VI.SO.

R + PG
Z
VIDEOGAME-ISH SOLO RPG, 2.5º EDITION

CORE BOOK

>> NEW GAME

CONTINUE GAME
OPTIONS
EXIT

BY DR. GERALD RAVENPIE

2024
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
0 - GETTING STARTED .......................................... 4 3 - ADVANCED OPTIONS.................................... 55
ADVANCED DIALOGUE RULES ......................... 56
1 - GAME RESOURCES ........................................... 8 ADVANCED M8B(+) ORACLE ........................... 62
ORACLES ............................................................ 8 CARDLESS ALTERNATIVES ............................... 63
THE GAME WORLD .......................................... 10 CASE INVESTIGATION...................................... 65
THE MAIN CHARACTER .................................... 12 FACTIONS ........................................................ 68
NPCs................................................................. 16 FIVE MEMBERS TEAMS ................................... 73
NEW GAME ...................................................... 19 MULTIPLAYER RULES....................................... 77
NPC-NPC INTERACTIONS................................. 78
2 - GAME ENGINE ................................................. 20 PUZZLING PUZZLES ......................................... 80
ACTIONS........................................................... 20 SAVINGS & SCRAPS ......................................... 81
GAMEPLAY ....................................................... 31 SCENE-CREATION TOOLS ................................ 83
NPCs................................................................. 45 SPACE EXPLORATION ...................................... 86
DIALOGUES ...................................................... 50 STRONGHOLDS & SETTLEMENTS .................... 88
SYSTEM CONVERSIONS ................................... 94
VEHICLE RULES ................................................ 95
WARFARE & MASS COMBAT........................... 98

Version 0.01
By Dr. Gerald Ravenpie, 2024
The cool icons for the Runes (which, incidentally, don’t appear in this manual but in the Book of Tables) come from https://game-icons.net/, by
the following authors (hope I miss nobody!). Carl-Olsen, Caro-Asercion, Cathelineau, Darkzaitzev, Delapouite, Lorc, Skoll, Lord Berandas, and
Wildabeast. They’re under the CC 3.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), and I’m keeping them that way. In fact, I can’t
do anything else because of that license, so…
Illustrations had been mostly generated by an A.I., using that ‘Stable Diffusion’ thingy. If you know how they should be treated from a legal
point of view, then you know more than me.
Finally, as with the previous editions of this game, you can do whatever you want with this text, except making money (ha, as if!). Previous
editions added a ‘nor doing something illegal/immoral’ clause, but that was mostly a tongue-in-cheek “joke” (note the quotes) based on the
title of a 90’s Spanish song which a) probably nobody got, b) surely has run its course already. So, just give me just a tiny little bit of credit, and
some notice about what you have done so I can look at it! (^__^)
Version History
Version 0.01
Back to square one! Here there’re are the main changes and additions that deserved that (arguably pretentious) ‘+’ and that
(probably contentious) ‘2.5’. The big one is the core book being now divided in two parts, one for Rules and another for
Templates. To be precise, most of the old ‘genre rules’ in the latter ones have been moved to the former, only leaving those
rules that are VERY situational. Also…
 The known errata from 2º Edition have been corrected, in addition of some previously unknown more. Of course, with all the changes and
additions in this edition, expect new, shining errata appearing in their place.
 The gameplay section has been expanded, describing the game loop. Or for what in VISORPGZ+ pass as a ‘game loop’, at least.
 Vehicle conflicts now have two new Actions that let you flee them and also reproduce the final attacks in not-vehicle conflicts.
 There’s an option for better starting Attitudes in a Five Member Team, for genres where a cohesive team is expected.
 Talents work the same, but they have been a bit more systematized and adapted to include the new Actions. Also, the game templates
include several changes in the Talents some characters get by default.
 ‘PC advancement’ section has been updated, with different options for playing it. Also, the cost in Trophies has been reduced in some
cases.
 The cost and requirements for improving Personal Interests have been vastly reduced, both in term of required progress and badges
expenditure.
 New sections with advanced options for puzzle-solving, case investigations, strongholds & settlements building and management, mass
combat, and multiplayer gaming has been added.
 Dialogue and NPC-interaction rules include the updates from the 0.03 version of Let’s Talk! and 0.02 version of Keeping Contact!, plus
additional ones (especially in the Faction section).
 The NPC approves! that and NPC disapproves that! Action have been updated and expanded, covering the different cases in their
description.
 The Call Bond Action has been nerfed a bit, by making the 4 and 9 inauspicious results more punishing.
 The Gen(R)erator rules have been rewritten a bit to clarify their use (now, a ‘Genre Table’ works as a template for ‘Plot Tables’, being the
latter the ones you would actually use!)
 Die-rolling alternatives to card-based Oracles have been included.
 The Book of Tables has been reformatted. Easier to index now, and in fact the pdf now includes bookmarks for each table.
 Several tables had been added for fantasy games (including a way to generate classical quests for this genre). Most are adaptations from
others of my recent games. Because it was time for VISORPG to take and not just give!
 The Weirder Matters template is now part of the core game. There’s also two totally new templates: This Dust Was a City, and Time-Travel
Thrilling Tales!
 There are now three ready-to-play games instead of only one. Yep, this time, not only Ruriko but also Captain Alessandro and Yuko-chan
& Duskwillow are fully playable from the very beginning!
 0 - GETTING STARTED
Welcome (being it for the first time, being it again) o The Book of Templates contains guidelines to
to VISORPGZ+, a solo tabletop RPG that takes create games of a specific genre, being fantasy,
inspiration on certain videogame genres, concepts, modern or science fiction. It also includes three
and tropes! Plenty of it. Maybe too much indeed, for already filled templates, if you aren’t in the mood
some tastes. So, if you’re new here, the name comes of filling questionnaires, creating characters and
from ‘Videogame-ish Solo Roleplaying game’…with an stuff.
added ‘Z’ to point out there was a previous o The Book of Tables contains most of the tables
incarnation of this ruleset, and a ‘+’ at because it has mentioned in this core manual; those not there
been updated & expanded1. are situational enough to be included in its
In case you’re really, really new here, as in ‘I don’t specific game template.
even know what all that a:-pi:-d3i: stuff means!’, you o The Companion Booklet contains a compilation
can find a good description of this concept in of all the game Actions (that’s a yet-to-be-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing_game. explained rules concept, roll with it for now),
But be warned: in VISORPGZ+ some of the topics cards to be printed & cut, character (and other
mentioned there adapted to the fact that it is a solo auxiliary) sheets, etc. Also, this edition has gone
game, so take everything with a grain of salt. In the extra mile in the free DLC department, by
VISORPGZ+, thus, there’s no Gamemaster, nor any giving you a compilation of every DLC ever
prepared scenario, adventure module, or the like. released in VISORPG story in a special collector’s
You’ll be totally alone, so you’ll be roleplaying both version3! And as an additional free DLC, you’re
the main character of the story and every secondary getting Color Blue! For free! Just think how much
character…and also taking all the decisions about could it cost you as a DLC in any other game!
what happens, when, and how. o Steampunk Shōjo Alchemist: a long tutorial
Of course, all of this won’t just be an exercise of originally written for the last iteration of VISORPGZ
‘fiction writing’, even if there’ll be some of it: all before it got the ‘+’, but now duly updated. Here
decisions (and the nature of characters, by the way) you’ll find a long example of how to create a game
should take you by surprise, because there’re plenty world and a main cast for scratch, examples for
of random elements in this game! Dialogues and Action resolution, etc.
o VISORPGZ + Tools: a collection of generators to
WHAT YOU GET… use with the Inspiration Pad Pro program (by
NBOS Software). These generators automatize
Let’s start with whatever you already have in your the process of rolling in most of the game tables,
hands, or in your screen, or the screen you’re holding but it also fills game templates from the
in your hands: this core manual. It’s divided in 4 scratch…with lots of additional details and trivia!
chapters, each one discussing the following concepts:
o Chapter 0 – Where you’ll find a summary of what
LET’S KEEP IT SIMPLE…OR NOT
you need to play this game, and a glossary.
At first, this manual may look a bit intimidating by its
o Chapter 1 - Where you’ll find how to create sheer size…specially because it’s just one of several!
worlds and characters. But fear not, because you can play a VISORPGZ+ just
o Chapter 2 - Where the meat and potatoes of the using the rules in Chapters 1 and 2 (i.e., way less than
game system are explained. half the total page-count). Also, you’ll be using one
game template at most (and mainly for setting up the
o Chapter 3 - Where you’ll find some sauce recipes game), and you’ll check the Book of Tables as needed
to add to those meat and potatoes 2. (no one expects you to read it, even less memorize it!).
But that’s not all, because this manual doesn’t come Finally, the Companion Booklet compiles rules
alone. If everything went right, you should find instead of adding ones, so it can be seen as a helper
several additional documents sitting close to this one. and not as an additional load!
Namely…

1 Enough to deserve a +0.5 to its edition counter, but not enough 3 Okay, one is a miniature version because the original one didn’t
for a full +1. Thus, that ‘2.5 Edition’ thing. YMMV. fit anymore…but that makes it even more exclusive!
2 To be fair, some of them sound like adding ketchup to steak…but

maybe you do it and like it, and who am I to judge?

4
…WHAT YOU NEED… during the creation of the game, if you want, so it’s
acceptable in moderate doses. But don’t use it as an
Let’s say that you got all the documents mentioned in excuse to include micro transactions in your game:
the previous section. Do you need anything more that there’s a special Hell for executives who meddle that
was not provided? In fact, yes you do. Sorry for that! way.
First, you need two 6-side dice (d6s) and two 10-
side dice (d10s), the latter being of different colors; BEING COHERENT
it’s assumed you’ll use a white d10 and a red d10, but Not every decision you take should be the most
that’s not mandatory. Also, in addition to the logical: that would lead to a predictable story and,
mentioned cards, you should prepare a bunch of thus, a boring one. But it should be at least somewhat
blank pieces of paper for all the cards-to-be-filled-on- logical: as you progress in the game, some elements
the-fly during the game; you can cut them the same will be introduced, some backstory will be stablished
size as the rest of the cards if you want, or use and some ‘truths’ about the game world and its
notecards, post-it, whatever. elements will be revealed; the goal is to make them fit
together. Thus, be aware of everything that has been
Finally, you’ll need some things which are not already stablished before introducing new elements
physical, nor even digital, but related to your attitude. and taking decisions. In fact, you should base those
The first one would be ‘Wanting to play this game’, but new elements and decisions on that, so each fact and
that would be assumed for now, so here there’re the little story would naturally guide you to the next!
rest.

BEING IMAGINATIVE …AND WHAT YOU COULD USE

Let’s not fool ourselves: this manual doesn’t give There has been a lot of sources of inspiration for
fully playable stories on a silvered plate. Instead, it this game, and some of them could be as useful to you
gives hints and ideas about of how a story could be as they have been to me. So, I will mention a few
played, but you must be the one giving those ideas a examples…with special emphasis in the word ‘few’.
real meaning. I.e., you’ll have to use your imagination
o Mythic GM Emulator 2nd Edition, because it’s the
to translate some (maybe unrelated) words and some
Guile theme of solo-roleplaying: it goes with
(usually mental) images into something that deserves
everything.
been included in the fictional world where you’re
playing. Of course, if you have played a lots of o Oraculum, because it was my first physical
videogames, watched many series, read a lot of books Spanish solo RPG…and still the only one, at the
and (let’s not forget this!) played TRPGs (solo or not- time I’m writing this.
solo), you already have plenty of sources to take ideas
o Play by the Apocalypse system and their spin-offs,
from. After all, ‘Good artists borrow, great artist steal’,
for inspiring many of the mechanics. In general,
so…why be just good when you could be great?
for all the 2d6 + Stat stuff (with 10+ = yay, 7-9 =
meh, and 6- = ouch). More specific, Worlds in Peril
BEING HONEST
for its power-levels descriptions, Blades in the
The concept of ‘cheating’, in a game that you’re Dark for its flashbacks-as-planning, Brindelwood
playing just alone may sound a little strange…if not Bay for its do-not-plan-the-solution for
for all those cheats in one-player videogames we’re mysteries…and all those I may be forgetting!
already used to. So yes, you can cheat in VISORPGZ+:
there’s plenty of dice rolling and card drawing, and ‘I o Ironsworm, because it’s a great solo RPG and
don’t like this result, let’s try again’ could be a totally free.
tempting thought…specially because nobody is o Anything by Kevin Crawford (Sine Nomine
looking, so nobody will notice it. But the idea is to Publishing), because these books are filled with
fight that temptation because you want to be tables for all kinds of stuff. Many of them have a
surprised by those results; if you aren’t surprised free version that includes 90% (give or take) of
and, instead, you just select them, you’ll be just the whole deal. And Scarlet Heroes, even if it
writing that story you want to tell, and not playing it! doesn’t have a free version, is still worth
Of course, there’s cheating and there’s cheating. mentioning because it includes a solo-specific
When you get a result that makes you think ‘I don’t mode.
have any clue of what to do with this’, you may shrug o Heroes of Adventure. A free fantasy RPG, with more
and try an alternative. Also, sometimes you want to generators you can shake a 10-foot pole at.
be surprised, and sometimes you want to get just
what you want, as in when creating a specific NPC or o Maid RPG. Why this game keeps appearing here?
defining some feature of the game’s world. You could It’s not as if I ever have even looked at it nor been
see all of this it as just a bit of executive meddling

5
 inspired by its ‘let’s generate the whole setting by Collection. A bunch of stuff you like to put together just for
rolling on a bunch of tables’. No, Sir. Not at all. the sake of it. As a bunch of collectable (well, duh!) game
cards, for example.
o Rory’s Story Cubes. The RUNES used in this game
Companion. An NPC that joins the PC in their adventures,
are their poor gamer’s substitute, but if you have
being more engaged than a Party member.
the real deal, why don’t use them?
Conflict: A dangerous, complex or troubled situation that
o Untold. A story-creation board game with cards should be resolved with more than just a mere dice roll. E.g.,
saying ‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘Yes, but…’, etc., cards with a combat against an enemy who deserves better than being
emojis, and a bunch of Story Cubes? I’m not even curb-stomped (or when you deserve at least a chance, even
trying to pretend this game didn’t inspire me! if you’re in the wrong side of the power balance).
o Tvtropes.org Those who use to visit this page will Dialogue. A set of procedures to play a conversation
notice how much I’ve been inspired by it. In fact, between the PC and an NPC.
this manual includes several ‘tropes tables’ to use Fact. A piece of lore, related to the game in general, a
as inspiration: not all of them are taken from that character, a place, etc.
page, but those are quite self-explanatory…so if
Faction. A group of NPCs with common interests; the PC
you don’t know the meaning of one specific trope,
can interact with it as a whole, and sometimes even join it.
there’s a good chance that website will contain the
full description (and plenty of media examples!) Failure countdown. How many little (or not-so-little-but-
still-not-disastrous) mistakes you’ve made during a quest,
o www.fantasynamegenerators.com Here’s where I which may lead into a big failure when you make too many
go when I need to give a random name to of them.
somebody, or some place, or something…or, as
Fine mess. A dangerous, complex, or troubled situation
things are, nearly anything. that, from a mechanical point of view, can be solved with
o MQGA-32p and Jerkass Hero! Yes, I’m just one dice roll. Except if it escalates into a conflict.
recommending some of my own games, as they’re Game template. A series of guidelines and, in some cases,
full of tables which can be adapted to VISORPGZ+ (in new rules, to play a game based on a specific narrative
fact, you’ll find plenty of cross pollination between genre.
all these games). On a second thought, add Gamemaster (GM). The one at charge in classical RPGs. In
Ultimate Mystical Chef, too: it also includes plenty solo-RPG, it’s you when wearing the
of tables at the end…even if they’re mostly ‘narrator/arbiter/roleplaying-an-NPC’ hat.
cooking-related!
Health Points (HPs). A measure of how close you’re from
being defeated, something that can lead to a non-standard
GAME GLOSSARY Game Over or, more usually, other kind of in-game
punishment.
Action. A protocol to decide how the current situation
evolves, for good or ill. You can see it as the equivalent of a Hobby. A fun activity (at least, you find it fun) you use for
piece of programming code that determinates if you relaxing. As fishing, for example.
successfully attack an enemy, dodge a danger, discover a
Location. Any place in the game that deserves being
clue, etc.
mentioned and, eventually, visited.
Approval Rating (AR). A sub-trait associated to an
Main cast character. A relevant NPC who, eventually, can
Attitude trait that represents the short-term health of a
be unlocked and turned into a faithful (or not) Companion.
relationship.
M8B. An Oracle, or in fact, two Oracles, based on drawing a
Attitude. A trait that represents your long-term
card from a deck, getting a Yes/No result in the case of the
relationship with another character, a faction, etc.
M8B(Y/N) Oracle, or a Yes/No with potential nuances in the
Badge. A reward you get when successfully finishing a case of the M8B(+) Oracle.
Quest.
Mood. A description of how an NPC is feeling at any given
Big Project. A Project on steroids: building a stronghold, moment.
managing a whole realm, etc.
Mystery. A piece of yet-to-known lore about the game, a
Bond. Someone you have a befriended or, in general, is character, a place, etc., that takes the form of a tantalizing
important to you. This, eventually, may evolve to a full question.
romance.
NPC. Every character in the game who isn’t the protagonist.
Case. A Quest based on solving some criminal mystery by I.e., not the PC.
collecting clues, interpreting them, etc.
Narrating. Describing what’s happening, how things look,
Chapter. A way of dividing the game from a temporal point how people acts or what are they thinking, etc.
of view, which allows giving a middle-term duration to
Oracle. A random method to answer questions during the
different mechanical effects.
game, as in ‘Do I successfully punch that idiot in the face?’,
‘Does that unexplored planet have a breathable

6
atmosphere?’, ‘What happens in my way to visiting my Tone. During a Dialogue, how the PC talks to the NPC at any
deskmate?’, etc. given moment.
Party. The PC and one of more NPCs, when the former is Tricky situation. A part of a scene that introduces some
adventuring together with the latter instead of being alone. obstacle, problem, or nuisance that, theoretically, should be
solved quickly. I.e., like a Fine mess, but less of a headache.
Party member. Someone who joins the PC, but only on a
temporal, just-as-needed basis. TEST. An Oracle based on drawing a card for a specific (and
small) deck, getting A, B, C, D, or E as a result.
PC. The protagonist of the game.
Threat. The opponent/danger you face in a conflict.
Personal interest. Something you do just for fun or to
improve something, as card playing, fishing, furnishing Trophy. A reward you get when finishing a plot.
your new home, etc.
VISION. In general, any Oracle based on getting a result
Player. You, when wearing the ‘roleplaying the PC’ hat. from a table, which requires also die-rolling, card-drawing,
or both.
Plot. A Plot describes something important happening in
the game world, or that could happen. Or something you try WHERE. An Oracle that lets you select a random Location.
to make it happen, or to stop it from happening if it’s
WHO. An Oracle that lets you select a random character.
something you don’t like.
Progress. An abstract measurement of training or
investment in one specific task, and how close you’re to
learn something new, improve your mastery in a Hobby, A BIT OF BACKSTORY
complete a Collection, finish a Project, etc. First there was VISORPG, a solo system that was
Project. Something of (relatively) secondary relevance you created at the same time it was written while the
want to change in the game world that requires time and author was learning about solo roleplaying (talk
effort. As furnishing your new home, for example. about awkward approaches!). This version started
the tradition of creating a sample character as an
ROLL. An Oracle based on rolling two 6-side dice. Or two
10-side dice. Or, sometimes, only one: the used type (and assistant for each entry in the line. Other traditions
amount) is specified case by case. were a) each of those characters getting a cat, and b)
each core game or add-on including a 1st day DLC in
RUNE. A Vision based on rolling in a table and getting a cute the form of a card (as a not-subtle-at-all satire of
icon as an answer.
certain practices and face-palm incidents in the
Quest. The classical ‘mission’ you try to achieve for a videogame industry).
reward or any other reason. Of course, that means that you
Then came VISORPGZ, which compiled and
could fail at it, but that’s the nature of the game.
homogenized the material from the previous edition.
Quirk. A cool supernatural power or useful (even if This time, the same sample characters participated
mundane) talent. by adding comments as footnotes…and to say that
Reaction. During a Dialogue, how the NPC answers to the spiraled out of control would be an understatement!
PC at any given moment. And here there is VISORPGZ+, which once again acts as
Scene. For those who come from other RPGs, the concept of a compilation, revision…and expansion, with plenty
‘scene’ here is just the same than there; for those who are of new material. Or recycled material that was so old
new, look at it as a ‘scene’ from a movie, an anime, a TV that it can pass as new! To give a break to those
series, etc. sample characters, this time they will only comment
Stat. A character trait that summarizes their physical,
their respective games4. Yeah, this time, all their
mental and social aptitudes, and also their willpower. game-worlds have been described, so you can just
plug & play them!

4 Not that I dared to ask for anything more. At this point, I was
already playing with fire…

7
 1 - GAME RESOURCES
In this chapter, you’ll learn how to create content templates offered in the Book of Templates? The
for your VISORPGZ+ game. Probably it won’t look as latter gives you guideline to create all the game
pretty as a bunch of 3D graphics or sound as good as content, in addition to new rules, examples, etc. The
a collection of audio clips (when compared to good former gives you absolute freedom; nevertheless, you
examples of both, of course)…but, on the plus side, its still should look at the existing templates regarding
creation will be quite easier! any game genre similar enough to the one you’re
creating, as it can be quite a time-saver. This chapter
Once said that, the first (and big) decision you
won’t assume which option you are following, so it
must make is: do you want to create a game just from
will explain what you should do for each case.
scratch, or do you want to use one of the game

ORACLES
Before starting with all the creation work, you some situations and rolling results in them once and
need some tools, being the most basic a series of again (instead of getting an unfitting card once at
randomizers to give you specific results…or most, because you can put it aside after that) could be
unspecific results that you make specific by using a bit infuriating.
your imagination. Those randomizers, or ‘Oracles’,
are a part of the game engine (to be treated in the next
chapter)...but, as you need them now, here you’ll find MAGIC_8_BALL (M8B)
their full description. This Oracle is based on 12 cards with six different
results: Yes (3), No (3), Yes, but… (2), No, but…(2), Yes,
ROLL and…(1), No, and…(1). You use this Oracle to answer
a Yes/No question. When labeled as M8B(Y/N), you
This Oracle isn’t an Oracle per se, serving as a tool only pay attention to the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ part; when
for other Oracles or game mechanics. It’s based on a) labeled as M8B(+), you also include those ‘but’ and
rolling two 6-side dice of different colors and adding ‘and’ details.
their results, denoted as ROLL(2d6), or b) rolling two
10-side dice and use their individual results to check ADJUSTING THE ODDS
a result in a table, denoted as ROLL(2d10). It’s
assumed that your d10’s will be white and red: the As written, the M8B(+) Oracle fits all situations with
former used to select the column and the latter to 50/50 odds for affirmative / negative results6, but
select the row. As you’ll see in a moment, not all tables you can still use it as written if the odds slightly favor
work that way, but most of them do. one result. However, if you feel those odds are
notably imbalanced, you can consider that by
drawing two cards and using the most affirmative (or
TEST negative, depending on the situation). And if you feel
This Oracle takes the form of five cards, labelled as those odds decisively point out to a specific answer,
A, B, C, D and E. With them, you can answer multiple- you should follow your guts and decide the result
option questions as those on your typical test, hence without asking any Oracle: just apply honesty and
its name. This doesn’t mean that every questions coherence to what your imagination is suggesting.
should have five possible answers: frequently, you Finally, if you really want to play with the odds, you
will need less options, if they’re interesting (and could always look at the Advanced M8b(+) Oracle
logical) enough. You can discard any unneeded card section in Chapter 3.
before drawing t or you can just draw cards until you
get one that fits the situation: in the long run, the
latter would probably be quicker than the former. A
VISIONS
TEST can also be used in combination with a ROLL VISIONS are a series of Oracles in the form of
(1d10), for tables with only three or four columns5, or tables with a similar function: they serve as triggers
for tables where whole columns could be unfit for for your imagination, inspiring an answer for a

5 A little awkward, maybe, but that’s the consequence of 10 not 6 Those are worse odds that the toy version of the Magic 8-Ball. The
being divisible by 3 or 4, and one point in favor of using 120-sided one used in this system is based on the less widely known (as in,
dices in RPGs, Or 600-sided, if you also want to use it as a percentile ‘I’m totally making this up’) ‘Harsh but Fair’ Special Edition.
dice.

8
question beyond a simple Yes/No or just a bunch of item and a descriptor. The result, with a bit of
options. The answer of a VISION may be quite luck, will sound Mc-Guffin’ish enough!
metaphorical, kinda specific, or just to the point,
o GENERAL QUESTIONS. This is an example of a
depending of the nature of the table. The latter also
table with independent columns. You take the
condition what you must do to get a result a VISION
column you need at any given moment to get a
may require a combination of a TESTs and ROLLs,
general answer for an equally general questions
different dice sizes, more than one ROLL, etc.
(as there’s no sense in selecting it at random),
This way, some illustrative examples of VISIONS and use a ROLL(1d10) for the row.
would be…
o RUNES. These VISIONS are full metaphorical, as
they take the form of an image and not a word or NOMENCLATURE TIME!
series of words. If you cast the RUNE of an ‘Apple’, Most VISIONS tables can be found in the Book of
thus, it can mean that you’re going to find an Tables: as mentioned, if they don’t appear in that
electronic product of that company, that soon manual is because they are a) very situational, and b)
you’ll face some temptation or forbidden used just once during the game setup and that’s all.
knowledge, or you’ll meet someone with a very Thus, from now on, when a table from that book is
healthy lifestyle. Or maybe that you’re going to mentioned in the text, the following format will be
eat an apple, of course: sometimes, even as a used: Table: [General] - [Specific]. E.g., Table:
RUNE, an apple is just an apple. To roll a RUNE, Quest - Twists means ‘use the specific table for Twists
you make a combination of a TEST(A-E) and a among the rest of the Quest tables’, and so on.
ROLL(2d10): the former points you to one of five
RUNE tables and the latter to a result in it.
o SCENE DRESSINGS. These four tables are a more
WHO
to the point than RUNES, but still abstract. They This Oracle lets you select a random character, for
give you one-word answers that let you set-up a good or ill. Each relevant character in a game is
scene, being it an action, a general tone, a feeling, represented by a specific card (more of this later), so
or an omen7. These are examples of tables based you just have to shuffle those cards and draw one (or
on a ROLL(2d10s), with the white die selecting as many you need). In some cases, the result would be
the column and the red die selecting the row. quite absurd, so you have the same options than for
TESTs: just discard the result until you get a logical
o TROPES. These tables summarize lots of clichés, one, or only shuffle the fitting cards instead of the
conventions, commonplaces, etc., for different whole deck. The latter, on the other hand, could take
narrative genres. More to the point in some cases, you more time than just drawing cards until you get a
but still quite metaphorical…and, many times, fitting one, if it’s a game with loads and loads of
geeky enough to require you paying a visit to characters. Also, drawing all cards without any pre-
tvtropes.org to elucidate what in the name of selection may give you a result that you didn’t have in
heck it means. Some of them (as the mind but ends up sounding kinda cool!
Drama&Tragedy one) are examples of ‘double
tables’: you can roll in the whole table, or apply
the result of the row-die only to the upper-half or WHERE
the bottom-half. This Oracle is like the previous one, but applied to
o CHARACTERS - FIRST IMPRESSIONS. This is an places (or Locations, as they’re named in this game)
example of a biased table, where columns show instead of people. The same principles apply here:
graduated results (in this case, better first each important Location has a card, and you can
impressions from left to right). In this case, the shuffle all and draw cards until you get a logical
column is selected by a TEST (or just selected, result, or only shuffle those that would be a logical
period), while the row is selected by a result to begin with. Note that the mentioned Table:
ROLL(d10). General questions has a column labeled as ‘Where?’,
but it covers a different matter (mostly distances,
o MISCELLANEA - McGUFFIN. This is an example instead of specific places).
of ‘combination table’, where you roll on both its
upper-half and bottom-half to get, in this case, an

7 The latter being the kind of answer a real Oracle would usually without specifying WHICH empire would be the destroyed one (to
give an obscure and (because of this) retroactively fitting answer. be fair, that was all King Croesus fault, for framing his question so
As in, announcing ‘destruction’ before invading an enemy empire poorly).

9
THE GAME WORLD
Now that you have the basic tools, let’s start long chapters covering days and short chapters
creating content. And let’s start big, creating a solved in a matter of in-game hours (or less), while
whooping game world! shorter games typically follow the classic ‘once
chapter = one week-day’, for a total duration of one
week…if they’re not even shorter.
GAME SCOPE & PACE
Another reason to divide the game in chapters is
The first thing you must decide is how big (and
to give the game a mechanical pace, in addition to a
long) your game is expected to be. Is it like an
narrative one: some rules and their effects will refer
MMORPG with no defined end? Is it more like a
to ‘until you take the To be continued Action’ to know
glorified demo? These two extremes and what lays
when these effects end; that’s just a glorified way of
between them can be described as…
saying ‘until the end of the current chapter’.
o Persistent world. The game world exists even if
you’re not playing in it, metaphorically speaking.
There’s no defined ending, so you keep playing WORLD BACKGROUND
for as long as you want, until you’re satisfied, If you’re creating the game from scratch, this step
tired or you decide to rage-quit. You can expect is as freeform as it can get: you just make a short
plenty of plots and quests, thus…but no a main write-up describing the nature of the game world,
one. and that is. If you feel daring, you can roll some
VISIONS (tropes and scene dressings are particularly
o Open world. There’s a big plot somewhere, but
apt for this!) as inspiration…but if you’re creating
no pressure: you can ignore it if you want, or so
your own game it’s probably because you already
tradition says. The game has a main story, but
have some ideas. Maybe you’re adapting an existing
finishing it doesn’t mean that you must stop
game world from some media, even, so you already
playing: plenty of videogames let you keep
have tons and tons of background to work with.
playing afterwards, so why couldn’t you do the
same?8 If you’re using a game template, the basic premise
of the game is already set, but you further refine it by
o Linear world. This game follows are linear (well,
filling a ‘World Questionnaire’ using the TEST(A-E)
duh!) story. There’s a main plot and maybe some
Oracle. Or your heart’s desire, if none of the offered
side quests here and there…but the idea is that
options fit you: it’s assumed every question includes
you focus on the former, and one you finish it, the
a ‘none of the above’ answer…or, better yet, a ‘fill with
game ends. However, you can still treat it as one
your own answer’ option. Also, you can replace the
game in a franchise, so you can go back to the
TEST with any other VISION; in essence, it’s ‘fill with
same game world to play another story.
your own answer’ once again, but looking for some
o Episodic game. A series of Linear world games, inspiration to get that answer.
each one relatively short. Usually, there would be
Just to not overdo it, the world background should
an overreaching plot that connects everything
be summarized as some Facts (being each one a
together, in addition of the ‘plot of the week’ one.
phrase or short paragraph that describes one
Beyond that, there’s not much more: no fancy
important aspect of the background) and Mysteries
stuff as side quests, minor plots and the like.
(being questions concerning pieces of information
o Short game. These games have only one plot, still unknown when the game starts). You’ll probably
being one that’s expected to end soon…for good need more Facts for a world created from scratch, as
or ill. And, as expected, no side quests, no games based on templates already have some
unlocking NPCs, no minor plots, etc. information in the form of answers to questionnaires
and the like…but 5 - 6 should be enough. Also, 2 – 3
Regardless of being longer or shorter, a VISORPGZ+
Mysteries should be enough, regardless how you’re
game is divided into different chapters9, being you
creating your game, as you’ll find more once the game
the one who decides when the current chapter has
has started…and even before that (just wait and see).
reached the point to say, ‘this looks like the moment to
start a new one’. The duration of any given chapter
depends on the duration of the full game and its LOCATIONS
pacing: a persistent or open world can include both A Location is any place in the game important
enough to be named and visited, maybe many times.

8 With the added bonus that you can make NPCs show some 9 Beware than, in an episodic game, Episode  Chapter, as the
deference after you finish the Big Quest, instead of addressing you former is made of an arbitrary number of the latter ones.
as if nothing has happened. Seriously, people, where is my respect?

10
The game scope determinates how big are its You’ll travel through it when going from one Location
Locations; e.g., in an open-world game, a Location to another, except in those cases where they’re two
usually represent a terrain feature, settlement, etc., sub-locations of a bigger one. Usually nothing of
while in an open-city game, a Location usually relevance happens there…but ‘usually’ is the key
represents one building. Even more extreme cases word, because it leaves room for the ‘unusual’ in the
would be a space-faring game, where a Location can form of one of the cases described below. Beware
represent a whole planet…or a visual novel where the there’re mentions to specific Actions that have not
game world is just one building (as a High school) and been described yet (in fact, none has been described
each Location represents one room. at this point!), so for now just roll with it; the names
of those Actions are quite self-descriptive, and that
Game templates describe how many Locations
probably helps.
you should create at this stage, their scale and their
nature. The Book of Tables includes tables for o Travelling from one location to another is not an
creating Locations being them planets, fantasy places, Action as such, but sometimes things could
modern city buildings, etc.; each game template will happen in the way. Luckily, you’re the one who
point you to the most fitting ones. For a game created decide when that happens or when to ask to an
from scratch, 4 - 5 Locations should be more than Oracle if that happens or not: you’re not going to
enough to begin with, regardless the game scale. suffer the ‘another random fight every few steps’
situation…and, as VISORPGZ+ games doesn’t
You must write a brief description for each
require grinding XPs, gold nor whatever, there’s
Location: again, there’re specific tables that can help
no reason why you would want to suffer it!
you with that, but you can also use other kind of
VISIONS, etc. Finally, each Location will be o Once you finish your work in one location, or if
represented by one card, containing its name, you must leave it because any reason, you may
description, etc. Altogether, these cards make the find yourself without a clear path of action. In this
‘Location deck’, which you use as the WHERE Oracle. case, you could use the Suddenly Action to get,
well, some action…which usually will happen (or,
at least, be initiated) in the World Map.
SUBLOCATIONS
A big(ger) Location may contain several small(er) o The Gumshoeing Action, used to carry out
sublocations…at least in those cases where the place investigations and stuff, may be taken out in one
is interesting enough to be detailed. Thus, a stellar specific location when you’re investigating it or
sector can be divided into star systems, those into something in it. But when you’re doing the
planets, those into regions and so on…until you reach classical ‘walk the streets making questions’, it’s
the ‘this is just a room’ step where there’s no point in assumed this happens in the World Map…as will
making more subdivisions. do any tricky situation, fine mess, or conflict you
may get involved in if you’re unlucky enough.
Each sublocation is treated as any other Location,
o The Take a short rest and Take a long rest Actions
with just one difference: you don’t mix them with the could be seen as happening in the World Map:
rest of Location cards, only with the ones that are also thus, you don’t need to add every café you visit to
part of the same main Location. That means that you
relax or hospital where you’re treated to the
may end up with several Location decks, at different Location Deck. But you may add your favorite
scale levels, but if you clearly identify of which bigger ones of the former (and the one you’re usually
Location each sublocation is part of, you shouldn’t
taken to of the later) if you want.
have too many troubles relocating them if you
accidentally mix them up. Hint: include a number, So, if at any given moment the crap hits the fan and
code, symbol, whatever in each card to represent the something happens when you’re in the World Map,
‘parent’ Location, and you would locate its ‘children’ assume it happens in a generic location, being ‘the
sublocations with just a glance! streets’ or whatever; the one that would use a generic
background in a videogame, in other words. But as
you have an unlimited budget, those generic
THE WORLD MAP backgrounds may be as lavish and detailed as you
The World Map is the nebulous space between the want!
known Locations, and also the still-to-know ones.

11
THE MAIN CHARACTER
The next step is creating the protagonist of the
game, or Main Character (abbreviated as ‘PC’ just for
tradition’s sake). That would be ‘you’, by the way…but
please, don’t mix all these references to ‘you as the
player’ and ‘you as the PC’ 10.

BACKGROUND
Your background is a brief description of who you
are and what is your role in the game...or, at least, the
expected one11. If you’re using a game template, you’ll
fill a PC’s questionnaire that answers several key
questions about your past, your present and your
(potential?) future. Those answers, on the other
hand, are expected to help you define that
background, not to replace it. Also, note that most of
the PC’s questionnaires in the game templates are
based on the M8B(+) Oracle, but with a little twist:
you don’t reshuffle the cards after each answer, but
draw as many cards as questions asked and apply
them in order. That means that there can be, at most,
12 questions, because you wouldn’t have enough
cards to answer any more than that.
One important part of your background, which
deserves a special place, is your Motivation: your
main source of courage… or, at least, the main reason
you give a rodent’s buttock at any given moment. It
can be as altruistic, utopic, selfish, or jerkish as you
want, as plenty of examples in the videogame media
(and beyond) have shown us.
You’ll always have a +2 in Spirit. Also, you assign a
Ah, yes, a name, let’s not forget about that: you +2 to another Stat, +1 to another and +0 to the last
must decide what’s your character’s name, because one, as you desire. The chosen Stat with a +0 will thus
playing the whole game just using a default be your weak point, and the one with a +2 your strong
placeholder would be silly12. point; of course, being your Spirit always +2, that one
also counts as one of your strong points!
STATS
Creating the Main Character requires a bit of QUIRKS
number crunching. Thus, as a PC, you are defined by You may call it ‘Quirk’, you may use another funny
four Stats (Physical, Mental, Social and Spirit) at a word as ‘Gimmick’ or ‘Shtick’…fact is, this trait will
+2, +1 or +0 level. The first three stats are self- define a lot of what makes you the PC in the game.
explanatory, and you’ll use them to resolve Actions of And, also, why some of the NPCs are treated as
physical, mental, or social nature (see, self- ‘important characters’ instead of mere set dressing.
explanatory!). Spirit, on the other hand, measures Quirks can appear in different flavors, with different
your fighting spirit, willpower, heroic stubbornness, effects for a mechanical and (more notably) narrative
etc.: it’s the Stat you use for getting things done, and point of view.
for staying on your feet when the situation turns dire.
In fact, it could have been named Protagonist Power
instead, but that sounded a bit tacky.

10For example, do not try jumping from the top of a building just 11 You wouldn’t be the first Dark Paladin to drop the ‘Dark’ part and
because your PC has flying powers: that’s the kind of behavior that turn against your former Empire.
gives bad press to RPGs. … Ah, yes, also it could kill you for real, and 12 Or you can go full retro and use a placeholder instead of a name,
that would be horrible. Ahem. as in many old videogames!

12
 EXAMPLES OF QUIRKS COMBAT STYLE QUIRKS
You may find the description of Quirks in this section These Quirks represent martial arts, which can be
somewhat nebulous. But don’t panic, because each fully supernatural or just-one-step-over mundane,
game template includes a section concerning their depending on the game. They may be based on an
available Quirks, including examples. In fact, even if unarmed martial art or on some weapon: point is,
you’re creating a game from scratch, you should these Quirks give you special Techniques and one
check at the very least that section in the game Ultimate Technique (a Technique on steroids that you
template that better adjusts to your plans to benefit reserve for the special occasions) to help you describe
from those examples. your attacks and other combat related stuff in a cool
way.

