Credits

Writer Additional Resources

Kualan Drainsmith/Korlall – Genesys Document Template
The StorySpanner – Expanded Archetypes
The Overwatch Wiki

Artists

Abigail Diaz Joao Vagner Sergey Yakovlev

Adrian Wilkins Josh Burns Sherry Sheep
Alex Heath Juno MGF Shibara
Alex Negrea Kienan Lafferty Silvain Fox
Amir Mohsin Kim-Seang "Nesskain" Hong Simon Eckert
Andrey Lipaev Krys Decker Sonny Yang
Anson Tan Kwa Hong Yen Sung Guk Lee
Ben Zhang Liang Xing Taekwon Kim
Benjamin Weustemaat Linda Lithen Taylor Smith
Billy Christian Luisnu Tan Thiago Richau
Burak Cinar Lv Yizhan Tu Tu
Caro Tuts Marco Alvares Ty Carton
Chenuka Ratwatte Mehmet Akin Sarica Vincent Lefevre
Cyaey Miguel Valles Vitaly Perevoshikov
Dan Luvisi Miguel Velarde Vladimir Kafanov
Daniel Zhao Mike Capprotti Walter Monticelli
David Villegas Mike Miller Will Murai
Derrick Song Mirco Cabbia Will Rascoe
Douy Singsamran Monori Rogue Xiaoyu Wang
Drake Tsui Nat Vitchayed Zak Foreman
Efod Galang Natalie Herrera Zendanaar
Floriane Tiam Nick Carver Zeus Li
Fowoo Liu Nudtawut Thongmai
Gelar Esapria Kharisma Pei Pei Fu
Hamm Ling Phong Anh
Ignacio Bazan Lazcano Qi Xyuan Tan
Igor Arkhipov Rew0205
Isabelle Hall Risa Hulett
Iury Padilha Riyue Seven
Jarold Sng Robert Kim
Jason Dao Roman Tishenin
Jen Mei Sarah Trocchi
JimboBox Sean "Raiko" Tay
Johan Grenier Sergey Olson

Credits
2 OVERWATCH
 Contents
Introduction....................................................................4 Computers and Electronics................................119
Welcome to Overwatch..............................................4 Medical and Support...........................................120
The Rules......................................................................6 Tools and General Gear......................................122
The Dice........................................................................7 Chapter 4: The World of Overwatch.............................
Dice Symbols and Results...........................................8
Chapter 1: Character Creation..................................10
Character Generation...............................................11
Step 1: Determine Background............................13
Step 2: Select an Archetype or Species................14
Step 3: Choose a Career........................................19
Adventurer..........................................................20
Assassin...............................................................21
Engineer..............................................................22
Guardian.............................................................23
Hacker.................................................................24
Leader..................................................................25
Medic...................................................................26
Performer............................................................27
Pilot.....................................................................28
Rogue..................................................................29
Scientist...............................................................30
Soldier.................................................................31
Step 4: Invest Experience Points..........................32
Step 5: Determine Derived Attributes................33
Step 6: Build your Hero Kit..................................35
Charge.................................................................35
Ultimate Abilities...............................................37
Step 7: Determine Motivation..............................46
Step 8: Gear, Personality and Appearance..........50
Chapter 2: Skills and Talents.....................................52
Skills............................................................................52
Talents.........................................................................55
Tier 1.......................................................................57
Tier 2.......................................................................66
Tier 3.......................................................................80
Tier 4.......................................................................90
Tier 5.......................................................................98
Chapter 3: Gear and Equipment.............................102
Weapons...................................................................104
Weapon Traits......................................................105
Armor.......................................................................110
Armor Traits.........................................................111
Gear...........................................................................116
Barrier Shields......................................................116
Carrying and Storage..........................................117
Clandestine Gear.................................................117

Contents
OVERWATCH 3
Introduction
Welcome
T he world could always use more heroes, and now is
your chance to be one.
Hello, and welcome to the Overwatch setting sup-
plement for Genesys, a roleplaying game by Fantasy
Flight Games (FFG). In these pages you’re going to find
rules, character options and Game Master tools to help
you plan and play a game set in the futuristic world of
What do you need to play?
P laying the Overwatch supplement to Genesys
requires very few materials. Besides the supplement
itself, your group needs a copy of the Genesys Core
Rule Book, pencils or pens and copies of the Overwatch
character sheets to record information about your char-
acters. Your group needs access to one or more standard
ten-sided dice. We recommend two ten-sided dice per
player, but if you don’t mind sharing, you can get by with
having two in the group.
Introduction
4 OVERWATCH
Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch video game.
This is a fan-produced work and is not officially
licensed by either Fantasy Flight Games or Blizzard
Entertainment. This supplement assumes that the
Game Master already has a copy of the Genesys Core
Rule Book, and is familiar with the rules of the Narra-
tive Dice System (NDS).
You and your group should also use the custom
Genesys Roleplaying Dice designed specifically to
manage the unique task resolution system used in the
game. All of these dice are described in detail in Part I
of the Genesys Core Rule Book. You can buy packs of
Genesys Roleplaying Dice at local hobby game retail-
ers or you can purchase them online from www.Fanta-
syFlightGames.com. There is also a Genesys Dice app
for iOS and Android devices.
PLAYING A CHARACTER IN OVERWATCH
T here is a huge variety of characters that can be cre-
ated in the Overwatch universe, and players are
encouraged to be as diverse and wide-ranging as their
imaginations can take them. In a world where cyborg
ninjas and gun-slinging cowboys can be found fight-
ing alongside huge crusader knights and genetically-
enhanced gorillas, almost any concept you can think of
can be adapted in some form or another.
The only restriction players and their GM should
STORY POINTS? CRITICAL INJURIES? WHAT PAGE ARE THEY ON?
This Overwatch supplement provides an overview
of the Narrative Dice System for players to use as a
quick reference tool (especially for players who may
be used to more traditional dice systems), however
it is crucial to understand that there will be numer-
ous references throughout the document to rules,
concepts and guidelines that are only available in
the Genesys Core Rule Book.
Story Points and Critical Injuries, for example,
have powerful game-changing influences in their
own distinct ways. Other important rules include
classifying Adversaries into Minion, Rival and
remember when building a character concept is that
Overwatch is a sci-fi setting. This means the cosmetic
‘flavor’ of a character (the physical appearance of their
gear, outfit and abilities, etc) should always be rooted
in some form of futuristic or advanced technology (as
opposed to magic or folklore, for example).
More details on crafting your character and help-
ing them fit into the world can be found in Chapter I:
Character Creation.
Nemeses and the impact this has on balance. This
supplement assumes the players and Game Master
are already familiar with these terms and what they
mean in gameplay.
You will need a copy of the Genesys Core Rule
Book in order to utilize this system to its full poten-
tial.
Genesys and the Narrative Dice System (NDS) are
registered trademarks of Fantasy Flight Publishing,
Inc.
Introduction
OVERWATCH 5
THE RULES
THE NARRATIVE DICE SYSTEM
O verwatch and the Genesys Narrative Dice Sys-
tem ask you to step into your character’s role and
use dramatic narrative to describe events and advance
a story.
In Overwatch, combat and other situations are rep-
resented in an abstract fashion. The game focuses on
your characters and the heroic actions they take rather
than on measurements, statistics, or other minutiae.
Instead of taking a ruler and measuring the distance
between characters on a map, you simply need to state,
“I’m ducking behind the ruined remains of a Bastion
unit to get some cover while I pull out my pulse rifle.”
That sort of description paints a much better picture of
the action taking place.
The Narrative Dice System provides a narrative
framework for the action – did your character hit their
foe with a clean shot, or force the opponent to scram-
ble for cover instead of attacking in return? Once you
Introduction
6 OVERWATCH
understand these dice and symbols, you gain a better
understanding of the game’s core mechanic.
Many dice resolutions set out to determine whether
a task succeeds or fails. However, the Narrative Dice
System goes beyond binary pass/fail results. It actually
contains six possible results, and most of those results
scale as well (for example, you can barely succeed, or
you can succeed really well). Even if your characters
fail, they may still make something good happen for
themselves or the rest of the party. However, even when
characters succeed, they may generate the seeds for
something dire later.
The following section serves as a reference for the
Narrative Dice and what their symbols mean. For a
more in-depth look at how to build, modify and inter-
pret your dice pool, consult your Genesys Core Rule-
book.
The Dice
T he Genesys Narrative Dice System used in Over-
watch consists of six types of dice. Each type fulfills
a specific function and purpose. Each die face is either
blank or features one or more symbols that represent
various positive or negative effects.
You can divide the types of dice into two categories.
The first type features dice with symbols beneficial to
accomplishing tasks. The second type features symbols
that cancel those beneficial symbols and hinderthe
accomplishment of tasks. Boost, Ability, and Profi-
ciency dice are the beneficial, positive dice. Setback,
Difficulty, and Challenge dice are the negative, disrup-
tive dice.
Positive Dice
Boost Dice S
Special advantages, or “boosts,” are represented with
light blue six-sided dice. Boost dice represent benefits
gained through luck, chance, and advantageous actions
that your character takes. They reflect your character’s
possession of some sort of benefit or advantage, such
as having ample time to complete the task or having
the right equipment. Boost dice and Setback dice are
thematic opposites of each other. Boost dice are repre-
sented by j in text.
Ability Dice f
Ability is represented with green eight-sided dice. Abil-
ity dice form the basis of most dice pools rolled by the
players. They represent your character’s aptitude or
skill used when attempting a skill check. These dice
possess positive, beneficial symbols. Ability dice are
opposed by Difficulty dice. Ability dice are represented
by k in text.
Proficiency Dice h
Proficiency is represented with yellow twelve-sided
dice. Proficiency dice represent the combination of
innate ability and training. They are most often used
when your character attempts a skill check using a
trained skill. Proficiency dice can also be added to a
pool when you spend a Story Point for an important
skill check. These dice possess a greater likelihood
of success, and they are the only dice that feature the
potent Triumph symbol (t). Proficiency dice are the
upgraded version of Ability dice and are represented
by l in text.
Negative Dice
Setback Dice S
In Overwatch, certain complications, or “setbacks,” are
represented with black six-sided dice. Setback dice rep-
resent problems or minor obstacles during task reso-
lution. Setback dice represent relatively minor condi-
tions that impair or hinder your character, such as poor
lighting, obstructive terrain, or insufficient resources.
Setback dice are not as potent as Difficulty dice. Add
them to represent additional circumstances or envi-
ronmental effects that would not in and of themselves
increase the base difficulty of the task. Setback dice and
Boost dice are thematic opposites of each other. Set-
back dice are represented by j in text.
Difficulty Dice f
Difficulty is represented with purple eight-sided dice.
Difficulty dice represent the inherent challenge or com-
plexity of a task your character attempts to accomplish.
In simplest terms, the more Difficulty dice in a dice
pool, the harder it is to succeed. Difficulty dice possess
negative, harmful symbols that cancel out the positive,
beneficial symbols found on Ability, Boost, and Profi-
ciency dice. Difficulty dice oppose Ability dice. Diffi-
culty dice are represented by k in text.
Challenge Dice h
Challenge is represented with dark red twelve-sided
dice. Challenge dice represent the most extreme adver-
sity and opposition. These dice may be featured in
place of Difficulty dice during particularly daunting
challenges posed by trained, elite, or prepared oppo-
nents. Challenge dice can also be added to a pool when
your GM invests a Story Point for an important skill
check. These dice feature primarily negative, obstruc-
tive results, such as Threat and Failure, but they also
feature the potent Despair result (d). Challenge dice
are the upgraded version of Difficulty dice and are rep-
resented by l in text.
Introduction
OVERWATCH 7
Ten Sided Dice
In addition to the Narrative dice described above, the
game also uses standard ten-sided dice. A more com-
mon roll using d10s is called the percentile roll. When
making a percentile roll, you roll two dice, designat-
ing one die as the tens digit and the other die as the
ones digit. A result of zero on either die means that the
Dice Symbols and Results
T his section introduces and defines the different sym-
bols, then describes how they are used in play. Just
like the Narrative dice, these symbols can be classified
into several broad categories. The two types of symbols
represent positive results and negative results.
Positive Results
SUCCESS s
Success symbols (s) are critical for determining
whether a skill check succeeds or fails; basically, the
more Success symbols s you roll, the more likely the
check succeeds.
Mechanically, one Success symbol s is canceled by
one Failure symbol f. Based on the core mechanic, if
at least one Success remains in the pool after all cancel-
lations have been made, the skill check succeeds. The
other thing to remember is that Success symbols s
can also influence the magnitude of the outcome. The
more Success in a check after any symbols have been
canceled out by Failure symbols f, the greater the
magnitude of the success (the more damage dealt, the
more people persuaded, or the more wounds healed).
Success symbols appear on j, k, and l dice.
ADVANTAGE a
The Advantage symbol a indicates an opportunity
for a positive consequence or side effect, regardless of
whether your character fails or succeeds at the task they
attempt. Examples of these positive side effects include
your character remaining unnoticed when hacking a
computer network, finding unexpected cover during
a firefight, or recovering from strain during a stressful
situation.
It’s possible for a task to fail while generating a num-
ber of Advantage symbols a, allowing something
good to come out of the failure. Likewise, Advantage
Introduction
8 OVERWATCH
corresponding digit is zero in the two-digit number
rolled. A result of “00”- zero on both dice- indicates a
roll of 100. The percentile roll is abbreviated as d100.
It is used most often as a randomizer, generating a
number between 1 and 100. Percentile rolls gener-
ate numbers that correspond to particular results on
lookup tables such as Critical Injuries.
can occur alongside success, allowing for significantly
positive outcomes. Remember, Advantage symbols a
do not have a direct impact on success or failure; they
only affect the potential side effects of the roll.
Advantage is cancelled by Threat. Each Threat sym-
bol h cancels one Advantage symbol a. If a skill check
generates one or more net Advantage symbols a, you
can spend that Advantage to apply one or more special
side effects. These could include triggering a Critical
Hit, activating a weapon’s special quality, recovering
strain, or even performing additional maneuvers. The
applications of Advantage are covered in more detail in
the Genesys Core Rule Book.
Advantage symbols appear on j, k, and l dice.
TRIUMPH t
The Triumph symbol t indicates a significant boon or
beneficial outcome. Each Triumph symbol t provides
two effects:
First, each Triumph symbol t also counts as one
Success, in every way Success s has previously been
defined. This means that the Success generated by a Tri-
umph symbol t could be canceled by a Failure symbol
f generated during the same skill check.
Second, you can spend a Triumph symbol t to trig-
ger incredibly potent effects. You could think of this as
a “super Advantage,” although sometimes the effects
are so impressive that no amount of Advantage could
trigger them. Two common uses include triggering a
Critical Injury upon a successful attack and activating
a weapon’s special quality (in these cases, one Triumph
can do the same thing as many Advantage). Triumphs
may activate other potent effects as well, including
effects above and beyond those triggered by Advantage.
These effects may be set by the GM, or they may be
defined by the environment, a piece of equipment, or
a special character ability. See the Genesys Core Rule
Book for more information on using the Triumph sym-
bol t to trigger effects.
You gain both effects with each Triumph symbol t,
so you don’t have to choose between the Success and
the special-effect trigger. Although the Success aspect
of the Triumph symbol t can be canceled by a Failure
symbol f, the second aspect of the t result cannot be
canceled. Multiple Triumph symbols are cumulative:
each Triumph adds one Success, and each can be used
to generate its own special effect.
The Triumph symbol only appears on the l die.
NEGATIVE RESULTS
FAILURE f
Failure symbols f are critical for determining whether
a skill check succeeds or fails. Basically, the more Fail-
ure symbols you roll, the more likely you are to fail!
Mechanically, one Failure symbol f cancels one
Success symbol s. Based on the core mechanic, if at
least one Success symbol s remains in the pool after
all cancellations have been made, the skill check suc-
ceeds. Fortunately for your character, multiple net Fail-
ure symbols f do not influence the magnitude of the
failure.
Failure symbols appear on j, k, and l dice.
THREAT h
The Threat symbol h is fuel for negative consequences
or side effects, regardless of whether your check suc-
ceeds or fails. Examples of these negative side effects
include your character taking far longer than expected
to pick a lock on a door, dropping their weapon as they
sprint for cover, or suffering additional strain during a
stressful situation.
It’s possible for a task to succeed while generating a
number of Threat symbols h, which can cause some
minor or serious complications! Likewise, Threat can
occur alongside Failure, which can worsen an already
bad situation with some unforeseen headaches. You
should remember, however, that Threat symbols h
don’t directly impact success or failure, only their mag-
nitudes or potential side effects.
Your GM generally resolves Threat effects (although
when a non-player character generates some Threat,
you and your fellow players can and should suggest to
your GM some creative ways to spend that Threat!).
Threat may trigger a wide variety of possible effects.
These could include your character being knocked flat
on their back, losing the advantage of cover, taking
more time than anticipated to complete a task, suffer-
ing strain, or giving an enemy an opportunity to per-
form a maneuver.
Threat cancels Advantage. Each Threat symbol h
cancels one Advantage symbol a. The applications of
Threat are covered in more detail in the Genesys Core
Rule Book.
Threat symbols appear on j, k, and l dice.
DESPAIR d
The Despair symbol d is a powerful result, indicat-
ing a significant bane or detrimental outcome. Each
Despair symbol imposes two effects:
First, each Despair symbol d also counts as one
Failure f, in every way Failure f has previously been
defined. This means that the Failure represented by a
Despair symbol d could be canceled by a Success sym-
bol s generated during the same skill check.
Second, each Despair can be used to trigger potent
negative effects. You could think of a Despair as a
“super Threat,” although sometimes the effects are
so dire that no amount of Threat could trigger them.
Two common uses include having a weapon run out
of ammo and having a character slip and fall when
attempting to climb a rope or ladder. Despair may
activate other potent effects as well, including effects
above and beyond those triggered by Threat. These
effects may be determined by your GM or defined by
the environment, an adversary, or a special charac-
ter ability. See the Genesys Core Rule Book for
more information on using a Despair symbol
d to trigger effects.
You suffer both effects of each Despair
symbol, so you don’t get to choose
between the Failure and the special-
effect trigger. The Failure aspect of
the Despair symbol can be canceled
by a Success symbol s; however,
the second aspect of a Despair
symbol d result cannot be can-
celed. Multiple Despair symbols
d are cumulative; each Despair
imposes one Failure, and each
can be used to generate its own
special effect.
The Despair symbol only
appears on the l die.
Introduction
OVERWATCH 9
Chapter 1
Character Creation
C reating your hero in Overwatch takes a few short
steps, allowing you to get involved in the action
right away. To create a character, you need this supple-
You will also build your own 'hero kit', the combi-
nation of gear and abilities that makes your character
unique. This hero kit consists of your character's cus-
ment, access to the Genesys Core Rule Book, a char- tomized weapon and armor traits, and the building of a
acter sheet (found at the end of this supplement or as a unique, potent power known as your Ultimate Ability.
separate download), and a pencil. You also need access
to ten-sided dice (d10) for rolling on certain charts. Character Concept
Finally, a few sheets of notepaper are not necessary but
might be helpful. Before you begin filling in your character sheet, play-
ers should put some thought into what sort of char-
Character generation uses a point-buy system, mean-
acter they want to play. Perhaps the character is an
ing you have a budget of experience points you can
aspiring hero seeking to join the resurgent Over-
invest in different aspects of your character. Selecting
watch? Maybe they’re a survivor of the Omnic Crisis
a character’s species/archetype determines the char-
who has been stirred to take action as the world drifts
acter’s starting characteristics and starting experience
closer to another global conflict? They could even be
points.
someone who doesn’t realize the spark of destiny that
After making these initial choices, you’ll invest those exists inside them, ready to come alive as the adventure
experience points to improve starting characteristics, unfolds.
acquire training in key skills, and learn special talents.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

10 OVERWATCH
 At the earliest stages of character creation, you, your
fellow players, and your Game Master should have a
detailed discussion about the types of characters to cre-
ate. If your GM has a specific campaign framework in
mind, it could require the presence of specific types of
skills, for example. A campaign that takes place exclu-
sively in Numbani or Busan might have less need for
the Survival skill, while one set on the frontlines of
Siberia might focus more on combat skills than on
skills related to diplomacy. Sometimes your GM might
want to adjust the campaign based on the players’
wishes, and you’re likely to appreciate the opportunity
to tweak your initial character ideas.
Information shared at this stage can help you and
your Game Master work together to create characters
that complement the types of stories envisioned for the
campaign.
GENERATION STEPS
To create a character, follow these eight steps. Each step
is summarized here and then fully explained later in
the chapter.
STEP 1: DETERMINE BACKGROUND
Each character starts as an idea. Do you want to play
a noble Overwatch agent working to save the needy
and oppressed, a self-serving mercenary out to make a
profit, or a clever computer hacker determined to gain
as much knowledge as possible?
Before starting the game, you should take a few min-
utes to think about the character you want to build and
what you want that character’s background to be. Where
did your character come from, and what inspired them
to leave their former life and pursue a life of adventure?
Chapter 1: Character Creation
OVERWATCH 11

STEP 2: SELECT A CHARACTER ARCHETYPE OR SPECIES
In the world of Overwatch, players can choose between
three species; Human, Omnic or Genetically-Engi-
neered Animal. Humans can be found anywhere in the
world and are the most numerous species by far, whilst
Omnics tend to be found in the cities and metropolises
and Genetically-Engineered Animals (like Winston or
Hammond) are very rare indeed.
Because of their commonplace nature, a Human
character may choose from a number of Archetypes
which helps shape your character’s initial characteris-
tics. This choice also determines secondary character-
istics, including wound and strain thresholds.
Finally, the choice you make here may also give your
Chapter 1: Character Creation
12 OVERWATCH
character a unique intrinsic ability that would be
impossible to get elsewhere.
STEP 3: CHOOSE A CAREER
Your character’s career is both their narrative role
within the setting and their mechanical role within
the party. You choose one career for your charac-
ter, and you cannot switch careers later on in the
game.
Careers don’t rigidly define what your charac-
ter does, however. They simply make it easier to
advance into some skills and harder to advance
into others. They also help define characters when
they start out, making starting characters more
interesting to play.
The career choices presented in this setting
replace the default options found in the Genesys
Core Rulebook.
STEP 4: INVEST EXPERIENCE POINTS
The species (or archetype) you select for your
character establishes an initial pool of experi-
ence points (XP). You can spend these experience
points to improve certain aspects of the character:
to increase characteristics, purchase additional
ranks in skills, or acquire talents. You may spend
your character’s experience points in any combina-
tion of these areas, meaning that any two characters
can end up very different from one another.
During gameplay, your character earns additional
experience points based on their achievements and
successes. Those points can also be spent to purchase
new skill ranks and talents.
Information on how to spend starting experience
points can be found beginning on page 44 of the Gene-
sys Core Rulebook.
STEP 5: DETERMINE DERIVED ATTRIBUTES
You should only perform this step after you’ve com-
pleted the previous steps, since several attributes can
only be determined after you’ve fully established your
character’s starting characteristics and talents. The
derived attributes include wound threshold, strain
threshold, defense, and soak value.
Information on how to determine these derived
attributes and on how they function in the game can be
found on pages 45 and 46 of the Genesys Core Rule-
book.
STEP 6: BUILD YOUR HERO KIT
Once you have selected your character's career,
invested their starting XP and calculated their derived
attributes, it is time to build the unique collection of
equipment and powers that will define them as a hero
in the world of Overwatch - their Hero Kit.
When you create your PC as part of character creation,
you also choose some customized gear (such as a sig-
nature weapon) and an Ultimate Ability for them. Each
PC has only one Ultimate Ability, which helps make
them unique, even in a world filled with heroes and
oddities. As your character grows in experience, they
receive ability points, which you spend on upgrades
that further customize your character’s Ultimate Abil-
ity, but at character creation you will create the base
version as part of your starting Hero Kit.
STEP 7: DETERMINE MOTIVATION
Your character’s Motivation reflects their primary call to
take action and experience adventures. It represents the
driving force or forces in their life. In some instances, a
character’s primary Motivation depicts an overarching
philosophical belief. Other characters focus on more
concrete objectives, often associated with the desire to
aid family or close allies. Four facets define Motivation:
Desire, Fear, Strength, and Flaw. Motivation is impor-
tant to your character’s progression.
Step 1: Determine Background
C oming up with your character’s background is the
important first step in inventing and building your
character. However, it’s also the step with the fewest
rules. After all, this is a roleplaying game, so inventing
your character’s history should be more of an exercise in
narrative storytelling than an exercise in game mechan-
ics.
Throughout Chapter 4: The World of Overwatch
there are character background questions specific to
various factions and locations in the Overwatch world,
which ask the player to consider their character’s views
and history with different groups and places. However,
there are some more general questions that a player
should consider when creating their hero.
BACKGROUND QUESTIONS
Where does your character come from? This can be
specific (Junkertown or King’s Row) or generic (a small
Playing to their Motivation can earn you additional
XP at the end of a session. Motivations are also very
important to social encounters.
STEP 8: CHOOSE GEAR, APPEARANCE, AND
PERSONALITY
Lastly, you should round out your character by choos-
ing their gear and determining their appearance and
personality. Overwatch uses updated rules for starting
gear that replace the rules found in the Genesys Core
Rulebook. When building a character, you start with
1000 credits to spend on personal gear.
Your character may keep any money you don’t spend
In addition, after you’ve finished purchasing starting
gear, roll 1d100 (see page 11 in the Genesys Core
Rulebook). Add the value of the dice roll to any remain-
ing starting funds. This represents “pocket money” that
your character has on hand.
Alternatively, you can select the starting gear and
currency that comes with each career. This can speed
up character creation if you’d like to use this package
instead of selecting separate gear items.
You should also determine your character’s appear-
ance and personality, if you haven’t already. These are
completely up to you, and they determine how the rest
of the group and others in the world of Overwatch see
your character.
village in the countryside). But in either case, where are
your character’s roots, and what does your character
think about the place they grew up in?
Who is your character’s family? Did your charac-
ter grow up with a lot of siblings, or were they an only
child? Did they have parents? If so, who were they? If
not, who raised your character? Is your character still
on good terms with their family, or not?
What is your character’s social standing? Is your
character a respected member of their community and
culture? Or are they simply one of the unremarkable
masses? Or maybe they’re an outcast, shunned by the
members of “decent” society?
What did your character do before they became
an adventurer? How old is your character? Are they
young and brash, or old and wise? (Or maybe old and
rash, or young and wise.) If they’re middle-aged or
older, how have they changed as they’ve aged?
Chapter 1: Character Creation
OVERWATCH 13
 What does your character think about the world?
Your answer could be very general (a cynical attitude
toward everyone they meet), or specific to the setting
(they hate omnics for their role in the Crisis). You
could even ask and answer this question multiple times,
Step 2: Select a Character Archetype or Species
M echanically, archetypes and species do the same
thing during character creation. Your choice
among human archetypes and other species establishes
your character’s base characteristics as well as your sec-
ondary attributes, such as wound and strain thresholds.
Human
Archetype 1: Average Human
The average human archetype is our baseline for char-
acter creation, and portrays the most customizable
example of a person. You should choose this archetype
if you prefer to play generalist characters who are never
going to be terrible at anything.
2 2 2 2 2 2
BRAWN AGILITY INTELLECT CUNNING WILLPOWER PRESENCE
• Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 110 XP
• Starting Skills: An average human starts with one
rank in each of two different non-career skills at
character creation. They obtain this rank before
spending XP points, and they may not be increased
higher than rank 2 during character creation.
• Intuitive Solution: Once per session when making
a check for which you character has no skill ranks,
they may spend a Story Point to use another char-
acteristic in place of the skill’s absent ranks. The
second characteristic chosen for the check should
affect how the players and Game Master describe
the resolution.
Chapter 1: Character Creation
14 OVERWATCH
picking a different aspect of the setting each time.
Why did your character leave home? Likely, your
character is now an adventurer and has left part or all
of their old life behind them. Why? What happened?
Once you’ve set the baseline through your choice, then
that choice also provides a budget of experience points
that you spend to improve your characteristics and buy
skills and talents. Keep in mind, this choice is perma-
nent.
Archetype 2: The Fighter
The fighter archetype represents a character with a
background in some form of martial prowess, and who
is generally strong and tough. You should choose this
archetype if you’re planning on making a character who
focuses on combat, especially in melee or brawling.
3 2 2 2 1 2
BRAWN AGILITY INTELLECT CUNNING WILLPOWER PRESENCE
• Starting Wound Threshold: 12 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 8 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 100 XP
• Starting Skills: A fighter starts with one rank in
Athletics during character creation. They obtain
this rank before spending experience points, and
may not increase Athletics above rank 2 during
character creation.
• Ferocious Strike: Once per session, your charac-
ter may spend a Story Point as an incidental after
dealing a Critical Injury and rolling the result. If
he does so, he adds 5 × his Brawn to the result
rolled before determining the Critical Injury and
its effect.
Archetype 3: The Academic
The academic archetype represents a character who
has a background grounded in some sort of intellec-
tual pursuit. This pursuit could be science, medicine,
or even teaching. You should choose this archetype if
you want to make a character who focuses on one of
those intellectual pursuits. You should also choose this
archetype if your character comes from a highly edu-
cated background.
2 1 3 2 2 2
BRAWN AGILITY INTELLECT CUNNING WILLPOWER PRESENCE
• Starting Wound Threshold: 8 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 100 XP
• Starting Skills: An academic starts with one
rank in Education during character creation.
They obtain this rank before spending experience
points, and may not increase Education above rank
2 during character creation.
• Eureka!: Once per session, your character may
spend a Story Point to make a Knowledge check.
Double the s generated by the dice before cancel-
ling out any symbols.
Archetype 4: The Executive
The executive archetype represents any character who
has the gift of a silver tongue. This could be a noble
of some sort, a politician, or even a salesperson or
merchant. You should use this archetype if you want
to build a character who fits one of these molds. You
should also choose this archetype if your character is
good at communicating or has a strong business acu-
men.
1 2 2 2 2 3
BRAWN AGILITY INTELLECT CUNNING WILLPOWER PRESENCE
• Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 100 XP
• Starting Skills: An executive starts with one rank
in Cool during character creation. They obtain this
rank before spending experience points, and may
not increase Cool above rank 2 during character
creation.
• Practiced Etiquette: Once per session after a foe
makes a social check opposed by your character’s
Cool, you may spend a Story Point as an out-of-
turn incidental to remove all a produced by that
foe’s check before any symbols are cancelled.
Chapter 1: Character Creation
OVERWATCH 15
Archetype 5: The Adherent
The adherent archetype represents a character who is a
true believer in some cause. The venerated cause may
be an ideology such as a political cause, a religion, or
devotion to a faction. The cause need not be altruis-
tic. You should choose this archetype if your character
would rather serve than lead. You should also choose
this archetype if your character has a propensity for
strong faith or radical belief.
2 2 2 1 3 2
BRAWN AGILITY INTELLECT CUNNING WILLPOWER
• Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 100 XP
• Starting Skills: An adherent starts with one rank in
Discipline during character creation. They obtain
this rank before spending experience points, and
may not increase Discipline above rank 2 during
character creation.
• Inspired Cohort: Once per session, your charac-
ter may spend any number of Story Points as an
incidental. If they do, that many chosen allies may
use their ranks in Discipline instead of their own
ranks in any social skill employed as a part of an
opposed check for the remainder of the encounter,
or until your character is incapacitated.
Chapter 1: Character Creation
16 OVERWATCH
Archetype 6: The Professional
The professional archetype represents a character who
regularly undertakes intensive physical training. Keep-
ing one’s body in peak condition is required of athletes,
professional soldiers, and assassins. You should choose
this archetype if you’re making a character who can run
any obstacle course or who fights at a distance.
2 3 2 2 2 1
BRAWN AGILITY INTELLECT CUNNING WILLPOWER PRESENCE
PRESENCE • Starting Wound Threshold: 11 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 9 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 100 XP
• Starting Skills: A professional starts with one
rank in Coordination during character creation.
They obtain this rank before spending experience
points, and may not increase Coordination above
rank 2 during character creation.
• Conditioned Reflexes: Once per session, your
character may spend a Story Point during combat
or another structured encounter to take an extra
out-of-turn action (including an attack). They may
not do so on their own turn.
Archetype 7: The Scoundrel
The scoundrel archetype represents a character who
uses wits and guile to understand or even manipulate
others. This social savvy is often possessed by outlaws,
bureaucrats, or grifters. You should choose this arche-
type if you’re making a character who uses trickery to
achieve goals and persuades others at least as much
with cleverness as with force of personality.
2 2 1 3 2 2
BRAWN AGILITY INTELLECT CUNNING WILLPOWER PRESENCE
• Starting Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 11 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 100 XP
• Starting Skills: A scoundrel starts with one rank
in Skulduggery during character creation. They
obtain this rank before spending experience
points, and may not increase Skulduggery above
rank 2 during character creation.
• Lucky Break: Once per session, your character
may spend a Story Point after failing any check to
re-roll that check once, adding j to the re-roll.
Omnic
Because omnics are built to meet certain specifications,
they have very low starting characteristics but a lot of
experience. This allows you to customize your charac-
teristics and skills to represent any “model” of omnic.

