Académique Documents
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Foreward:
First of all, Id like to thank Michael for letting me play around in his
rules. For a long time Ive wanted to work on my own espionage RPG,
and Ive been given a great opportunity to do so. This game has been
about six years in the making, and Im glad to see it finally coming to light.
A few things had to be changed to fit into the world of espionage and
intrigue. I took a lot of the optional rules presented in the core Warrior,
Rogue & Mage book and made them a part of the system, where
appropriate. Additionally, youll find new rules, such as Exposure and
Concealment, specifically designed for an espionage-style of the game.
Ive always been a fan of espionage, ever since watching Spy Game
when I was in high-school. Im glad Ive gotten a chance to add to the
fantastic rules designed by Michael Wolf, and continuing on the tradition
of espionage RPGs such as Spycraft, Top Secret and others.
Id also like to thank Kenn Gentile with coming up with the rules of
Concealment, helping me out over on the RPGTableTalk forums.
Extra special thanks to R.E. Davis, who created an excellent WYRD
system game called Wyred, a cyberpunk-style game, from which I
liberally borrowed rules.
Finally, Id like to thank Andrew Modro, who has written Resolute,
Adventurer, & Genius, from which Ive borrowed a few rules and talents
from.
MARK
weLcome,
aGent
Pointman Hacker Thief is a quick, lightweight roleplaying game that
allows a group of players and a game master to participate in epic
espionage missions spanning the entire globe, from Hong Kong to New
York City. This book has everything you need: A complete game system,
including character creation, combat, hacking, equipment
and NPCs, as well as a complete modern spy setting.
Combat in the world of PHT is quick and brutal, as it is in
real life. But, as they say, if youve been spotted, perhaps
you deserve to be gunned down; you are a spy, after all.
PHT doesnt make use of classes, like in other RPGs.
Players are encouraged to create their characters freely
without having to fit them into archetypal roles. Pointman,
Hacker and Thief are the characters basic attributes,
which measure their capabilities in combat, academics and
stealth, respectively.
This book assumes you are familiar with tabletop
RPGs.
Real life espionage is generally a lot more
boring than what is portrayed in the movies.
Ignore all of that real-world stuff, and dive into a
world of fast cars, incredible cyberware attacks,
and dangerous criminal and rogue government
enterprises.
Suggested films to watch before diving
into a game of PHT include Spy Games,
The Recruit, the James Bond films,
and the Mission Impossible series,
as well as television shows such as
Leverage and Person of Interest.
chapter one
aGent initiation
Anonymity... is like a warm blanket. Max, Mission Impossible
Character creation in PHT is called Initiation, as your agent is brought
into training and given the skills needed to survive in the world of spies,
cars and guns.
Each player will need to create a character in order to play. The player
character, or PC, is the players representation in the game world. The
characters played by the game master, or GM, are called non-player
characters or NPCs. All characters in PHT are described by their
attributes, skills, talents and various other values, which will be explained
in detail in this chapter.
attributes
skiLLs
Each character is also further detailed by a few skills. Skills are abilities
a character has learned over the years, like Drive or Mechanics. Skills
are not ranked like attributes; you either have learned a skill, or you have
not. Each character starts with three skills of the players choice. Each
skill is related to one of the attributes. This indicates what kind of attribute
rolls the skill might be applied to. Note that you cant choose a skill if the
relevant attribute is ranked at level 0.
Skill
Attribute
Description
Acrobatics
Thief
Analysis
Hacker
Athletics
Pointman
Close Combat
Pointman/
Thief (use the
highest)
Coerce
Pointman
Computers
Hacker
Contacts
Hacker
Cypher
Hacker
Deception
Thief
Determination
Pointman
Drive
Pointman
Electronics
Hacker
Explosives
Pointman
Forgery
Hacker
Skill
Attribute
Description
Hacking
Hacker
Indigenous
Knowledge
Hacker
Intimidate
Pointman
Knives
Thief
Mechanics
Hacker
Medical Science
Hacker
Perception
Thief
Pistols
Pointman
Rifles
Pointman
Science
Hacker
Security
Hacker
Stash
Thief
Stealth
Thief
Streetwise
Thief
Survival
Pointman
Unarmed
Combat
Pointman/
Thief (use the
highest)
taLents
Talents give player characters special abilities that set them apart from
mere civilians. You dont have to roll the die in order to use talents.
