her to make the tough decisions that come with command. The stats below are for a “typical” starship captain. A legendary captain should be stated by the Narrator, using the example below as a guideline to build up from.

30 Hits/20 Soak

Startrooper Heavy Assault Force DL 11 The heavy assault force are the first troops to disembark into battle when a transport lands on a planet, and they are the last ones to leave. In battle, their purpose is to punch holes in the enemy lines (or fly behind them) and cause chaos among their ranks. In spite of their advanced equipment and training, however, the assignments of Heavy Assault troopers often lead to very high casualty rates among them.

B1 A2 M4 Skillful 2; Martial artist 2 (punch, kick, catch, martial block, throw, leg sweep); Rank 3; Inspiring Leadership 3; +1 point in any one combat related power

B2(3) A3 M1 Ave Atk 18, Ave Def 18 Heavy Armor Familiarity; Jetpack 3 (9 squares); Pistol Tech. +2 DM; Martial Arts 2 (punch, kick, choke, throw, uppercut, martial block (def 24 vs. unarmed attacks))

Skills: Athlete + Any other Physical, Starship Ops+2, Military+1, + Any 3 mental skills Equipment: Blaster Pistol x6 Dmg.

Skills: Military/Gunner, Athlete/Aerobatics, Drive/Steering,

100 Hits

Equipment: Blast Cannon Range 10, x5 Dmg, Radius 1; Blaster Pistol x6 Dmg; Power Armor w/ Built-in Jetpack and Rebreather; Vibroknife x6 dmg; 1 Energy Grenade

Startrooper

DL: Varies

Startroopers are the rank and file soldiers in at least one of the powers in the galaxy. For the purposes of this book Startroopers are listed as the “typical” military. If your campaign is not taking place amongst the stars, these units could just as easily be retooled as ordinary soldiers. You could likewise down-grade weapons to the tech-level you need (replacing vibroblades with swords and blaster carbines with assault rifles or submachine guns).

30 Hits/40 Soak

Startrooper Regular

DL 7

The rank and file soldiers are the Startroopers, a standard military order used to take and maintain a hold on enemy planets. B2 A2 M1 Ave Atk 21 Ave Def 14 Medium Armor Familiarity; Carbine Tech +1 Hit, +1 DM; Martial Arts

100

ALIENS AND ADVERSARIES

1 (punch, kick, throw, choke) Equipment: Blaster Carbine x7 dmg; Medium Body Armor; Vibroknife x5 dmg; 1 Energy Grenade 30 Hits/30 Soak

Startrooper Officer DL 18 Specially trained Startroopers are experts in certain fields. A Startrooper officer might be a tank pilot, a medic, or a command officer, for example. The officer’s specialization is represented by skill slots left to the Narrator to fill in. B2 A2 M3 Medium Armor Familiarity; Carbine Tech +1 Hit, +1DM; Martial Arts 1 (punch, kick, throw, choke); Blaster Pistol Technique +1 Hit, Skillful 1 Skills: Athlete/Running, +One additional physical skill at +1 Multiplier, Military/Command, +Three additional mental skills. Equipment: Light Body Armor; Blaster Pistol (x6 Dmg); Vibroblade (x5 Dmg); Special equipment (for instance, a Medic will carry a med-pack, an engineer will carry computing tools, etc). 100 Hits/20 Soak

Star Marines

DL 11

While Startroopers are recruited to fight on planets, Star Marines are meant exclusively to fight in space, often serving as boarding parties for (or repelling them from) enemy vessels. B2(3) A3 M2 Ave Atk 18 Ave Def 18 Blaster Carbine Tech. +1DM; Sword Tech +1DM; Martial Arts 1 (punch, kick, throw, leg sweep); Heavy Armor Familiarity Skills: Athlete+1/Aerobatics, Engineering/Demolitions

Stealth/Hide,

Security/Locks,

Blaster Carbine x7 dmg, Vibroblade x6 dmg, Power Armor, integrated with Vacuum seal and air supply, 1 Energy Grenade x6 dmg, Range 6 40 Hits/40 Soak

Thief DL 9 Thieves can be either likeable rogues or vile cut-throats. In either case, Heroes may find themselves forced to deal with them—as enemies or allies. B1 A3 M2

Ave. Atk 21

Ave Def 21

Skillful 2; Attack Weak Point; Vibroknife Tech. +1DM; Keen Hearing Skills: Stealth+1/Palming, Athlete/Climbing, Streetwise/Gather Information, Security+1/Locks, Deception/Lying, Computers/ Hacking, Technology/Sabotage Equipment: Vibroknife x4 dmg 30 Hits

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chapter 6 Chapter 6

science fiction genres

102

Science Fiction Genres Chapter 6: Science Fiction Genres Science Fiction is a very broadly defined term. In general, it is used to signify fiction taking place with the backdrop of advanced science, often including space travel, and often taking place in the future (though some science fiction takes place long ago in galaxies far away). Aliens, robots, and spaceships all make appearances; however, there are subtle nuances between different styles of science fiction. In the pages that follow, we will try to cover some of the sub-genres of science fiction, so that your gaming group can play in the setting of their choice.

Victorian This genre is based on the works of H. G. Wells, Jules Vern, and Arthur Conan Doyle. It is a genre about Victorians in space, flying steam-powered starships through “aether”, fighting moon men, and claiming planets for Queen and Country. It might also be set on the Earth, that is attacked by more advanced aliens, or an exploration mission to the center of the world, or under the sea. For the most part, this genre should be a TL 2 world, with technology equivalent to the late nineteenth century, or very early twentieth century. However, there will also be a few items in the genre that are beyond TL 2, depending on what you are running. H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine is an extreme example—a TL 8 invention made by a man in a TL 2 world.

New Advantages: Amazing Inventor: You have scientific skills far beyond those

of most people in your time. You can use the Science skill and the Technology skill to create items several Tech-Levels higher than your native one (the Narrator decides how high exactly, though 2-3 TLs is recommended). These original inventions of yours, however, are all prototypes, and need continual maintenance by you. Each of your inventions requires an hour of maintenance by you per week. After a week of use without your maintenance, the item will cease to function. Such items will likely be far larger than they normally would be in their native TL, and often rely on steampower (though “undiscovered” power-sources could be used). For instance, a vibro-cutlass would have to have a large, noisy steampowered motor attached to the hilt. Because you have not worked all the bugs out of the invention (and you cannot—there are too many), using it always has a -1 Dice penalty. If there is no dice roll involved in using it, there is a 1 in 6 chance that it malfunctions each day the first time it is used. Aside from simply emulating higher TL items, you could also use this power to access “Steam-Punk” powers from the BASH! Fantasy Edition rules.

Big Game Hunter: You are skilled taking down even the largest

beasts with the toughest hides. You are allowed to purchase the Attack Weak Point power, but its use only applies to animals or monstrous beasts.

However, unlike the ordinary version of Attack Weak Point, you can combine its use with Weapon Technique and Pierce Armor powers.

New Disadvantages: Second-Class Citizen: The real Victorian era was a time of prejudice and chauvinism. If the Narrator wishes to include this grim reality in his/her game, this disadvantage would be appropriate. Female characters would qualify for this disadvantage, even if they are of a high rank, as the thoughts and opinions of women were often dismissed by men. Anger or sorrow on a woman’s part would be attributed to “hysteria” rather than any legitimate reason. Women were also definitely not supposed to be adventurers, scientists, or anything other than wives or mothers. Of course, some female characters may totally buck this tradition, wearing pants, and shooting guns with the best of men. Nevertheless, a female character with this disadvantage will be patronized more than she is actually admired by men. Characters who are not Caucasian may also have this disadvantage, if the game takes place in a primarily white society. Prejudiced people will seldom take such characters seriously, even if they are brilliant scientists or nobles in their own country. Remember, this disadvantage is optional, if the Narrator wants the campaign to reflect some of the ugly values of the Victorian period. If the Narrator wants his/her game set in a more progressive version of the Victorian era, then this disadvantage is not available. In either case, players are free to have their characters be as free-thinking or close-minded as they wish—they do not have to ascribe to societal norms of the period.

Aether as Space In the real world, we know that the Earth is surrounded by “outer space”—a black vacuum that is sparsely filled with stars, planets, comets, and debris. However, in earlier times, man imagined that the cosmos was not spread across a vast vacuum, but rather, suspended in Aether. From the ancient Greek, “Light Clear Sky”, Aether is a silvery, transparent substance, rather like air, and believed to be the air breathed by the gods themselves. Like air, Aether can be displaced and traveled through by turbine propulsion. There could even be Aether tides or currents that ships use to navigate between the stars. Obviously, in this conception of the universe, real physics plays little role. Travel by a TL2 Aether-ship might be the same speed if not faster than travel in a TL 6 starship. It is all up to the Narrator. Ships made to ply the Aether might be powered by several methods. Propellers are one obvious means. Such ships will likely resemble the battleships of the late nineteenth century, clad in iron, and chugging away a stack of black coal-smoke. Sails are another. Aether sails likely rely on currents in the Aether and thus need to

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stick to certain routes in their travels. Another option is psionic (or even magic) control of the ship, with one person with such gifts manning the helm, using their powers to steer. When building a starship in a universe with Aether-based physics, some ship powers may not be very sensible to have. Cloaking Devices, Data Encryption, Invasive Sensors, Holodecks, and Teleporters are inappropriate for the genre. Stardrives would still exist, but should be renamed “Aether Drives”. As for weaponry, most of the existing weapons powers could exist so long as the weapon is conceived with a Victorian flair. For instance, autocannons would not be computer controlled defense systems, but rather, a gatlin-gun type device fired by a gun crew, similar to an anti-aircraft gun on a battleship. However, some weapons powers don’t make sense. The Gravity Net, and Repulsor Beam specifically should not be here—the “tractor beam” does not either, but could be represented by having a very large cable and winch, perhaps affixed with a magnet. In addition to the nuts and bolts being different, the very attitude of a Victorian ship battle would be quite a bit different than standard space battles. If a ship were destroyed in battle, the enemy would probably send men to rescue any hands still adrift in the Aether, as this would be the honorable thing to do. Enemy captains have more in common, and more mutual respect for each other than they do with the crewmen under their own command, as the rigid Victorian class system is in place. Officers fought other officers out of a sense of duty, not hatred for the enemy. However, humans likely have a great deal of chauvinism, and disdain alien cultures, and try to teach them the “correct” way of living (including the management of their resources). Such attitudes might often lead to war with alien civilizations, especially when a human captain plants his national flag on their soil and claims their land for queen and country.

Science Fiction Genres Skillful 1 Skills: Athlete/Climb, Stealth/Hide, Escapology/Cells, Outdoor/ Survival + Any 2 Mental skills They attack with their fists (x5 dmg Stun or Lethal) or with a heavy, 2-handed weapon (x8 dmg). 100 Hits/15 Soak

Aethership/Submarine Captain

These daring gentlemen are the men who explore the ocean’s depths, or take off into the aether. These captains carry swords, and are trained well to use them. They are still a part of the naval tradition in the Victorian period, and may be necessary if the ship is boarded. B2 A2 M2 Saber Technique +1 Hit +1DM (x3 to hit, x5 Dmg) Disarm Feint Footwork EC1 Weapon Lock Paired Weapons Offhand Pistol Charisma (x4) Equipment: Saber (basket hilted), Dagger, Revolver Skills: Athlete+1/Acrobatics, Sailing/Navigation (or Starship Ops/ Astrogation), Society/Fashion or Streetwise/Gut 100 Hits

Martians

Weird Science Creatures Below are some potential enemies facing heroes in a steampowered world of weird science.

Animated Creature (Frankenstein’s Monster) Size 1 DL 19 This is a creature similar to that in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein— brought to life by a mad scientist, considered an abomination by society. Much like the creature from that book, an Animated Creature is much larger and stronger than an ordinary person. It is also quite intelligent, and capable of long-term planning in achieving its goals. Most often, such creatures only desire companionship and acceptance—and if that desire goes unfulfilled, they may turn violent.

DL 21

Size -1 DL 14

These aliens are the proverbial “little green men”. They need not actually be from Mars. They may be small, but they are very technologically advanced. Though they are small and weak, their personal Force Fields and ray-guns make them deadly opponents for a Victorian game. B1 A3 M4

Ave Atk 24 Ave Def 24

Ray Gun: Range 10, x7 Dmg (-5 Size), 20 Shots Advantage: Amazing Inventor Inhuman Voice

Possible

Disadvantage:

20 Hits/-5 Soak (Personal Force Field 100 Hits, 5 soak)

Martian Tripod

Size 3 DL 37

Paired Weapons (fists) 1EC

These are giant war machines built by the Martians to use in subjugating planets, or to defend their own. They are incredibly deadly, and only the most seasoned of adventurers could hope to survive an encounter with one.

Break Weapon

B5 A4 M4

B5 A2 M2 Toughness 1: +10 Soak

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chapter 6 Toughness 3

Sword Technique +2 DM (x5 Dmg)

Clinging

Swift Strike EC2

Leap (20 squares)

Break Weapon

Speed Wired 2, EC2

Charisma (x3 to social rolls)

X-Ray Vision

Fleet of Foot (Jump 2 squares, run 16)

Stretching 4 (5 square reach)

Equipment: Plate-Mail Armor (TL 1 heavy), Shield (TL 1), Sword

Built-in Weaponry 2

30 Hits/30 Soak

Metal Tentacle does x6 Dmg (+15 size), x4 to hit (-3 Dice penalty, size)

Steam Robot DL 11

Energy Beam: Range 20, x8 Dmg (+15 Size), x4 to hit (-3 Dice penalty, size) EC1 or 5 burst Advantage: Unliving

Ave Atk 28

Ave Atk 14 Ave Def 14

Toughness 3

DL13

Fists do x5 Dmg

More primitive than the listed Martians, Moon-Men, are nevertheless civilized, possessing Medieval technology and culture. Lunarians live below the moon’s surface, in enormous caverns, where they have escaped the desolation of the surface world. The moon men listed below are typical warriors who would be entrusted to repel invaders from the blue planet. B1 A4 M1

B5 A2 M1

Paired Weapons (Fists) EC1

100 Hits/45 Soak

Moon Men

These automatons may have been designed to perform routine tasks, but they may also be assigned to guard duty.

Ave Def 28 (35 w/ shield)

Advantage: Unliving 50 Hits/30 Soak

Steam Titan Size 2 DL 21 A gigantic steam-powered robot, probably originally designed for some benevolent purpose such as construction, or lumber clearing, can also be used as a deadly enforcer.

Armor Familiarity 3

B5 A3 M1 Paired Weapons EC1 Built-In Weaponry 2 (giant hammers or axes) Toughness 3 Axe/Hammer Arm does x7 Dmg (+10 size), has x3 Hit (-2 Dice penalty, size) Advantage: Unliving 100 Hits/40 Soak

Weird Scientist DL 11 These men possess such genius that they often stray into madness, and can turn against a society that failed to appreciate them. Though these men are not a great physical prowess, they have at their disposal the means to create mechanical and living monstrosities to do their bidding. Giving them futuristic equipment (like a blaster or

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force field) could make them quite a challenge to people from a nineteenth century world. B1 A1 M5

Science Fiction Genres 20 Hits/10 Soak

Crocodiles Size 0-1 DL 10/16

Skills: Stealth/Hiding, Science/Choose Any, Technology/Invent, Humanities/Occultism, Engineering/Weapons, Physician/ Genetics

Heroes who find themselves near a river in an exotic location would be wise to stay out of the water, as it is likely filled with crocodiles. If the Heroes are fighting on a rickety bridge above the water, it definitely is filled with crocodiles. In a “lost world” setting, these beasts are often huge.

