Quantum Engine System Reference Document

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Basic Rules and Characters

Die roll conventions

The Quantum Engine uses common six-sided dice. We notate each die you need to roll as a “D”. For example, “2D” means “roll two six-sided dice and add the results together”.

In this game, “DM” means Dice Modifier, a number you add or subtract from a dice roll. For example, “2D, DM-2” means “roll two dice, add the results together, and then subtract 2 from the total”. This is often written as “2D-2”.

D66 is a special die roll, in which you throw two dice, and count one as the “ones” and one as the “tens”.

The basic mechanic

Throw 2D: throw two six-sided dice and add the results together, add the skill level as a DM, and compare to a predetermined difficulty number. If the total equals or exceeds the difficulty number, you succeed. Otherwise, you fail.

• Skill notation: "Throw Skill 6+" means throw two dice, add them together and add the relevant skill, and if the total equals or exceeds 6, you succeed. For example, a Referee might ask a player to roll Knowledge 8+ to determine the kind of disease ravaging a trade caravan. The player would roll 2D, add the Knowledge skill level, and succeed on a result of 8 or more.

If you lack the appropriate skill for a task, you throw the dice at DM-1.

An unmodified result of 2 is always a failure – potentially a critical fumble. An unmodified result of 12 is always a success – and a critical one at that!

Task Difficulties

Skills

There are several, typically 7 skills: Combat, Technical, Knowledge, Physical, Social, Stealth, and Setting Skills, such as Sorcery or Survival.

Combat: this skill covers actions that involve committing violence. Anything from spears to catapults.

Technical: This skill covers all craft and mechanical tasks, from repairing a boat to picking a lock.

Knowledge: this skill covers anything like lore, general knowledge, wilderness survival skills, medicine, and art.

Physical: any time a character needs to exert themselves, use this skill. This can include feats of athleticism or resisting bodily effects such as poisons.

Social: for whenever a character wishes to interact with other beings in a social manner. Use this skill to bargain, lie, carouse, or conduct negotiations.

Stealth: any acts of subterfuge, such as sneaking or pickpocketing.

Setting Skills

Sorcery: this skill deals with the occult and with eldritch lore, including casting spells.

Space: this skill covers anything space-related; piloting starships, shooting starship weapons, using a space suit, etc.

Survival: this is the skill used for surviving the Wastes, and includes foraging, tracking, scouting, and avoiding Contamination.

Character creation

1. Throw 2D; that is your Endurance, an indication of how tough you are.

2. Throw 4D; that is your Lifeblood, a measure of how well you resist injury.

3. Distribute 5 points among your 7 skills. If your system has 8 or 9 skills, distribute 6 points instead. You may not assign more than 3 points to any single skill.

4. Pick one Trait.

5. Gain equipment as determined and appropriate to your system and the Referee.

6. If you have the Sorcery skill (and your system includes it), you gain 2 spells of your choice, plus 2 randomly determined spells per level of Sorcery above 1. For example, if you have Sorcery 3, you choose two spells, and roll 4 times on the spell table. Reroll spells you already possess.

Optional Rule: Starting Mutated

In settings using the mutation rules, some Referees will want to run Near Human campaigns. These campaigns will often have mutated player characters. In that case, each PC starts with 2 points of Contamination and one minor mutation (throw 1D; on 1-3, this is an adverse mutation; on 4-6, this is a beneficial mutation).

Contamination

In settings using the Mutation rules (and the Survival skill), “Contamination” is a collective term for all contaminants and mutagens. It is nearly impossible to get rid from Contamination. Accumulation leads to mutations, some detrimental, some beneficial, but continued Contamination always leads to the same end: a gruesome death.

Each situation where a character is exposed to Contamination will require a Survival throw. The Referee determines the contamination level considering the intensity of the Contamination present in the environment

Contamination Levels

In settings using the Mutation rules, player characters typically begin the game with 0 Contamination. For Wasteland-residing NPCs, throw 1D-1 to determine their Contamination level. Repeated exposure to contaminants leads to cumulative mutation. There are six levels of Contamination, culminating in the character’s ultimate death. Whenever a character gains a level of Contamination, refer to the Mutations chapter for further information.

Fatigue

When a character is Fatigued, they suffer DM-1 to all actions and may only move 10m per combat round, even when not attacking.

Non-Humans

Unlike humans, non-humans do not receive a Trait in character generation and only have 4 points to distribute between their skills in character generation rather than 5. Instead, they have their own special abilities.

Anunaki: Antediluvian sorcerous humanoids, predating extant civilization by millennia. They gain Advantage (see the Traits chapter) on the Sorcery throws made to avoid Mishap.

Apefolk: Apes uplifted by sorcery or superscience to full sentience. They gain Advantage on any feat of brute strength and +1D Endurance.

Dwarf: Classic fantasy and Norse mythology short and sturdy mountain and subterranean dwellers and smiths. They gain advantage to resist poison and disease. In underground or mountainous locations, may spot secret doors, traps, and abnormal construction on Knowledge 6+.

Elf: Classic fantasy and Norse mythology forest spirit-folk. They gain advantage on Stealth throws in natural environments. May see in dim light as in daylight and in darkness as in dim light.

Geckofolk: Humanoids evolved or uplifted from geckos. They can climb walls and ceilings as easily as walking on the ground. May see in dim light as in daylight and in darkness as in dim light.

Lizardfolk: Humanoids evolved or uplifted from water-dwelling lizards. They gain an unarmed damage of 2D. Natural armor rating of 2. May hold breath for one Turn (10 minutes).

Traits

Traits are unique features of competent and driven characters, such as player characters.

Many Traits grant the character with an Advantage in throws, which means throwing three dice and picking the highest two among them rather than simply throwing 2D.

Awareness: gain Advantage on throws to avoid Surprise. This does not refer to setting up ambushes, where the Hunter Trait applies.

Assassin: when rolling a natural 12 on a melee attack throw or beat the target number by 6 or more, ignore the target’s armor, in addition to the regular maximal damage for a critical hit.

Backstab: when attacking an unaware target in melee, gain DM+2 and add 1D to the attack's damage.

Battlemage: when resisting hostile magic or attempting to overcome magical resistance, gain Advantage to the throw.

Beast Friendship: gain an Advantage to identifying flora or fauna, as well as in Reaction throws with (non-magical) animals.

Berserker: when injured in combat but still conscious, the character may enter a Rage granting DM+1 to hit and DM+2 to damage in melee combat, but also grants the character's enemies DM+1 to hit them. This lasts until the end of that combat encounter.

Blind fighter: ignore negative DMs for darkness in combat.

Contortionism: the character may throw Physical 10+ to escape from bonds or manacles or to slip through bars or portcullises.

Empath: gain Advantage on Reaction throws with humans or similar humanoids.

