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11

MDDERN ACTIDN RDLE•PLAYINli GAME

MIKE MYLER

A What's O.L.D. Is N.E.W. Core Rulebook by Mike Myler Artists Bartlomiej Fedyczak, Bien Flores, Felipe Gaona,

Additional Text by Russ Morrissey

Carl Holden, Darren Morrissey, Claudio Pozas,

WOIN System Design by Russ Morrissey

Alida Saxon, Carly Sorge, jupeart, Dabarti CGI,

Art Directors Alida Saxon, Gayle Reick

cigdem, Yuttana Samol, diversepixel, denisgo.

Art Commissioned by Savage Mojo

Some art © 2004 Ed Bourelle. Used with permission. www.bourellearts.com Also includes artwork in the public domain.

Layout and Graphic Design by Eric Life-Putnam ©2017–2018 EN Publishing ENP0301 • Version 1.2b • ISBN 978-1-912007-71-4

At EN Publishing, we actively encourage What’s O.L.D. Is N.E.W. fans and third-party publishers to create and/or sell WOIN-compatible content, including WOIN sourcebooks, adventures, resources, expansions, and so on; even electronic applications! The license is free, and you don’t need to ask permission or apply to use it— head to woinrpg.com for license information and terms, and start creating!

i

Table of Contents N.O.W. Modern Action Roleplaying Game Introduction............................................. 1

Cybernetics.......................................................30

N.O.W. IS…...........................................................2 FOREWORD........................................................3 Welcome to N.O.W...............................................5 What You Need....................................................5

Organic Limitations................................................... 30 Cybernetic Alterations.............................................. 30

Example of Play............................................................ 6

How to Play..........................................................6 “Rule Zero”.................................................................... 8

About this Book..................................................8 The Setting...........................................................9 N.O.W. What’s O.L.D. Is N.E.W.................................... 9

Repeating Careers...................................................... 36 Career List................................................................... 37 Occult & Magic............................................................ 42 Martial Arts & Chi...................................................... 55

Martial Arts.......................................................56

A Brief Glossary..................................................9 Setting the Tone................................................ 11 Default Assumptions........................................ 12

Martial Arts Careers.................................................. 56 Universal Martial Arts Exploits................................. 56 Once per Turn...............................................................61 Paying for Effects..........................................................61

That Seems Familiar!................................................. 12

A Fistful of Chi..................................................62

Chapter 1 Action Careers.......................................... 13 About This Chapter........................................... 14 Character Creation........................................... 14 Total Checklist............................................................ 15 Descriptor................................................................... 15 Character Creation Walkthrough.............................. 15

Attributes.......................................................... 16 Attributes & Dice Pools.............................................. 16 Example Descriptors....................................................16

Grade................................................................. 18 Skills.................................................................. 18 Starting Grade..............................................................18 Skill Notation.............................................................. 20 Skill Levels.................................................................. 20

Heritage.............................................................20 Attributes.................................................................... 21 Gender & Ethnicity.................................................... 21 Humans....................................................................... 21 Chosen......................................................................... 22 Mutant......................................................................... 23 Augmented................................................................. 23

Mutations..........................................................24 Dice!............................................................................. 27 Mutations & Power Levels.......................................... 27 Optional Profession.................................................... 29

ii

Origins...............................................................34 Careers..............................................................36

CHI Attribute.............................................................. 62 Stances........................................................................ 62

Universal Exploits............................................65 Age.....................................................................68 Young Characters....................................................... 68 Old Characters............................................................ 68

Trait...................................................................69 Derived Statistics.............................................. 71 Recording Dice Pools................................................. 71 Cinematic Mode...........................................................71 Careers & Defensive Skills........................................ 73

Equip Your Character.......................................73 Attacks...............................................................73 Advancement.................................................... 74 Defeating Enemies and Overcoming Challenges... 75 Planning...................................................................... 75 Completing Milestones............................................. 75 Incremental Advances............................................... 75 Age............................................................................... 75

Chapter 2 Modern Equipment.................................... 77 About This Chapter...........................................78 Starting Money.................................................78 It’s the Real World!...................................................... 78

Equipment, Skills, and Quality........................79 Currency...................................................................... 79

Table of Contents

Item Quality in Context.............................................. 80 Selling Gear................................................................ 81 Facilities and Quality................................................. 81

General Gear..................................................... 81 Improvised Equipment................................................81

Weapons............................................................84 Resistance.................................................................... 84 Vulnerability............................................................... 84 Damage Types............................................................ 85 Weapon Traits............................................................. 86 Special Ammunition.................................................. 87 Melee Weapons.......................................................... 87 Melee Weapons and Size............................................ 88 Eastern (Martial Arts) Weapons............................... 89 Archaic Weapons........................................................ 89 Firearms...................................................................... 91 Firearms Terminology................................................ 92 Hi Ho, Silver!...............................................................101 Weapon Upgrades and Customization.................. 105 Aiming Aids............................................................... 105

Armor.............................................................. 106 Armor Upgrades and Customization..................... 108

Shields............................................................. 109 Vehicles........................................................... 110 Vehicle Statistics.......................................................110 Converting Vehicles...............................................117 Pimp My Ride............................................................118 Converting Vehicles, continued................................118

Food and Services...........................................124 Gadgets............................................................124

Chapter 3 Modern Core............................................ 129 Playing the Game............................................ 130 The Attribute Check........................................ 131 Making an Attribute Check..................................... 131 Forming the Dice Pool............................................. 132 Equipment Quality.................................................. 132 Maximum Dice Pools.............................................. 132 Difficulty Benchmarks............................................ 133 Group Checks............................................................ 133 Indirect Skills............................................................. 133 The Math.................................................................... 133 Complications.......................................................... 134 Critical Successes..................................................... 134 Opposed Checks...................................................... 134 Extended Tasks......................................................... 135 Contests..................................................................... 136 Task Lexicon.............................................................. 136