Advantage: Amazing Inventor, Techno Wizard 100 Hits

Amazing Exploration on Earth

B4 A2 M1,

Toughness 2 +20 Soak

In most science fiction of the Victorian Era, the Heroes were not bold explorers of space. Instead they were bold explorers of our own Earth, braving cannibalistic beast-men as they journeyed to the center of the Earth, encountering dinosaurs and cavemen on a lost volcanic isle, or fending off giant squids as they explore the ruins of Atlantis. Below are some monsters that are particularly fitting to such locales.

Aquatic 2 (12 squares) EC2 Bite x6 Dmg 50 Hits/20 Soak size 0, 100 Hits/25 Soak size 1

Kraken

Big Cat Size 1 DL 10/19 Big Cats live in very diverse climates— from hot dry savannas to steamy jungles to snowy mountain peaks. In lost worlds, it is even possible to encounter the longthought extinct sabertooth tiger. B4 A4 M1,

Ave. Atk 14/12 Ave Def 14/12

have been Body

A Kraken is an enormous sea squid with a penchant for sinking ships and eating the crew! The beast’s body is considered a villain while its tentacles are considered minions. The arms will attempt to grab people from the crew and put them into the mouth to be eaten! There are 13 tentacles. A kraken will usually back off once so many tentacles destroyed.

Size 3 DL 20

Brawn 5 Agility 3 Mind 2

Ave. Atk 24 Ave Def 24

Bite x7 dmg (+15 to result from size) x3 to hit (-3 Dice Penalty)

Paired Weapons (Claws only) EC1

Swift Strike (2 bites per page) 2EC

Fleet of Foot (16 Squares of movement) (Cheetah is 20)

Toughness 1 +10 Soak

Claws x5 Dmg

Advantage: Fearless

Bite x7 damage Cheetah has only a Brawn of 3, but Agility 5. (x4 claws, x6 bite, Ave Atk 30, Ave Def 30) 50 Hits/5 Soak cheetah/panther/mountain lion, 100 Hits/5 Soak Lion/Tiger/Sabertooth

100 Hits/25 Soak Tentacles

Size 0 DL 9 each

Brawn 4 Agility 2 Mind 1 Ave. Atk 14, Ave Def 14 Swat x4 Dmg Reach 5

B2 A3 M1, Ave. Atk 18 Ave Def 18

Grab: Instead of damage, it must beat the target in a Brawn contest. If it succeeds, next page it can feed the target to the mouth. The victim can attempt to break free once per page by a Brawn contest or by killing the tentacle. Attacking the kraken is also possible, but will only result in the target being dropped if the kraken is wounded.

Venom: x4 Continual Damage EC4

Toughness 1: +10 Soak

Toughness 1: +10 Soak

40 Hits/10 Soak

Centipede, Giant

Size 0 DL7

There is little on Earth that invokes as much revulsion and terror as a giant, creepy-crawly. Singly, the Giant Centipede is only a minor threat—but a nest of them can be quite deadly.

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chapter 6 Spear does x4 Dmg

Morlock Morlocks are the cave dwelling, cannibalistic descendents of mankind in H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine. They are a race of albinos that have lived in the darkness of caves for so long that they are completely blind—however extremely well adapted and cunning, allowing them to feed on the surface dwellers they raid at night. Because they want to bring their prey back to their lairs alive, they fight with nets and clubs. B3 A3 M2

Ave Atk 21, Ave Def 21

Poison does either x3 continual damage (beginning the page following the initial attack) or is a paralytic, requiring a 30 Brawn check to shake off the effects. 30 Hits

Scorpion, Gigantic B3 A3 M1,

Ave Atk 18, Ave Def 18

Poisonous Sting: Reach 2, x4 Continual Damage 4EC Claw Grab: It uses Wrestling to resolve this (See Combat Rules: Wrestling)

Weapon Lock

Toughness 2 +20 soak

Keen Sense of Smell

40 Hits/25 Soak

Super Senses: Echolocation (no penalties to combat for being blind)

Snake, Constrictor Size 0-1 DL 12-15

Natural Weapons: Bite x4 Lethal Dmg, Claws x3 Lethal Dmg

While there are many explorers who hate snakes, chances are that they will encounter one in their travels. The constrictor snake is very large, and uses its strength to crush the life out of its victims.

Net: is used with the Entangle power and Weapon Lock. Cudgel x4 Stun dmg Blind—Morlocks are immune to any effect that relies on vision, such as illusions or bright flashes of light. However, they are vulnerable to effects based on sound or smell, and take a -1 Dice penalty on their roll to resist such effects.

B4 A2 M1,

Some varieties have Aquatic 1 (swimming 8 squares)

30 Hits

Bite x6

Savages Whether they are primitive, hostile aliens, or cannibalistic, headhunting humans, Savages are a very common enemy faced by explorers in Victorian science fiction. What they lack in technology they more than make up for in enthusiasm and sheer numbers.

DL 1

B2 A2 M1 Ave Atk 14 Ave Def 14 Spear does x3 Dmg, reach 2 or throw 6 20 Hits

B2 A2 M1

DL 8

Ave Atk 14 Bow 21 Spear, Ave Def 14

Dmg (+5 if large)

Skills: Stealth/Hide, Athletics/Climb, Outdoor/Jungle Survival 30 Hits size 0, 50 Hits/5 Soak size 1

Snake, Viper Size -2/-1/0 DL7/9/11 Vipers are poisonous snakes that may be very small. Despite their small size, viper venom is quite deadly—so there is no size penalty to damage dealt by the venom of a smaller viper. Because of their deadly venom and lightning speed, even a single viper can be a dangerous threat to an expedition. B2 A4 M1,

Veteran Warriors

Ave Atk 14/12, Ave Def 14/12

Constriction: a constrictor snake always attempts to use Wrestling on its victims (See Combat Rules: Wrestling)

Skills: Athlete+1/Climbing, Stealth/ Prowling, Outdoor+1/Tracking,

First Wave

Size 1, DL 14

Ave Atk 36/32/28, Ave Def 36/32/28

Venom: x4 continual damage EC4 Swift Strike: 2EC

Bow Technique +1DM

Some varieties have Aquatic 1 (Swimming 4 squares)

Spear Technique +1 Hit Multiplier, +1DM

Skills: Stealth/Hide, Athletics/Climb, Outdoor/Jungle Survival

Bow does x4 Dmg + Poison

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Science Fiction Genres

10 Hits/-10 Soak size -2; 20 Hits/-5 Soak size -1; 30 Hits size 0

Snakemen

DL12

Triceratops Size 2, DL 19

Possible inhabitants of a lost world, or perhaps denizens of the center of the Earth, snake-men attack warm-bloods on sight in hopes of gaining a sacrifice for the monster they worship. B3 A3 M1, Ave Atk 21, Ave Def 21

This herbivorous dinosaur has three horns and a bony frill for protection. You can use these same stats to create other wellarmed herbivores, such as stegosaurus, or ankylosaurus, so long as you mention the difference in its natural weaponry (they all do the same damage). B5 A3 M1

Toughness 1: +10 Soak

Running 1 (12 squares) +1DM to horn attacks with a running start

Usually Armed with scimitars +2DM (x5 Dmg) Venomous Bite: x4 continual damage EC4

Toughness 3 +30 Soak

Paired Weapons EC1

Horns x7 Dmg (+10 from size)

Skills: Stealth+1/Hide, Athletics/Climb, Outdoor/ Jungle Survival

Advantages: Fearless, Blaze of Glory Disadvantage: Berserk

40 Hits/10 Soak

100 Hits/40 Soak

Spider, Gigantic Size 1, DL 14/17

Space Pulp

These giant arachnids likely live deep inside of subterranean caves, or with webs spanning a great chasm in the earth. When they sense prey,

Space Pulp is a genre focusing on action and adventure that really became popular in the 1920s and remained so into the 1950s. It began as fiction written for pulp magazines, then became illustrated comics, and eventually radio programs and movie serials. In Space Pulp, the hero is larger than life—able to charm t h e evil galactic overlord’s daughter into freeing him from the prison cell, fight his way though hordes of imperial guards, and pilot the stolen rocket out of the base just as the gates shut behind him. This is science fiction in the spirit of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. The villains wear capes with peaked collars and keep their beard trimmed to a point. They are capable of subjugating entire star systems, but can never quite prevail when the Heroes try to stop them. They may take the Heroes prisoner, put them in elaborate death-machines, or make them fight in a gladiator arena, but somehow, the Heroes always manage to slip out of the Villain’s clutches, save the princess, and the day!

they drop down from the ceiling and strike. B3 A3 M1, Ave Atk 21/18, Ave Def 21/18 Venom: x4 Continual Damage EC4. Web: range 5 Immobilize 20 EC3. Toughness 2 +20 Soak Clinging 50 Hits/20 Soak (25 if size 1)

Tyrannosaurus

Size 2, DL 19

The king of the dinosaurs, the Tyrannosaurus Rex and its kin are only ever found in mysterious “lost worlds” where dinosaurs somehow never became extinct. B5 A3 M1 Running 2 (15 squares) +1DM to attacks while running Toughness 2 +20 Soak Bite x7 dmg (+10 from size), x3 to hit (with -2 Dice penalty to hit due to size)

This genre was very popular in the 1930s through 50s, and focused more on the fiction than the science. Narrators who don’t want to deal with figuring the distance between two planets and how long it would take to travel between them will be most comfortable in this genre. Aliens in Space Pulp are either very human-like (bird-men), or very different from humans (little green men with three eyes). The Heroes are likely to be humans from Earth, except for an alien who has joined their cause. Alien governments are likely to be aristocracies, and one of the common genre conventions is for Earthlings to try and introduce democracy to a universe oppressed by an evil dictator.

100 Hits/30 Soak

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chapter 6 Weapons and Equipment The Pulp genre of Science Fiction often utilizes weaponry that defies scientific explanation, even possibly resembling magic. This is largely due to the fact that when these stories were originally written, we understood far less about physics and the universe at large. Many weapons found in this genre are weird-science, not based on “real” physics. You could use the equipment list earlier in this book (rapiers and cutlasses are especially appropriate) for a Pulp Sci-Fi campaign, but below are some especially “fantastic” weapons that were imagined in an era when manned space flight was a distant dream rather than a reality. No TL is given because in Space Pulp genre, technology is very sporadic, however, as a guideline for equipment not listed here TL 5 is most fitting. Atomic-Ray-Gun: Range 20, +4DM. This is essentially a more primitive blaster-carbine. The beam it fires is long and wide, and the sound it makes is very loud. The fusion battery in this device does not last long, and it must be reloaded with another one after firing about 12 shots. 4,000 Credits. Disintegrator Pistol: Range 5, +5DM. This short range weapon packs a wallop, and can instantly convert matter into dust. However, it can only fire 3 times before running out of energy. A person wearing armor being hit by this will get to soak damage on the initial blast, however, this will also result in the armor being disintegrated! 10,000 Credits. Freeze Beam: Range 10, +2DM stun. This weapon fires a bluewhite beam of icy-cold energy at its target, possibly freezing them in place. A target struck by this beam must make an immediate 20 Brawn check or be unable to move. Each page, the target may try again (only 1 such check is necessary each page, regardless of how many times the target was hit by a freeze beam). These weapons are often employed by soldiers ordered to bring back prisoners alive. 6,000 Credits, 10 Shots. Heat Gun: Range 5, Radius 1, +4DM, This weapon blasts a fanshaped jet of atomic fire at its targets. This damage is considered heat for purposes of damage resistances. 3000 Credits, 20 shots. Lighting Gun: +4DM. This gun shoots an arc of lightning 5 squares long and 1 square wide. Anything caught in this area of effect must roll to dodge the attack or take damage. This damage is electricity for the purpose of damage resistances. 4000 Credits, 10 Shots.

Mono-Knife: +1DM. This knife has a blade and point that is but a single molecule thick, allowing it to pierce any armor. Any armor has half the soaking value against this weapon, and armor TL 3 or less has a soak of 0 against it. 500 Credits. Mono-Sword/Axe: +2DM. This weapon has an edge that is only a single molecule thick, enabling it to cleave through even advanced armor. Any armor is half soak against a mono-weapon. Armor of TL3 or less has 0 soak against it. Because of their effectiveness, the mono-sword is a favorite weapon for boarding enemy ships, where close-quarters fighting might make ranged weapons more of a liability than an asset. 2000 Credits. Needle Gun: Range 10, Radius 1, +1 DM, this weapon uses magnetic repulsion to fire a rapid spray of 2-inch-long needles sharpened to a molecular point, allowing them to pierce armor better than older “slug-throwers”, and fire in zero-g. It is always considered to be bursting, but because there is no recoil, there is no penalty to hit. Any armor is half soak against a needle gun. 3000 Credits.

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A Needle gun can fire 5 times before it must be reloaded with another needle cartridge. Rocket Gun: Range 20, +3DM, This weapon fires rockets that spiral towards their targets, building momentum, and detonating on impact. The main use of a rocket gun is for zero-gravity, when many other weapons will not fire properly. 2000 Credits. 10 shots/ clip.

Ships and Rockets

Science Fiction Genres Space Pulp Monsters Many of the creatures already featured earlier in this book would work well in a Space Pulp campaign—especially robot soldiers and alien monsters. Equipment listed for such enemies should be modified to fit the Space-Pulp setting. Here are a few more that may especially fit into a pulp setting.

Atomic Robot DL 22

When the era of Space Pulp was in its prime, nobody had conceived of the concept of “starships”. Instead, rocketry, a developing science, was used as the basis for space travel in this genre. Warp or Hyperdrive was non-existent, as were the colossal starships seen in later science fiction of the 60s and beyond. Rockets are generally used for travel within a solar system, but may also be used to travel between stars, depending on the degree of realism the Narrator wants. Building a rocket uses the same rules as building a starship, however, the size should be limited. Only the largest of rockets would exceed size 5. Also, certain powers, like Stardrives and Holodecks don’t really fit with rockets—otherwise they’d be starships (but hey—blending genres makes for good sci-fi).

Lack of Artificial Gravity In Space Pulp, some stories have no artificial gravity, at least on small rockets. Large rockets and space-stations create artificial gravity by spinning, using centrifugal force. Without artificial gravity, Aerobatics is especially important when maneuvering around a rocket, and can be a matter of life or death when a rocket is being boarded. Jetpacks and magnetic boots help to compensate in zero-g situations.

Adventures in Our own Solar System Another common thing is Space Pulp is for the setting to take place within the confines of our own solar system, far, far in the future. Writers abandoned science for adventure when they populated not only the Earth and Mars, but Mercury and Venus with their own native alien inhabitants. Even outer planets like Jupiter and Saturn’s moons might hold alien species. Meanwhile, the great Asteroid Belt was populated by “belters”— prospectors setting up mining operations from all over the solar system. Imaginative writers may even have things living on Neptune and Pluto! The key is suspension of disbelief. Don’t let the “real science” get in the way of the fun. The different alien races may well be at war with one another, with a series of secret alliances, swaggering commanders, and doomsday devices. Or, there may be a cold war in place, or no war at all. Cultures of these planets might reflect their environment—fiery and passionate Mercurians, warm and inviting Venusians, cold and distant Plutonians. One of these planets is also likely Amazonian in its society (space amazons were a genre favorite at the time). One world may be home of the frog-men while another is the world of the hawk men. Of course, things like this are up to the Narrator.

