REWIRED

A Quick and
Dirty
Cyberpunk
Role-Playing
Game

INTRODUCTION
REWIRED is a Quick and Dirty cyberpunk role-playing game. It is a world burned by
nuclear fires, locked down by authoritarian states, consumed in corporate greed, and
inflicted with technological cancers. It's the grungy, bullet-filled, wet neon streets of the
yesterdays future or the reality we are just moments from experiencing.
Players take on the roles of Ronin professional troubleshooters and freelance operatives
for hire, willing to stick their necks out on the line for some quick credit. Hackers,
gearheads, guns for hire and muscle for rent just make up a few of the anti-heroes of the
dark near future.
The goal of this game system is to provide a gritty, deadly set of rules that plays as fast as
the genre. Other such games can get weighed down in complex mechanics, redundant
weapon catalogs and ridiculous skills lists. Our aim is to keep character creation quick and
flexible, combat fast and deadly, and still maintain a level of detail to keep the tactically
minded satisfied.
What's Needed for Play?
Youll need a copy of these rules, either on your favorite
electronic device or printed out. This game is written
with the assumption that youre already familiar with the
basics of tabletop role-playing games: One person takes
on the part of Game Master, or GM, who is equal parts
referee, director and storyteller. The rest are Player
Characters, or PC's, who take on the roles of individual
characters in the GM's world.
The game uses six-sided dice (abbreviated as d6) for
combat and task resolutions. Most of the rolls are based
on 3d6, but some abilities (such as Perks or Tags) grant a
fourth dice to be rolled.
All players will need paper and writing utensils of choice
(preferably pencils.) Character Sheets may be printed out,
but standard notebook paper works just fine. Players may
optionally also want to use note cards to keep track of
Loadouts (covered in the Equipment chapter,) but this
isn't a requirement.
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Basic Core Mechanics

Most of the rolls in this game, from simple skill checks to combat, is based on
rolls using 3d6. Sometimes, certain Perks or Tags allow the player to roll 4d6 and
discard a die (either the highest or lowest.) Rolls using this mechanic are expressed
as 4dH or 4dL
Characters get to modify their dice rolls based on their abilities. When performing
an action, the character adds their relevant Skill rating to the roll. When resisting the
action of another, they add their relevant Attribute to the roll.
BASIC TASK RESOLUTION
3D6 + Skill (or Attribute) Modifiers vs. DIFFICULTY NUMBER
The roll total is compared to a Difficulty Number, or DN. If the number is equal to
or higher than the DN, the action succeeds. Most DN's for static challenges (that is,
without a direct opposition) use the difficulty scale provided below:
:
DIFFICULTY NUMBERS
EASY

NORMAL

12

HARD

16

TOUGH

20

INSANE

24+

There are additional modifiers that can be added or subtracted from the roll's total
as well. Equipment and devices the character has on hand may grant a bonus to a
skill check, while environmental circumstances (such as lighting, temperature,
weather conditions and so on) may detriment their actions.
Some rolls call for a Degree of Success. This is the amount rolled over the DN in a
successful roll. The higher degree of success, the better the results.
In the event of Opposed Rolls, where two characters are directly challenging the
other (such as a wrestling maneuver, or a burglar sneaking past a guard) there is no
set DN. Instead, both parties roll their dice, add the appropriate modifiers, and the
highest outcome determines the winner. Ties count as victories towards the
instigator.
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Characteristics:
As a form of interactive fiction, characters (both players and non-player ones) are
the focal point of the game system. All characters comprise of the following
characteristics:
Attributes: All characters have four attributes, which serve as the foundation of
their capabilities: Chrome, Wires, Data and Signal.
Skills: These measure a characters talent or experience. They are broken up
into two categories: Active Skills and Knowledge Skills. Active skills are specific
functions that are tied to attributes. Knowledge skills, meanwhile, derive from a
characters life experience or education. These are all specifically tied to the
characters Data attribute.
Derivative Stats: These are secondary abilities that are formulated using
attribute ratings, and can be further enhanced by Perks. These include
Awareness, Initiative, Defense, Toughness, Firewall, and Carry Capacity.
Perks: Special talents or traits that give a character a special leg up. These
include Augmentations, cybernetic or bionic modifications that enhance a
character; or Psiometry, special psychic powers that can awaken in a character.
Edge Points

The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really
know where it is are the ones who have gone over. Hunter S. Thompson
Edge Points allow player characters (and some non-player ones) to swing fate and
luck on their side, allowing them to pull off risky maneuvers whenever the cards are
stacked against them. Blowing a point of Edge can grant the following:

Re-Roll any dice check, taking the best results.

Automatically Ignore a Successful Attack against you.
Add +4 to Any Roll (before the dice are rolled.)
Last Stand: On your last box of damage, turn your Injury penalty into a +2
Bonus Modifier.
Spend a point to establish a fact in the narrative in some way.

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Combat
Combat is broken up into rounds, which are roughly 2-seconds of in-game time. Each
round is broken up by the turns of active combatants. The order of these turns is
determined by the Initiative Sequence.
Initiative:
Each character active in combat rolls 1D6 + Initiative rating. Turns are taken in order of
greatest to lowest.
On a Combat Turn:
During their turn, a character may perform the following:
Movement: The character may choose to move up to ten meters (10m).
Perform an Action: The character may also perform a single action. Options include:
Attack a single target, or multiple targets if the weapon allows it.
Aim/Focus to add +2 to an attack roll next round.
Reload a weapon.
Use an item or a device.
Perform a particular skill or ability, like Stealth or an Awareness check.
Move Again to double your distance (this is considered running or sprinting.)
Hold Your Action to act l in the turn.
Any turn that the character Moves and Attacks is considered to happen at the
same time. Because of this, the Attack action will be subject to a penalty on the
die roll. On the plus side, it's harder to hit a moving target, so any attacks made
on the moving character this round will also suffer a penalty to hit.

Attacking:
REWIRED uses a single roll to determine the success of an attack, and the damage that it
deals. Attacking characters use the following roll for their action:
3d6 + Combat Skill + Weapon Rating ( Modifiers)
After the attack roll is totaled up, damage inflicted is determined in two steps:
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 First: Determine the Hit. If the attack value is equal to or greater than the
opponent's Defense value, the attack is successful and delivers an initial box of
damage. Heavy Weapons deal two boxes of damage on an initial hit.
Second: Determine Additional Damage. Compare the degree of success against the
targets Toughness rating. For every amount that surpasses it, the attack deals an
additional box of damage. So an attack that succeeds by a degree of 5 against a
toughness of 2 would deal two extra boxes of damage (5-2-2, the one remaining has
no effect.)
Modifiers to the attack roll not only include environmental effects, but also circumstances
like distance for ranged attacks, whether the attacker or defender has moved this round,
cover, augments, and potentially more. A table of modifiers is provided at the end of this
chapter.
Firing Rates:
Ranged weapons have different firing rates -- some even have multiple rates on the same
gun, able to switch to whichever is more convenient for the situation. The three rates are
Semi-Automatic, Burst and Full Auto.
Semi-Automatic allows for a single shot in an action. There are no modifiers, and
spends only a single point of ammunition.
Burst Fire fires a three-round burst at a single target, increasing the odds of landing
a hit. A Burst shot adds a +2 Bonus to an Attack Roll at the cost of 3 points of
ammo spent.
Full-Auto fires a 10 round spray in an attempt to hit multiple (up to 3) targets. The
targets must be in an arc of line of sight. The attacker makes a single roll like
normal, with all of the regular modifiers, against the first target.
For each additional target in the arc, the same base roll is kept, situational modifiers
are applied, and an additional -2 is applied for each target in the step.
Health, Damage, Knockout and Dying:
Characters keep track of two different health conditions: Wounds and Stun. Stun is a
measure of mental endurance, pain threshold, blunt trauma resistance and sheer
determination. Wounds, meanwhile, covers actual amount of physical punishment the
body can take before getting into lethal danger.
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All characters have six boxes of both Stun and Wound damage. Initial boxes imply the
character is Hurt, meaning the character has taken damage but can still function. With
further damage inflicted, the character becomes Injured, taking a -2 penalty to all actions
and Defense from the stress of damage. This penalty stacks with both stun and wound
injuries.
A character who is depleted of Stun falls unconscious and is considered knocked out. A
character may roll a Hard (16) Data check every round to regain consciousness. Upon
success, they are recovered by one (1) stun box and are able to act.
A character who is depleted of Wounds is considered fallen, and may possibly be dying.
Every round they must make a Hard (16) Chrome check to overcome death's door. They
are only allowed a number of rounds equal to their natural Chrome rating before finally
succumbing to death. Allies may spend a whole round to perform a Hard (16) First Aid
check to help stabilize the fallen character.

