Ghost in the Shell rules
Section 9 trainee agents. Introduction through Running the Game. Famous NPCs and Lost Patriot are skipped. Press / to search.
When consciousness can be programmed
When consciousness can be programmed, when memory can be edited, when people can be hacked and controlled, how do you define humanity? When the lines between human and machine blur, when the body is detached from the self, what binds you to reality?
In the near future, the world is covered by a vast, dense network of digital information. Cybernetic bodies, neural implants, and AI-powered machines have become normal parts of life. Yet among the blindingly bright networks of this corporate-dominated society, even as humanity dances on the event horizon of technological singularity, people continue to live, change, and die. They still form groups, factions, and nations. They still love and hate, create and destroy, succeed and fail, navigating the human condition as best they can.
Welcome, trainee
Welcome to The Ghost in the Shell Tabletop Roleplaying Game. You and your friends play trainee agents for Public Security Section 9.
First you create your characters — a lethal soldier-type, a clever investigator, a super-specialized hacker, a streetwise ex-gangster… the limit is your imagination.
Then the narrator (Game Master) tells the story of a dangerous first mission. You ask questions, explore Newport City, solve difficult cases, engage in vicious firefights, and — if you are lucky — interact with the famous Section 9 agents from the manga.
This book assumes you already know what a GM, a PC, and an NPC are, and that you know the world of The Ghost in the Shell. It does not stop to define those terms.
Newport City
By 2030, the corporate conglomerate state known as Japan has emerged as a powerful political entity, following several crucial technological advances it produced during and after the third and fourth world wars. As a result, the Japanese metropolis of Newport City has become a focal point of politics, technology, and corporate interest.
In an attempt to comprehend and control this increasingly complex landscape, the government has created several secret organizations to act outside the usual bureaucracy. Hidden somewhere in Newport City is the headquarters of one such organization.
Public Security Section 9
Formed in 2029, Public Security Section 9 is officially an international hostage rescue unit which developed out of Japan’s Ministry of Interior. Its existence — and that of the other Public Security Sections — is a state secret. Members operate almost entirely outside of the public eye. Even the hostage-rescue designation obscures the true purpose: identify sources of criminal activity and eliminate them, as an anti-terrorism unit with unmatched flexibility, reporting only to the Prime Minister.
Supporters see a necessary tool to cut through corporate and governmental bureaucracy and combat corruption in power. Others see a highly funded “kill team” that operates without oversight — an unregulated weapon for state-sanctioned violence.
Section 9 is not structured like a typical military organization. It has no set ranks; skill and merit determine the hierarchy. A core group of highly experienced agents undertake the bulk of the work, with a small number of new recruits hand-picked for performance and personality. Most members come from a military or police background, and most have their share of issues with how the bulk of government operations are run.
New recruits spend much of their time training. Before long they are likely to meet the senior members of the unit. Famous agents (the Major, Chief Aramaki, Batou, Togusa, and the rest) live in Dramatis Personae — not harvested here.
Trainees
Section 9 has a pool of trainee agents with a variety of backgrounds, ranging from the police and the military to the criminal underground, each recruited because they excel in a particular field or have exceptional skills.
These individuals, often disenchanted with their current service, are secretly contacted and offered the chance to join Section 9 for a different career — one with fewer restrictions, where they can make more of a difference to society. If they accept, they join the trainees who undergo rigorous additional instruction under Batou at headquarters. Once Batou judges them ready, they are sent on relatively low-danger missions to gain experience, occasionally alongside more experienced agents.
This is you, the Player Characters. So listen well, rookie.
Character creation
So you are going to be a Section 9 trainee? The first thing you need to do is fill your character sheet. Photocopy the sheet in the book (p.142) or download it from the publisher.
Agent name is often the hardest field and is best left for last.
10 steps
Most Section 9 agents are Japanese, so a Japanese name fits. Foreigners can be recruited, but you need a good back-story for how Section 9 found you — immigrant, ex-double agent asking for asylum after a blown cover, and so on.
So the GM can tell which sheet belongs to which player.
Awareness, Presence, Muscle, Reflexes, Hacking, and Barrier define the basics (see Traits). Write D6 in all of them. Optionally decrease one Trait to D4 and raise another to D8. Remove the D from Barrier, leaving just a number (D6 becomes 6).
This defines the deeper parts of your Ghost. (Skip it the first time you play if you want — it is the more sophisticated rule.) Pick two conflicting Aspects. Cross out the D4 in the gauge for both, and draw a single line through the D6 for the dominant one.
Before each mission you spend requisition points from Section 9’s armory. At creation you may immediately spend 12 requisition points on the lists in Weapons & Gadgets. You will usually get to change gear before the next mission.
Pick one cyber-enhancement (not a full cyborg body). If you prefer to start completely unaugmented — aside from the cyberbrain everyone has — skip this and take another 3 points to spend on Skills. See Cybernetics.
A mix of training and assets from a former career. Spend 12 points to purchase and upgrade Skills (see Skills).
Things your character is most definitely not good at. You must pick one from the Skills chapter list. You may pick a second Setback to gain an additional 2 points to spend on Skills.
Skip this at creation — you start at full health. Note that you only have 2 points of damage on your head location, and a bullet from the lousiest handgun causes D6 points of damage.
Everybody starts with the same number. The book recommends 4; the GM can vary it.
The sheet & hit locations
The sheet tracks Ghost / Shell / Cyberbrain Traits, Synthesis Aspects vs a D4–D12 gauge, Ghost-Whispers, Skills, Setbacks, cybernetics, weapons & equipment, and hit points by location.
Hit locations (d20): 1–3 left leg, 4–6 right leg, 7–8 left arm, 9–10 right arm, 11–18 torso, 19–20 head/neck.
Traits
Characters are defined by six Traits, divided into three categories — Ghost, Shell, and Cyberbrain. These six Traits are graded by the type of dice rolled for Tests and Challenges involving that Trait, ranging from a minimum of D4 to a maximum of D20. New PCs start at D6 in most Traits, the level of a well-trained agent.
Awareness (Ghost)
Intellectual acuity, and the ability to notice details around you. Very useful for investigating crime scenes, solving riddles, and perceiving threats and other hidden details.
Presence (Ghost)
Personal aura — charisma, magnetism, or leadership. The ability to persuade, influence, or inspire others… or scare them witless during an interrogation.
Muscle (Shell)
How strong and tough you are. Physical strength and mass: how hard you can punch, how accurately (and far) you can throw, how much you can lift, plus grit, taking a punch, and resistance to toxic substances.
Reflexes (Shell)
How quickly you react to threats, how fast you run, and how nimble and dexterous you are when finesse is required rather than brute strength — such as aiming a gun. This Trait is also used when attempting to dodge attacks.
Hacking (Cyberbrain)
How powerful and advanced your cyberbrain’s attack software is. A very successful hacking attack could temporarily confuse an opponent, or even take control of their body. Also used for lethal and highly immoral “ghost-burning” attacks.
Barrier (Cyberbrain)
Your cyberbrain’s firewall software and other defenses against hacking. The most sophisticated of these programs are attack barriers that can turn an opponent’s hacking attack against them. Unlike the other Traits, this is not a die, but a fixed number — the Difficulty used for any Hacking Tests against the character.
Typical Trait values
| Die | Typical of |
|---|---|
| D4 | Untrained human, civilian |
| D6 | Trained / experienced human |
| D8 | Hero-level human or basic / cheap cyber-part |
| D10 | High-quality cyber-part |
| D12 | Partial cyborg, basic AI robot |
| D20 | Full cyborg, good quality AI robot |
Upgrade / Downgrade order: D4 → D6 → D8 → D10 → D12 → D20.
Ghost-Whispers
In The Ghost in the Shell, Major Kusanagi occasionally mentions that, at critical moments or when faced with a difficult decision, she listens to her inner voice — “her ghost’s whispers.”
- Is this just a metaphor for intuition or gut feelings?
- Are Ghost-Whispers echoes of other experiences or beings across the vastness of the net that every cyberbrain-user is constantly connected to?
- Are they metaphysical messages from higher entities, in a more spiritual sense?
- Or perhaps an agent of the Imperial Household Psychic Agency or the Channeling Agency is invisibly monitoring the action and sending a thought or feeling to influence events?
The book leaves the answer to you. What is certain is that learning to listen to one’s Ghost-Whispers makes all the difference between a veteran and a rookie, between failure or success in a mission, perhaps between life and death.
Each character has a pool of Ghost-Whispers points. These are a very rare and powerful currency that can be accrued and spent during the mission to give you the edge in the most decisive moments. Don’t waste them.
Starting pool. You normally start with 4 GW points. A generous GM can allow all players to start with a higher number.
Published missions sometimes list GW as rewards for a particular task — resolving a puzzle, defeating a particularly powerful enemy, and so on.
The GM can also award GW for something extraordinary in their unquestionable opinion: a great feat of roleplaying, describing an action in rich and exciting detail, something spectacularly apt and in theme with Skills, Setbacks, or the Synthesis Conflict — something that makes the table go “wow, that is so cool.”
In general, additional GW points are assigned if you contribute to making everyone’s gaming experience more enjoyable. If a Critical Failure has been really spectacular and the character might have learned an important lesson, the GM might reward 1 Ghost-Whisper.
Spending Ghost-Whispers
GW points can be used by the players at any point during the mission to “alter reality.” If something goes badly, you can spend a number of GW points — a single player, or several players adding their points together as long as they freely agree. The GM decides how many points are necessary. Common uses:
Your own roll or an opponent’s roll that affects you: an attack, a hit location, a Test or Challenge, and so on. See the cost table.
Forgot to search a body last session and you don’t have that key-card? The GM can be persuaded to pretend you did, at their discretion. Cost depends on how long ago it was and how important the card is. Said the wrong thing and mortally offended someone? A rather large GW “bribe” might let you start the scene afresh. A cell bar might be defective. The crook might turn into the dead-end alley. You can be this creative, as long as the table can afford the GM’s price.
| GW | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Re-roll all dice rolled, OR upgrade a die before rolling. |
| 2 | Re-roll all dice and upgrade a die before re-rolling. |
| 3 | Change the roll of a die to the minimum score needed for a success. |
| 4 | Change the roll of a die to its maximum score, thus allowing you to roll a new die as normal for exploding dice. |
Synthesis Conflict
Life in Newport City constantly challenges the limits of perception, muddying identity and morality. It is a world of opposing forces: human vs. machine, new vs. old, rich vs. poor, individual vs. collective. Everyone must determine what their role in it will be.
Each PC has a Synthesis Conflict: an ongoing inner conflict that helps define beliefs, priorities, and morality. It can drive a character forward, or challenge them as beliefs are tested. In the end either the two halves are resolved and united in a “synthesis,” or one outgrows and overshadows the other entirely.
How much this system influences the character and the narrative is down to the table. In any case it is a quick way to define motivations and morality. Chargen notes you may skip it the first time you play.
A Synthesis Conflict is two Aspects — parts of the character’s life, personality, or belief system — that are in conflict, presenting difficult choices throughout the story. Pick from the example list or invent your own (a single word or a very short phrase). They should have obvious conflict or contradiction, and should not be too specific or they will be hard to bring into play.
Decide which Aspect is currently more influential. That one starts at D6; the other starts at the base D4. See the Synthesis Gauge.
Aspect examples
| Aspect | vs |
|---|---|
| Individuality | Enlightenment |
| Duty | Family |
| Hope | Cynicism |
| The Team | The Mission |
| Sacrifice | Survival |
| Justice | Order |
| Freedom | Power |
| Ambition | Compassion |
| Humanity | Technology |
| Tradition | Progress |
| Confront the Past | Bury the Past |
| Revenge | Resolution |
| Belonging | Solitude |
| Detachment | Compassion |
Togusa was head-hunted from the police. Less experience and fewer cyber-prosthetics drive him to prove his worth, plus a strong sense of justice. Against that sits a young family: life-threatening work risks leaving his wife without a husband and his infant daughter without a father. He must find a balance, or risk losing one forever.
The Major struggles to hold onto individual identity. The boundaries between mind, self, and body get muddled. She is driven to preserve what constitutes her humanity — and at times feels trapped in her form, leaning into the wider cyber-network. In the manga this conflict is resolved by merging with the Puppet Master: identity changes, she transcends, and she does not lose her sense of self.
The Synthesis Gauge
As you play, the balance of the Synthesis Conflict shifts. The gauge has two sides, one for each Aspect, each with five levels from lowest (D4) to highest (D12). The dice values are the bonus you receive when Invoking that Aspect.
Levels fill permanently (crossed out) or temporarily (a single tick). Unless otherwise stated, increases are temporary. At creation the D4 of both sides is permanently filled — the gauge never drops below that. The more influential Aspect also starts with one temporary level at D6.
Example: Togusa’s Duty vs. Family, still new to Section 9. Duty is more influential (D6); Family starts at D4.
Crisis
When the gauge would increase beyond D12 for either Aspect, the character enters Crisis: a critical moment, a difficult choice or challenge, the growing conflict coming to a head.
As Crisis approaches, the players and GM should discuss how it might unfold and how it ties into the current story. External factors may force a choice, or something the character witnesses or does may prompt a change.
Crisis lasts until the end of the session in which it was activated (or longer if the table agrees the related events are not resolved). When it ends, immediately remove all temporary levels from both sides, then add one permanent level to the Crisis Aspect.
