PΩLARISTHE ROLEPLAYING GAME

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QUICK-START RULES

“A system? What system? I just wanna blow that guy up! ”

— A Player

Archetype ⁄ PIRATE

Background information

”Prepare for boarding!” This clamor is sweet to your ears...

You are a predator of the seas, proud of who you are and of your blood brothers and sis-ters. Let the enemy shake, because you’ll never let anyone get in your way. Although you enjoy fighting, you are not a mindless brute; boarding a ship needs a lot of cunning and you are here to get rich, not die stupidly.

You are aware you are a part of the legend of the seas. Many are the merchants who fear you, whether they’re right or wrong to do so. You are an outcast, but all you want is to share the riches more equitably! Rumors about you make you smile. They think you are just a bloodthirsty monster. That’s whaleshit! You are no crueler than many decorated gen-erals... At least you can count on the fear you inspire...

Let’s have a good catch, my fellow pirates, and tonight the drink will flow freely!

*N.A. stands for Natural Ability

STR CON COO ADA PER INT WIL PRE

Base 16 15 15 15 12 11 15 8

N.A.* 3 2 2 2 1 1 2 0

SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES

Luck 13 Reaction 13

Melee Damage Modifier

+3 Damage Resistance

-3

equipment• Savings: 3,000 Sols.• Personal Gear: Exo-1 diving armor, Heavy pistol, Knife, Saber.• Accessible gear: Pretty much any kinds of gear (stolen of course!).

attributes (7 cp) skills (15 cp)• Combat (melee): Armed combat (5+6) 11; Hand-to-hand

combat (5+5) 10; Martial arts (Offense techniques) (4+5) 9.

• Combat (shooting): Automatic weapons (4+7) 11; Hand-guns (3+11) 14; Shoulder-fired weapons/Rifles (3+10) 13; Underwater weapons (3+5) 8.

• Soc. Relationships/Communication: Intimidation (2+8) 10. • Knowledge: Gambling (3+5) 8; Knowledge of a nation (Pi-

rate nations, orig.) (2+5) 7; Knowledge of a natural envi-ronment (Oceans) (3+0) 3; Tactics (Special ops) (3+5) 8.

• Stealth/Subterfuge: Pickpocketing (4+5) 9; Stealth/Silent movement (3+7) 10.

• Languages: Native language (Neo-azuran) (Special) 7; Specific language (Ithraxian) (2+5) 7.

• Piloting: Armor Maneuvering (Underwater Armors) (4+2) 6; Remote piloting (3+5) 8.

• Survival/Outside: Observation (3+5) 8; Orientation (3+5) 8; Survival (4+5) 9.

Disadvantage (3 CP) • Wanted (+3 CP: nation or faction of major importance)

PΩLARISTHE ROLEPLAYING GAME

Game system by raphael bombayl

TM

The game system for Polaris RPG 3rd Edition requires standard 6, 10 and 20-sided dice (d6, d10 & d20).

How to use your skills

The Success Probability for your skill test is equal to your Skill level + any difficulty modifiers that might apply. Example : The pirate (presented in this leaflet) tries to drinking

water in an abandoned Genetician depot. He needs to make a Survival skill test to see if he’s successfull with his research. His Survival Skill level is 9. He has searched this depot before. The Ga-memaster determines that knowing where to find the necessary resources would be a rather easy task for him and grants him a +3 modifier. The Success Probability would then be 12 (9+3).

DIFFICULTY OF THE ACTION MODIFIER

Very easy +7

Easy +5

Fairly easy +3

Average +0

Difficult -5

Very difficult -7

Extremely difficult -10

How to test your attributes

It sometimes happens that a Test is not linked to a Skill but is ins-tead directly linked to an Attribute. For example, you can test the Strength of a character, to see if he is able to lift a very heavy object. In this case you simply use the level of the Attribute in question.

Rolling the dice

To work out the result of a Test, roll a D20:

»› If the result of the roll is equal to or less than the Success Probability of the Test, the attempted action has succeeded.

»› If the result of the roll is higher than the Success Probability of the Test, the attempted action has failed.

Success or failure Margins

The Success Margin of a successful Test is equal to the result of the roll (this is a direct reading: the aim is therefore to roll the highest possible score that is still below the Success Probability score).The Failure Margin of a failed Test is equal to the number of points

over the character’s Success Probability (taking into account the Difficulty Modifier).

