Simple Six System Reference Document

Mimimal OpenD6 is a System
Reference Document based on Mini
Six, from AntiPaladin Games, used in
accordance with the Mini Six Standard
Trademark License and the Open
Game License used with OpenD6.

Definitions of Common Game
Terms

Mimimal OpenD6 wasn’t
written to be read from the standpoint of the novice gamer; someone
who’s never seen a roleplaying game before. So, if you’re lost the
following definitions might prove helpful.

Adventure: The story the player characters are
taking part in. Rescue the princess, slay the dragon, blow up the space
station, break up the car theft ring. It is like having one episode of a
television show or a single movie. It might be finished in a single
night or take several sessions to complete.

Campaign: Linked adventures that tell a larger
story. For instance it could resemble a series of novels telling an epic
quest or a television series where each adventure is episodic and the
main common factor are the recurring characters.

Game Master (GM): The person in charge. They are
sometimes called narrators. They run the adventure and act as impartial
judge helping to keep the game moving.

Non-Player Character (NPC): All of the characters
controlled by the Game Master. They are the heroes’ allies, enemies,
extras in the background, and everyone in between. If it’s a character
not controlled by a player, it’s an NPC. These characters do not follow
normal creation guidelines. They are built on the needs of the story and
for the purpose the GM has in mind for them.

Player Character (PC): The protagonists, be they
hero or antihero. These are the characters controlled by the
players.

Round (rd or /r): Approximately ten seconds of time
in the game world. How to track the speed of simple actions and
combat.

Scene: An intense fight, a thrilling car chase, a
meeting with NPC’s, each extended moment of interaction with each other
or others is a scene. Just like in a play or a story, when the action
winds down it’s the end of a scene.

Session: A single gathering of gamers. When you are
done for the night and everyone is going home, it is the end of the
session. Please respect your host by cleaning your area before you
leave; it’s just the nice thing to do.

Target Number (TN): This is the number you need to
roll or higher to succeed at whatever you are attempting. General
challenges are broken down into six levels of difficulty (see General (non-combat)
Challenges). Combat target numbers are based on the target’s
defensive scores like block, dodge, etc. Sometimes you will attempt to
affect another character through certain skills, such as Seduce
or Persuasion, which can be resisted by the target’s skill. In
this case you must beat the defender’s roll to succeed. The TN of a
given action might be modified by the GM depending on circumstances.

About this Book

Simple Six is a
member of the OpenD6
family of games. It’s cinematic and flexible like its parent, but its
goal is to be lighter and faster, keeping the heart of the system’s
mechanics but streamling the rules.

How to Make a Character
details character creation while The Game
Mechanics and Combat provide all the needed
mechanics to play a complete game. Beyond these short sections are
additional rules and options to expand your game.

Vehicles and The Simple Magic System are rules
that will only come up in some games. Sample Characters by Genre
provide GMs with a ready list of NPCs and monsters to populate the game.
Optional Rules provides rule variants to
help change up the game to better fit the style of the campaign
desired.

In Making the Game Your Own
the GM will find a little advice on creating the campaign and adapting
other OpenD6 materials to their Minimal
OpenD6 games. In Sample
Settings you will find several sample settings that are nearly ready
to go as is.

What you won’t find in ths book are a lot of detailed examples,
exhaustive rules to cover every possible scenario, or a large list of
modifiers. Instead, we are trusting GMs, with the help of their players,
to apply common sense to make the game fun for everyone. Don’t slow the
game down by wasting time digging for rules that aren’t there. And most
importantly, when the rules conflict with fun, fun wins.

Dice Basics

This game uses regular six sided dice. The number before the “D” is
how many to roll, and any number after a + is how much to add to the
roll. For instance 2D+2 means roll two dice and add two to the resulting
total.

One die rolled is always the Wild Die. Use a different color die to
represent this or roll the dice one at a time making the last die rolled
the wild die. If the wild die results in a six, then roll again adding
the six and the new result together. If a six comes up on the reroll,
then you add six and reroll again! Keep doing it until the wild die
lands on something other than a 6.

How to Make a Character

1. Distribute 12 dice between the four attributes. No attribute may
   have less than one nor more than four dice assigned to it.
2. Distribute 7 dice to skills and perks. No skill may have more than
   two dice assigned to it at character creation.
3. Select Complications.
4. Choose gear.

Splitting Dice: skill and attribute dice may be
split into “pips.” Each die is equal to three pips. An attribute must
always have at least 1D. An attribute may have dice only (no bonus
pips), +1 or +2. Going to “+3” advances the die code to the next largest
die. Example progression is 1D, 1D+1, 1D+2, 2D, 2D+1, etc.

Attributes

Each character has four attributes which measure basic physical and
mental abilities that are common to every creature. Characters
distribute 12D among the four attributes. These are normally rated on a
scale of 1D to 4D, although perks may change these limits. When putting
dice into each attribute you can put whole dice in each or use a mixture
of whole dice and pips.

• Might represents physical strength, toughness, and
  amount of damage dealt when striking unarmed.
• Agility represents aim and coordination.
• Wit represents mental creativity and
  intelligence.
• Charm represents charisma, resolve, and
  leadership.

Skills

Characters are further defined by skills. Players may allocate up 7D
on skills to best represent the unique talents of their character.
Unspent skill dice can be used to purchase Perks.

Skills are areas of expertise that represent focus and training. When
putting dice into each skill you can put whole dice in each or use a
mixture of whole dice and pips. No more than 2D may be spent in each
skill during character creation. Each skill defaults to the level of the
related attribute. For example, a character who has a Might of 3D has 3D
in all skills under Might before allocating any dice. If two dice are
added to Brawling it is recorded as 5D.

The following is an incomplete skill list designed to serve as an
inspiration for what may be used in a game. Each game should have a
tailored list of appropriate skills which might include new skills or
modify examples given. For example a typical sword and sorcery game
might use an expanded list of melee skills to further define its
warriors while a science fiction game may lump them all into a unified
skill named “Melee Combat.”

	Might Skills	Agility Skills	Wit Skills	Charm Skills
All Genres	Brawling†	Athletics	Athletics	Command
	Knife†	Dodge†	Language	Courage
	Lift	Pickpocket	Medicine	Diplomacy
	Mace†	Stealth	Pick Locks	Persuasion
	Stamina	Throwing†	Search	Seduce
			Tracking
Modern		BFG†	Computer	Streetwise
or Sci-fi		Drive	Navigation
		Pilot	Repair
		Pistol†	Science
		Rifle†
Fantasy	Axe†	Bow†	Magic	Ride
	Pole Arm†	Crossbow†
	Smithing
	Sword†

† = Combat skills are not allowed specializations

Skill Specializations

Specializations are focused aspects of a skill. For example,
Drive specializations might include Car and
Motorcycle. One skill die can be spent to gain three specialty
dice. Combat skills don’t have specializations. Example: A character
with an Agility of 3D focuses on the Running Speciality of
Athletics. He spends one skill die in it, but records it as
Running 6D on his character sheet. He has an Athletics of only
3D. This is the only time the 2D skill limit can be exceeded during
character creation.

Perks

During character creation, unspent skill dice may be spent to acquire
Perks. The following perks are meant to serve as examples and
inspiration. The cost listed next to each is in whole skill dice.

Racial Perks

Dwarf (1): You’re long lived, you can see in the
dark, you receive +2 to smithing or any other craft skill, Your maximum
Might is 5D but your maximum Agility is 3D.

Elf (2): You’re long lived, you can see in the dark,
you receive a +1 on all ranged attacks, Your maximum Agility is 5D but
your maximum Might is only 3D.

Reptoid (2): You’re green and scaly, this gives a +1
Armor Value. You also have claw-tipped fingers which grant you +1 damage
on unarmed attacks. You might also be asexual. Sorry.

Robot (4): You don’t eat, breathe, or sleep. You can
have your memory wiped. You don’t heal but you can be repaired. As long
as your memory core survives you may be rebuilt if destroyed.

General Perks

Attractive (1): Others find the character pleasing
to look at. This can help reduce suspicions or distract others depending
on the given situation. Once per session the character can double one
roll for any action related to their appearance. Examples include
seduction, a subtle bluff or simply distracting guards.

Daredevil (2): Once per session you may throw
caution to the wind taking extremely reckless action that may result in
your own death. Your dodge, block, and parry are reduced by half however
all Might rolls are doubled when resisting damage for one round.

Destiny (2): Characters with Destiny feel they are
fated to some grand purpose. Once per game session a character may
declare a failed roll is not part of their Destiny and immediately
reroll to get a different result.

Favors (1): People owe you. Once per session you can
call in one of those debts. This can take the form of information, a
temporary use of equipment (borrowing a truck, plow, pump action
shotgun, etc.), a place to hide someone or something for a brief time,
or any similar event.

Lucky (2): Once per session you can declare you are
feeling lucky. Double the result of your next roll.

Perceptive (2): The GM may reveal small clues to you
that others would miss. Once per session a character may announce they
are studying an object or situation and the GM may reveal something that
would be impossible for a normal character to determine. If nothing is
revealed this perk may be used again. “Elementary, my dear Watson.”

Recall (1): Any time the character chooses to recall
anything he has experienced, the GM must tell him the truth in as much
detail as the character would have been aware.

Sidekick (3): You have a boon companion willing to
join in your adventures. This character only gets 10D to spend on
attributes and 4D to spend on starting skills. They normally only
receive 1 to 3 CP per session, but never as many as their fearless
leader.

Esoteric Perks

Energy Blast (5): You can throw bolts of pure
energy. These do 4D damage and use your Throwing skill.

ESP (3): You can read minds. Targets resist using
their Charm vs. your Wits.

Flying (4): You can fly (at twice your move).

Regeneration (3): You heal 1 wound level/hour.

Sorcerer (3): You’re magically sensitive. Magic
spells actually work for you. See The
Simple Magic System.

Telekinesis (3): You can move stuff with your mind.
Make a Wits roll and treat it like the Lift skill. People
resist using their Might.

X-Ray Vision (3): you can see through 1 foot of
material.

Complications

During character creation only, players may select up to two
complications. These grant no additional skill dice during character
creation; however, if one comes up in play the character earns one CP.
Characters may not earn more than one CP per complication per session
regardless of how often it comes up.

Age: You’re either really old or really young. In
addition to all the social issues caused by your age, the GM might
choose to impose a penalty to an action based on your character’s age.
Grandpa throws a hip, a weird dude offers you candy on the street, and
it’s hard for either of you to seduce the supermodel at the bar.
Whenever your age causes you great difficulty receive one CP.

Crazy: You have issues that are guaranteed to put
the therapists’ kids through college. Could be you’re just really
paranoid, or maybe just a touch too OCD. That fear of most everything
could also be a problem. Then again maybe you really are Napoleon and
everyone else is wrong, good luck convincing anyone else since you’re a
lunatic. Hastur, Hastur, Hastur! Take your pills and earn one CP any
time your psychosis really gets in the way.

Enemies: Someone doesn’t like you at all. And they
are a credible threat. Maybe they have more friends than you, maybe
they’re just bigger and meaner; either way you have your own personal
bully. You earn the bonus CP when they complicate your life.

Gremlins: You have a special touch. Specifically the
kind that breaks machines. You’re no good with engines, electronics,
magical gizmos, or any other trinket. If it’s a device, you can’t trust
it. Earn one CP whenever the GM takes his one free shot on you this
way.

Personal Code: You live by a creed and you will not
cross that line. Maybe you won’t fight an unarmed opponent and always
make sure they know its coming or maybe you never tell a lie. No matter
how you define it, your code has to mean something. Some caped crusaders
won’t kill, paladins won’t resort to deception, and sometimes there is
even honor among thieves. Earn one CP whenever your code complicates you
or friends’ success.

