DISCLAIMER: This game system is unofficial content provided under the Homebrew Content Policy of R. Talsorian Games and is not approved or endorsed by RTG. This content references materials that are the property of R. Talsorian Games and its licensees.

What is Cyberpunk?

Cyberpunk is a science-fiction role-playing game created by Mike Pondsmith and R. Talsorian Games that incorporates dystopian elements of mega-corporations run rampant, food and supply shortages and collapsing government, while heavily investing in elements of human augmentation through the use of cyberware. The focus is very much centered around ‘living on the edge’ but provides flexibility with character types that cover all sorts of play styles.

The most recent release in the Cyberpunk RPG series, Cyberpunk Red, takes you to the near future of 2045 where much of the world is recovering from the events of the mid-2020s. After malicious AI viruses destroyed much of the original concept of a connected Internet (or NET), people have transitioned back to local area networks to connect and communicate. Outside of major cities, caravans run by Nomads help keep supply lines running by land, air, and sea.

What are the basics?

Cyberpunk Red uses the “Interlock” system which primarily uses D10s for a combination of statistic + relevant skill + d10 to reach a pre-determined value or result.

These statistics include: Intelligence, Willpower, Cool, Empathy, Technique, Reflexes, Luck, Body, Dexterity, and Movement. Yes, COOL is stat!

Statistics are then tied with a combination of over 50 different skills to form a check, which you roll to beat a difficulty value (DV) or against an opponent’s opposing check. For example:

Max is armed with his shotgun and is engaged in combat with a ganger 15 metres/yards away, presenting a difficulty value (DV) of 20. Max combines his Reflex stat of 7 with a Shoulder Arms skill of 6 for a “base” of 13. On his turn, Max will roll a 1d10 plus his base of 13, to beat the 20 DV.

Cyberpunk Red also uses roles, which represent character classes in the game. There are 10 roles to choose from, which help represent a character’s background or upbringing and define abilities they have which they can use throughout gameplay. These are:

• Rockerboys: Performers, musicians, writers or poets who inspire rebellion. They can use their charisma to inspire followers.
• Solo: Weapons specialists, commonly operating as mercenaries or bodyguards. They have abilities to assist with combat.
• Netrunners: Hackers of the dark future. They can gain access into local networks and use programs to modify, steal or destroy data.
• Techs: All around mechanics and tool-smiths. They can make items as a part of their ability, or upgrade existing items.
• Medtechs: Specialised surgeons or paramedics. Medtechs can use their ability to heal and produce medical supplies.
• Media: As followers of the new NET, Media seek out truth or the latest trends. They can report on current events and stories, and seek out information from reliable sources.
• Exec: Part of the big mega corps, they can hire and utilise employees to perform work for them.
• Lawmen: Enforcers, police and sheriffs. When in trouble, they can use their ability to call for backup.
• Fixers: The organisers and ‘who-to-know’ types. They know how to get access to goods on the street.
• Nomads: The truckies and roadsters of the future. They can call upon their nomad clans for vehicles and upgrades.

How does it perform in Foundry?

With a team of a half-dozen frequent contributors, and many others providing input, feedback, and guidance, the Cyberpunk Red Core system has implemented almost all features needed to run a game.

There are separate actor sheets for characters, NPCs, program, and container types, and inspiration has been taken from the core rule book as much as possible to keep the theme consistent.

As the system makes use of a lot of ranged-based combat, the system supports quick-access rulers to check meter/yard distance and the applicable DV you need to meet.

The cyberpunk universe also focuses on the new NET and Netrunners, so functionality has been implemented to allow for the generation of scenes for Netrunners to be operational during gameplay.

The team has also worked in line with the system’s homebrew policy, which means that a number of compendium packs are included built-in with the system. For new game masters, this vastly speeds up the time to get an initial game up and running. Restrictions on the homebrew policy do mean that you need to create your own actors, such as characters and NPCs. Other than that, the process is fairly straightforward.