If Duty fills to D12 and then increases again, Togusa enters a Duty Crisis: an urgent mission makes him miss an important family event. That night a note from his wife — she has taken their child to stay with her family for a week; his work is damaging the relationship; she expects him to be a better father. Crisis passes: all temporary levels come off, and one more Duty level is permanently filled.
When one side is completely filled with permanent levels, and that Aspect triggers a Crisis, that is an Ultimate Crisis — the true point of no return. Play it out as usual. When it ends you must retire the PC: they die in a climactic clash, make the ultimate sacrifice, leave Section 9, or are otherwise so significantly changed they can no longer be a Player Character.
Togusa might leave Section 9 for his family, sacrificing one Aspect to support the other. Or he might push the family too far, fail as a husband and father, go through an ugly divorce, and remain at Section 9 broken — still retired as a PC.
Resolution
When both sides of the gauge are full (both at D12), instead of Crisis the character experiences Resolution of their Aspects. Choose one:
In flux — you have made a step toward ultimate resolution, but the Aspects are still in flux. Remove all temporary levels from both sides, then add one permanent level to both sides.
Fully resolved — these Aspects no longer influence the character the same way. Remove both from the sheet and pick two new Aspects that better define the new situation, both starting at base D4. Alternatively, if this marks the end of the journey, describe how they leave Section 9 and create a new character from scratch.
Both Crisis and Resolution are appropriate times for the GM to award Ghost-Whispers.
Invoke & Compel
Invoke before a roll to add a die to your pool for that roll. The die size is the current level of that Aspect on the Synthesis Gauge. If the roll is successful, increase the gauge for that Aspect by 1 point.
Revenge on a chase after the target of your vengeance. Humanity when you act on human instinct even though relying on technology would be easier.
When the GM Compels an Aspect, its influence creates a challenge or steers a course of action. A Compel is always a good opportunity to award Ghost-Whispers.
Solitude might make the PC act alone even when help would be smarter. Compassion might Downgrade dice on a roll to do something cruel, even if they believe it necessary.
- The Aspect acts as a Setback: one of the PC’s dice is Downgraded on a relevant roll.
- An opponent exploits a relevant Aspect and has their dice Upgraded to act against the PC.
- The Compelled PC increases the gauge for that Aspect by 1 point. Then the GM describes how the Aspect influences the situation and the PC’s actions. This is not meant to remove agency. If the player disagrees, they may refuse the Compel.
Tests
Sooner or later (probably sooner), PCs want to achieve something with an uncertain outcome. They face a problem that needs skill, and sometimes luck. That is a Test or a Challenge.
A Test is a PC using Traits and Skills to overcome a problem or obstacle: firing a weapon, piloting a Fuchikoma, hacking a corporate network, navigating government bureaucracy.
Tests have a Difficulty rating from 2 (easiest) to 20 (most difficult). Equal or higher on a die is a success. Lower is a failure to achieve the intended goal.
The die or dice come from Traits, relevant Skills, and sometimes Synthesis Aspects, gear, or other factors. Higher dice, and more dice, give a better chance. If you roll more than one die, always pick the highest result rolled by any one of your dice.
Hack a security camera system: Hacking Trait Test, GM sets Difficulty from the system’s sophistication — say 4. A D8 Hacking that scores 4+ shuts the cameras down. 3 or lower does not get through.
This only applies for tasks with a reasonable chance of failure. Trivial tasks do not require a Test at all.
Exploding dice
If you roll the highest result on a die, that die explodes: roll another die of the next size up, and take the new result if it is higher. This applies to all dice on all rolls, including damage dice.
Pistol damage D6, you roll a 6. Explode: roll a D8, get 7 — 7 points of damage from a D6. If the D8 was a 4, you still keep the original 6. If the D8 was an 8, you would then roll a D10, and so on.
Your result cannot get worse at any stage, even if the larger die rolls lower than the original.
The die can keep exploding, up to a maximum of rolling a D20. A score of 20 on a D20 is the maximum achievable score.
Test Difficulty
| Attempted task is… | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Easy | 2–3 |
| Average | 4 |
| Hard | 5–6 |
| Very Hard | 7–8 |
| Extreme | 9–10 |
| Almost Impossible | 11–12 |
| Beyond Ordinary Limits | 13–20 |
Automatic, Critical Success, Critical Failure
Automatic success. If you roll a D20 and the result is a 20, that is always a success, regardless of any modifiers.
Critical Success. When the result is equal to or higher than double the Difficulty, that is a Critical Success: you achieve beyond what you expected, or finish quicker, more stealthily, and so on. Example: Difficulty 4, a Hacking result of 8+ not only disables the cameras — you can remotely view and perhaps edit the feeds.
A Critical Success on an attack roll means you do not roll your normal damage die: you automatically score the maximum possible damage, and that also triggers exploding dice as if you had rolled the maximum.
Critical Failure. If all of the dice you rolled show a 1, that is always a failure — and a Critical Failure, a particularly bad or unfortunate outcome. Example: Difficulty 4 to hack cameras, a 1 not only fails — it triggers the cyber-attack detector and the compound goes on high alert.
Critical Failures should usually be bad luck or unexpected circumstances, not a complete lack of skill. Highly trained agents are unlikely to make basic blunders. Reacting to new threats is more fun than simply failing a routine task.
Using Skills for Tests
Most Standard Skills provide an extra die for relevant Tests (a Skill die, as opposed to a Trait die). Example: Hacking D8 plus Tech Expert D6 — roll both, take the highest. Specialty Skills might grant re-rolls or alter Difficulty. Synthesis Aspects and certain gear can add dice too. Regardless of how many dice you roll, always take the highest result. Players should suggest ways their abilities help; the GM should embrace highlighting each team member’s strengths.
Teamwork
If two or more PCs combine forces on a Test, they all roll individually. The highest result among all cooperators is checked against the Difficulty.
Two PCs pick a lock, one after the other. Both roll Reflexes and any relevant Skills. If either rolls high enough, the lock opens.
The GM might instead lower Difficulty one step per character assisting, within reason, so the team can succeed at tasks none of them could tackle alone. Example: three PCs lift a collapsed steel rafter — Difficulty lowered by 1 for each extra lifter (–2). All roll Muscle with Athletics; one success is enough. If all succeed, they work faster and more efficiently.
Impossible Tests
Sometimes Difficulty is beyond anyone on the team. Hitting a high-speed target with a pistol at very long range might be Difficulty 12. A Reflex D8 cannot roll above 8 — except exploding dice.
D8 Reflex, pistol at Range 4 (3 steps beyond effective Range), Difficulty 12. Roll 8 (max) → explode D10, roll 10 (max) → explode D12, roll 12. Success — an incredible display of marksmanship.
There are often better ways around such an obstacle: Ghost-Whispers, or cooperating with allies. The GM may also rule that certain Tests have absolutely no chance of success, even with exploding dice. A character without cybernetic arms could never punch through a concrete wall, no matter how strong they are — that is outside the limits of reality.
Upgrades, Downgrades, and re-rolls
Dice from smallest to largest: D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, D20. Upgrade = one step larger. Downgrade = one step smaller. D8 Muscle Upgraded is a D10; Downgraded is a D6.
Unless otherwise stated, Upgrade or Downgrade applies to only one die — whichever is (one of) the largest before the change — even if multiple dice are used. Reflex D8 + Pistol D6, Upgraded → D10 + D6. Downgraded → two D6s.
Each instance changes the die one step. D8 Upgraded twice is a D12. D8 Downgraded twice and Upgraded once is a D6.
If a D20 would be Upgraded, roll an additional D20 for each upgrade and take the higher. If a D4 would be Downgraded, roll an additional D4 for each Downgrade and take the lower.
A re-roll means the same dice are rolled a second time after the initial result is known. Keep the best of the two rolls. Re-rolled dice can never be re-rolled a third time. Unless otherwise stated, re-roll all dice from the first instance — Trait die, Skill die, and any other bonus die.
Challenges
Challenges are special Tests that occur when two or more characters are in direct opposition. Each side rolls Traits, Skills, etc. and compares results with each other rather than a fixed Difficulty. Highest result wins. A draw means they are evenly matched; the GM might call for a second Challenge to break the tie.
Car chase through rush-hour Newport City: both roll Reflexes, adding Driver if they have it. PC success closes the distance. NPC success speeds away, possibly losing the pursuer in traffic.
Other than the lack of Difficulty, Challenges are Tests in all other ways. Critical Failures and Critical Successes still use the opponent’s result as the rating to beat.
Action Scenes (combat) are harvested below. Hacking, Skills, the armory, cybernetics, vehicles, and Running the Game follow after that.
Action scenes
During a mission there will come a time when timing, relative positions, and other minute details become vital — often quite literally life or death. The book calls this an action scene.
The most common type is combat between two or more characters, from a one-on-one duel to a complex firefight. The same mechanics also cover other “bullet-time moments,” such as escaping a room before a countdown hits zero and a bomb detonates.
An action scene is a situation where the characters are under a strict time limit. If they sat and did nothing for three seconds, the situation would change drastically. Action scenes are made of several rounds, each representing roughly three seconds.
Turn order
The GM says, quite simply, “Okay, we are going into an action scene.” Make sure the team is well aware of the situation.
Each player takes a Reflexes Test. The GM takes a Reflexes Test for each opponent they are controlling (or groups several opponents under a single Reflexes Test if there are too many to handle). Rank scores from quickest (highest) to slowest (lowest). Drawn scores: the character rolling the better dice goes first. Same dice: PCs go before NPCs. If they are all PCs, they agree the order among themselves, or the GM decides.
Players take turns as described below. When the last character has finished, the sequence starts again from the highest response until the action scene is over.
When all characters have acted, the GM decides whether the action scene is over. A good rule of thumb: it should end when it feels that if the players did nothing for three seconds, there would not be any consequences. If it is not over, start again from Player Turns (step 3).
Readying actions
When it is your turn, you can say your character is readying an action, describing a set of conditions that would trigger it later (e.g. “I’m aiming my pistol at the door and I will shoot the first gang member who comes rushing in”). You interrupt somebody else’s — or the environment’s — action and take yours later in the round.
If the conditions do not manifest, you can change this the next time it is your turn (normally the next round).
Player turns
When it is your turn, before or after moving, your character can take an action — something that could be achieved in roughly three seconds: firing a weapon, running across an average-sized room, throwing a fist or kick, attempting to hack a cyberbrain, cutting a teammate’s binds, pressing a switch, and so on. Describe aloud what you are going to do, and be reasonable about how much fits in three seconds.
The GM can tell you an action is so brief you can do it for free and take another brief action, or that it takes longer than a round — several actions over several rounds (booting up a computer, for example). If the GM thinks an action should not be automatically successful, they ask for a Test.
Communication
Outside of action scenes, characters are assumed to be speaking verbally unless they tell each other and the GM they are communicating brain-to-brain. The book finds it simple and cool to indicate non-verbal communication by pressing a finger to one’s ear, as if using an earpiece.
During an action scene, time is pressing: no long verbal conversations or tactical debates. Brain-to-brain connection increases how much the PCs (and therefore the players) can exchange, but also considerably increases the danger of being hacked.
If the team is in Normal Mode (brain-to-brain wi-fi coms open — see Closed Mode under Hacking), players can have a brief conversation about what they intend to do this round. Even then, keep it to a few sentences per player.
If the team is in Closed Mode, they rely on verbal communication: each player can only utter a very short sentence (probably screamed over gunfire). Stick to three or four words maximum. This is strictly done in turn order.
Combat zones
When an action scene starts, make sure everyone has a clear picture of movement options, distances, and relative positions. Combat zones abstract the battlefield without making things slow or overly complicated.
A zone is an abstract area that represents a distinct location. Zones are not strictly defined in size or shape, and are usually created out of obvious partitions: one room, a courtyard or garden, one floor of a spiraling stairwell.
The GM indicates which zone each character is in, which zones contain enemies, and which have important features (water, fire, laser tripwires, hard-to-traverse rubble). Also which zones are connected (two rooms with a door between) and which are entirely separated.
Published missions provide zone maps where combat is likely. A GM can create one by drawing boxes and labeling or numbering them. The map can change mid-combat — players might ask if a building has a fire escape, and the GM can quickly draw a zone for it even if they had not planned one.
Range
Range is the relative distance between characters and objects, most commonly used to see whether a weapon attack is within its effective range. A numerical Range is the number of zones separating the two subjects — or, for a weapon, how many zones away the target can be without a penalty.
Shooting at a target over the weapon’s Range but less than double that Range incurs a long-range penalty. Targets further than double the stated Range are completely out of range and cannot be attacked with that weapon.
A pistol has Range 1: one zone away with no penalty; two zones is long range (higher Difficulty). A rifle has Range 4. A Range 0 weapon can hit anything in the same zone, takes long range against targets 1 zone away, and cannot attack targets 2 zones away. Closer than Range 0 — within arm’s reach — is Range CC (Close Combat). A knife is Range CC. A shotgun is Range 0.
Movement
Characters have a move action on their turn, allowing them to move 1 zone from their starting point. Going from Range 0 to CC with an enemy, or from CC back to Range 0, also costs a move action (“engaging” or “disengaging” close combat). Characters moving into a new zone can immediately engage close combat with an enemy in that zone as part of that move action.
Characters who have had both legs replaced with cybernetics can move up to 2 zones with a single move action.
At any time, characters can trade their main action for a second move action, allowing them to move further in one turn (running).
It is highly unlikely agents fight on perfectly even, open ground. When determining zones, the GM can label notable features. The exact nature is flexible, but the major ones are Cover & Concealment, Difficult Terrain, and Hazards.