POWER QUIRKS Both Techniques and Ultimate Techniques have

These quirks represent a special power (or a mechanical effects, as described in the Use Combat
bunch of thematically linked powers) of versatile Technique and Ultimate Attack! Actions. There’s a
nature. Thus, even if you already know some ways of very strong narrative element in these Quirks, too,
using your power, you can also improvise new uses because the mere fact of having one implies that
during the game, and turn them into ‘known’ ones you’re very, very good in the art of kicking assess and
with some practice. Each application of your Power taking names while looking cool in the process.
Quirk (known or improvised) has an associated level:
Routine if it’s something you can do without effort, TALENT QUIRKS
Challenging if it’s something you can do by giving it A Talent Quirk makes you good at something, with
some effort, and At your best if it’s something you can the caveat that it’s not a supernatural thing. As other
only do by pushing yourself to your very limit. Finally, Quirks, it has a narrative component, but it also has a
a Power Quirk may have some Limits: restrictions clearly defined mechanical effect as described in the
regarding how (or when, where, etc.) you can use it. Use Talent Action: a Talent Quirk is associated to one
specific Action (sometimes, more than one), so you
During the game, you describe how you use your can use them to occasionally get a +1 bonus to your
power in the narrative, following the guidelines in the ROLL(2D6) for that Action. Just read that Use Talent
Activate power/spell Action. Power Quirks don’t give Action to know how much time you must wait
you mechanical effects; instead, they’ll give you between those uses.
plenty of narrative power to describe how you can
even try things that would be impossible for any other When acquiring a Talent Quirk, you must give it a
character. For example, as you’ll seen in a moment, a name that describes its general nature, typically in
Talent Quirk can give you an occasional bonus to rolls the form of a profession, field of knowledge or just an
related to sleuth investigations…but a Power Quirk innate skill. Also, you select the related Action that
may allow you to read people minds, making plenty can benefit for it. That Action should be coherent with
of investigations nearly automatic! the nature of that name: e.g., Gunslinger (Fight for
victory) sounds more reasonable that Gunslinger
SPELL QUIRKS (Take a short rest + Take a long rest).
These Quirks look a lot like the previous ones, as Even if a Talent Quirk can make you look cool, and
they are supernatural and their uses follow the same not only when you’re applying its limited mechanical
classification (Routine, Challenging and At your best). uses, how much coolness you can squeeze from it still
The big difference is that you can’t improvise new depends on the nature of the game. This way, in a
uses for these Quirks, so you must learn those uses high-powered game where there’re no supernatural
one by one before even trying. Thus, each use can be elements but there’re people that seem to break the
seen as a ‘spell’, the more powerful the higher its level, laws of physics just by their sheer awesomeness,
and the whole Quirk as a ‘magical tradition’. As in the being a talented gunslinger could let you activate a
previous case, the effects of these Quirks are more time-bullet ability during a shoot. Or, if the game is
narrative than mechanical, being based on the more medieval than modern, you may be one of those
Activate power/spell Action. archers who can stab one mook with an arrow and
Spell Quirks Limits usually take the form of those- immediately shoot the same arrow to another mook
legendary-spells-only-the-greatest-masters-could- without missing a cue. However, in more down-to-
cast. On the other hand, ‘you need to make gestures earth games, the same Talent would just mean that
and intone words of power’ is practically a given, and you have training with guns: enough to not shoot
one than even the greatest Supreme Wizards still yourself in the foot, and to know that you shouldn’t
must deal with; that edgy dude with hourglass- shoot with your gun sideways because the idea is
shaped pupils could probably tell one or two stories hitting the target, not ‘looking cool’.
about that…

13
 Below, you’ll find a table of General Talent Finally, if you’re using the Warfare & Mass combat
Quirks: by default, you can assign any of the listed advanced rules, you can add the Warfare Talent
Actions to one Talent Quirk, regardless the game Quirks to your list of options.
genre. In some cases, two or more Actions are
covered by the same quirk, as there are some very WARFARE TALENT QUIRKS
situational Actions that shouldn’t deserve a full quirk.
Attack!
Be warned: you’re still limited to one use of the
Battlefield tactics + Retreat!
corresponding quirk, no ‘one use for each of the
mentioned Actions’. Keep the lines! + Rally
Refreshing the troops + Start Mass Combat
Troubles are coming + Drill exercise
GENERAL TALENT QUIRKS
Ask for something
Beat the clock + Not yet! TRICK QUIRKS
Create Bond+Break Bond+Start romance+End romance A Trick Quirk is a cool and very specific ability of
Deal with a fine mess (Physical, Mental, or Social) *
supernatural (or, at least, quite baffling) nature that
you can use at will (as a Routine power) or, in some
Face a dangerous situation (Physical, Mental, or Social)*
cases, with a little effort (as a Challenging power, if
Fight for victory you think that the trick is relevant enough). So, in this
Gumshoeing (Physical, Mental, or Social) * case, you can’t improvise new uses, nor you can learn
Improve the odds (Physical, Mental, or Social) * them. This would make you a one-trick pony (even if
Initializing conflict scene it’s a cool trick)…but as you’ll see soon, these Quirks
Pursue personal interest + Troubles are coming never come alone.
Take a short rest + Take a long rest
* Choose one Stat when acquiring the Talent Quirk.
The Sci-Fi Talent Quirks table, on the other hand,
HEALTH POINTS
is offered as a substitute of the General one for those Damage in VISORPGZ+ is quite abstract, so the trait
games where both vehicles and exploration play an to represent how you deal with it follows suit; cue
important role (e.g., the Starship Captain and Space Health Points (HPs from now), a measurement of
Rogues from the Book of Templates). This table how much punishment you can still endure…being it
implies the use of Actions of an advanced nature (and physical damage, fatigue, mental stress, etc. Your
thus, described in Chapter 3), but it’s nevertheless start the game with a pool of 12 HPs; don’t worry,
included here as a reference. there’s no ‘HP-inflation’, as that’s the maximum size of
that pool for the whole game. Also, you can’t fall
SCI-FI TALENT QUIRKS below 0 HPs, nor have more than 12 HPs, ever.
Ask for something Losing HPs. When you have lost plenty of HPs,
Beat the clock + Not yet! you probably would look quite ragged, but this
Create Bond + Break Bond + Start romance + End romance doesn’t have any negative effect on your
Damage control + Repair bay performance. On the other hand, when your start a
Deal with a fine mess (Physical, Mental or Social)* conflict with 5 HPs or less, that would be a quite dire
Defensive maneuver + Disengage! situation, so that conflict will start at a High Tension
level instead of Low13. Finally, if you are ever reduced
Face a dangerous situation (Physical, Mental or Social)*
to 0 HPs or suffer damage when you’re at 0 HPs, you
Face space peril
must activate the Not yet! Action.
Fight for victory
Fire! Recovering HPs. If you want to recover some
Gumshoeing (Physical, Mental or Social)*
HPs, you must take the Take a short rest or the Take a
long rest Actions. Also, if you victoriously finish a
Improve the odds (Physical, Mental or Social)*
conflict with 0 HPs (which would be the definition of
Initializing conflict scene + Start vehicle conflict a ‘hard-earned victory’), you recover 1 HP at the end
Pursue personal interest + Troubles are coming of it14. Finally, ending a chapter (i.e., using the To be
Search the unknown + Probe planet continued… Action) will refresh your full HP pool.
Tactical maneuver
Take a short rest + Take a long rest
Troubles are coming + Drill exercise
* Choose one Stat when acquiring the Talent Quirk.

13 Once again, these concepts haven’t been explained yet…so 14Note that if you drop to 0 HPs outside a conflict but the Not yet!
there’ll be a kindly reminder for this rule once you reach that part! Action lets you continue, you’ll still be at 0 HPs. Time for thinking
about taking a rest…

14
 HPs AND GAME PACE o Talented. Create two Talent Quirks by giving
then a name and associating a different Action to
Changing your HPs pool size isn’t a matter of power each one, selected from the General Talent Quirks
level, but pacing. That is: if you want to play a game table. Optionally, in a game world with a high
with plenty of conflicts and dangerous situations and supernatural content, you may add a Trick Quirk
little time to rest between them, then increasing your to your repertoire.
starting HPs would help you achieve that goal. On the
other hand, you don’t need to reduce the pool if you o Power wielder. You have a Power Quirk. Define
want a grittier game: just assign a higher Threat level its nature and assign three already known uses
than usual to the dangers you must face, and watch for it, one for each level (Routine, Challenging and
At your best). Optionally, include some Limit.
how fast that depletes your HP reserve.
o Spellcaster, full time. You have a Spell Quirk.
If you’re using a game template, you follow its PC Define your ‘tradition’ and create three Routine
creation instructions…which, sometimes, can be spells, two Challenging spells and one At your best
summarized as ‘follow the general procedure with spell. Optionally, include some Limit.
some little modifications’. On the other hand, if you’re o Spellcaster, partial time. You have a Spell Quirk.
creating a game from scratch, you use that general Define your ‘tradition’ and create one spell for
procedure…which you’ll find just below. each Quirk level (Routine, Challenging and At your
First, roll three VISIONS (by default, three RUNES, best) and, optionally, some Limit. Additionally,
but don’t feel limited to that), and use them in the next select one Talent Quirk.
steps when you need inspiration. These act as a o Martial artist. You have a Combat Style Quirk.
replacement for all those character questionnaires in Define it by selecting your weapon or unarmed
the game templates, so try to squeeze as much martial art, and create two Techniques and an
information you can from them. Ultimate Technique. Finally, select one Talent
Then, assign your Stats: +2 to your Spirit, and a +2, Quirk from the general list: the most usual (and
+1 and +0 values to your other three Stats, as desired. fight-related ones) would be Fight for victory,
To further describe your best Stats (Spirit and the Improve the Odds or Beat the clock + Not yet!...but
other with a +2) and your worse one (the one with a you can take any other one to reflect some out-of-
+0), assign them fitting adjectives. You can use Table: combat training or expertise.
Characters - Strong & Weak Points to that, select Finally, write your Background, in the form of four
one personality trait that fits from the Table: or five Facts, a Motivation, and a Name. One of your
Characters - Personality Traits, etc. Facts should describe your personality: to be fair, that
Once done that, select one of the following options should be in the classical form ‘I am X, but Y’ to include
to assign your Quirk. both a positive trait and a negative one…but don’t feel
obliged.

LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION

As mentioned, game templates offer examples of Quirks and guidelines to design them. Nevertheless, you also will
find several tables to help you in this task. To summarize:
o Table: Characters - Motivations for your Motivation, as expected. This is one example of biased table, with
result going from the most selfish to the most selfless from left to right.
o Table: Special Abilities - Powers for Power Quirks or, in general, supernatural effects.
o The different Table: Special Abilities- Combat Styles for creating combat styles (being it unarmed or based on
weapons). Your Techniques are based on the Table: Special Abilities - Combat Styles (Techniques) which as
can be seen, is a triple table: you are expected to roll in the top, medium and bottom parts and mix-and-match
the results to get the Technique effect, or name, or whatever. Don’t hesitate in changing it if you have some plan
in mind (for example, maybe you think that gryphons are cooler than phoenixes, so you can change your ‘Phoenix
Claw’ result to a ‘Gryphon claw’ one), keeping just two results (in fact, that would be the default!) or combining
results from the same sub-table (there’re cool results that would be lost if this wasn’t possible, after all). Finally,
your Ultimate Technique can be one version on steroids of one of the Techniques you already rolled, or you can
make another roll for it.
o As mentioned, you can use Table: Characters - Strong & Weak Points or Table: Character - Personality
Traits for further define your character, the former being focused on your Stats values and the latter being more
random. Thus, it’s recommended that you use the former if you have already assigned your Stats, and the latter
if you want inspiration on how to assign them.

15
NPCs
As you probably have already noticed, PC traits in o Attitude: you can’t get along with everybody.
VISORPGZ+ aren’t the epitome of complexity nor Heck, you probably won’t even want that! Thus,
number crunching. In the case of NPCs, things are the NPCs traits include an Attitude level (from -2 to
same, and when they’re not it’s because a) they’re +2) which describes the nature of your mutual
even less complex, or b) the added complexity layer is relationship…or, to be precise, how good (or bad)
based on their relationship with the PC, so in some it is. This also applies for those NPCs you just
way that complexity is on the latter, and not the have met, even if in this case the word
former. ‘relationship’ is probably an overstretch.
Attitudes have a descriptive tag, as in ‘Loyal
friend’, ‘Significant other’, ‘Pesky little brother’,
NPC TRAITS ‘Party-pooper big sister’ and the like, just to
NPCs are defined by a bunch of traits, being them remind you the nature of your relationship with
90% narrative and…well, the other 10% sometimes that NPC.
also narrative. This doesn’t mean every NPC will have
every trait: there are NPCs and there are NPCs, and not ATTITUDE
everyone is equally relevant to the plot. Those traits,
nevertheless, are…
+2 Friendly: The NPC likes you.
o Name: self-explanatory. Next!
Favorable: The NPC thoughts well of you,
o Concept: summarizes what the NPC is, instead of +1 even if in some cases it’s just a gut feeling.
who. You don’t need to overdo things: a Concept
usually lets you know (or, at least, guess) the NPC Neutral / Cautious: The NPC have no
gender, age group and profession at a glance…but +0 reasons to like or dislike you…or has reasons
it doesn’t need to include any more information for both things!
than that. So, ‘Security guard’, ‘High School Unfavorable: The NPC has reasons to
Principal’, ‘Little brother’ and ‘Masked stranger’ -1 mistrust, fear or dislike you.
are equally valid examples.
Hostile: The NPC despise you…but maybe
o Motivation: what the NPC cares about. As -2 not to the point to attack you on sight.
mentioned, there is a Table: Characters -
Motivations designed just for this: you can just
o Approval rating: In addition to an Attitude level,
select it fully at random or select one specific
NPCs have an Approval rating value, shortened
column and just randomize the row. As it
to AR. This trait measures how your relationship
happens with VISIONS, you’re no expected to
with them is working in the short term. ARs have
read it in a literal way, but to adapt it to the
a minimum value of -4 and a maximum value of
context: e.g., someone who just wants to watch
+5 being all set to +0 at start of the game. This
the world burns can be a some social troll who
way, your actions may increase or decrease this
loves controversy…or someone who literally
rating, which eventually may lead to a long-term
wants to end the world as we know it (and not in
change in the Attitude level.
a ‘making it a better place for everyone’ way).
o Stats: only the most relevant NPCs have Stats. Or, o Condition: Even if, from a narrative point of
to be precise, only them need Stats. view, a given NPC may be as hard as nails, they’re
not the protagonist of the story, so you can expect
o Facts: additional details about the NPCs skills,
that they would fall before the latter one. Thus,
background, etc. It includes their
instead of a pool of HPs, an NPC has instead a
personality…which as in the PC’s case can be
Condition: Wounded or KO. Less relevant NPCs
based on their Stats (if they have them), can serve
won’t even have the former, and they just jump
as the base of their Stats (if you roll them before
from being healthy to being out cold; on the other
you assign them) or can be just their own thing
hand, some NPCs get additional options that let
(in case of an NPC without Stats).
them stay longer on their feet. All of this is a
o Mysteries: as in the game world’s case, these gameplay matter instead of content creation one,
take the form of questions concerning the NPC so it’ll be discussed in the next chapter.
that may deserve further exploration if you feel
curious.
o Quirks: again, if the NPC is relevant enough, they NPC TYPES
will have a Quirk (o more than one). Each NPC in any game falls into one of the
following categories, in ascending order of relevance.

16
BYSTANDER could even have the equivalent of Spirit +0…which
These NPCs are just there. You may even don’t remarks the idea that they’re not expected to be
notice them if you’re doing your own thang as they’re unlocked, ever.
doing theirs. As such, their Concepts are usually
something in the vein of ‘Just one random guy/gall’
and their Motivations don’t go beyond ‘Be safe and I ALWAYS SAW SOMETHING IN YOU!
mind my own business, in that order’. Name? Yeah, NPCs can be promoted to a higher tier: one-scene
they have one, but who knows, who cares. There’s not characters who turn to be more interesting than
much more to say here. expected so you promote them to recurrent
characters, or recurrent characters who you add to
ONE-SCENE CHARACTER the Main Cast because unlocking them sounds
With these NPCs, you at least can expect some intriguing. This isn’t too complex, because you just
interaction, even if only in the literal one-scene need adding any trait for their new tier that they still
mentioned in their label. They’re also defined by their lack. Of course, it could also mean that you must
Concept and Motivation, being less generic than rethink their Stats values to put them at the same
bystanders…which isn’t saying too much. So, that level of other Main Cast NPCs, if you pre-assigned
security guard at the entrance can be defined by them. Demoting NPCs to lower tiers, on the other
‘Security guard’ and ‘Just here for the pay’, and that’s hand…nah, that’s not happening. Or, at least, you
all. don’t need to do anything to achieve that. Even if you
As Bystanders, these NPCs have a name, and you stop using an NPC, you already have described their
may end up knowing it, but don’t count on it too traits, so why discard them? Who knows, you may use
much. Security guards, for example, aren’t expected them in the future, after all!
to introduce themselves when you meet them;
however, they may be wearing some label with their
name in their uniform, so that’s something! Finally, NPC CREATION
these NPCs rarely, if ever, will be part of the NPC deck, If you’re using a game template, there’ll also a
nor you need to watch their Attitudes once you end section covering this part…but, usually, it would be
interacting with them. something in the line of ‘use the general guides with
these little modifications’.
RECURRING CHARACTER
o Creating an NPC Bystander. Just take note of
Things start getting interesting! These NPCs have
how they look like, and you’re set.
more detailed Concepts and Motivations, you’ll know
their names (or, least, you’ll take note of them; o Creating a One-scene character. Give the NPC a
remembering them it’s a different matter) and they Concept, a Motivation, and an initial Attitude
have some interesting Facts…for a certain definition (which rarely changes), and that’s all. Just keep
of ‘interesting’. They also have a card to identify them, some name generator at hand in case you must
so they can be called up by the WHO Oracle. Finally, know the name of this dude.
you take note of their current Attitude and AR, as
o Creating a Recurring character. As in the
you’re expected to meet them several times.
previous case, but also use three VISIONS to give
the NPC three Facts and one or two Mysteries.
MAIN CAST CHARACTER
These characters may have a Quirk…or not,
Now we’re cooking with gas! These NPCs have depending on their nature.
(nearly) everything: a name, a Concept, a Motivation,
at least three Facts, and Stat values. And, being o Creating a Main Cast character. As in the
relevant to the plot as they are, they also have an previous case, but also assign values to the NPC
Attitude and AR. Heck, in a real videogame, they may Stats (remember: +1 to Spirit and +2/+1/+0 to
even have a portrait in the manual (even appearing in the other three) and write an additional Fact and
the cover!), and surely they would have it in their Mystery. They always have Quirks as a PC, but
entry in the PC’s Journal! All of this because these you can keep the details for later in the case of the
NPCs are those that you’re expected to eventually more complex ones.
‘unlock’. More about this later. Finally, regardless their type, you assign to each
Main Cast NPCs are the only ones who need Stat starting NPC the Attitude Level you find more fitting,
values, even if they get a humbler set: as they’re not and a +0 AR.
the main protagonists, they have Spirit +1 instead of And that’s all. When the game starts, you don’t
Spirit +2. They still get a +2/+1/+0 array to assign to need any Bystanders or Once-Scene Characters, but
the other three Stats, so their strong and weak points you should generate some characters of the other two
come from that trio. However, if you want to assign categories. Specially in the latter case: remember that
Stats values for other NPCs, just do it; those NPCs

17
those starting Main Cast Characters are the ones that
probably are already mentioned in the videogame’s MYSTERIOUS CHARACTERS
manual, and also given a full background! Being surprised by NPCs may be a little difficult if,
you already know all their traits long way before you
NON-HUMANS AND MONSTERS meet them for the first time. Enter the ‘mysterious
characters’: NPCs who, when you create them, you left
At the end of the day, plenty of game genres (not
with many of their traits blank. Or you fill them with
only the fantasy one) include characters who aren’t
rumors or unreliable information, instead of Facts.
human, creatures who aren’t just animals, and both.
You can even create a Main Cast Character who is a
This way, for non-humans species, you create the Mysterious Character: just don’t give values to their
character as any other NPC, but you also roll in the Stats for now. And above all, don’t write their
Table: Characters - Non Human Species to get the Motivation: not knowing what someone is after could
appearance of their species: the top half for those who be even more unnerving that not knowing what is
are very different than humans (maybe they’re not capable of! Don’t write mysteries for those NPCs,
even humanoids!), and the bottom half for those of the either: this may sound a little strange…until you
rubber-forehead alien variety. There’s also a Table: realize that step isn’t needed because the whole NPC
Characters - Collective Stereotypes that gives a hat is a walking mystery just waiting to be solved!
to that species...but, nevertheless, this’s a delicate
And how do you get all that unknown
matter, so you may use it for specific groups (being
information? Well, some Facts may be discovered just
their members humans or not-humans) instead.
by politely asking…but the real deal would probably
For creatures, on the other hand, you use the require a lot of interaction and some investigation
Table: Characters - Creature Creator: the top part work. All of this will be covered in the next chapter.
to decide its general type (as in ‘a variety of dragon’,
‘some kind of demon’ and the like), and the bottom THE TEAM OF FIVE
part to give the creature some special ability or Some game templates are based on playing a team
power. You can use, of course, other power-based instead of just one Protagonist (+Companions). These
tables instead (or in addition), especially for those teams are based on the archetypical Band of Five
creatures who are both intelligent and powerful (Leader, Lancer, Heart, Brain & Brawns), but their
enough to be well above the ‘beast’ level. Finally, if creation and management are advanced topics that
you want something more to the point, you can just will be addressed in Chapter 3.
roll on Table: Characters - Fantasy Creature and
extrapolate any potential special ability from the
result.

18
NEW GAME
Okay, you have a world, a PC and a bunch of NPCs, world is your oyster: you make the magical question
so you have everything you need to start the (What happens now?) and keep on. Once you have
game…or have you? In fact, there’s one last step, and finished this introduction (which you can see as the
it’s deciding how that start is: a (relatively) relaxed classical ‘prologue chapter’ in plenty of videogames15)
one, or an in media res one. you can create some Plot or Quest to keep playing.
Relaxed start. You start the game in familiar Game templates offer suggestions for both options
territory; if you want to be very traditional, in fact, you (or straightly point you to one of them, if that’s the
should start just waking up in your bed, probably default), including some typical Plots and Quests for
after having some strange (and prophetic) dream. that specific game genre. And, in case you’re creating
Alternatively, in games based on a High School, your game from scratch, you can use Table: Quests -
there’s also a tradition of starting the game at its gate, General Quests, which are generic enough to fit in
just before classes start. Or a bit later, if the plenty of game genres; you can use that table for
protagonist is of the slugabed variety. generating both Quests and Plots, just raising the bets
and scope in case for the latter ones. But that’s getting
In media res. You start the game in the middle of
a bit ahead of ourselves, so, let’s end the chapter just
a tense scene. A tricky situation seems too soft for
here.
this, while a whole conflict would be excessive…so
let’s say that you treat this as a fine mess that maybe
can further escalate. Thus, your priority is playing
this situatuation, and once you finished it, the whole

15You can also see it the equivalent of a videogame tutorial, but

without those oh-so-clever texts saying, ‘press jump button to jump’
and the like.

19
 2 - GAME ENGINE
You have already a bunch of pretty game mode. This section includes a description of the
resources in your hands, but nothing to do with them typical flow of the game, the science (art?) of
(or to them), so it’s time to learn how to play the narrating and making questions, how to play
game. And to achieve this, this chapter has been scenes, make quests, resolve plots, improve your
divided in the following sections: PC, and finally (and fittingly) how to properly end
a VISORPGZ+ game.
o Actions. Where all the Actions at your disposal,
except those with a more situational nature, will o NPCs. Concerning those rules regarding your
be thoroughly explained. Of course, as they relationship with NPCs and their role in your
encompass 90% of the (mechanical) gameplay of party, in case they join you.
this game, you’ll find plenty of mentions of yet-to-
o Dialogues. Rules to play out a conversation with
explain concepts: just hang one a little, and you’ll
an NPC. It still will feel a bit as if you were talking
find the details a few pages later.
to a sock-puppet, but at least that sock-puppet
o The Gameplay. Where you’ll find how you do will react in an unexpected way!
things during the game, both in the context of
Actions but also when you’re just in full narrative

ACTIONS
Actions allows you to introduce changes in the You should narrate what you do (or try to do).
game…or, at least, to try. Most Actions follow the How you try something from a pure mechanical point
same mechanism: you make a ROLL(2D6), add one of of view is only as important as how you try it from a
your Stats (sometimes an Attitude level instead, narrative point of view. Thus, you should narrate (i.e.
sometimes nothing) and apply any special bonus or describe) your Action before doing it to show your
penalty. In the case of Actions based on your Stats, intentions, after seeing the result so you can include
each one explains if you must use your Spirit or one it in the description, or both. As a rule of thumb, if you
of the other three (Physical, Mental and Social). have no way of explaining how you’re doing
Beware: the latter doesn’t mean ‘use whatever you something, that usually means it’s something you
want’, but ‘use the one that best applies to the nature can’t do.
of the Action’.
There are no ‘free’ consequences. Some Actions
For many Actions, a result of ten or more (10+) is prompt you to use a TEST as consequence of a failure,
a full success. You get what you wanted, with no ill- a quasi-success, etc. Some of the potential results may
effects (at least, not any unexpected one) and maybe not be valid for that specific case…and, thus, you don’t
even with a cherry on the top. A result between seven include that option among the possible answers. E.g.,
and nine (7-9) is a partial success. You get at least if one result is ‘the Threat goes out of your reach’, and
something, which can be a lesser form of what you that Threat is already out of your reach, then that
wanted, or the full prize… at a price. Finally, a result option isn’t on the table: you keep drawing cards until
of 6 or less (6-) is a failure: expect some bad getting a result that counts.
consequences, or some worse consequences if having
Sometimes, you look only at the dice. Some effects
a partial success already gives something bad! In
only activate for a certain ‘natural’ roll result, i.e., just
some rare cases, you may find special results (as 2-,
both dice added together. Those effects are in
12+, etc.), but the mechanism is the same. And
addition to the usual result when all modifiers and
there’re also Actions that work in a completely
stuff are applied.
different way, but that’ll be a case-by-case situation!
Not everything you do count as an Action. There
But before explaining how each Action works, let’s
are actions (lower case) that, even if done in
cover some general principles:
character, don’t count as an Action. Some example of
You can only do something if you at least can try them would be…
it. As there are no ‘difficult levels’ to speak of in this
o Narrating what’s happening, how something
system, that means that you must decide if an Action
looks, what’s someone saying or thinking, etc.
is within your capabilities, it’s just impossible to even
try, or it’s so easy that you don’t even need to roll the o Using an Oracle to ask a question.
dice.

20
o Starting a Dialogue; resolving isn’t an Action, dictates. Regardless the case, you’re really pissed off,
either, even if there’re Actions that can be so you recover 6 HPs!
invoked during it
Self-sacrifice: The main character is out of the game.
o Travelling from one Location to another (except Even dead, if the game tone suggests it. So…’Game
if it deserves or requires something trickier, Over’, then? Well, maybe: if you decide to stop the
messier, or more conflictive) game here, then in fact you get to the game’s ending;
o Creating some content, as an NPC, a Quest, etc. your choices led you to the Bad End (or one of them),
That would be a task for the CPU in a videogame, or the programmers always were aiming for a
and not for the player, after all! Downer Ending. But if you have unlocked
o Everything else that has been omitted by an Companions, then one of them may take the reins and
oversight. turn into the new main character! Just increase the
Spirit of that formerly-known-as-NPC character to +2,
and you’re set.
CONFLICT ACTIONS Restart level: Okay, you’re dead or you have just
The following Actions are only used during a conflict made the game unwinnable (blame whoever made
(well, duh!). Some results end with the phrase ‘What those threads of prophecy so fragile!)…so you can
do you do?’, pointing out that you keep the initiative choose to start the current Chapter from scratch 16.
and can decide your next Action; other results send But fair warning: it’s assumed that the game is
you to a specific Action that you must do, and not for procedurally generated, with a new random seed
your benefit. selected at the beginning of each chapter. Or just
Conflict penalties. During a conflict, you can suffer blame the butterfly effect. Point is, nothing that
different penalties: being predictable, which happened until the point you bit the dust will mean
penalizes your Spirit rolls for the Fight for victory anything.
Action, and three different versions of being fatigued,
each one penalizing one of your Physical, Mental or
Social rolls. This penalty is -1 when you first get it, and THE DEATH PEAK
-2 if you get the same version a second time. The good If the (former) protagonist dies and the game style
news is that these penalties don’t go beyond -2, and allows it, a new Plot will automatically start, namely
they disappear at the end of the conflict. The bad ‘Let’s resurrect that fool’ or some variation of it. It
news is that, when a specific penalty is already at -2, may sound strange, but this is an optional plot. You
that potential result is out of the table: if you get it you can still properly finish the game, even with a Golden
must draw another TEST card in its place (which Ending, with that character still being…well, dead.
increases the odds of getting a ‘you suffer damage’ There are precedents!
result; just saying).

DEFEAT OR SACRIFICE? FACE A DANGEROUS SITUATION

During a conflict, when you’re prompted to use this
When you’re prompted to use this Action, choose one
Action, ROLL(2D6) + (PHYSICAL, MENTAL or
of the following options:
SOCIAL) depending on the nature of the danger.
Defeat: You’ve been defeated, and even if you live to
10+: You successfully deal with the situation. What
fight other day (i.e., it’s not a Game Over), things look
do you do?
bleaker in the game world. The Chapter ends at this
point as you escape, fall unconscious, retire in shame, 7 - 9: You deal with the situation…but not flawlessly.
whatever. If the conflict was a part of a Quest, you can Make a TEST(A-D) and apply the result.
assume that you failed it…as in any other Quest that
have a ‘before the end of the chapter’ time limit, of (A) The Threat goes out of reach. What do you do?
course! Even if your active quest was unrelated to any (B) You’re getting fatigued; you suffer a -1 to all
plot, or you were just sandboxing, this defeat will still rolls for the Stat you used in this Action (-2, if you
count as failing in a minor quest related to one plot already were fatigued with this Stat). What do you
(select one). do?
Sacrifice: One of your Bonds (by decision or by (C) You’re being predictable; you suffer -1 to all
accident), if it’s present in the Conflict, take the bullet Spirit rolls for the Fight for victory Action (or -2, if
for you, and it’s out of the game until you take the To you were already predictable). What do you do?
be continued Action…or forever, if that’s what drama

16This works as a videogame an automatic save at the start of each when you take a long rest. Or after each short rest, too, but we’ll be
level…and that’s it. If you think this is too much of save-point entering into save-scumming territory…
starvation, you could rule that the game is also automatically saved

21
 (D) The Threat causes you damage. What do you
do? NO-SELLING DAMAGE
6-: You are still in danger. Make the same TEST that Just because you can’t cause ‘damage’ to a Threat
for 7 – 9 but repeat this Action. until the Tension reaches the Maximum level, it
FIGHT FOR VICTORY doesn’t mean that your enemies no-sell everything
During a conflict, when you want to cause damage to you throw at them until that point. As a Threat can
a Threat which is within your reach, ROLL(2D6) + represent a bunch of enemies, your attacks at Light or
SPIRIT. High Tension can still knockout some of them, from a
narrative point of view. However, for a more
12+: If the Threat is a Blue, cause 1 damage to it; dangerous Threats, even attacks that cause actual
what do you do? If not, apply the 10+ result. damage can be described as no-selling your
10+: Raise the Tension one level, or if it was already attempts…until you finally achieve the final hit that
Extreme, cause 1 damage to the Threat. What do you make you victorious!
do?
7 - 9: As 10+, but also make a TEST(A-D): FINAL ATTACK!
(A) The Threat goes out of reach. What do you do? When the Threat has 0 HPs and you use this Action,
(B) The Threat causes you damage (based on the narrate how you victoriously finish the conflict.
Tension level before raising it). What do you do?
FINISH [INSERT PRONOUN]!
(C) The Threat puts you in danger. Go to the Face
Final Attack! Action implies you don’t win a conflict
a dangerous situation Action.
just by reducing the Threat’s HPs to 0: you must do it
(D) You are being predictable; you suffer -1 to all first, and then activate this Action…something you
Spirit rolls for the Fight for victory Action (or -2 if can only do in you have the initiative, as usual. In
you were already predictable). What do you do? other words: when a Threat has 0 HPs left and the
6-: Make the same TEST as described for 7 – 9. If result of any Action asks you ‘what do you do?’, the
you get the B result, then add +1 to the damage you right answer is ‘I make a Final Attack!’. Seriously, at
suffer. If you get any other result, apply it and, in that point of the conflict, there’s no use in activating
addition, apply the B result (without the +1 to any other Action
damage). And JFYI: as Final Attack! is an automatic Action, that
means you can use a Power/Spell/Ultimate
Technique with it without worrying about a potential
bad roll. So yes, that’s the best moment to use the
most powerful weapons in your arsenal: this doesn’t
give you any mechanical effect, but a) you’ll look very
cool, and b) most of those Quirks weren’t giving
mechanical effects, anyway.

FLEEING TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY

During a conflict, if you want to flee, ROLL(2D6) +
(PHYSICAL, MENTAL or SOCIAL) depending on your
‘strategy’.
10+: You escape. Nevertheless, you feel
disheartened and suffer a -2 in your next ROLL for the
Initializing conflict scene.
7 - 9: As in 10+, but you must choose one option:
o Threat causes you damage, which may force
you use the Not yet! Action as usual.
o This will have consequences. Check a failure
countdown box in your active quest.
6-: Nope! You’re still in the conflict, and in a
precarious position. Go to the Face a dangerous
situation.

22
 THERE’S NO ESCAPE (A) The Threat start the conflict out of your reach.
What do you do?
Fleeing a combat doesn’t automatically mean you fail
a quest: as the name of this Action says, you’re fleeing (B) The Threat puts you in danger even before you
just to fight another day (or sooner, if waiting so can react. Go to the Face a dangerous situation
much isn’t an option). Of course, if you have put Action.
yourself against a literal or metaphorical wall (or (C) Your ‘flatfooted’-ness makes you predictable;
have been put there by the circumstances), fleeing you suffer -1 to all Spirit rolls for the Fight for
would be impossible, or it would make you fail your victory Action. What do you do?
active quest. Also, if the conflict represents ‘trying to (D) You hesitate; you suffer a -1 in your next roll
escape or evade a menace’ instead of ‘fighting based on any Stat in this conflict. What do you do?
something or someone’, you can’t use this Action: the (E) Threat gets first blood and causes you 1
full deal of that conflict is that you must escape damage. What do you do?
something, being that a challenging task…so don’t
expect weaseling out with just one lucky roll!
CRISIS OF FAITH
IMPROVE THE ODDS As you will see later in this chapter, you may start a
During a conflict, when you want to carry out some conflict with plenty of self-doubts because of
maneuver to improve your odds, ROLL(2D6) + previous failures. This so named ‘disheartened’
(PHYSICAL, MENTAL or SOCIAL) depending on your condition gives you a -2 to the ROLL for the
tactics. Initializing conflict scene Action. The good news is it
10+: A successful maneuver. Choose one of the that even if you get this condition several times (it’s
following options. What do you do? being a rough day, isn’t it?), it doesn’t stack with itself
and once you apply that -2 penalty you won’t be
o The Threat is now within your reach. disheartened anymore.
o You stop being predictable and fatigued (in all
its versions). NOT YET!
o You get a +2 for your next Stat roll. When your HPs are reduced to 0 (or you suffer
7 - 9: Not bad, but you could have done better. You Damage when you have 0 HPs) but you want to stand
choose one of the options for 10+, but make a on your feet, explain what’s the source of your
TEST(A-D): courage (it can be a Bond or your Motivation) and
ROLL(2D6) + SPIRIT. If you can’t do this Action (or
(A) The Threat goes out of reach. What do you do?
don’t want to), apply its 6- result.
(B) The Threat causes you damage. What do you do?
10+: You stand on your feet, but you ‘burn’ the
(C) The Threat puts you in danger. Go to the Face a
selected source of courage for the rest of the scene, so
dangerous situation Action.
you won’t be able to use it again with this Action.
(D) You’re getting fatigued; you suffer a -1 to all rolls
for the Stat you used in this Action (-2 if you already 7 - 9: As 10+, but the source is burnt until you use
were fatigued with this Stat). What do you do? the Take a long rest or To be continued Actions instead
of just until the end of the scene.
6-: You lose the initiative, so make the same TEST as
described for 7 – 9. Also, the Threat now has your 6-: Sorry, but everyone has a breaking point and you
number, so the next time you use this Action in this have just reached yours. Go to the Defeat or Sacrifice?
Conflict, you’ll have to use a different Stat. Action to see what happens now.

INITIALIZING CONFLICT SCENE

At the beginning of a conflict, ROLL(2D6), -2 if you’re
QUESTING ACTIONS
taken by surprise, +2 if you surprise the Threat, or +0 The following Actions are usually made when
if there’s no one being surprised. you’re in the middle of some quest, between quests
or, in general, not being busy with another pressing
10+: You caught the Threat flat-footed! You get a matter (which usually translates to ‘not in the middle
free reroll during this conflict, as if you had trained of a conflict’).
for it (see Troubles are coming Action; this reroll lets
you keep the best result). What do you do?
BEAT THE CLOCK
7 - 9: No one has been caught flatfooted, so the When you’re going to check the third failure
conflict just starts. What do you do? countdown box of a quest, ROLL(2D6) + SPIRIT.
6-: You have been caught flatfooted. Make a TEST(A- 10+: Fission mailed! Don’t check that box. Keep
E). doing whatever you were doing.

23
 7 - 9: One last chance. Check that box but add a 10+: Good ending, even if the Quests you failed
fourth empty one; if you ever check that fourth box, may tarnish it a bit.
the quest is failed and you suffer the consequences.
7-9: Neutral ending. Your failures in the road
And no, you can’t use Beat the clock to avoid that,
tarnish your victory, so you can treat it as a
because that would be the fourth box, not the third
bittersweet ending (more bitter than sweet if
one. Stop messing around and focus, gosh!
you failed both the first and second Quests!).
6-: Mission failed. You check the box, the quest is
6-: Bad ending. You achieved something good
failed, and you suffer the consequences.
by succeeding at the end, but nevertheless it’s a
bad ending for you OR for the rest of the world;
DEAL WITH A FINE MESS choose one or, for fairness sakes, decide that
When, outside of a conflict, you face a situation which randomly. Nevertheless, there’s probably a way
involves some danger (or you’re prompted to uses to fix things in a sequel…
this Action), ROLL(2D6) + (PHYSICAL, MENTAL or
SOCIAL) depending on the nature of the situation.  If you achieve a success in the three Quests that
make the Main Plot, you get the Golden Ending. Go
10+: You successfully deal with the situation. you!
7 - 9: You deal with the situation…but not flawlessly.
GUMSHOEING
o You suffer 1 damage.
When you’re investigating to get the answer of a
o Check a failure countdown box in your mystery, ROLL(2D6) + (PHYSICAL, MENTAL or
active quest17. SOCIAL) depending on your approach.
6-: You fail at dealing with the situation. You suffer 10+: You solved the mystery! Or, at least, that part
1 damage. Also, make a TEST (A-E). of it. Use the proper Oracle to get the answer.
(A) It doesn’t stop! Repeat this Action. 7 - 9: You solved the mystery…but troubles come to
(B) It gets worse! From now, this mess causes 2 those who ask to many questions. Make a TEST (A-D):
damage instead of 1. Repeat this Action. (A) In fact, you don’t get the full answer: just
(C) It gets even worse! Create a new Threat (or use enough to keep searching…in another place. You
an already existing one if it fits) and enter in a get a +2 to the next ROLL with this Action to solve
conflict with it at this very moment. the same mystery.
(D) The situation resolves by itself, but you still (B) You called some undesirable attention. Create
failed at dealing with it. You feel quite a new Threat and make it enter in a conflict with
disheartened: you suffer a -2 to your next you soon.
Initializing conflict scene ROLL. (C) You owe a favor to somebody, who will ask you
(E) As (D), but in addition, check a failure for something in the future…or maybe just on the
countdown box in your current active quest, if spot!
any. If you were just sandboxing and did not have (D) Did it really take so long? Check a failure
an active quest at this moment, then it’s just as (D), countdown box in your active quest.
period.
6-: You’re still in the dark, and there are also
consequences. Make a TEST (A-D)
GOOD THINGS, SMALL PACKAGES
When you play a short game, treating the main plot as (A) You didn’t read the room quickly enough. Go
a minor one, follow the next guidelines to decide what to the Deal with a fine mess Action.
kind of ending you get. (B) In the wrong place, at the wrong time. Create
 If you fail the third (and last) Quest, regardless of a new Threat (or use an already existing one if it
what you did before, you get a bad ending, both for fits) and enter in a conflict with it at this very
you and for the rest of the world. But don’t moment.
despair: as it was a short game, that’s just (C) Exhaustion. You suffer 1 damage.
probably a sequel hook! (D) What a waste of precious time. Check a failure
 If you failed the first or the second Quests, countdown box in your active quest.
ROLL(2D6) (-2 if you failed both):

17Of course, this option seems far worse than the other one…but if
you’re just low in HPs in that moment (or with just 1 HP!), that
alternative wouldn’t look so bad anymore…

24
PURSUE PERSONAL INTEREST 6-: You fail at what you were trying to do and get a -
When you spent a scene to advance one personal 1 to your next ROLL for an Action based on the same
interest, ROLL(2D6) + (PHYSICAL, MENTAL or Stat (except Solve a tricky situation).
SOCIAL) depending on its nature. You can’t take this 2-: You fail even more than expected, and choose
Action again until you take the To be continued Action. one option:
10+: Excellent work! Add +2 progress to that o You’re disheartened, suffering a -2 in your next
personal interest. Initializing conflict scene ROLL.
7 - 9: A good work! Add +1 progress to that personal o The situation escalates. Go to Deal with a fine
interest. mess.
6-: Not bad, but more tiring than expected. Add +1
progress to that personal interest, but you suffer a -1
penalty to your next ROLL with this Action and that BETTER BEING GOOD THAN LUCKY
interest. From a certain point of view, this Action is just a
reskinned version of the MB8(+) Oracle, as its results
2-: You learn something you should NOT do, but,
are quite like all those ‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘Yes, but…’, etc. That
that’s also part of the learning process, right? You get
was intentional, as a way of giving you more agency
a +2 to your next ROLL with this Action and that
when a situation directly involves you: instead of just
interest
checking a random card, your Stats will have
something to say in the matter.
SPEEDRUN A MINOR CONFLICT
When you are involved in a minor conflict (one
caused by Blue Threats, or Green at most) and you SUDDENLY…
just want to resolve it with one roll, ROLL(2D6) + When you have no clue of what to do or what should
(PHYSICAL, MENTAL or SOCIAL) depending on the happen, make a TEST (A-C) and a ROLL (1d10) in the
nature of the conflict. Table: Events - General Events and elaborate from
that. Or you may just roll in one specific column of
10+: You defeat the Threat. Go on. that table, if you want. Alternatively, use the Table:
7 - 9: You defeat the Threat, but you must choose Events - Team Events table if you’re playing in a Five
one option: Member Team game (or want to apply its intra-party
relationship rules in your game), or in the Table:
o This should have been easier, shouldn’t it? Events - Faction Events if you want an event that
You’re disheartened and suffer a -2 in your next involves some of the game’s Factions.
ROLL for the Initializing conflict scene Action.
o Just a flesh wound. You suffer 1 damage. TAKE A LONG REST
When you want to recover plenty of HPs and you have
o What part of ‘speed’ in ‘speedrun’ you didn’t get?
equally plenty of time to spare, choose an option (in
Check a failure countdown box in your active
both cases, a Bond may be with you during your rest):
quest.
o Natural healing: you’re just resting.
6-: As 7 – 9, but you must choose two options.
o Professional help: you’re being treated by
SOLVE A TRICKY SITUATION professionals.
When you do something that doesn’t imply Then, ROLL(2D6). You suffer a -1 to the roll if
immediate danger but whose result is in question, you’re resorting to Natural healing; on the other
ROLL(2D6) + (PHYSICAL, MENTAL or SOCIAL) hand, you also apply +ATTITUDE if a Bond is with you
depending on the nature of the situation. (for both options).
12+: You do it even better than expected! Go you!
10+: You do it as well as expected.
7 - 9: Chose one option:
o You do it poorer than expected.
o You do it as expected but ends up somewhat
stressed. You get a -1 to your next ROLL for an
Action based on the same Stat (except Solve a
tricky situation).