1 1 1 1 1 1
BRAWN AGILITY INTELLECT CUNNING WILLPOWER PRESENCE

• Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

• Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 175 XP
• Starting Skills: After selecting their career, your
omnic character may train one rank in six of the
eight career skills (instead of the usual four).
• Special Abilities: Omnics do not need to eat, sleep,
or breathe, and are unaffected by toxins and poi-
sons.
• Inorganic: Since omnics are inorganic, they can
be “healed” by using the Mechanics skill instead of
the Medicine skill or painkillers, but otherwise fol-
low the same guidelines. Omnics can heal wounds
and strain naturally by resting, as their systems
attempt self-repairs.

PLAYING NON-HUMANS
The world of Overwatch offers opportunities to play
as non-human characters in the form of omnics
and genetically-engineered animals. Choosing
these species for your character allows you to play
a hero who can do or achieve things beyond the
grasp of a ‘mere’ human, but there are a number of
drawbacks.
Omnics in particular will inevitably encounter bias
against their kind in some parts of the world where
the devastation of the Omnic Crisis has not been
forgotten. Though there are omnic-friendly havens
like Numbani or Nepal, there are an equal number
of locations where omnics can expect to be treated
as second-class citizens, such as King’s Row or the
Australian Outback.
Genetically-Engineered Animals are an extreme
rarity and represent mankind's current limitations
in genetic research on other species. Though capa-
ble of possessing great physical strength or acute
intellectual acumen, their very nature risks making
them a target of fascination, fear or even hostility.
A GM should always ensure that player characters
are not subjected to the biases of NPCs all the time
– and never in a way that excludes that character
or player from the story. To avoid unintentional
discomfort at the game table, players considering
creating a non-human character should have a dis-
cussion with their GM about each other's expecta-
tions regarding in-universe prejudice and its role in
the game.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 17
Genetically-Engineered Animal
The genetically-engineered animal profile represents a Small Animal
character whose species is stronger, faster and/or more
dexterous than most average humans, but trades this 1 3 3 2 2 2
for fewer starting XP. BRAWN AGILITY INTELLECT CUNNING WILLPOWER PRESENCE
There are two sub-profiles of genetically-engineered
animals. Large creatures are classed as human-sized • Starting Wound Threshold: 8 + Brawn
(or slightly larger) whilst Small creatures are usually • Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
comparable to oversized rodents.
• Starting Experience: 75 XP
The physical appearance of this species is up to the
player, but should be done in agreement with the GM. • Starting Skills: A small genetically-engineered
animal is Silhouette 0 and starts with one rank in
Large Animal either Coordination, Skulduggery or Stealth dur-
ing character creation. You still can’t train their
skills above rank 2 during character creation.
3 3 2 2 1 2
BRAWN AGILITY INTELLECT CUNNING WILLPOWER PRESENCE • Acute Senses: A small genetically-engineered ani-
mal removes up to jj from Perception checks
• Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn due to superior senses.
• Starting Strain Threshold: 8 + Willpower •

• Starting Experience: 70 XP
• Starting Skills: A large genetically-engi-
neered animal starts with one rank in
either Athletics, Coordination, or
Resilience during character cre-
ation. You still can’t train their
skills above rank 2 during
character creation.
• Natural Weapons: A large
genetically-engineered
animal adds +2 damage to
any Brawl combat checks they
make. Their Brawl combat
checks also gain the Vicious
1 quality or increase an existing Vicious
quality by one.
• Size Matters: A large genetically-engineered
animal has the option to start the game as
Silhouette 2. If so, deduct 5 XP from the
character's starting total and increase
their wound threshold and encum-
brance values by 2.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

18 OVERWATCH
Step 3: Choose a Career
O verwatch uses its own unique careers, which replace
the careers found in the Genesys Core Rulebook.
These careers still function in the same way as the ones
in Genesys, each providing a set of eight career skills
that your character can spend experience points on to
improve. More on careers and career skills can be found
on page 40 of the Genesys Core Rulebook.
There are twelve careers to choose from in Over-
watch: Adventurer, Assassin, Engineer, Guardian,
Hacker, Leader, Medic, Performer, Pilot, Rogue, Scien-
tist and Soldier. Before choosing a career, you should
consider the skills they offer and the kind of character
you want to play. To help you, each career has examples
of official Overwatch characters that would suit that
career.
Each career is quite flexible in the options it provides,
however, careers do make it easier for you to focus your
character on a specific skill set, so the choice you make
is important.

Useful Talents for Careers

Genesys's open character creation system allows you
to give your character any skills or talents. However,
each career includes a sidebar with suggestions for tal-
ents that may be particularly appropriate or useful.

Starting Gear TABLE 1-1: CHOOSE A CAREER

D12 DICE roll Career
Each career includes a package of starting gear you can
1 Adventurer
select for your character rather than purchasing gear
in Step 8: Choose Gear, Appearance, and Personal- 2 Assassin
ity. Weapons and armor in these packages have pre-
3 Engineer
assigned traits - groups of item qualities that allow you
to make your item more special for your character. 4 Guardian

Explanations for the various traits and how they 5 Hacker

work are explained in Chapter 3: Gear and Equip-
6 Leader
ment. Even if you don’t use these packages, though,
they may offer some ideas for gear that could be useful 7 Medic
for your character. 8 Performer

9 Pilot

10 Rogue

11 Scientist

12 Soldier

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 19
Adventurer
The Adventurer is the classic example of the wandering
hero. Never sitting still in one place for too long, they Useful Talents
travel the world righting wrongs and fighting injustice
wherever they find it. Their greatest strength is their Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
versatility, sacrificing some small measure of special- be especially appropriate for “typical” Adven-
ization in favor of a solid balance of different skills. turer characters:
An Adventurer counts the following skills as career • Tier 1: Clever Retort (see page 57).
skills: Athletics, Brawl, Cool, Driving, Knowledge
(History), Negotiation, Ranged (Light) and Street- • Tier 1: Quick Draw (see page 63).
wise. Before spending experience during character cre- • Tier 1: Second Wind (see page 63).
ation, an Adventurer may choose four of their career
• Tier 2: Lucky Strike (see page 73).
skills and gain one rank in each of them.
• Tier 2: Side Step (see page 76).
Examples of Adventurers: Baptiste, Tracer.
• Tier 3: Natural (see page 87).
Starting Gear: If you have an Adventurer character,
you may choose to start with the following gear instead
of spending credits during Step 8 of character creation:
• A one-handed ranged weapon (traits: Disruptive,
Double-Barreled) or a two-handed ranged weapon
(trait: Savage).
• Durable clothing (traits; Enhanced, Subtle).
• An extra reload, a comlink and a utility belt.
• 1d100 credits.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

20 OVERWATCH
Assassin
Dangerous, deadly and always prepared for anything, • Either a diguise kit or infiltrator goggles.
a hero who chooses the path of the Assassin has the • 1d100 credits.
potential to become one of the most lethal beings in the
world. Although living by the sword (or rifle) can be a
solitary existence, a good Assassin knows the value of
being part of a team with allies they can rely on to get Useful Talents
the job done.
An Assassin counts the following skills as career Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
skills: Cool, Coordination, Deception, Knowledge be especially appropriate for “typical” Assassin
(Society), Melee, Ranged (Heavy), Stealth, and Sur- characters:
vival. Before spending experience during character
• Tier 1: Knack For It (see page 61).
creation, an Assassin may choose four of their career
skills and gain one rank in each of them. • Tier 1: Quick Strike (see page 63).

Examples of Assassins: Genji, Widowmaker. • Tier 1: Swift (see page 65).

Starting Gear: If you have an Assassin character, you • Tier 2: Exploit (see page 70).
may choose to start with the following gear instead of • Tier 2: Favored Opponent (see page 71).
spending credits during Step 8 of character creation:
• Tier 3: Lethal Blows (see page 86).
• A one-handed melee weapon (traits: Mono-Edged,
Tailored) or a two-handed ranged weapon (trait:
Empowering).
• Durable clothing (trait: Ether or both Incisive and
Silent).

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 21
Engineer
In the futuristic, technology-driven world of Over-
watch, an Engineer is the backbone of any team of Useful Talents
heroes. Adept, dependable and with a level of technical
know-how that would make most people's heads spin, Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
a character who takes up the mantle of the Engineer be especially appropriate for “typical” Engineer
brings a wealth of skills and abilities to the table. characters:
An Engineer counts the following skills as career • Tier 1: Design Flaw (see page 58).
skills: Discipline, Gunnery, Knowledge (Science),
Mechanics, Negotiation, Operating, Ranged (Light) • Tier 1: Resourceful Mechanic (see page
and Resilience. Before spending experience during 63).
character creation, an Engineer may choose four of • Tier 1: Toughened (see page 66).
their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.
• Tier 2: Contraption (see page 68).
Examples of Engineers: Symmetra, Torbjörn.
• Tier 2: Selective Detonation (see page 76).
Starting Gear: If you have an Engineer character,
• Tier 3: Improvised Defenses (see page
you may choose to start with the following gear instead
86).
of spending credits during Step 8 of character creation:
• A one-handed ranged weapon (trait: Explosive or
Magnetic).
• Durable clothing (traits: Enhanced, Insulating).
• An engineer's tool kit and either construction tools
or programming tools.
• 1d100 credits.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

22 OVERWATCH
Guardian
Defend the weak. Uphold the law. Fight for what's
right. These are the tenets that guide any character who
chooses the way of the Guardian. Always ready to serve
as a shield to their team, Guardians strive to live up
to what it truly means to be a hero by protecting their
allies and delivering swift justice to their enemies.
A Guardian counts the following skills as career
skills: Athletics, Brawl, Coercion, Discipline, Leader-
ship, Melee, Resilience and Vigilance. Before spend-
ing experience during character creation, a Guardian
may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank
in each of them.
Examples of Guardians: Reinhardt, Winston.
Starting Gear: If you have a Guardian character, you
may choose to start with the following gear instead of
spending credits during Step 8 of character creation:
• A one-handed melee weapon (trait: Radiant) or a
two-handed melee weapon (trait: Antimatter or
Massive).
• Light armor (trait: Ether or Sealed).
• Load-bearing gear and either 2 painkillers or 2
repair patches.
• 1d100 credits.

Useful Talents
Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
be especially appropriate for “typical” Guardian
characters:

• Tier 1: Challenge! (see page 57).

• Tier 1: Durable (see page 59).
• Tier 1: Toughened (see page 66).
• Tier 2: Grapple (see page 71).
• Tier 2: Multiple Opponents (see page 73).
• Tier 3: Body Guard (see page 81).

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 23
Hacker
In an age where technology is the source of all infor-
mation, few appreciate the old adage that 'knowledge Useful Talents
is power' better than a Hacker. Able to freely navigate
their way through the networks that unite and bind the Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
world around them, a hero on this path may find them- be especially appropriate for “typical” Hacker
selves holding the key to victory on the battlefield. characters:
A Hacker counts the following skills as career skills: • Tier 1: Codebreaker (see page 57).
Computers, Cool, Deception, Knowledge (Society),
Perception, Ranged (Light), Skulduggery and Street- • Tier 1: Defensive Sysops (see page 58).
wise. Before spending experience during character cre- • Tier 1: Net Search (see page 61).
ation, a Hacker may choose four of their career skills
• Tier 2: Defensive Sysops (Improved) (see
and gain one rank in each of them.
page 69).
Examples of Hackers: Lynx Seventeen, Sombra.
• Tier 2: Heightened Awareness (see page
Starting Gear: If you have a Hacker character, you 72).
may choose to start with the following gear instead of
• Tier 3: Distinctive Style (see page 83).
spending credits during Step 8 of character creation:
• A one-handed ranged weapon (traits: Discordant
or both Disruptive and Empowering).
• Durable clothing (traits: Silent, Subtle).
• A comlink, a datapad, a hacking rig and a restrain-
ing bolt.
• 1d100 credits.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

24 OVERWATCH
Leader
Throughout history, there have been
those who have stepped up to guide
others. Whether they are a bold com-
mander who demands absolute dis-
cipline from their subordinates or a
wise teacher gently nurturing their
students to their full potential, a good
Leader is one who can inspire the faith
and confidence of those who follow
them.
A Leader counts the following skills
as career skills: Charm, Coercion,
Cool, Discipline, Leadership,
Melee, Negotiation and Percep-
tion. Before spending experience
during character creation, a Leader
may choose four of their career skills
and gain one rank in each of them.
Examples of Leaders: Doomfist,
Zenyatta.
Starting Gear: If you have a Leader
character, you may choose to start with
the following gear instead of spending
credits during Step 8 of character cre-
ation:
• A one-handed melee weapon
(trait: Disintegrating) or a two-
handed melee weapon (trait: Flaming
or Life Drain). Useful Talents
• Durable clothing (trait: Heavy or Quantum).
Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
• A comlink, a modular backpack, a set of rations (1
be especially appropriate for “typical” Leader
week) and either 2 painkillers or 2 repair patches. characters:
• 1d100 credits.
• Tier 1: Command (see page 57).
• Tier 1: Nobody's Fool (see page 61).
• Tier 1: Resolve (see page 63).
• Tier 2: Coordinated Assault (see page 68)
• Tier 2: Inspiring Rhetoric (see page 73).
• Tier 3: Field Commander (see page 84).

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 25
Medic
Everyone knows that putting others before themselves
is the mark of a true hero, but none are so dedicated to
this ideal than those who take the path of the Medic.
Constant in their devotion to aiding their allies, a
Medic brings not only tremendous knowledge to their
team, but also great inspiration and spirit.
A Medic counts the following skills as career skills:
Cool, Discipline, Knowledge (Science), Medicine,
Melee, Resilience, Survival and Vigilance. Before
spending experience during character creation, a
Medic may choose four of their career skills and gain
one rank in each of them.
Examples of Medics: Ana, Mercy.
Starting Gear: If you have a Medic character, you
may choose to start with the following gear instead of
spending credits during Step 8 of character creation:
• A two-handed melee weapon (trait: Biotic) or a
one-handed ranged weapon (trait: Life Drain).
• Durable clothing (traits: Antigrav or both Incisive
and Sealed).
Chapter 1: Character Creation
26 OVERWATCH
• A datapad and either 5 painkillers or 5 repair
patches (or a combination of both not exceeding
5).
• 1d100 credits.
Useful Talents
Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
be especially appropriate for “typical” Medic
characters:
• Tier 1: Grit (see page 59).
• Tier 1: Knack For It (see page 61).
• Tier 1: Surgeon (see page 65).
• Tier 2: Combat Medicine (see page 68).
• Tier 2: Patch Up (see page 74).
• Tier 3: Painkiller Specialization (see page
87).
Performer
Whether they are a musician, artist or storyteller, a
Performer is at their best when they have an audience.
Blessed with a natural talent for connecting with peo-
ple, a hero on the path of the Performer can be invalu-
able when trying to bring a message of hope and hero-
ism to the wider world.
A Performer counts the following skills as career
skills: Charm, Coordination, Deception, Discipline,
Leadership, Melee, Skulduggery and Stealth. Before
spending experience during character creation, a Per-
former may choose four of their career skills and gain
one rank in each of them.
Examples of Performers: Lúcio.
Starting Gear: If you have a Performer character,
you may choose to start with the following gear instead
of spending credits during Step 8 of character creation:
• A one-handed melee weapon (traits: Discordant,
Mono-Edged) or a one-handed ranged weapon
(trait: Immaterial).
• Durable clothing (traits: Attractive, Chaotic,
Quantum).
• Either a disguise kit or both a musical instrument
and a recording device.
• 1d100 credits.
Useful Talents
Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
be especially appropriate for “typical” Performer
characters:
• Tier 1: Grit (see page 59).
• Tier 1: Public Relations (see page 62).
• Tier 1: Quick Draw (see page 63).
• Tier 2: Anthem (see page 66).
• Tier 2: Distraction! (see page 69).
• Tier 3: Anthem (Improved) (see page 80).
Chapter 1: Character Creation
OVERWATCH 27
Pilot
Saving the world is hard at the best of times, but doing
it whilst also operating a complex piece of military Useful Talents
hardware takes it to a whole new level. Fortunately,
heroes who choose the way of the Pilot have a tendency Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
to flourish under pressure, keeping their cool as they be especially appropriate for “typical” Pilot char-
fly their craft into the fray time and time again. acters:
A Pilot counts the following skills as career skills: • Tier 1: Hand On The Throttle (see page
Cool, Driving, Gunnery, Mechanics, Perception, 60).
Piloting, Ranged (Light) and Vigilance. Before
spending experience during character creation, a Pilot • Tier 1: Let's Ride (see page 61).
may choose four of their career skills and gain one rank • Tier 1: Resourceful Mechanic (see page
in each of them. 63).
Examples of Pilots: D.Va, Wrecking Ball. • Tier 2: Daring Aviator (see page 69).
Starting Gear: If you have a Pilot character, you • Tier 2: Signature Vehicle (see page 77).
may choose to start with the following gear instead of
• Tier 3: Bolstered Armor (see page 81).
spending credits during Step 8 of character creation:
• A one-handed ranged weapon (trait: Seeking) or a
two-handed ranged weapon (trait: Mono-Edged).
• Durable clothing (trait: Enhanced or Subtle).
• An engineer's tool kit, an extra reload and a utility
belt.
• 1d100 credits.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

28 OVERWATCH
Rogue
Outlaws. Exiles. Oddities. Whatever their background, • An extra reload, load-bearing gear, a lockpit set
a Rogue is ready for anything. Armed with a quick and a universal translator.
tongue and unafraid to skirt the boundaries of the law • 1d100 credits.
to achieve their goals, a good Rogue knows that some-
times more can be gained with a smile than a gun.
A Rogue counts the following skills as career skills:
Charm, Cool, Coordination, Deception, Ranged Useful Talents
(Light), Skulduggery, Stealth and Streetwise. Before
spending experience during character creation, a Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
Rogue may choose four of their career skills and gain be especially appropriate for “typical” Rogue
one rank in each of them. characters:
Examples of Rogues: Junkrat, McCree. • Tier 1: Cunning Persona (see page 58).
Starting Gear: If you have a Rogue character, you • Tier 1: Precision (see page 62).
may choose to start with the following gear instead of
• Tier 1: Quick Draw (see page 63).
spending credits during Step 8 of character creation:
• Tier 2: Dirty Tricks (see page 69).
• A brawl weapon (trait: Adaptive or Venomous) or a
one-handed ranged weapon (traits: Discordant or • Tier 2: Soft Spot (see page 77).
both Brutal and Empowering). • Tier 3: Natural (see page 87).
• Durable clothing (traits: Attractive and either Cha-
otic or Smoking).

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 29
 Scientist
Highly specialized and hugely knowledgable, a Scien-
tist can represent a doctor, researcher or scholar from
any discipline. Whatever their field, all Scientists share
a common drive to better understand the world around
them - and to put that knowledge to use for the better-
ment of all.
A Scientist counts the following skills as career
skills: Computers, Discipline, Knowledge (Science),
Knowledge (Society), Leadership, Medicine, Melee
and Negotiation. Before spending experience during
character creation, a Scientist may choose four of their
career skills and gain one rank in each of them.
Examples of Scientists: Mei, Moira.
Starting Gear: If you have a Scientist character, you
may choose to start with the following gear instead of
spending credits during Step 8 of character creation:
• A one-handed melee weapon (trait: Radiant) or
a one-handed ranged weapon (traits: Tailored or
both Magnetic and Sticky).
• Durable clothing (trait: Heavy or Quantum).
• A comlink, a datapad and either an engineer's tool
kit or programming tools.
• 1d100 credits.

Useful Talents
Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
be especially appropriate for “typical” Scientist
characters:

• Tier 1: Deep Pockets (see page 58).

• Tier 1: Nobody's Fool (see page 61).
• Tier 1: Talk Shop (see page 65).
• Tier 2: Flash Of Insight (see page 71).
• Tier 2: Inventor (see page 73).
• Tier 3: Applied Research (see page 80).

Chapter 1: Character Creation

30 OVERWATCH
Soldier
The first into battle and the last to retreat, Soldiers are • An extra reload and a utility belt.
fearless, loyal and bound to a strong sense of honor. • 1d100 credits.
As frontline warriors, they are often the first line of
defense against any new threats, fighting with bravery
and conviction. Their dedication to duty makes being a
Soldier a natural choice for many heroes. Useful Talents
A Soldier counts the following skills as career-
skills: Athletics, Coercion, Melee, Gunnery, Ranged Here are a few suggestions for talents that may
(Heavy), Perception, Survival and Vigilance. Before be especially appropriate for “typical” Soldier
spending experience during character creation, a Sol- characters:
dier may choose four of their career skills and gain one
• Tier 1: Desperate Recovery (see page 58).
rank in each of them.
• Tier 1: Quick Strike (see page 63).
Examples of Soldiers: Pharah, Soldier: 76.
• Tier 1: Toughened (see page 66).
Starting Gear: If you have a Soldier character, you
may choose to start with the following gear instead of • Tier 2: Spare Clip (see page 77).
spending credits during Step 8 of character creation: • Tier 2: Tactical Focus (see page 77).
• A two-handed melee weapon (traits: Antimatter, • Tier 3: Suppressing Fire (see page 89).
Flaming) or a two-handed ranged weapon (trait:
Mono-Edged).
• Durable clothing (traits: Heavy or both Enhanced
and Spiked).

