Ae ee Mo ae Ue On nue NT Cc Fierce grows the steam and the life-feeding flame, neediest ale Now Garm howls loud before Gnipahellir, The fetters will burst, and the wolf run free; reed aoa Rc cle} eee oe oa acne Now do | see the earth anew ee eke ah the cataracts fall, and the eagle flies. eee eens UN eee els.0}Ped Ld Peon eta ell oom UT LY Chris Birch Oa Petter Bengisson {The Helldrvers, The Nova Cul, metaplots), Chris Birch (The Big Smoke), Deicke on Peete gnc ee era men eto Ts) a) a ‘Chrisian Granath Perea Pe Dard eran Petter Bengion, Henrik Bergendohl ee en eee ogre oon] Peers Corned PLU Tey CEN) ease ar aa een perce ts De eu Cn ed Tae pean ere raed aro DT ote Cee Ee ou eee ee cd Hons Bérjesson, Jorgen Dellenng, Niclas Drisig, Dennis Edgren, Staffan Folkenstrém. Jonos Ferry, Closs Florvik, Robin Hogblom, Pe eee eae erate eee a aerate ca See ie cs ee ree eee te ee eC et skeet een ee Cennard ne arcu ie Roe nce en ‘Martin Svard, Johanna Taller, Sebastian Vasselbring, Amando Vllonen, Helene Villanen, Tina Wangenfors, Mertin Wessman Cord ro Cae 978-1-910132-18-0 eee ere ete pear a ves dr se e-bay iri ea ounceMUTANT: YEAR ZERO THE PEOPLE AT THE END OF TIME YOUR MUTANT SKILLS Fi TALENTSCONFLICT & TRAUMA lit THE ARK LONE TRAVELMUTANT: YEAR ZERO Bs Oo) \ SS CREATING THE ZONE wall RUINS IN THE ZONE THREATS AGAINST THE ARK@ iN , THREATS IN THE ZONE @ I ARTIFACTS wl SPECIAL ZONE SECTORS wl THE PATH TO EDEN )sata la THE PEOPLE AT THE END OF TIME Ofcourse the world ends. It happens quickly, faster than anyone could predict. The Red Plague hits a world already on the brink of collapse. Extreme climate change, global economic crisis, increasing conflict between old and new superpowers. When the pandemic comes, the last thin veneer of stabil ityerumbles. One billéon people die in the frst year. Utter panic reigns supreme, solidarity between nations ent, Wars break out aver the last, dire dling resources of the world. For the first time since 1945 nuclear weapons are used in armed conflict ‘Mushroom clouds ris east fo west Everyone tries to save themselves. The rich and powerful start monumental projects to escape the surface ofthe dying Earth: going deep underground, tothe bottom of the oceans, into the cold darkness of space. The seats in there final lifeboats for mankind are desperately few. For most of the warld’s inhabit- ants, the Once ruined cities, Winds sweep through empty streets is no way out 's all over, Barth is still. Nature invades turned inte graveyards. Time gnaws the windows off skyscrapers, panes falling to the ground in a slow rain of glass. Yet life remains. Slivers of humanity survive the Apocalypse: In the Ark, a small settlement at the edge of a dead! city, the People live, You are the spawn of humanity, but not quite human. You are twisted funhouse images, mutated freaks. Your bod ies and minds have incredi le powers, but you are unstable, Fragile. None of the People are over 30 years old. Except the Elder. Your leader, but not like yous One of the Ancients, For dlecades he has warned ‘you: be on your guard, don't leave the Ark. Stay here hing even worse or the Rot will get you. Or sorn So far, you have obeyed his commands, Lived off rations froma the Old Age. Ches who came close to the Ark, Few dared to go out into 3c. That is what the Elder calls the outside off every stranger But the safe days are over. Food is running searce, and the Aght for what lent. You starve, Factions are f left ts turning vie forming, bosses on top dalle, fixers who, and slaves at the bottom. In # Bil=lPLAYER'S SECTION This is Year Zero,SPU mn sate rset Rison ie If you're a player in this game and not the GM, you should not read Section II of per ee er ea kore Be ee een ant eta Cees C eo care Geese cee ins cca td game. If you read it beforehand you'll ruin the fun for yourself! Maanot hour your story ex hatisup tothe game prevwritten. You have the ind out. ‘That is what you are play mutants, and, Use the players! Being overwhelming rer FIGHT FOR GRUB, WATER, BULLETS Starvation is never far avray in Mu san water is a luxury. If you don't have grab roulll have to Bagh have what you need, you cai to take it from you.face collapse and main. The People’s projects ean be from building a palisade or growing mush rooms to creating a militia or opening theater. ‘The projects increase the Ark's Development Levels (DEVS). Read more about that in Chapter 7 PROTECT THE ARK ‘The Ark is an island in an ocean of chaos. The Peo- ple have made it so far, but the threats to the Ark are getting worse and becoming more frequi Acid rain, disease, attacks from wild beasts or sav ages from the depths of the Zone — when danger looms someone has ta stand in the front line and protect the People. Will you do your part? PROTECT YOUR OWN You won't make it far without friends, but your friends are also your wealeness, When someone threatens a friend you need to stand up for them ~ of you'll be alos urn to face the heat. And it will be, s scarce, the bullets toa few to mest everyane's needs, hen it’s your ner or lates, The grub is tao No one gets farin the Ark without making enemies. EXPLORE THE ZONE The Zone is a dang: where the Elderhas told you never to go, But ifthe People are to endure, you be sastated wasteland, to go out there, To search, For other mutants, for artifacts from the Old Age, for ke ‘The Zone is unknown territory, ‘where the invisible Rot will kill you if savages or it first, But you have a choice. In the Zone, your future awaits SEARCH FOR EDEN Maybe it's just « fairytale A collective figment of the imagination, Stories whispered around the Rickering trashean-fires in the Arle But you can- ig Believing that salvation - or a rath about the origin of the People — is somerhere out there in the Zone, Th thi plas ‘The bunt for plot, an overarchin this game. Thisis (for the GMs eyes only) sn relates to the so call storyline that is a bi h in Chapter 16 ined in. tga aa TOOLS OF THE GAME “Mutant: Year Zero requires you to improvise, but he game gives you many tools to help you create CHARACTER SHEETS The People are far from an anonymous mass of mutants, You aze individuals with different an ls and abilities, relations and sks, unique sh dreams. In dant: Year Z you create your own PC and write down everything you need to know about him orheron a character sheet. You will find one of those at the back of this book, and you can download them for printing from the Modiphius learn of this and Free League Publishing websites. You wi how to create your PC in the next cha bok. DICE You are mutants ~chance carved i ing you are or haw well you play your hand, chance will have the final say. ‘There is « unique able for purchase separately. The set contains a flesh. Na mat hows ce set for this game, avs custom sie-sided dice, in three different colors, The EPEAT Pee aoe Rees 6 that yor Pee chen. Sra eeecet nee!PLAYER'S SECTION might determine sides, with the numb The symbol us pens. The 4? sym ce when you perform a dramat uur mutant lives or dice have symbols on rs next to them in tin ¢ If you use norm: six means for means Adon a Base Die a1 lable for ofthree Artifact Cards. Th arenst absolutely necessary. All i cardsis rej ated in I dice Ie and you ean ff drawing cards to get a random result ‘Threat Cari The Ark is your bi Threst Car:ici MAP OF THE ZONE ‘When the game starts the Zone — that is, the world outside the Ark ~ is alien and unknown, All the People know is what a few brave Stalkers (page 30) have seen, seldom more than the coastlines and major landmarles. overs of this books there are maps of example Zones. These maps and mare ex: ample Zones are also available for free download Modiphius and Free League websites The Zone maps have plenty of empty space - ducing the game you will explore the Zane sector by sector, and draw or note down what you find. Square by square the map gets ever more detailed, until your campaign is over. Read more about exploring the Zone in Chapter & Qn our websites you can also find an empty emplate, with nothing but the grid and eaor dinates. You can use this templ of your own Zone ~ perhaps based on your own hometown? FAST-FORWARDING During t from 2 10 draw a map yu say what your character does and the GM talls you how the world reacts, backand forth: But ta describe every minute of your mutants’ life would get tedious. When nothing important is going on, you can fastforward the story, and con: tinue playing at a new time and place. Usually i's up to the GM to decide when it’s time to fastfor ward, and where to continue. But players are fr make suggestions. Usually i's pretty obvious when to fast-forward, (Cutting between PCs. When your characters are in different locations, the GM will cut between you when appropriate. Cut pretty often - every 15 min: utes or 60 is @ good mile so that no player is left ut for too long. And if your PC isn't in the scene, this doesn't mean you have to be quiet - instead, stay engaged, immersed and comment on the action Maybe you can even play an NPC for a litle while? Don't over-doiit. Musant Year Zeros a game about surviving and exploring adeadly world. There is no comfort zone, no safe haven where nothing bad can happen. Threats are everywhere ~ even in the Ark —and expeditions into the Zone are always a gam- ble with your life at stake. In the Ark you can fast- forward the story every now and then, even jump forward days or weeks when appropriate - but do it sparingly. Out in the Zone you should play every day, hour by hour, and every sector you pass. TEAM PLAY VS INDIVIDUAL PLAY Your mutant has his own dreams and relation ships, but he's also part of a team of POs. Where ‘you put your focus in your gaming group ~ on the individual or on the team - is « matter of personal preferences. Talk about it before the game so that everyone knows what to expect INDIVIDUAL PLAY Ifyou focus on individuals, yex explore each PC personally, and you can let them choose their own paths through a ravaged world, ‘The GM can tailor specific challenges for your in- dividual PCs. The drawback is that the game can feel scattered and unfocused, as your PCs will px often be in different places, Individual play often ‘works best in and around the Ark, where there are plenty of NPCs to interact with. ‘TEAM PLAY Ifyour game is focused on the team, your PCs form ‘small gang in the Ark a (mostly) loyal band of mutants who are not always friends but who very rarely split up. You are usually in the same place, ‘which makes it easier for the GM t keop the story tyou have focused The drawback of team play to agree on what you want to do and where you ‘want to go, which leaves less space for developing ‘your individual PCs. ‘Team play is often the natural p Zone, where you have to work tagether to survive the dangers lurking among le inthe HYBRID PLAY AA third way is to move your focus back and forth during the course af the game, Your PCs area team that usually sticks together, but every now and then ‘you make individual excursionsHIM & HER ‘The Ark may be a hellhole, but at least it doesn’ rinate. Hunger doesn't care if you're male o d neither does the Rot. To reflect guage consistent, we use *he” for un- players, PCs and NPCs, while the GM is a “she” In every one of these « it eally means is “he or she" - but it woul cumbersome to spell 3, what be too st ROLEPLAYING? WHAT'S THAT? uu have made it this far without knowing what a laying game is congratulational Welcome to ative and very rewarding hobby. Roleplaying is a unique form of gaming that combines dice rolling and storytelling In a way that books, m and even video games cannot match, rolepl games let you create your own story togather with your friends, using the rules asa.guide and sup} ITIL ILI PLATT Creech eta) Mutant: Vear Ze Erste eee ae eee tating eee laying game can also ; 1m to create the story Iming. But Mutant: Ye Zero contains a lot of story hooks, events, locations and personalities fo well as plenty of tools forthe GM ta use, Andi be its wealmese ~ the free yourselves can feel aves need hel ice, there is a forum dedicated Mutant: Year Zero at www.modiphiuscom as well as at wnew freeleaguepublishing.com, Welcome! effets ABBREVIATIONS PC =Player Character XP = Experience Points GM = Gomemaster NPC = NonPlayer Character DEV = Development Level et tS et ATYPICAL SESSION Game sessions of Mutant: Year Zero can vary «lot, but this isthe typical rundown: 1. Bring out your map of the Zone, character sheets, dice ond, if you have them, ploying cards for mutations and ortifocs. 