Justin Halliday

CHANGE LOG
Copyright 2021 Justin Halliday – Some Rights Reserved • 500: Added Reaver adversaries
• 499: Fixed ranged weapon damage for template Striker adversary
The text of Onyx Sky by Justin Halliday is licensed under a • 498: Added The Great Day excerpt to Character Sheet section
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: • 497: Reorganized back matter
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ • 496: Added Lumber Yard to list of Merchants and Traders
• 495: Updated description of food and water in the Downtime section
• 494: Updated description of surprise in the Combat section
• 493: Updated Introduction text
• 492: Updated Content Warning section
• 491: Fixed typo in equipment section
Onyx Sky and Hero Forge Games
are trademarks of Justin Halliday • 490: Fixed name of Guard Archer adversary
• 489: Updated character sheet to replace Archetype with Concept
heroforgegames.com • 488: Corrected order of specialized martial skills for adversaries
• 487: Added Guard adversaries
Feedback and errata: • 486: Cleaned up column breaks and image anchors for print formatting
justinhalliday@gmail.com • 485: Updated explosions section in Environmental Hazards
• 484: Tweaked damage and removed heavy category for explosives
Printing Authorization:
• 483: Added explosive characteristic for weapons
This PDF document may be printed for personal use.
• 482: Added description of attribute steps to Attributes section
Version 1.0 (Build 500) • 481: Restructured Types of Encounters section
• 480: Updated variant rules and reformatted Slower Healing variant rule
• 479: Updated adversary descriptions
Content Warning • 478: Updated Campaign Guide with revisions
Onyx Sky campaigns explore challenging themes and place players in difficult • 477: Updated Glossary terms
situations. Use the included safety tools to ensure informed consent and • 476: Updated Sensory Conditions to broaden possible attribute tests
enable players to confidently explore a broken world. • 475: Added additional condition examples to Conditions descriptions
• 474: Fixed Move action Prone movement speed in Combat section
Contributors
• 473: Updated Minor action to replace potion with vittles
• Interior art by James Shields • Onyx Sky logo by Lincoln Flynn
• 472: Updated Grapple action to only be instigated with Strength (Athletics)
• Cover art by Taylor Christensen • Aver font by Lauren Thompson
• 471: Fixed incorrectly titled Triggering Reactions rules example
• Droid art by Eric Quigley
• Additional art by Ian MacLean, Luigi Castellani
Special thanks to these playtesters for support, feedback, and adventures:
• John Evans • David Giles • Jarrod Franklin
• Dudley Birch • Michael Ng • Lee Geeves
• Ronny Elders • Owen Hiscock • Anton Stolbov
• Luc Le Quiniat • Violet Halliday • Dash Halliday

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Game Mastering
Safety Tools
83
84
Running Attribute Tests 85
Onyx Sky 4 Environmental Hazards 87
Core Mechanics 6 Types of Encounters 89
Fundamentals 7 Combat Encounter Design 90
The World of Onyx Sky 9 Combat Encounters 92
Characters 12 Using Adversary Blocks 94
Character Creation 13 Variant Rules 96
Example Character Build 15 Adversary Templates 98
Background Archetypes 17 Adversary Templates 99
Wanderer Archetypes 19 Appendices 106
Character Development 21
Character Names 107
Traits 22
Influences on Onyx Sky 108
Skills 25
Martial Skills 30 Character Sheet 109
Specialized Martial Skills 32
Equipment 37
Game Rules 47
Attributes 48
Traits 49
Skills 50
Attribute Tests 53
Role-Playing 57
Attacking and Defending 59
Energy 60
Health 61
Damage 62
Death and Dying 62
Healing 63
Resting 63
Movement 64
Weapons, Armor, and Gear 65
Trade and Bartering 69
Downtime 70
Traveling 72
Combat 73
Combat Actions 77
Conditions 79
Glossary 81

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 ONYX SKY
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world

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ONYX SKY INTRODUCTION
2056. Civilizations collapse fast.
Onyx Sky takes place in our world after devastating global war and
The world is broken. catastrophic environmental collapse plunge humanity back into the stone age.
We waged a terrible war. In Onyx Sky games, the players create characters who have been safe inside a
military bunker, government facility, fallout shelter, or scientific vault. Their
We destroyed ourselves.
characters are unprepared for the degenerated world outside.
We destroyed our planet.
After decades in their haven, they emerge and find the world destroyed.
Onyx Sky explores how
The parched land is blasted with craters. characters with modern
Cities, monuments to our past, crumble. knowledge and morals
Nature reclaims our cities and towns. react to a world in
technological and cultural
Among ruin, the survivors scratch out a life.
freefall.

But the wars did not stop when the great powers fell.
We perfected war machines and sent them into battle.
Autonomous killing machines now roam the lands.
Swarms of self-replicating nanites blacken the sky.

And in our rebuilding, we forgot the lessons of the past.

We still squabble for the spoils of our victory.
The ashes of our defeat.
Yet the spirit of humankind struggles to survive.

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CORE MECHANICS
The Onyx Sky RPG combines a simple attribute and skill system with a
streamlined step dice resolution system to accelerate play.
Onyx Sky uses step dice (d6, d8, d10, d12, d16, d20) to reflect improving
attributes and skills. Characters start with d6s in each attribute, and these
improve to d8, d10, etc, as they develop.
When facing challenges, players roll an action pool that comprises one or more
dice; one die for their character’s attribute, a matching die for a relevant skill,
and an additional matching die if the character has a skill specialization.
In attribute tests, the dice roll against a difficulty target: usually from 5 to 8.
Attribute tests achieve one success for each die that meets or beats the target.
In combat, the action and defense pools are rolled opposed. The defender’s
defense pool includes their Body die and their Armor die. The attack’s action
pool includes their attribute die, their weapon skill die, and any additional dice
from specialized martial skills. Once the attacker and defender have
constructed their pools, they both roll at the same time.
Attacks deal the weapon’s damage for each of the attacker’s dice that meet or
beat the defender’s highest die.
Mechanics Summary
• Attributes have die steps; d6, d8, d10, d12, d16, d20
• Characters can learn general and martial skills, each with specializations
• Action pools are used for attribute tests and attacks
• In attribute tests, the action pool rolls against a fixed difficulty or opposed
to another character’s action pool
• Attribute test action pools include the character’s attribute die, a matching
die for the relevant skill, and a matching die for a skill specialization
• Attribute tests can achieve up to 3 successes
• Action pools ‘upstep’ and ‘downstep’ with advantages and disadvantages
• For attacks, the attacker’s action pool rolls against the target’s defense pool
• Attack action pools include the character’s attribute die, a matching die for
their weapon training skill, plus matching dice for specialized martial skills
• Defense pools include the character’s Body die, an Armor die for worn
armor, and additional dice for skills and specialized situational techniques
• Attacks can achieve up to 3 successes, and when an attack hits, the
weapon’s damage is dealt for each success
• In combat, characters can take multiple actions by downstepping dice

Example: Melee Attack

In resolving a melee attack, the attacker constructs their action pool and the
defender constructs their defense pool.
For the defender’s physical defense pool, their Body die is a d8 (due to their
Agile Defense skill) and their Armor die is a d6. The attacker’s action pool
includes their Strength attribute die (d10), their matching Melee Training skill
die (d10), and a third d10 for their Flanking Attack specialized martial skill.
The attacker and the defender roll at the same time. In this case, the defender
rolls a 3 and a 7. The 7 is the defender’s highest die, which the attacker needs
to meet or beat. The attacker rolls 4, 7, 8 in their attack pool.
The attacker’s 7 and 8 meet or beat the defender’s highest die, giving this
attack 2 successes. This attack deals twice the weapon’s damage.

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FUNDAMENTALS
Dice
Onyx Sky uses d6, d8, d10, d12, d16, and d20 dice for attacks, defenses, and
attribute tests. Exceptionally powerful characters may also use d24s and d30s.
If you don’t have d16s, d24s, or d30s, don’t panic!
First, these dice are only required at higher attribute and skill levels, so you
don’t need them when you start playing.
Second, d16s can be replicated with a d20 roll where you re-roll 17-20s. And
d24s and d30s can be replicated by rolling two dice, a d6 and either a d12 or a
d10. The d6 determines if the other die is low/high or low/medium/high.
Finally, online play and dice rollers support arbitrary die sizes and die pools.
Attribute Dice and Steps
Attributes are represented by dice, with increasing steps (d6, d8, d10, etc). Low
die steps are easy to acquire, while higher dice steps require more character
development to achieve.
Attribute steps are numbered: d6 = 1, d8 = 2, d10 = 3, d12 = 4, d16 = 5, d20 = 6.
Attributes
Attributes represent a character’s physical and mental capabilities:
• Physical: Strength, Agility, and Stamina (STR, AGI, STA)
• Mental: Influence, Intelligence, and Acuity (INF, INT, ACU)
Attributes all start at d6, and then improve to d20 and beyond.
Characters’ starting attributes are determined by spending character points
(CP) at character creation and further improved through play.
Traits
Traits are the inherent capabilities of characters that aren’t learnable skills. For
example, traits include species, unusual senses (low-light, acute hearing), and
different physical characteristics and sizes.
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Character Points
Character points (CP) are the currency of character creation and development.
CP are used in character creation, earned through play, and then spent to
improve a character’s attributes and to learn new skills. The player can choose
when and how to spend CP to improve their character.
Skills
Skills are learned expertise that characters have developed, and each skill
builds on an underlying attribute.
Skills are initially purchased at character creation by spending CP. Characters
can also learn new skills during play, again by spending CP. Characters’ skill
development is only limited by their available CP.
Initially, characters are untrained in all skills, and rely on their attributes.
When characters attempt an attribute test that uses a skill that they are trained
in, they add a second die to their action pool. This skill die matches the
attribute die. If the character also has a relevant specialization, they add a
third die, again matching their attribute die.
Action Pools
Action pools are dynamic dice pools that are used when a character performs
an action, such as an attribute test or an attack. The action pool’s dice are
based on the character’s attributes, skills, and specializations.
A character’s action pool is usually:
• Attribute die: The character’s attribute die
• Skill die: The relevant skill die
• Specialization die: Dice for specializations
Defense Pools
Characters have two defense pools that are used when defending against
attacks; physical defense (PD) and mental defense (MD). As with action pools,
the defense pool dice are based on their attributes, skills (such as Agile
Defense or Sturdy Defense), and equipment.
Defense pools reflect the character’s ability to resist physical or mental attacks.
Both the PD and MD pools can be improved with better attributes, as well as
skills and equipment that add dice to the pools or modify the dice in the pools.
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Attribute Tests
The action and defense pools are used in attribute tests to determine the
outcome of a character’s actions. There are two types of attribute tests:
• Fixed tests: When an action needs to overcome a static obstacle, the action
pool is rolled against a static difficulty target.
• Opposed tests: When an action is resisted, it is resolved as an opposed test,
where two dice pools are rolled against each other.
Fixed Tests
When attempting to overcome a straightforward challenge, such as climbing a
rope, balancing on a precarious ledge, or deciphering a code, the player rolls
their character’s action pool against a set difficulty target, which is usually
from 5 to 8. The character gains a success for each of their dice that meets or
beats the difficulty target.
The first success achieves a test at a basic level. Each further success
improves the attempt with one of these qualities: quick, expert, resilient, covert,
deep, efficient, abundant, or helpful.
Opposed Tests
Opposed tests are used when two characters are in opposition. In an opposed
attribute test, characters simultaneously roll their action pools against each
other, and result in success for either of the characters (but not both) or a
stalemate.
Combat Resolution
Martial combat uses opposed attribute tests for situations where one character
is trying to harm the other. In combat, the attacker and the defender roll their
pools against each other: action pool versus defense pool. The attacker gains a
success (or hit) for each die that meets or beats the defender’s highest single
die. Attacks can achieve up to 3 successes, and each success deals the
weapon’s damage to the target.
Energy
Each character has a pool of energy they draw on to perform extraordinary
physical feats. When a character summons additional strength while at the
brink of death, moves more quickly than normal, or extends themselves to off-
balance their opponent, they use their energy.
As characters become more powerful, their energy reserves increase.
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Health
The character’s health represents their physical condition, which is depleted
when they sustain injuries.
A character’s maximum health is derived from their physical size (tiny, small,
normal, large, huge, and gargantuan), their Stamina, and other relevant traits.
The maximum health of a normal human ranges from 14 (for characters with
d6 Stamina) to 28 (for characters with d20 Stamina).
Equipment
Equipment is the weapons, armor, and items that characters use to keep
themselves alive as they travel.
Weapons
Weapons are characterized by attribute requirements and damage. Weapons
have minimum Strength or Agility required to be wielded, which reflects the
effort and precision required to use the equipment. For example, a knife
requires less effort compared to a heavy sword.
Armor
Wearing armor provides an additional Armor die to the character’s PD.
However, bulky armor can only be worn by characters with the Strength to use
it, and may impact the character’s Agility and movement.
Items
The simplest category of equipment is items. These have endless variety, and
may give bonuses to attribute tests or improve other actions.
Damage
The weapon’s damage represents the force that it imparts when it strikes:
• Unarmed weapons: 1 damage (punch)
• Slight weapons: 2 damage (bone dagger or short bow)
•
•
Light weapons:
Medium weapons:
3 damage (spiked baseball bat or light crossbow)
4 damage (spiked greatclub or crossbow)
• Heavy weapons: 5 damage (sharktooth greatclub or heavy crossbow)
When an attack hits, the weapon’s damage is multiplied by the number of
successes (the number of the attacker’s dice that meet or beat the defender’s
single highest die), to give the total damage.
Page 8
THE WORLD OF ONYX SKY
The Best of Times
In the early 2000s, the world ran in fast forward.
Car headlights smeared into rivers of orange beneath towering skyscrapers.
Vast racks of ultra-fast servers manipulated data in sterile cool-rooms. People
strove and toiled, rewarded with bursts of endorphin-fueled happiness.
Among these technological marvels, petty rivalries festered.
Feed the Beast
As our civilization entered the new millennia, we seemed poised at the
threshold of a new golden age of knowledge, endeavor, and prosperity.
Yet even with greatness within reach, things started to go wrong.
The weight of centuries of exploitation and extraction began to tell.
Fossil-fuels built civilization. Heat, transport, agriculture, construction,
manufacturing, and energy. Each layer of society was built, over centuries, on
mining and incinerating ancient plants and animals.
Prelude to War
Deep schisms ripped society; pitting country against country, neighbor against
neighbor.
Faced with fear and uncertainty, people turned to petty tyrants who threatened
nightmares about monstrous enemies and peddled easy solutions.
Wary of outright war, countries waged cold wars. In these de-facto wars,
quotas, sanctions, tariffs, embargoes, blockades, black-ops, counter-
intelligence, and disinformation were used to undermine each other.
The battles moved from the real world into the cyber world. Cyber attacks
probed infrastructure vulnerabilities, social networks were weaponized and
manipulated to spread propaganda, tilting the scales just enough to nudge a
country’s people against their government.
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Inflection Point
The world strained like a coiled spring.
In the Middle East, the region’s fragile stability shattered amid historical
rivalry, depleted oil reserves, falling living standards, eroded state sovereignty,
and ideological animosity.
In the east, China flexed its muscles, expanding its territories into the South
China Sea, high in the Himalayas, and west through Central Asia in defense of
its Belt and Road trade route.
In the end, the conflict started on the border of India and Pakistan, in a dispute
that had threatened to boil over for decades.
The trigger was the detonation of a small nuclear device near a Pakistani
military base in Kashmir. The attack killed over 1,600 people in the base and
the surrounding villages.
While no group formally claimed responsibility, Pakistan’s government blamed
India for the attack and immediately massed hundreds of thousands of troops
along their border with India. In response, India deployed a similar force to
counter the Pakistani troops. To back up their ground troops, both countries
deployed mobile short-range ballistic missile launchers.
The United States and other countries condemned the use of the nuclear
weapon. China denounced India, while Russia spread rumors that the Pakistani
military intelligence agency ISI was responsible.
Tensions, already high, rose even higher amid accusation, denial, counter-
accusation, threats, and finally, ultimatum.
Pakistan demanded an apology and restitution from India for the attack. India
refused, denying any involvement.
In the midst of the escalating tension, a single tactical nuclear missile launched
from Pakistan, targeting the Indian forces massed over the border. On seeing
the launch, other Pakistani field commanders also fired dozens of tactical
nukes.
Some media outlets said it was an official order, while others pointed to a
rogue field commander.
India’s defense policy demanded a response. And so India launched a counter-
attack, targeting several of Pakistan’s key military and strategic assets,
including Pakistan’s plutonium nuclear reactors and military headquarters.
As the smoke cleared, for a moment both sides held off further escalation.
Page 9
DEFCON 2
The exchange between India and Pakistan was just the beginning.
This skirmish was the figurative collapsing snowbank that held back the
avalanche. Behind it, centuries of pent-up tension were poised to release.
Diplomats desperately tried to de-escalate rising global animosity. Each time
their talks reached an agreement, another attack shook the world. These
attacks targeted vulnerable locations; Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan,
Kashmir, South Korea, Panama, the Suez Canal. While the physical damage was
limited, they perfectly inflamed strategic pain-points.
To protect its allies and secure strategic assets in the Middle East, the US
dispatched a carrier group and ground forces to the Persian Gulf. In spite of
their elevated readiness, a supersonic missile launched from Iran and struck
the USS Eisenhower, sinking her, and severely damaged the USS Truman. The
attack cost the US their first carrier since World War II.
In response, the US pulled its military assets back to protect the mainland and
control the Atlantic and Pacific, abandoning the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.
The President vowed ‘Biblical’ retribution.
A New Breed of Soldier
For years the US military-industrial complex had been designing new weapons
better suited to a battle space unshackled from outdated conventions. The
complex worked to combine DARPA technologies into a next-generation battle
system; autonomous robotics, artificial intelligence, and experimental
weapons.
The complex delivered.
With unlimited budgets, the corporations and sub-contractors designed and
deployed an entirely new class of networked battlefield assets. Robot soldiers
capable of fully autonomous operation, uncrewed surveillance nano-drones
the size of gnats, and combat drones more dangerous than any piloted by a
human.
To perfect the new network battle system, the engineers detached it from
traditional supply lines. The battle-droids and vehicles were powered with
breakthrough technologies; scavenged metal reactors (scram), high-efficiency
solar panels, compact nuclear heat engines, and passive piezo batteries.
Factories across the US retooled to build this new defense force. Rank upon
rank of battle-droids rolled off production lines.
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Total War
While no one doubted that Iran launched the missile that sunk the USS
Eisenhower, US intelligence agencies declared that the missile was a Chinese-
made CX-1 supersonic anti-ship missile.
The US declared war on Iran, war on China, and war on any other country that
didn’t pledge to the US.
Traditional US allies declared their allegiance to the US, under the banner of
the ‘West’. On the other side, most of the Middle East, China, Russia, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, and more formed the ‘East’. Reluctant fence-sitters capitulated to
the US’s ‘with us or against us’ doctrine, and aligned with the West.
The battle-lines were drawn.
The new battle system was first deployed into the Middle East, in an attempt to
protect Israel from its surrounding enemy states. The droids and UAVs spread
from Israel and Saudi Arabia into Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran. The
battle system made quick inroads into enemy territories, but soon became
bogged down in asymmetric warfare waged by populations with nothing to
lose.
In the Pacific, the US launched its first nuclear weapon since WWII, flattening
China’s man-made island base at Yongshu Reef in the South China Sea. China
bore the attack; the two superpowers stared each other down across the
Pacific.
Behind the scenes, the US and China deployed battalions of hackers into the
cyber battlespace. Chinese hackers breached military subcontractors and
private corporations, and through them gained access to the Pentagon’s
network. Little did the US know that Chinese hackers had buried their own
code deep into the battle system.
Page 10
The Final Weapon
As the war raged, the US built a new weapon. A final weapon.
The swarm.
The swarm was the result of the miniaturization of cutting-edge technologies;
advanced materials, networked intelligence, scram reactors, and piezo power
systems. And to this they added a final feature; self-replication. The swarm’s
tiny nanites consumed metal and replicated themselves.
The US released the swarm into the war zones.
Wherever they flew, these voracious machines devoured any metal they could
find, and used it to replicate themselves.
Around the world, the battle system guided the swarms to their targets,
consuming entire ships, tearing enemy jets apart mid-air, eating rifles out of
soldiers’ hands.
By the time the countries of the East understood the threat of the swarm, it was
too late. The swarm was growing and spreading exponentially, and expertly
targeted and neutralized their military assets and installations.
Plunged Into Darkness
The final nuclear exchange was short and terribly, terribly, effective.
The Chinese, Russian, and North Korean warheads rained on the US and
Europe. In retaliation, the nuclear allies of the West; the United States,
England, and France, launched their arsenals. In the Middle-East, Iran
launched at Israel, its long-standing enemy. Under its Samson Option, Israel
retaliated against Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt. In the near east, India and
Pakistan settled their ledger.
Around the world, those privileged and chosen few retreated to their bunkers.
In the US, the leaders and their coterie evacuated to Raven Rock. In the frozen
north of Svalbard, the vault’s great doors sealed shut. The 1% of the 1% fled to
their isolated bunkers. The preppers, vindicated, executed their bug out plans.
Submarines sank to the black depths to wait out the inferno above.
Within four hours, most large cities had been hit by at least one nuclear
warhead, and half of the planet’s population was dead. The northern
hemisphere was hardest hit. The belt of destruction wrapped around the globe.
Europe, the Middle-East, China, and North America were devastated.

The Kill Chain In their bunkers, those selected for survival started their long wait.

As the swarm and battle system overwhelmed them, the East-allied countries
unleashed their last offensive capabilities. They activated sleeper cells, dirty
bombs, chemical and biological weapons, EMP weapons, cyber attacks against
military and civilian infrastructure and networks, infrastructure sabotage, and
anti-satellite weapons.
These failed to halt the swarm.
With their destruction imminent, the East enacted scorched earth protocols.
The Chinese hackers activated their trojans buried deep in the US battle-
system, removing all failsafes and geo-fencing, and disabling friend-or-foe
detection from the droids, drones, and swarm.
China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, and North Korea launched their nuclear weapons.
And the rest, as they say, is history.

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 CHARACTERS
Where must we go,
we who wander this wasteland,
in search of our better selves.

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CHARACTER CREATION
Your first step in playing an Onyx Sky game is to create your character.
When creating a character, you first determine the character concept, and then
build out the character’s three main aspects:
• Traits
• Attributes
• Skills and Specializations
And then you go on to determine the character’s extra details:
• Defense Pools
• Health and Energy
• Movement Distance
• Starting Equipment
Finally, you can bring your character to life by developing their unique
aspects, including their personality and their obsessions and flaws.
Character Point Budgets
All mechanical aspects of characters are purchased with character points (CP).
The CP budget is split:
• Attributes and Traits: 50 CP
• Skills and Specializations: 64 CP
Discuss with your GM any adjustments to CP budget for these areas,
restrictions to trait choices, or limits to the maximum step of attributes.
Furthermore, the GM can allow unspent attribute and trait CP to be spent on
skills or held over into play.
Step 1: Character Concept
Before diving into the mechanical aspects of your character, it is important to
have an idea of the sort of character you wish to play, how that character fits
into the world, and how they work as a team with the rest of the wanderers.
When starting an Onyx Sky campaign, your character has been sheltering in a
bunker, vault, or facility for thirty years after a great war. You’re ignorant of
the state of the outside world, and the challenges and dangers you might face.
To inspire your character and see suggested attributes and skill packages,
check the Background Archetypes on page 17 and Wanderer Archetypes on
page 19. The Background Archetypes reflect the character’s profession or
occupation in their bunkers. The Wanderer Archetypes reflect their
preparedness and predisposition for survival in the harsh world outside.
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Step 2: Traits
Traits are purchased with CP that are shared with the character’s attributes:
• Characters have 50 CP shared between traits and attributes
Each trait has a CP cost, which reflects the value of the trait. More beneficial
traits have higher costs, while more mundane traits have lower CP costs. The
GM can also include or exclude any traits that don’t fit in the game’s setting.
By default, all characters have the Human species trait. The Human trait grants
the character the Medium size trait and a free attribute trait chosen from this
list: Muscular, Lithe, Fit, Sensitive, Incisive, or Astute.
Importantly, these attribute traits (Muscular, Lithe, Fit, Sensitive, Incisive, or
Astute) reflect the character’s predisposition to a specific attribute, and reduce
the CP cost for improving that attribute by 2 CP.
Aside from the Human trait (which includes the character’s size and attribute
trait), there is no requirement for characters to choose any other traits.
Traits are listed on page 22.
Step 3: Attributes
Attribute improvements are purchased with CP:
• Characters have 50 CP shared between traits and attributes
Attributes start at d6 and each improvement costs CP equal to the new die step:
• d6 to d8: 8 CP
• d8 to d10: 10 CP
• d10 to d12: 12 CP
• d12 to d16: 16 CP
• d16 to d20: 20 CP
Thus, improving an attribute from d6 to d8 costs 8 CP and improving an
attribute from d12 to d16 costs 16 CP. These improvements are purchased
separately, so improving an attribute from d6 to d20 costs a total of 66 CP
(8+10+12+16+20).
As detailed in the Traits section above, all Humans gain a free attribute trait
that reduces the CP cost to improve a specific attribute. For example, the
Muscular trait reduces the improvement cost of the Strength attribute. In this
example, buying a Strength improvement from d6 to d8 only costs 6 CP.
Quick Build: Attributes and Traits
To quickly choose attributes, assign d12, d10 and d8 dice to three attributes.
Choose the attribute trait (Muscular, Lithe, Fit, Sensitive, Incisive, or Astute)
that matches the d12 attribute. The other three attributes remain at d6.
Page 13
Step 4: Skills Step 6: Energy
Each skill costs 4 CP to learn. Each character has a reserve of energy they draw on to perform extraordinary
• Characters have 64 CP to spend on skills (16 skills in total) physical feats.
• At least 32 CP must be spent on General skills and specializations (8 skills) • Maximum energy: 4 + 1 energy for each attribute ranked d10, d20, or d30
Furthermore, characters know their own language and have basic common Starting characters are likely to have 6-7 energy.
knowledge, granting them these skills for free:
Quick Build: Energy
• Basic literacy: Language
If the character has assigned the quick build attributes, they have 6 energy.
• Language specialization in their native language (e.g. +English)
• Common knowledge: Knowledge
Step 7: Health and Movement
GMs may adjust the CP budget for skills, and the budget between general and
martial skills. The GM may allow unspent CP to be carried over to spend later. The character’s maximum health and their movement distance are based on
their Size trait. The character’s Size is normally bundled with their species.
The skills are listed in these sections:
For example, the Human trait means a character is Medium size. Other traits
• General skills and specializations are listed on page 25
and species change the character’s maximum health and movement distance.
• Martial skills are listed on page 30
Maximum health: Movement distance:
• Specialized martial skills are listed on page 32
• Small: 5 + Stamina die 25’
Quick Build: General and Martial Skills
• Medium: 8 + Stamina die 30’
To quickly choose General and Martial skills, do the following: • Large: 10 + Stamina die 30’
• Common skills: Add Language, +English, and Knowledge. Other character sizes are listed in the Size Traits section on page 22.
• Background archetype: Choose one and add its recommended skills.
• Wanderer archetype: Choose one and add its recommended skills. Quick Build: Health and Movement
• Additional skills: If the character has less than 19 skills, select additional The character has 30’ movement distance and 8 + Stamina die health.
skills, ensuring the character has no more than 8 Martial skills.
Step 8: Equipment
Step 5: Defense Pools Together, the GM and players can determine each character’s starting
Characters have both physical defense (PD) and mental defense (MD) pools. equipment based on their starting circumstances.
These can be augmented with skills like Agile Defense to increase PD. Equipment lists are included in the Equipment section on page 37.
Additionally, during combat a character’s defense pools can gain additional
dice from specialized martial skills or from their own or others’ actions. Step 9: Final Details
Physical Defense The finishing touches for a character are to give them a name and then to work
The character’s PD comprises one or more dice: out what makes them tick and what drives them:
• Body die: Each character’s PD starts with a Body die of d6, which can be • Obsession: What compels and motivates the character?
improved with the Agile Defense or Sturdy Defense skills. • Flaw: What is the character’s deep-seated character flaw?
• Armor die: When a character wears armor, their PD gains an Armor die. Finally, ensure your character has a reason to engage with the story, and your
character and the other player characters are a coherent team.
Mental Defense
MD is the middle die of the character’s Influence, Intelligence, or Acuity.

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EXAMPLE CHARACTER BUILD Step 6: Energy
Yvette’s maximum energy begins at 4, and Sophie adds 2 for Yvette’s

Step 1: Character Concept Intelligence and Agility (both d10), giving a total of 6 for her maximum energy.

For a new Onyx Sky campaign, Sophie creates Yvette, a studious physicist who Step 7: Health and Movement
works at the Large Hadron Collider research facility.
With her Medium size, Yvette’s maximum health is 8 plus her Stamina die (d8),

Step 2: Traits giving 16 for her maximum health. Her movement distance is 30’.

Yvette has the default Human trait (obviously), giving her the Medium size trait. Step 8: Equipment
As a scientist, Sophie chooses Astute as Yvette’s free attribute trait. This trait
Yvette’s starting equipment includes a selection of the contents of the Large
reduces the CP cost of improving Yvette’s Intelligence attribute. According to
Hadron Collider facility.
these traits, Yvette is a human, stands 5-6’ tall, movement distance of 30’, and
has a reach of 5’.
Step 9: Final Details
Step 3: Attributes Sophie doesn’t need to go far to work out Yvette’s obsession; the thirst for
knowledge. As a scientist, she is driven to understand the way the world works,
Sophie didn’t spend any CP on traits, so she has the full 50 CP for attributes.
and to unlock its secrets.
Yvette’s primary attribute is Intelligence, so Sophie purchases two steps for 14
CP (6 CP + 8 CP), giving her d10 Intelligence. Yvette is also an avid hiker and For Yvette’s flaw, Sophie decides that Yvette is mono-maniacal, and easily
rock-climber, so Sophie improves her Agility to d10, for 18 CP (8 CP + 10 CP). becomes obsessed with new experiences or mysteries that she seeks to unravel.
With the remaining 18 CP, Sophie improves Yvette’s Stamina and Acuity to d8,
for 8 CP each. This leaves Sophie with 2 CP remaining.

Step 4: Skills
Yvette automatically gains Knowledge, Language, and +French for free.
Sophie decides that Yvette is skilled in Investigation and Insight. Beyond those,
she also chooses Persuasion, Endurance, Acrobatics, Drive, Perception, and
Survival. For Yvette’s specialized general skills, Sophie selects several:
Knowledge +Science, Investigation +Research, and Language +English. These
11 general skills cost 44 CP.
This leaves Sophie with 20 CP for Yvette’s martial skills. Sophie decides that
Yvette has studied some Jiu Jitsu for self-defense, and chooses Martial Arts
Training, Agile Defense, Dodge, Tripping Attack, and Grappler.

Step 5: Defense Pools

Based on Sophie’s choices, Yvette’s Body die is d10, due to her Agile Defense
skill and Agility of d10. Her normal clothing doesn’t provide an Armor die.
Yvette’s MD is d8, due to her mental attributes of d10 (Intelligence), d8 (Acuity),
and d6 (Influence).

