# RadioPunk 20XX

© 2022-25 by Enrique Vélez. All rights reserved.

## Playtester Info

### Playtest intro

Hey! Thank you for taking a moment to read this! I deeply appreciate it. I hope to year from you too!

This is work done by one person. Just me. Not because I'm capable to do it by myself, but because I'm a huge introvert and no one I know is interested in the subject. Sure, I've bounced ideas off internet strangers and got a few to give it a read and even share invaluable feedback, but it's a rare occurrence, and those who have lend a hand never stick around.

So this is a game I've been working on in my free time for what feels like 10 years now. It started off as a core-rule hack of my favorite game at the time. Then I moved on to make it into my dream of a JRPG-themed game (that genre is so saturated now). Then, during a period of writer's block I decided to switch to a genre I felt more comfortable with - Cyberpunk. And eventually I found the game's identity in a less dark variant of the genre.

What follows is a pretty crude manuscript that has a bunch of vestigial text from the hack, JRPG and Cyberpunk days. I realize to clean it up properly I have to re-write the whole thing from scratch, but before I do that I need to know if it works in its current state.

Right now it's a zine-size game, but depending on the feedback it could grow into a core rulebook.

### Playtest expectation

I think the average person should be able to read the doc in about half an hour and be ready to improvise a scenario to play with their friends.

I think players should have no need for pregens.

I'm not sure if players need a full list of available gear or if it's fine to just come up with appropriate equipment as a group.

I think it's important that player characters don't go around with backpacks full of crap, but I'm not sure if it's worth the player's time for game mechaics to enforce this.

## Introduction

Back in the day everything was online, and online was everything. People worked, lived, and played online. Money was sent from one side of the world to the other in an instant. People felt pretty safe pouring their entire lives into the cloud.

Then the Big L happened. We had been warned of HNDL - Harvest Now, Decrypt *Later* - but everyone thought it would happen... well... later.

While humanity was still figuring out quantum computers, nations and corporations were already setting systems up to decrypt all the data that had been stolen from their enemies ever since the net was invented.

Then one day it all came together. No one is sure who flicked the first switch, but in the end it didn't really matter. Immediately after all the electronic barriers were torn, crude large language models made quick work of anything else not plugged to the net through basic social engineering.

In a matter of days governments were toppled, corporations vanished, markets crashed, and armies were wiped out. Most of them, at least.

In some ways, everything changed, in some everything remains the same. Sure, lots of people died, and the maps were redrawn many times over, but grandpa's favorite burger chain was still in business.

One thing that changed was the net. Even after the over-reliance on the internet ruined many people's lives, the world refused to let the convenience die, so they moved to closed networks, everything hardwired, but pretty much all the same otherwise.

Anything wireless was considered a vulnerability, and this presented a challenge to the surviving techno-feudal lords: How to keep people hooked and dependent on their platforms? And the answer was simple: They had to become actual feudal lords. So they started building castles.

Some towers were built from scratch, and some by connecting together entire city blocks, with the current residents being forced into the system. Each building has its own networks, its own protocols, AIs, streaming services, online stores, same-day delivery, online casinos, its own MMOs, lootboxes... All owned by a single corporation, often a single person.

The average person "works" two or three hours a day. Most labor occurs in what is called a neuron farm, where people connect to a network, zone out, and let the system use their brains for complex computations. A much cheaper alternative to quantum computers. Besides selling data to outside buyers, the towers use the computing power of neuron farms to train the algorithms used by the drones who do the physical labor.

This means most people only leave their rooms to do things they MUST do in person, like mandatory exercise, socializing, and buying some stuff. The rest of the day is spent in the Metaverse. A collection of games and simulations designed to give the illusion of freedom while actually tricking people into doing more work for the tower's network. Tower residents are often referred to as dwellers.

While automated drones take care of almost anything, they have the limitation of not being able to communicate wirelessly. If something comes up that their algorithms did not foresee, elite workers called troubleshooters are called to manually override some systems or even do the work themselves. Troubleshooters have a reputation of using violence to solve most human interactions, hence the name.

There is still trade and commerce between towers, and even between nations. Automated truckships carry heavy cargo between towers and seaports, plowing through the remains of an ancient highway system. There are rumors of ancient towns and villages out there, far from the towers. Of farms that sell fresh produce at extremely high premiums, gigafactories, and mines. Some say other continents are still at war. Who knows?

Anyone with access to a window knows that down below, outside the towers' armored gates, lay the ruins of pre-L civilization. In these ruins live those who refuse to live the dweller lifestyle, or those who have been banished. For most, it's quaint little shanty towns and a simple off-the-grid life. For others it's all about hijacking truckships, fighting troubleshooters, and sometimes raiding the otherwise peaceful settlements scattered between cities. Be it a scavenger, raider, or farmer, people living outside the towers are called Outcasts by those within.

The radio revolution began not long after the dust from the Big L settled. It started with nostalgic hobbyists sharing music via pirate radio. A small cottage industry where electronics still capable of using radio signals were built flourished in this new era.

It's definitely a harmless hobby as long as no one connects these radios to any network terminals. But it resulted in people disconnecting from the tower's networks, and the towers can't monetize that. It also allowed people to communicate with residents of other towers and even outcasts, breaking many of the illusions the towers tried to hold up, like how the outcasts below were supposed to be roving gangs of cannibals, murderous robots, mutants, or zombies.