Skeletons in the Closet: You’ve been a naughty boy.
Maybe you’re a closet smoker. Maybe those hookers buried themselves.
Maybe that enemy uniform in the closet really isn’t yours. Maybe the
bank really meant to let you take all that money out that day. Whatever,
the universe doesn’t judge. You earn the bonus CP whenever your past
comes back to haunt you.

Unlucky in Love: Things just don’t work out for some
guys. Your love interest is always dying, being kidnapped, betraying
you, or even worse dumping you. You earn bonus CP when your love life
falls apart in a meaningful way.

Unlucky in Money: You have a hard time holding onto
money. You earn the bonus CP when you lose a significant amount of cash
through your own foolishness or bad luck and have nothing to show for
it.

Gear

Some games may assume the character has the trappings of a middle
class lifestyle, while others may take place in a world of fantasy where
only those items in your pack mean the difference between life and
death.

Characters might start with one piece of related gear for each skill
they allocated dice to during character creation. For example a pistol
for the Pistol skill, a medic bag for Medicine, etc.
For anything else, beg the GM.

Low Tech Weapons

Weapon	Damage
Axe	+3D
Club	+1D+1
Hatchet	+1D+1
Halberd	+3D
Knife	+1D
Mace	+1D+1
Rapier	+2D
Staff	+1D+2
Spear	+2D
Sword	+2D+2
Sword, 2h	+3D+1
Warhammer	+3D
Bow	+2D+2
Crossbow	4D+1

Low Tech Armor

Armor	Value
Leather	+2
Chainmail	+6
Platemail	+9
Shield	+4

Modern Tech Weapons

Weapon	Damage
Light Pistol	3D+2
Heavy Pistol	4D
Rifle	5D
Shotgun	4D+2
BFG	6D

Sci-Fi Tech Weapons

Weapon	Damage
Plasma Pistol	5D
Plasma Rifle	6D
Plasma BFG	7D
Plasma Sword	+4D

Missile Weapon Ranges

Weapon	(S/M/L)†
Bow	30/100/300
Crossbow	50/150/400
All Pistols	30/100/350
All Rifles	100/350/500
Shotguns	50/150/400
BFG	100/400/700
Grenades	10/20/30

† Ranges in feet.

The Game Mechanics

General (non-combat)
Challenges

Characters roll the appropriate attribute plus skill against a set
target number based on the task attempted.

Difficulty	Target Number
Very Easy	2–5
Easy	6–10
Moderate	11–15
Difficult	16–20
Very Difficult	21–30
Heroic	31+

Very Easy: Nearly everyone can do it. These checks
should only be made if a success is critical to the scenario at
hand.

Easy: Characters will seldom have trouble with these
tasks, but an untrained individual may find them challenging.

Moderate: Average characters have a reasonable
chance of failing at this level. Consistent success often requires
training in the skill or a high level of natural ability.

Difficult: Tasks at this level are truly
challenging. To succeed a character needs to be well skilled or very
lucky.

Very Difficult: Challenges of this level fall into
the domain of masters in the skill being used; few others will succeed
at them.

Heroic: These challenges are almost impossible. Only
the very lucky or true masters can consistently succeed at them.

Order of Actions in a Round

(a round is considered to be approximately 10 seconds)

1. Declare all actions planned for the round.
2. Determine order of Initiative by rolling Agility for each character.
   Highest goes first.
3. Characters make rolls for all actions they are attempting. The
   target may get an opportunity to resist or avoid the action.

Multiple Actions

Characters may attempt to do more than one thing on a turn by
withholding one die from every action they attempt for each action
beyond the first. For instance, if a character tries to shoot twice, he
will subtract one die from each attempt.

Scaling

Not all objects are on the same scale. Humans and horses may be close
enough to be equals, but humans and dragons aren’t. When dealing damage
to a smaller scaled target or resisting damage inflicted by it, the
larger adds the difference in modifiers to their die rolls or static
defenses. Smaller scaled targets attempting to dodge attacks from or
actually attempting to attack a larger scaled opponent add the
difference to their dodge and attack rolls.

Scale	Modifier
Character, Animals	None
Air Cycle, Car, Little Dragon, Wagon	+2D/+6 to Dodge & Soak
Big Dragon, Galley, Mecha, Tank	+4D/+12 to Dodge & Soak
Fighter, Light Transport, Heavy Mecha	+6D/+18 to Dodge & Soak
Capital Ship, Elder God, Space Station	+12D/+36 to Dodge & Soak
Mega Space Station, Planets	+24D/+72 to Dodge & Soak

Movement

A character may move up to 15 feet as a free action or move 30 feet
at the cost of one action. If a character wishes to run faster he rolls
his Athletics skill and adds it to his movement. If the only
action taken in a round is running, his total move is doubled.

Experience

At the end of each session the GM awards each character a number of
character points. The number of points given per session typically
varies from 3 to 7 depending on drama, danger, success, and fun!

Spending Character Points
(CP)

Any skill may be increased one pip by spending a number of CPs equal
to its current number of dice. No skill may be increased more than one
pip per session. Skill specializations cost only half as much to raise,
rounding up.

Character points are also used to improve attributes. This costs 10
times the number of dice a character has in the attribute to raise it
one pip. All skills under this attribute also improve by one pip. For
example, if a character had a Wit of 3D+1 and wanted to improve it to
3D+2 it would cost 30 CP.

Hero Points

Characters start with 1 hero point and may spend it before any roll.
Hero Points provide a variety of options, but once spent the point is
lost:

• Gaining a +6 to any single roll (up to 3 points may be used at one
  time when using this effect).
• Just a flesh wound. Once per combat a hero point can be used to
  reduce the severity of a character’s wounds one level.
• Make a small change to their location (locating an unlocked window,
  finding a can of WD40 and a roll of duct tape, etc).
• “Buy” a clue. Sometimes players are at a lost or think they might
  have missed something. This gives them the option to find that detail
  that they would have otherwise missed.

Hero Points are earned through superior play and given as an
incentive by the GM to help encourage the style of action desired in a
game. If playing a gritty western and the character makes a clever quip
using the “in-game” jargon that makes everyone laugh without disrupting
play that may be worth a Hero Point. Unless completely against the
nature of the game played, extremely clever ideas and grand heroic deeds
should always be rewarded.

Healing

Natural Healing: If a wounded character rests he is
allowed a Might check and if successful heals a wound level. The
frequency of the check depends on the severity of the character’s
wounds.

Assisted Healing: Characters with the
Medicine skill can attempt to help others heal more quickly. A
skill check may be made once per day for each patient treated. On a
successful roll, the patient heals one wound level.

Wound Level	Frequency (N. Healing)	Might Difficulty	Assisted Healing Difficulty
Stunned	1 minute	automatic	Easy
Wounded	3 days	6	Moderate
Severely Wounded	3 days	6	Moderate
Incapacitated	2 weeks	8	Difficult
Mortally Wounded	5 weeks	9	Very Difficult

Combat

Why two rules?

The Fast Static Combat is the preferred method of combat resolution,
while players familiar with OpenD6 may be more comfortable with
Traditional OpenD6 Combat.

Fast Static Combat reduces the number of die rolls without
significantly altering the results compared to Traditional OpenD6
Combat.

Simple Six supports both flavors so you can easily use whichever
method you prefer.

Fast Static Combat

Attacking a Target

The Target Number, or TN, is the number needed to successfully hit
the target. The base target number on an attack is based on the target’s
static defense score.

Range: Add the range modifier to the Dodge score in
all cases (Point Blank/Hand-to-Hand −5, Medium +5, Long +10). See the
sample gear list for ranges.

Cover: If the target is behind at least 50% cover,
add +5 to the Target Number. Add +10 for 75% cover. It’s impossible to
hit a target behind 100% cover. Darkness can also be considered as cover
at the GM’s whim.

Static Defenses

In the simplified combat system characters precalculate their Dodge,
Block, Parry, and Soak prior to the game. This static number becomes the
attacker’s TN modified as noted above. To calculate each simply multiply
the number of dice a character has in the relevant skill by 3 and add
any pips to the total. Then note it down on the character sheet. For
example, Sir Baelen has a Sword skill of 5D+1. His static Parry
score would become 16 ((5 x 3)+1).

Block = (Brawling skill dice x 3) +
pips.

Dodge = (Dodge skill dice x 3) + pips.

Parry = (Weapon skill dice x 3) + pips.

Soak = (Might attribute dice x 3) + pips plus armor
value + any magical, super-tech, or other AV bonus.

Full Dodge: If the character does nothing except
dodge until his next turn they will add 10 to their Dodge score, and
apply range and cover as usual. This result is useful against any number
of attacks.

Resisting Damage

When a target has been hit, the attacker rolls damage and the
target’s Soak score is subtracted from the damage. The player or GM then
checks the “Wound Level” chart below to see how badly the target was
wounded.

Traditional OpenD6 Combat

Attacking A Target

The Target Number, or TN is the number needed to successfully hit the
target. The base target number on an attack is 10. This is modified by
range, by cover, by block, by parry, or by dodging (see below).

Range: The ranged attack modifier applies to the
base TN or defender’s Dodge roll (Point Blank/Hand-to-Hand −5,
Medium +5, Long +10). See the sample gear list for ranges.

Cover: If the target is behind at least 50% cover,
add +5 to the TN. Add +10 for 75% cover. It’s impossible to hit a target
behind 100% cover. Darkness can also be considered as cover at the GM’s
whim.

Defensive Options

The defender may optionally choose to Dodge, Block, or Parry when
attacked, however if the defense was not stated when the character first
declared their actions for the turn they suffer an additional −1D
penalty until their next turn.

Block/Parry: When attacked by a brawling or melee
weapon, the defender may choose to Block or Parry, both incur a reflex
penalty (see below). The defender rolls his Brawling skill, or
weapon skill if armed, and this becomes the TN the attacker must score
to hit the character. The result of this roll is used even if it is less
than what the TN would have been had the defender not blocked! If a
weapon parries a brawling attack the attacker takes the damage of the
weapon!

Reflexive Dodge: The character tries to get out of
the way of the attack. Roll the defender’s Dodge skill and use
that instead of any other TN. (Range and Cover still apply.) The
defender suffers a penalty of −1D to all actions until their next
turn.

Full Dodge: The character does nothing except dodge
until his next turn. Roll Dodge, add 10, and apply range and
cover as usual. This result is useful against any number of attacks.

Resisting Damage

When a target has been hit, the attacker rolls damage while the
target rolls their Might adding any armor value bonuses. The total of
the target’s Might roll is subtracted from the attacker’s damage total.
The player or GM then checks the Wound Level chart to see how badly the
target was wounded.

Wounds

Wound Level Chart

Wound Level	Dmg Total* ≥ Res Total by:
Unharmed	0 or less
Stunned	1–3
Wounded	4–8
Severely Wounded**	4–8
Incapacitated	9–12
Mortally Wounded	13–15
Dead	16+

* Note: Any additional damage less than or equal to
the character’s current level moves him up by one level.

** Note: A character is Severely Wounded if the
result is between 4 and 8 and he already has the Wounded level.

Wound Level Effects

Stunned: −1D for all remaining actions this round
and next round.

Wounded: −1D to all actions until healed.

Severely Wounded: −2D on all actions until
healed.

Incapacitated: As a free action before losing
consciousness, the character may try to stay up with a Moderate (15)
Stamina roll. If successful, he may continue to act, but with a
−3D penalty. If he fails, he is knocked out for 10D minutes.

Mortally Wounded: The character is near death and
knocked unconscious with no chance to keep up. Roll the character’s
Might each round, the character finally dies if the roll is less than
the number of minutes he’s been at this level.