Common Tasks............................................... 137 Chases & Races......................................................... 137 Chemistry................................................................. 138 Computing................................................................ 139 Interrogations........................................................... 139 Medicine................................................................... 140 Tracking.................................................................... 141 Tailing....................................................................... 141 Countdowns............................................................. 142

The Role of Luck.............................................. 143 Leadership................................................................ 143 Replenishing Luck................................................... 143 What Luck Represents.............................................. 143 Forming a Luck Pool................................................. 143 Other Uses of Luck................................................... 144

iii

Table of Contents Combat............................................................ 144 The Combat Sequence............................................. 144 Actions and Turns.................................................... 145 The Ambush Turn..................................................... 145 Movement................................................................. 146 Long-Distance Travel................................................ 146 Important Combat Actions..................................... 147 Making an Attack......................................................147 Dual-Wielding.......................................................... 148 Positional Effects...................................................... 149

Vehicle Combat............................................... 151 Initiative.................................................................... 151 Movement................................................................. 151 Turning...................................................................... 151 Actions....................................................................... 151 Firing Weapons........................................................ 153 Collisions.................................................................. 153 Spinning Out............................................................ 154 Stunts......................................................................... 154

Injury & Death................................................ 154 Health Damage........................................................ 155 Recovering Health................................................ 155 Conditions................................................................ 156

Illnesses & Disease......................................... 156 List of Conditions.......................................................157

Objects............................................................. 160 The Environment............................................ 161 Example Areas...........................................................163 Theater of the Mind Combat.................................... 164 Stunt Areas................................................................ 165 Example Stunt Areas.................................................165

iv

Chapter 4 Modern Worlds........................................ 167 Building a World............................................. 168 Designing a Setting......................................... 168 Using Other Materials...............................................169

Settlements and Countries............................ 170 Agents and Organizations.............................. 174 Organization Exploits...............................................177 Types of Organizations.............................................178 Sample Organization................................................179

Designing a New Heritage.............................. 179 Dhampir.................................................................... 184

Designing a Career......................................... 185 Designing Foes................................................ 186 Vampire Slayer...........................................................186

Creating Campaigns....................................... 194

Appendixes............................................. 197 Appendix A: The Alpha Squad....................... 198 Appendix B: Monsters & Minions..................204 Appendix C: How to Make an Entrance........ 225 Getting Started......................................................... 225 The Van...................................................................... 226 Open Sesame............................................................. 226 Cedar’s Pavilion....................................................... 226 Escape....................................................................... 228 Zombies!.................................................................... 230 What Next?................................................................ 230

Index....................................................... 231

Introduction

1

Introduction

N.O.W. IS… Intense battles against overwhelming odds! High tech gadgets and one-of-akind vehicles! Leaping across rooftops while evading and fighting off ninjas! Private eyes who take on any job, big or small, so long as it pays! Secret organizations moving to control the world through business and politics! Technology-laden thieves who steal from wealthy society to give to the poor! Roaming mercenaries seeking fortune, for themselves or for the downtrodden! Investigators who root out corruption in their own cities, but find much more! Battlefields rippling with explosions and filled with dynamic combatants! Teams of crime fighters facing off against criminal syndicates and shadow cartels! Spies clashing on rooftops, at ostentatious events, and in the shadows of society!

2

Artificially enhanced government operatives working deep behind enemy lines! Explorers uncovering ancient ruins in search of forgotten lore and treasure galore! Precisely executed covert operations in war-torn lands! Martial artists performing incredible feats and fighting with deadly efficiency! Mavericks chasing down those who flee the law, going places G-men can’t! Vigilantes who stalk city streets in the long hours of the night! The vestiges of the O.L.D. and the beginnings of the N.E.W.!

Introduction

FOREWORD I first met Morrus at the 2013 ENnies. I was a young spitfire game designer with a penchant for weird things and a work ethic that can’t be beat (yay hard labor), and looking back, I can honestly tell you that I did not anticipate writing an entire game system for EN World at the time—I was mostly preoccupied with being there and starting to be somebody.   In a lot of ways, I was like a first level character. I like to think I’m level two at this point.   N.O.W. started developing half a year ago (as of this Foreword being penned, anyway) while the breakaway What’s O.L.D. Is N.E.W. Kickstarter blew through stretch goals and funding ramped up to places Morrus didn’t know what to do with—as soon as he solicited ideas I put together a robust outline prepared with different ideas. What stuck was one for a game about action movies, a topic very close to my heart. I’m such a fan that I went to school for Film Studies, and if we aren’t talking Gilliam, chances are good my favorite films fall into the shoot-em-up and exploding things genre. I’ve written academic papers about Last Action Hero, collected and watched every Jackie Chan film (even The Spy Next Door), and generally made it my thing to cheese out with action flicks. I cannot explain how wildly excited I was when Morrus put me on as a stretch goal, or how crazy amazing it felt when we broke that level of funding. This is by far my biggest foray into game design thus far (am I allowed to plug Veranthea Codex here?) and I literally feel like bouncing off the walls (and did at first) whenever I think about N.O.W.— I reckon that after playing it, you will as well.   Taking this bound was not a simple thing, however, and several people need to be thanked directly for their contributions. Jonathan G. Nelson, owner of AdventureAWeek. com, is chief amongst them, alongside Owen K. C. Stephens and L. J. Stephens of Rogue Genius Games. The former saw a diamond in the rough and has been polishing it ever since, and the latter pair have been providing all the mentoring Jonathan skips over. Russell Morrissey, master of EN  World and EN Publishing, also deserves a shout-out alongside all of the membership of EN World and everyone who backed the What’s O.L.D. is N.E.W. Kickstarter!   And milady of course, Stephanie, for convincing me to make that first pitch. You are amazing, female.   Anyway, forget all of that! Shoot things, punch through walls, and start piling up dead bad guys N.O.W.!

