Piecemeal

Campaign Resources

Original Intro	Char Gen	Brainstorming	Technology	Terminology
The Map	NCT	Locale	The PCs

Characters

The System

We will be using FUDGE combined with the FateRPG descriptor scale:

Fate Ladder
+8	Legendary
+7	Epic
+6	Fantastic
+5	Superb
+4	Great
+3	Good
+2	Fair
+1	Average
0	Mediocre
-1	Poor
-2	Terrible

Character Creation in a Nutshell

See below for detailed information.

• Attributes: All Average. 5 points to spend. 2 additional points available by lowering other attributes.
• Skills: 25 points to spend. Some skills have prerequisites. See also Starting Skills.
• Powers: Purchased as skills, two skills per Power. Character suffers a permanent Consequence.
• Stress: Each two ranks of Fitness and Will add a Stress box to the character's stress track.

Attributes

All characters have four attributes:

• Fitness - Physical state, strength and toughness. Also a measure of physical resistance.
• Reflexes - Quickness, balance and dexterity.
• Will - The mental version of fitness. Resistance to mental stress, mental stability and focus.
• Intellect - Ability to reason, learn and remember.

All Attributes start at Average and can be increased via point expenditures. Five points are available to starting characters. Characters can gain up to two additional points by lowering Attributes below their starting values (one point per rank).

Skills

Skills are areas of knowledge or proficiencies a character has. Skills are used to resolve tests and challenges. Skills are purchased using points. Characters begin with 25 points to spend on skills:

• Tier I skills are base Mediocre unless otherwise stated. The first rank of a skill purchase increases it to Average, the second Fair, and so on. Tier I skills have no prerequisites.
• Tier II skills have prerequisites for advancement in the form of a required skill, and/or a different base level. Each Tier II skill indicates its prerequisites. Tier II skills cannot be used without spending points on the skill.

For example: Veterinary is base Poor. Spending one point on the skill gives a level of Mediocre. Someone without the skill cannot succeed at a Veterinary skill test.

There will be an important division in skills: USE skills allow the use of items or resources. The Gun skill allows the use of guns. KNOWLEDGE skills allow understanding of items or resources. Picking up a gun and shooting it is one thing, knowing how to repair and maintain it is another. I think this split is very appropriate for the sort of post-collapse game under discussion.

Starting Skills

Characters begin with the following skills as freebies:

• Alertness - Average
• Riding OR Animal Handling - Average
• Guns OR Ranged - Average
• Native Language - Fair
• Knowledge: Home Region - Fair
• Survival: Temperate Coastal - Average
• One Craft skill: Average

Skill Lists

Animal
I	Riding	The ability to ride typical mounts (horses, camels).
I	Animal Handling	Teamster skills, and animal training.
II	Veterinary	Medical knowledge in relation to animals. Base: Poor, Prereq: Average Farming
Artistic
I	Artist (field)	Artistic skill as it applies to a specific field (e.g. painting).
I	Perform (field)	Performance skill as it applies to a specific field (e.g. singing).
Athletics
I	Athletics	General running, jumping, balance skill.
I	Climbing	Climbing ability.
I	Stealth	Hiding and being quiet while moving.
I	Swimming	Swimming ability.
Combat
I	Alertness	Situational awareness and general alertness.
I	Guns	Standard weapons such as pistols, rifles, and semi-automatic weapons.
II	Heavy Weapons	Heavy weapons such as machine guns, rocket launchers and similar. Base level: Poor, Prereq: Fair Guns
I	Martial Arts	All forms of unarmed combat.
I	Melee Weapons	Skill at any form of melee weapon combat.
I	Ranged Weapons	Non-gunpowder ranged weaponry.
I	Tactics	Basic tactical knowledge and small unit maneuvers.
Craft
I	Construction	Building basic structures, including woodworking, masonry and excavation.
I	Electrician	Knowledge of wiring, electricity, batteries and generators.
I	Farming	Basic agriculture / animal husbandry techniques.
I	Leatherworking	Skinning, treatment of hides, tanning and creation of leather goods.
I	Mechanical	Basic mechanics including guns, small engines, and simple mechanical systems.
I	Metalworking	Smithing, smelting and forging.
Language Skills
I	Speak (language)	Fluency in a single language.
I	Read/Write (language)	Read/Write a single language.
Medical
I	First Aid	Basic treatment of minor wounds.
II	Doctor	Advanced medical skill in diagnosis and treatment of maladies. Base level: Poor, Prereq: Fair First Aid
Outdoors
I	Boating	Small craft such as canoes, rafts, sailboats or rowboats.
I	Seamanship	Large craft such as ocean-going vessels.
II	Survival (terrain)	Basic survival skills, including knowledge of flora and fauna. Includes hunting / gathering. Base level: Poor, Additional terrains start at primary minus one.
I	Tracking and Orienteering	Includes following another's trail and keeping yourself on course.
Science
II	Biology	Advanced scientific knowledge including genetics and biochemistry. Base level: Poor
II	Chemistry	Physical and organic chemistry including creation and analysis. Base level: Poor
II	Engineering	Comprehend and repair complex machinery and systems. Base level: Poor
II	Electronics	Comprehend and repair complex electronics, including computer systems. Base level: Poor
II	Physics	The science of force and momentum. Base level: Poor
Social
I	Knowledge (area)	General knowledge of a region from a social perspective.
I	Negotiation	The ability to work the deal.
I	Politics	Ability to move within and deal with existing power structures.
I	Read Others	The study of others to obtain information.
I	Streetwise	Blending in to the local environment and picking up local custom.

Attributes vs. Skills

Skills are used to resolve conflicts. Attributes deal with results. For example climbing a cliff is a test of Climbing skill, but avoiding damage if you fall is a test of Reflexes. Comprehending a technical manual might be a test of Engineering, but how much you retain is a test of Intellect.

Stress and Consequences

Stress is the damage track for characters. Everyone has a single damage track that has a base of six slots numbered one to six. Fitness and Will add additional slots to the damage track, one box per two ranks of skill above Average. Any time the character takes damage the appropriate rank box is marked off (or the next higher empty box if already used). If all boxes are full the character takes a Consequence. Note that Stress can be caused by physical or social conflict, with appropriate consequences inflicted depending on the situation.

Examples:

• Bill takes a Consequence in a gunfight. The GM rules he has a bleeding leg wound. He suffers a penalty to all actions until the Consequence is resolved, in this case by getting medical attention.
• Jenni takes a Consequence while attempting to fast talk her way into an Enclave's governmental offices. She gets thrown out on her ear and suffers the consequence Marked by Security. She must find a way to clear her name to avoid penalties while in this Enclave.

Powers

I'm going to leave exact Powers up to individual players, subject to my approval. We're not playing supers here so low-level Powers appropriate to the setting are what you should shoot for.

Buying Powers

Powers are purchased just like skills. Each Power has two skills that must be purchased to make use of it: Activation and Application. The initial purchase of these skills is made by spending one point for Mediocre skill. After that each skill is advanced individually with point buys.

Every Power purchased inflicts a permanent Consequence on the purchaser. The exact nature of this Consequence is up for discussion, but their severity will reflect the associated Power's capabilities.

Using Powers

Using a Power requires at least Average success at both Activation and Application. Failing one or the other tests will result in various forms of failure depending on the situation and the Power involved. Measures of success beyond Average increase the effects of the power.

Each use of a Power can cause Stress. If one of the skill rolls fails, or both rolls exactly match the character's skill, they suffer one point of Stress.