Take controlof d20 Systemcharacter creation!
BESM d20 Revised provides you witha point-based character creation mechanicthat gives players and GMs a method
to create exciting, dynamic, and balanced
d20 System characters for all styles
and genres of play.
You can use BESM d20 Revised by itself,
or plug it into your favourite d20 System game.
It’s built for anime — but powerful enoughto handle anything.
BESM d20 Revised includes new optional rules tofurther enhance your campaign as well as the
expanded mecha creation rules from d20 Mecha.

d20
Redefined.
T aking characters to the next level.
BESM d20 Deluxe Limited Edition
2003 Origins A ward Nominee for Best Graphic Design

Requires the use ofa Roleplaying Game Core Book
published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

WRITTEN BY
Mark C. MacKinnon

ADDITIONAL WRITING BY
Matthew Keeley, Jeff Mackintosh, Alejandro Melchor, David L. Pulver, Jesse Scoble, and Ian Sturrock

ART DIRECTION AND GRAPHIC PRODUCTION BY
Jeff Mackintosh

EDITING BY
Jeff Mackintosh , Jesse Scoble

COVER BY
Niko Geyer

INTERIOR ARTWORK BY
Axel, Jason Chan, Lindsay Cibos, Niko Geyer, Jared Hodges, Ben Overmyer

PLAYTESTERS
Clark Barrett, Bryan Blalock, Kevin Brennan, John Clark, Leno Colluci, Rod Currie, Dan Davenport, Brian Dorion, Jim Eperson, John Fiala, Ryan Fisk, Ariana
Fisch, Andrew Fix, Peter Flanagan, Brook Freeman, James Gardner, V iktor Haag, Darrell Hiebert, Richard Iorio II, Anthony Jackson, Alex Johnston, John Karakash,
Tim Keating, Matthew Keeley, Tina Klien-Lebink, Eileen Krause, Johnathan Lang, Ian Lim, Charlie Luce, James Maliszewski, JM Mann, Joshua Marquart, John
McMullen, Theodore Miller, Richard Miyares, James Nicoll, Ed Northcott, Bowden Palmer, Louis Pappamichiel, Anthony Ragan, Craig E. Ransom, Cynthia Reep,
Patrick Riley, Bryan Rogers, Rowdy Scarlett, Sidhain, Tony Rainwater, Catherine Spainhour, Richard Spainhour, Mark Stansfield, Chris Steward, William H. Stoddard,
Devinder Thiara, Rich Tomasso, Chad Underkoffler, Mary-Melissa Wilzewski© 2004 GUARDIANS OF ORDER, INC. All Rights Reserved.
All images © 2004 of their respective copyright holders and used with permission.
GUARDIANS OF ORDER, and BIG EYES, SMALL MOUTH are trademarks of GUARDIANS OF ORDER, INC.
'D20 SYSTEM' and the 'D20 SYSTEM' logo are Trademarks owned by WIZARDS OF THE COAST and are used according to the terms of the D20 System License version 5.0.
A copy of this License can be found at www.wizards.com/d20.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® and WIZARDS OF THE COAST® are Registered Trademarks of WIZARDS OF THE COAST, and are used with Permission.
d20 Modern™ is a trademark of WIZARDS OF THE COAST, INC., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and is used with permission.
First Printing — June 2004 Printed in Canada
All right reserved under international law. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or in whole, in any form or by any means,
without permission from the publisher, except for Open Gaming Content and personal copies of the character sheet, or brief quotes for use in reviews.

ISBN 1-894938-52-6 • Production Number 02-697
GUARDIANS OF ORDER, INC. • P.O. Box 25016, 370 Stone Road, Guelph, Ontario, CANADA, N1G 4T4
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
4 Chapter 1: Introduction

8

What is Anime?
Anime Origins
Anime Genres
What is a Role-Playing Game?
Playing BESM d20

Chapter 2: Character Creation
8
9
10

Character Creation Basics
Step 1: GM Discussion
Step 2: Character Outline

11 Chapter 3: Abilities
11

Step 3: Generate Ability Scores

13 Chapter 4: Races
13

Step 4: Select Race

14 Chapter 5: Classes
14
32
33

Step 5: Select Class
Deconstruction of the d20 System Fantasy Classes
Examining d20 Modern Classes

37 Chapter 6: Attributes
37

Step 6: Assign Attributes

74 Chapter 7: Skills
74

Step 7: Select Skills

81 Chapter 8: Feats81

Step 8: Select Feats

87 Chapter 9: Defects
87

Step 9: Select Defects

96 Chapter 10: Finishing Touches
96
97

Step 10: Determine Calculated Values
Step 11: Earn Background Points

98 Chapter 11: Equipment
98 Anime Toys
98 Weapons
102 Vehicles
106 Body Armour and Protective Devices
108 Breaking Objects

110 Chapter 12: Combat
110 Combat Introduction
111 Dice and Dice Rolls
114 Combat
114 Initiative
115 Character Action
120 Non-Combat Actions
120 Defence
121 Damage
123 Mind Combat
124 Recovery
124 Using Attributes in Combat
125 Character Advancement

CHAPTER 1:
TABLE OF CONTENTS

4
4
4
6
6

126 Chapter 13: Role-Playing
126
126
127
130
132
138
138
139

Campaigns, Mini-Campaigns, and One-Shots
Choice of Genre
Creating a Game Setting
World Building
Designing Adventures
Character Advancement
Advice for the GM
Advice for the Player

140 Appendix: Optional Rules
140 Chases
145 Damage Saves
146 Fate Points
147 School Campaigns
148 Hit Locations
148 Narrative Battles
151 Epic Level Characters
152 Making BESM d20 Classless
153 Big Combats, Small Counters

157 Bonus Material: Mecha Creation Rules
161 Step 1: Choose Mecha Type
161 Step 2: Choose Size
161 Step 3: Choose Hit Points
162 Step 4: Choose Occupants and Cargo
162 Step 5: Choose Armour
163 Step 6: Choose Defence
163 Step 7: Choose Strength
163 Step 8: Choose Speed
165 Step 9: Choose Handling
167 Step 10: Choose Special Abilities
172 Step 11: Choose Exitic Abilities
174 Step 12: Choose Defects
176 Step 13: Design Weapons
183 Special Rules
184 Mecha Point Equivalents

3

CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS ANIME?
“Anime” is the accepted term for animation from Japan. It has
garnered much more respect in its native country than North American
cartoons have in Canada and the United States. One reason for the
popularity of anime is its diverse subject matter, ranging from fantasy andscience fiction to romantic comedy and horror. While North American
cartoons tend to be written for younger audiences (with a few exceptions),
anime includes many shows aimed explicitly at teenagers or older
viewers, and this in turn permits more sophisticated story lines and awider array of genres.
Another factor in the appeal of anime is the ongoing multi-episodestory arcs that are a common feature of many live-action TV dramas. A
show can tell a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end rather
than simply present a series of disconnected episodes that lurch onward
until cancellation.
Science fiction and fantasy fare very well in anime. Freed from thebudgetary constraints imposed by the high cost of live-action special
effects, coupled with a willingness to tackle stories that appeal to older
viewers, many shows bring fantastic visions to vivid life. Alien invasions,world-shaking sorcery, transforming robots, super-powered heroes,
demonic monsters, obsessively detailed military hardware, and realistic
depictions of life in space are all a part of anime. Characters in theseshows are often larger than life: angst-ridden, utterly clueless, burning forrevenge, or hopelessly in love.

ANIME ORIGINSThe first anime series produced in Japan was Tetsuwan Atom (1963),
created by Osamu Tezuka and his animation studio, Mushi Productions.
Later, this series became popular in the West as Astro Boy. From the 1980s
through the 1990s, anime has improved in both sophistication and quality,with series like Space Battleship Yamato (1975, space opera), Urusei Yatsura(1981, alien girlfriend comedy), Mobile Suit Gundam (1979, military
drama), Macross (1983, science fiction soap opera), Sailor Moon (1992,
magical girl drama) and Ranma 1/2 (1994, martial arts comedy)
exemplifying particular genres. A major breakthrough came in the early
1980s, when direct-to-video (OAV; Original Animation Video) anime
releases caught on, allowing production studios to produce shows aimed atsmaller niche audiences or older viewers in a much greater diversity ofgenres. The legacy of this “OAV boom” (and the rise of speciality cable TV)
was a renaissance in original television anime in the late 1990s, of which
the most influential series were the mecha-conspiracy saga, Neon Genesis
Evangelion (1996), and monster gladiator kids’ show, P okemon (1999).
In North America, relatively few anime-derived series weretranslated and adapted for television in the 1970s and 1980s. Most of
those that did appear were heavily altered, often losing those Japaneseelements (such as a continuing story arc) that made them interesting in
the first place. Notable exceptions were Star Blazers (1979, the U.S.
version of Space Battleship Yamato) and Robotech (1985, a compilation ofMacross and two other anime shows), whose adaptations left their story
arcs largely intact. The fandom that developed around these shows was
sustained by various comics, books, and fan activities and helped fuel thefirst anime-inspired giant robot board games and RPGs. In 1986 and1987 the first American anime magazines appeared. More and more
Westerners became active in the distribution of Japanese language or fansubtitled tapes, as fans became aware of the “OAV boom” taking place inJapan. Successful comic book translations of high quality Japanese manga(such as Akira, L one Wolf and Cub, Nausicaa and Appleseed) and thetheatrical release of the Akira motion picture captured new fans.
In the late 1980s, a number of American companies began
releasing quality subtitled and dubbed translations of anime releases,
including some of the best of the then-new science fiction OAV series like
Gunbuster (1988) and Bubblegum Crisis (1988). In the 1990s, the growing
popularity of anime allowed companies to release longer TV series

4(notably Ranma 1/2, one of the first successful non-mecha series in
America) direct to video. In 1995, the “impossible” happened when themagical girl show, Sailor Moon, began appearing on North American
television, the first shojo (young girl) anime to do so. Its success has added
a new generation of young female (and male) fans.
The start of the new century is seeing an explosion in anime withTV series being translated and released on video within months of theirappearance in Japan, and anime returning to mainstream American
television. Over the last few years, shows such as Card Captor Sakura,
Cowboy Beebop, Dragonball Z, Digimon, Escaflowne, Gundam Wing, Hamtaro,
Monster Rancher, P okemon, Tenchi Muyo!, Trigun, and Yu-Gi-Oh! have begun
broadcasting on television. It’s a good time to be an anime fan!

ANIME GENRES
Anime is often, though not exclusively, based on a published manga(Japanese comic). The Japanese comics industry is among the mostprolific and vibrant in the world. Japanese manga (published almost
exclusively in black and white) are even more diverse than anime, andwidely accepted as a legitimate literary and artistic form. Manga serve as
inspiration for television series, direct-to-video releases, and theatricalmovies. Recently, manga has also influenced the drawing style of comic
titles from Marvel and DC.
Anime includes familiar genres such as space opera, cyberpunk,cops-and-robbers shows, high-school soap operas, and more. Some of themore exotic sub-genres are outlined here. It is very common for shows to
combine elements from several genres.

MECHA
This is the Japanese term for a machine that appears in anime.
Mecha shows are anime that feature such machines in action, often giant,human-piloted robots, spaceships, submarines, fighter planes, or suits ofform-fitting powered armour. Among the first mecha anime series were
“hero” shows, in which teenage champions fought evil masterminds frominside super powered cars, subs, or giant robots. The niftiest robots, like
Mazinger Z, could transform into different shapes or combine into evenbigger robots (which also sold lots of cool toys). Then came series like
Mobile Suit Gundam, which treated giant robots or space battleships as“real” military hardware used by governments or corporations to fightwars or combat terrorism. Instead of comic book heroes and villains, thecharacters were often young and talented soldiers facing combat anddeath for the first time, fighting opponents much like themselves. If you
suspend disbelief in the robots or spaceships themselves, the mecha anime
genre offers quality space opera or cyberpunk drama (with a dash of soap
opera) that often matches or exceeds the best of Western cinematicscience fiction television. Be sure to check out Guardians Of Order’s d20
mecha creation system supplement, d20 Mecha (Product #02-601), andthe far-future hard SF setting, Centauri Knights d20 (Product # 02-602),
if you plan to add mecha to your games.

MAGICALGIRL
If the mecha show is the classic shonen (young boy) anime series, themagical girl show epitomises shojo anime. These series usually feature anelementary or high school-aged girl who is granted the power totransform into a costumed magical superheroine to fight evil. Often themagical girl will discover other magical girls who become her allies.
Common elements in these anime are cute talking animal companions,
mysterious male allies, evil monsters bent on world domination (adifferent set each season), high school romance, and the value offriendship. Many magical girl anime also include strong dramaticelements with characters encountering heartbreak, tragedy, andoccasionally death in their struggle to win love for themselves and protect
the world from evil.

HERO
TEAM (SENTAI)
A more generic cousin to the magical girl show, Sentai team shows

MARTIALARTS
Featuring battles inspired by manga, video games, and Hong Kong
wuxia (“wire fu”) movies, anime martial artist shows regularly transcend
the limitations of reality to produce incredibly ki-powered special attacks
such as fireballs or geysers of energy. Characters in martial arts anime areoften obsessed with proving themselves and discovering new techniques,much like fantasy RPG characters want to “go up in level.” Martial arts
stories may be set in the real world or in exotic landscapes such as postapocalyptic wastelands or medieval China. Often the martial arts genre
crosses over with the supernatural as heroes battle magicians or labour
under strange curses.

CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION

features groups of characters who battle evil, often in tight-fitting
technological or magical armour. These often draw inspiration from liveaction hero team shows such as Ultra Man or Power Rangers. An occasionally
popular sub-genre is the “boys in armour” series, featuring a team of buff,
angst-ridden teenage boys whose pretty boy features are designed to appeal
to female fans while the action typically draws male viewers.

SPORTSANIMEThe characters may be tennis pros, baseball or basketball players,
tag-team wrestlers, race car drivers, or some other type of athlete. Somesports anime are even set in the future, with science fiction sports that do
not exist today. The plots in sports anime focus as much on theircharacters’ emotional development as on the actual training, matches, or
tournaments. The hero often starts out lacking self-confidence and skill,
but with the help of a best friend or coach pulls through, wins the respectof fellow team members, and leads them to victory in the final
competition. Sequels often feature greater challenges or travel (“on to the
Olympics!”). The mix of intense rivalry and close friendship between the
different team members is important, as is the relationship with their
manager/coach/sensei. This genre can cross over with the martial arts oreven mecha genres, depending on the kind of sports involved.

EXOTICGIRLFRIEND
These shows are situation comedies or comedy-drama where aseemingly ordinary boy finds himself in a relationship with one or more
exotic girls that fall madly in love with him. The guy may be an ordinary
teenager, or he may be more than he seems. The girls are aliens,
goddesses, martial artists, robots, fighter pilots, etc., and all jealouslycompete for the hero’s affection. Often the hero would like nothing morethan to dump the lot of them and just date a “normal” girl next door, but
the plot (alien invaders, the world needs saving, etc.) gets in the way.
Since the girls have special powers or big guns, this offers a combinationof love triangle and action-comedy that appeals to both boys and girls.
The genre has spun off into “Dating Simulation” console games, many ofwhich spawn their own anime. There are rare variations that feature abunch of guys and one girl.

INTERDIMENSIONALEXILES
Cousins to Through the Looking Glass, John Carter of Mars or The
Wizard of Oz, these science fantasy anime begin with one or morecharacters in modern Japan. Something weird happens, and thecharacters are magically summoned or otherwise sucked into anotherdimension — a fantasy world where magic, alien races or lost supertechnologies exist, and an epic battle rages between rival forces. In thisworld, the exiled Earthlings often possess special abilities, allowing them
to become mecha pilots, magicians, leaders, or warriors in the earthshaking struggle taking place — if they pick the right side with which tojoin. Often the battle lines are not so clear cut, and the group of
castaways ends up split between both sides.

5CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION

SUPERNATURALACTION
These shows are superficially “horror” series in that they featuredemons, spirits, ghosts, vampires, out-of-control psionic teenagers, orother terrors that are menacing the world. The big difference is thatinstead of being ineffectual, the heroes often have access to hightechnology, cybernetics, martial arts, magical powers, or supernaturalabilities of their own and can battle the monsters on an even basis. Thus,
these anime are really action-adventure shows with a supernatural twist.
Sometimes the horror is purely supernatural, or it may have a sciencefiction rationale with psychic powers or sinister parasitic or shape-shiftingaliens. Magical girls can be considered one unique sub-set of this genre,
as are the “naughty tentacle” shows where the horrific demons areinterested in more than just their victim’s blood and souls.

SAMURAIOR NINJA ACTION
These historical anime take place in ancient or medieval Japan, aworld of katana-wielding samurai warriors, ninja assassins, magical
Buddhist monks, warring clans, and blood-soaked revenge. A heroic
samurai or ninja can dispatch a dozen enemies with his blade, and a ninja’s
bag of tricks range from explosive bombs to literal invisibility. Theseshows are generally “historical fantasies” playing fast and loose withJapanese history in the same way that westerns do with the Old West.
Variations are shows that take place in pseudo-historical China or India.

SWORDS
AND SORCERY
These Western-style anime shows draw most of their inspirationfrom computer and console RPGs and fantasy role-playing games, but add
their own unique twist. This includes visual elements (anime elves often
have huge ears), insanely destructive magical spells (mostly powered-up
variations of fireballs) and often a blend of magic and technology. The
latter consists of techno-magical robots, androids, or flying ships, and therelics of ancient civilisations whose secrets are now lost.

WEIRD
CONSPIRACY
These anime usually focus on government plots or secret corporate
experiments. Often an innocent school boy or girl is a pawn in somesinister project to create or control a super weapon designed to fight ahidden enemy, or discovers a clue (like a mecha suit) that leads him or her
into its midst. Neither side is what it seems, and there are wheels within
wheels, and even the character’s own identity may be a lie. This sort ofshow often crosses over with the supernatural action or mecha genres,with artificial intelligence, psychic powers, or advanced mecha as part ofthe experiment.

PETInspired
MONSTERby virtual pets and console games, these insanely popular
kids anime feature wandering children who collect or train “petmonsters” either as gladiators or as partners in a battle against evil. They
are the most recent anime genre, and amongst the most popular (andprofitable) in North America.

WHAT IS A ROLEPLAYING GAME?
6

For many people, a role-playing game (RPG) is the “mature” versionof the games we used to play as children: “House,” “Cops and Robbers,”and “Superheroes.” A rule system assists in settling conflicts and resolving
actions, often with the use of a random generator (usually dice) to add anunpredictable element to the game. A game requires a handful of players
and one person to act as the Game Master (GM) or referee. The players

tell the GM what their anime alter-egos would like to do, and the GM
describes the results of their actions. The GM is also responsible forcreating the plot and the setting for the game adventures and works
closely with the players to keep the game interesting and fun for all.
In Big Eyes, Small Mouth d20 (BESM d20), players assume the roleof an anime character suitable to the time period and setting of theadventure the GM will be using. The game system helps players assign
some strengths and weaknesses to their characters using numbers toindicate relative ability. The remaining elements of a character’s
background, family, hobbies, and interests are not covered by the rules
and are described by each player according to his or her choice ofcharacter personality.
As a player, you control your character’s actions in the game. He or
she can be likened to one of the major characters in an anime movie,
working through the unexpected twists and turns of the plot with thehelp of other major characters. Your character’s actions can greatly affectthe outcome of the adventure, but you must keep in mind that every
action has a consequence that could return to haunt your character in a
future session. Role-playing is a group effort, however, and positive
interactions between your character and those of the other players arevital to everyone’s enjoyment of the game.
As a GM, your contribution will be much greater than that fromany one player. You must establish the genre, setting, conflicts, and plotof the adventure as well as all the non-player characters (NPCs) yourgroup of players will meet during the game. NPCs are similar to thebackground characters in a movie — few are given quality screen timewith the major characters unless they are good buddies, or central to theplot. Additionally, you must be able to project your imagination to theplayers by describing in vivid detail the world in which they live. Then,after all that, your game plot must remain sufficiently flexible to allow
the characters’ actions to make a definite impact on the adventure. A plotthat is too rigid may leave players feeling their characters have lost thefree will to affect their own destiny. Should you assume the role of GM,
you must possess creativity, good judgement, and the ability to improvise
in unexpected situations. It takes extra time and effort, but the reward ofa well-played adventure can be almost euphoric.
Each role-playing adventure or episode will require one or two
sessions, each several hours in length. A number of episodes using thesame characters can be linked together to form an anime campaign.
Campaigns require more commitment from everyone involved, butwatching the characters grow as the greater plot unfolds makes the extra
effort worthwhile. The most engaging campaigns can last upwards of 510 years, but keeping a campaign running for 8 months to a few years is
considered tremendously successful. More advice on choosing an anime
genre and on Game Mastering in general can be found in Chapter 13:
Role-Playing.

PLAYING BESM d20
BESM d20 is a multi-genre anime game that accommodates nearly
any setting or time period. The rules are simple to use and thus do notafford a high level of detail, although the resolution system and combat
system have been designed to capture the fast-moving nature of anime
action. This element is one of the central strengths of the game, making
BESM d20 ideal for either the novice or experienced role-player.
Nevertheless, the role-playing interactions between the GM and theplayers, as well as between the players themselves, is the primary focus of
Big Eyes, Small Mouth: d20 System RPG, and, to this end, the coremechanisms of the game have remained straightforward.

BESM d20 – FOR FREE!
BESM d20 is part of an unstoppable force known as Open Source Gaming,
which generates a plethora of d20 System game rules and text that can be distributed freely
with very few restrictions. GUARDIANS OF ORDER supports this movement and has made a
System Reference Document (SRD) containing all primary Open Game Content
from BESM d20 available on our website to everyone — free of charge!

Download the BESM d20 SRD at:

http://www.guardiansorder.com/d20
W e also make it easy for companies to publish and market products compatible with
BESM d20 through a low-cost trademark license. You can even have GUARDIANS OF ORDER
distribute and sell your BESM d20 product for you through our creator-owned publishing
imprint, Magnum Opus — and you keep most of the profits!

Learn about publishing your own BESM d20 book at:

http://www.guardiansorder.com/magnumopus

OPEN GAME LICENSE VERSION 1.0a
DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENTITY
The following is designated as Product Identity, in accordance with Section 1(e) of theOpen Game License, V ersion 1.0a: all GUARDIANS OF ORDER names, logos, identifying
marks, and trade dress; all character and place names; all examples; all artwork, symbols,
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DESIGNATION OF OPEN GAME CONTENT
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the remainder of this publication is designated as Open Game Content.

OPEN GAME LICENSE VERSION 1.0A
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”).
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15. COPYRIGHT NOTICEOpen Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Rules Document Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams,
based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich
Redman, Charles Ryan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison,
Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.
Silver Age Sentinels d20 Copyright 2002, Guardians of Order, Inc.; Authors Stephen Kenson, Mark C. MacKinnon, Jeff
Mackintosh, Jesse Scoble.
BESM d20 Copyright 2003, Guardians of Order, Inc.; Author Mark C. MacKinnon.
Spycraft, Copyright 2002, Alderac Entertainment Group.
Horizon: Grimm, Copyright 2003, Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc.
Conan: The Role-Playing Game, Copyright 2003, Conan Properties International LLC. CONAN ®, CONAN THE
BARBARIAN® and related logos are trademarks of Conan Properties International LLC unless otherwise noted. All Rights
Reserved. Mongoose Publishing Ltd Authorised User.
Strongholds & Dynasties, Copyright 2003, Mongoose Publishing.
Mutants & Masterminds RPG, Copyright 2002, Green Ronin Publishing; Author Steve Kenson
BESM d20 Revised Copyright 2003, Guardians of Order, Inc.; Author Mark C. MacKinnon, Ian Sturrock.

CHAPTER 2:
CHARACTER CREATIONCHARACTER
CREATION BASICS

8

The design of a new character for BESM d20 should involve a
thoughtful collaboration between the player and the GM. Your objective
is to create a character who is fun to play, has plenty of reason toadventure, and who fits into the GM’s campaign. In BESM d20, you canchoose to spend as little as ten minutes designing a character or upwardsof an hour. The difference lies in the amount of detail and individuality
given to your character. At no time during an RPG campaign do you havemore control over the destiny of your character than during the creation
process. If you have any questions about game mechanics or specificcharacter abilities, talk to the GM before you begin character creation.

DICELikeANDNOTATIONS
all d20 System games, BESM d20 uses polyhedral (multisided) dice at various points in the game. This typically includes dice withthe following number of sides: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 20. When a random
number needs to be generated through a dice roll, the exact dice to berolled will be indicated by the formula XdY+Z, where:• X is the number of dice rolled• d represents the word “dice”• Y is the type of die rolled (number of sides)• Z is a fixed value added to the roll (omitted for a zero)For example, 2d8+4 indicates you should roll two eight-sided diceand add 4 to the generated value. Similarly, 5d6 indicates a roll of five sixsided dice, while 2d10-2 means roll two 10-sided dice and subtract twofrom the result.

STEP 1: GM DISCUSSION
You and the other players should discuss the nature of theupcoming game with the GM. Before any characters are created, the GMshould outline such details as genre, setting, campaign duration, story
boundaries, and expected time commitment. A variety of game genresare discussed in Chapter 13: Role-Playing. As a player, you should listen

closely to the GM’s descriptions since it will impact directly on thecharacter you wish to create. It is not useful if you decide to create acomputer hacker character should the GM set the game in late SeventhCentury Japan.
Ask for clarification of any rule modifications the GM plans to use
as well as any background restrictions on your character. If you have any
game preferences involving issues such as combat intensity, maturity
level, or drama versus comedy ratio, let the GM know about them. Helpthe GM create the game that you all want to play.

STEP 1: GM DISCUSSION
Talk to the GM about the upcoming game. Issues thatshould be addressed include duration, scheduled playtime, thesetting and related time line, and the thematic intensity level.
Based on this, the GM should set the experience level of thecampaign, which will determine your character’s level andnumber of discretionary Character Points.

STEP 2: CHARACTER OUTLINE
Use the game boundaries established through your talkwith the GM to develop a rough character outline. See page 10.

STEP 3: GENERATE ABILITY SCORES
Following the guidelines in the Player’s Handbook, generate
your character’s six Ability Scores. These generated values may be
modified to fit your character concept. See page 11.

STEP 4: SELECT RACE
Use either an existing race or create a new one withpermission of the GM. See page 13.

CHARACTER LEVEL VS. CLASS LEVEL
Players and GMs should remember the difference between
Character Level and Class Level when using BESM d20.

CLASS LEVELClass Level is a reflection of the character’s experience. As acharacter successfully overcomes challenges and adventures, he or
she gains experience and knowledge. His or her Class Level increases
to represent of that increased experience. A character may haveseveral Class Levels if he or she is advancing in multiple classes. For
example, a 4th Level Mecha Pilot/7th Level Sentai Member has aClass Level of 4 as a Mecha Pilot and 7 as a Sentai Member.

CHAPTER 2:
CHARACTER CREATION

Character Creation Summary

CHARACTER LEVEL
Character Level measures the character’s overall power andability. It is a combination of several factors including thecharacter’s combined experience (the total of his or her Class
Levels) and the character’s base, natural power. For example, the
4th Level Mecha Pilot/7th Level Sentai Member has a total
Character Level of 11.

STEP 5: SELECT CLASSBESM d20 introduces 15 new classes for use within thed20 system. See page 14.

STEP 6: ASSIGN ATTRIBUTES
Any remaining Character Points may be used to acquire
Attributes, usually rated in Ranks from 1 to 10. See page 37.

STEP 7: SELECT SKILLS
Following the guidelines in the Player’s Handbook,determine your character’s Skill Ranks. If you assigned theHighly Skilled Attribute to your character, you may have more
Skill Points, or fewer if you will assign the Unskilled Defect(Step 9). See page 74.

STEP 8: SELECT FEATS
Following the guidelines in the Player’s Handbook,determine your character’s Feats. See page 81.

STEP 9: SELECT DEFECTS
You are encouraged to take Defects appropriate to yourcharacter outline. These Defects will provide you with morerole-playing opportunities and give you bonus Character Points
you can use to further increase your character’s Ability Scoresor acquire additional Attributes. See page 87.

STEP 10: DETERMINE CALCULATED VALUES
Once finished, you can determine your character’s
Calculated Values. See page 96.

STEP 11: EARN BACKGROUND POINTSYou can earn 1-3 extra Character Points by giving the
GM a background history of your character, an importantcharacter story, a character drawing, or other approved
contribution. See page 97.

STARTING
CHARACTER LEVELOne of the most important things that the Game Master should
discuss with his or her players is the starting character Level. While
characters traditionally start at 1st Level in most d20 System games, theGM and players may want to adventure with more experienced — andthus more powerful and capable — characters. Table 2-1 shows therelationship between starting character Level and power level.
Characters that begin higher than 1st Level gain all the benefits andspecial abilities granted from 1st Level to their current Level and begin
the game with an appropriate number of Experience Points (see thePlayer’s Handbook for more information on Experience Points). This
includes the additional Feats and Ability Score increases presented inTable 5-3: Level-Dependent Benefits (page 15).

DISCRETIONARY CHARACTER POINTSThe characters’ starting Level also determines the number of
discretionary Character Points assigned. These discretionary Character
Points are used to pay for his or her Ability Score Values, Race,
Attributes, Skills, and Feats. The GM can either assign all players anequal number of Character Points, or ask each player to roll dice togenerate a random number (see Table 2-1: Starting Character Level)

TABLE 2-1: STARTING CHARACTER LEVELPower Level
Low-powered game
Average-powered game
High-powered game
V ery high-powered game
Extremely high-powered game
Epic-powered gameStarting
Character Level
1st to 4th
5th to 8th
9th to 12th
13th to 16th
17th to 20th
Above 20thDiscretionary
Character Points
40 (or 34 + 1d10)42 (or 36 + 1d10)
44 (or 38 + 1d10)
46 (or 40 + 1d10)
48 (or 42 + 1d10)
50 (or 44 + 1d10)9CHARACTER POINTS DURING LEVEL PROGRESSION

CHAPTER 2:
CHARACTER CREATION

If the characters start higher than 1st Level, they may also startwith extra Character Points gained from the Special Ability Level
progression of their Class (or Classes). In these instances, the additional
Character Points are added to the discretionary Character Point total. See
the Class Progression charts (pages 16-30) for more information.

STEP 2:CHARACTER OUTLINE
A character outline is a broad concept thatprovides you with a frame on which to build yourcharacter. It is not fully detailed; there is no needfor you to concern yourself with the character’s
specific skills, powers, or background details at
this stage. Use the game boundaries
established in your discussion with the GM as
the starting point for your character and build
your outline on that foundation. Discuss yourcharacter ideas with the GM to ensure yourcharacter will work with those of the other players
and with the overall themes and focus of thecampaign. Here are some issues to consider.

IS THE CHARACTERHUMAN?
There are settings where everyone
will be a human being, such as a modern
day “cars and guns” game or one set in thehistorical past. In other settings, it is possible that
non-human or part-human characters may exist, or that asetting might not include any human characters at all.
The kinds of non-human or superhuman entities
that exist will depend on the GM’s choice ofsetting. Examples of non-human and partlyhuman characters appropriate for some anime
settings are aliens, androids, cyborgs, fantasy
races (for example, elves, ogres, or centaurs),
genetic constructs (clones, genetically-enhanced
people, or human-animal hybrids), ghosts and spirits,
gods and goddesses, monsters (for example, demons,shapechangers, or vampires), robots, and talking animals.

WHAT ARE THE
CHARACTER’SSTRENGTHS?
In some campaigns, the players

10

may want to create complimentarycharacters with unique sets of abilities.
Fo r e x a m p l e , a t e a m f i g h t i n g
supernatural evil might include a combat
specialist or two for bashing monsters, anexorcist or medium for dealing with ghosts
and spirits, a psychic or sorcerer for handling
magical opponents, and a scholar or computer hacker for digging up
background information. A degree of specialisation helps players enjoy
their characters by giving them a unique identity.
At the same time, it is equally important that the characters not be
too specialised, or the group will lack cohesion and other players will sit
around bored while each specialist has his or her own little adventure

within the game. It is a good idea to identify a minimum set of capabilities
that everyone should have. For example, in a martial arts campaign,
everyone should be a fighter but individual characters may possess different
fighting styles (karate, kick-boxing, ninjitsu, kendo, etc.) and uniquebackgrounds (the cop, the street fighter, the monk, the professional
athlete). Similarly, in a game centred on giant robot action, each charactermight be a mecha pilot on the same team, but they and their mecha may
have different capabilities: one might be a close-quarters fighter with heavy
armour, another fast and agile, a third may specialise in electronic warfare,
while the fourth may have the most powerful long-range attacks.
In some games, the group of characters will be independent
operators. Examples include a detective agency, a party of fantasy
adventurers, the crew of a pirate ship, or a team of magical girls who fightevil. In other game concepts, the characters will be part of a larger
organisation and would logically have helpers in supporting roles. An
example of this scenario is a squadron of mecha pilots in a military spaceforce. A base commander, communication officers, mechanics, doctors,
cooks, and other personnel all support the pilots. A few of these roles may
make worthwhile characters, but often this “supporting cast” is best filled
by NPCs created and run by the GM. These characters may become thecharacters’ friends, colleagues, love interests, or rivals as the gameprogresses, but they also free all of the characters to take on roles that
let them share in the same action.

WHAT HELPS DEFINE
THEYou CHARACTER?
should decide on the character’s age
and sex, determine a broad archetype for his or
her personality, and sketch a rough outline of
ethnic and social background. On the other hand,
it is equally important that a character have room
to grow beyond your initial concept. A character
that you have spent hours perfecting and detailingmay quickly become stagnant and uninteresting
once play begins. A good character outline usuallyfocuses on one or two main personality traits andleaves plenty of room for you to explore anddevelop the character into a fully rounded
personality over time. Although the startingarchetype should be an integral part of thecharacter, it should not rule all of his or her
actions. At some point during the game, yourpacifistic martial artist may be driven to an
act of vengeance, or your angstridden mecha ace may finallydiscover a cause in which
to believe. As long as
these developments
proceed naturally
from events in thegame, they should
be a welcome part of
the role-playing experience.

WHAT
IS THE CHARACTER’S NAME?
You have the freedom to name your character whatever you like,but the GM may have some ideas for character names that fit aparticular setting. For example, you character should probably have aJapanese name if the campaign is set in Japan. Anime series are often
notorious for employing odd, but plausible, fictional names for fantasy
or science fiction characters. Sometimes these are actually borrowed from
Western or Asian mythology or named after objects such as cars,
motorcycles, or rock stars, making them sound suitably exotic without
being totally unfamiliar. Unless your campaign is a comedy, however, try
to avoid a silly name since it may ruin the suspension of disbelief for theother players.

STEP 3: GENERATE
ABILITY SCORESESTABLISHINGABILITY SCORES
Determine your character’s Ability Scores as outlined in the Player’s
Handbook.

ABILITYSCORE COST
Abilities cost a number of Character Points equal to half the value ofthe Ability Score (round up), which are paid for by the character’s starting
discretionary Character Points. Players may choose to modify thecharacter’s generated Ability Scores up or down by increasing or decreasing
the number of Character Points assigned to the Ability Score, on a 1 for 2
basis (1 Character Point equals 2 Ability Scores; GM discretion). If thepower level of the campaign (see page 9) provides insufficient discretionary
Character Points to pay for the Ability Scores generated by the players fortheir characters, players must reduce the Ability Scores to (or below) avalue that they can afford with Character Points available.

EXAMPLEF rank is given 40 discretionary Character Points to create a 1st Level
character. He generates the following Ability Scores: Str 10, Dex 9, Con
15, Int 11, Wis 10, and Cha 13. These values add up to 68, whichequals 34 Character Points (68 ÷ 2 = 34). F rank’s character now has
6 discretionary Character Points remaining for race, class, and special
abilities (Attributes).

ZERO RATING AND “NONE”
ABILITYSCORES
It is possible for some constructs (including the Giant Robot class,page 18) or alien creatures to have a score of “none.” None is not the sameas a score of 0. A score of none means that the creature does not possess
the Ability at all. The modifier for a score of none is +0.
A character’s Ability Score can never drop below 0.
Str 0 means that the character cannot move at all. He or she lies
helpless on the ground.
Dex 0 means that the character cannot move at all. He or she ismotionless and helpless.
Con 0 means that the character is dead.
Int 0 means that the character cannot think and is in a coma-likestupor, helpless.
Wis 0 means that the character is withdrawn in a deep sleep filledwith nightmares, helpless.
Cha 0 means that the character is withdrawn into a catatonic,
coma-like stupor, helpless.

subtract from the die roll when your character tries to accomplish
something related to that Ability. A positive modifier is called a bonus,
and a negative modifier is called a penalty.

DEFINITION OF ABILITY SCORES
STRENGTH
Strength is a measure of the character’s physical power. Strength
provides a modifier to:• Damage rolls in melee or unarmed combat or when using weaponsthat are Muscle Powered (see page 65).
• Strength-based Skill checks.
• Strength checks.
Any creature that can physically manipulate other objects has atleast 1 Point of Strength. A character with no Strength score can’t exert
force, usually because it has no physical body or because it doesn’t move.
Such a creature automatically fails Strength checks. Note: since armouris handled differently in BESM d20 than in other d20 games, Strength
always provides a +0 modifier to melee attack rolls (the “to hit” roll),regardless of the character’s Strength rating.

CHAPTER 3:
ABILITIES

A character’s core, base abilities are determined by six values
known as Ability Scores. These values describe the character’s innate,natural aptitude at interacting with the world. The six Ability Scores are:Strength (Str)
Dexterity (Dex)
Constitution (Con)Intelligence (Int)
Wisdom (Wis)
Charisma (Cha)
The values of these abilities range from 0 to infinity, with a normal
human range from 3 to 18. The normal human maximum is 24, but
superhuman or supernatural characters may have higher ratings. A valueof none for an Ability Score, which is different from 0, is a special caseappropriate for specific character ideas (discussed below).

ABILITY
MODIFIERS
Each Ability has a modifier that is the number you add to or

DEXTERITY
Dexterity is a measure of the character’s hand-eye co-ordination,
agility, reflexes, and balance. Dexterity provides modifiers to:• The character’s Armour Class (see page 96).
• Dexterity-based Skill checks.
• Initiative rolls.
• Reflex saving throws.
• Dexterity checks.
Any creature that can move has at least 1 Point of Dexterity. A
creature with no Dexterity score can’t move, but if it can act, it applies
its Intelligence modifier to Initiative checks instead of a Dexterity
modifier (for example, an artificially intelligent computer that has nomoving body adds its Intelligence modifier to Initiative rolls). A creature
with no Dexterity fails all Reflex saves and Dexterity checks. Dexterity
always provides a +0 modifier to ranged attack rolls, regardless of thecharacter’s Dexterity rating.

CONSTITUTION
Constitution determines your character’s health and stamina.
Constitution provides modifiers to:• Hit Points earned per Level (though the value can never be reduced
below 1 — a character always gains at least one Hit Point per Level).
• Fortitude saving throws.
• Constitution-based Skill checks.
• Constitution checks.
Any living creature has at least 1 Point of Constitution. A creature
with no Constitution has no body or no metabolism. It is immune to any
effect that requires a Fortitude save unless the effect works on objects.
The creature is also immune to Ability damage, Ability drain, and energy
drain, and always fails Constitution checks.

INTELLIGENCEIntelligence is a measure of the character’s reason and ability tolearn. Intelligence provides modifiers to:• The number of Skill Points gained at each Level (though the value
can never be reduced below 1 — a character always gains at least
one Skill Point per Level).
• Intelligence-based Skill checks.
• Intelligence checks.
Any creature that can think, learn, or remember has at least 1 Pointof Intelligence. A creature with no Intelligence score is an automaton,
operating on simple instincts or programmed instructions. It is immune
to all mind-influencing effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms,
patterns, and morale effects) and automatically fails Intelligence checks.

11

WISDOM
Wisdom is a reflection of the character’s willpower, common sense,
intuition, perception, and life experience. Wisdom provides modifiers to:• Will saving throws.
• Wisdom-based Skill checks.
• Wisdom checks.
Any creature that can perceive its environment in any fashion has
at least 1 Point of Wisdom. Anything without a Wisdom score is anobject, not a creature. Additionally, anything without a Wisdom scorealso has no Charisma score, and vice versa.

CHAPTER 3:
ABILITIESCHARISMA
Charisma describes the characters strength of persuasion, personality,
and the character’s appearance. Charisma provides modifiers to:• Charisma-based Skill checks.
• Charisma checks.
Any creature capable of telling the difference between itself andthings that are not itself has at least 1 Point of Charisma.

TABLE 3-1: ABILITY SCORE VALUE DESCRIPTIONS
Ability Score Modifier Description
1
-5
Inept
2-3
-4
Infant
4-5
-3
Child
6-7
-2
Significantly below adult human average; youth
8-9-1Below adult human average; teenager
10-110Adult human average
12-13+1Above human average
14-15+2Significantly above human average
16-17+3Highly capable
18-19+4Extremely capable
20-21+5Best in the region
22-23+6Best in the country
24-25+7
W orld-class ability; maximum human potential
26-27+8
Above human achievement28-29+9Significantly above human achievement30++10 (and up) Legendary ability

BESM d20 Without Points
Our redefinition of the d20 System uses Character Points tobalance aspects of character creation and advancement. If you
have never played a point-based RPG before, though, the use ofpoints may seem daunting or complex. If you prefer to make BESM
d20 more similar to the standard d20 System, getting rid of points
is an easy process:BasicsFirst, generate your Ability Scores, select your race, and selectyour class as normal (see the upcoming chapters for more
information). Ignore all references to discretionary Character
Points and Point cost for Abilities and races.

Attributes
When looking at the class progression charts, think of the
Attributes as special abilities similar to the Monk’s “Quivering
Palm,” the Paladin’s “Lay on Hands,” or the Rogue’s “Sneak
Attack.” Don’t worry about the Attributes’ Point values, since wehave already balanced the classes for you. Keep the Attribute
effects simple, and don’t try to customise them with Restrictions or
Reductions — use them as they are written.

Bonus Character Points
When a class progression indicates that your character gains
additional Character Points, he or she simply gains a new special
ability of your choice from a specific list. For example, uponreaching Level 3, your Samurai character will gain +2 Character
Points. Think of this as selecting a special ability from the “Rank
2 list,” which contains all Attributes with a cost 2 Points/rank.
Your character can either gain one Rank 2 special ability (+1Attribute Rank that costs 2 Points/Rank) or two Rank 1 special
abilities (+1 Ranks in two Attributes that cost 1 Point/Rank).
Similarly, your Student character gains +5 Character Points uponreaching Level 6. At this time, you can select one ability from the
Rank 5 list, five abilities from the Rank 1 list, or any combination
in between that adds up to a total of 5 Ranks.

Defects
If you want to get rid of points in BESM d20, it is best not to
use Defects. Alternatively, for each “medium rank” Defect assigned
to your character (the middle Defect of three options), he or she
gains one additional Feat.

12

STEP 4:
SELECT RACEElf

At this stage in the creation process you should select a race as
outlined in the Player’s Handbook, paying the appropriate Character Point
cost as listed in Table 4-1 (using the discretionary Character Points
granted in Step 1, page 9). With your GM’s permission, you may design
your own racial package and pay the appropriate cost out of your starting
Character Points. Included herein is a Character Point break down of theraces found in the Player’s Handbook, as well as for an artificial construct(such as the Giant Robot class, page 18).

was examined closely. If the ability had a direct comparison to an
Attribute in BESM d20, that value was used (for example, 4 Skill Points
are worth 1 Point; acute vision is worth 1 Point; +1 to a Will save isworth 1 Point; etc.). Other abilities were modified depending on whether
it was applicable in a wide variety of situations, or only useful in limited
circumstances. Occasionally, an ability was valued at a half Point (if its
utility seemed to be worth less than a full Point), and sometimes the final
total was rounded appropriately. The Game Master may alter the Point
cost assigned to each race as desired. See the Player’s Handbook for more
information about racial abilities.
In BESM d20, the default race for a character is human (normallyworth 6 Character Points). Consequently, the final number of Character
Points assigned to a race equals the calculated value minus 6. Thisadjustment means being a human is “free;” no Points must be assigned
for this race. Other races are adjusted accordingly. As a result, half-orc
characters have 5 Character Points return to them to compensate for theirlack of abilities (when compared to humans and other races

TABLE 4-1: RACE COSTS
Artificial Construct
Point Cost
Base movement0
No Constitution
0
Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stun
4
Immune to disease, death, necromantic effects
3
Cannot heal (must be repaired)-4
Not subject to critical hits or subdual damage2
Not subject to Ability damage, Ability drain, or energy drain 2
Automatic Fortitude saves unless effect can target objects 3
Total Value
10
Final Cost
4
Dwarf
Slow movement+2 Constitution-2 Charisma
Darkvision
Stonecunning+2 save vs. poison+2 save vs. spells+1 attack vs. orcs/goblinoids+4 dodge defence vs. giants+2 Knowledge: Cultural Arts (Appraise) Skill checks+2 Craft Skill checks
Total Value
Final Cost

Point Cost
-1
1
-1
1
1
1
2
1
1
0.5
0.5
7
1

CHAPTER 4:RACESRACIAL
COST DETERMINATION
When the special abilities were being assigned Points, each talent

Point Cost
Base movement0+2 Dexterity
1-2 Constitution-1
Immunity to magical sleep spells
1+2 save vs. enchantment1
Low-light vision
1+2 Listen, Search, and Spot Skill checks
1.5
Detect secret doors
1
Total Value
6
Final Cost0
Gnome
Point Cost
Small Size (Table 10-2; page 97)
3
Base movement0-2 Dexterity-1+2 Strength1+4 Constitution
2
Low-light vision1+2 save vs. illusions
1+1 attack vs. kobolds/goblinoids
1+4 dodge defence vs. giants
1+2 Listen Skill checks
0.5+2 Craft (Alchemy) Skill checks
0.5
Free 0th Level spells (cantrips)
1
Total Value
11
Final Cost
5
Half-Elf
Point Cost
Base movement0
Immunity to sleep
1+2 save vs. enchantment1
Low-light vision
1+1 Listen, Search, and Spot Skill checks
0.5
Elven blood1
Any favoured class (when multiclassing; an optional cost) 1
Total Value
6
Final Cost
0
Half-Orc
Point Cost
Base movement0+2 Strength1-2 Intelligence-1-2 Charisma-1
Darkvision1
Orc blood1
Total Value
1
Final Cost
-5
Halfling
Point Cost
Small Size (Table 10-2; Page 97)
3
Base movement0+2 Strength
1+2 Con1+2 Climb, Jump, and Move Silently Skill checks
1+1 all saving throws
3+2 save vs. fear
1
+1 attack with thrown weapons
1+2 Listen Skill checks
0.5
Total Value
12
Final Cost
6
Human
Point Cost
Base movement
0+1 Feat at 1st Level
2+4 Skill Points at 1st Level
1+1 Skill Point each Level
2
Any favoured class (when multiclassing; an optional cost) 1
Total Value
6
Final Cost
0

13

STEP 5: SELECT CLASS
A class is an archetype that helps you define the baseline
capabilities of your character, a template from which you build youranime hero. It is also a label of convenience that tells the Game Masterand other players your character’s strengths and abilities (the class name)as well as his or her rank of achievement (the class Level). Each classpresents its own progression chart that indicates what new Skills,
abilities, Feats, Attributes, and bonus Character Points your character
gains as he or she advances in Level. Players should select a class (orpossibly classes, if starting at higher than 1st Level) for their characters as
outlined in the Player’s Handbook.

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSESTHE MULTICLASSCHARACTER
As your character acquires
experience and advances in Level(or if your character starts above
1st Level), he or she may choose
to gain Levels in one or more
new classes instead of only
advancing in a single class.

TABLE 5-1: BESM d20 CLASSES
Adventurer
Dynamic Sorcerer
Giant Robot
Gun Bunny
Hot Rod

Magical Girl
Martial Artist
Mecha Pilot
Ninja
Pet Monster Trainer

Samurai
Sentai Member
Shapechanger
Student
Tech Genius

Adding secondary or tertiary classes gives the character different
advantages, but progression in the new classes occur at the expense ofadvancement in the character’s other classes.
For example, if your character is the lone Magical Girl in her
adventuring group, she may decide to advance in that class only. If a new
Magical Girl also joins the team, the two characters may decide to gain
several Levels in the Sentai Member class to compliment eachother’s abilities before progressing in the Magical Girl classonce again. While your character continues gaining Sentai Member
Levels, her current Magical Girl Level remains the same and does notincrease. When she decides to start advancing in the Magical Girl classagain, the Sentai Member Level remains constant. Your character can
only advance a single Level in one class at a time.
For more information on the multiclass character, see thePlayer’s Handbook. Though BESM d20 characters do not
usually suffer Experience Point (XP) penalties for
multiclassing, the Game Master may decide otherwise.

LEVEL
BONUSESAll classes gain various character bonuses at each
Level, the exact type and when depends on the specificclass. The bonuses granted to each class are presented in achart in their respective sections.

BASE SAVE BONUS
The two numbers listed under Base Save Bonusin Table 5-2 are added to your character’s saving
throws — Fortitude (Fort) Save, Reflex (Ref) Save,
and Willpower (Will) Save. To determine whether
the lower or higher bonus applies to each specificsaving throw, see the appropriate class progression
chart for your character. These bonuses are
cumulative for multiclass characters.

BASE ATTACK BONUS
When attacking in combat (see Combat, page 114), your character
adds his or her Base Attack Bonus to the attack check. The bonus
associated with each class is listed in Table 5-2. The first number reflects
the bonus applied to the character’s first attack, and any additional
attacks provided by the Extra Attacks Attribute (see page 47). Numbers
after the slash indicate additional attacks at reduced bonuses. For
example, “+15/+10/+5” means the character has three attacks eachround: the first at a +15 bonus, the second at a +10 bonus, and the third
at a +5 bonus.
The first Base Attack Bonus is cumulative for multiclass characters,
which will determine how many additional attacks the character canmake and their bonuses. Additional attacks are gained once thecharacter’s lowest Base Attack Bonus reaches +6, +11, or +16; anadditional attack is then gained at a +1. For example, a 12th Level
Samurai/8th Level Giant Robot has individual Base Attack Bonuses of+12/+7/+2 and +6/+1. The character’s combined first bonus equals+18 (12 + 6 = 18). Consequently, the character’s combined Base
Attack Bonus is +18/+13/+8/+3. See Table 5-2 for sample Base
Attack Bonus progression.

14

GAINING ATTRIBUTE RANKS
When an Attribute is listed in the Special section of each specificclass progression chart, your character gains a Rank in that Attribute
upon achieving that class Level. If the character already possesses one ormore Ranks in that Attribute, his or her Rank is increased by one. If the
Attribute is new for the character, he or she gains the Attribute at Rank
1. You can determine specific details regarding the Attribute with GM
approval. For example, if your character gains the Special Attack
Attribute (page 61), you should add Attack Abilities and Disabilities asappropriate for your character, and then discuss your ideas with yourGame Master. With the Game Master’s approval, any Attribute Ranks
gained through Level progression can be exchanged for a number ofCharacter Points equivalent to the cost of the Attribute through theIncomplete Training Defect (page 91).
Unless specified otherwise, abilities listed in the Special section refer
to Attributes (page 37).

CHARACTER POINT BONUSESLEVEL BENEFITS
See Table 5-3: Level-Dependent Benefits and the Player’s Handbook
for information regarding Level advancement.

MAXIMUM SKILL RANKS (OPTIONAL)
The maximum number of Skill Ranks your character can have in aclass Skill, if your Game Master uses this optional rule, is equal to his or
her character Level + 3. For cross-class Skills, the maximum is one-halfthe maximum for a class Skill. Class and cross-class Skills are listed withthe descriptions for each class.

FEATS
In addition to specific class benefits, your character gain one Feat at 1st
Level (two if he or she is a human) and an additional Feat at 3rd, 6th, 9th,
12th, 15th, and 18th character (not class) Level, as listed in Table 5-3.

ABILITY SCORE INCREASE
At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th character (not class) Level, yourcharacter increases one of his or her Ability Scores (your choice which
Score) by one Point.

CLASS
DESCRIPTIONSBESM d20 presents 15 new character classes appropriate for a wide
range of anime adventures. The classes are presented in alphabeticalorder, and outline important information you need to better understandthe nature and game mechanics of the class.
Alternatively, you may select a class from the Player’s Handbook foryour character (with GM approval). Details on how BESM d20 converts
the standard fantasy classes to a point-based system are presented at theend of this chapter.

SIZE NOTES
The default size for all classes (including Giant Robots) is medium,unless the GM decides otherwise. Characters may be created at analternate size, however, using the Character Point costs given in Table
10-1: Size Categories (page 97). The GM may modify these size costs asappropriate (see Table 10-3: Size Cost Modifiers; page 97).

Class
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Base
Save
Bonus
+0/+2
+0/+3
+1/+3
+1/+4
+1/+4
+2/+5
+2/+5
+2/+6
+3/+6
+3/+7
+3/+7
+4/+8
+4/+8
+4/+9
+5/+9
+5/+10+5/+10+6/+11+6/+11+6/+12Giant Robot
Hot Rod
Magical Girl
Adventurer
Mecha Pilot Dynamic Sorcerer
Gun Bunny
Ninja
Pet Monster T rainer
Martial Artist Sentai Member
Student
Samurai
Shapechanger
T ech Genius
+1
+0
+0
+2
+1
+1
+3
+2
+1
+4
+3
+2
+5
+3
+2
+6/+1
+4
+3
+7/+2
+5
+3
+8/+3
+6/+1
+4
+9/+4
+6/+1
+4
+10/+5+7/+2+5+11/+6/+1+8/+3+5+12/+7/+2
+9/+4
+6/+1
+13/+8/+3
+9/+4
+6/+1
+14/+9/+4+10/+5+7/+2+15/+10/+5+11/+6/+1+7/+2+16/+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+8/+3+17/+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2+8/+3+18/+13/+8/+3+13/+8/+3+9/+4+19/+14/+9/+4+14/+9/+4+9/+4+20/+15/+10/+5 +15/+10/+5+10/+5

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

When Character Points are listed as a Level progression Special
bonus, you can spend them to: increase Ability Scores, increase Attribute
Ranks, obtain new Attributes, add new Feats, acquire new or raise
existing Skills (through the Highly Skilled Attribute), or eliminate
current Defects. The Character Point cost for these modifications is thesame as it is during character creation. If you prefer, Character Points canbe saved for future allocation (with GM permission).

TABLE 5-2: BASE ATTACK BONUSESTABLE 5-3: LEVEL-DEPENDENT BENEFITS
Character Experience
Level
(XP)
1
0
2
1,000
3
3,000
4
6,000
5
10,0006
15,0007
21,0008
28,000936,0001045,00011
55,00012
66,00013
78,00014
91,00015
105,000
16
120,000
17
136,000
18
153,000
19
171,000
20
190,000

Maximum Skill
Ranks (Optional)
Class Cross-Class
4
2
5
2
6
3
7
3
8
4
9
4
10
5
11
5
12
6
13
6
14
7
15
7
16
8
17
8
18
9
19
9
20
10
21
10
22
11
23
11

Feats
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
-

Ability
Score
Increases
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1

Beyond 20th Level
Once a character reaches 20th Level, advancing beyond ishandled a little differently. While the XP needed to achieve
higher Levels follows a logical progression [XP needed for Level Y= (Level Y-1) x 1,000], the character no longer receives anything
automatically at reaching a higher Level: no Base Attack Bonus
increase, no save increase, no extra Hit Points, no additional
Skills, etc. Instead, the character gains +10 Character Points ateach new Level, which can be used to acquire Attributes, Feats,
and Ability Scores the character desires.

15

ADVENTURER
Abandoned ruins, secured locations, andOTHER CLASSES
The adaptability that characterises an
Adventurer helps him or her get along well withalmost everybody, although this does not exempt
personality clashes and romantic rivalries with otherpeople without regard to their callings. Their insatiablethirst for excitement brings them closer to Hot Rods andGun Bunnies. Sentai Members and Magical Girls arenatural trouble magnets and “trouble” may be theAdventurer’s presence itself. They have no particular
relationship with Giant Robots, Tech Geniuses, orDynamic Sorcerers, but their oddities attract an
Adventurer’s curiosity. They adapt easily to the rest of
the classes if they have a common interest, complicatingeach other’s existence just by being close.

tales of lost or hard-to-get treasure are like asiren’s call for the Adventurer, whose penchant forgetting into trouble gives him or her endless
opportunities to develop potential that would
otherwise remain untapped. Adventurers are a varied
lot, as likely to find themselves exchanging
witticisms in a social gathering as they are toswing from a dangling chain in a crumbling
tomb. Depending on their personal
preferences, they can specialise inparticular areas, but one thing will
always remain true: wherever they
are, they can expect to run into
trouble ... even if they are notactively seeking it out.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORES
The Adventurer uses d4 Hit Dice.
Any Ability can be useful to the Adventurer —the “classless” class of BESM d20. The most important
Ability depends on the character concept.

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

CHARACTERISTICS
Adventurers are flexibility
personified. With no particularfeature to distinguish them, they
have the freedom to become
whatever they want to be. They
are not particularly strong or
innately talented, but they make up for it with dedicationand courage. They can learn any trade they want and become
increasingly better at it as they grow in experience. During theiradventures, they discover many things about themselves and canawaken abilities that lay dormant until then, surprising friends
and foes alike with each new development. They have few limits
except those that they set for themselves.

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSAll non-combat Skills are class Skills for the
Adventurer.
• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(4 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

4 + Int modifier

SPECIAL NOTE
The power level of an Adventurer is lower than that for allother classes (6% fewer Character Points over 20 Levels), but
the Adventurer’s unrestricted gain of 5 Character Points each
Level provides the greatest degree of flexibility. Consequently,
the Adventurer class balances well with other classes.

TABLE 5-4: ADVENTURER
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

16

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+1
+2
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+7/+2
+8/+3
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5

Ref
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Will
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Fort
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Special+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+5 Character Points

out of place when dealing with a Tech Genius or Giant Robotand try to keep their distance from them, as they do withthe violent approach of Hot Rods, Gun Bunnies, Mecha
Pilots, and Sentai Members. Samurai distrust the
Dynamic Sorcerers unless their power comes from a
traditional source, while Students and Adventurers feelthe pull of the sorcerer’s enigmatic nature.

DYNAMICSORCERER
Magic is a very real force and there
is no one better to prove it than the
Dynamic Sorcerer. A being of power
incarnate, the Dynamic Sorcerer knows
how to harness the hidden energies thatmove the world and shape them into
whatever form he or she desires. Such
mystical knowledge can come from a variety
of sources, whether wrenched from thesecrets of an ancient civilisation, inheritedfrom an occult tradition, or granted bypowerful entities. Sometimes, the Dynamic
Sorcerer may not even be human, but anotherworldly being whose very nature allows it
to use magic at will.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORES

CHARACTERISTICS
The main feature that distinguishes
Dynamic Sorcerers from other people istheir ability to use magic. This power
develops slowly over time, manifestingin the spells they can cast and in the
deepening of their understanding. The
Dynamic Sorcerer’s stores of energy also
expand to fuel his or her increasing mysticalmight. The path of magic requires that thesorcerer be knowledgeable in order to understandwhat he or she is doing and, more importantly,
how. Magic offers insight as well, and Dynamic
Sorcerers grow as people at the same time thatthey grow in power.

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSCHAPTER 5:
CLASSESThe Dynamic Sorcerer uses d4 Hit Dice.
At first Level, the Dynamic Sorcerer mustchoose one of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.
This choice will determine the Ability used todetermine how powerful his or her spells are. To
cast a spell, the Dynamic Sorcerer must havetheir chosen Ability Score equal to or greaterthan 10 + the spell’s Level. The Difficulty
Class of a saving throw against a
Dynamic Sorcerer’s spell is 10 + thespell’s Level + the modifier for the
Dynamic Sorcerer’s chosen Ability.
Both a high Dexterity and a highConstitution are useful to a Dynamic
Sorcerer since he or she lacks heavy
combat abilities and Hit Points.
The Dynamic Sorcerer’s class
Skills (and the key Ability for each)are: Concentration (Con), Diplomacy(Cha), Knowledge: Arcane (Int),
Knowledge: Foreign Culture (Int),
Knowledge: Occult (Int),
Knowledge: Religion (Int),
Knowledge: Streetwise (Int),
Profession (Int), Research (Int),
Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak
Languages (Int), Spot (Wis), andSpecial Ranged Attack.

OTHER CLASSES
Dynamic Sorcerers feel more
comfortable with other classes that have arelationship with the occult, such as
Magical Girls, Shapechangers, and some Pet
Monster Trainers. Martial Artists andNinja, with their limited command of
mystical forces, sometimes associate cautiouslywith these magicians. Dynamic Sorcerers feel

• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(4 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

4 + Int modifier

TABLE 5-5: DYNAMIC SORCERER
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+1
+2
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+7/+2
+8/+3
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5

Ref
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Will
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Fort
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

SpecialDynamic Sorcery +1+2 Character Points
Dynamic Sorcery +1+2 Character Points
Dynamic Sorcery +1+2 Character Points
Dynamic Sorcery +1+2 Character Points
Dynamic Sorcery +1+2 Character Points
Dynamic Sorcery +1+2 Character Points, Energy Bonus +1
Dynamic Sorcery +1+2 Character Points
Dynamic Sorcery +1+2 Character Points
Dynamic Sorcery +1+2 Character Points, Energy Bonus +1
Dynamic Sorcery +1+2 Character Points

17

GIANTROBOT
An observer should not be fooled by the

OTHER CLASSES
A Tech Genius is the Giant Robot’s best friend, with theSentai Member the most trusted companion. Mecha Pilots
relate strangely with Giant Robots, mostly
because they keep looking for the cockpit.
There are tales of Giant Robots that caninterface with the mystical forces ofDynamic Sorcerers and Magical Girls, butsuch models are extremely rare. Martial
Artists, Samurai, and Ninja do not holdmechanical power in high esteem, and Pet
Monster Trainers, Hot Rods, and Gun Bunnies
prefer their own “mascots.” Students andAdventurers regularly befriend Giant Robots.

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSESunchanging expression of the Giant Robot’s
electronic eyes, because there is surely
something deep going on behindthem. Giant Robots are the last
step in technologicalevolution, scientific wonders
that astound everyone by theirlifelike movements and, above all,their free will. Giant Robots range intemperament from the angstridden soul-searchers andpsychopathic war machines tothe naïve innocents and thestalwart protectors ... justlike other beings, butwith rocket thrusters
and deadly weapons. A
Giant Robot is certainly
more than meets the eye.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORES

CHARACTERISTICS
Despite appearances, Giant
Robots are not really alive; they
are machines that do not getsick, do not need food, and do
not even need to breathe. As
machines, they have certain
advantages over livingorganisms: they cancustomise their bodies.
Under thick metal armour,
Giant Robots can hide allsorts of equipment andcan keep adding andchanging parts as
desired. Further
tinkering gives them
the power to fly, adds even tougher
armour, increases their size, and gives them the power to destroy
buildings ... and their opponents.

The Giant Robot uses d10 Hit Dice
Dexterity is important to a Giant Robotbecause of its lack of Constitution. Avoiding attacks
means damage will make it through the Armour
less frequently. Strength is important for any
Giant Robot engaging in melee combat and a highIntelligence will help with its Skills.
A Giant Robot must acquire the Construct race
(costs 4 Character Points) to represent its mechanicalbody (see page 13).

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSThe Giant Robot’s class Skills (andthe key Ability for each) are: Computer
Use (Int), Drive (Int or Dex), Knowledge:
Electronics (Int), Knowledge: Mechanics(Int), Knowledge: Military Sciences (Int),
Knowledge: Police Sciences (Int),
Powerlifting (Str), Repair (Int), Speak
Languages (Int), Heavy Weapons, Melee
Attack, Special Ranged Attack, andUnarmed Defence.
• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(2 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

2 + Int modifier

TABLE 5-6: GIANT ROBOT
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

18

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+2
+3
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5

Ref
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Will
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Fort
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

SpecialFeatures +1
Armour +1+2 Character Points
Flight +1+3 Character Points
Massive Damage +1
Armour +1, Features +1+2 Character Points
Flight +1
Size Change (Growth) +1
Features +1, Flight +1
Armour +1+2 Character Points
Massive Damage +1+3 Character Points
Features +1
Armour +1
Flight +1+2 Character Points+4 Character Pointsare good bragging buddies. To their eyes, a Tech Genius is thetechie version of a Dynamic Sorcerer — both nerds that relyon huge power sources to do their thing. Pet Monster
Trainers fall under the same wimpy category along with
Students. Sentai Members and Adventurers can gain the
Gun Bunny’s friendship and respect with their deeds,
not their words.

GUNTheBUNNY
smell of smoking gunpowder is the perfect drug
for a Gun Bunny — male or female. Those who walktechnology’s razor edge will prefer burning ozone, but
the effect is the same. Gun Bunnies are all about theirpersonal weapons, sharp-shooting, and blasting their
way through any obstacle. Although many people see
the Gun Bunny as a crazed force of destruction, there
are as many cool, silent, and dark strangers as there
are trigger-happy psychos. Snipers, law
enforcement, outlaws, bounty hunters (andbounty hunted) are amongst the most common
careers for the Gun Bunnies, where their talentis appreciated and they can get easy permit tocarry their beloved guns.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORESThe Gun Bunny uses d8 Hit Dice.
Dexterity is the most important Ability for a
Gun Bunny. Most combat is ranged, and a Gun Bunny ismore focused on avoiding damage than
enduring it. Strength andConstitution are also importantsince a Gun Bunny does engage inmany battles. Finally, a high Charisma
is useful as well; several vital class Skills
depend on it.

CHARACTERISTICS

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSThe Gun Bunny’s class Skills (and the key Ability foreach) are: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str),
Demolitions (Int), Gamble (Wis), Gather Information(Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Investigate (Int), Jump (Str),
Knowledge: Police Sciences (Int), Listen (Wis),
Powerlifting (Str), Read Lips (Int), Seduction (Cha),
Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Languages (Int), Sports (Str,
Dex, or Con), Spot (Wis), Archery, Gun Combat, andRanged Defence.

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

When a Gun Bunny enters combat, heor she enters it with style. Gun Bunnies’
reflexes and cool hands are almost
superhuman and they can draw a gun atan opponent’s head before anyone
can blink. As they become
better, they learn tocarry more weapons
than physicallypossible, not to mention the variety of trick shots
they master, such as shooting with their eyes closed
and doing the damage of a mortar shell with a simple
submachine gun. People think that there must be ahigher power looking out for the Gun Bunny for all
the gunfights he or she walks away from.

• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(4 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

4 + Int modifier

OTHER CLASSESHot Rods give wheels to Gun Bunnies’
firepower. A Gun Bunny grins with glee whenfacing the challenge of a Giant Robot, and scoffs
at the antiquated (and in their opinion, obsolete)fighting styles of Martial Artists, Samurai, andNinja. They like Mecha Pilots if only because theyTABLE 5-7: GUN BUNNY
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Base
Attack Bonus
+1
+2
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5+16/+11/+6/+1+17/+12/+7/+2+18/+13/+8/+3+19/+14/+9/+4+20/+15/+10/+5

Ref
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Will
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Fort
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

SpecialImproved Initiative Feat
Divine Relationship +1
Massive Damage +1
Blind-Shoot Feat
Portable Armoury Feat
Weapons Encyclopaedia Feat
Divine Relationship +1
Judge Opponent Feat, Massive Damage +1+2 Character Points
Defensive Combat Mastery +1+2 Character Points
Steady Hand Feat
Divine Relationship +1, Massive Damage +1
Defensive Combat Mastery +1+2 Character Points, Accuracy Feat
Two-Weapon Fighting Feat
Divine Relationship +1
Massive Damage +1
Defensive Combat Mastery +1+2 Character Points, Improved Initiative Feat

19

HOTHotROD
Rods feel the need — the need for speed. Leading

OTHER CLASSESHot Rods and Mecha Pilots have a lot incommon and therefore share a friendly rivalry. They
understand the spiritual connection of theSamurai with their katana, as well as the Gun
Bunnies’ attachment to their guns. MagicalGirls, Pet Monster Trainers, and Sentai
Members are targets to be run over more
often than they are friends. Martial
Artists and Ninja get grouped under the“crazy kung-fu” banner, but Hot Rods canrespect their fighting prowess. A Tech
Genius is a highly useful mechanicby his or her standards, while
Students and Adventurers make forgood flunkies. Dynamic Sorcerers andGiant Robots are two questions that a
Hot Rod prefers to leave unanswered.

as fast a life as they can, they live with one foot on theaccelerator and the other on the clutch (no self-respecting Hot
Rod will drive an automatic!). Cocky and self-assured, Hot
Rods have a certain magnetism that they carry with themeven when they get out of theircars and off their motorcycles.
They are damn proud of theirvehicle and will do anything to
make sure it is always in top
condition, going so far as to risk
their lives for a part theywant or mouthing off to thefool who dares to sit on thechromed bumper.

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

CHARACTERISTICS
The telltale sign ofa Hot Rod is his or her setof wheels; it is a badge ofhonour, a trusted
friend, and a symbolof freedom. Not
content to justdrive it, the
Hot Rod has
e n o u g hmechanicalskills to fix
and enhance
it. Since topnotch parts
cost money, however, the Hot Rod often
develops ties with an organisation that funds
his expenses or gives him work to pay forthem. Their natural charisma attracts
followers in the form of pit crews, gear heads,
co-pilots, and navigators. They can keep theircool under the most harrowing circumstances,
never losing their grip on the wheel and the stick
shift.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORES
The Hot Rod uses d8 Hit Dice.
Intelligence and Dexterity are thetwo key Abilities for a Hot Rod. Dexterity
helps with his or her reflexes and agility andIntelligence helps with Skills and Attributes.
Charisma is also important, since many
activities of this class involve social situations.

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSThe Hot Rod’s class Skills (and the key Ability
for each) are: Bluff (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Drive(Int or Dex), Gamble (Wis), Investigate (Int),
Knowledge: Area (Int), Knowledge: Mechanics(Int), Knowledge: Police Sciences (Int), Navigate(Int), Pilot (Int or Dex), Read Lips (Int), Repair(Int), Ride (Dex), Seduction (Cha), Sense
Motive (Wis), Speak Languages (Int), Spot (Wis),
Gun Combat, Melee Attack, Unarmed Attack, and Unarmed Defence.
• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(4 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

4 + Int modifier

TABLE 5-8: HOT ROD
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

20

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+2
+3
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5

Ref
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Will
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Fort
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

SpecialPersonal Gear (Car) +1
Mechanical Genius +1
Flunkies +1, Item of Power (Car-related) +1
Organisational Ties +1, Personal Gear (Car) +1+5 Character Points, Divine Relationship +1
Steady Hand Feat
Personal Gear (Car) +1
Aura of Command +1, Wealth +1
Item of Power (Car-related) +1+5 Character Points, Personal Gear (Car) +1
Flunkies +1, Organisational Ties +1
Mechanical Genius +1
Personal Gear (Car) +1
Improved Initiative Feat, Item of Power (Car-related) +1+3 Character Points, Divine Relationship +1
Aura of Command +1, Personal Gear (Car) +1
Defensive Combat Mastery +1, Wealth +1
Flunkies +1, Organisational Ties +1
Defensive Combat Mastery +1+5 Character Points, Divine Relationship +1

MAGICAL
GIRL
The forces of light sometimes choose the least likely

OTHER CLASSESPet Monster Trainers understand MagicalGirls’ plights with their servant/mentor and thetwo get along well. Dynamic Sorcerers are also
good companions, since they usually share thesame goals and methods. Students andAdventurers will often be objects of the
Magical Girls’ affection or trusted allies.
They admire the abilities of the Martial
Artists, Samurai, and Ninja and wish they
could fight just as well. They tend to
dislike Hot Rods and Gun Bunnies,
although they too, can become aromantic focus for a Magical Girl.

candidate to be their defender. Enter the MagicalGirl (or Magical Guy) — once a normal personwith normal worries like snagging a boyfriend(or girlfriend, as the case may be), preparing
for exams, or just eating
the right food. With
the appearance of a
strange little
creature, however,everything changed.
Now wielding a
strange artefact that
grants weird andwonderful powers, theMagical Girl is charged withprotecting friends, family, and often
the rest of humanity. Oddly enough,nobody seems to recognise her (or him)
under the costume.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORES

CHARACTERISTICS
All Magical Girls have mentor
friends, creatures that guide andadvise them about their newrole as protectors. The mentors
try to teach them about magicalpowers as well, often with mixed
results. Depending on the source of theirpowers, Magical Girls display special attacks
that varies greatly for each individual, usually
linked to a relic or special tool that
unlocked their magical abilities.
Battling against monsters muchuglier than their worstnightmare, Magical Girls learn tojump very high, and with time to even fly as they learn new
special attacks and unlock more power from their Items ofPower.

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSESThe Magical Girl uses d8
Hit Dice
A Magical Girl usually has ahigh Dexterity; she does not typicallywear armour preferring to use avariety of flips and tumbles
during combat. Wisdom is also
important since the Magical Girlis usually on a path of higher
understanding. A Magical Girl
will often have a higher-thanaverage Charisma as well.

CLASS SKILLS AND
SKILL POINTSThe Magical Girl’s class
Skills (and the key Ability foreach) are: Balance (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge: Arcane (Int),
Knowledge: Cultural Arts (Int), Knowledge: Occult (Int), Perform (Cha),
Power Usage (Varies), Profession (Int), Speak Languages (Int), Sports (Str,
Dex, or Con), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Archery, Ranged
Defence, Special Ranged Attack, and Thrown Weapons.
• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(2 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

2 + Int modifier

TABLE 5-9: MAGICAL GIRL
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+2
+3
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5

Ref
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Will
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Fort
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

SpecialServant +4
Special Attack +1
Item of Power +1
Jumping +1, Rejuvenation +1+2 Character Points, Flight +1
Item of Power +1
Special Attack +1+1 Character Point, Rejuvenation +1
Item of Power +1+2 Character Points
Flight +1
Special Attack +1
Item of Power +1+1 Character Point, Rejuvenation +1+3 Character Points, Item of Power +1
Flight +1
Special Attack +1
Item of Power +1
Special Attack +1+3 Character Points, Rejuvenation +1

21

abuse tools and ignore their inner strength. Pet Monster Trainers
are similar in this regard. They see an echo of their pursuit for
perfection in the Magical Girl’s and Dynamic Sorcerer’s
struggle to master their powers. Adventurers are somewhatof an annoyance, while Students and Shapechangers areeither allies to be protected or bullies and monsters to be
defeated.

MARTIAL
ARTIST
The idea that one’s own body is the best weapon is central
to the martial artist’s philosophy — they make a very
convincing argument when they break a wall with their barefists. Products of rigorous training and discipline, Martial
Artists are masters of unarmed combat, achieving withpunches and kicks what others need weapons to do,
and they are much flashier. A Martial Artist is
protective of his abilities, treasuring his or her
master’s teachings and upholding the honour of
their fighting school against any opponent,
particularly against other Martial Artists.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORES
The Martial Artist uses d10 Hit Dice.
A pairing of high Abilities is important for a
Martial Artist: at least one physical (Strength,
Dexterity, or Constitution) and one social (Intelligence,
Wisdom, or Charisma). The Martial Artist is acombatant that endeavours to balance him or herself both spirituallyand physically.

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

CHARACTERISTICS
Martial Artists do not need a weapon to
inflict grievous bodily harm on their enemies. The
best Martial Artists can even punch holes througharmour. Coupled with such talent for hurting,Martial Artists also learn to avoid being hurteither by deflecting attacks or simply by not being
there. As they become skilled at harnessing theirinner energies, they acquire special attacks that can
strike foes at a distance, suck the breath out of
opponents, ignite flammable materials, and othereffects that border on the magical. Their mysticalawareness also allows them to fight under the mostadverse conditions.

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSThe Martial Artist’s class Skills (and the key Ability for each)are: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Controlled Breathing (Con),
Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge:
Cultural Arts (Int), Knowledge: Occult (Int), Listen (Wis),
Medical (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Pick
Pocket (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak
Languages (Int), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex). Melee Attack,
Melee Defence, Special Ranged Attack, Unarmed Attack,and Unarmed Defence.
• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(2 + Int Modifier) x 4

OTHER CLASSES• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

Although Martial Artists respect a
Samurai’s discipline and a Ninja’s prowess, they
still see their methods as inferior. Gun
Bunnies, Hot Rods, Mecha Pilots, and Tech
Geniuses are beneath their notice, since they

2 + Int modifier

TABLE 5-10: MARTIAL ARTIST
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

22

Base
Attack Bonus
+1
+2
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5+16/+11/+6/+1+17/+12/+7/+2+18/+13/+8/+3+19/+14/+9/+4+20/+15/+10/+5

Ref
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Will
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Fort
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

SpecialUnarmed Attack Skill +2, Unarmed Defence Skill +2
Massive Damage (Unarmed Strikes) +1
Improved Initiative Feat
Judge Opponent Feat
Speed +1
Special Attack +1
Massive Damage (Unarmed Strikes) +1
Defence Combat Mastery +1
Special Attack +1
Improved Initiative Feat
+2 Character Points
Speed +1
Massive Damage (Unarmed Strikes) +1
Special Attack +1
Blind-Fight Feat
+2 Character Points
Special Attack +1+2 Character Points
Massive Damage (Unarmed Strikes) +1+1 Character Point, Defence Combat Mastery +1

friends with Tech Geniuses in order to get improvements to theirmachine. Since they may have been Students earlier in their lives, Mecha
Pilots have many friends amongst them and may know one or two
Magical Girls without even realising it. Shapechangers andDynamic Sorcerers belong to an unexplainable world, and Martial
Artists, Samurai, and Ninja to a bygone era.

MECHA
PILOT
The field of battle looks very different whencommanding a large, powerful war machine. Mecha
Pilots know that they are the elite of any army, even if
they stumbled upon their mecha by accident or they
were saddled with the responsibility to pilot it. The
Mecha Pilot’s life is marked by growth both as awarrior and a person, learning the controls of his or
her great machine at the same time that they try tounderstand the basics of human behaviour.
Although the mecha gives meaning to the Mecha
Pilot’s existence, he or she must learn that reallife starts once they leave their cockpits.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORES
The Mecha Pilot uses d8 Hit Dice.
A high Dexterity is essential for a Mecha Pilot since
many Skills are derived from manual dexterity andreaction speed. A high Charisma and Intelligence arealso important; the Mecha Pilots must make informed
decisions and rally the troops to carry on the goodfight.

CHARACTERISTICS

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSThe Mecha Pilot’s class Skills (and the key
Ability for each) are: Computer Use (Int),
Demolitions (Int), Drive (Dex or Int), Knowledge:
Electronics (Int), Knowledge: Law (Int),
Knowledge: Mechanics (Int), Knowledge: Military
Sciences (Int), Knowledge: Police Sciences (Int),
Navigate (Int), Pilot (Dex or Int), Repair (Int), Speak
Languages (Int), Spot (Wis), Heavy Weapons, Ranged
Defence, and Special Ranged Attack.
• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSESThe mecha dominates the Mecha
Pilot’s life. They can own more equipment
depending on their affiliations, but
eventually they return to their great
machine. They have a skill that precious few
people have, and they develop an aura ofmystique even if they hate themselves for it.
Paramount to the mecha’s maintenance is the
Mecha Pilot’s dependency on an organisation,
which is often a country’s or planet’s military, but
might even be a private concern bent onprotecting the planet from outside threats.

(4 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVELOTHER CLASSES

4 + Int modifier

Hot Rods and Mecha Pilots engage infriendly rivalries over their respective vehicles,
and Sentai Members will often have mecha oftheir own. Giant Robots are a big and attractive
enigma to the Mecha Pilot, and they makeTABLE 5-11: MECHA PILOT
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+2
+3
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5

Ref
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Will
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Fort
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

SpecialOwn a Big Mecha +1
Personal Gear +1
Aura of Command +1
Own a Big Mecha +1
Organisational Ties +1
Aura of Command +1+2 Character Points
Own a Big Mecha +1
Aura of Command +1
Organisational Ties +1+2 Character Points
Own a Big Mecha +1+2 Character Points+2 Character Points
Aura of Command +1, Organisational Ties +1
Own a Big Mecha +1+2 Character Points
Organisational Ties +1
Aura of Command +1+2 Character Points, Own a Big Mecha +1

23

distance from the technological focus of Mecha Pilots,
Giant Robots, Hot Rods, and Tech Geniuses.
Students, Adventurers, and Pet Monster Trainers
are treated on a case-by-case basis.

NINJA
Wrapped in mystery and shadow, Ninja have haunted the sleepof the powerful for centuries. Heirs to an ancestral
tradition, the Ninja know a great variety of mysticalsecrets and guard them with great zeal fromoutsiders. The veil of secrecy they foster makes
ordinary people believe them to be legends,
and they would not have it any other way. A
fearful reality clothed in myth, Ninja fightfor many purposes; some are ruthlessassassins for hire while, at the otherextreme, they can also be like knightserrant, serving justice against tyrants,
striking from anonymity.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORESThe Ninja uses d8 Hit Dice.
Dexterity is the key for a Ninja.
This nimble and fast assassin needs
agility for acrobatics and stealth.
Wisdom and Intelligence are also
important since it is important toknow when and how to strike at
an opponent.

CLASS SKILLS AND
SKILL POINTSCHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

CHARACTERISTICS
As masters of the shadow
arts, Ninja learn various techniques
dealing with agility and stealth.
With practice, they can become aslight as air and just as fast, capableof jumping to great heights, balancing on
impossibly narrow surfaces, and always
landing on their feet. They eventually learn tobend shadows and silence around them by sheer
force of will, giving rise to the many legends
about their powers. A vast array of exotic
weaponry is another of their trademarks, alongwith the ability to disappear. A Ninja’s
awareness does not stop with enhanced
senses, but extend to mystical forces andeven to the spirit world.

The Ninja’s class Skills(and the key Ability for each)are: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha),
Climb (Str), Controlled Breathing (Con),
Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex),
Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha),
Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str),
Knowledge: Area (Int), Knowledge:
Architecture (Int), Knowledge: Occult(Int), Knowledge: Streetwise (Int),
Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex),
Open Lock (Dex), Pick Pocket(Dex), Poisons (Int), Read Lips
(Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Languages (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival(Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex), Wilderness Lore (Wis), Wilderness
Tracking (Int or Wis), Archery, Melee Attack, Thrown Weapons, Unarmed
Attack, and Unarmed Defence.

OTHER CLASSES
Ninja do not often associate withother classes except by necessity or by
virtue of their normal lives. Theirrespect for Samurai and Martial Artists
tends to be one-sided, and they enjoy besting Gun Bunnies in trickery vs.
firepower combats. They share the Dynamic Sorcerer’s interest in the
mystical arts and the Shapechanger’s aura of mystery. Some Ninja can be aclose ally with a Magical Girl or a Sentai Member, but prefer to maintain a• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(4 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

4 + Int modifier

SPECIAL NOTE
Ninja may only use the Teleport Attribute up to the maximum safe
distance (see page 70 for details).

TABLE 5-12: NINJA
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

24

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+2
+3
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5

Ref
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Will
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Fort
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

SpecialJumping +1, Personal Gear +1
Improved Initiative Feat
Heightened Senses (Hearing) +1, Sneak Attack Feat
Special Movement (Light-Footed) +1+4 Character Points, Personal Gear +1
Jumping +1
Teleport +1, Sixth Sense (Sense Ki-Energy) +1
Sneak Attack Feat, Environmental Control (Darkness) +1
Speed +1, Heightened Sense (Sight) +1+3 Character Points, Improved Initiative Feat
Jumping +1, Blind-Fight Feat
Defensive Combat Mastery, Special Movement (Untrackable)
Sneak Attack Feat
Sixth Sense (Sense Spirits) +1, Teleport +1+2 Character Points, Environmental Control (Silence) +1
Jumping +1, Special Movement (Cat-Like) +1
Invisibility +1, Defensive Combat Mastery +1
Speed +1, Sneak Attack Feat
Heightened Senses (Smell) +1+2 Character Points, Special Movement (Wall-Crawling) +1

PETBorn
MONSTERTRAINERof magic, technology, or simply part of the

OTHER CLASSESPet Monster Trainers get along with Magical Girls, butsometimes wonder why their own monster keeps all thepower to itself. If the pet monster is a product of scienceor technology, the Pet Monster Trainer will befriend
Tech Geniuses and Giant Robots but, if it is a magicalcreature, then his or her attention shifts to Dynamic
Sorcerers and Shapechangers. They keep many
Student and Adventurer friends, but do not movein the same circles as Hot Rods, Gun Bunnies,
and Mecha Pilots to form an opinion. Trainers
often avoid the snobbish Samurai, Martial
Artists, and Ninja.

natural order of things, there are monsters roaming
around. Some of them can be disgustingly cute anddocile even if they can unleash fire from their eyes andshoot bolts of lightning from their ... tails. Pet
Monster Trainers take it upon themselves to tamethese creatures and use their potentially deadly
natural weapons towards some particular goal —perhaps as silly as gladiatorial badge collecting. A few
Pet Monster Trainers organise tournaments to see who
can work better with their pet and cultivate its innate
abilities. Others prefer to pursue personal gain, but are opposedby the rest who wish to defend their friends.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORES

CHARACTERISTICS

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSThe Pet Monster Trainer’s class Skills(and the key Ability for each) are: Disable
Device (Int), Gamble (Wis), Handle Animal(Cha), Knowledge: Biological Sciences (Int),
Knowledge: Nature) (Int), Medical (Wis),
and Speak Languages (Int).

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSESThe Pet Monster Trainer uses d4 Hit
Dice.
A Pet Monster Trainer must be awareand empathic in order to raise and care for
their pets, and thus Intelligence andWisdom are key Abilities. Charisma canalso be useful to exude a calming influenceon nearby people and animals.

Pet Monster Trainers gain apowerful ally in the form of theirmonster, befriending it readily
and learning about its
abilities, which they
develop through training,
exercise, and fights
against other monsters
or even other kinds ofopponents. The bond
between master and pet
monster is so strong that
the Pet Monster Trainer
perceives his or her
monster’s thoughts,
increasing their co-ordinationand teamwork. As part of afighting ring, the Pet
Monster Trainer gains ameasure of wealth that heuses to treat both him or
herself and the pet too.

• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(4 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

4 + Int modifier

TABLE 5-13: PET MONSTER TRAINER
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+1
+2
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+7/+2
+8/+3
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5

Ref
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Will
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Fort
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

SpecialPet Monster +1, Animal Friendship +1+3 Character Points, Train a Cute Monster +1
Pet Monster +1+3 Character Points
Pet Monster +1, Train a Cute Monster +1
Animal Friendship +1, Telepathy (With Pet Monster) +1
Pet Monster +1+3 Character Points, Train a Cute Monster +1
Pet Monster +1+3 Character Points, Animal Friendship +1
Pet Monster +1, Train a Cute Monster +1
Telepathy (With Pet Monster) +1
Pet Monster +1+4 Character Points, Train a Cute Monster +1
Pet Monster +1, Wealth +1+4 Character Points, Animal Friendship +1
Pet Monster +1, Train a Cute Monster +1+4 Character Points, Telepathy (With Pet Monster) +1
Pet Monster +1+5 Character Points, Train a Cute Monster +1

25

They wait to see a Shapechanger’s deeds before passing judgement,
but are held in as much distrust as the loathed Ninja. They recognise
the mission of Magical Girls and Sentai Members and see Gun
Bunnies and Hot Rods as modern reflections of their own bondwith their weapons. They have no particular attitude towards
Mecha Pilots, Giant Robots, and Tech Geniuses, and judge
Students and Adventurers by their potential.

SAMURAIThe code of Bushido demands that theSamurai hold him or herself to the ideals of Justice,
Courage, Benevolence, Politeness, Veracity,
Honour, and Loyalty. They are virtuous warriors
that seek perfection at the edge of their blades,
tempering their spirits in the heat of combat andhoning their values at the same time that they
sharpen their swords. They enter combat with
aplomb and deadly calm, hesitating to unsheathe
their katana because once they do, they arehonour-bound to finish a battle for good or ill.
The most experienced Samurai can infuse theirsouls into their weapons and cut through steel
and stone as if they were paper.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORESThe Samurai uses d10 Hit Dice.
A Samurai is very physical, with a highStrength and often higher Constitution. A
Samurai also refines him or herself
culturally, reflected by his or her respectable
Wisdom and Charisma Scores.

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSThe Samurai’s class Skills (and the key Ability foreach) are: Controlled Breathing (Con), Craft (Int),
Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha),
Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge: Cultural Arts (Int),
Knowledge: Domestic Arts, Knowledge: Foreign
Culture (Int), Knowledge: Religion (Int),
Knowledge: Social Sciences (Int), Knowledge:
Streetwise (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride
(Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak
Languages (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis),
Wilderness Tracking (Int or Wis), Archery, Melee
Attack, and Melee Defence.

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

CHARACTERISTICS
Walking the Way of the Sword
bestows upon the Samurai a great power andresponsibility. They can strike like lightning and move likea hurricane, sometimes cutting down their enemies in asingle stroke. Despite their tremendous skill, Samurai arecareful to take an opponent’s measure before engaging
in combat, cutting off any escape with their speed
and agility. They feel the flow of combat in theirveins and gain a superhuman awareness of theirsurroundings to the point that they can fightwithout seeing. Wielding a katana in one
hand, a wakizashi in the other, and theirstrong personality at the fore, Samurai area perfect match for almost anything.

• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(4 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

4 + Int modifier

OTHER CLASSES
Valuing honour and discipline,
Samurai feel a kinship with Martial
Artists. Dynamic Sorcerers and Pet
Monster Trainers are seen as cheaters
who use outside forces to serve them.

TABLE 5-14: SAMURAI
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

26

Base
Attack Bonus
+1
+2
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5+16/+11/+6/+1+17/+12/+7/+2+18/+13/+8/+3+19/+14/+9/+4+20/+15/+10/+5

Ref
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Will
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Fort
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

SpecialImproved Initiative Feat
Personal Gear +1, Speed +1+2 Character Points
Judge Opponent Feat
+3 Character Points, Aura of Command +1
Massive Damage (Sword) +1
Jumping +1, Leap Attack Feat
Heightened Awareness +1+2 Character Points
Aura of Command +1, Blind-Fight Feat
Special Attack +1
Massive Damage (Sword) +1
Two-Weapon Fighting Feat
Jumping +1, Divine Relationship +1
Aura of Command +1
Heightened Awareness +1+3 Character Points
Massive Damage (Sword) +1
Aura of Command +1+4 Character Points

lone ranger mentality of Samurai, Ninja, or Gun Bunnies, and must be
restrained before they attack a Dynamic Sorcerer or a Shapechanger outof habit. They struggle to gain the respect of Martial
Artists but bask in the admiration ofStudents. Hot Rods and Adventurers makefor ideal rivals, and Tech Geniuses and Pet
Monster Trainers are good friends and supporters.
Giant Robots are highly prized.

SENTAIMEMBERThe Sentai Member cannot conceive fighting fortruth and justice without a group of companions.
Assuming the role of follower or teammate, the Sentai
Member charges into combat trusting the strength of
the group and using all of his or her skill and power
towards the good of all. Some people believe that
Sentai Members lack intelligence and need tocolour-code their uniforms to tell each otherapart, but Sentai Members wear their colours
with pride as a mark of their own
individuality, at the same time that they
identify their allegiance to their team.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORESThe Sentai Member uses d6 Hit Dice.
A Sentai Member focuses on teamwork andtactics, and thus usually has a high Wisdom
and Dexterity. A high Charisma is also
common, reflecting his or herflamboyant attitude.

CHARACTERISTICS
Sentai Members are team players
to the core. When they gain theirpersonal equipment as members of thegroup, they also form a bond with theircompanions that becomes stronger withtime. A Sentai Member knows if one of
his friends is in danger and canquickly arrive for a rescue. They
learn their own personal attacks
that can be very devastating on
their own, but increase in power
when combined with those of theirfriends. Sentai Members appear to leada charmed life, rarely failing in any
task they set for themselves.

CLASS SKILLS AND
SKILL POINTS• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(4 + Int Modifier) x 4

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSESThe Sentai Member’s class
Skills (and the key Ability for each) are:Balance (Dex), Diplomacy (Cha), Jump (Str),
Knowledge: Occult (Int), Perform (Cha), Power
Usage (Varies), Speak Languages (Int), Spot (Wis),
Tumble (Dex), Melee Attack, and Melee Defence.
• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

4 + Int modifier

SPECIAL NOTE
Attributes marked with an asterisk (*)
are only useable when working with anothercharacter with at least one Level of Sentai
Member. Close proximity is also required(the exact distance depends on the task
and situation). This restriction is a
Defect, which returns a total of 6
Character Points over 20 Levels(already calculated into the Level
progression).

OTHER CLASSESThe Sentai Member’s senseof teamwork translates easily to
any ally with whom they work,
although Magical Girls andMecha Pilots are favourites,
since they too can beteam players. They do
not understand the

TABLE 5-15: SENTAI MEMBER
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+2
+3
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5

Ref
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Will
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Fort
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

SpecialSixth Sense (Danger to team members) +1, Personal Gear +1
Massive Damage* (Specific Attack) +1
Divine Relationship* +1
Combined Attack +1, Rejuvenation +1+3 Character Points, Attack Combat Mastery* +1
Art of Distraction* +1
Telepathy (Other Sentai Members) +1+4 Character Points, Divine Relationship* +1
Attack Combat Mastery* +1, Rejuvenation +1+3 Character Points, Extra Attacks* +1
Combined Attack +1, Heightened Awareness* +1
Massive Damage* (Specific Attack) +1, Personal Gear +1
Attack Combat Mastery* +1, Divine Relationship* +1
Telepathy (Other Sentai Members) +1+3 Character Points, Rejuvenation +1+3 Character Points, Special Movement* +1+3 Character Points, Attack Combat Mastery* +1
Combined Attack +1, Divine Relationship* +1+3 Character Points, Rejuvenation +1+4 Character Points

27and Adventurers, but enjoy teasing Pet Monster
Trainers and Magical Girls by turning into copies of
their companions. Dynamic Sorcerers, Martial
Artists, and Ninja are good allies if the
Shapechanger is a supernatural creature,
but Tech Geniuses, Giant Robots, andMecha Pilots are a better choice if they arealiens. They have little contact with Hot
Rods, Gun Bunnies, or Samurai.

SHAPECHANGER
Form is fluid andappearances are transient. That is
the lesson every Shapechanger
learns upon gaining his or her
powers. It is redundant to say that
Shapechangers are not what they appear,
but it is true in more than one way. They canbe aliens, suffer from a curse, or may be inherently
supernatural creatures. Unless they know and explain thesource of their powers, it is nearly impossible to tell just what
they are. The power to assume many forms can create great
heroes or heinous villains. No enemy base, or locker room either,will ever be safe again.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORESThe Shapechanger uses d8 Hit
Dice.
As a being that mimics others
constantly, Charisma is the most important
Ability for a Shapechanger. Dexterity andIntelligence also help with the disguises, andescaping capture if discovered.

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

CHARACTERISTICS
The Shapechanger starts with the ability to perform
only minor changes to his or her form, but it does nottake long to determine the techniques ofshapeshifting and learn to transform into entirely
different beings. Shapechangers’ bodies are
flexible by necessity, and they can stretch orcompress at will to accommodate newshapes or simply to reach for the remote.
Soon enough, their complete mastery overtheir bodies lets them heal wounds at a much
faster pace and even mimic the precise appearanceof another person or creature. As they grow inexperience, Shapechangers can turn into more
powerful forms to meet any challenge.

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSThe Shapechanger’s class Skills (and the
key Ability for each) are: Balance (Dex), Bluff(Cha), Controlled Breathing (Con),
Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex),
Gather Information (Cha), Hide(Dex), Jump (Str),
Knowledge: Cultural Arts
(Int), Knowledge: Foreign
Culture (Int), Move
Silently (Dex),
Po w e r l i f t i n g ( S t r ) ,Seduction (Cha), Sense
Motive (Wis), Sleight ofHand (Dex), Speak
Languages (Int) and Spot(Wis).

OTHER CLASSES
Shapechangers’ knack for impersonatingothers can grate on everybody’s nerves but,unless they make a point of being obnoxious,
Shapechangers can get along with anyone.
They prefer the company of Students• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(2 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

2 + Int modifier

TABLE 5-16: SHAPECHANGER
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

28

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+2
+3
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5

Ref
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Will
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Fort
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Special
Alternate Form (Cosmetic Changes) Level 0
Elasticity +1
Alternate Form (Full-Powered) +1+1 Character Point
Regeneration +1
Alternate Form (Full-Powered) +1+1 Character Point
Elasticity +1
Mimic (All) +1
Regeneration +1+1 Character Point
Alternate Form (Full-Powered) +1
Elasticity +1
Regeneration +1
Mimic (All) +1+1 Character Point
Elasticity +1+1 Character Point
Alternate Form (Full-Powered) +1+2 Character Points

Sorcerers’ apprentices, Tech Genius’ test subjects, Magical Girls’
romantic interests, or sidekicks to Adventurers, Hot Rods, Gun
Bunnies, and Giant Robots. They are valuable friends to
Martial Artists, Pet Monster Trainers, and Sentai Members,
and can be the moral compass to Samurai and Ninja. They
are everybody’s friends, and they have the luck to live toregret it.

STUDENT
Normal life is adventure enough without the needto go gallivanting after lost treasures or joining armies at
the unlikely age of 14. A Student’s life is full of little
challenges like weird teachers, romantic rivals, and cultural
festivals. The best prospect of adventure being is school
trip, but some Students hardly have such an idyllic life.
The friends they make tend to get them into trouble
with gangs, psychopathic fiancées, and crazy relatives,
not to mention obnoxious aliens, ancient awakened
demons, or erstwhile goddesses. Moreover, theymust still make some time to prepare for finals
and the dreaded college entrance exams.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORES
A Student uses d4 Hit Dice.
A Student (at least a successful Student) has a highIntelligence and Dexterity, necessary to earn good grades andavoid the local bully.

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSCHARACTERISTICS• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSESThe Student’s class Skills (and the key Ability for each)are: Computer Use (Int), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int),
Diplomacy (Cha), Gamble (Wis), Knowledge: Area (Int),
Knowledge: Architecture (Int), Knowledge: Biological
Sciences) (Int), Knowledge: Business (Int), Knowledge: Cultural
Arts (Int), Knowledge: Domestic Arts (Int), Knowledge: Foreign
Culture (Int), Knowledge: Law (Int), Knowledge: Nature (Int),
Knowledge: Physical Sciences (Int), Knowledge: Religion (Int),
Knowledge: Social Sciences (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Int),
Research (Int), Speak Languages (Int), Sports (Str, Dex, or Con),and Swim (Str).

For all their normality, Students
seem surrounded by a special aura. They
make friends easily and not only because of
the cool uniforms and eerily attractive pleatedskirts. Their utter normality seems to havethe secondary effect of shielding them from all
the weirdness they might encounter. Most students
are insanely lucky as they dodge and duck during
fights or have divine flashes of inspiration. Students
can count on their friends to lend a hand, andadventures force them to learn skills they did notknow they needed, such as fixing things andbefriending bizarre creatures.

(8 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

8 + Int modifier

OTHER CLASSES
The rest of the classes are the bane of aStudent’s dreams of a normal life. His or her
friendliness has a special appeal for all of them withno particular preference. They play aspirant Mecha
Pilot with equal ease as becoming Dynamic

TABLE 5-17: STUDENT
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+1
+2
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+7/+2
+8/+3
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5

Ref
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Will
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Fort
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

SpecialDivine Relationship +1, Sixth Sense +1
Flunkies +1, Mind Shield +1+3 Character Points, Art of Distraction +1, Personal Gear +1+3 Character Points, Aura of Command +1
Animal Friendship +1, Divine Relationship +1, Flunkies +1+5 Character Points, Organisational Ties +1
Art of Distraction +1, Personal Gear +1+5 Character Points, Flunkies +1, Aura of Command +1
Animal Friendship +1, Divine Relationship +1+5 Character Points, Special Movement +1
Flunkies +1, Item of Power +1+3 Character Points, Organisational Ties +1+4 Character Points, Divine Relationship +1
Flunkies +1, Mechanical Genius +1+3 Character Points, Special Attack +1+3 Character Points, Mind Shield +1
Divine Relationship +1, Flunkies +1+4 Character Points, Organisational Ties +1+4 Character Points, Mind Shield +1+5 Character Points

29

TECHThereGENIUS
are people who

OTHER CLASSESThe Tech Genius cannot keep away from
Giant Robots and may even be the creator of one.
He or she also loves to tinker with the Hot Rod’scar, the Mecha Pilot’s vehicle, the Gun Bunny’s
weapons, and the Student’s life. His or her
relationships with others depend on how much theyuse gadgets, with Sentai Members and Adventurers
being frequent clients, and Pet Monster Trainers andMagical Girls as protégés. They find the powers of
Dynamic Sorcerers and Shapechangers utterly
fascinating, possibly even being the source of thatpower themselves. They could improve the abilities ofMartial Artists, Samurai, and Ninja if only they wereallowed.

enjoy the blessings oftechnology, but it is the
Tech Genius who creates his or her
own. Gifted with an innate
understanding of the science behindtechnology, the Tech Genius canassemble the most astounding
machines known to the world ... and a
lot of the unknown ones, too. His or her
focus on the world of machines distances a
Tech Genius from others, often creating odd
personality quirks. The most creative Tech
Geniuses are unjustly labelled as “madscientists” by everyone around them, butthey know they can be patient. Praise will
come when their next invention starts
working.

HIT DICE AND ABILITY SCORESThe Tech Genius uses d4 Hit Dice.
The Tech Genius is knowledgeable andinsightful, usually possessing a highIntelligence. Additionally, high Dexterity
reflects his or her fine motor control andconstruction agility.

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

CHARACTERISTICS
There is no machine that can hide from the attentionsof the Tech Genius. He or she can take anything apart andput it together better than it was before — with parts tospare! They apply their talent to one pet project after
another, building amazing gizmos and gadgets for their own
use. Of course, no mad scientist is complete without
assistants, and every Tech Genius tends to attract them, nomatter how much he or she denies being mad. Research anddevelopment is not cheap, but fortunately the Tech Genius
usually has access to wealth to pay for all of his or her projects.

CLASS SKILLS AND SKILL POINTSThe Tech Genius’s class Skills (and the
key Ability for each) are: Computer Use (Int),
Decipher Script (Int), Demolitions (Int),
Disable Device (Int), Drive (Dex or Int),
Knowledge: Electronics (Int), Knowledge :Mechanics (Int), Knowledge: PhysicalSciences (Int), Profession (Int), Repair (Int),
Research (Int), and Speak Languages (Int).
• SKILL POINTS AT 1ST LEVEL(8 + Int Modifier) x 4• SKILL POINTS AT EACH ADDITIONAL LEVEL

8 + Int modifier

TABLE 5-18: TECH GENIUS
Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

30

Base
Attack Bonus
+0
+1
+1
+2
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+7/+2
+8/+3
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5

Ref
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

Will
Save
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6
+6
+7
+7
+8
+8
+9
+9
+10
+10
+11
+11
+12

Fort
Save
+0
+0
+1
+1
+1
+2
+2
+2
+3
+3
+3
+4
+4
+4
+5
+5
+5
+6
+6
+6

SpecialMechanical Genius +1, Personal Gear +1
Flunkies +1
Computer Scanning +1
Item of Power +1, Personal Gear +1+5 Character Points, Mechanical Genius +1
Flunkies +1, Wealth +1
Personal Gear +1
Item of Power +1, Mechanical Genius +1
Computer Scanning +1+3 Character Points, Flunkies +1, Personal Gear +1+3 Character Points, Mechanical Genius +1
Item of Power +1, Wealth +1
Personal Gear +1
Flunkies +1, Mechanical Genius +1+5 Character Points, Computer Scanning +1
Item of Power +1, Personal Gear +1
Mechanical Genius +1
Flunkies +1, Wealth +1+2 Character Points, Item of Power +1+4 Character Points

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

31

DECONSTRUCTION OF
THE d20 SYSTEMFANTASY CLASSES
The BESM d20 classes are ideal for a wide range of anime campaign
adventures, but some players may want to use a standard d20 System
fantasy class from the Player’s Handbook. Unfortunately, not all the classes
have balanced Level progression when compared to the Point totals forthe new BESM d20 classes.

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

THEAlthough
PROBLEM
some d20 System advocates may disagree, we do notbelieve that the standard fantasy classes are balanced well. In particular,
the spellcasting classes are more powerful and versatile than the others.
That’s not to say that a Fighter or Rogue can’t take down a Wizard of thesame Level in specific circumstances. Indeed, in their respective areas ofexpertise, the classes have their own unique advantages. Whenexamining the entire range of character activity, though, spellcasters
clearly have the upper hand.

THEWeSOLUTION
needed to assign every talent, effect, and power listed in theclass Level progressions a Character Point value before we could balance
the classes. By comparing the class abilities with Attributes that exhibit
similar effects, we could better understand the relative power levels ofeach class. Over 20 Levels, the more powerful classes (Wizard, Sorcerer,etc.) were on par with the new BESM d20 classes. For the other classes,
additional Character Points were built into their progression to increase
their breadth and depth and achieve balance.

THEOverAPPROACH
20 Levels, the abilities and talents granted through the class32

progression charts needed to add up to 200 Character Points (+/- 4%) —the same as the new BESM d20 classes. The Points assigned to the various
standard advantages (Save bonuses, Base Attack Bonuses, etc.) are listed
in Table 5-19: Point Costs Assigned to d20 Classes. Unique advantages(such as Barbarian Rage, Quivering Palm, or Special Mount) are assigned
an appropriate number of Points.
Although the number of Character Points assigned to each class toreflect Skill knowledge is usually not affected by the character’s potential
Intelligence score, Wizards are the exception. Since they are the only classwith Intelligence as the primary Ability Score — and thus will usually
have a high Intelligence — the number of Skill Points they gain eachlevel more closely represents the (4 + Int modifier) progression than the(2 + Int modifier) at which they are rated. As a result, their level
progression includes an additional 0.5 Character Points/Level associatedwith their high Intelligence bonus for Skills.
Assigning Character Points proved to be an interesting exercise.
The capability of casting a spell costs a base of 0.5 Points times the spell
Level (0.25 Points for 0 Level spells; one-half value for all Cleric domain
spells), but this is only the base cost. Since some classes have a muchwider range of spells from which to choose, all casting classes needed an“accessible spells multiplication factor” to provide appropriate balance(see Table 5-20: Accessible Spells Factor for Casting Classes). This factor
is equal to the number of potential of spells available to the class divided
by the number available to the Wizard class — resulting in a factor
between 0 and 1. To determine the total number of Character Points
assigned to spellcasting ability, the base Point cost total is multiplied by
the spells factor for each class.

For example, Wizards can potentially access more spells than any
other class, and thus were assigned a multiplication factor of 1.00. Using
the Point costs from Table 5-19, Wizards have a base of 91 Points
assigned to spellcasting. This base is multiplied by the factor of 1.00, to
give a final Character Point total of 91 for spellcasting. Similarly, Clerics
have a base of 110 Points assigned to spellcasting. This base is multipliedby the 0.62 (a Cleric’s multiplication factor) to give a final Character
Points total of 68 for spellcasting.
Although Sorcerers have the same potential spell access as Wizards,
and thus could have the same multiplication factor of 1, Sorcerers have
two aspects that set them apart from Wizards. Sorcerers do not need toprepare their spells in advance each day — a powerful advantage — andSorcerers know far fewer spells than Wizards at each level — a severe
disadvantage. Consequently, the Sorcerer’s multiplication factor of 0.85 isderived more from these two differences than the potential spell accessthat is considered for all other spellcasting classes.

TABLE 5-19: POINT COSTS ASSIGNED TO d20 CLASSES
Character PointClass Advantage
Cost+1 to Fort, Ref, or Will Save1
+1 to first Base Attack Bonus3(2 + Int modifier) Skills gained each Level
0.5 each Level(4 + Int modifier) Skills gained each Level
1 each Level(6 + Int modifier) Skills gained each Level
1.5 each Level(8 + Int modifier) Skills gained each Level
2 each Level
Wizard Class Skill bonus each Level
0.5 each Level
d4 Hit Dice
1 each Level
d6 Hit Dice
1.5 each Level
d8 Hit Dice
2 each Level
d10 Hit Dice
2.5 each Level
d12 Hit Dice
3 each Level
0th Level spells (further modified by spell breadth)0.25 each
1st-9th Level spells (modified by spell breadth)
0.5 times spell Level
Cleric domain spells
0.5 times normal value
Special class talents and abilities
Variable

TABLE 5-20: ACCESSIBLE SPELLS FACTOR FOR CASTING CLASSES
Class
Bard
Cleric
Druid
PaladinRangerSorcerer
WizardMultiplication Factor
0.43
0.62
0.44
0.10
0.12
0.85
1.00

THETheRESULT
Point-based rebuilding of the d20 System standard classes ispresented in Tables 5-23 through 5-33. Although BESM d20 only
presents the alternate class progression charts for the 11 classes in thePlayer’s Handbook, GM and players can use the guidelines presented inthis chapter to deconstruct and rebuild any other d20 System class orprestige class as well.
For more information the special abilities for each class, consult thePlayer’s Handbook.

Player’s Handbook 3.5
By the time BESM d20 is first published, an updated version of
the Player’s Handbook (version 3.5) is only a few month’s awayfrom release. Although we cannot include updated information
regarding the new class progressions in this book, you can download
revisions and supplementary material from our website(http://www.guardiansorder.com).

9th Level Spell for 4.5 Points?

TABLE 5-23: BARBARIAN

Looking at the Character Point costs we assigned to spells
directly, a 9th Level spell is worth 4.5 Points. Seem too cheap?
Perhaps it is, if you only look at the 9th Level spell in isolation. Thebalancing factor, though, are the implied pre-requisites needed toobtain high-level spells: many, many levels of class (not character)progression. By the time a Wizard, for example, can access 9th
Level spells, he or she has already allocated over 70 Character
Points to spellcasting ability and has achieved a minimum of 17class Levels. Quite an accomplishment!
If you want to gauge the appropriate cost of each spell Levelby itself, use this formula as a guideline to determine the Character
Point cost of each spell: (spell Level) x (spell Level) x 0.5. For
example, 1st Level spells are worth 0.5 Points (1 x 1 x 0.5 = 0.5),
4th Level spells are worth 8 Points (4 x 4 x 0.5 = 8), and 9th class
Level spells are each worth 40.5 (9 x 9 x 0.5 = 40.5). This cost
applies to the first spell at each Level only; additional spells a thesame or lower Level cost usually substantially less. Thus, the first
9th Level spell costs 40.5 Points, but adding a second 9th Level
spell, or perhaps an 8th Level spell, may only be worth 5, 10, or 15
Points — much less than the first 40.5 Points. If necessary, theGame Master will determine the exact cost of each spell-like ability.

Hit Dice: d12

The character classes in d20 Modern have less variation in theirdesign compared to the fantasy classes, which makes assigningappropriate Character Point values to them easier. Table 5-21: d20
Modern Classes Point Costs gives the value for each class ability. Smart
Heroes, like Wizards, include an additional 0.5 Character Points/Level in
their progression associated with their high Intelligence bonus for Skills.
Table 5-22: Balancing d20 Modern Classes shows the Character
Points totals associated with each class over 10 Levels (rounded down),
plus the number of discretionary Character Points that should be added
to the class by Level 10 to more closely balance them when using
BESM d20.