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 31
Step 4: Invest Experience Points
I n Step 2, your character got a budget of experience
points based on the archetype or species you chose.
Now it’s time to spend those experience points (or, as
we often call them, “XP”). This section covers both how
you spend XP during character creation, and also how
you’ll spend the XP your character earns later during
gameplay.
This section only provides an overview of how to
invest experience points. For a more in-depth guide,
you should consult the relevant section on page 44 of
your Genesys Core Rule Book.
Starting XP
Experience points are what you use to customize your
character and make them truly unique. During this
step, you can spend all of your character’s experience
points on improving characteristics, purchasing tal-
ents, and buying ranks in skills. If you don’t spend all
of your character’s experience, that’s fine; you’ll save
all the unspent experience points and can spend them
at the end of any session during the game. However,
keep in mind that your character is going to be earn-
ing more experience points during the course of their
adventures, so you’ll have more experience to spend in
the future. You may as well spend it now!
You may spend experience points in the following
ways to improve your character. These are also detailed
in Table I.2–1: Spending Starting Experience on page
45 of the Genesys Core Rule Book.
Improving Characteristics
During character creation, raising a characteristic to
the next highest rating costs ten times the value it is
being raised to. For example, raising your character’s
Brawn from 3 to 4 would require 40 experience points.
You must purchase each improvement sequentially.
This means that raising your character’s Brawn from 3
to 5 would cost 90 experience points: 40 for raising it
from 3 to 4, then 50 more for raising it from 4 to 5.
No characteristic can be increased higher than 5,
either in character creation or in gameplay. How-
ever, this limit only applies to player characters (your
character). Non-player characters (also referred to as
adversaries) can have characteristics higher than 5. In
addition, any character may get access to equipment or
special powers that temporarily raise one or more of
Chapter 1: Character Creation
32 OVERWATCH
their characteristics higher than 5. However, your char-
acter’s base characteristics still max out at 5.
Characteristics may only be purchased with experi-
ence points during character creation, not at any later
time. During gameplay, however, characteristics can be
increased by purchasing specific talents. This means
you should plan on spending most (if not all) of your
starting XP on improving your character’s character-
istics.
Skill Training
For the Overwatch setting, the list of skills that can be
purchased can be found in Chapter 2: Skills and Tal-
ents (see page 52).
Each skill has five ranks of training available. Your
character already has ranks in various skills. At this
stage, your character may purchase more ranks in skills
using their starting XP. However, regardless of any
character creation options, your character cannot have
any skills higher than rank 2 once character creation is
finished, unless a rule specifically states otherwise.
Buying a rank in a career skill follows a cost structure
similar to that for buying a rating in a characteristic;
training a skill to the next highest rank costs five times
the rank to which it is being raised. For example, train-
ing a skill from rank 0 (untrained) to rank 1 requires 5
experience points. Improving a rank 1 skill to rank 2
requires 10 experience points. Each rank must be pur-
chased sequentially. This means that acquiring a rank 2
career skill during character creation costs 15 experi-
ence points (5 for raising it from zero to rank 1, then 10
more for raising it from rank 1 to rank 2).
Buying a rank in a non-career skill works mostly the
same way, but costs a bit more. Each rank of a nonca-
reer skill costs five times the rank you’re purchasing,
plus 5 additional experience points. So, raising a non-
career skill to rank 1 costs 10 XP, while raising it from
rank 1 to rank 2 costs 15 XP. As with career skills, each
rank must be purchased sequentially.
You may purchase ranks in skills for your character
during character creation or later during gameplay. You
probably want to buy a couple of ranks of various skills
now, but you can spend most of your XP on charac-
teristics and wait to buy more skills with the XP your
character earns as the game progresses.
Acquiring Talents
Talents are something any character can purchase. Like
skills, a list of talents available to your character in the
Overwatch setting can be found in Chapter 2: Skills
and Talents (see page 55).
Purchasing talents is covered in greater detail on
page 55. However, here is a brief summary. Talents
are organized into tiers, with each talent costing five
XP times its tier level. So, Tier 1 talents cost 5 XP, but
Tier 5 talents cost 25 XP. You can buy as many Tier 1
talents for your character as you like, but if you want to
purchase talents in higher tiers, you have to follow this
simple rule: after buying a talent in a tier, you must
ensure your character has more talents in the tier
directly below it.
Characters may purchase talents during character
creation or later during gameplay. Even more so than
with skills, you probably want to spend sparingly on
talents during character creation. You’ll have plenty of
chances to buy talents once the game begins.

Step 5: Determine
Derived Attributes
O nce you’ve spent your character’s start-
ing XP, the next step is to determine your
character’s derived attributes. We call them
derived attributes because they are determined
by your character’s other attributes and your
choice of archetype or species.
This section only provides an overview of
how to determine your character's derived
attributes. For a more in-depth guide, you
should consult the relevant section on page 45 of
your Genesys Core Rule Book.

Wound Threshold
Your character’s wound threshold represents,
basically, how many wounds - how much physi-
cal damage - a character can withstand before
becoming incapacitated. Your character’s start-
ing wound threshold is determined by adding
the wound threshold for their archetype or species to
their Brawn rating (after spending starting XP). After
you determine this initial value, further increases to
your character’s Brawn rating do not increase their
wound threshold - wound threshold improvements are
acquired by purchasing talents, such as Toughened.
The Genesys system assumes that a starting char-
acter with a wound threshold of 15–18 is pretty tough
and able to suffer several hits without being inca-
pacitated. A wound threshold of 11–14 is about
average; your character can take a hit or two before
going down. A wound threshold of 10 or lower
means your character may be incapacitated by one
powerful hit, and should be careful in combat.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 33
Strain Threshold
Your character’s strain threshold determines how much
strain - psychological and mental damage - a charac-
ter can withstand before becoming stunned, dazed, or
incapacitated. Your character’s starting strain threshold
is determined by adding the strain threshold for their
archetype or species to their Willpower rating (after
spending starting XP). After you determine this initial
value, further increases to your character’s Willpower
rating do not increase their strain threshold - strain
threshold improvements are acquired by purchasing
appropriate talents, such as Grit.
The Genesys system assumes that a starting charac-
ter with a strain threshold of 13–16 is going to be gen-
erally unconcerned with accumulating strain, except
in the most stressful circumstances or over prolonged
encounters without a chance to rest. A strain threshold
of 10–12 is about average; you should keep an eye on
the strain your character suffers but not worry about
it too much. However, a strain threshold of 9 or lower
means that strain is your character’s weakness. If you’re
not careful, your character could be incapacitated by
accumulating too much of it.
instead, and is applied against your character’s strain
threshold instead of wound threshold. This comes from
certain weapons or attacks, and is detailed more in the
Genesys Core Rule Book.
Your character’s default soak value is equal to their
Brawn rating. After you determine this initial value,
subsequent increases to a character’s Brawn rating do
increase their soak value. You can also increase your
character’s soak by buying armor for that character.
Some talents, such as Enduring, increase a character’s
innate soak value as well.
The Genesys system considers a starting soak value
of 5 or higher to be better than average; your charac-
ter reduces a significant amount of damage from each
attack, which is going to help them survive many more
hits. A soak value of 3–4 is average, which is fine. With-
out a significant investment of resources, your charac-
ter can still reduce damage sufficiently to be effective
in combat. If your character has a soak value of 1–2,
however, you’ll have to play it smart in combat situa-
tions. You’ll want to try to take enemies by surprise,
fight from cover (or a hidden position), or attack them
from a long distance away. Basically, you’ll want to
avoid being hit in the first place.

Defense
Defense represents an extra level of protection that
makes your character harder to hit in combat. Defense
is divided into ranged defense and melee defense. Your
character’s default value for each defense rating is 0.
Defense is most commonly gained by wearing armor
or by adopting a defensive position in combat (such as
gaining cover). Some talents may also increase one or
both of your character’s defense ratings.
Besides using certain types of gear, there is no easy-
way for your character to have a starting melee or
ranged defense higher than 0. So, if your character
doesn’t have any defense, don’t worry! You didn’t do
anything wrong. Your character has another type of
protection, called soak.

Soak Value
Soak value determines how much damage a character
can shrug off every time they’re hit. When your char-
acter suffers damage (usually from someone attacking
them), you subtract your character’s soak value from
the damage inflicted. Any remaining damage after
subtracting soak becomes wounds, which you apply
against your character’s wound threshold.
Just a note: sometimes damage becomes strain

Chapter 1: Character Creation

34 OVERWATCH
Step 6: Build Your Hero Kit
I n the world of Overwatch, every hero has their own
unique approach of overcoming the challenges they
face. Some, such as the old crusader Reinhardt, favor
meeting foes head-on with brute force. Others prefer
more subtle methods, like the Talon scientist Moira and
her mastery of bio-technology.
The means of obtaining victory are as wide and var-
ied as the heroes themselves, often consisting of differ-
ent combinations of abilities, equipment and technol-
ogy. Your own character should be no different. Every
PC deserves to have their own unique way of being a
hero. For the purposes of gameplay, this is achieved
through what is known as a character's Hero Kit.
What is a Hero Kit?
The term Hero Kit refers to the combination of custom-
ized gear and abilities that your character is equipped
with, and gives players the means to break down their
hero concepts into the mechanical components needed
to build them in the Genesys system. A PC's Hero Kit
usually consists of several parts, including some or all
of the following:
• A primary weapon or tool, infused with unique
weapon traits.
• A set of armor or other protective clothing, infused
with unique armor traits.
• A powerful, unique Ultimate Ability.
• Any other gear they utilize.
• Their talents and skills.
For the purposes of gameplay, the term Hero Kit is
only used in reference to Player Characters. Adversar-
ies and other NPCs do not need to follow the same
rules of character creation as PCs, so their profiles are
written with ease-of-use in mind and often feature
more streamlined versions of elements such as weapon
traits, equipment or even their own Ultimate Abilities.
New Resource: Charge
The Hero Kit system utilizes a new resource not
explored in the Genesys Core Rulebook. In the Over-
watch setting, this resource is referred to as 'Charge'.
Charge is an abstract term used to refer to the resource
that fuels several parts of your character's Hero Kit (in
particular Ultimate Abilities, but also some weapon
and armor traits). Some talents may also require
Charge, and some gear gains additional abilities when
powered with it.
As a concept, Charge represents a 'power bar' of sorts
for your character. It is a resource that begins empty,
but which PCs can 'fill up' over the course of a session
or encounter. When a certain amount of Charge has
been collected, a PC can spend the collected resource
in order to reap powerful benefits.
For the sake of gameplay, Charge is measured in
single units of itself. For example, a character with two
uses of Charge is said to possess '2 Charge'. This short-
hand provides a simple way to measure the resource for
game effects.
Narratively, Charge can take any form appropriate
to the character utilizing it. Because it is an abstract
Chapter 1: Character Creation
OVERWATCH 35
resource, within the story itself Charge may look very
different for individual heroes. For example, a PC with a
hero that utilizes biotechnology might describe Charge
as the strength and energy they gain from sapping the
organic beings around them. On the other hand, a
PC who prefers engaging enemies with raw, physical
strength might portray Charge as the rush of adrena-
line pumping through their character's veins whenever
they find themselves in a fight.
Players should work with the GM to come up with
something suitable for their hero concept during char-
acter creation.
Collecting Charge
Whatever narrative form it takes, Charge represents
a consumable resource. In gameplay, once a unit of
Charge is used for a specific purpose, it can’t be used
for other purposes. For example, Charge used to acti-
vate an Ultimate Ability is consumed upon activation.
There are a number of ways that a character can earn
Charge during gameplay:
• On a combat check, they may spend aaaa or
t to gain +1 Charge.
• As a maneuver, a PC may voluntarily suffer 5 strain
to gain +1 Charge.
• As an incidental, a PC may flip 1 Story Point to
gain +1 Charge. This may only be done once per
session per PC.
• At their discretion, if an NPC rolls hhhh or d
on a combat check, the GM may award +1 Charge
to a PC.
Chapter 1: Character Creation
36 OVERWATCH
A character may not hold more than 5 Charge at
any one time. If a character has 5 Charge and an event
or effect takes place that would normally reward addi-
tional Charge, the extra Charge is lost.
Spending Charge
Once a character has obtained 1 or more Charge, there
are a number of ways in which they can spend it. Unless
stated otherwise (such as in a weapon trait description)
spending Charge is an incidental, and may be done
once per character's turn:
• A PC may activate their Ultimate Ability (this costs
3 Charge by default, but can be reduced through
upgrades, see Ultimate Abilities on page 37)
• A PC may activate a weapon or armor trait that
requires Charge (see Weapon Traits on page).
• A PC may spend 1 Charge to take a second free
maneuver that turn (this does not count to the
usual limit on maneuvers per turn).
• A PC may transfer Charge from themselves to
another PC they are engaged with. The cost of the
transfer is a 2:1 ratio (for every point of Charge
the target gains, the giver loses 2 Charge). Play-
ers should narratively describe how this transfer
of energy/resources takes place. For example, a
Performer might pump another character up with
words of encouragement, whilst a Scientist might
physically inject them with an experimental chem-
ical agent.
Ultimate Abilities
Player Characters are heroes, with unique capabilities
that set them apart in the futuristic world of Over-
watch. When you create your your character as part of
character creation, you also choose an Ultimate Ability
for them.
Each PC has only one Ultimate Ability, which helps
make them unique, even in a world filled with heroes
and oddities. As your character grows in experi-
ence, they receive ability points, which you spend on
upgrades that further customize your character’s Ulti-
mate Ability.
Using Ultimate Abilities
Ultimate Abilities can be powerful, encounter-chang-
ing abilities, so there are limitations on when a PC can
use them (however it is possible to reduce these restric-
tions through upgrades, detailed later in this chapter).
By default, activating an Ultimate Ability requires
you to spend 3 Charge (see page 35). The effects of
the Ultimate Ability last until the end of the character’s
next turn, and can only be activated once per session.
Unless stated otherwise in the description of a specific
effect, activating an Ultimate Ability is an incidental.
Creating an Ultimate Ability
When creating your character's Ultimate Ability, a
player should follow a few simple steps. Once you fin-
ish, you will have an Ultimate Ability uniquely tailored
to your hero.
• Step 1 - Concept: Determine what your Ultimate
Ability looks like and what you want it to do.
• Step 2 - Choose Primary Ability Effect: The pri-
mary effect is the core of your Ultimate Ability. It
defines what the ability does when you activate it.
Even at the base level, these effects are potent.
• Step 3 - Determine Your Ability’s Origin: How
did your character come by their extraordinary
abilities? You can make something up or roll ran-
domly to determine the origin of your Ultimate
Ability.
• Step 4 - Name Your Ability: Every Ultimate Abil-
ity needs a unique, evocative name!
As your character grows in experience, you will be
able to add upgrades to their Ultimate Ability, such as
increasing its power, range or adding secondary effects.
Step 1: Concept
The first step in creating an Ultimate Ability is to
conceptualize it. What form does it take, and what does
it do? You’ll figure out how to represent the effects via
game rules in the next steps; for the concept, describe
what your Ultimate Ability does within the story. Natu-
rally, your concept will guide the rest of the process.
Some basic concepts that you might consider when
conceptualizing your own:
• Offensive: Is your Ultimate Ability designed to
attack enemies and cause as much damage, devas-
tation or disruption as possible?
• Defensive: Is your Ultimate Ability designed to
protect your allies and mitigate as much damage,
devastation or disruption as possible?
• Utility: Is your Ultimate Ability designed to help
indirectly tip the balance of power in your favor?
Perhaps it transforms the environment, bolsters
your allies or impedes your enemies' ability to
operate at their full potential.
Step 2: Choose Primary Ability Effect
A primary ability effect is the core of an Ultimate
Ability. The effect tells you what your ability does; the
benefit your character gains from activating it. An Ulti-
mate Ability gets only one primary ability effect, so
choose carefully! Your character receives the benefits
for the base ability, unless you spend ability points to
upgrade to the improved or supreme version. Unless
stated otherwise, the benefits of each level of the effect
are cumulative, so if you spend ability points for the
improved effect, your character still get all the benefits
of the base effect.
When deciding on a primary ability effect, look to
the concept you created in Step 1 and what you know
about your hero already. Their Ultimate Ability is cen-
tral to who your character is, and why they took up
the mantle of hero in the world of Overwatch. It helps
define your character.
We have detailed a number of primary ability effects
here, though GMs have the discretion to modify these
templates (or even invent their own ones) if a player
feels none of them quite matches the concept they
came up with in Step 1.
Chapter 1: Character Creation
OVERWATCH 37
BOLSTER
Your character is focused on the objective above all else,
and is not concerned with seizing glory or landing the
final blow. They would much rather use their talents or
technology to help boost their allies and enable them to
do the heavy lifting. Your character utilizes their own
gifts in a more supportive but equally critical role on
the battlefield.
Existing examples of this ability in Overwatch
include Ana's nano boost projectiles and Orisa's ally-
empowering supercharger.
Base: When your character activates this ability, they
may select a target within short range (including them-
selves). At the beginning of their turn each round while
this ability remains active, the target recovers 4 strain.
They also gain +2 damage on any combat checks they
make.
Improved: When your character activates this ability,
they may select a target within short range (including
themselves). At the beginning of their turn each round
while this ability remains active, the target recovers
all current strain they are suffering. They also gain +4
damage on any combat checks they make.
(This replaces the base effect).
Supreme: When your character activates this ability,
they select any number of targets within short range.
CLEANSE
An enemy may think they have your character trapped,
blocked or otherwise prevented from posing a threat
to them. What they don't realize, however, is that your
character has the means to purge themselves of any
negative afflictions and immediately get themselves
back into the fight. With a swift cleansing, they are
ready to jump back into the fray and enact vengeance.
Existing examples of this ability in Overwatch
include Moira's mastery of fading in and out of physi-
cal existence, or Zenyatta's ability to channel the myste-
rious Iris into an impenetrable state of transcendence.
Base: When your character activates this ability, and at
the beginning of their turn each round while it remains
active, your character removes any negative ongoing
status effects (staggered, immobilized and/or disori-
ented) they are currently suffering. They also remove
the effects of any poisons, toxins or similar afflictions.
Improved: When your character activates this ability,
they become immune to any of the status effects that
were cleansed until the end of the current encounter.
Chapter 1: Character Creation
38 OVERWATCH
Supreme: When your character activates this ability,
they may select any number of targets within short
range to receive the same benefits of this ability as they
do.
DOMINATE
Why destroy an enemy when you can make them
fight for you instead? Your character knows the value
of turning a foe against themselves, and has the abil-
ity to suddenly seize control of a single opponent and
direct them to act however they wish. This might take
the form of hacking into an assault robot's mainframe
or using specially engineer pheromones to overpower a
creature's sense of self-control.
Existing examples of this ability in Overwatch
include the talents of elite hackers like Sombra and
Lynx Seventeen.
Base: While this ability is active, your character gains
control over one beast, machine or non-sentient non-
player creature (for the purposes of this ability, a single
minion group is considered a creature). Your character
may spend one maneuver to direct the dominated tar-
get in performing one action and one maneuver during
your character’s turn.
Improved: When your character activates this ability,
they can target sentient non-player creatures as well
(for the purposes of this ability, omnics are considered
sentient creatures).
At the GM's discretion, a nemesis-level adversary can
attempt a Daunting (kkkk) Discipline check to resist
the effects of this ability.
Supreme: While this ability is active, your character
may to direct the dominated target as an incidental on
your character’s turn instead of a maneuver.
DISPLACE
Your character is always one step ahead of their oppo-
nents, utilizing constant motion and maneuverabil-
ity to seize the initiative and maintain an advantage.
Whether it is through their natural mobility or an edge
given to them by a unique piece of tech, they can frus-
trate even the most level-headed of enemies by proving
to be an impossible target to pin down.
Existing examples of this ability in Overwatch
include Lúcio's wallriding and Tracer's chronal accel-
erator-powered recall.
Base: While this ability is active, when an attacker
makes a combat check targeting your character, the
attacker upgrades the difficulty of the check twice.
Chapter 1: Character Creation
OVERWATCH 39
Improved: While this ability is active, when an attacker
makes a combat check targeting your character, your
character may move up to one range band in any direc-
tion after the attack is resolved.
Supreme: While this ability is active, when an attacker
makes a combat check targeting your character, after
the attack is resolved your character may make a return
combat check targeting the attacker as an out-of-turn
incidental (usual restrictions such as weapon range still
apply). This can be done once per round.
ENHANCE
When it comes to a particular skill, your character
is simply the best. Whether their abilities really are
supernatural (or just seem that way), your character
always achieves the check they want when it really
counts. More importantly, even when things could go
Chapter 1: Character Creation
40 OVERWATCH
disastrously wrong, they never do.
Existing examples of this ability in Overwatch
include Soldier: 76's use of a tactical visor or Widow-
maker's infrared goggles which help her remove the
difficulty in tracking targets through cover.
Base: When you select this primary ability effect,
choose one skill. While this ability is active, after rolling
the dice for a check using that skill but before resolv-
ing the results, you may remove k of your choice from
the pool. (Ignore the symbols shown on that die when
resolving the check.)
Improved: While this ability is active, you may remove
j of your choice from the results of checks using your
chosen skill.
Supreme: While this ability is active, you may remove
l instead of k from the results of checks you make
using the chosen skill.
FORTIFY Supreme: While this ability is active, your character
becomes immune to damage; reduce all damage the
When your character steels their resolve and tightens character suffers to 0.
their grip on their weapon, they can shrug off the worst
the enemy throws at them. In moments of dire import, PROTECT
they face down overwhelming opposition without
taking a scratch. This might represent raw toughness When events are at their most bleak, when the tide of
and the will to power through, it might be an effect of battle seems to be against your team, your character
advanced technology. steps up to be their protector. Whether it is by holding
up a shield, absorbing incoming attacks or simply plac-
Existing examples of this ability in Overwatch
ing themselves in the line of fire, your character is ready
include Winston becoming near-unstoppable when
to risk their own safety in order to give their allies the
enraged or Baptiste's knack for dropping immortality
opportunity they need to strike back.
field generators at just the right moment.
Existing examples of this ability in Overwatch
Base: While this ability is active, your character gains
include Zarya's projected particle barriers and D.Va's
+4 soak.
mech's defense matrix.
Improved: While this ability is active, your character
Base: While this ability is active, your character and all
also increases the difficulty of combat checks targeting
allies within short range gain +4 defense (they still may
them by one.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 41
not exceed 4 defense in total).
Improved: While this ability is active, all allies (but not
your character) protected by your character gain j on
any checks they make.
Supreme: While this ability is active, all allies (but not
your character) protected by your character upgrade
any checks they make once.
(This replaces the improved effect.)
RECOVER
Your character’s injuries often turn out to be not as bad
as they look, or perhaps your character actually heals
physical wounds so rapidly as to defy explanation.
In any case, they have a tendency to walk away from
bloody fights with nothing more than scratches. This
might represent innate physical resilience, or it might
originate in a piece of advanced equipment.
Existing examples of this ability in Overwatch
include Roadhog's hogdrogen canisters and Mercy's
Valkyrie power suit.
Base: When your character activates this ability, and at
the beginning of their turn each round while it remains
active, your character heals 3 wounds.
Improved: When you activate this ability, your charac-
ter heals all current wounds they are suffering.
Supreme: When you activate this ability, your charac-
ter heals one Critical Injury they are suffering.
RETALIATE
What better irony can there be than to turn an enemy's
strength back against them? Whether through skill,
training or instinct, your character has mastered the
awareness, reflexes and discipline necessary to redirect
even the most powerful of enemy attacks back to their
source - often with devastating results for the foes in
question.
Chapter 1: Character Creation
42 OVERWATCH
Existing examples of this ability in Overwatch
include Genji's quick-handed deflections and Sigma's
experimental barrier.
Base: While this ability is active, when an attack inflicts
damage on your character, your character may, as an
out-of-turn incidental once per round, inflict the dam-
age back on to the attacker instead.
Improved: When your character redirects damage
back on to an attacker, it inflicts double the original
damage.
Supreme: When your character redirects damage back
on to an attacker, they also inflict a Critical Injury.
TRANSFORM
Your character is a master of adapting to an ever-chang-
ing battlefield. With the ability to take on an entirely
different physical form to meet the specific chal-
lenges of any given encounter, your character is
uniquely positioned to counter any threat their
enemies can throw at them. This might be in
the form of a hard light projection, or your
character might literally morph into a new
physical form for the duration.
Existing examples of this ability in
Overwatch include Bastion's
various configurations and
Echo's unique ability to
duplicate her opponents.
Base: When your charac-
ter activates this ability,
they take on a new physi-
cal appearance with the
same silhouette as their
original form. As a result
of the transformation, they
increase two characteristics
by +1 and decrease another two
characteristics by -1 for as long
as the ability is active.
Improved: When your char-
acter activates this ability, their
new form can be one silhou-
ette smaller or larger than their
original form.
Supreme: When your character
activates this ability, as a result of
the transformation, they increase
one of their +1 characteristics by
+2 instead.
UNLEASH
When pushed to the breaking point - or maybe just
when they want to show off - your character unleashes
their full abilities, laying low any who oppose them.
This might be achieved in a flurry of blows as your
character lays about with weapon strikes, or in a sud-
den surge of pulse energy that blasts away whatever
enemies and foes stand too close.
Existing examples of this ability in Overwatch
include Reaper's spiralling death blossoms or Hanzo's
gift for calling the spirit of the dragon down upon his
enemies.
Base: While this ability is active, your character may
perform a maneuver once per round on their turn to
immediately defeat one minion group within short
range.
Improved: While this ability is active, your character
may instead perform an incidental once per round on
their turn to immediately defeat one minion group
within short range.
(This replaces the base effect.)
Supreme: When you activate this ability, your charac-
ter immediately defeats all minions within short range.
Chapter 1: Character Creation
OVERWATCH 43
Ultimate Ability Upgrades
As your character grows in experience, they gain abil-
ity points to spend on upgrades for their Ultimate
Ability. Obviously, upgrades improve the ability, but
more importantly, they help to differentiate it. Even
if two player characters have the same primary ability
effect for their Ultimate Abilities, different choices of
upgrades can result in very different abilities.
Your character receives ability points based on the
XP they gain through play. Every time your character’s
XP total increases by 50, they gain one ability point
to spend. Your character does not gain ability points
based on their starting XP determined by their arche-
type or species, but if you are creating a character with
additional XP (see the Experienced Characters sidebar
on page 44 of the Genesys Core Rulebook), your char-
acter does gain an ability point for each additional 50
XP.
When your character gains ability points, you decide
how to spend them. Each upgrade includes a cost, and
spending the required ability points on an upgrade per-
manently adds the benefit of that upgrade to your Ulti-
mate Ability. Some upgrades have a cumulative effect if
you purchase that upgrade multiple times.
CHARGE
Cost: 1 Ability Point
Your character only needs to spend 2 Charge to acti-
vate their Ultimate Ability. You can only purchase this
upgrade once.
DURATION
Cost: 1 Ability Point
Your character’s Ultimate Ability effect lasts for one
additional turn for each purchase of Duration.
FREQUENCY
Cost: 2 Ability Points
Your character can activate their Ultimate Ability one
additional time per session for each purchase of Fre-
quency.
POWER
Cost: Special
The first time you purchase this upgrade, it costs one
ability point and your character's primary ability gains
Chapter 1: Character Creation
44 OVERWATCH
the improved effect. You may purchase this upgrade a
second time at a cost of another two ability points to
gain the supreme effect.
SECONDARY EFFECT
Cost: 1 Ability Point
Add a secondary effect to your character’s Ultimate
Ability. When you purchase this upgrade, select one of
the following secondary effects. You may purchase this
upgrade a second time to choose a different effect, for
a total of two secondary effects. As with the primary
ability effect, you should work with the GM to come up
with an exciting narrative explanation for each second-
ary effect.
Even if the primary effect is instantaneous, the dura-
tion of the Ultimate Ability matters for many second-
ary effects. Remember, an Ultimate Ability lasts until
the end of your character’s next turn, or longer if you
take the Duration upgrade.
DEVASTATING
While the ability is active, your character adds +2 dam-
age to one hit of each of their attacks.
DIMINISH
While the ability is active, enemies within short range
add j to their skill checks.
DRAIN
When your character activates their Ultimate Ability
and at the beginning of each of their turns it remains
active, enemies within short range suffer 2 strain.
EMPOWERED
While the ability is active, your character adds j to
their skill checks.
EMPOWER ALLIES
While the ability is active, allies within short range add
j to their skill checks.
REJUVENATION
When your character activates the ability and at the
beginning of each turn they take while it remains
active, your character heals 2 strain.
REJUVENATE ALLIES
When your character activates the ability and at the
beginning of each turn they take while it remains
active, all allies within short range heal 2 strain.
RENEWAL
When your character activates the ability, you may
choose to generate a new PC Initiative slot. You may
choose to use Cool or Vigilance for this roll. The new
result remains for the duration of the encounter. The
new Initiative slot is immediately available for use, but
it does not allow any PC to take an extra turn during a
round.
Step 3: Determine Your Ability's Origin
Your character’s Ultimate Ability is an important part
of who they are as a hero, so you will want to decide
how they came by such an impressive ability. It’s likely
that during this process you’ve already thought about
the explanation for your character’s ability and how
they first obtained it, in which case you should discuss
your ideas with the GM and make sure you both agree
on what it means for the campaign.
If you don’t have an idea yet, or just want to leave
it to fate, you can roll on Table 1-2: Ultimate Ability
Origins to find out how your character obtained their
ability.

TABLE 2-2: ULTIMATE ABILITY ORIGINS

D10 Dice roll Origin
Legacy: Your character inherited their Ultimate Ability from a predecessor (this could be a relative, mentor or
1
even a former enemy).

Chosen: Your character was selected by someone else to receive their Ultimate Ability (such as being the subject
2
of a secret research program).

Artifact: The source of your character's Ultimate Ability takes the form of a single, powerful item (that may or
3
may not have been built by the character themselves).

Drive: Your character's Ultimate Ability is the manifestation of their own innate willpower or instinct (such as a
4
strong sense of duty or thirst for vengeance).

Life-Changing Experience: Your character acquired their Ultimate Ability from a singular experience that
5
changed their life (such as a lab experiment gone wrong).

Training: Your character's Ultimate Ability is the result of long hours of training and tutelage under a wise and/
6
or powerful mentor.