SUCCESS MARGIN Degree of Success Success Modifier

1–2 Just barely +0

3–4 Decent +1

5–6 Fairly good +2

7–9 Good +3

10–12 Very good +4

13–14 Excellent +5

15–19 Perfect +6

20–24 Extraordinary +7

FAILURE MARGIN Degree of Failure Failure Modifier

1–2 Just barely +0

3–4 Mediocre -1

5–6 Fairly bad -2

7–9 Bad -3

10–12 Very bad -4

13–14 Terrible -5

15–19 Catastrophic +6

The Degrees of Success or Failure are descriptive terms. Among other things, they allow the Gamemaster to describe more pre-cisely the result of the action: they are above all a guide and a narration tool to help develop the atmosphere.

Critical Successes and Failures

»› CRITICAL SUCCESSIf the result of the roll is exactly the same value as the Total Suc-

cess Probability (thus taking into account the Difficulty Modifier), you score a Critical Success. In this case, you can add the Maste-ry Level (the second value mentioned between parenthesis for each skill in the provided character Archetypes) to the previously obtained score to increase your Success Margin.»› CRITICAL FAILUREIf the die roll produces a «20» this is a Critical Failure. In this case, roll

the D20 again and add the result to the Test’s original Failure Margin.

Luck

Luck is an Attribute that can be used at the discretion of the Game-master in order to work out if an event will affect a character or a group of characters. The Test is a normal Random Test: the Player must roll a D20 and obtain a result lower than or equal to the Luck level of his character. If the Test is a success, the events become favorable to the character or group of characters. A player can also spend a Luck point to gain a clue from the GM or a +5 bonus on a skill or attribute check.

Opposed Tests

Sometimes a character’s actions are confronted by another character. In this case, we refer to an Opposed Test. This kind of Test is used during hand-to-hand combat, for example.Both characters first determine their Success Probability. Then

both roll their d20 and check whether or not their test is a success.If only one character rolled below his Success Probability, he is

the winner of the confrontation. His Success Margin is the result of his die roll.If both characters succeed at their Test, the winner of the

confrontation is the one who obtained the highest score on the die or the highest final total after applying any Critical Successes (so you need to roll a score lower than your Success Probability, but higher than your opponent’s score). The Success Margin of the winner is the number of points he obtained over the loser’s score.If both characters succeed at their Tests and get the same score on

the dice or the same final total after applying any Critical Successes, the result is considered to be a “tie.” They both succeed in perfor-ming their action, but neither of them manages to take the upper hand. The Success Margin of both opponents is 0.

Summary of a Combat Round

1. Surprise (if Applicable)

If one or more of the participants are at risk of being surprised by their opponents (ambush, sudden attack, etc.), they must perform a Reaction Test, to see if they can act. Characters who fail their Test in the first Combat Round will have a normal Initiative again during the following Round.

2. Base Initiative

For the Quick Start rules the Initiative of each character is equal to his Reaction Level.

3. Resolving the Actions

Actions are resolved in decreasing order of Initiative (the fastest goes first), during their respective Action Phases. Therefore, the character with the highest Initiative can act during the first Action Phase. The Players perform the required Tests in turn (the Attack Tests, for exa-mple), then the GM announces the Action and its result.

Types of Actions

During a Combat Round, each character is given the opportunity to perform one of the following Actions:

»› A Movement, to move around in the area of the combat.

»› A Combat Action, often an Attack in Melee Combat or with a Ranged-Combat weapon.

»› Any other Simple Action that can reasonably be performed in less than five or six seconds. »› Free Actions are very fast actions that do not slow down the

character at all (saying a word, dropping an object etc.). As these

combat

actions are almost instantaneous, we will consider that a cha-racter can always perform a Free Action, before, during, or after a normal Action.

Attack & damage

Melee combat

Melee tests are resolved through an Opposed Test made by each of the two combatants rolling on the Skill their chosen com-bat technique is based on, which is determined by the weapon they are using: Heavy weapons, Armed combat, and Hand-to-hand combat.

Ranged combat

A Shooting Test is a normal Test based on the appropriate Skill. The Difficulty Modifier is essentially based on two factors: the dis-tance to the target and its size. The two tables below indicate the Modifier to use:

DISTANCE Modifier

Point Blank Range +5

Short Range +0

Medium Range -5

Long Range -10

Extreme Range -15

SIZE OF TARGET Modifier

Tiny (around 30 cm) -10

Very Small (around 50 cm) -5

Small (around 1 m) -3

Medium (human size) +0

Large (around 3 m) +3

Very Large (around 5 m) +5

Damage and Wound Points

A character who hits his adversary will inflict physical Damage points equal to:

»› In melee: Weapon Damage roll + Success Modifier + charac-ter’s Melee Damage Modifier.

»› In ranged combat: Weapon Damage roll + Success ModifierTo this base total of damage, you must also add the Modifier for

the target character’s Damage Resistance. The final total must be compared to the character’s Wound

Thresholds: every 5 points of damage increases the severity of the wound by one threshold. The wound inflicted corresponds to the highest threshold crossed.