What’s O.L.D. Is N.E.W. —Mike Myler

P.S.: Thanks again to Morrus for giving me a title I can be punny with N.O.W. and then. P.P.S.: R ight N.O.W. I’m in the rough draft of revisions and wanted to let yins know that I’m still not tired of that pun.

3

Introduction

“N

ot one of you respects the

  The young girl is not amused. “It was not

  armory, and I’m going to shove a

mischief.”

  golf club up the backside of the next

  Just as Lady Anarchy hefts back a lead-core

person who sweats all over a bench and doesn’t

hockey puck, the door to the armory slams open

clean it up. You are not children—clean up af-

with a kick. A bandaged Mack Marlowe, his trench-

ter yourselves.” Lady Anarchy hefts her bag of

coat rife with bullet holes, stands supported on

bloodied sports equipment up onto a work table,

the shoulder of the team’s leader, Duke Roosevelt.

inspecting a gouge in her tungsten carbide hockey

Both look at the hockey-masked vigilante and say

blade. “Oh and Senny, what the hell was that?”

in unison, “don’t.”

  Eternal Senpai, the youngest among them, a

  The old soldier walks Mack over to the ex-

teenage girl not yet four feet tall but with the

private eye’s locker, pulling out a carafe of aged

demeanor of an old man, shrugs. “They should not

whiskey and pouring two tumblers full of it be-

have done what they did. It is a simple thing.”

fore addressing the team. “You all did good today.

Lady Anarchy’s expression under her hockey

Though she’s right, Senpai—pull a stunt like that

mask can’t be seen, but it can certainly be heard.

again and we’ll find a new ninja. How did we do on

“For littering? You endanger an operation that

intel, Alejandra?”

took months of planning because some idiot

  As she gulps down the last of her first glass

tossed a balled-up burger wrapper out their car

of champagne the hacker waves her hand in the

window? It was absolutely necessary to sprint

air, the metal of her fingers forming into playful

after their car?”

streamers. “All good, boss! We’ve got warehouse

  Once more the diminutive and ever calm young

schedules, some behind-the-scenes payroll, and

woman merely nods as if it were the most normal

maybe a few contacts I can dig out of their net

thing in the world. “I believe that they learned a

activity. Should be able to hit them again before

most important lesson.”

the week is out.”

  Seeing the rage building up in his street-bred

  Duke nods, his stark white hair like snow against

ally, a slender gentleman in a slightly rumpled

the blood—not his own—spilled during the hectic

tuxedo holds up both hands, gesturing to each of

highway car chase just thirty minutes ago. “After

his quarrelling compatriots. “Ladies, please! The

you’re done with that bottle, get on it. Everybody

engagement proceeded, we succeeded, and all

get some rest, check your gear, and be ready to

is well. There’s positively no reason for this argu-

head out again before dawn tomorrow.”

ment to continue.”   “As usual, Ben’s right.” Alejandra says, appearing from around the corner with a bottle of champagne in one hand. Her other hand—the cybernetic one—is reconfigured into a bottle opener and she laughs as it winches the thing open. “Nobody’s dead, the getaway vehicle can be salvaged, and we’re in a good place to make our next move. Let little Senpai have her little trastada.”

4

Introduction

Welcome to N.O.W. N.O.W. is a modern-day roleplaying game, set in a very exciting version of the present or near-present. Players take on the roles of action heroes and play through scenarios presented to them by a Game Master (GM). The GM creates the universe, the places, the allies and enemies who populate the world, and the adventures that the player characters (PCs) will encounter.   N.O.W. is set in the modern era, at some indeterminate time in the late 20th or early 21st century. Whether there are cell phones or car phones, laptops or DOS, smart links or phone jacks, wireless Internet or broadcast television is ultimately up to you, though the rules for using nearfuture and near-past technology are all included here.   In N.O.W. you’ll create a character and adventure across the globe with characters created by other players. Your characters might be private eyes, mercenaries, covert ops specialists, spies, loner badasses, masters of martial arts, or vigilantes. You could be Human, Augmented in some way, a Mutant, or a Designed experiment. Each player creates his or her own player character, decides on a personality, abilities, and attributes, and plays that character through numerous adventures.   N.O.W. allows you to blow up your enemies in style, perform fantastic feats of martial prowess, root out corruption in the dark streets of the city, uncover duplicitous organizations bent on world domination, or make your way across the world as a soldier for hire.

What You Need To play N.O.W. each player will need the following:

•• A selection of six-sided dice (referred to as “d6s”). •• A character sheet (you can photocopy the one in this book or download one from the internet; at worst, a sheet of scrap paper will do).

•• If the GM is using battlemaps to display combat positioning, a small miniature, token, or figurine to represent your character. You can find these in most game stores, but pennies or chess pieces will do in an emergency.

•• If you are the GM, you will need a copy of this book and some kind of scenario or adventure, such as How to Make an Entrance, included herein as Appendix C.

5

Introduction

How to Play This book provides you with the core rules of play. It tells

will be more difficult than others, and some characters

you how to create characters, adjudicate challenges and

will be better at certain types of activity than others.

combat, and more.