Familiar: gain a special intelligent animal bound to you by magic. It may speak to you and is at least as smart as a young child. Familiars should have specific abilities based on species, at the Referee's discretion.

Ghost: the character has Advantage on throws to sneak in darkness.

Hardy: reduce the damage of the first (and only the first) successful attack on the character in a given battle by 1D.

Hunter: gain Advantage on surprise throws when attacking from ambush.

Illusion Resistance: gain Advantage to throws to disbelieve illusions.

Immunity: the character has Advantage on throws to resist poison and disease.

Marksman: when attacking an unaware target in ranged combat, using an aimed shot, add 1D to the attack's damage.

Merchant: any item the character purchases costs only 90% of its list price, and any item the character sells goes for 110% of its base price

Mystic Aura: when a human or similar humanoid throws a “natural” 12 in a Reaction throw, they are charmed (as per the Charm Person spell) for 1 hour and retain a positive impression of the character afterwards.

Passing without a Trace: you leave no sign of passage in wilderness settings, and thus cannot be tracked.

Profession: you have Advantage on throws related to a non-combat profession (such as an advocate, chef, or herald). This never applies in combat situations or to spellcasting.

Prophecy: you may Commune (per the spell) once a week without requiring a Sorcery throw or risking a mishap.

Pugilist: you cause 2D damage (rather than 1D) with unarmed attacks.

Runner: you move 15m per combat round rather than 10m; if you also move instead of acting (e.g., instead of attacking), you move 30m in total that round.

Sage: gain an Advantage in one field of knowledge, such as astrology, history, or mathematics.

Sensing Power: you immediately feel when someone casts a spell within 30m and can tell if someone used magic within a 30m radius in the past 24 hours

Sniper: when rolling a natural 12 on a ranged attack throw or beat the target number by 6 or more, ignore the target’s armor, in addition to the regular maximal damage for a critical hit.

Spells: gain 3 randomly determined spells.

Surgeon: when treating a mortally wounded character, the surgeon grants the injured character Advantage on the Mortal Wounds throw.

Thief: gain Advantage on rolls for pickpocketing or stealing an item, or when fencing stolen goods.

Combat Moves

Characters with a high Combat skill may choose one combat move in lieu of a Trait, as described in the following table. Note the prerequisite Combat skill for each level of moves.

Experience

Characters gain 1 XP per adventure. Every 5 XP, the character rises in Rank. The Ranks are:

1. Experienced (you start here)

2. Expert.

3. Master.

4. Grandmaster.

5. Legend.

When they gain a new Rank, they may choose one of the following:

• Gain a new Trait.

• Gain either +3 Endurance or +1D Lifeblood.

• Gain one skill point to add to any skill; you may not raise any skill beyond 5.

A player character may advance up to four times in Rank (up to Legend). Most NPCs do not rise above the Expert level; higher Ranked NPCs are rare and unique.

Optional Rule – Rapid Advancement

If the Referee wishes to allow the characters to reach legendary levels of proficiency within a short campaign, they may grant 1 XP per session rather than per adventure.

Hero Points

Each player starts each game session with 2 personal Hero Points. The group also has an additional number of Hero Points equal to the number of player characters present that session.

Each time a player succeeds in a skill or characteristic throw of at least 8+ and surpasses the target number by 6 or more, the group Hero Points pool gains another point.

All pools reset at the beginning of each session.

A character may use their personal Hero Points, and with the other players' consent, points from the group pool.

By spending Hero Points, a character may:

• Reroll any single die throw (including damage). They may take the better result.

• Force the Referee to reroll a single NPC's die throw (including damage). The second result stands.

• Reroll a throw on a mortal wounds roll or a sorcerous mishap. They may take the better result.

Equipment

The SRD lists equipment costs in “gp”, or “gold pieces”. Some settings may use Credits (Cr) or Trade Units (TU) as currency. Note that one TU is equal to enough food and water to survive for a day.

Armor

Armor

Weapons

Range is given as Effective/Maximum range in meters. Hitting targets up to Effective Range requires Combat 8+; To hit a target at a distance of up to Maximum Range requires Combat 10+.

Weapons

Small-arm ammunition costs 40 TU per 20 rounds or bolts.

Arrows or crossbow bolts cost 1gp per 20 arrows or bolts.

Two-handed: uses for the character’s hands; the character may not use a shield together with a two-handed weapon.

Scattergun: DM+2 vs. flying targets; DM+1 vs. targets in Effective range; may hit up to 2 adjacent targets.

Blast: causes damage to up to 3 adjacent targets.

Fire: target catches fire on 6+; burning targets suffer 2D damage per round for 1D rounds, or until put out.

AV: Anti-Vehicular dice (see Combat and Vehicles).

Automatic: May attack twice per combat round (any target); both attacks together spend 3 rounds of ammunition.

Note that unless stated otherwise, firearms have AV 1D; melee or mechanical-ranged weapons can rarely damage vehicles in combat.

Heavy Weapons

Heavy Weapons

Flamethrower and gatling gun ammunition costs 100 TU per 20 fuel units or rounds.

General Equipment

General Equipment

Optional Rule: Encumbrance

For a more hardcore adventuring experience, limit the items a character may carry to a number equal to their Endurance. Tiny items such as a needle, as well as clothes and backpacks, do not count as items; 20 arrows or 6 torches count as one item; a heavy weapon such as a great sword or medium armor count as two items; and heavy armor counts as 3 items. Carrying more items than a character’s Endurance halves the character’s movement rate. Characters can carry a maximum of items equal to twice their Endurance score.

Vehicles

Fuel costs 30 TU per refill for a car, a motorboat, a water jet ski, or motorcycle, or 60 for a truck, monster truck, or railcar. Sailboats and rowboats require no fuel.

See the Combat chapter for details about vehicle Agility and Armor.

Combat

Surprise: When two potentially hostile parties encounter one another, there is a chance that either group will be surprised. Each party throws Stealth 6+. If one party succeeds and the other fails, the successful side surprises the other and enjoys one free round of action. If both parties succeed or fail, there is no surprise. Apply DM+3 to the throw for any party setting up an ambush, and DM-1 to the throw for any party that has vehicles or that consists of groups of over 10 creatures.

Initiative: at the beginning of combat, each character throws 2D and adds their Combat skill for their Initiative score. Characters act in order from the highest to the lowest Initiative.

Time and movement: A combat round represents 6 seconds of in-game time. During which, characters may move up to 10m and attack or move 20m without attacking.

Attacking: throw Combat 8+ to hit a target in melee or within Effective range; this throw becomes Combat 10+ to hit targets beyond Effective range. Apply half the target's Combat skill as a -DM to hit in melee and in ranged attacks.