TABLE 5-21: d20 MODERN CLASSES POINT COSTSClass Advantage(3 + Int modifier) Skills gained each Level(5 + Int modifier) Skills gained each Level(7 + Int modifier) Skills gained each Level(9 + Int modifier) Skills gained each Level
Smart Hero Class Skill bonus each Level+1 Defence Bonus+1 Reputation Bonus+1 Talent

Character Point
Cost
0.75 each Level
1.25 each Level
1.75 each Level
2.25 each Level
0.5 each Level
2
1
2

TABLE 5-22: BALANCING d20 MODERN CLASSESClass
Strong Hero
Fast HeroTough Hero
Smart Hero
Dedicated Hero
Charismatic Hero

InitialPoints
100
103
97
98
95
91

Discretionary
Points003259Final Point
Total
100
103
100
100
100
100

Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

+2
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5+16/+11/+6/+1

17
18
19
20

+17/+12/+7/+2+18/+13/+8/+3+19/+14/+9/+4+20/+15/+10/+5

Ref Will Fort
Save Save Save Special+0+0+2 Rage 1/day, +10 move, 2Armour Proficiency Feats+0+0+3 Uncanny dodge (Dex)+1+1+3 +1 Character Point+1+1+4 Rage 2/day+1+1+4 Uncanny dodge (Flanking)+2+2+5 +1 Character Point+2+2+5 +1 Character Point+2+2+6 Rage 3/day+3+3+6 +1 Character Point+3+3+7 Uncanny dodge (+1 Traps)+3+3+7 Damage reduction 1/+4
+4
+8 Rage 4/day+4+4+8 Uncanny dodge (+2 Traps)+4+4+9 Damage reduction 2/+5
+5
+9 Greater rage, 2 Points+5+5 +10 Rage 5/day, Uncanny dodge(+3 traps)+5+5 +10 Damage reduction 3/+6
+6 +11 +2 Character Points+6+6 +11 Uncanny dodge (+4 traps)+6+6 +12 Rage 6/day, No longer
winded, Damage reduction 4/-

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSESEXAMINING d20
MODERN CLASSES

Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int Modifier

Base
AttackBonus+1

TABLE 5-24: BARD
Hit Dice: d6

Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier

Level
1

Base
Attack
Bonus
+0

2
3

+1
+2

4

+3

5
6

+3
+4

7
8

+5
+6/+1

9

+6/+1

10
11
12

+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4

13
14
15

+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1

16+12/+7/+2

17
18+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+31920+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5

Ref Will Fort
Save Save Save Special+2+2+0 Bardic knowledge, Bardic music(3 songs), +2 0th Level spells,
2 Armour Proficiency Feats+3+3+0 +1 0th Level spell+3+3+1 Bardic Music,+1 1st Level spell+4+4+1 +4 Character Points,+1 1st Level spell+4+4+1 +1 1st, +1 2nd Level spell+5+5+2 Bardic music,+1 2nd Level spell+5+5+2 +5 Character Points+6+6+2 +4 Character Points,+1 2nd, +1 3rd Level spell+6+6+3 Bardic music,+1 3rd Level spell+7+7+3 +5 Character Points+7+7+3 +1 3rd, +1 4th Level spell+8+8+4 +5 Character Points,+1 4th Level spell+8+8+4 +5 Character Points+9+9+4 +1 0th, +1 4th, +1 5th Level spell+9+9+5 +5 Character Points,+1 1st, +1 5th Level spell+10 +10 +5 +5 Character Points,+1 2nd Level spell+10 +10 +5 +1 3rd, +1 6th Level spell+11 +11 +6 +3 Character Points,+1 4th, +1 6th Level spell+11 +11 +6 +1 5th, +1 6th Level spell+12 +12 +6 +3 Character Points,+1 6th Level spell

33

TABLE 5-25: CLERIC

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

Hit Dice: d8

TABLE 5-26: DRUID
Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier

Level
1

Base
Attack
Bonus
+0

2
3

+1
+2

4

+3

5

+3

6
7

+4
+5

8
9

+6/+1
+6/+1

10
11

+7/+2
+8/+3

12
13

+9/+4
+9/+4

14
15

+10/+5+11/+6/+1

16
17+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2

18
19+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+420+15/+10/+5

Ref Will Fort
Save Save Save Special+0+2+2 Turn undead, 2 Domains,
Spontaneous casting, +3 0th,
+1 1st, +1 domain 1st Level
spell, 3 Armour Proficiency Feats+0+3+3 +1 0th, +1 1st Level spell+1+3+3 +1 2nd, +1 domain 2nd Level
spell
+1
+4
+4 +1 0th, +1 1st, +1 2nd Level
spell
+1
+4
+4 +1 3rd, +1 domain 3rd Level
spell
+2
+5
+5 +1 2nd, +1 3rd Level spell+2+5+5 +1 0th, +1 1st, +1 4th, +1
domain 4th Level spell+2+6+6 +1 3rd, +1 4th Level spell+3+6+6 +1 2nd, +1 5th, +1 domain 5th
Level spell+3+7+7 +1 4th, +1 5th Level spell+3+7+7 +1 1st, +1 3rd, +1 6th, +1
domain 6th Level spell+4+8+8 +1 5th, +1 6th Level spell+4+8+8 +1 2nd, +1 4th, +1 7th, +1
domain 7th Level spell+4+9+9 +1 6th, +1 7th Level spell+5+9+9 +1 3rd, +1 5th, +1 8th, +1
domain 8th Level spell+5 +10 +10 +1 7th, +1 8th Level spell+5 +10 +10 +1 4th, +1 6th, +1 9th, +1
domain 9th Level spell+6 +11 +11 +1 8th, +1 9th Level spell+6 +11 +11 +1 5th, +1 7th, +1 9th Levelspell+6 +12 +12 +1 8th, +1 9th Level spell

TABLE 5-27: FIGHTER
Hit Dice: d10

34

Level
1

Base
Attack
Bonus
+1

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

+2
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1
+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+2+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5+16/+11/+6/+1+17/+12/+7/+2+18/+13/+8/+3+19/+14/+9/+4+20/+15/+10/+5

Hit Dice: d8

Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier

Level
1

Base
Attack
Bonus
+0

2

+1

3

+2

4

+3

5

+3

6

+4

7

+5

8

+6/+1

9

+6/+1

10

+7/+2

11

+8/+3

12

+9/+4

13

+9/+4

14

+10/+515+11/+6/+1

16+12/+7/+2

17+12/+7/+2

18+13/+8/+3

19+14/+9/+420+15/+10/+5

Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier
Ref Will Fort
Save Save Save Special+0+0+2 Bonus Feat, 3 Armour
Proficiency Feats+0+0+3 Bonus Feat+1
+1
+3 +1 Character Point+1+1+4 Bonus Feat+1
+1
+4 +1 Character Point+2+2+5 Bonus Feat+2
+2
+5 +3 Character Points+2+2+6 Bonus Feat
+3
+3
+6 +4 Character Points+3+3+7 Bonus Feat+3
+3
+7 +4 Character Points+4+4+8 Bonus Feat+4
+4
+8 +4 Character Points+4+4+9 Bonus Feat
+5
+5
+9 +4 Character Points+5+5 +10 Bonus Feat+5
+5 +10 +4 Character Points+6+6 +11 Bonus Feat
+6
+6 +11 +3 Character Points+6+6 +12 Bonus Feat

Ref Will Fort
Save Save Save Special+0+2+2 Nature sense, Animalcompanion,+3 0th, +1 1st Level spell,
2 Armour Proficiency Feats+0+3+3 Woodland stride,+1 0th, +1 1st Level spell+1+3+3 Trackless step,+1 2nd Level spell+1+4+4 Resist nature’s lure,+1 0th, +1 1st, +1 2nd Level
spell
+1
+4
+4 Wild shape 1/day,+1 3rd Level spell+2+5+5 Wild shape 2/day,+1 2nd, +1 3rd Level spell+2+5+5 Wild shape 3/day,+1 0th, +1 1st, +1 4th Level
spell
+2
+6
+6 Wild shape (Large),+1 3rd, +1 4th Level spell+3+6+6 Venom immunity,+1 2nd, +1 5th Level spell+3+7+7 Wild shape 4/day,+1 4th, +1 5th Level spell+3+7+7 Wild shape (Tiny),+1 1st, +1 3rd, +1 6th Level
spell
+4
+8
+8 Wild shape (Dire),+1 5th, +1 6th Level spell+4+8+8 A thousand faces,+1 2nd, +1 4th, +1 7th Level
spell
+4
+9
+9 Wild shape 5/day,+1 6th, +1 7th Level spell+5+9+9 Wild shape (Huge), TimelessBody,+1 5th, +1 8th Level spell+5 +10 +10 Wild shape (Elemental) 1/day,+1 3rd, +1 7th, +1 8th Levelspell+5 +10 +10 +1 4th, +1 6th, +1 9th Levelspell+6 +11 +11 Wild shape 6/day, Elemental
wild shape 3/day,+1 8th, +1 9th Level spell+6 +11 +11 +1 5th, +1 7th, +1 9th Levelspell+6 +12 +12 +1 8th, +1 9th Level spellTABLE 5-28: MONKTABLE 5-29: PALADIN

Hit Dice: d8

Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier

2
3
4
5
6

+1
+2
+3
+3
+4

7

+5

8
9

+6/+1
+6/+1

10
11
12

+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4

13
14
15

+9/+4
+10/+5+11/+6/+1

16
17+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2

18+13/+8/+31920+14/+9/+4+15/+10/+5

Hit Dice: d10

Ref Will Fort
Save Save Save Special+2+2+2 Unarmed strike, Stunning
attack, Evasion, d6 Damage,
AC +0
+3
+3
+3 Deflect Arrows Feat
+3
+3
+3 Still mind, +10 ft. Move
+4
+4
+4 Slow fall (20 ft.), d8 Damage+4+4+4 Purity of body, AC +1+5+5+5 Slow fall (30 ft.), Improved Trip
Feat, +10 ft. Move+5+5+5 Wholeness of body, Leap ofclouds+6+6+6 Slow fall (50 ft.), d10 Damage+6+6+6 Improved evasion, +10 ft.
Move
+7
+7
+7 Ki strike +1, AC +2+7+7+7 Diamond body+8+8
+8 Abundant step, d12 Damage,+10 ft. Move+8+8
+8 Diamond Soul, Ki strike +2+9+9+9 +3 Character Points+9+9+9 Quivering Palm, AC +3, +10 ft.
Move+10 +10 +10 Ki strike +3, d20 Damage+10 +10 +10 Timeless body, Tongue of sun
and moon+11 +11 +11 Slow fall (any distance), +10 ft.
Move+11 +11 +11 Empty body
+12 +12 +12 Perfect self, AC +4

Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier

Level
1

Base
Attack
Bonus
+1

2
3

+2
+3

4
5
6

+4
+5
+6/+1

7
8
9
10

+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+10/+51112+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+213
14+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+415+15/+10/+516+16/+11/+6/+1

17+17/+12/+7/+2

18+18/+13/+8/+31920+19/+14/+9/+4+20/+15/+10/+5

Ref Will Fort
Save Save Save Special+0+0+2 Detect evil, Divine grace, Layon hands, Divine health,
3 Armour Proficiency Feats+0+0+3 Aura of courage, Smite evil
+1
+1
+3 Remove disease 1/week, Turnundead+1+1+4 +1 Character Point+1+1+4 Special Mount+2+2+5 Remove Disease 2/week,+1 1st Level spell+2+2+5 +1 Character Point+2+2+6 +2 Character Points+3+3+6 Remove Disease 3/week+3+3+7 +3 Character Points,+1 2nd Level spell+3+3+7 +3 Character Points+4+4+8 Remove Disease 4/week,+1 3rd Level spell+4+4+8 +4 Character Points+4+4+9 +3 Character Points,+1 1st Level spell+5+5+9 Remove Disease 5/week,+1 4th Level spell+5+5 +10 +3 Character Points,+1 2nd Level spell+5+5 +10 +3 Character Points,+1 3rd Level spell+6+6 +11 Remove Disease 6/week,+1 1st Level spell+6+6 +11 +1 2nd, +1 3rd, +1 4th Level spell+6+6 +12 +4 Character Points,+1 4th Level spell

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

Level
1

Base
AttackBonus+0

TABLE 5-34: CLASS AND CROSS CLASS COMBAT SKILLS FOR FANTASY 20 CLASSES
BarbarianArchery
Gun Combat
Heavy Weapons
Melee Attack
Melee Defence
Ranged Defence
Special Ranged Attack
Thrown Weapons
Unarmed Attack
Unarmed Defence

•x
x

•
•x
x

•
•x

Bard

Cleric

Druid

x
x

x
x
x
x

x
x
x
x
x

•x
•
•x
•x
x

•
•
•x
x
x

•x
•x
x

Fighter

•x
•
•
•
•x
x
x
x

Monk

Paladin

x
x
x
x
x

x
x

•x
•
•
•

•
•
•
•
•x
x
x

Ranger

•x
x

•
•x

Rogue

•x
x

•x

•x
•x
•x

x

x

x

Sorcerer

Wizard

x
x
x
x
x
x

x
x
x
x
x
x

•x

•x

x
x

x
x

• Class Skill x Cross Class Skill

35

TABLE 5-30: RANGERTABLE 5-31: ROGUE

Hit Dice: d8
Base
Attack
Bonus
+1

Level
1

CHAPTER 5:
CLASSES

Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int modifier

2
3
4
5
6

+2
+3
+4
+5
+6/+1

7
8
9
10

+7/+2
+8/+3
+9/+4
+10/+51112+11/+6/+1+12/+7/+213
14+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+415+15/+10/+516+16/+11/+6/+1

17+17/+12/+7/+2

18+18/+13/+8/+3

19+19/+14/+9/+420+20/+15/+10/+5

Ref Will Fort
Save Save Save Special+0+0+2 Ambidexterity, Two Weapon
Fighting Feat, Track, Favoured
Enemy, 2 Armour Proficiencey
Feats
+0
+0
+3 +1 Character Point+1+1+3 +1 Character Point+1+1+4 +1 Character Point+1+1+4 Favoured Enemy+2+2+5 +1 Character Point,+1 1st Level spell+2+2+5 +2 Character Points+2+2+6 +2 Character Points+3+3+6 +2 Character Points+3+3+7 Favoured Enemy,+1 2nd Level spell+3+3+7 +3 Character Points+4+4+8 +2 Character Points,+1 3rd Level spell+4+4+8 +2 Character Points+4+4+9 +2 Character Points,+1 1st Level spell+5+5+9 Favoured Enemy,+1 4th Level spell+5+5 +10 +2 Character Points,+1 2nd Level spell+5+5 +10 +3 Character Points,+1 3rd Level spell+6+6 +11 +2 Character Points,+1 1st Level spell+6+6 +11 +1 2nd, +1 3rd,
+1 4th Level spell+6+6 +12 Favoured Enemy,+1 4th Level spell

Hit Dice: d6

Skill Points per Level: 8 + Int modifier

Level
1

Base
Attack
Bonus
+0

2
3

+1
+2

4
5

+3
+3

6
7
8
9
10

+4
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2

11

+8/+3

12
13

+9/+4
+9/+4

14
15

+10/+5+11/+6/+1

16
17+12/+7/+2+12/+7/+2

18
19+13/+8/+3+14/+9/+420+15/+10/+5

TABLE 5-33: WIZARD
Hit Dice: d436Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier

Level
1

Base
Attack
Bonus
+0

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

+1
+1
+2
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+7/+2
+8/+3
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5

Ref Will Fort
Save Save Save Special+0+2+0 Summon familiar+5 0th, +3 1st Level spell+0+3+0 +1 0th, +1 1st Level spell+1+3+1 +1 1st Level spell+1+4+1 +1 1st, +3 2nd Level spell+1+4+1 +1 2nd Level spell+2+5+2 +1 2nd, +3 3rd Level spell+2+5+2 +1 2nd, +1 3rd Level spell+2+6+2 +1 3rd, +3 4th Level spell+3+6+3 +1 3rd, +1 4th Level spell+3+7+3 +1 4th, +3 5th Level spell+3+7+3 +1 4th, +1 5th Level spell+4+8+4 +1 5th, +3 6th Level spell+4+8+4 +1 5th, +1 6th Level spell+4+9+4 +1 6th, +3 7th Level spell+5+9+5 +1 6th, +1 7th Level spell+5 +10 +5 +1 7th, +3 8th Level spell+5 +10 +5 +1 7th, +1 8th Level spell+6 +11 +6 +1 8th, +3 9th Level spell+6 +11 +6 +1 8th, +1 9th Level spell+6 +12 +6 +2 9th Level spell

Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier

Level
1

Base
Attack
Bonus
+0

2
3
4
5

+1
+1
+2
+2

6
7
8
9
10

+3
+3
+4
+4
+5

11
12
13
14
15

+5
+6/+1
+6/+1
+7/+2
+7/+2

16
17
18
19
20

+8/+3
+8/+3
+9/+4
+9/+4
+10/+5TABLE 5-32: SORCERER
Hit Dice: d4

Ref Will Fort
Save Save Save Special+2+0+0 Sneak attack +1d6, 2 Armour
Proficiencey Feats+3+0+0 Evasion+3+1+1 Uncanny dodge (Dex), Sneakattack +2d6
+4
+1
+1 +1 Character Point+4+1+1 +1 Character Point, Sneakattack +3d6
+5+2
+2 Uncanny dodge (Flanking)+5+2+2 Sneak attack +4d6
+6
+2
+2 +3 Character Points+6+3+3 Sneak Attack +5d6
+7+3
+3 +3 Character Points, Special
Ability+7+3+3 Uncanny dodge (+1 traps),
Sneak attack +6d6
+8
+4
+4 +3 Character Points+8+4+4 Sneak attack +7d6, Special
ability+9+4+4 Uncanny dodge (+2 traps)+9+5+5 +3 Character Points, Sneakattack +8d6
+10 +5+5 Special ability+10 +5+5 Uncanny dodge (+3 traps),
Sneak attack +9d6
+11 +6+6 +3 Character Points+11 +6+6 Sneak Attack +10d6, Special
ability+12 +6+6 +4 Character Points, Uncanny
dodge (+4 traps)

Ref Will Fort
Save Save Save Special+0+2+0 Summon familiar, Scribe scroll,+3 0th, +1 1st Level spell+0+3+0 +1 0th, +1 1st Level spell+1+3+1 +1 2nd Level spell+1+4+1 +1 1st, +1 2nd Level spell+1+4+1 Bonus Feat,+1 3rd Level spell+2+5+2 +1 2nd, +1 3rd Level spell+2+5+2 +1 1st, +1 4th Level spell+2+6+2 +1 3rd, +1 4th Level spell+3+6+3 +1 2nd, +1 5th Level spell+3+7+3 Bonus Feat,+1 4th, +1 5th Level spell+3+7+3 +1 3rd, +1 6th Level spell+4+8+4 +1 5th, +1 6th Level spell+4+8+4 +1 4th, +1 7th Level spell+4+9+4 +1 6th, +1 7th Level spell+5+9+5 Bonus Feat,+1 5th, +1 8th Level spell+5 +10 +5 +1 7th, +1 8th Level spell+5 +10 +5 +1 6th, +1 9th Level spell+6 +11 +6 +1 8th, +1 9th Level spell+6 +11 +6 +1 7th, +1 9th Level spell+6 +12 +6 Bonus Feat,+1 8th, +1 9th Level spell

STEP 6: ASSIGNATTRIBUTESThe six core Ability Scores represent your character’s basic abilities,
but his or her more specific acquired or innate talents and abilities are
known as Character Attributes. Any Character Points remaining after
you have purchased your character’s Abilities, Race, and Class areavailable to acquire Attributes.
Character Points may be used to acquire Attributes, but since some
represent exotic abilities (such as magical or superhuman powers or
abilities innate to non-human races), the GM may choose to place certain
restrictions on their availability in his or her particular game setting.
There are many different Character Attributes, each representing aparticular talent or special ability. Each Attribute is rated with a Rank
from 1-6 (or in a few cases, 1-10), but you can extend it beyond Rank 6
with GM permission. Acquiring an Attribute or increasing it in Rank
requires the expenditure of one or more Character Points depending on
the Attribute’s Character Point cost per Rank. The Attribute descriptions
indicate the Character Point cost, its game effects and limitations, and theAbility most relevant to the Attribute’s use should a Ability check diceroll be needed (see page 110 of Chapter 12: Combat).

ATTRIBUTES
Adaptation
Alternate Form
Animal FriendshipArmour
Art of Distraction
Attack Combat Mastery
Aura of Command
Combination Attack
Computer Scanning
Contamination
Damn Healthy!
Defence Combat Mastery
Divine Relationship
Duplicate
Dynamic Sorcery
Elasticity
Energy Bonus
Enhanced [Ability]
Environmental Control
Exorcism
Extra Arms
Extra Attacks
Extra Defences
Features
FlightFlunkies
Force Field
Healing
Heightened AwarenessHeightened Senses
Highly Skilled
Hyperflight
Immunity
Insubstantial
Invisibility
Item of Power
Jumping
Magic

POINT COST
1 / Rank
2, 3, or 9 / Rank
1 / Rank
2 or 4 / Rank
1 / Rank
3 / Rank
1 / Rank
3 / Rank
2 / Rank
2 or 4 / Rank
2 / Rank
2 / Rank
1 / Rank
6 or 8 / Rank
8 / Rank
2 / Rank
3 / Rank
1 / Rank
1-2 / Rank
1 / Rank
1 / Rank
8 / Rank
3 / Rank
1 / Rank
2-4 / Rank
1-2 / Rank
2-4 / Rank
4 / Rank
1 / Rank
1 / Rank
1 / Rank
1 / Rank
10 / Rank
5 / Rank
3 / Rank
3-4 / Rank
1 / Rank
4 / Rank

ABILITY SCORE
Constitution
Constitution
CharismaConstitution
CharismaNone
Charisma
NoneIntelligence
None
None
None
None
Constitution
Variable
Constitution
None
None
Wisdom
Wisdom
None
None
None
None
Dexterity
Charisma
Wisdom
Wisdom
Wisdom
WisdomVariable
Constitution
Constitution
None
None
None
Strength
None

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MODIFYING ATTRIBUTES AND
ADJUSTING
POINT COSTS
Players may occasionally find that an Attribute does not exactly
match their concept of how a particular power or capability should
function. The GM (and, with GM permission, the players) may redefine
the effects of existing Attributes to better suit particular character
concepts. If the GM feels a changed effect makes the Attributesignificantly more or less powerful, he or she may alter its Point cost toreflect this.
Additionally, the value of Attributes assumes the setting of the gamegives them a good chance of actually being useful in play. If a character is
ATTRIBUTES
POINT COST
Massive Damage
2 or 5 / Rank
Mechanical Genius
2 / Rank
Metamorphosis
5 / Rank
Mimic
7 or 10 / Rank
Mind Control
3-6 / Rank
Mind Shield
1 / Rank
Natural Weapons
1 / Rank
Organisational Ties
1-3 / Rank
Own a Big Mecha
8 / Rank
Personal Gear
2 / Rank
Pet Monster
6 / Rank
Place of Power
1 / Rank
Pocket Dimension
2-4 / Rank
Power Defence
1 / Rank
Projection
1-4 / Rank
Regeneration
4 / Rank
Reincarnation
2 or 4 / Rank
Rejuvenation
1 / Rank
Sensory Block
1 / RankServant
2 or 5 / Rank
Sixth Sense
1 / Rank
Size Change
1, 5, or 6 / Rank
Special Attack
1 or 4 / Rank
Special Defence
1 / RankSpecial Movement
1 / Rank
Speed
2 / Rank
Spirit Ward
1 / Rank
Superstrength
4 / RankSwarm
2 / Rank
Telekinesis
2 or 4 / Rank
Telepathy
1-3 / Rank
Teleport
5 / Rank
Train a Cute Monster
1 / Rank
Transmutation
3-5 / Rank
Tunnelling
2 / Rank
Unique Attribute
1-5 / Rank
Unknown Superhuman Power Variable
Water Speed
2 / Rank
Wealth3 / Rank

ABILITY SCORE
NoneIntelligence
NoneIntelligence
Wisdom
WisdomNone
Charisma
None
None
None
None
WisdomVariableIntelligence
None
None
WisdomIntelligence
None
WisdomConstitution
None
None
Dexterity
Dexterity
WisdomStrength
Constitution
NoneIntelligenceIntelligence
WisdomIntelligence
None
Variable
Variable
None
None

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CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESTABLE 6-1: CHARACTER ATTRIBUTESThe selection of Attributes is one of the most important steps
during character creation. Through Attributes, you define yourcharacter’s unique capabilities compared to other individuals. Think
carefully about the balance between a few high-rank Attributes and alarge number of low-rank Attributes.
If you find yourself needing more Character Points than you havebeen assigned, consider burdening your character with one or more
Character Defects (Step 9: Select Character Defects, page 87). Each
Defect can provide you with an additional Character Point or two, which
can be used to acquire more Character Attributes or further increase yourcharacter’s Ability Scores.

37

given an Attribute that the GM decides is unlikely to have much, if any,utility in the campaign, he or she can reduce its Character Point Cost or
even give the Attribute away for free. If circumstances change and the
Attribute becomes useful on a regular basis, the character should pay for
the Attribute with Character Points granted through Level progression.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

Trading Experience Points for Character Points

38

In most other d20 System games, Character Points andAttributes do not exist. If you would like to add BESM d20
Attributes to your character from a different d20 System game,your Game Master may allow you to trade Experience Points (XP)for Character Points. Since the number of XP required to obtainthe next Level is equal to your character’s current character Level
multiplied by 1,000 XP, adding 1 Character Point to your character
reduces his or her XP total by 100 x current character Level.
For example, if you want to add one Rank of the Regeneration
Attribute (4 Points) to your 4th Level crafty spy character fromanother d20 System game, your character’s current Experience
Point total would be reduced by 1,600 XP (4 Points x 100 x 4th
Level = 1,600 XP). Similarly, adding one Rank of the Own A Big
Mecha Attribute (8 Points) to your 10th Level ever-questing knightd20 character reduces his or her XP total by 8,000 XP (8 Points x
100 x 10th Level = 8,000 XP).
Of course, this Point exchange also applies for Defects (see page87). Each Defect Bonus Point added to your other d20 System character
increases his or her XP total by 100 x current character Level.
Using this conversion guideline, any BESM d20 Attribute or
Defect can be added to the d20 System game of your choice!

ADAPTATION

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Constitution
Progression:
The character is adapted to 1 environment/Rank

The character can adapt to survive in a number of environments
hostile to ordinary humans equal to his or her Adaptation Rank.
Examples of hostile environments include: acidic/basic liquids, extra
dimensional, extreme pressure, intense cold, intense heat, noxious gases,
radiation, underwater (the ability to “breathe” water), and vacuum (lowpressure, not the absence of air). Adaptation does not apply to nonhuman characters whose natural environment is not the Earth’s
atmosphere (such as a mermaid living in the ocean). In these cases, thecharacter must assign Adaptation (Earth Atmosphere) to survive innormal human environments. Surviving in low- or no-oxygen
environments is a Special Defence Attribute (page 67), not Adaptation.
The Attribute also provides 2 Points of Armour against
environmental conditions and attacks similar to the adapted
environment. For example, Adaptation (Heat) provides Armour while inthe desert heat and against fiery blasts, while Adaptation (Pressure)provides Armour while deep-sea diving and against a crushing gravity
attack. In most natural Earth environments, this Armour provides
complete protection against the elements. Adaptation can thus be viewed
as a very limited form of the Armour Attribute in many situations. A
character with even Rank 1 Armour gains the benefits of Adaptation
against normal environmental conditions. Armour does not protect
against specific hostile environments that have less tangible damaging
effects, such as extra dimensional, noxious gases, and underwater.

ALTERNATE FORM

Costs:
2, 3, or 9 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Constitution
Progression:
The character’s alternate form is built from 10 Character
Points/Rank

A character with Alternate Form can instantaneously transform
into one other specific form that is determined during character creation
and approved by the Game Master. Once selected, the form cannot bealtered. Alternate Form allows the character to possess a radicallydifferent body shape than his or her normal human form, and exhibit
exotic physical features as well.
If a character only has a single, permanent, non-human form, thisAttribute should not be applied. Instead, the character must acquire therelevant Attributes and Defects that best represent the form’s
capabilities. A character with several different Alternate Forms should
assign this Attribute multiple times. The Attributes gained in thecharacter’s Alternate Form obviously cannot be Dependent (see page 88)
upon the Alternate Form Attribute. Different Alternate Forms can bebuilt with different Attribute Ranks as well.

PARTIAL-POWERED FORM (3 POINTS/RANK)FULL-POWERED FORM (9 POINTS/RANK)The form is built from 10 Character Points for each Alternate Form
Rank, which can be used to acquire Attributes, and Defects. The
character retains all the Abilities, Attribute Ranks, Skill Ranks, andDefect Bonus Points associated with his or her regular form. The newly
acquired Attributes and Defects add to the character’s normal form. If
the character’s Abilities are modified by the Enhanced [Ability]
Attribute, the Calculated Values should be recalculated as necessary.
Unless the GM indicates otherwise, normal clothing becomes part of theAlternate Form as well.

COSMETIC CHANGES (2 POINTS)
A “Rank 0” option of the Alternate Form Attribute is also available
at the cost of 2 Character Points. This Rank allows a character to undergocosmetic changes that confer no additional abilities on the target. This
includes: a 10% size increase or decrease, change of gender, 50% age
increase or decrease, colour changes (eye, skin, or hair), and minor
physical changes (shape of ears, facial features, or bodily proportions).

d20 MONSTERS
If using other d20 source material containing monster write-ups,
GMs may simply allow characters to adopt the form and abilities of agiven monster using its Challenge Rating as a measure of its Character
Point cost. Multiply the monster’s Challenge Rating by 10 and add 40 todetermine the Character Point value of the given creature. For example,
a CR 5 creature is roughly equal to 90 Points (5 x 10 = 50; 50 + 40 =90). Thus, a character with Rank 9 Alternate Form could assume theform of a CR 5 creature. GMs must remember that BESM d20 and otherd20 products are not 100% compatible and consequently some abilities
must be translated to use other d20 source material for BESM d20 (suchas natural armour bonuses for Armour Class; see page 96).

A character has Alternate Form at Rank 11. He wishes tochange shape into a giant so the player pulls out a d20 sourcebook
and looks up a Hill Giant. The giant has the following d20 Systemstat block:

Hill Giant
Hit Dice:
Initiative:
Speed:
AC:
Attacks:

12d8+48 (102 hp)-1 (Dex)
30 ft. (hide armor); base 40 ft.
20 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +9 natural, +3 hide)
Huge greatclub +16/+11 melee;or rock +8/+3 ranged
Damage:Huge greatclub 2d6+10; or rock 2d6+7
Special Attacks: Rock throwing
Special Qualities: Rock catching
Saves:
Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +4
Abilities:
Str 25, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7
Skills:Climb +9, Jump +9, Spot +4
Feats:
Cleave, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatclub)
Challenge Rating: 7

Adjusting the Stat BlockAs a CR 7 creature, the Hill Giant equals approximately 110
Points (CR 7x10=70; 70+40=110). Thus, with Alternate Format Rank 11, the character is able to assume the form of the giant.
The player does not need to rebuild the Hill Giant for use with
BESM d20. The game mechanics of the creature largely remain thesame with very minor changes. For example, if a monster has abreath weapon that allows it to breath fire once every 1d4 rounds
for 12d10 damage in a cone extending out 50 feet, it is unnecessary
to rebuild the breath weapon as a Special Attack (page 61). Simply
use the mechanics presented under the monster’s write-up. The
exact Rank of the attack is not importnt — the cost of the attack
is already roughly calculated into the creature’s CR.
Some elements of the stat block must be adjusted, however.
The first aspect that requires adjustment is Armour Class (see page96), which is handled differently in BESM d20. Remove all naturally
derived modifiers from AC and subtract the base 10 to determine
the monster’s AC. The naturally occuring armour that was removed
is treated as the Armour Attribute (page 40), which is handledsimilar to damage reduction.
Thus, the Hill Giant has the following modified AC:AC:
Armour:CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESThe form is built from 10 Character Points for each Alternate Form
Rank, which can be used to acquire Abilities, Attributes, and Defects.
The character’s Abilities all drop to zero and thus must be raised with the
Alternate Form’s new Character Points; Calculated Values also must berecalculated. Additionally, the character’s regular Attributes, Skills, andDefects no longer function in the Alternate Form, though the GM may
decide that some Attributes (such as Personal Gear, Flunkies,
Organisational Ties, Wealth, and others) and some Defects still retain
their effects. Defects can also be assigned to the new Form to provide
additional Character Points. Unless the GM indicates otherwise, normal
clothing becomes part of the Alternate Form as well.

Sample Alternate Form using a d20 Monster-2 (-1 size, -1 Dex)
12 (9 natural, 3 hide armour)

Next, remove all Ability Score modifiers from the monsters
Attack Bonuses to hit since Strength and Dexterity modifiers allprovide a +0 modifier to attack rolls, regardless of the Ability
Score’s modifier (see page 11). Thus, the Giant’s Attacks are:Attacks:

Huge greatclub +9/+4 melee;or rock +9/+4 ranged

All other stat aspects are handled the same way. While BESM
d20 does not utilize certain Feats (see page 81), it is unnecessary to
remove them from existing d20 characters/monsters — simply
use the mechanics of the Feat, unchanged. While BESM d20 may
handle it differently, the point value of the benefit remains thesame in most instances.
Using this method allows a player or GM to quickly use
existing d20 characters/monsters with a minimum of conversion
and calculation.

39

SAMPLE ALTERNATE FORMS
The examples given below suggest some Attributes that may beappropriate for the Alternate Forms, but the GM can modify them if
desired. Other types of alternate forms can include electricity, radiation,light, emotion, data, dream, sound, and many others.

• ANIMAL FORMS

Many nature-based shapeshifters (and cursed martial artists) haveone or more Partial-Powered animal forms. Suggested Attributes: any
that are relevant to the specific animal form, such as Armour, Attack
Combat Mastery, Damn Healthy!, Features, Flight, Heightened Senses,
Jumping, Natural Weapons, Special Movement, Tunnelling, etc.

• ELEMENTAL/CHEMICAL FORMS

This option covers a wide range of possible forms, including: acid,base, gold, granite, ice, mercury, water, sulphur, synthetic drugs, etc.
Suggested Attributes: Adaptation, Armour, Duplicate, Damn Healthy!,
Elasticity, Enhanced [Ability], Extra Arms, Insubstantial, Massive
Damage, Regeneration, Special Attack, Special Defence, Special
Movement, Superstrength, Swarm, Water Speed.

• FLAME FORM

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESThe character is composed of fire, and can ignite flammable objects
on contact. Any person near the character may suffer burn damage as
well. Suggested Attributes: Adaptation (Heat), Armour (Optimised toheat), Environmental Influence (Heat), Flight, Force Field, Special Attack(Aura).

• GASEOUS FORM

This form is less substantial than a liquid form. The character cannot
pick up solid objects and can only exert the pushing force of a gentle wind.
Suggested Attributes: Adaptation, Extra Attacks, Flight, Heightened
Awareness, Invisibility, Insubstantial, Projection, Regeneration, Sixth
Sense, Size Change, Special Attack, Special Defence, Speed.

• INCORPOREAL FORM

An Incorporeal form is without physical substance (for example, aghost or living shadow). The character can pass through walls, walk on
air or water, and perform similar ghost-like feats. Suggested Attributes:
Adaptation, Flight, Invisibility, Insubstantial, Special Defence.

• MELDING FORM

The character can meld into any inanimate object, and still perceive
nearby events as though he or she is still human. Once merged, thecharacter cannot be harmed unless the object is damaged. Suggested
Attributes: Adaptation, Insubstantial, Teleport (Within melded object),Tunnelling.

• TWO-DIMENSIONAL FORM

A 2-D character has height and width, but not depth. He or she
can squeeze through the spaces between atoms, and is completely
invisible when viewed from the side. An entire new two-dimensional
universe may be waiting to be explored by such a character. Suggested
Attributes: Adaptation, Insubstantial, Pocket Dimension, Special
Defence, Special Movement, Speed.

ANIMAL FRIENDSHIP
Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Charisma
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

40

A character with this Attribute has an unusual, instinctive empathy
towards animals. On a successful Charisma check, the character canbefriend an otherwise hostile or even ferocious animal. For example, thiswould allow a character to get past a police dog or guard dog. Utilising
this ability requires behaving in a calm and friendly manner; a friendshipcannot be made if the character or his or her friends have already attacked
the animal. An “animal” is defined as a natural creature with Intelligenceof 1-2 that lacks the ability to communicate via a structured language(that is, it cannot speak).
The GM can apply difficulty penalties or bonuses to the Charisma
check based on the character’s actions and the situation. For example, thedice roll modifier could be -4 if the animal is especially fierce or very loyal
to its current owner, or +4 if the characters just saved the animal fromsome nasty fate. When befriending a pack of animals, a dice roll penalty
of -2 is assigned for two animals, -4 for 3-4 animals, -6 for 5-8 animals,-8 for 9-16 animals, and higher penalties for larger packs. If the attempt
fails, the animal(s) may attack, threaten the character, or slink away,
depending on its nature. A second attempt is usually not possible withina short period of time. If an animal is befriended, it will let the characterand companions approach it, and will not attack or act aggressively
unless it or the members of its pack or family are threatened. At the GM’s
option, it may be affectionate enough to want to follow behind thecharacter or somehow assist him or her.
An animal that has been befriended simply likes the character.
Actual training of the animal takes time and requires the application ofHandle Animal Skill (page 76). The character’s Rank in this Attribute isadded to his or her Handle Animal Skill.
RANK 1 +1 to the Handle Animal Skill.
RANK 2 An additional +1 modifier is applied to the Charisma check.
+2 to the Handle Animal Skill.
RANK 3 An additional +2 modifier is applied to the Charisma check.
+3 to the Handle Animal Skill.
RANK 4 An additional +3 modifier is applied to the Charisma check.
+4 to the Handle Animal Skill.
RANK 5 An additional +4 modifier is applied to the Charisma check.
+5 to the Handle Animal Skill.
RANK 6 An additional +5 modifier is applied to the Charisma check.
+6 to the Handle Animal Skill.

ARMOUR

Cost:
2 or 4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Constitution
Progression:
All attack damage the character receives is reduced by 4
points/Rank

The Armour Attribute represents actual armoured plates, or simply
skin or clothing that is highly resistant to damage. It is most often foundon combat vehicles, cyborgs, androids, giant monsters, and powerful
magical beings.
Armour reduces the damage that is inflicted on the character or
structure (see Chapter 12: Combat for how damage works). Armour
reduces the damage of each attack by 4 per Rank. The base cost forArmour is 4 Points/Rank.
A number of options are available for the Armour Attribute, whichalter the Attribute’s Point cost or modify the Armour’s effectiveness. The
minimum Point cost of Armour, regardless of options, is 1 Character Point.

PARTIAL
The Armour has a small thin area (half Armour value, -1 to Point
cost) or an unarmoured area (no Armour value, -2 to Point cost) that canbe targeted using a Called Shot (see page 116). Point cost reductions
apply to the total cost of Armour, not the cost per Rank.

OPTIMISED ARMOUR
The Armour is focused against a particular uncommon attack form.
Eligible attack forms include electricity, cold, laser beams, fire/heat,
energy blasts, etc. Armour cannot be optimised against broad categories
such as blunt impacts or piercing weapons, however. Optimised Armour
provides doubled protection against the chosen attack form only, and noprotection against other forms. A character can acquire both Optimised
Armour and ordinary Armour by assigning the Armour Attribute twice.

SHIELD ONLY
The Armour does not cover the character’s entire body. Instead, it
is a shield that the user must deliberately interpose in front of a melee orunarmed attack using a Block Defence (see page 120). The charactermust also possess the Block Ranged Attacks Feat to use the shield in a
Block Defence against ranged attacks. If the character successfully
defends, the shield’s Armour can protect against damage associated with
the Attribute Rank. This option reduces the cost of Armour to 2

Points/Rank (rather than 4 Points/Rank), and increases the protection
provided from 4 Points/Rank to 8 Points/Rank.

Armour and Force Fields in other d20 GamesCHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

If converting a BESM d20 character to another d20 Systemgame, or vice verse, Armour (and Force Fields) is handled very
simply. BESM d20 Armour is treated as Damage Reduction of anamount equal to its protective value. In most traditional d20
games, Damage Reduction is vulnerable to a specific type of attack(such as “magic,” “good,” “chaotic,” etc.). When converting BESM
d20 characters to other d20 games, the character’s Damage
Reduction is not vulnerable to a specific attack unless the character
assigned a Restriction in BESM d20 (typically a 1 to 3 BP Restriction,
depending on how common the specific attack form is).
For example, a character with Rank 6 Armour, which provides
24 points of protection, would have Damage Reduction 24/– inother d20 System games. If the BESM d20 character also had a 2
BP Restriction (Armour provides no protection against evil
attacks), the Damage Reduction would be 24/evil. This system will
also work in reverse – a creature with Damage Reduction 8/magic
would have Rank 2 Armour with a 3 BP Restriction (Armour
provides no protection against magical attacks) in BESM d20.
Some portions of a character/creature’s Armour Class in otherd20 System games factor into its Armour rating, rather thanArmour Class, in BESM d20. If a creature gains a “natural,” “hide,”“armour,” or other naturally-occurring Armour Class bonus, thatbonus is treated as protection provided via the Armour Attribute in
BESM d20. For example, a creature from another d20 System gamethat has an AC of 28 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +19 natural) would, in
BESM d20, have an Armour Class Modifier (see page 96) of -1 (28less the +19 natural bonus minus the base of 10) but would have
Armour that stops 19 damage (effectively equal to Rank 5 Armour
with a 1 BP Restriction: -1 point of protection). Any attack that hit
the creature would have its damage reduced by 19. Similarly, acharacter who was wearing chainmail armour, who had an Armour
Class of 16 (+2 Dex, +4 armour) would have an Armour Class
Modifier of +2 (16 - 4 for the chainmail armour - the base of 10)
and 4 points of Armour in BESM d20.

percentage of that audience that is distracted or moved enough to takeaction, whether that involves buying the character’s next CD, donating
money to a charity, or voting for the character in an election.
If multiple people with this Attribute work as a team, the total
number of people distracted is added together. Charisma is used both when
distracting people physically (for example, with sex appeal) and when
distracting someone through emotion, rhetoric, or force of personality.

ART OF DISTRACTION
Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Charisma
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

Art of Distraction may represent oratorical ability, innate charisma,
or even a beautiful or resonant voice. This Attribute allows a character to
distract a number of people or animals at a critical moment, provided heor she has some method of communicating with them (for example,
talking, dancing, television broadcast, illusionary image, written word,etc.) If the character is trying to directly distract a potentially hostile
group, such as an angry mob or a group of security guards, his or her
Rank dictates how many people are distracted. If the character has an
audience that is already prepared to listen, the Rank determines the
RANK 1 The character can distract one individuals, or 5% of an audience
will be motivated.
RANK 2 The character can distract up to two individuals, or 10% of an
audience will be motivated.
RANK 3 The character can distract a small crowd (1-10 individuals), or
20% of an audience will be motivated.
RANK 4 The character can distract a medium crowd (11-50 individuals),or 50% of an audience will be motivated.
RANK 5 The character can distract a large crowd (50-200 individuals), or
75% of an audience will be motivated.
RANK 6 The character can distract a very large crowd (200-1000
individuals), or 95-100% of an audience will be motivated.

41

ATTACK COMBAT MASTERY

Cost:
3 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character’s Base Attack Bonus is increased by 1
Point/Rank

Combat Mastery denotes either an innate “killer instinct” or thecharacter’s intimate knowledge of a wide range of offensive combat
techniques covering all aspects of armed and unarmed encounters(including ranged weapons). Individual Combat Skills (page 80) let acharacter specialise with particular weapons or specific styles, but
Combat Mastery allows a character to pick up any weapon (or use noneat all) and still be dangerously proficient. See page 96 of Step 10:
Determine Calculated Values for more information on the Base Attack
Bonus.
Each Rank in this Attribute raises the character’s Base
Attack Bonus by one. This may provide a characterwith additional, secondary attacks should it
increase the character’s Base Attack Bonusabove +5, +10, or +15 (see page 14).

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

AURA OFCOMMAND

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Charisma
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

The character possesses a natural
knack for leadership. This Attribute issimilar to Art of Distraction, except it
only works on allies or subordinates or
possibly with leaderless individuals
looking for guidance (such as
ordinary people caught in an
emergency). Instead of
distracting them, thecharacter is able to inspire
allies or neutrals into
following him or her
into dangerous
situations that theymight otherwise avoid.
Simply because acharacter is in a position of
authority over other people
does not automatically imply
that he or she possesses the
Aura of Command Attribute. Ina military structure, subordinates
will usually follow most orders (evendangerous ones) without hesitation because
it is part of their job. Aura of Command reflects acharacter’s almost unnatural ability to inspire others toengage in actions that few people would ever consider undertaking. Notethat few leaders have an Aura of Command sufficient to inspire their
entire force at once. Commanders usually concentrate on key individuals(such as immediate subordinates) and hope the actions of these people willencourage others to follow them.
RANK 1 The character can inspire one person.
RANK 2 The character can inspire up to two people.
RANK 3 The character can inspire a small team (1-10 people).
RANK 4 The character can inspire a medium team (11-50 people).
RANK 5 The character can inspire a large team (50-200 people).
RANK 6 The character can inspire a very large team (200-1000 people).

42

COMBINATION ATTACK

Cost:
3 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character can combine attacks with up to 2 othercharacters/Rank

With training, individual characters can learn to combine their
Special Attack Attribute into awesome displays of power. In order to do
this, all the characters must have both the Combination Attack Attributeand the Special Attack Attribute. The number of characters that can
combine at once is dependant on the Rank of Combination Attack; acharacter can combine with up to 2 other characters for each Rank. Thereis also an Energy Point cost associated with Combination Attack: 2
Energy Points per person involved in the attack. Each character must pay
this cost separately. For example, if four characters are combining, theyeach must pay 8 Energy Points.
The attack takes place on the Initiative of the character withthe lowest Initiative and uses the character with the lowest attack
modifier to determine if it hits. A single attack roll is made.
The target has a defence penalty of -1 per character
involved in the attack. If the attack succeeds, it inflicts
double damage (for example, if two character combine,
one with a 2d8 Special Attack and one with a 3d8
Special Attack, the total damage inflicted would be
10d8 — 5d8 doubled).
Note that characters with the Combination
Attack Attribute are not subject to the same
restrictions as normal characters that perform asimilar action (see Combined Attacks, page 117).

COMPUTER SCANNING
Cost: 2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Intelligence
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

This Attribute allows a character toaccess, read, and understand data from allcomputers or “Silicon Age” technology in
the Surrounding area. The DC for the
check is determined by the complexity
and security of the computer; mosthome computers are DC 10
while high-tech securemachines are DC 20 to 30.
When trying to access acomputer built as an Itemof Power, the character
suffers a penalty of -2 foreach Rank of the Item ofPower. The Attribute
Rank determines the
maximum distance inwhich scanning can takeplace. To read multiple
computers over a network,
the area must be sufficient to encompass
the target computers. Since this Attribute can be a very powerful tool ina campaign, the GM and players should ensure it is used appropriately.
RANK 1 Scanning can happen at the range of 1 foot.
RANK 2 Scanning can happen at the range of 10 feet.
RANK 3 Scanning can happen at the range of 100 feet.
RANK 4 Scanning can happen at the range of 1 mile.
RANK 5 Scanning can happen at the range of 10 miles.
RANK 6 Scanning can happen at the range of 100 miles.

CONTAMINATION

Cost:
2 or 4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

RANK 1 The transformation occurs over several months.
RANK 2 The transformation occurs over several weeks.
RANK 3 The transformation occurs over several days.
RANK 4 The transformation occurs over several hours.
RANK 5 The transformation occurs over several minutes.
RANK 6 The transformation occurs over several rounds.

Cost:
2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character’s Hit Points are increased by 1d8/Rank (plusConstitution modifiers)

Possessing this Attribute increases the Hit Points of the character,allowing him or her to withstand more damage in combat. See page 96
of Step 10: Determine Calculated Values for more information on Hit
Points. Note that characters with high Constitution scores may be very
healthy even without this Attribute. A character with Damn Healthy!
cannot also possess the Not So Tough Defect (page 93).

DEFENCE COMBAT MASTERY

Cost:
2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character’s Armour Class is increased by 1/Rank

Defence Combat Mastery denotes either an innate “danger
instinct,” or the character’s intimate knowledge of a wide range ofdefensive combat techniques covering all aspects of armed and unarmed
encounters (including Special Attacks and ranged weapons). Individual
defence combat Skills (page 80) let a character specialise with particular
weapons or specific styles, but Defence Combat Mastery allows characterto defend him or herself proficiently at all times.

DIVINE RELATIONSHIP

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The player may re-roll a number of dice rolls each gamesession equal to 1/Rank

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESThis Attribute represents the character’s ability to transform otherpeople (or animals, or objects) into entities like him or herself. Frequently,
this victim can then contaminate even more people. The method shouldbe specified when the character is created. It might be similar to myths
behind the vampire legend — the character’s blood carries a “plague”
that, when ingested, mutates the person over a matter of hours or days.
Alternatively, the character might lay an egg or seed (real or
metaphorical) in the body of his or her prey, which will later hatch within
the victim, killing him or her as a new monster is born. The charactermight even need to perform some special ritual that alters the victim.
Whatever the case, the conditions under which the victim can become“contaminated” must be specified.
For 2 Points/Rank, contamination is “difficult” — the victim must
be willing, unconscious, or restrained for deliberate contagion to occur, or
the target must perform an unusual activity (such as eating a morsel ofthe character’s flesh).
For 4 Points/Rank contamination is “easy” — the contagion might
be similar to a traditional werewolf attack, where a scratch or bite results
in a victim becoming a werewolf. The GM can add special conditions,limitations, or effects to ensure that becoming a monster is a curse andnot a blessing.
The higher the Rank of Contamination, the faster thetransformation occurs. There should always be some means of curing ordelaying the eventual mutation, however. Possible cures include thedeath of the creature that inflicted the contaminant, radical surgery,blood transfusion, or a successful mystical healing.
The GM will decide whether a player character who is turned intoa monster remains in the player’s control or is reclassified as an NPC. Any
retention (dreams, memories, etc.) of the victim’s former existence
depends on the nature of the contamination and whether the victim has
been “transformed,” “devoured,” or “reborn” in the process. A person
who has been successfully contaminated will usually gain a certain
number of Attributes “paid for” with the Bonus Points acquired byassigning new character Defects (often including Cursed, Ism, Marked,
Permanent, and Owned, the last one representing servitude to his or her
new master). Usually the mutation will result in a monstrous form similar
to that of the character responsible. Thus, a spider alien that laid an egg
in its victim may produce another spider alien, the victim of a vampire
will grow fangs, etc. The GM should be wary of potentially undesirable
possibilities such as a werewolf character infecting the entire group ofcharacters, thereby creating an entire group of werewolves.
The Contamination Attribute usually allows the creator or mothersome measure of control over the newly transformed character. In these
instances, the Rank of Contamination is added as a favourable modifier
to any Mind Control attempts performed against the subject.
A variation to Contamination inflicts the target with some sort ofcurse or disease, rather than transforming him or her into a different typeof creature. Examples of these afflictions include rapid ageing,
debilitating diseases, sensitivity to specific elements, etc.

DAMN HEALTHY!

A character possessing a Divine Relationship may have powerfulforces acting as his or her guardian, which can beneficially influence theoutcome of important events. Alternatively, the character may be really
lucky, have great karma, or can subtly influence his or her surroundings
with thought alone. This relationship is represented through the rerolling of undesirable dice rolls (this includes undesirable re-rolls as well).
The player may choose to use the original roll, or any of the re-rolls, when
determining the success of the action. The Rank dictates the number oftimes dice can be re-rolled in a single role-playing session, though theGM can alter this time frame as desired.

DUPLICATE
Cost:
Relevant Stat:
Progression:

6 or 8 Points/Rank
Constitution
The duplicate is built from 10 Character Points/Rank

A character with this ability can create one or more independent,
self-aware duplicates of him or herself, each of which have a maximum
number of Character Points dictated by the Attribute Rank. The
duplicate is not under the character’s control, but will act in a mannerconsistent with the original character. Multiple duplicates can be inexistence at any time, but creating a duplicate requires one non-combat
action.
Duplicates only remain in existence for a limited time, usually for asingle scene or long enough to complete a single task. Since this Attribute
can have tremendous impact on a campaign if used too frequently, theGM should impose restrictions on its use as necessary. For example, theGM may limit the total number of simultaneously existing duplicates.
The player should consider what consequences, if any, will arise should anenemy kill the duplicate.
There are two different types of Duplicate: Customised (8Points/Rank) and Proportionate (6 Points/Rank).

CUSTOMISED DUPLICATEThe character can assign the duplicate’s Character Points as desired
when this Attribute is first acquired, provided the duplicate does not gain43

any Attributes or Defects the original character does not possess.
Additionally, Attributes and Defects cannot be raised to Ranks thatwould exceed the original character’s Ranks. The GM may waive thisrestriction if it seems appropriate. Once the Character Points are allocatedto the duplicate in a specific pattern during character creation, thedistribution cannot be changed; all duplicates ever made will be identical.

PROPORTIONATE DUPLICATE

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

If the Duplicate Rank is not sufficiently high to create a duplicate
with the exact same number of Character Points as the original, a lesspowerful duplicate is created. In these cases, the reduced Character Points
are distributed over the duplicate’s Abilities, Attributes, Skills, andDefects proportionately with the original character. The one exception tothis rule involves the Duplicate Attribute; the character may decide that
his or her twin does not have the Duplicate Attribute.

DYNAMIC SORCERY

Cost:
8 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Variable
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

44

This is the ability to use the mystical forces of Nature to alter
reality. In anime, this can represent either the ability to improvise
magical spells at a moment’s notice or the reality-bending capabilities ofpowerful entities like gods, goddesses, or angels.
Dynamic Sorcery is a very powerful Attribute and should be
discussed with the GM at length to determine the effects and limitations
in his or her game. Proper use of Dynamic Sorcery will not unbalance thegame but can provide many opportunities for character innovation.
A character with this Attribute has the potential to cast spells froma vast variety of magical disciplines. Limiting the character’s knowledge
to just one discipline, however, reduces the Attribute cost to only 4
Points/Rank. Such specialisations can include protection spells, elemental
spells, weather spells, charm spells, necromantic spells, spells involving
animal spirits, etc., or spells restricted to one of the magical schools(abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion,
necromancy, or transmutation). A common variation on Dynamic Sorcery
is magic whose effects are restricted to a particular reality different fromthe main reality of the campaign, such as the world of dreams, acyberspace, or another pocket dimension. Such a heavy restriction may
only cost 2 Points/Rank; the effects normally disappear when theirsubject leaves that reality (jacks out, wakes up, etc.).

Casting a spell requires the character to draw upon the power of hisor her soul to reach a new Balance with Nature. This link with themystical world allows reality to be altered to accommodate the existenceof the spell. Such spell creation is quite exhausting, however, drawing on
the character’s Energy Points at a rate determined by the minimum Rankof the Attribute needed to produce a desired effect (whether the casting
was a success or a failure) — see below. Should the spell effects target
more than one person or object, the GM may choose to increase theeffective Rank required by one if affecting two people, by two if affecting
3-6 people, by three if affecting 7-20 people, and by four if affecting 2150 people. The GM will decide the Attribute Rank needed to cast a
particular spell.
In addition, any spell that is an attack on another entity also
requires an Attack dice roll to hit. If the spell inflicts direct damage, thetarget will normally be allowed a Defence roll to avoid its effects. If thespell is something that has a more indirect effect, an appropriate saving
throw (usually Will or Fortitude) should be allowed to resist or see
through the effects.

The Level of a spell is determined by its application, power,
usefulness, and duration. The spell Levels 0 through 9 are equivalent tothose given in the Player’s Handbook and other d20 System products. A
character can cast a spell from one of these other d20 System books, orcan create their own spell effect with power approximating other spells at
a similar Level. Thus, a character with Rank 3 Dynamic Sorcery could use
Energy Points to cast any number of 0th, 1st, or 2nd Level spells in thePlayer’s Handbook (or other d20 System book), or spells of similar power,
provided the character has sufficient Energy Points remaining.
RANK 1

Dynamic Sorcery Without Energy Points
The Game Master may allow players to assign an even more
powerful version of the Dynamic Sorcery Attribute as well, at thecost of 20 Points/Rank. This variation is similar to the original one,
except the character does not burn Energy Points when castingspells. Consequently, the character can cast any number of spells (asappropriate for his or her Rank) without growing tired or runningout of Energy. GMs and players should understand that thisalternative is very powerful, and should only use it if they believe
it will not unbalance their game.

ELASTICITY

Cost:
2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Constitution
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

The character can stretch or contort his or her limbs and/or body toa superhuman degree. Increased Ranks not only provide greater
flexibility, but also the control over fine manipulation (such as using a
stretched finger to move specific tumbling mechanisms on a key lock). At
high Ranks, characters can squeeze under doors and through small holes
and cracks, as well as mimic crude shapes (an excellent way to represent
a character who has a liquid-like form as well). While stretched, thecharacter receives +1 Unarmed Attack/Defence (Grappling) Skill
bonuses for each Rank of Elasticity. In anime, this is most appropriate formonsters (especially those with serpentine or tentacle limbs) or giant
robots with extendable arms.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESThe character can cast spells of no real power (0th Level d20
System spells or the equivalent). Spells cost 1 Energy Point tocast. The character rolls 1d2 to determine Energy Points
gained each Level. Examples of 0th Level spells are Detect
Magic, Know Direction, Light, Mending, and Open/Close.
RANK 2 The character can cast weak spells of little power (1st Level
d20 System spells or the equivalent). Spells cost 4 Energy
Points to cast. The character rolls 1d4 to determine Energy
Points gained each Level. Examples of 1st Level spells are
Change Self, Comprehend Languages, Endure Elements,
Erase, and Sleep.
RANK 3 The character can cast spells of minor power (2nd Level d20
System spells or the equivalent). Spells cost 9 Energy Points tocast. The character rolls 1d6 to determine Energy Points gained
each Level. Examples of 2nd Level spells are Darkness, Hold
Person, Levitate, Speak with Animals, and Summon Swarm.
RANK 4 The character can cast spells of moderate power (3rd Level
d20 System spells or the equivalent). Spells cost 16 Energy
Points to cast. The character rolls 1d8 to determine Energy
Points gained each Level. Examples of 3rd Level spells are
Bestow Curse, Blink, Remove Disease, Speak with Plants, andSummon Nature’s Ally III (summons one black bear or
wolverine or 2 - 5 badgers).
RANK 5 The character can cast spells of major power (4th Level d20
System spells or the equivalent). Spells cost 25 Energy Points
to cast. The character rolls 1d10 to determine Energy Points
gained each Level. Examples of 4th Level spells are Cure
Critical Wounds, Improved Invisibility, Sleet Storm, andStoneskin.
RANK 6 The character can cast spells of great power (5th Level d20
System spells or the equivalent). Spells cost 36 Energy Points
to cast. The character rolls 1d12 to determine Energy Points
gained each Level. Examples of 5th Level spells are Raise
Dead, Summon Nature’s Ally V (summons one rhinoceros ortiger or 2 — 5 black bears), Teleport, and Wall of Stone.
RANK 7 The character can cast spells that are exceptionally powerful(6th Level d20 System spells or the equivalent). Spells cost 49
Energy Points to cast. The character rolls 2d8 to determine
Energy Points gained each Level. Examples of 6th Level spells
are Antilife Shell, Control Weather, Geas/Quest, and Heal.
RANK 8 The character can cast spells that are extraordinarily powerful(7th Level d20 System spells or the equivalent). Spells cost 64
Energy Points to cast. The character rolls 1d20 to determine
Energy Points gained each Level. Examples of 7th Level spells
are Greater Scrying, Resurrection, Reverse Gravity, and Summon
Nature’s Ally VII (summons one elephant or 2 — 5 tigers).
RANK 9 The character can cast spells that are of primal power (8th Level
d20 System spells or the equivalent). Spells cost 81 Energy
Points to cast. The character rolls 2d12 to determine Energy
Points gained each Level. Examples of 8th Level spells are
Discern Location, Earthquake, Finger of Death, and Sunburst.
RANK 10 The character can cast spells that are of godlike power (9thLevel spells or the equivalent). Spells cost 100 Energy Points
to cast. The character rolls 3d10 to determine Energy Points
gained each Level. Examples of 9th Level spells are Soul Bind,
Summon Nature’s Ally IX (summons one elder elemental or 2
— 5 elephants), Time Stop, and True Resurrection.

All characters gain 1d2 Energy Point each Level (page 96), butcharacters with the Dynamic Sorcery Attribute gain additional Energy
Points as they increase their Attribute Rank as well. The die type thatthese characters use to determine their Energy Point gain each Level
increases from 1d2 at Rank 1 to 3d10 at Rank 10.

RANK 1 The character can stretch one body part up to 5x its regulardimensions and receives +1 to Unarmed Attack/Defence(Grappling) Skill checks.
RANK 2 The character can stretch two body parts up to 5x their regulardimensions and receives +2 to Unarmed Attack/Defence(Grappling) Skill checks.
RANK 3 The character can stretch three body parts up to 5x their regulardimensions and receives +3 to Unarmed Attack/Defence(Grappling) Skill checks.
RANK 4 The character can stretch his or her entire body up to 5x its
regular dimensions and receives +4 to Unarmed Attack/Defence(Grappling) Skill checks.
RANK 5 The character can stretch his or her entire body up to 10x its
regular dimensions and receives +5 to Unarmed Attack/Defence(Grappling) Skill checks.
RANK 6 The character can stretch his or her entire body up to 20x its
regular dimensions and receives +6 to Unarmed Attack/Defence(Grappling) Skill checks.

ENERGY BONUS

Cost:
3 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The characters’ Energy Points are increased by 20 Points/Rank

Possessing this Attribute increases the Energy Points of thecharacter, allowing him or her to draw on a greater pool of energy
reserves in times of need. This Attribute is particularly important forcharacters with the Dynamic Sorcery or Magic Attributes (page 44 and51). See page 96 of Step 10: Determine Calculated Values for information
on Energy Points and their uses.

45

ENHANCED [ABILITY]
Cost:
Relevant Stat:
Progression:

1 Point/RankNone
One of the character’s Ability Scores is increased by 2/Rank

This Attribute is useful when a character should have one or morehigh Ability Values, but the player wants to indicate that the elevatedAbilities were gained after a supernatural event occurred (or during
character advancement). In most instances, assigning Character Points tothe Enhanced [Ability] Attribute or to the Ability directly results in thesame benefit: a character with a Constitution of 18 or a Constitution of 10with Enhanced [Constitution] at Level 4 both have a Constitution of 18.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
Cost:
1-2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESThe character can affect environmental conditions such as light,
heat, darkness, or weather. This is most appropriate for characters withmagical control over a particular element or facet of nature such as
sorcerers, demons, and spirits, but it could also represent various
technological devices. If a character wishes to perform multiple effects(for example, control light and darkness) he or she should acquire the
Attribute multiple times.

• LIGHTThe character can illuminate an area with light as bright as a sunny
day on Earth. Light control costs 1 Point/Rank.

• DARKNESSThe character can summon smoke, fog, darkness, or the like toenshroud an area, blocking normal vision. Darkness control costs 2
Points/Rank if the character can create total darkness that completely
obscures light sources, or 1 Point/Rank if the darkness is only partial.

• SILENCE
The character can block out sounds within the area of effect. It costs
1 Point/Rank to create a barrier that prevents anyone outside fromhearing sounds coming from within or vice versa, or 2 Points/Rank tocreate a zone of silence where no sounds exists.

• TEMPERATURE
The character can alter temperatures in the area from arctic cold todesert heat. If the character wishes to produce heat or cold sufficient tostart fires or instantly freeze someone solid, the player should assign theSpecial Attack Attribute (page 61) instead. Temperature control costs 1
Point/Rank if the character is limited to either increasing or decreasing
temperature, or 2 Points/Rank if he or she can do both.

• WEATHER46

The character can alter the weather to create or still weather
conditions of various sorts such as breezes, winds, rain, snow, fog, or
storms. For weather that is reasonable for the local climate, the area
affected depends on the character’s Level as shown below. For weather
that is abnormal (rain in a desert, snow in a hot summer) or violent(lightning storm, blizzard, hurricane), the character’s Rank is treated as
one less for purposes of area affected or two less if both violent andabnormal. If this would reduce the Rank below 1, the effect cannot be
produced. For focused attacks, such as lightning bolts or tornadoes, use
the Special Attack Attribute (page 61) instead. To produce precise effects
or keep abnormal or violent weather under control, the GM may requirea Wisdom check with a penalty equal to the area Rank (for example, -4
if affecting a regional area) and a bonus equal to the character’s Attribute
Rank (for example, +5 if the character has Rank 5). It will often takeseveral rounds for weather to build up or disperse. Abnormal weather
effects will return to normal soon after a character ceases to use thisAttribute. Weather control costs 2 Points/Rank if general in nature, or 1
Point/Rank if very specific (such as, “rain making”).

Maintaining Environmental Control requires a slight amount ofconcentration: the character can perform other actions while doing so, but
can only affect one area at any given time. The size of the environment thecharacter can control is determined by the character’s Rank.
RANK 1 The character can affect a small area (like a room).
RANK 2 The character can affect a modest area (like a house).
RANK 3 The character can affect a local area (like a neighbourhood orvillage).
RANK 4 The character can affect a regional area (like an entire city).
RANK 5 The character can affect a large area (like an entire county).
RANK 6 The character can affect an entire region (like a state, province,or small country).

EXORCISM

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

A character with this Attribute knows how to perform or create
rituals, charms, or spells capable of driving out, binding, or banishingdemons (or possibly other supernatural entities). In anime, this ability isoften possessed by Buddhist monks, Shinto priests or priestesses, andwandering mediums. Exactly what entities qualify will depend on thenature of the game world; in some settings, undead, such as zombies orghosts, may be vulnerable to exorcism. Normal characters and creatures
are not affected by Exorcism.
Each attempt at exorcism counts as an attack and requires a
Wisdom check with a +1 bonus per Rank of the Attribute. A ritual
action is also necessary in most cases, such as a chant or mysticalgestures, or use of particular objects, such as holy water or spirit wards.
During the exorcism attempt, the character is completely focused on the
exorcism and cannot defend against other attacks. In addition, the target
entity must fail a Will Save, with a penalty equal to the Rank of the
Exorcism Attribute.
If the attack succeeds (the exorcist makes his or her Wisdom checkand the entity fails his or her own Will save) the entity will be affected.
It cannot attack the exorcist (and any companions sheltered behind him
or her) for one round. In addition, the entity loses Energy Points equal to
5 Points times the attacker’s Exorcism Rank. Although prevented fromattacking the exorcist for one round, the creature may choose to takeother actions, such as taunting or threatening the exorcist, fleeing, oreven vanishing.
Exorcism may be repeated each round with successes draining
additional Energy from the target, and failures having no effect (andleaving the demon free to attack the character). If the entity is everreduced to 0 or fewer Energy Points as a result of the spiritual attack, it
is either banished to its own dimension (if normally extra-dimensional),
turned to dust, or permanently “sealed” in an object or in a mystic
RANK 1 The exorcist’s Wisdom check is made at +1 bonus. The target’sWill save made at -1 penalty. Success drains 5 Energy Points
from the target.
RANK 2 The exorcist’s Wisdom check is made at +2 bonus. The target’sWill save made at -2 penalty. Success drains 10 Energy Points
from the target.
RANK 3 The exorcist’s Wisdom check is made at +3 bonus. The target’sWill save made at -3 penalty. Success drains 15 Energy Points
from the target.
RANK 4 The exorcist’s Wisdom check is made at +4 bonus. The target’sWill save made at -4 penalty. Success drains 20 Energy Points
from the target.
RANK 5 The exorcist’s Wisdom check is made at +5 bonus. The target’sWill save made at -5 penalty. Success drains 25 Energy Points
from the target.
RANK 6 The exorcist’s Wisdom check is made at +6 bonus. The target’sWill save made at -6 penalty. Success drains 30 Energy Points
from the target.

location (an Item or Place of Power may be ideal) until a specific action istaken that breaks the seal (GM’s option).
Spiritual entities from other d20 System games that do not have
Energy Points outlined in their description have, on average, 4 Energy
Points times their Effective Character Level (ECL).

EXTRA ARMS

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

RANK 1 The character possesses 1 extra arm.
RANK 2 The character possesses 2-3 extra arms.
RANK 3 The character possesses 4-8 extra arms.
RANK 4 The character possesses 9-15 extra arms.
RANK 5 The character possesses 16-25 extra arms.
RANK 6 The character possesses 26-50 extra arms.

EXTRA ATTACKS

Cost:
8 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character gains 1 extra attack each round/Rank

This Attribute reflects the character’s ability to use every combat
situation to his or her benefit. Each round, the character may make one
or more additional offensive actions at the character’s maximum Base
Attack Bonus, provided that the attacks are all similar in nature (forexample, all hand-to-hand, all ranged, etc.) Also, unless two or more
opponents are very close together, armed or unarmed hand-to-handattacks must target the same person. The GM must decide when thecharacter can use his or her extra attacks. The suggested method spreads
the actions roughly evenly over the character’s Initiative range. For
example, if a character had three attacks and rolled an Initiative of 18, heor she would attack on Initiative numbers 18, 12, and 6. If the enemy
rolls an Initiative of 20 and has 5 attacks (Extra Attacks Rank 4), he or
she can attack on Initiative numbers 20, 16, 12, 8, and 4. This option has
the advantage that it spreads actions over the entire combat round, but
it involves the player paying closer attention to the Initiative numbers.
Alternatively, the attacks may be carried out at the same time during thecharacter’s single Initiative.

EXTRA DEFENCES

Cost:
3 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character gains 1 extra defence each round/Rank

This Attribute reflects the character’s ability to use every defensive
combat situation to his or her benefit. Each round, the character may
make one or more additional defensive actions. Additionally, penalties for

FEATURES

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character has 1 feature/Rank

The character possesses one or more secondary abilities that grantuseful but mundane, non-combat related advantages. Features are
typically possessed by non-humans and reflect various, minor biologicalor technological advantages.
Examples of racial features include homing instinct, longevity,
moulting ability, a pouch, scent glands, secondary eyelids, etc.
Examples of technological features suitable for building into cyborgs,
robots, or androids include diagnostic eq uipment, gyrocompass,modem, radio, self-cleaning mechanism, etc. A wide range of other
Attributes cover other more useful features such as gills, wings, fangs,
and enhanced senses.

FLIGHT

Cost:
2, 3, or 4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

A character with Flight can fly through an atmosphere or in space(in space, he or she would still need protection from the environment).
This is a common ability for non-humans, mecha, and people withparanormal powers. The method used to achieve flight can vary greatly:wings, propellers, rotors, rockets, anti-gravity, hot air, psionic levitation,
magic, or some other techniq ue.
Depending on the speed at which the character is moving,
opponents may suffer a penalty to hit the character (see Attacking
Moving Targets, page 119 ). A fast-moving character may have an attack
penalty as well.
Flight costs 4 Points/Rank if the character can hover and fly at
variable speeds, take off and land vertically, or stop in mid-air. This is themost common type of flight possessed by characters.
Flight costs 3 Points/Rank if the flyer cannot hover, but instead flies
like a normal airplane. Thus, the character needs a smooth surface forlanding and take off, and must maintain a minimum speed (at least 1/10
of its maximum speed) once airborne to avoid crashing.
Flight costs 2 Point/Rank if the flyer is either a Skimmer/Hovercraft
or a Glider.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIB U TES

Unless indicated otherwise, all characters possess two arms (orsimilar appendages) and hands. By assigning this Attribute, the character
can acq uire more. In anime, robots, tentacled monsters and non-humans
with prehensile tails often have Extra Arms. Some long-haired sorcerers
or demons also make their hair “come alive” to work as an Extra Arm.
An “arm” is defined loosely as an appendage that can reach out andmanipulate objects with some finesse. A trunk, tentacle, or prehensile tailis an arm; a limb that simply ends in a gun-barrel, melee weapon, or tool
mount is not. Legs with paws or feet are not usually considered to be“arms” unless the character has good manipulation ability when using
them (such as the way chimpanz ees can use their feet to grasp objects).
Extra arms are useful for holding onto several things at once, but do notgive extra attacks (for that ability, see Extra Attacks Attribute below). A
tractor beam is a specialised “arm” best simulated by the Telekinesis
Attribute (page 69 ).
Possessing only one arm or no arms is reflected by the Physical
Impairment Defect (page 9 3).

performing more than one defensive action each round (see page 120)
only apply after the extra defences are used. For example, a -2 penalty isapplied to the fifth defence for a character with Rank 3 Extra Defences.

• SKIMMER / HOVERCRAFT
The character is limited to skimming no more than a yard or two
off the ground or water. He or she may be riding on a cushion of air,magnetic lines of force, or even travelling along magical lines.

• GLIDER
The flyer can only become airborne if he or she launches from ahigh place (like a tree or rooftop) or from a fast-moving vehicle.
Additionally, he or she can only gain speed by diving, or gain altitude byriding thermals.
RANK 1 The character can fly at speeds up to 10 mph (approximately 18
feet/round).
RANK 2 The character can fly at speeds up to 50 mph (approximately 90
feet/round).
RANK 3 The character can fly at speeds up to 100 mph.
RANK 4 The character can fly at speeds up to 500 mph.
RANK 5 The character can fly at speeds up to 1,000 mph.
RANK 6 The character can fly at speeds up to 5,000 mph.

47

FLUNKIES

Cost:
1 or 2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Charisma
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

Flunkies hang around the character doing whatever he or she wants
and never ask for anything in return. They can provide a character withmore free time (“Got some more homework for you, my faithful friend....”),
can keep the character safe from danger (“Quickly! Interpose yourself
between me and that rabid wolf....”), or can simply make the character’slife easier (“My shoe is untied. Fix it!”) Flunkies aim to please, even at theirown expense. They are also known as groupies, stooges, or toadies.
For 1 Point/Rank, the Flunkies are not warriors; they may get in
the way of an enemy, or fight in self-defence, but will not attack. For 2
Points/Rank, the Flunkies will take up arms at the request of their master.
For specific talented and loyal battle-ready followers, see the Servant
Attribute (page 60). Mercenaries who the character hires for specific tasks
are not Flunkies, since they have their own agenda and expect
compensation.
Individual Flunkies are NPCs. A character’s Flunkies normally haveidentical Abilities and Attributes, although Skills may vary. A character
may have Flunkies with varied Abilities or Attributes, but each one witha different set of Abilities or Attributes counts as two Flunkies. A Flunky
should be built on 20 Character Points (plus any Defects) and (2 + Int
Modifier) x4 Skills. All Skills are cross-class for a Flunky.
RANK 1 The character controls 1 flunky.
RANK 2 The character controls 2 flunkies.
RANK 3 The character controls 3 or 4 flunkies.
RANK 4 The character controls 5 to 7 flunkies.
RANK 5 The character controls 8 to 12 flunkies.
RANK 6 The character controls 13 to 20 flunkies.

FORCE FIELD

Cost:
2, 3, or 4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
The Force Field reduces damage by 10 Points/Rank

48

A Force Field is an energy field around the character that protects
against incoming attacks. Force Fields can represent magical barriers,
telekinetic shields, or technological “screens” that protect mecha.
A typical anime Force Field is different from Armour, since it canbe battered down by a sufficiently powerful attack. A Force Field can be“up” or “down.” When down, it does not stop any damage. Unless the
Detectable Defect (page 90) is assigned, an up Force Field is invisible.
Force Field status must be determined at the start of the character’s
actions for the round and cannot be changed until his or her turn to act
in the next round.
Attack damage is first applied to the Force Field, with any additional
penetrating damage applied against Armour (if any). Thus, if a weapon hit
successfully penetrates a Force Field, the Armour Attribute can still protect
against it. A Force Field can be reduced or even knocked down by asufficiently powerful attack. If an attack does more damage than the Force
Field prevents (even if the rest of the damage is absorbed by Armour), theForce Field temporarily loses one Rank of effectiveness. The character can
only regain Ranks if the field is down and regenerating, unless theRegenerating Ability is assigned. A Force Field recovers one Rank every
round it is turned off and not in operation (“down”). A Force Field that is
knocked down to zero Ranks automatically shuts off to regenerate.
The cost is 4 Points/Rank if it is an area Force Field that is
extendable to protect others nearby, 3 Points/Rank if it only protects thecharacter, or 2 Points/Rank if it is a two-dimensional wall (up to 100
square feet) or shield that acts as a barrier. A wall can be projected out toa distance of up to 15 feet away from the character.
An extendable Force Field can be assumed to cover a diameter out
to about 25% more than the character’s longest dimension (for example,
the Force Field of a six-foot human would be about eight feet across). A
wall is assumed to be about 100 square feet (such as a 10’x10’ wall), while

an ordinary Force Field is form-fitting. All Fields will block anyone who
is not Insubstantial at Rank 6 (page 50) from moving through it. If acharacter with an extended Force Field also has Flight or Hyperflight, theGM may allow the character to carry other people who are inside theForce Field with him or her while flying.
A Force Field can be given additional customised Abilities or
Disabilities. Each Ability taken reduces the protection provided by the
Field by 10 Points, but gives it some special capability. Each Disability
taken increases the protection of the Field by 10 Points but adds some
sort of weakness.
See the sidebar “Armour and Force Fields in Other d20 Games”(page 41) for additional information.

FORCE FIELD ABILITIES• AIR-TIGHTThe Field prevents the passage of gas molecules. While this is abeneficial defence against toxic gas attacks, a character in the Field will
eventually deplete all breathable oxygen.

• BLOCKS INCORPOREALThe Field prevents the passage of astral or extra dimensional
characters through it. It also stops characters currently using Rank 6
Insubstantial (page 50).

• BLOCKS TELEPORT

A character cannot teleport into or out of the Field. This is mostly
useful only for extendable Force Fields or those that protect mecha. It
cannot be used with the Shield Only Disability.

• FIELD-PENETRATINGThe Force Field can be used to interpenetrate other Force Fields
while making attacks (or moving through them). If the character’s Field
is in direct contact with an enemy Force Field, and can stop more damage
than the foe’s, the enemy’s Field is neutralised and offers no protection
against the character’s attack, but is still up. In the case of an extended
Field or wall, the character can actually move through the Field.

• OFFENSIVEThe Field delivers a powerful electric or energy shock to anyone
who touches it, inflicting 1d6 damage for every 10 damage the Force
Field currently blocks. Consequently, the damage delivered by an
Offensive Force Field decreases as the Field becomes damaged and isknocked down in Ranks of effectiveness.

• REGENERATING

If the character uses one non-combat action to regenerate the Force
Field, it regains one lost Rank of effectiveness. A character with the Extra
Attacks Attribute (page 47) can regenerate multiples Ranks each round.

FORCE FIELD DISABILITIES• BOTH DIRECTIONSThe Force Field blocks attacks moving in any direction, bothinwards and outwards, thereby virtually preventing the user fromattacking when the Force Field is up. This means that when the Force
Field is active and the user makes an attack, the Force Field will affecttheir attack as it would an outside attacker’s (reducing the damage
inflicted and going down in Ranks if its protection value is exceeded).
This Disability cannot be used with the Shield Only Disability.

• INTERNALThe field is only usable inside a specific mecha or other structure.
This can be used to represent a Field that protects a vital part of a mecha’s
interior such as the power plant or dungeon cells, or a character who
draws his or her personal Force Field’s energy from some sort of powersource inside his or her headquarters.

• LIMITEDThe field has a major or minor limitation. An example of a minor
limitation would be a Force Field that is effective against ranged attacks
but not melee, one that offers full-strength frontal and rear protection
but only half-strength protection from above, or one that requires one
minute to reach full strength. An example of a major limitation would be
a Force Field that prevents the character from making any attacks during
operation, one that is unstable in certain types of environments (such as
sub-zero temperatures or near water), or one that only works against avery specific type of weapon (such as lasers). A minor limitation counts as
one Disability, a major limitation as two Disabilities.

• SHIELD ONLYThis type of Field is one of the 2 Points/Rank versions. The Field
does not entirely surround the character. Instead, it is a shield (maximumof about 1 yard in diameter) that the user must deliberately interpose
between an attack using a Block Defence (see page 120). The charactermust also possess the Block Ranged Attacks Feat to us the Field in a
Block Defence against ranged attacks. If the character successfully
defends, the Force Shield provides protection as normal. This Disability
cannot be used with the Block Teleport Ability or Both Directions
Disability. It counts as two Disabilities.

• STATIC

The character cannot move when generating the Field. He or she
may still attack or otherwise act, but must stay in one place (or continue
to drift if floating through space, continue to fall if falling, etc.)• USES ENERGYThe Force Field drains Energy Points from the character. Upon
activation, the Field burns a number of the character’s Energy Points
equal to half the total Point cost of the Attribute. The same number ofEnergy Points are consumed each minute the Field is up. This is notavailable for Force Fields acquired with the Magic Attribute (page 51)
since they ordinarily burn Energy Points.

Cost:
4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
The character can restore up to 10 Hit Points/Rank to a target

This Attribute allows a character to heal a target’s injuries(including him or herself; for continuous healing, see the Regeneration
Attribute, page 60). In anime, characters with healing power include holy
individuals, psychic healers, and sorcerers, while mecha may be equippedwith high-tech medical bays with similar abilities.
The maximum number of Hit Points that a Healer can restore to aparticular person in any single day equals 10 per Rank. This cannot be
exceeded, even if multiple healers work on a subject; the combined Hit
Points restored cannot exceed the maximum Hit Points that the characterwith the highest Rank could restore. The subject must have at least a fullday’s rest before he or she can benefit from any additional healing. Hit
Points are restored over a 10-minute period, rather than instantly.
A character with Healing Rank 4+ can cause a subject to regenerate
lost body parts or organs, such as a severed hand. One with Rank 5+ can
restore massive damage, such as putting a character together who wasliterally cut in half. No healer can repair someone who was blown to bits,
disintegrated, or dead for more than a few minutes, however.
A subject must normally be alive to benefit from Healing. A
character with Healing Rank 3+ may, however, revive someone who is“clinically” dead (serious injury, heart stopped) but not actually brain dead.
A character is considered “dead” if his or her Hit Points are reduced to a
bigger negative number than the characters maximum Hit Points. A healer
can revive a mortally wounded character, however, if he or she can bring
the subject’s Hit Points back up from beneath the negative threshold to a
positive value quickly. This grace period can be extended indefinitely if thesubject’s remains have been somehow placed in suspended animation.

HEIGHTENED AWARENESS

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
The character gains a +2 bonus/Rank to specific Ability/Skill
checks

The character possesses a high degree of situational awareness. Heor she is usually very alert and receives a bonus on Ability and Skill
checks relevant to noticing otherwise hidden things, such as concealed
objects, ambushes, or anything else related to sensory awareness. The
bonuses of Heightened Awareness are cumulative with those of
Heightened Senses (next column).

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
The character gains one heightened sense or technique/Rank

A character with Heightened Senses has one or more senses thathave been sharpened to a superhuman level of acuity. It can represent
either the preternatural sharpening of a specific sense honed by special
training (such as a blind person’s trained sense of touch) or the enhanced
senses of a paranormal or technologically augmented character.
Additionally, several Ranks of Heightened Senses reflect the capabilities
of sensors built into spaceships and other commercial or military vehicles.
For each Rank of the Heightened Senses Attribute, the character will
either gain one enhanced sense (Type I), one sense technique (Type II), ora combination of Type I and Type II senses. The character must make a
successful Wisdom or relevant Skill check against an appropriate DC todetect and pinpoint a specific target within a large area (for example, tolisten to a specific conversation thought the background noise of the city).

TYPE IOne of the character’s five senses — hearing, smell, vision, taste, or
touch — is enhanced, and can operate over an area of several city blocks.
The character may take the same sense twice, which doubles the effectand extends the area of detection. A character using a Heightened Sense
has a +4 bonus (+8 if the sense was heightened twice) on Ability andrelevant Skill checks that relate to using that sense to perceive things thatsomeone with human-level senses might conceivably notice.

TYPE II
The character has one Heightened Sense technique, which extends
beyond human capabilities. Examples of techniques include: darkvision,
electric current detection; infravision; magnetic field detection;
microscopic vision; radar sense; radio reception; sonar detection;
ultrasonic hearing; ultravision; vibration detection; X -ray vision. Most
techniques only work at short range, often requiring line of sight.
The Heightened Awareness Attribute (above) allows a lower Rankof enhancement for all of a character’s senses.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESHEALING

HEIGHTENED SENSESHIGHLY SKILLED

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: V ariable
Progression:
The character gains an additional 4 Skill Points/Rank

A character with this Attribute is more experienced or better
trained than an ordinary person, and as a result has more Skill Points (seepage 74) than an average adult. Extending this Attribute beyond Rank 6
provides 4 additional Skill Points per Rank (for example, Rank 11 would
provide a total of 44 Skill Points). Acquiring several Ranks of the Highly
Skilled Attribute is the ideal method for creating a versatile character.

HYPERFLIGHT

Cost:
1 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Constitution
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

This Attribute is intended for use in star-spanning campaigns,
involving travel between solar systems or galaxies (or even planets at low
Ranks). A character with Hyperflight can fly in the vacuum of space (butnot in an atmosphere) between planets, starts, asteroids, solar systems,
and galaxies, at speeds equal to or exceeding the speed of light. The
player can determine whether this Attribute represents warp technology,
jump point formation, or the breaking of known physical laws. The
Flight Attribute (page 47) is required to escape from the atmosphere andgravity of a planet similar to Earth. Without Flight, the character can
only achieve Hyperflight speeds by taking off when already in space.

49

IMMUNITY

Cost:
10 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Constitution
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

With this Attribute, the character is completely immune to damage
and adverse effects that stem from a particular weapon, element,
application, or event. For example, a character with Rank 1 Immunity
to silver cannot be hurt by silver weapons and will not feel pain if clubbed
with a sack of silver dollars. Similarly, a character with Rank 4 Immunity
to fire/heat could walk into the most intensive firestorm possible andemerge unscathed.
RANK 1 The Immunity plays a small role in the game. Typical examples
include: weapons made from a rare substance (such as gold,
silver, or adamantine); attacks from a specific opponent (such as abrother, single animal type, or oneself); under specific conditions(such as in water, one hour during the day, or at home).
RANK 2 The Immunity plays a moderate role in the game. Typicalexamples include: weapons made from an uncommon
substance (such as wood, bronze, or iron); attacks from a broad
opponent group (such as blood relatives, demons, or animals);
under broad conditions (such as during the night, on weekends,
or in holy places).
RANK 3 The Immunity plays a large role in the game. Typical examples
include: electricity; cold; a specific weapon type (such as
daggers, arrows, or rapiers).
RANK 4 The Immunity plays a major role in the game. Typical examples
include: fire/heat; a broad weapon type (such as swords or
clubs); mental attacks.
RANK 5 The Immunity plays an extreme role in the game. Typicalexamples include: gunfire (including forms of artillery); bladed
weapons; unarmed attacks.
RANK 6 The Immunity plays a primal role in the game. Typical examples
include: weapons; energy; blunt trauma.

INSUBSTANTIAL

Cost:
5 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

Each Rank of this Attribute reduces a character’s density so muchthat he or she can pass through certain types of objects (including
weapons) as though insubstantial. If a specific substance is not listed in
Rank progression below, the GM should use the entry that it most closely
resembles. The density of the human body, for example, falls
approximately at Rank 2 (water); consequently, a punch from an enemy
would harmlessly pass through a character with Rank 3 Insubstantial.
Characters with Rank 6 Insubstantial are effectively incorporeal and canpass through virtually anything, including most forms of energy.
RANK 1 The character can pass through paper and cloth.
RANK 2 The character can pass through wood and water.
RANK 3 The character can pass through concrete and earth.
RANK 4 The character can pass through iron and steel.
RANK 5 The character can pass through lead and gold .
RANK 6 The character can pass through energy.

INVISIBILITY

Cost:
3 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character is invisible to one sense or technique/Rank

50

This Attribute will completely hide the character from one or more
senses or detection methods. The character may possess a supernaturalconcealment ability or a technological cloaking device, or have a psychicor magical talent that causes observers to overlook him or her. To
represent partially invisibility, see the Sensory Block Attribute (page 60).

For each Invisibility Rank, the player selects one sense or techniqueto which the character is “invisible.” Senses include the human range forsight, hearing, taste, touch, or smell. Detection techniques include: astral;
ethereal; infrared; mental; radar; radiation; sonar; spiritual; ultraviolet;
vibration. The GM may decide that the most common forms of Invisibility— often sight and hearing — cost 2 Attribute slots rather than only 1.
While the character may not be detected using specific methods,
indirect evidence can still reveal the character’s presence. For example, acharacter who is invisible to sight will still leave footprints in muddy
ground. Similarly, a vase that is knocked from a table by a character who
is invisible to sound will still make noise as it smashes on the floor.
In normal combat situations involving human or nearly human
opponents, a character who is invisible to sight has a great advantage.
Once the invisible character gives away his or her general position (forexample, by firing a gun, attacking with a sword, or shouting) he or she
can be attacked, but there is a -4 penalty for anyone within melee range
and -8 for anyone at a greater distance. Heightened Awareness (page 49)
and Heightened Senses (page 49) can reduce this penalty, as can the BlindFight or Blind-Shoot Feats (page 83). This penalty is halved if using an
Area or Spreading Special Attack (page 61) on the invisible character.

ITEM OF POWER

Cost:
3-4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Usually none, but sometimes Wisdom
Progression:
The item is built using 5 Character Points/Rank

This Attribute describes any exotic, portable item that directly
enhances a character in some way (perhaps by conferring Attributes). An
Item of Power represents advanced technology or a relic with paranormal
powers. More ordinary but useful items (such as a sword or a medical kit)
are covered by the Personal Gear Attribute (page 57). Special weaponsthat others can use are often designed with Item of Power, with Points
allocated to the Special Attack Attribute (page 61).
Each item is built using up to 5 Character Points per Rank of theItem of Power Attribute, which can be used to assign other Attributes.
For some character concepts, Items of Power above Rank 6 are notunreasonable. Assigning Defects to the item earns Bonus Points, which
are used to acquire additional Attributes for the item. Defects that cannot
usually be assigned include: Conditional Ownership, Ism, Marked,
Nemesis, Owned, Red Tape, Significant Other, Skeleton in the Closet,
and Wanted. Players selecting this Attribute must have a discussion with
the GM to determine what abilities the Item of Power possesses and how
it works. The player, with GM approval, may also create specific abilities
for Items of Power using the Unique Attribute (page 72). An Item ofPower may be combined with a mundane, minor, or major Gadget (suchas a car that can fly, or a sword that can teleport people).
The item costs 4 Points/Rank if it is difficult for the character tomisplace or for an enemy to steal/knock away, or it is almost always withthe character. Examples include jewellery, frequently worn clothing, or
equipment the character carries with them always. The item costs 3
Points/Rank if it is easier for the character to misplace or for an enemy tosteal/knock away, or it is often distant from the character. Examples
include thrown weapons, armour that is stored when not in use, andvehicles or equipment that stay at the character’s home until needed.
Additionally, the total Point cost (not cost per Rank) for the Item isincreased by 1 if it can only be used by a small subset of individuals(Restricted Use). For example: only characters with a Strength above 18,
only magicians, only members of a specific religion, or only goddesses.
The total Point cost is increased by 2 if the Item can only be used by thecharacter (Personal Use); this restriction cannot be reconfigured bysomeone with the Mechanical Genius Attribute.
Items that cannot be lost or stolen, such as objects that are
implanted in or fused to the character’s body (often true for cyborgs), are
not Items of Power. In these cases, the items are considered part of thecharacter and thus the player should use Points to acquire the Attributes
directly. If a character requires a specific object, or group of objects, to act
as a focus when using one or more of his or her innate Attributes, Item ofPower does not apply; see the Special Requirement Defect (page 95).

JUMPING

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Strength
Progression:
The character adds 20 to his or her Jump Skill each Rank

With this Attribute, the character can make very high, unaided
vertical jumps but cannot actually fly. This ability is very appropriate foranime martial artists, bouncy non-human races like cat-people, and agile
or jump-jet equipped robots or powered suits.
See Jumping (page 119) in Chapter 12: Combat for additional rules.

MAGIC

Cost:
4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Intelligence
Progression:
The character receives 10 Magic Points/Rank to acquire
magical powers

Magic Usage
This Attribute is rarely used in campaigns that also use theDynamic Sorcery Attribute (page 44). Additionally, Magic does notcomplement the traditional spell casting rules in most other d20
System games. If BESM d20 is being used with another d20 game,
GMs may consider restricting access to the Magic Attribute.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

A character with the Magic
Attribute has the ability tomanipulate arcane energies to
produce a specific set of effects thatseemingly defy physical laws. The
player should define the character’s
magical ability and establish aconsistent theme for his or her
powers. Themes that are common
in anime include:• Elemental magic such as masteryover traditional elements like
wind, water, or fire, or lesstraditional “elements” likedarkness, the moon, or even love.
• Spells or powers that involve
contacting or controlling natural
spirits (shamanism) or the dead(necromancy).
• Black magic, involving
destructive forces or evil ornegative energies.
• Magical powers with an exotic or
whimsical theme such as a set of
abilities whose “special effects”
all relate to tarot cards, flowers,
cats (“nekomancy”), or prettymuch anything else.
• Psionic abilities that produce
psychic effects such as Telepathy,
Telekinesis, or Precognition; psi
powers are normally assumed tobe talents with which thecharacter was born, although
they may have required special
training to awaken.
• K i-based magic, where thecharacter focuses his or her innerspirit through martial arts
training to produce various
exotic attacks and abilities.

• Divine powers granted by a deity to a priest, priestess or other holy
individual.
• Legendary powers innate to a magical entity such as a fox spirit’s ability
to change shape or possess people or the myriad powers of a vampire.
The GM may rule that only certain types of magic exist within his
or her campaign setting and that all characters with a Magic Attributeshould conform to them. For example, in a game aimed at simulating aparticular “magical girl” show, any character with the Magic Attributemay be expected to emulate the way the magical powers work in theshow. It is perfectly reasonable for a character to take the Magic Attributemultiple times to represent a character who has two or more different
types of magic.
A character with the Magic Attribute receives 10 Magic Points per
Rank of this Attribute. Magic Points may be used like Character Points
to acquire individual Attributes. Attributes acquired using Magic Points
are designated “Magical Powers” and represent the extent of thecharacter’s magic. A Magical Power is used just like an ordinary
Attribute, except each time the character uses it he or she must perform
an invocation and expend Energy Points. This can represent casting aspell, concentrating on his or her inner ki, focusing a psychic power, etc.
Characters can acquire almost any Attributes as Magical Powers
using their Magic Points with these exceptions: Dynamic Sorcery, Energy
Bonus, Magic/Psionics, and perhaps Own a Big Mecha. The GM should
exercise caution in allowing characters to acquire Highly Skilled orOrganisational Ties, since either can be inappropriate or unbalancing. In
addition, each Magical Power should be given its own descriptive nameor special effects. Thus, while a Magical Power may be acquired as“Special Attack Rank 2,” on acharacter sheet it should be written
down as “Lightning Bolt: Weapon
Attack Rank 2,” etc.
An invocation normally
involves a short verbal incantationor magic phrase combined withgestures, which should take one
action; the character must be able
to speak and have his or her hands
free to perform it. (For ways to getaround this, see Magic Options,below). If the power is an offensive
one (such as Mind Control orSpecial Attack), the character canmake his or her attack as part of the
invocation.
Each invocation normallydrains Energy Points from thecharacter equal to one half (roundup) the Magic Points that werespent to acquire that Rank of the
Attribute. For example, acquiring
the Elasticity Attribute at Rank 5
as a Magical Power, costs 10 Magic
Points. Invoking the Elasticity
Magical Power at Rank 5 drains 5
Energy Points from the character(10 ÷ 2 = 5). A character canchoose to use a Magical Power as if
it were acquired at a lower Rank toconserve Energy Points, however.
Continuing the example, thecharacter can use Elasticity at Rank
2 instead (even though it can beused at a maximum of Rank 5),
which only drains 2 Energy Points.
If the Magical Power is an
Attribute with instantaneous
effects, such as Exorcism,
Teleportation or Special Attack, the51

character must invoke the power anew (and spend Energy Points) eachtime he or she wishes to make use of it. If it has continuing effects (as in
the case for most other Attributes), these effects will last for one minute;the character can maintain it for a greater duration by spending
additional Energy Points equal to the Magic Point cost every minute. The
Game Master can adjust this time up or down as necessary for his or her
campaign. Maintaining a Magical Power requires no special
concentration, but if the Power is not maintained it will cease to function
and need to be invoked all over again in order to reactivate it.

MAGIC OPTIONS
A specific Magical Power may be further customised by assigning it
one or more of the following Magic Options when the character’s powers
are being designed. Note that a character may assign different Magic
Options to each of his or her Magical Powers. All effects are cumulative.

• FOCUSIn order to invoke a Magical Power that was given the Focus
option, the character requires a special tool. This may be a talisman,magic wand, or other device, or a set of exotic “spell components” suchas the traditional eye of newt and wing of bat. A Magical Power that
requires a Focus costs half as many Energy Points to invoke (rounddown). The Energy Points required to maintain the Magical Power are
unaffected.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES• RITUAL

Invoking a Magical Power that has this option requires a special
ceremony taking several minutes to several hours to perform (GM’soption), however, the Energy Points required to invoke the power andmaintain it are halved (round down). If the character is interrupted
during the Ritual or does anything other than concentrate on it, theRitual fails and the character must begin again if he or she wishes toinvoke the power. If a Ritual is interrupted at the last minute (whennearly complete) the GM may optionally have it go out of control,
producing an undesirable or disastrous effect rather than simply fail. The
GM may allow the magic-using character a Concentration Skill Check to
avoid this. The magnitude of the disaster will depend on how powerful
the Magical Power is and will usually be somehow related to what thecharacter was trying to achieve.

• SILENT

A Magical Power that has this option does not require magic words.
A Silent Power costs twice as many Energy Points to invoke (but regularcost to maintain). This option is very common for innate or psychic
powers.

• STILL

A Magical Power that has this option does not require any gestures
or motions. A Still Power costs twice as many Energy Points to invoke(but regular cost to maintain). Again, this option is very common for
innate or psychic powers.

MASSIVE DAMAGE

Cost:
2 or 5 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
Damage the character delivers is increased by 2 Points.

52

A character with the Massive Damage Attribute knows precisely
how and where to hit any opponent in order to inflict incredible amountsof damage.
For 2 Points/Rank, additional damage is only inflicted when thecharacter uses one specific weapon type, Special Attack (see page 61), or
method of attack; this attack is defined during character creation. For
example, it might represent a special talent with a weapon (such as guns,
blades, blunt weapons), knowledge of a particular martial arts technique,or ability with a specific Special Attack.
For 5 Points/Rank, this knowledge can be applied to all forms ofphysical combat including armed, unarmed, martial arts, and ranged
weapons, as well as Special Attacks such as energy blasts, magical spells
that inflict damage, or vehicle weapons.
Naturally, the character’s attack must be successful to inflict any
damage. Physical strength is not the key to delivering massive damage in

an attack; the ability to sense a weakness is far more important. The
capacity of Massive Damage to augment any kind of attack makes it avery useful Attribute for a combat-oriented character. For more
information on physical combat and damage, see page 121.

MECHANICAL GENIUS
Cost:
2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Intelligence
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

The character has an innate knack for creating, modifying, andworking with complex machines. Unlike someone who is merely welltrained in a particular technical skill, a Mechanical Genius is a naturaland is able to flip through a tech manual for an advanced technology in
30 seconds and figure out a way to repair the machine in an hour or so.
Such characters often have high Ranks in Electronics and Mechanical
Skills as well.
A character with this Attribute can also build new and modify
existing gadgets at an astonishing rate, provided he or she has
appropriate parts and facilities. In game terms, this means he or she canmodify existing Personal Gear or technology-based Items of Power byexchanging Attributes and Defects, as long as the overall Point total isunchanged. A Mechanical Genius can also build Gear and Items ofPower, but their creation requires the character to allocate theappropriate number of Character Points.
Alternatively, the GM may describe this Attribute as “Magical
Genius,” that allows a character to modify magical Items of Power byexchanging Attributes and Defects.
RANK 1 The character can build/repair machines at 2 times normal
speed.
RANK 2 The character can build/repair machines at 5 times normal
speed.
RANK 3 The character can build/repair machines at 10 times normal
speed.
RANK 4 The character can build/repair machines at 20 times normal
speed.
RANK 5 The character can build/repair machines at 50 times normal
speed.
RANK 6 The character can build/repair machines at 100 times normal
speed.

METAMORPHOSIS

Cost:
5 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

Physical transformations are a major part of Japanese folklore, anda common ability for supernatural anime creatures or individuals
labouring under a curse. Technological transformations are also possible,
such as the robot who can shed its human guise and sprout weapons pods
and rocket engines. Sorcerers, witches, or demons may also know how totransform others, usually through powerful magic.
The Metamorphosis Attribute allows a character to transform atarget into alternate forms by adding Attributes to, or adding/removing
Defects from, the target character. The maximum duration of this change
is dictated by the Attribute Rank. If the target character successfully
makes a Fortitude save (DC 14 + Rank of Metamorphosis), theMetamorphosis attempt does not work. The GM may rule that
Metamorphosis automatically fails if the subject’s new form could notsurvive in the present environment. Consequently, a character could turnan enemy into a goldfish, but the attempt would only work if the target
was currently in water. This prevents this ability from being used as aquick way to instantly kill an opponent. Again, GMs may waive thisrestriction where appropriate (such as for a villain in a supernatural horror
campaign). In order to transform him or herself, the character needs theAlternate Form Attribute (page 39).

MIMICCost:
7 or 10 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Intelligence
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

Upon a successful Power Usage: Mimic Skill check against a DC of
15 plus the Rank of the target Attribute or Skill, the character cantemporarily mimic any Attribute or Skill Rank of any single target
character within range. The Rank of Mimic equals the maximum
Attribute Rank that can be mimicked (doubled to determine themaximum Skill Rank). The Rank of a mimicked Attribute/Skill only
replaces the character’s corresponding Rank (if applicable) if it is higher;
the character’s Attribute/Skill Rank cannot decrease through Mimic
unless a specific Restriction is assigned.
Alternatively, upon a successful Power Usage: Mimic Skill checkagainst a DC equal to the target Ability Score, the character cantemporarily mimic any Ability Score of any single target character
within range.
For 7 Points/Rank the character can only mimic one
Attribute/Ability/Skill at any single time. For 10 Points/Rank, thecharacter can mimic as many Attributes/Abilities/Skills simultaneously at
the appropriate Ranks (as indicated above) as he or she desires (eachmimicked Attribute/Ability/Skill must be copied separately, eachrequiring a separate Skill check).

RANK 1 The character may change up to 1 Character Point or 3 Defect
Points. The Metamorphosis lasts for 1 minute.
RANK 2 The character may change up to 2 Character Points or 6 Defect
Points. The Metamorphosis lasts for 2 minutes.
RANK 3 The character may change up to 3 Character Points or 9 Defect
Points. The Metamorphosis lasts for 5 minutes.
RANK 4 The character may change up to 4 Character Points or 12
Defect Points. The Metamorphosis lasts for 10 minutes.
RANK 5 The character may change up to 5 Character Points or 15
Defect Points. The Metamorphosis lasts for 30 minutes.
RANK 6 The character may change up to 6 Character Points or 18
Defect Points. The Metamorphosis lasts for 1 hour.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESFor each Rank of Metamorphosis, the character can assign 1
Character Point to a target’s Attributes. This can either raise the target’s
current Attribute Rank, or result in the target gaining a new power.
Alternatively, for each Rank the character can add 3 Defect Bonus Points
to, or remove 3 Defect Bonus Points from, a target. Cosmetic changes
that confer no additional abilities on the target, but do not fall under theMarked Defect, are considered a 1 Bonus Point change total (for allchanges). This includes: change of sex, 50% apparent age increase or
decrease, colour changes (eye, skin, or hair), and minor physical changes(shape of ears, facial features, or bodily proportions).
Unless the GM indicates otherwise, Character Points gained
through Metamorphosis can only be used to add Ranks to the following
Attributes: Adaptation, Armour, Elasticity, Extra Arms, Features, Flight,
Heightened Senses, Insubstantial, Jumping, Natural Weapons,
Regeneration, Special Defence, Special Movement, Speed, Superstrength,
Tunnelling, and Water Speed. Additionally, only the following Defects
can be changed: Ism, Marked, Not So Tough, Physical Impairment, andSensory Impairment. Metamorphosis is not intended for transforming
people into stone or other forms where they would be effectively
immobilised. In order to do that, use the Special Attack Attribute (page61) with the Incapacitating Ability (page 64).

Rank 1 The character can mimic up to Rank 1 Attributes or Rank 2
Skills, at a range of 15 feet and a duration of 5 rounds.
Rank 2 The character can mimic up to Rank 2 Attributes or Rank 4
Skills, at a range of 30 feet and a duration of 1 minutes.
Rank 3 The character can mimic up to Rank 3 Attributes or Rank 6
Skills, at a range of 45 feet and a duration of 2 minutes.
Rank 4 The character can mimic up to Rank 4 Attributes or Rank 8
Skills, at a range of 60 feet and a duration of 4 minutes.
Rank 4 The character can mimic up to Rank 5 Attributes or Rank 10
Skills, at a range of 75 feet and a duration of 8 minutes.
Rank 6 The character can mimic up to Rank 6 Attributes or Rank 12
Skills, at a range of 90 feet and a duration of 16 minutes.

MIND CONTROL

Cost:
3-6 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

This Attribute allows the character to mentally dominate otherindividuals. Sorcerers, some psionic adepts, and creatures with hypnotic
Powers (such as many demons or vampires) are among those likely tohave Mind Control.
Mind Control costs 6 Points/Rank if it can be used on any humanor alien with an Intelligence of 3 or higher (animals are excluded). It costs
5 Points/Rank if it works on broad categories of humans (“any Japanese”
or “any male,” for example). It costs 4 Points/Rank if the category is more
specific and less useful (“Shinto priestesses” or “people obsessed withbeauty”). Finally, it costs 3 Points/Rank if the category is very specific(members of the character’s family, or members of a specific militaryunit). The effects of Mind Control should be role-played. If necessary, theGM can take over the character, although it is more fun if the player(with GM guidance) continues to play the character.
Initiating Mind Control requires a full round. The character must
successfully make a Power Usage: Mind Control Skill check (if attacking
multiple targets, roll only once) against DC 10 plus the Intelligencemodifier of the target (use the highest modifier if targeting multiple
people). At Ranks 1, 3, and 5, the character receives a +1 bonus to his
or her attempt to Mind Control a target. If the check is successful, thetarget must make a Willpower save against DC 10 plus the attacker’s
Wisdom modifier plus the attacker’s Rank in Power Usage: Mind
Control. When controlling a large number of people, an average Will
save for the entire group could be used. At Ranks 2, 4, and 6, the target
also receives a -1 penalty when attempting to defend against Mind

53

Control (or when trying to break established contact; see below). At Rank
7, for instance, the character gains a +4 bonus while the target suffers a-3 penalty. A character needs to defeat an opponent in Mind Combat(page 123) to toy with the target’s emotions (for example, giving the
opponent new fears or a prejudice).
Once Mind Control is established, it remains in effect until thedominating character willingly relinquishes control, or until the target
breaks free from the control. A target may attempt to break control
under two circumstances: whenever he or she is given a command thatconflicts with the nature of the character, and whenever the GM deems
it appropriate for dramatic effect. To sever the connection, the target
must make a successful Willpower save against DC 10 plus the attacker’sIntelligence modifier and Power Usage: Mind Control Skill Rank plus themodifiers based on the controller’s Mind Control Rank.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESAGAINST TARGET’S NATURE

54

If a Mind Controlled target is commanded to perform an actionthat he or she would not willingly do under normal circumstances, thetarget can attempt to break control. Additionally, the target may receive
a bonus if the action goes against his or her nature. The more distasteful
the target finds the command, the greater the bonus. For mildly
distasteful actions (such as licking an enemy’s boots), no bonus is given.
For highly distasteful or undesirable actions (such as stealing from anally), a +4 bonus is given. Finally, for exceptionally distasteful orundesirable actions (such as attacking an ally), a +8 bonus is given. Notethat these bonuses are cumulative with penalties associated with thecontrolling character’s Mind Control Rank.

WHEN THE GM DEEMS APPROPRIATE
If the character commands his or her target to perform a numberof mundane activities (clean the house, fetching a drink of water, etc.),
the GM may decide the target does not receive an opportunity to breakestablished control. Even a seemingly inoffensive command such as “sitin the closet” or “go to sleep,” however, may have a drastic impact on
the lives of others if a bomb is about to explode in the shrine or thetarget is piloting a mecha at the time. In these instances, the GM may
give the target a chance to break free of the Mind Control even if thetarget does not regard a command as dangerous or distasteful (which
would present an opportunity to end the control). This option puts theGM in direct control of the situation, which will benefit the campaign.
Naturally, the GM can also apply modifiers to the save attempt that are
cumulative with penalties associated with the controlling character’s
Mind Control Rank.
A character need not control every thought and action of his or her
victims but can allow them to live normal lives until they are needed;
these targets are known as “sleepers.” Additionally, people who have been
Mind Controlled will not usually remember events that occurred during
the time period they are controlled and will have a gap in their memories.
The GM may allow a character to temporarily boost his or her
Mind Control Attribute by one or two Ranks against a single individual
who is his or her captive by “working” on the subject for a day or more.
This bonus can represent concentrated brainwashing techniques ordedicated study of a subject.
Player Characters should only be placed under Mind Control for
extended periods of time in exceptional circumstances.
RANK 1 The character can control the mind of 1 target for a duration ofseveral minutes.
RANK 2 The character can control the minds of 2-3 targets for a durationof several hours.
RANK 3 The character can control the minds of 4-8 targets for a durationof several days.
RANK 4 The character can control the minds of 9-15 targets for aduration of several weeks.
RANK 5 The character can control the minds of 16-25 targets for aduration of several months.
RANK 6 The character can control the minds of 26-50 targets for aduration of several years.

MIND SHIELD

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
The character gains a +2/Rank for Willpower saves involving
mind invasion

A character with Mind Shield is protected against psychic intrusion.
This may be a reflection of his or her own psychic abilities, a protective
spell, special training, or some innate ability. A character with Mind
Shield can detect and block attempts to read his or her mind by acharacter with Telepathy of equal or lower Rank to the Mind Shield. The
character may also add the twice the Rank of Mind Shield to his or her
Will save (as appropriate) when defending against a Mind Control
attempt (see page 53), telepathic Mind Combat (page 123), or a Special
Attack with the Mind or Soul Attack Ability (page 65).

NATURAL WEAPONS

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character gains 1 Natural Weapon/Rank

The character has one or more relatively mundane natural weapons,such as sharp teeth, claws, tentacles, etc. Natural weapons are normallypossessed by animals, monsters, and similar characters, but could also
represent technological capabilities that mimic such abilities such as anandroid or cyborg with retractable claws. More powerful Natural
Weapons can be designed using the Special Attack Attribute (page 61),
with the Melee Disability.
The character possesses one such attack form per Rank. Possessing
more than one such natural weapon gives the character a wider variety of
attack forms. Normal damage inflicted by a successful attack is outlined
in Chapter 12: Combat (page 110).
Hands, feet, a heavy tail, ordinary teeth, or hooves are not normallycounted as Natural Weapons since they are (relatively) blunt; and thus
inflict usual Unarmed damage.

• CLAWS OR SPIKES
The character possesses sharp talons or spikes on his or her fingers,
paws, or feet. In addition to regular damage, the claws inflict 1d4
additional damage when used in melee combat. This attack uses theUnarmed Attack (Strikes) Skill.

• FANGS, BEAK, OR MANDIBLES
The character has very sharp teeth, or alternatively, a beak or
insect-like mandibles. This natural weapon inflicts only 2 damage above
normal damage in melee combat, but a successful strike that penetrates
Armour gives the character the option to maintain a biting grip andcontinue to inflict equivalent damage in subsequent rounds. These
additional attacks are automatically successful, but the opponent canbreak the hold with a successful Strength check. While the attacker ismaintaining a biting grip, his or her own ability to defend is impeded: theattacker cannot use weapons to defend, and suffers a -4 AC penalty
against any attack. This attack uses the Unarmed Attack (Bites) Skill.

• HORNS
These are large horns for butting or stabbing. Horns add 2 extra
damage to normal damage in melee combat but are exceptionallyeffective if the character charges into battle. If the character wins
Initiative against an opponent and has room for a running start, he or she
can lower his or her head and charge. A successful attack will deliver
normal attack damage, plus 1d6 (rather than the normal +2). If a charge
fails to connect, the charging character will be off balance and suffers a 2 penalty to his or her AC for the remainder of the round and a -4
Initiative roll penalty on the following combat round. This attack uses
the Unarmed Attack (Strikes) Skill.

• SPINES
The character is covered in nasty spikes, quills, or sharp scales.
Anyone who wrestles with the character automatically suffers 2 damage
each round. This damage is in addition to any attack damage delivered.
During these struggles, the opponent’s clothes will also be ripped andshredded unless they are armoured.