It wasn't long before the pirate stations started broadcasting anti-establishment propaganda and the towers started cracking down. Radio technology was directly outlawed across all towers, allegedly in the name of cybersecurity.

Weaponized radio-sniffing drones were deployed to destroy such equipment and detain anyone using it, and rumors emerged of AI dopplegangers baiting others into enforcer ambushes. Radio users were forced to switch to brief communications punctuatd by physical meetings to update frequencies and codes, which in the end made the communities stronger.

Fast forward to the current day. Enter the RadioPunks.

RadioPunks are former dwellers, outcasts, or troubleshooters who have embraced a life of defiance while making the most out of tower life. They believe the cost of civilization should not be one's soul.

:::info
You know? I used to be a bit of a RadioPunk myself when I was about your age. Living on the edge and all that.

Oop! Looks like this is your floor. Go on kid, have fun blowing up expensive shit. Tell you what, I'll keep the elevator here for as long as I can just so you can tell me what kind of shenanigans you got up to.

Here, have a cookie.
:::

RadioPunk 20XX is a cooperative role-playing game about finding humanity in a world of digital illusions. About finding community in a world of individualism. About art over content. And yes, also about wrecking corpo shit.

This game assumes basic knowledge of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs). If this is your first TTRPG you might need to do a few web searches for context.

To play this game we recommend having a stack of index cards, a notebook, a couple of pencils or pens, a bunch of dice of a bright color, another bunch of a dark color, and a few ten-sided (0-9) dice.

# Core Rules

## Scenes

The Game Master (GM) starts by literally setting the scene; this includes a brief recap of how the players got there, a thorough description of the current environment's sights, sounds, and smells, as well as anything that would immediately stand out.

Think of this period af the GM's turn. The GM should welcome player feedback but can veto any proposals that don't align with the scenario they had in mind.

The purpose of a scene is to inspire the players, so every scene should propose an obstacle, conflict, or threat that requires creative use of the characters' stats and gear, as well as their surroundings. This is the game's primary source of drama, tension, and excitement, after all.

A scene should be unambiguously laid out and if something relevant is not immediately apparent, there should at least be clues that the players may pick up for their characters to investigate.

The GM needs to make it clear if anything on the scene should appear strange or out of place to their characters. Subtle hints are not recommended as the players usually accept all information as a normal part of a scene when engaged in the suspension of disbelief.

A montage is a low-stake scene where the players advance the narrative without the need to engage in game mechanics.

## Character Actions

When all questions are answered and all players have a clear understanding of the scene, players can go ahead and propose the actions their characters would take.

It's now their turn.

Once each and every player has pitched in, or chosen not to, the GM takes a moment to determine the order of events, as well as which character actions succeed, which ones fail, and which ones will depend on the roll of the dice.

The GM finally plays out the rest of the scene as a narrator, occasionally pausing for dice rolls and handing off the narration to the players to describe or act out their part of the action. The GM's narration should resolve the scene and segue into the next one when it's time to move on.

The [dice mechanics](#Rolling the Dice) in this game ensure that no roll is 100% predictable, regardless of how stacked the odds are. Therefore, the GM should not risk a roll if a character absolutely must succeed for the scenario to continue. A single roll of the dice stands for characters doing the best they can, within the constraints of that scene.

The GM must make sure to make the stakes clear before asking for a roll as the result is always final. Players used to other popular RPGs might want to try again right away after failing a roll, but they must wait until the consequences of the roll have been narrated, or until the next scene. This is important to avoid getting stuck on a scene.

A scenario is a collection of scenes that compose a short story meant to be wrapped up in one session.

A campaign is a series of scenarios played over extended periods.

:::danger
If a player decides their character is going to interrupt another, that does not mean the player can interrupt the other player while they're speaking.

If two characters argue or are mean to each other, that does not give permission to the players to raise their voices.
:::

## Rolling the Dice

There are 5 elements to a die roll in RadioPunk 20XX:

1. **Goal** - what the character wants to accomplish. If it's impossible within the fiction, they automatically fail.
2. **Stakes** - what could go wrong, regardless of the goal succeeding. If no one can think of an interesting consequence, and no one's in a hurry, they automatically succeed.
3. **Mods** - character-specific rules that modify a roll's odds by making the player choose between multiple dice rolled at once.
4. **Stat** - a numeric representation of an amount added to the dice total to represent the character's abilities.
5. **Result** - how to interpret the effect the dice have on the fiction.

:::success
Players need to be sure they understand all elements before they actually roll the dice. Most elements are open to negotiation, but once the dice are cast, the players *must* accept the result.
:::

### Goal and Stakes

Usually, it's the goal that prompts the roll. It happens whenever someone wants to do something that's risky but not impossible.

The stakes come second. The players and GM need to establish what could possibly go wrong, even if the character succeeds.