FRENZY! If a character “Drops” an enemy (i.e., the enemy is “out of combat”), they may move up to 2m and attack another foe. They may do so a number of times equal to their Combat skill.

Critical Hits: on a natural attack throw of 12, or if the attacker exceeds the attack target number by 6 or more, the attack causes maximal damage, plus further effects as described in the tables at the end of this section.

Damage: upon a hit, throw the weapon's damage dice, subtract the target’s armor Protection rating (if any), and subtract the result from the target's Endurance. If the target’s Endurance reaches zero, the target suffers a Minor Wound: DM-1 to all actions. After a character’s Endurance is depleted, any further damage is subtracted from Lifeblood. If the target loses more than half of their Lifeblood, they suffer a Severe Wound and are out of combat.

If Lifeblood reaches zero, the target is Mortally Wounded. A Mortally Wounded character throws 2D + Physical; 2-6, the character dies; 7-9, the character is maimed (Referee’s discretion – Regeneration magic can recover this); 10+ the character loses consciousness but will wake up within 1D Turns, but still Severely Wounded.

Healing: characters recover all Endurance after a 10-minute break. If half or more of a character’s Lifeblood is lost in Severe Wounds heals at a rate of 1 Lifeblood point per day. Healing maiming critical hits requires powerful magic.

Morale: monsters and NPCs rarely fight to the death. Referees should consider rolling a Morale check for monsters and NPCs after they suffer their group’s first death, when they are surprised, after they take more than 50% casualties and whenever NPCs suffer unduly in combat. Both sides throw 2D and add their leader’s Social skill; DM-2 if the leader has been killed. If one side’s result is two times greater than the other side’s, the losing side of the Morale check will flee. Combatants get a free attack against fleeing opponents. PCs do not roll for Morale; NPCs in their service however, do.

Critical Hits Tables

When a creature suffers a critical hit, roll on the table corresponding with the weapon type. Slashing weapons are cutting weapons such as knives and swords. Crushing weapons are crushing weapons such as staves and mauls. Piercing weapons are point weapons such as spears and arrows.

Vehicle Combat

Vehicle combat is almost always a chase and is played out in turns. Each side throws 1D + Technical + Vehicle Agility; the vehicle with the higher throw has an Edge. The Pursuer wins on a tie. A vehicle with an Edge may attack normally (Combat 8+). A vehicle without an Edge can attack at DM-4. A chase lasts until one side is disabled or 5 turns pass without either being destroyed, at which point the Quarry escapes.

Upon a successful hit, throw the weapon's AV dice. If the throw is greater than the first armor number, throw on the Regular Damage table. If the throw is greater than the second armor number, throw on the Critical Damage table. For example, a Gatling Gun (AV 3D) attack on a Monster Truck (Armor 9/12) would roll 3D to determine damage. Any roll of 9 or less would result in no damage. A roll of 9-12 would result in a roll on the Regular Damage column of the Vehicle Damage Table. A roll of 13 or more would result in a roll on the Critical Damage column of the Vehicle Damage Table.

Penetration by Weapons

Vehicle Damage Table

Breach: the vehicle’s seal compromised. NBC protection fails; a small watercraft will sink within 1D rounds unless repaired.

Cargo: whole or part of the vehicle’s cargo is destroyed (Referee’s choice).

Crew: apply 2D damage to all crew and passengers.

Weapon: one weapon is destroyed or disabled (Referee’s choice).

Locomotion: the vehicle cannot move.

Electronics: the vehicle’s electronics are fried.

Power Plant: the vehicle cannot move or use energy-dependent systems.

Critical: roll on the Critical Damage column instead.

Knocked Out: the vehicle is rendered inoperable and is completely out of combat. The crew take no damage.

Destroyed: the vehicle is destroyed. Apply 5D damage to all crew and passengers unless they throw Physical 8+ to bail out in time.

Repairing Vehicles

Once combat is over, throw Technical 8+ to return a damaged or disabled system back to functionality. This consumes 1D units of mechanical or electronic parts (as relevant). The Referee may decide that certain repairs require a workshop or unique parts. Knocked Out vehicles can be salvaged or possibly towed for repair in a workshop. Destroyed vehicles are unsalvageable.

Spaceship Combat

Spaceships have Acceleration (in Gs), armor, and weapons (with penetration Damage dice).

Spaceships

Spaceship combat is a chase and is played in turns. Each side's pilot throws 1D+Space+Acceleration; the spaceship with the higher throw has Advantage. The Pursuer wins on ties. A spaceship with Advantage may attack normally (Combat 8+; one gunner per weapon). A spaceship without Advantage can attack at DM-4. Chase lasts until one side is disabled or 5 turns pass without either being destroyed.

Upon a successful hit, throw the weapon's penetration Damage dice. If the result is equal or greater than the target's Armor, the weapon hits and causes a number of Hits as noted. Weapons penetrate unarmored ships automatically. Missiles are limited in number (Referee's discretion); the defender, in lieu of an attack on the enemy, may attack a missile, destroying it on a successful hit. A hit component is disabled or destroyed (Referee's discretion). Knocked Out is out of combat; a Crew hit causes 4D damage to all crew and passengers. Destroyed ships usually take some time to explode dramatically, so crews often have time to race to the life-pods.

Spaceship Damage

Exploration

Overland Map and Movement

The typical wilderness adventure map uses a 10km (6 mile) hexagon grid. A character may travel 30km (3 hexes) a day on foot on open plains, or 15km (1.5 hexes) a day if carrying excess load or wearing heavy armor.

Terrain type will further slow the rate of travel as noted below. For the sake of simplicity, terrain modifiers do not stack; choose the most appropriate terrain type for the current region:

Terrain Movement Effects

A trail allows characters on foot or mounted (but not vehicles) to move at their full movement speed regardless of terrain. A road allows vehicles to travel at full speed.

Vehicle Travel

On a pristine road, most land vehicles can cross the typical 400km-sized, 10-km-per-hexagon hexagon-grid map within a few hours. However, such roads are rare, so, the basic travel speed is 100km a day, modified by terrain as per the above table. Water travel, including the effects of weather, is beyond the scope of these rules and is left to the Referee’s discretion.

Forced Marching

A character may double their overland travel range by making a forced march for one day. At the end of that day, they must throw Physical 4+ or be Fatigued. This is subject to a further DM-1 per further day of forced marching. Fatigued characters may not force-march.

Becoming Lost

A party following a trail, road, coast, or waterway will never get lost. In all other instances of travel, make a daily Knowledge throw with the target numbers given below to avoid getting lost. Remember that a result of 2 on the dice before modifiers is always a failure regardless of skill. Apply DM-1 for bad weather conditions and DM-2 to travel in darkness.