2, Add a number of new Mutation Points equal to the number of mutations you have {page 19). 3. Hold on Assembly {Chapter 7), where you as players decide on which projects the People should undertake. Skip this step ifno PCs ore isthe Ark 4, Let tha GM introduce a new threat to the Ark, using Three! Cards or @ dice roll (see Chapter 10}. Skip this step if no PC is in the Atk, or if J enough is- going on already. 5. Play your characters. Put yourself mentally in their shoes and actos if they were real ~ but play boldly and push their limits. 6, Hold a debriefing. Discuss which actions during the session should be rewarded with Experience Points (page 25} 7. Decide if you want to change your relations fa the other PCs and to NPCs, and if you want te change your big dream (page 22)Your Player Character (PC) - your mut most important asset in Mutant: Year Ze your weapon, your eyes and ears in the we he, in return, depends on you making the cisions for him. Don't screw i up. Take your PC seriously and play him as if he was a real person. Its more fun that way. At the came time, don't try seivable dang to protect your PC from every ‘The goal of the game is to create a good story: For that to happen you need to take risks ~if you never ROLE ‘The fret thing ye The role do in the Ark, your pesition in the Dawnvworld, nt is hie role. je for your m nines who you are and what you ‘There are eight roles to choose from, each de- scribed on pages 26-41 at the end of this apter. Avoid having several players pick the same role for their characters, as this would make the graup less diverse The player Joanna is creating a PC, and she decides charac ter shest and writes dawn her chosen rele, AGE When were you bom? You don't knew. Nobod the Ark does. But you aze all young adults, Ther are no older people except for the Elder. And there are no children, Unlike the scrawny mutts that live off the Ari’s refuse, the People bear no children. You all realize what this means. If no children are born, and no one arrives from elsewhere, it’s only Can a matter of time before the you find Eden fore your time is up? ETAT yarta8 Tela] 2 12 re those ft ae ees Cee nee Reece eet Peetsegrene scores wasted eee lap Deseret estesPLAYER'S SECTION NAME Every role description gives you ten fs ames, or make up your own name ify =) ATTRIBUTES ‘Your four attributes determine: ical names, male and five female, Choose one of these { in for her Staller. that baci strengths realmnesses you are born with. They are meas foc PCsand other regular ured ona scale from Lto mutants. A higher score is better. Your attributes fan attribute reaches zero cd more about this in chapter 6 lost you are broken. Re There you can also find out how you recov. attribute scores -by cons source for each, Starting scores: When you creat should distribute a total of 14 points across the four your PC, you attribute scores, Each attribute must havea starting value fro ine. The attribute listed STRENGTH Raw physical power and endurance. Strength is de- creased by damage, and recovered by g AGILITY Your overall body contral and motor skills. Agility is decreased by fatigue, and 1 EMPATHY wrehariema and ability to reac Hect others Empathy is decreased by daubt and recovered by sympathy CREATE YOUR CHARACTER perros eee sees eens erst escent Pore rey eee eet Seen Joanne gives Krin Strength 3, Agility 5, Wits 4 and Empathy 2.She tea Agility is the Stalker's key attribute. EXTRA MUTATION Ifyou choose to start the game with an extra muta- tion, one of your attribute scores must be decreased one step ( out mutations below), SKILLS ‘Your skills are trained abilities and leaming, things ‘you have picked up along the way in theharch post- yptic world I lls that all mutants can use. In ad bicteenth ele I, you need at least skill level 1. Read more about skills and how they workin chapter 3.YOUR MUTANT Starting Levels: When creating your character, you get to distribute 10 points across your skills. ‘The maximum starting level for any skill is 3, and you must have at least level 1 in your specialist skill - apart from that, you choose your skills freely. You can increase your skill levels during play (page 28). ae\ ey Krin buys skill level 3 in Shoot, level 2 in Sneak and Find the Fath, and level Jin Mave, Know the Zone, and Heal, TALENTS Talents are tricks, moves and minor abilities that give you a small edge. They are more specialized than skills and give you a way to fine-tune your char- acter. Talents are further explained in Chapter 4 You can pick one talent when creating your character - but your choices are limited. Your role description indicates which talents you can choose from. You can lear more talents during the course of the game, at which point you will have many more talents to choose from. Joanna gets to choose ane from the talents Monster inter, Rot Finder and Scavenger for Krin. She picks Scavenger. MUTATIONS ns are superhuman abilities, Where the mutations come from, no one among the People mows. The problem is that they are both unpredic- able and dangerous - even to yourselves. Besides, san't always be activated on command. Some- times timer it’s not. .¢ power is there, ready to unleash, some- THE MUTATION DRAW Normally only get one mutation from start ‘You don't get to choose your mutation ~instead you drawa randam Mutation Card, or roll DG6 once on the Mutation Table on page 71. Learn to make the mast of the mutation you've get, even if you would have preferred another: Mutations are random, Deal Two mutations? Once you have drawn your first mutation, you can, if you want to, draw a second mu tation and start the game with two, The price you pay is that you must decrease one of your scores by one step ~ your mind or body is more mutated than most, but also more degenerated. If you chaose to have two mutations, you may end up starting the game with the score of 1 in an attribute — however this is hardly advisable. bute New mutations: Your PC can develop more mute tions during the course of the game. Read more about that on page 70. Using Cards: If you use Mutation Cards, no two. PCs will good thing, it makes your group more diverse. If you don’t have Mutation Cards, we suggest you reroll any mutation thet another PC already has. have the same mutations. This is a MUTATION POINTS How the individual mutations work is set out on the Mutation Cards and in Chapter 5. To activate ‘a mutation you must spend at least one Mutation Point (MP). Without MPs, you can’t use any muta- tions. You can never fail when activating = mute: tion - all you need to do is to expend an MP. But the power of the mutation can have unpredictable side effects (page 69). © Atthe beginning of every game session, you get a number of MP equal ta the number of mutations you have ‘9 You can win more MP by pushing a dice roll (page 50). (@ You can never have more than 10 MP. Jeanna rolle « mutation for Krin and gees Rot Eater ~ very useful in he Zone. oa ~mPLAYER'S SECTION MUTANT Waa Oy i a [aA a I eee lr) aS po aoe — ee oe ne Sear wire | ares Face use or-enTeA cee el ees re | So | Sve it 2] | Soe ih i] ca Tr = To | jaar bee se Etn es met linet (ono RELATIONS IAPHTA HAE WALKED i THE Zon ] [ice Dexmiic ie & ramos ar lites THe SrAberR VAWAN, who HAP Gane BEEPTR INTO THE ZOMG tint Fame THE SAVE EM EL. Cie BOERN TT BETEIE A Lire en tA Rabe: To 60 OEP ATH THE Zon An ano EenCHARACTER SHEET | a LM i (ona a | notien THE WEEK Or A WAN ATTHE EDGE on THE AlasPLAYER'S SECTION a no 1 RELATIONSHIPS AND DREAMS Without friends to back you up you wont survive for long in the Ark - and even shorter in the Zone, But you have to know who you can trast, Tuming your back to the wrong mutant can kill you faster than the Rot Relationships are not the only things connect: ing you to the world. You also have a personal dream of a better future. Your relationships and dreams affect how you earn Experience Points (XP). These choi important to the GM, who will usa them to create sare also jents for the game. This is explained fur ther in Chapter 9. RELATIONSHIPS TO PCs When etesting your PC you must describe your relationship to all of the other PCs. You only to write one sentence per PC. Your role descr ition gives you premade options to pick from. Ifyou pre fer, you can ignore these options and create your own relationships Buddy: When you have noted your relationships to the other PCs you must choose which one of them you feel closest to, That PC is your buddy. Mark your choice in the checkbox on the character sheet RELATIONSHIPS TO NPCs Next, choose two NPCs that you have a strong re lationship to in some way. You must choose one NPC whom you hate and another whom you want to keep safe, Your role description provides premade options here as well. If you prefer to make these NPCs up by yourself (or togather with the other players in the group), that's ine too. YOUR BIG DREAM Finally, choose what your big dream is, what you ‘want more than anything in the world, As in cate of relationships, your role description provides youwith premade options to choose from. Use them if you want to. CHANGING DREAMS & RELATIONSHIPS Events during the course of the gan your PC fundamentally. Your relationships ta ather PCs, which NPCs matter most to you, and what your big dream is ~all of this is subject to change. After every game session, when XP hava been distributed, You are you may change any or all of these fr not allowed to make changes during the session, only after Krin is part of a group that includes the Gearhead Naphta, the Fixer Denrik and the Enforcer Hugust, Jeanna chooses relationships to them from the pre- made alternatives. Naphta has roared the Zone thinks Denrik is rogant fool. If he messes with her, he's going to whathe deserves. Krin respects Hugust and thinks he might understand her, But she is afraid to fet him get too close. Next, Joanna chooses Krin’s relationships to NPCs, and her big dream. Joanna decides that Krin hates the Stalker Yassan- because he has ventured deeper into the Zone than she has. Krin wants to keep the Slave Friel safe - because she doesn’t serve life inchains. Krin dreams of walking deeper inko the Zone and finding Eden. YOUR GEAR ‘The People are hungry and the struggle for grub and clean wateris hard. To keep others away from ‘your gtub and water you need weapons ~ prefer- ably guns. And guns need bullets from the Old Age. There is no money in the Ark, all business is done through barter, but bullets are often used as an unofficial currency Inthe Ark there are no shops. But you can trade with other mutants, and there are fiers and bosses ‘who can get you almost anything - for something valuable, or some service, in return It's all about how much you need i, and what you're willing to pay-orda- to get it. The supply of grub and other things is also alfected by the development of the ‘Ark itself (page 100),SOE An item designated as heavy cla ite of regular items your base¥ PLAYER'S SECTION GRUB, WATER & BOOZE ations of grb or water count as one regular m. That means you can list faur rations on one row on your character sheet, or two rations plus cone light item. Booze is normally kept in a bottle that counts as one regular item. One such bottle contains ten doses of the strong stuff (see chapter 6 for effects of booze). Ree CU Letty pao ee ce Sete ee ee ere) Nsw rare etd Bese tern eperiee2 ea eter eee aed ae ee are Piiaregcr Caer ‘TINY ITEMS & BULLETS ‘Things even smaller than lig items are called tis ‘They ate so small and ligl ber you at all. The rule of that they don't encum- samb is the item ean losed fst, i want as tiny Stems, Hove ever, more than 10 bullets count as a light item, than 20 as a basic item and more than 40 as OVER-ENCUMBERED You in temporarily carry more than your normal limit (Serength «2 items). The d a roll for the