:::warning
What risk are they taking? Are they willing to hack that computer, knowing they could get hit with a virus? Will they risk triggering an alarm to gain access to a room? Will they risk angering their contact to extract a bit more information? What if they're in a hurry? Are there troubleshooters at the scene?
:::

Try to set up the goal and stakes in a single "while" or "without" sentence. Some examples:
- Trying to hack a computer (goal) **without** triggering an alarm (stakes).
- Trying to knock out a goon (goal) **before** they can call for help (stakes).
- Rappelling to a lower level (goal) **without** dropping the payload.
- Convince a merchant to sell you contraband (goal) **without** getting kicked out of the shop (stakes).

#### Combat

RadioPunk20XX is not the kind of game where players set out to kill people, or where they find themselves in scenarios where they would choose to end a person's life in order to obtain something.

However, their actions will often put them in sutuations where others will try to use disproportional violence to try to stop them.

When a firefight breaks out, the GM "resets" the scene, explaining how the circumstances have changed, including the source of violence. Each player then decides how their characters react to the new scene. Retreat, hide, take cover, or fight back, though most sutuations require a combination of all of the above.

Attacking NPCs is a roll like any other, and most NPCs are out of the scene with a success. They either die, faint, play dead, surrender... but they definitely don't get paid enough to take another hit.

During a combat scene, the GM can determine that what's at stake for any particular roll is the character being [wounded](#Wounds). For such rolls, pieces of armor count as positive mods, and each enemy that has opened fire counts as an adverse mod.

The GM can sometimes determine a character can be lethally wounded, though that should only happen after a reasonable amount of [strikes](#strikes).

#### Strikes

The stakes of different rolls can be pooled together when it benefits the scene.

Strikes can be used when multiple characters engage in the same activity. For example, if five characters are trying to gain access to an office, and they're short on time, the GM can determine that the troubleshooters will catch up with the radiopunks after two or three **strikes**, depending on how far away they are.

:::warning
What if the characters make too much noise? What if it takes them to long? It's hot inside the generator, better get out quick!
:::

Strikes can also be used for situations where there are stakes that build up slowly, instead of a direct response to a single failed roll.

### Stats

There are 5 **stats** in RadioPunk 20XX:

**Body** - This stat measures endurance, athleticism, as well as hand-to-hand combat and the use of blunt-force weapons.

**Reflex** - Covers precision weapons such as handguns, and rifles, as well as acrobatics and the ability to react to surprises.

**Tech** - This stat denotes affinity with physical technology, especially the fictional technology in this game that players can't possibly be familiar with. It enables you to repair most electronics and even cybernetics and to operate complex machinery and explosives.

**Cool** - This stat measures the character's ability to stay cool under pressure, which in turn dictates stealth, deception and willpower.

**Soul**- This stat measures the character's influence and understanding of others, including how well you can read others intentions and desires, as well as how you express yours, which can also be useful when persuading others.

**Stats** range from 0 to 4. The average person would have a 2 on most stats. A 4 on a stat would be a quality that really characterizes a character, while a 0 would be considered a defect. The higher the **stat**, the more likely they are to succeed reliably, but also the risk of facing consequences is reduced.

:::danger
There's no intelligence or knowledge **stat**. All characters in RadioPunk20XX are as smart as all of the players combined.
:::

### Result

When the time comes to roll, grab two dice, one of each color. If a [mod](#Mods) makes the roll more difficult, get another dark die, one for each mod. For every [mod](#Mods) that makes the roll easier, get another bright die. The only limit to the number of dice rolled is the amount you have available at the table.

Roll all the dice together, then discard dice until you're back to one of each color. Keep the bright die with the highest value, and the dark die with the lowest value. Then add the relevant stat.

A result *lower than 7* means whatever was at stake is lost, and the character's efforts fail. They have to pay the price and have nothing to show for it.

If the total of the roll is *exactly* 7, the character succeeds, but at a cost. Whatever was at stake is lost, but the character's efforts pay off.

If the roll totals *more than* 7, the character succeeds without consequence! Whatever was at stake is saved! The higher the character's stat, the more likely this is to happen.

If the roll had more dark dice than light and still succeeds by rolling a 7 or more, it means the character succeeded **against the odds**! When this happens the GM rewards the player with a [reputation](#Reputation) [mod](#Mods) for their character related to the roll.

:::warning
Players used to popular TTRPGs might be wondering if the difficulty of the roll ever changes.

Put simply, RadioPunk20XX does not consider *difficulty* for rolls. If the goal of the roll appears to be too easy or too hard, it's probably because the stakes are too low or too high.
:::

## GM rolls
Sometimes things happen to characters that are not part of setting a [scene](#Scenes) or the consequence of their actions (stakes).

When this happens, the GM should roll the die to give the characters a chance to react.

When the GM rolls, they roll a 10-sided die (numbered 0-9) instead. They don't add any stats, instead, they roll to beat the affected character's stat. If the result of the die is higher than the character's stat, it means the character could not avoid what happens next.

GM rolls are also a good way to settle a player action that should succeed without a roll, but there are still stakes at play.

For example, a guard chasing a RadioPunk would need the GM's roll to be greater than the character's reflex to catch them.

:::warning
Players of other popular TTRPGs might be used to reading the 0 on a d10 as a 10.

In RadioPunk20XX we treat it as a zero. For consistency we refer to such dice as d9.

If the ones you happen to have are numbered 1-10, just pretend the 10 is a 0.
:::

If there's mods at play, the GM must ***offset*** the negative and positive mods *before* rolling, so they either roll to keep the highest or lowest value.