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Onyx Sky - Role-Playing Game Hero Forge Games Page 16
BACKGROUND ARCHETYPES Guard
Guards back up their training and authority with the implied and explicit threat
To the people emerging into the ravaged world, there is often a distinct break of violence. Well-trained guards use these to de-escalate dangerous situations.
between their life in the bunker and their life after leaving the bunker. These
• Primary Attribute(s): Strength
background archetypes may inspire a character’s life in the bunker, and
• General Skills: Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion
suggest starting attributes and skills.
Gymnast
Artisan
The gymnast captivates audiences with their precision, flexibility, and intensity.
Artisans run the gamut from fine painters, smiths of beautiful jewelry, forgers Each performance combines feats of grace with sparks of enticing physicality.
of credible fakes, to crafters of intricate carvings.
• Primary Attribute(s): Agility
• Primary Attribute(s): Agility or Acuity
• General Skills: Acrobatics, Endurance, Performance, Persuasion
• General Skills: Crafting, Insight, Perception, Persuasion
Mechanic
Athlete
Grease-monkeys, tinkerers, jerry-builders; these folk know their way around a
With a body chiseled and buffed from countless hours of training, the athlete is workshop. And if they can’t fix it properly, they may get it working for a bit.
fast, strong, and dedicated to physical excellence.
• Primary Attribute(s): Agility
• Primary Attribute(s): Strength and Stamina
• General Skills: Athletics, Crafting, Drive, Knowledge +Mechanical, Ride
• General Skills: Athletics, Endurance, Intimidation, Repose
Medic
Criminal
Paramedics, doctors, and nurses are all trained to diagnose and treat injuries,
Through lowered station or by circumstances of birth, the criminal takes the morbidities, and illnesses.
hard road. Theft and deception are the living for a life in the shadows.
• Primary Attribute(s): Intelligence
• Primary Attribute(s): Agility
• General Skills: Insight, Investigation. Medicine, Resistance
• General Skills: Deception, Perception, Stealth, Thievery
Performer
Engineer
Through their craft – singing, story-telling, acting – performers draw in their
Whether it’s a bridge, a dam, a tunnel, a freeway, or a high-rise, the engineer audience of two or two-thousand, and invite these strangers into their psyche.
ensures it stays up.
• Primary Attribute: Influence
• Primary Attribute: Intelligence
• General Skills: Insight, Performance, Persuasion
• General Skills: Crafting, Investigation, Knowledge +Engineering, Perception
Politician
Farmer
Whether through the pursuit of power or to elevate the common folk,
The days are long and hard for farmers. The farmer’s work is equal parts politicians convince or connive their way into power.
knowledge and intuition, honed through years of hard work.
• Primary Attribute(s): Influence
• Primary Attribute(s): Acuity
• General Skills: Insight, Performance +Oration, Persuasion +Leadership
• General Skills: Animal Handling, Drive, Knowledge +Farming, Ride

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Preacher
From the pulpit or the soapbox, the preacher brings their belief and their
message to the masses.
• Primary Attribute(s): Influence
• General Skills: Insight, Knowledge +Religion +History, Performance

Researcher
Surrounded by piles of books and deep datasets, the researcher dives into
history and data banks to determine facts and connections.
• Primary Attribute(s): Intelligence
• General Skills: Insight, Investigation +Forensic, Knowledge +History

Scientist
The scientist uses research and hypothesis to test theories to better understand
how the world works.
• Primary Attribute(s): Intelligence
• General Skills: Insight, Investigation, Knowledge +Science

Soldier
The soldier’s intensive training prepares them to enter the battle space, project
force, achieve their mission goals, and return home alive.
• Primary Attribute(s): Intelligence, Strength
• General Skills: Investigation, Knowledge +Military, Perception, Survival

Tracker
Patience is the virtue of the tracker. Hour upon hour of careful tracking and
stalking, and then the tracker has one opportunity to bring down their quarry.
• Primary Attribute(s): Acuity
• General Skills: Animal Handling, Perception, Stealth, Survival

Writer
Where the artisan conjures physical artifacts, the writer uses words to project
ideas into others’ minds.
• Primary Attribute(s): Intelligence or Influence
• General Skills: Insight, Knowledge +History, Performance, Persuasion

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WANDERER ARCHETYPES Bodyguard
As the trusted guardian of a rich target or a reviled despot, the bodyguard puts
After decades in shelters, these heroes emerge. Their unique preparation, their life on the line to protect their primary.
training, aptitudes, and attitudes are why theirs is a story worth telling. And
• Primary Attribute(s): Strength
while they don’t know it yet, they already have the abilities, skills, and
• General Skills: Athletics, Endurance, Initiative, Intimidation, Perception
knowledge to tackle the challenges of the world outside.
• Martial Skills: Brawling Training, Melee Training, Sturdy Defense;
In the world they’re about to explore, these wanderer archetypes are some of
Bodyguard’s Ward, Defender, Hard to Kill
the roles they might come to play.
Brute
Ambusher The rugged and brutal wade into the fray and decimate their enemies. These
Ambushers lay in wait for passing travelers before launching a surprise attack. are the battleships of the wastelands, normal folk scatter in terror.
They have little regard for their own safety, and even less for the lives of
• Primary Attribute(s): Stamina
others.
• General Skills: Repose
• Primary Attribute(s): Strength • Martial Skills: Melee Training, Sturdy Defense; Brace, Hard to Kill, Last
• General Skills: Initiative +Ambush, Perception, Stealth Gasp
• Martial Skills: Melee Training; Flanking Attack, Sneak Attack
Defender
Archer These heavily protected wanderers, strapped with armor of leather, bone, and
Those fleet wanderers who possess quick reflexes and pinpoint accuracy soon scavenged modern elements, put themselves between threats and allies.
find a bow in their hands and an overwatch role to cover their allies.
• Primary Attribute(s): Stamina
• Primary Attribute(s): Agility • General Skills: Endurance, Repose
• General Skills: Initiative, Perception • Martial Skills: Melee Training, Armor Training, Sturdy Defense;
• Martial Skills: Ranged Training; Agile Defense, Aimed Attack, Distracted Bodyguard’s Ward, Brace, Defender, Shield Training
Attack, Sneak Attack
Feral
Bait Abandoned, orphaned, or outcast, ferals have grown up alone in the wild,
Often the safest way to travel is by being someone that people don’t want to without the benefits of established communities, education, and social niceties.
damage. The bait draws out threats and pulls them into a counter-ambush.
• Primary Attribute(s): Acuity
• Primary Attribute(s): Influence • General Skills: Stealth, Survival
• General Skills: Initiative, Perception, Performance • Martial Skills: Finesse Training, Agile Defense; Dodge, Evasive Defense
• Martial Skills: Melee Training; Agile Defense, Dodge, Evasive Defense
Medic
Berserker Folks who can’t or won’t fight, and don’t want to end up dead or enslaved, may
Once the berserker’s red mist descends, they keep fighting until all of their make themselves essential by binding wounds and tending to the injured.
opponents, or just them, are down and out.
• Primary Attribute(s): Intelligence
• Primary Attribute(s): Strength • General Skills: Medicine
• General Skills: Intimidation • Martial Skills: Melee Training, Agile Defense; Dodge, Evasive Defense
• Martial Skills: Melee Training; Hard to Kill, Last Gasp

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Raider
Raiders prowl the lands in search of targets to liberate from their possessions.
They use their numbers or perceived strength to force their targets to submit.
• Primary Attribute(s): Strength
• General Skills: Intimidation
• Martial Skills: Melee Training, Thrown Training; Flanking Attack, Shield
Training, Opportunity Attack

Scavenger
Scouring through the detritus of the old world, scavengers find items for trade.
Old world weapons tech or fresh metal are a big score for a lucky scavenger.
• Primary Attribute(s): Acuity
• General Skills: Investigation +Scavenge, Perception
• Martial Skills: Finesse Training, Agile Defense; Dodge, Evasive Defense

Scout
Relying on swift and undetected movement, scouts identify the safest route and
warn their companions of possible threats.
• Primary Attribute(s): Agility, Acuity
• General Skills: Initiative, Perception +Notice +Observe, Stealth, Survival
• Martial Skills: Ranged Training, Finesse Training, Agile Defense; Sneak
Attack

Trader
Whether operating a shop brimming with exotic ephemera or hocking
valuables from a tattered cloth, the trader matches the customer’s needs to
their wares.
• Primary Attribute(s): Influence
• General Skills: Crafting, Deception, Insight, Persuasion
• Martial Skills: Melee Training, Agile Defense; Dodge, Evasive Defense

Warlord
Warlords coordinate their companions’ actions. When they lead raiders,
they’re fearsome, when leading wanderers, they’re a boon.
• Primary Attribute(s): Influence
• General Skills: Persuasion
• Martial Skills: Melee Training; Leader’s Command, Leader’s Threat,
Leader’s Rally

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CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Characters earn 6 CP for each session. Players can spend their characters’ CP
on attribute improvements, new skills, or to gain new traits.
As in character creation, the cost of improving an attribute is progressively
more expensive, while new skills have the same cost (4 CP). The acquisition of
a new trait is based on the cost of the trait.
The GM can specify when players can spend their characters’ accumulated CP.
For example, the GM could allow CP to be spent at a short or long rest, during
downtime, or at the end or start of a session. Furthermore, the GM may also
apply other requirements, such as only allowing a character to learn a new skill
if the character has attempted to use the skill.

Increasing Attribute Ratings

Each attribute rating improvement costs CP equal to the die that is being
purchased; so increasing an attribute from d6 to d8 costs 8 CP, and increasing
an attribute from d12 to d16 costs 16 CP.
When attributes improve, derived characteristics (such as maximum health or
maximum energy) also need to be updated.

Buying New Traits

Traits reflect a character’s inherent characteristics (such as their size or
senses), so they cannot usually be acquired after character creation. However,
the GM may allow a character to acquire a new trait, such as through exposure
to a powerful mutagen or a traumatic injury.
When a new trait is bought, the cost is that trait’s normal CP cost.

New Skills and Specializations

Learning a new skill or adding a specialization to an existing skill costs 4 CP.
The GM may decide that characters can only learn a new skill if they have used
the skill, tried to use the skill, or found someone to train them in the skill.

Retraining Skills
In addition to learning new skills, characters can replace existing skills with
alternate skills. Each time a character learns a new skill, they can also replace
an existing skill with a different skill.

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TRAITS Species Traits
Human Trait: 0 CP
The traits are divided into multiple categories. The first categories cover the
standard traits of all characters: You are a human.
• Species traits You have this trait by default (unless you choose a different size trait):
• Size traits • Medium
• Attribute traits You have this trait:
These further trait categories cover
• Electromagnetic Damage Immunity
characters’ other inherent aspects:
Additionally, you have one of these traits (select one at character creation):
• Damage traits
• Mental traits • Muscular, Lithe, Vigorous, Sensitive, Astute, Incisive
• Movement traits
• Physical traits Size Traits
• Sensory traits
Small Trait: 0 CP

You are 3-5’ tall (90cm-1.5m)

Your maximum health is 5 + Stamina die. Your movement distance is 25’.
Your reach is 5’. You occupy a 5x5’ space.
When making Agility (Stealth) tests, your action pool gains 1 upstep.

Medium Trait: 0 CP

You are 5-7’ tall (1.5-2.1m)

Your maximum health is 8 + Stamina die. Your movement distance is 30’.
Your reach is 5’. You occupy a 5x5’ space.

Large Trait: 4 CP

You are 7-10’ tall (2.1-3m)

Your maximum health is 10 + Stamina die. Your movement distance is 30’.
Your reach is 5’. You occupy a 5x5’ space.
When making Agility (Stealth) tests, your action pool incurs 1 downstep.

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 Influence
Attribute Traits
Sensitive Trait: 7 CP
Strength
You are sensitive.
Muscular Trait: 7 CP
• Influence attribute step improvements cost 2 CP less.
You gain muscle quickly.
• Strength attribute step improvements cost 2 CP less. Insensitive Trait: -2 CP

You are insensitive.

Lean Trait: -2 CP
• Influence attribute step improvements cost 2 CP more.
You gain muscle slowly.
• Strength attribute step improvements cost 2 CP more. Intelligence
Astute Trait: 7 CP
Agility
You are a fast learner and retain knowledge.
Lithe Trait: 7 CP
• Intelligence attribute step improvements cost 2 CP less.
You are flexible.
• Agility attribute step improvements cost 2 CP less. Obtuse Trait: -2 CP

You are a slow learner.

Uncoordinated Trait: -2 CP
• Intelligence attribute step improvements cost 2 CP more.
You are uncoordinated.
• Agility attribute step improvements cost 2 CP more. Acuity
Incisive Trait: 7 CP
Stamina
You are attuned to the world around you.
Vigorous Trait: 7 CP
• Acuity attribute step improvements cost 2 CP less.
You are physically fit.
• Stamina attribute step improvements cost 2 CP less. Dull Trait: -2 CP

You are oblivious to the world around you.

Feeble Trait: -2 CP
• Acuity attribute step improvements cost 2 CP more.
You are physically frail.
• Stamina attribute step improvements cost 2 CP more.

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Damage Traits Sensory Traits
Electromagnetic Damage Immunity Trait: 0 CP Acute Hearing Trait: 3 CP

Your body is not damaged by electromagnetic damage. Your hearing is more sensitive than normal.
• You are immune to electromagnetic damage (damage from this source is • You gain 1 upstep when making attribute tests that rely on hearing.
reduced to 0).
Acute Smell Trait: 3 CP
Mental Traits Your sense of smell is more receptive than normal.
Eidetic Memory Trait: 3 CP • You gain 1 upstep when making attribute tests that rely on smell.

You can recall and visualize small details from memory.

Acute Touch Trait: 3 CP
• You gain 1 upstep when making Intelligence tests where this trait is
beneficial. Your sense of touch is more subtle than normal.
• You gain 1 upstep when making attribute tests that rely on touch.
Movement Traits Acute Taste Trait: 3 CP
Fleet Trait: 5 CP
Your taste is more discerning than normal.
You have physical characteristics that increase your mobility.
• You gain 1 upstep when making attribute tests that rely on taste.
• Your movement distance is increased by 5’.
• You can ignore penalties associated with difficult terrain when moving. Acute Vision Trait: 3 CP

Slow Trait: -2 CP Your vision is more detailed than normal.

• You gain 1 upstep when making attribute tests that rely on vision.
You have physical characteristics that reduce your mobility.
• Your movement distance is reduced by 5’.

Physical Traits
Scrawny Trait: -2 CP

You are weak.

• Your maximum health is 2 lower.

Sturdy Trait: 5 CP

You are tough.

• Your maximum health is 2 higher.

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SKILLS
This section lists the General Skills and each of their Specializations.
Strength
Athletics Strength Skill Bonus
When you use your Strength to run, jump, swim, climb, or barge your way
through obstacles, your action pool gains a matching die for your Athletics
skill. The Athletics skill is also used in some combat situations, such as when
attempting to grapple a target or when trying to escape a hold.
Longer duration challenges use your Stamina (Endurance) skill.
Specializations:
• Climb: When you climb, you gain a die for your Climb specialization.
• Lift: When you lift weights, you gain a die for your Lift specialization.
• Run: When you sprint, you gain a die for your Run specialization.
• Swim: When you swim, you gain a die for your Swim specialization.
Intimidation Strength Skill Bonus
When you menace another character through overt or implied threat of force,
your action pool gains a matching die for your Intimidation skill.
Strength (Intimidation) tests are opposed with Strength (Intimidation) or
subverted with Influence (Deception).
Specializations:
• Coerce: When you use physical violence and pain to compel another to
take a specific action, you gain a die for your Coerce specialization.
• Interrogate: When you use physical violence and pain to gain information
from another, you gain a die for your Interrogate specialization.
Smithy Strength Skill Bonus
When you work with metal or heavy materials, your action pool gains a
matching die for your Smithy skill.
Specializations:
• Armorer: When you work metal and other materials to make armor, you
gain a die for your Armorer specialization.
• Weaponsmith: When you work metal and other materials to make melee and
ranged weapons, you gain a die for your Weaponsmith specialization.
Onyx Sky - Role-Playing Game
Agility
Acrobatics Agility Skill Bonus
When you perform nimble maneuvers that rely on deft movement, avoidance,
balance, and manual dexterity, your action pool gains a matching die for your
Acrobatics skill.
Specializations:
• Balance: When you balance on a narrow or moving platform, or while
descending quickly, you gain a die for your Balance specialization.
• Traverse: When you quickly and deftly cover uneven and obstructed
terrain, you gain a die for your Traverse specialization.
Crafting Agility Skill Bonus
When you create, construct, copy, or repair a craft item, your action pool gains
a matching die for your Crafting skill.
Specializations:
• Tailor: When you sew or weave, you gain a die for your Tailor
specialization.
• Woodwork: When you work with wood to construct, carve or repair a craft
item, you gain a die for your Woodwork specialization.
Drive Agility Skill Bonus
When you drive, pilot, or fly a car, cart, boat, motorbike, airplane, or similar
vehicle, your action pool gains a matching die for your Drive skill.
Specializations:
• Airplanes: When you operate an aircraft (light airplane, jet, glider, etc), you
gain a die for your Airplanes specialization.
• Helicopters: When you operate a helicopter (helicopter, gyrocopter, VTOL,
etc), you gain a die for your Helicopters specialization.
• Motor Vehicles: When you operate a motor vehicle (car, truck, motorboat,
motorbike, etc), you gain a die for your Motor Vehicles specialization.
• Sail: When you sail a boat (yacht, etc), you gain a die for your Sail
specialization.
Hero Forge Games Page 25
Initiative Agility Skill Bonus
When you initiate combat with ambush, you are ambushed, or you attack an
opponent, your action pool gains a matching die for your Initiative skill.
Specializations:
• Alertness: When combat is initiated by an attacker you cannot perceive,
you gain a die for your Alertness specialization.
• Ambush: When you or your allies initiate combat against opponents that
may not perceive you, you gain a die for your Ambush specialization.
• Quick-Strike: When you or your allies initiate combat against opponents
that can perceive you, you gain a die for your Quick-Strike specialization.
Ride Agility Skill Bonus
When you ride a conveyance or an animal mount that requires balance and
coordination, your action pool gains a matching die for your Ride skill.
Specializations:
• Animal: When you ride an animal mount, you gain a die for your Animal
specialization.
• Bicycle: When you ride a bike, you gain a die for your Bicycle
specialization.
Stealth Agility Skill Bonus
When you sneak or hide to avoid detection, your action pool gains a matching
die for your Stealth skill.
Specializations:
• Hide: When you hide, you gain a die for your Hide specialization.
• Sneak: When you move, you gain a die for your Sneak specialization.
Thievery Agility Skill Bonus
When you palm an item, pick a pocket, break mundane physical security, or
pick a lock, your action pool gains a matching die for your Thievery skill.
Specializations:
• Forgery: When you copy a letter, signature, coin, or seal, you gain a die for
your Forgery specialization.
• Pick Lock: When you unlock or bypass physical security, such as a key or
combination lock, you gain a die for your Pick Lock specialization.
• Steal: When you take an item without anyone noticing, whether by picking
a pocket or palming an item, you gain a die for your Steal specialization.
Onyx Sky - Role-Playing Game Hero Forge Games
Stamina
Endurance Stamina Skill Bonus
When you undertake extended physical exertion, such as running, swimming,
or holding your breath, or longer periods of sleep deprivation, dehydration, or
starvation, your action pool gains a matching die for your Endurance skill.
Specializations:
• Physiological: When you are dehydrated, starving, drowning, or
asphyxiating, you gain a die for your Physiological specialization.
• Sleep Deprivation: When you fight the effects of sleep deprivation, you
gain a die for your Sleep Deprivation specialization.
• Ultra-Endurance: When you push your body over multiple days you gain a
die for your Ultra-Endurance specialization.
Repose Stamina Skill Bonus
When you take a short rest to recover health and energy, your action pool
gains a matching die for your Repose skill. You can choose either of the rolled
dice to determine the amount of health and energy recovered.
Specializations:
• Quick Healer. When you rest after physical exertion, you gain a die for
your Quick Healer specialization. You can choose to recover health equal
to your Quick Healer die.
• Recovery: When you rest after physical exertion, you gain a die for your
Recovery specialization. You can choose to recover energy equal to your
Recovery die.
Resistance Stamina Skill Bonus
When you imbibe intoxicants, fight poison, defy nausea, or overcome illness or
disease, your action pool gains a matching die for your Resistance skill.
Specializations:
• Poison Tolerance: When you resist poison, you gain a die for your Poison
Tolerance specialization.
• Alcohol Tolerance: When you imbibe alcohol, you gain a die for your
Alcohol Tolerance specialization.
• Irritant Tolerance: When you are exposed to strong irritants (tear gas,
poison ivy, etc), you gain a die for your Irritant Tolerance specialization.
• Immune System: When you fight off viral or bacterial infections, you gain a
die for your Immune System specialization.
Page 26
Influence
Deception Influence Skill Bonus

When you lie, deceive, or disguise yourself, your action pool gains a matching
die for your Deception skill.
Influence (Deception) tests are opposed with Acuity (Insight).
Specializations:
• Disguise: When you change or hide your identity, you gain a die for your
Disguise specialization.
• Lie: When you lie, bluff, omit, or deceive, you gain a die for your Lie
specialization.

Performance Influence Skill Bonus

When you entertain, deport, or appeal with storytelling, oratory, song, antics,
dance, dress, manners, style, or acting, your action pool gains a matching die
for your Performance skill.
Specializations:
• Act: When you perform as a character or in a specific manner, such as in a
play or following the mores of high society, you gain a die for your Act
specialization.
• Music: When you perform music, chant, or sing, you gain a die for your
Music specialization.
• Orate: When you make speeches or tell stories, you gain a die for your
Orate specialization.

Persuasion Influence Skill Bonus

When you convince, negotiate, lead, or seduce another character or characters,

where your goals are not aligned with theirs, your action pool gains a matching
die for your Persuasion skill.
Influence (Persuasion) tests can be subverted with Acuity (Insight), or opposed
with Influence (Persuasion).
Specializations:
• Leadership: When you rally a group of people to action, you gain a die for
your Leadership specialization.
• Negotiate: When you try to reach an agreement where your goals are in
opposition, you gain a die for your Negotiate specialization.
• Seduce: When you captivate another to appeal to their intellect or desires,
you gain a die for your Seduce specialization.

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 • Religion: When you test your knowledge of religious, mystical, and arcane
Intelligence beliefs and practices, you gain a die for your Religion specialization.
Investigation Intelligence Skill Bonus • Technology: When you test your knowledge of the design and operation of
electronic devices, you gain a die for your Technology specialization.
When you work out the relationship between disparate pieces of information, • Science: When you recall scientific facts, knowledge, techniques, methods,
notice small details, search a location, or scavenge for useful items, your equations, and processes, you gain a die for your Science specialization.
action pool gains a matching die for your Investigation skill.
Specializations: Language Intelligence Skill Bonus
• Cryptography, When you decode a message, cipher, or password, you gain
a die for your Cryptography specialization. When you read, write, speak, or understand language in general, your action
pool gains a matching die for your Language skill.
• Forensic: When you look for physical clues and evidence that reveal a
sequence of events, you gain a die for your Forensic specialization. Specializations:
• Question: When you ask questions to draw out information or uncover lies • Specific Language: When you read, write, or speak a specific language, you
or omissions, you gain a die for your Question specialization. gain a die for your specialization in that language: Arabic, Bengali, English,
• Reconnoiter: When you observe a location to determine patterns or reveal French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese,
weaknesses, you gain a die for your Reconnoiter specialization. Portuguese, Russian, Spanish.
• Research: When you locate materials or knowledge sources to learn more
about a topic, you gain a die for your Research specialization. Medicine Intelligence Skill Bonus
• Scavenge: When you search for useful or valuable materials, you gain a die
When you treat wounds, injuries, or ailments, your action pool gains a
for your Scavenge specialization.
matching die for your Medicine skill.
• Search: When you search a location to find a specific item, you gain a die
for your Search specialization. Specializations:
• First Aid: When you bandage or dress
Knowledge Intelligence Skill Bonus injuries, either improvised or from a
first aid kit, you gain a die for your
When you attempt to determine, recall, or discern knowledge of a topic, fact, or
First Aid specialization.
field, your action pool gains a matching die for your Knowledge skill.
• General Practice: When you treat
Specializations: minor injuries and ailments, you
• Agriculture: When you test your knowledge of agricultural practice, you gain a die for your General Practice
gain a die for your Agriculture specialization. specialization.
• Art: When you test your knowledge of art forms, history, and techniques, • Surgery: When you perform invasive
you gain a die for your Art specialization. surgery, you gain a die for your
• Engineering: When you test your knowledge of building and engineering Surgery specialization.
design and techniques, you gain a die for your Engineering specialization.
• History: When you test your knowledge and understanding of history, you
gain a die for your History specialization.
• Law: When you test your knowledge of historical and contemporary formal
and informal legal systems, you gain a die for your Law specialization.
• Math: When you test your knowledge of mathematics, you gain a die for
your Math specialization.
• Military: When you test your knowledge of military hierarchies, operation,
strategies, and tactics, you gain a die for your Military specialization.

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Acuity
Animal Handling Acuity Skill Bonus
When you control or influence the behavior of animals, your action pool gains
a matching die for your Animal Handling skill.
Specializations:
• Bond: When you control the behavior of an animal by bonding with the
animal, you gain a die for your Bond specialization.
• Dominate: When you control the behavior of an animal through displays of
dominance, you gain a die for your Dominate specialization.
Insight Acuity Skill Bonus
When you discern the motivations, intent, emotions, and needs of another
character, your action pool gains a matching die for your Insight skill.
Acuity (Insight) tests are opposed with Influence (Deception).
Specializations:
• Discern Lie: When you discern whether another character is lying or
deceiving, you gain a die for your Discern Lie specialization.
• Empathy: When you empathize with another character to understand their
intent, needs, and motivations, you gain a die for your Empathy
specialization.
Survival Acuity Skill Bonus
When you search for food, locate or construct shelter, navigate treacherous
routes, or find and follow a trail, your action pool gains a matching die for
your Survival skill.
Specializations:
• Cook: When you prepare hearty and safe food, you gain a die for your
Cook specialization.
• Forage: When you search for edible flora, grubs, or insects, you gain a die
for your Forage specialization.
• Hunt: When you trap, hunt or catch larger animals (fish, game, etc), you
gain a die for your Hunt specialization.
• Navigate: When you follow a map, path, or instincts to reach a destination
or traverse terrain, you gain a die for your Navigate specialization.
• Shelter: When you find or construct a safe and secure shelter, you gain a
die for your Shelter specialization.
• Track: When you search for signs of passage from other people or animals,
you gain a die for your Track specialization.

Perception Acuity Skill Bonus

When you perceive the world around you, including large details, threats, and
opportunities, your action pool gains a matching die for your Perception skill.
Specializations:
• Notice: When you passively perceive the world around you, you gain a die
for your Notice specialization.
• Observe: When you actively seek to perceive the world around you, you
gain a die for your Observe specialization.

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MARTIAL SKILLS Strength Martial Skills
These skills represent the core training for martial combat. Each of these skills Brawling Training Martial Strength Skill Bonus
builds on an underlying attribute; Strength, Agility, or Stamina.
When you make an unarmed melee attack using your Strength, your action
When a character uses one of these skills, their action pool gains a matching
pool gains a matching die for your Brawling Training skill. Your unarmed
die, they use their attribute die in another way, or they gain some other benefit.
melee attacks deal 2 damage.
If characters use more than one primary action during their turn, then the
attribute and matching dice in their action pool are all downstepped.
Heavy Gun Training Martial Strength Skill Bonus

When you make a ranged attack with a heavy gun using your Strength, your
action pool gains a matching die for your Heavy Gun Training skill.

Melee Training Martial Strength Skill Bonus

When you make a melee attack with a melee weapon using your Strength, your
action pool gains a matching die for your Melee Training skill.

Reach Training Martial Strength Skill Bonus

When you make a melee attack with a reach weapon using your Strength, your
action pool gains a matching die for your Reach Training skill.

Shield Training Martial Strength Skill Bonus

Once per round, you can use your Block reaction without paying its energy
cost. This resets at the start of your turn.

Thrown Training Martial Strength Skill Bonus

When you make a ranged attack with a thrown weapon using your Strength,
your action pool gains a matching die for your Thrown Training skill.

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Agility Martial Skills Stamina Martial Skills
Agile Defense Martial Agility Skill Bonus Sturdy Defense Martial Stamina Skill Bonus

When defending attacks against your PD, your Body die uses your Agility die. When defending attacks against your PD, your Body die uses your Stamina die.

Armor Training Martial Agility Skill Bonus

When you wear armor, the maximum Agility allowed by your worn armor gains
1 upstep.

Finesse Training Martial Agility Skill Bonus

When you make a melee attack with a finesse weapon using your Agility, your
action pool gains a matching die for your Finesse Training skill.

Long Gun Training Martial Agility Skill Bonus

When you make a ranged attack with a long gun using your Agility, your action
pool gains a matching die for your Long Gun Training skill.

Martial Arts Training Martial Agility Skill Bonus

When you make an unarmed melee attack using your Agility, your action pool
gains a matching die for your Martial Arts Training skill. Your unarmed melee
attacks deal 2 damage.

Ranged Training Martial Agility Skill Bonus

When you make a ranged attack with a ranged weapon using your Agility, your
action pool gains a matching die for your Ranged Training skill.

Small Gun Training Martial Agility Skill Bonus

When you make a ranged attack with a small gun using your Agility, your
action pool gains a matching die for your Small Gun Training skill.

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SPECIALIZED MARTIAL SKILLS
Specialized martial skills are unique training and martial techniques. These
skills build on each character’s Strength, Agility, Stamina, or Influence, as well
as their specific weapons and combat training.
Some specialized skills allow characters to take advantage of their target’s
distraction, others send their opponents reeling, or knock them to the ground.
While a character’s martial skills are always active when a character makes an
attack with a particular type of weapon or defense, these specialized martial
skills require specific circumstances, intention, or effort to activate.
Specialized martial skills may give characters access to a new action, enable
reactions that activate based on a specific trigger, or grant bonuses that are
always active.
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Open Specialized Martial Skills
Open skills can be used with any martial attack, regardless of whether it uses
Strength or Agility. When using an open specialized martial skill, the skill die
you roll matches the action or reaction’s attribute die, including any downsteps
for taking multiple actions.
Some specialized martial skills, such as Opportunity Attack and Disarming
Flourish, direct you to roll a single die after making an attack. In these cases,
this die matches the attribute die you used in the triggering attack.
Aimed Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Action
You take careful aim as you prepare for your next attack.
You designate a target for your next attack. If your next action is a martial
attack at that target, your action pool gains a matching die for your Aimed
Attack skill. You lose this bonus if you move or perform any other actions
before making this attack.
Charging Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus
You make a powerful attack after charging your enemy.
When you move at least 15’ in a straight line and immediately make a melee
attack at an adjacent target, your action pool gains a matching die for your
Charging Attack skill.
Cleaving Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
Your melee attack follows through to strike another enemy.
When a melee attack you make resolves, you can immediately make another
melee attack using only your attribute die against another target that is
adjacent to the first target and within your reach.
Dazing Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
Your attack debilitates your enemy.
When your melee attack resolves, you can expend 3 energy to immediately roll
your attribute die separately against the target’s existing defense pool.
If this roll hits, the target is Dazed (their action and defense pools incur
1 downstep, min. d6) until the end of your next turn. If the target is already
Dazed or Stunned when hit with this attack, they are Stunned (their action and
defense pools incur 2 downsteps, min. d6) until the end of your next turn.
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Defender Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction Finishing Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus

You interpose yourself to protect an adjacent target from an attack.
When an adjacent target is hit with an attack, you can expend 2 energy to take
half of the damage (rounded up) instead of the target. The target takes the
other half of the damage (rounded up).
Disarming Flourish Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
You disarm your target with your attack.
When your melee attack resolves, you can expend 1 energy to immediately roll
your attribute die separately against the target’s existing defense pool. This die
incurs 1 downstep if the target is wielding a two-handed weapon.
If this roll hits, the target’s weapon or shield is thrown 5’ for each step of the
Disarming Flourish die you rolled. This distance is reduced by 5’ for each size
the creature is larger than you.
Distracted Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus
Your ranged attack is more effective when an ally is adjacent to your target.
When you make a ranged attack at an engaged target, your action pool gains a
matching die for your Distracted Attack skill.
You skillfully attack downed targets.
When you make a martial attack at an adjacent Prone target, your action pool
gains a matching die for your Finishing Attack skill.
Flanking Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus
Your melee attack is more powerful when an ally is adjacent to your target.
When you make a melee attack at an engaged target, your action pool gains a
matching die for your Flanking Attack skill.
Following Shot Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus
You follow up with another shot after the attack and defense dice have rolled.
When you make a ranged attack with a weapon that can be immediately fired
again and the dice have been rolled, you can expend 1 energy and your action
pool gains a die for Following Shot skill. Roll this die immediately against the
target’s existing defense pool.
Grappler Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus
You are trained and practiced in applying and escaping grapple holds.

