VR Exploits

Choose 1 exploit — how you bend the simulation to your will. To use an exploit, roll Simulation (d6 skill by default), at the risk of alerting daemons (1–2) nearby or (3–4) within a block.

To enhance a risky action with an exploit(e.g., Shift bullets while Shooting; Move by Running on a wall), roll Simulation and the other skill; use the higher die. If not already engaged by daemons, replace the roll’s risk with “alerting daemons.”

  • BREAK: Strike with piercing force — shatter a tree trunk, punch through a car door, etc.
  • COPY: Duplicate a small object. Hinder(d4) for something bigger than you, up to car-sized.
  • CHOWN: An item you specify is recognized as yours, legally and in public opinion. (The previous owner might pretend otherwise.)
  • DELETE: A small item you touch ceases to exist — a gun, a doorknob, a laptop, etc.
  • FIND: Unerringly locate an item, either general (“a gun”) or specific (“this door’s key”).
  • KILL: Touch to induce cardiac arrest. No effect on daemons. Being seen using this will turn many principled codebreakers against you.
  • HIDE: People ignore you as long as you can hold your breath. Daemons fooled only briefly.
  • MOVE: Move with preternatural speed and grace — jump across rooftops, scale walls, etc.
  • PING: Sense everything around you, as if by radar. Helps when someone sneaks up on you.
  • RESTORE: Reveal an injury is not as bad as it looked, removing a hindrance.
  • SHIFT: Momentarily exert invisible force on an object — bend a spoon, guide a bullet, etc.
  • SUDO: Force an object to perform or cease its function — stall an engine, unlock a door, etc.
  • SUSPEND: Gently pause someone a short while, as if entranced. No effect on daemons.

VR Exploits are based on The Matrix films.

Surprises

Each player gets a certain number of surprises to reveal in play. When a surprise is revealed, it’s true, but should be simple, brief, and vague (not “we get the haul and escape”). You can also tear up a surprise to change any roll to a 12.

Examples:

  • This person is actually on our side.
  • That’s me in disguise.
  • All outgoing calls are being routed through us.
  • This is where we left the getaway shuttle.
  • I hid a backup piece in my pant leg.

Disguise

  • SUBTLE: A good disguise. Declare 1 concealed item during play, like a keycard or bug.
  • SUSPICIOUS: A disguise that won’t hold up under close scrutiny. Declare during play any items that might fit a specific disguise (like a tool belt if disguised as a maintenance worker), plus 1 slightly tough-to-conceal item, like a stun gun or radio jammer.
  • ALARMING: Being spotted will draw attention. You’re hindered at Persuasion and Deception. Whenever it’s relevant in play, declare any reasonable number of small items, and/or a bulky item, like a rifle or tactical armor.

Rules

Rules

HAZARDS: When characters are cautious and alert, the GM is generous with information about hazards (“The dirt looks freshly swept over,” or even, “You spot a pit trap”). Characters only risk harm from unseen hazards when in a rush. which the GM signals as a risk (“You can flee, but you risk an enemy pursuing — or running into a trap”).

STEPS: If a situation can’t be resolved in 1 roll…

  • Establish actions & risks as you normally do. There’s no rigid turn order, but strive to give every player a chance to be in the spotlight.
  • Each player rolls as needed. Actions might go in sequence (“disarm, then attack!”), or all at once (“grab the guns while I hold them off!”).
  • Evaluate the results as you normally do, with a focus on how the situation changes.
  • Repeat until situation is resolved or escaped.

RULINGS: The GM improvises rulings when rules are unclear. On a break, discuss unsatisfactory rulings, maybe to retcon or revise for next time.

Danger

RISK-SETTING: The GM doesn’t plan solutions for problems. Instead, they advise of risks before players roll, and improvise what happens next based on what players do and what the dice say. When presenting risks, the GM should consider…

  • The worst-case scenario: If playing Battle Moon like a Saturday morning cartoon, the worst case scenario of “trying to punch out a killer robot” is getting hurt. In a sci-fi/horror game, the worst case would be death. If players revise plans, the GM signals a new worst-case scenario. “I run by to distract the robot” might only risk getting cornered.
  • On a “miss”: If an attack goes wide, the real risk is what changes — out of ammo, jammed gun, gave away position, drew fire, etc. If you can just try again without issue, it’s not a risk.
  • If you forget: If someone rolls a 1–4, but the risk wasn’t made explicit, the GM describes logical consequences given already signaled details — no surprises. Death and permanent injury are off-limits if these weren’t already unambiguously established as risks.

CONSEQUENCES: Assigning risks is meant to be intuitive, based on context, not a pick-list. That said, if players need help coming up with more modest goals than “shoot to kill,” or if the GM struggles to describe new risks after players revise their goals and tactics, look lower on this list for examples of shorter-term risks.

  • Permanent: dead, maimed, item lost forever
  • Days or weeks: wounded, broken bone or item
  • Minutes or hours: dizzy, sore, exhausted
  • Brief: tripped, distracted, exposed, disarmed

DEFENSE: When a character would be harmed, a player may declare an item or cyber-limb broken to suffer only a brief hindrance (like stumbling) instead. Broken items are useless until repaired.

DEATH: If a player’s character dies, introduce a new one (or take over one the GM doesn’t need) ASAP. Favor quick inclusion over realism.

GM Information

Area Info

Info

  1. Encounter (friendly)
  2. Encounter (hostile)
  3. Area transition
  4. Hazard
  5. Hint or map
  6. Item (gear or mod)