Cover & concealment
A single well-aimed shot can spell disaster. Concealment makes it harder to land hits but offers no protection against damage (smoke, darkness, light vegetation). Cover is a physical barrier that both conceals and grants an Armor bonus against incoming damage — including a friendly who got in the way of the shot, or who the firer callously decided to shoot through.
When a character is concealed, the Difficulty of ranged attacks against them increases. Partial concealment does not fully cover the body — a common case is taking cover but still peeking out to shoot. Full concealment fully covers the body: the attacker is trying to fire through the cover at the guessed, or relayed, position of the target. You cannot use a Called Shot against Full Concealment.
Shooting an enemy peeking from behind a metal fence: default Difficulty 4 (aware target) +2 partial concealment = 6 or higher to hit.
| Concealment | Difficulty | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Partial concealment | +2 | Foliage, heavy rain; peeking from cover |
| Full concealment | +4 | Smoke, darkness; firing through cover at a guessed position |
If a character behind cover is hit, the hit-location roll decides whether the cover’s Armor bonus applies. The bonus is the toughness of the covering material, on top of any armor on that location.
Example: hit an enemy in partial cover behind a metal fence. Head and arms are out; torso and legs are still behind cover. A location roll of 12 (torso) gives +2 Armor from the fence, plus any torso armor they are wearing.
| Cover | Armor bonus |
|---|---|
| Thin wooden furniture, drywall | 1 |
| Corrugated metal, metal railing, thick wood, civilian vehicle body | 2 |
| Thin concrete wall or balustrade, deep water, light vehicle armor | 4 |
| Steel plates, average brick wall, bulletproof fiberglass | 6 |
| Thick concrete wall | 8 |
| Reinforced steel wall | 10 |
| Heavy vehicle armor | 12 |
Difficult terrain
Difficult terrain is hard to move through: debris and rubble, thick vegetation, knee-high water, or a space so tight you must crawl. Moving out of a difficult-terrain zone requires 2 zones worth of movement. For most unaugmented characters that means spending the move action and the main action just to leave. Cybernetic legs (2 zones on a move action) do not spend extra actions, but use up the full move action.
Hazards
Hazards have negative consequences for those in the zone: automated alarms or defenses, fire, falling, suffocation, and so on. Damage goes to the most appropriate location (or several) — fall damage to the legs, for example. If no location is obvious, roll a random body location as usual.
Non-lethal hazards might trigger when a character enters a zone (proximity security): alarms, notify nearby enemies, auto-turrets, and so on.
Flames can quickly get out of control, burning those who get too close and rapidly spreading to nearby zones. Small flames deal 1 damage per round. Large blazes deal D4 per round. Raging infernos deal D6 per round.
Gas leaks or noxious smoke are incredibly dangerous without a filtering gas mask. Each round of exposure, roll a Muscle / Resilient Test against Difficulty 4. Each further round increases the Difficulty by 1. Fail: 1 damage directly to the head, ignoring armor.
Every round without oxygen, a suffocating character rolls a Muscle / Resilient Test. First round Difficulty 2, +1 for each further round. Fail: 1 damage to the head, ignoring armor. The more cybernetic parts an agent has, the less buoyant the body — drowning is a real threat to cyberized personnel.
For those without serious cybernetic enhancements, a fall from a great height is a quick way to die. Damage ignores armor aside from armor granted by cybernetics.
| Drop | Damage (ignores armor except cybernetics) |
|---|---|
| 1 full zone (~15′ / 5 m) | 1 damage to both legs |
| 2 full zones (~30′ / 10 m) | D4 damage to both legs |
| 3 full zones (~45′ / 15 m) | D6 damage to both legs and torso |
| Each further full zone | Increase the dice size |
Characters can attempt a Muscle or Reflexes Test to land well and avoid falling damage. Difficulty 4 for 1 full zone, +2 for each zone beyond that. Ordinary humans cannot attempt this Test if they fall more than 2 full zones. Cybernetic legs can attempt it up to 4 full zones; full-body cyborgs up to 8.
Combat procedure
When a character takes a main action to attack someone with a ranged or close-quarters weapon, follow the combat procedure. If a target is aware of the threat, you normally need a Test against a basic Difficulty of 4 to hit.
- Attacker rolls to hit
- Target makes defense rolls
- Attacker rolls for hit location
- Attacker rolls for damage
- Target marks up damage and applies damage effects
Close quarters: a die for Muscle plus any dice for applicable Skills, weapons, and so on. Ranged: a die for Reflexes plus any dice for applicable Skills, weapons, and so on. Always keep the highest, as with any Test.
Roll to hit
Target Unaware: the target is not alert, not aware of being in any danger. If the attack Test fails (and a roll of 1 before any modifiers is always a fail), the target has become aware at the last second and avoided the attack, unless the GM deems otherwise in special circumstances.
Aiming: instead of firing from the hip, spend the whole turn carefully taking aim (no movement or other actions). If you manage this without taking any damage or being otherwise disturbed, then attack the following round, any ranged attack benefits from the Aiming bonus and also halves any concealment modifiers.
Fast-moving Target applies if the target — or the firer — is moving relatively fast: at least human running speed, around 6 mph / 10 km/h.
Called Shot: declare you are trying to hit a particular location rather than blasting in their general direction. If you hit, you may modify the hit-location roll by +/−5 after seeing the dice. You cannot use a Called Shot against Full Concealment.
| Status | Difficulty modifier |
|---|---|
| Target Unaware | −2 |
| Aiming | −2 |
| Target at Long Range | +2 |
| Fast-moving Target | +2 |
| Called Shot | +4 |
| Partial Concealment | +2 |
| Full Concealment | +4 |
Multiple attacks
Normally an attack is a single Test to hit. Some weapons or Skills allow multiple attacks in a turn. The most common are automatic ranged weapons with a ROF (Rate Of Fire) value — the number of attacks you can make that turn. A character carrying a pair of one-handed weapons can attack with both in the same turn; many weapons have penalties if used one-handed (see Weapons & Gadgets).
Attacks can all be concentrated on the same target, or split however you like among targets that are roughly within a meter of each other. Declare all targets before making any attack roll. Then make each attack roll separately, including any defense and damage rolls.
If you make multiple attacks in a turn, you cannot make a Called Shot, nor improve the shot by Aiming — you have chosen quantity over quality.
Defense
If a character is hit by an attack they were aware was coming, they can attempt to defend by dodging, parrying, or diving for cover.
Close-quarters dodge: wait for the opponent to roll to hit; if they hit, take a Reflexes Test with Difficulty equal to the number they rolled. Success: no damage. Ranged dodge uses the same procedure, but the Difficulty is double the attacker’s hit roll (dodging bullets is not easy). A character can only dodge a single attack per round, even if they are the target of multiple attacks from the same weapon.
Close-quarters only, instead of dodging. Reflexes Test as for Dodge, except you can parry any number of close-quarter attacks during a round. If the damage value of the weapon you parry with is better than the attacking weapon (or bare hands), Upgrade the dice. If the attacking weapon is one step higher, Downgrade. It is impossible to parry attacks two steps better — you have to dodge those. Success: no damage. If any die on the Test is a natural 1, the parrying weapon is destroyed. If you parried with a hand, the attack automatically hits that arm location.
Ranged attacks only. The character must be mobile and in CC range of a piece of cover that would sit between them and the attacker. Wait for the hit roll, then Reflexes Test with Difficulty equal to the attacker’s hit result. Success: the character now has the benefits of that cover — apply the new concealment modifier retroactively to the attack, and the cover’s Armor if they are still hit. Diving for cover can be done once per round, and they lose their next turn, whether in this round or the next. On that next turn they can do nothing but steady themselves and briefly communicate with their team.
Hit location & hit points
| D20 | Location |
|---|---|
| 19–20 | Head / Neck |
| 11–18 | Torso |
| 9–10 | Right Arm |
| 7–8 | Left Arm |
| 4–6 | Right Leg |
| 1–3 | Left Leg |
| Location | Hit points (human) |
|---|---|
| Head / Neck | 2 |
| Torso | 4 |
| Right arm | 3 |
| Left arm | 3 |
| Right leg | 3 |
| Left leg | 3 |
Damage & armor
If a target is hit, after any defense rolls, roll a D20 for hit location. If you roll a location that has already been Destroyed, re-roll.
Roll the weapon’s damage and subtract any Armor present on that location. The result is the hit points of damage caused to the location.
If the roll to hit was double or more than the Difficulty (Critical Success), do not roll the normal damage die: automatically score the maximum possible damage, and that also triggers exploding dice as if you had rolled the maximum.
Mark damage on the location hit with a single line through the appropriate number of dots. Single lines are mere flesh wounds — the character can tough it out and keep going. Once all dots in a location have been marked this way, further damage to the same location is marked with a second line, making a cross. Locations that have one or more dots crossed out are Injured; the Injured penalties apply immediately. When all dots on a location are crossed out, that location is Destroyed.
Injured / Destroyed
| Injured location | Effect |
|---|---|
| Head / Neck | Knocked unconscious |
| Torso | Reduced to crawling on the floor |
| Left or right arm | Can no longer be used; Tests using the arm are Downgraded |
| One leg | Limping |
| Both legs injured | Reduced to crawling on the floor |
| Destroyed location | Effect |
|---|---|
| Head / Neck | Instant death; the character is lost |
| Torso | Bleeding / Shock Difficulty 6 |
| Right or left arm | Reduced to crawling; Bleeding / Shock Difficulty 4 |
| Right or left leg | Reduced to crawling; Bleeding / Shock Difficulty 5 |
Bleeding / Shock
The character must take a Muscle Test at the end of each of their turns on the Difficulty shown. This continues until they die or receive first aid from a character with the appropriate gear or Skill.
- Failed a first time: the character becomes unconscious and continues to Test.
- Failed a second time: the character’s heart stops; they continue to Test, Downgrading the dice.
- Failed a third time: brain death; the character is lost.
Non-lethal damage & helpless targets
Some specialized ranged weapons deal non-lethal damage. Mark it as normal, but record it differently (another color or a different style of line). The character suffers all listed penalties for that location except Bleeding / Shock, which is ignored.
After non-lethal damage is suffered, every ten minutes of game time the character takes a Muscle Test for each point of non-lethal damage on the sheet. For each success, delete a point. Some penalties may then no longer apply.
In close combat, characters can always declare before rolling to hit that the attack deals non-lethal damage — holding back, or using a non-lethal part of the weapon (the flat of a blade). However, if they score a Critical Success and the exploding die is also a Critical Success, all damage from that attack is real instead of non-lethal (including attacks against a helpless target). Whoops.
If a target cannot defend themselves — unaware, unconscious, tied up, paralyzed by a toxin, or similar — and the attacker is within CC range, any attack scores a Critical Success (no need to roll to hit), the attacker chooses the damage location, and armor on that location is ignored other than armor from cybernetics. Alternatively the GM can simply decide the outcome.
Hacking is harvested below (including Closed Mode). Skills, Weapons & Gadgets, Cybernetics, Armored Vehicles, and Running the Game follow after that.
The hacking procedure
The Hacking Trait is used to infiltrate computer systems, including people’s cyberbrains.
It is assumed that the hacking attempt is made wirelessly over the internet, so it does not have a range and does not require line of sight. However, if the target is visible and within roughly 30′ / 10 m, it is deemed to be within short-range signal (e.g. Bluetooth) and the Hacking attempt is Upgraded.
A hacking attempt is an action, so the hacker may not do anything else that round, except for free actions.
Simply take a Test, using your Hacking Trait and any relevant Skill or equipment, against the Difficulty set by the Barrier level of the target. Then compare the result rolled with the target’s Barrier. How successful the attempt is depends on the difference between the Barrier and the hacker’s roll.
Hacking Test outcomes
All effects in the chart except Botched! are available to higher results. Even if you beat the Difficulty by 7+, you can decide to simply do a subtle infiltration.
| Difference | Result | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| −4 or worse | Botched! | Attempt failed, hacking detected. You may attempt again next round, but the target is likely to go into Closed Mode, or hack or attack you. |
| −3 to −1 | Narrow failure | Attempt failed, hacking not detected. If you hack the target again next round, Upgrade your dice. |
| 0 | Barrier matched, read-only access | As narrow failure (not detected), but also access data and memories. Download possible. |
| +1 to +3 | Barrier defeated, infiltration | As read-only, plus the target’s audio-visual perception can be altered. The target can also be immobilized for their next turn and will not remember anything for that turn (“oh, I must have zoned out for a few seconds there…”). |
| +4 to +6 | Approaching ghost line | As infiltration, and also complete control, except for extreme actions like self-harm or harming loved ones. This can be used to attack team-mates. The hacker may remain in control from this turn onwards and use the victim as a puppet, taking their turns for them. Use the target’s Traits and gear, but the hacker’s Skills. Instead of controlling the puppet, the hacker may attempt a deeper hacking: the victim is immobilized for their next turn (as Infiltration), and the hacker can try again next turn, Upgrading their dice. |
| +7 or better | Ghost line reached | As approaching the ghost line, and in addition the hacker is free to “burn” the target’s Ghost, causing permanent brain damage, or even death. Ghostout is a major cyber-crime and can have profound consequences on the hacker themselves. The GM should look at the potential effects on the psyche of the hacker if they go this far. |
During every turn spent controlling a puppet, the hacker’s body is immobile — make sure it is safe. If the hacker takes damage, or is themselves hacked, their hacking is immediately interrupted and they are back in their own body, but they cannot do anything until the start of their next turn.