Exposure: Your character obtained their Ultimate Ability as a result of exposure to a dangerous or uncontrolled
7
substance, energy or other matter.

Manufactured: Your character was built, grown or otherwise designed to have their Ultimate Ability from the
8
moment they were created.

Ambition: Your character has their own agenda (such as defeating a specific enemy), and their Ultimate Ability
9
is simply a means to help achieve this goal.

10 Roll again, ignoring duplicates of this result, and apply both origins.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 45
Step 4: Name your Ability!
Every Ultimate Ability needs a unique, evocative name!
Consider all the different elements you have selected
in building your character's Ultimate Ability, from the
core concept to the primary ability effects. Use these to
come up an awe-inspiring name that really drives home
what your character's Ultimate Ability is all about.
Existing examples of evocative ability names from
Overwatch include Winston's "Primal Rage", Doom-
fist's "Meteor Strike" and Reaper's "Death Blossom".
Step 7: Determine Motivation
J ust as important as a character’s physical characteris-
tics are their emotions, beliefs, and faults. Skills and
characteristics display the character’s aptitude, but the
character’s Motivations determine when they use those
skills and why. The Game Master has dominion over the
external journeys of the player characters - where they
Chapter 1: Character Creation
46 OVERWATCH
Other Elements of the Hero Kit
Your character's Ultimate Ability is the single most
impactful part of their Hero Kit, but other elements
play a vital role too. Their primary weapons, armor and
other gear are all important to completing the final 'pic-
ture' of your character as an Overwatch hero.
In addition to designing your character's Ultimate
Ability, your will also be able to spend their starting
currency (1,000 credits by default) on customized
weapons, armor, etc. This is detailed more in Step 8:
Choose Gear, Personality and Appearance.
go, what adversaries they face, and which quests they
must complete - but you largely get to determine your
character’s psyche and social disposition. Characters
with identical species and career choices might feel com-
pletely dissimilar due to different Motivations.
Motivation includes a character’s driving forces:
what ultimate goal is your character pursuing? What
are they most afraid of? What character trait allows
them to persevere in the face of adversity? What flaws
hinder their ability to pursue their goals?
Desires, Fears, Strengths, Flaws: these four different
facets of Motivation color how your character perceives
and interacts with the world. In other words, these fac-
ets affect how you, the player, roleplays the character.
The four facets of Motivation can also be leveraged by
others when attempting to persuade, coerce, or other-
wise influence the character during social encounters.
Finally, a Game Master interested in a more character-
focused game can look to the player characters’ Moti-
vations to craft compelling campaigns that include
inner emotional arcs for the characters in addition to
their physical journeys.
In this Overwatch supplement, we have provided
some tables giving samples for each of the four facets
(Desires, Fears, Strengths and Flaws). If you do not
care for the sample motivational facets, feel free to craft
motivational facets uniquely suited to your character
with the help of the Game Master. Whichever route you
choose, you should focus on linking your character’s
archetype or species, career, talents, and background
together with Motivation to create a detailed persona.
For a detailed analysis and further guidance on what
each facet can mean for your character, please refer to
page 46 of the Genesys Core Rule Book.
TABLE 2-3: EXAMPLE DESIRES
D100 Dice roll Result
Ambition: Your character craves power and authority over others. The character may pursue privilege, social
0-10
status, or rank to achieve this goal.

Belonging: Your character seeks to be liked by others and goes out of the way to make a good impression. Your
11-20
character seeks to be accepted by a community or faction.

Expertise: Your character wants to excel in a chosen field or skill. To achieve perfection, your character practices
21-30
constantly.

Fame: Your character seeks the limelight and wants to be famous. They pursue anything that can garner
31-40
attention and praise.

Justice: Your character believes in a set of ethics that demands fair treatment for all. Your character is dedicated
41-50
to righting inequality and protecting others’ rights.

Knowledge: Your character wishes to uncover knowledge that may have been lost, forgotten, or locked away.
51-60
This information could pertain to the world, or it could pertain to your character’s past or origins.

Love: Your character seeks romantic affection and intimacy from another character. Your character might
61-70
already have a true love or may strive to find someone to love and be loved by.

Safety: Your character values peace and comfort above all else. Perhaps they seek shelter, a steady source of food,
71-80
or other material necessities, or they might seek emotional security in a place free from oppression and abuse.

Vengeance: Someone or something wronged your character in the past, and the character has sworn to exact
81-90
revenge against the aggrieving party.

Wealth: Money or material possessions are the prime goal for your character. Your character may be active in
91-100
business, trade, or the tried-and-true method of theft to increase their net worth.

TABLE 2-4: EXAMPLE FEARS

D100 Dice roll Result
Change: Your character finds routine and stability comforting, and fears changes that could upend their day-to-
0-10
day routine.

Commitment: The idea of making promises or being relied on scares your character, who hates the idea that
11-20 someone else is relying on them. This fear of commitment could manifest in relationships, on the job, or among
family.

Death: The fear of death is deep and primal, and it drives a lot of our behaviors. There are a large number of
21-30
ways this could manifest in your character, many of them similar to what you see in real life.

Expression: Your character has some behavior or means of expressing themself privately that they do not want
31-40 the world to know about. The nature of that behavior is up to you. Keep the Overwatch setting in mind when
you come up with it, though.

Failure: Most people dislike failure, but some actively fear it. That fear may drive them to try to become
41-50
absolutely perfect, or it may crush them into inaction. Maybe it does both.

Humiliation: Characters who are especially concerned with how others view them are particularly sensitive
51-60 to potential humiliation. They go out of their way to avoid ever appearing wrong or foolish, even if that means
missing out on exciting opportunities and experiences.

Isolation: Your character fears being isolated from other people and being doomed to live and die alone. Maybe
61-70 this drives them to seek out relationships with anyone and everyone, even when a relationship is unpleasant or
unhealthy.

Nemesis: Your character has a deadly foe, someone they fear (even if they don’t admit it). The nature of this
71-80 enemy is up to you, but we suggest you consult with your GM. After all, your GM surely wants to bring this up
in the game!

Obscurity: Your character wishes to be remembered after they are gone and works tirelessly to secure their
81-90
legacy.

Poverty: For your character, it’s all about wealth and security. They fear being without, and they work hard to
91-100
amass money, supplies, and other valuable items to ensure their status.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 47
TABLE 2-5: EXAMPLE STRENGTHS
D100 Dice roll Result
Adaptable: No matter what life throws at your character, they always rise to the challenge. Your character is
0-10
flexible and can handle nearly every situation, no matter how grim or strange the circumstances.

Analytical: Your character’s mind is like a computer, able to absorb a barrage of information and come to a
11-20 logical conclusion. Your solutions always have the inarguable weight of reason, and you know how to pick your
battles and when to bide your time.

Courageous: Fear has no place in your character’s heart. They laugh at danger and gladly push themself to
confront what others flee from. Note that your character probably still has a Fear Motivation. It’s up to you
21-30
whether that Fear is the one thing that can undo your character’s courage, or if this Strength pushes them to
confront the source of their Fear no matter what.

Curious: Life is a million mysteries, and your character wants to learn about every one. Whether curiosity drives
31-40
them to meet new people, explore distant locales, or learn fantastic new truths and ideas is up to you.

Idealistic: What ideals your character believes in are up to you, but to your character, those ideals are nothing
41-50 short of sacred. Your character may feel that everyone should live up to those same ideals (and may be
disappointed when people don’t), or they may be content to meet the standards they have set for themself.

Independent: When everyone else has failed or fallen, your character knows they can still count on themself.
51-60 Your character may get along with others just fine but makes sure not to rely on others. That way, when things go
wrong, your character is always prepared to deal with the situation and isn’t waiting for someone else to help.

Patient: Your character is always willing to wait and knows the power of being calm. By waiting for the right
61-70 opportunity, your character avoids all manner of unpleasant and dangerous situations. However, when such an
opportunity presents itself, your character acts swiftly and decisively.

Spiritual: It doesn’t matter so much what your character believes in: what’s important is that your character
71-80
believes. Their belief gives them a solid mental bedrock they can always rely on.

Wisdom: Through years of experience and countless events, your character has developed that rare quality:
81-90 wisdom. The wise understand the truths of how their world works. Just as importantly, they know that
sometimes, with the right effort, those truths can be overcome.

Witty: Your character is extremely clever, with the right joke for a friend and the perfect insult for a foe. Some
91-100 may love their company, while others loathe their cutting remarks, but none can deny that your character has the
sharpest tongue around.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

48 OVERWATCH
TABLE 2-6: EXAMPLE FLAWS
D100 Dice roll Result
Anger: Your character lashes out at themself or others with undue cause or with extreme force. They are quick to
0-10
resort to physical force to solve their problems.

Compulsion: This could be addiction, fascination, obsession, or another automatic behavior that is self-
11-20
destructive or otherwise impedes your character’s ability to function and be healthy.

Deception: Your character may be disloyal or a compulsive liar. They are concerned with their own wellbeing
21-30 first and foremost, and they might always present themselves in the best possible light even when that isn’t the
case.

Greed: Your character is never satisfied with what they have, always wanting more. They are willing to flout the
31-40
law or infringe upon others’ rights in order to get what they want.

Laziness: Your character always seeks the path of least resistance and becomes intimidated by difficult or
41-50
complex tasks.

Ignorance: Your character lacks a basic knowledge base or understanding of a society’s norms. This may be due
51-60 to your character’s upbringing or their recent travel to another area of the world. This could be more than just
being “uneducated”; at some level, your character may be willfully ignorant.

Intolerance: For whatever reason, your character harbors some prejudices toward a group of people. These may
61-70 be relatively “minor” biases, or they may give rise to an intense emotion of hatred or revulsion. Whatever form it
takes, remember that intolerance is based more in emotion than rationality.

Pride: Pride does not always have to be a Flaw, but it can easily become one. Your character is arrogant, vain, or
71-80
self-absorbed, or thinks highly of themself at the expense of others.

Recklessness: Your character shows little regard for how their actions may affect themself or others, due either to
81-90
low self-esteem or lack of forethought. They are especially prone to dangerous or inconsiderate actions.

Timid: Your character is extremely risk averse, opting instead to take more thorough or tried-and-true
91-100 approaches. They may take too long to act or may be unable to act at all in the face of new or intimidating
challenges.

Chapter 1: Character Creation

OVERWATCH 49
Step 8: Choose Gear, Appearance, and Personality
B y this point, you should have your character’s back-
ground and Motivations pretty well figured out, and
all your starting attributes determined. The only things
left to do are purchase gear, come up with a physical
appearance, and finalize their personality.
Starting Gear
When building a character, you start with 1,000 units of
currency (in Overwatch, these are referred to as cred-
its) to spend on personal gear. See Chapter 3: Gear and
Equipment, for more on the types of gear your charac-
ter can have.
Your character may keep any money you don’t spend.
In addition, after you’ve finished purchasing starting
gear, roll 1d100 (see page 11 in the Genesys Core
Rulebook). Add the value of the dice roll to any remain-
ing starting funds. This represents “pocket money” that
your character has on hand.
Alternatively, you can select the starting gear and
currency that comes with each career. This can speed
up character creation if you’d like to use this package
instead of selecting separate gear items.
Appearance
A physical description is both one of the least and one
of the most important parts of your character. From a
mechanical perspective, none of our rules depend on
how your character looks. A tiny character can still
have a high Brawn, an ugly character can still have a
high Presence, and so on. However, a physical descrip-
tion is how you and your fellow players are going to
visualize your character throughout the game. Spend-
ing a little time thinking about a physical description
goes a long way toward bringing your character to life.
Inventing your character’s description is a process
that varies wildly depending on the character, the
archetype or species you chose, the way you custom-
ized your character, and the gear you purchased - and
honestly, it’s going to depend more than anything on
you and your mentality. Below is a few things to con-
sider when you invent your character’s appearance:
• What would go on your character’s driver’s
license? Most driver’s licenses ask for things like
height, weight, hair and eye color, and age. These
are good general starting points for a physical
description.
Chapter 1: Character Creation
50 OVERWATCH
• If someone was describing your character, what
would they say? When we describe people, we
often call out a few notable characteristics. “You
remember Jim: he’s the short guy with the long
white beard.” “Sue’s the one with dreadlocks and
green eyes who walks with a limp.” If someone was
describing your character, what would they say
about them?
• What’s one body modification that would fit
your character? Is there a tattoo, dyed hair, nose
piercing, or some other feature your character
might have chosen for themself?
Personality
Just like physical characteristics, your character’s per-
sonality is not something that matters for the rules, but
is going to do a lot toward defining how you play them
during the game. Also like physical descriptions, your
character’s personality depends a lot on you, the set-
ting, and all the character choices you made. However,
two choices define your character’s personality more
than the rest. Those choices are your character’s back-
ground and your character’s Motivation.
Where we come from and what our childhood was
like can do a lot to define our personality traits as
we grow older. First, consider your character’s back-
ground, and then decide how that may have affected
them (or, if it didn’t affect their personality, decide why
that may be the case). Then, consider your character’s
Motivation. After all, what we want to accomplish can
say a lot about how we act while striving for it.
Another way to develop your character’s personal-
ity is to think of one word that you’d use to describe
your character. “Bubbly,” “dour,” “helpful,” “relaxed,”
“driven,” and “sardonic” are all great places for a per-
sonality to start.
And that brings us to our final suggestion. Sometimes
you should start with a base, then let your character’s
personality evolve over time. Sometimes the best char-
acter personalities start with a single descriptor, then
gradually develop over the course of the game from the
choices you make. Don’t be afraid to leave a character
with room to grow and change.
Chapter 1: Character Creation
OVERWATCH 51
Chapter 2
Skills and talents
Skills
T his chapter details all of the skills used in the Over-
watch supplement. Skills represent what your char-
acter excels at doing; the more ranks in a skill, the better
your character performs that skill.
The Overwatch setting introduces some unique
Knowledge skills, which are detailed in this chapter.
For full descriptions of the rest of the skills used in
this setting and when they should be used, consult
your Genesys Core Rule Book.

Chapter 2: SKILLS AND TALENTS

52 OVERWATCH
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 53
TABLE 2-2: SKILLS FOR THE OVERWATCH SETTING
Name Char Type
Athletics Brawn General
Brawl Brawn Combat
Charm Presence Social
Coercion Willpower Social
Computers Intellect General
Cool Presence General
Coordination Agility General
Deception Cunning Social
Discipline Willpower General
Driving Agility General
Gunnery Agility Combat
Knowledge (History) Intellect Knowledge
Knowledge (Science) Intellect Knowledge
Knowledge (Society) Intellect Knowledge
Leadership Presence Social
Mechanics Intellect General
Medicine Intellect General
Melee Brawn Combat
Negotiation Presence Social
Operating Intellect General
Perception Cunning General
Piloting Agility General
Ranged (Heavy) Agility Combat
Ranged (Light) Agility Combat
Resilience Brawn General
Skulduggery Cunning General
Stealth Agility General
Streetwise Cunning General
Survival Cunning General
Vigilance Willpower General

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

54 OVERWATCH
Talents
T alents generally represent specialized techniques
that a character has mastered, typically through
intense practice and study. A character is likely to be
Each tier determines how much a talent costs in
experience points.
• Tier 1: Each talent costs 5 XP.
more successful when engaged in actions for which they
have appropriate skills and talents. • Tier 2: Each talent costs 10 XP.

To get a talent, you spend some of your experience • Tier 3: Each talent costs 15 XP.
points on it. Each talent has an experience point cost • Tier 4: Each talent costs 20 XP.
based on how powerful the talent is. • Tier 5: Each talent costs 25 XP.

TALENT TYPES
There are many different types of talents.
Some are associated with an individual
skill or closely related group of skills.
These tend to be particular knacks that
a character has acquired through
the process of mastering that skill.
In many cases, talents repre-
sent operational shortcuts - cor-
ners an experienced individual
knows can be safely cut or
particularly effective methods
they can follow. Other such
talents are simply natural
abilities that fit in especially
well with the use of that skill.
These could include a certain
mental process, a physical
technique, or a learned pattern.
A number of talents are spe-
cifically associated with con-
flict and fighting. These combat
talents represent techniques that a char-
acter likely learned through practice and
experience.

TALENT TIERS
Some talents are better than others. They
may have more exciting abilities or just
better mechanical boosts for your char-
acter. To balance these talents out and
create an opportunity for characters to
progress toward better abilities, this sys-
tem sets different talents at different tiers.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 55
 When you are buying talents for your character, you
must follow one simple rule. After buying the new tal-
ent, your character must have more talents in the next
lowest tier. So, if your character has two Tier 1 talents,
they can only have a single Tier 2 talent, and can’t have
any Tier 3 talents. But if your character has four Tier 1
talents, they can have three Tier 2 talents, two Tier 3
talents, and a single Tier 4 talent.
TALENT RANKS AND PURCHASING THE SAME
TALENT MULTIPLE TIMEs
Most talents can only be purchased once. However,
some talents are ranked, which means they can be pur-
chased multiple times. These talents have a cumulative
effect: the more of them you purchase, the better they
Talent Descriptions
T he following is a breakdown of each talent. Each
part of a talent entry conveys specific information.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
56 OVERWATCH
become.
However, after you purchase the talent, the talent
now counts as being in the next highest tier for the
next time you want to purchase it. This means the
experience cost goes up (since talents in higher tiers
cost more), and this new version of the talent takes up
one of your more valuable talent slots in the higher tier
(the first version you purchased still takes up its origi-
nal slot).
If a ranked talent is already at Tier 5 (or has reached
Tier 5 after multiple purchases), that talent remains at
Tier 5 for any future purchases. This system is designed
to encourage some difficult choices (do you keep buy-
ing more ranks in a single talent or buy the exclusive,
high-tier talents when you get access to them?), and it
helps ensure that every character feels a bit different.
• Name: Every talent has a name, making it easy for
you to refer to the talent, and hopefully providing
a bit of a colorful description as well!
• Tier: Each talent belongs in one of five tiers, as we
described previously in this section. The higher the
tier, the more XP it costs for your character to pur-
chase the talent.
• Activation: Some talents, once chosen, con-
stantly apply to your character; these are pas-
sive talents. Toughened, which increases
your character’s wound threshold, is one
such talent. Once you buy it, your
character always has a higher
wound threshold. Other tal-
ents are active, which means
you choose when your char-
acter uses the talent. Natural, for
example, lets you reroll one check
in a game session, and you choose
when your character uses it. If a talent
is active, it has additional details in paren-
theses describing how much time and effort
it takes for your character to use the talent
(see page 97 of the Genesys Core Rule Book
for more on actions, maneuvers,
and incidentals). Finally, you can
use most talents only on
your character’s turn,
but some talents can
be used during another
 character’s turn. These talents have the “out of Clever Retort
turn” descriptor.
Tier: 1
• Ranked: Some talents are ranked, which means Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
your character can take them more than once. We Ranked: No
described ranked talents in more detail earlier.
Once per encounter, your character may use this talent
• Rules: These are the rules that describe what the to add automatic hh to another character’s social skill
talent does. check.

Close Combatant
Tier 1 Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Bought Info Ranked: No
Tier: 1 When you purchase this talent, your character gains
Activation: Active (Action) Brawl or Melee (your choice) as a career skill. In addi-
Ranked: No tion, once per session your character may use this tal-
When making any knowledge skill check, your char- ent to remove j from a melee combat check they make.
acter can instead use this talent to spend an amount of
currency equal to fifty times the difficulty of the check
and automatically succeed on the knowledge check
Codebreaker
with one uncanceled s (instead of rolling). At your Tier: 1
GM’s discretion, your character may not be able to use Activation: Passive
Bought Info if the information is particularly sensitive Ranked: Yes
or difficult to find, or buying it doesn’t make narrative Your character removes j per rank of Codebreaker
sense. from their attempts to break codes or decrypt commu-
nications. In addition, your character decreases the dif-
Bullrush ficulty of Computers or Intellect checks made to break
codes or decrypt communications by one (this does
Tier: 1 not increase with additional ranks of Codebreaker).
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character makes a Brawl or Melee combat
Combat Pilot Training
check after using a maneuver to engage a target, you Tier: 1
may spend aaa or t to use this talent to knock the Activation: Passive
target prone and move them up to one range band away Ranked: No
from your character. Your character gains Gunnery and Piloting as career
skills.
Challenge!
Tier: 1 Command
Activation: Active (Maneuver) Tier: 1
Ranked: Yes Activation: Passive
Once per encounter, your character may use this talent Ranked: Yes
to choose a number of adversaries within short range no Your character gains j per rank of Command when
greater than your character’s ranks in Challenge! (a min- making Leadership checks (or other checks to inspire,
ion group counts as a single adversary for this purpose). lead, or rally an audience). Inspired targets also add
Until the encounter ends or your character is incapaci- j per rank to any subsequent Discipline checks they
tated, these adversaries add j to combat checks targeting make over the next twenty-four hours (this does not
your character and jj to combat checks targeting other increase with additional ranks of Command).
characters.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 57
Connnections
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character gains Knowledge (Society) or Nego-
tiation as a career skill. In addition, once per session,
your character may collect a small favor from any other
member of a single faction (chosen when you take this
talent), at your GM's discretion.
Construction Specialist
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character removes j per rank of Construction
Specialist from checks made to construct bases, defense
works, positions, fortiflcations, tunnels, bunkers, and
similar combat engineering projects.
Cunning Persona
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Your character may suffer two strain to make a Charm
check using Cunning instead of Presence.
Deep Pockets
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent to
produce a small but narratively useful item from their
pockets, backpack, or similar receptacle (it turns out
the item had been there the whole time).
Your GM has final say as to what items can be pro-
duced with Deep Pockets, but generally it them should
cost less than 100 credits and have an encumbrance of
0 or 1.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
58 OVERWATCH
Defensive Sysops
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When attempting to defend a computer system against
intrusion (or when someone attempts to hack a com-
puter owned or programmed by your character) your
character adds jj to their opponent’s checks. If your
character has access to the computer system when the
intrusion takes place, they are automatically aware of the
intrusion.
Design Flaw
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
When making a combat check with a personal scale
weapon against an omnic or other mechanical target,
your character adds a equal to their ranks of Design
Flaw.
Desperate Recovery
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Before your character heals strain at the end of an
encounter, if their strain is more than half of their
strain threshold, they heal two additional strain.
Disenfranchised
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When you take this talent, your character gains Street-
wise or Survival (your choice) as a career skill. In addi-
tion, once per session your character may collect a
small but useful piece of information from a member of
a deprived or dispossessed populace (such as a human
vagrant or an oppressed omnic worker). The nature of
the information gained is at your GM's discretion.
Duelist Forager
Tier: 1 Tier: 1
Activation: Passive Activation: Passive
Ranked: No Ranked: No
Your character adds j to their melee combat checks Your character removes up to jj from any skill checks
while engaged with a single opponent. Your character they make to find food, water, or shelter. Checks to for-
adds j to their melee combat checks while engaged age or search the area that your character makes take
with three or more opponents. half the time they would normally.

Durable Grit
Tier: 1 Tier: 1
Activation: Passive Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes Ranked: Yes
Your character reduces any Critical Injury result they Each rank of Grit increases your character’s strain
suffer by 10 per rank of Durable, to a minimum of 01. threshold by one.

Fearsome
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
When an opponent becomes engaged with your char-
acter during a combat encounter, the opponent must
make a fear check (see page 243 of the Genesys Core
Rulebook). The difficulty of the fear check is equal
to your character’s ranks in Fearsome. At the GM’s
discretion, some adversaries may be immune to
this talent.

Finesse
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When making a Brawl or Melee check, your
character may use Agility instead of Brawn.

Former Professor
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When you take this talent, your character gains one
Knowledge skill (of your choice) as a career skill. In
addition, once per session your character may collect
a small favor from a member of an institute of higher
learning, at your GM's discretion.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 59
 Hand on the Throttle
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per round while driving or piloting a vehicle, your
character may use this talent to increase or decrease its
speed by 1, to a minimum of 0 or a maximum of the
vehicle’s max speed.

Hard Headed
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: Yes
If your character is staggered, they may use this talent,
even though a character is normally unable to perform
any actions when they are staggered. Your character
makes a Daunting (kkkk) Resilience check. If they
succeed, they are no longer staggered. The difficulty of
this check decreases by one per additional rank of Hard
Headed, to a minimum of Easy (k).

Jump Up
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per round during your character’s turn, your
character may use this talent to stand from a prone or
seated position as an incidental.

Keen Sense
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character always knows which direction is North
Hamstring Shot regardless of their current location. Your character can
Tier: 1 also always retrace their path to a location they pre-
Activation: Active (Action) viously visited, as long as the physical route has not
Ranked: No changed substantially.
Once per round, your character may use this talent to
perform a ranged combat check against one non-vehi-
cle target within range of the weapon used.
If the check is successful, halve the damage inflicted
by the attack (before reducing damage by the target’s
soak). The target is immobilized until the end of its
next turn.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

60 OVERWATCH
Knack for It a Driving or Piloting check while their vehicles’ current
speed is 3 or higher, they heal one strain for each speed
Tier: 1
above 2.
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
When you purchase this talent for your character, select Net Search
one skill. Your character removes jj from any checks Tier: 1
they make using this skill. Each additional time you pur- Activation: Active (Maneuver)
chase this talent for your character, select two additional Ranked: No
skills. Your character also removes jj from any checks When your character has access to any public cyber
they make using these skills. You cannot select combat network, they can use this talent to upgrade the abil-
skills when choosing skills for this talent. ity of the next Knowledge check they make that turn
twice, and the difficulty of the check once. d means
Knockout Punch that they learn some seemingly relevant and believable
information that turns out to be completely (and possi-
Tier: 1
bly maliciously) false.
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character adds the Stun quality to their Brawl Nobody's Fool
combat checks with a rating equal to two plus your Tier: 1
character’s ranks in Coordination (this does not stack Activation: Passive
with other instances of the Stun quality). Ranked: Yes
The difficulty of any Charm, Coercion, and Deception
Know Somebody checks attempted against the character is upgraded
once for each rank of Nobody's Fool.
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes Omnic Crisis Vet
Once per session, when attempting to purchase a Tier: 1
legally available item, your character may use this tal- Activation: Passive
ent to reduce its rarity by one per rank of Know Some- Ranked: No
body. When you take this talent, your character gains Ranged
(Heavy) or Resilience as a career skill. In addition, once
Let’s Ride per session, your character may collect a small favor
from a current or former member of a single country’s
Tier: 1
military (chosen when you take this talent), at your
Activation: Active (Incidental)
GM's discretion.
Ranked: No
Once per round during your character’s turn, your
character can use this talent to mount or dismount Omnic Expertise
from a vehicle, or move from one position in a vehicle Tier: 1
to another (such as from the cockpit to a gun turret) Activation: Passive
as an incidental. In addition, if your character suffers Ranked: No
a short-range fall (see page 112 of the Genesys Core Your character add s to the results of social skill checks
Rule Book) from a vehicle, they suffer no damage and they make targeting omnics and to modify or reprogram
land on their feet. the same. In addition, when an omnic acting under your
character’s instructions provides assistance, it adds on
Need for Speed additional j to the check.
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When your character spends a to heal strain as part of

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 61
One of Us!
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Select one organization or faction from Chapter 4: The
World of Overwatch (or create a new one with your
GM’s permission). Your character becomes a known and
devout follower of that organization, and adds a per
rank of One of Us! to social skill checks they make tar-
geting its members. If your character is discovered act-
ing in a manner antithetical to the organization’s interest,
though, your GM may instead add h or other penalties
to such checks.
One with Nature
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When in the wilderness, your character may make a
Simple (–) Survival check, instead of Discipline or Cool,
to recover strain at the end of an encounter (see page 117
of the Genesys Core Rule Book).
Outlaw Contact
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When you take this talent, your character gains Melee or
Skulduggery (your choice) as a career skill. In addition,
once per session your character may collect a small favor
from a member of a single criminal group (chosen when
you take this talent), at your GM's discretion.
Painful Blow
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character makes a combat check, you may
voluntarily increase the difficulty by one to use this tal-
ent. If the target suffers one or more wounds from the
combat check, the target suffers 2 strain each time they
perform a maneuver until the end of the encounter. Activation: Active (Incidental)
Parry
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: Yes
When your character suffers a hit from a melee com-
bat check, after damage is calculated but before soak is
applied (so immediately after Step 3 of Perform a Com-
bat check, page 102 of the Genesys Core Rule Book),
your character may suffer 3 strain to use this talent to
reduce the damage of the hit by two plus their ranks in
Parry. This talent can only be used once per hit, and your
character needs to be wielding a Melee weapon.
Precision
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When making a Brawl or Ranged (Light) check, your
character may use Cunning instead of Brawn and Agil-
ity.
Proper Upbringing
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
When your character makes a social skill check in
polite company (as determined by your GM), they may
suffer a number of strain to use this talent to add an
equal number of a to the check. The number may not
exceed your character’s ranks in Proper Upbringing.
Pub Brawler
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character adds a to Brawl checks and combat
checks using improvised weapons.
Public Relations
Tier: 1
Ranked: Yes
After your character makes a Charm check, they may
suffer 1 strain to use this talent to cancel h equal to
your character’s ranks in Public Relations.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

62 OVERWATCH
Quick Draw Resolve
Tier: 1 Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental) Activation: Passive
Ranked: No Ranked: Yes
Once per round on your character’s turn, they may When your character suffers strain, they suffer one
use this talent to draw or holster an easily accessible less strain per rank of Resolve, to a minimum of
weapon or item as an incidental. Quick Draw also one. This does not apply to voluntary strain loss.
reduces a weapon’s Prepare rating by one, to a mini-
mum of one.
Resourceful Mechanic
Tier: 1
Quick Strike Activation: Passive
Tier: 1 Ranked: Yes
Activation: Passive When your character makes a Mechanics check to
Ranked: Yes repair system strain or hull trauma on a vehicle, they
Your character adds j for each rank of Quick Strike to repair one additional system strain or hull trauma per
any combat checks they make against any targets that rank of Resourceful Mechanic.
have not yet taken their turn in the current encounter.
Second Wind
Rapid Reaction Tier: 1
Tier: 1 Activation: Active (Incidental)
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) Ranked: Yes
Ranked: Yes Once per encounter, your character may use this talent to
Your character may suffer a number of strain to use this heal an amount of strain equal to their ranks in Second
talent to add an equal number of s to a Vigilance or Cool Wind.
check they make to determine Initiative order. The number
may not exceed your character’s ranks in Rapid Reaction.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 63
 Chapter 2: Skills and talents
64 OVERWATCH
Shield Slam Surgeon
Tier: 1 Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental) Activation: Passive
Ranked: No Ranked: Yes
When your character uses a shield to attack a minion When your character makes a Medicine check to heal
or rival, you may spend aaaa or t to stagger the wounds, the target heals one additional wound per
target until the end of the target’s next turn. rank of Surgeon.