Dead: The character has perished.

Vehicles

All vehicles from ancient chariots to futuristic starships are
defined by a common set of statistics. The following stats help the GM
and players quickly resolve all actions related to vehicles.

Skill: What skill is used to drive/pilot it.

Scale: The size of the vehicle.

Body: Used to resist damage.

Maneuverability (MNV): How easy it is to handle.
This gives a bonus on Drive and Pilot skill rolls.

Move: How fast it can travel.

Crew: The number needed to successfully operate the
vehicle.

Passengers (Psg): Non-crew capacity.

Weapons: Any armaments mounted on the vehicle.

Cargo: How much stuff it can carry.

Vehicle Combat

Some vehicles have weapons. Unless specified in their descriptions
they are considered to be the same scale as the vehicle. Attacks are
resolved in the same manner as character vs. character combat with the
only difference being the character uses their Drive/Pilot
skill in place of Dodge to avoid being hit. If the hit was
successful the character would roll the vehicle’s Body to resist the
damage and consult the following chart to determine how severe the
damage is:

Once the severity of the damage is determined the GM may roll
randomly on the following chart or use common sense to determine which
part is damaged.

Roll 1D	Effect
1	Lose 1D from Maneuverability
2–3	Random System Damaged
4–5	Structural Damage

Effects of Damage

Maneuverability: Each time this is affected the
vehicle loses 1D. This can go negative becoming a penalty to the
driver’s skill roll.

System Damaged: Randomly select a vehicle’s system
and it either becomes broken or loses 1D from its rating (if
applicable). Examples include communications/radio, sensors, shielding,
sail, rigging, armor, etc.

Structural Damage: The vehicle receives one wound
level. Treat these like character wound levels. Mortally wounded
vehicles stop running and Dead vehicles are considered destroyed.

Ramming

When vehicles are at short range, a pursuer may try to ram. To
successfully ram the pilot needs to roll higher than the target’s
Pilot skill check. If successful both vehicles take damage
equal to to the body of attacking plus relative move dice.

Multiple Weapons on Vehicles

When vehicles have more than one weapon of a single type, they can be
fired as a single salvo. This requires a successful Command
skill roll with the difficulty based on the number of guns being
combined. Each doubling of the number of weapons combined increases the
damage by one pip.

Chases

When attempting to overtake or outrun an opponent the GM determines
what range you are at (Short/Medium/Long). Each turn each vehicle makes
a Drive/Pilot check, with the vehicle’s Move dice granting a
bonus. The higher roll either closes or increases the distance 1 range
as desired. If reduced below Short you catch up, if increased beyond
Long you escape.

Repairing Vehicles

Characters may repair vehicles using their skills. The difficulty and
cost is determined on the following chart. The cost is based on the
price of a new vehicle.

Dice Lost	Difficulty	Cost	Time Needed
1D	Easy	10%	1 hour
2D	Moderate	15%	4 hours
3D+	Difficult	20%	1 day

Vehicle Movement

Move dice represent relative speed between vehicles of similar types.
Vehicles are divided into four broad categeries including Primitive
Craft/Muscle Powered, Motorized Ground and Water Craft, Aircraft, and
Spacecraft. If vehicles of different categories must compare speeds,
such as a fighter chasing a tank, the faster vehicle is granted bonus
move dice based on the difference in speed factors in the following
chart:

Speed Factor	Modifier
Primitive Craft / Muscle Powered	0D
Motorized Ground / Water Craft	2D
Aircraft	5D
Spacecraft	10D

Weapon Ranges in Space

Space is big and empty. Guns shoot great distances and ships are
extremely fast. The ranges given are abstract units that are defined by
the needs of the individual game.

Vehicle Costs

Cost	Description
$	Trivial cost.
$$	Affordable to most.
$$$	Affordable to the very wealthy, governments, and corps.
$$$$	Only the richest individuals, most governments.
$$$$$	Only large governments and megacorps can purchase.
$$$$$$	World governments and star empires only.

Sample Fantasy Vehicles

Air Ship

A magic flying ship.

Automaton

A steam powered golem.

Galleon

A pirate ship yoho.

Small Ship

A sloop or pinnace.

Sample Modern Vehicles

Car

Vroom, vroom.

Fighter Jet

Sate of the art killing machine.

Motorcycle

Darling Heavyson Fatboy.

Sports Car

The Lilith Novum.

Tank

Adams Main Battle Tank.

Sample Sci-Fi Vehicles

Air Cycle

The Elsner Skywing.

Capital Ship

Galaxy Class Destroyer.

Mecha

The Spartan 300.

Star Fighter

The Adder Mk II.

Star Yacht

The choice of beginner smugglers.

The Simple Magic System

Call it Ki, Chi, Sorcery, Latent Psi, etc; it’s all just different
flavors of magic. Magic lets you break the rules of the universe in
creative ways. Some games let you use flashy spells; others require you
to use more subtle effects. Speak with your GM about the limits of magic
in his game.

Access to Magic

In some games, none may use magic, in others everyone can. The most
common option is a middle ground that requires the character to start
the game with the Sorcerer esoteric perk.

Casting Spells

All spells have a target number (TN) listed in their description.
Sorcerers roll Magic to determine success. Only one spell may
be cast per turn. Success on the roll mean the spell is cast, see each
spell description for the exact effect achieved. On a failed roll, the
Sorcerer suffers a −1D penalty to their Magic skill. Further
failures increase the penalty. One hour of rest with no interruption
removes all penalties.

Spells Requiring Multiple
Actions

Some spells require additional actions to be taken after casting. For
example, thrown spells require the Sorcerer to cast the spell and then
hit the target by making a Throwing skill check. The Sorcerer
may wait until the next turn to throw the spell or they may opt to
suffer the penalty for multiple actions and do them all in one turn.

Concentration (CONC)

Some spells require the Sorcerer to maintain concentration for the
spell to remain in effect. Each spell maintained counts as one
action.

Beginning Spells & Learning
More

The character knows two spells for each die allocated to
Magic at character creation. Learning a new spell costs 2
CP.

Magic Perks

Characters that are able to learn the Magic skill may also
purchase the following Perks.

Familiar (1): The character has an imp for a
companion. The familiar can fly at a rate of 60 ft each turn, can talk,
and has 1D in each attribute. He also has 3D in skills. He can’t cast
spells, but he can turn into a black cat or other small animal at
will.

Totem Spirit (1): The character has a spiritual
advisor that speaks to him in his dreams or visions. This spirit will
likely have a somewhat alien perspective on matters, and certainly won’t
always just tell the character everything he knows. Totem Spirits employ
riddles, puzzles, and enjoy sending the character off on ridiculous
quests; but they also have insight and know things man was never meant
to know.

Magic Complications

The GM may also allow special complications for magic capable
characters.

Demonic Pact: The character has allied himself with
a demon. It tends to impress all the wrong people. You earn bonus CP any
time this complicates your life.

White Wizard: You can’t harm anyone with your magic.
Ever. Earn 1 bonus CP every session.

Sorcerer’s Tools

Some special enchanted items are of use only to those capable of
using spells. Activating the bonus granted by an item does not count as
an action. When found a sorcerer must attune the item before he can use
it. This requires the passing of three days while keeping the item
close.

The Cloak grants +2D to the Magic skill
test required to use the Fly and Teleport spells.

The Crystal Ball grants +3D to the Magic
skill test required to use the Clairvoyance and Divination spells.

The Magic Wand grants +1D to any Magic
skill test when used for the spell the wand was designed for.

The Spell Staff grants +1D to Magic once
each day.

Making Sorcerer’s Tools

Sorcerers may construct their own tools; this requires time, money,
and CP. During the construction of the item the sorcerer must work for
twelve hours each day. If any days are skipped all effort is lost. At
the end of the process he rolls a Magic check vs. the TN listed
below. If he fails all effort and money is wasted but no CP were
spent.

Item	Cost	Time	CP	TN
Cloak	$$$	4 weeks	20	30
Crystal Ball	$$$$	8 weeks	30	35
Magic Wand	$$	2 weeks	10	25
Spell Staff	$$$	4 weeks	15	30

Spell Books

When learning new spells accessing another sorcerer’s spell book
reduces the cost to 1 CP for any spell it contains. A spell can contain
up to six spells. Sorcerers normally create when they are learning new
spells. Afterwards they no longer need the spell book. Some keep them
for apprentices, sentimental value, or fear of somehow forgetting the
spells they have mastered. Others keep their books in case then need to
sell them for money.

The Grimoire

Animal Growth

TN: 23, Duration: 1 hour, Range: 120 feet, Resisted: None

Increase the scale of a normal animal by one level.

Animate Dead

TN: 31, Duration: Permanent, Range: Touch, Resisted: None

The caster touches a dead humanoid giving it unlife as a zombie or
skeleton depending the corpse’s condition. Undead created this way can
be controlled by the caster’s Command skill. When destroyed
they crumble to dust.

Beast Tongue

TN: 19, Duration: Concentration, Range: Self, Resisted: None

The caster can talk to animals.

Bless

TN: 19, Duration: 1 hour, Range: 30 foot radius, Resisted: None

All allies within the area of effect receive a +2 bonus to all
rolls.

Charm

TN: 15, Duration: Concentration, Range: Self, Resisted: None

This spell grants a +4D bonus to all Charm skills.

Clairvoyance

TN: 23, Duration: Concentration, Range: 300 feet, Resisted: None

The caster’s senses leave his own body and project outward to any
point within 300 feet. The caster may move the area he perceives at the
rate of 10 feet per turn. While in this state, he cannot take any
physical action and any damage done to him will end the spell.

Conjure Elemental

TN: 31, Duration: Permanent, Range: Zero, Resisted: None

Sorcerers may summon only one elemental per day by using this spell.
The caster also needs a large quantity of the type of element on hand
they wish to conjure. For example, a bonfire for a fire elemental or a
well for a water elemental. Controlling the elemental requires use of
the Command skill. Uncontrolled elementals will attack
everyone, including the conjurer.

Control Weather

TN: 35, Duration: Concentration, Range: ½ mile radius

The caster dictates the weather in the area affected. He can make it
hot, cold, snowy, rainy, foggy, or calm as desired.

Curse

TN: 15 + Resist Roll, Duration: Permanent, Range: Touch, Resisted:
Charm

The target of this spell suffers some negative effect determined by
the caster. Examples include being struck mute until hearing a certain
word, deafness or blindness, inability to run or cross running water.
This spell is open ended but the GM has final say on all effects.
Dispel Magic will remove any curse.

Dark Vision

TN: 23, Duration: 1 hour, Range: Touch, Resisted: None

The target can see 60 feet in the dark.

Death Spell

TN: 35, Duration: Instant, Range: 30 feet, Resisted: Special

If successfully cast, the Sorcerer rolls his Magic skill
without his Wit attribute for damage. The target resists using only
Might. For example, Melkot casts Death Spell on Tamore. Melkot
has a Wit of 4D and 10D in Magic. Melkot would roll 6D for
damage (10D – 4D) and Tamore would resist with his Might.

Dispel Magic

TN: Special, Duration: Permanent, Range: 30 feet, Resisted: None

The caster undoes any single spell or permanent magical effect. The
target number is five higher than the spell or effect being targeted.
Some things cannot be dispelled, such as healing and resurrection.

Divination

TN: Special, Duration: Concentration, Range: Self, Resisted: None

The Sorcerer can attempt to see the future or the past. The immediate
future or past normally has a TN of 25 while more distant events have a
higher TN. For instance, seeing a year into the future may have a TN of
45 while a year into the past is only 35. If attempting to divine about
specific objects or people that are not present, the difficulty goes up
by 10 or more depending on closeness of relationship to the
Sorcerer.

