RULES
PLAY: Players describe what their characters do. ► Come up with a name and choose a class to
The GM judges when their action is impossible,
demands a cost or extra steps, or presents a risk.
Players can revise plans before committing so as
to change goal/stakes. Only roll to avoid risk.
ROLLING: Roll 1 die — d6 by default, higher if you
have a relevant skillset (Strength, Reason, Speed,
or Presence), or d4 if hindered by circumstances,
injury, or carrying 2+ heavy items. If helped by a
risky stunt (push hard, hindering your next roll) or
circumstances (high ground, or an injured foe),
roll an extra d6; if an ally helps, they roll too and
share any risk. Use the highest die for the result.
1–2 Disaster. Suffer the full risk. If it’s mutually
exclusive with your goal (GM’s call), you fail.
3–4 Setback. A partial success (e.g., injuring
instead of slaying your foe) or a lesser
consequence (get injured instead of killed).
5+ Success. The higher the roll, the better.
If success can’t get you what you want (a blade
can’t pierce this creature’s tough hide!), you still
get useful information or set up an advantage.
COMBAT: Openly battling well-matched foes may
risk death. Mitigate risk with more modest goals
(e.g., drive off, not kill) or better tactics (cover,
stealth). If obstacles prevent enemies from being
dispatched in one roll, establish players’ actions
and risks, roll, and see what changes; repeat as
needed. If killed, introduce a new character ASAP.
DEFENSE: Break an item to turn a hit into a brief
hindrance. Broken gear is useless until repaired.
GM: Describe characters in terms of behaviors,
risks, and obstacles, not skill dice. Lead the group
in setting lines not to cross in play. Fast-forward,
pause, or rewind/redo for pacing and safety;
invite players to do likewise. Present dilemmas
you don’t know how to solve. Move spotlight to
give all time to shine. Test as needed for bad luck
— roll d6 to check for (1– 2) trouble or (3–4) signs
of it. Improvise rulings to cover gaps in rules; on a ❏ Tumbling: Falls that hurt others only slow you.
break, revise unsatisfactory rulings as a group.
For more combat guidance, see 2400: Battle Moon, the free 2400: Emergency Rules, or ”Combat in 24XX” at pretendo.games
CHARACTERS
raise its skillset and gain access to its talents.
WARRIOR: Increase Strength (d8). Take 1 talent,
a weapon of your choice, and plain clothing.
❏ Battle Rage: When you incapacitate a foe up
close, strike another in reach just as hard.
❏ Endurance: Carry 2 heavy items comfortably.
❏ Martial Arts: Follow any 3+ hand-to-hand roll
with a grab, disarm, throw, trip, or the like.
❏ Overwatch: When you or an ally roll 1–4 in
combat, you can take all consequences alone.
❏ Second Wind: Ignore all hindrances until you
catch your breath. Sleep to use this again.
MAGE: Increase Reason (d8). Take the Wizardry
talent, a staff or dagger, a spell book, and robes.
❏ Wizardry: Take 1 spell. Cast with Reason at risk
of unnatural or dangerous side effects on
(1–2) you or (3–4) a friendly target.
❏ Alchemy: Bind a spell you know into a single-
use concoction. Each costs ₡1 in materials.
❏ Dispelling: Remove an enchantment or cancel
a casting. Risks deadly or painful backlash.
❏ Rote: You may cast 1 spell you know with no
risk of side effects, lasting as long as you
concentrate. (Casting in battle still risks harm).
❏ Sixth Sense: “See” and identify magic effects.
ROGUE: Increase Speed (d8). Take 1 talent, dark
clothing, a dagger, and an extra coin (₡1).
❏ Backstabbing: Silently incapacitate a foe while
unseen. If risk is unavoidable, roll an extra d12.
❏ Blending In: Be unseen in crowds & darkness.
❏ Fast Talking: The gullible or unwary believe or
do what you say, at least briefly.
❏ Intrusion: When bypassing locks or traps, treat
disasters as setbacks, setbacks as success.
❏ Jack of All Trades: Roll at least a d8 for all
mundane tasks outside combat.
❏ Light Fingers: Pickpocket and palm small
objects in plain view, no roll needed.
Recover instantly when knocked down.