Designed to aid mankind, these things have also been known to malfunction and attempt to destroy all humans! Atomic Robots don’t look very human-like. They are bulky and slow, often resembling a garbage can with waving accordion-like arms ending in metal pincers. Instead of circuitry, the “guts” of the Atomic Robot consists of transistors and vacuum tubes. Despite their comical appearance, an Atomic Robot can be a very helpful ally—or a deadly enemy. Sometimes, they are programmed with a password that will cause them to shut down—such as “Klaatu barada nikto”. B5 A2 M3 Paired Weapons: Pincers EC1; Break Weapon; Toughness 2 (+20 soak); Built-In Tools 3 Pincers do x6 Dmg Advantage: Unliving

Disadvantage: Slave

100 Hits/20 Soak

Frog Men

DL 12

Primitive, short, and ugly, the Frog Men live in steaming jungles. They are prone to worship beautiful women, and may capture one in order to make her their “goddess”. At other times, evil (but beautiful) women will take advantage of the Frog Men’s weakness to manipulate them towards their own evil ends; even arming Frog Men with the latest technology and sending them to wreck havoc. When they attack, Frog Men tend to wield poisoned spears or arrows. B2 A3 M1

Ave Atk 21, Ave Def 21

Aquatic 2 (Swim 6 squares, hold breath triple time); Toughness 1 (+10 soak); Leap (8 squares) Arrows and spears do x3 dmg followed by x3 Continual damage from poison the next page 20 Hits/10 Soak

Hawk Men Living in great cliff-face homes, the hawk-men are a proud people who distrust outsiders. They may either be primitive or advanced as the Narrator sees fit. A Hero can be a Hawk Man if they want to. They have a Max Brawn of 2, Minimum Agility of 3, Keen Vision, and Fly 3. B1 A3 M2 Keen Vision (x6); Weapon Technique +2DM (choose one of the

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chapter 6 following: bow or spear (primitive) Lightning Gun or vibro-lance (advanced); Fly 3 (9 squares) Weapons do the following damage: Bow x6, Spear x4, Vibro-lance x6, Lightning Gun x8 20 Hits

Space Amazon Warrior Space Amazons are a mysterious, matriarchal race that values combat ability above all else. It is said that long ago, a strange disease caused all their males to die out. As a result, they must capture mates from other worlds—although none of their male children have been strong enough to survive to adulthood. Space Amazons are genetically compatible with humans, though they may have skin of an unusual color (blue, green, red, or orange for instance). While they enjoy having male human companionship, female humans will likely be challenged to fights to the death. Men are pampered among them, unless they attempt to escape the planet of the Amazons—at which time they learn that Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned! Freeze Beams are the favored weapons as they allow mates to be captured unscathed, or women to be taken back alive to fight in the arena. B3 A3 M1 foes)

Ave Atk 21

Ave Def 21 (28 vs. unarmed

Armor Familiarity: Light; Martial Arts 2 (Punch, Kick, Throw, Martial Block, Suplex, Jump Kick); Mono-Sword Technique +1DM; Freeze Beam Technique +1DM Equipment: Mono-Sword (x6 Dmg—halves target’s soak), Freeze Beam (x4 Stun, plus Immobilizing effect), Light Body Armor 30 Hits/20 Soak

Space Amazon Queen B4 A3 M2 Medium Armor Familiarity; Martial Arts 3 (Punch, Kick, Throw, Martial Block, Suplex, Jump Kick, Elbow Smash, Spinning Backfist); Mono-Sword Technique +1DM, +1Hit; Freeze Beam Technique +1DM, +1Hit; Quickdraw Equipment: Mono-Sword (x7 Dmg—halves target’s soak), Freeze Beam (x5 Stun, plus immobilizing effect), Medium Body Armor 100 Hits/30 Soak

Space Opera Space Opera is a genre that came out of Space Pulp, and in many ways, overlaps with it. Like Space Pulp, it emphasizes romantic adventure, exotic settings, and larger-than-life characters, but has also incorporated more modern science fiction conventions like Stardrives. It is a mix of technology, often using technological devices to replicate fantasy/swashbuckling conventions (ship captains duel with energy blades in the corridor during a boarding

by enemy troopers). The design of starships, military uniforms, and architecture might take on a more Gothic theme than usually seen in other science fiction, making the military dress resemble that of Victorian Europe closer than they do modern military uniforms. The Star Wars films are an excellent example of the Space Opera genre of science fiction. Although there is a great deal of technology, there is also an anachronistic quality to such settings. A Space Opera setting might have ships that can travel faster than light, but no teleporters or energy weapons. Even computers might somehow not exist in such a setting. What is even more anachronistic than the technology, however is the culture. Space opera often involves despots, empires, nobles, and lords involved in a complex tapestry of alliances, vendettas, and intrigue. The political climate more closely resembles medieval Europe or Japan than it does modern Earth, let alone a more “progressive” version of the future. Everything needed to make a compelling Space Opera campaign is already included in the rules—there is no need for extra equipment or monster listings here. The main component for the Narrator to decide is what they want to leave out (if anything) and what the cultures and conflicts are within the setting.

Science Fantasy Mysterious “magic”, people wearing capes, and strange aliens or mutants that often resemble animals are common in this genre. The Science Fantasy genre focuses more on the fiction than the science. Examples of Science Fantasy from popular culture include Thundarr the Barbarian and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Science Fantasy would also include “Sword and Planet” adventures similar to Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom series. Science Fantasy often features a blend of or blur between science and magic. Perhaps the science is so advanced (and the knowledge of how it works is so rare) that many high-tech devices—staves, wands, etc—appear to be magic. Or perhaps, mankind has discovered how to wield arcane forces as well as technology. When the campaign is created, the first task for the Narrator to figure out is the metaphysics of the campaign. Is there actual magic? If so, BASH! Fantasy would be an excellent resource. But what if people have psionic abilities that they do not fully understand, and believe to be magical? Perhaps these psionic gifts developed along with rituals—magic words and gestures that were used to focus their psionic energies. However, psionics have become dependent on these rituals, and now must “cast” a spell in order to make their powers work. This dependence on casting is a 1 point limitation on all psionic abilities. If the character is unable to “cast” (their hands are tied, their mouths are gagged), they are unable to use their powers. Alternatively, primitive psions might depend on fetishes, wands, crystals, or other focus items to utilize their psionic powers. This is also a 1 point limitation: focus. Without the focus

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Post Apocalyptic

item specified for that power, the psion cannot use it. Or, what if there is no magic? Maybe it is just very advanced technology. You could use items featured in this book, perhaps with a more “fantasy” appearance to them—a video communicator that looks like a crystal ball, for instance. You could also make use of some of the magic items listed in the BASH! Fantasy rules, explaining them as a function of high technology. Flaming swords, boots that make the wearer run really fast, or wands that telekinetically open locked doors are all possible with this type of setting. Converting money for equipment from BASH! Fantasy to BASH! Sci-Fi prices is simple. 1 gold mark from BASH! Fantasy is equal to 100 credits in BASH! Sci-Fi. So if your Science Fantasy campaign uses credits, multiply fantasy prices by 100 to get their price. If you are using gold marks, divide the Sci-Fi prices by 100.

Monsters Many of the creatures listed in the Aliens, Mutants, and Monsters section earlier in the book would work well in a science fantasy setting. Thunder Beasts, Brhinox, and Viper Slugs all fit the bill here. Here are a couple other ideas:

Four-Armed Martian Berserker

Size 1 DL 16

These are nomadic, green, ape-like Martians, with four arms. Though they have intelligence, they are primitive by most standards, and still use swords and shields as their primary weapons. B3 A2 M1

Ave Atk 14

Ave Def 21

Extra Arms, Brachiating, Swift Strike (2EC); Deflect 1; Reckless Might; Toughness +10 Soak; Keen Sense: Smell (x4) Skills: Athlete/Run, Stealth/Hide, Outdoor/Track Equipment: Three swords (x5 Dmg) and a shield (x3 Stun)

Size 3 DL 34

Strikingly similar in appearance to the mythical beast it is named after, the Venusian Fire Dragon can breathe fire and is resistant to flame as well. They are deadly opponents, and are even dangerous to small starships that venture too close! People who fight them are advised to bring a rocket launcher to the battle! B4, A4, M4 Fire Breath range 10, +2DM (x6 Dmg +15) radius 1 (Enhancement Reduced EC) EC 2 Environmental Endurance: Heat Skin is extremely tough +30 Soak Flying x4 speed. Keen smell (x7) Bite does x6 dmg +15 ; Claws do x5 dmg +15 100 Hits/45 Soak

In any case, the world is in a state of chaos. Perhaps it has been only 20 years since the disaster, or perhaps 2000 years have passed. In either case, very little of man’s former culture still exists. Technology is not what it used to be— far more rare than in most science fiction. In some of these settings, magic has arisen to replace the lost technology. For rules on use of magic, you can consult BASH! Fantasy Edition. However, you can also simply make some modifications of the psionics rules, claiming that “magic” is simply the unlocking of mankind’s psionic abilities, and that “spells” and chanting are a part of the ritual that helps people focus these psychic energies. Another consequence of the calamity could be widespread mutation. In some cases, this mutation results in the creation of many fantasy races, like elves, dwarves, and goblins (see BASH! Fantasy Edition for info on these). Other mutations might be various forms of “animal men”. You can also use the alien species rules to create these mutants. Of course, these mutations may have also created various monsters as well. If the mutations created “fantasy” monsters, like dragons, you may wish to use the BASH! Fantasy rules for such creatures. However, in this section you will find a few examples of other mutant monsters, many of them created by crossing existing animals. Oftentimes, adventures in these post-apocalyptic worlds involve recovering items from the past. Gasoline, ammunition, or even paper may have become commodities more precious than gold.

Technology

50 Hits/15 Soak

Venusian Fire Dragon

This genre of sci-fi revolves around society after a major calamity. Perhaps a nuclear world war has wiped out most of civilization, or maybe a world wide natural disaster, such as a shift in the planet’s axis or the melting of the polar ice caps has decimated mankind. Perhaps the game is home to a thunderous barbarian, or a mad road warrior.

The First thing that a Narrator must do when creating a PostApocalyptic setting is decide what the tech level of the society is. Also, s/he should decide what technological rarities are in demand, and are even available. For instance, firearms might be exceedingly rare, especially when the secrets of making gunpowder have been lost. Such rare things would be almost priceless, and likely treated as the “magic” of the “ancients”. Something else the Narrator should decide is how long ago the calamity happened, and how much information people in the setting have about the world before the calamity. Has the world’s geography changed in any way?

New Equipment: Chainsaw: The chainsaw was not invented for use as a weapon. However, it makes a very effective one— especially against mobs of shambling zombies. A chainsaw is a 2-handed weapon that does +3DM. Any damage soaking ability is halved against it. Turning on a chainsaw requires a 10 Brawn check and counts as an attack for that panel. In addition, chainsaws run

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on some sort of power—either a battery that must be recharged or gasoline that must be refilled. Each time a chainsaw is turned on (except for the first time after refueling), Roll a d6. On a 1 or 2, it is down one third of its fuel. After three such results, it is out of power and ceases to function until refueled. If money is still of value in this setting, a Chainsaw sells for 2000 Credits, and fuel/batteries for 200 each refill.

Post-Apocalyptic Powers Rapid Reloader: 1pt. You can reload and fire your weapon (choose one TL1 or lower ranged weapon type) at double the usual speed (meaning you can fire a bow twice per panel or a crossbow every panel, etc). However, this is tiring, and you must spend 1 energy whenever you do it.

Advantages Useful Mutation: You have a mutation that can be used to your

advantage. Whether you were born with it, or if it just “happened” to you, it is here to stay. You may choose Special Powers with the Alien descriptor for your character.

Disadvantages Hideous Mutation: You have a mutation that disfigures you,

and could make other people instantly dislike you when they first meet you. Possible examples include having two heads, a third eye, a parasitic twin on your torso, or skin constantly oozing pus. You have a -2 Dice penalty to any dice rolls made to be persuasive, entertaining, or even just socialize.

Debilitating Mutation: You have a mutation that disables you

Science Fiction Genres If you have a prosthesis that is fully functional, causing you to lose these penalties, you lose this disadvantage, and must select another one.

Monsters: Doubtless, if the calamity created mutations, many of these became incredibly dangerous to mankind. Below are some examples of things that might have occurred.

Ape-Man Warrior

DL11

One potential post-apocalyptic world is one in which humans became nearly extinct, while apes then evolved sentience, speech, and technology. Those humans who still exist are kept as pets by the now-dominant ape culture. Depending on the TL assigned this world, the swords carried by an ape-man warrior could be ordinary swords or vibroblades. Likewise, the armor worn by them will be either simple leather or light body armor depending on the TL. B5 A3 M1

Ave Atk 21, Ave Def 21

Armor Familiarity: Light; Brachiating; Paired Weapons (swords or fists) 1EC; Fleet of Foot; Either Rapid Reload or Double Taps, depending on technology. Low-Tech Equipment: Two Swords (x7 Dmg), Crossbow (x4 Dmg, Range 25), Leather Armor (Soak 10) High-Tech Equipment: Two Vibroblades (x8 Dmg), Blaster Carbine (x5 Dmg, Range 20), Light Body Armor (20 Soak) 30 Hits/10 or 20 Soak

Ape-Man Scholar

DL 16

in some way. Choose from the following list, or consult your Narrator to create one of your own. Note that these disabilities do not need to be the result of a mutation—you may have lost an eye in a fight, or lost a leg. Just list the disadvantage by the name of the disability below, rather than as a Disabling Mutation.

Ape-Men have a long and noble tradition of science and philosophy rivaling that of the ancient Greeks. While most Ape-Men scholars are ethical, some may be crazed scientists who experiment on humans.

One Eye: You have only one useable eye. As a result, you have poor depth perception. Whenever you must engage in an activity that requires good depth perception, such as using a ranged attack, you suffer a -2 penalty to the dice roll before multiplying.

Brachiating; Fleet of Foot; Skillful

Bad Legs: For some reason, your legs do not work properly. It is also possible that you don’t even have legs, perhaps using tentacles or a snake-like tail for locomotion. Effectively, you have the Slow disadvantage and you also have a -2 Dice penalty on any Athlete/Acrobatics, Performance/Dance or similar checks that require good use of your legs. One Hand: You have only one good, useable hand. The other may be disfigured, a big claw, or completely non-existent. You are incapable of any activity that requires two hands (like wielding a two-handed weapon). In any activity where someone should be using 2 hands (like climbing a ladder), you have a -2 Dice penalty.

B4 A2 M3 Skills: Athlete+1/Climb, Science/Any, Humanities/Any, Technology/ Any, +Any two mental skills 100 Hits (or 10 Hits if only a lab assistant, DL 7)

Bearilla

Size 1 DL 14

A hideous cross between a bear and a gorilla, the bearilla is incredibly strong, vicious, and intelligent (for an animal). Unlike bears, bearillas live in family groups, and hunt as a team. B4 A3 M1

Ave Atk 18, Ave Def 18

Powers: Brachiating 1pt, Paired Weapons (Claws) 1pt; Swift Strike (Bite) 2pt; Toughness 1 +10 Soak; Keen Smell (x4 to notice by scent) 1pt Claws do x5 dmg; Bite does x6 dmg

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chapter 6 powers that the person does not possess in the real world, such as flying or energy blasts. How many points a character’s Avatar has should be based on how many points they have in a separate power called Avatar (requires the Brain-Jack advantage).

Skills: Athlete/Climb, Stealth/Hide, Outdoor/Tracking 50 Hits/15 Soak

Lionoserous Size 1 DL 21 Another abomination of nature is the Lionoserous, a cross between a lion and a rhino. It has thick, tough hide, vicious teeth and claws, and a deadly horn atop its head. It uses its horn to gore its enemies after a powerful charge (remember that an attack after using the running power does 1 extra DM). Once it has attacked with its horn, it then uses its teeth and claws to slay its prey. Fortunately, it has very poor eyesight, though it makes up for this with a very keen sense of smell. B5 A3 M1 Keen Smell (x4 to notice by scent); Toughness 2 +20 soak; Running 1 (12 squares); Paired Weapons (Claws) EC1; Swift Strike (Bite) EC2 Horn Gore x7 dmg; Bite x7 dmg; Claws x6 dmg 100 Hits/25 Soak

Zombie

DL 3

Victim of a mutant virus, or nuclear radiation, Zombies are people who have gone insane, and now live with unending agony. They only get relief from this torture by infecting others or consuming brains. Their skin looks rotting and grey, and they appear not to feel pain from external sources (probably because the pain they feel internally is so strong). They walk with a slow, rambling gait, and single-mindedness like that of their b-movie namesakes. B3 A1 M1

Ave Atk 14, Ave Def 7

Toughness 1 +10 Soak; Unarmed Technique +1 Hit Bite does x5 Dmg 20 Hits/10 Soak

Cyberpunk

Cyberpunk Advantages: Bio-Engineered: You are an artificial life-form—much like an

android—however you were constructed biologically rather than mechanically. As a result, you can purchase Mechanical or Alien powers. Most Bio-Engineered beings have some sort of limitations placed on them, however. You might have an incredibly short lifespan, or no legal rights. It is likely you are unable to reproduce, and likely were not born and raised, but created in a laboratory, as a full-grown adult. Note, also, that there is almost always some infallible way of detecting if someone is bio-engineered or “real”.