Dual Wield Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction When you make a Strength (Athletics) or Agility (Acrobatics) test to apply or
escape a grapple, your action pool gains a matching die for your Grappler skill.
You attack with a second martial weapon when you make a martial attack.
When you are wielding a light martial weapon in each hand, you can make a Last Gasp Specialized Martial Open Skill Minor Action
dual wield attack.
You expend energy to bolster your subsequent attacks.
When a melee attack you make with your main hand weapon resolves, you can
Expend 3 energy to activate Last Gasp. Until the start of your next turn, each
immediately make a second attack with your off-hand weapon using only your
of your martial attacks gains a matching die for your Last Gasp skill.
attribute die.
You cannot use this ability again until you rest.
Final Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
Mounted Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus
You make one last attack before you are knocked out.
You take advantage of your mount to make devastating melee attacks.
When you are KO’d by an attack, you can expend 3 energy to immediately make
a martial attack. When you make a melee attack while riding a mount, your action pool gains a
matching die for your Mounted Attack skill.

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Opportunity Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
You make a melee attack at a target that moves out of your reach.
When an enemy moves out of your reach, you can immediately make a melee
attack at that target using only your attribute die.
Parry Specialized Martial Strength Skill Bonus
You use your melee weapon to fend off incoming attacks.
You can use the Block reaction with a wielded medium or heavy melee weapon
instead of a shield. Medium weapons grant a shield bonus of 1 upstep,
(min. d8); heavy weapons grant a shield bonus of 2 upsteps (min. d10).
Pinning Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
Your attack slows down your target.
When your martial attack resolves, you can expend 2 energy to immediately
roll your attribute die separately against the target’s existing defense pool.
If this roll hits, the target is Slowed (each 5’ they move costs an additional 5’ of
movement) until the end of your next turn. If the target is already Slowed or
Immobilized when hit with this attack, they are Immobilized (they cannot move)
until the end of your next turn.
Pinpoint Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus
Your ranged attack is more powerful when your target is stationary.
When you make a ranged attack at a target that is within 5’ of the location it
occupied the end of your last turn, your action pool gains a matching die for
your Pinpoint Attack skill.
Point Blank Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus
Your ranged attack is effective against adjacent targets.
When you make a ranged attack, you can ignore the penalties from attacking a
target within your weapon’s minimum range.
Pressing Maneuver Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
You force your target backwards with your attack.
When your melee attack resolves, you can expend 1 energy to immediately roll
your attribute die separately against the target’s existing defense pool.
If this roll hits, you push the target back up to 15’. This distance is reduced by
5’ for each size the creature is larger than you.
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Reaping Strike Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
You follow up a killing blow with another attack.
When you KO an enemy with a melee attack you can immediately make a melee
attack against another target.
Reflex Strike Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
You strike back at an enemy that attacks an ally.
When an enemy within your reach resolves an attack at an ally of yours and
that attack does not include you in its targets, you can immediately make a
melee attack at that enemy using only your attribute die.
Repelling Strike Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
You harass and impede enemies as they approach you.
When a target moves into your reach or a target within your reach moves
closer to you, you can immediately make a melee attack at that enemy using
only your attribute die.
Sneak Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus
Your attack is more effective when your target isn’t aware of you.
When you make a martial attack against a target that cannot perceive you, your
action pool gains a matching die for your Sneak Attack skill.
Staggering Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
You breach your target’s defenses with your attack.
When your melee attack resolves, you can expend 2 energy to immediately roll
your attribute die separately against the target’s existing defense pool.
If this roll hits, the target is Staggered (their defense pool incurs 1 downstep,
min. d6) until the end of your next turn. If the target is already Staggered or
Breached when hit with this attack, they are Breached (their defense pool
incurs 2 downsteps, min. d6) until the end of your next turn.
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Strikeback Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus
You strike back forcefully when damaged by an attack.
When you are damaged by an enemy attack and your next action is a martial
attack at that target, action pool gains a die for your Strikeback Attack skill.
You lose this bonus if you move or perform any other actions before making
this attack.
Surrounded Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Bonus
Your melee attack is more effective when you have multiple adjacent enemies.
When you have two or more enemies adjacent to you and you make a melee
attack at an adjacent target, your action pool gains a matching die for your
Surrounded Attack skill.
Take the Initiative Specialized Martial Open Skill Action
You re-gather yourself to improve your rank in the battle.
You can expend 1 energy to make an Agility (Initiative) attribute test. You can
chose to replace your existing initiative test roll with this new roll.
Tripping Attack Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
You knock your target off their feet with your attack.
When your melee attack resolves, you can expend 2 energy to immediately roll
your attribute die separately against the target’s existing defense pool.
If this roll hits, the target is Staggered (their defense pool incurs 1 downstep,
min. d6) until the end of your next turn. If the target is already Staggered when
hit with this attack, they are instead knocked Prone.
Twist the Blade Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
You bolster your attack after the attack and defense dice have rolled.
When you make a melee attack and the dice have been rolled, you can expend
1 energy and your action pool gains a die for Twist the Blade skill. Roll this die
immediately against the target’s existing defense pool.
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Strength Specialized Martial Skills
When using these specialized skills, the die that you roll or grant matches your
Strength die, including any downsteps for taking multiple actions.
Bodyguard’s Ward Specialized Martial Open Skill Reaction
You help adjacent allies defend against attacks.
When an adjacent ally is the target of a martial attack that does not include you
in its targets, you can expend 2 energy and that ally’s PD pool gains your
Strength die.
Brace Specialized Martial Strength Skill Reaction
You bolster your defense after the attack dice have been rolled.
When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have been rolled, you
can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Strength die.
Agility Specialized Martial Skills
When using these specialized skills, the die that you roll or grant matches your
Agility die, including any downsteps for taking multiple actions.
Dodge Specialized Martial Agility Skill Reaction
You bolster your defense after the attack and defense dice have been rolled.
When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have been rolled, you
can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die.
Evasive Defense Specialized Martial Agility Skill Bonus
Your physical defense improves when you’re mobile.
When you’re the target of a martial attack that only targets you and you are at
least 20’ away from where you started your last turn, your PD pool gains your
Agility die.
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Stamina Specialized Martial Skills
When using these specialized skills, the die that you roll or grant matches your
Stamina die, including any downsteps for taking multiple actions.
Hard to Kill Specialized Martial Stamina Skill Reaction
You reduce the damage of an attack that would knock you out.
When you are damaged by an attack that would reduce your health to 0 or less,
you can expend 2 energy to roll your Stamina die (including any fatigue
downsteps). Reduce the damage by the rolled result.
You incur 1 fatigue downstep. You cannot use this ability again until you rest.
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Influence Specialized Martial Skills
When using these specialized skills, the die that you roll or grant matches your
Influence die, including any downsteps for taking multiple actions.
Leader’s Command Specialized Martial Influence Skill Action
You direct a nearby ally to attack.
When an active ally within 30’ can perceive you, you can direct them to attack.
The ally can immediately make a martial attack as a reaction. The attribute die
that they use for this attack cannot be higher than your Influence die.
Leader’s Guard Specialized Martial Influence Skill Reaction
When damaged, you fall back and your allies close around you.
When you are damaged by an attack, you can expend 2 energy to move up to
15’, and active allies within 10’ of your new position can immediately move 5’
as a reaction.
Leader’s Rally Specialized Martial Influence Skill Reaction
You reduce the damage of an attack against an ally.
When an active ally within 30’ who can perceive you takes damage, you can
expend 3 energy to roll your Influence die. Reduce the ally’s damage by the
rolled result.
Your ally incurs a fatigue downstep. You cannot use this ability again until
you rest.
Leader’s Threat Specialized Martial Influence Skill Bonus
You intimidate a nearby enemy.
When an enemy within 30’ can perceive you, you can expend 2 energy to make
an opposed Influence (Leader’s Threat) vs MD test against that enemy.
If this achieves 1 success, the enemy is Dazed (their action and defense pools
incur a 1 downstep penalty, min. d6). If this achieves 2 or more successes, or if
the target is already Dazed, the enemy is Stunned (their action and defense
pools incur a 2 downstep penalty, min. d6).
The target must succeed at an Influence, Intelligence, or Acuity test at difficulty
6 to remove the Dazed or Stunned condition.
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EQUIPMENT
This section details the characteristics of weapons and armor, and includes full
lists of weapons, armor, shields, items, and gear.
Weapon and Armor Properties
• Ammunition (Ammo): The weapon uses or consumes ammunition. The
type of cartridge is specified after the ammunition property.
• Armor: A set of clothing that protects the wearer from damage.
• Armor Die: When armor is worn, the character’s PD gains an Armor die.
• Brace: When a ranged weapon (such as a rifle) is stabilized against a solid
surface, the action pool gains 1 upstep.
• Burst: The weapon has a burst fire mode, at the cost of multiple pieces of
ammunition per attack action. When using a semi-automatic firearm, burst
firing uses 3 bullets and the action pool gains 1 upstep.
• Capacity: The weapon’s ammunition capacity. The number following
Capacity defines how many times the weapon can be fired before its
ammunition is fully depleted. Once its ammunition is depleted, the weapon
must be reloaded using its specified loading actions.
• Damage: The weapon deals its listed damage for each success of the attack.
• Finesse: When the weapon is used with the character’s Agility, the listed
damage and requirements apply.
• Fixed: The weapon must be securely fixed to the ground to operate.
• Full-Automatic: The weapon has a full automatic fire mode that uses 15-20
pieces of ammunition per attack action. A full-automatic weapon can be
fired at a single target or at all targets within an arc up to 30˚.
• Heavy: Heavy weapons, armor, and shields require d16 Strength to use. If a
character’s Strength is lower than required, their action pool incurs
1 downstep (min. d6).
• Light: Light weapons, armor, and shields require d6 Strength to use.
• Loading: The weapon takes time to reload. The number following loading
defines how many actions are required to reload. Reloading can use
stepped-down actions, Agility for firearms and Strength for crossbows.
• Max Agility: When a character wears bulky armor, their Agility may be
restricted. The armor’s max Agility limits the step of the character’s
attribute die (and their Body die if they have the Agile Defense skill).
• Medium: Medium weapons, armor, and shields require d10 Strength to use.
If a character’s Strength is lower than required, their action pool incurs
1 downstep (min. d6).
• Metal: The equipment contains metal components.
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• Melee: When the melee weapon is used to make a melee attack, the listed
damage and requirements apply.
• Mounted: The weapon is designed to be used on a mount.
• One-Handed: When the melee weapon is used with one hand, the listed
damage and requirements apply. One-handed is the default for all
weapons, and is only listed when a weapon can be used one or two handed.
• Explosive: This weapon attacks all targets within the defined radius.
• Ranged: When the ranged weapon is used to make a ranged attack, the
listed damage and requirements apply.
• Range: Ranged attack weapons have a defined range. The distance span
following range defines the weapon’s effective range. When attacking a
target within or farther than the weapon’s effective range, the target’s PD
gains 1 upstep. When attacking targets farther than twice the weapon’s
effective range, the target’s PD gains 2 upsteps. Ranged weapons cannot
be used to attack targets beyond three times their effective range.
• Reach: The weapon extends the wielder’s reach by 5’.
• Revolver: The weapon has a cylinder that holds the bullets and must be
manually rotated, giving slower fire rates than semi-automatic firearms.
• Semi-Automatic: The weapon can be fired multiple times before reloading.
Once the weapon’s capacity has been expended, it must be loaded again.
• Shield: An object wielded in the character’s off-hand to fend off attacks.
• Shield Bonus: The shield bonus defines how many upsteps the character’s
Armor die gains when the shield is used in the Block reaction. If the
character is not wearing armor, the shield bonus specifies the minimum
Armor die they gain when they Block with their shield.
• Thrown: When thrown weapons are used to make a ranged attack, the listed
damage and requirements apply. Thrown weapons must be recovered.
• Two-Handed: When the melee weapon is used with two hands (instead of
one-handed), the listed damage and requirements apply.
• Unarmed Weapon: Unarmed weapons are fists, headbutts, kicks, knees,
bites, and scratches that are used to make melee attacks. Unlike other
weapons, characters cannot be disarmed of their unarmed weapons.
• Versatile: These weapons can be used either one-handed or two-handed.
• Volley: This weapon can fire multiple shots in a single action. When using
a semi-automatic firearm, volley firing uses 4 to 6 bullets and the action
pool gains 1 upstep. The number following Volley defines how many pieces
of ammunition are used in the volley attack (approximately half of a low-
capacity magazine, and one-third of a high capacity magazine).
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Armor and Shields Shields
When a character is wielding a shield and uses the Block reaction, their Armor
Armor die increases by the relevant Shield Bonus (1, 2, or 3 upsteps). If the character
Armor offers protection from melee, ranged, and explosive attacks. is not wearing armor, the shield bonus specifies the minimum Armor die they
Wanderers constantly balance the protection of armor against their mobility gain when they Block with their shield.
and comfort. Anyone can attempt to wear any type of armor, but only those If the character doesn’t have the required Strength to use the shield properly,
who have the required physical Strength can use their armor effectively. then using the shield also requires the character to expend 1 additional energy.
When a character is wearing armor, their PD pool gains the armor’s Armor die.
However, armor is bulky and inhibits the character’s movement. So when a Light Shields Shield Bonus
character is wearing armor, their Agility die cannot be higher than that armor’s
1 Armor die upstep
maximum Agility. • Light Shield (light)
(min. d6)
Additionally, if the character’s Strength die is lower than required Strength,
then their Armor die incurs 1 downstep (min. d6) and their maximum Agility
also incurs 1 downstep (min. d6). Medium Shields Shield Bonus
(d10 Strength required)

Light Armor Armor Die Max. Agility 2 Armor die upsteps

• Medium Shield (medium)
(min. d8)
• Level I Body Armor (light)
• Leather or Layered Cloth Armor (light)
Heavy Shields Shield Bonus
• Level IIa Body Armor (light) (d16 Strength required)
• Reinforced Leather, Tire, or Biker Armor (light) 3 Armor die upsteps
• Heavy Shield (heavy, two-handed)
(min. d10)
Medium Armor Armor Die Max. Agility
(d10 Strength required)

• Level II Body Armor (medium)

• Layered Rubber Armor (medium)

• Level IIIa Body Armor (medium)

• Reinforced Kevlar (medium)

Heavy Armor Armor Die Max. Agility

(d16 Strength required)

• Level III Body Armor (heavy)

• Kevlar and Plate Armor (heavy)

• Level IV Body Armor (heavy)

• Kevlar and Heavy Plate (heavy)

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Melee Weapons Heavy Melee Weapons
Damage
Finesse Weapons (d16 Strength required)
Finesse weapons use the character’s Agility attribute and Finesse Training skill. • Ironwood, Femur, or Stonehead Greatclub (heavy) 3
Light Finesse Weapons Damage • Ironwood, Femur, or Stonehead Greatclub (heavy, two-handed)
• Metal Pipe (heavy, two-handed, metal)
• Rock (light) 2 4
• Sharktooth or Spiked Femur Greatclub (heavy)
• Ceramic, Flint, or Bone Dagger (light, finesse, thrown) • Longsword, Heavy Axe (heavy, metal)
3
• Dagger, Combat Knife, Shiv (light, finesse, thrown, metal) • Sharktooth or Spiked Femur Greatclub (heavy, two-handed) 5
• Maul, Sledgehammer, Greataxe (heavy, two-handed, metal)
Medium Finesse Weapons Damage
(d10 Strength required) Reach Weapons
• Boneblade, Stonehead Hatchet (medium, finesse) Reach weapons use the character’s Strength attribute and Reach Training skill.
4
• Hatchet, Cleaver, Machete, Fire Axe (medium, finesse, metal)
Light Reach Weapons Damage
Melee Weapons • Whip (light, reach) 1
Melee weapons use the character’s Strength attribute and Melee Training skill. • Barbed Rope, Chain Whip (light, reach, two-handed) 2
Light Melee Weapons Damage
Medium Reach Weapons Damage
• Rock (light) 1
(d10 Strength required)
• Ceramic, Flint, or Bone Dagger (light)
• Dagger, Combat Knife, Shiv (light, metal) • Quarterstaff (medium, reach, two-handed) 2
2
• Shortstaff, Ironwood Cudgel, Bone Cudgel (light, two-handed) • Spear (medium, reach, two-handed) 3
• Baseball Bat, Golf Club (light, two-handed)
• Flint Shortspear, Stonehead Axe (light, two-handed)
3 Heavy Reach Weapons Damage
• Spiked Baseball Bat (light, two-handed) (d16 Strength required)

Medium Melee Weapons • Long Spear (heavy, reach, two-handed) 4

Damage
(d10 Strength required) • Pole-Arm, Halberd (heavy, reach, two-handed, metal) 5
• Brick (medium) 2 • Lance (heavy, reach, mounted) 6
• Boneblade, Stonehead Hatchet (medium)
• Hatchet, Cleaver, Machete, Fire Axe (medium, metal) Unarmed Weapons
3
• Stoutstaff, Ironwood Club, Bone Club (medium, two-handed)
Unarmed attacks use the character’s Strength (Brawling Training) or Agility
• Polo Mallet (medium, two-handed) (Martial Arts Training).
• Spiked Ironwood or Bone Club (medium, two-handed)
4 Unarmed Weapons Damage
• Katana, Fire Axe (medium, two-handed, metal)
• Kick, Punch, Headbutt (light, unarmed) 1

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 Thrown Weapons
Ranged Weapons
Thrown weapons use the character’s Strength attribute and Thrown Training skill.
Ranged Weapons
Light Thrown Weapons Damage
Ranged weapons use the character’s Agility attribute and Ranged Training skill.
• Ceramic, Flint, or Bone Dagger (light, thrown 10-20’) 1
Light Ranged Weapons Damage
• Stonehead Hatchet (light, thrown 10-20’)
• Blow Dart, Slingshot (light, range 10-20’) 1 2
• Hatchet (light, thrown 10-20’, metal)
• Hand Crossbow (light, range 10-20’, metal)
• Sling (light, range 10-40’) 2 Medium Thrown Weapons Damage
• Short Bow (light, two-handed, range 10-60’) (d10 Strength required)
• Light Crossbow
3 • Hunting Spear (medium, thrown, range 10-40’) 3
(light, two-handed, loading 1, range 10-60’, metal)

Medium Ranged Weapons Heavy Thrown Weapons Damage

Damage (d16 Strength required)
(d10 Strength required)
• Hunting Bow (medium, two-handed, range 10-150’) 3 • War Spear (heavy, thrown, range 10-60’) 4

• Crossbow
(medium, two-handed, loading 1, range 10-150’, metal)
4 Thrown Explosives
Thrown explosives use the character’s Strength attribute and Thrown Training skill.
Heavy Ranged Weapons Light Thrown Weapons Damage
Damage
(d16 Strength required)
• M-80, Cherry Bomb (light, thrown, range 10-50’) 2
• War Bow (heavy, two-handed, range 10-300’) 4
• M-100, Silver Salute, Quarter Stick, Pipe Bomb (metal)
• Heavy Crossbow 3
5 (light, thrown, range 10-50’, explosive 5’)
(medium, two-handed, loading 2, range 10-150’, metal)
• Arbalest (heavy, two-handed, loading 3, range 10-200’, metal) 6 Medium Thrown Weapons Damage
• Ballista (d10 Strength required)
7
(heavy, mounted, two-handed, loading 5, range 50-400’, metal) • Cluster Bomblet (metal), Dynamite Stick
4
(medium, thrown, range 10-100’, explosive 10’)
• F1 Pineapple or RG42 Frag Grenade
5
(medium, thrown, range 10-100’, explosive 10’, metal)
• M67 Baseball Frag Grenade
6
(heavy, thrown, range 10-100’, explosive 15’, metal)
• Dynamite (True) Stick
7
(heavy, thrown, range 10-100’, explosive 15’)

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 Handguns
Firearm Weapons
Handguns use the character’s Agility and Small Gun Training skill.
Most firearms (apart from machine guns) use Agility for their attacks and have
minimum Strength requirements to use the effectively. If a character’s Light Handgun Weapons Damage
Strength or Agility is lower than required to use the weapon, their action pool • Zip-gun
incurs 1 downstep (min. d6). (light, single-shot, range 10-20’, ammo .22, capacity 1, loading
Assault Rifles 5, metal)
3
• Firestorm
Assault rifles use the character’s Agility and Long Gun Training skill.
(light, semi-automatic, range 10-20’, ammo .380, capacity 7+1,
Light Assault Rifle Weapons Damage volley 4, reload 1, metal)
• H&K HK416 • Ruger
(light, full-automatic/semi-automatic/burst, two-handed, range 3 (light, revolver, range 10-30’, ammo .357 magnum, capacity 7,
10-100’, ammo 4.73mm, capacity 30, loading 1, metal) loading 2, metal)
• Glock 17
Medium Assault Rifle Weapons (light, semi-automatic, range 10-30’, ammo 9mm, capacity 17,
Damage volley 4, loading 1, metal)
(d10 Strength required) 4
• M1911, M17
• AK-74/M16/AR-15/M4/Styer AUG
(light, semi-automatic, range 10-30’, ammo 45, capacity 8,
(medium, full-automatic/semi-automatic/burst, two-handed, 4
volley 4, loading 1, metal)
range 10-100’, ammo 5.56mm, capacity varies, loading 1, metal)
• S&W 625
(light, revolver, range 10-30’, ammo 45, capacity 6, loading 2,
Heavy Assault Rifle Weapons metal)
Damage
(d16 Strength required)
• M14/M1/H&K G3/AK-47 Medium Handgun Weapons
(heavy, full-automatic/semi-automatic/burst, two-handed, 5 Damage
(d10 Strength required)
range 10-50’, ammo 7.62mm, capacity varies, loading 1, metal)
• Super Redhawk
(medium, revolver, range 10-35’; ammo .480 Ruger, capacity 6,
loading 2, metal)
5
• Anaconda
(medium, revolver, range 10-35’; ammo .44 Magnum, capacity 6,
loading 2, metal)

Heavy Handgun Weapons

Damage
(d16 Strength required)
• Desert Eagle
(heavy, semi-automatic, two-handed, range 10-40’, ammo .50,
capacity 7, volley 3, loading 1, metal)
6
• S&W 500
(heavy, revolver, two-handed, range 10-40’;
ammo .500 Magnum, capacity 5, loading 2, metal)

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Machine Guns Rifles
Machine guns use the character’s Strength and Heavy Gun Training skill. Rifles use the character’s Agility and Long Gun Training skill.
Medium Machine Gun Weapons Light Rifle Weapons Damage
Damage
(d10 Strength required) • Winchester .22 CB (light, two-handed, range 15-200’, ammo .22,
3
• FN Minimi, MG4 capacity 7, loading 1, metal)
(medium, fixed, full-automatic, two-handed, range 10-100’, 4
ammo 5.56mm, capacity 50-300’, loading 5, metal) Medium Rifle Weapons
Damage
• HK21, M60, M249 (d10 Strength required)
(medium, fixed, full-automatic, two-handed, range 10-100’, 5
• Winchester .22 LR
ammo 7.62mm, capacity 50-300’, loading 5, metal) (medium, two-handed, range 15-200’, ammo .22, capacity 7,
loading 1, metal)
Heavy Machine Gun Weapons 4
Damage • Voere 6mm Caseless
(d16 Strength required) (medium, two-handed, range 15-200’, ammo 6mm caseless,
• M240 capacity 5, loading 1, metal)
(heavy, fixed, full-automatic, two-handed, range 10-100’, 6 • Remington Model 700
ammo 7.62mm, capacity 50-300’, loading 5, metal) (heavy, two-handed, range 15-200’, ammo .308, capacity
• M2A1 3/6/10, loading 1, metal)
(heavy, fixed, full-automatic, two-handed, range 10-100’, 7 • FN 1949
ammo .50cal, capacity 50-300’, loading 5, metal) (heavy, two-handed, range 15-200’, ammo .30-06, capacity
10/20, loading 1, metal)
5
• Barrett M82
(medium, fixed, semi-automatic, two-handed, range 20-500’,
ammo .50, capacity 5/10, loading 2, metal)
• Barrett M99
(medium, fixed, two-handed, range 50-1,000’, ammo .50,
capacity 1, loading 2, metal)

Heavy Sniper Rifle Weapons

Damage
(d16 Strength required)
• Denel NTW-20
(heavy, fixed, two-handed, range 50-1,000’, ammo 20mm, 6
capacity 3, loading 3, metal)
• Barrett XM109
(heavy, fixed, two-handed, range 50-2,000’, ammo 25mm, 7
capacity 5, loading 3, metal)

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Shotguns
Medium Submachine Gun Weapons
Shotguns use the character’s Agility and Long Gun Training skill. Damage
(d10 Strength required)
Light Shotgun Weapons Damage • FN P90
• 12 Gauge Buckshot (medium, full-automatic/semi-automatic/burst, two-handed,
(light, two-handed, range 5-15’, ammo 12 gauge, capacity 1, 2 range 10-50’, ammo .57, capacity 50, loading 1, metal)
4
loading 1, metal) • UMP 45
• 12 Gauge Light Shot (medium, full-automatic/semi-automatic/burst, two-handed,
(light, two-handed, range 5-15’, ammo 12 gauge, capacity 2, 3 range 10-50’, ammo .45, capacity 25, loading 1, metal)
loading 1, metal)

Medium Shotgun Weapons

Damage
(d10 Strength required)
• 12 Gauge Normal Shot
(medium, two-handed, range 5-15’, ammo 12 gauge,
capacity varies, loading varies, metal)
4
• 12 Gauge Bang Stick
(medium, two-handed, ammo 12 gauge, capacity 1,
loading varies, metal)
• 12 Gauge Heavy Shot
(medium, two-handed, range 5-15’, ammo 12 gauge heavy, 5
capacity varies, loading varies, metal)

Heavy Shotgun Weapons

Damage
(d16 Strength required)
• 12 Gauge Solid Slug
(heavy, two-handed, range 5-15’, ammo 12 gauge solid, 6
capacity varies, loading varies, metal)

Submachine Guns
Submachine guns use the character’s Agility and Small Gun Training skill.
Light Submachine Gun Weapons Damage
• MP40/Sten/Uzi 9mm
(light, full-automatic, two-handed, range 10-50’, ammo 9mm,
capacity 20, loading 1, metal)
3
• H&K MP5
(light, full-automatic/semi-automatic/burst, two-handed,
range 10-50’, ammo 9mm, capacity 15/30/40, loading 1, metal)

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Items and Gear Bedding
• Sleeping bag • Poncho liner • Blanket
The following tables include examples of
• Thermal blanket • Pillow • Yoga mat
the clothing, items, gear, medical, tools,
• Inflatable mat • Sleeping mat • Sheets
and luxury items the wanderers might come
• Folding cot • Hammock • Furs
across in their travels.
Some of these items include metal Bags
components or are made entirely of metal. • Satchel • Backpack • Duffel bag
These metal items will be much rarer • Pouch • Rucksack • Hiking pack
than the other non-metal items. • Body bag • Briefcase • Suitcase
These lists do not include weapons, • Quiver • Gym bag • Bindle
but many of these items could be Survival
used as improvised weapons.
• Maps • Flint and steel • Magnifying glass
Clothing • Matches • Water filter • Iodine tablets
• Furs • Underwear • Socks • Camp stove • Machete • Pocket knife
• Rain jackets • Sports bra • Shirt • Binoculars • Fishing line • Camping knife
• Pants • Fabric • Hat • Rope and cordage • Paracord • Flares
• Thermals • Towel • Beanie • Camo netting • Fishing net • Night vision optic
• Balaclava • Ghilli suit • Belt • Scope • Compass • Whistle
• Bandana • Poncho • Leathers • Mirror • Whetstone • Lighter
• Fishing vest • Holster • Bandolier • Chem light sticks • Bioluminous mold • Lock picks
• Ballistic vest • Shemagh • Leather chaps • String and twine • Fishing hooks • Glowbugs
• Thermal clothing • Waterproof jacket • Webbing • Multitool • Fire lighters • Hunting knife
• Lingerie • Hawaiian shirt • Dress • Ferro rod • Purification tabs • Butane canister
• Skirt • Gown • Suit • Fire bow • Pot • Cup
• Coveralls • Web belt • Necktie Containers
• Lab coat • Military uniform • Fur coat • Plastic container • Water bottle • Hip flask
• Plate carrier • Police uniform • Priest’s cassock • Hardcase • Drum • Canteen
Shoes • Barrel • Lunch box • Waterproof case
• Running shoes • Hiking boots • Sandals • Ice chest • Glass bottle • Waterskin
• Boots • Military boots • Shoelaces • Plastic jar • Basket • Box
• Flip-flops (thongs) • Steel-toed boots • Moccasins
• Leather shoes • Gum boots • Ugg boots
• Gardening shoes • Crocs • Fashion
Shelter
• Tent • Tarpaulin • Swag
• Mosquito net • Bivouac bag • Canvas

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Food Protective
• MRE rations • Water • Spices • Goggles • Rubber gloves • X-ray film
• Twinkies • Root vegetables • Herbs • Gas mask • Radiation suit • Radiation swatches
• Baby formula • Wild berries • Yeast
Chemicals
• Baking powder • Grains • Hiking food
• Lamp oil • Vegetable oil • Solvents
• Powdered milk • Baking soda • Confectionary bar
• Alcohol • Borax • Tear gas
• Nuts • Powdered potatoes • Sugar
• Charcoal • Plaster • Fuel
• Seeds • Dried pasta • Flour
• Oil • Paint • Glue
• Honey • Hard candy • Coffee
• Gunpowder • Diesel • Lime
• Chewing gum • Power bar • Canned vegetables
• Plastic explosives • Dynamite • Napalm
• Soup packet • Cooking oil • Canned meat
Musical
Medical
• Guitar • Drum • Harmonica
• First aid kit • Medicines • Pregnancy test
• Records • CDs • Sheet music
• IUD • Condoms • Diaphragm
• Instrument • Player piano roll • Flute
• Hypodermic syringe • Bonesaw • Scalpel
• Sutures • Tubing • Clamps
• Needle • Stethoscope • Antibiotics
• Vitamins • Epi-pen • Steroids
• Bandages • Forceps • Nanite meds
• Military stims • Prosthetic • Joint strapping
• Microscope • Face mask • Burn cream
• Thermometer • Painkillers • Disinfectant
• Tweezers • Radiation tabs • Anti-virals
• Oxycodene • Vaccine pack • Antimicrobials

Household
• Needle • Can opener • Pens and pencils
• Thread • Scissors • Mirror
• Knitting needles • Yarn • Duct tape
• Candle • Bungee cord • Zip-ties
• Cutlery • Flatware • Bowls
• Gas bottle • Buttons • Zips
• Curtains • Globe (world) • Light globe
• Religious icon • Dog collar • Garden hose
• Fire extinguisher • Fire blanket • Cooking knives
• Toilet paper • Safe • Coffee plunger
• Bucket • Religious symbol • Rubber hose
• Shower curtain • Typewriter • Paper
• Trophy • Ink • Tupperware

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Personal Tools
• Prescription glasses • Razor • Identification • Screwdriver • Hammer • Spirit Level
• Dentures • Glass eye • Toupee (wig) • Pliers • Saw • Spanner
• Soap • Toothbrush • Sunglasses • Shifter • Hex keys • Fasteners
• Bobby pin • Hair ties • Comb • Axe • Shovel • Crowbar
• Wallet • Purse/pocketbook • Spray tan • Pulley • Toolbox • Tire iron
• Fake eyelashes • Hair extensions • Nail scissors Materials
• Contact lenses • Name tag • Shampoo • Lumber • Plastic sheeting • Tires
• Toothpaste • Perfume • Deodorant • Bones and horn • Feathers • Dowel
• Medals • Cologne • Tweezers • Plastic piping • Fabric • Carpet
Sporting • Perspex • Bricks • Tiles
• Hockey mask • Protective cup • Gridiron gear • Planks • Glass • Wire
• Golf clubs • Billiard ball • Hockey stick Toys and Games
• Baseball bat • Basketball • Knee/elbow pads • Chess set • Dice • Playing cards
• Bowling pin • Saddle and bridle • Racquet • Board game • Stuffed toy • Plastic toys
• Bicycle • Kid’s wooden bike • Archery set • Doll • Glass beads • Marbles
• Motorcross helmet • Leather gloves • Ski goggles • View-Master • Scale model • Party poppers
• Carabineers • Inflatable raft • Shin/arm guards • Fireworks • Twister mat • Role-playing game
Books Electronic and Mechanical
• Map • Porno mags • Photographs • Radio • Flashlight • CDs
• Reference book • Children’s book • Novel • Television • Geiger counter • Solar panel
• Cookbook • Joke book • Travel guide • Batteries • Flash drive • Night-vision scope
• Building blueprints • Diary • Religious text • Music player • Headphones • eReader
• Calendar • Microfiche • Repair manual • RC car • Walkie-talkies • Phone
• Phrase book • Comic • Fashion magazines • Camera • Laptop • Computer
• Power tools • Generator (fuel) • Generator (scram)
• GPS • Laser pointer • Shortwave radio
• Wristwatch • Videogame console • Pump
• Satellite phone • USB stick • Power bank
Luxury and Narcotics
• Tobacco/cigarettes • Uppers • Cosmetics
• Alcohol • Downers • Jewelry
• Artwork • Hallucinogens • Precious metals
• Marijuana • Currency • Gemstones

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 GAME RULES
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his Gods.