Getting Lost

Post-Apocalyptic Weather

Throw 1D per day of post-apocalyptic wilderness travel; on 1, unusual weather occurs per the following table. This weather event can occur at any time during the day or night. The Referee secretly makes a Survival 6+ throw using the highest skill among the party beforehand; if successful, the characters will know ahead of time that a storm is coming and may seek shelter in time. Shelter allows the party to avoid the unusual weather event’s effects.

Unusual Weather Table

Camping

When making camp, the Referee may allow the party to choose one skill throw for the party to create a defensible camp and avoid random encounters at the night. This is usually a Knowledge 6+ throw in wilderness locations. The Referee may allow a Technical 6+ throw in urban areas to represent building barricades, or even a Physical 6+ throw when it is possible to climb to a safe and otherwise inaccessible location.

Characters should keep watches at night. Only characters on watch will be alert and fully armored if trouble arises; the rest will be asleep in normal clothes. However, each character must sleep at least half a night to enjoy the benefit of rest (such as healing) and to avoid being Fatigued.

Post-Apocalyptic Urban Scavenging

In a ruined post-apocalyptic city, each day, a party may make up to 3 scavenging attempts. In each attempt, every party member actively searching the ruins throws Survival 6+. On success, roll for one relic as per the Relics chapter.

However, such scavenging is dangerous. On an unmodified throw of 4 or less (regardless of skill), a mishap occurs, per the following table.

Urban Scavenging Mishaps

Foraging

Characters low on food or water must forage to survive. Foraging characters move at 2/3 speed, which is cumulative with terrain effects and may not attempt any forced marches. The character with the highest Knowledge skill in the party throws Knowledge 5+ to find enough food and water for the party for that day. DM+1 per two additional foraging group members, to a maximum of DM+3; DM-1 per member of the group above 3, to a maximum DM-3. Going over 2 days without food causes Fatigue; going over one week without food leads to DM-2 to all actions; beyond 4 weeks without food, the character dies.

Contaminated Zones and Other Hazards

Characters traveling through contaminated zones must throw Survival 6+ per 10km of travel or gain a level of Contamination. Before entering a contaminated zone, however, the Referee should make one Survival throw using the highest Survival skill in the party; if successful, the party notices signs of contamination and can choose to avoid the area before risking Contamination.

Detecting other hazards like traps, unstable structures, or other environmental hazards like quicksand or a predator’s ambush, requires a successful Knowledge, Survival or Technical throw, at the Referee’s discretion.

Underground Movement

Often the Referee will use a square grid map to represent a ruin or dungeon the players are exploring. The scale is typically 3m (or 10ft) per square, but other scales are possible.

The time unit used while exploring underground ruins is a 10-minute Turn, which is equal to 100 combat rounds. While exploring, characters are moving slowly and carefully on alert for hazards and hidden features. Thus, an exploring character will usually explore at a rate of 300m (100 squares) per turn.

Because of the stress inherent to an underground environment, characters will have to rest for 1 turn after every 5 turns of exploration; otherwise, they will be Fatigued.

Light and Darkness

Subterranean ruins and moonless nights rarely contain ambient light. Characters must use their own light sources to be able to see anything. Torches are a staple. In dim light, characters suffer DM-1 to all actions requiring sight, including hitting targets in combat; in full darkness, this penalty increases to DM-2.

Contamination and Mutations

In systems and settings with Contamination, when characters gain Contamination levels, as noted in the Basic Rules chapter, refer to the following tables for their effect.

Contamination and Mutation

Mutations usually appear the next time the character awakens from rest, though sometimes the effect is immediate.

Genotype

Characters with 0 Contamination are Humans. When they gain one or more mutations, they become Near-Humans. Characters who gain a disfiguring mutation or has one or more Major mutations are Mutants.

Humans gain DM+2 to resist Contamination or other poisons and diseases and may fully utilize pre-apocalyptic medical technology.

Near-Humans do not enjoy any DM bonus to avoid Contamination, but still may fully utilize pre-apocalyptic medical technology.

Mutants suffer from penalties when using Ancient medical technology. When attempting to use pre-apocalyptic medical technology, throw 1D: on 1-3, the technology works as intended; on 4-5, its effect is halved; and on 6, it has no effect at all.

Monster Mutations

Monstrous animals and other beings adapted to the Wastes cope far better with Contamination than ordinary or near-humans. For such creatures, throw 2D and consult the following table.

Monster Mutations

If a creature rolls a mutation it already has, remove it instead.

Psionics

Certain mutations are Psionic and are marked with an asterisk on the Mutation Tables. Each time a character uses a Psionic power, they must throw Knowledge 6+. On success, they may use it again later that day. On failure, the power works but the character cannot use it until they rest for a whole night.

Resisting a Psionic power requires a Knowledge 8+ throw, unless noted otherwise.

Disfiguring Mutations

Mutations marked in Italics are disfiguring and make their bearer a Mutant.

Beneficial Mutations

Minor Beneficial Mutations

Medium Beneficial Mutations

Major Beneficial Mutations

Minor Detrimental Mutations

Medium Detrimental Mutations

Major Detrimental Mutations

Sorcery!

In systems with the Sorcery skill, use the following rules to adjudicate magic use.

Reading and Sensing Magic

Characters with the Sorcery skill may sense or read magical inscription or detect nearby magic on a Sorcery 8+ throw.

Learning New Spells

Any character may attempt to learn a spell from an eldritch tome. Studying a spell takes a week and requires a Sorcery throw equal to that required to cast the spell. The character may re-attempt this throw, which takes one week per attempt. A result of 2 before modifiers will destroy the specific spell formula (but not the entire tome); throwing an unmodified 12 is always successful regardless of difficulty. Unskilled characters may attempt to learn spells as above, albeit with DM-1 for being Unskilled.

Spellcasting

Any character, regardless of skill, may attempt to cast a spell they know. There is no "hard" limit to the number of spells a character may cast in a day. However, there are two main limiting factors to a sorcerer's spellcasting ambition: casting time and the risk of mishaps.

Each spell has a difficulty and a range, noted in parentheses after its name. For example, Respite (7+; range: touch) means that the sorcerer must throw Sorcery 7+ to successfully cast the Respite spell, and it requires touching the spell’s target.

Casting a spell takes one Turn (10 minutes). There are two ways to cast a spell within a single combat round (6 seconds): to prepare a Focus beforehand, or to cast Hastily (at DM-2).

A result of double-ones on 2d6 is a Critical Failure – it will fail regardless of skill. A throw missing the target number by 4 or more points is also a Critical Failure. A result of double sixes on 2d6 is always a success, regardless of skill or spell difficulty.

On a success, the spell is cast at the end of the turn (or round in the case of hasty casting). Thus, a spell’s effect will take place after all other actions in that combat round.

Foci

Foci allow a sorcerer to prepare a spell ahead of time, then cast it within one round. They are disposable. Making foci requires at least Sorcery-1 but no skill throw. It simply costs 20gp per focus in various components. A focus is specific for a given spell.