want to walle significant dista when ye rule applies if ye object like a broken mut care inthe Ark. IF you fail your shill rl drop what you are carrying, or stay where you are, CARTS & RAFTS In the Zor the like tolload heavy stulf onto. That way be overencumbered by it the GM'sjudg- loaded onto the cart or raft. Krin starte the game with 4b ns of water. She al 2and thus she can YOUR DEN When you deep you are a potential ing yourself and your gear. Choose where you eleep, and whe you sleep next to, care- New ¢ location of your den on your char- Here you can also keep any gear, grub. ‘water and bullets that you can’t bring with you. You have to keep a record of everything you have inYOUR MUTANT ‘Your den should be located in the Ark or just outside of it You can sharea den with other PCs o NPCs - if you trust them. If’s a. good idea to hold off choosing yourden until after you! what the Ark looks like. DEVELOP YOUR MUTANT through the Zone unaf- fected. The harsh realities of life after the apocs Iypse will change you, that's all you can be certain of in an uncertain world, You can develop your mutant in several different ways during the game. wwe decided Your character won't walk NEW MUTATIONS Every time you activate @ mutation, there isa emall risk that your body or manent trauma. If that happens, you also gain & new muta- tion (page 70). Simply deaw a new Mutation Card or roll up new random mutation. Over time, this means you will slowly became weal mutated, This does not mean that develop completely new mutation ~ rather, latent abilities awaken inside you. That's what it means to be a mutant. EXPERIENCE Asa mutant, it is your fate to slowly decay and mutate ~ but you can Jearn much before your end somes. Such learning is measured in Experience Points (XP). You get your XP at the end of every session. Hold a debriefing and let the entire group talle about that session's event. For each of the fol- lowing questions that you can answer with a "yes", you get one XP: © Did you participate in the cession? (You get ne XP just for being there) © Did you perform « Day’s Work for a project in the Ark (page 103)? ‘@ Did you explore at least one new sector in the Zona? 1 Did you sacrifice or risle something for you PC buddy (page 22)? 8 Did you sacrifice or risle something for the NPC you want to keep safe? © Did you sacrifice or riske something ta mess with the NPC you hate? © Did you sacrifice or risk something to reach your big dream? ‘The GM has the final say on haw many XP each PC should get, but let all players around the table take pam in the discussion, Mark your XP total in the check boxes on your character sheet RAISE A SKILL OR GET A TALENT Once you have collected five XP you can improve your FC - either raise a skill of your choice by one level, or learn one new talent. You can raise any basic skill you like (even if you had no level in it to begin with), but not specialist skills from another role, You can choose a talent specific to your role, or any ofthe general talents (Chapter 4), but nat 2 talent from another role. Once you have made an improvement, erase all-XP marks and start over. Once yeu have gained anther five XP you can fs your chara NEW RELATIONSHIPS AND DREAMS After every session, after XP have been awarded, you may revisit your choice of important PC and NPC relationships, as well as your big dream. ARTIFACTS A different way ta improve your mutant is to find artifacts in the Zone, Many artifacte give you s Gear Bonus that can give you the edge over those cow: ards who never dared to leave the Ark. DEVELOP THE ARK ‘The final - but perhaps most important - develop- ment in the game does not ter, but to the entire Axk itself. Chapter 7 describes how the People's projects can strengthen the Ark and increase its Development Levels. !appen tte your charac: oa ~mPLAYER'S SECTIONPCB ura ce nape eer jee eee aes em eae Pees era Reese APPEARANCE Choose from the options below or decide for yourself @ Face: broken nose, dead eyes, scarred head, welding mask, hockey mask, metal javz. © Body: scarred, muscular, compact, wiry, hu am prosthesis © Clothing: worn leather coat, dirty co undersized T-shict, cu tires, hu TALENTS Choose one, you can learn more later. Talents are explained in Chapter 4 © Barge Through © Mean Streak © Sucker Punch RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER PCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourself ‘was still standing after one of your punches. is wonderful. Some day he/she will be yours. YOUR MUTANT RELATIONSHIPS TO NPCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourselE You hats ‘9 The Boss Johammed, ina fair fight. © The Fixer Milix, who you thinle le your stash of grub. You need to protect: ‘© The Boss Marlotte, who provides grub for you. © The Chi desire, © Nebod to live, onicler Astrina, whom you secretly No one in this rotten world deserves YOUR BIG DREAM Choose from the options below or decide for yourseld © Tocrush everything that is pretty. © That your beloved will @ To build rather than destray, GEAR ‘You start the game with D6 bul grub and D6 zations of water Choose one of these starting weapons: Spiked bat, brass knuckles (light weapon), scrap axe (heavy weapon), You can buy extra gear with your bullets,PLAYER'S SECTION GEARHEAD oe‘Typical Names: Quark, Octane, Plonk. pceee eee ete cre eat APPEARANCE Choose from the options below or decide for yourself @ Face: goggles, grinning, spiked hair, hairless, bloodshot ayes, diy, always ch © Body: thin, wiry, extremely skinny, midget, TALENTS Choose one, you can learn more later. Talents are explained in Chapter 4, © Inventor 9 Motorhead 9 Tinkerer RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER PCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourself ce fuiesotha: Keep cle iz.a bit slow on the uptake, Best explain stuf rakes you nervous. You don't like the way he ee at yon for your gear. Kes YOUR MUTANT RELATIONSHIPS TO NPCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourselE hinlks he's 20 you out of an artifact. © The Staller Kars, sho left you in the Zone. You need to protect: @ The Boss Johammed, who pays well for ry tiga © The Enforcer Elon, who is always there when. © The Stalker Yasean, who hae promised to take you deep into the Zone. YOUR BIG DREAM Choose from the options below or decide for yourseld © To build something that will change the Pec: fe forever iden and explore all the technical that causes widespread destruction. GEAR ‘You start the game with 2D6 bullets, D6 rations of grub and D6 rations of water. You m for one artifact, which you will start fame with, Choose one of these starting weapons: brass knueldes, bicyele chain, serap pistol. You can buy extza gear with bulletsPLAYER'S SECTION STC eas c erie ee a ere areesy prions’ Pertenece creer epee cee te erePCBS rrp cea mS cy preety reer Bry peered Pome srete trig pelos eee eas APPEARANCE Choose from the options below or decide for yourself @ Face: hidden under a ho less, sickly pale, bandaged , scarred face, hair muscular, short I, camouflage gear, army boots, backpack TALENTS. Choose ons, you can learn more later. Talents are explained in Chapter 4. @ Scavenger 9 Monster Hunter © Rot Finder RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER PCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourself walked with you in the Zone and lived. is. pompous idiot. IFhe gets in your way, he's going down, might actually understand you. De you dare ro open up? is a danger to everyone, Keep your distance. YOUR MUTANT RELATIONSHIPS TO NPCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourselE aller Yasean, be into the Zone than you. © The Enforcer Jonats, who killed your only friend, © The Chronicler Astrina, who won't leave you You need to protect: ‘@ The Gearhead Pontiak. A pain in the neck, but without you he's @ The Slave Eriel. No one deserves @ chaing. Especially not her © No one. If they can't protect themselves deserve to die YOUR BIG DREAM Choose below ar decide far your Zone and find and find hing worth dying for -wanderi nce GEAR ‘You start d ‘game with D6 bi grub and 2D6 rations of water. Choose one of the following starting weapons: serap rifle, scrap can buy extra gear wit bow Gwith § arrows). You wr bulletsPLAYER'S SECTIONBe CB cusrreg eee § Jonar, Leodor, Jolisa, Lula, Marlian, Monja, N APPEARANCE Choose from the options below or decide for yourself @ Face: pleasent, always smiling, unnatural attractive, greasy © Body: slender, skinny, midget, abnormally fat, no legs © Clothes: suit, dress, colorful Tshix, leather coat, hat gloves TALENTS Choose one, you can learn more later. Talents are 0 Wheeler Desler © Vicious Creep 2 duicy Info RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER PCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourself scammed you eut of some bullets, He's going saved you from trouble. What does he want in is your way to the top. Stay close is stupid and easy to manipulate YOUR MUTANT RELATIONSHIPS TO NPCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourselE You hate: ‘@ The Fixer Milix, who owes you bullets but © The Boss Jahammed, who double cross and had Enforcers beat you up. © The Geach vehat he Pontiak, who never delivers You need to protect '@ The Enforcer Jonats, You need him and he ede you © The Stalker Yassan, because of the loot he can nd in the Zone, © The Boss Marlotte, who is your protector in the Ask. YOUR BIG DREAM Choose below ar decide far your © To make a deal big enough to give you bul- 3 to Inet a lifetime, 10 Toone day become a boss and get « gang of GEAR You start the game with 2D6 bullets, 2D6 rations of grub and D6 rations of water, Choose one of the following starting weapons: scrap knife, brass knuckles, scrap derringer (alla light weapons). You can buy extra gear with your balletsPLAYER'S SECTIONBe Oe ese Tait Montiak, Rasper, Anny, Brie, Krinnel, precy as Pac Melrose) Peng cree scres eae Preereaos) APPEARANCE Choose from yourself © Face: hairless, scarred, pastry pale, unblink- ing disfigured © Body: wiry, scrawny, short, hunched 5d jacket, leather TALENTS Choose one, you can learn more later. Talents are explained in Chapter 4, © Bloodhound 0 Fight Dog (© Mutant's Best Friend RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER PCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourself refore, wis disliked by your dog, An thinks he is all that. Idiot. clearly dislikes you and your dog. fa the abject of your secret desires. YOUR MUTANT RELATIONSHIPS TO NPCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourselE You hat ‘0 The Fixer Sixter, who has seen you ory and needs to die © The Enforcer Jonats, who kicked your last dog to death, © The Boss Marlotte, who tries to control you. You need to protect: © The Boss Johammed, who gives you and your dog grub. © The Chronicler Astrina, whe loves you but wont admit it © Your dog, Har life is worth that of ten of those: lousy mutants, YOUR BIG DREAM Choose from the options below or decide for yourseld @ To kill the next mutant who looks at you sideways. 