  As your character makes his or her way through adven-

  During a game of N.O.W. the GM will describe the en-

tures across the globe, there will be money and equipment

vironment and events of the game world, and the players

to find or earn and Experience Points (XP) to be gained.

will describe what their characters do within that sce-

These XP can be spent to improve your character’s capa-

nario in a collaborative story-telling manner. Often the

bilities by purchasing new careers, and they are awarded

success of an action is not guaranteed, at which point you

to characters by the GM when the characters complete

will use your dice to determine the outcome. Some tasks

storylines or defeat challenges and enemies.

Example of Play David, Linda, Lucy, and Dirk are playing Duke Roosevelt,

  David (playing Duke): Wait, what? Outside? Planning

Eternal Senpai, Alejandra Vanistos, and Ben Madjos, re-

on going somewhere?

spectively, in an adventure being run by Sigourney, the

  Dirk (playing Ben): You wait and see! It’s from my days

GM. The group is preparing for an attack by the Crimson

at MI-6. It has a few tricks.

Sparrows, a sinister and villainous organization. They’ve

  Lucy (playing Alejandra): By “trick” do you mean “ma-

selected an abandoned warehouse where they plan to

chine guns”?

ambush their foes, and Ben Madjos, international super-

  Dirk (playing Ben): (grins) And other things. I’ll be ready

spy, has used his contacts to ensure the Sparrows know

to gun the engine and charge in from behind.

exactly where to find them.

  Sigourney (the GM): OK. So Senpai is above the en-

  Sigourney (the GM): It’s evening now. You’re in the

trance, and Ben is in the old Aston Martin parked outside.

warehouse you selected at the end of Goldacre Street.

That leaves Alejamdra and Duke. Where are you guys?

According to Ben’s sources, the Sparrows plan their at-

  Lucy (playing Alejandra): I’ll be ready with my pistol

tack any minute now. How are you readying yourselves?

behind some crates on the balcony, off to the left as they

  David (playing Duke): We need to set up an ambush. Is

come in.

there an upper level to this building?

  David (playing Duke): And I’ll be directly opposite the

  Sigourney (the GM): There’s a balcony running round

entrance. I want them to be able to see me so that I can

the inside about 30 feet above you. It’s about 15 feet

draw them in.

wide, and it's cluttered with crates and boxes.

  Sigourney (the GM): You’re all set, and just in time.

  Linda (playing Eternal Senpai): Good. Plenty of cover

Ben, you hear the sound of engines outside—the Crim-

for you gunslingers. I’ll be right in the middle of the ac-

son Sparrows are here! Around the corner, a small truck

tion, of course! Does the balcony extend above the

drives into view. On the back you can see six ninjas clad

entranceway? I’d like to be able to jump down into the

in black, with the signature red headband of the Spar-

bad guys from above.

rows. They're armed with swords and submachine guns.

  Sigourney (the GM): It does indeed. The jump would be

  Dirk (playing Ben): Grrr. I’m fairly sure ninjas don’t

about 30 feet though.

traditionally use Uzis … ah well. I raise one eyebrow ironi-

  Linda (playing Eternal Senpai): No problem. I'll use my

cally, and then alert the others using my radio.

death from above exploit and some of my Chi power; I

  David (playing Duke): Everyone who needs to be, get

won’t be hurt by the drop. The bad guys will be, though!

into cover!

  Sigourney (the GM): Right. So Senpai is on the balcony

  Sigourney (the GM): I believe Eternal Senpai and Ale-

above the entrance. Where are the rest of you?

jandra are hiding. Duke is remaining clearly visible as bait.

Dirk (playing Ben): I will be in my car, outside.

6

Ben, are you trying to remain hidden in your car?

Introduction

  Dirk (playing Ben): You betcha. I won’t be much of a

  Dirk (playing Ben): Let’s see what this puppy can do!

surprise if they see me!

I open fire with the Aston Martin’s machine guns at the

  Sigourney (the GM): Great. Then I need Agility checks

the three ninjas still outside! Here we go … Agility 3d6 … I

from Senpai, Alejandra, and Ben. Ben, add your stealth

need a bit of luck, though, so I’ll use up 2d6 out of my Luck

skill to your dice pool. You too, Alejandra.

pool to make sure this one counts. I roll 19.

  (All: Various rolls are made, and the results are report-

  Linda (playing Eternal Senpai): And I leap down on the

ed; Lucy makes an unlucky low roll for Alejandra.)

three inside the entranceway, summoning up my Chi for

  Sigourney (the GM): The truck rolls to a stop outside

a devastating attack! It’s Agility for me, too, plus my

the warehouse, and the Crimson Sparrows disembark.

martial arts skill. This is what I’m really good at! I roll 21!

They clearly haven’t seen Ben. Fanning out, three enter

It’s a shame Lady Anarchy isn’t here … she’d make mince-

the building. They spot Duke immediately, and one of

meat of these guys with her golf clubs and stuff!

them points up at Alejandra behind the crates.

  Sigourney (the GM): They’re both excellent rolls, and

  David (playing Duke): What is it they say? No plan sur-

both of your attacks succeed. Ben, your car’s machine

vives first contact with the enemy? Anyway, I grin, take

guns tear into the ninjas in front of you; Senpai, you land

a puff of my cigar, and wave cheerfully at them. Let’s

among the ones in the warehouse and lash out with fist

spring the ambush!

and foot! Roll some damage and let me know about any

  Sigourney (the GM): Only Ben and Senpai get to act in

other effects from your attacks!

the Ambush Turn. The rest of you don’t, unfortunately,

  David (playing Duke): I do love it when a plan comes

because you’ve been spotted!

together …

7

Introduction

About this Book This book is the main rulebook for N.O.W.: The Role-

exploding pens to talking supercars to tricked out

playing Game. Using this book, you can run a campaign

18-wheelers. You will also find rules on how to pit

focused on settings and challenges that reflect the action movie genre. It describes how to create characters, ad-

vehicles against each other in combat.