Three foci constitute one "item" for encumbrance purposes.

Critical Failures

A spell critically fails if the sorcerer throws a natural 2 on the spellcasting throw, or the sorcerer misses the target number by 4 or more. In such a case, the spell fails automatically, and the sorcerer has wasted the spellcasting time. Additionally, the sorcerer must make another Sorcery throw, with the same throw difficulty and DMs of casting the spell, to avoid a mishap.

On a mishap, throw on the Spellcasting Mishap table.

Spellcasting Mishaps

Spells

The following table presents 36 mighty spells and allows their random choice if needed or desired.

Spells

Monsters

Reactions

To randomly determine the attitude of any NPC or monster, throw 2D on the following table. These results are subject to Referee interpretation. An otherwise hostile gang of marauders who are “Friendly” might be willing to trade. The Referee is encouraged to use the Reaction roll to make each encounter unique. Note that reactions are not affected by the Social skill, but characters may throw Social 6+ after the Reaction roll to improve the creature’s Reaction by one level.

Reactions

Monster Format

A monster has Endurance/Lifeblood, Movement, Armor, an attack, skills, and special abilities.

For example: A Giant Gecko has the following stats: 7/15, Move 10m, Armor 2, Bite (melee 2D piercing). Combat 2, Physical 2. Wall-Walking.

This means that this horrible lizard has 7 Endurance, 15 Lifeblood, moves 10m/round, has 2 points of armor, has bite attack at DM+2 to-hit causing 2D piercing damage, and can walk on walls.

Note that, like any other character, a monster can move in lieu of attacking, allowing double movement that round.

Special Abilities

Disease: after taking damage from a diseased creature, the victim must throw Physical 6+ or develop symptoms the next round. A disease’s effect is at the Referee’s discretion but can range from DM-1 to all actions to losing 1D lifeblood per day. The victim may throw Physical 6+ each subsequent day to overcome the disease.

Fear: any mortal who beholds the monstrosity must throw Knowledge 6+ or flee (or cower) in fear for 1D rounds.

Incorporeal: immune to non-silver, non-magical weapons.

Paralysis: upon a successful attack, the victim must throw Physical 6+ or be paralyzed for the next 1D turns. No matter how many attacks the victim suffers from a paralyzing creature that round, they only need to throw Physical 6+ once per round.

Stun: throw Physical 6+ to avoid getting stunned. A stunned character may not move or act, but are not helpless, though hitting them is at DM+1.

Undead: immune to poison, disease, suffocation, and mind-affecting sorcery.

Evolution in Action

In post-apocalyptic settings, the Apocalypse accelerated evolution and any creatures the PCs encounter will rarely be the same the next time they appear. The next time a party encounters a specific group of monsters, the Referee may roll for a new mutation (as given in the Contamination and Mutations chapter), and add it to the monsters, or replace an existing mutation with a new one.

Humanoids and Post-Apocalyptic Relics

Some post-apocalyptic Humanoids will always carry certain trinkets or relics. Furthermore, for every Humanoid encounter, the Referee should throw 1D: on 6, the Humanoids carry one or more additional relics. The Referee may increase this chance for particularly advanced Humanoids. Sentient beings will utilize such gear if they understand how it works, at the Referee’s discretion.

Sword & Sorcery Monsters

Allip: The restless soul of a person who committed suicide due to grief or injustice. 12/30, flies 10m/round, Armor 0, special attack, Combat 2, Stealth 2. Incorporeal, paralysis, undead. Victim must throw Knowledge 6+ or become insane for 1D Turns (Referee’s discretion).

Ant, Giant: A giant insect typically found in large colonies. 10/20, Move 10m/round, Armor 5, Mandibles (melee 2D piercing damage), Physical 1, Combat 1.

Ape, Flying: A winged ape capable of flight. 14/30, flies 20m/round, Armor 3, Fists and Teeth (melee, 2D damage each; fists are crushing while teeth are piercing), Physical 1, Combat 1, Stealth 1.

Ape, White: A massive carnivorous ape with white fur and enormous fangs. 20/30, Move 10m/round, Armor 4, Fists and Teeth (melee 3D each; fists are crushing while teeth are piercing), Physical-3, Combat-3.

Basilisk: A horrid lizard-like abomination with a gaze capable of turning flesh to stone. 14/20, Move 5m/round, Armor 3, Claws and Teeth (melee, 2D damage each; claws are slashing, teeth are piercing), Physical 1, Combat 2. Gaze turns creatures to stone unless they throw Physical 8+.

Bat, Giant: A giant, carnivorous variant of the common bat. 12/22, flies 30m/round, Armor 1, Teeth (melee 2D damage, piercing), Combat 1, Stealth 1.

Bear: These stats represent brown bears; black bears usually have less Lifeblood while polar bears and Kodiak brown bears cause 3D damage. 16/32, Move 10m/round, Armor 2, Claws and Teeth (melee, 2D damage each; claws are slashing, teeth are piercing), Physical 2, Combat 2.

Black Ooze: An abominable semi-sentient pool of black acid. 10/13, Move 5m/round, Armor 0, Special attack, Combat 0, Stealth 0. Immune to magic, cold, and lightning. Not immune to fire. Acid – any creature coming into contact with the Black Ooze suffers 2D damage. Corrodes metal in 1D rounds.

Cacodemon: The spawn of hell! 11/22, flies 20m/round, Armor 5, Claws and Maw (melee 2D and 3D, respectively; claws are slashing, maw is piercing), Physical 1, Combat 3, Stealth 1, Sorcery 1. Immune to poison and disease; knows 1D spells. The demon may possess a target: the target must throw Knowledge 8+ or be possessed and controlled by the demon. The target may attempt another Knowledge 8+ throw once a week to cast off the possession; exorcism (per the spell) forces the cacodemon to leave the victim's body. A demon may only possess one victim at a time.

Cat, Great: A great cat, such as a lion or tiger. 14/28, Move 20m/round, Armor 1, Claws and Teeth (melee 2D and 3D, respectively; claws are slashing, teeth are piercing), Physical 1, Combat 3, Stealth 2.

Centipede, Giant: A giant variant of a large and venomous centipede. 6/16, Move 10m/round, Armor 3, Mandibles (melee 1D damage, piercing), Physical 0, Combat 0. Target must throw Physical 6+ to avoid Paralysis from the Centipedes’ venom.

Cockroach, Giant: The horror of the sewers! 3/11, Move 10m/round, fly 30m/round, Armor 1, Mandibles (melee 1D damage, piercing), Physical 0, Combat 0. Immune to disease and poison.

Crocodile: The mighty reptile king of the river. 16/20, Move 10m/round, Armor 3, Teeth (melee 3D damage, piercing), Physical 2, Combat 3.