0 For the one you desire to feel the same way about you 9 To leave the Are with your dog and find a bet ter life elsewhere GEAR You start the game with D6 bullets, D6 rations of grub and D6 zations of water Choose one of the following starting weapons: bi ain, scrap knife, slingsh can buy extra gear witPLAYER'S SECTION PU Ha ything must be recorded. All the Ps eeeBB eras APPEARANCE Choose from the options below or decide for yourself 9 Face: sickly pale skin, hairless head, friend beck: abnormally tay, warn suit, covered by para the Old Age. TALENTS Choose one, you can learn more later. Talents are explained in Chapter 4, © Bonesaw © Agitator © Performer YOUR MUTANT RELATIONSHIPS TO NPCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourselE You hat ‘0 The Chronicler Davin, whose lies the People tte, who is an uncivilized barbarian. © The Stalker Kara, who refused to be the hero of your story, You need to protect ‘@ Your worn notebook. (© The Boes Johammed, for the People. © The Gesrhesd Pontialt His talents are read hho wants what's best in the Dawnwo: YOUR BIG DREAM Choose from the options below or decide for yourseld @ For the Ark to become a place of culture and 10 To wnite the great story of how the People finds Eden. ‘9 To bring children to the People and teach « daughter or son all they need to knowr about the Dawnworld RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER PCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourself but doesnt know it id his own good, and needs wis the hero ol doeen’t undere to be saved, is a threat to the entize People, will die soon, It's only a matter af GEAR You start the game with D6 bullets, D6 rations of grub and D6 rations of water. seapons for free, bs san buy gear ‘You get with your bulPLAYER'S SECTIONpe CB cere Ur rescnw cst Sree ee oy ee poe atc ae ceca Somer eee eas APPEARANCE Choose from the options below or decide for yourself @ Face: moon face, scarred face, hairless, © Body: standing uprigh abnormal hhas no legs and needs to be carried © Clothes: suit, dress, protective coat, hat wverall, far jewelzy TALENTS Choose one, you can learn more later. Talents are 6 Commander © Gunslingers 0 Racketeer RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER PCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourself is your right hand, whe you trust with your life stole from you, and think is a useful tool dared to defy you, and needs to pay for it YOUR MUTANT RELATIONSHIPS TO NPCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourselE You hats ‘a The Boss Marlotte, who is your worst rival © The Enforcer: ats, who refuses to join your gang @ The Stalker Kara. She led you into the Zone and tried to kell you You need to protect: © The Fizer Sister, who runs your busi @ The Chronicler Astrina, you want her an epic about @ The Enforcer protecting ya Jon, who is a human YOUR BIG DREAM Choose from the options below or yoursell © To elimi cof your rivals and ruler of the Ark: 0 To builds new and better civilization in the Dawnworld @ To one day be relieved of all responsibilities and finally be free. GEAR You start the game with 2D6 bullets, 2D6 rations of grub and D6 rations of water. Choose one of the following starting weapons: spiked bat, serap knife, scrap pistol. You can buyPLAYER'S SECTION‘Typical Names: Dink, Fils, Wilo, Alia, Eria, Henny, Kim, Lin beg ceed eo eas ct ete APPEARANCE Choose from the options below or decide for yourself 0 Face: expressionless, disfigured, rough, hairless © Body: powerful, muscular, skinny, hun apelike © Clothes: none, chains, torn T-shirt dirty coverall pback, TALENTS. Choose ons, you can learn more later. Talents are explained in Chapter 4. 9 Cynic 0 Rabel © Resilient RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER PCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourself is your owner. His will is your law. For now. wants to hurt your owner. Keep an eye on treats you lilee garhay to freedom. Stay YOUR MUTANT RELATIONSHIPS TO NPCs Choose from the options below or decide for yourselE You hat 19 The Boss Johammed, your previous owner © The Enforcer Elon, who bests you whenever © The Fixer Milix, who promised you fr but let you down, You need to protect ‘@ The Fixer Sixter. You feed him secrets about @ The Enforcer Jonats, who gives you some grub naw and then. © The Slave Eriel. The people at the bottom need to stick together YOUR BIG DREAM Choose from the options below ar decide for yourself © To rebel, kil all of the Bosses and free all Slaves, © Nothing but to please your owner and male him prow © Toescape the misery in the Ark and-find a better life elsewhere. GEAR You start the game with no bullets, D6 rations of grub and D6 rations of water (Choose one of the following starting weapons: spiked bat, bieyele chain, slingshot ao NmSKILLS Roleplaying is a conversation. The GM sets the scene, you describe what you do, the GM tells you how NPCs react - then you respond, and so on ~ back and forth. The story grows one step at a time, But the world of Mutant: Year Zero is a desperate place inhabited by desperate people, Sooner or later things will come to a head, a point of no return, a conflict that cannot be settled by just talking it through. Then it’s time to bring out the dice and use one of your skills: ROLLING DICE ‘There are twelve asic skills in this game, Any mu- tant can use these. Furthermore, every role has one unique thirteenth skill, Every skill is connec one of the four attributes - Strength, Agili and Empathy. Skills are measured in skill levels, from Oto 5, dito Wits *t MEANS SUCCESS ‘When you use a skill, frst describe what your char- acter does or says. Then, grab a number of Skill Die (green) equal to your skill level, and a number of Base Dice (yellow) equal to the current value of the attribute connected to the skill. [fyou are using the right tool, you also get a number of Gear Dice lack), Then just roll all the dice together. ete ‘THEBASIC SKILLS @ Endure (Strength) 1 Force (Strength) 8 Fight (Stength) © Sneak (Agility) @ Escape (Agility) @ Shoot (Agiliy) 2 Scout (Wit) @ Comprehand (Wits) 18 Know the Zone {Wits} 1 Sense Emotion (Empathy) © Manipulate Empathy] @ Heal (Empathy) het For your action to succeed, you must roll atleast one Mt symbol - if not, your action fails. Tf you roll more than one “@, you can perform stunts (page 48 and forward) The 4 Symbol: On the Base Dice, the “one” is re placed by the symbol 4%, These have no effect on this frst roll - only count them when yor roll (age 44). sh yourPLAYER'S SECTION ¥ ROLLING WITHOUT SKILL LEVEL You can alvays roll for a skill, even if your skill level is zero — just roll Base Dice for the attribute, plus any Gear Dice, The exception to this mile are the roles’ specialist ski at least eleill level L 0 use these, you ouls in a ruined house. Krin has Agi sy Krin spots some Zor a: ‘She wants to Sneak by Sanda eos Sneak skill level of 2, whick means she gets to rall 0 5 five Base Dice and two Skill Dice. a THE ART OF FAILURE roll no SM's mercy. The only thing she can‘t say is “nothing happens” Failure should al consequences, For each skill listed below, there are guidelines for what failure othe GM.1 se something hing goes wrong. You're now decision is detour, or face a new threat of some kind. Sounde harsh? You have a final lifeline if you really want to avoid failing ~ you can push your roll Conflicts: In conflicts (Chapter 6), a failed roll doesn't need to nseq in itself. Iv usually enough of a consequence that your attack misses the enemy - making it his tum. 10 act and get back at you. The GM can impose tional consequences ofa failed roll even in con such as your missed gunshot hitting someone other than who you were aiming for ROLLS WITHOUT SKILL ion you want to perform in the game does skill, you and this really is a situation worth a dice roll. The GM can just make a quick judgement call and move on. If you stil feel dice should be rolled. the GM not fit a USING NORMAL DICE er ec ee ees LEI M MMMM MAMMAL decides what attribute is most useful in the situa- tion, and yeu roll only Base Dice, PUSHING YOUR ROLL perate to succt Ifyou are d roll. That means you grab all up with a, 4 or My an naw shot at rolling. You can never push dice that for W— they stay as they were on the table, (if you're using normal dice, you can push Base Dice and Gear Dio and Skill Dice that show 1-5) Usually, you would only push arell f you failed j9ugh you can push a roll even ifyou did get ‘4f in your frst rall,to.get more of them to perform stunts. Pushing a roll ie not without risk ~ re show 2 about that below. How ed roll plays out in story terms de- pends on what can take the form of a great p Gear Dice: If you push rol, you must also push any Gear Dice (page 46). Only Once: You can oaly push you don’t euccesd on your second quences. There is one exception to this rule: f automatic fire‘ MUTATES YOU ‘When you push yourself this hard there is a risk that you will exhaust yourself in the process ~even to the point of breaking, When you push a roll you ibute used suffer one point of trauma to the att rolled. All #b coun in your first roll, before you revoll. works, and how you recover from it, is explained in Chapter 6, there is an ide the limit of your ability ean release powerful mu- tant energies in your mind or bady. When you push a roll, you also get one Mutation Point (MF) for int of trauma suffered (that is, equal tothe Pushing yourself to number of 4 rolled). You need MP to activate your 5) In short - to connect with your mutant powers mutations (Ch ~ but if y pable powers. The Enforcer Hug Hugust rolls three Ski land five Base Dice (Strength 5) no“f. If he chooses to pi 0 push so hard you risk hurting your ull be able ‘ommand unstop: wants to beat (EEL DESCRIBE YOUR ACTION Fe eee eee Bein nae Baebes es ee een Do it right away, don’t Reese irae peers ore then it's her job to de pee BURYPLAYER'S SECTION ONE SHOT ONLY ‘As general rule, you only get one shot at particu lar action. When the dice have been rolled - and pushed, if you so choose ~ you can't roll again to achieve the exact same thing. You'll ha something else or wait until the circurnstances have changed in some major way. Or let another PC try. In conflicts (Chapter 6), the GM s nls be more forgiving. You can attack the same enemy over and aver if he won't go down - i's enough if you de scribe what you do differently this time. NPCS AND SKILLS NPCs use skills just like PCs do. The GM rolls dice for them, they can push their rolls, suffer trauma and get Mutation Points just like PCs, But the GM should only roll for actions that directly affect a P - for example, when the NPC is Fighting or Caring for a PC. In other cases, the GM should generally Just decide the outcome of the action, without zall- GEAR BONUS Ta improve your chanee of success, you can use gear. A piece of gear can be a baseball bat to hit someone with, a rope to climb with or a pair of sun- glasses from the Old Age ta impress someone with Auuselul object will give you a Ge Dice to rall (the black ones). You can see your Gear Bonus on the weapons tables.on number of Ge: pages 86 and B7, and on the general gearlist atthe end of the book. You roll your Gear Dice together with your Base Dice and Skill Dice when you perform an ction, This way, you improve your chances of col and succeeding. you can only use one piece of Norm: gear at a time. You can’t get Gear Bonus for the same roll from more than one abject GEAR BREAKS ‘When you use a pieee of gear and you roll (above), the gear might get damaged. When ‘you push a roll, you must rerell all Gear Dice that don't show WorM# (one or six on a normal dic). For every Gear Die that shows Mafter you have pushed the roll, the Gear Bonus decreases by one. The gear has been damaged and is not as effect Gear Dice wont give you Mutation Points - only Base Dice do that Ifthe Gear Bonus reaches zero the gear no longer works ot all If is an artif give a bonus to the DEV levels of the Ark (page 13). ct, it also won't Fixing Gear: Gear can be fixed by Geatheads (page 58), It takes s few hours and a roll for Jury-Rig. If successful, the piece of gear is repaired and the Gear Bonus fully restored. [f the roll fails, the Gear Bonus is If the G roll fails, rmanently reduced to the current level Bonus is current © gear is perma don’t let just any hack tinker with your gear!Stxter draws his sorap gun and fies a ter has Agility 3, Shoot skill level I and the gun has Gear Bonus +1, He gets to roll three Base Dice, one Siaill Die and ane Gear Die. He ralle no but one W. He chooses t0 push the roll, knowing that will break the gun. Now he rolls a ‘i and hits, but the gun’s Gear Bonus is reduced to zero. MODIFICATION Sometimes external factors help you to succeed. ‘This gives you extra Skill Dice to roll. On other oc- casions, something hampers your action, In those eases, you roll fewer Skill Dice than normal. Either ‘way, such adjustments are called modifications, Modification #1 means you roll one extra Skil Dio, +2 means you roll svo extra Ski on. Modification -1 means you roll one Skill Die fewer than normal, -2 means two fewer, and so on. Modification only ever affects Skil Dice -never Base Dice or Gear Dice. If several modifications apply add them