Closed Mode
If the target has set themselves to Closed Mode (counts as an action), the Barrier level is set to 13, or increased by 2 if already 13 or better. Any computer can be set to Closed Mode as an action.
Normal Mode is brain-to-brain wi-fi coms open (see Action Scenes — Communication). Closed Mode is the lock-down: higher Barrier, much less chatter, harder to hack remotely.
Wired connections
If there is a wired connection to the target, Closed Mode does not work. In addition, the hacker Upgrades ALL dice used in the hacking attempt, and can re-roll any and all of them.
A big drawback: if the hacking attempt fails, the opponent can also attempt to hack with all of those bonuses, so watch out.
Voluntary access
A character can offer a brain-to-brain connection equal to a 0 on the Hacking Outcomes table if they want someone to have access to their memories (maybe as a proof of good faith). If the other person then attempts to hack them, they benefit from the usual Upgrade from the 0 result.
Two characters can also agree to wired-in Closed Mode access — the most secure way to communicate, and the ultimate demonstration of trust. If either attempts to hack, they benefit from the advantages of a wired connection.
Skills are harvested below. Weapons & Gadgets, Cybernetics, Armored Vehicles, and Running the Game follow after that.
Skills & Setbacks
Skills represent qualities the PCs have acquired through experience and training, raw talent, or preparedness. They offer various benefits, from adding more dice to relevant rolls (Standard Skills) to unlocking special features or abilities (Specialty Skills).
Section 9 agents come from a variety of backgrounds, though most have some degree of military or police experience. Even freshly-recruited rookies will have had a significant amount of training before undertaking their first mission.
When creating a new character, players start with a pool of 12 points to spend on acquiring Skills. Each point spent on a Skill increases the rank of that Skill, starting from 1. At character creation, no Standard Skill may be increased beyond rank 3. All characters start with 1 Setback, and if the player chooses they may take a second Setback in exchange for 2 additional points to spend on Skills (bringing their total to 14).
GMs and players may work together to create new Skills if they have an idea not represented here. The Expertise Specialty Skill is intentionally very flexible, and can be used to fill in gaps.
Skill ranks
Standard Skills represent areas of training and expertise that Section 9 agents most commonly possess. In a team there is usually a variety, each agent contributing unique talents. They all work the same way: listed with an associated die (for example Perceptive (D6)) added to a relevant Test, normally alongside the Trait die. Rank determines the die. Maximum rank is 6.
| Rank | Die |
|---|---|
| 1 | D4 |
| 2 | D6 |
| 3 | D8 |
| 4 | D10 |
| 5 | D12 |
| 6 | D20 |
Standard Skills
Fitness and ability in physical activities. Used in Tests related to running, climbing, swimming, jumping, balancing, and exerting strength.
Understanding of politics, the processes of government, and related institutions. Used in Tests related to interfacing with the government, wielding the law, understanding rules, regulations, and official procedure. Also covers the “unspoken” laws of those in power — blackmail, deals done under the table, and political warfare.
Staying calm in the face of danger, keeping a cool head, and being strong-willed. Used in Tests related to leadership, overcoming fear or distress, acting calmly in high-intensity situations, and resisting interrogation.
Appraisal, use, and repair of cybernetics, from cyberbrains to augmented prosthetics. Used in Tests related to hacking, installing or extracting cybernetic modifications, making direct cyberbrain connections, and ghost diving (navigating cyberspace in a projected body).
Lying convincingly, concealing the truth through words and actions. Used in Tests related to convincing people to believe falsehoods, bluffing in conversation, and creating distractions.
Knowledge and skill with explosive weapons and launchers. Used in attack rolls with grenades, explosives, RPGs etc. Also used for discerning the nature of an explosion, knowing how to disarm bombs, and predicting how structures will collapse.
Deftness, ability to be quick and delicate with the hands. Used in Tests related to pickpocketing, sleight of hand, tampering without leaving a trace, and other complex handiwork.
Skill behind the wheel of most conventional land vehicles. Used in Tests related to driving motorcycles, cars, trucks, and even tracked tanks. Everyday use of a car would not require a Test; this Skill is for dangerous driving, pursuits, escapes, racing, etc. Operating a Fuchikoma can use either Driver or Pilot.
Skill with machine guns. Used in attack rolls with LMGs, HMGs, mini-guns, rotary cannons etc. Also related to knowledge of machine gun assembly and capabilities.
Skill with pistols and submachine guns. Used in attack rolls with pistols, hand cannons, submachine guns etc. Also related to knowledge of the assembly and capabilities of these weapons.
Skill with rifles and shotguns. Used in attack rolls with rifles, assault rifles, anti-materiel rifles, anti-tank rifles, and shotguns. Also related to knowledge of the assembly and capabilities of these weapons.
Intuition, wisdom, and the ability to read people, and determine intent and motive. Used in Tests related to discerning someone’s true feelings, detecting lies or misdirections, and sensing when something is wrong.
Intellect, knowledge, and reasoning. Used in Tests related to research, investigation, analysis, and deduction based on available information.
Constructing, repairing, and understanding machinery. Used in Tests related to work on machines including vehicles, heavy equipment, weapons, and robots. Focused on the physical components and structure of machines.
Knowledge and skill related to the field of medicine. Used in Tests related to treating injuries, diagnosing illnesses, examining wounds, performing autopsies, and identifying drugs and poisons.
Skill with all forms of melee weapons. Used in attack rolls with knives, batons, swords, etc.
Being observant — the ability to detect hidden people or things. Used in Tests related to finding subtle hints and clues, noticing concealed threats, searching a crime scene, and spotting stealthy opponents.
Charm, negotiation, and coercion. The ability to get people to think and act the way you want them to. Used in Tests related to socializing, bargaining, convincing someone to help, getting information out of someone, and making people like or fear you.
Skill in the cockpit of unconventional land vehicles, or any non-land vehicles. Used in Tests related to operating aircraft, jet skis, boats, submarines, and mech walkers. Operating a Fuchikoma can use either Driver or Pilot.
Endurance and physical toughness. The ability to survive physical hardship. Used in Tests related to resisting pain, poison, suffocation, freezing, exhaustion, and other sources of bodily harm and discomfort. Also used for Tests against Bleeding/Shock resulting from Injuries.
Moving unseen and unheard, avoiding detection. Useful for gaining entry to buildings, moving past sentries, silently observing a target, and keeping out of sight. Used in Tests related to hiding, sneaking, setting an ambush, tailing a suspect inconspicuously, and blending into a crowd.
Knowledge of the city’s underbelly, who to avoid, who to seek out for information and where to get what you need. Understanding the language and customs of the streets. Used in Tests related to navigating the criminal underworld, accessing black markets, lying low, finding people in urban areas, and picking up rumors and hearsay.
Knowledge and experience of battle and the best tactics to employ in combat scenarios and encounters. Used in Tests related to devising strategy, predicting enemy movements, identifying weak points, and recalling knowledge of military procedure and history.
Diagnosis, use and repair of a wide range of computer systems, from personal tablet devices to military supercomputers. Used in Tests related to hacking, identifying computer viruses, developing software, and searching the deep net.
Skill in hand-to-hand combat without a weapon. Training or experience in using your bare hands as a backup or a quieter method to take down an opponent. Used in attack rolls while unarmed or with knuckle dusters.
Specialty Skills
Specialty Skills represent a character’s more advanced, niche, or innate talents. They are not always things that can be improved through study or training, and rather than applying a uniform benefit in the form of extra dice, each has unique features and rules. Each listing includes the maximum number of ranks that can be achieved.
May be taken multiple times for different fields of study, starting at rank 1 for each field (law, history, forensic science, biology, chemistry, physics, philosophy, etc.). Also covers experience of academia: the people and processes of academic institutions.
Rank 1. In any Tests relating to your chosen academic field, the Difficulty is decreased by 3.
Rank 2. As rank 1, and you may re-roll any number of dice.
You sleep with one eye open. Highly honed senses pick up even the slightest indication of a threat before it lunges.
Rank 1. +2 to the Difficulty of attacking you while you are unaware.
Rank 2. When rolling for initiative, you may re-roll the dice.
You are able to use either hand as effectively as the other, with negligible loss of strength and dexterity.
Rank 1. Even if one of your arms is Injured or Destroyed, you are always considered to have the use of your dominant hand.
Rank 2. You can dual-wield one-handed weapons, making two attacks as part of the same action (one with each weapon). You must Downgrade your dice on the attack rolls (this Downgrade is applied instead of any penalty for using weapons one-handed — you do not Downgrade twice).
You are an expert at close-quarters take-downs. You can dispatch unaware opponents with deadly efficiency.
Rank 1. When you attack an unaware opponent at Close range, you treat this as attacking a helpless target.
Rank 2. As rank 1, and you double the damage inflicted.
You know someone with useful skills or information, who can be called upon for assistance under the right circumstances.
May be taken multiple times for different contacts, starting at rank 1 for each. When you take this Skill, note the contact’s name and occupation (for example, Jack Nagata — Smuggler).
Rank 1. Your contact will help you to the extent of their abilities as long as doing so doesn’t endanger them. A Presence Test (GM determines Difficulty) is required to convince them to help with more difficult or dangerous tasks. They may require a favor in return.
Rank 2. You may re-roll Presence Tests required to convince your contact to help.
Your cyberbrain attack barrier is tuned to latch onto incoming hacking threats and expose them to swift counter-hacking retaliation.
Rank 1. When a hacker fails to hack your cyberbrain with a Botched result (−4 difference or worse), you may immediately make a Hacking attack against that opponent. This is a free action.
Rank 2. As rank 1, but your counter-hacking dice are Upgraded.
You have first-hand experience of the criminal underworld. You are familiar with common code words, hangouts, and major groups and gangs. You may re-roll Tests related to understanding and engaging with other criminals and criminal activities.
You can create convincing disguises including clothing, hair, makeup, and performance, as long as you have a frame of reference and relevant materials. You can also design highly effective camouflage.
Rank 1. You can disguise yourself or others to blend in with a desired social scene (pose as an enemy guard, or an employee of a specific company). You can also create camouflage for hiding people or objects. Relevant Tests using Deceptive or Stealthy can be re-rolled.
Rank 2. As rank 1, and you can create highly detailed latex masks that completely alter facial features to appear as someone else. Tests related to deception and impersonation while wearing a suitable mask are Upgraded, and can be re-rolled.
You have experience, education, or training in a specific area of knowledge or ability. Expertise works the same way as Standard Skills: each rank grants a larger die on relevant rolls (rank 1 = D4, up to rank 6 = D20). The chosen area must not be represented by an existing Standard Skill, nor can it be too broad. Examples: Expertise (Animal Handling), Expertise (Journalism), Expertise (Musician).
You are able to blend into a crowd easily, without drawing attention to yourself. People find it hard to recall your features, and you don’t easily draw suspicion. If you have a cybernetic body, it is likely based on a standard factory model. You can re-roll Tests related to hiding in plain sight.
You are strong-willed in the face of terror, not easily shaken by frightening or disturbing events.
Rank 1. Presence Tests related to overcoming fear, holding your nerve, and facing danger (usually with Composed) have their Difficulty reduced by 3.
Rank 2. In addition to Difficulty reduction, you may re-roll related Tests.
You are skilled in both physical and digital forgery. If you have access to a signature, document, or file you can perfectly replicate it in a short amount of time — including identity documents or key-cards. Even without a document to work from, you can attempt a convincing stand-in with a Deceptive Skill Test. Forged documents can Upgrade Tests on relevant rolls, or in many cases avoid the need for Tests at all.
You are scary, whether that’s in a cold, calculating sort of way, or a big, obvious, dominating way. People don’t like saying no to you, and they mostly stay out of your way if they can help it.
Rank 1. Challenges made to coerce and intimidate people (usually with Persuasive) impose a Downgrade on your target’s roll.
Rank 2. In addition to imposing a Downgrade, you may re-roll your dice for related Challenges.
You tend to land on your feet. You move gracefully, avoiding obstacles, and keeping your balance better than most. Upgrade Muscle Tests related to jumping, balancing, vaulting, and falling. You ignore the movement penalties of difficult terrain.
You are trained in one or more forms of martial arts, making you far more effective in unarmed combat.
Rank 1. The value of your unarmed damage die is Upgraded once.
Rank 2. When you successfully attack an opponent while unarmed, you can choose to deal no damage and instead disarm them or knock them to the ground.
You have studied multiple languages to varying degrees. Along with your native language, you are fluent in Japanese, English, Russian, and Korean — the most common languages spoken in Newport City. You are at least passingly familiar with several other languages including Mandarin, Spanish, German, and Tagalog.
You can swiftly move out of the way of incoming attacks, perfectly timing rolls, dives, and ducks to avoid getting hit. This does not apply to parrying — only dodging.
Rank 1. The Difficulty of Reflexes Tests made to dodge attacks is decreased by 1.
Rank 2. The Difficulty of Reflexes Tests made to dodge attacks is further decreased by 1, to a total reduction of 2.
You’re used to carrying heavy weapons and supporting gear for the team while in the field. You can carry an additional Bulky gear item, up to a maximum of 2. In addition, your Requisition score is 2 higher than the rest of the team.
You have one hell of a throwing arm. When throwing grenades, the maximum range is increased from 1 to 2. In addition, the damage you deal with throwing weapons and thrown objects is Upgraded. You also Upgrade any Muscle Tests related to throwing or catching.