•• 3: Modern Core. This section describes how to run

judicate the game, run combat, and design settings and

a game of N.O.W. It covers the core game mechanics,

adventures, among other things. The book is divided into

including attribute checks and countdown pools,

four main chapters.

•• 1: Action Careers. The first section of the book deals

and the combat rules, along with details on the environment, objects, and movement. It also includes

with character creation. It takes you through the

information on Chi and a selection of mooks and

process of generating new player characters from

minions for use in the game.

start to finish, including attributes, heritage, careers,

•• 4: Modern Worlds. The final section of the book

and more, as well as detailing equipment, armor,

contains guidelines for designing your own setting,

and weapons that player characters can purchase.

heritages, careers, combat locales, and enemies. It

•• 2: Modern Equipment. In this section, you’ll

also contains rules for creating, joining, and run-

find rules for buying, customizing, building, and

ning organizations. It is a GM’s toolkit for campaign

ultimately using equipment of all kinds—from

and adventure design.

“Rule Zero” The GM is the final arbiter of what happens in the game. If a rule needs to be interpreted, it is the GM who decides how to resolve it. At times, the GM may need to create new rules, or alter existing rules. In other words, the rules in this book should be viewed as guidelines, and should not interfere with or be a hindrance to your game-playing.   The ultimate goal of this game—like that of any game—is to enjoy it and have fun. There is no right or wrong way to play N.O.W. If you’re all enjoying yourselves, you’re playing it correctly.

8

Introduction

The Setting

A Brief Glossary

N.O.W. is set in a recent time period, the present, or the

This is a short introduction to some of the terms you’ll

very near future. That world might be our own world, or

encounter throughout this book. These elements are

it might be a fictional one of your own devising. It might

building blocks for a character—some bigger, some small-

be small in scale, encompassing only a small town in

er—that when put together create an overall picture.

Colorado as Communist forces make landfall, it might en-

  Attributes. Attributes represent a range of core mea-

compass an entire seaboard with a cast of villains, or be a

surable facets of your character in numerical form. These

globe-trotting thrill ride that takes the characters across

attributes are Strength, Agility, Endurance, Intu-

the entire world. Here are some examples of settings:

ition, Logic, Willpower, Charisma, Luck, and Chi,

•• The world was ruined by war, and civilization has fallen. Even the forces of battling warlords are

plus a couple of optional attributes which depend on the campaign model. The higher an attribute, the more your

unlikely to sleep with a belly full of food rather than

character exemplifies that attribute.

lead. Experts and mercenaries are the most valuable

  Attribute Check. Most activities in the game are based

resources in toppling these tyrants, and the only

around an attribute check. This is a test whereby one of

real hope of the downtrodden citizens of Earth.

your attributes helps determine how many dice you get

•• In the digital age, information is absolute power.

to roll to accomplish a task such as shooting at an enemy

Corporations have risen to the fore of global politics,

soldier or lifting a heavy object.

overshadowing or entirely replacing governments

  Benchmark. The difficulty of an in-game task is de-

across the world. Those with enough gumption to

scribed by its benchmark. This is a descriptive word and

get off the streets are the pawns of society’s elite,

numerical value (such as Challenging [13]) which is the

working with blackhats and expatriated soldiers in

target value for an attribute check. Any attribute check

unending (and bloody) corporate warfare.

result that matches or exceeds the benchmark numerical

•• The world of espionage is a deadly, secretive one.

value is a success.

Superspies operate alone or in small, elite teams,

  Career. A career is a temporary building block which

thwarting the devious plans of their foes with wits,

helps form your character’s development. Characters take

ingenuity, and an arsenal of hi-tech gadgets.

careers for periods of time during character generation

•• Lone survivors, thought dead by their retreating

as the process works its way through his life. Each career

allies, are deep in enemy territory with no chance

affects his attributes and skills. For example, a few years

of backup or rescue. Left without recourse, fighting

spent training in a dojo in downtown Brooklyn might

for their freedom is all they can do; or will a small

enhance a character’s martial skills. At any given time, a

force of determined warriors be enough to turn the

character will have a current career.

tide of the greater conflict?

  Chi. Chi is an attribute which represents a character’s mastery of an inner, supernatural power. Chi can repre-

N.O.W. What’s O.L.D. Is N.E.W.

  d6. A “d6” is a regular six-sided dice. N.O.W. is based

O.L.D. is a companion roleplaying game of medieval

around pools of dice in which you roll a number of dice,

fantasy, and N.E.W. is a companion roleplaying game of

add up the total, and compare it to a target number known

science fiction. These two games are 100% compatible

as a difficulty benchmark. If you need to roll x dice and

both with each other and with N.O.W.; if you want a wiz-

add them together, this is expressed as xd6—for example,

sent ki, the eye of the tiger, cool, or similar power sources.

ard to appear in the jungles of the Congo before aliens

3d6 means “roll three dice and add them together”, while

descend onto the White House, you’ll find that these three

“5d6” means “roll five dice and add them together.”

games work together perfectly.

  d66. When the rules ask you to roll a d66, you should

  Look for the O.L.D. and N.E.W. roleplaying games from

roll 2d6 but read them a little differently. Instead of adding

EN Publishing.