Healing and Recovery:

During periods of resting, the character may recover a number of Stun or Wound boxes
equal to half their Chrome rating. Stun recovery is at a rate of per day; Wound recovery is
at a rate of per week. Periods of resting means being in a safe, comfortable location with
minimal stress while recovering.
Characters with the First Aid / Medical knowledge skill may assist in the process, granting
additional boxes of recovery equal to their skill rank for every period assisted. The
character performing the First Aid must maintain the same safe environment needed to
recover in order to tend on the patients.

Dodging, Parrying, and Grappling:

These maneuvers allow a character to either avoid or block an incoming melee attack,
preventing damage but at the cost of sacrificing their combat actions for that round
(unless they have access to perks that grant free parries or dodges.) After declaring a
maneuver, the character adds the appropriate attribute (Wires for Dodging, Chrome for
Parrying) to their Defense Rating.
A Grapple is a special offensive maneuver the attacker rolls their Athletics versus the
opponents Chrome roll for a chance to grab and pin the target or remove an item from
their hands. A successful pinning means the target may only spend their actions
attempting to break free (using another opposed roll between the two.)
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Non-Combat Mechanics
Interaction Rolls
While most social interactions can (and should) be handled through role-playing,
sometimes the GM may call on Interaction rolls to determine outcomes of exchanges.
Things like business negotiations, haggling a vendor, seduction or coaxing information
from someone can be handled this way.
Theres two separate skills for interacting: Contacts and Influence. When broadly going
about, attempting to ask questions, follow leads, or track down a bargain, the character
can roll 3d6+Contacts (plus any bonuses
through perks) to attempt to gather intelligence
socially.
In situations of direct interaction, where the
character is attempting to impose his will over
another individual (negotiating, haggling,
intimidating etc) the roll becomes an Opposed
Roll. The instigator still rolls 3d6+Influence
versus the subject's roll of 3d6+Data (plus perks.) Highest result swings the interaction in
the winner's favor.

Investigation and Awareness

Awareness rolls are used to inform the player of any suspicious activity, situations or
passive details their characters may notice. Picking up clues in their surroundings, sensing
hidden danger or even detecting foul motives are part of the Awareness roll. A characters
Awareness rating is based on their Data score, modified by perks.
Awareness rolls are used as either static checks or opposed rolls. Static checks against a
Difficulty Number are generally for things like noticing booby traps, symbols hidden in
plain sight, patterns in crowds and so forth. Opposed rolls come into play when a
character is trying to hide something or themselves from another's attention, usually
rolling their Stealth vs. the subject's Awareness roll.
Investigate, meanwhile, is the direct search for clues or information that isnt readily
available on the surface. Researching data files, combing over a crime scene or analyzing a
situation against education and experience falls under this. Investigation is a skill, and like
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Awareness can be either used against a static check or an opposed roll when another
target is attempting to throw the investigator off course.

Wealth & Funds

Money and available resources is handled abstractly. Instead of keeping track of funds,
pinching pennies and bean counting, a flat Wealth rating (portrayed as a skill) is used in
the acquisition of items. At character creation, any PC may pick up a piece of equipment
with a cost rating equal to or less than their Wealth score. During the gaming sessions,
purchasing any new equipment requires a skill roll:
3d6 + Wealth vs. DN = (Cost Rating + 12)
Failure on this roll means one of two things: the character cannot come with the money
or barter to acquire the goods at the time, or they may spend extra funds to solidify the
purchase.
Funds is a special track, sort of a health meter for your Wealth. You have six boxes of
Funds -- for every box of funds ticked off, you may add +1 to your Wealth (either before
or after the roll.) When a full 6 boxes are ticked, the Funds meter is restored but the

Wealth skill is reduced by one, permanently.

Pursuit & Chases:

While REWIRED uses measurements for tactical game
play, long distance chase scenes (whether by foot or by
vehicle) are handled abstractly to keep the pace of play
fast and frantic.
At the beginning of a chase, two participants are
established: The Pursuer and The Quarry. The GM
assigns a starting Gap Range between the two. A Gap
Range is an abstract measurement of distance in a
chase. Sometimes the two can be in fairly close
proximity but still have a large Gap Range crowds,
traffic, buildings etc. As the Gap widens between
Pursuer and Quarry, ranged attacks between the two
become more difficult.
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Gap Range is rated 1-6; seven or higher results in the Quarry escaping. A result of zero or
less means the Pursuer catches up and may attempt to capture the Quarry. At the
beginning of a round, before initiative is figured, both participants roll opposing skill
checks (either Athletics if on foot, or the equivalent vehicle skill.) Subtract the Quarry's
roll from the Pursuer's, and compare to the following chart:

Pursuit Chart
Difference
+7 or more
+5 to +6
+3 or +4
+2 to -2
-3 to -4

Change
Quarry immediately escapes
Gap Range increases by 2
Gap Range increases by 1
No Change
Gap Range decreases by 1

-5 to -6
-7 or less

Gap Range decreases by 2

Pursuer immediately catches Quarry

As the Gap Range between the Quarry and the Pursuer widens, they take penalties on any
attacks between them much like a range penalty in regular combat. The GM may use the
following tracker to keep up with range attack penalties in a pursuit:
PURSUIT TRACKER
GAP RATING:
0
Pursuer
may
attempt
to
capture
Quarry

7+

-2 Attack -2 Attack -6 Attack -6 Attack Quarry

Rolls
Rolls
Rolls
Rolls
Escapes

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Glossary

*d6: Denotes a six-sided die. 3d6, for example, is three dice.

4dH: Roll four dice, keep the three highest / discard the lowest.
4dL: Roll four dice, keep the three lowest / discard the highest.
Attributes: One of the four primary characteristics that defines a character.
Augments: A specific type of Perk; cybernetic or bionic implants
Awareness: A derivative stat, used for spotting details or clues in your surroundings.
Bionetic: A type of augment; more expensive because its grown from the users
DNA.
Boxes: A measurement of either health or funds. All characters and objects have six
boxes of health, which get ticked off when damaged.
Cybernetic: A form of augment; cheaper because its mechanical parts grafted into
the human body.
Datasphere: The games version of cyberspace (or internet.) A wireless data network
that entails layers of augmented and virtual reality intefaces that hackers can
interact with.
Defense: A derivative stat, used for determining how hard a character is to hit.
Degree of Success: The amount a successful roll beats a Difficulty Number by.
Derivative Stat: These are secondary abilities that are formulated using attribute
ratings, and can be further enhanced by Perks.
Edge: A special unit of luck; characters spend Edge to gain benefits during a game.
Firewall: A Hacker or Computers defense rating in cyberspace.
Gap Rating: An abstract measurement of distance during a chase.
Health Boxes: All characters have two sets of health: Wounds and Stun. Each set has
six boxes. Points of damage are ticked off boxes.
Initiative: A derivative stat, used to determine the turn order of combatants.
NPC: Short term for Non-Player Character.
PC: Short term for Player Character.
Perk: A special characteristic, talent or ability that enhances a character.
Psiometry: Another type of Perk; special psychic powers a character may have.
Ronin: A professional criminal, mercenary, or agent for hire.
Skills: A score used to determine a characters aptitude in a given field of study or
action.
Toughness: A derivative stat used to gauge the threshold of damage a character can
take in an attack.
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Combat Charts
ATTACK ROLL MODIFIERS
Aiming

+2 per turn spent

Burst Fire

+2

Full Auto

- 2 for every target after first (Max. 3)

Short Range

- 0 (-2 Scoped)

Long Range

- 2 (-1 Scoped)

Extreme Range

- 6 (-3 Scoped)

Target Behind Cover

- 2 (Partial) - 4 (Half) - 6 (Full)

Attacking while Moving

-2

Target is Moving

-2

Poor Visibility

- 2 to - 4

WEAPON RANGES (in Meters)

TYPE
HORT
LONG

EXTREME

Primitive, Shotguns, Pistols, SMGs

0 20

21 50

51 100

Assault Rifles, LMGs

0 100

101 300

301 600

Sniper Rifles, HMGs

0 150

151 400

401 800

Grenade/Rocket Launchers

10 80

81 200

201 400

Thrown Weapons

0 15

16 30

17 45

.50 Cal Sniper, Vehicle Mounted MGs

0 200

201 600

601 120

FIRING RATES
Semi-Automatic:
Single Shot / No Modifiers
Burst Fire:
3 shots at single target / +2 Attack
Full-Auto:
10 Round Spray (up to 3 Targets in an arc)
Single roll, normal modifiers, -2 each additional
target from the first.

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BUILDING CHARACTER

Attributes & Stats

Characters have the following four attributes. Starting
PC's distribute 13 points across them, with at least one
point in each. Attributes are naturally capped at a
rating of 6. These set the precedence for skill training,
as well as derivative stats and resistances:

CHARACTER CREATION
CHECK LIST:
13 Points Attributes
Derivative Stats
20 Points Active Skills
Knowledge Skills
7 Ranks of Perks
Equipment

Chrome: Physical toughness, strength and brute

power.
Wires: Reflexes, speed, hand-eye coordination and
hands on abilities.
Signal: A measure on the amount of influence and reputation a character has. Not
just physical or social charms, but resourcefulness as well.
Data: Intelligence and mental prowess. Both knowledge capacity and willpower.