### Luck Rolls

Sometimes the GM determines something is entirely up to chance, or that characters don't have a way to react to what's about to happen.

For example, when an [influencer](#Influencer) is caught by the guards, and they want to know the odds of there actually being a fan among them, or a [dweller](#Dweller)'s neighbor.

The GM must roll more than 5 on their d9 for the player character to have bad luck. Thils leaves the odds at exactly 50%, but the GM can determine if [mods](#Mods) affect the likeliness of luck rolls.

# Mods

Mods are bits of fiction that affect, or *modify*, the way dice are rolled in favor or against the characters.

A mod can range from a player owning the right tool for the job, knowing a key piece of information, having a bad reputation or being wounded.

Mods come and go as the story progresses, so players should write them down in index cards and be ready to trade, modify, or get rid of them.

When everyone agrees a mod is relevant to the roll, add a bright or dark die depending on whether it favors the character or hinders them.

The same mod can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the context.

Some mods such as tools don't favor the player when used as intended, but they are hindered by the lack of them instead. For example, a hammer doesn't make you good at driving nails.

## Complications

The GM can add mods to a scene as a consequence of a character's action without having to reset the scene.

The most common example is when there's enemies trying to stop the RadioPunks. Each thug, guard, or drone engaged with the character counts as a negative mod.

Other examples include heavy wind caused by breaking a window, fire, panicked crowds, and such.

Such mods are cleared when the scene ends.

## Background

[Backgrounds](#Backgrounds) describe a character's life before becoming a RadioPunk. Sometimes a character's background is beneficial, sometimes it's detrimental, depending on context. Players choose one when they create their character.

## Skillset

[Skillsets](#Skillsets) are a bit more straightforward than [backgrounds](#Backgrounds), and rarely detrimental. Also chosen at character creation.

## Equipment

Depending on the circumstances, characters' equipment can make rolls easier, but there are things that are simply impossible without the proper tools.

:::info
The RadioPunk future is one of scarcity within excess. Even before the Big L, the corporate overlords knew that starved people make for lousy wage slaves and even lousier customers, and that governments should do something about it.

The Big L just got rid of the government part.

Residents of the tower at all levels have *access* to reasonable housing, food, Metaverse terminals and headsets. Beyond that, they can earn credits to buy some essentials and subscribe to stuff such as furniture, appliances, and collectibles.

Larger devices are hardwired to the apartment. The same cable that draws power also connects to the network - where constant upgrades are delivered to speed up obsolecense, harvest usage data, and enforce subscriptions. Miss one payment and it stops working.

Portable devices have low-capacity batteries to ensure they're connected to the network frequently.

Residents are also allowed to own the kind of stuff that can't hardwired to the network, but it's cheap and disposable, and the resident is left with the responsibility of disposing of the trash adequately, which rarely happens.

RadioPunks, however, know better than working their asses off to own nothing. Besides, they must **[travel light](#Loadout)** if they're to be on the run.
:::

Your character only needs to keep track of the equipment that is important to them.

Examples:
- Items with sentimental value
- Modded tech
- Unique or bespoke items
- Signature weapons
- Advanced technology

Everything else they know they can find easily.

:::danger
Resourcefulness is key for any good RadioPunk.

The GM shouldn't just say no to proposed rolls if the character didn't bring the right equipment.
:::

A player is not expected to have a **mod** for every possible circumstance, so when they want their characters to attempt something that requires any *equipment* but they don't have a suitable **mod**, they should still be able to *try*.

All the player has to do is explain how their character could find or improvise a *tool* as part of their proposed action and subsequent roll.

If the item in question is not as common, the GM can make a luck roll, or steer the scene towards finding such an item.

:::warning
Did they hack a delivery drone or a vending machine to get a tool? Did someone drop a perfectly usable PDA in the trash because a new model just came out? Did they ask a bystander nicely?
:::

Improvised or found *equipment* does not become a **mod**. It does not modify any rolls. It simply enables actions. A disposable means to an end.

## Implants

:::info
Modern medicine gives almost everyone access to prosthetic replacements for any part of their bodies. Cybernetics can range from inconspicuous, to glamorous, to outlandish. But the functionality is the same as the organics they were born with, thus, players have access to such cybernetics when creating their characters.

The rules for [wounds](#Wounds) are the same for all body parts, organic or cybernetic.

A player might decide their character has silver hands or neon eyes just as they can decide they're blond or bald. And thus, cybernetics are not **mods**. That's where implants come in.
:::

Any tools or functionality added to cybernetics is indeed a **mod**.

Some examples include:

- Rollerblade feet
- Infrared eyes
- Holographic skin
- Retractable claws

If an **implant** is destroyed or disabled, the cybernetics encasing it continue to work as prosthetics.

## Weapons

Weapons are a form of [equipment](#Equipment). Characters can improvise melee weapons in a pinch, which would have the same effect as fighting unarmed. Cheap, disposable pistols can easily be found to enable ranged attacks.

Just remember that found or improvised equipment does not count as a mod.

A basic weapon mod ranges from a knife to a pistol.