• TAIL STRIKER
If the character has a combat-ready tail, it can be equipped withspikes, a stinger, or other similarly nasty weapon. The attack inflicts anadditional 2 damage (in addition to normal damage). Upon a successful
attack, the target must make a Dexterity check or suffer a -4 Initiative
penalty the following combat round (the target is off balance). This
attack uses the Unarmed Attack (Strikes) Skill.

• TENTACLES
One or more of the character’s limbs — or possibly his or her hair
— are actually tentacles. A character with tentacles gains a +2 bonus tohis or her Unarmed Attack and Unarmed Defence Skill Rank whenengaged in a wrestling attack or defending against one. Tentacles are alsodifficult to avoid in combat (opponent suffers a -1 AC penalty).

ORGANISATIONAL TIES
Cost:
1-3 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Charisma
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

Organisational Ties represents a character’s close relationship witha hierarchy of some sort that grants him or her access to respect andprivileges. Monetary advantages are usually covered by the Wealth
Attribute (page 73), while access to special equipment may be
represented by the Personal Gear Attribute (page 57). Examples oforganisations include the feudal system, powerful corporations, organised
crime rings, secret guilds and societies, governmental positions, militaryorganisations, and some religions. For campaigns in which all players
belong to the same organised group, the GM may decide that
Organisational Ties are not required. Consequently, this Attribute is
optional; the GM may prefer to treat organisation membership as a
background detail instead.
The value of Organisational Ties depends on its importance in thesetting. An organisation that exerts moderate power within the setting is
worth 1 Point/Rank, one that has significant power costs 2 Points/Rank,

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

55

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

and one that has great power in the setting costs 3 Points/Rank. Players
should not assign this Attribute to represent organisations that have very
little power. The GM determines the extent of the organisation’s
influence. In a high school comedy campaign, the school’s autocratic
Student Council might wield “significant power,” while in most othersettings it would be completely trivial and not worth any Points.
Similarly, a criminal organisation like the Mafia or Y akuza might count as“great power” (3 Points/Rank) in a traditional low-powered game set inmodern times, but merely as “moderate power” (1 Point/Rank) in a highpowered magical girl campaign.
Normal organisations should be limited to a geopolitical area, suchas a single country. Global organisations, or those that span multiple
geopolitical areas, function at 1 Rank lower. Multi-planetaryorganisations function at 2 Ranks lower, while multi-galaxy organisations
function at 3 Ranks lower. For example, the president of a global
megacorporation needs to assign Rank 6 to gain access to the Controlling
Rank category (1 Rank lower). Similarly, a character who has Senior Rank
in a universe-wide military organisation should have Rank 7
Organisational Ties (3 Ranks lower). Some organisations may beostensibly limited to a single country, but the higher ranks still haveglobal or multi-planetary influence. For example, the President of theUnited States is a Controlling Rank (Rank 6). Since the US has great
influence across the world, however, the position would be Rank 7 (as if
it was a global organisation).
These far-ranging organisation positions are only relevant, however,if the character can actually gain access to the resources of all branches of
the group. If an Earth character is Connected to a multi-planetary police
organisation, for instance, but can only interact with and be influenced
by the Earth chapter of the organisation, the group is only considered to
be a global organisation (1 Rank lower) for that character. The group is
not categorised as multi-planetary (2 Rank lower), since the extensive
resource benefits normally associated with an organisation that size are
not available to the character.
RANK 1 The character is connected to the organisation and can rely on it
for occasional support and favours (and expect to be called onin return).
RANK 2 The character has respected status in an organisation such as alanded knight in the feudal system, a junior executive in a
corporation, a city council member, or a Mafia “W ise Guy” in an
organised crime family. The organisation brings the characterstatus and some wealth.
RANK 3 The character has middle rank in an organisation such as acorporate vice president in charge of a department, a lesser
feudal lord with a castle and lands, or a Mafia “captain” whoruns a neighbourhood, or a junior congressman or member ofparliament.
RANK 4 The character has senior rank in an organisation, such as thesenior vice-president of a large corporation, a high-ranking
officer in the JSDF , or a US senator.
RANK 5 The character has controlling rank in an organisation, such as
the president of a megacorp, the boss of a large crime family, ora US state governor.
RANK 6 The character has a controlling rank that spans multiple
organisations, such as the ruler of a small nation, or “boss ofbosses” of many different crime families.

OWN A BIG MECHA (OBM)
Cost:
8 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

56

A mecha is a vehicle or construct of some sort such as a giant robot,
spaceship, tank, submarine, sports car, motorcycle, helicopter, powered
armour suit. Piloting is usually done from a cockpit inside the mecha,
though lower-technology or “retro” mecha may be operated fromthe outside or via remote control. The mecha’s aptitude forcombat is determined by the pilot character’s ability.

Mecha often appear in modern or future settings, but they can also
be pre-modern such as sailing ships or science-fantasy gear like magicalclockwork golems. “Mecha” that characters do not ride, pilot, occupy, or
wear, such as robot companions, are best acquired through the Flunkies(page 48) or Servant (page 60) Attributes.
The basic capabilities of the mecha are outlined in the Rank
progression chart (page 57. The exact details regarding the mecha’s form,
function, storage, and design are up to the player. With GM permission,a player can modify his or her character’s mecha from this baseline byassigning Attributes and Defects to the mecha rather than the character.
The Character Points associated with Attributes, and Bonus Points
associated with Defects, assigned in this way are divided by two todetermine the actual cost. For example, adding a Force Field

(4 Points/Rank) to the mecha would cost only 2 Points/Rank. Similarly,
adding a 2 Bonus Point Defect to the mecha would only return 1 Bonus
Point to the character. The GM has final approval over all mecha
modifications.
RANK 1 The character owns a weak mecha with: 2d8 Hit Points, 4Armour, 2 arms, top speed of 30 mph, 2d6 damage in unarmed
melee combat, and Rank 1 Special Attack.
RANK 2 The character owns a average mecha with: 4d8 Hit Points, 8
Armour, 2 arms, top speed of 60 mph, 4d6 damage in unarmed
melee combat, and Rank 2 Special Attack.
RANK 3 The character owns a strong mecha with: 6d8 Hit Points, 12
Armour, 2 arms, top speed of 100 mph, 6d6 damage inunarmed melee combat, and Rank 3 Special Attack.
RANK 4 The character owns a powerful mecha with: 8d8 Hit Points, 16
Armour, 2 arms, top speed of 300 mph, 8d6 damage inunarmed melee combat, and Rank 4 Special Attack.
RANK 5 The character owns a very powerful mecha with: 10d8 Hit
Points, 20 Armour, 2 arms, top speed of 600 mph, 10d6
damage in unarmed melee combat, and Rank 5 Special Attack.
RANK 6 The character owns a extraordinarily powerful mecha with: 12d8
Hit Points, 24 Armour, 2 arms, top speed of 1000 mph, 12d6
damage in unarmed melee combat, and Rank 6 Special Attack.

If you want an even more detailed and customisable version of
Own a Big Mecha, our d20 Mecha (#02-601) book is exactly what
you are looking for. Each rank of Own a Big Mecha gives you 400
Mecha Points with which you can build your machine. See page 157.

PERSONAL GEAR

Cost:
2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character gains 1 major and 4 minor items of Personal
Gear/Rank

The Personal Gear Attribute represents a character’s access to usefulequipment. Characters do not need to spend Character Points for items
that are legal, inexpensive, and mundane in the campaign setting (such as
clothing, a backpack, a knife, or consumer goods). GMs may require
players to allot Points to this Attribute, however, if their characters will
begin the game with numerous pieces of equipment to which the average
person might not have easy access such as weapons, body armour, or
specialised professional equipment. The GM may give starting players aweapon of choice and a few other inexpensive items for free.
Personal Gear cannot include magic items, secret prototypes, or
technology more advanced than what is standard in the setting (instead,see Item of Power, page 50). It can include common civilian vehicles
appropriate to the setting (for example, a car, truck, light airplane, or
motorbike in the present day; perhaps a horse for fantasy campaigns). Forless common or more expensive mecha, see Own a Big Mecha Attribute(page 56). The GM always has the final say on whether or not an item isavailable to the characters. Some examples of Personal Gear can be foundin Chapter 12: Combat; the GM can create the statistics of other items.
Although characters may have items that are owned by theorganisations to which they belong, they still must acquire these items as
Personal Gear if they will make regular use of them (though theConditional Ownership Defect may apply, see page 88). Thus, a police
officer would use Gear for a pistol, police car, or handcuffs, although these
items are property of the police department. This rule is intended mainlyfor play balance and, naturally, the GM has final say on this issue.
Each Rank in this Attribute permits the character to take one major
and four minor items. Alternatively, the character can exchange one
major item for four minor items, or vice versa. Use these guidelines todifferentiate between major and minor items:

The item is somewhat hard to get, or rather expensive. It issomething available in a shop or store or from a skilled artisan, but it
costs as much as an average person’s monthly wage. Alternatively, theGear can be less expensive but needs a license or black market contact toacquire. Non-standard items that modify or improve other items of Gear,but are not functional by themselves (for example, a scope for a rifle,
silencer for a pistol, or supercharged engine for an automobile) are also
minor items of Gear.
Modern examples of minor items include weapon and vehicle
modifications, handguns, premium medical kits, night vision goggles,
full camping gear, burglary tools, expensive tool kits, and personal
computers. Ancient or medieval examples include swords, longbows,
crossbows, shields, lightweight armour (such as leather or a light mailshirt), lock picks, poisons, or a mule. Gear must be appropriate to theworld setting — a pistol is a minor item in a modern-day or futuresetting, but an Item of Power in a medieval fantasy game!

• MAJORThe gear is usually illegal for civilians, but it may be issued to anelite law enforcement agency, an average soldier, or a government spy
may be issued. Modern-day examples of major items include machine
guns, tactical armour, and grenade launchers. Major gear items can also
include quite expensive but commercially available equipment such as ascience lab, workshop, car, or motorbike. The GM can rule that an
occasional, very expensive item (for example, an airplane or semi truck)counts as two or more major items of Gear. Ancient or medieval examplesof major items include a full suit of chain or plate armour, a cavalry horse,a smith’s forge, an alchemist’s lab, or a wagon and team of draft animals.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESBESM d20 and d20 Mecha• MINOR• MUNDANE
Items that are easy to acquire, legal, and inexpensive count as“mundane items” and do not count as Personal Gear unless taken inquantity (GM’s option). For example, “a complete tool box” would be asingle a minor item; a single wrench is mundane.

PET MONSTER

Cost:
6 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character owns one or more pet monsters, constructedfrom 20 Character Points plus 20/Rank

A Pet Monster is the ultimate friend and servant, ready to performnearly any task for its master. Unlike a Servant (page 60), Pet Monsters
have few desires beyond pleasing their master and rarely disobey orders.
Frequently, Pet Monsters fight in gladiatorial combats for their owners’
glory since they eager to please (and are usually more powerful thantheir owners as well). For other types of companions, see the Servant
Attribute.
A Pet Monster is a 1st Level Adventurer (page 16), created with hisor her own Ability Scores, Attributes, Defects, and Skills as normal butwith only 20 Discretionary Character Points. Each Rank of the Pet
Monster Attribute also gives the player 20 additional Character Points to
add to the Pet Monster (for example, 40 Points at Rank 1, 60 Points at
Rank 2, etc.). Pet Monsters do not gain Experience Points themselves andnever progress in class beyond Level 1, though; instead, a Pet Monster
gets more powerful when its owner advances in Rank in the Pet Monster
Attribute and gives his or her pet more Character Points (to acquire Feats,
Attributes, Skills, etc.). The Pet Monster may not have the Pet Monster
Attributes, and some relationship-based Defects should not be assigned
due to its innate role as a character’s pet. Thus, it is inappropriate for a
Pet Monster to have the following Defects: Owned, Red Tape, or
Significant Other.
If creating more than one monster (for populating a monster farmor ranch), the character can divide the Pet Monster Points amongst themin any way he or she desires. Each new Pet Monster added is created as
a 1st Level Adventurer as normal with 20 Discretionary Character Points.

57

If the GM wishes to encourage players to own multiple Pet Monsters
instead of just one, the Rank Progression could be changed from “+20Character Points/Rank” to “+15 Points/Rank +5 Points added to each
Pet Monster.” For example, if a character with six Pet Monsters increases
from Rank 3 to Rank 4 in this Attribute, each Pet Monster gains anadditional 5 Points and the player has 15 more Points to divide amongst
the six pets as he or she sees fit.

Experience Point Pet Monster Advancement

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

Rather than increasing the Pet Monster’s point total to reflect
advancement, players and GMs may wish to advance pet monsters
as Adventurers.
The Pet Monster begins play as a 1st Level Adventurer andgains Experience Points at the same pace as the character. If acharacter has multiple Pet Monsters, the XP award is divided
amongst the monsters (assigning the most XP to those monsters
that saw the most action in the adventure).
If the character increases his or her Rank in the Pet Monster
Attribute, the Monster gains the additional points as normal,
reflecting additional power, not additional experience. Using thismethod, however, player’s should ignore the “Pet Monster +1”
gained from character advancement for the Pet Monster Trainerclass — the XP advancement gained through adventuring reflects
the increased ability of the monsters.
In addition to Character Point assignment, players should consider
the following five aspects for his or her character’s Pet Monster:• What is its name? Make sure it’s a cute name.
• What does the Pet Monster look like? Make sure it’s cute.
• What species is it? Common species types include: aquatic,
beast, bird, bug, dragon/reptile, eyeball, gerbil/rodent, golem,
metamorph, slime, spirit, and veggie.
• From what elemental force does the Pet Monster derive its
powers? Common elements include: celestial, darkness, death, earth,electricity, fire, gas, ice, light, metal, psionics, sonic, water, and wind.
• How is the Pet Monster stored when not in use? All Pet
Monsters come with their own device for free, which may include anelectronic toy, a magical pocket ball, or an extra-dimensional gadget.
When the owner needs the Pet Monster, he or she summons them fromthe device, most commonly with a command phrase.

PLACE OF POWER
Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

A Place of Power is a home base or lair that is infused with magicalor holy energies. It might be a shrine, magical circle, a sacrificial altar, aring of standing stones or something less traditional. The place usually
radiates good or evil energy, and a nearby character with an appropriate
Sixth Sense can detect its presence.
While within his or her Place of Power, the character alone canperform activities using either Dynamic Sorcery or Magic more easily.
The Place of Power has a pool of 10 Energy Points for each Rank of thisAttribute. While the character is standing somewhere within the Place ofPower, he or she can draw on these Energy Points as if they were thecharacter’s own. Once used, the Energy Points replenish at a rate of 1
Energy Point for each Rank of the Place of Power Attribute per hour.
Several characters may share the same Place of Power. While thisoption does not reduce the Attribute’s cost, it can provide greater
convenience. Each character sharing the Power has his or her own sourceof additional Energy Points.
At the GM’s discretion, a Place of Power may also offer additional
advantages. In particular, one usually exerts a subtle, long-term,emotional influence on people who live in or near it, which may bepositive if the owner of the Place of Power is a good person or negative if
he or she is an evil one. In addition, individuals born or raised in a Placeof Power are more likely to develop supernatural abilities.
RANK 1 The Place of Power is the size of a small rug and provides 10
Energy Points.
RANK 2 The Place of Power is the size of a small room and provides 20
Energy Points.
RANK 3 The Place of Power is the size of a large room and provides 30
Energy Points.
RANK 4 The Place of Power is the size of a house and provides 40
Energy Points.
RANK 5 The Place of Power is the size of a city block and provides 50
Energy Points
RANK 6 The Place of Power is the size of several city blocks andprovides 60 Energy Points.

POCKET DIMENSION
Cost:
2, 3 or 4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

58

This Attribute allows the opening of a hole or doorway — a portal— into another dimension. In anime, this power is sometimes possessedby demons or even vampires, or, in Western myth, by fairies. Mages often
create dimensional portals leading from closets or doors into other places.
In less serious games, Pocket Dimension can also represent the ability
some characters have to suddenly produce big items (like huge hammers
or swords) seemingly out of nowhere. A Pocket Dimension could also
represent an object that is simply bigger on the inside than on the outside.
The Rank of Pocket Dimension determines the maximum size ofthe dimension. The environment and furnishings of the dimension are up
to the player within the GM’s limitations; extensive furnishings should beacquired as Personal Gear (page 57). A dimension could even be partially
unexplored or dangerous territory, providing adventuring opportunities
to the characters.
The cost of Pocket Dimension is 2 Points/Rank if it is limited to asingle fixed portal (such as a house closet), 3 Points/Rank if the portal isin a mobile location (such as inside a vehicle, or attached to an item), or
4 Points/Rank if the character can use a particular class of objects as aportal (such as “any mirror” or “any pool of water”).
A character with this ability at 2 or 3 Points/Rank cannot create
new portals leading out of the dimension; he or she may only leave by the
one that was entered. A character can usually only have a single portal

opened to his or her dimension at a time, but additional apertures to thesame dimension may be possessed for 1 extra Character Point each. At the
4 Points/Rank version, the character can leave the Pocket Dimension
through any other appropriate exit within 1 mile times the Rank (forexample, within a 6 mile radius for Rank 6); the character is not required
to leave through the same one he or she entered.
Once opened, a portal can stay open for as long as the creator is in
the dimension. The creator may also be able to “leave the door open” if
he or she wishes to allow individuals to enter or leave while the creator is
not present within the dimensional pocket.
Pocket Dimensions may optionally be designated as only one-way,
restricting access in or out until the character or machine maintaining
them is destroyed, or some other condition is fulfilled. This Attribute may
be taken multiple times to give access to multiple different dimensions.
If so, it may be taken at different Ranks for each individual dimension.

USING POCKET DIMENSION OFFENSIVELY
Some characters may have the exotic ability of being able to suck or
warp unwilling targets into their alternate dimension (at the 3 or 4
Points/Rank version only). To indicate this, assign the Pocket Dimension
Attribute and think acquire the Special Attack Attribute with the Linked(Pocket Dimension) Ability (page 65).
Characters who have an ability to travel between dimensions should
possess the Dimension Hop Special Movement Attribute (page 67).

POWER DEFENCE

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Variable
Progression:
The character reduces the DC of saving throws related to thedefensive use of an Attribute by 1/Rank

Power Defence is acquired in conjunction with another Attributenot normally used for defence (Attribute must be defined when Power
Defence is assigned). Power Defence allows a character to use the other
Attribute to defend against attacks, possibly avoiding all damage entirely.
The character must make a save (as appropriate for the situation or
Attribute) with a bonus of +1 per Power Defence Rank against a DC
equal to the attacker’s final to hit roll result. If successful, the character
activates his or her Attribute in time to defend against the attack andavoids all damage (and effects) from the attack. The player should consult
with the Game Master to determine which Attributes are appropriate fora Power Defence.
A character may only attempt one Power Defence each round unlesshe or she also possesses the Extra Defences Attribute (page 47), in whichcase he or she may sacrifice one extra defence to attempt an additionallyPower Defence (the two may not be used in conjunction, through).
Characters must assign this Attribute once for each Attribute theywish to use defensively.

EXAMPLEA character has T eleportation at Rank 3 and P ower Defense: T eleportation
at Rank 5 . An opponent attacks him and scores an impressive result of 32
on his to hit roll. T he teleporter must now roll a Reflex save (mostappropriate to T eleportation) against a DC of 32 with a +5 bonus for 5
ranks in P ower Defense: T eleportation. If successful, he teleports away before
the attack hits and completely avoids the damage. If the save is unsuccessful,
he is hit by the attack and suffers its effects as normal.

Cost:
1 to 4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

The character can projected images that fools one or more senses.
The Projection cannot be touched because it is not substantial. Closer
inspection will usually reveal the Projection for what it is, which may cause
it to disappear (GM’s discretion). The GM may require a Will save to “seethrough” a Projection against a DC equal to: 10 plus the projector’s
Wisdom modifier plus the projector’s Rank in Power Usage: Projection.
A Projection may be of a particular object or entity, or of a complete
scene (such as a furnished room or crowd). It may also be thrown over anexisting person, scene, or object to make it appear different than it really
is. A Projection that is untended is normally static, either remaining in
one place or (if created over something) moving as the underlying object
or entity moves. To give a Projection the semblance of independent
activity (such as a projected image of a person who moves and speaks),
the character must actively concentrate on manipulating the Projection,and perform no other actions.
For 1 Point/Rank the character can create Projections that can bedetected by one sense, usually sight (sense must be determined during
character creation). For 2 Points/Rank the Projections can be detected by
two senses, usually sight and hearing. For 3 Points/Rank the Projections
can be detected by three senses. For 4 Points/Rank the Projections can bedetected by all senses. No matter how realistic the Projections, however,they can never cause physical sensations intense enough to inflict pain ordamage. An image of a roaring fire may feel hot, and a character may
believe that he or she is burning, but the fire cannot actually deliver
damage. To create Projections capable of injuring targets, the charactershould possess a Special Attack Attribute (page 61) which is tied to theProjection Attribute through the Dependent Defect.
A character can normally maintain only a single Projection at a time.
To be able to maintain multiple Projections at once costs the character an
extra 1 Point for every distinct Projection the character can sustain
simultaneously after the first. Thus, “Projection Rank 3 (one sense, four
Projections)” would cost six Points: three Points for Rank 3 (one sense) andthree more Points for being able to sustain four Projections at a time. The
GM can assume that a group of objects or entities in close proximity, suchas a furnished room, a swarm of insects, or a horde of charging warriors,
counts as a single Projection rather than several. If a character is alreadysustaining his or her maximum number of Projections and wishes to create
another one, an existing Projection must first be dispelled.
In order for the character to create a convincing Projections ofsomething complex, the GM may require a Power Usage: Projection Skill
check against an appropriate DC. The GM can adjust the DC depending
on how familiar or unfamiliar the character is with the scene that is being
simulated. The GM may also give the character a +1 bonus for every
Rank he or she has in excess of the minimum Rank needed to create theProjection. For example, if a character with Projection Rank 5 decides tocreate a merely human-sized Projection (which needs only Rank 1), a +4
bonus applies. If the roll fails, the character’s Projection has some subtle
flaw in it; the character creating it may not be aware of this until someone
else points it out, however.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESRANK 1 The dimension can be as large as a closet.
RANK 2 The dimension can be as large as a room.
RANK 3 The dimension can be as large as a house.
RANK 4 The dimension can be as large as a city block.
RANK 5 The dimension can be the size of an entire village.
RANK 6 The dimension can be the size of an entire city (or even larger).

PROJECTIONRANK 1 The character can an create small illusions, about the size of asingle person.
RANK 2 The character can create medium illusions, large enough for an
entire room, or a large object like a car or elephant.
RANK 3 The character can create large illusions that can cover a housesized area.
RANK 4 The character can create very large illusions that can cover anentire neighbourhood (or a few hundred square yards).
RANK 5 The character can create huge illusions that cover a village-sized
area.
RANK 6 The character can create great illusions that can cover a townsized area.

59

REGENERATION

Cost:
4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character can regenerate 1 Hit Point each round/Rank

Characters with this Attribute automatically heal their own
injuries, whether the characters are awake, asleep, or unconscious. The
character’s Hit Points cannot exceed their original total. At higher
Regeneration Ranks, the character’s body will revive itself if “clinically”
dead but not actually brain-dead (Rank 3+), repair massive trauma suchas lost limbs or organs (Rank 6+), or restore the character if cut into
several pieces (Rank 6+). The body cannot repair itself if it is blown tobits or disintegrated, however.

REINCARNATIONCHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

Cost:
2 or 4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

If the character is destroyed, some of his or her essence may still
survive. This may be in spiritual or digital form, or it may be somethingthat must be retrieved from the corpse. A robot whose memory can becopied or uploaded, a creature that leaves an egg in its body upon death,or an undead monster that will reform a few minutes, hours, or days after
its apparent death are all examples of this. If this remnant can be salvaged
or otherwise recovered, in a matter of days or weeks and with proper care,it will develop a new body similar to the original. A reincarnatedcharacter usually starts with 1 Hit Point.
Reincarnation can be prevented in some way. This may be as simple
as burning, blowing up, or dismembering a body, or as obscure as
requiring a special ritual. For 2 Points/Rank, the Reincarnation is easy tostop; for 4 Points/Rank, the Reincarnation is difficult to stop. The GM
and player must work together to determine the parameters involved inpreventing the rebirth.
RANK 1 The reincarnation occurs within a few weeks.
RANK 2 The reincarnation occurs within a few days.
RANK 3 The reincarnation occurs within a single day.
RANK 4 The reincarnation occurs within a few hours.
RANK 5 The reincarnation occurs within a single hour.
RANK 6 The reincarnation occurs within a few minutes.

REJUVENATION

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
Under specific conditions, the character instantly regain 5 Hit
Points or Energy Points/Rank

Characters with this Attribute can focus on their adrenaline rushand internal reserves to restore lost Hit Points or Energy Points.
Rejuvenation can only take place under certain circumstances (like a
crowd getting behind a wrestler, a sound that triggers a certain memoryor the presence of a master, or a dashing knight inspiring a magical girl)and can happen only once in a scene. The GM and player should work
together to determine when Rejuvenation can occur. Rejuvenation
requires one combat round, during which the character can only dodge
or avoid attacks. Neither Hit Points nor Energy Points can be raised
above their maximum.

SENSORY BLOCK

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Intelligence
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

60

A character with Sensory Block can cover an area (size is determinedby the Rank) with a field that partially blocks specific senses or detection
techniques. This can represent a magical ability, technologicalenhancement, or paranormal effect. Each time this Attribute is assigned,

the character can either block one sense or enhanced sense (Type I) or one
detection technique (Type II), which is determined during character
creation. The GM may allow multiple assignments to the same sense ortechnique, which results in cumulative penalties. To fully block a detection
technique, see the Invisibility Attribute (page 50).

TYPE IOne of the five senses — hearing, smell, vision, taste, or touch — ispartially blocked. This may mean that individuals within the area coveredcannot see well (vision), cannot hear well (hearing), etc. Checks made bythese individuals when pertaining to the specific senses suffer a -4 penalty,
which is cumulative with any Heightened Senses bonus (see page 49).

TYPE IIA detection technique is partially blocked. Examples of techniques
include: darkvision, electric current detection; homing weapons;
infravision; magnetic field detection; microscopic vision; radar detection;
radio reception; sonar detection; a specific Sixth Sense technique;ultrasonic hearing; ultravision; vibration detection; X-ray vision. Ability
or Skill checks relating to these detection techniques suffer a -4 penalty.
RANK 1 The Sensory block covers up to 100 ft radius.
RANK 2 The Sensory block covers up to 500 ft radius.
RANK 3 The Sensory block covers up to 1 mile radius.
RANK 4 The Sensory block covers up to 5 mile radius.
RANK 5 The Sensory block covers up to 50 mile radius.
RANK 6 The Sensory block covers up to 500 mile radius.

SERVANT

Cost:
2 or 5 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The servant is constructed from 10 Character Points plus
10/RankThe character has a servant or companion entity. It serves as afamiliar, pet, companion, or bodyguard. Examples of Servants could
include: a magical girl’s talking animal companion, a pet robot, asorcerer’s apprentice, a fierce wolf, a bound demon or ghost, a mage’s
familiar cat, or a vampire’s enslaved servants. For a more powerful pet
monster servant (usually associated with gladiatorial combat), see the Pet
Monster Attribute (page 57). Servants are NPCs controlled by the GM,
but they will normally work toward the character’s best interests.
Nevertheless, they should have their own personalities and may
occasionally get into trouble of their own.
A Servant is assumed to be around “all the time.” To create a
servant that the character summons for a brief period of time, acquire the
Attribute as a Magical Power (see Magic, page 51) — this will result inthe servant only remaining around as long as the character spends
appropriate Energy Points.
This Attribute costs 2 Point/Rank if the character is limited to one
particular Servant. If the character can dismiss the Servant and replace itwith a different one between adventures or during an adventure withsuitable effort (GM’s option such as casting a summoning spell or taming
a new animal), then the Attribute costs 5 Points/Rank. A character cantake the Attribute several times to have multiple Servants.
A Servant is a 1st Level Adventurer (page 16), created with his or
her own Ability Scores, Attributes, Defects, and Skills as normal but with
only 10 Discretionary Character Points. Each Rank of the Servant
Attribute also gives the player 10 additional Character Points to add to
the Servant (for example, 20 Points at Rank 1, 30 Points at Rank 2, etc.).
The Servant may not have the Servant or Own a Big Mecha Attributes,
and some relationship-based Defects should not be assigned due to its
innate role as a character’s Servant. Thus, it is inappropriate for a Servant
to have the following Defects: Owned, Red Tape, or Significant Other.

SIXTH SENSE

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
The character gains 1 Sixth Sense/Rank

PRECOGNITION AND POSTCOGNITION
Alternatively, Sixth Sense can be assigned to represent precognitionand postcognition — the ability to access visions of past and future
events. This option is a GM-defined Attribute, however, which allows
him or her limit its application and scope within the campaign. For
precognition and postcognition, the Attribute’s Rank reflects the
maximum time difference between the present situation and a perceived
future or past event (the higher the Rank, the longer the time difference).
Low-Ranking character may only perceive events within minutes or hoursof the current time; high-Ranking characters can extend this time tohundreds or even thousands of years.

SIZE CHANGE

Cost:
1, 5, or 6 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Constitution
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

This Attribute reflects the ability to increase or decrease the statureof the character. A character may have the ability to both shrink andgrow for 6 Points/Rank. Alternatively, the character can choose to shrink
only at a cost of 1 Point/Rank or to grow only at a cost of 5 Points/Rank;
this restricts the character to changing size in one direction (with theability to return to his or her normal size). For example, a character with
Size Change (Shrinking Only) Rank 2 could shrink to half size and once
shrunk could grow back, but he or she could never increase his or herheight beyond normal.
It takes one round for a character to change size. Size Change isnormally designed to affect only the user, but it can be specified as usable
on others instead. If so, it only affects a single willing subject, whom theuser must touch. For it to be used as an attack against unwilling persons

RANK 1 The character’s size can increase or decrease one size category(a Medium character can either grow to Large or shrink to Small).
RANK 2 The character’s size can increase or decrease two size
categories (a Medium character can either grow to Huge or
shrink to Tiny).
RANK 3 The character’s size can increase or decrease three size
categories (a Medium character can either grow to Gargantuan
or shrink to Diminutive).
RANK 4 The character’s size can increase or decrease four size
categories (a Medium character can either grow to Colossal or
shrink to Fine).
RANK 5 The character’s size can increase or decrease five size
categories (a Small character can grow to Colossal; a Largecharacter could shrink to Fine).
RANK 6 The character’s size can increase or decrease six size categories(a Tiny character can grow to Colossal; a Huge character could
shrink to Fine).

SPECIAL ATTACK

Cost:
1 or 4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character possesses an attack that delivers 1d8
damage/Rank

Anime characters sometimes wield powerful offensive energies,
such as electric zaps, magical fireballs, ki-powered martial arts strikes, orenergy swords. Some characters, such as cyborgs or robots, as well asmecha, may have guns, missiles, or beam weapons built into their bodies.
Special Attack costs 4 Points/Rank, and delivers 1d8 damage per
Rank.
Special Attacks may be further customised by assigning one ormore attack Abilities from the list on pages 62-66. Each attack Ability
taken reduces the damage by 1d8 but adds an additional capability.
Attacks may also be assigned one or more attack Disabilities from the liston pages 66-67. Each attack Disability increases the damage by 1d8 but
reduces the attack’s utility by imposing some form of limitation.
The player must assign Abilities and Disabilities when the Special
Attack is designed. On the player’s character sheet, they are listed inparentheses following the attack’s modified damage. He or she may
assign a combination of Abilities and Disabilities that would reduce its
damage to a minimum of 1d8. To create a “zero damage” Special Attack,
one would select the No Damage Disability (see page 66). For example,
suppose a character has a Special Attack at Rank 2. He or she would only
be able to purchase one Ability, which would reduced the attack’s
damage from 2d8 to 1d8. If the character wanted to purchase a second
Ability, he or she must first assign a Disability, which would raise theattack’s damage back to 2d8. The character could then purchase a second
Ability, reducing the damage back to 1d8.
A Special Attack should always be given a descriptive name such as“90mm Auto-Cannon” or “Raging Thunder Dragon Fist.” Whendesigning the attack, the player (with GM input) should determine what
Skill and Specialisation is appropriate for its use. For most magical orsuperpowered ranged attacks, it will be Special Ranged Attacks. For
mecha Attacks, it is usually Heavy Weapons (Gunnery). For ranged
weapons designed as Personal Gear, it is usually Guns or Thrown Weapon
with an appropriate Specialisation depending on the description. Any
weapon with the Melee Disability uses the Melee Attack or Unarmed
Attack Skills depending on its description. For example, Melee Attack(Sword) is appropriate to an energy sword, while Unarmed Attack(Striking) would be suitable for a wraith that drained energy by its touchor a ki-energised martial arts strike.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

Some characters have the ability to detect things that are hidden to
normal senses or technological sensors, while others have affinities for
specific objects or people. Sixth Sense typically represents psychic ormagical ability, but can also reflect trained and acute senses or divineintervention.
The character may sense one particular category of phenomena per
Rank. The player should define the category with the GM’s approval(Sixth Sense is very much a GM-defined ability). As a guideline, thecharacter is automatically alerted when something his or her Sixth Sense
detects is in close proximity (roughly 20 foot radius area). The GM may
require a Wisdom check to do this, with difficulty modifiers dependingon the strength of the source of whatever emanations the character cansense. In some cases, the GM may allow detection at greater distances if
the source is very strong. The GM should give a bonus (+2 modifier ormore) if the character is touching the source.
A character who specifically concentrates on using his or her Sixth
Sense may gain more precise information on a successful Wisdom Check.
The exact content of this information is up to the GM. If the checksucceeds, the GM may provide the character with a few extra clues about
the source such as “the magic is coming from those buildings over there”
or “you sense the evil presence feels otherworldly... and hungry.” If thecheck fails, the character will not gain any additional information unlesssomething happens, such as the phenomena becoming stronger, or
coming much closer. The GM should always try to use Sixth Sense toplant clues that make a story more exciting, but not allow it to shortcircuit the process of discovery in a mystery plot.
Examples of phenomena to which the character may be sensitive
include astral/ethereal beings, danger, Pocket Dimensions, electricity,elements, emotions, evil, illusions, interpersonal dynamics, magic,
magnetics, paranormal nexus points, particular objects, places of power,
psionics, spirits, telepathy, truth, virtue, or the use of specific Attributes
or Defects.

or over a distance, the character must also acquire the Special Attack
Attribute (page 61) with the Linked (Size Change) Ability (page 65).
See page 97 for more information on size categories.

61• ALTERNATE ATTACKS
Although a character or mecha often uses his or her highest-Rank“primary” weapon, alternate or backup ones may also be possessed. The
Point cost of these additional “secondary” attacks are one quarter the costof the primary attack at 1 Point/Rank. The primary attack — the attack
with the highest Rank — is the only one that costs the standard 4
Points/Rank. Secondary attacks may each possess different damages,
Abilities and Disabilities. If acquiring alternate attacks as Magical Powers(see Magic, page 51) the secondary attacks drain the regular 2 Energy
Points/Rank, not 0.5 Energy Points/Rank.

• MECHA WEAPON ATTACKS AND DIFFERENT GUNNERS

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

If a mecha has the Special Attack Ability, each armament isnormally designed for use by whomever is controlling the mecha. An
operator can only fire one of the weapons each round, unless he or she
possesses the Extra Attacks Attribute (page 47) and the Special Attack
has the Flurry Ability (page 64). If the mecha carries multiple people,
however, it may be designed with many independently operated
weapons, each manned by a different character, which allows
simultaneous attacks. If a weapon is created from this category, it should
be noted as requiring a “Different Gunner” and purchased at anadditional flat cost of 2 Points each (this is the half-cost discounted
version; see Own a Big Mecha for more information on page 56).

SPECIAL ATTACK DESCRIPTORS
Many d20 games assign attacks descriptors such as “magic,”“lawful,” “evil,” and the like, which usually affects Damage Reduction as
well as some other abilities. Players may assign a descriptive term to aSpecial Attack at a cost of 1 point per term (multiple terms may be
applied to the same attack). If anything is affected by attacks of that
descriptor, the Special Attack will be modified accordingly. Otherwise, if
a player does not assign a descriptor, treat the attack as a normal attack.

SPECIAL EFFECTS
The special effects of Area Effect, Drain (Any), Flare,
Incapacitating, Irritant, Spreading, and Tangle are determined by the
Rank of the Special Attack only. Massive Damage, Superstrength, andcritical hit multipliers are not included in the calculation. Additionally,
Armour and Force Fields do not normally protect against the special
effects of Drain (Any), Flare, Incapacitating, Irritant, or Tangle. Before
making an attack, a character can choose to inflict less damage than thenormal 1d8/Rank, or reduce the power of their special effects.

Effects Based on Damage Inflicted
The scope of the special effects for attacks with the Area
Effect, Drain (Any), Flare, Incapacitating, Irritant, Linked,
Spreading, or Tangle Abilities depend on the Rank of the Special
Attack. For example, Drain (Mind) reduced the target’s Intelligence
Score by 2 for every Special Attack Rank; similarly, Tangle creates
restraints that have 4 Hit Points for every Special Attack Rank.
Attacks with the No Damage Disability are treated as one Rank
higher when determining the special effects for these Abilities.
To introduce randomness into these special effects, their scopes
could instead be based on every 5 damage that the attack inflicts(or would have inflicted in the case of attacks with the No Damage
Disability). For the above examples, Drain (Mind) would reduce atarget’s Intelligence Score by 2 for every 5 damage, and Tangle
would create restraints that have 4 Hit Points for every 5 damage.
If this alternate rule is used, damage must be rolled for all
attacks — including ones with the No Damage Disability — todetermine the special effect scope. While this rule will balance theattacks with each other more accurately (particularly if the No
Damage Disability is assigned), a little more calculation is involved.

62

SPECIAL
ATTACK ABILITIESThe following Abilities may be assigned to a Special Attack. The
GM may disallow any combination of Abilities that seems inappropriate.

TABLE 6-2: ATTACK ABILITIESABILITY
Accurate
Affects Incorporeal
Area EffectAura
Auto-Fire
Burning
Concealable
Contagious
Drain Body
Drain Energy
Drain Mind
Drain Soul
Enduring
Flare
Flexible
FlurryHomingIncapacitating
Incurable# OF SLOTS
1
1
1
2
3
1
1
2 or 4
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 or 2
3
4

ABILITY# OF SLOTS
Indirect1
Irritant
1
Linked (Attack)2
Linked (Attribute)1
Long Range
1
Mind or Soul Attack
5
Muscle-Powered
1
No Regeneration
1
Penetrating (Armour)
1
Penetrating (Force Field) 1
Quake
1
Spreading1
Stun
1
Tangle2Targeted
1 or 2
Trap
1
Undetectable
4
Unique Ability
1
Vampiric
2-4• ACCURATE

The attack is unusually accurate giving a +4 bonus to Attack rolls(or Ability checks if the attack has the Mind or Soul Attack Ability). This
Ability can be assigned two or three times for a +8 or +12 bonus, but
may not be combined with the Linked (Attack) Ability.

• AFFECTS INCORPOREAL

This attack will affect characters who are currently Astral or
Incorporeal as if they were solid.

• AREA EFFECTThis is an attack, like an explosive blast, that affects not only the
direct target, but also anyone in the immediate area. All affected characters
are allowed a Reflex Save (diving for cover, swerving out of the way) for half
damage. Characters and mecha that can shield themselves with very solid
objects or terrain in the vicinity may avoid damage completely (GM’sdiscretion) on a successful Reflex save. This represents the character
ducking or moving behind cover. The GM will decide whether an object or
person is within the area of effect, and may assume the area radius isequivalent to 5 feet for every Special Attack Rank. Area Effect can be
assigned multiple times; each Ability doubles the area radius.

• AURA

Rather than having to make an actual attack, the character instead
automatically damages anyone who touches his or her body. An example
might be a character who was sheathed in flame or electrified. If this
Ability is combined with the Area Effect Ability, it automaticallydamages anyone in the designated area around the character. Aura counts
as two Abilities.

• AUTO-FIRE

The attack consists of a burst of multiple shots like a machine gun
or rapid sequence of energy bolts. Instead of scoring one hit when an
attack is successful, the attacker scores hits (minimum of one, maximumof five) equal to the difference between his or her final to hit roll (including
all modifiers) and the targets defence roll (including all modifiers) divided
by five, rounded down. For example, if a character attempts to hit a target
who rolled a final defence value of 27, he or she would score 2 hits (27 16 = 11; 11 ÷ 5 = 2.2; round down to 2). Each hit delivers separate
damage (important when considering Armour and Force Fields). Bonuses
from Massive Damage, Superstrength, and critical hit multipliers are only
applied to the first hit in an Auto-Fire burst — all others only inflict thenormal damage of the Special Attack. The Game Master may increase themaximum number of hits scored to 10 to reflect more potentiallydamaging attacks. Auto-Fire counts as three Abilities.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

63

• BURNING

This represents acid, flaming liquid, or similar attacks that deliver
continuing damage over several rounds. If the initial attack damage
penetrates the opponent’s Armour, the target will suffer an additional 1
damage/Rank of the Special Attack each round for 5 rounds or until theeffect is somehow neutralised (GM’s discretion; it should depend on thetype of attack, and may require several rounds for full neutralisation).
Armour does not protect against the extra burning damage in subsequent
rounds. Alternatively, Burning can be defined as a “hourly burn,” in whichcase the damage is 2 per Rank rather than 1 but is applied on a daily basis(rather than round-by-round). Finally, a “slow burn” inflicts 4damage/Rank inflicted daily (rather than round-by-round). This Ability
may best represent a disease or slow poison attack. Unlike a regular
Burning attack, the hourly burn and slow burn damage will continue untilthe victim is dead or makes a successful Fortitude save against a DC of 15+ the Rank of the Special Attack (made on an hourly or daily basis).

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES• CONCEALABLE

This option is only available for Hand-Held weapons, mecha
weapons, or personal gear. Such weapons are normally assumed to bevisible — a weapon built into a mecha has obvious barrels or gun ports,
for example. A Concealable weapon is not so obvious; it may extend out
from the mecha or be disguised as something else. If built as a HandHeld Weapon or Personal Gear, this means it is small enough to be usedwith one hand and concealed under clothing. Most pistol-sized or knifesized weapons are Concealable. For more cinematic games, larger
weapons such as swords and machine guns can be designed as
Concealable as well.

• CONTAGIOUS

Some or all of the attack’s damage or other effects will be passed on
to others who touch (or otherwise contact) a victim. If mildly contagious,
not everyone will be infected; a prospective victim must fail a Fortitude
save versus a DC 15 + Rank of Special Attack to be affected. If taken
twice, it is highly contagious; someone must fail the Save at a -4 penalty
in order to be affected. Alternatively, the contagion may be automatedunder some circumstances. The save is normally a Fortitude save, butsome contagion may require a Will save. The GM should adjudicate
Effects and countermeasures. The Ability is usually combined with the
Toxic Disability. Contagious counts as two Abilities if mildly contagious
or four Abilities if highly contagious.

• DRAIN BODY

The attack causes the victim to suffer weakness and/or loss of coordination. The victim’s Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution (chosenwhen the attack is designed) is reduced by 2 per Rank of the attack. The
Ability drain is in addition to any Hit Point losses from the attack. To
design an attack that only drains the chosen Ability, but inflicts no otherpunishment, the No Damage Disability must also be assigned. If atarget’s Constitution is drained to 0, he or she is rendered unconscious
but does not die as normal. Lost Ability Score Points are recovered at two
Points per hour of rest. Drain Body counts as two Abilities• DRAIN ENERGY

The attack drains away the victim’s personal energy supply, causing
him or her to become fatigued and/or despondent. In addition to thedamage delivered to the victim’s Hit Points, the attack causes the sameloss of Energy Points. To design an attack that only drains Energy Points,
the No Damage Disability must also be assigned. Lost Energy Points
recover at their normal rate.

• DRAIN MIND

The attack causes the victim to lose his or her mind. The attack may
be a psionic attack, a tranquilliser or similar drug, or another form ofattack. The victim’s Intelligence is reduced by 2 multiplied by the Special
Attack Rank. This Intelligence drain is in addition to any Hit Point losses
from the attack. To design an attack that only drains Intelligence, the No
Damage Disability must also be assigned. The drained Points return at therate of two every hour. Drain Mind counts as two Abilities.

• DRAIN SOUL64

The Attack affects the victim’s spirit. This attack may be a wave of fear,
despair, or some other willpower-destroying emotion. The victim’s Wisdom
or Charisma (chosen when the attack is designed) is reduced by 2 multipliedby the Special Attack Rank. This drainage is in addition to any Hit Point
losses from the attack. To design an attack that only drains the chosen Ability,
the No Damage Disability must also be assigned. The drained Points returnat the rate of two every hour. Drain Soul counts as two Abilities.

• ENDURING

Enduring can only be assigned in conjunction with Area Effect. The
attack remains active within the affected area over multiple rounds.
Examples of this type of attack include chemical clouds, sheets of fire,electrical charges, or supercooled vapours. Anyone entering or remaining
in the area is immediately subject to the attack; defence checks are
outlined under Area Effect. Each time Enduring is assigned, the Area
Effect attack remains active for 1 additional round.

• FLARE

If the target is hit (or in the radius of an Area Effect weapon attack)the defending character may be blinded. Every target looking at theattack must roll a Fortitude save against DC 10 + 2 per Rank of theSpecial Attack. If a target character fails his or her Fortitude save, he or
she is blinded for a number of combat rounds equal to the amount bywhich the save was failed. Characters with appropriate Special Defences(page 67) will not be blinded. Flare may be taken multiple times; eachtime it is taken, add an extra 2 to the DC of the Fortitude save. Flare canalso be generalised to cover other sense-overloading attacks. For example,
the attack might cause deafness.

• FLEXIBLEThis Ability represents long, flexible, or extendible attacks such asa prehensile whip, energy-lash, razor-ribbon, or similar attack mode. The
target’s defence rolls are at a -2 penalty. If the attacker is strong enoughto physically lift the target, a successful attack can trip or disarm an
opponent (snagging a hand-held weapon) in lieu of delivering damage.
Such non-damaging attack stunts are made at a -4 penalty to the attackroll since they require great talent to execute accurately.

• FLURRYThis Ability allows a character to use his or her Special Attack
multiple times in a round if that character has multiple attacks — one
extra use per round each time it is assigned, in addition to the first regularuse. Normally, a Special Attack can only be used once each round (seepage 62). The second attack would be made using the characters second
Base Attack Bonus, the third using the third Base Attack Bonus, and thefourth using the fourth Base Attack Bonus. For example, if a character
had a Base Attack of +17/+12/+7 and had this Ability twice, he or she
would make three Weapon Attacks at +17/+12/+7. If he or she only
had it once, the character would be able to attack twice at +17/+12.

• HOMING

The attack or weapon fires a projectile or energy bolt that can trackand follow its target. The character receives a +4 bonus to his or her
attack roll, and if the attack misses or the target successfully defends, theweapon will return to try again (only one more time) in the next combat
round. A Homing attack is vulnerable to Sensory Block, however (page60). In a setting where electronic Sensory Block is not common (such as
ancient Japan), Homing counts as two Abilities.

• INCAPACITATING

This represents any form of attack that can instantly incapacitate a
foe even if it does not inflict actual damage. This includes putting an
opponent to sleep or turning him or her to stone. Regardless of whether
the attack does physical damage, the victim must make a saving throw(either Fortitude or Will — decide when the attack is designed) against
DC 10 + 2 per Special Attack Rank to avoid being completely
incapacitated. When designing the attack, specify the form theincapacitation takes: asleep, awake but paralysed, turned to stone,transformed into an inert doll, etc. The effects will wear off in several
minutes, unless the Incurable Ability (see below) is also taken. To design
an attack that only incapacitates the target, the No Damage Disability
must also be assigned. Incapacitating counts as three Abilities.

• INCURABLE

The attack produces wounds or other effects that do not heal
naturally, and are incurable by normal methods. Rather than recovering
at a normal rate or being amenable to standard medical treatment,
recovery cannot take place until some exotic event or treatment has

occurred. This requirement must be specified when the attack isdesigned, subject to GM approval. Incurable counts as four Abilities.

• INDIRECT

The weapon can fire shots in a high ballistic arc. Examples include
grenade launchers and artillery guns. This allows the attacker to shoot attargets hidden behind buildings, hills, or other obstacles (or even shootover the horizon, if the Long Range Ability is also assigned). Indirect fireis tricky, however. To effectively fire at an indirect location, the attacker
must be able to “see” the target (sensors can be used), or someone elsemust spot the target and relay its position to the attacker. Indirect fire
results in a -2 penalty to the attack roll with an additional -6 penalty if
the target cannot be physically seen by the attacker (for a total of -8). A
weapon with the Indirect Ability can be used under normal medium andshort ranges without any penalty.

• IRRITANT

This represents pepper spray, a skunk’s musk, an itching spell, or
similar effect. Whether or not damage penetrated Armour, the subject
must make a Fortitude save against DC 10 + 2 per Special Attack Rank.
If the target fails, the character is partially blinded and distracted (-2penalty on all rolls to do anything) for a number of rounds equal to theamount by which he or she failed the save. Irritant is usually taken in
conjunction with the Toxic Disability to simulate an attack against whicha gas mask or the like offers protection.

• LINKED (ATTACK)• LINKED (ATTRIBUTE)

An attack with this Ability is attached to one of the following
Attributes, which the character must also possess: Insubstantial,
Metamorphosis, Pocket Dimension, Size Change, or Teleport. If theattack hits, a living subject will be affected by that Attribute provided heor she fails a Fortitude save to resist against DC 10 + 2 per Special
Attack Rank.

• LONG RANGE

An ordinary attack is assumed to have an effective range of about
300 feet (2 miles in space). This Ability extends the range to 1 mile (20miles in space). Long Range weapons are typical of beam cannons on
spaceships, guided missiles, or the guns of tanks or mecha. It can be
assigned multiple times: each time it is taken after the first doubles theactual range. Since the Earth’s horizon limits line-of-sight for charactersstanding on the ground, multiple Long Range Abilities are often
combined with the Indirect Ability (see above). This Ability is
incompatible with the Melee and Short Range Disabilities.

• MIND OR SOUL ATTACK

The attack is not a physical attack but rather is a mental assault(Mind Attack) or contest of spirit or will (Soul Attack). During creation,
the player must specify either Mind or Soul as the focus of the Ability.
Instead of using the character’s base attack bonus to hit, the charactermust roll a successful Intelligence (Mind Attack) or Wisdom (Soul
Attack) check for his or her character (though appropriate Skills canmodify this). Furthermore, instead of a normal defence roll, the subject• MUSCLE-POWEREDThis ability normally is only appropriate for melee or thrownweapons. The character adds any damage modifier due to Strength to theattack’s base damage.

• NO REGENERATIONThis is a lesser form of Incurable. The damage from the attack
cannot be restored using the Healing or Regeneration Attributes but canotherwise recover or be repaired normally.

• PENETRATING (ARMOUR)

Armour does not stop damage from these attacks as efficiently as
usual. Each time Penetrating (Armour) is assigned, Armour stops 10
less damage than normal from the attack (up to the Armour’s
maximum rating).

• PENETRATING (FORCE FIELD)The Force Field Attribute does not stop damage from these attacks
as efficiently as usual. Each time Penetrating (Force Field) is assigned, theForce Field stops 10 less damage than normal from the attack (up to theField’s maximum rating).

• Q UAKE

This attack causes a linear shock wave in the ground, causing
rumbling and fractures. The quake “fault” will only be large enough for one
person to fall into its depths unless it is combined with the Area EffectAbility. A victim may fall into the crevasse if he or she fails a Reflex save (DC
15 + Special Attack Rank). The fissure will be approximately 3 feet deep for
the first 5 damage (including bonuses for Strength and Massive Damage)and is doubled for every additional 5 damage the attack inflicts. Thus aquake that delivers a total of 15 damage creates a fissure 12 feet deep, while
one that delivers 30 damage creates a crevice 96 feet deep. Quake can only
be used on a solid surface (which may be earth, sand, cement, or asphalt),
and may not be combined with the Aura Ability or No Damage Disability.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

An attack with this Ability is “attached” to another (or “master”)
attack. The master attack may be an ordinary weapon (such as an item of
Personal Gear, like a sword or gun), a Natural Weapon or unarmed
attack, or a different Special Attack. If that master attack is successful,
this linked attack automatically hits as well (no defence allowed), but if
it misses or fails to penetrate the target’s defences (Armour, Force Fields,etc.), the linked attack automatically fails too (with full Energy Point
cost, if applicable). If the master attack hits and delivered enoughdamage to successfully penetrate Armour, then the Armour does notprotect at all against the damage of the second linked attack. Damage
bonuses from Massive Damage, Superstrength, and critical hit
multipliers only apply to the master attack, not to each attack. An attack
with the Linked Ability may not be given the Accurate or Long Range
Abilities or the Inaccurate, Low Penetration, Melee, or Short Range
Disabilities; its range and accuracy are dependent on the attack to which
it is linked. The attack can only be used in conjunction with the masterattack; it cannot be used separately, on its own. Unless the GM indicatesotherwise, only one Special Attack can be attached to each master attack.
Linked (Attack) counts as two Abilities.

makes a Will save plus any bonuses for the Mind Shield Attribute (DC is
the attacker’s Intelligence or Wisdom check total). Soul Attack ignores
Armour and Force Fields, and affects Insubstantial or Astral charactersnormally. Both versions count as five Abilities.

• SPREADING

This type of attack spreads to cover an expanding area like a coneof energy or a spray of projectiles or energy bolts. The defender receivesa -1 penalty to his or her Defence roll. Multiple adjacent targets in theattack path may also receive damage if they are lined up or in a dense
formation, up to a maximum of one extra target for every Special Attack
Rank. The Spreading Ability can be acquired multiple times; each one
further penalises the target’s Defence roll by -1 and doubles the numberof possible adjacent targets. Spreading is often assigned in conjunction
with the Short Range Disability.

• STUNAn attack with this Ability inflicts temporary damage such as anelectric shock that shorts out electronics and renders people unconscious.
Lost Hit Points are recovered or repaired at one Point every minute rather
than at the normal rate. Stun damage cannot kill. Although the attack
only inflicts temporary damage (compared to the real damage of a regularattack), it has the advantage that it may be used to incapacitate a foe
without the risk of killing him or her.

• TANGLE

Attacks that can entangle the victim may include a spray thatfreezes the target in ice, or traps him or her in the branches of ananimated plant, simple webbing, etc. The entanglement has 4 Hit
Points for every Special Attack Rank. If a target does not successfully
defend a Tangle attack, he or she is trapped until sufficient damage isdelivered to the entanglement to reduce its Hit Points to zero or lower(at this point it is destroyed). A trapped character has restrictedmovement and attacks physically at a -4 penalty, cannot defend (ignore
Dexterity bonuses for AC), and cannot perform actions that requirecomplex gestures. A character is usually able to speak, however. A victim
who has partially destroyed an entanglement may regain additional
body movement (GM’s discretion). A Tangle attack also inflicts damage
as normal unless the No Damage Disability is also assigned to theattack. An “Incurable” entanglement can only be damaged by somespecial means (such as fire or water) defined when the Tangle attack is
created. Tangle counts as two Abilities.

65• TARGETED

The attack inflicts double damage to a specific group of targets andnormal or no damage to everyone else. Thus, an attack could be good energy(double damage to evil creatures), chaos energy (double damage to lawful
creatures), life energy (double damage to undead creatures), or detrimental
to a specific race. Targeted counts as one Ability if no damage is delivered to
non-Targeted opponents, or two Abilities if normal damage is delivered.

• TRAP

The attack lays a mine, booby trap, or some other similar device,
which “sits and waits” until someone triggers it. A successful Spot Skill
check (DC 10 + Special Attack Rank) will reveal the trap’s presence. The
Trap Ability can be paired with the Melee Disability (right column) tosimulate a booby trap that must be carefully planted. Without the Melee
Disability, the trap can be deployed at a range; a successful attack rollindicates that the Trap was fired or tossed into the correct area.

• UNDETECTABLE

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

Most Special Attacks have a visible component that makes it easy
for targets to determine who is attacking them. An attack with theUndetectable Ability does not provide any indication that it is about tostrike and cannot be traced back to the attacker using normal methods.
This may result in the attacker gaining surprise (target is flat-footed). If
the target knows he or she is under attack, he or she may still defend but
does not gain his or her Dexterity bonus to AC. This Ability is most often
associated with non-physical attacks such as ones with the Drain (Any),or Mind or Soul Attack Abilities. Undetectable counts as four Abilities.

• UNIQUE ABILITY

The attack has some other unspecified Ability that is not listed, andis subject to GM approval. Examples can include an attack that alters thetarget’s memories, one that affects the appearance of the target, andmany more. The number of Ability slots is determined by the GM basedon the benefit the Unique Ability provides.

• VAMPIRICThis Ability can be added to any attack that causes normal damage
or one that drains Ability Score values. Upon a successful attack, the lost
Hit Points or Ability Scores are transferred to the attacker. Vampiric
counts as two Abilities if the attack can only restore lost Points or Ranks(thus, the character could heal him or herself). It counts as three Abilities
if the attack can increase the character’s Hit Points above their normal
maximum value (no more than twice normal, however). Finally, it counts
as four Abilities if it can increase the character’s Ability Scores above theirnormal maximum value). Any values or Points in excess of the user’s
normal Rank fade at a rate of 10 Hit Points or two Ability Score values
per hour. This Ability may not be combined with the Area Effect orSpreading Abilities. Vampiric costs 2, 3, or 4 Ability slots.

ATTACK
DISABILITIES
Some, none, or many of these Disabilities may be assigned to aSpecial Attack. The GM may disallow any combination that seems
inappropriate.

TABLE 6-3: ATTACK DISABILITIESDISBILITY# OF SLOTS
Backblast
1 or 2
Drop Shields
1
Extra Energy
1
Inaccurate
1
Internal
1
Limited Shots
1-3
Low Penetration
1
Melee
2
No Damage1
Only In (Environment) 1 or 2

• BACKBLAST

66

DISBILITY
Self-Destruct
Short Range
Slow
StaticStoppable
Toxic
Unique Disability
Unreliable
Uses Energy# OF SLOTS
4
1
1-5
2
1
1
1
1
1 or 2

The attack produces some sort of backblast or other side effect that
affects anyone or anything standing directly behind the attacker (within
5 feet). An example is a rocket launcher that produces a hazardous

backblast to anyone standing behind the gunner, but some spells or otherabilities might have similar risks. The damage of the backblast is
normally one quarter the damage of the actual attack. If this Disability istaken twice, it affects everyone in a 5-foot radius around it, including theattacking character (unless he or she also has Immunity to one’s own
attacks; page 50). Backblast cannot be combined with the Area Effectand Aura Abilities at the same time.

• DROP SHIELDSThis Disability can only be taken if the character also has a Force
Field. It requires the character to turn off all Force Fields before using theattack, and they must remain down until the character’s turn to act on
the following round.

• EXTRA ENERGY

This is only appropriate for characters acquiring the attack as a
Magical Power. The attack costs twice as many Energy Points as normal.
Extra Energy can be taken multiple times, with each time doubling theEnergy Points requirement.

• INACCURATE

The attack is not as accurate as normal ones, and imposes a -4
penalty to all attack rolls. This Disability can be taken two or three times
for a -8 or -12 penalty.

• INTERNALThe attack is only usable inside a specific mecha or other structure.
This may represent a mecha’s built-in internal security systems or an
attack for which the character draws power from a mechanism inside andchannels it through his or her body.

• LIMITED SHOTS

The attack is only usable for a few combat rounds, after which it
either runs out of ammunition or power, or simply burns out. Assigning
this Disability once means it can make up to six attacks; if taken twice,
up to three attacks; if taken three times, only one attack. If the attack
also has the Auto-Fire Ability (page 62), one “attack” means a single
Auto-Fire burst.
The base number of Disability slots are for attacks that take several
minutes or more to “reload.” If the attack can be “reloaded” with one
action, the number of Disability slots is reduced by 1 (minimum of 1 slot).
If the attack can be “reloaded” instantly (an ammunition source is stillrequired), the Disability is worth two fewer slots (minimum of 1 slot).

• LOW PENETRATION

The attack has an inferior ability to penetrate Armour and Force
Fields relative to its damage. Examples include shotgun blasts, hollowpoint bullets, or phased plasma guns. Any Armour or Force Field
Attribute stops an additional 10 damage. This Disability is incompatible
with either of the two Penetrating Abilities. GMs must approve Special
Attacks with multiple assignments of Low Penetration.

• MELEE

The attack is only usable against adjacent opponents and may requirephysical contact. An example of a Melee attack is a physical or energy sword
or a touch that inflicts debilitating effects. Of course, many Melee weapons
can be thrown as well in desperate situation, but the attack suffers a -4
attack penalty and the damage is divided in half. The Melee Disability
cannot be combined with the Long Range Ability or Short Range Disability.
It is sufficiently limiting that it is equivalent to two Disabilities.

• NO DAMAGE

The attack does not deliver ordinary physical damage. This
Disability is usually only taken if combined with Abilities such as Drain(Any), Flare, Incapacitating, Irritant, Linked (Attribute), or Tangle that
produce effects that do not rely on physical damage. The damage valueof the attack is used only to rate the effectiveness of these special abilities— the greater the damage value, the more effective the attack.
Characters that use Special Attacks with the No Damage Disability may
still need to roll to determined the effectiveness of some attack Abilities,
however.

• ONLY IN (ENVIRONMENT)The attack or weapon can only target objects that are on or in aparticular limited environment, for example, “only in water”(representing a torpedo) or “only in space” (representing a powerfulweapon that requires a vacuum to work). The environment should not beone that is ubiquitous in the campaign (for example, “only in air” is not
valid unless a lot of the game action will take place in airlessenvironments). If the environment is very rare in the campaign, the GM
may allow this to count as two Disabilities.

• SELF-DESTRUCTUse of this attack destroys the weapon (characters obviously assign
this Disability to themselves very rarely). This Disability is usuallycombined with Melee and Area-Effect to represent an explosive selfdestruct system. It may not be combined with Limited Shots. It counts
as four Disability slots.

• SHORT RANGEThis attack is only usable at fairly close range (effective range ofabout 30 feet). The Short Range Disability cannot be combined with theLong Range Ability or the Melee Disability.

• SLOW

The attacker must use one combat action to aim, charge, chant an
incantation, load the weapon, or perform some other necessary activity
before each attack. Someone with the Extra Attacks Attribute (see page47) can use one of his or her extra actions to prepare the attack rather
than wasting the entire round. The Slow Disability can be taken morethan once to represent an attack that takes even longer to initiate.
Assigning it twice increases the time to three rounds; three assignments
increases the time to 10 rounds (about a minute); four increases the time
to two-six hours; five increases the preparation to days. This Disability
may not be used with the Linked (Attack) Ability.
The attack cannot be used while the character is moving (or if amecha weapon, while the mecha is moving under its own power). This could
be due to a need for precise aim or total concentration. The weapon mightalso require all power to be diverted to its energy supply, or might be static
because of recoil, or another reason. The character is considered flat-footed
while preparing to fire the attack. Static is worth two Disabilities.

• STOPPABLE

The attack fires a projectile or energy bolt that is massive or slow
enough to be shot down and does not reach the target until Initiative zero.
Consequently, the attack can be stopped in mid-flight. A cannon shellwould probably not qualify, but a missile or plasma-ball might. Anyone
with an unused combat attack action during the same round may make aranged attack against the projectile. To stop the attack, a successful hit (orhits) must deliver at least 3 damage for every 1d8 of damage of the attack.
Stoppable may not be combined with the Melee Disability. Stoppable may
be purchased more than once to reflect an attack that takes even longer toreach the target. Assigning Stoppable twice increases the time to reach thetarget to two rounds; each further assignment doubles the transit time.
Slow moving missiles and plasma bolts are examples of attacks that might
have Stoppable two or three times.

• TOXICThe attack is a gas, toxin, biological weapon, sound, radiation, orother harmful effect that only damages living things. Non-living material(such as most mecha) or characters who have the appropriate Adaptationor Special Defence Attributes are immune to its effects.

• UNIQUE DISABILITY

The attack has some other unspecified limitation, which is subject
to GM approval. Examples could include a weapon that fires in a random
direction, one that is extremely costly to operate, an attack that drains
Hit Points from the user, etc.

• UNRELIABLE

Any time this attack is used and the attack roll is an unmodified (or“natural”) 1, the attack fails to take place and the weapon or ability either
burns out, jams, overheats, or otherwise malfunctions. The Special Attack
will not work again until some condition is fulfilled. For example,
repairing a mecha weapon requires a skilled individual to make a
successful Intelligence check (one attempt each round), and while thecharacter is making repairs, he or she cannot carry out other activities.
The same could apply to a magical attack with a Intelligence checkneeded to remember the correct words. Other remedies might beappropriate for recovering different attacks (for example, a dragon whose
breath weapon has “burned out” might have to eat a hearty meal first).

The attack draws upon the user’s personal energy, each attack
draining 5 Energy Points. This Disability can be taken twice, and, if so,
it uses 5 Energy Points per Rank. This Disability is not available for
Magical Powers, which automatically use energy (see the Extra Energy
Disability instead, page 66).

SPECIAL DEFENCE

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
The character gains 1 Special Defence slot/Rank

A character with this Attribute is resistant or completely immune
to a specific type of uncommon ailment or injury, normally one whose
effects are otherwise insidious in nature. Special Defence can be acquired
multiple times to represent a character who is resistant or immune todifferent kinds of attacks/events.
If a category is assigned one slot, the character is partially resistant;
for two slots, the character has complete or enhanced resistance. For
ability to survive under harsh physical conditions, see the Adaptation
Attribute (page 38). Several examples of Special Defences and theireffects are shown below. The GM and players are encouraged to develop
their own as well.

TABLE 6-4: SPECIAL DEFENCE
EffectAgeing
Air/Oxygen to Breathe
Disease
HungerOne Type of Magic
Pain
PoisonSleep
Specific Attack Ability

1 Slot2 Slots
Ages slowly
Does not age
Survive in low-oxygen environment
Does not breathe
Half damage or effectImmuneNeed to eat once every 2-4 days
Never need to eat+3 Defence and saves+6 Defence and saves
Unwanted sensation is reduced
No pain is felt
Half damage or effectImmuneSleep once every 3-7 days
Never need to sleep+3 Defence and saves+6 Defence and saves

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES• STATIC• USES ENERGYSPECIAL MOVEMENT

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Progression:
The character gains 1 type of movement/Rank

This Attribute is appropriate for characters such as non-humans,
super martial artists or super ninja who may possess exotic ki-based
abilities that let them perform unusual stunts like running over water,etc. The character may select one special movement ability (from the list
below) for every Rank of this Attribute. GMs may also develop a selectionof other special movement abilities.

• CAT-LIKE
The character will take half damage (round down) from most falls
and always lands on his or her feet.

• DIMENSION HOP
Upon a successful Wisdom check against DC 10, the character can
instantly travel between his or her home dimension to one otherdimension, such as Asgard, Heaven, Hell, alternate Earth, the astralplane (the body is left behind), etc. Each time this method is assigned, thecharacter can travel to another single dimension. The GM will determine
if Dimension Hop is appropriate for his or her campaign.

• LIGHT-FOOTEDThe character can skim over sand, snow, or ice at full speed.

• SLITHERINGThe character can slither along the ground at normal
walking/running speeds. This allows a character to move quickly while
maintaining a very low profile.

67

• SWINGING/BRACHIATINGThe character can swing through forests and cities (areas withnatural or artificial structures above swinging height) using
vines/ropes/webbing or simply his or her arms.

• UNTRACKABLE
The character never leaves footprints, tracks, or a scent when he or
she walks or runs.

• WALL-BOUNCING
The character can move at regular walking speed without touching
the ground by bounding back and forth between nearby vertical surfaces(walls). For example, he or she can proceed down hallways or climb analleyway between two buildings (bouncing from wall to wall).

• WALL-CRAWLINGThe character can cling to walls or ceilings as though they were on
the ground or floor. This counts as two Special Movement abilities.

• WATER-WALKING
The character can run over water as if he or she were on land. Thiscounts as two Special Movement abilities.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES• ZEN DIRECTION
When the character opens his or her mind to the natural world, heor she will always move in the “right” direction. The “right” direction is
not always the desired direction, however.

SPEED

Cost:
2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

A character with Speed can move much faster than a normal
character, as well as perceive the world at an increased pace. In an anime
game, a fast-moving character can still interact with the world. Thismeans that the character will not run into buildings along city streets
because he or she can perceive them early enough and make sharp turns
to avoid them. Fast characters can also read books quickly, write atincredible speeds, and perform normal chores and activities at enhanced
rates. In addition to gaining +2 Initiative at each Rank, the character isharder to hit when moving quickly due to the incredible speed at which
the character is moving. For more information about Speed and its
influence on combat, see page 119.
Many characters with Speed will also possess one or more Ranks inthe following Attributes: Improved Initiative Feat and Extra Attacks,
Extra Defences, Heightened Awareness, Massive Damage, Regeneration,and Special Movement Attributes.
RANK 1 The character can move at speeds up to 50 mph, and gains +2
Initiative.
RANK 2 The character can move at speeds up to 100 mph, and gains+4 Initiative.
RANK 3 The character can move at speeds up to 200 mph, and gains+6 Initiative.
RANK 4 The character can move at speeds up to 400 mph, and gains+8 Initiative.
RANK 5 The character can move at speeds up to 800 mph, and gains+10 Initiative.
RANK 6 The character can move at speeds up to 1,600 mph, and gains+12 Initiative.

68

SPIRIT WARD

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
The character’s Spirit Ward inflicts 1d8 damage/Rank; targets
suffer a -1 Will save penalty/Rank.

A character with this Attribute can create potent spirit wards
against demons, ghosts, or other supernatural spirits. This might only bepossible at an appropriate holy place such as a shrine, temple, or church;
this is up to the GM. A supernatural entity cannot pass through adoorway, window, or other portal with a ward on it unless the entity
expends great effort (spending 5 Energy Points per Rank of the ward andmaking a successful Will Save against DC 15 plus the Rank of the ward).
Repeated attempts are possible as long as the creature still has Energy
Points to spend. If the entity does pass through, the spirit ward mightburst into flame or otherwise vanish, its power overcome by the intruder.
If a supernatural entity is struck with a spirit ward (this requires a
successful attack in combat), it suffers 1d8 damage per Rank of the ward
for every round the ward is in contact with it. If a Spirit Ward is placedon a person who is possessed by or under the Mind Control of asupernatural entity, the controlled character receives a chance to breakfree (see Mind Control, page 53).

SUPERSTRENGTH

Cost:
4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Strength
Progression:
The character’s Strength is increased by 8/Rank

While Enhanced [Ability] (see page 46) allows players to increase
their character’s Ability Scores, it is somewhat limiting to superstrong
characters and mecha. Anime heroes and giant monsters are will known
for possessing strength well beyond mortal limits. Such characters possess
the Superstrength Attribute.

SWARM

Cost:
2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Constitution
Progression:
The character can transform into 1 critter/Rank for every
current Hit Point

A character with this Attribute can transform into a swarm of small
creatures: rats, bats, wasps, crows or other creatures or things (such as
tiny attack robots). Anime vampires or demons most often possess thisdramatic ability.
The type of swarm must be determined during character creation.
The character can create one critter from his or her body for every current
Hit Point multiplied by the Rank in this Attribute. Thus, a characterwith 50 current Hit Points who has Swarm at Rank 4 could transform
into a mass of 200 creatures (50 x 4 = 200).
When transformed into a swarm, the character cannot use any of
his or her existing Attributes or Skills. The actions of the swarm arebasically limited to three options: move, observe, and attack.
Additionally, all the critters of the swarm must remain within close
proximity of each other (within a radius of 10 feet per Rank).
A swarm’s Base Attack Bonus is equal to its Attribute Rank + 4.
It inflicts 1 damage for every 10 critters (round up; minimum one
damage) in the swarm. A swarm has zero Energy Points, but does not fallunconscious as a normal character would. In many instances, the Armour
and Force Field Attributes will protect the target character from all
damage, since the Attributes stop sufficient damage from each critter
attack. Against some critters, even regular clothing may be enough tostop some or all damage. Each situation will be different; the GM must
determine how much damage, if any, will penetrate the target’s defences.
A swarm can be attacked normally, and each creature in it dies if it
is hit (no Defence roll is allowed). Unless an opponent is using an attack
with the Area Effect or Spreading Abilities (see page 62 and 65), however,
only a single member of the swarm can be killed per attack (GM’sdiscretion). Consequently, a swarm of 200 creatures requires 200 attacks

to be completely destroyed. Attacks with the Spreading Ability can affectmultiple critters at a time, while attacks with the Area Effect Ability canbe devastating to the swarm.
A character who dissolved into a swarm may choose to use an action
to revert into normal form. To accomplish this, all available critters in theswarm (those not killed or trapped) must join together. Transformingback to normal form requires a character’s action for that round, butdoes not cost any Energy Points. The character will return tonormal form with Hit Points equal to the number of critters thatrecombined divided by the Swarm Attribute Rank (rounddown). For example, if a character with 50 current Hit Points
and Swarm at Rank 4 divided into 200 creatures, andafter a battle, recombined with only 130 available
critters, the character would then have a current
total of 32 Hit Points (130 ÷ 4=32).

TELEKINESIS

Cost:
2 or 4 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Intelligence
Progression:
Descriptive; see below• AIR
The character can only move air (or other gases). A
cubic yard of air weighs about 2.1 pounds. Enough air to filla roughly 10’ x 10’ x 10’ room weighs 75 pounds.

• EARTHThe character can only move dirt,
rock, stone, sand, etc. He or she cannot
affect treated metals. A cubic yard of
packed dirt masses about 2 tons; thesame mass of concrete weighs about
2.5 tons, while a cubic yard of solid
granite weights about 2.7 tons.

• FIREThe character can only affect flames of an
existing fire, or can possibly start them with hisor her mind as well (GM’s discretion). Since fire
does not have mass, the Rank indicates thesize of the flames that can be controlled andmanipulated: small fires at Rank 1 (like acandle or match flame), up to raging
infernos that cover several city blocks at
Rank 6.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESThe character canconcentrate on an object andmove it without physicallytouching it. Telekinesis may
represent psionic ability, magic,
or some form of tractor beam.
Characters with the ability tomagically control a particularelement (Earth, Water, etc.)
may also use Telekinesis torepresent their particular ability.
A character using
Telekinesis can lift an object
or group of adjacent objects
and move it at walking speed(30 feet/round) or manipulate it withthe dexterity of a human hand. Telekinesis works over a
close distance (up to about 15 feet) at full strength;
effective strength declines by one Rank if used withina short range (up to 50 feet), or by two Ranks if usedat medium range (up to 500 feet). Ranges multiply
by 1,000 in space. The weight that a character canlift depends on his or her Rank, as does the degreeof fine motor control.
The character can also levitate an object(or group of objects) and have it strike
another person as if it were a short-ranged
thrown weapon. The weight Telekinesis canlift is reduced by a factor of 10 whenthrowing an object hard enough to inflictdamage. For example, a character with Rank
5 could lift up to 10 tons but could only throw
objects weighing up to 1 ton. This is treated asa normal attack and thus can be negated bya successful defence roll. Damage depends
on the weight of the object hurled: 1d4
damage for an object weighing up to 2
pounds, 1d8 damage for up to 20
pounds, 2d8 damage for one up to 200
pounds, 3d8 damage for one up to one ton, and so on. The same damage
applies to the object being hurled. If Telekinesis is used to directly crush
or constrict a target, damage delivered equals 2 Points/Rank.
A character who uses Telekinesis to grab another person and throw
him or her uses the same procedure, but this requires a successful Power
Usage: Telekinesis Skill check against a DC equal to the target’s defence
roll. Accurately tossing an opponent so that he or she hits another target
requires a successful to hit roll. If attempting to disarm a character with

Telekinesis, the subject should be allowed a Strength check against DC
10 + 1 per Telekinesis Rank to retain the weapon. If a character wishes
to fly at speed exceeding 30 feet/round, he or she needs Flight (page 47)
rather than Telekinesis.
Ordinary Telekinesis (capable of lifting anything physical, but notforms of energy) costs 4 Points/Rank. At a cost of only 2 Point/Rank, thecharacter may have a more focused Telekinesis.
This restricts the character to telekineticallymoving (or sculpting) a particular type ofmatter. Some examples are given below.

• METAL
The character’s Telekinesis
only works on metal. This may
be a mystical limitation, or it
may be the character’s poweris actually based onmagnetics. A cubic yardof steel weighs about 8
tons.

• WATERThe character canlift and move water. A
cubic yard of water weights
about 1700 lbs. (close toa ton). A gallon ofwater weights about 8
pounds.

• WOODThe character’s power only works on wood (living or dead). Thisability is usually mystical in nature and common to nature priests andspirits. A cubic yard of wood weighs less than a ton.
RANK 1 The character can lift up to 2 lbs.
RANK 2 The character can lift up to 20 lbs.
RANK 3 The character can lift up to 200 lbs. (a person).
RANK 4 The character can lift up to 1 ton (a car).
RANK 5 The character can lift up to 10 tons (a large truck).
RANK 6 The character can lift up to 100 tons (a small spaceship or house).

69

TELEPATHY

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

Cost:
1-3 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Intelligence
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

Telepathy is the classic psionic ability, and anime characters with
ESP will often possess it. Versions of telepathy may also represent othermagical capabilities; demons who can tempt their victims often possess
Telepathy, for example.
Telepathy costs 1 Point/Rank if its utility is quite restricted (forexample, “only works with canines” or “only with close friends”). It costs
2 Points/Rank if its utility is somewhat restricted (for example, “onlywith humans” or “only with beasts”). It costs 3 Points/Rank if it hasuniversal utility.
This Attribute allows the character to read and transmit thoughts,
and at higher Ranks, to actually “invade” a person’s mind and probe theirmemories or alter their thoughts. Telepathy normally works only if asubject is in sight, or can be otherwise perceived (touched, heard, etc.). If
the subject is beyond normal perceptions, mental invasion is impossible,
while transmitting thoughts, reading surface thoughts or sharing the
subject’s sensory impressions only works if that particular subject issomeone the character is close to, such as a parent, sibling, long-term coworker, close friend, or lover.
A subject cannot detect a telepath reading thoughts or sensory
impressions unless he or she has the Telepathy or Mind Shield Attributeat an equal or higher Rank. If so, he or she can choose to block thetelepath (or attempt to block it with the Mind Shield), in which case theonly way to get through is via mental invasion. A subject will always beaware of a mental invasion (although a non-telepath may not understandexactly what is going on). See the Mind Combat rules (page 123) in
Chapter 12: Combat for details of mental invasions.
RANK 1 The character can, by concentrating, use mind reading to pickup the “loud” surface thoughts of a particular subject. A “loud”
thought is something about which the subject is thinking hardor that has a very strong emotional content. The character canalso transmit a single feeling, such as “fear” or “love” toanother person.
RANK 2 The character can, by concentrating, use mind reading to pickup the ordinary surface thoughts of a particular subject. The
character can only read what a person is actually thinking at thetime. Two telepaths can communicate with one another atconversational speeds by reading each other’s thoughts. The
character can also transmit a word, simple image, or simple
concept (like “flower” or a person’s face) to a non-telepath onwhich he or she concentrates. It requires an entire round ofconcentration to convey one concept, which makes telepath tonon-telepath communication slow.
RANK 3 The character can, by concentrating, pick up a single subject’s
surface thoughts and sensory impressions (i.e., see through a
subject’s eyes, feel what he or she feels, etc.). The character canchoose to edit out some senses if desired. Alternatively, thecharacter can concentrate and read “loud” surface thoughtsfrom 2-6 people. The character can transmit sub-vocalised
speech to a single non-telepath at normal conversational speeds
or send a single powerful image or word to 2-6 people.
RANK 4 The character has the same capabilities as at Rank 3 Telepathy.
In addition, he or she can invade another person’s mind. Thiscounts as an attack, and if the subject is unwilling or unaware,
the character will enter Mind Combat with him or her (see page123). If the subject is willing or loses the mental combat, thetelepath can probe his or her memory for information he or sheneeds. The character will also instinctively read “loud” surface
thoughts of anyone he or she touches (unless deliberately
blocking the ability) without any need for concentration. The
character can transmit thoughts at conversational speeds to 2-6
people at a time, simultaneously.

70

RANK 5 The character has the same capabilities as Rank 4 Telepathy,
except that he or she can read “loud” surface thoughts ofanyone in the general vicinity without any need for concentration,
unless deliberately blocking the ability. A successful mental
invasion can even probe memories that the subject can nolonger consciously remember. The character can transmit
thoughts at conversational speeds to 7-20 people at a time,
simultaneously.
RANK 6 The character has the same capabilities as Rank 5 Telepathy. Heor she automatically reads the surface thoughts of everyone in
the vicinity and automatically shares the sensory experiences ofanyone he or she is actually touching without any need forconcentration, unless he or she deliberately tries to block thisability. The character can transmit thoughts at conversational
speeds to 21-50 people at a time, simultaneously. If thecharacter succeeds with a mental invasion, he or she may not
only probe memories but may also alter them, deleting existing
memories or giving the subject false ones.

TELEPORT

Cost:
5 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Intelligence
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

Teleport enables the character to transport him or herself instantly
from place to place without crossing the intervening space. It is acommon ability for psionic anime characters and not unusual for sorcerers
and various superhumans.
Teleporting is only possible if the character has visited the intended
destination or can clearly see or otherwise sense the destination (possibly
through the Heightened Senses or Sixth Sense Attributes). The GM may
allow characters to teleport to unknown destinations (such as “100 yards
up” or “to the other side of the door”), perhaps for an additional 1 or 2
Character Points total. Accidentally teleporting into a solid object may befatal or simply cause a failed teleport at the GM’s option. A character can
carry anything while teleporting that he or she could normally carry.
Teleporting is much quicker than any other means of travel (Flight,
Space Flight, etc.), however, it is often risky. A Power Usage: Teleport
Skill check against DC 15 should be required to perform a teleportbeyond a “safe” distance. Failure means the character ends up in thewrong place (GM option) and his or her power “burns out” or“malfunctions” for hours or days.
When Teleport is first assigned, the GM may ask the player to decide
if velocity (speed and direction) is conserved during travel. Alternatively,
the character might adapt velocity to each Teleport individually. In many
campaigns, the effects of velocity will simply be ignored.
RANK 1 The maximum teleportation distance is 1 miles, while the safe
distance is 30 feet.
RANK 2 The maximum teleportation distance is 10 miles, while the safe
distance is 300 feet.
RANK 3 The maximum teleportation distance is 1,000 miles, while thesafe distance is 1 mile.
RANK 4 The maximum teleportation distance is 10,000 miles, while thesafe distance is 10 miles.
RANK 5 The maximum teleportation distance is 100,000 miles, while thesafe distance is 100 miles.
RANK 6 The maximum teleportation distance is 1,000,000 miles, while
the safe distance is 1,000 miles.

TRAIN A CUTE MONSTER

Cost:
1 Point/Rank
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Progression:
The character gains 1 trainer technique/Rank

A character with Train a Cute Monster is experienced in the artsand sciences of pet monster instruction and fighting. Through painful
experience, mostly on the part of the pets, the trainer learned toeffectively control the creatures in battle and to properly care for theirneeds in daily life. Only characters with the Pet Monster Attribute may
take Train a Cute Monster. Each Rank of Train a Cute Monster gives thecharacter one trainer technique.

• ANALYSE MONSTER
The character can identify allcommonly known species of pet
monster. He or she also receives a +2
bonus to any Intelligence check (DC20 to 25) required to identify raretypes or newly evolved versions ofexisting species. He or she canjudge another monster’s Base
Attack Bonus, remaining Hit
Points and elemental association fromits size, species, attitude, apparent health,and even posture, without seeing it
actually fight.

• BATTLE MOTTO• BREED MONSTERThis is the ability to breed twomonsters together that do not normallymate, and have them produce viable offspring.
The GM may require a Wisdom check, with a DC
determined by the strangeness of the combination (usually 15 to20). On a successful roll, the union of the two monsters is a positive,
viable hybrid. On a very bad roll something goes hideously
wrong — they start fighting each other, or they mate, but theresulting offspring is a horrifying menace.

• FEED MONSTER
The character knows exactly what to feed his or her
monsters to ensure they have a properly balanced diet. As
long as the character can supervise his or her monster’snutrition (which takes a half-hour per creature per day) themonsters will be healthier and happier. They will not catch
diseases and will recover lost Hit Points and Energy Points twice
as fast as normal. The GM can require characters to devote time
to finding special food, vitamins, or ingredients.

• INSPIRE MONSTER
The trainer is especially good at inspiring his or her monster incombat through shouts of encouragement, cheerleading, yelling“banzai!” and other energetic techniques. At the start of any combat
round the trainer can spend 4 of his or her own Energy Points. This either• INSTIL DISCIPLINE
The character is especially good at making his or her monsters obey
orders and resist their natural urges. Instilling discipline takes a one-hourtraining session and costs the trainer and monster 4 Energy Points each.
The effects last for 24 hours, minus one hour times the Wisdom of thedisciplined monster (24-[1hr x Wisdom] = hours). A disciplined pet will
be cautious during fighting, and will not lose control or expose itself
recklessly. It receives a +1 defence check bonus.

• INSTIL FEROCITY
The trainer can instil the fighting spirit in his or her monster
and teach it to go for the jugular. This technique takes a onehour training session and costs the trainer and monster 4
Energy Points each. The effects last for (4 + themonster’s Wisdom) hours. A ferocious monster
receives a +1 bonus to its Base Attack Bonus. It
is also likely to be bad tempered, andmay snap at or otherwise harass
anyone nearby. A trainer can
Instil Ferocity against a
specific opponent(such as type ofmonster) — thisr e q u i r e s
appropriate
training aids (suchas a picture or
look-alike doll).
This doubles thenormal bonus, but only
against that target; the monster does notgain an attack bonus against any otheropponent. This option is useful if the trainer
has a good idea who his or her monster will face.

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTESThe character has
mastered the hideous rhyming
battle motto. If chanted
within listening range ofan opposing trainer justprior to a duel, it fills
the motto-using
character with pride
while simultaneously
revolting, boring and/or
irritating his or herenemy. The opposing
trainer loses 4 Energy
Points, which are
immediately transferred to themotto-using character for theduration of the encounter. Note that if two trainers
have mottoes, the effects cancel each other out; amotto can only be used once in a particular
encounter.

adds a temporary +2 to the monster’s Base Attack Bonus and a +2
bonus to defence checks (this lasts for one round) or restores all of themonster’s lost Hit Points. The character can repeat the expenditure every
round, to continue giving the monster a bonus.

• MONSTER TACTICS
The character has carefully studied cutemonsters in battle. He or she understands which attack
to use for the greatest effect, when to order a finishing blowat the right moment, and when to sound the retreat. The
trouble is, it is the monster fighting, not the character. If thecharacter is supervising the duel, however, and is in a position
to shout orders, then his or her monsters receives a +4 bonus on
their Initiative rolls through the battle. This can be used inconjunction with Inspire Monster.

• NURSE MONSTER
The character is a natural monster physician. As long as themonster is under his or her tender care, it heals Hit Points threetimes faster then it would otherwise. If the character also has Feed
Monster, the monster heals five times as quickly as it would
otherwise.

• STAT MASTER
The character possesses an encyclopaedic knowledge of othertrainers, as well as teams and monster dojo (if they exist). The character
keeps track of who they are, how they Rank in any league ororganisation, and what pet monsters they possess. The GM may
require a Intelligence check (DC 20) to see if the trainer knows
anything about someone specifically.

71

TRANSMUTATIONCHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

Cost:
3-5 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Intelligence
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

This Attribute allows a character to transmute one non-living object(or set of connected objects) into another, or even create them an object
from nothing. Transmutation costs 5 Points/Rank if the character cantransmute any object into another (within the limits of his or her Rank). It
costs 4 Points/Rank if the character can only transmute (to or from) ageneral class of objects such as “metal,” “weapons,” “clothing,” or “food.”
It also costs 4 Points/Rank if the character can only transmute one object
to another of similar mass; the types of objects are unrestricted. The cost is
3 Points/Rank if the character is limited to a transmutation within a
specific category and of similar mass, such as “regular clothes to battle
costume,” “lead to gold,” or “spoiled food to edible food.” Finally, if thecharacter can only create objects in one of the above categories, but nottransmute one object to another, the cost is reduced by 1 Point/Rank. The
GM may restrict any categories that seem overly broad or too powerful.
The character cannot transmute material into new objects outside
the character’s experience. The character could transmute a weapon into abook, painting or videotape, but the content must be something withwhich he or she was already familiar. Likewise, a character who had nofamiliarity with computers could not transmute a television into one using
Transmutation. The GM may choose to require a Intelligence Ability check(or relevant Skill check) if the character attempts a particularly complex
transmutation. Failure may indicate the new object does not function
properly; this is especially applicable when creating complex technologicaldevices. Unless the GM decides otherwise, Transmutation is only able to
make objects that could be classified as Personal Gear; it cannot create
Items of Power. When attempting to transmute an Item of Power, thecharacter suffers a penalty to the Intelligence Ability check of -2 for each
Rank of the Item of Power.
RANK 1 Can transmute objects into other related ones as long as themass remains about the same. For example, it could transmute
a TV into a VCR, a suit into a dress, or make spoiled food edible
again. The power’s effectiveness is limited to transmuting items
into mundane items of Personal Gear.
RANK 2 As Rank 1, but it extends to minor items of Personal Gear.
RANK 3 As Rank 2, but it extends to major Items of Personal Gear.
RANK 4 As Rank 3, but the character can transform unrelated objects
that are only very loosely related. For example, he or she cantransform a metal clock into a gun (as both have metal in them)or a lump of coal into a diamond (both are carbon) but not a pairof boots into a gun or lead into gold (different elements).
RANK 5 As Rank 3, but the character can transform objects that are notrelated, as long as they have the same general mass. He or she
could turn a lump of coal into a golden crown, for example.
RANK 6 As Rank 3, but the character can transform unrelated objects ofdrastically different relative weights (up to 100 fold). For example,
he or she could transmute a big pumpkin into a stagecoach.

TUNNELLING

Cost:
2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

The Tunnelling Attribute allows a character to move earth and/or
burrow underground. Tunnelling assumes that the character is going
through sand or packed earth; boring through solid rock is one Rank slower.
The tunnel the character leaves behind will either be permanent or will
collapse immediately (must be specified during creation of each tunnel).
RANK 1 The character tunnels very slowly, similar to the tunnelling speedof ten men with shovels.
RANK 2 The character tunnels slowly, similar to the tunnelling speed of abulldozer.
RANK 3 The character tunnels at a snail’s pace (up to 60 feet per minute).
RANK 4 The character tunnels at a walking speed (up to 10 mph).
RANK 5 The character tunnels at slow vehicle speeds (up to 50 mph).
RANK 6 The character tunnels at fast vehicle speeds (up to 100 mph).

UNIQUE ATTRIBUTE
Cost:
1-5 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: Varies
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

This Attribute covers any abilities not detailed in the rules. Often asingle Point is sufficient to give the character “flavour,” but more Points canbe allocated to enhance the effects on game play and must be added if the
Attribute would be of considerable benefit. Discuss the Attribute with the
GM to determine what specific game effects the Attribute possesses.
The GM should assign a Point cost per Rank based on how the
Attribute compares to other Attributes and how useful it is. In general,an Attribute that is somewhat useful in the game should cost 1
Point/Rank, one that is very useful should cost 2-3 Points/Rank, and onethat is extremely useful should cost 4-5 Points/Rank (or more).
RANK 1 The Attribute has little character or game effect.
RANK 2 The Attribute has a moderate character or game effect.
RANK 3 The Attribute has a large character or game effect.
RANK 4 The Attribute has a major character or game effect.
RANK 5 The Attribute has an extreme effect on the character or game.
RANK 6 The Attribute has a primal effect on the character or game.

72

UNKNOWN SUPERHUMAN POWER
Cost:
Variable
Relevant Ability: Variable
Progression:
Variable

In some campaigns, the characters may be unaware of theirsuperhuman abilities until they manifest at crucial moments. To represent
this, the player can allocate some Points to Unknown Superhuman Power
when creating the character. The player does not purchase Ranks in thisAttribute — he or she simply spends a selected amount of Character
Points. The GM takes those Points and adds a bonus of 50% (roundingup) and uses them to assign other Attributes to the character. The GM
does not tell the player which Attributes have been assigned; they are
revealed to the player (and character) as the game unfolds and the powers
manifest. GMs are encouraged to reveal the character’s powers slowly andwhen it is appropriate for the campaign’s story. The GM should never feelpressured to tell the player what his or her character’s unknown
Attributes are before the time is right.

WATER SPEED

Cost:
2 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

CHAPTER 6:
ATTRIBUTES

A character with Water Speed can float and travel on or underwater. The character can swim on the surface at high speeds and diveunderwater for brief periods by holding his or her breath, or indefinitely
if he or she has the Adaptation (Underwater) Attribute. To survive thepressure associated with deep diving, the Adaptation (Pressure) Attributemust also be assigned. Also, depending on the speed at which thecharacter is moving, opponents may suffer a penalty to hit the character(see Attacking Moving Targets, page 119). A character without Water
Speed can still swim but much more slowly (about 2 mph).
RANK 1 The character is as fast as a slow fish or rowboat (up to 10 mph).
RANK 2 The character is as fast as a swift fish or yacht (up to 20 mph).
RANK 3 The character is as fast as a modern steamship (up to 40 mph).
RANK 4 The character is as fast as a speedboat (up to 80 mph).
RANK 5 The character is as fast as a hydrofoil (up to 160 mph).
RANK 6 The character is faster than any fish or watercraft (to 320 mph).

WEALTH

Cost:
3 Points/Rank
Relevant Ability: None
Progression:
Descriptive; see below

The character is more financially stable (“liquid”) than an average
person. This will allow him or her to easily acquire commercially available
goods, and bribe or hire people. Note that hirelings that are intensely
loyal to the character should still be acquired through Flunkies or theServant Attributes. The character can be assumed to have non-liquid
assets (like houses or real estate) commensurate with his or her wealth. Inorder to have access to things that are difficult to acquire without special
licenses, or which are illegal, he or she should still take OrganisationalTies, Own a Big Mecha, or Personal Gear Attributes.
RANK 1 The character is well off. In a modern-day setting, he or she has
assets totalling about $500,000.
RANK 2 The character is wealthy. In a modern day setting, he or she has
assets totalling about $1,000,000.
RANK 3 The character is rich. In a modern day setting, he or she has
assets totalling a about $10 million.
RANK 4 The character is very rich. In a modern day setting, he or she
has assets totalling about $100 million.
RANK 5 The character is extremely rich. In a modern day setting, he or
she has assets totalling about $1 billion.
RANK 6 The character is fantastically rich. In a modern day setting, he or
she has assets totalling about a $10 billion.

73

STEP 7: SELECT SKILLSThe following outlines the rules for using Skills in BESM d20. See
the Player’s Handbook for the rules for acquiring Skill Ranks.

SKILL
POINTS AND SKILL RANKS
Characters have a number of Skill Points based on their class Levels,
as outlined in the class descriptions. Depending on a character’s class,some Skills are “class Skills” and some Skills are “cross-class Skills.” For
non-combat Skills, cross-class Skills require 2 Skill Points per Rank whileclass Skills require 1 Skill Point per Rank. For combat Skills, the cost is
tripled to 6 and 3 Skill Points, respectively.
If the GM desires, the maximum number of Ranks a character canhave in a class Skill is equal to that character’s Level +3 (a common limit
in many d20 System games). The maximum Rank a character can havein a cross-class Skill is half that number (round down). Optionally, theGM can add the Skill’s relevant Ability Score modifier to this maximum
Skill Rank for the character. Of course, the Game Master can also ignore
these limitations (and possibly develop his or her own Skill Rank
maximums).

CHAPTER 7:
SKILLSUSINGSKILLS
When a character uses a Skill, the character makes a Skill check to
see how well the character performs the action. The higher the result on
the character’s Skill check, the more successful the attempt. Based on thecircumstances, the character’s result must match or exceed a particularnumber (called a DC, or Difficulty Class) to use the Skill successfully. The
harder the task, the higher the number the character needs to roll.
For more information on Skill checks, see Chapter 12: Combat(page 110).

SKILL DESCRIPTION FORMATRELEVANT ABILITY
This is the Ability modifier that most often applies to the Skill
check. If two (or more) Abilities are listed, it indicates that different
Abilities may be relevant, depending on the situation. The GM should

select the one most appropriate to the circumstances. For example, thePilot Skill has the Relevant Ability: Intelligence or Dexterity. When acharacter attempts to pilot a large cruise ship, the GM should require a
Skill check using the Intelligence modifier — the character’s knowledgeof the boat’s controls are more important when driving such a massive
ship. When the character hops into a small ski boat, however, his or her
Dexterity is more important and thus the GM should require a Skill
check using the Dexterity modifier instead of the Intelligence Modifier.

SPECIALISATIONS (OPTIONAL RULE)
A selection of Specialisations is provided. When a character gains a
new Skill, he or she may select one Specialisation for free. Any time thecharacter makes a Skill check (a character attempting to balance on a thinwire using Balance (Tightrope), for example), the character gains a +1
bonus to his or her Skill check. With GM permission, players may selecta Specialisation that is not listed if it fits with their character concept.
Also, GMs may allow characters to gain two additional Specialisations fora particular Skill by paying the normal cost associated with gaining aRank in that Skill.

DESCRIPTIONThe Skill name line is followed by a general description of what
using the Skill represents.

Combat Feats and BESM d20
To provide more player options and better reflect common
elements in anime shows, BESM d20 replaces several combat Featswith combat Skills (see page 80). The three weapon proficiency
Feats (Exotic, Martial, and Simple) have been eliminated, indicatingthat all characters are proficient with all weapons, and thus do not
suffer the -4 attack penalty. Additionally, the Weapon Focus Feat
(which gives a +1 with a specific weapon) has been removed infavour of combat Skills that can provide much greater attack
bonuses. As a result, BESM d20 characters who specialise in combat
prowess by assigning many combat Skills can become much more
deadly in battle than standard d20 characters.
If you prefer to use combat Feats from the standard d20 System
instead, simply remove the combat Skills option from BESM d20 andmake the appropriate Feats available to characters once again.

TABLE 7-1: CLASS AND CROSS CLASS SKILLS
Dynamic Giant Gun Hot Magical Martial Mecha
Pet Monster
SentaiTechAdventurer Sorcerer Robot Bunny Rod Girl
ArtistPilot Ninja Trainer Samurai Member Shapechanger Student Genius
Balance
Bluff
Climb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Computer Use
Concentration
Controlled Breathing . . . . . . . . .
Craft
Decipher Script
Demolitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diplomacy
Disable Device
Disguise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drive
Escape Artist
Forgery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
GambleGather Information
Handle Animal . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hide

74

x
x
x
x
x
•
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•
•
•x
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x
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x
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x
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• x •x
•
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x
x
x
x
x
x
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•
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•x x
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•
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•
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• . . . . . . . . . xx . . . . . . . xx . . . . . . .•x . . . . . xx . . . . . . xx . . . . . . . xx . . . . . . . . xx . . . . . .•x . . . . . . x . . . . . . .•x . . . . . . . . xx . . . . . . . . . . .•x . . . . . . . . . . . xx . . . . . . . xx
•
•
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
•
• x
•
• Class Skill x Cross Class SkillDynamic Giant Gun Hot Magical Martial Mecha
Pet Monster
SentaiTechAdventurer Sorcerer Robot Bunny Rod Girl
ArtistPilot Ninja Trainer Samurai Member Shapechanger Student Genius
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
•
• x x
• x
•
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CHAPTER 7:
SKILLS

Intimidate
Investigate
Jump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Knowledge (Arcane)
Knowledge (Architecture)
Knowledge (Area) . . . . . . . . . . .
Knowledge (Biological Sciences)
Knowledge (Business)
Knowledge (Cultural Arts) . . . . .
Knowledge (Domestic Arts)
Knowledge (Electronics)
Knowledge (Foreign Culture) . . .
Knowledge (Law)
Knowledge (Mechanics)
Knowledge (Military Sciences) .
Knowledge (Nature)
Knowledge (Occult)
Knowledge (Physical Sciences)
Knowledge (Police Sciences)
Knowledge (Religion)
Knowledge (Social Sciences) . .
Knowledge (Streetwise)
ListenMedical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Move Silently
Navigate
Open Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Perform
Pick Pocket
Pilot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Poisons
Power Usage
Powerlifting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Profession
Read Lips
Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Research
Ride
Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seduction
Sense Motive
Sleight of Hand . . . . . . . . . . . .
Speak Languages
SportsSpot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Survival
Swim
Tumble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Use Rope
Wilderness Lore
Wilderness Tracking . . . . . . . . .

Dynamic Giant Gun Hot Magical Martial Mecha
Pet Monster
SentaiTechAdventurer Sorcerer Robot Bunny Rod Girl
ArtistPilot Ninja Trainer Samurai Member Shapechanger Student Genius

•
•
•
• •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• • •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• Class Skill x Cross Class Skill•

Archery
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Gun Combat
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Heavy Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . x . . . . . . . . . . x . . . . . .
......x .....x......x .......x.......
......x .......x ........x ........x ...........x ...........x.......x
Melee Attack
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Melee Defence
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
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Ranged Defence . . . . . . . . . . . . x . . . . . . . . . . x . . . . . . . x . . . . . .
....x.....
......x.......
......x .......x ........x ........x ...........x ...........x.......x
Special Ranged Attack
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Thrown Weapons
x
x
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x
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x
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Unarmed Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . x . . . . . . . . . . x . . . . . .
......x ....
.....x ......
.......x......
......x ........x ........x ...........x ...........x.......x
Unarmed Defence
x
x
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x
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x
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x

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75

GENERAL SKILLSBALANCE
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Specialisations: Shaking Surface, Slippery Surface, Tightrope

The ability to maintain balance under adverse conditions.

BLUFF
Relevant Ability: Charisma
Specialisations: Acting, Fast-talk, Misdirection, Misleading Body Language

The ability to make the untrue seem plausible.

CLIMB
Relevant Ability: Strength
Specialisations: Natural Surfaces, Poles, Ropes, Vegetation, Walls

The ability to scale vertical surfaces with or without the use of
specialised climbing equipment.

COMPUTER USE
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Artificial Intelligence, Databases, Intrusion/Security,
Networks, Programming

Practical knowledge of computer use. Computer engineering(hardware) is covered by Knowledge: Electronics.

CHAPTER 7:
SKILLS

CONCENTRATION
Relevant Ability: Constitution
Specialisations: Clearing One’s Mind, Magic Focus, Single Minded

The ability to ignore distractions and interference when focusing ona task.

CONTROLLED BREATHING
Relevant Ability: Constitution
Specialisations: Cyclic Breathing, Holding Breath, Slow Heart Rate

The ability to control respiratory functions in order to maximise
breathing efficiency or to perform tricks such as “playing dead.”

CRAFT
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Alchemy, Carpentry, Leatherworking, Metalworking,Plumbing, Tailoring, Woodworking

This Skill represents a character’s ability to work with a variety ofmaterials to repair or produce useful or aesthetically pleasing objects notelectronic or mechanical in nature.

DECIPHER SCRIPT
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Ancient Languages, Code Cracking, Hieroglyphics, Runes

The ability to decipher texts either foreign to the character or
encoded.

DEMOLITIONS
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Artificial Structures, Bomb Disposal, Natural Structures, Safe
Cracking, Underwater

The ability to set explosive charges without getting hurt in theprocess or inflicting undesired collateral damage. It is also used fordeactivating explosives set by someone else.

DIPLOMACY
Relevant Ability: Charisma
Specialisations: Etiquette, Social Grace, Heraldry, Negotiation

The knowledge concerning the proper way to interact during social
situations, and negotiations, including rules of conduct and persuasion.

76

DISABLE DEVICE
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Jamming, By Passing, Traps

The ability to circumvent traps, jam mechanical devices, by passsecurities.

DISGUISE
Relevant Ability: Charisma
Specialisations: Costume, Dialects, Impersonation, Make-up, Prosthetics

The ability to change one’s personal appearance and/or demeanour
in an attempt to deceive others.

DRIVE
Relevant Ability: Dexterity or IntelligenceSpecialisations: Big Rig (large tractor/trailer trucks), Car, Motorcycle, Small
Truck (vans, pick-ups, hi-cubes)

The ability to operate a powered ground vehicle. Skill checks are
only necessary in difficult situations such as performing vehicular stunts,
avoiding hazards, etc.

ESCAPE ARTIST
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Specialisations: Grappling, Restraints, Tight Spaces

The ability to escape restraints and grips of opponents, or squeeze
through tight spaces.

FORGERY
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Detection, Electronic Documents, Handwriting, Paper
Documents

The ability to counterfeit documents and papers or to identify
forgeries. This Skill can be used in conjunction with the Computer Use
Skill.

GAMBLE
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Specialisations: Card Games, Computer Games, Dice Games, Strategy, Role
Playing

The ability to play various games (including betting strategies)
well.

GATHER INFORMATION
Relevant Ability: Charisma
Specialisations: Contacts, Gossip, Rumour-mongering

The ability to find out information about an area, from the day-today events to specific pieces of information.

HANDLE ANIMAL
Relevant Ability: Charisma
Specialisations: Any single animal such as dogs, dolphins, horses, etc.

The ability to teach and train animals with an intellect above thatof instinctive insects. An animal usually has an Intelligence of 1-3.

HIDE
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Specialisations: Concealment, Skulking, Tailing

The ability to hide from detection.

INTIMIDATION
Relevant Ability: Charisma
Specialisations: Business, Interrogation, Political, Psychological, Street,

The ability to convincingly project a “tough guy” image throughverbal and body language. A successful check means someone witnessing
your performance is convinced you mean any threats you make. How
they react after that will depend on how tough they are themselves inrelation to the kind of threat you present — they may respond withrespect, fear, hatred, or amusement.

INVESTIGATEKNOWLEDGE: FOREIGN CULTURE

Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Government, Police, Underworld

Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: One Specific Culture

The ability to track a piece of information or person through redtape and electronic media.

Reflects knowledge of the history, religion, ethics, and lifestyle of one ormore foreign countries or cultures. Each Rank in this Skill provides familiarity
with a distinct culture (a Specialisation). Thus, multiple Specialisations may
be listed for Foreign Culture depending on the Skill Rank.

JUMP
Relevant Ability: Strength
Specialisations: Long, High, Pole Vault

The ability to jump well and consistently (see page 119). A charactercan normally jump about 6 feet forward or 3 feet up/back (double range
with a running start). This Skill increases the character’s maximum forward
distance by +1 foot for every two Skill ranks (plus one-half foot up/backjumps). This modifier is doubled for running starts and halved for verticalor backwards jumps.

KNOWLEDGE: ARCANE
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Arcane Symbols, Magic, Rituals, Spells

Knowledge of magic, its history, and basics of how it works.

KNOWLEDGE: ARCHITECTURE
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Aquatic, Bridges, Fortifications, Small Buildings, Skyscrapers

Knowledge of construction methods, architectural drafting, etc. A
successful use of this Skill can also find weak points in constructions orhelp in locating old structural plans.
Relevant Stat:
Specialisations:Intelligence
One specific area (city, village, forest, sea, etc.)

This Skill reflects knowledge of the geography and people of asingle area. The smaller the area, the more detailed and extensive thecharacter’s knowledge. This Skill may be assigned multiple times toindicate knowledge of several areas.

KNOWLEDGE: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Bacteria/Viruses, Botany, Ecology, Genetics, Physiology,
Zoology

This field covers scientific knowledge of how living things function.

KNOWLEDGE: BUSINESS
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Accounting, Banking, Executive, Fraud, Government,
Marketing, Small Business

The ability to organise, run, and understand part or all of anorganisation (such as a business, government, or association).

KNOWLEDGE: CULTURAL ARTS
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Archaeology, Art Appraisal, History, Literature, Urban
Legends

Knowledge of aspects of human culture (or another species’ culture).

KNOWLEDGE: DOMESTIC ARTS
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Cleaning, Cooking, Decorating, Home Budgeting

The ability to efficiently organise and run a domestic household.

KNOWLEDGE: ELECTRONICS

Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Civil, Criminal, Customs, Family, International, Political

Knowledge of legal procedure and practice. GMs may assume thatanyone with Rank 6 or more has a license to practice law. All
Specialisations, except International, are specific to one country or region
only (for example, “Japanese Criminal Law”).

KNOWLEDGE: MECHANICS
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Aeronautical, Armourer, Automotive, Gunsmith, Locksmith,Micro, Traps

The ability to maintain, repair, or build mechanical and electromechanical devices. This also includes knowledge of tool use, welding,etc. Armourer applies to heavy vehicle-mounted weapons while
Gunsmith covers personal weaponry. Use Craft for archaic weapons.

KNOWLEDGE: MILITARY SCIENCES
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Hardware Recognition, Intelligence Analysis, Logistics,
Strategy, Tactics, Teamwork

The character has military-style tactical, staff, or leadership training.
In addition, SWAT (or other tactical police units) often includes individuals
who pick up similar Skills (and often recruit ex-military personnel).

CHAPTER 7:
SKILLSKNOWLEDGE: AREAKNOWLEDGE: LAW

KNOWLEDGE: NATURE
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Animals, Cycles, Plants, Seasons, Weather

Knowledge of the interactions of the natural world.

KNOWLEDGE: OCCULT
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Astrology, Channelling, Numerology, Rituals, Spirits, Tarot,
Voodoo, Witchcraft

Knowledge of the arcane and mystical arts, and their applications
in both historical and modern society.

KNOWLEDGE: PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Astronomy, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Engineering,
Mathematics, Physics

Scientific training in the way the universe works, including thenecessary background knowledge.

KNOWLEDGE: POLICE SCIENCES
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Ballistics, Criminology, Forensics

This is the science behind detective work. Ballistics is the study of thewounds inflicted by projectiles; criminology focuses on studies of criminal
behaviour and strategies; forensics covers evidence gathering (including
hair-and-fibre, fingerprint and DNA-based identification techniques).

KNOWLEDGE: RELIGION

Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Communications, Computers, Consumer Electronics,
Robotics, Security, Sensors

Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: One Specific Religion (Buddhism, Christianity, Muslim,
Satanism, etc.)

The ability to maintain, repair, build, modify (and at high Ranks,
design) electronic equipment.

The knowledge of how current and historical religions andmythology worked.

77

KNOWLEDGE: SOCIAL SCIENCES
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Anthropology, Geography, Politics, Psychology, Social Work,
Sociology, Theology

Understanding of the way people function in society as well associetal behavioural patterns.

KNOWLEDGE: STREETWISE
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Gang Activity, Influential Individuals, Territorial Divisions(all by region)

The knowledge of street activity
within a particular region or city. Thisis a vital survival Skill for a person on
the streets.

LISTEN
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Specialisations: Background Noise, Eavesdropping, Rural, Urban

The ability to listen attentively or to perceive unusual or out ofplace noises.

MEDICAL
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Specialisations: Acupuncture, Dentistry, Diagnosis, Emergency Response,
Homeopathy, Pathology, Pharmacy, Surgery, Veterinary

Knowledge of how to heal the body. GMs may assume that anyone
with Rank 6 or more has a license to practice medicine. A typical generalpractitioner would Specialise in Diagnosis, while most police officers or
paramedics Specialise in Emergency Response.

MOVE SILENTLY
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Specialisations: Soft Step, Rural, Urban

CHAPTER 7:
SKILLS

The ability to move without being detected audibly.

NAVIGATE
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations:
Air, Highway, Sea, Space,
Urban, Wilderness

The ability to read maps or use specialised navigationequipment. The Navigate Skill will help a character find thefastest/safest route to a destination.

OPEN LOCK
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Specialisations: Combination, Electronic, Padlocks, Puzzle
Lock

The ability to open locking devices.

PERFORM
Relevant Ability:
Specialisations:

CharismaComedy, Dance, Drama, Music, Public
Speaking, Singing, Fast Talking

The ability to perform well before an audience, and to
evoke an emotional response through the art form.

PICK POCKET
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Specialisations:
Palm, Legerdemain, Lift Object

The ability to make a small object disappear without notice.

PILOT
Relevant Ability: Dexterity or IntelligenceSpecialisations: Heavy Airplane (usually multi-engine), Helicopter,
Hovercraft, Jet Fighter, Large Ships, Light Airplane(usually single-engine), Lighter than Air Craft, Small
Boats, Spacecraft, Submarines

78

The ability to operate air, water or spacevehicles. Skill checks are normally only necessary
when performing an unusual manoeuvre,
avoiding a hazard, piloting an unfamiliar
aircraft, etc.