As soon as a character has acquired a new talent he gets access
to a special ability. Some talents may be taken several times. Player
characters start with one talent. GMs are free to add more talents if
needed.
Talent
Body of Steel
Description
Damage you take from an individual attack is reduced by 2.
Analysis
Champion
Clever Shot
Craftsman
Devilish Charm
You can use your Hacker attribute for ranged weapon attacks.
You are able to craft weapons, explosives or other devices.
This can be selected multiple times to select different things to
craft
+3 to coerce and deception rolls.
Dual Wielding
Leadership
Look Out!
Lucky Devil
Massive Attack
Nimble
You may reroll any roll once per scene (or combat).
You can add your Pointman attribute level to your melee
attack damage once per combat.
You can dodge without forfeiting a combat action
Precise Shot
You can add your Thief attribute level to your ranged attack
damage once per combat
Sixth Sense
Specialist
Survivalist
You are a trained hunter and may live off the land easily.
When given enough time, you can provide enough food to feed
a group of four.
Each character has a Defense stat that is equal to half the sum of the
Pointman and Thief attributes, rounded down, plus 4. Using cover grants
a bonus to Defense, depending on how heavy the cover is. Light cover is
+2, Medium is +4, and Heavy cover is +6.
Group tempLates
Below are a sample set of group templates for you to use. Feel free to
use them or not, modifying as necessary.
Ronin: P3, H3, T4. Street operatives, usually disavowed from their
previous lives as spies and assassins, Ronin are trained extensively
in combat skills. These individuals take on odd jobs as soldiers for
hire, although they can also work for a particular cause or organization
exclusively. Although some are trained professionals, they are usually
rugged and often resort to their own dirty tactics and experiences to get
the job done.
Hackers: P1, H8, T1. This group lives on the fringes of cyberspace,
racing processes at a million miles a minute. Cold, hard data is
sometimes worth more than cash... and these guys love to be the
brokers of that market. A group of hackers also needs people to deliver
and protect the information they possess, so there are many different
roles that can fit into the Hacker group.
Law Enforcement: P5, H3, T2. Agents for a government department
or division or privately owned corporate security, these men and women
put their necks on the block every day to maintain a semblance of order
and protection for everyday people. Of course, many are imperfect antiheroes with their own loose judgments. Everyone wears the badge for
different reasons.
ACE: P4, H3, T3. The Allied Coalition of Espionage is a group of
secret agents from all over the world, dedicated to protecting the world
from the dangers that exist from both without and within. ACE agents
are recruited from every walk of life for their own specific skills. Each
agent is highly skilled at what they do.
chapter two
the Game
Dont ever risk your life for an asset. If it comes down to you or
them... send flowers. Nathan Muir, Spy Game
expLoDinG Dice
automatic
success
unopposeD checks
If the task at hand is not actively opposed, the player has to beat a
difficulty level determined by the GM. The following list provides you with
some examples (DL in parenthesis): Easy (5), Routine (7), Challenging
(9), Hard (11), Extreme (16).
opposeD checks
The opposed check method is used when two characters are in direct
competition. This is a contest of rolls. The player of each character
makes a roll for the appropriate attribute (and skill, if any). Whoever gets
the higher result wins the contest. Opposed checks dont need to be of
the same attribute (or skill), so long as the action of one can oppose the
other.
Example: A thief wants to sneak past a guard. The guard then rolls a
die and adds his Hacker attribute to the result, along with a +2 bonus if
he has the Awareness skill. The thief will have to beat this total to remain
unnoticed.
Optional: Instead of rolling, you can just add 3 to the relevant attribute
(and any skill bonus) of one character to get the DL of the roll for the
other. This is most useful when a PC is actively opposing a passive NPC.
In the above example, the GM could just add 3 to the guards Hacker
attribute (and +2 for Awareness if the guard has it) to get a DL for the
players roll.
circumstantiaL moDiFiers
te
-Reroll a single die roll and use the better of the two, or add +2 to a
single check.