25
 REST FOR... ONE HOUR >>ONE NIGHT<<

10+: You recover 6 HPs. Also, if there was a Bond

involved, that Bond gets +1 AR. Finally, every TAKE A SHORT REST
Wounded NPC who also rests can eliminate that When you want to recover some HPs and you’re not
condition. pressed by more urgent matters, take one option:
7 - 9: You recover 4 HPs. Also, one Wounded NPC o Just a breather: you expend just some moments
(you choose) who also rests can eliminate that to take a breath.
condition.
o Slices of life: you spend some time taking out a
6-: You recover 2 HPs. relaxing activity, alone or in the company of a
Bond.
Regardless the selected option, you can’t use this
Action again until you use the To be continued Action. Then, ROLL(2D6). You suffer a -1 to the roll if it’s
Just a breather; on the other hand, you apply
+ATTITUDE if it’s a Slices of life and a Bond is
RESTING AND PACING involved.
Just to clarify, during the same chapter you can follow 10+: You recover 3 HPs. Also, if the there was a
this sequence: Start  Shor rest  Long rest  Short Bond involved in a Slices of life, that Bond gets +1 AR.
rest  To be continued. However, you can still Finally, if the Slices of life was based one of your
narrate scenes where you take part on a relaxing Hobbies, you can choose a) get a +2 for your next
activity or resting even if you have spent the allotted Pursuit personal interest for improving your mastery
uses for these Actions: they just would not have any at that Hobby, or b) add +1 progress to a Collection
effect on your HPs nor the NPCs condition. It is a based on that Hobby, if applicable.
matter of pacing the game, to avoid piling rest upon 7 - 9: You recover 2 HPs.
rest until being totally recovered, once and again.
And speaking of pacing: the time required for these 6-: You recover 1 HP.
rests increases in the following order: Just a breather Regardless the selection option, you can’t use this
< Slices of life < Natural healing < Professional help. Action again until you use the Take a long rest or To
The specific amount depends on the duration of the be continued Actions.
typical chapter for that game. In a game with a slow
pace, taking a breath it’s just a matter of a few THE END…OR IS IT?
minutes, sharing a relaxing activity may take an hour
When you finish a Plot, ROLL(2D6) (+3 if you failed
or so, and a long rest (by natural healing or with
one Quest, +1 if you failed 2, and -1 if you failed three).
professional help) may require several hours (or
If you have failed no Quests, then just apply the 10+
days!). If your game is structured as the classic ‘one
result, and if you must activate this Action because
chapter’ = ‘one week-day’, even a long rest takes one
you have failed your fourth Quest, then just apply the
hour, tops…and ‘professional help’ would just be ‘one
6- one.
who knows a bit about first aids’.

26
 10+: Good ending. Everything ends as well as
possible, even if there may be some excuse for a RELATIONSHIP ACTIONS
sequel (or some sad feelings for those Quests you The following Actions involve Attitudes and
failed…if there were any!), Bonds…as in using them or updating their values. Of
all these Action, Calling for a bond is the only one that
7-9: Neutral ending. Your failures in the road
can be used during a conflict.
tarnish your victory, so you can treat it as a
bittersweet ending (more bitter than sweet if the Plot
has two or three failed Quests!). ASK FOR SOMETHING
When you ask an NPC for something that’s within the
6-: Bad ending. If you get this result because you limits of the reasonable, and that NPC has reasons to
failed four Quests…well, this is a real downer ending: answer anything different that ‘hahaha…no’,
you haven’t achieved anything, and even your ROLL(2D6) + ATTITUDE.
possible wins were turned into losses at the end. In
other cases, it’s still a downer ending, but there’s still 10+: The NPC accepts and will only require a small
something good left. favor in return, if any.
7 - 9: The NPC accepts but will ask a similar favor in
TO BE CONTINUED the future.
At the end of a chapter and just before beginning the
6-: The NPC rejects: being this a ‘hahaha…no’, a
next one, recover all your HPs. You also stop suffering
‘you’re asking too much!’ or a ‘I would like to do it, but
all penalties to rolls caused by Action consequences,
I can’t’ situation will depend on the nature of the favor
regardless its origin or duration. Finally, all Wounded
asked and on your relationship with that NPC.
and KO NPCs eliminate these conditions.

TRAINING MONTAGE BREAK BOND

During a dialogue with one for your Bonds 19, you can
Once per chapter, when you train or study to add a
try to end the relationship in good terms. Set the AR
new use to a Power Quirk, a new spell to a
to +0 if it was higher than that, eliminate the Pleased
Spellcasting Quirk or a new Technique to a Combat
condition if it had it, and ROLL(2D6) + ATTITUDE.
Style Quirk, ROLL(2D6) + SPIRIT.
10+: The NPC isn’t your Bond anymore, but the
10+: You add two progress to that new trick.
break-up is as un-stressful as it can be.
7 - 9: You add one progress to that new trick.
7 - 9: As in 10+, but there’re some hurt feelings: until
6-: Sorry, you learn nothing…this time. But you get the end of the chapter, you can’t improve the AR with
a +2 for your next roll in this this Action (it doesn’t that NPC.
have to be for the same use, spell, etc., even).
6-: A bad breakup: the NPC isn’t your Bond
anymore, and the Attitude is one level lower. If it
TROUBLES ARE COMING already had a -2 level, then you keep that value, but
Once per chapter, when you spent a scene preparing the NPC will totally hate your guts!
for a specific conflict, ROLL(2d6) + (PHYSICAL,
MENTAL or SOCIAL) depending on your approach.
CALL A BOND
You suffer a -2 if you just know the general nature of
After making an Action and rolling the dice, you may
the conflict, but not the details.
appeal to one non-Stressed Bond to reroll them, using
10+: When that conflict comes, you would have two the second result; you can only use this Action once
free rerolls for ROLL(2d6) based on your Stats; you for each roll. In addition to the usual effects of the
can keep the better of the two results. original Action, apply the following ones depending
on the final result:
7 - 9: As in 10+, but you only get one reroll.
12+: Your Bond not only helped, but it grows
6-: As in 10+, but you only get one reroll and must
stronger! +1 AR. You may call again that Bond in the
keep the second result, even if it’s worse.
same scene.
2-: You don’t get any reroll, and you are
10+: You may call again that Bond in the same
disheartened (-2 to the Initializing conflict scene)
scene.
when that specific conflict starts18.

18 That’s a special case of this condition, because it doesn’t 19If the NPC is not available, this can take the form of a symbolic
necessarily apply to your next conflict. Nevertheless, if the chapter act instead. Just assume that you both will feel that change of heart
ends and that conflict where you should have suffered the penalty and apply its consequences.
never happened (maybe because you have read the room and
decided that you weren’t ready), you can cancel this condition.

27
 7 - 9: Your Bond probably has helped this time, but  You did something that pleased the NPC a lot:
it won’t do it again for a while. You can’t call this Bond TEST(A-B).
again in the same scene. (A) ‘[NPC] approves that!’ +1 AR.
6-: Your Bond has failed you, or your feelings have (B) ‘[NPC] highly approves that!’ +2 AR.
failed the Bond. It doesn’t matter, what matters is that  You did the NPC a great favor: The Attitude stops
the Bond suffers -1 AR, and you can’t call it again in being Stressed (if it was), turns Pleased (if it
the same scene. wasn’t), and the AR increases to its maximum
Special: If the natural result in the reroll is a ‘9’ or a value!
‘4’, then doubts creep in (even if just for a moment):  You did the NPC a once-in-a-life great favor: Erase
the Bond suffers -1 AR in addition to any other effect all conditions in the Attitude, set the AR to its
(which could lead to a total -2, if the result of the reroll maximum and increase the Attitude level in one
is 6-) and you can’t call it again in the same scene. step (if it was lower than +2).

CREATE BOND NPC DISSAPPROVES THAT!

During a dialogue with an NPC with an Attitude +1 or When you do something that an NPC would
better (and not Stressed), you can try to turn that NPC disapprove, apply one of the following cases that best
into a Bond as a special dialogue option. Make fits the situation.
ROLL(2d6) + ATTITUDE.
 You said or did something that the NPC doesn’t
10+: The NPC accepts, and now is one of your like: TEST(A-B).
Bonds. (A) ‘[NPC] slightly disapproves that!’ -0 AR.
7 - 9: There’s something, but it’s still too soon. The (B) ‘[NPC] disapproves that!’ -1 AR.
NPC asks you for more time, and you can’t try again  You did something that clearly anger, saddened,
this Action with that NPC until the next chapter. When etc. the NPC: TEST(A-B).
you do that, on the other hand, you get a +2 to the
(A) ‘[NPC] disapproves that!’ -1 AR.
ROLL(2d6).
(B) ‘[NPC] highly disapproves that!’ -2 AR.
6-: The NPC rejects, and you can’t try again this
 You caused the NPC a great harm: Erase all
Action again with that NPC until you next chapter.
conditions in the Attitude, set the AR to its
Also, that NPC suffers -1 AR.
minimum and decrease the Attitude level in one
step; if it was already at -2, the NPC turns into
END ROMANCE your bitter foe, breaking any other relationship
When you want to end a romance with an NPC in good (Bond, Romance, etc.) with you.
terms, set the AR to +0 if it was higher than that, ,
 The worst acts of betrayal: The Attitude level
eliminate the Pleased condition if it had it, and
drops to -2 and the NPC turns into a bitter foe,
ROLL(2D6) + ATTITUDE.
breaking any other relationship (Bond, Romance,
10+: It was good while it lasted. The NPC is now just a etc.) with you.
Bond, at an equivalent level of the now ended
Romance. UPDATE RELATIONSHIPS
7-9: There are hurt feelings. The NPC is now a Bond, When you use the Take a long rest or To be continued
one level lower than the now ended Romance. If it Actions, revise each NPC by following the next steps.
was at -2 level, instead the NPC won’t turn into a This applies to all NPCs, not only those with you at
Bond, but into an NPC with a -2 Attitude (ouch!). that precise moment.

6-: Bad choice of words. The NPC breaks all The AR is a both Stressed and Pleased. Eliminate
relationships with you, turning into an NPC with a -2 both states and set the AR to +0.
Attitude (ouch, again!). The AR is Stressed. Is this relationship worsening?
Make a M8B (Y/N).
NPC APPROVES THAT!
(Yes) We need to talk. Eliminate the Stressed state,
When you do something that an NPC would approve,
set the AR to +0 and reduce the Attitude level in one
apply one of the following cases that best fits the
step. In case of a Bond that already had Attitude, -2,
situation.
it’s automatically broken…and not in a friendly way:
 You said or did something that pleased the NPC a the NPC isn’t just Hostile, but also hates you.
bit: TEST(A-B).
(No) Bullet dodged! Eliminate the Stressed state, set
(A) ‘[NPC] slightly approves that!’ +0 AR. the AR to +0.
(B) ‘[NPC] approves that!’ +1 AR.

28
The AR is Pleased. Is this relationship improving?
Make a M8B (Y/N). QUIRK ACTIONS
These are the Actions you use one to benefit from
(Yes) Yay, let’s bee (better) friends! Eliminate the
your Quirks, by themselves or as a complement of
Pleased state, set the AR to +0 and raise the Attitude
another Action.
level in one step. If it was already at a +2 level, it
keeps that way, but in some games maybe it would
be time to start thinking about a romance. ACTIVATE POWER/SPELL
When you’re trying an Action that involves using your
(No) Meh, feed a cat for ten years… Eliminate the supernatural Quirk, check the following cases:
Pleased state and set the AR to +0 (or to +2, if it was
+3 or more). o A Routine use you already know, or a Routine
spell: You simple do it as good or as bad as
UNLOCK NPC determined by the corresponding Action roll.
During a dialogue with a Main Cast NPC with an o A Challenging use you already know, an
Attitude +0 or better, you can try to turn that NPC into improvised Routine use or a Challenging spell:
a Companion as a special dialogue option. Make Add the following effect to getting 6- result with
ROLL(2D6) + ATTITUDE. Note: if you’ve already that Action (which automatically applies in
successfully finished the full Personal Plot of that addition to any other ill effect): you overstress
NPC, don’t even roll: the NPC is automatically your Quirk. You suffer a -1 penalty
unlocked! (accumulative) to all rolls for Actions which
involve the use of your Quirk at a Challenging or
10+: The NPC will turn into a Companion if you help At your limit levels. You can eliminate all those
them solve the first stage of their Personal Plot. If it’s penalties when you get take the Take a short rest,
already been fulfilled, then they automatically accept. Take a long rest or To be continued Actions.
7 - 9: The NPC will turn into a Companion if you help o An At your limit use or spell: As the previous case,
them solve the second stage of their Personal Plot20. but also applies for a 7 – 9 result. If it was an
If it’s already been fulfilled, then they automatically improvised use, you also strain yourself and
accept. suffer 1 damage.
6-: The NPC rejects for now and you can’t try again
this Action again with that NPC until you next chapter. ULTIMATE ATTACK!
Once per conflict, when using the Fight for victory
START ROMANCE Action against a Threat which only has 1 HP point left,
and with a Maximum Tension level, you can activate
When you want to start a romance with an NPC you
the Ultimate Technique of your Combat Style before
have a Bond and a Pleased (but not Stressed) Attitude
rolling the dice. If you do this, treat a final 7 - 9 result
at a +2 level, ROLL(2D6) (without any modifiers, by
as a 10+. If you get a 6- result, on the other hand, you’ll
default)
suffer two bad consequences instead of just one, so
10+: Love is in the air. The NPC accepts! You turn the you’ll have to make the corresponding TEST twice.
Bond trait into a Romance one, starting at a Romantic
level.
7-9: There is something, but... The NPC seems WAS THAT YOUR BEST SHOT?
receptive, but also not ready. You can’t activate this The Ultimate Attack! Action lets you make the
Action until you use the To be continued… Action, but equivalent of the Final Attack! Action a bit earlier than
you’ll get a +2 to the roll. usual…with a risk. Nevertheless, even if you just can
6-: Too soon? The NPC rejects you. You can’t activate try this Action once per conflict, if you fail you are still
this Action until you use the To be continued… Action. entitled to describe the Final Attack! Action however
-2 AR. you want when you use it, and that includes activating
your Ultimate Technique. It just means that, this time,
Special: If you have just taken the Update relationships it works!
Action and got an increase in Bond when it was
already at +2, you can automatically try this Action (if
you didn’t try it already in the same chapter) with a
USE COMBAT TECHNIQUE
+2 to the roll. During a conflict, when you use an applicable Combat
Technique in combination with an Action (being one
among Fight for victory, Improve the odds, Face a

20 Note that you can’t use again this Action with this NPC to improve

this result, so solving just the first stage wouldn’t make the cut for
that NPC, ever.

29
dangerous situation, and Not yet!), the latter will have WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE A HAMMER…
the following additional effects based on your result:
A Technique being applicable or not depends on both
10+: You get a +1 to your next roll based on your its nature and the nature of the Action you’re trying.
Stats and you can keep using the Technique. For example, ‘Annihilating Boom’ looks like a good
7 – 9: You get nothing, but you can keep using the candidate to be used with the Fight for victory Action,
Technique. while ‘Buda Wisdom’ sounds more fitting to the
Improve the odds one. But, as always, if you can find a
6-: You get nothing, and you can’t use the narrative justification for it (and with a healthy
Technique again in this conflict. dosage of the Rule of Cool), you may end up giving
more applications to Techniques than expected!
USE TALENT
When you’re making a ROLL(2D6) for an Action
based on one of your Talent Quirks, you can add a +1
to the result after rolling the dice. You can’t use the
same Talent Quirk again (even if that specific Talent
can be applied to different Actions) until you use the
Take a long rest or the To be continued Actions.

30
GAMEPLAY
Everything described in Chapter 1 happens even
before the game properly starts. To be precise, it HOW?
happens between the moment you select the NEW (Short answer: ‘the way you feel more
GAME option and the moment you press the START comfortable!!’)
GAME button. But once you do that…well, you’ll play When playing a classical RPG with other people,
until you finish the game, one way of another. and assuming you’re not telepaths, narration
It doesn’t matter if you have just started the game requires talking aloud so players and GM are on the
or have been playing for a while: what matters is that, same page. In solo roleplaying, however, you don’t
once and again, you’ll be asking yourself what need to communicate that information to anyone, so
there’re alternatives. You still can narrate aloud, of
happens now? The whole process, nevertheless, can
course, but you can also just think to yourself. You can
be summarized as…
take brief notes and write a full chronicle of your
1) You narrate what happens… game once it’s over or write the whole story at the
same time you’re playing it21. Note that, even when
2) …making questions when in doubt…
you don’t have any intention of creating an actual
3) …and doing Actions when required/fitting… register of your game, you’ll have to note down plenty
4) …which includes (but is not limited to) those of stuff…except if you have perfect memory so you
Actions regarding the most intense moments (i.e., can keep track of every character, event, AR, Health
tricky situations, fine messes and conflicts). Points, etc., in your head!
5) …while you try to make quests, resolve plots and Finally, even when you just follow the ‘just talk
(maybe) advancing your character… aloud’ option and writing down only the bare
minimum, that doesn’t mean the memories of your
6) …and, optionally, pursuing personal interests
game should be lost on time as tears in the rain: you
in the way… can record yourself while playing, being just audio, or
7) …until you end the game. full video.
This section is structured, then, by treating all
those steps, in the same order. HOW MUCH?
(Short answer: ‘as much as you want!!’)

NARRATING As there’re no other players you must share the

spotlight with, nor an impatient table that may get
‘Narrating’ is, in essence, to describe what’s bored with your long-winded descriptions, your
happening in the game and the places those things narrations can be as long as you want. In fact, you can
happen, and what the PC or other characters do, try play a whole scene just by narrating it, without using
to do, say, think. feel, etc. Now, for discussing this any Action and only stopping to use some Oracle to
concept, three points will be considered: when do you answer questions when you don’t have everything
narrate, how do you narrate, and how much do you planned nor decided. A full game could consist mostly
narrate. on it, even: lots of narration with some Action
inserted here and there, and that’s all. Using a
WHEN? videogame analogue, that would be as playing a
(Short answer: ‘nearly all the time!’) Visual Novel with very limited interactivity22. Or,
changing the media, like playing some classical
Every aspect of the game can be (and it can be
gamebook where there’s no randomness: just reading
argued that it should be) narrated. After all, every
some pages and, at some point, choosing between a
time you make an Action, you should have some way
few options that take you to another page.
to explain why you can even try, what are you trying
to do, and which are the consequences of the Action On the opposite extreme, you can play a game
(for good or ill). where you keep the narration part to its minimum:
just enough to justify why you jump from some Action
to the next, and to explain their results. That would be

21 VISORPGZ+ isn’t designed to be used as

a ‘journaling RPG’…but hey, case, you’re the one who decides when they happen and how long
squarer pegs have been fitted into rounder holes, amarite? they are, making the whole experience more bearable. By the way,
22 Another metaphor would be playing a game crammed with remember this footnote, it’ll be revisited in a further chapter…
cinematics; un-skippable cinematics, to be precise. Luckily, in this

31
like…err…hmm…playing an FPS, maybe? Metaphors once and again, looking for a lucky answer that gives
stop working at some point! you some relevant advantage. Nothing stops you from
using cheat codes in a single-player videogame,
Of course, there’s a lot of excluded middle in the
either; you may have fun and feel satisfied when
previous paragraph, and the typical game would fall
finishing a videogame that way 23. So yes, the
there: moments where you just narrate what’s
temptation is always there, and you’re the one in
happening, (maybe with some questions here and
charge of fighting it. Just be sure that your questions
there) being Imaginative, Honest & Coherent, and
make the game interesting, and not just easier, and
moments where dice & cards start rolling (okay, the
you’ll be on the right direction.
former roll and the latter are drawn) and narration is
used to give flavor to the game mechanics. As there are questions, there are also not-
questions. This may be getting a bit Zen, but there is
the concept of ‘not-question’, or just simply not
MAKING QUESTIONS asking. When you want to establish a fact in the game
During the game, you’ll be making questions and that’s assumed you have always known or that it’s
interpreting the answers non-stop; in fact, in Chapter just evident, you simply use the proper Oracle, period.
1 you already found plenty of questions to be Many of these questions, but not all, are made by you
answered just to configure the game, i.e., when the as the player, not as the character: that’s not a perfect
game hasn’t even started yet. Point is, making rule of thumb to identify all the possible cases, but it
questions helps you play without any kind of GM (or helps! Also, if your imagination suggests something
a CPU, as it is) while still leaving room for being that fits the narrative and you feel it’ll be both
surprised. However, there are differences when interesting and fun to develop, just take that idea and
making questions out of character (i.e., when you’re put it into work. Have a good idea for a Quest, Plot,
wearing the GM hat) and making them in character NPC, Location, etc., that fits the current narrative?
(you’re wearing the PC hat). Then just skip to the narrating part and introduce it
in the game without waiting the dice and cards telling
MAKING QUESTIONS OUT OF CHARACTER you to do so. But, even in this case, always leave some
As there’s no pre-written story to rely one, when doors open to surprises, changes in what you’ve
you wear the GM hat you’ll be creating it on the fly. already envisioned, etc. At the very least, try to think
And, as you want to be surprised, you will ask to an different ways any situation could go, and select one
Oracle many of things that you would normally decide of them at random using the previously mentioned
if you were writing that story to be played with other TESTs at the right moment: maybe the lucky one isn’t
people. Of course, everything that it’s worth doing your favorite one…but it still will be one you deemed
may end up being overdone if you went to trigger- worthy enough to be an option!
happy about it, so always keep in mind the following
general principles just to play safe. MAKING QUESTIONS IN CHARACTER
Now you know how to get answers as a player-
A question doesn’t interrupt the current flow of who-also-assumes-the-role-of-GM-because-that’s-the-
the scene. In other words, it’s not an Action, and it point-of-playing-solo: using Oracles.
doesn’t generate mechanical effects. You can see it as
briefly pausing the game, and unpausing after the But how do you get them as a character? There are
question is answered. You can start a chain of two main game mechanics to do that:
questions, in fact, until you’re happy with the whole
o Asking someone: This method is based on the
result.
Ask for something Action. It’s used when you want
Questions flow from previous answers and from to know something an NPC knows and maybe is
what has been stablished in the scene…One way to willing to share with you. You can use this Action
be sure that a question is relevant is basing it on in the middle of a Dialogue, as it doesn’t interfere
something you already know or something that’s with it. In fact, that’s the polite way of doing it:
unknown but, at least, you know it exists somewhere. asking people without even greeting them would
be a bit rude.
…but there’s always room for something new. Hey,
maybe you didn’t have the chance to know if you’re o Investigating. This method is based on the
good at cooking (or not) yet, but it doesn’t mean that Gumshoeing Action, and it’s used when you want
you can try to check it at the right moment! to know something and there’s no specific NPC
you can just simply ask. Thus, it covers both
Question-making could be used to cheat, but who finding that NPC and getting the answers (the
cares? Nothing stops you from making questions degree of politeness depends on your approach,

23Or maybe you just had a bad day and want to Godmode-out your
stress by chainsawing some demons with impunity.

32
 nevertheless), but also those cases where the Actions that require you being ‘free to act’:
answer doesn’t come from someone, but from recovering (as in, activating Take a short rest or Take
something: a document, a register, a literal a long rest); spending your time doing something you
writing in the wall, etc. like, preparing for future events, or training
So let’s see an example. Assume there’s a bunch of (activating Pursue personal interest, Troubles are
NPCs and it hasn’t been stablished if they’re good coming, or Training montage, respectively); starting
cookers or not. Now, there are different options: some investigation work (with the Gumshoeing
Action), or doing some other kind of not-actions as
o For NPCs who are your old friends, you already travelling to another location or changing the party
should know at this point, so there is no need to composition.
ask them. This is an example of a not-question, by
the way. SOMETHING HAPPENS
o For those NPCs you don’t know enough but at When something that’s not under your control
least are willing to talk to you, you use the Ask for happens (or it’s already happening, as in the case of
something Action during a dialogue. If it’s an old an in-media res start), it usually implies the activation
friend you never thought of asking about it, you of the Suddenly… Action, but the amount of control
can assume an automatic success, even! you can give to yourself may vary with the situation.
o For NPCs who wouldn’t tell you anything beyond So, in these cases…
‘get lost’ if you tried to ask them, you use the Something based on the location’s ethos happens.
Gumshoeing Action to ask among their The first thing to consider is the nature of your
acquaintances, or to spy them when they’re in the current location: if it’s a well-known one or it’s been
kitchen. This last one is a little creepy, so don’t try previously stablished what you expect to happen
this at home (or, and that’s the point, in other there, then just go for it, and make it happen! You can
people’s home!). give it some flavor by using Oracles (all those Table:
And once you are entitled to know the answer of Tropes and Table: Scene Dressings should be
that question...how do you elucidate it? Well, this helpful here!) or just by following your guts. Let’s see
example looks like a M8B(+) situation, being the two examples.
question ‘Is this NPC good at cooking?’, don’t you
think? o If you’re in such a familiar place as your High
School, home village, secret base, etc., you should
However, always remember that some questions decide what’s happening…including the chance
will require lots of work before you can answer them. that nothing is happening at that very moment so
Case in point, for Mysteries, getting an answer is a it’s your turn to act. So you may travel between
privilege you must earn. Double so for the big ones, its sub-locations freely, travel to other location,
i.e., world or plot-related Mysteries where nothing or decide that some specific type of event
less than ending a big quest (if not a whole plot) will happens: meeting someone, being involved in a
get you to an answer...if it even exists. tricky situation, fine mess, or conflict…or just
some location-themed event (a test at your
TAKING ACTION school, a festival in your village, a call from the
Major to your super-phone…).
The VISORPGZ+ engine has many Actions, and that’s
o If you arrive to a not-so-familiar location after a
probably an understatement. Point is, which Action
quest-giver told you to meet there, you can make
you should (or could) use at any given moment. that encounter just happen. Or you could ask
depends on how much control you (as the PC) have some Oracle if the NPC is there or if there’s
over the current situation. something fishy in the making. On a second
thought, this latter option seems more fun. Come
EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL on, make that question. What could possibly go
First case: you have full control of the situation wrong?
(i.e., there are no pressing matters you should take
Something based on the previous situation
care of). A relaxed game start is one example, but
happens. Once you finished with a situation, if you
occasionally you’ll find yourself in other relaxed
think it should flow into a new one, go for it! As
situations (possibly with some nuances, but mostly
in…you’ve just cleaned the floor with a bunch of
relaxed). Regardless the case, these times you are the
mooks? Okay, now it’s time to fight their leader in
one who decides what’s your next course of
another and more decisive conflict! And so on.
action…or Action, as things are. Which includes using
no-actions, as just narration and making questions! Something happens, period. No clue about what
could happen next? Time to use the Suddenly… Action,
These, too, are the times you can make
this time RAW. But remember that, even RAW, this

33
Action lets you choose if you’re feeling sociable, Here you’ll find a detailed example…but don’t feel
looking for news or thirsty for action. I.e., you can compelled to write-down all the possible outcomes
limit the result to one specific column in Table: before taking the Action during your games: just roll,
Events - General Events, or any other Event-related and make-up that outcome once you have your result.
table you may be using.
Regardless which Action you activate, sooner or
later you’ll recover enough control to select some
TRYCKY SITUATION EXAMPLE
Action or so much control you can even chose to no The History Class
act at all! So that’s how the game should flow: a Situation: During History Class, your sensei asks you about
succession of ‘relaxed’ moments where you decide the Sengoku period.
what to do, and ‘not-so-relaxed’ moments where What’s known: It’s been stablished that you’re not a very
something happens (with your degree of narrative good student. In fact, that’s a euphemism!
control depending on the circumstances) and you
Roll: ROLL(2D6) + MENTAL
must react to it until you regain some (or all) control.
And you keep doing that until you decide you want to Outcome examples
12+: Better than expected. You’ve been reading a manga
stop for some time (the equivalent of saving your
about that recently, so some of your answers are right!
progress in a videogame), or just end the game.
10+: As good as expected. You don’t go beyond talking about
the bird who doesn’t want to sing and stuff. Time to do some
INTENSE MOMENTS extra work after classes.
7 – 9: Stress. As above, but you end up sweating, and it’ll tell
In this section, you’ll learn how to deal with three until you take a good shower.
kind of special moments during a scene (sometimes, 2-: It escalates. You somehow start talking about things that
being the whole scene just by themselves), where the happened during the Meiji’s Restoration. Cue a meeting
situation turns tricky, messy or conflictive. I.e., when with the Principal.
you lose the control of the situation (and that’s only if
you ever had it to begin with) or when you want to FINE MESSES
get loose and take control of the situation by expedite
A fine mess is a tense situation that implies an
measurements. These moments are represented in
immediate danger, being it physical, mental, or social.
this system by…
So yes, you can end up suffering damage during its
Tricky situations. Something that tests you, but resolution or, in an extreme case, even suffering a
with limited consequences…or, at most, not defeat that could end the game! However, unlike the
immediate-ones (as in, it may escalate to a more tricky situation case, you don’t need to give so much
troublesome situation if handled badly!). thought to the potential outcomes because those are
already hardcoded in the Deal with a fine mess Action;
Fine messes. Something that tests you, with
you still should give them a narrative meaning, but
immediate consequences if you can’t solve it…but
that’s all.
that from a mechanical point of view can be treated
with just one roll (maybe more than one, if you enter Conversely, the difference between a fine mess
in a fail-repeat loop!). and a conflict is a matter of scale: the former, even if
dangerous, is something that it may be solved
Conflicts. The tensest moments, reflecting a
relatively fast and in one-go using only the Deal with
combat, challenge, competition, etc. They’re played
a fine mess Action. The latter requires a more grueling
using more involved mechanics, and can have game-
process, as you’ll see in a moment, and require a full
ending consequences…of the ‘bad’ kind!
combination of Actions for its resolution.
TRICKY SITUATIONS
CONFLICTS
A tricky situation happens when you’re not sure if
A conflict is one specific kind of situation (and a
you’ll be able to do something, or when success or
whole scene, just by itself) where you face a Threat
failure can be taken for granted and the point is the
and try to overcome it…or, maybe, just survive it. It
quality or lack of thereof of the expected result. Also,
may be a fight against an enemy or a group of enemies
and this’s an important point, it’s a situation that
in physical combat or a cutthroat debate, but it can
shouldn’t have a big impact in the game. So, in other
also involve a fast-paced chase, facing a natural
words: if there’s no immediate danger and you can
disaster, etc., for which the Deal with a fine mess
affect the results, it’s probably a tricky situation. In
doesn’t make the cut.
fact, the only difference between using it or just using
TEST or M8B is that, this time, your Stats influence in
TENSION
the result.
By definition, a conflict is a tense situation…but
there’s always room to escalate it to higher levels.

34
This way, a conflict has an associated Tension level: the Fight for victory Action, in a videogame, would be
Low, High and Maximum. All conflicts start at Low greyed-out. There’re ways of putting a Threat into
Tension (or High, if you have 5 HPs or less at that reach (the Improve the odds Action), or losing it (as a
moment). During the conflict, Tension rises one level consequence of partial successes or failures in certain
when you suffer 2 or more Damage in one go, when Actions). Note that ‘Reach’ is an abstract term: it can
you fall to 5 HPs if you started the conflict with more literally mean that your target is too far for being
than that, or when the Fight for victory Action tells attacked, but also that it’s under coverage, it has
you so. However, if more than one of those conditions activated a shielding energy field, etc.
apply at the same time, you just increase the Tension
one level. THREAT CREATION
Tension is a two-edged weapon: on one hand, the Creating Threats is simple: when they’re already
higher the Tension, the higher the damage the Threat existing NPCs, you just assign them a proper level
may cause to you; on the other hand, you (usually) (from Blue to Red) and that’s all. When they’re new
only can damage the Threat when Tension is at the NPCs, you create them using the usual rules
Maximum level…so things have escalated before you and…well, see the previous case. And if they’re not a
can properly finish them! character, but an abstract menace, you only need a
level, period.
THREAT LEVELS So, the most important thing when creating
As expected, not all Threats are equally Threats is knowing how they look, how they act, and
troublesome: some are glorified speed bumps why. This way, you can narrate how the Threats react
(there’s even an Action to treat them as such), while to your actions, how can you react to them, if you
others are potential career enders. This way, there’re really have any chances of defeating it, and what
Threats of five different levels: Blue, Green, Yellow, means ‘defeating’ in that case. For example,
Orange, and Red. The following table summarizes ‘defeating’ a tornado has a different meaning if you’re
how many HPs a Threat has, and how much damage just one guy trying to save yourself (and maybe trying
it causes to you depending on the current Tension to help others while doing that) or if you’re a guy with
level when the outcome of an Action tells you so. ‘weather control powers’ or similar stuff. In the former
case, ‘defeating’ the Threat still leaves plenty of
collateral damage…while in the latter maybe you can
Damage save the day for everyone!
Level HPs
Low High Maximum
DRAMATIC ATTACKS
Blue 1 1 1 1
To end this section, here there are two additional
Green 1 1 2 2 little rules designed to reproduce some tropes from
Yellow 2 1 2 3 videogames or (more commonly) other media.
Orange 3 1 2 3 Desperate attack. When you have 3 or less HPs and
Red 4 1 2 3 you use the Fight for victory Action, you may invoke
this rule to make that roll without any penalties you
may be suffering and, instead, get a +1, +2 or +3
STARTING A CONFLICT bonus. The catch? You suffer as much damage as that
bonus, in addition to any damage you may suffer as a
All the ‘initiative checks’, ‘pre-combat buffs’ and
consequence of your Action; also, you must apply at
stuff have been conflated in one single Action:
least a bonus of +1, so it means you’ll suffer at least
Initializing conflict scene. This way, you automatically
one point of damage. You can only try one Desperate
take this Action at the beginning of a conflict: the only
Attack! per conflict.
thing you need to consider (in addition of checking if
you were disheartened at that moment) is if some of Karmic Strike! When you are reduced to 0 HPs by
the involved parties has been surprised, but that’s an the result of an Action (or suffer damage while at 0
out-of-conflict matter so it’s usually resolved using HPs) that also causes enough damage to reduce the
some Oracle, or it can be a consequence of a previous Threat to 0 HPs, instead of going to the Not yet! Action
Action. (as you should do) or to the Final Attack! Action (as
you would want), use this rule to resolve the
THREATS AND REACH situation.
During a conflict, the concept of a Threat being o If the Threat is Blue or Green: Just make your Final
‘within your reach’ or ‘out of your reach’ is crucial. Attack!
When the Threat is out of your reach, it means that
you can’t damage it in the current situation or (in o If the Threat is Yellow: Ask ‘Does my opponent falls
just before I do?’ to the M8B(Y/N) Oracle. With a
general), advance in the resolution of that conflict…so

35
 Yes, you win the conflict (no, you can’t make a order). For a very straight quest, description and goal
Final Attack to look cool: don’t ruin the dramatics can be the same; for more interesting quests, the
of the scene!). With a No, do the Not yet! Action, goals may be updated as you complete them or
but with an additional +1 bonus (seeing the discover some facts about the quest that were initially
victory so near motivates you!); if you keep on unknown.
your feet after that, your opponent falls, as with Failure: In general, what happens if you fail at the
the Yes result. quest. Of course, there are fails and there are epic
o If the Threat is Orange or Red: As for Yellow, but fails, so this trait should only give a general idea.
assuming a No result. Success: What you get for all your efforts, from a
You’re free to fall to the ground with a smile once narrative point of view.
you’ve seen your enemy falls, if you want: you’re Mysteries: At this point, you should know how they
already the victor, so it doesn’t matter if you let work. This time, they represent initially unknown
everyone know how hard that victory has been to quest elements…which may still be unknown even if
you! the quest is fulfilled if they’re not required to finish it.
THE (NOT NECESSARILY) PACIFIST RUN Failure countdown. A quest has three failure
countdown boxes, initially unchecked. As detailed in
Conflict resolution may be the most involved the Beat the clock Action, when you should check the
procedure when playing a VISORPGZ+ game24. But third (and, theoretically, last) box, you must activate
nothing says you can’t ignore that part of the system, this Action, with three possible outcomes: you can
and treat any challenging situation as a fine mess keep on, you get one last chance, or the quest fails.
instead: there’re plenty of videogames where combat
isn’t even an option, right? For those cases, treat any
random event that would initiate a conflict as creating
a fine mess; also, fine messes never escalate to
conflicts, so that consequence for rolling poorly while
SAMPLE QUEST
dealing with them is just ignored and treated as the The Post girl
closest ‘bad’ result. Description: Your classmate Yamada has asked you to give
a letter to Kawamura and to check how the latter react to it!

SOLVING QUESTS Plot: This is just a side quest. At least, this time.
Goals: 1) Give the letter. 2) Check the reaction. 3) Explain
The concept of ‘Quest’ is quite important, as they the reaction to Yamada.
give you focus on where you should go and what
Mysteries: What does the letter say? What’s the current
should you do at any given time. Of course, at the end location of Kawamura? What are the expected feelings of
of the day, quests in your game are created by Kawamura in all this matter?
you…but all the random elements taking part in their
Failure: Yamada is going to be disappointed with you, to
creation and development still will give you some
put it mildly!
surprises in the way.
Success: Yamada be quite pleased with you…except if
Kawamura has a cold reaction (Yamada would be too sad to
ANATOMY OF A QUEST properly thank you, y’know).
A Quest is defined by the following traits:
Title: There is a tradition in many games of giving GETTING QUESTS
quests an ironic or punny name (or both). It may Even if you may be eager to go around the world
cause some groans, but haters gonna hate, aren’t in a full-time questing venture, first you must get one
they? So use this option if you find it funny. of those quests. Luckily, that’s not too difficult: your
Plot: If the Quest is part of a bigger Plot, that would typical game is full of people who want a task to be
be noted here, including how much weight the former done, and you can add those times when YOU want
has on the latter. If it isn’t linked to any plot, then it’ll something being done! So, to summarize, there’re two
be considered a side quest. More on this in the next main ways of getting a quest:
section. o From a quest giver: During the game, you’ll find
Description: a summary about how you get the NPCs who want something from you…or, just in
quest, and its (initial) main goal. general, who want something that maybe you
Goal(s): What you must do to success in the quest, could do. This quests may have been waiting for
being just one thing or several steps you must fulfill a while (e.g., in the job’s board of your favorite
(sometimes in a specific order, sometimes in any Adventurer Guild) or they may just show up

Keyword here is ‘playing’: the set-up of a game requires more

24

work than any conflict!