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ATTRIBUTES
Attributes are the foundational aspects of characters, representing their
fundamental strengths and weaknesses.
Characters have three physical attributes and three mental attributes.
The distribution of higher and lower attribute steps differentiates a variety of
character types; compare a character who uses physical violence to get their
way to one who instead seeks to talk their way out of (or into) trouble.
Attributes range from d6 to d20, with d8 representing the average human
capability while d20 reflects professional athletes, scientists, and negotiators.

Physical Attributes
Strength is the character’s physical strength and conditioning. Strength is the
attribute used for strenuous athletic activities, forceful melee attacks (e.g.
unarmed punches and kicks, daggers, swords, axes), ranged attacks with
thrown weapons (e.g. spears) and heavy guns (machine guns). Strength is also
necessary to effectively use heavy weapons, armor, and shields.
Agility is the character’s coordination, speed, and precision. Agility is used for
moving deftly and precisely, making pinpoint attacks with light melee weapons
(e.g. unarmed strikes, rapiers, daggers), ranged weapons (bows, crossbows,
slings), and most firearms (e.g. handguns, assault rifles, rifles, shotguns, and
submachine guns).
Stamina is the character’s physical resilience and hardiness. Stamina
determines a character’s overall health, their ability to withstand injuries, heat,
or cold, to recover from trauma, exertion, or illness, to run with endurance, and
to resist poisons, intoxicants, and irritants.

Mental Attributes
Influence is the character’s charm, communication, and persuasion. Influence
is used to convince people to help, to calm down a hostile antagonist, or to
rally an army to war.
Intelligence is the character’s cognition, reasoning, analysis, and deduction.
Intelligence is used to work out how to use machines and technology, to
scavenge for useful items, to treat injuries, to determine the cause of a
problem, or find the link between disparate pieces of evidence.
Acuity is the character’s awareness, intuition, and interconnectedness. Acuity
is used to notice threats, opportunities, and details of the world, to connect,
calm, and control responsive animals.

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TRAITS
Traits are inherent aspects of a character that are outside of the normal human
ideal: two legs, two arms, 5-6’ tall, two eyes, and two ears.
Traits, as distinct from skills, cannot be learned or developed through effort,
they are inherent to the character. Through some misfortune or misadventure
however, a character might acquire a new trait during play; perhaps losing an
arm or an eye in battle.
Traits can be beneficial or detrimental, and their impact on a character can be
minor or significant. These factors determine the character point cost of the
trait, whether it is cheap or expensive and for detrimental traits whether it
Species Traits
Species traits gather several traits into bundles that reflect the species’ normal
characteristics. These bundles always include the character’s default size,
attribute traits, and any other characteristics common to the species.
Game characters use a range of species; such as animals, droids, and nanites.
Size Traits
Size traits reflect varying body sizes, relative to a normal 5-6’ human; whether
they are within the normal human height range or unusually short or tall?
As with species, different game characters exhibit a range of size traits.

Attribute Traits
gives the player extra CP to spend on the character.
The most common traits for humans are:
Attribute traits represent a character’s predisposition to specific attributes. For
• Species
example, were they born with a robust physique, or are they more graceful and
• Size
lithe. Alternatively, do they have an analytic mind, or a compelling personality.
• Attributes
Furthermore, unusual game characters may feature these types of traits: Damage Traits
• Damage Damage resistance and immunity traits apply to characters that are resilient or
• Mental immune to specific types of damage. For example, a unique game character
• Movement might be resistant to piercing damage. Alternatively, some characters – such as
• Physical humans – are immune to electro-magnetic pulses.
• Sensory
Mental Traits
Mental traits cover cognitive abilities that reflect unique mental abilities.

Movement Traits
Movement traits reflect the alternate forms of movement of game characters.

Physical Traits
Physical traits define the character’s physical body. Perhaps the character is
abnormally sturdy or sickly.

Sensory Traits
Sensory traits cover the ways that characters absorb input from the world
around them. Perhaps they only have monocular vision, or acute hearing,
heightened sense of smell, or sensitivity to a wider range of the light spectrum.

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SKILLS Attributes and Open Skills
Skills are either directly related to an underlying attribute (such as Persuasion
Skills reflect a character’s training, knowledge, learning, study, and practice or Melee Training) or ‘open’ (such as Flanking Attack). Open skills can be used
with a specific activity, tool, or technique. Each skill builds on an underlying with specific types of actions, such as martial attacks, regardless of what
attribute, or is paired with an attribute when used. attribute they use.
In play, skills add more dice to a character’s attribute tests, including attacks, When performing an attribute test where you have a relevant skill, whether it’s
and make the character more likely to achieve successes in these tests. associated with the attribute or an open skill, your action pool gains a
For example, Resistance builds on Stamina and reflects a character who has matching die of the same step as your attribute die.
built the ability to tolerate poisons or nauseating agents. Alternatively,
Rules Example: Attack With a Specialized Martial Skill
Medicine builds on Intelligence and reflects a character who has studied and
practiced techniques to diagnose and treat injuries and illnesses. When a character’s Flanking Attack skill is triggered by a melee attack that
uses their Strength attribute (d12), they roll an matching d12 for their
Skills fall into four groups, which reflect the situations in which they’re used.
Flanking Attack skill. However, when that same character triggers Flanking
• General Skills Attack with a finesse attack that uses their Agility attribute (d8), they roll a
• General Skill Specializations matching d8 for their Flanking Attack skill.
• Martial Skills
• Specialized Martial Skills
General skills are the foundational skills necessary to survive. These skills are
used when characters are exploring the world, overcoming obstacles, and
interacting with other game characters. Each of the general skills has
additional specializations, which reflect deeper learning and experience.
Rules Example: Attribute Test With a General Skill and Specialization
A wanderer attempts an Influence (Deception) test to deceive another
character by telling a lie. If this character doesn’t have the Deception skill,
then they only roll their Influence attribute die (d8). If they have Deception,
then they roll two d8 dice; one for their Influence and a matching die for
their Deception skill. Finally, if this character also has the Lie specialized
skill, they gain another matching die, and roll three d8 dice.

Martial skills are used in combat situations. As the stakes rise, the player’s
choices for their character become a matter of life and death. These choices
include the character’s trained skills and the player’s moment-to-moment use
of these skills to overcome the opponents and scenarios their character faces.
Rules Example: Attack With a Martial Skill
A wanderer makes a melee attack with a heavy club using their Strength
(d10). With their Melee Weapons skill, the character gains a matching d10.

The following pages contain a summary of the available skills and

specializations. The skills are fully detailed in the General Skills, Martial Skills,
and Specialized Martial Skills sections.

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General Skills and Specializations
These general skills are used in exploration and role-playing. Each has further Influence Specializations:
specializations, which can be studied and understood at a deeper level. • Deception • Disguise • Lie
• Performance • Act • Orate
Strength Specializations:
• Music
• Athletics • Run • Swim • Persuasion • Leadership • Seduce
• Lift • Climb • Negotiate
• Intimidation • Coerce • Interrogate
• Smithy • Armorer • Weaponsmith Intelligence
• Investigation • Cryptography • Research
Agility • Forensic • Scavenge
• Acrobatics • Balance • Traverse • Question • Search
• Crafting • Tailor • Woodwork • Reconnoiter
• Initiative • Alertness • Quick-Strike • Knowledge • Agriculture • Math
• Ambush • Art • Military
• Ride • Animal • Bicycle • Engineering • Religion
• Stealth • Hide • Sneak • History • Technology
• Law • Science
• Thievery • Forgery • Steal
• Language • Arabic • Italian
• Pick Lock
• Bengali • Japanese
• Vehicle • Airplanes • Motor Vehicles
• English • Mandarin Chinese
• Helicopters • Sail
• French • Portuguese
Stamina • German • Russian
• Endurance • Physiological • Ultra-distance • Hindi • Spanish
• Sleep Deprivation • Medicine • First Aid • Surgery
• Repose • Quick Healer • Recovery • General Practice
• Resistance • Alcohol Tolerance • Irritant Tolerance
Acuity
• Immune System • Poison Tolerance
• Animal Handling • Bond • Dominate
• Insight • Discern Lie • Empathy
• Perception • Notice • Observe
• Survival • Cook • Navigate
• Forage • Shelter
• Hunt • Track

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Martial Skills Specialized Martial Skills
Martial skills are used in combat and represent training and experience that Specialized martial skills are advanced techniques that enhance martial skills
improve the effectiveness of attacks and defenses. and give characters circumstantial actions, reactions, or bonuses.
Most of these skills reflect the character’s training with the correct use of While general and martial skills are tightly associated with attributes, most
specific types of weapons or armor. When a character is trained in these skills, specialized martial skills are open and can be used with a variety of actions.
they have studied and practiced with particular types of weapons.
Open Specializations:
Any character can use any weapon, even when they don’t have the matching
skill. But without the training, they must rely solely on their underlying • Aimed Attack • Parry
physical attributes. It’s only with the trained skill that characters can use the • Charging Attack • Pinning Attack
weapon to its full effect. When a character makes an attack with a weapon • Cleaving Attack • Pinpoint Attack
they’re not ‘trained’ to use, the attack uses their attribute die. Comparatively,
• Dazing Attack • Point Blank Attack
when they are trained to use a weapon, such as with the Melee Training skill,
they attack with their attribute die and a second matching die to reflect their • Defender • Pressing Maneuver
practice and training with those weapons. In both of these situations, trained • Disarming Flourish • Reaping Strike
or untrained, the attack may still trigger specialized martial skills, reflecting the • Distracted Attack • Reflex Strike
character’s knowledge of advantageous martial techniques beyond their • Dual Wield Attack • Repelling Strike
familiarity with specific weapons.
• Final Attack • Sneak Attack
Among these martial skills are several defensive skills – Agile Defense, Armor
• Finishing Attack • Staggering Attack
Training, Shield Training, and Sturdy Defense – that allow the character to
• Flanking Attack • Strikeback Attack
improve or augment their physical defense.
• Following Shot • Surrounded Attack
Strength • Grappler • Take the Initiative
• Brawling Training
• Last Gasp • Tripping Attack
• Heavy Gun Training
• Melee Training • Mounted Attack • Twist the Blade
• Reach Training • Opportunity Attack
• Shield Training
Strength
• Thrown Training
• Bodyguard’s Ward • Brace
Agility
Agility
• Agile Defense
• Dodge • Evasive Defense
• Armor Training
• Finesse Training Stamina
• Long Gun Training • Hard to Kill
• Martial Arts Training
• Ranged Training Influence
• Small Gun Training • Leader’s Command • Leader’s Rally
• Leader’s Guard • Leader’s Threat
Stamina
• Sturdy Defense

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ATTRIBUTE TESTS Fixed Tests
Fixed tests are against static obstacles, represented by a specified difficulty
target. Examples include:
As characters explore blasted lands under onyx skies, their capabilities are
tested. Their bodies are challenged by the harsh environment, their minds • Climb a wall: Strength (Athletics)
tested by dangerous situations, and their tolerance stretched by the desperate, • Pick a lock: Agility (Thievery)
powerful, and cruel people they meet. • Outrun a stampede: Stamina (Endurance)
Attribute tests are used to resolve situations where there is a meaningful risk • Calm an unruly mob: Influence (Persuasion)
of failure. When the characters have plenty of time and no downside to tackle • Decipher a code: Intelligence (Knowledge)
a task, then they will achieve the task sooner or later. It’s only when characters • Notice a hidden trap: Acuity (Perception)
are in danger, running out of time, or where the task is at the limit of their
capability, that an attribute test is required. Play Example: Fixed Attribute Test
In an attribute test, a character’s underlying attributes and any related skills “The rough stone wall is almost sheer, but features abundant hand-holds.
are tested against the difficulty of the task. Make an Agility (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) test at difficulty 5. If you
have a rope or something else to help, you can gain 1 upstep.”
In normal play, the GM describes the situation, then players describe their
characters’ actions, and the GM narrates the outcome of their action. In
situations where the outcome of an action is in doubt, the GM will ask for an Opposed Tests
attribute test. In these tests, one of the character’s six attributes is selected, Opposed tests are made when someone actively opposes a character. For these
along with an appropriate skill and a skill specialization. tests, the initiating character and opposing character both roll attribute tests.
For example, when a character is balancing on a narrow ledge, the challenge is When one character is trying to do something to another, then the initiating
expressed as: Agility (Acrobatics). The character’s attribute and skill dice are character rolls their action pool against the target’s action pool, and achieves
added to their action pool, and rolled to see if they achieve the task. Once the successes for each of their dice that meets or beats the target’s highest die.
attribute test is resolved, the players and the GM continue the story based on In an opposed test, the initiating character will succeed or fail at the test.
the outcome of the test.
For example, a character trying to spot another who is hiding is an Acuity

Types of Attribute Tests (Perception) vs Agility (Stealth) test.

Examples include:
Attribute tests come in two forms:
• Grapple a person: Strength (Athletics) vs Agility (Acrobatics)
• Fixed tests • Sneak past a droid: Agility (Stealth) vs Acuity (Perception)
• Opposed tests • Pretend to be KO’d: Stamina (Endurance) vs Intelligence (Medicine)
Fixed tests are made against static obstacles, while opposed tests are used • Charm a wary visitor: Influence (Seduction) vs Acuity (Insight)
when other characters or adversaries actively oppose the attempt or where the • Question a suspect: Intelligence (Investigation) vs Influence (Deception)
difficulty of a challenge fluctuates. For example, kicking open a door is a fixed • Track your quarry: Acuity (Survival) vs Agility (Stealth)
test while wrestling an alligator is an opposed test.
Play Example: Opposed Attribute Test
There are some instances where the choice of a fixed or opposed test is not
immediately clear, such as when calming a riotous mob. While the mob could “In the distance, you see the raider disappear into the thick undergrowth. By
be treated as an opposed test, it’s more appropriate to treat this as a fixed test the time you arrive at the thicket, there’s no sign of the raider. If you want to
and for the GM to assign an appropriate difficulty target for the attempt. try to track them, make an Acuity (Survival) test against their Agility
(Stealth).”
In these cases, it’s up to the GM to determine whether there is a significant
level of variability in the opposition to the test, in which case an opposed test
would be used instead of a fixed test.

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Opposed Contests
The other kind of opposed tests are contests. Contests occur when multiple
characters try to achieve the same goal, but in direct opposition to each other.
This might be characters trying to out-grapple, out-drink, out-play, or out-wit
each other. Opposed contests are recognizable because each character in the
contest uses the same attribute and skill.
In opposed contests, any character can win the test.
In opposed contests, one character achieves successes when one or more of
their dice beats the opposing character’s single highest die. A stalemate occurs
when all characters achieve the same highest die roll.
Some examples of opposed contests include:
• Grapple each other: Strength (Athletics) vs Strength (Athletics)
• Chase another car: Agility (Drive) vs Agility (Drive)
• Out-drink another : Stamina (Resist) vs Stamina (Resist)
• Compete for a deal: Influence (Persuasion) vs Influence (Persuasion)
• Quickly recall a fact: Intelligence (Knowledge) vs Intelligence (Knowledge)
• Spot each other: Acuity (Perception) vs Acuity (Perception)
Play Example: Opposed Attribute Contest
“The bleary-eyed drunk slams his shot glass down onto the table next to
yours. He shakes his head woozily. ‘Again!’ he slurs. Make an opposed
Stamina (Resist) test for your next shots. If you roll the same, you’re equally
affected. The loser first becomes Ill, then Poisoned, and then Unconscious.
The first person to pass out loses.”
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Building and Modifying Action Pools
Putting together an action pool for an attribute test follows these principles:
• A die from the nominated attribute (note that taking multiple actions
downsteps the dice pool)
• Skills and specializations add dice that match the initial attribute die
• Assistance from another character adds their attribute die
• Circumstances, conditions, and items upstep or downstep all of the dice
Add Attribute and Skill Dice
All action pools start with the character’s attribute die. A matching skill die is
added if the character has a relevant general or martial skill. Finally, a
matching specialization die is added for each of the character’s specialized
skills that’s triggered.
Add Dice for Assistance
When several characters work together, but only one can perform the action,
the other characters can assist. When characters assist, the action pool gains
an attribute die from each additional character.
Upstep or Downstep Dice
Once the action pool has the right number of dice (at least 1), any other
circumstantial adjustments are made. These adjustments include:
• Conditions: Conditions that upstep or downstep all of the dice
(e.g. the character is Surprised, Dazed, or Blinded)
• Circumstances: Circumstances that upstep or downstep the dice
(e.g. a leaping melee attack, firing a ranged weapon at a distant target)
• Equipment: Equipment that upstep or downstep the dice
(e.g. a scope on a rifle or a poor quality/damaged weapon)
• Effort: Energized (non-combat) attribute tests that upstep a character’s dice
These upsteps and downsteps are then resolved. This gives a net result that
may upstep or downstep the die step, or could cancel out entirely and the leave
the dice the same.
When downstepping dice in the action pool, they can never step lower than d6.
Rules Example: Resolving Upsteps and Downsteps
A character makes a melee attack with their d16 Strength and melee weapon
that they are trained to use (Melee Weapons). The character is Empowered
(1 upstep), but their weapon is badly damaged (2 downsteps). The net result
is 1 downstep to the action pool, downstepping the d16s to d12s.
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Resolving Attribute Tests
Fixed Tests
Fixed tests achieve 1 success for each of the character’s dice that meets or
beats the difficulty target of the challenge, usually from 4 to 8.
Rules Example: Fixed Test
A character running a long distance attempts a Stamina (Endurance) test at
difficulty 6. The character has the Endurance skill and the Running
specialization, giving their action pool three dice (Stamina, Endurance, and
+Running), each matching the character’s Stamina die (d8). The player rolls
the 3d8, for 3, 4, and 6. In this case, the character achieves just 1 success,
meaning they cover the distance but without any particular notability.
Opposed Tests
In opposed tests, the initiating character achieves 1 success for each of their
action pool dice that meets or beats their opponent’s highest dice.
Rules Example: Opposed Test
A player character attempting to win over a game character makes an
Influence (Persuasion) test opposed by the other character’s Acuity (Insight).
The player character rolls a 7 and a 10, against the game character’s 11. In
this case, the player character’s persuasion test fails.
Opposed Contest
In an opposed contest, either character can achieve a success for each die that
beats their opponent’s highest die, or the contest could be a stalemate if both
characters’ highest die rolls the same.
Rules Example: Opposed Contest
In this opposed contest, two characters are in pursuit across a desert salt-
flat, with one starting with a small head start. Both characters roll opposed
Stamina (Endurance) tests. The fleeing character rolls a 6 and a 9, and their
pursuer character rolls a 10 and a 13. The pursuing character achieves 2
successes, and closes in on the fleeing character by 2 range bands.
Attribute Tests in Combat
Performing an attribute test in combat might use a minor action or an attribute
test action, depending on the complexity, attention, and physicality of the task.
If a character is the target of an opposed attribute test in combat (such as a
grapple attempt), they oppose with their appropriate attribute and skill dice.
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Play Example: Attribute Test in Combat
“Before I attack, I want to try to push over the concrete slab.”
“Sure,” says the GM, “that will be an action. Do you want to step down your
actions to do both, or just use a single action to push the slab?”
“I’ll do both.”
“Okay, you use your first action to push the slab. Make a Strength
(Athletics) test at difficulty 8 to push over the heavy slab. Don’t forget to
downstep your dice.”
Achieving and Interpreting Successes
Once all of the dice have been rolled, it’s time to tally up the results and
determine the successes. Attribute tests can achieve a maximum of 3
successes, regardless of the number of dice in the action pool.
In combat, attacks are straightforward to interpret as each success deals the
attacker’s weapon damage to the target.
Comparatively, when an attribute test achieves multiple successes, the first
success achieves the task at a basic level. For each further success, the task is
performed with an additional characteristic:
• Quick: The effort is achieved more quickly than normal
• Expert: The effort is deft and impressive
• Resilient: The effort is strong, sturdy, and long-lasting
• Covert: The effort is doesn’t draw attention or leave any trace
• Deep: The effort reveals additional information or insight
• Efficient: The effort uses less raw materials
• Abundant: The effort yields more output than expected
• Helpful: The effort allows another character to succeed at the action
The player and the GM decide how the additional successes resolve.
Play Example: Climbing A Wall
“Okay, you begin to haul yourself up the rope to reach the top of the cliff.
Roll your Strength (Athletics). The difficulty is 5.”
“I also have a Climbing specialization, so I get a third die, right?”
“Yep.”
“Let’s do this… [Clatter of dice rolling] I roll three successes.”
“Cool. You easily make it up the cliff. What do you want to do with the two
extra successes?”
“I want to make it up quickly, and I’ll help Zan up as well.”
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Group Attribute Tests
Sometimes a group of wanderers attempt to perform an action together, such
as climbing a cliff or sneaking past a group of cannibals. In these situations,
each character rolls their own attribute tests. If a character fails this test, other
characters can use their additional successes to assist that character through
the ‘helpful’ characteristic, turning their failure into a possible success.
When interpreting a group attribute test, the ‘helpful’ characteristic is
considered to move a die result from one character to another. This can be
important in opposed group attribute tests (such as surprise or pursuits),
where the specific die result for each character is important.

Failed Attribute Tests

A failed attribute test manifests differently for each type of test.
When a fixed test fails – when none of the character’s rolled dice meet or beat
the difficulty target – the attempt fails. The lock is not picked, the door sturdily
defies battering, or the character stalls in their climb up a rocky outcrop.
An opposed test always results in a clear success or failure for the initiating
character. For example, in an opposed grapple test, the initiating character
either succeeds and grapples their target, or they fail and the target is not
grappled. Alternatively, in an opposed persuasion test, the character who
initiated the negotiation either succeeds or fails to persuade the other
character.
When an opposed contest is a stalemate – where each character’s highest
rolled die is the same – the current situation is maintained. In an arm wrestle,
their clenched fists would not move one way or the other. In a struggle to close
a door against another character who is trying to open it, the door would not
be torn open nor slammed shut.

Variant Rule: Critical Fails

To increase tension and risk, the players and GM may choose to use critical
failures. When using this variant rule, characters risk negative impacts if
they fail badly at an attribute test or attack.
Critical fails occur when a character fails at an attribute test (including
attacks) and all of their dice roll 1s.

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ROLE-PLAYING
As the wanderers travel the destroyed remnants of our world, they explore
ruined cities and towns, they confront adversaries, and they meet and interact
with other survivors. These survivors might be fellow travelers, the inhabitants
of dirt-scratched hovels, or the folk of small settlements struggling to rebuild a
broken world.
When our wanderers meet other characters in the game, the players and game-
master role-play the interaction. In role-playing in these situations, the players
speak in the voice of their characters to converse with other game characters,
they describe their characters’ disposition and actions, and they attempt to
further their character’s goals (or simply embody their character in the
situation they find themselves).
The Character’s Voice
The first element of role-playing is how the player interacts and communicates
as their character.
Let’s take the example of a role-playing encounter involving a player character
called ‘QB’. QB is an aging high-school quarterback, well beyond his glory
days, and with too many years of hard living on the clock.
When QB’s player Jay ‘role-plays’ QB, whether it’s a simple interaction with a
roaming trader or a tense stand-off with a battle-hardened road crew, Jay
speaks or describes QB’s words and actions. This can either be directly
spoken by the player, narrated by the player, or described by the player:
• Spoken: “I ain’t quitting this road, don’t matter who you think you are.”
• Narrated: “QB says ‘I ain’t quitting this road, don’t matter who you think
you are.’ “
• Described: “QB tells them that he’s not moving off the road.”
These forms of character speech – spoken, narrated, and described – are listed
in roughly the order of immersion. The spoken and narrated forms of role-
playing speech are referred to as ‘in character’, and generally map to literary
first person and third person narrative.
A player speaking in character and the game-master speaking directly as the
game characters is the most immersive play experience. Beyond that, narrating
speech is slightly less immersive, and finally we have the player simply
describing the intent of their character’s speech and actions.
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Reading the Situation
Many role-playing encounters are simple conversations, with no great stakes
and no need for mechanical intervention. However, in many situations the
players or the game-master want to discern more nuance of the encounter than
the spoken words allow.
For example, Jay might decide that QB wants to know whether a roaming trader
is offering an honest trade or he might want to intuit whether the road crew
leader is willing and able to follow through on his threat.
In a situation like this, Jay may ask whether their character can discern more
about what’s happening. In response, the GM may offer an attribute test for
their character to better understand the nuance of the encounter. For this type
of attribute test, the game-master may choose an Acuity (Insight) test, which
may be opposed by Influence (Deception).
Play Example: Role-Playing Acuity (Insight) Test
Mike, the game-master, sets the scene, “You come around the corner and see
a figure crouched by the side of the track. As you approach, the figure
gestures to a tattered cloth mat in front of them, where a series of trinkets
and primitive weapons are laid out. ‘See something you like, my friend’, the
wizened trader says. In front of them are some pre-war tchotchkes,
sharpened bones, and what looks like a reasonably sharp stone knife.”
Jay, QB’s player, asks “What do you want for that knife?”
“You have a keen eye. A fine piece. And a steal for ten liters of water or
some good meat, if you have any.”
“I don’t know,” Jay wonders, “does that sound like a reasonable trade?”
Mike, “Make an Acuity (Insight) test, and I’ll let you know if QB thinks it
sounds reasonable.”
Play Example: Role-Playing Acuity (Insight) Test
Mike sets the scene, “You come around the corner and see a four figures
casually standing on the side of the crumbling road. As you approach, one
steps onto the road in front of you. ‘Road’s closed today brother.’ ”
Jay, QB’s player, asks “Closed?”
“Yeah, private use only. ‘Less you wanna pay us for the upkeep?”
“Are these guys serious?” Jay wonders.
Mike, “Make an Acuity (Insight) test, and I’ll let you know what QB thinks
these guys are capable of.”
Page 57
Tilting the Scales
Once better informed about the motivations and intent of the game characters,
the players may decide that their characters would attempt to influence those
game characters. The player’s characters can try to persuade the game
characters to reach an acceptable agreement or to deceive them to change the
other character’s intent in favor of the players’ characters.
For example, when bartering with a roaming trader, QB might try to lie to the
trader, telling the trader that QB needs a favorable trade to feed their starving
family. Here, Jay would describe QB’s attempt to deceive the trader, and the
game-master would call for an Influence (Deception) test opposed by the
trader’s Acuity (Insight).
Similarly, QB might instead try to haggle a better deal with the trader, triggering
an Influence (Persuasion) test opposed the trader’s Influence (Persuasion). In
either case, QB succeeding in either of these tests would result in a more
favorable trade. However, the attempt to deceive the trader might backfire if
QB fails, and a failed attempt to persuade the trader might result in QB trading
away more than they receive in return.
Alternatively, when QB faces the leader of the road crew, they might attempt to
buy their way past the bandits with a minimal offering. QB could offer some
food, water, or gear, to the road crew for safe passage (and no bloodshed),
triggering an Influence (Persuasion) test opposed by the road crew leader’s
Influence (Persuasion). If QB succeeds, the road crew may accept the offer, or
make a better counteroffer. If QB fails, then the road crew may be insulted, and
increase their demand, or QB make negotiate away more than they intended to
the road crew.
Similarly, QB may instead attempt to deceive the road crew, perhaps telling
them that QB is kin to their leader or has backup coming along behind him.
Either way, the attempt to deceive the road agents would trigger an Influence
(Deception) test opposed by the road crew leader’s Acuity (Insight). Success in
this deception may see the road agents allowing QB past. But a failed attempt a
deception would be met with skepticism and derision, and a demand of larger
payment to compensate for the affront.
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Escalation and De-escalation
In high-stakes situations, the characters might not have easy options to walk
away from confrontation. In the example of QB’s stand-off with the road crew,
the threat of violence is ever-present. A failed attempt by QB to deceive the
road crew might escalate the situation towards violence, while successfully
deceiving them might de-escalate the situation.
With this situation poised on the brink of violence, the players might want to
push one way or another by escalating or de-escalating the situation. Jay
might decide the QB is no match for the road-crew, and decide to de-escalate.
Or Jay might think the road-crew are beleaguered, and decide to escalate the
situation to force them to fight or back down.
To escalate the situation, for example, QB may give an ultimatum.
Play Example: Role-Playing Strength (Intimidation) Test
Jay speaks “All this talkin’s making me ornery. So either get the hell outta
my way or get ready to die.”
Mike, “Okay… The road crew agents look at each other warily. Jay, make a
Strength (Intimidation) test, and we’ll see how they react.”
In this situation, the ultimatum could be resolved a number of ways, depending
on the disposition and condition of the road crew:
• QB’s Strength (Intimidation) vs the crew leader’s Acuity (Insight)
• QB’s Strength (Intimidation) vs the crew leader’s Strength (Intimidation)
• QB’s Strength (Intimidation) vs the crew leader’s Influence (Persuasion)
Each of these tests has a different outcome, from capitulation to carnage.
Instead of escalating, QB may attempt to de-escalate the situation.
Play Example: Role-Playing Influence (Persuasion) Test
Jay speaks “Look folks. This sun’s got us all riled up. How ‘bout we call it
even and we all go on our way.”
Mike, “Okay… The road crew agents look at each other warily. Jay, make a
Influence (Persuasion) test, and we’ll see how they react.”
Again, the situation may resolve multiple ways, depending on the road crew:
• QB’s Influence (Persuasion) vs the crew leader’s Acuity (Insight)
• QB’s Influence (Persuasion) vs the crew leader’s Strength (Intimidation)
• QB’s Influence (Persuasion) vs the crew leader’s Influence (Persuasion)
As with the escalation situation, this de-escalation could resolve in the road
crew seeing QB as easy pickings, menacing him further, or a tense accord.
Page 58
ATTACKING AND DEFENDING
Attacks use opposed attribute tests, where the attacker rolls their action pool
against the defender’s defense pool. The attacker succeeds when one or more
of the attacker’s dice meet or beat the highest die in their target’s defense pool.
While combat is covered in depth in the Combat section, basic attack and
defense details are included here.
Attacking
In combat, characters attack by using one of the attack actions:
• Melee Attack
• Ranged Attack
These attack actions specify the attribute and skills for each attack. The action
pools are constructed using the normal attribute test process (an attribute die,
a martial skill die, and one or more triggered specialized martial skill dice).
Rules Example: Attack With Specialized Martial Skills
A wanderer has a d20 Strength die and the Melee Training skill. When
making an attack against an adjacent target with a melee weapon, the
character’s action pool begins with a d20 and gains a matching d2o for the
character’s Melee Training skill.
In the next round of combat, the fray is joined by the wanderer’s ally, who
also engages the same target. By engaging the target (being adjacent to the
target), the new ally activates the wanderer’s Flanking Attack skill.
When the wanderer attacks again, their action pool has their d20 attribute
die, a matching d20 for Melee Training, and now another matching d20 for
Flanking Attack (triggered because their target is engaged by their ally).
Defending
Opposed rolls require the attacker and the defender to each roll their
respective pools; action pool versus defense pool. Depending on the type of
attack, the defender will use their appropriate defense:
• Physical defense (PD)
• Mental defense (MD)
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Physical Defense
The character’s PD comprises one or more dice:
• Body die: The character’s Body die (d6), which can be improved with the
Agile Defense or Sturdy Defense skill.
• Armor die: If the character is wearing armor or uses a shield, they also roll
their Armor die.
• Misc dice: The character may gain additional dice, such as from another
character using Bodyguard’s Ward or when using the Defend action.
When a defender is the target of an attack against their physical defense (PD),
the defender rolls their defense pool against the attacker’s action pool.
Rules Example: Defense Using a Shield and Dodge
A wasteland wanderer has a d12 Stamina die and Sturdy Defense, and wears
reinforced motorbike armor giving them a d8 Armor die. When defending
attacks against their PD, the wanderer rolls their d12 Body die as well as
their d8 Armor die.
The wanderer wields an improvised shield (d8), so they can use a Block
reaction to use their shield, which increases their Armor die by 1 upstep.
Finally, the wanderer also has the Dodge skill. If their PD rolls are low, then
they can expend energy to belatedly add their Dodge die to their PD pool.
Mental Defense
Mental defense is used when an attack seeks to compel, provoke, or intimidate
another character. MD is the middle die of the character’s Influence,
Intelligence, or Acuity.
Rules Example: Calculating Mental Defense
A character has Influence d16, Intelligence d8 and Acuity d10. Their MD is
d10. Alternatively, if the character has Influence d6, Intelligence d6, and
Acuity d20, then their MD is d6.
When a defender is the target of an attack against their will, they defend with
their mental defense (MD).
Rules Example: Attack Against Mental Defense
During combat, a character is targeted with a Leader’s Threat against their
mental defense (MD). In this case, the character has a d10 MD to roll in the
opposed test.
Page 59
ENERGY
Characters have an energy pool that represents their capacity for
extraordinary action. In strenuous situations, characters can dig deep –
expending energy – to perform amazing actions.
Characters draw from their energy pool to move faster, perform exhausting
actions, or even augment their defenses.
Recovering Expended Energy
Expended energy is recovered when characters take a short or a long rest. This
is covered in more detail in the Resting section.
At a short rest, characters roll their Stamina die to determine their recovered
expended energy (and health). At a long rest, characters recover all of their
expended energy (and health).