Fate doesnt regenerate automatically, so players are advised not to
waste their fate points. GMs should grant players fate points for heroic
actions, good role playing and achieving character goals.
concealment
Any agent is trained to carry Concealed items for use in the field. These
items do not need to be purchased or pre-chosen but are declared when
the agent reveals them and may fit the situation as needed. The number
of items that can be concealed are determined by the Thief stat. So, for
example, if the Thief stat is 4 then the agent may reveal four concealed
items/tools/gadgets per session. These items can be anything reasonably
concealable in the current situation that they are revealed as long as the
Agent can come up with a somewhat plausible description of the reveal.
For example; 50 of special high-strength cord could be revealed to
have been concealed in a belt, or enough C-4/detonator to blow out a
lock could be revealed inside the heel of a shoe; however, a full-sized
SOCOM with Suppressor and LAM could not be concealed in a situation
where the agent is left with only socks and underwear, so the agent would
not be able to plausibly explain how he could have concealed one... as
amusing, thought-provoking, and slightly disturbing as that explanation
might prove to be. The weapon could, however be easily revealed to have
been concealed disassembled in a briefcase.
chapter three
combat
Shoot him, Ryan. Shoot him before he figures out what Im
saying. John Clark, The Sum of All Fears
Initiative
Combat Actions
Attack Roll
A roll to hit an opponent is made just like a skill check. The characters
player rolls the die and adds one of the characters attribute scores,
depending on the attack, as well as any applicative skill bonus.
Environmental factors may apply conditional penalties to the attack roll,
such as darkness or heavy fog.
Each attack works based on the type of weapon being used. Some
weapons use the Pointman, while others utilize the Thief attribute. Check
the relevant skill if you are unsure.
Example: A thief wants to shoot a guard in the back with a silenced
pistol. The skill list determines that when using a pistol the Pointman
attribute applies. The thief knows this skill, so he may also add the +2
modifier to his attack roll.
The attack roll is compared to the targets defense. If the attack roll
equals or exceeds the targets defense, the attack hits and damage is
dealt (see Damage, below). Attack rolls are subject to the exploding die
rule if the character has the appropriate skill.
Combat Ranges
Distance is grouped into six narrative range bands. These bands come
into play when determining if a weapon can be used to strike an opponent
and in chase sequences. The six range bands are:
Melee: Anything that can be hit with a hand held weapon like a club or
sword. If you can reach out and touch it, this is the range.
Close: A reasonable shot with a small projectile weapon or a thrown
object.
Medium: Beyond the range of thrown objects. Requires skill to hit with
a small projectile weapon; easier to hit with a heavier projectile weapon
such as a rifle.
Long: Beyond range for small projectile weapons. Requires skill to hit
with a larger projectile weapon.
Far: Possible to hit with great skill using a larger projectile weapon,
but generally outside shooting range of hand held weapons at all.
A weapon or attack can hit foes at its listed range band or closer.
Vehicles may affect the range bands during combat using chase rules.
These are covered in detail in the Vehicles Chapter.
rate of fire
After having scored a hit, you determine the damage it caused. Damage
is determined by the weapon used (see the weapon list for details).
The damage caused by an attack is increased by the margin of success
of the attack roll. This additional damage is capped at the maximum
damage the weapon can normally cause. The maximum damage for a
weapon with 1d6 damage is 6 for example.
Example: A character using a pistol attacks an opponent with a Defense
of 6. His attack roll is a 9. So the margin of success is 3. He then rolls for
damage (2d6). With a damage roll of 7 plus the 3 additional damage, he
causes 10 damage to his opponent.
Note that damage rolls are always subject to the exploding die rule.
The victims hit points are reduced by a number of points equal to the
damage caused. If hit points drop to 0, the character is dead or dying. A
characters hit points may never drop below 0.
Characters who are reduced to under half their maximum hit points are
considered seriously wounded and get a -3 modifier on all attribute checks.
Characters heal a number of hit points equal to their highest attribute
per day of rest. Only light activities are allowed during that time. A
character who takes part in a combat, chase or a similar strenuous
activity may only heal a single hit point that day. Characters with the
Medical skill may use their abilities to speed up healing. When receiving
such treatment, a character heals an extra 2 hit points per day of rest.