Silent Communication Swift

Tier: 1 Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental) Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes Ranked: No
Your character can soundlessly communicate messages Your character does not suffer the penalties for moving
to allies within short range. Allies cannot reply in turn through difficult terrain (they move through difficult ter-
(unless they also possess this talent). The complexity rain at normal speed without spending additional maneu-
and length of a message may be limited by your GM vers).
during structured gameplay, as it is with spoken com-
munication, or based on the current situation of envi-
ronmental conditions.
Talk Shop
Tier: 1
Increase the range of this talent by one range band Activation: Active (Incidental)
for each additional rank of Silent Communication. This Ranked: No
talent may be accomplished through thought-sending,
pheromones, gravimetric pulses, strobing lights, or Your character may use this talent when making a
some other method that your character has established Charm check targeting an engineer, mechanic, sci-
as a way for their allies to understand them. entist, or similar individual to count their ranks of
Charm as equal to their ranks in Knowledge (Science)
or Mechanics.
Street Fighter
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Technical Aptitude
Ranked: No Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
When your character disorients or knocks their target Ranked: Yes
prone when making a Brawl combat check, they may
use this talent to cause the target to suffer wounds For each rank, your character reduces the amount of
equal to your character’s ranks in Skulduggery. time needed to complete computer-related tasks by
25%.

Street Habits
Tier: 1
Torment
Activation: Passive Tier: 1
Ranked: No Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When you purchase this talent, your character gains
Streetwise or Stealth (your choice) as a career skill. If their target is disoriented, staggered, or prone, your
character may add j to social skill checks they make to
In addition, once per session while in an urban inflict strain and combat checks.
environment (usually when they aren’t being watched
closely), your character may freely acquire one small
useful item that was not previously documented. The
GM has final say as to what items can be acquired with
Street Habits, but in general the item should cost fewer
than 100 credits and have an encumbrance of 0 or 1.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 65
Toughened
Tier: 1
Tier 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Anthem
Tier: 2
Each rank of Toughened increases your character’s Activation: Active (Maneuver)
wound threshold by two. Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent and a musical instru-
Tumble ment to begin or continue playing an inspiring anthem.
Tier: 1 While your character is playing the anthem, allies within
Activation: Active (Incidental) short range who can hear it add j to checks they make.
Ranked: No The anthem and its effects end immediately if your char-
Once per round on your character’s turn, they may suf- acter does not use this talent during their turn. Once the
fer 2 strain to disengage from all engaged adversaries. anthem has ended, your character cannot use the talent
again for the rest of the encounter.

Unremarkable
Bad Cop
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive Tier: 2
Ranked: No Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
Other characters add f to any checks made to find or
identify your character in a crowd. Your character may spend aa from a Coercion or
Deception check to use this talent to upgrade the ability
of a single ally’s subsequent social skill check a number
Way of the Blade of times equal to your character’s ranks in Bad Cop. The
Tier: 1 check must target the same character as your character’s
Activation: Passive initial check, and it must take place during the same
Ranked: No encounter.
The first time during an encounter that your character Only one character may affect a check with this tal-
draws a Melee weapon, increase the weapon’s damage ent.
by 2 for the remainder of the turn.
Basic Military Training
Well Organized Tier: 2
Tier: 1 Activation: Passive
Activation: Passive Ranked: No
Ranked: Yes Athletics, Ranged (Heavy), and Resilience are now
Your character increase their encumbrance threshold career skills for your character.
by two per rank of Well Organized.
Berserk
Years on the Force Tier: 2
Tier: 1 Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Activation: Passive Ranked: No
Ranked: No Once per encounter, your character may use this tal-
When you take this talent, your character gains Percep- ent. Until the end of the encounter or until they are
tion or Ranged (Light) as a career skill. In addition, once incapacitated, your character adds saa to all melee
per session your character may collect a small favor from combat checks they make. However, opponents add s
a current or former member of a single location’s law to all combat checks targeting your character. While
enforcement (chosen when you take this talent), at berserk, your character cannot make ranged combat
your GM's discretion. checks. At the end of the encounter (or when they are
incapacitated), your character suffers 6 strain.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

66 OVERWATCH
Big Guns quality. If they weapon already has Knockdown, your
may activate the quality without spending a.
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No Brace
Your character’s encumbrance threshold is 10 plus their Tier: 2
Brawn, instead of 5 plus their Brawn. Your character Activation: Active (Maneuver)
reduces the Cumbersome rating of any weapon they Ranked: Yes
carry by 1, to a minimum of 3. As a maneuver, the character may Brace themself. This
allows a character to remove j per rank of Brace from
Block the next skill check based on changing conditions,
inclement weather, unstable surfaces, zero gravity,
Tier: 2
heavy gravity, or other disruptive physical obstacles
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
that would make a skill check more difficult..
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Parry talent to
benefit from this talent. While wielding a shield, your Bulwark
character may use the Parry talent to reduce damage Tier: 2
from ranged attacks as well as melee attacks targeting Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
your character. Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Parry talent to
Bowl Over benefit from this talent. While wielding a weapon with
the Defensive quality, your character may use Parry to
Tier: 2
reduce the damage of an attack targeting an engaged
Activation: Passive
ally.
Ranked: No
When your character makes a melee attack after engag-
ing a target, your weapon gains the Knockdown item

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 67
 Combat Medicine
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
Before making a Medicine check, your character
may use this talent to add s equal to their ranks
in Combat Medicine to the results. After the
check is resolved, the target suffers 2 strain
for each rank your character has in Combat
Medicine.

Confidence
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character may decrease the difficulty of
any Discipline check to avoid the effects of fear
by one per rank of Confidence. If they decrease
the difficulty to zero, they do not have to make
a Discipline check.

Coordinated Assault
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: Yes
Once per turn, your character may use this
talent to have a number of allies engaged
with your character equal to your ranks
in Leadership add a to all combat checks
they make until the end of your character’s
next turn. The range of this talent increases by
one band per rank of Coordinated Assault
beyond the first.

Contraption
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per game session, your character can take
a Contraption action. With a successful Hard
(kkk) Mechanics check, your character can
fashion a device to solve a current problem
using the tools and parts on hand. This
device must be approved by the GM and
functions for the duration of the current
encounter only. Those tools are destroyed
in the process. t may be spent to allow the
tools to be recovered to be reused later.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

68 OVERWATCH
Counteroffer
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent
to choose one non-nemesis adversary within medium
range and make an opposed Negotiation versus Dis-
cipline check. If successful, the target becomes stag-
gered until the end of their next turn. At your GM’s
discretion, you may spend t on this check to have the
adversary become an ally until the end of the encoun-
ter. However, the duration of this may be shortened or
extended depending on whether your GM feels your
offer is appealing to the adversary and whether your
character follows through on their offer! You may spend a Story Point to use this talent to have
Daring Aviator
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
Before your character makes a Driving or Piloting
check, they may add a number of h to the results to
use this talent to add an equal number of s. The num-
ber may not exceed your character’s ranks in Daring
Aviator. After your character inflicts a Critical Injury on an
Debilitating Shot
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Upon making a successful attack with a vehicle
weapon, your character may spend aa to reduce the
maximum speed of the target by 1 (to a minimum of
1) until the end of the next round. If the vehicle was
traveling its maximum speed, it has its current speed
reduced to the new maximum.
Defensive Stance
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: Yes
Once per round, your character may suffer a number of
strain no greater than their ranks in Defensive Stance
to use this talent. Then, until the end of your charac-
ter’s next turn, upgrade the difficulty of all melee com-
bat checks targeting your character a number of times
equal to the strain suffered.
Defensive Sysops (Improved)
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Defensive Sys-
ops talent to benefit from this talent. Before adding jj
from Defensive Sysops to a check, use this talent to add
fh to the results of the check instead.
Determined Driver
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
your character heal system strain on a vehicle they are
currently driving, piloting, or operating equal to their
ranks in Driving, Piloting, or Operating (choose the
skill used to direct the vehicle).
Dirty Tricks
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
adversary, they may use this talent to upgrade the diffi-
culty of that adversary’s next check.
Distraction!
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent to make an Aver-
age (kk) Coordination, Deception, or Skulduggery
check. For each s the check generates, one adversary
of your choice within short range becomes disoriented.
Your character may spend a from the check to inflict
1 strain on an affected adversary and may spend t
from the check to stagger a minion or rival within short
range.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 69
Dual Wielder
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: No
Once per round, your character may use this talent to
decrease the difficulty of the next combined combat
check (see Two-Weapon Combat, on page 108 of the
Genesys Core Rule Book) they make during the same
turn by one. check. If your character does, the weapon runs out of
Encouraging Song
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
While equipped with a musical instrument, your charac-
ter may use this talent to make an Average (kk) Charm
check. For each s the check generates, one ally within
medium range adds j to their next skill check. For each a,
one ally benefiting from Encouraging Song heals 1 strain.
Exploit
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
When your character makes a combat check with a
Ranged or Melee weapon, they may suffer 2 strain to
use this talent to add the Ensnare quality to the attack.
The rating of the Ensnare quality is equal to your char-
acter’s ranks in Exploit.
Fan the Hammer
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter before making a combat check with
a pistol (your GM has the final say on whether a weapon
is a pistol or not), your character may use this talent to
add the Auto-fire quality to the pistol when resolving the
ammo exactly as with an Out of Ammo result (see page
104 of the Genesys Core Rule Book).
Fancy Paint Job
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Signature
Vehicle talent to benefit from this talent. Your char-
acter can upgrade the ability of all of their Charm,
Deception and Negotiation checks made in the pres-
ence of their Signature Vehicle once.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

70 OVERWATCH
Favored Opponent
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When you purchase this talent for your character, select
one of the following target types: Organic, Mechanical
or Energy. Your character counts the Critical rating of
their weapon as one lower to a minimum of 1 when
making an attack targeting an adversary who falls into
that category (as determined by the GM). character augmented or amplified their instrument.
Goes to Eleven
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character increases the range of their musi-
cal talents by one range band per rank of Goes to
Eleven. A musical talent is any talent that requires
your character to “use a musical instrument” to acti-
vate it. Narratively, you should explain how your

Flash of Insight Good Cop

Tier: 2 Tier: 2
Activation: Passive Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No Ranked: Yes
When your character generates t on a knowledge Your character may spend aa from a Charm or Nego-
skill check, roll jj and add the results to the check, in tiation check to use this talent to upgrade the ability of
addition to spending the t as usual. a single ally’s subsequent social skill check a number of
times equal to your character’s ranks in Good Cop. The
check must target the same character as your character’s
initial check, and it must take place during the same
encounter.
Only one character may affect a check with this tal-
ent.

Grapple
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Your character may suffer 2 strain to use this talent.
Until the start of your character’s next turn, ene-
mies must spend two maneuvers to disen-
gage from your character.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 71
Haughty Demeanor Hunter's Arts
Tier: 2 Tier: 2
Activation: Passive Activation: Passive
Ranked: No Ranked: No
Other characters add h to social skill checks target- Knowledge (Society), Ranged (Heavy), and Survival
ing your character. are now career skills for your character.

Heightened Awareness Impaling Strike

Tier: 2 Tier: 2
Activation: Passive Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No Ranked: No
Allies within short range of your character add j to When your character inflicts a Critical Injury with a
their Perception and Vigilance checks. Allies engaged melee weapon, until the end of the target’s next turn
with your character add jj instead. they may use this talent to immobilize the target (in
addition to the other effects of the Critical Injury).
Heroic Recovery
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character acquires this talent, choose one
characteristic. Once per encounter, you may spend one
Story Point to use this talent to have your character heal
strain equal to the rating of the chosen characteristic.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

72 OVERWATCH
Implacable
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
When another character targets your character with
a social skill check, your character reduces any strain
they suffer as a result of that check by 1 per rank of
Implacable. Your character’s ranks in Implacable can-
not exceed their Presence. added.
Inspiring Rhetoric
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent to make an Average
(kk) Leadership check. For each s the check gener-
ates, one ally within short range heals one strain. For
each a, one ally benefiting from Inspiring Rhetoric
heals one additional strain. tunity to “find” this money.
Inventor
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
When your character makes a check to construct new
items or modify existing ones, use this talent to add a
number of j to the check equal to ranks of Inventor.
In addition, your character may attempt to reconstruct
devices that they have heard described but have not
seen and do not have any kinds of plans or schematics
for.
Jetpack Expertise
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character gains automatic sa on Piloting
checks they make when using a jetpack (or other per-
sonal scale propulsion device, at your GM's discretion)
they are equipped with.
Know-it-All
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Before making a Knowledge skill check, your character
may use this talent to add a number of j no greater
than their Intellect. PCs and nemesis-level allies wit-
nessing the check suffer strain equal to the number j
Loot First
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent to
spend any number of a from a check they make to
gain 100 credits for each a spent this way. You must
explain how the check gave your character the oppor-
Lucky Strike
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character purchases this talent, choose one
characteristic. After your character makes a success-
ful combat check, you may spend one Story Point to
use this talent to add damage equal to your character’s
ranks in that characteristic to one hit of the combat
check.
Martial Grace
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per round, your character may suffer 2 strain to
add additional damage equal to ranks in Coordination
to one hit of a successful Brawl combat check.
Multiple Opponents
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character adds j to their Brawl or Melee combat
checks when engaged with multiple opponents. This
includes single groups of multiple minions.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 73
Omnic Killer
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
Before rolling a combat check that targets an omnic
(including an omnic vehicle or a vehicle piloted by an
omnic), your character may remove j up to their ranks
in Omnic Killer from the pool, and add an equal num- Powerful Blast
ber of s or a (in any combination) to the results. Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Parkour! Ranked: Yes
Tier: 2 Your character increases the Blast quality damage
Activation: Active (Maneuver) dealt by explosives, explosive weapons, and gre-
Ranked: No nades they use by 1 per rank of Powerful Blast.
Once per round, your character may suffer 1 strain to
use this talent and move to any location within Short Probing Question
range. Tier: 2
This includes locations that are vertically distant or Activation: Passive
have no easy access route, but there must be an object Ranked: No
to move across or path to move along. Your GM may If your character knows an opponent’s Flaw or Fear
rule some locations cannot be reached (such as ones motivation, when your character inflicts strain on
behind locked doors or walls). that opponent using a social skill, the opponent
suffers 3 additional strain.
Patch Up
Tier: 2 Pyromania
Activation: Active (Incidental) Tier: 2
Ranked: No Activation: Passive
When your character fails a check made to heal wounds, Ranked: No
they may instead heal a number of wounds equal to When your character makes a combat check using
their Intellect. Once before the end of the session, d a weapon with the Burn item quality, the attack
may be spent from a check the healed character makes inflicts additional damage equal to the weapon’s
to have them suffer a number of wounds equal to your Burn rating.
character’s Intellect. Your character may only use this
talent on a particular target once per game session. (This does not increase the weapon’s base dam-
age).

Point Blank
Tier: 2
Quick Fix
Activation: Passive Tier: 2
Ranked: Yes Activation: Active (Manuever)
Ranked: No
Your character adds 1 damage per rank of Point
Blank to one hit of their successful Ranged (Heavy) You may spend a Story Point to allow your charac-
or Ranged (Light) attacks made while at short range ter to use this talent to temporarily repair one dam-
or engaged. aged item they are engaged with. For a number of
rounds equal to your character’s ranks in Mechanics,
the item may be used without penalty (see page 89
of the Genesys Core Rulebook), even if it is unus-
able. When the effect ends, the item is damaged one
additional step; if it was already suffering from major
damage, it is destroyed and cannot be repaired.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

74 OVERWATCH
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 75
Reckless Charge Scathing Tirade
Tier: 2 Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental) Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No Ranked: No
After using a maneuver to move engage an adversary, Your character may use this talent to make an Average
your character may suffer 2 strain to use this talent. They (kk) Coercion check. For each s the check gener-
then add sshh to the results of the next Brawl or ates, one enemy within short range suffers 1 strain. For
Melee combat check they make this turn. each a, one enemy affected by Scathing Tirade suffers
1 additional strain.

Selective Detonation
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
When using weapons with the Blast quality or explo-
sive devices, your character may spend a to exclude
one target that would normally be affected by the
explosion. Multiple targets may be excluded in this
manner, but the total number may not exceed their
ranks in Selective Detonation. Your character may
also spend t to exclude multiple targets, as
long as the total number of targets excluded
does not exceed their ranks in Selective Det-
onation.

Sharp Tongue
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character reduces the num-
ber of a they must spend to
inflict a critical remark in a social
encounter by their ranks in Sharp
Tongue, to a minimum of one a.
(See page 123 of the Genesys Core
Rulebook.)

Side Step
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: Yes
Once per round, your character may suffer a
number of strain no greater than their ranks in Side
Step to use this talent. Until the end of your character’s
next turn, upgrade the difficulty of all ranged combat
checks targeting your character a number of times equal
to the strain suffered.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

76 OVERWATCH
Signature Vehicle
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When you purchase this talent, your character chooses
one vehicle with a silhouette of 3 or lower that they own.
This vehicle is your character's "Signature Vehicle". They
upgrade the ability of all Mechanics checks made to
work on the vehicle once. If the vehicle is ever lost or
destroyed, your character may apply Signature Vehicle to
a new vehicle that meets the requirements. The process
of modifying and acclimating to the new vehicle may
take some time at the GM's discretion. No two charac-
ters can have the same vehicle as their Signature Vehicle.
Soft Spot
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
After making a successful attack with a non-vehicle
weapon, your character may spend one Story Point to
add damage equal to their Cunning to one hit of the suc-
cessful attack.
Spare Clip
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
The character does not run out of ammo on a d. Items
with Limited Ammo quality run out of ammo as normal.
Special Use Permit
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character does not treat any Ranged (Heavy)
weapons as restricted (R).
This also means your character can carry a Ranged
(Heavy) weapon that normally would be restricted in
public without being arrested. However, they can still
be arrested for using such a weapon in an unlawful
manner.
Sucker Punch
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent to spend t from
a check they make to determine Initiative to make a
Brawl combat check against a valid target before the
first round of combat begins. If this combat check is
successful, your character may activate the Disorient
item quality without spending a.
Tactical Advance
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
While in cover, your character may suffer 2 strain to
perform the Tactical Advance incidental. Until the end
of your character's next turn, your character and allies
within short range may move out of cover and continue
to receive its benefits.
Tactical Focus
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When performing a combat check with a Ranged
(Heavy) weapon, if your character did not perform a
maneuver to ready or stow a weapon or item during
this turn, they add a to the results.
Tanks a Lot
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When your character performs a combat check using
a vehicle weapon, treat the silhouette of your target as
one higher for purposes of determining the check’s
difficulty. In addition, your character can make Gun-
nery checks while they are engaged with an opponent;
increase the difficulty by two, as if your character were
using a two-handed ranged weapon.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 77
Threaten
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: Yes
After an adversary within short range of your charac-
ter resolves a combat check that deals damage to one
of your character’s allies, your character may suffer 3
strain to use this talent to inflict a number of strain on
the adversary equal to your character’s ranks in Coer-
cion. The range of this talent increases by one band per
rank of Threaten beyond the first. Tier: 2
Tickets to the Gun Show
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When making a Coercion check, your character may
use this talent to use Brawn instead of Willpower.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
78 OVERWATCH
Two-Handed Stance
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When performing a combat check with a Ranged
(Light) weapon, if your character has nothing in their
other hand, they add a to the results.
Urban Contacts
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per session, you may spend one Story Point to
use this talent to let your character learn if a character
of your choice is in the same city as you, and if so, what
district. At your GM’s discretion, the information may
take up to an hour to come back to your character.
Wallcrawler
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character can move across vertical surfaces as eas-
ily as horizontal surfaces. In addition, when your char-
acter attempts to reduce the damage taken from falling,
reduce the difficulty of the Athletics or Coordination
check by one.

Well-Travelled
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Knowledge (History), Negotiation, and Vigilance are
now career skills for your character.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 79
Tier 3
Animal Companion
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character creates a bond with a single animal
approved by your GM. This animal must be silhouette
0 (no larger than a mid-sized dog). The bond persists as
long as your character chooses, although at your GM’s
discretion, the bond may also be broken due to abusive
treatment or other extenuating circumstances.
As long as the bond persists, the animal follows your
character, and you dictate the animal’s overall behav-
ior (although, since the animal is only bonded with the
character, not dominated, it may still perform incon-
venient actions such as scratching furniture, consum-
ing rations, and marking territory). Once per round
in structured encounters, your character may spend
one maneuver to direct their animal in performing
one action and one maneuver during your character’s
turn. The animal must be within hearing and visual
range of your character (generally medium range) to
do this. Otherwise, the animal does not contribute to
the encounter. The specifics of its behavior are up to
you and your GM.
For every additional rank of Animal Companion
your character has, increase the allowed silhouette of
the companion by one (this may mean your character
gets a new companion, or their companion grows in
size). This talent can also change in flavor depending on
the nature of your game setting. While an animal com-
panion may make sense in many settings, in a futuristic
setting like Overwatch it may make more sense for the
“animal” to be a robot or drone, for example.
Anthem (Improved)
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Anthem talent to
benefit from this talent. While your character is playing
their anthem, enemies within range of its effect who can
hear it add j to their check ally. Ranked: No
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
80 OVERWATCH
Applied Research
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
Your character may use this talent before making a
check to use any knowledge skill and Intellect instead
of the skill and characteristic the check would normally
require. Your character may use this talent a number
of times per session equal to their ranks in Applied
Research.
When your character uses this talent, you should
explain how their mastery of knowledge lets them
accomplish this task. In addition, your GM may rule
that a particular knowledge skill makes the most sense
in a given situation, and require your character to use
that specific knowledge skill.
Assault Drop
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per session while piloting a vehicle, the charac-
ter may perform the Assault Drop incidental. All pas-
sengers aboard or allies engaged with the vehicle may
immediately disembark or embark as an out-of-turn
incidental.
Backstab
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent to attack an unaware
adversary using a one-handed Melee weapon. A Backstab
is a melee attack, and follows the normal rules for per-
forming a combat check (see page 101 of the Genesys
Core Rulebook), using the character’s Skulduggery skill
instead of Melee. If the check succeeds, each uncanceled
s adds +2 damage (instead of the normal +1).
Bad Habit
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Your character may use this talent to become disori-
ented for the remainder of the encounter. At the begin-
ning of each of your character’s turns, if they are still
disoriented due to this talent, they heal 2 strain.
Barrel Roll
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Your character can only use this talent while piloting a
flying vehicle of Silhouette 3 or less. When your vehicle
suffers a hit from a ranged combat check, after damage
is calculated but before armor is applied, your charac-
ter may have their vehicle suffer 3 system strain to use
this talent. Then, reduce the damage suffered by a num-
ber equal to their ranks in Piloting.
Bloodhound
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character makes a check to follow another
character’s trail (whether their physical tracks or a trail
of information), you may use this talent to add s no
greater than your character’s ranks in Streetwise or
Survival, as appropriate for the environment, to the
check results.
Body Guard
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: Yes
Once per round, your character may suffer a number of
strain no greater than their ranks in Body Guard to use
this talent. Choose one ally engaged with your charac-
ter; until the end of your character’s next turn, upgrade
the difficulty of all combat checks targeting that ally a
number of times equal to the strain suffered.
Bolstered Armor
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character must have purchased the Signature
Vehicle talent to benefit from this talent. Your character
increases the armor value of their Signature Vehicle
by 1 per rank of Bolstered Armor.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 81
Bullseye!
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character inflicts a Critical Injury with a
severity of Average (kk) or higher, or incapacitates
a target with their attack, they may use this talent to
inflict 3 strain on all characters within short range of
the target.
Contingency Plan
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per session, after you spend a Story Point as part
of a check your character makes, if that check was
unsuccessful then you may use this talent to move a
Story Point from the GM pool to the player pool.
Counterattack
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Improved Parry
talent to benefit from this talent. When your character
uses the Improved Parry talent to hit an attacker, they
may also activate an item quality of the weapon they
used as if they had generated aa on a combat check
using that weapon.

Daredevil
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When your character generates d on an Athletics,
Coordination or Piloting check, roll l and add the
results to the check, in additional to the d being
spent as normal.