More advanced weapons allow certain attacks that a mere pistol can't pull off. The more special properties a weapon has, the bulkier it becomes, which can affect your [loadout](#Loadout)

Some examples:
- **Automatic** - Enables suppressive fire
- **Spread** - Can target groups of enemies
- **Rifle** - An increment in range and overall accuracy
- **Armor piercing** (AP) - Offsets a piece of armor
- **Suppressor** - Makes it easier to remain hidden after shooting
- **Auto-tracking** - Improves aim against certain targets

Players can combine different weapon mods into their ideal weapon, just keep in mind it might get too big to carry.

Some classic examples:
- **Handguns** (no mods) are lightweight and easy to conceal.
- **Revolvers** (AP x 1) hit harder than guns.
- **Submachine guns** (automatic) compensate for their low accuracy with a crazy rate of fire that ensures you will hit something if you spray for long enough.
- **Shotguns** (spread) use wide blasts instead of bursts, making them more likely to hit the target.
- **Auto-shotguns** (spread + automatic) are harder to operate but are great for spraying.
- **Assault rifles** (rifle + automatic) offer precision AND automatic fire.

Bulky weapons can become detrimental mods, if their presence affects the scene.

## Armor

Armor reduces the effect bullets have on your body by a bit. The more armor the better.

A single piece of armor could be a chest plate, a helmet, or some padding. Its location doesn't really affect the effectiveness.

When making a roll where being wounded is at stake, add a bright mod for each piece of armor.

The GM also uses armor mods when making reaction rolls from enemy attacks.

## Wounds

When a character is wounded, note the severity and location of the wound as another mod.

The GM determines and explains the nature of the wound before the roll where being wounded is at stake happens.

For example, a character with a broken leg can continue the mission, but all rolls involving running, jumping, etc. are going to be affected.

Wounds in RadioPunk 20XX are not lethal, instead the player chooses how and when to retire their characters as wounds accrue.

For example, a character can go out in a blaze of glory, disregarding the stakes of their actions to achieve a goal, or they can leave the tower and become an outcast.

Wounds are healed between missions.

## Reputation

Whenever a character [succeeds against the odds](#Result) the player is awarded with a reputation mod.

For example a character that makes a seemigly impossible jump between towers would gain the "Tower Jumper" reputation. This mod gives an advantage when trying more jumps, but is also useful when trying to impress NPCs.

Likewise, a "marksman" mod earned from making a tricky shot can be used when intimidating.

If a player earns multiple of the same mod, they can only use one at a time. Reputation mods can also be [overclocked](#Overclocking), so there's a good use for those extras.

## Overclocking

In particularly risky scenarios, a player might want to push a mod to its limit.

To overclock, the player must put a beneficial **mod** that's relevant to the goal or stakes on the line *before* rolling, then roll as usual. Once all extra dice have been discarded, roll another bright die and set it aside.

If the original [result](#Result) can be improved further by swapping one of the remaining dice with the third die, the player must accept this new result and discard the overclocked **mod**.

If the third die doesn't improve the **result**, then the **mod** is safe.

The extra die is considered when determining if a success was [against the odds](#Result).

For example, a [tinkerer](#Tinkerer) can use the battery from a boombox to overload a lock, and a [dweller](#Dweller) can risk his reputation being a great cook when trying to convince the food cart owner to move the cart to block a security camera.

# Characters

In RadioPunk 20XX, players work together to create a story where they take the roles of a group of misfits rebelling against all-powerful corporations, corrupt governments, and the complacent masses. This game is not about mercenaries or thieves, although there will be shooting and stealing. There won't be a mysterious fixer setting players up to fail for a quick buck either.

These acts of rebellion range from pulling pranks on trillionaires, or hijacking medicine shipments, to demolishing corporate skyscrapers. Every mission is a statement.

## Creating a Character

While it's cool to show up with a concept for a character, the details should be worked out as a team so that characters complement each other, or at least the players are aware of any blind spots the crew might have.

### Name and Handle

Coming up with a name for a character is hard. You might want to just write down a generic gender/ethnic appropriate name and surname and call it a day. It doesn't really matter that much. In this day and age it's better to keep your legal name private, anyway.

You will still need a name if you want a [reputation](Reputation), so you have to come up with a cool handle. This one's easy. Think of a unique nickname that's easy to remember. It can be cool, funny, serious, self-deprecating, traditional, or completely random. After all, it's the character's actions that will determine if KewlKat87 is indeed "kewl."

### Generating Stats

Perfect characters make for boring stories.

Assign values in any way desired as long as the total is exactly 10. It can be twos across the board, or 0 to 4, or any combination.

These stats will stick with your character until they go out in a blaze of glory, so it's good to keep them handy in an index card or its own sheet of paper.

:::warning
#### Optional: Randomized stats

As long as everyone at the table agrees, stats can be randomized.

Roll two dice and look up the result for each on the list below, add them, then assign the result to your character's stats in this order: Body, Reflexes, Tech, Cool, and Soul.

1,2: 0
3,4: 1
5,6: 2
:::
## Backgrounds

A character's background helps determine what their life was like before becoming a RadioPunk.

Below are some examples along with potential benefits and complications.

### Wanderer

Your character was an ordinary tower resident, but wasn't a big fan of the Metaverse.

Your character used to spend an unusual amount of time outside the metaverse, just strolling about and exploring, gaining an instinct for navigating the towers and finding stuff.