If you’d like to learn more about the Cyberpunk Red system, a Getting Started video has been linked below.

Eclipse Phase is a tabletop roleplaying game set in a future after the technological singularity happened transforming transhumanity forever. The setting is rich with theme of transhumanism, radical politics, hard science-fiction, post-cyberpunk and cosmic horror. Mechanically it uses a custom d100 system that offers a middling level of crunch whilst incorporating modern RPG ideas like character motivations and metacurrencies (called pools in EP).

Originally published by Catalyst Games, it is now published by its creators at Posthuman Studios under a Creative Commons license. The game is in its second edition as of 2019, although an estimated 95% of setting lore from first edition is still valid as well as supplement books being available on the Rob Boyle’s blog.

Why Play Eclipse Phase?

Summarising the rich and deep lore of Eclipse Phase or the near infinite possibilities of what you can do with it from techno-thriller to celebrity dance-offs is almost impossible. Nevertheless, we will try to cover some of the key elements of both the mythos and mechanics of this high concept game.

The first thing to understand about Eclipse Phase is that this is heavily based on the post-cyberpunk and hard sci-fi novels of the last 30 years. If you are familiar with names like Iain M Banks, John Scalzi, or Neal Asher then you already have some idea what kind of concepts and transhumanist action this game is about. And if you do not recognise those names; watch the first season of the Netflix show Altered Carbon.

A big part of the appeal of Eclipse Phase is that deep lore and how it excites the imagination of what might really come to be possible in the future. Whilst at the same time exploring how this changes society and individuals. Then adding a dash of post-apocalyptic and cosmic horror. However, do not worry about trying to find a footing in who your players are and why they are working together. The game deftly presents two key tools to building your group and giving them a purpose.

The second thing to understand is that thanks to these transhumanist themes presented your characters are not bound to any single body or indeed a single life. For game masters who worry about accidentally delivering a total party kill (TPK) fear not in Eclipse Phase. Your players are transhuman, the have cortical stacks (mind blackboxes) in their morphs (bodies) which can be recovered and resleeved (uploaded to new bodies) or if the stacks are destroyed too you can restore them from remote backups though they might lose some memories and experience.

Image by Posthuman Studios LLC (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Dice and Pools

The Eclipse Phase system is d100 or percentile dice based with a few unique spins. It uses two ten-sided dice for skill tests and most other rolls. Rolled dice are read as percentiles (d100), with the first die serving as the tens digit and the second as the ones digit. Percentile dice rolls result in a number between 0 and 99 (00 is read as zero).

Some rolls require d6s or d10s such as for damage or recharging pools. These dice are added together, sometimes with a modifier. For example if a gun does 2d6 but might get a modifier of +. So a roll of 2 and 4 would total to 9.

You only need to roll for actions and tasks that would be challenging. And depending on your character’s gear, augmentations, traits and other factors will result in modifiers that can go from as high as +60 to as low as -60 usually in increments/decrements of 10.

Whenever you roll the goal is to roll under the skill target number but as high as possible. You want to roll higher both for situations where you are rolling against another character, and to gain superior successes. On a roll of 33 or more you get a superior, on 66 or more it’s two superiors. Double digits like 55 or 77 count as criticals (both success and failure).

There are ways for players to change the odds, flip results, buy superior successes or even define relationships and world facts. You do this by using pools. This metacurrency comes from a combination of your ego and your morph, most of your pools will come from various augmentations depending on what you are rock.

These come in four varieties:

Some examples of the effects these pools can be spent on include:

Image by Posthuman Studios LLC (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Starting Eclipse Phase 2e in Foundry

If you want to get started with Eclipse Phase 2e in Foundry the first thing you have to decide is which system you want to use. There are currently two unofficial Eclipse Phase 2e systems available. One is made by DerDiemen and the other one is made by Bubz.