together. Modification +2 and -1 added together gives you a modification of +1 the same roll, Negative Dice: If, after modification, you end up with exactly zero Skill Dice, you just roll your Base ‘Gear Dice). IF you go below zara, you ative number of Skill Dice. Any 4 on negative Skill Dice eliminate an equal number of Mf on Base or Gear Dice. Tf you push your rall you must reroll negative Skill Dice too (except the ones shawing M# of course). “You can get modifications in two ways: through the difficulty of the action itself, or through help From others DIFFICULTY Normally, the GM doesn't assess how difficult an action is. You only roll dice in challenging situa- tions - period, But sometimes, the GM might to underscore that extemal factors halp or hinder an action, Use this table for guidance: There are also cases when modifications are im posed by the rules, ike when you aim carefully with 1 gun (page 85), shoot at long range or if you're in a bad bargaining position when trying to Manip: late someone (page 82). Some talents (Chapter 4) canalso gi tion in certain St tts CHANCE OF SUCCESS When you roll lots of dice it ean be hard to get a feel for your chance of success. The table below shows the probability, in percent tages, of making a roll with T fo 10 dice. The third column shows the chance of suceass if you push the ral NUMBER CHANCE use: OF DICE OF success ROLL _) 2 21% 50% 3 ae 66% 4 52% 7% 5 0% aix 6 67% 87% 7 7% 0% a 77% 93% ° aix 95% 10 Bak 90% ao SeedPLAYER'S SECTION (esl ae Sixter has locked himself into his trailer. Hugust wants to push the e ty creek nearly: Hugust has Strength Sand Force still evel 2 but the GM says theaction is hard and gives Hugust a-2 modification. Accarding Dice and one negative Skill Die. He rolls one “ton the Base Dice but also on the Skill Die! This 8 elim ates the other, and the roll fails, Hugust needs to it to push the roll ) he rolls five Base consider tshether it's wort HELP FROM OTHERS Other PCs or NPCs around you can help you sue ceed. They have to say so up front, before you roll your dice, Ir also has to make sense in terms of the story - they have to be physically present and be able to support your setion ina direct way: The GM has Binal say For every person helping you, you get a 11 modi fication. No more than three people can hel make the roll, which means your maximum modi fication for help from others is 3 Specialist Skills: You can not got help when using your specialist skill. When using a specialist skill, you are always on you own, ‘Conflicts: [f you help someane in a confict (Chap ter 6) you lose your own action in the tum. You can still perform maneuver, however (page 80). Chroniclers have the specialist skill Inspire, which is also used to help others perform actions See more on page 59. NPCs can help each other in the same way as PCs Letting NPCs act in groups rather than individually is often a useful way to handle a large number of NPCs in conflicts. eee Krin and her friends are back out in the Zone. Krin ‘wants to climb into a ruined house, where she thinks there might be artifacts. Hugust helps her up, and Krin gets a *l modification ta her roll SIMULTANEOUS ACTIONS ‘You and the other PCs can not help each other when ‘you're acting simultaneously, that is, performing the same action side by side, Examples are struggling ‘your way through a Beree snowstorm (Endure) or sneaking up om a group of Zone-Ghouls (Sneak). In this case, you all roll separate rolls, If you want to help someone, you cant perform the action yourself. Stunts: If you roll several # and get stunts, some skills let you use them to help a friend. They then don’t need to roll the dice themselves. They can even receive this help if they have already rolled and failed. BASIC SKILLS In this section, the twralve basic skille which all PCe bed. For eack skill, you at failure and success and NPCs can use, are get short descriptions of mean. These should not be taken too literally need to adapt them to the situation at hand. urthermore, most ckills list stunts ~honus XE you roll. more than one Every extra 4 after the frst ane gives you one stunt. ENDURE (STRENGTH) ‘When the Zone takes its toll, when your legs won't carry you any more, you roll for Endure. For ex- ample, this skill is used when you are aveling in eather or when you sulfer severely cold 3). rough conditions (page Failure: You just can't take it anymore. You have to rest, if just fora couple of hours, But what if some predator spots you? Success: You manage to push on, ignoring the pain dieks Lie bogen Stunt: For every M# you roll, you can help a friend (PC or NPC) in the same situation es you. He can keep moving, and doesn't have to roll himself. Youcan even choose this stunt when you only roll one that means you help you friend while sacrificing yourself ° FORCE (STRENGTH) ‘When wreckage or debris block your way and you need to push or lift something heavy, roll for Force, Use this skill for a feat of strength, Failure: It's just too heavy. You nee: tif the nol made attracted unwanted company? find another way. And Success: With » groan, you push through and get ‘whatever it was out of your way. Stunts: fyou roll exra‘tbeyond thefirst, chic Gi of we shite © You push or throw the object with force, One target of your choice within ‘Arn’ Length suffers damage equal to \ the number of extra @ Iapplicable in the situation, you find or reveal a hidden passage or object. The GM decides what itis FIGHT (STRENGTH) The world of Mutani Sometimes, you have no choice but to fl life, eye to eye, Roll for this skill when you attack is-a brutal place, someone in close combat. Read mare about con- Bicts in Chapter 6, Failure: You stumble and miss, Now i's your op- ponent's tum, Success: You hit, and inflice weapos 87) on your opponent. age (page 2 of ‘Stunts: For every extra “tt you roll, choose these stunts: You inflict one more point of damage. You can choose this stunt multiple times, if you roll several You subdue or tire your enemy, He suffers 88). scare by 2 (page one point of fatigue You increase your initiatis 0), taking effect next turn, You knock or pull a weapon or other object from your opponent. You choose which, Dur ing a conf a dropped object counts as @ maneuver (page 80). Your opponent falls to the ground or is pushed back for example {8 or over a cliff teSHOOT 1 You hold the opponent in a grapple. He needs sfully Fight you to break free, and ’ perform any other action (or any mane: vyet) until he has done so ~ or until you are broken or let him go Weapons: When you Fight you can use weapons such as clubs, knives and spears. Read moze on page 83, Defense: Wh: Fights you you can tryto defend yourself. When you ou alzo tall for Fight, with a specihe set of seunts more on page 84, SNEAK (AGILITY) Often enough, it’s wiser to avoid conflict and in- stead Sneak by your enemies. Use this skill when you try to move without being noticed, when you set up an ambush or when you attempt a sneak attack (page 81). Failure: Your enemy sees you or hears you, and the element of surprise is lost. Success: You move like a shadow in the night, no” ticed by no-one, Stunt: When setting up a sneak attack, you get a “1 modification to your fist attack for every extra “f rolled after the first. MOVE (AGILITY) ‘When the heat is on and you are trying to dodge the jaws of desth, you need to keep a cool head and Move fast, Roll for Move when you want to get oat of a conflict or some other hazardous situation, Read more shout how this skill used in conflicts in Chapter 6, Failure: You are pinned down, backed into a comer with ne way out. Get reach for a fig Success: You get out of the sticky situation, and live to fight another day. Stunt: For every M# you roll, you can help a friend (Cor NPC) in the same apot of trouble as you. He makes it out, and doesn't have to roll himself. You can even choose this stunt when you enly rll one “ ~ that moans you help you friend while sacrifice ing yourself erobati ing jumping or climbing. Failure in these cases can be fatal! Also use the Move skill when balance SHOOT (AGILITY) Ifyou have a gun, anda bullet to k can take down your enemy from a distance without getting your hands bloody. You can barter for Jury- Rigged guns in the Ark (see the list at the back of he book), and more powerful weapons from the Old Age can be found in the Zone dit with, you Failure: The shot misses your target. Maybe it hits something else? And the sound of gunfire could attract unwelcome attention. Success: You hit and inflict weapon damage (page 87) on your targetStunte: For every extra 4 you roll, choose one of © You inflict one more point af damage. You can choose roll 5 se lown your enemy. He suffers one © You pin point of fatique (page 88). © You i 80), effective as of 8 Your target drope a wees held object. You choose which. sn or another hand. © Your opponent fal to the ground or is or over a cli. back, for example through a doonway Reloading: Scrap guns are usually loa one bullet at a time. When edwith just Bred it, you'll in. Reload- ap guns 5) and artifacts have magazines with sev need to reload before you ing is 2 maneuver in conf (page eral bullets letting you fire again and again without reloading, SCOUT (WITS) want to st distance, about it It can be a place, a person, or a creature. Failure: You can't real ke it for somet make out what itis, or you (the GM feeds you falee information), ‘Succes fi information fou are able to make out what it is, and threat to you or not. The exac get is up to the GM. Stunte: For every extza 4 you roll, you get to know the answer to one of these questions: @ Is it coming for me? 9 Are there more of them cl e by? @ How dol get in/past/away? DON’T ROLL TO SPOT ibys eest ets cesta cere od cers Oe CEs at looking at or for something. You don't roll when person or creature is sneaking up on you ~ instead, they roll ta Sei COMPREHEND (WITS) ‘The world after the Apoc: prehensibl ofthe Old Age has been .ce for most mutants, The kayou want to read an ald text, know what a jar ruin was used for, or understand and use an artifact whose DEV level is higher than the Ark’s Read more about using artifacts in Chapter 7. Failure: The obj youat all, oryou are mi can feed you false information about of your study males no sense to faken (in this case, the GM the object): Success: You understand the nature or funetion af the objes Wits an artifact, you can use it Stunts: For every Mf rolled beyond the frst, you can teach someone else how to use the artifact. KNOW THE ZONE (WITS) ‘The zonelands beyond the Ark's borders are un known wastes to most of the People. But there are some individuals ~ mostly Stalkers and some dar ing Chroniclers ~ who have ventured out and seen ‘what is out there. Roll for Know the Zone when you encounter some creature or phenomenon in the Zone and want ta know stuff sbout it. The GM. vwill give you a modification depending on how rare it is (Chapter 13), Failure: You have no, or the wrong, idea. The GM can feed you falee, or a mix of true and false, infor mation (in this way, you will know that you have failed your roll, but not what information to trust) Suceess: You know what it is, and its basic traits or effects Stunts: For every extra Mi you roll, you get the an- swer to one of these questions about the creature or phenomenon: © How can it hurt me? 9 How can I hurt it? SENSE EMOTION (EMPATHY) ‘Tobe able to read another mutant like an open book can bea mightier weapon than even # frearm from the Old Age. Rell far Sense Emotion when you want know an NPC’s mood or intent toward you. You need to be within Short distance (page 80) and it takes a few minutes. Failure: You fail to read, or misread, the NPC. The GM can feed you false, or a mix of true and false, information ‘The GM must reveal the NPC's most powerful emotion at this point in time hate, fear, contempt, love; etc. SuceeStunts: For every extra “tt you rol, you get the an- swar to one of these yes/no questions about the NPC @ Is he telling the truth? 