Brain-Jack: You have a computer interface surgically implanted

into your brain. It enables you to connect a computer jack directly to your brain. When you do this, you can access computer information, search the Network, and even manipulate or destroy computer systems mentally. While you are “jacked in” you become unaware of your immediate surroundings, as your brain focuses completely on the “virtual world” of the computer. This advantage allows you to take the Avatar or Upload Training Power, which might be necessary to navigate this virtual world.

Cybernetic Implants: Less invasive than becoming a Cyborg,

micro-technology allows you to have several mechanical powers without losing your humanity or limiting your ability to heal yourself. The most you can have is 5 points of mechanical powers at a time, although you can change the powers if you wish. Doing this requires a surgery where your old implants are removed and replaced with new ones. Effectively, this allows you to swap unwanted old mechanical powers for new ones. All you have to do is pay for the surgery—there is no experience cost. Assume the surgery costs 1000 credits per point of powers being changed.

Cyberpunk Disadvantages

Cyberpunk is a genre of Science Fiction set in the not-so-far future, often a grim dystopia ruled by corporations or taken over by machines. The Matrix, Total Recall, and Blade Runner are all good examples of this genre in film. This genre is mostly TL 4 in nature, with the exception of very advanced robotics or cloning in many cases.

Adventures in Cyberspace Not all adventures happen in the real world in the dark future of Cyberpunk. The virtual world of the Network is often even more exciting. Within the Network, heroes appear as Avatars—either idealized versions of themselves even fictional beings. Data is represented by real objects, protected by walls, traps (like firewalls), anti-viral programs, which resemble security guards or even monsters. Bypasses to this protection might involve using

Diminished Lifespan: You are not going to live very long.

This may be a function of your species, a disease, drugs, or some sort of genetic engineering. Whatever the case, you only have a few years at the most. But the candle that burns half as long burns twice as bright. You make the most of your time you have left—and as a result you easily become impatient when you have to wait for something.

Tampered Memory: For some reason, you have a scrambled

brain. Perhaps you are a castoff or escapee of a corporate experiment. Whatever the case, you have memories that do not seem to reflect your reality. You are not sure what is real and what has been fabricated—and you are suspicious of anyone claiming to know who you are, and then there are the unnamed people who seem to be after you. Of course, your primary motive in life is an obsession

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to figure out the truth—even if it costs you your life.

Cyberpunk Powers: Avatar 1-5pts: When you interface a computer with your brain,

your mind creates an Avatar, a virtual you inside the virtual world of computers. Depending on how the Narrator is running the genre, this Avatar may look exactly like you, or it may look like whatever you want it to. However, it will always look the same when you enter the network. This virtual person has stats and powers just like a normal character, but is capable of being even more powerful within that network. Your Avatar divides up points into Brawn, Agility, and Mind. The number of points you have to distribute is equal to your points in the Avatar power +4. You must put a minimum of 1 point in each stat, and each has a maximum of 5 points. Your Avatar also begins with powers. Your Avatar has a number of points for powers equal to 3 times your points in Avatar. Thus, if you had 3 points in the Avatar power, you could make an Avatar with 9 points of powers. Depending on the campaign, the Narrator limit how powers are available for Avatars. One way is to limit what types of powers Avatars can take. For instance, if the Narrator wants to keep an aspect of realism in the virtual world, s/he could insist that only “Mundane” powers be taken, or that “Alien” powers cannot be taken. Also, the Narrator may set a “power cap” on what powers an Avatar can take. For instance, with a 2 pt power cap, one cannot take an Avatar that can fly. If the Narrator wishes, however, s/he could allow you to use ANY power from any edition of BASH! that the Narrator approves of. You could even have “magical” powers while within the network. The Narrator could even decide that the “virtual” characters use the superhero rules!

assigned 3 XP, the Avatar would gain 1 experience point and the Hero would gain 2 experience points. Alternatively (to make things easier) s/he could allow Heroes to spend their own experience points to improve Avatars, and simply allow the player to allocate what portion goes to their Hero or Avatar. Of course, Avatars only should be gaining experience if the Narrator says they can. The downside of course, to the Avatar power is that the more powerful your Avatar is, the less powerful your own Hero will be. However this may make sense in a campaign where the Heroes are “mere mortals” only capable of truly fantastic things within the network, or where some characters are meant to shine in the network while others are meant to shine in the real world. Also, if the Narrator chooses, using Avatars can be dangerous. In some settings, whenever the Avatar is injured, the Hero jacked into the network is injured as well (they take the same damage). This could be especially dangerous if the Avatar is able to be healed quickly, but the Hero in control cannot, and it is quite possible that a Hero could die while in control of an Avatar, usually from some massive brain trauma. It could be the case however that losing one’s avatar merely severs one’s connection to the Network. It may also be difficult to get in or out of the network—maybe the Hero can only remove him/herself from the jack when they find an exit. This could make a problem if you are jacked-in to a network in a high-security building with police pounding on the door, but your Avatar cannot find the way back to your body! Severing the link to the Avatar might result in a coma or even death. In such situations,

An Avatar can also have advantages and disadvantages, just like a regular character. These advantages and disadvantages have to be able to make sense for a virtual character to have, however. For instance, being Large or Small could matter when fighting enemy programs, and even having Contacts or a Ward within the virtual world may matter. However it would not make sense for a character to have a phobia in the virtual world that they do not have in the real world and vice-versa. Mental advantages and disadvantages such as this cannot be bought separately for the Avatar—the Avatar has the same mental conditions as the Hero who created it (it is, after all, that person’s mind). Physical and social conditions, however may differ. Finally, Avatars can earn experience points. If the Narrator wishes to allow Avatars to upgrade, the Narrator can allow Avatars to receive experience points for their exploits in the network. However, if the Avatar is earning experience for that interaction, the Hero controlling the Avatar does not. For instance, in an issue in which one third took place in the network and two-thirds took place in the “real” world, and the Narrator

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chapter 6 it would be vital to have some non-interfaced friends around to protect your body during an interface.

Upload Training 2pts: You have the ability to “upload” skills

that normally require years of training and natural talent directly into your brain. Essentially, you can temporarily gain any one skill—physical or mental. You can only have one “uploaded” skill at any given time, but to change which skill you have uploaded all you need is a computer with the right program. This can be useful if you need quickly learn how to pilot a jet or set a broken bone. Physical skills used with uploaded training have a -1 Dice penalty as your body is not used to making use of it, but mental skills can be used unimpaired.

Cyberpunk Equipment Hacking Kit: A kit that you patch into a computer network to

Skills: Athletics/Acrobatics; Performance/Dance; +1 more physical; Any 1 mental (depending on function) 100 Hits/10 soak (30 Hits if they are minions)

Security Program

DL 17

Designed to stop hacker’s avatars from breaking into corporate or government files, security programs are designed with brutal efficiency and tracking ability in mind. Security programs can transform from ordinary looking “people” to killing machines, sprouting guns and swords from nowhere in an instant. B4 A2 M3

Ave Atk 14 (21 katana or SMG) Ave Def 20

Martial Arts 2 (punch, kick, choke, throw, leg sweep, foot stomp); Katana Technique: +1 Hit, +1DM; Sub-machinegun technique +1 hit; Leap; Danger Sense, Toughness 1 (+10 soak) Skills: Stealth/Hiding, Athlete/Running, Investigation/Gather Information, Streetwise/Shortcuts, Computers/Hacking

make it easier to hack into. You get a +2 Dice bonus to Computers/Hacking rolls while using a Hacking Kit. Hacking Kits may also be necessary to enter the Network from unauthorized locations.

Equipment: Katana (x3 hit, x8 dmg), Sub-machinegun (x3 hit, x6 dmg, Radius 1, Burst rating 3)

Katana: The queen-mother of all swords in cyberpunk, and

Soldier Replicant and file

possibly the strongest substance in the universe, the properties of the katana has been exaggerated by Hollywood for decades. If the Narrator wants a “special effects” katana, it does +2 or +3DM (1 or 2 handed) and halves the soak of any target it strikes. In addition, the katana gives a +1 to Agility for the purposes of determining priority. For a more realistic katana, remove the soakhalving effect. TL 1, 2000 Credits.

50 Hits/10 Soak

DL 28 or 21 for rank

This model of Replicant is made for war. They are not only faster and stronger (and more easily replaced) than normal humans, but also possess a keen tactical mind for warfare. Often created to be unswervingly loyal, on occasion, even a soldier replicant can acquire individuality and attempt to break away for their freedom. B5 A4 M3

Ave Atk 28 Ave Def 28/35 vs. unarmed(for rank

Leather Trenchcoat: This coat is tough enough to count as and file) leather armor, giving +10 Soak. It also is good for concealing tools and weapons (+2 Dice bonus to do this). TL 2, 400 Credits.

Cyberpunk Encounters While many of the potential enemies and allies listed earlier in the book are appropriate (especially cyber-ninjas), here are a few extra that are especially cyberpunk.

Pleasure Replicant DL 18 or 11 if minion These are androids—either mechanical or bio-engineered—to appear completely human. Their function is entertaining humans, and many pleasure replicants are quite beautiful to look at. Nevertheless, while they are not designed for combat, they can be quite capable at it when they must be. Even a Pleasure Replicant can become dangerous when it is on the run. B4 A3 M1

Ave Atk 21 Ave Def 21

Charisma (x3); Leap; Speed-Wired 2; Toughness 1 (+10 Soak); Advantage: Unliving or Bioengineered Disadvantage: No Legal Status

Leap; Speed-Wired 2; Toughness 1 (+10 Soak); Medium Armor Familiarity; Sub-Machinegun Technique +2DM; Martial Arts 2 (punch, kick, choke, throw, martial block, catch); Skillful 1, Combat Driving Advantage: Unliving or Bioengineered Legal Status, Diminished Lifespan

Disadvantage:

No

Skills: Driving+1/Control; Stealth/Prowling; Athlete/Climb; Pilot/ Pursuit; Military+1/Tactics; Outdoor+1/Survival Equipment: Sub-Machinegun (x8 Dmg), Medium Body Armor (30 Soak); Handgun (x5 Dmg); Vibroknife (x7 Dmg) 100 Hits/30 Soak for N.C.O.s, 30 Hits/30 Soak for rank and file

Mecha-Pilots This is a genre of gigantic robots known as Mecha and the people who pilot them, most commonly seen in Japanese Anime. Often, with big eyes and wild hair, these Mecha-pilots tend to be struggling in some galactic war with another power also using Mecha. A group of Heroes who pilot Mecha make 2 characters. The first character is their Hero, the Mecha pilot. The second character they get to design is the Mecha itself. In this genre, Mecha tend to be

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Science Fiction Genres highly individualized, seldom are any two the same—at least those piloted by Heroes and Villains. The mass-produced Mecha tend to be piloted by minions—and in fact, act as minions, even though they may be 100’ tall!

Mecha Power Level Depending on the series the Narrator is trying to emulate, Mecha have varying degrees of power and size. Below are guidelines for 3 different power levels of Mecha. Low-Powered: In this series, Mecha are a supplement, not a replacement for, standard military tanks and fighters. The standard is 7 points of stats, 9 points of powers, and 5 Million credits worth of equipment (Mecha equipment is the same as character equipment, but 1000 times the cost, 10 times the range, and much bigger). Most Mecha are size 1. High-Powered: In this series, Mecha are superior to standard tanks and fighters, and have become the main technology employed in warfare. The standard is 8 points of stats, 12 points of powers, and 7 Million credits of equipment. Many Mecha are size 2. Over the Top: In this series, Mecha are the ultimate fighting machines. Enemy armies each try to outdo each other by creating “super-Mecha” intended to annihilate the other side. Such experimental Mecha are often used by Heroes or Villains, and have 9 points in stats, 15 in powers, and 10 Million credits in equipment. These Mecha can be size 3.

Mecha Creation & Combat Once the Narrator has chosen the scale of the series, the players get to create their Mecha. A Mecha is created just as an ordinary character, with the following differences: • A Mecha can only select Advantages and Disadvantages from the Mecha Advantages and Disadvantages lists. A Mecha has no emotions or capacity to think independently, and therefore, cannot have phobias, etc. • A Mecha has no skills. Instead, the Mecha-Pilot’s skills are used. So if the Mecha Pilot has no Athletics skill, the Mecha will have a difficult time trying to climb, or use aerobatics, etc. • With respect to Agility and Mind in combat, use the lower of the Mecha’s and the Pilot’s for determining attacks, defense, and ranged damage. For Brawn, only use the Mecha’s. A Mecha can lift 10 tons per point of Brawn. Note—pilots should not neglect having a decent Brawn themselves—if they want to survive combat outside their Mecha (which should happen often enough). • A Mecha can choose Mechanical powers from the Special Powers list, and from the Mecha-Powers list. It cannot take any other powers, not even Mundane Powers. Mundane powers represent individual focus, drive, and training. A Mecha has none of these things. The Mecha pilot, however does. • The Mecha pilot’s Mundane Powers work while piloting their Mecha. For example, if a Mecha pilot has Sword Technique

granting a +1DM bonus, the Mecha wielding a sword will have the same bonus. • Mecha wield equipment just like any character—except much larger versions of the same equipment designed for Mecha. Damage is unchanged—though it is considered Mecha-scale damage. The range on all distance weapons is x10. The reach of all other weapons (or radius effects if any) are multiplied by the size of the Mecha. Weapons without “reach” now have a reach equal to the Mecha’s size. Mecha scale weapons are 1000 times the regular cost. Example: A size 2 Mecha with a vibro-lance would have a reach of 4 squares, while a size 3 Mecha with the same weapon has a reach of 6. A size 2 Mecha with a Brawn of 2 throws a grenade with a radius of 2 in regular scale. It has a thrown range of 20 and explodes in a radius of 4. The Mecha-scale Vibro-lance costs 2 Million credits (2,000 times 1,000). • Like vehicles, Mecha add their size as a Dice bonus and to their Damage multiplier when attacking people outside vehicles. When people with personal weapons attack a Mecha, the add 20 to the Mecha’s soak per size it is greater than the weapon firing upon it. For example: a size 2 Mecha fires at a platoon of soldiers who return fire. The Mecha has a +2 dice bonus and +2 multiplier to damage and also a +40 soak against the soldiers. If one of them has a size 2 Heavy Quantum Rocket Launcher, however, it bypasses this extra soak. • Unlike vehicles, Mecha have Hits, and Wound Thresholds like characters. They don’t deal with “breaches”. The number of Hits a Mecha has equals their pilot’s multiplied by the size of the Mecha. Mecha piloted by minions are more easily destroyed than if piloted by a Hero or Villain. When a Mecha takes a wound, there is a chance that the pilot/crew is injured just like when a ship suffers a breach. • It is common for Mecha to outshine other vehicles like jets or tanks. However, Mecha should not be able to obliterate enemy capital ships on a whim, either. When doing Vehicle scale combat, Mecha damage has a dice penalty equal to its size difference smaller than the target (putting it closer to on-par with Vehicle scale damage). Any damage exceeding the target’s Breach Threshold causes a breach just as it would if attacked by a vehicle (including size difference adjustments). Likewise, when a larger vehicle attacks a Mecha, add its size difference as a Dice bonus on its damage inflicted.