Diemen System

This if the first unofficial system to be released for Foundry it started as their own private homebrew system but has become robust enough for a public release. It covers all of the basics and is flexible for homebrew potential with most aspects of the sheet modular and powered by creating items.

Bubz System

This might be the oldest system in development for Foundry that implements Eclipse Phase. Whilst not fully released yet you can grab it on the publicly available repository.

Unlike the Diemen system, this one has focused on implementing a pure version of Eclipse Phase into Foundry. Several key parts of the implementation have been factored in trying to make it easy for new players to pick up whilst doing things like tracking particular effects and including a compendium of morphs and gear.

Whilst this system can be a little more complicated to learn and it does not always play well with modules it can be well worth the investment. The automation alone can make things far smoother when combat starts and the crunch comes in. As well as tracking the effects and timers on various aspects of the game.

For a more detailed look into this system as well as a walkthrough of character creation check out this YouTube video.

Recommended Modules

FATE is a tabletop RPG system that is agnostic to any specific setting. It relies on players thinking out of the box, being proactive and playing with creativity and imagination. It was first published by Evil Hat Productions in 2003, and the latest 4th edition was launched in 2013 as a Kickstarter, including variants of the systems that will be talked about here briefly. The system itself is published under two free content licenses: CC BY 3.0 and the Open gaming license.

What is so cool about FATE?

For the FATE fanbase, the game is not just a standard RPG. They call it a “toolkit”, because it is generic, it is designed at its core to have its rules modified and be very powerful for home brew and custom designs for game experience. It focuses on narrative and centers around the player characters.

The biggest premise is about having Aspects, small short sentences that give a brief explanation about your character, like Low-level Thug or Black Sheep of the Thompson Family. These aspects can be anything really, and the book explains and gives examples about how to create good ones. They are about the character themselves, his contacts or family, her personality traits or possessions, and must either be an advantage or a problem, depending on the situation. It also involves relationship aspects with other characters (Crossing Paths Aspects) and Trouble Aspects.

Fate Points are the resource management of the system. Basically it is a currency for players to invoke their Aspects in order to get bonuses or re-rolls, and can gain them back by accepting compels: Dramatic situations that plays against them.

Who is FATE good for?

• Good for those who don’t feel like reading long ruleset books of mechanical rules.
• Good to jump in across different systems with the same rulesets.
• Amazing for World Builders, Homebrews and Customization of rules to achieve desired dramatic experiences.
• Good for improvisation and collaborative games (NPCs, Places, even Organizations are just aspect sentences).
• Good for roleplaying and story-telling, that focuses on characters arc and growing paths.

This may be arguable, but FATE is a double edged sword system. On one way it can be great for new RPG players because there aren’t too many rules. However, it can be also daunting at the same time, because there are no class lists, no race lists, no item lists or special abilities list. So, someone without any experience in Roleplaying games may be lost and intimidated by coming up with their own ideas.

Who is FATE not good for?

• Not good if you like Crunchy Games with long lists of items and powers, and enjoy making combos and builds.
  However: FATE is Perfectly capable of handling equipment and magic with mechanical significance through extras.
  
  
• Not so good if you enjoy tactical combat, where the 2 meters distance from target allows using “war machine” giving +1 vs Orcs and can be combined with “barbarian rage” if using it on a forest up to 3 meters away from a dead tree.
  However: Extras & Stunts do have requirements to be used and be quite mechanically significant, if used right.
  
  
• Power Builders and PVP. It’s just not meant for that. FATE is heavily collaborative and relies on players sharing and working together. Without Balance in mind.
  However: FATE provides rulesets that ensure all players have equal opportunities to be significant in a story.
  

I am confused, I play D&D!