36
 ACCEPT QUEST? >>YES<< NO

during the game (e.g., when you must repay a Changing your active quest is a not-action, but you
favor). can only do it at the right times…as in, when you’re in
a relaxed scene and that quest isn’t metaphorically
o From yourself: During the game, you may find a
knocking at your door at that moment. I.e., you can’t
rumor that you find worthy of some
just de-activate an important quest and changing it
investigation, you may decide that a Mystery
for a minor one (or no quest at all), just because
should be answered once for all, etc.
things are turning dire and you see a failure coming
The Table: Quests - General Quests offers from a mile away. But that was a good try.
examples of quests so generic that, in fact, some may
make you groan…in character when you find them in FAILING A QUEST
the game, but also out of character when you just look There’re three main ways of failing a quest: a)
at the table. However, there’re also tables for more when at any given moment, any of the Goals ends up
specific genres, as suggested in their corresponding being unattainable, b) when you choose the Defeat
game templates. And if you want even more option in the Defeat or Sacrifice? Action, or c) when
inspiration to add details to the quest, you know what the Beat the clock Action tells you so (i.e., you have
to do: roll some RUNES, TROPES, SCENE DRESSINGS, checked too many failure countdown boxes for your
or whatever. own good). The concept of ‘time-limit’ is included
here: in this case, a Goal (or more than one) has a
ACTIVE QUEST clause in the form of a time frame…so if you end up
The concept of ‘active quest’, in the context of out of schedule, that Goal turns unattainable by
VISORPGZ+, is used to point out which specific quest is definition.
a scene based on. This way, if you’re trying to achieve
Be warned that a Quest of the ‘branching´’ kind
a goal or solve a mystery from one quest during a
may have conflicting goals, in the sense than
scene, clearly that quest is the active one at that
achieving one of them automatically made the others
moment. That’s relevant because random events are
unattainable. As expected, this doesn’t lead to failing
usually based on your active quest; also, suffering a
the quest: simply, you just get one of its possible
defeat during a conflict will make you fail your active
endings. When different Quests have conflicting
quest. On the other hand, there are times when you
goals, on the other hand, succeeding in one usually
don’t have an active quest: in these cases, you’re just
means failing the other, if the latter doesn’t have
‘sandboxing’…but don’t be too reckless, because
different paths to an end that can be interpreted as a
defeats and setbacks while sandboxing still have
success.
effects in the game.

37
SKIP BUTTON / GUIDE, DANG IT! First, when you get the quest for the first time and
There may be moments during a Quest that you you want the chance of being something fishy, answer
feel you have reached a dead end, after some setback the following question with a M8B(Y/N) Oracle: Do
that doesn’t strictly implies a ‘you fail!’ but a ‘still no you smell something fishy in this quest? If the answers
win!’. That is: the Quest is still viable, so you just must is ‘No’, then you don’t find anything strange…for now.
imagine some new way to finish it. But maybe you If the answer is ‘Yes’, the make a TEST (A-C) to know
have no time for any more of that bull-doodoo, and where that smell seems to come from, but not the
the only alternatives you can think off are so details (A = something’s fishy with those interested in
contrived that they look like bull-doodoo too (even if the quest; B = something’s fishy with the quest, C =
from another species of bull). something’s fishy with the quest-giver). If there’s no
quest-giver as such because you’re just following
So here there’s this little special rule: if you find
your whims, then use a TEST(A-B) instead.
yourself in that position, just do it. Use that contrived
alternative. From a metagaming point of view, look at When you’re at the (expected) middle point of the
it as those times you resort to the ‘Skip button’ for a quest answer the following question with a
puzzle in an adventure game because there’s no way M8B(Y/N) Oracle: Does a twist happen just now? If the
you’re going to spend the next hours trying to sort all answer is ‘Yes’, resolve the nature of the twist with
that bunch of stupid stuff by colors, sizes and the Table: Quests - Twists: depending on the answer
whatever just to open a secret compartment that you to the previous question, that you only roll one 1d10
could just reach by hitting the wall with something to get the row (you already know the column,
heavy. Or those times you look for some guide of the remember?), or you should make the same TEST as
game, because you’re sick of clicking on every damn before and then you roll the 1d10.
pixel in every damn screen because some
And finally, just as you finish your quest and if no
programmer decided on of them was a special pixel-
twist has happened yet, answer this final question
sized snowflake25.
with a M8B(Y/N) Oracle: Is there a final twist? You
Nevertheless, there should be a price, even if just proceed as in the previous case.
for keeping you of doing it non-stop. So this would be
the whole rule: if you feel that you have reached a This way, even if you were expecting something
dead end on a quest that’s still viable and still has fishy from the very beginning, maybe there is no twist
some unchecked failure box, check one of them and after all; you were just being a little paranoid. On the
introduce some contrived way of advance on it. That’s other hand, if you get a nonsensical result, you decide
‘advance’, not ‘finish’: this rule should help you get if a) once again, you were just being paranoid, or b)
closer to the quest end, but not resolve it, so you may there were reasons for being paranoid, so you roll
still end up failing at it. Of course, if you’re checking until you get a coherent result.
the last failure box of that quest, that quest may badly As it can be seen, the Table: Quests - Twist gives
end at that moment, as told by the Beat the Clock different results in some cases for middle and final
Action; however, as that quest seems to have been twists. In other cases, even if the result seems the
suffering plenty of your screw-ups during its lifetime, same, is worded in two different ways to reflect that
maybe it will feel happy of finally something putting it’s something that has already happened (if it’s a final
out of its misery… twist) or it can still be dealt with (if you discover it at
the middle of the quest and not at its end).
TWISTS
Sometimes is not gold all that glitters, and what REWARDS
seemed a straight and easy quest at first view turns Finally, there is the ‘what do I get for it’ part.
out to be more…complicated. Many times, in certain Successfully ending a quest may have a bunch of
genres26. Cue the twist, which makes you rethinks narrative rewards, but also some sort of punishment
everything you took for granted when you accepted because there’ll always be naysayers who are never
the quest, and then some. happy. This part, nevertheless, is up to you, as it’s one
Of course, as you’re the one creating the quest of those ‘using Oracles + inspiration + honesty + logic’
(even if with a little help of your Oracle friends), if you matters. But there are also (eventually) mechanical
introduce a twist in it from the very beginning, rewards: it doesn’t matter if, in the game world, your
knowing its nature…congratulations, you have just reward is being congratulated by General Kawazaki
spoiled yourself the surprise. So, to make a twist or being informed that you’re winner, or if you get a
works as intended, you must use some tricks to keep heap of money, or if your reward is clothes…because
yourself in the dark.

25 Hey, who are you calling ‘old man yelling at cloud’?!? 26Yes, Cyberpunk, I’m looking at you. Do not try to hind behind
Gothic-punk Urban Fantasy…

38
you’ll also get one Badge. Take note of it; maybe you make the NPC well-disposed about you, so their
can give it some use later. minimum and maximum AR will be -5/+5 (-6/+4
if that NPC is also one of your Bonds).
RESOLVING PLOTS ADVANCING A PLOT
Plots are the overreaching stories that develop
You advance a plot by doing quests related to it:
during the game. Note the use of plural: in games with
depending on your success or failure on that quest,
bigger scopes, you can expect more than one plot
you will increase the corresponding counter in that
being in the works at any given moment. However,
plot. There’s no other way of adding more successes,
some of them may be less relevant, while others could
but there’s an additional way of increasing the failure
represent potentially game world-changing events in
counter: when you choose the Defeat option for the
motion.
Defeat or Sacrifice? Action while you were doing a
A Plot, as Quests, is defined by a series of traits, side quest or just sandboxing, you must increase the
namely… failure counter of one of the existing plots; in this
case, you only add one-half point if it’s the main plot.
o Title: Again, this title can be as straight or as
jokey/punny as you want. A quest could be part of more than one plot,
something that you may discover while playing it as a
o Tags. A plot can have one of the following tags:
twist! On one hand, it means that you can advance
Main, Minor and Personal, as described below. Or
more than one plot if you achieve a success…but this
it can have no tags if none of them apply.
also means that a failure is worse than usual, because
o Facts. The usual: what’s is known already (or it increases more than one Failure counter. If you
believed to be known) about the plot. know from the beginning that you’re dealing with one
o Mysteries. Our old friends are back! These are of these suckers, then you may consider it a minor
questions whose answer, in this case, usually quest for one plot and a major quest for another (if
require more effort…especially if we’re talking it’s compatible with the plots nature, of course); if you
about a world-shattering plot and stuff. discover than link just as a twist, then it will be
o Success counter. How many quests related to considered a minor quest for the second (and
the plot you have successfully finished. unexpected) plot.
o Failure counter. How many quests related to the Finally, if you think that a mission wasn’t so
plot you have failed. relevant to advance a plot like any other, you can also
Plots evolve during the game, with more facts treat it as just as a minor quest and, thus, half-a-point
being added to them, mysteries leading to new worth of success or failure. In fact, if you’re playing a
mysteries, etc. Of course, you may be working to game with a main plot, you may extend its duration
thwart a plot or to advance it, depending on your just by ruling that every quest is consider ‘minor’
opinion of its Motivation, the people behind it and when advancing it. Of course, you could go even
their methods, etc. In fact, you may be doing one thing beyond that and use one-quarter quests and the
at the beginning of the game, and the opposite in the like…but, at that point, you could just take some iron
rest, when something makes you radically change and sworn over it instead! 28
your opinion. That wouldn’t be the first time it
happens, y’know27. THE CLIMAX
Once you mark your fifth successful quest in a plot,
PLOT TAGS next time you get involved in it you’ll play its climax:
o Main. This is the Big One in case it exists (i.e., it’s a last quest where everything will be decided…or
maybe not, depending on the circumstances. This
an optional thingy) Finishing it means that the
way, there’re two possible outcomes:
game is over, although the game may give you the
‘just free-playing from now’ option. o You finish the climax with a success. In this case,
o Minor. The plot is not too important (at least, you’ll activate the The end…or is it? Action to
from a global point of view), so you can finish it know which ending you get. Note that finishing
faster. In fact, these plots follow a different the climax doesn’t increase the Plot’s Success
counter; that value, one it reached that ‘5’
mechanism than the rest, as you’ll see soon.
threshold, won’t have any other use.
o Personal. A particular case of minor plot, related
to one specific NPC. Successfully finishing it will

27Note that a change of heart in the middle of a plot doesn’t turn 28 Great RPG, by the way. Did I say that already?
your previous succeeded quests into failures nor vice versa. You
were just following the plot, after all!

39
o You fail at the climax. This means that it wasn’t a Quest are still attainable but the Beat the clock
the real climax after all, so you may try again. But Action put a halt to it, so it’s not a full ‘back to the first
not before increasing the Failure counter by one square’ situation.
(or just one-half, if you’re using the ‘every quest
counts as minor’ approach); failure always have MINOR PLOTS
a price! As mentioned, these plots follow a different and
more direct mechanism: a Minor plot always has
THE END…OR IS IT? three quests that you must play in order. You fail any
Once you successfully play the plot’s climax (the one of them? The full plot also fails, and you get its
real one, if you need more than one try), you activate bad ending. You finish the three successfully? Then
the The end…or is it? Action to see what kind of ending you also successfully finish the plot, and you get the
you get. As described in that Action, you must best ending29. And that’s all. So yes, Minor plots are
consider how many quests you failed before finishing usually quite unforgiving: once you fail one of the
the plot, rounding down if there were ‘half points’ three Quests they’re based off, the full thing collapses
involved…which, as you read just a bit above, that and ends in a whole failure. That’s sad, but not the
includes failed climax(es). Nevertheless, there are end of the world in a game with other plots to play
two special cases: out.
As in the case of other plots, you start knowing
o If you achieve a perfect run of 5 successes and 0 only the first quest. On the other hand, you already
failures, then you automatically get the best know there’s going to be three quests (no more, no
possible ending. Good job! less), so you can use the classical ‘three acts structure’
o If, at any given moment, the Failure counter when creating them: the first one should be just an
reaches a value of 4, then the plot prematurely introduction, the second should be the one where the
finish, and you get the worst possible ending. plot thickens, and third will be the (in this case,
Oops… guaranteed) climax.

TRYING AGAIN? PLOT REWARDS

Okay, so failing a Quest doesn’t mean a Plot should When you finish a plot, you get a Trophy, which is
fall apart, because it ain’t over until the soprano sings. more valuable than just a Badge. You get a Bronze
However, you may find failing at a Quest that you Trophy for minor plots, and a Silver Trophy for other
consider very important for the Plot, or one that was plots...except for the Main Plot (in case it exists, of
so close to being completed…all of this before the Beat course), which gives you a Golden Trophy instead.
the clock Action pulled the rug under your feet! Note that it says ‘finish’, not ‘happily finish’: you only
lost the Trophy if the plot automatically ends because
Here there is a little rule to give you more leeway: you failed too many quests…or just one, in case of
when you fail a quest because of the Beat the clock minor plots.
Action, you can uncheck all its failure countdown
boxes and keep playing it. Nevertheless, if you were
near its end, you should move the goalposts further
PLOTS, QUESTS & GAME SCOPE
away, to represent all the screw-ups you have already Once you have the rules for Quests & Plots, let’s
made. Now, the bad news: you still must add one to see how they relate to the possible game scopes, as
the Failure counter in the Plot, so a) this will ruin your described in the previous chapter:
chances of getting a perfect run, and b) it may even o Short game: Forget about side quests, NPC
prevent you from using this option if this raise the unlocking, or any fancy stuff: there’s only one plot,
Failure counter to 4. and you play it as a minor one (i.e., three quests in
Note that you already could apply a similar order) even if it’s the main one. That means that
approach to a Quest you failed because some of its applying the default “fail one Quest, the whole
Goal became unattainable, by creating a very similar Minor Plot fails” would lead to a premature end of
Quest with very similar Goals (as much as you can the whole game and a non-standard Game Over if
salvage from the previous one). And being a different you screw up just once. Luckily, the Good things,
Quest, it would start without check failure countdown small packages Action takes care of that and lets
boxes, and its predecessor would increase the Failure you play a short game until its end. It even lets you
counter of the Plot. The rule in the paragraph above, pull out a victory if you finally put your crap
however, is offered for those cases where the Goals of

29Which can still be a bittersweet one, or even a downer one, if the

writers are a bunch of edgelords who wouldn’t give you a happy
ending to save their lives.

40
 together and finish its last (and climatic) part with justify doing (or at least trying) things that weren’t on
a success, even if you failed the first two! the table before. And there’s also everything related
to the social aspect of the game: relationships may
o Episodic game: There’s one episode-plot as in the
have evolved, with changes in Attitude levels, their
previous case, but also a main plot that ties
narrative meanings, etc.
everything together. No minor plots, on the other
hand, and usually no side quests. One-shoot games are usually static, as short
games where each instance is starred by different
o Linear world: There is a main plot, and
characters. The longer the game, on the other hand,
everything else is treated as minor, tops. Probably
the higher the odds you would be use one of the other
some side quests, but not too many.
options.
o Open world: There’s a main plot, but also plenty
of other ones. Also, more side quests you could TRAINING FOR POWER
shake a stick to if the game is very open. This option is based on using the Training
o Persistent world: There’s no main plot here, but montage to add new tricks to your arsenal, being
everything else is fair game unintended pun. them Powers, Spells, Techniques, etc. As the Action
description just tells the basics, so let’s see now the
details:
PC’s ADVANCEMENT o To complete your training, you must acquire 3
Here you’ll learn how to level up! Did that get your progress for Routine power uses/spells, 4
attention? Excellent! progress for new Techniques, and 5 for
Games built using the VISORPGZ+ engine won’t Challenging or At your limit power uses/spells.
make you grind XPs, gold, nor anything else, but that o Once you get a result that lets you accumulate
doesn’t mean that there’s no sense of progress. The enough progress, you just must pay the final
narrative one is a given, but this section covers also price: one Bronze Trophy for Routine power uses
the mechanical one. Or, to be fair, the somewhat- / spells and Techniques, two Bronze Trophies (or
more-mechanical. a Silver or Gold one) for higher level power uses
/ spells. You can do that just at that moment or in
‘STATIC’ GAMES the future, without requiring addition Actions.
First, the simplest option: you can play a game o You can’t have more At your best power uses or
that’s mostly advancement-less, so you end it being spells than Challenging ones, nor more
the same as you begin it. …Or do you? After all, the Challenging power uses or spells that Routine
protagonist and the supporting cast learn about the ones.
world around them (and you, as a player, too!) as you o For new spells and techniques, you must have
play, and knowledge is power. Also, it’s a way to access to a tutor, manuals, etc. For new power

PROTAGONIST-KUN GAINS +1 PROGRESS!

41
 uses, you just need one place where you can go course, some things would still be more difficult to
bananas with your power without worrying too learn than others. so…
much about collateral damage.
o Routine level uses of powers, spells and new
techniques would require solving a side-quest.
BREAKING THE LIMITS
Remember those Limits that could hinder your o Challenging and At your best level stuff requires
Power or Spellcasting Quirks? Finish a training solving a minor plot. You still can’t have more At
procedure with 5 boxes and invest two Bronze your best power uses or spells than Challenging
Trophies (or a Silver or Gold Trophy), and you can ones, nor more Challenging power uses or spells
erase that Limit! But remember, too, that some Limits that Routine ones.
could be so ingrained (and implicit) in the game’s lore o Ultimate power requires meeting the same
that you can’t eliminate them even with this method. prerequisites than for the ‘Training for power’
method (i.e., having learnt two new At your best
ULTIMATE POWER uses or spells), and then solving a plot (and not a
This one is especially cool but also really difficult. minor one!)
First, you must learn two new At your limit power
uses or spells during the game. Then, you must On the other hand, if you use this advancement
complete a minor plot focused on training from Hell. method, you don’t need to invest Trophies, because
Finally, if you success in the latter, you must invest a it’s implied that the Quest or Plot you’ll be playing will
Silver or Gold Trophy; sorry, Bronze don’t make the take care of those costs.
cut for this job. Once you complete all these steps, you
achieve ultimate power…which means that you have TRAINING&QUESTING - THE CROSSOVER
levelled up (told you!): from now you’ll treat all your This option combines the two other ones by giving
old Challenging uses of your Power Quirk as if they you two ways for adding progress when learning new
were Routine, and all your old At your limit uses as if tricks: you still use the Training montage Action, but
they were Challenging. This means you have changed also assign to quests a certain amount of progress as
the power scale, and future acquisitions of new an additional reward. In this case, Trophies
power uses and spells should take that into account. requirements are also ignored.
And yes, if you have a really long game in your hands, As a guideline, an advancement-related quest
this option can be repeated once and again. should add +1 progress as a reward. Finishing an
Regarding Combat Styles, as Techniques don’t advancement-related minor plot should add a +1 on
have an associated level, there would be no top of it (i.e., the usual +1 when finishing its last quest,
mechanical effect in achieving Ultimate Power. But and another +1 for finishing the whole minor plot).
there could be plenty of narrative effect, so to reflect Finally, an advancement-related plot could add as
that, let’s just say that you need to learn at least two much (i.e., as the previous case, but with a +2 at the
new techniques and complete the training-in-Hell end).
mentioned above, and then you would just jump to As can be seen, this assumes those quests & plots
the next ‘power tier’! being specifically aimed at improving you: if that
reward is more of the cherry-on-the-top variety,
LEAVE THIS TO THE VETERANS, NOOB! single quests shouldn’t give you anything, but you
could still get those +1/+2 when finishing a whole
You may have noticed there’re no options for minor plot/plot.
characters with just Quirk Talents in this section. So
no, you can’t acquire learn nor improve Talents
Quirks during the game. You’re already a badass at PERSONAL INTERESTS
your line of work if you have them (or as much of a Here you’ll learn how to level up, too. Kinda. Sorta.
badass that the game genre allows you to be) and
acquiring that level of badassery from scratch Personal interests are those non-questing things
requires a full life. you do in videogames as fishing, furnishing a house
you got as a reward, collect every frigging game card,
etc. Useful? Err…hmm…probably not. Fun? Well, all
QUESTING FOR POWER
that stuff wouldn’t appear in videogames if no one
An alternative and less book-keeping system for found it fun, don’t you think? This way, a personal
learning new tricks, this option is based on the ‘quest
interest can be…
for it’ approach. As in, instead of using the Training
montage Action to acquire progress for learning  A Hobby. An activity that you practice to relax, or
something new, you assume that the reward for some to be excited in a your-life-is-not-in-danger way.
specific Quest (or Plot!) would be enough for it. Of When you use the Take a short rest Action in its

42
 Slices of life version, you can announce that you’re raise it a final time and it’ll be something Beyond
practicing your hobby, if it fits the situation (e.g., the wildest dreams!
you can’t fish without a rod…or if you’re not in a
place with fishes!).
 A Collection. A heap of stuff (some people would THINKING BIG
add ‘useless’ to that definition; again, haters are A Project is assumed to be mostly scene dressing, but
gonna hate, so don’t pay attention to them) you can give it more focus, or make them be THE
related to a specific concept that you keep just for focus, by using the Strongholds & Settlements
the sake of it. advanced options and treating it as a Big Project
instead. Those rules use numerical modifiers in
 A Project. Something you’re working on to build
or improve, as furnishing your home, building up addition to narrative tags to describe how many
times you have improved the Big Project. For
a refugee in a post-apocalyptic game while
reference, and just in case you want to use the new
fighting the temptation of burning everything to
the ground when another settlement needs your Actions in that advanced options of vanilla Projects
(or even Hobbies or Collections), here there’s the
help for the umpteenth time, etc.
equivalence between improvements and modifiers:
Each personal interest has an associated level,
describing your grade of mastery, its level of Starting -1 Improved once +0
completeness, etc. Thus, you use the Pursue personal Improved twice +1 Improved thrice +2
interest Action when you want to improve that level,
which require both time and resources. In general,
PROGRESS AS REWARD
when successfully using the Pursue personal interest
Action to add a certain amount of progress to that As in the case of the ‘Training & Questing - The
personal interest. Once you accumulate 5 progress Crossover’ method for PC advancement, fulfilling
this way, you must make a final payment in the form quests and plots can give you a reward in the form of
of badges: one badge for an unimproved personal progress for some specific personal interest. In this
interest, two if it’s the second time you improve it, case, a quest whose Goal was specifically this would
and three if it’s the third (and final) one. Once you add +1 progress. Plots (even minor ones) seem to be
fulfill both requisites…congratulations! You level up too important to be focused on personal interests.
in that personal interest (once again…called it!), so Nevertheless, finishing any conventional plot may
you can start fishing better fishes, furnishing that new also give you one of these rewards as a cherry-on-the-
ward you just have built in your residence, etc. top: +1 progress for a minor plot, +2 progress for a
plot, and +3 progress for the main plot of the game30.
Again, there’re no mechanical benefits, but
narratively speaking the PC will feel quite proud. PAY FOR WIN Vs. PLAY TO EARN
Also, Badges have no other use, so it’s not like you’re It’s a sad fact, but plenty of things that should be
wasting them! And with respect to that narrative hobbies end up being based on how much resources
meaning, you can apply the following guidelines: you can put on the table (sometimes, literally) and not
 Hobbies. You start being a Novice at your Hobby. on your mastery. Those hobbies, as collectible card
Raise it one level, and you’ll be a Journeyperson, games that require getting the right (and rarer) cards
with some bragging rights. Raise it again, and to win at the highest levels, are thus treated as
you’ll be a Master, with a lot of bragging rights. If Collections, even if you can spend Slices of life
rumors are true, you could raise it again for a moments playing with them. However, you don’t get
Supreme Master level, which will turn you into a all the mentioned additional benefits for a 10+ result:
semi-divinity for those who practice the same you only get the HPs and the +1 AR if you have been
Hobby! playing with a Bond.
 Collection. You start with your collection being On the other hand, some Hobbies include a
Pitiful. Raise it one level, and it’ll be Remarkable. Collection side as secondary effect: your fishing
Raise it again, and it’ll be Expansive. Raise it a final sessions may end up giving you a full collection of
time and it’ll reach the legendary Complete level, different fishes31! Thus, each of these Hobbies also
including every rare, exotic, promotional, and has a Collection attached to it, being one that a) can
errata’ed version that ever was! only be progressed by getting 10+ results when doing
 Project. You start with the Project being an the corresponding Slices of life Action (a good catch!),
Aspiration. Raise it a level and it’ll be a Reality. and b) can’t have a higher level than your Hobby (the
Raise it again and it’ll be a Dream came true. And

30E.g., a t-shirt that says ‘I defeated the BBEG and all I got was this 31Just go with the flow and do not ask where are those fishes
lousy t-shirt’ surely is worthy enough to add +3 progress to any being kept, why they’re not rotting, etc.
clothing collection!

43
more difficult fish catches require a higher fishing the Bad Ending was both instantaneous and
mastery) unavoidable. But hey, there are precedents of
games with a downer ending, sometimes being
the only possible one! And if you still feel a little
soured by the result, you can see it as a sequel-
ENDING THE GAME hook, and play the next instance of the franchise
Sooner or later, you may grow tired of a specific to amend what was broken in the one you have
game, so you decide to stop playing. Just to be clear: just finished!
that wouldn’t mean that you have ended the game as o When you sacrifice the PC in an important
such, only that you just put it in the shelve (for some situation, as the climax of the main plot or
time or forever). Also, sacrificing the PC with the something equally big. In this case, it’s assumed
Defeat or Sacrifice Action in anything except the you have just reached one of the Bad Endings,
climax of a big plot can be seen as reaching a ‘You’re instead of the previously mentioned ‘you’re dead,
dead! Restart level?’ point in a videogame and not restart level?’. The key word here is ‘important’:
doing the latter, ever again. this would only be a proper ending if the conflict
On the other hand, there’re two ways you can stop has big stakes, instead of being just some random
playing that can be seen as properly ending the game: combat or similar. It’s still quite a downer (or
maybe just bittersweet if your sacrifice served to
o When you finish an important Plot, especially if it’s
make things better) but, again, there’re
the Main Plot of the game. Of course, depending
videogames that kill the PC for real just at the end
on how you solve the The End…or is it? Action, it
(even if it’s just one among different options), so
can be quite a downer ending…specially if it was
there are precedents.
caused because you failed so many quests that

悲 こ 悲
し の し
い 曲 い
で は 悲
す と し
♬ て い
も ♫
♪

これは悲しい結末でした
もう一度やり直してください!
ハッピーエンドを迎えられるかも!

44
NPCs
There are, on the other hand, two things you
NPCs AND ATTITUDE should be aware:

You already know how to configure the starting o When you’re playing one part of the Personal Plot
Attitudes and AR values of the initial NPCs (a process of an NPC, that’s considered your active quest, as
that can be summarized as ‘whatever level you feel usual…and the NPC will get a bit naggy if you de-
right or the game template tells you’ and ‘always +0’, activate it (-1 AR).
respectively) but…what happens when you meet a o Screwing up during a Personal Plot is one of those
new NPC during the game? And how can you change things that quickly sour a relationship. This calls
those initial values, for good or ill? Those matters will the NPC disapproves that! Action: at best, the NPC
be treated in this section. will feel hurt, and at worst (if you reeeeeeally
screwed it up, or willingly made the quest fails)
STARTING ATTITUDES the NPC will feel betryed.
For new NPCs, you can assign the initial Attitude
level (starting AR will always be +0, so that’s not a
problem) based on the circumstances. The default WHY CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS
case is, as expected, the oh-so-neutral +0 level, but to It’s a sad reality, but there are people you can really
keep you on your toes you can make a Question as ‘Is reason to. And an even sadder one is that, sometimes,
the attitude of this NPC as good as can be expected’ and people may turn into this, even if at the beginning
answer it with an M8B(+) Oracle to modulate it. If you there was some common ground…as by getting a
want more inspiration, Table: Characters - First reduction in Attitude with the Update relationships
Impressions tells you what’s the first thing that NPC Action when it’s already at -2. These NPCs are
thinks when meets you for the first time…or vice considered your enemies, and even if they have an
versa. Remember: this is another case of a table with Attitude level (still at -2), you can’t expect to interact
very biased columns, being the first one the worst with them, at least in a good way. So those NPCs will
first impressions and the last one the best. always react violently, or just in a hostile way, when
you’re present.
EVOLUTION
The Attitude level can change with time, even if
slowly (except when you make it plummet with a
COMPANIONS
horrible act). This way, when the AR of an NPC When you successfully use the Unlock NPC with a
reaches its maximum value (+6, by default), the Main Character (one of those you created when
Attitude gets Pleased; on the other hand, when it configuring the game, or one you created while
reaches its minimum value (-4, by default), it gets playing it32) and turn they into a Companion, that NPC
Stressed. At certain times, you’ll activate the Update will be both more available and effective, as you’ll see
relationships Action, which may change the Attitude in the next section. Of course, that’s not as easy as it
level depending on its current condition. An Attitude sounds, because the Unlock NPC Action requires that
can be both Pleased and Stressed at the same time; you solve at least one of the quests that are part of
also, note that you don’t reset the AR value to 0 when their Personal Plot.
you reach its maximum or minimum level. This means that every Main Character has, by
definition, a Personal Plot. And yes, that means that if
PERSONAL PLOTS you screw up that Personal Plot before unlocking that
As (another) wink to the media that inspired this NPC, then you lose your only way of doing the latter.
system, it’s assumed that many NPCs may have a Meanwhile, failing one of those quests when that NPC
Personal Plot in addition of other more common is already your Companion may lead to that NPC
quests that they can propose to you. This plot is leaving you, turning into your enemy or just getting
treated as a minor plot with a specific reward. upset, depending on how guilty you’re for that failure.
Namely, if you successfully complete the three usual If it wasn’t your fault, your Companion probably will
stages, keeping the Attitude level (or increasing it) be in a bad mood for a while, but still being your
will be easier: the AR limits will be -5/+5 instead of Companion. After all, also by definition, if you have
the usual as normal -4/+6. Easier to keep happy, more unlocked that NPC then you have already solved at
difficult to anger! least one of the three stages in their Personal Plot,

32 This include those times when you turn a recurrent character

into a more important one, of course!

45
maybe even two…so you have already proved you PARTY COMPOSITION
have some value. Changing your party composition is one of those
And it goes without saying that, if that NPC ever automatic not-actions that you can take when
turns into your enemy for any reason, they won’t be there’re no more pressing matters. It’s assumed that
treated as your Companion anymore. NPCs will be back doing their thang when they leave
the party, so finding them again could be very easy if
that thang consists of spending time in the same
THE PARTY place, or nearly impossible if consists of travelling all
Even if you start the game just by yourself (and, in the game world and beyond. Companions are a
some game templates, that’s not even the default), different matter: tradition says that all Companions
you may add some NPCs to your team, even if just who aren’t in the party are patiently waiting you in
temporarily. Of course, the nature of the game will the same place, usually a Location that serves as the
determinate how big your party can be, so even if you party’s home base.
go full bananas and try to recruit everyone on sight, By the way, Companions don’t get upset for not
you’ll end up hitting a hard coded limit. being in the party; not usually, at least, and in doubt
o Forever alone: Nope, forget everything being said you can ask them…but be careful because you may
here, or nearly everything. In this kind of game, don’t like their answer: they may be bored of just
you really are just by yourself. This is a classic in waiting!
horror games, where the only thing scarier than
being alone is being in an untrustworthy NPC EFFECTS
company. Having more people around you to help you it’s
o Dynamic duo: It’s not a big party, but it still can be always a good idea (naggy faeries notwithstanding)
a fun one! At most, you may have one NPC …but how can they help you? Below, you’ll find a list
travelling with you. Depending on the game, that of NPC Effects that can benefit you in a few ways.
may be a fixed role, or you may rotate between o ‘What do you think?’. When someone with
different NPCs. special skills or knowledge is in your party, you
o Four Against the Game Engine: In this classical have more options when taking out Actions: you
style, you may have up to three NPCs in your can describe them assisting you using their
party at any given moment. Of course, as in the personal set of skills (including their Quirks).
previous case, there may be some rotations. That’s the narrative advantage of having a
o Five members team: In this case, being alone is not party…and being this game engine very
the default option. Instead, it’s assumed that you narrative-based, it’s not a small one.
lead a team with five members, even if in some o Power in numbers: As the previous one, this
specific moment some of them may not be effect is purely narrative, but also quite relevant.
available. As mentioned, this is part of those Even if you’re not calling for other effects, it’s
‘advanced rules’ in the next chapter…but don’t assumed that during a scene every NPC will be
worry, you’re pretty close to knowing the details doing their part, as you’re doing yours, and that
soon (or, at least, closer than when this topic was includes conflicts. So, having a full party is a good
mentioned for the first time!). motive to give a Threat a lower level than the one
you would usually assign it if you were trying to
beat it literally solo.
NPCs AND I.A. o ‘Please take care of this’ When you make an
Action based on using a Stat, you can (politely)
No matter which option you choose, anyone who’s
command one of the NPCs in your party to take
travelling with you is an independent I.A. controlled
out that Action instead, so you’ll use their
character. Of course, in a VISORPGZ+ you’re also taking
corresponding STAT value. Note that penalties to
care of that part…so what that really means is that
rolls based on Stats during a conflict affect you,
you’re not controlling those characters as you do with
but not the NPCs, so you wouldn’t apply them in
your PC, but as you would do with any other NPC. this roll. Nevertheless, be careful, because this
You’ll have a bit more narrative control, but that’s all.
option has some limits:
On the bright side, they’re not going to have
pathfinding problems, nor they’ll stand frozen on  The same NPC can only be used this way one
their feet as idiots while some foe is smacking you…or per scene (remember that a conflict is
smacking them! considered a full scene).
 You can’t use Call a Bond, nor any reroll from
Troubles are coming.

46
  If the consequence of the Action is damage, HIRELING
then the NPC is Wounded. If the NPC was These NPCs seems to be there just to take a bullet in
already Wounded, it escalates to KO, and that the place of their respected leaders33. Thus, their lost
NPC would be out of the loop until the next is seen as a sad moment, but not as something that
chapter. The Wounded condition will last until would make you fail any quest or mission. Because of
you get a good result with the Take a long rest the latter, these dudes count for the party limit.
Action or when you take the To be continued… Conclusion: you only use Hirelings when there’re no
Action, whichever happens first. more competent characters available.
o ‘Give me a hand!’ NPCs with a Talent Quirk may Available conditions: Healthy, KO.
let you use the corresponding bonus to your rolls.
Available NPC Effects: Take one for the team;
Or to their rolls, if you’re using the previous
(rarely) What do you think?
option and those quirks are applicable. Also, if
more than one Quirk is applicable to the same roll
you may use as many of them as you want…and PARTY MEMBER
can. These NPCs play a definite role in the party, even if
their relationship with you is just temporal. They can
o Taking one for the team. When you suffer
be recurring characters, or even Main Characters that
damage, you can instead describe how a not-
you have not unlocked yet as Companions but are
Wounded NPC take the bullet in your place. It
already taking part in your adventures.
doesn’t matter how many HPs you would have
lost, as the results is always the same: the NPC is Available conditions: Healthy, Wounded, KO.
Wounded and can’t take another one for the team Available NPC Effects: What do you think?; Power in
until healing that condition. numbers; Please take care of this; Give me a hand!
(once per chapter per each Quirk); Take one for the
PARTY ROLES team.
Depending on their nature and how you have
developed your relationship with them, any given COMPANION
NPC will have one of the following roles in your party: These NPCs have been fully unlocked, so you get full
Load, Hireling, Party member or Companion. This will access to their full potential…or even beyond that, if
limit what NPC Effects are available, and how many they also evolve and improve during the game!
times you can use some of them in any given chapter.
It also limits what conditions they may acquire, Available conditions: Healthy, Wounded, KO.
making it more fragile or durable. Available NPC Effects: What do you think?; Power in
numbers; Please take care of this; Give me a hand!
(once per chapter per each Quirk; all expended uses
LOAD are recovered after a long rest); Take one for the team.
These NPCs don’t contribute to the party with their
skills or they knowledge (maybe with the latter,
sometimes, but don’t bet on it). They represent the
TAKING CARE OF THE MINUTIAE
classical hapless NPC you must escort somewhere: One reason for having a party of competent people in
thus, even if one of their available effects is taking different fields is to take care of matters related to
damage in your place, this would lead to an automatic their expertise, and more than just once-in-a-while.
quest failure. And that’s fair, because you should be This way, you can activate the ‘Please take care of this’
the one protecting them, and not the other way! NPC Action for tricky situations as many times you
These characters don’t count when calculating your need during the same scene, if the same NPC can help
party limit (that’s good!), which means that even in with it.
those games you should be alone you may end up
having to take care of one of these suckers (that’s
bad!). BONDS
Available conditions: Healthy, KO. During the game, you’ll meet different NPCs, but only
Available NPC Effects: Take one for the team; a fraction will be so important to you, in a positive
(rarely) What do you think? way, that you would want to forge a Bond with them.
Thus, a Bond represents a friend, a loved one, a
trusted colleague, or even a rival: what matters here

33Nobody says that they MUST wear a red shirt, but nobody says
that they CAN’T, either.

47
 BOND SUCCESSFULLY CREATED!

is that you care about your mutual relationship, so it breaking another. Let’s hope you use the Break
would wise to keep it in good shape! That means you Bond Action with tact…
can’t Bond with someone you hate or even just o You can use the Call a Bond Action to get
despise: if you Bond with a rival or even an enemy, it inspiration from your relationship with that
means that at the very least you respect each other (if Bond. Yep, VISORPGZ+ games fully support the
the relationship is in good shape, of course), and you concept of ‘the Power of Friendship’ when that
both use that rivalry as an encouragement to give the Friendship is properly taken care of.
best of yourselves.
o A Bond may sacrifice when you suffer a defeat, as
Creating a Bond isn’t automatic: as detailed in the described in the Defeat or Sacrifice? Action.
Actions section, the Create a Bond Action has some o When a Bond is present during a short or long
requisites…and a chance of turning up bad if you rest, you can add the Bond level to the
didn’t read the room with that NPC. But let’s not be corresponding ROLL(2d6). In the former case, on
too negative, and let’s assume that you have the other hand, this means that the rest is
successfully used that Action… something more than just taking a breath, taking
o When you have a Bond with an NPC, the Attitude the form of a slices of life scene.
level keeps the same range of values, but with a o Bonds are a little more forgiving with your
different meaning. screw-ups, so the minimum and maximum AR
values are -5 and +5, for those NPCs (or-6 and +4
ATTITUDE - BOND if you have completed their Personal Plot).

+2 Heartfelt: You are the best friends ever!

ROMANCE
Loyal: You have a healthy relationship with
+1 that NPC.
A ‘Romance’ is the next (optional) step in the
relationship between two Bonded characters. It’s
Respect: You treat each other well, but assumed it’s a relationship between the PC and an
+0 there’s room for improvement. NPC, but as you’ll see in the next chapter there are
Cold: There’s something going wrong in the games where the NPCs may start falling in love and
-1 relationship. romancing each other just by themselves. To start a
Toxic: The relationship is hurting one of romance with an NPC, you must use the so-creatively-
-2 you…or both. named Start romance Action. Of course, you can’t
expect being able to activate it casually: this Action
o At most, you can have five Bonds at any given has some important prerequisites, already included
time, so you can’t create a new one without in its description. As in other cases, even if the
Attitude trait still moves in a -2/+2 scale, each level
will have a different meaning.

48
 ROMANCE SUCCESSFULLY STARTED!

ATTITUDE – ROMANCE  When in a Dialogue with the NPC you’re having a

romance, you can include the Romantic tone in the
True Love: And they said this only could tone deck.
+2 happen in romantic novels!
 If a romanced NPC is a Main Character, they is
+1 Love: A real feeling! automatically unlocked and turned into your
Companion, if they wasn’t one already. But if you
Romantic: The relationship is going well, haven’t completed any of the quests of their
+0 even if it’s not too deep. Personal Plot, expect that NPC to ask your help for
Cold: Someway in the road, the spark was doing that…and how you could say ‘no’? Let’s hope
-1 lost. you don’t fail!
Hurtful: The romance is near to fall  A Romance will end if a) its level goes below -2
-2 apart…probably for good. because of the Update relationship Action, b) you
use the End romance Action, c ) you get a Hostile
The narrative aspects of romance are all left to you reaction during a Dialogue or D) someone
(oh, yeah, you can bet on that!) but here there is the reeeeeally screwed it up (cheating a partner in a
mechanical part: not-so-open relationship, failing in the Personal
Plot of your partner by negligence, and, in general,
 When you have a romance with an NPC, that anything that prompts you to use the NPC
character is still treated as one of your Bonds for disapproves that! Action at its worst).
all effects.
 When using the Defeat or Sacrifice? option, if you
 Every time you must apply the Attitude level as a choose the Sacrifice option you must sacrifice your
modifier to a ROLL(2d6), you get a +1 bonus to loved one if present, before anyone else. Or to be
that ROLL (that’s in addition to the Attitude level). precise, your loved will be the first one to jump
 Every time you get a +X or –X to the AR of your and save you, without caring about the
partner, it’ll be one point better or worse, consequences!
respectively (so +1 turns into a +2, -2 would be a -  Nothing says that you just can have one active
3, etc.). ‘+0’s results, on the other hand, are left Romance at any given time (up to whooping five,
untouched. Love is full of extremes! if you invest all your allowed Bonds on it!).
Everything says that if your partners discover it,
things will turn very sour. And south.