POISONS
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Alien, Natural, Synthetic

The ability to recognise, concoct, apply, and neutralise a variety of
poisons and toxins.

POWER USAGE
Relevant Ability: Based on Power’s Relevant Ability
Specialisations: None (Special; One specific Power only)

Unlike other Skills, Power Usage only offers a bonus to any checkfor the use of one specific Power. To receive a bonus on multiple Powers,
this Skill must be assigned multiple times, once for each Power. The Skill
is useful to a character who may not have a high ability (such asIntelligence) that is associated with one of his or her Powers (such as Mind
Control or Telepathy). When the character must make a check for the
specific Power, the Power Usage Skill adds a bonus as though the checkis actually a Skill check.

POWERLIFTING
Relevant Ability: Strength
Specialisations: Bulky Objects, Free Weights, Humans, Moving Objects,
Small Objects (Hand-Held)

The ability to perform feats of strength with minimal chance for
injury. This includes lifting or pushing heavy objects, stopping objects inmotion, and supporting large masses.

PROFESSION

The character is trained in a specific form of livelihood.

READ LIPS
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Crowded Places, Distance, Sub Vocalisation

This allows a character to understood what is being said by reading lips.

REPAIR
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Mechanics, Computerised, Electronics

The ability to carry out permanent or temporary repairs toequipment.

RESEARCH
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Legal, Historical, ScientificThis Skill allows a character to locate difficult to find pieces of databy searching journals, the web, and other media.

RIDE
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Specialisations: One Specific Species (Camel, Horse, Tiger, etc.).

This is the knowledge of how to care for a riding beast, how tosaddle, mount, and dismount the animal, how to get it to performdifficult or dangerous manoeuvres safely and without balking, and how
to best pace it for long distance rides.

SEARCH
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Compartments, Detail Work, Irregularities

This Skill allows the character to find hidden or concealed objects.

SEDUCTIONSENSE MOTIVE
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Specialisations: Body Language, Mannerisms, SpeechThis represents the knowledge of determining when a person is not
being honest or forth coming.

SLEIGHT OF HAND
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Specialisations: Card Sharking, Fine Manipulation, Stage Magic

A character with this Skill has superior manual dexterity, greaterthan that suggested by his or her Dexterity score. This includes theability to perform “magic” tricks, palm small objects, cheat at cards,
plant an item on someone, etc.

SPEAK LANGUAGES
Relevant Ability: IntelligenceSpecialisations: Any One Language, Braille, Code Language, Sign Language

This Skill reflects an aptitude for languages and their historicalusage. Additionally, a character will be able to speak and write one
foreign Language for each Rank in this Skill. Thus, multiple
Specialisations will be listed for Languages — the first is the character’snative language(s), while the others are foreign languages.

SPORTS
Relevant Ability: Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution
Specialisations: Baseball, Basketball, Cricket, Football, Hockey, Volleyball,etc.

The ability to play well in a team or individual sporting event withspecialised rules.

SPOT

CHAPTER 7:
SKILLS

Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Specialisations: One Specific Profession (Bookkeeper, Cook, Driver, Farmer,
Miner, Sailor, Writer, etc.)

genuinely interested in them. Whether or not the subject actually responds
will depend on his or her own romantic inclinations and sexual preference.

Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Specialisations: Ambush, Movement, TailingThis the ability to locate people or creature trying to hide theirpresence.

SURVIVAL
Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Specialisations: Aquatic, Artic, Desert, Wilderness, Urban

The ability to survive in harsh environments.

SWIM
Relevant Ability: Strength
Specialisations: Competition, Deep-Sea Diving, Free Diving, Scuba,
Snorkelling

The character is skilled at swimming or diving. The GM may
assume that any character in a modern setting (or perhaps any setting)can swim even without this Skill.

TUMBLE
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Specialisations: Dive, Flip, Roll, Somersault

The character is skilled at acrobatic tumbling and flips.

USE ROPE
Relevant Ability: Dexterity
Specialisations: Knots, Handling Loads, Securing

This Skill allows a character to adeptly use rope for any number of
purposes.

WILDERNESS LORE

Relevant Ability: Charisma
Specialisations: Alien, Female, Male

Relevant Ability: Wisdom
Specialisations: Guide, Hunting, Identification, Natural Hazards

A character with this Skill is adept at exploiting their sex appeal. A
successful Skill check will convince another person that the character is

The character is familiar with local wilderness areas. The character canfind subsistence for him or herself and others and avoid natural dangers.

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WILDERNESS TRACKINGGUN COMBAT

Relevant Ability: Intelligence or Wisdom
Specialisations: Aquatic, Arctic, Desert, Forest, Jungle, Mountain, Plains

Relevant Ability: None (Offensive Combat Skill)
Specialisations: Auto-fire, Pistol, Rifle

The ability to successfully trail or track someone or something
while outdoors in a rural or wilderness setting.

The ability to accurately shoot with a hand-held firearm and tokeep it properly maintained. Auto-fire applies to firing bursts of fully
automatic fire from any gun, whether it is a small submachine gun, a big
assault rifle, or a heavy machine gun. Pistol applies to firing single shotsfrom a handgun. Rifle covers firing single shots from guns with ashoulder stock including rifles and shotguns.

COMBAT SKILLSARCHERY
Relevant Ability: None (Offensive Combat Skill)
Specialisations: Bow, Crossbow

The ability to accurately shoot with a bow or crossbow.

HEAVY WEAPONS
Relevant Ability: None (Offensive Combat Skill)
Specialisations: Artillery (indirect fire weapons such as Howitzers), Gunnery(heavy machine guns, tank guns and other vehicle-mounted
direct-fire weapons), Launchers (rocket and missile launchers)

The ability to accurately fire vehicle-, shoulder-, or tripodmounted weapons such as a tank cannon or heavy machine gun,and to perform routine maintenance.

MELEE ATTACK
Relevant Ability:None (Offensive Combat Skill)
Specialisations: Axe, Baton/Club, Knife, Improvised Weapons(chairs, lamps, ladders, etc.), Polearms (spears,
naginata, etc.), Shield, Sword, Whips/Chains

CHAPTER 7:
SKILLS

The ability to attack effectively with a hand-to-hand melee
weapon.

MELEE DEFENCE
Relevant Ability: None (Defensive Combat Skill)
Specialisations: Axe, Baton/Club, Knife, Improvised Weapons, Polearms(spears, naginata, etc.), Shield, Sword, Whips/Chains

The ability to defend well with a hand-to-hand melee weapon.

RANGED DEFENCE
Relevant Ability: None (Defensive Combat Skill)
Specialisations: Personal, Air Vehicle, Ground Vehicle, Water Vehicle, Space
VehicleThe ability to avoid ranged attacks, but this does not enable acharacter to actually dodge bullets. Rather, it is a combination ofsituational awareness and tactical movement as well as knowing when to
keep moving (to present a more difficult target) and when to drop forcover.

SPECIAL RANGED ATTACK
Relevant Ability: None (Offensive Combat Skill)
Specialisations: One specific Special Attack

This Skill is used for weapons created using the Special Attack
Attribute (page 61) that emanate from the character’s body, rather thana device or weapon. For example, eye beams, fireballs fired from the hand,or sonic blast shot from the mouth would qualify for this Skill use, but alaser gun (Gun Combat Skill) or a deadly boomerang (Thrown Weapon
Skill) would not.

THROWN WEAPONS
Relevant Ability: None (Offensive Combat Skill)
Specialisations: Blades, Cards, Grenades, Rocks, Shields

The ability to accurately throw weapons or objects at a target.

UNARMED ATTACK
Relevant Ability: None (Offensive Combat Skill)
Specialisations: Strikes, Holds, Throws, Grappling

The ability to attack without weapons.

UNARMED DEFENCE
Relevant Ability:
Specialisations:80

None (Defensive Combat Skill)
Strikes, Holds, Throws, Grappling

The ability to block armed or unarmed melee attacks
without using a weapon.

STEP 8:
SELECT FEATSWhile Feats will have a place in your anime campaign, BESM d20’s
Attribute power creation system (particularly combat Skills) reduces thescope of Feats. Additionally, since BESM d20 abstracts combat movement
and position (thus there are no attacks of opportunity), many Feats nolonger apply to anime characters. Finally, some Feats (such as Expertise)allow characters to perform actions that every character is capable ofperforming in BESM d20. GMs may also allow players to use approved
Feats from any d20 System game.
See the Player’s Handbook for the rules for acquiring Feats. The
Game Master will decide whether the benefits derived from a Feat are
cumulative if it is assigned multiple times.

FEATFeatsCOSTS
cost 2 Character Points each.
TABLE 8-1: REPLACED FEATS

Accuracy, Blind-Shoot, Block Ranged Attacks, Concealment,
Deflection, Judge Opponent, Leap Attack, One Shot Left, Portable
Armoury, Reflection, Sneak Attack, Steady Hand, Weapons
Encyclopaedia

APPROPRIATE
FEATSThe following Feats are appropriate for a BESM d20 game:
Advanced Combat Martial Arts, Ambidexterity, Armour
Proficiency (all), Blind-Fight, Brawl, Burst Fire, Cleave, Combat Martial
Arts, Dodge, Double Tap, Empower Spell, Endurance, Enlarge Spell,
Extend Spell, Far Shot, Force Stop, Frightful Presence, Great Cleave,
Great Fortitude, Heighten Spell, Improved Brawl, Improved Initiative,
Improved Knockout Punch, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Knockout Punch,
Lightning Reflexes, Maximise Spell, Mounted Combat, Point Blank Shot,
Power Attack, Quicken Spell, Rapid Shot, Run, Silent Spell, Spell Focus,
Spirited Charge, Still Spell, Streetfighting, Stunning Fist, Two-Weapon
Fighting, Vehicle Dodge, Whirlwind Attack

Educated Replace with appropriate Skills
Exotic Firearms Proficiency Replace with Combat Skills
Exotic Melee Weapon Proficiency Replace with Combat Skills
Exotic Weapon Proficiency Replace with Combat Skill
Focused Replace with Balance andConcentration Skills
Forge Ring Replace with Item of Power and
Magical Genius (variant of MechanicalGenius) Attributes
Gearhead Replace with Computer Use andRepair Skills
Guide Replace with Navigate and Survival
Skills
Improved Feint Replace with Bluff Skill
Leadership Replace with Flunkies Attribute
Martial Weapon Proficiency Replace with Combat Skill
Medical Expert Replace with Medical Skill
Meticulous Replace with Forgery and Search Skills
Mounted Archery Replace with Steady Hand Feat
Nimble Replace with Escape Artist and Sleightof Hand Skills
Personal Firearms Proficiency Replace with Combat Skills
Scribe Scroll Replace with Item of Power and
Magical Genius (variant of MechanicalGenius) Attributes
Simple Weapon Proficiency Replace with Combat Skill
Skill Focus Replace with appropriate Skill
Stealthy Replace with Hide and Move Silently
SkillsStudious Replace with Decipher Script andResearch Skills
Surface Vehicle Operation Replace with Drive or Pilot Skills
Surgery Replace with Medical Skill
Toughness Replace with Damn Healthy! Attribute
Track Replace with Wilderness Tracking Skill
Trustworthy Replace with Diplomacy and Gather
Information Skills
Vehicle Expert Replace with Drive and Pilot Skills
Weapon Focus Replace with Combat Skill
Weapon Specialisation Replace with Massive Damage
Attribute (2 Points/Rank option)
Windfall Replace with Wealth Attribute

CHAPTER 8:
FEATS

The following Feats can be replaced by elements of the BESM d20
system, as indicated:
Acrobatic Replace with Jump and Tumble Skills
Advanced Firearms Proficiency Replace with Combat Skill
Aircraft Operation Replace with Pilot Skill
Alertness Replace with Heightened Awareness
Attribute
Animal Affinity Replace with Handle Animal and Ride
SkillsArchaic Weapon Proficiency Replace with Combat Skill
Athletic Replace with Climb and Swim Skills
Attentive Replace with Investigate and Sense
Motive Skills
Brew Potion Replace with Item of Power and
Magical Genius (variant of MechanicalGenius) Attributes
Builder Replace with appropriate Skills
Cautions Replace with Demolitions Skill
Craft Magic Arms and Armour Replace with Item of Power and
Magical Genius (variant of MechanicalGenius) Attributes
Craft Rod Replace with Item of Power and
Magical Genius (variant of MechanicalGenius) Attributes
Craft Staff Replace with Item of Power and
Magical Genius (variant of MechanicalGenius) Attributes
Craft Wand Replace with Item of Power and
Magical Genius (variant of MechanicalGenius) Attributes
Craft Wondrous Item Replace with Item of Power and
Magical Genius (variant of MechanicalGenius) Attributes
Combat Throw Replace with Unarmed Attack andUnarmed Defence Skills
Confident Replace with Gamble and Intimidate
SkillsCreative Replace with appropriate Skills
Deceptive Replace with Bluff and Disguise Skills
Defensive Martial Arts Replace with Combat Skills
Deflect Arrows Replace with Deflection Feat
Drive-By Attack Replace with Steady Hand Feat

NEWTheFEATS
following new Feats are introduce in BESM d20:

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TABLE 8-2: APPROVED FEATSFEAT NAME
Accuracy
Advanced Combat Martial Arts
Armour Proficiency (Heavy)
Armour Proficiency (Light)
Armour Proficiency (Medium)
Blind-Fight
Blind-ShootBlock Ranged Attacks
Brawl
Burst Fire
CleaveCombat Martial Arts
Concealment
Deflection
Dodge
Double Tap
Empower Spell
Endurance
Enlarge Spell
Extend Spell
Far ShotForce Stop
Frightful Presence

CHAPTER 8:
FEATSGreat Cleave

Great Fortitude
Heighten Spell
Improved Brawl
Improved Initiative
Improved Knockout Punch

PREREQUISITE
Base Attack Bonus +2
Combat Martial Arts
Armour Proficiency (Light)
Armour Proficiency (Medium)
Armour Proficiency (Light)
Dexterity 13+
Wisdom 13+
Strength 13+
Power Attack
Base Attack Bonus +1
Dexterity 13+
Dexterity 13+
Dexterity 13+
Point Blank Shot
Point Blank Shot
Drive Skill 4+ Ranks
Charisma 15+
Intimidate Skill 9+ Ranks
Strength 13+
CleavePower Attack
Base Attack Bonus +4
Brawl
Base Attack Bonus +3
Brawl
Knockout Punch
Base Attack Bonus +6

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84
84
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84
84
84
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84
84

Leap Attack
Lightning Reflexes
Maximise Spell
Mounted Combat
One Shot Left
Point Blank Shot
Portable Armoury
Power Attack
Quicken Spell
Rapid Shot
Reflection
Run
Sneak Attack
Silent Spell
Spell Focus
Spirited Charge
Still Spell
Streetfighting

84

Steady Hand
Stunning Fist

84
84
85

Two-Weapon Fighting
Vehicle Dodge

85
85

INAPPROPRIATE
FEATSThe following Feats are not appropriate for a BESM d20 game, andWeapons Encyclopaedia
Whirlwind Attack

PREREQUISITEIntelligence 13+
Brawl
Base Attack Bonus +3
Dexterity 13+
Base Attack Bonus +3
Ride Skill
Strength 13+
Dexterity 13+
Point Blank Shot
Deflection
Mounted Combat
Ride Skill
Brawl
Base Attack Bonus +2
Dexterity 13+
Dexterity 13+
Wisdom 13+
Base Attack Bonus +8
Dexterity 13+
Dexterity 13+
Drive Skill 6+ Ranks
Dexterity 13+Intelligence 13+
Dodge
Base Attack Bonus +4

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ACCURACYBase Attack Bonus +2

Prerequisites:
Benefit: The character suffers reduced dice penalties whenshould probably not be used unless the GM decides otherwise:
Advanced Two-Weapon Fighting, Agile Riposte, Combat Casting,
Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dead Aim, Elusive Target, Expertise,
Extra Turning, Heroic Surge, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Combat
Martial Arts, Improved Combat Throw, Improved Critical, Improved
Damage Threshold, Improved Disarm, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting,
Improved Unarmed Strike, Low Profile, Mobility, Precise Shot, Quick
Draw, Quick Reload, Renown, Ride-By Attack, Shield Proficiency, Shot on
the Run, Skill Focus, Skip Shot, Spell Mastery, Spell Penetration, Spring
Attack, Strafe, Sunder, Trample, Unbalance Opponent, Weapon Finesse

attempting an accurate attack, such as striking at partial Armour, weak
points, or vital spots, shooting at longer-than-usual ranges. Accuracy isalso used when attempting a special trick shot, such as carving an initial
on someone’s body or ricocheting an arrow off a wall to shoot a target
around a corner, and when using the Deflection Feat (page 84). Eachdifficulty penalty is reduced by 2 (to a minimum of 0). For example,
attacking a vital spot (-8 penalty) would become a -6 penalty, while firing
at double range (-4 penalty) would receive -2 penalty. This Feat can be
assigned more than once.

APPROVEDFEAT DESCRIPTIONSThe Feat entries herein detail information in the following format:

ADVANCEDCombat
COMBATMARTIAL ARTS
Martial Arts, Base Attack Bonus +8

FEAT NAME
Some Feats have prerequisites. A character must have
Prerequisites:

82

FEAT NAME
Improved Trip
Iron Will
Judge Opponent
Knockout Punch

the prerequisite in order to select or use that Feat. A character can gain a
Feat at the same time that he or she gains the prerequisite. A character
can’t use a Feat if he or she has lost a prerequisite.
Benefit: What the Feat enables the character to do.

Prerequisites:
Benefit: When the character scores a critical hit on an opponent

with an unarmed strike, the character deals triple damage.

ARMOUR PROFICIENCY(HEAVY)
Armour Proficiency (Light), Armour Proficiency
Prerequisites:(Medium)
Benefit: When a character wears heavy armour (full metal, tactical,etc.), the armour check penalty applies only to Skill checks that involve
moving. A character who is not proficient suffers the armour checkpenalty on attack rolls as well.

BURST FIRE
Wisdom 13+

Prerequisites:
Benefit: When using an automatic firearm with at least five bullets

loaded, the character may fire a short burst as a single attack against asingle target (instead of using the normal auto-fire rules). The character
receives a -4 penalty on the attack roll, but deal +2 dice of damage.

ARMOURWhenPROFICIENCY(LIGHT)a character wears light armour (leather, light mail,Benefit:soft body, etc.), the armour check penalty applies only to Skill checks thatinvolve moving. A character who is not proficient suffers the armour
check penalty on attack rolls as well.

ARMOUR PROFICIENCY(MEDIUM)
Armour Proficiency (Light)
Prerequisites:
Benefit: When a character wears medium armour (partial metal,

hides, etc.), the armour check penalty applies only to Skill checks thatinvolve moving. A character who is not proficient suffers the armour
check penalty on attack rolls as well.

BLIND-FIGHT
The character does not suffer penalties associated with
Benefit:attacking or defending with melee weapons or while unarmed in poor
light, absolute darkness, or against an invisible opponent.

Benefit:attacking with ranged weapons in poor light, absolute darkness, oragainst an invisible opponent. This Feat can be assigned twice toreduce the penalty to zero. The character must be capable ofdetecting the general presence of the target, however, throughone of his or her senses (smell, hearing, sixth sense, etc.).

CHAPTER 8:FEATSBLIND-SHOOTThe character suffers half penalties associated with

BLOCK RANGEDATTACKS
Dexterity 13+

Prerequisites:
Benefit: Under normal circumstances, a character cannot use a

Block Defence (page 120) against a ranged attack. With this Feat, acharacter gains this defensive option.

BRAWL When making an unarmed attack, the character receives a
Benefit:+1 bonus on attack rolls, and delivers stun damage (see page 65) equal
to 1d6 + his or her Strength modifier.

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CLEAVE

Prerequisites: Strength 13+, Power Attack
Benefit: If the character deals an opponent enough damage to makethe opponent drop (either by knocking the opponent out or by reducing
the opponent’s Hit Points to less than 0), the character gets an immediate
extra melee attack against another opponent adjacent to the character.
The extra attack is with the same weapon and at the same bonus as theattack that dropped the previous opponent. The character can use thisability once per round.

COMBAT MARTIAL
ARTS
Base Attack Bonus +1

Prerequisite:
Benefit: With an unarmed strike, the character inflicts damage

equal to 1d4 + Strength modifier.

CONCEALMENT
The character has an unearthly ability to conceal weapons
Benefit:about his or her person. As long as the character has something to hide
the weapons (even if it only long hair or a light robe) the character’s
weapons will not be noticed by anything short of an actual physicalsearch, and such a search is conducted at a -8 penalty. A Special Attack
weapon with the Concealable Ability is even harder to find: searches
suffer a -12 penalty.

DEFLECTION
Dexterity 13+
CHAPTER 8:
FEATS

Prerequisites:
Benefit: If the character makes a successful Block Defence, he or she

can deflect a standard melee or ranged attack away harmlessly without
damaging the blocking object. The GM may decide that some types ofattacks cannot be deflected. When trying to deflect a Special Attack(page 61), the Block Defence roll is penalised: -2 for each Rank of theSpecial Attack.

DODGE

Prerequisite: Dexterity 13+
Benefit: During the character’s action, the character designates anopponent and receives a +1 dodge bonus to Defence against any
subsequent attacks from that opponent. The character can select a new
opponent on any action. A condition that makes the character lose his or
her Dexterity bonus to Defence also makes the character lose dodge
bonuses.

DOUBLE TAP
Dexterity 13+, Point Blank Shot

Prerequisites:
Benefit: When using a semiautomatic firearm with at least twobullets loaded, the character may fire two bullets as a single attack
against a single target. The character receives a -2 penalty on this attack,but deals +1 die of damage with a successful hit.

EMPOWERSPELL
All variable, numeric effects of an empowered spell are
Benefit:increased by one-half. An empowered spell deals half again as muchdamage as normal, cures half again as many Hit Points, affects half again
as many targets, etc., as appropriate. Saving throws and opposed rolls(such as the one the character makes when the character casts dispel
magic) are not affected. Spells without random variables are not affected.
An empowered spell uses up a spell slot two Ranks higher than the spell’s
actual Rank.

84

ENDURANCE
Whenever the character makes a check for performing a
Benefit:physical action that extends over a period of time (running, swimming,holding the character’s breath, and so on), the character gets a +4 bonus
to the check.

ENLARGESPELL
An enlarged spell has its range doubled. Spells whose
Benefit:ranges are not defined by distance do not have their ranges increased. A
spell whose area or effect is determined by its range has the dimensionsof its area or effect increased proportionally. An enlarged spell uses up aspell slot one Rank higher than the spell’s actual Rank.

EXTENDAnSPELL
extended spell lasts twice as long as normal. Spells with
Benefit:a concentration, instantaneous, or permanent duration are not affected bythis Feat. An extended spell uses up a spell slot one Rank higher than thespell’s actual Rank.

FAR SHOTPoint Blank Shot

Prerequisite:
Benefit: When the character uses a projectile weapon, such as abow, its range increment increases by one-half (multiply by 1.5). Whenthe character uses a thrown weapon, its range increment is doubled.

FORCE STOP
Drive Skill 4+ Ranks

Prerequisites:
Benefit: When the character attempts to sideswipe a surface vehicle

with his or her own, the character can force the other vehicle to a stop by
nudging it into a controlled sideways skid.

FRIGHTFULCharisma
PRESENCE
15+, Intimidate Skill 9+ Ranks

Prerequisites:
Benefit: When the character uses this Feat, all opponents within 10

feet who have fewer Ranks than the character must make a Will saving
throw (DC 10 + one-half the character’s Level + the character’sCharisma modifier). An opponent who fails his or her save is shaken,
taking a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saves, and Skill checks for a numberof rounds equal to 1d6 + the character’s Charisma modifier. The
character can use the Feat once per round as a free action. A successful
save indicates that the opponent is immune to the character’s use of thisFeat for 24 hours. This Feat does not affect creatures with an Intelligenceof 3 or lower.

GREAT CLEAVE
Strength 13+, Cleave, Power Attack, Base Attack
Prerequisites:

Bonus +4
Benefit: As Cleave, except that the character has no limit to thenumber of times he or she can use it per round.

GREAT FORTITUDE
The character gets a +2 bonus on all Fortitude saving throws.
Benefit:HEIGHTENSPELL
A heightened spell has a higher spell Rank than normal (upBenefit:

to 9th Rank). Unlike other magical Feats, Heighten Spell actually
increases the effective Rank of the spell that it modifies. All effects
dependent on spell Rank (such as saving throw DCs) are calculated
according to the heightened Rank. The heightened spell is as difficult toprepare and cast as a spell of its effective Rank.

IMPROVEDBrawl,BRAWL
Base Attack Bonus +3

Prerequisites:
Benefit: When making an unarmed attack, the character receives a+2 competence bonus on his or her attack roll, and the character inflicts
stun damage (see page 65) equal to 1d8 + the character’s Strength modifier.

IMPROVEDINITIATIVE
The character gets a +4 bonus on Initiative checks.
Benefit:

IMPROVEDBrawl,KNOCKOUT
PUNCHKnockout Punch, Base Attack Bonus +6

Prerequisites:
Benefit: When making the character’s first unarmed attack against

a flat-footed opponent, treat a successful attack as a critical hit. This
critical hit deals triple damage.

IMPROVEDIntelligence
TRIP13+

Prerequisites:
Benefit: If the character trips an opponent in melee combat, thecharacter immediately gets to make a melee attack against that opponent
as if the character had not used his or her attack action for the trip
attempt.

IRON WILL
The character gets a +2 bonus on all Will saving throws.

MAXIMISE
SPELL
All variable, numeric effects of a maximised spell are
Benefit:maximised. A maximised spell deals maximum damage, cures the
maximum number of Hit Points, affects the maximum number oftargets, etc., as appropriate. Spells without random variables are notaffected. A maximised spell uses up a spell slot three Ranks higher than
the spell’s actual Rank.

MOUNTEDRideCOMBATSkillPrerequisite:
Benefit: Once per round when the character’s mount is hit incombat, the character may make a Ride check to negate the hit. The hit
is negated if the character’s Ride check is greater than the attack roll(essentially, the Ride check becomes the mount’s Armour Class if it’shigher than the mount’s regular AC).

ONE SHOTLEFT
The character will always have at least one projectile
Benefit:remaining for his or her ranged weapon, even after an extended combat.
This might be a final bullet in a gun, arrow in a quiver, plasma unit in awrist blaster, or stone in a sling. This option does not remove the need toreload weapons in a game that uses realistic ammunition rules, but rather
assures that the character will not be forced to reload at a critical
moment. One Shot Left does not affect weapons or Special Attacks built
using the Limited Shots Disability (page 66).

Benefit:

Benefit:Base Attack Bonus and weapon Skill Rank from the foe’s attitude andposture even without actually seeing him or her fight. Additionally, thecharacter can accurately estimate the opponent’s remaining Hit Points.
For both of these advantages, the GM may decide to provide descriptive
indications such as “your enemy is much better than you with a sword,
but if you connect a few times with your ki blast, it will drop him,” rather
than saying “the enemy’s base attack bonus is +10, with a Melee Attack(Sword) Skill of 2, and he has 60 Hit Points remaining.”

KNOCKOUTBrawl,PUNCH
Base Attack Bonus +3

Prerequisites:
Benefit: When making the character’s first unarmed attack against

a flat-footed opponent, treat a successful attack as a critical hit.

LEAP ATTACK
Dexterity 13+, Base Attack Bonus +3

Prerequisites:
Benefit: The character can make leaping attacks with his or her

melee weapon, delivering additional damage due to momentum. Anytime the character has a higher Initiative than his or her opponent, he or
she may attempt a leaping attack. If the strike is successful (it hits andthe target fails a defence) the character gets an extra +2 bonus to damage
and may additionally add half his or her Jump Skill Ranks (if any) to thedamage. If the character fails to hit, however, or the opponent succeedswith his or her defence, the character is off balance and receives a -4
penalty to any further defence checks until his or her turn to act in thefollowing round.

LIGHTNING
REFLEXESThe character gets a +2 bonus on all Reflex saving throws.

POINT BLANKSHOTThe character gets a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls
Benefit:with ranged weapons against opponents within 30 feet.

PORTABLE
ARMOURY
The character will always have easy access to any weapon
Benefit:

CHAPTER 8:FEATSJUDGE OPPONENTThe character can judge his or her opponent’s approximate

required for a particular task, including illegal weapons and accessories
not available to the general public. The actual weapons and accessories
must still be acquired via the Personal Gear Attribute (page 57), but
remarkably, the character can access them whenever he or she needs
them instead of being forced to return to where they are normally stored.
Characters with Portable Armoury may also make field modifications on
their weapons, switching options such as laser sights or scopes in a single
round.

POWER ATTACK
Strength 13+

Prerequisite:
Benefit: On the character’s action, before making attack rolls for around, the character may choose to subtract a number from all melee
attack rolls and add the same number to all melee damage rolls. This
number may not exceed the character’s base attack bonus. The penalty
on attacks and bonus on damage applies until the character’s next action.

QUICKEN
SPELL
Casting a quickened spell is a free action. The character can
Benefit:perform another action, even casting another spell, in the same round as
the character casts a quickened spell. The character may only cast one
quickened spell per round. A spell whose casting time is more than 1 fullround cannot be quickened. A quickened spell uses up a spell slot fourRanks higher than the spell’s actual Rank.

Benefit:85

RAPID SHOT
Dexterity 13+, Point Blank Shot

Prerequisites:
Benefit: The character can get one extra attack per round with aranged weapon. The attack is at the character’s highest base attack
bonus, but each attack (the extra one and the normal ones) suffers a -2
penalty.

REFLECTION
Deflection Feat

Prerequisite:
Benefit: If the character makes a successful Deflection defence (seepage 84) and a successful attack roll (which uses an attack action), he or
she can reflect a standard melee or ranged attack towards any target
within range (including the attacker) without damaging the blocking
object. This Reflection is treated as a normal attack against the target
using standard attack rules (see page 115). The GM may decide thatsome types of attacks cannot be reflected.

RUN

Benefit: When sprinting, the character moves five times normal
speed instead of four times normal speed. If the character makes arunning jump, increase the distance or height cleared by one-fourth, but
not past the maximum.

SNEAK ATTACK
If the character attacks a target who cannot defend him or
CHAPTER 8:
FEATS

Benefit:herself effectively (the target has a situational defence roll or Armour
Class penalty), the attacker adds an additional +1d6 damage each time
this Feat is assigned.

SILENT ASPELL
silent spell can be cast with no verbal components. Spells
Benefit:

without verbal components are not affected. A silent spell uses up a spell
slot one Rank higher than the spell’s actual Rank.

SPELL FOCUS
Choose a school of magic, such as Illusion. The character’s
Benefit:spells of that school are more potent than normal. Add +2 to the
Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the school ofmagic the character selects to focus on. The character can gain this Feat
multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time the character takes theFeat, it applies to a new school of magic.

SPIRITED CHARGE
Mounted Combat, Ride Skill
Prerequisites:

Benefit: When mounted and charging into combat, the character
deals double damage with a melee weapon (or triple damage with alance).

STILL SPELL
A still spell can be cast with no somatic (movement)
Benefit:components. Spells without somatic components are not affected. A still
spell uses up a spell slot one Rank higher than the spell’s actual Rank.

STREETFIGHTING
Brawl, Base Attack Bonus +2

Prerequisites:
Benefit: Once per round, if the character makes a successful melee

attack with an unarmed strike or a light weapon, the character deals an
extra 1d4 damage.

86

STEADY HAND
: Dexterity 13+

Prerequisites
Benefit: This is the ability to attack with ease while moving quickly(running or sprinting, flying at high speeds, etc.) or otherwise engaged incomplex stunts. This reduces the penalties suffered for attacking while inmotion. Each penalty is reduced by 2 (to a minimum of 0). A character withthis Feat may also use weapons in conjunction with the Tumble Skill, andmay aim while they are moving. This Feat may be assigned more than once.

STUNNINGDexterity
FIST13+, Wisdom13+, Base Attack Bonus +8

Prerequisites:
Benefit: Declare that the character is using the Feat before making

an attack roll (thus, a missed attack roll ruins the attempt). It forces a foe
damaged by the character’s unarmed attack to make a Fortitude saving
throw (DC 10 + one-half the character’s Level + Wis modifier), in
addition to dealing damage normally. If the defender fails his saving
throw, he is stunned for 1 round (until just before the character’s next
action). A stunned character can’t act and loses any Dexterity bonus toArmour Class. Attackers get a +2 bonus on attack rolls against a stunned
opponent. The character may attempt a stunning attack once per day forevery four Ranks attained, and no more than once per round.

TWO-WEAPONFIGHTING
Dexterity 15+

Prerequisite:
Benefit: The character can effectively fight with two melee or

ranged weapons at once against the same or different targets, provided
both weapons are designed for one-handed use. When using two
weapons, the character can attack twice using the normal Two Weapons
rules (page 116), but the penalties for doing so are reduced by 2 each time
this Feat is assigned (to a minimum of 0). Alternatively, the character can
attack with one weapon and defend with another receiving a -2 penalty
to Attack checks he or she makes but adding a +2 bonus to his or her
Defence checks vs. melee or unarmed attacks. This bonus lasts until thecharacter’s turn in the following round.

VEHICLE DODGE
Dexterity 13+, Drive Skill 6+ Ranks

Prerequisites:
Benefit: When driving a vehicle, during the character’s action thecharacter designates an opposing vehicle or a single opponent. The
character’s vehicle and everyone aboard it receive a +1 dodge bonus to
Defence against attacks from that vehicle or opponent. The character canselect a new vehicle or opponent on any action.

WEAPONS Intelligence
ENCYCLOPAEDIA
13+

Prerequisites:
Benefit: A character has the ability to recall the vital statistics andimportant quirks of practically all known commercially available weapons.
This includes, but is not limited to, its general level of reliability as well as
all vital statistics — material composition, ammunition capacity, calibre,
possible outfitted accessories, etc. Characters without this ability will only
have such information on weapons they actually own or use regularly andwill need to successfully roll an Intelligence based Knowledge: Military
Science (Hardware Recognition) Skill check to recall important details. In
addition, Weapons Encyclopaedia also includes knowledge on acquiring
weapons, so characters will have a +4 bonus on any Knowledge: Streetwiseor Knowledge: Business Skill checks needed to locate or buy weapons.

WHIRLWINDATTACK
Dexterity 13+, Intelligence 13+, Dodge, Base
Prerequisites:

Attack Bonus +4
Benefit: A character can give up all his or her regular attacks for theround and instead make one melee attack at the character’s highest Base
Attack Bonus against each adjacent opponent.

STEP 9:SELECT DEFECTS

It is recommended that you assign no more than eight Defects toyour character. In most cases two-five Defects are appropriate.

ACHILLESHEELThe character loses twice as many Hit Points as normal from a

Defects are disadvantages through which your character must
suffer in order to overcome the hardships of day-to-day life. Defects serveas an excellent and often comical role-playing opportunity. They only
impede your character to a limited extent and are not intended to totally
negate his or her many abilities.

My Overconfident, Lazy, Stubborn, Honourable HeroNo, you don’t get any Bonus Points for creating overconfident
characters in BESM d20. Or truthful ones, or sadistic ones, or shy
ones. Less desirable personality traits should appear in the gamethrough role-playing, not Points on a character sheet. If yourcharacter is a coward, then portray him or her as cowardly. It’s
just that simple.
Defects represent disadvantages over which your character
has little or no control (i.e. no free will). One example is Phobia— a person with an irrational fear has no choice but to be afraidof the specific trigger. A Phobia is not a personality trait.

TABLE 9-1: DEFECTS
DEFECT
PAGE
Achilles Heel
87
Activation Time87
Backlash87
Bane
87
Blind Fury
88
Concentration
88
Conditional Ownership
88
Confined Movement
88
Cursed88
Dependent
88
Detectable
90
Easily Distracted
90
Famous90
Girl/Guy Magnet
91
Incomplete Training
91
Inept Attack
91
Inept Defence
91
Involuntary Physical Change 91
Ism91
Limited Use, Instantaneous 91
Limited Use, Ongoing91
Magical Restrictions
91
Marked92

DEFECT
Maximum Force
NemesisNot So Tough
One-Way Transformation
Owned
Part of Body
Permanent
PhobiaPhysical Impairment
Recurring Nightmares
Red Tape
Reduction
Restriction
Sensory Impairment
Significant Other (S.O.)
Skeleton in the Closet
Special Requirement
Unique DefectUnreliable Power
Unskilled
Vulnerability
WantedWeak Point

PAGE
92
92
93
93
93
93
93
93
93
93
93
94
94
94
94
94
95
95
95
95
95
95
95

1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The attack form is rare.
The attack form is uncommon.
The attack form is common.

ACTIVATION
TIME
Linked to Attribute. A character with this Defect cannot use one of
his or her Attributes whenever desired because it requires a short time toactivate. Once activation has started, only the character can stop it frombecoming active when the appropriate time is up. This could represent aphysical change that is not instantaneous, the collection of spiritualenergies to perform a task, a device that takes time to “power up,” or an
Attribute that only works when the character is mentally prepared (orangry, or overcome with another emotion).
One additional BP is granted if the activation can be interrupted
temporarily, but restarted where it left off. One example of this is an Itemof Power body suit that the character must put on. If the character stops
activating the Power (i.e. stops dressing) to make a phone call, he or she
can continue afterwards. 2 additional BP are granted if the activationmust start again from the beginning if it is interrupted before theActivation Time has elapsed. An example of this is a spell that must be
chanted completely before the Power activates; if it is interrupted, thespell must be started again from the beginning. The Concentration Defect(page 88) is often linked to these two applications of Activation Time.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

CHAPTER 9:
DEFECTSThe Defects that have “Linked to Attribute” in their description are
direct limitations on your character’s Attributes, rather than moregeneral disadvantages. The combined Character Points and Bonus Points
associated with the Attribute cannot be lower than 1. For example, if acharacter’s Rank 1 Teleport (5 Character Points) is restricted with a 9 BP
Limited Use, Instantaneous Defect, the Defect actually only returns 4 BP
to the character (since Teleport costs at least 1 Point).
By taking a character Defect you can gain up to three (or occasionallymore) Bonus Points (BP) to increase Ability Scores or Attributes Ranks, or
select additional Attributes. The number of Points you receive is directly
proportional to how much the Defect hinders your character; Defects that
do not inflict a significant disadvantage (such as a weakness to bullets madefrom the earth of planet Neptune) are not worth any BP. After you haveselected your character’s Defects, return to the previous steps to use your
Bonus Points (treat Bonus Points as extra Character Points).

particular attack form, which must fit with the character concept. It
might be something with appropriate mystic resonance, such as wooden
stakes for vampires or silver for werewolves. It could also reflect thecharacter’s nature such as a robot taking extra damage from water (as it
causes short circuits), or an alien’s weakness to weapons from his or herhome planet. The GM must approve any Achilles Heel Defects. A
character may have an Achilles Heel to either a common, uncommon, orrare attack form (in the context of the campaign).

The Attribute requires a round to initiate.
The Attribute requires a minute to initiate.
The Attribute requires an hour to initiate.

BACKLASH
Linked to Attribute that requires a check to activate (GM’sdiscretion). The character suffers from an unfortunate side effect wheneveran associated Attribute fails to work. If the character fails his or her checkwhen using the Attribute, the character is hit with the energy or essence
that would have powered the Attribute’s use. The Backlash could bephysical damage, memory loss, Ability Score drain, disorientation, ormany other effects that make the character’s life more difficult. The player
and GM should determine the game effect of the Backlash.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The backlash occurs if the character fails the check by 6 or more.
The backlash occurs if the character fails the check by 3 or more.
The backlash occurs if the character fails the check by 1 or more.

BANE
A character with the Bane Defect is vulnerable to an otherwise nondamaging substance such as water, sunlight, or a specific element, material,or object. The Bane should relate to the character’s background or powers

87

in some way. For example, a fire demon’s bane might be water, while myths
indicate that a vampire suffers damage when touched by a crucifix.
The character suffers damage if his or her skin is physically touchedby the Bane. If the Bane does not require direct physical contact (such as
sunlight, seeing one’s reflection, hearing the noise of a church or temple
bell, or having the Bane in close proximity), the damage is halved.
Alternatively, if the Bane only affects the character when ingested, thedamage is doubled. Finally, the damage rating assumes that the Bane iscommon, such as water, sunlight, steel, or wood. If it is less common suchas a holy symbol, Buddhist scripture, or rare element, the damage is also
doubled. If it is even more rare, such as one particular artefact, thedamage may be tripled or quadrupled.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The Bane causes minor damage (1d6/round of exposure).
The Bane causes moderate damage (2d6/round of exposure).
The Bane causes severe damage (3d6/round of exposure).

BLIND
FURY
Under specific conditions selected by the player (and approved by

CHAPTER 9:
DEFECTSthe GM), the character will enter a state of unbridled anger. Whileenraged, the character will furiously attack the closest person, whether
that individual is a friend or foe. Once that person is defeated or flees, theberserk character will attack the next closest “threat.” Examples ofconditions that might initiate Blind Fury include: receiving a certain
amount of damage, sight of blood, a specific sound or smell, being
outnumbered in combat, seeing a friend in mortal danger, confrontation
with a specific opponent, etc.
The character can only return to a normal emotional state underanother specific condition. This return could involve a Willpower save, or
could be an automatic reversion. Examples of return conditions include:
no opponents in the vicinity, a specific calming technique performed byan ally, solitude, injection of a particular drug, being knocked
unconscious, etc.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

Initiating the Blind Fury is difficult; reverting to normal emotional
state is easy.
Initiating the Blind Fury and reverting to a normal emotional state
are both moderately difficult.
Initiating the Blind Fury is easy; reverting to normal emotional
state is difficult.

CONCENTRATION
Linked to Attribute. The character must concentrate while using a
specific Attribute that functions over a period of time; it does not apply
to Attributes with an instantaneous effect. If the character’s
concentration is interrupted voluntarily or by an outside event, theAttribute ceases to function.
1 BP

2 BP

3 BP

88

The Attribute requires slight concentration. The character canstill perform other non-combat actions, but cannot engage incombat or use other Attributes that also require Concentration.
The Attribute requires intense concentration. The character canmove at a slow speed and talk with others while using the
Attribute, but cannot perform any complex actions or use anyother Attribute.
The Attribute requires full concentration. The character cannot
do anything else while using the Attribute; he or she mustremain still and devote full attention to the Power.

CONDITIONALOWNERSHIP
Linked to Attribute. Only a character who possesses the Item ofPower, Own a Big Mecha, or Personal Gear Attributes (pages 50, 56, and57) can acquire this Defect. The character’s possessions granted by those
Attributes actually belong to another person or organisation. They areissued to the character, but the agency imposes “mild,” “strict,” or“severe” conditions on their use.
“Mild conditions” indicate that the character can use the objects forsome personal business (such as travelling), but if he or she is released
from the organisation or disobeys direct orders, the objects can be taken
away. The character can also be assigned different objects at any time. For
example, a police detective might have conditional use of an unmarked
police car.
“Strict conditions” indicate that the character is only permitted touse the objects for activities as ordered by the organisation. This is theway most military and police equipment is issued. If the character iscaught using the objects for personal activities, he or she will receive asevere reprimand.
“Severe conditions” indicate that the character can only use theobjects under specific orders. A government owned time travel device
would probably fall under these conditions. Using the objects at anyother time results in incarceration, physical punishment, or even death.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

Mild conditions are imposed on the objects’ ownership andusage.
Strict conditions are imposed on the objects’ ownership andusage.
Severe conditions are imposed on the objects’ ownership andusage.

CONFINEDMOVEMENT
This Defect prevents the character from leaving a narrowly definedarea. This may represent, for example, an undead villain that is cursed tohaunt a particular place, an android that is programmed to follow a
specific guard route, or a government-licensed magical girl that is only
registered for travel in a specific region.
2 BP
4 BP
6 BP

Restricted to a large area (100-mile radius), such as a single
county or large city.
Restricted to a small area (1-mile radius), such as a small town
or large, multi-structure complex.
Restricted to a tiny area (300-foot radius), such as a small village
or single building.

CURSED
A Cursed character has likely offended a great being of power in his
or her past, or is the direct descendent of someone who did (Curses oftenpass through bloodlines). The Curse can take a near limitless number offorms, but should not provide a character with an obvious advantage(remember, it’s a curse!). The exact nature, background, and limitationsof the Curse should be discussed with the GM.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The character suffers from a slight disadvantage.
The character suffers from a moderate disadvantage.
The character suffers from a severe disadvantage.

DEPENDENT
Linked to Attribute. The character cannot use the chosen Attributewithout first using a second (or more) Attribute. If the character fails toactivate the second Attribute, he or she cannot use the other one either.
Examples of the Dependent Defect include: a character who can fly after
activating his Force Field (Flight dependent upon Force Field), a character
who gains additional Armour when invisible (Armour dependent upon

CHAPTER 9:
DEFECTS89

CHAPTER 9:
DEFECTS

Invisibility), a character that can run much more quickly after stretching
his or her legs and growing (Speed dependent upon Elasticity and Size
Change), etc. The player must justify the Dependent Defect to the GM
to avoid silly combinations.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The Dependent Attribute cannot work until 1 other Attribute is
activated.
The Dependent Attribute cannot work until 2 other Attributes areactivated.
The Dependent Attribute cannot work until 3 other Attributes areactivated.

DETECTABLE
Linked to Attribute. While using a specific Attribute, the charactercan be pinpointed and possibly identified by others who have specificdetection techniques. For example, the Attribute’s use may make a loudnoise or a bright flash, send vibrations through the ground, or emanate
mental shock waves. Detection techniques include: astral; ethereal;human sight, hearing, or sense of smell; infrared; mental; radar;radiation; sonar; spiritual; ultraviolet; vibration; and others. The Special
Attack Attribute (page 61) is an exception to this Defect — charactersmust acquire an Attack Ability to make the attack undetectable.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

90

The Attribute’s use can be detected using 1-2 methods.
The Attribute’s use can be detected using 3-5 methods.
The Attribute’s use can be detected using 6-9 methods.

EASILY
DISTRACTED
Some characters are Easily Distracted by events, objects, people, or
ideas, which are collectively known as triggers. Notable examples oftriggers include attractive members of the opposite (or same) sex, wealth,food, movie stars, hobbies, gossip, hot cars, music, one’s own looks, books
or scrolls of ancient lore, and magical items. A character with this Defectwill become enthralled with the trigger until it can no longer influence
him or her. Many characters have interests in a variety of triggers but do
not possess this Defect because their interest is moderated by their senseof judgement.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The character is distracted by a trigger that is encounteredinfrequently.
The character is distracted by a few infrequent triggers, or by
one trigger that is encountered frequently.
The character is distracted by several infrequent triggers, or by
one trigger that is encountered constantly.

FAMOUS
The character is recognisable by many people, and thus it is difficultfor him or her to keep secrets or maintain a private life. Journalists andphotographers may hound the character regularly, and report his or her
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The character has regional fame.
The character has national fame.
The character has international fameactions on television, in newspapers, and on websites. While being
Famous may have some privileges (preferred seating at restaurants, daily
special treatment, etc.), it is a significant disadvantage for a character thatmaintains a secret identity (such as a magical girl)..

GIRL/GUY
MAGNETThe character attracts susceptible girls (or guys, or even both sexes)
like bees to nectar. For some reason they are just drawn to the character,fall helplessly in love (or lust), and will not let go nor give the character aminute’s peace. Even worse, they will fight each other over the characterto keep one another from consummating the relationship. The Girl/Guy
Magnet does not represent some unusual charisma on the part of thecharacter but rather his or her fate to constantly meet obsessed people.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

Only a couple of girl/guy characters are actively chasing thecharacter.
Several girls/guys are actively chasing the character.
Swarms of girls/guys are actively chasing the character; a newone appears every adventure or two.

INCOMPLETE
TRAINING
This Defect requires GM permission. The character’s training anddevelopment in his or her class was not as extensive as it should havebeen. The character does not gain one or more “Special” benefits
associated with class progression upon gaining a new Rank. The Bonus
Points returned by this Defect is equal to the Character Point cost of thespecific benefit (though the GM may penalise the character by returning
one less Point). The Bonus Points returned are typically used to acquire
alternative Attributes.

INEPT
ATTACK
This Defect reflects a character’s poor judgement in offensive
3 BP
6 BP
9 BP

The character’s Base Attack Bonus is decreased by 1.
The character’s Base Attack Bonus is decreased by 2.
The character’s Base Attack Bonus is decreased by 3.

INEPT
DEFENCEThis Defect reflects a character’s poor judgement in defensive
combat situations, which can often place him or her in precarious
positions. A character with the Inept Defence Defect suffers a penalty tohis or her Armour Class.
2 BP
4 BP
6 BP

The character’s Armour Class is decreased by 1.
The character’s Armour Class is decreased by 2.
The character’s Armour Class is decreased by 3.

1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

It is difficult to trigger the Involuntary Change.
It is moderately easy to trigger the Involuntary Change.
It is easy to trigger the Involuntary Change.

ISM Ism is discrimination based solely on one particular aspect of acharacter. Examples of Ism include: ageism, elitism, racism, sexism, or
discrimination based on education, species, genetics, sexual preference,occupation, religion, physical features, etc. The players and GM arestrongly encouraged to discuss these contentious discrimination issues,and their role in the game, before play begins.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The character experiences a small degree of discrimination.
The character experiences a large degree of discrimination.
The character experiences a severe degree of discrimination.

LIMITED
USE, INSTANTANEOUS
Linked to Attribute with an instantaneous effect. The character can
only use a specific Attribute occasionally. This may result from a need torecharge the Attribute (or a device), an incredible drain on the character’sinternal reserves, or a different form of limitation. Only under exceptional
circumstances (and at a great sacrifice) can the character use the Attribute
more often than indicated by this Defect.
3 BP
6 BP
9 BP

The character can only use the Attribute three times a day.
The character can only use the Attribute twice a day.
The character can only use the Attribute once a day.

LIMITED
USE, ONGOING
Linked to an Attribute that can be used on an ongoing basis. After

CHAPTER 9:
DEFECTS

combat situations, which makes it much more difficult to strike an
opponent successfully. A character with the Inept Attack Defect suffers apenalty to his or her base attack bonus.

This Defect is assigned once to indicate the character can
accidentally change from normal to Alternate Form or from Alternate
Form to normal form. The Defect is assigned twice if the character cantransform both ways unintentionally.

the character uses a specific Attribute, he or she cannot use it again for a
specific period of time; the longer the Attribute is used, the longer the
rest period must be. For example, the muscles of a character with
Superstrength may need time to recuperate after use, or an Item of Power
that grants Flight may need to be recharged between uses. Only under
exceptional circumstances (and at a great sacrifice) can the character use
the Attribute again before the waiting period has elapsed.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

For every minute the character uses the Power, he or she must
wait 1 minute before the Attribute functions once again.
For every minute the character uses the Power, he or she must
wait 5 minutes before the Attribute functions once again.
For every minute the character uses the Power, he or she must
wait 10 minutes before the Attribute functions once again.

INVOLUNTARYPHYSICAL CHANGE
This Defect is only available to characters who have the Alternate

MAGICAL
RESTRICTIONS
Only someone with the Dynamic Sorcery or Magic Attributes can

Form Attribute (page 39). The character may accidentally change fromnormal form to the Alternate Form (or vice versa), or an external trigger(cold water, natural force, etc.) may induce the change. This Defect may
represent a character who: transforms between identities upon hearing oruttering a specific sound or word, reverts to normal form when aparticular chemical in the body is in low quantities (such as sugar or salt),transforms when a button on a gadget or Item of Power is pushed,transforms in times of stress, etc.

take this Defect. The character’s magic is either difficult to perform oroccasionally ceases to function or both. Magical restrictions can be minor
or major.
Some examples of minor restrictions are:
• The character must always dress in a peculiar set of ritual clothing (orbody paint, or whatever) to use magic.
• The character must transform into a special costume in order to use hisor magic. This is very common for “magical girl” type characters.
• The character’s magic works at the pleasure of a patron spirit, god,91

goddess, or demon and may cease to function if the character disobeys
the patron’s commands or violates particular religious or other strictures.
• The character’s magic is limited if the character violates certain minor
taboos.
• About half of the character’s magic powers are dependent on
possession of a particular item, which may or may not also be an Itemof Power. Should the character ever lose or misplace the item, he or shecannot access these powers.
Some examples of major restrictions are:
• The character’s magic ceases to function if he or she is in contact withmetal, carrying it, or wearing it on his or her body.
• The character must perform blood sacrifices for his or her magic to work.
• The character’s magic only functions half or less of the time; forexample, it may not work during daylight or only work when themoon is visible.
• Nearly all the character’s magic (except possibly a minor power ortwo) is dependent on possession of a particular item, which may or
may not also be an Item of Power. Should the character ever lose or
misplace the item, he or she cannot access the item-dependent powers.
Magical Restrictions of this sort are a good way to establish thenature of a particular form or school of magic. This Defect cannot betaken if its BP value would be equal to or greater than the Points thecharacter spent to acquire Magic or Dynamic Sorcery.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The character’s magic suffers from one or a few minor
restrictions.
The character’s magic suffers from a major restriction.
The character’s magic suffers from several minor and 1-2 major
restrictions.

CHAPTER 9:
DEFECTS

MARKEDA character is considered Marked if his or her body hosts a
permanent and distinguishing design that may be difficult to conceal.
The design may be a family symbol, an identifying birthmark, apermanent scar, or a unique tattoo. If the mark is not considered out of
the ordinary (such as freckles or a common tattoo), this Defect does not
apply. Characters who are obviously non-human (robotic, demonic, alien,etc.) in a setting where most people are human (or vice versa) would also
have the Marked Defect. In a standard high-fantasy setting, none of thetypical races (dwarves, elves, halflings, etc.) have this Defect.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The mark is easily concealable because it is small or in aninconspicuous location.
The mark can be concealed, but this is difficult because it islarge or in an obvious location.
Under most circumstances, the mark cannot be concealed
because it affects the character’s entire body.

MAXIMUM
FORCE
Linked to Attribute. The character cannot use a specific Attributeat the lowest end of its power range. This could represent a character who
is too talented for his or her own good, an item that only functions withincertain parameters, a powerful character who pushes the Attribute’s
limits so often that he or she has forgotten how to use it at a low Rank,or something different.
This Defect is only appropriate for the following Attributes:
Elasticity, Flight, Insubstantial, Jumping, Projection, Size Change,
Special Attack (applies to damage only), Speed, Teleport, Transmutation,and Water Speed.
Maximum Force extends to Rank 6, providing 1 BP each Rank. The
restriction on an Attribute’s use is given below, where X is the number ofBonus Points granted and (X+1) is one Rank higher than the BP Rank.
X BP

92

The character cannot use up to Rank X of the Attribute. The
Attribute must be at Rank (X+1) or higher.

NEMESISThe character has someone in his or her life that actively interfereswith goal achievement on a regular basis. This Nemesis can take several
forms. He or she could be a professional rival such as someone competing forthe favour of the character’s boss. The Nemesis could also be personal; forexample, a thief may be pursued by a cop who devotes his or her existence
to putting the character behind bars. The Nemesis may even be a romantic
rival such as someone chasing the same person the character is pursuing.
The Nemesis should be someone who makes the character’s life
difficult frequently (and cannot easily be removed), but the Nemesis does
not need to be a mortal enemy. It might be someone the character loves
very much, but one whom they cannot avoid. An overbearing parent who
lives at home is an example of this. If for any reason the Nemesis isdefeated or goes away, the GM should create another Nemesis, unless theplayer also wishes to use Power Points gained through advancement toeliminate the Defect permanently.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The Nemesis is merely annoying and/or interferes infrequently.
The Nemesis may actively try to harm the character and/orinterferes frequently.
The Nemesis will always harm the character given theopportunity, and/or interferes constantly.

NOTTheSOcharacter
TOUGH
is less durable than his character Level would
otherwise suggest. This Defect is appropriate for characters with a “glass
jaw,” or those who succumb to physical trauma easily. A character may
not take this Defect if it would reduce his or her Hit Points below 1.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The character’s Hit Points are decreased by 5 Points.
The character’s Hit Points are decreased by 10 Points.
The character’s Hit Points are decreased by 15 Points.

ONE-WAY
TRANSFORMATION
Linked to Attribute. This Defect is usually only be taken in
conjunction with the Alternate Form, Elasticity, Insubstantial,
Invisibility, or, Size Change Attributes. Once the character has
transformed from a normal state, he or she cannot transform back to aprior form without meeting certain conditions. This might include amagical ritual, work by mechanics or lab technicians, consuming a
specific substance, or simply the passage of time.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

It takes several hours of work or special circumstances to enable
the character to transform back to an earlier form.
As 1 BP, but the process requires expensive (or hard to find)replacement components, ingredients, or other prerequisites.
As 2 BP, but the process takes several days.

OWNEDFree will has little meaning for a character who is Owned by a

1 BP
2 BP

3 BP

The organisation has partial ownership of the character; thecharacter is subject to slight punishment for opposing the owners.
The organisation has significant ownership of the character; thecharacter is subject to moderate punishment for opposing theowners.
The organisation has total ownership of the character; the characteris subject to severe punishment for opposing the owners.

PARTLinkedOFto Attribute.
BODY
Only part of the character’s body is affected bya specific Attribute, most commonly used for: Adaptation, Alternate
Form, Armour, Invisibility, and Superstrength. For example, a charactermight only receive Armour benefits against abdominal attacks, possess
the ability to turn his or her left arm invisible, or have bionic legs with
Superstrength.

1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

PHOBIA
A Phobia is a fear (often irrational) of an event, object, or personthat can limit a character’s choice of actions. Avoiding situations that
could trigger the phobia may take a high priority in the character’s life.
Note that a Phobia that effectively cripples the character with fear does
not add constructively to the role-playing experience.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

2 BP
3 BP

The Attribute affects a large part of the body (torso, both legs,
both arms, etc.).
The Attribute affects a small part of the body (one leg, one arm,
abdomen, chest, head, etc.)
The Attribute affects a tiny part of the body (one hand, face, onefoot, groin, knee, etc.).

PERMANENT
Linked to Attribute. A specific Attribute is always functioning, andthe character cannot turn it off. This Defect only applies to Attributes
that would inconvenience the character if the Power were always active,
such as: Force Field, Invisibility, or Size Change. The player and GM

The character has a slight phobia or one that is encounteredinfrequently.
The character has a moderate phobia or one that is
encountered frequently.
The character has a severe phobia or one that is encounteredconstantly.

PHYSICALIMPAIRMENT
The character has a physical impairment that makes aspects of daily
life more challenging. Possible impairments include: one or more missing(or unusable) limbs, loss of speech, constant sickness, nagging injury,
severe headaches, an android that requires frequent repairs, etc. The
player and GM should discuss the problems and limitations associatedwith the impairment.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The impairment is a slight inconvenience to the character.
The impairment is a moderate inconvenience to the character.
The impairment is a severe inconvenience to the character.

RECURRINGNIGHTMARES
When the Recurring Nightmare Defect haunts a character, he or
she has trouble sleeping at nights and functions at less-than-optimum
performance during the day. The nightmare can be a memory of a tragic
event or traumatic experience, or it might be something else such as aprophetic vision or warning. The nightmare may not occur every night
but it will haunt the character on a regular basis. Additionally, thenightmares do not need to portray the exact same events repeatedly, but
the visions should be related in some way. The details concerning the
subject matter of the nightmares and why they occur is the responsibilityof the GM and the player to create.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

1 BP

The Attribute is a slight inconvenience to the character.
The Attribute is a moderate inconvenience to the character.
The Attribute is a severe inconvenience to the character.

CHAPTER 9:
DEFECTS

corporation, government, crime ring, or other organisation or individual.
Control over the character can be exerted through a variety of methods
including blackmail, brainwashing, legal contract, technology, or justhighly effective propaganda. Dire consequences await a character whose
actions conflict with the mandate of the owning body.

should discuss the problems and limitations associated with an eternallyactive Power.

The nightmares occur infrequently and have a slight effect on thecharacter’s lifestyle.
The nightmares occur frequently and have a moderate effect on
the character’s lifestyle.
The nightmares occur constantly and have a severe effect on thecharacter’s lifestyle.

REDTheTAPE
character must negotiate his or her way through a complicatedbureaucracy in order to accomplish tasks. This Defect is often associatedwith characters who are members of law-enforcement organisations orsimilar government agencies that require paperwork. A large criminalorganisation, however, may also require a character to receive permission
from several levels of bosses before undertaking certain high-profile jobs.
Red Tape also includes whatever measures the character must take“after the fact” to appease the organisation to which he or she belongs.
For example, a cop may need to fill out a report every time his or her

93weapon is fired or may have to follow a complicated series of steps to
obtain a search warrant. A criminal may be required to pay a percentage
of his or her take to the local crime boss or face some very strict penalties.
The Red Tape Defect is usually inappropriate for characters created
via the Flunkies or Servant Attributes.
1 BP

2 BP
3 BP

The Red Tape only impedes the character before or after amajor action (but not both) and/or the Red Tape is easy to
manage most of the time.
The Red Tape impedes a character both before and after amajor action, and/or is difficult to manage most of the time.
The Red Tape impedes a character before, after, and during a major
action, and/or is extremely difficult to manage most of the time.

CHAPTER 9:
DEFECTSsmell) are either diminished or lost. An example of a diminished sense isbeing near-sighted or hard of hearing; the GM should take the impairment
into consideration when deciding what the character is able to perceive,and may apply a -4 penalty on checks to notice things with that sense. An
example of a lost sense is blindness or deafness. Any diminishment or loss
is based on the character’s status after benefiting from any technologicalaids such as eyeglasses or hearing aids in the setting. For example, if acharacter has a hearing aid but is still hard of hearing, he or she has Sensory
Impairment (Diminished Hearing, 1 BP). In a setting where a hearing aid
was unavailable or could not correct his or her particular impairment, he or
she would have Sensory Impairment (Deaf, 2 BP) instead.

REDUCTION
Linked to Attribute. One of the character’s Attributes is limited

1 BP

greatly, resulting in a Reduction of its Point cost per Rank. This Defect offers
a near-endless number of limitations, and consequently the player and GM
should discuss the game ramifications and the Attribute’s new Rank costs.
Unlike other Defects, Reduction does not return Bonus Points tothe character; the Attribute cost changes instead. The Point cost change
is directly related to the original cost of the Attribute. For example, aReduction that limits a 4 Points/Rank Attribute to half of its power
might be a 2 Points/Rank Reduction; the same limitation on a 10
Points/Rank Attribute could be a 5 Points/Rank Reduction. This Defectis not usually appropriate for 1 Point/Rank Attributes.
A list of suggested Reductions are shown in Table 9-2: Sample
Reductions.

2 BP

TABLE 9-2: SAMPLE REDUCTIONS
Attribute always used in same way
Fewer sub-Points awarded
Less frequent usage
Limited control

One aspect
Partial effectiveness
Smaller target group
Very specific utility

RESTRICTION
Linked to Attribute. One of the character’s Attributes is associatedwith one or more disadvantages that limit its use. This Defect offers anear-endless number of limitations, and consequently the player and GM
should discuss the ramifications of the selected Restriction. A list ofsuggested Restrictions are shown in Table 9-3: Sample Restrictions.
The GM may increase the Bonus Points returned to the characterto an alternate progression (such as 2 BP, 4 BP, 6 BP; or 3 BP, 6 BP, 9 BP)
if the Attribute this Defect is restricting has a high Character Point costat each Rank (see Dynamic Sorcery or Extra Attacks for examples). Severe
limitations on an Attribute, which will affect the Point cost per Rank, arecovered by the Reduction Defect (see above).
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The Attribute has a minor Restriction.
The Attribute has a moderate Restriction.
The Attribute has a major Restriction.

TABLE 9-3: SAMPLE RESTRICTIONS
Cannot use on oneself
Check needed to maintain control
During specific times of the day
Easy to counteract
Flawed results
In particular locations
Initiative penalty to use
Limited functioning
Loss of specific effect
Naked form only

94

SENSORY
IMPAIRMENTOne or more of the character’s senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch,Requires consumable focus
Requires maintenanceRequires special equipment
Requires Ability checks
Restricts movement
Specific targets
Time limit
Under certain conditions
Usage inflicts pain
Use weakens character

3 BP

BP The character has a diminished primary sense (such as
short-sightedness or being hard of hearing), or has lost asecondary sense (such as taste or smell).
The character has completely lost a primary sense (sight or
hearing), or has two diminished primary senses, or has
completely lost multiple secondary senses.
The character has completely lost a primary sense (sight or
hearing) and multiple secondary senses.

SIGNIFICANTOTHER (S.O.)
A character with this Defect has someone for whom he or she must
go to any lengths to keep safe from harm, even at the risk of his or her own
life. The S.O. should be a regular fixture in the campaign. A one-night
stand, or a cousin visiting for two weeks is a plot complication and not anappropriate S.O. The character’s sense of obligation towards the S.O. isenough that the character will take great pains to ensure his or her safety
and well-being. Examples include spouses and steady boy or girl friends,
immediate relatives (parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters,
perhaps very close cousins), and close co-workers (such as a cop’s partner).
It is acceptable for a character to take another character as an S.O.,
provided the players role-play this relationship appropriately. In this case,the S.O. relationship is always worth just 1 BP but is treated as a 3 BP
Defect by the GM in terms of the frequency with which it affects the game.
S.O. is inappropriate for most Flunkies and Servant characters.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The S.O. is rarely placed in grave danger and appears infrequently.
The S.O. is often placed in grave danger and appears frequently.
The S.O. is always placed in grave danger and appears
constantly.

SKELETON
IN THE CLOSET
The character has a dark secret. Exposure of this secret could cause
harm to the character in the form of public humiliation, loss of a job,arrest, injury, or even death. The number of BP gained from this Defectis based on the severity the consequences if the secret is revealed. The
secret must be important enough that the character will actively takesteps to keep others from learning of it. If the Skeleton is ever revealed,
the character will suffer the associated consequences, and the GM should
replace it with an appropriate Defect or Defects worth at least as many
BP as Skeleton in the Closet. Skeleton in the Closet is inappropriate formost Flunkies and Servant characters.
1 BP

2 BP

3 BP

The Skeleton is difficult to discover, and/or the consequences of
discovery are slight, and/or the character’s reputation will be
impacted slightly.
The Skeleton is relatively easy to discover, and/or theconsequences of discovery are moderate, and/or the character’s
reputation will be seriously impacted.
The Skeleton is very easy to discover, and/or the consequencesof discovery are severe, and/or the character’s reputation will bedevastated.

SPECIALREQUIREMENT
This Defect forces the character to meet a Special Requirement

UNSKILLED
An Unskilled character starts with less than the usual number ofbefore an action or task can be completed. The Special Requirement may
involve a physical object, an event, an action, an environmental
condition, or even a state of mind. Everyday activities, such as eating andsleeping, are not considered to be Special Requirements unless they must
be carried out under unusual conditions or more frequently for somereason. This Defect covers a wide range of possibilities, and thus thedetails should be discussed with the GM.

Skill Points. This Defect cannot be combined with the Highly Skilled
Attribute. Additionally, characters may not take this Defect if it would
reduce his or her Skill Points below zero.

1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The Special Requirement is easy to obtain and/or needed
infrequently.
The Special Requirement is difficult to obtain and/or needed often.
The Special Requirement is extremely difficult to obtain and/or
needed constantly.

UNIQUE
DEFECT
This section covers any and all possible Defects that a charactermight possess but are not detailed in the rules. The boundaries andlimitations of the Defect should be discussed with the GM.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The Defect occurs infrequently and/or has a slight effect.
The Defect occurs frequently and/or has a moderate effect.
The Defect occurs constantly and/or has a severe effect.

1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

VULNERABILITY
The character has a critical weakness to a specific object,environment, thought, activity, or condition. When in close proximity to
the Vulnerability, it can temporarily strip the character of some of his or
her Attributes (GM determines which Attributes are affected). The
Vulnerability should only affect the character rarely, however, since it
impacts him or her so severely.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

UNIQUE DEFECT EXAMPLE: ATTACK RESTRICTION
A character with the Attack Restriction Defect has limitations onwhom he or she can attack due to a reduction of free will (such as “hardcoded” commands). The attack restriction can only be overcome duringexceptional circumstances and may result in harsh consequences, including
unbearable guilt or punishment by superiors. This Defect obviously does
not apply to heroic characters who cannot “attack innocent people.”

2 BP
3 BP

The character’s restriction applies to very few people, or thecharacter has slight reservations.
The character’s restriction applies to many people, or thecharacter has strong reservations.
The character’s restriction applies to a large group of people, orthe character has extremely strong reservations.

WANTEDThe character is wanted by the law, a powerful criminal, or privateorganisation that has placed a price on his or her head. Being Wanted isdifferent from having a Nemesis; there is no single person devoting his or
her life to annoying or hunting down the character. The character willneed to conceal his or her identity or move around regularly to avoid
having complete strangers calling the police or pursuing the character(depending on the circumstances).
1 BP

2 BP

UNRELIABLE
POWER
Linked to Attribute. One of the character’s Attributes frequently
does not function when desired. Before the character can use the
Attribute, he or she must make a successful Ability check. If the
Attribute does not have a “Relevant Ability” entry, the character’s
Wisdom should be used as a default. If the Ability check fails, thecharacter can try to use the Attribute again during the next round (whenthe character is in combat), or in a short period of time (when thecharacter is not in combat).
At the GM’s and player’s discretion, Unreliable Power can also
represent an Attribute that does not always function in the manner desired.
For example, a character with Size Change might not always grow to thedesired size, or a Force Field might not always appear in the correct place.
For this alternative, the Ability check determines if the Attribute operates
properly; a failed check indicates that it activates in an unexpected manner.
1 BP

2 BP

3 BP

The character must make the check against DC 14. In noncombat situations, the character cannot attempt to use the
Attribute again for 1 to 10 minutes.
The character must make the check against DC 17. In noncombat situations, the character cannot attempt to use the
Attribute again for 10 to 30 minutes.
The character must make the check against DC 20. In noncombat situations, the character cannot attempt to use the
Attribute again for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

The character’s accessible Attribute Ranks all drop by up to 2
Ranks when affected by the Vulnerability.
The character’s accessible Attribute Ranks all drop by up to 4
Ranks when affected by the Vulnerability.
The character cannot use any Attributes when affected by the
Vulnerability.

3 BP

The incentive to hunt the character is minor. For example, he or
she may be wanted on outstanding warrants, but there may be
no actual reward posted, or the reward is fairly small.
The reward, contract, or other incentive offered to hunt thecharacter is significant.
The reward, contract, or other incentive offered to hunt thecharacter is extreme.

CHAPTER 9:
DEFECTS

1 BP

The character has 4 fewer starting Skill Points.
The character has 8 fewer starting Skill Points.
The character has 12 fewer starting Skill Points.

WEAK
POINT
The character’s body possesses an abnormal weak point (in addition
to the normal human weak points, like the heart and head). If the weak
point is ever hit during combat with a Called Shot (see page 116), theresult is an automatic critical hit (see page 122). If the attacker rolls anatural critical hit (a natural 20), the target is immediately reduced to 0
Hit Points and falls unconscious. The opponent, or even the character,may not be aware the weak point exists, however, until its presence isdiscovered by accident or through careful study.
1 BP
2 BP
3 BP

The weak point is tiny (-6 Called Shot attack penalty).
The weak point is small (-4 Called Shot attack penalty).
The weak point is large (-2 Called Shot attack penalty).

95

BASEEveryATTACK
BONUS
character has a Base Attack Bonus (even if the bonus is +0).

example, a character has 45 HP and drops below -45 HP) then thecharacter is dead. A characters’ Hit Points are determined by the Hit Diceappropriate for their class Rank, plus any Ranks of Damn Healthy!, plus
their Constitution modifier per die rolled, minus any modifier for the Not
So Tough Defect, plus any other modifiers. For instance, a Level 5
Samurai (d10 Hit Dice) with a Con of 14 (+2 modifier) and 2 Ranks ofDamn Healthy! (+2d8 + Con modifier) would have Hit Points equal to
5d10 + 2d8 + 14.
BESM d20 assumes character death is rare. Characters are more
frequently knocked unconscious than killed, thought that may not suit
the specific style of game the GM wishes to run. If character death should
be more common, the GM may have characters die when they fall to -10
Hit Points, which is how most d20 System games handle death.

The Base Attack Bonus is a representation of the character’s skill in
combat. It is determined by taking the characters Base Attack Bonus
earned from character Level and adding any Ranks of the Attack Combat
Mastery Attribute acquired during creation.

ENERGYPOINTSThis value represents the personal reserves and fortitude your

STEP 10: DETERMINECALCULATED VALUES
Now that the majority of character creation is finished, you candetermine your character’s Calculated Values.

ARMOUR CLASS BONUS (OPTIONAL RULE)
A character may decide, for each Level gained, whether he or she
wants to use the Base Attack Bonus for that Level either as Base Attack
Bonus or as an Armour Class Bonus. Once this is decided, the charactermay not change it. The character also does not gain any Character Points
for choosing one way or the other. For example, when a character advances
to a 3rd Level Samurai, gaining an additional +1 Base Attack Bonus, she
could assign the +1 to her Armour Class Bonus rather than increase her
Base Attack Bonus. If this option is selected, the GM may also award thecharacter one free Character Point to keep the Points balanced.

CHAPTER 10:
FINISHING TOUCHESARMOUR
CLASS
Every character (and items in some circumstances) has an Armour
Class (AC) that is a reflection of how hard a character is to hit in combat.
BESM d20 uses the Defence Roll variant rule from the DMG. Armour
Class is determined by adding the character’s modifier from Dexterity,
any Ranks of the Defence Combat Mastery Attribute, Size Modifier (seeTable 10-1: Size Categories), and any other appropriate bonuses or
penalties. When a character defends against an attack, his or her Defence
Roll is equal to d20 + the character’s Armour Class, plus any otherapplicable modifiers. Note that characters lose their Dexterity bonus toArmour Class when they are flatfooted, unaware of the attacker, orotherwise unable to fully benefit from their Dexterity bonus. If thecharacter is not moving at all (by choice or because he or she is hindered),the character does not gain benefits from Dexterity or Defence Combat
Mastery, and no d20 Defence Roll is made.

Why the Defence Roll?
BESM d20 uses the variant defence roll rule because we feel itbetter reflects the dynamics of combat — the worst combatantperiodically defends against an attack very well while the best
combatant sometimes takes a misstep. GMs may, however, wish to
use the familiar d20 Armour Class rules to speed up combat byremoving the defence roll. In these instances, a character isconsidered to always “take 10” for defence rolls and thus his or her
Armour Class is always calculated as 10 + the character’s base
Armour Class — no roll is required.

HIT This
POINTS
value dictates the amount of physical damage your character’s
body can sustain before it ceases to function (for example, your character
dies). Damage delivered in combat is subtracted from your character’scurrent Hit Point total. If the total ever falls below zero, the character
falls unconscious. If the total even drops to a negative number that islower that the negative number of the characters total Hit Points (for96character has at his or her disposal when carrying out difficult or spiritualtasks. Energy Points are needed to fuels certain Attributes such as
Dynamic Sorcery and Magic, but they can also be used to temporarily
increase Ability Scores or Hit Points. This advantage only lasts for a few
minutes — the duration of an important task.
Any Ability can be raised by 1 value for every 5 Energy Points
drained from your character’s total. Hit Points can also be increased by 2
for every 5 Energy Points sacrificed and may keep a character who has
fallen deep into the negatives alive long enough to receive medical
attention. Finally, your GM may decide that Energy Points can be usedin other ways as well, such as altering game events or re-rolling dice. If
your character’s Energy Points total is ever reduced to 0, he or she will
fall unconscious from exhaustion.
A character’s Energy Point total is determined by taking the lowest
modifier of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (the weakest aspect of thecharacter determines his or her energy reserves) and adding 1d2 percharacter Level (with a minimum of 1 per Level). For example, a Level 8
character with an Int 12, Wis 16, and Cha 8 (the lowest modifier,Charisma, is -1) would have Energy Points equal to 8d2-8.
Characters with Ranks in the Dynamic Sorcery Attribute (page 44)
gains increased dice for Energy Points. Additionally, the Energy Bonus
Attribute provides extra Points.

SAVING
THROWS
When your character is subjected to an unusual attack such as
Mind Control or an attempt to Teleport the character in front of a truck,he or she is allowed to make a saving throw to reduce or completely avoid
the effects. A saving throw roll is d20 + the character’s base save bonus+ other modifiers due to equipment, active effects, environment,
circumstance, etc. The saving throw succeeds if the total of the die rollplus modifiers equals or exceeds the DC.
The three different kinds of saving throws are these:

FORTITUDE
These saves measure a combatant’s ability to stand up to massive
physical trauma, or attacks against a character’s vitality and health.
Apply a character’s Constitution modifier to Fortitude saving throws.

REFLEX
These saves test a combatant’s ability to evade attacks or otherwise
avoid deadly situations. Apply the character’s Dexterity modifier toReflex Saving throws.

WILLPOWER
These saves reflect a character’s resistance to mental influence anddomination. Apply the character’s Wisdom modifier to Will saving
throws.

TABLE 10-1: SIZE CATEGORIES
SIZE
Fine
Diminutive
Tiny
Small
Medium
Large
Huge
Gargantuan
Colossal

POINT
COST
38
17
7
3
0
2
5
5
-4

APPROXIMATE
EXAMPLE SIZE
InsectRodent
Cat
Dog
Human
Horse
Elephant
Sperm WhaleBlue Whale

WEIGHT
1/8 lbs or less
1/8 — 1 lbs.
1 — 8 lbs.
8 — 60 lbs.
60 — 500 lbs.
500 lbs — 2 tons
2 — 16 tons
16 — 125 tons
125 — 1,000 tons

STR
-10
-10
-8
-4
+0
+8
+16
+24
+32

TABLE 10-2A: CHANGING SIZES – GROWINGOLD SIZENEW SIZEFine => Diminutive
Diminutive => Tiny
Tiny => Small
Small => Medium
Medium => Large
Large => Huge
Huge => Gargantuan
Gargantuan => Colossal

STR DEX CON- -2 +2 -2 +4 -2 +4 -2 +2+8 -2 +4
+8 -2 +4
+8 - +4+8 - +4

NATURAL ARMOURARMOUR CLASS
-4
-2
-1
-1
+2
-1
+3
-1
+4
-2
+5
-4

CON
-2
-2
-2
-2
+0
+4
+8
+12
+16

ARMOUR
CLASS
+8
+4
+2
+1
0
-1
-2
-4
-8

BASE
ATTACK
BONUS
+8
+4
+2
+1
0
-1
-2
-4
-8

MOVEMENT
MODIFIER
x1/4
x1/2
x1
x2
x3
x4
x5
x6
x7

TABLE 10-3: SIZE COST MODIFIERSBASE
ATTACK
BONUS
-4
-2
-1
-1
-1
-1
-2
-4

TABLE 10-2B: CHANGING SIZES – SHRINKING
BASE
NATURAL ARMOUR ATTACKARMOUR CLASS BONUS
+4
+4
+2
+2
+1
+1
+1
+1
-2
+1
+1
-3
+1
+1
-4
+2
+2
-5
+4
+4

MOVEMENT
To determine a character’s base speed in feet per round, multiply
the appropriate size movement modifier by his or her Dexterity (see Table
10-1: Size Categories).

SIZE CLASSES
Characters are classified into nine size categories, as outlined inTable 10-1: Size Categories. Creating a character at any size other than
medium costs (or returns) the Character Points outlined in Table 10-1.
Also, if a character changes sizes (perhaps using the Size Change
Attribute; page 61), his or her Ability Scores, Natural Armour, Armour
Class, and Base Attack Bonus may change as well. Table 10-2: Changing
Sizes outlines the affects of increasing or decreasing size by one category.
Should the character change more than one size category, all modifiers
are cumulative.

MODIFYING SIZE
In some campaigns, characters who deviate from the average size of
their companions will suffer societal disadvantages. The generalised
inconveniences — the Marked Defect, standing out in a crowd, inability

DEVIATIONS FROM AVERAGE SIZEMINOROF PLAYER CHARACTERS
DISADVANTAGE
1 size category+1 BP
2 size categories+2 BP
3 size categories+3 BP
4 size categories+4 BP
5 size categories+5 BP
6 size categories+6 BP
7 size categories+7 BP
8 size categories
+8 BP

MAJOR
SEVEREDISADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGE
+2 BP
+3 BP
+4 BP
+6 BP
+6 BP
+9 BP
+8 BP
+12 BP+10 BP+15 BP+12 BP+18 BP+14 BP+21 BP+16 BP+24 BP

to easily find clothing and weapons of the right size, trouble enteringcertain buildings, etc. — are represented by awarding such characters
Defect Bonus Points.
Determine the average size of the player characters. For every size
category the character deviates from this average, he or she is awarded 1
to 3 Bonus Points, depending on the societal impact size has on the
campaign (GM Discretion; see Table 10-3: Size Cost Modifiers).

STEP 11: EARNBACKGROUND POINTS
Now that the numerical component of your character is complete(Abilities, Attributes, Defects, Skills, and Calculated Values), you should
concentrate on fine-tuning his or her personality, while still leaving room
for the character to grow in the future. One of the most effective ways tobetter visualise your creation is to provide detail through a backgroundhistory, a character story, or a character drawing. Spending time todevelop your character without a rule structure will enhance your roleplaying greatly, and can give the GM a window into your character’s
motivations. As an incentive, the GM will award you 1-3 Background
Points for each contribution you complete, which are then distributed
among the Ability Scores or Character Attributes. If any of yourcharacter’s Abilities are changed after using the Background Points, youmust recalculate any appropriate Calculated Values.
This final step in character creation also serves as your last chance toanswer important character questions before game play begins. Where does
he or she live? Work? Earn money? What are your character’s likes? Dislikes?
What about family? Friends? Romantic interests? Enemies? Details add
depth to your character, but you should not become obsessed with them.
Leaving room for growth can provide numerous character development
opportunities during the course of the adventures.

CHAPTER 10:
FINISHING TOUCHESOLD SIZENEW SIZESTR DEX CON
Diminutive => Fine
- +2 Tiny => Diminutive-2 +2 Small => Tiny
-4 +2 Medium => Small-4 +2 -2
Large => Medium-8 +2 -4
Huge => Large-8 +2 -4
Gargantuan => Huge
-8 - -4
Colossal => Gargantuan -8 - -4

DEX
+8
+6
+4
+2
+0
-2
-4
-4
-4

NATURALARMOUR
+2
+5
+9
+14

97

ANIME TOYS
What would an anime campaign be without the sleek vehicles andhigh-tech toys that so many of the characters wield in their adventures?
It would be incomplete.
The following section provides quick and simple rules that help
players and Game Masters create a plethora of weapons and vehicles withwhich to outfit characters. The equipment created with the following
rules is intended for use with the Personal Gear Attribute (see page 57).
If a character requires a more powerful item, such as power armour or amagical ring, it should be created using the Item of Power Attribute(page 50). Item of Power reflects magical or supertech items that are
exceedingly difficult to create. Gear, however, may be high-tech orincredibly expensive, but are within the ability of modern science. Whilea character’s vehicle may be the best car on the road, anyone with enoughfunding and skill could build one. The power armour worn by the JSDF
supersoldier, however, requires far more than money and skill to create.
Ensure that the desired item is, in fact, Personal Gear before attempting
to build it with the rules herein.

WEAPONS
Table 11-2: Weapons lists the damage values and other characteristics
of common weapons. If a weapon is not listed, the GM should assign adamage value based on one that is similar in form and function.
Some weapons possess Abilities and Disabilities to reflect theirunique capabilities. Full descriptions of these modifiers are on pages 6267. Note that special or magical weapons might cause additional damage
or possess unique abilities beyond those listed here.
The Armour Ratings and Hit Points of operation weapons, such as
firearms, are indicated in the table as well.

CHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENTIMPROVISEDWEAPONS
In combat between anime characters, it is not uncommon forsomeone to pick up a nearby object and wield it is a weapon. It is
impossible to account for every conceivable weapon that the player
characters may decide to throw at their opponents, but Table 11-1:
Improvised Weapons provides commonly encountered examples ofimprovised weapons and their statistics. GMs are encouraged to use thistable as a guideline should their players decide to grab something in the
middle of combat that is not listed. Naturally, most weapons have theMelee Disability (page 66) as well, though they can be thrown in combat
if necessary.

TABLE 11-1: IMPROVISED WEAPONSOBJECTBusDAMAGE ABILITIES
3d10 Area Effect

Car

2d10

Dumpster

2d8

Manhole Cover 2d10
Park Bench
1d8
Steel Girder
2d10
Telephone Pole 2d8
Stop Sign
1d6

Area EffectSpreading
Spreading-

STRENGTHDISABILITIESREQUIREMENT
Inaccurate
Strength 56
Low Penetration
Inaccurate
Strength 42
Low Penetration
Inaccurate
Strength 40
Low Penetration
Low Penetration Strength 28
Low Penetration Strength 32
Inaccurate
Strength 48
Inaccurate
Strength 40
Strength 18

CUSTOMISINGFIREARMS
Sometimes, nothing gets the trick done like a reliable firearm. The
98

following options can be added to different types of weapons to enhance

WEAPON TABLE NOTES“Damage” is how much punishment the weapon inflicts (the damage ofthe attack).
“Abilities” or “Disabilities” are any special capabilities or limitations theweapon possesses. See pages 62-67. Unless noted otherwise, a weapon
has Medium range. All Improvised Weapons have the Muscle-Powered
Ability.
“Skill” is the Skill and Specialization that provides a bonus when firing theweapon.
* Requires two hands to wield properly; delivers +2 damage whenwielded two-handed.
** Some shotguns are “double-barrelled” and can fire both barrels at
once. If so, an additional +1d6 damage is delivered. Double Barrelled
shotguns have the Limited Shots Disability x2 (2 shots).
“Strength Requirement” indicates the minimum Strength Ability Score
required to wield the object as a weapon effectively. If any improvised
weapon is thrown, it is treated as a Short Range weapon. The range
increases by one category every 8 Points of Strength above the Strength
requirement. For example, if a Giant Robot character who has Strength of56, threw a manhole cover, it would be treated as a Long Range weapon (aManhole cover has a Strength requirement of 28; the base Short range
increases to Medium for a Strength of 36 and Long for a Strength of 44).
Conversely, if the character throws a car, which requires Strength 42, it
would be treated as a Medium Range weapon (Medium range for a Strengthof 50 but requires Strength of 58 for Long range). If it wished to throw a bus
at an opponent, it would be treated as a short-range weapon because it is
only two above the Strength Requirement to wield a bus as a weapon.

performance or otherwise alter them. Each accessory or featurenormally counts as a minor item of Personal Gear. Some options are
considered “mundane” (their advantages and disadvantages cancel), anddo not cost Points.
Options for weapons are classed as either accessories or features. A
feature is a change to the basic weapon template that reflects a particularfactory model, or extensive after-market customisation. This requires theKnowledge: Mechanics (Gunsmith) Skill to install, and may require
several hours or more. An accessory is something that can be easily
attached or removed from the weapon within a few seconds to several
minutes. Weapon options are available for any class of weapon unlessotherwise noted.

ACCURISED
Modification Type:F eature

The weapon has been specially modified (custom grips, improved
sights, polygonal rifling, heavier barrel, etc.) to improve its accuracy. Thisis typical of target pistols and competition or sniper rifles. This
modification grants a +1 bonus to any attack check when firing single
shots, but no bonus if used with Auto-Fire. An accurised weapon must be
in excellent condition with its sights precisely aligned — it will lose its
bonus if knocked about, dropped, or otherwise mistreated.

BAYONET
Modification Type:Accessory

The weapon is fitted with a lug to accept a bayonet (included withthis option). When attached, the weapon is a bit more awkward, but it
can be used in melee combat as a spear. When detached (requires one
round), the bayonet is also usable as a knife. A bayonet is available for any
rifle.

BIPOD ATTACHMENT
Modification Type:Accessory

When the bipod is unfolded, the weapon is treated as if it is
Accurate (cumulative with any other Accurate bonuses) and Static. The
weapon must be fired at rest with the shooter lying prone behind it.
Folding or unfolding the bipod requires one round. A bipod is available
for any rifle.

TABLE 11-2: WEAPONS
WeaponDamageMelee Weapons
Bladed Weapons
Axe
1d8
Broadsword
Knife or Dagger

1d10
1d4

Long Sword
Short Sword

1d8*
1d6

Spear

1d8

Blunt Weapons
Bo, Staff or Pipe
Club, Baseball Bat
Nunchuku or Chain

1d6*
1d6
1d6

Whip, Rope, or Belt

1d4

Abilities

Disabilities

Skill

Muscle-Powered

Inaccurate
Melee
Melee
Melee

Melee (Axe)
Melee (Sword)
Melee (Knife)

Melee
Melee

Melee (Sword)
Melee (Sword)

Melee

Melee (Polearm)

Muscle-Powered
Concealable
Muscle-Powered
Muscle-Powered
Concealable
Muscle-Powered
Muscle-Powered

Muscle-Powered
Muscle-Powered
Flexible
Muscle-Powered
Concealable
Flexible
Muscle-Powered

Bows (1 Armour, 20 Hit Points)
Crossbow
1d10
none
Long Bow
1d8
none
Guns
Pistols (2 Armour, 30 Hit Points)
Light Pistol
1d6+1
Concealable
Heavy Pistol
Machine Pistol

1d8+1
1d8

Magnum Revolver

1d8+2Concealable
Auto-Fire
Concealable
SpreadingConcealable

Medium Pistol
Revolver

1d8
1d6+1

Concealable
Concealable

Shotguns (3 Armour, 35 Hit Points)
Shotgun2d6+2**
SpreadingHeavy Shotgun

2d8+2**

Spreading

Melee (Polearm)
Melee (Club)
Melee (Whips/Chains)

Low Penetration
Melee

Melee (Whips)

Slow, Limited Shots (1) Archery (Crossbow)
Limited Shots (1)Archery (Bow)

Low Penetration
Short Range
Short Range
Inaccurate
Limited Shots (6)Short Range
Limited Shots (6)Short Range
Short Range
Limited Shots (6)Short Range

Limited Shots (6)Gun Combat (Pistol)
Gun Combat (Pistol)
Gun Combat (Auto-fire)

Gun Combat (Pistol)
Gun Combat (Pistol)
Gun Combat (Pistol)

Gun Combat (Auto-fire)Inaccurate
Gun Combat (Auto-Fire)
Limited Shots (6)none
Gun Combat (Rifle)
none
Gun Combat (Rifle)
Limited Shots (6)Gun Combat (Rifle)

Limited Shots (6)Low Penetration
Short Range
Limited Shots (6)Low Penetration
Short Range

Gun Combat (Rifle)

Thrown Weapons
Concussion
2d10+1GrenadeArea Effect x3
Concealable

Thrown Knife

Concealable

1d4

Limited Shots (1) Thrown Weapons (Grenades)
Self-Destruct
Short Range
Limited Shots (1) Thrown Weapons (Blades)
Short Range

Non Lethal Ranged Weapons (2 Armour, 25 Hit Points)
Tear Gas Grenade 2d10+1
Area Effect x2
Inaccurate Heavy Weapons (Grenades)
Enduring
Limited Shots (1)Self-Destruct
Slow
Stun
Toxic
Taser
1d8+1
Stun
Low Penetration
Gun Combat (Pistol)
Short Range
Slow
Pepper Spray
1d8+1
Concealable
Melee Range
none
Irritant
Limited Shots (6)
Stun
Toxic
Ordnance (5 Armour, 60 Hit Points)
120 mm Heat
5d6+10Area EffectBurning
Long Range
Penetrating
120 mm Sabot
6d6+12
Accurate
Long Range
Penetrating x2
Stinger Missile
4d6+8
Area EffectHomingLong Range
Penetrating

Gun Combat (Rifle)

BRASS CATCHER
Modification Type:

Heavy Weapons (2 Armour, 30 Hit Points)
66 mm LAW
3d6+6
Area EffectInaccurate Heavy Weapons (Launcher)Light Anti-Tank Weapon
Burning
Limited Shots (1)Penetrating
Self-Destruct
Slow
StaticTomahawk Missile 7d6+14

Accurate x4
Area Effect x3
Long Range x8
Penetrating x2

Limited Shots (1) Heavy Weapons (Launcher)

CHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENT

Rifles (3 Armour, 35 Hit Points)
Assault Rifle
1d8+2
Auto-Fire
SpreadingHeavy Assault Rifle 2d6+2
Auto-Fire
Spreading
Hunting Rifle
1d8+2
none
Light Rifle
1d6+1
none
Sniper Rifle
2d8+1
Accurate

Melee
Melee
Melee

WeaponDamageAbilities
Disabilities
Skill
Assault Weapons (3 Armour, 35 Hit Points)
Light Mini-Gun
1d8+1
Accurate
Limited Shots (6) Gun Combat (Auto-fire)Auto-Fire
StaticSpreadingHeavy Mini-Gun
2d8+2
Auto-Fire
Limited Shots (6) Gun Combat (Auto-fire)
Spreading
StaticMachine Gun
2d8+1
Auto-Fire
Static Heavy Weapons (Machine Gun)
SpreadingSubmachine Gun 1d8+1
Auto-Fire
Limited Shots (6) Gun Combat (Auto-fire)
Spreading
Short Range

Limited Shots (1) Heavy Weapons (Launcher)

Backblast Heavy Weapons (Launcher)
Limited Shots (1)Only Air Targets
Self-Destruct
Slow
StaticLimited Shots (1) Heavy Weapons (Launcher)Self Destruct
Slow
StaticStoppable

BRIEFCASE-FIRING
Accessory

This attachment collects cartridges as they are fired out of theweapon, and thus either saves them for hand loading or prevents any
incriminating ballistics evidence from being left behind. A brass catcher
is available for any rifle or assault weapon.

Modification Type:Accessory

The weapon is designed to be concealed in and fired from abriefcase or attaché case without removing it, using a hidden trigger inthe case handle. The weapon must be an auto-loading pistol, machine
pistol, or a submachine gun. The weapon suffers a -4 penalty to the99attack check when fired from within a brief case. The gun can usually beunclamped from the case and used normally (takes one round). GMs may
use similar rules for umbrella guns or other disguised weaponry.

CARBINE-FORMAT
Modification Type:

Mundane Feature

The weapon has a shorter barrel and stock. A carbine format
subtracts 1 damage but allows the weapon to be concealed under a longcoat (see Concealable Ability, page 64) as if it were a submachine gun. A
carbine-format weapon is available for any rifle.

FLASH SUPPRESSOR
Modification Type:FLASHLIGHT ATTACHMENT
Accessory

This attachment allows any weapon to be used with a flashlight,
and permits illumination of targets at short range so that attackers cantarget them without any penalties for darkness. Of course, someone using
a flashlight at night can also be detected at a greater distance.

FOLDING OR TELESCOPING STOCK
Modification Type:

FeatureCHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENTThe stock on the weapon can be folded or telescoped
down, making it handier and more concealable.
Unfortunately, a weapon with this feature also suffersfrom the Inaccurate Disability (-4 penalty) whenfiring at targets at over half its effective range. It
requires one round (one attack if the character has
the Extra Attacks Attribute) to fold or unfold thestock. If the weapon is also carbine-format,
sawed-off, or a submachine gun, there is an extra-1 penalty to any check to spot the weapon
while concealed, which is cumulative withother modifiers. This feature can be assigned to
any rifle, shotgun, or assault weapon.

LASER SIGHT
Modification Type:NIGHT VISION SCOPE
Modification Type:Accessory (counts as 2 minor P ersonal Gear)

This scope uses thermal imaging or light intensification technology
to “turn night into day.” This functions exactly like a regular scope,
except that it also eliminates any penalties for darkness.

SAWED-OFF BARREL
Accessory

The hot gasses produced when a bullet is fired are quite visible atnight. A flash suppressor is a long device that can be attached to the endof a weapon, masking this signature. A weapon with a flash suppressor
attached is easier to detect if hidden (+1 bonus). A flash suppressor is notavailable for a grenade launcher, LAW, taser, or minigun.
Modification Type:receives a +1 bonus to their appropriate attack check in situations where
they can see the laser dot on the target (usually up to Short Range unlesscombined with a scope). Laser sights with an infrared beam (visible only
to people with night vision scopes or goggles) are also available.

Accessory

A laser sight projects a small,bright dot of laser light exactly
where the weapon is pointing,which helps the attacker
determine whether or not he or
she is on target. In gameterms, the attacker

Modification Type:

FeatureThis modification is for shotguns only. Sawing off the barrel of a
shotgun means that it is easier to conceal, but is also shorter ranged. A
sawed-off shotgun can be concealed under a long coat (see Concealable
weapon Ability, page 64) as if it were a submachine gun. At up to Melee
Range (10 feet or less) it has a wider spread of pellets (+1 bonus on attack
checks), but suffers -4 penalty to damage at ranges beyond Melee Range.

SNUB-NOSE
Modification Type:

Mundane Feature

A snub-nose is a shorter-barrel versions of any auto-loading pistol,
revolver, or machine pistol. The weapon suffers a -2 attack check penalty
at any range greater than 10 feet and delivers less damage (-1 to damage),but is substantially easier to conceal (-1 penalty to spot the hidden
weapon, cumulative with other bonuses or penalties of the weapon).

SCOPE
Modification Type:Accessory

A telescopic sight mounted atop the weapon gives the shooter an
extra +1 bonus to his or her attack check when taking an entire turnto aim at a target (see page 117). This bonus only applies to targets
further away than Melee Range (over 10 feet). Scopes are available
for all guns.

SILENCER
Modification Type:Accessory

A silencer, or more technically, a sound-suppressor, is a tube
that attaches to the weapons barrel and reduces the noise theweapon makes while firing. A silenced weapon cannot be heard at
a range of greater than 10 feet unless a nearby character
makes a successful Listen Skill check. The GM should
modify this distance/check for conditions such as
ambient noise, range, and Heightened Senses. Autoloading pistols, machine pistols, submachine guns,
and rifles may befitted withsilencers. A silenced
weapon cannot be
concealed or
holstered until thesilencer is removed,
which requires one round.

SPEED LOADER
Modification Type: Accessory

A speed loader is a device
that holds a number of revolver
cartridges and permits them to be rapidly inserted into acylinder. If a character has this minor Personal Gear, he or she
can ignore the Limited Shots Disability of any revolver.

TRIGGER LOCK
Modification Type:100

Mundane Feature

An integral lock that prevents the gun from being usedwithout the right key or combination. It takes an extra round tounlock the gun before it can be ready to fire. In some areas, the law
may require trigger locks on some or all firearms.

TYPESOF AMMUNITION
It is assumed that characters have access to ammunition ofwhatever type they need for their standard weapons. Standard
ammunition for auto-loading pistols, revolvers, rifles, and machine guns
is a lead bullet; this type of bullet is called “ball” in military parlance.
Standard ammunition for shotguns is shot. If characters have more than
one type of ammunition, each extra type that is carried counts as a minor
Personal Gear.

ARMOUR PIERCING (AP)This is a bullet specifically designed to punch through Armour,using a steel or tungsten core rather than jacketed lead. Some brands ofArmour-piercing ammunition are Teflon-coated, but contrary to myth,
the coating on AP bullets has nothing to do with the Armour-piercing
qualities — it simply helps protect the rifling inside the gun from thetougher material from which the bullet is made. Weapons using AP
bullets are assigned the Penetrating (Armour) Ability (page 65). AP
bullets are somewhat less lethal against flesh, and thus the actual damageis always halved (round up) after the effects of Armour are considered.
These bullets are available for auto-loading pistols, machine guns,
shotguns, revolvers, and rifles. AP pistol or revolver ammunition (“copkiller bullets”) is usually illegal.

BIRD SHOTThe statistics given for shotguns assume they are using buckshot,
which is the usual combat load. If using birdshot (with a greater numberof smaller pellets) damage is reduced by 4 (minimum 1 damage) but theattacker gains a +1 bonus to his or her attack check. Bird shot is only
available for shotguns.

BLANKS
A blank is a cartridge without the bullet that also has a reduced
powder load. A blank normally does not deliver any damage when fired,
but if the gun’s muzzle is directly in contact with someone, the hot gasses
expelled can still be dangerous or fatal. When a character is using a
blank-firing gun in combat, the gun is treated as if it is firing a rubberbullet, but range is limited to Melee Range. Blanks are available for autoloading pistols, machine guns, revolvers, rifles, and shotguns.

HOLLOW POINT (HP)

RUBBER
These are bullets encased in rubber or plastic, which are designed
to be “less lethal.” A weapon using rubber bullets automatically suffersfrom the Low Penetration Disability (page 66) and delivers 4 less damage(minimum 1 damage). Rubber bullets are available for auto-loading
pistols, machine guns, revolvers and rifles, and for shotguns firing slug
ammunition.

A shotgun can fire big bullets instead of shot. Police will often use
slugs to stop cars or blow open barricades. When using slugs, a shotgun
loses both the Spreading Ability (page 65) and the Low Penetrating
Disability (page 66). Slugs are available for shotguns only.

INCENDIARY SHELLSSpecial shells are also available for shotguns; these shells containphosphorous chemicals that convert the shotgun into an improvised
flamethrower. Damage is reduced by 4 (minimum 1), but if any damage
penetrates Armour, the target receives fire damage, and suffers one
quarter (round up) the basic damage per round for the next five rounds.
This damage is also very painful, imposing a -2 penalty on all checks. The
ammunition tends to foul the gun after use, however. Any further shots
fired before the gun can be carefully cleaned suffer a -2 attack checkpenalty, and the gun will jam on any roll of 1 or 2 (requiring cleaning
before the gun can be reused). These shells are available for shotguns only.

GRENADES
AND EXPLOSIVES
The user throws these hand-held explosive weapons at a target.
Their use uses the Thrown Weapons (Grenade) Skill. All of these
explosives count as minor Personal Gear except a satchel charge, which istreated as major Personal Gear.

CONCUSSION GRENADE
This grenade is filled with high explosives. 2d10 damage isdelivered to everyone in a 15-foot radius who fails a Reflex save vs. DC
15 (those who make the save take half damage).

TEAR GAS GRENADE
This grenade bursts to fill a room-sized area (10 foot radius) with(usually) non-lethal irritant gas. Damage is the same as concussion
grenade (2d10 damage with a Fortitude save, instead of a Reflex save),
but is “stun only” — it wears off after a few minutes, and it does notaffect non-living things or anyone wearing a gas mask. Anyone exposedto the gas also suffers a -2 penalty on all checks due to irritation if they
fail a Fortitude save. This penalty lasts for a number of rounds equal tothe amount by which the save was failed. Tear gas grenades also release alot of smoke and may occasionally (GM’s option) start fires if they
explode next to paper or other flammable substances.

FLASH-BANG GRENADE
These special grenades produce a super firecracker effect, stunning
people with sound and light. This weapon is a favourite of hostage-rescue
teams. No physical damage will be suffered, but the victims must makea Fortitude save against a DC of 20 or be blinded and deafened for anumber of combat rounds equal to the difference between the save DC
and the roll. The character suffers a -2 save penalty if he or she is rightnext to the grenade when it explodes. Characters wearing anti-flare
goggles (such as a welding mask) and ear protectors will receive a +6
bonus to their save to avoid the grenade’s effects.

CHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENTThis is a bullet designed to expand after entering a target, therefore
doing greater damage. Hollow Point bullets are known by various trade
names, and include bullets described as “expanding,” “dumdum,” or prefragmented rounds such as “safety slugs.” HP ammo is standard issue inmany police departments, since the rounds are better man-stoppers andare less likely to pierce walls and injure bystanders on the other side. The
Hague Convention prohibits HP bullets for military use in international
conflicts. Hollow Point bullets have less Armour-penetrating power:
Armour protection is doubled against the bullets. These disadvantages
are cumulative with any Low Penetration modifiers. If even 1 damage
succeeds in penetrating Armour, however, or if the target was
unarmoured, 1d6 bonus damage is added to the damage that a living
target suffers (the bullets “mushroom” inside living tissue), but only if thebase damage penetrates the target’s Armour. No extra damage is inflicted
on machines or structures by HP bullets. HP bullets are available forauto-loading pistols, machine guns, revolvers, and rifles.

SHOTGUN SLUGSSMOKE GRENADE
This grenade fills a room-sized area (10 foot radius) with non-toxic
chemical smoke for 3 to 8 rounds (depending on wind). Anyone without
night vision goggles or a night vision scope will suffer a -4 attack checkpenalty when attacking a target obscured by smoke.

DYNAMITE STICKThis explosive functions like a concussion grenade, except the blast
covers only a 10 foot radius, and the damage is 2d8 with a save DC of 13
for half damage.

101

SATCHEL CHARGEThis is a knapsack full of plastic explosive or multiple dynamite
sticks. The explosion is treated as a concussion grenade, but the blast
covers a 25 foot radius and the delivers 5d6 damage with a save DC of
18 for half damage. Unlike a grenade, a satchel charge is too heavy tothrow far, so its range is limited to melee range for average humans —the attacker will be caught in the charge’s blast unless it has a timer.

TIMED OR REMOTE DETONATOR
This device is used to explode a satchel charge (or other bomb) froma distance, either at a specific time or in response to an electrical or radio
signal. Attaching the detonator to the explosive and properly setting it
requires a Demolitions Skill check, with failure indicating a late or
premature blast.

VEHICLES
Along with their specialised weaponry, many modern era characters use
rigged and modified vehicles. Additionally, many international organisations
use high tech vehicles in their quests to keep their interests safe.
This section describes the standard vehicles likely to appear in amodern-day game. Some vehicles are suitable for use as personal vehicles
by characters, while a desperate individual may commandeer others (suchas a city bus) when no better transportation is available. This section
concentrates on general types that are in common use, rather thanproviding individual statistics for specific models. All costs areapproximate US dollar (USD) values, which can vary greatly.
Each vehicle counts as a major item of Personal Gear, with the
exception of the motor scooter and ultra-light (minor Personal Gear).
These basic templates can be modified using the Customising Vehicles
guidelines (pages 104). Using the customisation options, the vehicle canbe further modified to match the character’s personal vision (adding
options such as supercharged engines or armoured glass windows) witheach option normally considered to be as a minor Personal Gear.

CHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENTAUTOMOBILE
The basic motor vehicle of the 20th century. Automobiles have four
wheels and are normally powered by a gasoline internal combustion
engine. Standard features on modern vehicles include headlights, seatbelts, air bags, and air conditioning.

PASSENGER CAR
An ordinary compact or mid-sized automobile. Cars are available incoupe (two doors, often with a hatch back and extra cargo space), sedan(four door), or station wagon (extra room in back, but reduced rearvisibility for driver) body styles. Year 2003 cost: $12,000+ USD. For an
expensive luxury car, add custom options such as Big Engine and Luxury
Interior.

SUB-COMPACT CAR
A small, somewhat cramped passenger car. It seats four, but with a
lot less comfort than a comparable mid-sized vehicle. It is easier to park,
but not as robust. Year 2003 cost: $10,000+ USD.

PICKUP TRUCK OR SPORT/UTILITY VEHICLE
A light truck with cab seating (2-3 people), off-road suspension, andfour-wheel drive and either an open cargo bed (pickup truck) or extra
passenger capacity (sport/utility vehicle). Year 2003 cost: $20,000+ USD.

RACE CAR102

A dedicated race car (such as a Formula 1 racer or funny car) with anaerodynamic body, a single seat, and very powerful engine. Such a vehicle
is not “street legal.” Race cars are “hangar queens” that require periodic
maintenance every few hours just to keep their finely tuned engines andtransmissions in working order. Year 2003 cost: $100,000+ USD.

SPORTS CAR
A car with good aerodynamics, a powerful engine, and superiortransmission and suspension. Some sports cars carry two people, whileothers sacrifice already-meagre cargo space to carry an extra person or
two in cramped back seats. Year 2003 cost: $50,000+ USD.

STRETCHED LIMOUSINE
An oversized passenger car. It will usually have a number of poshfeatures, such as a luxury interior. Year 2003 cost: $50,000+ USD.

VAN
A light panel truck or mini-van, with one or two big rear doors andsliding side doors. Use this template with appropriate customisation forambulances. Year 2003 cost: $15,000+ USD.

MOTORCYCLE
A two-wheeled bike powered by a gasoline engine. Standard
features include headlights and rear-view mirrors.

MOTORBIKE
A big bike with a reasonably powerful engine. A second person canusually be carried without much difficulty. Year 2003 cost: $3,000+
USD.

SCOOTERA small bike with an anaemic engine. Scooters are suitable for asingle rider only. A minor gadget. Year 2003 cost: $2,000+ USD.

DIRT BIKE
A motorbike designed for off-road operations. Dirt bikes include
the Off-Road Suspension option (page 105) at no extra cost. Year 2003
cost: $4,000+ USD.

OVERSIZEDVEHICLEA big ground vehicle with six or more wheels, usually powered bya diesel engine rather than gasoline engine (diesel fuel is cheaper, and lessflammable). Standard features include headlights, seat belts, airbags, andair conditioning.

BIG RIGAn 18-wheel tractor-trailer combination, with a powerful tractor
cab designed to tow a big trailer. With trailer, a big rig may be 20 yards
long. Pick one of these options for the cargo area: flat bed (open cargo),van (enclosed cargo), refrigerated (“reefer”), tanker. If the trailer isunhooked from the “fifth wheel” (this takes at least two rounds outside
the vehicle to do this), the rig’s speed can increase by 10-20 mph. Year
2003 cost: $60,000+ USD.

BUS
A city, school, or excursion bus. In action series, these usually maketheir appearance when someone hijacks or plants a bomb on them. A
typical bus seats 35-45 people (with plenty of standing and cargo room)
and is about 10-15 yards long. Year 2003 cost: $50,000+ USD.

HEAVY TRUCK
A large truck, bigger than an ordinary van. Pick one of these options
for the cargo area: flat bed (open cargo), van (enclosed cargo), refrigerated(“reefer”), tanker. A heavy truck may also be a cement mixer, dump truck,street cleaner, fire engine, etc. Year 2003 cost: $30,000+ USD.

HELICOPTER
A rotary winged vehicle. Modern helicopters are usually poweredby a gas turbine engine, and require a pilot’s license to operate. They havea horizontal main rotor that provides lift and (by tilting the helicopter)TABLE 11-3:VEHICLES
MB

SIZE

PEOPLECARGOARMOURHITPOINTS

SKILL

160
160
160
300
200
160
160
150

+1
-1
-1

2
2
2
1
2
2
2
3

4
5
3
1
2
6
6
2

200 lbs.
400 lbs.
1 ton
400 lbs.
400 lbs.
1000 lbs.
1 ton **

4
5
6
5
4
6
5
7

50
60
70
60
50
70
60
80

Drive (Car)
Drive (Car)
Drive (Car)
Drive (Car)
Drive (Car)
Drive (Car)
Drive (Car)
Drive (Van)

MOTORCYCLES
Dirt Bike
Scooter
Motorbike

140
120
180

+1
+1
+1

1
0
1

2
1
2

50 lbs.
100 lbs.

3*
2*
3*

40
30
40

Drive (Motorcycle)
Drive (Motorcycle)
Drive (Motorcycle)

OVERSIZED VEHICLESBig RigBus
Heavy Truck

150
120
150

-2
-2
-1

4
4
3

2
30-50
2

10 ton
1 ton
5 tons

10
9
8

110
100
90

Drive (Big Rig)
Drive (Big Rig)
Drive (Van)

HELICOPTERS
Combat Helicopter
Light Helicopter
Utility Helicopter

300
200
200

+1
+1
-

4
2
3

2
3
2

2 tons
500 lbs.
2 tons **

10
4
7

80
50
80

Pilot (Helicopter)
Pilot (Helicopter)
Pilot (Helicopter)

AIRPLANES
Combat Jet
Light Airplane
Heavy Airplane
Ultra-Light

2500
350
300
100

+1
+1
-3
+1

4
2
5
1

2
4
4
1

5 tons
500 lbs.
40 tons **
-

16
4
11
2*

100
50
120
30

Pilot (Jet Fighter)
Pilot (Light Airplane)
Pilot (Heavy Airplane)
Pilot (Light Airplane)

SPEED BOATS
Off-shore Racer
Recreational Boat

180
80

+1

3
2

6
3-4

1000 lbs.
200 lbs.