Parrying
Dodging
Dodging works similar to parrying. You have to forfeit one combat action
and your check result has to be higher than your opponents attack roll
result. But in the case of dodging, Thief is used and players can add +2 if
they have the Acrobatics skill. When trying to dodge missile attacks you
have to use Hacker and Awareness instead. Especially in the case of
dodging fast travelling projectiles like bullets, GM discretion is advised.
hit locations
Die Roll
1
2-4
5
6
Location
Head
Torso
Arms
Legs
CHAPTER FOUR
HACKING
The world isnt run by weapons anymore, or energy, or money.
Its run by little ones and zeroes, little bits of data. Its all just
electrons. - Cosmo, Sneakers
Hacking is a trope commonly seen in many different spy movies.
Breaking into a computer system so your cohorts can get into a building,
stealing important government information and more are all hacks.
A hack could be anything from breaking into a computer for information
down to getting into an elevators computer system to take control of the
directions the elevator goes.
Hacking, in PHT is intended to keep with the pace of the game, so the
hackers dont end up hogging the scene or slowing the game down for
the rest of the players.
The guidelines below were intended so Hacking works just the same as
any other skill check or combat roll, and can even be ran alongside gun
fights and other events in the game.
The simplest way to handle computer trickery is to stick with a Hacker
roll, with the Computer skill added as a bonus as necessary. Anytime a
character wants to manipulate a network to perform a particular action,
such as searching for files or accessing databases, or programming
scripts (like a time delay to set off the sprinkler system) use just a Hacker
check (with a bonus from the Computer skill and the Hackers Computers
Rating). The DL is determined by the GM based on the complexity of the
task.
When actually attempting to override, break in or bring down a
computer system, the situation is handled just like a form of combat.
Computers and networks have a stat block similar to NPCs, simply
called Systems. This is to give an abstract representation of the power,
presence and resources available to it in cyberspace. Depending on
the scenario, the GM may use a System to either represent an entire
network (such as the network maintaining an office building or business)
or the System can be used to represent just one part of the network (for
instance, the computers handling a laser security system in the lobby of
the building, or a CEOs desktop.)
Initially, when the character starts hacking, the character rolls a Hacking
check versus the System at a DL equal to its Net Defense rating. Like regular
combat, the players computer used for the hacking is the weapon and the
rating plus the amount rolled over the DL is the wounds dealt to the System.
Once the wounds are depleted, the firewalls are crushed and the system is
exposed to the whims of the Hacker.
However, as soon as the player fails one of his Hacking attempts,
system admins are notified and the ICE (Intruder Countermeasure
Electronics) comes online. Initiative is rolled like in combat, and the
System will now begin making active attacks against the intruder. If the
hacker is using his or her computer as a terminal, the computers Net
Defense is 4 + Rating. The computers rating is the number of Wounds it
can take.
In the event the hacking takes place during a moment of combat in
the physical world (say, the guards show up as the teams hacker starts
to plug in directly to the camera controls) the Hacker and System roll
initiative along with the other combat participants, and act in turn like the
others.
Additionally, there may be times when a system will have highly
advanced Programs that will be sent in to actively hunt for a hacker.
They have their own separate stats, similar to a System. They attack in
the same way a System does, but if the Program defeats the Hackers
computer, the computer is permanently fried and cannot be used again.
Chapter five
Exposure
Rule number one: Do not get caught. Walter Burke, The Recruit
Youve seen the movies: The spy who runs around blowing up
everything in sight, and in the end, he gets a slap on the wrists for it. Not
so, in PHT.
Its a dangerous world out there, but a spys job is to keep a low profile,
not stir up trouble in front of the general public. This need for secrecy is
called Exposure. All agents begin with 0 Exposure. Ideally, an agent will
sit at 0 Exposure their whole careers, but its unlikely.
Heres how it works. When an agent performs any kind of espionage
actions while within the public eye, and while not disguised, they gain
Exposure, which steadily rises. Being captured on security cameras can
also raise your Exposure. Being captured
by the enemy, and revealed as a spy to the
general public will raise your Exposure to
its maximum.
An agents maximum Exposure is equal
to twice their highest attribute. If an agent
reaches their maximum Exposure, they
will be disavowed by their agency and be
forced into retirement (or become
an independent spy).
An agent will have a difficult
time lowering their Exposure.
It will drop by one for every six
months in-game. If their Exposure is too
high, it might be a good idea for them to
cool their heels on a vacation for a while
(usually at their agencys request). Also,
a very public falsified death will drop
their exposure dramatically.