Dinosaur, Ankylosaurus: An armored prehistoric reptile with a massive, spiked tail. 30/60, Move 10m/round, Armor 7, Trample and Tail (melee 3D and 4D, respectively; both crushing), Physical 3, Combat 1.

Dinosaur, Deinonychus: A prehistoric reptilian pack predator, often confused with the far smaller velociraptor. 9/20, Move 30m/round, Armor 1, Claws and Teeth (melee, 2D damage each; claws are slashing, teeth are piercing). Physical 1, Combat 1.

Dinosaur, Edmontosaurus: A medium-sized prehistoric reptile sometimes ridden by barbarians. 20/40, Move 30m/round, Armor 2, Trample (melee 2D damage, crushing). Physical 1. Ridable if tamed.

Dinosaur, Triceratops: A horned prehistoric reptile. 20/40, Move 10m/round, Armor 5, Trample and Horns (melee 3D and 4D damage, respectively; trample is crushing, horns are piercing). Physical 2, Combat 1.

Dinosaur, Tyrannosaurus Rex: The king of prehistoric reptiles! 20/45, Move 20m/round, Armor 4, Bite (melee 5D damage, piercing). Physical 2, Combat 3.

Dog, Hunting: A faithful bloodhound. 3/10, Move 30m/round, Armor 0, Bite (melee 1D damage, piercing). Stealth 3, Combat 1, Physical 1.

Dog, War: A mastiff bred for war. 11/17, Move 20m/round, Armor 1, Bite (melee 2D damage, piercing). Physical 1, Combat 2.

Dragon: The mighty reptilian king of the skies! 30/60, fly 30m/round, Armor 8, Bite and Claws (melee, 5D and 3D damage, respectively, claws are slashing, teeth are piercing). Physical 4, Combat 5, Sorcery 4. Knows 2D spells. Can breathe fire for 5D damage in a 10m-long, 5m-wide cone; victims may throw Physical 8+ to suffer half damage.

Elemental, Air: A personification of the Element of Air. 20/40, Fly 30m/round, Armor 0, Special attack. Immune to non-magical weapons. The air elemental may generate a whirlwind, causing 2D fire damage to any creature within 2m range.

Elemental, Earth: A personification of the Element of Earth. 20/40, Move 5m/round, Armor 5, Crush (melee 4D damage). Immune to non-magical weapons.

Elemental, Fire: A personification of the Element of Fire. 20/40, Fly 10m/round, Armor 0, Special attack. Immune to non-magical weapons. The fire elemental may generate a firestorm, causing 2D fire damage to any creature within 2m range.

Elemental, Water: A personification of the Element of Water. 20/40, Swim 20m/round, Armor 0, Water Jet (melee 3D damage). Immune to non-magical weapons. The water elemental can try to draw its victims underwater and drown them, causing 1D damage per round; throw Physical 8+ per round to break free.

Elephant: A mighty beast of the forest and the savannah. 30/60, Move 10m/round, Armor 3, Trample and Tusks (melee 5D and 2D damage, respectively, trample is crushing while the tusks are piercing). Physical 3, Combat 1. Ridable if tamed.

Fish, Carnivorous: Small but toothy, and often comes with many peers. 1/3, Swim 10m/round, Armor 0, Bite (melee 1 damage, piercing). Physical 0, Combat 0. Often comes in large groups.

Ghost: A restless spirit lingering in the world of the living. 15/30, flies 10m/round, Armor 0, special attack, Combat 0, Stealth 5. Incorporeal, Undead. The ghost may possess a target: the target must throw Knowledge 8+ or be possessed and controlled by the ghost. The target may attempt another Knowledge 8+ throw once a week to cast off the possession; exorcism (per the spell) forces the ghost to leave the victim's body. A ghost may only possess one victim at a time.

Ghoul: A ravenous undead monster with an appetite for human flesh. 11/22, Move 10m/round, Armor 1, Claws and Bite (melee 1D and 2D damage, respectively, claws are slashing, bite is piercing) and Paralysis. Physical 1, Combat 2, Stealth 1. Undead, Paralysis.

Green Slime: An amorphous monster resembling a pool of green goo. 10/16, Move 1.5m/round, Armor 0, Special attack. Physical 1. Drops from ceiling or other heights on victim; the victim must throw Physical 8+ or be engulfed with slime, destroying the victim and their possessions within 2D rounds. Cure Disease spell removes the Slime immediately. Burning the slime frees the victim but causes them 2D damage.

Grey Ooze: An amorphous monster resembling a semi-sentient grey liquid. 10/17, Move 1.5m/round, Armor 0, Pseudopod (melee 2D damage). Physical 1, Combat 1, Stealth 3. Any creature struck by a Grey Ooze must throw Physical 8+ or their armor or weapons will be destroyed. Any non-magical weapon hitting the Grey Ooze dissolves after the hit, magical weapons also dissolve unless their user successfully throws Physical 6+.

Horse: A mighty steed! 16/24, Move 40m/round, Armor 1, Trample (melee 3D damage, crushing). Physical 3, Combat 0. Ridable.

Hydra: The many-headed horror of myth. 40/60 (but see below for actual damage), Move 10m/round, Armor 7, 6x Bite (melee 3D damage each, piercing). Physical 1, Combat 2. The hydra attacks once per head per round. Every time a hydra suffers a full 6 points of damage, it loses a head, and thus an attack. A hydra dies when it loses all six heads.

Invisible Stalker: An invisible daemon summoned to track and assassinate victims chosen by its summoner. 10/22, Fly 10m/round, Armor 5, Tentacle (melee 4D damage, crushing). Physical 3, Combat 2, Stealth 2. Automatically surprises opponents who cannot see invisible creatures; may be Exorcised (per the Exorcism spell).

Lich: An undead sorcerer retaining sentience and magic from beyond the grave. 12/30, Move 10m/round, Armor 3, Claws (melee 3D damage, slashing, or by weapon). Physical 1, Combat 2, Stealth 2, Sorcery 5. Undead, may only be harmed by magical weapons. Knows 3D spells.

Lizardfolk, Savage: Uncivilized lizard-like humanoids. 9/20, Move or swim 10m/round, Armor 2 or by worn armor, Claws (melee 2D damage) or by weapon. Physical 1, Stealth 1, Combat 1. May hold breath for 10 minutes. DM+1 to Stealth in swamps.

Lizard, Giant: A lizard the size of a horse! 16/34, Move 20m/round, Armor 3, Bite and Claws (melee 3D and 2D damage, respectively, claws are slashing, bite is piercing). Physical 3, Combat 2. Ridable if tamed.

Mammoth: A furry prehistoric elephant. 35/70, Move 10m/round, Armor 3, Trample and Tusks (melee 5D and 2D damage, respectively, trample is crushing, tusks are piercing). Physical 3, Combat 1. Ridable if tamed.