7
4

80
50

Boating (Small Boat)
Boating (Small Boat)MILITARY GROUND VEHICLES
Armoured Personnel Carrier 70
Heavy Tank
80

-2

4
4

13
4

2 tons2 tons

20
30

120
200

Drive (Tank)
Drive (Tank)

Speed is the top speed in miles per hour. Pickup trucks, sport/utility
vehicles, and dirt bikes move at half speed off-road. Other non-military
ground vehicles are road-bound and can move a maximum of one-quarter
speed off road.
MB is the Manoeuvre Bonus. +1 means a +1 bonus to Initiative rolls(only), while a -1 or -2 means that penalty is applied to both Initiative rolls
and to Driving Skill checks.
Size is a relative measure of the vehicle’s mass and volume. “1” means
the vehicle is about the size of a motorcycle — you could drive it through ahouse’s door, or stow it in the back of a van (weighs up to 1000 lbs.). “2”means it is about the size of a car or pickup truck, and you can park it in anormal garage (weighs 1-5 tons). “3” means it is the size of a large truck(uses multiple parking spaces, often weighs 6-10+ tons when loaded). “4”means it is even larger, such as a big tractor-trailer combination that might
haul 20+ tons. “5” is exceptionally large (100+ feet).
People is how many the vehicle is designed to seat, including the driver/pilot.

Cargo is how many tons or pounds of cargo the vehicle can typically
carry without suffering movement penalties. An ** indicates that the cargoarea can be converted into passenger space at a ratio of 5 people per ton.
Armour is the number of damage points that the Armour stops. An *indicates that the Armour only protects the vehicle, not the driver orpassengers.
Hit Points indicate how much damage the vehicle can sustain before itceases to function. The vehicle is not necessarily destroyed when its Hit
Points are reduced to zero — it has merely sustained enough damage toshut the engine down, hinder the control systems, or in some other way
prevent the vehicle from working. For rules on destroying a vehicle, see
Breaking Objects, page 108.
No range is listed, since all vehicles except the ultra-light can operate for3-10 hours before requiring refuelling. The ultra-light’s endurance is under
one hour. Oversized vehicles (trucks, big rigs, busses) usually burn diesel
fuel, while most other vehicles use gasoline.

propulsion, and a small vertical tail rotor to act as a stabiliser. A
helicopter is capable of executing vertical takeoffs or landings, andhovering. Standard features include landing lights (treat as headlights),
seat belts, and often air conditioning.

powerful or very large monster threats. A combat helicopter counts as
three major items of Personal Gear. Year 2003 cost: $10,000,000+ USD.

COMBAT HELICOPTER
A devastatingly offensive helicopter (such as the AH-1W Super
Cobra), typically used in battle against combat forces and either very

CHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENTSPEED

VEHICLEAUTOMOBILES
Compact Car
Passenger Car
Pickup Truck
Race Car
Sports Car
Sport/Utility
Stretched Limousine
Van

LIGHT HELICOPTER
A small helicopter that can carry a couple of people. This is a typicalnews or police helicopter. Year 2003 cost: $100,000+ USD.

103

UTILITY HELICOPTER

Heavy tanks (such as the M1 Abrams) are the backbone of militaryforces. They provide strong mobile firepower while providing heavy
protection for its crew in almost any environment. A heavy tank counts as
three major items of Personal Gear. Year 2003 cost: $4,000,000+ USD.

AIRPLANE
An airplane relies on wings for lift and a propeller or jet engine for

CUSTOMISINGVEHICLES
Options can be added to different types of vehicles to enhance

propulsion. It requires a smooth, flat runway for takeoffs and landings.
While airborne it must maintain a minimum speed (usually about 1/10
its maximum speed) to avoid stalling. Standard features include landing
lights (treat as headlights), seatbelts, emergency parachutes, and often air
conditioning.

performance or give them additional capabilities. Unless otherwise noted,
each accessory counts as one minor Personal Gear and can only be taken
once.
Note that Engine Rebuild, Turbocharger, and Big Engine haveapproximately the same effect in game terms. A superfast vehicle may
have all three options assigned, however.
Some vehicles possess supertechnology, which grants them abilities
beyond those outlined below. These abilities are covered using the Itemof Power Attribute (see page 50). Creating a vehicle such as this not only
requires minor and major Personal Gear for the base abilities of thevehicle plus any modifications but also requires a Rank in Item of Powersufficient to purchase the Attribute(s) granted by the supertechnology.

COMBAT JET
Military jets and bombers (such as the F/A-18 Hornet or B-2 Spirit)
are incredibly powerful machines used to assist ground assaults or carryout missions alone. A combat jet counts as four major items of Personal
Gear. Year 2003 cost: $50,000,000+ USD (sometimes exceeding $1
Billion USD).

LIGHT AIRPLANE
A single-engine propeller-driven passenger airplane, capable ofoperating out of grass strips or landing on a smooth stretch of highway ifnecessary. Light aircraft are a favourite of drug runners. Use Pilot (Light
Plane) Skill. Year 2003 cost: $100,000+ USD.

HEAVY AIRPLANE
A large plane, often with two or four engines, which is usedprimarily to transport large numbers of people or cargo. Heavy airplanes
often require longer runways in order to take off or land. A heavy airplane
counts as two major items of Personal Gear. Year 2003 cost:$10,000,000+ USD.

ULTRA-LIGHT

CHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENTA small one-man powered hang-glider that is used mainly forrecreation. Counts as a minor items of Personal Gear. Year 2003 cost:$10,000+ USD.

SPEED
BOAT
Boat designs come in a variety of shapes, depending on their desired
function. Speed boats have sleek hull designs and powerful engines inorder to travel at high speeds. Standard features include a VHF radio(treat as a CB radio), convertible tops, running lights, and lifejackets.

RECREATIONAL SPEED BOAT
A medium-sized powerboat, usually with an outboard engine. Theseboats are often used for water-skiing. Year 2003 cost: $10,000+ USD.

OFFSHORE RACER
These large race boats, usually measuring between 10 and 18 yards
in length, are used in offshore racing. Smugglers often utilise these sleek,
fast boats to transport illegal goods. Year 2003 cost: $80,000+ USD.

MILITARYGROUND VEHICLESWhen battling against foreign incursions or giant monsters, thearmy will come to the rescue with their awesome firepower.
Unfortunately, sometimes even that is not enough.

ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER (APC)
A lightly armoured, full-tracked, air-transportable personnel carrier
designed to carry and protect personnel and certain types of cargo. Year
2003 cost: $500,000+ USD.

104

HEAVY TANK

A larger helicopter that is often a civilian version of a military
troop-carrying model. These choppers are designed to carry a dozen
people or a decent cargo load. Helicopters of this sort are often used as
air ambulances. Year 2003 cost: $1,000,000+ USD.

AIRFOILS
An aerodynamic feature (airdams, spoilers, etc.) that improves
traction by increasing the downward force on a car. Gives a +1 bonus to
any Drive (Car) Skill check at speeds over 100 mph. Airfoils are available
for any automobile and some exceptionally fast boats.

ARMOUR
The vehicle is retro-fitted with armoured panels, Kevlar inserts, andbullet proof glass on the windows. Each time the armour is assigned, theextra weight reduces top speed by 10 mph but increases the vehicle’s
Armour Rating by 3. Armour is available for any vehicle except an ultralight aircraft, and counts as two minor items of Personal Gear.

BIG ENGINE
An upgraded engine, such as a big V8 in a passenger car, or a V12
in a sports car. The engine often differentiates an ordinary passenger carfrom a luxury model, or a basic sports car from a racer. A big engine adds
20 mph to the top speed of any ground vehicle or 10% to aircraft speed.

BURGLAR ALARM
If a door, trunk, or window is opened without the proper key, an
alarm will sound to alert (and annoy) everyone in the vicinity. Defeating
the alarm requires an appropriate Skill check against a DC of 25.
Marginal failure means the thief realises he or she cannot disarm it whilea worse failure means will trigger the alarm.

CITIZEN’S BAND (CB) RADIO
With a range of a few miles, truckers favour CBs for exchanging
information on road conditions, speed traps, and general gossip. Unlike apersonal cell phone, a CB broadcasts to everyone in the area — it is notuseful for private communication, but is great for distress calls. A similar
option can be taken for taxi dispatcher radios. A CB radio can be installed
in any vehicle.

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
These electronic gadgets include small TV sets, a vehicular
computer, fax machines, etc. A cassette or CD player in a car can beconsidered a fairly mundane item. Electronics can be added to any
vehicle, provided the size seems reasonable.

CONVERTIBLE TOP
The vehicle with this option has a removable or retractable plastic,
fibreglass, or fabric top. Removing the top gives a better view and nicebreeze, but also means that the driver and passengers are now “partially
exposed,” and are at the mercy of the weather. Exposed occupants are also

completely unprotected from overhead attacks and can be attacked(bypassing vehicle Armour/Hit Points) more easily from the side or rear(-4 attack check penalty to ignore the car’s Armour). On the plus side,
those occupants can also fire out of the vehicle without any difficulty, andjump in or out more easily. This feature is available for automobiles;
recreational speed boats and most offshore racers automatically possess
this option.

DOOR MOUNTThis option is a post and bracket for mounting a light or heavymachine gun out a helicopter’s or van’s open side door.

ELECTRONIC COUNTERMEASURESThis advanced defence system enables the vehicle to avoid detection
by radar and other sensors. Any attempt to mechanically detect thevehicle (except through the basic senses such as sight or hearing) incurs a-6 penalty.

ENGINE REBUILD
A rebuild is major custom upgrade to the engine, rather than justsimply increasing its size. In a car, this may involve removing andcompletely cleaning the existing system (including “hot tanking” theengine block in a chemical bath to remove grime), then adding various
modifications (known as “blueprinting”). Other engine “buzz-words”
include forged dome pistons, tuneable fuel injection, strengthened rods andbearings, adjustable or hot cam socket, tubular headers, custom intake
manifolds, big valves, and a bored-out throttle body. This option adds 20
mph to the top speed of any ground vehicle or 10% to aircraft speed.

FURNISHINGS
Furnishings include a mini-bar, mini-fridge, kitchenette, chemical
toilet, bunk bed, etc. For larger furnishings (kitchenette, bunks, etc.) eachone added also requires replacing one or two seats, depending on the size.
Furnishings can be added to any vehicle with Size 2 or more.

GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS)This option uses satellite systems to provide precise navigational coordinators, which prevents the driver from becoming lost. Naturally, it isstill possible to miss a turn through human error. A GPS can be added toany vehicle.
This space is often used in vehicles that are designed to smuggle
goods across borders or past highway patrols. Up to 10% of the vehicle’s
cargo capacity can be considered “hidden” under fake panels and bogus
fixtures. Hidden space can be added to any vehicle with cargo capacity.

IMPROVED BRAKESThis option includes high quality brakes, drag chutes, or spiked
tires that allow the vehicle to stop faster than normal. Those breaks
provide a +2 bonus to Drive Skill checks on any manoeuvre where
sudden, sharp deceleration is important. Improved brakes can be added
to any ground-based vehicle.

IMPROVED SHOCKS
Some vehicles have high quality or adjustable shock absorbers or
springs, which provide an extra +1 bonus to Drive Skill checks in any
circumstance where the suspension would be important (such as crossing
over obstacles).

LIGHTS AND SIREN
Any vehicle can be fitted with a noisy siren and flashing lights. This
option can also provide a powerful spot search light.

LUXURY INTERIOR
Leather upholstery, lots of chrome, extra head room, or other items
on a vehicle are a sure way to impress someone special. A plethora ofluxury options are available for most vehicles.

There are two types of transmissions: manual and automatic. An
automatic transmission is assumed to be standard issue for automobiles(but not other vehicles), and means that the gear mechanism changes byitself. In a manual transmission, the driver must shift the gears on his or
her own, usually with a stick and the clutch pedal. In the case of
automobiles, a manual transmission gives an additional -1 penalty tocharacters who are trying to do something else while they drive, such asshoot a gun. If, however, a vehicle with an automatic transmission and
one with a manual transmission are competing in a race, the GM should
give any driver who has both the Drive Skill and a manual transmission
an extra +1 bonus to reflect the greater speed control the manualtransmission provides. This is a mundane option for automobiles.

NITROUS OXIDE TANKThis option adds a nitrous oxide tank and push-button injection
system. Nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) can be injected into the engine,which releases more free oxygen and improves cylinder pressures andengine temperature. This action allows extra fuel to be burned in a more
controlled fashion, resulting in a quick power boost for a short sprint. A
single injection adds 30 mph to speed and +2 to Initiative on any round
it is used. A tank can be used for up to five rounds before depleting thenitrous oxide bottle. This performance enhancer is available for any
vehicle except aircraft and tracked military ground vehicles.

OFF-ROAD SUSPENSION
A raised suspension and special tires allow the vehicle to drive crosscountry at two-thirds of the on-road top speed. The extra suspension
weight also means -5 mph to road speed. For airplanes, this option
corresponds to Rough-Field Landing Gear that lets the aircraft land
without a proper runway. Off-road suspension is available for any groundvehicle or light aircraft.

POLICE-BAND RADIO
This radio allows the driver to listen to, and communicate on,police and emergency frequencies. If the cops find one of these in a
vehicle, they may be a little suspicious, however. This radio is available
for any vehicle.

PONTOONS
Pontoons allow an aircraft to land in, or take off from, water. The
extra air drag reduces the aircraft’s top speed by 5 mph. Pontoons areavailable for any helicopter or light airplane.

RADAR DETECTOR
A detector can warn the driver if a police radar trap is within a few
miles. Recent models also detect police laser scanners.

CHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENTHIDDEN CARGO SPACEMANUAL TRANSMISSION

ROCKET ENGINE
The vehicle is outfitted with a rocket engine (either replacing
propellers for an airplane or as a booster rocket for ground vehicles). The
engine drastically increases the speed of the vehicle by an additional 100
mph but the expensive modification counts as a major items of Personal
Gear. Additionally, for ground based vehicles, the driver incurs a -2
penalty on all Drive Skill checks while the rocket booster is activated.
This option is not available to tracked military vehicles.

ROTATING LICENSE PLATE
With a flick of a switch, the license plate can flip to reveal an
alternative identity for a vehicle. This illegal modification is available forany automobile or oversized ground vehicle.

SIDECARSidecars are attached to motorcycles, allowing an extra person to
ride. This option reduces the top speed by 10 mph. A motorbike sidecar
requires three rounds to attach or detach.

105

SLICK TIRES
A vehicle may be outfitted with flat racing tires (no grooves) for
better traction. Slicks give a +1 bonus to any Drive checks on smooth,dry tracks, but unfortunately have a poor grip on wet roads: an additional-2 penalty is assigned to any penalties suffered by a vehicle for theweather conditions. Slicks are available for any wheeled ground vehicle.

SMOKE SCREEN/OIL SLICKThis option releases smoke behind the vehicle, obscuring view in acloud about 10 yards in diameter. The screen will last for 1-6 rounds
depending on the wind. Alternatively, it could act as an oil slick, which
creates a slippery area that hampers the control of any vehicle driving
through it. A driver may avoid the oil slick if he or she spots it in time.
At GM’s option, a character caught in a smoke screen/oil slick might berequired to make a successful Driving Skill check to avoid an accident. A
fully charged smoke screen/oil slick is good for three rounds of use, andis available for any automobile or oversized ground vehicle.

SPECIAL TIRES OR PUNCTURE-RESISTANT
Tires may be designed with various special abilities. These include
solid puncture-resistant tires that run while flat (halve penalties for losing
a tire) or special snow tires (reduce or negate any penalties that the GM
may assign for manoeuvring on snow or ice). Any wheeled ground vehicle
can be equipped with special tires.

STRETCHERS AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
This option differentiates ambulances from regular vehicles. Eachstretcher replaces two seats for passenger capacity purposes. Medical
equipment can be added to any van or utility helicopter.

CHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENTSTRIPPED
These vehicles are carefully stripped down to improve their power
to weight ratio. In a car, this might mean removing glass from side
windows (replacing them with nets), taking out the headlights, strippingout the doors (the driver will now climb through the window), modifying
the seats, and otherwise removing items that are required for regulardriving but unnecessary or unsafe for a high-speed race. Stripping avehicle will add 20 mph to top speed if the vehicle is still “street legal” or
30 mph if enough stuff is removed so that the vehicle no longer meets
minimum safety standards. All vehicles, except an ultra-light, can be
stripped.

SUN ROOF
A sun roof is an open hatch in the top of the vehicle, which can be
added to any car or van. Characters who lean out the opening can be
attacked, but receive a benefit for partial cover (-4 penalty to theattacker’s check). A sun roof is available for any automobile or oversized
ground vehicle.

by 25 mph and it will have a -4 initiative penalty while towing the trailer.
Trailers can be added to any automobile or oversized vehicle.

TURBOCHARGER
This device uses the engine’s exhaust stream to drive an air
compressor, which increases the engine’s power output. This extra poweradds 20 mph to top speed, but there is no extra initiative bonus, due to“turbo lag” — the delay it takes for the turbocharger to respond.
Tuberchargers are available for any vehicle except aircraft and heavy tanks.

WEAPON MOUNT - LIGHT
A weapon mount is a bracket or pintle for mounting a light or
heavy machine gun on the vehicle’s roof, deck, or the underside of a wing.

WEAPON MOUNT - HEAVYThis mount is used for mounting heavy weapons such as rockets.

BODY ARMOUR AND
PROTECTIVE DEVICES
Most armour only covers some of the body, leaving the face andoften other extremities unprotected. An attacker can aim for an
unprotected spot in exchange for suffering a penalty on his or her attack
check (see Called Shot to Partial Armour, page 116). The Armour values
listed in this section represent average-quality construction and materials.
Shoddy workmanship, poor construction techniques, or weak materials
can penalise the given Armour values by -1 to -4. Exceptional
workmanship, advanced construction techniques, or resilient materials
can increase the given Armour values by +1 to +4.

TABLE 11-4: ARMOUR AND PROTECTIVE DEVICESARMOUR TYPEARMOUR VALUEANCIENT ARMOUR
Light Mail
4
Partial Metal Armour
5
Full Metal Armour
6 to 8
MODERN ARMOUR
Leather Jacket
1Soft Body Armour
4
Tactical
8
SHIELDS
Buckler
4Standard Shield
6
Heavy Shield8
Tactical Shield

10

SUPERCHARGER
A supercharger is designed to increase an engine’s power. The
supercharger uses a belt-and-pulley mechanism linked to an engine’s
crankshaft. It functions by forcing extra air and fuel into the engine’s
combustion chambers. A supercharger adds 20 mph to top speed and theextra acceleration gives a +2 Initiative bonus. Superchargers count as
two minor items of Personal Gear, and are available for any vehicle except
aircraft and heavy tanks.

TOW WINCH
A winch allows the vehicle to tow other vehicles of equal or smaller
size (similar to pulling a trailer — see Trailer below). A winch is available
for any pickup truck or oversized ground vehicle.

TRAILER106

A trailer lets the vehicle tow extra cargo. A typical trailer isdesigned for a car or van and can hold a half-ton (for a car-sized trailer)
or 1-2 tons (for a larger trailer). The vehicle’s top speed will be reduced

PENALTIES-2 on physically-oriented Skill checks-4 on physically-oriented Skill checks-6 on physically-oriented Skill checks
None-2 on physically-oriented Skill checks-4 on physically-oriented Skill checks
None
Requires one free hand to use
Requires one free hand to use,
-4 on physically-oriented checks
Requires one free hand to use,
-2 on physically-oriented checks

ANCIENT ARMOURLIGHT MAIL
A light shirt of fine metal links that can be hidden under a normal
jacket and stops 4 damage. Due to the armour’s weight, the character suffersa -2 penalty on physically-oriented Skill checks. Minor Personal Gear.

PARTIAL METAL ARMOUR
A mail hauberk or cuirass, open helmet, and arm or leg protection.
It stops 5 damage. Due to the armour’s weight, the character suffers a-4 penalty on physically-oriented Skill checks. Minor Personal Gear.

FULL METAL ARMOUR
A complete head-to-foot suit of metal armour, similar to thoseworn by medieval knights in battle. It stops 6 to 8 damage. Due to thearmour’s bulk, the character makes physically-oriented Skill checks at a
-6 penalty. Major Personal Gear.

MODERN ARMOUR
LEATHER JACKET OR RIDING SUIT
This mundane item stops 1 damage from melee attacks or
concussion damage.

SOFT BODY ARMOUR
This armour is a light-weight ballistic-fibre “flak jacket” or “bullet
proof vest.” The armour works by catching the bullet in fibres and rapidly
distributing the impact energy, often turning a potentially lethal
penetration into a bruising blow. Armour is usually made of poly-aramid
plastic fibres (Kevlar or Twaron) or extended-chain polyethylene (Spectra).
A typical vest subtracts 4 from the damage inflicted on the character, but
can be worn concealed under a jacket or coat. It is cumbersome, however,and penalises the wearer with a -2 penalty on physically-oriented Skill
checks. Spotting the armour requires a Spot Skill check; it will be obvious
if anyone does a pat-down search. Minor Personal Gear.

one free hand with which to wield the shield. Stops 6 damage. Minor
Personal Gear.

HEAVY SHIELDThis shield is approximately one to two yards in height and acts as
a virtual wall, protecting the character from damage. Not only does it
require a free hand for use, but its large size also makes it difficult for thecharacter to accomplish physically-oriented Skill checks, imposing a -4
penalty. Stops 8 damage. Minor Personal Gear.

TACTICAL SHIELDThis modern version of a Heavy Shield is built from light-weightmaterials. Due to its advanced construction, it not only provides greater
protection but also is easier to wield, imposing only a -2 penalty on
physically-oriented Skill checks. Stops 10 damage. Major Personal Gear.

TACTICAL ARMOURSHIELDS
Shields stop a significant amount of damage if they are interposed
between an attack and the target with a successful Block Defence (page120). If the damage exceeds the Armour rating, the remaining damage isdelivered to the intended target. This damage can reflect several events:
penetration of the weapon through the shield; damage delivered to thetarget’s arm through a forceful impact; the shield slamming
against the head or body of the target; a piece of the shield
splintering away into the target; a target’s physicalexhaustion after successive shield impacts; etc. The
reason why the target receives the excess damage isbest determined by the combat situation.

CHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENTThis armour is a heavy armoured outfit (with a helmet) of the sortworn by SWAT teams and soldiers. It consists of a rigid ballistic jacket,
usually made of composite material such as Spectra Shield (Spectra fibres
held in a special Kraton resin), sometimes withceramic or metal plate inserts. The
armour is resistant to nearly all
pistol fire and some lesspowerful rifle rounds.
Tactical armour cannot be
concealed — everyone
seeing the character will know
he or she is wearing body armour.
Tactical armour is uncomfortable to wear
all the time, and characters will not be able torest and relax while wearing it. Someone who wears
the armour for several hours on a hot day may
have to make Fortitude saves (against an
appropriate DC) to avoid passing out fromheat stroke. Tactical armour subtracts 8 from the damage
inflicted to the wearer. The armour requires at least three rounds
to strap on or take off, and is sufficiently heavy that physicallyoriented Skill checks suffer a -4 penalty. Major Personal Gear.

BUCKLERThis small shield can be strapped to acharacter’s arm and be used to block attacks.
Since it is strapped to the character’s arm, it
does not require a free hand to use. Stops 4
damage. Minor Personal Gear.

STANDARD SHIELDThis shield is approximately 3 feet in diameterand provides excellent protection for the character.
Due to its size, however, the character must have107

SPECIAL PROTECTIVE DEVICESGOGGLES AND EAR PROTECTORSThis gear provides a +6 bonus to resist the stunning effects offlash-bang grenades, but prevents the character from hearing any normal
conversations. They require one round to put on or remove. Minor
Personal Gear.

GAS MASK
A gas mask protects against tear gas and similar
attacks, but imposes a -4 penalty on all checks foractions requiring peripheral vision. It requires one
round to put on or remove. Minor Personal Gear.

BREAKINGOBJECTS
Battles between powerful foes often resultin a great deal of collateral damage. How
effective is a manhole cover as a shield? Howmuch damage can a telephone pole deliver before
it breaks?
Objects are divided into two maincategories: static and operational. Static objects
are those that exist without working parts, such as
most melee weapons, furniture, buildings, etc.
Operational objects are things that have moving
parts that work together in some way to accomplish atask. Examples include firearms, vehicles, computers,
and other similar objects.

CHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENTSTATICOBJECTS
Static objects possess an Armour Rating. This is an amountof damage that the object is capable of stopping. If the object is
hit with more damage than this, it suffers damage up to its
Armour Rating and any remaining damage passes through it(possibly injuring characters behind it). Though the object isdamaged, it still maintains its structure but will require repairs later. If
an object suffers repeated damage, roughly 5 to 10 times within a shortperiod of time (GM discretion), it has suffered sufficient damage to break.
If the object suffers five times its Armour Rating in damage in one attack,
it is completely destroyed — it is beyond repair and must be completely
rebuilt or replaced.

OPERATIONALOBJECTSOperational objects have both an Armour Rating and Hit Points. If
the object suffers more damage than its Armour Rating, the excess
damage is deducted from its Hit Points. If its HP are ever reduced tozero, it ceases to function in its given task; a car will no longer run, a gun
will no longer fire, etc. The object is not destroyed — it is simply
rendered non-functional. It can be repaired later and returned to normal.
Additionally, as with Static objects, if the item suffers five times its
Armour Rating in damage in one attack, regardless of how many Hit
Points it has remaining, it is completely destroyed — it is beyond repair
and must be completely rebuilt or replaced.

PENETRATING (ARMOUR)
VS. OBJECTS
When a character uses a Special Attack with the Penetrating
108(Armour) Ability (see page 65), the attack is more likely to destroy anobject. Each assignment of Penetrating (Armour) reduces the multiplierrequired to destroy an object by 1. For example, if a character attacks asteel girder, he or she must inflict over 75 damage (Armour Rating of 15
times 5) to destroy it. If the character had special claws with Penetrating(Armour) assigned three times, however, the character only needs toinflict over 30 damage (Armour Rating of 15 times [5 minus 3 due tothree assignments of Penetrating: Armour = 2] = 30).

ARMOURRATINGS OF OBJECTSThe Armour Rating of an object indicates how much damage theobject can stop and it is dependent on the material from which the object
is made, the size of the object, and how well it is constructed. A hollow,
aluminium pole will be far weaker than a solid aluminium pole of thesame size. Table 11-5: Static Object Armour Ratings provides roughArmour Ratings for common Static objects. GMs are encouraged to use
this chart as a basis when determining the Armour Rating of otherobjects encountered in their games, adjusting for the material from which
the object is made, the thickness of the material, the quality of
construction, and other similar factors. The Armour Ratings and Hit
Points for common operational objects are listed in Tables 11-2: Weapons
and 11-3: Vehicle . In most cases, the Hit Points of an operational object
is equal to 10 plus five times the object’s Armour Rating.

TABLE 11-5: STATIC OBJECT ARMOUR RATINGSOBJECT
ARMOUR RATING OBJECTARMOUR RATING
Bench/Table, Metal
4
Steel Cables
4
Bench/Table, Wood
2
Steel Girder
15
Cement Barrier
15
Stop Sign
3
Door, Wooden
4
Telephone Pole, Metal
10
Door, Vault
25
Telephone Pole, Wood8
Dumpster, Metal
9
Tree, Giant
20
Furniture, Wood
3
Tree, Large
15
Ladder, Metal
4
Tree, Medium
10
Manhole Cover
12
Tree, Small
5
Melee Weapons
Equal to the weapon’s maximum damage,see Table 11-2: Weapons
Buildings
See Table 11-6: Building Armour Ratings
Planetary Objects
See Table 11-7: Planetoid Armour Ratings

there is a risk of the attack’s force breaking the object. The damage froman attack must either be delivered to the target, or (if the target isarmoured) delivered to the weapon itself. If the target’s Armour prevents
damage equal to five times the weapon’s Armour Rating in one attack,the weapon breaks, snapping under the strain. When a character scores a
critical hit (see page 122), his or her weapon will not break, regardless ofany damage prevented.

BREAKINGITEMS OF POWER
Items of Power are treated as if they possess an additional 5 Armour
per Rank of the Item of Power when determining whether or not they
break.
For example, a character with a long sword that is a Rank 4 Itemof Power attacks a dragon. The character strikes a fantastic blow,
delivering 42 damage. The dragon has 45 Armour. Under normal
circumstances, a typical long sword, which can inflict a maximum of 8
damage, would break if 40 damage was prevented (5 times it’s Armour
Rating of its maximum damage value of 8). Since the character’s sword is
an Item of Power, however, it will only break if 140 damage is stopped
by an attack (8 Armour Rating + 5 damage per Rank of Item of Power= 28; 28 x 5 = 140).

building in a melee or ranged attack. Most buildings, whether they aremainly comprised of stone, brick, wood, or steel, have 5 Armour for eachsize ranking. If a building suffers more damage than its armour rating, it
has suffered structural damage; there will be holes in walls and/or floors,
powered systems begin to cease working, etc. If the building ever suffers
five times its armour rating in damage in one attack, some or all of thebuilding will collapse. For example, a mid-sized office building partiallycollapses if it suffers 125 damage in one attack. Characters within or
adjacent to a collapsing building may suffer damage equal to thebuilding’s Armour rating, unless they can reach safety (possibly via a
movement Attribute or with a successful Reflex save, GM’s discretion).
As with normal Static objects, repeated damage may eventually destroy
a building (see page 108).
Weapons without the Area Effect or Spreading Abilities are muchless effective against large structures such as buildings: any damage thatpenetrates the building’s Armour is localised, representing the attack
only damaging a small area of the structure.

TABLE 11-6: BUILDING ARMOUR RATINGSTYPE OF BUILDINGSIZE RANKING
Phone Booth
1
Wood Shed2
Three-Bedroom House
3
Small Office Building (6 Floors)
4
Mid-Sized Office Building (12 Floors)5
Large Office Building (24 Floors)
6
Skyscraper (50 Floors)
7

ARMOUR RATING
5
10
15
20
25
30
35

BLOWINGUP WORLDS
Really large and dense objects like an asteroid, moon, or planet has
an exceptionally high armour rating (15 Points for each size ranking)representing the massive thickness of rock or gas that surrounds its core.
In order to do any significant damage to the planet itself (rather than justblowing away cities, vegetation, or other surface features) this Armour
value must also be penetrated. Only weapons with Area Effect assigned
multiple times are useful — all other attacks simply do not affect a large
enough section of the object to be noticeable. Table 11-7: Planetoid
Armour Ratings shows the armour rating of planetoids. If an attack
delivers more damage than this value, the object has suffered damage
necessary to blow away its atmosphere, cause massive earthquakes and (ifit has oceans) tsunamis, and other similar disasters. If an attack inflicts fivetimes this value in one blast, it will actually destroy the world, blasting it
into smaller chunks or an asteroid belt. As with normal Static objects,
repeated damage may eventually destroy a planetoid (see page 108).

CHAPTER 11:
EQUIPMENTDAMAGETO WEAPONSWhen a character uses a melee weapon against an armoured foe,

DESTROYINGBUILDINGS
Characters usually gain automatic successes when they target a

TABLE 11-7: PLANETOID ARMOUR RATINGSSIZE OF OBJECTSIZE RANKING
Meteor (100 yard diameter)
6
Small asteroid (1 mile diameter)
9
Medium asteroid (10 miles diameter)
13
Big asteroid (100 miles diameter)
16
The Moon or Mercury
21
Mars
23
Earth or Venus
24

ARMOUR RATING
90
135
195
240
315
345
360

109

COMBATINTRODUCTION
In a role-playing game, most character or NPC actions do not
require any particular rules. A player simply says his or her character
walks across a room, picks up an object, drives a vehicle, or talks tosomeone, etc., and if the GM agrees that it is possible, this simply
happens. Personal interaction between characters or NPCs normallyconsists of the players and GM talking “in character” and describing what
their characters are doing. In the GM’s case, he or she describes what thecharacters are seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting.
In the course of a game, circumstances may arise where specificrules can help determine what happens. This is usually the case when theoutcome of an action or event is uncertain and the result is important tothe story. If a character needs to fix a broken reactor pump to prevent a
nuclear meltdown, can he or she do it in time? If a character’s car drives
off a cliff, can he or she jump clear in time, and if not, how badly will thecrash injure the character? If two people fight, who wins?
A character’s Ability Scores, Attributes, Skills, and Calculated
Values help resolve these dramatic questions. In many cases, dice rolls can
add additional hazard and drama to the action. The dice rolls represent
elements beyond the direct control of the character or the uncertainty
that results when opposing characters interact.
In some situations, the GM may elect to determine the results bysimple fiat, without rolling dice (see Should I Make my Players Roll
Dice?, page 111). The GM may do so if he or she thinks a particularoutcome is certain or is dramatically necessary to the game.
One situation the rules cover in greater detail is combat. The
rules for combat are extensive, giving players a greater sense that they
are in control of their characters’ every step. If they lose, they will know
the GM has not arbitrarily killed or injured their characters. The GM
can also follow a similar procedure with any other actions that affect acharacter’s fate: treat routine activities in passing and delve into moredetail whenever an action influences the player character physically or
emotionally.

CHAPTER 12:
COMBAT

THE“InPASSAGE
OF TIMEgame” passage of time in a role-playing game is fluid, just as it
is in anime movies or TV series. In some situations, like a conversation
between two characters, the movement of game time normally matches
real world time. More often, the amount of time that passes depends onthe characters’ activities as set by the players’ actions and officiated by the

BESM d20 Versus Normal d20
In the creation of an anime game, certain rules changes havebeen made from the traditional d20 System to suit the style.
Players familiar with d20 may notice some of those changes (someare specifically called out). It is recommended, when running agame of BESM d20, that GM’s use the modified, anime-specificmechanic over the traditional d20 mechanic. The mechanics havebeen designed with achieving a cinematic, anime feel in mind. In
the end, however, you are the final arbiter of what mechanics you
do and do not use and should always select the mechanics withwhich you feel most comfortable.
Since there is a wealth of material published by numerous
companies for the d20 System, players and GMs may prefer either
the traditional, core d20 system published by Wizards of the Coastor third party d20 material. Feel free to use the mechanics thatbest suit your style and preference of play. So long as you and yourfellow players are having fun, there is no wrong way to use thed20 System.

110

IMPORTANT! Do not hesitate to go beyond the rules if you are
the Game Master. If you dislike a rule presented in the BESM d20
RPG, you are encouraged to modify it to suit your needs and thoseof the players. Do not let your own vision of an anime role-playing
game be superseded by anything you read in this book. Thesepages are filled with guidelines and suggestions, but certainly do
not reflect the “One True Way” to role-playing success. Use what
you like, discard what you do not, and fill in the blanks with yourown ideas.
GM, who may something like “It takes you two hours to reach the castle”
or fixing the computer takes 20 minutes.” The GM should telescope time
until something interesting happens: “Two weeks pass as you go about
your jobs and engage in routine training. Then the Empress summons
you for a special mission....” Finally, in very dramatic situations such ascombat, the GM may keep very precise track of time, using individual“combat rounds.” GMs may go back in time as well to employ flashback
scenes. A flashback is a useful tool to establish the background for a story
without simply recounting the information in dry lecture fashion,
allowing the player to work through the event.

SCENE, ROUND, AND INITIATIVE
Three common measures of game time in BESM d20 are a scene,round, and Initiative. A scene is any situation where the events remain
linked, moment-to-moment. Think of it in anime terms — a scene lasts
until the camera cuts to an entirely new setting, potentially with new
characters. If, for example, a character is listening to the pleading of a
distraught farmer, the conversation constitutes a scene. Once the GM
switches scenes to the character entering a dark uninhabited section of
the forest, the farm scene ends and a new scene begins in the forest. If abandit interrupted the conversation by attacking the farmer, intent on
shutting him up before he could reveal any important information, thescene would not yet end when the character chased after the bandits
toward the forest. Since the events are still linked moment-to-moment, it
is still a part of a scene although the setting has changed.
A round is a measure of time of approximately 6 seconds in length,
while an Initiative is one specific moment in time. When combat occurs,characters roll Initiative (see page 114) and each is allowed to act on his
or her Initiative. The round is broken into a number of Initiatives equal
to the highest Initiative rolled for the round. For example, in a combat
between three characters who roll an 11, 19, and 24, the combat roundhas 24 Initiatives. The round remains 6 seconds in length, but for the
purposes of action within the conflict, there are 24 potential individual
moments — 24 instances where a character could decide to act.

TAKINGACTION
Every character is capable of performing or attempting a nearlyendless list of actions. These can be mundane activities (talking,breathing, thinking), skilled activities (building a suit of power armour,hacking into a computer, moving silently, climbing the side of abuilding), or combat activities (fighting, dodging, shooting). A later
section on combat (page 114) covers combat action in detail and thus is
not discussed here. Additionally, players can assume that characters carryout routine skilled activities successfully on a regular basis unless specified
otherwise by the GM. For example, the GM can assume that characterswith the Gun Combat Skill routinely keep their weapons clean, safely
stored, and properly maintained.
Every GM has a preferred method for having players describe theircharacters’ actions. Usually this involves the GM moving from player toplayer asking, “What is your character doing?” Experienced GMs try togive each person equal role-playing time so that everyone is an important
facet of the story (switching between characters as necessary). Conversely,
players are responsible for relating their characters’ intended actions to
the GM. In return, the GM will describe the results of those actions orwill request an Ability or Skill check to determine the outcome.

Consider the three action descriptions below:“My character, Naruto, is going to search for the artefact.”“My character, Naruto, is going to search for the artefact in
the lower levels of the castle.”
Action 3: “My character, Naruto, is going to quickly search for theartefact in the lower levels of the castle. He will knock down
doors if he has to, not caring who or what is on the other side,in order to find it as fast as possible.”
All three accounts involve Naruto looking for the artefact, but thelevel of detail is quite different. You should not be overly concerned withdetail if it is irrelevant to your character’s actions (such as exactly how
Naruto is forcing open the doors in Action 3), but sometimes a little
detail can greatly alter the GM’s interpretation of the event.
Action 1:
Action 2:

ATTRIBUTESAND ACTIONS
In some situations, it is important to know how many Attributes acharacter can activate at one time and how quickly he or she can activate
the Attribute. Innate Attributes, such as Armour or Superstrength, areconsidered always active, unless the character selects a Restriction Defect(see page 94) whereby the Attribute is not always active. Powers whichmust be activated but do not usually require a dice roll, such as Force
Field, can be activated at a rate of one per Initiative starting on thecharacter’s Initiative roll; these activations do not require the character to
use an action. Attributes that must be activated and do require a dice rolldemand focus, and thus the character must spend one or more actions toactivate the Attribute. A character can have any number of Attributes
active at any moment, though GMs may wish to impose penalties if thecharacter is focusing on too many things. It is usually obvious which
Attributes fall into which category, but the final classification is at theGame Master’s discretion.

USING ATTRIBUTES AT REDUCED RANKS

Unless a character assigns the Maximum Force Defect (page 92) toan Attribute, he or she can voluntarily use the Attribute at reduced
Attribute Ranks. For example, a Ninja with Rank 6 Teleport (maximum
safe distance of 1,000 miles) could choose to teleport any distance up to
1,000 miles.

remain unknown to the character. If, for example, there is somethinghidden that the character may or may not notice, the GM can secretly rolldice to see if the character spots it. If the GM allowed the player to rollthe dice, the player would know that a clue existed even if the character
did not succeed in noticing it.

Should I Make My Players Roll Dice?
It is important for the GM to realise that not all actions
require a dice roll. Obviously mundane character activities, such as
hammering a nail, riding a horse down a road, or eating lunch,should never need dice rolls unless there are exceptional
circumstances surrounding the character’s actions. In othersituations, the necessity to roll dice is less obvious. If a character
is virtually guaranteed to succeed at a task, then the GM should
consider whether the check is really necessary. While it is true thatthe character might fail, having the player roll the dice will slow
the game down. Thus, GMs should recognise when a character isalmost certainly going to succeed at a task and, in those situations,
not request the check and allow game play to continue,
uninterrupted.
Conversely, one might think that if a character only succeeds
if the player rolls a 20, then the GM should similarly not request acheck and, instead, state that the action fails. This, however, is not
the case — player characters should always be given that one slim
chance of success, even at difficult tasks that seem doomed to
failure (with the exception of tasks that the GM deems impossible).
While the dice roll may slow game-play down a bit, that slim
chance of success allows characters to accomplish heroic feats thatwill be remembered for years. GMs may wish to allow only player
characters to make this roll, even in the face of near-certain failure— since NPCs are not the stars of the game, they should not beallowed the same chance of pulling off superhuman feats.
The following is a list of suggestions when the dice should andshould not be rolled. If a check is unnecessary, the character should
gain an automatic success for the action.

ROLL DICE WHEN...

DICE AND DICE ROLLSDO NOT ROLL DICE WHEN...

The GM might also allow the character to use a fraction of an
Attribute’s effect. A character with Rank 4 Insubstantial, for instance,
may only want to turn a single body part, such as a hand or head,
incorporeal. The GM could decide that fractional Attribute use is more orless difficult than using an Attribute’s full effect, assigning appropriate
modifiers to the Attribute’s use.

BESM d20 uses one twenty-sided die (1d20) to handle many
aspects of the game mechanics. The core mechanic is a d20 dice roll plus
modifiers against a number called the Difficulty Class (DC). If the diceroll plus modifiers is equal to or greater than the Difficulty Class, theattempted task is successful.
There are three major types of dice rolls, or checks, a GM or player
may use during game play: an Ability check dice roll, a Skill check diceroll, and one of two combat checks (a “to hit” roll and a defence check).
When a player announces the intended actions of his or her character, theGM must decide if a dice roll is necessary. Should a roll be required, theGM chooses which type of check is most appropriate.
In most cases, a player rolls dice to determine the success of anaction his or her character performs, while the GM rolls the dice todetermine the results of NPC actions when they impact the characters. In
situations where NPCs are only involved with other NPCs, the GMshould simply decide what happens rather than rolling dice.
In some circumstances, the GM may roll the dice to determine theresults of a character’s action instead of having a player roll, keeping theactual dice roll — and the reason for rolling — secret. This is normallydone when the player rolling would give away an event that should• the unpredictability of dice adds to the excitement of the game
• the action is foreign to the character• the action has been a weakness for the character in the past
• the character is distracted or cannot concentrate• another character or NPC is working directly against the character• the action is not of trivial difficulty• outside forces influence the actions• the player wants to roll the dice
• a roll would reduce the enjoyment of the game
• the action is routine for the character• the action requires a trivial amount of talent compared to thecharacter’s Skill rank

CHAPTER 12:
COMBAT

FRACTIONAL ATTRIBUTE USE

ABILITYCHECKSAn Ability check is used when the GM believes that innate ability
is more important than any learned expertise or combat capability.
During an Ability check, the GM decides which Ability Score would be
most relevant to the action in question. For actions that fall under thedomain of an Attribute, the relevant Ability Score is usually given in the
Attribute description (see page 37).
A successful Ability check involves the player rolling equal to or
greater than the difficulty class for the given task with 1d20 + thecharacter’s modifier for the applicable Ability Score. DCs usually fall
between 5 (rather easy task) and 30 (very challenging task) though
they can certainly be higher for exceptionally difficult or near
impossible tasks.

111

The check is unsuccessful if the value is less than the DC. The
greater the difference between the value and the DC, the greater the
degree of success or failure (see Table 12-1: Degrees of Success).

TABLE 12-1: DEGREES OF SUCCESS
Roll is less than the DC by 16+
Roll is less than the DC by 11 to 15
Roll is less than the DC by 7 to 10
Roll is less than the DC by 4 to 6
Roll is less than the DC by 1 to 3
Roll is equal to or 1 greater than the DC
Roll is greater than the DC by 2 or 3
Roll is greater than the DC by 4 to 6
Roll is greater than the DC by 7 to 10
Roll is greater than the DC by 11+

Overwhelming Failure
Extreme Failure
Major Failure
Minor Failure
Marginal Failure
Marginal SuccessMinor Success
Major Success
Extreme Success
Overwhelming Success

TASK DIFFICULTY CLASSESThe Difficulty Class (DC) is a number set by the GM that reflects
how easy or challenging any given task is to complete. Providing a list of
sample DCs is pointless because the DC of each task changes based on
the situations involved. Walking across a tightrope may be a DC 15 task
one time but may be a DC 12 task the next time (the GM decides therope is thicker or more stable this time) or the DC may be 22 (a thinnerrope with a stiff and erratic cross-breeze). The GM must take all variables
into account when assigning a DC to a task and should endeavour toremain as consistent in selecting the DC of a task as possible. If the GM
decides a “difficult” task has a DC of 20, then all “difficult” tasks shouldhave a DC of 20. GMs should use Table 12-2: Difficulty Classes as arough guideline when determining the DC of a task.

TABLE 12-2: DIFFICULTY CLASSES
DC
3
5
7
10
15
20

CHAPTER 12:
COMBAT

25
30
35
40

TASK DIFFICULTY
Practically Guaranteed (why roll dice?)
Extremely Easy
Easy
Average Difficulty
Above Average Difficulty
Difficult — success above this DC is possible only underfavourable conditions (when a situational bonus is applied) or by
talented characters (who have a Skill Rank and/or Ability bonus)
Quite Difficult
Extremely Difficult
Supremely Difficult
Practically Impossible

CRITICAL SUCCESS OR FAILURE
Regardless of the actual DC, an unmodified or “natural” roll of 20
always succeeds (it is considered at least a “marginal success”), and an
unmodified roll of 1 always fails (it is considered at least a “marginal
failure”). This rule is important because it reflects the extreme
possibilities that even the most talented characters sometimes fail in theirtasks, while even the most awkward characters can succeed.

CONTESTED ACTIONS
If two or more characters are working directly or indirectly against
each other (such as two people pulling on a contested object), eachcharacter must make a check. The character with the greatest degree ofsuccess (or least degree of failure if both characters fail) is considered tohave the advantage over the contested action. In the event of a tie, thecharacters are locked in contest and may re-roll next round.

RETRIES112

Often, a character can try a Skill check again if he or she fails, and cankeep trying indefinitely. Some actions have consequences to failure that must
be taken into account, however, as determined by the situation and GM.
In some instances, the GM shouldn’t even bother to make theplayer roll dice (see Should I Make My Players Roll Dice?, page 111) andinstead allow the player to Take 10 or Take 20.

CHECKS WITHOUT ROLLS — TAKING 10

When the character is not in a rush and is not being threatened or
distracted, the character may choose to take 10. Instead of rolling 1d20
for the Skill check, calculate the character’s result as if the character had
rolled a 10.

CHECKS WITHOUT ROLLS — TAKING 20

When the character has plenty of time, and when the Skill being
attempted carries no penalties for failure, the character can take 20.
Instead of rolling 1d20 for the Skill check, calculate the character’s result
as if the character had rolled a 20 (but its is not considered a “natural”
20). Taking 20 means the character is trying until the character gets itright. Taking 20 takes about twenty times as long as making a single
check would take. Unless the GM deems the task is considered
impossible (such as performing brain surgery without any training), thecharacter automatically succeeds.
For example, a character who is attempting to break the coding on
a computer disk to read the top secret files can take a 20 — nothing badwill happen if the character fails and the character has all the time in theworld to slowly break the code. If the character had to break the code inten minutes to learn the location of the bomb that is about to explode,however, he or she could not take a 20. The character is working against
the clock and doesn’t have the luxury of slowly puzzling the coding out.
Further, if the character was instead attempting to disarm the explosive,
he or she similarly could not take a 20 since failure will probably resultin the bomb exploding.

SKILLCHECKSA Skill check is similar to an Ability check, except it is used when
the task is one that the GM decides would be governed by both aparticular ability and a particular Skill. For example, if a task required
general intellectual ability (such as remembering the name of a person
the character had met), an Intelligence check would be made.
Determining the origin of a rare alien species would also require anIntelligence check, but this task is governed by the Knowledge:
Biological Sciences Skill (more specifically, the Xenobiology
Specialisation, if Specialisation optional rule is used). In gameterminology, this task would require a “Intelligence-based Knowledge:
Biological Sciences (Xenobiology) Skill check.”
The DC of a Skill check is determined by the difficulty of the task(see left column). If the character possesses the appropriate Skill (evenwithout the exact Specialisation), he or she receives a bonus to the check.
This bonus is equal to the character’s Skill Rank (if the task does not fallunder his or her Specialisation) or one more than the character’s Skill
Rank (if his or her Specialisation does apply). A successful Skill checkinvolves the player rolling equal to or greater than the DC.
The GM is responsible for deciding which Ability Score, Skill, andspecialisation are relevant to a particular task, using the Ability Score andSkill descriptions given in Chapter 7: Skills. Since these questions canoften be tricky, the GM should listen to the player’s reasoning why aparticular Skill or Specialisation might apply. The final decision belongs
to the GM, however.

COMBINING SKILL CHECKS
When more than one character tries the same Skill at the same time
towards the same goal, their efforts may overlap — they can work
together and help each other out. In this case, one character is considered
the leader of the effort and makes a Skill check against the assigned DC,
while each helper makes a Skill check against DC 10 (the character can’ttake 10 on this check). For each helper who succeeds, the leader gets a+2 circumstance bonus to his or her Skill check. In many cases, acharacter’s help won’t be beneficial, or only a limited number ofcharacters can help at once. The GM limits co-operation as she sees fit for
the given conditions.

SKILL SYNERGY
It is possible for a character to have two Skills that work welltogether, such as Investigate and Knowledge: Streetwise, or Computer

CHAPTER 12:
COMBAT

113

Use and Open Lock for a computerised lock. Having 5 or more Ranks in
one Skill gives the character a +2 synergy bonus on Skill checks with its
synergistic Skills, as determined by the situation and the GM.

UNSKILLED ATTEMPTS
Often, a character will attempt an action for which he or she does
not possess the relative Skill.

FAMILIAR ACTION

If the character is undertaking a familiar action, the Skill check is
unchanged — the task is treated as a simple Ability check without abonus from the relevant Skill. The familiarity should have been
established previously, such as in the character’s background story, or beconsistent with the character’s role within the setting. The player should
explain to the GM why his or her character is familiar with the current
task. The GM, of course, has final say whether the character is sufficiently
familiar to avoid an unfamiliar action penalty (see below).
For example, a student who attends university to study astronomy
undoubtedly has at least a cursory familiarity with many academic fields.
Similarly, almost all characters living in New York City will be familiar
with the process of driving a car, even if they do not possess the Drive
Skill; in North America, attempting car-related actions is familiar tonearly everyone. A hermit living in the depths of the Amazon, however,is likely not familiar with motor vehicles and therefore driving would be
an unfamiliar action.

UNFAMILIAR ACTION

If the character is undertaking an action with which he or she isunfamiliar, the task should be treated as a normal Ability check with anunskilled penalty applied to the roll. This reflects how difficult it is for an
unskilled character to accomplish the task. The unskilled penalty should
range from -2 to -10, depending on how much the GM feels training isrequired and how background aspects of the character could affect theattempt. The DC does not change; rather, the character’s chance of
succeeding is reduced.
For example, keeping a plane in the air after the cabin crew
suddenly falls unconscious is a daunting task for anyone who is nottrained as a pilot. An average character might therefore suffer a -8
penalty to the check. A character who is an aficionado of combat jets andaircraft documentaries might only suffer a -4 penalty ... even if he or she
has never actually piloted a plane before.

CHAPTER 12:
COMBATREQUIRED SKILLThe GM may decide certain tasks automatically fail when
performed by characters lacking the required Skill. Examples of required
Skill activities include: performing brain surgery, deciphering ancienthieroglyphics, concocting an antidote for a poison, estimating the valueof a rare piece of art, etc.

POWER USAGE SKILLS
Some characters may select the Power Usage Skill for one or moreof their Powers. This Skill provides a bonus when the character makes any
check involving the specific Power. Unlike other Skills, Power Usage does
not provide an additional +1 bonus for Specialisations. For example, ateleporter with an Intelligence of 16 (+3 bonus) and the Power Usage:
Teleportation Skill at Rank 4 (+4 bonus) makes Teleportation checks
with a +7 bonus.

COMBAT
DICE ROLLS
The combat check resolves any type of physical combat including

114

armed, unarmed, martial arts, and ranged weapons attacks. The combat
check is very similar to a Skill check except the DC is now the target’s
defence roll.
A character can attack or defend with a weapon (or unarmed) even
if he or she does not possess the relevant attack combat Skill (combat isa Familiar Action). Consequently, attacking characters lacking theappropriate Skill do not suffer a penalty; a character without theappropriate combat Skill simply does not receive a bonus.
Skills adjust the dice roll, but other Attributes may also provide
modifiers as well. A natural dice roll of 20 is a critical success and cannot

be negated by an opponent’s defence (the defender does not even have theopportunity to make a defence check).
See Combat (see below) for more information on physical conflict.

COMBAT SKILLS
Unlike most other d20 System games, BESM d20 uses combat
Skills in addition to combat Feats. Offensive combat Skills are treatedexactly like Skills for any other action — they serve as a bonus to acharacter’s dice roll. Defensive combat Skills are applied to the character’s
defence roll when defending in an appropriate situation.
For example, a character with Defence Combat Mastery at Rank 2,
a Dexterity of 11, and Melee Defence (Sword) at Rank 3 is wielding asword and attacked by an opponent in melee combat. His Armour Classis normally 2 (+0 Dex modifier and +2 from the Defence Combat
Mastery). When defending with his sword, he gains a +4 bonus to his
defence roll (+3 for the Melee Defence Skill Rank, and +1 for the Sword
Specialisation), but only against melee or unarmed attacks. If anothercharacter attacks him with a gun, thus initiating a ranged combat attack,he makes a defence roll without a bonus since he does not have theRanged Defence Skill.

USING
ATTRIBUTES
If an Attribute does not specifically require an Ability check, Skill
check, or a combat check, GMs can assume they function automaticallyin most situations, though the Game Master may decide that a check isnecessary in unusual circumstances. For example, a character with the
Aura of Command always commands some attention, but the GM might
require a Charisma check were he or she attempting to convince someone
to do something specific.
Certain Attributes occasionally require checks (sometimes Skill
checks) to properly use the Attribute. Other Attributes provide
favourable modifiers to Ability checks or Skill checks. If an Attributeinteracts with Ability or Skill checks, this is noted in the Attribute’s
description in Character Creation.

COMBAT
Conflict is an essential component of any role-playing game, andcertainly of most anime games. Physical conflict, or combat, is an
important element of the BESM d20, but important is not the same as
frequent. Combat should be a vital element of a scene, and not just a
distraction that the GM uses to pass the time.
The combat rules for BESM d20 were designed to mimic dynamic,
fast-paced combat. Whenever a character enters physical conflict withanother character or NPC, the physical Combat Phase begins. Eachround of combat covers 6 seconds of time from the characters’
perspectives, depending on the characters’ actions and the circumstances.
Characters are permitted to take one action (attack or non-combat
action) each round. Should the conflict not be resolved at the end of thefirst combat round, subsequent rounds of combat will follow.
The Physical Combat Phase is subdivided into four parts: Initiative,
Character Action, Defence, and Damage.

INITIATIVE
Initiative determines the order in which characters act and is checkedat the beginning of each combat to determine the character’s Initiative inthe battle as is normal for most d20 System games. Alternatively, theplayers and Game Master can roll at the beginning of each combat roundto determine their characters’ Initiatives for that particular round.
Each player involved in the fracas roll d20 plus the character’s
Dexterity modifier and adds bonuses for certain Attributes and Feats(such as the Speed Attribute and Improved Initiative Feat). The GM does
the same for any NPCs engaged in the conflict. The GM may also grantbonuses or penalties if he or she believes the situations calls for it.

The character with the highest total has “gained Initiative” and acts
first, followed by others in descending order. Should two or morecharacters or NPCs have the same Initiative, the character with thehighest Dexterity acts first. If the characters have the same Dexterity as
well, their actions are simultaneous. This means both characters attackand deliver damage at the same time; if one character drops below zeroHit Points as a result, he or she still acts before falling unconscious.
A character may delay his or her action until any time later in theround to see what the other characters intend to do. If all his or her
opponents also delay their actions waiting for something to happen, theround ends in a dramatic stand-off and a new one begins.
If a character holds one or more actions until the end of a round anddoes not act, he or she acts on the first Initiative in the next round. The
character does not gain an additional action — he or she simply acts firstregardless of Initiative rolls. All held actions occur during the first
Initiative. If two (or more) characters hold their actions until thefollowing round, then both characters act simultaneously (assuming
neither continues to hold their action) and then everyone else involved in
the combat acts based on Initiative rolls.

CHARACTER ACTION

MULTIPLE ATTACKS FROMBASECharacters
ATTACK
BONUS
with a Base Attack Bonus of +6 or higher may makemultiple attacks against a target. If the character decides to use these
additional attacks, the character is assumed to be highly focused on
combat and thus may only perform minimal other actions (move only ashort distance, for example). Additional attacks gained through the Extra
Attacks Attribute do not impose this restriction — only additional
attacks gained via a high Base Attack Bonus. Furthermore, additional
attacks gained via a high Base Attack Bonus occur after a charactercompletes all bonus actions gained through the Extra Attacks Attribute.
Lastly, unlike standard attacks, these additional attacks may not be used
for non-combat actions — they may only be used for extra attacks.

close, hand-to-hand fighting. For simplicity, ranges are grouped into thefour categories listed below. It is up to the GM to decide whether he or
she wishes to track ranges and distances, or abstract them.
The distance given for each attack range is the effective reach ofthat attack — the maximum distance at which the attack is mosteffective. Some may be fired out to twice that range at -4 penalty or fourtimes the distance at -8, though the GM may decide that some attacks or
weapons cannot exceed their listed ranges.

MELEE
The attack is only usable against adjacent opponents withintouching distance (usually five to ten feet). This is the range for swords,
melee combat, etc.

SHORT
The attack has an effective range out to about 30 feet. Most pistols,
shotguns, grenades, submachine guns, and hurled weapons such as athrown rock or throwing knife, are short-ranged.

MEDIUM
The attack has an effective range out to about 300 feet. The energy
blasts from most characters, as well as bows, crossbows, rifles, andmachine guns, are medium-ranged. This is the default range for weapons
if none other is listed.

LONG
The attack is effective out to considerable ranges: about one to fivemiles (or more if specifically noted). A surface-to-air missile, an anti-tankrocket, or a tank’s main gun are examples of long-range weapons.

Range Increments and BESM d20
BESM d20 uses a simpler, abstract system for range rather
than the traditional, detailed d20 System method of range
increments. If GMs would prefer to use the standard d20 System
method of range, simply consider half of the indicated BESM d20
range as the range increment for the attack. Thus, if an attack is“short range” (a range of 30 feet in BESM d20), its range incrementis 15 feet. For each 15 feet beyond the initial 15, the attacker suffersa -2 to his or her attack roll, to a maximum range of 10 range
increments.
Conversely, when converting existing d20 System material to
the BESM d20 range, simply double the attack’s range increment
and use this as the attack’s range in BESM d20.

SPECIAL
COMBAT SITUATIONS
The following are special situations that can occur during combat.

CHAPTER 12:
COMBAT

Characters act in the sequence determined by the Initiative roll.
When it is time for a character to act, he or she may make one offensive
action (i.e. attack) or one non-combat action, unless the character has theExtra Attacks Attribute (page 47). Attacks are normally against a single
target, though some weapons or attack Abilities may allow the characterto engage multiple targets simultaneously.
Before rolling the dice, the player should clearly describe themethod of attack, the weapon his or her character uses (if any), and thetarget. If the character is trying something unusual (such as a Called Shotor attacking with two weapons), he or she should specify this beforehand.
To successfully attack an opponent, the player (or GM for an NPC)
must roll equal to or greater than the target’s AC. Remember to include
all relevant Attribute, Skill, Defect, and Weapon Abilities/Disabilities.
If the Attack check succeeds, the character is on target and will hit
unless the opponent can defend against the attack. Refer to defence
checks (page 120) for more information. If the target fails the defence rollor does not defend at all, he or she suffers the effects of the attack. This
is normally damage and/or any other special effects associated with theattack. To reflect some of the brutally successful attacks demonstrated inreal life, movies and TV series, a natural dice roll of 20 is a critical successand cannot be negated by an opponent’s defence.
If an Attack check fails, the character has missed. The attacker’s
action is over, and the attack has no effect, though a miss with a ranged
weapon may cause collateral damage if the shot strikes somewhere else
instead (this is up to the GM). A natural roll of 1 will always miss andmay result in an exceptional failure, such as hitting an innocent bystander
or a weapon malfunctioning.

MELEE
VS. RANGED ATTACKS
Some attacks are useful at a distance, while others are limited to

ATTACKING MULTIPLE TARGETS WITH ONE ATTACK
When a character absolutely must take down a number of targets
but he or she does not have enough Extra Attacks to do so, the character
may attempt to use one attack to strike multiple targets. For each
additional target beyond the first, the character suffers a -4 check penalty.
Only one attack check is made, not one check per target. Each target,
however, is allowed to make a defence check as normal. Additionally, thedamage inflicted to each target is reduced by one half. For example, if acharacter attempted to swing his sword and strike three people in one
blow, he would make one attack check with a -8 penalty (-4 for each of
the two extra targets). If he successfully hits any of the targets, hisdamage is reduced by half. Characters with certain Feats (for example,
Cleave or Whirlwind Attack) are exempt from these penalties.

115

ATTACKING MULTIPLE WEAKER OPPONENTS

Sometimes a character wants to attack multiple significantly
weaker opponents with one offensive action. This action is very cinematic(representative of a powerful warrior battling hoards of lowly minions),
and consequently the attack penalties are not as severe. For each
additional target who is at least 5 character Levels (or 5 CRs) lower than
the attacker, the penalty is only -2 instead of -4. The attacker does not
suffer any penalties for each additional target who is at least 10 character
Ranks (or 10 CRs) lower than the attacker. Characters represented by the
Flunkies Attribute (page 48) are considered CR 1 characters for the
purpose of determining these modifiers.
For example, a 12th Level Magical Girl uses her magical tiara Itemof Power to combat a hoard of 8 Ninja with the following Levels: 1, 1, 2,
2, 4, 4, 6, and 8. The Magical Girl suffers no penalty for the two Level 1
and two Level 2 Ninja (since they are at least 10 Levels lower than she),a -2 penalty for the two Level 4 and one Level 6 Ninja (since they are atleast 5 Levels lower), and a full -4 for the Level 8 Ninja (since he is only
4 Levels lower, which is less than 5). The final attack check penalty the
Magical Girl suffers for her one attack is -10 (-2 -2 -2 -4 = -10).

Mooks in BESM d20
The rules for Attacking Multiple Weaker Opponents is forcinematic games where the heroes are able to dispatch significantly
weaker foes without much concern. The rules should not be used in
grittier, realistic games.

ATTACKS WITH TWO WEAPONS
A character with a one-handed weapon in each hand may use bothat once against the same target or attack two different targets (even if heor she does not have Extra Attacks) but at a severe penalty to both
checks. A two-weapon attack incurs a -6 penalty for the primary or firsthand and a -10 for the other hand (the off hand). An additional -2
penalty is applied on each attack (-8 and -12 penalties) if the attacks are
aimed at different targets. If a character has Extra Attacks, he or she canonly use this option with one attack and not every attack.
The penalty applied to the off hand attack is reduced by 4 if thecharacter has the Ambidexterity Feat. Additionally, each time the TwoWeapon Fighting Feat is assigned, penalties applied to both attacks are
reduced by 2.

CHAPTER 12:
COMBATCALLED SHOTS
An attacking character may opt to suffer a penalty to hit inexchange for a Called Shot that provides some special advantage. For
example, a Called Shot may ignore Armour (by attacking a small,unarmoured spot) or strike a vital point, inflicting greater-than-normal
damage results. Players must specify a Called Shot before rolling the dice.

CALLED SHOT - DISARMING

A character may attempt to shoot or knock a weapon out of
another person’s hand. If using a ranged attack, this requires an attack at
a -8 penalty. If the attack hits, the character knocks away the weapon(probably damaging it). If using a melee weapon or unarmed attack todisarm, the character only suffers a -4 penalty, but the target may makea Strength check to retain control of the weapon. If the check succeeds,
the weapon’s user still suffers a -4 penalty on his or her next action withthat weapon (since it is off balance), but he or she retains control of it.

CALLED SHOT TO PARTIAL ARMOUR

Some armour may provide partial protection, like a flak vest only
protecting a person’s torso. An attack aimed at a thin or unarmoured area
suffers a -4 attack check penalty and ignores the effects of the armour if
successful.

CALLED SHOT TO VITAL SPOT

A character attacking a living being can specify he or she is aiming
for a vital spot (heart, brain, spine, etc.) rather than simply shooting at
the centre of mass as usual. He or she suffers a -8 attack check penalty,
but, if successful, the damage dice used in the attack increases to the next116

size: d4 becomes d6; 6d becomes d8; d8 becomes d10; d10 becomes d12;
and d12 becomes d20. For example, a character with a Rank 6 Special
Attack, which normally delivers 6d8 damage, would inflict 6d10 damage
if he or she made a successful Called Shot to Vital Spot.

CALLED SHOT TO WEAK POINT

If the character knows his or her enemy has a Weak Point Defect(page 93), a Called Shot can be made to hit it in combat. The attack
check penalty depends on the size of the Weak Point: a tiny spot gives a-6 penalty; a small spot gives a -4 penalty; and a large spot gives a -2
penalty.

COMBINED ATTACKS
Sometimes, characters will find themselves facing an extremely
tough opponent whose Armour or Force Field is tough enough to preventthe characters from inflicting harm. In these situations, characters willoften co-ordinate their attacks, attempting to strike the same point at thesame time in the hopes of overwhelming the target’s defences. For eachcharacter attempting a combined attack after the first, the attackers eachsuffer a -2 penalty to their attack check. Each character must hold his or
her attack until the slowest character’s Initiative (or later) before
launching the attack. Each character makes an attack check to see if heor she hits the target. If the character hits, he or she determines how
much damage is inflicted by the attack normally. All successful attackers
combine their damage values into one total and this amount is inflicted
upon the target as if from one attack.
If one attack fails to hit with the combined attack penalty butotherwise would normally hit, the character still hits the target but does
not successfully co-ordinate with the other characters. Naturally, if only
one character co-ordinates, a combined attack does not occur. The
character determines how much damage is inflicted but reduces thedamage delivered by half (round down). If the character misses, nodamage is delivered.
The target of a successful combined attack is only required to makea single defence roll to determine if she or he is hit by the incoming
combined attack. A penalty of -1 is applied to the roll for each opponent
beyond the first who participates in the combined attack.
Characters who possess the Combination Attack Attribute (page42) have special rules for performing this manoeuvre, and are not subject
to the same limitations.

EXAMPLE

Some people might point out that a character’s failure to
combine an attack with allies, which results in a reduction ofdamage inflicted, makes no sense. The decision for implementing
this rule is twofold.
First, it was done for a game balance purpose. While BESM
d20 makes every attempt to reflect the cinematic reality common
in anime, it is first and foremost a game. It therefore attempts tomaintain both game balance and a fun atmosphere. Combined
attacks, when successful, are very effective and provide attackers
with a tremendous advantage. They can quickly overwhelm Force
Fields and Armour to bring down a foe. To offset this advantage,
there needs to be a counter-balance — a detriment to prevent
characters from constantly using it as a mode of attack. There has
to be a reason that characters do not always combine their efforts
into one massive attack upon their opponents. Thus, a mechanic
was built into the Combined Attack rule that penalised characterswhen they failed their attack roll. While a successful Combined
Attack remains incredibly effective, a failed attempt is enough of a
detriment to force characters to consider if the attempt is worth
it. If they can bring the foe down individually, the combined attack
is not necessary and the risk of inflicting reduced damage is
incentive to not try. If they cannot affect the character normally,
then the risk of reducing the damage they inflict is not aconsideration — reducing the damage of an ineffective attack
still results in an ineffective attack.
Secondly, GMs can easily explain the reduction of damage by
pointing out that failure to combine one’s attack with allies results
in a glancing blow. The character hits the target but his or her
effort to hit a precise spot results in a less-than-solid strike.

EXTRA AIMA character making a ranged attack may deliberately take extra
time to aim. If a character aims a ranged weapon for an entire round anddoes not move during that period, he or she receives a +2 attack checkbonus, or +3 if he or she is using a scope. If an aiming character chooses
to move or suffers any damage before he or she can fire, the character
loses the benefit of Extra Aim.

STRIKING TO INCAPACITATE
A character attacking in hand-to-hand combat or with a bluntmelee weapon may attempt to knock a surprised opponent unconscious.
The target of the attack must be unaware of the attack to be vulnerable.
The attacker makes his or her attack check with a -6 penalty. If the target
suffers any damage (after all defensive Attributes are applied), he or she
must make a Fort Save (DC 10 + attacker’s Strength modifier). If thetarget succeeds on this save, he or she maintains consciousness. If thetarget fails this check, however, he or she falls unconscious. Damage
inflicted by an Incapacitating Strike is one-quarter of the attack’s
maximum damage (round down).
For example, a character wants to capture an opponent so she
strikes to Incapacitate. Her punch (with three Ranks of Massive Damage)normally inflicts 1d3 + 6, for a maximum of 9 damage. She rolls to hit
with a -6 penalty and successfully hits her opponent, forcing the target tomake a Fort save. Regardless of whether or not the target remains
conscious, he takes 2 (9 ÷ 4 = 2.25, rounded down to 2) damage fromthe blow.

CHAPTER 12:
COMBAT

Three characters are attacking an extremely tough villain who has 40
points of Armour. Their attacks, thus far, have simply bounced off his
Armour and done nothing to slow his rampage through town. Desperate
to end the villain’s spree of destruction, the three characters decide to coordinate their attacks. Everyone rolls Initiative for the new combat round.
The hero characters roll 26, 1 7 , and 1 2. They must therefore wait until
Initiative 1 2, at the earliest, before being able to launch their combined
attack. On Initiative 1 2, the three strike. They each make an attack
check with a -4 penalty (-2 for the each of the 2 characters that are in
addition to the first). The villain makes his defence roll, to determine his
Armour Class, with a -2 penalty. The first character successfully hits androlls for damage, resulting in 32 points of damage. The second characterrolls fails to hit with the -4 penalty, but rolls well enough that he would
have succeeded under normal circumstances, therefore still hitting thevillain. He rolls 29 points for damage but has that reduced by half. He
only delivers 1 4 points of damage which bounces harmlessly off the villain’s
Armour. The third character succeeds in the combined attack. She rolls
for damage and inflicts 36 points of damage. Added to the first character’s
32 points of damage, the combined attack of the two characters inflicts 68
points of damage. Finally, the characters breach the villains Armour,inflicting 28 points of damage (after the Armour reduces the damage
inflicted). It might not be a lot against this powerhouse, but it is certainly
a start.

Combined Attacks Make No Sense

STRIKING TO WOUND
A character in combat can elect to reduce his or her delivered
damage below the normal damage value to a minimum of 1 (known as
striking to wound). He or she may not attempt this with attacks
possessing the Area Effect, Auto-Fire, or Spreading Ability, however.

117

THROWING HEAVY THINGS
A character with a high Strength Ability (sometimes gained
through the Superstrength Attribute) can lift heavy things — up to 10%
of his or her maximum capacity — and throw them to deliver damage.
It takes one action to grab and lift a large, awkward object, and anotherto throw it. Consequently, throwing objects is slower than firing most
weapons. The advantage of throwing an object is that big things are
harder to dodge than smaller ones. The GM should assign each object asize category (see page 95) based on its size and weight.
The attack delivers damage, and receives an attack roll bonus,
based on the size of the object (see Table 12-3: Throwing Damage
Bonuses). The damage is increased by the attacker’s Strength modifierplus any bonuses for Massive Damage.

TABLE 12-3: THROWING DAMAGE BONUSESSIZE CATEGORYDAMAGE (*)
ATTACK ROLL BONUS
Medium
1d4+2
0
Large
2d4+4
+1
Huge
3d4+6
+2
Gargantuan
4d4+8+4Colossal
5d4+10+8* Plus the attacker’s Strength modifier and any other bonuses

TOTAL ATTACK
A character can take this option in conjunction with an attack. Itmeans he or she focuses intently on an offensive action with little thought
given to defence. The character gains a +2 bonus to a single attack
check, but the character’s Armour Class decreases by 2 for the entire
round in which he or she is making an Total Attack. A character with theExtra Attacks Attribute can initiate more than one Total Attack eachround, but each Total Attack reduces his or her AC by 2.

TOUCHING A TARGET

CHAPTER 12:
COMBAT

Some Attributes require a character simply touch his or her target.
It is much easier to just touch a person than it is to physically strike him
or her with enough force to cause damage. Thus, any character who issimply attempting to touch an opponent gains a +6 bonus to his or her
attack check. Touching a specific part of a target’s body may require a
Called Shot (page 116). This assumes the character is simply attempting
to make physical contact with the target. If prolonged contact isrequired, the target must either be willing or the character must grapple
the target. This rule replaces the standard d20 System method for
resolving Touch Attacks.

118

GRAPPLING
Instead of striking to inflict damage in melee combat, a character
can attempt to grab someone and pin him or her. This is a grapplingattack, and a character must have at least one empty hand free. Grabbinga small, inanimate object not that is not held by someone else (see Sphereof Control, page 124) does not require a full action.
Game Masters resolve a grappling attempt like a normal attack using
the Unarmed Attack (Grappling) Skill. If the attack hits and the target’s
defence (if any) fails, then the attacker successfully grabbed his or her
opponent. The attacker gains a grappling advantage if he or she has more
free hands than the defender. “Free” means not holding weapons or otherobjects, or not otherwise incapacitated. In this case, the defender suffers acumulative -2 penalty for each free hand the attacker uses to grapple inexcess of the number of free hands the defender is using. The maximum
penalty assigned for this disadvantage is -8. For example, if a Mecha Pilot(two hands) tries to escape from the grasp of a Mantis Man (four hands), shesuffers a -4 penalty (4 — 2 = 2; 2 x -2 = -4). If the Mantis Man is holding
an object in one of its four hands, however, the Magical Girl only suffers a-2 check penalty (3 — 2 = 1; 1 x -2 = -2). Characters with the Elasticity
Attribute (page 45) gain a bonus to attempts to grapple.
The attacker can hold a grabbed character relatively stationary. The
target suffers a -4 penalty on all checks when performing most melee attacks(including grabbing, biting, kneeing, etc.) or -8 when attempting to perform
other tasks requiring freedom of movement like using hand-held equipment.
Exception: if the grabbed character is much stronger (or more agile, at the
GM’s discretion) than the opponent, his or her penalty is halved, and thecharacter can still move freely. The GM may consider a character muchstronger if his or her Strength is at least 8 points higher. Thus, a small child(Strength 4) could not stop a strong man (Strength 16) from pinning him orher, while the strong man would be able to move freely if grabbed by the smallchild. It is, of course, possible for one character to grab an opponent who thengrabs the character in return (this is what often happens when grappling).

GRAPPLING MANOEUVRES
Once a character grabs an opponent, he or she can attempt agrappling special manoeuvre (Lock, Throw, or Pin) as his or her next
attack (see below).

LOCK

Instead of attacking normally, the grabbing character can choke,crush, or strangle his or her foe. This attack automatically hits and inflicts
damage equal to 1d4, plus bonuses from Strength and Massive Damage.

THROW

Instead of attacking normally, a grabbing character can hurl the foe
to the ground. A character must make an attack check at a +4 bonus,
modified by the Unarmed Attack (Throws) Skill. If successful, a throw
delivers 1d6 damage (as well as bonuses from Strength). Additionally, if the
defender fails his or her defence check, the attacker may throw the characterout a window or off a ledge, and the GM can assign extra damage based on
the situation. If the attacker throws the opponent at another enemy, he or
she may make an attack check. If the attack is successful, the grabbed
opponent hits the target and both suffer equal damage. A throw normallybreaks the grip on the target unless the attacker attempts to maintain ahold and succeeds in an Unarmed Attack (Grappling) check against a DCof 15 (which must be made whether the throw is successful or not).

PIN

A character who has grabbed someone may attempt to improve hisor her hold during the next attack by completely immobilising the
opponent in a pin. Treat this manoeuvre the same as the first grab attack.
If the attack succeeds, then the foe is pinned, usually under the weight of
the attacker’s body. Attackers may not attempt a pin if the opponent ismuch stronger (see earlier for definition of much stronger). Once acharacter pins an opponent, the target suffers a -6 penalty on checks
when attempting to escape. A pinned character cannot attack or move.

BITING
Since biting does not require the use of hands, it is an effective
tactic when a character has either grabbed or been grabbed by an
opponent. Game Masters should treat this as a normal attack that inflicts
1d3 damage, unless the aggressor is using a Natural Weapons Attribute(Fangs, Beak, or Mandibles).

ESCAPING
A grabbed character may attempt to struggle free. On thecharacter’s Initiative, he or she can attempt to escape instead of attack.
Both characters roll a Strength or Dexterity check (as appropriate) withmodifiers for the Unarmed Attack (Grappling) Skill. The character withthe highest degree of success (or least degree of failure) wins. If the
grabbed character wins, he or she escapes, and may also attack or takeanother action. If the characters tie, the grabbed character escapes, butforfeits his or her current action. If the grabbed character loses, he or she
is immobilised and forfeits one attack action that round. If a grabbed
character chooses to attack the person who grabbed him or her (withappropriate penalties) and inflicts damage equal to or greater than his or
her foe’s Constitution, he or she automatically escapes the grab.

FIGHTING FROM THE GROUNDFighters thrown to the ground or who are otherwise forced to fightfrom a prone position make all attacks at a -4 penalty.

MOVEMENTIN COMBATThe GM decides whether he or she wishes to keep detailed track of

ATTACKCHECK MODIFIERS
The GM may impose appropriate modifiers when the players makemovement, ranges, and distances. In most close-in combat situations,
GMs should not worry about exact speeds and distances — a general ideaof the overall situation is sufficient. Alternatively, GMs can measure
ranges in a more abstract fashion: “you’re behind him and in melee
range” or “you can reach her in three rounds, if you hurry.” The GMshould judge how quickly range shifts from relative speeds to dramaticnecessity. For example, in a race between two opponents with equal
speeds, the GM can allow the character who keeps winning Initiative toincrease the gap gradually between him or her and the other runner.
If the GM wishes to keep precise track of movement and distances,assume an average character moves a number of feet equal to his or her
size-related moment modifier (3 for an human; see page 95) times his or
her Dexterity while walking (one-half foot times Dexterity if swimmingor crawling). Jogging is a double move, running a triple move andsprinting a quadruple move. This guideline assumes six-seconds perround, but the GM can modify exact speeds when necessary.

an attack check. An attack action normally assumes characters areengaged in active combat — dodging enemy attacks, making quick
strikes when the opportunity arises, moving about, etc. The GM should
not apply any penalties for this sort of normal combat-related activity. If
circumstances are such that a character’s aim or concentration seems
likely impeded (such as shooting someone whom the character cannot
clearly see or attacking a foe while hanging upside down), the GM may
assign penalties to the attack check. Likewise, in stress-free situations(such as whacking an immobile victim, or target range shooting withnothing riding on the outcome), the GM can apply favourable bonuses orassume automatic success.
A number of possible penalties or bonuses are described on Table
12-5: Attack Situation Modifiers. The GM may adjust or ignore thesemodifiers if he or she prefers.

JUMPING
GMs can allow characters to jump as far as seems dramaticallyappropriate for the game. If distance is important, a person can jump about
6 feet forward, or 3 feet up or back, with range doubled on a short running
start. Use the Jump Skill (page 77) to determine exact distances for trained
characters and for characters with the Jumping or Speed Attribute. A
wheeled or tracked vehicle or a boat can only jump if it has a ramp.

MOVEMENT ATTACK PENALTIESTABLE 12-4: MOVEMENT ATTACK PENALTIESNORMAL CHARACTER
Jogging(up to Base Movement x 2)
Running(Base Movement x 3)
Sprinting(Base Movement x 4)

MOVEMENT ATTRIBUTE
Up to Maximum
Attribute Rank -2
Maximum
Attribute Rank -1
Maximum Attribute Rank

PENALTY
no penalty-2-4

FIRING WEAPONS FROM MOVING VEHICLES
Characters who are inside a fast-moving vehicle fire their weapons
at a penalty. Firing weapons when moving at moderate speeds incurs a-4 penalty, while moving very quickly earns a -8 attack check penalty.
Game Masters should impose an additional -4 penalty for characters also
piloting the vehicle while firing.

ATTACKING MOVING TARGETS
Attempting to hit a target that is moving at exceptional speeds isvery challenging. When attempting to hit a target that is moving quickly,
the character suffers an attack check penalty. See Table 12-5: Attack
Situation Modifiers for the appropriate penalty based on the target’s speed.

ATTACKER IS:
Taking an action to aim+2, or +3 with scope
Attacking Multiple Targets with one action
0, -2, or -4 per additional target
Attacking with two weapons (same target)-6 and -10
Attacking with two weapons (different targets)-8 and -12
Attempting a Combined Attack-2 per attacker after the first
Attempting to Touch the Target+6
Making a Total Attack+2
Firing personal weapons from a moving vehicle-2 or -4
Firing personal weapons while piloting a vehicle-8
Firing personal weapons while swimming or performing acrobatics-4
In an awkward position (on the ground, etc.)-4
ATTACKER IS:
Jogging: At Base Movement x 2 or lower
no modifier
Running: At Base Movement x 3 per round-2
Sprinting: At Base Movement x 4 per round-4
Jogging: At two Ranks below maximum Attribute movement rate
no modifier
Running: At one Rank below maximum Attribute movement rate
-2
Sprinting: At maximum Attribute movement rate
-4
ATTACKER IS ATTEMPTING A CALLED SHOT:
Disarming (with melee attack)-4
Disarming (with a ranged attack)-8
Targeting a partially armoured point-4
Targeting a vital spot
-8
Targeting a Weak Point-2, -4, or -6
TARGET IS MOVING AT:
up to 99 mph
no modifier
100 to 499 mph-2
500 to 999 mph-4
1,000 to 4,999 mph-65,000 to 10,000 mph-8
10,000 mph or more
-10
TARGET WITHIN MELEE RANGE, AND:
Concealed by trees or brush-2 to -6
Partially concealed by darkness, fog, or smoke-2 to -4
Fully concealed by darkness, fog, or smoke-6 and up
Taking cover-2 to -8
TARGET BEYOND MELEE RANGE, AND:
Concealed by trees or brush-4 to -8
Partially concealed by darkness, fog, or smoke-4 to -6
Fully concealed by darkness, fog, or smoke-12 and up
Taking cover-4 to -10
RANGE MODIFIERS:
Attacking at up to twice range-4
Attacking at up to four times range-8

CHAPTER 12:
COMBAT

When a character is moving in combat, he or she may incur
penalties to attack and Block Defence checks (see Table 12-4: Movement
Attack Penalties). The penalty incurred depends on how quickly thecharacter is moving relative to his or her maximum movement ability. The
following chart indicates the movement rates and penalties incurred. Fora normal character who does not have or is not using an Attribute to move
(Speed, Flight, Hyperflight, or Water Speed), the character’s movement
rate is dictated by his or her Dexterity, as outlined in the Normal
Character column. Characters who are using a movement Power refer tothe Movement Attribute column to determine their rate of movement.
If a character is sprinting, he or she incurs a -4 penalty to attack
and Block Defence checks. If the character is running, he or she incurs a-2 penalty on attack and Block Defence checks. Characters who are
jogging do not incur penalties. Additionally, characters do not incur
penalties when attempting Parry/Dodge Defence checks regardless of
their speed. GMs do not need to keep exact track of movement rates
unless they wish; they may simply keep movement abstract.

TABLE 12-5: ATTACK SITUATION MODIFIERS

119

NON-COMBATACTIONS
Rather than taking an offensive action during any combat
round, a character may use a non-combat action on his or her
Initiative. Such actions include untying a rescued captive,running, changing weapons, climbing into or out of a vehicle,
writing a note, changing clothes, etc. Players may also use noncombat actions to safely withdraw from melee combat, provided
the opposition does not attack at a later Initiative numberin the same round. Note that speaking a few words
during combat, running about while attacking, ormaking a shortdramatic speech
does not constitutean action.
A non-combat
action may succeed
automatically, or the GM
can require an Ability checkor Skill check to determine
whether it succeeds. Some noncombat actions may require several
rounds to perform at the GM’s option.

CHAPTER 12:
COMBATOTHER
ACTIONS
Some activities do not count as
attack or non-combat actions. A
character can perform either of thefollowing activities in addition to an
attack or non-combat action:• Move a short distance or
manoeuvre his or her vehicle.
• Say anything that fits within the
span of 6 seconds.
• Perform Defensive Actions in
response to any attacks
against him or her. Note that
if the character performs
more than one defensive
action in a round, subsequent
defensives after the first (orlater, if he or she has theExtra Defences Attribute,
page 47) in the same roundsuffer penalties.

DEFENCE120

If a character is the target of a
successful attack (any attack check thatis equal to or greater than the character’s
Armour Class), he or she may attempt to defend against it with a
Dodge/Parry defence (avoiding the attack by moving out of the way, or
using a weapon to push the attack to the side or “off-line”), an Attribute
defence (see page 125), or a Block Defence (interposing an object between
the attack and the target). Defensive actions are not dependent on
Initiative order but resolved immediately after the attack before the attack
damage is calculated or revealed.
To successfully defend, the player must roll greater than theattacker’s modified attack roll. The character’s defence roll is equal to1d20 + the character’s base Armour Class + any additional appropriate

modifiers. Each character can attempt a defence only once against aparticular attack (including grapples). A character may defend against
more than one attack in a round, but with an appropriate penalty to eachdefence after the first (unless the character has the Extra Defences
Attribute; the penalty then applies to each defence after the final
bonus defence). Should the opponent not defend (perhaps inanticipation of a more powerful attack still to come), he or
she cannot change that decision later in the round.
If a vehicle is the target of an attack, its driver or pilot
makes the defence checks. If a vehicle is unable tomanoeuvre (trapped in a confined space, for example) theGM may rule that it cannot defend at all. Likewise,a vehicle cannot normally defend against attacks
made by a character who is riding in or on it.
A defence combat check of a natural 1 is an
automatic failure, regardless of the modifiers. In
this case, the GM may decide the character
automatically suffers full damage from the attack
or perhaps even double damage.

DEFENDING AGAINSTMULTIPLE
ATTACKS
When defending against multiple attacks ina single round, each defence after the first incurs
a cumulative defence roll penalty of -2 penalty:-2 for the second defence, -4 for the third, -6
for the fourth, etc. This means that even thegreatest fighter may be overwhelmed if badly
outnumbered. Remember to include all
relevant Attribute, Skill, Feat, and Defectmodifiers. If successful, the defenderblocks, dodges, or otherwise negates theattack, and suffers no damage. The
Extra Defences Attribute (page 47)
allows the character to make acertain number of additional
defences without penalty.

RELEVANTDEFENCESKILLSW h e n acharacter defends
against a ranged
attack, the relevant Skill is Ranged
Defence. For a hand-to-hand or other melee
attack, the relevant Skill is either Unarmed
Defence (if the character is dodging, or blocking
the attack with his or her body), or Melee
Defence (if the character is using a weapon toparry).

BLOCK DEFENCE

Rather than attempting to avoid an attack with a Dodge/Parry
defence, the character may instead choose to block the attack with a shieldor other suitably large and resistant object (a Block defence). When acharacter attempts to block, he or she gains a +2 bonus to his or her
defence roll. If the defence is successful, the character has interposed theobject in front of the attack. The object’s Armour Rating provides
protection to the character. Thus, a plank of wood can be used to block a
powerful energy blast but, if the attack does more damage than the wood’s
Armour Rating, it will still strike the character, inflicting reduced damage.

See Breaking Objects (page 108) for suggested Armour Ratings of common
items or Table 11-4: Armour and Protective Devices (page 106) for shields.
If the attack delivers five times the object’s Armour Rating, the object is
destroyed. Characters may only attempt to block melee or unarmed attacks
unless they have the Block Ranged Attack Feat (see page 83).

Why is Block Defence Easier?
Of the two defence options — Block Defence or Dodge/Parry
Defence — we have decided to make the Block Defence easier for
two reasons. First, we believe that interposing an object, like asword or shield, between your own body and an attack is indeed
easier than completely avoiding any contact (a dodge). We also
think it’s easier than using your own weapon to parry, which
requires some skill.
Secondly, we assigned the +2 bonus for Block Defences forgame balance reasons. With a successful Parry/Dodge Defence, thedefender avoids all damage completely. Powerful attacks canpotentially break the object the defender uses in a Block Defence,
however, still inflicting partial damage. In exchange for a higher-risk
defence manoeuvre, we are awarding your character a +2 bonus.

INDEFENSIBLE ATTACKS AND
FLAT-FOOTEDA character may not attempt a defence check if he or she iscompletely unaware of the attack, unable to move, or is struck with a
Critical Hit (see page 122). If a character is caught unprepared but who
is aware of the attack (such as when surprised), however, he or she isconsidered flat-footed and may still attempt a defence but does not gain
any bonuses from a high Dexterity score.

TOTAL
DEFENCEA character can elect to forgo any attempt to act and focus solely on

TABLE 12-6: DEFENCE SITUATION MODIFIERS
DEFENCE SITUATION
Dodge/Parry Defence
Block Defence
Total Defence
Defending Against Multiple Attacks
Defending Against Undetectable Assailant
Defending When Surprised or Flat-Footed
Defending Against Critical Hit

DEFENCE ROLL MODIFIERNo Modifier+2+4-2 per additional attack (cumulative)-8
No Dex BonusNo Defence Possible

DEFENDINGOTHERSA character can defend the target of an attack in three ways: bypushing/pulling him or her out of the way, by interposing an object (suchas a shield, or the character’s body) between the target and the attacker,
or using an Attribute. The first two methods are described below, while
the final method is detailed under Defending With an Attack (page 125).
The first option, pushing or pulling (or grabbing a target as thecharacter swing by), is similar to a Dodge/Parry Defence. The
character uses a defence action, and rolls a defence check. It is difficult
to defend someone else, however, and the attempt usually suffers asignificant penalty (see Table 12-7). Obviously the action has to makeTABLE 12-7: DEFENDING OTHERSDEFENCE SITUATIONMODIFIER
Target (or attacker) is within reach-2
Target (or attacker) is at medium range-4
Target (or attacker) is at long range-6
Target (or attacker) is in an awkward position-2
Defender is in an awkward position-2
Target concealed by trees or bush-2
Target concealed by darkness, smoke-4
Defending against additional attacks-4 (cumulative)
Defender is surprised
Defence Not Possible
Defending against undetectable assailant
Defence Not Possible

DAMAGE
Characters suffer damage through combat, accidents, or otherhazards. Damage ratings indicate the dice roll required to determine theamount of damage inflicted. The target character subtracts any damage
inflicted from his or her Hit Points if the attack successfully penetrates
Armour, Force Fields, and other defences.

AMOUNT
OF DAMAGE INFLICTED
Each attack has a damage rating, which is equal to the base damageof the attack (which includes a weapon’s damage value) plus any bonuses
from Massive Damage and Strength, as is appropriate for the attack.
When the character successfully strikes an opponent, he or she rolls thenumber of dice indicated, plus any bonuses, to determine the amount ofdamage the attack inflicts.
Characters may choose to inflict less damage than the dice rollindicates, if they desire. Thus, a heroic character who scores a crushingblow against her opponent on his last legs can reduce the damage
inflicted to ensure that he does not kill her foe by mistake, rendering him
unconscious instead. For example, a character attacking with an 5d8
Special Attack that scores 32 damage may elect to only inflict 15 damage
if he or she sees the target is about to collapse.

CHAPTER 12:
COMBAT

defence. Instead of attacking or engaging in another activity, he or she
concentrates completely on defence. A character performing a Total
Defence may still move normally, but may not attack or take non-combat
actions; the character is dodging and weaving, parrying frantically,
ducking, and hiding. The character receives a +4 bonus to his or her
defence roll for the round, starting on the character’s Initiative, lasting
until the character acts again next round. Total Defence is a good tactic
for anyone retreating, or someone buying time until his or her allies arrive.

sense — if the character has no way to reach a target, he or she cannot
defend the individual.
To shield another person is akin to a Block Defence. Like any other
Block Defence, the character gains a +2 to his or her Amour Class, andmust have the Block Ranged Attacks Feat in order to defend against
missile weapons. A character can Block for another person with a Shield,
weapon, extendable Force Field, or simply by standing in the way andabsorbing the brunt of the attack.
If the character is out of defence actions, however, he or she
normally cannot attempt to defend another (although in dire situations a
GM might allow the character to make a roll with the normal cumulative
penalty for additional defences, plus any other modifiers).

UNARMED COMBATThe attack’s damage is equal to 1d3 plus the character’s bonuses forStrength and Massive Damage. This is Stund damage (see page 65).

MELEE WEAPONSThe attack’s damage is equal to the weapon’s damage value, plus
bonuses for Strength and Massive Damage. If the weapon has Abilities or
Disabilities, refer to the relevant section (pages 62-67) for their effects.
See Table 11-2: Weapons (page 99) for damages delivered by various
melee weapons.

RANGED WEAPONSThe attack’s damage is equal to the weapon’s damage value, plus
bonuses for Massive Damage. A Strength bonus may also be added whenappropriate (such as for thrown weapons). If the weapon has Abilities or
Disabilities, refer to the relevant section (pages 62-67) for their effects.

121See Table 11-2: Weapons (page 99) for damages delivered by various
ranged weapons.

SPECIAL ATTACKSThe attack’s damage is equal to the Special Attack’s damage value,plus bonuses for Strength (as appropriate) and Massive Damage.

IMPACTDAMAGE
Damage may also result from a non-combat action such as crashinga speedboat into land or falling from a tree. Naturally, some non-combat
actions may result in an NPC’s death, but these events should only kill aplayer character in exceptional circumstances.

CRASHING
During the course of an adventure, a character’s vehicle may
accidentally (or deliberately) crash into objects along the road, in the sky,in or on water, or in space. GMs should assess whatever damage they
deem appropriate upon both the vehicle and occupants in a crash. The
Armour and Force Field Attributes may protect against this damage.
Similar damage can be applied to a character who jumps or is pushedfrom a speeding vehicle, or is struck by one.
Table 12-8: Crashing and Falling Damage assists the GM in
determining the damage for hitting the ground, water, a building, orsome other immovable object based on how fast the vehicle was moving
during that round. If a speed falls between two damage values, use thegreater of the two.

FALLINGA character who falls a great distance will suffer damage dependingon the height he or she plummeted. He or she may also make an Thumble
Skill check with success halving the sustained damage to indicate a proper
break fall (DC of 15 + 1 per foot fallen above 10 feet). The Armour andForce Field Attributes may protect against this damage (GM’s discretion).

CHAPTER 12:
COMBAT

TABLE 12-8: CRASHING AND FALLING
SPEED
10 mph20 mph30 mph45 mph60 mph75 mph90 mph120 mph150 mph180 mph300 mph
400 mph500 mph
1,000 mph
2,000 mph
3,000 mph
4,000 mph
5,000 mph
7,500 mph
10,000 mph
each doubling of speed

FALLING DISTANCE
10 ft
20 ft
30 ft
40 ft
50 ft
60 ft
70 ft
80 ft
90 ft
100 ft
110 ft
120 ft
130 ft
140 ft
150 ft160 ft170 ft180 ft
190 ft200 ftabove 200 ft.

DAMAGE DELIVERED
1d6
2d6
3d6
4d6
5d6
6d6
7d6
8d6
9d6
10d6
11d6
12d6
13d6
14d6
15d6
16d6
17d6
18d6
19d6
20d6
+3d6

ARMOUR OR FORCE FIELDSANDIf aDAMAGE
character has Armour (page 40) or a Force Field (page 48), this122

reduces the delivered damage from each successful attack by an amountequal to its rating. The character suffers any damage not negated by the
Armour or Force Field, subtracting it from his or her current Hit Points.
See Effects of Damage to a Character (right column) for the result.

CRITICALHITS
In the event of a natural attack dice roll of 20, the attacker inflicts
a critical strike. Unlike other d20 games, the character is not required tomake a second to hit roll to see if the critical is, in fact, delivered. A rollof 20 always inflicts a double-damage critical hit, unless the GM decides
otherwise. For example, a 6d8 attack inflicts 12d8 damage when a criticalis scored.
GMs may wish, alternatively, to use the normal rules fromtraditional d20, requiring a player to roll a second to hit roll to see if theattack is a critical hit.

EFFECTS OF DAMAGE TO A
CHARACTER
Total loss of Hit Points can cause a character to pass out or die.
Should a character or NPC’s Hit Points ever drop below zero, he or she
suffered a severe wound and is rendered unconscious. If a character isreduced to the negative value of his or her Hit Points, he or she has
suffered a mortal wound and will die (or fall into a coma, depending on
the tone of the game) unless medical attention arrives immediately. The
GM may allow the character to linger long enough to say a few last words
or perform some other final, heroic action.
Unlike most d20 System games, characters in BESM d20 do not die
when they reach -10 Hit Points (unless they only have 10 Hit Points
normally). BESM d20 is a cinematic game that rarely inflicts lethal
wounds. If the GM wishes to have a grittier, more realistic game, they
may use the standard d20 rule for Hit Points — when a character drops
to -10 Hit Points, they die.

Wound Difficulty Penalties
The Game Master may wish to assign difficulty penalties tocharacters who have been injured in combat. When the character’s
Hit Points are reduced to 75% of their original value or less, alltasks suffer a -2 penalty. This penalty applies to all Ability, Skill,and combat checks. At 50% Hit Points, tasks suffer a -4 penalty;
at 25%, tasks suffer a -6 penalty.

Second Wind
If an event occurs during the course of combat that induces anaffect (a powerful emotional response) within a damaged character,the character is given an opportunity to refocus on the combat andeliminate all damage difficulty penalties — getting a “second
wind.” The GM decides which events are significant enough toevoke such a reaction. In these situations, the penalties are
removed if the character makes a successful Willpower or Fortitude
save (player’s choice) against a DC of 10.
If a character drops below one of the remaining damage tiers(50% or 25% of original Hit Points) after getting a second wind, heor she will immediately suffer from the corresponding damage
difficulty penalties once again: -4 at 50% or -6 at 25%. A charactercan only get a second wind once during any combat scene.

TABLE 12-9: DAMAGE DIFFICULTY PENALTIESPERCENTAGE OF
ORIGINAL HEALTH POINTS
100-76%
75%-51%
50%-26%25%-0%

MODIFIER
0
-2
-4
-6

SHOCK VALUE AND CRITICAL INJURY (OPTIONAL RULE)
The rules for Shock Value and Critical Injuries are only appropriate
for dark and gritty games and are not recommended for the average
light-hearted anime game.
If a character suffers an amount of damage equal to his or her Shock
Value, there is a danger that the character will be stunned. If the attack
penetrates the skin (such as a bullet or knife), the Shock Value also
represents the damage necessary to inflict a major wound, which, if
untreated, can result in the character bleeding to death. The Shock Valueis equal to the character’s maximum Hit Points divided by 5 (round down).

SHOCK

If a character suffers more damage from a single attack than his or
her Shock Value, he or she must make a Fortitude save vs a DC of 15 +1 per 5 damage inflicted above the character’s Shock Value (round down).
If the check fails, the character is stunned and will collapse. The character
will also let go of anything he or she is holding. The character’s
incapacitation will last for a number of rounds equal to the amount bywhich the save was failed. An incapacitated character is effectively out ofaction, either knocked out or awake but immobilised by pain or shock.
He or she may not take any offensive, defensive, or non-combat actions.
The duration of incapacitation from multiple failed saves from several
injuries occurring in a short period of time is cumulative.

CRITICAL INJURY

A character that suffers more damage than his or her Shock Valuefrom an attack that breaks the skin (such as a bullet, knife, arrow,grenade fragment, etc.) has taken a critical injury. A character who suffers
a critical injury loses one additional Hit Point every round (every minute,if out of combat) until given successful first aid. Just stopping the
bleeding through first aid is not enough, however — it only slows the lossof Hit Points. A critically injured character that has undergone successful
first aid will lose one Hit Point every 10 minutes until he or she
undergoes successful surgery (best performed in a hospital) or magicalhealing. Thus, a character who is badly hurt might die because of shock
and internal injuries before he or she can be stabilised. A character cansuffer multiple critical injuries. If so, each must be treated separately, and
Hit Point losses are cumulative.

MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR CRITICAL INJURIES

Mind combat is a special type of conflict, that uses the Telepathy
Attribute (page 70) to forcibly invade another’s mind. Most telepaths makemental attacks using the Special Attack Attribute with the Mind Attack
Ability. This mental conflict, however, is a clashing of two psyches, eachstruggling to subdue the other — it is akin to two people getting into a mental
fist fight. Mental combat can become lethal if either person begins tearing
down neural pathways, erasing memories, or destroying brain cells. Physicalstrength does not play a role in this battle, only the power of the mind. Eachround of mind combat covers 6 seconds of time from the characters’
perspectives, the same amount of time as one round of physical combat.
Mind combat can only be carried out once mental contact has been
established, usually using the Telepathy Attribute. Once two minds havetouched, the initiator of the contact may withdraw at any time. Alternatively,
physical damage to the initiator or perhaps use of an appropriate Item ofPower can break the contact. For the target to break unwanted mind contact,
the player cannot initiate any other actions for one round and must make a
successful Willpower save against a DC of 15 plus the attacker’s Telepathy
Attribute Rank. If the check is successful, the aggressor is forced from thecharacter’s mind and the mind combat ends immediately.
If any character in mental contact forfeits all physical actions for theround, he or she can attack through mind combat. A successful attack
requires the player to make a successful Wisdom check against a DC of
10 plus the target’s Wisdom modifier (plus any bonuses from Mind
Shield or other appropriate abilities). The GM has the option ofmodifying the DC should the attack be particularly easy or difficult.
The psychic damage of a successful attack is equal to the attacker’sIntelligence modifier (thus, only characters with a positive Intelligencemodifier can inflict damage in mind combat). The damage is removed
from the target’s Hit Points. If a character is ever reduced to or below
zero Hit Points while in mind combat, his or her mind has been broken
and is now at the mercy of the opponent. The victor can end thecharacter’s life, search through memories, plant powerful suggestions,erase thoughts, or simply render the character unconscious. Any changes
to a character’s mind (other than death) will remain until reversed byanother character skilled in the Telepathy Attribute. The GM should
decide exactly how this must be accomplished. Role-playing a character
whose mind has been altered is challenging but can also be very
rewarding when played with consistency.
A telepath who wishes to alter a target’s mind after winning a mind
combat battle must spend a great deal of time to alter it. Minor changes suchas removing unimportant memories or implanting unessential false memories
can take a couple of hours. Massive changes, such as instilling (or removing)a prejudice or phobia, rebuilding a large portion of the target’s memories, orsimilar large scale remodelling should take days to complete. Characters may
rush the procedure, if pressed, but there is a risk of the alteration failing overtime. The target may notice a gap in his or her memory and question what
happened, or a personality adjustment (new phobia, for example) may weakenover time. If the character wishes to perform a change quickly, the charactermay perform minor changes in a matter of rounds while the character canaccomplish massive changes in about an hour.
When a character attempts to alter a target’s mind, he or she must
make a Knowledge: Social Sciences (Psychology) Skill check against a DC
appropriate for the extent of the change; 10 for minor changes, 20 for
major changes, 30+ for massive changes. The GM may increase the DC
further if the alteration is particularly severe or drastic. The character’s
margin of success determines how long the modification lasts, measured
in years if the character took his or her time with the procedure ormeasured in days if the character rushed things. GMs should make thisSkill check secretly and not inform the player of the result unless it is a
failure — he or she will not know how long the change will hold, onlythat it has occurred or not.
The Mind Shield Attribute (see page 54) provides a bonus to thecharacter’s attempt to resist mind combat and mental alterations, as well
as Armour against mind combat damage.

CHAPTER 12:
COMBATIf a character suffered a critical injury, he or she will lose one Hit
Point every round (or every minute if out of combat) until treated via firstaid. This requires a successful Medical (Emergency Response) Skill checkagainst a DC of 15 + 1 per critical injury suffered. Each attempt takes
10 rounds (or one minute); several tries can be made until successful. If
the character is trying to perform first aid on him or herself, apply a -2
penalty. If the character does not have an actual first aid kit handy but isforced to improvise dressings, etc., apply a -2 penalty.
As mentioned before, a critical injury that is treated will still resultin the loss of one additional Hit Point every 10 minutes until thecharacter undergoes surgery or magical healing. This requires a Medical(Surgery) Skill check against a DC of 15 + 1 per critical injury suffered.
There is no penalty if performed with a full staff in a modern hospital, but
a -4 penalty applies if it is performed with less adequate medical facilities(for example, in a doctor’s office or a poor third-world hospital) or -8 if
performed with completely improvised equipment. Each attempt willtake at least 10 minutes. Success stabilises the patient while failure causes
him or her to lose additional Hit Points equal to twice the margin of
failure. Another try is possible, however.
Optionally, a character who has been badly injured (negative Hit
Points) because of cumulative Hit Point loss may also require treatment,even if he or she did not suffer a critical injury. This may be dependent on
the nature of the injuries — someone who was badly burned may be inworse condition than someone who was beaten up. The GM can rule thatkeeping the character alive until adequate medical attention is available
requires a successful Medical (Emergency Response) Skill check and thatfull recovery (at doubled healing rate) will require a Medical (Surgery)
Skill check.

MIND COMBAT123

RECOVERY
A character who suffers lost Hit Points due to damage may heal
naturally (or be repaired, for mechanical characters).

RECOVERINGHIT POINTS
Hit Points regenerate at a rate equal to one Hit Point per character
Level for each day (or each hour for less “ realistic” campaigns) of rest. For
example, a Level 5 character rejuvenates 5 Hit Points every day while
resting. The healing rate doubles if the character is in the care of someone
with Medical Skill but halved if he or she does not spend time resting.

RECOVERINGENERGY POINTSThe highest of the character’s Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma
modifiers equals the number of Energy Points the character recovers
every hour whether the character rests or not.

REPAIRINGEQUIPMENT
Equipment, such as weapons, vehicles, or other gadgets can become
damaged in the course of fighting crime. Characters can repair damage toequipment by making a Crafts Skill check. If the object has Hit Points,
each successful Skill check repairs 10 Hit Points. Each Skill check shouldtake approximately one day of work (approximately six to ten hours),
depending on the extent of the repairs required.

USING ATTRIBUTESIN COMBAT

CHAPTER 12:
COMBATIn some situations, players will want to use various Attributes ininventive ways in the middle of a fight. The following rules outline theuse of Attributes in combat. In many instances, the appropriate Power
Usage Skill (page 79 ) can influence the chances of success.

USING ATTRIBUTES AGAINSTOPPONENTS
Creative characters can use a number of seemingly inoffensive
Attributes in very effective ways in the middle of combat. Special Attacks
are obviously designed for offensive use against an opponent, but what
about Teleportation? Could a character not teleport an opponent in frontof a moving truck or simply out of a fight entirely?
When a character wishes to use a normally inoffensive Attributeagainst an unwilling opponent, the character must use a non-combat
action to make a Power Usage Skill check. If the check is successful, thetarget is allowed a save (whichever type of save is most appropriate) to
defend against the Attribute’s effect. The DC of the save is equal to 10+ 1 per Rank of the Attribute being used against him or her.

SPHERE OF CONTROL124

If a character attempts to use an Attribute on an object within thesphere of control of a character, the character is allowed to make a save toresist the effect as though he or she was the target of the attack. For example,
a teleporter who wished to teleport the bullets out of an opponent’s gun
would still be required to make an Intelligence check against the target’s AC(the appropriate DC for the action) and the person holding the gun would
be allowed a Willpower save to resist the effect. Other common objects
usually in a target’s sphere of control include: the ground beneath the target,
air around the target, objects the target holds or carries, etc. The GM
determines what objects are under the defender’s sphere of control.

ALL-OR-NOTHING
OR PARTIAL
EFFECTS
When an Attribute is used against a group of targets, GMs may use
one of two options for resolving the resistance check. When a large groupof people attempt to resist the effect of a Power, the GM makes one save,using the average save modifier of the targets. Important characters(player characters or key NPCs) should be allowed to make individualrolls for themselves to prevent villains from teleporting a group of 50
people, including the players characters, thereby using the more
vulnerable citiz ens to avoid the player characters’ higher saves. In thisway, either all of the targets are affected by the Attribute (on a failed save)or none are affected (on a successful save).
Alternatively, the GM may wish to use one dice roll which is usedas the same roll for each character’s check — characters with high saves
bonuses within the group may successfully resist the effects of the
Attribute while characters with low saves are affected.

ATTRIBUTE
VS. ATTRIBUTE
When two characters pit their Attributes against each other, who
wins? In most situations, the character with the highest Rank wins. For
example, a criminal alien is attempting to make his get-away by Flight.
The hero grabs the alien with Telekinesis and tries to hold the character
back, preventing him from flying away. The hero has Telekinesis at Rank
5 while the alien has Flight at Rank 3. The hero, therefore, is strong
enough to prevent the alien from escaping.
If the two Attributes are close in Rank (usually the same ordiffering by one Rank), the GM may request an opposed check to see who
wins the contested action. Using the above example, if the alien’s Flight
Rank was 4, instead of 3, the GM could request an opposed check. The
alien makes a Dexterity check (since Dexterity is the relevant Ability for
Flight) and scores a result of 16. The hero must now make an Intelligence
check (since Intelligence is the relevant Ability for Telekinesis) and scorea result of 16 or higher to prevent the alien from escaping.
What if a character has two or more Attributes that can be used in
the opposed check? What if the alien, in the first example, also has
Telekinesis at Rank 4? In a situation like this, the GM should simply add
the two Attribute Ranks together to determine who wins the opposed
action. Thus, the alien has Flight at Rank 3 and Telekinesis at Rank 4 fora total of 7 which is much higher than the hero’s Telekinesis Rank of 5. The
alien is therefore able to make his escape (possibly lifting the hero into the
air or simply breaking free of his hold, depending on the GM’s discretion).

USING
ATTRIBUTES AS ATTACKSIn anime movies and TV series, characters regularly use seemingly
passive, non-hostile Attributes to attack opponents, causing harm. A
character who can teleport may disorient foes by teleporting them
repeatedly within one combat round or selectively teleporting portions of
non-living foes away, causing massive trauma, for example. The list of
possible attack applications of an Attribute is endless — anime characters
are well known for pushing the bounds of innovation. Most Attributes,
however, do not account for these offensive tricks and stunts — they areaccomplished using Special Attacks. A Special Attack is not limited simply
to powerful energy blasts — it can be any “ attack” that causes harm or
detriment to an opponent. The teleporter who repeatedly teleports a target
in a combat round may have a Special Attack with the Drain Body Ability
and the No Damage Disability, reflecting the sudden disorientation thetarget feels after the attack and the fact that no real physical harm is
inflicted on the opponent. Alternatively, if the teleporter is capable ofteleporting just a select portion of a target away causing harm to the target,
the Special Attack may be designed to do an incredible amount of damage.
By using the Attack Abilities and Disabilities, players can create any sort of
attack, which will account for the numerous and creative ways thatcharacters utilise their abilities. Some Special Attacks designed this way will
have the Linked (Attribute) (page 65) or Dependent Defect (see page 88).

USINGATTRIBUTES DEFENSIVELY
J ust as characters can find imaginative ways to use their Attributes

BASEAll players
AWARD
who participate in a game session should earn a number

against opponents, they are just as likely to think of ways to use theirAttributes to defend themselves from harm. For a character to utilise sucha Attribute defensively, he or she must select the Power Defence
Attribute (page 59). If the character does not select this Attribute, he or
she does not have the experience required to use the Power defensively.
Thus, a character with Teleportation who does not have the Power
Defence: Teleportation Attribute may be able to teleport but he does nothave the training or knowledge needed to teleport at a moment’s notice
and avoid an incoming attack.

of XP equal to 100 times the average character Level (not class Level, seepage 9) of the characters in the group.

DEFENDING WITH AN ATTACK
By holding an action until attacked by an opponent, a character can
defend him or herself with the offensive use of an Attribute. This
simultaneous attack and defence option combines the advice under Using
Attributes Against Opponents and Using Attributes Defensively into asingle action. To succeed, the character must activate the Attribute with
an appropriate check and also make a successful save (for the Power
Defence Attribute) to activate the effect properly. For instance, when acharacter attacks a criminal who has a held action remaining, the criminal
might attempt to use Teleportation to place a bystander between him andthe character’s ki blast. The criminal must first make a successfulIntelligence check to see if the Teleportation works. If the attempt is
successful, and the bystander fails to resist, a Reflex save determines if thecriminal activates the Teleportation in time.
This method can also be used to defend others with an Attribute.
If an ally (or innocent bystander, etc.) is attacked, the character can
attempt to Teleport (for example) the target out of the way of the attack
with a successful use of Teleportation and Power Defence.