The Exposure rules are designed to allow the GM
to rein in maverick characters: If they are being a
little too gung-ho, ignoring the rules of espionage,
theyre going to be disavowed by their agency and have
nothing to show for it. Spies need to keep themselves out of
the limelight, or they could find themselves in hot water.
Chapter six
Vehicles
Its the insurance damage waiver for your beautiful new car. Now,
will you need collision coverage? Q, Tomorrow Never Dies
Because of their size, vehicles treat range bands slightly differently from
characters. Distances between vehicles are treated normally. However, when
characters and vehicles interact (such as characters shooting at villains in
another car during a chase), things become a bit more complicated.
This is where a vehicles Shift number comes in. When characters are
acting over vehicular distances, their personal ranges are related to the
ranges of the vehicles. The Shift number changes the range band being used
by a number of steps equal to its value.
For characters in different vehicles, the Shift number raises the range: if two
sedans in a chase are Close, the distance between a character in one car
and a villain in the other counted as Medium (as the Shift value of a sedan
is 1). The situation can also be reversed. If a character is at Medium range
to a villain and they both climb onto motorcycles to begin a chase, the chase
begins at Close range for the bikes (as the Shift value of the motorcycles is
1). The characters still would use the Medium range band to shoot at each
other, but the chase is determined from the vehicles themselves. When
vehicles have different Shift values (such as a speedboat and a gunboat), the
difference in Shift values is what is applied. What would be considered Long
distance for the speedboat would be Medium for the gunboat, and vice versa.
Chases
One of the best uses of vehicles is when things dont slide your
way, and you need to get out. Or when someone is getting away with
something you need, its nice to have your hands on the steering wheel
and the pedal to the floor. Whether fleeing from enemy soldiers or trying
to cut off the shipment truck you were hired to hijack, chases are a part of
everyday life in Spy Fiction.
Each round of a chase, the quarry and pursuer make rolls appropriate
to their current mode of movement: Either the appropriate vehicle skill
(Car, Bike, Helicopter ,etc.) for vehicles, or Athletics for running on foot.
If either the quarry or the pursuer is obviously faster than the other, that
participant receives a bonus to the roll (for example, +2 for the difference
between a man and a galloping horse, +4 for a man and a speeding car,
+6 for a man and an airplane).
Subtract the pursuers roll from the quarrys roll. This total is applied to
the distance between the participants. If the quarry rolls higher the gap
will increase, and if the pursuer rolls higher the gap will decrease. Tied
rolls, or rolls that are very close, mean that the gap remains the same.
Difference Change
+7 or more Quarry immediately escapes
+5 to +6 Gap increases by 2 range bands
+3 or +4 Gap increases by 1 range band
+2 to -2 No Change
-3 to -4 Gap decreases by 1 range band
-5 to -6 Gap decreases by 2 range bands
-7 or less Pursuer immediately catches quarry
Chases begin at a range determined by the starting positions of the participants.
Two people or vehicles starting next to each other are at Melee distance. Note that
if the quarry flees before the pursuer can react, the range may increase to Close
for the first round of the chase (or more, depending on the speed difference!)
If the quarry can extend the range beyond Far, it has escaped. If the
pursuer can bring the range to Melee, the quarry has been caught and
the pursuer can attempt to capture the quarry, such as with grappling.
Intermediate ranges permit the use of weapons with the proper ranges
but remember that vehicles shift ranges, so that what the vehicles
consider Close range might be Medium for the attacking characters.
Armor
Body
Maneuver
Shift
Motorcycle
Vehicle
10
$1000
Cost
Sedan
20
$15,000
Sports Car
15
$20,000
Truck/SUV
25
$15,000
Heavy Truck
35
$20,000
Jeep
25
$17,500
Limo
30
-1
$45,000
Armored Car
10
10
$100,000
Tank
12
40
-3
$2,500,000
Standard Helicopter
25
$120,000
Assault Chopper
10
30
$1,750,000
Speedboat
$17,500
Cargo Ship
20
20
-2
$4,000,000
Private Plane
10
10
$370,000
Gunboat
25
$25,000
Assault Boat
10
60
-2
$250,000
Weapon Mounts
Chapter SEVEN
Equipment
Technology gets better every day. Thats fine. But most of the
time all you need is a stick of gum, a pocket knife and a smile.