49
DIALOGUES
VISORPGZ+ tries to imitate the classic tree-dialogue
videogame system. To be precise, it’s based on games GREETINGS
where dialogue options are represented by a word,
NPCs are polite enough to greet you before
short phrase, or even an icon. Luckily, this won’t be as
introducing any other matters (even if that politeness
those games where the creators put words in the
may take the form of just a ‘Hey, listen!’, ‘You, N’wah!’
mouth of your character that you would never use
or ‘Grah, interloper!’) and you should do the same
nor will you mislead with the meaning of that
when you’re the one who starts the dialogue. So, the
option34…because in VISORPGZ+ you would be the one
first step in any dialogue is this greetings part, where
selecting those words! Thus, a Dialogue with one NPC
you establish what’s the dialogue’s topic and the
(yes, one: more about that later) follows a structure
NPC’s mood. The starting ones, at least, as they could
that’s quite rigid from a mechanical point of view, but
change before the end.
let you go as narratively nuts as you want.
TOPIC. If you were the one approaching the NPC, you
Dialogue rules are useful, except when they stop
just decide the topic…even if it’s something as simple
being it and you should be ignoring them instead. This
as just wanting to say ‘hi!’. On the other hand, if the
way, you don’t need to stablish the topic and mood
NPC is approaching you to have a little talk, you must
when you’re continuing a conversation with an NPC,
make a TEST(A-E) to decide why.
in a later (but not too much) scene. Also, when an NPC
is in your party, you don’t need to start a Dialogue What the NPC wants to talk about?
sequence every time you want that NPC to say A) The NPC just wants to say ‘Hi!’.
something nor when you want to answer. One of the
B) The NPC brings some news.
funny parts of having people travelling with you is
hearing their comments here and there, after all C) The NPC wants to remind you something.
(sometimes talking between themselves instead of to D) The NPC has a petition or demand.
you)…even if there are times they may get on your E) The NPC brings an opportunity.
nerves35. So just keep the Dialogue mechanics for the
important moments. MOOD. Regardless of who is approaching who, use
the Table: Characters – NPC Moods to know the

BŌKENSHA-KUN IS HAPPY BY YOUR WORDS!

34Seriously, when ‘pushing someone aside’ became ‘break that 35But hey, if there’s going to be a long load time, listening an
clown’s leg’?!? elevator chat is better than looking at a load screen, amarite?

50
initial mood of that NPC. This affects how that NPC someone you don’t get along at all (i.e., someone with
greets you, but also serves as a guide for how the rest Attitude -2).
of the dialogue would go. Also, this result can give you
some clues about the nature of those news, Friendly. You talk about something
reminders, petitions, demands or opportunities they heartwarming, offer your help to the NPC,
bring with them. etc. When talking to someone you don’t get
along too much, it can represent an olive branch.
In case of strangers, you can use the result to
When talking with someone you don’t get along at all,
summarize their full personalities, instead of just how
this’s not even possible: that olive branch should be
they’re feeling at that moment. As an alternative, if
based in actions instead of words, or, at least, be
you already know the personality of an NPC, you may
preceded by them (i.e., you must do something to
just randomly select how is that NPC feeling at that
make that Attitude at least -1).
specific moment based on this. E.g., if you know that
one NPC is a bit coward but also quite arrogant, you
Humorous. You talk about something funny,
could randomly select which of these two aspects
tell a joke, or use a light tone. This tone
dominates at any given time (for example selecting
assumes you try to laugh with someone, not
between the Arrogant and Scared moods).
at someone; if you get along with the NPC, on the
Note that the columns in this table are notably other hand, it can include also friendly (and, usually,
biased, being the leftmost the most negative in mutual) jeers.
nature, and the rightmost the most positive. You may
consider this to select the column instead of rolling it, Questioning. You talk about something you
if you expect that the mood of a specific NPC should find strange or curious about, ask for
tend towards the positive/negative/neutral side. information or an opinion, or express doubts
about a topic.

BEYOND THE BASICS Rude: You talk about something unpleasant,

in a sarcastic or dismissive tone, etc. Unlike
The guidelines about moods in this section are at with the Aggressive tone, this rudeness
their most basic level, being 100% based on narrative doesn’t need to be pointed to the NPC, especially in
effects. Chapter 3 systematizes and expands these the case of a friend: you can use it to express anger
rules, including specific mechanical effects for each about something in a not-so-subtle way. An equally
mood and discussing different ways to assign them. rude answer by the NPC, thus, could be interpreted as
agreeing with you in some cases; it still counts as an
TONES & REACTIONS unpleasant exchange…unless you both really needed
to vent for a while!
There are eleven common tones plus two optional
ones, each one (with one exception) with a card Sad. You talk about something sad, or
associated to it. In this section, you can find the express condolences to the NPC. It can also
meaning of each tone…but, as it will be seen, there’s express melancholy, regret, etc.
plenty of room for interpretation in most cases.
The first nine tones are the default ones you Surprised. You talk about something you
always include in the Tone Deck. Note that there’s no find surprising, baffling, strange, etc. You can
‘neutral’ tone among them: each time you must select also use this tone when you want to mystify
a tone should symbolize a potential turning point in the NPC, or when you have been quite mystified
the Dialogue, where each option would have yourself.
consequences. Thus, any filler & padding lines of text
would be inserted between these relevant moments, Worried: You talk about something that
for as long as you desire. worries or even scare you. You can also use
this tone to express concerns about the NPC
Aggressive. You speak in a demanding or situation, or to give a warning.
threatening way, or in a violent way if you
really dislike the NPC. There’s not much room The following two tones have special rules
for compromise here: this is the worst tone you could regarding their availability. You only include them in
you use with anyone! the Tone Deck if the NPC you are talking to pass their
respective requisites, and if you want to include them
Charming. You try to look cool or talk about to begin with. Each of these tones, regardless the
something you find cool. Or maybe you try to reaction, can’t be used again with the same NPC for a
flatter the NPC. This tone can’t be used with time, so you wouldn’t include that specific card in the
Tone Deck again for that NPC until then.

51
 Flirting. You show attraction to the NPC or Helpful. The NPC offers (or accepts) to help
try to attract them. Mostly for amusement, you, by answering your questions, giving
rather than with serious intentions...but who advice, soothing your worries, etc.
knows? You can only add this tone to the deck when
talking with an NPC with an Attitude -1 or better. You Hostile: The NPC is now angry. Best case, the
can’t use this tone again with the same NPC until you NPC is angry to the same thing that angered
use the Take a long rest or To be continued Actions: you the first time. But chances are, the NPC is
don’t include this tone in the Tone Deck for that NPC angry with you, even if still willing to talk.
until then.
Malevolent. The NPC feels pleased… at your
Romantic: You try to have a special moment
expense; expect plenty of schadenfreude,
with your partner; the details are left to
with the schaden pointing in your direction!
yourself. You can only add this tone to the
deck when you’re talking with an NPC you have a
Neutral: The NPC feels unimpressed,
romance with. You can’t use this tone again with the
indifferent, too baffled to give a proper
same NPC until you use the Take a long rest or the To
answer, or tries to temporize. It can also be a
be continued Actions: don’t include this tone in the
mixed-bag, alternating between two different
Tone Deck for that NPC until then.
reactions and balancing each other.

Finally, the next two tones are only used with Questioning. The NPC wants to know more
some of the options described in the following about what you’re saying, feel curious, have
sections. Note that the first one doesn’t have an some doubts that wants to clear up, etc.
associated card, because that’s the point of that tone.
Reject. Uh, uh…wrong moment or, in some
Err…humm. You found yourself with cases, wrong person. The NPC isn’t receptive
nothing to say, because you can’t use any of to your flirting (or romantic) words. -1 AR
the three tone cards you draw. Expect
looking a bit silly for a moment. Romantic: Your partner is also looking for a
special moment. Again, the details are left to
Wildcard. This tone is equivalent to another yourself. +1 AR
one. This will make that tone more likely to
appear during the Dialogue and may even Rude: The NPC doesn’t give a damn about
force you to use it in certain circumstances. what you’re saying, don’t like it, or (best
case) shares your anger when your rudeness
Regarding the NPCs, there are sixteen possible was pointing out elsewhere.
different reactions, being as versatile as tones, and
which also depend on the context: a good friend may Sad. The NPC feels sad (or disappointed) for
react to a joke with a loud laugh, while an enemy may your words or behavior, express
just limit to an ‘okay, that was funny’ comment. Or vice condolences, etc.
versa, depending of their personalities!
Satisfaction: The NPC likes what you are
Disagreement. The NPC objects your words saying or doing or, at least, politely agrees
or actions, but not vehemently. Depending with you.
on the NPC Attitude and Mood, this can take
the form of a blunt ‘no’, sarcasm / irony, or a polite Surprised: The NPC feels surprised by your
“let’s agree to disagree”. words or shares your surprise.

Flirting. The NPC is receptive, and flirts with Worried. The NPC feels perturbed, worried,
you in turn! Once again, nothing serious…or scared, or uneasy by your words or the way
is it? you’re acting during the Dialogue.

Furious: The NPC is really pissed off. The

Dialogue immediately ends…badly. This is EXCHANGES
the worst possible outcome, so don’t expect Dialogues are solved by doing three Exchanges,
anything good coming from it. tops. That should be enough to carry our any
dialogue, as each one goes beyond a simple ‘A says, B
Happy. The NPC likes a lot what you are says’: it can be (and usually is) a longer ‘A says, B says,
saying, sharing their good feelings. A says, B says…’, until you decide to jump to the next
exchange. But don’t cheat: the nature of that full

52
exchange must reflect the tone you selected and the That’s a feature in some videogames: labelling
reaction you got, so don’t change them out of some of your dialogue options as [Lying], or
nowhere! [Intimidate], or whatever. Thus, you’ll find here that
feature adapted to this engine; one of the described
A) First Exchange. Once the greeting part is finished,
options are part of the Ask for something Action
draw three Tone cards from the Tone Deck and select
instead of the Dialogue per se…but as the former is
one of them, which will represent your tone in this
used in the context of the latter everything still fits!
exchange. Once your Tone is set, and to know the
nature of the NPC’s answers, you make a TEST(A-E) o Intimidation: When you use the Ask for
in the first half of the Reaction Table (at the end of something Action with an NPC and you have
this section). Based on the result and the Attitude leverage that lets you intimidate they, you can get
level of the NPC, the Reaction will be positive, a +2 to the roll. Their Attitude will drop one level
somewhat positive, somewhat negative, or negative. and be Stressed, on the other hand. You can only
The second half of the Reaction Table tells you what use this option with vanilla NPCs, but not Bonds,
specific Reaction correspond to your used Tone, in Companions, Team members, etc.
that order: the positive Reaction would be the first
o Lying. When lying during a Dialogue, you play a
one, the somewhat positive would be the second, and
Tone card as usual and then make the Reaction roll
so on.
to know if you’re fully believed (positive), barely
There are some Tone & Attitude combinations believed (somewhat positive), or unbelieved
which are not compatible, so if you draw the (negative, in both the ‘full’ and ‘somewhat’ flavors).
corresponding Tone card, that dialogue option will Of course, people don’t like being lied (or, to be
not be available (i.e., in a videogame, it appears precise, discovering they’re being lied), so if they
‘greyed out’) out and you’ll have to choose between catch you lying their reaction will be Rude instead of
the other two (or the only one, in the most extreme the usual one for the tone you used, or
case). Hostile/Furious if it was already that. Also, make the
[NPC] disapproves that! Action immediately:
B) Second Exchange. If you want to keep talking, you depending on the nature of the lie, it may count
repeat the previous step by drawing three new tone as a disapproving a bit, a lot, or causing a great
cards from your already reduced Tone Deck. Except if harm etc., so use the most fitting of the four
the NPC is Furious, because in that case the dialogue options in that Action.
is over…and maybe fists start talking.
o Calling for a debt. When you use the Ask for
C) Third Exchange. You want more? Okay, no something Action with an NPC with a Pleased
problem, draw another three tone cards from your (and not Stressed) Attitude, you can get a +2 to
now nearly exhausted Tone Deck, and repeat the the roll. You erase that condition and reset the AR
process. But try to tie everything up because this’s the to +0 if it was higher than that.
last exchange!

AFTERMATH THREE-SIDED DIALOGUES

Now that you know how to talk to one NPC, let’s
Once the Dialogue ends, you should ask yourself if see what happens when you’re talking to more than
something has been said (or done) that could change one! Or, to be previse, to two: in theory, you could
the nature of the relation with the NPC. (i.e., if you have a dialogue with even more characters, but it
should use the [NPC] approves/disapproves that! would be a little difficult fitting all their graphics in
Action) Remember that poor chosen words (or well the screen, so let’s avoid doing that. These three-sided
chosen, when that’s their goal) can quickly sour a conversations work like a normal dialogue, with just
relationship…while a few pretty words, even if some little differences: each NPC may have a different
welcomed, rarely are enough to improve it. topic and mood (the latter being more probable that
Also, if the Dialogue ends because the NPC gets the former) and will make a different TEST to check
Furious, maybe it’s time to put the Dialogue rules their specific reaction. Also, if their Attitudes are
aside and dust off the combat rules from the system different, they may have a different reaction even
you’re using. Or the chasing ones, if you just have when they got the same result in the TEST.
pissed off a very dangerous NPC. Just saying. As expected, things could get a little
convoluted…but the good news is that the dialogue is
still limited to three exchanges; the bad news is that
you’ll have to cram every line on dialogue in them as
SPECIAL OPTIONS best as you can.

53
 REACTION TABLES
TEST ATTITUDE
(A-E) -2 -1 0 +1 +2
A Positive Positive Positive Positive Positive
B Somewhat positive Somewhat positive Somewhat positive Somewhat positive Positive
C Somewhat negative Somewhat negative Somewhat positive Somewhat positive Somewhat positive
D Negative Somewhat negative Somewhat negative Somewhat negative Somewhat negative
E Negative Negative Negative Negative Negative

ATTITUDE
TONE -2 -1, 0 +1, +2

-
-

REACTION ORDER: Positive / Somewhat positive/Somewhat negative/Negative

54
 3 - ADVANCED OPTIONS
With the rules in Chapters 1 and 2, the Book of
NPC-NPC INTERACTIONS
Tables and Companion Booklet, and (optionally) Required: Any Five Members Team game.
one of the offered game templates, you have already Optional: The rest.
enough material to start a VISORPGZ+ game. This
New Actions for those times when NPCs have a little
chapter, on the other hand, offers additional rules or
chit-chat without your participation. Also useful to
expand the existing ones. Below, you’ll find a
play a whole PC - NPC dialogue with just one roll.
summary of these all these advanced options,
including which templates (if any) require them, and
which ones could potentially benefit from them PUZZLING PUZZLES
Optional: All
(keyword here being ‘potentially’!).
A few suggestions for translating the puzzle-solving
ADVANCED DIALOGE RULES experience in videogames to your solo sessions.
Optional: All
New options for Dialogues, including new ways for SAVINGS & SCRAPS
Required: Space Rogues, This Dust Was a City
assigning moods to NPC with a mechanical effect. Optional: City of Darkness, Pulp Action!

ADVANCED M8B(+) ORACLE Rules for those games you fight to make ends meet, or
Optional: All scarcity.
An alternate M8B Oracle for those times you actually
SCENE-CREATION TOOLS
want to be told the odds. Optional: All

CARDLESS ALTERNATIVES Rules aimed at scene set-up & play while following
Optional: All the spirit of specific narrative genres, a videogame
style, or both.
Dice-rolling versions of for most of the card-based
oracles.
SPACE EXPLORATION
Required: Starship Captain, Space Rogues
CASE INVESTIGATION Optional: Any game already using the Vehicles rules.
Optional: To Aru Chō Shizen No Toshi, City of Supers, City
of Darkness, Pulp Action, A bunch of Actions for games based on boldly going
where no one has gone before, and stuff. Also
Rules for solving cases, being them criminal or
including guidelines for adapting them to seafaring
whatever, in sleuthing style.
games.
FACTIONS
STRONGHOLDS & SETTLEMENTS
Required: City of Darkness, Spaceship Captain, Space
Optional: The Elder Dungeons: Final Age, This Dust was a
Rogues, This Dust Was a City
City
Optional: The rest.
Rules for building-up (and managing) all kind of
Rules for games where you play politics. Or politics
structures. Okay, several kinds, at the very least!
play you. Also include interactions between Factions.
SYSTEM CONVERSIONS
FIVE MEMBER TEAMS
Optional: All
Required: Masters of the Elements, Sentai!, The Big Heist,
Pop Band Spooky Mysteries Tour Brief guidelines for using VISORPGZ+ content in other
Optional: Isekai’ed Away, City of Supers, Mahō Shōjo RPGs, and vice versa.
The promised, most advanced party-mode that lets
you play as the leader of a team composed of five VEHICLE RULES
archetypical members! Required: Sentai!, Starship Captains, Space Rogue
Optional: Time-Travel Thrilling Tales, This Dust was a City
and, in general, any globetrotting game.
MULTIPLAYER RULES
Optional: All! Rules for vehicle creation, managing and combat.
Musings regarding how to play VISORPGZ + not-solo.
WARFARE & MASS COMBAT
Optional: Time-Travel Thrilling Tales, This Dust was a City
and, in general, any globetrotting game.
Rules for playing battles between whole armies.

55
ADVANCED DIALOGUE RULES
In this section, you’ll find additional rules to use
during Dialogues. These rules assume a 1-to-1 WILDCARD SELECTION
Dialogue: their porting to a Three-sided Dialogue, There’re three ways to select which existing tone is
especially in the case of the more complex ones (and linked to the Wildcard one:
double specially in the case of the Advanced Moods How you are. With this option, you select your
rule!) is left as an exercise for the reader. Ahem. Wildcard tone during the creation of the PC, based on
their background, personality, etc. Note that the same
READING THE ROOM ‘specialty Tone’ can mean different things for different
characters, and not always for good: if you select ‘Sad’
By default, you check the Mood of an NPC during the as your Wildcard, this may mean that you’re a bit of a
Greetings phase of the Dialogue, but you can use this crybaby…or a very empathic person; ‘Rude’ can mean
little optional rule instead. To be fair, this rule is more that you’re quite grumpy or a total jerk, etc. As a
interesting when you combine it with the rest of optional narrative tool, you can decide changing your Wildcard
rules in this section, but even just by itself it may found Tone during the game if the events during it point to a
some use. dramatic change in your heart, for good or ill. You can
During the Greetings phase, and before rolling the even spend some time without a Wildcard tone just to
NPC Mood, you check an Oracle to discern if you can reflect that those changes take time. In fact, you could
read that character before you open your mouth. You can assign the Err…hmm... tone to the Wildcard until then,
play this just as a simple M8B(Y/N) Oracle…or, if you and in this case it wouldn’t be silly at all, but dramatic: it
want to make it a bit more involved, use the following represents your inner emotional conflicts and stuff.
new Action. How you feel. Who said that a PC couldn’t feel as
moody as NPC? With this option, before starting the
READ THE ROOM Dialogue, you select the nature of the Wildcard tone
During the Greetings section of a Dialogue, when you based on how you should feel at that moment, but before
try to evaluate the Mood of the NPC, ROLL(2D6) + you roll the Mood of the NPC.
ATTITUDE. Both. You can combine the two previous options by
10+: You set the Mood of the NPC before the selecting two or three tones as your more usual ones, and
Dialogue starts. randomly (or wittingly) choosing one of them as your
Wildcard tone for each specific Dialogue based on the
7 - 9: Randomly select one column from the Table: current situation. Again, you must do it before rolling the
Characters - NPC Moods and two different Moods Mood of the NPC.
from it. The NPC has one of those two Moods, but you
won’t know which one until you have played your THE WILDCARD IN ACTION
first Tone card. You treat the Wildcard tone as a duplicate of another
3 - 6: You just get a general idea of how good or tone card, which may allow you using the same tone
crappy is the NPC Mood: roll for the column, but don’t twice in the same dialogue if you draw it in different
roll for the row until you have played you first Tone exchanges. On the other hand, if you’re lucky (?) and
card. draw both the Wildcard Tone and the copied Tone in the
same Exchange, you must use that tone and skip the part
2-: Nope, you read nothing. Don’t roll for the Mood where you make a Reaction Roll: just apply the Reaction
until you have played your first Tone card. you want among the four usual ones! So yes, that means
that maybe you as a player weren’t too eager of using that
WILDCARD TONE Tone…but you as the PC don’t have any other option.
Fair warning: if this means that you’re forced to use a
By default, the Dialogue system gives equal chances Tone, but you can´t use because it’s not available for that
to all Tones being drawn from the deck, regardless the NPC…well, time to apply that funny Err…hmm... Tone
PC personality, social skills or how good (or bad) has optional rule.
been their day. Cue the Wildcard tone optional rule,
which gives more weight to one specific Tone and also Note that you can select the Flirting or Romantic
has some additional nifty effects. To be precise, Tone as your Wildcard, but you still apply both their
‘Wildcard’ is NOT a new Tone by itself, but a new card requisites and limitations…so, if you can’t include the
that you include in the Tone deck as usual and represents original tone in the Tone Deck for whichever reason (the
a second instance of another Tone card. Except the
Err...hmm… one, if you’re using that soon to be
described optional rule too: that just would be silly.

56
 YAOYA-CHAN IS FEELING GRUMPY!

NPC doesn’t pass the requisites, you’ve already used that character. Note that if you draw both the Wildcard and
tone with that NPC recently, etc.), you can’t neither the favorite Tone card of someone, that character would
include the Wildcard one. Also, you can try being be quite fitting!
romantic or flirt twice in the same Dialogue if you draw
the corresponding cards in different Exchanges, but only
if the first time you use it gives you a somewhat positive ERR…HMM… TONE
or somewhat negative Reaction: if things worked really This rule is an escape clause (or, to use programming
god or really bad the first time, there would be no room lingo, an exception handler!) for those situations where
for a second! you find yourself with three Tone cards in your hand
during an Exchange and you can’t use any of them. That
PARTY DIALOGUES shouldn’t happen with the RAW system, as the worst-
case scenario (i.e., talking with a Very Unfriendly NPC
Dialogue rules assume that you-as-the-PC would be and getting both the Charming and Friendly Tones in the
the one talking, even when the PC is part of a group. same exchange) still leaves you with one usable
There’re alternatives, on the other hand, all of them based Tone…but once optional rules start piling-up, as hinted
on assigning a Wildcard Tone to every NPC that’s in the just above, you may found out in one of those awkward
party (their ‘favorite’ one), but in some cases giving it a situations. So, if this happens, just use the Err…hmm…
different meaning. tone as a default which, as expected, will make you look
a bit silly.
Let’s our spokesperson take care of this. This is the
simplest option. At the start of the Dialogue, select one If you’re using the Advanced Moods & Read the
spokesperson for the party, and use the rules as written room rules, there’s another situation you would apply
from the point of view of that character. this rule: you use the Err…hmm... tone if you try to play
a Tone card that ends up being unusable once the NPC
Polite interruptions. You still select one
Mood is revealed (because it’s a restricted tone for that
spokesperson, but when you draw a Wildcard Tone card
Mood, or because it’s restricted by the modified value of
you can make any other member of the party intervene in
the NPC Attitude). And, once again, you look a bit silly.
that exchange, using their assigned Wildcard Tone. If
you don’t, then the spokesperson will still be the one
doing the talk, as usual. ASSIGNING MOODS
Impolite interruption. As the previous one, but in In this section, you’ll find different ways to assign a
this case you can’t choose: someone else intervenes, Mood to an NPC that make the whole process a bit less
period, using their ‘favorite’ tone. You may leave to random…or even quite predictable, in some cases. As
chance who does that, or you may select the more fitting each method has its own merits, you can apply them in a

57
case-by-case bases, instead of limiting yourself to just Example IV: you pay a visit to a scholar friend
one. because you need help translating a mysterious
clay scripture. Something that sounds like
PERSONALITY MOODS ‘Choucroute Fun Tag’, but you may be reading it
A Mood can be interpreted as a default state: how wrong. Problem is, it’s 2:00 AM, so you wake up
an NPC feels and acts when there’s no circumstance your friend. You can expect them to feel Inquisitive
modifying it. In case of an NPC you have just met and (as in, interested in the topic), Sleepy, or Grumpy.
who’s a stranger, you should assign it at random and Giving a 1/3 chance to each of those Moods seems
let it be. Just note it down, nevertheless, in case you a fair option, then.
meet the same NPC latter: that would be a good time Reading the room: If you’re using this option to
to decide if that original Mood was just a temporal assign a Mood you should apply a binary version of
thing, or if it was a case of the NPC showing their true the ‘reading the room’ optional rule. I.e., any success
colors from the very beginning. lets you assign the mood before the Dialogue starts,
Note that, in a party, each character usually has a and any failure only lets you assign it once you have
different personality and, thus, a different Wildcard selected your first tone.
Tone. You should consider that in Dialogues where
the PC isn’t the party’s mouthpiece…or when there’s ATTITUDE MOODS
no mouthpiece to begin with and any of the party When an NPC already knows you, they may put
members may intervene at any point of the Dialogue! aside their problems for a moment when seeing a
friendly face (hey, maybe that’s just what the NPC
Reading the room: If you’re using this option to
needed at that moment if they were feeling blue!) or
assign a Mood, you can apply the ‘reading the room’
put on guard as soon as seeing you walk through the
optional rule as written.
door. Thus, your mutual relationship can be used as a
guideline to decide the mood of that NPC during the
CIRCUMSTANTIAL MOODS Dialogue. Just roll on the Table: Characters - Mood
An NPC who is being affected by some (By Attitude) table, checking the more fitting column
circumstances, especially if you were involved in and rolling only for the row. The repertoire of
them, may have a mood be based on them. In this potential moods, in this case, is somewhat limited: as
case, you may still roll for a random Mood, but with mentioned, it’s assumed that minor matters would be
the clause ‘it can’t be better / worse that X’ added to put aside.
it. Or you may select the two or three more likely
Moods and chose one of them at random. In fact, you can make AR influence the results too
when assigning a Mood this way, so both the short-
Example I: if you meet a security guard who’s a term and the long-term state of a relationship
total stranger to you, and they have caught you matters. Thus, when using the Table: Characters -
red-handed in a restricted place, the best-case Mood (By Attitude), you start at the column
scenario is that guard being Suspicious (hey, indicated by the NPC Attitude. And then, you shift the
maybe there’s some reason for you being there, column to the left or the right based on the current AR
after all!). So you may roll for a Mood, but if you value for that NPC:
get anything that sounds better than Suspicious
you would default to that. -5 or worse: Two columns to the left
-4/-3: One column to the left
Example II: if you have recently betrayed -2 to +2: No changes
someone, best case would be that person being +3/+4: One column to the right
Skeptical. Worst case scenario…well, you could +5 or better: Two columns to the right
probably imagine that! So, for that NPC, you would
roll for a Mood, and if it sounds better than If you reach the rightmost column (or started
Skeptical you would default to that one instead. there) and you should shift one more to the right, roll
two d10s and use the highest result. If you should
Example III: if you have recently saved the life of shift two more, right three d10s instead. Conversely,
someone, that person should feel at the very least if you’re at the leftmost column and still have to shift
Pleased with you. That is, if that NPC isn’t an one or two columns to the left, roll two or three d10s,
ungrateful curmudgeon…but, even in that case, it respectively, and keep the lowest result.
may be just a case of ‘I’m thankful to you but I Reading the room: If you’re using this option to
don’t want to make it too evident’. So, you may roll assign a Mood, you already know what column you’re
for a Mood, and if you get anything that sounds rolling in. So, apply the ‘reading the room’ rules as
worse than Pleased, you should default to that. written, but any failure leaves you none the wiser.

58
HARDCORE MODE Example: the Charming Mood reads as “+1
Charming & +1 Flirting & +1 Romantic until
Do you want a challenge? What about, instead of getting a Furious, Hostile, Reject, or Rude
drawing three new cards each exchange, only using the reaction’. This means that the three mentioned
three you draw at the start of the Dialogue? Once each, tones get that bonus until you get any one the four
as usual? That’s hardcore! mentioned Reactions.
This may put you in a very precarious position, and Also, for those cases where the effects apply until
trying to end a Dialogue ASAP when there’s some Tone getting (or after getting) some specific reaction from
you don’t want to use at all. Also, it may put you in a that NPC, note that a) those reactions can come from
position where you have a card, or several (or all, if you any tone, and not just those affected by that specific
start piling-up optional rules!) that you can’t use! Of Mood, and b) any change will be applied in the next
course, there’s the Err…Hmm Tone rule, but if you’re Exchange, and not the current one.
playing in Hardcore Mode you should use a less
punishing version of it: when you don’t have any card Example: if you get a Satisfaction reaction from an
you can use in your hand, you can discard one and draw Angry NPC, that NPC wouldn’t be Angry any
another. Note that a) if the one you draw is still unusable, more…but this only takes effect in the following
then Fate has spoken and you must ‘use’ it and activate Exchange, not in the one you got this.
the Err…Hmm Tone, and b) this can only invoke this Finally, don’t expect too much balance in these
clause when you know that you have no usable Tones, effects: there’re some Moods that could be seen as
and not when you use one and then it’s revealed that you ‘better’ than others…as it should be!
shouldn’t have use it because you didn’t read the room.
Hardcore Mode is compatible with plenty of other +1/-1 MODIFIER
optional Dialogue rules, but not all. For example, the This effects improve or worsen in one step,
‘reshuffle’ special effect in the next section means little respectively, the NPC Attitude for specific tones, for
in Hardcore Mood: putting a card again in a deck you’re all of them, etc. Thus, a Friendly NPC who gets a +1
NOT expected to use any more except in very specific would be treated as Very friendly, a Neutral NPC who
cases (i.e., those ‘draw another card instead of just using gets a -1 would be treated as Unfriendly etc.
the Err…Hmm Tone) doesn’t sound as a big deal.
Finally, regarding the Party Dialogue options, its ‘polite If you get a +1 when the Attitude is already Very
interruption’ version would give you a breather, as friendly, then you can ignore the Reaction Roll: just
drawing the Wildcard gives you several options (one for select what’s the reaction of the NPC among the four
each different Wildcard tone in your party); you decide possible outcomes. Conversely, if you get a -1 when
if this’s still hardcore enough or not. the Attitude is already Very unfriendly, then you
automatically get the Negative reaction (i.e., the
fourth and worst of all!) 36.
ADVANCED MOODS Note that these bonus or penalties only apply in
By default, an NPC Mood is a narrative tag that helps the Exchange they’re activated, but they don’t carry
you when you want to roleplay that NPC during a out to the next one. E.g., if you use a Sad tone with an
Dialogue. This optional rule, on the other hand, gives Empathic NPC, you treat their Attitude as one step
a mechanical effect to every possible Mood. All 50 of better for that Exchange, but this doesn’t apply to
them; it may sound a bit overkill but remember that further ones.
you’ll only have to apply one Mood each time, and
their effects follow a similar formatting…so it should Example: back to the Charming Mood, if you try to
not be too overwhelming. Nevertheless, don’t forget flirt with a Neutral NPC, you’ll roll and check
the roleplaying aspect: these mechanical effects are columns as if that NPC was Friendly. If the NPC
meant to add to it, not just replace it! Reject your flirting, on the other hand, you lose
that bonus for the rest of the Dialogue.
MOODS EFFECTS: GENERAL Example: the Stubborn Mood reads as “-1 to all
In this subsection, you’ll find the description of the tones until the end of the Dialogue after getting a
different mechanical effects of each Mood. As you Disagreement, Furious, Hostile, or Rude reaction”.
would see, some effects are applied for the full This means you initially don’t apply any penalty
Dialogue, while others have a limited duration; because of this mood…but if you get one of those
regardless the case, all the mentioned durations listed reactions, you’ll suffer that -1 penalty for the
apply to all the included effects in that Mood. rest of Exchanges. I.e., once the NPC enters a
negative state of mind, it’s hard to overcome it!

36Yes, a Dialogue is going to be a royal poo-fest if the NPC has

Attitude-2 and is also angry. To no one’s surprise, I would say!

59
RESHUFFLE MOODS EFFECTS: SPECIFIC
When a Mood tells you to reshuffle a tone, you Angry. -1 to every tone until getting a Flirting, Happy,
include it again in the Tone Deck after you draw it Helpful, Romantic, or Satisfaction reaction.
during a Dialogue once you resolve the Exchange
(regardless of if you used that card or not), but only Arrogant. -1 Rude & Restrict Charming until getting
the first time this happens. This also applies to the a Flirting, Happy, Helpful, Romantic, or Satisfaction
Wildcard tone if it’s imitating the mentioned tone! On reaction.
the other hand, if you just draw both the Wildcard and Bold. -1 Aggressive & -1 Rude for all the Dialogue.
its linked tone card in one go, you just reshuffle the
later but not the former. Bored. -1 Charming & Restrict Surprised until getting
a Flirting, Romantic or Surprised reaction.
Example: NPCs who feel Jokey are in the proper
mood for funny comments. Thus, the first time you Caring. +1 Sad & +1 Worried until getting a Furious,
use draw the Humorous card in an Exchange, you Hostile, or Rude reaction.
put it back in the Tone Deck. And if Humorous is Charming. +1 Charming & +1 Flirting & +1 Romantic
your Wildcard Tone…well, with a bit of luck you until getting a Furious, Hostile, Reject, or Rude
may end up playing that tone a whooping three reaction.
times!
Chatty. +1 Questioning & +1 Surprised for all the
RESTRICT Dialogue.
A Mood may lock a tone, making it unavailable Clueless. +1 Worried & Restrict Questioning for all
during that Dialogue. You still include its card in the the Dialogue.
Tone Deck, if it’s one of the nine ‘always present’
tones. Also, as mentioned, if you must use that tone Defiant. -1 Rude & Restrict Friendly for all the
because you get both its card and the Wildcard linked Dialogue.
to it in the same exchange, you just use the Err…hmm Diplomatic. Shift all Somewhat negative reactions to
tone instead. Somewhat positive until getting a Furious, Hostile, or
Example: when NPCs feel Sleepy, they’re not Rude reaction.
predisposed to shocking revelations, so you Dreamy. +1 Friendly & +1 Charming until getting a
can’t use the Surprise Tone with them. Furious, Hostile, Reject, Rude, Sad, or Worried
reaction.
SHIFT
Dubitative. -1 Charming & +1 Questioning for all the
Improve or worsen in one step one of the four
possible reactions, as in from Positive to Somewhat Dialogue.
positive, or Negative to Somewhat negative. If you Egotist. -1 Worried & Restrict Sad for all the Dialogue.
could select the reaction because you played both a
Empathic. +1 Sad & +1 Worried for all the Dialogue.
tone and its linked Wildcard, first select the reaction
and then shift it. Envious. -1 Friendly & Restrict Charming for all the
Dialogue.
Example: Nitpicking NPCs tend to look for any
minor fault in your words and magnify them. Excited. Shift all Somewhat positive reactions to
Thus, any time you roll a somewhat negative Positive, and all Somewhat negative reactions to
Reaction for them, the result it’s treated as a Negative for all the Dialogue.
negative Reaction instead. Also, note that this Fair. This mood doesn’t give any effects. It’s fair!
effect has no duration set, so it applies to all the
Dialogue. Pesky nitpickers… Fastidious. -1 Sad & -1 Worried until getting a Sad or
Worried reaction.
OTHERS Gossipy. +1 Questioning & Reshuffle Questioning for
There’re Moods with effects that doesn’t fit the all the Dialogue.
already described ones. With a bit of luck, they’ll be
self-explanatory enough. Grumpy. -1 to all tones until getting a Flirting, Happy,
Helpful, Romantic, or Satisfaction reaction.
Example: A Tired NPC isn’t for a long talk, so the
Dialogue will have, at most, two Exchanges. Of Happy. +1 to all tones until getting a Furious, Hostile,
course, you should consider this when playing Reject, Rude, Sad, or Worried reaction.
those Exchanges, making them also brief. Harsh. -1 to all tones for the rest of the Dialogue after
getting a Disagreement, Furious, Hostile, Reject, or
Rude reaction.

60
Helpful. +1 Sad & +1 Worried until getting a Furious, Proud. -1 to every tone for the rest of the Dialogue
Hostile, or Rude reaction. after getting a Disagreement, Furious, Hostile, Reject,
Humble. +1 to all tones in the first exchange of the or Rude reaction.
dialogue. Sad. +1 Sad & Restrict Humorous until getting a
Impatient. -1 to all tones in the second and third Flirting, Happy, Romantic, or Satisfaction reaction.
Exchange. Sarcastic. -1 for all tones until getting a Flirting,
Inquisitive. +1 Questioning for all the Dialogue. Happy, Helpful, Romantic, or Satisfaction reaction.

Ironic: -1 for all tones until getting a Furious, Hostile, Scared. +1 Worried & Reshuffle Worried for all the
or Rude reaction. Dialogue.

Jokey. +1 Humorous & Reshuffle Humorous for all Self-absorbed. -1 Sad & Restrict Worried until
the Dialogue. getting a Sad, Surprised, or Worried reaction.

Negotiator. For all the Dialogue, -1 to every tone in Skeptical. -1 to all tones in the first exchange of the
the next Exchange after getting a Negative reaction & dialogue.
+1 to every tone in the next Exchange after getting a Sleepy. -1 Questioning & Restrict Surprised for all the
Positive reaction. Dialogue.
Nitpicking. Shift all Somewhat positive reactions in Somber. +1 Worried & Restrict Humorous for all the
the Dialogue to Somewhat negative. Dialogue.
Overwhelmed. +1 Rude & +1 Aggressive for all the Startled. +1 Surprised for all the Dialogue &
Dialogue. Reshuffle Surprised.
Pacific. +1 Rude & restrict Aggressive for all the Strict. Shift all Somewhat negative reactions to
Dialogue. Negative for all the Dialogue.
Patient. Shift all Negative reactions to Somewhat Stubborn. -1 to all tones until the end of the Dialogue
negative for all the Dialogue. after getting a Disagreement, Furious, Hostile, or
Placative. +1 Aggressive & +1 Rude until getting a Rude reaction.
Furious, Hostile, or Rude reaction. Suspicious. In the first exchange of the Dialogue, shift
Pleased. +1 to all tones until getting a Disagreement, a Somewhat positive reaction to Somewhat negative,
Furious, Hostile, Reject, Rude, Sad, or Worried and a Positive reaction to Somewhat positive.
reaction. Sympathetic. +1 Friendly & Reshuffle Friendly until
Pragmatic. Shift the first Positive reaction during the getting a Furious, Hostile, or Rude reaction.
dialogue to Somewhat positive, and the first Negative Tired. Automatically ends the Dialogue after the
reaction to Somewhat negative. second Exchange.

61
ADVANCED M8B(+) ORACLE
With these advanced options, you’ll find two ways  Nope! There is no chance of this happening. So,
of adding a layer of complexity to the M8B(+), being the real question is if it’s going to be a BIG NO, or
the first one quite simpler than the second. something more diplomatic.
 Hardly. There’s not much hope in this happening
POO HAPPENS but hey, it’s still on the table!
When you use this optional rule, which will  Doubtful. Circumstances seem to be pushing
introduce more chaos, each time you use the M8B into a negative answer, but without putting too
(being it its Y/N or its + versions) Oracle during the much heart into it. Maybe those circumstances
game, you don’t put back the drawn card in the deck feel they’re not being paid enough, and they’re
but put it aside. Only when you draw a Yes, and or a just phoning it.
No, and card, you reshuffle all the cards together once
you apply that result. Yes, you also put back in the  50/50 These are default odds, which gives equal
deck that card you have just drawn: ‘all’ means ‘all’! chances for the Yes and No answer. So these are
With this rule, each time you don’t draw one of those the ones you should use when you have no idea
two cards with the most extreme results, you’ll be which option you should select. Because of that,
increasing the chance doing it the next time…hence they’ve been written in a highlighted and
the previously mentioned ‘more chaos’. bigger font size.
It should be pointed out that this rule doesn’t  Probably. For those times you’re betting on an
apply either when you’re filling Questionnaires, being affirmative answer but wouldn’t be so surprised
it before the game starts or in the middle of it. if you lose that bet (except if you’re a sore loser).
 Expected. This one looks like a safe bet and
EXPANDED & IMPROVED would make you feel quite disappointed if you
lose it!
M8B ORACLE  Surely! Yeah, this’s gonna happen. And don’t call
As it was mentioned, the M8B Oracle in both its me Shirley.
Y/N and + version always works from a 50/50 point
of view. So, if you wanted to change those odds in any Finally, let’s clear up a few points:
direction, you could use that poorly explained and FRAMING QUESTIONS. When using this Oracle, you
less-than-detailed method of drawing two cards and should frame the question in the most neutral way.
something-something…or you can use the Expanded So, if one of your friends is a very bad cook and they’re
& Improved M8B Oracle described in these pages! making lunch, you don’t need to ask ‘Is the result as
Which, incidentally, will still be called ‘M8B’ because bad as I expect?’, but just ‘Is it the food good?’, and give
using E&IM8B sounded too tacky. And, considering it Hardly odds.
some of the nomenclature choices already been made
in this game, that’s big words. M8B & QUESTIONNAIRES. When you’re filling
Questionnaires using the M8B Oracle, always check
In the Companion Booklet, thus, you’ll find an the 50/50 row. Or, better yet, print one set of the
additional set of M8B cards that, instead of giving just standard M8B Oracle and reserve it for that!
the good old ‘Yes’, ‘No’, etc., results, includes a mini-
table with different options. So, when you want to use POO KEEPS HAPPENING. If you use the Expanded &
the M8B, you follow this procedure: make the Improved version of the M8B Oracle, you can still
question, decide the odds of the answer being apply this optional rule. In this case, on the other
affirmative, draw a card, and check the line hand, you reshuffle all the cards together once you
corresponding to those odds. apply its result only when you draw one of the two
cards with a R in the upper-left corner. Which, of
Below, you’ll see what the different odds means course, are the two most-extreme cards of the set, for
and how to interpret them. good or ill!