Maximum Energy
Maximum energy is 4 + 1 energy for each attribute of d10, d20, or d30.
Rules Example: Calculating Maximum Energy
A player spends 20 CP to improve their character’s Intelligence to d20.
Improving this attribute to d20 adds 1 to the character’s maximum energy.

Using Energy
During their travels, wanderers encounter situations where they must drain
themselves completely to stay alive. They do this by expending energy.
Expended energy is only recovered through proper rest, so expending energy
depletes the character’s energy until they rest.
Energy is used in several situations:
• Energizing attribute tests
• Specialized martial actions and reactions
• Extending movement in combat
Energizing Attribute Tests
A character performing an activity that requires a minute or more of mental or
physical effort can expend energy to fully focus on the task.
When a character attempts a prolonged attribute test, they can expend 2 energy
to energized the attribute test, and their action pool gains 1 upstep.
For example, when a character attempts to batter down a heavy door, they can
expend 2 energy to roll a d8 instead of a d6 for their Strength attribute test.
Combat Actions and Reactions
Characters can also expend energy to perform activities that require arduous
effort. These actions and reactions define their required energy.
Extending Movement in Combat
In the frantic maelstrom of combat, characters can use their energy to move
farther than normal, sprinting from one side of the battlefield to the other.

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HEALTH
The character’s health represents the soundness of their body and their ability
to keep moving and fighting, whereas moment to moment effort and fatigue are
handled through the character’s energy. These two factors determine how
much effort characters can use at any moment as well as how much of a
beating they can endure.
The character’s health is tracked through their maximum health and their
current health (referred to simply as ‘health’).
Changing Maximum Health
A character’s maximum health is automatically changed when the character’s
Stamina changes (such as when a player spends CP to improve the character’s
Stamina).
As mentioned in the Traits section, it is unusual (but not impossible) for a
character to gain a trait during play that will also adjust their maximum health.
If a character’s maximum health changes, then they must wait until they next
take a long rest to increase their health up to its new value. Conversely, if a
character’s maximum health is somehow reduced, then their health cannot be

Maximum Health higher than their new maximum health, and is immediately reduced.

The maximum health of all characters is determined by a combination of traits

and the character’s Stamina attribute. For a normal human, their maximum
health is 8 + Stamina die. This base value (8) is different for characters that
are larger or smaller, or those that have physical traits – such as Sturdy or
Scrawny – that adjust their health.
The relevant traits are detailed in the Traits section.
Rules Example: Calculating Maximum Health
Jesse is creating a new character, a brutish human raider called Drako.
When working out Drako’s maximum health, Jesse uses a few bits of
information:
• Maximum health for a Medium size character is 8 + Stamina die
• Drako’s Stamina is d12
• Drako’s Sturdy trait means that their maximum health is 2 higher
• Drako’s maximum health is 8 + 12 + 2, giving 22

Current Health
The character’s maximum health defines them at their most robust. The
character’s current health tracks their current status, and fluctuates with
damage, rest, and healing.
Damage reduces a character’s heath, as detailed in the Damage section.
Rest and healing recovers lost health, as described in the Healing and Resting
sections on page 63.

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DAMAGE
Heroic characters routinely face dangerous situations, such as marauding
enemies or environmental hazards. When they tackle these challenges, their
bodies bear the brunt of their ordeals.
Taking Damage
When a character suffers damage from an attack or misadventure, the damage
is immediately subtracted from their health.
As characters take damage, they show signs of their injuries:
• Maximum health: The character appears physically healthy.
• Bruised: When a character is between ¾ and ½ of their maximum health,
they are Bruised and have visible scrapes and contusions.
• Bloodied: When a character is between ½ and ¼ of their maximum health,
they are Bloodied and show cuts and bleeding.
• Injured: When a character is less than ¼ of their maximum health, they are
Injured and show significant bleeding and trauma.
When a character is reduced to 0 health or less, they are knocked out (KO’d):
• Unconscious: Characters at 0 health are KO’d, stabilized, and unconscious
• Dying: Characters with negative health are dying and unconscious
• Dead: Characters die if their health reaches their negative maximum health
Resistance, Immunity, or Vulnerability
Some adversaries have traits that grant them vulnerability or resistance to
specific types of damage.
For example, humans are resistant to electromagnetic damage, while droids are
immune to radiation but vulnerable to electromagnetic damage.
• Vulnerable: Damage that characters are vulnerable to is doubled
• Resistant: Damage that characters are resistant to is halved
• Immune: Damage that characters are immune to is reduced to 0
Damage Types
All damage has a type that determines whether characters are vulnerable,
resistant, or immune to that specific type of damage. Damage types include:
• Physical: Piercing, bludgeoning, slashing
• Elemental: Fire, acid, sonic, electricity, cold, electromagnetic
• Physiological: Poison, necrotic, radiation, starvation
• Mental: Psychic
Onyx Sky - Role-Playing Game
DEATH AND DYING
Unconscious
When a character is reduced to 0 health or less, they immediately become
unconscious, fall Prone, and they are no longer active (they cannot take
actions, reactions, or move).
If a character is reduced to exactly 0 health, they are unconscious and
stabilized. If, instead, their health is negative, they are unconscious and dying.
Dying (and Unconscious)
When a character takes damage that reduces them to a negative health value,
then they are unconscious and dying. Dying characters lose 2 health at the
end of each turn as they succumb to their injuries.
Dying characters need to be stabilized before they die, which happens when
their health is reduced to their negative maximum health. Another character
can stabilize a dying character if they succeed at an Intelligence (Medicine) test
at difficulty 5. Additionally, each turn the dying character can make a Stamina
(Repose) test at difficulty 6. If they succeed, they are stabilized.
Stabilized (and Unconscious)
A stabilized character does not lose health at the end of their turn. However,
they return to dying if they take any damage while in this state.
When a character is unconscious and stabilized, each minute they can make a
Stamina (Repose) test at difficulty 6. The character recovers 2 health for each
success, and if their health is 1 or higher they are no longer unconscious and
become active again (they can take actions, reactions, and move).
Dead
If a character takes enough damage to reach a negative health value equal to
their maximum health, then that character dies. This could be dealt by a single
brutal attack, or incurred progressively when a character is dying.
Characters who have been dead no longer than 5 minutes can be resuscitated.
Another character must spend 1 minute to attempt an Intelligence (Medicine)
test at difficulty 8. If this test is successful, the character recovers 2 health. If
the character’s health is still negative, they are dying (and unconscious).
Hero Forge Games Page 62
HEALING RESTING
Battered wanderers frequently need to patch themselves up after encountering The challenges that characters face test their physical bodies and their
vicious adversaries. reserves of energy, so characters must rest when they can.
A character can attempt to heal themself by taking several minutes to make an
Intelligence (Medicine) test at difficult 6. If the healing test is performed by Short Rest
another character, the difficulty is reduced to 5. Equipment such as a first aid After strenuous encounters, such as combat or perilous situations, characters
kit grants a 1 upstep bonus to the action pool for the attribute test. can take a short rest, which is 30 minutes of uninterrupted light activity.
If the healing test succeeds, the target can spend a Stamina die (applying any During this short rest the characters’ recovery involves:
skills as they would during a short rest). Details for spending Stamina dice are
• Recovering and recharging from exertion and fatigue
in the Resting section on page 63.
• Cleaning, bandaging, or stitching wounds and damage
If the target cannot spend Stamina • Using healing medicines, poultices, elixirs, salves, or herbs
dice due to fatigue downsteps, they
• Meditating, centering, communing, calibrating, or praying
instead recover 1 health.
At the end of a short rest, characters can spend one or more Stamina dice.
Multiple attempts can be made to
heal a character. However, once Spending Stamina to Recover Health and Energy
one attempt succeeds, that When characters spend a Stamina die, they roll the die and recover health and
character cannot be healed again energy equal to the rolled result, and they accumulate 1 fatigue downstep.
until after their next rest.
Each time they spend a Stamina die, it is downstepped equal to its accumulated
If healing takes an fatigue downsteps. When fatigue downsteps reduce their Stamina die below d6,
unconscious character’s they cannot spend further Stamina dice until they take a long rest.
health to 1 or higher,
Characters may have traits or skills that adjust the amount of health or
the character regains
expended energy recovered, or the duration of the rest.
consciousness.
Long Rest
Characters can take a long rest of 8 hours once a day. This long rest is usually
a night’s sleep, during which characters return to their maximum health and
energy. Additionally, they remove all accumulated fatigue downsteps.
If characters are interrupted during a long rest, they partially recover their lost
health and expended energy. Characters may have traits or skills that adjust
the duration of the rest period.
Variant Rule: Slower Healing
To reflect more realistic recovery from injury and exertion, you can use the
slower healing rule. When using this variant rule, at short rests characters
can spend Stamina dice as normal. However, long rests do not recover all
health and energy or remove all fatigue downsteps. Instead, during a long
rest, characters can spend a Stamina die to recover health and energy for
free, and they remove 1 accumulated fatigue downstep.

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MOVEMENT Moving Around Other Characters
In the hurly burly of combat, characters move among and around other
combatants. Characters can move through spaces occupied by their allies, but
The distance a character can move is important in three main situations:
in order to push past or slip past an enemy they need to succeed an opposed
• Combat Strength (Athletics) or Agility (Acrobatics) attribute test.
• Dangerous situations
If using a grid, characters (C) can move diagonally between allies (A) or
• Extended travel enemies (E), but they cannot move diagonally around corners, as shown below:
Outside of these three areas, the speed at which characters move only requires
precise measurement if the characters are in a time-critical situation.
More details about extended travel are in the Traveling section on page 72.

Movement Distance
Each character’s movement distance (abbreviated to move) is derived from
their size trait. Normal humans are Medium size, and other species or traits
can change a character’s movement distance:
Character Size Combat Distance
Tiny 20’
Small 25’
Medium, Large 30’
Huge 35’
Titanic 40’

Skills or traits can increase or decrease these movement distances.
Combat Movement
In combat, characters’ movement is governed by their movement distance,
which depends on their size.
Movement uses the Move action. On their turn, characters can use their
movement all at once, or they can split up their movement before, between, and
after other actions. Characters can run in combat by expending energy to
increase their movement distance.
Difficult Terrain
If a character’s movement in hindered by obstacles, such as rubble, water,
foliage, or a steep slope, their movement is hampered. When moving through
such difficult terrain, characters are Slowed (each 5’ they move costs an
additional 5’ of movement). In these situations, characters must have enough
movement left to enter the space they’re moving to.
Measurement Units
Although all of the combat measurements in Onyx Sky games are in feet
(usually 5’ increments) and miles, these can easily be adjusted to metric
measures:
• Convert each 5’ measure into 2 meters or 2 yards
• Convert each mile into 1.5 kilometers

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WEAPONS, ARMOR, AND GEAR
At dusty crossroads, in the shade of trees near a watering hole, in small
settlements scratching out a life, and in the ruins of cities, wanderers come into
contact with other survivors. And those survivors are not always friendly.
Wanderers must fight to survive in a dangerous world.
Desperate, depleted, and alone, they fend off ravagers with bloodied bricks,
sharpened sticks, and shielding debris.
Without weapons to fight off attackers, armor to protect themselves, and food
and water, they will soon join the nameless piles of bleached bones.
For wanderers, survival depends on their gear.
While the world around them falls apart, wanderers scavenge for useful items
in the detritus, they fashion weapons and clothing from mundane materials,
and they barter their possessions, skills, and moral flexibility.
Wanderers build their possessions bit by bit in their travels. They might find a
prized possession in a lost cache of precious metal; hidden for decades,
protected from the voracious appetite of the nanites. Their signature trucker’s
hat could have come from a threadbare tent, where inside they found a
travelling bazaar filled with pre-war curiosities and ephemera.
Regardless of how they’ve found their possessions, wanderers must fend for
themselves, and their possessions are the only thing keeping the literal and
proverbial wolves at bay.
Encumbrance
As wanderers explore the world, they accumulate weapons, armor, and
equipment. The number of items a wanderer can carry – their encumbrance –
is based on the character’s Strength and the weight and bulk of the items.
Characters have equipment slots equal to their Strength die (i.e. d6 = 6 slots,
d8 = 8 slots, d10 = 10 slots, d12 = 12 slots, etc).
Each piece of equipment takes 1 or more of these slots:
• Weapons, Armor, and Shields: 1 slot for light, 2 slots for medium, 3 slots
for heavy weapons, armor, or shields
• Equipment: 1 slot for normal items (i.e. book), 2 slots for bulky items
(i.e. waterskin), 3 slots for heavy items (i.e. hardcase)
• Small Items: Small items, such as sewing kits and matches, occupy 1 slot
When a character exceeds their encumbrance by carrying too much, they are
Slowed. Characters who carry more than twice their encumbrance are Mired.
Characters cannot carry more than three times their encumbrance.
Onyx Sky - Role-Playing Game Hero Forge Games
Types of Gear
In their travels, wanderers will find, craft, trade, or steal the gear they need.
Weapons
Wanderers use weapons to defend against attackers or to take from those
weaker than themselves.
Weapons come in many forms, but they are easily split into melee weapons and
ranged weapons. Melee weapons are used for striking or stabbing, while
ranged weapons propel a projectile or are themselves thrown.
In some cases – usually ranged weapons – the weapons will use ammunition
like arrows, bolts, stones, bullets, shells, battery packs, or cartridges.
At civilization’s peak, factories churned out cheap and reliable firearms, each
with a matching supply of ammunition. Yet, when the great powers lost control
of their technologies, these weapons were devoured by the swarming nanites,
leaving soldiers empty-handed.
Armor
Since pre-history, warriors have used armor to protect themselves.
The simplest armor is thick layers of clothing. As cultures advanced, they used
heavy leathers and then metals to protect themselves. Skilled warriors
employed shields to block incoming attacks.
The militaries of the great war advanced armor technology even further, and
used ultra-strong fabrics, layered composite materials, and ceramic plates to
protect their troops. In the aftermath of the war, these relics became prized
items, their absence of metal making them immune to the ravages of the
nanites.
Equipment
Beyond weapons and armor, equipment is items that characters wear or use.
Some equipment takes the form of protective clothing, such as gas masks or
hazard protection suits. Other equipment is more varied first aid kits,
eyeglasses, rope and grappling hooks, goggles, tools, binoculars, bedding, fire-
lighting materials, shelter, packs, charms, and nick-nacks.
Consumables
Even the best armed, armored, and equipped character needs more to survive;
food and water to stay alive, bandages and medicines to patch themselves up,
ammunition for their weapons, and luxuries and relaxants to consume or trade.
Page 65
 Using Gear
Gear is useless if a wanderer can’t access it at the right moment.
Wielded
Weapons and shields are wielded. Characters can wield items in their primary
hand, their off-hand, or in both hands for larger weapons. When characters
are travelling or exploring, they usually free their hands by sheathing or
slinging weapons and shields.
Worn
Armor and clothing are worn by characters. These items require time to put on
or take off, but once they’re shod, the clothing and armor are mostly effortless.
However, if characters try to wear armor that’s too heavy for their physique,
they are hampered by the additional weight and bulk.
Slung
When a character wants to keep an item readily accessible, they keep it slung.
This could be an axe-handle in a belt loop, a bandolier of knives, a shield
strapped across a character’s back, or a water canteen hooked to a belt.
Carried
Finally, when a wanderer travels, they’ll use a backpack or something similar to
haul their possessions. While these bags allow characters to carry more, the
items are not readily accessible.

Maintaining Gear and Equipment

When wanderers use well-maintained bone and wood and glass and stone
weapons, they can be just as effective as metal weapons. However, they lack
the resilience and durability of their metal counterparts, making them
susceptible to deterioration and outright breakage.
Wanderers are expected to clean, maintain, and repair their equipment during
short and long rests, and during longer periods of downtime. The Downtime
section includes details for maintaining equipment.

Variant Rule: Equipment Damage

Building on the critical failure variant rule, the players and GM may also
choose to incorporate equipment damage. When using this variant rule,
characters risk damaging weapons, armor, and equipment used in a test or
attack.
Equipment can be damaged when a character fails at an attribute test
(including attacks) and all of their dice roll 1s.

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 Bone Equipment
Equipment Materials
While many things are in deficit, the world after the great wars has a surplus of
With the world largely denuded of metals, most weapons and armor have one thing: bone.
substituted other materials in their construction. For armor, metal plates have
been replaced with ceramics, wood, and plastic composites. For weapons, In its abundance, bone is easily scavenged and put to use. In its versatility, it is
metal blades have been replaced by bone, antler, glass, obsidian, and stone. fashioned into weapons, armor, and mundane gear. Bone weapons range from
the simple to the sophisticated; for bludgeoning, slashing, impaling, and
Wood Equipment loosing arrows.
The survivors in the new world quickly reverted to the oldest of materials;
wood. Some wooden equipment they scavenged from existing objects; baseball
bats, bows, staves, and clubs.
Other more elaborate equipment is constructed from wood combined with
bindings, and stone, glass, or bone.

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Metal Equipment
And yet, in spite of the nanites’ ubiquity and inexorable appetite, metal is not
entirely absent. A lucky or powerful wanderer might have the means to protect
a metal weapon from nanites. This might be an axe improvised from a broken
saw blade or a powerful firearm. In either case, the metal parts of these
weapons must be protected from nanites, or they will find and consume them
sooner or later.
Wanderers have found many ways to protect their precious metal finds,
including wax coatings, rendered lard, water submersion, air-tight plastic
hardcases, and plastic wrappings. Each of these techniques has its own
drawbacks, but they are worthwhile to protect a valuable and effective weapon
or piece of equipment.
Onyx Sky - Role-Playing Game Hero Forge Games
Other Materials
Beyond wood, bone, and metal, equipment and gear uses a huge variety of
materials. Some of these other materials, such as plastics, glass, and stone,
abound in the devastated world.
While the technology to produce new plastics is
lost to the world, pre-war plastics are durable and
abundant. Civilization’s vast mountains of plastic
remain to be scavenged.
In the harsh wastes, plastic bottles are layered to
create improvised armor. Some lucky survivors
find the mother lode; un-discovered shops filled
with sporting and recreational equipment;
facemasks, protective motorcycle clothing,
football helmets and gear, which are repurposed
into armor.
Glass, whether a simple broken bottle or a shard
bound to the head of a split staff, makes deadly
blades.
In desperate situations, stones are taken up to ward off attackers. Wanderers
with more inclination and time may chip rocks into heavy axe-heads or
produce stockpiles of stone arrow heads.
Other materials are harder to find, but more sought after for their usefulness.
Leather clothing affords protection and warmth. Rope and cordage is essential
for fashioning new items. Rubber, unperished, is flexible and elastic when thin,
and absorbent and resistant when thick.
Page 68
TRADE AND BARTERING
Thirty years after the wars, the physical tokens of old currencies have no value.
Microscopic nanites consume every available piece of metal, including coins
and precious metals, and turn them into more of their insatiable kind.
Crumpled banknotes blow in the wind, useful for only personal hygiene.
The old world’s currencies are worthless.

Barter
Trade now mostly takes the form of barter. Food, water, beverages, livestock,
crafted items, weapons, armor, clothing, personal services, luxuries, and
indulgences are traded by barter.
In a barter economy, items don’t have fixed prices. Each item is worth exactly
what you can get for it. A chicken might be worthless to a town overrun with
such animals, or invaluable to a town with only a rooster.
Items generally follow a hierarchy of value; water, food, clothing, weapons,
armor, and luxuries. Alongside these are multitudes of other trade items,
plastic water jugs, fishing line, magazines, books, medicines, herbs and spices,
tools, and livestock.
Yet, the invisible hand of the market might tilt the scales. Clothing is less
valuable in a more temperate location compared to the higher latitudes and
altitudes, where winters still bring cold weather. In other places, such as great
plains, food may be abundant but water rarer. Here, perhaps the locals drink
the blood from vast animal herds.

Currency
Rarely, wanderers may come upon well-organized (or tightly-controlled)
communities that have managed to mint rudimentary currency or some other
medium of exchange. This may take the form of clay tablets, glass coins,
promissory notes, or precious gems. If the settlement – somehow – has
managed to ward off the nanites, they may even have minted or salvaged metal
currency.

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DOWNTIME
Between moments of high danger and adventure stretch long days, weeks, and
months of everyday life. In these downtime periods, the wanderers might use
their time productively to travel or undertake activities to keep themselves fed
and clothed, sheltered, equipped, and protected.
Food and Water
Day to day, the wanderers need water and food to survive.
Regardless of the climate and biome the wanderers travel, they need to eat and
drink. Without the ability to refrigerate or preserve food for extended periods,
wanderers need to a continual supply of water and fresh food.
Water
Gathering Food and Water
To hunt or fish, collect water, or forage for edible plants, a character can spend
2 hours of downtime and make an Acuity (Survival) test at difficulty 5. This
can be enhanced with the +Forage or +Hunt specializations. For each success,
the character gathers 2 days worth of meat, 1 day of water, or 1 day worth of
edible plants. The difficulty increases to 6 for areas where the food or water is
scarce (e.g. arid areas for water). The difficulty further increases to 7 for areas
of rarity, such as deserts. Similarly, the difficulty decreases to 4 in areas of
abundance, such as coastal fishing areas, river deltas, tropical jungles, or
temperate forests.
In addition to the food from hunting and gathering, the byproducts of hunting
and gathering can be processed into other useful items, such as weapons or
items. For example, bones and hides can be crafted into weapons and armor,
and plants can be crafted into cordage or carrying containers.

The first priority is always to secure a supply of drinkable water. Humans need
½ a gallon (2 liters) of water a day, more during strenuous activity.
Scavenging
Those wanderers who manage to survive in the wilds usually develop a keen
If they are traveling in the vicinity of a clean river or fresh-water lake, this is
eye for useful salvage in the debris of the broken world.
easy. But when traveling through desert, grassland, or tundra, this can be more
difficult. If they’re on the open ocean, this is more difficult still. When wanderers come to a location that may offer useful salvage, they can
spend 1 hour of downtime to attempt an Intelligence (Investigation +Scavenge)
Humans can go without water for 3 days before dehydration sets in, and will
test. The GM determines the difficulty of this test based on the scarcity or
die if they don’t drink for 10 days. If they’re in a hot climate or exerting
abundance of useful items, and may decide what the characters find or allow
themselves, dehydration and death come more rapidly.
the players to roll randomly for their finds. If the players roll for their
Food scavenging finds, they roll a d12 on the table below for each success:
Once the wanderers have secured water, food is their priority. Humans need 1. Gain 1 blade
3-4 pounds (2 kilograms) of food per day, and more during physical exertion. 2. Gain 1 cloth
Hunting and foraging are the most common techniques. Hunting gathers high- 3. Gain 1 container
protein meat, which can be cooked to unlock large amounts of energy.
4. Gain 1 cordage
Foraging collects herbs, greens, fruit, vegetables, legumes, grains, berries,
mushrooms, and root vegetables. A long-term diet consisting solely of meat 5. Gain 1 limb
will result in nutritional deficiencies, while a diet consisting solely of plant 6. Gain 1 protection
matter is nutritionally balanced, but requires more time investment. 7. Gain 1 shaft
If the wanderers can’t or won’t find 8. Gain 1 reagent
food, they quickly become hungry
9. Roll 1d8 twice
and then they progress to starving.
Humans can survive without 10. Gain 1 weapon (GM determines)
food for approximately 40 11. Gain 1 armor (GM determines)
days, longer if they have 12. Gain 1 miscellaneous item (GM determines)
some padding to begin with.

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Crafting Items and Weapons Salvaging Broken Equipment
With metal scarce, weapons and armor are constructed from wood, animal If a wanderer continues to use a damaged piece of equipment, because they
hides, salvaged plastics, carved bone, and sharpened glass and stone. lack the materials, time, inclination, or skill to repair it, then there is a risk that
Wanderers, those with the skill and time, may attempt to create their own equipment breaks.
equipment. To do this, they first need to gather the component parts for the When equipment is broken, a character can spend 1 hour of downtime to
item they wish to make: attempt an Agility (Crafting) test to recover usable components from the
• Blades: Cutting edges for weapons made from bone, stone, or glass equipment. For each success, the character is able to recover approximately
• Cloth: Flexible and durable woven materials ⅓ of the equipment’s base components.
• Containers: Sealed bottles or flasks of plastic, hide, or plant
• Cordage: Strong, flexible cords for bowstrings, binding, and stitching
• Limbs: Elastic materials for bows, usually wood, bone, or fiberglass
• Protection: Resistant sheets of wood, plastic, leather, hide, or ceramic
• Shafts: Long and strong pieces of wood or bone
• Reagents: Chemical elements that react in predictable ways
All crafted weapons and armor are built from these base materials. The
amount of each component required depends on the type of item and its Steading
effective strength.
Perhaps, with fortune and foresight, the wanderers might find a place they
For example, a light bow may require: cordage (3), limbs (2), shafts (1).
choose to settle.
Alternatively, heavy armor may require: cordage (8), cloth (4), protection (8).
Finally, a clutch of 8 arrows may require: shafts (4), cordage (2), blades (4). They may come across a tight valley, bounteous in flora and fauna. Or a deep
forest, served by a river brimming with fish and game-stocked glades. A larger
To craft a piece of equipment, the character must expend the required
group might find a hilltop on which to build a settlement and fortify against
components and spend 1 hour of downtime to attempt an Agility (Crafting) test
outsiders.
at difficulty 6. The task requires 1 success for each component of the item.
Constructing a settlement is a daunting and time-consuming endeavor. To do
Repairing Damaged Equipment this, the wanderers need to commit weeks, months, or years of downtime, or
gather together a large group of followers to work together on the task.
Equipment in the decaying world is not constructed with fit-for-purpose
Building a settlement of their own is a jumping point for further adventures for
materials, and often lacks the inherent strength and durability of the metals
the wanderers. Instead of traveling from place to place, they instead build their
and alloys of the precision-manufactured items of the old world.
settlement, gather other survivors to their community, write and enforce their
Equipment may be damaged through misuse, long term wear and tear, own laws, protect their territory from raiders, and reclaim (or outlaw) lost
deliberate damage or sabotage, or when an attribute test goes badly wrong technologies.
(such as when using the critical failure variant rule).
When equipment is damaged, it can be repaired before it breaks completely. To
repair a piece of damaged equipment, the character must expend a component
used in that type of equipment (e.g. cordage, shafts, limbs, etc) and spend 1
hour of downtime to attempt an Agility (Crafting) test at difficulty 6. If the test
is successful, the item is no longer damaged, and performs normally.