Mummy: Embalmed restless dead haunting pyramids and tombs. 15/30, Move 10m/round, Armor 4, Claws (melee 2D damage, slashing) or by weapons. Physical 1, Combat 3, Stealth 1. Undead. Immune to non-magical weapons other than fire. Takes double damage from fire-based attacks. Disease (victim cannot heal) unless the victim throws Physical 8+.

Octopus, Giant: A gigantic cephalopod! 30/60, Swim 20m/round, Armor 0, Beak (melee 3D damage, piercing). Physical 3, Combat 3.

Pteranodon: A prehistoric flying reptile. 11/21, Fly 30m/round, Armor 0, Bite (melee 2D damage, piercing). Physical 2, Combat 1. Ridable if tamed.

Rat, Giant: A rat the size of a dog. 5/10, Move 20m/round, Armor 1, Bite (melee 1D damage, piercing). Physical 0, Stealth 1, Combat 0.

Roc: A mythical giant bird. 20/40, Fly 30m/round, Armor 2, Bite and Claws (melee 3D and 4D damage, respectively, claws are slashing, bite is piercing). Physical 3, Combat 3. On a successful attack, the roc automatically grapples its victim, and may take them up into the air.

Shadow: An undead shadow detached from its body. 7/15, Move 10m/round, Armor 0, Life Drain (melee 2D damage, magical). Stealth 3, Combat 1, Physical 1. Incorporeal, Undead. On a successful attack, the shadow heals itself half the damage it dealt to its victim.

Shark, Great White: A huge, murderous shark. 18/40. Swim 20m/round, Armor 0, Bite (melee 4D damage, piercing). Physical 1, Combat 2.

Skeleton: Skeletal remains animated by foul magic. 7/10, Move 10m/round, Armor 1 or by worn armor, Claws (melee 1D damage, slashing) or by weapon. Physical 0, Combat 0. Undead, takes half damage from non-crushing weapons.

Snake, Giant Constrictor: A giant non-venomous snake capable of smothering a human. 15/30, Move 10m/round, Armor 2, Bite or Constriction (melee 2D damage each, bite is piercing, constriction is crushing). Physical 1, Combat 1, Stealth 1.

Snake, Venomous: An ordinary venomous snake. 2/3, Move 10m/round, Armor 0, Bite (melee 1 damage, piercing) with venom. Stealth 2, Combat 0, Physical 0. Victim bitten by a venomous snake must throw Physical 6+ or die from the venom within 3D hours.

Spider, Giant: A gigantic arachnid the size of a large dog. 5/10, Move 10m/round, Armor 1, Bite (melee 1D damage, piercing) with venom. Stealth 2, Combat 1, Physical 1. Victim bitten by a giant spider must throw Physical 6+ or die from the venom within 3D hours.

Toad, Giant: A giant amphibian, almost as large as a pony. 10/22, Leap 10m/round, Armor 2, Bite (melee 2D damage, piercing). Stealth 1, Combat 1, Physical 1. If the toad surpasses its attack throw target number by 4 or more, it swallows its victim, causing 2D damage per round until the victim dies or the toad is slain.

Wolf: A lupine predator. 10/14, Move 20m/round, Armor 1, Bite (melee 1D damage, piercing). Physical 1, Combat 1.

Wolf, Dire: A large prehistoric wolf. 12/24, Move 20m/round, Armor 2, Bite (melee 2D damage, piercing). Physical 1, Combat 2.

Wraith: A vengeful spirit. 10/20, Fly 10m/round, Armor 0, Special attack. Physical 0, Combat 2, Stealth 3, Sorcery 1. Incorporeal, Undead. Knows 1D spells. Causes its victim to age by 4 years per attack unless the victim successfully throws Physical 6+.

Zombie: A corpse animated by dark magic. 7/14, Move 5m/round, Armor 0, Claws (melee 2D damage, slashing). Physical 1, Combat 1. Undead.

Common Sword & Sorcery NPCs

Bandit / Foot soldier: A common warrior. 6/16, move 10m/round, Armor 2, Shield, Spear (2D, piercing), Sword (3D, slashing) or Bow (3D, piercing), Combat 1, Stealth 1, Social 1.

Sergeant / Mercenary: An experienced warrior. 10/16, move 10m/round, Armor 4, Shield, Sword (3D, slashing), Dagger (2D, piercing), Combat 2, Physical 1, Social 1, Stealth 1, Knowledge 0.

Knight: A mounted knight of the realm. 10/20, move 10m/round, Armor 8, Shield, Sword (3D, slashing), Combat 3, Physical 1, Social 1, Knowledge 1, rides on a Horse.

Thief: A dastardly ruffian. 6/14, move 10m/round, Armor 0, Dagger (2D, piercing), Crossbow (3D, piercing), Technical 2, Physical 1, Stealth 2, Combat 1, Social 0.

Peasant: A commoner. 6/12, move 10m/round, Armor 0, Pitchfork (2D, piercing), Knowledge 1, Technical 1, Combat 0.

Sorcerer: A master of magic. 6/12, move 10m/round, Armor 0, Dagger (2D, piercing), Sorcery 3, Knowledge 2, Social 2, Combat 0.

Pathfinder: An explorer or woodsman. 10/16, move 10m/round, Armor 2, Bow (2D, piercing), Axe (2D, slashing), Stealth 2, Knowledge 2, Combat 1, Physical 1, Technical 0.

Berserker: A barbarian warrior capable of entering a rage on the battlefield. 10/20, move 10m/round, Armor 4, Battle-axe (3D, slashing), Dagger (2D, piercing), Combat 3, Physical 2, Knowledge 1.

Merchant: A trader. 6/12, move 10m/round, Armor 0, Dagger (2D), Social 3, Knowledge 2, Technical 1, Combat 0.

Noble: An aristocrat. 6/14, move 10m/round, Armor 2, Sword (3D), Dagger (2D), Social 3, Combat 3, Knowledge 2, Sorcery 0, rides on a Horse.

Random Post-Apocalyptic Encounters and Monsters

Roll 1d6 to see if there is an encounter, and then roll 1d6 on the encounter table. The number of dice in parentheses next to a given monster’s name is the number of creatures encountered.

City or Urban (2-in-6 chance of encounter)

Plains or Grasslands (1-in-6 chance of encounter)

Hills or Mountains (2-in-6 chance of encounter)

Desert or Badlands (2-in-6 chance of encounter)

Swamp or Aquatic (3-in-6 chance of encounter)

Forest or Jungle (2-in-6 chance of encounter)

Random Humanoid Encounters

City or Urban

Plains or Grasslands

Hills or Mountains

Desert or Badlands

Swamp or Aquatic

Forest or Jungle

Robots

Robot Encounters

Use the following table to determine what specific kind of automaton has been encountered.