62
CARDLESS ALTERNATIVES
With this advanced option, you’ll reduce the use of them at random, you roll the 2d6s. Depending on how
cards when playing VISORPGZ tries. On the other hand, many columns have items in them, the result of the
you’ll need a 12-side die in addition of the usual d6s white die will point you to one different columns: use
and d10s. Also, the d6s should be of different colors the I ranges when you only have names in the first
(again, it’s assumed they’ll be ‘red’ and ‘white’). And, column (the attentive reader will notice that, in this
finally, note that use of the verb ‘to reduce’ instead of case, rolling the white die isn’t required), the II ranges
‘to eliminate’, as the Dialogue System would still be when you have two, and the III ranges when every
based on drawing cards from a Tone Deck! column has names on it.
However, remember that dice have no memory, so And regarding that pesky ‘getting a blank result’,
you can expect getting a not-valid result, rerolling, there’re three ways of solving it (four, if you count
and getting the same result again (more than once, ‘rolling again’):
even). That was the main reason cards were selected
 Select any other result, not necessarily in the same
as the default, to begin with!
column.
 Take a result from the previous column, using the
TEST ROLL same red die result. This favors the names you have
This one is relatively simple, even if you’ll need a written first, and it doesn’t help when the blank
d6, a d10 and a d12 to make it work. When you want spaces are in the first column, but it’s something.
to make any TEST, you can roll in the corresponding  Don’t allow those blank slots to exist to begin with,
table in the next page. Each column corresponds to by filling them with duplicates of already existing
one interval of results (and one specific die), with names. Just apply these two rules: a) don’t start
each cell indicating which numbers in the die filling a new column when there’re still duplicates
correspond to each potential TEST result. in the previous one (so replace any of the duplicates
The table only considers the case where all the for any new entry), and b) at most, the same result
can appear in three slots.
possible results are both consecutive, starting by the
A one. E.g. it explains how to roll a TEST(A-C), but not  Roll again. See? Four!
a TEST(B-D) nor a TEST(A,B,D). Adapting the method Finally, you can apply any of these criteria when
for the former to the latter ones or to any other instead of a blank slot you roll a non-fitting one.
combination of three results should be, nevertheless,
trivial.
M8B(+) ROLL
WHO & WHERE ROLL This one, actually, it’s quite easy: roll 1d12 and
check the result in the table in the next page. As can
This one is a bit more involved. In this case, you be seen, the table goes the extra mile, as it can be
write down any character and place of interest in the applied for the expanded and improved version of the
game in two big pools, but you’ll only care about a M8B(+) Oracle. But forget about the ‘Poo Happen’
bunch of them at any given time. To be previse, 18 of rule or drawing several cards and assign them order
each type, tops. Thus, you use a copy of the table in to avoid replicates: as already mentioned, dice have
the next page to manage all those people and places no memory!
you’re interested in. When you want to select one of

63
 TEST ROLL
A-B A-C A-D A-E
TEST
(d6) (d6) (d12) (d10)
A 1-3 1-2 1-3 1-2
B 4-6 3-4 4-6 3-4
C - 5-6 6-9 5-6
D - - 10-12 7-8
E - - - 9-10

WHO&WHERE ROLL
WHO WHERE
I 1-6 - - 1-6 - -
II 1-3 4-6 - 1-3 4-6 -
III 1-2 3-4 5-6 1-2 3-4 5-6
1
2
3
4
5
6

M8B(+) ROLL
Nope! Hardly Doubtful 50/50 Probably Expected Surely!

1 No, and… No, and… No, and… No, and… No, and… No Yes, but…
2 No, and… No, and… No No No No, but… Yes, but…
3 No, and… No No No No No, but… Yes
4 No No No No No, but… Yes, but… Yes
5 No No No No, but… No, but… Yes, but… Yes
6 No No No, but… No, but… Yes, but… Yes, but… Yes
7 No No, but… No, but… Yes, but… Yes, but… Yes Yes
8 No No, but… Yes, but… Yes, but… Yes Yes Yes
9 No No, but… Yes, but… Yes Yes Yes Yes
10 No Yes, but… Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes, and..
11 No, but… Yes, but… Yes Yes Yes Yes, and.. Yes, and..
12 No, but… Yes Yes, and.. Yes, and.. Yes, and.. Yes, and.. Yes, and..

64
CASE INVESTIGATION
This advanced option includes rules and
guidelines for investigating (and, hopefully, solving) CLUES
criminal cases. Or maybe not-so-criminal, but still
If you want to solve a Case, you must find enough
worth of an investigation.
Clues, which can be seen as ‘sub-Goals’ of the main
Goal. By default, any Case has six Clues relevant
CASES enough to let you build a theory about its solution.
A case is both a Mystery (being a question waiting A Clue, at any given moment, is in one of the
to be answered, but whose answer requires a following states: pending (still waiting to be
particular procedure) and a Quest (being something discovered), valid (properly discovered and filed),
you can succeed or fail at it). Thus, you create a Case and dead (turned false). As expected, you start a Case
as you would create any other Quest, giving it some with every Clue in a pending state, and your job is
weight over the overall story: it can be a side-quest, a turning them into valid ones.
plot related quest, or even part of a personal plot of
an NPC. Regardless its relevance, any Case is defined CLUE CREATION
by… There’re three types of Clues, namely…
 One main Goal. I.e., solving the Case. o Evidence. Or ‘material evidence’. These are your
 A main Mystery. I.e., the question that must be typical revealing document, fingerprints,
answered to solve the case, being a ‘Who did it?’, footprints, crime weapons, etc. Just finding them
or more elaborate. Additional Mysteries are isn’t enough to validate them, nevertheless: you
possible, but not mandatory, as in any other must connect them first to some suspect!
Quest. o Witness. Someone has seen, or heard, or know,
 A victim. Optionally, some initial suspects, too. something revealing for the case. Knowing there
 A crime scene. is a witness isn’t enough to validate the Clue: you
must first interrogate that witnesses…who may
 A time limit. It can be implicit or very explicit, be reluctant, or maybe they don’t know that they
but point is if you use the To be continued Action know something relevant!
before solving a Case (i.e., you finish the current
o Connections. Something that links to person, or a
chapter and the Case is still hanging), then you
person to a location, or whatever, in a relevant
fail at solving it. Maybe someone beat you to do
it, maybe solving the Case would be moot because way for the case. As you should expect at this
point, a connection must be properly checked
there’s no one interested in it, etc.
and investigated before it counts as validated.
 A failure countdown. When the Beat the clock
Action puts a premature end to the Case, thus, it
means that the Case cannot be solved anymore37.
Table: Quests - Case lets you create the basics
of a Case. Nevertheless, you can use alternative tables,
as an NPC tables that fits the game world for the
victim, Table: Tropes – Crime for the crime, and a
fitting location table for the crime scene. It’s without
saying that you may roll nonsensical results, or to be
precise, nonsensical combinations of results. That’s
what rerolling was made for! Also, note that these
tables fit some narrative genres better than others:
hardboiled & consulting detectives 38 will feel at
home…but fabulous kids (and their dog) would feel a
bit out of place39.

37 That is, if the Quest wasn’t part of a bigger Plot, or if it was but 39There isn’t even a ‘smuggling’ result in Table: Quests - Case, for
you don’t want (or can’t) use the ‘try again’ option. crying out loud!
38 Yep, cozy elderly women, too. That was foreshadowed when

talking about Sources of inspiration, wasn’t it?

65
 When creating the case, you roll for the nature of Note that, in the context of these rules, a ‘red
its six relevant Clues using Table: Quests - Clues. herring’ is a Clue you recognize as false a posteriori,
You just get the general nature of it, not the specifics: making you none the wiser as it doesn’t give you any
you can interpret the whole deal as a hunch (or a useful information. A false Clue that you interpret as
series of hunches), thanks to your hardboiled something that has been maliciously planted by
experience. Finally, note that Clues introduce new someone, on the other hand, still can count as valid if
elements in the Case, as new suspects (that is, if there you’re not killing it: that dude that tried to fool you
was anyone to begin with!), witnesses, and new owes you some explanations, after all!
involved parties (who may end up being suspects, at
some moment).
THE ART OF CLUE SUBTLEY
CLUE VALIDATION To be fair, in many real-world cases one clue would
Once you know the nature of the Clues, you start be revealing enough to clearly identify the guilty
your investigations by playing the game as normal, party. As in, a security-camera that recorded
but always with the goal of leading the narrative into everything, or a suspect shouting ‘yes, I did it, and I
the discovery of those Clues. would do it again!’ at the witness stand 40. Point is,
For example, if you know that there’s a Clues must be subtler than that, leading your closer to
‘fingerprint / footprint’ evidence, you could use the the solution but not straight at it. For example, by
Gumshoeing Action in a fitting location (as in, y’know, discarding exonerating a suspect instead of
the crime scene?!?) and, once you have found it, you incriminating them, by making someone more
would use any other fitting Action to interpret it. If suspect than the rest, etc.
you fail at any of them, do not worry: that means that Also, many times, knowing the ‘who’ isn’t enough to
clue wasn’t, after all, a Clue, so there should be an close the Case. The ‘how’ and the ‘why’ can be equally
interesting fingerprint or footprint in some other important…specially if there’s some jury to convince!
place, just waiting for you! So that’s another way of keeping with a Case, even if
So that’s how it works: by finding the Clues first, some Clue was a bit blatant and clearly pointed to
and then interpreting them. And you can try it as someone: you still need all that ‘beyond reasonable
much as you want until you got enough Clues to solve doubt’ thingy to take care of! Who knows? Maybe that
the Case (more about this in a moment), until you Clue that was pointing so clearly in one direction
reach its time limit because you’re forced to use the turns out to be a red herring, after all! Which is bad
To be continued… Action, or until your screw-ups from a mechanical point of view, but…narratively?
make the Beat the clock Action put a premature end That would make a cool story!
to it.
Regarding the latter, there’s no ‘Try again’ option SOLVING THE CASE
for Cases, even if they’re part of a bigger Plot. But Once you have collected at least three valid Clues,
there’s a way of extending the life of a Case: killing an you can activate the Solve case Action at any moment
supposedly validated Clue that turned to be a red when you have no other matters pressuring you (as
herring. Which takes as to the next epigraph. in, two goons with tommy-guns kicking your door
down). You must activate it, on the other hand, once
RED HERRINGS you have collected five Clues, being them valid or not,
There’re times when the allegedly smoking gun the first time you get a breather.
isn’t actually smoking, nor is a gun. It can be a
document whose content was misunderstood, a SOLVE CASE
witness who was not as reliable as you expected, a At any moment when you have three or more valid
connection that ended up being a coincidence, etc. All Clues, and mandatory when you get your fifth Clue
these red herrings hinder you when trying to solve the (regardless how many of them are valid or dead), you
case, maybe to the point of making you look like a fool. recapitulate what you got and propose a solution.
The good news is that you decide when do you get ROLL(2d6) (-1 you have two valid Clues, +0 if you
one of these suckers. To be precise, any time you have three, +1 if you have four, and +2 if you have
should check a failure countdown box in your Case, five).
you may ‘kill’ one of your current valid Clues by 10+: Your theory is correct, and you can prove it.
turning it into a dead one: you thought you had You solve the Case in a convincing way, and the Quest
something, but it was just a red herring instead. is considered a success.

40 Funnily enough, this seems to work in fiction; including

videogames, except when the miracle never happen(ed).

66
 7-9: Chose one of the following options: SCHOLARLY RESEARCHES
 If you have two or three valid clues, you know your As mentioned, the Cases in these rules are inspired by
theory is right, and some people may believe you the ‘whodonit’ fiction, so you’ll be playing the role of
(many people, even) and act accordingly. But you
a detective (being it hardboiled, consulting, cozy,
can’t prove it beyond any reasonable doubt. The
Quest is considered a partial success41.
etc.). However, these rules can be reskinned for use in
other kind of investigations, i.e., those with a more
 If you have four or more valid clues, your theory is
right, and you can prove it, but there’s still some
scholarly nature. Or occultist (uh-uh). Or
unanswered questions that may irk you in the unfathomably eldritch, even (okay, you know you’re
future. The Quest is considered a success, playing with fire now, right?).
nevertheless. Of course, Table: Quests - Cases nor Table: Quests
 There’s something that doesn’t feel right. You keep - Clues won’t help you too much, because this kind of
investigating until you get a new Clue; at this point, mysteries aren’t of the ‘victim of a crime’ type. Clues,
you can’t kill that Clue, even if you want. Once you on the other hand, still would be of the same types:
get that new and last Clue, repeat this Action (with physical Evidence (those usually would be official
a +3 if you end up with six valid Clues). In case of
documents, recordings and personal documents…but
another 7-9 result, you can’t choose this option
again. sometimes may include other items as archeological
finds), ‘Witnesses’ (or, in this case, ‘people who know
6-: Your theory wasn’t right at all, and the Case is
something about the topic’, being other scholars, or
closed before you can try to rectify it (or someone
literal witnesses), and Connections (being
solves it before you and gets all the merit). You fail the
unchanged, as they still connect two persons, two
Quest.
locations, or a person and a location).
Note. If you must use this Action but you have only The Solve Case Action would be used mostly ‘as is’, but
one (or none) valid Clues, you automatically apply the with some reinterpretation of the results. A ‘partial
6- result, as you don’t even have a theory to talk success’ in this case (no pun intended) would be more
about. a matter of getting incomplete information than
convincing one. Be cautious, too, because you may get
a total failure, but still don’t know your theory is
wrong: this may endanger your reputation if you
publish it, or harm your field of study if you publish it
and it’s taken as right by others. Or, even worse, it
may put you in danger in the future if your goal was
using that information for practical purposes…as in,
researching a ritual to unsummon some
Unfathomable-Eldritch-Abomination-Who-Devours-
Anyone-Who-Botches-Rituals (isn’t it a bummer,
when that happens?).
To represent all of this, you should use the Solve Case
Action in two phases: first you establish your
hypothesis, but only when you put it to test (by
sending it for publication, making the unsummoning
ritual, etc.) you would roll the dice.

41This ‘partial’ can be purely narrative if the Case is a side quest or

count of only half-a-success if it’s part of a bigger plot.

67
FACTIONS
In some games, you shouldn’t only care about how course, making a big heap of people happy is more
you deal with other people: you must also watch how difficult than doing the same with just one, so you
you deal with big groups of people. As in ‘billions and should do double-work (at the very least!) to deserve
billions’, from a certain point of view and in certain an increase of AR with them.
genres. Enter the Factions concept, being them
organizations that play a relevant role in the game PERSONAL Vs. PROFESSIONAL
world. Or, at least, in that part of the world you’ll be When dealing with an NPC from a Faction in
roaming through. official matters, you should use your Reputation with
This section revisits the Attitude trait to make it that Faction instead of the Attitude of that NPC. In
represent your relationship with a Faction at not-so-official matters, NPCs usually apply their
different levels: as a mere outsider, as a full-member, Attitudes instead. There’re cases when this may not
or as it’s leader. Note that this Attitude receives apply (not always to your benefit), if it fits the tone of
different names depending of that level (Reputation, the story, as in…
Status, and Leadership), but it’s still an Attitude, so  Case I. When dealing with official matters with an
you apply it as such when rolling Actions that call for honest-cop NPC who appreciates you despite your
a value on this kind of trait. vigilante persona (Attitude +1), but who is
Additionally, this section also includes new member of a thoroughly corrupted Police
Actions to represent the interactions between Department with a very different opinion
Factions while you watch the show eating popcorns42. (Reputation -2), you probably could use the
former value instead of the latter. Just don’t put
that NPC between a rock and a hard place, okay?
OUTSIDER  Case II. When dealing on a personal matter with
At its lower level (i.e., you’re seen as an outsider), your childhood-friend NPC (Attitude +2), but
your interaction with a Faction is based on your who’s also a member on the opposite side of a war
reputation. This way, as NPCs, a Faction has an (Reputation -2), you may find yourself being
Attitude level describing that Reputation, and an AR betrayed one day because that NPC is pressured
(from -4 to +6). to put duty before feelings.

BEING HUNTED
REPUTATION When the Update relationships or Action asks you
Ally: The Faction consider you as ‘one of to reduce a Reputation when it’s already -2, when you
+2 them’, even if not an official member. really screwed it up (or are framed of doing it!) and
the NPC disapproves that! Action tells you that the
Trusted: The Faction likes to work with you,
+1 as they see you as dependable. Faction is now your enemy, things turn ugly: the
Reputation stands at -2, but you are now seen as an
Neutral: The Faction doesn’t have reasons to enemy of that Faction, being actively hunted by it!
+0 trust or distrust you, so it’ll always be a ‘just This sounds quite ominous, but from a mechanical
business’ thing with them. point of view it only means that those times you get
Distrusted: The Faction doesn’t like an event ‘unrelated to an existing quest or plot’, it
-1 working with you too much, due to past would probably mean that the Faction intervenes to
offenses. make your life miserable.
Despised: The Faction thinks that you’re On the bright side and based on the ‘enemy of my
scum, and only the direst of the enemy’ principle, you can expect assistance from
-2 circumstances (or the biggest pay to look those Factions that are butting heads with the one
away) could compensate that. that wants you dead….for a fair pay, at least. Of
course, you may end up pissing off both sides of the
conflict, so in this case maybe you should try to incite
REPUTATION EVOLUTION them to destroy each other? Without destroying the
A Reputation works the same way than in the case game world in the process? Well, if nothing else, that
of NPCs: it may be Stressed or Pleased, and it’s
subjected to the Update relationships Action. Of

42Less so if that interaction cause a ruckus that catches you in the

crossfire. And even less if your Factions is one of those being
involved!

68
would be a cool example of ‘emergent narrative’, don’t Thus, the only way of leaving a Faction in good
you think? terms is a successful use the Break Bond Action with
a Faction that allows it to begin with. Anything else
means that your former Faction sees you as an
MEMBER enemy, and you’ll be hunted by it as explained in the
When you create a Bond with a Faction, which Outsider case.
follows the same process that the case of NPCs, you
turn into a full member. Thus, the Attitude is now a
measurement of your Status in that Faction, as LEADER
resumed in the following table. Why be just a piece in the game when you can be
the player? Being by merit, by lineage, or by-this-axe,
you may end up as the leader of a whole Faction. In
STATUS that case, Attitude will change its meaning once again
to represent your Leadership44, as seen in the
Paragon: The Faction use you as an example
+2 to the other members! following table.

Valued member: The Faction is satisfied

+1 with your work.
LEADERSHIP
Under test: You still must prove yourself, or Veneration: People sees you as the best
+0 maybe you’re a case of ‘sometimes an asset, +2 leader they could get!
sometimes a hindrance’.
Satisfaction: People sees you as a worthy
Lacking: The Faction finds your +1 leader.
-1 performance quite underwhelming.
Acceptance: Yep, you saved our Realm from
Foot out the door: At this point, the Faction +0 a BBEG, but what have you done for us lately?
-2 is seriously thinking about kicking you out.
Lacking: There’s some disquiet among your
-1 people.
Status stills can be improved (or worsened!) as
any other Attitude: expect your higher-ups being very Revolt: Would-be usurpers are talking, and
-2 people is listening.
strict and tight with their rewards and compliments!
To make this point home, you must reduce the Status
with the Faction to +0 when you make a Bond with it
even if your Reputation was higher than that: you CLIMBING TO THE TOP
could be a valuable outsider, but now you must prove If you climb-up the ranks to this leadership
you’re also a valuable insider! positions, you start with Leadership of +o if your
On the plus side, this improves the AR limits and Status was positive (as in you’ll be still untested as a
may give you courage in your darkest hours 43. On the leader), or -1 otherwise (as you weren’t the most
other hand, you can’t sacrifice a full Faction during a appreciated member to begin with). Note that the
conflict just to save your skin, so forget about that! latter may turn into an actual improvement, if you
And it goes without saying that you can’t start a Status was -2: it can be assumed that you have taken
romance with a whole Faction; don’t be a pervy, gosh! care of your loudest detractors. Ahem.
If you just skip the middle-person and achieves a
LEAVING A FACTION leadership position because reasons, the starting
Once you join a Faction, you must keep your Bond Leadership will be +0 if you were mostly accepted, or
with it healthy because anything that breaks that -1 if you fought your way up (metaphorically or
Bond also ends your relationship with it. This literally).
includes the cases where the Update relationships or
NPC disapproves that! Actions tell you so, but also STANDING ON TOP
when you use the Break Bond Action with a Faction Did you think that keeping people happy when
that see abandoning ship as a treason (which means you were just a mere member of a Faction was tricky?
that you shouldn’t even roll the dice for that Action, Ha, you have seen nothing yet! Now, you must keep
and just use its 6- result). everyone happy, because everyone will be looking in
your direction when troubles knock the door. And

43 At first, I added the phrase ‘and they don’t count for your limit of 44You are allowed to change this label to ‘Mandate of Haven’ if your
five Bonds’…but then I changed my opinion. Being part of an Faction represents a Realm. Encouraged, even!
organization should leave you with less free time for more personal
relationships, after all!

69
 SELECT ASSASSIN FOR NEXT MISSION

sometimes when things go well. If you want to play the On the other hand, if you use your Break Bond
ruler game, nevertheless, you should give a look to Action when you’re no in such a dire situation, you
the Strongholds & Settlements advanced rules. You choose your new relationship type with the Faction
can keep it relatively simple by obviating the whole (Status if you’re still a member, or Reputation if you
‘build-up’ part: just assign your Faction three leave it). You don’t roll the dice, however, but assume
appropriate Stats at +2/+1/+0 levels (as in, a Big an automatic 10+ result in that Action. This lets you
Project already finished!), and use the described Deal even totally leave a Faction that normally wouldn’t
with day-to-day problems and Face a worrying crisis allow deserters, as it would see as a retirement.
when fitting.
Finally…nope, even if you’re its leader, you still
can’t start a romance with your Faction. Seriously, FACTION PLOTS
that’s a pretty screwed-up vision of leadership! Factions offer you the chance to play a Faction Plot,
following the same mechanism as the Personal Plots
HOW THE MIGHTY FALL of NPCs. That means that fulfilling it will improve the
When the Update Relationships or NPC disapproves AR limits as usual (so, from that point, they would be
that! Action prompts you to drop your Leadership -5/+5, or -6/+4 if you have a Bond with the Faction).
when it’s already -2 or tell you that the relationship is It’s a risky business, nevertheless, because screwing-
broken, this means instant rebellion. However, unlike up during a Faction Plot means than there’s now a full
other cases, you still are the Leader and keep organization who’s angry with you, instead of just one
Leadership at -2. Problem is that you won’t be able to person. Of course, a great power come with great
improve until… responsibility, so every time you achieve a higher
level of relationship with a Faction (outsider to
o you’re deposed. This breaks your Bond with the member, and member to leader) the maximum and
Faction, turns you into an outsider with minimum AR values will reset to their defaults, and
Reputation -2 and the Faction is your enemy. there’ll be another Faction plot with higher stakes
o you step down This breaks your Bond with the available. Regarding that…
Faction, turns you into an outsider with o You must make a Faction one of your Bonds if you
Reputation -2 , but at least the Faction isn’t want to be one of its members, so you have to
actively hunting you. finish at least part of its first Faction Plot.
o somehow you manage to earn the right to raise o Once you’re a leader, there’s no higher place to
your Leadership. Instead, you keep it at -2 and go, but you still may find interesting improving
the rebellion ends. those -5/+5 limits45 to -6/+4.

45 Note that, by definition, these limits can’t be

-4/+6, because you’ll
always have a Bond with any Faction you’re a member or a leader.

70
ONLOOKER reflect this, you can apply this rule: every time you
use the [NPC] approves that! with one Faction because
At this point, there rules regarding PC - NPC, and you did something that helped them, you also must do
PC - Faction interactions, and later in this chapter an equivalent [NPC] disapproves that! with any
you’ll find rules for NPC - NPC interactions too. So, Faction that has a Ties -2 with the former at the same
what’s left? Rules for Faction - Faction interactions, of level. For fairness’s sake, the penalty to AR you finally
course!46 get for the latter shouldn’t be worse that the bonus
you get for the former. Also, if you increase your
If you use this rule, any two Factions will share an
Attitude level with one Faction, you reduce it with any
Attitude trait that works as any other: it has an
other they have Ties -2 .
associated AR, it can be stressed or pleased, and it can
change due to the Update relationships Action. Of Note that, even if in the future those Factions
course, as mentioned in the Five Members Team improve their relationships to -1 (or even better), you
section, increasing the number of Factions makes the don’t retroactively erase all those penalties you
number of potential pairings explode, so you only suffered. You were working for the wrong side when
should care about the most important ones, and it mattered…or at least that’s the point of view of
consider the rest mostly static (as in, just give them Factions (Factions can be very petty, sometimes!).
an Attitude level that sounds reasonable, and call it a
day). FACTION ACTIONS
With respect to mechanical ways of represent the
FACTIONS AND ATTITUDE interactions between two Factions, here there are
You don’t need too many new rules for playing three Actions to cover them. They’re mostly re-
this Faction - Faction interactions: mostly reskinning skinnings of the A moment of intimacy, A heated
of already known ones. Thus, to start, here there is a argument and A polite conversation Actions. As
table with the narrative meaning of the Attitude value mentioned, all these Actions are based on a
between two Factions, in this case labeled as Ties. ROLL(2d6) + ATTITUDE…which, in this case, is
synomym of ROLL(2d6) + TIES.
Yes, all mentions to romance have been nixed:
TIES Factions can’t romance each other. You probably
Allies: The Factions have strong ties, so were seeing that from a mile off.
+2 upsetting one is upsetting the other!
Finally, these Actions consider the case of two
Cordiality: The Factions are used to work Factions involved in the interaction, and how it works
+1 together and trust each other. Kinda. in the end. When one Faction does something that
may please or anger another and it’s fait accompli,
Just business: The Factions are polite
you use the [NPC] approves/disapproves that! instead.
+0 enough to work together when required, and
mostly ignore each other in other case.
BUTTING HEADS
Animosity: The Factions rarely see eye to When there’s some conflict of interest between two
-1 eye…if ever. Factions, ROLL(2d6) + ATTITUDE.
Enemies: The two Factions are this close to 12+: Somehow, some one finds the way to make it
-2 go to each other’s throat…if they’re not doing everything work for everybody! +1 AR.
that already! 10+: After some chest-pounding, the Factions reach
a compromise.
Factions can’t make Bonds with each other as the
7 - 9: The compromise tries to please everyone, but
latter are a very personal matter among individuals,
please no one. Make a TEST(A-C)
not institutions. Also, alliances among organizations
are even fickler than those among persons, so they’re (A) The argument has been postponed, not just
represented by that +2 Attitude value…which, as forgotten. They’ll get a -1 penalty to their next
always, must be carefully managed if you don’t want Attitude roll related to For the mutual benefit,
to see it fall. Entente cordiale and Butting heads Actions.
(B) Everyone is taking note of this. -1 AR.
CHOOSING SIDES (C) Despite some frowning, everyone agrees in not
Getting along with different Factions can be quite rocking the boat. No consequences.
problematic when they hate their respective guts. To 6-: Okay, this is escalating. Make a TEST(A-C)

46 There’s also the NPC - Faction combination, but that one’s not
going to be discussed. It would make the game drift too much from
a solo-RPG into a zero-player RPG!

71
(A) Some lines in the sand are drawn. -2 AR. related to For the mutual benefit, Entente cordiale
(B) Sabre-rattling time! The Attitude trait is Stressed; and Butting heads Actions.
if already Stressed, make an immediate Update (C) Relationship is strained. -1 AR.
relationship Action.
(C) The ugliness may be contagious. As (B), both FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT
Factions get a -1 penalty to their next Attitude roll When two Factions have a chance to work together in
related to For the mutual benefit, Entente cordiale a relevant enterprise, or start conversations to
and Butting heads Actions…even if it’s with a strengthen ties, ROLL(2d6) + ATTITUDE.
Faction that was not involved in all the mess! 10+: Great experience. Will buy again. The Factions
both a) strengthen ties (+1 AR), and b) get a +1 bonus
ENTENTE CORDIALE to their next Attitude roll related to For the mutual
When two Factions have the chance to interact benefit, Entente cordiale and Butting heads Actions.
together more by chance that by planning, 7 – 9: An enriching experience. As 10+, but only one
ROLL(2d6) + ATTITUDE. of the two results; make a Test(A-B) to select it.
10+: The Factions found common ground that 6-: Unexpected turn of events. Make a TEST(A-C)
improves their relationship. +1 AR.
(A) The enterprise or conversations end up being a
7 – 9: An interesting conversation, and Factions fiasco. -1 AR.
take note. They’ll get a +1 bonus to their next Attitude
(B) Something urgent catches the attention of one of
roll related to For the mutual benefit, Entente cordiale
the Factions (or maybe both). Make a TEST(B-C)
and Butting heads Actions.
and ROLL(1d10) in the corresponding column in
6-: Uh-uh, things didn’t go well. Make a TEST(A-C) Table: Events - Factions).
(A) Yeah, let’s not talk about this again. No (C) Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
consequences. There’re no further consequences.
(B) Officially, it’s all smiles and pats on the back. In
practice, -1 penalty to their next Attitude roll

NEGOTIATION SUCCESSFUL! ELVES & KNIGHTS GET +1 AR!

72
FIVE MEMBERS TEAMS
It was a promise, and here there are: the rules for
ROLE ABILITY
playing as the leader of an already existing team. In
this case, you’ll have to learn plenty of new things and Regardless the game genre and in addition to any
to change the way you were doing the old ones in other Quirk, the other members of your team get an
other types of games: there was a reason for these additional special ability that reflects their respective
rules being in an advanced options chapter, after all! roles. Most of them only apply when that NPC isn’t
Wounded, so choose wisely when you let them take
one bullet for the team (except Brawns, whose role is
THE ROSTER in part taking those bullets!).
In these games, you’re still playing one ROLE ABILITY
character...but, as things are, you rarely will be alone
because you’ll be a member of a team. With five If not Wounded, when you ask the
members, just in the strange case it wasn’t perfectly Lancer Lancer to make a Fight for victory Action
clear yet, where each member covers one of the in your place, the roll gets a +1.
following archetypical roles: If not Wounded and present when using
a Take a short rest based on an slices of
o Leader. A.k.a. you, the PC. You have plenty of Heart
life scene, you increase by 1 the number
determination (evil tongues may use the word
of recovered HPs.
‘stubbornness’ instead) and you’re the one
charged to lead (well, duh!) the team forward. If not Wounded at the start of any
conflict, the team automatically gets one
o Lancer. Your greatest friend in the team, your Brain free reroll when doing the Initialize
greatest rival, or maybe both. This NPC is your conflict scene (in addition to any other
foil, regardless the nature of your relationship, result).
and the one who acts as a surrogate leader if
Can be Wounded twice before being
you’re MIA.
Brawns KO’ed, so they can Take one for the team
o Heart. This NPC usually keeps the team together if they’ve been Wounded only once.
acting as a moral compass. Also, this NPC is the
most sociable one in the team, typically acting as ATTITUDE(S)
spokesperson when the situation requires it.
Instead of taking care of four Attitudes values (one
o Brain. This NPC is the clever one, or the sly one, for each team member), you need to take care of TEN
or the sage one, or…you get the idea. values, one for each possible pairing. These Attitudes,
however, have a more positive meaning than the
o Brawns. This NPC is the brute-force expert…or, in
default ones, even if the levels still move in a -2/+2
general, the physical activities expert, as things
range.
work in this game system.
ATTITUDE – TEAM MEMBER
TEAM RULES +2 Intimate: Like two peas in a pod!
Playing with a default party with a permanent
roster, instead of an optional one with rotating +1 Close: Trusted allies, real friends, or both.
members, requires a bunch of clarifications,
additional rules, etc. You’ll find most of them in this Amiable: There is respect and comradery,
+0 but not a real friendship.
section, thus.
-1 Cold: Professional relationship, period.
WHO(TEAM) ORACLE
Plenty of times, you’ll have to randomly select one Tense: Plenty of butting heads…and not in
-2 the ‘vitriolic best buddies’ style.
member of the team, or maybe two. So let’s just call
this specific case of the WHO Oracle ‘WHO(TEAM)’
and call it a day. As usual with everything card- TEAM MEMBERSHIP
drawing related, you’ll have to draw another card if First, the good news: the four team members
the one you get doesn’t fit the situation (e.g., drawing under your lead start the game already unlocked, so
the Leader card when you’ve being tasked to select they’ll be your Companions from the very beginning.
‘another member of your team’). The second good news is that the party-size limit in
this type of game is five, so you can keep all the team
together instead of having to select who’s the unlucky
one who must wait at the team base at any given

73
moment. And the one bad news is that, in these that character (yep, you still have a chance of getting
games, you can unlock more NPCs, so you’ll be the spotlight back). Beware than KO characters can’t
‘limited’ to those four initial ones. be put under the spotlight, as expected, so draw again
if you get their cards.
CONDITIONS
A Five Members Team is expected to face plenty of TEAM TRAINING
conflict, and they can only rely on each other. Thus, When you use the Training montage Action to add
each of your Companions gets a new potential progress to some power use, spell, etc., or you get that
Condition: Scratched. NPCs are Scratched when they progress as a reward for a quest, you can add the
suffer the equivalent of 1 point of damage (and not same amount of progress to all members of the team,
more), by their actions or by taking one for the team just paying once. You also must pay only once the
(a bullet worth 1 damage, of course!). It they were required Trophies when everyone has accumulated
already Scratched, they’ll be Wounded instead47. All the same amount of progress. The only limitation
NPCs automatically eliminate the Scratched condition here is that everyone must be training at the same
when you use the Take a short rest, Take a long rest, level (Routine, Challenging, At your best,
or To be continued Actions. Techniques…or even breaking limits!).
With respect to reaching Ultimate Power, let’s
TEAM EVENTS
assume that you’ll follow the usual rules when you
In a Five Members Team game, you use the Table: want to achieve that. For each other member of the
Events - Team Events with the Suddenly… Action. team, each would have to a) fulfill the usual
Some of those events happen to the whole team, while requisites, and b) success in their own grueling
others are specific to one or two members…who may personal quest in which they will be the main
or may not include you (time for a WHO(TEAM) protagonist (read the A day in the limelight subsection
Oracle!). Also, note that some of the results activate to learn how to temporally transform one member of
one of the Actions in the NPC – NPC Interactions the team in the main character of the game). And
advanced options48. regarding the paying part: assume that, once one
As always, you should apply logic to the result. team member (for example, you) have achieved
First, there’s a time for everything: there’re plenty of Ultimate Power, the rest of member can do it without
contexts where there’s no time to have a having to spend more trophies. That’s probably a
conversation, being it romantic, polite, or tense. synergy thing, y’know.
Second, the results involving only one or two And of course, if you feel there’re too many
members in tricky situations, fine messes, or conflicts assumptions and square-pegs-in-round-holes in this
only can happen when the team is not together, but porting of advancements rules, you can just use the
temporally split. So, in case you randomly get an Quest for Power option and forget about progress
event that’s not applicable to the current situation, points and stuff.
select the result from another row that fits it.
And one last note: everything said in Chapter 2
regarding narrative control and selecting specific or WEAK POINTS, STRONG POINTS
totally random events for the Suddenly Action still
applies. However, you should withdraw part of that Some team events put lonely characters in a fine mess
control when talking about team dynamics: for based on their weak points (their Stat with a +0) or
example, by selecting only the column instead of their strong points (their Stat with a +2). So, you may
specific results, even if you’re entitled to do the latter. be asking why there are no options for the two +1
Stats; it’s just a matter of dramatic convention, as in
BEING UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT ‘when the spotlight is over a character, that character
should really suffer or really shine’.
When the team is in the middle of a conflict, the
spotlight changes from one character to another from But as Leader and Lancer don’t have a +2 value in any
time to time. Thus, anytime you roll doubles in an Stat that could be used with the Deal with a fine mess,
Action during a conflict, use the WHO(TEAM) Oracle in their case you make an exception and let them use
without including you a possible result: that character their Spirit with this Action: probably as some test of
is put under the spotlight and takes the next Action. character, willpower, stubbornness or the like.
The spotlight comes back automatically to you after
that, except if that character also rolls doubles: in that
case, draw another WHO(TEAM) without including

47This means NPCs can be Wounded and Scratched at the same 48 Incidentally, this explains why NPC-NPC Interactions were tagged

time or being Wounded without being Scratched yet (so they still as ‘required’ for every template based on a Five Members Team!
can use the latter to absorb 1 damage point).

74
REPLACING TEAM MEMBERS Remember, on the other hand, that the Leader
If the time comes when some team member Bonds are not your own, so you can’t use them to
retires, leaves in anger or whatever, you’ll need a get the usual benefits. Also, you still apply the
replacement. You may promote already known NPCs previously mentioned ‘no special ability for you,
to vacant roles if they fit, and in that case, you already new special ability for the Leader’ rule in that
have their starting Motivation and an Attitude level chapter where the Leader is an NPC.
with you. The alternative is creating new NPC from And it goes without saying that, being you the
scratch, but explaining how this previously unknown protagonists, the spotlight will be on you by default,
person turned into team member would be a little only temporally losing it during conflicts when rolling
more difficult. doubles and the like!
Attitude level of a new member with respect to
your other colleagues can be extrapolated from the
one the newcomer has with you, or you can start them NPCs AND I.A., ONCE AGAIN
all at the most neutral level. An NPC who already has In a Five Members Team game, you still are limited to
a story with the team usually would use a more controlling your PC, i.e., the Leader. Thus, the rest of
hands-on approach, while one who is really new the team members doesn’t carry out Actions by
should probably use the ‘let’s wait and see, for now’ themselves: they only assist you doing them. There
one (i.e., Attitude +0 with everybody). are, nevertheless, the following exceptions:
Finally, when the Attitude between two members o Team members use the Update relationship at the
of your team is -2 and the Update relationship Action same time than you, applying it to their mutual
tells to further reduce it, you must choose: at that Attitudes. This seems like a heck of bookkeeping
point, those two people can’t work together, so one of but remember: only Attitudes that are Pleased or
them must leave the team. In this case, the parting Stressed require checking for an update.
member will turn into a locked NPC, and you must o As mentioned, team members can have social
break any Bond you could have with that NPC using interactions that doesn’t involve you, based on
the proper Action. Let’s hope there’re not too much the three Actions explained in the NPC-NPC
hard feelings, because you’re discarding that NPC in Interactions advanced options.!
favor of someone they despise! o Team members may use the Start romance Action
when it fits (i.e., prompted by one of NPC-NPC
A DAY IN THE LIMELIGHT Interactions Action). In fact, one of them may try
Just for a while or even for the whole game, you to use that Action with you…but, in this case,
may find the idea of playing as one of the other four there’s no dice rolling involved: you just choose
members of the team quite intriguing. This only the outcome.
requires one or two additional rules, so here they are:
o Playing the full game using a member of the team
who is not the Leader as the PC. This is easy, and
PUTTING THE BAND
the only thing you should consider is that you TOGETHER
don’t get access to the usual special role ability.
Setting up a Five Members Team game makes you
Instead, the Leader (an NPC during this game)
create that number of Main Cast characters, one of
will get one special ability, namely the following
them being the protagonist. However, those would be
one:
the only Manin Cast characters in the whole game, so
Leader: If not Wounded, once per conflict where you only need to create some recurring characters.
the Leader is present, another team member may
repeat one ROLL for an Action involving that FILLING THE QUESTIONNAIRES
character STATs (that’s once for the team as a
Game templates based on a Five Members Team
whole, not once for each member).
have questions regarding its nature, so you just
o Just playing a part of the game with another team answer them as in any other case.
member as a protagonist, instead of the Leader.
This’s also easy, but let’s put some reasonable
FILLING THE RELATIOSHIP MATRIX
limits. You can’t change characters in the middle
of a chapter; in fact, you must play a full chapter Being a five members party, you must manage 10
with that character, from start to end! But that’s Attitudes levels, AR values, etc., to cover all the
not a big deal, as you’re the one deciding when possible pairings. So, to keep it easier, you’ll use a
chapters start and end, remember? Relationship Matrix that summarizes all this
information, and more. When configuring the game,
While using this second option, the Leader is you must fill this matrix by following a series of steps:
treated as another team member, and you’ll be
the one with an HP pool and that kind of stuff.