Characters also have the following derivative stats:

Awareness: A measurement of a characters perception of their surroundings. Base
rating is equal to their Data; Perks and even some drugs may enhance or hinder
this.
Initiative: Used in determining the order of turns taken in combat. An average of
Wires and Data, rounded down.
Toughness: The character's capacity to sustain damage. Equal to half their Chrome
rating; may potentially be enhanced with perks.
Defense Rating: A measure of difficulty for inflicting harm on the character, both in
terms of reflex responses and armor. The base rating is 10 + Wires. May be further
enhanced with worn armor.
Firewall: The character's defense while immersed in cyberspace, also known as being
Jacked In. Firewall is 10 + Data + Rating of Computer Used.
Carrying Capacity: An abstract measurement of how much equipment a character
may carry on them (referred to as a Loadout.) Carry Capacity is Chrome+6.
Edge: All new PC's start with 3 points, and can never have more than 6. Spend
them wisely.

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Skills
There are two categories of skills: Active and Knowledge. Starting player characters have
twenty (20) points to spend on any skills, plus an additional pool of Data x3 points to
spend exclusively on Knowledge skills. At character creation, skills are capped at their
related Attribute's rating. As the character advances, it is possible to train beyond this cap
but will cost double to do so.
Chrome Skills

Athletics: Actions requiring endurance, strength and focus. Sprinting, long

distance hiking or running, throwing objects, climbing, leaping etc.
Melee Weapons: For the use of hand held weapons: Knives, swords, clubs,
axes and the like.
Hand-to-Hand: Not only for the use of unarmed combat (punches, kicks)
but also any natural/cybernetic weapons -- as well as impromptu weapons
(chairs, tables, beer bottle etc.)
Wires Skills
Personal Arms: Use of personal firearms and ranged weapons, ranging
from handguns, sub-machine guns, rifles, and even primitive-style weapons
like bows and slingshots.
Heavy Arms: Heavy weaponry, including: belt-fed automatic weapons,
rocket launchers, vehicle-mounted cannons and the like.
Acrobatics: Feats involving balance and motion, such as tumbling, rolling,
tight-rope walking etc.
Larceny: Shady practices such as pick-pocketing, lock-picking, forgery and
other such things.
Stealth: Ability to evade or go unnoticed. Includes sneaking around, hiding
in crowds, blending in to surroundings and other tactics.
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Vehicle: Ability to operate and maneuver vehicles. Must be taken for each
type of vehicle training (Cars, Motorcycles, VTOL, etc.)
Signal Skills
Contacts: Throughout their careers, both professional and otherwise,
characters establish a variety of connections and acquaintances they can go
to for information. Contacts as a skill is used for legwork and fishing these
connections for information or leads.
Influence: The ability to persuade, seduce, intimidate, or otherwise impose
the will of the character through social means. Influence is for direct social
interactions, including haggling, negotiations, seduction and the like.
Wealth: The characters capacity to manage funds, secure resources and
acquire goods. High wealth does not necessarily include money spare
scrap, good connections and years of thrifty bargaining can be applied.
Data Skills
Hacking: Ability to assault and override computer and network security
systems.
Investigate: A characters knack and intuition to carefully search a scene, or
potentially research or analyze data for the sake of discovering important
clues or information.
Psiometry: Skill used in the practice of psychic powers. Requires the
Psionicist perk to use.
Optional Rule: Default to Attribute
For those who feel Attributes should play more of a role in a
characters capacity to do something, Game Masters may allow
characters to attempt certain actions they lack skills in by using the
base attribute. The catch: the difficulty of the task is raised by +4.
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Knowledge Skills
These encompass not only fields of study the character is antiquated with, but also talents
they've picked up through practice and execution. Knowledge skills are special from Active
Skills in that where the previously listed sets are pretty ingrained in the rules, these skills
are a bit more fluid and flexible. Players are free (with GM approval) to come up with just
about any kind of skill not listed earlier as a Knowledge skill. What follows are common
examples

Black Market Fences: Where to hawk and find goods outside of legal
vendors.
Computer: General computer use and knowledge; different from Hacking
in that it's not offensive.
Cybernetic Repairs: The knowledge of fixing and tuning cybernetic
augmentations.
Demolitions: The fine art of making things go boom.
First Aid / Medicine: How to patch up your buddies in the field, how to
treat illness and ailments. Detrimental to group recovery.
History: Knowledge of how things came to be. May be focused on a
particular culture or era.
Politics: Knowledge of political factions and the inner workings of society.
Science: Can be a broad knowledge or a specific field.
Survival: How to sustain in harsh environments or conditions.
Technology: Your ability to work on, and with, advanced machinery or
devices.
Vehicle Mechanics: Your skill at repairing and modifying both personal
vehicles and drones.
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Perks
Starting player characters have seven (7) ranks worth of Perks to spend. Most perks only
require a single rank to acquire them; others have varying ratings, requiring additional
expenditure at a 1:1 cost.
Alert: The character has a natural +4 to Awareness rolls.
Ally: The character has a prominent contact that is willing to go the extra mile for them.
Bad-Ass Attack: Once per combat, you may change one of your dice results on an attack
roll to a 6.
Buddy: Has an NPC friend, partner, gang member or pack mate who tags along on the
adventures.
Codemonkey: Receive a +4 bonus to Computer knowledge skill rolls when scripting new
programs.
Club Goer: A successful Influence check (Normal DN 12) gets you in the door at just
about any night club or bar.
Datamancer: Once per scene, you may change one of your die results on a Hacking roll to
a 6.
Defensive Driver: With this perk, you may add your Awareness rating to vehicle defense.
Devil's Luck: Once per scene, you may re-roll a failed roll and use the better result
without using Edge.
Devilish Charm: +4 to Influence rolls when attempting to charm or seduce.
Dual-Wielding: Using a melee weapon in their off-hand grants a free Parry; does not grant
extra attack.
Double Attack (Requires Dual-Wielding): Forfeit the free Parry for an extra melee
attack. Both attacks must be melee weapons.
Guns Akimbo (Requires Dual-Wielding): Same as Double Attack, but may be used
with two small ranged weapons instead.

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Engineer: Receive a +4 bonus to rolls using the Technology knowledge skill whenever you
attempt to design and build a new electronic machine or device.
Extra Training: Every point spent in this perk grants +2 skill points to spend. Only at
character creation.
Extreme Dodge: Adds a bonus to your Dodge maneuver equal to your Acrobatics Skill.
Extreme Parry: Adds a bonus to your Parry maneuver equal to your Athletics Skill.
Garage: The character has a location set up to work on vehicles and drones. With this
perk, the character may conduct their own repairs, modifications, and even break a
vehicle down for scrap.
Gearhead: Receive a +4 to Vehicle Mechanics knowledge skill rolls when repairing or
modifying a vehicle for better performance.
Hard Bargain: +4 to Influence rolls when used for negotiations and bargaining.
Hard to Bleed: Character is abnormally tough for their build. +2 Toughness.
Last One Standing: Once per session, the character may be granted one Last Stand free of
Edge cost.
Nimble Fighter: This talent allows you a free dodge without forfeiting a combat action.
Off The Grid: Your character has absolutely no paper trail for his or her identity or birth
records. Could be good or bad.
Psionicist: The character has access to Basic Psionic abilities. Check out the Psiometry
section of this chapter for more details.
Safe House: May be taken multiple times; the character owns (or simply has access to) an
expendable location to operate out of (aside from their own personal residence.)
Scrap Doctor: Using their knowledge of the chop shop arts, the character may combine
their Medicine and Technology skills to repair damaged cybernetics with spare parts. May
also get a +4 to Medicine rolls salvaging cybernetic parts off dead bodies.

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Skill Adept: Choose a non-combat skill. The character has a particular knack for this skill,
allowing them to roll 4dH when using it.
Steel Nerves: The character has an extreme pain threshold. When they suffer their
maximum Stun damage, they may remain conscious and continue taking actions. Further
stun damage is then directed at Wounds and may prove fatal if they exert themselves too
much.
Technophile: Receive a +4 bonus to rolls using the Technology knowledge skill whenever
you attempt to study and understand how a machine works.
Status (up to Rank 4): The status and renown the character has with a particular faction,
organization or bureaucracy. This perk may be taken multiple times for different
organizations. Once per adventure, the character may make a Contacts roll with a +2
bonus per level of status to acquire assistance from the organization. Things like
information or basic resources are generally a Normal (12) DN, but may be escalated for
more intensive requests at GM fiat.