Robots lack Endurance and Lifeblood and are never wounded. Instead, they have Hits, which function as a single pool that soaks weapon damage. When the robot’s Hits are depleted, the robot is destroyed. Robots are immune to mind-affecting attacks but suffer an additional 1D damage from ion or electrical weapons; EMP weapons stun them. Robots with Asimov inhibitors will never attack humans or near-humans, and will retreat if attacked; however, they will attack animals and mutants. Robots whose Asimov inhibitors are missing, or malfunctioning may attack any target.

Robot Encounters

Robot Reactions

When the PCs encounter a robot, the Referee should roll on the following table to determine the robot’s behavior:

Robot Behavior

Overriding and Reprogramming Robots

A character with enough authority or with technical knowledge of robotic control codes may override a robot.

Pre-Collapse ID cards (see the Post-Apocalyptic Relics chapter) permit the overriding of robots. A character possessing a Citizenship Card may override a Household Droid. A Technician’s Access Card allows PCs to override Industrial Bots and Agribots. A Security Card permits those who possess one to override Security Droids and Police Robots. The ultra-rare Military Access Card will override Warbots. Military Access Cards are never found randomly, and the Referee should place one (if any) at their own discretion.

A character may attempt to use their Technical skill to recall pre-Collapse access codes and thus override robots. Warning: Security Droids, Police Robots, and Warbots will detect a failed override attempt and immediately attack the would-be hacker, even if they were not aggressive before.

Overrides last for 1 turn (10 minutes). To permanently gain control of a robot, the character must reprogram it. This requires the programmer to first override the robot as above. Then the programmer must command the robot to fully shut down; civilian robots will automatically shut down upon command, but security, police, and military bots require a Technical 6+ throw to shut down due to fail safes; a failed Technical skill throw results in the bot attacking the character. A Military Access Card permits the programmer to shut down any robot without a second throw. Once the robot is offline, the programmer must throw Technical 8+ to reprogram the robot. Failure indicates that they cannot change the robot’s programming; success means that the robot is now under the programmer’s permanent control. A “natural” throw of 2 results in the robot immediately booting up and going Berserk.

Repairing Robots

Repairing robots costs one unit of mechanical parts and one unit of electronic parts per 10 restored hits, rounding down. For example, repairing 26 Hits will cost 2 mechanical parts and 2 electronic parts. The repair job also requires a Technical 6+ throw. The character may retry a failed repair throw, but each failed attempt consumes half the number of parts required for the repairs.

Sword & Sorcery Treasure

Identifying Magical Items

Identifying a magical item requires a week of research, 100gp in reagents, and a Sorcery 6+ throw. The sorcerer can repeat failures, but each attempt takes a week and costs 100gp. Simple sorcerous magical detection will ascertain that the item is magical, but only deep experimentation will reveal its secrets.

Generating Treasures

There are three types of treasures: Small, Large, and Hoard. Bandits and lesser sentient monsters often gather a Small treasure. Powerful monsters usually gather a Large treasure. Only the most powerful monsters, as well as kings, own hoards.

When generating a treasure, note that the magic item column usually gives a throw on 2D necessary for magic items to be present in the treasure. In the Quantum Engine, all treasures have at least 1000gp.

Treasures

Magical Item Categories

Potions

Weapons

Armor

When generating enchanted armor, first roll on the following table to determine its type, and then roll on the Enchanted Armor table.

Enchanted armor always counts as half its Encumbrance, rounded down.

Armor Types

Enchanted Armors

Miscellaneous Magical Items

The following magical items do not fit any of the above categories.

Post-Apocalyptic Relics

Trinkets

In addition to the useful relics this chapter presents, the Referee should add minor trinkets (worth 1 TU each) to most finds in ruins and to the typical mutant’s hoard. These have no game-rules effect but may be traded or hoarded as desired by the players and their characters.

Mechanical and Electronic Parts

Mechanical and electronic parts are used for building and repairing mechanical and electronic devices. Each unit of parts is worth 1 TU. Each time the characters find Mechanical or Electronic Parts, the number found depends on the location plundered: 1D in ruined towns, 2D in abandoned cities, and 3D in dead metropolises.

Identifying Relics

Characters will always correctly identify consumables and relics worth up to 25 TU in value. To correctly identify rarer relics, throw Knowledge 6+ using the highest Knowledge skill in the party.

Broken Relics

Consumable relics are found in working order and represent whatever can be salvaged. Other relics have a 50 per cent chance of being in working order. Roll 1D, with 1-3 indicating that the relic is broken. Repairing a relic requires a Technical 6+ throw and 10% of the relic’s own base cost in spare parts. If the PC fails this throw, they waste the spare parts. However, the character may make another repair attempt with similar risks. Each relic repair attempt takes one day. PCs may repair relic vehicles and robots according to the vehicle repair rules in the Combat chapter, which also apply to robots. An unmodified throw result of 2 on the Technical skill throw permanently destroys the relic.

Trading in Relics

All bartertowns, trading posts, and open-air markets trade in mechanical and electronic spare parts, food, and water, at their nominal value: 1 TU per unit. These locations will usually have a good stock of common items available, though the Referee may restrict the number of mechanical or electronic spare parts in certain scenarios. The typical bartertown will also typically have a good selection of ammo, power cells, and fuel. There will usually be 1D gizmos, 2D medicines, 1D weapons, and 1D suits of armor available for purchase, with a maximum base value of 250TU. If the Referee is randomly generating a merchant’s wares, reroll relics worth more than 250TU.

Traders will buy identified relics in working order for ½ of their base value, rounded down. They will buy unidentified relics for ¼ their base value, rounded down. They will buy a broken, but identified and repairable relic at ¼ of their base value. This is cumulative with the discount for unidentified relics, so traders will buy a broken unidentified relic for 1/16^th of its base value.

Bartertown tinkers will repair a broken relic for ½ of its base value rounded down. They can identify common relics worth up to 250TU at the cost of ¼ of their base value.

Merchants will sell relics for twice their base price.

Relic Vehicles and Dormant Robots

Relic vehicles and reprogrammable dormant robots are rare. Characters should find them at the Referee’s discretion, rather than as the result of random table rolls.

Relic Tables

Upon a successful Scavenging throw (see the Exploration chapter), roll on the following tables to determine what was found.

General Relic Type

Consumables

Common Gizmos

*Requires a power cell or fuel to operate.

Rare Gizmos

*Requires a power cell or fuel to operate.

Medicines

*Requires a ready syringe. A “broken” result means that you only find the vial.

Armor

Weapons

Weapons come with a full magazine/power cell; roll 1D: on a 1-2, they come with 1D additional magazines/power cells.