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TRAVELING Terrain and Conditions
The movement speeds and distances given for each of the modes is based on
As our wanderers venture, whether between close settlements or in search of a good travel conditions; flat made ground and fine weather. The tables below
distant utopia, they travel over hours, days, and months. When travelling, the show the impacts of terrain and weather on travel.
wanderers may be on foot, mounted, driving, riding, or sailing. The mode of
travel, their physical condition, and the terrain and weather dictate the distance Terrain Effects on Travel
the wanderers can cover each day. Terrain On Foot Mounted Vehicle
Regardless of the method of travel, a full day’s travel for fit wanderers is 10
Road or open track Normal Normal Normal
hours. For normal folk, this is 8 hours, taking into account rest and fatigue.
Hilly road or track ¾ speed ¾ speed ¾ speed
Foot Travel Mountain path or track ½ speed ½ speed ¼ speed
As with any group, adventuring groups undertaking extended travel move at
Mountain off track ¼ speed Impassable Impassable
the speed of the slowest member. Furthermore, wearing armor reduces the
speed of characters who travel on foot over long distances. For every step of Jungle path ½ speed ¼ speed Impassable
the armor, the character’s movement speed is reduced by 1 MPH. Jungle off path ¼ speed Impassable Impassable
Stamina Walking Running Running Est. 10H Swamp ¼ speed Impassable Impassable
Step Speed Speed Duration Distance
d6 2 MPH 4 MPH 1 mins 20 miles Weather Effects on Travel
d8 3 MPH 6 MPH 5 mins 30 miles Weather Travel
d10 4 MPH 8 MPH 15 mins 40 miles Sandstorm ¼ speed
d12 5 MPH 10 MPH 1 hour 50 miles Scorching ½ speed
d16 (and above) 6 MPH 12 MPH 4 hours 60 miles Hot ¾ speed
Mild Normal
Mounted Travel Raining ¾ speed
No matter where the wanderers are, horses and other mounts are valuable.
Torrential ½ speed
Horses can trot for an hour, canter for 30 minutes, and gallop just a few miles.
Blizzard ¼ speed
Walking Trot Canter Gallop Est. 10H
Mount
Speed Speed Speed Speed Distance
Mule/Camel 3 MPH 5 MPH 7 MPH 10 MPH 30 miles
Nag 4 MPH 8 MPH 12 MPH 16 MPH 40 miles
Warhorse 5 MPH 10 MPH 15 MPH 20 MPH 50 miles
Riding Horse 6 MPH 12 MPH 18 MPH 24 MPH 60 miles
Wagon 3 MPH 4 MPH 5 MPH 6 MPH 30 miles

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COMBAT
In the savage and cruel wastes, food and water are precious, life is cheap, and,
ultimately, might rules. Wanderers, before their journeys are finished, will have
faced and overcome many challenges.
The combat mechanics of Onyx Sky allow the resolution of dangerous
confrontations where the participants seek to overcome each other through
physical combat. This framework simulates (or approximates) the conditioning
and skill level of the combatants, their equipment and inherent capabilities,
their movement and tactical positioning, their awareness, and finally the size of
each force.
Combat Basics
During combat, time is divided into rounds of 5 seconds. The characters’ turns
run from the character with the highest initiative down to the lowest. The
combat proceeds in rounds until only one allied group remains.
Terminology
These terms are the most important for tracking combat encounters:
• Combat encounter: A single combat encounter, split into multiple rounds
• Initiative: The order that characters act during combat
• Round: Each player and game character has a turn during a round
• Turn: Characters take their actions during their turn in each round
• Action: A character’s attacks, movement, general actions, and reactions
• Reaction: A triggered action, which may happen outside a character’s turn
Order of Action
The order of combat encounters is:
• Determine surprise
• Roll for initiative
• Establish positions
• Normal rounds
• Combat resolution
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Combat Initiation
Determining Surprise
Combat encounters often begin with one group seeking to ambush another
group, or accidentally coming upon unprepared adversaries.
An unprepared character’s actions and movements are temporarily hampered.
When a character is surprised, they have the Surprised condition until the end
of the first round of combat. When Surprised, their actions and defenses incur
1 downstep and movement costs an extra 5’ for each 5’ moved.
Before combat begins, the first step is to determine whether anyone could be
surprised. If one group is not aware of the other, then surprise should be
resolved, with each character rolling individually. Depending on the situation,
the GM may apply upsteps or downsteps to one group or the other.
If one group is actively hiding from the other, then surprise is resolved as an
opposed attribute test; Acuity (Perception +Notice) vs Agility (Stealth +Hide).
This is an opposed test where the ambushers all make Agility (Stealth) tests,
and the ambushees use Acuity (Perception). Any ambushee whose Acuity
(Perception) roll fails against all of the ambushers is surprised.
Rules Example: Surprise In An Ambush
Three ambushers lie in wait as three wanderers approach. The three
ambushers make their Agility (Stealth) test, with each of their highest rolls
being 7, 9, and 12. The two wanderers make their Acuity (Perception) tests.
The first wanderer rolls a 10 and a 14, and sees all of the ambushers. The
second wanderer rolls 3 and 6. Their roll of 6 is not high enough to
perceive any of the ambushers, so they are Surprised until the end of the
first round of combat. The third wanderer rolls a 2, and is also Surprised.
As this is a group attribute test, the first wanderer could choose to be helpful
and assist their second companion, effectively giving their 10 to their ally.
By doing this, only the third wanderer is Surprised. However, the second
wanderer cannot perceive the most stealthy of the ambushers (the one who
rolled 12), potentially allowing that ambusher to use skills like Sneak Attack.
Alternatively, if a prepared group comes unexpectedly upon an unprepared
group, this is also an opposed attribute test: Agility (Stealth) vs Acuity
(Perception +Notice), but with penalties or bonuses applied to one or the other
of the groups depending on their awareness or preparedness.
Finally, if two groups come upon each unexpectedly and both are unprepared,
this is a fixed attribute test: Acuity (Perception +Notice) vs difficulty (from 4-6).
In this example, any character who fails the attribute test is Surprised.
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Rolling for Initiative
Initiative is determined by each character rolling an Agility (Initiative) attribute
test. Characters may have specializations, such as +Alertness, +Ambush, or
+Quick-Strike, that reflect further training and awareness.
Their highest single die is their position in the initiative order. If there are ties,
then count back to their second highest die, and so on. Once combat begins,
characters take their turns from highest initiative to lowest.
Rules Example: Initiative
Following our previous example, initiative is called.
All three of the ambushers complete their Agility (Initiative) rolls as normal.
As ambushers, they might also have the +Ambush skill specialization, and
their initiative action pool would gain an additional matching die. The first
ambusher rolls 9 and 4. The second rolls 11 and 8. And the third rolls 5.
For the wanderers, the first and second wanderers make their Agility
(Initiative) tests as normal. In this situation, their action pool would gain a
matching die if they had the +Alertness skill specialization. The first
wanderer rolls 12 and 2. The second wanderer rolls 11 and 4.
The third wanderer is Surprised, and makes the same Agility (Initiative) test,
including +Alertness if they have it, but their action pool dice incur 1
downstep. This wander has Agility of d12, along with Initiative and
+Alertness. Their initiative action pool would normally by three d12s, but as
they are Surprised, this is downstepped to three d10s. The third wanderer
rolls 8, 7, and 5.
The final initiative order is:
• Wanderer 1: 12, 2
• Ambusher 2: 11, 8
• Wanderer 2: 11, 4
• Ambusher 1: 9, 4
• Wanderer 3: 8, 7, 5 (Surprised)
• Ambusher 3: 5 • Remove effects: Remove effects that end or lapse at end of the turn
Establish Positions
Once surprise and initiative have been established, the GM and players
determine the positions of all characters.
If using tokens or miniatures, these are placed in position on the grid, hex map
or tiles. If playing with purely descriptive combat, ensure the wanderer’s
formation is established, and that all players understand the terrain and the
position of their character relative to allies and adversaries.
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Combat Rounds and Turns
Rounds
Each round is approximately 5 seconds, and includes the turns of each
character, starting with the character with the highest initiative, and
proceeding through the subsequent characters. Rounds continue until only
one group remains active due to the defeat or escape of all opposition.
Turns
At their place in the initiative order, each character takes their turn. During
their turns, characters can take actions, including attacks, general actions,
movement, and improvised actions.
Taking Turns
Each character’s turn is divided into discrete phases:
Start of Turn
The start of each character’s turn is dedicated to housekeeping tasks:
• Remove effects: Remove effects that end at the start of turn
• Ongoing effects: Apply ongoing healing, regeneration, or damage
Actions
Each turn, characters may use the following:
• Primary actions: One or more attacks, attribute tests, or other actions
• Movement: Movement split before, between, and after actions
• Reactions: Reactions triggered by their own actions
• Minor actions: One or more minor interactions
End of Turn
At the end of each character’s turn they update effects:
• Trigger effects: Apply any effects that trigger at end of turn
• Dying: Reduce health for dying characters
Outside Turns
During other characters’ turns, character reactions may be triggered:
• Reactions: Reactions triggered by other characters’ actions
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Primary Actions
Actions allow characters to interact with the world around them, whether it’s to
attack an enemy, scan for threats, or to leap from a balcony.
These primary actions include attacks, attribute tests, and improvised actions.
In addition to the default actions, some skills and traits offer additional actions
that increase versatility and capabilities in specific situations.
Performing Multiple Actions
Characters can perform one or more primary actions on their turn. If they
perform a single action, then they use their normal attribute and skill step dice.
However, if characters perform multiple actions on their turn, then all of their
dice incur 1 downstep for each additional action.
Furthermore, if an action grants an attribute die to another character or
triggers an action by another character (such as when using Leader’s
Command), then the ‘granted’ die is also stepped down based on the number of
actions the originating character has taken.
Finally, if the relevant attribute die cannot be reduced by the required number
of die steps, then that action cannot be performed. For example, a character
cannot make a melee attack (d10) and an Agility test (d6) because their Agility
die cannot step down to perform the second action.
Rules Example: Performing Multiple Actions
A wanderer with d12 Strength chooses to perform two actions on their turn,
an attack and a Strength (Athletics) test, incurring 1 downstep to each action.
Their melee attack uses a bone club against an adjacent target. Their action
pool is a d10 for their Strength (downstepped from d12), a matching d10 for
their Melee Weapons skill, and a third matching d10 due to their Flanking
Attack (activated by an ally who engages their target).
Their next action, a Strength (Athletics) test, would normally use two d12
dice (for their Strength attribute and Athletics skill). Again, this action pool
incurs 1 downstep, dropping the d12s to d10s.
On their next turn, the wanderer chooses to use three primary actions, two
attacks and an attribute test, incurring 2 downsteps to each action. For the
two attacks, the wanderer’s d12s downstep to d8s. For the attribute test, the
wanderer wants to perform an Agility (Acrobatics) test. However, their
Agility is only d8, and cannot downstep enough to take the action. Instead
the wanderer uses Strength (Athletics) for their third action, again using d8s.
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Improvised Actions
While attacks and attribute tests cover most activities that characters want to
attempt, sometimes actions that don’t fall neatly into a defined action. For
example, a downed wanderer might want to throw sand into the face of the
raider looming over them or climb onto a titan droid to avoid its attacks.
For these improvised actions, the GM simply has to determine an appropriate
attribute test, and then come up with appropriate consequences for success or
failure. Most improvised actions are risk/reward situations, where success
gives a temporary advantage and failure leaves the character vulnerable.
Attack Actions
The default attack actions include:
• Melee attack: Strike a target with a physical object
• Ranged attack: Launch, throw, or shoot a projectile at a target
Furthermore, skills and traits can grant characters the ability to make other
kinds of attacks, such as hurling intimidating threats at nearby enemies.
Attacks are normally made as actions, but again skills and traits can allow
attacks as reactions in response to specific triggers.
Defending
Characters have two defenses – physical and mental – and each of these can
be augmented through skills, traits, equipment, and actions.
Physical defense (PD is improved by using armor and shields, by training in
martial skills that allow the character to avoid or absorb attacks, or by learning
other specialized martial skills that grant benefits in specific situations.
Similarly, mental defense (MD) can be improved through improved attributes
or learning skills that add dice to their defense pool.
Ultimately, these different elements funnel through into the character’s defense
pool, usually adding dice to the pool, but sometimes even giving the player the
ability to adjust their defense pool.
Movement
On each character’s turn, they can move up to their movement distance, and
they can split this movement around their other actions.
A character can move 10’, attack an enemy with their weapon, and then move
another 15’ into cover. These actions break down to 10’ of movement, a melee
attack using their primary action, and then a further 15’ of movement.
Characters can extend their movement by expending energy to move farther.
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Reactions
Reactions are special actions that trigger off a specific event or condition.
Reactions can trigger on the character’s turn or on another character’s turn.
Examples of reaction triggers include:
• When a melee attack you make resolves
• When an adjacent ally is attacked
• When an enemy leaves your reach
Reactions have a variety of effects, allowing triggered actions or attacks,
modifying dice pools, or giving opportunities to increase or decrease damage.
Strenuous reactions, such as Hard to Kill, may require energy to be expended
to reflect the character’s extra effort.
Characters gain access to reactions in a variety of ways, such as:
• Using the Hold primary action to set up a reaction trigger
• Carrying a shield to access the Block reaction
• Learning specialized martial skills like Opportunity Attack or Parry
Rules Example: Triggering Reactions
In the fight with the ambushers, our wanderer uses a melee attack against an
ambusher. The wanderer rolls a disappointing 2 and a 3 for their attack, and
the ambusher barely avoids the attack by rolling a 4 in their defense pool.
Seeing an opportunity, the wanderer decides to trigger a reaction using their
Twist the Blade specialized martial skill. They expend 1 energy to roll their
normal d12 Strength die against the ambusher’s existing defense pool. This
extra die rolls a 5, turning a lackluster miss into a successful attack.
The weapon’s 4 damage leaves the ambusher Bloodied. On the ambusher’s
turn, fearing for their life, they immediately use their movement to run.
Their movement out of the wanderer’s reach triggers the wanderer’s
Opportunity Attack skill. The wanderer immediately attacks the ambusher
with only their attribute die (d12), rolling a 9. The ambusher defends with a
6, which is not enough to avoid the wanderer’s opportunistic attack. The
ambusher survives the attack’s 4 damage, so they continue their movement.
Minor Actions
During their turn, characters can use a single minor action. Minor actions are
small interactions with the character’s immediate environment, their items and
equipment, or a moment of cognition as the character assesses their situation.
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Mounted Combat
As the world’s vehicles succumb to the nanites, horses, camels, and mules once
again become desirable working animals. Wanderers lucky enough to find an
appropriate mount might also be involved in combat while riding their mount.
During combat, mounted characters control their mount’s movement while also
using their own actions.
When mounted on a trained animal, characters direct the mount’s movement,
and are carried with it. While this does not use a characters’ movement
distance, they are considered to have used their own movement.
A trained character gains advantages when attacking from a mount through the
Mounted Attack specialized martial skill.
Attribute Tests in Combat
Characters can attempt an attribute test in combat if the task can be carried out
in just a few moments. For example, toppling a teetering wall can be performed
in a combat situation, but crafting an elaborate mechanical device cannot.
When using attribute tests in combat, the GM determines whether the activity
entails sufficient effort to require a primary action or is an incidental activity
that only uses a minor action.
For example, an Intelligence (Insight) test may only require a minor action.
Alternatively, a Strength (Athletics) attribute test could require a primary action
if the character wants to use their full effort.
Combat Resolution
Eventually, one of the groups of combatants will prevail. Perhaps they’ll have
defeated their enemies, or maybe their opponents will have fled. Either way,
combat is resolved when the prevailing group’s opposition has been
neutralized, one way or another.
In the event that the player’s characters are defeated, then they are at the mercy
of their enemies. They could be dead, left for dead, captured, or perhaps even
mercifully released. In these situations, the GM determines the outcome based
on the predisposition of the opponents and the type of game they’re running.
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COMBAT ACTIONS Hold
You wait for a future circumstance to trigger a pre-planned action.
This section details the actions that characters can perform during combat. Declare a specific situation that triggers a single primary action as a reaction.

Primary Actions Improvised Action

Assist You attempt an improvised action.
You help a nearby ally with an attack or action.
When an active ally within 30’ can perceive you, you can assist them with an Melee Attack
action. When they perform the assisted action, they can add your relevant You attack an enemy with a melee weapon.
attribute die to their action pool. Make a martial melee attack with your wielded weapon or unarmed attack
against the PD of a target within your reach. Your action pool comprises:
Attribute Test
• Attribute die (Strength for melee weapons, Agility for finesse weapons,
You attempt a challenging or precise action. unarmed attacks may use either Strength or Agility)
Make an attribute test that can be completed in a few seconds. • Skill die from any martial skill that matches your weapon
• Specialized martial skill dice from any relevant skills
Defend The attack deals the weapon’s damage for each success (up to 3 successes).
The damage type depends on the weapon: slashing, bludgeoning, or piercing.
You concentrate on avoiding enemy attacks.
Until the start of your next turn, you can add your Strength or Agility die to Ranged Attack
your PD.
You attack an enemy with a ranged weapon.
Grapple Make a martial ranged attack with your wielded ranged weapon against the PD
of target within your weapon’s range that you have line of sight to. Your action
You attempt to grab and restrain an adjacent character. pool comprises:
When you have a free hand, make an opposed Strength (Athletics) attribute test
• Attribute die (Strength for thrown weapons or Agility for ranged weapons)
against a target within your reach. The target opposes with Strength (Athletics)
• Skill die from a martial skill that matches your weapon
or Agility (Acrobatics).
• Specialized martial skill dice from any relevant skills
If the attribute test achieves 1 success, the target is Grappled (they are
The attack deals the weapon’s damage for each success (up to 3 successes).
Immobilized, their action and defense pools incur 1 downstep, min. d6). If the
The damage type depends on the weapon: bludgeoning or piercing.
test achieves 2 or more successes, or if the target is already Grappled, the
target is instead Restrained (they are Immobilized, can only perform actions to
remove this condition, and their defense pool incurs 2 downsteps, min. d6).
When you have a target Grappled or Restrained, you use one hand to maintain
the hold, you are Slowed, and the target moves with you. You can release the
grapple any time without using an action. The target can use Strength
(Athletics) or Agility (Acrobatics) vs your Strength (Athletics) to attempt to
escape the grapple.

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Movement
Move
During your turn, you can move up to your movement distance. You can use
your movement before, after, and between other actions.
You can drop Prone for 5’ of your movement. To stand up from Prone requires
10’ of your movement. Obstacles, rough terrain, climbing, and moving while
Prone require you to spend an extra 10’ of movement for each 5’ you move.
Mounting or dismounting a creature or vehicle requires 15’ of movement.
You can expend 1 energy to extend your movement distance by 10’. You can
extend your movement up to twice your normal movement distance each turn.

Reactions
Block
You use a shield to help block an attack.
When you are wielding a shield and you are the target of an attack against your
PD by an attacker you can perceive, you can expend 1 energy to apply your
shield’s Armor die upsteps to your Armor die.

Miscellaneous Actions
Minor Action
You interact with the environment or an object.
During your turn, you can perform one small interaction. Each further such
interaction uses a primary action.
Minor actions include:
• Drop a weapon or shield
• Use a held item or consume held vittles
• Sling a wielded item (shield, bow, etc)
• Reload a ranged weapon (without the loading property)
• Incidental attribute test
• Draw or sheathe a weapon
• Retrieve a slung or carried item
• Pick up an item from the ground at your feet
• Open or close a normal door

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CONDITIONS Action Conditions
Dazed Condition
Conditions describe a situational effect on a character, for better or for worse.
Each condition has one or more mechanical effects that it imposes. Most You are moderately shaken.
conditions come in escalating pairs, such as Dazed and Stunned, and • Your action and defense pools incur 1 downstep (min. d6).
characters should never have both of these conditions simultaneously.
Stunned Condition
Situational Conditions
You are significantly shaken.
Situational conditions are straightforward; characters can get themselves into
• Your action and defense pools incur 2 downsteps (min. d6).
these conditions, and get themselves out of them. Prone is such a condition. A
character can drop Prone as part of their movement, and that same character
can end the Prone condition by spending the required movement to stand up. Staggered Condition

Temporary Conditions Your defenses are moderately compromised.

Temporary conditions are usually imposed on a character during combat. • Your defense pool incurs 1 downstep (min. d6).
These conditions are imposed on the target as part of a successful attack, and
they remain on the target until their duration elapses or the target removes Breached Condition
them. For example, a character might become Staggered or Breached when
struck by an attack that compromises their defenses. Your defenses are significantly compromised.
• Your defense pool incurs 2 downsteps (min. d6).
Enforced Conditions
Enforced conditions are imposed on a target by another character or a similar Empowered Condition
mechanism, and the target can only escape from the condition by overcoming
its originator. For example, a character is Grappled (or Restrained) when You are moderately energized.
another character beats them with an attribute test. That target remains • Your action and defense pools gain 1 upstep.
Grappled until they break free from the initiating character, or that character
lets them go. Invigorated Condition

Area Conditions You are significantly energized.

Area conditions affect a location or area. For example, areas filled with smoke
or fog are obscured, and cause characters to be Blinded or Hidden.
Alternatively, physical obstacles (such as quicksand) can cause a character to
be Slowed when attempting to move through them. In these examples, the
conditions cannot be removed other than by escaping their area. However, in
some circumstances these conditions can be mitigated, such as by a character
holding their breath when moving through a poisonous fog.
• Your action and defense pools gain 2 upsteps.
Surprised Condition
You have been caught unaware and unprepared.
• Your action and defense pools incur 1 downstep (min. d6).
• Your movement is restricted as if you were Slowed.

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Movement Conditions Sensory Conditions
Slowed Condition Blinded Condition

Your movement is partially hampered. You cannot see.

• Each 5’ you move costs an additional 5’ of movement. • You cannot attempt attribute tests that rely wholly on vision.
• When making attribute tests or attacks that include vision, your action pool
Mired Condition incurs 2 downsteps (min. d6).
• When defending attacks, your defense pool incurs 2 downsteps (min. d6).
Your movement is significantly hampered.
• Each 5’ you move costs an additional 10’ of movement. Deafened Condition

Immobilized Condition You cannot hear.

• You cannot attempt attribute tests that rely on wholly hearing.
You cannot move.
• When making Acuity (Perception) tests that include hearing, your action
• You cannot intentionally move, but you can be pushed or pulled. pool incurs 1 downstep (min. d6).

Grappled
Visibility and Cover Conditions
Condition

You are partially restricted, such as when physically held by another character.
• Your movement is restricted as if you were Immobilized.
• Your action and PD pools incur 1 downstep (min. d6).
Restrained Condition
You are fully restricted, such as by being heavily bound.
• Your movement is restricted as if you were Immobilized.
• You can only use physical actions or reactions to try to remove this
condition.
• Your action and PD pools incur 2 downsteps (min. d6).
Prone Condition
Obscured Condition
You are partially obscured or obstructed, such as by foliage, low light, or fog,
or partial cover that hides half of your body.
• When making Agility (Stealth) tests, your action pool gains 1 upstep.
• When defending non-area attacks, your defense pool gains 1 upstep.
Heavily Obscured Condition
You are heavily obscured, such as by thick brush, dim light, or heavy fog, or
obstructions that hide most of your body.
• When making Agility (Stealth) tests, your action pool gains 2 upsteps.
• When defending non-area attacks, your defense pool gains 2 upsteps.

You are lying on the ground or similarly vulnerable. Hidden Condition

• Your movement is restricted as if you were Mired.
• To get up you must spend 10’ of movement.
• When making attacks, your action pool incurs 1 downstep (min. d6).
• When defending melee attacks, your PD incurs 2 downsteps (min. d6).
• When defending ranged attacks by non-adjacent targets, your PD gains
2 upsteps.
You are completed hidden or invisible, or behind total cover.
• You cannot be targeted by attacks that require line of sight.
• When making Agility (Stealth) tests, your action pool gains 3 upsteps.
• When defending non-area attacks, your defense pool gains 3 upsteps.

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GLOSSARY
This glossary explains general game terms. Terms and abilities specific to
equipment are included in the Equipment Lists section on page 37.
• Action: Primary actions (attribute tests, attacks, improvised actions, etc),
minor actions, reactions, and movement.
• Action Pool: The group of dice built for an attribute test or attack.
• Active: A creature that is able to take actions.
• Adjacent (two targets): Standing within 5’ of each other.
• Adjacent (three or more targets): Without gaps between the targets (i.e. an
unbroken line can be traced between all of the targets).
• Adventure: A series of linked encounters that tell a single story.
• Ally/Allies: Allies are other creatures, wanderers, or game characters who
fight on the same side as the character (but not the character itself).
• Arc (##˚): Effect area that extends from the character out to the radius or
range, but its arc is constrained to specified angle (e.g. 30˚, 45˚, 90˚).
• Another: A character other than the character using an action or reaction.
• Assign: To allocate dice to a single target.
• Attack: A melee or ranged attack action.
• Attacker: The character that has made the attack.
• Attribute Test: An attribute test, with an attribute, skill, and difficulty.
• Aura: Ongoing radial effect area that is centered on a character.
• Bloodied: When a character’s health is between ½ and ¼ of its maximum.
• Bludgeoning: A type of damage caused by a weapon or projectile that
causes blunt-force trauma to a target.
• Bonus: An effect that is automatically applied when the character is active.
• Bruised: When a character’s health is between ¾ and ½ of its maximum.
• Campaign: A series of interlinked adventures that tell an ongoing story.
• Character: Any entity, including all player characters and game characters.
• Combat Encounter: A single combat engagement.
• Combatant: Anyone in the combat, including allies, enemies, and unaligned.
• Condition: Adverse or beneficial effects that impose penalties or
advantages on characters.
• Contiguous: Without gaps between the targets (i.e. an unbroken line can be
traced between all of the targets).
• Cover: A target has cover if there is an obstruction between them and their
attacker but line of sight is not totally blocked (such as by a solid wall).
Cover grants upsteps to the target’s defense pool through the Obscured or
Heavily Obscured conditions.
• Creature: Another term for a character, usually non-human.
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• Critical Fail: An attack or attribute test roll that is unsuccessful and all of
the dice roll 1s.
• Current Health: The character’s current physical condition, i.e. ‘health’.
• Damage: Physical or mental trauma that reduces the target’s current health.
• Day: The period of time between long rests, usually starting at dawn.
• Defense: The specific defense being targeted (PD or MD).
• Defense Pool: The group of dice built to roll in defense of an attack.
• Defenses: Both of the character’s defenses (PD and MD).
• Downstep: Any effect that moves the dice in a pool to a lower die step.
• Effect: A condition effect.
• Encounter: A single challenge in the game; combat, trap, adversarial game
character, puzzle, or non-trivial attribute test.
• End of Turn: A character’s end of turn occurs when the player declares an
end of their actions. This triggers end of turn effects, and is followed by
the next character’s turn.
• Energy: A character’s current capacity for extraordinary action.
• Enemy/Enemies: Monsters, adversaries, creatures, adventurers, villains, or
game characters who act in opposition to the character.
• Engaged: A target is engaged if they are within the reach of an active ally of
the character taking an action.
• Equipment: Equipment grants abilities or advantages in specific situations.
• Expend: Spend energy to activate an action or reaction. This energy is
recovered during rests.
• Gain: Dice from skills are ‘gained’ to an action or defense pool.
• Game Character: Allies, adversaries, and bystanders who inhabit the game
world and are controlled by the GM.
• Game Master: The GM, responsible for creating the world, unfolding the
plot, running the game, narrating scenes, challenging the players.
• Health: The character’s current physical condition.
• Healing: Special skills, equipment, and rest that recover lost health.
• Hit: An attack roll that is successful (one or more dice meet or beat the
highest die rolled in the target’s defense pool).
• Initiative: The order that characters act in each round of combat.
• Injured: When a character’s health is less than ¼ of its maximum.
• Knocked Out (KO’d): When a character becomes unconscious.
• Line of Sight: Ranged attacks require the attacker to be able to see their
target. Obstructed line of sight grants upsteps to the target’s defense pool
through the Obscured or Heavily Obscured conditions.
• Long Rest: An overnight rest that recovers all health and expended energy.
• Martial: Physical skills and actions used in combat.
• Maximum Energy: The character’s peak capacity for extraordinary action.
• Maximum Health: The peak physical condition of a character.
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 • Melee: Hand-to-hand combat, and the weapons designed for such combat.
• Melee Range: Within the reach of the character’s melee weapon.
• Miss: An attack roll that is unsuccessful (none of the attacker’s dice meet
or beat the highest die rolled in the defense pool).
• Modifiers: Situational advantages and disadvantages that affect attack and
defense pools by increasing or decreasing the dice pool.
• Monster: Another term for a character, usually a non-human character.
• Obstacle: Terrain features that hinder movement and may provide cover.
• Off-Hand: Character’s secondary hand, used for shield, two-handed
weapons, alternate weapons, or equipment.
• Once Per Turn: Actions that can be used once per turn. Once used,
characters regain the use of these actions at the start of their next turn.
• Origin: The starting location of an action or effect. If using a grid, this is
the centre of a 5’x5’ square.
• Overlap: Character’s line of sight must pass through the closest target and
all subsequent targets.
• Penalty: Any condition or effect that downsteps dice in a pool.
• Perceive: The character can see, hear, or otherwise clearly sense (such as
with night vision or tremor-sense) their target.
• Piercing: A type of damage caused by a weapon or projectile that can enter
and pass through the body of a target.
• Player Character: A game character controlled by a player.
• Pool: The group of dice built for an action or defense.
• Position: The area occupied by a character.
• Prone: The character is lying on the ground (or otherwise vulnerable).
• Pull: Target is moved in a straight line toward the originating character
(including diagonally if using a grid).
• Push: Target is moved in a straight line away from the originating
character (including diagonally if using a grid).
• Radius: Area of effect, counted in 5’ increments from the origin, but not
including the effect’s origin. Thus, a 5’ radius effect has a diameter of 15’.
• Rank: A die’s step; d6 = 1, d8 = 2, d10 = 3, d12 = 4, d16 = 5, d20 = 6, etc.
• Range: The distance an action can reach a target or where the effect area
can be centered.
• Ranged: Projectile combat and the weapons designed for such combat.
• Ranged Weapon Range: Within the furthest range increment of the ranged
weapon (penalties may apply).
• Reach: The distance that characters can touch or attack a target with a
melee attack.
• Recover: Increase your health or energy.
• Rest: Short and long rests where characters recover health and energy.
Onyx Sky - Role-Playing Game Hero Forge Games
• Round: 5 seconds during which each player characters and game
characters has a turn. Once all characters have had their turn in a round,
the next round begins with the character at the top of the initiative order.
• Self: The character causing an effect or taking an action.
• Short Rest: A short rest that recovers some health and energy.
• Slashing: A type of damage caused by a weapon or projectile that cuts
laterally across a target.
• Slung: The character’s easily accessible equipment.
• Start of Turn: Combat begins with the start of turn of the first character in
the initiative order. The start of turn for subsequent characters in the
initiative order occurs immediately after the preceding character declares
the end of their turn. This triggers any start of turn effects.
• Step: Sequence of escalating dice ranks; d6, d8, d10, d12, d16, d20, etc.
• Success: An attribute test roll that is successful (one or more dice meet or
beat the test’s difficulty or the highest die in the target’s defense pool).
• Target: A valid target (e.g. a character, object, location, space, point, or
square).
• Target(s): The target or targets of an attack or effect. Usually allies or
enemies, but may be non-combatants or inanimate objects (GM discretion).
• Touch: A target close enough to be touched (within a character’s reach).
• Turn: A single character’s time to take actions, reactions, and movement
during a round.
• Unaware: The target is not aware of the position of the character, such as
through stealth.
• Unconscious: When a character’s current health is reduced to 0 or less,
they are knocked out (KO’d), unconscious, and cannot take actions.
• Upstep: Any effect that moves the dice in a pool to a higher die step.
• Wield: The character’s currently held weapon or equipment.
• Wield (off-hand): Equipment held in the character’s non-dominant hand.
• Worn: A piece of clothing or equipment (other than armor) currently worn
by the character.
• You: The character who is using the action or reaction.
Page 82
 GAME
MASTERING
And nothing bad is going to happen to us.
That’s right. Because we’re carrying the fire.