You are seen as a respectable individual by the upper echelon of Newport society due to a military rank or previous professional position. You’ve gained the approval of many in official positions, and have first-hand experience of the world of the elite. You may re-roll Tests related to understanding and engaging with authority, and the official framework of society.
When it comes to wielding a revolver in combat, you’re pretty good. By fanning the hammer, you can fire at a rate even modern semi-automatic pistols can’t keep up with.
Rank 1. When you requisition a Pistol, it is instead a Revolver. When you wield it, it has ROF 2.
Rank 2. When you requisition a Hand Cannon, it is instead a Magnum Revolver. When you wield it, it has ROF 2.
May be taken multiple times to gain new safe houses.
You own a private safe house in the city (or outside it, if you choose). It has no traceable links to you or your role in Section 9 — not even Chief Aramaki knows about it (as far as you can tell…). If it is discovered, you can sell it and gain a new safe house after the current mission. It is equipped with all the basics you need to live in a moderate level of comfort, and has stocks of food, medicine, and clothing.
You are an experienced commander who can direct a team in the midst of combat.
Rank 1. By using an action in combat, you can order one of your allies to move or attack. They do so immediately during your turn, without using up an action of their own (this cannot be a hack nor they can ready an action).
Rank 2. When you use an action to order an ally to attack, the attack roll is Upgraded.
You are hard to kill. These “natural armor” points represent exceptional grit and stamina, and are cumulative with Armor from any other source.
Rank 1. Add 1 Armor to your torso.
Rank 2. Add 1 Armor to each of your arms and legs.
Rank 3. Add 1 Armor to your head. In addition, the first time you fail any Bleeding/Shock Test after being injured, it counts as a success.
You own a private vehicle which is not linked to your role in Section 9. It must be a conventional civilian vehicle such as a motorcycle or car. If it is destroyed you can replace it after the current mission. The vehicle is always accessible to you, and is never too far away to be useful (unless obvious information to the contrary has been established).
Setbacks
Setbacks represent flaws, difficulties, and anything else that might cause problems for a character. They provide roleplaying opportunities, and can make Tests harder when they get in the way. Playing into a Setback is one way to create cool and memorable situations — and thus perhaps gain Ghost-Whispers.
The most common way for Setbacks to come up is by Downgrading Tests in which the Setback would make things more difficult, but they might also introduce the need for Tests in the first place, increase Difficulty, or influence the actions of PCs and the NPCs they interact with.
When creating a character, players must pick one Setback (or create one with the help of the GM). They may optionally take a second Setback in exchange for 2 more points to spend on Skills.
Setbacks can be gained throughout the game based on narrative circumstances. The GM should work with players on when a PC gains new ones — for example, help from a powerful mob boss might grant Debt. Setbacks might also be lost or changed based on the story. PCs should always have at least one Setback though — nobody’s perfect.
You are addicted to a high, whether it’s provided by a substance or some form of cybernetically induced ghost-trip. It might be legal, such as alcohol, or illegal hard drugs or cyberware. You’ll go out of your way to feed the addiction, and suffer withdrawal without it.
You tend to think you’re the only one who matters in the room. You routinely overestimate your abilities and underestimate other people. Your overinflated ego requires constant validation, and you’re loath to accept defeat or humiliation.
Whether your obedience is self-preserving or just weak-willed, you tend to do as you’re told without questioning purpose, consequences, or morality. You struggle to stand up to authority, and are inclined to submit to powerful people.
Refinement, etiquette, and sophistication are bullshit words that unbearable people use to delude themselves into believing that society isn’t a mess. You do and say what you want, when you want, and if anyone has a problem with that they can get fucked.
You owe an individual, corporation, or organized crime group a lot of money. It’s more money than you could hope to repay without a major break. Perhaps you’ll be called in to fulfill a favor in place of payment, but until then you can expect visits from your creditors.
You have ghost-dived in the network for so long, or so deeply, that you have trouble determining what is real and what is virtual. Life feels fake — you sometimes see or hear things that aren’t there, and you often feel yourself struggling to focus on what is right in front of you.
There’s something about you that people can’t fail to notice. It might be a unique facial scar, an unusual gait, a strong accent, or a personality quirk that refuses to remain hidden. This identifier makes it harder to disguise your identity, blend in, or hide from pursuers.
You are cold-hearted, detached from other people and your own feelings. You might have buried your emotions on purpose as a way to get by in a violent world, or perhaps you never found them in the first place. You struggle to connect with other people or express yourself. You come across as uncaring or disinterested, and can even seem cruel at times.
You have a powerful enemy, one who hinders your efforts as much as they can, and will take any opportunity to ruin, or even end, your life. They might hold a position of power in government or wield power in the criminal underworld. They’ll deny you access within their sphere of influence, and if provoked, will send hit-men after you. If you take this very dangerous Setback, you gain 2 additional points to spend on Skills (even if it’s your mandatory Setback)!
You have trouble determining the true intentions of others, which makes it hard for you to detect deceptions or be convincing on your own. Unless you have a very good reason to distrust someone, you’ll likely listen to and believe what they have to say. This can make you very easy to influence and mislead.
Life is a party, and you’re desperate not to miss out. It might be a way to drown out the sorrows, or simply an overwhelming urge to seek the next hit of endorphins. You spend as much of your time as possible drinking, eating, partying, lovemaking, or doing whatever else it is that brings you pleasure. You find it hard to turn down the offer of a good time.
Your blood runs hot — it doesn’t take a lot to make you angry. A perceived insult, a threat, an abuse of what you consider to be right, or simply something you don’t agree with, might set off an explosive reaction. You struggle to stay calm or negotiate with those you disagree with.
You are massive. You have to duck to fit through most doors, and struggle to fit into small places. You find it hard to hide or conceal yourself, and you can come across as intimidating even when you don’t mean to.
You have a reputation, and not a good one. Perhaps it’s justified, or perhaps not. Either way, people have a bad impression of you, and tend to view you with a lack of respect or outright suspicion.
You are unsociable, and have trouble connecting with others. Perhaps you’ve always been this way, or perhaps you experienced betrayal in the past. This can make it difficult to cooperate as a team or create a sense of camaraderie. You are less trusting of others, and they of you.
Prone to episodes of hopelessness, despair, or apathy, you struggle to see any inherent meaning in the world, or any particular reason to strive for anything. You struggle to be comforting or inspiring, and can bring others down with you. When things get tough, you’re more inclined to give up.
Your senses are on the dull side, meaning you often miss small details, and are less aware of your surroundings than others.
You have a wound that, even after years of recovery, has never quite healed right. It can flare up and cause pain or discomfort at inopportune moments, and it is hard to move as quickly or delicately as others.
You tend to fixate on the worst possible outcome of any situation, unable to keep yourself from playing out nightmare scenarios in your head. This can make it difficult to focus on reality, or lead you to take overly cautious or unnecessary courses of action.
You have an intense phobia that can trigger strong negative reactions of anxiety or panic if you’re exposed to it. Note: this should be something that has a chance of coming up in the story. Extremely obscure or mild phobias don’t count as a Setback.
Some say you have a death wish, and you’ve been called irresponsible a lot throughout your life. You hate to leave an opportunity untaken, and often you fail to account for the ways your actions might go wrong, or lead to unintended consequences. Break down the door, roll the dice, act now, think later.
You are significantly smaller than most people. You find certain physical tasks more challenging, like climbing tall structures or lifting large objects. You aren’t always taken seriously, and find it harder to intimidate people.
You have lived through a traumatic event, and memories of that event can intrude upon your mind when you experience similar sensations or are reminded of it. Some of your memories of the time around your trauma may be fuzzy, and there may be certain things, people, or places you are keen to avoid.
You are a wanted criminal, which can make dealing with the authorities difficult, awkward, or outright impossible. The full extent of your illegal actions may not be known to your team-mates, making your position in Section 9 less secure — and yet it is perhaps your only source of safety.
You strictly follow the tenets of an unconventional religion, philosophy, or other belief system, such as one of the many cyber-cults that have risen in the past decade. These beliefs can intrude upon your work and relationships, and cause friction with people who don’t follow them.
Weapons & Gadgets is harvested below. Cybernetics, Armored Vehicles, and Running the Game follow after that.
Weapons & Gadgets
This section describes how Player Characters can equip themselves with gear before heading out on a mission. Section 9 has more or less unrestricted access to the arsenal of the Japanese government and military, as well as more experimental technologies.
Though Section 9’s budget is sizable, it is not infinite, and new recruits are not afforded the same access to the armory as more experienced agents. Requisition is a score representing a PC’s current access to Section 9’s arsenal, the degree to which they are trusted to handle the equipment responsibly, and the total expenses they can request over the course of a mission.
For the most part, agents do not own the equipment they use. They take what they need from the armory at the start of each mission. Requisition resets at the start of a new mission, and is spent after briefing, or throughout the mission as needed. Each item has a cost subtracted from remaining Requisition. At the end of a mission, all the gear is handed back and the score resets. Characters can completely alter their equipment each mission; they may also record favored default load-outs.
Starting score. New teams of PCs start their first mission with Requisition 12 for each agent. It is usually increased after successful missions, assuming the PCs’ actions didn’t cause any trouble for Aramaki or Section 9’s more senior agents. Other than special effects like Pack-Mule, all PCs normally have the same Requisition score.
A starting character with Requisition 12 might equip a submachine gun (cost 5) with a holographic sight attachment (cost 2), a ballistic vest (cost 3), a combat helmet (cost 1), and a flash-bang grenade (cost 1) — a total of 12. (The individual item cards sometimes print a different cost than this example; use the card next to each item as the stat block.)
Outside of their own Requisition, agents may be granted specific equipment for a particular mission — cars, vans, helicopters, or specialized gear. For example, a mission to destroy an armored target may grant one anti-tank rifle or RPG between them without spending Requisition. Published missions state this in the briefing.
How much can an agent carry?
The only hard restriction on how much you can carry is the Bulky descriptor. Each PC may only have one Bulky item listed on their sheet at a time, unless they have Pack-Mule (2 Bulky items). Beyond that, any gear is assumed carry-able (apply common sense), or at least near enough to grab quickly — like in the boot of your car.
Melee weapons
Armed conflict is an expected occurrence for Section 9 agents. No agent survives long without knowing the ease with which a weapon of war can take a life. Each weapon lists name, effective Range, damage, Requisition cost, and weapon-specific stats such as ROF. The Special column also lists which Skill applies to attack rolls.
| Name | Range | Damage | Cost | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breaching Hammer | CC | D6 | 2 | Skill: Melee Expert. Bulky. Upgrade Tests to break through doors, barricades, furniture etc. |
| Combat Knife | CC | D4 | 1 | Skill: Melee Expert. Can be used one-handed with no penalty. Upgrade Tests to conceal this weapon. |
| Knuckle Dusters | CC | — | 1 | Skill: Unarmed Expert. Can be used one-handed with no penalty. Upgrade the damage of your unarmed attacks. |
| Stun Baton | CC | D6 | 2 | Skill: Melee Expert. Can be used one-handed, but this imposes a Downgrade on attack rolls. Inflicts non-lethal damage. |
| Sword | CC | D6 (D4) | 2 | Skill: Melee Expert. Can be used one-handed with no penalty to the attack roll, but this imposes a Downgrade on the damage value (as shown). |
| Throwing Knives | 0 | D4 | 1 | Skill: Melee Expert. Can be used one-handed with no penalty to the attack roll. |
| Unarmed Attack | CC | Lowest of two D4 | — | Skill: Unarmed Expert. When effects would Upgrade the damage, it first becomes a normal D4, then D6, then D8 etc. |
A heavy sledgehammer with a crowbar on the other end. Devastating in melee, and perfect for doors that refuse to open.
Standard issue military knife. Small, easily concealed, and just as deadly as a big flashy gun in the right circumstances.
Brass knuckles that increase the damage of your punches. Cheap street weapon; little training required.
Delivers a powerful electric shock capable of stunning and disabling without lethally injuring.
From ceremonial swords to cybernetic blades to katanas — rare in the modern age, but just as effective, particularly in a specialist’s hands.
Small and swift (including throwing stars). A quiet alternative to bullets. Short effective distance; reusable if retrieved.
Humanity’s first weapon. Effectiveness depends on the one making them… and whether they have any cybernetic upgrades.
Ranged weapons
Unless stated otherwise, only one ranged weapon can be used at a time and both hands are needed to operate it. Some weapons list AP (armor-piercing) and a number, e.g. AP2: when dealing damage, the target’s Armor is treated as 2 less than usual.