75
o Discard one ‘Yes’ and one ‘No’ card from the sometimes, some (or all) team members share the
M8B(+) Oracle, and draw one other rest, in order, same pool of potential motivations. Point is, each
for each of the 10 possible pairings. Motivation is in a column labeled with an A-E
letter…and that’s quite the hint about where this goes
o Based on its assigned card, assign the starting
now, isn’t it?
Attitudes levels and AR values for each pairing as
detailed in the following table. By default, you use Thus, to assign the Motivation for each team
the middle (and bolded) values; use the left-most member, deal the five TEST cards among them and
values if your game is based on a genre where a check the result. As an alternative, you may choose the
cohesive team with strong ties between Motivation of the Leader (or, in general, the
protagonists is expected, and the right-most one protagonist of the game) and leave the other four to
for genres where you have a dysfunctional group chance…but in this case, you must put aside the card
with plenty of initial distrust among team corresponding to the Motivation you have selected.
members49. At the end, the team must have a combination of
A+B+C+D+E Motivations: if there are duplicates (and
thus, some letter is missing), you have done
M8B(+) LEVEL* AR* something wrong.
Yes, and +2/+2/+2 +2/+0/+0
STATS
Yes +2/+1/+1 +0/+0/+0 The team members, including you, use a +2, +1, +1,
Yes, but +1/+1/+0 +0/-2/+2 +0 array for your Stats: there’s a reason you’re being
a part of the team, after all, instead of just going by
No, but +1/+0/-1 -2/+0/+0 yourself. You assign those values freely, but with the
No +0/-1/-1 +0/+0/-2 following restrictions:

No, and -1/-1/-2 +0/-2/0 o You must assign +2 to Spirit for Leader & Lancer,
and +1 to Spirit for Heart, Brain and Brawns.
* Values for Cohesive / Default / Dysfunctional team
o You must assign +2 to Heart’s Social, Brain’s
o Make a TEST(A-E) for each of the 10 pairs in the Mental and Brawns’ Physical.
team, checking the result of the corresponding
Also, just for the sake of variety, if you’re using the
column of the Table: Characters - Team Initial
Table: Characters – Strong & Weak Points to
Relationships; the row corresponds, on the
further describe those Stats with a +2 and +0 values,
other hand, to the result obtained in the first
avoid duplicates51!
step50. This step gives more detail to the common
backstory between those specific two characters,
and how that affects their current relationship. QUIRKS
Each game template guides you when acquiring
MOTIVATIONS the Quirks for each team member. You can expect
those Quirks being very specific in some genres, with
For each genre template and each team member,
additional restrictions to give a semblance of niche
there are five available Motivations. Or maybe not:
protection to each role.

49 As a reference, ‘Mahō Shōjo’ and ‘Sentai’ are typical examples of ARs.. You can expect, nevertheless, that the worst sounding ones
cohesive teams, while ‘The Big Heist’ is a very good candidate for are exacerbated in a game that use the worst initial Attitudes, but
using the ‘dysfunctional team’ option. Fantasy games, on the other not as much in a game the use the best ones.
hand, would use one option or another depending on its position 51 As this table is based on rolling a d10 instead of drawing cards,
in the unicorny rainbowness / edgelordy grimdarkness scale! the only way of avoiding a duplicate is rerolling until you get a
50 Note that this results use the same wording regardless of which different result. Sorry for that.
of the three options if you select to assign the initial Attitudes &

76
MULTIPLAYER RULES
Using a solo-RPG for not-solo RPG seems to ruin o NPCs can (and probably will) have different
the purpose (and the porpoise too if it was a game Attitudes for different PCs. Each player should
about cetaceans52)…but the same has been said for take responsibility for keeping track of personal
the opposite and it repeatedly has been proved relationships with the NPCs.
wrong! So here there’re some guidelines for using o PCs have no Bonds between them. Nor an
VISORPGZ+ as a more classical RPG system. Attitude trait, in fact.
DUET GAMING o PCs can only have three Bonds at any given
This one is simple, but also limited to the 1 Player moment.
+ 1 GM case. In this mode, someone plays the PC, and o The party can’t unlock NPCs as Companions.
someone interprets all the Oracles answers (or make
o When, out-of-conflict, you want to use the Stats of
up those answers on the spot). Note that, in VISORPGZ+,
one of the non-leader PCs in an Action, you must
most of consequences-from-a-list in Actions are
invoke the Please take of care of this NPC option
automatized via TESTs, so the GM has less agency
with the usual limitations (i.e., the same PC can
than in other systems. You can fully embrace and
only do this once for scene).
enjoy it, give the GM the option of choosing the
consequences of the Actions for partial-successes and o In combat, there’s no leader. Instead, you change
failures, or switch the Player-GM roles occasionally. If the focus from one character to another one,
you use this last option, it would be cute if you play a selected at random, when you get an even natural
buddy-game where the Protagonist/Companion roles roll with the dice. You may also rule that no one
switch at the same time! gets the focus again until everyone has it once,
even between different conflicts.
EVERYONE IS <INSERT NAME>
o HPs is a measure of the whole party ‘combat
Another simple option is playing as normal, with
spirit’ and stuff, instead of just the leader.
several people narrating the adventures of the same
Conditions (predictable, fatigued, etc.) also affect
PC. As in, playing a graphic adventure with someone
the party as a whole.
at the keyboard but everyone giving ideas (beware
than doing it with an FPS may end up with people o Any not-wounded PC, at any moment, can use the
feeling dizzy). You can play following a “consensus, Take one for the team NPC option. That PC would
full time” criterion, or rotating the role of the PC and be out of that Conflict, and wounded, but fully
the GM. operational one the Conflict ends…except for not
being able to use this option again until that
SUCCESSION GAME wounded condition is eliminated.
This one is a bit weird and requires playing
o Any PC can sacrifice for the team via the Defeat or
VISORPGZ+ as an actual journaling game. In this
Sacrifice? Action. At the very least, that PC should
asynchronous mode, each player plays for a while and
be out of the game for the rest of the Chapter and
pass the result to the next one. So, it’s like ‘passing
the next one. But, as NPCs case, it could mean the
the save’ in videogames; ‘passing the controller’, on
PC is actually dead. Of course, the player can keep
the other hand, would be more like one of the two
contributing with narration, give ideas, etc., until
previous modes with rotating roles53.
a suitable replacement enters the game!
PARTY STYLE
This one is nuts. Use with care. No promises given.
In this game mode, each player controls one PC, and DIALOGES AND MULTIPLAYER
maybe there’s someone acting as a GM (or maybe it’s Dialogue rules include plenty of random (and,
a collaborative/rotating thing). In this “square-peg, arguably, gimmicky) elements that can be put aside if
meet round-hole” situation, you should apply the there’re TWO persons involved. Thus, the part of
following changes & additions to the rules: ‘drawing tones’ could be ignored: instead, you
o All PCs have a Stat array of…well, a PC. So, it’s announce and roleplay it. Reactions and moods, on
Spirit +2 for everyone. the other hand, can still be used as a guide for the
current-GM to role-play the NPC. However, don’t use
o For variety’s sake, PCs should get different the advanced mechanical effects of mood, as too
descriptors for their Strong & Weak points. many of them only work when using a ‘drawing Tone
o At the beginning of each chapter and after using cards’ system.
the Actions Take a short rest or Take a long rest,
select who will be the temporal leader.

52Hmmm…this joke sounded funnier in my head. Oh, well, they all 53Of course, another analogy would be ‘collaborative writing’. One
can’t be winners! that’s older, and probably more fitting too!

77
NPC-NPC INTERACTIONS
Let’s be real: as soon as a videogame offers a o Okay, let’s not get crazy. If the game has MANY
roster of unlockable NPCs who can join the NPCs, using this rules with all could actually be
protagonist, some of them will butt heads once in a quite a tiresome exercise of bookkeeping. So just
while. Or debate relevant topics. Or share some limit it to the most relevant NPCs.
gossips. Or make suspicious escapades together while o I’m doing that already! The Five Members Team
the team camps, thinking no one is noticing (aren’t party mode already requires managing the
they cute?). In fact, their personalities seem to be Attitudes and ARs of every potential pairing in
precisely programmed to allow all of that. Why that team. In fact, those advanced rules require
couldn’t the NPCs in your games do the same, then? also using these ones, so…
After all, you don’t to know any programming
language to achieve that!
This section offers you three new social Actions JUST PERSONAL
aimed at NPC-NPC interaction. They help you The bonuses and penalties to Attitude rolls that you
summarize a whole dialogue between then with just got for these Actions only apply for interactions
one roll. In fact, you can use them to summarize a between the same two characters. There are two
Dialogue between a PC and an NPC this way, too. exceptions: when the two involved characters are so
burnt that it affects their relationships with everyone,
Now, everything has a price, and in this case it may and the case of the ‘unwitting party-popper who ruins
be a bit tricky: to use this Actions, you need to know the mood’…but those are specifically mentioned in the
the Attitude level between the involved NPCs. And, to text.
make most of the potential results count, you need to
keep control of their AR values. You can, then, apply Also, when using these Actions in a PC – NPC
the following approaches: interaction, note that there are more Actions you
should consider to apply those bonuses and
o Challenge accepted. Who fears bookkeeping? penalties; to be precise, any Relationship Action
After all, those Attitude can be established on a based on a ROLL(2d6) + Attitude, and not only A
case-by-case basis, and those ARs aren’t going to moment of intimacy, A heated argument or A polite
change so frequently that you should worry too conversation.
much about them!

NPC-I AND NPC-II GET +1 AR!

78
A HEATED ARGUMENT crush, that NPC may even use the Start romance
When two characters have a heated argument, Action, just now!
ROLL(2d6) + ATTITUDE. 10+: The characters both a) connect with each
other (+1 AR), and b) get a +1 bonus to their next
12+: Why were you discussing, now? It seems that Attitude roll related to A moment of intimacy, A heated
was just a silly misunderstanding and now you can argument or A polite conversation.
laugh about it! +1 AR.
7 – 9: As 10+, but only one of the two results; make
10+: The characters agree to disagree, which is not a Test(A-B) to select it.
a bad result at all.
6-: Something happens that spoil the moment. Make
7 – 9: Officially, there’re no grudges. In practice, a TEST(A-D)
make a TEST(A-C)
(A) Another character of the party accidently
(A) The argument has been postponed, not forgotten. interrupts the moment. -1 penalty to the next
They’ll get a -1 penalty to their next Attitude roll Attitude roll for that character related A moment
related to A moment of intimacy, A heated of intimacy, A heated argument or A polite
argument or A polite conversation. conversation with each of the other two
(B) There’re some hidden grudges. -1 AR. characters.
(C) Sometimes, theory and practice go hand in hand, (B) One of the two characters says the wrong words
and this’s one of those times! There are no or does the wrong thing. -1 AR.
further consequences. (C) Something urgent catches the attention of
6-: At some moment, the argument escalates from everyone! Activate a ROLL(1d10) in the C
‘heated’ to ‘ugly’. Make a TEST(A-D) column of the Table: Events - Team (or E, if the
(A) Luckily, they stop before there’s too much two characters were afar from the rest).
damage. -2 AR. (D) Unexpected circumstances make the moment
(B) Some words that shouldn’t be spoken are…well, ends, but without any ill effect.
guess it. The Attitude trait is Stressed; if already LOVE MAYBE IS IN THE AIR
Stressed, make an immediate Update relationship
Action. Yep, you’re reading it right. NPCs may start a romance
just by themselves, when their relationship is good
(C) There’re plenty of grudges here and sore feelings!
enough. Of course, you’re the one to decide if you
Both characters suffer a -2 penalty to Attitude in
want the game going that way…and so that use of
all their mutual rolls related to A moment of
‘may’ instead of ‘will’!
intimacy, A heated argument or A polite
conversation until you take the To be continued
Action. A POLITE CONVERSATION
(D) The ugliness may be contagious. As (C), but the When two characters have a polite conversation,
penalty is -1 and applies even when only one of ROLL(2d6) + ATTITUDE.
these characters is involved. 10+: The characters found common ground that
improves their relationship. +1 AR.
A MOMENT OF INTIMACY 7 – 9: An interesting conversation, and characters
When two characters have a moment of intimacy take note. They’ll get a +1 bonus to their next Attitude
(which includes just having a hearty conversation), roll related to A moment of intimacy, A heated
ROLL(2d6) + ATTITUDE. argument or A polite conversation.
12+: If one of the following cases applies, follow it. 6-: At some moment, the ‘politeness’ is left aside.
If not, go to the 10+ result. Make a TEST(A-C)
o If the characters are in a romance, they have a (A) Nah, all is good. Let’s agree to disagree.
special moment. +3 AR (which already includes (B) Officially, there’re no grudges. In practice, -1
the +1 bonus for being in a romance). penalty to their next Attitude roll related to A
o If both have already a crush on each other, they moment of intimacy, A heated argument or A
may automatically start a romance if they’re both polite conversation
NPCs! (C) Some hurtful words are used at some moment.
o If the Attitude level is +2, one of the characters -1 AR.
acquires a crush on the other. If already had a

79
PUZZLING PUZZLES
Puzzles in RPGs are a tradition. In videogames, it’s tests in disguise, just use some trivia game board
even a subgenre. So, why not writing some rules to and try to answer a question for a fitting topic.
reproduce the puzzle experience and, at the same Hey, if videogames can be educational, why not
time, keep the videogame metaphor alive? That was a solo-RPGs, too?54
rhetorical question. Note that, for making this mini-games viable,
In general, puzzle-solving procedure can be they should be short enough to let you give them a
summarized as trying to solve a puzzle in real life challenging (and short) time limit. A very complex
before times run out’, being that time limit puzzle with no time limit (as in, solving a 1000-pieces
established by you (except if you’re using some jigsaw puzzle) would take you out from the VISORPGZ+
electronic version that already incorporates a time game…and in a way that could be describe as ‘self-
limit). However, for immersion’s sake the nature of torture’ if you don’t like spending time doing that
the puzzle in the real should reflect the nature of the kind of stuff!
challenge in the game. Thus, here you’ll find some
examples of how to port the latter to the former. FAILING PUZZLES
With all the discussion about how infuriating
o Jigsaw puzzle. So, there’re plenty of pieces you
puzzles can be in videogames in page 42, not giving
must organize to get the whole figure, document,
the option to skip them in VISORPGZ+ would be quite
painting, whatever? Then, to port this, you just
the hypocrisy. But remember it’s only that, an option
have to try a real jigsaw in the real world!
among several, as described below:
o Password. These puzzles…at least, when that
 Hardcore Mode. You want a real challenge?
password is hidden behind a riddle: just take a
Forget about any skip button: failing a puzzle
real riddle from some riddle-book and try to
makes a quest, by definition, unwinnable. So you
solve it! However, if the in-game answer is
automatically fail at it.
written on a piece of paper somewhere or you
must punch someone in the face to get it, instead  That was first strike. There’s a skip button, and
you should use Actions like Gumshoeing, or start pressing it may have consequences, so you
a whole Conflict if that face’s owner is a tough nut shouldn’t do it too frequently. In other words:
to crack. this follows the default Skip Button / Guide, dang
it! rules, so you must check a failure box in the
o Mechanical lock pick. The puzzle takes the form
quest, yada yada.
of a literal lock that works in a weird way, to the
point that it’s only a ‘lock’ in the sense that it  Cutting the Gordian Knot. There’s a skip button,
blocks you from opening something. You can and there’re no consequences for pressing it,
reproduce it using a Sudoku, a crossword puzzle, except losing some achievement or your chances
a chess puzzle, etc. (yeah, those mechanisms can of getting the 100%-completion ending. So, only
be that weird). A grid-puzzle toy also works for your self-pride is on the line.
it; in fact, it seems specially fitting, being a
mechanical gizmo by itself!
o Pixel-hunting. You want to reproduce the ‘find
the snowflake pixel’ feeling? Use some ‘spot the
differences’ puzzle, or dust off one of those books
about finding that weirdo in a red-and-white
striped shirt (don’t cheat: use one you have NOT
solved already!).
o Mini-game. Some videogames puzzles don’t test
your brain, but your skill. To port this, you can
use some real mini-game that can be played very
fast. As that one with the bird who flaps. Or the
other with birds in a bad mood. Or one that
doesn’t have birds but keeps the style. Just give
yourself a challenging goal, and let it go!
o Test puzzle. If you want to reproduce those
‘puzzles’ that are just history/sciences/whatever

54JFYI, the breeze that you are feeling while reading these rules is
the game jumping the shark. That is, if it hadn’t already!

80
SAVINGS & SCRAPS
Wealth, treasures, gold coins (and other expenses, which take the form of a penalty to this trait
currencies of dubious origin) are abstracted in AR. To be precise, when you roll a natural 4 or 9 with
VISORPGZ+. Which, in this case, is a euphemistic way of any of the following Actions, you’ll suffer a -1 AR in
saying ‘those concepts have no rules in the system, addition of any other effect: Take a short rest (for the
just narrate their effects’. This section, on the other slice of life version), Take a long rest, and (if you’re
hand, regards those narrative genres where personal using the Vehicles rules) Repair Bay.
financial distress or global scarcity are relevant
enough to deserve some ruling. Even if they’re still MAKING MONEY
mostly narrative. Keywords here are ‘distress’ and Regarding how to increase this trait, there’s a new
‘scarcity’: it’s assumed that, even at their best, the PCs Action named Payday! which your take when you
in these games will be only a bit above the ‘financially finish a job with a success and got your reward. As in
troubled’ level. the case of Attitude updates, the narrative may give
you the chance of using this Action in other situation
This way, depending on the nature of the game, (e.g., you find a stash of cash and wisely decide to NOT
you’ll have an additional trait named Savings or turn it to the authorities).
Scraps. Regardless its name, this trait works as an
Attitude, so it has a level and associated AR value, and LET’S MONEY TALK
it can end up being Stressed or Pleased when it reach In addition of its narrative meaning, the Savings
its limit values, being -5/+5 in this case. [NPC] trait can be used as a Stat for Solve with a tricky
approves/disapproves that! Actions aren’t appliable, situation, Deal with a fine mess and Gumshoeing
but you activate the Update relationships Action for Actions where money is more important than
this trait as for any Attitude. muscles, brains or charms; in these cases, instead of
damage, you suffer a -1 to AR (or worse, if the damage
And no, you can’t Bond nor Romance your Savings would be higher than 1!).
nor Scraps; that’s weird, please stop doing that.
“OONTA GOOTA, PC?”
If you are forced to reduce your Savings level by
SAVINGS the Update relationship Action when it’s at a -2 value,
This trait represents how much cash you have you keep it at -2, but you will be hunted. This looks a
available at any given moment, but also how much lot like being hunted by a Faction (as explained in its
you can get off-screen and in down-time to just keep own section), but in this case every bounty hunter
moving. It’s used in games where there’s a real and debt collector in the neighborhood would be
economy working and making ends meet is always a looking for you, instead of a specific group. Thus, any
problem (e.g., some character concepts in City of time you get some random tricky, messy, or
Darkness, or every protagonist in Space Rogues). conflictive event, you can blame your debts for it and
play it accordingly!
The good news is that, when you take the Update
SAVINGS relationships Action and are prompted to raise your
Lavish: Business are going well, and you Savings level, you may instead renounce to it to stop
+2 may even afford some luxuries. being hunted. The bad news is that you may be
Hunted more than once at the same time, if you go -2
Plenty: Things are going well enough to live Savings level several times before paying your debts;
+1 a comfortable life. in that case, each one of those instances of being
Barely: You are making ends meet but hunted must be eliminated by separate.
+0 forget that part about ‘a comfortable life’.

-1
Broke: You’re more time in the red than in SCRAPS
the black. This trait represents all the portable, potentially
useful junk you have collected (‘scavenged’ would be
-2 Indebted: You’re in the red, full time.
a better term). As such, it’s used in game worlds
where civilization has gone down the crapper,
probably by nukes or zombies. It’s assumed, thus, that
EXTRA EXPENSES there’s no real currency to speak of in the game world
The current level of your Savings trait already and bartering is the norm.
takes care of paying the basics…even if, for its lower
values, they may be very, very, very basic. On the
other hand, there’re times you may incur in extra

81
 (B) Meh, it’s something. Better not having any
SCRAPS
extraordinary expenses that eats even this. +1 AR.
Hoard: “Yeah, I have one of those. I sell (C) You got a good pay for this one! +2 AR.
+2 them by the dozen, in fact”.
(D) You hit the jackpot this time! Yay! +3 AR.
Stash: “Those are rare! But it’s your lucky
+1 day”. PAYING FOR SOMETHING
When you have to barter for some service or
Backpack: “Well, I have this instead, would
+0 it work for you?”.
minor favor, ROLL(2D6) + SCRAPS
10+: You happen to have just what the NPC was
-1 Purses: “Wait, maybe I have something…”. looking for! No modifier to AR.
-2 Hands: “What you can see is what I have”. 7-9: You must barter for a while, but you come to an
agreement. -1 AR,
6-: The NPC asks for an arm and a leg. Choose one
NO FREE MEAL IN THE APOCALYSIS option:
It’s a hard world out there, and unlike the Savings  You get what you want for a hefty prize. -3 AR.
case, Scraps don’t cover the bare minimum: this trait You can’t select this option if your Scraps are
is used with the new Paying for something Action already Stressed.
every time you want to barter some service (which
 You don’t get what you want.
includes things like food, a place to stay, etc.), bribe
someone, etc. Of course, this works both ways, so you
aren’t expected to work gratis: as in the case of the SCAVENGING A LOCATION
Savings trait, you can use the Payday! Action once you When you spend some time looting a location that
finish a job, to see how much you finally got from it. may contain some useful stuff, ROLL(2D6). Apply the
Or you can renounce to do that: in VISORPGZ+ you reverse level of your Scraps trait as a modifier to the
won’t get a bunch of XPs instead of GPs for being such roll. Regardless the result, once the place has been
a goody-two-shoes, but you can still impress NPCs. looted, you can’t use this Action again in it.

Unlike the Savings case, once your backpack is 12+: Whoa, what a place! Keep this secret or every
empty (i.e., your Scraps trait is -2), you can’t go any scavenger around will try to get you! +3 AR
lower than that. Not that you can’t end up indebted to 10-11: This place was kinda stacked…until now, at
someone by other means…but this isn’t one of this. least, +2 AR.
SCAVENGING 7-9: You find one or two useful pieces. +1 AR.
In a post-apocalyptic setting, the motto is ‘loot
everything not nailed down, and use a crowbar to 6+: Something came here first, and only left junk.
unnail the rest’. This is represented by the Scavenging Of the totally useless variety. +0 AR.
a location Action. Note that this Action reverses the Special: if you roll doubles in the dice, in addition of
value of your Scraps trait, so a positive level works as any result, activate the Suddenly… Action, rolling in
a penalty and a negative level as a bonus: someone’s the A column of Table: Events - General.
rubbish can be another’s treasure, but if you have
plenty of the latter, most things you’ll find will be
treated as the former. Also, note that scavenging is a
risky business: even if you hit the jackpot, you may
also find something that wants to hit you, very hard!

NEW ACTIONS
PAYDAY!
After completing some assignment, quest, etc., make
a TEST(A-C) to check how much it benefits your
Savings. If it was an especially lucrative one, make a
TEST(B-D) instead, or just a TEST(A-B) if it was a
minor one.
(A) Rats! After just subtracting common expenses,
you just got even! And that doesn’t include
extraordinary expenses! +0 AR.

82
SCENE-CREATION TOOLS
In this section, you’ll find some tools for scene and cells 5-6 with a different one. Use this option if
situations creation which keep the ‘VISORPGZ+ as a you want to play a kitchen-sink history, or ‘X with
videogame emulation’ gimmick, while making use of Y’ history where X is refined with some subgenre.
all those Scene Dressing and Tropes tables from in  Personal-recipe ice cream. If none of the
the Book of Tables (plus any other table troperific options above fit what you have in mind, just
enough). select your flavors as you wish: you’re both the
client and the ice-cream seller here, so there
THE GEN(R)ERATOR should be no problem for meeting your tastes!

The Gen(r)erator is a tropeomatic55 tool based on USING THE PLOT TABLE

using Table: Tropes in a more systematic way, after
A Plot Table is an instance of the Genre Table
deciding during the set-up of the game the genres that
associated to a specific plot, and it’s created by rolling
you want to have an impact.
one trope of the corresponding genre in each cell and
writing it down besides the genre’s name. This table,
INTITIALIZING THE GENRE TABLE during the game, will have two main uses, plus all
To apply this advanced option, when you set-up those ones you may make up yourself: framing a
your game you create a Genre Table based on those scene, and flavoring an event.
genres you want to appear in the plot. Below, you’ll
see an example of a blank Genre Table, still unfilled. FRAMING A SCENE
At the beginning of a scene where you’ll be
D6 GENRE (PLOT) following a plot (i.e., your active quest will be one
1  from that plot), generate two tropes that should
 appear during its development by rolling 1d6 twice
2
and applying the following procedure for each result:
3 
4   If the result is unchecked in the table, you check
5  it and use one of the following two options: use
the Trope in the table for that result or roll a
6 
Trope of the genre associated to that result.
EXECUTIVE MEDDILING   
 It the result was already checked, select any other
To initialize the Genre Table, decide which are the one that’s still unchecked (prioritizing those with
narrative genres you want in your game, i.e., which the highest number of unchecked boxes, when
Table: Tropes you want to use the most for possible), check it, and proceed as described
generating plots, scenes, random events, etc. Some of above.
the selected genres should (and would) appear in Once you got your two tropes, you write them
more than one cell, which leads to the following down somewhere; erase them once the scene ends.
options:
FLAVORING AN EVENT
 Two flavor fudge. Fill the 1-3 cells with one
When, during a scene, you want to give some
genre, and the 4-6 cells with a different one. Use
flavor to an event (or its basic nature, even), you can
this option if you want to play a ‘X meets Y’ game,
choose one of the following options:
both with equal weight in the story.
 Sundae. Fill the 1-4 cells with one genre, and the  Select one of the scene tropes you wrote down
5-6 cells with a different one. Use this option if when framing the scene. Put a check next to it, so
you want to play a ‘X with Y’ game, with the latter you can keep control of how many times you have
working as a supplement to the former. use it, to detect if one of them is being underused
or overused.
 Topped Sundae. Fill the 1-3 cells with one genre,
the 4-5 genres with a second one, and the 6 cell  Roll 1d6 and proceed as described for the
with a third one. Use this option if you want to Framing a scene case. Regardless the option you
play a weird mix. follow, use the trope immediately instead of
writing it down.
 Three scoop ice cream. Fill the 1-2 cells with
one genre, the 3-4 cells with a second one, and the

Hmm…maybe I'm going a bit overboard with all this ‘making up

55

words’ thing? ( ^ ▽ ^)

83
PLAYING WITH TROPES you (or the NPCs) may discuss it, defied it…or
And once you’ve seen the basics, it’s time for the even lampshade it (this one, specially, if you have
not-so-basics. rolled that trope too many times!)
 Just apply the original interpretation. After all, a
MULTIPLE PLOTS & MINOR PLOTS trope is a trope because of its recurring nature,
If you’re playing a game with more than one and the Oracles are telling you that you should
important plot, you just need to use different copies use this one, this way, this time.
of the Genre Table and fill each one independently.
You treat t each independently during the game, too, EXECUTIVE MEDDLING
so you only should care if one result is checked or If you don’t like a specific result, or at any given
unchecked when you’re dealing with a specific plot. moment you would like to introduce a trope from a
Use your active Quest as a reference when deciding genre that isn’t mentioned in the Plot Table, or if you
what of the different Plot Tables you should use at any want to use one the options in the Plot Table instead
given moment; when in doubt, default to the one of rolling it…just do it! Your game, your rules, after all!
corresponding to the main plot, if there’s one.
Nevertheless, if you want to apply a bit of self-
On the other hand, minor plots probably don’t restrain (i.e., the following is an optional rule…or, to
deserve a full table. Just generate tropes for them like be precise, even more optional), check one box in the
if they were a scene; in this case, each time you erase Executive Meddling section each time you act this
all the checks in one Plot Table, erase all the checks in way. Once the three boxes are checked, it means that
the Tropes of all the minor plots. you’re meddling a bit too much, and you shouldn’t do
it again until you have checked the rest of boxes in the
MOOD WHIPLASH table and uncheck all of them together. But
By default, every Plot Table in a game is created remember: ‘shouldn’t’  ‘couldn’t’.
using a copy of the same Genre Table. On the other
hand, if you want to introduce a Plot whose nature is BEYOND THE TROPE
very different than the rest (as in, an unexpected Even if the Gen(R)erator has been focused on the
serious plot in an otherwise quite light-toned game, use of ‘tropes’ in this section, there’re gazillions useful
or vice versa), you can initialize an alternative version and cool tables out there and it would be a shame to
of the Genre Table (with a different flavors mix) and waste them. In other words: every time you should
use it to create that special plot. If your active Quest roll for a Trope, you can use any other able that would
is based on it, thus, you should use that special Plot give you an interesting result (a character, a location,
Table for framing scenes and rolling random events. an item, whatever) if it’s related to the genre that
trope belongs. Or roll on a Scene Dressing table, of
REPEATED RESULTS course. However, you still should pay attention to the
What happens when you reroll a trope that you narrative genre associated to that slot, as it still
have recently used (or is pending of using)? Because, conditions that result you have written in it56.
let’s be realistic, this IS going to happen, sooner or Case in point: there’re several tables regarding
later, making you think ‘ah, poo, here we go again’ (or ‘Fantasy’ content, beyond the ‘Fantasy Tropes’
maybe a more emphatic version of it). In this case, one…and many of the results you can find in them are
you have the following options: quite troperific. Thus, if you want to include a fantasy
 Give it a different meaning than the original one. creature, treasure, or even a McGuffin created on the
Maybe you already have one Artifact of Doom that spot, just use those tables without any remorse. Or
you (and your buddy) must throw into a volcano use any other source in your RPG library for it.
(because no one thought about asking those giant Does it count as executive meddling, by the way?
Eagles, and you nixed the ‘catapult option’), but Well…no? It’s not meddling if it’s done to be sure that
why should it be the only Artifact of Doom in your things are doing right, is it?
game? After all, that orb-of-long-range-
communication, or that shining-phial-for-when-
all-other-lights-go-out, or whatever, seem quite ADVANCED CINEMATICS
intriguing... As mentioned elsewhere (it was in a footnote, but
 Play with it. Out-of-character, you can use an those still count!), those times you narrate a big
exaggerated or subdued version of it, play it just portion of the scene, or even the whole scene, without
for laughs, or even totally subvert it. In character, taking Actions and just stopping to ask the Oracles

56So, if you roll a ‘Tragedy’ Scene-Dressing on a slot associated to you that you should roll somewhere else to get the specifics, but it’s
the ‘Comedy’ genre, that means something tragi-comic is bound to going to be baaad!
happen. If it was a ‘Tragedy’ slot to begin with…well, Fate is telling

84
can be compared to watching a cinematic in a main character during the game) but from a
videogame. Advanced cinematics, thus, would be different point of view. Add a mind-blowing
scenes where your PC is not present, or it’s settled in twist, and maybe Mr. Shyamalan will offer you
a different timeline (you will see soon what that some bucks for the script!
means). Again, you usually play them without using
That was regarding the ‘what’. And the ‘how’? In
no Actions: just Oracles and narration. On the other
fact, advanced cinematics can be played as any other
hand, you can shake things a bit by temporarily
scenes, but adding one of the the following
making an NPC playable just for this scene; in this
procedures:
case, you play as normal, but keeping everything
simple: no quests, plots, long dialogues, etc.  Roll in each one of Table: Scene Dressings so
you get something that should happen (Action),
With respect to the different kind of advanced
something that should be felt (Feeling),
cinematics (just ‘cinematics’, from now on) you could
something that establishes a certain tone (Tone),
use in your game, here there is a bunch of examples:
and something nebulous (Omen). Play your
o Intro. This cinematic plays just at the start of the cinematics based on this as close as you can.
game. In fact, in many cases, you watch it even  Roll three TROPES or other VISIONS that fits the
before you create your PC. In a VISORPGZ+ game, on game genre, and try to introduce as many of them
the other hand, you should play it after setting up during the cinematics as you can.
the game world, because an intro requires some
context. Also, tradition says that a PC who starts Of course, improvising something coherent in
the game awakening in their beds usually has these conditions may be quite a challenge but…come
been dreaming that intro. Or part of it. on, you’re playing solo! You need to get challenges
from somewhere, lacking a GM or a CPU to cover that
o Flashback. That’s one case where a cinematic part! But that’s t
could be played using the PC, but it can be funnier
if the main character just appears as an NPC-ied PRE-RELEASE TRAILERS
younger version. When using flashbacks, beware There is another type of cinematic that, from a
of breaking the casualty and the space-time technical point of view, is not part of the game: the
continuum with a temporal paradox…unless the pre-release trailers. You don’t play these ones, nor
game’s plot is based on facing temporal even narrate them: you just assume that they
paradoxes, of course. happened, sometime, when the publishers were
o Flash-forward. Speaking of temporal paradoxes, trying to generate hype about the game. In fact, it is
these ones are riskier in that sense. After all, they assumed that your game is one with more than one
are settled in the future, so they’re going to trailer: one for each chapter.
railroad the game’s plot until that point is finally To simulate a pre-release trailer, then, you apply
reached! Nevertheless, it’s also a classical way of one of the two methods for cinematics and try to fit
creating a game’s intro…and then starting the the results in the narrative of that specific chapter. If
game with the also classical ‘[X] all those results end up being used, then the trailer
[years/days/months/etc.] before…’. was quite a faithful one (let’s hope that not too
o Dream sequence. Or prophecy, or vision, or spoiler-ish). And if you can’t fit even one of them in
whatever. You can use one of these instead of a that chapter, don’t worry: trailers always lie, don’t
flash-forward if you don’t want to risk the space- they?
time continuum: in this case there are no
paradoxes. Just confusing dreams, false
prophecies, or the result of eating too many (or CINEMATICS AND THE GEN(R)ERATOR
not enough) funny looking mushrooms.
If you are using the Gen(R)erator advanced option in
o Meanwhile. These ones play with space instead your game, you can use it to create cinematics, as the
of time by letting you see (and hear) what’s latter is just one case of framing a scene, so you use
happening in another place. This means you’ll be the former as described.
witnessing something that the PC isn’t aware You can use it when creating a pre-release trailer, just
of…but videogames have been doing that for, by rolling on it thrice instead of twice. In this case,
y’know, decades, so why couldn’t you do the same however, some mix-and-match with other sources of
in your game? inspiration (as in, tropes for different tables, or other
o Revisiting. Okay, one more and let’s call it a day. VISIONS altogether) is recommended: as a pre-trailer
These ones are real suckers: in them, you watch influences a whole Chapter, and not just one scene,
for a second time a previous scene (which could generating all its tropes from the same Plot Table
be another cinematic, or something done by the could be a bit railroad-y for your taste.

85
SPACE EXPLORATION
Not every Sci-fi game concerns space exploration. disheartened: you suffer a -2 to your next
In fact, not every space Sci-fi game do it, when the Initializing conflict scene ROLL.
action takes place on the surface of different worlds, (E) As (D), but in addition, check a failure
but not the space between them. On the other hand, countdown box in your current active quest, if
for those games that actually care about those any. If you were just sandboxing and did not have
aspects, here you’ll find four new Actions which work an active quest at this moment, then it’s just as (D),
side-by-side with the Vehicles advanced option but period. EXERCISE
take care of the out-of-conflict situations.
In case you want to use this advanced option, but PROBE PLANET
not the Vehicles ones, ignore mentions to the Power, When you’re probing an unknown planet from
Maneuver and Systems Stats and apply a default +1 orbit58, you automatically know if its habitable or
modifier to the involved ROLL(2d6) instead. inhabitable59. Also, ROLL(2d6) + SYSTEMS
10+: You may answer two of the following
SPACE ACTIONS questions using a M8B(+); in case of indented
questions, you must ask them in the shown order.
Also, you may take your time and repeat this Action,
DRILL EXERCISE if you want.
When you spent a scene preparing for a specific
 Is the atmosphere breathable?
vehicle conflict, ROLL(2d6) + POWER. You can’t use
this Action again until you use the To be continued  Is there an intense geological activity?
Action.  Is there an intense climatic activity?
10+: When that vehicle conflict comes, you would  Are there signs of mineral/energy riches?
have two free rerolls; you can keep the better of the  Are there signs of life?
two results.  Is it intelligent life?
7 - 9: As in 10+, but you only get one reroll.  And technologically advanced?
 Are there signs of recent space visitors?
6-: As in 10+, but you only get one reroll and must
keep the second result, even if it’s worse.  Were they from a known Faction (and which one
in that case)?
7 - 9: You can answer just one question from the
FACE SPACE PERIL
10+ list, and make a TEST (A-C):
When you have to deal with danger with your ship
outside of the context of a conflict, ROLL(2d6) + (A) Something is blocking the sensors, so no
MANEUVER. further uses of this Action are possible.
10+: The ship evades the danger. (B) It’s taking too long. Choose between checking
a failure countdown box in your active quest and
7 - 9: The ship evades the danger…but not
repeat this Action or apply (A). If you were just
flawlessly; she suffers 1 damage.
sandboxing, just apply (A)
6-: The ship suffers 1 damage. Also, make a TEST (A-
(C) This requires deeper readings, giving more
E).
juice to the systems. Choose between your ship
(A) It doesn’t stop! Repeat this Action. suffering 1 damage to repeat this Action or apply
(B) It gets worse! From now, this danger causes 2 (A).
damage instead of 1. Repeat this Action. 6-: As 7-9, but with a TEST(A-E) by adding the two
(C) It gets even worse! Create a new vehicle following options.
Threat57 (or use an already existing one, if it fits) (D) Your ship has been a sitting duck for too long.
and enter in a vehicle conflict with it at this very Create a new vehicle Threat (or use an already
moment. existing one, if it fits) and enter in a vehicle conflict
(D) The situation resolves by itself, but you still with it at this very moment.
failed at dealing with it. You feel quite (E) Go to the Face space peril Action.

57 Note that ‘vehicle Threat, doesn’t need to be read as ‘a vehicle 59At least, you will know if the planet seems habitable: many
that threats you’, but ‘something that can threat your vehicle’. I.e., dangerous (and mysterious) circumstances may turn an apparent
it can be a combat with another vehicle, but also any other of paradise into Hell, only showing their face when you have
dangerous situation that endangers the full ship! descended to the planet surface and explored it.
58 Fair advice: everybody is entitled to ONE ‘probing Uranus’ joke

per game, but no more. And I’m expending mine to advice you.
You’re welcome.

86
SEARCH THE UNKNOWN Also, if one of these worlds is inhabited, there’s
When you’re investigating some mystery related to probably a good reason for those people not being
already part of any interstellar society, so be very
space exploration during your ship travels which are
careful.
not related to the specific case of probing a planet,
ROLL(2d6) + SYSTEMS. o A not-censed world, not in the databases. Those ones
are unknown, so you’ll have to probe them first, and
10+: You solved the mystery! Or, at least, that part then create only the part regarding the information
of it. Use the proper Oracle to get the answer. you got. The rest? Sorry, you’ll have to go down to
7 - 9: You solved the mystery…but also something that world and check it by yourself.
happens. Make a TEST (A-C): o A censed world, not in the databases. This situation is
(A) You called some undesirable space attention. quite specific, thus being discussed the last. Those
Create a new space Threat and make it enter in a worlds are part of not-friendly Empires or
space conflict with you soon. Federations that keep their space maps in secret. It’s
assumed that just at arrival you’ll discover that it’s,
(B) For some reasons, one random (but logical)
in fact, an inhabited world, so it should be created as
Faction doesn’t like you meddling in this. Use the the starter ones…but you’ll only do it once you land
first option in the [NPC] disapproves that! Action. on it and take a good look.
(C) Did it really take so long? Check a failure If, somehow, you already know something when
countdown box in your active quest. arriving to the world, you don’t need to ask the
6-: You’re still in the dark, and there are also corresponding question. So, if a quest-giver tells you
consequences. Make a TEST (A-D) ‘go to that world and buy plenty of grain, because it’s
(A) Space is a dangerous place, isn’t it. Go to the totally crowed with farmers and stuff’, you’ll already
Face space peril action. know that the world is a ‘breadbasket’ one…except in
(B) Your ship has been a sitting duck for too long. case of a twist. But you already know how to work
Create a new vehicle Threat (or use an already with twists, don’t you?
existing one, if it fits) and enter in a vehicle conflict Finally, a note about making first contact with a
with it at this very moment. new alien species: again, ‘first’ in this case may be
(C) For some reasons, one random (but logical) applied to you as the PC or as you the player of the
Faction doesn’t like you meddling in this...at all. game. Thus, when you create a new alien species, you
Use the second option in the [NPC] disapproves would take care of the full process in case is an
that! Action. already known one, or you should go step by step as
(D) What a waste of precious time. Check a failure you interact with them.
countdown box in your active quest.