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SAFETY TOOLS
Onyx Sky is a world in freefall as complex systems refashion themselves into
simpler forms. As the wanderers journey through the world, they are
confronted by challenging themes and forced to make difficult choices.
At one end of the spectrum, we have mundane themes such as the age-old
application of violence to solve all problems. At the far end of the spectrum,
we have complicated dilemmas, whether these are the visceral reaction to
animal butchery, the repugnant reality of post-apocalyptic slavery, or even the
complexity of lifeboat ethics when the wanderers come across people they
cannot save.
For those gamers susceptible to existential angst and ennui, Onyx Sky explores
the collective fear, despair, and grief of our civilization’s impact on the planet.
In exploring these themes, wherever they fall on the spectrum, it’s important
that the players have tools to protect their mental health and safety. These are
a few of the tools and techniques that keep players safe during the game:
• Trust: The foundation of safety at the table is mutual trust and support,
where the participants know they can express themselves freely, make
mistakes, and take risks without the fear of shame or retribution.
• Session 0: Before kicking off an Onyx Sky campaign, session 0 allows the
players and the GM to discuss key elements of the campaign; its duration,
themes, mix of elements (role-playing, combat, exploration), their character
backgrounds, comfort with challenging themes, and how players can signal
situations or themes that breach their expectations. For example, a group
might agree that violence and combat will happen in the campaign, their
characters might die during the game, that torture and sexual assault only
happen off-screen and that their characters never torture or sexually
assault game characters. Furthermore, they may also agree that the
campaign’s emphasis is on exploration and role-playing, with less combat.
• Character Death: As part of the session 0 discussion, the play group might
also discuss whether their characters might face life and death situations
during the story. If the players agree that their characters might die, then
the group can also discuss whether such deaths require the player’s
consent.
• Game Rating: Another discussion to have during session 0 is to use the
movie and TV rating system to agree on the content of the story. In this
discussion, the players might agree to a rating; such as PG-13, R, or NC-17.
• Tone: While most role-playing sessions are punctuated by humor and
hijinks, Onyx Sky is not well-suited to purely whacky or gonzo play. This
means that Onyx Sky might not be the right game for some groups, such as
those who aren’t interested in serious themes and difficult situations.
Onyx Sky - Role-Playing Game
• Lines and Veils (Ron Edwards): The lines and veils tool is used before a
campaign begins. When using lines and veils, each player defines the areas
of content that are strictly off-limits (the ‘lines’) and those that can only
happen ‘off-screen’, without explicit detail or description (the ‘veils’).
• Character Agency: During play, it’s important for the GM and players to
respect each other’s agency over parts of the game. Traditionally, the GM
is responsible for the world and game characters, while the players have
sole agency over the decisions and actions of their characters.
Furthermore, it’s important that the GM doesn’t put players’ characters into
situations that breach their trust and consent. Some situations, such as a
player character’s death, might require explicit consent from the player.
• Mind the Bleed: Bleed is when emotions spill over from fiction into our
real lives, from character to player (and vice-versa). Onyx Sky’s climate
grief, ecological collapse, and lifeboat ethics may make players susceptible
to bleed. If players experience bleed, encourage separation from the
fiction, take a break, or switch focus onto another character or another
plot thread. In some ways, Onyx Sky is designed to provoke consideration
and contemplation of how its players might handle difficult situations. If
players are unable to manage the bleed, or if it becomes too strong, then
this might not be the right experience for them.
• X-Card (John Stavropolous): The X-Card allows players to indicate their
discomfort with a story moment or theme. The X-Card is a physical index
card with an ‘X’ drawn on it. The card sits on the table during play, and
players touch the card to edit out or skip the unacceptable or distressing
content. If a player touches the card, the scene concludes immediately, and
the story moves to the next scene. The X-Card is most useful for public
play, where the players may not be familiar with each other.
• Pause for a Second (Mike Shea) If players are uncomfortable with a
moment in the game, but using the X-Card is too drastic, they can casually
say ‘Let’s pause for a second.’ Saying this magic phrase pauses the game
and breaks character so that the players can discuss the characters’
situation to ensure that all players are comfortable with the actions their
characters are taking.
• The Conversation: Perhaps the most powerful safety tool is the dreaded
conversation. If things don’t feel right, if the players seem uncomfortable,
if they act aggressively, if tensions spill over into real-life relationships, if
players break their characters from the main group, then it’s time for a
conversation. When opening this discussion, first ask for consent to have
a discussion and then frame discussion about the behavior, not the person.
“Hey, can we have a quick discussion about something I noticed during the
session? I noticed that you seemed uncomfortable when…”
Hero Forge Games Page 84
RUNNING ATTRIBUTE TESTS Attribute Test Modifiers
Modifiers are the situational and circumstantial factors that affect a

Which Attribute Test When? character’s ability to perform an action.

General guidelines for applying upstep or downstep modifiers:
Onyx Sky offers several types attribute tests for the GM to resolve situations,
• Modify the pool of the character that has the advantage or disadvantage
and each of these is used in specific types of activities:
• Apply bonuses for advantageous situations, e.g. ‘gain 1 upstep’
• Static test: Attribute test (general) vs difficulty target
• Apply penalty for unfavorable situations, e.g. ‘incur 1 downstep (min d6)’
• Opposed test: Attribute test (general) vs attribute test (general)
• Apply multiple bonuses and penalties, which may cancel each other out
• Opposed contest: Attribute test (general) vs attribute test (general)
• Physical attack: Attribute test (martial) vs physical defense Actions
• Mental attack: Attribute test (martial) vs mental defense • Multiple Actions: Characters can take multiple actions in a combat turn,
• Reduce damage: Attribute test (general) vs static difficulty where all actions incur 1 downstep for each action taken beyond the first.
• Energized Tests: Characters can expend 2 energy to perform an energized
Examples: attribute test which gains 1 upstep (not available in combat).
• Static test: Climb a wall, find a hidden clue, withstand heat/cold
Conditions
• Opposed test: Argue with someone, grapple, spot someone hiding
• Conditions: May upstep or downstep a character’s action or defense pools.
• Opposed contest: Compete against someone at the same activity
• Physical attack: Melee attack, ranged attack, explosives Melee Attacks
• Mental attack: Leader’s Threat • Advantageous Position: Action pool gains 1 upstep
• Reduce damage: Falling, fire (e.g. the attack is leaping down from above the defender to attack)
• Unfavorable Position: Action pool incurs 1 downstep (min d6)
Setting Difficulty Targets (e.g. the attacker is trying to swing a weapon in a narrow corridor)
When setting difficulty targets for attribute tests, the GM can consider these in Ranged Attacks
two tiers. Difficulty targets from 4-6 represent the ‘globally achievable’ tier, • Beyond Range: Defender’s PD gains 1 upstep for each range increment
while targets from 7-20 (and higher I guess) represent gateways that more • Inside Range: Defender’s PD gains 1 upstep
developed characters can achieve:
Globally achievable:
Visibility and Cover
• Obscured or ½ Cover: Defender gains 1 upstep to their PD
4. Trivial
• Heavily Obscured or ¾ Cover: Defender gains 2 upsteps to their PD
5. Easy • Hidden or Total Cover: Cannot be a target of a non-area attack or effect
6. Normal (when in doubt, use this difficulty)
Miscellaneous Modifiers
Achievable with energized attribute tests:
• Unstable: Action pool incur 1 downstep (min d6)
7. Tough (e.g. the attacker is mounted on an untrained animal or erratic vehicle)
8. Hard • Off-Hand: Action pool incur 1 downstep (min d6)
Progressively gated: (e.g. the attacker is using their weapon in their off-hand)
10. Formidable
14. Severe
18. Heroic

Onyx Sky - Role-Playing Game Hero Forge Games Page 85

Applying Upsteps and Downsteps Which Attribute and Which Skill?
Once any relevant upsteps and downsteps have been identified, these are An attribute test will always specify an attribute and skill that can be used for
summed for the initiating character’s action pool and the target’s defense pool the test. However, the GM can allow the players to substitute the specified
(or for both action pools if it’s an opposed test). When both upsteps and attribute and skill for others that make sense for the task.
downsteps applied to an action or defense pool, they may cancel each other For example, climbing a rope might list Strength (Athletics) as the relevant
out. Once the net result of any upsteps and downsteps are resolved, they are combination of attribute and skill, but with the GM’s approval the player may
applied to all of the dice in the action or defense pool. use Agility (Acrobatics) instead. Similarly, when a character tries to blend in
with a crowd, instead of Agility (Stealth), a player may suggest the character
Resolving an Attribute Test uses Influence (Deception) to change their appearance.
When a character attempts an attribute test, there are a variety of outcomes.
Multiple successes result in additional damage or success with extra qualities.
Failures are usually simple attack misses or elevated stakes. Critical failures
result in misfortune or reprisal:
Attribute Test: Attack:
• 3 success: Yes, and, and 3x weapon damage
• 2 successes: Yes, and 2x weapon damage
• 1 success: Yes 1x weapon damage
• Failure: No Miss
• Critical failure: No, but Misfortune or reprisal

Multiple Successes in an Attribute Test

As detailed in the Attribute Tests section on page 53, the first success achieves
a test at a basic level. When a character achieves more than one success, the
‘yes, and’ principle comes into play. Each further success achieves an extra
quality; quick, expert, resilient, covert, deep, efficient, abundant, or helpful.

Failing an Attribute Test

Attribute tests should not happen without stakes, such as a time limit or risk.
When characters fail a test, the GM determines an appropriate outcome; the
wanderers’ enemies close in, the rocky cliff wall they’re climbing crumbles, or
their vehicle crashes into a ditch.

Retrying an Attribute Test

Characters can retry an attribute test in one of these circumstances:
• They attempt the test with a different skill or attribute (if this makes sense)
• They take a longer period of time (e.g. 5 times longer)
• They use a riskier approach where failure results in greater misfortune

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ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
Interesting adventures take characters to unique locations, and challenge them
with unusual and dangerous terrain features.
While characters can overcome simple terrain features with a single attribute
test, some terrain features and hazards call for deeper use of attribute tests.
Hazards that span longer durations are extended ordeals. Ordeals use multiple
linked attribute tests to track the characters’ progress. Failure at any stage of
the ordeal results in the use or loss of resources (food, water, equipment, etc),
or a mounting physical toll on the characters (fatigue, damage, or conditions).

Climbing
When the terrain becomes too steep, characters must climb instead of walking.
To climb a wall, characters make an Agility (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics)
attribute test. The difficulty of this test is determined by the incline and
smoothness of the surface. For example, a vertical wall with good handholds is
difficulty 6, an overhanging wall with good handholds is difficulty 8, and an
overhanging wall with scarce handholds is difficulty 10. When making these
attribute tests, characters climb 10’ for each success.

Cold and Heat

When characters are exposed to extreme heat or cold, their bodies rapidly fail.
Each time characters spend an hour in extreme heat or cold, they must make a
Stamina (Endurance) test at difficulty 6 (this can be adjusted for the intensity
of the conditions). If the character fails the test, they first become Dazed. This
test is repeated each hour the character is in the extreme conditions. The
second time the character fails the test, they become Stunned. The third time
the character fails the test, their current health is reduced to -1 (if it is 0 or
higher) and they are Dying (and Unconscious).
In less severe environments, such as a hot desert or snowy highlands, the time
interval for these tests could be reduced to every 8 hours or each day.

Difficult Terrain
Thick undergrowth, jagged rubble, or sucking mud are difficult terrain that
hamper characters’ movement.
The easiest way to handle these situations is to determine that characters are
Slowed in difficult terrain. Alternatively, quick movement through difficult
terrain can be determined by an attribute test, Agility (Acrobatics) or Strength
(Athletics), where the difficulty of the test depends on the terrain.

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Explosions
Explosions are resolved as attacks against all targets in the explosion’s radius.
Characters caught in an explosion must make a standard PD defense roll
against the explosion’s attack roll. The attack roll is always three d12s against
all targets in the explosion’s radius. The damage varies depending on the type
of explosive, with an M-80 firework causing 2 damage for each success and a
military frag grenade causing 6 damage for each success. Comparatively, an
underground gas pocket explosion causes 4 damage for each success.
Characters positioned at the explosion’s edge gain 1 upstep to their PD.
Falling
Inevitably, characters will fall from some great height. This is a major hazard
for brave but careless adventurers. Falling damage is based on the height that
a character falls, and can be reduced with a successful attribute test.
Characters take 4 damage for each 10’ they fall. Characters can make an
Agility (Acrobatics) test at difficulty 5 to reduce this damage. Each success
reduces the damage by 4.
Fire
Damage from fire is based on the fire’s intensity; moderate, high, very high.
Characters who enter fire, or who stay in fire for more than a few seconds, take
1, 2, or 3 damage, based on the intensity of the fire. Characters can make a
Stamina (Endurance) test at difficulty 6 to reduce this damage. The damage is
reduced by 1 for each success.
Jumping
The environments that characters explore often include deep riven chasms,
crumbling rooftops, precarious buildings, unstable tunnels, and collapsed
walkways. To jump larger gaps, characters must succeed an attribute test.
When trying to jump across a gap, characters make an Agility (Acrobatics) or
Strength (Athletics) attribute test at difficulty 4. If the characters have no room
to get a run up and instead make standing jump, the difficulty is increased to 5.
Additionally, if their destination is higher than their origin, the difficulty is
further increased to 6. Similarly, if the destination is lower, the difficulty is
reduced. The character jumps 5’ for each success.
If the character falls short by just 5’, then they have hit the edge of their
destination. When this happens, they can make an Agility (Acrobatics) or
Strength (Athletics) test at difficulty 6 to grab on and haul themselves to safety.
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Suffocating and Drowning
Suffocation and downing do not inflict trauma like a physical blow. Instead,
these first render the characters weak, then unconscious, and then rapidly
dead.
Each time characters spend 30 seconds without oxygen, they must made a
Stamina (Endurance) test at difficulty 6. If the character fails the test, they first
become Dazed. This test is repeated each 30 seconds the character is without
oxygen. The second time the character fails the test, they become Stunned.
The third time the character fails the test, their current health is reduced to -1
(if it is 0 or higher) and they are Dying (and Unconscious),
Obviously, characters cannot be stabilized while still without oxygen.
Water and Food
When characters are active over longer periods, they need food and water to
keep their bodies in good working condition. When a character doesn’t have
access to food or water, they first become Dazed, and then Stunned.
Each time characters spend 24 hours without water or 72 hours without food,
they must make a Stamina (Endurance) test at difficulty 6. If the character fails
the test, they first become Dazed. This test is repeated each 24/72 hours the
character is without hydration or nourishment. The second time the character
fails the test, they become Stunned. The third time the character fails the test,
their current health is reduced to -1 (if it is 0 or higher) and they are Dying
(and Unconscious),
If the character spends 4 days without water, they are automatically fail the
first test. After 6 days without water, they are automatically fail the second test.
After 8 days without water, they automatically fail the third test.
Characters cannot remove these conditions until they are renourished and/or
rehydrated.
Page 88
TYPES OF ENCOUNTERS
The GM’s tool-box includes several types of encounters, each with different
engagement, challenges, and rewards.
Exploration
Exploration is the scaffolding of the entire story, from which all of the other
types of encounters hang. Character’s choices may take them into a character
interaction, a puzzle, combat, or a trap.
Exploration reflects the players’ decisions about how their characters interact
with the world. These choices guide and drive the story.
In their travels, the wanderers choose how to explore the world. Do the take
the road to the distant crumbling city, strike out into the desolate wastes, enter
fly-blown settlement, or follow up on a trader’s offhand comment.
Types of Encounters
The main types of encounters in the GM’s repertoire are:
• Role-playing
• Combat
• Puzzles
• Traps and hazards
Role-Playing
In role-playing encounters, the players play out their characters’ interactions
with game characters. These encounters ideally offer players multiple
outcomes, depending on the result of the interactions.
Combat
Combat encounters are the bread and butter of RPGs, and it’s the GM’s job to
ensure these encounters are interesting, meaningful, and grounded.
Puzzles
Puzzles provide GMs with an encounter that’s an interesting alternative to
straight combat. Usually a puzzle encounter must be solved to offer progress,
but sometimes players will be totally stumped by the puzzle, so alternative
routes need to be available.
However, some gaming groups don’t engage fully with puzzles, and these
encounters can be hard to design effectively.
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Traps and Hazards
Traps and hazards are encounters where the wanderers face non-combat
danger. This could be a trap set to capture or harm, or an environment that is
itself dangerous.
Trap encounters are similar to puzzles, except they’re trying to kill the players.
Having said that, these encounters have many of the same problems as puzzle
encounters (such as players not getting how to ‘solve’ them), but the addition of
life-threatening danger makes them doubly-risky.
Encounter Outcomes and Rewards
Part of the GM’s job is to design and offer rewards from encounters.
Achievement
When GMs design challenging encounters that take players to the brink of
defeat, the players feel a great sense of achievement when they manage to
overcome the encounter.
Resources
The acquisition and distribution of equipment or special items is something
that players often anticipate at the end of encounters.
Information
Role-playing encounters and even combat encounters can reward players with
information that is crucial to their goals or quests.
Favor
Depending on the cause and outcome of the encounter, the characters could
find themselves with the passing or eternal gratitude of a game character.
Perhaps the characters are hired to rescue a person kidnapped by raiders.
Alternatively, perhaps the characters manage to thwart a robbery, abduction,
swindle, or assassination and gained the appreciation of the intended victim.
Passage
Often the encounter is a literal or figurative obstacle to progress.
Sometimes the ravine is spanned by a crumbling bridge, the vault door is held
fast by a complicated lock, or the way is blocked by reavers.
In each of these cases, the reward for the encounter is continued progress.
Page 89
COMBAT ENCOUNTER DESIGN
The combat encounter is one of the three main elements of role-playing games.
Unlike exploration and role-playing, combat allows players to experience
danger and excitement that we don’t often get in everyday life, and the thrill of
victory. As such, there are many combat encounters, and each needs context,
motivations, locations, and adversaries.
Why We Fight?
All campaigns are unique, and there are many threats, adversaries, and enemies
arrayed against the wanderers during their travels, and each fight is unique:
• The adversaries want something the wanderers have
• The adversaries block the characters’ path and demand payment
• The adversaries have something the characters need (key, item, shelter, etc)
•
•
The adversaries ambush the party
The adversaries endanger common folk
• The cruel world overflows with vile people driven by greed and mayhem
What’s At Stake?
One thing to consider for a combat encounter is what’s at stake, other than the
lives of the combatants. Are the groups fighting just for the sake of it, or is
there something in play? One way ensure a combat encounter is meaningful is
to add another element that raises the stakes, such as:
•
•
Rescue a prisoner the adversaries are trying to evacuate
Protecting a target that bounty hunters are trying to kill
• Changing terrain (crumbling rocks, a disintegrating bridge)
• Preventing the adversaries from completing an activity (activating a silo)
• Fighting over a valuable object (such as a key or rare salvage)
• Trying to achieve a specific goal in the midst of a larger combat (such as to
gain or hold a position, to unlock a door, protect another character)
• Trying to escape an area before some cataclysm (self-destruct, nanites, etc)
Where We Fight?
Good combat encounters go beyond the ‘why’ and the stakes, and use the
landscape and environmental hazards to add complications and opportunities
to the encounter. When the wanderers are ambushed on a lonely road, a simple
ravine, rockslide, or shale slope can elevate an otherwise unremarkable
location into a key element of the encounter. The decaying world provides
ample opportunity for novel and well-integrated terrain obstacles.
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Adversary Mix
Adversary templates and pre-made adversary stat blocks make it easy for the
GM to mix up the type of adversaries that the wanderers face.
These adversaries, whether they’re normal humans, droids, or animals can be
easily scaled in power and role to present players with an interesting range of
threats and tactics even within a single type of adversary.
When combining multiple types of adversaries, keep in mind the practicalities
and motivations for the alliance.
• Is one adversary type subordinate to the other?
• Are these intelligent adversaries working together?
• Do the groups normally work together?
• Have they been temporarily thrown together by circumstances?
So by all means mix up the adversaries, but make the alliance make sense.
Encounter Difficulty
Inevitably, the wanderers will manage to work themselves into a situation that
can only be solved with violence or the game world will conspire to force them
to violence. When this happens, it’s important to gauge whether their
adversaries will be easily defeated, challenging, or will simply smash the
wanderers into red pulp.
The difficulty of an encounter is estimated by comparing the number of player
characters and their power with the number and power of their adversaries.
Character Power
Power is an approximate calculation of each character’s absolute challenge. A
character with higher power is tougher, more capable, and more dangerous,
than a character with lower power.
Each character’s power is calculated by adding their three highest attributes.
A wanderer with d12, d10, and d10 for their three highest attributes has a
Power of 32. An imposing droid with d20, d16, and d16 for its three highest
attributes would have 52 Power. A freshly-created player character will have
around 26 to 30 power. That same character, approximately 15 sessions
(gaining 6 CP per session), could have 46 to 50 power.
One thing to keep in mind when using a character’s power, is that it is only an
approximation. A character that has invested CP in specialized martial skills
instead of attribute increases might be more combat-effective than their power
indicates. Comparatively, a character with high Intelligence and Acuity might
be less effective in combat than their power would suggest.
Page 90
Estimating Encounter Difficulty
The first step to estimate the difficulty of an encounter is to add up the power
of each of the characters in the opposing groups. The comparison of each
group’s total power tells the GM how difficult the encounter will be for the
player characters.
For example, if four player characters with a total of 130 power face six
adversaries each with 22 power (for a total of 132), then this will be very
evenly matched encounter. In this case, an evenly matched encounter means
that either side could prevail, and that the wanderers have a 50/50 chance of
defeat. As you can see below, this 50/50 chance of defeat is categorized as a
‘deadly’ encounter.
The result of this total power comparison gives a range of difficulties:
• Easy: Adversaries’ total power less than 70% of wanderers’ total power
• Moderate: Adversaries’ total power less than 80% of wanderers’ total power
• Hard: Adversaries’ total power less than 90% of wanderers’ total power
• Deadly: Adversaries’ total power is 100% of wanderers’ total power
• Suicide: Adversaries’ total power more than 110% of wanderers’ total
power
By following the described steps, the GM can create encounters that are:
• Easy relative to the wanderers’ capability
• Moderate relative to the wanderers’ capability
• Hard relative to the wanderers’ capability
• Deadly relatively to the wanderers’ capability
• Fixed difficulty
Easy, moderate, hard, and deadly encounters allow the GM to control the pace
of the wanderer’s adventures and to increase the tension of the story.
Using fixed difficulty encounters is useful in sandbox style adventures where
the players can tackle encounters at their own pace. In this style of play, the
GM may want certain of those encounters to be too hard for the characters
while others are potentially easy or balanced, depending on the order that the
players choose to tackle them.
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Impact of Player Tactical Capability
Many players take pride in their tactical capability and play RPGs to practice
those skills. But that isn’t always the case.
Aside from the relative power of the combatants and the vagaries of the dice
rolls, the single most impactful factor on a combat is the tactical capability of
the players, and the tactical capability of the GM.
When designing an encounter, the GM can also factor in their own tactical
capability and that of the players. For example, inattentive players may not use
the full range tactics at their disposal. Some effective tactics include:
• Focus fire to concentrate all damage on one enemy at a time
• Position characters to enhance allies’ attacks
• ‘Nova’ rounds where characters use all of their abilities early in the fight
• Determining which enemies are Bloodied and close to death
• Splitting movement before and after attacks to use cover
• Character builds that include key combat skills (i.e. Flanking Attack)
Low Power Wanderer Encounters
Encounters for characters with low power are more susceptible to the vagaries
of random dice rolls. When this is combined with inexperienced players (who
aren’t familiar with the rules and their character’s capabilities), it can be a
recipe for unpredictable or disastrous outcomes.
In this situation it’s best to make sure that the encounter is slightly lower
difficulty than normal and make clear to the players that they are outclassed
and should consider alternate approaches.
Number of Adversaries
When creating a combat encounter, the GM’s first consideration is often the
number of adversaries that the players face. In considering this, the GM may
have a particular type of encounter in mind, such as a fight against one
powerful adversary, a large battle against lots of easily-defeated minions, or a
band of enemies that the characters can’t hope to defeat in normal combat.
Individual Adversary Strength
Take care when using adversaries with significantly more power than the
wanderers, especially when the wanderers have lower power (e.g. less than 30).
These adversaries hit more often and deal comparatively high damage; just a
couple of attacks from a strong adversary can KO a low-power character.
This combination of high hit probabilities, high damage, and lower chance of
the characters landing a strike in return, makes these adversaries dangerous.
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COMBAT ENCOUNTERS
The hours and days of basic survival are punctuated by seconds and minutes
of terrifying brutality. Sometimes, tension builds slowly as the danger
manifests. Other times, violence falls on the wanderers like a crashing wave,
catching them unaware.
Getting Into Combat
The transition from adventuring to combat can happen in many ways.
Sometimes it’s planned as part of a story or adventure, other times it happens
when the players do something unexpected.
• The wanderers kick in the door of a room where they have heard noises
• The wanderers set an ambush for pursuing adversaries
• GM rolls a random encounter for characters travelling overland or in a city
• Characters overpower the guards of a shop or caravan they want to raid
• A character attempts to pick-pocketing someone, and fails badly
•
Adversaries come across the wanderers, potentially surprising everyone
• The characters fail an attribute test, alerting nearby adversaries
Determining Surprise
Surprise can occur when one of the groups of combatants is not immediately
expecting to be attacked. This can even mean that a character who is ‘on
guard’ can be surprised by a sufficiently stealthy or unexpected attack.
Surprise is generally determined by an opposed attribute test, but the GM may
decide a fixed difficult is more appropriate:
• Opposed test: Acuity (Perception) vs Agility (Stealth)
• Set difficulty: Acuity (Perception) vs difficulty target
The opposed test introduces some variability into the determination of
surprise, but the higher dice step will usually prevail. The second method
allows the GM to set the difficult directly.
Surprise is detailed in the Combat section on page 73.
Tactics
Depending on their experience, a group’s tactics can range from effective to
ineffective. This also extends to individual players, who can play optimally or
sub-optimally. For example, the most effective tactic is to pick off adversaries
one at a time, aiming to reduce the number of enemies as quickly as possible.
Depending on how difficult the GM is aiming for the encounter to be, they may
need to support, negate, or counter the players’ tactics.
Onyx Sky - Role-Playing Game Hero Forge Games
Adjusting Difficulty on the Fly
It’s not too late to adjust the difficulty of an encounter until all of the
characters are dead on the ground (and even then…). The GM can tweak the
difficulty of an encounter to respond to unexpected situations:
• Exceptionally good or bad rolls
• Exceptionally good or bad tactics
• Miscalculated difficulty
Here are a few ideas to make encounters harder:
• Introduce another wave of adversaries (if possible)
• Concentrate the adversaries’ attacks on key characters
And a few to make encounters easier:
• Spread adversaries’ attacks amongst multiple player and game characters
• Make the adversaries’ leaders flee when threatened or severely injured
• Give the adversaries morale tests if their leader dies or flees
• Don’t use the adversaries’ specialized combat skills
Ending the Combat
Not all combats should run to the total death of one of the groups (especially if
it’s the player characters’ party). Having a range of ‘combat outs’ prevents
combats from dragging on when the fight is effectively over.
To the Death
Some groups will fight to the death; single-minded droids, humans defending
their families, animals defending their territory or lairs.
Morale
Most intelligent adversaries, including animals, will flee if their lives are
threatened (whether they’re outnumbered, outskilled, or outwitted). This
chance of fleeing is increased if their leader is killed or has fled.
Fleeing
Natural animals are usually looking for a quick and easy meal, so they prefer
to flee if the combat is going bad for them.
Surrender
In some cases, characters will surrender rather than flee in combat. This can
be a risky proposition when the player characters are merciless.
Capture
In rare cases, the player characters or their opponents will be striving to
capture, rather than kill, the other.
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Fleeing From the Fight
In the same way that intelligent adversaries flee combat when outmatched, the
wanderers might also attempt to flee before they are defeated. Whether the
wanderers or their adversaries seek to flee, the logistics depend on the
characters’ relative positions, obstacles, and their initiative order.
First, when characters flee, they may trigger their opponents’ Opportunity
Attack skill, unleashing attacks as they leave their reach.
Second, in some cases the fleeing character might be hemmed in by opponents.
When this happens, they need to succeed at an opposed Strength (Athletics) or
Agility (Acrobatics) attribute test to push past their opponents, or be stopped.
Once the fleers have broken away from the combat, their opponents might
decide to follow in pursuit.

Pursuits and Chases

If characters pursue their opponents, they make an opposed Strength
(Athletics) or Agility (Acrobatics) attribute test. When resolving these opposed
contests, there are three outcomes to adjudicate:
• Pursuer success: The pursuer moves one range band closer to the fleeing
character for each success. If they have remaining successes, they can
perform an action (such as an attack or a grapple) for each success.
• Stalemate: The fleeing character maintains their distance from their
pursuer.
• Fleer success: The fleeing character moves one range band farther away.

Total Party Kill

Sometimes a combat goes badly for the characters, and killing all of the
characters might not be a desirable outcome.
If it looks like an unwelcome TPK is coming, ask these questions:
• Can the enemies demand they surrender?
• Are the characters dead, or just unconscious or dying, for easy capture?
• Did anyone escape who could attempt a rescue?
• Do they have allies nearby who could help?
• If there are surviving enemies, would/could they keep the characters alive?
• Are there other characters, enemies, or allies who could save them?
• What would the adversaries do with the characters; ransom them, force
them to undertake some task for their lives?
• Do they have the favor of benefactors or powerful allies?
• Do the dead-dead characters want to start new characters?
• Do the surviving characters have skills to resuscitate the dead characters?

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USING ADVERSARY BLOCKS Attributes
The attributes area shows the adversary’s six attributes and each of their
The adversary blocks in the Adversaries sections use a straightforward and associated dice. These quantify each adversary’s strengths and weaknesses.
brief format. Each adversary block is playable with minimal additional
STR: d6 AGI: d10 STA: d6 INF: d6 INT: d8 ACU d8
knowledge.
Each of the blocks lists the default attributes, skills, traits, and characteristics
of that particular adversary. Derived Characteristics
The next section includes four derived characteristics for each adversary:
Striker Human (Power 26)
• Energy: The energy available for the adversary’s specialized martial skills
STR: d6 AGI: d10 STA: d6 INF: d6 INT: d8 ACU d8 • Health: The adversary’s maximum health.
Energy: 5 Health: 14 PD: d10 + d6 MD: d8 • PD: The adversary’s normal physical defense dice, first their Body die and
then their Armor die (if they wear armor).
Acrobatics, Agile Defense, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception • MD: The adversary’s mental defense die.
╝ Melee attack: Agility (Finesse Training), d10 + d10, 3 dam/hit
Energy: 5 Health: 14 PD: d10 + d6 MD: d8
╜ Ranged attack: Agility (Ranged Training), d10 + d10, 10-150’, 3 dam/hit
Distracted Attack (Bonus): When you make a ranged attack at an engaged Skills
target, your action pool gains a matching die for your Distracted Attack skill.
The skills section lists a set of representative general and martial skills for the
Aimed Attack (Action): You designate a target for your next attack. If your
adversary. This section does not include basic martial skills (these are listed in
next action is a martial attack at that target, your action pool gains a
the attacks section), nor does it include dynamic specialized martial skills
matching die for your Aimed Attack skill.
(these are listed in their own section). When using an adversary, these skills
Pinning Attack (Reaction): When your martial attack resolves, you can are guidelines and unique adversaries may have other skills not listed in the
expend 2 energy to immediately roll your attribute die separately against the stat block. Conversely, they may lack some of the skills listed here.
target’s existing defense pool. If this roll hits, the target is Slowed until the
end of your next turn. If the target is already Slowed or Immobilized when Acrobatics, Agile Defense, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception
hit with this attack, they are Immobilized until the end of your next turn.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’. Attacks
Ranged weapon (3 dam) Armor (d6) Melee weapon (3 dam) The attacks section lists the default melee attack for all adversaries, and the
ranged attack for those adversaries capable of ranged attacks. Additionally, if
these attacks have special options, they are listed under the attack.
Name, Species and Power
• Melee attack: The melee attack line lists the attribute the adversary uses for
The adversary block’s header shows the adversary’s name, species, and power. their melee attack, their relevant martial skill, the normal attack pool dice
• Name: The adversary’s name or type, or the role of a template adversary. they attack with, and the damage they normally deal for each success.
• Species: The adversary’s species; human, animal, droid, nanite, etc. • Ranged attack: The ranged attack line lists the adversary’s ranged attack
• Power: The adversary’s power (sum of their three highest attribute dice). attribute, their matching martial skill, the normal attack pool dice for their
ranged attack, and their attack’s range and damage.
Striker Human (Power 26)
╝ Melee attack: Agility (Finesse Training), d10 + d10, 3 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility (Ranged Training), d10 + d10, 10-150’, 3 dam/hit

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Specialized Martial Skills
The specialized martial skills section lists the adversary’s dynamic combat
skills. These are basic and specialized martial skills for use in combat. Unlike
the skills in the attacks section, these skills automatically grant bonuses in
specific circumstances or the GM may choose to activate the skill depending
on their tactics.
The section includes skills that might grant the adversary passive bonuses
(such as the Distracted Attack skill below), unique actions the adversary can
perform (Aimed Attack below), or reactions they can elect to use in specific
circumstances (such as Pinning Attack below). For brevity, some specialized
martial skills are abbreviated when included in an adversary block.