Dissonance
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
While wielding a musical instrument, your char-
acter may use this talent to make an Average (kk)
Charm check. For each s the check gener-
ates, one enemy of the player’s choosing within
medium range suffers 1 wound. For each a, one
enemy affected by Dissonance suffers 1 addi-
tional wound.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

82 OVERWATCH
Distinctive Style
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When making a Computers check to hack a system or
break into a secured network, before rolling, your char-
acter may use this talent to add sshh to the results.
If you are using the optional hacking rules and your
check generates hh, your GM should spend it on the
I Know You! option in Table III.2-22 on page 234 of the
Genesys Core Rulebook.
Dodge
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: Yes
When your character is targeted by a combat check
(ranged or melee), they may suffer a number of strain
no greater than their ranks in Dodge to use this talent.
Then, upgrade the difficulty of the combat check tar-
geting your character a number of times equal to the
strain suffered.
Dramatic Entrance
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may spend a Story
Point to use this talent to enter a scene or encounter
they are not currently participating in at an opportune
time, no matter how unlikely their arrival. If the scene
is a combat encounter or otherwise uses Initiative
order, your character adds a new PC Initiative slot at
the top of the Initiative order.
Dual Strike
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When resolving a combined check to attack with two
weapons in a melee combat, your character may suf-
fer 2 strain to use this talent to hit with the secondary
weapon (instead of spending aa). Ranked: No
Dumb Luck
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per session, you may spend a Story Point to use
this talent after your character suffers a Critical Injury
but before the result is rolled. Their opponent must roll
two results, and you select which applies to your char-
acter.
Eagle Eyes
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter before making a ranged combat
check, you may use this talent to increase your weapon’s
range by one range band (to a maximum of extreme
range). This lasts for the duration of the combat check.
Easy Prey
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: No
Your character may suffer 3 strain to use this talent.
Until the start of your character’s next turn, your char-
acter and allies within short range add jj to combat
checks against immobilized targets.
Elusive
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
When another character makes a check to folow your
character’s trail (whether physical tracks or a trail of
information), your character may use this talent to add
f no greater than their ranks in Streetwise or Survival,
as appropriate to the environment, to the check results.
Fall Back!
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
While engaged with an opponent, your character may
suffer a number of strain up to their ranks in Leader-
ship to allow an equal number of allies to immediately
disengage from that opponent as an out-of-turn inci-
dental.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 83
Field Commander
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent to make an Aver-
age (kk) Leadership check. If successful, a number of
allies equal to your character’s Presence may immedi-
ately suffer 1 strain to perform one maneuver (out of
turn). If there are any questions as to which allies take
their maneuvers first, your character is the final arbi-
ter.
Forgot to Count?
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
When an opponent makes a ranged combat check,
you can spend hh from that check to use this talent
to cause their weapon to run out of ammo (see page
104 of the Genesys Core Rule Book), as long as the
weapon can normally run out of ammunition.
Formation Tactics
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character may take the Formation Tactics action
by making a Hard (kkk) Leadership check. If suc-
cessful, they may choose a number of allies within short
range equal to s generated. The difficulty of attacks
against these allies is upgraded once until the end of
their next round. The effects of this action do not stack.
Full Throttle
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
While driving or flying, your character may use this tal-
ent to make a Hard (kkk) Piloting or Driving check.
If successful, the top speed of the vehicle increases by
one (to a maximum of 5) for a number of rounds equal
to your character’s Cunning. The specifics of this tal-
ent require the optional vehicle rules, on page 220 of
the Genesys Core Rule Book. If your game does not
use these rules, this talent simply makes the vehicle go
much faster than normal, with the specifics up to your
GM.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
84 OVERWATCH
Grenadier
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character makes a ranged combat check
with a weapon that has the Blast item quality, you may
spend one Story Point to use this talent to trigger the
weapon’s Blast quality, instead of spending a (even if
the attack misses). In addition, your character treats
grenades as having a range of medium.
Guns Blazing
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When making a combined combat check with two
Ranged (Light) weapons, your character may suffer 2
strain in order to refrain from increasing the difficulty
of the check for attacking with two weapons.
Hard Boiled
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character makes a check to recover strain at
the end of an encounter (as describe on page 117 of the
Genesys Core Rulebook), your character may make
a Simple (-) Resilience check instead of Discipline or
Cool. If your character does so, they heal 1 strain per
s and 1 wound per a.
Hard Headed (Improved)
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Hard Headed
talent to benefit from this talent. Your character may use
the Hard Headed talent to recover from being incapac-
itated due to exceeding their strain threshold. On their
next turn after having become incapacitated, they may
make a Formidable (kkkkk) Resilience check, even
though an incapacitated character is normally unable
to perform actions. If they succeed, they decrease their
strain to one less than their strain threshold. The diffi-
culty of this check decreases by one per additional rank
of Hard Headed, to a minimum of Easy (k).
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 85
Heroic Will Inspiring Cry
Tier: 3 Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No Ranked: No
When you purchase this talent for your character, Once per encounter, your character may use this talent
choose two characteristics. You may spend a Story to allow allies within medium range to reroll any num-
Point to use this talent to have your character ignore ber of j when they make a check until the end of the
the effects of all Critical Injuries on any skill checks following round.
using those two characteristics until the end of the cur-
rent encounter. (Your character still suffers the Critical
Injuries; they just ignore the effects. See page 114 of the
Inspiring Rhetoric (Improved)
Genesys Core Rule Book.) Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Hold it Steady
Your character must have purchased the Inspiring Rhet-
Tier: 3 oric talent to benefit from this talent. Allies affected by
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) your character’s Inspiring Rhetoric add j to all skill
Ranked: No checks they make for a number of rounds equal to your
Before performing a combat check using a weapon character’s ranks in Leadership.
with the Auto-fire quality, your character may use this
talent to use the Auto-fire quality without increasing
the difficulty of the combat check. If they do so, each
Laugh it Off
time they trigger an additional hit during the attack, Tier: 3
they suffer 2 strain. Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No

Honor and Justice! When your character is targeted by a social check

that they may use this talent to spend hhh or d to
Tier: 3 reduce any strain the check inflicts by a number equal
Activation: Active (Incidental) to their ranks in Charm. If they do, the character who
Ranked: No targeted them suffers an amount of strain equal to the
Once per round on your character’s turn, your character amount of strain reduced.
may suffer 3 strain to use this talent to add damage equal
to their ranks in Discipline to one hit of a successful melee
attack.
Lethal Blows
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Improvised Defenses Ranked: Yes
Tier: 3 Your character adds +10 per rank of Lethal Blows to
Activation: Active (Action) any Critical Injury rolls inflicted on opponents.
Ranked: No
Your character may attempt an Average (kk) Survival
check to fashion small defenses using scavenged materials.
If the check is successful, the structure can provide cover for
up to 4 characters (see page 110 of the Genesys Core Rule
Book) for the rest of the encounter. Your character may
spend aa or t from the check to increase the ranged
defense the structure provides to 2.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

86 OVERWATCH
Martial Weapons Master
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
While armed with a Melee weapon, your
character may use this talent to make an
Average (kk) Melee check. If successful,
your character may force one engaged
target to either drop one weapon they
are holding or move one range band
in a direction of your choosing.
If your character forces a named
rival or nemesis into dangerous ter-
rain (or off a ledge or cliff) using this
talent, your GM can spend a Story
Point to allow them to catch themselves at
the edge and fall prone instead.

Natural
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character purchases this talent,
choose two skills. Once per session, your
character may use this talent to reroll one
skill check that uses one of those two
skills.

Nimble
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
At the start of your character’s turn,
you may spend one Story Point to use
this talent to allow your character to perform
a move maneuver as an incidental. (This does not
count against the limit of two maneuvers per turn.) If
you use this talent, your character can only perform
one additional move maneuver during this turn.

Overstocked Ammo Painkiller Specialization

Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character must have purchased the Signature
Vehicle talent to benefit from this talent. Your charac-
ter increases the value of the Limited Ammo quality
of any weapons mounted on his Signature Vehicle by
1 per rank of Overstocked Ammo.
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
When your character uses painkillers (or an equivalent
item in the Overwatch setting), the target heals one addi-
tional wound per rank of Painkiller Specialization. The
sixth painkiller and beyond each day still has no effect.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 87
Parry (Improved)
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Parry talent
to benefit from this talent. When your character suf-
fers a hit from a melee combat check and uses Parry
to reduce the damage from that hit, after the attack
is resolved, you may spend d or hhh from the
attacker’s check to use this talent. Then, your charac-
ter automatically hits the attacker once with a Brawl
or Melee weapon your character is wielding. The hit
deals the weapon’s base damage, plus any damage
from applicable talents or abilities. Your character
can’t use this talent if the original attack incapacitates
them.
Power Chord
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character may use this talent and a musical
instrument to make an Average (kk) Charm check.
For each s the check generates, all allies within short
range heal 1 strain.
Precise Shot
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When making a Ranged combat check targeting a
character engaged with one of your character’s allies,
downgrade the difficulty of the check once (thus negat-
ing the penalty for shooting at engaged targets).
Pressure Point
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character makes an unarmed Brawl check
targeting a living opponent, they may use this talent to
deal strain damage instead of wound damage, and inflict
additional strain damage equal to their ranks in Medi-
cine.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

88 OVERWATCH
Rapid Archery
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: No
While your character is armed with a bow (or similar
weapon, at your GM’s discretion) they may suffer 2
strain to use this talent. During the next ranged com-
bat check your character makes this turn, the bow gains
the Linked quality with a value equal to their ranks in
the Ranged (Heavy) skill. Activation: Active (Action)
Scathing Tirade (Improved)
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Scathing Tirade
talent to benefit from this talent. Enemies affected
by your character’s Scathing Tirade add j to all skill
checks they make for a number of rounds equal to your
character’s ranks in Coercion.
Shameless
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When your character fails a social skill check to inflict
strain during a social encounter, they do not suffer 2
strain (as describe on page 123 of the Genesys Core
Rulebook). combat checks they make once until the end of your
Shockwave
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character treats two-handed Melee weapons as
possessing the Blast item quality with a rating equal to
your character’s ranks in Melee. Your character does
not suffer damage from their weapon’s Blast quality
(but allies do!). Tier: 3
Sixth Sense
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character gains +1 ranged defense.
Snare
Tier: 3
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent
to make a Hard (kkk) Computers check. If they suc-
ceed, once before the end of the encounter, you may
spend a Story Point to force one character utilizing
electronic or cybernetic equipment (omnics count as
this by default) in the encounter to make a Daunting
(kkkk) Vigilance check as an incidental. If they fail,
they are staggered until the end of their next turn, plus
one additional turn per hh.
Suppressing Fire
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: Yes
If your character does not make a combat check dur-
ing their turn, they may use this talent to target one
character (or minion group) within long range. That
character must upgrade the difficulty of any ranged
character’s next turn. Your character may choose to
affect one additional character for each additional rank
of Suppressing Fire.
Your character must be holding a ranged weapon to
use this talent. Your GM can also rule that your char-
acter can’t use this talent if they have no line of fire or
range to the target.
Sweeping Blow
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character makes a successful Brawl or
Melee combat check against a target with a smaller sil-
houette than theirs, they may inflict an additional hit
on another valid target, dealing damage equal to the
original hit. The second target must also be of smaller
silhouette than your character, and no more difficult to
hit than the initial target.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 89
Tag and Release Unarmed Parry
Tier: 3 Tier: 3
Activation: Passive Activation: Passive
Ranked: No Ranked: No
When your character makes a combat check that inflicts Your character must have purchased the Parry talent to
strain on the target, the attack inflicts additional strain benefit from this talent. Your character may perform the
equal to your character’s ranks in Knowledge (Science). Parry incidental while unarmed. When your character
performs the Parry incidental while unarmed, reduce
the strain they suffer from the Parry incidental by one,
Takedown to a minimum of 1.
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No You Owe Me One
Your character may use this talent to make an opposed Tier: 3
Brawl vs. Resilience check targeting one engaged oppo- Activation: Active (Incidental)
nent. If the check succeeds, the target is knocked prone Ranked: No
and immobilized until the end of your character’s next Once per session, you may spend two Story Points to
turn. If the target is a minion or rival, your character use this talent to have one NPC in the current encoun-
may spend t to incapacitate (but not kill) the target ter owe your character a favor. If the favor is not
instead. resolved by the end of the encounter, it is forgotten.
It’s up to you and your GM to determine exactly why
True Aim the NPC owes your character a favor.
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: Yes Tier 4
Once per round, before your character makes a ranged A Step Ahead
attack, they may perform a True Aim maneuver. By
Tier: 4
performing this maneuver, your character gains all the
Activation: Active (Incidental)
benefits for aiming and also upgrades their attack roll
Ranked: No
once per rank of True Aim.
Once per session, your character may suffer two strain
in order to count their Cunning as one higher than
Tuned Maneuvering Thrusters normal for the remainder of the encounter.
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes Back-to-Back
Tier: 4
Your character must have purchased the Signature
Activation: Passive
Vehicle talent to benefit from this talent. Your character
Ranked: No
increases the handling of their Signature Vehicle by 1
per rank of Tuned Maneuvering Thrusters. While engaged with one or more allies, your charac-
ter and allies they are engaged with add j to combat
checks. If one or more allies engaged with your char-
Urban Contacts (Improved) acter also have Back-to-Back, the effects are cumula-
Tier: 3 tive to a maximum of j j .
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Urban Contacts
talent to benefit from this talent. When you use Urban
Contacts, you may choose to spend two Story Points
instead of one. If you do, your character learns the tar-
get’s specific location.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

90 OVERWATCH
Can’t We Talk About This?
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character can use this talent to make an opposed
Charm or Deception versus Discipline check target-
ing a single non-nemesis adversary within medium
range. If the check succeeds, the target cannot attack
your character (or perform hostile actions against your
character) until the end of their next turn. You may
spend aa to increase the length of the effect by one
additional turn, and spend t to extend the benefits
to all of their identified allies within short range. The
effect ends immediately if your character or a known
ally attacks the target.
In addition, your GM may rule that some targets are
immune to this ability. An automated sentry turret, for
example, has no interest in resolving a conflict through
talking, nor would someone consumed by rage and the
desire for revenge against your character. instead.
Customized Cooling Unit
Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character must have purchased the Signature
Vehicle talent to benefit from this talent. Your charac-
ter increases the system strain threshold of their Sig-
nature Vehicle by 1 per rank of Customized Cooling
Unit.
Deadeye
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
After your character inflicts a Critical Injury with a
ranged weapon and rolls the result, your character may
suffer 2 strain to use this talent. Then, you may select any
Critical Injury of the same severity to apply to the target

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 91
Death From Above
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter while using a jetpack (or other
personal scale propulsion device, at your GM's discre-
tion), your character may take the Death from Above
action, suffering 2 strain and making a Hard (kkk)
Piloting check.
If the check is successful, for each s, one adversary
of silhouette 0 or 1 within short range is knocked prone.
Your character may spend t from the check to stagger
one affected adversary until the end of that adversary's
next turn.
Death Rage
Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character adds +2 damage to melee attacks for
each Critical Injury they are currently suffering. (Your
GM may also impose additional penalties on social
skill checks your character makes if they are suffering
Critical Injuries due to their frenzied behavior.)
Defensive
Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Each rank of Defensive increases your character’s melee
defense and ranged defense by one.
Defensive Driving
Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Increase the defense of any vehicle your character
pilots by one per rank of Defensive Driving. The spe-
cifics of this talent require the optional vehicle rules, on
page 220 of the Genesys Core Rule Book. If your game
does not use these rules, this talent adds j per rank
to combat checks targeting your character’s vehicle or
your character while piloting it.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

92 OVERWATCH
Dramatic Entrance (Improved)
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Dramatic
Entrance talent to benefit from this talent. When your
character uses Dramatic Entrance, they may choose
to have all allies in the encounter heal 2 strain or to
have all enemies in the encounter suffer 2 strain.
Dramatic Escape
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may spend a Story
Point to use this talent to escape from a dangerous,
unpleasant, or awkward situation. The means by
which they accomplish this, and where they escape to,
should depend on the narrative, but your character
takes no further part in the encounter or scene. After
the encounter is complete or the situation is safe (as
defined based on the situation), your character rejoins
their companions via appropriate, if not necessarily
plausible, means.
Elementary
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent to
make a Hard (kkk) Perception check while present at
a crime scene. If they succeed, they identify all prom-
inent physical characteristics of one person who was
at the crime scene when the crime was committed (as
long as the crime was committed in the past 48 hours).
This could include a person’s height, weight, body type,
clothing, and if they are human or not. Your charac-
ter may identify all the physical characteristics of one
additional person present at the crime scene per addi-
tional s.
Enduring
Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Each rank of Enduring increases your character’s
soak value by one.
Field Commander (Improved)
Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Field Com-
mander talent to benefit from this talent. When your
character uses the Field Commander talent, your
character affects a number of allies equal to twice the
character’s Presence. In addition, you may spend t to
allow one ally to suffer 1 strain to perform an action,
instead of a maneuver.
Formation Tactics (Improved)
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Formation Tac-
tics talent to benefit from this talent. The difficulty of
taking the Formation Tactics action is reduced to Aver-
age (kk) instead of Hard (kkk). Your character may
also spend t or aaaaaa to have the effect last
until the end of the encounter.
Fortified Vacuum Seal
Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character must have purchased the Signature
Vehicle talent to benefit from this talent. Your character
increases the hull trauma threshold of their Signature
Vehicle by 1 per rank of Fortified Vacuum Seal.
Hard Headed (Supreme)
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Hard Headed
talent to benefit from this talent. Once per encoun-
ter, our character may use the Hard Headed talent to
recover from being incapacitated due to exceeding
their wound threshold. On their next turn after having
become incapacitated, they may make a Formidable
(kkkkk) Resilience check, even though an incapaci-
tated character is normally unable to perform actions.
If they succeed, they decrease their strain to one less
than their wound threshold. The difficulty of this check
decreases by one per additional rank of Hard Headed,
to a minimum of Easy (k).
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 93
Hit and Run
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
While your character is using a jetpack (or other per-
sonal scale propulsion device, at your GM's discretion),
after they complete an attack targeting an opponent
they are engaged with, your character may immediately
disengage as an incidental.
How Convenient!
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent to
make a Hard (kkk) Mechanics check. If successful,
one device involved in the current encounter (subject
to your GM’s approval) spontaneously fails. This can
be because of your character’s actions, or it can simply
be incredibly convenient timing!
Ingenious Solution
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per session, before making a check your charac-
ter may use this talent to substitute a Knowledge skill
of their choice instead of the skill the check would nor-
mally require. You should explain how your character’s
ingenious solution made this possible - in laypeople’s
terms, anyway. twice on the Table III.2-19 Critical Hit Result, on page
Inspiring Rhetoric (Supreme)
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Inspiring Rheto-
ric talent to benefit from this talent. Your character may
choose to suffer 1 strain to use the Inspiring Rhetoric
talent as a maneuver, instead of as an action.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
94 OVERWATCH
Mad Inventor
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent to
make a Mechanics check to attempt to cobble together
the functional equivalent of any item using spare parts
or salvage. The difficulty of the check is based on the
item’s rarity; see Table I.4–1: Mad Inventor Item Rarity
in the Genesys Core Rulebook. Your GM will mod-
ify the check based on the circumstances and might
decide that some items simply can’t be created with
what’s available (if you are being held in a prison cell,
for instance).
Your GM may spend d on the check to indicate the
item ends up being dangerous to the user and anyone
around them in some way. For instance, a pistol might
explode instead of running out of ammo, or a breathing
mask might make the user light-headed.
Offensive Driving
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
While driving or piloting a vehicle, your character
may use this talent to select one other vehicle within
medium range and make an opposed Driving or Pilot-
ing verus Driving or Piloting check (depending on
whether your character and their opponent are using
Driving or Piloting to control their vehicle) targeting
the other vehicle’s driver or pilot. If successful, roll
230 of the Genesys Core Rulebook. Choose one Crit-
ical Hit result to apply to your character’s vehicle, and
the other to apply to the other vehicle. You may spend
t to add +20 to one Critical Hit result. Your GM may
spend d to add +20 to both Critical Hit results.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 95
Overcharge Parkour! (Improved)
Tier: 4 Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action) Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No Ranked: No
Once per encounter, your character may use this talent Your character must have purchased the Parkour! tal-
to make a Hard (kkk) Mechanics check and choose ent to benefit from this talent. Once per round, when
one of their cybernetic implants that grants them one using the Parkour! talent, your character may suffer 4
of the following: +1 to a characteristic rating, +1 rank strain instead of 1 strain to move to any location within
to a skill, +1 rank of a ranked talent. If your character medium range instead of short range. All other restric-
succeeds, until the end of the encounter, the chosen tions of Parkour! apply to this movement.
cybernetic instead provides +2 to the affected charac-
teristic rating (to a maximum of 7), skill (to a maxi-
mum of 5), or ranked talent.
Poisoned Blade
Tier: 4
Your GM may spend d or hhh from the check to Activation: Passive
have the overcharged cybernetic short out at the end of Ranked: No
the encounter; it provides no benefit until your char-
acter spends several hours making an Average (kk) When making a Melee combat check using a poisoned
Mechanics check to repair it. weapon, your character treats it as possessing the Burn
2 item quality.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

96 OVERWATCH
Quick Witted
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter, after another character makes a
social skill check, your character may use this talent to
make an Average (kk) Vigilance check. If successful,
you may add a number of s or a (your choice) equal
to your character’s ranks in Charm to the other charac-
ter’s check. If your character fails, your character suffers
3 strain.
Scathing Tirade (Supreme)
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Scathing Tirade
talent to benefit from this talent. Your character may
choose to suffer 1 strain to use the Scathing Tirade tal-
ent as a maneuver, instead of as an action. rolled. If you do so, your character’s opponent removes
Stunned Silence
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character makes a social skill check to
inflict strain during a social encounter, they may use
this talent to spend aaa or t to stagger the target
for one round.
Tactical Advance (Improved)
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Tactical
Advance talent to benefit from this talent. Your char-
acter may spend aa from any check they make or
hh from a combat check targeting them to perform
the Tactical Advance incidental (instead of suffering
strain).
Unrelenting
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per round after resolving a successful Brawl or
Melee combat check, your character may suffer 4 strain
to use this talent to make an additional melee attack
as an incidental against the same target. Increase the
difficulty of the combat check by one if this attack uses
a second weapon, or by two if the attack uses the same
weapon.
Urban Combatant
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
When your character is targeted by a combat check
while in an urban environment, you may spend one
Story Point to use this talent before the dice pool is
all j added to the check, and instead adds an equal
number of f to the results..
You Owe Me One (Improved)
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the You Owe Me
One talent to benefit from this talent. Once per session,
you may spend two Story Points to use You Owe Me
One to have one NPC in the current encounter owe
your character a big favor instead of a small favor. If the
big favor is not resolved by the end of the encounter, it
is forgotten.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 97
Tier 5
Beastmaster
Tier: 5
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Animal Com-
panion talent to benefit from this talent. Your character
may have two animal companions with a combined sil-
houette no greater than your character’s ranks in Ani-
mal Companion. Your character spends one maneuver
to allow both to perform an action and a maneuver and
resolves each companion’s turn individually, choosing
the order in which they activate.
One or both of your character’s animal companions
can instead be a minion group of animals with a com-
bined silhouette no greater than your character’s ranks
in Animal Companion. For this purpose, treat every
two silhouette 0 animals as silhouette 1.
Coordination Dodge
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
When targeted by a combat check, your character may
spend one Story Point to add f equal to their ranks in
Coordination to the check. As long as they have some sort of access point to the
Crushing Blow
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per session after rolling a melee attack but before
resolving the check, your character may suffer 4 strain
to use this talent. While resolving the check, the weapon
gains the Breach 1 and Knockdown item qualities, and
destroys one item the target is wielding that does not
have the Reinforced quality. ting off cybereyes, directing the movements of cyber-
Dedication
Tier: 5
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Each rank of Dedication increases one of your charac-
ter’s characteristics by one. This talent cannot increase
a characteristic above 5. You cannot increase the same
characteristic with Dedication twice. encounter.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
98 OVERWATCH
Dramatic Entrance (Supreme)
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Dramatic
Entrance talent to benefit from this talent. When your
character uses Dramatic Entrance, they may imme-
diately perform one action. If this interrupts another
character’s turn or activity, that character resumes
their turn or activity after the action is resolved.
Drone Master
Tier: 5
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character may control two drones or minion groups
of drones no larger than your character’s Willpower (via
the rules used for the the Animal Companion talent,
found on page 77 of the Genesys Core Rulebook). Your
character resolves each drone’s (or minion group’s) turn
individually, choosing the order in which they activate.
Hack the Planet
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
relevant network, your character may use this talent
to make a Hard (kkk) Computers check. If they suc-
ceed, they may select one drone, vehicle, or piece of
equipment involved in the current encounter and dic-
tate its actions until the start of your character’s next
turn.
Alternatively, your character can select someone with
cybernetic implants or who is wearing powered armor
or an exosuit and manipulate it until the beginning of
your character’s next turn (this includes omnics). This
must be approved by your GM but could include shut-
limbs, or causing an exosuit to eject its
occupant.
Your character may spend
aaa on the check to
extend the effects for one
additional round, or they
may spend t to extend
the effects for the
remainder of the
Improvised Position
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character may make a Hard (kkk) Mechanics
check and spend 12 hours constructing a secure position
that can contain the group and its vehicles. The sum of its
vehicles' silhouettes must be 4 or less. The position provides
cover (see page 110 of the Genesys Core Rule Book) and
can have additional narrative benefits at the GM's discre-
tion. Your character may spend aa or t from the check
to increase the ranged defense the position provides to 2.
Indomitable
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter, when your character would be
incapacitated due to exceeding their wound or strain
threshold, you may spend a Story Point to use this tal-
ent. Then, your character is not incapacitated until the
end of their next turn. If your character reduces their
strain or wounds to below their threshold before the
end of their next turn, they are not incapacitated. Easy (k).
Let’s Talk This Over
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Once per game session, when a combat encounter
against one or more sentient beings is about to begin,
the character make a Daunting (kkkk) Charm check.
If successful, the combat encounter instead becomes a
social encounter, with the PCs attempting to convince
their opposition to back down, come around to their
viewpoint, or accept a compromise. The GM is the final
arbiter of how the situation resolves without violence
(or how the combat encounter continues if the charac-
ter’s check is unsuccessful).
Master
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When you purchase this talent for your character, choose
one skill. Once per round, your character may suffer 2
strain to use this talent to reduce the difficulty of the next
check they make using that skill by two, to a minimum of
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
OVERWATCH 99
Master Plan
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent to
make a Hard (kkk) Discipline check. If they succeed,
they reveal that whatever terrible circumstances they
currently find themselves in are all part of a brilliant
plan that they established at an earlier point. They then
choose one non-nemesis adversary in the encounter and
reveal them to be a close friend or ally who has posi-
tioned themselves to help your character at this exact
moment.
The details of which character turns out to be an
ally depend on the type of encounter and your GM’s
approval. However, the ally could also have done their
work beforehand, such as loading a squadron of drones
with blank ammunition, shutting down power to a
security system, or planting a tracer in an opponent’s
vehicle.
Chapter 2: Skills and talents
100 OVERWATCH
Mission Critical
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per session after rolling a Piloting or Operating check
but before resolving it, your character may spend a Story
Point to add s or a to the results equal to their ranks in
that skill. (Your character may divide the results between s
and a in any combination).
Not Today
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Signature
Vehicle talent to benefit from this talent. Once per ses-
sion, if your character's Signature Vehicle would be
destroyed, your character may spend a Story Point
to save it. If it would be destroyed by a Critical Hit, the
Critical Hit is still suffered, but the effect is ignored. If it
would be destroyed by some other event, the details of
how the vehicle survives the near-destruction are up to
the player and the GM.
Overcharge (Improved)
Tier: 5
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Overcharge tal-
ent to benefit from this talent. When using the Over-
charge talent, your character may spend aa or t
from the Mechanics check to immediately take one
additional action. This talent can only be used once per
check. one additional strain per s. Your character heals strain
Refraction
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When making a combat check with a laser or other
energy weapon (as determined by your GM), your char-
acter may use this talent to spend a to inflict one addi-
tional hit with this weapon, dealing base damage plus
damage equal to the total number of s scored on the
check. This hit may target the original target or another
target within short range of the original target.
Retribution
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Ranked: No
Once per round when an adversary attacks an ally
within medium range, your character may spend one
Story Point to use this talent to automatically hit that
enemy once with a weapon your character is wielding,
if the enemy is within the weapon’s range. The hit deals
the weapon’s base damage, plus any damage from appli-
cable talents or abilities. GM), increasing the difficulty by one. If the combat
Ruinous Repartee
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter, your character may use this talent
to make an opposed Charm or Coercion versus Dis-
cipline check targeting one character within medium
range (or within earshot). If successful, the target suf-
fers strain equal to twice your character’s Presence, plus
equal to the strain inflicted. If incapacitated due to this
talent, the target could flee the scene in shame, collapse
in a dejected heap, or throw themself at your character
in fury, depending on your GM and the nature of your
character’s witty barbs.
Sharp Tongue (Improved)
Tier: 5
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Sharp Tongue
talent to benefit from this talent. When your charac-
ter inflicts a critical remark in a social encounter, they
may force the target to capitulate (see page 122 of the
Genesys Core Rulebook).
Whirlwind
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Your character may suffer 4 strain to use this talent
to make a Brawl or Melee attack against the engaged
adversary who is hardest to hit (as determined by the
check succeeds, each adversary engaged with the char-
acter suffers one hit from the attack, that deals base
damage plus damage equal to the total s scored on the
check.

Zealous Fire
Tier: 5
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Each time your Game Master spends a Story Point,
your character heals 2 strain.