Weapon ranges are based on combat zones. Because zones are an abstraction, listed Ranges are generally much shorter than real-world counterparts. If the abstraction feels unnatural (sniping from a long way away), the GM may temporarily ignore the Range value and simply decide in range or out of range.
| Name | Range | Damage | ROF | Cost | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Materiel Rifle | 6 | D10 | — | 9 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Rifles/Shotguns). Bulky. AP2. |
| Anti-Tank Rifle | 6 | D12 | — | 11 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Rifles/Shotguns). Bulky. AP4. |
| Assault Rifle | 3 | D8 | 2 | 6 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Rifles/Shotguns). |
| Auto-Turret | 1 | D6 | 3 | 5 | Bulky. Use an action to place it in a zone. On each of your following turns it fires at the closest visible enemy using a D8 attack die. Destroyed after taking 6 damage. |
| Hand Cannon | 2 | D8 | — | 3 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Pistols/SMGs). |
| Heavy Machine Gun | 5 | D10 | 3 | 10 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Machine Guns). Bulky. AP2. Must be set on a mounting before firing. Takes an action to set up or take down. |
| Light Machine Gun | 3 | D8 | 4 | 8 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Machine Guns). Bulky. |
| Mini-gun | 4 | D8 | 6 | 13 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Machine Guns). Bulky. |
| Pistol | 1 | D6 | — | 2 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Pistols/SMGs). Can be used one-handed, but this imposes a Downgrade on attacks. |
| Rifle | 4 | D8 | — | 2 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Rifles/Shotguns). |
| Rotary Cannon | 6 | D12 | 4 | 13 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Machine Guns). Bulky. AP3. Must be mounted on a vehicle or weapon emplacement to be used. |
| Shotgun | 0 | D10 | — | 5 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Rifles/Shotguns). When attacking out of range targets, damage is Downgraded by 1 step for each Range beyond 0. |
| Stun Gun | 0 | D4 | — | 2 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Pistols/SMGs). Can be used one-handed, but this imposes a Downgrade on attacks. Inflicts non-lethal damage. |
| Submachine Gun | 2 | D6 | 3 | 5 | Skill: Firearms Expert (Pistols/SMGs). Full-body cyborgs can use an SMG one-handed, but this imposes a Downgrade on attacks. |
Large-caliber rifles intended to puncture light armor and destroy equipment and structures at extreme ranges.
Effective at destroying armored drones or AI-powered spider tanks.
The star weapon of modern warfare. Section 9’s standard approach is short, controlled bursts.
Fully-automated weapon on a motorized rotating tripod. Simple on-board AI plus a laser targeting system.
Oversized handguns that fire rifle rounds. Little room for subtle intent when you carry a “big iron.”
High-power, heavy-caliber. Sacrifices mobility for power and range.
Capable of filling an area with suppressive fire; flexible enough for a variety of environments.
Maximum rounds in the shortest time. Typically vehicle-mounted; can be hand-wielded with a back-mounted electric drive and motorized gimbal arm.
The most common firearms. Section 9 uses them as sidearms or as primary weapons for supporting personnel and certain covert operations.
The standard semi-automatic rifle — perhaps the most flexible weapon in the arsenal. Long range, heavy punch.
Ground or air combat against infantry, armor, or enemy aircraft.
Huge punch at close range; effectiveness decreases dramatically with distance.
Electrical charge from a pair of conductive darts. Non-lethal take-downs.
Light, cheap, high rate of fire. Section 9’s standard weapon for combat operations; also popular with gangs, paramilitaries, and private security.
Unlimited ammo?
Ammunition and reloads are not tracked in great detail. PCs are generally assumed to have enough ammo until the end of the mission, reloading between turns. Exceptions: a Critical Failure (all dice show 1) means they have run out of ammo or the weapon jammed (GM decides). If the story suggests ammo is scarce (a long siege), the GM may start tracking shots. Heavy weapons such as grenade launchers and RPGs list how many shots they have ammo for, plus an additional cost per extra shot.
Grenades & explosives
When firing or throwing a grenade or explosive, roll to hit as normal against the intended target.
If you hit: roll location and damage as normal against the intended target, but Upgrade the damage dice. This is a Direct Hit!
Anybody in CC range of the intended target is also automatically hit once in a random location — roll location and damage as normal. These characters are in Close Proximity. (If the intended target dodged the Direct Hit, they are hit by the Close Proximity explosion instead.)
Anybody in the same zone as the intended target is also automatically hit once in a random location; roll location and damage, but Downgrade the damage dice. These characters are Caught in the Blast!
Close Proximity and Caught in the Blast benefit from armor provided by cover that lies between them and the source of the explosion. They cannot dodge these hits, but can attempt a dive for cover defense when the attack is about to roll to hit.
If the original attack misses the intended target (including as a result of a dodge), resolve one hit against everybody in the same zone as the intended target (including the intended target), as Caught in the Blast.
Armor vs fire. Incendiary weapons and environmental fire have no AP on the first round of damage (armor works normally). On the second consecutive round of fire damage it becomes AP1; third round AP2; and so on, up to a maximum of AP 5 (armored fighting vehicles and heavy battle suits normally have heat sinks).
| Name | Range | Damage | Cost | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash-bang | 1 | — | 1 | Skill: Demolitions Expert. Single-use. Targets Downgrade Reflexes and Awareness Tests for the next D4 rounds. Also, unless they succeed a Difficulty 6 Muscle/Resilient Test, they are immobilized and lose their next action. |
| Frag Grenade | 1 | D10 | 1 | Skill: Demolitions Expert. AP1. Single-use. |
| Gas Grenade | 1 | — | 1 | Skill: Demolitions Expert. Single-use. At the start of their turn, targets in the zone must roll a Muscle/Resilient Test against Difficulty 4. Each further round in the gas increases the Difficulty by 1. Fail: 1 damage to the head, ignoring armor. This damage is normally non-lethal unless stated otherwise (chemical weapons, toxic gases and the like). |
| Grenade Launcher | 3 | — | 6 | Skill: Demolitions Expert. Bulky. Fires grenades (ROF 1). Comes with a choice of 4× Flash-bang, 4× Frag, 4× Gas, or 4× Smoke. Additional grenades cost 1 each. |
| Missile Launcher | 10 | Highest of two D20 | 12 | Skill: Demolitions Expert. Bulky. ROF 1 (and takes an action to reload). AP8. Comes with 2 missiles. Additional missiles cost 3 each. Spend an action to lock on to a fast-moving target, Upgrading the attack dice and increasing the Difficulty of evasion by 4. |
| Remote Charge | — | D20 | 2 | Skill: Demolitions Expert. Single-use. AP4. Placing and detonating require separate actions. Can be detonated remotely through online connection, so it can be hacked (Barrier 13). Deals double damage to structures it is placed on. |
| Rocket-Propelled Grenade | 4 | D20 | 7 | Skill: Demolitions Expert. Bulky. ROF 1 (and takes an action to reload). AP4. Comes with 2 rockets. Additional rockets cost 2 each. |
| Smoke Grenade | 1 | — | 1 | Skill: Demolitions Expert. Fills the zone with screening smoke; +4 concealment penalty to the Difficulty of attacks. Lasts 2D6 rounds (GM adjusts for ventilation/wind). |
| Trip Mine | — | D12 | 2 | Skill: Demolitions Expert. Single-use. AP2. Set to automatically detonate when someone walks over it. A Demolitions Expert Test determines how well placed / hard to spot it is. |
Attachments & ammunition
These gadgets modify weapons for particular missions, environments, and objectives. Each attachment or ammunition type lists the weapons it can be used with.
| Name | Cost | Special |
|---|---|---|
| Ammunition: Armor-piercing | 1 | Compatible with: Assault Rifle, Hand Cannon, Light Machine Gun, Mini-gun, Rifle, Shotgun, Submachine Gun. Grants AP2; the weapon now jams on a 1 or 2 on any attack roll, rather than just a 1. Shotguns fire a hardened slug instead of a typical shell. |
| Ammunition: Hollow-point | 2 | Compatible with: Assault Rifle, Hand Cannon, Pistol, Rifle, Submachine Gun. Upgrades the damage dice; the Armor value of the target is doubled when calculating the damage. |
| Bipod | 1 | Compatible with: Anti-Materiel Rifle, Anti-Tank Rifle, Assault Rifle, Light Machine Gun, Rifle. While set up, users can Aim with their move action instead of their main action. |
| Disguised Weapon Casing | 1 | Compatible with: Hand Cannon, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Submachine Gun. While closed, the weapon is indistinguishable from a briefcase (or another appropriate container). It can be fired without removing it from the case. |
| Holographic Sight | 1 | Compatible with: Assault Rifle, Hand Cannon, Heavy Machine Gun, Light Machine Gun, Pistol, Rifle, Submachine Gun. Grants +1 Range. |
| Knife Bayonet | 1 | Compatible with: Rifle, Assault Rifle. Make a melee attack at CC without switching weapons. D4 damage. |
| Laser Sight | 1 | Compatible with: Anti-Materiel Rifle, Assault Rifle, Hand Cannon, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Stun Gun, Submachine Gun. A visible laser makes targets aware. Reduces the Called Shot penalty from +4 to +2 Difficulty. |
| Mounted Flashlight | 1 | Compatible with: Assault Rifle, Hand Cannon, Heavy Machine Gun, Light Machine Gun, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Submachine Gun, any head or torso armor. Illuminates areas up to Range 1. (It also makes the user very visible.) |
| Silencer | 1 | Compatible with: Anti-Materiel Rifle, Assault Rifle, Hand Cannon, Pistol, Rifle, Submachine Gun. Greatly reduces flash and sound. Cannot be heard/seen beyond Range 0 (or Range 2 for an anti-materiel rifle). Decreases the weapon’s Range by 1. |
| Telescopic Sight | 1 | Compatible with: Anti-Materiel Rifle, Anti-Tank Rifle, Assault Rifle, Heavy Machine Gun, Light Machine Gun, Rifle. Grants +2 Range. Reduces the Called Shot penalty from +4 to +2 Difficulty, but only at Range 3 or above. |
| Tranquilizer Darts | 1 | Compatible with: Pistol, Rifle. Inflicts non-lethal damage. If any damage is inflicted to a location that no longer has unmarked dots, the non-lethal damage is marked to another randomly determined location that still has unmarked dots (toxin spreading). |
| Under-barrel Grenade Launcher | 1 | Compatible with: Rifle, Assault Rifle, Shotgun. Attack with a Grenade Launcher instead of the main weapon without switching. Needs an action to reload. See Grenade Launcher. |
| Under-barrel Shotgun | 1 | Compatible with: Rifle, Assault Rifle. Attack with a Shotgun without switching weapons. Needs an action to reload. See Shotgun. |
Tools
Technology is leading the world into a new era. For Section 9, cutting-edge military and covert tech is just as important as the right weapons. Each gadget has unique effects and a Requisition cost.
A blowtorch that cuts through solid materials with extreme temperatures focused through a narrow emitter.
Cuts through metal doors and concrete. Time to break through is approximately 1 round per point of Armor the material has (see Cover).
AI insectron in the shape of an insect or arachnid — most commonly a wasp or dragonfly. Surveillance, hacking, and a tranquilizer needle.
Awareness D10 (or pilot’s), Presence D4, Muscle D4, Reflexes D20, Hacking D4 (or pilot’s), Barrier 6. Flying; remote-piloted or simple AI. Comes equipped with data injector, tranquilizer dart (Range CC), and covert transmitter (with video).
A “bug.” Relays audio and/or video from where it is hidden.
Captures audio in its zone and relays to a computer or cyberbrain. Can capture visuals for an additional 1 cost.
Little more than a glorified USB, highly effective when loaded with automated hacking software.
Carries and rapidly runs software when physically connected to a computer or cyberbrain. Typically surveillance, extraction, or hacking (using the programmer’s Hacking Trait, plus wired-hacking bonuses).
Collapsible barricade that unfolds into a waist-high ballistic wall.
Bulky. As an action, deploy or stow. Acts as cover with Armor 4.
Breaks traditional key locks and digital code locks. Vibration barrel plus an adaptive code-breaking program.
Upgrade Tests related to breaking physical or digital locks.
Full-face mask that filters harmful airborne substances.
Wearer is immune to toxic gas and similar airborne hazards.
Compact launcher that fires a hooked grapnel with an ascension cable.
Vertically launches an ascendable cable up to Range 2, or approximately an 8-story building. Motorized ascender for an additional 1 cost removes the need for climbing Tests.
A standard flashlight.
Illuminates areas up to Range 1.
Highly illegal surveillance nanomachines injected into a body.
Single-use. Hijacks the target’s audio and visual senses for discrete first-person surveillance. Can also disrupt those senses.
Converts sound vibrations on a targeted surface back into audio.
When pointed at a surface, detects and relays audio from adjacent zones, including sound from inside a room on the other side of a wall.
Multi-purpose kit for vehicles, heavy machinery, and physical mechanisms.
Wrench, ratchets, screwdriver, hammer, bolts, saw, replacement parts. Required for certain tasks, and may lower relevant Test Difficulty by 2.
Detects nearby movement and shows relative position. One of the few detectors that can reveal thermal-optical camouflage.
Detects movement up to Range 2.
Ambient light enhancement and infrared conversion.
See clearly in darkness up to Range 4. Vision is without color.
Simple sensor across a doorway or route of entry.
Alerts when it detects movement within its zone. Can set off a loud alarm or send a silent notification to a computer or cyberbrain.
Cancels most conventional communication, including cyberbrain contact, data transfers, and radio. Needs tuning for high-grade transmitters.
Blocks most standard communication and data transfer within Range 6. Jamming military-grade or unconventional signals requires a Hacking/Tech Expert Test.
Multi-purpose kit for computers and cybernetics: construction, alteration, repair, disassembly.
Prying tool, thermal paste, soldering gun, multimeter, drives, connectors, precision screwdrivers, replacement parts. Required for certain tasks, and may lower relevant Test Difficulty by 2.
Converts infrared into a visual image. Heat levels in a room can still reveal contents even through some barriers.
Identifies heat sources up to Range 5. Detection penetrates uninsulated barriers up to several inches thick.
All Section 9 agents have a basic attack coupling in their cyberbrain ports. This advanced coupling enhances outgoing hacks for a wired connection. Sometimes built into a harpoon-like weapon.