Distracted Attack (Bonus): When you make a ranged attack at an engaged

target, your action pool gains a matching die for your Distracted Attack skill.
Aimed Attack (Action): You designate a target for your next attack. If your
next action is a martial attack at that target, your action pool gains a
matching die for your Aimed Attack skill.
Pinning Attack (Reaction): When your martial attack resolves, you can
expend 2 energy to immediately roll your attribute die separately against the
target’s existing defense pool. If this roll hits, the target is Slowed until the
end of your next turn. If the target is already Slowed or Immobilized when
hit with this attack, they are Immobilized until the end of your next turn.

Traits
The traits section lists the adversary’s traits. This usually includes their
species, their size, and any other unique characteristics of the adversary.

Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.

Equipment
Finally, the adversary block lists the weapons and armor that are incorporated
into the other areas of the block (armor in the adversary’s PD, and weapons in
their attacks). As ever, individual adversaries might use different weapons or
armor than those listed, and might carry other possessions.

Ranged weapon (3 dam) Armor (d6) Melee weapon (3 dam)

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VARIANT RULES Random Damage
The weapons in Onyx Sky are listed with fixed damage amounts, which are

Critical Failures multiplied by the number of successes of the attack. If – for some reason –
you decide that you want to roll for damage, the fixed damage amounts can be
To increase tension and risk, the players and GM may choose to use critical substituted for die rolls.
failures in Onyx Sky. When using this variant rule, characters risk negative This table shows the die to roll instead of each fixed damage amount:
impacts if they fail badly at attribute tests or attacks.
Fixed Damage
Critical fails occur when a character’s attribute test or attack dice all roll 1s.
Damage Die
When a critical fail rolls, something goes wrong:
1 -
• The character becomes lost
• The character is injured 2
• The character opens themselves to a counter-attack
• The character hurts an ally instead of an enemy
3
For example, if a character uses a rope to climb up a soaring building to
recover some tantalizing salvage, and they roll 1s for their Strength (Athletics)
4
test, then their climb is a critical failure. The GM may decide that the character
falls or they dislodge loose rocks that alert their enemies.
5
Alternatively, if a character uses a heavy bone axe in combat, and their attack’s
action pool rolls all 1s, then this is a critical fail. Here, the GM may decide that
the character trips to the ground, or their opponent takes an opportunistic 6
attack at the exposed character.
Finally, if a character is attacked and all of their PD dice roll all 1s, then 7
perhaps they are struck to the ground by the attack.

Equipment Damage Slower Healing

The critical failure variant rule can be further extended to reflect wear and tear
on the wanderers’ equipment. When using this rule, a critical failure can result
in damage to the character’s equipment.
In each of the critical failure examples above, the critical failure could instead
result in the character’s equipment, weapon, or armor becoming damaged.
Additionally, if damaged equipment is used in another encounter, and a 1 is
rolled in a failed attribute test, the equipment is immediately broken.
For example, the same character in the example above attempts to climb down
the soaring building using their previously damaged rope. When attempting
the descent, the character fails a Strength (Athletics) test and at least one of the
dice rolls a 1, the rope breaks and the character plunges to the ground.
During the wanderer’s downtime they can attempt to repair damaged
equipment and salvage broken equipment.
To more realistically reflect the time taken to recover from injuries, the players
and GM may choose to use slower healing. This variant rule means that
characters can only remove 1 fatigue downstep per day, which significantly
slows their health and energy recovery.
When using the slower healing variant rule:
• Spending Stamina dice recovers health and energy normally.
• During a long rest, characters no longer recover all health and energy.
Instead, when a character takes a long rest:
• After 4 hours rest, the character rolls their Stamina die (with its
accumulated fatigue penalties) and recovers health and energy equal to the
rolled result. This does not accumulate a fatigue downstep.
• After 8 hours rest, the character removes 1 accumulated fatigue downstep.

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Uncapped Attributes
While the core rules (and images of dice) imply that characters’ attributes only
go from d6 to d20, there’s no reason why players can’t continue to develop
their characters beyond the d20 step.
When allowing characters’ attributes to improve beyond d20, it’s important to
ensure that each further die step preserves the rate of escalation of dice steps.
The step dice progression below ensures that each die step falls within the
normal 20% - 33% escalation band of earlier improvements:
Attribute Percent
Die Increase
d6 -
d8 33%
d10 25%
d12 20%
d16 33%
d20 25%
d24 20%
d30 25%
d40 33%
d50 25%
d60 20%
d80 33%
d100 25%

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 ADVERSARY
TEMPLATES
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.

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ADVERSARY TEMPLATES Tank Human (Power 22)

STR: d8 AGI: d6 STA: d8 INF: d6 INT: d6 ACU d6

Power 22 (8, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6) Energy: 4 Health: 16 PD: d8 + d8 MD: d6
Grunt Human (Power 22) Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense
STR: d8 AGI: d6 STA: d8 INF: d6 INT: d6 ACU d6 ╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d8 + d8, 2 dam/hit
Energy: 4 Health: 16 PD: d8 + d8 MD: d6 Shield Training (Bonus): Once per round, you can use your Block reaction
Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense without paying its energy cost. This resets at the start of your turn.
Bodyguard’s Ward (Reaction): When an adjacent ally is the target of a martial
╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d8 + d8, 3 dam/hit
attack that does not include you in its targets, you can expend 2 energy and
╜ Ranged attack: Strength (Thrown Training), d8 + d8, 10-20’, 2 dam/hit that ally’s PD pool gains your Strength die.
Flanking Attack (Bonus): When you make a melee attack at an engaged target, Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
your action pool gains a matching die for your Flanking Attack skill.
Melee weapon (2 dam) Armor (d8) Shield (+1 Armor upstep)
Opportunity Attack (Reaction): When an enemy moves out of your reach, you
can immediately make a melee attack at that target using only your attribute die.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’. Commander Human (Power 22)
Melee weapon (3 dam) Armor (d8) Thrown weapon (2 dam) STR: d6 AGI: d6 STA: d6 INF: d8 INT: d6 ACU d8
Energy: 4 Health: 14 PD: d6 + d6 MD: d8
Striker Human (Power 22) Agile Defense, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Persuasion
STR: d6 AGI: d8 STA: d6 INF: d6 INT: d6 ACU d8 ╝ Melee attack: Strength, d6, 2 dam/hit
Energy: 4 Health: 14 PD: d8 + d6 MD: d6 ╜ Ranged attack: Agility, d6, 10-60’, 2 dam/hit

Acrobatics, Agile Defense, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception
╝ Melee attack: Agility (Finesse Training), d8 + d8, 2 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility (Ranged Training), d8 + d8, 10-60’, 2 dam/hit
Distracted Attack (Bonus): When you make a ranged attack at an engaged
target, your action pool gains a matching die for your Distracted Attack skill.
Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have
been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Ranged weapon (2 dam) Armor (d6) Melee weapon (2 dam)
Leader’s Command (Action): When an active ally within 30’ can perceive you,
you can direct them to attack. The ally can immediately make a martial
attack as a reaction. The attribute die that they use for this attack cannot be
higher than your Influence die.
Leader’s Guard (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack, you can
expend 2 energy to move up to 15’, and active allies within 10’ of your new
position can immediately move 5’ as a reaction.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Melee weapon (2 dam) Armor (d6) Ranged weapon (2 dam)

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Power 26 (d10, d8, d8, d6, d6, d6) Tank Human (Power 26)
Grunt Human (Power 26)
STR: d8 AGI: d6 STA: d10 INF: d6 INT: d6 ACU d8
STR: d10 AGI: d6 STA: d8 INF: d6 INT: d6 ACU d8 Energy: 5 Health: 18 PD: d10 + d8 MD: d6
Energy: 5 Health: 16 PD: d8 + d10 MD: d6 Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense
Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense ╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d8 + d8, 3 dam/hit
╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d10 + d10, 4 dam/hit Shield Training (Bonus): Once per round, you can use your Block reaction
╜ Ranged attack: Strength (Thrown Training), d10 + d10, 10-40’, 3 dam/hit without paying its energy cost. This resets at the start of your turn.
Flanking Attack (Bonus): When you make a melee attack at an engaged target, Bodyguard’s Ward (Reaction): When an adjacent ally is the target of a martial
your action pool gains a matching die for your Flanking Attack skill. attack that does not include you in its targets, you can expend 2 energy and
Final Attack (Reaction): When you are KO’d by an attack, you can expend that ally’s PD pool gains your Strength die.
3 energy to immediately make a martial attack. Hard to Kill (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack that would reduce
Opportunity Attack (Reaction): When an enemy moves out of your reach, you your health to 0 or less, you can expend 2 energy to roll your Stamina die
can immediately make a melee attack at that target using only your attribute die. (including any fatigue downsteps). Reduce the damage by the rolled result.
You incur 1 fatigue downstep. You cannot use this ability again until you rest.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Melee weapon (4 dam) Armor (d10) Thrown weapon (3 dam)
Melee weapon (3 dam) Armor (d8) Shield (+1 Armor upstep)

Striker Human (Power 26)

Commander Human (Power 26)
STR: d6 AGI: d10 STA: d6 INF: d6 INT: d8 ACU d8
STR: d6 AGI: d6 STA: d6 INF: d10 INT: d8 ACU d8
Energy: 5 Health: 14 PD: d10 + d6 MD: d8
Energy: 5 Health: 14 PD: d6 + d6 MD: d8
Acrobatics, Agile Defense, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception
Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Persuasion
╝ Melee attack: Agility (Finesse Training), d10 + d10, 2 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility (Ranged Training), d10 + d10, 10-60’, 2 dam/hit ╝ Melee attack: Strength, d6, 2 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility, d6, 10-60’, 2 dam/hit
Distracted Attack (Bonus): When you make a ranged attack at an engaged
target, your action pool gains a matching die for your Distracted Attack skill. Leader’s Command (Action): When an active ally within 30’ can perceive you,
Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have you can direct them to attack. The ally can immediately make a martial
been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die. attack as a reaction. The attribute die that they use for this attack cannot be
higher than your Influence die.
Pinning Attack (Reaction): When your martial attack resolves, you can
expend 2 energy to immediately roll your attribute die separately against the Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have
target’s existing defense pool. If this roll hits, the target is Slowed until the been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die.
end of your next turn. If the target is already Slowed or Immobilized when Leader’s Guard (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack, you can
hit with this attack, they are Immobilized until the end of your next turn. expend 2 energy to move up to 15’, and active allies within 10’ of your new
position can immediately move 5’ as a reaction.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Ranged weapon (2 dam) Armor (d6) Melee weapon (2 dam)
Melee weapon (2 dam) Armor (d6) Ranged weapon (2 dam)

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Power 32 (d12, d10, d10, d8, d6, d6) Tank Human (Power 32)
Grunt Human (Power 32)
STR: d10 AGI: d6 STA: d12 INF: d6 INT: d8 ACU d10
STR: d12 AGI: d6 STA: d10 INF: d8 INT: d6 ACU d10 Energy: 7 Health: 20 PD: d12 + d10 MD: d8
Energy: 7 Health: 18 PD: d10 + d12 MD: d8 Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense
Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense ╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d10 + d10, 3 dam/hit
╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d12 + d12, 4 dam/hit Shield Training (Bonus): Once per round, you can use your Block reaction
╜ Ranged attack: Strength (Thrown Training), d12 + d12, 10-40’, 3 dam/hit without paying its energy cost. This resets at the start of your turn.
Flanking Attack (Bonus): When you make a melee attack at an engaged target, Bodyguard’s Ward (Reaction): When an adjacent ally is the target of a martial
your action pool gains a matching die for your Flanking Attack skill. attack that does not include you in its targets, you can expend 2 energy and
Final Attack (Reaction): When you are KO’d by an attack, you can expend that ally’s PD pool gains your Strength die.
3 energy to immediately make a martial attack. Hard to Kill (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack that would reduce
Opportunity Attack (Reaction): When an enemy moves out of your reach, you your health to 0 or less, you can expend 2 energy to roll your Stamina die
can immediately make a melee attack at that target using only your attribute die. (including any fatigue downsteps). Reduce the damage by the rolled result.
You incur 1 fatigue downstep. You cannot use this ability again until you rest.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Melee weapon (4 dam) Armor (d12) Thrown weapon (3 dam)
Melee weapon (3 dam) Armor (d10) Shield (+1 Armor upstep)

Striker Human (Power 32)

Commander Human (Power 32)
STR: d8 AGI: d12 STA: d8 INF: d6 INT: d10 ACU d10
STR: d6 AGI: d6 STA: d8 INF: d12 INT: d10 ACU d10
Energy: 7 Health: 16 PD: d12 MD: d10
Energy: 8 Health: 16 PD: d6 + d6 MD: d10
Acrobatics, Agile Defense, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception
Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Persuasion
╝ Melee attack: Agility (Finesse Training), d12 + d12, 2 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility (Ranged Training), d12 + d12, 10-60’, 2 dam/hit ╝ Melee attack: Strength, d6, 2 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility, d6, 10-60’, 2 dam/hit
Distracted Attack (Bonus): When you make a ranged attack at an engaged
target, your action pool gains a matching die for your Distracted Attack skill. Leader’s Command (Action): When an active ally within 30’ can perceive you,
Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have you can direct them to attack. The ally can immediately make a martial
been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die. attack as a reaction. The attribute die that they use for this attack cannot be
higher than your Influence die.
Pinning Attack (Reaction): When your martial attack resolves, you can
expend 2 energy to immediately roll your attribute die separately against the Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have
target’s existing defense pool. If this roll hits, the target is Slowed until the been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die.
end of your next turn. If the target is already Slowed or Immobilized when Leader’s Guard (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack, you can
hit with this attack, they are Immobilized until the end of your next turn. expend 2 energy to move up to 15’, and active allies within 10’ of your new
position can immediately move 5’ as a reaction.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Ranged weapon (2 dam) Clothing Melee weapon (2 dam)
Melee weapon (2 dam) Armor (d6) Ranged weapon (2 dam)

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Power 40 (d16, d12, d12, d10, d8, d6) Tank Human (Power 40)
Grunt Human (Power 40)
STR: d12 AGI: d6 STA: d16 INF: d8 INT: d10 ACU d12
STR: d16 AGI: d6 STA: d12 INF: d10 INT: d8 ACU d12 Energy: 8 Health: 24 PD: d16 + d12 MD: d10
Energy: 8 Health: 20 PD: d12 + d16 MD: d10 Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense
Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense ╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d12 + d12, 3 dam/hit
╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d16 + d16, 5 dam/hit Shield Training (Bonus): Once per round, you can use your Block reaction
╜ Ranged attack: Strength (Thrown Training), d16 + d16, 10-40’, 3 dam/hit without paying its energy cost. This resets at the start of your turn.
Flanking Attack (Bonus): When you make a melee attack at an engaged target, Bodyguard’s Ward (Reaction): When an adjacent ally is the target of a martial
your action pool gains a matching die for your Flanking Attack skill. attack that does not include you in its targets, you can expend 2 energy and
Final Attack (Reaction): When you are KO’d by an attack, you can expend that ally’s PD pool gains your Strength die.
3 energy to immediately make a martial attack. Hard to Kill (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack that would reduce
Opportunity Attack (Reaction): When an enemy moves out of your reach, you your health to 0 or less, you can expend 2 energy to roll your Stamina die
can immediately make a melee attack at that target using only your attribute die. (including any fatigue downsteps). Reduce the damage by the rolled result.
You incur 1 fatigue downstep. You cannot use this ability again until you rest.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Melee weapon (5 dam) Armor (d16) Thrown weapon (3 dam)
Melee weapon (3 dam) Armor (d12) Shield (+2 Armor upsteps)

Striker Human (Power 40)

Commander Human (Power 40)
STR: d10 AGI: d16 STA: d10 INF: d8 INT: d12 ACU d12
STR: d6 AGI: d8 STA: d10 INF: d16 INT: d12 ACU d12
Energy: 8 Health: 18 PD: d16 MD: d12
Energy: 8 Health: 18 PD: d8 + d6 MD: d12
Acrobatics, Agile Defense, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception
Agile Defense, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Persuasion
╝ Melee attack: Agility (Finesse Training), d16 + d16, 3 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility (Ranged Training), d16 + d16, 10-150’, 3 dam/hit ╝ Melee attack: Strength, d6, 2 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility, d8, 10-60’, 2 dam/hit
Distracted Attack (Bonus): When you make a ranged attack at an engaged
target, your action pool gains a matching die for your Distracted Attack skill. Leader’s Command (Action): When an active ally within 30’ can perceive you,
Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have you can direct them to attack. The ally can immediately make a martial
been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die. attack as a reaction. The attribute die that they use for this attack cannot be
higher than your Influence die.
Pinning Attack (Reaction): When your martial attack resolves, you can
expend 2 energy to immediately roll your attribute die separately against the Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have
target’s existing defense pool. If this roll hits, the target is Slowed until the been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die.
end of your next turn. If the target is already Slowed or Immobilized when Leader’s Guard (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack, you can
hit with this attack, they are Immobilized until the end of your next turn. expend 2 energy to move up to 15’, and active allies within 10’ of your new
position can immediately move 5’ as a reaction.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Ranged weapon (3 dam) Clothing Melee weapon (3 dam)
Melee weapon (2 dam) Armor (d8) Ranged weapon (2 dam)

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Power 52 (d20, d16, d16, d12, d10, d8) Tank Human (Power 52)
Grunt Human (Power 52)
STR: d16 AGI: d8 STA: d20 INF: d10 INT: d12 ACU d16
STR: d20 AGI: d8 STA: d16 INF: d12 INT: d10 ACU d16 Energy: 10 Health: 28 PD: d20 + d16 MD: d12
Energy: 10 Health: 24 PD: d16 + d20 MD: d12 Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense
Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense ╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d16 + d16, 4 dam/hit
╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d20 + d20, 5 dam/hit Shield Training (Bonus): Once per round, you can use your Block reaction
╜ Ranged attack: Strength (Thrown Training), d20 + d20, 10-40’, 4 dam/hit without paying its energy cost. This resets at the start of your turn.
Flanking Attack (Bonus): When you make a melee attack at an engaged target, Bodyguard’s Ward (Reaction): When an adjacent ally is the target of a martial
your action pool gains a matching die for your Flanking Attack skill. attack that does not include you in its targets, you can expend 2 energy and
Final Attack (Reaction): When you are KO’d by an attack, you can expend that ally’s PD pool gains your Strength die.
3 energy to immediately make a martial attack. Hard to Kill (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack that would reduce
Opportunity Attack (Reaction): When an enemy moves out of your reach, you your health to 0 or less, you can expend 2 energy to roll your Stamina die
can immediately make a melee attack at that target using only your attribute die. (including any fatigue downsteps). Reduce the damage by the rolled result.
You incur 1 fatigue downstep. You cannot use this ability again until you rest.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Melee weapon (5 dam) Armor (d20) Thrown weapon (4 dam)
Melee weapon (4 dam) Armor (d16) Shield (+2 Armor upsteps)

Striker Human (Power 52)

Commander Human (Power 52)
STR: d10 AGI: d20 STA: d12 INF: d10 INT: d16 ACU d16
STR: d8 AGI: d10 STA: d12 INF: d20 INT: d16 ACU d16
Energy: 10 Health: 20 PD: d20 MD: d16
Energy: 10 Health: 20 PD: d10 + d8 MD: d16
Acrobatics, Agile Defense, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception
Agile Defense, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Persuasion
╝ Melee attack: Agility (Finesse Training), d20 + d20, 3 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility (Ranged Training), d20 + d20, 10-150’, 3 dam/hit ╝ Melee attack: Strength, d8, 2 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility, d10, 10-60’, 2 dam/hit
Distracted Attack (Bonus): When you make a ranged attack at an engaged
target, your action pool gains a matching die for your Distracted Attack skill. Leader’s Command (Action): When an active ally within 30’ can perceive you,
Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have you can direct them to attack. The ally can immediately make a martial
been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die. attack as a reaction. The attribute die that they use for this attack cannot be
higher than your Influence die.
Pinning Attack (Reaction): When your martial attack resolves, you can
expend 2 energy to immediately roll your attribute die separately against the Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have
target’s existing defense pool. If this roll hits, the target is Slowed until the been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die.
end of your next turn. If the target is already Slowed or Immobilized when Leader’s Guard (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack, you can
hit with this attack, they are Immobilized until the end of your next turn. expend 2 energy to move up to 15’, and active allies within 10’ of your new
position can immediately move 5’ as a reaction.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Ranged weapon (3 dam) Clothing Melee weapon (3 dam)
Melee weapon (2 dam) Armor (d8) Ranged weapon (2 dam)

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Power 60 (d24, d20, d16, d12, d10, d8) Tank Human (Power 60)
Grunt Human (Power 60)
STR: d20 AGI: d8 STA: d24 INF: d10 INT: d12 ACU d16
STR: d24 AGI: d8 STA: d20 INF: d12 INT: d10 ACU d16 Energy: 11 Health: 32 PD: d24 + d20 MD: d12
Energy: 11 Health: 28 PD: d20 + d20 MD: d12 Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense
Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense ╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d20 + d20, 4 dam/hit
╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d24 + d24, 5 dam/hit Shield Training (Bonus): Once per round, you can use your Block reaction
╜ Ranged attack: Strength (Thrown Training), d24 + d24, 10-40’, 4 dam/hit without paying its energy cost. This resets at the start of your turn.
Flanking Attack (Bonus): When you make a melee attack at an engaged target, Bodyguard’s Ward (Reaction): When an adjacent ally is the target of a martial
your action pool gains a matching die for your Flanking Attack skill. attack that does not include you in its targets, you can expend 2 energy and
Final Attack (Reaction): When you are KO’d by an attack, you can expend that ally’s PD pool gains your Strength die.
3 energy to immediately make a martial attack. Hard to Kill (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack that would reduce
Opportunity Attack (Reaction): When an enemy moves out of your reach, you your health to 0 or less, you can expend 2 energy to roll your Stamina die
can immediately make a melee attack at that target using only your attribute die. (including any fatigue downsteps). Reduce the damage by the rolled result.
You incur 1 fatigue downstep. You cannot use this ability again until you rest.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Melee weapon (5 dam) Armor (d20) Thrown weapon (4 dam)
Melee weapon (4 dam) Armor (d20) Shield (+2 Armor upsteps)

Striker Human (Power 60)

Commander Human (Power 60)
STR: d16 AGI: d24 STA: d12 INF: d10 INT: d16 ACU d20
STR: d8 AGI: d10 STA: d12 INF: d24 INT: d20 ACU d16
Energy: 11 Health: 20 PD: d24 MD: d16
Energy: 11 Health: 20 PD: d10 + d8 MD: d20
Acrobatics, Agile Defense, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception
Agile Defense, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Persuasion
╝ Melee attack: Agility (Finesse Training), d24 + d24, 3 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility (Ranged Training), d24 + d24, 10-300’, 4 dam/hit ╝ Melee attack: Strength, d8, 2 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility, d10, 10-60’, 2 dam/hit
Distracted Attack (Bonus): When you make a ranged attack at an engaged
target, your action pool gains a matching die for your Distracted Attack skill. Leader’s Command (Action): When an active ally within 30’ can perceive you,
Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have you can direct them to attack. The ally can immediately make a martial
been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die. attack as a reaction. The attribute die that they use for this attack cannot be
higher than your Influence die.
Pinning Attack (Reaction): When your martial attack resolves, you can
expend 2 energy to immediately roll your attribute die separately against the Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have
target’s existing defense pool. If this roll hits, the target is Slowed until the been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die.
end of your next turn. If the target is already Slowed or Immobilized when Leader’s Guard (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack, you can
hit with this attack, they are Immobilized until the end of your next turn. expend 2 energy to move up to 15’, and active allies within 10’ of your new
position can immediately move 5’ as a reaction.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Ranged weapon (4 dam) Clothing Melee weapon (3 dam)
Melee weapon (2 dam) Armor (d8) Ranged weapon (2 dam)

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Power 74 (d30, d24, d20, d16, d12, d10) Tank Human (Power 74)
Grunt Human (Power 74)
STR: d24 AGI: d10 STA: d30 INF: d12 INT: d16 ACU d20
STR: d30 AGI: d10 STA: d24 INF: d16 INT: d12 ACU d20 Energy: 14 Health: 38 PD: d30 + d20 MD: d16
Energy: 14 Health: 32 PD: d24 + d20 MD: d16 Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense
Athletics, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Sturdy Defense ╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d24 + d24, 4 dam/hit
╝ Melee attack: Strength (Melee Training), d30 + d30, 5 dam/hit Shield Training (Bonus): Once per round, you can use your Block reaction
╜ Ranged attack: Strength (Thrown Training), d30 + d30, 10-40’, 4 dam/hit without paying its energy cost. This resets at the start of your turn.
Flanking Attack (Bonus): When you make a melee attack at an engaged target, Bodyguard’s Ward (Reaction): When an adjacent ally is the target of a martial
your action pool gains a matching die for your Flanking Attack skill. attack that does not include you in its targets, you can expend 2 energy and
Final Attack (Reaction): When you are KO’d by an attack, you can expend that ally’s PD pool gains your Strength die.
3 energy to immediately make a martial attack. Hard to Kill (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack that would reduce
Opportunity Attack (Reaction): When an enemy moves out of your reach, you your health to 0 or less, you can expend 2 energy to roll your Stamina die
can immediately make a melee attack at that target using only your attribute die. (including any fatigue downsteps). Reduce the damage by the rolled result.
You incur 1 fatigue downstep. You cannot use this ability again until you rest.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Melee weapon (5 dam) Armor (d20) Thrown weapon (4 dam)
Melee weapon (4 dam) Armor (d20) Shield (+2 Armor upsteps)

Striker Human (Power 74)

Commander Human (Power 74)
STR: d16 AGI: d30 STA: d16 INF: d12 INT: d20 ACU d24
STR: d10 AGI: d12 STA: d16 INF: d30 INT: d24 ACU d20
Energy: 14 Health: 24 PD: d30 MD: d20
Energy: 14 Health: 24 PD: d12 + d10 MD: d20
Acrobatics, Agile Defense, Initiative, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception
Agile Defense, Knowledge, Lang. +Native, Perception, Persuasion
╝ Melee attack: Agility (Finesse Training), d30 + d30, 3 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility (Ranged Training), d30 + d30, 10-300’, 4 dam/hit ╝ Melee attack: Strength, d10, 3 dam/hit
╜ Ranged attack: Agility, d12, 10-150’, 3 dam/hit
Distracted Attack (Bonus): When you make a ranged attack at an engaged
target, your action pool gains a matching die for your Distracted Attack skill. Leader’s Command (Action): When an active ally within 30’ can perceive you,
Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have you can direct them to attack. The ally can immediately make a martial
been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die. attack as a reaction. The attribute die that they use for this attack cannot be
higher than your Influence die.
Pinning Attack (Reaction): When your martial attack resolves, you can
expend 2 energy to immediately roll your attribute die separately against the Dodge (Reaction): When you are the target of a martial attack and the dice have
target’s existing defense pool. If this roll hits, the target is Slowed until the been rolled, you can expend 2 energy and your PD pool gains your Agility die.
end of your next turn. If the target is already Slowed or Immobilized when Leader’s Guard (Reaction): When you are damaged by an attack, you can
hit with this attack, they are Immobilized until the end of your next turn. expend 2 energy to move up to 15’, and active allies within 10’ of your new
position can immediately move 5’ as a reaction.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Medium (Trait): Size 5-7’, Move 30’, Health 8 + STA, Reach 5’.
Ranged weapon (4 dam) Clothing Melee weapon (3 dam)
Melee weapon (3 dam) Armor (d10) Ranged weapon (3 dam)

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 APPENDICES
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times.
But that is not for them to decide.
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

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CHARACTER NAMES Name Location: Name Location:
Zula _____________________ Livia _____________________
Name Location: Name Location: Yara _____________________ Jasp _____________________
Vee _____________________ Greig _____________________ Wilder _____________________ Ink _____________________
Eli _____________________ Haze _____________________ Valkyrie _____________________ Heath _____________________
Elijah _____________________ Moira _____________________ Valora _____________________ Gabe _____________________
Obi _____________________ Jora _____________________ Verne _____________________ Elektra _____________________
Jay _____________________ Jye _____________________ Thorn ______________________ Adrew ______________________
Torque _____________________ Kane ______________________ Wolf _____________________ Denni _____________________
Micah ______________________ Abel _____________________ Rex _____________________ Redana _____________________
Yvette _____________________ Kit _____________________ Tali _____________________ Kota _____________________
Naor _____________________ Link _____________________ Travish _____________________ Cyrus _____________________
Zeek _____________________ Lunx _____________________ Elton _____________________ Arti _____________________
Zoa _____________________ Laya _____________________ Lucan _____________________ Neesa _____________________
Tzu _____________________ Jaesun _____________________ Shani ______________________ Acelin ______________________
Adrie _____________________ Jax ______________________ Rynn _____________________ Aarav _____________________
Malus ______________________ Medea _____________________ Scarla _____________________ Cael _____________________
Aggie _____________________ Otto _____________________ Rue _____________________ Cy _____________________
Arlo _____________________ Niall _____________________ Raiden _____________________ Clio _____________________
Aviva _____________________ Nuba _____________________ Feenix _____________________ Fox _____________________
Coba _____________________ Novae _____________________ Raven _____________________ Kenza _____________________
Covy _____________________ Orion _____________________ Momo ______________________ Kipp ______________________
Cassian _____________________ Perri ______________________ Maeven _____________________ Mekhi _____________________
Charo ______________________ Red _____________________ Minerva _____________________ Ozias _____________________
Dayah _____________________ Skyler _____________________ Mace _____________________ Raiza _____________________
Evana _____________________ Seraph _____________________ Luci _____________________ Taye _____________________
Fig _____________________ Trix _____________________ Elona _____________________ Zvi _____________________
Hera _____________________ Wolf _____________________ Larken _____________________ Zan _____________________
Harley _____________________ Xander _____________________ Silas _____________________ Vito _____________________

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INFLUENCES ON ONYX SKY TV
• Revolution
•
Books
Jericho
• The 100
• The Road • Survivors (UK) (1975 | 2008)
• A Canticle for Leibowitz • The War of the Worlds (2019)
• The Girl with All the Gifts • The Walking Dead
• Wool | Shift | Dust | Sand • Fear the Walking Dead
• Without Warning | After America | Angels of Vengeance • The Colony
• The Second Sleep • Black Summer
• Earth Abides • The Good Place
• Tomorrow, When the War Began Series • The Last Ship
Movies •
•
The Rain
Life After People
• The Rover
• Raised By Wolves
• Max Max | Mad Max: The Road Warrior | Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome |
• Aftermath: Population Zero (2010)
Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Survivalist Videogames
• Z for Zachariah • Fallout
• Threads • The Last of Us | The Last of Us 2
• The Road • Horizon Zero Dawn
• 28 Days Later | 28 Weeks Later • Far Cry: New Dawn
• On the Beach • Wasteland
• The Book of Eli • Submerged
• Oblivion
• The Postman RPGs
• Waterworld • Atomic Highway
• Time of the Wolf • Dark Sun
• The Day After • Darwin’s World
• Salute of the Jugger (The Blood of Heroes) • Fallout Roleplaying Game
• I Am Legend • Other Dust
• The Quiet Earth • Red Markets
• 20 Years After • Twilight 2000
• Young Ones (2014) • The Morrow Project

Boardgames Other
• Hope Inhumanity • Reality
• Fallout Wasteland Warfare

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 CHARACTER
SHEET
I’ve for a long time heard that the sun will be darkened,
The sun will be darkened in that day,
Oh the sun will be darkened in that day,
Oh, sinner, where will you stand in that day?

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Onyx Sky - Role-Playing Game Hero Forge Games Page 110
 The Road to Ruin Onyx Sky Hero Kids Hero Kids
Co-op Board Game for 1-4 Players Post-Apocalyptic RPG Fantasy RPG for Kids Space Adventures

Forge Engine Heroes Against Darkness Hero Kids Hero Kids

Universal Role-Playing System Fantasy RPG Adventure Compendium Monster Compendium

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