Augmentations
Augmentations are medical enhancements, generally cybernetic in nature, that the
character has underwent to modify his or her body. Some are performance enhancing;
others grant new functions the human body wasn't originally capable of. But with these
modifications comes a hefty price sometimes it's the cash to do it. Other times, it's the
risk of that back alley parts doctor you let splice you open. Many never take into
consideration the scrutiny local authorities may give you, or how certain thugs will love to
tail you for a chance to chop your parts and sell them back to the guy who put them in
you.
Speaking in terms of game mechanics, Augmentations are treated as a Perk. Like regular
perks, many come in single-rank costs as well as various ratings. In addition, characters
may spend double the cost to acquire bionetic augmentations. That is, enhancements that
have been bio-engineered, grown, and tailored to the character's genetic makeup. While
incredibly more costly, they have the added benefit of being virtually untraceable and not
requiring the maintenance regular cybernetics do.
Note that augments labeled bionetic only already have their cost adjusted.
-8-

Air Filtration
Augmented lungs that allow for toxin filtration. Grants +4 on any Chrome based checks
to resist airborne toxins.
Arm Claws
Long claws that retract above the fist in a style very similar of a popular 20th century
comic book character. (CHROME+2) Damage.
Audio Damper
Allows the user to cut out background noise and focus on a specific sound; +2 Awareness
Bonus involving listening or eavesdropping.
Body Plating
Ranked, up to 4. Armored plates (either chrome or synthetic bone) installed underneath
the epidermal layer. Each level adds +1 Defense.
Boosted Reflexes
Ranked, up to 4. Each level adds +1 to Initiative rating.
Cochlear Neurostimulator
Ranked, up to 2. Each rank increases all Wires-based skill checks by +1. Holds a reservoir
of neural growth stimulant that needs to be refilled once a month
(Cost Rating of 2.)
Cosmetic Alterations
Only needs to be taken as a perk once. Body modifications for appearances only; includes
animated tattoos, shifting hair colors, changed skin textures and so on.
Cyber Eyes
Cybernetic Only. Allows for Night Vision, Infrared, or Flashbang Protection. One feature
per perk.
Digital Camera
Requires Cyber Eyes. A high-resolution digital camera, also uses internal head memory for
storage. Can record both video (sans audio) as well as hi def photos.
Enhanced Audio
Amplifies audio at will, allowing +2 to Awareness roll checks involving sound.
Fangs
Vampire fang augmentation. Flat 2 damage rating, retractable.

-9-

Flesh Compartment
Bionetic Only. A small pocket or pouch made of skin and grafted onto the character.
Gills
Bionetic Only. Allows for underwater breathing.
Hand Razors
Sharp, retractable blades that line underneath the character's finger nails.
(CHROME) damage, concealable (takes a Hard 16 DN Awareness check to spot them.)
Headware Storage
Ranked, up to 4, cybernetic only. Each point of storage may either store a block of
important data, or it may add +2 to a Data-related skill roll once per game session. Takes
one scene to refresh the memory cache if needed.
Jumping Jack Heels
Cybernetic Only. Allows great feats of jumping. An Athletics check with Normal 12 DN
allows the character to jump 1 story vertically. Anyone who leaps straight up to fall back
down next turn needs to make an Acrobatics roll to land safely (also Normal DN.)
Muscle Augments
Ranked, up to 4. Each level of Muscle Augments adds +1 to any Chrome-based skill
checks (and Carry Capacity) the character performs.
Neural Interface Jack
Standard issue data jack of the near future, allowing direct interface with computer
systems.
Sprinters Tendons
Users movement rate is doubled, but it becomes difficult to move slowly. -2 to Stealth
checks.
Pain Nullifier
When the character is harmed, chemicals are released throughout their system, offsetting
the pain. When activated by the user, the penalties for being Injured are removed.
However, the chemical high is treated as a Drug with a Normal (12)/Chrome addiction
rating. Addiction results in a craving for dangerous behavior.
Targeting System
Cybernetic Only. Requires Cyber Eyes. Adds +2 to all ranged attack rolls. For an extra
rank, the Smart upgrade allows for friendly targets within a full-auto spray arc to be
passed over and completely missed.

- 10 -

Vehicle Control Interface

Ranked up to 4, cybernetic only. Requires Neural Interface Jack. For each rank, you may
either add +1 to Vehicle checks while interfaced, or remote control one additional vehicle
or drone. These ranks may be reallocated once per scene.

Psiometry
Psionics are latent psychic talents, generally developed in a character through extreme
measures: corporate or government research, zealous religious devotion, and psychedelic
drug experiences these are all common avenues of how pisometry awoke in a person.
Any character who has taken the Psionicist perk has immediate access to the following
abilities:
Telepathy: The character may project thoughts to another person within line of sight. To
a willing or unknowing receiver, the act is a Normal 12 DN Psiometry skill check, and
takes a full turn to perform. If the target is aware of the telepath, and attempts to block
them, it becomes an opposed roll (the recipient rolling a Data check for defense.) It
should be noted that this level of telepathic communication is strictly one way; the
psionicist in incapable of reading thoughts.
Telekinesis: The character may also physically lift, pull and push objects through mental
prowess. Objects must be within twenty meters and the psychic must have line of sight.
On a successful Psiometry roll (Normal DN 12), he or she or is able to lift up and move
an object whose Carry point value is no greater than half their Data attribute. Objects
manipulated this way may also be used as a thrown attack, causing half their Data rating
in damage (the type of damage determined by the object used and GM fiat.)
Disorient: The psychic can attempt to flood a target's mind with confusing thoughts,
noise and other forms of mental static. The target must be in line of sight, and the
mental attack is an opposed Psiometry roll vs. the target's Data rating. Maintaining
requires the psychic to perform the check each round. Failure to resist gives the target a 4 to any skill checks until the psychic ceases the assault, the target is out of line of sight,
or the target resists.
Mental Shield: The Psionicist may spend an action (like performing a dodge or parry) to
add their Psiometry skill to resist any Psionic powers.

- 11 -

In addition, they may spend further Perk ranks in developing advanced psionic powers. Each of these
are taken as a separate perk:

Burst: The psychic has developed their Telekinesis to a point they are capable of emitting
a burst of force against a target. Anyone within line of sight and 20 meters may be
targeted. The burst is a standard attack roll using the Psiometry skill, with a Stun damage
rating equal to half of the psychic's Data rating.
Kinetic Prowess: Any telekinetic ability now uses a character's full Data rating for damage
and carrying capacity.
Clairvoyant: The psychic is capable of projecting their senses, allowing them to see and
hear whats going on in faraway places. The psychic rolls a Psiometry (Hard DN 16) check
for places they are somewhat familiar with, Tough (20 DN) for those theyre not. For
every minute sustained, they must either make another successful roll, take 1 box of stun
damage, or drop the projection. They may only project their senses up to roughly a mile
(~1600 meters) away.
Channeling: By focusing on inner strength and using intense concentration, the psychic is
capable of expending themselves to further enhance their abilities. Any time the character
uses a psionic ability, he or she may add +2 to their related die rolls for every box of Stun
damage they willingly suffer. Note that this does not work when using the Recover power
(described below) on themselves.
Mind Scan: The psychic attempts to telepathically analyze the surface thoughts of the
target. This takes a full round to perform, and requires an opposed Psiometry roll versus
the target's Data.
Mesmerism: The psychic implants a thought into the target, which upon success of an
opposition roll (Psiometry vs. Data rating) the target will believe it to be his or her own.
Thoughts that will put their life or safety in danger will automatically be resisted
convincing a security guard he recognizes you as an employee is possible, convincing him
he needs to pull out his gun and shoot himself isn't. This ability lasts for one scene.
Recover: The psychic is able to channel positive energies into himself or others, causing
the body's healing capacity to accelerate. The psychic rolls a Psiometry skill check (Hard
16 DN). Success means fully recovering Stun damage, and every degree of success over
the DN automatically heals a Wound. This can only happen once to a subject during a 24
hour period.

- 12 -

EQUIPMENT

Getting the Goods

At character creation, a PC may acquire any piece of personal equipment, so long as the
item's Cost Rating is equal to or less than their Wealth rating.
The equipment that a character carries on their person at any given time is called a
LoadOut. All weapons, armor and gear has an abstracted Carry Rating, and a character is
allowed to equip up to their Carry Capacity in gear without penalty. Every point over
reduces their Wires rating temporarily by one point.

Tags
Equipment is pretty generalized in this game; a handgun is a handgun, a computer is a
computer. In terms of rules, there's not much of a difference between a Colt .45 and a
Walther PPS 9mm. But one mechanic both players and the GM may take advantage of is
the Tags system. A tag is like a Perk, which can be added to a weapon or piece of
equipment. Vehicles also get their own Tags to modify their performance. Each piece of
personal equipment may have a single tag; weapons may have two. Tags modify the items
in certain ways, including reducing or increasing their Cost Rating.
Accurate:
Ranged weapons with this Tag have a device that grants a +2 modifier to their attack
rolls. However, this device must have a trait that can also be a slight hindrance. For
example, a Light-Machine Gun may have a kickstand that the character must be prone to
use. Or, a pistol has a laser sight that can be spotted on an Awareness check (made easier
in hazy conditions.)
Crude (-1 Cost):
You get what you pay for: while the item was more affordable, it's a pain to work with
sometimes. Skill checks with this item are 4dL. This tag trumps Skill Adept, but hey look
at your savings!
Discreet (+1 Cost): The weapon or item was designed to be easier to store and conceal,
whether it's by being more compact, easier to break down and assemble, or made to
blend in with surroundings better. Awareness checks to notice the weapon or item while
put up are at a base DN of Tough (20).