Your character met their neighbors face to face and probably even shared a meal.

Living in a surveillance blind spot could cause corporate systems and troubleshooters to mistrust wanderers.

:::warning
At what point did they decide not to return to their apartment?
:::

### Dweller

Your character drank the corporate Kool-Aid and jacked into the Metaverse.

They can navigate the most complex networks with ease, but probably struggle with physical activity because of the long days spent on a recliner.

:::warning
Consider why, and how did they decide to leave their life of comfort and convenience to become a RadioPunk.
:::

### Dropout

Your character was not the average pencil-pushing wage slave. Nah, they had to get their hands dirty. Your character could have been a corporate spy, smuggler, saboteur, assassin, or even worse, a lobbyist. In exchange, they were allowed to live in the top floors, where the good stuff is. Where life is so good, people don't need a metaverse.

Always straddling the line between legal and illegal. You were in the line of work that includes writing off bribes as business expenses.

They might have a hard time empathizing with most people, but they know other ways to make people cooperate.

:::warning
Think of what made your character leave this world. Were they fired, did they resign, did they have to escape, or did they survive an assassination attempt? What did they take with them on the way out?
:::

### Outcast

Outcasts live outside of capitalist society. They make their homes in abandoned buildings and tunnels, shanty towns, and even caravans or fleets that move between cities through vast desert wastelands or the open seas. They survive via trade and barter, often selling their services as transport specialists to obtain the few things they cannot make out of scraps they find.

They're the reason most dumpsters are heavily guarded.

Outcast communities are bound by a strong sense of family and a love of freedom.

Your character struggles with current tech but can figure and make use of stuff otherwise deemed obsolete.

:::warning
Why did your character leave their community? Were they seduced by the glamour of the towers? Was it good old-fashioned greed, or necessity? Did they leave on their own accord or were they banished?
:::

### Enforcer

While some would say money is power, violence is the law of the concrete jungle. Those with wealth and without the power of violence often coerce others to enact it on their behalf.

Your character could have been a member of a criminal organization, a bouncer at a club, a Troubleshooter, or a fixer's bodyguard, but at one point something drove them to aim higher.

They might struggle with some conversations where people might feel intimidated.

:::warning
Did your character get tired of oppressing the weak? Was it because there wasn't much to gain, or did they actually grow a conscience? Did they piss off the wrong people?
:::

### Influencer

In a world of infinite optimized entertainment, people find themselves drawn to your sincerity.

A rockstar, vlogger, pop star, talk show host, star athlete, journalist, comedian, or community leader. Your character has a knack for grabbing others' attention and is not afraid to divert this attention to what matters most.

Your character might have lost their platform and their day job, probably for speaking truth to power, or having their sponsors erased off the face of the planet, but they have not lost their audience. They're tuned in to your frequency, all you need is microphone.

While fame has its perks, your notoriety makes it harder to blend into a crowd, and random people may feel compelled to approach you.

## Skillsets
A character's skillset complements their background.

Choose one of the listed **mods**:

### Muscle

Soldier, Bouncer, Troubleshooter, Bodyguard. Your skills revolve around violence.

### Wizard

You've learned to work some serious magic with the aid of your trusty visor or cyberdeck.

### Tinkerer

In a world of cheap manufacturing, planned obsolescence, and fast fashion, very few people can repair or modify devices.

### Investigator

Journalist, Detective, Corporate spy. Your skills involve gathering information.

## Bio

A good place to start is writing a short origin story for the character. Every bit of information you add will become an essential part of your shared story as it will be a foundation for every decision you make as this character. As a player, you don't have to share this right away with the other players but be sure the GM understands this and agrees to have this character join the game.

Try to think of what life was like before your character joined the crew. What did they leave behind? Who is waiting for them to come back?

Also, keep in mind that because of the collaborative nature of this game, the GM, or even other players will occasionally make assumptions about your characters. Besides avoiding gaps in your story, it's a good practice to accept and incorporate these assumptions into your story rather than dispute them. It might be easy to tell a fellow player that their assumption is incorrect, but the GM may have already made important decisions based on those assumptions.

When you're done you should be able to write down a shortened bio with just the basics: name, handle, age, gender identity, place of origin, etc. in a separate sheet of paper or index card along with the following:

## Style

Write down a few aspects of your characters' outward appearance that make them stand out. Do they dress in mostly a particular color? Would they wear body armor to a business meeting, or a suit and tie to a shootout? Will they wear warm clothes even in the heat? Do they wear a big hat with a big feather? Would they go anywhere barefoot, or wear rollerblades indoors? You can add some neat cybernetic implants for cosmetic purposes. You could even make a visual representation of your character if you're artistically inclined, or maybe commission an artist.

## Personality

The character's personality is the last thing you should work on. Just like with real-life human beings, it takes a good chunk of our lifespans to develop one, so consider having only a vague concept in mind and "trying it on" for a few sessions.

## Connections

Besides the crew's origins, write down any relationships between characters. Are they siblings, lovers, acquaintances, clones?

All characters should also have contacts outside their tight-knit group that are trustworthy enough to be let in if the need arises to fill in for a dead or retired character, or if a new player joins the table.

The GM may also use any of these connections as a friendly NPC.