them together, you read the first as “tens” and the second

9

Introduction as “ones”—for example, if you roll a 3 and a 2, you read that as 32. Similarly, rolling a 1 and a 6 yields a result of 16. This way of rolling dice is mainly used by the GM when rolling on random tables.   Descriptor. At the top of the character sheet you will see an area known as the “descriptor”. The descriptor presents a number of fundamental things about your character in the form of a single summarizing sentence.   Dice Pool. A dice pool is the handful of dice you roll when making an attribute check. It can be formed in various ways (for example, you might add dice because of your character’s attributes, skills, or equipment) and is limited in size by your character’s grade.   Die Bonus/Penalty. If something grants a die bonus or inflicts a die penalty (usually in the format “a +2d6 bonus” or “a –1d6 penalty”), this refers to additional dice which can be added to (or which must be removed from) your dice pool when you make an attribute check.   Experience Points (XP). Characters earn Experience Points by accomplishing tasks, defeating enemies, and completing adventures. These Experience Points can be spent on a range of abilities and character improvements.   Exploits. Exploits are individual abilities or benefits. There are different types of exploits—heritage exploits, career exploits, attribute exploits, and universal exploits. Exploits include things like a rebel’s talents for acquiring illicit goods, a mutant’s unlikely ability to modify the odds of unlikely events, or the ability to make multiple flowing attacks in a deadly flurry.   Game Master (GM). The GM is the referee of the game. The GM describes the universe to the players and controls the actions of NPCs and monsters.   Grade. Your character’s grade is simply the total number of career grades he or she has taken. A starting character is Grade 5. Your character’s grade is important because it determines the maximum size of the dice pool you can form when your make attribute checks.   Heritage. Your character is one of a number of available heritages (predominantly human). Your character might be a Human, a Mutant of some kind, a genetically customized Designed, or a technologically enhanced Augmented.   Non Player Character (NPC). An NPC is a character which is not played by one of the players. Instead, all NPCs are played by the GM.

10

Introduction   Skills. Skills are smaller, concentrated packets of inter-

Modern Era

est, expertise, or training. They include things like cooking,

Age

AL

Earth Example

pistols, unarmed combat, poetry, cracking, piloting, engi-

Industrial Age: early automobiles,

4

1900s–1960s

4.5

1970s–2000s

5

2000s–2010s

5.5

2020s–2100s

neering, and more. Your character will pick up new skills

radio, phone lines

throughout his career. The skill list is open-ended and

Information Age: early computers,

unlimited; a skill kicks in at any time your character per-

car phones, jets

forms an activity related to it.

Digital Age: modern computers, cell

Setting the Tone

Quantum Age: flying cars, internal

Advancement Level (AL) is a tool a GM can use to peg the

electronics, super computers

phones, electric cars

tone of his campaign or setting; it’s a broad technological scale designed to roughly describe the level of available

In some settings, a group, organization, or region might

technology in a given setting.

have access to technology typical of an AL above the

  N.O.W. is set in the Modern Era, which encompasses

setting’s AL. Other settings may feature widespread high-

AL  4–6. The companion games O.L.D. and N.E.W. cover

er-AL technology, lack specific technologies typical of the

the Archaic (AL 0–3) and Future (AL 6+) Eras, respectively.

setting’s AL, or both. In particular, higher sciences and

  The typical N.O.W. game will probably feature a set-

quantum devices are AL  5.5 technologies which might

ting-wide AL between 4 and 5.5. AL  4 offers radio and

appear at lower ALs … again, depending on the setting.

telephones, AL 4.5 contains everything readily acces-

  Some examples of popular action franchises and their

sible before the spread of mobile digital devices, AL  5

associated ALs include the Knight Rider TV series (AL 4.5),

is roughly equivalent to the modern world of 2018, and

the X-Men franchise (AL  5.5), the James Bond franchise

AL 5.5 contains technologies that might be accessible in

(AL 4–5), the Lethal Weapon movies (AL 4.5), and the Jason

the near future (holograms, quantum computers, and

Bourne franchise (AL 5).

cold fusion).

  The “default” setting of this book is between 4.5 and 5.

11

Introduction

Default Assumptions

N.O.W. encompasses international superspy movies from

The primary default assumption in this book is that your

the 1960s to the present time, cop shows from the 1970s,

setting is whatever you want it to be. It can be as low- or

the various super-vehicle series of the 1980s, the action

high-action and as technologically advanced as you like.

muscle movies of Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and Willis,

However, this book does have a sort of “baseline” of its

the young adult action comedy/horror of Joss Whedon,

own. The assumptions that make up this baseline can be

the slick action of the Fast & Furious franchise, and more.

stated generally as follows:

•• Traveling across the globe in 24 hours is possible with enough money and time spent in airports.

You may see ideas presented in this rulebook that are

•• Time travel is extremely rare; if it occurs at all, it is

familiar to you. This is deliberate. N.O.W.’s goal isn’t to

central to important plots.

•• Martial artists and other seasoned combatants

create a new fiction (although it does play with the edges of that) but to capture existing paradigms and put them

can perform inhuman feats of physical prowess or

into mechanical form.

mental ability.

  If you've ever watched an amazing action film and

•• Robots are extremely simple and rarely, if ever,

wanted to role-play in that setting, or in a setting with a

attain sentience; if they do, it is central to an impor-

similar feel and some of the same assumptions, the rules

tant plot.

in this book are here to help you run a game inspired by

•• Conflict is never very far away, be it with an unruly gang or opposing military force.

12

That Seems Familiar!

your favorite adrenaline junkie flicks and TV shows.

Chapter 1 Action Careers

13

Action Careers

About This Chapter

E

ach player in N.O.W. plays a character— a genetically modified soldier, a stalwart ex-cop, a secret agent, a talented martial artist, an outcast

mutant, or one of many possible options. You can choose from a variety of heritages and careers to build the character you want to play.

  This section of the rulebook tells you how to create a player character. It includes information on attributes, skills, careers, exploits, and equipment. By working through this chapter, you will be able to easily create a fully playable character ready for play in a N.O.W. campaign. All you need is a character sheet, a pencil, and a copy of this rulebook.