Mecha-Pilot Powers It is important that the capabilities of the Mecha and the Pilot be kept separate, however, there is nothing to say that a Mecha-Pilot cannot be especially accomplished in piloting a Mecha. In essence, the powers of the Mecha outline what it is capable of—what weapons,

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chapter 6 defenses, and movement capabilities it has. However, the pilot can have powers that give special aptitude with these systems.

Battle-Cry: 2pts. Somehow, your Mecha is able to perform better when you announce your attack, or use your catch-phrase. Once per issue, (usually during a climactic battle) you can use a Hero die to resolve one attack or damage roll by your Mecha when you use your Battle-Cry. Example battle cries could be: “Burning Sword!” “Attack pattern Gamma”, or “Ultimate Laser”!

Custom Mecha: 1-3pts. Instead a standard issue military Me-

cha, you have one that is special. In some campaigns, you may even have the ONLY Mecha on your side. This power allows your Mecha’s stats, powers, and equipment to be better than the baseline of the campaign. For each point in this power, a Mecha has either 1 extra point of stats, 2 extra points in powers, 3 Million credits in equipment, or 1 higher level of size. This power can only be taken with Narrator permission.

Mecha Advantages Instant Summons: Through teleportation or a really cool cut-

scene, you are able to do one of two things. Either you can summon your Mecha to you, or you can transport yourself inside your Mecha (choose only one of these effects). Even if this effect should take time—i.e. a summoned Mecha flying out of its volcano base to find you—it is somehow accomplished within a single page.

component with the best Brawn is used as the Brawn of the entire Ultra-Mecha. The component with the worst Agility is used as the Agility of the entire Ultra-Mecha. The component with the best Mind is used as the Mind of the entire Ultra-Mecha (“and I’ll form the head”). In addition to all this, An Ultra-Mecha also has 5 extra power points, and can buy extra Advantages/Disadvantages that only manifest while in Ultra-Mecha mode. When an Ultra-Mecha performs a task that requires a dice roll, the player controlling the Hero who is piloting that part of the UltraMecha makes the roll. So if the Ultra-Mecha attacks with its blazing sword, the Hero piloting the sword-arm would make the attack and damage rolls. Ultra-Mecha defense rolls are made by whoever is piloting the legs. If more than one person is piloting the legs, both people roll, and the worse result is taken (it is difficult to coordinate motion in this way). Ultra-Mecha do not have Hits on their own—they are the sum of their parts. Thus, an Ultra-Mecha with 5 size 1 parts would have 100 Hits per part. Enemies fighting an Ultra-Mecha can target any one of the component parts they choose with an attack with no penalties to the roll. However, all the parts of the Ultra-Mecha gain the benefit of the Ultra-Mecha’s size increase (somehow, forming into one big Mecha makes all the parts more effective).

Mecha Disadvantages Bonded: Your Mecha is not just a vehicle: it is a part of you. This

can be useful: only you can pilot it. However, the drawbacks can

Repair Crew: Your Mecha has an entire staff devoted to its be severe. Every time the Mecha takes damage, you take half repairs. Essentially, between issues, it will automatically be fully repaired, as long as it has had a chance to report to base by then. If you need repairs during an issue, you can take it to the base (or have the repair crew come to you) and make the repairs. This “heals” 10 Hits times your Mecha’s size per hour of repairs. So a size 3 Mecha with 3 hours to make repairs would heal 90 Hits.

Ultra-Mecha: One interesting aspect in the Mecha-Pilot genre

is the team of Mecha that can combine to form some super-Mecha. The television shows Voltron and Power Rangers are both examples of this. This advantage must be taken by all the Mecha that form components of the larger Mecha to be created. When this advantage is taken, it enables the Mecha in question to form into a specific Ultra-Mecha—it cannot combine with just any Mecha that has this advantage. When designing the Mecha, the full-sized “ultra-Mecha” will have all of the powers of its combined components! As it uses these powers, it expends energy from the component that supplied the power, essentially giving it a separate energy pool per component Mecha. It will also have the benefit of added size. To figure the final size of an Ultra-Mecha, Add 1 to its largest component part. This makes it possible to have Mecha that are larger than normally possible. An Ultra-Mecha’s stats are determined in the following way. The

damage yourself. Often, this means the trauma of damage will kill the pilot before the Mecha is destroyed.

Limited Battery: Your Mecha cannot stay away from its base

for very long—or it needs an extension cord to keep it supplied with so many ultra-mega-super-watts of power. This limited window of time means that much of the time in the game will be spent outside the Mecha. Typically, the Mecha will only be called upon during major emergencies—maybe one scene in the entire issue.

Remote Control: This Mecha does not actually have room for

a pilot. It is actually a giant robot that was made to be controlled by remote. This means that the person with the remote must be nearby—and will be unprotected because they are not in the Mecha! This can lead to all sorts of problems when the little person who usually has the remote control gets kidnapped!

Mecha Powers Mecha can have any Mechanical powers they want—though some work a little differently. Below are adjustments to old powers and some new powers just for Mecha.

Movement Powers: Any of the Mechanical powers based on

movement can be taken, but have greater effect for Mecha. Mecha

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always move 10 times faster than a character could. So a Mecha Agility 2, Flight 3 would be able to fly 60 squares a page. As a 1 point limitation, a power might require some removable component—like a rocket glider pack that is only used to fly. Any power with such a limitation requires at least 1 page to activate the movement before it can be used.

Built-In Weaponry: Some built-in weapons used by Mecha are also concealed or act as natural weapons. A Mecha with a missile launcher may, for instance, fire its rocket-powered fists at enemies (which then return to their arm sockets). A Mecha with sharp teeth and a powerful bite could be represented by having a built-in vibro-knife.

Rail-Gun: 4pts. A rail gun is a special shoulder-mounted weapon used by Mecha. Instead of firing a projectile with propellant, or even a laser, it uses magnetic repulsion to fire a metal slug at super-sonic speeds. This allows it to fire even in the vacuum o f space (few Mecha weapons are designed for starship scale combat). When fired within an atmosphere, the rail-gun emits a powerful sonic boom. Because it fires using magnets, there is no recoil from firing this weapon either. The impact velocity of a rail-gun is so high that armor is only half effective against damage dealt by it, and vehicle Breach Thresholds are 10 lower against it. The Range of a rail gun is 10 grids, or the sensor range of the Mecha firing it, whichever is lower. When firing within an atmosphere, the range is 100 squares. Rail-guns do +4DM.

Science Fiction Genres Living Mecha: It is possible that in the world in which you are

playing, the Mecha are not mindless machines that use humanoid pilots. What if the Mecha are artificial life-forms, as in the Transformers franchise? In that case, the Heroes would not get to make 2 characters—they would get to make a single character—their Mecha. In addition to the Mecha advantages and disadvantages, they would have access to ordinary Advantages and Disadvantages, as long as they are reasonable that the Mecha could have that. For instance, giant robots with emotions might have a phobia, but it would not make sense that they could have an allergy. In addition, Living Mecha have skills, just as ordinary characters do. Also, Living Mecha can take Mundane powers as well as Mechanical and Mecha powers. Note, despite the name, the Living Mecha should have the Unliving advantage (unless they are in fact a biological construction) since they have no internal organs, don’t require food, etc.

Unusual Technology Mecha:

The rules for Mecha-Pilots genre was assuming that Mecha were man-made products of high technology. However, they might be something different. What if Mecha are clockwork machines or even golems infused with magic? If this is the case, the powers presented in the Mechanical powers section or the Mecha powers section might not all be appropriate. A Mecha that exists in a steampowered TL2 world would not be able to use a blaster carbine! It is recommended that the players work with the Narrator to create “appropriate” powers. For “magic” Mecha, consult the BASH!

Transform: 2pts. A Mecha with this power can change into

Fantasy Edition rules on Magic powers. For “clockwork/steam-powered” Mecha, look at the powers in the Steam-Punk rules in BASH! Fantasy Edition. However, these powers should have the usual effects from the Mecha’s size affect them (normally, magic and steam-punk powers are not effected by the user’s size).

another type of vehicle or even a building. When this power is taken, just what the Mecha can turn into is decided. A Mecha cannot transform into anything larger or smaller than itself.

Twists on the Genre Not Everybody in the game uses Mecha- Normally, in a Mecha based campaign, every Hero would be a Mecha pilot, but this does not have to be the case. What if one of them is the fleet commander, or the mechanic? If you want to run a game where characters having Mecha is an exceptional thing, you could have a disadvantage: No Mecha. This may not mean that the character is unable to pilot a Mecha—just that they simply do not have one to pilot. However, if they lack the pilot skill, then they actually won’t be able to pilot one.

Sample Mecha Standard Infantry Mecha old 30

Size 1 Wound Thresh-

These mass produced Mecha were designed to assist tanks in planetary combat. They are faster, and more accurate, though probably less sturdy. B3 A2 M2

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chapter 6 the ground. Very few are issued—and only to the most capable pilots. Toughness 3 (+30 Soak), Built-In Weaponry 2 (Sword), Leap (60 squares), EMP resistance 2 (30 soak vs. EMP) Equipment: Sub-Machinegun (x5 Dmg, Range 200, Radius 1), Vibro-Blade (x6 Dmg)

B4 A3 M2 Toughness 3 (+30 Soak), Fly 5 (150 squares), Built-In Weaponry 3 (Flame-Thrower), EMP resistance 1 (20 soak vs. EMP), Built-In Weaponry 1 (Vibro-Knife (actually fangs))

30 Hits/35 Soak (Pilot has 30 hits, B2 A2 M2)

Equipment: Built-in Flamethrower (x5 Dmg, Range 50, Radius 3), Vibro-Knife Bite (x6 Dmg, Reach 3)

Mecha Sky-Corps old 20

300 Hits/45 Soak (Pilot has 100 Hits, B2 A3 M3)

Size 1 Wound Thresh-

These Mecha are designed to transform into fighters between engagements. They are issued to people with training in both dogfighting and hand to hand Mecha combat. B2 A3 M3 Toughness 2 (+20 Soak), Fly 4 (120 Squares), Rail-Gun, Transform (into fighter) Equipment: Assault Rifle (x6 Dmg, Range 300, Burst rate 2), Extendable Vibro-Lance (x4 dmg, Reach 2), Rail-Gun (x7 Dmg, Range 100 (or 10 Grids))

Hard Sci-Fi Hard Science Fiction is a subgenre that attempts to do what many science fiction works simply abandon—to explain the technology, aliens, and robots using real science. In this genre, the laws of physics are meant to be obeyed. This means no faster-than-light travel, no teleporters, and no energy blades. Does this mean that Hard Sci-Fi is boring? Certainly not—it simply means that space explorers in this setting will face different challenges than other Sci-Fi settings.

100 Hits/25 Soak (Pilot has 100 Hits, B1 A3 M3)

Space Travel

Shiva Class Mecha Size 2 Wound Threshold 30

Just because space travel is limited to speeds below the speed of light does not mean that it is impossible for man to leave the solar system. Indeed, travel to other stars would still be possible. However, much like explorers in the age of sail, long voyages take many years to accomplish.

Superior in everyway to the Standard Infantry Mecha, the Shiva class is faster, stronger, and better all around. With its extra arms, it can bring more weapons to bear on the enemy. They are usually issued to commanding officers of infantry divisions. B3 A3 M2 Toughness 3 (+30 Soak), Running 2 (150 squares), Scan, Extra Arms, EMP resistance 1 (20 Soak vs. EMP) Equipment: Two Heavy Vibro-Blades (x7 Dmg, Reach 2), Two SubMachineguns (x5 Dmg, Range 200, Radius 2) 200 Hits/40 Soak (Pilot has 100 Hits, B2 A3 M3)

Ninja Class Stealth Mecha Size 2 Wound Threshold 10 Designed for stealth and quick strikes, the Ninja Class is intended to be used only with surprise—never for drawn-out combats. B2 A3 M3 Toughness 1 (+10 Soak), Hovering (150 Squares), Invisibility 3, Scan, Illusion 3 (Holo-projections), Equipment: Energy Sword (x6 Dmg, Reach 2, all soak is halved) 200 Hits/20 Soak (Pilot has 100 Hits, B1 A3 M3, usually trained with Attack Weak Point, Feint, and Pierce Armor)

Dragon-Zorg Mecha Size 3 Wound Threshold 30

Because of the time dilation property of relativity, however, as one approaches the speed of light, time seems to pass relatively slower. Thus, a person traveling at the speed of light for a few months may find that ten years have gone by when he returns. He would have only aged for those few months that he experienced, however. Thus, it is very possible for spacers to travel to other systems, even those inhabited by intelligent alien life, but each voyage would take several years of actual time, even though only a few months of “relative” time had passed. Thus, a person going on a voyage to a nearby star might return home more than 20 years later, only looking 1 year older. Of course, even at near-light speeds, exploration would be limited to nearby stars. To travel to distant stars would take so long, the crew would die of old age before ever approaching the destination. There are two ways of dealing with this problem. First, there is stasis, where the crew is put into a state of hibernation until they approach their destination. The second is a “generation ship” where the crew and passengers never intend to arrive at their destination. Aboard the ship, they will reproduce, and train new generations with the skills necessary for space travel, and how to get along in the world they will arrive in. It may even take several generations for them to reach their destination.

Designed to resemble the legendary creature it was named for, the Dragon-Zorg Mecha is extremely powerful on the wing or on

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Science Fiction Genres Terraforming When the distance to which a species can explore is limited by physics, the search for life-supporting worlds may come up short. However, this is not to say that a life-supporting environment cannot be manufactured on a planet. A dense atmosphere that keeps the planet too hot to sustain life can possibly be taken care of by introducing genetically engineered bacteria to eat the obstructing gasses. A world too hot or dry to sustain life can have water added to it by altering the course of comets to slam into the planet, providing water. An atmosphere can be given breathable air by planting trees and algae. Of course, these processes take a great deal of time to come about. In the mean time, people might use domes over their small colonies on a planet’s surface, creating a habitable biosphere amidst the unforgiving tundra. Each day, work crews would leave these colonies, dressed in special gear to help them survive the outside conditions, bringing the planet one step closer to life-supporting. To a more extreme degree, instead of adapting a planet for the uses of people, people might adapt themselves (through genetic engineering) to survive on planets deemed inhospitable to “normal” humans—though this concept is less likely in a “hard” sci-fi game. These genetically engineered people might be able to breath something other than oxygen, or more resistant to heat, cold, extremes in gravity, etc. To represent these genetic enhancements, you can allow some of the Alien powers from the Special powers list.

Weapons Something that conventional sci-fi often does is to “assume” that certain things will be possible in the future, even though they may be deemed impossible by modern science. This holds especially true for weapons like energy blades and blaster carbines. Because Hard Sci-Fi takes science more seriously, certain weapons are not viable in this genre. A laser gun that is powerful enough to blow a hole in someone, for instance, would have to have an enormous battery in order to hold enough energy to power such a weapon. Instead of impractical energy weapons, it is more likely that future weapons will be more advanced versions of solid-ammo weapons. Most weapons will be TL 3 or TL 4.

Time Travel Time Travel is another classic genre of Science Fiction, allowing readers to marvel at the wonders of the past rather than the future. It is also quite often used as a short-term side-plot for an ongoing series of another genre (like if a starship captain had to take his crew back in time to prevent the extinction of a species, etc). Common plots in this genre include meeting an ancestor or historical figure. The Heroes may be charged with changing history, or changing it back. Another very common theme is preserving the “space-time continuum”, ensuring that the events of history don’t cause a paradox.