Earthquake

TN: 39, Duration: 1 round, Range: 200 feet, Resisted: None

An intense tremor rips the ground in a 50 foot radius from the chosen
epicenter. This collapses structures, opens cracks in the ground, and
more. While the effect lasts creatures on the ground cannot move,
attack, or cast spells. Any creature caught inside a collapsing
structure must resist 6D damage.

ESP

TN: 15 + Resist Roll, Duration: Concentration, Range: 50 feet,
Resisted: Charm

When cast you can hear the thoughts of any one person; language is no
barrier.

Fly

TN: 23 (or 15), Duration: Concentration, Range: Self, Resisted:
None

While maintained the Sorcerer can fly at a rate of 90 feet per round.
If the spell ends before landing the character will float to the ground.
The character may hover and carry up to his own weight aloft. If the
character only wishes to levitate vertically the TN of the spell is
15.

Growth

TN: 23 + Special, Duration: 10 Rounds, Range: Self, Resisted:
None

The caster grows. Each scale increase adds +10 to the TN. For
example, for a human sorcerer to grow to the size of a dragon would
require 2 scale increases making the TN 43.

Hasten

TN: 23, Duration: 5 rounds, Range: touch, Resisted: None

Targets have their multiple action penalty reduced by 1D. The effects
of multiple Hasten spells don’t stack.

Heal

TN: Special, Duration: Instant, Range: Touch, Resisted: None

The Sorcerer must concentrate for 6 turns before casting this spell.
The TN is 15 when attempting to heal anyone wounded or severely wounded,
19 for incapacitated characters, and 23 for the mortally wounded.
Success reduces the wound level by one. If Heal is used more
than once per day on a target, the target number of additional castings
increases by +10.

Illusions

TN: Special + Resist Roll, Duration: Concentration, Range: 50 foot
radius, Resisted: Wit

Illusions create false perceptions in the minds of the effected. The
target number is 15 plus 2 per person after the first targeted plus
their individual Resist Roll. Compare results for each person
individually to see if they are affected. GMs may wish to roll for the
highest Resist first and if they fail consider all to have failed.

Invisibility

TN: 27, Duration: 1 hour, Range: Touch, Resisted: None

This spell renders the target almost unseen granting a +5D bonus to
Stealth.

Light

TN: 15, Duration: 1 hour, Range: 100 feet, Resisted: None

The targeted location or object glows as brightly as a torch.

Lightning Bolt

TN: 23, Duration: Instant, Range: 150 feet, Resisted: None

The caster throws lightning. This requires the use of the
Throwing skill. If the caster attempts to throw it the same
round it is cast the multiple action penalty applies to both the casting
and throwing of the spell. The caster may also choose to throw the
lightning the round after casting to avoid the penalty. However if he
waits any longer the effect dissipates. Targets may make a
Dodge roll to avoid being hit. A successful hit inflicts 5D
damage. Armor does not protect against Lightning Bolt.

Paralysis

TN: 15 + Resist Roll, Duration: 1 hour, Range: 150, Resisted:
Might

The target becomes paralyzed, freezing in place.

Petrify

TN: 25 + Resist Roll, Duration: Permanent, Range: 100 feet, Resisted:
Might

Turns one creature into a statue include all gear and any items held.
Dispel Magic will return the target to their normal state.

Possession

TN: 25 + Resist Roll, Duration: Concentration (special), Range: 500
feet, Resisted: Charm

The sorcerer takes control of the physical body of a single character
or creature. The sorcerer may make the possessed being take any physical
action it is capable of, but can’t make it use Magic or any
Perk. The possessed being uses its own Might and Agility, but skills
depend on those of the sorcerer. The possessed may contest the sorcerer
for control each round.

Resist Elements

TN: 19, Duration: 1 hour, Range: 30 feet, Resisted: None

When cast, the Sorcerer selects one element such as fire, cold, or
electricity, and the target is granted a +1D bonus to resist damage from
that source.

Resurrection

TN: 60, Duration: Permanent, Range: touch, Resisted: None

A body which has been dead for less than one month may be restored to
life; but no one who has died from old age can be raised. Whether or not
the casting of this spell is successful the Sorcerer’s Magic
skill is reduced by 3D for one day.

See Magic Aura

TN: 15, Duration: Concentration, Range: 30 feet, Resisted: None

The caster can see a magical glow on anything enchanted.

Shape Change

TN: 15, Duration: Concentration, Range: 30 feet, Resisted: None

The caster transforms into any creature (not specific individuals)
gaining its physical attributes. Spells may not be cast while changed.
The TN is increased by +10 per increase in scale.

Slumber

TN: 10 + Resist Roll, Duration: 1 hour, Range: 30 foot radius,
Resisted: Wit

The Sorcerer can affect as many targets as he has dice in
Magic. Targets resist individually, falling into a deep sleep
on failure.

Still Mind

TN: 43, Duration: Concentration, Range: Self, Resisted: None

The Sorcerer is protected from all spells that influence, detect, or
read emotions and thoughts.

Telekinesis

TN: 31 + Special, Duration: Concentration, Range: 150 Feet, Resisted:
None / Might

The caster moves up to 50 lbs per die in Magic up to 30 feet
per round. Living beings may resist using Might.

Teleport

TN: Special, Duration: Instant, Range: 10 foot radius, Resisted:
None

Sorcerers instantly transport themselves or other beings to a
designated destination at any distance. Unwilling subjects cannot be
teleported. The base TN is 30 for one target, plus 5 more for each
additional target. A caster may not teleport to any place he has not
seen before.

Enchanted Items

Scrolls

These are written spells nearly ready to cast. They allow a caster
who doesn’t know a spell to use it once before it burns to ash. The
character must be able to use spells to read a scroll.

Potions

Distilled arcane power. The magic is released when consumed.

A Potion of Healing automatically heals a single
wound level.

A Potion of Skill grant’s +2D to a selected skill
for ten minutes. A different variant of the potion exists for each
skill.

A Potion of Changing will Shape Change the
character into any one predetermined form. The effect lasts one
hour.

Enchanted Arms and Armor

These grant a bonus or have a unique effect when wielded.

The Axe of Dwarf Mercy deals an additional +1D
damage when striking Goblins or Orcs.

The Valiant Sword grants its wielder an additional
+1D to Command allied troops.

The Shield of Faith grants its wielder +1D to resist
any magic.

Other Items

Cloak of Stealth (Stealth +1D)

Flying Carpet (moves 90 feet per round)

Ring of Slyness (Persuasion +1D)

Sample Characters by Genre

The characters presented below are sometimes less powerful than
starting player characters, sometimes more. Here is a scale to help
determine potency:

*	Not a threat usually.
**	Minor threat only in a group.
***	Credible threat.
****	Watch out, Heroes!
*****	Bold or foolish to even try.

Skills listed in each entry include the base attribute, but effects
of character scale haven’t been prefigured. All attributes, skills, and
gear are just for typical or average characters. Superior and inferior
individuals exist of every type.

Static defenses are precalculated with any skills listed. Soak is
listed as X(Y) where X is the base soak value and Y includes any armor
or other bonus listed. If a bonus die is granted to Brawling,
Dodge, or melee skills simply add 3 per die to the static
score.

While listed by genre type, these are only rough guidelines. If you
need a bloodthirsty alien race for a space opera campaign, take the orc
template, change its name to Xargon, arm them with laser rifles and a 4D
skill with them. Likewise, if you need a few brooding emo vampires, take
the vampire template as written, give him hair product, eye make-up, a
trendy wardrobe, a tattoo, an attitude, and go team Edgar.

All Genres

Average Human

“Everyman.”

Ape

The Great Ape or Yeti.

Bear

Black, brown, or grizzly.

Dog

Man’s best friend.

Elk

Any large herbivore.

Elephant

They never forget.

Horse

Saddle up.

Monkey

A pirate’s best friend.

Snake

An archaeologist’s nightmare.

Tiger

Jungle cats, ho!

Wolf

They hunt in packs.

Modern Stock Characters

Confidence Man

“Have I got a deal for you.”

Criminal (Thug)

Mooks!

Ninja

Agents of the shadows.

Policeman

To serve and protect.

Soldier

The few, the proud.

Spy

Licensed to kill.

Sci-Fi Stock Characters

Apprentice-Mystic

Devoted Pupil.

Cybercop

Stand down citizen.

Kid Genius

You didn’t know that?! Hah!

Knight-Mystic

Monastic warriors of truth.

Reptoid Pilot

Smuggler with 2 hearts of gold.

Robot Mechanic

Beep. I mean yes sir.

Pulp Stock Characters

Cultist

We’re not worthy.

Dame in Distress

Anything goes

Elder God

Klatu Barada Nikto.

Mad Scientist

1.21 jigawatts should do the it!

Scaly Kin

Survivors out of time.

Fantasy Stock Characters

Barbarian

Savage from the north hills.

Dwarf Warrior

Clansman of the Great Hall.

Elf Bowman

Guardian of the forest.

Guard

Guard, gladiator, or soldier.

Knight

For King and country!

Priest

Righteous defender.

Pirate

Yoho!

Thief

What’s yours is mine.

Wizard

Sorcerer or necromancer.

Fantasy Bestiary

Centaur

Can you ride me? I say nay.

Devil (Minor)

I’m the best there’s ever been.

Dragon

Master of all he surveys.

Elemental (Fire)

Body of living flame.

Fairie

Third star to the right…

Gargoyle

Stone guardian.

Ghost

Doomed spirit.

Giant

Grind your bones to paste.

Goblin

Vermin from below.

Golem

Automatons of destruction.

Gorgon

With baited breath.

Griffon

Hunters of the sky.

Harpy

She’s a maneater.

Hell Hound

The devil’s lapdog.

Hydra

Many-headed terror.

Medusa

Stone cold killer.

Minotaur

Master of the maze.

Ogre

Mercenaries and brigands.

Orc

Scourge of civilization.

Pegasus

Sky mount of the elves.

Phoenix

The eternal bird.

Rat of Unusual Size

Most dispute they exists.

Skeleton

Fleshless undead.

Troll

Nearly mindless killers.

Vampire

Cursed to feed on the living.

Werewolf

He’s the hairy hairy gent.

Zombie

Freshly risen undead.

Optional Rules

By its nature Minimal
OpenD6 is highly customizable. With just a few choices you
can change it from a light hearted game of keystone cops to gritty
survival horror. While it is always good to remember that all rules are
optional when preparing for the game the following ideas are meant to
help give you further inspiration in adjusting the game to best fit your
needs. In the end the only hard and fast rule is to play the game the
way your group enjoys.

Renaming Attributes

By changing attribute names GMs can influence how a game feels. For
Swashbuckling games the four attributes could be called Power, Grace,
Reason, and Poise. If set in 70’s Grindhouse they could transform into
Muscles, Moves, Brains, and Cool.

Varying the Number of
Attribute Dice

Default starting player characters have 12 dice to spend on
attributes. This makes them heroic in nature and generally competent in
everything. By changing the number of attribute dice the feel of play is
altered. The following chart provides guidelines for total attribute
dice to use based on the power scale of the game:

• 8 dice = The common man.
• 9 dice = Experienced. Well trained in their specialty.
• 10 dice = Competent. A cut above John Q Public.
• 11 dice = Veteran. Easily stands out from the rest.
• 12 dice = Heroic. The default level of play.
• 13 dice = World Class. Has an edge in most everything.
• 14+ dice = Legendary characters. Herculean in nature.