CHARACTERADVANCEMENTTABLE 12-10: XP AWARDS

remember that conflict does not necessarily mean combat. While combat
is a type of conflict, it is not the only form. Solving a mystery, saving
someone from a raging fire, escaping a magician’s death trap, negotiating
the release of hostages, or other similar situations where the character ispitted against an opposing force, is considered conflict. Any situation
where there is a consequence for the character failing his or her attempted
course of action is conflict.
For conflicts of note, GMs should award a number of XP, which
represents the characters learning from the events. All characters
involved in a conflict earn the XP, regardless of their involvement. For
example, the Samurai who went toe-to-toe with the main villain while his
Tech Genius ally attempted to diffuse the bomb while the third memberof the team flew the innocent bystanders to safety all earn the same
number of XP for the conflict. Each character played a role in successfully
resolving the situation.
The quantity of the award depends on how much of a challenge it
was for the characters to overcome. If the characters are virtually
guaranteed of success, the GM should not provide an XP bonus — it isessentially a mundane activity and is subsumed in the base XP award. If
the conflict presents a minor challenge to the characters but one they arelikely to overcome, such as the skilled Gun Bunny thwarting a simple
bank-robbery or a team of characters saving residents from a burningbuilding, the GM should provide a bonus of one half the base award. If
the conflict is comparable to the characters, such as the characters
defeating a group of criminals of similar level or solving a complex
mystery, the GM should provide a bonus award equal to the base award.
Lastly, if the conflict is superior to the characters, such as defeating a
powerful archmagi in her lair, thwarting a world-threatening plot, or
something similar, the characters should earn a bonus award equal to 1.5
to 2 times the base award.
This award should be provided per conflict overcome but GMs
should keep in mind that the average 4- to 6-hour game session usually
has one or two conflicts-of-note — most situations are covered throughthe base XP award.

FAILINGIN CONFLICT
Characters can learn something even when they fail — what not
to do. When characters fail to overcome conflict, GMs should provide
a bonus equal to 10% of the base award for a minor conflict, 20% of
the base award for a moderate conflict, or 30% for a superior conflict(round down).

CHAPTER 12:
COMBAT

Character advancement is unnecessary in a short adventure, butduring a lengthy campaign, players may wish to improve their characters.
Advancement is not a requirement, but it can reflect the characters’
learned knowledge through conflicts with the environment, with othercharacters or NPCs, or even with themselves.
The GM is encouraged to award all characters Experience Points(XP) at the end of each game session. The amount of the award should
depend on the events of the game session as well as the quality of the roleplaying of the player. Use the following as a guideline for determining the
XP award for each player:
See the Pla yer’s Ha nd b ook for rules on the application of XP.

OVERCOMING
CONFLICTWhen determining the XP awards for conflict, GMs must

Base Award = 100 times the average character Level of the player group
Add half the base award if the characters overcame weak/inferior conflict
Add the base award if the characters overcame moderate/comparable conflictAdd 1.5 to 2 times the base award if the characters overcame strong/superior conflictAdd 10% of the base award if the characters fail to overcome minor/inferior conflictAdd 20% of the base award if the characters fail to moderate/comparable conflictAdd 30% of the base award if the characters fail to overcome strong/superior conflict
Add half the award for good, heroic, in-character role-playing
Add the base award for strong, heroic, in-character role-playing
Add 1.5 to 2 times the base award for exceptional, heroic, in-character role-playing

EXCEPTIONAL
ROLE-PLAYING
Exceptionally talented or active players (those who remain true-tocharacter, encourage other players to participate, help advance the plot of
the game, etc.) may earn a bonus XP award. When a player does a goodjob role-playing his or her character, the GM should provide a bonus
equal to half the base award. For strong role-playing, a bonus equal to thebase award should be provided. For exceptional role-playing, a bonus
equal to 1.5 to 2 times the base award should be provided. GMs should
not feel obliged to provide this award — it is only for role-playing thatstands out. The base award covers players who simply show up for thegame and role-play adequately.

125

CAMPAIGNS,MINI-CAMPAIGNS,AND ONE-SHOTS
A role-playing game can range from a brief one-shot adventure thattakes a few hours to play to a lengthy campaign that can run over many
sessions for a period of months or years. The story pacing and plot depthof a campaign is different from that of a mini-campaign, which in turndiffers from that of a one-shot adventure.

CAMPAIGNS
A campaign usually has a vast or epic scope with a number ofshorter plot arcs that weave together to reveal the greater story. The
characters have time to develop unique personalities as they are facedwith challenges to their bodies, minds, and souls. The characters can also
learn new Skills and Attributes and establish lasting relationships with
NPCs. In a campaign, the players have ample time to explore the various
aspects of the world that the GM has created. Additionally, antagonists
will come and go over the course of a campaign as they are defeated,
destroyed, or reformed by the characters. The GM should establish theoutline of a plot for the beginning of the campaign before play begins,
but the middle and the end of the story will be largely determined by theinterests and actions of the characters.

MINI-CAMPAIGNSA mini-campaign is a single story arc that usually takes place over

CHAPTER 13:
ROLE-PLAYING

4-8 gaming sessions. The characters may not develop much over thecourse of a mini-campaign since the plot only spans a few days to a few
weeks. The antagonists are often present in every session with the major
villain, if any, usually surviving at least until the final climactic conclusion
to the story arc. Mini-campaigns require a greater plot structure than an
open-ended campaign, and thus the players are required to focus more on
the story and less on their own characters. The GM should know where
the characters will start (the beginning) and where they should go (themiddle), but the closure at the end of the story is heavily dependent on
the choices made by the player characters during the game.

126

ONE-SHOTADVENTURES
A one-shot adventure covers one single story idea in a 3-8 hour
gaming session. These adventures are frequently run at conventions andfor demonstrations at game stores. The characters are unlikely to develop
much during an adventure because the story only spans a few hours to afew days. To maintain a high level of intensity during the game, the roleplaying of character personalities is often sacrificed for dramatic action
and conflict. In order to finish the adventure in one session, one-shots areoften highly structured and only offer the characters a limited number ofchoices for each dilemma that they face. Most GMs usually script the plot
to establish the beginning and middle of the story, and have a roughoutline of the story ending that can be influenced by the players’ actions(for example, will the villain win, lose, or escape?)
The GM’s decision on whether to run a campaign, mini-campaign,or one-shot adventure should hinge on a number of important factors:• Does the scope of the GM’s ideas require a minimum number of gamesessions to complete?
• How much time are the players willing to commit to the game?
• Is the game introductory in nature, or is it for experienced players?
Will it run at a gaming convention with people who have never met
before or with players and a GM who are familiar with each other?
• How much role-playing and characterisation is desired for the game?

CHOICE OF GENRE
The Anime Genres section (Chapter 1: Introduction, page 4)
describes some of the more playable anime genres. Here is a quick lookat different genres and significant genre elements from the perspective of
the game:

ALIEN
VISITORS
Do the characters or antagonists include aliens who are visiting,assisting, or invading our planet? This can be a good way to add people
with strange powers or high-tech mecha to a present day campaign. The“aliens” might also come from other dimensions or underwater, rather thanouter space. Alien visitors may just be here to have fun, or they might wantto conquer the world. One classic situation has a set of alien bad guys
arriving on Earth, pursued by a different set of alien good guys, with thepoor humans caught in a power struggle between two different factions.

EXOTICGIRLFRIEND
Do you want a soap opera in which a whole bunch of super poweredgirls orbit around a single guy? Just pick a few other genres (Alien
Visitors, Mecha, etc.) to justify what special abilities the girls have. Comeup with a strange reason why their big focus in life would be attracted toa normal guy (who may be a character or NPC) and you have a perpetualmotion plot machine as more and more jealous girls appear, bringing
with them their own bizarre entanglements and plot baggage.

GUNWillBUNNIES
the characters blaze away with guns, blasters, or rocket
launchers? Gun Bunny anime often features beautiful women with big
weapons (hence the name), but male gun bunnies (handsome guys,
normally) are just as common. The Gun Bunny genre is often set in recent
historical or modern day periods, but can work equally well in the near or
far future with cyberpunk or space bounty hunters and secret agents.

HERO
TEAMS OR MAGICAL GIRLS
Will the characters possess super powers (either paranormal, racial,or technological) and use them to battle evil? Do they have secretidentities or cute pets? In hero or magical girl anime there is often a clear
duality with the heroes directly opposing a particular evil organisation
connected to their own origins.

HEROICFANTASY
Will the characters be a party of fantasy hero archetypes such asbrave warriors (with magical weapons), spell-casters, flighty elves, orcrusty dwarves? They will face the usual threats such as brigands or trolls,
rampaging dragons, and dark lords attempting to get hold of superartefacts whose power threatens the world. Remember that in anime,
heroic fantasy often crosses over with mecha or science fiction.

HOTAreRODS
car chases, motorcycles, souped-up engines, and drag races a big
part of the game? This variation of mecha story is often combined with Gun
Bunny anime, but it just as often involves relatively non-violent situations(racing, sports competition, traffic patrol, high school biker gangs).

IDOLS
OR SPORTS
Are the characters up-and-coming stars? They could be anythingfrom pop music idol singers to Formula One racing drivers to pro
wrestlers. They’ll compete with rival stars, their own lack of confidence

or overconfidence, and temptation from people who want to exploit
them. This sort of campaign is often structured with a series of “semifinal” competitions or events that build to a big climax, and thus makes
a good mini-campaign.

INTERDIMENSIONALEXILES
Are the characters people from the modern world who have become
stranded somewhere else? The characters may have a few items ofpresent-day technology that are like Items of Power to the natives, orthey could have gained appropriate paranormal powers (see Fantasy) or
talent as a mecha pilot (see Mecha). The “other side” may have its own
surprises: monsters, magic, or weird technology. A group of characters insuch a campaign may include characters that come from both worlds.

MARTIALARTS
Do the characters know powerful martial arts techniques, either
realistic (like karate or kendo) or over-the-top (like secret ninjitsu or kipowered fireballs)? The campaign may feature action-adventure
situations or be structured more like the idols genre with emphasis on
teamwork and non-violent competitions.

MECHA
Will the game prominently feature giant robots, fighter planes,
androids, cyborgs, or other mecha? Do the players have a secret base ormobile battle fortress? Appropriate stereotypes include theyoung angst-ridden rookie with great innate ability, theflamboyant show-off who loves fighting, the cool
warrior with a mysterious past, the ordinary
guy caught in the conflict, and thebattle-hardened, somewhat cynicalveteran. A mecha squad mustput aside their rivalries,
master their machines,
and figure out a way
to defeat theiropponents, which canbe tricky if they
accidentally fall in love with themfirst or discover the Big War was
all a mistake accidentally
started by their own side.

historical period (like Samurai Japan or
Pre-Revolutionary France) where thecharacters can wear nifty costumes
and rub shoulders with famous
historical figures?

PETAreMONSTER
the characters cutekids with pet monsters, which
they can train to beat up otherpeople’s pet monsters or anyone
else who gets in their way?

SCIENCEFICTION
Do the characters use or encounter technology more advanced thanthe present day such as robots or star drives, or meet alien races or haveadventures on strange new worlds? See Alien Visitors, Mecha, and Space
Opera.

worry about who is dating whom, and try to avoid being late for school?
Many other genres feature teenage heroes who spend some time in school
between adventures.

SPACE
OPERA
Do the characters travel around in a spaceship and visit strange newworlds on a regular basis? Space patrol, space pirate, bounty hunter,
explorer, trouble-shooter-for-hire, and galactic war scenarios are all possible.

SUPERNATURAL
Do the characters battle monsters, ghosts, demons, and other scary
entities that exist in the shadows? Or are they monsters themselves?
Many anime series combine multiple elements together, and there
is no reason why a role-playing game should not do so. For example, mix
mecha, idols, and school: the characters are stars of the powered armour
wrestling circuit, but they still have to go to classes.

CREATING A GAMESETTING
This is the milieu in which the game takes place. The scope of thegame (campaign, mini-campaign, or one-shot) is the main determinant of
how much work should be put into the setting. Ideas can be borrowed
from an existing anime series, or it may be original. Examples could
include: a near-future Earth menaced by alien invasion; a fantasy world
populated with sorcerers, elves, and dragons; a high school haunted byghosts; a cyberpunk future where humans and robots compete fordominance; or just about anything else. The GM should create asetting that he or she will enjoy developing and which will encourage
creating interesting adventures.

PERIOD
Anime-inspired games can take place in any
period from the distant past to the far future or ona world with no direct connection to our own. In settings
far removed from present day Earth the GM will have to spend
additional time thinking about the geography, culture,technology, societies, and peoples of the world. A usefulshortcut is to draw parallels with real cultures (for example,“like medieval Japan, except ...”) and just note thedifferences, whether they are names of countries or the useof lizards as mounts instead of horses.
The choice of genre often implies aparticular period, but need not dictate
one. For example, although a giant
robot mecha campaign is usually
set in the future, it can also
occur in the present (aliens
arrive!) or the past(creating an alternate
history where steampowered or magical robots
exist). Similarly, a high schoolromance could take place as easily
between students in a futuristic spaceacademy as in modern-day Tokyo.
Suitable periods often used in anime include:

CHAPTER 13:
ROLE-PLAYINGPERIODPIECEIs the game set in some

SCHOOLDAYS
Do the characters get to dress up in school uniforms, attend classes,

127

SAMURAI JAPANThe most popular period for historical anime is Japan’s age of theSamurai (although in anime, it is perhaps better titled “the age of the ninja”).
The Samurai were the aristocratic warrior class, sworn retainers totheir lords. They dominated Japan for over a thousand years, their power
finally waning in the 1860’s after Japan was opened to Western
influences. Their power was greatest during the “warring states”(Sengoku) period (1467-1558) when bloody civil war was waged between
rival clans. They followed Bushido (“the way of the warrior”), a code
stressing obedience to one’s lord and personal honour. Samurai warriors
wore armour and fought with sword and longbow, although Japanesearmies also used naginata and (following the 16th Century) firearms. The
mark of the Samurai was hair tied in topknot and possession of two
swords, a long katana used for fighting and a short wakizashi.
Lurking in old Japan’s shadows are the ninja: spies and assassins,
sometimes servants of the government, sometimes serving individual clan
lords. In anime, ninja are depicted as having their own codes of honour
as strong as those of the samurai as well as being masters of invisibility,
martial arts, and dirty tricks like poison and gunpowder. Not incidentally,
the ninja also provide the main “historical” justification for skilled female
fighters, as their ranks were reputed to have both men and women as
agents.
Other archetypes encountered in a samurai era campaign include:
Daimyo (the proud clan lords whom the samurai served); elegant Samurai
ladies and courtesans; Buddhist monks (some wise sages or exorcists,
some fierce warriors); Ronin (disgraced, masterless samurai, often hired
bodyguards or slovenly bandits); Shinto priests and shrine-maidens(sometimes depicted with shamanic magical powers); skilled craftsmen(especially those who manufacture swords); and, of course, oppressedpeasant farmers.
Anime Examples:Dagger of Kamui, The Hakkenden, Ninja Cadets, Ninja
Resurrection, Ninja Scroll, Ruroni Kenshin, and Y otoden are
examples of anime set in samurai Japan or in fantasy worldsthat are closely inspired by it.

OTHER PRE-INDUSTRIAL PERIODS
There is no need to be limited to Ancient Japan for a pre-industrial
historical setting. Anime has occasionally transcended its Japanese roots
and set stories in other historical periods. The difference between “animestyle history” and “real history” normally boils down to the introduction of
female warriors and the addition of some supernatural elements.
Knowledge of actual historical events is useful but not necessary; anime
history often has no more resemblance to “reality” than Hollywood movies.
Anime Examples:Nazca (Inca Empire), Rose of V ersailles (pre-Revolutionary France).

CHAPTER 13:
ROLE-PLAYING

RECENT HISTORYThis is the period that starts with the Wild West, Victorian Era, andMeiji Restoration (the downfall of the samurai and rise of the middle
classes) in the mid to late 18th Century and continues through the two
World Wars up to the recent past. In anime, an increasingly popular
period is the 1920’s and early 1930’s, where a vibrant, newly
industrialised Japan was just becoming respected as a modern nation andhad not yet stained its hands with the crimes of World War II or suffered
the trauma of defeat. The Great Kanto (Tokyo) Earthquake (page 135)
often figures in such periods. The level of detail and accuracy is in thehands of the GM. Many shows add supernatural elements or a dash ofanachronistic technology, sometimes verging on alternate history.
Anime Examples:Doomed Megalopolis, Grave of the F ireflies, Master of Mosquiton,
Mermaid F orest, and Porco Rosso .

ALTERNATE HISTORY128

In this setting the flow of time has taken a sharp bend into a
different reality. One popular genre in anime involves stories in which theJapanese people somehow avoid the mistake of World War II: perhaps
demons or aliens invaded, forcing the Axis and Allies to fight together
against a greater threat. Other anime settings follow the “steam punk”
genre where brilliant inventors develop anachronistic technology to fightevil (or each other). These settings often see steam- or gasoline-powered
giant robots, submarines that resemble Jules Verne’s Nautilus, and giant
armoured locomotives. Magic or psychic powers may also be added to themix. Of course, it is also possible to do an alternative history campaign
set further in the past or with a varying present day.
Anime Examples:Kishin Corps, Nadia, Sakura W ars, and Spirit of W onder are all
examples of alternate history anime settings taking place
between 1880 and 1938. See also the anime anthology Robot
Carnival for some segments with a similar feel.

MODERN DAY
The period is the present, the recent past, or the very near future.
This setting is the least work for the GM, and easily adapts for genresfrom adult horror to action thriller. Current technology can play animportant role, as can the experience of attending high school. Common
elements include: cops and crooks, magical girls, martial arts, teenage
romance or comedy, the military, pop music, psychic powers, sports, andsupernatural or alien invasions. The modern day period may include fullscale science fiction or fantasy action if aliens visit Earth or characters cantravel between dimensions.
Anime Examples:Gunsmith Cats, Kimagure Orange Road, Ranma 1/2, Sailor Moon,
Tenchi Muyo, Uratsei Y atsura, Geobreeders, Tokyo Babylon, and too
many others to count!

NEAR FUTURE
The setting is somewhere in the next fifty years or so. Technology
is rapidly advancing, but people still mostly live on Earth, although there
may be bases in orbit, on the moon, or maybe on Mars. Some settings
may be cyberpunk dystopias, where megacorps dominate the world,
pollution runs rampant, cyborgs stalk the street, and corrupt government
agencies and the threat of global war keep the average citizen living interror. Others may be more like our own world but feature thedevelopment of new technology that can create giant robots, psychic
powers, artificial intelligence, or simply give Earth’s military a fighting
chance against invaders from another world.
The GM will have to devote time to thinking about what science
fiction technologies exist and, in particular, what “Personal Gear” isavailable of a futuristic nature.
Anime Examples:AD Police, Akira, Blue Submarine No. 6 , Bubblegum Crisis, Cat
Girl Nuku Nuku, Dominion Tank Police, Genocyber, Ghost in the
Shell, Iczer One, Macross, Mobile Police Patlabor, Serial Ex periments
L ain. Interesting examples that combine near-future
cyberpunk with magic are Hyper Police and Silent Möbius.

FAR FUTURE
In a far future setting, our world has changed beyond recognition.
A large portion of humanity may now live in space, whether in hugecolony cylinders between Earth and the Moon, on Mars, or on the worlds
of distant solar systems. The campaign could be set on a single planet(Earth or another world), sprawl across a single solar system, or take place
in a star-spanning empire where interstellar travel is a way of life.
Humanity may have never even reached the stars. Instead, the Earth may
have been devastated by a terrible holocaust (such as nuclear war,
pollution, or an asteroid strike). Our cities may be replaced by a barren
wasteland or mutant-infested toxic jungle where our once-proudcivilisation is but a distant memory. Post-apocalypse settings often have awide mix of technology with barbarians wandering the wastes, newcivilisations rising from the ashes, and high-tech relics of the past that are
viewed with superstitious awe.
Anime Examples:For a changed future Earth: Battle Angel (Alita), Cyber City
Oedo, and Project A-Ko. For interplanetary futures: Cowboy
Bebop, Gundam (any series), and Martian Successor Nadesico. Forinterstellar futures: Captain Harlock, Dirty Pair, and Outlaw
Star. For future alien planets: Armitage III, Macross Plus, andSaber Marrionette J. For the many different anime visions of apost-apocalypse Earth: Aika, Genesis Survivor Gaiearth, F ist of
the North Star, Nausicaa, Rhea Gall F orce, The V alley of the W ind,
V ampire Hunter D, and A W ind Named Amnesia.

ANOTHER WORLD: FANTASY
The setting is a completely fictional world where magic works andother non-human races exist. The most common type of anime fantasy
world is one inspired by heroic fantasy novels and role-playing games,
which can lead to interesting role-playing since the game is based on an
anime based on a game. It is usually inspired by Medieval Europe but
populated by dozens of different races. Sorcerers weave powerful spells,heroic knights battle great dragons, and bands of adventurers quest for ameans to overthrow sinister dark lords bent on world domination. One
common addition is the mixing of elements of modern day or futuristic
technology. As a result, the forces of the evil dark lord are as likely toinclude flying metal battleships or piloted robots as they are trolls andgoblins. The explanation for this may be magically powered technology,but, just as often, the setting has a medieval (and magic-using) culturethat exists on the ruins of a long-destroyed technological empire. In suchsettings, an Item of Power is just as likely to be a gun or mechanicalmecha as it is to be an enchanted sword or scroll.
Another common setting is a fantasy world inspired by a mix ofEastern traditions such as those of China or India. This takes more workthan simply adding magic to Medieval Japan, but is sometimes very
interesting. In such worlds, martial arts, priestly magic, reincarnation,and karmic destiny are often more important than swordplay orWestern-style wizardry, and gigantic, centralised empires more prevalentthan the tiny warring states common to fantasies inspired by medieval
Europe or Japan.
Anime Examples:Legend of Lemnear, Record of Lodoss War, and Slayers typify thegeneric Western fantasy world. Ninja Cadets is a Japan-inspired
world. RG Veda, Legend of Arslan, and Fushigi Yugi are examples
of an alternative Indian or Chinese-inspired aesthetic. El
Hazard and Escaflowne are both examples of magicaltechnological hybrid settings.

ANOTHER UNIVERSE: SCIENCE FICTION
A step further out from high fantasy, future history, or alternative
history is the completely imagined setting that has no connection to ourown Earth. Many of these fall into the fantasy category, but such a world(or galaxy) need not have magic to be interesting. These worlds are often
similar in some ways to an existing Earth period but have completely
made-up details of geography, history, and cultures. Again, the GM canoften describe them in short form (for example, the culture andtechnology is similar to 1920’s Europe, except there are gasoline-poweredrobots, there are a fight brewing between an old decadent monarchy anda fascist state, and lots of anarchists and pseudo-communist
revolutionaries are running about). It is possible to go beyond that andcreate an entire universe, such as an alien interstellar society that exists inthe distant past.

CATEGORY: ACTION, DRAMA,COMEDY,AND ROMANCE
What kind of feel is the game to have? Some of the possibilities:
ACTIONAn action game highlights the exploits of heroic characters.
Comedic and dramatic moments provide character insight, but the story
is primarily concerned with the main characters moving from one battle
or adventure to another.

DRAMA
The characters face challenges where things they value (life, liberty,
happiness, wealth, friendship, the lives of others) are at stake, and theiractions affect the lives of others. There may be comic moments, but
failure has serious consequences.

Amusing, incongruous, or wacky things happen. Comedy is often aparody of a more serious genre (such as swords and sorcery or mecha
action), provoking laughs by exaggerating its clichés (such as the angstridden mecha ace), or adding anachronistic bits (like a rock star or a tankin a medieval fantasy world), or incongruous elements (such as a hero who
is really greedy, clueless, lecherous or destructive).

ROMANCEThe characters will have a chance to fall into or out of love. To makethings interesting, the GM should create NPC love interests and rivals,
since many players are not entirely comfortable with romancing one
another. Elements in romances include Love Triangles, Mysterious
Strangers, Childhood Vows, Many Girls Chasing One Guy (or vice versa),
and Mistaken Identity. A powerful element is Forbidden Love, where aromance appears doomed by family or societal disapproval of therelationship, such as an affair with a married person, someone of different
social status, someone of the same gender, or someone who belongs to theother side in a war or other conflict.

MIXED
A mix of two or three different themes such as action-comedy or
drama-romance can often be more fun than maintaining a single tone.

GAME
CONCEPT AND THEME
The game concept is the basic idea of who the characters are andwhat they are doing that brings them together as a group and gets them
involved with adventures. The GM should develop it in concert with hisor her ideas on genre, period, category, and in conjunction with theplayers. The GM should develop a game concept that integrates thedesired genre (“cool stuff ”), period, category, and game length into aninteresting concept: the game theme. The GM should imagine he or she
is coming up with the basic concept of a new anime movie, video, or TV
series. Existing anime or manga have many good themes that can serve
as inspiration.
Associated with the game concept is the theme, an underlying ideathat pervades the individual arcs of a plot or even the entire story itself.
The game’s theme should be one that will give players a good idea ofwhat kinds of characters to create. A theme may be as straightforward asa quest for someone or something, as specific as “are robots people?” oras abstract as “dark forces rising” or “love conquers all.” Its idea is to givethe campaign a certain sense of narrative cohesion. The GM should comeup with a name for the campaign or adventure that conveys anappropriate anime feel.
This section outlines examples of possible game concepts andthemes. GMs can use these ideas as “game seeds” from which anadventure can unfold. The examples serve to illustrate the flexibility of
BESM d20 as a multi-genre anime system and demonstrate how an entire
game scenario can revolve around a single, underlying theme.

JOURNEY TO THE EAST
Genre:
Period:Category:
Theme:

Martial Arts
Samurai Japan — Ancient China
Action“The Quest”

The characters were monks or nuns in an esoteric monastery in
China, students of the martial arts and Taoist philosophy. Unfortunately,
the government has decided they were too sympathetic with rebel
peasants and its Imperial troops have destroyed the monastery. The
characters escaped, but the seven sacred scrolls holding the secrets of
their order were burned. In order to rebuild the temple, a copy of thescrolls must be found. According to legend, the only copies are held in asister temple far away in the distant Land of the Rising Sun. The
characters must journey across war-torn China, braving bandits andwarlords, picking up allies (including new characters), and using theirmartial arts skills and chi-powers to help people. Once in Japan, they

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Anime Examples:Castle in the Sky Laputa, Orguss O2, Gall Force: Eternal Story, andWings of Honneamise.

COMEDY129

find tragedy has struck: an earthquake destroyed the temple ageneration ago, and thieves stole the scrolls. Now they are in the handsof various new owners across Japan and the characters must track them
down. Each scroll is said to hold a new secret martial arts technique, so
as they find them they must defeat any owners who are using the secrets
for nefarious ends!

ATLANTIS RISING
Genre:
Period:Category:
Theme:

Mecha
Recent History
Action“Things Humanity was not Meant to Know”

In World War II, a battle between an Allied destroyer and a
German U-Boat ends when depth charges fall on the undersea ruins of
the Temple of Atlantis. This breaks the seal on the vault that imprisoned
the monstrous power of the last Sorcerer-Scientist of Atlantis, whose
techno-magic experiments sunk the Lost Continent. Now he isawakened again, and in no time, his army of sea monsters and crabmecha are on the warpath, invading coastal towns and sinking ships on
both sides. It is time to deploy all the secret weapons of World War II ina single multi-national task force of elite heroes. Can Task Force Unity
buy enough time until the Americans complete the Manhattan Projectand ready the atomic bomb? Should the Axis and Allies join together tobattle this terrible threat? Will Hitler make a devil’s bargain with the
Atlantean Overlord?

MAGICAL BUG HUNTER KEIKO!
Genre:
Period:Category:
Theme:

Magical Girl — School Days
Modern Day
Action-Comedy-Romance“Love and Destiny”

The characters are teenagers who discover the mysterious magicalBook of the Honey Kingdom. Reading its pages enables them totransform into magical girls and shrink down to tiny size. They can haveadventures in the Honey Kingdom, a world of anthropomorphic insects
under Tokyo, which is currently being menaced by the evil Hornet Lord
and his Wasp Riders. In between, they go to high school, where they
discover that some of the other students bear a strange resemblance tocharacters they meet in the Honey Kingdom. Could the enigmatic
butterfly prince really have any connection with Akira, the brooding but
handsome school kendo coach? Why does the school principle somehow
remind them of the sinister Hornet Lord?

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130

Genre:
Period:Category:
Theme:

Hero Team
Near Future
Drama“Dark Forces Rising”

In the mid 21st Century, the secret labs of Psycho-Dynamics
Corporation discovered how to use drugs to turn troubled children into a
new breed of “hyper-psychics” to serve as oracles, police, and supersoldiers. The boosted psi power proved strongest in teens at age 13-17,
but burned out at adulthood. The hyper-psychic children produced in thecompany’s labs were embraced by the government agencies, but the state
was slow to realise that their first loyalty was to Psycho-Dynamics. Ten
years ago, a nervous government had Psycho-Dynamics broken into two
separate corporations: Biogenesis and Oracle. This cure proved worse
than the disease: today the pair are bitter rivals as they both sub-contract
psionic operatives for various private and government troubleshooting
operations, hunt down rogue hyper-psychics, and engage in a covert
corporate psi-wars. The characters are Oracle’s newest recruits, the“second generation” of teenagers transformed into psychic warriors, themost powerful yet produced. The corporation has high hopes for them ...
but Oracle’s best psychic visionaries are tormented by hideousnightmares of something unspeakable going on in the Psycho-Dynamics
laboratories. Is this just another escalation of the existing experiments, oris there something far worse looming on the horizon?

LEGENDS OF THE GALACTIC EMPIRE
Genre:
Period:Category:
Theme:

Mecha — Space Opera
Far Future
Action-Drama“Defenders of Civilisation”

In the 30th Century, humanity has gone to the stars and carved out
an interstellar empire linked by wormhole gates that allow instantinterstellar travel. After early wars of expansion, the mature Empire has
become a force for stability and peace. Its Star Legions protect the frontieragainst space pirates, barbarian space nomads, and the android
infiltrators and robot warships of Cyber-Web, a rival empire of intelligent
machines. The greatest threat to peace is from within, however: a secretfaction within the palace sees the Emperor as decadent and soft andschemes to depose him, placing their own puppet on the throne. In thesetroubled times, the only force that will save the empire from chaos is theImperial Bodyguard, an elite force of human and alien mecha pilots basedin the royal capital but equipped with space fighters that can cross thegalaxy at need. Like a star-faring King’s Musketeers, the Imperial
Bodyguard may be embroiled in court intrigue, fight in open battle, or
perform secret missions for the throne.

VOYAGERS OF THE NEW DAWN
Genre:
Period:Category:
Theme:High Fantasy
Another World (pre-industrial)
Action-Drama“The Quest for Rebirth”

Dark Fairies have stolen the Five Statues of Light and quelled thesun, plunging the world into eternal darkness. Now vampires anddemons roam, minions of the wicked Fairy Queen. The characters mustsail off the edge of the world in their magical flying ship in quest ofanother star to bring back a new sun! Unfortunately, a squadron of ghost
ships, captained by the Fairy Queen’s seven sorcerer-lieutenants, is not far
behind them.

WORLD BUILDING
After the GM comes up with the campaign concept, the players cancreate their characters. The GM should then work out the details of hisor her campaign setting that need to be established before play begins.
The first thing to do is to narrow down exactly where the campaign
will take place. Depending on the period and game concept, it could bea real place (like Chicago or Tokyo) or an invented location. The GMshould consider both the overall environment where the game will be set(such as a city, countryside, planet, solar system, or star-sector) and theindividual locations where day-to-day events will occur. Often, thecampaign will have a number of “home base” locations where thecharacters will spend a lot of time, such as in homes, work, or places they
go to train or hang out. This can include their school, training hall,detective office, military barracks, police station, etc. There is no need to
go into great detail here. The GM can usually get by with a line or twoof description.
If the GM has set the game in the real world, there is usually noneed to go into a great amount of detail; if players want to orient
themselves, they can pull out an atlas. In a completely made-up world,the GM may wish to add some details of surrounding country (or planets)
to help orient everyone. Drawing a real map could do this, but often asimple map-in-prose is enough to get by, listing the names of a few places
that can be dropped into the game.
GMs who like lots of detail can add many more descriptions, but it
is a good idea not to get too wrapped up in preparing the setting, or thegame may never get started.

CHAPTER 13:
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131

THEThere
SUPPORTING
CAST
is no need to populate the entire universe, but the GM

STORY
LINE
The first thing to do is to work out the back story behind theshould usually come up with a starting group of 2-5 supporting NPCs
who can act as continuing characters in addition to any villains or victims
that the first adventure might also require, along with any NPCs theNemesis or Significant Other Defects would entail. For example, in agame where the characters are a high-tech SWAT cyborg team, the NPC
cast might be: the grumpy police chief, the station’s perky radio
dispatcher who talks to them on their missions, and the cute girl-nextdoor who runs the coffee and donut shop in which they hang out
afterwards. The GM can usually assume a character’s friends andcomrades are the characters themselves. Most of the supporting cast only
need a name and a very brief description (“grizzled veteran with eyepatch” or “spoiled rich girl and flunkies who rule the school”). The
characters can accumulate more supporting cast as adventures continue
like the pretty idol singer they rescued from an alien invader who
becomes their regular mascot.

adventure. This may follow naturally from earlier sessions, or it might be
a completely new story arc. For instance, if the adventure involves avillain, decide what his or her goals are and the way that his or her plot
will work itself out if the characters do not stop it. At this point, it is also
a good idea to decide who the major NPCs are who will play animportant role in the adventure and what their goals are. In some cases
they should be created as characters (for example, villains the characterswill fight or allies who will work closely with the characters).
One technique that can help spark a story line is to think of one“cool image” or idea that will help make this adventure different from thelast and use this as a seed to inspire the story. For example, the image ofa mechanical dragon, or the characters disguised in school uniforms as
part of an undercover operation, or a castle floating in the clouds.
Sometimes an idea will not work — just make a note of it for a futureadventure.

ORGANISATIONS
If the characters or their enemies are part of an organisation (likeCHARACTER
GOALS
Next, the GM should think about the adventure from the players’

the police SWAT team, high school magic club, or 22nd EarthDefence Force battle squadron), the GM should spend some timeworking out details like “What is their purpose?” “What kind ofresources do they have?” and “What is cool about them?” The lattermight include possession of special mecha, paranormal powers, or justreally neat uniforms.

perspectives. How will they get involved and what actions are they likely
to want to take? Does someone ask them for help or is the adventure
something that revolves around them from the start? Will the characterswant to become involved? Consider the steps the characters will likely
have to follow to resolve the situation and (if necessary) make a few notesof how they might succeed. It is all very well to craft a really cunning plan
for a villain, but if it is so foolproof the characters will never even learn ofit, there won’t be an adventure!

CHAPTER 13:
ROLE-PLAYINGPARANORMAL POWERS, HIGHTECHNOLOGY,NON-HUMAN RACES PLOTNowELEMENTS
If these elements are going to be part of the setting, the GM should
it is time to get down to the details of the plot. This is where
spend some time considering how they work. For example, magic might
be a gift that only certain creatures or bloodlines possess or somethingthat anyone can learn with proper talent.
Aliens or monsters might be unique or part of an entire race.
Similar issues should be considered in regard to the technology: if things
like robots exist, are they available to everyone or do they belong to a
specific group or organisation? How do open-ended technologies like Star
Flight actually function in the campaign? If future technology exists, is ita “hard science” approach where everything should be at least
theoretically possible, or is anything possible as long as there is sometechno-babble to justify it?
If non-human characters are a major part of the setting, you should
decide if the non-humans possess unusual paranormal or technologicalcapabilities. In “realistic” games with mass-produced mecha, a similar
approach can be taken: instead of having characters design their own
personalised machines, the GM can design some production models thatexist.

DESIGNING
ADVENTURES
Creating an interesting adventure is an art, not a science, and thefollowing guidelines are only one way to proceed. An experienced GM
can create adventures with almost no advance preparation, especially if heor she is familiar with character motivations and has NPCs and situations
established as part of a continuing campaign. On the other hand, it is agood idea for a novice GM to take some time (a few hours) to plan aheadwhen creating an adventure. Having a binder full of notes can greatly
increase one’s confidence when sitting across the table from a group of
expectant players.

132

the GM should work out an idea of what plot complications will develop,
and the order that the characters may encounter them. It is wise toconsider this from the perspective of “here is the villain’s plan” rather
than “this is what the characters must do to make the plot work.” It is
usually more rewarding as a GM to set up situations that engage andchallenge the characters to make decisions or use their abilities rather
than creating a complex puzzle box that they must solve in a certain way
to progress to the next plot point.
If a villain drives the story, take some time to consider his or her
back-up plan if the characters thwart “Plan A” early on. In a game wherea main antagonist risks death or capture, he or she should not be
introduced directly (as the characters may defeat him or her right away,
ruining the suspense). Instead, introduce the villain through his or herhenchmen and works (“we destroy this temple in the name of Lord
Nobunaga!”) or in situations where combat is impossible. It is wise tohave the initial villains that the characters encounter be henchmen, andintroduce the main villain in situations where no fighting takes place (likeon a view screen or at a diplomatic ball). This way, the adventure will not
go “off the rails” should the characters do the unexpected.
An adventure intended to come to some sort of resolution in one or
two sessions should have four to six distinct plot elements, which can bethought of as various complications, encounters with interesting or
hostile NPCs, or clues that will lead the characters to further situations.
As GM, give some thought to making an interesting climax to theadventure. Remember, however, that this is a set of notes for a game,rather than the script for a play. The players will decide what theircharacters will do.
Plot elements come in two broad categories. First, there are thosethat tempt the characters into doing something: the space pirate
characters discover a clue to a lost treasure ship, or a mecha pilot on leave
stumbles onto his long lost high school love. Second, there arecomplications that add difficulty: rival pirates attack the characters on
the way to the treasure, or the old flame turns out to be an enemy spy. A
mix of both carrot and stick helps keeps the story interesting withoutletting the characters feel railroaded. In a one-shot adventure, the GMshould keeps things fairly simple with clear objectives. In a continuing
campaign, plot elements can be ambiguous or mysterious, and thus if thecharacters do not pursue them during one session, they can bereintroduced at a later date.
GMs should usually make a few notes of what they plan to happen
in the game. The simplest way to prepare is to list the plot elements inpoint form and rely on one’s own imagination to translate this into
descriptions of encounters or events during the game session. It is a goodidea to prepare some notes on the NPCs that will appear in the adventure(see Important NPCs, below), especially their appearances and goals.
Some GMs also like to make detailed maps or diagrams of places where
any chases or battles might take place. The abstract nature of the BESM
d20 combat system means this is usually unnecessary. If a new locale isintroduced (like a haunted forest they must enter, a crime scene thecharacters will investigate, or a villain’s fortress that they may have tocapture), however, scribbling down a few lines of description in advancecan pay dividends in helping describe a scene during the game.
One way to create an engaging adventure is to set situations where
the characters must make tough decisions. These may be emotional ones:“do I date cute Maki or sexy Keiko — and what if Keiko catches me twotiming her?” They may be strategic ones: “do we send everyone against
the fortress entrance, or should some of us create a diversion while theothers sneak round the back way?” They may be heroic: “do I let thereactor melt down, or do I brave the radiation and shut it down
manually?” They may be heart-rending: “we’ve only got a limited
amount of room in the starship: we can dump our mecha and take all the
refugees, or we can rescue the kids but leave enough weapons onboard toprotect ourselves on the journey home”. Ideally, the decisions will not be
arbitrary, but will flow naturally from the adventure and choices thecharacters make.

PRESENTING
THE VILLAINSThe presentation of the antagonists (also known as villains or “badIMPORTANTNPCS
The guidelines for character creation (Steps 2-11) apply to NPCs,

5. What are the villains’ weaknesses that may eventually lead to theirfall from power? Keep a few options in the back of your mind. Giving a

4. Do the villains work alone, or do they rely on henchmen to dotheir dirty work? Ordinary “grunts” need not be as well developed as

their employers but should still possess some identifying traits such as
physical appearances, weapons, or powers.
villain weaknesses to exploit allows the players to use tactics other thanbrute force.
6. Decide how the acts that the villains perpetrate fit your chosen
theme and tone. In a role-playing situation, if NPC villains kill innocent

victims, the player characters may not feel obliged to capture them alive.
This means creating new villains every few adventures. The reverse is also
true: to make a hated enemy, make sure the villains commit truly evil
crimes. For greater motivation, introduce a likeable and virtuous NPC
over several sessions, and then make him or her the villain’s next victim.
When important villains speak, they should command attention.
When the villains fight, they should fight with passion, and if they die,they should be remembered forever.

FANInSERVICE
anime, “fan service” is often used to refer to gratuitous visualelements such as “cheesecake” scenes. Here the term is borrowed to referto those background, character, or plot elements that recur in many anime.
Note that some of the best series avoid overusing them since many havenow become cliché. Use a few of them if you want a distinct anime flavour
or lots of them if you want a comedy game that parodies anime.

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ROLE-PLAYING

although the GM will rarely need to go into as much detail aboutcharacter backgrounds as the players do. If the characters will be fightingwith or against any NPCs, the GM should take time to work out theirbasic characteristics (Stats, Attributes, Defects) before the adventure. The
same is true of NPCs with whom they may be closely interacting on aregular basis (such as a prospective lover). Otherwise, it is often enoughto just make a note of a name and position (“Takayuki, the handsome
man who runs the video arcade that will be robbed by the thugs”) andmaybe something that the characters can remember (“he has long hair;
he was once a Formula One racer but was hurt in an accident, and now
he walks with a cane”).
Many minor NPCs need even less detail, and the GM can simply
make them up during the game if details are needed or (for minor villains
like a henchman’s thugs) just have a single list of game characteristics
that apply collectively to an entire batch of them. It can be handy tomake a short list of names that are ready to apply to NPCs that are
invented on the spot, as “real-sounding” names are often hard to
improvise.
In a mini-campaign or campaign, a good technique is to introduce
an NPC in passing in one session and then promote him or her to a majorrole in a subsequent session. This gives the characters the sense they areliving in a “real” universe and, since they are used to having thatcharacter around, makes the players care about his or her fate. For
example, having the teenage magic club “rescue a gym teacher
kidnapped by demons” is fine, but it becomes a more powerful story line
if the gym teacher involved is their favourite gym teacher, Mrs.
Anderson, and has already appeared in several prior adventures.

guys”) is crucial. The villains should be among the most notable anddistinctive NPCs in a campaign to emphasise the threat they pose to theplayer characters. If the central antagonist rarely opposes the characters
directly, it is possible to still make his or her presence known to the players
by introducing appropriate mercenaries or henchmen. Consider each of
the following details before presenting the villains to the characters:
1. Exactly who are the antagonists? Establish the villains’ names,
physical appearances, origins, and hierarchical ranking (if applicable).
2. Understand their motivations. Villains who do nasty things
simply because they are evil make very uninteresting NPCs. Villains do
not view themselves as bad guys but often believe that they are the only
ones who can see the bigger picture. Ask yourself why these characters
are plotting against the characters or working against the values ofhumanity. Do they want power or revenge? Are they merely delusional?
Are they working for a cause they believe is good? Do their ends justify
the means? The villains’ motivations may never be perfectly clear to theplayers, but it is imperative that you understand what they are. In manycases, a “villain” is a matter of perception. Honourable antagonists (whomay later ally with the characters against worse villains) are a common
theme in anime and one well worth developing.
3. Give each villain a distinct personality. Important NPCs will only
stand out as individuals if you have spent the time to properly develop theirpersonality. The more clearly you construct the antagonists’ identities, themore real they will become to your players. Some villains will taunt thecharacters while others will try to convert them to their cause.

• ATTACK PHRASESIn classic giant robot, magical girl, hero team, and martial arts
anime, the characters will name each of their main attacks or spells andshout them out as they do it. “Ultimate Omega Photon Beam Attack!”• BISHONEN
A bishonen (“beautiful boy”) is a very attractive male who has
beautiful, somewhat effeminate features, such as long, flowing hair and adelicate build. A bishonen can be easily mistaken for a girl, and he is often
a skilled warrior. Heroic bishonen are very elegant and chivalrous, whilevillains are often exceedingly ruthless and deadly. Bishonen are often either
homosexual or thought to be so, even when they are not.

133

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• BOSOZ OKU
A Japanese motorcycle or hot rod gang. These are less violent andmore flamboyant than American gangs. Bosozoku bikes are often very
heavily customised (even with attached flags!). This is a good backgroundfor a “tough guy” teenager.

• CAT GIRLS
There are legendary cat-spirits (bakeneko) in Japan that often take theform of beautiful girls to tempt or devour the unwary. In fantasy anime,
girls (more rarely, guys) with cat ears and a tail are nearly as popular as
elves or dragons. These nekojin (cat-people) also pop up in science fiction
series or supernatural comedies. Some nekojin are more feline with fur,claws, and fangs, while others are much more human. Occasionally cateyes, ears, or tails are drawn on a human character as a visual gag.

• COLLATERAL DAMAGE
Inspired by the tradition of Japanese monster movies, many anime
do not shrink from showing the massive destruction that giant robots or
big guns can inflict on an urban landscape. The GM should rememberthat any shot that misses is going to land somewhere, and when a 20
metre tall robot falls over, it is going to flatten anything beneath it,
including buildings, cars, and people! A heroic robot pilot may feel lessheroic after he or she finds the battle destroyed a neighbourhood and nexttime may take risks to “lure the enemy away from the civilians.” This isvery much in genre. In more comedic faire, an “oops, it’s not our fault”
disregard for such damage is usual.

• CUTE ANDROIDS
These are robots made in the image of humans, except they areusually attractive, super strong, and durable. The first to be featured inanime was a cute boy, but most series prefer cute girls. In more serious
anime, they may be victims of prejudice or spend a lot of time worrying
about what it really means to be human.

• CUTE PETS
These show up in many anime series, even serious mecha dramas.
Usually it is one of the female characters who has a cute cat, robot,
penguin, monster, or other entity but sometimes they are all over theplace. They may be guides, companions, advisors, living weapons, or
simple pets used for comic relief. Occasionally a cute pet is capable oftransforming into a more potent form. Create them using the rules for
Servants, Mecha, Flunkies, or Significant Others depending on how
useful they actually are.

• DYING SPEECHES• ELVES
Anime versions of Western-style elves often have huge pointed ears.
Does this have any game effect? Nope, but an extra Level of Heightened
Senses (Hearing) might be appropriate anyway.

• FACE CUTS
A cut on someone’s face is a deadly insult and considered to mar
their good looks (even if it really doesn’t). For this reason, it’s a good way
for a hero or villain to start a fight. A character can inflict a slight face cut
by taking a called shot at a +2 penalty and using the reduced wounding
rules to do only 1 point of damage.

Japanese ghosts (Yurei) are similar in motivation to those of theWest, normally being unable to rest until they get revenge or satisfaction
for some injury done to them in life. The traditional ghost appears in awhite kimono and his or her feet are not visible. Ghosts and spirits areoften associated with balls of fire, similar to will o’ the wisps.

• GIANT PILOTED ROBOTS
Why are these so common? Mostly because they look really cool.
Also, a humanoid machine has more story potential. Robots can cross any
terrain, they can sword fight and wrestle and pick things up, and, if fittedwith jets or rockets, they can fly through the air or space. A robot allows
human-level action but on a super scale. Also, if each character has his or
her own robot, they can all be involved in the action.
In many military anime, ace pilots will be rewarded with “custom”
versions of the machines with which they first started or newer and bettermecha. This is simply simulated by allowing characters to redesign them
if they acquire higher Levels of Own a Big Mecha.

• GIRLS NEXT DOOR VS. EXOTIC GIRL FRIENDS
A common element in anime romance is the guy who must choose
between the Girl/Guy Next Door and the Exotic Lover. One is familiar,
has grown up with the character since childhood, has common sense, etc.;
the other breaks taboos but is mysterious, sexy, dangerous, andsometimes not even human.

• GREAT TOKYO EARTHQUAKEThis quake (in 1923) destroyed much of Tokyo and killed 100,000
people. Tokyo (like Los Angeles) is on a fault line, and another big quake
is predicted. As a result, many near-future anime postulate a high-tech“neo-Tokyo” rebuilt after this disaster, ascribe supernatural causes to theearlier or a future quake, or assume that a ruined Tokyo will beabandoned and the capital will move to Osaka.

• HYPER-DIMENSIONAL HAMMER
In comedy anime shows, a common sight gag is for a jealous
character, usually female, who has been offended by one of hercompanions being rude or lecherous, to suddenly materialise a hugemallet and whack him. This is really just a sight gag, but if the GM
wishes to formalise it in rules, it can be acquired as Special Attack(Concealable, Stun, Melee, Limited Use, Unique Disability: Only on
Lecherous or Annoying Friends). The Unique Disability counts as three
Disabilities since it is very limiting.

• IDOL SINGERS
A cute, young pop singer who is heavily promoted as a popular idol,
only to be dropped like a hot potato (in most cases) when his or her
popularity wanes after a few months. Idols were at the peak of their
popularity in eighties Japan and feature in many anime of that period. An
idol singer hopes to break out and become a “real star.” Taking the ideaof a manufactured star one step further, robotic or virtual reality(computer-generated) idols appear as plot elements in some science
fiction anime series.

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In anime, even important characters die. This awareness ofmortality is one thing that separates it from Western cartoons andtelevision. Dead anime heroes rarely return from the grave (villains areanother matter...), so to make up for it, a character will often deliver alengthy “dying speech.” The GM can encourage this by allowing any
character who is “dead” proper airtime to say a few words. He or shecannot be healed, and the GM may interrupt a death speech that gets
overly silly (“you feel yourself beginning to lose consciousness”). The GM
may even allow the character to linger on until the end of a battle, so theplayer can think of something memorable.

• GHOSTS• KARMIC BONDS
Belief in reincarnation is common in Japanese society, where
Buddhism (along with Shinto) is one of the two major religions. This isoften used in anime to explain events that draw a group together: they
met in their past lives. This can also apply to enemies the charactersencounter. A character might have a Sixth Sense (page 61) that allows
detecting such attachments or possibly Recurring Nightmares (page 93)
to represent visions from an earlier lifetime.

• KENDOThe “way of the sword” is a two-handed Japanese fencing techniquebased on Samurai swordplay (kenjitsu). Kendo normally uses a wooden
training sword (bokken), which in proper hands can be quite deadly. It is135something that school students may learn, and thus provides a good
excuse for teenagers to have weapons and weapon Skills.
A practitioner of Kendo or Kenjitsu will have Melee Attack andDefence (Sword) Skill and possibly several combat Feats.

• KI POWERS
The life energy of a person is called “ki” in Japan and “chi” in China.
With proper training, a character can take control of this energy, while
sickness is often ascribed to an imbalance in one’s ki that can be cured
with various techniques including acupuncture. In order to mastermartial arts, breathing exercises and meditation are supposed to help astudent focus one’s ki. In anime, a master martial artist trained in secrettechniques may use ki to sharpen senses, super-charge his or her punches
or weapon strikes, heal with a touch, or even throw fireballs. In BESM
d20, ki correlates with Energy Points and a ki master will usually have the
Magic Attribute.

• KITSUNE

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A fox. Magical fox spirits with the abilities to assume human shape(often as sexy women) or possess people are a common element inJapanese folklore. Magical foxes often have multiple tails. Like nekojin,
kitsune often appear in anime, either as spirits or simply as a non-humanrace with fox ears and one or more bushy tails.

136• KYUDOThe “way of the bow,” this is Japanese archery. It is a popular highschool sport for both boys and girls and, like Kendo, gives a teenage boy
or girl a reasonable justification for proficiency with archaic weapons,
which can come in handy!

• LATE FOR SCHOOL
There seems to be some sort of genetic defect in many anime
females that prevents them from getting to school on time while at thesame time causing them to obsess about being late. Japanese schools are
actually pretty strict about being on time, so minor punishments (being
made to stand in the hall, for example) are common.

• MAIN GUN
A classic ability of many spaceships and a few mecha is the “maingun,” a super weapon of astounding power that fires a huge wave ofenergy that can destroy entire squadrons of the enemy. Usually theweapon is unreliable, takes a long time to warm up, or burns out after
firing one shot. Thus, its use requires a certain amount of strategic
thinking to lure all of the enemy into range. The Special Attack rules(page 61) can build this sort of weapon by taking more than the normal
six Ranks (7-10 do the trick) and also assigning it multiple slots of the
Area Effect or Spreading Ability along with appropriate Defects such as
Limited Shots that restrict its utility.

• MASCOTS
These characters hang around the heroes and cheer them on. They
include cute pets, cute robots, and cute little brothers or sisters.
Sometimes the mascot doubles as an advisor, assistant, or spirit guide forthe hero, and, in rare instances, it can also transform into a weapon ormecha. Every magical girl anime needs mascots, but they also pop up in
all kinds of series including fairly serious mecha drama.

• MECHA BASES
In a mecha campaign, the characters will often have a base that acts
as their home and houses their mecha. It is usually a secret undergroundbase hidden below a mundane shop, residence, or city, and is a giant hightech citadel, or a mobile battle fortress. Popular examples are big
spacecraft, cloud bases, giant aircraft carriers, big submarines, and gianthovercraft. Sometimes the fortress can retract into the ground ortransform into a huge giant robot. The base usually has a crew of NPCs
and sometimes is also home to a group of dependants (family, refugees,etc.). Its brain is a control room or bridge occupied by a stoic commander
and a group of young and attractive communication officers. It is often
defended by various weapon turrets and sometimes a huge “main gun”
with devastating firepower that is only occasionally usable. It will also
have workshops, medical bays, and laboratories, often with their own
expert NPCs. Some are large enough to be virtual cities with homes,
shops, classrooms, and so on, allowing entire adventures (or full-scale
mecha battles) to take place inside them. In game terms, the majority ofmecha bases are best designed as very big mecha. If they are stationary
fortresses, simply give them the Confined Movement Defect (page 88).

• MECHA CHILDREN
Anime series often have 13-16 year-olds piloting advanced mecha.
The real reason is so the like-aged audience can identify with the hero,but there are “story” reasons that can make sense. Perhaps all the adultpilots in the area were killed, sick, or injured and only some kids (fromthe local space academy or the children of the mecha’s inventor) are left.
By the time new pilots arrive, the kids will be veterans. Anotherpossibility is that the mecha is semi-alive or intelligent and bonds withthe first person who happens to use it (a child). Perhaps the most popular
option is that the mecha requires a specific ability in order to be activated(a pilot who must be psychic or a clone of the original owner or part-alien)
and the only candidates are children.

• MECHA INVENTORS• NAUGHTY TENTACLES
Demons with masses of writhing tentacles are a common sight inanime horror, inspired by early examples of the genre and H.P. Lovecraft.
In game terms, such a creature has the advantage of being able tograpple, grope, and menace the protagonists without killing them (theway fangs and claws would). The most notorious such demons follow the
Bug-Eyed Monster tradition: “they want our women.”• NOSE BLEEDS
Another comedy anime gag is the idea that if a male (usually avirgin) sees something arousing, blood will rush to his head causing a
nosebleed. In game terms, a boy with Easily Distracted (Girls) may get a
nosebleed if he encounters an attractive female character in acompromising position: he or she is stunned on a failed Will Save.

These are strips of paper with divine names or holy scriptures
written on them. In anime, Buddhist monks and Shinto priests or shrine
maidens can use them to exorcise evil spirits or drive off demons. See theSpirit Ward Attribute (page 68).

• ONI
Variously translated as Ogre or Demon, these are Japanesemonsters. They are traditionally portrayed as humanoid monsters withhorns, often dressed in tiger skins and just as often possessing magicalpowers. Some oni interbreed with humans; the children may be cursed orhave magical abilities. In anime, oni and oni motifs (like horns or tiger
stripes) appear in various forms from hideous monsters to sexy space
aliens in genres ranging from comedy to horror. Oni will usually have theMarked Defect (page 92).

• PUBLIC BATHS AND HOT SPRINGS
Bathing is a more social occasion in Japan, and people especiallyenjoy vacations in hot spring resorts. Male and female baths aresegregated, but many comedy anime have shy guys or lechers blundering
into the girls’ baths, resulting in nosebleeds, slaps, and much silly
mayhem. When not being interrupted by slapstick, a social bath is also atime when people can unburden themselves to their friends.

• SCHOOL UNIFORMS
The current Japanese school system inherited many of its traditions
from British and German schools. One of these is the uniform worn inelementary and high school. Boys wear dark pants and either a Germanstyle black button-up tunic with a high collar, or a normal white shirt.
Girls are often dressed in a British-style “sailor suit” (sailor fuku): apleated skirt and a blouse with a sailor collar. Both sexes may add a school
jacket in cool weather. Different schools have somewhat different
uniforms, so a new student can be easily spotted. Gym uniforms consistof a sweatshirt and sneakers with girls wearing form-fitting shorts(“bloomers”), while boys wear ordinary shorts.

• SDF
The Self Defence Forces are the modern Japanese military. In thereal world, they are divided into Ground, Air, and Maritime branches andare well trained and equipped (with weapons similar to that of the USA),but they are also inexperienced because Japan’s constitution forbids
foreign military adventures. In anime, they tend to be “red shirts” whoget wiped out to demonstrate the power of alien invasions or monster
attacks until the heroes arrive to save the day with their super powers or
top secret battle mecha.

• TERRIBLE COOKSIn anime, girls are supposed to be good cooks and better than boys.
In high school anime, a common comedy element is the female character
who is a terrible cook, but who may not realise it. Her friends are
regularly forced to taste her cooking to avoid hurting her feelings. Twofamous examples are C-Ko in Project A-Ko and Akane in Ranma 1/2.
Being a terrible cook is best simulated by a Unique Defect, “Confuses
Poisons and Cooking Skill” (1 BP) and giving the character one rather
than the other.

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A traditional mecha anime should give thought to whoever
invented the cool technology the characters use. He or she may have beenmurdered and the invention stolen by the villains (but a prototype or two
is left behind for a son, daughter, or young assistant to use to gain
revenge). Sometimes the inventor is still around but usually is a little
unbalanced (either absent minded or obsessed with modifying or
perfecting it).

• OFUDA• TOKYO TOWER
A replica of the Eiffel Tower was built in Tokyo in 1958. At a heightof 1,090 feet, it is a major landmark and a popular destination for school
trips. Tokyo Tower often appears in modern-day anime, and its highobservation deck often serves as a focus for monster attacks, bizarre
rituals, or extra-dimensional manifestations. Considering it must havebeen destroyed so many times, it is a wonder they can keep rebuilding it!

137• TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCES
Most magical girls can switch from their street clothes into theirbattle costume. This involves saying a few magic words and posing
dramatically. This often takes several seconds (which saves a lot of money
later in the series when several magical girls transform, and they can use
a lot of stock footage). This can be assumed to be simply a “slow motion”
kind of shot, however. The villains cannot really attack while thecharacter is transforming. In anime designed to appeal to teenage boys,
the character often ends up briefly naked, while in those aimed at generalaudiences the transformation is disguised by special effects or occurs moreor less instantaneously.

• TRANSFORMING MECHA
Giant robots are even cooler if they can transform, that is, shift
their shape so that a humanoid robot can turn into a fighter plane ormechanical beast. In some anime, multiple mecha can link together toform an even bigger machine. The various Mecha Attributes cover thesegenre conventions. More “realistic” mecha series usually limit or forgo
mecha transformations.

• YAKUZAJapanese gangsters belonging to organised crime families. Yakuza
can be distinguished by their dark suits, big foreign cars, habit ofcovering their bodies with colourful tattoos, and the custom of cutting off
a finger to atone for any mistake that displeases his boss. Yakuza often
appear as “heavies” in modern-day anime.

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CHARACTERADVANCEMENT

138

Character advancement is unnecessary in a short adventure, butduring a lengthy campaign players may wish to improve their characters’
Skills and Attributes. Advancement is not a requirement, but it canreflect the characters’ earned knowledge through conflicts with theenvironment, other characters, or even with themselves.
The GM may allow characters with Items of Power, Personal Gear,or Mecha to “swap” existing items or mecha for other items of similar
point value during or between adventures if a good story rationale exists.
For example, if Tabitha’s Hellcat fighter is inappropriate for a mission,
she may visit the guard armoury and switch it for a different type of
mecha. The GM may require expenditure of in-game resources (favours,money, time, captured enemy gear) before this can be attempted. If
characters lose equipment, the GM can make them wait a session or so toreacquire it or force them to make do with inferior equipment unlesscircumstances allow a replacement.

CHARACTER
POINT PROTECTION
If a player spends Character Points on something (an Attribute,
Item of Power, Mecha, etc.), he or she should expect some degree ofprotection from the ravages of the GM. After all, the player has“invested” part of his or her character into the particular thing. If theplayer does not spend the character points, however, they gain noprotection. The GM may steal, destroy, alter, or manipulate it however
they desire.
For example, a player spends Character Points, during character
creation, to gain Organisational Ties for his or her character (to represent
the character being a Knight). The player should feel secure in theknowledge that his or her character will remain a Knight for the durationof the campaign. Should the character’s Knighthood be stripped, he or
she should at least gain something of similar value. The character may
gain a new Item of Power worth the same number of character points as
the Organisational Ties Attribute, for example.

The character may, however, be Knighted during the course of thecampaign, due to heroic deeds. If the player does not spend theAdvancement Points for the Organisational Ties Attribute, then the GM
may strip the character of rank, as dictated by the course of theadventure. Since the player has not made an investment in the Attribute,
it is not protected from the GM’s plots and machinations.
Conversely, the Organisational Ties Attribute may be given to thecharacter during a campaign, but in concert with some new Defects (Red
Tape, Owned, etc.) of sufficient Bonus Points to pay for the new
Attribute. In this case, the player can rest assured that his or her character
will remain a Knight for the length of the campaign — he or she
effectively “paid” for the Attribute via the Defects. The character,however, must contend with the new disadvantages. The player may
choose to pay off the Defects slowly, over the course of the game, with
Character Advancement Points.
The later option is an excellent choice for dynamic character
advancement — the GM may give the character something even if theplayer does not yet have enough Character Points. The character gains
the applicable Attribute but also earns appropriate Defects to pay for the
Attribute. That said, however, GMs should not do this with everythingthat the characters come across in their adventures or the characters willquickly find themselves laden with a host of Defects. Only enforce new
Defects for the important things that you want the player’s character tomaintain for the length of a campaign. Let the other “free”
Attributes/Items be the player’s choice — they can either spend
Advancement Points to protect the Attribute/Item or allow it to suffer
the whims and fancies of the GM.

ADVICE FOR THE GM
1. WATCH LOTS OF ANIME
There is no better way to capture the intense atmosphere of theanime genre than by watching the adventures for yourself. Many video
rental outlets now carry an extensive anime selection, and an even greaternumber of illegal fan-subtitled videotapes are available to the experienced
internet user. Be sure to watch titles from a variety of genres (comedy,
horror, mecha, thriller, science-fiction, fantasy, etc.) in order to shape youradventure or campaign. Watching Japanese anime is time well spent.

2. DEFINE THE SETTING AND GENRE
Clearly define the setting and genre of your game to the players
before they create characters. Since BESM d20 is a universal multi-genre
RPG, players need to know what character boundaries best suit theadventure.

3. ENCOURAGE INNOVATIVE THINKING DURING CHARACTER CREATION
Help players avoid falling into the trap of playing characters fromestablished anime productions by giving them the freedom to create. The
only real boundaries placed on the characters should be the players’
imaginations.

4. THE CHARACTERS ARE THE MAIN FOCUS
Make every character a main focus of the game and give equal
attention to all players. Balancing game time is often the most difficult
challenge for GMs of all levels of experience. Talk with each player
outside the game to ensure that he or she is satisfied with the character’s
involvement in the adventure. Unhappy players can make a gameunworkable.

5. COMBAT IS NOT THE MAIN FOCUS
Do not turn combat into the primary focus of the game. When
combat does erupt during the adventure make it fast, exciting, and fun
for all players. Combat should not occur too often however, or it will takeaway from the other role-playing aspects of the game. Staging several big
battles during each playing session can desensitise the players and turn

them against physical conflict (“Oh great...yet another unearthly tentacle
monster to fight. Am I supposed to be scared?”) Use combat sparingly,
and its dramatic impact will be increased tenfold.

6. KEEP DICE ROLLING TO A MINIMUM
Quite simply, if a dice roll is not necessary or does notconstructively add to the game, do not make the roll. GMs should feel
comfortable making decisions about the direction of events during asession without the use of dice. See page 111 in Chapter 12: Combat forsuggestions when dice rolls may or may not be necessary.

7. ALLOW FOR SPECIAL EFFECTS
Give players latitude when it comes to using special effects for theircharacters. Some examples include wind-blown hair, triple-take action
shots, cool musical soundtracks, blurred backgrounds during combat
scenes, and countless others. These effects can inject humour into any
game and fit perfectly into the anime genre.

8. USE CHARACTER DEFECTS TO THE BENEFIT OF THE GAME
Though they penalise the characters, Defects should not penalise
the players by hindering their role-playing efforts. Be sure to map out
how you plan to implement all Defects before play begins. Using themeffectively will add excitement and paranoia to your game.

9. DOWNPLAY THE ABILITIES OF UNIMPORTANT NPCS
If an NPC is not a major character in the adventure, he or sheshould not outclass the player characters in Stats or Attributes. It is
recommended that minor NPCs should be created on only 10-20
Character Points and have approximately half as many Health andEnergy Points as characters or major NPCs. This guideline forces theunimportant NPCs into supporting or background roles (where they
belong) and allows the major NPCs to capture the attention of the player
characters.

10. GO OUTSIDE THE RULES

4. DON’T BE A COPYCATIn an original setting, it is fun to play a character who is inspiredby a particular anime series but do not simply clone a well-establishedcharacter from an anime television series or movie. It is very difficult toaccurately portray a character created by someone else but easy to bedisappointed should you be unable to role-play him or her “correctly.”
Develop your own character.

5. DON’T BE A LONER
Do not create a character who prefers to be alone. Role-playing isabout GM/player and player/player interaction. Deny yourself one ofthose opportunities and the enjoyment of the game is diminished foreveryone.

6. DO NOT OBSESS ABOUT THE RULES
Every GM has his or her individual style when running a game. If
your GM wants to play “fast and loose” with the system, go with the flow.
The rules should only be used when it benefits the game. Do not let thisbook hold you back.

7. HAVE FAITH
Trust the GM to do what is best for the game. Any worthy GM
realises that players come first, and it is his or her obligation to make itenjoyable for everyone. Trust the judgement of the GM, and the game
will flow more smoothly.

8. COMMUNICATE
Give the GM constant feedback — both positive and negative. Ona regular basis (perhaps after each session) let the GM know what you likeand dislike about the direction and momentum of the game. Without
player input, the GM may not realise in which areas he or she needs
improvement. Be polite and diplomatic but also be honest. The game canonly get better, not worse, when you voice your comments and concerns.

If you dislike a rule presented in BESM d20, you are encouraged tomodify it to suit your needs or simply discard it completely. Do not let
your vision of how an anime role-playing game should work be
suppressed by anything you read in this book. These pages are filled withguidelines and suggestions, but they certainly do not reflect the One True
Way to role-playing success. Use what you like, discard what you do not,and fill in the blanks with your own ideas.

1. WATCH LOTS OF ANIME
You want to play an anime character in an anime setting using
anime role-playing rules — that should give you sufficient cause to renta couple of videos.

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ADVICE FOR THE
PLAYER
2. BE INNOVATIVE IN CHARACTER DESIGNBESM d20 was designed to be flexible, allowing you to create theanime character of your desire. Do not hesitate to develop Attributes orDefects not listed in these rules — talk with the GM about your ideas.
Playing an original character of your design is much more enjoyable thanlimiting yourself to someone else’s ideas.

3. ASSIGN YOUR CHARACTER A FEW DEFECTSYour purpose is not to create a “perfect” character, but a character
that is fun to play. Defects not only generate laughter during each session
but can also expand your role-playing options. Besides, you will find thatyou never have enough Character Points to satisfy your desire for
Attributes. Assign some Defects and you will get a few more Points.

139

OPTIONAL RULES
BESM d20 is arguably the most flexible d20 games available. The
following rules give GMs the chance to make it more flexible still, byoffering alternate ways to deal with specific situations and actions, special
rules modifications for certain types of campaign, and many otheroptions. Here you will find two separate sets of rules for mass combat —both of them quite simple and easy to use — as well as rules for chases,
rules to give your campaign its own particular flavour, and a number ofalternate combat rules. Each rule is intended to be truly optional — thatis, you can pick and choose any or none of these rules for your own games.
Several of these options given here can also work as occasional rules. For
example, the extra detail for combat provided by such things as hit
locations may be too involved and time-consuming for regular combat,
but could prove ideal for a one-on-one duel between two old enemies atthe climax of a campaign.

CHASES
Role-playing games regularly involve action and chases are acommon occurrence. The following rules provide a dynamic mechanic forhandling chases in a BESM d20 game.
During a chase, one mecha (or sometimes one character) — the“predator” — is assumed to be trying to catch the other — the “prey.”
The predator and prey may be flying, running, driving, swimming,or engaging in almost any other conceivable method of movement. For
conciseness, the wording of these rules assumes that both predator andprey are in mecha, though it can apply equally to characters on foot orriding mounts of some kind. These rules work just as well for chases onhorseback as they do for vehicle chases.

TERRAIN
The GM and players should have an idea of the terrain in which achase is taking place before getting started. Terrain establishes thegeneral conditions of a chase, as well as obstacles to be avoided.

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

OPEN TERRAIN
Open terrain is easy to traverse, with only slight changes inelevation and few imposing obstacles. Examples are: wide, flat plains;large, open areas with few obstructions; clear skies at high altitude; open
seas; racetracks; highways.
In open terrain, the speed of the chase begins at three-quarters ofthe maximum speed of the fastest mecha involved (rounded down). Openterrain chases in which one mecha’s maximum speed is less than threequarters that of its opponent are usually over before they start.
A mecha’s maximum speed is critical in open terrain, and themecha with the highest speed receives a +2 speed bonus to all Drive
checks. If only one mecha in the chase is considered to be in open terrain(either due to two or more types of terrain, Feats, or mixed movement
types) then that mecha automatically receives the +2 speed bonus.
By its very nature, open terrain contains few large, hard obstacles.
The GM should roll 1d10 each chase round which occurs in open terrain— a result of 1 indicates an obstacle of DC 12 (see Obstacles, page 144).
Even if a collision occurs in open terrain, mecha usually carry on
with little or no damage. Critical failures in open terrain are particularlybad, however, as the mecha involved are typically moving as fast as
possible.

CLOSE TERRAIN
Close terrain is generally narrow and filled with plenty of stuff to
run into, clip, and burst through. Typical examples include narrow alleys,
open areas with many obstructions, or air combat at low altitudes.

140

Due to the difficult conditions, the speed of a chase in close terrain
begins at one-half of the fastest mecha’s maximum speed (roundeddown). The GM should roll 1d6 each chase round which occurs in close
terrain — a result of 1 indicates an obstacle of DC 18 (see Obstacles,
page 144).

TIGHT TERRAIN
This is the most dangerous of all terrain, filled with sharp drops andlarge, dense obstacles. Typical examples include stairways, corridors, busy
highways, boulder-strewn areas, whitewater rapids, and aerial battles at
treetop levels.
In tight terrain, the speed of a chase begins at one-quarter of thefastest mecha’s maximum speed (rounded down). Such close quarters
favour highly responsive mecha, and so if both predator and prey are intight terrain, the mecha with the highest Manoeuvre value (or the mecha
suit whose pilot has the highest Dexterity) gains an additional +1 speed
modifier to all Drive checks.
Tight terrain is unstable, and mecha in these areas should be
prepared for anything. The GM should roll 1d4 each chase round that
occurs in tight terrain — a result of 1 indicates an obstacle of DC 24 (seeObstacles, page 144).

INITIALLEAD
The distance between mecha during a chase is called the “lead,” andis measured in lengths. In most cases, one length equals 10 feet. The GMshould adjust the size of the length depending on the conditions of thechase. For example, a chase between two aircraft might use lengths of
100 feet while a fight between two starfighters might be measured in
1,000-foot lengths.
At no time can the lead be less than zero or greater than 30. If any
effect reduces the lead to less than zero, the lead becomes zero. Similarly,
if any result increases the lead above 30, the lead becomes 30.
Chases can start in a number of ways, but most boil down to one oftwo categories: predator-initiated and prey-initiated. This determines
how much of a lead the prey has at the start of the chase. When the
predator begins a chase, the initial lead is equal to 2d6+3 lengths(usually 50 to 150 feet). When a chase begins with the prey fleeing, theinitial lead is 2d6+8 lengths (usually 100 to 200 feet). If there is no clear
initiator in a chase, both sides roll Initiative and the highest result is
considered to have started the chase.

CHASE
SPEED
Chase speed is measured in miles per hour and is determined byterrain at the start of the chase. Chase speed changes throughout the
pursuit according to the manoeuvres chosen by the mecha each round.
Whenever the chase speed exceeds the maximum speed of one of
the mecha at the end of a chase round, the mecha is dealt 1d6 damage.
This damage is not reduced by Armour or other effects, and is in addition
to all damage caused by manoeuvres, crash checks, and other effects.

CHASES:
STEP BY STEP
There are six steps to chases, which are explained in broad strokes
here and then in detail in the following sections. These six steps continue incycles until the chase ends — either with the capture or escape of the prey.

STEP 1: CHOOSE MANOEUVRES
Each mecha (or group of mecha) secretly chooses a manoeuvre fromthe list offered. Each manoeuvre has strengths and weaknesses, and isusually geared towards a specific goal.

STEP 2: DRIVE CHECKS
The mecha operators make opposed Drive checks (or otherappropriate checks for non-mecha; Ride, Tumble, Swim, or Climb, forexample). The winner’s manoeuvre succeeds.

STEP 3: RESOLVE MANOEUVRES AND ADJUST LEAD
The effects of the manoeuvre that succeeded are applied, and thenumber of lengths between the mecha is adjusted.

STEP 4: OBSTACLESThe GM rolls for obstacles.

STEP 5: OTHER ACTIONSAssuming the chase continues, each passenger of each mecha may
perform a full action or a move and a standard action. An operator may
perform either a move action or a standard action in addition to operating
the mecha, but receives a -4 penalty to the next mecha operation-related
check or roll (such as a Drive check or attack roll) if he or she does so.

STEP 6: DAMAGE AND COLLISIONS (IF ANY)STEPThe1:first CHOOSE
MANOEUVRES
step during each chase round is choosing manoeuvres.
There are two types of manoeuvre: predator and prey.
Due to the abstract nature of chases, the distance covered and thespecific locations of each mecha are left up to the imaginations of the GM
and players. What’s important is the distance between them at any given
time. The initial lead is determined as part of getting started, but should
be rechecked at the start of each round. Many manoeuvres may only bechosen by mecha with a certain minimum or maximum lead.
Ultimately, the goal of the predator is to decrease the lead enoughthat it can perform one of the finishing manoeuvres (see below) and catchthe prey, while the prey is trying to do a finishing manoeuvre that allows
it to escape. Chases continue until either the predator or prey successfully
performs a finishing manoeuvre, someone crashes, or one of the mecha isdisabled (see Step 6).

If warranted, mecha operators make Drive checks to see if theirmecha have collided with anything.

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

141

MANOEUVRE DESCRIPTIONS
The following elements go into the description of each manoeuvre.
The GM may modify or disallow certain manoeuvres depending on thespecific circumstances of the chase.
Lead: Minimum or maximum distance between predator and preyrequired to perform the manoeuvre.
Speed: Succeed or fail, both the predator’s and prey’s manoeuvres may
modify the current chase speed. If both predator and preychoose manoeuvres that alter the chase’s speed, only thehighest modifier (positive or negative) applies.
Success: The effects of the manoeuvre, when the mecha that chose it
wins that round’s opposed Drive check.
Special: Any additional information or conditions.

PREDATOR MANOEUVRES
Each round the predator should write its manoeuvre down on apiece of paper and keep it secret. Predator manoeuvres are geared towardslowing down or catching the prey.

BOX IN (FINISHING)
It takes skill to trap an opponent with minimal damage.
Lead: 5 lengths or less.
Success: The predator wins the chase, forcing the prey into a cornerfrom which there is nowhere to run.

CROWD (FINISHING)
Crowding is getting right up into the prey’s backside and forcing it
into a collision with the environment.
Lead: 2 lengths or less.
Success: The predator wins the chase by forcing the prey into an
obstacle. If the predator’s Drive check exceeds the prey’s by atleast five, the prey collides with an obstacle of the GM’s choice.
The prey is treated as though it failed a crash check (see Step
6). If the predator’s Drive check exceeded the prey’s by lessthan five, then the prey may still make a crash check to avoid
a damaging collision, though the chase is still over as thevehicle is forced to stop to avoid the collision. The predator,
regardless, stops safely.

CUT OFF (FINISHING)

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

Without warning, the predator speeds up and pulls out in front of
the prey, cutting him or her off. The predator’s mecha becomes a barrier
to stop the prey from escaping.
Lead: 0 lengths.
Speed: Chase speed is reduced by 25 mph this round.
Success: The predator wins the chase. If the prey fails its Drive check, it
collides with the predator; no crash check is required. Damage
is applied to both mecha, as per the Step 6 directions.

142

GUN ITGun It is the basic predator manoeuvre, in which the predator
attempts to catch up with the prey in a straightforward manner.
Lead: Any distance.
Speed: Increase the chase speed by 10 mph this round.
Success: The lead is reduced by a number of lengths equal to thedifference between Drive checks.

HERD
Forcing the prey to make bad choices can be as effective as chasing
him down. By keeping the pressure on and cutting off the prey’s options,the predator uses strategy and brute force to drive the prey into
dangerous situations.
Lead: 10 lengths or less.
Success: The lead is reduced by one length and the prey is required tomake a crash check, with a DC determined by the chase setting
and increased by the difference between the Drive checks. The
predator must also make a crash check this round (with noadditional penalty).
Special: By beating the prey’s Drive check by five or more, the predator
may choose to reduce both the predator and prey’s crash checkDCs by five to shift the terrain by one step at the end of theround (open or tight becomes close and vice versa).
Alternatively, the predator may ignore the crash check.

JOCKEY (VEHICLE ONLY)
By carefully matching the prey’s movements, the predator can force
the relative speeds of the two mecha down to almost zero, stabilising thechase so that others in the vehicle can attack.
Lead: 10 lengths or less.
Success: The lead is reduced by one length and the driver and all
passengers in the predator vehicle gain half the difference
between the manoeuvre checks (rounded down) as a bonus totheir attack rolls targeting the prey.

RAM (FINISHING)
Ram is straightforward: the predator speeds up and slams into theprey, forcing it off the road. It’s dirty, but often gets the job done a lot
faster than Crowd.
Lead: 5 lengths or less.
Success: The predator wins the chase, colliding with the prey. Bothmecha are treated as though they failed crash checks (see Step
6). They then come to a halt.

REDLINE
Redline is an advanced version of Gun It, during which the
predator suddenly accelerates to and remains at its top speed. This causes
incredible wear and tear on the mecha as its power plant literally burnsup (or an animal strains itself, etc.).
Lead: Any distance.
Speed: Increase the chase speed by 20 mph.
Success: The lead is reduced by a number of lengths equal to twice thedifference between the Drive checks. The predator is dealt 1d6
damage (a vehicle can ignore this damage if it currently has a
Booster activated; see page 167).

SHORTCUT
Shortcuts can be helpful in catching up with prey, especially in closequarters, where the prey cannot see what the predator is doing.
Unfortunately, this generally means that the predator has reduced its lineof sight as well, which can result in a nasty spill.
Lead: Any distance.
Speed: The chase speed is reduced by 15 mph.
Success: The lead is reduced by a number of lengths equal to twice thedifference between Drive checks. The predator must make acrash check during Step 6.

PREY MANOEUVRES
Each round the prey should write his or her manoeuvre down on apiece of paper and keep it secret. All prey manoeuvres are geared towards
escaping the predator.

BARNSTORM (FINISHING)“Barnstorming” is usually associated with planes, but any vehicle
may attempt it. A car can storm a shopping mall, or a boat can storm thewreckage of an oil tanker.
Lead: 25 lengths or more.
Success: The prey wins the chase, barrelling through a cluttered area,
throwing the predator if its trail in the chaos. The prey’s vehicle
is dealt 3d6 damage. Both predator and prey must make crashchecks during Step 6.

BOOTLEGGER STUNTThe prey brakes and turns hard to one side, suddenly changing
direction. This can suddenly increase the prey’s lead.
Lead: 10 lengths or less.
Speed: The chase speed is reduced by 15 mph.
Success: The lead is increased by twice the difference between Drive
checks, in lengths. The prey must make a crash check.

HAIRPIN TURN (FINISHING)
Hairpin Turn forces the predator down an erratic path as bothmecha speed around tight bends and whip around blind curves until one
falls out of the race. Hairpin turns tend to be longer and far sharper thanthose taken with Zig-Zag, resulting in a much greater chance of crashing.
Lead: 20 lengths or more.
Speed: The chase speed is reduced by 25 mph.
Success: The prey wins the chase, taking a turn the predator cannot
manage. Both the predator and prey must make crash checks
during Step 6.

LURE
In many ways, the prey controls the direction of the chase, and canlead the predator into all kinds of foolish situations.
Lead: Any distance.
Success: The lead is increased by one and the predator is required tomake a crash check with a DC determined by the chase setting
and increased by the difference between the Drive checks. The
prey is also required to make a crash check this round (base DCof the chase setting).
Special: By beating the predator’s Drive check by five or more, the prey
may choose to reduce both the predator and prey’s crash checkDCs by five to shift the terrain by one step at the end of theround (open or tight becomes close and vice versa).
Furthermore, if the prey beats the predator’s Drive check by 10
or more using this manoeuvre, he or she may reverse thevehicles’ positions, becoming the predator until the end of thecurrent round. The prey may attack the predator with forwardfiring weapons during Step 5.

PULL AHEAD
This is the basic prey manoeuvre, attempting to get as far ahead of
the pursuit as possible.
Lead: Any distance.
Speed: Increase the chase speed by 10 mph.
Success: The prey’s lead is increased by a number of lengths equal to thedifference between the Drive checks.

SET UP (MECHA ONLY)
Instead of running, the prey leads the predator on a merry chase,usually while exchanging fire.
Lead: 10 lengths or less.
Success: The lead is increased by one and the driver and all passengers
in the prey mecha gain half the difference between the Drive
checks (round down) as a bonus to all their attack rolls
targeting the predator.

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

143

STUNT (FINISHING)
Stunts are incredible feats of skill, such as leaping a car across arising toll bridge or ducking a giant robot between the blades of a hugeturbine. This sort of manoeuvre is usually just short of suicidal, and only
the most talented, foolhardy, or desperate try such a “perfect” escape.
Lead: 20 lengths or more.
Success: The prey wins the chase, performing a stunt the predator just
can’t manage. If the prey’s Drive check exceeds the predators by
at least five, the predator must make a crash check in Step 6.

VANISH (FINISHING)
In a display of driving virtuosity and pure velocity, the prey leaves
all pursuit behind, choking on dust.
Lead: 30 lengths.
Speed: Increase the chase speed by 20 mph.
Success: The prey wins the chase.

Remember that the lead cannot, at any time, be less than zero or over 30
lengths. If the winner chose a finishing manoeuvre, then the chase ends
after the remainder of this round’s steps are completed. If not, the chasewill continue with a new round following Step 6, unless the chase ends
because of obstacles, crash checks, or combat.

STEPTheFOUR:OBSTACLES
GM may wish to throw in some obstacles to add to the action.

Zig-Zag involves purposefully clipping neighbouring obstacles,
terrain and even other mecha in an attempt to direct them into thepredator’s path, slowing him or her down. Unfortunately, this increases
the chance that one of the prey’s “clips” may become a collision.
Lead: Any distance.
Success: The lead is increased by a number of lengths equal to twice thedifference between the Drive checks. The prey must make acrash check during Step 6.

These can range from an overturned petrol tanker and sections of heavyroad construction (ground chases) to overhead power cables or a firework
display (air chases) to a low bridge or coral reef (water chases) to a locked
door or concealed rabbit-hole (foot chases). An obstacle typically requires
either a Reflex save or Drive check against the obstacle’s DC. If the check
fails, the mecha operator must make a crash check during Step 6.
The prey makes his or her save or Drive check before the predator
does. The base DC for avoiding an obstacle is determined by the terrain,
but the GM may alter the DC by up to +/-2, depending on the size andcomplexity of the challenge.
Obstacles are intended as spice, not the focus of chases, and can beignored completely by the GM. If the predator and prey get stuck in a rut,
the GM should use obstacles to shake things up. If the mecha are keeping
things dynamic, the GM should reserve obstacles for a more effective time.
The frequency that obstacles crop up is based on the local terrain.

STEPThe2:
DRIVE CHECKS
mecha operators reveal their manoeuvres. Determine any

STEPWhether
FIVE:
OTHER ACTIONS
the chase has ended due to a finishing manoeuvre or not,changes to the chase speed this round as a result of manoeuvres. Eachmecha operator makes an opposed Drive check (or other appropriate Skill
check such as Ride or Swim; an opposed Dexterity check can be made if
on foot), applying the following additional modifiers:• The mecha’s Manoeuvre rating.
• Any speed bonuses gained from the terrain.
• Modifiers from Table A-1: Chase Manoeuvres.
• Modifiers from appropriate Feats.
• Modifiers due to one or other mecha being in a damaged Condition(see Step 6).
If one mecha operator succeeds, the effects of his or her
manoeuvre are applied during Step 3. If neither mecha succeeds or the
opposed roll results in a tie, the effects of neither manoeuvre are applied,
and the chase continues without any effect from the manoeuvre otherthan speed changes. If both mecha operators succeed, the effects of the
manoeuvre taken by the operator with the highest check result are
applied during Step 3.

all passengers are allowed one full action or a standard action and a moveaction. Any mecha operator may take one standard action or move action
at the cost of a -4 penalty to his or her next Drive check. In most ways,
combat during a chase follows the basic combat rules presented in
Chapter 12, with a few significant differences.

ZIG-ZAGCHASE MANOEUVRE MODIFIERS
APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULESSTEPTheTHREE:RESOLUTION
effects of the winner’s manoeuvre are applied to the chase.

Find the predator manoeuvre across the top of Table A-1 and theprey manoeuvre along the side. Cross reference to find the modifier foreach mecha this round. The number before the slash is applied to thepredator’s Drive check, while the number after the slash is applied to theprey’s Drive check.

ACTIONS DURING CHASES
During chases, creatures act in Initiative order as usual, but manyactions are restricted or illogical.
Initiative: Initiative works normally during chases.
Attack: A passenger in a moving mecha has a -4 penalty to his or
her attack rolls. The operator of a mecha has a -8 penalty to his or her
attack rolls. Furthermore, the operator and all passengers take an
additional -2 penalty for every full 50 mph their mecha is travelling.
Melee attacks can only be made if the prey’s lead is 0 and/or or theattacker is in or on the same vehicle as his or her target.
Movement: Movement actions may be taken, but a Balance checkis needed in most cases. A Jump check is required to leap between two
moving mecha. Finally, if a character falls from a moving vehicle, he or
she suffers 1d6 damage per 10 mph of the vehicle’s movement, but may
make a Jump or Tumble check (DC 20, +2 for every full 25 mph thevehicle was travelling when the crash occurred) to halve the damage andconvert it to stun damage.
Other: Other actions may or may not be possible, at the GM’s
discretion. In general, only Skills and Feats that don’t require movement
remain unaffected.

TABLE A-1: CHASE MANOEUVRE MODIFIERS

144

Hairpin Turn
Lure
Pull Ahead
Set UpStunt
V anish
Zig-Zag

Box In
+0/-4
-6/+0
-2/+0
-2/+0

Crow d
-4/+0
+0/-4
-4/+0
+0/-6

Cut Off
+0/-4
-2/+0
+0/-4
-2/+0

Gun It
+0/-4
-2/+0
+0/-4
-2/+0
+0/-4
-6/+0

Herd
-2/+0
-6/+0
+0/-2
+0/-6

Jockey
-2/+0
-2/+0
+0/-2

Ram
+0/-2
-2/+0
+0/-4
-4/+0

Redline
-2/+0
+0/-2
+0/-4
-4/+0
+0/-6
-2/+0

Shortcut
+0/-4
+0/-6
+0/-4
-4/+0
+0/-2
-4/+0
-

STEPTheSIX:
DAMAGE AND CRASHES
last step in every chase round is to apply damage (if any) toeach mecha, and see if they have collided with the environment (or eachother).

CONDITION SUMMARIES
There are four possible conditions that participants in a chase canbe in.
Mecha Okay: The mecha is only lightly damaged, still having overhalf of its original Hit Points. There are no modifiers to the Drive check(or other appropriate Skill check such as Ride or Swim; a Dexterity checkcan be made if on foot).
Mecha Crippled: A mecha which has been reduced to less than halfof its original Hit Points is crippled. Its Manoeuvre (or Dexterity
modifier) is reduced by 5. The character must make an immediate crashcheck, with the DC increased by +5.
Mecha Disabled: A mecha or creature that has been reduced tozero Hit Points either stalls and comes to a halt, or topples over (if awalking rather than wheeled mecha). The driver must make an
immediate crash check, with the DC increased by +10.
Mecha Destroyed: A mecha which has been reduced to a negative
number equal to its maximum Hit Points has been completely destroyed.
It rolls, skids, plummets, or stumbles to a halt, then falls to pieces,completely useless for any purpose (although it may now count as one ormore Obstacles at the GM’s discretion). Occupants of the mecha when it
is destroyed are damaged as though they had jumped out of the vehicle (seepage 122) at the speed it was moving before it crashed; a successful Jump
or Tumble check in this case means they jump free. Bear in mind that a
Volatile mecha (see page 176) will explode shortly after being destroyed.

figures by 5. For faster-moving mecha chases, up to and including
spacecraft, increase all mph figures by a factor of 2 or more. The
suggested amounts are x2 for chases taking place at around 200-400
mph, x5 for chases taking place at between 400 and 1,000 mph, and x10
for chases taking place at over 1,000 mph.
Dramatic space flight should convert mph figures to percentage oflight speed for chases, so a manoeuvre that would usually increase speedby 10 mph increases it by 10% of the speed of light (or 0.1 C) instead.
Realistic or solar sail space flight games rarely use the chase rules, since theacceleration of the vehicles will likely be far too low in comparison to the
distances between predator and prey — whichever vehicle starts toaccelerate before the other will almost always win any “chase.” FTL games
may convert the chase rules as appropriate to the typical speeds available.

DAMAGE SAVESFor some campaigns, you may wish to get rid of Hit Points entirely,
replacing them with the Damage Save mechanic. This tends to makeplayers more cautious about combat, since they know that one attack
might be enough to take them out of the fight, even at high Levels.
Adding a Damage Save to your BESM d20 games does require alittle conversion of some Attributes and other game statistics, but almost
all Attributes remain viable, one way or another.

DAMAGEBONUS
When your character hits with an attack, he or she potentially deals

Crash checks should be made in three instances:• when the mecha operator fails a Drive check to avoid an obstacle.
• when a successful manoeuvre calls for one.
• when the mecha is dealt 30 or more damage in one attack, after taking
into account its armour.
A crash check is a Drive check (or other appropriate Skill checksuch as Ride or Swim), but a mecha operator makes only one such checkeach round. The base DC for a crash check is based on the terrain for thechase. If a mecha operator is required to make multiple crash checks in around, he or she instead makes a single check, adding 5 to the DC foreach additional crash check called for during the round.

damage. Each attack has a Damage Bonus.
For melee attacks, the Damage Bonus is equal to the character’sStrength bonus. Ranged attacks use the attacker’s Strength bonus if theweapon is Muscle-Powered; non-Muscle-Powered ranged attacks do not
usually have a Damage Bonus, but some heavier weapons do, according
to Table A-3.
Convert Special Attack damage as follows: the first 1d8 damage
confers no Damage Bonus (in effect, it merely allows the attack topotentially deal damage at all); each additional +1d8 damage beyond
the first is converted to a +4 Damage Bonus instead.
Any applicable modifier from Massive Damage is also applied as a
Damage Bonus.
Certain attacks do stun damage only, as usual. The most common
stun attack is the unarmed attack most characters will have, but somespecial attacks are also stun damage only.

TABLE A-2: CRASH CHECKSTABLE A-3: HEAVY WEAPON DAMAGE BONUSESCRASH CHECKS

DC
10
15
20
+2
+5

Whenever a mecha operator fails a crash check, his or her mecha
collides with the environment (or the other mecha, if the successful
manoeuvre calls for it). Damage to each vehicle (and occupant) equals
1d6 for every 10 mph of vehicle speed, +1 point for every point by which
the mecha operator failed his or her crash check (crashes at high speeds
are often instantly fatal).
Each occupant of the mecha can make a Jump or Tumble check(DC equal to the DC of the failed crash check) to jump free of the mecha,
reducing the damage by half and converting it to stun damage.

CONVERSIONS FOR HIGHER OR LOWER SPEEDSThe chase rules reflect a typical mecha or modern vehicle game,where chases typically occur at around 80 to 120 mph. For a chaseinvolving solely characters on foot, who do not have the Speed Attribute,
when a manoeuvre calls for speed to change, divide all mile-per-hour+4 Damage Bonus+8 Damage Bonus+12 Damage Bonus+20 Damage Bonus

Heavy Assault Rifle, Sniper Rifle, Shotgun, Heavy
Shotgun, Heavy Mini-Gun, or Machine Gun
Concussion Grenade, Tear Gas Grenade
66mm LAW
Ordnance (Any)

DAMAGESAVES
A target hit with a damaging attack must make a Damage Saving
Throw (or Damage Save). A character’s Damage Save bonus is calculated
as follows:
Damage Save Bonus = Constitution Bonus + Armour Value +Damn Healthy! Ranks
The DC of a Damage Save is equal to (15 + attack’s Damage
Bonus).
The target rolls his or her Damage Save against the Damage Save
DC. The result of the Damage Save determines what sort of damage thetarget takes. If the Damage Save succeeds, the target suffers no damage.
If it fails, the target suffers a hit. If it fails by more than 5, the target isalso stunned. If it fails by more than 10, the target is unconscious (for astun attack) or disabled (for a lethal attack).

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

CircumstanceOpen Terrain
Close Terrain
Tight Terrain
Every full 25 mph of speed
Each check required in a round beyond the first145TABLE A-4: DAMAGE SAVE RESULTS
Saving Throw...
Succeeds
Fails
Fails by more than 5
Fails by more than 10

Stun Attack
No Effect
Bruised (Hit)
StunnedUnconscious

Lethal Attack
No Effect
Injured (Hit)
StunnedDisabled

IMPOSSIBLE DAMAGE SAVES
When a character could not possibly succeed at a Damage Save,
even by rolling a 20, the Damage Save is still made to determine theseverity of the damage. A natural roll of 20 on the Damage Save,
however, means the character only takes a hit (Bruised or Injured),
regardless of the DC.

PULLING YOUR PUNCH
An attacker can select a maximum effect for a particular attack
before the Damage Save is made. Even if the save result indicates a more
severe effect, only the maximum effect selected by the attacker is applied.
An attacker using a Special Attack with the Maximum Force defectlinked to it may not select a maximum effect.

DAMAGING MOOKSAny character who is much weaker than the attacker (at least five
Levels lower than the attacker’s Level) is a mook and does not suffer a hit,
stun, or disabled result. Any time a mook fails a Damage Save, he or she
is automatically Unconscious (for a stun attack) or dead (for a lethal
attack), unless the attacker used the Pulling Your Punch rule (above).
Furthermore, mooks do not benefit from the Impossible Damage
Saves rule, above.

CRITICAL HITS
Any critical hit does not double damage as usual but instead grants
a +5 Damage Bonus.

SNEAK ATTACKS
Sneak Attacks are still used with Damage Saves, but instead ofincreasing the damage dealt, a Sneak Attack increases the DC of theDamage Save by +3 for every Sneak Attack Feat the attacker has.

DAMAGEAND INJURY
Combat usually results in some damage or injury to one or bothparties. A character who fails a Damage Save has been injured.

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULESDAMAGE CONDITIONS

146

One or more of the following Damage Conditions can apply to adamaged character.
Bruised (Stun Hit): A stun hit means the character has beendamaged and bruised. Every stun hit a character has imposes acumulative -1 modifier on the character’s Damage Saves against further
stun damage. So the more stun hits your character has, the more difficult
it becomes to resist stun damage and the more likely the character is tobe seriously affected by it (stunned or knocked out). Stun hits do notaffect Damage Saves against lethal damage.
Injured (Lethal Hit): A lethal hit means the character has sufferedsome minor injury. Every lethal hit imposes a cumulative -1 modifier tothe characters Damage Saves against all forms of damage — both stunand lethal — since it represents a more serious weakening of thecharacter’s resistance. This penalty is cumulative with the penalty forstun hits with regard to stun damage. Thus a character with 3 stun hits
and 4 lethal hits has a -7 penalty to Damage Saves against stun damage
and a -4 penalty to Damage Saves against lethal damage.
Stunned: A stunned result on the Damage Save causes the target
to take 1 hit and become stunned for one round. The character cannot
take any actions (including free actions), loses any bonus to Armour Class
from Dexterity or Defence Combat Mastery, and may not make Defence
Rolls. Attackers gain a +2 bonus to hit stunned characters.

Unconscious: An unconscious character suffers 1 hit and is knocked
out and helpless. Further stun attacks against the character are treated aslethal attacks.
Disabled: A disabled character is conscious and able to act, but
terribly injured. He or she may take only a standard or a move action
each round. If that action involves any strenuous activity (including
running, combat, or the use of special Attributes such as magic), his or
her condition changes to Dying after the action is complete.
Dying: The character is unconscious and near death. The player
must make a Fortitude save with a DC of 10. If the save fails, thecharacter dies. If the save succeeds, the character remains unconsciousand dying. A dying character must make a Fortitude save every hour (DC
10 +1 per hour of unconsciousness). A failed save means the character
dies. A successful save keeps the character alive, unconscious, and dying
for another hour. If the save succeeds by 10 or more, or the roll is anatural 20, the character stabilises and becomes unconscious anddisabled. A character with the Medical Skill may attempt to stabilise adying character with a DC 15 Skill check.

RECOVERY
A character can potentially recover from any injury, given sufficient
time and/or medical attention. All recovery rates are doubled if the
injured party is cared for by a character with Medical Skill.
Hits: Stun hits recover at a rate of (1 + Ranks of Damn Healthy!)
for every hour that passes, even if the character is performing otheractivity at the time. Lethal hits recover at (1 + Ranks of Damn Healthy!)
for every full 24 hours spent doing nothing but resting. A character who
is Disabled or Dying does not recover from stun or lethal hits until he or
she is no longer Disabled or Dying.
Unconsciousness: After one minute (ten rounds) ofunconsciousness, a character may make a Constitution check (DC 10) torouse him or herself. If the save fails, he or she may make anotherConstitution check to regain consciousness each minute, with acumulative +1 bonus per attempt.
Disabled: Disabled characters take some time to recover. After one
day, the character may make a Constitution check (DC 20) to change hisor her condition to Injured. If failed, each additional day that passes
allows the character to make another Constitution check to change his or
her condition to Injured, with a cumulative +1 bonus per attempt.

FATE POINTSFor certain types of campaign, the GM may allow characters tohave Fate Points. These are best suited to highly heroic, almost superheroic games, where all the characters are larger than life and capable ofoccasionally achieving truly incredible things, even above and beyond
their “usual” magical or extraordinary powers.
Fate Points are a narrative device enabling the players to have aminor input on the game, other than describing their own actions andthrowing the dice. With Fate Points, you, the player, can alter the gameworld in some minor way so as to benefit your character.
In some respects, Fate Points cover similar ground to the Divine
Relationship Attribute, though there are several major differences. The
GM may wish to disallow Divine Relationship in a game which also uses
Fate Points, or restrict Divine Relationship to a maximum number ofranks. This is not essential, but some GMs may prefer it.
At character creation, you have 3 Fate Points (FPs).
These Fate Points are extremely precious, since they can save yourcharacter’s life. This is done by causing him or her to be “left for dead”
rather than killed outright.
They have four other uses as well — but saving the character’s life
is definitely the most crucial one, so it is recommended that you always
keep one or two FPs reserved for that purpose. Of course, the angle might
be perfect for a Mighty Blow (see below) instead, even if that leaves you
desperately short of FPs.

USINGFATE POINTS
There are five standard uses for Fate Points: Left For Dead, Mighty
Blow, Pushing It, Raw Power, and Destiny. Your GM may allow otheruses — check with him or her before play. As with all other aspects of thegame, the GM is always the final arbiter of whether or not a particularuse of FPs is permitted, although the Left For Dead use should almost
always be allowed if the character has an FP to spend on it.

LEFT FOR DEAD
When a character is reduced to the negative total of his or her Hit
Points, by any means, he or she may spend 1 FP to avoid being killed
outright. The character is instead “left for dead.”A character who is left for dead appears dead to a casual
examination, though he or she still has a chance of recovering,particularly if quickly attended by a character with the Medical Skill or
any kind of healing spell or potion. If at least 1 point of damage is healed
within one hour of being left for dead, he or she is considered to be stable
and at -1 Hit Points. If the character is not healed, he or she must makea Fortitude save (DC 20) after one hour. If successful, he or she stabilises
and is at -1 Hit Points. If the save fails, he or she is finally and irrevocably
dead — whether or not the character has any FPs left.

MIGHTY BLOW
Rather than rolling the damage dice on any successful hit ordamaging attack, you can elect to declare a Mighty Blow, at the cost of 1
FP. A Mighty Blow always deals the maximum possible damage. This
includes any bonus damage, such as that rolled for sneak attacks. Any melee
weapon acquired through purchases or gaming always shatters irreparably
when used to deliver a Mighty Blow. A melee weapon gained through ranks
in Personal Gear has a 50% chance of snapping in two, but if it does, it willusually be possible to use the broken blade as an improvised weapon — itwill not be completely destroyed. A melee weapon which is an Item ofPower will never break, even on a Mighty Blow.

PUSHING IT
At a cost of 1 Fate Point, you may double your ranks in any one
Attribute, for a duration of one round only. The Attribute chosen must
be one which could reasonably be increased through sheer effort of willand determination. Almost all Attributes are fine for this, but those that
rely on external objects, such as Own A Big Mecha, Item of Power, or
most types of Armour, will usually be vetoed by the GM.

RAW POWER
Sometimes you just need power. By spending 1 Fate Point, you canregain 1d6 Energy Points, plus one Energy Point per character Level.

DESTINY

FATE POINTS AND DAMAGE SAVES
Fate Points can make a useful addition to games that use Damage
Saves. If the GM agrees, 1 FP can be used to reduce the severity of a
Damage Save result by one level: for example, a Disabled result would
become Stunned. This can provide something of a middle groundbetween Damage Save and Hit Point systems, in that the characters are
no longer in danger of being felled by a single blow, at least until they
run out of Fate Points.
In a Damage Saves game, a Mighty Blow does not deal maximum
possible damage but simply adds a +5 Damage Bonus.

GAINING
MORE FATE POINTSWhen you spend a Fate Point, it is gone forever. It does not recoverwith time, and nor do you automatically gain new FPs as you become
higher Level.
Each time your character accomplishes a major goal, either
personally or as part of an adventuring party, he or she gains from 1 to 2
FPs, always at the discretion of the GM. Usually this will occur only at
the successful conclusion of an adventure. An entirely unsuccessful
adventure will tend to mean you do not gain any FPs as a result.
There is no relation between Fate Points and Character Points. You
may not spend the FPs to gain extra CPs, or vice versa.

SCHOOL CAMPAIGNS
A classic anime concept is that all the lead characters areschoolchildren. Something similar can be done with a more traditional
fantasy campaign — perhaps all the characters are farm kids, or orphanstaken in by a temple, or brothers and sisters out together to seek theirfortunes. In an all-children campaign, it is suggested that the following
rules be used to allow characters to be the type of children or high-school
students who, though vulnerable in some respects, are still capable oftaking on and defeating dangerous and fantastic opponents. Note thatthese rules are likely to unbalance a game that includes both children andadult characters, and so should not be used in such a case.
Child characters are generated exactly as for adults, except asfollows:• Subtract 2 from the character’s Strength.
• Children are always one Size Category smaller than the standard fortheir race. In a school campaign, however, there are no ability
modifiers for being smaller than usual, and so there is no CP bonus forthe character’s small size. The bonuses to attacks and Armour Class
apply as usual.
• Character classes are limited to Magical Girl, Pet Monster Trainer,
Sentai Member, Shapechanger, and Student, unless the Games Master
grants special permission for another character class to be selected.
• All children gain an Origin bonus chosen from the following list, justto give them a little extra help in the harsh world of adults.

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

You can at any time spend one or more Fate Points, with theagreement of the GM, to alter the world in some minor way. Essentially,
this allows you the player to have some input into the story, over and above
the actions of your character. This change must be one that is plausible,
minor, and not overwhelmingly beneficial to the player characters. It may
assist them to accomplish their goals, but they must still achieve thosegoals by their own efforts, not simply by spending Fate Points!
For example, a character captured and imprisoned by an archenemy might spend a Fate Point to have a chance at escape — a comradeor sympathiser smuggling in a dagger, or a drunken guard falling asleep
nearby, or the discovery of a loose chunk of granite with which to smash
open chains. It does not allow for escape to be handed to him or her on aplate by a sorcerer magically putting all the guards to sleep and bursting
the door open.
Another option for this use of a fate point is to alter your own
character in some minor way, by revealing a new facet to his or her past.
This might include knowing a language that he or she did not know
before, which is useful in his current situation — or having a contact in
the area based on previous dealings in the region.

One good use of Destiny is when the players are at a dead end inan adventure — perhaps they have missed some crucial clue, or failed to
puzzle out where to go next. A single FP in this case is usually enoughfor the GM to offer some kind of in-game hint. Preferably, this will not
be so blatant as to have a friendly non-player character tell them theanswer outright. Other methods of giving out background information
should be used, perhaps taking a hint from comics or movies. For
example, a dream or vision could reveal the past history of creatures andplaces crucial to the plot; or an ancient scroll could be uncovered that,with a Decipher Script check and a bit of logic, could provide a hint as
to where to look next.
The GM will be more likely to accept proposed uses of Destiny
which could plausibly relate to a character’s own future destiny, as
reflected by his or her declared goals.

147

FARM
KID
You grew up on a farm, and have all the benefits of an upbringing
dedicated to hard work in the great outdoors. Years of eating good farmcooking and rescuing lost sheep from crevasses by main force have given
you steely thews and rosy cheeks.
Bonus: Damn Healthy! Rank 1.

MYSTERY
KID
You are orphaned or adopted, but with no idea of your true heritage
other than hints that you are marked out for some kind of special destiny
later in life. Perhaps you are the product of a weird alien experiment andyour true parents will some day return to claim you, or you may be thelast surviving full-blooded descendant of an ancient demon-slaying
lineage. Your destiny affords you a certain degree of protection from thebumps and setbacks of everyday life.
Bonus: Divine Relationship Rank 2.

POPULAR
KID
Even in pre-school, you were the bossy one: maybe it was funny atthe time, but you had just enough natural charm to pull it off. These days
the other kids are at your beck and call, except for those whom you
choose to exclude from your elevated social circle. You wield yourpopularity like a sword. You can easily make your friends feel almost as
cool as you, or your enemies feel like the pariahs they so clearly are.
Bonus: Flunkies (Non-combatant) Rank 2.

RICHAlthough
KIDyou personally may not have a great deal of cash, yourparents sure do. Over the years they have given you whatever you asked
for — whether a shiny new leather jacket and bass guitar, a high-techcomputer, or top-of-the-line sports equipment.
Bonus: Personal Gear Rank 1.

STREET
KID
Your family never had a lot of money or status, and you learned theharsh lessons of the city streets. Perhaps the most valuable lesson was thatthe best form of defence is attack, a theory you have taken to heart inyour day-to-day life.
Bonus: Brawl Feat.

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

HIT LOCATIONS
For those who want an extra bit of flavour or realism to their game,the following system allows for attacks to hit a particular part of the body.
Since none of the standard weapons in BESM d20 use a d12 for damage,a d12 is used for determining hit location, allowing it to be rolled
simultaneously with the attack and damage rolls to save time if desired.
Depending on the part of the body hit, there may be additional
effects.

TABLE A-5: HIT LOCATIONS
1d12 Roll
1-2
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-11
12

148

Location Struck
Left Leg
Right Leg
Left Arm
Right Arm
Torso
Head

Leg:

-1 Damage (minimum 1 point). The target must make a
Fortitude save (DC 5 + half damage dealt) or fall prone.
Arm:-1 Damage (minimum 1 point). The target must make a
Fortitude save (DC 5 + half damage dealt) or drop whatever heor she is holding in that hand. An item specifically listed as
being strapped to the arm or wrist (such as many shields) will
not be dropped.
Torso: Resolve the attack as normal.
Head: The target must make a Fortitude save (DC 5 + half damage
dealt) or be Incapacitated for one round. After one round, he or
she may act normally again.
An attacker may choose to make a Called Shot (see page 116)
against a specific hit location. This is made at a -4 penalty for a Called
Shot against the torso, -6 penalty for a Called Shot against any limb, or-8 penalty for a Called Shot against the head.

NARRATIVE BATTLES
For battles in which the characters are involved merely as part of aunit or even as an independent group thrust accidentally into the midstof combat, the Big Combats, Small Counters system (page 153) is
probably inappropriate. It is preferable to simply calculate the likely
outcome of the battle and determine what occurs to the characterscaught up within it, rather than worry about the fate of individual
counters and units.
As for any other adventure, the GM will need to create certain
statistics in advance of running a narrative battle. Typical members andleaders for each troop type of the opposing army must be fully detailed,as must both sides’ generals. Furthermore, the Army Strength (AS) andArmy Quality (AQ) of each side must be calculated. AS and AQ will alter(usually by being reduced) as the battle rages, but these changes are easy
to keep track of.
The narrative battle system is intended for use predominantly incampaigns where hand-to-hand combat is more decisive than ranged
combat. This can include the typical fantasy setting, where the longbow
may cause many casualties but where the final result of the fight is almost
always blade against blade; but it can also include many other anime
campaign types, including futuristic settings that postulate superpowerful high-tech melee weapons, effective countermeasures against
ranged weapons, or both.
The philosophy behind narrative battles is that there is no realneed to know that Unit A just charged Unit X in the right wing of
the battle if the characters are all in the left wing. What matters is theway the battle is going overall, and what the characters encounter
directly opposing them on the enemy side. Simplifying the gamemechanics of the battle in this way allows the GM to concentrate on
description and action.

ARMY
STRENGTH
Add up the simple numerical strength of each army. Cavalry andpiloted mecha count double, so an army composed of 1200 infantry (AS1200) and 400 cavalry (AS 800) has an Army Strength of 2,000.

ARMY
QUALITY
Take the average Level or Hit Dice of the troops making up thearmy, multiply by 2, and round the result up or down to the nearest
whole number. This is the Army Quality. When two armies meet inbattle, each adds its AQ as a bonus to all Battle Checks.
Any mecha who make up part of the army are added to their pilot’s
Hit Dice or Level as follows: +1 per rank of Own A Big Mecha. Thus anelite unit of mecha, with 5th Level Mecha Pilots each with Own A Big
Mecha Rank 2, count as 7th Level characters for purposes of determining
Army Quality.

Mounts also add one-half their Hit Dice to their rider’s Levels forpurposes of determining Army Quality, but only if the mounts are heavy
war-horses or other creatures specifically bred and trained for battle. A
group of cavalry mounted on ordinary light horses does not add one-halfthe HD of its mounts for purposes of determining AQ, but still counts
double for Army Strength.
Example: An army is comprised of 2,000 1st Level Samurai as infantry(AS 2,000), 500 2nd Level Samurai as cavalry mounted on 4 HD war-horses(AS 1,000), 1,000 nomad raiders treated as 1st Level Adventurers on lighthorses (AS 2,000), and 100 5th Level Mecha Pilots with Own A Big Mecha
Rank 2 (AS 200).
The army would have an Army Strength of 5200.
It would have 2,000 + [ 1,000 + 1,000 for battle-capable mounts] +[ 1,000 + zero for non-battle-capable mounts] + [ 500 + 200 for rank 2
OBM] = 57 00 total Hit Dice; 57 00/ 3 600 troops = 1.58 average Hit Dice;
1.58 x 2 = 3 .16, rounded down to an Army Q uality of 3 .