Oftentimes, heroes must also avoid, “polluting the time-stream”, which means that they cannot allow knowledge or technology from the future to end up in the past. Because of this, characters from advanced societies will either have to forgo their typical equipment for more primitive gear, or that any equipment they take with them will need to be sufficiently disguised. Thus if a starship captain went back in time with his crew to the 19th century, they better keep their blaster carbines at home. Likewise, romances with “natives” of that time period are also strictly forbidden (unless you want to wind up becoming your own grandfather).

Means of Time Travel Not everybody who travels through time does so in the same way—or even intentionally. The methods one uses for time travel are important as they may hold the key to returning to one’s own time.

Spaceship: Though unlikely, a starship has been used as a

makeshift time machine. This likely has to do with the concept of time dilation—that the faster one approaches the speed of light, the slower time passes for that individual, allowing one to travel into the future. It is theorized, then, that by exceeding the speed of light, time would seem to move backwards, allowing one to travel to the past. Why this does not happen all the time in starships is likely due to various devices put in place to maintain the ship’s stability when using the Stardrive—without them, the ship risks tearing itself apart. However, if these devices were disabled, and one could calculate the trajectory with extreme precision, and use the gravity of a star or black hole, the slingshot effect could theoretically produce enough velocity to make such a trip possible. Theoretically. Essentially, this method of time travel is used only as a plot device. It is too dangerous to attempt on a whim—and likely only even possible when the Narrator says so.

Time Machine: A Time Machine of this sort is designed to travel

in time. Some time machines only travel to a specific date in time (and hopefully back), while others can travel backwards or forwards in time as the user wishes. Some can only be used to travel into the past, while others only enable one to peer into the future. Very elaborate time machines may be able to travel through space as well, enabling the user to visit any moment in history at its precise location. The obvious advantage of a Time Machine over any other means of time travel is that they enable the user to control when in time they are traveling. A potential setback of such a machine might be that it requires a certain amount of time to recharge before being used again. Alternately, using the machine too frequently could have dire health consequences.

“Natural” Phenomenon: Of course, there could also be

“natural” reasons for a character to travel in time. Perhaps there is some sort of cosmic storm that sends anyone caught in it back to 20th century Earth, or a “rift in the space-time continuum” that sends people into the future. It is likely, that one of two things hap-

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chapter 6 pen. Either the characters pulled through this natural phenomenon must bide their time until this phenomenon repeats itself (usually at a certain time, which the characters will know in advance) or they are stuck there forever, and must make the best of things. One way to send people into the future does not even involve time travel at all—simply holding the people in stasis for centuries until they are brought out of it. This would make it impossible to get back to their own time.

Accident: While Time Machines were usually built with the sole

purpose of time travel, some stumbled upon this ability inadvertently. A company attempting to develop a teleportation device might realize that the objects were not appearing where they were supposed to—and many of them showed heavy signs of aging. They were not only sending objects to another place, but to another time. If people ever went into such a machine, they may well be stuck back in the past. Of course, if this machine sent things into the future, all people would know is that the test objects just disappeared. This is just one example of an invention not intended for time travel inadvertently producing that effect.

Alien/Psionic Ability: Likely an ability of an Omnipotent Entity,

time travel might be an ability possessed by certain aliens from the fourth dimension or a product of extremely powerful telepaths. Perhaps these abilities are simply prerequisites for the use of an actual time machine. Thus, time machines could only be piloted by a select few, who have “the power”.

The Perils of Time Paradox Suppose a Hero does violate some major principle of the spacetime continuum? It is possible that the Heroes may be caught in a Time-Loop, whereby they are forced to continually repeat a certain period of time, until a certain event happens that can break them free of the cycle. In this case, the adventure is discovering what went wrong and fixing it before repeating the cycle. One dangerous time paradox is meeting one’s own ancestors. If you caused events that prevent your being born, you would cease to exist. However, if you never existed, how could you go back in time to prevent your birth? Paradoxes like this occur in Sci-Fi all the time. Usually, the explanation is that the person in question was not actually your ancestor, thus preventing you from ceasing to exist. Meeting Yourself is another peril of time paradox. Seeing a younger/ older version of yourself face-to-face is extremely shocking. A character in this situation must make a 20 Mind test in order to prevent fainting. If neither of the two of them faint, they may be able to interact with one another, though it could be an awkward conversation to ask your future self about your beloved spouse only to find that in the future you are divorced, or some similar thing. Likewise, one’s past self will not really be able to tell the future self anything valuable, as s/he already remembers having

the conversation. Most likely, the future self will tell the past self things they should or should not do (like which stocks to invest in) to change the future more favorably to them, thought this seldom works out so well. One pitfall of time travel is the possible temptation to use one’s knowledge of the future to exploit the past. Whether by gambling on sports, or on the stock market, or “inventing” futuristic technology, one might become wealthy indeed. However, there may be time police or some other such organization that punishes people for this.

Effects on the Future Of course, Heroes’ actions may have various side-effects. Even the best of intentions can have disastrous, unforeseen consequences. For instance, if someone went back in time and prevented Hitler from coming to power, thereby avoiding World War II, a bigger, deadlier war with the Soviet Union might have occurred in its place, raging for decades. For these reason, Heroes in a Time Travel campaign are often tasked with preventing changes to history, rather than changing it themselves. If they fail, the world may end up having an Alternate History (see “Alternate Realities and Dimension Hopping). How large an impact events in the past will have on the future is proportional to how distant they are in the past. If something changes course early in its journey, it will end up much farther offcourse than if it did so near the end of the journey. Thus, giving blaster technology to people in the middle ages would have much stronger consequences than giving it to people in the modern world. Even actions that seem completely inconsequential can have a powerful influence on the flow of history, through a series of chain reactions known as a “butterfly effect”. The phrase comes from a term in chaos theory, from the supposition that even the wings of a butterfly could eventually lead to a change in wind enough to cause devastating storms. In other words, tiny variables can have great impact farther on down the road. The further back in time that history was altered, the greater the alteration will be. If the campaign does not want to focus on maintaining the timeline, but rather on what people from the Future might do if they were trapped in the past, the Heroes would be free to use any technology they want and take advantage of their knowledge of history to achieve heroic ends—or merely survive.

Time Travel Forward Not everyone who travels in time does so to visit the past. Some are hurled into the future. For these characters, the challenge is not getting by without their accustomed technology, but culture shock and dealing with the extreme technology. For instance, if a knight from 13th century Earth were transported into your living room, he might be amazed (or terrified) by your television, electric lighting, and various other advances that to him, could only be perceived as magic. Likewise, someone from our time might be

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similarly awestruck by flying cars, robot servants, or teleporters. A character who travels into the far future will automatically begin with the Primitive disadvantage, even if his own species has become advanced. Eventually, this disadvantage will be lost as the person gets “caught up” with current technology. It is possible he may end up being placed in an asylum first, however. How long catching up takes depends on how different technology is. A difference of 1TL would take 2 months to catch up, 4 months for 2TLs, 8 months for 3TLs, 16 months for 4TLs, and 32 months for 5TLs or more. Of course, this is assuming that the person speaks the language of the people in the future.

Science Fiction Genres Perhaps a hired mercenary, perhaps a mysterious stranger who rides into town to save it from worse banditos, the Desperado GunFighter can be a dangerous enemy or a powerful ally in the Old West. B2 A3 M3 Offhand Pistol, Quickdraw, Pistol Technique +2DM, Equipment: Two Revolvers (x7 Dmg) Range 15 (six shots per gun) Advantage: True Grit

Alternate Realities and Dimension Hopping

100 Hits

Actions in the past could lead to various possible futures, creating infinite “alternate realities”. Travel between these is called “Dimension Hopping”. Dimension hopping involves characters moving from one reality (dimension) to another. This assumes that there are infinite “parallel universes” where each possibility occurred differently in each one. Thus, there would be many “alternate histories” to these alternate realities. Nazis winning World War II, a world run by sentient dinosaurs, or a British victory over the American Revolution are all common enough alternate histories for such worlds.

Indian Brave DL 5

Often, characters visiting an alternate reality are there to set right something that went wrong in that reality or simply to survive until they can escape it. Sometimes, an alternate reality is simply a way of showing characters what their actions in the past have done to the present—causing them to go back to the past to fix them.

Enemies & Allies Many potential enemies and allies in a Time Travel or Dimension Hopping game have already been listed elsewhere. Dinosaurs for instance can be found in the Victorian Sci-Fi section.

Disadvantage: Outlaw

This is the average Indian warrior—often pitted against the US Cavalry. B2 A3 M2

Ave Atk 21, Ave Def 21 DL5

Bow Technique +1DM (Range 30 x5 Dmg), 30 Hits

Indian Medicine Man DL 16 B1 A2 M4, Healing x3 (Enhancement: Usable on Others/ Limitation: Casting) EC3, Clairvoyance/Future 1pt, Omni-linguist (casting) 1EC Skills: Ride/Control, Performance/Dance, Physician+1/Herbalism, Outdoor/Tracking, Humanities/Occult Advantage: Psionic (The medicine man is able to focus his abilities only through sacred chants and dances, described as “casting” the effect he is trying to invoke) 100 Hits

Below are a few extras.

Old West

Indian Scout DL17

DL Variable

It may be possible that the heroes go back to the old West—often getting themselves embroiled in local affairs and gunfights!

US Cavalryman

DL3

This is an elite group of warriors, similar to the Comanche DogSoldiers or Apache raiders. B3 A3 M2, Bow Technique+2DM, Tomahawk Technique +1DM, Attack Weak Point 2pts,

Often called in to save the day at the last minute, the Cavalry is most dangerous when it has a numbers advantage.

Skills: Stealth/Prowl, Craft Weapons, Ride/Gallop, Outdoor+1/ Tracking

B2 A2 M2

Equipment: Bow (Range 30, x6Dmg), Quiver with 12 arrows, Tomahawk

Ave Atk 14 Ave Def 14

Saber Technique +1 DM Skills: Animal Riding/Control, Athlete/Any, Military/Tactics, Outdoor/ Tracking

Advantage: Membership: Scouts (allows attack weak point)

Equipment: Horse (move 18), Cavalry Saber (x5 dmg, x6 at a gallop), Carbine (Range 20, 1 Shot, Lethal, x5Dmg)

Pirates

20 Hits

Desperado Gun-Fighter

100 Hits

DL Variable

Time travelers who find themselves cast back into the 17th or 18th century may have to contend with buccaneers on the high seas.

DL17

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chapter 6 SS Officer Pirate Crewman

DL7

B3 A3 M3

B2 A2 M1 Ave Atk 21 Cutlass 14 Pistol, Ave Def 14 Cutlass Technique: +1 to hit, Offhand Pistol 2pts 2EC, Reckless Might* 1pt, Pistol Technique +1DM

Pistol Technique +1 Hit, +1 Dmg, Knife Technique +1 Dmg, Martial Arts 2 (Punch, Kick, Martial Block, Throw, Uppercut, Choke), QuickDraw, Off-hand Pistol Equipment: Rifle (x3 hit, x7Dmg), 3 Potato Mashers (Frag Grenades) (x2 hit, x6 Dmg, Radius1), Knife (x3 hit, x5 Dmg), Luger (Handgun) (x3 Hit x6 Dmg)

Equipment: Cutlass x4/x5* Dmg, Pistol x4Dmg, Skills: Sailing/Gunner, Athlete+1/Climbing, 30 Hits/20Hits*

100 Hits

Pirate Captain

DL23

Time-Police

B3 A3 M2 Cutlass Technique: +1 to hit, +1DM, Offhand Pistol 2pts 2EC, Reckless Might* 1pt, Pistol Technique +2DM, Footwork 1pt 1EC, Armor Familiarity: Leather 1pt, Rank 2: Criminal Equipment: Cutlass x6/x7* Dmg, Pistol x6 Dmg, Leather Armor 10 Soak, Skills: Sailing/Tacking, Athlete/Climbing, Deception/Lying, Stealth/ Palming & Planting, Craftsmanship/Carpentry Advantage: Contacts Disadvantage: Outlaw 100 Hits

Nazis DL Variable If the Heroes travel to an alternate Earth in which the Nazis won World War II, or have traveled back in time to ensure they do not, it is more than likely they will end up having to fight them. Below are three categories—ordinary soldiers, more elite Waffen SS troopers, and a brutally cold SS officer.

Soldier

DL 21

In a setting where time travel is possible, it is likely that there are people charged with the task of protecting the timeline from corruption. These men and women are the Time-Police. An elite unit from the far, far future, they do all that they can to prevent the meddling of people in the past. They are equipped with a special device called the Butterfly Mechanism, which can detect even minute distortions in the timeline. In addition, Time-Police have portal-keys that allow them to open rifts to travel to any time they wish, whenever they want (though their use is strictly monitored). Standard issue also includes a holo-projector and disguises to make sure that the officer “fits-in” in his current time assignment. Thus a time-cop in Victorian London might wear a stove-pipe hat, while an officer assigned to the renaissance might wear a ruffled ascot. A person who goes back in time with the intent of changing the past will find themselves in Time-Police custody soon enough for violating temporal law. Then, other task members are assigned to go back and undo the damage. The Time-Police keep a prison at the end of time where temporal criminals and time-terrorists are held indefinitely. B2 A2 M4

DL 3

Blaster Pistol Technique (+2 to hit), Martial Arts 3 (punch, kick, leg sweep, throw, martial block, kippup, jump kick, uppercut), Disarm, Feint, Footwork, Rank 2 (Time Police), Skillful 1.

B2 A2 M1 Rifle Technique +1 to hit, Double Taps Equipment: Rifle (x3 hit, x5Dmg), 3 Potato Mashers (Frag Grenades) (x2 hit, x6 Dmg, Radius1), Knife (x2 hit, x3 Dmg) 20 Hits

Skills: Athlete/Run, Stealth/Hide, Investigation/Find Clues, Science/ Temporal Physics, Deception/Jargon, Social Science/History, Society/Savoir-Fair, Drive/Control

Waffen SS

DL 9

Equipment: Holo-projector (treat as the Illusion power), blaster pistol (x4 hit, x8 Dmg), Butterfly Mechanism, Portal-Key

B3 A2 M2

Ave Atk 14 (21 w/ rifle) Ave Def 14

100 Hits

Rifle Technique +1 Hit, +1 Dmg, Double Taps, Martial Arts 2 (Punch, Kick, Martial Block, Throw, Uppercut, Choke) Equipment: Rifle (x3 hit, x7Dmg), 3 Potato Mashers (Frag Grenades) (x2 hit, x6 Dmg, Radius1), Knife (x2 hit, x4 Dmg) 30 Hits

126

Science Fiction Genres Appendix A: Rules Options Stats above 5 It is not recommended for characters to have stats above a 5, as they can be game breaking, and are more suited to superheroic rather than heroic scale games. Very few creatures in this book have a stat above 5. Sometimes it may be needed to represent a key story element or emulate creatures from movies. For instance, a killer robot from the future that can lift a truck should not have a mere Brawn of 5. Below are benchmarks for stats going up to 10. As stats increase, at this rate they become exponentially more powerful. Note: Brawn is proportional to size, doubling with each size increase. Thus a creature with a Brawn of 5 at size 1 can lift 1600 lbs, 3200 lbs at size 2, and 6400 lbs at size 3. The extra soak and damage for size are already figured in—so just because a creature is big does not mean its Brawn must exceed 5. Brawn 6 Lift a ton or two (+5 Soak) Brawn 7 Lift several tons (+10 Soak) Brawn 8 Lift 10s of tons (+20 Soak) Brawn 9 Lift 100s of tons (+30 Soak) Brawn 10 Immeasurable strength and resilience (+50 Soak) Agility 6 Four times faster than the most agile human Agility 7 Sixteen Times faster than the most agile human Agility 8 64 Times maximum human speed and accuracy Agility 9 100s of times maximum human speed and accuracy Agility 10 Immeasurable speed and accuracy *Note: Mind above 5 cannot increase damage with ranged weapons beyond a base of 5DM) Mind 6 several times smarter or psionically powerful than most beings. Mind 7 IQ over 500 or 5 times the Psionic Power of a typical psionic Mind 8 IQ over 1000 or 10 times the Psionic power of a typical psionic Mind 9 Smart as the fastest A.I. computer possible, incredible Psionic potential. Mind 10 Incalculable omniscience

psionic

power.