Chapter 2: Skills and talents

OVERWATCH 101
Chapter 3
Gear and Equipment
T he world of Overwatch is a futuristic setting filled
with a breathtaking variety of advanced technolo-
gies. Almost any sci-fi inspired tech that can be imag-
Rarity
Some items are naturally more difficult to purchase
ined can be found somewhere in the world, from knights than others, depending on where your characters find
in armored power suits to flying mecha fighting with themselves at any given time. Of course, some items
giant robots. are rare no matter where one goes, and likewise, some
This chapter includes a new system for acquiring items are always common and inexpensive.
weapons and armor for your character, along with Rarity in Genesys measures how difficult an item
cybernetic upgrades, vital gear, and a variety of vehi- can be to find on a scale of 0–10, with 0 being the easi-
cles for both combat and transportation. Instead of est to track down and 10 being the hardest.
providing you with a list of weapons and armor with
For more information on how Rarity works, see page
predetermined profiles, you will be given the tools to
82 of the Genesys Core Rule Book.
design, build and customize your own signature pieces
of equipment.

Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT

102 OVERWATCH
Encumbrance
Genesys emphasizes sweeping stories, epic tales, and
fast action. Keeping track of the weight of every piece
of loose change isn’t fun, but knowing that your char-
acter has to carry a child out of a burning building is an
important story element; so is having some idea of how
many days’ worth of rations your character can carry
while journeying in the wilderness.
In general, you and your Game Master won’t need to
track your character’s encumbrance (how much they’re
carrying on their person). Occasionally, however, it
may play an important part in the story, and you need
to know if the weight, mass, and collective bulk of the
items your character is wearing inhibit their actions.
For more information on how Encumbrance works,
see page 84 of the Genesys Core Rule Book.
Item Qualities
Some equipment features special qualities that add
variety and depth to the weapons, armor, and items
your character may encounter. In Genesys, item qual-
ities are special rules that can change how the item acts.
They let us add more variety to an item than we could
by only manipulating its raw characteristics. They also
make the items more interesting for you, since many
qualities may require you to think about your character
Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
OVERWATCH 103
using that item differently.
Special qualities are generally either passive or active.
Passive qualities are always “on” and require no activa-
tion on the part of the user. Active qualities must be
triggered by the user, often by spending one or more a
to activate the effect.
Item qualities usually have a number associated with
them. This is their rating. Ratings affect qualities in
different ways, depending on the quality in question.
Active qualities require aa to activate unless other-
wise stated in their description. Active item qualities on
weapons can only trigger on a successful attack, unless
specified otherwise.
For more information on how Item Qualities work
and a full list, see page 86 of the Genesys Core Rule
Book.

Weapons
In Overwatch, a hero is rarely found without a weapon
of some kind at their side. Despite the idyllic golden
age of technology that the setting takes place in, the
world of Overwatch still faces a number of known and
unknown threats. Any hero seeking to make this world
safer will need to equip themselves with the best tools
for the job.
ONE-HANDED MELEE WEAPON
This represents the most basic of handheld weapons,
and could be a truncheon or a standard knife. It is com-
pact, relatively easy to conceal, and convenient to carry.
An example of a one-handed melee weapon would be
Genji's short-bladed wakizashi.

Table 3–1: Basic Weapons presents a range of start-
ing profiles for weapons. While a character could wield
a weapon that can be described using just these entries,
the specific weapons described here are not intended to
be the norm. Instead, the intent is for GMs and players
to take weapons from these core entries and custom-
ize them through the use of modifiers called traits (see
Table 3–2: Weapon Traits, page 108 and the Weapon
Traits section, page 105).
BRAWL WEAPON
The most elemental of weapons, Brawl weapons, are
generally worn around a hand, or other manipulator.
Using one essentially is the same as punching someone,
just with more damage. An example of a Brawl weapon
would be Doomfist's gauntlet.
TWO-HANDED MELEE WEAPON
This weapon’s relative bulk makes it easily noticed, and
the wielder must use both hands to manipulate it effec-
tively. The weapon is large enough that transporting it
is awkward, so few carry such arms unless they expect
to put them to use. Examples include Genji's long-
bladed katana and Reinhardt's rocket hammer.
ONE-HANDED RANGED WEAPON
This compact ranged weapon can usually be con-
cealed and may be wielded with a single hand. In many
cases, the weapon's ammunition is a bigger burden
than the weapon itself. Examples include McCree's
Peacekeeper revolver, Tracer's pulse pistols and Zenyat-
ta's discord orbs.

TABLE 3–1: BASIC WEAPONS

Name Skill Dam Crit Range Encum Price Rarity
Brawl Weapon Brawl +0 5 Engaged 1 25 1

One-Handed Melee Weapon Melee +1 4 Engaged 1 50 2

Two-Handed Melee Weapon Melee +2 4 Engaged 2 100 2

One-Handed Ranged Weapon Ranged (Light) 5 4 Short 2 150 3

Two-Handed Ranged Weapon Ranged (Heavy) 6 3 Medium 3 500 3

Gunnery Weapon Gunnery 10 3 Long 5 1,400 5

Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT

104 OVERWATCH
TWO-HANDED RANGED WEAPON
These weapons are bulky, noticeable, and inconvenient
to carry. They are also extremely effective and a first
choice when serious combat becomes likely. Examples
include Hanzo's storm bow and Widowmaker's sniper
rifle.

GUNNERY WEAPON
These are the big guns, and many are found mounted
on vehicles. An example of a Gunnery weapon would
be Pharah's rocket launcher or Bastion in his tank con-
figuration.

Weapon Traits
Weapon traits are characteristics of a weapon that
make it stand out from the rest and must be selected
when purchasing a weapon. They cannot be added on
later, as they are intrinsically part of the weapon design.
Note that traits are not item attachments (from page
206 of the Genesys Core Rulebook); as such, they do
not count toward limitations on adding attachments to
a weapon should players wish to use the optional item
attachment rules.
Because weapon traits cannot be added to a weapon
later, if a PC wishes to obtain a version of their cur-
rent weapon with additional traits, they must purchase
a new version of the weapon at full value - including
the base profile, existing traits and any additional ones
they wish to acquire. Narratively, in the Overwatch set-
ting the purchase price might simply refer to the cost of
components for the character to upgrade the weapon Items and Charge
themselves, but mechanically it functions as purchas-
ing a new one. Some weapons and armor require one or more
Charge to activate an item quality or special abil-
The traits included in Table 3–2: Weapon Traits
ity it possesses. Charge used this way is utterly
adjust a weapon’s profile, add item qualities, and alter
consumed. Each such activation has a specified
its price. Increase the weapon’s rarity by one for every
duration, and additional Charge will be needed
trait you include with it, following the rarity rules on
to activate this bonus again. See page 35 for
page 82 of the Genesys Core Rulebook. If multiple
more information how Charge works.
traits add the same item quality, unless noted otherwise
just sum their ratings to determine the final effect. A
weapon’s final encumbrance or Critical rating cannot to track. As a thematic note, beings from a common
be reduced below 1, and its price cannot be reduced faction (such as Null Sector or Talon) are likely to use
below the price of its original basic weapon type. weapons that have at least one characteristic trait in
common.
Every weapon should be allowed up to three traits,
though the GM has the final say on this. More than Once a weapon is finalized, the player should decide
that might indicate that the weapon is a very specific on its shape, form, and function. Is it a futuristic bow
device or an item of particular note. There need not that uses storm arrows like Hanzo's? A jet-powered
be an upper limit on how many traits a player or GM rocket hammer like Reinhardt's? A hand-operated
selects for a weapon, though, beyond what is practical biotic grasp like Moira's? The player can also create a

Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT

OVERWATCH 105
story about how their character obtained the weapon:
perhaps it was handed down through generations,
given to them by a dying warrior, or handmade to their
exacting specifications. Devising customized weapons
is the goal, so players should feel free to get as detailed
as they do for their characters.
ADAPTIVE
This weapon can quickly respond to incoming threats,
flowing and reforming itself automatically in response
to attacks that would shatter other weapons.
ANTIMATTER
The weapon can leak a stream of antiparticles designed
to crack and shatter almost anything in its path into
useless debris.
As a maneuver, the wielder may consume 1 Charge;
this weapon then gains the Sunder item quality until
the end of the encounter.
BIOTIC
With the advent of biotic technology and its versatile
healing properties, some combat weapons have been
converted to serve a secondary role as front-line medi-
cal equipment.
Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
106 OVERWATCH
As a maneuver, the wielder may switch this weapon
to 'biotic mode'. Whilst in this configuration, base
damage is reduced to zero, the critical rating of the
weapon is non-applicable and any item qualities that
can inflict damage (such as Blast or Burn) cannot be
activated.
Instead, when a weapon in biotic mode is used to
make an attack, it deals healing to the target in accor-
dance with the regular painkiller rules found on page
94 of the Genesys Core Rule Book. Attacks made in
this way ignore soak, but do not ignore defense.
BLOODTHIRSTY
The weapon has been designed with a singular purpose
in mind - to cause as much pain and death as possible.
BRUTAL
Some weapons are modified in ways that make them
far more dangerous to wield, such that only a truly des-
perate person would dare use one.
COLLAPSING
Some weapons seem to be drawn out of nowhere, as
their wielder carefully translates them into their proper
form from a state of dimensional folding.
As a maneuver, the wielder may collapse the weapon
or restore it to its regular form. The weapon can-
not be used in combat while collapsed.
While collapsed, reduce the encum-
brance value of the weapon by two (to
a minimum of one) and add
jj to checks to notice the
weapon on the wielder's form
or to identify its purpose.
DISCORDANT
The combat device has the
ability to touch its target’s
mind, disrupting its nor-
mal neural flow and dis-
tracting it with confusing
imagery and concepts.
DISINTEGRATING
This armament design outputs a tremendous amount
of energy. When it inflicts damage, it sends ripples of
force through its target, often reducing significant por-
tions of its victim to little more than ash.
DISRUPTIVE
This weapon uses high-frequency sounds, dazzling
lights, or chaotic energy to cause intense pain and
stress in most targets, regardless of their physiology.
DOUBLE BARRELED
The weapon has an second firing barrel or a twin strik-
ing implement so that it can double its effectiveness.
EMPOWERING
The weapon allow some its wielder to harness the
energy from fallen goes and grow stronger.
If this weapon is used in a check that defeats or kills
an enemy or minion group, add j to combat checks
made while using it for the remainder of the encounter.
This stacks with each enemy or minion group defeated
or killed in this manner.
EXPLOSIVE
The high-quality engineering behind this weapon
ensure that with every attack, the ground shakes, and
swaths of enemies fall. The weapon gains the Blast
quality with a rating equal to half the weapon's base
damage. Note that this value changes as the weapon's
base damage changes, such as if the user's linked char-
acteristic (such as Brawn for Brawl weapons) increases.
EXTENDING
The weapon is stretched dimensionally, so that it can
hit things farther than it appears to reach. The weap-
on's range cannot be increased beyond extreme. If this
weapon uses the Brawl or Melee skill, the difficulty of
the check to use it is always Average (kk) no matter
its range.
FLAMING
Fire is more than just a stylistic choice; this weapon
enables the user to light their target on fire.
IMMATERIAL
The weapon has a physical form that is neither entirely
solid, liquid or energy. Whatever the technology pow-
ering it, its design puts it out of phase with reality. This
makes it far easier to wield and more capable of over-
coming a foe’s defenses.
JET-PROPELLED
The weapon includes jet engines, either behind the
striking surface or on the ammunition, to add addi-
tional force to the impact. This makes its force particu-
larly (and often literally) staggering.
As a maneuver, the wielder may consume 1 Charge;
the weapon then gains the Concussive 1 item quality
until the end of the encounter.
LEGENDARY
Some weapons have a reputation that goes far beyond
their physical appearance. This weapon has an associ-
ated legend about how it was created or who wielded it
in the past.
LIFE DRAIN
This weapon has been infused with a mysterious bio-
logical agent that causes any wounds it inflicts to turn
necrotic and imbue the attacker with increased vitality.
When an attack is made with this weapon, the
attacker recovers 1 wound for each successful hit. If the
attacker is already at zero wounds, they may recover
1 strain instead. The attacker still gains this benefit
even if the damage dealt by the successful hit does not
exceed the target's soak.
LIMITLESS
Thanks to the evolution of technology such as hard
light and pulse weaponry, the warriors of the future do
not need to be constrained by the limits of ammunition
or energy reserves if they so choose.
A weapon with this trait removes any ranks of the
Limited Ammo item quality gained from other sources.
It also does not run out of ammo on a d.
MAGNETIC
This weapon uses powerful hyperdimensional mag-
netic fields to both restrict the target's ability to move
and protect its wielder from harm.
Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
OVERWATCH 107
TABLE 3-2: WEAPON TRAITS TABLE 3-2: WEAPON TRAITS
Name EFFECT PRICE Name EFFECT PRICE
Adaptive Gains Reinforced +300 Radiant +1 damage; gains Burn 1, Stun 2 +250

+1 encumbrance; consumes 1 Rapid Gains Auto-fire +400

Antimatter +200
Charge to gain Sunder
+1 damage; gains Inferior 1,
Savage +100
Can deal healing instead of Vicious 1
Biotic +400
damage, see description
+2 damage; increases range for
Reduces Critical rating by 3; gains Scoped Ranged and Gunnery weapons by +750
Bloodthirsty +700
Unwieldy 3 1; gains Prepare 1

+2 damage; gains Inaccurate 2, Gains Guided 3; increases range

Brutal +100
Unwieldy 3, Vicious 2 Seeking for Ranged and Gunnery weapons +500
by 1
User can lower weapon's
Collapsing +300
encumbrance and ease to detect it Shielding Gains Defensive 1, Deflection 1 +100

Discordant Gains Disorient 3 +150 Shocking Gains Slow-Firing 1, Stun 4 -50

+1 damage; gains Pierce 1, Vicious Singular Gains Limited Ammo 1 x25%

Disintegrating +400
2
Reduces damage by 3; gains
Sticky -100
Disruptive +1 damage; gains Stun Damage +100 Ensnare 2

Double-Barreled Gains Linked 1 +250 Gains +2 damage and Pierce

Tailored 1 against select targets; see +150
Add j to combat checks after a description
Empowering +50
target is defeated or killed
Consumes 1 Charge to gain
Transdimensional +1,200
Gains Blast with rating equal to Breach 1
Explosive +250
half base weapon damage
+1 damage; adds deleterious effect
Venomous +300
Increases weapon range by one to weapon
Extending +750
band

Flaming +1 damage; gains Burn 2 +350

–1 encumbrance; gains Defensive
Immaterial
1, Pierce 1
+2 damage; consumes 1 Charge to
Jet-Propelled
gain Concussive 1 and Knockdown
MASSIVE
Strong warriors choose to wield weapons that are pro-
+200
portioned to their size, becoming capable of inflicting
harm at an entirely different scale.
+1,100

Legendary Gains Superior +600

METHODICAL
Life Drain Recover 1 wound per successful hit +350
Even on the battlefield, some weapons need to be prop-
erly tuned before they achieve their full effect; in some
Removes any ranks of Limited cases, that patience can have merit.
Limitless Ammo; immune to running out of +800
ammunition
MONO-EDGED
Gains Deflection 1, Ensnare 2, Stun
Magnetic +250
Damage The weapon’s striking surface is honed down to the
+4 damage, +3 encumbrance; gains thickness of a single molecule, leaving it capable of slic-
Massive +200
Cumbersome 4, Knockdown ing through virtually any substance.
Reduces Critical rating by 1; +3
Methodical damage, +1 encumbrance; gains +250 MULTIPLEXING
Prepare 2
The weapon strikes across numerous dimensions or
Reduces Critical rating by 1; gains
Mono-Edged
Pierce 1
+150 fires as if it possessed multiple barrels, delivering a ter-
rible assortment of hits upon the target.
+2 encumbrance; consumes 1
Multiplexing +400 As a maneuver, the wielder may consume 1 Charge;
Charge to gain Linked 3
the weapon then gains the Linked 3 item quality until
+1 encumbrance; gains Accurate
Photonic
1, Stun 3
+650 the end of the encounter.

Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT

108 OVERWATCH
PHOTONIC
The weapon harnesses the power of hard light and
incorporates it into its design. These components
enable the weapon to harness energy in ways that a less
sophisticated being cannot comprehend.
RADIANT
The weapon employs a focused stream of energy that
manifests as a glowing stream of light, angry blast of
raw power, or similar effect.
RAPID
These weapons can activate in repeated succession and
are capable of striking multiple foes with a single attack
or hitting one target repeatedly.
SAVAGE
The wielder’s fury is channeled into their strikes when
using these weapons. Attacks made without discipline
may not always strike home, but they can be terrify-
ingly effective when they do.
SCOPED
Sometimes it is not about having the most powerful
weapon or the most advanced technology; it is simply a
matter of being able to strike first. This is best achieved
from a distance, as any assassin worth their salt will
testify.
SEEKING
Some weapons are capable of tracking a target no mat-
ter what motion they take to escape. This may be due to
a spiritual connection to their prey or a technological
innovation that lets them identify and follow their prey.
SHIELDING
Conservatively designed weapons incorporate defen-
sive measures to protect their wielders. Some are capa-
ble of better parrying incoming attacks, while others
simply project a defensive aura.
SHOCKING
The weapon employs bolts or fields of electrical energy
that disturb most nervous systems.
SINGULAR
The weapon is a grenade or other thrown device;
alternatively, it may have a unique power supply that
exhausts or melts down after one use.
This weapon can only be used once, no matter what.
Including this trait reduces the weapon’s final price
to 25% of its base price (including all other traits),
rounded up.
STICKY
The weapon includes an adhesive effect, which causes
its targets to become trapped in viscous threads or
gooey liquid.
Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
OVERWATCH 109

Armor
Protective gear is a necessity for characters who under-
take the role of a hero within the Overwatch setting.
These include adventurers who travel through hostile
terrain, scientists working with volatile substances,
soldiers who engage in combat, and many others. All
of this gear is considered armor. Note that equipment
suited for one body type may not necessarily fit or
be at all useful for a member of a different species (a
genetically-engineered animal is unlikely to be able to
use a set of power armor designed for human use, for
example).
Instead of trying to offer a huge array of armor, this
section presents a system for designing different types
of armor that are thematically appropriate for the
Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
110 OVERWATCH
TAILORED
This weapon was designed with a specific purpose or
target in mind. Nothing beats having the right tool for
the job.
When acquired, choose one of the following oppo-
nent categories: Organic, Mechanical or Energy. Any
attacks made against targets of the chosen category
(as determined by the GM) gain +2 damage and the
Pierce 1 quality. Any attacks against targets outside of
the chosen category treat the target as if they had an
additional +1 to their soak.
TRANSDIMENSIONAL
Advanced scientific principles and design enable this
weapon to transcend physical reality and project a
force that destabilizes the target’s dimensional exis-
tence.
As a maneuver, the wielder may consume 1 Charge;
this weapon then gains the Breach 1 item quality until-
the end of the encounter.
VENOMOUS
These weapons incorporate neurotoxins from a variety
of poisonous creatures and plants.
If a combat check using this weapon inflicts wounds,
the target must make a Hard (kkk) Resilience check;
upon failure, the target suffers 5 wounds, plus 1 strain
per h; d means the target must make another Resil-
ience check at the same difficulty at the start of their
next turn or suffer the same effects.
characters who wear them.
Table 3–3: Basic Armor presents the basic start-
ing profile for armor as well as the standard clothing
most characters wear. While these basic descriptions
are adequate for a few baseline examples of protection,
they are not intended as a universal solution. In almost
every case, individual heroes have distinctive types of
apparel and armor that are derived from these core
entries.
These items are created through the use of modifiers
from Table 3–4: Armor Traits and the Armor Traits
section.
TABLE 3–3: BASIC ARMOR
Name DEFENSE SOAK Encum Price Rarity
Standard Clothing 0 +0 1 10 0

Durable Clothing 0 +1 1 50 1

Light Armor 0 +2 2 500 2

Heavy Armor 1 +3 3 1,200 4

Armor Traits on its shape, form, and function, like they did for weap-
ons, along with the armor’s origin. Is it a relic from
Armor traits are characteristics of a set of armor that their character’s past? Something a legendary Over-
make it stand out from the rest and must be selected watch agent bequeathed to the character in their dying
when purchasing armor. They cannot be added on breath? A character’s armor may be the first thing oth-
later, as they are intrinsically part of the armor design. ers notice when they see them, after all, so arriving at
Note that traits are not item attachments (from page an interesting story about it helps to better flesh out the
206 of the Genesys Core Rulebook); as such, they do character.
not count toward limitations on adding attachments to
a set of armor should players wish to use the optional ADAPTIVE
item attachment rules.
This protective wear is designed to quickly respond to
Because armor traits cannot be added to a set of incoming threats, flowing and reforming itself auto-
armor later, if a PC wishes to obtain a version of their matically in response to attacks that would shatter
current armor with additional traits, they must pur- other armor.
chase a new version of the armor at full value - includ-
As a maneuver, the wielder may consume 1 Charge;
ing the base profile, existing traits and any additional
this armor then gains the Reinforced item quality until
ones they wish to acquire. Narratively, in the Over-
the end of the encounter.
watch setting the purchase price might simply refer to
the cost of components for the character to upgrade
the armor themselves, but mechanically it functions as
ANTIGRAV
purchasing a new set. Falling poses a very common danger to people work-
The traits included in Table 3–4: Armor Traits ing at heights, regardless of their occupation. Armor
adjust the armor’s basic profile and increase its price. designed to protect against such risks can use a variety
Increase the armor’s rarity by one for every trait you of technological approaches.
include with it, following the rarity rules on page 82 When a character wearing this armor suffers a fall,
of the Genesys Core Rulebook. If multiple traits add reduce the range band for determining falling damage
the same item quality, unless noted otherwise just sum by two (see page 112 of the Genesys Core Rulebook).
their ratings to determine the final effect. The armor’s If the range is reduced below short, the user suffers no
final encumbrance value cannot be reduced below 1, falling damage.
and its final soak cannot be increased above 4.
Every set of armor should be allowed up to three
traits, though the GM has the final say on this. More
than that might indicate a very specific set of armor or
armor of particular note. Members from a common
faction (such as Null Sector or Talon) are likely to wear
armor that has at least one characteristic trait in com-
mon. There need not be an upper limit on how many
traits a player or GM selects for a set of armor, though,
beyond what is practical to track.
Once the armor is finalized, the player should decide

Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT

OVERWATCH 111
TABLE 3-4: ARMOR TRAITS TABLE 3-4: ARMOR TRAITS
Name EFFECT PRICE Name EFFECT PRICE
+1 encumbrance, consumes 1 Allows wearer to jump to any
Adaptive +2,500 Rocket +800
Charge to gain Reinforced location within long range

Reduces falling damage by two Sealed +1 encumbrance, see description +100

Antigrav +150
range bands
Reduces Critical Injury result;
Shunting +1,250
Armageddon Can completely heal wearer +900 nearby characters suffer wounds

Attractive Adds j to first Charm check +25 Adds j to Stealth checks the
Silent +50
wearer makes
Allows wearer to control items
Brainwave Interface +800
attached to the armor Gains Defense 1, adds j to
Smoking Perception checks to notice +150
Bulky +1 soak, +1 encumbrance +325 character

Chaotic –1 encumbrance, adds j to social +150 Can inflict wounds on engaged

Spiked +200
skill checks targeting wearer enemies

Speeds donning and removing –1 encumbrance, removes j

Electromagnetic
armor, increases guarded stance +350 Subtle from social skill checks related to +50
Joints
maneuver melee defense bonus wearing armor

Enhanced Adds j to non-combat Brawn- or +50 +3 encumbrance, consumes 1

Winged +2,000
Agility-based checks Charge to allow wearer to fly

Ether
Inflicts strain on engaged
characters
Flame-Wreathed
Adds defense 1, can inflict heat-
based wounds on engaged enemies
+1 soak, +1 encumbrance;
Fortified consumes 1 Charge to become
immune to involuntary movement
+1 soak, consumes 1 Charge to
Guarding allow allies within short range to
gain defense 1
Heavy +1 soak, +2 encumbrance
Removes j from Perception
Incisive
checks the user makes
+1 encumbrance, protects against
Insulating
heat and cold
Kaleidoscopic Gains Deflection 3, adds j j to
Stealth checks
Adds defense 1, consumes 1
Mobile Charge to count one move
maneuver as two
Consumes 1 Charge to gain +2
Overload soak and add j to combat checks,
see description
Prehensile Weapons
Reduces one ranged weapon’s
Cumbersome rating by 1 and
Frame
encumbrance by 4
Psychic Adds j to Discipline checks
Quantum +1 encumbrance, gains Defensive 2
+100 ARMAGEDDON
+525
A few different technologies have produced suits of
armor that are intended to function under the most
extreme of circumstances. These are capable of com-
+350 pletely protecting the wearer from a catastrophic event,
but they exhaust themselves in the process.
+400
As an incidental, the wearer of this armor can have
it fully heal all strain and wounds, and remove all con-
ditions and Critical Injuries. This effect also automati-
+250
cally and immediately takes place if the wearer dies.
Once used, the armor is reduced to standard clothing
+50
and any existing traits it possessed are lost.
+50
ATTRACTIVE
+400 The clothing or armor has been fashioned to really
bring out the refractions in the wearer’s eyes or enhance
their distinctive scent.
+550
A character wearing armor with this trait adds j to
the first Charm check they make in each encounter.
+800
BRAINWAVE INTERFACE
The armor allows its wearer to control devices inte-
+500 grated with their armor at the speed of thought.
A character wearing this armor can manipulate armor
+300
attachments and integrated gear (including weapons)
+250 without the use of their hands. A Brainwave Interface
also adds a to the results of combat skill checks made
to use a weapon integrated with the armor.

Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT

112 OVERWATCH
BULKY
The dense, cumbersome material
dampens impacts while also providing
significant reinforcement to the armor.

CHAOTIC
A field of disruptive lights plays over the
armor, projecting subliminal fractal pat-
terns and symbols that disorder rational
thought.
The wearer can spend a maneuver to
activate or deactivate this trait. While
it is active, the armor adds j to social
skill checks targeting the wearer.

ELECTROMAGNETIC JOINTS
Many enterprising adventurers have
adapted advanced cybernetic joint
technology to armor, which allows them
to change in and out of their armor with
the press of a button. Many also program
the joints to resist certain pressure thresh-
olds, which helps wearers block attacks
from far stronger opponents.
Characters may don or shed their armor
as an incidental. While wearing this armor,
they gain melee defense 2 (instead of 1) when
they perform the guarded stance maneuver
(see the Genesys Core Rulebook, page 99).

ENHANCED
The armor provides the wearer with greater strength
or speed.
The wearer may add j to non-combat Brawn- or
Agility-based skill checks (pick one when this is
selected).
ETHER
A cloud of sedative gas can be made to emerge from
the suit, though the substance is filtered away from the
wearer’s own respiratory system.
The wearer can spend a maneuver to activate or
deactivate this trait. While active, other engaged char-
acters suffer 1 strain at the start of their turn.
FLAME-WREATHED
A flame-wreathed sigil creates an aura of flame around
the wearer, often taking the form of flaming wings or
tendrils that autonomously protect the wearer from
nearby attackers.
The wearer can spend a maneuver to activate or
deactivate this trait. While it is active, the armor gains
defense 1. Also, if they are targeted by a melee combat
check the user may spend d to cause the attacker to
suffer 4 wounds from the intense heat. When making
a melee combat check, they may spend t to inflict 4
heat-based wounds onto the target.
Being covered in flames may have other narrative
effects, at your GM’s discretion.

Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT

OVERWATCH 113

FORTIFIED
Sometimes the key to victory is knowing how to stand
your ground and hold the line, no matter the odds.
As a maneuver, the wearer can consume 1 Charge to
become immune to any effects which knock down or
move a target involuntarily (such as the Knockdown
item quality) until the end of the encounter.
GUARDING
This armor embodies the values of kinship and mutual
defense and reminds its wearer of their commitment to
protect and sacrifice for the greater good.
As a maneuver, the wearer may consume 1 Charge
to grant allies defense 1 while they are engaged them.
Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
114 OVERWATCH
HEAVY
Reinforcements crafted from heavy metal or similar
materials provide the armor with additional protection.
INCISIVE
This protective gear allows the wearer to better notice
possible threats or items of interest, even when condi-
tions would interfere with their senses.
INSULATING
This protective gear is capable of maintaining a steady
internal temperature, protecting the wearer from exter-
nal variations.
This armor reduces the difficulty of Resilience checks
made due to heat, cold, or other extreme climates by
two to a minimum of Simple (–) (see page 111 of the
Genesys Core Rulebook).
KALEIDOSCOPIC
The user's appearance seems to colorfully flicker and
fragment, and targeting them can be almost impos-
sible.
The wearer can spend a maneuver to activate or
deactivate this trait. While it is active, the armor gains
Deflective 3 and adds jj to Stealth checks.
MOBILE
In the right hands, speed and agility can prove to be
a far more effective defense than a bulky set of armor.
As a maneuver, the wearer may consume 1 Charge to
treat each subsequent move maneuver they make as if
they had made two move maneuvers instead until the
end of the current encounter.
OVERLOAD
Some armors have been customized with the means
to temporarily push themselves past the limits of their
typical parameters.
As a maneuver, the wearer can consume 1 Charge to
increase their current soak by 2 and add j to all com-
bat checks they may. These effects last until the end of
the current encounter, at which point the armor suf-
fers one degree of damage (as per the item maintenance
rules on page 89 of the Genesys Core Rule Book).

PREHENSILE WEAPONS FRAME
Helix security agents and Omnics designed for combat
often wield weaponry that would normally be too large
to use effectively. To allow this, their armor incorpo-
rates shock absorbing technology to take the weight of
oversized weaponry.
PSYCHIC
This armor’s protection extends beyond the physical
realm, bolstering the wearer’s mental strength as well.
QUANTUM
An energy field surrounds the wearer, redirecting the
energy from close combat attacks safely away.
ROCKET
This suit has blast engines affixed to various joints and
locations, increasing the wearer’s mobility.
This trait enables a character to stand up from prone
as an incidental. Once per encounter, the wearer may
instantly move to any unobstructed location within
long range.
SEALED
The armor includes a full body suit to protect the
wearer from hazardous environments.
This trait provides the wearer with a one-hour inde-
pendent supply of oxygen. It also protects the wearer
from airborne toxins, vacuum, and drowning.
SHUNTING
Some armors contain methods of reducing damage by
shifted it to anyone nearby, friend or foe (which can
make for hasty apologies in some cases).
When the wearer suffers a Critical Injury, reduce the
result by 30 to a minimum of 01. All characters within
short range then suffer 2 wounds.
SILENT
Noise-dampening devices within the armor counter
any sound that the wearer produces.
SMOKING
A cloud of fog, haze, or smoke surrounds the wearer.
The wearer can spend a maneuver to activate or
deactivate this trait. While it is active, the armor adds
j to Perception checks made to detect the wearer. (At
the GM's discretion, this may not work within some
environments or certain weather conditions.)
SPIKED
The armor is covered in nasty barbs and spikes, making
foes think twice before charging the wearer.
When targeted by a melee combat check, the wearer
may spend hhh or d to cause the attacker to suffer
3 wounds.
SUBTLE
This armor is integrated into normal garments in such
a way that its protective nature isn't obvious.
The nature of this protective gear is not immediately
noticeable, removing j from social skill checks that
might be applied due to a character wearing armor.
WINGED
Majestic formations of feathers, metal, or energy extend
from the back of the protective gear.
As a maneuver, the wearer may consume 1 Charge;
they may then fly aerodynamically (see the Genesys
Core Rulebook, page 100) for the remainder of the
encounter or narrative scene. Your GM might call for a
Piloting check in dangerous or unusual circumstances;
d from the result of such a check means it is depleted
at the end of your character’s turn - and thus runs out
of flight power. (It also means that if your character
doesn’t make it to solid ground by that point, they’re
in for a fall!)
Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
OVERWATCH 115
Gear
Gear is the catchall term for anything that isn’t weapons
or armor. Generally, gear needs fewer rules than either
of those, so we can lump everything together in this
third category.
This section presents a small selection of the wide
variety of items that are present in the world of Over-
watch. GMs should use these as examples to help them
determine the effectiveness and price of tools that
might serve similar purposes. GMs are encouraged to
refer to the Genesys Core Rulebook, page 93, for a dis-
cussion about how gear can work within the game.
Barrier Shields
One of the most prominent pieces of defensive equip-
ment in the Overwatch setting are barrier shields
- screens of dense hard light energy which protect
their user from most forms of ranged attack. Famous
examples of these in action include the huge barrier
fields wielded by Crusaders like Reinhardt or projected
energy shields like those deployed by Sigma and Win-
ston.
In the Genesys system, shields operate mechani-
cally as weapons which give certain defensive proper-
ties. Although it is entirely possibly to build a shield
using the same weapon traits system presented on page
105, we have included several pre-built examples here
- some of which have their own unique rules.
If a character uses one of these pre-built examples,
they may not add additional weapon traits to the item.
However, players are encouraged to conceptualize its
visual appearance and backstory in the same way they
did for their weapons, armor and Ultimate Ability.
Shield Gauntlet
Shield gauntlets are highly-specialized defensive items
worn around the hands or wrists. They operate by pro-
jecting a concave energy field around the wearer. The
exact appearance or coloration of this energy field dif-
fers from one gauntlet to another.
Personal Barrier Shield
A personal barrier shield is a defensive item that func-
tions as a one-handed melee weapon. A famous exam-
ple is the one wielded by Brigitte Lindholm, but they
are also popular with the rank-and-file troops of para-
military groups like Null Sector.
Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
116 OVERWATCH
Large Barrier Shield
Large barrier shields offer the user the opportunity to
not just protect themselves, but also those around them
too. By calibrating the device to the energy signatures
of their allies' weapons, users of a large barrier shield
are able to offer protection without impeding their
comrades' ability to return fire.
Unlike its smaller counterparts, a large barrier shield
must be deployed before it is considered activated.
Deployment of a large barrier shield requires a man-
neuver, and can be done in one of two ways:
• Stationary: The user deploys the barrier shield
anywhere within short range. Once deployed, the
barrier shield becomes a stationary source of cover
(see page 110 of the Genesys Core Rule Book)
that provides +2 ranged defense to any allies that
move behind it. The user can voluntarily deactivate
the shield as a maneuver.
• Mobile: The user deploys the barrier shield but
retains physical possession of it. Once deployed,
the user becomes a source of cover (see page 110
of the Genesys Core Rule Book) that provides +2
ranged defense to any allies that are engaged with
them. The user may move as normal, but cannot
make any attacks until the barrier shield is deac-
tivated. The user can voluntarily deactivate the
shield as a maneuver.
The barrier shield's item qualities (Cumbersome 3,
Defensive 1 and Deflection 2) only apply to the user
whilst the shield is activated and equipped. If they
deploy it as a stationary source of cover, they only
receive the same benefits as any other ally.
In addition to the normal options for negating cover,
the GM may spend hhh or d to cause the barrier
shield to buckle and break under the strain of enemy
attacks. The shield is immediately deactivated and can-
not be used again for the rest of the encounter unless a
character succeeds on a Daunting (kkkk) Mechanics
check to power it back up.
TABLE 3–5: BARRIER SHIELDS
Name Skill Dam Crit Range Encum Price Rarity Special
Shield Gauntlet Brawl +1 5 Engaged 1 400 6 Deflection 2, Stun Damage

Cumbersome 2, Defensive 2,
Personal Barrier Shield Melee +1 6 Engaged 4 500 4
Deflection 2

Cumbersome 3, Defensive 1,
Large Barrier Shield Melee +1 6 Engaged 6 2,000 2
Deflection 2, see description

Carrying and Storage Clandestine Gear

Load-Bearing Gear
Load-bearing gear consists of a sturdy, full-torso vest
covered in snaps, loops, and hooks. It can be worn over
even the bulkiest body armor.
While wearing load-bearing gear, your character
increases their encumbrance threshold by 3.
Modular Backpack
A modular backpack can come in numerous designs,
often shaped or customized to the needs of their wearer.
While wearing a modular backpack, your character
increases their encumbrance threshold by 5.
Sealed Container
Binders
Binders represent the various kinds of handcuffs, man-
acles and other restraints commonly deployed by law
enforcement or paramilitary groups to secure prison-
ers.
Escaping a set of manacles without heavy cut-
ters requires your character to make a Formidable
(kkkkk) Athletics check or Daunting (kkkk)
Coordination check.
Disguise Kit
Disguise kits are used by criminals, spies, and inves-
tigators to alter their physical appearance. A standard
kit might include various wigs, hairpieces, makeup,

A sealed container represents a small storage solution

(usually no more than a meter long), that is impervi-
ous to most conventional cutting devices. Your GM has
the final say on what can cut through the container's
reinforced exterior, but it should generally be limited
to military-grade explosives or heavy-duty construc-
tion or demolition equipment.
The container can hold a number of items with
encumbrance values totaling up to 20.
Utility Belt
A common utility belt is part load-bearing gear, part
tool belt, and part carry-all. Worn low on the hips, this
handy item is equipped with a holster or tool bag and a
selection of sealable, weather-proof pouches for carry-
ing small, important items close at hand.
While wearing a utility belt, your character increases
their encumbrance threshold by 2.
Making Gear Unique
Some of the gear listed in this section is deliber-
ately described in broad, generic terms. This is
intended to give players as much freedom and
versatility as possible in determining the exact
nature and physical design of the items in their
characters' possession.
For example, 'painkiller' is used as a generic
descriptor for a basic healing item. In-universe,
however, this could be used to represent any-
thing from Zenyatta's orb of healing to Road-
hog's hogdrogen canisters. In gameplay terms
they operate identically, but are incredibly dif-
ferent in a narrative sense.
This follows the same design philosophy used
in other elements of a character's Hero Kit - that
players should be encouraged to give their char-
acters' gear the same flavor that they have given
their abilities, personality and appearance.

Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT

OVERWATCH 117

colored contact lenses, or even prosthetic features.
Advanced kits may contain simple biometric spoofers
to get around fingerprint readers, retinal scanners, and
even, in some cases, holographic technology.
A disguise kit adds j to Deception checks the user
makes while assuming a false appearance or identity.
Infiltrator Goggles
These high-tech goggles consist of various vision-
enhancing technologies. Used by criminals and special
operatives alike, infiltrator goggles are equipped with
a passive night-vision system, supported by thermal
imaging and (in some models) microband radar emit-
ters.
While wearing infiltrator goggles, your character
removes jj added to their checks due to darkness,
smoke, or other forms of concealment.
Lockpick Set
Lockpick sets include a number of specialty tools
designed to unlock mechanical locks.
Lockpick sets allow your character to attempt to open
Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
118 OVERWATCH
any mechanical locks or latches. In addition, when
making a Skulduggery check to open a mechanical lock
or latch while using a lockpick set, your character adds
a to the results.
Restraining Bolt
Restraining bolts are to omnics and robots what bind-
ers are to humans. Using magnetic clamps or chemi-
cal adhesives, restraining bolts attach to an omnic’s
chassis and are used to control its actions, usually by
means of a remote control. The most basic restraining
bolts simply shut an omnic down, allowing the user to
bypass guards and incapacitate any omnic witnesses.
More advanced systems can be used to make an omnic
follow the orders of the person holding the restraining
bolt controller.
In most civilized parts of the Overwatch world, the
use of a restraining bolt on an omnic is considered a
criminal act, as omnics have the same rights as humans
(though this does vary from nation to nation).
Most civilian-model omnics cannot withstand the
powerful programming overrides in a restraining bolt.
However, omnic player characters are made of sterner
stuff than their NPC comrades and can, with the right
amount of effort, overcome a restraining bolt. PC or
military-grade omnics may make a Daunting (kkkk)
Discipline check to shake off the effects of a restraining
bolt and act normally after one is applied. After a failed
check, they may make another attempt at a later time at
the GM’s discretion.
Sedative
Often taking the physical appearance of a syringe or
needle-dart, a sedative is a chemical or biological agent
designed to quickly knock a target out so they can be
safely manipulated.
Applying a sedative to an aware and unwilling tar-
get requires the wielder to make a Hard (kkk) Brawl
or Melee combat check against the target. Instead of
inflicting damage, if the attacker succeeds, the target
must immediately resist the effects of the medications
that flood their system as a poison with a Hard (kkk)
Resilience check. Failure inflicts 10 strain.
Stealth Field Generator
The ultimate in personal stealth technology, stealth
field generators are rare and expensive, and well worth
the price. These tools use a number of optical and light-
bending technologies to render the wearer completely
invisible to the naked eye.
The major flaw with personal stealth fields is that they
are incredibly unstable, and are prone to malfunctions
(such as complete field collapse at a moment's notice).
Those lucky enough to own one consider the ability
to move undetected through even the most crowded,
well-lit space well worth the price of the occasional
malfunction.
Stealth field generator users cannot be detected by
sight, and any attempts to detect a user by other means,
such as scent, motion, or sound, make their skill checks
at a difficulty of Formidable (kkkkk). Any h or d
generated while using a stealth field generator may be
used by the GM to indicate that the field flickers for
a moment, or collapses altogether rendering the user
visible.
Computers and Electronics
A.I. System
The next evolution in consumer-friendly artificial
intelligence, this hand- or wrist-held device incorpo-
rates a low-level AI that can assist and interact with
your character. Basically, this means your character
can talk to their computer and it answers back. The AI
isn’t as smart as an average person, and its “low-level”
status means it can’t learn or evolve in the same way
that a sentient machine (like an omnic) can, but it does
everything a modern computer can do and can even
allow hackers to access and attempt to override security
systems.
In addition to functioning as a personal computer,
the A.I. system has databanks that allow the wearer to
add j to any Intellect-based checks they make.
Comlink
The Overwatch equivalent to walkie-talkies, comlinks
are small, secure devices used for personal communi-
cation. They have a limited range but are unaffected
by buildings and other obstacles. Comlinks are cheap
and readily available, and they have the added bonus of
being largely untraceable (as they only operate with a
specified network).
Datapad
The ubiquitous datapad can be found in even the most
remote parts of the Overwatch world. A powerful com-
bination of communications device, holo messenger,
handheld computer, and personal database, datapads
combine a number of common electronics in one easy-
to-use package. Most have touch screens, but some use
holographic imaging devices to project their data, and
all can interface with public information networks. All
datapads can be encrypted, and many have emergency
data destructs that wipe their memory if they are lost
or stolen.
General Purpose Scanner
Common scanners are usually small, handheld devices
designed to sense and record a variety of data. Simple
and rugged, scanners are used by military operatives
and criminal syndicates for tracking and observing
enemy movements.
Depending on the make and model, a scanner can
detect nearby life signs, heat signatures, different
sources of radiation, the source and direction of vari-
ous sounds, or any combination thereof. Some models
scan in all directions, while others are unidirectional
and must be pointed in the desired direction for scan-
ning. Some even have integrated metal detectors and
the ability to intercept and record comms traffic. Scan-
ners have an operational range usually up to one and a
half kilometers.
Hacking Rig
Hacking rigs offer the extra processing power, memory,
and adaptive and responsive programming needed to
assist a prospective hacker with everything they need
to try and infiltrate a secure computer system.
When a character uses a hacking rig to penetrate a
computer network or similar device, extract or implant
data, take control, or conduct related operations, they
may downgrade the difficulty of Computers checks
they make once. Note that hacking is only done against
non-sentient devices; characters must use social skill
checks against sentient AIs and robots (such as most
omnics) to attempt similar actions.
Portable Motion Sensor
This handheld device, easily stored in a pocket or
pouch, detects nearby movement. The user can cali-
brate sensitivity to avoid false alarms by small vermin.
Under normal conditions, a character using the sen-
sor automatically detects any moving creatures within
medium range. Of course, it can’t distinguish friend
from foe or identify the creatures. If creatures within
range are actively hidden, your character adds jj to
Vigilance or Perception checks to notice them while
using the motion sensor (instead of spotting them
automatically).
Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
OVERWATCH 119
TABLE 3-6: GEAR TABLE 3-6: GEAR
Name Encum Price Rarity Name Encum Price Rarity
CARRYING AND STORAGE Musical Instrument 1 100 4

Load-Bearing Gear +3 45 3 Portable Workshop 4 1,000 6

Modular Backpack +5 100 3 Rations (1 week) 1 40 2

Sealed Container 15 10,000 8 Rebreather 1 40 1

Utility Belt +2 20 1 Recording Device 0 120 2

CLANDESTINE GEAR Rocket Boots 1 850 3

Binders 0 5 3 Teleporter (One-Way) 1 15,000 9
Disguise Kit 4 250 5 Teleporter (Two-Way) 3 30,000 10
Infiltrator Goggles 1 300 6 Universal Translator 0 300 4
Lockpick Set 1 75 5
Programming Tools
Restraining Bolt 0 35 4
Most of these kits come with pre-scripted, omni-OS
Sedative (1 dose) 0 250 3
modules that can be quickly assembled to form a vari-
Stealth Field Generator 2 20,000 10 ety of programs. Programmers can then use them to
COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS add helpful abilities to non-sentient devices of almost
any nature. Sometimes, though, they can improve a
A.I. System 1 3,000 1
system just a bit too much...
Comlink 0 25 1 Programming tools decrease the difficulty of Com-
Datapad 0 175 2 puters checks the owner makes to create new software
for a non-sentient computer system by one. t may be
General Purpose Scanner 0 400 2
spent to make this system self-aware (and friendly),
Hacking Rig 1 300 4 while the GM may spend d to do the same, but make
the newly sentient system quite upset with their creator.
Portable Motion Sensor 1 120 4

Programming Tools 0 200 5 Medical and Support

MEDICAL AND SUPPORT
Biotic Field
Immortality Field
Medical Tools
Painkiller
Repair Patch
TOOLS AND GENERAL GEAR
Automated Turret
Climbing Apparel
Construction Tools
Engineer's Tool Kit
Extra Reload
1 500 6 Biotic Field
1 5,000 9 An infusion of biotic chemicals contained in a quick-
3 700 4
release emitter, the biotic field has become a staple
piece of kit for combat medics across the world since
0 25 2 its advent during the Omnic Crisis. Designed for ease-
0 25 2 of-use in the chaos of battle, the biotic field allows the
user to provide a quick source of emergency healing to
multiple individuals at once.
5 15,000 9
As a maneuver, a user may activate their biotic field.
2 400 4 Until the end of the user's next turn, any ally that ends
their turn engaged with the user recovers wounds in
2 250 5
line with the regular painkiller rules found on page 116
4 200 2 of the Genesys Core Rule Book. Activating a biotic
1 25 1
field consumes the item completely.

Illuminator 0 10 1

Jetpack 2 4,500 7

Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT

120 OVERWATCH
Immortality Field
This powerful item was developed as a progression
of the standard biotic field. Infused with the latest in
biotic technology, an immortality field lives up to its
name by actually preventing a target's untimely demise.
As a maneuver, a user may activate their immortal-
ity field. Until the end of the user's next turn, any ally
that ends their turn engaged with the user ignores any
wounds they suffer that would exceed their wound
threshold. Activating an immortality field consumes
the item completely.
Medical Tools
Serving as the 'right tool for the job', a set of medical
tools is a must-have for anyone looking to serve the
role of healer.
Having a set of medical tools allows your character
to heal wounds or Critical Injuries without penalty. In
addition, whenever your character successfully makes
a check to heal wounds, their target heals 1 additional
wound and 1 additional strain.
Painkiller
Painkillers are the generic term for consumable auto-
healing item. Players and GMs are encouraged to flavor
these in accordance with the context they are used (see
'Making Gear Unique', page 117).
The first painkiller used on a character automati-
cally heals 5 wounds. The second painkiller only heals
4 wounds, the third painkiller heals 3 wounds, and so
on. The sixth painkiller has no effect (we say the target
is too oversaturated with medicine to benefit from any-
thing else).
Administering a painkiller requires one maneuver,
and the character doing the administering must be
engaged with the target to treat them. This also means
that a character with a free hand can administer a pain-
killer to themself by spending a maneuver.
Painkillers (in any of their variants) can never heal
Critical Injuries.
Repair Patch
Functionally identical to painkillers, repair patches
serve the same purpose but for omnics and other
mechanical or inorganic creatures.
The first repair patch used on an inorganic character
automatically heals 5 wounds. The second repair patch
only heals 4 wounds, the third repair patch heals 3
wounds, and so on. The sixth repair patch has no effect
(we say the target is too oversaturated from previous
repairs to benefit from anything else).
Administering a repair patch requires one maneu-
ver, and the character doing the administering must be
engaged with the target to treat them. This also means
that a character with a free hand can administer a repair
patch to themself by spending a maneuver.
Repair patches (in any of their variants) can never
heal Critical Injuries.
A character can also use a repair patch when making
repairs on a non-sentient mechanical system, in which
case it adds j to their Mechanics check.
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 Tools and General Gear
Automated Turret
Automated turrets are deployable
defensive items that can be set
to automatically target and fire
upon a designated enemy (or cat-
egory of enemies). A wise engineer
makes sure their turrets are cali-
brated to not fire upon their allies
before deploying one in the field!
As an action, a user may deploy
an automated turret. Once a turret
is deployed, it is considered a sepa-
rate entity from its user. By default, a
turret has a wound threshold of 10 and
a soak value of 4.
In combat, the turret uses the follow-
ing weapons profile: Gunnery (lkk);
Damage 10; Critical 3; Range [Long];
Auto-fire, Limited Ammo 8, Pierce 2,
Prepare 1.
A deployed turret receives its own
turn in the initiative order, which it
takes immediately after the turn of the
character that deployed it. The turret
can only use its maneuver to prepare its
weapon (as per the Prepare 1 quality) and
can only use its action to fire upon a tar-
get. If no valid targets are present, the
turret does nothing.
By default the turret targets the
closest valid target, but the character
that deployed it can use a maneuver
on their turn to designate a specific tar-
get that the turret will prioritize when-
ever possible.
Reloading a deployed turret requires
an Average (kk) Mechanics check.
Repairing a deployed turret requires a
Hard (kkk) Mechanics check, with the
turret recovering wounds equal to s.
Packing up a deployed turret requires an
action. If someone other than the owner
attempts to pack up a deployed turret,
they must make a Formidable (kkkkk)
Mechanics or Skulduggery check.

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122 OVERWATCH
Climbing Apparel
A set of climbing apparel can be anything from a fully
secured harness, a collection of reinforced ropes strong
enough to support the weight of two adults, or a set
of quick-stick pitons with an adhesive that locks onto
nearly any surface in seconds. A common feature of
climbing apparatus is a one-shot grapnel launcher for
quick ascents.
To use the grapnel launcher, your character must
make a Ranged (Light) skill check with a difficulty set
by the range of the wall, building, or other structure
your character is trying to hit (in the same manner as
determining the difficulty of a ranged combat check).
Securing a piton requires a maneuver. The motorized
harness allows your character to ascend or descend
without making a check.
Construction Tools
A set of construction tools consists of nanoassemblers,
adhesives, and other items helpful for quick construc-
tion in the field.
Construction tools decreases the difficulty of
Mechanics checks to construct large edifices, bridges,
fortifications, and similar structures once.
Engineer's Tool Kit
An engineer's tool kits is just the thing for patching up
a cracked suit of power armor, mounting the wheels
back onto a hoverbike, checking the polarity on a fail-
ing reactor, or just pounding out the dents in a flying
mech.
An engineer's tool kit counts as the right tool for the
job (see page 93 of the Genesys Core Rulebook) for
most mechanical or technological efforts. Additionally,
its internal power supply can serve as a power source
for other devices for one hour.
Extra Reload
In the field, every Overwatch agent, Talon operative
or Deadlock enforcer knows that anything that can
go wrong, will go wrong, and at the most inopportune
time. One of the most common mishaps in the field is
some piece of important gear running out of power, or
a weapon running short on ammo or energy.
Extra reloads allow a character to ignore an "out of
ammo" d result with a ranged weapon. By spending a
maneuver, a character can switch out a power pack or
reload a weapon to get back into the action.
Illuminator
These small devices provide a safe source of light. Most
are powered by advanced energy sources, although
some are powered by simple batteries. The typical illu-
minator is safe, portable, and long lasting.
An illuminator provides light out to medium range
and removes j added to checks due to darkness. It
can function underwater, in a vacuum, or in a volatile
atmosphere without issue.
Jetpack
A jetpack is ideal for fast maneuverability and surprise
attacks. Most use small thrusters to blast into the air
for short periods, though some augment this with anti-
grav devices. Their only drawbacks are their large size
and weight, limited fuel, and the not inconsiderable
skill needed to pilot them safely.
A jetpack allows the wearer to fly (see page 100 of the
Genesys Core Rulebook). It can be activated or deac-
tivated as a maneuver. If needed, the wearer uses the
Piloting skill with this item.
Musical Instrument
Music and musical instruments come in many forms
in the world of Overwatch. A famous example is that
of Lúcio, the global superstar who has combined the
power of music and sonic technology to help him in his
fight against injustice.
The default audible range of a musical instrument is
short, though players may work with the GM to devise
items with other ranges (and prices).
Portable Workshop
Although portable workshops come in all sorts of
designs, any engineer would recognize these anvil and
tool sets anywhere, regardless of their technological
background. Even the most common models use grav-
ity-reducing materials to allow beings to easily carry
them into areas or environments that lack the desired
technological infrastructure. Most also include power
sources, welding torches, mega-clamps, and other
necessities.
Using a portable workshop decreases the difficulty
of checks the user makes to create, repair, or modify
mechanical devices (such as repairing hull trauma and
Critical Hits on vehicles) by one (to a minimum of
Simple [–]).
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OVERWATCH 123
Rations (1 week)
The exact nature of the food provided by a set of rations
can vary depending on where they were picked up, but
a ration pack will always keep a character healthy.
Rebreather
These devices provide their users with the necessary
atmosphere for respiration in almost any hostile envi-
ronment.
While using a rebreather, the wearer does not need
to make a check to survive in toxic atmospheres or
underwater - though any exposed body surfaces may
still suffer damage.
Recording Device
Often appearing in the form of small, electronic devices
that can be discreetly hidden on the user's person,
recording devices are popular with undercover opera-
tives, aspiring filmmakers and digital streamers.
A recording device is not a computer, but allows your
character to record any visuals they see and download
the recordings to any public or private network they
have the relevant access to.
Rocket Boots
These boots incorporate several small engines and a
limited fuel supply. They do not provide enough power
to fly or hover, but they significantly extend the wear-
er’s jumping distance. They may also be triggered selec-
tively when climbing to assist that action.
Rocket boots add jj to Athletics checks the wearer
makes related to jumping or climbing.
Chapter 3: GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
124 OVERWATCH
Teleporter
Representing the cutting-edge in advanced teleporta-
tion technology, portable teleporters are deployable
items that can provide a user and their allies unprec-
edented mobility on a battlefield.
Teleporters come in two main variants; one-way
and two-way. One-way teleporters are small, discreet
devices that provide a one-time activation for a single
user. Two-way teleporters consist of a pair of larger
'pads' that create a 'path' between them and can teleport
multiple users repeatedly.
Both variants need to be deployed prior to use.
Deployment of a teleporter requires an action to place
it anywhere within short range.
• One-Way: A deployed one-way teleporter adds
up to jj (at the GM's discretion) to attempts to
spot or identify it. Once a one-way teleporter is
deployed, its user may spend a maneuver on any
subsequent turn to immediately transport them-
selves to the teleporter's location so long as they are
within extreme range of it. After a one-way tele-
porter has been used, its power is consumed and it
may not be used again for the rest of the encounter.
• Two-Way: Each of the two 'pads' must be deployed
separately (requiring an action for each deploy-
ment) within extreme range of each other before
it can be used. Once both parts of a two-way tele-
porter are deployed, a user engaged with one 'pad'
may spend a move maneuver to immediately trans-
port themselves to the location of the other. This
can be done multiple times by the user and any
targets they choose to calibrate to the teleporter.
Packing up a teleporter requires a character to spend
an action whilst engaged with it. For two-way teleport-
ers, a character can pack up both 'pads' with a single
action (it can be assumed that one part folds itself into
the other via the 'path' that exists between the two).
If someone other than the owner attempts to pack up
a deployed teleporter, they must make a Formidable
(kkkkk) Mechanics check.
Universal Translator
A common piece of technology in the futuristic world
of Overwatch, basic universal translators allow for
rudimentary communications between any languages,
while the more advanced models can even unravel
complicated metaphors.
A translator removes j from social skill checks a
user makes when an unfamiliar language is involved.
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