Expanded Number of
Attributes

The default four attributes cover most situations a character might
come across. This also makes them fairly broad. If a greater division is
desired extra attributes can be added. Examples include Perception
(separated from Wit), Mechanical (from Agility and Wit), Courage (from
Charm) and Toughness (from Might).

Beginning Attribute Dice: When adding extra
attributes each player receives three additional dice per attribute
added for heroic level games. If 6 attributes are used in place of 4,
players would divide 18D among them.

Effects on Skills: If your GM has increased the
number of attributes he will provide you with a breakdown of where each
skill now defaults.

Increasing the Attribute
Range

Characters are normally limited to 4D in an attribute unless a perk
modifies this. Some GMs may wish to offer an upper maximum of 5D, 6D, or
higher. When using this option the dice are spent as normal. Other GMs
may not be so comfortable with such casually powerful characters. They
may choose a more costly option instead.

Higher Attributes at a Price

Under this rule characters can select attributes above 4D or whatever
limits the GM sets, but they cost twice as much as normal beyond that
limit. For example, a GM declares attributes are purchased as normal up
to 4D but he allows higher attributes at a price up to 5D. A character
who spends 6D in Might would record 5D as their Might attribute. Another
character wants an Agility of 4D+2. This would cost him 5D+1 attribute
dice.

No Attributes

All skills default to a base 2D and at character creation players
receive 16D to spend on skills. Up to 4D can be spent in any one skill.
For example, if playing a Gunslinger, the player may spend 4D in
Pistol, 1D in Rifle, 3D in Toughness (to
resist damage) 4D in Dodge, 3D in Brawling, and 1D in
Gamble; recording it like this:

Adding Paranormal Abilities

Paranormal Abilities are special for two reasons; first it is
possible to have 0D in them, representing mundane characters. The second
is that those who do have them gain access to restricted powers. For
example in a vampire game characters might use Blood Potency, Dominate,
Foretelling, Spirit, and Transformation; during character creation the
player could spend attribute dice to gain some access to one or more
them.

No extra attribute dice are given for Paranormal Abilities at
character creation. This reduces a character’s mundane attributes but
the powers granted by their paranormal gifts make up for it. GMs will
define which, if any, are used in their games and how they work in the
setting.

Characters who begin with 0D in a Paranormal Ability may be allowed
to purchase it later with GM permission. We suggest the first die cost
10 or 20 CP.

Quasi Skills

These are purchased as attributes at character creation but
afterwards are raised with CP like skills and don’t have any skills
under them. GMs might increase the cost to raise these skills based on a
character’s access to teachers or suitable training material. For
example, a game focused on Angels might include the quasi skills of
Spiritual, Etheric, and Corporeal. A starting
character may have Spiritual 2D Etheric 1D, and
Corporeal 0D. Later, studying under one of his elder’s the
angel would spend 2 CP to improve Spiritual to 2D+1.

Paranormal Attributes with
Skills

These are the same as any other attributes except that characters can
have 0D in the attribute and no access to their related skills. In a
game focused on werewolf naturists the GM might create the attributes
Elemental and Spiritual. Under the Elemental attribute the skills may be
Air, Earth, Fire, and Water; while
Spiritual includes Communing, Summoning, and
Channeling.

Varying Starting Skill Dice

Default starting player characters receive 7 dice to spend on skills
and perks and can’t spend more than 2D on any one skill. This represents
fledgling heroic level characters. The GM might grant them additional
dice for a more difficult campaign. He may also allow them to spend more
than 2D in any single skill. The number of dice and maximum allocations
should be weighed carefully to fit the desires of the campaign.

High Skills Rolls
Increasing Damage

When using this rule damage is boosted by 1 point for every 5 points
you exceeded the target number to hit. If a warrior needed to beat a
Parry of 14 and rolled a 26 on his attack, this would increase the
damage by +2 since the target was beaten by 12.

For increased deadliness, simply reduce the number needed to exceed
the roll by to increase damage. If every 3 points of success translates
to 1 point of damage skilled characters are deadly.

Independent Skills

Skills normally always default to one particular attribute, for
example Sword always defaults to Might. In a more freewheeling
campaign skills may be detached from attributes allowing more fluid
definition of how their used. When skills are purchased they don’t get
the benefit of any default attribute. If using a broad skill list then
the typical 7D may be used. If opting for many more narrowly focused
skills then 12D to 18D may be appropriate.

It is suggested that raising skills with CP should cost double the
normal price for skill advancement. This sounds more costly but isn’t
because the skills start so much lower.

A sample knight might look like this:

When attacking an enemy our knight will typically roll Might +
Sword for a total of 6D. Later when attempting to purchase a
quality sword in the market the knight would roll his Wit +
Sword for a total of 4D. That evening while practicing his
swordsmanship a group of ladies watches from afar. To impress them he
rolls his Charm + Sword for a total of 5D.

Rolling Limit

Some dislike rolling large numbers of dice, feeling the math slows
down the game. GMs may impose a limit on the number of dice rolled at
any time. We suggest the cut-off be 5 dice. If a character has more than
5D on a roll, each die beyond the rolling limit is converted to a +3
bonus. For example a GM has imposed a 5D rolling limit at his table. A
character with 7D+1 in Rifle shoots at bad guy. He rolls 5 dice
and adds 7 to the result.

Halfway There

To help speed up the game, if the number of skill dice in any skill
is equal to half the Target Number, the GM may consider it an automatic
success.

Traditional OpenD6 Hero
Points

In traditional OpenD6, Hero Points work differently. Instead of
giving a static +6 to a roll and allowing for other options such as
Flesh Wounds, etc. they double the number of dice on any single roll.
For example a spy has 4D+1 in Security and must disable a bomb.
To help ensure success the player spends 1 HP doubling his roll to
8D+2.

Traditional OpenD6
Character Points

In traditional OpenD6 Character Points may be spent to improve
individual rolls during play. These points can be spent after the
character has rolled but only before the GM has let the player know if
the roll was successful. Each CP spent grants additional Wild Die to the
roll. The GM may impose a limit on how many CP may be used on a single
roll in his game. Players cannot spend character points to improve a
roll that they also spent a Hero Point on.

Traditional OpenD6 Might
Damage

In traditional OpenD6 the base amount of damage dealt in unarmed and
melee combat is calculated differently. Characters use half their dice
in their Lift skill ignoring pips and rounding down the result.
For example, a character with a Lift skill of 3D+2 would deal
1D damage in unarmed combat or 1D+weapon damage when using a melee
weapon.

Buying New Perks

If you have a good reason and the GM agrees you may buy a perk after
play has begun for 10 CP times the standard cost. Some perks make no
sense; you don’t wake up an elf.

Buying Off Complications

To get rid of a complication the GM will impose a price of at least
20 CP if he allows it at all and you need a really good story, possibly
even a quest or adventure to justify it. Alternatively, as the story
progresses player and GM might agree to exchange old complications for
new one.

Body Points
(alternative to Wound Levels)

In place of using Wound Levels GMs may elect to use Body Points (BP).
Under this variant, players roll their character’s Might and add this to
20. This is the amount of damage they can take before death. If less
variability is desired the GM may give 4 BP per die in Might
instead.

Damage Resistance Under Fast Static Combat: Under
this combat system, the Static Soak is replaced with Static Damage
Resistance (DR). Static Damage Resistance is equal to the Armor Value of
the target. As a rule of thumb any creature or stock character with no
number in parenthesis next to their Soak has a Damage Resistance of 0;
those that do subtract their Soak from the number in parenthesis and use
the difference. The GM might define special abilities that also grant a
bonus to this total. Hero points can be spent to gain a +6 bonus to
DR.

Damage Resistance Traditional OpenD6 Combat: The
damage resistance total equals a roll of the target character’s die
codes from armor or Special Abilities. Hero points can be spent to gain
a +6 bonus to DR.

Taking Damage Under Both Systems: When a character
is hit they subtract their DR from the damage total. If the remaining
total is one or more it is subtracted from the character’s current BP
total. If reduced to 0 or fewer BP, the character is dead.

Natural Healing

To heal, the character needs complete rest. After resting one full
day a Might check is made and the level of success achieved determines
how many BP are recovered. Healing: BP are recovered as follows:

Healing Difficulty	BP Recovered
Very Easy	2
Easy	1D
Moderate	2D
Difficult	3D
Very Difficult	4D
Heroic	5D

Assisted Healing (Medicine)

Once per day a character can assist another by making a
Medicine skill check. The number of BP healed is based on the
level of success achieved and uses the same chart as the character’s
Might check.

Adjusting Deadliness

By increasing or decreasing the base number of BP the lethality of
the game is changed. For extremely cinematic games the GM may allow
players to double the Might total or roll twice and take the higher
number.

Making the Game Your Own

Its possible to sit down and play a game with Simple Six on the fly using
just what has been provided. However, the game is much more enjoyable
when some advance thought is put into the world the characters will
adventure in. For repeated campaign style play this is practically a
requirement.

Developing
Your Own Setting (or stealing from the Great Ones)

The first thing you need is an idea. If you don’t already have one
try asking your players what they want to do. Between talking with them
and your own dreams one is likely to form. It might be based off a comic
book, a show on TV, a recent hit movie, or any other source of mass
media. Or it might be invented whole cloth from your imagination. Before
we get all touchy feely and start sharing emotions let’s crawl out of
your head and get on to the next step.

Now that you have a golden gem of an idea, you need to write down a
short description. Imagine that your audience has never heard of
anything similar before while also limiting yourself to just a couple of
paragraphs at most. Don’t worry about being Shakespeare, just write down
the way you would explain it to the players. Think of it as the movie
trailer for your setting. If fail to hit the high points no one will be
interested or possibly even understand it. At this point though, do not
bog yourself down in detail.

Who are the Characters?

Think about it your game from the players’ perspective. What kind of
characters do they often like to play and what kind of characters do you
see them playing in your game? You will need to be able to explain to
them what kind of characters they can make and how they fit into the
world. This must be followed up by the very important question what do
they do? What kind of adventures will they go on? How can their
characters fit into the adventure easily without you having to invent
the flimsiest of reasons to include them. The easier you make it on them
at this point, the less work it is going to be on you to bring them in
and keep them all together.

Some players get a sadistic joy out of playing against type. You
might be casting a supers team made up of mutants that all work together
and one person who declares himself to be the feral loner. These
characters can complicate things quite a bit. We aren’t saying not to
allow them, although that is your call. You will need to speak with this
player to make sure you are both on the same page. Maybe the crazy
professor that pulled them together also gave them all radios to stay in
constant communication. If all else fails gently remind them this is a
group oriented game.

What are the Rules?

We think we have a pretty good set here with Simple Six, but some might
call us biased. You might be happy with the default rules, but maybe you
want something a little different. Okay Mr. Picky, write down which
optional rules you are going to use. Which combat system are you going
to use? Hint, hint, we think Static is Faster, but maybe you’re a
traditionalist at heart. That’s okay, we still love you. You might have
your own ideas for another magic system if your game uses that or you
decide to run with the Body Points system instead of Wound Levels.

The optional rules you can use though are not just limited to the
choices we give in this rule book, it includes your own ideas and
editions, those special flourishes that make the game your own. But
whatever you do, be sure to write it down for consistency later and tell
your players before they make characters. It is only the nice thing to
do.

What are the Skills?

Start by writing down the attributes in separate columns. Then place
the skills under them that you think will be useful in the game you plan
to run. Some skills may be broader than others depending on how useful
they are in your opinion. For example, in many games there is just a
skill called Science which covers Biology, Chemistry, Math, and
many more boring subjects except for Medicine. But, if you are playing a
game where the characters are scientists exploring the galaxy through
stargates, you might need several different, more specific, Science
skills.

New Perks or Complications?