Allows a superior wired connection between the user’s cyberbrain and a computer or another cyberbrain. For an extra 1 cost, the cable can be launched from a harpoon gun — connecting to a cyber-port at range requires a successful Called Shot.
Medical
Section 9 has high-tech medical facilities, but agents often have injuries or other medical needs that must be attended to immediately.
Smart bandage with nanites that communicate with the patient’s cybernetics. Fast acting; can be applied to oneself.
Single-use. Applied to an Injured location, it is restored to 1 HP. On a Destroyed location it does not restore 1 HP, but reduces the Difficulty of Bleeding/Shock Tests to 2.
Injected swarm that scans the patient for several hours, then deactivates and degrades harmlessly.
Single-use. Identifies all injuries or illnesses within the target body. Grants a re-roll when treating diagnosed medical problems.
Field surgery when there is no time to return to HQ. Most commonly amputating and cauterizing maimed limbs.
Required for certain tasks, and may lower relevant Test Difficulty by 2.
Standard field kit, up to and including gunshot wounds.
Treating basic injuries or illness. Required for certain tasks, and may lower relevant Test Difficulty by 2.
Rapid injector of painkillers and stimulants. Ignore injuries in the midst of battle.
Single-use. Temporarily restores the HP of one body location to maximum. At the end of the combat or action scene, if that location has more than 1 HP remaining, it is reduced to 1 HP. Cannot be used on a Destroyed location.
Puts an average human to sleep for a few hours. Useful in treatment, or to knock out unsuspecting targets.
Single-use. Sleep for D4 hours. If the target is unwilling, succeed in a Challenge using Muscle/Medic against Muscle/Resilient.
Combat attire & armor
All the training in the world won’t stop a lucky shot. Wearing significant armor is restrictive, so most agents opt for lighter protection in vital areas. Other wearable gear provides less armor but more specific benefits.
Multiple pieces of armored gear might be wearable at the same time, but Armor values do not stack. Whichever is highest in each body location applies. Example: a smart-weave ballistic suit (1 Armor on torso, arms, and legs) under a ballistic vest (2 Armor on torso only) ends up as 2 Armor on the torso and 1 on arms and legs.
| Name | Head | Torso | Arms | Legs | Cost | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armored Suit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | Downgrade Reflexes Tests. Armor is treated as 4 if the source of the damage is explosive. |
| Ballistic Shield | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4* | 4 | Bulky. Grants 4 Armor to torso, head, and arms. Can be used alongside a pistol, hand cannon, SMG, or other one-handed weapons/tools. Spend an action to crouch, which also covers the legs. |
| Ballistic Vest | — | 2 | — | — | 2 | — |
| Blast Helmet | 2 | — | — | — | 3 | Downgrade all Tests related to situational awareness. Armor is treated as 4 if the source of the damage is explosive. |
| Combat Helmet | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Diving Suit | — | — | — | — | 1 | Does not grant any Armor. Upgrades Muscle and Reflexes Tests related to swimming. Re-breather: breathe underwater for up to 1 hour. |
| Heavy Jacket | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — |
| Riot Helmet | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | Wearer is immune to flash-bang effects. Downgrade Awareness Tests related to vision and hearing. |
| Smart-weave Ballistic Suit | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — |
| Stealth Suit | — | 1 | — | — | 4 | Upgrades Tests related to hiding and sneaking. |
| Thermal-optical Camouflage Suit | — | — | — | — | 8 | Does not grant any Armor. Activated with an action. Almost completely invisible, including to thermal imaging, for up to 30 minutes or until hit by an attack. Must recharge 1 hour after use. Wearers get a bonus D20 on rolls related to sneaking or hiding. Passive Difficulty for spotting the wearer: standing still 15; moving slowly 12; moving quickly 8; fighting 6. |
Layers of ballistic smart-weave, foam, and plastic. Unparalleled resistance to explosive damage. Bomb disposal; restrictive; heat exhaustion on prolonged wear.
Portable shield against small arms. More easily penetrated by larger caliber weapons.
Absorbs impacts to chest and back. Common on high-risk gun-fighting missions.
Cranial counterpart to the armored suit. Protects the head from blast waves and impacts.
Standard issue. Limited head protection without hindering movement or vision.
Newport City is almost surrounded by water. Superior maneuverability underwater plus a supply of air.
Thick padded and studded jacket. Far from ideal, but sometimes a little luck is all you need.
Police riot control. Protection from stunning explosives such as flash-bangs; somewhat restrictive.
Light armor that outwardly appears to be light combat fatigues.
Form-fitting smart-weave enhanced with stealth technology. Blends with ambient lighting; very little noise while moving.
The ultimate in field stealth. Still experimental and exceptionally rare outside Section 9. Projects the environment behind it and replicates ambient heat. Glitches, distortions, and physical impacts hold it back from perfection.
Cybernetics is harvested below. Armored Vehicles and Running the Game follow after that.
Cybernetics
Injuries that in the past would have meant the end of an agent’s career are now an occasion to acquire an “upgrade,” but at what cost?
During a mission an agent may suffer critical damage to a body part, losing it (or having it permanently ruined), but make it back alive to HQ or a nearby hospital. Assuming they are in good standing with Section 9 (or more rarely, if they can afford it themselves), they may have that body part replaced with a cybernetic version. After a short rehabilitation program they rejoin the team, sometimes with even better skills due to the augmentation.
Each cyber-part lists the Armor it confers, the damage of a successful unarmed attack made with that part, and any other special rules.
Full-body cyborgs
The ultimate examples of this “cyberization” are full-body cyborgs, where the only biological part left is their brain and central nervous system, nested in the cranium and spine of a completely manufactured body. This body can be life-like, as in the case of Major Kusanagi, or fully armored — in which case the agent has pretty much given up on any attempt at a normal life and is content with becoming the ultimate bad-ass.
The potential of full-body cyborgs is much superior to that of humans with individual cybernetic parts, because they dispense with implanting a very powerful artificial part in a flesh-and-bone frame that may not handle the stresses. Even if a cyber-arm is strong enough to lift a car, the weight of it would make the arm come right off its socket.
At character creation you may pick one cyber-enhancement except a full cyborg body. If you prefer to start completely unaugmented — aside from the cyberbrain everyone has — skip this and take another 3 points to spend on Skills. Full-body conversion is a later replacement after critical damage, not a chargen option.
Cyberware
Life-like cyber-parts
| Cyber-part | Armor | Unarmed | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life-like Cyber-Arm | 1 (left or right arm) | D4 (punch) | Upgrade relevant Muscle Tests/Challenges. For example, melee attacks, climbing, forcing a door handle open, or arm-wrestling. If both arms are cybernetic, also double swimming speed. |
| Life-like Cyber-Leg | 1 (left or right leg) | D4 (kick) | Upgrade relevant Muscle Tests/Challenges. For example, kicking or jumping. If both legs are cybernetic, also double movement speed and jump distance. |
| Life-like Cyber-Cranium | 2 (head) | D4 (headbutt) | Upgrade relevant Muscle Tests/Challenges. For example, headbutting. Also Presence is improved by one step. Often combined with Cybernetic Senses. |
| Life-like Full Cyborg Body | 1 (legs, arms); 2 (head, torso) | D6 (any) | Includes all of the above life-like cyber-parts, plus Cybernetic Senses and Cybernetic Internal Organs. Muscle, Reflexes, and Presence are permanently changed to D8 if they were worse. Upgrade all Muscle and Reflexes Tests/Challenges. Triple swimming speed, movement speed, and jump distance. |
Armored cyber-parts
| Cyber-part | Armor | Unarmed | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armored Cyber-Arm | 4 (left or right arm) | D6 (punch) | Upgrade relevant Muscle Tests/Challenges. For example, melee attacks, climbing, forcing a door handle open, crushing handshake, or arm-wrestling. Cannot wear armor on this part. |
| Armored Cyber-Leg | 4 (left or right leg) | D6 (kick) | Upgrade relevant Muscle Tests/Challenges. For example, kicking or jumping. Cannot wear armor on this part. |
| Armored Cyber-Cranium | 4 (head) | D6 (headbutt) | Upgrade relevant Muscle Tests/Challenges. For example, headbutting. Often combined with Cybernetic Senses. Downgrade Presence. Cannot wear armor on this part. |
| Armored Full Cyborg Body | 4 (all locations) | D8 (any) | Includes all of the above armored cyber-parts, plus Cybernetic Senses and Cybernetic Internal Organs. Muscle is permanently changed to D10 if it was worse. Upgrade all Muscle Tests/Challenges. Cannot wear armor. |
Senses and organs
| Cyber-part | Armor | Unarmed | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cybernetic Senses | n/a | n/a | Can be applied several times to eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and/or fingertips. Upgrade Tests related to relevant senses. |
| Cybernetic Internal Organs | 1 (torso*) | n/a | Upgrade Muscle Tests for Bleeding/Shock. Can be applied up to four times, each upgrading Torso Armor by 1 point. On the third application, the agent’s torso changes from life-like to visibly armored and they lose the ability to wear armor on their torso. |
Man-machine interface
There are two major issues with implanting artificial parts in a human body: short-term rejection and long-term side effects, both physical and psychological.
When an agent is implanted with a new cyber-part, take a Muscle Test, without any of the bonuses that will come from the cyber-part in question. If the Test is passed the part is accepted. If it is failed, the agent cannot use that cyber-part, which can leave them without a limb or with some other permanent severe injury to cope with (or in some cases, it may mean death). The GM and the player should decide how the rejection is going to affect the character going forward.
Even if a replacement cyber-part is successfully implanted, the agent may still suffer side effects. After a successful Muscle Test for the implant procedure, as part of the agent’s rehabilitation program, take an Awareness Test. If this is successful, the agent copes well with the new artificial part and no side effects become apparent. If the Test is failed, the agent acquires a new Setback, either psychological or physical — decide with the GM what is appropriate. For example, this could be worked into the character’s Synthesis Conflict, particularly if the agent started the game with a cybernetic part.
Armored Vehicles is harvested below. Running the Game follows after that.
Armored vehicles
Section 9 occasionally crosses paths with very powerful opponents — foreign information agencies, sometimes even backed by the military, or a particularly wealthy criminal ring able to lay their hands on military-grade weaponry or armored fighting vehicles.
In this universe, armored vehicles used for urban combat come in a variety of designs, but most often are humanoid-shaped “battle suits” or multi-legged “spider tanks.” These are normally controlled by AI, but generally also have a cockpit for a pilot to be plugged in and take control.
To take on these threats, Section 9 has its own small fleet of about ten Fuchikoma spider-like vehicles. As a rookie, you won’t normally be assigned something as expensive as a Fuchikoma. These important tactical assets are only used by senior agents and deployed in missions with a high risk of a confrontation with heavily armed opposition. Not something you should be facing at your level. Consider yourself lucky.
The game usually concentrates on investigation and story-lines, punctuated with the odd action scene — just a small firefight. It does not focus on larger engagements involving armored vehicles. Sometimes things go sideways and even an easy-looking tail job turns into a desperate fight against a murderous tooled-up battle suit. The following profiles let the GM run those rare encounters. Feel free to change stats and weapons to suit the story.
Each vehicle has a profile: Traits, action-scene speed, typical weaponry, and other gear. They each also have a Hit Location & Damage chart, Damaged (Injured) and Destroyed location effects, and an Internal Damage chart unique to vehicles. The diagrams label one number per location as Hit Points & Armor.
There isn’t normally an external port on the hull of these machines, so in order to attempt a wired connection, one has to access the cockpit.
The printed values are for an AI version. If the vehicle is piloted, use the highest value between pilot and vehicle for Hacking, Barrier, and Presence.
Internal damage (all vehicles)
If a torso location is Damaged, roll on this Internal Damage chart (D20). If a result effect does not apply (e.g. already immobilised), treat it as a 1–3 result instead.
| D20 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 19–20 | Catastrophic damage — roll twice more on this chart (re-roll any 1–3 results). |
| 14–18 | Cockpit — causes D6 damage to the pilot, if present (use the damage chart for location). |
| 10–13 | Engine damage — immobilized. |
| 7–9 | Weapon damage — torso-mounted weapon system disabled. |
| 4–6 | On fire — at the start of every round take a Difficulty 10 Muscle Test. If passed, fire is out. If not, take 1 point of damage and Test again next round. |
| 1–3 | No major system — no effect. |
Battle Suit
A humanoid-shaped battle suit — a light armored vehicle either controlled by onboard AI or by a pilot, who can be inside the suit or remotely connected to it.
AI “robot” version.
| Trait | Die | |
|---|---|---|
| Ghost | Awareness | D10 |
| Ghost | Presence | D4 |
| Shell | Muscle | D12 |
| Shell | Reflexes | D10 |
| Cyberbrain | Hacking | D6 |
| Cyberbrain | Barrier | 11 |
Action scene speed. Battle Suits can move 1 zone with a single move action. They can trade in their main action for a second move action, allowing them to move 1 additional zone in one turn.
Typical weaponry. 1 to 3 weapons — up to one in each hand and one shoulder-mounted. Pick any weapon. Battle suits can use bulky weapons one-handed with no penalty.
Standard gear.
- Optional: Thermo-optical camouflage.
- Optional: Jump jets (depending on the model, these can allow extended jump capability or even limited flight and/or hovering).