Wound Thresholds

Physical Wounds are classified depending on their level of se-verity. Each level of Wound severity is associated with a fixed Wound Threshold. As soon as the sum of physical Damage Points inflicted becomes equal to or larger than one of these thresholds, the character receives the equivalent Wound:

THRESHOLD Seriousness

5 Light Wounds

10 Moderate Wounds

15 Serious Wounds

20 Critical Wounds

25 Mortal Wounds

30 Sudden Death/Limb Destroyed

Wound ScaleThe total number of Wounds that a character can receive is li-

mited. As soon as a character is wounded, the Player must then tick one of the boxes in the Wound Scale of his character sheet, as determined by the Wound Threshold chart above, depending on the Location of the hit and the severity of the wound.In each Location, when all of the boxes of a line have been ticked

and the character receives another Wound of the same severity, the Player should then:1. Tick a box in the next higher degree of severity.2. Erase the Wounds noted in the boxes of the completed line.Indeed, we will consider that the total of the Wounds inflicted at a cer-

tain level of severity ends up creating a wound of a higher severity.

Wound ScaleWOUNDS HEAD BODY RIGHT ARM LEFT ARM RIGHT LEG LEFT LEG Penalties

Light (5) ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ -1

Moderate (10) ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ -3

Serious (15) ¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ -5

Critical (20) ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ -10

Mortal (25) ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ ¨ ¨ ¨Impossible

action

Death/Limb Destroyed Death Death ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨

Impossible action

Hit location table

1D20 Location

1-2 Head3-8 Body9-11 Right arm12-14 Left arm15-17 Right leg18-20 Left leg

The polaris effect

The Polaris Effect lives inside all things and seems to consciously act in certain circumstances. The manipulation of the Effect is still in its infancy.Use of the Polaris Effect is achieved in two steps: first the cha-

racter releases the Polaris energy that is inside him, then he shapes it into a specific form that will be the effect of the power.

Step 1 : In terms of game play, you must first perform a Mastery of the Polaris Effect Test to know if the character can succeed in releasing the Polaris Effect while controlling it:

»› On a Success, the character releases the Effect and main-tains control of it. He may then shape the Polaris Effect to use a specific power. Got to step 2.

»› On a Failure, the Polaris Effect is poorly controlled, which may lead to consequences of varying severity (examples : temperature changes, pressure changes, noises, itching, diz-ziness, outages, seizures...).

ENERGY BOLTS

Number of energy bolts: 1 + Success Modifier.Damage: 2D10, +2 points per additional bolt. It is possible to spread the energy bolts in order to attack several op-ponents at once.Range: 15 meters +/- Success Modifier.Duration: 5 Combat Rounds +/- Success Modifier.This power creates a number of energy bolts that inflict

physical damage. If the power is controlled, the PC chooses his targets as long as he can see them. The attack Test is performed with the Energy bolts Skill. Armors and protec-tions are usually effective against this power.If the power is not controlled, the bolts randomly strike at

1D4 target(s) each Combat Round. An attack Test must be performed with a Skill Level of 10 + Success Modifier.

Molecular Healing

Note: the character can use this power on himself.

The character can heal physical wounds (Location by Location). If the Test is successful, the healed Location immediately recovers a number of Wound boxes equal to the Success Modifier.

Disruption of Reality

Penalty to the actions : -1 - Success Modifier.Area of Effect: 5 meters in diameter +/- Success Modifier.Max. Range from the center of the Area of Effect: 15 me-ters +/- Success Modifier.Duration: 5 Combat Rounds +/- Success Modifier.

Reality seems distorted under the effect of this disrup-tion. Distances can no longer be estimated, senses are disturbed, etc. For the whole duration of the power, every Action performed in the spherical Area of Effect suffers a penalty.

Step 2: To use a power of the Polaris Effect, you must perform a Polaris Power test corresponding to the power used:

»› On a Success, the power is triggered and produces the ex-pected effects. The Success Margin allows you to increase the effects of the power. See “Powers of the Polaris Effect” below.

»› On a Failure, the power is not triggered (and nothing further happens).

Polaris Powers

Archetype ⁄ Priest of the Trident

*N.A. stands for Natural Ability

STR CON COO ADA PER INT WIL PRE

Base 10 10 12 14 11 16 17 15

N.A.* 1 1 1 2 1 3 3 2

SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES

Luck 13 Reaction 12

Melee Damage Modifier

+0 Damage Resistance

+0

equipment• Savings: 5,600 Sols• Personal Gear: Combat staff, Computer (personal assistant).• Accessible gear: Bladed weapons, Computer hardware, Standard gear.

polaris powers• Disruption of reality (6+2) 8.• Molecular healing (6+4) 10. • Energy bolts (6+5) 11.

attributes (7 cp) skills (11 cp)

• Combat (melee): Armed combat (2+5) 7.