-2-

Hot (-1 Cost): That's heat as in trouble with the authorities. You bought this item
second hand on the black market, and the dealer seemed a little eager to hawk his wares.
The item functions fine, but if you're caught with it you may be in over your head.
Lightweight (+1 Cost, -1 Carry): Weapons and armor with this Tag are made with finer
quality materials and design engineering, allowing to be less taxing to keep on your
person.
Precise (+1 Cost):
The item's design had quality and usability in mind; whether it be a sleek targeting
system on a rifle, a sword balanced for a specific customer, or professional grade
carjacking tools. Skill checks with this item are 4dH; does not stack with Skill Adept.

Melee Weapons
UNARMED

Skill:
Damage:
Carry:
Cost:

Hand-To-Hand
(CHROME) Stun
0
0

Bare knuckles, kicking, anything that

involves just using yourself as a
weapon.

SMALL EDGED

Skill:
Damage:
Carry:
Cost

Melee
(CHROME)
0
0

Easily concealable. Can be knives,

shivs, and also throwing blades (Uses
Athletics Skill)

1-HANDED BLUNT

Skill:
Damage:
Carry:
Cost

Melee
(CHROME)+1 Stun
1
0

1-HANDED EDGED

Skill:
Damage:
Carry:
Cost

Melee
(CHROME)+1
1
1

2-HANDED BLUNT

Skill:
Damage:
Carry:
Cost

Melee
(CHROME)+2 Stun
1
1

2-HANDED EDGE

Skill:
Damage:
Carry:
Cost

Melee
(CHROME)+2
1
1

-3-

Bats, pipes, chains, boards,

blackjacks, batons, hammers, table
legs, etc.
Axes, swords, kohpeshes, scimitars,
machetes, so on and so forth.

Warhammers, sledge hammers, rebar

with concrete blocks on the end...

Greatswords, Pole- Arms, Great

Axes, Chainsaws....

Personal Arms Weapons

PRIMITIVE STYLE

Damage:
Ammo:
Rate of Fire:
Carry:
Cost:

2
1
Single Shot
1
0

20 Shots Included / 20 Reloads

per additional Carry Point

Damage:
Ammo:
Rate of Fire:
Carry:
Cost:

3
15
Semi-Automatic
1
1

3 Magazines Included / 6 Reloads

per additional Carry Point

SHOTGUN

Damage:
Ammo:
Rate of Fire:
Carry:
Cost:

5
8
Semi-Automatic
1
1

1 Magazine Included / 3 Reloads

per additional Carry Point

SMG

Damage:
Ammo:
Rate of Fire:
Carry:
Cost:

4
30
Semi/Burst/Full
1
2

1 Magazine Included / 3 Reloads

per additional Carry Point

RIFLE

Damage:
Ammo:
Rate of Fire:
Carry:
Cost:

3
10
Semi
1
1

1 Magazine Included/ 3 Reloads

per additional Carry Point

ASSAULT RIFLE

Damage:
Ammo:
Rate of Fire:
Carry:
Cost:

4
30
Semi/Burst/Full
1
2

1 Magazine Included / 3 Reloads

per additional Carry Point

SNIPER RIFLE

Damage:
Ammo:
Rate of Fire:
Carry:
Cost:

5
10
Semi-Automatic
2
3

1 Magazine Included / 3 Reloads

per additional Carry Point

.50CAL RIFLE

Damage:
Ammo:
Rate of Fire:
Carry:
Cost:

6*
10
Semi-Automatic
4
4

1 Magazine Included / 1 Reload

per additional Carry Point

HANDGUN

-4-

Includes Bows, Slingshots and

other low tech weapons

Includes Pistols and Revolvers.

Military Weapons
LIGHT MACHINE
GUN

Skill:
Damage:
Ammo:
Rate of Fire:
Carry:
Cost:

Heavy Arms
5*
100 (Belt)
Burst/Full Auto
3
3

100 Round Belt Included

/ 1 Reload per additional
Carry Point

HEAVY MACHINE
GUN

Skill:
Damage:
Ammo:
Rate of Fire:
Carry:
Cost:

Heavy Arms
6*
100
Burst/Full Auto
5
4

100 Round Belt Included

/ 1 Reload per additional
Carry Point

ROCKET LAUNCHER

Skill:
Damage:
Blast Area:
Carry:
Cost:

Heavy Arms
20
20m
5
3

GRENADE
LAUNCHER

Skill:
Damage:
Blast Area:
Carry:
Cost:

Personal Arms
6
10
1
3

1 Rocket Included/1
Reload per additional
Carry Point

1 Grenade Included/ 3
Reloads per additional
Carry Point

* .50 Caliber rifles, and all Heavy Weapons, deal an initial two (2) boxes of damage, instead of one.

Explosives
FRAG / STUN
GRENADE

Skill:
Damage:
Blast Area:
Carry:
Cost:

Athletics
8 (Wounds or Stun)
15m
1 per 6 pcs.
2

FLASHBANG
GRENADE

Skill:
Damage:
Blast Area:
Carry:
Cost:

Athletics
Special
10m
1 per 6 pcs.
2

PLASTIC/C4
1 lb.

Skill:
Damage:
Blast Area:
Carry:
Cost:

Demolitions (Knowledge)
10
5m
1, up to 10 lbs.
2

Flashbang Grenades cause all within the blast area to make Awareness (Hard 16) checks to notice and
look away; otherwise, they are disoriented by the blast of light and operate at a -6 Penalty for 2d6
rounds.

-5-

Standard Gear
ITEM

COST

SKILL

NOTES

Portable Computer

Rating

Hacking or
Computer

Rating also affects size; 1-2 being

tablet sized and 5-6 being larger
laptops.

SmartVOIP

Computer

Mobile communication device

Cardkey Spoofer

Rating + 1

Larceny or
Technology

+Rating to rolls vs. Electronic Locks

Carjack Tools

Larceny or
Vehicle
Mechanics

+2 to rolls towards personal vehicle

theft

First Aid Field Kit

First Aid /
Medical

+2 to First Aid/Med rolls

Motion Sensor

Stealth (for
placement)

Handy for both an alarm or to trigger

explosives

Flaregun

Small Arms

Single Shot, 3 Damage

Rope, 50'

Athletics

For climbing or tying peeps down

Cat Burglar Kit

Larceny

Contains lock picks and glass cutters,

among other things.

White Noise Maker

N/A

+4 DN to ease drop on conversations

Digital Camera

N/A

Virtually unlimited video and audio

recording

Night Vision
Goggles

N/A

Flashbangs completely disable vision

in these things.

Flashlights

N/A

May be used as a blunt weapon

Handcuffs

N/A

For fun AND practical use!

Survival Kit

Survival

Adds +2 to Survival checks

Silencer

N/A

Attachment for Personal Arms,

muffling gun shots. Hard (16) DN on
an Awareness roll to detect.

The above items are examples of common equipment characters may acquire and have access to. Players and
Game Masters are encouraged to scheme up any necessary items that aren't listed here. Unless the GM approves
otherwise, a good rule of thumb is a point of Carry can handle two (2) pieces of gear.

-6-

Armor
The Defense Value of armor is added to the character's Defense Rating total. The Cost rating for armor is both the standard
Cost requirement and Carry Rating.
REINFORCED CLOTHING: Regular clothes layered and fitted for the intention of getting into a
fight. Cost: 0, Rating: 2
ARMORED CLOTHING: Jackets, coats, vests, and even pants lined with Kevlar and thin, small
padded sections for discrete armor clothing.
Cost: 1, Rating: 3
ARMORED PLATING: Standard paramilitary/task force/corporate security-issued armored uniforms.
Vests, leggings, and even a helmet designed for optimum maneuverability, but there's no way to dress
down or conceal this level of armor.
Cost: 3, Rating: 4
EXO-ARMOR: Heavily armored, mechanized exoskeleton for military assault teams. The servos and
operating system assist movement, but there is little grace in their maneuverability. No Stealth rolls
may be performed in this armor. Cost: 4, Rating: 5

Personal Vehicles
GROUND STYLE BODY MANEUVER COST

SEA STYLE

BODY MANEUVER COST

MOTORCYCLE

JETSKI

SEDAN

MOTORBOAT

SPORTS CAR

GUNBOAT

MUSCLE CAR

ASSAULT BOAT

TRUCK or SUV

CARGO SHIP

10

-2

HEAVY TRUCK

JEEP

LIMO

-1

ARMORED CAR

-1

AIR STYLE

Fixed wing style involves forward-momentum engines that

constantly propel the aircraft.
VTOL stands for Vertical Take Off and Landing, meaning
the craft is not only capable of flight but also of
maintaining a fixed position through hovering.