OCEANIC EXPLORATION
CHARTING SPACE In case you want to play in a seafaring game where
For these new Actions ‘arriving to a new world’ exploration and traveling between mysterious
means different things if that world is only new to you islands is a thing, you can apply the rules in this
(as a player or both as a player and PC) or if it’s section nearly unchanged. Face space peril turns into
actually a new discovery. Thus, the protocol you must Face sea peril, Search the Unknown and Drill exercise
follow is also different in each case. To this end, two keep their names, and Probe planet turns into
terms are used, ‘censed world’ when the world is part Through the spyglass. The latter doesn’t automatically
of an interstellar society, and ‘not-censed world’ let you know if the islands is inhabitable or not, and
when it’s not officially part of an interstellar society questions you can answer with it are:
and, in fact, it may even lack any intelligent life.  Is there some place for a safe landing?
o A censed world, in the databases. You don’t need to  Is there any strange geological feature?
probe it when you arrive, just generate it using the  Does the island look resourceful?
same procedure as the starting worlds. In fact, you  Is it inhabited?
may generate it before arriving…or even before
thinking about getting there! After all, if it’s in the As can be seem, there aren’t as many questions to
databases, you can access to that basic information choose from, as there’s a limit to what you can deduce
from everywhere. just by using your spyglass. Any further detail
requires landing.
o A not-censed world, in the databases. Someone
already probed it, and the results were made
available to the public. Generate this world by
answering the questions for the Probe planet Action
in advance. Of course, those first explorers may have
erred in some of their tests but, hey, C- for effort!

87
STRONGHOLDS & SETTLEMENTS
Even if there’s no 9th level in VISORPGZ + where you The examples on this section can serve you as an
should settle down and stop going into so many inspiration if you want to build-up something
underground adventures (ha, as if!), you can different.
nevertheless play the builder game. Or, at the very
least, a simplified and abstracted version of it; one IMPROVING TRAITS
that, nevertheless, go further than the ‘furnishing When you start a Big Project, its three traits star
your new house’. To achieve this, the ‘Projects as fully undeveloped, i.e. at their -1 level. Or you can give
personal interests’ rules are expanded and detailed in yourself a breath, and assume someone was working
this section. in it so some of those traits are already improved 61.
From this humble start, you can improve each trait by
BUILDING THE PROJECT using the following procedures:

Going from the drawing board to the final thing is  Pursuing personal interest. You can use the
going to take you time and effort. So, in this section Pursue personal interest as usual to help you build
you’ll know where you must direct those efforts to. up your Big Project. Due to the nature of the latter,
this can take the form of an off-stage work, maybe
TRAITS even in a way that doesn’t need you been present.
The limitations of this method is that you can only
A Project, as explained in the Personal interests
try it once per chapter, it’s not too reliable (as it
rules, is defined by a tag that explains how much you
depends on a dice roll), and it requires investing
have advanced it. A Big Project, on the other hand, is
badges (which shouldn’t be a problem if you start
described by three different traits that must be
a Big Project later in your career, with plenty of
improved separately. Each trait can be improved
finished quests in your curriculum62).
thrice from its humble beginnings, working each one
as a normal Project (so it requires 5 progress to
improve, and an investment in badges). Also, each
level has an associated (and increasing) numerical
value. To recapitulate:
 Unimproved: -1
 Improved once: +0, 1 badge to complete
 Improved twice: +1, 2 badges to complete
 Improved thrice: +2, 3 badges to complete
Big Projects don’t use the usual tags to describe
those advancements (Aspiration, Reality. Dream come
true, Beyond the wildest dreams), as each trait has its
own ones. Nevertheless, you can still use the old
descriptors for the Big Project as a whole by taking
the lowest trait as a reference. Yes, this means that a
Big Project would only be considered Beyond the
wildest dreams if all their traits are maximized: Rome
wasn’t built in a day, even if there where loads and
loads of people working on it60.
As an additional limit, you can’t improve the same
trait a second time if there’s still some unimproved
one. I.e., you can’t work on improving a trait to the +1
level if there’s any other still at -1. Once every reach a
+0 level, on the other hand, you have free reign when
deciding what to improve, and how much.
Finally, regarding the specific nature of these
traits, they’ll depend on the whole Big Project nature.

60 With the occasional guy or group of guys toppling the whole 62…. Because you didn’t spend all those badges on collectible cards,
business down once in a while, of course. did you? ( ￢ ￢)
61 Do not ask ‘what happened to the other guy?’ if you don’t want to

know the answer.

88
 Questing. As with Projects, you could play Quests your Big Projects are their +2 maximum (well
whose Goal is improving your Big Project with the done!), you can still work (or quest) for earning
same awards: +1 for a Quest focused on the Big progress to eliminate those penalties.
Project, and +1/+2 for a minor plot/plot as a
cherry-on-the-top reward. On the other hand, a DEAL WITH DAY-TO-DAY PROBLEMS
Big Project is big enough to justify basing whole When you’re facing some potential headache-
minor plots and plots on its progress; in this case, inducing (but still minor) situation regarding your
the cherry-on-the-top reward is the same, but you Big Project, ROLL(2D6) + its more fitting trait for that
also get the usual +1 each time you succeed in one situation.
of its quests.
10+: Everything works as designed, so the
situation is solved without any lasting effect.
JUST ONE TURN MORE… 7 – 9: This is going to require some work from you.
The ‘5 progress per improvement’ means that, with a Go to the Solve a tricky situation Action. Once you
bit of luck, you can accumulate the required progress overcome it, the situation finishes, with no
to improve a trait (or level up any other Personal additional consequences.
Interest, in fact) in three Chapters…and this doesn’t 6-: Those supposedly ‘minor troubles’ escalate to
even consider progress acquired via quest rewards. If a level that put you in danger! Go to the Deal with a
you feel that the game is going too fast in that sense, fine mess Action. Once you overcome it, the situation
you can play with this amount and increase it to ’10 finishes. The Big Project resources have been
progress per improvement’, or any other amount you stressed, on the other hand, so you suffer a -1
feel fits with the rhythm of your game. penalty to your next roll of the Face a worrying crisis
with the same trait. This penalty as accumulative,
but it disappears once you take the To be
BIG PROJECTS IN ACTION continued… Action.
As mentioned, these rules are quite abstract. In
fact, you only need two Actions to take care of your FACE A WORRYING CRISIS
Big Projects, described below: one for the minor When you’re facing an important crisis regarding
matters that can give you a headache once in a while, your Big Project, ROLL(2D6) + its more fitting trait for
and another for the serious matters that requires an that situation.
all-hands-on-deck answer. You can activate them 10+: The crisis is averted. Maybe not flawlessly,
when a random event calls for a tricky situation or a but the Big Project assumes every possible loss or
fine mess, respectively, if they fit the current damage as a ‘business as usual’ matter.
situation.
7 – 9: The crisis puts you in danger. Go to the Deal
Also, you can use a Big Project in a proactive with a fine mess Action. The Big Project resources
instead of reactive way, when you want to use your have been stressed, on the other hand, so you suffer
Big Project to advance the story somehow. This way, a -1 penalty to your next roll with the used trait you
you can treat a Big Project as the equivalent of a the next time you use the Face a worrying crisis with
‘Talented NPC’ with whom you can use the ‘Give me a it.
hand!’ effect, by following these guidelines: 6-: The crisis puts you in danger. You must start a
 You must be within the limits of your Big Project Conflict; it shouldn’t be an easy one, so assume it
to make use of it. comes with a Yellow (if not higher) Threat. Once (if)
you overcome it, the crisis finishes. The Big Project
 You must select one +1 or +2 trait from the Big has been damaged, on the other hand, so you suffer
Project that fits the situation; note that the bonus a -1 penalty to your all your rolls based on the used
you get will be always +1, nevertheless. trait. This penalty as accumulative, and only
 You can select a trait of your Big Project if it’s disappears when you add progress to any trait of
suffering any penalty due to the two new Actions the Project; reduce the obtained progress by 1
described in this section. (which erases the whole penalty even ig was worse
than -1).
 You can’t select the same trait again until you take Special. If more than one trait is suffering a penalty
the To be continued Action. for a 6- result, you must select which one recovers
 Some results of the two new Action in this section from it when you add progress.
cut your access to this benefit until you add some
progress to your Big Project; the amount of
progress you get is reduced by one, and the whole
penalty in that trait is erased. In case all traits of

89
SAMPLE BIG PROJECTS the quality of the defenses and the quantity of the
troops managing them.
-1 Barely holding it
ADVENTURER GUILD
0 Tense, but bearable situation
Forget about checking the Quest Board: in this +1 Stalwart defender
game, YOU are the one who place the job notices in +2 The Shield of the Realm
that board! Of course, that means you must manage a
bunch of rowdy troublemakers (even if, sometimes, Moral
also ‘solvers) who carry big weapons, big magic, or Living in a stronghold usually means hours of
both! boredom with moments of terror, and every leader
should know how to alleviate both. This trait
Accommodations represents, thus, all the sources of entertainment and
Adventurers need a place to rest and recover from hope for the stronghold residents.
their injuries; if possible more comfortable that your
typical ‘cleared room in the middle of a dungeon’. This -1 People has one foot out the door
trait represents, thus, the lodging & healing 0 Meh, people has seen worse
aspects…but also the ‘after-quest celebrations’ one! +1 The moral is high
+2 People volunteer to come here!
-1 Bedbugs-laden cubby holes
0 Cozy bedrooms Supplies
+1 Great Hall Being sent by some big honcho, being paid out-of-
+2 Fantasy Spa pocket, your stronghold needs food, weapons, etc., to
thrive. This trait represents, thus, the quality of that
Registers supply chain and the stronghold reserves.
Those who don’t know about the experiences of the
successful adventurers usually end up dying as -1 Let’s forage, or it’ll be half-ration time
chumps. This trait represents, thus, all the chronicles, 0 Last shipment was on time. Kinda
maps, bestiaries, herbariums, grimoires, etc., in the +1 Someone want to siege it? It will take long
Guild’s library. +2 Someone want to siege it? How cute!
-1 A few scribbles and notes
0 Big Tome of Registers COZY FARM
+1 Bookshelf For those times you got sick of a soulless job in a
+2 Bookroom soulless cubicle, here there’s one solution: the cozy
farm, settled in a picturesque place where everyone
Supplies knows each other!
There’re few things as depressing as asking for
supplies to the Guild’s Quartermaster, and only have Crops
5-foot poles because the 10-foot ones have been sold The main goal of your farm is growing crops. This
out. This trait represents, thus, the quantity and trait, thus, represents the quantity, quality and
quality of the adventure gear offered by the Guild. variety of your crops, and the infrastructure to
produce them.
-1 Bring your own 10-foot pole.
0 Covering the basics. -1 Mostly for personal consumption
+1 A good selection of reliable gear. 0 Variety of crops
+2 Best quality in the City! +1 Local supplier
+2 Regional breadbasket
BORDERLANDS STRONGHOLD
Livestock
This one is a classic; double so if you make it a Another goal of your farm is breeding livestock. This
‘Keep’, and triple so if there’re some very chaotic trait, thus, represents both how much livestock
cave-complex near. You can turn this Big Project into there’s in your farm, and the quality of their
a ‘Castle’, on the other hand, by building it inside the installations.
lands instead of at their border, but you still apply the
same principles. -1 Chicken in a coop
0 Animals in a barn
Defense +1 Old McDonald had a farm
Nobody builds a stronghold in a borderland without t +2 Noah’s Ark
a good reason, being it protecting that border, or the
lands close to that border. This trait represents, thus,

90
Housing
Oh, look, it turns out that there’s going to be some
home-furnishing in the game after all! But being this
a cozy game, that’s expected. This trait, thus,
represents how big, comfortable, and nice are your
living-quarters.
-1 Leaky shed
0 Cozy home
+1 Magazine-cover level
+2 * *(◕ ▽ ◕ ) * *

REALM
So you have decided to seat on a throne instead of
threading it under your feet, then. Okay, it’s
understandable: it’s good to be king, better if more
than just a while. But note that there is no ‘happiness’
trait for this Big Project, because people usually gets
unhappy when any of them falter (people can be so
annoying, sometimes). Note the you should consider
using the Factions advanced option in its ‘leadership’
aspects if you want the whole experience.
Army there’s no ‘cooking quality’ trait to improve here: the
Si vis pacem, para bellum. And if you vis bellum, you three traits below regard the business side of a
should para doubly so! This trait represents, thus, restaurant, because it’s assumed whoever takes care
your Realm troops, defense systems, etc. of the cooking is good at it!
-1 Swords in feeble hands
Customers
0 Fighters for a living
+1 Black wind, fire and steel As the koan says: ‘if food is put on a plate but there’s
no one to eat it, does is still count as food?’. This trait
+2 Vast legions all immortal
represents, thus, how many people comes to eat at
your restaurant. Or, to be precise, how much money
Economy
they put in your cash-register once they leave: you
Having the Mandate of Heaven and stuff is cool, but at
may have a very small clientele eager to pay an arm
the end of the day, you’ll go nowhere without funding.
and a leg for your very prestigious menus!
This trait represents, thus, how full are your vaults
and, in general, how much rich is your Realm. -1 Just a small but loyal clientele
0 Well known in the zone
-1 Your vault is full...of cobwebs
+1 People come looking for your place
0 Emergency funds
+2 Month-long waitlist!
+1 Thriving business
+2 Nexus of commerce
Furnishing
If you want a successful restaurant, you don’t just
Services
care about what you put on the table, but around it.
What have you ever done for the Realm, eh?
And about the table itself. This trait represents, thus,
…Aqueducts, you say? Roads? Sanitation, medicine,
the furniture, decoration, atmosphere, etc., of your
education, theatres? Okay, point taken. This trait
restaurant.
represents, thus, all those little (or not so little!)
things that make life easier. -1 Rickety chairs & shaky tables
0 Newly remodeled
-1 Dunno, does tax-collecting count?
+1 Top-quality designs
0 Cleared roads and drinking water
+2 Palatial dining room
+1 Public education and public baths
+2 Amphitheaters and running water
Menu
The crux of the matter, the nature of the beast, or
RESTAURANT however you want to call it: the food. This trait
Maybe not as cozy as a Cozy Farm, but still with represents, thus, how varied and luring is your
plenty of room for cuteness, this Big Project may be restaurant’s menu.
the least ‘Big’ in all this section. But there’s a whole
videogame subgenre based on it, so there is! Note that

91
 -1 Menu of the day the defensive systems of the settlement, and the
0 Specialized in one field people charged with them.
+1 A variety of culinary offers
-1 Poorly built barricade
+2 Rotating, innovative & astonishing!
0 Robust barricade
+1 Watch towers with armed guys
THIEVES GUILD +2 Marauders just look and turn around
This is the Big Project for adventurers of low
moral fiber, or for those who follow mostly-the-first- Happiness
half of the Robin Hood motto. That’s it, the part of Even a functional and well-defended settlement can
‘stealing from the rich’. be Hell on Earth if there’s nothing in it that motivates
people to expect something beyond a bleak and grim
Contacts life (and death). This trait represents, thus, all those
Thieves won’t last for long in their line of work if they things that make life a more pleasant despite all that
don’t have reliable information, nor allies in the right post-apocalyptic crap.
places. This trait represents, thus, all the network of
informants and allies that the Guild may call at any -1 Grimdark hopelessness
given moment. 0 Resigned acceptance
+1 Cautious optimism
-1 Everyone for themselves +2 Faith in the future
0 Some strings to pull
+1 Ears in important places Resources
+2 Hands in very important places If you want to live alone, scavenging-as-needed may
be a way of life. But for a whole settlement, you need
Safe houses enough stuff to keep things (and people!) working
As settlements go, this one is a bit decentralized, as it AND to repair (or heal!) them when they stop
wouldn’t be wise putting all the eggs in the same working. This trait represents, thus, all the sources of
basket when the owner of those eggs (and probably raw materials, food, reserves, etc., of the settlement.
the owner of the basket, too) are looking for them!
This trait represents, thus, all those baskets in the -1 In desperate need of supplies
City to keep eggs. 0 Barely enough
+1 Reserves for bad (worse?) times
-1 Dunno, is your house safe? +2 Supplies provider
0 Some places to hide; mum’s the word
+1 Safe houses in all the City TEMPLE
+2 Safe houses in all the Realm
Those adventurers with a religious bent may want
to proselytize a bit, building a new home for the
Supplies
believers. But always double-check before laying any
The tools don’t make the thief, but every thief still
foundations, in case your religion is in the local
needs tools. And that’s the kind of gear no honest
naughty list!
merchant (nor many dishonest ones) would sell, so
the Guild should take care of it. This trait represents,
Congregation
thus, all that dishonest adventure gear that the Guild
Even if being an eremite is always an option, if you’re
can offer, for a fair price!
building an honest-to-God temple (pun intended) you
-1 Bring your own lockpicks need a flock to shepherd. This trait represents, thus,
0 Covering the basics the size of your congregation.
+1 Specialist tools available
-1 Preaching to the choir
+2 Legendary poisons & magic gear
0 A loyal congregation
+1 Plenty of followers
POST-APOCALYPSES SETTLEMENT +2 The masses come to your door!
The world has mostly gone down the crapper, but
you seem to be stubborn enough to keep it at the Influence
‘mostly’ level. Or to revert it, even! This Big Project This may surprise you, but religion and politics aren’t
represents, thus, a point of light in that wasted incompatible (no, seriously!). This trait represents,
world…or so you hope. thus, how influential is your temple in the city.

Defense -1 Mostly ignored

In a post-apocalyptic world, if you have something, 0 Some parishioners in high places
you must protect it. And even if you have nothing you +1 The local powers-that-be ear you
still must protect yourself. This trait, thus, represents +2 Your temple is the local power-that-be

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 -1 The kitchen; clean thoroughly after use
Masonry 0 Modest alchemic lab
This may surprise you, too, but religion and external +1 Equipped arcane lab
appearances aren’t incompatible. This trait +2 Forge of Marvels & Horrors
represents, thus, the size and quality of the Temple as
a building. Library
Knowledge is power. Magic is power. Do the math.
-1 Shrine
This trait represents, thus, how much arcane
0 Church
knowledge have you accumulated. Some mundane
+1 Cathedral
knowledge, too, in case it turs out to be useful!
+2 THE Great Cathedral
-1 Mostly empty shelves
WIZARD’S TOWER 0 Modest but functional
Lastly, another classic one. This is you cozy (for a +1 Impressive collection
certain meaning of that word) refugee to carry out +2 The Necronomicon? You have two copies!
your wizardry experiments, and bending the laws of
space, time and nature without being pestered by Sigils
worldly matters. Between all those pesky zealots trying to kick your
door down, and all those escaped lab products /
Laboratory summoned entities, your tower need arcane
Yes, there is the Will to Power, and the Power of the protections if you want it to endure. This trait
Will, and stuff, but when you want to get serious with represents, thus, the power of those protections.
magic, you need a well-supplied arcane laboratory. -1 A ’Do not enter’ signal at the door
This trait represents, thus, the quality of that 0 Some magic traps here and there
laboratory. +1 Trespasser’s nightmare
+2 The Tomb of Horrors? A walk in the sun!

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SYSTEM CONVERSIONS
In this section, you’ll find guidelines for using respect to the mechanical parts of other systems,
parts of this system with other RPGs, and vice versa. being VISORPGZ+ nearly as stat-less as a game can be
without being a real stat-less game, there’s not too
much to convert…namely just Stats and Quirks.
PORTING FROM VISORPGZ+
Thus, to give Stats levels to the characters, just
You can use plenty of the material in these pages
consider if their strong points are physical, mental, or
in other solo RPGs, or even conventional ones. To be
social activities (which will deserve a +2), and what’s
fair, most of that material, or at least the easiest to
their weak points (that would be a +0). For Spirit, just
port, isn’t in these pages, but in the Book of Tables,
apply the standard values: +2 for PCs, +1 for relevant
because that one is system-less and, thus, universal.
NPCs and +0 for anyone else.
Not saying that every table in that book can be used
with any RPG…but, at least, they can be used with For Quirks, consider the source game style:
some RPGs!
 A skill-based & realistic game typically translates
On regards to the VISORPGZ+ game engine, there’re to Talented characters; remember that a Talent
parts self-contained enough to be used in other RPGs, Quirk also summarizes a full profession, giving
just by cherry-picking the corresponding Actions (if you a narrative excuse to look cool when
any). E.g. Dialogue system can be ported as-is: you narrating your Actions (and to decide when and
just need a way to set the initial attitude (lower case) how you could make those Actions)
of the NPC you’re talking to, and transform it into the  Combat based characters with plenty of combat
equivalent -2 to +1 Attitude (upper case) level. bells and whistles probably would be Martial
Luckily, each level for the different relationship types artists. The default names for Techniques and
(NPC, Bond, Team member, etc.) comes with a Ultimate Techniques may be too flowery for
narrative description you can base your decision on. some genres, and lacking for others, so in those
As additional examples, the Attitude system, the cases you should modulate those names.
Quest creation (twists included!) and the Plot
 Characters with an arsenal of different powers or
resolution are also self-contained, so you can also special abilities could have Power Quirks or
port them to other games with not much fuss63.
Spellcasting Quirks depending on their nature:
characters who can improvise on the spot how
PORTING TO VISORPGZ+ they use their gimmicks would have the former,
while characters with a more limited arsenal and
Chapter 0 already recommended looking for a ‘you can’t try what you still don’t know’ approach
inspiration in your RPG library, with respect to would have the latter.
random tables and the like. Of course, you can go
Finally, everything related to ‘power levels’ doesn’t
beyond that. E.g., you can just take the full setting of
require number crunching: just adapting was
those RPGs, if you want! That probably will work
considered Routine, Challenging and At your best, and
better if you assume that any description of that
assigning higher or lower levels to Threats based on
setting suffers a healthy dose of the unreliable
that.
narrator syndrome, so everything can be changed at
any time by a twist of Fate (or Oracle). And with

63At this point, I think it’s worth mentioning that both the Dialogue
and the Attitude systems has been adapted into self-contained
documents (Let’s Talk! and Keeping Contact!).

94
VEHICLE RULES
For those space-faring games (and other genres  If your vehicle is not expected to be involved in
that are not specifically covered by a template in this conflicts: use Power, Maneuver & Systems as Stats.
core manual, as mecha-piloting or bike-riding ones), Treat any mention to Resistance as Power, and
here there are the rules that let you pilot a spaceship any mention of ‘Resistance being stressed’ to your
(or a mecha or whatever cool vehicle you can think Power being stressed instead, with its usual
of). The best thing is that there’re not many new effects (i.e, -1 to Power when using the Damage
things to learn: just readapting what you already control Action).
know to a new context.

VEHICLE ACTIONS
VEHICLE STATS The following Actions are a reskinning of already
Your vehicle is treated as another character…and known ones, based on your Vehicle Stats instead of
a very important one, indeed. From a mechanical yours. Thus, the so called ‘vehicle conflicts’ follow the
point of view, on the other hand, you only need to give same general rules than a conventional one, with just
it values for its Stats, namely… some minor differences:
o Power. How much dakkadakka can you put into o Use your vehicle HPs to check if the vehicle
play during a combat, how much juice during a conflict starts at High Tension level or just Low.
chase, etc. During a vehicle conflict, you use this o As results of some (poorly done) Actions, your
trait when you want to attack or, in general, vehicle can be predictable or have one of its Stats
defeat the Threat you’re against to. stressed (the equivalent of being fatigued); these
o Maneuver. A measure of short-term speed, conditions follow the same mechanism than
turning-capability, deflector shields, etc. During a those for characters, and they also disappear
vehicle conflict, you use this trait when you want once the conflict ends.
to evade some danger. o Tension increases when your vehicle (not you) is
o Systems. A summary of all the sensors, the one suffering damage.
communications systems, computer systems and o Being disheartened also applies for the Start
the like. During a vehicle conflict, you use this vehicle conflict Action, and suffering it once
trait to acquire some tactical advantage or to eliminates that condition as usual.
suppress your foe’s advantages. o Your vehicle recovers all HPs when you take the
o Endurance. How much can your vehicle take To be continued Action if a) there’s a long enough
until it just says, ‘no more’. During a vehicle time skip between one chapter and the next, and
conflict, you don’t want to get to the point where b) the vehicle is in a proper installation during
you must resort to this Stat, because that means that time. If you only have the former, but not the
it has already been hit too much. latter, the vehicle only recovers 2 HPs thanks to
When creating your vehicle, you’ll assig the four some jury-rigging.
following values to its traits, at will: +2, +2, +1, +0,
with the following restrictions: you can’t give a +0 to DAMAGE CONTROL
Power, nor you can give a +1 to Power if you also give When your vehicle reaches 0 HPs, or when it’s at 0
a +0 to Maneuver. Finally, your vehicle has as many HPs and suffers further damage, ROLL(2d6) +
HPs as your typical PC, so that would be 12 HPs. ENDURANCE.
10+: The vehicle keeps fighting!
THREE-STAT VEHICLES
The default Stats assume that your vehicle will be 7 - 9: The vehicle keeps fighting, but its Endurance
involved in both conflicts and exploration (i.e., you’ll is stressed, suffering a -1 to all rolls for that Stat (or -
be using the Space Exploration advanced option 2, if Endurance was already stressed).
too). If that’s not the case, you may use a three-Stat 6-: Go to the Defeat or Sacrifice? Action to see what
distribution instead, by following these criteria (In happens now. It won’t be pretty. In this case, you can
both cases, use +2/+1/+0 array for the vehicle Stats): sacrifice the vehicle and save the crew…or you can
 If your vehicle is expected to be involved in just invoke a ‘Rock falls, everyone dies’ moment and
conflicts, and little else (as a mecha in a Sentai! finish the game this way...with the option of restarting
game): use Power, Maneuver & Endurance as the level, of course!
Stats. Treat any mention to Systems as Maneuver,
instead.

95
DEFENSIVE MANEUVER o This will have consequences. Check a failure
countdown box in your active quest.
During a space conflict, when you’re prompted to use
this Action, ROLL(2d6) + MANEUVER 6-: The Threat has your tail! Your vehicle is still in
the conflict. Go to the Defensive maneuver.
10+: Your vehicle evades the danger. What do you
do?
FIRE!
7 - 9: You deal with the situation…but not flawlessly. During a vehicle conflict, when you want to cause
Make a TEST(A-D) and apply the result. damage to a Threat which is within your reach,
(A) The Threat goes out of reach. What do you do? ROLL(2d6) + POWER.
(B) Your vehicle maneuver systems are getting 12+: If the Threat is Blue, your vehicle does 1
stressed, suffering -1 to Maneuver rolls (or -2 if damage to it; what do you do? If not, apply the 10+
this Stat was already stressed). What do you do? result.
(C) Your vehicle is being predictable, suffering a - 10+: Raise the Tension one level, or if it was already
1 to Power rolls for the Fire! Action (or -2 if it were Extreme, your vehicle causes 1 damage to the Threat.
already predictable). What do you do? What do you do?
(D) The Threat causes damage to your vehicle. 7 - 9: As 10+, but also make a TEST(A-D):
What do you do?
6-: The vehicle is still in danger. Make the same (A) The Threat goes out of reach. What do you do?
TEST that for 7 – 9, but repeat this Action. (B) The Threat causes damage to your vehicle
(based on the Tension level before raising it).
DISENGANGE! What do you do?
If a vehicle conflict is turning ugly and you want to (C) The Threat puts your vehicle in danger. Go to
escape it, ROLL(2D6) + MANEUVER. the Defensive maneuver Action.
(D) Your vehicle is being predictable, suffering a -
10+: The vehicle escapes. Nevertheless, you (or the
1 to Power rolls for the Fire! Action (or -2 if it were
full crew!) feel disheartened and suffer a -2 in your
already predictable). What do you do?
next ROLL for the Start vehicle conflict.
6-: Make the same TEST as described for 7 – 9. If
7 - 9: As in 10+, but you must choose one option: you get the B result, then add +1 to the damage
o Threat causes damage to your vehicle which suffered by your vehicle. If you get any other result,
may force you use the Damage control Action as apply it and, in addition, apply the B result (without
usual. the +1 to damage).

96
MAIN WEAPON ATTACK! (C) Your vehicle is being predictable, suffering a -
When the Threat is at 0 HPs and your use this Action, 1 to Power rolls for the Fire! Action. What do you
narrate how you victoriously finish the conflict64. do?
(D) Your vehicle suffers a -1 in its next roll based
REPAIR BAY on any of its Stats in this conflict. What do you do?
If you keep your vehicle in a properly equipped and (E) Threat causes your vehicle 1 damage. What do
handled repair bay for the required time, ROLL(2d6) you do?
+ ENDURANCE. If you have the time but not the
means so you just can make some jury-rigging, just TACTICAL MANEUVER
apply the 6- result. You can’t use again this Action During a vehicle conflict, when you want to carry out
until you have taken the To be continued Action. some maneuver to improve your odds, ROLL(2d6) +
10+: The vehicle recovers 6 HPs. SYSTEMS.
7 - 9: The vehicle recovers 4 HPs. 10+: Choose one of the following options. What do
6-: The vehicle recovers 2 HPs you?
o The Threat is now within reach.
START VEHICLE CONFLICT o Your vehicle stops being predictable and
At the beginning of a vehicle conflict, ROLL(2d6), -2 if stressed (in all its versions).
your side has been taken by surprise, +2 if the Threat o Your vehicle gets a +2 for its next Stat roll.
is surprised, or +0 in any other case.
7 - 9: You choose one of the options for 10+, but
10+: Your vehicle gets a free reroll during this make a TEST(A-D):
conflict (see Troubles are coming Action; this reroll
lets you keep the better result). What do you do? (A) The Threat goes out of reach. What do you do?
(B) The Threat causes damage to your vehicle. What
7 - 9: No one has been caught flatfooted, so the do you do?
conflict just starts. What do you do?
(C) The Threat puts your vehicle in danger. Go to the
6-: Your vehicle has been caught flatfooted. Make a Defensive maneuver Action.
TEST(A-E). (D) Your vehicle general systems are getting
(A) The Threat start the conflict out of reach. What stressed, suffering -1 to Systems rolls (or -2 if this
do you do? Stat was already stressed) . What do you do?
(B) The Threat puts your vehicle in danger. Go to 6-: Make the same TEST as described for 7 - 9, with no
the Defensive maneuver Action. benefit.

64Remember than being damage so abstract, it can mean plenty of all. You don’t have to assume that your vehicle has any kind of
things in addition of causing real damage. ‘Fire! and ‘Main Weapon mega-weapon…nor even weapons at all!
Attack!’ Actions have those names because that sounded cool, that

97
WARFARE & MASS COMBAT
Here there’re some rules for those times you can’t rmy only recovers 2 HPs, representing those who
get along with a lot of people, but there’re also a lot of recover from their injuries, regrouping troops,
people on your side. Yep, that’s a euphemism: this’s etc.
not gonna be pretty. And in case you have been o During a mass battle, there may be moments
reading the sections in this chapter in order…no, you when you’re put on a tight spot and must
haven’t been trapped in a groundhog day. This personally deal with a dangerous situation. This’s
section is mostly a reskinning of the previous one, so played as a Deal with a fine mess Action that
there’s been plenty of copy-paste being applied. cannot escalate to a whole conflict (so that
potential consequence is never on the table when
ARMY STATS making TESTs).

Your army is defined by three Stats, namely: ATTACK!

During a mass battle, when you want to cause damage
o Discipline. This Stat represents your army
to a Threat, ROLL(2d6) + MIGHT.
ability to keep cool under pressure, and keep
fighting when things look dire. 12+: If the Threat is Blue, your army does 1 damage
o Drill. This Stat represents the army ability for to it; what do you do? If not, apply the 10+ result.
using battle-tactics (beyond the ‘charge’em all!’, 10+: Raise the Tension one level, or if it was already
at least). Extreme, your army causes 1 damage to the Threat.
o Might. This Stat represents the army raw power, What do you do?
being both their equipment and their ability at
the ‘charge’em all!’ tactic. 7 - 9: As 10+, but also make a TEST(A-D):
When creating your army, assign the three (A) You’re put on a tight spot. Go to the Deal with
following values to its traits, at will: +2, +1, +0. Also, a fine mess Action (which cannot escalate to a full
your army has as many HPs as your typical PC, so that conflict).
would be 12 HPs. Finally, note that there’s no Stat nor (B) The Threat causes damage to your army
other trait to measure an army’s size: that would be (based on the Tension level before raising it).
just a narrative value that, nevertheless, you should What do you do?
consider when deciding the level of any Threat (i.e., (C) The Threat maneuvers and endanger your
the opposite army). army. Go to the Keep the lines! Action.
(D) Your army is being predictable, suffering a -1
ARMY ACTIONS to Power rolls for the Attack! Action (or -2 if it
were already predictable). What do you do?
The following Actions are used in conflicts
involving whole armies (or ‘mass battles’). This 6-: Make the same TEST as described for 7 – 9. If
conflicts follow the same general rules than a you get the B result, then add +1 to the damage
conventional one, with just some minor differences: suffered by your army. If you get any other result,
apply it and, in addition, apply the B result (without
o Use your army HPs to check if the conflict starts the +1 to damage).
at High Tension level or just Low.
o As results of some (poorly done) Actions, your BATTLEFIELD TACTICS
army can have one of its Stats predictable, During a mass battle, when you want to employ some
fatigued, or shaken; these conditions follow the battlefield tactics to improve your odds, ROLL(2d6) +
same mechanism than those for characters, and DRILL.
they also disappear once the conflict ends.
10+: Choose one of the following options. What do
o Tension increases when your army (not you) is you?
the one suffering damage.
o Being disheartened also applies for the Start o Your army stops being predictable, shaken and
Mass Battle Action, and suffering it once fatigued.
eliminates that condition as usual. o Your army gets a +2 for its next Stat roll.
o Your army recovers all HPs when you take the To 7 - 9: You choose one of the options for 10+, but
be continued Action if a) there’s a long enough make a TEST(A-D):
time skip between one chapter and the next, and
b) your army is stationed in some place when it (A) You’re put on a tight spot. Go to the Deal with a
can recover from their losses, recruit fresh fine mess Action (which cannot escalate to a full
troops, etc. If you only have (a), but not (be), the conflict).

98
 (B) The Threat causes damage to your army. What 7 - 9: The army keeps fighting but is shaken,
do you do? suffering -1 to Discipline rolls (or -2 if it was already
(C) The Threat maneuvers and endanger your army. shaken). What do you do?
Go to the Keep the lines! Action. 6-: Go to the Defeat or Sacrifice? Action to see what
(D) Your army is getting fatigued, suffering -1 to happens now. Expect plenty of blood being involved.
Drill rolls (or -2 if it was already fatigued). What do You can choose to sacrifice your whole army but
you do? escape alive, with other important NPCs (but this
6-: Make the same TEST as described for 7 – 9, with would be an excellent moment to play some heroic
no benefit. sacrifice by some of the former to save the rest), or
you can play it as a heroic but hopeless last stand with
KEEP THE LINES! no survivors and finish the game this way...with the
During a mass battle, when you’re prompted to use option of restarting the level, of course!
this Action, ROLL(2d6) + DISCIPLINE.
RETREAT!
10+: Your army successfully counter the enemy
If a battle is turning ugly for your side and you want
maneuver. What do you do?
to sound retreat, ROLL(2D6) + DRILL.
7 - 9: Your army deal with the situation…but not
10+: Your army orderly retreats. Nevertheless, you
flawlessly. Make a TEST(A-D) and apply the result.
(and all under your command!) feel disheartened and
(A) You’re put on a tight spot. Go to the Deal with suffer a -2 in your next ROLL for the Start Mass Battle
a fine mess Action (which cannot escalate to a full Action.
conflict).
7 - 9: As in 10+, but you must choose one option:
(B) Your army is shaken, suffering -1 to Discipline
rolls (or -2 if it was already shaken). What do you o Threat causes damage to your army, which may
do? you force you use the Rally Action as usual.
(C) Your army is being predictable, suffering a -1 o This will have consequences. Check a failure
to Might rolls for the Attack! Action (or -2 if it were countdown box in your active quest.
already predictable). What do you do? 6-: The Threat pursues your army! The battle goes
(D) The Threat causes damage to your army. What on. Go to the Keep the lines! Action.
do you do?
REFRESHING TROOPS
6-: Your army is still in danger. Make the same TEST
If you station your army in your homebase (or a
that for 7 – 9, but repeat this Action.
friendly one) where then get time to rest, replace
CRY HAVOC casualties, etc., ROLL(2d6). If you have the time but
not the means, just apply the 6- result. You can’t use
When the Threat is at 0 HPs and your use this Action,
again this Action until you have taken the To be
narrate how you victoriously finish the battle.
continued Action.
DRILL EXERCISE65 10+: The army recovers 6 HPs.
When you spent a scene preparing for some specific 7 - 9: The army recovers 4 HPs.
mass combat, ROLL(2d6) + DRILL. You can’t use this 6-: The army recovers 2 HPs
Action again until you use the To be continued Action.
10+: When that mass combat comes, you would START MASS BATTLE
have two free rerolls; you can keep the better of the At the beginning of a mass combat, ROLL(2d6), -2 if
two results. your army has been taken by surprise, +2 if the
7 - 9: As in 10+, but you only get one reroll. Threat is surprised, or +0 in any other case.
6-: As in 10+, but you only get one reroll and must 10+: Your army gets a free reroll during this conflict
keep the second result, even if it’s worse. (see Troubles are coming Action; this reroll lets you
keep the better result). What do you do?
RALLY 7 - 9: No side has been caught flatfooted, so the
When your army reaches 0 HPs, or when it’s at 0 HPs conflict just starts. What do you do?
and suffers further damage, ROLL(2d6) +
DISCIPLINE. 6-: Your army has been caught flatfooted. Make a
TEST(A-E).
10+: The army keeps fighting!

65This Action shares its name with one described in the Space someone has a Talent that can be applied for one version, it would
Exploration section. That’s not an oversight: assume that if be also valid for the other.

99
 (A) You’re put on a tight spot. Go to the Deal with
a fine mess Action (which cannot escalate to a full
conflict).
(B) The Threat maneuvers and endanger your
army. Go to the Keep the lines! Action.
(C) Your army is being predictable, suffering a -1
to Might rolls for the Attack! Action. What do you
do?
(D) Your army suffers a -1 in its next roll based on
any of its Stats in this conflict. What do you do?
(E) Threat causes your army 1 damage. What do
you do?

ARMY TRAINING
If you want to play the army-building game in
addition of the army-clashing one, you can combine
the rules in this section with the ones in Strongholds
& Settlements. There’re different approaches for
doing that, so here there’re some examples. And in
case you’re wondering…yes, you can play the whole
enchilada by also adding the Factions advanced rules
on top!

PART OF A WHOLE
Some of the sample Big Projects have a trait that
could represent your Army quality, as Defense for a
Borderlands Stronghold or (well, duh!) Army for a
Realm. In this case, assume your Army start with its
three Stats at +0, and each time you improve that trait also decide starting with something a bit less pitiful
from that Big Project, you can increase by one those (as +0 in every Stat), and ending the game before you
Stats (to a maximum of +2). Army hits the +2 limit in the three traits.

PURELY NARRATIVE
Finally, you can treat your Army as a (not Big)
JUST THE ARMY
Project, and improve it as usual. This doesn’t change
You can focus in your Army, treating its three Stats
its Stats, which start at their usual +2/+1/+0 levels,
as the three traits of a Big Project. Of course, this
but you can use its improvements as a narrative tool
means that at the very beginning, your Army would
when assigning Threats levels to enemy Armies.
be just pitiful (-1 in all Stats), but at the end it would
be death incarnate (that is, if it survives that pitiful
beginning). Feature or bug? You decide…but you can

100