8 Dose he want to hurt me? he want something from me? to read. MANIPULATE (EMPATHY) Lie, argue, threaten, eeduce, or just reason sensibly. ‘There are many way F mutant to see xia medifeation, depending on your bargaining position (page 82). Failure: ‘won't listen and he won't do what you might start to dislike you, or even attack you if provoked ‘Sucee ie reluctantly does what you want, but wai ing in return. The GM decides what this is, bt it must be something you can reasonably do, Itis up to you whether to accept the deal or not: Stunts: doubt in your opponents heart. He suffers one point of doubt (page 88) for every additional *# you rall after the frst one. If he is broken by doubt, he does taf on your roll mesn you sow fear and what you want without demanding a return favor, Being Manipulated: NPC and other PCs can Ma- nipulate you. If their roll succeeds, you must offer them adeal of some sort It’s then up to the GM (or the other player) to accept or decline it HEAL (EMPATHY) ‘When you can't take it has broken you and you! saymore, when the Zone bits you back up. The Heal the irradiated dirt, you need friends to hel sleil can be used in two ways: Mend the Broken: A person who has suffered enough trauma to reduce any of the four attributes tozero is broken, and can't carry on. If you success: fully Heal a broken person, he gats back to his feat and immediately recovers a number of attribute points equal to the number of you rolled. No resources are needed for this recovery. A failed roll has no further effect Save a Life: The most important use of the Heal skill is to give first aid and stabiliz which might save your patien this situation could kal hi fe. A failed rollin however, so be careful, on page 90, Read more about HEALPLAYER'S SECTION (esl ae SPECIALIST SKILLS Beyond the twelve basic skills, each role hes one unique specialist kill. These are described below. ‘THE ENFORCER’S SKILL: INTIMIDATE (STRENGTH) Everyone in the Ark knows youre bad news. Often you don't even need to hit anyone to make them back off You know exactly which buttons to push to subdue them or pravoke them. Roll for Intimi- date when you use your sheer physical presence to get someone to do what you want. The rules for bargaining position (page 82) appl the Manipulate skill Failure: He won't be pushed around by a bully like you. He might even attack you now, or hold the grudge for the opportune moment. Success: Your opponent must choose - either at tack you right now (by Fighting, Shooting or using a mutation), or bow to your will. Stunt: Additional 4 mean you sttike fear into your opponent's heart. He sulfers one point of doubt (page 88) for every additional 4 you roll on top af the first ene. THE GEARHEAD’S SKILL: JURY-RIG (WITS) ‘The Zone is your own personal promised land. E rywhere things from the Old Age lie about, things you can use to build something new. You constantly pick up odd bits of scrap, and at any point in time you can sit dawn for a few hours to Jury-Rig a work ing contraption. Some exan A serap gun (page 87). Serap armor, Armor Rating 3 (page 88). A shield, made from a road sign, Armor Rat ing 3 nooo @ A Rot suit, Protection Rating 3 against the Rot (page 126). @ Cold suit, Gives you Gear Bonus *3 to Endure severe col @ An explosive charge, Blast Power 6 (page 94), @ A flaming torch, @ A lamp Lit by booze (one dose per hour) or the Battery artifact. @ Binoculars. Gives you Gear Bonus ‘1 to Scout A foghorn. Can be heard for miles around 1 Destillator Produces D6 doses of booze ina feor hours. @ Camouflage, Gives you Gear Bonus 2 to Sneak @ Serap raft. Can catry up to five mutants over @ Acart, Can camry plenty of scrap and gear. @ Balloon, Can lift one person a few hundred meters through the air, until the hot air runs @ Scrap cannon (pag an explosive charge. 17), Every shot requires Components: Before rolling to Jury-Rig describe what parts you use an them togetho se simple, broken items fram the Old Age. Tohald he device together you can use steel wire, string, duct tape or rusty nails and bolts, What is made of has no technical effect on the game, but describing it erestes immersion. ose frealy, as long as you Requirements: Same things are harder to build than others for mote advanced devices, The GM can set one or more requirements:© The davice will take several days to finish 8 You need a particular place of scrap, don't have. But you knaw who does. 18 You need a certain artifact to make the device t you work, Failure: If you fail the Jury-Rig roll, bad things pen. The device will fall apart when you really need it, oF even blow up in your face. You can’t roll for the exact same device again, unless you find new scrap to use. Alternatively, the GM can set a new precondition, Success: If you make the roll, your construct works ~ ance. Most Jury-Rigged devices are temporary, made to solve problem here and now ~ but not to last. Normally, your device wil only last for one action sruse, then it will fall apart (the Gear Bonus automaticelly drops to zero). You can use a stunt to make it last longer (below) Stunts: For every extra # you roll beyond the first, you get to choose one stunt. Some examples: © The davice is durabla and can be used more than once, It breaks down according to the normal gear rules (page 46). 1 The device's Gear Bonus is increased by one. @ Hits a weapon, its weapon damage is in creased by one. © A gun gets an extra barrel and can be fred a second time before you need to reload. You can choose this stunt sev multi-barrel gun. © The Armoz/Protection Rating of an armor oF a Rot suit is increased by one. You can choose this stunt multiple times. 18 The Blast Power of an explos times fora age is increased by 3. You can choose this atunt multiple times. @ You fit deadly shrapnel to-an explosive change, increasing the weapon damage to 2 tpage 94), © A scrap raft can carry twice as many people Ropaire: You can do more than just build things ~ you can also fix things that are broken. With a successful Jury-Rig roll and few hours work youcan repair an object with reduced Gear Bonus. If you succeed, the Gear Bonus is completely restored. If you fail, the Gear Bonus is permanently reduned to the current value. You can repair an object whose Gear Bonus has been reduced to zero - but if you fail the roll, the object is permanently destroyedPLAYER'S SECTION (esl ae Vehicles: Some Gearheads have a special passion for cars, motorcycles and other vehicles from the Ole Age. Their biggest dream is to find a vehicle, repair it, and rework it into a proper Zone tide. How vehicles work is explained in Chapier 6, If you find a vehicle in decent shape, you can repair it with a successful Jury-Rig roll. With a see cond, separate roll, you can custom build the vehicle ina number of ways. For every *#, choose one stunt hese stunts be chasen several times: below. Bact © Sos -dsup engine. The Gear Bonus of the sed by one, © Spikes and blades. The weapon damage of the vehicle (normally 1) is increased by one. @ Armor, The Armor Value of the vehicle is increased by 8 (only for cars) ‘You ean only roll once to improve a wehiele. If you rework it again, all stunts from the previous roll are lost Mounted Weapons: You can fit a scrap cannon or any other weapon to a vehicle. It requires no die roll, beyond building the weapon itself. The Gearhead Naphta wants to build a sled to help hher group escape across the frozen waters of the Zone. The GM decides this construct doesn’t have any special requirements, so Naphta. can roll right away. She has Wits 5 and Jury-Rig skill evel 2. s0 she rolls five Base Dice and two Skill Dice. She rolls two and gets to choose a stunt. She makes the sled durable robust enough to last for a few rides THE STALKER’S SKILL: FIND THE PATH (AGILITY) Any fool can walk into the Zone. But if you don't know what you'te doing you'll soon end up a corpse, bones gnawed clean by the beasts of the wasteland. reed, loners who went into Stalkers are a epec the Zone and came to know it even as kids, Other leways, fearing distrust you for be- mutants in the Ark look at you ‘you will spread the R i ing different. Roll fox Find the Path when you go into = new sector of tha Zone, Read more about Zone travels in Chapter B and, for the GM, in Chapter 13. wy NPCs or monsters in the sector spot ‘you before you spot them, and if hostile, they might ambush you (page 56) Success: You find a safe path and spot any threats in the Zone before they spot you. Stunta: For every extra M# you roll beyond the first, ‘you get to choose one stunt, Each stunt can only be chosen once per roll: 4 You find an artifact in the sector, if it’s there to be found. You still might have to struggle to get your hands on it @ You ean assess the general level of Rot in the sector (page 128). @ You find D6 bullets still live 18 You find D6 rations of grub contaminated by the Rot. It can be edible plants or leftovers from the Old Age. A Zone cook (page 67) can cook the Rot out of the food @ You find D6 rations of Rot stiful. 2@ water (rotwae y pl @ The exploration of the sector only the time (page 122). he sector in a quarter of take to explore it. You avoid kes half @ You rush throu the time it all hreats, but the sector does not count as having been explored and you find no arti Facts, grub or water in itKeep Looking: You usually only roll to explore sec tors that you haven't explored before. An explored sector should be considered empty, and contains no threats unless the GM decides otherwise. You can roll for Find e Path to find artifacts, grub an ina sector that has already been explored, he ~ as long as you he ly chosen these stunts, Each new roll takes as long as exploring the sector d he frat place. Multiple Stalker ers, only one of you you enter a sector Which one is up to you. If you later roll to find grub, water and artifacts you can all roll individually. ur group has several Stalle to roll to Finda Path when ‘THE FIXER’S SKILL: MAKE A DEAL (EMPATHY) Hus sour livelihood. when there was plent ; strife and conflict of grub and the Eider looks after you lilee you were hie own children, you were weak nobody. Now, you have found good use for your talent of seein, ling them -f reryone in the Ark, and there is hardly anything you can't get your hands on. ‘The most com: iste find a com use of d ll get you something you need be it grub, water, gear or a particular favor. Failure: deal with you. Or worse, you step on somebody's toes and now you're looking over your sho fou get stonewalled and nob Success: You know who probably has what you need. Ifhe wants to give it to you is another matter you need to roleplay this out, Often you'll need to Manipulate someone to get what Deals on the Side: There is second way to-use the ‘Make a Deal skill. You can do business on the side, whenever you have a few hours to spare im the Ark You can only roll once per session. First, choose what you're trading in and with whor:PLAYER'S SECTION tes a Deal in grub — wheres it from, and who's the buyer? Deal in water ~ what's the source, and who's the buyer? Deal in scrap ~ who's the supplies and who's the buyer? Deal in booze - who distille it and who's the buyer? Act as a courier or né Bosses, Guard something or someone. What, who and jator between rival Steal something. What, from whom, and who want's ie? Answer the above questions with help from the GM. ‘Then, roll to Make a Deal. f you fail, someone ends up feeling cheated by you and you could be in @ world of hurt If you sucozed, choose one option for every % you rol: 8 You gain DE bullets, @ You gain D6 rations of grub. @ You gain 206 rations of Rot free water @ You gain 2D6 doses of booze, 1 You get dirt on someone, The GM decides on who, and what the information is, but you are froe to make suggestions. Deals on the side can be handled summarily, just and should be ‘THE DOG HANDLER’S SRILI SIC A DOG (AGILITY) Your dog is worh more to you than any mutant in the Ark. The bond between you is almost telepathic. ‘You instinctively know what the animal wants, and the dog can always reed your state of mind and defends you against any threst. Stats: This sll! works a little differently. Skill level means you have a dog that fellowes your every lead. ‘The dog has Strength 4 and Agility 6 You can use the dog in several different was Fighting: Your dag can Fight for you. Use your skill level in Sic a Dog, and the dog's Strength. You can push the roll (risking damage to the dog), but it ‘won't give you any To Sic a Dag on you enet meaning you cannot perform any other action in .