Nathan Muir, Spy Game
Each character starts with $3000 to purchase equipment. Every
character can wield every weapon. Any character may wear body armor,
but the armor penalty of the armor worn raises the difficulty of many skills.
Characters can requisition supplies from the organization they work
for, depending on the mission. In the planning stages of a mission, the
players may ask the GM for additional supplies, and the GM may provide
the characters with supplies based on the needs of the mission.
Weapon
Skill
Damage
Range
Rate of
Fire
Unarmed/Fist
Unarmed
1d6/2
Melee
Single
Combat Knife
Close Combat
1d6-1
Melee/
Close
Single
Garrotte*
Close Combat
1d6
Melee
Single
Brass Knuckles
Close Combat
1d6
Melee
Single
Police Baton
Close Combat
1d6+2
Melee
Single
Pistol
Semi-Automatic 2d6
Medium
Semi
Assault Rifle
Burst Fire
3d6
Long
Burst
Heavy Machine
Gun
Rifle
3d6+3
Medium
Burst
RPG
Explosives
5d6
Long
Single
Shotgun**
Rifle
2d6+3
Short
Single
Grenade***
Explosives
4d6
Close
Single
Sniper Rifle
Rifle
3d6
Far
Single
Cost
$50
$100
$75
$100
$500
$1000
$1250
$3000
$600
$100
$3000
$750
Uzi
Rifle
3d6+1
Medium
Full-Auto
*The Garrote can only be used on a target that is unaware of the agents presence.
If they make a successful attack, the target must make a successful Pointman to
escape or take another automatic successful hit the following round.
**The Shotgun can hit up to three people standing close together.
***The Grenade will cause damage to anyone within Close range of where it lands.
Armor
Armor Bonus
Cost
Hidden-Armored Suit
+2
$750
Bullet-Proof Jacket
+1
$500
+3
$1000
Equipment
Cost
Camera Glasses
Explosives Detector
Safe Cracker
Computer Memory Wipe
Climbing Gear
Advanced Hacking
Computer
$1000
$2000
$1600
$200
$10,000
Jetpack
$12,000
Night-Vision Goggles
$4000
Poison Ring
$2000
Grapnel Belt
Disguise Kit
$800
Chapter EIGHT
Game Mastering
I would ask you if you could remain emotionally detached, but
thats not your problem, is it? M, Casino Royale
Running POINTMAN
HACKER THIEF
Misdirection
The players may think they know whats going on. They dont. Make
sure of that. Twists and turns are an important part of the spy genre. Just
when the agents have discovered the secret to whos in charge, they find
out it was all a ruse; they killed the wrong man. While misdirection can
be a powerful tool, make sure it isnt used so often that the players come
to expect it, or it wont be surprising at all. Utilize it to really throw your
players for a loop every once in a while.
In most cases its much faster and better for the flow of the game
if the GM makes rulings when theres a rule discussion. Nothing
destroys the mood of any game more than a lengthy discussion about
rules and the interpretation of what is printed in the book. To avoid
that, the GM should always have the last word in these cases.
If the issue at hand still bothers you after the game, just look it up
and make up your mind; during the game you should decide something
instead of making a fuss about it.
There are a lot of rules in this book that are open to interpretation: How
far is close range? Can you really jump that pit? This is intentional. The
game is meant to be loose and easy with the rules. Go with it.
I cant stress this enough: make Pointman Hacker Thief your own. GMs
and players are encouraged to bring their own ideas to the table. Add
new organizations. Create new NPCs. Change the rules. Write up your
own skills and talents. Whatever suits your fancy, do it. A lot of creativity
went into the production of the game, but it definitely shouldnt end there!
This book contains several optional rules that you can use, but you can
add your own house rules as well. If you think theres something critical or
very cool missing from the game, let us know!
Spy Fiction
The important part is that you and your players are comfortable with the
music and that it enhances the mood of your game. Playing music from a
horror movie in the background is a great way to improve the immersion if
youre running a much darker adventure.
Advancement
NonCombat Hazards
Aside from combat, there are many ways a character may be harmed.
The table below lists a few possible hazards.
Hazard
Damage
Fall
Suffocation/Drowning
Mild Poison
Lethal Poison
Fire
Chapter EIGHT
Genres
You gotta be heartless in my line of work. Eldon Perry, Dark
Blue
There are actually multiple genres you can utilize when running VoS.