### First Mission
This game assumes the crew has already worked together before. Work together with the other players on a short story of how that first mission could have gone. As part of establishing the crew's connection.

## Finishing Touches

At this point, you should have a couple of sheets of paper, or index cards, with all the information above. Stash them in a folder, fasten them together with a paperclip, whatever, just make sure your notes are organized and that they look cool.

# The Operator

An Operator is a character played by the Game Master (NPC) that is central to the entire operation. The Operator does not go out for jobs with the crew. Their main job is finding opportunities for the crew, and keeping channels of communications open. Also, they work behind the scenes, manage the logistics, launder the ill-gotten gains, pay the bribes, secure the gear, and all the stuff players don't generally want to do at the table anyway.

The GM should pitch their idea of an operator to the group for their approval, much like they need the GM's approval for individual characters.

Operators have backgrounds and skillsets just like player characters, though the rules are a bit different for them. Refer to the Operator Tools section for specific guidelines.

If the GM is not available for a session, they may ask for volunteers among the group to run the session in their absence. A player that agrees to cover for the GM still plays their character, but the character becomes the operator for the session. The GM might provide specific instructions to complete a scenario, or ask them to run a stand-alone, “one shot” mission for the remaining players.

## Operator Tools

GMs have tools at their disposal that Operators can use in-game to keep the game running when things get out of control, without taking away much of the players' agency.

At any given time, even in the middle of a scene or in between player actions, the players can call their Operator for help. The GM decides which tool the Operator is using, then must announce the immediate effect, and what the current Heat level has increased to.

Just like any other NPC, the Operator might proactively intercede if they think the crew is in trouble.

Using tools from a background or skillset other than your Operator's accrues two Heat points instead of just one.

**Hospitality**(Wanderer) - Your operator can hook the crew with a couch to crash on and maybe a free home-cooked meal. Just please clean up after yourselves.

**Invisibility**(Dweller) - The operator can disable security cameras or clear surveillance footage.

**Blackmail**(Dropout) - If someone is giving you a hard time, the operator might dig up some dirt on that person that's guaranteed to persuade them to, at the very least, not hassle you.

**Exit**(Outcast) - The operator's buddies on the outside can easily spot any exit from any tower. Above floor levels that could include a vestigial fire exit, a sealed off tower bridge, or a garbage chute.

**False False Alarm** (Troubleshooter) - The operator knows the protocol to dismiss an alarm as a false alarm.

**Flash Mob** (Influencer) - After spreading some rumors, the Operator is able to summon a large crowd to a specific public place.

**Snipe** (Muscle) - Your Operator likes to keep tabs on the operation from a vantage point. Sometimes it's easier to just blow someone's head off and be done with it.

**Knock** (Wizard) - Your Operator remotely breaks into your location's network to hack a device.

**MacGyver**(Tinkerer) - Give your Operator a list of things around you and they'll figure out how to make the right tool for the job then and there.

**Sources**(Investigator) - Your Operator can ask around and find the answer to most questions if you get stuck.

**Medevac**(any) - Anyone can call an ambulance drone in the tower, but an operator can make it so that no troubleshooters show up with it.

## Heat

Every time the Operator uses one of these tools, they accrue one Heat point. Heat is an abstraction of the risks and costs the Operator can safely assume, which isn't much.

Effect of Heat on the crew:

- 0 - No sweat. - The Operator doesn't mind. What are friends for, right?
- 1 - Seriously? - The Operator scolds the crew. You're getting sloppy.
- 3 - Hands-on - The Operator starts to doubt in the crew's abilities. They might intercede if things get shaky again, even if the crew doesn't ask for it.
- 4 - Abort! - The Operator advises the crew to cut their losses and get outta there right now.
- 5 - Radio Silence - The Operator stops answering the crew's calls. Hopefully they're OK, but now the crew is on their own.

:::warning

## Cooldown or Burnout

Heat resets at the end of a mission, except when it maxes out. It takes some in-game downtime for things to cool down, and the crew might need to hunker down for a while or even move to another tower. But if the operator burns out, the GM needs to retire that Operator and pitch a new one to the players.
:::

# Structure of Play

In RadioPunk 20XX, gameplay focuses on the missions the crew takes on.

With the occasional exception, the flow of the game should follow a **Cooldown > Briefing > Loadout > Approach > Complication > Exit > Cooldown** loop.

Depending on the complexity of the scenario, this loop could take more than one session, but the GM should aim to time it so the next cooldown is at the start of the next session.

## Game Over

If the heat goes all the way to 5 it's generally Game Over. If the operator burned out it means the crew really struggled with the mission. The next scene should be a montage where the (surviving) characters wrap up any loose ends they can, and retreat to their safehouse.

The players should update their notes and call it a day. Take a minute to wind down and reminisce on their favorite parts of the session. Keep a positive attitude, the setting is gloomy enough already.

If playing on campaign mode, on the next scheduled meeting, the players should run another Session Zero to realign their expectations, preferences and boundaries. Rebuild your crew with a mix of surviving characters and new additions. Choose a new Operator or promote a surviving character, then try again!

## The Cooldown

At the start of the session the crew ties up any loose ends from the previous session as part of a montage. This should be a good opportunity to recap the last session, especially if one of the players missed it and is a little out of the loop.