 SPELLS
CLERIC: Increase Presence (d8). Take 1 talent, a ❏ ANIMATION: Enchant clay or wood effigies (or
staff, a prayer book, and vestments. corpses) to act as autonomous servitors.
❏ APPORT: Teleport a nearby target (which
❏ Theurgy: Take 1 spell. Cast with Presence at
could be yourself) to another place nearby.
risk of being hindered as a side effect until you
❏ BOLT: Strike a target with lightning.
(1–2) sleep or (3–4) pray.
❏ BOON: Helps 1 target at a time with 1 skillset.
❏ Abjuration: Enemies cannot approach or attack
❏ CHARM: Target treats you as a friend until
while you chant, so long as allies do not attack.
something leads them to question this.
❏ Guidance: You may offer words to help any task
❏ DARKNESS: Block all light in an area nearby.
using your Presence, without sharing in risk.
❏ DISGUISE: Resemble someone or something.
❏ Judgment: Concentrate to sense lies, ill intent,
❏ DIVINATION: Answers a yes-or-no question.
or (even symbolic) blood on someone’s hands.
Each casting requires new entrails to study,
❏ Laying on Hands: Roll Presence to fully heal
remains to question, or birds to analyze.
someone, at risk of taking their afflictions upon
❏ FLAME: Conjures fire to hold in hand or throw.
yourself (1–2) completely or (3–4) partially.
❏ FOG: Conjure a thick cloud, impairing vision.
► Either increase 1 skillset (d6 ➡d8 ➡d10 ➡d12) ❏ HOLD: Immobilize a target nearby.
or gain 2 characteristics marking your ancestry. ❏ INVISIBILITY: Make yourself invisible. Taking
any risk also risks breaking this effect.
❏ Bestial: Attack with fang or claw.
❏ LEVITATION: Lift and move a person-sized
❏ Dark-dwelling: Sense perfectly in darkness.
target (potentially yourself) at walking speed.
❏ Fire-breathing: Spray an area before you.
❏ LIGHT: Conjure a glowing orb, floating nearby.
❏ Magical: Take 1 incantation. Cast without risk
❏ MIND-READING: Sense all thoughts nearby.
of side effects, lasting while you concentrate.
❏ PHANTASM: Conjure an image or sound that
❏ Mechanical: No need for food or air. Must be
appears lifelike, but only at first glance.
repaired, not healed. Limbs break as defense.
❏ PROJECTION: Enter a trance & send your mind
❏ Small: Helps evade, hide, and seem harmless.
out as a floating, intangible, luminous spirit.
❏ Thick-skinned: While your guard is up, deflect
❏ SLEEP: Put as many targets to sleep as the
attacks from all but heavy weapons & magic.
highest die rolled when casting.
❏ Unsleeping: Rest awake. Ignore Sleep magic.
❏ TRANSFIGURATION: Touch someone to
► Take 2 coins (₡) to save or spend on items below. transform their body into another shape.
Most items, or 1 week’s food & lodging, cost ₡1. ❏ WARDING: Invisible, impassible dome or wall.
Shields & heavy armor deflect attacks from all but
heavy weapons & magic while guard is up. DURATION: Spell effects last until their caster
chooses to cancel them or falls unconscious.
1 Dagger 11 Acid, poison, or oil
2 Sword 12 Animal traps BATTLE MAGIC: Casting in battle may risk side
3 Mace 13 Lantern or torches effects and harm in 1 roll.
4 Maul, heavy 14 Locksmith tools
MAGNIFICATION: With Wizardry or Theurgy, face
5 Halberd, heavy 15 Mirror
greater risk to boost effects (e.g., hurl a giant
6 Staff 16 Pack animal (₡5)
fireball with Flame that endangers you or allies).
7 Bow & arrows 17 Rope & hook
8 Shield 18 Smithing tools ITEMS: Anyone can use spells bound in 1-use
9 Light armor 19 Spyglass concoctions (no roll needed) and artifacts (roll
10 Heavy armor (₡2) 20 Camping set, heavy Reason or Presence, depending on source, unless
“always on,” like boots with a boon to running).
 LEGENDS SAY when the Otherworld threatened ► After a quest, players gain a talent (from their
the Firmament, THE LORD DEUS bade us take up class, or another if they have its skillset at d8),
steel and spell, defend the weak, and prove even gain an incantation (with Wizardry or Theurgy), or
the lowliest knave could someday be a Legend. raise a skillset (d6 ➡d8 ➡d10 ➡d12).