•• A walkthrough of the character creation process. •• Details about character descriptors and grades. •• Information about attributes, what they mean, and how they are used.

•• A list of over 150 example skills. •• A selection of 4 character heritages, along with their descriptions and abilities.

•• Over 40 distinct careers your character can adopt. •• Universal exploits—distinct abilities which can be acquired by any character.

•• Details on how to calculate a number of derived statistics.

•• Nearly 40 traits. •• Information about how age affects your character.

Character Creation

These elements are building blocks that contribute to your

A character, in its basic form, is simply a collection of

character. It may seem like a lot, but creating a character

three types of element: attributes (core capabilities), skills

is actually very simple—you simply choose a heritage, five

(areas of special competence or knowledge), and exploits

careers, a couple of items like exploits and traits, and then

(special abilities and traits). The rest of the elements listed

you buy equipment for your character. When you’re used

below, such as careers, age, heritage, and so on, are simply

to the process, a character shouldn’t take more than a few

choices which help determine your attributes, skills, and

minutes to create.

exploits. This chapter on character creation includes the

14

following information:

Action Careers Character Creation Walkthrough Follow these steps to create your character: 1. Note your starting attributes (each attribute starts at 3, except for Chi and Reputation, each of which start at 0). 2. Choose a heritage. a) Choose three heritage skills. b) Note all the listed heritage exploits. 3. Choose a hook, and note it in your descriptor. 4. Choose five careers. Start with an origin, and then select four further careers. For each career grade, do the following:

b) Choose one new career exploit from the list shown or choose one universal exploit. c) Roll for the number of years your character spends at that career grade and increase your age (your age starts at zero). 5. Select Aim or Feint (free universal exploits) plus one other exploit of your choice for which you qualify. 6. Choose one trait based on your highest or lowest attribute and note that in your descriptor. 7. Determine your age and apply any age exploits.

a) Apply all of the listed attribute adjustments.

8. Calculate your derived statistics.

b) Choose two of the listed skills and advance

9. Spend money to equip your character with armor,

each by one point. Note that characters may

weapons, and equipment.

always select a defensive skill instead.

Total Checklist When you are finished, you will have chosen:

•• 5 careers, including one origin. •• 10 skill ranks from careers plus 3 from heritage, making 13 in total.

•• 20 attribute points from careers, plus 24 you started with, adjusted by heritage.

•• 2 universal exploits, including either aim or feint. •• 1 possible age exploit, a trait, and a hook.

 Trait. The trait is the name of a special ability defined by a character’s lowest or highest attribute.  Age. The age entry is only used if the character is younger than adult or older than middle-aged. You may choose any synonyms for young and old (adolescent, youthful, aged, mature, etc.); age can give you a free exploit (see the section on Age, below).  Career. The career entry can be one of two choices. It can be the character’s current career, or it can be the character’s longest-serving career. If the longest serving career

Descriptor

is not the current career, it should be prefixed with “ex-”

At the top of each character sheet is a descriptor. This is

(for example, an ex-Cop or an ex-Soldier).

a short introductory character summary. For example,

 Hook. The hook is a broad background, skill, or area

Alejandra Vanistos’ descriptor reads:

of interest chosen by the player. It can be anything, but it’s designed to round out the character with personality,

A nimble Augmented burglar who loves automobiles

interests, or hobbies. For example, a player might choose “who enjoys hard liquor” or “has a taste for romance” or

The descriptor is made up of the following elements, some

even “who collects insects as a hobby.”

of which are not always used.

  The hook complements career and skill choices as a background aspect, unconnected to specific vocations

a[n] [age] [trait] [heritage] [career] who/with [hook].

and training. The hook works as a broad skill. Any time a character makes an attribute check, if the activity is

15

Action Careers Example Descriptors Each player should read their full descriptor to the rest of the group before beginning play. For example:

•

Ben Madjos is a suave human spy who likes to drink.

•

Alejandra Vanistos is a nimble Augmented burglar who loves automobiles.

  Monsters, too, are described in terms of attributes. A mighty Tyrannosaurus rex might have a Strength attri-

16

related to the character's hook, the player's dice pool ex-

bute of 20 or more. Non-human heritages have different

plodes (each six rolled grants an additional die). The GM

averages and norms compared to humans; this is repre-

should be generous in allowing this; the hook should pro-

sented by their different starting attributes.

vide a frequent reminder of a character’s background.

  Attributes change during character generation and

  What a player can’t do with the character’s hook is sneak

through character advancement, as your character un-

in a combat bonus—a bonus to either attack or damage

dertakes careers. A stint in the military might make you a

rolls. Characters can certainly have hooks like “…who

bit tougher, increasing your Endurance attribute, while

enjoys the firing range” or “…who likes bar-room brawls,”

years spent as a con-man might increase your Charisma.

but hooks like these that imply proficiency in combat

The attributes are described in more detail below.

can’t actually help a character in combat. For example, a

  Attributes sometimes combine to create derived sta-

firing range hook won’t ever benefit a character who’s fir-

tistics—for example, the physical attributes can affect

ing a pistol; a brawling hook won’t ever assist a character

a character’s Defense score, and the mental attributes

who’s throwing a punch.

affect a character’s Mental Defense score. Other attri-

  Have each player read their full descriptor to the rest of

butes are used to determine how fast your character can

the group before beginning play.

run, how much he can carry, how far he can jump, or how

Attributes

much damage he can take.

Player characters are defined by a set of attributes, a se-

Attributes & Dice Pools

lection of values which help describe a character. They

Attribute scores are only used during character creation

measure things like strength, agility, and intelligence;

and advancement. During play, you will use your attri-

somebody with a higher Strength attribute is stronger

butes’ associated dice pools. There is more detail on this

than somebody with a lower one. The core attributes are

later, but dice pools are groups of dice which you roll when

Strength, Agility, Endurance, Willpower, Intuition,

your character attempts a task; the more dice you roll, the

Logic, Charisma, Luck, Reputation, and Chi.

higher you’ll likely score.