Also, players get to take care of any accrued hitches by offsetting them with gear of similar value during the cooldown montage. The more serious the wounds accrued during the last mission, the longer the recovery time.

The GM may determine a particular hitch or piece of gear is too important to address in a montage. Players are expected to make an effort to get rid of such hitches by addressing them directly in-game, but more often than not it's the GM who should put the characters in a spot where they must. Having a character with too many hitches can slow down the game.

If this is the your first session, use this time to flesh out your crew's details instead.

## Briefing

The crew's downtime is interrupted when the Operator rounds up the crew to meet in a secure location to lay down the details of a unique opportunity they found.

In this scene the GM must disclose to the players the details of this opportunity. What can be accomplished? What are the risks?

The GM should have a general idea of how the mission could play out and probably have a few scenes planned. But it's up to the whole table to work out the details so that everyone goes in excited about it.

For example, the Operator found an opportunity where a pallet of fine wines that is scheduled to be dropped off at the roof of the tower is going to sit out there unguarded for a full hour because someone messed up the pickup schedule. The usual rooftop security will be there, though, they just won't be guarding the shipment. The players propose sneaking in, smashing it, and leaving. But one player says it's not worth the risk unless they do something awesome with it, so they propose commandeering a forklift, posing as employees, and rolling the whole into a cargo elevator. Another player says they're in but only if they throw a party afterwards. The GM likes where this is going so the Operator types a few commands into their computer, and they find an unused activity room a few floors under the admin district. All the crew needs to do is disable the security cameras for a few hours.

Everyone is now hyped to steal the wine and throw a party with their neighbors. The opportunity is now a mission.

## Loadout
Players go through a **loadout** montage with their characters before they go on every mission. This is the time when players go through their stash and decide what to bring along as their characters come up with a plan.

### Equipment Selection
While future versions of RadioPunk might come with a list of items, like most games do, for now it's beyond the game's scope.

If a detailed list is important to your table, you can use any TTRPG's item list as a guide, ignoring item prices and focusing on the item's size and utility. You can also take inspiration from characters in pieces of fiction you like, just pay attention to the stuff they carry.

Otherwise, the players should just propose their equipment to the GM. It can be tricky to settle on the exact level of technology that will be available at your table but the key is consent. If a player wants to have a sonic screwdriver, and nobody minds, then it's fine.

All characters should start with a radio headset, tools related to their **skillset**, a personal item, some **armor**, and a **weapon**. The Operator might provide mission-specific equipment.

### Item Size

While a **Weapon**'s size is determined by its **mods**, the size of any other piece of equipment needs to be determined during the loadout, using the example weapons to help visualize an item's size for loadout effect.

- Change, ID, keys and other pocket stuff desn't count towards your loadout.
- A pistol, PDA, radio, multitool or your average handheld tool is worth **1 equipment slot**. It probably requires a holster.
- A submachine gun, shotgun, cyberdeck, or a two-hand power tool that would require a shoulder strap is worth **2**.
- An assault rifle, auto-shotgun, saxophone or any tool that would probably require a carrying case is worth **3**.
- A sniper rifle, rocket launcher, synthesizer, computer, or anything that would require a table or a bipod to use would be worth **4**.
- Every piece of armor takes up one slot.

### Equipment Capacity

A character has as many available equipment slots as their Body stat (0 to 4) without suffering any penalties. If they must go above that, they take a penalty equal to the excess and deduct it from their Cool or Reflex stats as they choose, as long as neither is reduced below 0.

For such penalties the player must reduce the **stat** for as long as they're overburdened. The character can't carry any more stuff once the affected **stat** reaches zero.

Imagine a wannabe mercenary with an oversized backpack and guns sticking out, they may look silly, and if they manage to pull it off, they're definitely not going to be nimble.

The penalty is adjusted immediately after an item is obtained or discarded. Found or improvised items do not count, as they're assumed to always be discarded when not in use. Keep an eye on those index cards!

Players should consider leaving some room for anything they might have to bring back from the mission, or for if they find something valuable.

Implants are limited by the Tech stat, and penalties are applied to Soul. If you can't handle the cybernetics plugged into your brain, you risk losing your mind. The penalty remains even if the implant is destroyed or disabled and can only be adjusted during Cooldown.

## The Approach

Once the **loadout** is set, the crew hits the road right away.

The GM briefly narrates a montage of how the crew gets together, prepares for their mission, waits for the right time, and finally gets there. Think of it as setting up a running start so the players get right into the action.

All players should have something to do in the scenes following this montage.

## The Complication

At some point in the mission the GM must throw a curveball to the players.

An alarm goes off. The negotiations are botched. The explosive didn't go off. The power goes out. The cops arrive... Even better if it's something the Operator can't fix.

If the mission goes exactly as planned, the mission was a success, but the session wasn't.

## The Exit

OK so the crew made it through an unexpected complication. The exit plan might still go according to plan or be completely improvised, but whatever happens, remember this is the climax of the session. Ideally it would be an action scene followed by a montage.

The mission ain't over until the crew is back at the safehouse. Once the players hit that marker, the GM officially adjourns the session until next time, when the Cooldown picks right up.

Take a few minutes to wind down, decide if you want to schedule another session, and please help the host clean up!