TYPE BODY MANEUVER COST

PERSONAL PLANE

FIXED

AEROCAR

VTOL

PRIVATE JET

FIXED

ASSAULT CHOPPER

VTOL

SQUAD TRANSPORT

VTOL

-7-

Drones
Drones are unmanned, robotic vehicles used in a plethora of security, reconnaissance and
research capacities. Already a common term in our modern lives, the skies and streets of the
dark futures are filled with the blinking lights of mobile surveillance.
Drones keep the same attributes and game mechanics as Vehicles, though their scales may
vary from being very small, palm sized devices to tank-sized battle machines. Drones may
also be modified with Tags.
Drones varying sizes can be measured by their Body ratings:

Ratings of 1 are palm sized, miniature devices.

Ratings of 2-3 are roughly cat sized devices, capable of carrying

Small Arms.

Ratings 4-5 are dog sized, capable of carrying Medium Arms.

Ratings of 6+ are bulky, about the size of humans or larger.

DRONES

TYPE

BODY

MANEUVER

COST

BASE CRAWLER

CRAWL

BASE ROLLER

TRACK

QUADCOPTER

VTOL

MINI CRAWLER

CRAWL

MINI QUAD

VTOL

TANK ROLLER

TRACK

SQUID

AQUATIC

RECON DRONE

FIXED

MANHUNTER

FIXED

TRACK: Track drones transverse using wheels or tank treads to get around.

CRAWL: Crawlers use legs to cover over different surfaces, such as walls or hills.

FIXED: Fixed wing, forward-momentum flying drones.

VTOL: Vertical take-off and landing, capable of hovering.

AQUATIC: Propelled for underwater use.

-8-

Repairs and Modifications

Unfortunately, vehicles don't repair damage like characters do. Fixing up a vehicle or a
drone can be a costly affair, in both time and resources. Characters who have access to a
Garage can repair vehicles at a rate of one box of damage per hour, per successful Vehicle
Mechanics skill check. The first 3 boxes of damage can be repaired at a Normal (12)
difficulty with supplies on hand.
But for the fourth and higher boxes of damage, the difficulty is Hard (16) and also
requires purchasing replacement parts equal to one point less than the Cost of the vehicle
(so spare parts for a Sports Car costs 1, a Limo costs 3 etc.) The spare parts need only be
purchased once per session of vehicle repair.
Parts can also be purchased to modify vehicles and drones. The costs are the same as
above. Each modification is installed at a Hard (16) difficulty, and the vehicle or drone can
only take a number of modifications equal to the original Body rating of the chassis.
Modifications can include:
Body Modification: +1 to the Body rating of
the vehicle or drone.
Under the Hood Modifications: +1 to the
Maneuver rating.
Hardpoints: Each hard point allows a weapon
to be mounted to the vehicle. Drones are
limited on the type of weapons installed by
their size.
Tags: Additional tweaks and customization
options tacked on to the vehicle or drone.

-9-

Vehicle and Drone Tags

Boost: Boost injectors grant the vehicle or drone a burst of acceleration in a tight bind.
Once per pursuit or chase, boost grants an additional step in the Gap rating in favor of
the vehicle using it.
Concealed Compartments: The vehicle or drone has compartments capable of stashing
equipment, contraband and the like from plain sight.
Control System (Vehicle Only): A full size vehicle can be modified to operate in the same
modes as a Drone using a wireless connection and an operator's VCI.
Escape System: Emergency systems are put in place for the operator and passengers to
bail out of the vehicle in case of emergency. The system has to be triggered by the
operator, but will allow features such as ejected doors and windows to allow quick escape
from the vessel (although what happens when you eject from the vehicle is a totally
different story.)
Hardened (-2 Maneuver): The vehicle is reinforced with military-grade armor, making it
incredibly difficult to directly damage. Only Heavy Arms and explosives are capable of
damaging the vehicle; Personal Arms literally ricochet off or only leave tiny dents at best.
Hidden Hardpoints (-1 Maneuver): The vehicle or drone is modified so the weapons armed
on it can be tucked in, or under, the vehicle concealing the armament from sight until
the time of use. GM discretion is advised...it's pretty damn hard to conceal a heavy
machine gun on a motorbike, for instance.
Hot (-1 Cost): Like the equipment Perk of the same name, you're able to afford the vehicle
on the cheap by purchasing it on the Black Market. It may have new tags, plates and a
paint job...but the serial tags on the engine's processor never lies. If confiscated, the
authorities may have some serious questioning for you.
Hybrid (Drone Only): The drone has an additional transportation mode that allows it to
get around. For example: A Fixed craft may have an Aquatic mode added to it so it can
dive into the sea and properly function. Or a Track based drone might have extendable
legs for stealthy maneuvers or moving over hilly terrain. The extra modes modify the
Maneuverability as follows when engaged:
Track: +1 Maneuver
Crawl: -1 Maneuver, can stealth and climb.
VTOL: -1 Maneuver, may hover and vertically take off and land.
- 10 -

Fixed: +1 Maneuver, constantly moving in this mode.

Aquatic: No change, may operate under water.
Old School (Vehicle Only, -1 Cost): The vehicle contains a noticeable lack of on-board
processors handling engines or navigation. While this prevents it from being hacked over
wireless means, it also means that any connections or controls over VCI are prevented as
well.
Sleeker Frame (-1 Body): By using a lighter and more aerodynamic chassis, the vehicle or
drone sacrifices structural firmness for faster speeds and better response. +2 Maneuver
rating.

Vehicles in Combat
All vehicles have the following attributes:
Body: The structural integrity of the vehicle. Operates as the Toughness mechanic
for the ride itself.
Maneuver: An abstracted measurement of both speed and handling. This rating acts
as a modifier to the driver or pilot's Vehicle skill.
Defense: The difficulty for damaging the vehicle when it's in operation. The base is
10 + Maneuver Rating + Operator's Vehicle Skill, as well as any Perks or Tags that
may modify it.
Tags: Like equipment, Vehicles may be customized with Tags.
Damage: Vehicles track six boxes of damage just like characters.
Attacking Vehicles and Drivers:
Any parked or stationary vehicle has a base Defense of 10. Characters may use the vehicle
for cover; mechanics wise, this doesn't actually damage the vehicle unless explosive
weapons are involved. That said, it may very well cause obvious cosmetic damage (bullet
holes, shattered windshields) at the GM's ruling. During pursuits, the vehicle's Defense
rating is purely for attacks directly on the Vehicle. When attacking the Driver, the vehicle
then acts as at least half cover, and certain situations (like shooting from behind) may
very well provide full cover.

- 11 -

Optional Purchasing Rules

Starting Debt
Players may wish to acquire certain goods at character creation that are beyond the means
of their Wealth rating. While some tags like Hot were designed to off-set cost, another
solution is for the character to accrue debt.
Debt literally means the character owes to a benefactor or organization: a crime boss, a
loan shark, or a corporate syndicate, so on and so forth. When a character purchases an
item worth more than their Wealth rating, they may tick-off boxes of Funds for each point
over. The catch here is these Funds do not recover normally they must specifically be
paid back out to the lender before they can be restored! Even if a full track is spent, and
the Wealth rating is lowered, the boxes of Debt still remain until the debt is paid. (The
GM will decide the means of reimbursing the debt.)
Debt at character creation cannot be dealt to more than 4 boxes of Funds.
Purchasing Augmentations
Parts aint cheap, and this is why theyre treated mechanically as Perks more than
equipment. But for some gaming groups, not being able to use Wealth to purchase
implants feels too unrealistic. In this case, the Game Master may allow for augments to be
picked up in-game using either Wealth or- Experience Points.
Theres two approaches for determining the cost of augments:
In settings that any chump on the street can pick up some spare parts in back alley
chop-shops, the cost is simply the Perk value +1.
For settings where augments are considered scarce, elite, and few people are
packing parts, the cost is double the Perk value. (This makes bionetics extremely
difficult to acquire.)