Hit points & armor
| D20 | Location | HP / Armor |
|---|---|---|
| 19–20 | Head | 5 |
| 11–18 | Torso | 8 |
| 9–10 | Right Arm | 6 |
| 7–8 | Left Arm | 6 |
| 4–6 | Right Leg | 7 |
| 1–3 | Left Leg | 7 |
- Head / sensor array: sensors still work but with reduced effectiveness; all relevant Tests Downgraded.
- Torso: roll for Internal Damage.
- Right arm: all relevant Tests Downgraded.
- Left arm: all relevant Tests Downgraded.
- Right leg: if one leg, speed halved. If both legs, crawling on the floor.
- Left leg: if one leg, speed halved. If both legs, crawling on the floor.
- Head / sensor array: no sensors.
- Torso: battle suit destroyed.
- Right arm: can no longer be used.
- Left arm: can no longer be used.
- Right leg: if one leg, crawling on the floor. If both legs, immobilized.
- Left leg: if one leg, crawling on the floor. If both legs, immobilized.
Fuchikoma
A spider-shaped Fuchikoma — the workhorse support vehicle for Section 9 agents. Agents often customize the weapon load to suit the mission or their personal taste.
AI “think tank” version. The stats do not account for its entertaining personality, which should be brought to life by the GM.
| Trait | Die | |
|---|---|---|
| Ghost | Awareness | D10 |
| Ghost | Presence | D4 |
| Shell | Muscle | D12 |
| Shell | Reflexes | D10 |
| Cyberbrain | Hacking | D6 |
| Cyberbrain | Barrier | 11 |
Action scene speed. Fuchikoma can move up to 2 zones with a single move action. They can trade in their main action for a second move action, allowing them to move up to 2 additional zones in one turn.
Typical weaponry. 1× Heavy Machine Gun (right arm). 1× Heavy Machine Gun (left arm). 1× Grenade Launcher (torso).
Standard gear.
- Grappling hooks and rappelling wire (30 meters).
- Thermo-optical camouflage.
- Wheels (Fuchikoma can deploy wheels at the ends of their legs, which allow them to move as fast as a car on roads).
Hit points & armor
| D20 | Location | HP / Armor |
|---|---|---|
| 19–20 | Head / Sensor Array | 5 |
| 13–18 | Torso / Hull | 8 |
| 11–12 | Right Arm | 6 |
| 9–10 | Left Arm | 6 |
| 7–8 | Front Right Leg | 7 |
| 5–6 | Rear Right Leg | 7 |
| 3–4 | Front Left Leg | 7 |
| 1–2 | Rear Left Leg | 7 |
- Head / sensor array: sensors still work but with reduced effectiveness; all relevant Tests Downgraded.
- Torso: roll for Internal Damage.
- Right arm: all relevant Tests Downgraded.
- Left arm: all relevant Tests Downgraded.
- Right leg: no effect. If all right legs, speed halved. If all legs, crawling on the floor.
- Left leg: no effect. If all left legs, speed halved. If all legs, crawling on the floor.
- Head / sensor array: no sensors.
- Torso: Fuchikoma destroyed.
- Right arm: can no longer be used.
- Left arm: can no longer be used.
- Right leg: speed halved. If all right legs, crawling on the floor. If all legs, immobilized.
- Left leg: speed halved. If all left legs, crawling on the floor. If all legs, immobilized.
Spider Tank
A spider-shaped tank — a military-grade heavy armored vehicle. Use these with caution; they are incredibly powerful.
AI “think tank” version.
| Trait | Die | |
|---|---|---|
| Ghost | Awareness | D10 |
| Ghost | Presence | D4 |
| Shell | Muscle | D20 |
| Shell | Reflexes | D6 |
| Cyberbrain | Hacking | D6 |
| Cyberbrain | Barrier | 11 |
Action scene speed. Spider Tanks can move 1 zone with a single move action. They can trade in their main action for a second move action, allowing them to move 1 additional zone in one turn.
Typical weaponry. 1× Rotary Cannon (right arm). 1× Rotary Cannon (left arm). 1× Missile Launcher (torso).
Standard gear.
- Thermo-optical camouflage.
- Wheels (spider tanks can deploy wheels at the ends of their legs, which allow them to move as fast as a heavy truck on roads).
Hit points & armor
| D20 | Location | HP / Armor |
|---|---|---|
| 19–20 | Head / Sensor Array | 7 |
| 13–18 | Torso / Hull | 10 |
| 11–12 | Right Arm | 8 |
| 9–10 | Left Arm | 8 |
| 7–8 | Front Right Leg | 9 |
| 5–6 | Rear Right Leg | 9 |
| 3–4 | Front Left Leg | 9 |
| 1–2 | Rear Left Leg | 9 |
- Head / sensor array: sensors still work but with reduced effectiveness; all relevant Tests Downgraded.
- Torso: roll for Internal Damage.
- Right arm: all relevant Tests Downgraded.
- Left arm: all relevant Tests Downgraded.
- Right leg: no effect. If all right legs, speed halved. If all legs, crawling on the floor.
- Left leg: no effect. If all left legs, speed halved. If all legs, crawling on the floor.
- Head / sensor array: no sensors.
- Torso: spider tank destroyed.
- Right arm: can no longer be used.
- Left arm: can no longer be used.
- Right leg: speed halved. If all right legs, crawling on the floor. If all legs, immobilized.
- Left leg: speed halved. If all left legs, crawling on the floor. If all legs, immobilized.
Running the Game is harvested below. Dramatis Personae and Lost Patriot stay skipped.
Running the Game
While each player controls a single character, determining their actions and reactions in play, it is the Game Master who helps ground the PCs in the world, giving them locations, events, and non-player characters (NPCs) to interact with. Everyone in the group contributes to the story, and the GM is not intended to be “in charge.” While it is useful for the GM to prepare certain elements of a session ahead of time, the actions of the PCs will have a huge part to play in determining the direction of the story.
This section is filled with advice for the GM, including preparation tips, guiding principles, and a breakdown of the main phases that make up a mission.
The Game Master’s role
The Game Master can be seen as part narrator, part guide, establishing scenes and playing the role of NPCs who help the PCs move through the story while feeling part of the world. It is up to the GM to present goals, opportunities, enemies, obstacles, and consequences. When the players describe the actions of their characters, it is your job to respond, describing what happens next. This includes:
- Acting out a conversation as an NPC.
- Describing how the current scene changes based on the PCs’ actions.
- Ending the current scene and starting a new one.
- Presenting a problem that obstructs the PCs’ progress. If they attempt to overcome it, set a Difficulty and call for a Test.
- Introducing hostile NPCs and controlling their actions in combat.
Safety tools
The Ghost in the Shell is set in a very harsh world. Stories may feature mature themes including violence, brainwashing, oppression, identity crisis, and much more. In order to make sure everyone at the table is able to enjoy telling stories in this world, it’s important to recognize that we all have different boundaries.
Before you begin playing, discuss the expectations of everyone in the group about the tone and content of the upcoming game.
One useful tool, known as Lines and Veils, gives people the opportunity to request that certain story elements are either not included at all (a line), or are discussed only briefly, without details (a veil). Search “Lines and Veils” and “TTRPG Safety Tools” online for more information.
GM principles
Being the GM involves a certain amount of improvisation, as you respond to the PCs’ actions and react when they take a turn or go in a direction you weren’t expecting. Whether you’re preparing a mission ahead of time or making it up as you go, these core principles will help you create a consistent and engaging session.
Though you are the narrator, the PCs are the main characters of the story — whatever happens should be in service of creating an engaging narrative for them, and a fun game for you and the players. The PCs should have opportunities to put their specialized skills to use, and ultimately it should always be their actions and decisions driving the story forward.
Many PCs in The Ghost in the Shell are complicated. They each have a Synthesis Conflict that will grow and evolve throughout the story. Talk to the players and come up with interesting ways to incorporate these conflicts into the story. Take any opportunity to tie the current mission back into the PCs’ inner battles and give them quiet moments to reflect.
The PCs may well have chosen to join Section 9 as a way to do good or to fight for justice. This world certainly has no shortage of greed, exploitation, and corruption, but as elite government agents the PCs always run the risk of supporting that same system of power and control, even if they believe otherwise. This is a world full of questions and difficult choices, and facing these complexities is what makes a good story.
This world is dominated by technology, and Newport City is right on the cutting edge. While developments in cybernetics, ghost-hacking, artificial intelligence, and all manner of other technologies present complex ethical dilemmas, and often lead to conflict, The Ghost in the Shell does not present technology as inherently evil or wrong — there is a synthesis to be found between human and machine.
When in doubt, return to the original stories for inspiration. There are countless potential plot hooks, characters, and concepts from The Ghost in the Shell that could be altered, expanded, and used as material for this game. Play around with the expectations of players who are familiar with the source material. Don’t be afraid to make this version of the world your own.
Mastering missions
Game-play revolves around missions. These may last a single play session or extend across multiple sessions, but each focuses around a specific objective that the PCs have been given, usually set for them by Section 9. This might involve unraveling a technological mystery, solving a crime, taking down a target, or rescuing a missing person. Multiple missions carried out by the same PCs form a longer campaign.
As the GM, you might make up your own missions or use published materials. In either case, be aware of these elements before the session starts — whether you create them from scratch or read ahead in a pre-written mission:
Hooks that pull PCs into the story. This often includes mission briefings from senior members of Section 9.
Locations that are likely to come up in the course of the mission, including possible combat zones.
Potential allies, informants, victims, and hostiles. Each has their own motivations and desires that determine how they’ll react to the PCs. You may need stats for NPCs, particularly those likely to be involved in combat. These will be provided in published materials.
The Core Rules include a sample mission (Lost Patriot) and Dramatis Personae for the famous Section 9 agents. Those chapters are not harvested here.
Mission phases
Missions can be broken down into five major sections, known as mission phases. These help define the main activities PCs are likely to engage with as Section 9 agents. The five phases are Instigation, Investigation, Action, Downtime, and Denouement. Missions typically begin with Instigation, then proceed through any combination of Investigation, Action, and Downtime scenes, then wrap up with Denouement.
Typically short and to the point, the Instigation phase hooks the players into a new mission. A Section 9 briefing outlining the major points of the mission is often a good way to start, but of course rarely is all the information available from the start.
Any form of research, reconnaissance, and intelligence operations. It also covers any non-combat interactions: meeting with an ally, gathering information, questioning suspects, and so on. When preparing an Investigation phase, create a list of clues and information that lead to the next phase, without being too specific on the ways PCs must discover them — instead let them decide the approach and call for Tests where appropriate.
Stealthy infiltrations, chases, and all forms of combat. Action scenes often require NPC opponents, for example armed guards who will start a firefight if they spot the PCs. You may also wish to prepare zone maps of locations that are likely to feature action scenes. If a fight breaks out, use the combat rules until the fighting is resolved. Remember that while you control enemy NPCs, your goal as the GM isn’t to defeat the PCs. In most cases, the PCs struggling and defeating a dangerous opponent, or narrowly escaping a deadly situation, will make for a more exciting story than if they are all killed. Gunfights are fast and lethal, often resulting in injury and death. Most see combat as a last resort.
PCs usually have longer periods of rest between missions, but they may also need to take a breather during a mission, especially if they have been injured. Normally, to gain the benefits of this phase a PC must take no action other than resting for at least a few hours (a night’s sleep, for example). See Downtime below for healing, Synthesis, and Ghost-Whispers.
Wraps up the mission, resolving any loose threads or foreshadowing unresolved mysteries. The PCs have a chance to reflect on how the mission went and observe any ongoing consequences. They may receive rewards from Section 9 for a successful mission.
Downtime
Healing. Restore 1 HP to each body location that is at 0 HP or higher if they have been patched up at home or similar, or D4 HP to each body location (roll separately) if receiving proper medical treatment.
Synthesis. Downtime phases also cover quiet moments of introspection. As well as healing as described above, by meditating on their inner conflict, the PC may remove a temporary level from one side of their Synthesis Gauge and add it to the other side.
Ghost-Whispers. Instead of meditating on their inner conflict, the PC may reflect on what has happened in the mission so far, honing their instincts and attempting to hear their Ghost whispering to them. Take Tests against both your Presence and Awareness against a Difficulty equal to the number of GW points the character currently has (no Skills apply). If both Tests are passed, gain 1 GW point.
Gaining experience
Generally, PCs will be rewarded upon the successful completion of a mission, particularly if they didn’t cause Chief Aramaki any trouble in the process — if they acted outside of orders or led to Aramaki having to smooth things over with his powerful “friends,” they are less likely to be rewarded.
In general, the team’s Requisition score goes up by 2.
It is assumed that after each mission, PCs will gain the following improvements, representing both experience earned during the mission and training or work done to their cyber-parts between missions:
They may increase the value of one of their Traits by one step (for example, from D6 to D8). If they choose to increase their Barrier, its value rises by 2.
The Muscle and Reflexes Traits can only be improved up to a maximum of D8 for unaugmented humans, and up to D12 for humans with at least one life-like or armored cyber-arm or cyber-leg. Only full cyborg bodies can improve these Traits to D20.
They may increase the rank of two Skills that they currently possess by one step. They may then either increase the rank of a third Skill, or gain one new Skill at rank 1, or discuss with the GM whether it is possible to lose or improve a Setback.
Destroyed body locations may be replaced with appropriate cybernetics, which might also alter the character’s Traits.
The Core Rules continue with Dramatis Personae and the sample mission Lost Patriot. Those stay skipped. Chargen and the after-Finalize hub are live; live table dice come later.