This is your chance to help reinforce the game through new racial
perks you make, codes of honor, etc. Players love new stuff. It also
serves to further develop any archetypes you dreamed up.

How are Money and Gear
Handled?

Most players are going to want to know how much stuff they can get
their hands on. If your game is one where they count their dollars and
spend specific amounts be sure to let them know and even prepare a price
list and basic monetary notation. You might take a more laid back
approach and say that a knight owns armor, a sword, and a horse; while
his wizard companion has a pointed hat, musty books, and a stout walking
stick. However you decide to do this, just try and be consistent and
fair.

What are You
Going to do When You Run Out of Ideas?

Well, you’re having ideas right now, so start writing these
adventures seeds and save them for a rainy day. Just a paragraph or two
is all you need to do. It will help keep it in your mind and when you
are too busy with life or suffering from writer’s block these morsels
will be sitting there on your plate. A handy formula is a basic scenario
plus one complication. Now have at it!

Campaigning the TV Way

Think of the campaign as a television series. You can “cast” the
characters and NPCs from celebrities instead of describing what your
character looks like just name the actor that plays him. Keep in mind
how dramatic and action oriented shows are structured. They have plot
arcs that stretch many “episodes” and there is always a season finale.
After the season is over take a break from that game and play something
else. Even if everyone wants to dive back into it immediately take at
least a short break. Run a game in a different setting, break out that
$100 board game you bought, whatever. Think of this time off as a
palette cleanser. And when the game is started again that’s a new season
and everyone will be looking forward to it.

One of the fun things about this style of play is the ability to use
cinematic techniques like a director does. If your players enjoy this
style there are some tricks to further spice things up. Research is
easy, plop down in front of your favorite show and start watching,
making mental notes about the things you like. With practice you could
run a game like a Tarantino flick.

Flash Forwards

Write down a few vague lines of dialogue on index cards and number
them. Then hand them out but don’t let your players look at them until
their number comes up. The player with card number one reads their line,
then two responds by reading his, and so on. You don’t want to give the
plot away or make anything too specific; it is more to tease them. Keep
in mind that at some point they should catch up to the flash forward and
will hopefully cooperate with what has already been established. This
might be in the same session, or several later depending on how you plan
the campaign.

A second flash forward technique would start the adventure at some
dramatic point between the middle and end of the episode. By describing
what the characters are doing, how they look, and where they are, you
can surprise them. Keep in mind though not to give too much away or nail
down so many details they have no say in the path that brought them to
this point. The characters should still have free will. For example, at
the beginning of the session the GM narrates, “The three of you are
standing before a pillar made of human skulls. Baelendor seems to have
lost his lost his old armor; all the troupe’s provisions are also
missing. You are hot, tired, and bloody…” at some point one of the
players will challenge how they got there. Then the GM says, “Two days
previously…” and then start the adventure from the beginning. With
luck they will eventually stand in that moment and the players will
enjoy returning to that point in the story.

When using flash forwards don’t take away the players’ free will. If
they don’t end up where the flash forward happened, that must have been
some alternative future. If the players won’t let go of their metagame
knowledge of the flash forward don’t use them again.

Flash Backs

Another popular TV device is looking into the past. During the game
it’s possible to run an adventure from before the first episode. You
will have to give some thought to how powerful the characters should be
at that point in their development and it should tie to the current
storyline. Some players may grumble that they earned skills they can’t
use because the character doesn’t know them yet. Tell them to stop
whining and remind them that they can still use the points they earned
from the past they just played through on those skills they couldn’t
use. Of course if your players don’t enjoy these occasional forays then
don’t use them. Because even if you enjoy them, you will not enjoy five
people whining for three hours.

Converting
Between Simple Six & Traditional OpenD6

Even though Minimal
OpenD6 is part of the OpenD6 family, it has been tweaked
in several ways. By making the following changes and applying the noted
optional rules you can make Minimal
OpenD6 resemble its more recognized parent.

Character Creation

Player characters start with six attributes and distribute 18D among
them. There are three common sets of attributes depending on the genre
played. The following chart may help convert characters between the
systems. Once dice have been distributed check your math. If you have
more than 18D in traditional OpenD6, or 12D in Simple Six, adjust for balance
using common sense. If you have too few dice spent, then spend the
remaining dice as best fits the character concept.

Simple Six Equivalent	OpenD6 Fantasy	OpenD6 Adventure	OpenD6 Sci-Fi
Might	Physique	Physique	Strength
Agility	Agility	Reflexes	Dexterity
Agility	Coordination	Coordination
Wit	Intellect	Knowledge	Knowledge
Charm	Charm	Presence
(Wit+Charm)/2	Acumen	Perception	Perception
(Agility+Wit)/2			Mechanical
Wit			Technical

Skills may move to new attributes. Simply review the skill list
provided by the GM and note accordingly.

Extranormal Skills

OpenD6 Fantasy has Miracles and Magic. OpenD6
Adventure has Magic and Psionics. OpenD6 Science
Fiction has Channel, Sense, and Transform.
All of these are considered Paranormal Abilities that use the Quasi
Skills optional rule.

The Wild Die

When a 1 is rolled on the Wild Die in traditional OpenD6 it can have
three possible effects based on GM fiat:

1. It can be treated normally and added to the roll.
2. It is ignored along with the highest normal die rolled.
3. It causes a complication to the action taken.

Options Used by Traditional
OpenD6

• Traditional OpenD6 Combat
• Traditional OpenD6 Hero Points
• Traditional OpenD6 Character Points
• Traditional OpenD6 Might Damage
• Perks are called Advantages
• Complications are called Disadvantages

Sample Settings

Perdition: Tales of
Damned Fool Heroes

Humanity came to Vega because of war, pollution, limited resources,
and overpopulation. The pioneers travelled the 25 light years in cryonic
sleep on a voyage that took over 300 years. When they arrived they
founded a new civilization, called the League, which is parliamentary in
nature. As more worlds are colonized, the power of the League grew, but
rifts began to develop between the older heavily industrialized worlds
and the younger thinly populated frontier worlds of Lantos and
Leton.

The war lasted for six years, and hundreds of thousands died in
battles both on the ground and in space. The frontier rebels were
eventually defeated and Lantos and Leton rejoined the League, although
their voices are weak in parliament.

The player characters of Perdition take the roles of scavengers,
honorable scoundrels, and thieves with conscience. They share a dislike,
possibly even a hatred for the League, but they’re not part of a rebel
military. Those days are gone forever. They’re not terrorists or
single-minded lunatics bent on revenge. They operate outside of League
law, but they’re not sociopaths. They will defend themselves, their
friends, and their families, but they aren’t murderers or pirates.
They’re people out on the edge of a frontier. They rob banks, they steal
stuff, they swindle League stooges, they smuggle contraband, they raid
League outposts, and above all else, they get paid.

But they don’t steal from the poor. They don’t extort the virtuous.
They always keep their word. They don’t kill the innocent or leave them
to die, ’cause deep down they’re damned fool heroes.

Character Creation
Guidelines

Higher Attributes at a Price, up to 5D (See Higher Attributes at a
Price).

Skill List

• Might: Brawling, Melee Weapons, Lift, Stamina
• Agility: Athletics, BFG, Bow, Dodge, Drive,
  Pickpocket, Pilot, Pistol, Rifle, Stealth, Throwing
• Wit: Computer, History, Language, Medicine,
  Navigation, Repair, Science, Security, Tracking
• Charm: Command, Diplomacy, Persuasion, Riding,
  Seduce, Streetwise

New Complications

Bull in a China Shop: The character is a klutz.
Choose one Agility skill that the character can use without penalty.
Increase the difficulty of all other Agility rolls by +5. Dodge
skill isn’t penalized. Earn one bonus CP each session.

Damned Fool Hero: The character follows the code of
Robin Hood as described previously. (Except for the giving to the needy
part. A Hero’s got to eat.) This is really just a Personal Code, so earn
one CP whenever acting like a Damned Fool Hero complicates your life.
(It’s suggested that most of the player characters in the game have this
complication, if not all.)

Not Pretty Cunning: The character is uncouth and or
unattractive. Choose one Charm skill that the character can use without
penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Charm skill rolls by +5.
Earn one bonus CP each session.

No Book Learning: The character didn’t benefit from
a League education. Choose one Wit skill that the character can use
without penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Wit skill rolls by
+5. Earn one bonus CP each session.

Weak: The character is less powerful than his build
would imply. Choose one Might skill that the character can use without
penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Might skill rolls by +5.
Resisting damage and healing checks aren’t penalized. Earn one bonus CP
each session.

Advice for the GM

Perdition is a space-western. There are no ray guns, no aliens, no
faster-than-light travel, and no artificial intelligences. The miracle
technologies available are limited to spaceships, artificial gravity
inside spaceships, terraforming, and cryonic sleep – but the latter has
few applications in the Worlds of Vega nowadays.

The industrialized worlds are little different from modern day Earth
aside from these miracle techs. The League is strong there, but there
are good folk on every world.

The frontier worlds are rougher and more homespun. People have had to
be self sufficient to survive and there’s little to no infrastructure in
most places. That means that horses are often more reliable than cars
and trucks. (You can grow and feed horses locally, but you have to
import complex machines and fuel.) Justice tends to be more about the
spirit of the law than the letter, but most folks can only expect
whatever justice they create.

The Paranormal

Psychics are rare, and most educated people don’t believe they exist.
For every real psychic, there are a hundred charlatans conning people
out of their money. No other special abilities are known to exist aside
from ESP.

Adventure Seeds

The Eosian Job: Another gang wants to team up to rob
the Safety Society Bank on Eos, which handles the payroll for nearby
Fort Temperance. The leader of the gang suspects that one of his crew is
a traitor after finding a League transmitting device, and wants the
heroes to figure out who it is.

Strange Bedfellows: The town of Baggs on Silenus
asks for help against a cult who follow a supposed psychic. The leader
of the gang is also wanted by the League for her crimes. The problem is
that she’s the eighteen year old daughter of a League minister.

The Worlds of the Vega
System

There are eleven true planets and another 78 moons in the Vega
system. Of those, one planet is inhabited and three additional planets
host a total of 37 moons that have been terraformed to human
tolerance.

Vega is a blue star, much larger and hotter than Earth’s sun. It has
four small, rocky inner planets, and seven outer gas giants. Inside the
orbit of the innermost three planets (Pallas, Perses, and Asteria) is
the Typhon Asteroid Belt, which is usually just called the Belt by
veteran spacers. Mining outfits large and small work the rocks for
silver, gold, and other precious ores.

Standard Travel Times

From	To	Time
Nomos	Belt	1D6 + 1 Days
Nomos or Belt	Ophion Worlds	1 Week + 1D6 Days
Nomos or Belt	Lelantosian Worlds	2 Weeks + 1D6 Days
Nomos or Belt	Leton Worlds	3 Weeks + 1D6 Days
Ophion Worlds	Ophion Worlds	1D6 Weeks
Ophion Worlds	Lelantosian Worlds	1 Week + 2D6 Days
Ophion Worlds	Leton Worlds	2 Weeks + 2D6 Days
Lelantosian Worlds	Lelantosian Worlds	1D6 Days
Lelantosian Worlds	Leton Worlds	1 Week + 3D6 Days
Leton Worlds	Leton Worlds	1D6 Days

Navigation Bonus

A pilot or another crewman can try to speed up the journey by making
a special check. Roll the character’s Navigation skill plus the
Move of the vessel. Compare the result to the following:

A Mechanic’s Work is Never
Done

Someone must spend time keeping every ship running. For small ships
(scale +6D or less), a mechanic must make a repair roll with a TN equal
to the 1⁄2 the trip’s standard travel time (in days) + 10. This check is
made at the midway point of the voyage. If he fails the check, roll on
the vehicle damage chart to see what’s broke.