- 12 -

GAME MASTER
GUIDE LINES

Running a REWIRED World

A typical session of REWIRED can be seen as equal parts heist movie, cyber-thriller,
and industrial music video. If the heroes arent criminals, they should definitely be an
anathema of the society they live in. The worlds of tomorrow, as portrayed in this
game, arent clean cut trans-human utopias. Take everything unsettling about todays
trends, in science, politics, and business -- and turn the volume up. Hit high-speed
and see where it takes us.
REWIRED takes its inspiration from the
cyberpunk genre gritty near future dystopias
where governments have either fallen to
corruption or fell completely. Corporations
reign over the land, fighting dirty shadow wars
among each other in the wet neon streets of
the city. Entire neighborhoods have succumbed
to social decay and anarchy street gangs and
bands of nomadic families kill over the scraps
tossed to the shadows of the cultural elite.
The technology that is believed to be our
salvation ends up becoming our master.
Machine replaces flesh, digital replaces reality.
The masses are addicted to the sensory
overload of the flashing Technicolor distractions they willingly link their minds to.
Cities are bloated, crowded, sectioned off into gated enclaves where the residents sell
their souls to the big company man. Nobody really owns anything anymore they
just accrue debt or pay subscriptions for their basic rights.
REWIRED can be played in any gritty near-future dystopia; but its default setting is
METROPLEX BURN, a vision of the D/FW Metroplex in the world of sometime after
next Tuesday in an alternate Mangled Earth. The guide to this setting is bundled
with this game, and can help newcomers to the genre get a feel for what this game
is intended for.
Remember this: when you run a game of REWIRED, its your job to keep the pace
moving. Embellish the grittiness this is a game where any punk with a gun can be
a real threat. And theres a lot of punks with guns out there.
-2-

Quick and Dirty NPC Generation:

While you should flesh out important non-player characters using the character
building rules as a guideline, its recommended you short-hand most nameless
opposition and scale their abilities accordingly. Feel free to not bother with skills, but
instead use the base four attributes for all of their skill related actions. Your average
Mook NPC will have about 10 points to distribute across them, with maybe one
perk or augment. Stronger badass characters will have 13 points, and either two
perks or a perk and an augment. This is just a guideline, but it works in a pinch.
Punk-Ass Street Ganger
Chrome: 4
Augments:
Hand Razors
(4 Damage)

Wires: 3

Data: 2

Badass Corporate Agent

Signal: 1

Chrome: 4

Init: +2 Toughness: 2 Defense: 16

Weapon: Handgun (+6)

Wires: 4

Data: 3

Signal: 2

Augments:
Init: +4 Toughness: 4 Defense: 18
Hard to Bleed
Weapon: SMG (+8)
Boosted Reflexes (+1)

Quick and Dirty Adventure Hooks:

Roll 1d6 on each of the tables to build a skeleton to frame a job on:
Job is Offered By:

Job is Classified As:

The Target Is:

1: a wealthy individual.

1: assassination

1: heavily guarded

2: a dealer or pusher

2: guard / patrol

2: on the run

3: a corporate entity

3: escort mission

3: sought by many

4: a political/social entity

4: a heist

4: high profile

5: a religious entity

5: an extraction

5: extremely dangerous

6: a non-profit organization

6: a distraction

6: willing to negotiate

-3-

Drugs
Disclaimer: REWIRED can be a bit of a mature game that periodically romanticizes
activities that, in real life, are a bad idea. If you're not comfortable with drug use in your
game, then don't use it.
All drugs are listed on a per dose basis. Each drug has the following attributes:
Addiction: Written as a DN, along with an attribute.
The character must make a check with that attribute
(no other skills or modifiers) to resist addiction.
Duration: Each drug also has a Duration Step to
check against addiction. If the character becomes
addicted, this is the duration until the next addiction
check. These steps in order are Hourly, Daily,
Weekly, Monthly. Successful resistance to the drug
kicks it up a step (example: Daily to Weekly, Weekly
to Monthly.) Once the character resists the Monthly
check, they have completely kicked the habit.
When the character initially uses the drug, he or she
makes their addiction check. If resisted, the character
is able to go on and function normally once the dose wears off. If they fail, however,
addiction sets in and the character rolls again after the base Duration Step has passed.
The DN is now one step higher (So Normal 12 becomes Hard 16 for example.) If the
character succeeds, the Duration is bumped up a step, and the process continues until a
Monthly check is resisted. If failed, the character takes a -1 penalty to their attribute until
they either A) Get a fix, starting the duration steps over B) Pass their next duration check
or C) Get medical help.
What follows is just examples of mechanically beneficial drugs. The GM is free to write up
their own, as well as any recreational drugs they want to use in their settings. Prices are
intentionally not listed supply and demand are hell on a black market, and adding
middlemen to the mix adds risk as well. The GM is free to either set their own cost
ratings or completely wing it on a case-by-case basis.

-4-

Calmers
Addiction: Normal (12) / Wires
Duration: Weekly
Calmers reduce the stress and jitters of the individual, helping them focus on tasks that
require coordination. Users gain a benefit of +1 to all non-combat Wires-based checks for
the day.
Jacked
Addiction: Hard (16) / Wires
Duration: Daily
The opposite of Calmers, wiring a person out to react quicker. +2 to Initiative, plus
doubling their movement rate. Lasts for 2 hours before crashing.
Cake
Addiction: Normal (12) / Data
Duration: Weekly
A designer drug, named in part to the wafer-style dosages. Cake is a stimulant that gives
users a euphoric effect. This makes it popular for clubs and parties. As it heightens senses,
it can be used to grant the user +2 to Awareness checks.
Patch-Up
Addiction: Easy (8) / Chrome
Duration: Monthly
A legal, commonly used drug by medics and mercenaries alike. Patch-Up speeds up the
healing process in exposed wounds, coagulating the blood as well as disinfecting them,
plus adding some medicinal nanites. A character who is unconscious and bleeding out that
is treated with Patch-Up will immediately stop the bleeding, and will be able to begin
recovering. One dose of Patch-Up allows a character to recover at a step up: Stun damage
recovers by the Hour, Wounds recover by the Day.
Brute
Addiction: Hard (16) / Chrome
Duration: Daily
Brute is the designed steroid of the gritty future. Every day a character injects Brute, they
gain a straight +1 Chrome. However, it is highly addicting, and failing an addiction roll not
only results in a loss of an attribute point during recovering, the character is also prone to
fits of rage. While on it, they receive -2 to Interaction checks for coming off a bit too onedge and being an asshole.
-5-

Computer Hacking
REWIRED tries not to fall in the trap of having an overly complicated hacking system. As
a general guideline, this game follows Rule of Cool more than realistic computer
simulations. We take more inspiration from the cinematic computer sequences of movies
like Johnny Mnemonic, Hackers or Minority Report than we do a UNIX manual.
Thematically, computer networks are treated like
interactive, virtual nodes that connect to each
other wirelessly on whats called The Datasphere.
The Datasphere itself consists of smaller spheres
each one individual networks, comprising of all
devices connected to a mobile device. The mobile
devices themselves act as gateways, regulating
information that goes in and out. Computer users
can either interface with devices using augmented
reality (in which programs appear to the
connected users displays like an overlay in the
real world.) Or, they can jack in and project
their consciousness (in the form of an online avatar) into the realm of cyberspace.
Of course, while just about anything electronic is either transmitting, or networked to
something that is the more precious data isnt floating in the spheres. Instead, they are
locked down in the hardwired digital fortresses of private networks.
REWIRED keeps hacking straight forward by treating it as any other form of skill check or
combat. The hacker's computer is their catch-all device in this realm: it is their tool,
weapon, and in most cases their armor.
Computer systems have stats similar to NPC's: They have Data, Firewall, and Initiative
ratings. Their weapons are security programs set in place to defend against hackers,
called ICE (Intruder Countermeasure Electronics.) ICE comes in two versions: White ICE
and Black ICE. Computer systems also have a single health track of six boxes. Whenever
a hacker attempts to either defeat its security or take over the system, their hacking
damages its defenses.
Manipulating a System involves the Hacker attempting to program a function to control
the system in some way. When doing so, roll a Computer Knowledge Skill check (plus the
Hacker's actual computer equipment rating) versus the System's Firewall rating. Failure
results in denied access, and the Hacker must resort to hacking (which is outright
attacking the system's firewalls.)
-6-

Hacking a System uses the following roll:

3d6 + Hacking + Computer Rating
vs. System's Firewall Rating
A successful attack damages the firewall, dealing boxes of damage equal to the degree of
success. The System will remain passive until the first failed attack, or when it becomes
Injured, whichever comes first. Then, Initiative is rolled and the Hacking is continued
much like a Combat scene.
When the System attacks using ICE, damage dealt to the Hacker depends on whether
they're in Terminal Mode, or Jacked-In:
Terminal Mode (Not Jacked-In): A hacker using a Computer without being jacked in
has a flat Defense rating of 10+Computer Rating. All damage from ICE goes to the
Hacker's Computer; White ICE knocks it offline, while Black ICE physically damages
the device.
Jacked-In: While Jacked-In, the Hacker defends with their full Firewall rating (plus
their Computer's rating.) Additionally, the Hacker's Toughness is used as a damage
threshold as well. Damage is treated as Stun damage to the character (unless Black
ICE is involved, then it becomes lethal Wound damage.)
Designing Encounters for Hackers
Hacking scenes should always enhance gameplay for the group, not bog it down. The rules
were setup so anytime a hacker needs to crack into a security system, it should be able to
run alongside anything else the other players are doing.
The trickiest part is knowing how to appropriately scale a hacking encounter. If the hacker
is just scouting for gaps in the security, wanting to override a simple device or scout data
traffic for intel, create a single encounter for the whole network.
If they wish to pull off a larger-scale stunt hack into a buildings security and
environmental controls, rush a full on corporate database for employee health records, or
collect video feeds from various municipal traffic cams youll probably want to design
-7-

encounters for different stages of the hack. A good way to bring up tension is to design
jobs that will require the full team to cooperate in making sure a hack can go down.
Remember that hacking is just another form of combat you can roll initiatives for the
hacker, the opposing network system, and any security personnel running a counter-hack
in the same sequence as the rest of the party while they have a firefight trying to protect
the hackers meat body!
Also, feel free to design security systems with nasty countermeasures up their sleeves that
go beyond simply attacking the hacker. Networks can have special skills, called Routines
that interfere with security breaches.
A couple example of routines could be:
Alert: Calls a network administrator, alerting to the presence of a security breach. A
successful check (Hard DN 16) after coming out of passive mode will dispatch the
warning, and may summon other hackers to take out the infiltrator.
Trace Route: This runtime is an opposed roll vs. the hackers Data (plus Computer
rating.) Success against the hacker means a trace has begun. The GM should roll a
1d6 to determine the amount of turns it will take for the hackers physical
connection to be triangulated.
Jam: When the network realizes its being assaulted, it can run an emergency
encryption routine to garbage up any data that is being potentially stolen. This
check is a Hard (DN 16) difficulty. If it succeeds, any data the hacker recovers from
the network takes a Tough (DN 20) Computer check to decrypt.

SAMPLE NETWORK ENCOUNTER:

Teletron Online D/FW Gateway
Data: 6 Firewall: 16 Initiative: +3
Routines: Trace Route 4
White ICE: +6 (upon alerted)
Black ICE: +5 (after reaching Injured)
This is the main access point to Teletron Onlines
customer service portal. Hackers may attempt to
crack it to gain access to basic customer or
employee data.

-8-

Advancement and Payout

At the end of every REWIRED adventure, the Game Master awards the characters with XP
and payment for a job well done. What follows in this section is a rundown on the types
of awards the GM may hand out.

Awarding XP
The GM awards Experience Points per session, although they
may hold off until the end of an adventure instead if necessary.
XP is awarded for the following:
Finishing an Adventure: Completing a plotline or
objective warrants 1 XP.
Defeating a major nemesis or overcoming an obstacle:
Tough opposition warrants 1 XP.
Suffering a Major Setback: Failure can be a learning
experience in its own right, worth 1 XP.
Good Role-Playing: Acting in character, engaging the
dialogue, and making decisions based on character
knowledge (as opposed to player knowledge) warrants 1
XP.
Good Group Member: Supporting the play group outside of the game is worth
rewarding, too. Hosting the game at your home, pitching in snacks or drinks,
assisting in game setup or helping to keep things fun for everyone nets you an extra
1 XP.
XP may be spent the following way to advance a character:
2 XP to learn a new skill at rating 1.
Skills may be increased at an XP cost equal to their new rating. This doubles if they
are raised above their related Attribute rating.
5 XP to gain a new Perk (or to raise a perk one rank.)
Raising an Attribute costs double the current rating to raise it by one.
A box of Funds may be recovered for 1 XP each. This includes boxes of debt.

-9-

Awarding Edge
Edge points can play a crucial role in saving a character's skin or getting the job done. All
player characters start out with a finite pool of these points, and they don't replenish at a
natural rate. Instead, Edge Points are returned when the character sticks their necks out
and take big risks. The rule of thumb here is Fortune Favors the Bold.
Any time a PC successfully performs a risky action that endangers them or their
friends, they should be rewarded 1 Edge Point.
Cooking up a crazy scheme that totally blindsides the GM's plans and works should
also be rewarded 1 Edge Point.
Putting your character's life in danger in order to protect an ally is also worth an
Edge Point upon success, even if you end up suffering for it.

Payouts
The characters have finished a contract for their broker, confiscated some hot pay data or
scored some contraband they wish to fence. Sometimes rewarding more visible gains in a
system with an abstracted money mechanic is hard. Heres some solutions to keep your
players satisfied (and eager for more punishment.)
Status: Accomplishing a job on behalf of a particular faction or organization can
score characters ranks in Status with them. The GM may freely hand out ranks as
he or she sees fit, but could also keep a separate XP pool behind the scenes going
towards the acquired rank.
Funds: A GM may reward funds to the players. These can initially be used to
recover marked off boxes of Funds the character has. If the character has no funds
spent, they may use these rewarded funds as a free bonus to a future Wealth roll to
purchase goods.
Cred: After the socio-economic collapse, its not the cash you have sometimes but
the favors youre owed. Cred is an optional payment system. When the players
finish a job well done, the group earns a pool of XP that is separate from their
personal rewards. This XP can only be spent on either material things (like certain
perks, augments, skills like Wealth or Contacts, or even recovering Funds) orsocial perks (including Status or Ally.)

- 10 -

Rule Variants
The following rules are optional systems you can elect to use in your own
REWIRED games, changing the style and flavor from gritty to potentially more
cinematic:
Exploding Dice: Any dice that naturally rolls a 6 is counted as a 5, and then is rerolled and added to. There are some limits here: re-rolled dice can only explode once,
and any die turned into a 6 through Perks counts simply as 6.
Cinematic Ammo: Instead of having to keep track of ammunition supplies, the players
only need to keep track of the ammo loaded in the weapon. They still need to take
actions to reload, but it's assumed they carry just enough ammunition to get the job
done.
Refreshing Edge Points: Edge Points naturally refresh to 3 at the beginning of every
session. Points left over or stocked up do not carry over, however, so spend that edge
like candy.

Alternate Wealth System

Not everyone is a fan of abstract money systems, but that shouldnt be a reason to not
enjoy the game. For those who would rather keep track of exact funds, you can use the
following table to convert Wealth and Cost Ratings:
STARTING MONEY

BASE COST RATING VALUE

Players start with a number of funds based on

their Wealth Rating:
0: $100
1: $1,000
2: $10,000
3: $100,000
4: $1,000,000
5: $10,000,000

0: $10
1: $100
2: $1000
3: $10,000
4: $100,000
5: $1,000,000

Once play begins, the GM is free to roll 1d6x(Cost Rating Value) to determine the current
going price for the item (isn't supply and demand a bitch?) Upon a successful Influence
check, the characters may be able to talk down the price anywhere from 25-50%.
Seems ludicrous? $100 for rope, a grand for a camera? Welcome to the bloat of a postcollapse society.
- 11 -

CREDITS
Licensing and Source Material

Written by

All game text is licensed under the Creative

Commons Attribution-NonCommercialShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. You are
free to redistribute this text for personal use,
as well as reuse any text for non-commercial
projects as long as you give credit to the
author.

R.E. Davis
A portion of graphics in this document, including
the weapon clipart, is based on public domain
images found through the following websites:

This game would not have happened

without the awesome creativity and love
of independent game developers.

http://openclipart.org

http://wpclipart.com

http://clker.com

Images were edited using PAINT.NET, a free

image and photo editing program.
http://www.getpaint.net/

The original WYRED system was built off

the WyRM engine, as featured in Warrior,
Rogue & Mage by Michael Wolf and
Resolute, Adventurer & Genius by
Andrew Modro and Jason Cabral.
REWIRED continues to build on a
foundation started by these titles.

Special Thanks to Vaitel & SirModok, for

providing additional artwork for this project.
This game would also not be possible without the
love and support of my friends and family. Huge
shout out to the WYRED/REWIRED core play
testing crew:
Kortney Marie Cox, Josh & Amber Draegar,
Stephen & Amanda Mercer, Matt Bryant &
Michelle LeBaube, Jeremy Montgomery, James
Corbin & Brittany Meddley, Brian Santiago, Derek
Davis, Rafael Sanchez, Jeremiah & Jennifer Bolt,
Calen Cummins, Xi Cheng, Clint & Katherine
Moore, Johnny & Kaylee White, and Joel &
Melanie Haas.

http://www.stargazergames.eu/games/
This work is also built using the Fate
Core System and Fate Accelerated Edition
(found at http://www.faterpg.com/),
products of Evil Hat Productions, LLC,
developed, authored, and edited by
Leonard Balsera, Brian Engard, Jeremy
Keller, Ryan Macklin, Mike Olson, Clark
Valentine, Amanda Valentine, Fred Hicks,
and Rob Donoghue, and licensed for our
use under the Creative Commons
Attribution 3.0 Unported license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.
0/).

Also big thanks to those whove given external

feedback and support!
A big thanks to Tim Kirk, Michael Wolf, Andrew
Modro, Bill Logan and Larry Moore for reminding
me the awesome of independent game development.

http://chaosgrenade.com

- 12 -