  There is no upper limit to an attribute. The human heri-

Your attributes determine how many dice you can roll.

tage is used as a benchmark for “average,” with a score of

The total that you roll is compared to a difficulty bench-

with 4 in each physical, mental, and personal attribute

mark; if you roll equal to or higher than that benchmark,

being roughly average for an adult human. An attribute

your character succeeds at the task.

of 12 typically represents performance exhibited by top

  In running text, a benchmark looks something like this:

world-class athletes or legendary geniuses. Einstein and

“a Challenging [13] AGI check.” This means that you roll

Sherlock Holmes exhibit a score of 12 in their Logic at-

your dice pool, and if you roll 13 or more, your character

tributes, while Adolf Hitler and Rasputin have scores of 11

succeeds. There is much more information on difficulty

or 12 in Charisma, although player characters and NPCs

benchmarks and attribute checks in the section on adju-

in N.O.W. sometimes exceed these values.

dicating the game.

Action Careers Logic (LOG)

Dice Granted By Attribute/Skill Score 1–2

3–5

6–9

10–14

15–20

21–27

28–35

Logic is a mixture of reasoning, knowledge, and educa-

1d6

2d6

3d6

4d6

5d6

6d6

7d6

tion. While IQ isn’t a great measure of intelligence, 60 + (LOG × 10) gives an approximate IQ in the mid-ranges.

  Attributes grant dice to dice pools in a granular, expand-

You would make a LOG check to operate a complex elec-

ing scale, meaning each new die is harder to obtain—for

tronic device, apply first aid, or recall specific knowledge

example, an Agility of 7 means that your Agility dice pool is 3d6, while an Agility of 10 lets you roll 4d6.

Willpower (WIL)

  Skills (covered a little later in this book) use the same

Willpower is strength of mind and power of concentra-

expanding scale, granting more dice to your dice pool. So

tion. Along with END, it determines your overall Health,

a skill rank of 3 in pistols gives you 2d6. You would add that

and can be part of your Mental Defense.

to the 3d6 you got for your Agility score of 7 when firing your Walther PPK at an attacking ninja, meaning that you

Charisma (CHA)

get to roll 5d6 in total.

Charisma is a combination of physical attractiveness,

  You can also gain dice for high quality equipment. For

personal magnetism, and force of personality. It is the

example, an exceptional quality item gives you another

attribute used when interacting with others, whether

2d6 to add to your dice pool. Equipment is dealt with in

leading, deceiving, or negotiating with them. Physical ap-

detail later.

pearance is part of the CHA score, but it is a minor part at best; far more important are personality and presence.

Strength (STR) Strength measures physical power, might, and brawn.

Luck (LUC)

It is used to determine carrying capacity, some melee at-

Luck is an unpredictable force, and some people are

tacks, and melee damage. If you want to bust a door down,

naturally luckier than others. However, fate, fortune, and

your GM may ask you for a STR check.

destiny are all powerful influences on the world. Your Luck dice pool forms a resource of dice which can be

Agility (AGI)

added at will to other dice pools on order to improve your

Agility measures dexterity and reflexes. It is also used to

chances, or which can be spent on other special actions.

determine ranged attacks and some melee attacks. You

That resource replenishes itself every day.

might use your AGI to perform a fancy aerial maneuver or to land safely after a nasty fall.

Reputation (REP) Reputation is a measure of fame, respect, influence, and

Endurance (END)

contacts. Your Reputation attribute determines if people

Endurance is a measure of healthiness, constitution, and

recognize or have heard of you. REP has elements of fame,

hardiness. It is used to determine your overall Health

rank, respect, social standing, and even credit ratings.

score. An END check might also be used to resist the ef-

Your REP also partly determines your starting gold.

fects of poison or disease.

Chi (Chi) Intuition (INT)

Chi represents an inner force of will and power, often

Intuition measures common sense, perception, empa-

utilized by martial artists to accomplish incredible super-

thy, and natural instinct. It is used to tell when someone is

natural things. It can sometimes be known by other terms:

lying, spot something, or sense impending danger. Some

ki, mojo, cool, and so on. While anybody can learn how

might refer to it as “EQ” or “emotional intelligence.” Ani-

to perform a roundhouse kick or a judo throw, only those

mals often have high INT attributes, especially those with

with Chi can perform legendary mystical feats like run-

keen senses.

ning on water, levitating, or healing through meditation.

17

Action Careers

Grade Your grade is equal to the total number of career grades you have taken, and the largest dice pool you can form during play is defined by your grade. A starting character with 5 career grades is grade 5, and has a maximum pool size of 5d6. Some NPCs, civilians, or weak monsters may be lower than grade 5, and their maximum dice pool is equal to their grade (but see the “Starting Grade” sidebar).   For example (this will be explained in more detail later), Kilrave the Assassin has 9 AGI, 4 ranks in knives, and an exceptional dagger. That would normally give him a dice pool of 7d6 (3d6 for his attribute, 2d6 for his knives skill, and 2d6 for his exceptional weapon). However, he is grade 7, which makes his maximum dice pool 6d6 (see the table below). In effect, some of the dice Kilrave would be entitled to are wasted until he can gain some experience.

Skills Skills represent things your character is good at. Skills are picked up as a character progresses through his life, and reflect training and background. Some are academic skills, such as sciences; others are physical skills like running or climbing. Still others reflect social skills like intimidation, technical skills like engineering, and more.

Maximum Dice Pools by Grade Grade Max Pool