OUTNUMBER
BONUS
If one side has a higher Army Strength than the other, the generalof the side with the higher Army Strength gains an Outnumber Bonus toall Battle Checks (see below). The Outnumber Bonus is dependent on
how much larger his or her army is than that of the opponent.

TABLE A-6: OUTNUMBER BONUS
Situation
AS higher than opponent’s, but not twice as highAS between two and three times higher than opponent’s
AS between three and four times higher than opponent’s
AS between four and five times higher than opponent’s
AS greater than five times higher than opponent’s

Outnumber
Bonus
+1
+2
+3
+4
+5

BATTLECHECKS
The general in overall command of the battle makes a Battle
Check for every hour of the battle. Note that this assumes a half-hour’sworth of manoeuvring, skirmishing, and a certain degree of outrightmayhem, but does not assume that every single soldier is directly
involved in melee throughout the half-hour. Many battles may take all
day long, particularly if both are large and the generals are closely
matched in ability.
A Battle Check is made as a Knowledge (Military Science) check,but with the following bonuses:

TABLE A-7: BATTLE CHECK MODIFIERS••••

ENCOUNTERS AND ACTIONSDURINGNARRATIVE BATTLES
Assuming that characters are attached to a unit on the battlefield,
they roll on the Encounter Table once during every half-hour of battle.
The result gives the number and type of foes they must face, and theduration of that particular combat within the battle. A combat may end
earlier, if the characters are able to defeat or rout their foes.
Just as no battle has every unit in constant conflict, so thecharacters’ unit will not always fight during every half-hour period —there will be times when they are kept in reserve, or are able to withdraw
and get healed up, as well as times when they spend a full half-hourmanoeuvring into position. Note that battles are dangerous situations
even when one is not in the thick of it; it is likely that there will be minor
skirmishes, injured enemies to slay, and periods of relatively ineffective,
long-range missile fire during the battle. The GM is at liberty to throwin such additional, minor “encounters” at will for the purpose ofenhancing the atmosphere of the game.

USING THE ENCOUNTER TABLE
Table A-9: Encounter Table is used as follows. Roll 1d20, and add
the difference between the two generals’ Battle Checks (if the characters’
general won the check this round), or subtract the difference (if the
opposing general won the check this round); also subtract the characters’
average class Level, rounded down.

TABLE A-8: BATTLE CHECK RESULTS
Opposed Battle Check
Tied
Won by 1 to 4
Won by 5 to 9
Won by 10 to 14
Won by 15 to 19
Won by 20 or higher

Result for Winner
Lose 1d4 x 100 from Army Strength
Lose 4d6 x 10 from Army Strength,+1 circumstance modifier to next Battle Check
Lose 3d6 x 10 from Army Strength,+2 circumstance modifier to next Battle Check
Lose 2d6 x 10 from Army Strength,+3 circumstance modifier to next Battle Check
Lose 1d6 x 10 from Army Strength,+4 circumstance modifier to next Battle Check
No losses,+5 circumstance modifier to next Battle Check

Result for Loser
Lose 1d4 x 100 from Army Strength
Lose 1d6 x 100 from Army Strength,-1 from Army Quality
Lose 2d6 x 100 from Army Strength,-1 from Army Quality
Lose 3d6 x 100 from Army Strength,-2 from Army Quality
Lose 5d6 x 100 from Army Strength,-2 from Army Quality
Lose 8d6 x 100 from Army Strength,-3 from Army Quality

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES+1 per Rank in Aura of Command+ Army Quality+ Outnumber Bonus+2 synergy bonus if the general also has five or more ranks of Knowledge(Area) for the area in which the battle takes place• + Player Success Bonus (if any; see Encounters, page 149)
• + circumstance modifiers

Note: This system is intended predominantly to run battles witharound Army Strengths of 1,000 to 10,000, but it can be easily adapted
for more major or minor combats. The GM should modify the Battle
Check Results for larger or smaller battle as follows. For battles withfewer than 1,000 participants, divide all the Army Strength losses by 10.
For battles with between 10,000 and 100,000 participants, multiply all
Army Strength losses by 10. For battles with over 100,000 participants,
multiply all Army Strength losses by 100. Losses to Army Quality arealways unaffected by the size of the battle. If desired, the GM may
increase or decrease the time period for each turn, from its base of 30
minutes to as much as one hour or as little as 10 minutes, since smallscale battles are likely to be over more quickly.
An army whose AQ is reduced to 0 or below flees the battlefield
immediately as best it can. It can be seen that in most cases a losing army
will flee long before it sustains very heavy casualties, unless it starts out
as an elite army or is very unlucky very quickly. An army defeated in thisway cannot usually be quickly re-formed, however — a king or general
will need to recruit it again from scratch, since most of the troops will
have fled for home or run to the hills.
A high-quality army can often defeat a far larger army of lower
quality, simply by determinedly “soldiering on” when their opponents areready to break and flee. Even the best troops will lose courage and flee
eventually if the battle is going disastrously for them, however, and even
before they flee they will be far more fatigued and downhearted than thewinners.

149

TABLE A-9: ENCOUNTER TABLE
Modified
d20 Roll-31 or below

Opponents
1d3 Leaders+ 2d6 Special

CombatDuration
Until all enemies
defeated

Player SuccessBonus+4 if allopponents defeatedExperience Points
GainedStandard

-30

None

-

-

150 xp-21 to -29

1 Leader+ 1d10 Special

Until all enemies
defeated+3 if allopponents defeatedStandard

-20

None

-

-

100 xp-11 to -19

1 Leader+ 1d10 StandardNone

2d6+6 rounds+2 if all opponents
defeated or routed-

Standard

3d6 rounds-+1 if all opponents
defeated or routed-

Standard

0

1d2-1 Leaders+ 1d6 StandardNone

1 to 91d4 Standard

2d6 rounds-

Standard

10

None

-

-

25 xp

11 to 19

1d2 Standard+1d2 PoorNone

2d4 rounds-

Standard

-

-

25 xp

1d6 rounds-

Standard30

1d2-1 Standard+1d2 Poor
None

-

-

25 xp

31+

1d2 Poor

1d4 rounds-

Standard-10-1 to -920

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

21 to 29150-

Furthermore, if desired, the characters can agree to be gloryhunters; they may subtract a further -1 to -10 from the d20 roll. This
represents them leading a charge or counter-attack, or simply headingstraight for the biggest, meanest-looking enemies they can find.
In each case, the number of opponents indicated is that faced byeach individual character; however, it is assumed that they are able toremain together and support each other, unless otherwise indicated.

50 xp

25 xp

Notes
Characters are separated by the crush of battle;
if desired, a character may take a full-round action to do
nothing other than shove through the fighting throng toanother specific character. Enemies will not rout. Roll 1d6;
on a roll of 1-3, roll again on the Encounter Table with thesame modifiers as before, and apply both results as
separate fights during this half-hour.
Characters subjected to heavy missile fire; each must
make a Reflex save (DC 25) or be dealt 6d8 damage. A
successful Reflex save halves the damage. Armour
protects as usual. Roll 1d6; on a roll of 1-2, roll again on
the Encounter Table with the same modifiers as before,
and apply both results as separate fights during this halfhour.
Enemies rout only if their casualties reach 75%.
Roll 1d6; on a roll of 1, roll again on the Encounter Table
with the same modifiers as before, and apply both results
as separate fights during this half-hour.
Characters subjected to missile fire; each must make a
Reflex save (DC 20) or be dealt 4d8 damage. A
successful Reflex save halves the damage. Armour
protects as usual.
Enemies rout if their casualties reach 60%
Characters subjected to light missile fire; each must makea Reflex save (DC 15) or be dealt 2d8 damage. A
successful Reflex save halves the damage. Armour
protects as usual.
Enemies rout if their casualties reach 45%
Manoeuvre and counter-manoeuvre; characters achieve
nothing and risk nothing.
Enemies rout if their casualties reach 30%
Lull in the fighting; characters have 30 minutes to reload,change weapons, adjust armour, etc.
Enemies rout if their casualties reach 15%
Characters attended by healers; each has one characterwith Medical Skill make a check to administer medical
attention.
Enemies rout as soon as they sustain a casualty.
Booty: The GM should create a non-magical treasureaccording to the situation, the characters’ Level, and thestyle of the campaign. Often this will not be the usual goldor gems, but loot from the supply train.
Enemies rout as soon as one of them is injured. Y ou gain
booty, as for entry 30 (above) if you kill or rout them.

Note that the Encounter Table does not necessarily ensure thecharacters will be fighting a “fair” or “balanced” number of foes (though
the GM should take their relative power into account when determining
the composition of the enemy forces and especially leaders). If the battle
is going badly, they may find themselves seriously outnumbered and evenoutmatched. Opponents will rarely fight to the death, however. Even if
all the characters are defeated, they will at worst be captured by theirfoes, or at best be left for dead on the battlefield and wake up to find theenemy army victorious.

TROOP TYPESThe following different troop types can be encountered as
opponents during narrative battles.
Poor: These troops are always those of the lowest quality in theenemy army — perhaps peasant levies, or nominally noncombatant personnel such as a war machine’s crew. They will
be little more than an annoyance to an experienced adventurer,
never being higher than 1st Level and rarely having any usefulcombat Attributes.
Standard:Standard troops are generic grunts or mooks, ordinary infantry
soldiers. These will almost always be of the troop type that makes
up the majority of the army, though at the GM’s discretion
another troop type of similar power may be substituted.
Special: Special troops are chosen by the GM or determined randomly
from among the better quality regular troops in the army; this
could include heavy cavalry, mecha, or powerful non-humans
such as demon soldiers. Usually the characters will all face thesame type of special troops, representing their unit being
locked in combat with a special unit.
Leader: Leaders are members of whichever unit they are found with,but represent its commanders and assistant commanders,rather than regular troops.

PLAYER SUCCESS BONUS
This bonus is added to the general’s next Battle Check. Note that
it is easier for the characters to assist their general if they are willing tobecome total glory-hunters, throwing themselves into the deadliest partof the fray. It will also be seen that the characters have more of a chance
to make a difference to the battle as a whole if they are subjected to an
attack by large numbers of enemies, since this gives them a chance toshow their true heroic qualities by vanquishing all comers.

EPIC LEVELCHARACTERS
Some GMs may allow characters to progress above 20th Level in
their games. Other games will not suit this style of play, and for many
players achieving 20th Level is a good indication that it is time to retirea character anyway. For those who wish to forge on to 21st Level andbeyond, the following rules may be used.
Epic characters — those whose character Level is 21st or higher —are handled slightly differently from non-epic characters. While epic
characters continue to receive many of the benefits of gaining Levels,
some benefits are replaced by alternative gains. A class can be advanced
beyond 20th Level. Once using epic rules, the character may eventuallyadvance to any Level: 30th, 40th, 100th, or even higher still.

reaches 20th. The character does, however, receive a cumulative +1 epic
bonus on all saving throws at every even-numbered Level beyond 20th,as shown on Table A-10: Epic Save and Epic Attack Bonuses. Any timea Feat or other rule refers to your base save bonus, use the sum of yourbase save bonus and epic save bonus.

EPICSimilarly,
ATTACKBONUS
the character’s base attack bonus does not increase after
character Level reaches 20th. The character does receive a cumulative +1
epic bonus on all attacks at every odd-numbered Level beyond 20th, asshown on Table A-10: Epic Save and Epic Attack Bonuses. Any time a
Feat or other rule refers to your base attack bonus, use the sum of yourbase attack bonus and epic attack bonus.

they did for non-epic characters. Thus characters gain a bonus Feat at
21st Level, 24th Level, 27th Level and so on, and a +1 to an ability scoreat 24th Level, 28th Level, 32nd Level and so on.

TABLE A-10: EPIC SAVE AND EPIC ATTACK BONUSES
Character Level
21st
22nd
23rd
24th
25th
26th
27th
28th
29th
30th

Epic Save Bonus
+0
+1
+1
+2
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5

Epic Attack Bonus
+1
+1
+2
+2
+3
+3
+4
+4
+5
+5

CLASS
FEATURES
Most class features stop accumulating after 20th Level. The
following guidelines describe how the epic class progressions.
• A character’s base save bonuses and base attack bonus don’t increase
after 20th Level. Use Table A-10: Epic Save and Epic Attack Bonuses
to determine the character’s epic bonus on saving throws and attacks.
This applies even if the character multiclasses into a new class at Epic
Level.
• Characters continue to gain Hit Dice and Skill Points as normal
beyond 20th Level.
• Other class features do not increase, though most can be increased byspending Character Points.

TABLE A-11: EPIC CHARACTER POINT BONUSES
Character Class
Adventurer
Dynamic Sorcerer
Giant Robot
Gun Bunny
Hot Rod
Magical Girl
Martial Artist
Mecha Pilot
Ninja
Pet Monster Trainer
Samurai
Sentai Member
Shapechanger
Student
Tech Genius
Barbarian
Bard
ClericDruidFighter
Monk
PaladinRangerRogue
Sorcerer
Wiz ardCPs/Level+5 Character Points+5 Character Points+4 Character Points+4 Character Points+4 Character Points+4/+5 Character Points*+4 Character Points+4 Character Points+4 Character Points+5 Character Points+3/+4 Character Points*+4/+5 Character Points*+4/+5 Character Points*+4 Character Points+4 Character Points+3 Character Points+4/+5 Character Points*+4/+5 Character Points*+4 Character Points+4 Character Points+4 Character Points+4 Character Points+3/+4 Character Points*+3/+4 Character Points*+5/+6 Character Points*+5 Character Points*** Character classes with two numbers listed for Character Points
per Level gain the lower number at each odd-numbered class Level, andthe higher number at each even-numbered class Level.
** Note that the Wizard’s Class Skill Bonus each Level is still 0.5(see page 32) which is why the Wizard gains only +5 CPs per Level
rather than +5/+6.

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

EPICA character’s
SAVEbaseBONUS
save bonus does not increase after character Level

OTHER
BONUSES
Skills, bonus Feats, and ability scores continue to increase just as

151

CHARACTER
POINTS
Instead of gaining new class features, all characters gain bonus
Character Points at each Level beyond 20th, with virtually no restrictions
on how these CPs are spent. Epic characters are not too far from being
demigods. It is not unusual for a single epic character to be capable ofachieving as much as, or more than, an entire lower-Level party.
The additional CPs gained are calculated as follows. It is assumed
that each character gains a base 10 CPs per Level, reduced by the attack
bonuses, save bonuses, Hit Dice and Skill Points as usual. Note that the
Epic Save Bonus or Epic Attack Bonus gained each Level is always
regarded as 3 CPs’ worth of Points (although a +1 save bonus is usually
only worth 1 CP, the Epic Save Bonus applies to all three saving throws
and so is worth 3 CP).
The Table A-11: Epic Character Point Bonuses (page 151) gives
the bonus CPs gained each Level by character class, after these have been
reduced by the attack bonuses, save bonuses, Hit Dice and Skill Points
gained each Level.

EPIC CHARACTERS ATTACKING
MULTIPLE
WEAKER OPPONENTS
Any epic-level character can make a regular attack that

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

automatically kills one low-HD opponent per epic Level he or she has,
without needing to make a roll. For this purpose, a low-HD opponent is
any creature at least 20 HD or Levels below the level of his or her attacker.
For example a 25th Level epic samurai treats all characters of 5th Level or
below, and all creatures of 5 HD or below, as low-HD opponents.
The attack used could be magic, melee, sneakiness, psychic power
or whatever means suits the character. No Energy Points or otherresources need be expended to make this attack — the opponents arevery nearly beneath the character’s notice, and are swept aside without asecond thought. This can be especially useful when in a mass battle,
whichever battle system is used to resolve the combat.
Furthermore, the epic character may move at up to 2 x Base Speed
while making these attacks, without penalty. Any low-HD creatures thatwould, at any time during the round, be close enough for the epic
character to attack in melee, may be targeted. In effect, an epic character
only attacking low-HD targets may virtually ignore their soon-to-beended existence. This only applies so long as all the attacks made areagainst low-HD opponents — a character wishing to use one or more of
his or her attacks to strike more experienced targets must abide by theusual rules concerning the use of standard, move and full actions.
For example: Hoshiko, a 25th Level samurai, could kill up to fivemooks on each of her four attacks each round, for a total of 20 foes slain
per round!

MAKINGBESM d20 CLASSLESS
Players and GMs may wish to remove classes from their BESM d20
games which the game can easily handle.

CHARACTER CREATION
GMs should provide players with a number of Character Points(minimum of 40 for player characters) with which to make characters.
Each 10 Points above 40 equals one additional ECL (Effective Character
Level). For example, if the GM provides players 90 Character Points withwhich to make characters, the characters are ECL 5.
Players may spend Points to acquire or increase Attributes, modify
ability scores, or acquire new Feats. Some notes:
Ability Scores: If a player may improve his or her character's ability
score(s) by 1 per 0.5 Point.

152

Skills: All non-combat Skills are class Skills. All combat Skills arecross class Skills. If a player wishes to improve his or her character's Skills,
he or she gains a number of Skill Points depending on the character
Points invested:
2+Int modifier for 0.5 Point
4+Int modifier for 1 Point
6+Int modifier for 1.5 Points
8+Int modifier for 2 Points
Hit Points: If a player wishes to improve his or her character's Hit
Points, he or she gains a hit die, the size of which depends on the
Character Points invested:
d4 for 1 Points
d6 for 1.5 Points
d8 for 2 Points
d10 for 2.5 Points
d12 for 3 Points
Saving Throws: If a player wishes to improve his or her character'ssaving throws, each +1 costs 1 Character Point.
Base Attack Bonus: If a player wishes to improve his or her
character's base attack bonus, he or she should take the Attack Combat
Mastery Attribute.
Attributes and Feats: If a player wishes to improve or gain a new
Attribute or Feat, it costs the same number of Character Points as it does
during character creation.
Unspent Points: Points (or partial Points) may be saved and spentat a later point.

CHARACTER IMPROVEMENTAt the end of each game sessions, GMs should award players 1
Character Point to be used for improvement. GMs may wish to reward
an additional Point for exceptional role-playing, at their discretion. For
each 10 Character Points gained through adventuring (not spent —gained), the character's ECL increases by 1.
Players may spend Character Points, between game sessions, forcharacter improvement.

BIG COMBATS,
SMALL COUNTERS
The Big Combats, Small Counters (BCSC) system is designed toprovide a quick and reasonably simple system for resolving mass
combats. BCSC is best used when at least one of the characters is a highranking general on one side. This enables the other characters tocommand units under him or her, or to form a powerful strike force on
the battlefield, while the GM controls the opposition.

purpose on the battlefield. For the purposes of this system, every person
within the unit has the same function, the same weapons, the sameabilities, and the same Attributes.
A unit consists of one or more counters. Usually, each counter
represents 10 individuals, though the GM may call for all counters to
represent 20, 50, or even 100 individuals for a large-scale battle. Most
units will contain between 5 and 20 counters.
Units receive orders, move, fight, and react much as though they
were individuals.

THE UNIT ROSTER
Unit Rosters are made up in advance by the GM. The Unit Roster
is used as a matter of convenience throughout these rules, from launchinga devastating charge at an enemy to recording casualties when being shot
through with ballista bolts. There are many circumstances in a game

WARRIORS OF NISHIHAMA UNIT
Race:
Human
Class:
SamuraLevel:
1
Character Points:
40
Unit Size:
8Creatures Per Counter: 10
Unit Type:Infantry
Counter Hit Points:
11 (+10% Constitution 12)
Initiative:+4 (+4 Improved Initiative)
Attacks:
Long sword +1
Damage:Long sword 1d8+3AC:
0 (Dex)
Armour:
5 (Partial Metal Armour)
Ability Scores:
Str 16, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 14
Saves:
Fort: +3; Ref: +0; Will: +0
Feats:
Improved Initiative, Armour Proficiency(Light), Armour Proficiency (Medium).
Attributes:
Personal Gear Rank 1 (Long sword, partial
metal armour, longbow, short sword, small
art object or similar item of value)

RACE, CLASS, LEVEL AND CHARACTER POINTSUnit race and class are determined by simple majority. If a unit has
3 elven samurai and 27 human fighters, then the unit will be noted as
being human fighters. The level of a unit is the average Level of its
members, rounded down.

UNIT SIZE

This records the number of counters that go to make up the unit.
A single unit may not contain more than 30 counters, though an army
may contain as many units as you wish.

UNIT TYPE

This is a reflection of how a unit operates upon the battlefield andwhat its especial competencies are. Types of unit may be found on page
155.

CREATURES PER COUNTER

This simply indicates how many creatures each counter represents.
This value is most commonly 10, but GMs can adjust this value if desired.

COUNTER HIT POINTSCounter Hit Points are used to measure the damage a unit may
sustain in combat before being defeated or even wiped out. Whenever aunit receives damage in excess of its counter Hit Points, one or morecounters are removed and the overall size of the unit drops accordingly.
Excess damage is recorded on the unit roster. For example, if a unit with
8 counters and 10 counter Hit Points received 20 points of damage, itwould lose two counters; if it received 14 points of damage, it would lose
only one counter but the 4 surplus points would be recorded on the unitroster, so it would only need to sustain 6 points of damage on the next
round to lose a further counter.
Counter Hit Points are determined simply by working out the
average Hit Dice of every unit member and multiplying this by the
number of creatures per counter, modified as follows:
Majority of unit has Constitution modifier +/-10% per Con modifier
Majority of unit has 3 hp or less
-25%

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

UNITS
A unit is a group of individuals banded together to a common

where the GM will prefer to use standard rules to resolve combat andSkill checks — the Unit Roster is used when large numbers of unit
members need to perform one task at the same time.
A sample Unit Roster Sheet, detailing the warriors of Nishihama, isshown below:

INITIATIVE

This is the Initiative modifier (calculated in the usual manner, using
Dexterity modifiers, etc.) of the majority of the unit.
Attacks, Damage, Armour Class, and Armour
These are determined by simple majority — the weapons andarmour the majority of the unit are armed with are assumed to be carriedby all for the purposes of the Unit Roster and unit combat. The majority

153

of the unit are also used to determine base attack bonus, Strength
modifier to damage, and Dexterity modifier to Armour Class.

FEATS, ATTRIBUTES AND CLASS FEATURES

Any unit that has a majority of members with one or more identical
Feats, Attributes, or class features will have them listed on its Unit
Roster. The following Feats have no effect upon mass combat and so arenever listed, however, no matter how many unit members possess them.
Members of the unit may still use such Feats individually when not using
the BCSC. Cleave, Dodge, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved
Disarm, Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Mobility, Spring Attack,
Whirlwind Attack.

ABILITY SCORES & SAVES

Once again, the ability scores and saves of the majority of the unit
are noted down on the Unit Roster.

RESOLVING
UNIT COMBATUnless otherwise stated below, all combat rules detailed in Chapter
12: Combat apply equally to units. Unit combat occurs whenever twounits meet in battle and engage in combat. A full summary of unit
combat is presented here.

ROUNDS
Unit combat is broken up into 6 second rounds as usual.

INITIATIVE
Before the first round of unit combat begins, each unit involved
makes an Initiative check. An Initiative check is a Dexterity check (1d20+ unit’s Dexterity modifier). If the unit’s leader has the Aura ofCommand Attribute, a +1 bonus per Rank of Aura of Command isapplied to the unit’s Initiative check.

ATTACK OPTIONSWhen attacking, a unit has three basic options:
Charge: A unit not currently engaged in melee combat may charge
any enemy with this option.
Attack: A unit may make either melee or ranged attacks. Units
that can strike more than once each round may do so with this attack
option.
Withdraw: If involved in melee combat, a unit may attempt towithdraw.

UNIT CHARGE OPTION

Any unit not currently engaged in melee combat may charge anenemy unit. In doing so, the unit gains a +2 charge bonus to its attackroll. The unit will also suffer a -2 penalty to its Armour Class for one
round, however. The charge option is the only way in which a unit may
initiate melee combat with another.

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

UNIT ATTACK OPTION

Units may make a melee attack on every round in which one of
their faces is in contact with the enemy. If the unit is using a weapon thatallows it a long reach, then “in contact” means within weapon range.
They may make a ranged attack on any round in which an enemy ofwhich the unit is aware is within range of their weapons.
When resolving ranged attacks, only those counters who havedirect line of sight to the enemy may attack. The GM may allow certain
weapons to attack by indirect fire, including bows (but not crossbows)and mortars. Counters armed with indirect fire weapons may attack even
if they do not have direct line of sight to the enemy.
The usual rules for attacking and defending apply, including Size
Modifiers for attacking creatures of sizes other than Medium. There is no
specific Size Modifier for the size of the unit, though this can besignificant in Outmatching (see page 154).

UNIT WITHDRAW OPTION

A unit may choose to withdraw if the fight runs against them,either to regroup before launching another attack or to attempt to break
off from combat altogether. The unit must declare it is withdrawing as a154

full action, which may not be combined with any attacks or movement.
The following round it must move away, or it is not considered to havesuccessfully withdrawn and is still in combat.

INDIVIDUAL UNIT MEMBERS

Any unit member not actively engaged in unit combat may act asnormal, following all the usual combat rules. This includes making
attacks of their own, casting spells, or any other action permissible.

DAMAGE
Units are dealt damage in terms of Counter Hit Points, which are
effectively the number of Hit Dice of each entire counter in the unit. A
counter reduced to 0 Counter Hit Points is considered vanquished,though not all of its members are necessarily slain; a unit reduced to zero
counters is similarly vanquished.
To calculate damage, roll the unit’s base damage a number oftimes equal to the number of counters that were involved in the attack
and apply it to all the defending counters. For example, if there were 8
counters attacking at a base damage of 1d6+1, you would roll 8d6+8
to find the damage. It will be immediately apparent that a large force
attacking a small one from all sides will quickly cut the smaller force
to ribbons.
At the GM’s discretion, not all of the members of the unit may havebeen slain, with most simply having fled the field — typically 50% to
80% will have escaped, unless the enemy employs light cavalry to huntthem down as they flee. Survivors of a vanquished unit will not be
available under any circumstances until after the end of the battle.
Following an attack in which counters are lost, the attacker decides
which of the defender’s counters to remove. He may only remove thosecounters that were in range of the attack. If more damage has been
inflicted than there were counters in range to receive it, the additional
damage is wasted. On the defender’s turn, counters may be moved into
position to reform the face of the unit.
Counters that are removed are placed into the dead pile, or if you
are not using physical counters or miniatures, keep tally of in the deadcolumn.

OUTMATCHING
When one unit heavily outmatches another, either in terms ofnumbers or ability, they inflict an incredible amount of damage upon
their enemies whilst suffering very little in return. The table below is used
to grant attack and morale modifiers to units who heavily outmatch theirenemies, or are outmatched in return.
To calculate the outmatching modifier for a given combat, look at
how many counters from each side are within melee combat range of theother side. Assume that any counter that can attack does attack. Next,
compare the number of attackers to the number of defenders and adjust
the attack rolls accordingly. For example, if ten attackers are facing ten
defenders, there will be no modifier, but if one side has surged overanother so that there are three times as many attackers able to reach theenemy as there are enemy units, apply the suitable modifiers.
The morale modifier is handled differently. To calculate morale,compare the sizes of each army involved in the battle (i.e. the size of every
single unit on the field).

TABLE A-12: OUTMACHING
Outmatching
Group Size is...
Ten or more times enemy’s
Five times enemy’s
Three times enemy’s
Twice enemy’s
50% of enemy’s
33% of enemy’s
20% of enemy’s
10% or less of enemy’s

Attack Roll
Modifier
+5
+3
+2
+1
-1
-2
-3
-5

MoraleModifier
+5
+3
+2
+1
-1
-2
-3
-5

SAVING THROWS
You may need to use saving throws in the mass combat system forvarious different purposes, most commonly the avoidance of magicalattacks. Saving throws work as follows: subtract the appropriate saving
throw bonus from the DC of the saving throw, subtract one from the result,and multiply the total by five. The result is the percentage of the countersin the area of effect that failed their saving throws. No less than 5% andno more than 95% can fail, whatever the result of the calculation.
Example: A unit of 10 counters, each counter comprising 10 dwarf
warriors, is affected by a fireball spell cast by Issa, a 7th Level Dynamic Sorcerer(Cha 19 ). The DC is 10 + 3 (fireball spell level) + 4 (ability bonus) = 17.
The unit’s Reflex save bonus is +2. 17 — 2 -1 = 14; 14 x5 = 70%, so 7 of
the 10 counters fail their saves and are dealt 7d6 damage; the remaining 3
counters are dealt half damage.
Issa rolls 25 points of damage. This deals a total of 175 damage (25x7)
for the counters who did not save and 36 points (half of 25 rounded down andmultiplied by 3) for those who did, for a grand total of 211 counter Hit Points.
The dwarf counters each have 33 counter Hit Points, so Issa’s fireball incinerates
6 out of the 10 counters completely. The remaining 13 damage (211 minus 6x33)
is dealt to one of the surviving counters.
If the creatures in the unit have armour that is effective against thedamage dealt by the spell, deduct this from the initial damage (25 in thiscase), not the total.

MAGICAL ATTACKS
Spellcasters on the field are always treated as individuals, never asunits. You cannot have a team of ten sorcerers hurling ten fireballs at
once.
A spell that successfully kills or incapacitates a single creature
within a counter will reduce the Counter Hit Points by the number ofHD the creature had.

OTHER MAGIC IN THE BCSCTURNING UNDEAD

Clerics or other classes who can turn undead may do so normally.
Calculate the total number of Hit Dice affected and deduct this total
directly from the undead’s Counter Hit Points.

MORALE
Very few units fight to the death. As the enemy swarms overbarricades and defences, long-time comrades start to fall and swarms ofarrows rain down, many warriors choose to throw down their weapons
rather than risk a cruel death.

TABLE A-13: MORALE CHECKS
Morale Circumstance
Unit Size reduced to half of original score
Unit Size reduced to one quarter of original score
Unit Size reduced to one third of current score in a single round
Unit suffers more damage in a round than enemy in melee combat
Unit is hit by enemy of three times or greater Unit Size

MoraleCheck DC
15
20
10
15
15

The following modifiers apply to Morale checks:
MoraleUnit Leader
Morale modifier*
Unit Leader with Aura of Command
Player Character actions
Elite unit**
Mercenary unit
Enslaved unit ***Modifier+ Leader’s Charisma modifier+/- Morale modifier+ Aura of Command Ranks
See page 156
+2
-1
-4

* Morale modifiers may come from any source, not just those listedon the outmatching table above. For example, the bless spell grants a +1
morale bonus to attack rolls — however, in unit combat, it will also granta bonus to Morale checks.
** To be classed as elite, a unit must fulfil the following criteria:
average member has Base Attack Bonus of +4 or higher; unit must havebeen together for at least one year; all members of the unit must be
professional full-time soldiers; unit must have some in-character rationale
for its elite status — perhaps it is the King’s personal bodyguard, or aheavy cavalry unit whose members are drawn entirely from a particularly
military social class (e.g. knights or samurai).
*** Includes any unit whose members have been forced into
combat against their will.
If a Morale check is failed, the unit automatically makes a withdraw
action in its next round. Thereafter it attempts to leave the battlefield at
maximum speed. A unit must pass a Morale check at DC 20 in order torally and make another attack option in the following round. Characters
are under no obligation to flee but from this point, they will be fighting
on their own!

UNIT TYPES
There are four different unit types used in the BCSC to reflect
differing capabilities and special skills upon the battlefield. The properuse of such units can ensure victory for a general, even in the face ofoverwhelming opposition.

INFANTRY
Infantry units form the core of most forces and comprise any units
that do not meet the requirements to be archers, cavalry, or skirmishers.
Such units receive no special bonuses or penalties within the BCSC.

ARCHERSAny unit armed with a ranged weapon which does not have the
Short Range defect, and not wearing heavy armour, is designated as anarcher unit. Archer units are able to keep their distance from the mainline of battle and rain missiles upon their enemies from a distance.

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULES

Spells that cause effects other than damage (such as bless or bane)
will only provide their bonus or penalty to a unit if the majority of its
members can be affected. If only a minority are affected by the spell, it
provides no benefit or penalty in unit combat.
Spells that produce effects other than damage can place a single
unit member or a group of counters in the unit into a given condition.
These conditions are applied on the battlefield as follows:
Any spell that causes mass death, such as cloudkill or power word:
kill, sends affected creatures to the dead pile.
Any spell that renders the victims unable to defend themselves,
such as sleep or stinking cloud, will kill the counters: though theindividuals who make up the counters may still be alive, they do not
represent any kind of threat for the remainder of the battle. At the GM’s
discretion, for added realism crippled counters may be left on thebattlefield, but turned upside down or otherwise marked; a unit may takea standard action to perform a coup de grace on any incapacitatedcounters within reach, adding them to the dead pile.
Any spell that interferes with the victims’ ability to fight but does
not leave them defenceless, such as entangle, confusion or power word:
blind, causes the affected counters to become incapacitated for theduration of the spell. The GM should adjudicate these effects but acircumstance bonus of +2 to any attacks made against the incapacitatedcounters is a good rule of thumb.
Fear effects, as well as causing the affected counters to flee, prompt
an immediate morale check from any members of the same unit.

Morale checks are made in unit combat in circumstances outlinedin Table A-13: Morale Checks.

CAVALRY
Any unit riding any kind of mount into battle is designated as
cavalry. Cavalry units are fast moving forces in the battlefield, able toattack enemy units almost at will. To calculate the counter Hit Points ofcavalry units, compare the Hit Dice of the mount and the rider and add
half of the lower rating to the higher. For example, a 2nd Level warrior
mounted on a heavy warhorse would add half of the warrior’s Hit Dice to155those of the horse, as the horse has 4 Hit Dice. The counter Hit Points
would therefore be a base of 4 for the horse’s Hit Dice plus 30% for its
Constitution modifier (i.e. +1.2) plus 2 points for the warrior’s Hit Dice,then multiplied by 10 for the number of units in the counter, for a totalof 72 counter Hit Points.
Mecha suits costing 400 Mecha Points (OBM rank 1) or less andoperating in units can usually be treated as Cavalry and count as a 1
HD/100 Mecha Points “mount.” More powerful mecha do not usually form
units and are dealt with individually (see Player Characters, page 156).

SKIRMISHERS
Any unit wearing no or light armour may be designated as askirmish unit, taking to the field in a small dispersed formation thatallows them to operate with great flexibility. Skirmish units must remain
in skirmish formation at all times. A skirmish unit gains a +2
competence bonus on all Initiative checks. No skirmish unit may havemore than 4 counters at any one time. Cavalry units with light horses or
warhorses wearing no barding may also be designated as skirmish units
and gain these bonuses and penalties. Such units are known asskirmishing cavalry.

WAR MACHINES AND MECHA
War machines of all kinds, from catapults and trebuchets all theway up to sorcerous power armour and gigantic golems, are built withthe mecha rules as usual.
Usually each mecha should be treated as a separate entity on thebattlefield, rather than being formed into units. This is a better reflectionof the size and typical military function of mecha, which are more likely
to fight individually than as units.
It may be appropriate for certain mecha types to be treated as units,
however, particularly if they are golems or other automata, or mecha suitsthat enhance the power of individual warriors rather than stomping
about the battlefield taking on armies single-handed. Mecha units aretreated as cavalry, though particularly slow-moving mecha (less than 30
mph speed) should be treated as infantry.

SIEGE ENGINES

Most mundane, medieval-style war machines cost 200 Mecha
Points or less, and so can be bought with Personal Gear (two major itemsof Personal Gear). A ballista is given here as an example; generating
similar statistics for catapults, trebuchets and cannon is simple enough if
desired.

APPENDIX:OPTIONAL RULESBALLISTA ATTRIBUTES
Size:
Hit Points:
Operator:
Armour:Defence:Land Speed:Handling:
Defects:Large
25 [30]
1 [10]
5 [25]
9 (1d20) [0]2 mph [5]-1/-1Flammable [-5], Service Crew (two horses or fourhumans, required for any use of land speed) [-6],Open [-10], Road Vehicle [-1]

BOLT
Damage:4d6
Range Increment: 120 feet
Notes:
Armour Penetrating, Crew Served, Slow Firing [14]Crew:
2 (one operator, one loader)
Cost:

62 Mecha Points (1 major item of Personal Gear)

PLAYER
CHARACTERS
The characters should always be at the centre of the action, in
BCSC as much as in a regular game. Anything they can do in a standard
combat round could also be done in a BCSC round.

156

UNIT COMBATS
Characters — and major NPCs — are never counted as part of theunit when calculating the Unit Roster. They always act independently,
even if mere foot soldiers. Combat for characters in melee combat ishandled in exactly the same way as presented in Chapter 12. They are,however, permitted to attack enemy units.
If two units are in combat with one another, characters may choose
to aid one side. To do so, they engage in combat with one or moremembers of the enemy unit, using the normal combat rules given in
Chapter 12. Everyone involved in the combat acts in Initiative order, so
the characters may have the chance to act before anyone else. If they
manage to slay or subdue any of their enemies, however, then the Hit
Dice of the creatures they overcome are immediately deducted from theUnit Hit Point score.
For example: whilst leading his heroic unit to attack the mercenary
unit Blood Hammers in a desperate charge, Baiko the Samurai, rollingthe highest Initiative of the combat, attacks a big mercenary as the restof his men engage the rest of the enemy. The Unit Hit Points of the Blood
Hammers (who are predominantly 4th Level samurai themselves) is 87.
Baiko dispatches his foe in one round of combat. Thus, the mercenaries
lose 4 Unit Hit Points immediately, bringing them down to a total of 83.
The units now fight, in remaining Initiative order.

UNIT MORALE
Player characters are immune to the effects of unit morale, asdetailed on page 155, though units are likely to take a dim view ofcharacters who continue to fight as they try to surrender. However, manyof a character’s actions in combat will have a direct influence on how hisor her unit fights. The table below lists some of the more common actionsa character may attempt to boost the morale of his or her unit. The GM
is welcome to add others as the need arises; a character should always beawarded for bravery and will certainly earn the respect of the unit. The
morale bonus earned applies to the unit’s attack and damage rolls for the
rest of the combat, as well as to morale rolls made on the Table A-13.

TABLE A-14: MORALE MODIFIERS
Character Action
Slaying enemy unit leader
Slaying enemy officer/sergeant
Destroying enemy war machine
Fleeing battle
Slaying 10% or more of enemy unit in one round

Morale Bonus to Unit
+2
+1
+1
-4
+1

GAINING EXPERIENCE
Experience point awards can be difficult to calculate in mass
battles, so for simplicity the following system is used.
Characters gain experience as normal for the creatures they
themselves defeat. For example, if they personally lead a unit and end up
slaying the enemy leader and six of his unit, they receive an experienceaward as normal based on the leader and six men, even if their own unit
butchered everyone else in the unit.
Story awards are given at the GM’s discretion to characters wholead entire units or armies and are victorious.
Note that defeating a unit does not necessarily mean slaying every
last warrior. Capturing a unit without a single weapon being used will
earn a story award, as will outsmarting or sneaking round an enemy. The
GM should be flexible in granting experience points and reward
characters for all their achievements.

UNITIn aEXPERIENCE
long-running military campaign, the GM should consider
allowing units to gradually advance, perhaps at the rate of around one
Level per five to ten battles, so long as the majority of each unit isbrought through every battle alive.

Mecha Design
This section provides rules for creating mecha of all sorts, from oared
galleys and Gnomish war machines to cars, main battle tanks, airplanes,
submarines, powered armour ... and giant robots.
d20 Mecha is an effects-based system. Start with a general concept fora giant robot, suit, or vehicle, and use these rules to translate it into gamemechanics. The system is concerned with what a mecha does, not the nutsand-bolts details of what technology is or isn’t available in a particularsetting. That is up to the GM.
There is no need to keep track of weight, money, power, volume, orother considerations of that nature. Instead, an abstract “Mecha Point” gamemechanic rates relative capability of the mecha design. The section Mecha
Point Equivalent (page 184) explains how to translate Mecha Points into
other units, such as experience levels, gold pieces, dollars, or wealth checks.

What is a Mecha?
In Japan, “mecha” is used to refer to the various mechanical designs
created for an anime series, from ordinary cars and motorbikes to robots
and starships. Big piloted robots are just called “robots,” although mostanime series adopt their own term for them, like “mobile suits,” “armoured
troopers” or “arm slaves.”
In the west, “mecha” is sometimes used in the Japanese sense, andsometimes to refer to piloted robots.
In d20 Mecha, a “mecha” is any vehicle, suit, construct, or giant robot
built with Mecha Points.
The word mecha is both singular and plural, just like “samurai” or“ninja.”•• DESIGNER’S NOTE ••BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Science v s. Magic, Reality v s. F antasy
Although some of the text that follows for the mecha creation rules
uses modern, scientific terminology, players and GMs should not feelconstrained by this. The rules herein are intended to allow total freedom
in mecha creation, be it ultra-realistic military vehicles, sea galleons fromthe age of piracy, super-science starships of epic space opera, or magicalmecha in a fantasy setting. The most important thing one should keep inmind while looking at the mecha creation rules are the rules themselves.
If one wants to have Explosive Reactive Armour (page 169) on his or her
sea galleon, the player should not feel restricted against doing so by thefact that such high-tech armour did not exist in the age of pirates. The
Explosive Reactive Armour could represent additional layers of armour
on the ship’s hull which provides protection against attacks in a similar
game mechanical fashion as the ERA rules despite the fact that the realworld effect is different. N ever let the text constrain your imagination.

Mecha P oints
Each mecha design will cost a certain number of Mecha Points depending
on its statistics and qualities. Mecha Points are an abstract representation of thequalitative value of the mecha. A character gains a number of Mecha Points
depending on his or her access to resources as well as the character’s importancein organisations — see Starting Mecha Points, below.

Starting Mecha P oints
158

The chart below provides examples of Mecha Point power levels. The
equivalent Ranks of the Own a Big Mecha Attributes from BESM d20 are also
indicated.

•• MECHA POINT EQUIVALENTS ••Street or Soldier Level 200 Mecha Points. This will buy the kind of
Personal Gear vehicles and mecha one would expect in agame about street-level operatives, likebounty hunters or gangsters. A bullet-proof
hotrod, for example. It is also suitable for ateam of modern soldiers. Thus, a crew of four
player-characters could pool their Mecha
Points and buy an M1 Abrams tank.
Agent Level 400 Mecha Points. This will buy the kind of
Own a Big Mecha Level 1 gear that super agents or cyberpunk anime
heroes have. Personal powered suits, forexample, or a “do anything” spy car.
Mecha Troopers Level 800 Mecha Points. This will buy a one-man
Own a Big Mecha Level 2 mecha roughly as powerful as a modernday battle tank or jet fighter A group ofcharacters who pool their Mecha Points
could buy a small fighting ship or spacecruiser. Many giant robot anime showshave mecha at this power level.
Super Mecha Level 1,200 to 1,600 Mecha Points. This will buy a
Own a Big Mecha Level 3 or 4 mecha that is far beyond any modern day
fighting machine. This is the standard
power level for mecha in giant robot showswhere the heroes’ mecha are far tougher
than the typical “grunt” mecha (usuallybuilt on 800 Points) they face.
Guardians Level 2,000 to 2,400 Mecha Points. This will buy a
Own a Big Mecha Level 5 or 6 mecha that is potentially world-shaking in
its power. Campaigns similar to anime
series where the characters are a small groupof teenagers who are the only beings
preventing the destruction of Earth willoften start with mecha at that this level.

Designing Mecha
Mecha P oint Cost
Mecha design is a multi-step process, much like character creation. It
is up to the GM whether players can design their own mecha or whether theymust select them from existing designs.
If the GM allows players to design their own mecha, he or she should
specify how many Mecha Points are available. Additionally, the GM must
indicate whether any particular abilities are required or forbidden, or if themecha must follow a particular theme. For example, “each character musthave a personal medium-size mecha suit” or “all mecha must be submarines”
or “everyone should have a gargantuan or colossal giant robot that can travelin space.” The GM may ask players to revise their mecha designs to fit thegame setting.
Design a mecha by selecting various characteristics, such as Hit Points,
Armour, occupancy, or special abilities or weapons. Each has a Mecha Point
cost; sometimes this is positive, sometimes negative.
Add all the costs together to find the Total Mecha Point Cost. This is
the number of Mecha Points that it costs to start with this mecha, or the total
used in any Mecha Point Equivalence formula.
There is no cost for a mecha’s Type or Size, since the advantages anddisadvantages tend to balance.

•• DESIGNER’S NOTE ••Mecha Statblock
Like creatures, mecha have a number of statistics. After a mecha isdesigned, record it using this format:

Decide on the basic concept of the mecha and how many Mecha Points
you will spend on it. Here are some possible concepts:

Aircraft
These could be airplanes, helicopters, wind-powered sky-boats, or
swift anti-gravity flyers.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV)
Conventional battle tanks, troop-carrying APCs, or tiny mini-tanks forcity fighting.

Piloted Giant Robot
The classic humanoid battle machine with Operator riding in a cockpit.

Monsters
GMs can also use these rules to design giant-monsters-that-ate-Tokyo.

Organic Mecha
These living machines can be anything from a powered suit to abattleship.

Powered Armour
A form-fitting suit of strength-amplifying armour.

Spaceship
Small scoutships, sleek starfighters, rusty tramp freighters, or giant
battleships and carriers.

Super-Car
It looks like a car but may be bulletproof, drive underwater, or even fly.

T ransforming Mecha
A motorcycle that turns into powered armour, for example, or a big
humanoid robot that becomes a fighter plane.

Watercraft
How about a sleek and deadly submarine, a powerful battleship, astately galleon, or a fast hydrofoil?
•• DESIGNER’S NOTE ••Design Checklist
Once the concept has been established, follow this procedure to
design the mecha:
1. Choose Mecha Type (page 161).
2. Choose Size (page 161).
3. Choose Hit Points (page 161).
4. Choose Occupants and Cargo (page 162).
5. Choose Armour (page 162).
6. [Optional]: Choose Defence modifier (page 163). Calculate Defence.
7. Choose Strength, if a giant robot or suit (page 163).
8. Choose Speed (pages 163).
9. Choose Handling (page 165).
10. Choose Special Abilities (pages 167).
11. Choose Exotic Abilities (pages 172).
12. Choose Defects (page 174).
13. Design Weapons (pages 176).
14. Add up all Mecha Point costs. This gives the actual cost.
15. Determine what Skills or Feats are needed to control the mecha.
16. Record the mecha’s statistics, and give it a cool name, description,and background.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION(Mecha’s Name)
T ype: Whether the mecha is a suit, giant robot, or vehicle.
Class: The general category of mecha, like “sailing ship” or “main battle
tank.” This is up to the designer to specify; the classes are not defined by therules. This determines what Skills or Feats are needed to operate the mecha.
Size: The mecha’s size, which may range from fine to colossal. Most
mecha designed to carry human-sized passengers will be medium-sized orlarger. List the longest dimension and mass in parenthesis, for example:“Colossal (70’ tall, 100 tons).”
Hit Points: The mecha’s Hit Points, for example “200 HP.”
Occupants: The number of medium-sized occupants the mechatransports. If the mecha has both crew and passengers it will have two entries
separated by a slash. The second is passengers.
Cargo: The cargo the mecha can carry in either lbs. or kg.
Armour: The mecha’s damage reduction.
Defence: The mecha’s defence, factoring in the values from Armour (ifany) and size. Value listed in brackets is for BESM d20’s Armour Class rules.
Strength: The mecha’s strength ability. This is only listed for giant
robots and suits, not for vehicles.
Land Speed (or Air Speed, etc.): The mecha’s top speed in
the specified environment, in mph or kph, with the combat speed (usually infeet, metres, or squares) noted in parenthesis. Follow underwater speed withthe depth it can dive and an air speed entry with the ceiling (for example,
Ceiling: 12,000’). If space flight, list thrust in G (for example, 3 G) and if
realistic space flight, also G-rounds and a parenthetical delta-V. If the mecha
is a suit, or has FTL, a multiplier is given instead of an actual speed, such as
land speed x2.
Handling: The mecha’s Initiative and Manoeuvre modifiers. List
Initiative first, then Manoeuvre, separated by a slash. Some d20 System games
use a single Handling modifier instead of two statistics. If so, list it with(handling) in parenthesis to prevent confusion.
Special Abilities: The other capabilities possessed by the mecha,
such as sensors or an ejection seat. Special abilities are listed one at a time inalphabetical order. If a special ability requires an additional notation (forexample, the range of a sensor) list it in parenthesis.
Ex otic Abilities: Any exotic abilities possessed by the mecha, alongwith their any parenthetical notes regarding their capabilities. Exotic abilities
include Force Field, Merging, Summonable, and Transformation. If an exotic
ability has an additional notation, list it in parenthesis.
Defects: List any overall flaws the mecha possesses, such as being
Flammable or a Hangar Queen. Defects are listed one at a time in alphabeticalorder (for example, Defects: Flammable; Hangar Queen; Windows). If the
Defect has an additional note, list it in parenthesis — for example, Reduced
Endurance (3 days).
Weaponry: The names of the weapons built into or carried by themecha. See Weapons, page 176.
Req uired Feats or Skills: Any Feats or Skills required tooperate the mecha, such as Pilot.
Cost: The total Mecha Point cost of the mecha. If desired, a conversion
to dollars, credits, gold pieces, or other Points may be listed in parenthesis.
For example, “Cost: 100 Mecha Points (20,000 gp).”
Mecha that can transform or merge may have multiple stat blocks.

Concept

159

160

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Step 1
Choose Mecha Type
There are three broad types of mecha. Decide which to create: a Suit, aGiant Robot, or a Vehicle.

Suit
A form-fitting suit of armour, worn rather than driven. This includes
exoskeletons and powered armour suits that are no more than 1.5 times aslarge as the wearer. A suit has no room for extra gear: the Operator mustwear tight or no clothes, no armour (except for ultra-tech skintight armour),and bring no extra equipment.

Giant Robot
A giant robot is a piloted humanoid or animal-shaped vehicle that islarger than its Operator and has creature-like agility and/or manipulatory
ability, via means of limbs and/or a flexible body and jaw. A giant robot
could be anything from a humanoid fighting machine to a mechanical sea
monster. If it stays on the ground, and moves at no more than High Speed(750’/round), a giant robot has the advantage that it moves like a characteror creature — there is no need to use the vehicle movement rules when it
goes into combat.

VehicleA vehicle is a piloted mecha that is notably larger than its pilot and notclassed as a giant robot. Vehicles include everything from ordinary wagons
and cars to pirate galleons and space battleships. A machine with a simple
bulldozer blade or tow arm is still considered a vehicle rather than a giant
robot, since it lacks any flexibility of movement. Since vehicles do notacquire Strength, they are cheaper than giant robots.

Step 2Choose Size•• TABLE ••Size and Weight Chart
SIZE
EXAMPLE MODIFIER DIMENSIONSEMPTY WEIGHT
Fine
Micro-machine +8 up to 1” (3 cm)
up to 1/2 lb.
Diminutive Small toy+4 1-6” (3-15 cm)
1/4 to 10 lbs.
Tiny
RC toy+2 6”-1’ (15-30 cm)
5 to 50 lbs.
Small
Police RC robot +1 1-4’ (.3-1.2 m)
25 to 250 lbs.
MediumMotorcycle+0 4-8’ (1.2-2.5 m) 100 lbs. to 1 ton
Large
Small car
-1 8-16’ (2.5-5 m)
1/2 to 4 tons
Huge
Luxury car-2 16-32’ (5-10 m)
2 to 40 tons
Gargantuan Heavy tank
-4 32-64’ (10-20 m) 10 to 400 tons
ColossalJumbo jet-864’+ (20 m+)
50+ tons
The modifier is the size modifier of the mecha.
A good way to estimate weight for very large mecha: weight in tons = (longest
dimension x longest dimension x longest dimension) divided by 1,000.

Step 3Choose Hit Points (HP)
Hit Points measure the damage a mecha can sustain before being
knocked out of action. The “base” column lists the default values.
The examples are for Hit Points using the same scale as d20 Modern,
and are well balanced against modern weapons. HP vary widely in different
d20 System games, however — assign whatever HP value best fits your own
game setting. For other examples of Hit Points, see the sample mecha designs.
The overlap between size categories is intentional, since a smaller
mecha might be tougher than a larger one if made from especially durable
materials. Hit Points on the lower end of the scale are appropriate to mecha
that are smaller or more lightly built within a category; larger or heavier
mecha have more HP.
Mecha Point Cost: Base Hit Points are 0 if medium size or
smaller, 10 if large, 20 if huge, 40 if gargantuan, 100 if colossal. Each extra HP
beyond base HP costs 2 Mecha Points. A mecha can be given fewer Hit Points
than the base for its size. This is common for transport aircraft, which are
Colossal, but still relatively fragile. The Mecha Point Cost is -2 per hit point
below the base. It should not have less than half the base Hit Points.
•• EXAMPLE ••Mecha Hit Point Examples
SIZES
Tiny
Small
Medium
Large
Huge
Gargantuan
Colossal

BASE
0 HP
0 HP
0 HP
10 HP
20 HP
40 HP
100 HP

RANGE
1-10 HP
1-15 HP
1-25 HP
10-40 HP
20-50 HP
40-120 HP
100+ HP

EXAMPLESRC Toy (3 HP)
Bomb Squad Robot (15 HP)
Motor Scooter (15 HP)
Compact Car (30 HP)
Armoured Carrier (48 HP)
Main Battle Tank (64 HP)
Destroyer Warship (150 HP)

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Decide how big the mecha is. The appropriate sizes for mecha are: fine,diminutive, tiny, small, medium, large, huge, gargantuan, or colossal.
There are two restrictions on size:
If creating a mecha suit, it must be the same size as the intended
wearer. A suit for a human is medium size; a suit worn by a colossal dragon
will also be colossal.
If creating a vehicle or giant robot, it must be at least one category
larger than the largest being it is intended to carry. Thus, a giant robot orvehicle big enough for a human to ride inside must be at least large.
Many giant robots or vehicles will be more than one size category
larger than their intended occupants. Exception: If the occupant will ride onit, like a bike or surf board, it can be up to two sizes smaller.
Specify its dimensions (tall) or (long). Most vehicles are long; suits andgiant robots tend to be tall if humanoid, or long otherwise. Specify themecha’s longest dimension (height if tall, length if long) and empty weight,
choosing from within the available ranges given on the Size and Weight chart.
Some examples of common mecha sizes:
Medium size: Powered armour, motorbike, dinghy.
Large: A small car, speedboat, van, limousine, or light airplane. An
8-16’ (2.5-5 m) giant robot.
Huge: A large car, small armoured personnel carrier (APC), a truck,
WWII-era fighter. A 16-32’ (5-10 m) giant robot.

Gargantuan: A large AFV or truck, a medium aircraft, railway
car or locomotive, tramp freighter. A 32-64’ (10-20 m)+ giant robot.
Colossal: Anything larger, from the size of a jumbo jet to a giantstarship. A 64’ (20 m)+ giant robot.

161

Mecha Hit Points
d20 Mecha (like d20 Modern) assumes that vehicles and other mecha
will have far fewer Hit Points than equivalent-sized creatures. This is because
they possess Armour. Tanks and other vehicles — including giant robots —can only sustain a few penetrating shots from heavy cannon or missiles
before they are destroyed. d20 Mecha reflects this reality, as it closely fits thecinematic paradigm of fast and furious anime dogfight action.
This approach, however, need not suit every game. In some settings,
giant robots can sustain much more punishment, perhaps due to advanced
ablative armour coatings or the like. GMs may also wish to assign mecha HP
totals that more closely match those of monsters or high-Level characters. If
so, double or even triple the recommended HP range.
Some d20 System games also use a binary system that splits Hit Points
into two values with different names. If using d20 Mecha with such a system,a mecha’s Hit Points are equivalent to whichever value that represents
physical damage (wounds, life blood, etc.), rather than the value for abstract
vitality or energy.
A few games also replace Hit Points with other values. For example,
Mongoose Publishing’s Armageddon: 2089 setting uses Structure Points
rather than Hit Points. Structure Points = Hit Points x 10 (or Hit Points =Structure Points ÷ 10).

Step 4Choose Occupants andCargo
A mecha suit’s occupancy is a single person whose size is the same asthat of the suit. Thus, if the suit is medium size, it is usable with a mediumsized occupant. A suit has no cargo capacity.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Occupants

162

For vehicles and giant robots, decide how many medium-sizedoccupants are carried. An occupant may be a crew member or passenger,
usually seated but sometimes standing. The maximum is 1 if small, 2occupants if medium, 4 if large, 12 if huge, 50 if gargantuan; if a colossal
mecha, the only limit is the optional realism consideration detailed underMaximum Loads (page 162).
There are two types of occupants for a giant robot or vehicle:
Operators are crew members who can use the mecha’s systems inaction: pilots, gunners, battery commanders, as well as equipment operators
who main crucial systems such as sensors or communications. Many mecha
have only one Operator, the pilot or driver; others have several. In a large
naval vessel or starship, these are usually the bridge crew and gunners.
Mecha that require many people simply to keep it operational have theService Crew Defect (page 176)
Passengers are everyone else. This includes passengers, but also
maintenance and service crew, such as cooks, medics, engineers, sailors,
troops, battery weapon loaders, and even off-duty ops crew for smaller
mecha carried aboard. Not all mecha have passengers.
Decide on how many Operators and how many passengers are carried.
Mecha Point Cost: 10 per Operator; 4 per passenger.
Exception: If mecha is colossal and has 25+ passengers aboard, their costdecreases: 26-50 passengers cost 100 Points, 51-100 passengers are 150
Points, 101-200 cost 200 Points, 201-400 cost 250 Points, etc., at +50 Points
per doubling of capacity.

Cargo
A mecha may devote space to cargo. This can be either an internalcargo hold or trunk, or an external cargo bed, or even underwing pylons.
Some or all of a mecha’s cargo may be designated as liquid tankage or hangar
space if desired; there is no extra cost for this, but it cannot easily be used formuch else. Not all mecha have cargo spaces.
Mecha Point Cost: 1 per 200 lbs. (100 kg), or 10 per ton (ortonne). Exception: If mecha is colossal and has 10+ tons (or tonnes) of cargoaboard, cost is reduced: 10-20 tons cost 100 Points, 21-40 tons cost 150
Points, 41-80 tons cost 200 Points, 81-160 tons cost 250 Points, etc., at +50
Points per doubling of capacity.

Maximum Loads
For realism’s sake, total weight of occupants and cargo in a giant robot
or vehicle should rarely exceed half the mecha’s weight. Treat occupants(including seats, etc.) as 400 lbs. (200 kg), that is, 5 occupants to a ton (ortonne).

Step 5Choose Armour
Mecha are tougher than people. Assign the mecha a Armour value(also called damage reduction). This is a value from 1 to 30, which is
subtracted from any damage inflicted to the mecha’s Hit Points.
The chart to the right gives sample Armour values for real-world
vehicles. These are suggestions and not meant to constrain designs —different d20 System games can have different values for similar vehicles.
Another way to select an Armour value is to decide what sort of
weapon the mecha can routinely ignore and assign it sufficient Armour tostop the average damage of that attack. For example, if a 0.50-caliber
machine gun inflicts 2d12 damage (an average of 6.5 points per d12) and themecha should stop most 0.50-cal. bullets, a Armour of 13+ is required.
If the GM permits players to build their own mecha, he or she may
choose to restrict them to a certain range of Armour values to ensure they arebalanced against likely opposition. There is nothing wrong with the characters(or their foes) being tough, but they should not be utterly invulnerable.
Mecha Point Cost: 5 per Point of Armour. Also, heavy
Armour will increase the cost of speed.
•• EXAMPLES ••Mecha Armour Examples
VEHICULAR EXAMPLE
Rubber raft, rowboat
Motorcycle, oared galley
Automobile, light aircraft
Large sailing ship, jet airplane
Pick-up truck, jeep
Semi-truck, cargo steamship
Attack helicopter
Armoured car or limousine
Typical “powered armour” suitArmoured Personnel Carrier
Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Medium tank (WWII era)
Battleship (WWII era)
Main battle tank (modern era)
Powerful giant battle robot

TYPICAL ARMOUR
0-2
2-5
4-6
4-8
5-7
5-9
7-10
10-11
10-14
9-15
13-16
12-18
18-20
18-25
15-30

Step 6 (Optional)
Choose Defence
d20 Mecha assumes mecha Armour does not also grant a defence
bonus; this is consistent with most of the vehicle designs of d20 Modern.
Not all d20 System games make that assumption, however.
A mecha’s Armour can also provide an equipment bonus to Defence.
Choose a Defence value for the Armour from +1 to +10. This defence bonus
depends more on the shape and material of Armour than its thickness. Some
examples:• +1 to +3 if ordinary materials such as wood, synthetics, or light metal.
• +4 to +6 if paramilitary armour, partial armour, or steel plate. A car withbullet-proof panels, an aircraft with armour over the engine and cockpit,
or the tough steel hull of a modern ship.
• +6 to +10 if military armour such as composite laminates, sloped steel,battleship armour, etc.
• Force Shields: A defence bonus can also represent a force shield that
deflects rather than absorbs damage, or a combination of armour and aforce shield.
Mecha Point Cost: 5 Points per +1 to defence up to Def +5;
for defence 6+, cost is (defence x defence). Thus, Def +8 would cost (8 x 8 =64) 64 Mecha Points.

Defence (Def)
Determine the mecha’s actual Defence (Def ) number using thisformula: 10 + defence bonus (if any) + size modifier. For players using BESM
d20, the Defence value is equal to a 1d20 roll + defence bonus (if any) + size
modifier. The size modifier is +8 if fine, +4 if diminutive, +2 if tiny, +1 if
small, 0 if medium, -1 if large, -2 if huge, -4 if gargantuan or -8 if colossal.
This Def can be increased by the pilot’s Dex bonus and any classabilities or Feats that increase mecha Def.

Step 7
Choose Strength•• EXAMPLES ••Mecha Strength Ranges
Sizes
Fine
Diminutive
Tiny
Small
Medium
Large
Huge
Gargantuan
Colossal

Giant Robot
Str 1
Str 1-3
Str 1-10
Str 5-15
Str 10-25
Str 15-35
Str 20-50
Str 30-75
Str 40-100

Suit bonus
Str +0Str +0Str +0Str +0 to +5
Str +0 to +15
Str +5 to +25
Str +10 to +40
Str +20 to +65
Str +30 to +90

Step 8Choose Speed
There are seven types of speed: Land, Air, Water, Underwater,
Burrowing, Faster-than-Light (FTL), and Space. A mecha can have ratings forsome or all of them.
A mecha’s speed (except for space or FTL) is measured in miles perhour (or kph). See also Combat Speeds for Mecha sidebar, right column.
Use these rules to determine vehicle or giant robot speed. Special rules
apply to mecha suits. If designing a mecha suit, refer to Mecha Suit
Movement, page 163.

Land Speed
Land speed is the maximum speed the mecha can move on solid
ground. A mecha will have a land speed statistic if it is capable of sustained
movement and manoeuvre on the ground. This usually means it has legs,
wheels, tracks, or a combination, or perhaps even a snake-like body.
Land speed is unnecessary if the mecha, such as a helicopter or a boat,cannot move on land or only does so as a short takeoff or landing (forexample, an airplane).
Select the land speed in mph (or kph). Then calculate its combat
speed. Exception: Suits use special rules; see Mecha Suit Movement, page163. Some examples of land speeds:• 10 mph (16 kph) is typical of bulldozers or lumbering steam-powered
mecha.
• 30-50 mph (48-80 kph) is a good speed for a giant robot or a modern
tank.
• 100 mph (160 kph) is a typical top speed for an ordinary car, while asports car or racing bike could do 150-175 mph (240-280 kph).
• 750 mph (1,200 kph) is just above Mach 1, the speed of sound. A rocketpowered car travelling at about that speed holds the current world land
speed record.
Mecha Point Cost: 1 per 10 mph (16 kph) of land speed x
Armour; treat Armour 4 or less as 5.
Example: The Mach Buster super car has land speed 700 mph andArmour 6. It costs 700 ÷ 10 x 6 = 420 Mecha Points.

Mecha Suit Movement
Unlike a giant robot or vehicle, a suit’s movement is based on thecapabilities of its wearer. For example, a human’s suit will let the wearer walk,a dragon’s suit will let him walk and fly, and a mermaid’s will let her swim.
Sometimes the suit’s weight will slow the wearer down, but mecha
suits often (but not always) include a powered assist that allows the wearer
to run faster and jump greater distances.
Select the suit’s speed multiplier. This can be x2/3, x1, x1.5, x2, or x3.
If the wearer is capable of multiple movement types, select themultiple for each movement type (paying Mecha Points separately). For
example, a dragon will select ground and air movement for its suit.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

A mecha suit’s Strength modifier is an equipment bonus to its wearer’sStrength score.
A giant robot’s Strength ability score replaces its wearer’s Strength
score when operating the mecha.
A vehicle does not have a Strength score, since it cannot lift ormanipulate objects.

If the mecha is a suit or giant robot, select its strength from within therange shown on the Strength Range Chart for its chosen Size.
If a giant robot, record the Str ability modifier in parenthesis after the
Str value. It is equal to (ability x 1/2) -5 (round fractions down). Thus, Str 50
gives a +20 bonus — Str 50 (+20).
Mecha Point Cost: For giant robots, this is (Str-10) x 3
Points. Thus, a giant robot with Str 40 would pay (40-10) x 3 = 90 Points. For
suits, this is 3 per +1 Str. Thus, a suit with a Str +10 pays 30 Points.

163

The speed multiplier will be applied to the suit wearer’s normal speed
to determine his or her speed when using the suit. Thus, a human’s normal
speed is 30’ (10 m), so in a suit with a x1.5 multiplier he would move at 45’(15 m)’ per turn. A speed multiplier of x2/3 means the suit has no power
assist, slowing the wearer to 2/3 his or her speed, much like a normal suit of
medium or heavy armour does.
Mecha Point Cost: This is 2 x speed multiplier x mecha’s
Armour (but treat Armour 4 or less as 5). For example, if the speed multiplier
was x1.5 and Armour was 10, it would cost (2 x 1.5 x 10) 30 Mecha Points.
A suit may also buy air, water, or space (but not land) movement if its
wearer does not normally posses that capability. For example, a human’s suit
could buy air speed and manoeuvrability, representing a jet pack ormechanical wings. Use the rules for giant robots to determine the Point costof this movement.

Burrowing Speed
A mecha given a burrowing speed can move earth and/or tunnel
underground. Top speed assumes the mecha is going through sand or
packed earth. Tunnelling through solid rock is 1/10 speed. The tunnel it
leaves behind can be either permanent or collapse after it — specify which
when the mecha is created. Select burrowing speed in mph (or kph), thencalculate combat speed.
Mecha Point Cost: 1 if fine, 2 if diminutive, 3 if tiny, 5 if small, 10 if
medium, 20 if large, 30 if huge, 40 if gargantuan or 50 if colossal size per 2
mph (3 kph) of burrowing speed.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Water (and U nderwater) Speed
This is the maximum speed the mecha can move in or under water.
Select the mecha’s water speed in mph (or kph), and then calculate its combat
speed. If the mecha can move underwater, select an underwater speed and asurface speed that is the same or higher than the underwater speed.
Suits use special rules; see Mecha Suit Movement, page 163. Some
examples of water speeds:• 5 mph (8 kph) is typical of slower sailing craft or row boats.
• 10 mph (16 kph) is typical of faster sailing craft, galleys, mini-subs, oramphibians.
• 25-35 mph (40-56 kph) is typical of modern ocean-going ships.
• 50 mph (90 kph) is typical of speed boats and hydrofoils.
• 318 mph (511 kph) is roughly the world water speed record for a jetpowered speed boat.
If the mecha can dive and travel underwater, select its maximum divedepth, in feet or metres. Historically, the first 19th-century submarines could
dive no deeper than 50’ (15 m). By World War II, subs reached 600’ (200 m);
today’s nuclear subs dive to 1,000-1,500’ (300-500 m). Specialised
research/salvage craft can dive much more deeply — 36,000’ is a world record.
Mecha Point Cost: 1 per 5 mph (8 kph) per point of mecha
Armour; if Armour is 4 or less, treat as 5. Double cost for underwater
movement. If the mecha can travel underwater but has a faster surface speed,
buy the underwater speed, and pay normal cost for each extra 5 mph (8 kph)
over the underwater speed.
Each 10’ (3 m) of diving depth x the Armour of the vehicle costs 1
Mecha Point, or 2 Points if the mecha is of colossal size. Example: agargantuan mecha with Armour 10 gains 100’ (10’ of diving depth x a Armourof 10) per Mecha Point. Thus, it can dive 30,000’ for 300 Mecha Points.

Ceiling and Air Speed

164

Some mecha can fly through the air. If the mecha can fly, decide how:wings and jets or propellers, rotors, rockets, anti-gravity, flapping wings, hotair, magic, etc. Then select air speed and ceiling.

Select the mecha’s flight ceiling in feet (or metres). This is the highest
altitude it can reach. The base ceiling is 500’ (150 m), suitable for a jet packequipped robot or suit. A higher ceiling can be selected; typical ceilings are
7,500-15,000’ (1,500-5,000 m) for helicopters, 10,000-40,000’ (3,000-12,000 m)
for propeller aircraft, and 30,000’-80,000’ (10,000-24,000 m) for jets.
Choose the air speed that the mecha can attain. For very fast mecha
such as fighter jets, it is more cost-effective to give the mecha an air speed
only 1/2 whatever their absolute maximum speed will be, then take the
Booster special ability (page 167). This represents use of afterburners. Most
balloons should take a low speed and the Wind Powered Defect (page 176).
Select the mecha’s air speed in mph (or kph), and then calculate its
combat speed. If the mecha lacks any propulsion system (such as a flying
building or tethered balloon) pay only for its ceiling. Suits use special rules;
see Mecha Suit Movement, below.
Examples of air speeds:• 20 mph (30 kph) is a good balloon speed.
• 55 mph (90 kph) is the maximum horizontal speed of a peregrine falcon,
the fastest bird.
• 150 mph (240 kph) is typical of fast helicopters or light propeller aircraft.
• 400 mph (640 kph) is a fast late WWII propeller-engine fighter airplane.
• 550 mph (880 kph) is a typical civilian jet (or a ground attack fighter).
• 750 mph (1,200 kph) is roughly the speed of sound; it’s typical of a jet
fighter without afterburners.
• 1,500 mph (2,400 kph) is typical of a fast interceptor like the F-15 Eagle,
using afterburners.
• 2,200 mph (3,520 kph) is the fastest jet aircraft, the SR-71 Blackbird.
• 17,000 mph (27,400 kph) is the speed required to reach orbit, and 25,000
mph (40,000 kph) is Earth’s escape velocity, enough to escape its gravity
into deep space.
Mecha Point Cost: 10 for a ceiling of up to 500’ (150 m); fora higher ceiling, +1 per 1,000’ (300 m). Each 10 mph (16 kph) of air speed
costs 1 per point of mecha Armour; if Armour is 4 or less, treat as Armour 5.
Example: The giant robot Diomedes Prime (Armour 15) can fly at 200
mph at a ceiling of 3,000’. Its ceiling costs (10 + 3) 13 Points; its air speed
costs (200÷10 x 15) 300 Points.

Space Flight
The mecha can propel itself in space. There are four ways to travel
around in space: Realistic Space Flight, Dramatic Space Flight, Space Sails,
and Faster-Than-Light (FTL).
The GM may rule that some of these methods are not available in agame. For example, a “hard science fiction” setting only Realistic Space
Flight or Space Sails may be available. On the other hand, a space opera
setting might use Dramatic Space Flight and FTL Drive.

Realistic Space Flight
The space drive blasts out mass (often heated or energised) to produce
thrust. It is limited by the amount of reaction mass carried aboard.
Depending on the technology, the reaction mass could be anything fromrocket fuel to alchemical powder. Many science fiction spacecraft are fusion
drives, using water or hydrogen.
ThrustThis is how fast the spacecraft can increase its velocity or change its
course — both are the same thing. It is measured in gravities, or G: a thrustof 1 G is an acceleration equal to Earth’s gravity, roughly 32’ or 9.8 m persecond per second. In game terms, it can be assumed — with a great deal of
abstraction — that each G of thrust lets the mecha increase or decrease its
current velocity by about 1,000’/round.

G-Rounds

This is a measure of how long the mecha can accelerate before using up
its onboard reaction mass (once this happens it can just coast). A mecha uses
up 1 G-Round each time it uses 1 G of thrust for one round. If it accelerated at
2 G (assuming it can) for five rounds, it would use up 10 G-Rounds; if it
accelerated at 0.1 G for 1,000 rounds, it would use up 100 G-Rounds, and so on.
Delta-V

For the realism-inclined, delta-V is a measure of the top speed a mecha
can build up to before it runs out of reaction mass and must coast. Most
mecha, when travelling, will only accelerate to a velocity no more than half
their delta-V to ensure they have sufficient reaction mass to decelerate again(since deceleration is an application of reverse-thrust). Delta-V = G-Rounds
x 125 mph (200 kph); thrust does not figure into this. If a mecha has a thrustof at least 2 G and a delta-V of about 20,000 mph (32,000 kph) or more,
however, it has enough thrust to lift off from Earth and boost itself into orbit(25,000 mph (40,000 kph) is escape velocity).
Note that exhausting all a mecha’s onboard reaction mass isn’t thesame as running out of power or life support — a mecha with a reactionengine can still function perfectly normally if it’s out of reaction mass; it just
can’t accelerate or decelerate in space.
Select the mecha’s thrust in G (this may be a fraction) and its G-rounds(usually a multiple of acceleration). Most short-range “space fighter” typemecha should have a number of G-rounds equal to at least 10 x theiracceleration. Long-range spaceships should have enough G-rounds to givethem a delta-V of 1,000 or more, which usually means accepting a lower
acceleration.
Mecha Point Cost: Cost (per drive) is Thrust (in G) x GRounds x Armour x 0.1. If Armour is 4 or less, treat as 5. For example, if agargantuan space fighter with Armour 10 has 3 G thrust and 100 G-rounds(Delta V 12,500 mph), the Mecha Point cost is (3 x 100 x 10 x 0.1) 300.

Dramatic Space FlightSpace Sails
Space is not empty — it is awash with a sea of energy. Stars, such as
our own Sun, emit both light and a powerful “solar wind” of high-energy
particles such as protons. Enormous sails — often many tens or even
hundreds of kilometres across — can be constructed to allow spacecraft tocatch the stellar winds (though the sails can certainly be much smaller
depending on the campaign setting).
Use the rules for Dramatic Space Flight, above, but usually with thrust
ratings well below 1 G, clumsy space manoeuvrability, and the WindFTL Drive
This allows a mecha that is already in space to travel between the stars
at faster-than-light (FTL) speeds. Some stardrives let a mecha fly at
impossible speeds, while others side-step normal space by travelling throughsome kind of hyperspace or instantly jumping from point to point.
Some FTL drives are only good for interstellar trips, and require
ordinary reaction drives, space sails, or dramatic drives as well. For example,
the FTL drive may not function close to a planet’s gravity, thus requiring thefirst few tens of thousands of miles to be made using a conventional drive.
Alternatively, it might only connect certain natural or artificial “jumppoints” or “wormholes” that must first be reached.
Many FTL drives have no manoeuvrability at all: the navigator
programs in a course, and the spacecraft flies in a straight line (either
through normal space or some form of hyperspace), or ducks out of space
together and reappears at the destination, either instantly, or after a set time
has elapsed. Others let the mecha manoeuvre freely, but at many times the
speed of light. Note that if this capability exists and is not limited as
described above, it will render conventional space flight obsolete and let
FTL-equipped vessels fly rings around ordinary craft.
The GM should decide exactly how each FTL drive works, whether atrip is instant, or takes hours, weeks, or months, and if it has a maximum
range or other limits. There may be problems that prevent a ship instantly
escaping, such as engines that take a long time to recharge or those thatexhaust their fuel between trips. Navigation could be tricky, requiring a
Navigate check to avoid being lost in space or ending up some place
unintended (perhaps with a DC based on distance in light years). In somecampaigns, only large spaceships have the room to mount a Stardrive. If so,
the GM may require a minimum ship size as a prerequisite.
The GM should assign a base interstellar speed (or distance, forinstant jumps) in light years, or parsecs, such as 1 light year/day or 1
parsec/week. This is the speed of the slowest starship. FTL speed is expressed
as a multiplier to that speed, for example, FTL x3 means it can travel 3x as
fast as the slowest spacecraft. The GM may wish to set a maximum
multiplier, for example, x6 or x10. The GM may only allow one FTL speed. If
jump involves going through a jump gate or wormhole to whatever pointconnects it, for instance, then it is reasonable to assume that all ships travelto that point at the same pace.
Mecha Point Cost: 20 x Armour per multiple of standard
interstellar speed; if Armour is 4 or less, treat as 5. If it can manoeuvre in FTL
space, multiply the cost by 5. If it “breaks the rules” (jumps without awormhole when other ships require one, etc.) apply a x1 to x10 cost
multiplier depending on how much of an advantage this gives with thecampaign.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

The mecha can accelerate constantly for as long as it has power — itignores mundane considerations like reaction mass, so the top speed islimited only by its endurance (see Defects, page 174) or any physics-based
considerations the GM wishes to impose, like the speed of light. Sure, that
defies the laws of physics, but if 60’ tall giant robots exist, who is going tocare?
Select an acceleration in G: each G lets the mecha increase its speed by
1,000’ per round (thus, 0.1 G would allow 100’, while 6 G would allow
6,000’). If it stops accelerating, it will continue moving at its listed speed. It
can decelerate instead of accelerating, reducing its speed by its thrust rating(thus, -100’ for 0.1 G or -6,000’ for 6G).
Mecha Point Cost: The cost is (1 + thrust in G) times
Armour times 10. Treat thrust under 1/20 G as 1/20 G, and Armour under
4 as 5.
Note: in some universes, all spacecraft may accelerate much faster. If
appropriate, the GM can modify this; replace “thrust in G” with “in 10s of
G,” “in hundreds of G,” or another appropriate value for the campaign
setting.

Powered Defect (page 176). A realistic light sail or magnetic sail that catches
solar photons or protons has a thrust of well below 1/10 G, but a magicalether sail may be much more effective.
Space sails may have their acceleration increase dramatically if theirthrust can be boosted by an appropriate outside source, for example, a giant
laser cannon beaming energy into a light sail, a solar storm, etc.

Step 9Choose Handling
Handling qualities are represented by two values: Initiative andManoeuvre. Each is chosen separately.
Manoeuvre and Initiative values only apply to giant robots andvehicles. Mecha suits do not have them.

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166

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Manoeuvre
This adds to checks made to manoeuvre the mecha. It is based on how
agile and quick to accelerate or turn the mecha is.
The Manoeuvre statistic starts at +8 if fine, +4 if diminutive, +2 if tiny,+1 if small, 0 if medium, -1 if large, -2 if huge, -4 if gargantuan, or -8 if
colossal. Most vehicles possess this base value. Agile mecha like giant robots
or motor bikes usually add +1 to +4 points — for example, a typicalmotorcycle might have a +3 manoeuvre, a car might have a +0, while a large
tank has -4. Manoeuvre should not go above +10 or below -10.
Mecha Point Cost: 0 Points for the base value given above.
Each +1 over this size-derived base value costs 5. Each -1 below this starting
value gives back the same Points.

Initiative
This adds to Initiative checks. It is usually based on a vehicle’s massand momentum, and thus is normally a negative number equal to the size
modifier: +8 if fine, +4 if diminutive, +2 if tiny, +1 if small, 0 if medium, -1 iflarge, -2 if huge, -4 if gargantuan, or -8 if colossal.
Initiative is rarely increased above the starting value, but an increase
could be justified for one that (for example) flew using anti-grav technology
or was fast to accelerate. It should not go above or below +/-10.
Mecha Point Cost: If increased or decreased, use the same
cost calculation method as Manoeuvre.

Conversion Notes: Handling
Many d20 System games use a single Handling statistic for vehicles
instead of a split Manoeuvre and Initiative statistic. Handling differs in that
it is often a broader range (for example, +15 to -15) and generally takes into
account speed — a fast jet aircraft will have a much higher Handling value.
Some typical values might: supersonic jet: +10, ordinary car: +0, slow sailing
ship: -10. If the GM chooses to use a Handling statistic instead of Initiativeand Manoeuvre, use the cost of Manoeuvre, above.

that represent various types of super-technology — “quantum flux engine,”for example.
A Booster will only affect one type of movement (air, land, water,
underwater, or space flight). A mecha can take different Boosters fordifferent movement types, however.
Boosters provide an increase in speed for a short period of time (no morethan one hour or 10% of the mecha’s endurance, whichever is less). Exception:a space flight Booster adds additional G of thrust for a number of G-rounds,
just like realistic space flight (page 164); G-rounds may not exceed 600.
Mecha Point Cost: Each 20 mph (32 kph) of air, land, orwater Booster speed costs 1 per point of Armour (treat Armour of 4 or lessas 5). For space flight (either realistic or dramatic), cost is the same asrealistic space flight; just give the Booster a shorter number of G-rounds anda higher thrust.

Chobham Armour
The mecha has composite-laminate armour (often called Chobham
Armour after its place of invention). This Armour type is particularly
effective for defeating shaped-charge Armour-Penetrating attacks such as thehigh-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warheads of most anti-tank missiles andlight anti-tank rockets.
Chobham Armour doubles the mecha’s Armour against ArmourPenetrating explosives (weapons that have both the blast and ArmourPenetrating qualities). This will also affect weapons from other d20 Systembooks (for example, the M72 LAW rocket) that use shaped-charge or HEATtype warheads.
Mecha Point Cost: +1 per point of Armour the mecha has.

Communications
Normally the pilot can still be heard from inside the mecha throughsome means (even if buried inside a 50’ tall suit of armour). This basic
speaker system does not cost any Points. Other possibilities include:

Long Range Radio

Step 10Choose Special Abilities
These are innate gadgets and other capabilities that a mecha may
possess. They are all optional — no mecha is required to have any of thespecial abilities described in this section.

Accessories

Booster
A Booster is any system that gives a mecha a temporary “kick” ofspeed. Types of Boosters include afterburners for aircraft, nitro-injection for
cars, antimatter injection for starships, etc. Some giant robots have Boosters

Tactical RadioThis is a very high or ultra-high frequency communicator. It can beintercepted, but range is limited to line of sight transmissions (unless using
relay towers), about 1-10 miles/1-16 km in atmosphere (100 times that inspace), which makes it much more secure beyond the immediate area.

Laser ComThis tight-beam communicator is nearly impossible to jam orintercept without physically imposing something in the way. It is limited toline if sight transmission and is vulnerable to atmospheric effects. Maximum
range is usually limited to about 5 miles/8 km on the ground due to thehorizon, but if there is a clear line of sight it is about 50 km/80 miles inatmosphere (1,000 times that in space).

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

These are additional features for the mecha, which provide useful but
mundane non-combat-related advantages.
Examples of Accessories include: airlock, burglar alarm, camera, cell
phone, datalink, emergency lights and siren, engine smoke system, lockin/lock-out chamber, loudspeaker, luxurious decor, personal computer,revolving license plate, stereo system, terrain-following radar, tire inflation
system, tow cable, or wet bar.
A mecha need not acquire accessories that are implied by its othercapabilities (a mecha with Space Travel can be assumed to have appropriate
navigational systems) or which are ubiquitous (like safety belts in a modern
vehicle).
Mecha Point Cost: 1 per Accessory.

This is usually a high-frequency system that has a long range but isvulnerable to jamming and interception. Taking advantage of the ionosphereability to mirror high-frequency signals, the high frequency (HF) bandprovides long-range communications (hundreds or thousands of miles) for
low power. The down side is that these radio signals are easily intercepted byother long-range radios in range. In space or worlds (like the moon) that lackan ionosphere, range is the same as a tactical radio (see below).

Microwave Com
A microwave uplink is often used for communication with orbiting
relay satellites or spaceships, or space-to-space communications. Treat aslaser com, but double range in atmosphere. The beam is also wider: anyone
in its path (or within a few degrees to either side) with a microwave com caneavesdrop.

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Com Options
The following communication options can be added to the basecommunications types:
Interplanetary

This system has much greater range, good for communications
anywhere in a solar system. It is often used by spacecraft, etc. Apply this tolong-range radio, microwave, or laser com systems.
Interstellar

A faster-than-light communications system allows instantaneouscommunication over vast distances; it may not exist in some settings. Apply
this option to a long range radio communicator for broadcast systems or“laser” or “microwave” for a directional signal. Range may be interstellar(usually no more than a few 100 light years, sometimes less), or galactic(anywhere in the galaxy).
Scanner

If taken with a tactical or long-range radio, this option can scanmultiple frequencies to eavesdrop on other transmissions in range. Thisrequires a DC 10 Electronic Warfare check when used against a long range
radio or DC 20 when used against a tactical radio.
Secure

The communicator is frequency-agile, uses unusual parts of thespectrum, and/or is encrypted, making it very hard to jam or intercept.
Electronic Warfare checks made against the system have their DCs increasedby 3 per level (+3 at level 1, +6 at level 2, etc.).
Mecha Point Cost: 2 for Long Range or Tactical, 3 for Laseror Microwave (10 each if telepathic). Scanner adds 1 Point and Secure adds
2 Points (per system per level). Interplanetary is +10, interstellar is +50,
galactic is +70 (per system).

Countermeasures
Ladar Warning Receiver (LWR)
LWR warns the crew if the mecha is being tracked by a Laser
Designator (page 169) or High-Res Laser Radar (Ladar).

Radar Warning Receiver (RWR)
RWR warns the crew if mecha is being locked onto by a radar, or being
tracked by an active radar-homing missile.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATIONElectronic Emission Sensor (EES)

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This sensor will detect and precisely locate any operating radar withintwice the radar’s range (non-global radars only if they are pointing at themecha), or half range if High-Res Radar. It also functions like a Radar
Warning Receiver.
Mecha Point Cost: 2 per RWR or LWR; 10 for EES.

Ejection Seat
This rocket-powered escape system allows the crew to eject from adamaged mecha. It is possible that not all crew will be equipped with them.
They are not usable in mecha suits.
As a free action, the character sitting in an ejector seat may eject at any
time. Any canopy or rooftop is blasted clear by explosive bolts, and the seatlaunched at least 100’ (30 m) into the air by a rocket motor. If the user ejectedin an atmosphere, on the next round, the rocket motor stops and a parachuteunfolds, carrying the occupant down to Earth. The ejectee may make a Pilot
Skill check (DC 20) to guide the parachute to a specific place within 300’ (100m) of the mech. If the occupant has no Pilot Skill, or fails, the GM randomly
determines where he or she lands. Make a Reflex save (DC 10, or DC 15 if
landing in woods, mountain, or urban areas; +5 DC if dropping from orbit)
to avoid falling damage.

Usually, ejection seats are controlled by the person seated in them, butsome vehicles (for example, spy cars) may have seats that are controlled by
the driver or another crewman. These may omit a parachute.
Mecha Point Cost: 3 per ejection seat.

Electromagnetic Armour
The mecha’s Armour can generate a powerful electromagnetic field,
disrupting the particle jet produced by Armour-Penetrating blast attacks
such as shaped-charge warheads (see Chobham Armour, page 167, for adefinition of these weapons). This triples the mecha’s Armour against suchattacks.
Electromagnetic Armour also has some effect against ballistic
weapons that have the Armour-Penetrating quality: add +1 additional
Armour against such attacks.
The activation of the armour produces a transient electromagnetic
pulse — this may be easily detected by some sensors.
This may not be combined with Explosive Reactive Armour (page 169)
or Chobham Armour.
Mecha Point Cost: +2 per point of Armour the mecha has.

Electronic Counter-Measures (ECM)
The mecha is equipped with an electronic countermeasures jamming
suite. ECM can be any of the following sub-types: Radar Jammer (jams radar
sensors), Radio Jammer (affects communications), Defensive Jammer (jamsmissile homing systems).
Assign each category of ECM system an equipment bonus from +1 to+9; this may vary by category. This is used when determining the DC and/or
Defence of electronic warfare attempts.

Radar Jammer
This adds to the DC of any attempt to spot a target with radar, andadds to the mecha’s Defence against attempts to lock on with a radar homingor semi-active radar homing missile. This DC increase is reduced by 1 forevery 500’ (150 m) from the jammer; in space, it is reduced by 1 for every
5,000’ (1.5 km) distant. The jamming area will be detected, but not themecha itself. It has no effect on Laser Radar.

Radio Jammer
All radio signals are jammed within 1,000 (300 m) x bonus, or 10 times
that area in space. At an extra cost, it may also jam FTL radio.

Defensive Jammer
This adds a circumstance bonus to the mecha’s Defence against an
attack or lock-on attempt made by infrared homing, radar homing, andsemi-active radar homing.

Torpedo Decoy
Many warships and submarines are equipped with systems that
deploy noisemakers or small decoy torpedoes to decoy away enemy
torpedoes. The US Navy’s “Nixie” system is a typical example of this. Russian
vessels often have rocket launchers or mortars that fire explosive depth
bombs intended to have a similar effect.
Mecha Point Cost: 3 per +1 for Radar Jammer, Defensive
Jammer, or Torpedo Decoy, 2 per +1 for Radio Jammer (+20 if jams FTL
radio).

Environmental Systems
Climate Control
The mecha has Climate Controls that allow the crew to be comfortable
in a wide variety of temperatures (such as arctic to sweltering jungle).
Beyond that, the mecha needs Life Support.

Nuclear-Biological-Chemical (NBC) Filter
The mecha can filter gasses, radioactive fallout, dust, and germs fromexternal air, protecting its mechanisms and pilot much as if they had anenvironmental suit and gas mask. Includes Climate Control.

Life Support
The mecha can operate in space, at high altitudes, underwater, or on aworld without a breathable oxygen atmosphere. Any occupants have theirown oxygen supply (lasts as long as the mecha operates). An NBC Filter(page 169) is not needed, since the environment is completely air tight.
Includes Climate Control.
Mecha Point Cost: For Climate Control: 1 if medium or
smaller, 2 if large, 3 if huge, 4 if gargantuan, 5 if colossal. Twice the cost for
NBC filters and four times the cost for life support.

Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA)
The mecha’s Armour is protected by a layer of explosive tiles in metaltrays. If hit by an Armour-Penetrating blast attack (see Chobham Armour,page 167) such as a shaped-charge warhead, one of the ERA tiles will
detonate. This slams the metal plate covering it into the path of the particle
jet produced by the warhead, disrupting it and effectively negating theArmour-Penetrating quality of the attack.
Reactive Armour works on a roll of 1+ on 1d20. Each time it
successfully detonates, however, add 1 to the DC, as the mecha gradually
becomes vulnerable through the depletion of its Armour. Thus, the second
time, it works on a 2+, and so on. When the Reactive Armour detonates,
anyone within 10’ (3 m) radius will take 1d10 damage as per an attack withthe blast quality. This includes the mecha; as a result, Reactive Armour israrely used on mecha with a Armour rating under 10. It takes about six hours
to replace a set of Reactive Armour.
Mecha Point Cost: 8 MP

Extra Arms (Giant Robot only)
A giant robot is assumed to have two arms, but it could have more (forexample, a robot octopus).
Mecha Point Cost: Each extra arm costs 1 per 2 points ofStrength the mecha possesses (round down). For example, a mecha with Str
20 and three extra arms (a total of five arms) would pay 30 Mecha Points.

Firing Ports
The mecha has one or more firing ports sufficient to let passengers fireout of the mecha with their own ranged weapons. The firing ports provide
9/10 cover (equivalent to arrow slits).
Mecha Point Cost: +1 per firing port

Colossal vehicles such as warships may have dozens or even hundredsof different rooms, from combat information centres to post offices. As analternative to listing every possible room, a Colossal size vehicle may simply
take the Habitation Space. This confers all necessary rooms (kitchens,conference rooms, workshops, ship’s stores, hospitals, etc.) needed tosupport its operations with an indicated number of occupants.
Mecha Point Cost: Habitation Space for up to 50 occupants
costs 25 points, 51-100 occupants costs 75 points, 101-200 costs 100 points,
201-400 costs 125 points, 401-800 costs 150 points, and so on, with a further+25 points for each doubling of capacity.

Hangar (Giant Robot or Vehicle only)
Any portion of a mecha’s cargo capacity (page 162) can be designatedas a hangar bay for storage of other (smaller) mecha. For example, if themecha has a 200-ton cargo capacity, it might designate that 150-tons are

Headlights or Searchlight
The mecha has either headlights equivalent to those of a modern
automobile, allowing it to drive at night (range 500’/150 m), or a longerranged search light (5,000’/1,500 m).
Mecha Point Cost: 1 Point for headlights, 2 for searchlight.

Jumping
The mecha can make very high unaided vertical jumps, but not
actually fly. It may use jets, powerful leg muscles, etc. Assign the mecha ajump multiplier from x2 to x10.
Mecha Point Cost: Jump multiplier x.25 (round up) if tiny orsmaller, x.5 (round up) if small, x1 if medium size, x2 if large, x3 if huge, x4
if gargantuan, or x5 if colossal.

Laser Designator
A laser designator projects a modulated laser beam that is used tomark targets for laser-guided munitions. Range increment is 500’ (150 m); it
can reach out to 10 range increments. It cannot designate through smoke.
Mecha Point Cost: 2 per 500’ (150 m) of range increment.

Launch Catapult
This system uses steam or an electromagnetic massdriver to accelerate
aircraft or other mecha, boosting them to top speed. This allows flyers totake off in a much shorter distance. If launching into battle, the catapult also
provides a +1 Initiative bonus on the first round of combat. In space combat,
it adds 5,000’/1,500 m of speed on the first round.
Mecha Point Cost: This is determined by the size of thecatapult, which sets the maximum size of mecha that can be launched: 1 (smallor smaller), 2 (medium), 4 (large), 8 (huge), 16 (gargantuan), 32 (colossal).

Navigation Aids
Appropriate basic navigation is free in most cases. Superior navigation
capabilities are also available. Modifiers are not cumulative. Having accurate
positional data is very useful for accurate indirect fire.

Basic Navigation
Maps, compass, lodestones, etc. +2 equipment bonus to Navigate
checks.

Inertial Navigation System (INS)A gyroscopic system that provides a +3 equipment bonus on Navigate
checks.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Habitation Space

devoted to its hangar bay. Use common sense in determining the maximum
number of mecha that can fit in a bay of the specified capacity, based on theirdescribed size and mass.
Mecha can also be carried as ordinary cargo, but cannot be effectively
launched into battle, refuelled, etc. while in the cargo bay. It takes several
rounds (or possibly much longer) to unload carried mecha.
Mecha Point Cost: The hangar cost is equal to the largest
size of mecha that can fit through the bay’s opening: 1 if fine, 3 if diminutive,
5 if tiny, 10 if small, 15 if medium, 20 if large, 25 if huge, 30 if gargantuan, or
100 if colossal.

Global Positioning System (GPS)An advanced radio beacon system that uses a network of orbiting
satellites with very accurate clocks to locate the mecha’s position anywherein the world. +4 equipment bonus on Navigate checks, but requires theexistence of a friendly satellite network (or some other system, depending on
the campaign setting) — no bonus if such a network is unavailable.
Mecha Point Cost: 1 for basic navigation, 2 for INS, 2 for GPS.

169

Reflective Coating
The mecha’s Armour is optimised to reflect laser beams. The mecha
gets an extra defence bonus against any attack defined as inflicting laser-typedamage. The reflective coating does make the mecha easy to spot visually or
detect by radar, however — the same defence bonus is also applied to rolls tospot or locate it.
Mecha Point Cost: 2 per +1 defence bonus vs. lasers, to a
maximum of +10.

Parachute or Re-entry Shield
Parachute: The mecha has a parachute that that can be
deployed (move action) to allow the mecha to “soft land” if air-dropped.
Re-entry Shield: The mecha also has a re-entry capsule orshield that allows the mecha to drop from orbit into a planetary atmosphereand land safely via parachute or flying
Make a Reflex save (DC 10, or DC 15 if landing in woods, mountain, or
urban areas; +5 DC if dropping from orbit) to avoid falling damage.
Mecha Point Cost: 1 if tiny or smaller, 2 if small, 3 if
medium, 4 if large, 5 if huge, 6 if gargantuan, 10 if colossal. x2 cost for reentry shield.

Rooms (Vehicle Only)
Colossal vehicles may have specialised internal rooms. These reduce
occupancy as indicated.

KitchenMeals may be prepared aboard the mecha, providing room for two
cooks to work (buy multiple kitchens for larger facilities). Counts as 3
occupants. 1 MP

Conference Room
Meetings are held in this room. Counts as a number of occupants
equal to its capacity. 1 MP

Science Lab
This fully-equipped science lab gives a +2 Equipment bonus to any
relevant scientific Skill check. Two scientists can work at a time; for larger
facilities, buy multiple labs. Counts as 5 occupants. 5 MP

Sick BayA fully-equipped sick bay has surgical and diagnostic features andallows 2 people to be treated at a time. For hospital facilities, buy multiple
sick bays. Counts as 5 occupants. 5 MP

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

WorkshopThis fully-equipped machine shop includes a variety of specialised
tools and spare parts. It grants a +3 equipment bonus on Repair checks formechanical or, if technology allows, electronic, devices and lets character tomake Craft (mechanical), (electronic), or (structural) checks without
penalty. Counts as 5 occupants. 5 MP

Remote Control
The mecha has some form of control mechanism that enables it to be
operated by remote control. A remote control mecha is sometimes called adrone or remotely piloted vehicle (RPV).

Basic Remote Control

170

The mecha is controlled from outside the mecha by the owner, whowill use a radio (or other) control system. Doing so requires the Operator’s
full attention: he or she cannot do anything else, just as if actually inside themecha piloting it. This also means the Operator can only run one mecha atonce. It uses the Operator’s stats as if he or she was aboard it. The control

system must be specified as located in another mecha, a base, or a HandHeld unit. The GM should decide what limitations (range, susceptibility to
ECM, etc.) it has.

Advanced Remote Control
As Basic Remote Control, but the mecha requires less supervision: theOperator can also do other things at the same time (including operating his
or her own mecha, or controlling more than one advanced remote control
mecha). If he or she divides his concentration in this way, the character
suffers a cumulative -2 penalty on all actions for each mecha being remotely
controlling.
If the mecha has a crew requirement, a team equal in size to that
requirement must be used to control it.
Mecha Point Cost: 5 for Basic Remote Control, 10 for
Advanced Remote Control.

Sensors
Mecha may be equipped with various instruments and electronics toenhance their ability to detect objects at a distance.
Sensors are usually used to make Computer Use Skill checks to spot
targets. Instead of the normal penalty of -1 per 10’ (3 m), the penalty is -2
per 1,000’ times the range in miles (or -1 per 100 m times the range in km).
Thus, a radar with a range of 10 miles allows Computer Use checks to bemade at a penalty of only -2 per (1,000’ times 10) 10,000’. The maximum
range is 10 increments.
Sensors noted as useful for targeting can be used when aiming attacks
or navigating in the dark, bad weather, etc.; this negates the effects ofdarkness or concealment through which the sensor can see. Not all sensors
are useful for targeting.
Infrared, Meta-Scanner, and Radar Sensors detect targets in a single
direction — usually in a cone-shaped direction. A sensor can be specified as“global” (seeing in all directions) for double cost. Seismic and magnetic sensors
are unaffected by solid objects and can “see” over the horizon; other sensors
cannot scan through solid objects nor over the horizon. Sensors include:

Infrared (IR)The mecha has infrared sensors like modern main battle tanks or
attack helicopters. These give its crew the ability to see in the dark (inmonochrome) as if it were day; this is effectively Darkvision, except that therange is much greater. Infrared cannot see through solid objects. It can pickout heat shapes, see through ordinary darkness, smoke or fog, and detect
people hiding in trees or bushes. It is useless underwater, but very effectivein space. In space, range is 100 times greater. The sensor cannot see over thehorizon. It can target opponents.

Optics
These are telescopes or electro-optical TV cameras. Unlike othersensors, they do not provide any ability to see through concealment, but
simply increase the range at which objects can be visually spotted. Low-light
optics are also available; these provide limited night vision capabilities(halving penalties for darkness only) but cannot see through smoke,
vegetation, etc. They can be used for targeting.

Radar
The mecha bounces radio waves off objects and analyses the reflections
to determine the range and direction of targets. Radar lets the crew detectobjects at long distances, but does not resolve colour or fine detail: it only
gives the approximate size, range, and course of the object detected. Radar isan active sensor, so it can be jammed or detected. This is effectively Blindsightexcept that it does not work underwater, but does work in vacuum. It can see
through darkness, fog, smoke, and vegetation; ignore concealment modifiers.
In space, multiply range by 10. Radar can target opponents.

Radar, High-Resolution or Ladar
The mecha has either an advanced high-resolution radar or laserbased radar sensor that provides a detailed visual image of the target’s
surface. It won’t reveal colour, but will show texture and detail. Otherwise,
treat as Radar, above.

Meta-Scanner (MS)The mecha has sensors like a science fiction starship, or perhaps uses
magic. It can work like a High-Res Radar or Infrared Sensor or it can be set
to detect life forms, metals, chemicals, or radiation sources. Meta-Scanners
are often vulnerable to particular weather conditions, stellar storms,
radiation from local ore, and anything else the GM believes could interferewith them. They cannot scan through Force Fields, and their scanningradiation can be picked up by other Meta-Scanners at the same range, so
another vessel will also always know when they’re being scanned. In space,multiply range by 100 due to the absence of atmospheric interference. It cantarget opponents.

Sonar
The mecha has sonar sensors, similar to that used by a submarine or
dolphin for detecting objects underwater. It may use passive sonar to “listen”
for moving or noisy objects (“propeller noise at 6 o’clock — sounds like a
Typhoon-class boat”) or use active sonar to resolve the object’s exact range
and shape, or detect objects that aren’t making noise, search the sea floor for
wrecks, etc. If active sonar is used, passive sonar on other mecha can detect
it at longer distances: add the range of the active sonar to their passive sonar
detection range. Sonar does not work in space, and gets only 1% of its normal
range if used in air. Active sonar can target opponents.

Seismic
This sensor can detect large moving objects by the vibration they
produce in the ground. They are less precise than other sensors (-8 on rolls
to spot targets) and cannot be used for targeting. Seismic sensors ignore
concealment or intervening objects, but cannot detect stationary things(unless they produce vibrations, such as jumping up and down, drilling,etc.). Both the mecha and the object must be on the ground. Seismic sensors
can provide an approximate size of the target (medium, large, etc.) but noactual information as to its shape or nature. They can detect large explosions
and earthquakes at many times their base range. A seismic sensor is “global”
automatically. It gains +5 to spot burrowing targets.

Magnetic

ShieldA shield is a Hand-Held barrier that mecha can interpose to absorb
damage from attacks. A mecha requires at least one arm in order to use ashield; if the mecha only has one arm, it can’t use a Hand-Held weapon anda shield at the same time.

BESM d20 Shield
BESM d20 players should use the following version of Shield.
A shield is a Hand-Held barrier that mecha can interpose to absorb
damage from attacks. A mecha requires at least one arm in order to use ashield; if the mecha only has one arm, it can’t use a Hand-Held weapon anda shield at the same time.
A mecha operator must make a successful Block Defence (see BlockDefence in BESM d20). If successful, the shield’s Armour rating provides
protection from the attack.
Mecha Point Cost: 3 per 1 point of Armour. This additional
Armour does not factor into the costs of other abilities (such as land speed,Wall-Crawling, etc.)

Stabilisation Gear
The mecha’s ranged weapons are gyrostabilised. They can be fired
when moving without penalty, even if the gunner lacks special Feats.
Exception: Weapons with the Static quality can still only be fired when themecha is stationary.
Mecha Point Cost: 10 Mecha Points.

StealthThe mecha is designed to be harder to detect via sensors, utilisingshapes, materials, or electronics to foil radar and other sensors. Stealthimposes a penalty to any checks to spot the mecha using non-visual sensors.
Stealth must be bought individually for Radar, Infrared, Sonar,
Seismic, or Meta-Scan Sensors.
Mecha Point Cost: Stealth costs 1 if tiny or smaller, 2 if
small, 3 if medium, 4 if large, 5 if huge, 6 if gargantuan or 10 if a colossal size
mecha, per +1 DC on attempts to detect the mecha, per sensor class.

Targeting Bonus
A mecha may have a targeting bonus as a result of a built-in ballistic
computer or sighting system.
A targeting bonus must be bought individually for each weapon.
Targeting bonus usually ranges from +1 (superior sights) to +5 (the mostadvanced targeting laser and radar coupled to a ballistic computer).
Mecha Point Cost: 5 Points per +1.

Wall-Crawling
The mecha can use spikes, adhesive pads, or some other means toclimb walls and ceilings as if it were an insect. The mecha must have a land
speed to use this ability. It gets +8 on all Climb checks, and may take 10 while
climbing, even if threatened or distracted.
Mecha Point Cost: 2 per point of Armour (treat Armour 4 orless as 5).

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

These sensors detect ferrous metal objects or objects with powerfulmagnetic fields, such as electromagnetic railguns or fusion power plants.
They are less precise than other sensors (-8 to scan) and cannot be used fortargeting. Like seismic sensors, they only give approximate mass, direction,and distance only, but can are unaffected by concealment or intervening
objects. One of their main advantages is that they are unaffected by water.
Mecha Point Cost: 1.5 per mile (1 per km) of range if optics;
3 per mile (2 per km) of range if Low-Light Optics, Radar or Sonar; 5 per mile
(3 per km) if Infrared or High-Res Radar/Laser; 8 per mile (5 per km) if
Meta-Scanner; 10 per mile (6 per km) if Seismic or Magnetic Sensor. Global
Sensors are x2 cost; Seismic or Magnetic are Global at no extra cost.

A mecha Operator must have Shield Proficiency and the Giant Robot
Fighting Feat to use a shield without suffering a -2 armour check penalty on
all attack rolls, and all Dex- or Str-based Skill checks.
A shield may gives a defence bonus of up to +5. Decide on the defence
bonus and record it, for example, +5 shield.
Mecha Point Cost: Cost is 3 per +1 defence up to def +3;
after that, it is defence bonus x defence bonus.

171

Force Field

Step 11
Choose Exotic Abilities
Some mecha have exotic abilities that are the product of advanced
superscience or even magic. The GM may forbid some or all Exotic abilities,
especially if the game is intended to have a more “realistic” tone.

Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)
The mecha is possessed of artificial intelligence of some sort.

Limited A.I.
The mecha can operate on its own, but has no self-initiative. It can begiven orders or programmed with directives, but obeys in a slavish,
unimaginative fashion. The mecha has no emotions or desires. In short, it
behaves much like a golem or other Construct, and can even be considered one.
A mecha with limited A.I. will have Dexterity, Wisdom, and Charisma
abilities, but its Charisma cannot exceed 1.

Full A.I.
The mecha is capable of exercising (or at least simulating) self-initiativeand creativity, but remains loyal to the character that owns it. A mecha withfull A.I. has Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma abilities.
Mecha Point Cost: The Mecha Point cost is equal to the sumof the mecha’s ability scores multiplied by 5. These scores may not exceed 18
without GM permission; the GM may wish to roll them randomly.
Size Adjustment: Smaller mecha tend to be more agile than larger
mecha. After determining the Mecha Point cost of the mecha’s ability scores,
adjust the mecha’s Dexterity value based on its size category. The mecha
does not pay (or earn) Mecha Points for this adjusted value.
•• TABLE ••A.I. Dexterity Adjustment due to Size

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

SIZE
Fine
Diminutive
Tiny
Small
Medium
Large
Huge
Gargantuan
ColossalA.I. DEXTERITY MODIFIER
+8
+4
+2
+1
+0
-1
-2
-4
-8

BESM d20 Attribute
The mecha possesses one of the Attributes in the table below fromBESM d20.
Mecha Point Cost: 40 Mecha Points per BESM d20
Character Point.
•• TABLE ••Appropriate BESM d20 Attributes

172

Combination Attack
Computer Scanning
Contamination
Elasticity
Environmental Control
Immunity
Insubstantial

Massive Damage
Mind Control
Mind Shield
Personal Gear
Projection
Sensory Block
Size Change

Special Defence
Special Movement
Swarm
Telekinesis
Telepathy
Teleport
Unique Attribute

Some mecha possess Force Fields. A Force Field is different fromArmour in that it can be battered down by a sufficiently powerful attack.
A Force Field can be up or down. When down it does not stop any
damage. When up, it is often invisible (GM’s option), but Meta-Scanners
and possibly other sensors can usually detect it and “shields up” may beconstrued as hostile in some quarters. Force Field status must be set at thestart of the mecha Operator’s actions for the round and cannot be changed
until their turn to act in the next round.
A Force Field provides extra Hit Points that absorb damage if themecha is hit. Decide how many HP the field has. This must be at least 3 iftiny, 5 if small, 10 HP if medium size, 20 if large, 30 if huge, 40 if gargantuan
or 50 if colossal.
Damage is first applied to the Force Field, before Armour issubtracted.
A Force Field can quickly recover if undisturbed. The field recovers 1
HP per round if a medium size mecha or smaller, 2 HP if large, 3 HP if huge,
4 HP if gargantuan or 5 HP if colossal. The field may not recover HP in any
round it took damage, whether it is “up” or not.

Limited Duration Force Field
Some Force Fields can operate only for a brief time before running outof power or burning out. If the field is “up” for more than a minute (10rounds) it has a 1 in 6 chance each round after that of burning out or runningout of power. This disables it until repaired or recharged (GM’s option).

Limited Protection Force Field
Some Force Fields only protect against certain damage types. If the
field can only protect against a single type of energy (for example, lasers, fire,etc.) or vs. fast-moving projectiles (ballistic damage type) it will be cheaper.
Mecha Point Cost: 3 per HP the Force Field possesses, or 2
per HP if the Force Field is either limited duration or gives limited
protection, or 1 per HP if both.

Invisibility
The mecha can blend into the background using advanced technology
to make itself virtually invisible. It is possible to attack while invisible, butmoving through snow, rain, water, footprints, vegetation, etc. may reveal themecha’s approximate position.
Use the normal rules for Invisibility from the Special Abilities sectionof the DMG.
“Cloaking” devices are often vulnerable to damage, since they’re on thesurface of the mecha. If the mecha loses more than half its Hit Points, its
cloaking device will stop working.
Mecha Point Cost: 10 if fine, 25 if diminutive, 50 if tiny, 100
if small, 150 if medium, 200 if large, 250 if huge, 300 if gargantuan, or 500 if
colossal size. Add 10% to cost per sensor type (Radar, IR, etc.) it works
against in addition to vision and optics.

Merging
Merging allows several mecha to combine into a single bigger mecha.
Design the merged mecha. Three additional criteria apply to it:
1. The combined mecha must be able to carry all crew and passengersof the mecha that merged.
2. Its Hit Points must always equal the combined Hit Points of all themecha that made it up.
3. Its size must be equal to or greater than the size of the mecha thatmade it up. Design the mecha so its size is appropriate to the number of
mecha that merge into it and the HP requirement.

Decide which one of the crew pilots the mecha. Other crew members
may fire individual weapons (if the mecha has more than one) or run otherequipment — who operates what should be specified when the mecha isdesigned.
The mecha cannot merge if any component mecha are reduced to 0 or
fewer HP. If damaged mecha merge together, some damage carries over: theHit Points of the combined mecha is based on their total remaining Hit
Points.
If a merged mecha separates, divide the current (damaged) HP of the
combined mecha by its original undamaged HP and multiply this by eachmecha’s undamaged HPs to find their uncombined Hit Points remaining.
Mecha damaged before merging retain the damage after merging, naturally.
Mecha Point Cost: Merging costs each mecha a number ofPoints equal to the Point value of the mecha they combine to form dividedby (5 times the number of mecha forming it). The mecha they form must be
assigned a Point total.
Example: Four mecha can combine to form a 1,000 Point mecha. It will
cost each one of them 1,000 Points divided by 20 (5 x 4 mecha) — or 50 extra
Points to have the capability to transform into that mecha.
Note: GMs may wish to limit the Point values of the larger mecha to
avoid abuse of the system.

Mind-Interface System
The mecha has a system that links the pilot’s nervous system with its
controls, enhancing its handling. When activated, a mind interface systemprovides an equipment bonus to manoeuvre, Initiative, melee attack rolls,
and to Reflex saves.
This provides a +3 bonus if the mecha is a suit, +2 if a giant robot, or+1 if a vehicle.
There is a dark side, however. If the mecha takes damage, the feedback
through the interface may shock the user. If the mecha is badly damaged(loses half or more of its HPs from a single attack) or is disabled bycumulative damage the Operator must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or bestunned for 1d6 rounds.
Mecha Point Cost: 10 Mecha Points.