The game is versatile, and gives the opportunity to run some very
dynamic games.
Ronin
Its a grim world. One minute, youre at the top of the food chain, the
next, youre a bottom feeder. Ive brought down governments all over the
world; deposing dictators, toppling military-industrial complexes. Now
what am I? Working out of a warehouse in New Jersey, doing anything I
can to stay one step ahead of the game.
In a Ronin game, your heroes are anything but. Theyre disavowed
agents, who may or may not have deserved getting let go. A few movies
for inspiration include Ronin, the first Mission: Impossible movie, as
well as the TV shows Leverage and Burn Notice.
Common enemies include other teams of Ronin, who are after the same
target as your group, rogue enemy governments, and even the CIA or MI6.
Ronin could be hired as hit men for a specific task, tasked with recovering
a rare antiquity, or hired by an airplane manufacturer to sabotage the
prototype for a rivals new aircraft. The world is a land of shades of grey, not
black-and-white. Anyone could be an ally or an enemy.
Appropriate Rules
Group Templates: Your group has picked up a thing or two from one
another as youve worked together.
Concealment: This works really well, as your Agents have a lot of spy
gear theyve retained from their spy days.
Inappropriate Rules
Lone Wolf
Appropriate Rules
Concealment: The hero is always pulling out gear he had on him for
just such an occasion.
Advancement: Your Lone Wolf should begin the game with Four
Advancements as detailed in the Advancement section of this rulebook.
Inappropriate Rules
Group Template: Your hero is one agent. Group templates dont apply.
Exposure: There are a lot of things your hero is going to do that would
get an ordinary agent booted. Not you. It seems that no matter how often
you tell your enemies your name, they never remember to Google you
later to find out who you work for.
Miranda Rights
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will
be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to
an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If
you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government
expense
PHT handles running a police game surprisingly well. By removing a
few extraneous rules, you can run a game anywhere from members of
a SWAT team to detectives investigating the criminal underbelly, even
Crime Scene Investigation!
TV shows that are good examples of this are Law & Order, CSI or
NYPD Blue.
Appropriate Rules
Inappropriate Rules
Appendix one
NPCs
In this chapter youll find average stats for various non-player
characters. Please note that the Defense listed is always the unarmored
Defense. Bonuses granted by armor are listed in parenthesis.
Young Hacker
Attributes: Pointman 2, Hacker 5, Thief 3
HP: 8, Fate: 2
Defense: 6
Skills: Computers, Electronics, Hacking
Talents: Lucky Devil
Trappings: Tweed Jacket, pack of smokes, Computer Memory
Wipe, $100 cash
Thug
Attributes: Pointman 5, Hacker 2, Thief 3
HP: 11
Defense: 10 (+2 for bulletproof vest)
Skills: Intimidate, Pistols, Rifles
Talents: none
Trappings: Black suit & tie, bulletproof jacket, pistol
Typical Civilian
Attributes: Pointman 2, Hacker 1, Thief 2
HP: 8
Defense: 6
Skills: none
Talents: none
Trappings: Clothing, Cell Phone
Special Forces
Attributes: Pointman 6, Hacker 3, Thief 2
HP: 16, Fate: 2
Defense: 10 (+2 for bulletproof vest)
Skills: Close Combat Weapons, Determination, Explosives,
Pistols, Rifles
Talents: Champion (Patriotism), Leadership, Massive Attack
Trappings: Special Forces Uniform, Weapon of Choice (Assault
Rifle, Shotgun, or Sniper Rifle)
Jewel Thief
Attributes: Pointman 3, Hacker 4, Thief 6
HP: 9, Fate: 4
Defense: 8
Skills: Acrobatics, Cypher, Security, Stash
Talents: Nimble, Precise Shot
Trappings: Thief suit, climbing gear, wires, pistol
Appendix two
Tables
Character Creation Summary
If the task at hand is not actively opposed, the player has to beat a
difficulty level determined by the GM. The following list provides you with
some examples (DL in parenthesis): Easy (5), Routine (7), Challenging
(9), Hard (11), Extreme (16).
Damage
Fall
Suffocation/Drowning
Mild Poison
Lethal Poison
Fire
Location
Head
2-4
Torso
Arms
Legs