Scarab Class Transport

The Scarab is an older generation of ship but well loved for its
reliability and ruggedness. Its hold is adaptable to suit many types of
cargo or can be converted for additional passenger berths.

Character Templates

Space Cowboy

I might be aiming to raise a ruckus.

First Mate

Captain your plan is, well, not good.

City Slicker Doc

Could you be any cruder? I doubt it.

Pilot

Watch how I soar!

Mechanic

What did you call our ship?!

Brute

I get 10% AND my own bunk?!

Outlaw Preacher

The Good Book’s vague on kneecaping.

Noble

We’re all running from something.

Psychic

Lost my happy thought, can I have yours?

Rust Moon of Castia

Castia was once a proud kingdom, its boundaries stretching from the
Northern Forest south to the farmlands surrounding Lake Tarsis and east
to the Teerna Sea. Legends claim that for centuries it was ruled by a
line of wise kings who sought only safety for their subjects and peace
with their neighbors. Bards still sing of this golden age, reminding all
of what life was like in a land of joy deep in their memories. Because
memories seldom whisper of anything other than beauty when waking eyes
see only the mark of evil upon the land.

Dark times fell across the land when the moon turned red. Each night
when the Rusting Eye passed over, strife would spread by leagues. Sydra
and Nehar began to bite at the borders while the Syndics of Westron
encroached on the forest. When raiders of Kauleshan invaded, none saw
the true threat offered by the ill-organized barbarians. Only after the
Scarlet Horde stood at the gates of Devmora did the king see the fate
awaiting him. It took only three more summers for the once proud kingdom
to fall. During the plundering of Etain the new royal’s sages unearthed
the Prophecy of the Marks of Radiance. Few speak of it openly but all
well travelled folk now know how it reads,

“Into each generation there will be born 13 daughters, one for
each moon that passes over the sky. They share a common mark, a common
spirit. From each the Radiant Light may burn, into each the Radiant
Light may flow. May this Immortal Dynast guide us wisely, for guide us
she will as long her line remains unbroken.”

Devmora: once a prosperous trade city, the Scarlet
Horde seized it for their dark mistress. The Radiant Queen claimed the
town as her own. In the hundred years since she claimed the throne, the
Radiant Queen has transformed the city into a mighty, many tiered and
sectioned, fortress. The various city quarters all divided into compact
wards. Great walls and loyal fanatics ensure their queen is safe from
the outside world she chooses to rule so harshly.

Kauleshan: the name of both the greatest northern
city and the barbarian lands surrounding it. It is a brooding, cold land
filled with harsh myths, dark cults, and berserker warriors. Not all of
the northern clans joined the Radiant Queen’s cause. Those who resisted
were cursed or publicly put to death. Still some clans chose exile or
retreat into more remote places instead of surrendering their freedom
for her promises of glory.

Etain: Once the capital of Castia, it still bears
the scars of the savage plundering inflicted upon it. Here the Radiant
Queen struck hardest of all cities that still have life in them. After a
hundred years many citizens of Etain still look hollow, carrying a
broken spirit for the horrors they are always reminded of.

Engalt: The largest Hannedyn population near the
Castian Realms, it is their common city ruled by a council of elders and
a High Judge chosen from among the council to barter treaties with the
larger lands of humans. The larger folk seldom take the smaller ones
seriously, and even in their own towns and villages the phrase “Out of
the way Speck!” can easily be heard. Few humans give the smaller race’s
great city much thought, but within its stunted rooms and narrow alleys
many secrets still linger.

Tarsis Elon: The last of the four fortresses to
fall, it suffered the worst of the four curses. All who once lived there
are now encased in translucent stone, alive but entombed. For each year
that passes in the outside world, these poor souls age a single day. If
any are chiseled free time comes rushing upon them bringing immediate
death by old age. Still, more than a curse was left to watch Tarsis.
Monsters, minions, and shadows without name haunt this doomed sanctuary.
Rumors abound about what is still kept here. Some claim a great vault
filled with gold, others speak of lost magics. Even if only a cache of
ancient weapons, it would be a great fortune to those foolhardy enough
to try and claim them.

Character Creation
Guidelines

Skill List

• Might: Axe/Mace, Brawling, Knife, Lift, Smithing,
  Stamina, Pole Arm, Sword
• Agility: Athletics, Bow, Dodge, Pickpocket,
  Stealth, Throwing
• Wit: Crafts, Lore, Magic, Medicine, Pick Locks,
  Search, Tracking
• Charm: Command, Diplomacy, Persuasion, Riding,
  Seduce, Streetwise

New Perks

Brownie (4): A small race standing only 12 to 15
inches tall. They normally live apart from humans, preferring the deep
woodlands and hills. Only rarely do they meddle in the affairs of men.
Brownies naturally speak with animals and birds while their tiny size
gives them a bonus to Stealth (+2D) and Dodge (+2D)
when fighting creatures man-sized or bigger. Unfortunately it also
hinders them with the Tiny complication. The Brownie’s maximum Might is
limited to 3D while Agility may be up to 5D.

Hannedyn (2): A short race standing half the size of
men, they live in Engelt and the surrounding region. Humans tend to call
them by their slang name Halfling or the popular insult Speck. While not
technically subjects of the Castian throne they do pay tribute in
exchange for continued peace.

Their small stature grants a bonus to Stealth (+1D) and
Dodge (+1D) when fighting creatures man-sized or larger. All
Hannedyn must take the Small complication while their Might is limited
to 3D+1.

New Complications

Small: This is a Racial Complication. Player
Characters gain this only by the associated racial perk. Small
characters receive a −5 penalty on all Might skill checks, Might based
damage rolls, Block, and Parry. This penalty doesn’t apply to
Stamina, healing, and resisting damage. This penalty doesn’t
apply when fighting a Small or Tiny creature. Earn 1 bonus CP each
session.

Tiny: This is a Racial Complication. Player
Characters gain this only by the associated racial perk. Tiny characters
receive a −10 penalty on all Might skill checks, Might based damage
rolls, Block, and Parry. This penalty doesn’t apply to Stamina,
healing, and resisting damage. This penalty doesn’t apply when fighting
another Tiny creature. Earn 1 bonus CP each session.

Vessel: Available only to female characters. You
were born with the Mark of Radiance. The Radiant Queen will hunt you all
your days. Earn 1 bonus CP per session when you face her minions.

Gear for Brownies and
Hanedyn

Any item can be made for tiny or small characters. The statistics are
the same as their normal sized counterparts. Simply apply the Tiny or
Small penalty as appropriate. Characters that try to use items too big
for their size suffer double normal penalties.

Advice for the GM

Rust Moon of Castia is classic fantasy adventure; a world of heroes
and adventurers fighting for fortune and glory under the dangerous gaze
of an evil overlord and bickering nations. They can be heroes,
mercenaries for hire, or free wheeling adventurers just trying to find
the next lost treasure horde. It is always best to work with players
when deciding on what kind of fantasy campaign to run because tastes can
vary wildly.

Adventure Seeds

The Golden Key: The player characters have found the
key to the Vault of Lorna Fields. Legends tell of a hidden treasure
horde to the east of Lorna Elon. When the key is held at the Crossroads
under the light of the full moon the entrance will be revealed. Some
legends speak of great wealth; others though make it less glamorous.
Whispering of dark monsters held fast until the ancient line of kings
would offer mercy and freedom if the beasts accepted a geas. Those still
held refused such a punishment.

Down the Fairie Ring: While travelling through the
deep forest the player characters stumble into a Fairie Ring. These
magical doorways are normally closed, but sadly this fairie keep has
fallen under a curse and now they seek to bring others into their
madness. The players must find their way out or break the curse before
madness captures them as well.

Character Templates

Mad Mercenary

Your leg? I would love to break it.

Hannedyn Apprentice

My finger is more powerful than you know.

Warrior Maiden

Did my beauty or my axe strike you helpless?

Brownie Scout

This way! No… That way!

Bestiary

Arnax

Leviathan of terror.

Fairie

Tinkling lights in the forest.

Troll Ape

Smells worse than it looks.

Imperium in Revolt

Player characters take the role of rebels, smugglers, knights, and
others who stand against the Imperium. They are fighting for freedom;
even if only their own.

For 5,000 years the Galactic Commonwealth grew, stretching across the
galaxy. Starting from the Founding Systems who mastered the secrets of
hyperspace travel, they explored and expanded bringing thousands of
races together under a common banner of prosperity. What felt like an
eternity of good fortune bred its own peculiar evil. At first none
noticed the corruption taking seed in the honored halls of galactic
power.

Factions formed in the Senate, each coveting what others had amassed.
Many senators viewed the systems they represented more as personal
fiefdoms than states within the galactic body. Bickering replaced
diplomacy. Trade blockades and strikes were common threats. The Senate
was paralyzed. Systems starved as trade stagnated denying them goods
they needed for survival.

The Galactic Navy, reduced in strength after so long a peace, was
ordered to act as a barrier between individual system Militia Fleets but
the military power was not up to the task. Skirmishes erupted between
factions. The final blow came when the President of the Senate was
murdered in the Grand Hall by rivals who feared his measured words.

It was the Taurani senator who took center stage in the ensuing
madness. Gathering the still loyal factions of the Commonwealth
together, convincing them to merge individual Militia Fleets with the
Galactic Navy. Factories producing critical goods were seized by the
government to save dying worlds. Blockades were shattered and trade
forcefully reestablished. Media was silenced to protect galactic
security as order was restored.

In only a dozen years the senator concentrated enough power to
declare himself Sovereign. At his fiery self-coronation the new dictator
promised a new golden age in a Grand Imperium. Yet not all hope was
lost.

Character Creation
Guidelines

Characters may purchase the Sorcerer perk. The Star Paladins section
explains how magic is treated in the game universe and the complications
related to selecting it.

Skill List

• Might: Athletics, Brawling, Lift, Melee, Plasma
  Sword, Stamina, Swimming
• Agility: BFG, Dodge, Drive, Pilot, Pistol, Rifle,
  Stealth, Throwing
• Wit: Computers/Androids, Cultures, Demolitions,
  Gunnery, Languages, History, Magic, Medicine, Navigation, Repair,
  Science, Search, Security, Star Systems, Tracking
• Charm: Command, Courage, Diplomacy, Gambling,
  Seduce, Streetwise

New Perks

Alien Races (varies): Sample aliens provided include
Avari, Kaishee, and Telmek but GMs are encouraged to create additional
alien races to further flesh out the many races found within the
Imperium. Just be reasonable and cautious when determining how much a
race should cost (if anything) as a perk.

Avari (1): Natives of Varos, the Avari stand only 5
to 5½ feet and have an oddly uniform appearance. Their hair is always
white and their complexion is a dusk-toned pale gray. Avari have the
ability to compartmentalize their mind. If using only Wit skills, they
can take two actions with no multi-action penalty; but their Might is
limited to 3D.

Cyborg (2): A significant portion of your body has
been replaced with artificial components. You require half the
sustenance others need and can override electronic pain receptors. You
suffer 1D less wound penalties than others when injured to Wounded or
worse. However the TN of all healing rolls is increased by +5.

Kaishee (1): Indigenous to the Kalavel system.
Kaishee are a large hairless people. They stand a full foot taller than
the average human. Kaishee skin tones range from a deep golden bronze to
a faint pale orange while their eyes are a single solid color with black
and deep green being most common. Kaishee have an intuitive
understanding of spatial relationships that gives them a +2 bonus on
Navigation, Search and Tracking. Their eyes
also provide them with natural light amplification and filtering
reducing all penalties for darkness by half. Kaishee have a maximum
Might of 5D but their maximum Wit is 3D and their maximum Agility is
3D+1.