• Soc. Relationships/Communication: Empathic analy-sis (4+5) 9.

• Knowledge: Education/General knowledge (6+6) 12; Finding information (6+0) 6; Knowledge of a nation (Equinox, orig.) (6+3) 9; Knowledge of an organiza-tion (Cult of the Trident) (6+4) 10; Science (Medicine) (6+7) 13.

• Languages: Native language (Neo-azuran) (Spe-cial) 16; Specific language (Absolanese) (6+0) 6; Spe-cific language (Inesisian) (6+5) 11.

• Survival/Outside: Observation (4+3) 7.

• Techniques: First aid (5+7) 12.

• Special Skills: Body control (4+5) 9; Mastery of the Po-laris Effect (6+8) 14; Mind shield (6+5) 11.

Background Information

The Polaris Effect is a powerful ally.

However, few members of the Cult of the Tri-dent are able to master this mysterious ener-gy. Most of them are devoted to the numerous other activities of the organization: research, diplomacy, science, and medicine... You didn’t forget to nourish your mind while you were learning to control your powers.

You are indeed one of the few to have this gift—some call it a mutation— the ability to create a Polaris Effect. You are aware there is a certain amount of danger; therefore, you have learned to use your ability with modera-tion. You know only too well the disastrous re-sults of the “Polaris incidents” triggered with-out any control. For the time being, you have been taught how to act wisely, happy that the Cult offered you a way to channel this power.

To master one’s mind is to master the world.

Advantages / Disadvantages• Polaris Effect (5 CP)

• Age-Old Enemy (+3 CP)

Find out more about POLARIS RPG with free PDFs:POLARIS: Universe (already available) & POLARIS: An introductory adventure (upcoming)

Available on our website:

www.polaris-rpg.com

EQUIPMENT

MODEL Dam. STR Init. Reach Cost Charge (Cost) AVA (B. Mkt) TL

Barehanded 1D6 - - - - - - -

Combat staff 1D10+5 11 - +2 600 - 20 (20) I

Shark dDagger - Shark 1D10+2 - - - 200 - 15 (20) I

Knife - Conger 1D10+1 5 - - 120 - 20 (20) I

Sword/saber - Capitan 2D10+2 10 -2 +2 600 - 15 (20) I

MODEL Dam. Range STR Init. Firing Mode Cost Ammo. (Cost) AVA (B. mkt) TL

Handguns and Sub-machine Guns

1D6 - - - - - - - -

Light pistol 2D10+3 3/7/15/30 (50) 10 - SS 1,000 12 (80) 15 (20) II

Medium pistol 3D10 3/7/15/30 (50) 13 - SS 1,500 15 (100) 15 (20) II

Heavy pistol 3D10+1 3/7/15/30 (50) 15 - SS 2,000 15 (150) 15 (20) II

Light assault rifle 4D1010/50/100/200

(300)15 -3 SS/SB/LB 3,500 35 (280) 5 (10) II

MODEL Dam. Range STR Init.Shooting mode

Price Ammo. (Price)AVA (B. mkt)

TL

Medium harpoon launcher

2D10+52 / 5 / 1 0 / 2 0

(30) **10 - SS 500 1 (10) 15 (20) II

Heavy repeater harp. launcher

3D10+31/2/5/10 (20)

**13 - SS 3,200 2 (120) 15 (20) II

»› Dam.: Physical damage inflicted by the weapon. In this section, the damage from individual weapons relies most of the time on the Human Scale, contrary to torpedoes or weapons capable of creating damage on the Ship Scale.»› Range: range of firearms, in meters (Short/Medium/Long/Extreme). The maximum range is also indicated between paren-theses, beyond which a target is considered impossible to hit.»› STR: Minimum strength to handle the weapon.»› Init.: Penalty imposed on Initiative (Preparation), caused by the weight and/or the poor maneuverability of the weapon.

Polaris RPG. All rights reserved. © 2015 Black Book Editions. A Roleplaying Game by Philippe Tessier. Game system by Raphael Bombayl.Illustrations: Geoffroy «Djahal» Thoorens (cover, archetypes, interior illustrations) and Anne Rouvin (combat scene).

»› Reach: Reach bonus of the weapon (melee weapons).»› Firing Mode: Firing mode (firearms), with «SS» for single shot, «SB» for short burst, «LB» for long burst.»› Cost: Approximate value of the object, in Sols.»› Ammo. (Cost): Magazine capacity (firearms), and cost of am-munition (per magazine).»› AVA (B. Mkt): Availability The value in parentheses indicates the availability of the object on the black market.»› TL: Technological level.