@ same turn. You can perform a maneuver in the same turn, however fon Points ountsas an action, Scouting: The dog can Scout for you. Use your skill level in Sic a Dog and your Wits score (the dog doesn't have Wits). You can push‘Tracking: Your dog ean track a person or a creature, even when there are no obvious tracks to follow. All you need is a fresh scent or some object that has been in possession of the prey recently. Roll to Sic a Dog, using your Wits score, If successful, your dog picks up the trail and can indicate in which direction the prey has gone. For every extra ## you roll, choose one stunt: @ How far behind (in hours) are you? @ Is the prey wounded? Ie the prey alone? Damage: An enemy can choose whether to attack you or your dog The dog suffers and recovers dam- age just like a mutant. Ifthe dog’s Strength reaches zero it dies ~ something you'll surely make your opponent pay dearly for! Finding 2 new mutt in the Ark isn’t hard - it takes a few days and a successful Sic a Dig roll to tame a new one. A failed roll will result in a fight Out in the Zone, wild dogs are less common, Grub and Water: Your dog is s survives, eating garbage and drinking rotwater. You dont need to supply its daily grub and water but you do need to give it extra grub or water to recover its trauma (page 80). Sympathy: Your dog gives you all the sympathy you need ta recover lost Empathy. You don't need the company of another mutant (page 90) ony wants to Fight tke Stalker Yassan and Sics his dogon kim. Jony uses his skill evel in Sic a Dog (2) and the dog’s Strength score (4), meaning Ae rolls three Skill Dice and four Hase Dice. Yassan is hurt ue fires ba: id hits the dog with his scrap gun, causing twa points of damage. The dog loses two points of Strength and Jony can feel his rage ri THE CHRONICLER'S SKILL: INSPIRE (EMPATHY) ‘Your mission in life is to witness and recard the People’s fate in the dawnirorld - but also to in- fere when needed. When other mutanis lose ir resolve you ean help them find their cour age agein ~ and when they stray from the right path, you can guide them back. Roll for Inspire ‘when you wish ta help or hinder another person rolling for a skill, Help: When using this skill, you can giveall of your led 4¢ to the person you are helping. It counts as fhe had rolled them himself, and he simply adds them to the *# he did roll. This effect replaces the normal help effect (modifeation *1) Hinder: When you hinder someone, every ‘i you roll eliminates one “ rolled by your subject. If all of his are negated, his action fails. The GM can modify your Inspire rall according to y tion (page 82). bargain: ing posi Conflict: In 2 conflict, you can Inspire whenever someone around you performs an action that you ‘want to help orhinder, as long az you haven' used up your action in the tum yet. Be quick about an: nouneing this, though - you must rell to Inspire before they roll their dice Failure: If your soll fails, you everaction you're trying to he suffer the adverse effects of it. The details are up to the GM, in the way of what or hinder, and can ao Seedtes a PLAYER'S SECTION as Literate: Most of the Ark’s inhabitants can't read or write, at least not as long the Culture DEV level is low (page 101). Chroniclers are different ~ duti fully, you have maintained the knowledge of let ters, words and numbers, taught to you by the Elder when you were children. Krinis climbing wy Zone, and must rall to Move, The Chron into a talf ruined. Silas Baste Dice (Empathy 5) levei 3in Inspire}, and gets ws for Krin, who does Inspires her, He rolls fv andl three skill dice ( one M& That's very good roll any *Y herself With the encouragement Silas, she makes the climb A litte later, Krin wants to Shoat an attacking Zone-Ghoui. Silaz wants to stop her bel conPict can he resolved without shedding "Now, Krin must roll the ghoul rolls for Inspire, and gets on ar lease twa Mi ‘THE BOSS'S SKIL: COMMAND (WITS) sa Boss, you are never alone. You always have your gang of mutants nearby, ready to rush Command warks a li Size: Your skill level is an indicator of how large your gang is - every level represents about 3-4 members. State: A basic gang mostly consists of Enforcers, jaybe a Dog Handler and a Fizer. The gang members will have typical NFC state for their roles ~ see Chapter 9. You can improve their stats with talents (Chapter 4). Try to give all of your gang members roles and names. ‘Weapons: Your basic gang is armed with clubs and other improvised melee weapons. Their weaponry can also be improved with the Armed Gang talent. ‘Grub, Water and Bullets: As long as you are in the Ark, your gang members have enough grub and water to survive. If they have guns, they also have Just enotigh bullets. Out in the Zone, it's another er ~ there, you hay le food, water and members bul ts for your ga Command: Your gang members are all NPCs, un: the GM's control. But you can order “all of them or some of them - with the Command the task youBURY want done the table below, and any other Factors the GM finds relevant. Failure: IE your Command roll fails, someone in your gang rebels against you! You'll need to figh him one-on-one, to make an exam pens to anyone who questions your leadership. If you lose this fight (and live), your gang abandons ‘weeks and a successful should be at least pa: 12 Command roll sueceads, your gang individual members given the orde:) per- forms the task you want. If any of the factors in the table change during the task, you'll need ta rll Racketeering: Bosses thrive on the fear of others You can use the Command skill to derma grub and other resources from people in the Ark Decide who your target is, a takes a few hours, and you session. For every you from the list below: to Command, It only roll once per choose what you ge @ D6 bullets. 8 D6 rations of grub @ 2D6 rations of Rot-free water. 18 2D6 rations of booze. ‘You can play out the encounter, ar handle it sum- marily with a dice roll. You don't even have to go ZLETITELEL LEAL By Ree ICT peeled yourself, you can send you gang to do your dirty work for you (in this case, use the modi table above). the racketeering Command roll fails, something goes wrong. Maybe someone refuses, to pay up and attacks you, maybe your gang runs into henchmen of another Bors. Details are up to the GM. Projects: You can order your gang to work on the instead of doing the hard labor eel Listed project yourself Roll to Command for the proje Arkin Chapter 7 Read more about the projects inthe THE SLAVE'S SKILL: SHAKE IT OFF (STRENGTH) It’s the Slave's fate in life to endure pain and suf fering, As a Slave, you have | : to shake off the whether pl ;chological. You id and let the pain I for Shake it Off any time you suf ye 88), You can't use the skill against trauma suffered when you push a dice ral can shut out the outside fade avvay, fer traum: Failure: The pain is just too great, and you can't shut it out, You suffer the full amount of trauma (but no other adverse effect) Success: For every tt you roll, one point of trauma iseliminated If all trauma is eliminated, you suffer none at all, Conflict: You can use the eldll any num in a tum of a conflict ~ using the skill does nat Sra as Serre: The Fixer Si his way, and gives Er for Shake it Off and ge words and suflers n uulates the Slave Es lone point ofdoubs. Eri ef. She ignores Site ube. to getTo get a much needed edge in a world fallen into ruins you must find your own niche, something you and no one else can do, Such special abilities are called talents. Talents can affect how you use skills cor how you recover from traurna, or even let you de things that are quite simply impossible to others STARTING TALENTS You can choose one talent for your PC at the start of ss which you can choose ns on pages 26-4, the game. Your role d from —see the role desc NEW TALENTS ‘You can learn new talents by earning Experience Points (page 25). When you have earned five XP, hen this happens, you can either choose one more from the you can trade them in for a nevr talent, three available fro tor you can pick one from a set of general that are available for everyone. Only Once: Asa general nile, you can each talent once, but there are some exc: at gives her an edge in clase igth score THE ENFORCER'S TALENTS © BARGE THROUGH ‘You can Move using Strength instead of Agility Q MEAN STREAK When you Intimid: doubt, he suffers one extra point of it, someone and give your victim © SUCKER PUNCH, ‘The weapon damage of your unarmed attacks is Z THE GEARHEAD'S TALENTS © INVENTOR You get «+2 modification when you use Jury-Rig to create a new device (page 54) - but not when you repair something © MOTORHEAD You get a ‘1 modification when you use a vehicle to. ram someone (Fight) or to escape from a conflict (Move), You also get a “1 when you Jury-Rig to re pair or modify a vehicle (page 56). = Biislay Be) 41) ) © TINKERER You get a *2 modifica repair a piece of gear — but not when you build when you dury-Rig to something new THE STALKER’S TALENTS © MONSTER HUNTER You get « +2 modification when you Scout a beast of any © ROT FINDER ‘When using Find a Path you have access to a new stunt that you can choose when you roll extra # - 0 find the most Rot-free route through the sector ‘Thee Rot level counts as one step lower during this visit to the sector. © SCAVENGER ‘You get a ‘2 modification to Pind a y artifacts that may exist ina sector, swith sue you must instead get can choose whether or nat to use this talent when ‘you emtar a new sector. THE FIXER’S TALENTS @ JUICY INFO Choose one important NPC of whom you have in- cximinating information. Decide the nature of this he GM. Don't overuse information together this hold over the NPC — i could come back to haunt you. 0 VICIOUS CREEP ‘When you Manipulate someone a he suffers one extra point ofit d give him doubt, © WHEELER DEALER ‘When you use the Male a Deal skill to make small business on the side (page 57), you earn twice as much of the commodity. THE DOG HANDLER’S TALENTS © BLOODHOUND ‘You have trained your dog ta be a skille ‘You get a *2 modification when you wi to follow a track (page 58). 