Self-Repair or Regeneration
The mecha is capable of healing itself. This can represent a self-healing
bio-mechanical creature, an auto-repair system, or a good repair crew. A
mecha cannot heal or regenerate if it is destroyed. Each period (see below)
the mecha will heal 1 HP. A mecha cannot have both Self-Repair andRegeneration.

Self-Repair
Regeneration
The mecha can regenerate Hit Points every round, whether resting or
not. Hit Points that are part of a Force Field do not benefit from Regeneration
or Self-Repair.
Mecha Point Cost: 1 per 5 HP if self-repair; 1 per HP if
Regeneration.

Spell-like Ability
The mecha, either through super-science or via truly magical means, has
the ability to generate an effect similar to a spell. The GM must approve all
spell-like abilities that are assigned to a mecha as they must fit within theparameters of his or her campaign setting. If a spell’s effects depend on thecaster’s Level, treat it as if cast by a character of the mecha’s ECL (see page 184).

Summonable
The mecha is linked to one special owner and can appear or disappear
on command. Decide whether it normally appears beside the character orforms around him or her with the character inside. This special ability isquite powerful, since it lets one bring a mecha into situations where dragging
one along is normally unacceptable, like school, an embassy ball, or jail.
There are two versions of Summonable:

Summonable (Slow)
The mecha takes several rounds to summon (GM’s option, or roll
2d6). The character can do nothing else — he or she may be concentrating,calling it, assembling it from smaller parts, etc.

Summonable (Fast)
The mecha takes only one round to summon.

Summoning Objects
Some summonable mecha have a special item that the character musthave in order for the mecha to appear. The item may be the mecha in a morecompact, but powerless shape, or a device that enables the mecha to besummoned from another dimension. Thus, a mecha can be prevented fromappearing if the item is taken away. Typical summoning objects can include
medallions or amulets, swords, items of clothing, bracers, rings, cubes, eggs,
or even suitcases (with the mecha folded up inside).
Mecha Point Cost: 1 fine, 5 diminutive, 10 tiny, 15 small, 30
for a medium mecha, 45 for a large mecha, 60 for a huge mecha, 75 for agargantuan mecha, 90 for a colossal mecha. +15 cost for Summonable (Fast).
If the mecha requires a summonable object, note this in parenthesis; the costis -15 Points.

Super-Equipment
The mecha has some item of equipment not otherwise defined thatpossesses special abilities that could have a significant effect on gamebalance. Examples of special equipment would be a “transporter” device thatallows the crew members to be teleported great distances, a built-in magicallaboratory, or doomsday bomb that, if activated, could destroy a city or evenan entire planet. It is up to the GM to specify the abilities of special
equipment, and to establish appropriate limitations given the game’s scopeand setting.
Mecha Point Cost: This is up to the GM. Base it on how
common the equipment is, how powerful it is relative to other systems, andhow easily it is countered. For example, a space opera teleport chamber that
followed conventions common to TV (range of about 10,000 miles, requiresa radio beacon or similar device to “lock on to” when transporting someone
back to the mecha, transports a half-dozen people at once, can’t workthrough Force Fields, odd mineral concentrations, ion storms, etc.) might
cost 1,000 MP if a rare advantage, or 200 MP if common enough that every
ship has one.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

The mecha can heal Hit Points every day of rest.

Mecha Point Cost: The cost of a spell-like ability is equal to
the spell Level (treat zero Level spells as Level 1) cubed times the number oftimes per day the ability can be used: Spell Level x Spell Level x Spell Level x
Number of times usable per day
Example: A mecha is assigned a spell-like ability: Prismatic Wall (1 perday). Prismatic Wall is an 8th Level spell and thus costs (8 cubed times 1 perday) 512 Mecha Points. If the mecha’s final ECL (see page 184) was 12, theability would generate a wall 48 feet wide by 24 feet high, as per the spell’s
description. Another mecha with spell-like ability: Hypnotism, a 1st Level
spell, usable three times a day, would cost (1 cubed times 3) 3 Mecha Points.

173

Transformation
Certain mecha — often rare, expensive, or magical — have the ability
to change shape.
Some mecha can mechanically alter their shape or function. It is also
possible for mecha to change between giant robot, vehicle, and suit types.
For example, one might shift from a giant humanoid to jet fighter.
Decide on the number of different forms the mecha has. Buy the mostexpensive single form.
Each extra form costs 1/5 what it would normally cost.
Each form must be big enough for any occupants or cargo that theprevious form contained. Otherwise, conservation of size and mass isrealistic, but is certainly not a requirement (mecha may use super-science
technologies to shunt extra mass into a pocket dimension, or use magic, toget around such physical limits).
It takes a mecha one round (and a full action) to transform from one
form to another during which time its crew cannot take other actions.
If a mecha has three or more forms, the designer must name each formand specify a transform sequence. For example, if a mecha has a “walker,” a“hybrid,” and a “flyer” form, the sequence may be walker-hybrid-flyer.” Themecha can turn from hybrid into walker or flyer, but not from flyer to walker(or vice versa). A mecha with three or more forms can ignore this limitationand perform non-sequential transformation for an extra Mecha Point.

Example of Transformation
The Brunhilda is a mecha that has two forms: Wing Striker and Land
Striker. Each form is designed independently. The Wing Striker turns out tocost 500 Mecha Points, while the Land Striker costs only 400.
The Brunhilda’s cost is thus equal to the cost of the most expensive
form — the Wing Striker — at 500 Points plus 1/5 the cost of the otherforms — in this case, the Land Striker at 400 x 1/5 = 80 Points. Total cost isthus 500 + 80 = 580 Points.

One-Way Transformation

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

The mecha cannot transform back to a prior form without
considerable work at the hands of mechanics or lab technicians (taking a few
hours time). For example, the original mecha might include a rocket booster
to help it get to space, then it would “transform” into its more agile form byejecting the boosters. Another example is a robot that sheds its human-likeskin and pops out various weapon pods.
If a transformation is one-way, it costs half as many Mecha Points(1/10 cost of each extra form).

Step 12Choose Defects
These are Defects that affect the workings of the mecha. Defects reduce
the Mecha Point Cost.
Mecha Defects cannot reduce the Mecha Point Cost of a mecha below
1 Point. If this happens, treat the mecha as costing 1 Mecha Point.

[Direction]-Optimised Armour

174

The Armour’s full value protects against attacks from one direction(usually front-optimised). Attacks from other directions (for example, theside, rear, top, and bottom) are protected at 2/3 Armour (round down).
Explosive Reactive Armour can also be [direction]-optimised. If so, it
only protects in the optimised direction.
Mecha Point Cost: -1 per point of Armour the mecha has. If
taken for Explosive Reactive Armour, this is worth -2 Points.

Flammable
The mecha’s structure and armour are made of wood or similar
flammable material. Its Armour does not protect at all against fire, plasma,or other fire-based damage. Saves against fire are made at a -4 penalty.
Mecha Point Cost: -1 per point of Armour.

GliderGlider can be taken by a mecha that can fly and does not have the
Hovercraft or Wind-Powered Defects. It means the mecha can only take off if
launched from a fast-moving vehicle or high place, and can only gain speed
by diving or gain altitude by riding thermals. Assume a glider has a glide
ratio of about 60:1 if average manoeuvrability, 30:1 if poor manoeuvrability,
or 20:1 if clumsy. A 60:1 glide ratio means (for example) that if dropped froma height of 1 mile, it could glide for 60 miles before landing. A pilot check(DC 10) can extend glide ratio by 10% for every point by which the checksucceeded.
Mecha Point Cost: -2 per 10 mph (16 kph) of air speed.

Hangar Queen
The mecha requires extra careful maintenance to work properly. If thisis not available, the GM should feel free to impose breakdowns of various
systems whenever seems dramatically appropriate. If a mecha istransformable, this Mecha Defect is only allowed if each form possesses it.
The mecha spends much of its time in a garage, shop, port, etc.
undergoing repairs. For every hour it was used, it should be given at least anhour of maintenance.
Mecha Point Cost: -10 MP

High Ground Pressure (HGP)This Defect can only be taken if the mecha has a land speed. It meansthat the contact area of its wheels, legs, or tracks is slight compared to themecha’s weight. Consequently, it tends to sink into the ground. Most civiliancars and trucks possess this Defect while specialised all-terrain vehicles ordirt bikes do not have it. Most tanks do not have a high ground pressure dueto the width of their tracks, but a “realistic” two-legged giant robot may havethis problem unless it has very large feet.
The mecha will bog down in any swamp, deep snow, or mud (nomovement). It moves at 1/2 speed when crossing sand, light snow, or soggy
ground. This is cumulative with the penalties for Road Vehicle.
Mecha Point Cost: -1 per 10 mph (16 kph) of land speed.

Hovercraft
This Defect can only be taken if the mecha can fly. It means themecha’s ceiling is divided by 100, usually no more than 10’(3 m) above ground. Take this for hovercraft or wing-in-ground-effectvehicles.
Mecha Point Cost: -5 MP

Naked Operator
One or more of the important crew members must be naked to pilot
or crew the mecha. This Defect occurs surprisingly often in anime. The
naked crew member is usually floating in some sort of neural-interface tank,often with strategically placed electrodes or tubes connecting them to themecha’s life system. The disadvantage of this, aside from embarrassment, isthe time it takes to get dressed before exiting the mecha.
Mecha Point Cost: -5 if one Operator must be naked; if 2+crew members, -10 if all must be naked.

Noisy or Very Noisy
The mecha is noisier than an ordinary person. Mecha whose only typeof movement is Space Travel or Star Drive may not be noisy. A noisy mecha
is also detected more easily by sonar or Listen checks. A noisy mecha cannever attempt to Move Silently.
“Noisy” means the mecha is as noisy as an ordinary automotiveengine. +10 on Listen or sonar checks to notice it; weapons with the Sonar
Homing quality get a +4 to lock on and attack.
“Very Noisy” means the mecha is as noisy as an aircraft engine.
+20 on Listen or sonar checks to notice it; weapons with the Sonar Homing
quality get a +8 to lock on and to attack.
Mecha Point Cost: -5 if noisy, or -10 if very noisy.

One Hand/No Hand (Giant Robot only)
A giant robot is assumed to have two arms with hands, but it could
have only one, or even none, instead having legs or no limbs at all. If it has
one hand it cannot hold onto something at the same time it punches
someone or uses a Hand-Held weapon.
Mecha Point Cost: -1 per 2 point of Strength the mecha
possesses if one hand, or -1 per point of Strength if it has no hands.

Open
The mecha’s Armour does not protect the crew or passengers, only themecha itself. This is common for mecha like galleys, jeeps, motorbikes, opencockpit biplanes, speedboats, or robot horses. The mecha provides 1/2
cover, or no cover if the mecha is the same size or smaller than the rider.
Mecha Point Cost: -2 per point of Armour the mecha has.

Poor Visibility
The mecha has very poor visibility, due to small or no windows and alack of compensating sensors, or other problems. The only way to get
unrestricted vision is to actually stick one’s head out a hatch or window(leaving one with only half cover, as per the Open Defect). Otherwise,
attempts to spot something visually from inside are at -2 if looking directly
forward and -4 if looking in any other direction.
This is common for tanks. Mecha with the Open Defect should never
have this Defect.
Mecha Point Cost: -5 MP

Reduced Endurance

Restricted Path
For one reason or another, the mecha cannot leave a narrowly
restricted area. This may represent a robot that is programmed to follow a
specific guard route, a railway train, cable car that cannot leave its track, or a
towed trailer/carriage.

Road Vehicle (Vehicle Only)
Take this Defect for most wheeled vehicles. The mecha attains full land
speed only on a smooth flat surface such as a paved road. Its land speed is cut
in half in other circumstances, such as on a dirt road, off-road, etc.
Mecha Point Cost: -1 per 10 mph (16 kph) of land speed.

Service Crew
The mecha is large enough that it requires a crew of engineers, sailors,or other individuals to perform maintenance, man rigging, cook, etc. Their
training and skills will depend on the technology of the mecha, and may
range from carpenters to nuclear reactor engineers.
Service crew are in addition to any Operators (pilot, commander,
equipment operators, or gunners). For weapon loaders, use the Crew-Served
restriction (page 182) instead. The mecha must have sufficient passenger
occupancy to carry that many crew. If a mecha loses service crew it will notstop functioning (provided there is someone to pilot it), but it will not run
smoothly.
For each 25% a mecha is undercrewed (round up), the GM can impose
a -2 penalty on all mecha-related Skill checks rolls or pick a system (sensors,
Force Fields, maintenance, a weapon) that has gone unmanned and thus
cannot be used. A short, overworked crew is also more likely to makemistakes, leading to equipment breakdowns.
Mecha Point Cost: Depends on the Service Crew
requirement: -2 if one crew member, -4 if two crew, -6 if 3-4 crew, -8 if 5-8
crew, -10 if 9-16 crew, -12 if 17-32 crew, -14 if 33-64 crew,-16 if 65-128 crew, etc.
Example: The starship Viva Zapata is a Colossal mecha with an
occupancy of 350. The mecha has a Service Crew of 100. This Defect is worth-16 Mecha Points.

Stall Speed
This can only be taken by a mecha that has a ceiling and air speed. If
the mecha has a stall speed, it must always fly faster than the stall speed toremain in controlled flight. If it does not, it will go out of control.
Ordinary airplanes will have a stall speed. Mecha that use flappingwings may have a low stall speed or none at all if they can hover like ahummingbird. Other types of flying mecha (vertical-takeoff aircraft that use
thrust vectoring, helicopters, antigravity flyers, hovercraft) will not have astall speed.
A typical stall speed is about 10-25% of air speed. Decide on the speed
in mph or kph, and also determine the combat stall speed.
Mecha Point Cost: -1 per 10 mph (16 kph) of stall speed x
Armour. Treat Armour 0-4 as 5.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

The default assumption is a mecha has an indefinite range — it canoperate for months at a time, like a sailing ship or nuclear submarine,
provided supplies of food and water are available. If the mecha must refuelor recharge before then (something that should take at least half an hour ofeffort) it has Reduced Endurance.
Select one of these operational periods: a few weeks, several days, a few
days, several hours, a few hours, several minutes. In this context, “several”
means 5-30; “a few” means 1-4.
Mecha Point Cost: -5 if a few weeks, -10 if several days, -15 if
a few days, -20 if several hours, -25 if a few hours, -30 if several minutes.

Another way to interpret this is a mecha that is attached to a generator
by a power cable. The mecha can operate normally unless the cable is
unplugged, then has only a few rounds reserve power (and an enemy mecha
that grabs it might unplug it).
Decide if it is a long path (like a railway line) or a short path (like atether or a building interior)
Mecha Point Cost: -1 fine, -3 diminutive, -5 tiny, -10 small,-15 if medium, -20 if large, -25 if huge, -30 if gargantuan, or -50 if colossal; x2
if a short path.

175

Start-Up Time
If the mecha is shut down, a character cannot just climb into it andblast off cold. For example, it might be a complicated powered armour suitthat takes a few minutes to put on, a power plant that takes time to warm up,
or a rocket that takes hours of preparation in order to be ready for launch.
Start-Up Time should only be taken for mecha that have Reduced Enduranceof a day or less, as the time is trivial if the mecha runs constantly.
Mecha Point Cost: -2 if 1 minute (10 rounds), -4 if 10
minutes, -8 if an hour, -16 if 4+ hours.

Volatile
Fuel, a boiler, or ammunition may explode if the mecha is disabled or
destroyed. If the attack that disables or destroys the mecha dealt damage
past its Armour equal to or greater than half its normal full Hit Points, themecha will explode after 1d6 rounds. This explosion deals 1d6 damage perfull 5 HP the mecha had when undamaged (minimum 2d6) to everyone
within the mecha (Reflex save, DC 20, for half damage). Half that damage is
inflicted to everyone and everything within a number of feet equal to themecha’s full Hit Points (or metres equal to one-third full HP) of the blast(Reflex save, DC 15, for half damage).
Mecha Point Cost: -1 per full 5 HP the mecha has.

Weak Point
Due to a flaw in the design, there is a weak point in the mecha. If an
attacker knows where it is (this may require study of enemy wreckage,espionage, sensor scans, etc) an attack to that point is much more likely tocripple or destroy the mecha.
A critical hit strikes the weak point and ignores the mecha’s Armour.
If an attacker knows about the weak point, an attack made at a -8 penalty
may deliberately target the weak point and ignore the mecha’s Armour.
Mecha Point Cost: -1 per point of Armour the mecha has.

Windows

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

The mecha has large windows (like a car or jet liner) or canopy which
does not protect against attacks aimed through them. This may not be taken
in conjunction with the Open Defect (page 175).
If a mecha’s occupants are attacked, they can only claim three-quarters
cover. Occupants that lean out of windows (for example, to shoot) will get
only one-half cover. An attack can deliberately target a window at -4 to hit,
ignoring the vehicle’s Armour.
Mecha Point Cost: -1 per point of Armour the mecha has, if
it has Armour 2+. Otherwise, none.

176

Wind-Powered (Vehicle-Only)
The mecha is a sailing craft, powered by the wind. Its top speed will
never exceed the present velocity of the wind, and it cannot move against thewind (it can tack upwind, but cannot move directly against the direction
from which the wind is blowing).
This is most appropriate for mecha with Water Speed, though windpowered land or air vehicles are possible. It’s usually inappropriate formecha with top speeds over 30 mph (48 kph).
It can be used with Dramatic Drive for space sails (page 165); the exact
effects depend on drive technology: for example, a light sail will have its
acceleration decline with the square of distance from the sun (measured in
multiples of Earth’s average distance from the sun).
This cannot be taken in conjunction with the Glider Defect.
Mecha Point Cost: -1 if large or smaller, -2 if huge, -3 ifgargantuan, -5 if colossal.

Step 13
Design Weapons
Mecha do not need to be armed, but may possess an array ofimpressive weapons.
A suit or giant robot’s fists can inflict damage even if it has noweapons. Base damage is 1 if tiny, 1d2 if small, 1d4 if medium, 1d8 if large,
2d6 if huge, 2d8 if gargantuan, and 4d6 if colossal, plus strength modifiers.
More potent attacks — including bite or claw attacks — should be built
using the mecha weapon creation rules.
If the mecha has multiple weapons, design each one individually. If thepilot can make multiple attacks, several weapons may be used each round.
The same holds true for multiple crew aboard a mecha assigned as gunners.
If you want one weapon to have multiple ammo choices, take the Alternate
Ammo option (page 178).
In d20 Mecha, a “weapon” does not necessarily mean a single gun or
missile. A set of multiple missiles on rails or pods is best treated as a single
weapon (with several shots). A ship-of-the-line’s broadside of dozens ofcannons facing in the same direction is best handled as 1-3 weapons withextra damage and qualities such as Volley.
Most mecha attacks inflict damage: refer to Damage, below, andassign the dice of damage. Some attacks do not deliver ordinary damage, butinstead, have other effects: Flare, Nerve Gas, Riot Gas, Smoke, or Tangle.

DamageSelect the type and number of dice of damage inflicted, for example,
4d4 or 6d10. This determines the weapon’s effectiveness and MP cost.
Critical: A weapon’s normal critical threat rating is 20. This can be
modified by assigning the Increased Threat quality.

Special Attacks
These are all ranged touch attacks. Assign each special attack amodifier (usually 1 to 20), which applies to DCs and determines the weapon
cost.

Flare
If hit (or in the radius of a Blast-effect or Emanation-effect) the target
may be blinded. Everyone looking in the direction of the flash when theattack strikes must make a Fortitude save with a DC of (15 plus the Flaremodifier) or be blinded for 2d6 rounds.

Nerve Gas
If hit, this will kill individuals who fail a DC (15 plus the Nerve Gas
modifier) Fortitude save. Anyone wearing a pressurised suit, or in a mecha
with NBC filters or life support is unaffected. This must be combined with
the Emanation quality (page 179).

Riot Gas
If hit, this requires individuals in the area of effect to make a Fortitude
save against DC (15 plus the Riot Gas modifier) or be blinded and stunnedfor 2d6 rounds. Anyone using a gas mask, wearing a pressurised suit, or in amecha with NBC filters or life support is unaffected. This must be combinedwith the Emanation quality (page 179).

Smoke
The attack produces an obscuring smoke cloud. Smoke gives a 50%
concealment modifier, and is also treated as 3/4 cover vs. lasers. The smoke
remains for a number of rounds equal to the Smoke modifier. If the attack is
assigned the Emanation quality (page 179), the base duration doubles (or thearea of effect my double, as per the normal Emanation rules).

Hot Smoke
As smoke, but it also affects infrared sensors.

Tangle
The attack projects a web or net. Treat as a Web spell except it requires
an attack roll; if combined with Blast it will affect everyone in the area; if
combined with Emanation, it is sticky, and will affect anyone who moves into
the area as well. The DC to break free is (20 plus the Tangle modifier).
•• TABLE ••Damage Die Types and Ranges
DICE TYPE
d2 d3 d4 d6 d8 d10 d12 d20 Special
Increment (feet) 10’ 15’ 20’ 30’ 40’ 50’ 60’ 100’ 50’
Increment (m) 3 m 5 m 7 m 9 m 12 m 15 m 20 m 30 m 10 m

Type
Specify the type of damage that the attack inflicts. This is importantbecause some mecha Armour or creatures may be resistant or immune tocertain types of damage. Specify one of the following types:
Ballistic (bullets and other high-velocity projectiles), piercing (pointed
thrusting or ranged weapons like spears, arrows, etc.), slashing (swords,
whips, etc.), bludgeoning (clubs, fists, tails, etc.), energy (of a specific type:
fire/plasma, laser, electrical, cold, sonic), or blast (explosions).

Rate of FireThe default ranged weapon rate of fire is single shot (SS) — one shot
per attack. Weapons may have faster or slower rates of fire as a result of theirchosen qualities or restrictions; record the abbreviation appropriate to therate of fire: SS for single shot, S if semi-automatic, A if automatic, 1 if slowfiring.

Range Increment•• DESIGNER’S NOTE ••Conversion Notes:
Modifying Range Increments
Range increments in d20 Mecha are based on the assumption thata powerful attack will usually travel farther. They can be modified in
flexible fashion by taking appropriate qualities and limitations.
Some d20 System games, however, have range increments that are
unusually high or low across the board — perhaps as a game-balance
device to balance them against melee or archaic weapons. If this seems
like a good idea, the GM should apply a constant multiple to all range
increments to suit your own preferred d20 System game — for example,
arbitrarily dividing or multiplying all range increments by 2, 4, 8, or 10.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

A weapon’s base range increment is 50’ (15 m) for a special attack. If
the attack inflicts damage though, the increment shown on the table for theweapon’s die type is multiplied by the dice of damage to get the increment.
For example, 2d8 has an increment of 40’ x 2 (for two d8) = 80 feet.
The actual increment can be modified by taking weapon qualities or
restrictions. Each level of Long Range may up to double range; each level of
Short Range may up to halve it.
Example: A mecha has a 120mm tank gun with 10d12 damage; this givesa range increment of 60 x 10 = 600’. In the real world, a 120mm gun can reliably
strike targets out to about 12,000’. This would suggest a range increment of
about 1,200, since weapons can reach out to 10 x their range increment. Various
Feats and devices, however, allow experienced gunners to multiply their range
increment by 1.5 to 2, so 600’ is quite reasonable for the tank gun.

177

Hand-Held Weapons

Magazine
A weapon has an ammo capacity (magazine) of 17-30 shots before
running out of projectiles or power. This may be modified via the Extra
Ammo quality or the Low Ammo restriction.

Mecha Point Cost
If the attack delivers damage, multiply the dice of damage by the costshown for the chosen dice size (twice its average damage) on the Weapon
Damage Cost chart (below).
Example: The Valkyrie is a missile that inflicts 5d6 damage (giving a100’ range increment). The cost of each d6 is 7 Points. The Valkyrie missile
will cost 5 x 7 = 35 MP.
If a special attack, the cost is equal to the (modifier + 10) multiplied by
1 if smoke, 2 if flare, hot smoke, riot gas, or tangle, and 3 if nerve gas. Thus
a +5 nerve gas attack costs (10 + 5) x 3 = 45 Mecha Points.
•• TABLE ••Weapon Damage Cost
DIE TYPE
d2
d3
d4
d6
d8
d10
d12
d20
Smoke
Flare
Hot Smoke
Riot Gas
TangleNerve Gas

COST
3
4
5
7
9
11
13
21
Modifier +10(Modifier +10) x2(Modifier +10) x2(Modifier +10) x2(Modifier +10) x2(Modifier +10) x3

Multiple Weapons on a Mecha
A single Operator on a mecha can only attack with a single weapon ata time, no matter how many are built into a mecha. Exception: If he or she
has multiple attacks, and uses a full attack action, these extra attacks can bemade with the same weapon (unless it has a Single Shot or Slow-Firing Rateof Fire) or they may use a different Alternate Weapon (or Ammo).

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Alternate Weapons (or Ammo)
If the mecha’s Operator has access to multiple different attacks, eachsecondary weapon costs less. This is because he or she can only use one
weapon per round. For 1/10 the original cost (minimum 1 Point), a mecha
can be given another weapon that is of the same or lower Point cost than themecha’s first weapon. This can represent either a new weapon or the sameone with alternate ammo.

Different Gunners
Weapons are normally designed to be used by the mecha pilot. If themecha has multiple Operators, however, some may have their own weapons,
allowing each to fire. If a weapon is in this category, note it as requiring a“different gunner” and pay for it at full cost. After it is acquired, additional
alternate weapons may also be bought for that extra gunner, at the reduced
cost given above. Note: Two characters may not fire the same weapon in around, however, even if using multiple attacks.

178

It is assumed that weapons are attached to the mecha, but they may,instead, be designated as Hand-Held. A Hand-Held weapon can be lost or
grabbed by an enemy, and the mecha must have arms to hold it. Mecha can,however, swap Hand-Held weapons with other mecha. To do this both
weapons must be the same size so that handgrips and such are compatible.
Hand-held weapons can never be assigned to different gunners; they must be
fired by the mecha pilot.

Multiple Attacks with Hand-Held Weapons
The wearer of a suit or pilot of a giant robot may use the normal rules
for multiple attacks with two weapons if his or her mecha has a weapon ineach hand.

Weapon Stat Blocks
Record weapons in the following formats:Name: The weapon’s name (player’s choice). For example, “20mmrailgun.”Damage: The dice of damage. For example, 6d10. If no damage,list the special effect and modifier. For example, Nerve Gas +5.
Critical: The critical threat range. This is “20” unless modified by
the Increase Threat quality.
Type: The type of damage inflicted. For example, Ballistic, Piercing,Electricity, Laser, etc.
Increment: The range increment (as modified by qualities andrestrictions). Use “—” if a melee weapon.
Rate of Fire: Record the rate of fire: SS if single shot, A if theAutomatic qualifier, S if Semi-Automatic qualifier, 1 if Slow-Firing or thrownqualifiers. Use “—” if a melee weapon.
Magazine: List the weapon’s ammunition capacity (as modified
by qualities and restrictions). Use “—” if melee or unlimited shots.
Size: List the weapon’s Size. For example, indicate if it is a melee or
Hand-Held weapon.
Cost: List the Mecha Point cost, so that the weapon can be swappedout for other weapons if desired.
Notes: List any qualities or restrictions, either in full or via
footnotes. List qualities first, separated by commas, then a semi-colon, thenrestrictions. If a quality or restriction is taken multiple times, use 2, 3, etc. toindicate this. Example: Armour-Penetrating, Long Range 2; Low Ammo 3.
If the weapon has variable ammo, each setting should have its own
line.

Qualities and Restrictions
A weapon may have qualities or restrictions. A quality is somethingadvantageous; a restriction is something limiting. This will affect the Mecha
Point cost of the weapon.
If the weapon has no extra qualities, its cost is unmodified. If it has
1,”multiply” its cost by 1.5. If it has 2 or more, multiply the cost by the numberof qualities. Thus, a weapon with 3 qualities costs three times as much.
If the weapon has no restrictions, use its cost as modified by the
number of qualities. If it has 1, divide that cost by 1.5. If it has 2 or more,divide the cost by the number of restrictions. Thus, a weapon with 2
restrictions costs one-half as much.
Example: A weapon has an unmodified cost of 30 Mecha Points. If it
has one quality and three restrictions. The cost is 30 times 1.5 (the quality)
divided by 3 (three restrictions) = 15 Mecha Points.
If a cost is fractional, drop all fractions. Thus, 22.7 Mecha Points isrounded down to 22 Mecha Points.

W eapon Qualities
Some weapons have additional capabilities beyond simply inflicting
damage. Qualities marked with an * can only be used with attacks that inflictdice of damage.
A few qualities are especially powerful, and hence count as two or eventhree qualities.

Ar mour -Penetr ating (AP)*This weapon is especially good at punching through heavy armour. It
ignores the first 10 points of Armour or the target’s Armour protects at halfvalue (round down), whichever gives the best effect.
This quality often represents shaped-charge High Explosive Anti-Tank(HEAT) and Armour-Penetrating fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS)
ammunition used by tank guns and missiles.
Armour-Penetrating can be taken multiple times: two levels ignore thefirst 20 points of Armour (or divide Armour by 3), three levels ignore thefirst 30 points (or divide by 4), and so on.

Automatic*
Automatic (A) weapons fire a burst or stream of shots as long as thetrigger is held down (until they run out of ammunition). They can be set on
auto-fire or be used with Feats that take advantage of automatic fire.
There are two ways to use auto-fire:Ar ea Auto-fir eThis affects an area and everyone in it, not a specific creature. The
character sprays an 10’ x 10’ (3 m x 3 m) area, or strafes an area 20’ (6 m) longand 5’ (1.5 m) wide, and makes an attack roll vs. Defence 10. If it succeeds,
every creature or mecha in the affected area must make a Reflex save (DC 15)
or us hit by a single shot. Area auto-fire expends 10 shots; and can only be
used if the weapon has 10+ shots left.

Bur st Auto-fir eThis is fired at a specific target, and may expend from 2 to 5 shots(decide before firing). The target is attacked normally. Roll once to hit. A
successful attack means the target is hit once; for every 5 the attack
succeeded by over the target’s defence, it is hit by an additional shot, up to a
maximum of the number of shots that were fired in the burst. Roll damage
individually for each shot that hit; if the target has damage reduction or
Armour, subtracting it separately from every shot’s damage.

Multiple Assignments of AutomaticBlast
The attack affects not only the target but also anyone adjacent, such as
an explosive warhead or plasma blast. The radius of effect is 10’ (3 m). Blast
can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, double the radius of theblast. Thus, taking it 4 times gives an 80’ (24 m) blast radius.
When a target is hit, everyone caught in the blast (other than the target
directly hit) may make a Reflex save (mecha Operators roll for their mecha)
against a DC of 15 to halve damage. The target of the attack, if hit, takes fullBur ning*
This represents flaming liquid, acid, or similar weapons that deliver
continuing damage. If the initial attack hits, the target takes continuous
damage each round, for the next 5 rounds, or until somehow neutralised(GM call: it should depend on the type of attack). Armour or Force Fields doprotect against the damage.
It can be taken multiple times; each extra time doubles the duration.
The first level of Burning counts as two qualities.

Concealed
A mecha’s weapons are normally obvious, at least to someone who
knows where to look for the gun barrel, missile port, or laser lens. Take thisquality to install a disguised or retractable weapon in a craft that looks like itwould be unarmed, such as an ordinary-appearing automobile.
It takes a move action to “pop up” a hidden weapon so that it can beused in battle.

Cone
A cone attack shoots away from the weapon in the direction he or she
designates. A cone starts in a square adjacent to the mecha and widens out
as it goes. A cone’s width, at a given distance, equals its current range — acone is 50’ wide when 50’ away from the attacking mecha. At its far end, acone is as wide as the effect is long.
A cone attack’s maximum range is 1 range increment; cone attacks
have very short range.
A cone attack is not resolved as an ordinary attack. It automaticallyhits everything in the target area, but targets get a Reflex (DC 20) save.
Success means they suffer half damage, failure means they take full damage.
Cover will give a bonus to the Reflex save, and if the cover is sufficient (suchas a slit trench, building, etc.) a success means the targets dove or moved
behind the cover, and take no damage rather than half damage (GMdiscretion).
Cone counts as three qualities.

Emanation
Some attacks have an area like a blast, except that the effect continues
to radiate from the point of origin for multiple rounds. The effect is the sameas Burning, above, lasting 5 turns, but affecting everyone who enters an area
only for as long as they remain in it (unless also combined with burning).
The radius of effect is 5’ (or 1.5 m). The quality can be taken additionaltimes. Each time it is assigned to a weapon, double the radius or the duration(designer’s choice).
The first level of Emanation counts as two qualities.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Automatic can be taken twice. This emulates Gatling guns like the
20mm Vulcan or 7.62mm minigun or multiple linked machine guns. They
can fire as above, or instead use Saturation Auto-fire or Extended Bursts.
Saturation Auto-fire is treated as Area Auto-fire, but requires expending 50
shots, covers twice the area, and victims must make a DC 20 Reflex save.
Extended Bursts may fire 10-50 per burst, at a +1 to hit per 10 shots.
N ote: Many d20 System games with a modern or future setting haveunique rules for automatic fire, or even require Feats to use certain types ofautomatic fire — the GM may resolve automatic fire with such rules instead.

damage — no Reflex save is allowed. Alternatively, an attacker may fire a
Blast weapon at the ground next to a target (treat as Defence 10), rather than
the target itself. This is a ranged touch attack. This can have a better chanceof hitting, but has the disadvantage of always granting a Reflex save. Thistactic is not possible against a flying or space target unless the attack has the
Guided quality (page 180).
Use the rules for Grenadelike missiles (see the Player’s H andbook) todetermine the effect of a miss.

EMP*
The weapon’s damage is an electromagnetic pulse that has no effect onliving things but will do normal damage to any mecha with electrical orelectromagnetic systems. This is a quality, not a restriction, since it allows
safe use of anti-mecha weaponry in situations that would otherwise put
bystanders at risk.

179

Extra Ammo
This increases the weapon’s total shots from the default up to 50. It canbe taken multiple times: twice gives up to 200 shots; three times is 1,000
shots.

Fast
This quality increases the attack’s velocity class by one step — fromsupersonic to hypersonic (or for underwater weapons, from low subsonic tohigh subsonic). Fast is normally only used in conjunction with the Guided
quality or the Unguided restriction, but can optionally be assigned to otherattacks to make it easier for them to shoot down incoming fast missiles. Fastcan be assigned up to three times. The progression of velocity classes is: low
subsonic; high subsonic; transonic; supersonic; hypersonic; spatial; andrelativistic. Record the new velocity class in parenthesis.

Flexible*This represents long, flexible, or extendible attacks like a whip, energylash, razor-ribbon, or similar weapon.
A flexible attack can be used like a giant whip to disarm or trip any
opponents of equal or smaller size than the weapon’s size; for example, ahuge whip can trip or disarm opponents up to huge size. A character canmake a trip attack with a flexible weapon by succeeding at a ranged touchattack. The character does not provoke an attack of opportunity when using
a flexible weapon in this way.
A flexible weapon also gives a +2 bonus on an opposed attack rollwhen attempting to disarm an opponent (including the roll to keep frombeing disarmed if the character fails to disarm the opponent).
If this quality is chosen for a weapon, the Melee Weapon restriction
must also be taken. A flexible weapon can reach out farther than normal,
however: 15’ (5 m) for a medium weapon, doubled for each successive sizeclass.

GuidedThe weapon fires a projectile that homes in on its target. The
projectile’s closing speed is determined by its velocity class (see page 184).
The base velocity class of Guided weapons is supersonic, with the exceptionof weapons that operate exclusively underwater (like torpedoes), whichinstead have a default low subsonic velocity. This can be altered by taking
the Faster quality or Slower restriction. When it reaches the target, an attackroll is made, with no range penalties to hit. Other rules depend on theguidance system used. Pick one of these systems:

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Operator-Guided

180

The weapon fires a missile that is steered toward the target by theattacker, transmitting commands via a wire or a tight-beam radio link. The
attacker must take full actions each round to guide the projectile to thetarget. The attacker uses his or her own attack bonus; the guidance system
negates range penalties, but has no other effect.

Laser-Guided
The weapon fires a missile that homes in on reflected laser light.
Launching the missile is an attack action. The missile will fly straight ahead.
At any point in its flight, the attacker or an ally (who need not be in themecha) must use an attack action each round to aim a Laser Designator(page 169) on the target, which must be in front of the missile (if the missile
has already flown past it, it will automatically miss). The missile closes on thetarget as long as a character continues to designate the target with a laser; if
interrupted, the missile automatically misses. If the designating character isinjured/distracted, a Concentrate Skill check is required to stay on target (asif casting a spell). When the missile reaches the target, the designating
character makes the attack roll, at a +5 bonus.

Semi-Activ e Radar Homing (SARH)
The weapon fires a missile that homes on radar reflections emitted by
the mecha’s own radar. The mecha must have a Radar, High-Res Radar, orMeta-Scanner. It must lock onto the target (this requires a ranged touchattack, using the Radar’s range increment); failure allows additional
attempts. Once a lock-on is achieved, launching the missile is an attack
action. Once fired, the Radar must continue to track the target or the missile
will automatically miss, but no other character actions are required; if the
Radar only faces forward, that means keeping the mecha pointed at theenemy. As long as it does so, the missile closes on the target. When the
missile reaches the target, it attacks on its own, with a +8 attack bonus.

Infrared Homing (IRH)
The weapon fires a missile that tracks the target’s heat emissions. The
attacker must lock onto the target. This is a ranged touch attack, using theweapon’s range increment. If the lock on fails, it can be attempted again in
future rounds. If it succeeds, the missile can be launched; this is an attack
action. The missile will follow the target with no further intervention
required. When it reaches the target, it attacks the target itself. An IRH
missile has a +10 attack bonus. ECM or concealment effective against
infrared will penalise the attack.

Radar Homing (ARH)
The missile uses its own onboard radar. Treat as Infrared Homing, exceptthat ECM or concealment effective against radar will penalise the attack.

Sonar Homing (SH)The missile — a torpedo — uses its own onboard sonar. It can only be
fired at underwater targets. Treat as Infrared homing, except that ECM orconcealment effective against sonar will penalise it.

Emission Homing (EH)
The missile is an “anti-radiation” missile that homes in on theradiating emissions of an operational Radar, Radio, or Radar Jammer; themecha should have a Radar Sensor (page 170) to spot such targets. Treat as
IRH, but it can only lock onto a target that is using a Radar, Radio, or Radar
Jammer. If the target turns off the system before the missile can reach it, themissile will still home on the last known location (unless the target moves, it
is in trouble).

Inertial Guided (IG) or Satellite Guided (SG)The attacker programs in a set of map co-ordinates and the missile
homes in on that point. This is only good for attacking stationary targets suchas buildings. When the missile reaches its target, make an attack roll at +3 ifusing inertial guidance or at +5 if using satellite guidance. Satellite guidanceis only effective if the mecha has access to a friendly GPS satellite system.

Other Homing
The GM may allow players to create other specialised homing missiles,
such as ones that home on magical emanations. Use the previous rules as a
guideline.
An incoming missile can be targeted for attack. It has defence of 25. If
hit, roll damage: 15+ points of damage disables/destroys it; otherwise it isunaffected.
Guided cannot be combined with Cone or Melee. It can be combinedwith Automatic, representing a salvo of missiles; when the missile makes its
attack roll, it is treated as a Burst attack using as many missiles as were fired,minus any that were shot down. “Smart bombs” can be created simply byadding the Dropped and Short Range restrictions.
A weapon may take multiple guidance options by taking this quality
multiple times. This makes it harder to jam the weapon, and gives it a second
lock on or attack roll if the first fails. For example, many modern torpedoes
are both sonar-homing and operator-guided.
The first level of Guided Missile (any type) counts as two qualities.

Hardpoint or Hand-held
A “Hardpoint” weapon is mounted on a hardpoint, pod, or pylon. It
can be traded in a later mission for any weapon of the same size and same orlower Mecha Point value, subject to its availability. It takes about 10 minutes
to remove and replace a Hardpoint weapon with another weapon. A
character may buy “spare” weapons at 1/20th their Mecha Point value thatare kept at base for replacement in this way, or may swap weapons with othermecha of similar size and type.
A “Hand-held” weapon is carried in the hand. It is treated as a
hardpoint weapon except that it is vulnerable to being disarmed, lost,
dropped, etc., but can be exchanged in only one round. A mecha cannot havemore Hand-Held weapons ready to use than it has hands.

Increased Threat
Most weapons have a threat of 20. This quality increases the threat
range by 1 (for example, to 19-20). It can be taken multiple times, further
increasing the threat range.

Indirect FireThe weapon can fire shots in a high ballistic arc, like a grenade
launcher, ballistic missile, or Howitzer. This lets the gunner shoot at targets
hidden behind buildings, hills, or other obstacles (or shoot over the horizon,
if the range is long enough).
If it is used to make an indirect fire shot, the attacker must be able tosee the target, or someone else must spot it and radio or otherwise
communicate its position to the attacker. This will usually require a
Computer Use check. In most cases, indirect fire involves using weapons
with the Blast quality (page 176) to attack an area. If a creature or mecha,rather than area of ground is attacked, it is treated as having full concealment(50% miss chance).
A weapon can fire indirectly at 10 times the usual number ofincrements (100 increments for most weapons). Note that the actual range
increment is not increased: thus, Long Range fire will be rather inaccurate.
If the attack misses, an observer can note where the attack hit and senda correction (or the attacker can correct by his or her self, if the target is insight). Each correction gives a +2 bonus to hit, only to cancel any range
increment penalties. It takes a full action for a distant observer to transmit acorrection via communicator.
A weapon with Indirect Fire quality can be used normally at no
penalty. It cannot be Melee, Cone, or Stream.

Invisible

Long Range
This quality increases the range increment. Long Range can also betaken multiple times; each time it is taken, double the increment.
The base increment is suitable for machine guns, short range rockets,and light cannons. Taking one level of Long Range is good for tank guns andguided missiles. Taking two levels is good for long-range missiles andspacecraft weaponry.
A lower increase can be specified if the GM desires — for example,
Long Range could also be used to multiply the increment by 1.1 to 1.99
rather than 2. This is useful if trying to duplicate a real weapon.

Part way along its flight path the weapon splits so that it can attack
multiple different targets. They must be in the same general direction and no
more than a single weapon increment from the main target (or 10 x weapon’s
increment if using indirect fire). Roll to hit separately against each target.
Multiple can be taken several times; each allows an extra target to be
attacked. This quality cannot be combined with Automatic, Stream, Volley,or Melee.
Each assignment of Multiple counts as two qualities.

Muscle-Powered
This lets the mecha add its Str bonus to damage if this weapon is used
as a one-handed Melee weapon, or 1.5 times Str bonus if used as a twohanded Melee weapon, or half Str bonus if the weapon is Thrown.
A Muscle-Powered weapon can make any number of attacks unless it
has the Thrown weapon restriction (in which case it can make another attack
only after the Thrown weapon is recovered).
A weapon can only be Muscle-Powered if it has the Melee or Thrown
Weapon restriction.

Semiautomatic
A semiautomatic (S) weapon fires one shot per attack (effectively
acting as a single shot weapon). Some Feats, however, allow charactersarmed with semiautomatic weapons to fire shots in rapid successions,
getting in more than one shot per attack.

SilentMost weapons usable at range are usually noisy, making a loud bang!
or zap! Take this quality for a weapon that does not have the Melee orThrown restriction, or will be used only in space, which is very quiet or
silent.

StreamThe effect of a Stream weapon is similar to a cone, except that theweapon’s effect is narrow and linear (affecting everyone in a stream 5’/1.5 mwide). Otherwise, use the rules for Cone (page 176), including the reductionof the range, with the exception that a successful save always negates damage
rather than halves it.
Stream counts as two qualities.

Stun
The attack only inflicts stun damage (see page 65).

Trap
This weapon lays a minefield, spikes, or some other similar device. The
projectile “sits and waits” until someone triggers it. If someone walks into
the target area, they get a Reflex Save (DC 15) to avoid it. Trap can be takenwith the Melee restriction to simulate a booby trap placed by hand or
released from the mecha. Without these weapon restrictions, it can be
deployed at range — a successful ranged touch attack against a Defence of 10means the Trap was fired into the correct area.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Most weapons produce some visible muzzle flash or beam, revealing
the position of the shooter. Take this quality for any weapon (except one with
the Melee or Thrown weapon restriction) that has no visible flash or beam.

Multiple

Unlimited Shots
The weapon does not run out of ammunition or power. It can fireindefinitely, usually drawing on the mecha’s own power supply. This neednot be taken if the weapon has Muscle-Powered. It usually cannot be taken
in conjunction with Automatic, Guided Missile, or Volley.
Unlimited Shots counts as four qualities.

181

Fixed Arc of Fire (Vehicle and Giant Robot only)

VolleyAn attack with the Volley quality fires a large volley of poorly guided
projectiles, such as a salvo of unguided rockets or a broadside of cannon balls
from multiple guns. The attacker may fire a number of shots up to theweapon’s entire magazine capacity. He or she does not add a Base Attack
Bonus or Dexterity Bonus but does add +1 per projectile fired.
The maximum number of shots that can hit is the number fired. On a
critical hit, rather than increasing damage, double the number of shots
which hit (up to the maximum).
If firing against a group, the attacker determines how many shots toaim at each target. Separate attack rolls are made for each target. Determine
how far the furthest two targets are from one another. The attacks are madeas for volley fire against one target, but for each 10 m/30’ or part thereof that
separates the furthest two targets, all the attack rolls suffer a -1 penalty.
•• TABLE ••Volley Hits per Attack
ATTACK SUCCEEDED BY
0-4
5-9
10-14
15+

NUMBER OF HITS
1 hit
1d4 hits
1d8 hits
1d12 hits

Weapon Restrictions
Few weapons do everything well, and many have various
disadvantages. As with weapon qualities, a single restriction can only betaken once unless specifically permitted.
Assign the weapon one or more restrictions. If the weapon has none,
its cost is unchanged. If it has 1,divide its cost by 1.5. If it has 2 or more,divide by the number of restrictions.
Some restrictions are especially onerous and so count as two or eventhree restrictions.

Crew-Served (Vehicle only)

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

The weapon requires two or more people to operate it — usually thegunner and one or more loaders.
This must be taken in conjunction with the Slow-Firing restriction; it
can be taken multiple times. Each time, double the number of crew required
to load the weapon; they must all perform full actions to do so. Thus, acannon that requires a crew of 8 to operate is a x3 restriction.

Dropped
The weapon is a bomb, mine, etc. that must be dropped from a flying
mecha that is approaching the target. Assume dropped weapons have a low
subsonic velocity class if dropped from under 50’ (15 m) or used underwater,high subsonic if dropped from under 500’ (150 m), otherwise transonic.
Exception: if “dive bombing” they will have the velocity of the dropping
vehicle. This replaces the default supersonic velocity. This cannot be usedwith Cone, Stream, Melee, or Thrown.

Exposed (Vehicle only)

182

The gunner must be outside the mecha’s Armour on the round theweapon fires (and stay exposed until his or her next action in the following
round). An exposed character can be fired at with no Armour protection. An
example of this weapon restriction would be a machine gun mounted on abracket atop a tank whose gunner must lean out the hatch to use. It cannot
be taken if the mecha already has the Open Defect (page 175).

The weapon has a very limited arc of fire and must be aimed bypointing the mecha. For example, a set of fixed forward-firing guns on afighter plane, or a ramming prow. The weapon can only be fired at targets inthe specified arc which may require a successful Pilot Skill check (which canbe opposed by the pilot of a target mecha).
Specify the arc of fire: Front (Fr), Rear (Re), Left (L), Right (R), or Top(T). Mecha that can fly or move underwater can also specify a Bottom (B)arc.

Less Ammo
The weapon is only good for a few rounds of firing, and then runs outof ammunition or power, or burns out. This restriction can be taken up to 5
times.
If the weapon is Slow-Firing, number of shots refers to the total
ammunition aboard the mecha, not in the magazine.
Taking this restriction once means the weapon has 9-16 shots; twice
limits it to 5-8 shots; three times to 3-4 shots; four times to 2 shots, five times
to 1 shot.

Low Penetration*
The attack is easily defeated by Armour (examples include a shotgun
blast or hollow-point bullet). Armour or Damage Reduction stops twice asmuch damage as usual. If the target’s Armour grants an equipment defence
bonus, it is doubled vs. the attack.

Melee
The weapon can only be used as a melee weapon. It can be used toattack or parry within the mecha’s natural reach. Specify the weapon’s sizeclass (normally within one size of the mecha that will wield it) and whether
it is bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.
It is usual to take this restriction in conjunction with the MusclePowered quality.
Melee counts as two restrictions.

Only In (Specified Environment)
The attack or weapon can only target objects that are on or in aparticular limited environment, for example, “only in water” (representing atorpedo) or “only in space” (representing a powerful weapon that requires avacuum to work). The environment should not be one that is ubiquitous in
the campaign (for example, “only in air” is not valid unless a lot of the gameaction will take place in airless environments). If the environment is veryrare in the campaign, the GM may allow this to count as two restrictions.

Short Range
This restriction halves the range increment (round down). It can betaken twice if desired, to get 1/4 range. An even lower increment can be
specified if the GM wants to duplicate a weapon in other d20 System bookswith a low increment, but there’s usually no extra cost benefit.
Short range may not be taken if the weapon has Melee or Thrown
restriction.

Slow-Firing
The weapon has a restriction that reduces its rate of fire, such as
requiring a full action (to aim, charge, or load the weapon) before making
each attack. Perhaps the attack generates heat that must be dissipated before
it can again fire safely. Consequently, the weapon fires every other round.
The weapon cannot be used to attack multiple times in a round, nor can adifferent character fire it on the round it is being loaded. This cannot be usedwith Semi-automatic or Automatic.

Record a rate of fire of 1.
This can be taken multiple times; each time it is taken, loading
requires an extra round’s full action.
Slow-Firing counts as two restrictions.

SlowerThis restriction may only be taken in conjunction with the Guided
quality or Unguided restriction. It means the attack’s velocity class (page184) reduces one step, from supersonic to transonic. It can also be assigned
a second time (velocity drops to high subsonic) or a third time (velocity
drops to low subsonic). Slow is not available for underwater Guided or
Unguided weapons, which already start out at the lowest velocity class.
Record the new velocity class in parenthesis.

Space-Optimised
The weapon’s energy is easily absorbed by air; its full range only
applies in vacuum. In atmosphere, its base maximum range is 5 rather than
10 increments and it cannot penetrate thick smoke, fog, water, etc. Thisshould only be taken by ranged weapons doing energy-type damage. It is acommon restriction for laser and particle beams. It cannot be assigned tomelee weapons.

StaticThe weapon cannot be fired while the mecha is moving under its own
power; perhaps it is too bulky, requires precise aim, or drains too much
power, or maybe the mecha’s fire control system is not advanced enough tocompensate for movement. This does not prevent firing while drifting,coasting, etc.
This restriction is commonly taken for artillery-type weapons(especially in conjunction with Indirect Fire).

ThrownUnguidedThis restriction means the weapon fires an unguided projectile that isbig enough or slow enough to be intercepted or avoided while on its way tothe target. It should only be taken for large weapons like unguided torpedoes
or large-calibre rockets.
Like a Guided projectile, a weapon with this restriction will have avelocity class, with the default being supersonic (or low subsonic forunderwater weapons), and will often take more than one round in order toreach the target, as described in Time to Target (page 183). It is incompatible
with Cone, Dropped, Guided, Melee, and Thrown.

Unreliable
The attack tends to jam. Any time the player makes an attack and rollsa “natural” 1, the weapon failed to fire and jammed, over-heated, orotherwise malfunctioned. It will not work until repaired. Clearing a jammed

Special Weapon Rules
The rules in this section add extra realism to a military campaign.

Time To Target
A weapon with the Guided quality or Dropped or Unguided restriction
may take multiple rounds to reach its target.
Determine its closing speed from the Velocity Class table (page 184).
The table shows the maximum velocity for each class in mph, kph,feet/round and metres/round; c is the speed of light (approximately 186,000
miles/second or 300,000 km/second). If desired, a velocity less than the
maximum may be specified when the weapon is designed.
“Default” is a convenient “average” closing velocity usable if the GM
does not want to assign or calculate an exact velocity to a particular weapon’s
attack. Defence Modifier is the bonus to Defence that default speed grants inthe event that someone attempts to target the incoming attack (see AntiMissile Fire, below).
If the weapon’s closing velocity is such that it could reach the target in
one round, resolve the attack normally. Otherwise it will take additionalrounds to hit the target, with these effects:
If the attack is Unguided, the attack will proceed toward the target, butsince the attack cannot change course, it can be automatically evaded if thetarget notices it and takes evasive action.
If the attack is Guided, the attack will follow the target as described in
the Guided quality.
In either case, the attack can also be intercepted — use the AntiMissile Fire rules, below.
Weapons with the Indirect quality may also take a few rounds to reachmaximum range if fired indirectly, even if they lack the Guided, Dropped or
Unguided qualities or restrictions. Assume they are travelling at supersonicvelocity.

Anti-Missile FireAn incoming attack with the Guided quality or Unguided restrictionthat does not hit its target on the round it was launched may itself be
attacked. Treat the “attack” as if it was any other object. Assume that mostincoming attacks are Medium size class and thus have Defence 10. At the
GM’s option, the attack may specified as smaller or larger; if so, it has
Defence 10 + Size Class modifier. For example, a large attack has a 9 Defence.
The velocity of the incoming attack will also modify its Defence; use
the velocity-based Defence Modifier from Velocity Class table. This modifieris halved (round up) if the intercepting attack is both one or more velocity
classes faster and is either Guided or possesses a Targeting Bonus. (For thispurpose, normal gunfire is assumed to be supersonic; thrown weapons ormelee attacks are low subsonic.)
Automatic weapons may not use Area fire for anti-missile fire, butburst fire may be used, and the “extended burst” option for Automatic x2
weapons is particularly effective since it provides a bonus to hit.
If the projectile is hit, roll damage normally. Assume the target attack
has Armour 8. The Hit Points depend on Size Class: 1 if fine, 2 if diminutive,
4 if tiny, 6 if small, 8 if medium, 10 if large, 20 if huge, 40 if gargantuan, and
100 if colossal.

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATIONThis restriction means it is a thrown weapon. Once thrown, it isuseless until retrieved. Specify the weapon’s size class and whether it isbludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. The weapon’s range increment is divided
by 10 (if the base is 500’, it will drop to 50’), and it can be thrown a maximumof 5 increments.
It may not be taken in conjunction with the Melee or Slow-Firing
restriction. It is often taken in conjunction with the Muscle-Powered quality.
It may be taken with Automatic Fire (representing a handful of small
thrown objects, for example).
Record a rate of fire of 1, reflecting the fact that the weapon must be
reloaded or charged after each shot.
Thrown Weapon counts as two restrictions.

weapon requires a full action and a successful Dex check against a DC of 10.
Note: a character cannot attempt to clear a jammed weapon if he or she does
not have the appropriate Weapon Proficiency Feat. If unsuccessful, thecharacter can try again next round. A natural “1” indicates the jam is severe
and cannot be cleared without an hour’s work and a successful Craft(Mechanical or Gunsmith) Skill check against a DC of 20.

183

If Hit Points are reduced to 0 or less, the attack was successfullyintercepted, whether by knocking it off course, causing it to explode, orotherwise disabling it. If the attack has the Blast or Emanation quality, it willusually “go off,” exploding or otherwise detonating at the point where it washit. This may naturally result in damage to anyone nearby.
•• TABLE ••Velocity ClassCLASS
MPH KPH
low subsonic 100 160
high subsonic 500
transonic

800

900 1,500

supersonic 3,000 5,000
hypersonic 17,000 27,000
spatialrelativistic0.001c 0.001ccc“DEFAULT”
FT./RD
DEFENCE
FT./RD M/RD
( M/RD.)
MODIFIER
880’ 270m
500’+2(150 m)
4,400’ 1,350m
2,500’+4(750 m)7,920’ 2,500m
10,000’+8(3,000 m)
26,400’ 8,350m
15,000’+12(4,500 m)
150,000’ 45,000m 100,000’+16(30,000 m)
5.9 mil. 1.8 mil. 3,000,000’+20(1,000,000 m)ccinstant unstoppable

Mecha Point
Equivalence
Many d20 System games use different mechanisms to represent thevalue of equipment and gadgets, from gold pieces to various unique Point
systems. If using d20 Mecha with another d20 System game, the GM may
desire to retain their existing system. Here are a few guidelines for converting
Mecha Points into other systems:

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Mecha Points in BESM d20

184

Each Level of the Own a Big Mecha attribute in BESM d20 gives 400
Mecha Points with which to build a mecha. Characters can pool their Mecha
Points to create larger mecha, but should not usually be allowed to combine
Mecha Points with non-player characters.
Each “major” item of Personal Gear in BESM d20 can be used to buy amecha worth up to 100 Mecha Points, or to add additional Mecha Points toan existing mecha (through custom upgrades, etc.) or build a mecha ofintermediate value.
The GM may vary the threshold to better balance mecha against otherelements of the game.

Mecha Points as US Dollars
An approximate dollar value in modern US dollars can be found using
this conversion:
Dollar Value = Mecha Points x Mecha Points x $2
Also, multiply the cost by 1 to 5 if the mecha was built for agovernment agency or the military, by 5 if it can travel in space orunderwater, and by 10 if it is a custom-built machine or experimental
prototype. All increases are cumulative; a mecha built for the military (x2cost), that flies in space, and is a prototype, is 2 x 5 x 10 = 100 x cost.

Mecha Points as
Interstellar Credits
In some science fiction settings, the cost in credits, or whatever othermonetary unit is in use, will be roughly the same as the cost in dollars. Thismeans that a space fighter or giant robot will cost millions of credits. For thisconversion, just use the US dollar price.
In other settings, big robots and spacecraft are pretty cheap — any
scoundrel can own a star freighter and any mercenary aristocrat can have a
giant robot — the relative cost is more like a big semi-truck or a light plane.
If so, the GM may wish to use this formula instead:Interstellar Credits = Mecha Points x 200 credits
Apply the same cost multipliers detailed for US dollars

Mecha Points as Gold Pieces
In fantasy settings the GM may wish to price mecha in comparison tothings like full plate armour or galleys, or compare their value to that ofmagic items or constructs such as golems. This cost scheme gives a price ingold pieces. It assumes that very powerful mecha are rare, and intended togive a reasonable price for sailing ships and other vehicles that are also built
using this system:
Gold Pieces = Mecha Points x Mecha Points x 2 gp
Double the cost if the GM feels the mecha requires technology moreadvanced than the campaign setting, or magic.
For example, a boat built with 10 Mecha Points will end up costing 200
gp, while a medium-sized galley built with 100 Mecha Points will cost 20,000
gp. A potent magical steam-powered mecha built on 400 Mecha Points —capable of arm wrestling an iron golem or taking on a young dragon — costs
640,000 gp.

Mecha Points and Character
Level Adjustment/ECL
If a character is not built using the Own a Big Mecha Attribute (page56) and possesses a mecha, he or she is certainly more powerful than an
average individual. To find the level adjustment for a character with a
Mecha, simply divide the mecha’s point cost by 500 and round down.
This value also serves as the mecha’s ECL should it be important (suchas for artificially intelligent mecha).

Mecha Points and Purchase
Difficulty Class
Some d20 System games have characters roll to determine if they canacquire equipment, based on a wealth ability score or other attribute. A
suggested Purchase DC for mecha is:(Square root of Mecha Point Cost) + 15, rounded to nearest whole
number.
Add +4 to DC if mecha was built for a government agency or the
military, +7 to DC if it can fly or travel in space, and +10 DC if it is a custombuilt machine or experimental prototype. All increases are cumulative; amecha built for the military, that flies, and is a prototype, is +1 plus +7 plus
+10 = +21 DC.
For example, if a main battle tank may cost 700 Mecha Points. The
square root of 700 is 26.45, rounded to 26. The DC is 41, but since it ismilitary hardware, it would be DC 46.

DESIGN SHEET•• MECHA STATISTICS ••Mecha Name:
Mecha Type:Class:
Size:
Length/Height:
Weight:Hit Points:
Armour:Defence:Occupants:
Cargo:
Strength:
Land Speed:
Burrowing Speed:
Water Speed:
Dive Depth:
Air Speed:
Ceiling:Space Speed:q Realistic Space FlightThrust:G-Rounds:
Delta-V:q Dramatic Space FlightThrust:q Space Sails
Thrust:q Faster-Than-Light
Speed:
Handling:
Special Abilities:•• MECHA WEAPONS ••Weapon Name:
Damage:Type:
Range Increment:
Rate of Fire:
Magazine:
Size:
Cost:
Notes:

Critical:•• MECHA WEAPONS ••Weapon Name:
Damage:Type:
Range Increment:
Rate of Fire:
Magazine:
Size:
Cost:
Notes:

Critical:•• MECHA WEAPONS ••Weapon Name:
Damage:Type:
Range Increment:
Rate of Fire:
Magazine:
Size:
Cost:
Notes:

Critical:•• MECHA WEAPONS ••Defects:

Required Skills/Feats:
Cost:

Weapon Name:
Damage:Type:
Range Increment:
Rate of Fire:
Magazine:
Size:
Cost:
Notes:© 2004 Guardians Of Order, Inc. P ermission is granted to make copies of this page for personal use only.

Critical:

BONUS MATERIAL:MECHA CREATION

Exotic Abilities:

185

APPENDIX:
INDEX

186

15 20th Level, Beyond
33 9th Level Spell for 4.5 Points?
172 A.I.
48 Abilities, Force Field
62 Abilities, Special Attack
111 Ability Checks
11 Ability Modifiers
11 Ability Score Cost
15 Ability Score Increase
12 Ability Score V alue Descriptions, Table 3-1:
11 Ability Scores, Definition of
11 Ability Scores, Establishing
11 Ability Scores, Step 3: Generate
11 Ability Scores, Zero Rating and None
74 Ability, Relevant
32 Accessible Spells Factor for Casting Classes, Table 5-20:
167 Accessories
82 Accuracy
62 Accurate
98 Accurised
87 Achilles Heel
129 Action
115 Action, Character
6 Action, Samurai or Ninja
6 Action, Supernatural
110 Action, Taking
144 Actions During Chases
111 Actions, Attributes and
112 Actions, Contested
120 Actions, Non-Combat
120 Actions, Other
87 Activation Time
38 Adaptation
37 Adjusting Point Costs, Modifying Attributes and82 Advanced Combat Martial Arts
170 Advanced Remote Control
125 Advancement, Character
138 Advancement, Character
58 Advancement, Experience Point Pet Monster
16 Adventurer
132 Adventures, Designing
138 Advice for the GM
139 Advice for the Player
62 Affects Incorporeal
54 Against Target’s Nature
117 Aim, Extra
69 Air
164 Air Speed. Ceiling and
159 Aircraft
104 Airfoils
104 Airplane
126 Alien V isitors
124 All-or-Nothing or Partial Effects
62 Alternate Attacks
39 Alternate Form
40 Alternate Forms, Sample
128 Alternate History
178 Alternate Weapons
83 Ambidexterity
101 Ammunition, Types of
121 Amount of Damage Inflicted
71 Analyse Monster
106 Ancient Armour
40 Animal Forms
40 Animal Friendship4 Anime Genres
4 Anime Origins
98 Anime Toys
4 Anime?, What is
129 Another Universe: Science Fiction
129 Another World: Fantasy
183 Anti-Missile Fire
104 APC
157 Appendix: Mecha Design
32 Approach, The

81 Appropriate Feats
82 Approved Feat Descriptions
82 Approved Feats, Table 8-2:
182 Arc of Fire, Fixed
77 Arcane, Knowledge:
155 Archers
80 Archery77 Architecture, Knowledge:
179 Area Auto-Fire
62 Area Effect
77 Area, Knowledge:
40 Armour
104 Armour
41 Armour and Force Fields in other d20 Games
106 Armour and Protective Devices, Table 11-4:
96 Armour Class
96 Armour Class Bonus
122 Armour or Force Fields and Damage
101 Armour Piercing
83 Armour Proficiency (Heavy)
83 Armour Proficiency (Light)
83 Armour Proficiency (Medium)
109 Armour Ratings of Objects
109 Armour Ratings, Table 11-5: Static Object
109 Armour Ratings, Table 11-6: Building
109 Armour Ratings, Table 11-7: Planetoid
106 Armour, Ancient
106 Armour, Body
167 Armour, Chobham
107 Armour, Modern
40 Armour, Optimised
162 Armour, Step 5: Choose
159 Armoured Fighting V ehicles
104 Armoured Personnel Carrier
180 Armour-Penetrating
148 Army Quality
148 Army Strength
41 Art of Distraction
13 Artificial Construct
172 Artificial Intelligence
37 Assign Attributes, Step 6:
130 Atlantis Rising
62 Attack Abilities, Table 6-2:
96 Attack Bonus
14 Attack Bonus, Base
151 Attack Bonus, Epic
15 Attack Bonuses, Table 5-2: Base
119 Attack Check Modifiers
42 Attack Combat Mastery
66 Attack Disabilities
66 Attack Disabilities, Table 6-3:
119 Attack Penalties, Movement
119 Attack Penalties, Table 12-4: Movement
133 Attack Phrases
95 Attack Restriction, Unique Defect Example:
119 Attack Situation Modifiers, Table 12-5:
125 Attack, Defending with an
119 Attacking Moving Targets
115 Attacking Multiple Targets with One Attack
116 Attacking Multiple Weaker Opponents
152 Attacking Multiple Weaker Opponents, Epic Characters
115 Attacks from Base Attack Bonus, Multiple
116 Attacks with Two Weapons
62 Attacks, Alternate
117 Attacks, Combined
115 Attacks, Melee vs. Ranged
124 Attacks, Using Attributes vs.
15 Attribute Ranks, Gaining
124 Attribute vs. Attribute
124 Attributes Against Opponents, Using
111 Attributes and Actions
37 Attributes and Adjusting Point Costs, Modifying
125 Attributes Defensively, Using
124 Attributes in Combat, Using
124 Attributes vs. Attacks, Using

37 Attributes, Step 6: Assign
37 Attributes, Table 6-1: Character
114 Attributes, Using
62 Aura42 Aura of Command
62 Auto-Fire
179 Automatic
102 Automobile
66 Backblast
97 Background Points, Step 11: Earn
87 Backlash
76 Balance
33 Balancing d20 Modern Classes, Table 5-22
87 Bane33 Barbarian, Table 5-23:
33 Bard, Table 5-24:
143 Barnstorm
14 Base Attack Bonus
115 Base Attack Bonus, Multiple Attacks from
15 Base Attack Bonuses, Table 5-2:
125 Base Award
14 Base Save Bonus
169 Basic Navigation
170 Basic Remote Control
149 Battle Check Modifiers, Table A-7:
149 Battle Check Results, Table A-8:
149 Battle Checks
71 Battle Motto
148 Battles, Narrative
98 Bayonet
54 Beak, or Mandibles, Fangs,
15 Benefits, Level
15 Benefits, Table 5-3: Level Dependent
57 BESM d20 and d20 Mecha
172 BESM d20 Attribute
14 BESM d20 Classes, Table 5-1:
110 BESM d20 V ersus Normal d20
12 BESM d20 Without Points
74 BESM d20, Combat Feats and
184 BESM d20, Mecha Points in
116 BESM d20, Mooks in
115 BESM d20, Range Increments and
15 Beyond 20th level
153 Big Combats, Small Counters
104 Big Engine
102 Big Rig
77 Biological Sciences, Knowledge:
98 Bipod Attachment
101 Bird Shot
133 Bishonen
118 Biting
101 Blanks
179 Blast
88 Blind Fury
83 Blind-Fight
83 Blind-Shoot120 Block Defence
121 Block Defence Easier?, Why is
83 Block Ranged Attacks
48 Blocks Incorporeal
48 Blocks Teleport
109 Blowing up Worlds
76 Bluff
104 Boat, Speed
106 Body Armour
14 Bonus, Base Attack
14 Bonus, Base Save
15 Bonuses, Character Point
14 Bonuses, Level
15 Bonuses, Table 5-2: Base Attack
167 Booster
143 Bootlegger Stunt
135 Bosozoku
48 Both Directions
142 Box In

68 Brachiating, Swinging/
99 Brass Catcher
83 Brawl
109 Breaking Items of Power108 Breaking Objects
71 Breed Monster
99 Briefcase-Firing
107 Buckler
109 Building Armour Ratings, Table 11-6:
130 Building, World
109 Buildings, Destroying
104 Burglar Alarm
64 Burning
179 Burning
164 Burrowing Speed
83 Burst Fire
179 Burst Auto-Fire
102 Bus77 Business, Knowledge:
96 Calculated V alues, Step 10: Determine
116 Called Shot to Partial Armour
116 Called Shot to V ital Spot
117 Called Shot to Weak Point
116 Called Shots
126 Campaigns
126 Campaigns, Mini-Campaigns, and One-Shots
102 Car
100 Carbine-Format
162 Cargo
162 Cargo, Step 4: Choose Occupants and
32 Casting Classes, Table 5-20: Accessible Spells factor for
135 Cat Girls
129 Category: Action, Drama, Comedy, and Romance
67 Cat-Like
155 Cavalry
104 CB Radio
164 Ceiling and Air Speed
97 Changing Sizes, Table 10-2:
115 Character Action
125 Character Advancement
138 Character Advancement
37 Character Attributes, Table 6-1:
8 Character Creation
132 Character Goals
9 Character Level
9 Character Level vs. Class Level
184 Character Level, Mecha Points and9 Character Level, Starting
10 Character Outline, Step 2:
15 Character Point Bonuses
138 Character Point Protection
152 Character Points
10 Character Points During Level Progression
9 Character Points, Discretionary
38 Character Points, Trading Experience Points for
12 Charisma
144 Chase Manoeuvre Modifiers
140 Chase Speed
140 Chases
144 Chases, Actions During
140 Chases: Step by Step
159 Checklist, Design
112 Checks Without Rolls - Taking 10
112 Checks Without Rolls - Taking 20
111 Checks, Ability
145 Checks, Crash
112 Checks, Skill
40 Chemical Forms, Elemental/
167 Chobham Armour
126 Choice of Genre
162 Choose Armour, Step 5:
174 Choose Defects, Step 12:
163 Choose Defence, Step 6 (Optional):
172 Choose Exotic Abilities, Step 11:
165 Choose Handling, Step 9:

76 Controlled Breathing
145 Conversions for Higher or Lower Speeds
104 Convertible Top
39 Cosmetic Changes
13 Cost Determination, Racial
11 Cost, Ability Score
81 Costs, Feat
13 Costs, Table 4-1: Race
153 Counter Hit Points
168 Countermeasures
76 Craft
145 Crash Checks
122 Crashing
122 Crashing and Falling, Table 12-8:
127 Creating a Game Setting
8 Creation, Character
182 Crew-Served
122 Critical Hits
146 Critical Hits
123 Critical Injuries, Medical Treatment for
123 Critical Injury
123 Critical Injury, Shock Value and
112 Critical Success or Failure
74 Cross Class Skills, Table 7-1: Class and
142 Crowd
77 Cultural Arts, Knowledge:
88 Cursed
43 Customised Duplicate
98 Customising Firearms
104 Customising Vehicles
142 Cut Off
135 Cute Androids
135 Cute Pets
32 d20 Classes, Table 5-19: Point Costs Assigned to
41 d20 Games, Armour and Force Fields in other57 d20 Mecha, BESM d20 and
33 d20 Modern Classes Point Costs, Table 5-21
33 d20 Modern Classes, Examining
33 d20 Modern Classes, Table 5-22: Balancing
39 d20 Monsters
32 d20 System Fantasy Classes, Deconstruction of the
62 d20 System Games, Special Attacks in Other
110 d20, BESM d20 Versus Normal
121 Damage
176 Damage
146 Damage and Injury
145 Damage Bonus
118 Damage Bonuses, Table 12-3: Throwing
146 Damage Conditions
122 Damage Difficulty Penalties, Table 12-9:
121 Damage Inflicted, Amount of
62 Damage Inflicted, Effects Based on
146 Damage Save Results, Table A-4:
145 Damage Saves
147 Damage Saves, Fate Points and
146 Damage Saves, Impossible
122 Damage to a Character, Effects of
109 Damage to Weapons
122 Damage, Armour or Force Fields and122 Damage, Impact
146 Damaging Mooks
43 Damn Healthy!
46 Darkness
76 Decipher Script
32 Deconstruction of the d20 System Fantasy Classes
174 Defects, Step 12: Choose
87 Defects, Step 9: Select87 Defects, Table 9-1:
120 Defence
163 Defence
43 Defence Combat Mastery
96 Defence Roll?, Why the
121 Defence Situation Modifiers, Table 12-6:
120 Defence Skills, Relevant
163 Defence, Step 6 (Optional): Choose

121 Defence, Total
120 Defending Against Multiple Attacks
121 Defending Others
121 Defending Others, Table 12-7:
125 Defending with an Attack
168 Defensive Jammer
125 Defensively, Using Attributes
11 Definition of Ability Scores
84 Deflection
112 Degrees of Success, Table 12-1:
165 Delta-V
76 Demolitions
88 Dependent
74 Description
159 Design Checklist
176 Design Weapons, Step 13:
157 Design, Appendix: Mecha
132 Designing Adventures
147 Destiny
109 Destroying Buildings
90 Detectable
96 Determine Calculated Values, Step 10:
11 Dexterity
111 Dice and Dice Rolls
8 Dice and Notations
114 Dice Rolls, Combat
111 Dice Rolls, Dice and
178 Different Gunners
62 Different Gunners, Mecha Weapon Attacks and112 Difficulty Classes, Table 12-2:
112 Difficulty Classes, Task
67 Dimension Hop
76 Diplomacy
174 (Direction)-Optimised Armour
102 Dirt Bike
66 Disabilities, Attack
48 Disabilities, Force Field
66 Disabilities, Table 6-3: Attack
76 Disable Device
116 Disarming
9 Discretionary Character Points
76 Disguise
43 Divine Relationship
111 Do Not Roll Dice When...
84 Dodge
77 Domestic Arts, Knowledge:
105 Door Mount
84 Double Tap
64 Drain Body
64 Drain Energy
64 Drain Mind
64 Drain Soul
129 Drama
165 Dramatic Space Flight
76 Drive
144 Drive Checks, Step 2:
66 Drop Shields
182 Dropped
34 Druid, Table 4-26:
43 Duplicate
43 Duplicate, Customised
44 Duplicate, Proportionate
13 Dwarf
135 Dying Speeches
17 Dynamic Sorcerer
44 Dynamic Sorcery
45 Dynamic Sorcery without Energy Points
101 Dynamite Stick
108 Ear Protectors, Goggles and97 Earn Background Points, Step 11:
69 Earth
90 Easily Distracted
168 ECM168 EES62 Effects Based on Damage Inflicted

122 Effects of Damage to a Character
124 Effects, All-or-Nothing or Partial
168 Ejection Seat
45 Elasticity
168 Electromagnetic Armour
105 Electronic Countermeasures
168 Electronic Counter-Measures
168 Electronic Emission Sensor
77 Electronics, Knowledge:
40 Elemental/Chemical Forms
13 Elf
135 Elves
179 Emanation
181 Emission Homing
180 EMP84 Empower Spell
150 Encounter Table, Table A-9
149 Encounters and Actions during Narrative Battles
84 Endurance
64 Enduring
45 Energy Bonus
96 Energy Points
45 Energy Points, Dynamic Sorcery without
124 Energy Points, Recovering
105 Engine Rebuild
46 Enhanced [Ability]
84 Enlarge Spell
46 Environmental Control
168 Environmental Systems
151 Epic Attack Bonus
151 Epic Character Point Bonuses, Table A-11:
152 Epic Characters Attacking Multiple Weaker Opponents
151 Epic Level Characters
151 Epic Save Bonus
124 Equipment, Repairing
184 Equivalence, Mecha Point
169 ERA76 Escape Artist
118 Escaping
11 Establishing Ability Scores
33 Examining d20 Modern Classes
125 Exceptional Role-Playing
5 Exiles, Interdimensional
46 Exorcism
172 Exotic Abilities, Step 11: Choose
135 Exotic Girl Friends, Girl Next Door vs.
5 Exotic Girlfriend
126 Exotic Girlfriend
58 Experience Point Pet Monster Advancement
38 Experience Points for Character Points, Trading
156 Experience, Unit
169 Explosive Reactive Armour
101 Explosives, Grenades and182 Exposed
84 Extend Spell
117 Extra Aim
181 Extra Ammo
47 Extra Arms
169 Extra Arms
47 Extra Attacks
47 Extra Defences
66 Extra Energy
135 Face Cuts
125 Failing in Conflict
112 Failure, Critical Success or
122 Falling
122 Falling, Table 12-8: Crashing and
114 Familiar Action
90 Famous
133 Fan Service
54 Fangs, Beak, or Mandibles
32 Fantasy Classes, Deconstruction of the d20 System
129 Fantasy, Another World:
128 Far Future
84 Far Shot

APPENDIX:INDEX

161 Choose Hit Points, Step 3:
141 Choose Manoeuvres, Step 1:
161 Choose Mecha Type, Step 1:
162 Choose Occupants and Cargo, Step 4:
161 Choose Size, Step 2:
167 Choose Special Abilities, Step 10:
163 Choose Speed, Step 8:
163 Choose Strength, Step 7:
104 Citizen’s Band Radio
74 Class and Cross Class Skills, Table 7-1:
15 Class Descriptions
151 Class Features
9 Class Level
9 Class Level, Character Level vs.
14 Class, Step 5: Select33 Classes Point Costs, Table 5-21: d20 Modern
32 Classes, Deconstruction of the d20 System Fantasy
33 Classes, Examining d20 Modern
14 Classes, Table 5-1: 5-1: BESM d20
32 Classes, Table 5-20: Accessible Spells Factor for Casting
33 Classes, Table 5-22: Balancing d20 Modern
152 Classless, Making BESM d20
54 Claws or Spikes
84 Cleave
34 Cleric, Table 5-25:
168 Climate Control
76 Climb
140 Close Terrain
135 Collateral Damage
114 Combat
114 Combat Dice Rolls
74 Combat Feats and BESM d20
103 Combat Helicopter
110 Combat Introduction
104 Combat jet
84 Combat Martial Arts
115 Combat Situations, Special
80 Combat Skills
114 Combat Skills
123 Combat, Mind
119 Combat, Movement in
124 Combat, Using Attributes in
42 Combination Attack
117 Combined Attacks
117 Combined Attacks Make No Sense
112 Combining Skill Checks
129 Comedy
167 Communications
42 Computer Scanning
76 Computer Use
64 Concealable
179 Concealed
84 Concealment
76 Concentration
88 Concentration
159 Concept
129 Concept and Theme, Game
101 Concussion Grenade
145 Condition Summaries
88 Conditional Ownership
146 Conditions, Damage
179 Cone
170 Conference Room
88 Confined Movement
125 Conflict, Failing in
125 Conflict, Overcoming
6 Conspiracy, Weird
11 Constitution
13 Construct, Artificial
104 Consumer Electronics
64 Contagious
43 Contamination
3 Contents, Table of
112 Contested Actions
124 Control, Sphere of187

APPENDIX:
INDEX

188

148 Farm Kid
146 Fate Points
147 Fate Points and Damage Saves
147 Fate Points, Gaining more
81 Feat Costs
82 Feat Descriptions, Approved
82 Feat Name
15 Feats
74 Feats and BESM d20, Combat
81 Feats, Appropriate
82 Feats, Inappropriate
81 Feats, New
81 Feats, Step 8: Select81 Feats, Table 8-1: Replaced
82 Feats, Table 8-2: Approved
47 Features
71 Feed Monster
48 Field-Penetrating
34 Fighter, Table 5-27:
118 Fighting from the Ground69 Fire98 Firearms, Customising
169 Firing Ports
119 Firing Weapons from Moving Vehicles
182 Fixed Arc of Fire
40 Flame Form
174 Flammable
64 Flare
176 Flare
100 Flash Suppressor
101 Flash-Bag Grenade
100 Flashlight Attachment
121 Flat-Footed, Indefensible Attacks and
64 Flexible
180 Flexible
47 Flight
164 Flight, Space48 Flunkies
64 Flurry
52 Focus
100 Folding Stock48 Force Field
172 Force Field
48 Force Field Abilities
48 Force Field Disabilities
122 Force Fields and Damage, Armour or
41 Force Fields in other d20 Games, Armour and
84 Force Stop
77 Foreign Culture, Knowledge:
76 Forgery
40 Form, Flame
40 Form, Gaseous
40 Form, Incorporeal
40 Form, Melding
40 Form, Two-Dimensional
40 Forms, Animal
40 Forms, Elemental/Chemical
40 Forms, Sample Alternate
96 Fortitude
84 Frightful Presence
165 FTL Drive
106 Full Metal Armour
39 Full-Powered Form
105 Furnishings
128 Future, Far
128 Future, Near
15 Gaining Attribute Ranks
147 Gaining more Fate Points
76 Gamble
129 Game Concept and Theme
127 Game Setting, Creating a
6 Game?, What is a Role-Playing
108 Gas Mask
40 Gaseous Form
76 Gather Information

76 General Skills
11 Generate Ability Scores: Step 3
126 Genre, Choice of
4 Genres, Anime
135 Ghosts
135 Giant Piloted Robots
18 Giant Robot
159 Giant Robot
91 Girl/Guy Magnet
5 Girlfriend, Exotic
135 Girls Next Door vs Exotic Girl Friends
47 Glider
174 Glider
105 Global Positioning System
169 Global Positioning System
54 GM Deems Appropriate, When the
9 GM Discussion, Step 1:
138 GM, Advice for the
13 Gnome
108 Goggles and Ear Protectors
184 Gold Pieces, Mecha Points as
105 GPS
169 GPS
118 Grappling
118 Grappling Manoeuvres
84 Great Cleave
84 Great Fortitude
135 Great Tokyo Earthquake
101 Grenades and Explosives
104 Ground Vehicles, Military
118 Ground, Fighting from the
165 G-Rounds
180 (Guided) Missile
126 Gun Bunnies
19 Gun Bunny
80 Gun Combat
142 Gun It
178 Gunners, Different
143 Hairpin Turn
13 Half-Elf
13 Halfling
13 Half-Orc
101 Hallow Point
178 Hand-Held Weapons
181 Handheld, Hardpoint or
76 Handle Animal
165 Handling, Step 9: Choose
169 Hangar
174 Hangar Queen
181 Hardpoint or Handheld
169 Headlights or Searchlights
49 Healing
104 Heavy Airplane
107 Heavy Shield
104 Heavy Tank
118 Heavy Things, Throwing
102 Heavy Truck
145 Heavy Weapon Damage Bonuses, table A-3:
80 Heavy Weapons
84 Heighten Spell
49 Heightened Awareness49 Heightened Senses
102 Helicopter
142 Herd
5 Hero Team126 Hero Team126 Heroic Fantasy
105 Hidden Cargo Space
76 Hide174 High Ground Pressure
171 High Resolution Radar
132 High Technology, Non-Human Races, Paranormal Powers
49 Highly Skilled
128 History, Alternate
128 History, Recent

148 Hit Locations
96 Hit Points
124 Hit Points, Recovering
161 Hit Points, Step 3: Choose
64 Homing
54 Horns
20 Hot Rod
126 Hot Rods
177 Hot Smoke
137 Hot Springs, Public Baths and174 Hover Craft
47 Hovercraft
13 Human
135 Hyper-Dimensional Hammer
49 Hyperflight
135 Idol Singers
126 Idols or Sports
50 Immunity
122 Impact Damage
133 Important NPCs
146 Impossible Damage Saves
105 Improved Brakes
85 Improved Brawl
85 Improved Initiative
85 Improved Knockout Punch
105 Improved Shocks
85 Improved Trip
98 Improvised Weapons
98 Improvised Weapons, Table 11-1:
66 Inaccurate
82 Inappropriate Feats
117 Incapacitate, Striking to
64 Incapacitating
101 Incendiary Shells
91 Incomplete Training
40 Incorporeal Form
15 Increase, Ability Score
181 Increased Threat
64 Incurable
121 Indefensible Attacks and Flat-Footed
65 Indirect
181 Indirect Fire
91 Inept Attack
91 Inept Defence
180 Inertial Guided
169 Inertial Navigation System
155 Infantry
170 Infrared
180 Infrared Homing
140 Initial Lead
114 Initiative
167 Initiative
110 Initiative, Scene, Round, and
146 Injury, Damage and
169 INS
71 Inspire Monster
71 Instil Discipline
71 Instil Ferocity
50 Insubstantial
11 Intelligence
5 Interdimensional Exiles
127 Interdimensional Exiles
48 Internal
66 Internal
168 Interplanetary
168 Interstellar
184 Interstellar Credits, Mecha Points as
76 Intimidation
77 Investigate
50 Invisibility
172 Invisibility
181 Invisible
91 Involuntary Physical Change
85 Iron Will
65 Irritant

10 Is the Character Human?
91 ISM
50 Item of Power
109 Items of Power, Breaking
104 Jet, Combat
142 Jockey
129 Journey to the East
85 Judge Opponent
77 Jump
51 Jumping
119 Jumping
169 Jumping
135 Karmic Bonds
135 Kendo
136 Ki Powers
170 Kitchen
136 Kitsune
85 Knockout Punch
77 Knowledge: Arcane
77 Knowledge: Architecture
77 Knowledge: Area
77 Knowledge: Biological Sciences
77 Knowledge: Business
77 Knowledge: Cultural Arts
77 Knowledge: Domestic Arts
77 Knowledge: Electronics
77 Knowledge: Foreign Culture
77 Knowledge: Law
77 Knowledge: Mechanics
77 Knowledge: Military Sciences
77 Knowledge: Nature
77 Knowledge: Occult
77 Knowledge: Physical Sciences
77 Knowledge: Police Sciences
77 Knowledge: Religion
78 Knowledge: Social Sciences
78 Knowledge: Streetwise
136 Kyudo
163 Land Speed
167 Laser Com
169 Laser Designator
100 Laser Sight
168 Laser Warning Receiver
180 Laser-Guided
136 Late for School
169 Launch Catapult
77 Law, Knowledge:
140 Lead, Initial
85 Leap Attack
107 Leather Jacket
147 Left for Dead
130 Legends of the Galactic Empire
182 Less Ammo
15 Level Benefits
14 Level Bonuses
15 Level Dependent Benefits, Table 5-3:
10 Level Progression, Character Points During
9 Level vs. Class Level, Character9 Level, Character9 Level, Class
9 Level, Starting Character
169 Life Support
46 Light
104 Light Airplane
103 Light Helicopter
106 Light Mail
67 Light-Footed
85 Lightning Reflexes
105 Lights and Siren
48 Limited
66 Limited Shots
91 Limited Use, Instantaneous
91 Limited Use, Ongoing
65 Linked (Attack)
65 Linked (Attribute)77 Military Sciences, Knowledge:
53 Mimic
123 Mind Combat
53 Mind Control
65 Mind or Soul Attack
54 Mind Shield
173 Mind-Interface System
126 Mini-Campaigns
126 Mini-Campaigns, and One-Shots, Campaigns,
57 Minor
129 Mixed (Category)
107 Modern Armour
128 Modern Day
11 Modifiers, Ability
119 Modifiers, Attack Check
37 Modifying Attributes and Adjusting Point Costs
35 Monk, Table 5-28:
71 Monster Tactics
159 Monsters
116 Mooks in BESM d20
146 Mooks, Damaging
155 Morale
156 Morale Modifiers, Table A-14
102 Motorbike
102 Motorcycle
85 Mounted Combat
78 Move Silently
97 Movement
119 Movement Attack Penalties
119 Movement Attack Penalties, Table 12-4:
119 Movement in Combat
119 Moving Targets, Attacking
119 Moving Vehicles, Firing Weapons from
14 Multiclass Character, The
181 Multiple
115 Multiple Attacks from Base Attack Bonus
120 Multiple Attacks, Defending Against
115 Multiple Targets with One Attack, Attacking
116 Multiple Weaker Opponents, Attacking
152 Multiple Weaker Opponents, Epic Characters Attacking
178 Multiple Weapons on a Mecha
57 Mundane
65 Muscle-Powered
181 Muscle-Powered
87 My Overconfident, Lazy, Stubborn, Honourable Hero148 Mystery Kid
174 Naked Operator
148 Narrative Battles
54 Natural Weapons
77 Nature, Knowledge:
137 Naughty Tentacles
78 Navigate
169 Navigation Aids
169 Navigation, Basic
169 NBC Filter
128 Near Future
92 Nemesis
176 Nerve Gas
81 New Feats
100 Nightvision Scope
24 Ninja
6 Ninja Action, Samurai or
105 Nitrous Oxide Tank
66 No Damage
175 No Hand, One Hand/
65 No Regeneration
175 Noisy or Very Noisy
120 Non-Combat Actions
11 None Ability Scores, Zero Rating and
132 Non-Human Races, Paranormal Powers, High Technology,
110 Normal d20, BESM d20 Versus
137 Nose Bleeds
93 Not So Tough
8 Notations, Dice and
133 NPCs, Important

169 Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Filter
71 Nurse Monster
109 Object Armour Ratings, Table 11-5: Static
109 Objects, Armour Ratings of
108 Objects, Breaking
108 Objects, Operational
108 Objects, Penetrating (Armour) vs.
108 Obkects, Static
56 OBM
144 Obstacles, Step 4:77 Occult, Knowledge:
162 Occupants
162 Occupants and Cargo, Step 4: Choose
48 Offensive
105 Off-Road Suspension
104 Offshore Racer
137 Ofuda
106 Oil Slick175 One Hand/No Hand
85 One Shot Left
126 One-Shot Adventures
126 One-Shots, Campaigns, Mini-Campaigns, and
93 One-Way Transformation
137 Oni
182 Only in
66 Only In (Environment)
175 Open
7 Open Game License
78 Open Lock
140 Open Terrain
108 Operational Objects
180 Operator-Guided
170 Optics
40 Optimised Armour
140 Optional Rules
52 Options, Magic
159 Organic Mecha
55 Organisational Ties
132 Organisations
4 Origins, Anime
120 Other Actions
144 Other Actions, Step 5:
151 Other Bonuses
128 Other Pre-Industrial Periods
10 Outline, Step 2: Character
154 Outmatching
149 Outnumber Bonus
125 Overcoming Conflict
102 Oversized Vehicle
56 Own a Big Mecha
93 Owned
35 Paladin, table 5-29:
170 Parachute or Re-entry Shield
132 Paranormal Powers, High Technology, Non-Human Races
93 Part of Body
40 Partial (Armour)
116 Partial Armour, Called Shot to
124 Partial Effects, All-or-Nothing or
106 Partial Metal Armour
39 Partial-Powered Form
110 Passage of Time, The
102 Passenger Car
65 Penetrating (Armour)
108 Penetrating (Armour) vs. Objects
65 Penetrating (Force Field)
78 Perform
127 Period
127 Period Piece
93 Permanent
57 Personal Gear
6 Pet Monster
57 Pet Monster
127 Pet Monster
58 Pet Monster Advancement, Experience Point
25 Pet Monster Trainer

93 Phobia
93 Physical Impairment
77 Physical Sciences, Knowledge:
78 Pick Lock
102 Pickup Truck
78 Pilot
159 Piloted Giant Robot
118 Pin58 Place of Power109 Planetoid Armour Ratings, Table 11-7:
156 Player Characters
151 Player Success Bonus
139 Player, Advice for the
32 Player’s Handbook 3.5
132 Plot Elements
58 Pocket Dimension
85 Point Blank Shot
15 Point Bonuses, Character
32 Point Costs Assigned to d20 Classes, Table 5-19:
37 Point Costs, Modifying Attributes and Adjusting
33 Point Costs, Table 5-21: d20 Modern Classes
138 Point Protection, Character
10 Points During Level Progression, Character
12 Points, BESM d20 Without
9 Points, Discretionary Character
158 Points, Mecha
79 Poisons
77 Police Sciences, Knowledge:
105 Police-Band Radio
105 Pontoons
175 Poor Visibility
148 Popular Kid
85 Portable Armoury
61 Postcognition, Precognition and
85 Power Attack
59 Power Defence
79 Power Usage
114 Power Usage Skills
159 Powered Armour
79 Powerlifting
61 Precognition and Postcognition
142 Predator Manoeuvres
128 Pre-Industrial Periods, Other
133 Presenting the Villains
143 Prey Manoeuvres
32 Problem, The
79 Profession
10 Progression, Character Points During Level
59 Projection
44 Proportionate Duplicate
138 Protection, Character Point
106 Protective Devices
108 Protective Devices, Special
106 Protective Devices, Table 11-4: Armour and
137 Public Baths and Hot Springs
143 Pull Ahead
146 Pulling your Punch
184 Purchase DC, Mecha Points and
147 Pushing It
65 Quake
178 Qualities and Restrictions
180 Qualities, Weapon
86 Quicken Spell
102 Race Car
13 Race Costs, Table 4-1:
13 Race, Step 4: Select13 Racial Cost Determination
170 Radar
105 Radar Detector
180 Radar Homing
168 Radar Jammer
168 Radar Warning Receiver
171 Radar, High Resolution
168 Radio Jammer
167 Radio, Long Range

APPENDIX:
INDEX

78 Listen
118 Lock
115 Long
65 Long Range
181 Long Range
167 Long Range Radio
66 Low Penetration
182 Low Penetration
143 Lure
105 Luxury Interior
168 LWR
178 Magazine
51 Magic
52 Magic Options
51 Magic Usage
130 Magical Bug Hunter Keiko!
4 Magical Girl
21 Magical Girl
126 Magical Girls
91 Magical Restrictions
171 Magnetic
136 Main Gun
57 Major
152 Making BESM d20 Classless
54 Mandibles, Fangs, Beak, or
2 Manifesto
144 Manoeuvre Modifiers, Chase
118 Manoeuvres, Grappling
142 Manoeuvres, Predator
143 Manoeuvres, Prey
141 Manoeuvres, Step 1: Choose
105 Manual Transmission
92 Marked
22 Martial Artist
5 Martial Arts
127 Martial Arts
82 Martial Arts, Advanced Combat
137 Mascots
52 Massive Damage
85 Maximise Spell
92 Maximum Force
162 Maximum Loads
15 Maximum Skill Ranks
4 Mecha127 Mecha
137 Mecha Bases
137 Mecha Children
158 Mecha Design, Appendix:
137 Mecha Inventors
23 Mecha Pilot
184 Mecha Point Equivalence
158 Mecha Points
161 Mecha Type, Step 1: Choose
62 Mecha Weapon Attacks and Different Gunners
52 Mechanical Genius
77 Mechanics, Knowledge:
78 Medical
106 Medical Equipment, Stretchers and
123 Medical Treatment for Critical Injuries
115 Medium
40 Melding Form
66 Melee
115 Melee
182 Melee
80 Melee Attack
80 Melee Defence
115 Melee vs. Ranged Attacks
121 Melee Weapons
172 Merging
69 Metal
52 Metamorphosis
171 Meta-Scanner
167 Microwave Com
147 Mighty Blow
104 Military Ground Vehicles

189

APPENDIX:
INDEX

190

167 Radio, Tactical
142 Ram
177 Range Increment
115 Range Increments and BESM d20
115 Ranged Attacks, Melee vs.
80 Ranged Defence
121 Ranged Weapons
36 Ranger, Table 5-20:
15 Ranks, Gaining Attribute
86 Rapid Shot
177 Rate of Fire
147 Raw Power79 Read Lips
164 Realistic Space Flight
128 Recent History
124 Recovering Energy Points
124 Recovering Hit Points
124 Recovery
146 Recovery
104 Recreational Speed Boat
93 Recurring Nightmares
93 Red Tape
142 Redline
175 Reduced Endurance
94 Reduction
94 Reductions, Table 9-2: Sample
170 Re-entry Shield, Parachute or
85 Reflection
170 Reflective Coating
96 Reflex
48 Regenerating
60 Regeneration
173 Regeneration, Self-Repair or
60 Reincarnation
60 Rejuvenation
74 Relevant Ability
120 Relevant Defence Skills
170 Remote Control
170 Remote Control, Advanced
170 Remote Control, Basic
102 Remote Detonator
79 Repair
124 Repairing Equipment
81 Replaced Feats, Table 8-1:
114 Required Skill
79 Research
144 Resolution, Step 3:
154 Resolving Unit Combat
175 Restricted Path
94 Restriction
178 Restrictions, Qualities and
94 Restrictions, Table 9-3: Sample
182 Restrictions, Weapon
32 Result, The
112 Retries
148 Rich Kid
79 Ride107 Riding Suit
176 Riot Gas
52 Ritual
175 Road Vehicle
105 Rocket Engine
36 Rogue, Table 5-31:
6 Role-Playing BESM d20
6 Role-Playing Game?, What is a
125 Role-Playing, Exceptional
111 Roll Dice When...
111 Roll Dice When..., Do Not
129 Romance
170 Rooms
105 Rotating License Plate
110 Round, and Initiative, Scene,
101 Rubber
140 Rules, Optional
86 Run168 RWR
40 Sample Alternate Forms
94 Sample Reductions, Table 9-2:
94 Sample Restrictions, Table 9-3:
26 Samurai
128 Samurai Japan
6 Samurai or Ninja Action
102 Satchel Charge
180 Satellite Guided
14 Save Bonus, Base151 Save Bonus, Epic
145 Saves, Damage
96 Saving Throws
100 Sawed-Off Barrel
168 Scanner
110 Scene, Round, and Initiative
147 School Campaigns
127 School Days
137 School Uniforms
127 Science Fiction
129 Science Fiction, Another Universe
170 Science Lab
102 Scooter
100 Scope
137 SDF
79 Search
169 Searchlights, Headlights or
122 Second Wind
168 Secure
79 Seduction
171 Seismic
14 Select Class, Step 5:
87 Select Defects, Step 9:81 Select Feats, Step 8:
13 Select Race, Step 4:
74 Select Skills, Step 7:
67 Self-Destruct
173 Self-Repair or Regeneration
180 Semi-Active Radar Homing
181 Semiautomatic
79 Sense Motive
170 Sensors
60 Sensory Block
94 Sensory Impairment
5 Sentai
27 Sentai Member
60 Servant
175 Service Crew
143 Set Up
127 Setting, Creating a Game
28 Shapechanger
171 Shield
49 Shield Only (Force Fields)
107 Shields
40 Shields Only (Armour)
123 Shock123 Shock Value and Critical Injury
115 Short
67 Short Range
182 Short Range
142 Shortcut
101 Shotgun Slugs
111 Should I make my Players Roll Dice?
170 Sick Bay
105 Sidecar
156 Siege Engines
94 Significant Other
46 Silence
100 Silencer
52 Silent
181 Silent
86 Silent Spell
61 Sixth Sense
161 Size and Weight Chart
97 Size Categories, Table 10-1:

61 Size Change
97 Size Classes
161 Size, Step 2: Choose
97 Sizes, Table 10-2: Changing
94 Skeleton in the Closet
112 Skill Checks
112 Skill Checks, Combining
74 Skill Description Format
74 Skill Points and Skill Ranks
15 Skill Ranks, Maximum
74 Skill Ranks, Skill Points and
112 Skill Synergy
114 Skill, Required
80 Skills, Combat
114 Skills, Combat
76 Skills, General
114 Skills, Power Usage
120 Skills, Relevant Defence
74 Skills, Step 7: Select74 Skills, Table 7-1: Class and Cross Class
74 Skills, Using
47 Skimmer
156 Skirmishers
79 Sleight of Hand
106 Slick Tires
67 Slithering
67 Slow
183 Slower
182 Slow-Firing
176 Smoke
101 Smoke Grenade
106 Smoke Screen
86 Sneak Attack
146 Sneak Attacks
100 Snub-Nose
78 Social Sciences, Knowledge:
107 Soft Body Armour
32 Solution, The
171 Sonar
180 Sonar Homing
36 Sorcerer, Table 5-32:
6 Sorcery, Swords and
65 Soul Attack, Mind or
164 Space Flight
127 Space Opera
165 Space Sails
183 Space-Optimised
159 Spaceship79 Speak Languages
167 Special Abilities, Step 10: Choose
61 Special Attack
62 Special Attack Abilities
122 Special Attacks
176 Special Attacks
62 Special Attacks in Other d20 System Games
115 Special Combat Situations
67 Special Defence
62 Special Effects
67 Special Movement
108 Special Protective Devices
80 Special Ranged Attack
95 Special Requirement
183 Special Rules
106 Special Tires or Puncture-Resistant
74 Specialisations
68 Speed
104 Speed Boat
100 Speed Loader
164 Speed, Burrowing
164 Speed, Ceiling and Air
140 Speed, Chase
163 Speed, Land
163 Speed, Step 8: Choose
164 Speed, Water (and Underwater)
86 Spell Focus

173 Spell-like Ability
32 Spells Factor for Casting Classes, Table 5-20: Accessible
124 Sphere of Control
54 Spikes, Claws or
55 Spines
68 Spirit Ward
86 Spirited Charge
102 Sport Utility Vehicle
79 Sports
5 Sports Anime
102 Sports Car
126 Sports, Idols or
79 Spot
65 Spreading
171 Stabilisation Gear
175 Stall Speed
107 Standard Shield
9 Starting Character Level
158 Starting Mecha Points
176 Start-Up Time
71 Stat Master49 Static
67 Static
183 Static
109 Static Object Armour Ratings, Table 11-5:
108 Static Objects
86 Steady Hand
171 Stealth
141 Step 1: Choose Manoeuvres
161 Step 1: Choose Mecha Type
9 Step 1: GM Discussion
167 Step 10: Choose Special Abilities
96 Step 10: Determine Calculate Values
172 Step 11: Choose Exotic Abilities
97 Step 11: Earn Background Points
174 Step 12: Choose Defects
176 Step 13: Design Weapons
10 Step 2: Character Outline
161 Step 2: Choose Size
144 Step 2: Drive Checks
161 Step 3: Choose Hit Points
11 Step 3: Generate Ability Scores
144 Step 3: Resolution
162 Step 4: Choose Occupants and Cargo
144 Step 4: Obstacles
13 Step 4: Select Race
162 Step 5: Choose Armour
144 Step 5: Other Actions
14 Step 5: Select Class
163 Step 6 (Optional): Choose Defence
37 Step 6: Assign Attributes
163 Step 7: Choose Strength
74 Step 7: Select Skills
163 Step 8: Choose Speed
81 Step 8: Select Feats
165 Step 9: Choose Handling
87 Step 9: Select Defects
145 Step Six: Damage and Crashes
52 Still
86 Still Spell
67 Stoppable
132 Story Line
181 Stream
148 Street Kid
86 Streetfighting
78 Streetwise, Knowledge:
11 Strength
163 Strength, Step 7: Choose
102 Stretched Limousine
106 Stretchers and Medical Equipment
117 Striking to Incapacitate
117 Striking to Wound
106 Stripped
29 Student
65 Stun18 Table 5-6: Giant Robot
19 Table 5-7: Gun Bunny
20 Table 5-8: Hot Rod
21 Table 5-9: Magical Girl
37 Table 6-1: Character Attributes
62 Table 6-2: Attack Abilities
66 Table 6-3: Attack Disabilities
74 Table 7-1: Class and Cross Class Skills
81 Table 8-1: Replaced Feats
82 Table 8-2: Approved Feats
87 Table 9-1: Defects
94 Table 9-2: Sample Reductions
94 Table 9-3: Sample Restrictions
144 Table A-1: Chase Manoeuvre Modifiers
151 Table A-10: Epic Save and Epic Attack Bonuses
151 Table A-11: Epic Character Point Bonuses
154 Table A-12: Outmaching
155 Table A-13: Morale Checks
156 Table A-14: Morale Modifiers
145 Table A-2: Crash Checks
145 Table A-3: Heavy Weapon Damage Bonuses
146 Table A-4: Damage Save Results
148 Table A-5: Hit Locations
149 Table A-6: Outnumber Bunus
149 Table A-7: Battle Check Modifiers
149 Table A-8: Battle Check Results
150 Table A-9: Encounter Table
3 Table of Contents
107 Tactical Armour
167 Tactical Radio
107 Tactical Shield
55 Tail Striker
112 Taking 10, Checks Without Rolls 112 Taking 20, Checks Without Rolls 110 Taking Action
65 Tangle
177 Tangle
104 Tank, Heavy
54 Target’s Nature, Against
66 Targeted
171 Targeting Bonus
112 Task Difficulty Classes
101 Tear Gas Grenade
30 Tech Genius
69 Telekinesis
70 Telepathy
70 Teleport
100 Telescoping Stock46 Temperature
55 Tentacles
140 Terrain
137 Terrible Cooks
129 Theme, Game Concept and
181 Threat, Increased
118 Throw
118 Throwing Damage Bonuses, Table 12-3:
118 Throwing Heavy Things
183 Thrown
80 Thrown Weapons
164 Thrust
140 Tight Terrain
183 Time to Target
110 Time, The Passage of
102 Timed Detonator
137 Tokyo Tower
118 Total Attack
121 Total Defence
118 Touching a Target
106 Tow Winch
67 Toxic
38 Trading Experience Points for Character Points
106 Trailer
70 Train a Cute Monster
174 Transformation
138 Transformation Sequences

138 Transforming Mecha
159 Transforming Mecha
72 Transmutation
66 Trap
181 Trap
100 Trigger Lock
151 Troop Types
102 Truck, Heavy
79 Tumble
72 Tunnelling
106 Turbocharger
116 Two Weapons, Attacks with
40 Two-Dimensional Form
86 Two-Weapon Fighting
49 Type I
60 Type I
49 Type II
60 Type II
101 Types of Ammunition
104 Ultra-Light
80 Unarmed Attack
121 Unarmed Combat
80 Unarmed Defence
164 Underwater) Speed, Water (and66 Undetectable
114 Unfamiliar Action
66 Unique Ability
72 Unique Attribute
95 Unique Defect95 Unique Defect Example: Attack Restriction
67 Unique Disability
154 Unit Combat, resolving
156 Unit Experience
153 Unit Roster, The
153 Unit Size
153 Unit Type155 Unit Types
153 Units
73 Unknown Superhuman Power
181 Unlimited Shots
67 Unreliable
183 Unreliable
95 Unreliable Power95 Unskilled
114 Unskilled Attempts
68 Untrackable
184 US Dollars, Mecha Points as
79 Use Rope
49 Uses Energy
67 Uses Energy
114 Using Attributes
124 Using Attributes Against Opponents
125 Using Attributes Defensively
124 Using Attributes in Combat
124 Using Attributes vs. Attacks
74 Using Skills
104 Utility Helicopter
66 Vampiric
102 Van
144 Vanish
159 Vehicle
86 Vehicle Dodge
102 Vehicle, Oversized
102 Vehicles
104 Vehicles, Customising
119 Vehicles, Firing Weapons from Moving
104 Vehicles, Military Ground
103 Vehicles, Table 11-3:
184 Velocity Class
175 Very Noisy, Noisy or
130 Veterans of the Psychic Wars
133 Villains, Presenting the
116 Vital Spot, Called Shot to
176 Volatile
182 Volley

130 Voyagers of the New Dawn
95 Vulnerability
68 Wall-Bouncing
68 Wall-Crawling
171 Wall-Crawling
95 Wanted
156 War Machines and Mecha
69 Water
164 Water (and Underwater) Speed
73 Water Speed
159 Watercraft
68 Water-Walking
95 Weak Point
176 Weak Point
117 Weak Point, Called Shot to
116 Weaker Opponents, Attacking Multiple
73 Wealth106 Weapon Mount - Heavy
106 Weapon Mount - Light
180 Weapon Qualities
182 Weapon Restrictions
98 Weapons
86 Weapons Encyclopaedia
178 Weapons, Alternate
109 Weapons, Damage to
178 Weapons, Hand-Held
98 Weapons, Improvised
176 Weapons, Step 13: Design
98 Weapons, Table 11-1: Improvised
99 Weapons, Table 11-2:
46 Weather
161 Weight Chart, Size and6 Weird Conspiracy
10 What Are the Character’s Strengths?
10 What Helps Define the Character?
158 What is a Mecha?
6 What is a Role-Playing Game?
4 What is Anime?
10 What is the Character’s Name?
54 When the GM Deems Appropriate
86 Whirlwind Attack
121 Why is Block Defence Easier?
96 Why the Defence Roll?
79 Wilderness Lore
80 Wilderness Tracking
96 Willpower
176 Windows
176 Wind-Powered
12 Wisdom
12 Without Points, BESM d20
36 Wizard, Table 5-33:
69 Wood
170 Workshop
130 World Building
109 Worlds, Blowing up
122 Wound Difficulty Penalties
117 Wound, Striking to
125 XP Awards, Table 12-10:
138 Yakuza
68 Zen Direction
11 Zero Rating and None Ability Scores
144 Zig-Zag

APPENDIX:INDEX

181 Stun
86 Stunning Fist
144 Stunt
102 Sub-Compact Car
112 Success or Failure, Critical
112 Success, Table 12-1: Degrees of
159 Suit
145 Summaries, Condition
173 Summonable
106 Sun Roof
159 Super-car
106 Supercharger
173 Super-Equipment
73 Superhuman Power, Unknown
127 Supernatural
6 Supernatural Action
68 Superstrength
132 Supporting Cast, The
79 Survival
68 Swarm
79 Swim
68 Swinging/Brachiating
6 Swords and Sorcery
112 Synergy, Skill
97 Table 10-1: Size Categories
97 Table 10-2: Changing Sizes
98 Table 11-1: Improvised Weapons
99 Table 11-2: Weapons
103 Table 11-3: Vehicles
106 Table 11-4: Armour and Protective Devices
109 Table 11-5: Static Object Armour Ratings
109 Table 11-6: Building Armour Ratings
109 Table 11-7: Planetoid Armour Ratings
112 Table 12-1: Degrees of Success
125 Table 12-10: XP Awards
112 Table 12-2: Difficulty Classes
118 Table 12-3: Throwing Damage Bonuses
119 Table 12-4: Movement Attack Penalties
119 Table 12-5: Attack Situation Modifiers
121 Table 12-6: Defence Situation Modifiers
121 Table 12-7: Defending Others
122 Table 12-8: Crashing and Falling
122 Table 12-9: Damage Difficulty Penalties
9 Table 2-1: Starting Character Level
12 Table 3-1: Ability Score Value Descriptions
13 Table 4-1: Race Costs
14 Table 5-1: BESM d20 Classes
22 Table 5-10: Martial Artist
23 Table 5-11: Mecha Pilot
24 Table 5-12: Ninja
25 Table 5-13: Pet Monster Trainer
26 Table 5-14: Samurai
27 Table 5-15: Sentai Member
28 Table 5-16: Shapechanger
29 Table 5-17: Student
30 Table 5-18: Tech Genius
32 Table 5-19: Point Costs Assigned to d20 Classes
15 Table 5-2: Base Attack Bonuses
32 Table 5-20: Accessible Spells Factor for Casting Classes
33 Table 5-21: d20 Modern Classes Point Costs
33 Table 5-22: Balancing d20 Modern Classes
33 Table 5-23: Barbarian
33 Table 5-24: Bard
34 Table 5-25: Cleric
34 Table 5-26: Druid
34 Table 5-27: Fighter
35 Table 5-28: Monk
35 Table 5-29: Paladin
15 Table 5-3: Level Dependent Benefits
36 Table 5-30: Ranger
36 Table 5-31: Rogue
36 Table 5-32: Sorcerer
36 Table 5-33: Wizard
16 Table 5-4: Adventurer
17 Table 5-5: Dynamic Sorcerer

191

CHARACTER SHEETCHARACTER INFORMATION

PLAYER’S NAME:
GM’S NAME:CHARACTER NAME:STARTING LEVEL:
CLASS:CLASS:CLASS:
RACE:
SIZE:
AGE:
HEIGHT:
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:ABILITY SCORESDISCRETIONARY POINTS:
LEVEL:LEVEL:LEVEL:RACE COST:
EXPERIENCE POINTS:
GENDER:
WEIGHT:

Calculated Values

ABILITYSCORE MODIFIERSTRENGTH
DEXTERITYCONSTITUTIONINTELLIGENCEWISDOMCHARISMASAVING THROWSFORTITUDE
REFLEXWILLPOWERCOMBAT MODIFIERS
BASE ATTACK BONUS
ARMOUR CLASSINITIATIVE MODIFIER
BASE MOVEMENTHIT POINTSSHOCK VALUEENERGY POINTSATTRIBUTES, FEATS, SKILLS, and DEFECTSATTRIBUTE/FEAT/SKILL/DEFECTCOSTNOTES/EFFECTATTRIBUTE/FEAT/SKILL/ DEFECTPOSSESSIONS AND NOTES© 2004 Guardians Of Order, Inc. Permission is granted to make copies of this page for personal use only.

COST

NOTES/EFFECT