► Locations (roll d20 twice, interpret result) ► Quests (d4 to d20, roughly increasing in prestige)

1 The Alabaster… 1 Barrow 1 Travel to scatter ashes in a sacred place

2 The Bestial… 2 Bog 2 Rescue villager seized by hungry creatures
3 The Bleeding… 3 Cathedral 3 Capture a dangerous prison escapee
4 The Blue… 4 Chapel 4 Prevent bandit attacks on a peaceful village
5 The Bottomless… 5 City 5 Retrieve treasure from beast-ridden ruins
6 The Clockwork… 6 Cove 6 Study & report back on dangerous creatures
7 The Clouded… 7 Desert 7 Help a settlement survive a magical storm
8 The Crystal… 8 Gaol 8 Overthrow a sorcerer subjugating townsfolk
9 The Defiled… 9 Isles 9 Discover origin of metal fortress from the sky
10 The Dreaming… 10 Keep 10 Prevent assassination of a wealthy lout
11 The Fractured… 11 Library 11 Attend gala as a noble’s guests (bodyguards)
12 The Howling… 12 Lighthouse 12 Keep the peace at warring nobles’ summit
13 The Jagged… 13 Market 13 Protect clergy on trip to heal blighted colony
14 THE LORD’s… 14 Orrery 14 Establish alliance between besieged places
15 The Moonlit… 15 Peak 15 Recover sacred relic taken from a cathedral
16 The Never-folk… 16 Steppe 16 Retrieve legendary text from magical library
17 The Thieves’… 17 Tower 17 Seal Otherworld gate; DEUS forbids passage
18 The Thrice-cursed… 18 Valley 18 Bear the Ark of Legends to a safe place
19 The Underground… 19 Village 19 Find THE LORD’s Blood to heal a child queen
20 The Void-touched… 20 Wood 20 Find the chamber of DEUS, demand answers
► Encounters (9+ are unique) ► Treasures (d4 to d20 rarity)

1 Black ooze, duplicates if slashed, touch burns
2 Bloodthirsty corpse, quick, quiet; must behead
3 Living statue, heavy fists, unhurt by weapons
4 Mica-flecked lizard, gaze petrifies (or slows)
5 Rotted bear, big, strong, steals meals’ voices
6 Skeletons, armed, hinder piercing attacks
7 Spectral figures, intangible, painfully cold
8 White wolves, horse-sized pack hunters
9 Bishop Cleo, expert healer, stern but caring
10 Eza, blue-skinned, soft-spoken merchant
11 Glib Buttertongue, small, green, weird bard
12 Guh, huge, ungainly brute, clubs & eats folk
13 Lord Friedrich, would rather frolic than lead
14 René, bandit leader, gang laughs at his jokes
15 Threnody & Dirge, sweet & sour assassins
16 Voath, blacksmith with stone feet, sad eyes
17 Wilderforth, noble, pays well for odd quests
18 Xevex, dragon, claims to know the future
19 Zeph, sorcerer, hid their mortality in an item
20 THE LORD, unseen, speaks in symbols, visions
Version 1.4 • Art by Beeple (Mike Winkelmann) • Permission is granted to reproduce for personal use
1 Valuables (heavy, ₡d12 to the right buyer)
2 Coins (₡d4 or more, depending on source)
3 Mundane weapon, armor, or supplies
4 Concoction (1 use, contains 1 spell effect)
5 Stardust (1 use, fix a broken item)
6 Healing tonic (1 use, clear all afflictions)
7 Spell text (learn with Wizardry or Theurgy)
8 Artifact (contains 1 spell or effect)
9 Rope that moves like a snake on command
10 Key that can open any lock
11 Rings that share thoughts between wearers
12 Pouch that holds limitless items
13 Cloak that subtly deflects gazes while worn
14 Boots that can walk on any surface
15 Blade that easily cuts anything but a sheath
16 Staff that the bearer can grow and shrink
17 Arrow with unerring accuracy
18 Mirrored shield that can deflect magic
19 Breastplate that blocks all harm until you lie
20 Banner that lets nobles magically help troops