Near

127

Science Fiction Genres Appendix B: More Powerful Starting Characters Not every Narrator wants the Heroes to be green beginners with lots of potential. They want high-powered games that can challenged seasoned veterans. Below is a chart for beginning with more powerful characters. It gives a descriptor for the level of power, the number of points characters of that level can spend on stats, and the number of points they have to spend on powers. Additionally, the experience point equivalent is listed, so Narrators wanting to add new Heroes to an existing campaign can bring in new characters on a more equal footing with older ones.

Power Level

Stats

Powers

XP

Lowly Red Shirt Promising Hotshot Gung-Ho Proven Expert Unmatched Legendary

6 7 7 8 9 10 11 12

5 7 9 9 11 13 15 17

-24 0 12 24 48 72 96 120

Conversion to and From Super Heroic BASH! Conversion from the Superheroes version of BASH! is relatively easy. Characters at the “superheroic” scale’s stats are simply doubled when converting them to BASH! Sci-Fi. Likewise, a sci-fi character’s stats are halved when converted to BASH! for superheroes (round up). Some of the powers work differently. You should use the version of the power as it fits in the campaign you are converting to. When considering movement speed, even though the base movement speed is still 3x Agility, characters in BASH! for superheroes are actually moving the same speed as fast as BASH! Sci-Fi characters with doubled stats because it is assumed that every page is 2 seconds in Sci-Fi as opposed to 1 second in super-heroes. So a character with a 4 Agility in Sci-Fi would convert to a 2 in Superheroes. That character moves 12 squares every 2 seconds in Sci-Fi and 6 squares every second in Superheroes. Essentially, they move the same speed!

Something else to consider is that characters in the Sci-Fi version do not have Mental Malfunctions (though they can choose to take a mental disadvantage, like a phobia). Likewise, characters from the super-heroic version do not have wound thresholds. In addition, super-heroic characters soak damage by rolling times Brawn +Armor points, while Sci-Fi heroes only soak 20/30/40 for light, medium, or heavy armor. Which rule you use should depend on which campaign you are playing in. Are you converting superheroes into a Sci-Fi world? Then use the Sci-Fi rules for soaking damage. If you are converting Sci-Fi characters into a super-heroic world, use the superheroic rules for soaking damage (just remember to adjust the stats first). Of course, you should feel free to incorporate anything from this book into your BASH! Superheroes game, especially if you want to emphasize the role of the supernatural in that game.

128

Index Index

Aptitudes: 6

Bastard Sword: 34

Aquatic: 20

Battle Starship: 49

180 (Dog Fighting Maneuver) 16

Aquatic Propulsion: 62

Battle-axe: 33

18-Wheeler: 73, 747,78

Arc Transport:70

Battle-Cry: 120

Abnormal Diet:: 13

Archaic Ranged Weapons: 34

Battleship: 76

Acceleration: 28, 72, 74,77

Archaic Weapons Descriptions:32

Battle-Starship: 69

Accident: 124

Archeology:28

Bear-Bat: 85

Accounting: 28

Armor:33

Bearilla: 115

Ace Pilot: 97

Armor Familiarity:14

Berserk: 12

Acid: 47

Art: 28

Big Cat: 107

Acrobatics: 28

Artificial Hazards- Traps & Security Systems:52

Big Game Hunter: 103

Active Multiplier : 5

Artificial Organ: 41

Binoculars:41

Admiral:18

Assassin: 94

Bio-Engineered: 116

Adrenal Control: 19

Assault Droids: 94

Biology: 28

Advantages:10

Assault Hovercopter: 78

Bio-Manipulation: 20

Aerobatics :28

Assault Rifle: 37

Bi-Plane: 77

Aether : 103

Assistants: 27

Black Market Goods: 43

Aethership/Submarine Captain:105

Asteroids: 72

Blast Cannon: 37

Age:11

Astrogation: 28

Blaster Carbine: 37

Agile:56

Athlete / Athletics: 28

Blaster Gatlin: 37

Agility:8

Atmosphere & Water: 54

Blaster Pistol: 37

Aircraft Carrier:76

Atmospheric Flight: 65

Blaster Rifle: 37

Alarm:52

Atomic Robot:111

Blaze of Glory:10

Alien Powers:18

Atomic-Ray-Gun: 110

Blind: 108

Alien Predator Beast :85

Attack Helicopter: 78

Blockade Runner: 68

Aliens & Adversaries: 84

Attack Weak Point: 14

Blunderbuss: 35

Aliens, Mutants, and Monsters: 84

Attack/Defend Critical Position: 81

Boarding: 61

All-Terrain : 62

Attacking: 59

Boarding Tube: 63

Alternate History: 124

Auto-Doc:41

Bombard: 65

Alternate Realities and Dimension Hopping :125

Auto-turrets: 63

Bomber: 59

Alternate Respiration: 13

Auxiliary Power: 62

Bomber-Jet: 78

Amazing Inventor: 103

Avatar: 117

Bonded: 120

Amphibious: 19

Average Attack and Defense: 49

Booby Trap: 40

Anarchy/Criminal Government: 56

Average Maneuverability: 58

Bounty Hunter: 95

Android: 11

Avinoid: 8

Bow 35

Animal Lore: 28

Awareness: 88

Brachiating: 20

Animal Riding: 28

Axe: 32

Brain-Jack: 116

Animated Creature: 105

Bad Food: 65

Brain-Taping

Anti-Aircraft Gun: 79

Bad Reputation: 12

Anti-Psi Helm: 42

Bargaining: 28

Brawn: 8

Anti-teleporter field: 61

Baron:18

Breach Threshold: 60

Ape-Man: 115

Barrel-Roll (Dog Fighting Maneuver):15

Break Weapon: 15

Appendage: 19

Bartender: 95

Brhinox: 85

Appendix: Rules Options: 127

Base Difficulty to Avoid: 49

Bronze Age: 32

Appraisal: 28

Basket Hilt: 34

Built-In Tools: 20

See Neural Information Storage Interface: 42

129

Index Built-In Weaponry: 20

Collateral Damage: 48

Damage: 60

Burrowing: 91

Colossus Creatures: 92

Damage Aura: 21

Burst Fire: 32

Combat Ace: 67

Damage Multiplier: 6

Bus: 73

Combat Driving: 15

Dance: 28

Butterfly Effect: 124

Combat Rules: 45

Danger Level: 84

Butterfly Mechanism: 127

Command: 28

Danger Sense: 22

Can affect others: 27

Command Ship: 70

Dark Matter: 73

Can affect you: 27

Commander: 18

Dark Psi-Corruptor: 98

Cane: 34

Commerce: 28

Dark Psi-Destroyer: 98

Capital Starships: 69

Commercial Government: 56

Dark Psi-Rangers:98

Captain: 18

Communal Government: 56

Dark Psi-Seer: 98

Car: 73

Companion: 10

Data Encryption: 62

Carapace: 86

Compulsive Behavior: 12

Daze: 22

Carbine: 37

Computer (as equipment): 41

Debilitating Mutation: 115

Cargo Units: 58

Computers: 28

Deception: 28

Cargo/Transport Vessel: 76

Concussion Flail: 39

Defense: 59

Carpentry: 28

Conditional Use: 27

Deflect: 15

Cat: 49

Confusion: 21

Democratic Government: 56

Catch (Martial Arts Maneuver):17

Constriction: 108

Demolitions: 28

Cathulian: 9

Constructed Worlds: 53

Derringer: 37

The Cause: 11

Contacts: 10

Desert: 82

Cellular Phone: 41

Continual Damage: 47

Desperado Gun-Fighter: 125

Centipede: 107

Cooking: 28

Destroyer: 69

Chain: 32

Corvette: 68

Detect Deception: 28

Chainsaw: 114

Cover in Combat: 47

Diagnosis: 28

Changeling: 20

Cramped: 65

Diagnostic Scanner: 42

Character Creation: 8

Crash Landing: 67

Dice Bonus: 6

Charisma: 15

Craven.: 12

Dice Penalty: 6

Chase Scenes: 48

Creating Worlds: 53

Dice Mechanics: 45

Chase Tally: 48

Crew/Passengers: 58

Diehard: 10

Cheetah: 107

Crewman: 99

Dimension Hopping Genre: 125

Chemical Dependence: 13

Crime Lord: 95

Diminished Lifespan: 116

Chemistry:28

Crocodiles: 107

Diplomacy: 28

Chief Engineer: 99

Crossbow: 35

Direction Sense: 28

Choke (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Cruiser: 69

Disadvantages: 11

Clairvoyance: 21

Cudgel: 34

Disarm: 15

Claw Titan: 85

Culture: 28

Disguise: 28

Climbing: 28

Cursed: 12

Disintegrator Pistol: 110

Clinging: 21

Cutlass: 34

Diverse: 56

Cloaked Stalker: 86

Cybernetic Implants: 116

DL: 84

Cloaking Device: 62

Cyberpunk: 116

DM:6

Cloning Tank: 42

Cyborg: 10

Docking: 67

Club: 34

Cyclone Kick (Martial Arts Maneuver)17

Docking Bays: 62

Cold, Extreme: 50

D6:5

Dog Fighting: 15

Collapsing Walls:53

Dagger: 34

Domestic: 28

130

Index Domino Effect: 6

Energy Manipulation: 20

First-Aid: 28

Doom Hopper: 86

Energy Pool: 14

Flamethrower: 37

Doom Walker: 75

Energy Shield: 33

Flash-Bang Grenade: 37

Double Taps: 16

Energy Whip: 39

Fleet of Foot: 16

Doubles: 45

Engineering: 28

Fleet to Fleet Combat: 80

Dragon-Zorg Mecha: 122

Enhanced Engines: 62

Flight Leader: 90

Drill: 63

Enhanced Weapons: 63

Fly: 22

Drive: 28

Entangle: 16

Flying Fortress: 77

Drone: 90

Environmental Endurance: 22

Focus: 27

Dropship: 69

Environmental Frailty: 13

Footwork: 16

Drowning: 50

Escape Pod: 68

Force Field: 22

Duelist: 95

Escapology: 28

Foreign Cultures: 28

Dumb Luck: 10

ESP: 22

Forest: 82

Dune Raiders: 86

Evasion: 28

Four-Armed Martian: 114

Durg: .9

Evasive Action (Dog Fighting Maneuver): 15

Frag/Concussion Grenade: 36

Duty: 12

Exemplary: 16

Fragile: 27

Dyson Sphere: 53

Experience Points: 45

Frankenstein’s Monster: 105

Eat Anything: 10

Expert Marksman: 16

Freak.: 12

EC: 84

Explosions : 48

Freeze Beam: 110

Extendable: 40

Frigate69

Echolocation: 89

Extra Ammo/Charges: 40

Frog Men: 111

Elbow Smash (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Extra Arms: 22

Furbles: 87

Eldan: 9

Extra Cargo: 62

Futuristic Armor and Suits: 33

Electrified: 40

Extra Engines: 62

Futuristic Land Vehicles: 74

Electro Magnetic Pulse: 37

Extra Hull/Shield Strength: 62

Futuristic Sea Vehicles: 77

Electro/pyro/cryo-Kinesis: 22

Extragalactic Travel: 66

Futuristic Sky Vehicles: 78

Electrokinesis: 22

Extreme Cold: 50

Futuristic Weapons: 37

Elite Fighter: 68

Extreme Heat: 50

Galloping: 28

Elite Guards: 96

Falling: 50

Gambling: 28

EMP: 37

Famous: 10

Gangster: 95

Fashion: 28

Gardening: 28

EMP Blaster: 39

Fast: 62

Garrote: 33

EMP Cannon: 39

Fatigue: 50

Gather Information: 28

EMP Grenade: 39

Fearless: 10

Gauntlet: 32

EMP Resistance: 22

Feint: 16

General: 18

Empathic: 28

Feudal Government: 56

Genetics: 28

Field Rations: 41

Genius: 8

Empathy: 22

Fighter.: 68

Geography: 30

Encryption: 28

Fighter Jet: 77

Glassworking: 28

Endothermic:40

Fighter Plane: 77

Glide: 23

Endure X: 22

Finance: 28

Global Positioning System: 41

Energy: 14

Finding Clues: 28

Golden Rule: 45

Energy Blade: 39

Fire: 50

Good Food: 65

Energy Cost: 84

Fire Hydrant:49

Good Maneuverability: 58

Energy Grenade: 39

First Wave: 108

Governor: 18

See Energy Cost: 84

See Electro Magnetic Pulse: 37

See Empathy: 22

131

Index GPS

Hero: 5

Integrated Weapon: 33

Hero Dice: 45

Intel: 81

Grapple Gun: 42

Hideous Mutation: 115

Intensity: 6

Gravity: 51

Hiding: 28

Intergalactic Travel: 32

Gravity, Artificial:111

High G: 51

Interplanetary Travel: 32

Gravity Net: 63

High G-Force Suit: 33

Invasive Sensors: 63

Gravity Wells: 73

High-Maintenance: 65

Invent: 28

Great Dune Worm: 92

High-Powered: 119

Investigation: 28

Grenade: 35

High-Tech: 10

Invisibility: 24

Grenade Launcher: 37

High-Tech Equipment: 41

Issue: 6

Guards: 95

History: 28

Jaw Monster: 87

Guild: 11, 18

Hits: 6

Jeep: 73

Gunfighter: 96

Holdout Blaster: 39

Jetpack Jockey: 16

Gunner: 28

Holodeck: 62

Jr. Officer: 18

Guns (Starship): 63

Hologram: 52

Juggernaut Assault Droid: 94

Habitability: 54

Holographic Body: 23

Juggling: 28

Hacking: 28

Honor Bound: 12

Jump Gate: 66

Hacking Ki: 118

Hovercopter: 78

Jump Kick (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Halberd: 34

Hovercraft: 76

Jumping: 28

Half-Breed : 9

Hovercycle: 74

Jury-Rig: 28

Hallucinogenic: 43

Hovering: 23

Katana: 118

Handgun: 37

Hover-Ship: 77

Keen Senses: 17

Hard Sci-Fi: 122

Hover-Tank: 74

Kevlar: 32

Hawk Men : 111

Hull/Shield strength: 62

Key Terms: 5

Hazards: 50

Human: 9

Kick (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Head Butt (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Humanities: 28

Kippup (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Healing: 23

Ice Beast: 87

Knee Smash (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Heat, Extreme: 50

ID Lock: 40

Knife Strike (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Heat Gun: 110

Ifurian: 9

Knock-Back: 47

Heat Tempered: 33

Illness: 50

Kraken: 107

Heavy Artillery: 79

Illusion: 23

Land and Air Vehicles Only: 62

Heavy Body Armor: 33

Immobilization: 50

Land Speeder: 74

Heavy Cruiser: 69

Immunity: 23

Landmine: 52

Heavy Fighter: 68

Improved Holographic Body: 23

Languages: 28

Heavy Infantry Droid: 94

Incapacitating a Vehicle: 60

Large: 10

Heavy Missile Battery: 79

Indian Brave: 125

Laser Tripwire: 52

Heavy Ordinance: 78

Indian Medicine Man: 125

Lasso: 34

Heavy Quantum Rocket Launcher: 39

Indian Scout: 125

Law: 28

Heavy Sword, Axe, or Mace: 33

Industria: 32

Leap: 24

Heavy vehicles: 58

Inertia: 58

Leather Armor: 32

Heavy Vibroblade: 39

Inertia for Land Vehicles: 72

Leg Sweep (Martial Arts Maneuver):17

Heavy-Cruiser: 69

Inhuman Voice: 13

Lethal Damage: 48

Heel Stomp (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Inspiring Leadership: 16