Yes, you might panic a bit. FATE needs a mindset switch. Forget everything you know about RPG games and start over. FATE doesn’t have power builds, combos, rulesets, new classes or fancy level 18 items. In fate you just play with your sheet, sticky notes to write down “temporary” aspects and dice. Everything is mostly short sentences. No ammo management, no long item lists and no strict rules for equipment requirement. Even items can be implicit in your aspects, like “Veteran solider with an AK-47″ already says and gives you that weapon if your GM agrees.

However, all of these small “no” points, can be supplemented in FATE to get closer to simulation. The book itself provides rules for it if desired. Particularly the toolkit books, which we’re explaining next.

Lots of FATE books! what is going on?

Do not worry! FATE is always FATE and the concepts are always the same across all editions. They are all mostly “enriched” versions of it to accommodate to different needs. Here’s what you need to know:

• FATE Core: It’s the base rulebook, 300 pages of self contained FATE rules, with plenty of examples, ideas and and explanations that help customize the system. I would recommend this one for first-timers.
  
• FATE Accelerated: 50 pages version of FATE that makes it great for quick games and one shots. Instead of skills, stunts and extras, you only define how your character does stuff: Carefully, Flashy, Sneaky, Quickly, etc
  
• FATE Condensed: 60 pages version of FATE that is basically FATE Core summarized in a smaller amount of pages. So all examples are gone and how-to’s. It is great for players who know their way around fate. It also slightly modifies some rules to make FATE a bit easier to learn. For many, this is the best way to play FATE.
  
• FATE Toolkits: The System Toolkit enhances and customize the FATE game experience to your liking, expands on things like Magic, Cyberware and more techniques for building stunts and rules. Then, Adversary Toolkit, gets deeper into creating challenges, hazards, threats and enemies, as well as giving example settings and how to play them.

Finally, other Fate Books are setting-specific oriented, among these are really beloved ones like Dresden Files, Venture City for Superpowers, Nova Praxis, Atomic Robo or Fate of Cthulhu.

Enough fluff, I have Foundry VTT. Where do I start?

There are two great systems for FATE in Foundry VTT:

FateX – by Patrick “Daddi” Bauer

Gorgeous looking system, designed with user interface in mind. You begin by creating “Templates” of characters (or anything really, such as Organizations or a Place). Since in FATE anything can act like a “character” and just has Aspects, Templates is just the right term for world builders and GMs.

Then, you can create characters out of these Templates.

Following the example shown earlier in the article, here we can see that you can enter a Character Edit Mode in order to modify the stats and aspects of the character. When you exit it, the character becomes “non-editable” and ready for play.

I recommend FateX when you just want to go ahead and play standard FATE (in any of its editions) with more or less the standard structure, and appreciate a nice clean UI and a small amount of effort to get going.

Modular FATE – by Richard “Skimble” Bellingham

Another option for playing FATE, Modular Fate is perhaps more oriented to “System Hackers” and “Foundry configuration freaks” If you enjoy customizing every single piece of your game and approach it in a more modular and structured way, perhaps Modular FATE is for you.

In Modular FATE, as opposed to FateX, which works in Templates, it works more in “modules” or components. You can separately design Aspects, Skills, stunts and tracks by creating their own lists in a way they can be reused across different actors. It also includes a sub-app called FateUtilities that makes a summary of the game for the GM.

Both systems are great, and it is always good to have more than one option! This does not happen very frequently in Foundry VTT, so do enjoy it! Test both, see which one fits your needs and go. That’s the great thing about FATE in Foundry.

Recommended Modules for Fate in Foundry?

Hmm, this is always hard. What’s good for me may not be good for you.
However, if you insist… take a look at these:

Conclusion

Hope you have enjoyed this guide! FATE is really good for both short and long games. It is very flexible, powerful, narrative-focused game. Moreover, it can be used for different tones if set up right, like terror, investigation, action and exploration. I recommend at least checking it out, perhaps it is the one system that you pick up and stay with!

What do you think about Fate? Which system is best or which modules work great for FATE?
Share in the comment section below! Looking forward to sharing and hearing some thoughts as well!