1 the dog dies, you lose his talen FIGHT DOG ‘You have trained your dog to be a dead ster. You get a *2 modification when you use the dog to Fight (page 58). If the dog dies, you lose this talentO MUTANTS BEST FRIEND Your dog can get you out of any trouble, It. can help you Endure and Move, Use your Sic a Dog skill level and the dog's ~ Surength and Agility, respectively. You can push the rolls normally. Any trauma is suffered by your dog instead of you, but you don't get any Mutation Foints. If the dog dies, you lose this talent. THE CHRONICLER'S TALENTS © AGITATOR ‘You get a *2 modification when you Inspire some- bt or Shoot instead of these sel tribute scores one to Fi © BONESAW “You have learned the art of sawing bones and sew- ing skin ~all inthe interest of saving lives, of course You get a +2 modification when you rel critical injury (page 90), but not when tending to someone who is broken by trauma 0 PERFORMER Once per session, if you! 12 Ark, you can perform for the People. You can tell a story by a trashcan fire, recite poetry ot singa song. Roll to Inspire. Every “gives you D6 bullets or rations of grub, A failed roll means someone doesn't ap- preciate your art, THE BOSS'S TALENTS © COMMANDER ‘You get a*2 modification when you order your gang to fight for you. You don’t get the modification in any other situations, nor for racketeering © GUNSLINGERS ‘The members of your gang all have scrap guns (pis- tole or rifles). As long as they'ze in the Ark, they have enough bullets to get by (but not more). In the Zone however, you have to supply the bullets, 0 RACKETEER You get a +2 modification when you use the Com- mand skill for racketeering in the Ark (page 61), but nat for other uses, THE SLAVE'S TALENTS @ CYNIC Youget a +2 modification to Endure, but only when suffering doubt (and for no other kinds of trauma), © REBEL When rolling to Endure, for every ‘* you roll, you 1 +] modification to your next action. You must use this bonus at the earliest possible opportunity ~ that is, the current tum or the next ifyou already acted in the tum, © RESILIENT You get a *@ modification to Endure, but anly when suffering damage (end for no other kinds of trauma), GENERAL TALENTS © ADMIRER One NPC is very impressed by you, and will do anything to help you or just to be near you. C this NPC together wit © ARCHEOLOGIST You get a 2 modification when taying to Compre hend a ruined building or other installation from the Old Age. © ASSASSIN When you Shoot someone and hit the target suffers one extra point of damage - but only if you fire at Near range or at Arms Length. © BAD OMENS ‘You can Scout using Empathy instead of Wits, © BODYGUARD IE someone Shoots at and hits a person at Arms Length or Near you, you can dive in to take the bullet. Roll to Move. It doesn't count as an action in conflict. If you roll ane or more 4 you tale the hit instead of your friend. You can push the rol © BUTCHER When you've killed a monster in the Zone, you Gan extract a number of rations of grub fram the carcass = Bis]equal to the creature's original Strength. It doesn't ‘work on swarms (page 176). The meat will usually be contaminated by the Rot. That means its « good idea to combine this talent with Zone Cook. are © COMBAT VETERAN = ‘You keep your 03 jlunderfire and can actel ‘when your enemy hesitates. This means you g add +2 to your initiative roll (page 78). You can also use this talent te increase your initiative score by *2 during combat - but this will cost you a maneuver. You can this es many times as you like during a confict. Q COOL HEAD ‘You can Mave with Wits instead of Agili © COUNSELOR ‘When you help someone, he gets an extra +1 modi- fication - but only if he is doing something you © COWARD I someone Shoots st you snd rolls a hit jake cover behind a friend at Arms wa The friend has to accept taking s hit for you. Roll to Mave. It doesn’t count as an action, If the sssful, the shot hits your friend instead © FAST DRAW ‘You can draw your weapon so fast it doesnt cast (page 80) 0 FLYWEIGHT When you defend yourself in close combat 84), you can use Agility instead of Strength age © GADGETEER You get a +2 modification when you try to Compre hend an artifact from the Old Age. © GOOD FOOTWORK You geta ‘2 modification when you defend in close combat (page 84), © HARD HITTER You get a +2 modification to Fight if you sacrifice ‘your maneuver in the turn, You cart use the talent fo ying © WORKHORSE You get a +2 modification when you work on project in the Ark (Chapter 7). © JACK OF ALL TRADES You adopt a new role and immediate level 1 in the specialist skill of that role, You keep ‘your curzent tkilllavel inthe specialist eel of your ole, bt youcan no longer improve it You aleo those of your talents that ate specific to the achieve skill sole, but you can’t get new talents tied to the ake sense in the story for you to getthe naw role. For example, to become @ Boss you need to Bnd a gang that will fellow you Litation: This talent requires more experience than others. You can't get it until you hat at least three other talents fret leaned © LIGHT EATER ‘You need only to eat o avoid losing Strength, ration of grub per day to © LONER ‘You can recover lost Empathy (page 88) without the company of others all you need is to be by yourself for a few hours Q NEVER SURRENDER ‘When you aze broken by damage (your Strength hits zero), you can get bi anyone Healing you, Roll ta Enc but without Base Dice (your Strength being zero). For every t you roll, you get one point of Strength back cari keep fighting a little while longer. You can't push the roll, The talent has no effect against serious or eritical injuries. fon your feet immedi- ately, witha Q PACK MULE ‘You cancarry twice as many objects as normal with- out being encumbered (page 23). © PERSONAL ARITHMETIC ‘You can Sense Emotion with Wits instead of Empathy. 0 SHARPSHOOTER ‘When you Shoot someone and hit, the target suffers point of damage - but only if you fire at Long or Distant range © SLEEPLESS ‘You can recover lost Wits by several other means than slesping (page 90} © dury-Rig a device (page 54). © Enter an unexplored sector of the Zone id an artefact, © sToIc 3 You can Endure using Wits instead of Strength. ‘ © THERAPIST ‘You get a "2 modification when you Heal someone wha is broken by daubs, © WEAPON SPECIALIST You're an expert at using s certain type of wespon he weapoa lists (page 86) or an fact. When you use this weapon, you get a 12 jcation. You can choose this tales choose one from eral times, once for each weapon type. You can he a specialist at fighting unarmed or at using a “blunt ob- ~ there are plenty of © ZONE COOK You have mastered the art of cooking contaminated food feom the Zone well enough © purge it from the Rot You can also purify con- taminated water. Roll to Know the Zone ~ every "@ rolled puries D6 re tions of grub or water. COMBAT VETERANMUTATIONS Your mutations are your tramp cards, superhuman and unstoppable powers wired into your very DNA. No one in the Arke- except maybe the Elder knows their origin. Can the answer be found in the place of myth called Eden? You get one mutation at the star of th and you can develop more later, during play. You n't get to choose your mutations - they are ran- dom, and you draw 8 Mutation Card or roll dice on the table below to determine which you g ACTIVATING MUTATIONS “When you activate a mutation, no one can stop yous and you never risk failure, Most mut several effects ~ you mus them you want to use. To activate your mutation, younged a Mutation Point (MP) ~ or more than one, to increase the effec. 8 At the beginning of every game session, you get.a number of MP equal to the number of rutations you have @ You can win more MPby pushing a dice roll (page 44), 8 You can save MP from one session to the mex. © You can never have more than 10 MP. Conflict: In a conflict (Chapter 6), activating a m tation usually counts as an action. This is not true for reactive and enhancing effects, read more about those below. MISFIRE That you can't fail when using a mutation doesn't mean it's without risk Ri MP you use ta activate ormore 4b, the mutation mishres effect, but something else happens too. Rell one Basic Die to ee Your muon! powers un amok, ond you suer one point of 4¢ permanent uma, You choose which otriute i oficed Ata some time, you daveep a ew muaion. You wflerthe efecto the mutton ond ike os much 4 owmcaryourtrget.#the mation dooertcavee sumo you ge dierent caveat lin the nent un ll ane Basic Die for each mutation. Ifyou rell one Irhas its desired The mutton consumes neice the mount of MP you 3. intended 1 spend! on - withou foereasing the eee. You can'tdrop below save ME, The muon locks down ctor this use. You conse it ‘again for tha ret ofthe easton The mutaon donges your appearance axe way You 5 Choos how. Tea cay ome, bul poorer The metoson ot sperchorged You gat bockthe MP po ap iste ad yu dn rma oy ~in hea ie — cies fe some matson ain, agaia he same tage or onater tt pep Bilal L*, = hlmanently reduced by one step. ‘This means your and mind will slow! erate, as you get ‘what it means to be a mutant degen: more mutated. This is New Mutations: When you manifest a new muta tion, just draw one new Mutation Card or roll once on the mutations table in this cha never have more than four mut on page 25. Naphta has the Fle MP to fry an enemy ina cascade of wree Basic Dice and gets one - mis one Baste Die and gets 2 3 meaning ne Breather mutation she loses another three MP, She only had fou vith, meaning she’s now dawn to zero, Her o start target takes three points of damage from the attack REACTIVE EFFECTS Some mutations have what sactive effects tive effect any time you want, and any number of listed Raieatlagin meee lee does not count as an action or as a maneuver — all you need is MP to spar ENHANCING EFFECTS Another type of mutation effect ie the enhancing elect. These are marked (E). You hancing effect at an action or a maneuver, to enhance it. Using an ct does not count as an action or a the same time as you perform maneuver in iteelE When using an enhancing effect with a skill roll, roll for the mutation first and then for the skill. NPCs AND MUTATIONS Mutations for NI Ary NPCe with more than one do exist PCs are handled exactly as for PCs NPC mutant has one mutation, but there then the GM introduces a new mutant NPC she can draw Muta- tion Card(@) orrell on the table to determine which mutation(s) he has ~ or simply pick something appropriate. If the NPC's mutations GM's uses the cards to determine an ould be shufled back into NPCs can draw the Mutation Points: Normally, an NPC enters the game with three MP. This is not an absolute rule verful mutants can have more MP from start ‘The GM keeps track of MP for NPCs just like the players do for their PCs, but there is one diffe ho MP for all NPCs are restored to their starting 1e at the end of every session, ACID SPIT Glands in your mouth generate 2 pot You 1 Spi acid ata 1 MP, deals one point of damage directly and target at up to Near range. Costs Move. Armor works against the acid, @ Use your acid to melt a thin rope or bar, ora small object. Costs 1 M1 @ Open a simple lock. Costs 1 MP. VII TITIL ELL EEE Tue sea Beers ak ee Peete ees Pee een ersee MUTATIONS LIST 266 MUTAKION 1 Acid Sp 12 Amphition 13 Corpeefor 14 Exreme Reis Teena ceae: 16 Farmed a Frog lege 22 Hon ogre! 23 Harman Pont 24 Iai 25. eel Wings 26 luminacence 21 Marbeos! 52 Mind Fro 3 Poppet 4 Parle 35. Pothokness 320M" Prete 41 Bepiion 42 ‘Rebbe ew 44 Spaves =u 46 Tlpathy 31 Tce 5266 ie Stet AMPHIBIAN ‘Your body has inherited traits from fishes and rép- tiles, making you equally at home under water as th this mutation, you ean: © Bresthe underwater for a few minutes. Cos LMP. You sw fh, Jely and smoothly like a © Use your slippery scales ta absorb damage [3 from external stacks, Every MP spent elimi nates one point of damage. (R) © Bite an enemy at Arm's Length with your numerous, small and very sharp teeth. It inflicts damage equal to the number of MP you spend CORPSE-EATER Your metabolism is abnormally robust, as well ac your jaws and teeth. You cans 3 raw meat, even several days after the out suffering Rot Points jame counts as one ration b each, Bigger erestures ~ or human ids — count as two rations © Bite a victim at Arm’s Length. The attack inflicts damage equal to the number of MP spent. INSECTOPLAYER'S SECTION EXTREME REFLEXES ‘You have superhuman reflexes, an * to your initiative rol a of s confit, You can even use this effect to increase you initiative score by 1S during combat ~ but then it will cost you a maneuver. 9 Fight or Shoot an enemy several times in the costs you 1 MP. ) eo ‘@ Dodge when someone Fights you, or Shoots 0 c at you. Every MP sy duces the damage J HUMAN MAGNET you take by one. You must activate the effect before you roll for armor (page 88). (R) FLAME BREATHER ‘You can spew out Rammuble gases and ignite them om the way through your gullet to creste a deadly cascade of fire, You can: 8 Set fire to a Rammable object. Costs | MP. 1 Spew fire at an enemy at up to Near range. You inflict damage equal to the number of MP you spend, @ Breath fire at a mumber of enemies equal to MP spent. Each one takes one point of damage. FOUR-ARMED ‘You have four arms rather than @ Fight twice in a ow, in extra attack costs you L P and your maneu- ver for the tum. (E) @ Defend yourself against several close combat attacks in the same tur. B the first one costs you 1 MP. (E) @ Climb with ease. You ean spend 1 MP instead svery defense alter of rolling te Move when performing diffeult climb. FROG LEGS With your powerful, frogrlike leg muscles you can perform superhuman leaps. You can: or 1S vertically. 8 dump about 30" horizont Costs 1 MP, 4 Leap on an enemy at up to Short range and ly Fight them in the same turn. I will cost you 1 MP and your maneuver for the immedi @ Get out of a dangerous situation by jump- ing to safety. Spend 1 MP instead of rolling