Lethal Poison: 43

Helicopter: 78

Instant Summons: 120

Leviathan Fish: 92

Herbalism: 28

Integrated Functions:32

Lieutenant.:18

See Global Positioning System: 41

132

Index Lifelike Appearance: 11

Mecha Sky-Corps: 122

Multiplier Bonus: 6

Light Artillery: 79

Mechanical Powers: 18

Multiplier Penalty: 6

Light Body Armor: 33

Mecha-Pilot Powers: 119

Multipower : 27

Light Fighter: 68

Mecha-Pilots: 118

Mundane Powers: 14

Light Infantry Droid: 94

Medical Stimulator: 42

Music: 28

Light Missile Battery: 79

Medical Supplies: 41

Musket: 35

Light Quantum Rocket Launcher: 39

Medical Treatment: 48

Nano-Adrenal Stimulus: 42

Light Ship: 68

Medieval Technology:106

Nano-Immunity: 42

Light Starships: 67

Medium Body Armor: 33

Nanomachines: 42

Light Vehicles: 58

Medium Missile Battery: 79

Narrator: 5

Lighting Gun: 110

Med-Pack: 42

Natural Weapons: 24

Limited Battery: 120

Mega-Sub: 77

Navigation: 28

Limited Target: .27

Membership: 11

Nazis: 126

Lion: 107

Memory Tampering: 24

Near Omniscience: 127

Lionoserous: 116

Mental attacks: 45

Near-Future: 32

Living Mecha: 121

Mental Skills: 28

Nebula: 72

Lockdown: 53

Merchant: 96

Needle Gun: 110

Logistics: 28

Metal Working: 28

Neural Information Storage Interface: 42

Long Sleeper: 13

Military: 28

Nigh-Impossible Tasks: 45

Longevity Treatment: 42

Mimic: 24

Nightvision Goggles: 41

Loop (Dogfighting Maneuver): 15

Mind: 8

Ninja Class Stealth Mecha: 122

Low G: 51

Mind Control: 24

NISI: 42

Low Maneuverability: 58

Mind Shield: 17

Low-Powered: 119

Mind Spikes: 24

No Atmosphere: 54

Low-Tech: 29, 115

Mines: 64

No Enhanced Healing: 13

Lunging: 34

Minion Ratings: 49

No Legal Status: 12

Lying: 28

Minions: 49

Nuclear Missile: 79

Mace: 34

Missiles: 64

Oath: 12

Mach: 63

Modern Armor: 32

Obsession: 12

Machine Gun: 37

Modern Equipment: 41

Obstacles: 48

Magnetic Storms: 72

Modern Firearms & Bombs: 35

Occultism: 28

Maine Gauche: 37

Modern Land Vehicles: 72

Ocean sectors: 82

Maneuverability Adjustment: 58

Modern Sea Vehicles: 75

Off-Hand Pistol: 17

Manipulation: 28

Modern Sky Vehicles: 77

Old West: 125

Martial Artist: 17

Mono-Knife: 110

Omni-Linguist: 24

Martial Block (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Mono-Sword/Axe: 110

Omnipotent Entity: 87

Martian Tripod: 105

Monsters: 84

Omni-Reader.: 24

Martians: 105

Moon Men: 106

Outcast: 12

Mass Combat in Space: 80

Morlock: 108

Outdoor: 28

Mass Combat on Planets:82

Motorcycle: 73

Outlaw: 12

Mathematics: 28

Mountain: .49

Overconfidence: 12

Mecha Advantages: 120

Mountain Lion: 107

Page: 6

Mecha Creation & Combat: 119

Mountains: 82

Paired Weapon Fighting: 17

Mecha Disadvantages:120

Movement: 46

Panel: .6

Mecha Powers: 120

Movement Powers (and Mecha): 120

Parrying Dagger: 34

See Neural Information Storage Interface: 42

133

Index Patrol Boat: 75

Psionic Powers: 19

Robots: 92

PDA: 41

Psionic Rejuvenation: 24

Rocket Gun: 111

People vs. Vehicles: 61

Psi-Ranger Initiate: 97

Rocket Launcher: 36

Performing Arts / Perform: 28

Psi-Ranger Oracle: 97

Rookie Pilot: 96

Person: 49

Psi-Ranger Sentinel: 97

Rope: 48

Personal Force Field: 33

Psi-Ranger Tribune: 97

Roving Gun Droid: 94

Phase Wraith: 88

Psi-Rangers: 97

Rumbler Assault Jeep: 74

Phasing: 89

Psi-Witches: 98

Running: 24, 28

Phobia: 12

Psi-Wizards: 98

Saber: 34

Physical Skills: 28

Punch (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Sabertooth: 107

Physician: 28

Pursuit: 28

Sabotage: 28

Pierce Armor: 17

Push Technology: 17

Sailing: 28

Pilot: 28

Pushing Yourself: 15

Sample Mecha: 121

Pirate Captain: 126

Quick Healer: 11

Sample Starships: 67

Pirate Crewman: 126

Quick-Draw: 18

Sand Runner: 89

Pirate Sloop: 68

Radiation: 51

Saran: 9

Pirates: 125

Radiation Cleanser: 42

Savages: 108

Pistol: 35

Radiation Fields: 72

Savoir-faire: 28

Pit.: 53

Radiation Sickness: 51

Scale: 58

Plains: 82

Radius: 27

Scan.: 24

Plasma Grenade: 38

Rail-Gun: 121

Scholar: 8

Pleasure Replicant: 118

Ram: 64

Science: 28

Poison: 43

Ramming: 61

Science Fantasy: 112

Poison Gas: 53

Random Alien Creation: 55

Sci-Fi Icons: 94

Political: 18

Random World Creation: 54

Sci-Fi Skill List: 28

Poor Hearing: 12

Range: 27

Scope: 40

Poor Maneuverability: 58

Rank: 18

Scorpion, Gigantic: 108

Poor Vision: 13

Rapid Reloader: 115

Scoundrel: 98

Portal-Key: 127

Rapier: 33

Second-Class Citizen: 103

Ports and Planets: 81

Razor Cat: 89

Secret: 13

Post Apocalyptic: 114

Rebreather: 43

Secret Compartment: 40

Potato Mashers: 126

Reckless Might: 18

Sectors: 80

Pottery: 28

Reduced Energy Cost: 27

Security: 28

Powder Keg: 35

Religion: 28

Security Program: 118

Power: 28

Reloading: 32

Security Systems: 52

Power Armor: 33

Remote Control: 120

Seismic Activity: 55

Power Dive (Dog Fighting Maneuver): 16

Repair Crew: 120

Self Destruct: 25

Powerful Enemy: 13

Repairs: 61

Shadowing: 28

Pressure Point (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Repulsor Beam: 64

Shape-Shifter: 25

Primitive: 13

Research: 28

Sheriff: 18

Priority: 6

Rest: 46

Shield Deflect: 32

Revolvers (also known as Handgun): 36

Ships and Rockets: 111

Programming: 28

Rifle: 36

Shiva Class Mecha: 122

Psionic: 11

Ringworld: 54

Short Sleep: 11

Psionic Disciplines: 20

Robotic Prosthesis:42

Shortcuts: 28

in Vehicle combat: 59

134

Index Shotgun: 36

Special Power Limitations: 27

Steam Titan: 106

Shrewd: 11

Special Powers: 18

Stellar Cartography: 28

Shuttle: 59

Species Specific Disadvantages: 13

Stellar distance and Rotation: 55

Sick Bay: 63

Speedboat: 75

Stone-Age.: 32

Simbasa: 9

Speed-Wired: 25

Story Arc: 6

Size: 47

Spider, Gigantic: 109

Strafe (Dog Fighting Maneuver): 15

Skillful: 18

Spider-Crawler: 75

Strategy: 28

Skills: 27

Spike Strider: 90

Streetwise: 28

Slave: 13

Spin (Dog Fighting Maneuver): 16

Stretching: 25

Slave Crown: 43

Spinning Backfist (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Stun Grenade: 38

Slave Mind: 14

Sports Car : 73

Stun Staff: 39

Sling: 34

Spring Loaded: 40

Stun Stick: 38

Sloop: 59

Square: 6

Sub-Cycle: 77

Slow: 13, 66

Sr. Officer: 18

Sublight Speed: 72

Small: 14

SS Officer: 126

Submachine Gun: 37

Smart: 56

Staff: 33

Submarine: 75

Snake, Constrictor: 108

Standard Guards: 96

Submersible; 65

Snake, Viper: 108

Standard Infantry Mecha: 121

Suffocate: 50

Snakemen: 109

Star: 49

Suggestion: 25

Snatch: 18

Star Knight: 93

Super Senses: 25

Snow: 82

Star Kraken: 92

Suplex (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Snow Strider: 89

Star Marines: 101

Surgery: 28

Soak.: 6

Starbase: 49, 59, 70

Survival” 28

Social Science: 28

Star-Bomber: 68

Swamp: 82

Society: 28

Star-Born.: 14

Swarm Commander: 90

Solar Flares: 73

Stardrive: 63

Swarm Drone: 90

Soldier: 26

Star-Freighter: 70

Swarm Flight Leader: 90

Soldier Replicant.: 118

Starship: 11

Swift Strike: 15

Sonic Chirp: 86

Starship Captain: 100

Swimming: 28

Sonic-Bats: 89

Starship Officer: 100

Swing-Line: 25

Space Amazon Queen: 112

Starship Operations: 28

Sword: 34

Space Amazon Warrior: 112

Starship Personnel: 99

Sword-Cane: 34

Space Opera: 112

Startrooper: 100

Sword-Gun: 39

Space Pirate Captain: 99

Startrooper Heavy Assault Force: 100

Tactics: 28

Space Pirate Crewman: 99

Startrooper Officer: 101

Tank :74

Space Pulp: 109

Startrooper Regular: 100

Target Fixation (Dog Fighting Maneuver)16

Space Pulp Monsters: 111

Startrooper Scout: 100

Teargas Grenade : 36

Space Travel: 112

Starvation: 50

Technocracy Government: 56

Spaceship: 123

Stats: 6

Technokinesis : 21

Spacewalking: 52

Stats above 5: 127

Technology (skill): 28

Spacious: 65

Steal/Recover Plans:82

Technology Dependence :14

Spear: 33

Stealth (Skill): 28

Technology Level: 32

Spear-Knife: 39

Stealth (Upgrade): 40

Techno-Wizard : 11

Spear-Staff: 39

Stealth (Vehicle Power) : 63

Telekinesis: 25

Special Power Enhancements:27

Steam Robot: 106

Telekinetic Crush: 25

135

Index Telekinetic Push: 26

Types of Vehicles: 66

Weapon Technique: 18

Telekinetics: 20

Tyrannosaurus: 109

Weapons: 28

Telemechanics.: 26

Ultra-Mecha: 120

Weapons Systems: 63

Telepathy: 26

Unarmored/Unshielded: 66

Web: 75

Teleporter: 63

Universal Translator: 42

Weird Science Creatures: 105

Tentacle Worm: 90

Unknown Ally: 11

Weird Scientist: 106

Terraforming: 123

Unliving: 11

Whip: 34

Terrain in Space: 72

Unstoppable Gorger: 91

Wind: 55

The Swarm: 90

Unusual Technology Mecha: 121

Wokana: 9

Theocracy Government: 56

Upgrades: 39

Wormhole: 72

Thermal Filament: 41

Upload Training: 118

Wound Threshold: 47

Thief: 101

Uppercut (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Wounds: 46

Thieves’ Tools: 43

US Cavalryman: 125

Wrestling:47

Thirst: 50

Useful Gadgets: 42

XP

Throw (Martial Arts Maneuver): 17

Useful Mutation: 115

Thunder Beast: 91

Vacuum: 51

X-Ray Vision: 27

Tiger: 107

Vacuum Patch: 43

Xrek: 9

Time Machine: 123

Vacuum Sealed: 33

Zero G: 51

Time Travel: 123

Variable: 27

Zombie: 116

Time Travel Forward: 124

Vehicle Advantages: 65

Time-Loop: 124

Vehicle Combat.: 59

Time Paradox:124

Vehicle Disadvantages: 65

Time-Police:127

Vehicle Powers: 62

TL

Vekar: 9

See Technology Level: 32

See Experience Points: 45

Venomous: 26

Tongue: 19

Venusian Fire Dragon: 114

Total Result Bonus/Penalty: 6

Very Slow: 66

Totalitarian Government: 56

Veteran Pilot: 96

Tough: 45

Veteran Warriors: 108

Toxicology: 28

Vibroblade: 38

TR

Vibroknife: 38

See Total Result Bonus/Penalty: 6

Vibro-Lance: 38

Tracking: 28

Victorian: 103

Tracking Device: 41

Viper Slug: 91

Tractor Beam: 64

Virtuous: 11

Trample: 26

Vision check: 52

Transform: 121

Vulnerability: 47

Transports: 59

Waffen: SS,126

Traps: 28

Walker: 75

Tribal Government: 56

Wall-Mounted Blaster: 53

Triceratops: 109

War Droids: 94

True Grit: 13

Ward: 13

Truth Serum: 43

Warfare and Exploration: 58

Tunnel Devil: 91

Warp Reality: 88

Tunneling: 26

Weapon Lock: 18

136

Check Out these Products by Basic Action Games: BASH! Basic Action Super Heroes The game that started it all! Basic Action Games is proud to present the Basic Action Super Heroes Role-Playing Game, also known as BASH! This book has everything you need to create characters and run super-heroic adventures within minutes. The rules are light and easy all you need are two ordinary dice, a piece of paper, and this book. Character generation is so simple, you could fit all the info you need on a 3x5 card, but we included a sheet anyway. Do not assume that by simple, we mean incomplete, either. BASH! has over 50 versatile super powers, numerous skills, and even rules for collateral damage. The action is fast and furious, paced over a series of panels, pages, and issues, just like a comic book. A printer friendly edition is also included. Also look for Megapolis: A City of Supers, a sourcebook for BASH! This book outlines a fictional major US city somewhere in the Northeastern United States. In this book you’ll find many things you’ve been needing for your superheroic campaign including: •A complete history of the city and outline of its Burroughs. •Interesting locales ranging from the affluent to crime-ridden. This city has everything from a hidden magical world to a haunted suburb. •Heroes. Dozens of Heroes and teams for your own Heroes to join. •Villains. LOTS of Villains for your Heroes to do battle with, including the mysterious HUSH. •New Powers, Advantages, and optional rules. BASH! Fantasy Edition is here! This game features fast character creation, quick combat, and over 70 powers both magic and mundane! You only need a pair of ordinary six-siders, this book and a 3x5 card for your character, but we included a sheet anyway! There are hoards of monsters, traps, and other dangers for your heroes to face down as well. Use this book to play an epic fantasy game, incorporate more “magic” into your BASH for Supers game, or to play just about any fantasy genre: High Fantasy and Low Fantasy from Samurais to Swashbucklers, and the Wild West as it never was! Island of the Forgotten Tomb: Swashbuckling Adventure and Campaign Setting for BASH! Fantasy. Sharpen your cutlass and prepare to set sail on a journey to discover a King’s tomb on an uncharted isle. What perils await the heroes on the isle and in the waters around it? This also includes a short campaign setting for BASH! Fantasy Edition. It introduces a 17th century magical world not unlike our own. There are new powers, advantages, disadvantages, monsters, and rules for running a swashbuckling game. Also included are 10 “Fencing Schools” that grant characters a unique fighting style that improves with experience.

Download them today from RPGNOW.com or find us online at www.BASHRPG. com