Telmek (2): Natives of Telmera, they have a build
similar to humans but with decidedly reptilian features. Their skin is a
tough serpent hide and their hair is both thick and slick. Primarily
carnivores, their teeth are composed mainly of incisors which unsettles
many humans when they choose to smile. Telmek metabolic and mental
cycles allow them to function with only four to five hours sleep per
night. Because of their tough skin Telmek receive a +2 armor bonus.

New Complications

Hunted: All rebels are sought by the Imperium, but
some are more sought after than others. This is most often found among
the Star Paladins and those who studied their ways. The Imperium has a
standing bounty of 10,000 credits for information leading to the capture
of any Star Paladin. Some paladins have additional bounties attached to
them. Hunted characters receive an additional CP when this becomes an
active issue in the adventure.

Large Debt: You owe someone a lot. Maybe one of your
deals went bad, maybe you borrowed to buy that ship you always wanted.
No matter how it came about you are in debt. Most of your spare money is
going to go to pay this off and whoever you owe will likely call on you
from time to time to perform extra favors for them as a “friendly” form
of interest. Gain 1 CP for any adventure where your debtor gets involved
in your business.

Total Pacifist: This complication is frequently hard
programmed into civilian androids to keep them from turning on their
masters.

Order of the Star Paladins

Since the first days of the Commonwealth the Star Paladins acted as
defenders of the peace; traveling across the galaxy offering aid to any
in need. Possessing mystical powers that seemingly defy science, they
were viewed with both reverence and a small amount of fear. With the
power at their command temptation to wickedness was always a danger. To
combat this, the masters who founded the order developed a code all
paladins must abide by. Over time it was distilled down to four simple
statements:

Justice tempered by mercy.
Passion tempered by virtue.
Honor tempered by humility.
Knowledge tempered by Wisdom.

Because Rogue Paladins were always a danger, the order formed a
special faction called the Shadow Guard. They were charged with watching
for signs of paladins that might fall to evil and either counsel them
back to the path of honor or bring them to the High Council for
judgment.

A young master was given leadership of the Shadow Guard when the
Sovereign was rising to power. Unknown to the High Council, this master
had sworn allegiance to the Sovereign. His position let him keep the
Star Paladins blind to the Sovereign’s ultimate goal until it was too
late. On Coronation Day, the ancient order was outlawed. The Shadow
Guard became the Inquisition and now hunt for their former brothers in
arms.

Using Magic in the Imperium

In the universe of the Imperium there is a supernatural force at
work. Characters with the perk Sorcerer can access this power. Not all
spells listed in the magic section are appropriate though. By selecting
the spells allowed the GM’s helps reinforce the way magic works in their
universe. It is suggested that Star Paladins select from the following:
Beast Tongue, Bless, Charm, Curse,
Dark Vision, Death Spell, Dispel Magic,
Divination, ESP, Levitate (see Fly),
Hasten, Illusions, Paralysis, Resist
Elements, See Magic Aura, Slumber, Still
Mind, and Telekinesis.

Additional powers can also be created to help showcase the unique
powers of the Star Paladins. For Example:

Sense Danger

TN: 19, Duration: Concentration, Range: Self, Resisted: None

The caster attunes himself to any threats within 60 feet. This gives
a +2D bonus to dodge, parry and block. The Paladin may also use his
plasma sword to parry ranged attacks.

The Galaxy

The Imperium stretches from the Founding Systems to the most distant
arms of the galaxy. Thousands of inhabited worlds and countless more
colonies fall under its sphere of authority. Still space is vast and the
number of planets with life on them is seemingly endless. New worlds in
remote locations are still found. Sometimes Rebel Command is able to
work out treaties and use them as secret bases. Other times Imperium
scouts discover the world and log it in detail for later inclusion and
harvesting.

Because of the Imperium’s strength, few systems dare openly fly the
Rebel banner. Still, some planets have chosen to take that desperate
stand even in the face of harsh marshal law. What follows are a few of
the systems that have taken a stand in the civil war.

Ajada: One of the old Commonwealth’s Founding
Systems. They suffered greatly during the collapse of the old government
and greatly benefited from the Sovereign’s ascension. This makes them
extremely loyal. Many of the finest officers in the Galactic Navy hail
from Ajada. Its system is also the location of the largest Imperium
shipyards.

Kalavel: Homeworld of the Kaishee, it was a system
full of great natural resources, it was also the first to rebel against
the Imperium. The Navy struck at them hard and fast. Many of the natives
were forced into slavery as punishment for rebellion and the once lush
world is now a blasted shell of its former self.

Petrion: This system holds the seat of galactic
power. Once home to the Grand Hall of the Senate, it now acts as host to
the Sovereign’s throne. A planet of bureaucrats and royal sycophants,
it’s extremely dangerous to be a rebel sympathizer here.

Tauran: For millennia the noble houses of this
Founding System were little more than figureheads. How the Sovereign
converted an ancient honorific into a powerbase is unknown, but many
Taurani hold their heads in shame at the terror they let loose from
their world in a moment of weakness. Many in the Rebel Command claim
Taurani heritage.

Hyperdrive Technology

Uniting the Founding Systems and creating galactic trade, the
hyperdrive (HD) works by passing through a dimension called hyperspace.
This allows cosmic distances to be travelled in a matter of days instead
of a dozen millennia, but while in hyperspace ships can’t send or
receive any transmissions or sensor data.

All ships built with HD’s are given a rating. This acts as a
multiplier applied to their travel time. It is against Imperium Law for
any civilian craft to be equipped with a drive rated better than ×2.

Sub-Light Travel Times

Travel within a solar system is normally a fairly simple affair.
Ships lock their sensors onto a series of planetary beacons and follow
them to the desired destination. Travel time between inner worlds is
only 1d6 hours, but when attempting to cross the outer planets it takes
2d6 hours.

Ships can choose to hide their approach by not using the beacons,
network but this requires a Moderate Navigation roll. On a
failure the ship goes off course doubling the travel time. Pilots can
also attempt to speed up the travel time by rolling their Pilot
skill adding the Move dice of the ship. If the pilot rolls a Moderate
level of success the travel time is reduced 10%. A Difficult roll
reduces travel time by 20%, a Very Difficult roll reduces travel time by
30% and a Heroic roll reduces the time by 50%.

Travel Time Between Systems

The times listed below are the average amount of time needed to
travel directly between two systems. To make the trip successfully a
Moderate Navigation roll is required. Because of possible
obstacles between two systems it is often faster to travel indirectly.
By flying to an intermediary spaceport ships can save time.

If the pilot plots their own coordinates they can attempt to reduce
the time needed and avoid Imperium entanglements often found on the more
common trade routes. If the pilot makes a Difficult Navigation
roll the time needed is reduced 10%, a Very Difficult roll reduces the
time by 25%, and a Heroic roll reduces the time by 50%. These
“shortcuts” take advantage of the celestial movement and cannot be
reused. If the roll is a failure the jump fails causing one wound level
of damage to the ship, and increases the travel time required by 1d6
days if the normal time needed is over one day or 1d6 hours if less than
a day.

Money and Gear

The coin of the galaxy is called the Imperial Credit. Several local
systems and small independent worlds also issue their own currency, but
they are seldom worth anything beyond the issuing region’s border.

The Imperium tracks large (in excess of 20,000) credit transfers
between individuals, but while the law dictates strict enforcement many
bankers and civil servants have a streak of laziness and corruption.
This works to the advantage of both organized crime, independent
grifters, smugglers, and stalwart rebels.

Imperium law also forbids civilians from owning unregistered weapons,
assault rifles, and body armor. Papers are issued locally. Fortunately
forgeries are easy to come by and the data cores holding the information
easily hacked.

It is recommended that the GM let the players have a spaceship to use
in their travels. This ship could be borrowed from the Rebel Command or
one of the players might be in debt to a loan shark for the hefty cost
of a heavily customized vessel. Civilian ships are not allowed
armaments, so any weapons placed on a ship will need either forged
documents granting permission or be somehow concealable from casual
scanning. GMs should use the plot device that best serves the needs of
their individual games.

Personal weapons include a variety of energy weapons ranging from
holdout lasers to heavy disrupter pistols. Those going into heavy combat
also try to get their hands on laser rifles and blaster carbines. Body
armor ranges from reinforced clothing to bulky fully body armor favored
by mercenaries.

Advice for the GM

Imperium in Revolt is classic space opera. Laser weapons, energy
shields, thousands of alien races, and a universe where a few brave
souls can change the fates of entire worlds. It is larger than life
featuring daring deeds that are breathtaking in scope. The most
civilized planets are covered in mega-cities while remote worlds are
home to ancient trees standing a half mile tall. Desert worlds and ocean
planets can be found along with alien landscapes of liquid metal seas
and fiery vistas.

Adventures often take place on a single world but they need not stay
confined to only one. By incorporating world spanning adventures you can
help reinforce how interconnected the Imperium is. Part of what gave the
Sovereign his opportunity was the stories of worlds that starved to
death because they depended on galactic trade for basic necessities.
Playing on both the careful deceptions of imperial propaganda and the
discovering ruins of dead worlds can heighten the desperation felt
across the galaxy as it struggles for freedom.

As for the Imperium itself, it works hard to put on a friendly
protective face for the public but in truth its officers are frequently
cruel, ambitious men who cannot be trusted. Despite this stereotype of
casual evil, the major imperial characters can still be complex people
with likes, loves, and secrets of their own. It can be fun to play to
the maniacal villains trying to destroy the PC’s but if you give that
recurring villain a bit of depth and history there can be more potential
to draw on later. These complex recurring villains can add depth to your
game, but if the players are clever enough to take one down you should
let them succeed.

Adventure Seeds

The Salvage Yard: A damaged rebel frigate took
refuge in an abandoned asteroid mining operation. The ship’s life
support failed leaving only a drifting hulk. Imperium forces are now
looking for the ship and the secret transmissions it holds. The players
need to locate and retrieve the ship’s computer core before the Imperium
does.

Unknown to both sides, hidden among the drifting ships and abandoned
equipment are the aliens that destroyed the mining operation and they
are getting hungry again.

Our New Hope: Rebel Command has discovered that a
master from the Order of Star Paladins has been living in seclusion on a
remote world, hidden from the Inquisition. The rebels also realize that
if they have learned of his whereabouts, the Inquisition might have too.
Someone needs to try and get word to the once great knight about the
danger he is in.

The GM may have the paladin be alive, fallen into wickedness, or
already dead leaving only a few scraps of cryptic knowledge and a
journal or maybe someone claiming to be his apprentice.

Character Templates

Minor Paladin

Focus, honor, humility.

Scruffy Smuggler

I can get ya there, no questions asked.

Exiled Royal

Do you KNOW who I am?

Kaishee Pilot

You don’t want to make me mad.

Android Companion

As you command.

Failed Apprentice

Honor? It ‘n 2 creds buys a drink.

Ex-Imperium Officer

I swore to defend. Not enslave.

High Inquisitor

You will submit.

Centurion

For the Imperium!

Bounty Hunter

Everyone has a price on them.

Telmek Gangster

Of course I can help you out.

Vehicles

The following are examples of the ships used in the galactic
struggle. There are many more used by the various factions, both aligned
and unaligned.

Imperial Dreadnaught

Galaxy Class Dreadnaught

Talon-ImPC

Space Superiority Fighter

Razor-ImaAC

Heavy Bomber

Avari Frigate

Retrofitted Rebel Ship of the Line

The Starhawk

Customized Taurani Light Freighter

Enigma Mk II

Rebel Attack Fighter

K-90

In-System Interceptor

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